A New Experiment

I’m going to try something new with the session summaries. If this experiment fails, I will revert back to the old way of doing things. In the past, I have been trying to write out detailed descriptions of every character's actions during the session. The problem is that the summaries turn into pages upon pages of text. My free time is slipping away more and I’ve struggled a lot these past few weeks to crank out the summaries. While I believe that the descriptive content is important, I’d like to approach writing them from a different angle. The next session summary will be posted in a more condensed format than the last few. I am trying to limit the length of the initial post to about 2-3 pages. With the old system, players used the comment system to note any mistakes or additions. Then, I would edit the post and correct the necessary information. Instead I would like to cut out myself as a middle-man. After the initial posting, I want to give the players FULL ACCESS to edit the session sumary post however they see fit. If a particular passage needs more description, simply add a paragraph or two. The comment system then can act as a log to note anyone’s major changes. So, if you alter a major section of the text, just post a brief comment about what you changed. Note: Small things, like spelling corrections or a sentence restructure really don’t need to be documented as a comment. We’ll try this format out for the Session 8 Summary. If it sucks, then we’ll go back to the old method. The major advantage would be the speed of documentation. It will take much less time for me to crank out a brief summary (that can be edited) versus writing a more detailed one. Then I can concentrate more time on writing the next session, and you'll all have the summaries posted a bit faster. Comments, questions, gripes? My ears are open.

THIS IS NOT THE SESSION SUMMARY

But I am curious as to when it will be posted. Other than that, what are our plans for the next session? Is this Friday happening, or is there another time that we're considering? Be looking for a new post from Eric, too. It will be... umm... new. -Ben/Eric

Session 7. Change of Character(s)

