Late evening 5/4: A conversation with the Weaver's brood

Wishbone seeks out a secluded spot in the Umbra near the power plant, his expression grim. This is not something he really wants to do, but it's necessary. He will ask his pack to accompany him to assist him in the ritual.

*accompanies Wishbone*

Buffalo or Robert Moses?

Robert Moses. Already have a secluded spot scouted out near there; why re-invent the wheel?

Give a say so when you're ready, if you want to wait for more players.

(((available again in AM briefly, then tomorrow afternoon. will keep up as I can))

((OOC: Let's hold off until others have a chance to pose in. I know Stanley Putski wanted in on this. ))

((At the very least, I'll set the scene.))

As you enter the Umbra, the very first thing you notice is how hard the gauntlet squeezing you, thick as it is. Once on the other side you see a large nest of steely webbing, almost nothing natural in the area. Even the park, pleasant and green in the Realm, seems hollow and fake here, so artificial. You see electrical spirits crackling along metal chords. Water spirits can be seen being pulled though the reservoir to the turbines. What exactly they did wasn't apparent, but they appeared slightly deflated as they were pressed on and drained away, before producing more electricity elementals, nurtured on by spiders.

Even the ground is hardened webbing, looking vaguely like the compressed form of stone and sand into stands.

(( OOC: Yeah, about as I remember it. We'll be spending time on this ritual: I need the spirit that responds to be as favorably disposed as possible. ))

:: Stanley arrives :: Wishbone, thank you for letting me participate. I've been wanting to check out this area for quite some time. I'll help as much as I'm able.

*watches the turbines and water spirits very carefully, while the theurges prepare, studying the interaction. His brow furrows.*
((can I get spirit/GW/Garou lore test perhaps to understand what is happening with the spirits? Character is much smarter than the player as well. I have taken an interest because my char believes that he is helping by taking a "middle way" between conservation and modern technology. The possible damage to the water spirits from an "environmentally friendly" power generation source has given him pause and concern.))

Wishbone nods. "This is likely to be tricky, but we need to know what these spirits can tell us about dealing with a Wyld incursion. Let's get to it."

He motions the others to take their places, and places his offerings: the bones of the fomori he killed a few months back. That being done, he begins the rite.

Patch:
You know from experience the run off further downstream has healthy, energetic water spirits. Without a Theurge to help, the best you can guess is the spiders are removing the energy (Rage) of the water elementals and repurposing it for their own ends.

Rite of Summoning, yeah?
What's your target and are you making any expenditures?
Also, Rituals chop.

The member 'STMatthew' has done the following action : 1 masquerade, 2 masquerade, 3 masquerade

'RPS' :

In case I'm not properly describing this: you can see the water spirits before and after the plant. You can't see the process of generating power, or the turbines themselves, housed as they are, but you can make the inference that is what is making the change.

Target is a Jaggling Weaver-spirit of the sort I've dealt with before...essentially, middle management, capable of relaying requests up the chain of command if need be. Expending three extra social traits.

Rituals chop:

The member 'Wishbone' has done the following action : 1 masquerade, 2 masquerade, 3 masquerade

'RPS' :

Success!


After about ten minutes there are several sparks of electricity rapidly approaching through the webs, coalescing before you. Finally, out of the crackling energy emerges a large spider whose body is the size of a German Shepherd. It climbs onto a nearby wall for a point so it can look you in the eye.

You notice there's less clockwork and mechanical, engine-style components, more circuitry, hydraulics, and servos than the last time you've talked to these guys. Upgrades...great...

It scans you all in a flattened cone of red light before speaking. Instead of the grinding, hollow voice from before, its new voice is cool, calculating, and the inflections firmly in the uncanny valley.

It crosses its front pair of legs, webbing automatically spreading from it across the wall like rapidly forming frost, as though folding its hands for a business meeting.


"Walks with Gaia in the Wastes. It has been too long since we've seen you last. We thought you were avoiding us it has been so long. We are curious how fares Falling Wasters."

Four of its camera-like eyes focus on Wishbone, sparing two each for the Glasswalkers. You can see the automatic apertures focusing in the half-light of the sparking power plant.

<< Not avoiding, no. Seeking answers. The situation in Southern Ontario was complex, and I did not wish to make it worse. Falling Waters fares well, generally...but a crisis has arisen. There is an...imbalance. A force of the Wyld too strong to be allowed to remain in this realm. It is of this I wished to speak. >>

"Interesting...the chaos of the Wyld must be properly contained to have any hope of a future. Ask what you came here to know, garou."

It takes one eye off you to examine one of its forelegs, scraping it on the ground afterward and showing a trail of glowing stands that quickly fade back to normal. It prods a few other places within reach, then looks back to you, crossing its legs again, finished with whatever it was doing

<< The entity which has manifested in Allegany is a physical manifestation of chaos and uncontrolled change. It should not be able to remain viable on this side of the Gauntlet. Yet it has tapped into a powerful source of energy which sustains it and magnifies its power. We intend to remove it, but our chances of success will be better with more knowledge of how to fight it. If anyone knows how to combat an imbalance of Wyld energies, it is the servants of the Weaver. How would you recommend that we engage such a creature? What attacks and defenses would you employ against it? >>

"Information on how I would counter its advance is free. But I believe you are asking how Gaia's wolves could fight it? What is that information worth to you?"

