Arlen steps through the old double doors, closing them behind her.
Arlen has arrived.

Shakes pads up to Gargoyle and gives her a little nudge. He casts his single-eyed glance back to Stormcloud, then returns it to the bitch. He leaves her side, heading over to the big wolf.

Arlen scrapes her way in the door, swearing gently, and, grumbling, looks in from the coatroom.

Kathryn nods to Arlen. "How goes it wi' ye, girlfriend?" She grins widely.

Stormcloud looks Kathryn over for a moment, then accepts her presence in silence.

Arlen starts to say, "St -" and then sees the Talon. "Oh. Good. We doing this, then?" She says an absent, "Evening, Kath," most of her attention on the Talon.

Shakes looks about the room, not immediately recognizing all the faces he sees. He nudges Stormcloud. Shakes has been in the plant, and has seen... things there. A friend died there, and Shakes could do nothing to help. He will help to scout ahead, but will defer to Stormcloud, even though the plant is on his turf.

John nods to the new arrivals when they enter and heads over toward the Fianna. "Don't believe we've met yet. John, crescent moon, Gaian."

Casper walks upstairs rubbing at his eyes tiredly. He straightens his hair and looks around at the crowd curiously.

Kathryn walks over to John, looking him up and down. "Kathryn MacRonan, Fianna Moon-Dancer."

Stormcloud splays his ears at the nudge, then gets to his feet to stretch his legs out for a moment. We will go tonight, he addresses Arlen, then turns to Shakes. You know this place and where to walk. Tonight Luna shines brightly. Shall you lead us through the other side?

John smiles. "Pleased to meet you." He leans back against a pew, listening when his packmate starts to speak.

Kathryn smiles back, although she looks a little tense.

Arlen crosses her arms. "Can we talk talens, first? I don't want to get jumped. while doing so."

Shakes nods at the big Talon. He will take you guys Flipside, sure. And through the plant. But if anything happens to Stormcloud, he will be in charge of getting people out, rank or not. Unless there are problems with that. This is his turf, and he knows the place best.

Arlen shakes her head. "I have no problems with that. It's your territory. And it's Stormcloud's Challenge."

Stormcloud seems to have expected that statement from Shakes. A flick of the ear, then he turns his attention to Arlen. Let us talk of talens.

Kathryn nods. "I have nay probs either," she smiles grimly.

John shakes his head. "No objections here."

Arlen asks Shakes, "Before we get into that, who are you, anyway?"

The doors to the church open, and two elderly men, wrapped in rags and shivering against the cold, enter. One of them carries in his hand a bottle. The more optimistic of you would say the bottle's half full. However, this pair doesn't look like they've seen any optimism of their own in a while.

Casper rushes over to the men waving his arms, distracting them from looking at Stormcloud, "Excuse me, excuse me... you'll have to go, I'm sorry." he stands in front of them and blocks the door, lookin apologetic.

Stormcloud pages: Scent of the True Form on the newcomers.
You paged Stormcloud with 'Bums. Humans.'

Shakes looks about ready to introduce himself, then stops short as he sees the ragged duo enter. He starts to pad over to them, his tongue lolling out. One of the oldsters smiles warmly, then coughs as the "dog" approaches, kneeling down to pffer his hand to sniff. Shakes looks back to the others, especially Casper, giving a little whine. We should not plan here. These men are cold.

Stormcloud has ducked down, lowering himself to have the pews cover him from sight.

Arlen, leaning against the wall near the Foyer, nods sharply. "C'mon, gents," she says, persuasively, "You want to go get some coffee?"

Arlen pages: Yes, it's Persuasion At Work.

Casper backs off as he looks at Shakes and watches the two men carefully.

Kathryn picks up some blankets, and walks towards the men. "Here, these will warm ye a little, an' I can see if we has some food fer ye."

The bottle carrying bum shrugs, then looks to his friend. "Plashes packed here t'night," he says, his speech slurred.

Arlen shoots a glance at Kath. "We don't have any here."

The other peers at his friend. "Wha'? Cain't hear ya. No good at all. Battery must be dead!" He reaches for a nonexistent hearing aid and, naturally, fails to get the telltale whine. "See? Speak up!"

Bottle guy frowns, looking to the assemblage. "Oh. Some boysh most nights brings pizzas." He turns to his friend and knocks on his head. "They ain't got any food, but maybe got coffee," he says entirely too loudly. "I think your ear's froze."

Arlen uncrosses her arms, the better to gesticulate with, and says, loudly, "Don't have any coffee. Could loan you some to get some."

Deaf guy nods. "I could do with a cuppa and a doze, yeah!"

Arlen rummages in her pockets, and comes up with a ten. "Here!" she yells. "Knock yourself out!"

Bottle guy waves his hands at the money. "No, no... don't wantcher money, honey. Jusht a plashe to crash." His eyes light up as he sees the denomination of t he bill. "But we might be per-per-pershwaded." He takes it, crumples it, and shoves it into a pocket. "God bless you, ma'am."

Shakes watches the scene unfold, obviously amused by something.

Hearing-aidless-man squints at the ten and turns to his friend. In what he clearly intends to be a confidential tone, but is actually something closer to the bellow of a football referee, he says, "They're young. Must be havin' one-a those raids or something!"

Arlen makes an attempt at smiling. "Coffee," she reminds them, not reacting at all to Hearing Aid Man.

Bottle guy nods, knowingly. "Let 'em have fun, while they schtill can." He grabs his friend by the sleeve, not too gently. "Come on." He heads for the door.

Stormcloud remains where he is, closing his eyes a little in disbelief at what is going on.

