Everyone begins the game on the same night, so this roll will cover everyone. In addition to whatever you get from this roll, you begin the game with Rage points equal to your Rage rating (Maximum 10 points).
It is a beautiful day in the bawn. Fluffy white clouds drift overhead. The sun beams down happily on his sister's face. The trees stretch up to the sky, ringing it with their leafy embrace. The water of Doo Lough is still and silent, the road that you know passes nearby gone, as you know all the signs of the mad Weaver are gone from this flawless world.
In fact, everything is still and silent. The wind does not blow. There is sound of neither bird nor beast. The sound of water lapping against the shore is gone.
Unicorn is there, resplendent with her silvery mane and ivory horn, in the Caern. She is with her friend, Red Deer, who is nearly as beautiful with her slender legs and kind eyes. They recline on the cool grass of the the forest, just as still as their surroundings.
Between them there is a pedestal that was not there a moment ago. Overgrown with ivy, the pedestal holds a glass orb on its flat top. Involuntarily you draw closer.
Something inside the the orb suddenly splits open. Is it breaking apart? No, inside is an eye, a great reptilian eye that is awakening to gaze straight at you.
Suddenly you realize that everything is dead inside. The trees, the sky and sun, Unicorn and Red Deer. They are there, they are whole, but like taxidermied hunter's trophies the life has gone out of them.
It makes no sense, but the silence of this place is now roaring. The relentless stare of the eye-in-the-orb fills you with a bone-numbing chill. You know your insides are turning to stuffing, just like poor Unicorn and Red Deer.
Danny is suddenly shaken awake, gasping for air as you feel the imaginary cotton vanish from your lungs.
Though you don't know what she looks like, you know the touch of Chloe and the sound of her voice as it drifts to you.
"Danny, Danny, wake up! You're suppose to be guarding the Bawn! You're lucky I found you and not someone else, otherwise you'd be in for a stern talking-to from the elders!"
Her tone conveys equal parts frustration and amusement.
As it stands, Rite Master Les "Finds-through-Fog" Conway set you out here to get into contact with the pool's spirit and bargain with it for some necessary items to placate Red Deer, who will be presiding over the coming Ireland-wide ardfheis. An emergency ardfheis called to deal with the disappearance of Tadhg Ó Dónaill.
Your absentee father, Tadhg Ó Dónaill.
This is the first time Finds-through-Fog has given you anything even remotely like training or a task related to your calling of theurge, and though he didn't explain himself as usual. Perhaps Ken O'Dara had something to do with it.
Luna rose long ago and now glints off the tiny pool.
The spirit still hasn't shown itself. The ardfheis isn't for two more days. Perhaps it might be best to come back tomorrow or Sunday? Finds-through-Fog did not give you any timeframe other than to have spirit's reagents by the time of the concolation.
As far as exile -even disguised exile- goes, Konstantin has been lucky- very lucky. Your great, great aunt, Countess Ludmilla Ogrifina Kapeka Saltykov, an ancient Russian emigrée whose parents fled the October Revolution shortly before her own birth, was kind enough to allow you to live with her in her stately townhome in Mayfair.
For over a week you have not had much to do other than keep your elderly Kinfolk aunt company. Though the Countess has some knowledge of the Garou Nation, she's not quite as in-the-know as you would like, so it has been somewhat frustrating to not have anyone to commiserate with you.
The House of Austere Howls, which you are ostensibly suppose to be here visiting, is in disarray over reasons that are never given to you; it's Queen practically is in hiding. She only sees visitors by direct summons, which you have not been favored enough to receive.
All hope is not lost, however. Your old friend Jerome, the Glass Walker from Dublin, has done yet another favor for you. He's gotten in contact with the House of Austere Howls, and they're sending a representative to talk to you tonight. When you last spoke with Jerome, he seemed preoccupied and said there had been some kind of tragedy that had befallen the Garou Nation in Ireland. He has told you to expect the Duke of Grafton, apparently a Silver Fang, tonight at 8:30 to discuss the matter.
Aunt Ludmilla has gone off to the premier of L'elisir D'amore at the Royal Opera, leaving you alone in her elegant, if slightly stuffy, parlor. With nothing but an excellent old grandfather clock and a faded photo portrait of Tsar Nicholas II to keep you company, you notice ruefully that the Duke of Grafton is now 15 minutes late.
Mairead
It is just a few days before the emergency ardfheis that will host most of the septs of Ireland to discuss the fate of your vanished, and personally-unknown-to-you, father- Tadhg Ó Dónaill.
Maybe to calm your nerves, maybe to give you a little talk about what he thought would happen on Monday, your friend and mentor Bill "Brick Arm" O'Rahilly has invited you out to a drink at his favorite pub in Cork, the Poor Relation.
It was your first time using the unique Moon Bridge that connects the old Viking settlements of Ireland together, indeed the first time you had ever used a Moon Bridge, and the experience was thrilling. Brick Arm was grinning the whole time as your experienced the Aetherial Realm in all of its glory. The Goddess Luna and her servants were beaming down on you as you crossed the Otherworld. They were no longer myth or supposition, but so close you could almost touch them.
You're pretty sure a mischievous Lune even mooned you from afar.
Now that you're at the Poor Relation, the real world seems so much more ... boring. But at least the beer is decent.
Strangely Brick Arm hasn't said much, he's usually talkative.
Finally he speaks up. "Mairead, I'm afraid I may have played a little trick on you. With, well, what's coming, I think you might need to meet someone. The next couple of months, or even years, will be trying and I think it's best if you stick together."
He nods his head toward the door as he finishes, drawing your attention to a young blond man who has walked in. He waves to the man and calls out "Pádraic, over here!"
Pádraic
Earlier in the day, you got a message from your dear mum.
"Padraic, one of those gents from Dublin called, you know what I mean. We've been acquainted for a few years, seen him about Cork from time to time. Don't think he's a bad sort. Name's O'Rahilly, you may have heard of him. Said he doesn't know you that well so he wanted to pass an invitation through me. He want's to meet with you at the Poor Relation tonight at 8:30 or so."
Just like her, to be concerned about the Veil, calling Garou "those gents".
You suddenly hear a clang of pots and pans. "Oh, begorra! Whiskers just knocked your father's pot roast to the floor. I've got to go dear, be safe, love you!"
The message ends.
There's not much to do but obey your mother, though you have about an hour to kill before the appointed time. Once you've done what you need, you to the Poor Relation.
As you enter, a muscular dark-haired man, sitting with a very large red-headed woman, waves at you and calls out "Pádraic, over here!".
You think you've seen him around the Cork bawn a time or two before: Brick Arm, a Glass Walker. You don't know the young woman, but the likelihood of a human female getting to be her size is small at best- probably another Garou.
Just the luck that Mam called right before Pádraic could text Liam. How on Gaia's green earth was a Garou supposed to experience a natural, wonderful biological function with mothers in the world? Pádraic could hear the window glass laughing at him as he ended the call.
Not that it wasn't important -anything Garou business was- but it could stand to be a little more convenient. A man has needs!
"And mind you I heard that, like," Pádraic muttered to a lampost as he went, tucking his hands into his coat pockets and taking each step as near to perfect in a line with the last as he could. Even doing his best, he still came into the pub half an hour late. Early?
Pretty sure the numbers mean one of those, all swimming around in there. Pádraic concentrated and made them hold still. Hundred minutes to an hour and- Or was it sixteen?
Pádraic gave it up and saw the man and girl. Brick Arm, there's a name. He waved back and started over. Least ways he shouldn't be of mind to send the two of us to bed together. Not unless he was out of his head. Still, the thought of it sickened Pádraic a touch before he pushed it aside and walked on over.
"Hullo," Pádraic said as he sat down, making himself speak a little more slowly than usual.
Mairead isn't her usual talkative self, as she tries to hold onto the memories of the Moon Bridge. It's... proper weird, is what it is. But not like the bad type of weird..., she nods, mostly gazing through the window at the two old men playing cards outside. And that wee scamp... Lune, aye. Cheeky one., she smiles at the recent memory, as she sips from her cold beer.
