Monthly Archives: May 2016

The Festival Concludes and The Sept on Trial… (Game 51)

As the second day started, mock battles began to break out. We took part in them with Stag’s Daughter winning a couple of them.

As the food truck approached again with a refill, Cormac approached us. He wanted to ask a few questions. He wondered why we were so forgiving of the Metis. Lionheart told him that the Metis has no choice in whether it is born and it’s unfair to punish it. He also asked about the Vulture Walkers pack that had been converted to Fianna. It was a great feat, but he wondered why they hadn’t been invited. Lionheart cut him off saying that it was up to the elders to decide who they wanted to go.

As Cormac began to speak again, Tears of the Land approached us. Cormac left in a hush and kept his head down around her. She wanted to know about Ryan and how he was doing. We told her that he was doing fine. She mentioned that she was the one who gave Kyle his bat. It once belonged to a fomor before she cleansed it.

She then took us to the shelter where the caern of Plenty was. Inside the shelter, the walls were covered with gold. In the center of the shelter was a large stone with a glyph on it. She touched it and disappeared. We followed suit and were transported into a room filled with food, drink, and various items on a massive table. The food here was magically enchanted and we could eat it which we tried. In times of famine, the kin were fed from this room. However, all of the weapons and various other items that lined the room were not to be touched. They were cursed with Fae magic and would doom the thief who took them. We were amazed that such Fae magic still existed in the world.

After we left the shelter, Tears of the Land gave me a marble to give to Ryan. She said it was something of a joke to him, but there was nothing funny about it. She believed that a spirit would love this marble.

As we returned, Tears of the Land took center stage and began to prepare a rite. Both Agnis, myself, and many other Theurges began to mimic it in order to get an idea of how to do it later. The rite would take thirty minutes of chanting and humming before she vomited onto a piece of cardboard. Here she inscribed a glyph in the name of a Garthor Bane. With that, a Great Hunt was on.

As we began to search out whatever this bane was, Lionheart spoke with Sebastian. Sebastian thought it was dishonorable that the Sept did not inform us of what we were participating in. Either way, we needed to hunt this bane. Some of the packs headed into the Umbra while others ran the bawn.

I took us into the Umbra while Agnis called upon her ancestors and learned that Garthor Banes are very nasty and vile. They are very susceptible to the ritual and come when it is enacted. There is great honor to the pack that kills it. As we began to hunt, Lionheart caught the scents of seven of these creatures in the area. He managed to keep the scent and it appeared as though none of the other packs had caught onto it as we headed into a forested area.

As we searched the forest, Lionheart realized that something was wrong. There were more than one of these creatures here. As we reached a clearing we caught sight of one, Agnis activated the Battle Mandala gift and bound the spirit to the area. The rest of us prepared for the fight. Lionheart utilized Balor’s Gaze and incapacitated the one in sight when suddenly, two more burst from the ground.

The insight that these banes burrow was lost on us at the moment, but we turned to fight them anyway. The battle was rough, but they weren’t the toughest creatures that we had ever faced. We carried their bodies back to the stage. We had more kills than any of the other packs and there were some looks of envy on their faces. We threw the bodies onto a pile and burned them.

This would finish up the moot and festival proper. We said our goodbyes to the people that we had met during the two days that we were there. During that time, the Ard Righ approached us. He was grateful that we had the time to learn about each other. Lionheart thanked him for the invitation. However, Bron requested that we rank up at the Sept of the Tri-Spiral from now on instead of our home Sept. Lionheart said the he would look into it.

As Bron left, Colin returned and told us that we could stay the last night in either the Sept or the cabin. We choose the Sept naturally.

The next day, we said more goodbyes and made our way back via moon bridge to the Sept of the Western Eye and then home. Crafty, Mackie, and Ryan were waiting there for us. They were sad. Police checked the area about the body, but haven’t gotten close to the Sept yet. However, the fire at the lodge is being ruled as an Arson. The area is tainted by the balefire until the remains of the building are removed. The area will begin to absorb Wyrm taint and banes will flock to it in the meantime.

Crafty asked about the visit, but it was easy to tell that Lionheart was irritated. He said that it was good, but wondered why Crafty and the rest of the Sept never told us about the traditional Fianna values. With that, Mackie and Ryan nodded to Crafty and left. Crafty had us sit down at the camp fire area and chat with him.

Crafty originally wanted to build a traditional Fianna Sept. However, because none of us were raised traditional and the influx of non-Fianna arrived, he abandoned the idea. He left out camps because he was worried that they would cause infighting. We also did not have the proper community for challenges so he had to make it up as he went along. However, Crafty wants to head to a more traditional way of learning. We asked if he was forced to go traditional. He wasn’t forced, but the Sept would not be considered a proper official Fianna Sept if we didn’t. Crafty told us that there were rumors that the Ard Righ wanted this Sept to be the American home base for the Fianna.