Or more promptly titled: "Eric Sky over Sam Sky plus New Tonya minus Rain plus New Packmate plus Explosions minus Lodge minus Nails’s Patience plus Pentex squared, divided by Confusion" Tonya and Eric, whip in hand, step through the portal into civil war. Two warring sides, one led by Piercing Whisper, the other Eternal Balance, have initiated battle. The Healing Scars take their place by Eternal Balance and Rids-the-Pain. The judge, Piercing Whisper releases her Ethros visage. From under her “business” cloak, she forms into a massive tree. Roots bury deep into the roof of the building and re-emerge from the ground as sharp tentacles. Several other councilmen take her side, weapons drawn, ready to fight to the death. The battle is long and arduous. (Note: Instead of describing the events blow by blow, the following has been extremely summarized.) Nails takes down one of the Ethros gunmen at Piercing Whisper’s side. The Sky brothers, Eric and Sam, begin to duel. Dirge meditates as a field of amber encircles his frame. Killer-of-Lies initiates a ritual to protect his master; his own body contorts and twists into a wall of barbed wire. Dirge’s meditation is an advanced form of his Mad Rush; he lets forth a barrage of lightning-fast attacks, taking out the remaining Ethros gunmen. Whisper is angered by the defeat of her brethren and stretches her powers to the sky above. The sun in this realm, a small golden dot on the horizon, grows larger. Whisper is commanding the sun; the air begins to boil as it grows closer. Shortly after, the death sphere is directly overhead. Eric Sky, noting the severity of the situation, convinces his brother to use his manipulation powers to stop the tree. Sam finds common ground in this proposal, and coerces one of the nearby ghosts into possessing the tree. The sun dissipates as Sam’s dominance over the tree begins to outweigh. Piercing Whisper is not amused; she strikes back at Sam Sky, and a game of mental wits plays out. Eventually, the Sam cannot hold off her attack; his body keels over in excruciating pain. Piercing Whisper continues to pull the sun towards the Ethros building. Without any other option, Eternal Balance demands Marcus to return his blade. He buries the sword deep into the ground, invoking a rite. Everything stops. The Healing Scars, Rids, Sam, and Tonya find themselves inside the hub of the Ethros building. Eternal Balance explains that he has stopped time, a severe violation of their laws. There is little time; Piercing Whisper will soon learn of his efforts and find them. Eternal Balance requires a word alone with Rids-the-Pain. The two return after a short conversation; Rids tells the Scars that the ban will be nullified. The totem takes out his banishment documents and sets them on fire. His ban has been destroyed, but an imbalance remains. Eternal Balance decrees that a new ban will be placed on Rids-the-Pain, after this civil war between the Ethros is settled. Balance points above to Sam Sky, frozen in midair. To Eric, he explains that the Sky brother is his mess and must leave with the pack, never to return to this realm again. Balance holds Eric Sky’s book to the sphere and, against the spiritual light, the word Sam appears on the cover next to Eric’s. The two are linked spiritually; the Essence Sphere wants them to go together. Eternal Balance will also be keeping this book, as a way of checking in from time to time. Eternal Balance bids them farewell. One by one, they each loose themselves in the essence of the sphere. Eric and Sam enter at the same time. A surge of spirit consumes everyone. It invokes a sense of rebirth, as the makeup of their bodies in stretched thin and forcefully given new life. The ground is thick and frozen, it stings to the touch. The group is back at Hyde Park. With some reluctance, everyone begins to come to. An explosion rocks the immediate area; a small blast springs up several meters to the north. From the direction of destruction a stranger emerges. Nails wastes no time and enforces his trademark “vice-grip” on the man, who quickly defends the notion that he is a friend. He hastily explains that Strikes-with-Courage asked him to look after the park while the pack was away. The explosion was from a small grenade he placed, one of the booby traps he’s laid out to protect the park. The Uratha’s name is Deacon Sharpe. Nails relents his grasp. Once the commotion dies, it is made apparent that Sam Sky is missing. Eric, on the other hand, is lying on the ground trembling. He tells the Scars that Sam is not gone but far from it. Sam and Eric are now one; they are sharing the same body. Eric can feel his brother’s presence in him, and through tremendous mental strain, is fending his brother off for control of his, no… their body. Tonya also has undergone a change, under exactly the opposite circumstances: the entity called Rain has left her entirely. For the first time, in a long time, she is free. The pack decides to travel to the Lodge of the Hunt and speak with Strikes-with-Courage. Upon arrival, they meet one of the lodge members; he tells them Strikes is on business in Lancaster and will return tomorrow. Sharp offers his apartment as a place to crash; everyone accepts. Sharpe’s apartment is located a few blocks from Hyde. It is an absolute wreck, littered with trash, stale food, and various electronics. They order a pizza. Sharp throws on a porno. Tonya rolls her eyes and eats a slice of pepperoni. Eric decides to perform a test for his current condition. With Nails holding him down, Marcus inflicts a wound on the Uratha with his blade. Eric gives in to his brother, allowing Sam Sky controller of the body. Eric hopes that the cut will not show on Sam. This could serve as a way to distinguish the two, in case Sam tries to trick the Scars as he did before. Unfortunately, the cut remains, leaving no real way to tell them apart. Later, Marcus has a brief conversation with Words-Unwritten, who has been hiding inside one of his books. Words thanks him for getting him out of the realm, especially not telling Eternal Balance of his presence when they were at the hub. As promised earlier, Marcus informs him that he’ll drop him off at a library tomorrow. He’s a bit upset, as his ability to become Spitfire is dependent on the spirit. Words tells him not to fret; he will be nearby and, for a price, might aid the Alpha in the future. Meanwhile, Eric’s mental strain to contain his brother has reached an unbearable level. After a lengthy augment and some impressive persuasion he reaches an agreement. They both desire the same thing: to be separate once again in their own bodies. From Eric’s journal: “And the struggle continues. My will surpasses Sam's by far, but his ability to dominate is troublesome. I have formulated a plan. We've come to an agreement.For now, it does us no good to struggle for control. If he attempts to escape, he will be overpowered by my pack or myself- not to mention, once I regain control, it may put us in incredible danger considering where... or to whom he might take us. I cannot constantly restrain him, either. I need the entirity of my focus to function properly.Thus, we agree to work together for the time being. I will release him, and allow him full, unrestrained use of the body provided he does no harm to my companions or myself. In return, he behaves. We can utilize each other's abilities to quickly find a way to undo this... curse.” The next morning the pack awakens