Session 13 Missing in Action

I've got some bad news: Blogger went nusto over the weekend and somehow deleted several posts from our site. I was able to restore both yesterday's post and the other post containing Session 12 summary, but it looks like I lost the session 13 finale. Older posts seem to be intact, it just messed with whatever I typed up during the weekend. I thought I had a copy of Session 13 document on my work computer, thought being the key word. I forgot that Precoat upgraded my old rickety pc last week, essentially overwriting any local files on my system. What this means is that I might have to rewrite session 13 from scratch. I'm a bit pissed off regarding this. and I'm going to check with the IT guys to see if my old hard drive hasn't been wiped. I really don't want to have to type this thing again! Anyways, I'm sorry for the delay. If you guys haven't noticed, Session 12 is up and ready for consumption. I'll keep everyone posted as to 13's progress. Also, this weekend is Nick Havey's wedding so I doubt we will be playing session 14 during this timeframe. Currently, July 14th or 15th looks like our best options.

2 New Characters

Last week, Alex and Rachel drafted new characters for our Werewolf: the Forsaken game. This will mark the first time Rachel has played with the group. Alex (as you may or may not know) used to play the character known simply as Nails. Where did Nails go? Read session 13, the finale session for the Simmons chronicle, to find out! For me, making new characters is an interesting experience because it takes you back to the basics, forcing you to look at the system at its core. I have a confession to make: I am the type of person who easily forgets things that are not frequently used. As a GM, that can be a pretty big con. So this re-familiarization is always a plus for me. I'm just not really a live-by-the-rules kind of guy. I often go with my gut instincts when it comes to rules, instead of spending time consulting the books. While this does aid in speed and efficiency it certainly does not in accuracy. Back to the characters. On that fateful night we made our characters an unfortunate thunderstorm rolled through, knocking out power to the surrounding area. Instead of giving up and trying another day, the group tired on and made characters by candlelight. Birthing these warriors by primordial flame was great fun, and flickering light really added to mood. I was also impressed by everyone's resolve to start gaming again, and I believe these new characters will integrate with the Scars most interestingly. I don't want to spoil their backgrounds for everyone just yet, but we are gaining a new Rahu and a Cahalith to the fold. This means the Scars will, for the first time, have each auspice represented in the pack. In the old world of darkness this was called a blessed pack, and it was privy to certain bonuses. I will have to check the new book to see if this same idea has remained.

Session 12. The Fight Ahead.