Arlen pages: Man, I'm slow. 'Raids'. Right. *whap whap*

Deaf guy follows his friend, complaining loudly. "Wonder if we kin sneak in later while they're all drugged up?" he inquires as they go out the door.

Arlen flashes a quick, angry glance toward where Stormcloud isn't, and then watches them leave.

Kathryn blinks at the last comment from the pair, and grins.

John pages all: That door have a lock, by any chance? :)

Jose Figueroa walks in, shaking snow from his shoulders and hair.

Bottle guy leaves, pulling his friend along. "Mosht likely. That Jimmy boy never kicksh us out. Nishe kid... for bein' such a punk." The door closes behind them.

Arlen mutters, "Athena save us all," and avers, "We can do talens somewhere /else/."

Shakes pages all: The door has no lock, and this is hardly a secure area. There are bums in and out of here all the time. Mostly those who don't like the do-gooders at places like RHP.

Stormcloud sniffs around for a moment, still not getting up just yet.

Stormcloud pages: Scent of the True Form again on everyone here.

Shakes watches the oldsters go, then dog-grins. They are the masters, he thinks. Ten bucks! For nothing! He heads over to Stormcloud, nudging him once more. Downstairs, we can talk. There is a big mirror there, too.

Jose Figueroa passes the rummy and his friend as the leave. He looks around at the crowd, waving at everyone.

Long distance to Stormcloud: Limbo believes everyone is as expected. :)

Seirian pokes her head in the door, giving a cursory glance to see who's about. Noting the number of people, she grins and quickly ducks back out, gone as quickly as she popped in.

Arlen nods to Jose. "Just leaving," she grates, following Shakes.

Kathryn waves to Jose. "Later."

John sighs softly and waves to Jose, starting down the stairs after the Gnawer.

Jose Figueroa nods. "Have fun, dudes."

Stormcloud rises, then heads for the stairs without a word.

Shakes heads down the basement stairs.

Arlen heads down the basement stairs.

Forgotten Church Basement
This basement is only partly below ground level, and there are windows evenly spaced on the walls, right below the ceiling level. The main part of it is a large open area with a small kitchen in one corner and a large, ratty carpet in the center, covering the cement floor. There is a rather large window in the kitchen; it looks as though it might actually open onto the street. On the wall opposite the kitchen is a large bin, and there are folding tables along the wall perpendicular to it. On the other wall there are a few folding chairs, many fewer than one would expect from the number of tables.
A hallway next to the kitchen leads off to two offices and what once might have been a classroom.
Contents:
Stormcloud
Arlen
Shakes
Obvious exits:
Sanctuary

John appears in the doorway leading to the stairs, arriving from above.

Kathryn appears in the doorway leading to the stairs, arriving from above.

Stormcloud settles back down on his haunches once he gets to the quieter section of the building.

John waits for everyone to arrive. He looks to Arlen. "You were saying something about talens?"

Shakes contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Shakes shifts into Homid form.

Arlen nods. "I was. It'd be useful to know who that one is, though." She nods to Shakes.

Jimmy Wilson shifts up and stretches. "Sorry," he says. "It should be quieter down here. For those a' you who don't know, I'm Jimmy, an' this is my place. Well, Cavall's place."

Arlen nods. "Arlen. Of the Furies." She kneels down to rummage in her pack, and asks Jimmy, "You're the no moon, then. Well, you want the disorient stuff? Throw it in their face, they have no idea what end is up or down or in the middle. It's my Chiminage."

Kathryn nods. "Ye ha' showed me hospitality 'ere afore, Jimmy Wilson, an I be grateful for it. I heard o' the scoutin', and thought you could use me help. D'ye want it?"

Jimmy Wilson nods at Kathryn then moves forward to Arlen. "Sure, I can throw shit. I'll try not ta let ya down, thanks." He looks around the room with his single eye narrowed. "That goes for all of ya. I'll do my best ta keep us all alive. I just hope you guys watch my back." He smiles, but there is little humor in it. "The plant is fucking rough. Don't go in there 'cause ya think ya owe me something; do it for yourselves an' for the people in the city here that a place like that has a bad effect on. It's a helluva Wyrmhole."

John listens quietly, fighting his way through Kathyrn's accent while he leans against a wall near the big wolf.

Arlen nods. "We all have each other's backs. I've also got something that'll act a little like Blur - you can't be seen if you're in shadow or hiding, makes you less likely to be seen even if you're in plain sight. If you do something like attack someone, though, all bets are off. I've three."

Stormcloud quirks an ear as the talens are discribed.

Jimmy Wilson looks around at the others. "I can do good enough at not bein' seen on my own, an' I'll be pointman. Better give those ta whoever takes the rearguard, huh?"

Kathryn grins at Arlen. "Then I thinks the worst hiders should ha' em. Who be not so stealthy?" She scans the room, looking at Stormcloud a little. "Hmmm, ye be quiet, but a little big, dontcha now?"

Arlen says, "That would be me, in part. I have the Fog gift, so if we need to retreat, I'm last out."

Stormcloud is *way* lost by Kathryn's accent, but listens to Arlen rather well. Then the talens should go to the rest of us.

John nods slightly. "Sounds like a plan to me. Get in and out, preferably with no one, or thing, knowing we were there."

Kathryn nods. "In and out like the wind, John." She grins, expansively.

Arlen clarifies, "I can't use the Fog as a personal cover. It gets out of control quickly. Just for information's sake." She hands the three rat tails to the other three Garou, though, shaking her head slightly.

Jimmy Wilson frowns. "We need ta map the place out or something? Like with paper an' a pencil?" He reaches into a pocket. "I gotta Sharpie marker. It says it's indellible... that means it's permanent." He shows the marker to Stormcloud. "Well, it used ta say that, right here. That part rubbed off, though."

