Summer one tales: Scar and others
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Setting: After event. Alex brings in a large square unique looking table to sit at with a laptop and starts to work. After a time he looks up. "It is ready."
The music fades as images rise up from the table. Alex steps forward with a smile with a remote in hand. "Good evening all. I'm Alex Knight, Cliath of the Glasswalkers, Galliard. Duty of auspice calls for the sharing of information and actions of individuals to be noted among the Nation."
The End of the World Alex points the remote as an urban landscape of decay end of the world scene of a city being reclaimed by nature rises up. "Welcome to our first destination in the umbra. A land of reflection of post end of the world life after humanity. It is here we began our journey to seek out the Totem of Cockroach. The group began to search the area those with wolf senses tracking while the two ratkin of Missy and Nekage start to poke among the garbage. Eventually our searching turns up a cockroach quickly skittering across the street to an abandon shop diving into a hole next to blue prints for a mechanical bird. We find ourselves having little time to explore the area for suddenly we find the floor boards dissolving as cockroaches emerge of various sizes from tiny to the size of a Volkswagen car. The group tries to give quick explanations for why we are here while I dart forward, snatching up the blue prints for the mechanical bird fearing we may lose a clue. We are met with hundreds of voices telling us "They are not here, try going out the back way." Considering we find ourselves with no other option, we move for the back way. "
The Warehouse
Images fade as new ones appear. We find ourselves emerging into a bleak environment of a city streets piled with trash. Behind us now stands a massive warehouse instead of the storefront. Above us grey sky and light drizzle of acid rain falls. A shadow sweeps over from above as a massive manta ray like spirit soars over with one word etched upon it's fins. "Work." Suddenly a search light casts down from it as it veers diving down into one of the nearby streets, a scream echoes out that is quickly silenced as the spirit rises up once more heading in our direction. We quickly turn to enter the warehouse to hide finding ourselves faced with a scene depicting the very hell of Greed and uniformity of slave work labor. Emotions of discomfort and unease wash over us as Owen mutters. "Machinery." We find ourselves passing above rows of conveyor belts, work stations, and desks. It is unclear what they are doing yet the sheer despair is clearly seen when one moves just far enough as his chain will allow. The bleakness oppressive as no supervisors overlook the area as all are focused upon their work. They don't even acknowledge the moment when the drone appears from a sky light to drop the bleeding person down, the chain snapping about his broken leg once more. A shudder washes over us as we decide now is a good time to exit stage left. As we search ideas start to rise of where we ended up. Nekage the first to speak asking if the rest of us feel we have slipped into another realm. "The way back seems to be the way through another realm. A realm of the Weaver. A dark Capitalism." Inherits the Debt and Sadie agree that anything is possible considering this is the realm of Cockroach. Nekage speaks. "The back way seems to be a way through another realm... a realm of the weaver. A dark capitalism." Sadie considers speaking her thoughts "I'm gonna guess that cockroach has been influenced by the static weave" her words cut off as her voice rises in fear. "Owen!!" We whip around only to hear his cry of agony, his only warning coming from one of the workers reaching out and grabbing Owen by the arm "Watch Out" it says in a calm voice and points to one of the machines. As the worker speaks it begin to shift. Our eyes are met with horror as Owen jumps in the way the workings unknown to the group preparing for a surprise attack. Owen moves to defend the group, only to feel the machine lash out, grabbing him around the chest. The sounds of flesh and armor tearing as he lets out a scream. As he pulls away his cloths are torn and his chest is covered in deep cuts and puncher wounds. Blood seeps out from around what is left of the black Hex patterns that are fused with his skin. Sadie, Missy, and myself hurry to his side as Sadie's hands cover the worst of the wounds while I drop down next to him attempting to heal. A look of resolute passes between Owen and Sadie as Owen steels himself against the pain. "Save your gnosis Alex, I will heal." Sadie nods helping Owen to his feet. Inherits the Debt watches with unease as realization dawns. "We are no longer in Cockroaches realm." A hush falls over the us as the Glasswalkers consider those words drawing upon knowledge of stories passed among the tribe. Tales of the Boogeyman umbral realms that snatch individuals away into the night, among them Scar. Those of the tribe look between each other, the dread clear upon their expressions for we know Scar represents the evils of the Weaver and Wyrm working in tandem. The very depth of excess and waste of Industrial revolutions from the dawn of it's creation. Around us packing crates filled with food in a world where people are starving, but it has sat so long that the food has rotted. That is Scar. Owen looks over the group motioning as he take the lead. "We move forward."
