02. My name... is Alan Marduk!

[Corwin]

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[17:08] <Kallen> "My name is.. Alan Marduk! My mother is Edith Marduk, my father is Carl Marduk!" proclaims the man lying upon the ground, sitting up with a start, sending the prone changelings scattering about. "I am a MAN! This is.. the Earth..." He shakes his shaggy head, squinting into the poorly-lit confines.
[17:10] * Ivy returns to her feet, made easier by being on top of the pile. "Welcome back," she tells the beast-man.
[17:12] <Charlie> "Sure is!  Welcome home!"
[17:12] <Phi> "Owowowowow...why can I never get a nice, simple office job...?" Phi is last up, muttering to himself.
[17:13] <Kallen> He looks up at Ivy, and his eyes widen in sudden fright! "Argh! You're.. you're one of hers!" He sits up on his knees, and squints. "You.. you.. you are also a woman..." he mutters, glancing down at his claws. "I am a man.. but I have claws... no, no!"
[17:15] <Ivy> "It is very kind of you to notice," Ivy remarks, critically examining her flowing hair. Some of it is hopelessly tangled, and she breaks off a branch in sadness, letting it drop to the ground.
[17:16] * Phi sees no reason to get closer. Those claws look sharp, and his skin probably wouldn't react well to them. "Um...well, this is probably hard to believe, but...gah, I'm not set for this." A hand waves nervously over his glasses...
[17:19] <Kallen> "Got away.. I got away. Did you get away, too?" Alan's speech is slurred, and he trips over his words, as though trying to remember how to say them properly. "Or are you HER servants, trying to trick me?"
[17:21] * Phi finally musters the nerve to take off his glasses...for the first half of the motion, it's uncertain and cautious, but the instant the glasses leave his eyes his hand jerks them away into a pocket. His eyes flash gold for a moment, and a cocky grin runs across his face.
[17:21] <Ivy> "If we were, we certainly would not admit it," Ivy muses. "Though surely there are better attempts at trickery than getting run over by a pack of murderous hounds. Since that should well establish our credentials, what do you say to putting more of a distance between the doorway and ourselves?" She pauses briefly. "We do have a car."
[17:21] <Charlie> "We're men and women, people just like you."  Charlie offers Alan a friendly hand to pull him up.  "Yes, we all got away from her too.  There's a lot more of us than you'd think and we all help each other.  You're not quite the same as before, but you're still your own person and can get back to a good life."
[17:22] <Phi> "Aaah, good to be back. Shame I'm stuck dogsitting, though. And as for the puppy's worries - if we were working with ice-bitch, wouldn't we have sent you back rather than, y'know, stopping your doggy friends from eating you alive?"
[17:25] <Kallen> Alan manages to grasp Charlie's hand. When he rises, he dwarfs the motley, standing just shy of seven feet. "Car... runs on petrol. Internal combustion engine. Radiator. Oil. Keys. Takes us away." He whirls and glares at Phi, teeth bared in a snarl- "Those hounds aren't my friends! One day, they will call ME master! I have the bane! The Jager's time is.. is..."
[17:25] * Phi looks unamused, the very opposite of his former self. It looks almost like he's ready to strap a leash on Alan and haul him out the door right now.
[17:26] <Phi> "Are you a man, or a beast? Make your goddamn mind up, 'cause I don't want an animal in my car."
[17:26] <Ivy> "Do you want them to call you master?" Ivy idly inquires. "Either way, I'm returning."
[17:27] <Kallen> "I am a man," Alan repeats, looking around. "Where... do we go?" He reaches up to scratch his hairy chest, and lets loose a great yawn.
[17:27] <Ivy> "I have a spare room," Ivy suggests, turning to head outside. "We'll sort things out in the morning. Coming, then, Alan?"
[17:28] * Phi starts making his way back to the entrance, expecting the rest to keep up. "Question. Who the hell left all the markings on the way in?"
[17:28] <Phi> "Couldn't be dog-man, and we didn't walk into anyone else."
[17:29] * Charlie gives Phi a discreet jointed elbow poke. "We're all men here! Except Ivy. She's a man and a half. But yes, let's go. Alan, we're going to take you back to... our house, a meeting place for people like us in this city. Is that all right?""
