2020-05-25 TPC: Scouting a Cloud, Southern End
Still Scouting a Cloud, Southern End
Participants: Artaud, Flynn, Sandy, Snake
Storyteller: Nate
Location: A thick miasma over the umbral 405, southern end
Date and Time: May 25 2020
Summary: Rip, tear, cannonball!
This part of the umbra is, as some spirits call it, a 'long flat'. Thick skeins of silver-grey webbing have been woven tightly together and polished to a dull sheen, smooth as an ice-rink in some parts, pitted and worn in others. Safety barriers are also firmly woven in place, though less tightly than the freeway itself. Long-standing matrix signs are similarly represented with thick clusters of grey, flickering with eerie green and orange lights now and then. Some parts of the 405 rise up above other roads, giving a good vantage point for looking down over the city.
On this part of the freeway, a pair of housecat-sized pattern spiders lurk in damaged parts, spinning their repairs with endless patience, multi-jointed legs placing each strand of webbing just so. They keep an eye on the area with one faintly glowing blue eye on each leg.
A short distance from the 405, Snake's parked his bike in a parking lot and gone to use a bathroom. After a quick check about to make sure he's not being observed, he starts looking into the mirror; a few moments later, he's in the Umbra. It takes a little while more than that for him to persuade one of his Gifts to activate, and blurred around the edges he exits the diner and takes off into the air. Nothing the size of that crinos should be able to fly - and yet, he does.
A wolf in the city could find crossing the Gauntlet a challenge, and many do. The Ritemaster slips through like a fish in water and the Crinos-shaped Flynn Circuit-Tracer is across and waiting. Even in this filth, Circuit Tracer looks to be at home in the grimy city Umbra and carries himself with the easy grace of a king patrolling his realm. There's even the fleeting sense of something regal in his poise, though there's an absence of that spiritual something marking the purity of blood that seems to be replaced by the subtle, cold shimmer of circuitry patterns over his fur. He crouches where he crosses, waiting to group up with the others as blue eyes study the surrounding spirit life.
Artaud for his part is just following along with the group. He'll show up out of nowhere really, the man stepping out from the shadows where he'll look over the small group that may or may not be assembling for the time being. There is an eager yup and woof, but then people move to cross over.. and well, Artaud is a bit delayed, but he is soon there as well, hopping and slinking along on the ground, almost crawling on his belly, as he looks up towards the various wolves as they assembled. A slow blink, head cocked to the side. Only occasionally looking up in the distance down the freeway towards the various spirits that seem to have coalesced into the distance.
The Cliath keeps small, quiet and out of the way, more than willing to 'hide' behind the more danerous looking Garou around.
Having parked her car out under some cover, Sandy made her way to the meeting spot. It takes her a few minutes, ten, to be exact to finally push through the gauntlet. Once she finally climbs through the thick Los Angeles air, she burts her way up into her war form, her body sparkling with a silver ambiance. << Sorry I'm late. >> She snarls out in frustration as she plucks at herself a few times to untangle a few strands of web. << Sometimes I forget how thick it is out here compared to home. We ready and geared up? >>
Naturally, the Pattern Spiders notice a bunch of scruffy jumped-up dogs crossing over into their area. But as is typical, they continue their repair work and do nothing. The pollution banes don't appear to have noticed the Garou just yet.
Snake comes down to a graceful landing at the meeting point, settling lightly onto the ground. <<It's interesting up there,>> he says, with a nod to the freeway's deck. <<Very interesting. There's a route up over there, brings you out behind rather than in the middle.>> And he nods to one of the on-ramps.
Circuit Tracer swings his silvered head to look to Artaud as he arrives and there's a pleased prick of his ears as he chuffs lowly to the younger Lupus, << Stick close. If I say to run, go. >> As Sandy arrives, he gapes his jaws in a toothsome lupine grin and passes an amused look back to the Silent Strider. << Homids. >> Though he says it with no small amount of affection for the Child of Gaia. << Snake is scouting ahead. Let's stay out of sight until he's here. The spiders will leave me alone if I leave them be, but you two be more careful. >> He does spare a glower towards the Banes, but they aren't his target tonight. And so he'll crouch away from the lights of the signs and wait for the arrival of Snake, who's news is regarded with a nod. << Sounds like our path to run. Snake and I can lead. Artaud, behind us. Sandy, protect our back? >>
Artaud blinks then as he steps forward slowly, looking past the spiders then with such an intense interest then. The beast that is- was artaud, now named Onuris, growls softly, curiously, even as he begins to whisper softly into the little bracelet turned anklet. The beast starting to vanish a bit from sight, just becoming a blur of motion until only the eyes remain, even as he looks back and up. <<Is fine with this. Glad to stay out of sight. Sure. Yes. Stay out of sight more though perhaps?>> He'll muse. Onuris keeps back, following the directions of Circuit Tracer for the time being. Happy to be a follower, a very sneaky follower.
