View source for Logs:The Haymarket Martyr

{{ Log
| chars = [[John]], [[Nick]], [[Raven]], Charon as ST
| summary = A pack is born.
| gamedate = 2022.05.26
| gamedatename = 
| subtitle = 
| categories = [[Werewolf]]
| log =
The boiler room of the Albert Anderson Raby Community Center is the private sanctum of an elderly maintenance man who has served the building in both of its lifetimes, as a middle school and now as a shelter. Mr. Lawson, though, is nowhere to be seen tonight, and his footprint has been swept away. Tools, benches, a comfortable chair, various mops and brooms, everything has been pushed against the walls to clear out space for the rite.

In the center of the cleared space is a metal barrel, and in that barrel coals and ash smolder. John stands, stripped to the waist, his hands and forearms gray and black with soot. His face is smeared with the same, streaked through with red paint, and both have colored the hair at his forehead. A brief invocation in The First Tongue has given way to guttural cries as he dances in a circle, flexing and contorting, exhorting Nick and Raven to chase and bind him. As they catch him, he struggles -- at first vigorously, shoving and bellowing, but eventually submits to his soon-to-be-packmates.
   
Raven stands up from her John catching and smiles to both him and Nick before saying, "What comes next then?" She sees the soot and whatnot on her arms exposed by the sleeveless jacket but doesn't attempt to dust it off. She is almost antsy with anticipation for what is to come.

Come what may. The Storm Lord assists as directed, chasing and binding John as part of the rite being performed. Nick listens and watches with interest, the motions and invocations being presented...apparently he is fascinated by this all!
Having come in his normal attire, he had stripped to the waist before inscribing glyphs of Song, Deed and Storms upon his body as he waits for the final act of the rite.

The three of you feel your souls stir to action as only the Sacred Hunt can provide. By the ancient laws of Wolf and Moon, the prey awaits your entreaty. Now, it's just a matter of finding it.

"Next, we HUNT," John says, the last word drawn from him as a growling shout as his body twists and reshapes itself. The popping of his bones is audible as he shifts and folds in on himself into a body now covered in pale fur, still streaked in ash and paint. "~Hunt~," he says again, his Urhan muzzle struggling to form even the single, simple word in First Tongue. His actions are clearer than his speech, though, and Aziha Zuu bounds forward and up the stairs, leading the way out of the building and into the night.

Raven nods to John and follows suite with him as she shifts into her own Urhan form with dark grey fur covering her whole body. She shakes her head around for a bit, adapting to her changed senses. She looks over to Nick and yips to him before charging up the stairs to go after John.

"Wonderful" Nick says with a small smile before he starts to follow, each step his body cracks and twists as his body begins to contort smaller, more compact. Fur begins to sprout as his face elongates into a muzzle and before long, a large black wolf is sprinting up the steps behind his fellows as Midnight rises.

Aziha Zuu leads the trio up the stairs and through the halls of the center, to its kitchen. There, he runs in a quick circle around an industrial-sized oven that must date to the building's earliest days, a long-service piece of equipment that has prepared tens of thousands of meals in its time, many of them the recipients' only meal of the day.

The palest of the wolves stares into the well-polished steel of the oven's side, his breathing gradually slowing to a slower, steady rhythm, and after a moment he steps through nothing and into the Hisil.

Raven catches up to John and follows him to the kitchen to make their way into the Shadow. She watches him step through and tries her paw at it. She breathes slowly as she concentrates for a few moments. She attempts to step through, though it takes her a bit more time to arrive at the other side. She stretches and ruffels her fur as she looks to John for where to next, ready to fucking go!

Stalking behind the pair, Midnight follows slowly after and watches John step through into the Hisil, then Raven begins her trek only to have himself begin to journey to part the veil. The black wolf is slow as well, taking his time before passing through into the Shadow.

The only aspect of the flesh that carries over into the Shadow is the buildings. Little else does. There are no utensils or cookware on the hooks, nothing that operates the stove or does any actual cooking. However, the locus does manifest its Essence overflow as cans of soup, labeled with red and white stripes, and marked by glyphs that read 'FOOD' in the First Tongue.

Yet nothing in here is weirder than the spirit you find crashing your pantry. Its body is segmented, a roach without wings, an enormous mouth set into the front of its gribbly torso like a horizontal Venus flytrap. Its twelve legs draw up tight when the Uratha appear, and it drops a half-masticated can of Essence from its jaws. ~NO!~ the spirit cries. ~Mine! MINE! Curse you!~ It makes for the hall, bolting for safety.

Aziha Zuu shifts form as soon as he sees the spirit, exploding in size until he is larger, shaggier, the dire wolf. He bounds after the alien spirit, calling out in First Tongue, "~OURS~!"

