Biting Sticks bring the wyrm
| Biting Sticks bring the wyrm | |
|---|---|
| Date of Scene: | 05 April 2025 |
| Location: | Juniper Cross Community - Cafeteria and Kingwood - Sunny Meadows Farm |
| Synopsis: | Cleaning the Wyrm from Kahale and Sunny Meadows Farms |
| Cast of Characters: | Kahale, Ajax, Etienne, Achimedes, Lila, Ryen, Samson, Chuck, Kahula |
| Cast of NPCs: | None |
Kahale nods slowly his hand is moves along his coat shaking off more of the salt with a look at Ajax. "It was at the farm, it was there oddly. Tiffany, asked me to look into it and well, hours later this happened." His voice is comes out with force, his eyes are running that nose, is gearing up for another loud sneeze, with a shake of his head. "Never been like this I hate it!"
He nods slowly at Archie, his hand is motions towards himself trying to find the words. "I think there is a way to check, if infected or corrupted right? I have not that skill, I wish to find one that can do it. To check my tides, make sure all is Gaia, nothing creeping into me, to pollute my waters." He pushes off the wall to start to pace around now, not able to stand still that coat is bellowing around him, with another sneeze ripping through his body.
He nods at Etienne, pointing at the guitar. "Play those songs, make them sing for our friend." His eyes are move to Achi with a nod, once more he sneezes pacing back and forth, trying to stay clear of anyone's food or the cooking prep.
<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Ajax rolls Perception + Occult (Total: 5) vs 6 for 3 successes. => 2 5 6 7 8
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->
Gaze sweeps across the others. Head tilts toward Etienne with the suggestion of explaining his name and he sad-smiles a bit. He listens to Kahale and considers what he is asking for, shaking his head a bit. "That is the job of a Shadow Seer, or a KNife Skulker. Not en Engineer. I am sorry." Archimedes says to the Rokea. "I might know a few who can search your tides for taint." he suggests, but then adds, "That leads us to another question. What caused it? Something at the farm? Can it do the same to others? You regenerate like most right? Shouldn't that have helped keep you from getting sick?"
For his part, Ajax's face definitely falls when he realized that the food Archimedes was proposing was not some kind of cute euphemism, but he does his solemn best to put it behind him and power past it. He also does his solemn best not to cringe in disgust, which he does a....a passable job of doing! Sure. "Tell us about all of it...but give me a moment." The Silver Fang listens to Kahale more seriously, and furrows his brow. He concentrates, doing what he'd been taught some time ago to practice discernment. After a bit, his eyes widen. "No need to look further. I'm sorry to inform you, friend, that you may indeed be suffering from the corruption, carrying it within you now. I don't know the secret rite to cleanse you of what ails you, but....we must find you someone who can, and soon. This may only get worse for you if left untreated, and you most certainly will not be able to attend your holy places if you wish for them to stay clean."
Etienne grunts as he sets the cutting board aside. "I still learnin' that Gift you speaking about, Kahale. There a story I need to tell about that teaching to Honor the spirit who help me, but we save that for later. This?" he gestures around at the group. "Kinda more important. Ajax got you covered for that sensing, him. I for sure got the Rite to cleanse any taint that he find offa you. Anyone else know it? We knock it out here."
You lose one Gnosis
Kahale nods slowly his eyes on Ajax, than he looks over at Etienne with a nod of his head. "I can help with it, I know it well. I have done it many times to clean, the taint from those I kill." He walks over slowly picking up salt, some water as he looks around trying to find a spot to start the work, his hand is brings out his ritual kit from his many pockets, teeth, bones, bits of shells and coral. Starting to lie them out in a circle. "I would welcome your help with this Etienne, I'm one with the tides and the spirits. I enjoy doing that work, it is my purpose."
He turns to look at Achimedes with a dipping of his head, as he starts to drip the water down into the circle, made out of the crushed bone. "It is fine, I will need all of you for the next step, if you would be willing to help me clean the place, itself that farm. I will need help, more power than one can give alone."
