Hunting in the Shadows of Men

[Aeneas]

Aeneas tracked through the shadow with his belly low to the ground and his snout rooting for scent. Any scent. The Irraka was learning the lay of the land, its health, and its spirits from the spore they left behind. He was in Urshul, a powerful form that let him surge across the Shadow cityscape with its murky imprint of houses and the hollow, echoing, void of industrial lots.

Here, he passed an old family car, loving past down the generations. It gleamed, stood tall like a haughty animal or proud warrior. He heeded it not.

Here, he passed a street light on its corner - a spot that was unreal in its solidity and thick with the scent of blood and tears. Someone had died on that corner and the emotion of their memoriam had stained the place as surely as cartload of horse manure. Wrinkling his noise in distaste, the Mennina ploughed on.

The Irraka was scouting the Shadow, it is true, but there was a purpose to his foray into the spirit realm. Aeneas had not liked what the spider spirits had said; he had not liked watching them feed so easily on mortal flesh. Somewhere out there was a verge (at best) or a hole in the Gauntlet big enough for one of the herd to stray through.

Either way, he had to know; Falcon the All-Seeing had to know.

[Matamune]

Daniel follows Aeneas keeping his eyes, ears and nose open for anything suspicious. He's in Urshul and the huge black wolf is a truly fearsome sight: all black fur, sharp claws and teeth.

Personally, he didn't give a crap about the Herd getting slaughtered by the spiders. The strong preyed on the weak - that was the way. But his Pack had to learn exactly how they did it in case the Spirits became a problem later. Plus, Aeneas needed watching over: that wolf had way too much hot blood for his own good.

Daniel remembered being that way once. His very own experiences with the Hisil taught him to be more careful.

[Kelreth]

Around the two wolves the Hisil seems to hold onto its breath. No spirits of note make any moves towards the two Urdaga. Instead only whisps float along the street. An uncomfortable number of them are starting to accumulate near the corner under the faux-street light. Even now its light is a sickly orange.

Further down the hisil road lays the reflection of a public playground of suburbia. Old and new ethos clash openly on the playground as the enforced safety of the new slowly eats away at the wildness of the old. In fact there's a gleaming new plastic tube slide slowly eating a metal ramp slide.

It's all normal by whatever standard of "normal" can be given to a place like the Hisil. Right until a young man in a football jersey and shorts steps out of thin air into the playground. The young man doesn't move once he has fully stepped over.

ooc

@Yumyumcrow Matamune Sorry about the delay!

This is happening in the Hisil as Aeneas states in his post.

[Matamune]

Fuck. We aren't getting anything out of him in this form.

The Rahu shifts back into Hishu, his dedicated clothes making him appear as normal as can be possible in the middle of Hisil, and then approaches the man. But not before he whispers loudly at Aeneas:

"Urhan. Now."

It was weird seeing someone just step through. Naturally suspicious, Daniel looks the man over making sure he's not caring weapons. And doesn't smell like Urdraga.

  Perception, 3xx

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2014-04-04 12:00:29		Daniel Turner rolls 5 to Perception (Wits + Comp) (10 Again)		9, 1, 7, 10, 8, 6		3 successes

[Aeneas]

Aeneas turns in mid-motion, teeth bared as a mix of anger and surprise flow through him. The Rahu's whisper cut through the blur of emotion that clouded the Irraka's mind. Essence burned through him and his form flowed into that of a full wolf.

Hackles raised, he circled, suspicious that what he had seen was some kind of trick. The herd simply didn't appear in the Hisil.

Aeneas is in Urhan: Full Wolf form. -1 Essence to push through the change quickly.

[Kelreth]

The man smells human as the two wolves approach. Once they are close they can see that his eyes are closed though moving behind his eye lids rapidly. A pendant hangs around the mans neck and down his chest. He remains unmoving, pulling in slow breaths and letting them out slowly. Arms hanging loosely at his sides.

Int+Occ to identify the pendant

[Aeneas]

  2 sux

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2014-04-08 05:37:27		Aeneas can think! rolls 5 to intelligence + Occult (10 Again, WillPower)		1, 2, 10, 9, 6, 4		2 successes

[Matamune]

  2xx

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2014-04-09 23:17:02		Daniel Turner rolls 5 to what is that pendant? (Int + Occ) (10 Again)		1, 6, 10, 5, 8, 6		2 successes

[Kelreth]

The symbol of Mars lays over a dark red image of the planet. Around the planet is a ring of gladius swords, pointed outwards. Mars, god of war, protector of fields.

While looking at the pendant, both of the wolves notice that the young man is in exceptional shape. Toned muscles are seen on his arms and legs.

[Matamune]

Daniel stops moving and rubs the stubble on his chin in thought:

"Ideas? I say it's the pendant. The Spiders push it through a tiny hole in the Gauntlet, and warriors can't resist biting. Then it brings them back here", - he starts walking again and beckons the wolf to follow him, - "Let's check if there isn't a huge hole where he stands, just in case. And remember, we made a promise not to interfere. Honor".

If nothing hinders him, the Rahu will walk up next to the man, listening to himself for the familiar feeling of Locus or signs of there being a Verge where the Herd stands. All the while Daniel keeps his eyes on the man in case he starts moving.