Nails places a vice grip on his attacker, slowly draining the life from his human frame. The victim’s voice attempts to break through the stranglehold, coming through in brief stints as a hoarse series of whispers. The bitter fragments of speech relay that the Beshilu host thinks he can help them. Ghetto might even be able to cure the werewolves of their pesky ailment. But it isn’t going to do them any good if he’s dead, he explains. Nails, pack Alpha of the Healing Scars, contemplates his offer and decided to accept, releasing the death hold. He wants answers, so with little patience he demands that Ghetto speak quickly. Ghetto was approached by Simmons months ago in New York City and offered a job. He was to accompany him to various locations, using his fellow rat brethren as foot soldiers. Ghetto told the boy to shove off, giving him the finger. Simmons was not impressed by his boldness and decided to use the Beshilu's services anyways. Simmons calls forth an ancient hidden power, enslaving Ghetto. A spiritual cord connects Ghetto with Simmons, allowing him to perform his bidding. Since his enslavement, Ghetto has been traveling from city to city cleaning up after the fowl Uratha, using his fellow rat spirits to eat away any opposition. While Ghetto is explaining his actions to the Scars, the parvovirus once again emerges and threatens to destroy the packmates. Each member’s resistances are put to the test, and Eric Sky's immune system fights long and hard but ultimately fails him. Sky looses consciousness as his mind slips into another realm. Sky is in a forest. He sees a woman of tremendous beauty with fiery crimson hair in a simple green dress. She sings the following words: One day I may disappear Don't be too surprised 'Cause I get tired of Noisy alarms & phone bills & I don't think we're meant to stay here very long I don't dream of bringing heaven down not like this I'd rather move on One day I may go for the longest walk Don't be too shocked 'Cause I get tired of Sneaky societies & combat boots & I don't think we're meant to stay here very long I don't dream of bringing heaven down not like this I'd rather move on As if running through fire, Eric Sky is rushed back to the world of the living in a flash of pain. Sky has almost tasted death, and the experience will linger in his soul reminding of the impending doom should the disease get its way. Sky is not dead, but his life signs are failing. Ghetto urges the pack to follow him to his lair; the Beshilu has medicines within that could prove useful to aid their fallen comrade. As one might expect, the rat spirit's home is nothing more than a massive hole in the earth several miles from where the battle was fought. Trash lines the walls, and there is a thick stench hovering in the air. A pair of prostitutes greet the rat spirit and the pack as they enter. Ghetto explains that his bitches are also Beshilu spirits living in human corpses. These women are most certainly living dead. Their bodies, oozing with scabs and sores, hold a zombie-like appearance as mounds of flesh have completely rotted away. Ghetto offers the girl's "services" to each member of the pack. No one accepts, though Deacon asks if he has any liquor handy. Ghetto grins wide and tosses half a bottle of Colt-45 malt liquor in his direction. Once it becomes apparent that Sky has recovered from the rat's medicines, Ghetto continues his story. He says that prior to his abduction, his master told him that all of these events would happen: his enslavement at the hands of another and his eventual freedom from a pack of werewolves from a distant land. Ghetto did not take much of this talk seriously at the time, probably in part to him being under the influence of various illegal substances. Ghetto also remembers that his master also told him that after these events came to pass he was to take these strangers to him. Ghetto hates that Simmons is trying to seal up the Gauntlet. As a rat host, it is his job to go against the Azlu by tearing down the barriers between the spirit and the physical worlds. Though Ghetto and most of his kind normally hate the children of father wolf, he decides to make an exception. He says he will even sell his soul to THE MAN in order to see that David Simmons goes down. The have earned a strange, new ally. They leave Ghetto's abode and travel deeper into the forest in search of his mentor. Ghetto leads them into a cave of various tunnels and passages. As they proceed through the cavern, the surroundings become vaguely familiar. The Healing Scars have been here before. This is the same trail that took them to Shadow Wind back when the pack was trying to gain entry to the Ethros realm. At the end of the trek, Ghetto leads them to that aged Uratha. From the hissil, the old man portrays a powerful visage. Shadow Wind sits on a throne of gold dressed in the robe of a king. His face holds the look of wisdom, one who has existed from a time long forgotten to all but him. Shadow Wind waste no time with salutations. He is aware of the pack’s diseases and explains that he may be able to help. First, he will need four of Ghetto’s strongest Beshilu spirits. Shadow Winds tells the werewolves that he can slow the disease by physically placing one of the rat spirits inside each wolf. A Beshilu spirit naturally eats the heart of its victim making them a slave to the spirit’s desires. Shadow Wind believes that if he can store the spirit outside of the heart, it will eat away at the disease ceasing further infection. This is, of course, very dangerous. The rat spirit must physically tunnel through the host. Once, inside the rat might get greedy and go for the heart, which would prove fatal. Shadow Wind believes the without some kind of intervention the Healing Scars will not last more than 24 hours. He asks if one would step forward, one brave enough to volunteer in this experiment. Without hesitation, Eric Sky agrees. The rat chews through his flesh, burrowing between his ribcage. As painful as this ordeal might be, it is child’s play compared to his recent near dearth experience. Eric Sky is consumed with a will to live and will do whatever is necessary to help himself and his pack. Several agonizing minutes later, the process is complete. While the disease is still present, the infection is no longer spreading. The rat inside is eating away at it each time the disease attempts to place a stranglehold on the Uratha. It is a success, and the remaining members of the Healing Scars follow suit. They too battle great pain and eventually the Beshilu spirits find their way inside, protecting them