Mairead's bright ginger hair, braided in a short braid, and her well-defined athletic musculature would usually draw attention by themselves. The fact that she was standing at 6'3" in her boots didn't help at all. Dressed in a white tank top, jeans, and leather boots, nursing a pint of Murphy's as she leans back on the long corner couch, not paying much attention to the surroundings, or the fact that Bill (or Brick Arm) hasn't said a lot.
As he started talking, she started listening, words flying by her ears. Only when the blond man walks in does she raise an eyebrow, re-running the message in her head. "With, well, what's coming, I think you might need to meet someone. The next couple of months, or even years, will be trying and I think it's best if you stick together." Her mouth opens, then closes, then opens again, as her face unintentionally draws a master class in portraying confusion. Her gaze moves rapidly between the newcomer and Bill, as her mouth opens after a small pause, as she leans over the table at Bill.
"Are ye taking the pish on me? I ken it's important for the Garou, I ken, but I'm nae getting an arranged marriage, pal! It's fooken 2017!", she hissed in a thick Scottish accent, before turning at Padraic. "Nae offense, pal, ye look fine like, but ye're a bit too young, ye ken.", she gives her best attempt at offering a polite smile, before turning a viciously furrowed brow at Bill. "I ken he's ma da, like, but I think we should pick our own mates, ken? It's what ye explained about the Fangs an' all, an' how Dublin is different?", she leans back, grabbing her half-emptied pint and emptying it in one furious swing, shaking her head at Bill. Moving aside a leather jacket to free space for the newcomer, she urges him over without looking at him, as her eyes stare at Bill in a mixture of anger and confusion.
"Are ye taking the pish on me? I ken it's important for the Garou, I ken, but I'm nae getting an arranged marriage, pal! It's fooken 2017!", she hissed in a thick Scottish accent, before turning at Padraic. "Nae offense, pal, ye look fine like, but ye're a bit too young, ye ken.", she gave her best attempt at offering a polite smile, before turning a viciously furrowed brow at Bill. "I ken he's ma da, like, but I think we should pick our own mates, ken? It's what ye explained about the Fangs an'...
Pádraic laughed, "I'll thank you for that, like; my boyfriend says the same, like."
Konstantin was bored, and there was no other word for it. He was able to make his own "fun" often enough usually, though this was a test of his patience for sure. He surfed the web - even if it was only from his phone most of the time - to try and stay sane as well as keep on current events. He also used it to keep in touch with Jerome, a lifeline to the outside world, and Garou world, as well.
His Aunt, the Countess, was nice enough, if a bit more steeped in tradition than he would like. Tradition was deep in Russia as well, though paradoxically so was change as the world kept changing and those who could not adapt fell behind. She, however, was not enough in the know of Garou society to really make things interesting.
But tonight, hopefully things would change. He was to meet with a Garou from the House of Austere Howls. Jerome had set it up, the meeting Konstantin had been waiting for. He hoped it would give him something to do, some reason to go out in to the world a bit. And perhaps a chance to get a good drink. He wished for a good vodka, but would settle for good ale or Guinness.
His Aunt was gone for the night, and he awaited the visitor from a House in a House that was not his. But the Duke was late. Konstantin looked at the clock once more and restrained the urge to text or call Jerome to confirm that it was tonight, and that nothing was wrong.
Reenadinna Wood, Killarney National Park, Munster: June 16th, 2017 8:46 PM
Danny's sightless eyes turn towards Chloe, "Come now Chloe, you know I was not sleeping", he growls irritably.
He takes a deep breath and calms down, "I had a vision, an odd vision. Unicorn and Red Deer they were alive and peaceful and then they were dead, like'n how the Homids stuff cloth as representations of animals for their children to play with.
Soo odd, it was so odd..." He mumbles.
He shrugs, "What're ye doin' out here anyway?"
The young man leans back on the grass surrounding the pool, his one good eye staring up into the night sky. I'm in no rush if you aren't spirit. It's quiet here. Peaceful. Despite it getting late, he doesn't seem in a hurry to go anywhere. Finn rolls over on to his side and grabs at his backpack, tilting his head to look inside with his good eye. Eventually he comes up with a bottle of water and a hunk of bread. Tearing some of the hard loaf off he starts eating a bit, sipping some water, then chewing some more while laying on his back in the soft green grass. Eventually the bread is gone. The man brushes the crumbs off his chest and rolls over again to throw the empty bottle of water back into his backpack. It bounces off the edge of the pack. With a wry grin and a grunt he edges closer, picks the fallen bottle up and tosses it into the pack.
Looking quite relaxed, Finn rises up to his knees and closes his eyes. The young man takes a deep breath, then another. Thirteen in all. Thoughts of how long he's waited leave his mind.
Trust in the Mother. She shall guide and the spirit will answer in its own time.
Once finished with his meditation he again lays down, this time fluffing his backpack up as a pillow. I had nothing else going on. Might as well wait it out.
Chloe helps you to your feet. "Ahh, sorry Danny. One of those visions again? Well, for myself, I'm helping prepare the Bawn for the ardfheis."
You hear a patting noise, indicating that she has a bag or satchel filled with something. "Just going to a couple of the tree spirits hereabouts, making chiminage. Finds-through-Fog asked me to do it."
You hear the smile creep a little back into her voice, "And somehow I think old Deepcreek put him up to it, expected me to find you out here. Maybe you should talk to him or Jason about that vision. Sounds real creepy to me."
The sound of someone rummaging around in a bag reaches you. "Hey, don't tell Finds-through-Fog, but I have a bit more than acorns and plant food in here," Chloe says, then you hear the sweet pop and hiss of can of beer being opened. "Want one? Might take your mind off of creepy toy totem spirits."
"Uggghhh, you werewolves get more boring every year, do you know that?" a voice groans out from the pool, just as you were getting comfortable looking at the moon.
A glance over at the pool reveals a merman, complete with greenish skin made of fine scales and seaweed for hair, half propped up over the edge leading into the water.
"I keep you waiting for ten hours to see what you do, and you don't even have the decency to drink beer, just this sterile bottled water," he continues, scrunching up his face in disgust. "You may look like a Fianna's Fianna, but you have a Pattern Spider for a soul."
He sighs a burbly, wet sigh. "Well, you didn't wait here for me to pop out of the Umbra for fun, I'm guessing. What do you want?
Suddenly there's several heavy thuds on the door; definitely not a polite knock with the knocker like you might expect from an honest-to-Gaia Duke. The housekeeper has of course gone home for the night, so you are left to answer it.
It's hard to tell if the redness is going to resolve into violence or something else, but all worry is dispelled when he let's out
a loud guffaw.
"Oh, you two pups, you kill me," he says after his loud laugh, still chuckling.
He then slips into the First Tongue, the language of the Garou, presumably to prevent a potential Veil breach in the croweded bar at night.
"First of all, I have no place doing that, at all really but especially for people not of my tribe. Secondly, you're both Garou,
so that's a big Litany no-no. And thirdly, Mairead Kavanagh, I'd like you to meet your half-brother Pádraic Meagher. Pádraic Meagher, your half-sister Mairead Kavanagh," he says,
eyeing the both of you, hoping that the reason for the meeting is now clear.
Reenadinna Wood, Killarney National Park, Munster: June 16th, 2017 8:45 PM (Danny Greedy)
Danny grins, "Ah kin that yer joking right lass? I mean what self respectin' Irishman would turn down a beer? Maybe them American Irish but what do they know o' bein' Irish? Drinkin' on St. Padday and half of 'em 'er not even Irish what shows up!"
He takes the beer and drinks half the can standing next to Chloe. He sighs, "Would you mind some company along yer journey? By then my time'll be up an I can head back and maybe catch Deepcreek and Jason together to give 'em the lowdown on what I was envisionin..."
