EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei was carrying nothing of consequence on her which she would need to bring along, especially considering that Galsek was now dead. Harriet's collar was built to handle a transformation, and its enchantment could be activated by a specific phrase from Meesei, so she was ready to transform along with the others. Meesei drank her remaining magicka potion and buried her equipment with the others before quickly transforming.

The warband set out as quickly as possible towards the clan, though as usual, Meesei was cautious. She stayed near the front and kept a sharp eye out over the horizon. She could certainly believe that Galsek was lying in some fashion, even in death, so she could not rule out the possibility that they still might be ambushed. There might be no lodge or lycan hunters, or perhaps the lycan hunters were coming for them, instead of the clan. Anything was possible, so she was on her guard. Running up alongside Oswall, she spoke to him between breaths. "Stay alert...an ambush is still...possible."

Ahnasha rushed up alongside Darahil as he left the room, with notable impatience in every step. "It is hard to say; it depends on what path they take up the mountain. It was a large group, so we should have enough time if we hurry, if they are coming here at all. We could not wait around to see which direction the hunters were going. They could either be heading west, towards us, or east towards the warband. I send another runner to warn the warband. Still, we need to form the defense. I will be at the gates soon, there is...something I must do." Ahnasha explained, not waiting for confirmation before she suddenly sprinted off in the direction of their room.

The heavy footsteps of Ahnasha's beast form could be heard echoing down the hall as she ran towards their room. Kaleeth, who had been rubbing Leaps' stomach while Sabine put Rhazii to sleep, looked up curiously as the sound grew louder. Suddenly, Ahnasha burst through the old Ayleid door, immediately waking Rhazii with the noise and causing him to cry. For once in her life, however, Ahnasha actually did not care about upsetting her son.

"Sabine, Kaleeth, you need to get to safety, as far from the entrance as possible! There may be lycan hunters coming here, a large force of them." Ahnasha shouted the moment the door was open.

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

Here are my thoughts. I of course think that all characters of all bloods should feel like they can be useful, in roughly the same proportions. There shouldn't be one that really dominates, but I think you might be going about that the wrong way. I don't think it is worth it to lose variety in favor of closing off every bit of potential for abuse. We're all friends here, after all, and we can deal with those issues individually.

I think it might be possible to "over-balance." To think about every detail of what every blood can do that you drive yourself crazy. Personally, I like the potent magic. I like the idea that we have this great potential. When I see a fight between a master aeromancer and a master geomancer, I'd like to see a mage bringing down the sky to meet the earth rising up against him. I'd like to see the forest turning against a pyromancer who is scorching the earth hot enough to melt the rocks as they try to get to the herbamancer. When we get all of these master bloods fighting with and against each other, I'd like it so seem like reality is tearing itself apart, because I think that it would make the RP all the more interesting. I like being able to be creative with my abilities, and it really does not matter how much power our characters can potentially have, because the enemy has mageblood too. They will have all the same powers and abilities as us, if not more.

Instead of trying to nerf everything into balance, I say "balance-up." Make sure that every mageblood has some kind of strong defense against other magebloods, some way to absorb or avoid damage, so that master level fights don't end in two seconds. I haven't had time to think in depth about every single blood, but I'm certainly willing to. If we work together, I think we can make sure that each blood has a compelling and potent defense against each of the others. That would certainly be easier than trying to rebalance everything.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Hey, just got home not long ago. I need to finish up a project, then I'll respond as soon as I can.

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

Though Meirin seemed embarrassed by it, Ssarak was glad that she had explained why she had given him the roses. Giving another flowers was an unfamiliar tradition to him, seeing as there were no flowers to give in his homeland. It was a custom that he would be sure to keep in mind for the future. He gladly accepted them, and smiled in thanks while she got herself situated.

Ssarak of course noticed Meirin's uneasiness as she sat down. Her condition was something that was actually easy to forget about as of late, since her medicine was rather effective at mitigating the symptoms. He was already well-aware of her narcolepsy, so there was no need for him to ask if she was alright. Rather, he just addressed her question. "They were representatives of the Scorched Lands. Uicle asked me to speak to them, to gather information. What I learned from them does have rather dire implications for my homeland, but...well, there is no reason to worry about it at this very moment. I think we both deserve to be able to just...ignore these stresses, if only for a moment."

Pausing a moment, Ssarak looked around at the garden surrounding them, closed his eyes, and took in a deep breath. "This place has such vibrance, does it not? So full of life. Plants are a rarity in the Scorched Lands, and none have the color of these. I remember the first time I saw a forest. The caravan driver nearly abandoned me for how many times I stopped and stared in awe at every tree or plant."