from further harm. While the Scars rest, Shadow Wind thanks his fellow brethren for all they have done since they last met. He is quite pleased with their efforts and offers each of them gifts. Shadow Wind teaches Eric Sky one of his most precious gifts. This power gives its user and willing targets the ability to change appearances in the shadow realm. At greater levels he might be able to completely disguise himself. At its current state, he will be able to use it to mask the disease and the Beshilu spirits. This could prove useful if the Healing Scars decide to attend the lodge meeting, as the other werewolves will believe them to be cured. For Deacon Sharpe, Shadow Wind admits he does not know him well enough to help the Uratha specifically but insists that he will teach him any level 2 gift he requires, within his bounds. Nails, still consumed by his rage, wants nothing more than to put an end to David Simmons. Shadow Wind recognizes this, and grants him an increase in primal urge. As far as Marcus Blair is concerned, Shadow Wind reveals a secret about the sword Eternal Balance gave him. As Blair might have guessed, this is no ordinary blade. One of these powers he has used already, though he may not have not at the time. On days and nights of the Elodoth half-moon, Marcus can use this weapon to travel back and forth to the Ethros realm at will. This is how Blair spoke with Eternal Balance the last night while he and the pack were locked in the meat locker. Marcus is eager to tell the rest of the pack about his weapon’s new powers. That night is still a half-moon, meaning the pack can travel back to Ethros realm if they so desire. The lodge meeting is not for several more hours, so Nails decides they can afford to take this detour. The sword works as intended and the Uratha find themselves back in the Ethros realm, though in a room they had never been in before. This area appears to be some sort of a factory with assembly lines, conveyor belts, and the like. A young man in a business suit sneers in their direction. It is Killer-of-Lies, one of Eternal Balances underlings. He and the Scars have a past, and he does not care much for the intruders. But Killer and the Scars both favor the Ethros elder Eternal Balance, and in this they share a common bound. Killer sarcastically greets the pack. He does not recognize Deacon Sharpe (the previous events in the Ethros realm happened before he joined the pack). Killer-of-Lies tells everyone that they are standing in one of the resurrection rooms. It is in this place spirits who are tried under Ethros law are revived and placed under their newly appointed ban. Eternal Balance has graciously given the pack authority to personally oversee the reconstruction of their totem, Rids-the-Pain. The great bear spirit will receive his new ban, as well as whatever powers the pack chooses within their limits. A ban is chosen. New powers are assigned. The factory springs to life as gears grind and turn. Rids-the-Pain is born anew and gladly joins his pack. But time is of the essence. Nails and the rest of the Scars cross back into the physical world, ready to attend the lodge meeting. Before they go, Eric Sky uses his new gift and masks the packs spiritual signatures. To the common Uratha, the pack will appear completely cured. Since The Lodge of Harmony holds it’s meeting in a small valley on a secluded side of a mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park. The only way to reach this destination is to treacherously climb to the other side, which no doubt requires some nimble athletics. The werewolves collectively have no problems scaling the rock and make the climb in great speed. At the bottom of the cliff, Sparks is there to greet them. He is surprised as hell that they made it and found a cure to the parvovirus. He would love to chat in detail as to how they overcame this, but tonight's event is about to start. The lodge meeting begins as various congregation sing melodies of times past in the first tongue. Half a dozen fires are lit, one for each of the packs present. As the first order of business, common matters within the area are discussed such as squabbles for territory, locus management, and threats from the Pure. Most of the talk is spearheaded by the eldest Uratha, Swift Eyes, who resides over the entire lodge meeting. Finally the business concerning the Healing Scars is brought to the table. Swift Eyes tells of the impending threat. A rogue Uratha known by the name of David Simmons has attempted to spread a disease which has killed many normal wolves in our territory. This plague has been mutated by Simmons and is believed to contain the potential to wipe out all of the Uratha. Swift Eyes smiles and announces that, it is with great pride and joy, this threat is no more. His speech strangely changes tone. Swift Eyes informs the delegation that this entire catastrophe, the disease, Simmon’s attacks, everything, is all a grave misunderstanding. David Simmons should be commended, not persecuted. This young werewolf has cleared his name; his parvovirus was never intended with the Uratha in mind as a target. It was actually meant to be used as a weapon to drive away the foulest of the foul, their mortal enemies, the Pure. A cure has been found for the drug by members of the Deathdealers and by the aid of the Healing Scars. Swift Eyes looks at the pack and commends them for their cooperation. The aged wolf makes a startling decree: In one week’s time, he will be traveling north to Yellowstone Park to meet with Simmons and hopes all will present here today will join him. Together they will obtain the cure, vanquish their foes, and return honor to both Luna and Father Wolf! A thunderous applause pierces the air. The majority of those present have bought into his story: hook, line, and sinker. The Scars hang their heads in shame. Nails wants nothing to do with this, gathering his men to leave this travesty. As they depart, Sparks intercepts them. He was not among those who were impressed by Swift Eye’s speech. He tells the pack that the lodge is grateful for all they’ve done, presenting them with tickets back to London. But the werewolf does not wish them to leave. The Lodge of Harmony will be walking into certain destruction at the hands of David Simmons in one week. He says he has a plan. He wants to accompany the pack on a journey northward to intercept Simmons before the meeting occurs. The objective is quite simple: kick his ass. Nails wastes no time contemplating. To him, killing Simmons is not a decision. It is as involuntary as a heartbeat. It WILL happen.