Arlen frowns, slightly. "Map, or just get a strong idea of the threats?"

Stormcloud looks at the marker rather oddly for a moment, then looks up to Jimmy. This one had thought you could get the... ~map~ from other ways.

Jimmy Wilson pages: It's my plan to mark the walls, wherever possible, with the marker so that we can find our way out. I tried bread crumbs one time, and it didn't work too well, see...

Jimmy Wilson nods at the big wolf. "Yeah, I got Elan lookin' for maps at City Hall a' Records. But if those maps are wrong for some reason, it'd be good ta know."

Arlen adds, "And a record of what we find will undoubtedly be useful."

Kathryn takes all this in, leaving it to the more experienced garou.

John shrugs. "We can always compare the two when we get back. I suspect they won't quite be the same though, and a first-hand account would be nice to have."

Stormcloud chuffs. Record. Yes. That is why we are going. To Jimmy: We should record as much as we can, but remember to work fast.

Kathryn nudges Arlen. "So what be the ultimate aim fer this then? Map the place and find out where the worst threats are?"

Limbo pages all: Got your graph paper and pencil? It's a 10' by 10' room, with a door in the north wall leading to a 10' by 10' hallway...
John pages all: I hated mapping in AD&D :P
Kathryn pages: D&D Yay!
Arlen pages all: You see many twisted passages, all alike.
Jimmy Wilson pages all: Oh! Since I forgot my miniature, use the green d4 to represent me on the map, okay?
Kathryn pages to Jimmy Wilson, Stormcloud, John, Arlen, and Limbo: Hmph! I get to carry the lantern, as usual!
Limbo pages all: That's okay, Jimmy, I'll just use *tumble* all my 6-siders to represent the monsters. I used to play Champions, did I mention that?
Jimmy Wilson pages all: Ew. I'll toss in all of my Star Wars d6's if you need more. Except the Wild Die, of course.

Arlen shakes her head. "Right. We gonna share Gifts and all that crap, or do we go in with no clue as to our capabilities?"

Kathryn raises her hand. "Call o' the Wyld, if we needs to get in touch, fast. Persuasion an' Resist Toxin won't be much help, though. Me flute might, mind."

Jimmy Wilson shrugs. "I can scout, an' can scrap okay if I gotta. I'm more good in the shadows than toe-ta-toe, though. I can open any lock an' find almost anything you'd want me ta find... in the city. I'm the best scout this damn city ever saw."

Stormcloud peers at Kathryn for a moment, working through her tongue as best as possible. To find the best way suitable to cleanse the place. He then adresses Arlen. Can jump. Feel no pain. Talk to other animals. Scent one's true being and tell if one lies. Also, this one has no scent.

Arlen says, patiently, "Flute?"

Jimmy Wilson pages all: Um, I'm using Persuasion, so maybe you'll all believe my boasts? .)

Kathryn nods, and speaks slowly and clearly, for John and Stormcloud's benefit. "Harmony Flute, could help t' pacify any sleepy banes, we run inter."

Arlen says, "I have a lot of Rites that aren't relevant to the discussion. I'm quite good in the Umbra, be it City or not. I can heal, talk to Spirits, fog a place up, Command spirits, find out what sort of spirit I'm commanding. That sort of thing. And heightened senses." She nods to Kathryn. "Thought that tended to be better outside of combat?"

John scratches his head. "Healing with mother's touch, can ignore my wounds for a short time, and communicate with spirits. Also detect the prescense of the Wyrm, and a few rites that might be useful. Binding spirits being the main one.

Arlen nods. "Can bind. Also cleanse, although I wouldn't care to do it here." Ok, people. Tactics?" She looks to Stormcloud as she asks this.

Kathryn smiles at Arlen. "I did nay use it t'other night, as I were scrappin' meself. No use, woulda tooka few hits."

Arlen nods. "Right then. That is useful."

Kathryn grins. "Especially if I stays hidden...

Jimmy Wilson looks at John. "You th'only one 'round here that can fix us up? Hell, dude, don't get hurt too bad."

Arlen says, wryly, "No, I can. The Touch, even. Sorry I wasn't more explicit."

John indicates the higher ranking theurge. "I believe she said she had it."

Stormcloud straightens himself out a little. Shakes-the-Can walks in fore. Seeks-the-Light will be in the rear. This one follows Shakes-the-Can, then Defends-the-Wolves, then Wolf-Dancer. Talens distributed as spoken already. If things turn hostile, and they more than likely will, our main concern is to leave. This one will stay behind with Seeks-the-Light until everyone is gone. Any fight there, no matter how clean the victory may be, will alert the entire place of us. No heroics. Just get out.

Jimmy Wilson nods. "Ah, okay. Well, let's no one get hurt, then." He stops and watches Stormcloud as the plan is described. "Standard scoutin' trip. In an' out, ninja-quiet. Works fer me."

Kathryn nods. "So we t' take the the Lupus for speed an' stealth?"

Stormcloud just looks at Kathryn as though that should be obvious.

John nods slightly. "Not there for a fight. At least, not yet." He slips down into wolf form, shaking out his fur.

Arlen says, shortly, "Right," and shifts down to lupus as well.

Kathryn does the same, and takes the wolf, a little embarrassed.

Jimmy Wilson drops the confusion talen thingies into his jacket pockets, then shifts to the lupe form as well, a form he's managed to get as used to as the two-leg.

Shakes' nose points towards one of the rooms. Big mirror in there. We go?

Lightseeker certainly hopes so.

Wolf-Dancer flicks an ear. This one is waiting.

Stormcloud closes his eyes for a moment, lowering his head to the floor, seemingly saying a few words to himself before looking back up. Time to go.