Personally, I didn’t think doing things the traditional way made any difference, a point agreed by not only Agnis, but also Bjorn which was surprising. With that, Crafty took his leave and had Mackie come and speak with us.

Mackie seemed about apologetic about bringing us into his camp. He gave us the rundown on most of the Fianna camps that he knew about. Many were opposed to some of the ways we did things, some had their own agendas, and others were very close to our camp. Technically, we weren’t officially a part of the Tuatha De Fionn, but Mackie said that leaving now could cause issues with the Fae. We didn’t see any reason to leave now so the issue was moot.

After Mackie got up, Ryan was the next to arrive. He was also apologetic about not revealing more about the Fianna traditions. He was even more bothered by the fact that our mission had been revealed to all. There was no point in hiding it anymore. The spirits spoke to just about everyone. The Nation now had its eyes on us.

I offered the marble to Ryan telling him it was from Tears of the Land. He promptly rejected it with a laugh. He told us that she took the Fae way of life seriously and by accepting that, he would be in her debt. He noted that she failed to tell us that Kyle was in her debt for obtaining the baseball bat we used to see him carry. As we laughed for a minute, a commotion was heard from outside.

Prestige had arrived, unannounced and without permission, with four Garou in Crinos form. He then made a proclamation as many Sept members held back the urge to attack him, myself included, that we were to be put on trial as a Sept.

Prestige spoke “if not for the few acts of honor your Sept would have been wiped off of Gaia already. Your charges include:

A.     Litany violation: Combat the Wyrm where ever it dwells and where ever it Breeds, 4 counts

1.      Evidence suggests that The White Lions Pride pack had dealings with Black Spiral Dancers

2.      Evidence suggests that the White Lions Pride Pack has had dealings with Skin Dancers

3.      Evidence suggests that Sept kinfolk has relations with a leech

4.      Evidence suggests that the Truth Hunters had dealings with Black Spiral Dancers

B.     Litany Violation: Respect the Territory of another 2 counts

1.      Evidence suggest the Truth Hunters came into our bawn intentionally looking for the Sept and left as soon as they knew they were caught doing so.

2.      Evidence suggests that the Hand of Fionn has worked the area north of us that is known as our territory

C.     Litany Violation: Do not suffer my people to tend to thy Sickness 1 count

1.      Evidence suggests that this Sept has taken unto itself an individual that has already been condemned by this law.

D.     Litany Violation: Ye shall take no action that causes a caern to be violated 4 counts

1.      Evidence suggests one of your kin destroyed an entire Sept. It was known that the kin had this power and it was not stopped.

2.      Evidence suggests the Sept has allowed non-Gaian Garou onto caern grounds

3.      Evidence suggests the Sept refused a treaty that would protect it from any enemy threats in the area and has refused knowing well that the local threat is at an all-time high

4.      Evidence suggests that the Sept has groomed a pack intentionally from the moment it was formed to run this sept. The White Lion’s Pride pack are in no shape in any way to do so which puts its own caern at risk.

As I have said, if not for the honorable few actions taken in the past more charges would have been added. You have one week to mount a defense.”

With that, he abruptly left as quickly as he arrived. Spot approached us. She told us there was a spy in our midst. Once again, we were under the gun…

A Festival to Remember… (Game 50)

It was still a week out before the festival began in Ireland, so we decided to do some preparations in the meantime. Agnis and I learned the Rite of the Opened Caern, however, midway through training, we were abruptly told to head to an area on Highway 9. A dead body had been found and the police were investigating it. Suspecting foul play and located close to William’s, the police made their way there.

Bjorn quickly called Daniel to get him out of the building and then made sure that William’s lawyer intercepted them in order to prevent breaches of the Veil. Daniel did a little investigation and heard that an anonymous tip lead the police to the dead body. It was obvious that Jonathon was at it once again.

Still, the rest of the week was uneventful, if not uncomfortable. Daniel and William could not be at the mansion, the lodge was burned down, and all kinfolk were on high alert. We took the time to learn a few gifts and then did preparations for attending the festival.

The next day, we made a moon bridge jump to the Sept of the Western Eye and were greeted by Hot Eye. He was glad to see us and sent word to the Sept of the Tri-Spiral that we were coming before sending us on our way via Moon Bridge.

Arriving at the Sept, we were greeted by the leaders of the Sept: Bron Mac Fionn (Sept Leader), Son of Moonlight (Warder), Eilis (pack leader of the Alpha Wild Hunters), Cormac Mac Eire, Tears of the Land (Master of the Rite and Keeper of the Song), Mary O’Reilly Deidire (Keeper of the Land), Winds Across the Hills, and Colin O’Doul.

They were very friendly and very eager to speak with us later. They told us that Colin is our escort and he will tell us about the area and guide us to the Sept when the festival begins. Until then, we are to remain at a cabin just outside a nearby town.