<< This is your world, Circuit Tracer. I trust you to lead us. I'll concede to your expertise. >> Protects The Fallen rumbles in her throat as she burns a bright silver about her body that sparkles and shines. She calls upon the moon's armor and gives a squeeze of her large mits together at the power that ripples through her. << I'll have your backs, as I always have. >>
Snake's tail flicks in assent, and he starts moving towards the on-ramp. His feet stay still, though; he's floating an inch above the ground, rather than running along it, though he'll shift down to something smaller and match his speed to Flynn's.
As plans are set, Circuit Tracer lifts his eyes towards the full, angry eye of the moon above. << Luna, watch over us as we hunt under your light. >> Then he's rising up onto his feet and turns towards the on-ramp. << Then run with me. >> He states and sets off. He doesn't actually /run/, but he sets a brisk jogging pace in the Crinos form so as to conserve energy but cross the distance at a pace both comfortable to Garou and one eager not to linger long and draw unwanted attention. Here and there he'll glance to Snake to make sure they're going in the right direction, but most of his focus remains on their surroundings and the spirits that may be near and potential sources of trouble.
Onuris blinks then slowly as he looks up and aside to the larger sorts of Crinos and other Garou around him, just happy to slink along like the sneaky wolf that he is. Not at all eager to put himself out in public in the slightest. The young Lupus is more than content to let the likes of Circuit Tracer attract attention, or Sandy take the hits. He sticks to the median or the walls, always hiding just out of sight, even as he tries to keep pace with the group. Squirming and running along at a reasonable pace. Only poking his head up over any barrier to see how far away the more dangerous looking spirits are as they approach. Slowly. <<Will hop out from behind! Tear flesh like great warrior! Then run away and hide. Is great ambusher. And runner. Of course."
Giving a firm nod of her head, Protects-The-Fallen takes off after the others, running swiftly through the Umbral terrain. As she goes, she keeps her head on a swivel, darting her eyes left to right in case of something trying to sneak up on them. She has her trust in the Glass Walker to lead them, staying silent for now.
Coming up the on-ramp to the freeway, the cloud described by a certain bird is very easily visible. It is huge, completely engulfing the freeway to the north and west of your location, thick and roiling with black and brown hues. Even from here it smells godawful.
Snake continues to fly at Flynn's shoulder, the massive Garou still blurry at the edges and apparently not inclined to actually land just yet. The Uktena appears to be keeping his eyes open - including to the skies - to let the others work out what's going on more easily.
Wow, the banes smell bad. Like super bad. Like you're stood behind a very old car with no catalytic converter, just breathing deeply of the black smoke coming out of the exhaust. It is really quite nauseating.'."
The smell clawing its way into Circuit Tracer's nose and mouth has the Glass Walker starting to drool at the corners of his mouth as his body tries to wash away the acrid taste, and he's not even that close to it. << See anything? >> He prompts the group as he slows his pace and shakes his head, scrubbing one furry hand across his nose. << I may be able to see through it with a gift, if no one can. We should not go in blind. >>
There is a flattening of Protects-The-Fallen's ears as she gets a whiff of the air. She lets out a loud 'hark' sound in her throat before she huffs out towards the Ritesmaster. << I smell gasoline, but something else mixed into it as well. I can't place it, but it stings quite a bit. >> She waves a large mit in front of her muzzle a few times. << I can see something moving just beyond the edges, but I can't see what it is. It's too thick and hazy. >>
Stays a bit behind Flynn, of course, and definetly tries to keep an eye on Snake at the same time, always never wanting to get ahead of either of them as he sneaks along for the time being. The smell though has Onuris almost hacking and coughing, trying to press his nose into the pavement to try and dilute the scent, but even this doesn't work. So the lupus is just a heaving wreck as he tries to keep quite, even as he wanders along behind. <<Maybe rip nose off. Anything better.. than this.>> Onuris whines in response to Protects-the-Fallen.
Snake's own ears flatten and he grimaces, but despite his shudder he keeps on moving. Lower to the ground, now - flattened but still flying, he's as low to the ground as a Hispo can limbo.