He drinks the rest of the beer and slides the can into his pocket, "Heh, creepy toy totem spirits, tha's a funny one".
Mairy's white-knuckled fist slowly opens, first when Padraic mentions his boyfriend, and then when Brick Arm explains the situation. She leans away from the table, crossing her massive arms. "Aye,", she starts saying, "that... changes things, doesnae?", an embarrassed smile attempts to crawl on her face, as a rosy tint colours her cheeks. Oh, Mairy, you plonker... Glancing at Pádraic, she chuckles. "Ah, Bill, I thought ye was pullin' ma leg there..." she laughs, leaning over the table to punch Bill playfully in the shoulder with a blow that'd send a normal man reeling. "A wee brother wasnae, uh... what I was expectin' todae, ye ken.", she explains to Padraic, grinning. "And I'm guessin' ye weren't expectin' the world's biggest sister, ken.", she extends a hand towards Padraic.
His sister? Wasn't that a thing?
Mairy's white-knuckled fist slowly opens, first when Padraic mentions his boyfriend, and then when Brick Arm explains the situation. She leans away from the table, crossing her massive arms. "Aye,", she starts saying, "that... changes things, doesnae?", an embarrassed smile attempts to crawl on her face, as a rosy tint colours her cheeks. Oh, Mairy, you plonker... Glancing at Pádraic, she chuckles. "Ah, Bill, I thought ye was pullin' ma leg there..." she laughs, leaning over the table to punch Bill playfully in the shoulder with a blow that'd send a normal man reeling. "A wee brother wasnae, uh... what I was expectin' todae, ye ken.", she explains to Padraic, grinning. "And I'm guessin' ye weren't expectin' the world's biggest sister, ken.", she extends a hand towards Padraic.
Pádraic laughed louder and shook her hand.
"Heard there were plenty of us knocking around!" he said between laughs. He turned to Brick Arm, "You chose the right pub, I think!"
23 Charles Street, Mayfair, London: June 16th, 2017 8:50 PM (Konstantin Volkov):
Konstantin had just began dialing Jerome when he was startled by someone basically banging on the door! In fact, he barely kept from dropping the fun when he started. Nevertheless, he took a deep, calming breath and put his phone away. He stood and walked to the door, peering out through the peephole - not that he knew what the Duke looked like, per se, but just checking to make sure it wasn't a well-armed Pentex squad or something there.
Assuming it was not something dire-looking, he opened the door.
Dursey Island, County Cork, Munster: June 16th, 2017 8:45 PM (Finn McCaskill)
The young man pops his good eye and sits up. Play hard, rest hard. Crossing his legs, Finn tilts his head to look at the spirit curiously. I've been sent to get a few things in preparation for the ardfheis, he says, matter-of-factly. So, the question is, what do you want? If it's a beer and clever company, I can certainly oblige. Finn gives a crooked grin and his eye glints in the moonlight.
Listing the reagents while counting them off on his fingers, he finishes, What do you think? Can ya help me out?
Moving past Padraic to go to the bar, Mairead returns with three frothy pints, placing them on the table. "Aye, I'd ID ye if ye came to the pub, pal, but I think we gotta toast!", she says, nudging Padraic gently in the ribs and taking a long swig. "And here I thought I would nae be a bad influence. Dunnae mention this to yer folk, pal.", she smirks.
Passing the third one to Brick Arm, she crosses her arms. "So, this, och, adr feish.", she states, butchering the word, as a trail of Scottish accent manages to squeeze in, even in Garou. "Ardfheis", she tries once more, effort shining through the still horrendous attempt, as she gives up in a growl. "Do I got tae do something? Prepare a rite, like the Galliards? Or should I,", she stops for a second, staring at Padraic. How many half brothers and sisters do I have, actually? "I mean, us, his kids, like, ken something that they're nae going tae tell us?"
Pádraic was just too slow to tell her to only bring two pints back. Damn it all. He wet his lips but let nothing go further. Not worth the risk.
"D'you mean Ard Righ, like?" he said. Pádraic shrugged. "I've two good parents before I ever heard of him. But if we're his might as well do right by the name? ...not that I'm of a mind to use it, like."
"Sure, you can come along. I don't think I'm gonna upset a tree spirit enough to need a bodyguard but you'll be good for the company," she says.
After a moment of drinking in silence, you can tell she is thinking about something. "Oh, Danny, these are dark times. I hear the Leinster Garou aren't coming out to the ardfheis. Something to do with their objection to the whole situation in Dublin."
She finishes off her beer, then puts it back in her bag (no littering for a Garou, of course). "Isn't it just like us. We've got the big servants of the Wyrm on the ropes here in Ireland, we're probably the only Garou in the world to be so blessed. And then we just decide to go fighting each other."
A toothy grin break's the merman's face when the list is complete.
"Sure, sure, I've got those things. But I can't bring them over to this side. Come with me into the Otherworld, you can pick them up there," it says, fading back into the Umbra even as it speaks. It's pointed teeth are the last to fade as it says its final few words, leaving Finn alone once again in the material world.
Unfortunately the situation is all wrong. There is a tear in the front of his shirt where two bullet wounds show through. His eyes are in a wide panic as he looks quickly behind him. He then raises his hands again, about to strike the door for a second time. You see that they, too, are covered in fresh blood.
He also doesn't seem to notice Pádraic fake drinking his own beer.
"Doing right by your father would be a good thing. The man nearly cut the head off the Wyrm here on the Emerald Isle; something no other sept or group of septs in the Nation I've ever heard of doing. I guess you could say a lot might be expected of you," he says finishing off his beer.
"In some ways the ardfheis will be about you, you as in Ó Dónaill's kids. The whole reason the thing is being called is because he and everyone up in Oriel is gone," he continues, then gives an angry grunt. "Not that I think it's a good idea. Your dad and the Silver Fangs were all up there, it's obvious someone was waiting for a whole bunch of Garou to be in one location at once and, well... I'm sure you don't care about my theory. Anyway, the elders are going to decide what to do."
He gives each of you a concerned stare for a moment, then continues. "Look, as far as I know you are the only Ó Dónaill kids here in the Holdings. I wanted you to know each other because, well, you've got an uncle. Mean thing, hunchbacked Metis. He was famously envious of your dad all his life, and now he's in charge of the Ua Neill sept up north. Totally unheard of for a Fianna sept to let a Metis get the Chieftaincy, so that should tell you that he's got powerful allies. I don't know if he'll hold a grudge against you kids, but I think you should maybe look out for each other until we know for sure."
Dursey Island, County Cork, Munster: June 16th, 2017 8:45 PM (Finn McCaskill):
The young man kneels by the pool and leans over, staring into the water. Should be easy enough. His face scrunches up as his vision blurs. With a grunt, Finn shakes his head to clear it. Focus. Settle down and just breathe. He closes his eyes, breathing in deeply and then out. Once calm he then opens his eyes to look down upon the water. He stares at the scarred face that looks back; one milky white eye and the other bright and blue. I am spirit, as well as flesh.
Wiping her mouth, Mairy leans back on the chair, nodding in agreement. She smiles at Padraic. Would be nice to meet them, I suppose. But I wouldn't ask now, too soon, isn't it., she thinks how the other Garou had a normal family. As he mentions Ard Righ, she raises an eyebrow in confusion, then in surrender pulls out a severely cracked phone from her pocket, and after a short search shakes her head. "Nah, that means king, like, an' the other is a gathering. Ardfheis", she finally manages to pronounce the word, and grins at Bill. "There's that Glass Walker trainin' paying off, eh? Good thing the other Fianna in here's nae gonna tell on me, right?", she smiles at Padraic.
"Well, Bill, I done lived with high expectations for most of me life, ken, but mostly they were mine." She grins, cracking her knuckles, then stares intently. "So, who's strong enough tae take, what, forty G... folk and the biggest badass who ever walked Ireland?", she asks quietly over the table. "A bomb?", she suggests?
