Hard At Work

[Emily Makerith]

The blue-haired punk takes a pull on the cigarette and smiles. "I'm no master at it. Or I've a few others. Mario Kart, of course. Few other bits. But it's mindless violent fun." She runs down the controls.

The loading screen boots up. "Meh, no worries. I'll throw something together. A friend of mine, Sonnie, put me on a real Mexican kick lately. I'm not bad, plus I was left all dad's old recepies and shit. He was a great cook. What I lack in finesse I make up in portions." Because of course she did.

The Iron Master swings from her can as the screen boots up.

3.... 2... 1... FIGHT.

I can check rules at home. I'd figure Dex+Wits or Dex+Composure, especially if they're distracting each other.

[Nathaniel Dormur]

Mindless fun. Nathaniel didn't remember the last time he'd had any of that- oh he'd had FUN of course, the fact that studying occult tomes was considered enjoyable certainly wouldn't hurt. But mindless fun?

He fumbled at the controls at first, not used to the remotes, which certainly gave him a disadvantage- but he got his hands around it eventually.

"Hey Em? Kinda wanna run something by you. Well a lot of things- When I was in High School, trying to make sense of things, my wolf teacher decided one day to thrust the secrets of things by me; that wolves and spirits aren't the only people in this World. That other things exist- Darker things. Blood drinkers, skin walker, rumors of the undead and undying. Fragments of fragments of tiny pieces that make the Origin Stories of Luna and Father Wolf look like perfect masterpieces."

  3 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-07-01 08:41:31		Nathaniel Dormur rolls 5 to Kick Em's ass at Video Games (Dex+Composure-untrained penalty) (10 Again)		9, 10, 6, 2, 1, 8		3 successes

The screen lit up as he caught a booster, the young wolf grinning
"So, I... May have started an Occult Club in high school, hoping to create a group dedicated to researching these things- just research! And I never did anything dangerous, and it was the perfect cover- I mean, I hardly look like a werewolf. And um..."

Nathaniel gulps

"I may have started one here in the city as well?... And I was wondering if you could help me?" Nathaniel was interested in the pursuit of so many things, and most of them were related to knowledge. To learn that there are Others out there?... The idea of that was so... Invigorating.

[Emily Makerith]

  

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-07-01 14:16:16		Emily rolls 5 to Videogames! Dex+Comp (10 Again)		9, 5, 5, 1, 1		1 success

Emily swings from the can and listens. "Oh, like vampires and shit. Yeah, totally real. Dad used to tell me stories about stuff like that to get me to stick nearby. Kinda backfired when I went out to hunt one and they took 2 days tracking me down." She chuckles, and smashes Mario off the edge of the world.

Emily watches the screen, though her brow furrows.

Where are you going with this...?

The Ithaeur stops dead and turns to him. "You did What? You fuckwit!" The sound of her Pikachu getting beaten off the edge with a squeak kinda spoils the effect. "The Herd must not know, man! You know what makes it easier for them to not know? Not drawing attention to the things that the real things are like!" Controller forgotten, she punches Nathaniel hard in the arm.

"Ijit. I can't believe this. How many people have come to you already?"

[Nathaniel Dormur]

Oh good. She knew of vampires. Or, whatever they called themselves. Yeah, they were hunters alright- and in a city like this, they were probably all the more dangerous.

She seemed wary but... Ok. This MIGHT be a good thing right? She can provide information, he can learn more...

You did What?

And then the punch and OW and ok ok ok.

"Yeah the herd must not know- about US. But you can't tell me that with all the crap WE know is out there, that the herd DOESN'T already understand on some level the true terrors lurking in the darkness of this world? And it's not like I'm discussing WEREWOLVES. I'm talking about demons, ghosts, aliens- and I'm NOT trying to find them." He rubbed his shoulder and sighed

"I'm trying to LEARN. How to detect "Other" manifestations or energies, discussing potential weaknesses, and supernatural theory- it's ACADEMIC. I'm not trying to raise hunters here, I'm trying to learn! We can't keep the Herd from knowing if we don't KNOW what they can't know!" It would be pretty easy to discern faulty logic in his arguments.

But for the young wolf, this was what it was about. The herd wasn't stupid- and their family, extended and widespread as it was, couldn't deal with every threat. They had to know, on some level- that's how rumors and legends like Wolfsbane met mundane ears and mind. And if that rumor had spread... What about Unicorn Blood curing bloodsuckers? What about staking the elder leech to release the thralls from their mind control?

"This... Dance we play? I'm still playing it. I never bring up wolf stuff that incriminates us- and I look nothing like what the mortals might expect us to. There are three members so far- and I don't even know if they're official or temporary. We never leave the community center. We're being CAREFUL." To say Nathaniel was a bit peeved at her reaction was... Putting it mildly.