[17:32] <Phi> "Jeez..." Phi grabs his side, wincing. "For an old man, you know your pressure points. Gotta gimme some pointers on that some time."
[17:32] <Kallen> "Friend. You.. are a friend. Yes. I will come," he mumbles. Phi soon manages to make his way outside, where he finds a certain couple staring curiously at him as he emerges from the staircase. "I told ya'! Hey, what're you doing here? This ain't no place for kids, kid!" demands the punkish girl, who can't be older than fifteen herself.
[17:32] <Kallen> She's wearing short denim shorts and high boots despite the freezing weather, and has attached herself to a boy of equivalent age, wearing a knife strapped to an ankle holster. Both come clad in leather jackets, and have what might be some attempt at a sneer- one ruined by a faint trace of awe at Phi's presence.
[17:35] * Ivy is the next to step out into the open, pausing curiously at the sight of the the punkish couple. "Finished already?" she asks them curiously.
[17:36] * Charlie stays close to Alan, stepping out only when he does.
[17:36] <Phi> "Heh. The hell are you two doing here? Weren't you both sitting pretty like a pair 'a zoo exhibitions?"
[17:40] * Phi walks up to the couple, unfazed as he stares the boy in the eye.
[17:40] <Kallen> "Blue balls. Fucking snow," mutters the girl. "What's it to you, anyway, you voyeurs? This here's Black Dog territory! We'll do what we want!" Her voice is high-pitched, slightly nasally. The boy's face turns faintly pink, and he glares back at Phi. "Yeah! Who're you with, and why're you messing around in the Trial?"
[17:40] <Kallen> Alan blunders outside, but he freezes when he sees the two kids. The girl takes one look at him, and twists her head away. "Eeek! A real man!"
[17:42] * Ivy laughs, deeply amused by the situation they found themselves in.
[17:42] <Phi> "Trial? Unless you've got some fancy schmancy deed to prove it, this place doesn't belong to you. Now I figure you oughta scram before my friend back there decides that your bitchy girlfriend annoys him and rips her face off."
[17:43] * Charlie just stops and stares at the youths. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"
[17:44] <Phi> "Old man, they're probably just street punks. You've been hearin' about all the infighting going on in Valiance, right? Or is your hearing even worse than I thought it was?"
[17:44] <Kallen> "Hey.. hey! Don't be getting cocky here!" the boy replies, but any further protests are overwhelmed by a sudden yell from Alan. "I can smell it! I can smell the residue of his tounge! It is upon them! It is.. it.. I.. forgot..." His voice trails off, and his posture slackens; with an unceremonious thump, he slides to the ground. A massive snore erupts from his nose.
[17:45] <Phi> "...Uh...see? He's so unimpressed by you guys, you managed to bore him to sleep." Phi tries to salvage the threat, but...
[17:46] * Ivy shakes her head, trying in futility to do something about her laughter. She manages to get it under control just enough to glance over at Charlie, asking him, "So who's carrying Alan?"
[17:48] * Charlie checks himself out - a rather scrawny old man, all told, with literally hinged joints that seem to work impossibly. "Er... whoever can? You and Phi, perhaps? We may have a problem here..."
[17:49] <Ivy> "I might as well," Ivy agrees, attempting to manage this feat on her own.
[17:49] <Kallen> "Oh, gross! I told you to use mouthwash!" The girl's quip belies her wariness; both she and the boy seem faintly concerned for the man beneath them. "Uh.. anyway... this is Black Dog territory! We're doing the trials, and.. they're not listening, Cammie..."
[17:50] <Phi> "I'll get to it as soon as I'm done dealing with these guys."
[17:50] <Kallen> Ivy finds that Alan is quite heavy! It's going to be a bumpy ride, dragging him along; the man is seven feet tall and quite stocky. "Who's dealing with who? Listen, buddy, unless you're with us, you ain't meant to be here!"
[17:50] <Phi> OOC: Rolling Witches' Intuition against the punk guy. What's his Composure?
[17:51] <Kallen> OOC: 2!
[17:51] <Phi> roll 3d10
[17:51] * Hatbot --> "Phi rolls 3d10 and gets 18." [3d10=9, 4, 5]
[17:52] <Ivy> "I think a princess carry is out of the question," Ivy muses out loud, before returning her attention to the teens. "You want us to leave? That's quite alright with me. This is us, leaving."
