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A trip to the Umbra
This story was told by Hawk, former Deputy Constable for the Gangrel Domain. "A trip to the Umbra" concerns a recent werewolf problem endured by the Clan, and the unusual solution that was found...
 * Hawk kicks back on his favored rock and puts his feet up. His face is oddly devoid of all emotion as is pretty typical for him. He starts his tale in the soft and creepy voice that he is known for. *

A group of shifters comprised mostly of the Get of Fenrir took up residence in Fleming Park. They had been displaced by a group of "Femorri." Well I think "Femorri" is the term; I am not that up on shifter dialect. Anyway, how it all started is that since the Gangrel had faced this particular problem in the past one of their Kinfolk got the bright idea to enlist our aid. 

Of course since shifters and vampires do not get along when I got my talons on the fellow he did not last long. * shrugs * A long story short is that we found out from him that these "Femorri" had set up some type of breeding ground in a town down by the Arkansas border. I think the town’s name was Cape Fair and the breeding operation was taking place in an old gravel pit. The Get were going to try and take care of the problem and their Kinfolk did not think they were up to it alone.

After extracting all the information that I could from the Kinfolk I set about disposing of him. A group of Black Spiral Dancers known as The Claws in Gaia’s Back took a few pictures and timed an attack to set us up. After the pictures were dropped to the pack of the Get of Fenrir they took over Fleming.

Trying to show that we had no quarrel with the Get if they stayed out of our Domain, we set about bringing them the heads of the pack of Black Spirals. A battle took place near Shadows bar. Myself, Rori, Morgan, Joshua, and * gets a sour look * Raven Swiftblade killed off the pack of Dancers. Of course we took our share of lumps in the process.

Well, that did not impress the Get who told Morgan that they would not leave unless we took care of the problem at the gravel pit. The Jarl elected to try and do that because she feared an all out war with the shifters in Fleming might destroy the Masquerade. So myself, Jack Sandoval, Jared Dragoon, Kitty, BJ Miller, Christina, Morgan, Joshua, Raven, Kai, Katherine, and Jasmine headed south.

Joshua told us we would need to go to the place the shifters call the Umbra to do the job. He also told us that most of our weapons would not work on that side unless they were old, magic, or both. For that reason I brought my saber. I carried the weapon in the Civil War when I breathed for a living. Joshua had since enchanted it for me so it is quite a potent weapon.

At the gravel pit we encountered a bunch of zombies in various stages of decay. A battle soon followed. You could cut the zombies into oozing chunks and they would still keep coming. However, Raven got an idea and shot a propane tank. The explosion and fire were then used to destroy the zombies. However, as is typical with Raven he blew up Jared in the process. * grumbles * Raven knew Jared was in the way, but as is usual for him he just did not give a damn. Jared survived, but he was scorched for a while.

After that Joshua used his magic to open the gate into the Umbra. Jack stayed behind to guard our rear. I gave Christina my saber so she would have a weapon on the other side. When one gets to be my age they do not need much for weapons other than their body. 

The Umbra was about like many Christians would envision Hell. The landscape is bleak and covered in noxious fumes and molten rock. For one who follows the Norse ways as I do, it fit the description of Hel’s Hall where the unworthy dead fall to. We crossed a river of burning rock and started to climb a mountain. We were soon attacked by - believe it or not - clouds. They would somehow burn us when they passed over. At last though from following Joshua’s lead we figured out we could physically harm the clouds and they were chased off. I do not know how Joshua managed to function in that place since he had to breathe.

At the top of the mountain we found a group of creatures bathing in a toxic lake. A battle soon followed and the Gangrel made short work of them. But then a large armor plated worm rose up out of the lake. We could not seem to hurt the creature because of its armor. But Morgan had some sort of odd ray gun that she was using to some effect from a distance.

The creature smashed BJ and sent her to torpor, bit off Jasmine’s arm and generally beat us up. Hmm, I think it might of crippled Kai in the process as well. I know it broke both of my legs. When I would lay into the beast with my talons, they would just slide off like a cat slipping down a tin roof. At last Christina was able to lodge my old saber between a couple of the creatures scales. When I saw that I jumped and grabbed the saber handle. The creature spun hard and sent me flying, but my weight on the saber was enough to open up the armor. That gave Morgan a weak point to shoot at and the creature was destroyed.

After the worm died it dissolved into a puddle of toxic ooze. We took one of its fangs as proof of our deed. But my saber was no place to be found; it had apparently been destroyed. So we gathered up our wounded and returned home. 

Several nights later, though, Joshua returned my saber to me as good as new. It seems Morgan had found a piece of it before we left. Joshua then used his magic to repair it and make it even better than new. It is something I doubt I could ever repay him for.

A few nights later Joshua, Morgan, and myself delivered the creature’s fang to the Get of Fenrir. They grumbled and did not believe us, but in the end the mangy creatures left our Domain. * feral smile * And that, pups, is one of the many reasons why I hate shifters. 

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