"The Fight" New images rise up as reflections for the fight.
Nekage wastes no time hearing the command as the ratkin draws a bow dancing into combat working to cover those who get too close to Missy as she lashes out at those within her range. Sadie and Inherits the Debt move forward choosing to remain close covering for each other as well falling into pack tactics complimenting each other's strikes as best possible knowing the injuries they bear could very well bode ill for a single fight. I find myself in a realm where I have no idea if my gifts will work the same as they do in the mortal realm. "Just like the drones, just like the drones," I hear myself repeating only to find Owen suddenly at my back. "Breath and calm your mind" he says in a even tone as lighting jumps from hand to hand as he effortlessly lets them fly striking there target then bouncing before he lets another fly. Following his guidance I allow the same power to rise up striking as well. Flashes of lightning catch reveal Nekage continuing the dance of arrow death unmoved even as a lash strikes upon them. Finally we find ourselves able to regroup tending to injuries, finding those attacking us no longer besiege us. Missy sniffs the air, the foul sent of rot and corruption sensitive to her nose then something else catches her senses. "Fresh air!" she yells drawing the others attention to sniff the air as well then a mix of something sweet. A pale light dawns around what has to be a door as we hurry forward not daring to stay here a moment longer.
Oleander We find ourselves before a chimerical nightmare as those who have had past experience whisper. "Oleander." The former Wyrm Incarna is overgrown with bit of honeysuckle laced through it trapped in its original nature and corrupted form. Sprawling over the area growing over lumps of entangled decaying bodies. Circling the entity we find ourselves wondering if there is no escape until we notice small dark hollows within it and a faint gleam of a green exit sign. "Everything about this place is so wrong," Sadie whispers as eyes the decaying bodies. Owen lets out a snarl. "Steel yourselves. We move thru. Too Much is at stake to stop here." A growl of agreement from Inherits the Debt as he moves forward followed by Nekage as the ratkin shakes his head."This thing again...Well time to clean up garou messes." he says, lifting his bow once more. "Onwards and upwards. " Sadie tentatively reaches up to her mouth. "Damn, I think that bastard chipped my fangs with that last punch. " As we move forward, the former Wyrm Totem creaks to life, a strange sound reaching our ears as we realize the tunnel, our way out is collapsing within as the spirt looms up ready for an attack. Darting forward we find ourselves struggling against vines seeking to restrain us, pelted by falling bricks as the whole realm falls in around us squeezing tight as we look to each other with grim determination knowing if we don't press forward, this could be our last time together. A punch of air slams into us sending us tumbling out across snow staggering to our feet to find ourselves back home in Alaska. Turning back we see growth about 12 feet in diameter of Oleander and Honeysuckle have sprouted around the exit point. Thankfully the chill and good old ratkin piss will kill it quickly as Nekage unleashes his ire upon it. "Stupid warped incarna. Baka!" Sadie drops to her knees reaching up to her left eye with an exclamation of anger. "What the hell?!" She growls when she reaches up to her eye socket and feels flowers where her eye once was. I find myself looking over in horror. "Oh Fuck...cleansing circle?" Inherits the Debt moves over to join us. "I can toss one up." he says as he starts to create a Cleansing Circle for the group. Sadie growls. "I'll give anything a try to make this go away..." Owen stands slowly. As the sun catches his bare chest the glint of metal can be seen. Where there was skin between the Hex patter before now there was sleek metal. It seems to cover everywhere. It reaches up past his neck and down the back of his hands. Fresh scars can still be seen peeking out between the plates of metal. He holds his arms up to the light "Interesting" he says in a empty tone. "Forget my eye, we need to get Owen inside to the others as soon as possible," she speaks moving towards the circle to see if it will work then moves to help Owen inside as we rejoined with the others. Alex points the remote at the hologram table as it powers down to lean against it. "Thus the Tale of Scar. There may be questions, concerns, that I urge others to speak to the group about. I am but a cliath not having the answers you seek at this time. The blue prints to the mechanical bird I have given to Sadie to see if perhaps she and others she knows may glean more information from such." Once the tale is completed, he starts to pack up his equipment and prepares to return home.
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