<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Kahale rolls Manipulation + Rituals (Total: 8) vs 6 for 3 successes. => 1 4 4 5 7 7 8 9 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->
Out of one the darkened corners was where Father Abe had been hiding, watching the others closely and the conversation with his little beady dark eyes. As the call for the ritual is made though he will decide to make an appearance. He shifts into his human form, drabbed in dark brown robes, hood pulled over his head to only allow his weathered face, crystal blue eyes and that scruffy beard peak out, "In need of some assistance? A shepherd always watches over his flock." He will state, clunking the large shepherd's staff on the floor before waving it at them.
"I may not know the rite, but if you lead me in the ritual, I will join you," Ajax announces , crossing over past the counter and looking apologetically at Archimedes as he does. Obviously, the way the momentum of the gathering was going, his more pleasant and lauding questioning would have to wait. "Sir! We would be honored to accept your assistance. This warrior must be cleansed!" he blathers gratefully.
The small group is gathered near the kitchen of the cafateria area talking. Kahale is all red faced and snot nosed. They are discussing his problem and how to resolve it. Archimedes turns his attention to Father Abe when he arrives, flashing him a bit of a grin. Back to the sharkie, Archi responds, "Of course. The Wyrm's tentacles should be severed where they are found." Nodding to what Ajax claims, "I've seen it done a number of times, but don't know it myself..."
Lila comes into the cafeteria skipping along happily this girl is happy about getting her clinic up and running well almost there are a few detials that needed to be done. "Heya everybody. What is this talk about rites I hear? I am not new to hearing about rites I find some of them to be intresting. "
Etienne rummages around his guitar case for his medicine bag. It's a simple thing, just a leather drawstring satchel stuffed with ritual fixings. "Goan need clean water. Better cleanse this kitchen while we at it. Don't need no hitchhikers come riding in on you, no how." He gets to work inscribing the ritual circle." He kicks some of his spiritual strength, to make sure the kitchen is covered. It's just another day in a Unicorn packmember's life. He's chanting softly in the Spirit Speech, invoking Great Uktena to lend his aid to the Rite.
Etienne loses one Magical Essence
Kahale turns to look at the Father with a nod of his head, with moving with it all as he starts to chant now. His voice is coming out weak, with the coughing now and the sneezing rocking his body. His voice is coming out, light filled with the desire to heal the sickness. Moving back and forth dumping the salt water on himself, standing there now chanting now.
“Salt remembers. Sea forgives. Flesh returns. Spirit wakes.”
“What was touched by rot, I return to the current. What was marked in shadow, I bring to the light below. The Wyrm has no anchor here. The water flows unbound.”
“By tooth, by tide, by truth I cleanse you in the name of the Deep.”
His own voice is comes out powerful, as they work with a nod at Etienne, working it the way of the sea and the tides, his hand is moving to plung more and more salt water on to himself, as he keeps on chanting. Spitting the water up as he swallow it than, he slams his hands down loud making it all jump into the air. Leading anyone that wishes to help through the motions. "Now for the better task to the Farm, where it will be best for us."
Ajax joins in concert, making his own signs and chants to spirits that echo in tandem with the group's effort. It must have made such a strange scene in the middle of the industrial cafeteria, to see the ritual circle drawn, the chants raised, the water splashed and thrown, raising up and down of hands, a cohort of spiritualist freaks of various denominations and stripes all trying in concert to rid Kahale of what ailed him. It felt almost alarming to have others come in through the door at that time, or to have the kin looking on, but there was simply nothing for it - the taint had to be cleansed immediately. He looked apologetically at Lila as she arrived, as well as the other kin about, but he did not once divert from his ritual efforts.
Father Abe will make his approach to the group, bowing down to get on his knees and lay the staff down upon the floor. As the others begin their chants, he joins in mimicking the words of the spirits in their native language. He is fully enthralled by the event, head tipping up and looking into the ceiling while eyes roll back into his head.
Backpack slung over one shoulder, Ryen comes to the kitchen. Looks like he's been working and after something to eat. Finding the kitchen closed, his smile fades a bit.
