These are the final days -- the signs are clear: Even our pups know that this is the age of the Apocalypse.
The humans have Corrupted the Earth, destroyed the Trees, slaughtered the Beasts, choked the Air, poisoned the Soil, clogged the Waters, unleashed the Eternal Fire.
Now, the Wyrm rises to eclipse the Moon, devouring all within its grasp, hunting the hunters.
There is no garden to which we can flee. There is nowhere to hide. The end is upon us -- when will you rage?
Immediately you sense the presence of another in your domain. The bedroom door is slightly ajar. You cautiously make your way towards it considering your options. Before you reach the door you hear a somewhat familiar voice speak in low rumbling tones.
"The stench of man pervades you young Pup. Till now you have been treated with respect, too much respect. Today, today you will become a Wolf or you will die trying. Only those who are worthy can be accepted among us will you prove yourself worthy?"
As you consider the ramification of this development your Prodigy account alert prompts you IIIINSTANT MESSAGE!
You click on the link and see that the message is from KleWin, the leader of the Glass Walkers here in NYC!
"Yo E, meet me in Central Park at 9 tonight, right by the front gates of the Zoo. Don't be late man alright?"
Perhaps due to your connection to the Uktena tribe, many spirits of the Caern and the surrounding Glenn have come to you, to teach you more yet. On this day you lay out ona beach towel in Homid form soaking up the rays of the sun. Someone steps into your sun beam casting a shadow over you. You look up and see Mother Larissa glaring down at you, "Pack it up, time to go!" She states, even more crankily than usual.
Still, you cannot complain. Living in the wider world has given you a breadth of experience you could not have begun to have had you stayed. The Elder told you that your purpose was to unite the disparate. You are not sure how that will be accomplished but you trust in his wisdom as you sit and watch these Garou wrestle in their Bawn. Pretending to be one of their ilk who has yet to experience the change is unsettling, one slip up and they may slay you for what you are despite the fact that they seem to have developed a camaraderie with you.
Their leader the Silver Fang Jakob Morningkill turns to you, "You have excelled despite yet experiencing your first change young Pup. I have been asked to provide one of my younglings for an "experiment". As you have yet to turn, I have selected you for this... whatever it is. You will go, you will pass and you will Change. If you do not come back a full Garou, I expect that you will not come back, is that understood?"
** spoiler omitted **
"How long should I pack for?" Howls-at-dawn asks as he shakes some dirt off his towel.
You should just kill that two legs and be done with it, you should...
The sound of footfalls so near startles you! Turning ready to pounce you see the Leader of your mighty pack, Slashes-the-Heart-of-the-Wyrm. The Slahers protectorate runs from Canada, to upstate New York, to Vermont. Long does this mighty leader run, that he has returned and approached you before all others is a great honor. The huge red and black dire wolf is the single most imposing figure you have ever, and perhaps will ever encounter.
IN your mind he speaks, "You seem unsettled young Pup. Do not worry, thatI have selected you is not a slight. I see great promise in you. You shall be my eyes and ears on this journey. This Rite they wish you to experience". He spits as if the idea sickens him.
"You will use it to gain vital information on this trip and when you return I SHALL personally lead your Rite of Passage. Now though you must accompany me. The time has come".
He smiles though he wrinkles his nose as he approaches you, "Dr. Smith. Or are you not a Dr. yet? Ah does not matter, time to leave this life any way pal. I need you and the Tribe needs you. You have yet to undergo your Rite of Passage. Now is the time. Go in, sign out and let's get going kid".
** spoiler omitted **
Howls-at-dawn quickly packs what few worldly belongings he has into an old army surplus rucksack, basically just a few changes of clothes and an old windbreaker. Then grabs his walking stick, "Ready when you are."
Prologue Gabriel - Gentle Claws - Smith
I hesitate for a moment then blurt out, " give me 5 minutes and I will be right out.
As I walk back in I am trying to think of a story. Will head to where I am working and start to collect my things
"As you wish Elder. I will do as you command. I hope to come back as more than you expect" he gives him a formal and a low bow. Unsure of what all this means. All these large beasts around him. He did not want to go under their claws. Not one bit. So best keep them happy
man stench is a worry but being sent with no rent while I waited and not being told where to stay was harder. I am glad for it to be time to go.
** spoiler omitted **
I-I thank you, Slashes-rhya. You honor me. My Rite of Passage can wait if you so wish it.
Mother Larissa simply watches them all saying nothing. She seems rather tense.
As you head to the gates with night fully set in, you see two figures waiting there. One is a young man probably about your age, you have never met him before. The other you recognize almost instantly. The head of the Caern ere at the Park, Mother Larissa.
A sound from the shrubs attracts the attention of you all. A wolf but of course not a wolf. The creature looks about and then morphs into a man. Howls you do not know this man. Erik, you know him as Kleon Winston your leader.
He chuckles, "Losing your touch Momma?"
She scowls, "I knew you were there. But you are late".
Kleon retorts, "So is Spotlight, I still can't believe..."
She growls low and in her throat. The threat enough to get what appears to be a confident, smooth talking young man to back off as he raises his hands in front of himself and smiles.
Morningkill turns to you, "Step through the Moon Bridge a Pup. Return to us a Garou".
** spoiler omitted **
Soon enough a shimmering portal yawns before you. Slashes simply turns to you and stares...
When you step out Zachary is waiting for you in his car. The moment you step in he peels out. Night is beginning to fall.
"We will be late. That is ok, I want to be the last to arrive to prove a point. There is one among you that you need to pay special attention to, whatever you do you must outshine him. Howls at Dawn. Do you understand?"
** spoiler omitted **
Howls-at-dawn stands there listening, knowing that in situations like this it was better not to speak until spoken to.
