Cahalith Howls 1304

Cahalith Howls 25 April 2013

Once a month, a powerful, intense howl echoes across the Hisil from the Tur, as Stefan Anderson stands before the grave of Flame of Man.

Even the loudest of spirits seem to fall silent as the noise echoes across the distance. It holds power and passion, and a thousand stories.

The Sworn's New Baines

As Filidh is introduced to the pack, some tensions spark between her and Nieves, resulting in Jeremiah pulling Nieves back, and Victor threatening Filidh with a quick smack around the head if she doesn't behave. Despite the friction, the Cahalith is taken across the Gauntlet to meet the Locus Guardian, Storm-of-Pain, who acts up a little and becomes rather too demanding.

Rustclaws is introduced to the pack, including discovering that Marcus is Alpha. Nieves seems very enamoured of him, boasting of his expertise with Spirits, which catches the attention of the other members of the Sworn. Rustclaws' tragic past resounds with some members, catching their imaginations.

Jeremiah approaches River Walker, and discusses the Alpha position of the pack. Bloodlessly, he hands it over, and quickly retreats, leaving the Elodoth to decide what to do with it. He quickly summons the pack, telling them what has happened, and appointing his younger brother as Beta for the pack. On top of that, he also makes it clear that this is the last time the Sworn will be using a borrowed name.

The Sworn Nurse Their Wounds

Marcus quickly uses his charming tongue on the young Spirit, which eventually demands a story of him. The Elodoth obliges, offering a tale from his childhood in Papua New Guinea, much to the amusement of his packmates, and the pleasure of the listening Spirit, which is revealed to be a Jack-in-the-Box.

Victor and Nieves climb up onto the rooftop to get a view of the city. As the sniper scans the area, Nieves can see movement, but is rather too far to identify the Nurse. The Irraka though, spots a likely candidate, and manages to track it towards the building. He discusses the Blood Talons with the Rahu, discovering her desire to join, and tells her his understanding of Glory.

The Crusaders Training Grounds

Digger, inspired by the success of his pack, heads out with Skaald to seek out a new Klaive, worthy of a great Alpha. He finds the location of a great fire, seeking out a fire Spirit, and goes alone with his Ritemaster to seek out the Glory and Wisdom that the creation of any great Klaive of the Blood Talons sings with.

With the Pure hot in the minds of many, Digger catches a glimpse of Deathwright in a bar across the river. He approaches her, and demands information, which she gives in her usual cool manner. For the first time, the Crusaders have names, and details of the gathering Anshega outside of the city. Deathwright's laconic nature and Digger's pride aside, there seems to be something of a truce declared between them.

A test is established for Blitzkrieg - the tracking down of a Spirit to guard the pack's warehouse. The Omegas are discussed, and weighed up in the minds of the older packmates, and a new member, Melissa, is put forwards by Digger after he recruited her from the Tur. She seems a little out of her depth, but rises rapidly to the challenge.

The Crusaders Bankrupted

Rallying around the stalwart Chaplain, the Crusaders begin to fight back, valiant and hard. They do devastating damage to Usurer's Greed, which hits back just as hard, smashing Dale's teeth. But despite this, the Crusaders press their advantage, closing in onto the terrible Greed Spirit. Just when it looks like they have it cornered, it discorporates, showering them with painful gold coins as it rouses the city around them, waking the greed-touched houses.

Knowing that sometimes, discretion is the better part of valour, the Crusaders withdraw. The Clenched Fist will be faced another day. After all, a stalemate doesn't benefiteither side.

The Seekers' Alpha Male

Brett and Sally continue in their quest, interrogating the lying spirit. With it safely bound, they head away and discuss what to do about it. Brett shows a desire to own a Fetish made from it, and asks Sally to assist him in creating one. The Ithaeur agrees proudly, and quickly sets to work. Faithkeeper's skill is not in doubt, but every spirit is different, and a Spirit of Deception is by nature very slippery.

With Sally's abdication still ringing in his ears, Stefan stands and declares himself. Before he will allow himself to be accepted, he confesses that he has failed in the past - and that his father is Pure, and may come for him, sooner or later. The pack, rather than forsaking him, rallies to their new Alpha, touching even the hardened heart of a Storm Lord.

Well earnt, Sally claims Wisdom from the Lunes, guided by the inexpert but intensely honest hand of her packsister. Of course, it's never easy, and the mysteries of the Lunes are hard to decipher, but nonetheless, they come. If only she can read the palm of a Lune.