Defends-Wolves heads in the direction of the mirror, following after the others.

Stormcloud pages all: Just performed Hunting Prayer, in case anyone was wondering. :)

Wolf-Dancer follows, falling in behind Defends-Wolves.

Under the Power Plant(#3742RJh)
Immense pipes cross this room, turning an area already oppressively closed in into an almost impassable maze. Pipes climb to run through the ceiling, water and chemicals running in rivulets down their sides and leaking from cracks all along their length. The only light here is provided by a small, dim bulb set in a socket above the door - just enough light to see the filth and waste which cover the floor of the room, bathed in a slurry of chemicals and slime, but not enough to be in any way reassuring.
A heavy, hulking metal door stands in one wall, and a pipe in another leads to the city sewer system.

You move through the mirror into the Shadow, and follow Shakes into the sewers that run beneath the city. Proximity to the power plant is heralded by a deepening of the gloom, a subtle shift in the odors, and a strange glistening that grows on the walls and floor and ceiling. Without incident, you arrive at the large pipe that channels muck from the power plant, a pipe layered thick with shifting slime that seems to breathe.

Lightseeker pages: This will please my nose no end, but HS on.

Shakes casts a glance over his shoulder to the others. Don't try to smell the Wyrm, his look expresses. You don't even need the Gift for it here.

You paged Lightseeker with 'The reek of the pipe almost knocks you over.'.

Stormcloud narrows his eyes at the sight of this place, keeping his thoughts to himself at the moment with the mixed company.

Defends-Wolves wrinkles his muzzle as the scents assault his lupine senses. He swivels his ears, alert for anything that might have been alerted to their prescense already.

Lightseeker snarls slightly at the reek, wrinkling her muzzle, scanning intently, ears swivelling.

Lightseeker pages: So I figured. But she's going to keep it on.
You paged Lightseeker with 'Brave soul. ;)'.

Wolf-Dancer sneezes softly, shaking her head in an attempt to clear the smell from her sensitive nose. Her expression is one of distaste.

From afar, Lightseeker tries. She may well give in in a minute. I'll keep you updated.

Shakes moves quietly, becoming a shadow amongst the other shadows, only the sound of his paws moving through the muck betraying his presence.

Other than a vague sussurus of air, no sound other than the Garous' movements breaks the stillness. However, as paws sink into six inches of ichorous slime, paw pads instantly tingle and sting with the taint that is so rife through this refuse.

You paged Stormcloud with 'Scud hardly notices it at all, of course.'.

You paged Wolf-Dancer with 'You can feel your Gift putting off the pain that might otherwise distract you from aught else, resisting the Wyrmtoxins underfoot.'.

From afar, Stormcloud grins.

Wolf-Dancer pages: Thanks, Resist Toxin has its uses.

Stormcloud plods on tirelessly.

Shakes pages all: How small are the passageways?

Defends-Wolves' fur bristles slightly as the influence of tainted ground runs up through his body. He stays in formation with the others, following the Gnawer's lead.

Limbo pages all: Tall enough for a man of average height to walk in a serious stoop. Scud's head and shoulders are close to brushing the ceiling.

Lightseeker bristles as well, mostly at the smell, and stays to the shadows as best as possible.

The pipe is broken inside the plant itself, and a dim green light seeps through the opening. Sounds like... a playground echo faintly from that hole.

Wolf-Dancer shudders, and concentrates on blocking out the toxins in the sludge underfoot. She flicks an ear at the sound.

Shakes contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Shakes shifts into Homid form.

Jimmy Wilson shifts up into homid form, hoping to be small enough to still move through the pipes, but have some kind of protection via his shoes against the Wyrmy slime and muck.

Defends-Wolves cocks his head toward the hole, uncertain exactly what the sounds are he's hearing. He pads through the sludge a bit closer, still staying behind the others.

Lightseeker flicks an ear, surprised, but keeps moving.

Stormcloud works his way around the noise as much as possible, not wanting to risk detection yet.

The pipe leads directly to the noise.

Wolf-Dancer pads after Defends-Wolves, looking back at Lightseeker to make sure she is still with them.

Through the breach in the pipe, you can see and hear a bit of the room beyond.

Giggling, shrieking, and evil tittering combine into a tempest of hideous play. Banel ings skid across the noxious slime, slide down pipes from above, splashing around in the more liquid, oily puddles. A twisted, unholy kindergarten of banes dances around this boiler room, with more spawning from the sludge all the time. In the background, two large Banes, like piles of sewage, watch over the nest.

Wolf-Dancer sees this, and shifts to homid, quietly.

Kathryn pulls her flute from around her neck, and makes as if to play it, looking for confirmation from the others.

Jimmy Wilson does not hug the shadows, he does not blend with the shadows... he _is_ a shadow, at least in his own ragabash mind. The shadow that moves forward before the rest of the group, pulling out one of the talons and testing its weight in his hand as he advances. If the shadow had eyes, they'd be open wide at the sight before it at the end of the tunnel. Like a good scout, he bites back the impulse to make even the slightest noise, a sigh or otherwise, at seeing the banes.

Defends-Wolves watches quietly, hanging back out of sight as much as possible from the banes. He wrinkles his muzzle again, perhaps just disgusted at the Wyrm spawning in the room ahead.

You paged Lightseeker with 'Behind you! You can hear something rising in the muck!'.

Stormcloud follows the Gnawer closely, carefully going one step at a time, guardedly looking the place over.

Lightseeker represses a snarl, and whips around to face her rear, peering at the muck.

A surging, softly burbling sheet of boiling purple-black slime rears itself out of the muck at Lightseeker's back... now head.

