EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei tilted her head to the side curiously. "Cook a meal as a werewolf? That is an...amusing thought. Though, I suppose it is no more strange than a werewolf casting a spell. But you are welcome to try. I will say that doing some things are still not exactly as easy as in your Human from, even with the ring. These...giant paws are not completely dexterous. The Ring lets you move them more, say, deliberately, but it still takes a conscious effort. The nose might help you get the portions more perfect, though."

Meesei turned her body towards the door. "I can get us some ingredients from the kitchens. Some meat and anything else you want. I think...I will try keeping this form. I am curious to see what I can still do. I feel like I have more control than I should; I am upset with myself for not testing this sooner. It just did not occur to me."

Grabbing a large, empty cloth sack, Meesei listened to Sabine's requests for ingredients, then left to get what she required. For the entire time she was walking down to the kitchen, she was trying to cast different forms of magic, all this similarly little success. Regardless, Meesei felt that, with enough effort and repetition, she might be able to identify exactly what was going wrong to weaken the magic. Of course, her ability to magically observe the inner workings of her body and soul were equally as diminished, so it would not be easy.

Meesei was a distinctive individual, even in werewolf form, so there was no resistance to her collecting what she wanted. Or more accurately, having someone else put what she wanted into the bag, since she would certainly end up crushing some of the ingredients in her hands if she tried it herself. After returning back to her room, she placed down the bag in front of Sabine, then laid herself down in front of the fire to watch.

---

"It is hard to say that anyone could be considered alone in a place like this." Ahnasha responded. "I know you two spend a lot of your time together, but there is a whole city here, and I know you two have more friends. He can spend time with his friends, or even practice some skills of his own from one of the other members of the clan. He will be fine; if you do end up going out on missions, then you will need to focus on taking care of yourself, alright? The last thing you need to do when there is danger around is to distract yourself."

Ahnasha tried to keep a more encouraging, uplifting expression, since they seemed to be making some progress. "And of course, both of us will always be willing to help you learn when we can, just like we have been. You are an incredible student, son, and such a fast learner. Just like your father. We are going to be here for a week or two, at least, so if you want to do some practice with me, I would be glad to help. Archery, illusion, necromancy, anything you like."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei nodded. “Indeed. The Ring seems to make it magnitudes easier, and I have no reason to go without it. My efforts now are more motivated by…academic curiosity. Using even a minute amount of magic without the Ring is still far more than nothing. I believe it supports the idea that my beast spirit has been fundamentally changed. If I could somehow learn to channel a useful amount of magic without the Ring, then what if I could do the same for others? What if I could change another’s beast spirit just like mine? The possibilities are exciting. But, such studies could take years, if it is possible at all.”

Meesei gave a brief grunt, then took a few steps across the open flood. She extended and contracted her fingers, and rotated her shoulders to pop the joints. She was still feeling strange without the Ring, but at the very least, was not feeling violent. She just imagined that it would take some time to become accustomed to the feeling of her beast spirit again. “At any rate, since I have finished my experiment, what would you like to do now?”

---

“To help us against Do’rhajul, you would need to be experienced as us.” Ahnasha answered, directly and honestly. “But there are other things we do that you could join us with. Perhaps after this matter with Do’rhajul is dealt with. And after this whole war is over, I think you could join us almost all the time. But until then, the best way you can help us is to hone your skills, and to help the clan while you are at it. What kind of…I suppose you would say apprenticeship, do you think you would want to pursue? What kind of skills do you want to grow? The clan has plenty of people to learn from. There are warriors like Ri’vashi, or scouts and rangers like your father. Though, I would also count him as a skilled fighter in any regard.” She said with a quick smile towards Fendros.

“I have also seen you and Julan dabbling in magic before. Mages like aunt Meesei or aunt Sabine can be very powerful. I myself am a, um, conjurer, as well as an archer. It is not the most usual combination of skills, but I have found it effective. There are also more traditional spellswords, battlemages who work on a combination of destruction and straightforward fighting. Like uncle Janius. Or, if you wanted to avoid fighting altogether, you could be something like healer or alchemist. You can choose to work on any skills you like.” Ahnasha explained encouragingly.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Hmm, I suppose I can understand. It can be difficult to avoid injury in that form, lacking any armor. I can certainly say that magic helps. Wards, shielding spells; they allow for a firm defense against a silver blade. I do so hate that infernal metal. I suppose it is fortunate that it makes for such a poor blade in every other sense, else people aside from lycan and undead-hunters would use them. I wish I could offer more advice, but it is essentially only training and experience that can give one the confidence to fight in that scenario. Although..." Meesei's voice trailed off.