With indications that there's possibly limited presence, Circuit Tracer grits and bares his teeth at the cloud. << We can't stay in this filth. Let's flank, stay nose to tail so no one is lost. Attack nothing yet unless you must. >> And he'll lead the way towards the cloud, though as he does he's trying to silently refocus his vision from the normal span of vision and into the electromagnetic spectrum to help make sure he's not guiding the makeshift pack into danger.
Giving a nod of her head, Protects The Fallen gives a low rumble in her throat as she follows after Circuit-Tracer, as she trusts the Theurge to lead them. She keeps her eyes peeled, trying to catch sight of anything within the cloud that may give her more information.
Snake, ears flat back, follows Flynn. Without bothering to move his legs to do so. There's something inherently uncanny about the way he's flying an inch from the ground, a shorter distance than his fur is long, leaving him looking like some form of elongated irritable Roomba.
Once through the cloud's outer edge, seeing within it is easier, though the fumes do make the eyes sting a little. A pair of housecat-sized pattern spiders lurk a damaged part, spinning their repairs to the pitting with endless patience, multi-jointed legs placing each strand of webbing just so. They keep an eye on the area with one faintly glowing blue eye on each leg.
In the middle of the road, a cluster of smoggy spirits are huffing and chortling to themselves, bodies made of rolling fumes that mingle and blend with each other as they move slowly northwest, making it difficult to count how many distinct spirits there are. Darting around them them with a loud and annoying buzz is the firefly-flickering form of another spirit, the blob of its body glowing a sickly green-yellow, trailing drips of sticky napalm-like gunk in its wake that makes fresh pits in the woven road.
Artaud is still just following along her! He'll go into the cloud to follow if pressed, but he isn't going to force his way to the front! Oh no sir!
The hackles raise on the back of Circuit Tracer's neck as the fog clears enough to properly see, though to him the world is less in common detail than eerie shimmers of energy like night vision and echolocation in one. Even the lingering smog proves less of a problem, if only to his vision. << The mass are Hoglings. The bright one is a Furmling. Wyrm elementals, air and fire. >> He says to the group and adds with a low growl as he watches the web below them sizzle in the bane's wake, << Ones that need slain. This reeks of their doing. >>
Onuris blinks as he listens then, murmuring, <<SOurce of smell? Source of scent? Source of corruption? Possibly?>> He'll inquire, even as the Lupus's head pops up over the odd rock or obstacle in the middle of the freeway. A sleep car here, a rock there. Fog everywhere. <<What plan? Probably taste bad.>>
<< Okay, here is the gameplan. I'm going to start the party, you guys dogpile the glowing fucker. That's the source of the toxic like smell in the air. I'll protect the rear and follow up. Trust in Gaia, believe in yourself. Fight as one. One beat, one sound. >>
With that Protects The Fallen is in movement as she breaks away from the other three, letting out a loud scream into the heavens as she howls from the depth of her gut. She leaps, she bounds, she gives a bit of a spinning, glowing silver twirl. << Foolish banes! Look at me! I am your death! >>
As the Galliard calls out her mockery, all of the banes - all four of them, three hogglings and the furmling, turn to look at her. Their various expressions look incensed, and the floating ball of yellow goo expands with a DEEP breath before spitting a gout of flame in her direction, which seems to have far less effect than it might have expected.
Onuris, upon seeing things light up, ARtaud jumps out from under.. well something! The great big beast squirming out from underneath and hopping up to latch onto the big ole fumling, trying to give it a hard, dangerous shake before the Lupus, with his long pointed ears, is off scrambling away.
One of the hoglings makes some huffy noises, summoning a STRONG blast of air to try and shove Protects-the-Fallen from the freeway. There's a burst of 70mph winds shoving at her, but she's able to find purchase in the web-weaving of the freeway. FOR NOW.
There's a howling roar of challenge from Circuit Tracer as the Glass Walker tries to call on the fetish bound into blood and bone, but the spirits seem to have no interest in playing along. The roar is cut off into a pained, growling yelp as he curls his claws into his chest and the circuitry across his body pulses with a dull red glow before fading out again.
The third and second hoglings, thinking what their companion did was a fine idea, do exactly the same. More sharp gusts of 70mph wind batter at Protects-the-Fallen's body, threatening to shove her off the freeway completely.
And Artaud is back! He is back to grab hold onto the Fumling, moving to shake his head and try and claw and bite his way through the flesh- the etheral and umbural body with such reckless rage and anger! It is a dangerous, lethal strike, but then Onuris is off, skiddadling away! <<Got em! Got eeeem! Got em!>> He'll hoot- or really howl, over and over as he tries to run away.
