EliteCommander

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

Ssarak should be able to help after he learns about the hunt.

Fallout: The Outer Banks (Always Open)

So, I was browsing through looking specifically for Fallout, and happened upon this. I'm quite interested, though my idea for a character may be a bit unorthodox. Would this happen to be open?

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Hiritus chuckled. "If it changes their leadership? Unless they plan on communing with her from beyond the grave on a regular basis, I think that's pretty much guaranteed. At any rate, we were the first to find that clan, and we couldn't send out any runners to let our people in Orcrest know about it before we were captured. Assuming you imprisoned all of my team, we don't have anyone we can use in there. I thought I earned the, uh, 'affection' of a Khajiit woman during my time there, but as it turns out, I think she's the type who has everyone's affection, if you catch my meaning."

On the horizon, there was still no sign that they were being followed. However, now that they were stopped, Gallus could possibly pick up on the first hint that they were being followed. He had them moving with the wind at their back, so it carried scents towards them from behind. They were in a trough between two dunes, so most of the winds were blowing over them, but he still might catch the faint scent of lycans on the wind. Meesei, Ahnasha, and possibly the others with them were capable of rendering themselves invisible, so they could well be within line of sight without Hiritus knowing. If they were close, then they would come to Gallus' aid if he needed it, or if Meesei felt that they were drawing too close to Orcrest to be safe. Regardless of what information they might gain, Meesei felt it too risky to allow Hiritus to make contact with his allies again.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

With Gallus' agreement, Hiritus seemed quite eager to take him up on the offer of a rest, even though they had just stopped not long prior. This time, he had another need to satisfy other than fatigue or thirst. "Well, in that case, let's stop right here for a moment. I know it might surprise you, but I haven't exactly been eating well for the past week. I need something to give me energy. I hope you brought something other than raw meat, because I'm pretty sure those disease resistance potions I've been taking have worn off by now." He explained, stopping where he was on the side of a dune.

As they sat down, Hiritus practically dove into the bag to find something edible. Avoiding the meat for the moment, the first thing he grabbed was a bright green apple, something sweet and full of sugar to give him energy. Now that he was not captive, he was much more willing to eat properly. Although, with Gallus' final question, Hiritus gave him another curious look. "Why do you ask?" He said simply, raising a brow.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"I've been taught how to kill them." Hiritus answered quickly, though his expression fact became more uncertain. "Although...I'm not really the warrior type. They're tough, can heal back from some pretty grievous wounds, and will almost always overpower you. I'm an infiltrator, so I'm better at stabbing them in the back than in the front, so to speak. Silver is preferred, since it stunts your healing, but a wound that would be immediately lethal to a normal person still works. If you're fighting one in their beast form, you want to not face them up close, since that is a stupid idea. Range is ultimately the best weapon against lycans."

Looking ahead, Hiritus' face showed some dread at how far they still needed to walk, and he started to slow down slightly, more out of his mental state than his physical one. "Other than fighting, though, I know they have keen senses, powerful muscles, and strong instincts. When they first start out, lycans are uncontrollable and dangerous. They murder travelers, farmers and their livestock, and even guard patrols if they don't look too threatening. I know there are a lot of people who have joined our cause to get revenge for lost friends and loved ones, especially with how many lycans there seem to be recently. Your people must be going out and finding people to turn constantly for you to keep up those kinds of numbers." He commented.

"Also...I don't think I'll be able to make it to the city today. I'm just not feeling strong enough for that. We'll probably need to make camp this evening." He added.

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

If Coco were still around, she might force you to be a tree hugger. Literally.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Eh, a bit of both." Hiritus answered. "Talented people can earn a lot of wealth and influence from the Daedric Prince of wishes, which, as a sidenote, is not that intimidating of a title said out loud. Regardless, someone like me, an orphaned street rat from the slums of Dune, can get more than he ever could on his own. I don't know how I ever survived my childhood in that place. Nearly didn't, if I'm being honest. It took me a while to actually become a decent thief. I figure after this is all over, I'll be able to get a small manor by the ocean, maybe hire some hands to farm the land for moon sugar, maybe some lovely servants, and live the rest of my days comfortably. And I'll even have helped wipe out a disease that's been threatening Tamriel for all of recorded history. It's not often that someone can earn a fortune and still feel good about themselves afterwards."

