Monthly Archives: May 2014

An Offer From The Mongol Horde, Black Spiral Madness, And The Importance of Rank… (Game 20)

As the fire from the straw began to burn out, Alexander directed his pack to enter the tunnels and find the missing villagers.

Before the pack could go too deep in the tunnels, the sound of nearby Garou above made them return to the pit. At the top of the pit was the Breys Hand pack consisting of Batuani Seven-Shadows, Running Prince, Nightflit, and Pei Ling. The Bear Claw pack climbed out of the pit to greet the new arrivals. The Breys Hand pack happened to be in the area and were scouting ahead for their Sept.

From down in the pit, Bites-at-Flies called out to the Bear Claw pack to assist him in finding the villagers. The Breys Hand pack in response offered their help if the Bear Claw pack would meet with their Jagon (Sept). The Bear Claw pack agreed to it and entered the tunnels, chasing after Bites-at-Flies who had already gone ahead.

Hive tunnel

Descending into the tunnels, the two packs came across a fork with seven different tunnels. Only two of them were large enough to move humans through, so the two pack split up with the Bear Claw pack going to the left tunnel. The pack finally caught up to Bites-at-Flies in the tunnel deeper as he tried to smell for the villagers.

Heading deeper into the tunnels, the pack narrowly avoided a trap and arrived at a gate with three different levers. A little deducing by the pack determines that the lock is a combination lock and must be pulled in a certain order. Debate broke out among the pack with Kevin wanting to break it, but Bern and Alexander believing that might alert nearby Spirals. Eventually, the pack worked together to piece the combination together based on the arrangement of the levers.

Hive chamber

Following drag marks, the Bear Claw pack came across what appeared to be an altar or caern. A chimney leads to the outside with the moon shining down on it. Approximately sixty villagers lay nearby, beheaded with their heads placed on pikes pointing to the altar. Strange glyphs littered the entire area.

Bites-at-Flies said this was a profane ritual designed to attack Luna herself. Alexander remarked that he foreseen this as one of the possibilities for the abduction. The other possibilities involved procuring breeding stock and weakening the nearby area for an assault on the Sept to free the bound Wyrm spirit, Dasbog. Bern said this could be used to cut off non-Black Spiral Dancers from the moon, but the pack was still uncertain of what it could be used for.

BS Hive Map

There are several other paths leading out from here and the pack believed the hive had to be massive, possibly over a square mile in diameter. Realizing they need to warn the Sept and leave before they are spotted, the Bear Claw pack returned to the forked and did a Howl of Summoning for the Breys Hand pack. In response, they heard at least six howls. Once the Breys Hand packed arrived, they all escaped the tunnels through the pit.

The Bear Claw pack was more concerned now with warning the Sept of the Red Cedar and tried to leave, but Pei Ling protested that they agreed to visit their Sept. In response, Alexander sent Bites-at-Flies back to the Sept to warn them while the Bear Claw pack accompanied the Breys Hand pack to their Sept that was about a one day run from the village.

Kuriyen

Arriving at the encampment, the Bear Claw pack could see warriors being trained by the leader of the encampment, Qorjin. There appeared to be over 200 people in the area with tents spread throughout. As the pack waited for him to finish his teaching, the Breys Hand pack talked a little about themselves and told the Bear Claw pack they were councilors to Qorjin and he was second in command to Ogedie Khan, leader of the Sept.

After Qorjin was finished he greeted the Bear Claw pack cordially and told them it was their tradition that guests receive hospitality for three days and nights before beginning business talks. The Bear Claw pack was led to a lavish tent where they were fed, bathed, and sated sexually for the predetermined time, but not before Alexander warned them not to overindulge in case they were required to repay the favor.

After the hospitality, Qorjin sat down with the pack to discuss what he required of them. After learning that the pack wasn’t from the area, Qorjin realized this would be for the best since we were effectively neutral to the situation. He told the Bear Claw pack that he was a scouting party for the Mongol hoard of more than 6,000 that were marching throughout the lands to claim them. If the Sept of the Red Cedar accepts vassalage to Khan and his horde, he will leave them alone in return for help later on when needed.

Kevin asked about what happens after they leave and how they interact with certain Septs, but Qorjin merely says they have never returned to them. When asked about what happened to those Septs that rejected his offer, he tells them his army destroyed them. The mention of the word army causes Alexander to cringe.

After sending Qorjin out of the tent for a moment, the pack spoke to each other through the totem silently. They agreed to it, but not before Alexander warned them of the potential for being forced into a rock and a hard place with the two Septs potentially warring against each other. After giving their answer to Qorjin, the pack immediately left the Sept with the threat of the Black Spirals looming.