As the three hoglings turn upon her and blast away at the champion with their powers of wind, the smoke clears around the Child of Gaia as she remains standing and glowing brightly like a star. As her ears flatten behind her, she launches forward once more, tearing her claws through the hogling in front of her once, then twice, splitting it's spirit matter open.
Snake lofts above the Furmling, the blurring of his massive shape meaning it doesn't even realise he's there. And then he's dropping, reaching out for it with the claws on all four legs, and landing on it with all four feet. Not content with that he rips into it, and Essence shreds beneath his claws.
And Artaud is back! Amongst all the burbling, the wind and the fire! The Lupus is always just sneaking underneath people, between the legs, and just tries to hop out and snap his fangs now at a new target! One of the untouched Hoglings is about to get some fangs in the face! Or the Umbral flesh! The essence too!
<< Good strike! >> Circuit Tracer barks over to Onuris while he shakes out his claws and turns his focus back to the battle. As he sees one of the Hoglings turning its attention on him, the Theurge surges forward with the swiftness of his anger to send his claws swinging through the air towards the corrupt elemental. Bits of the cloudy spirit material are dislodged and sent to dissipate into the space around them.
The Master of Rites stands in the face of the windstorm created by the Hogling and answers the insult with violence. Circuit Tracer's claws cut through the air and the Bane in front of him with a snarl of outrage. His claws cleave a great rift in the spirit and leave the spirit looking pale and broken in their wake.
And Artaud is back! He'll squirm his way from being attacked, well, spit at- with wind so to speak! Running around like a razy wolf that is howling with eagerness, biting and clawing at the hogling in return. He'll nip and bite and nip and bite! Each time getting big purchases with his fangs. Onuris Den-Digger was a big ole wolf threat! So scary! Right? Well at least that is what Artaud likes to believe, even as he keeps nipping away!
Snake keeps his grip on the Furmling, holding it so that it can't aim its flames at him, and just keeps raking at it with his other claws. Ribbons of Essence wisp and tatters into nothingness, each one weakening the Bane as it goes - and then the Furmling is no more, and Snake's hiss of victory fills the air around him. The fire-Bane is finished.
As Circuit Tracer joins the fray against her foe, Protects The Fallen dives in and out as they take turns at their enemy. They trade blows, looking to disorient the enemy as they bob and weave. She slashes along it's side once, then comes back up with a clean uppercut as her claws tear through the spirit matter. << Keep going! We got this! >>
Onuris the sneaky wolf! Isn't so sneaky anymore, it makes the next attack well, easy to predict as the beast tries to bite and is easy brushed aside. So he goes off scurrying again! So fast! So eager! Howling all the while, confused, but eager. <<Bite bite! Chew Chew! We can do it, all on you!>>
With the Hogling so weakened, Circuit Tracer gapes his jaws and lunges forward. His jaws close around the dissipating smog spirit with a primal snap of of his teeth and with a shark-like jerk of his head he rips free another chunk of smoke. It curls out from between his fangs with a hiss before disappearing, but a fitful core of toxin remains hovering and clinging to 'life'.
Despite being weak and literally wisping apart at the seams, Hogling 1 focuses its attention on the sole lupus-form Garou here. With a surge of gnosis, the wolf is tossed HIGH into the air, and the hogling cheers to itself merrily.
The hogling's two friends desperately try to blow Snake and Sandy over the edge of the freeway, to no avail, the two of them in better shape than their buddy but only just. This evening is not going so well for them!
As the fight continues on, Protects The Fallen finally finds the strength she has been trying to call upon. She lashes out furiously, slamming her claws through the bane and sending it's form back into the etheral. She lets out a loud howl of victory, looking to will her packmates on to fight harder. << Come on Smiling Angel! Do not falter! Do not give up! We have them on the ropes! >>
Snake's claws catch on the freeway's surface, preventing him from being blown away by the Hogling - and in the space of a few short seconds, he's descending on that Hogling like some sort of avenging monster. Night-black claws flash, rending streamers of Essence from the Bane - and then he's using the Hogling as a bizarre sort of springboard, powering on up to catch the Lupus in mid-air before Artaud can land from the heights the Bane sent him to.
Artaud Has been saved as a flying wolfo, there is squirming, flying around, yelping screaming. << IT got me! Dying, I am dyiiiing!>> He'll howl out in fear, <<Gonna fall! B-oh hi! HI! How are you?>> Artaud recovers real fast. Hopefully he'll be back on the ground shortly! Damnable hoglings!