to horrific news. The television once again admits another rape has happened at the park last night. The police are reopening the case files of the rape/murders that were thought to have been solved with the death of local Detective David Simmons. A news camera briefly flashes to the crime scene, revealing a mess of blood scattered on the ground. Upon seeing the images, Nails becomes furious and storms out of the apartment. Eric takes alarm to the image of blood; a strange symbol is faintly visible in its droppings. If noticed a human could not decipher it, but an Uratha trained in the first tongue could read it plainly. In the ancient spirit speech the blood spells out the name of the Healing Scars own: Nicolas “Nails” DeWinter. Nails perceived it as an invitation to war from Simmons. And it would see that Nails has accepted. The rest of the Healing Scars follow Nails to the crime scene at the park. Unable to enter the scene Nails uses his senses to get a better picture of the attack. A woman was raped and murdered but the killers scent does not match that of David Jr. He follows the scent to a nearby bus stop. Sharp informs him that he can find the bus schedules on the net, allowing them to track down the killer. The entire group, save Marcus, travels to the Lodge of the Hunt to seek Strike-with-Courage. Marcus has other business to attend to. Marcus takes Words-Unwritten to the nearest locus and gives him directions to his new home. The ex-Ethros departs into the shadow accordingly. Blair then shifts his attention to his main goal, making sure Chelsea is safe. After a long trip he finds himself at Lindsey’s door. It won’t open; Marcus kicks the door down. Chelsea is tied and gagged to her bed. He breaks her bonds and consoles the shattered girl. Sobbingly she tells him that Lindsey tied her up, saying it was for her own good. Marcus grabs some food from the apartment; the girl quickly eats. She has no idea where Lindsey went or why she left. A note on the kitchen table from Lindsey tells Marcus very little, just that she is leaving and that the girl is his responsibility. He checks the caller ID for any suspicious numbers. One number is particular has been called several times. He dials it, and a youthful teenager responds that this is “Mike’s Pizza.” He hangs up, but jots down the number, just in case. Sharpe, Eric, Nails, and Tonya huddle in Sharpe’s car and drive to the Lodge of the Hunt. As they turn the corner, the entire building explodes. They quickly make their way to the scene. A black limo speeds away from the building, tempting the Scars to pursue. But, Nails smells the scent of Strikes-with-Courage in the building. A decision must be made: save Strikes or follow the attackers. The Scars decide to save their mentor. Eric and Nails run headfirst into the burning building. They find Strikes, who is unconscious under the ruble. Nails lifts him up and he and Eric carry the Storm Lord to safety. While the other two save Strikes Sharpe jots down the license number of the limo as it speeds away. They load the wounded Uratha in the Sharpe’s vehicle. Shortly after the limo make a hard u-turn. It would seem that the occupants of said car are unhappy that Strikes has been saved. The limo speeds towards the pack with full intention to ram them. Windows roll down; several gun barrels emerge from the black limousine. Sharpe does his best to protect Strikes and Tonya, moving them out of the limo’s intended path. Eric and Nails leap towards the vehicle and latch on with fist and claw. Eric disarms one of the backseat passengers using his whip, the Conduit Fetish. Nails engages with the driver of the vehicle. He plants a hefty blow to DeWinter square across the jaw. Nails spits out a tooth. The vehicle then swerves to the right, smashing the two against the remains of the burning building. Sparks fly as the two packmates takes great damage. Nails grabs the wheel and forces the moving car away from the wall. In an impressive feat, he leaps to the air, landing several feet in front of the limo. He pull out the stop sign connects with the front windshield, impaling the driver. The limo swerves out of control, rolling end over end into a ball of flames. The skirmish is over. Bloodied and bruised, everyone rushes back to Sharpe’s apartment. At the same time, Marcus takes Chelsea and checks on his office. An eviction notice hangs on the door. He calls a local moving company and has his goods moved. Low on cash, he uses credit. He also makes a few calls and tries to track down Ben Durbin, but has little to no luck. A relative informs him that Ben took a vacation a while back and hasn’t been around since. Back at Sharpe’s apartment, Eric uses his powers to keep Strikes-with-Courage alive. The Uratha is finally stable, but with no regain consciousness for a while. Sharp throws Tonya a US 10 dollar bill and wonders if she might tidy the place up. She accepts, and he marvels at her “cleaning” abilities. By this time Marcus has returned, and the pack fills him in on their events. Their Alpha’s presence was sorely missed, but Nails does a decent job of not complaining about Marcus’s inaction. Strikes-with-Courage finally awakens. He is glad to see that the Healing Scars have returned from the realm. He tells them briefly about his trip to Lancaster. He received a tip that the Pure were organizing a front there. Strikes found little evidence of the Pure, but did manage to bump into a murder spirit, calling himself Reckless-Hate. He also admits that Simmons’s scent was all over the place. They thank him for the information, and Strikes lays down to rest. Eric Sky formulates a plan. He gives into his brother in an attempt to use his unique ghost manipulation ability. Sam does not want to play nice, though. Once in control of the body, he uses his first action to crash through a window and attempt escape. Nails takes him down and Sam is forced to cooperate. Nails and Eric travel back to what was left of the Lodge of the Hunt. Eric hopes that a ghost from the limo wreck might give them some answers. They get lucky and manage to find one such ghost, lying next to the smashed car. The ghost will not confess the identity of his employer. After a promise of release from this world, he tells the two Uratha that Lancaster is where they can find the answers. Eric holds up his part of the bargain, draining the ghost’s essence. He smiles as his images fades away. Marcus’s cell phone rings. The caller ID says: Pentex. He hesitates and finally answers. A voice tells him that they have Lindsey and will make a trade, for the little girl. He’ll call back in 24 hours with more details. Deacon Sharpe asks who Pentex is and the rest of the Scars fill him in on the evil corporation. Sharpe pulls the Alpha to the side and runs an electronic sweeping device across him. The thing goes off like a fire-alarm. After scanning everyone, it is discovered that Marcus, Eric, and Chelsea are heavily bugged. It looks like Sharpe’s haven is no longer safe. Later, Strikes-with-Courage offers Marcus a hiding place for the girl. He tells him that Shadow Wind can temporarily hide Chelsea in the Shadow. This is not an easy task, and it will only work for a short time, but he doubt that Pentex will find her there. Marcus thanks Strikes, and the arrangements are made. Everyone prepares for a journey to Lancaster. What they will find there: the Pure, Simmons, Reckless Hate, Pentex or some other fiend is anyone’s guess.