Apologies for Nothingness

It absolutely figures. I write a post last week confirming that many awesome things (session summary, posts of coolness) would grace our site and, sadly, I haven't made good on any of those promises. Excuses follow: this Memorial Day holiday weekend became very family-oriented (which is of course fine as they should be) eating up the time I had thought would go towards the game. Work-related stress has once again reared its ugly head: the capital project I'm running has put our engineering guys in a hissy-fit with our sister-company over our new thermal system which they designed and sorta fucked up (one of those multi-million $$ boo-boo's). Excuses aside, I hope to get my collective shit together and crank out content very soon. I have a rough draft for session 13 on paper but it desperately needs revision. I seriously doubt it will be ready for this weekend. So my question is, how does the weekend after next (June 8-9) feel for you guys? Comment here, or email me, or call, or whatever electronic device route you feel is appropriate to respond. Thanks. I really heart your patience!

Some Changes on the Way

A quick shout out to the boyz for an excellent session last weekend! I believe things went down quite nicely. The primarily focus of that session was to prep for the battle with David Simmons (Junior). In the past, downtime was used to do this as players bought gifts, rites, and upped their stats. I chose to instead to integrate these actions directly into the story (like the restructuring of the pack's totem, Rids-the-Pain). The next session will most likely be the last for this chronicle. It's been a long journey, from those first days when the Scars took over Hyde Park. The first mission was to investigate several murders (that Simmons committed) in their new territory. This hunt took them to the Ethros realm, Lancaster, and now the United States. The finale encounter is in sight. Needless to say, I'm eagerly awaiting this showdown. By the by, here are few changes to site I plan on adding in the days to come: -Session Summary for Session 12 -Online character sheets -New page for pack totem with character sheet -Music page for the song "Leave" -New pack pictures

Session 11. Rats, still infected!

