(Hunter Hunted) Tracks

[Guru]

He nodded to Avis, he hadn't been about to go play assassin but if she was right he had no qualms in self defense. He thought about whether he should have a knife ready or not, a weapon ready would show hostility, if someone came to him bearing arms he would assume they were up to no good, besides, was a mage ever really unarmed?


He gripped for now and took a look back to his compatriots. He gave a small nod, inhaling deeply as he'd slowly push the door open to the shack. He wanted to take point since it was his ideals that put them in this situation but he knew there was a time for argument, for philosophy, for discussion and it was not now. He'd do his part if this went to shit.

[Skye]

Spells

Honing the form, dex+3 (pot3)
Body control +3
Pulse of the living world
Organic Resilience 2E monthly pot2

Wait what was this copy thing? Nice trick well if she could have some other copy whose existence would most likely fade away take point then she would not be one to complain.
She wanted to see if she could get some information first though, quickly and silently forming a spell.

Sense life 8 yards, limited to humans and beings like the beast

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-06-14 17:21:51	Skye rolls 7 to Sense life life+gnosis+EX-1tol (10 Again)	8, 5, 10, 2, 5, 8, 3, 10, 4	4 successes

Her bow ready in her right hand, her quiver full not wanting to draw an arrow since it could make her look more hostile than she were and besides she could always pull one when she needed it.
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, steeling her mind ready to do whatever she would need to once they passed through that door. Letting the copy take point as it had requested, her eyes keeping track on her surroundings and Guru knowing full well that he should not get close to battle hoping that if things turns sour so was he able to heal others he was a shaman after all.

[Yumyumcrow]

Another Avis flickers into existence. Insubstantial, yet substantial. Occasionally speaking to finish off the other Avis sentences.
Guru moves to open up the door, which clattered woodenly rather than creaks, as Skye moves into position with her bow unlimbered and readied.

Skye is casting her own spell. The spell manifests as a sudden, sharp, accentuating sense of smell. She senses Avis (pinging from two different places close by, as if seeing her copy wasn't strange enough). She senses Guru. And she detects another presence within the out building - one that is unknown to her, yet is eerie familiar.

The Beast.

Copy Avis moves into the out building. The interior is dim; the air is warm, stagnant, and stifling - thick with the scent of hay, mould, metal, and an undertone of animal. It is hard to discern the purpose of the building: it could be a shed, a garage, or some sort of stable - or even all three at different times. Three spaces, framed by internal divides, act like stalls: old hay has been pilled up in them suggestive of some activity in the recent past.

In one stall closest the wall lies the Beast.

Apparently sleeping.

  

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2020-06-15 04:14:35		Someone rolls 5 to do something insignificant (10 Again)		7, 4, 5, 2, 6		failure

The humanoid creature whickers and grumbles in its dream state.

Avis notices something else as well - something she missed from her Scry as the Beast has moved position since then - on the Beast's left arm is a thick, chunky, armband of bronze. The Beast's arm / forelimb is all swollen up, warped, and irritated around the jewellery. It is not a particularly pleasant sight.

[Avis]

Outside Avis whispered, "It's inside. Maybe sleeping. Has something strange on it's arm, looks ritual. The hunters might be a Cabal, but for now, do whatever you're going to do with this thing."

Inside Avis just waited. Insubstantial, watching.

[Guru]

Guru walked into the barn. He wasn’t necessarily trying to be stealthy, just soft, like a little boy trying not to wake his mother. He inched closer so he could get a good look at it. Look at its features, its form, its injuries. And what was that on its arm? A band? Was that bronze? His eyes narrowed as he took in the armband examining its aura to see if it held any trace of magic. He looked back to Avis and Skye and swallowed hard.

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-06-16 05:55:46	Guru rolls 4 to Scrutinize (Int + Occult) (10 Again)	5, 1, 8, 5	1 success

“Hey there buddy, you need any help, you don’t look so good.” He whispered softly, keeping his voice low and even trying not to make any sudden movements and keeping his hands on his knees. He hoped one of them knew more about what this thing was or might be but at that moment in time he had no clue but if it attacked at least he wasn't caught unaware.