Is there something of ourselves in wolves?

Our fear of wolves is rooted deep in our past as a hunting people The howl was long and mournful, rising slowly to a crescendo in the twilight. I turned to look at my friend, dread filling the space between us. We had been watching a herd of elk in a large meadow in New Mexico’s Jemez Mountains, and we had lingered too long. Now we were hiking up a narrow forest trail toward our car in almost complete darkness. I was sure the call had come from a coyote, but my friend disagreed, saying it was too long and melancholy, more like that of a wolf. Fear and fascination warred within us as we walked, the same human ambivalence that erupts every time a wolf reintroduction program is proposed in the United States, even one as seemingly passive as the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission’s recent decision not to stop wolves from migrating into Eastern Oregon from Idaho. Fearing attacks on their livestock, ranchers are fearful and angry. Protectionists, meanwhile, see the program as a way to bring a historic predator back into the state. Most of the time wolves will likely hunt the game they have traditionally hunted in the lower 48 — wild deer, elk, marmots, grouse, geese, rabbits, mice and occasionally salmon. Yet they are opportunists known to kill livestock as well. Both sides in the debate know that wolves are brutally efficient killers. With twice the crushing power of a German shepherd, their bite can break through almost any bone to get at its marrow. On the hunt, they harass fleeing prey by striking at the legs, haunches and stomach until the animal is so weakened it collapses. Written accounts of wolf killings of humans in the continental United States are almost nonexistent, but there is a strong oral tradition of such killings among Eskimos in the far north. Nevertheless, they respect the animals for their superior hunting skills and emulate wolf techniques in their own hunting practices. Despite this admiration by native peoples, no predator in the United States has been more vilified than the wolf. Beginning shortly after European settlement on the East Coast, wolves were killed mercilessly with guns, strychnine and traps, until the species was almost wiped out in the lower 48. In his recently reprinted 1978 book, "Of Wolves and Men," Oregon writer Barry Lopez theorizes that this attitude is partly a result of the shift from hunting to an agricultural economy. In the beginning, humans and wolves evolved congruently as social hunters, he postulates, pursuing essentially the same game species, a competitive existence of constant killing for food, which our glimmering human consciousness needed to appease through ritual. Native peoples had such rituals, but not later European settlers. As a result, wolves were seen as remnants of our darkest nature, the killing side we no longer wanted to acknowledge, Lopez argues. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission waited months to put its wolf management plan into effect, hoping the state Legislature would enact a measure giving ranchers the right to kill any wolves preying on their livestock. The agency also hoped the state would provide compensation for wildlife losses from wolf predation. The Legislature failed to address either issue, making the restoration program far more likely to fail if any cattle or sheep are killed. In New Mexico that chilly September night, when my friend and I at last reached the road, we stood a long time by our car, waiting and looking at the stars, hoping to hear that mournful call one more time. I knew no wolves had been reintroduced into the Jemez Mountains, but in that moment, it seemed possible they had re-emerged dreamlike from some fading ancestral memory. In that lengthening silence, a profound loss swept over me, a tiny remnant, perhaps, of that ancient bond between two consummate hunters — one a wild canine firmly rooted in nature whose domain is sadly diminished, and the other an intelligent primate who became dominant only by sacrificing his once-deep connection to nature. As my friend and I drove down the mountain that night, I could not say which species had suffered the greater loss. Source: http://www.mailtribune.com/archive/2006/0113/life/stories/03life.htm Other Links of Note: http://www.defenders.org/wildlife/wolf/alaska.html http://www.wolfcountry.net/ http://conservationgiscenter.org/maps/html/wolves.htmlhttp://www.serconline.org/wolfpreservation/