The Healing Scars wake to find themselves in a freezer room somewhere in Colorado. The local pack, the Deathdealers, has found them and locked them here for containment. One of its members is a fellow by the last name Greene who likes to be called Sparks. Sparks (who looks very much like a young Steve Buscemi) is a MacGyver of sorts when it comes to electronics and computers. As the pack attempts to break out of this room, he shows off his skill by electrifying the floors and walls of the room. Sparks informs them that they are infected and, until they are cured, the Uratha will remain here for everyone’s protection. When asked how they arrived in Denver, Sparks explains that members of his pack intercepted them when the phoenix spirit dropped them on the mainland. Fortunately they’ve raided a bunch of factories from this company called Pentex and were able to find several strains of antidotes to the parvovirus. While none of them were the entire cure, it seems that each was a piece to the overall puzzle. The antidote that the Scars found on the plane was, what he and the rest of the Deathdealers believe, the last piece to this puzzle. Currently, Sparks he tells the pack to sit tight and remain in isolation. One of their kinfolk, a research biologist named Amber Smith, cultured the strains together and believes she has a working antidote. She performed this research from her lab in Memphis, Tennessee and this is currently in route with the cure and is estimated to have it there early in the morning. The kinfolk scientist replaced their original doctor who was murdered days ago. Marcus also wants to know where Max Roman and the Silver Syndicate are as this was to be his contact per Strike-with-Courage. Sparks regrets to inform him that the entire pack is away on urgent matters in LA due to a recent Pure attack. The Deathdealers pack is the #2 in Denver and, for the time being, they are in charge of parvovirus matters. Later that night they are offered some food. Everyone, minus Nails, accepts and eats. He instead finds a slab of semi-frozen meat and dines in style. Eric Sky uses his spare time to create a warding rite to work against the parvovirus. His efforts are unsuccessful, but he does manage to discover several distinct clues that may lead to future success. Marcus Blair still obtains the sword given to him by Eternal Balance. The Elodoth channels its power and attempts to use it to commune with the Ethros Spirit. Through intense meditation, he manages to obtain a connection and finds himself back in the hub of the Ethros realm. Eternal Balance is before him, waving his arms like a conductor while several spheres dangle above, breaking and splitting into smaller orbs. The Ethros elder greets the young Uratha and explains that he is breaking the singular Essence Sphere into several pieces, in order to better protect the realm in case another like Magaloth attempts to steal it. When asked for advice on what to do next, the spirit vaguely informs him that he should listen to the blade of the sword. They will come a time when they reach a seemingly hopeless opposition. He tells Marcus that it will guide him to the answers, though other members of his pack might resist this level of thinking. Finally, he tells him that a great power lies in slumber in that sword, and that he will soon harness its greatness. Sparks greets them the next day with the newly arrived scientist. Dr. Smith injects each member with a serum and reports that they should know very soon if the effects of the antidote have worked. A half hour later Sparks re-enters the meat locker and is thrilled to report that the antidote was successful; they are free to leave. There’s something fishy in the tone and manner in which Sparks delivers the message of their new cure, as if perhaps he is lying to save face. He also adds that they have been requested to attend at a meeting for the Lodge of Harmony later tonight. Before they leave, the werewolf quite indiscriminately slips them a note. They leave the building without speaking a further word. Once outside, they read the message: Meet me in approx. 2 hours Dane’s Pub – 12th street Don’t be followed Eric Sky peers across the gauntlet to see if they are any signs of infection. The spirit realm reveals that the parvovirus is still in their systems. They have nearly two hours until they need to meet with Sparks, so they decide to make the best of this time. Marcus thinks they should concentrate their efforts on the previous doctor who was murdered. Deacon does a little snooping around of the net and discovers that his house, where he was murdered, is not far from here. During their investigation, the effects of the virus hit the pack hard. (System Note: here are my rules on how we roleplayed risks for further infection from the parvovirus. Each pack member made a stamina + survival check. Anyone who failed that roll collapsed, taking two aggravated damage. These checks were made at various intervals, ranging from every fifteen minutes to ever hour.) Marcus is overcome will illness and collapses. As the rest of the members tend to him, Deacon weakens to the disease and falls as well. They eventually both recover, but this proves the effects of the disease are quite real. A cure must be found as soon as possible. Nails determines to divide the group as he sees fit; he and Marcus will wait behind while Eric and Deacon proceed on to the doctor’s house. While speaking of these plans the werewolves notice that several groups of rats have been following them, no doubt attracted to their disease. Eric follows a hunch and uses Two World Eyes to peer into the shadow. Sky’s assumptions were correct; many of the rodents in the physical world are actually rat hosts called Beshilu. He creates a warding circle that should protect each packmate should these evil spiritual shards attempt to feed off of the Scars. Both Deacon Sharpe and Eric Sky take a taxi, generously tipping the driver to get them to their destination as fast as humanly possible. He chuckles and tells them to hold on as says he’ll cut their trip’s time in half. Several of the Beshilu rats attempt to pursue the two infected werewolves but eventually fall out of sight as the cab accelerates to illegal speeds. The cab pulls to the address, and they witness a rather distraught woman, presumably his widow, exiting the home. They wait for several minutes and approach the house, looking for an easy way in. Deacon spots one of the back windows slightly ajar, and they take advantage of this to gain entry. Once inside, they find the crime scene. The master room bed has blood stains soaked through the mattress and along the adjacent wall. A locus is present in the room and both use it to step into the spirit world. A ghost of the former doctor is there lying on the bed in the exact position where he was murdered. Several rats have gnawed away the top of his skull and are currently chewing away at his brains. Eric tries to give him some essence to rouse the spirit. He speaks briefly but it is mostly gibberish about how he can no longer remember. These Beshilu are erasing his minds and they feast on his spiritual body. Eric pumps more essence into the victim to decrease his sedation. The rats grow angry, lashing out at both Deacon and