Along with the many flowers and other plants, the garden had its share of bees, butterflies, and other insect life. Most insects tended to be annoying, more than anything, but from what Ssarak gathered, butterflies were a welcomed guest in most outings. Being simple-minded creatures, most insects were not difficult for a psychomancer to manipulate, at least not individually. Spotting one flying nearby, he held out his finger in front of Meirin, then compelled the colorful creature to land on it. "When a butterfly first landed on me, I actually started flailing my arm trying to get it off of me." He added with a chuckle. "I thought it was going to inject me with some manner of poison. Harmless creatures, even insects, are a rarity in my homeland. I am much more familiar with this place now, but I am sure it will not be long before I do something to completely embarrass myself in front of you. Do not worry, you have my permission to laugh, when it comes." Ssarak said with a grin.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha gave little more than a huff and a nod before running in deeper into the ruin. She desperately wanted to get to Rhazii, so she had to force herself to actually run to find either Darahil or Vera. Even if the sentries had sent runners, she had to be sure that the lietenants received the message. That bit of rationality was the only thing preventing her form heading straight to her son. Since the scholar's loft was closer to their room, she sprinted for the loft, yielding for no one in the hallways. As she was still in her beast form, most were very quick to get out of her way, apart from one Bosmer she nearly knocked to the floor.

Ahnasha barged into the scholar's loft, unconcerned with whatever she might be interrupting. She did not even bother to check if the runner had already arrived before she began shouting. "Darahil! We found a group of lycan hunters, at least sixty strong. They may be heading this way."

Meesei looked down to Galsek's broken body. It was fortunate for him that she had been bluffing. She had indeed soul trapped him, but without a black soul gem nearby to absorb it, his soul simply went to its intended destination, wherever that might be. Disregarding his corpse, Meesei nodded to Harriet, then headed off in a sprint back in the direction of the warband.

Since the warband had not been moving at a particularly rushed pace, it did not take too long for them to catch back up, at which point Meesei immediately shouted for Oswall's attention. "Find a place to hide whatever equipment we cannot carry, hurry! We need to transform, and get back to the clan as quickly as possible. There are lycan hunters heading for the clan, and we need to reinforce them."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha was in a hurry, and entirely not in the mood for delays. Her beast spirit served only to amplify such emotions, however; these sentries were as good of people as any to warn about the incoming hunters, so she was able to maintain enough patience to not attempt to barge through the gate.

"I'm Ahnasha, of the Champion's pack. I have a...warning. We tracked an agent of the enemy, and found a group of lycan hunters at least sixty strong. They may be coming here right now. We need to ready the defense!" She shouted, her words mixed with periodic growls. The fact that Rhazii could be in danger had her emotions running high, so her beast spirit had a tighter grip over her than usual. Fortunately, she was still coherent enough to be in control of her actions.

This time, Meesei had no particular desire to preserve Galsek's life. Whether it was her or Harriet that carried it out, Galsek would die. However, they could at least squeeze whatever bit of information they could out of him before ending him. Luckily, despite her rage, Harriet seemed to have the same idea, though her technique was far too...forceful. Too much more and she would kill him outright.

Meesei placed her hand quite firmly onto Harriet's shoulder to grab her attention as she spoke up loudly, and authoritatively. If she continued to beat him, Meesei would be ready to act. "Harriet, hold. He cannot talk if he is dead." She began, turning her head to the snake. "Or rather, when."

Quickly, Meesei cast a shield spell over both herself and Harriet as a precaution. If she had to guess, Galsek likely had a blade hidden on him somewhere, though whether he was dexterous enough to pull it quickly was another matter. With both of them protected, Meesei cast another spell, this time at Galsek. He started to glow with a dark violet energy, indicative of the school of Conjuration.

"Do you know what I just did to you, worm? I told you I would kill you if you returned to your former master, and as you should well know, I always keep my word. You are going to die, here and now Galsek. Perhaps you believe that Clavicus Vile can take your soul regardless of your beast spirit, but I think you will find that irrelevant right now. Answer Harriet's questions, and I will wait until the spell wears off to end your life." Meesei demanded. She expected that the threat would grab his attention, as the spell she had cast upon him was one of soul trap.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I was thinking, Meesei probably would have used a collar for Harriet that could handle a transformation, wouldn't she?

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha moved quickly and quietly away from both the road and the lodge a short distance before she began to take on her werewolf form. She did not have her equipment tied in the same way as Turala, but she had not taken anything of particular importance with her, so she could afford to lose it. As long as she remained in her werewolf form, her fur could handle the cold.

As soon as she knew she was far enough away not to be heard, Ahnasha started off at the highest pace she could maintain for the distance she needed to travel, being sure to stay a far enough distance from the roads. Luckily, she had paid enough attention on the walk away from the ruin before that she did not have too much issue finding her way back. It took time, but in her beast form, not nearly as long as the trip to Bruma.