Then there's rituals being performed, he spins on his heel and locks the door. That done, he continues in to see what's going on. "Something happen?" He asks.
"You cleaning the farm, get the boss," Etienne suggests once the rite is completed. "Samson got all the Gifts and Rites for that, him bein' a bear-skin and all."
Kahale nods slowly picking up the items, into his pockets that are not spent, than the others bits from his ritual are picked up placed into another pocket. He nods at Ryen with a little chuckle. "Wyrm tinted, touched something at farm. Going to clean it now with them." His hand is motions to those coming with him, with a nod at Etienne. "Thank you for the help, you honor me, tell him to meet us there if you can. Something moved and throw things in the night, she asked me to look it over. Got sick." WIth that he is heading towards the door, not fast waiting for those coming with!
Observing while the others perform the ritual, Archimedes crosses his arms and leans against the nearest wall. He glances to the door when Ryen enters, his lips twitching into a bit of a grin. His gaze returns to the others, keeping an eye on things. Supervising it would seem by his lack of effort. Stepping forward when it is all finished, he helps Father Abe up as if he were some old man. "We'll meet you at the farm, Breaker." he suggests with a glance at his Ratkin brother.
Ajax, of course, feels duty bound to follow Kahale to the farm to help. But, before he does, he quickly doubles back to Archimedes. "Let me seek you here, or tell me where to find you in Juniper Cross. I'll return to learn your story and spread it far and wide. I must go now to help him." As he heads for the exit, he puts a quick hand on Ryen's shoulder as a silent measure of camraderie, knowing he would understand the urgency as he hustles to keep up with Kahale and the others.
The arrival of the all the Gaians on the warpath, to clean up the farm is coming along nicely. It seems word has spread of the sick Shark, and the touching of the sticks. When they get to the farm, it is a little off to the side of the barn, where the garden is he would lead them to now, wearing a pair of leather motorcycle gloves now, his eyes on them with a frown.
"I woke them up and they tried to bite me. I touched them, hours later I got that sickness in me. That running nose, the itchy eyes, all of it." His voice is sounds filled with rage, pointing right at them and than his hand is sweeps the rest of the garden. "Last night Tiffany, said something was fucking around and well, that happened she was smarter than me touched it with her pitchfork, me I went in bare handed. Lesson is learned, now I want to try and clean it all. Deeply, take our time. Whom knows the ritual, and whom will be assisting" With that Khaula starts to empty his pockets taking out his ritual kit, starting to setup his own circle, the goal would be to carve the full of the garden.
Chuck pulls his truck in and parks it, hopping down from the cab and waiting for whoever else rode with him before beep-beeping the locks closed. He heads across to where shark and bear are up to business, looking a little confused about the actual situation. "Ok, something got a little garbled, I think. Did he say he got bitten by a stick?"
"I have to be honest, I like to think I am a strong interpreter and communicator, but I still don't really understand the nature of these....tainted sticks," Ajax allows, his face contorted into a mixture of apologetic anxious happiness and mild disappointment at his admission of shortcoming. He says this as he emerges from the car behind Chuck. For Ryen: "I'm not sure of anything. This was the first time I've performed a cleansing ritual in broad daylight in the middle of public."
Giving people a ride that needed it, Ryen's place isn't far from here either! He gets his backpack and walks into the area with Kahale. "You woke them up?" He asks curiously. He looks around and asks, "Are we sure the taint is specifically here? Not just brought from somewhere else?"
Kahula road with Chuck and she looks to Kahale "why did you touch it without me?!" she asks her voice raising. and she looks about softly, staying away from the sick shark for now .. but looking conserned
Samson frowns and peers as he looks at the gloves before answering Chuck "Bad magic in the gloves got him good." and then looks around a bit "Well I know the rite of Cleansing now but I have other options that might be useful. I'd think spot cleansing the concentrations of taint should come first. Does anyone have the gift for finding concentrations of wyrm energy?"