[Emily Makerith]

"Nate, you can't be that naive! Sure, there are some humans who know things. But there are also humans who know things and hunt things like us, thinking we're the monsters instead of holding back the tide." Emily stares at him, both livid and exasperated, but not scary. She just doesn't seem to have it in her to be intimidating.

"If you try digging into these things in public it draws attention. I'll bet your not the first idealist to come up with this idea, but there's a good reason not to do it. No matter what your intention is, there are people in this world that will see your little club and think it merits watching you. Closely. And you may never know it's happening." Emily rubs a palm over her face. "Or worse, someone who does know comes down to check you aren't for real? And gets tipped off with some kind of juju of their own this unassuming beanpole can turn into a 10-foot killing machine?" She groans. "How can you have that much Wisdom and be that dumb?"

The Ithaeur gets up and heads towards the kitchen, but stops and whirls around, growling primally. "Did you just snap at me? In MY house?" Her eyes are furious. "I am trying to help you. I've given you a job, security, I'm trying to teach you to be a wolf, not just a Spirit. You a lot about the Hisil but clearly fuck all about people or Uratha!" She snatches up the can. "What if one of your little friends picks up some ideas at your little club, finds something actually dangerous, and ends up dead? That's on you. We saw what little occult clubs that get a tiny bit of knowledge can do with that Primordial church cult, and theybdodnt even realise they were fucking shit up! With the Pure coming back, you're paining a target on your face! I cannot believe this..." she turns and stomps into the kitchen, muttering darkly.

In hindsight, knowing Emily as he does, doing this before dinner may have not been Nathaniel's best idea.

[Nathaniel Dormur]

Ok. So this wasn't going at all how Nathaniel thought it would. It's not like he expected glowing praise or anything, but the snappy and instant condemnation was... Well, it didn't exactly inspire confidence in the young pup.

"There are things we do not know- things that threaten us, and threaten the herd. It is clear to me that there are threats we are unprepared for- threats that might far surpass the spirits and perhaps even the Pure. Now I'm not about to go chasing after legends- but if... WHEN... These other things strike, I want to be ready for them!"

The dig and implication of him being more spirit than wolf hurt a bit- though it was perhaps true. And her worries about these things chasing him.... The young pup gave a sigh, a hand going to grip his hair in slight frustration.

"I... I'm sorry. My mentor never told me more about these things, and the thoughts of such beings burrowed in my mind... I still think this is a worthy practice though. I still think it's worth doing. What if I made a safer way to do this, like an online and discreet chat forum? Plenty of those around..." He didn't want to give up on this idea, that was clear.

"Sorry sis. I'll be more careful with this? Promise." The weak smile was less reassuring. Nathaniel stood and walked to the kitchen, biting his lip. "Should I... Go?..." A lost, naive puppy.

[Emily Makerith]

For fuck's sake....

"There is enough in this city ready to kill us and eat us without looking for more problems! We are ONE pack, Nathaniel! ONE. There are Pure setting up shop, Azlu acros half the city, and rabid Spirits stepping on our turf. Is that not enough for you, kiddo?" Emily sighs exasperatedly.

There is some rattling in the kitchen, and a very sullen-looking Crescent pokes her head back out. "I'm trying to keep you safe, Nathaniel! Our lives are deadly enought without you deliberately shoving your head in the-oh, SHIT." Her jaw drops and eyes stare at the younger wolf as if he'd grown a second head. "Ohhhhhhhhh urrrrgh...." she groans, leaning on the wall and banging her head on it. "This is what I was like, wasn't it? This is some kind of cosmic punishment for me being a jerk-off danger-chasing teenager..." She scowls at Nathaniel tiredly. "You know when I did this, I was hunting Beshilu and vampires, not getting shived by hunters by accidentally broadcasting my supernatural tits everywhere."

Uuurgh. This blows.
Is what he's doing any worse that what you did?
YES! He could kill us all instead of just him!
Could he though?
Don't you DARE try to distract me by picturing Chris Hemsworth.

Emily slouches back into the living room. "Look, I... understand wanting to learn more about the things that are really dangerous. I do. But I can slap you around, and I'm like a 2 on the danger level of things. 3 if I'm full Garau. And I don't want something bad to happen to you because you bite off more than you can chew - by accident. That's a really stupid way to get shanked. Know what I mean?"

She waves him down. "Oh, don't be so melodramatic." What? "Don't go. Let's... let's talk about this. I mean, I know you're a smart guy, but I think you're glossing over dangers here."

[Nathaniel Dormur]

Nathaniel plopped back down on the couch and let her ramble on about Cosmic Payback or whatever, waiting until she'd said her piece and they could speak again.

"I don't want to attract attention, and I'm not trying to broadcast my... Chest... Everywhere. I just want to make sure that if these things strike, we're a little bit prepared?.. The Pure and Spirits we at least know how to fight- but if a demon or a vampire or angry ghosts ever wage war on us? I'm not going out hunting, and I'm sorry if I'm attracting hunters." He looked genuinely upset at having made Emily upset, not having understood the risk of his actions.