Eric. But a newly formed warding circle drawn by the Bone Shadow protects them for the time being. The doctor snaps up from the bed, eyes burning wide and bright. He remembers something as he repeats over and over: “He is still in the park, in the park, in the park. HE did this to me. HE did this to me.” Sky: “Who did this to you?” “The one who is controlled by another. The ONE who is controller by another. He will do this to you… to US ALL if he is not stopped.” The last of Sky’s given essence is absorbed as the ghost lies back in his bed, completely comatose beside his anchor. There is no more information to be learned here today. Both packmates depart and race to the pub to meet up with the rest of the Scars. After that ordeal is over, the entire pack rejoins and promptly meets Sparks at the bar. He’s a bit jumpy as he first apologizes for all the deception. As they have already figured out, they are not cured of the parvovirus. The current antidote was a failure, and more testing needs to be done to see if an acceptable one can be cultured. Sparks also explains why he had to lie to them. His pack is called the Deathdealers for a reason. After seeing what the regular wolves here in Colorado went through, they are not taking any chances with the disease. If the infected Uratha couldn’t be cured immediately, they would be killed, simple as that. And what’s with all the lying and the sneaking around? This is because his pack, in their extreme paranoia, had bugged the entire area (including Sparks) so he had to meet them like this under these circumstances and lie to make the rest of the pack believe there was no immediate threat. He also tells them that the disease tends to spread after long expenditures of essence so they ought to “cool down” using spiritual powers for now. Right now they have, what he can determine, two choices. 1) This is a choice he figures they’ll pass on. Get the fuck out of dodge, go back to England, and lie low. Sparks promises that he and Dr. Smith will continue working on a cure. If they can find it in time, then he will of course see that they get the antidote. At least they can die in peace, not hunted by Agents and Uratha. 2) Find a cure within the next 10 hours (its noon and the lodge meeting is set to take place at 10pm) and then proceed to the lodge meeting as the Deathdealers requested. They cannot go to this lodge meeting with the parvovirus, it would be detected and the Scars would be terminated. Finding a cure is damn near impossible. Maybe, MAYBE there’s something they missed in the dead wolves at Rocky Mountain National Park. But Christ if that isn’t the longest of all shots in the dark, diamonds in the rough, needles in the fucking haystack Sparks has ever heard of. And they can’t stick around here infected. Sparks says that once his pack finds out they’ve skipped the lodge meeting they will hunt them down, assuming the worst. These are dangerous times we’re living in, and these Uratha are not taking chances. The Healing Scars wonder why Sparks is going through all this trouble to help them in the first place. His motivation is simple, he was a long time ago friends with Nicholas DeWinter. Nails may be just a shell the former ally once knew (due to Nail’s sketchy memory), but he is still a good friend worth protecting. He looks his old mate square in the eyes and says that someday after all this mess is finished he’d like to take him up to Alaska to set his head straight. He and the scientist will be around and might try to check out Rock Mountain NP depending on certain factors. Sparks leaves and wishes them the best of luck, parting them with a little gizmo the Iron Master devised that looks like a lovechild between a calculator and a pager. The device when activated creates an encrypted connection between him and the pack via cell phone. He also gives each one of them a cyanide tablet. They should use this if the disease tries to spread again or if the pain becomes too much. The Scars mull over a couple of beers, deciding to head to the park in hopes of finding clues. The initial journey in Rocky Mounting National Park is fairly uneventful. But as they grow closer to where the first wolves where infected, more and more rats trail behind. Several minutes later it’s become increasing clear that they are being surrounded by the little beasts. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of them drawing near as they form a circle around the pack. While an all-out confrontation appears imminent, a large black man in an overcoat (very gangster looking) approaches from the horizon and makes his way to the group. After he comes within shouting distance of the pack, he begins a dialog with the furry rodents in their native tongue. Eric Sky strains his ears to make out the conversation, but the dialect is far too foreign for him to comprehend. The rats attention is fizated on him as they retreat a bit, reforming in a group several yards behind the stranger. Even wierder, he starts having a new conversation/argument with himself. After some further exchanges the gangster concedes with his imaginary friend and agrees to do his bidding. But he argues that there’s no point in doing any of this since the werewolves are almost dead anyways. Using a gift, Marcus Blair determines that this man goes by the name Ghetto. Ghetto turns to the froup and tells that he's real sorry that he has to kill them. A faction of the rats behind him break off and join with his body as he transforms in to a massive were-rat nearly twelve feet tall. The remaining rats (hundreds broken up into groups of 10 for combat purposes) around him also go a bit crazy and prepare to attack. Eric does what he does best and creates a warding circle to keep the disease-loving mother fuckers off their backs. Nails concentrates his attacks on the closest groups of rats, putting the stop sign to good use by slicing the little buggers in half. Both Deacon and Marcus make effective use of their firearms, dropping back to a reasonably safe distance and firing out round after lethal round into the rat monstrosity. Each time the gunmen inflict severe damage on the were-rat; more hordes of rats join with his body giving him a nearly limitless system of soaking damage. The warding circle also briefly collapses as Ghetto successfully poisons Sky's mind through spiritual trickery. In this moment of weakness he attacks Sky, landing a near fatal blow. The Scars need to act fast. Sky is fading, and the surplus of Beshilu has made the attacker become nearly invincible. Marcus Blair remembers that words that his mentor gave him earlier that day. He unsheathes his sword and initiates a series of vicious melee maneuvers. One of his blows proves extremely deadly and, as sunlight reflects off of his blade, he makes out a faint signature of what could best be described as a spiritual cord of sorts embedded in the back of the attackers head. He raises the blade high, concentrates with ever fiber of his being, and brings his weapon down swift and sure upon the connection of this cord. The link is severed in a flash of painfully blinding light. The were-rat passes out, easing back into his human form as the remaining Beshilu scatter in confusion. The Scars are victorious; their new prisoner has some explaining to do.