The Full Moon Approaches

The 14th of this month marks the first full moon of the year. In werewolf, the full moon relates to the warrior side of Mother Luna. To the Healing Scars, this is the night for Nails DeWinter. A lush history formulated by various cultures has created many diffenent faces to the moon, pun intended. But did you know that each different full moon has its own name? Here's a little history, for your reading pleasure. This should pass the time as you wait for the session 7 summary. Full Moon names date back to Native Americans, of what is now the northern and eastern United States. Those tribes of a few hundred years ago kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full Moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred. There were some variations in the Moon names, but in general the same ones were current throughout the Algonquin tribes from New England on west to Lake Superior. European settlers followed their own customs and created some of their own names. Since the lunar (“synodic”) month is roughly 29.5 days in length on average, the dates of the full Moon shift from year to year. Below are all the Full Moon names, as well as the dates and times, for the next twelve months. Unless otherwise noted, all times are for the Eastern Time Zone. Jan. 14, 4:48 a.m. EST: The Full Wolf Moon. Amid the zero cold and deep snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages. It was also known as the Old Moon or the “Moon after Yule.” In some tribes this was the Full Snow Moon; most applied that name to the next moon. Feb. 12, 11:44 p.m. EST: The Full Snow Moon. Usually the heaviest snows fall in this month. Hunting becomes very difficult, and hence to some tribes this was the Full Hunger Moon. March 14, 6:35 p.m. EST: The Full Worm Moon. In this month the ground softens and the earthworm casts reappear, inviting the return of the robins. The more northern tribes knew this as the Full Crow Moon, when the cawing of crows signals the end of winter, or the Full Crust Moon because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night. The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of tapping maple trees, is another variation. In addition, a very minor penumbral lunar eclipse will take place on this night; the Moon will pass through the Earth’s outer and cause a slight tarnishing or smudginess to appear on its lower rim. The darkest phase of this eclipse comes at 6:48 p.m. EST. For about 40 minutes before and after this time, the subtle penumbral shading may be detected with binoculars and even the naked eye. April 13, 12:40 p.m. EDT: The Full Pink Moon. The grass pink or wild ground phlox is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Other names were the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and -- among coastal tribes -- the Full Fish Moon, when the shad came upstream to spawn. This is also the Paschal Full Moon; the first full Moon of the spring season. The first Sunday following the Paschal Moon is Easter Sunday, which indeed will be observed three days later on Sunday, April 16. May 13, 2:51 a.m. EDT: The Full Flower Moon. Flowers are abundant everywhere. It was also known as the Full Corn Planting Moon or the Milk Moon. June 11, 2:03 p.m. EDT: The Full Strawberry Moon. Known to every Algonquin tribe. Europeans called it the Rose Moon. July 10, 11:02 p.m. EDT: The Full Buck Moon, when the new antlers of buck deer push out from their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. It was also often called the Full Thunder Moon, thunderstorms being now most frequent. Sometimes also called the Full Hay Moon. Aug. 9, 6:54 a.m. EDT: The Full Sturgeon Moon, when this large fish of the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water like Lake Champlain is most readily caught. A few tribes knew it as the Full Red Moon because the moon rises looking reddish through sultry haze, or the Green Corn Moon or Grain Moon. Sept. 7, 2:42 p.m. EDT: The Full Corn Moon. Corn – an Indian staple -- is now ready for gathering. The Moon will also be at perigee later this day, at 11:00 p.m., at a distance of 221,938 miles/357,175 km. from Earth. As such, this will be the biggest and brightest Full Moon of 2006. Very high tides can be expected from the coincidence of perigee with full Moon. In addition, a rather small (19%) partial lunar eclipse will be visible from Africa, Asia, Australia, and Eastern Europe. Maximum eclipse occurs at 18:51 GMT. Oct. 6, 11:13 p.m. EDT: The Full Harvest Moon. Always the full Moon occurring nearest to the Autumnal Equinox. In one out of three years, it comes in October and 2006 is one of those years. Nov. 5, 7:58 a.m. EST: The Full Beaver Moon. Time to set beaver traps before the swamps freeze to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Beaver Full Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now active in their preparation for winter. Also called the Frosty Moon. Dec. 4, 7:25 p.m. EST: The Full Cold Moon; among some tribes, the Full Long Nights Moon. In this month the winter cold fastens its grip, and the nights are at their longest and darkest. Also sometimes called the “Moon before Yule” (Yule is Christmas, and this time the Moon is only just before it). The term Long Night Moon is a doubly appropriate name because the midwinter night is indeed long and the Moon is above the horizon a long time. The midwinter full Moon takes a high trajectory across the sky because it is opposite to the low Sun. Note: The following information can be found on Space.com. For more on the moon go to: http://www.space.com/fullmoonfever/