It may be taking a bit longer than expected, but victory is within their grasp. There's a howl from Circuit Tracer as he sounds out their impending and assumed win and maybe put the fear of Gaia into the Wyrm-things, but then he's no Galliard. His voice rings out towards Snake and Artaud, << You two take that one! Protects-the-Fallen and I have this one! >> With that said, he crosses the web-encrusted roadway towards his claimed Hogling and sends his claws for the spirit, but the amorphous spirit seems unfazed.
With the tide of battle very much against them, and one of their trio already fading against the woven surface of the freeway, the two remaining hoglings begin to fade out as they activate their ability to Reform. A daring escape, if they can just survive a few more seconds..
As she spies her opening, Protects The Fallen once more sends another bane to the afterlife as she lunges in and tears visciously with her claws. She howls out her victory cry once more as she feels the spirit whisp around her claws and then disappear into a swirl. As she glows brightly, she throws her fist upwards to rally the others. << Finish it off quickly! >>
Snake flies down to a good point to drop Artaud off, then launches himself at the Hogling he'd just used as a springboard. More Essence shreds away, this time in streaming great tears, but there's still a Hogling when his claws are done.
ANd Artaud once he is back on the ground, is back to flailing, almost launchign himself into the air alone to try and land and bellyflop onto the last remaining Hoggling as he lets out a martial arts yell! Or howl! <<Raaaaaaa!>> Trying to get his mouth around things. He lands all the hits, but none of them seem to come away with esencse!
Seeing that the Hogling is trying to flee the battle, Circuit Tracer wastes no time. As Artaud goes low, he goes high and compliments the teeth of the other Lupus with Crinos claws. More of the ephemera is sheared off the spirit, but still it lingers on and he falls back for another Garou to make their strike.
Alas, the combined claws and teeth of the Garou here don't quite manage to rip the last shreds of essence from the fleeing hogling, and with a decidedly rude expression it discorporates, to reform some other place that doesn't have horrible Gaians being all mean.
<OOC> Sandy says, "All that yucky smog clear out?"
And Artaud is here too! Trying to bite and nom, but again, the teeth don't find much purchase, and so the Lupus is sprawled out onto the ground then as he glances up and aside to the rest of the group. <<Good yes! All here. Not even slightly hurt! Happy!>> Artaud seems almost proud as he trots around, tail held high!
With the last Bane dissipating and three others rent apart, Snake's head tilts back and he howls a song of victory in his gravelly bass voice. The quartet came, they saw, and they conquered.
Despite the banes being killed or discorporating away, the cloud remains, stinging the eyes and offending the nose.
Snake's howl tails off into a hacking cough.
With the rush of battle finally ended, Protects The Fallen lets out a loud song of victory as she fills the heavens with her voice. She shatters the sky with her high notes before coming down with a toothy grin. << Great job everyone. Not a scratch on any of us, yes? >> She lets out a heavy breath as she waits for a few moments, then flattens her ears back, coughing out a few puffs from her throat. << But yet, the cloud remains. It's on a free way, so that is to be expected. >>
There is a clear look of satisfaction on Circuit Tracer's face as the spirits are gone in one way or another. It is a short-lived expression, however, as the smog remains. The Theurge's expressions grow quickly sober even as the howls ring out. << The fight isn't over. >> He utters with a disgruntled growl. << It may be a freeway, but we still should check it for anything abnormal. >> For now, though, he doesn't sour the victory too much with doom and turns towards his fellow Lupus. << You hunted well, Cliath, and without fear. You did your ancestors proud today. >>
Artaud, now all full of pride, glances about the rest of the group and settles down then as he coughs. <<Had little fear. Is good have fear. Better to run. Better to survive. How predators make it.>> Onuris snickers then even as he meanders along, <<Can't be Cliath ever. Either, has to make big swings!>>
A few moments after Snake howls of victory, two voices rise from the other end of the cloud. The first, Sandy would recognise as Edgar, a wordless congratulations. The second is far more complex, as Alexa uses Call of the Wyld to imbue her Call to Hunt. <<Come north along the freeway!>>
There is an amused noise from Protects The Fallen as her own howl comes rippling back. << You're showing off again! On our way! >> She gives a glance to the others and smirks before she trudges forward towards the North. << You all did very well. I'm proud of you. >>
(Transition to the other scene, joining the northern group. Log continues in: 2020-05-25_TPC:_Scouting_a_Cloud,_Meeting_at_the_Gas_Station)