Neutral Ground VIII

With a bright, Honourable moon riding high in the sky, Nieves, Foestalker and Nick arrive at the Tur, quickly followed by Melissa, and Shieldbearer. As the Alpha of the Seekers says it looks like a night for new arrivals, one shows up on cue, a new Storm Lord by the name of Celeste. At the same time, Melissa asks for the story of Flame-of-Man, ensuring that the Tur will be full of conversation for some time to come.

The Wisdom of John Holt

With the Beshilu destroyed, Chaplain speaks with Patient Hewer of Rock. The great stone Spirit acquiesces to the deal it had promised, and makes Chaplain swear to take care of its quarry before it submits to the binding Rite. Sally Romanov earns her Wisdom brands, forging a powerful fetish from the Jaggling, and respectfully, John takes up his new Klaive and carries it home, to present to his brothers.

Their deeds have been great, and they mark themselves with pride.

The Gathering of the Iron Masters

At the call of Sally Romanov, oldest Iron Master in the city, the Tribe gathers on a lake, in an appropriately human-rich setting, Steel Gaze and Nick Munroe arrive, and though they are still relative strangers to each other, the two Rahu and the Ithaeur seem to be remotely on the same wavelength, despite everything. Perhaps it's simply because of their Tribal bonds.

The Raising of the Bone Shadows

At the call of Brett Powers, eager to meet other members of his Tribe, the Bone Shadows of Sacramento gather. Discovering that Filidh is the oldest amongst them, they discuss briefly where they have come from, with Brett offering a warning that seems dire. When invited to talk about it, however, his story goes over less well than he might have hoped, with Filidh finding it a weak morality tale for pups, more than a useful pointer for the Bone Shadows.

The Teeth and the Fallen

In some confusion, the group discuss withdrawing, until Anthony remembers that he can simply summon a Death Spirit to assist them in crossing over. Embarrassed, the Ithaeur summons and binds a Death Gaffling, which appears before them, giving them the route to move on.

Victor finds the Locus in a rose garden, while the group manage to identify that there are few current threats on teh side of the Gauntlet. Marcus spots the cameras, and after some mild banter with Filidh, Crosshair follows his brother's instructions and steps across the Gauntlet in wolf form. Rooting around, and avoiding the gaze of the cameras, he succeeds int pulling out a shark's tooth. The mystery deepens as Nick misses the significance, but it starts ringing bells for River Walker and Filidh.

None of them are good.

The Contrition of the Sworn

Jeremiah leads the remaining Sworn in the Rite of Contrition, dictating that they hunt the park animals to present to Luna in apology. They perform surprisingly admirably, providing a spread of food that is consumed. As they perform the contrition, confessing their failings. All of them feel the embrace of Luna, and quickly realise that more than that, those who were judged by the Elunim have been liberated from their punishment.

The Hunters Falter

Summoning all his will, Skullsplitter strikes down one of the Hunters, with Foestalker brutally savaging another. Firebringer finishes off the last one with a savage bite. Though the Hunters fall fast, the People know full well that they have survived by the barest skin of their teeth. Another volley of silver bullets would have undoubtedly killed one of them.

But the surprises do not end there. The damaged armour of the Hunters lights up, and what is taken for an explosive drags their comatose bodies across the Gauntlet, leaving disruption and discomfort in its wake. Firebringer sees them speeding away in an SUV, showing that even if they were taken by surprise, they were organised. Digger demands information from his pack's totem, but finds it confused and unresponsive. Meanwhile, Jeremiah tries to console the young pup, but only manages to distress him further.

The Rite of Healing is begun, soothing the wounds of the injured, though each scar remains a mark of Glory and Purity.

The Rising Storm

The Shadow Seeker's pup, Frank James, heads into Pure territory alone, seeking a missing child. Despite having several chances to flee, and catching sight of his pursuers, he allows himself to be bottlenecked, and is cut down by a ferocious onslaught. The tragic body of the pup is set alight on the river banks, a blazing reminder that there is a very good reason that the People hunt in packs.

Digger of the Crusaders sees the torch, and calls to the Shadow Seekers, summoning them to the river. As they arrive, the Uratha of Sacramento see the grisly message left for them by the Pure. Instead of being cowed by it, they become more vicious and resolute, planning revenge, and to leave behind a message of their own.

To Be Iminir

In line with a promise, given solemnly before he was Alpha of the Shadow Seekers, Stefan Anderson goes into the Hisil with Chaplain of the Crusaders. After congratulating him on the new Fetish, he points them towards the South of the Seekers' territory, where the new Alpha has heard stirrings of something disturbed. And it lets him prove his Tribe's value, in a city where they sit still in small numbers.

The howl peters out, lingering on the spirit-winds for some time afterwards. The Hisil hears. And it remembers.