Email Confirmations

If you look to the right of our webpage you will now notice that the proposed date and time for the next session is displayed. This is an attempt to iron out any confusion as to when and where the Healing Scars will be gaming next. I have also devised a system of emails to replace our current system of calling folks up and having them verbally commit to a date. In with the new, out with the old, I say. There are many reasons as to why I feel it is necessary to switch to this format. I'll list a few. It's hard to reach people via phone. We all work different schedules. Most of the time, I end up leaving a message on one's machine and hope for the best. No central way to check on the status of the date/time. The Session date and time listed on the main page does perform this. It also lists which players have confirmed the proposed date and time and which haven't. I'm the hardest guy in the world to reach via phone. It's true. When I'm not working crazy hours or going to school, I'm generally spending time with my wife and my son. Translation: 90% of my time is spent elsewhere. I am however, always on the web and check my email multiple times each day. I hate phones. They are the devil. The guy who invented them can go to the devil and stay there for a long time. I could go into further explanation of how this new system works, but I think the first confirmation email explains things nicely: Session Confirmation Email #1 Healing Scars Packmates, This is the proposed date and time for the next Healing Scars session: Next Session: Fri 1/20/06 Locale: Adam's Place Time: 10:00 p.m. Please reply to this email and confirm the date above. If you are unable to confirm, please respond and suggest an alternate date and/or time. The date and time information can be found on our main website, http://www.healingscars.blogspot.com/. When a Healing Scars Packmate confirms the date and time, I will move their name from the "Unconfirmed" category to the "Confirmed" category. This information will be displayed on the main page. If someone cannot play at all, their name will be moved to the "Not Attending" category. By general rule of thumb we will play a session if 3 out of 4 packmates are willing to play. If a change in the date and time occurs I will send out another email and the process of confirming will continue until an acceptable time and date has been established. Each new email will have a new confirmation number. This email, for example, is Session Conformation Email #1. If I send out another one, due to a change in date or time, it will be labeled Session Confirmation Email #2. This method will hopefully filter out countless phone calls and ease the communication process. On the night before the actual session, I will phone everyone to get a voice confirmation. I look forward to our next gaming session. Eithan