[17:53] <Phi> "Hey, hey, don't get aggressive with me. Women don't like guys who snap at the first sign of danger. Now, before we leave you two to get comfy, mind telling us what the hell these Trials are? I'm interested."
[17:54] <Kallen> OOC: presence+persuasion. Yes. This is nWoD.
[17:54] <Phi> roll 5d10
[17:54] * Hatbot --> "Phi rolls 5d10 and gets 24." [5d10=6, 3, 10, 4, 1]
[17:57] <Kallen> "What's it to you?" replies the girl, glaring at Phi. "They're trials. To see who's worth going somewhere, and who's just gutter trash. Don't you know anything... no way, there's no way you people are our rivals.. who *are* you?" Her tone drifts from irritated to confused as she rambles on. The guy glances apologetically at Ivy, and just sighs.
[17:59] * Ivy shrugs as she feels the glance, already headed back to the zoo's entrance, albeit greatly burdened with having to carry Alan.
[17:59] <Phi> "Now, that's more like it. I could like a woman like you if I got to know you well enough. Hell, if your man is gonna just deal with the situation by staying silent over there, I see no reason why you shouldn't just walk away from him right now."
[18:01] <Kallen> "H-hey! Cammie's my girl! Shut your fucking trap!" shouts the guy, making a lunge. "Oh yeah? Well you ain't shit here, unless you're one of the Dogs, and I ain't walking away from that," replies the girl, ignoring the guy even as she clings to his waist. "How 'bout it? You wanna join?"
[18:03] <Phi> "Depends. Tell me more 'bout these Trials, and I might consider it."
[18:05] <Kallen> "You get in the Dogs by knowing a Dog. You get to be the Top Dog by doing the trials," she replies, grinning. "First trial! Stay here for one night in the lion cage, and repulse all intruders. Hey, that's you. You better be getting out. Thought it was pretty boring, but there's ways to pass the time, you get me?"
[18:08] <Phi> "Well, consider me repulsed. Maybe some other time when I don't have this guy to carry." Phi starts helping Ivy with Alan, disregarding the pair. "You act like we didn't show up, and I won't mention that you guys aren't in your little cage. Seem fair?"
[18:09] <Kallen> "That's cool with me. Hey, nothing says we can't meet up outside. Cammie69 on google at facebook, right? Look me up." Overtaken by these developments, the guy seems to have gone into a state of extreme depression.
[18:11] <Phi> "I'll find you. You'll know me when you see me." Phi waves the girl goodbye, taking Alan's other side and helping him out.
[18:11] * Charlie listens to the exchanges with a stony glare, saying nothing and attempting to lend a hand with Alan.
[18:13] <Kallen> With some heaving and hoing the motley manages to leave the (former?) couple behind. They make it out without any more trouble; somehow, the bars seem less tall, the snow doesn't slow their step, and the security guard certainly hasn't awoken yet. Cramming Alan into Phi's car proves to be something of a struggle, but persistance eventually pays off-
[18:13] <Kallen> -and soon enough, they're all ready to go wherever the road may take them!
[18:15] <Phi> "Alright. Let's take this guy back to the library for the handiman to take care of. Here's hoping this thing holds up - I'm not keeping this guy in the car any longer than I have to. Jeez, the stench..."
[18:16] <Ivy> "I've had enough fun for the night," Ivy announces. "If you plan on taking Alan to the library to wake him up and introduce him around, drop me off at home along the way?"
[18:16] <Kallen> Indeed, a lurid, sweaty smell soon permeates the vehicle.
[18:16] <Phi> "Depends. Can I come round after I drop off the wolf-man?"
[18:17] <Ivy> "If you would like. I might even leave an opening in the fence."
[18:18] <Charlie> "Don't worry about that," Charlie mutters.  "Worry about that gang.  Trouble if I ever saw it!  Kids these days."
[18:18] <Phi> "Heh. Can't say no to an offering like that, can I?" Phi is inspired, and slams his foot onto the gas pedal to force the engine to life.
[18:18] <Kallen> POW!
