Salem's Ostracism

[hazlogs]

It is currently 18:10 Pacific Time on Mon Dec 3 2001.

Currently the moon is in the waning Gibbous Moon phase (78% full).

Currently in Saint Claire, it is a cloudy day. The temperature is 41
degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in
from the north at 13 mph. The barometric pressure reading is 29.96 and
falling, and the relative humidity is 82 percent. The dewpoint is 36
degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius.)

Among the Steam Vents [The Caern]

The ground here is hard and rocky, unlike the greener swath visible
through the steam to the north. Small, narrow cracks network the area,
steam trickling out of many of them, probably at least partly fed from the
stream flowing underground from the east. The warm circulating steam fills
the air around here much more thoroughly than most of the rest of the
caern, leaving a thin sheen of dampness on almost everything around, and
making the rocky ground that much more slippery. Sometimes, a blast of hot
steam bursts up from some of the cracks, making the temperature that much
the hotter, and that much more uncomfortable.

Through the mists, you can see the caern circling towards the walls of the
crevice, north towards the rocky slab; east, you can hear the waterfall;
the Wheel's center lies to the northeast. The valley continues towards the
southwest.

Salem steps down into the caern, picking his way carefully on the wet
stones.

From the rock outcropping, "If it helps," Adam calls out across the empty
space, towards the Glass Walker. "I am as eager to see this finished as
you are." He sounds like he means it, at that.

Salem lifts his head, his attention shifting toward the rocky outcrop. His
expression is cool, even a bit stony. "Noted," he replies evenly. "And
thank you." He moves into the center of the caern.

Center of the Caern

This area of the clearing is about 30 meters wide and is a mixture of dark
soil and clay throughout, though much of it looks like it's been sodded in
recent months. Near the center of the clearing, the top of a large white
boulder juts out from the soil like a bone revealed after the skin of an
animal has been torn away. The large rock appears to be normal stone at
its base, but towards the top stone gives way to a sparkling collection of
quartz crystal.

Around you, twenty yards in every direction, stretches the caern. To the
southeast, a waterfall plummets over the edge of the chasm into a small
pool in the caern; nearby, to the southwest, steam comes from cracks in
the ground, perhaps some of the same water. Northwest, a rocky spar juts
out of the ground at a low angle, showing a sloping but smooth top. The
chasm walls narrow a bit to the northeast, causing some of the mist to
swirl in that area.

Adam shifts to Glabro, pushing himself off the edge of the slab to slide,
though not perfectly, down the rim until his feet touch ground. Once
there, he shifts back down to Homid, nodding once to Salem as he waits.

By the waterfall, Elan pads down the trail and finds a place by the
waterfall to watch.

The black form of Quick skulks into the caern, his bright ears betraying
piqued interest as others position themselves.

Salem pushes his left sleeve up a bit to glance at his watch, then tugs
the cuff back down. Small, curt, economical movements.

Adam takes a breath, steady as he goes, as he notes the people arriving.
He shifts to Crinos, quickly, and lets out a howl. ~Garou of the Hidden
Walk, tonight we gather at the Caern to mete punishment on one who has
transgressed!~

Looming into your field of vision is a hulking, erect figure combining the
features of both man and wolf. His light grey pelt shimmers in the light,
and remains even-colored over his body, where countless muscles ripple as
he moves. His muzzle is cropped, and inch-long bleach-white incisors hang
down from his gums, offsetting the radiant sapphire eyes close-set above
the muzzle. His arms hang low, hands ending in marble-colored claws. He
looks down at you, and rumbles, showing teeth matching the incisors, and
equally sharp.

John is relatively 'on time'. Moments after the howl, as usual. He's
dressed in the full street uniform; everything clean and pressed, it's all
straight edges in black. His face is its usual grim mask-- perhaps darker.
He looks over his shoulder, for a moment, at the female Walker behind him.
Then continues to head toward the other Garou already gathered.

Leala stays very quiet, as she follows behind John, staying close and
looking unusually grim.

Adam shifts back down to Homid, his howling done. He stays on the edge of
the circle for the moment, watching each person as they enter the area.

The howl has called the attention to the only Fury ragabash at the Hidden
Walk: Helen. She strides in nonchalantly, standing by herself in the
corner of the caern's center, eyes dark and alert.

Laura comes hurrying in from the west, a slight bruise fading off of her
forehead. She looks curious, but not stressed. Oddly, she's wearing only a
sportsbra and her combat pants, as though the theurge was called away from
exercise or something of that ilk.

Salem glances over at John and Leala, regarding them for a moment or two
before his attention shifts back toward Adam. The Glass Walker's
expression remains unchanged, and his body language is all rigid control,
hands clasped behind his back.

Striding into the center is Alicia, making her way shortly behind the
others, humming gently to herself. She has on her ankle length gray skirt
with a matching halter, a denim jacket finishing off her apparel.

Emerging from the woods, Talespinner slips silently to the edge of the
Caern's center and settles on his haunches. The Australian Fianna cub
simply observes, quietly, from this distance.

By the waterfall, Elan's tail swishes back and forth, quietly.

John keeps walking, moving to stand next to Salem. He leans over, ignoring
the others, and murmurs something to his soon-to-be-punished Tribesmate,
before turning abruptly and stalking away a few metres.

From afar, John murmurs tonelessly to Salem, "I'm proud to call you a
Tribesmate."

Leala follows John up to Salem, but holds back as the two converse. When
John moves off, she moves after him and comes to an uncomfortable halt to
his side and slightly behind him.

Salem's head tilts minutely; then gives the Ahroun a slight nod.