[Skye]

Spells

Honing the form, dex+3 (pot3)
Body control +3
Pulse of the living world
Organic Resilience 2E monthly pot2

Looking towards the beast and towards Avis, pointing at her own head and then at the beasts hoping that she would get the hint and that she could read it's mind whilst it was asleep to gain as much information from it as possible like she had requested earlier.

Guru seemed determined to take the front though, biting on her teeth she did not like him doing that he was the one that needed protection the most here or well he might have some skills she did not know but based on their affiliations so should he not be in the line of fire.

Softly moving in and trying to find the best position where she could both easily fire at the beast and easily escape from the building should she need to, hoping that it would not come to that but she would not be caught surprised, hoping that Guru at worst would take minor injuries he was a shaman after all so he should be able to heal himself if it came to it.

Her eyes peeled on them both, silently waiting ready to act when or if needed.

[Yumyumcrow]

Avis watches impassively, flickering.
Skye moves into position, an arrow nocked and readied in her bow.
Guru approaches softly, speaking quietly while keeping an intense stare at the Beast - or rather, the bronze armband.

Sure enough, the veil parts slightly under his Scrutiny: the armband is a magical item with a Supernal resonance. The Shaman can't make out much more than that, however, before the Beast stirs...

Slowly, the Beast is roused from sleep. An eye snaps open and stares, dumbly, back at Guru. The distorted head - a fusion of goat and human traits, capped off by a pair of gnarled and twisted horns - snaps around. The creature snorts blowing hay away from its face as it slowly rises, bit by bit, to its feet. A drip of blood oozes from a half formed scab near one of its wounds, but the Beast seems not to notice or care.
Avis senses a fluctuation in the creature's consciousness: from mindless animal to... almost human... a struggle or tension... and then animal again.

The Beast tries to respond to Guru - he thinks. The creature works its mouth - but only inarticulate growls and bleats issues forth. After the second attempt, the Beast begins to snort, sucking in great lungfuls of air and jerking itself to its full height.

Bloodshot eyes fasten on the Shaman.

[Avis]

"There's a human in there, somewhere, but right now it's basically an animal, so get your Dr. Doolittle on," the spectral copy of Avis said, her words sounding hollow and flat within that dilapidated outbuilding.

She wanted to see what they'd do, how they'd handle this, because from her perspective, this didn't change anything. Even if there was a way to reverse what had been done to this person, that meant they'd still have to deal with a witness, and that most likely meant death. She wasn't able to psychically mutilate someone, after all, and even if she could, death seemed a much kinder service, though she'd bide her time. Perhaps she was wrong.

[Guru]

"Armband is magical. Dispell if you can, I'll try and get it off. Don't know what it does yet." He whispered back to Skye and Not-Avis. He held a hand up and began walking forward slowly keeping his voice steady and calm for the creature. "Hey there Buddy. I know you're in a bad way. Guru's here to help out yea? I'll get that pesky cuff off you and you'll be alright, yea?" He nodded his head hoping even if the creature didn't understand his words the calming tone would be enough for him to get close enough to use what Truth he had about openings to get that thing off.

Figured I couldn't scrutinize and keep the beast calm

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-06-20 11:21:01	Guru rolls 3 to Presence + Animal Ken (10 Again)	8, 3, 2	1 success

[Skye]

Spells

Honing the form, dex+3 (pot3)
Body control +3
Pulse of the living world
Organic Resilience 2E monthly pot2

Well she had no good magic for dispelling it ready to go at least not with the little information she currently had nor did she wanna focus on trying to study it, her focus remaining on the beast ready to draw an arrow and fire it should it prove a threat at any time Gurus safety were far more important than the life of a beast they were likely needing to kill anyway.

Still she was not against letting Guru try his ways first if such was his wish, not wanting to get close to the beast to diminish the effect of her arrows nor the potential to even fire one so was the only thing she could think of to try and be of use to sing a calming song, she was usually not all to bad at it but evidently keeping focus on trying to keep someone whom insisted to approach a giant beast that potentially could kill him in a second and sing a calm song something she would need to practice on.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-06-20 14:21:27	Skye rolls 5 to Soft calming song presence+expression (10 Again)	2, 1, 1, 2, 5	failure