Without explanation, Meesei stepped back a few paces, then went through her own transformation. She transitioned into her own werewolf form, which was a fair amount larger and more imposing than Sabine's. It was a trait she attributed to carrying Hircine's favor, as the Ring itself did not influence it. Meesei gave a short grunt. "It has...been a long time since I took this form without the Ring. The beast feels unusual, but...not what I remember. I do not know how to describe how it is different."

Holding out her hand in front of her, Meesei tried to channel lightning through it in just the same way as she had been doing. However, the result was not nearly as impressive. Her expression became strained, frustrated, but the most she could do was a few visible sparks. But even those sparks were, in a way, encouraging. "I expected that. Without the Ring, it is not the same. But, still, the magic was there. I saw it, felt it. However difficult or improbable, it should be technically possible to use magic without the Ring."

---

Ahnasha agreed to start, but at the same time, she hesitated. Rhazii seemed fragile at the moment, or at least irritable. His fear and frustration could possibly get the better of his rational mind, but Ahnasha still knew she had to try. If they could not resolve this, then Rhazii might end up making some mistakes he would regret.

Ahnasha sat down beside Rhazii, cross-legged, and took in a breath. "Okay, son, we've been talking...obviously. And...well I should probably just get to the point. We know you want to do more than you have been doing, more than training. It is still impossible for you to join us; what we are doing is still too dangerous. But, that does not mean you cannot join anyone. There are plenty of scouts, warriors, mages, and scholars in the clan, and there are plenty of missions you could join. Under supervision, of course."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei nodded along with Sabine. "Oh, I know that feeling well. It took many, many tries for me to be able to cast even the simplest of spells. And of course for you, your beast spirit has not been...modified as mine has. At any rate, I have the observations I required." She explained, pausing as she took the time to write down more notes on what she had observed.

Once she was finished, Meesei stood back up, smiling at Sabine. "I believe that is all I need for now, in terms of my experiment. I will likely need to perform more tests on myself for comparison, and perhaps others to build a larger sample, but I do not need to examine you anymore."

Meesei began to walk around, looking over Sabine's werewolf form. "I am curious, when is the last time you took the time to explore your own capabilities in this form? Or have you ever? Did you ever push yourself to see what kind of weight you could lift, or how fast you could run? Perhaps you are not the biggest or strongest lycan in the clan, but I have a hard time imagining why you would not be confident in this form." She commended, placing a hand on one of Sabine's biceps. "I think you could do quite significant damage up close."

---

Ahnasha rubbed her hand across her chin. "Hmm, that is true. Perhaps some low-risk missions would not be so bad. Scouting around Blackreach, or maybe on the surface with other warriors? Perhaps a caravan escort? Anything that lets him get some experience without excessive danger. I would rather he avoid danger altogether, but...it's not like we can keep him locked up in the clan forever. He has to learn somewhere, somehow. It may as well be in the company of friends and allies."

Closing her eyes, Ahnasha gave a quick sigh. "Okay, I think I can agree to that. Should we talk to him, you think?"

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

”Very well.” Ssarak said dryly before dashing to the side. The moment he did so, he used another application of psychomancy in the form of two doppelgangers that split from himself, all of which appeared identical to him. There were obviously runes on his opponent’s necklace that were related to psychomancy. He had known the fire was an illusion, so Ssarak fell back upon a psychomancer’s most reliable defense. Doppelgangers worked differently from most illusions, and could help protect a psychomancer from a warded mage against which normal illusions would not be reliable. In this case, Ssarak had the idea that the necklace might be able to detect the presence of illusions. However, merely knowing that an illusion was present would not help in picking him out from the doppelgangers.