Ajax raises his hand. In truth, he had a lot of Gifts, but he'd always been born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
Kahale nods slowly his eyes studying the garden and the sticks with a shake of his head. "Yeah, I'm sure it was here." His hands are resting there for a long time, with a nod of his head. His eyes flick to Samson with a little chuckle. "Not bad idea, might wish to do that. Seems like a good way of thinking, I was just going to do it. I have not that gift, we of the water take little chances." His eyes on ajax with a girn, so many teeth designed to rip and tear into flesh. "Yeah, if you would be so kind."
Riding along as a rat, Archimedes doesn't take up much space. He stays that way for a while, sniffing out the place once they arrive. He can't necessarily sense Wyrm but ratkin rat sniffers are amazing for other things. Hell, they teach rats to sniff out landmines. When the others begin to gather to investigate and cleanse, he shifts back into his Ratman shape, the one similar to Glabro. His dark beady eyes scan over the group, sneering a bit at the sight. "What a mortley crew." he mutters before he begins to walk the area.
]=====================##======---> Ajax rolls Perception + Occult (Total: 5) vs 6 for 2 successes. => 1 3 6 7 10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> Ryen rolls Perception + Occult (Total: 6) vs 6 FAILED => 1 2 3 4 4 10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->
Chuck pushes the brim of his hat up as he takes a closer look. "Sorry, nope. I'm learning the Rite of Cleansing, but I haven't gotten it down yet. What exactly are we looking at here though? Or looking for?"
Father Abe also hitched a ride in his fat black rat form, and upon exiting shifted back into his normal human form, wearing brown robes and carrying a large shepherd's staff. He has a certain intensity about him his face as he gazes around to look at the others, finally responding to the shark, "I am here to assist, as always. To help those of mother's flock as needed." He will gesture out grandly with his hands, but is certainly very attentive to his surroundings.
Looking around, Ryen listens to what's being said. He seems to be looking around and then frowns. "I cannae feel it." Ryen says with a bit of disappointment. "I know the Rite. I can teach it if anyone wishes to learn."
As he speaks, he unshoulders his backpack and starts to rummage around in it for a flask and some sage.
Kahula shifts around Kahule.. she sighs a bit looking at him up and down for a momment.. bit by a stick, and she can not really help with the matter at hand.. she looks back to Chuck.. and then her eyes turn to Ryan and Ajax and she settles.. the wolves will know how.
"...The entire garden appears to be suffering the same spread of corruption our Rokea was dealing with earlier," Ajax says, his face falling as he concentrates. His eyes narrow, explaining the issue for the group. "It's gone beyond whatever these sticks were! We must leap into action! Ryen, Kahale, if you know the ritual, I fear it must be performed in multiple places here on the farm!" Of course, Ajax is like a man-shaped klaxon as he calls everyone to action.
Kahale nods slowly his eyes on Ryen and than on Ajax with a nod of his head, taking out his salt water, first placing it down in two large jars. Than he gets out the bones and the shells, all of it starting to make his circle. "Thank you, now to start on this. We can teach others as we go, I do things with the water and sea, and my chants." His voice rings out, as he starts to make his circle. "Shall we start?"
"Not good." mutters the Ratkin as he scans over the place. Even without the gift to sense out Wyrm, seeing the corruption isn't difficult. "This will set us back. We might need to burn all of this to keep it from spreading...let's hope it can be cleansed." Archimedes furrows brows, staring out over the gardens. When his attention returns to the group, there is a pause before he asks, "How did this even happen? Does anybidy even know?"
Father Abe nods his head in agreement with Archi's assessment, "When in doubt, cleanse it with fire." The deep voice will bellow out, a wicked smile coming to the street preacher's lips as makes his way towards one of the circles to start the cleansing. He will lay his staff down before him onto the ground but does not kneel as not to touch the desecrated land.
Samson shakes his head at the mention of burning "No. No fire. If you find the pieces like the gloves that were dropped to spread the toxin and cleanse or break them I can heal the land. I don't have the gifts to find all the pieces though, someone else has to do that. Tiffany's been very good to us, I'd like to avoid damaging her hard work."
