EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Julan's face lit up. "Really? Mamma said there would be sweets, but I can have them before dinner?" He remarked, practically skipping alongside Janius as he walked with him over to his friends. He ran up and dropped down to sit next to Rhazii, as per usual. The bags carrying their food had been untied and laid out among the group, allowing everyone to eat as they saw fit. Predictably, his eyes went to the sweetcake among the desserts. "Can I have a piece of that?" He asked, pointing to it.

Ri'vashi, overall, was receptive to Gallus' attempts to comfort her. Currently, he was the only other person in the clan that knew of the news she bore, apart from the messenger that had carried it all the way from Elsweyr. As such, his was the first sympathy she had received. However, once he suggested telling Meesei, Ri'vashi started shaking her head.

"No, no...that won't help anything. Ri'vashi almost told her right away, but it wouldn't do any good to interrupt the celebration. They deserve the time to be happy together. We have a meeting scheduled for this evening anyway, and this one can just tell the whole council then. Ri'vashi wants to help what's left of her clan; she is going to help what is left, but it will take weeks, or longer, to do anything for them. This happened over a month ago as it is; a few hours isn't going to do anything. Ri'vashi just...this is like every nightmare she has ever been fearing. This is why she shouldn't have left her home. She could have led them better, helped them survive. Ri'vashi failed everyone she loved. Her father would be ashamed of her."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Mamma hears it too? That's good. I didn't know what it was. They didn't say my name, though. My, um, new name. Did you or Mamma give me my name? Why wasn't Newt a good name?" Julan asked, though as he spoke, his eyes started drifting over towards Rhazii and his other friends. They looked like they were just about to eat, and getting their selection of the different foods on-hand.

As much as Ri'vashi had tried to collect herself, Gallus' reaction was all she needed to let loose her own emotions. While he was hugging her, she allowed herself to slide down the mushroom tree to sit on the ground, her back propped up against its stalk. She was fully in tears by this point, and she could not bear to maintain eye contact. There were yet more details to the news, and she hoped for some benefit by sharing them. "There were...some survivors. Many non-combatants got out through the escape tunnel, made it into the desert. But our warriors...there wasn't nearly enough antidote for everyone. They couldn't do anything against the gas, and they couldn't hold long enough for everyone to get out. The reason we know about it is because of the survivors, but there were so many lost...there is no Orcrest clan anymore. Just refugees. Don't even know where they can flee to. The Torval clan will take any who can make it to them, but they are still re-building themselves, and already they're being pressed into hiding by the enemy. They may have to flee into Valenwood. The enemy's hold over Elsweyr is getting absolute."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Kaj-Julan was glad when everyone started to focus more on finding places to sit and eat than paying attention to all the praise he was getting. Janius' hug allowed him to focus on something else. Though, he could not answer his father's question without some uncertainty and confusion on his part. "Um, well...I think so. It was like voices...but not voices. They weren't talking, but I think I understood them. I still think I might hear them a little bit, like...like someone whispering to me from really far away. Is it normal? Did I do everything right?"

Ri'vashi stopped once she heard Gallus walking after her. She closed her eyes, standing in silence for a few moments before falling back against one of the taller glowing mushroom trees. She looked like she was going to collapse, or perhaps burst into tears, at any moment. "It was stupid of Ri'vashi to try to come out here. She didn't want to...make anything seem wrong. She didn't want to detract from an otherwise good day; the Champion's pack have earned that. But...oh by Hircine, Gallus, Ri'vashi can hardly even think straight right now. She, she got a letter and...Gallus, it was hit. There was an attack, the...Orcrest clan was hit. It's all gone, Gallus. Just...gone."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Kaleeth turned her head briefly to Janius with a small measure of surprise. "Oh, yes, right. Well, the direct translation to Cyrodilic for Kaj-Julan's name is a bit awkward. 'Ample Benefit,' or perhaps 'Giant Benefit.' Saxhleel names never seem to have the same beauty in this language. But, but what his name means, what it is meant to show, is all of the wonderful good he has done for me and Janius. For our whole pack. How he is simply a treasure to our family. I could not even think of living a life without our son. He is a wonderful boy with a wonderful heart, and there is no better name for him." She explained to the crowd watching. Newt, now Kaj-Julan, did not mind the attention, but the shower of compliments from his mother did cause him to become noticeably anxious.

Regardless of her son's reaction, Kaleeth recognized that she would probably need to give their guests more direction on what to do next. "Anyways, this would normally be the time that we started on the feast in my village, so we should probably eat."

Ri'vashi did clap, but she could not bring herself to do so with any real enthusiasm. As Kaleeth was suggesting that they start their meal, she was regretting her decision to join them to begin with. She was already in the back of the crowd, so she found it easy to slip away back into the mushroom forest, out of sight. It was difficult to tell if she was even looking for Gallus to follow her.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Despite Gallus speaking to her, Ri'vashi kept looking straight ahead towards Kaleeth and Newt. Her breathing was unsteady, and if Gallus was perceptive, he might notice her hands trembling. Again, she only gave a short, soft response. "It's not discomfort, it's that...just...not here, okay? Not now. After it's over."

Meanwhile, Kaleeth carefully poured the sap into the bowl. There was not much of it; just enough to fill up the bottom of the bowl. Any more would be far too much for a child; after all, the ceremony only normally called for a single lick of the sap. She handed it to Newt, who looked somewhat confused and surprised from the fact that such a small amount of sap could be so important.