When the Esyire started to release the noxomantic cloud, Ssarak’s first reaction was to run the other direction, and of course, his doppelgangers followed suit. None of them acted any differently from himself, with no less concern for their own “safety,” so their behavior would not serve as an easy give-away as to which he should target. Ssarak did not know if he was going to escape the cloud, but in any case, he did not need to be close to attack the Esyire. Ssarak wanted to disable or kill his opponent as quickly as he could so that he could help his friends, so if he was able to get away from the advancing cloud, Ssarak would demonstrate the full fury of his expert focused concentration squarely onto the Esyire’s ward. If he could break through quickly, Ssarak already had some ideas for how to best manipulate his opponent’s mind. Upon hearing Leith shout, Ssarak angled his head away from the source of the sound so as to avoid what he knew was coming.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei chuckled. "You might think that. The beast spirit is ferocious, for sure. Tailored to combat. However, I find that with the Ring, one can act in ways that enemies do not expect, particularly lycan hunters. They train for very particular ways of hunting us, which fail against a lycan bearing the Ring. Overwhelming and intimidating opponents is something at which lycans excel, but I still believe that a rational approach is more reliable."

Meesei's physical examination did not last too long, as it was not terribly important for what Meesei wanted to accomplish. Soon enough, Sabine would be able to feel the presence of conjuration magic running through her. It was not painful, but it lacked the serene calm of restoration. It was a type of magic which could make one feel uncomfortable without being directly harmed, much like being soul-trapped. However, it was necessary in order for Meesei to be able to look into Sabine's being and examine her very soul, along with the vestige of her beast spirit. "Perhaps you would like to go for a walk through the cavern? I found it satisfying to really explore my werewolf body's capabilities uninhibited. For right now, though, I would like you to attempt to cast a spell. I know it will fail, of course, but I would like to observe the vestige's reaction."

---

Ahnasha took Fendros' hand in hers and responded somewhat softly. "I'll admit it surprised me too, but I didn't doubt you. Ri'vashi is understandably emotionally charged at this, but she's still a practical, rational person at heart. You just had to break through to that. Now we just have to placate the emotions of another Cathay." She said, releasing a soft sigh as her gaze turned to Rhazii.

"I don't think it's going to be easy. I really wish he hadn't saw that earlier. I completely understand why he's upset; why he's...afraid. That is really the heart of it. He's afraid. For us, our family. I think he tries to hide it, but he's terrified of what could happen to us, and he thinks that he should try to protect us. I suppose that's what we get for raising him to be a man of action, and for teaching him to take the initiative, to better himself, and all that. He's really just doing what we taught him to do. Maybe we can...use that to our advantage?" Ahnasha suggested, though she did not yet have a complete plan in mind.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

As Sabine was transforming, Meesei dashed over to her desk and pulled out a quill and parchment. She sat down and turned her chair to the side so she could see both her paper and Sabine, then waited until Sabine had her bearings again. "Indeed, it is such an interesting feeling, is it not? To have such fine control over something so wild? I just need you to come over here and stand close to me. I shall need to take notes during this."

Once Sabine was close enough, Meesei reached out and placed one glowing hand right over her heart. She was starting out with a basic physical examination using restoration, which Sabine would immediately identify. It did not require too much concentration from Meesei, so she was able to carry on the conversation in between jotting down notes. "It took a short while for me to get used to the Ring when I first obtained it. Transforming almost did not feel...right, considering how long I had lived without it. I spent some time expecting the beast's instincts to just hit me all at once, but it never did. It calms the beast, even outside of lycan form, and it is not as if removing the Ring allows it to suddenly make up for lost time, so to speak. Once I became accustomed to it, I started to quite enjoy taking advantage of my lycan form, or just walking around using it. You feel so much more capable when you have only your own mind to worry about."

---

"Hmm, this one understands." Ri'vashi responded, her expression transitioning from concerned to contemplative. "If the Nord, or any of the others Do'rhajul has found, have been lied to...and they have not committed those kinds of crimes against us yet, then...she supposes they could deserve another chance. If they could be convinced. Still, Ri'vashi is going to prepare for the worst. She will prepare to fight all of them together, if necessary. But you do make a point; more soldiers may not be enough to defeat them. Ri'vashi will think on this and see what she can come up with. Just try to rest and recover as much as you can in the meantime. Ri'vashi heard that not all of you escaped uninjured."

Ri'vashi eventually left, quite obviously having a lot on her mind. Now, Fendros and Ahnasha just had Rhazii to contend with.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei shook her head. "Not at the moment, no. You just need to remain still and allow me to examine you; it should not be difficult. Your transformation will certainly be different from usual, as the Ring will grant you complete, perfect control over your beast spirit. You will not encounter the normal instinctual urges, or resistance to non-instinctual actions. Essentially, you will be able to feel and control your lycan body just as if it was your own, human body."

Standing up, Meesei moved their chairs closer to the corner to ensure they would have enough space. "Whenever you are ready."