Kathryn turns at the soft sound, and seeing the bane, starts to play a soft, calming melody on her flute.

Lightseeker shifts, with the speed born of Rage, to Crinos, and slashes at what she hopes is a vulnerable spot, deathly silent.

Defends-Wolves turns to the rear, watching the mass of slime rise, teeth bared, though he doesn't make any move toward it as Kathryn begins playing.

Jimmy Wilson turns to watch the activity in the rear of the group, but only for a moment. His gaze begins to take in the reast of the area, wary of other attackers.

Stormcloud keeps his attention focused forward, keeping tabs on the rear-guard through his totem connection with John.

The tune makes the thing shudder, briefly, before it heaves upward with a horrific slurp and onward toward Lightseeker. The Crinos' claws give it considerably more pause, but as it squeals and hisses, it collapses forward upon her arm, splashing across the right forearm and paw with a hissing of concentrated acid.

Kathryn curses silently, and with a speed born of Rage, takes Hipso form.

Jimmy Wilson pages to Stormcloud and Limbo: Any other attackers, or anything Scd and I might see?

Defends-Wolves pages: There enough room for hispo in here?

You paged Jimmy Wilson and Stormcloud with 'Nothing else in the passageway, although at the sound of the flute, the noise in the boiler room noticeably died down.'.

Lightseeker pages: It's still alive, I assume?

Long distance to Lightseeker: Limbo nods. You did blow chunks out of it though.

Stormcloud pages to Jimmy Wilson and Limbo: Well shit. That didn't take long.

You paged Defends-Wolves with 'Well, with LS in Crinos and Kathryn in Hispo... hmmm, it'll be crowded.'.

Defends-Wolves grumbles to himself, remaining in lupus for the time being as he tries to slip around the others and deliver his own slash with his claws at the rising mass of slime.

Lightseeker winces, and snarls, *Retreat* to it, shifting upwards to glabro as she does so and backing up.

Lightseeker pages: CS, obviously. Bet it won't work, she says gloomily.

Jimmy Wilson starts to back up a little, closing in on the group and moving towards the fray. He still holds the talen in his hand, but seems hesitant to use it. "Wonder if this'll fuck any of _us_ up?" he mutters quietly, finally breaking his silence, but only barely.

With an alacrity rarely seen in all but harassed boot camp recruits, the bane winces away from Lightseeker and subsides into the slime with a >shloop< sound. The muck ripples in a direction retracing the Garous' path.

Stormcloud looks at Jimmy, already thinking about things before the fight is even over. Find a new path?

Arlen unlimbers her bows and knocks an arrow, still keeping as silent as possible, despite other people's movements.

Jimmy Wilson shakes his head. "Nah," he whispers to Stormcloud. He looks about, contemplating where he'll lead the group next.

Wolf-Dancer pads in front of Arlen, making little noise, and looks back to her, obviously wanting to chase the Sludge Beast.

Arlen shakes her head, quietly. She murmurs, not quite whispering, ~We split up, we're dead meat.~

Defends-Wolves slips back into the shadows, looking toward the Gnawer for a guidance here. He glances at the Fianna, flicking an ear indicating a negative.

Wolf-Dancer nods, and returns to her place in the line up, fur bristling as she stifles a low growl.

Stormcloud looks back towards the main room, watching for any developements.

There is silence in the boiler room now, a heavy, oppressive silence, and not a single sign of the bane-infants that were frolicking there just seconds ago.

Stormcloud pages: What about the big ones?
You paged Stormcloud with 'They're missing right now.'.

Jimmy Wilson frowns and idicates the direction in which the party was travelling. "They're sleeping. It's the only direction we can go. We might get through them going in, but coming out could be a bitch if they wake up after we go through."

Defends-Wolves splays his ears, looking around for some sign of the banes that were there, and rather hoping they aren't going to show up in close proximity in the near future.

Wolf-Dancer flicks an ear at Jimmy, indicating the flute tattoo on her right shoulder.

Arlen strains her senses, frowning slightly.

Stormcloud contiues looking into the main room, but speaks to Jimmy. The big ones are gone now. This one doubts they sleep.

Jimmy Wilson looks to Stormcloud. "Yer call, dude. I'll go as far in as you wanna go. It's still yer funer... er, Challenge. I'm only makin' the calls if ya' croak."

Defends-Wolves supposes the thing we just saw could be a distraction to get the little ones away. The other two may be aware of us all ready.

Stormcloud pages: What happened to the big banes? Did I see them leave at all?
You paged Stormcloud with 'The big banes ushered a few of the closest small banes away into an alcove and sank into the sludge.'

Jimmy Wilson looks down at the murky floor. "That... thing. It was like what killed Mac. The one'd got him was bigger, though. Prolly more of them around here."

Arlen remains silent, scanning the passage to make sure no threats endanger those discussing strategy.

Defends-Wolves continues to watch the room ahead, keeping an eye out for signs of more banes.

Stormcloud splays his ears against his head. The big ones sank into the ground. Probably still in there. Is there no way around?

Jimmy Wilson shakes his head.

Wolf-Dancer sniffs at the sludge, trying to pick up a different scent. Her muzzle is screwed up in distaste, but she still tries.

Stormcloud blinks, then turns to Arlen. How long do your talens last?

Arlen shrugs. ~One I used,~ she says, still scanning, ~Worked until you made yourself obvious.~

Arlen adds, ~Probably last an hour or two, without interruption.~

Stormcloud flicks an ear. Then we use the talens now.

Jimmy Wilson nods. "Knock yerselves out." He stops, reconsiders his words, and respeaks them. "I mean, use the talens."

Defends-Wolves looks over at the Gnawer, faintly amused. He then bites down on the tail, moving closer to the shadows of the sides of the pipe.