"Please drink, son." Kaleeth instructed.

It took a few moments for Newt to get the viscous sap to the edge of the bowl, but it was only a few moments after the sap touched his tongue that he started to feel its effects, which, for him, were bizarre. The only time he had ever heard the voice of the Hist in his mind was when he was in Thorn a few years prior, but it was faint then. Granted, his current distance from Black Marsh meant that it was fainter than it could be, but the ingestion of the Hist sap made the Hist's voice much more pronounced in his mind. He heard them speak, not in anything that could be recognized as words, but yet something he could still understand. It was feelings, emotions, and an overall sense of presence. He felt like he was not alone inside his own mind, though there were no other distinct voices other than his own.

Back on her own Naming Day, Kaleeth remembered receiving a vision so strong from the Hist that she fell off of her feet. Sadly, Newt was not having the same kind of experience, but it was clear from the way he was acting that he was hearing something. Once he seemed more aware of his surroundings, Kaleeth stepped forward once more and accepted the bowl back from him. "You have become part of the root, son. You are connected to every other Saxhleel in the world. You are no longer a nameless hatchling; your name is Kaj-Julan."

Kaleeth's smile was the widest it had been since she had first seen her son hatch. She could not think of a name whose meaning was more fitting for her son.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Greetings.

I have everything from page 1 to 150 in a word document, which is at over 1 million words. Though, that figure is misleading, since it also catches our usernames, bio, online status, and such. I could calculate how many words that is adding, but the rest of the pages would certainly add another few hundred thousand.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

As the group reached the clearing, Kaleeth was both eager and nervous to begin. In truth, she knew well that she was overreacting. She was perfectly aware that she was stressing herself over something that was just going to last a few minutes. At least, the ceremony itself would not last long at all. All that she would need to do would be to say a few words explaining the importance of the event, allow Newt to drink the sap, then give him his name. In her village, there were usually many children going through the ceremony, and licking the sap directly from the Hist trees could lead to visions for the hatchlings that could last some time. However, all the way up in Skyrim, Meesei said that the connection would not be nearly as intense, nor last as long. Kaleeth felt it was a shame, but it was nonetheless an important day for Newt. There would have been a feast in her village after the ceremony, but in this case, it would be more of an outing with friends. They had brought food enough for everyone, and the children would have free reign to play with one another for longer than they usually would outside the city. They were old enough to understand not to eat the toxic mushrooms that filled the cavern, but most parents preferred to keep an eye on them regardless. And they were close to one of Blackreach's many rivers, which Newt always enjoyed. Swimming was the only time that he could be unequivocally superior to Rhazii in their physical competitions.

Seeing as most of those in attendance did not know precisely what was going to happen, Kaleeth decided to open up by explaining. "Thank you all for joining us. The Naming Day has always been a social event back in my village, in all Argonian villages, and I'm glad you can all help give my son the same experience. Today is the day where he, my and my dear Janius' son, forges his connection with the Hist. It's the day where he moves from being a hatchling, to a full part of the clan. In Black Marsh, we would say it is the day where he joins with the root, when he truly becomes Saxhleel: the 'people of the root.' For us here in the clan, I suppose it is a bit different, but it is a day that shows he is not the hatchling he once was, all the same. After this day, he will have his true name." After her explanation, Kaleeth unsealed the hardened, opaque glass bottle which contained the Hist sap, which had not been opened since it was first bottled in Black Marsh. Newt would not have the opportunity to lick the sap from a tree, but she had also requisitioned a bowl made from the bark of a tree in Black Marsh. It was not Hist bark, of course, but she hoped it would improve the ceremony's authenticity at least somewhat.

Before Kaleeth had even spoke, Ri'vashi had been surprisingly hesitant to speak even to Gallus. She was usually willing to open up to him when they could speak privately, but this time was different. She did not make eye contact and seemed to have trouble forming her words. "Oh...yeah, Ri'vashi is just...well it doesn't matter right now. Just enjoy the ceremony."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ri'vashi gave her greetings in response to Janius, but both her words and expression were monotone, almost emotionless. An attitude that did not change with Gallus' enthusiastic greeting. "Yes, um, morning." She responded with a slight wave. However, she was still keeping her distance from most of the others and appeared to be uncomfortable overall.

Newt, aside from being of the opinion that the feathers his mother was having him wear tickled him too much whenever he tried to run, was looking forward to the ceremony. He had been nervous at first, but with how nicely everyone was treating him, he was glad to have everyone's attention. Few, if any, of his friends actually understood the point of the ceremony, but they were in good moods from the promise of treats afterwards. For Rhazii's question, he shrugged his shoulders, then quickly brushed away one of the feathers he displaced on his necklace. "Don't know. Mamma didn't tell me. She said I won't be a hatchling anymore, though. As soon as I drink the sap."

With how eager Kaleeth was to start the ceremony, it was not long after everyone arrived that she called for everyone to follow her and Janius to the spot they had picked out to hold the ceremony. It was a simple clearing among the forest of glowing mushrooms, and was just a few minutes walk from the city. Newt was still happy to be with his friends, but Ri'vashi seemed to be looking for any excuse to be alone.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Regardless, I don't think we ever described his defining features. Some of them perhaps would have developed over time. What do you think he would look like?

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I read that as well, though the wiki mentions that the in-game sources are dubious in their authenticity on that subject. One thing about ES lore is that not every author is reliable.