[18:19] <Kallen> The car starts, like a rocket!
[18:20] <Phi> "Awwwwwww yeah!" Phi doesn't bother with infantile techniques such as braking - it's not like anyone else is going to be driving at this time of night, is it?
[18:20] <Kallen> OOC: Make a drive+dex check, you crazy, crazy man who speeds around in the snow.
[18:21] <Phi> roll 3d10
[18:21] * Hatbot --> "Phi rolls 3d10 and gets 11." [3d10=7, 3, 1]
[18:23] <Phi> roll 1d10 to not die
[18:23] * Hatbot --> "Phi rolls 1d10 to not die and gets 3." [1d10=3]
[18:24] <Phi> "Okay, maybe that is sorta too fast." Phi presses down on the brake pedal, and is disappointed to feel it snap beneath his foot. "...Uh. Hope you guys are wearing seatbelts..."
[18:25] <Ivy> "Never get in a car without them," Ivy responds far too calmly than one might expect to such a statement.
[18:26] <Kallen> Wow! Phi's off to a brilliant start, before he manages to skid into a donut, and spiral sidelong into a fire hydrant, near bouncing off and coming to rest in the middle of the road! Water sprays out of the red contraption, and the patter of it soon follows. When everyone comes to, the first thing they hear is someone nearby, shouting "Holy shit. Holy fucking shit!"
[18:27] <Kallen> roll 4d10
[18:27] * Hatbot --> "Kallen rolls 4d10 and gets 20." [4d10=7, 5, 7, 1]
[18:27] <Kallen> OOC: Everyone takes 4 bashing. Ahem.
[18:27] <Kallen> OOC: Proceed. <_<
[18:28] <Phi> "Shit, shit, shit...this happens to every car I drive."
[18:28] <Phi> Phi starts hauling himself out of the wreck, surprised that he managed to avoid breaking anything this time.
[18:29] * Charlie says nothing, just breathes a deep sigh, and gets out of the car after inspecting Alan for any serious injuries.
[18:30] * Ivy glares at the seatbelt that snapped off in the front seat. She should have realized that it merely working rather than being stuck, as the ones in the back seat, weren't a sign of change. She rests back in her seat, recovering her strength before attempting to move in earnest.
[18:30] <Kallen> Alan doesn't seem, offhand, to be more badly injured than anyone else; that is, he's still breathing and somewhat bruised, but no broken bones or broken neck. Phi finds that he's not so luck; the front of his car is horribly dented, some kind of steam is hissing out, and it looks in no state to be going anywhere, that's for sure. "Holy shit! Are you alright, dude?" demands-
[18:30] <Kallen> -a young man, wearing a tie around his head and wearing a cruiser jacket; looks like he's just on his way home from a hard night's drinking.
[18:32] <Phi> "Oh, what the FUCK is this!?" Phi kicks at the dented engine, livid. He turns to the drunkard. "I'm walking, I'm breathing, but besides that I think I'm pretty fucked up here."
[18:34] <Phi> "Man, I could use some donations to fix this thing up. You got anything to offer?"
[18:34] <Kallen> "Yeah, no shit, bro! Ain't nothing's gonna get this one going again. Hey.. is everyone in there alright? Wow. But that was a sick skid, bro." At Phi's request, he bursts out laughing.
[18:35] <Charlie> "Don't suppose you've any tools in the trunk?"
[18:35] <Phi> OOC: Witches' Intuition. Target Composure?
[18:35] <Kallen> OOC: Uhhh 1 at the moment due to drunkeness
[18:35] <Phi> roll 4d10
[18:35] * Hatbot --> "Phi rolls 4d10 and gets 28." [4d10=7, 5, 8, 8]
[18:37] <Ivy> "I'm calling a cab," Ivy declares, groaning. "Charlie, would you have a cellphone on you?"
[18:38] <Phi> "Shit, man, haven't you heard? There's a quake set to hit Valiance in a few minutes! Get inside, already!"
[18:39] <Kallen> "Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh what? I'm druuuuuuuunk, dude, but not that drunk," replies the man, giving Phi a strange look.
[18:39] <Charlie> "Aaaaah... hrm, probably best, I suppose."  Charlie bites his lip, then pulls out his phone.  "You know a place to call?"