Touched by VAST

Simply put, "Touched" is a powerful song. It sparks a tribal flame with its chanting refrain. I’d like to take a moment and explain the significance of this song. Kindly observe the lyrics to the Healing Scar's theme song "Touched" by Vast: Touched, you say that I am too So much, of what you say is true I'll never find someone quite like you again I'll never find someone quite like you, like you The razors and the dying roses Plead I don't leave you alone The demi-gods and hungry ghosts Oh god, god knows I'm not at home I'll never find someone quite like you again I'll never find someone quite like you again I, I looked into your eyes and saw A world that does not exist I looked into your eyes and saw A world I wish I was in I'll never find someone quite as touched as you I'll never love someone quite the way That I loved you But what does this mean? I remember hearing this song for the first time (thanks to Jarrett) and thinking the melody was perfect but the lyrics were off. At first glance the song seems personal, a lover’s quest through love, rejection, and ultimately acceptance over their partner’s perfection. The Uratha do not display this feeling, or do they? After several more listenings I thought on the lyrics deeper and a connection was made. Allow me to attempt to explain. "Touched" is about dying love. And, if you twist its initial conveyances, “Touched” represents the relationship between the Forsaken and Mother Luna. The narrator is the Uratha, who long for the time before the gauntlet, before the death of Father Wolf. It is a twisted love, for as a parent she cursed her sons and daughters on the night of that kill. Her love is pure, but it is not kind. “The razors and the dying roses” represent the challenges each Werewolf must overcome: the Shadow, Incarnae, the Pure, even themselves. And the bit about “looking into her eyes”… as I experience this particular moment of the song I envision a wolf-form Uratha gazing at the night sky, staring into the full moon, the physical representation Luna. The world that Luna envisions does not exist, perhaps it never can. But, if we give in to doubt, if we allow ourselves to not believe (much like the Pure), we loose her love and then… everything.

The Conduit Fetish

Fetish Conduit Spirit Agamemnon, Jaggling of the Shadow User Eric Sky Type Weapon/Support (Whip) Damage +1 Bashing/+1 Lethal - *1 Essence/1 Health +1 to Disarm/Grapple +1 Against Skeletons and Vampires Appearance The whip is of standard black design, with incricate runes carved in the leather weaving. When dormant, the whip is 5ft. in length. When activated, the leather twists lightly as though it were breathing, occasionally twitching. Abilities Essence Transfer: As a standard ability, when activated, the whip allows for the transfer of essence to and from a desired target. The user spends 1 essence, and activates the whip. The user must then entangle the target, living or spiritual, via Grapple (Dexterity will replace Strength for this maneuver, as the weapon is engaging in the Grapple). The user then makes an Intelligence + Occult roll vs. the target's Intelligence + Composure. *For a success, the user and target's essence can then be transferred to one another at a rate of 1 Essence per round of combat, or every six seconds. If the user fails, the whip deactivates and the user loses 1 Essence. If there is no Essence to be lost, the user will lose 1 Health instead. For an exceptional success, the user may transfer additional Essence at GM discretion. Extend/Retract, Thorns: Upon expenditure of 2 Essence, the whip extrudes jagged barbs which line its length, effectively making its damage lethal. Its "breathing" becomes more noticeable, and its movements are more violent and rapid. At the user's will, the whip can then extend and retract to a minimum of 2 ft. and a maximum of 10ft., moving at very high speeds. The user gains +1 towards Grapple and Disarm, as the whip's thorned edge and tightened attacks make these more effective. Heave: The whip can be perceived as a muscle in and of itself. Having been activated and engaged in a Grapple, the whip can absorb Essence on its own. This Essence roll remains the same, but all Essence goes to the whip. Upon absorbing enough Essence from a target, the whip can then hurl that or another target several feet. The distance and weight are GM discretion, but 200lbs is its maximum lifting strength*. Drawbacks: The whip is highly attuned to the Shadow. Such is its bond with spirit that when in the Shadow, the whip becomes mildly sentient. It bonds with the user's dominate hand, wrapping itself around his/her upper arm. The fetish then acts as more of a tentacle than a whip, occasionally snapping and grappling of its own accord. The stronger the bond with the owner, the more likely the whip is to succumb to his/her will. A willpower roll may be required to keep Conduit under the user's control. *When using the Heave ability while in the Shadow, Conduit can hurl up to 400lbs or more, as it is stronger when in this realm. This can be dangerous, as the whip could techincally pull the user, if it so desired. Special: Eric Sky can perform the Binding and Banishing Rituals, as well as the Life Drain with the use of this whip. This process takes a minimum of 4 turns, and 3 Essence. The Life Tap must be activated, as well as the Conduit. When these are complete, Eric must Grapple the target with the whip. If successful, he can begin the Health/Essence transfer at the beginning of the next round, or he can begin the desired Rite. Also, Conduit's affinity for the Shadow give it latent abilities that may be accessed at the GM's discretion. With a sufficient source of energy and proper activation, Conduit may be used to tear holes in the Gauntlet, or even create portals to the destination of the user's choice.