Wolf-Dancer bite down hard on the talen, activating it.

Jimmy Wilson steps into the shadows as well, without the aid of a talen. When he thinks everyone else is ready, he begins to move forward once more.

Stormcloud activates his as well, then proceeds to follow the ragabash.

Arlen skulks as best as possible in the shadows, following the others.

Defends-Wolves follows closely, treading as softly as he can through the muck that coats the pipe and room.

Wolf-Dancer takes her place in the column, paying no heed to the stinging substances in the slime, and trails Defends-Wolves closely.

The boiler room is deathly silent, except for an intermittent drip-drip-drip sound that seems to have no definitive origin. The place is singularly devoid of pattern spiders and their webs, despite the technological origin of the boilers themselves. A nook here, a cranny there, a storage closet in the corner... and a doorway. Feet sink nearly a foot deep in industrial waste here, the muck stinging worse than the stuff in the sewer pipe, feeling more like fifty hornets on each unprotected foot had landed, stung, and then begun to walk, dragging their oozing stingers in random directions as they went.

Arlen murmurs, ~If there's any lurking, would you like me to order them out, or shall we just hope?~

Wolf-Dancer nods an affirmative, but her pose tells all that the decision is not hers.

Jimmy Wilson looks to Stormcloud with a pained expression on his face. It's not all from his stinging feet, either. "Let's get the hell out," he says. "We ain't here ta start no fights. Jus' look 'round."

Defends-Wolves remains silent, though his posture seems to indicate that attracting banes would be a bad idea.

Wolf-Dancer's hackles stand on end, as she lifts a forepaw from the muck and shakes the sludge from it irritably.

Stormcloud has already stated his position on the subject and nudges the Gnawer forward. He glances behind him briefly to Arlen. Only when it is obvious of their presence and intent.

Arlen moving warily, merely nods.

Jimmy Wilson moves on.

Wolf-Dancer reluctantly places her paw back into the sludge, and presses on, after Defends-Wolves.

Defends-Wolves pads on through the slime, wincing ever so slightly at each step.

The corridor beyond the arch is still trailed with slime, but not nearly so thick as even the sewer pipe. The walls are stark and decrepit, crumbling away to reveal live electrical wires. Occasionally, an electrical elemental sizzles along a wire, crackling purple and green and black. The shadows are frequent here, but sometimes it seems like those shadows have eyes.

Jimmy Wilson gives the wires a wide berth and moves on, quietly.

Arlen, at the first elemental she spies, gives it a close look, and then immediately drags herself away, back to the job at hand.

Wolf-Dancer shows more distaste than pain at the touch of the slime, and picks her way carefully through the ooze, around the wires, towards the archway, slowly and quietly.

Defends-Wolves peers at the walls curiously, though it's the shadows that get most of his attention. He watches warily, continuing to plod along after the others.

Stormcloud continues following the Gnawer carefully.

Dissolute pattern spiders, bloated on slime and waste and Wyrm, loom ponderously in some of the uppermost corners as you press on. A few doorways lead to disappointingly bland storage rooms, some empty, some ominously empty, a creeping raising of hackles feeling emanating from their echoing depths. The glittering eyes of the Wyrm spiders seem to skitter across your flesh, and raise gooseflesh on the more human-hided of you. In the end, the odds are against you as one of the spiders' multifaceted gazes discerns some movement of the sludge awry from its normal tides and a scurry erupts in all directions.

Limbo pages all: The spiders are moving away from you as fast as their little legs can carry them, looking for nice, dark corners to hide in.

Wolf-Dancer snaps at a passing spider.

Arlen winces, and almost looses her arrow at one of them, but barely restrains herself in time.

Defends-Wolves' muscles tenses as the spiders rush off, half expecting something larger to arrive at the noise. He resists the urge to bite at them, deciding that keeping silent will do a better job of keeping his fur in one piece.

Stormcloud pauses for a moment at the sudden movement, then nudges Jimmy once again to press on once he sees their intent. To those behind him thinking about attacking he gives a sharp look, saying nothing.

While the Wyrm spiders are fleeing, however, their high pitched chittering attracts a more dangerous menace: two electricity elementals who were passing by pause to dance on their wires. Each swells and expels, with a magnesium flash, an arc of electricity, one of which strikes Stormcloud and the other, Wolf-Dancer.

Wolf-Dancer let a sharp yip of pain escape her lips, before she manages to stop herself.

The elementals chatter amongst themselves with glee at Wolf-Dancer's cry, and two more pause to add into the fun.

Arlen snaps, *Don't hurt us* at the various elementals.

Wolf-Dancer growls, hackles raised, and looks to leap upon any that disobey Arlen's command.

Jimmy Wilson growls. "Damn." He moves towards Stormcloud, carefully. "Come on out and play, bitch," he says to the elemental. "Stormcloud ain't supposed ta be no electrical storm."

Defends-Wolves bares his teeth at the elementals, a low snarl coming from his mouth. He looks quickly toward the two who were struck, quickly returning his attention to the elementals.

One elemental looks properly chastened and runs off up its wire, two others ignore her, both answering Jimmy's challenge, but the fourth defies Arlen with an electrical raspberry of her own.

Wolf-Dancer pounces upon one of the elementals, no longer able to keep her rage in check, attempting to swipe at it with a massive paw.

The elemental target of Wolf-Dancer giggles as she pounces forward and seizes... its preferred high tension wire.

Defends-Wolves moves toward one of the elementals near the Gnawer, shifting up to the war-form. *Leave now.* He doesn't really expect them to listen, as he prepares to strike it.

Wolf-Dancer yelps and rolls to one side, her fur smouldering.