Scratching her head and taking a sip from her pint, her questions continue, as she switches to Garou. "I'm guessing that the we Fianna dunnae like Metis, cause they're against the, er, Litany? Or 'cause o' tradition? Now, I'm new an' all, but I wouldnae imagine a metis leader woulda been a problem in the holdings... Ah, foocken politics. I shouldnae have stayed all night tae watch ours last week, like. It's got me thinkin' things I'm nae sharp enough fer.", she grins, then pats Padraic on the back. "Ye let me know if someone's bein' a c!~%, and ye let me know if I'm bein' a pillock about anythin', ken?", she offers with a wide smile.
"There's that Glass Walker trainin' paying off, eh? Good thing the other Fianna in here's nae gonna tell on me, right?", she smiles at Padraic.
"First language my arse," Pádraic said, smiling. Then he sobered. "But whatever happened up there... I thought they'd already have people looking, like. Hell of a thing to let be and hope for the best."
"And I know all about that piece of s$&!e up in Ua Neill," he added. "Filthy thing. Can't say I like the sight of a one of his sort, but they don't make me sick just to think on. It's the difference between cursed and being the curse. If this were a story, it'd be sure enough he's at the back of everything gone wrong."
Pádraic shook his head and let the thought pass.
"I played the pillock plenty myself. Never was one much for schooling neither, for all they tried," he said, smiling again. "Too much sitting still when I'd rather be off terrorizing the shrubbery or getting my positions down."
Reenadinna Wood, Killarney National Park, Munster: June 16th, 2017 8:48 PM (Danny Greedy)
Danny chuckles, "Ya never know when you'll need yer body guarded or from who!"
He uses his quarterstaff like a walking stick to ward away any roots that can trip him up. He growls, "Well if the Wyrm will not provide us a challenge we've to provide one to ourselves. Much as I can't stand Braden I've got ta admit, if not fer him pikcin' on me I might notta done what I did ta get as tough and strong as I am. Not that I'll thank him for it err let him kno' I feel tha way.
Wheat from chaff an all that.
I've got ta be honest, I don't follow politics so much as I should, what're tha Leinster all up in arms about?"
"As far as Leinster goes, I don't really know. Since old Brian McCaskill dies in the raid up a Slieve Donard, I've heard his nephew's got the chieftaincy now. I think he's not very happy about how the Dubliners run their sept, maybe he wants to add it to Leinster's territory."
The grass is suddenly greener. The stars in the sky are more vibrant than even they were on the isolated island you have left behind. The old 19th century signal tower just beyond the pool is nothing but a hazy outline- not even the passage of 200 years has been enough to solidify it here in the Otherworld.
Reclining on the rocky lip of the pool not far from you is the water spirit whom you have been dealing with. However, it's mischievous grin is gone, replaced with a deep look of regret in its eyes.
"I'm very sorry master Werewolf, but he forced me to bring you here," the pool spirit says, pointing over your shoulder.
Standing behind you is a horrible creature that looks like a little old man with yellow buck-teeth and a hooked nose. It has a filthy white beard which reaches down to its knees, partially concealing the ragged lumberjack's outfit it seems to be wearing. Perched atop its malformed head is a small cap, stained and wet with a red liquid whose coppery scent reveals it to be blood.
The creature gives you an horrific grin, then points at you with it a rusty old scythe it carries in its gnarled hands.
"Heh heh heh, so dumb, just like I heard. I've come with a a little message from your dear uncle. You ready to hear it, boy?"
Bill then nods at Pádraic. "Yes, he's got the right of it. Many people think that Lachtna is behind the disappearances. He certainly tried to undermine your dad's leadership from time to time. I think it myself," he says.
He takes a handful of the peanuts on the table, and dearly looks like he wants to call a waitress for another drink, but seems to come to the conclusion that interrupting the conversation at this point would be a bad idea.
"Thing is, we did send a whole bunch of people to Oriel after the your dad and the Silver Fangs. I was one of them. Let me tell you, it took an act of will to just get beyond the traditional borders of the sept. Couldn't step sideways for all of the money in the world. We scoped it out from farther away, but the whole sept has been encased in Pattern Webbing in the Penumbra, like a giant cocoon. Couldn't make it through at all. That's why were having this emergency ardfheis. Now, that whole bit about the webbing and being unable to get into the Penumbra is privileged information, don't go sharing it until we actually have the ardfheis down in Munster.
Mairy nods enthusiastically at Padraic. "Ah, I ken what ye're talking about, like. Only thing I could've lerned is history and laws. I'm guessing that's in Fianna blood, eh?", she chuckles. As he mentions terrorising the shrubbery, a loud, dirty laugh comes out of her mouth, before she stops herself and grins at Padraic.
"That Lachtna's got that sort o' reputation, eh? I wasnae expectin' ma extended family tae be all hugs an' welcomings, like.", asks Mairead, knowing about Lachtna simply by the name. "Eh, ye'd think it'd be less politickin'. but that's h...", she almost slips, before chuckling. "I s'pose it's mortal nature, then, isnae it? If ye think so, I'll keep it in mind, ken, because I barely know the place here.", she shrugs, taking another sip. "I ken the Forlorn, aye. I run in Phoenix park most o' the time, we stop fer a word or two. I thought I'd be too young tae talk about the 'old country' with an Englishman, but he's aright.", she smiles.
As Bill starts describing what he saw, Mairy's head starts drawing images of massive domes of spiderwebs over ancient stone cairns. She shivers. "It's s~@*e is what that sounds like, eh. Cannae do anythin' if I cannae punch somethin'." Sending a glancing look at the table, she shakes her sore shoulders. "Or at least, I cannae yet. Only time I stepped sideways was after seven attempts in a controlled environment, an' I think the rite-master was contemplatin' me murder like.", she chuckles, staring down shamefully for a second. "Ye're nae gonna hear me talkin' about it, pal. Cause I dunnae understand most o' it anyway." She stretches backwards.
"So is there nae other Silver Fangs in Ireland, like? They had their own sept, an' they were gone? I heard they dunnae mesh too well with us common folk", she almost spits out, "but nae one surv... was oot of the place when it got hit, eh? I dunnae think the Silver Fangs would let that go, if I ken Russian reputations..." She puffs away a stray lock of red hair over her eyes. "Eh, f!@& it. I dunnae think we'd be the ones who'd thunk the way tae solve this, and before the... ardfheis, tae boot. Nae offense, Bill.", she grins, as she reaches over to take part in the peanut massacre.
Reenadinna Wood, Killarney National Park, Munster: June 16th, 2017 8:49 PM (Danny Greedy)
Danny smiles at Chloe's comment, "I've got to stick to my strengths cause my weaknesses make me too vulnerable so yeah, fightin's what I know ya ken?"
He stays silent for a short period of time considering what Chloe has told him, "So ya think not attendin' the ardfheis is tha' equivalent o' beatin' tha drums o war? If everyone is attendin' that'd be a dumb move alienatin' everyone. What tha' hell're they doin' in Dublin tha's got this nephew all hot n bothered anyhow?"
Dursey Island, County Cork, Munster: June 16th, 2017 8:45 PM (Finn McCaskill):
The smile upon the young man's face is sympathetic. It's quite alright. Slowly, he turns his good eye toward the redcap. Of course, he says matter-of-factly. By his tone, he seems unsurprised, but it is difficult to tell if that's simply part of his normal attitude. One hand rests casually on his belt buckle and the other on the hilt of the knife strapped to his lower back.
23 Charles Street, Mayfair, London: June 16th, 2017 8:45 PM (Konstantin Volkov):
Konstantin opened the door and took an involuntary step back from the sight before him. His eyes widened and his eyebrows shot up as he looked over the man. He found his voice quickly, "Yes, who are you?" He didn't want to assume it was the person he was supposed to meet, though he couldn't imagine who else would be coming. "What happened to you?"
Pádraic took in what Brick Arm had to say, increasingly grim.