Tribute

I fondly remember my first real exposure to roleplaying. I was fifteen. My mother and my sisters were shopping for crafts and other such girly things in a mall in St. Louis. I quickly separated from them and made my way to closest bookstore. Acknowledging my “nerd-dom” I skipped right over the popular literature and made my way to the fantasy section. I’ve always been drawn to fantasy. At this particular point in my life, I knew absolutely nothing about pen and paper rpgs. While searching for the latest Wheel of Time novel, my eyes fell upon this hardback book simply titled: Vampire: the Masquerade. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. It seemed so inviting, and with each page turn I felt this book was closer to a “must-buy” status in my head. After a bit of skimming I came across a perplexing notion, this book was no ordinary work of fiction. It claimed, as I continued to read on, to be a game. I was at first naïve to this notion and started looking for another box; there must be figures or a board of something elsewhere. But I found nothing. And, on the next page, the book told me that all I need is my imagination… and this book as a guide. This has got to be too good to be true, I remember thinking. I decided to give it a try/buy, since the latest Robert Jordan work was not out yet anyways. I actually ended up purchasing Vampire: the Dark Ages instead of Masquerade for the absolute silliest of reasons: I thought the cover looked better. As soon as I was home I took my first step into the world of roleplaying. I read it cover to cover in just 2 days. I remember devoting most of a Saturday tucked away in my bedroom trying to make sense of this complicated game without rules. I finished the book and immediately started a migraine. I was lost. None of it made sense to me. A couple of days later I tried to read it again. It left me with the same results, new headache to boot. My high school girlfriend mentioned that one particular guy played these roleplaying games and might be able to help. I really needed to figure this thing out. I took her advice and looked him up. In fact, we had the same math class, so I started there. His name was Jarrett Heintz. Jarrett and I had been in a few plays together, but other than that, I knew very little of the guy. Jarrett was a vault of roleplaying information and filled in the blanks to a lot of my questions. Subsequently, he was running his own roleplaying game called Werewolf: the Apocalypse. A few weeks later, he asked me if I would like to sit in on one of his sessions. Now, this made sound a little weird, but Jarrett’s sessions were kind of legendary amongst the dorky folk at Alton High School. His players talked so vividly of the experiences that lots of people wanted to play, so much that sitting in on a group was the first initiation step towards getting to play. I accepted his proposal, hoping that I might earn my way into the group. At least this way I could learn more about the roleplaying process if I ever started up my own group. I sat in and was amazed. The plots were so deep; the players actually dressed and spoke as their characters. They even had theme music. Very dorky, for sure, but I was engrossed in it all. Luckily for me, I was accepted in the group and slowly became one of their regulars. If I could sum up all of these experiences into one word, I would have to say: EPIC. Everything we did was larger-than-life. The feeling of being in character and running in those games was truly incredible. We all continued to play through high school, all the way up to graduation. And, after a short break, J managed to start up a new group in college. Many of the faces had changed, but the core feel of the group and the game had not. I was a car ride away and did my best to drive up on the weekends to game. Of course, it also helped that my future wife was at that school as well. The games went strong until college finally ended. I joined the military and Jarrett went on to grad school in Montana. Everyone was quite busy with the necessities of life. It looked like our roleplaying would have to take a break, for a short while at least. I’m happy to say that our group is back, though many of the faces have yet again changed. But I hold true to the belief that the passion of the game, the longing for creation, and the intensity of our imaginations have not wavered. Why am I writing about this? Well, today is Jarrett’s 25th birthday, and I think the last ten years of roleplaying ought to be recorded somewhere. That’s why I started this site in the first place, to make sure that the memories, OUR memories, are recorded. It’s important to mention that while our group is back, it is missing one key player. Jarrett is the guy who started all of this, and our group would not be here if it were not for his advances in storytelling. So, be sure to wish him happy birthday. You might even want to hop on our other website, Dreaming Eye, and give him a shout. Thanks for the memories Jarrett. I hope to game with you soon again.

MySpace Profile

The Healing Scars now have a MySpace Profile. Search for the name "Nick DeWinter" and you'll find it. Look! It's says we're in the UK, and our characterization song is in the profile! Also, my packmates, if you want to alter the MySpace page, just let me know and I'll send you the password. EDIT: Well done Alex, to ease in simplicity I've added the link to that page: Healing Scars MySpace Page -Eithan