We're popular!?

As vain as that is say, I do get satisfaction from being watched from afar. I’ve been telling the group that I receive emails every now and then from folks commenting on how much they enjoy reading our site's content. It is nice to know that somewhere out there other people our enjoying our gaming experiences. But I didn’t think we were ever this level of popular. I’m posting it below (in caps to illustrate its awesomeness) what I just found out about our “not-so-little” site: OUR HEALING SCAR’S WEBSITE IS ON THE OFFICAL WHITE WOLF WIKI. Don’t believe me? Click here and go to the bottom of the page where it lists personal pages for Werewolf: the Forsaken. That means (clearing my throat) that not only do the fine folks at White Wolf Studios know about our site, but they also believe that it is of a high enough caliber to list on their official pages. That's kind of like being in the Dark Spiral times 1,000. It’s super maxi awesome, and I can’t come up with enough words to describe its coolness (other than words that continue to make me come off like an excited schoolgirl, so I’ll quit while I’m ahead). You guys should be proud. I know I am.

Session 10. Airborne.

Note to readers: The happenings within the session took place over a year before this writing. Unfortunately, due to the massive gap in time, many sections of this text have been severely summarized. I created this blog back in the day in hopes that our session summaries would provide a concrete picture of the past events, as an aid to both the storyteller and the other players. (GM note to self: I will try, in the future, to post the summaries in a more timely fashion.) The Scars have returned home from their trek to Lancaster and eagerly discuss their options for confronting Simmons. Unfortunately, the castle turned out to be a trap, and they are now infected with a disease. But they did manage to obtain the lengthy conspiracy files from Agent Wade regarding the parvovirus. Is there something of value locked away inside these pages? Marcus Blair scours over the text desperately trying to find a clue. He surmises that they should travel to the United States, where the bulk of the testing and infections occurred. There are two obvious locations: Alaska, where the Pentex headquarters is said to exist, and the Rockies, where reports surfaced of wolves dying from a strange infection. There is a some debate amongst the pack, though it is eventually decided that they will make their first stop in Denver, Colorado. A major factor in this decision-making is due to Strikes-with-Courage's mentoring. The lodge member reveals that he is acquainted with Max Roman, one of the most powerful werewolves in Denver. Strikes arranges a brief dialog between Roman and Marcus. Marcus explains their situation and arranges for copies of the conspiracy files to be sent to him. Roman agrees to look them over and to provide assistance once they arrive in Colorado. Using packmate Deacon Sharpe's seemingly infinite resources, they purchase airfare and prepare for their journey. The following day, the pack boards a jet and coasts across the Atlantic towards the USA. Hours into the flight, Eric receives a brief text message from Tonya, who has been watching Wendy with Strikes-with-Courage: agents brroke in! shot strikes_and captured him!1! dead r alive i dont know wendy & i running Sky quickly informs the other members of the Healing Scars. Oddly, he received this text information via phone but he cannot reply due to technical difficulties. One of the members of the Scars (it's a bit hazy but I think it was Marcus Blair) uses one of his spirit power's and burns essence. Little does the pack know that this act will set off a chain reaction that will inevitably doom everyone on the aircraft. Shortly after this time, it's discovered that an older man and a young girl have both become violently ill. Marcus checks in on them both, pretending to be a doctor. Using the gift “Two World Eyes” Eric Sky is able to peer across the gauntlet directly into the hissel. Surrounding both of the victims a green substance can be seen swarming through their bodies, the same parvovirus that has infected the Scars! Eric's cell phone beeps again; he has received yet another message: ok, we r safe hiding w OMD* pentex guys said something about virus is spreading& missiles? please be careful *OMD affectionately stands for "Old Man Diaper," the aged Urathan mentor of the Scars The members of the pack quietly talk with each other discussing various possibilities on how to contain the virus. They also theorize that the expenditure of essence is what could have triggered the possible infection. One thing is for certain, if the disease is airborne they can not let the plane land for fear of a pandemic. Some time later their fears are confirmed: more passengers have grown ill and the first two infected victims have passed away. To make matters worse, people have been hearing rumors that navigation and radio communications have failed. Deacon Sharpe's laptop suddenly looses it's connection along with other electronic devices. An electrical spike rips through the cabin, much like an EMP pulse. The “technical difficulties” that cropped up earlier are back in full force. Something, or someone, is blocking them from making communication to the outside world. Perhaps individuals (Pentex, the government) on the ground know about the problem and are taking countermeasures? It's a theory that seems to fit the facts, as things have officially gone from bad to worse. Though everyone's electronic devices were knocked out, one man is still chatting on his phone. Using their heightened sense of hearing, the pack collectively snoops in on his conversation. He says a lot of ominously bad things such as “I'll take care of it” and “whatever it takes” as well as “see it through to the bitter end” after which he darts from his seat and hastily proceeds to the front of the plane. Deacon Sharpe take the necessary steps to overt his actions by exiting