As Bill starts describing what he saw, Mairy's head starts drawing images of massive domes of spiderwebs over ancient stone cairns. She shivers. "It's s%%%e is what that sounds like, eh. Cannae do anythin' if I cannae punch somethin'." Sending a glancing look at the table, she shakes her sore shoulders. "Or at least, I cannae yet. Only time I stepped sideways was after seven attempts in a controlled environment, an' I think the rite-master was contemplatin' me murder like.", she chuckles, staring down shamefully for a second. "Ye're nae gonna hear me talkin' about it, pal. Cause I dunnae understand most o' it anyway." She stretches backwards.
"You can't even-" Pádraic stopped himself. Not everyone was born strange. Or normal. "Sorry, I forget that I'm the queer one." Pádraic relaxed his self control a touch and let his eyes follow something unseen for a moment.
"Did no one get anything from of the spirits? They always know something."
"One moment, Danny, let me just offer the spirit here his chiminage," Chloe says. You can hear her kneel down, then remove something from her bag.
She begins chanting in a language you don't understand -though you catch a few words that are similar to the Garou First Speech- that can only be the spirit tongue. A snap and a hiss indicate a match being struck, and you can smell a mixture of fragrant woods and grass as Chloe immolates something.
After about fifteen minutes, the smell and chanting dissipate. Chloe is suddenly standing near you again.
"There we go, just one more spirit to appease and I'll be all done for the evening," she says. "As for why the new McCaskill chieftain doesn't want to play nice, I guess, yeah, he's beating the war drums. He's not alone though, word has it old Lachtna Ó Dónaill has got his back too. They're both not happy with the truce that the great Tadhg Ó Dónaill and the Dubliners made with some kind of Wyrm creatures that live in the city. Whole thing has a fancy name too, the "Midnight Bargain." Don't really know much about those things, apparently they can't be too Wyrmish or the deal wouldn't have been made."
You can tell from Chloe's tone of voice that she's not too happy about any kind of deal with Wyrmish creatures.
As you reach for your knife, the redcap grins, revealing its rotten teeth. In the blink of an eye its scythe has swung just a few inches from your face. "Uh, uh, uh, boy. I wouldn't think about doing that," it says, though the perverse timbre to its voice suggests it would love for you to pull a blade on it.
" Now, here is what old Unlce Lachtna has for you. A riddle:
I am the creator, through thick and thin. My time is sunset, then I begin. Worlds of men and beasts I make, to me these things are not fake. But over and over I will kill , I am the tyrant and creator but not at will. What am I?"
The redcap retracts his scythe, then grabs something out of his pocket and tosses it at you.
"Now, take that ring, it will let Lachtna get in touch with you. If you don't do what he asks, your Uncle said that you really don't want to know the answer to this riddle, especially for the sake of your dear Auntie in Roscrea."
The object is a small golden claddagh ring. However, inscribed on the heart is the First Tongue rune for "Control."
Assuming you pick it up or catch it, you can instantly feel that there is a gaffling bound inside of it.
The redcap doesn't leave immediately; it seems to linger, leering at you with its perverse smile, obviously hoping you will attack it and give it some reason to commit violence against you.
"Please," he gurgles. "Close the door. I... I think I lost them but they may be close"
You notice that he has left a bloody palm print on the front door.
The man's voice becomes steadier and his breathing slows; obviously his Garou regeneration abilities have kicked in. He turns over on the floor to face you. "Ugh, I'm very sorry," he says in his rough Glabro voice as he climbs to his feet.
"Henry Fitzroy, the Duke of Grafton, though most people call me Harry," he says, holding out his hand for a shake- luckily this one is clean, his left hand is the bloody one.
"I'm afraid I have no idea who shot me, looked like two men in all black. They got me a little bit outside of the Green Park station, once I got onto a quieter street. I'm fairly certain I've shook them."
Even now you can see the two bullet being pushed out of the holes in his chest. It won't be long before they're fully healed.
Bill shakes his head at Mairead "No offense taken. It's mostly beyond me too. The Chairman just points me at things and tells me to tear them up; I do what he says. Though, uhh, be careful with the whole Russian thing. The Ua Collas were just as Irish as I am. It's a bit of a stereotype that they're all Russian, though I guess that's where the clan came from back in, well, practically prehistory at this point.
I'm not up on how they do their internal organizing, but I'm pretty sure the Silver Fangs in the British Isles are really a mess right now. In fact the Ua Collas were pretty well off compared to the ones in Great Britain. It's a huge blow to them to be sure, but I don't know who they're going to get to investigate it right now."
The older Glass Walker doesn't really comment on Pádraic's queer comment, getting straight to the question about spirits. "I think that's what the ardfheis is partially for." At this point he leans in, and even though you are already speaking in the First Tongue, he lowers his voice. "I have it on good authority that they're going to try to summon Red Deer, the patroness of the Meath sept, at the ardfheis. No mean feat, calling the daughter of Stag like that."
Brick Arm then nods and leans back out, returning to the use of English. "Well, I'll get me an Mairead another round. I see you don't need one Pádraic, don't let it get too warm!" With that he stands and heads over to the bar, leaving the two Ó Dónaill siblings alone for a moment.
Pádraic faked another drink.
"That's the big guns, like. Wouldn't want to miss it, or be the one that cocked it up. Good to know they're taking it serious."
23 Charles Street, Mayfair, London: June 16th, 2017 8:45 PM (Konstantin Volkov):
Konstantin frowned at the wounded man who tumbled in to his (well, not HIS actually) residence. "You...are bleeding all over. My aunt is going to kill me." His Russian accent was thicker when he mumbled.
He noticed the bloody handprint and let out a sigh even as his eyes narrowed. He didn't close the door all the way but did crack it. "Duke, I would say it is a pleasure to meet you, but under the circumstances...It is, however, still an honor to meet you. I shall return momentarily." He walked deeper into the house, shifting to Glabro as he walked.
Stamina + Primal Urge:
"Unfortunately, you left them a calling card to this home. Do we have time for you to clean up and think of why someone is trying to kill you?" He came back quickly with a wet rag and some disinfectant spray - he grabbed his satchel and mirrorshades as well just in case. He then set out about trying to quickly get rid of the visible sign of the Duke's entry so his pursuers might not immediately know where he went. "And also does it have anything to do with your visit to me this evening?"
Reenadinna Wood, Killarney National Park, Munster: June 16th, 2017 9:05 PM (Danny Greedy):
Danny remains silent while Chloe appeases the spirit. He too bows his head in humility and offers a muttered praise to the spirit for its gifts.
"Ach, tha damned Leeches, can't trust em. Well... not most of em anyway. Some of em aren't so bad".
Mairy nods, as Bill warns her about the Silver Fangs. "Aye, aye. I've got me a wee list fer what's who in the Tribes, in me head like. A bit stereotypical an' all.", she defends herself. "It's easier tae remember, ken! I'll try tae avoid pissin' in the wrong porridge an' all, dunnae worry. Shouldnae be hard, I imagine, I gathered us Ahroun aren't the type tae do philosophical disputes.", she shrugs.
As Padraic mentions the spirit world, Mairy grins. "So you're good with spirits. I wouldnae mind a lesson or two, ken, if ye've got time." She smiles guiltily, and when Red Deer is mentioned, she looks at Padraic with a quizzical look. "Aye, well, I'm guessin' one rarely calls their patron just tae hang oot.", she nods, clearly not as knowledgeable on the topic as she'd like to be. As Bill leaves, she looks at Padraic with a smile. "So, uh. What's yer family like?", she asks, leaning back to look Padraic in the eyes. "An' yer laddie, too. Is he one of, ken...", she does a whirling motion around the table, indicating she means Kinfolk, "Or ye dunnae have the, eh, 'temper' issues like I do?", she asks, then she laughs out loud.