[18:40] <Phi> roll 3d10
[18:40] * Hatbot --> "Phi rolls 3d10 and gets 10." [3d10=4, 1, 5]
[18:40] <Ivy> "A taxi. Any taxi." Ivy reaches out through the nonexistent window. "I'll dial."
[18:40] <Phi> "No, seriously! Can't you feel it?!" Phi starts stumbling around...
[18:41] <Charlie> "Right.  Yes.  Here you go."
[18:41] <Phi> roll 3d10
[18:41] * Hatbot --> "Phi rolls 3d10 and gets 10." [3d10=5, 3, 2]
[18:41] * Charlie hands the phone over, then walks over to Phi, slowly.
[18:42] <Ivy> Lacking as she is in cars, Ivy knows a few numbers to call in the unfortunate situation she is forced to part with the meager funds she has for transporation.
[18:42] * Ivy dials the first one on her mind.
[18:42] <Phi> SHIIIIIIIIIT!
[18:43] * Phi stands in place, flapping his arms in some absurd attempt to fly.
[18:44] <Kallen> "Woah... uh, you guys can take care of this, right? You don't need any help.. or nothin'..." mumbles the young man, edging away. Ivy is easily able to secure a cab to come and pick herself up; the estimated time of arrival is a paltry ten minutes.
[18:45] * Charlie nods to the retreating drunk. "Sorry about that, man, he's a little shaken up. We'll be fine, don't worry."
[18:45] <Ivy> "My ride will be here by the time I regain use of my legs, give or take," Ivy calls over to Charlie, hanging onto the cell. "I could give you a ride, if you would like."
[18:45] <Kallen> The drunk soon makes a swift exit, looking to make an escape to just about anywhere but here. There's nobody else about- not even any passing cars, at least at this time.
[18:46] <Phi> Where's the ground?! Where's the ground?!
[18:46] * Phi grabs Charlie. "Dammit, old man, do something! Can't one of your puppets fly or something useful like that?!"
[18:47] <Charlie> "Yeah, thanks, I'm going to see about getting our friend here back to the - what in?  Phi, are you all right?  What's wrong?"
[18:48] <Phi> "What's wrong?! Old man, are you freaking blind!?" Phi shakes Charlie, looking down at the ground with an expression of horror.
[18:48] <Phi> "I'm not going back...like HELL am I letting her take me back! Goddammit, hurry up and do something!"
[18:49] * Charlie grabs Phi and holds him steady. "Phi! Calm down! We're standing on the ground, she's not coming for you! You're just panicking, it'll be okay, try and sit down!"
[18:50] <Kallen> OOC: Make an empathy+presence check, Charlie?
[18:50] <Charlie> 4d10
[18:50] * Hatbot --> "Charlie rolls 4d10 and gets 18." [4d10=10, 2, 1, 5]
[18:50] <Kallen> OOC: 10again but you win anyhow!
[18:50] <Charlie> d10 and yeah
[18:50] * Hatbot --> "Charlie rolls d10 and yeah and gets 10." [d10=10]
[18:51] <Kallen> OOC: they explode continuously
[18:51] <Charlie> d10
[18:51] * Hatbot --> "Charlie rolls d10 and gets 3." [d10=3]
[18:51] <Phi> "Ah-!" Phi promptly faceplants, hugging the ground. "Goddammit, old man, if you were a woman I'd kiss you right now..."
[18:53] <Charlie> "No problem, but if you get confused about *that* I'll snap you out with my boot."  Charlie smiles anyhow.
[18:54] <Phi> "Gah...sorry. I swear, it's these goddamn glasses. If I just get rid of 'em...but then of course the wuss speaks up about how it's irresponsible and all." Phi tries to salvage some sense of dignity as he stands up.
[18:55] <Phi> "So. I figure that little meetup of ours is off for first-aid purposes?"
[18:55] <Kallen> roll 1d10
[18:55] * Hatbot --> "Kallen rolls 1d10 and gets 9." [1d10=9]
[19:00] <Kallen> Ivy manages to hobble home, and with judiciously applied effort, Alan is dragged back towards the library. Handspan seems to have anticipated the possibility that he would need somewhere to sleep (although not that he would be sleeping), and has thoughtfully provided a rather skeletal-looking hospital bed. "He won't fit," he remarks, rather pertubed- but he's lugged onto it anyway.