Hiritus' walking pace has settled to a steady, if slightly slowed pace, and he was not longer showing as many signs of weakness. Of course, unless he remained well-fed and received frequent care from healers, it could be weeks before he was back to normal. "Of course, I would hardly call Clavicus Vile one of the 'good' Daedra. I doubt he's doing this out of charity. He wants something out of it, and I wouldn't be surprised if he hasn't told even the General himself. My guess is he wants to take some of Hircine's power, so he needs to weaken him first by killing his followers. But, I don't know. I don't know why he's doing it, or how we're actually going to finish the culling, but I know there is a plan in place."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Hiritus gave a brief shrug. "Well, the goal has always been to wipe Tamriel free of lycanthropy, presumably to cripple Hircine's hold in Tamriel. Once we cull them all, Vile will be satisfied. Immunity just means you'll be spared that fate, with some limitations. You're, uh, strongly encouraged to get cured after it's all over. If not, you have to ensure that you will never have children, and will never spread the disease in any other way."

There was a short pause as Hiritus looked away for a moment, contemplating. He curled his lips and turned back, speaking more quietly by habit, as if there was someone out in the middle of the wastes to overhear them. "But, uh, between you and me, I don't think that's going to happen. The higher-ups have been giving those deals, but I don't think Vile ever made that offer. Get cured and you'll be fine, but I think Vile is going to tie off any loose ends after the culling, if you get my meaning. He wants all of the lycans gone, as many of their souls harvested as possible, with no possibility of return. Don't worry though, if you're as useful as I think, you'll live like a king after this is over. That'll more than make up for losing that beast living in your body." He explained.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

This time, Hiritus did not regard Gallus with near as much suspicion. He relaxed slightly from his elevated state of awareness, though now that his suspicion had been created, further mistakes were likely to generate more of a reaction from him. They were moving on at a more reasonable pace than before, but he was still slower than Gallus, and with the route they were taking, it was becoming less likely that they would reach Orcrest in a day.

"There are some, yes. Obviously, I don't know how many there are in all of Tamriel, but I've seen a few. Some of them weren't lycans, and were just former worshipers of the Daedra. But, I've seen two or three lycans make the switch over the years. From what I've heard, most of the lycans come seeking a cure. Those beasts you served certainly weren't going to give them one. Of course, the only defectors we actually accept are the ones willing to make themselves useful. Lord Vile is not a priest looking to give charity. He and his followers demand something in return. Of course, the lycans wanting cures usually are the new ones, so they also don't have that much information. I don't know if you want to purify your blood or not, but you're an exception in that regard. You'll definitely have an easier time than most of the others. You've already done a great service for us, so sharing that information would just solidify your place among us. If you actually want to remain one of those monsters, you can be granted immunity from the culling." Hiritus explained.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Hiritus shrugged his shoulders. "Probably would have infected him. She just cared that he is alive and well. She was a sweet woman, to be honest. Not at all suited for what we do; she was just completely dedicated to her son. Of course, by the time she had been infected, she couldn't really turn back from the mission. She had already struck her deal with Vile, so betraying him really wouldn't have worked out well for either of them."

When Gallus started asking about the fortress, Hiritus gave him a strange look briefly before looking back ahead and answering. "I haven't been there, actually. I just know its reputation. And it's also not that close to Corinthe. Not nearly as close as this stronghold is to Orcrest. It's pretty far into the forest, away from any locations important to the Dominion. There aren't any major mines or trade routes near it, just forest. It wouldn't make for a good staging post against Corinthe, or any other city, and Dominion patrols don't have a reason to go there. We expect to be able to keep out of their sight; it's the lycans that they anticipated would find it. You're always out in the wilds hunting, or whatever else. It's a stronghold against the werebeasts."

"Anyway, how privy were you to information about the rest of Tamriel? If the Champion was directing your operations like we think, then...well you were close to her. The closest defector we've had to date. What kind of plans does she have in other parts of the world?"