"I had a thing with a guy, Rab, a Kin, couple o' years back.", she shares, taking in another sip with a grin. "Wee bit of a lazy tosser, but funny as heck. So I'm coming haem, ken, from work, and it was his day tae cook an' clean, eh, cause he's off work. Turns out, he's nae done nothin' by the time I get haem, even after he told me all's fine an' clean, and that's the second time I asked, like.", her smile gets wider. "So, I see him sitting doon on his arse in front of the telly like, and I just spot through the curtains the moon, and it's full moon." She pauses.
"And then I get pure mad-like. Absolutely fumin'. I pick him up, as he's sittin' on the sofa, and toss him out of the window. We were on the first floor, so it wasnae too bad. So I lean through the window, still mad, but nae mad enough tae go after him, and start shouting what a useless schmuck he is, ken. Vented all the fury out, ken, it was a good ten minute shrieking." She chuckles. "And then when I go tae pick him up, I see a guy coming out with two massive bags of rubbish, and one woman on the third floor nodding at me, ken.", she laughs. "Stayed together for whole two months after, though."
Dursey Island, County Cork, Munster: June 16th, 2017 8:45 PM (Finn McCaskill):
Finn's hand rests easy on the hilt of his dagger but he makes no move to draw it. His head tilts as he listens to the little old man, a curious look upon his face. Without taking his eyes off the redcap, Finn reaches down to pick up the ring, feeling it with just his fingers. A short nod and the young man puts the small piece of jewelry in his pocket without even looking at it. Is that all? He asks, in that casual tone of his. A placid look is set upon his face as he watches the creature calmly and curiously.
As Padraic mentions the spirit world, Mairy grins. "So you're good with spirits. I wouldnae mind a lesson or two, ken, if ye've got time." She smiles guiltily, and when Red Deer is mentioned, she looks at Padraic with a quizzical look. "Aye, well, I'm guessin' one rarely calls their patron just tae hang oot.", she nods, clearly not as knowledgeable on the topic as she'd like to be. As Bill leaves, she looks at Padraic with a smile. "So, uh. What's yer family like?", she asks, leaning back to look Padraic in the eyes. "An' yer laddie, too. Is he one of, ken...", she does a whirling motion around the table, indicating she means Kinfolk, "Or ye dunnae have the, eh, 'temper' issues like I do?", she asks, then she laughs out loud.
"Used to call 'em my invisible friends," Pádraic said. "Always sort of heard them, like. Told me things to do. Where to go. Sometimes I could almost see them. Then they told me to go ditch my Mam and go off to ballet school. Saw them dancing in the mirrors and I was set."
Pádraic met her gaze. It wasn't too hard to focus on her, though he felt something off in the distance. Probably a mirror spirit or somesuch.
"Right then, family. I'm adopted, born a Yank but I grew out of it," Pádraic grinned. "They're both in the know. She's an accountant with the diocese. He's National Ambulance Service, Advanced Paramedic, and a godawful musician. Patience of saints, the both. I was a brawler even before boys started laying into me for having a hobby where I wear tights and prance around. Might've had a temper, but what boy hasn't broken a few bones or bit a teacher?"
"Now Liam... If you like 'em built for dance, he's the one. Legs up to his eyebrows, redhead, properly acrobatic when the occasion calls...and no idea about all this."
"And then I get pure mad-like. Absolutely fumin'. I pick him up, as he's sittin' on the sofa, and toss him out of the window. We were on the first floor, so it wasnae too bad. So I lean through the window, still mad, but nae mad enough tae go after him, and start shouting what a useless schmuck he is, ken. Vented all the fury out, ken, it was a good ten minute shrieking." She chuckles. "And then when I go tae pick him up, I see a guy coming out with two massive bags of rubbish, and one woman on the third floor nodding at me, ken.", she laughs. "Stayed together for whole two months after, though."
Pádraic laughed along and let the moment last before getting into the serious stuff. "I had a more, let's say traditional, puberty. Weren't many boys left in school that wanted to slag on me or my ballet mates, but none of them much cared for how shameless we all were. Put a bunch of boys in dance together and it's better than even odds they're all of a similar mind, no matter how many times the Fathers took us aside and had a talk. Liam and I planned to celebrate after a recital, have a few pints and get some healthy exercise in. Some of 'em from school got together with plenty we didn't know, enough drink to drown a street, some of their closest knives."
"They didn't make it. Not the way I'd want it to have gone, but I can't say I'm sorry. Liam doesn't remember it and that's for the best. He thinks I got that post-traumatic s$@+ your pants disorder and had to go away to get my head screwed back on. It's close enough to the truth."
"If you say so Danny. I've never met one and I don't care to. Seems they don't like the countryside much. A good choice I say because we'd kill them if we found them out here," Chloe says.
"I didn't mention anything about leeches though. Is that the problem up in Dublin?"
"Fine, fine. Be that way. Strange ass Garou," he says, then promptly turns his back on you and begins trudging away. Thanks to the strange dimensions of the Umbra, he quickly vanishes from sight.
"Oh, goodness, sorry. I hadn't realized," the Duke says somewhat sheepishly.
After your walk to the bathroom to get a wet rag and some disinfectant, you see that Grafton has grabbed hold of one of the bullets and is pulling it out with an unpleasant squelching sound. The wound only bleeds for a few second before scabbing over. He grits his teeth and says, "Unpleasant business, that."
As he sets to work on the second bullet, which is now close enough to the surface to also be plucked out, he says, "As for who could have done this, a million people I'm afraid. Even the use of regular bullets doesn't tell me anything- it could be someone who doesn't know much about Garou, it could be Garou who don't want to break the Veil. It could even be someone wanting to save money on silver bullets; London has closed-circuit cameras every two meters. Taking anything but Homid out on even a deserted street would turn into a Veil breach disaster. The hitmen might have counted on killing me in the street before I could find someplace secluded to heal."
Brick Arm returns a few minutes later with a beer for himself and Mairead. "Sorry about that, you can see how crowded it is," he says as he sits back down.
"Well, now, we were talking about the ardfheis and..." he begins to say but is interrupted by a gong-like ring from his mobile. "Uh-oh, that's Roberta's special line," he says as he reaches down and takes out the phone.
"Mmm, of course. Sorry kids, I have to cut this a little short. Seems like I'm needed out at the docks, as I'm the only one here in Cork. Unless..." he says, a mischievous grin growing on his face. "You wouldn't want to come along, would you? Garou work. I can see that you, Mairead, at least, need to blow off a little steam, with the moon nearly full."
Mairy listens to Padraic's story, nodding as he mentions his family and the states. "Oh, I get it, pal.", she replies with a grin, as he mentions Liam. "Ye got a picture? I promise I'm nae gonna grab him under me arm an' drag him tae the top o' a skyscraper, like. We dunnae have those in here.", she chuckles, "Aye, joking, like. Badly! Good on ye, though. Must be hard o' him nae knowing 'bout all this, eh?"
As Padraic's tale turns towards his First Change, she perceivably goes whiter, and reaches over to finish her pint in a single swig. "Aye...", she says, clearly zoning out and going down memory lane. "That's... uh...", she tries squeezing out a couple more drops from the glass. "Good that... uh, you kept in touch...", she mentions aloofly, as images flash to her mind for a moment, as her
pint glass shatters in her grip. "Och, I'm a pillock, aren't I!", she says loudly, putting on a nervous smile on her face as she collects the shards to one end of the table. She looks at Padraic, nodding. "Eh, sorry about that, pal. Hadnae thought about mine in ages, an' it came back hard like. Nae yer fault, too, dunnae worry.", she tries to reassure him. Aye, great impression. She opens her mouth, and sees Brick Arm walking in with the pints. Thank feck...
"Ye're joken, right?", she replies, nodding enthusiastically as she pushes aside the pint, grabbing her jacket. "Aye, I do! Beats vandalisin' the glassware.", she grins at Padraic. "Wouldnae mind a wee bit of a scuffle, but I'll follow yer lead, like.", she nods assertively.