[19:00] <Kallen> "Best not to act hasty," he adds, glancing at Charlie when he relays his suspicions on the Black Dogs. "I'll see what the Mountain King says about this." He sniffs. "Too many gangs, says I. The Jager does enjoy his hunts, and he hunts only the strongest."
[19:01] <Charlie> "I worry he's hunting us!"
[19:02] <Phi> "Eh, the Jager's not that much of a problem. He's big and he's brawly, but those punks he's using probably couldn't fight their way outta a paper bag. Ice-bitch, though..." Phi looks away.
[19:03] <Kallen> "As he always does. No failings of the Winterwatch yet- the Lost still sleep safe in their beds." Handspan looks up sharply, and ambles over towards Phi, before whapping him over the head with a dusty cane. "Fool boy! Underestimate not the Jager! Hunting requires craftiness and cunning as much as brave and brawn! Now.. now they hunt each other. When only the strongest remain, who might-
[19:04] <Kallen> "-they come for, hmm?"
[19:06] <Phi> "Jeez, watch it! I've got enough bruises already!" Phi winces as he rubs at his newest injury. "You've got a point, though...so does prolonging the wars sound like a good enough plan?"
[19:06] <Charlie> "If what they said holds true, he's got an actual business set up there, sucking all those youngsters into the Hedge.  That's unprecedented.  We should do something about it, and sooner rather than later.  I recommend - what's that quote go?  Nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure?"
[19:06] <Phi> "That or just screw around with it until it's so boring the Jager goes off to do...something else. Whatever it is the Fae do."
[19:10] <Kallen> "A long war means stronger warriors at the end. Fight them, and they'll put those skills to use. It is not Summer." Handspan ambles towards a rocking chair, upon which he seats himself. "Destroy the gateways, aye, that'll stop them- for now. What's to say more won't be opened? His loyalists are responsible for this, if what you said rings true."
[19:14] <Phi> "They've gotta be recruiting people somewhere. A place where kids are running rampant. Any good suggestions?"
[19:14] <Charlie> "Then they need to be dealt with.  I know it's not Summer, but we can't sit back and do nothing.  Surely the Court knows this - you sent us out directly into that mess to pull this man out, that's hardly a Wintery path."
[19:19] <Kallen> "Get it from their own mouths," replies Handspan. "Perhaps... schools. The spider's web is quite popular with children, nowadays. Ah, Charles, don't think I do not!" He claps his hands, and grins. "I've no wish to draw their ire upon us, m'kee. But I'll not blind my eyes to them until they're upon us, either!"
[19:22] <Phi> "Gimme a broadband connection and a couple'a days. I'll see if I can't find someone talkin' about it."
[19:22] <Phi> "Oh, and possibly a grant for a new car. There was an incident on the way back from the library, and we lost the old one in a tragic and unavoidable accident."
[19:23] <Charlie> "Ooh, right, the youngun gave you her Spacebook address, right?  You can hack her with e-mail!"
[19:23] <Kallen> "No! No more cars! The winterwatch is underfunded as it is, and I'll not supplant myself before Willow Tree for more of her accursed dollars and cents!"
[19:24] <Kallen> "Although I would for her bodice and sense..." he remarks, raising a hand to his chin.
[19:25] <Phi> "You and the rest of the freehold, handyman."
[19:27] <Kallen> "Aye, she be a fine lass. Now, see here, Charles. If the Jager's gateways be destroyed, they'll be remade, I've no doubt. And those accursed loyalist traitors will be the ones coming out of the woodworks to do so. Ye ken it, sir?"
[19:28] <Charlie> "I reckon so!  Precisely."
[19:29] <Kallen> "Truly I'm blessed. The last winterwatch- such a disgrace. Nothing was done at all." Handspan shakes his head. "Off with you both. Has been a long night, and one of you has the job to attend to."
[19:30] <Charlie> "Thanks and a warm night to you, then."  Charlie departs!
[19:30] <Phi> "Finally, a job that doesn't involve running around all over the place. Later, old man." Phi takes his leave as well, heading home to start some research...

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