Returning to the barn outside of the Sept, they called for Worthy who sets up a meeting with Voice of Thunder and a few others of the Sept. After being told of the situation about the Black Spirals and the threat of the Mongols, Voice of Thunder questions why we need to remain here since their task is effectively complete. Alexander tells them they want to avenge their fallen White Howler brothers. When asked about avenging them, glory for the deeds, the nature of the response he gave, and whether or not they are involved with the Spirals, Alexander corrects Voice of Thunder and tells him the Black Spiral Dancers are no longer their brothers but a twisted perversion of the tribe.

Voice of Thunder is obviously hesitant. He is concerned about both threats at the moment, but also the disrespect he was shown when he asked Alexander to hand over his klaive to Vladimir earlier. Alexander is forthcoming about being selfish with his tribal heirloom, but also concerned that handing the klaive to a Fenrir would restart a war with the tribe that had just begun to die off.

Offering to make amends and restore their honor and respect, Voice of Thunder proposes two things they can do. He first asks the pack about the importance of rank, which all of the members give an impassioned speech, effectively convincing him they understand it.

Finally, he tells the pack to pledge a year of servitude to the Sept in order to learn more of the importance of rank and understand their roles in life. Alexander agrees to it.

Voice of Thunder then tells of the Battle of Samara Bend when the Mongols attempted to do this once before with 1,000 men. They were repelled with a mere 30 Garou, but with the use of kinfolk and the threat of the Black Spiral Dancers, he is unsure if they can prevail or if they should bend a knee to Khan as it could be a trap.

Voice of Thunder then asks about whether the kinfolk of the village were safe, but the Bear Claw pack as well as Bites-at-Flies was unaware of the kinfolk. It is apparent that a third of the village was kinfolk, confirming Alexander’s suspicion that they were abducted for breeding purposes. Most of the Sept thinks it wasn’t worth it to risk a pack’s life for kinfolk.

Alexander voices his concern over the potential of unleashing Dasbog, which Voice of Thunder agrees as Khan or Qorjin would not be able to control once freed. He also says they don’t have the Theurge power to re-bind him. Voice of Thunder then asks Alexander and the Bear Claw pack what they should do. However, after being humbled by the experience of regaining the Sept’s respect, the Bear Claw pack chooses to let their Sept be the final decision as they are not sufficient rank to make such a call. It is agreed then that a moot will be called of the entire Sept in order to determine the fate of the Sept of the Red Cedar…

The Legend of the Bear Claw Pack Begins… (Game 19)

After watching the fall of the White Howlers, we were pulled from our ancestor’s bodies like before. We traveled again through the tunnel in the deep Umbra, fighting the Drowned King constantly as we moved forward in time again.

The Drowned King bucked once again, but this time, instead of being forced into an ancestor’s body, we were suspended in air to merely witness the events unfold around us. We had moved 1,000 years into the future in Northern Ireland. Each of us hovered over our ancestor and we knew them as the Bear Claw pack of the Sept of the Three Stones. My ancestor was Alexander Mac Fionn, Eli’s was Malcolm “Drops-the-Hammer”, Miguel’s was Cormack, John’s was Arthur “Heartstabber”, William’s was Kevin “Broken Arrow”, and Bjorn’s was Bern “Talks-with-Herbs.” Agnis had appeared on the Drowned King, by presumably the same way as Jonathon had before. Her ancestor was Cateran Firebrand.

We watched as our ancestor’s spent a great deal of time on bawn patrol. They were the youngest pack in the Sept and therefore lacked any level of power or respect in the Sept. After returning from one of their three day patrol then one day rest runs, they were preparing to enjoy their time off when a Moon Bridge opened up in the Sept.

Preparing for an attack, all of the Garou readied themselves for the worst when only one Garou came through. He said his name was Worthy, a Shadow Lord from the Sept of the Red Cedar. He was in dire need of assistance from a pack of Fianna. Hugh Fire Starter, the leader of the Sept, was reluctant to do so and wanted to gather all of the packs in order to choose the proper one. At that moment, Cateran nudged Alexander to volunteer which he did.

Hugh was very apprehensive of this, considering the pack’s youth and experience. Still, when pressed by Hugh, Alexander agreed to do this for them. Wasting no time, the Bear Claw pack gathered what few things they could and headed into the Moon Bridge. As they traveled, they noticed that the Moon Bridge was falling apart and being repaired by Lunes, something unusual to see.

red cedar grave

Arriving at the Sept of the Red Cedar, the pack surveyed the area and noticed a massive tree with Garou from every tribe surrounding it. As they walked towards the tree, Worthy told them a story of a would-be god who turned Wyrm creature two centuries ago. It was bound to the tree and turned into a caern.