Dursey Island, County Cork, Munster: June 16th, 2017 8:45 PM (Finn McCaskill):
As soon as the redcap leaves sight, Finn pulls the ring out of his pocket and examines it. Interesting. After a few moments he returns it to his pocket and turns to the spirit and asks, So, about those things?
23 Charles Street, Mayfair, London: June 16th, 2017 8:45 PM (Konstantin Volkov):
Konstantin's upper lip curled slightly at the sounds coming from the Duke in healing. He wasn't squeamish or anything (and indeed it would be hard for a Garou to be!), it just wasn't pleasant to hear. It was entirely understandable, but Konstantin hadn't around a lot of bloodshed in recent memory.
He scrubbed at the bloodstain as quickly as he could. "It is small problem. Fixed soon." He nodded. "Yes, unpleasant."
He listened as the Duke listed off the depressingly low amount if viable information on who might have shot him and high amount of vague information on why. "Well, lucky for you, you had place to be tonight to have secluded place to heal."
He paused though he kept cleaning until it was done and he could shut the door fully. "So. I might as well ask, since time may be short. You came to see me tonight. Are you still wanting to discuss?"
And Pádraic shouldn't have told her. First time he met someone who didn't already know that he could tell, so it's the first thing out his mouth. Made Brick Arm's interruption downright welcome.
"No sense staying out of it," he said as he rose. "Worst they can do is send us home."
Reenadinna Wood, Killarney National Park, Munster: June 16th, 2017 9:07 PM (Danny Greedy)
Danny responds, "Centuries ago, Metis were seen as creatures of the wyrm and often slain at birth. Even today many Metis are slain at birth by some Tribes.
Not all Metis should be so slain would you not agree? Does it then not stand to reason that not all leeches are terrible? They are Apex Predators of the Homid world. No doubt most do the bidding of the wyrm knowingly or unknowingly, still some can be redeemed. To not believe that is not believe that Dancers can ever come back from their malady.
You see I must believe such things, I must believe that Gaia will perform Miracles else during my own bouts in the grip of madness I may never come out..."
He pauses, "Well you said Midnight Bargain and mentioned Dublin, what else could have the Tribes so riled up?"
"Oh, now Danny, you've caught me in a rhetorical trap. I can't say that I think the Howlers are gone for good, or I'm condemning you to madness. I'm afraid you won't catch me though; I think they're lost to the Nation. Once the Wyrm gets that far in, he doesn't come out. That's why we Garou have got to fight so hard to prevent corruption at all. Call me a pessimist if you must," she says, indignation and sympathy striking an unusual sweet-and-sour note to her voice. "Though, I hear in these words of redemption the Child of Gaia I know so well once again."
"As far as the leeches go, I've got no idea. You seem to know more about them than I do, so if you think they can be saved, then I'll believe you. And no, I don't think all Metis should be slain at birth. Maybe just one or two," she says, the more pleasant sound of humor returning to her voice.
"Come now, let's make our way to the last spirit. I'm sure she's craving our attention." As you two walk she continues, "I guess you must be right about Dublin though. Strange how many different creatures there are like ourselves. Well, I mean, comparatively. When I was a girl I would never have believed in this whole hidden world we now live in."
When you turn back to the merman, it is still lying there on the rocks of his pool, mouth slightly agape in bemusement.
"That was not the outcome I was expecting at all. I think my jest about you secretly being one of Weaver's brood might be true after all," he says.
In response to your request for sacred baubles, he says "Yes, yes, certainly I can do that for you as payment for ridding me of that Unseelie sprite."
Without another word, he pushes himself off the rocks and into the pool. A few moments later he reemerges with a handful of perfectly round pebbles and some vibrant green seaweed, which he lays out carefully on the rocks between himself and you. "There you go master werewolf. I believe this discharges my debt to you as well..." he says with a hopeful tone in his voice.
His healing complete, he shifts back into Homid form and addresses you in a cheerful tone as if being shot by unknown hitmen were no more an inconvenience than missing the signal at a crosswalk.
"Certainly. I suppose the foyer will do just was well as anywhere else."
He takes a moment to seat himself on one of the benches provided by your aunt for people to untie their shoes. "You see, our Queen is busy, very busy, and she is a little indisposed at the moment. It is difficult for her to admit new members to the court, even an ambassador from the illustrious Crescent Moon. She would like a small favor from you before she extends an invitation. Among the many petty annoyances we've had to deal with recently, it seems as if the our people in Oriel -that's a Silver Fang sept in Northern Ireland, by the way- have gone missing. It's somewhat distressing to us that one of our most important feudatories has just up and vanished, but we don't have the man power to look into it ourselves. That's when I thought of our mutual friend, Jerome, and he said that he could put me in touch with you. So here I am, and here you are! Would you consider looking into the matter for us? I can guarantee that the Queen will welcome you at court if you solve this little mystery for us."
Without speaking he downs his drink in one go. "Don't want to waste good beer," he says, his voice changed from one of jocular camaraderie to one of serious business as soon as he puts the glass down.
"Let's get out of here, we have a place where we can prep," he says putting down some Euros on the table for the tab. He gets up from the table and leads the two Ó Dónaill kids out to street, where he gets into a dark gray SUV. Once everyone has gotten in, he drives into the Shandon neighborhood and parks on John Redmond Street. All through the drive he says nothing regarding the mission to the siblings.
He gets out of the car and leads his small group to a tiny house on Lloyd's Lane, opening the door with both a key and a code on a cleverly concealed keypad hidden inside a secret panel on the door lintel.
Once inside the safehouse, which is sparsely furnished, he looks at Pádraic and Mairead. "Sorry for the silence, can never know who is listening in public. Even the First Tongue might not be safe. A company we have been watching for a while, called Guangzhou Overland Trading, or GOT, has recently sprung up out of nowhere. Despite the name, they're based in Shanghai. Technically they deal in cheap plastic crap made in China, but frequently they smuggle counterfeit drugs into Europe with their regular goods shipments for disbursement to drug dealers and crooked doctors. Not normally Garou business, but some of our Kinfolk in the port authority discovered that the fake medicine was wyrm-tainted, some even contained minor Banes," he says, letting out a low breath. "Roberta's got an interesting sense of humor, so she's dubbed dealing with these drugs 'Operation Hard Lemonade.'"
As he talks he walks into one of only two rooms in the house, opening a series of closets that contain various outfits and firearms. He begins undressing, putting on a dark blue suit and tie, then strapping a heavy semi-automatic pistol to his side, easily hidden under his jacket.
"So far we've intercepted a number of these tainted shipments. At worst there have been a couple of regular toughs sent from the drug dealers to pick up their merchandise. Here's the op; we've gotten a tip from one of our contacts in the Gardaí that one of these shipments of bad drugs has come into one of the dock warehouses here in Cork. Since you're new cliaths and all, I figured this can be a good learning experience, not too dangerous. In the past Special Ops has not even had to leave Homid to deal with them. There's always a chance one of the bound Banes could get loose, though."
He points to the gun cabinet. "Either of you know how to use one of these? Oh, yeah, and any questions?"
Reenadinna Wood, Killarney National Park, Munster: June 16th, 2017 9:07 PM (Danny Greedy)
"Indeed. From moment to moment it is hard to know whether I want to save or kill something. I am a living breathing paradox. After all am I not the blind seer of Homid tales you no doubt read in, what do you call it, school.
Yes, at least one or two", he chuckles.
"Yes I am sure let us see to her, well, you see to her I'll listen...
Certainly, had you seen me as a girl you would have been horrified, it was not so long ago I had my first change to this form or the form of the Lupus. Growing up Crinos gives one quite the different perspective".
Danny accompanies Chloe to the next spirit once again he stands by reverently as she performs the proper coaxing Rite.
23 Charles Street, Mayfair, London: June 16th, 2017 8:45 PM (Konstantin Volkov):
Konstantin locked the door once it was cleaned and closed. He gestured to the living room, even as he glanced down at the blood and bullets on the floor. "We may step in to next room and sit if you prefer. I am not trying to be bad host."