Arlen pages: These things have, like, bodies?
You paged Arlen with 'Not as such. They're tiny little things. Think about half-Tinkerbells.'.
You paged Arlen with 'Tiny, eeeevil Tinkerbells.'.

Stormcloud pages: How bad? How many? Trying to get an idea on our position.
You paged Stormcloud with 'Think two or three coming in every round.'.

Jimmy Wilson shifts up to the war form, still holding one of the talens in his claw. ~Will this work on them?~ he calls out.

Jimmy Wilson contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Jimmy Wilson shifts into Crinos form.

Wolf-Dancer pages: Anything to hide behind?
You paged Wolf-Dancer with 'Well, there's your companions... but no, the corridor is barren.'.

Arlen snaps, to the Spirit that just zapped Kath, *Leave now*. ~I have no idea. One can only try,~ she responds to Jimmy, as she drops her bow at her feet and leaps towards the nearest elemental.

Wolf-Dancer comes out of the roll on the opposite side, and looks for somewhere to run.

Stormcloud pages: Does the next room seem safe from the elementals at all, or can they follow freely

~Get behind us.~ Defends growls over to the Fianna, as he strikes at the nearby elemental with his claws.

You paged Stormcloud with 'The wires look like they run back behind walls at the next room.'.
Stormcloud pages: Clue me. Looks like they can't follow?
Long distance to Stormcloud: Limbo nods. Right.

Stormcloud peers around only to see more elementals arriving, then looks into the next room forward. Go. It is an order for the entire party to push into that room.

Wolf-Dancer bolts for the next room, ready to deal with anything she encounters.

Wolf-Dancer's nemesis zooms away with a yipe, but not before two more arrive, bringing the number up to five. The one that Defends-Wolves attempted to command taunts, "Don't wanna, don't wanna," and tosses a lightning bolt in his direction. The creature that Arlen leaps for is the one who is, apparently, supremely annoyed with her, and tosses another spark at the Fury. One of the first to arrive decides that Jimmy is, after all, a marvelous target, and the two new arrivals decide that Stormcloud is a lovely, large, furry target.

Stormcloud *lunges* into the next room, trying to get away from the elementals before they can even start anything.

Stormcloud pages: Leap of the Kangaroo.

Arlen snarls at it, angrily, but retreats, snagging her bow, and waiting until the rest of the group is in the next room before diving in herself.

Defends-Wolves growls softly as the electricity arcs through him, and he decides getting away from the things would be a good idea. He backs away, heading for the next room, trying to keep alert for any new threats.

Stormcloud bursts through the door into the antechamber of the next room. As the retreating group gathers through the door, escaping the giggles and vicious bolts of the electrical elementals, you all see the tell-tale green-black flickering of balefire. T he place is thick with brown, choking smoke. A low thrum of powerful furnaces rattles your ribs and your teeth, and then the smog grows eyes... and the balefires begin to flicker toward that little entryway...

Wolf-Dancer pages to Shakes, Stormcloud, Defends-Wolves, Arlen, and Limbo: Kath wants to side step outta here! Sod being in the Powerplant, lets just get outta here!
From afar, to Shakes, Stormcloud, Wolf-Dancer, Defends-Wolves, and Limbo, Arlen pats Kath reassuringly.
Wolf-Dancer pages to Shakes, Stormcloud, Defends-Wolves, Arlen, and Limbo: Kath is *NOT* reassured.
Defends-Wolves pages all: Leaving would be a priority at this point, yes.

Stormcloud takes one look into the room, finally seeing what he needed to see. It is a short look, getting a quick sense of the opposition, then turns. Back! Get out now!

Arlen says, in some horror, ~Now there's a bane,~ and shifts into hispo pretty damn quickly.

Defends-Wolves needs no further urging as he shifts back to wolf form and heads back the way they came in. At a very high rate of speed.

Shakes is in Hispo as well, and loping away as quickly as possible.

Wolf-Dancer pelts it hell for leather after Defends wolves, the adrenaline boost masking her pain, for now.

Lightseeker snarls to Stormcloud, ~You go. I will start the fog, when it will not envelop you.~

The smog surges out, blanketing the room and the hallway beyond. It is thick, and stings the eyes, the nose, the throat, poisonous to touch as well as breathe. Just before the darkness falls, ranks of balefire banes shift into sight as they waken and file, laughing, toward the wayward Garou.

Stormcloud trails the rest, as expected, making sure they, at least, escape while Arlen does her thing.

Shakes continues to run out, claws and teeth bared at the things, ready to snap or tear at them, but only to clear a path for his own and the others' escape. He has no delusions of grandeur. Only one thing drives him now: his Gnawer self-preservation instincts.

Lightseeker stays just long enough to see Stormcloud is gone, and then starts emanating fog, and pelts hell bent for leather out of there. Not that she has any leather.

The brown gas catches at the inside of everyone's throats, but particularly Arlen's and Wolf-Dancer's, stopping the passage of air in and out of their lungs.

Lightseeker pages: What, completely, or just mostly?
You paged Lightseeker with 'Mostly. You're choking. Spiritual Heimlech, anyone?'.

+scan
Listeners present:
Name Sex Form Doing
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Stormcloud M Lupus Scentless. 2 agg.
Wolf-Dancer F Hispo 5 aggravated! Youch!
Lightseeker F Hispo 3 agg.
Defends-Wolves M Lupus 2 agg
Shakes M Hispo -

Stormcloud looks behind him to see if Arlen follows.

Lightseeker follows allright, sides heaving oddly. ~Can't... breathe...~

Defends-Wolves sneaks a quick glance behind at the others following.

Wolf-Dancer coughs and chokes, stumbling.