The pack was led to a muscular Garou by the name of Voice of Thunder. He was the Sept leader. He told us that the Prophecies of Shadow worry the Garou here and if they can help the Sept, his Sept will owe the Sept of the Three Stones a favor. From here, the pack was introduced to Yarls, Seer of the World. He was the Sept’s Warder and showed the pack to where they would be staying, an old, dilapidated barn.

Accepting whatever they were willing to provide, the pack started to settle in when Yarls asked about their fetishes. When each of the pack told him about theirs, he left. After a short conversation amongst themselves, Yarls returned. He knew the legend of Caladbolg, Alexander’s grand klaive, and that it would be best to keep that fetish hidden because many will want it.

This statement made the pack ill at ease and Alexander chose to have the pack alternate guard for the night in order to prevent any thievery. In the meantime, Malcolm and Cateran hunted and managed to nab a very large deer for the group. Bern cleansed the food, leery of potential taint in the area. The night passed and there were no attempts to steal anything.

Returning to the Sept the next morning, the pack notices even more new Garou in the area. It is obvious something big is about to happen. Voice of Thunder speaks with pack about the arrivals, but they are distracted watching Yarls whisper to a massive Garou behind Voice of Thunder. As he finishes speaking, the massive Garou along with another man approach the pack.

The massive Garou is Vladimir “Meat Render” and he realizes he is too high of a rank to challenge for Alexander’s grand klaive so he simply asks him for it. This sets in motion a series of conversations that nearly cause violence. Kevin and Cateran believe he have no right to ask for such an ancestral heirloom that has been in Alexander’s family for three centuries. Cateran manages to convince the other man with Vladimir, who is serving as an interpreter, but Vladimir just shoves him aside. Kevin at this point is antagonizing him to the point of peeing on his boots.

Voice of Thunder sees then and intervenes. He asks that Alexander give the klaive to Vladimir which he flatly refuses. Voice of Thunder says this was a test and he failed. They would no longer have the Sept’s protection, nor food, and they would not be allowed their weapons in the Sept. As the tense situation wrapped up, the pack returned to the barn for the night.

Setting up a watch, as Alexander was now surer than ever someone would take their possessions, they rested until a knock came at the door. A bearded, foul-smelling Garou named Bites-at-Flies asked if he could speak with the pack. They invited him in, showing him kindness he wasn’t used to. He told of strange happenings going on in the nearby village of Bilar. Families had been disappearing lately and he could not be sure of the cause.

Player Map

The pack agreed to help the Bone Gnawer without question, likely because of his humble nature. The trip was an hour away from the Sept in Lupus form. Arriving at the village, the pack noticed that the palisades, which had recently been erected, were torn down in one spot. It was obvious either Garou or some type of animal did this.

hole

Heading into the village, the pack found no signs of life anywhere. There were no signs of violence either. The pack did find drag marks heading to the center of the village. As the pack headed there, they came across a gigantic hole, fifteen feet across. Bites-at-Flies said this was not here before.

Sister Worm

From the hole, the pack could hear a child sobbing down below. Grabbing some nearby rope, Cateran and Malcolm headed down into the pit with some torches. Looking for the source of the sounds, they could see a tunnel from which a woman bearing facial paint came forth. Behind her appeared six more individuals. It was a trap.

A battle quickly broke out with the rest of the pack minus Kevin jumping into the hole to engage what now appeared to be Black Spiral Dancers as they shifted. The woman attacks Cateran and Alexander rushes to his aid as the woman nearly kills Cateran with her klaive. Driving Caladbolg into what is obviously the Alpha of the pack, Alexander attempts to kill when two Garou intercept him. As the others spar off against a respective Garou each, Kevin up above drops a wagon onto the battlefield. He then throws a torch down, lighting the area a blaze.

VoidSnakes

As fire begins to rage across the hole, Alexander leaps over his attackers and drives his blade into the Alpha who had been carried away from the battle. The Garou carrying her mutters something in a language no one understands and causes Void Snakes, the creatures who made the hole and tunnel, to attack Alexander.

As each of the pack slay their enemies, Cateran, now healed by Bear, the pack’s totem, charges to Alexander’s aid. Killing the Void Snakes, the pack gets into the tunnel outside of the fire to heal. Bern cleanses Alexander’s Void Snake wounds, which are tainted. The pack now stared into the tunnels, curious about what lie ahead…