Once she noticed the landmarks indicating that she was close, Ahnasha sprinted towards the entrance of their cave as fast as she could, despite the distance she had already ran. If those hunters were coming to the clan, then she had to get to Rhazii and make sure he was as far from the entrance as possible. She ran into the cave, slowing herself only because she had to allow her eyes to adjust to the change in light. First, she was going to find and warn someone on watch so they could mobilize the defense, but then she was heading straight to their room where Sabine and Kaleeth would hopefully be with Rhazii. For now, she decided to remain in her lycan form for as long as she could, as she would not be able to transform again anytime soon if she shifted back.

Meesei could not say she was surprised that Harriet went into such a rage, though honestly, she was almost glad that she had. Meesei felt much safer having Harriet in sight, rather than her being with the warband without her being present. No matter how skilled of a fighter Harriet was, Meesei could currently end her life by speaking but a single word, so she could be of no threat to any of their allies as long as Meesei was present.

Meesei had to sprint to catch up to the enraged Harriet. "You may kill Galsek if you like...but I can say now, Harriet...I will not go back on my word. You will have your fight...whether now or later. There will always be...more of Vile's minions to kill." She said between breaths as they ran.

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

Ssarak Dyreackthanose

---

As soon as he heard Meirin's voice, Ssarak lifted up his head, and his smile widened. He was seated in the grass in a part of the garden which he felt looked particularly nice. The platter of food he had brought was covered to hold in the heat, but fortunately, he had not had to wait too long for her to arrive.

"Hello, Meirin." Ssarak responded. For a brief moment, he simply looked at her, smiling. To him, she looked quite nice, though it was not due to the makeup, as his mind was not designed to notice the fine details of a human's face. Rather, it was because of the way she moved as she approached, because of her smile, and her tone. It was because of the effort she had placed into her appearance and clothing, and though they had each only spoken a few words, he could see that she seemed excited for this meeting.

The silence between them was just long enough to be noticed before Ssarak continued. "You look quite beautiful, I must say. Please, sit down." He added, motioning to a spot beside him. He hoped she did not mind sitting in the grass. He might have been able to find a table or bench, but the vibrance and color of the flowers in the spot he selected had a certain beauty which he, and hopefully Meirin, admired. Quite simply, it was romantic.

As Meirin approached, Ssarak uncovered the platter and started to separate out their respective meals. "I know you are missing the feast to be here, so...I thought it would be nice to have a feast of our own. Would you like a glass of wine?" He asked as he uncorked the bottle to pour a glass for himself.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The scents that Ahnasha could pick up on the wind told her of the trouble ahead just before she peeked over the bluff. Sure enough, what they saw surprised even Ahnasha. It was a sizable force of what appeared to be lycan hunters, based on the weapons they were wielding. For as long as she had been a lycan, she could recognize the familiar and insidious glint of silver at almost any range. It was plainly obvious that, somehow, Galsek had learned of their plan. This meant that their plan was going to be a failure, but more worryingly, the clan itself could be in danger as well. The lycan hunters had started out along the road, but that did not tell them which direction they would be heading.

"I'm not sure. They...actually, yes, I know what we need to do." Ahnasha responded in a whisper. The hunters could either be heading to ambush the warband, or to attack the clan while they were away. She had to get back to the clan to warn them, and more importantly, to make sure Rhazii was protected. "The way I see it, these hunters are going to one of two places. They could be going to intercept our warband, or they could be heading straight for the clan itself, and we don't have the time to watch them and find out. I'll head back to the clan and help prepare the defense. Even with the warband away, there still should be plenty of warriors and mages left. You...you are a skilled tracker, right? You should try to catch back up to the warband and warn them about this. Tell them to get back to the clan. With the size of the group, their tracks should be easy enough to follow. I would say to use your lycan form to get to them as quickly as possible; I know I will be. Come on, let's hurry!" Ahnasha suggested, though she did not look like she was keen on waiting around, as she was already getting up and starting to backtrack.

Meesei stood silent for a few moments in contemplation. Whether or not Oswall was correct entirely, it was becoming more and more clear that Galsek at the very least knew that he was being followed. Regardless of Gaslek's plans, he was not likely to guide them to the enemy, so to continue to follow him seemed pointless. She halted the warband to wait for their rearguard to catch back up. "An ambush is still a possibility, but I do fear you are correct. If nothing else, he is aware we are following, so our plan is not likely to succeed. Whatever Galsek's intentions, we should not entertain them any further." Meesei answered, taking a few steps in the direction of Galsek and staring out over the snowy expanse. After a few moments, she turned her head back and looked to Oswall.

"Once the rearguard catches up, start heading back towards the ruin." Meesei ordered before suddenly conjuring a bound sword in her hand. "I will rejoin you shortly." She added as she started to walk away, towards Galsek. He was a loose end that she did not intend to let free. She would approach with caution, but she did not intend to hide. For this, there would be a confrontation.