You lose one Gnosis Archimedes loses one Magical Essence Ryen loses one Magical Essence Father Abe loses one Magical Essence Samson loses one Magical Essence Kahula loses one Magical Essence Ajax loses one Magical Essence Chuck loses one Magical Essence
Kahula shifts a little and she smiles lightly "maybe I can help finding lost things?" she asks to Kahale as she lends her effort to the cleansing.
First round of clean ]=====================##======---> Kahale rolls Manipulation + Rituals (Total: 8) vs 7 for 3 successes. => 1 3 4 4 7 8 9 9 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Kahula rolls Manipulation + Rituals (Total: 6) vs 7 FAILED => 1 1 1 3 5 9 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Ryen rolls Charisma + Rituals (Total: 5) vs 7 FAILED => 1 3 3 6 7 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Archimedes rolls Manipulation + Rituals (Total: 6) vs 7 for 4 successes. => 5 6 8 9 9 10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> ]=====================##======---> Ajax rolls Charisma + Rituals (Total: 7) vs 7 FAILED => 1 2 3 3 5 6 10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> ]=====================##======---> Samson rolls Charisma + Rituals (Total: 7) vs 7 (SPECIALTY) FAILED => 1 1 3 3 5 7 9 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> Finding Anchor: ]=====================##======---> Kahale rolls Perception + Primal Urge (Total: 6) vs 6 for 2 successes. => 1 4 5 8 8 10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> ]=====================##======---> Ryen rolls Perception + Occult (Total: 6) vs 6 for 2 successes. => 3 3 3 3 9 10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Archimedes rolls Perception + Primal Urge (Total: 9) vs 4 for 5 successes. => 1 1 4 4 5 5 7 7 10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->
]=====================##======---> Archimedes rolls Perception + Primal Urge (Total: 9) vs 4 for 5 successes. => 1 1 4 4 5 5 7 7 10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Father Abe rolls Perception + Primal Urge (Total: 8) vs 4 for 5 successes. => 1 2 6 7 7 9 9 10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> ]=====================##======---> Chuck rolls Perception + Primal Urge (Total: 4) vs 6 for 1 successes. => 1 3 7 9 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> ]=====================##======---> Kahula rolls Perception + Occult (Total: 4) vs 5 for 3 successes. => 3 9 9 9 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->
Kahale lowers to a crouch at the edge of the garden, fingertips splayed wide across the soil. Both of his palms pressed into the damp, salted loam like a man reading the sea by touch alone. His eyes close seeking out the spirits here are quiet, but not gone.
Wounded. Watching.
His hand slides across the earth in slow, concentric circles, brushing past roots and broken stone until it halts. His hand is hovering over a patch of ground where the weeds grow a little too wild. His breath draws slow and deep as he sinks his fingers in, lifting a small, crusted shard of rusted metal tied to twine, black with age and soaked in sorrow. His eyes are locked down on the spot with a shake of his head, fingers are moving to place a bit of bone into the soil, marking it with a frown. "Find the biggest spots, feel them and we will clean them first. Everyone tries to find one, we will start there."
First they spread out to find the greatest sources of the Wyrm infection. Archimedes begins to scamper the area, nose and whiskers twitching as he sniffs and snuffles around to find the anchors. When he finds one, he places a pile of chocolate sprinkes to mark the location (pro tip they are not actually chocolate). Then he moves on to find more anchors.
Sometimes you have to really dig into your work to find shit. That's what Ryen's doing. He's wandered off a ways and is almost crawling on hands and knees. Eventually he makes a triumphant sound and after a moment, holds up some sort of spike.
Chuck hangs around the perimeter of the gathering, staying out of the experts' way. When the hunt for the foul hotspots begins though, he joins the seekers in circling out and sniffing for trouble. And watching out for angry sticks that bite you. Back home, we called those 'snakes'.
The Silver Fang concentrates as they all break away, trying to use his own Gift of Sensing the Wyrm rather than trying to comprehend the nature of feeling it with your hand. He spreads out to find his own node of corruption, as the others are doing, and select an anchor of his own. It wouldn't dawn on him until later how colossal the effort is.