Adam looks up, as the foot traffic slows. "We're gathered here," he
begins, because the Garou known as Salem, also called ~Dark One~, has had
judgement passed on him for his actions. He has broken the Veil, some two
years past, and his actions then resulted in the loss of the home of the
now-defunct pack Edge. Owen and Kaz, the remaining pack members still in
the area, have spoken with me, and have received the services they asked
for from the offender, to their satisfaction." Pause. "With that, the
slate between Edge and Salem is now wiped clean, and I pray that all three
can put the past behind them and begin anew in the war for Gaia." He
clasps his hands behind his back, speaking more. "However, there is still
his punishment in the eyes of the Sept, in addition to the dept he owed
the pack. It is my decision that Salem ~Dark One~ will be Ostracized for a
period of two months. No Garou is to have contact with him, speak to him,
or acknowledge his presence. After the allotted time, and No More time
than that, has passed, he will be welcomed back without reservation, and
his slate will be considered wiped clean for the crimes he has committed,
and confessed to the Sept in a show of courage and honor." He looks up to
those assembled. "If Salem will, please, stand in the center, and the
others here form a circle around him."

Roger comes down the trail and into the caern, pausing to look for the
Glass Walkers before he comes to near the center and moving towards them
when he does.

Salem glances about, then moves closer to the center of the caern to stand
in the appointed place; his expression remains stony.

John falls into step behind Salem, moments later, taking up a position
behind him, before looking about at the others, watching them move to form
the circle.

Roger nods and moves in to make the circle, intensionally besides John.

Leala follows John, as she has done since arriving. She looks a little
uncertain about being here, but tries to keep her expression resolutely
blank.

Talespinner shifts to homid, slowly straightening up as he moves in closer
to help flesh out the circle a little-- away from the Walker contingent.

With terse bounding strides, Quick circles around the assortment of Garou,
taking time to sniff at each suspect city-originated one, before dashing
to take up a position in the circle, with a quiver of excitement.

Helen moves over with the others to form the circle 'round Salem, eyes
settled on the Litany-breaker.

Laura steps up as well, staying near her tribemate. Her expression is a
little puzzled, but she moves nonetheless. They're ostracizing a
Litany-breaker. That's all that matters.

Shadow Eyes moves to a section of the circle and sits there, taking a
moment to scratch.

Adam steps forward, completeing the circle. "It is a simple Rite," he
admits. "Each one speaks, saying 'Salem Dark One. Of All Gaia's Children,
I have no such brother,' then turns away from Salem. Once the circle is
completed, thus ends the Rite, and his period of two months begins." He
starts off, closing his eyes and breathing deeply a few times before
raising his head to the sky, then to the Walker Philodox. "Salem Dark One.
Of all Gaia's Children, I have no such brother," he says, slowly, evenly,
before turning in place, his back to the punished.

John looks about for a moment, jawline tightening before he looks to
Salem. "Salem Dark One. Of all Gaia's Children, I have no such brother."
he growls, lowly, and slowly turns his back.

Roger seem to be able to frown, smiles as if containing laughter. He does
however manage to get the words out little more then just half-seriously.
"Salem. Dark One, of all Gaia's Children, I have so nuch brother. Uh, I
mean no such... ahem." With this he turns away, inward laughter apparent.

Adam's expression darkens. He'll deal with that later.

Shadow Eyes lips his lip slightly. Dark One. Of all Gaia's Children, I
have no such brother. He turns and plops down again.

"Salem Dark One. Of all Gaia's Children, I have no such brother," Laura
states firmly, pivoting to face away from the ostracized Garou.

Quick's gleaming eyes focus on Salem, as he watches the effect on the
shunned one, then he brings his head up with a snap, and he echoes the
dictated line in lupus, and turns, nearly in the same movement.

Though she barely knows her fellow Walker, Leala takes a deep breath and
says softly, but coldly "Salem Dark One. Of all Gaia's Children, I have no
such brother." She turns her back and stands still, trying not to fidget.

Cameron eyes the metis warily, then repeats the line. "Salem Dark One. Of
all Gaia's Children, I have no such brother." He gives Salem a final,
curious look as he slowly turns away.

Salem remains unmoving, his expression unchanging as each Garou speaks the
words and turns away, one by one. Back straight, eyes forward, focussing
on no one in particular. His gloved hands tighten subtly behind his back,
but that's all.

"Salem Dark One," says Helen, apathetic, "of all Gaia's children, I have
no such brother." She turns, scowling.

Taking a deep breath, Alicia murmurs softly. "Salem Dark One...Of all
Gaia's children, I have no brother." She turns around as well, closing her
eyes.

Salem waits a heartbeat or two after Alicia, the last, speaks the words
and turns her back. Then he exhales a breath and wordlessly walks out of
the circle and toward the edge of the caern. His hands unclasp from behind
his back and vanish into the pockets of his coat.

Shadow Eyes's eyes don't even track the non-existant Garou as he leaves.
The Gnawer turns back to the others and pads over to Alicia to nuzzle her
pockets, hoping for more chocolate.

Quick twists his neck to get a gander of the departing Walker, before
snapping back to see if others did the same thing.

Half-hidden by the mists to the northeast, Bloodsinger crouches in Hispo,
observing the group from the fringes. Her claws make no sound in the dark
soil.

Adam waits until he is positive Salem is out of the circle before turning
to the others. "The Rite is finished," he says. "I thank all of you for
participating."

Roger disregards Salem, they'll talk in two months, and steps away and
turns to look at Adam, a sober expression on his face as he regards the
ritemaster. "Adam, may I speak to you for a second."

At the center, Adam turns as he's addressed. "Mr Cohen," he says,
acknowledging the Metis' presence. His face is impassive, expressionless.
"What do you wish to speak about?"

At the center, John lifts his head slightly, watching Roger and Adam. He
looks briefly to Leala, indicating with a nod that she should stay by him
a moment.