** spoiler omitted **
I am ready when you are, rhya. Where you go, I follow.
** spoiler omitted **[dice=Intelligence, no politics] 2d10
Prologue Gabriel - Gentle Claws - Smith:
Kindo looks at Morningkill, then at the portal. He gulps, then nods with a bow added
"Will see you again..."
With that, he steps into the glowing vortex
Sylas will grab a duffle bag and stuff it with his tactical pants and some shirts as well as warm clothing and extra socks. He will take his emt bag as well and anything else and then take an envelope and pay the rent and give notice that he wont be back to this dive living pay check to pay check.
When he is done he says I am ready
Erik strides over toward the scene, nodding toward Kleon as he arrives but otherwise remains silent for the time being.
** spoiler omitted **
Guides makes a grunting whimpering sound to denote agreement, he has not seen great things from the homid garou of the sept, primarily keeping to the company of his fellow lupus.
I will return in glory then, as the homid will probably mewl like pups when alone in the forest for more than a day.
He continues to drive without speaking until you recognize Central Park on your right hand side. He turns down 5th avenue and finds parking on 64th and Madison. The parking attendant wrinkles his nose as you both step out of the car.
He then leads you to the Zoo's front entrance.
Spotlight grimaces at every second that goes by. Finally as you are ready to leave Spotlight grasps the door to open it for you and accidentally removes it from the hinges. Once you pass into the hall he places it where it is supposed to be and heads down the stairs with you.
You walk to Port Authority and grab the E to 59th Street and Columbus Circle. Spotlight is still in Glabro form and the Humans seem to sense the threat that he presents and keep a wide berth from you both. As you both step into the park Spotlight turns to you and snarls, "Meet me at the front gates to the Zoo". He steps into the brush and assumes Lupus form hustling through the park startling the hell out of any who notice him!
BY whichever means you follow, soon enough yo are there and see you are not alone.
Time passes by slowly as Mother paces back and forth. Soon enough a wolf bursts through the woods from the west. Mother turns to the wolf, "Well, where is he?" The wolf motions with his head indicating that whoever is following him is not far behind.
Indeed he is correct as a few minutes later a young man with a satchel and an EMT kit of all thing hustles up the park path. Nearly simultaneously, you all smell a potent Musk. So strong the Garou in Lupus form wrinkles his nose and leaps over the fence and into the Park. Mother looks about to make sure mo humans are near. She turns to yell at the wolf but he is long gone.
The smell is accompanied by two more figures, one of whom most of you recognize as the local Shadow Lord Zachary Ellison The other appears to be the source of the smell.
Mother Larissa huffs, "Finally, you both arrive. Follow"
Kleon speaks up, "Hey, shouldn't we say something...."
Mother snaps, "No!" She then reaches into her pocket and pulls out a key for the front gate of the Zoo.
Sylas walks into the clearing and looks at the gathering and then shrugs and follows along quietly
Howls-at-dawn will follow without saying anything unless someone talks to him first.
Prologue: Sylas Shadow, Gabriel - Gentle Claws - Smith, Howls-at-Dawn & Erik Talbot:
I will follow along silent.
Mother Larissa leads you all down the path through zoo and into a clearing within the zoo. When you look back you no longer see Kleon or Zachary. Instead you see several Garou, all having assumed their full Crinos forms. Behind them all of the lights of the zoo and the park seem to have winked out of existence at once! They snarl at you all and begin to give chase.
Mother Larissa snaps at you all, "Run Pups through to the Ramble!"
You stand in a clearing pine trees dominate the edges of this clearing all the way around the perimeter, the weather is cold, colder then where you were by a few degrees at least. You both turn and see each other!
Kindo is well built. Tanned. Black hair, short,no comb needed. Strangely bright green eyes. He's waring a very basic, mono color green t-shirt. And plain black shorts. Basic jogging shoes. About 1.7m tall.
Kindo stays quiet. He has seen what these people can do when they shift. He did not wish to anger one by seeming disrespectful. His eyes dart to what he thinks is another bridge. But inly briefly before he looks back at the one in front if him
Sylas will sling the bag and run hard through the brush as he is running shifting himself to crinos form himself to still be able to carry his things but then he remembers the trinket hanging around his neck and thinks "why not"
and Sylas vanishes like the wind and runs with glee not seen slapping a few female rumps on the way with a grin
Howls-at-dawn will try to shift into Crinos form. But he can't seem to get it to wrk quickly.
He tries to run as a human.
4 success
"Aw what the f#!# is this b%+#$+@#?" Erik says to no one in particular as he does his best to run off and away, but fails to do so as he slips on some improperly discarded refuse.
- 0 success
Guides-the-pack looks around the clearing with what he hopes is disguised awe
. He has not seen so many moon bridges before, much less gone through one. Still, he steps towards the closest garou in lupus like himself and introduces himself.
"greetings. The people call me Guides-the-pack. Who are you? Are you here for the rite as well?"
Concentrating as I run I try to shift into Crinos
but it eludes me.
I continue to run
The four of you hustle towards the Ramble as fast as you can the seemingly angry Crinos at your backs. It is not clear what you all have done to anger Mother so that she would chase you...
That thought is interrupted by a shining bright light that opens before you all. The light lifts you all up and you feel lighter than air. Disoriented and a bit unsure you keep running despite the disorienting feeling.
Suddenly you all find yourselves in a snow covered clearing!
-
Before the stranger can respond to Guides question another bright shining light fills the clearing filling it with three more beings, all in Homid form though two appear to be changing forms albeit slowly.
The newcomers notice two things: (1) a Garou in Lupus form appears to be conversing with a Garou in Homid form and (2) an elderly man of the First Nations stands at the edge of the clearing among the trees. He regards you all silently, numerous battle scars adorn his body.