---

Ri'vashi closed her eyes and let out a long, slow breath. "Khajiit will be okay when she knows her family's spirits can rest easy. But, she can focus for now. She can keep her mind on her duties."

Ri'vashi found the nearest weapon rack in which to put away her practice sword. She had no doubt that Fendros and Ahnasha would want to get back to their son soon, so she decided to keep her questioning as brief as she could. "Have you decided on a plan for dealing with Do'rhajul? You said you wish to try and dissuade some of his team, but surely not all of them will be open to words? If you have to fight, we can dedicate some resources to helping. Your pack does not have to do it alone."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei maintained an encouraging smile towards Sabine. "Well, I am hoping to get a better since of how my beast spirit has changed since I started my experiments. You see, it was a gradual process. I started the process a few years ago actually, and worked on it on and off. It was only more recently that I achieved actual results. However, the change, I feel, was slow enough that it took until now to notice it, so I am not entirely sure what the spirit used to be like, precisely. I want to form a comparison between my beast spirit and another under the influence of the Ring. So to that end..."

Pausing a moment, Meesei looked down, pulled the Ring of Hircine off of her finger, and held it out to Sabine. "You simply need to put on the Ring and transform. I then would like to examine both you and your vestige with the techniques I have been using on myself." She explained.

---

Ri'vashi clutched her right hand into a fist, and started to unintentionally bare her teeth. "Just...he...needs to die. Ri'vashi wants to do what is best for the clans, she knows, but...he has to die. However, whenever it happens, he needs to die. Just promise Ri'vashi. Please promise Ri'vashi that he will meet the only end fitting for a murderer. However you have to do it, promise that he won't get away with his crimes." As much as she tried to hide it, her eyes were watering into tears as her thoughts returned to her former clan.

Ahnasha found herself somewhat surprised by Fendros' stern response. Ri'vashi was a figure of authority in the clans in virtually every way. She commanded respect, and there were few who could hold sway over her, but Fendros was perhaps one of the few. Now that he was officially Meesei's second, his voice carried a weight beyond that of the rest of the pack. All of their pack, the children excepted, had authority, but Fendros also had an additional mark of leadership by his title.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei chuckled. "I...do not think that would be possible. Not something so severe. Being caught between transformations would surely kill me, and as for our souls...I doubt I could truly merge with my beast spirit, even if that was my intent. The beast spirit is a Daedra, after all, and Daedra do not have souls. They have a vestige; something which serves the same purpose, but is still fundamentally different from a mortal soul. It is an immortal entity bound to Oblivion, and I believe it would be too different to achieve something like that. I...suppose I cannot say any of this with certainty. I could be wrong, but I have had other theories on what has been happening between myself and my beast spirit. Along with meditation and practice, I have been using conjuration to explore the essence of both my own soul, and the beast's vestige. I used that magic to attempt to modify how it bound with my soul during a transformation, so that my body's energies remained familiar enough to me for me to use my magic, but I think in the process, I accidentally imparted some understanding upon it. It has been gradual, so I do not have as much of a baseline as I would like, but I think instead of gaining greater control over the beast spirit, I have been teaching it to be more like me. I know it sounds crazy, but I do honestly feel like my beast spirit has been calmer as of late. More reasonable, almost rational. If it is true, it might provide an explanation for the mechanism of how I could use magic in that form. My initial assumption was that I was modifying how the vestige bonded with me so that it did not disrupt my magic, but I may have been mistaken. The vestige might be growing to understand what magic is, and therefore does not resist it when I attempt to use it."

Meesei turned her head and looked at Sabine with a curious gaze. "I find it difficult to test with only myself as an example, but perhaps...do you think you would like to help me with an experiment?" She asked.

---

After a few brief moments of confusion, Ri'vashi's expression turned almost suspicious. "This one...you can't..." She stammered before she collected herself enough to whisper back to him. "Ri'vashi can accept that some of his team might be saved from their current path, but Do'rhajul himself...you truly cannot be suggesting letting him live? The man is a murderer, a war criminal. Not even that; he has been treating this war like an extermination. No mercy. Not for innocents, not for children. He killed the only family Ri'vashi knew without remorse. Khajiit does not care if he was lied to, or if he surrenders. There is no amount of rationalizing in the world that could possibly justify his crimes. He needs to die. That is the only way this can end: in battle, or in an execution. Every single breath he takes is an insult to spirits of the friends and family we have lost."