"No wolves I've ever encountered, no lodge I've ever studied, holds an interest in the Other or want to prepare for the potential threat. We have countless rites and gifts and tools for dealing with wolves and spirits; but nothing that specifically targets these threats. And since not many wolves are interested in it, I... Figured I should look elsewhere. Humans don't ask for favors like a spirit might, so I thought it'd be safer. I'm sorry, again."

The pup scratched the back of his head "I like to learn, and there's so much to know about the Other- that's... What this boils down to, how it all started. I suppose protecting us is a decent purpose for doing it, but all I really want is to understand them, their worlds. And that makes me a bit naive sometimes... My mentor said the same thing." The crescent leans back and gives a sigh "If you were like me, then you probably know this interest isn't going to stop just like that, even with the threat of danger. So... Suggestions?"

[Emily Makerith]

Emily throws her head back on the couch and puts the cigarette back to her lips. "I didn't think you wanted that buddy. But you don't realise it's a very real risk. Sorry won't save you if that happens, all for some slither of may be knowledge, maybe nothing. See what I mean?"

Smoke is blown into the air. "You don't get it, do ya? The whole reason no-one has is we've been both fighting an unwinnable war and tending an unending duty since the dawn of time. All you've got here is a respite from war, but it's closing in all around." Emily stubs out the cigarette and rustles her hair. "Most things in this world, known or not, are stronger and faster than people. But not stronger or faster than US. And we work together, always, taking down bigger and stronger things. That's how we deal with them. Always have."

A hand reaches inside the bathrobe, scratching idly. "Yeah, you're a nerd. I don't care about that. Short of meeting a bloodsucker and and going full "Interview with a Vampire" you're never going to separate fact and fiction. Take us. Where in legend talk about Urhan? Or Urshul? All different shapechangers according to myth. Take vampires. Garlic. Delicious myth or useful fact? Who the fuck knows? And how will you ever tell without being stabbed up? Best just Garou it's face off and leave the science to Herd." The Crescent watches her auspice-mate levelly. "My suggestion? Food." Her stomach grumbles in agreement. "Come on."

Emily heaves herself off the couch and goes to the kitchen, pulling out a pan and begins trying mince from the fridge, pulling out peppers, onions and tortillas. "Being serious? You need another focus. Something to study, and I mean study, not lug tyres around and poke at engines. Take Azlu. What do you know about spider-hosts?"

The meat begins to sizzle. She adds spices and begins chopping vegetables. It starts to smell really good.

[Nathaniel Dormur]

She made excellent points, of course. There would likely never be a chance to talk with these "Others," or study them safely- if they existed, any interaction would most certainly be combative. Still...

"I understand. What if I stray away from the talk of "Others" and focused on broad supernatural concepts? Leylines? Tantra? Alchemy?Not searching for others, but a big step away from them? Or again, the electronic forum. And I met someone that wanted to make powder bombs- and I wondered later if you could put wolfsbane in the mix, to completely screw over a shifted pure pack? And on the matter of Leylines- I'm wondering if a Spirit might know of such things, given the variety. I don't suppose you could help me with both?" He was determined.

She kept rattling on- about fact and fiction, and that was part of the point. "And yet, there are some things human myths and legends DO get right. The moon stuff is mostly bunk- but we can draw power from it. Shamanic practices in cultures can easily show similarities to our own. There is merit in these myths- it's just a matter of separating the wheat from the chaff. The innumerable number of weakness in ancient tales of bloodsuckers? Running water, unicorn blood, garlic, holy water, shrine performances to ward off evil. These things exist- and we know that the bloodsuckers are real. I'm not saying it's all true, just that... There's potential there. But yeah, I'm not keen on getting close and personal with one." She had a point.

Food sounded good. And smelled good, as she described the spiders. Oooh the things he could say.
"Entities that inhabit human bodies, devouring the minds of the host. They become stronger in greater numbers, and mess with the gauntlet. That's the basic pamphlet information, anyways. My mentor and some buddies of his once had a very grim discussion on the nature of their taking a human body, and pondered whether a werewolf's spirit might be capable of such a process. That's how much of it went- I learned things, then it was discussed in detail. Pretty sure a lot of his friends were in the Hallowed Halls- always had something strange to talk about." Some of their topics were morally questionable. But intriguing to discuss.

"Anyways, the spiders. High on the list of stuff we have to deal with- if they become too powerful, the gauntlet gets too strong and we lose access and control over the area. But because our numbers are so limited, it's a balancing act. We can't spot every individual one usually- not for lack of trying- so more often than not they come to our attention when things get bad enough. That's why most packs have sentries or shadow scouts. Their combat capabilities are powerful, but often their initial strength lies in their ability to masquerade as human, until they gain power to do more.... I think that's the gist?"