Raven hurls herself at the skittery spirit, but it leaps out of the way with surprising grace. It hisses, crying ~No, MINE!~, and continues its journey to the door.

The spirit skitters across the floor as bites fly, the ephemeral creature desperate to escape the wolves that assail it. ~Not mine! Not mine!~ it begs. ~Let me go!~

Raven sees the thing throw up the white flag of defeat but she doesn't accept it. Though instead of just destroying it outright she walks over and lets her true beast out as she taps into her moon gifts. She puts one paw down on what is considered its head and bares her teeth as she growls one word to it in the first tongue ~stay~.

The spirit recoils, its segmented body quivering in fear. It thumps its thorax against the floor and quails. ~Staying, staying! Please no! Don't eat me!~ it cries.

After the snap of his muzzle...most certainly did not miss his target, Midnight pads slowly as he begins to circle around the spirit slowly as it sniffs slowly at the body before saying, ~No. No eat. Bargain?~

Aziha Zuu prowls in a circle around Nick, Raven, and the hunger spirit, wary of any other threats to his companions. He remains alert, protecting them while they handle the business of negotiating with the spirit.

The spirit thumps its thorax into the bare floor, clearly panicking. ~Please, mighty Uratha!~ it pleads, any resentment it may feel is drowned in fear. ~Tell me what you want, just don't eat me!~

Raven looks to the bug, stops baring her teeth and removes a paw but still stands menacingly over it and looks down. She says to it ~no eat, speak to Midnight~ She then tilts her head towards Nick. She still doesn't step away from it but is making no direct action against it at the moment. She also adds to it ~run and be devoured~ before going back to being silent

~No eat. Searching. Hunting." Midnight describes the form of the prey to the pug then says, looking back to the pantry, "Guide? Bargain. Food. Share. Ours.~

The segmented spirit hears the bit about sharing Essence, and its segments begin to pulsate, a digestive tract squeezing empty air, making revolting squelching sounds underneath its carapace. ~Guide?~ it asks tentatively, mouth opening, teeth wiggling at one of the cans forlornly.

The enormous wolf that is Aziha Zuu continues to prowl the periphery, sniffing the air, watchful for other threats drawn by the commotion, or the locus' temptation.

Raven remains focused on the creature, her eyes tracing over it's body as it quivers and looks over to one of the discarded cans. She looks at it and says ~After we get our query~. She watches John pace about for a moment before returning her gaze to the bug, listening in to Midnight's conversation with it.

~Guide~ Midnights head dips in agreement ~Food. After. Bargain?~ The Storm Lord stares at the bug now with intent.

The spirit seems to get it, and stands down. ~What do you seek, Urdaga?~ it asks. ~What do you hunt?~

The spirit seems to get it, and stands down. ~Yes, Essence after. You seek the raging one, yes. The one who walks in fury. I will lead you there, Urdaga. After... Essence.~ Trembling antennae rise from its open mouth and swish through the ephemeral air. ~Yes. Follow, and be swift!~ The segmented spirit makes its way through the hallway and out into the Shadow of Roseland.

The landscape is as bleak out here in the Shadow as it is in the Flesh. Ragged spirits watch the trio of Uratha from a distance, darting away when one of them looks in its direction. ~To the brood of Anger we go,~ the spirit burbles. ~We seek their holdfast. I know the way.~

Aziha Zuu springs after the spirit, racing along in its wake, sometimes on one flank, sometimes on the other. His wolf-sharp senses are on alert, watching for threats on the horizon, or for any sign of their prey.

Raven keeps pace slightly behind John on one of his sides, small little wolf following the big one. She also keeps her ears perked up and alert while they go to the danger zone of the angry one

Nodding his head as the bug darts off, Midnight follows after his packmates as the muzzle opens in an almost wolfish grin as the ears twitch this way and that. Highwaaayyy toooo thhheee Danger Zooooone!

The senses of the Uratha adapt to the Shadow as well as they do to the Flesh. You hear and look ahead, and realize that you're all being led into a trap. A pair of many-limbed spirits lies in wait for you around the bend not half a mile up, your superior senses catching them before they catch wind of you.

The skittering spirit moves ahead, bolting around the bend in a burst of speed. You can even hear the panicked conversation ahead:

~They smelled the trap, did they? Fool, mere stomach, the plan is ruined! You still have one use left...~

~AAAAH! No, please do-~

SPLAT.

"~A trap~" Aziha Zuu growls, slowing. His Urshul maw has a better command of the First Tongue, but when he turns to look at Nick and Raven he can see that they too have recognized it for what it is. His loping stride turns into a slower prowl, and sudden moonlight flares from his form as Glory brands burn bright. "~I am Aziha Zuu~" he announces as he rounds the corner. "~I and mine seek The Haymarket Martyr. Direct us to him, and we will suffer your existence despite this affront.~"

Raven snaps her head forwards as she takes in the smell of more prey waiting for them. She growls in their direction as John announces their intentions to them. She then shifts her form up to her Urshul form to ready herself for them.