<< It seems to me that the defeat of this creature is of benefit to you, and that therefore, offering us advice on how to defeat it is also of benefit to you. If we try and fail, then the problem will remain, and you will have to devote resources to dealing with it. Given the rate at which the entity is growing more powerful, you will likely have to devote substantial resources. Again, it seems like aiding us in removing it would be the most efficient and logical course. >>

Wishbone pauses. << However, I recognize that Garou also sometimes cause disruptions to your operations, and that the elimination of those disruptions would not be unwelcome. Therefore, I offer the following Chiminage: for three months following the conclusion of this mission...provided, of course, that I survive it...I will provide you with data on other anomalies I encounter that might potentially threaten your operations: vampires, Wyrm operations, will-workers, or unexpected developments. I will not offer information that would compromise the security of my Sept, as that would violate previous oaths, but that is the only exception I will make. As a sign of goodwill, I will provide information on the beings who were causing disruptions in southern Ontario. Is this agreeable? Information for information seems equitable. >>

It carries on in Spirit Speech.

"While we agree with your deal, there is one part of it you must change. Your...'good faith' information. We already know about the bloody war the vampires fight, where they move, where they gather, where they sleep. Give me something better now, and we have reached agreement."

Wishbone hrms.

<< Perhaps information on the event known as the "Goblin Market" would be of more value to you. While I was not there personally, I have been given considerable data by those who were. A number of things happened that might be of interest to you; I do not know how much information you already have. >>

It seems...confused. And a little offended.

"The Goblin Market did not occur."

You hear its voice became completely flat, the inflection gone.

"Do not sell me your phantasmagoric fabrications as truths."

<< Interesting. >>

Wishbone pauses for a moment to consider the implications of that.

<< Perhaps I was mistaken. In that case, the goodwill gesture may need to be something other than information. Perhaps a payment of Gnosis is on order. >>

It gives an approximation of a shrug, disappointed.

The inflections return. "That would be...acceptable. I will take one Gaia's breaths."

In the Spirit Speech, you understand it to mean three Gnosis.

It beckons with one of its legs, and small spiders quickly gather. Upon closer inspection, they seem a cluster of wires, electricity, and...data.

"Grant it to them, and we will proceed."

The swarm looks up to you expectantly.

Wishbone nods. Kneeling, he draws in a deep breath, closing his eyes...and then exhales. Tendrils of silvery mist issue forth with his breath, ephemeral; his offering of Gnosis.

The sounds of popping and sparking meet your ears as the Gnosis reaches the small spiders. They begin growing, then with a loud pop it split into twos or threes, around the same size as they were before. The number almost tripled, they scurry away, chittering in machine code.

"Very good...now to business. We will ask this: would you rather crush this threat like garou usually do, or contain it and restore control, or...what is the word, balance?"

Wishbone pauses to consider.

<< The situation requires that the Threshold be removed. Whether that necessarily means "crushing" it, I do not know. That is why I seek your advice. >>

The spider repositions itself to be more comfortable on the web that has been spun automatically underneath it.

"The very first thing you need to realize, garou, is that Gaia is not the only power that gives life to the world.  Nor is she the only thing that commands it.  What should you expect?  The very earth will try to consume you.  Thresholds are an anomaly, an act of desperation because the Wyld has gone where it is not supposed to, and like a panicked beast it lashes out at everything around it.  And as a panicked beast, it doesn't have a "want."  No goal, no intent, it merely is.  The laws of nature there will be broken like they are nonexistent.  Your metabolisms will not function correctly, gravity may cease to function.  There is no predictable course of action this abomination will take aside from the certainty of absolute dissonance.  Animals will stand on two legs and move as fast electricity and strong beyond measure.  They will possess keen intelligence, and the very plants will resist your advance.  The only safe ways to proceed, if you do not plan on destroying it, is to be the very definition of submissive to it, and revel in its nature.  Anything it perceives as a threat it will seek to consume.  Even the mightiest warriors you possess could easily be consumed in but an instant, perhaps their flesh petrified, or their minds lobotomized as the Wyld forces itself upon them.

"Oh, and some have been known to bring upon them enchanted beings, as well as wyld-beasts and spirits.  The enchanted, the...please hold..."

There is a shriek of machine code leaving it, and quickly returns and says in a voice that is clearly not the spider's.  Perhaps the only emotion it could conceivably convey is loathing:  "Changelings."

It proceeds as normal, apparently unaware of the word it just said.

"If the Threshold is not contained the area will continue to destabilize and eventually become utterly destroyed, as though a piece of Flux itself was made manifest here in the Realm.  Also, as it grows in power, agents of the Weaver and the Wyrm will be attracted to it to also contain it, causing a storm of intense Umbral energy on both sides of the Gauntlet.  Make no mistake, it will fall, in time, the question is merely how much damage it will do and how much power it will be allowed to consume before it is stopped."

It pauses.

"Are you certain you can contain this, garou?"

<< No.  In fact, I am quite confident that we cannot contain it.  It must be removed from this plane of existence.  The most likely method seems to be destruction.  That is easier said than done, however.  We need to know how to effectively engage it. >>

"It functions in a manner similar to a manifested spirit that cannot return to the Umbra. Short of simple, direct attacks, anything it does consumes itself, which is why it will be so interested in claiming more and more matter and energy, especially gnosis. Your best tactic, aside from suicide bombing, is attrition. Make it exhaust itself. Who knows, maybe you'll arrive and be able to talk sense to its madness and get it to back off. Otherwise, the blood price your sept will need to pay will be quite steep"

<< We know it can either take control of other life forms, or subsume them and form replicas of them.  It's one thing to lose packmates in battle; that is an inevitable price of fighting.  But if they rise up against us afterwards, our prospects are poor.  Is there any way we can prevent this from occurring? >>

"We have many options. We can gift them to any who will come to us here and now. Be advised: you do not need to die for the Threshold to overwhelm you."