Without a moments notice Father Abe shifts down into his natural form. A big black rat with a dump truck for an ass and a long tail. He will give a quick booty bump to Archimedes who is in his rat form and call out in the rat language, <<Bet I find one first, shit brick.>> Then he is off to the races, nose pointed down at the ground and sniffing about while he skitters frantically around the farm area.
He is plowing full steam ahead, when suddenly he churns on the brakes, sending himself tumbling through some leaves. He regains himself though and heads another direction, finally finding a rough patch of gnarled weeds which he will pause to sprinkle piss on it to mark it as well. He will screech out to Archie <<We'll call it a draw!>>
Kahula moves like smoke on the wind, skimming the edge of where spirit and soil blur. She doesn’t dig—she listens. A fingertip to a wind-bent stalk, a palm laid flat against an old stone with a spider’s nest behind it. The riddles here are knotted tight in grief and forgetting, but she is patient. She hums under her breath, a song with no words but full of names long since buried.
By a dead patch of nettle, she finds a knotted bundle of feathers and broken glass, half-swallowed by the earth. A slow breath, a reverent bow of her head, and she tucks a charm woven of thread and teeth into the roots nearby.
You lose one Gnosis Kahula loses one Magical Essence Ryen loses one Magical Essence Archimedes loses one Magical Essence ]=====================##======---> Ajax loses one Magical Essence Kahale rolls Manipulation + Rituals + 1 (Total: 9) vs 5 for 3 successes. => 1 1 3 3 6 9 9 10 10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Ryen rolls Charisma + Rituals + 1 (Total: 6) vs 5 for 3 successes. => 2 3 4 5 5 9 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> ]=====================##======---> Kahula rolls Manipulation + Rituals + 1 (Total: 7) vs 7 for 3 successes. => 2 3 4 4 9 10 10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> => ]=====================##======---> Archimedes rolls Manipulation + Rituals (Total: 6) vs 5 for 3 successes. => 1 3 5 9 9 10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> ]=====================##======---> Ajax rolls Charisma + Rituals + 1 (Total: 8) vs 5 for 5 successes. => 1 4 5 5 8 8 9 9 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> ]=====================##======---> Samson rolls Charisma + Rituals (Total: 7) vs 5 (SPECIALTY) for 8 successes. => 6 6 7 7 8 8 10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> ]=====================##======---> Kahula rolls Manipulation + Rituals (Total: 6) vs 5 for 3 successes. => 1 4 5 6 6 10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->
Samson is mixing salt and soil in his earthenware bowl, muttering in the gurhal tongue as he prepares for the next rite. Watching the different shifters seeking out the tainted objects infecting the land >>Great Mother, Ursa Major, guide me in my work. A diverse fellowship of Gaia's children calls for the gifts of bear to help tend the land that feeds them.<<
Kahale moves barefoot through the garden with a calm look on his face, his eyes closed as he takes in a deep breath. "Let us start, everyone ready? We will make this anew, we will do this for all of our people, we will never back down from the enemy, the wyrm will leave this place. When we all stand as one, there is nothing that can stop the tides from flowing."
His long coat is cast aside, draped over the broken gate, and his torso is bare-chested now with that deep ink on his body, faded from the many years of the sun and being alive.
In one hand he carries a small bowl carved from driftwood and whalebone. The inside is stained with brine and ash. The other hand is gripping a shark’s tooth lashed to a carved stick of blackened coral. He steps carefully between overgrown patches and half-dead herbs. Ever so often stopping now and again to kneel, press fingers into the soil.
“Salt remembers. Sea forgives. Flesh returns. Spirit wakes.”
He dips the coral tool into the bowl and flings a streak of salted water across a patch of ground with each of the words trying to work on the section, given to him his eyes watching the others with pride.
He keeps moving. Measured, methodical, as though dancing through unseen lines traced beneath the surface. With each flick of brine, each spiral etched in earth, the garden grows quieter. Less heavy. Less haunted.
“What crawled here in rot, I drive back to the current.” “This garden is no grave. It is a mouth. Let it feed again.”