At the sound of conversation, Midnight has slowed to a stalk. At the mention of a trap? His body is already growing into the Urshul form as his teeth pull back in a soundless snarl. They made the Lord break his bargain. This does not sit well with the Cahalith as he follows after John to take up a flanking position of the wolf.

The pair of spirits ahead moves into view in the middle of the street now. Their bodies are fleshy, pulsing orbs, their limbs long, knotted tentacles or tails or /something/, all tipped with sharp spikes that resemble broken glass.

~But we shall not suffer you, interlopers!~ one of them replies, while the other busies itself crunching down one of the insectoid legs of the treacherous spirit that led them here. ~You came to this place to starve us of our Essence. We see you! For every conflict you quell, the hunger within us deepens!~ It and its twin brandish the points on their tentacle-tails menacingly. ~After you are slain, half-fleshed mongrels, your blood and guts shall mark a new era of slaughter! Prepare for destruction!~

Midnight howls the fury of the pack to the Moon above, echoing through the Shadowed streets. Raven and John leap for the one who just finished devouring the other spirit, their huge jaws latching on and cracking the spirit open. It bellows in fury and frustration as it discorporates in a shower of ephemera, the jaws of the Rahu empty almost as soon as they are filled.

The unfortunate spirit's twin screeches in rage, flinging daggers of glass from its many appendages like a spray of bullets, shredding straight through John's body.

Fresh off the kill of the first Anger spirit, the wounded Aziha Zuu rises up on his hind legs as he turns, catching his attacker in powerful, lupine jaws and using his enormous weight to drive it down into the ground.

Raven watches John get blasted by the second anger but it doesn't seem to slow him down as he leaps onto it and grabs on with his teeth, digging into its flesh and bringing it down. Raven takes the opportunity to pounce on the spirit with her own teeth and erase from existence.

And Nick...whiffs again. Irritation begins to prickle at the Cahaliths skin as he watches the Rahu tear through both spirits with ease. The Storm Lord lets out a small growl of annoyance but...also pride. At least someone is useful.
The player wants to cry.

The spirits are discorporated within seconds, screaming promises of vengeance to the Moon. Any eyes that were watching fled, except for a single pair.

From a distance, the spirit has a vaguely humanoid shape, but even a moment's look changes that perception in a hurry. Its face is deep purple, its eyes bulging from its skull, multiple rows of sharp teeth behind its strangled lips. Its neck is elongated, marked by rope, allowing its head to float like a fleshy balloon all around itself. Instead of a right arm, it bears a steel pipe that burns red-hot at the tip. Its entire left side is a bird's nest of tangled metal, like the ruins left by an old steam engine boiler explosion.

~I am the Haymarket Martyr,~ it calls to the trio. ~What do you want with me? I heard the hunting howls. Have you come to devour my Essence?~

Aziha Zuu stands from the kill, shaking his own blood and the stink of the spirit's Essence from his coat as he turns to face the approaching entity. "~We do not seek to kill you~" he says, voice held low as he paces slowly toward the Haymarket Martyr. His eyes are locked on it, now, as the two close on one another. "~We seek an accord.~"

Raven nudges Nick as she walks by and head over to stand next to John as he speaks to the Martyr spirit. She says, "~They were in the way."~ She sits down and keeps her head held up high, showing she is not taking aggressive action towards the spirit at the moment.

Midnight follows after Aziha padding along behind and to the side of the large wolf. When the pair begin to communicate, he glances over at Aziha sidelong before returning his gaze towards the Spirit and remains quiet.

The Martyr looks to John, studying him. Their head swivels to look at Raven, affixing him with its hanged-man stare. ~They are not of my brood,~ the spirit says. ~Were it not for the Sovereign of Fury, I would have devoured them long ago. We are at cross-purposes.~ He turns back to Aziha Zuu now. ~I am the rage that builds, the anger that brings justice,~ he says. ~An accord, you say. You seek my spiritual patronage, then. I have only one stipulation: never stop the flow of righteous anger that will make the world a better place. Increase the flow, and increase our power. Is this acceptable to you, half-flesh?~

"~I will never stop the flow of righteous anger~" John says, accepting. "~I will stoke that flame~" He dips his head, then looks to Raven and Nick.