his seat and following in pursuit. The gentleman arrives at the cockpit, kicks in the door, and pulls a revolver, firing several shots. Deacon rushes the gunmen, initiating a grapple before the gunner can cause further damage. They wrestle over the weapon for several turns; Deacon eventually overcomes his opponent. After a quick interrogation it's discovered that he is in fact a marshal, and the call he received was from his superiors. He was told a deadly virus was on the plane and to take the necessary steps to down the aircraft. The man gets testy and says that it is useless to attempt to thwart this situation. Sharpe's patience wears thin; the Iron Master shoots the man in the leg to up the intimidation factor. Instead he sneers, pulls the classic “spit in your face” maneuver, and tells Deacon that several inboard missiles should be in route at this very moment to finish the job. He laughs methodically confessing that this is all standard operating procedure. Sharpe's patience wears to a boiling point as he uses the remaining revolver rounds to shut him up for good. While this entire debacle was going on, Nails wisely decides to use the situation/commotion to enter the cargo hold to retrieved their weapons. He also bides his time and searches for clues by tearing the crap out of everything and anything in his way. Oddly enough, he stumbles upon a lone package that bears Pentex's markings. The Scars Alpha opens the box and simultaneously hits the jackpot: a vile of sorts is inside! Could this be an antidote? Nails slips it on his person and continues to pillage. Everyone's weapons are later distributed. By this time most of the passengers have lost it in the wake of all these events. Marcus and Eric attempt to hold some amount of order by instructing everyone to remain calm. Deacon takes his own gun in hand and finally enters the cockpit. The situation there is not pretty, both of the pilots were shot by the marshal and are dead. Two flight attendants remain cowered over the deceased, rattled in a combination of fear and shock. Deacon comes to grips with the fact that one of these women needs to take control of the plane or they're all in big trouble. Note: the dialog below is pretty much exactly how it went down and was one of the silliest exchanges I've had the pleasure of GM-ing. Deacon: Do you know how to fly this plane? 1st Stewardess: Well, not exactly. I sorta never took the classes. Deacon: Let me guess... you were fucking one of the pilots so you didn't have to? Stewardess: Yeah, I mean all I really do is show people how to buckle their seat belts. (Crying) I didn't think they'd be an actual emergency! Deacon: Right. (Speaking under his breath) Useless broad. (Pauses. Shoots the girl. Looks at the other stewardess.) What's your name? 2nd Stewardess: It's... Star. P..please mister, don't shoot me! Deacon: Star? You are a stewardess, not a stripper, and your name is fucking Star? Did you screw the pilot too? Star: Yes. (Worried) But I did take the classes! So Star the Stewardess (hehe) pilots the 747 in novice fashion while the Healing Scars do their best not come off like complete terrorists to the rest of the folks. Star screams at Deacon, telling him that something bad is showing up on the “radar thing.” This would be the missile, foretold by the marshal. Deacon informs the rest of the pack. Things have gone from worse to fucking terrible. Eric comes up with an interesting long shot. If they start killing off each passenger there is a slight chance all the terror and rage of the events might loosen the gauntlet or even create a locus. Seeing no other viable alternatives, they put the plan into motion. Nails readies himself in the back of the aircraft as the rest of the pack herds the passengers towards him. This might just be the one time in the Alpha's life that he has been truly happy. Nails goes crazy times one hundred: chopping off limbs, maiming, and murdering to his heart's content. He even takes the rampage to a psychological level as he wears the skin off people's faces and chants odd phrases like “I'm Jesus! Wait... now I'm Satan!” The slaughter finally winds down as Nails runs out of victims. The carnage is so severe that the the walls of the plane have become painted with a thick, bloody layer of flesh, sinew, and organs. Eric Sky searches the confines of the airplane for any change in the spirit world. Finally, he detects a slight breach to the gauntlet in the back of the plane. It just might be large enough for the Uratha to slip through. The Bone Shadow pours some of his own essence into the new locus in hopes of stabilizing it. The bridge between worlds holds, and everyone quickly crosses over into the spirit realm. The Healing Scars could not have found their solution at a better time. Like something out of a James Bond film, a missile strikes the side of the Boeing 747 center mass seconds after their departure. The whole vessel erupts into a massive fireball and plummets towards the waiting ocean. On the spirit side, the pack is greeted by an unsuspected visitor, the living spirit of the plane. It would appear that a technology spirit, a phoenix to be exact, has been living as a counterpart to the real plane in the physical world. The Healing Scars are perched on one of his massive wings as the creature views them with cautious eyes. Sky communes with the spirit for some time and returns to his brothers with excellent news. The creature has agreed to take them the rest of the way to the mainland. As they travel through the spirit world towards their destination, signs of the plane's destruction are beginning to take effect here as well. Slowly, the bird's entire being is twisting and fading with each passing minute. As the winged beast nears its end, it finally drops the pack on the surface below, singing to them in its native tongue the word “sleep.” The song wraps itself around the werewolves like a blanket and they drift deep into slumber, as the bird chimes its final melody before meeting with the abyss.