As he moves he watches to see the others, making sure he wraps with them, trying to keep everyone on the same pace, the same beat, the same work.
Next Archimedes helps with the Rite. He might not know the rite itself but it turns out he has a pretty good understanding of HOW rituals work. He adds his own flavor to the ritual while the others do their thing, he takes off the backpack and begins digging inside. The Engineer starts to line up tinkets, adding to the circle of the cleansing. He chitters and speaks to Momma Rat for helping the Bear to heal the land. It is through Momma Rat all healing comes!
Something about failing a ritual makes Ryen a very unhappy woof. It's evident by the look on his face. So after finding the anchor, he starts over.
Shifting into Crinos, he begins his ritual again, howling to his heart's content. It's a large area, but Walks Like A Whisper does his best to scare the taint away.
As the tendrils sizzle and turn to smoke, waifing away on the breeze, Walks Like A Whisper howls triumphantly and then steps in to assist the Rokea and Ghural finish their own rituals.
Father Abe has marked the other anchor, and now it is time to come back for the cleansing. He tears back through the farm like a rat in a china shop, so mostly just knocking over sticks and leaves before coming to the circle again and shifting back to his homid form. He will then dramatically draw his hands up to his chest, hands clasping with thumbs and index fingers pointed towards the air while chanting in the tongue of the spirits.
Kahula slips—like fog curling around branches, her motion almost too quiet to follow. Where others thunder and howl, she kneels, ear pressed to the earth, listening for what’s been forgotten. Her breath is slow. Her hands, bare and stained with ash, move with the care of someone touching old wounds. She hums—not a tune exactly, but a memory. It trembles through the grass and the half-rotted roots, a lullaby for ghosts who never got sung home.
By a collapsed planter overrun with nettles and thorn, she finds it: a woven knot of feathers and broken glass, bound with wire and sorrow. Her fingertips don’t flinch. She exhales through her nose and pulls a charm from her satchel—a tiny dreamcatcher tangled with crow feathers and mouse bones. With a whispered word in the tongue of the Gaian spirits, she buries it among the roots.
“The wind moves." she stretches out her hand, Then she rises, eyes sharp, and steps into the spiral the others have formed. She doesn’t speak again, but her presence weaves between the louder forces like thread through cloth—binding, shaping, holding. Where Kahale calls the tide, where Ryen howls the poison away, Kahula is the silence after thunder, the echo that seals the rite’s truth.
With each pass of her hands—above soil, near flame, close to bone—the garden breathes deeper. Less haunted. More awake, and a sweet scent upon the breeze. Following better in tandem with the group now, Ajax moves and exhorts the cleansing and purifying power that the powers higher than he could imagine would bestow on them, on the land. He prays and plays his part, doing his best to carefully emulate what he is seeing to the degree that he is able.
Following better in tandem with the group now, Ajax moves and exhorts the cleansing and purifying power that the powers higher than he could imagine would bestow on them, on the land. He prays and plays his part, doing his best to carefully emulate what he is seeing to the degree that he is able.
Samson rolls Charisma + Rituals + 1 (Total: 8) vs 7 (SPECIALTY) for 6 successes. => 2 2 6 7 8 8 9 10 Samson holds his hand over the bowl and cuts the heel of his palm and bleeds into the mixture, stirring with the blade of the knife "By the Soil that is the land's strength, By the Salt that is the Mother's tears, By the blood of the Mother's Chosen...Let the the spirits of the pattern breaker be driven out, let the residue of their passing be scoured away, and Let all that lives here Be. Made. Whole." Then there is a pulse of power that radiates out from the bowl, washing over the land and he picks up the bowl "Someone should come with me just in case, I need to scatter this along the boundry fence. And then everything will be fine."
Kahale nods slowly standing brushing off his hands, reaching to pick up his coat, that dirt salt covered. Dripping with it now as he looks over at Samson. "I will come with you, I wish to make sure this is done and I might learn something." He beams at the bear with those massive, shark teeth moving forward to stand next to the man. "I wish to learn that, if your allowed to teach it. Cleaning, is my purpose."