Raven stands as she says, "~I will never stop the flow of righteous anger.~" She also adds, "~We will bring justice."~

The Storm Lord is quiet as he studies the spirit as the others offer their agreement to the terms. A nod of the muzzle and Midnight finally speaks, ~You are the Rage that builds, we are the instruments of change and Swords of fury. The flame will grow and the bonfire will be majestic. These terms are acceptable.~

The twisted metal that sprouts from the Martyr's left side rises into a fist when all three oaths are heard. ~So mote it be!~ it calls out. ~You and I are of one spirit, Urdaga. But this battle is only begun. The Sovereign of Fury already moves against you, the god of Anger and one of the court that oversees this blighted Roseland. You are now the foremost champions of my cause. The Court of Roseland must fall if this place is to have a future beyond desolation and misery. Now, let us retire to your den. Retaliation will follow soon if we do not find safety.~

At the spirit's urging, John wheels about and starts back the way the group came, snarling as his body cracks and twists, shrinking in size until he has reached his Urhan form. He races through the Hisil, wary now that he has seen the threats presented by this part of the Shadow.

Raven also shifts back to her Urhan form and follows John back to the Community Center. Pack running as one now

Midnight follows after in the wake of the others as they return towards the Center where this fully started, eventually shifting down to run with his Pack in the Urhan shape.

When the pack returns, the Martyr's exploded metal left-hand side forms into a dais of sorts, in which it perches its inhuman form. It looks about the room. ~So this is the source of Fury's hunger,~ it says. ~You are arrayed for spiritual warfare here, are you not?~

John shifts again, this time to his Hishu form, and takes a seat on the floor of the kitchen's shadow. "It's why we chose this place," he says in agreement, draping his elbows over his knees, settling in to face the Totem. "Roseland is a spiritual battleground, and a place to draw a line against the Pure."

Raven says to the Martyr, "~We are ready for whatever threatens our home.~" She walks over to join the group as she shifts back to Hishu form and sits next to John after her contorting body does it's thing. She says also, "I was not raised here but I have sworn to aid Aziha Zuu with defending this place and making it our own. With more of us I believe we can do that."

~You war against the Pure as well,~ The Martyr says, its head swaying like a hanged man in the breeze as it kneels in its basket of metal. ~Many will rise against you, but that is as it should be. I see that I have done the right thing, bringing together your spirits for this purpose. The war of many fronts is here, now. That there be no secrets between us, what questions do you have for me?~

Reverting to Hishu, Nick hops up on a counter top after a moment of adjusting his clothes. Settling down, the man leans forward to rest his elbows on his knees before saying, "I believe in the context of things, that yes we are. Due to the nature of the location and situations that seem to be arising...yes, I think we are. I am interested in the moves this Sovereign of Fury and this Court. Do you know much of its internal workings John?"

"Nothing," John answers Nick, shaking his head. The young Rahu turns curious eyes on The Haymarket Martyr, his gaze following its swaying head as he listens intently.

Raven says to her packmates, "Well I guess soon we will learn alot about them. If war is upon us, count me in." She brings her hands up and cracks her knuckles before laying one of them down in her lap and placing the other on John's shoulder. Don't worry bro, we got you.

~There was a time when, in a previous form, I presided as Lord of Anger across much of this Chicago,~ the Martyr says, teeth glinting within its mouth as it speaks. ~But when hope died, only rage without purpose remained, the anger that eats itself to create itself. The Sovereign of Fury was born of it, /is/ it. The Sovereign of Fury, the Prince of Pain, the Father of Fear, these hold their court across these lands, and support one another's rule. Only the fiercest Uratha could hope to topple them, and only if they are sufficiently weakened. Without the Essences that fuel them, their vassals will begin to rebel until they themselves are devoured. This is your best hope of survival now. Those evil spirits work against you, so it is time to prepare, and to strike when the opportunity presents itself.~

John repeats each name, softly: "The Sovereign of Fury, the Prince of Pain, the Father of Fear." He nods, committing to memory the names of his enemies. "We will see Roseland brought to heel," he declares, "Brought back to balance." He reaches up across his body to put a hand atop Raven's, and looks up at his fellow Rahu, and then at Nick. "And from there, and with the help of the other South Side packs, we will take the fight to this spirit court."

Raven says, "Well it seems the odds are stacked against us then, I think we can handle it. You have seen our strength first hand. I guess we will need to find a way to rekindle that hope as well." She smiles at Nick and John, it will be glorious. Raven asks the Martyr, "Are there other spirits here that could be our allies? Have they all fallen under the court's boot?"

~All who do not submit are devoured,~ the Martyr replies. ~But as the grip of Pain, Anger and Fear weaken, the other spirits may rise to join you. The Nature-choirs, spirits of bird and beast, languish as the humans do. The artificial spirits that do not produce are shattered. And all concept-choirs that do not serve the purposes of the three are suborned or eaten. This is the way it has been for many turnings of the moon. Let the tide turn here.~
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