But the Duke had already sat down so Konstantin listened to what the Duke had to say as he cleaned up the floor where the 'healing' had taken place. He paused and tilted his head at the Duke, regarding the man for a long moment.
"Nyet." He let out a chuckle and shook his head. "I must admit, I should have expected political maneuvering like this. Hospitality in the United Kingdom is similar to my homeland I see." It didn't quite sound like a compliment. "Petty annoyances, indeed."
He held up a hand as if to forestall a response, but then waved it as if brushing aside something. He sat back on his haunches and looked down at his hands which were covered in blood. For a moment, he was almost sucked in to a memory but he shook it off.
"I will investigate this because my kin have gone missing, not to curry favor with your Queen. If that happens as a result of my actions, then so be it. I thank you deeply for bringing this to my attention." The last sounded sincere.
Pádraic turned off his phone as they got in the van, then listened close as Brick Arm explained it all.
"Wasn't a Yank long enough for any guns," Pádraic said, looking at the arsenal with ambivalence. "I'd take a good knife, but decent chance I'd geld myself and I'm not done with none of that just yet."
"Do we expect trouble, or is this just keeping safe? And as that happens, are we there to just to destroy the stuff or is there some reason we'd want to keep it? Besides some bane objecting and coming out set to riot as they do, like?"
Mairy stares at the beer for a second, then follows Bill's lead, drinking it in one go, nodding after she finishes.
During the car ride, she look around the town through the window, occasionally nudging Padraic and asking about the area. Her curiousity rises as the SUV stops, as she raises an eyebrow at the keycode. "That's some James Bond stuff, eh?", she whispers to Brick Arm, as she follows the two inside. Nodding at the inside, she grins wider. "Aye, definitely James Bond stuff.", she confirms, as Brick Arm tells the situation. "I'm feeling I'd like tae meet Roberta at some point.", she mentions.
As the outfits and weaponry drawers open, Mairead shakes her head. "I dunnae like guns, like. Or knives, either." Or claws, but don't mention that... "Ye recommend a suit an' all fer me?", she asks, gesturing over her attire, which, while perfectly acceptable for a pub or a walk, is hardly ideal for a night on the docks. "I wouldnae mind beating up some smugglers, but I'm wonderin' if ye need to make it official-like.", she smiles, nodding at Brick Arm's suit.
"And...", she looks at Padraic and Bill with an embarrassed look on her face. "Eh... What's a bane? I ken it's like an inverse nature spirit, unless I've got it mixed with something."
She didn't know what a bane was?! Pádraic controlled his shock. No sense making her feel bad because they didn't teach anything over in Scotland, apparently.
"They're Wyrm spirits. It's like how there's spirits of trees and grass and mirrors, good and bad but mostly not of a mind to twist or destroy everything for the pure joy of it. Banes are the other end, always gathered around pain and suffering to make it worse. They're hate and sickness. Filthy things. Usually look all twisted around, but some of 'em are lookers to better go on unnoticed."
Finn tilts his head and examines the spirit for a long awkward moment. He almost seems to be calculating something as the silence drags on. Eventually, he simply responds, Yes. And with a smile he gathers up the items and places them in his pack, carefully. Thank you, he nods appreciatively, as if there was nothing odd about the exchange at all.
vs.
A few minutes into the ritual, you can tell that there's something... off. The copse of trees where you are standing and waiting has taken on the hint of a coppery smell, almost like blood, but there's a subtext to the odor that you can't quite finger at the moment.
Whatever it is, Chloe does not seem to notice it as her prayers praising the tree spirit continue unabated.
Suddenly, to your right, and almost directly behind Chloe, is the unmistakable sound of a giggle. Far from a child's giggle, however, there is an undercurrent of of very adult malice to this sound.
With a leap and a flourish of his tail, he dives down deep into his pond. You are once again alone in the silent landscape of the Penumbra.
Reaching into his back pocket, he pulls out an envelope which he offers to you. "Compliments of the House of Austere Howls, some money to cover your airline ticket"
After offering you the money, he will accept your invitation to move to the sitting room, where he will take up a position near the hearth. He sighs and says, "I'm afraid I don't know a great deal about what has directly happened to our vassals in Oriel, but if you have any questions, I will try to answer them."
As before, Bill seems to be in professional mode and doesn't smile when Mairead makes her joke about James Bond. "I'm sure you'll meet her one day. She likes to keep things very professional; she was G2 before her first change."
Regarding the guns, Bill nods and says, "Just as well, since it's not dedicated to you. If you have to shift or step sideways, it will just fall to the ground anyway. As for me, I'm really Special Operation's melee specialist, but I like to carry one just in case- and this one is dedicated to me. Plus our pack totem likes us to be packin' as often as possible."
"Dedication goes for any body armor and clothes, too. These have been dedicated to me. I can give you a bullet proof vest and a suit, but it will be torn to pieces if you have to go crinos. In my opinion it's best to leave as little evidence behind as possible. Now, if you're not wearing your own dedicated clothes, then sure, grab some over there," he continues, jabbing his thumb at a closet that has some spare dark suits and vests.
Once Pádraic has explained what a Bane is, Brick Arm nods curtly. "That's the short of it. Don't get too worried though- once a Bane manifests in our world, you can shoot it and tear it up with claws just as well as a man. Anything hidden inside of pills that are 50% sawdust is probably not too scary."
He waits a moment for any further questions and to allow Pádraic and Mairead the opportunity to arm themselves or put on a bullet proof vest.
Mairy nods, noticing the change in Brick Arm's behaviour. It's better than joking around when it's danger, I suppose. Everyone has a fighting mood., she thinks, as she looks at the body armour. "Aye, this I'm used tae. Usually stab-proof, rather than bullet-proof... I mean resistant, ken.", she says, strapping a vest on top of her tank top with proficiency, and reaches over for a larger shirt. "I've been told tae nae go Crinos unless it's a manner of life and death, like.", she mentions as she buttons the navy-coloured shirt. "I dunnae trigger the Delirium, so if we're in town, it's a bad, bad idea, ken.", she shares nonchalantly, biting her lip as she waits a response. Taking a jacket, she shrugs at her torn jeans. Well, it's not like someone'd be staring., she thinks as she takes them off, putting on a pair of suit trousers. Worst case, I'm running around Cork in my undies and a pair of combat boots. Plus, they should hold in Glabro, right?
At the explanation what banes are, as her eyes dart around as information enters her head. "Eh, that was about what I remember from the lectures. Cheers.", she nods, buttoning up her shirt higher and pulling her braid down her shoulder. "Well, I'm guessin' I'm ready. I'll just stand next tae ye and look mean, ken, until ye say otherwise.", she defers to Brick Arm, then sighs, pacing in place. I need tae punch someone. I wonder if we handle it peacefully, if Bill's gonna be willing to spar. Eh. Enough thinking, focus on the now.
Reenadinna Wood, Killarney National Park, Munster: June 16th, 2017 9:07 PM (Danny Greedy)
"Chloe, move! Something is off!"
attempting to pinpint the place where the sound is coming from, Danny turns up the heat...
Konstantin frowned a bit, but then shook his head. "There is no need to apologize. You have done nothing wrong." He glanced back the way they'd come. "Well, my aunt would say bleeding on the door and floor was very gauche of you, I suppose." He flashed a grin at the man, one that is gone just as quickly, to show he was only joking.
"I understand enemies, is okay." He took the envelope hesitantly, and peeked inside. Then the words sunk in about an airline ticket. Being trapped in a metal box that flies was not his idea of fun, but it was necessary. He would survive.
Konstantin sat down even as he put the envelope in to his satchel. The sunglasses sat on top of his head. He thought for a moment and then asked questions. "How long ago did you say that contact was lost? Are there any Silver Fangs part of the Sept that were not there at the time, and if so do you know where they can be located? Do you know of any friendly/useful Garou near there that can be relied on for me to meet up with?"