As we headed to the cabin, Colin told us about the Sept. The caern has three centers marked off with shelters. The Sept remains one of the oldest and most powerful Sept in the world. Each entrance to the shelters is guarded by the Tri-Spiral stones. Each shelter itself holds a caern consisting of Gnosis, Plenty, and Honor.

The Sept’s totems are Stag and Danube, the spirit of Ireland. The caerns themselves are over 4,000 years old. They were founded when the Fianna chased the ancient Fomor known as the Firbolg away from the lands with the help of the Fae. This began the long standing friendship with the Fae. There are faerie rings around the Sept that will take you directly to just outside the entrance of Arcadia, realm of the Fae.

As we got closer to the cabin, Colin continued on. The Keeper of the Song is required to know all songs pertaining the glory and life of the Sept. To take the position they are required to sing them all, a task that takes three days. Colin went on to say that all of the Septs in Ireland would come to defend the Sept of the Tri-Spiral if they were in danger.

We finally arrived at the cabin and rested for a while. It wasn’t more than two hours there when a visitor arrived. He introduced himself as Pride Walker, grandson of Mackie. He wanted to know how we were doing and gave us some information about the festival. The first night would be storytelling and healing. He warned us not to reveal our camp to anyone as not all of them get along. We must also ensure that our fetishes are in plain view. Obviously I was a little uncomfortable with this considering I would have to be shirtless to display my tattoo fetish.

Before he left he offered us the reason why he exiled Mackie. As a Philodox, he was required to judge a fellow Garou to obtain the rank of Adren. The Sept chose Mackie as he no longer had use. However, Pride Walker could not kill his grandfather as the Litany commanded. Instead, he exiled him, where he then arrived at our Sept.

After Pride Walker left, we rested for the night. At 4 am, Colin arrived at the cabin and wanted to know about our fetishes. As a cub, he was required to be able to recite every one of our fetishes and their origins. This was required for his Rite of Passage. I could already see the differences in the way they ran their Sept compared to ours.

We gave Colin all of the information about our fetishes and he looked as though he remembered the majority of it. He took us to a large field where hundreds of Garou were waiting. On top of a large stage set up near the center was Bron Mac Fionn. Everyone, including us, entered Lupus form and howled. Bron announced that the festival had begun.

A truck pulled into the field with lots of food and drink. The next few hours were spent dancing and eating as we enjoyed our time. After about seven hours of enjoyment, stories began to break out amongst the group about their various exploits, each trying to outdo the other. Bjorn spoke of Kelpie, in order to get the word about her return out while Agnis told the origin of her staff, Drona. Finally, we topped it all off with a group telling of our journey through time and how we defeated the Drowned King.

Five more hours went by and some of Garou had already passed out from too much alcohol. In that time, we spoke with several Garou. Some of which were Smoking Wolf, Aaron Tricks-the-Spirits, Patty Paints-the-Spirits, Allison Bane Renderer, Stacy Notebook, and Ronny Lucky-Step. Each would take us aside and ask us various questions.

Smoking Wolf went to Miguel and asked about whether or not his Hispanic descent caused any discrimination issues like it does here. Of course we had never discriminated anyone based on race or gender at our Sept, but it was interesting to hear that it happened out here. He also wondered about the kin being involved in early rites, but we realized we had never knew if you could teach a kin rites other than the Ritual of the Sacred Rebirth.

Aaron Tricks-the-Spirits asked about our mission and how we intended to turn a spirit corrupted by the Wyrm against their allegiance when they had so thoroughly become entrenched in it. We had agreed not to speak of our mission beforehand, but it appeared as though the spirits had been spreading the word. Lionheart chose to have him speak with Agnis and I at a later time.

Patty Paints-the-Spirits was interested in our fetishes. She wondered if it was dishonorable to the spirit to not release a spirit in a fetish that had been given to you. I retorted politely that Faith was a family heirloom and the others were gifted to me from my ancestors. I would be dishonoring them by rejecting it.

Allison Bane Renderer wondered if the dancing during the Trial of the Ahroun is the same in the United States as it is here. Lionheart deflected the question since he had amnesia, he could not say for certain.

Stacy Notebook wanted to know about the Silver Record. I could tell she was still very new to the Garou world, but we weren’t that advanced either to be honest. We could only tell her what Mackie had told us about the Silver Record.

Finally, Ronny Lucky-Step wanted to know if our duties as pack in the United States were similar. Unfortunately, we could not answer that question, showing just how out of step we were with the traditional Fianna upbringing. I could see that Lionheart was not pleased with the questions. Ronny asked about camps and if we knew them, but we kept quiet and deflected his question.

As the first day came to any end, we felt completely different from the rest of the Fianna. Lionheart wasn’t happy about the whole affair and felt like he had been set up to come here. Still, we rested in the field and anticipated the next day.