Stormcloud pages: How big were the passages since our entrance?
You paged Stormcloud with 'Man-high.'.

Stormcloud shifts in a blur, looking at Arlen with a glance and a conveyed message. Shift and grab on.

Stormcloud contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Stormcloud shifts into Hispo form.

Defends, in the choking, obscuring clouds of banes, turns the corner to bound through the nursery and splashes directly through a purple and green sheet of acidic Toxin Bane stretched across the dark archway. Wolf-Dancer's eyes are beginning to dance with faerie lights all of her own, and she, too, crashes through the creature, although less strikes her than struck Defends. Shakes' keen senses and alert Gnawer instincts spring him through the hole in the bane, only to be slashed at by a balefire bane that somehow reached the nursery ahead of the fleeing wolves. Stormcloud and Arlen can feel the twisted heat of the balefires moving up swiftly behind them...

Stormcloud runs at best speed, leaping once more through the 'nursery' with uncanny strength, trying to get some distance from the elementals.

+scan
Listeners present
Name Sex Form Doing
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Stormcloud M Hispo Scentless. 2 agg.
Wolf-Dancer F Hispo Six aggravated, down and out!
Arlen F Homid 3 agg.
Defends-Wolves M Lupus 4 agg
Shakes M Hispo 4 agg

Wolf-Dancer stumbles at the entrance to the nursery, and skids in the slime, coming to a halt opposite the archway.

Defends-Wolves blurs up to crinos form, scooping up the Fianna and attempting to squeeze the two of them through the pipe everyone came in through.

Jimmy, staggered and maddened by the pain of the Balefire, flees after Defends and his choking charge. Stormcloud and Arlen gallop away from the Balefire Banes that just swatted them, only to find themselves facing the one in the nursery.

Wolf-Dancer coughs. ~Where are the others, Defends-wolves-rhya?

Arlen yells, *Go away* at it, from Stormcloud's back, and then breaks her kevlar talen over Stormcloud's head.

Defends-Wolves spares no breath to answer the Fianna just now and concentrates on getting his body through the pipe.

The Balefire creature hesitates just long enough for Stormcloud to be past it and through the hole, but the effort to shout costs Arlen her consciousness.

Arlen thuds off of Stormcloud's back.

Wolf-Dancer chokes and gags. ~Defends-Wolves-rhya, heal me a little and I will go back for them~

+scan
Listeners present:
Name Sex Form Doing
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Stormcloud M Hispo Scentless. 4 agg.
Wolf-Dancer F Hispo Six aggravated, down and out!
Arlen F Homid 4 agg
Defends-Wolves M Lupus 4 agg
Shakes M Hispo 4 agg

Stormcloud quickly turns and snatches Arlen, grasping at her with his mouth to drag her away at best speed.

Defends-Wolves shakes his head and keeps moving.

Arlen bumps along behind.

Wolf-Dancer struggles weakly, feeling the urge to go back for the others.

Defends-Wolves ignores her struggles and keep moving. He resists the urge to knock her out and make it easier on himself.

The broken pipe finally admits the entire group of Garou, and the laughter of the Balefire Bane echoes after them, a mocking voice to haunt their nightmares for several nights hence. ~Come back soooon, little playtoyyyys. We will make true beassssts of you. Unless you are simply cowardssss.~

From afar, to Shakes, Stormcloud, Wolf-Dancer, Defends-Wolves, and Limbo, Arlen channels Derrick: "Why yes, yes we are. Thanks anyway!"
Limbo pages all: Limbo cackles.

Defends-Wolves tightens his grip on the Fianna, expecting her to go back at the sound of the bane's jeering.

The balefire continues to lick at the flesh of Arlen, Stormcloud, and Shakes as the group flees into the relative safety of the sewers.

Wolf-Dancer is too tired to even think about struggling.

Stormcloud says nothing at all for a time, his first and only order of business is seeing everyone back to the church. He does not rest until that is so.

Arlen continues to thunk along behind. She, too says nothing, but then, perhaps that's obvious.

The smog banes slither out of the throats of Arlen and Wolf-Dancer as the group wins free of the power plant, although Arlen remains unconscious for the remainder of the trip back to the church, Kath slipping in and out of consciousness the whole way. Finally, the group arrives at the church, and its mirror.

Stormcloud looks to his packmate, asking him to heal the two unconscious forms so that they can return to the realm.

Defends-Wolves begins tending to the two unconscious Garou, shaking his head to clear it before placing his hand on each of the two forms, healing energy sinking into them.

Arlen pages: I wake up, or am I still out like a light.
You paged Arlen with 'You wake up and have a pounding migraine for a day or so.'.

Arlen coughs. ~Jesus, Athena, and Artemis, where the hell am I?~

Stormcloud rumbles to Arlen. ~Back to the Gnawer's place.~

Arlen coughs again. ~Shit, that hurt. Thank you, Stormcloud, for the help. It... choked me.~ She shakes her head, and asks, ~Anyone in desperate need of healing?~

Arlen shifts to glabro.

Wolf-Dancer coughs up the last remnants of the bane, and is sick on the floor.

Arlen blanches slightly, and joins Kath in her activities.

Wolf-Dancer finishes emptying her guts, and gags a little. ~Inside me, need cleansing, now...~

Stormcloud sits on the floor upon his haunches, watching over everybody stoically. To Arlen he gives only a slight chuff in response.

Arlen glances at Kath. ~You don't have that Gift. Anyone?~

Arlen pages: ARE we tainted?
You paged Arlen with 'My call would be that the balefire folk *would* be. Smog, not necessarily. But y'all probably wanna get that icky ooze off your feet.'.
You paged Arlen with 'Ooze *is* Tainted, heavily.'

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