EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Well, you don't have to worry about this deal anymore." Ahnasha remarked. "In fact, you don't have to worry about the whole graverobbing problem either. I have enough thralls now, once I finish that one, at least, to fulfill my end of the deal. That's the whole reason Neesa is out here with me: to inspect them. If she finds them acceptable, then I'll be training with her more all the way up until the invasion."

Ahnasha did not seem to be giving much thought to the suggestion to keep her distance from Hal-Neesa, as she certainly looked excited by the prospect of more training. She was practically smiling already. Honestly, I know two hundred thralls sounds like a lot, but I think I've been getting the better end of this deal. Since I was already a master conjurer, there haven't been many barriers for me to learn the kinds of spells she's been teaching me. It's not all strictly just conjuring up daedra or otherworldly creatures; I've also learned ways to applying conjuration energy, mixed with principles from other schools, in ways I just never would have thought of. Daedric magic, not just summoning. Honestly, I'm looking forward to testing my new power against someone who can challenge me. Maybe I could challenge your father to a friendly training duel. Maybe he'll be proud for his daughter-in-law to best him."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Maybe...but I couldn't have known you wouldn't tell anyone else, and even if I can trust that you would help me, I coudn't trust that anyone else wouldn't have stopped you. The fact of the matter is, I had to get those thralls for Neesa. We can debate all day if some other choice might have worked, but it was my health and well-being on the line if I failed to live up to my agreement. I decided not to take any chances with my life. Maybe you don't agree, but I'd hope you can at least understand why I did it when punishment from Neesa was the alternative." Ahnasha explained, gesturing in the direction of her hideout.

Ahnasha brought one hand up to her shoulder and placed it on Fendros'. "And I didn't hurt any of our own doing it, living or dead. I promise that. I know there are all sorts of cultures here with different ideas for what is necessary to do to the bodies of their dead to let their souls pass on and all that, but I'm telling you right now, it's all just superstitious nonsense. Trust me, there's no one else in our clan that understands as much about the souls of the dead than me. If nothing else, you can believe that. Unless there is something to hold back the soul in this world, it will pass on just fine to the next no matter what rites you do or don't put the body through. I won't say the rites are pointless, but the common thread between most of them is that they make it harder for necromancers to do their work. That's most likely why those traditions were started, not because the souls need it. I hope that doesn't offend you, but it is true regardless. Sure, there are some necromantic techniques that can take advantage of a lingering connection between the body and soul to pull the soul back into this world, but I didn't do any of that. I just took some creatures' souls and bound them to some dead flesh and bones. All of the souls of every body I took are still perfectly fine in the Hunting Grounds."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha huffed, almost looking like she was about to laugh. "Do you honestly think that your father was close to besting her? Is that what you took away from that fight? She was testing him, Fendros. She allowed him to hit that blood shield of hers as hard as he could, and it showed no signs of failing. All that she said was that she 'felt' it. I do agree, we could probably best her together, but I don't think that she's afraid of any of us."

Letting out a sigh, finally showing some regret in her expression. "And look...it wasn't my first choice to take bodies from the graves. I haven't had any problems for most of the time I've been making the thralls because of all the resources we have down here. An abundance of soul gems from the cavern, and plenty of ways to get bodies. The biggest portion of the thralls out there are Falmer or chaurus. Sometimes I could retrieve bodies from our missions and use them. But ever since the Imperials and Dominion began moving in their troops, the Falmer have moved themselves practically to the edge of the cavern. They're just too far away for me to hunt, and since we've been preparing for the invasion and not going on missions, I can only justify hunting on the surface so often. I didn't have the two hundred thralls I agreed to give, so...maybe I got a little desperate. But would you be the one to tell Hal-Neesa you weren't going to honor a deal?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha held her arms out wide. "Because of this. This reaction, this arguing. You'd never agree to it, no matter how much sense it makes. I mean, really, honestly, do you think Neesa needs me in order to be a threat to us? She could already force our automatons to turn on us with just a few words, some thralls aren't going to make a difference. And do you think she doesn't already have even more than this hidden back at her xanmeer? Besides, with all I've learned, I could probably handle these thralls myself."

Ahnasha had started pacing, and did not pause long enough for Fendros to speak before continuing. "And you know, she's not even that bad. She comes off as hating everyone, but that's not exactly it. She just doesn't care, not about us, or most anyone else. But there are people she cares about; people who've earned it. She doesn't like investing in people unless they've shown they're worth her time, but she does have some kind of...vision for the world. For herself, and the people that she sees potential in. For those people, there's a lot to gain from knowing her. I'm not sure I understand it all myself, but I think she wants to see mortals reach our highest potential. Our destiny, as she sees it."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Technically, I haven't relinquished control of them yet, but..." Ahnasha began, only hazarding a brief glance at Fendros before returning her gaze to the horizon. "Exactly two hundred. That was the agreed-upon number. Like I said, I've been at this for a while. Before she agreed to join us, even. I started pretty much as soon as we decided on this invasion. I already had a few thralls hidden away here then, but I thought we could use more. Imagine having a whole battalion of undead servants. Soldiers as fearless and expendable as the Daedra. I know it doesn't win us the battle on its own, but it was the way that I, alone, could do the most in my ability to help."

Finally, Ahnasha turned to face Fendros. Now that she was speaking her reasoning aloud, she was growing more confident in it. "But just think about it, I can't lead those thralls into battle. None of us can. How do you think the clan would react to me leading a small army of undead? How would your father feel about it? Even if we got through the battle without incident, things could never be the same for us after us. Hal-Neesa, though...no one will question it if she commands them. I know that she's not going to be fighting directly alongside us the whole time, but at least they'll still be useful this way. At least they'll be drawing the attention of daedra who might otherwise be fighting us. And what I've learned from her...she's been training me in conjuration, not just necromancy. I feel like I've learned more from her than I could have accomplished in decades on my own. The kinds of magic that my eyes are now opened to, well...let's just say Meesei isn't the only one with lost, ancient knowledge anymore."

Sabine had hardly finished speaking before Hal-Neesa continued, this time in a far more demanding tone. "Well then it seems like you'll just have to go farther. Send teams to Vvardenfell, Solstheim, and the Alik'r. Vvarenfell has historically been less populated and developed than the rest of Morrowind, so there have been less explorers to plunder the ruins. The same is true of Solstheim, and, obviously, the Alik'r desert is less explored. Its sands can even swallow some ruins entirely. I can give you a complete map of all Dwemer cities in the regions, including some that may yet be undiscovered. Well...at least as best as I can from memory. Your teams might have to dig around in the sand a bit, but unless you're planning on going and kidnapping a Greybeard, it sounds like you're probably not going to find what I need in Skyrim."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Shortly after Sabine entered, Saras revealed himself as well, finding it unlikely that he would remain hidden for long with Hal-Neesa now knowing of his presence. Hearing Fendros' explanation for how they tracked them, Neesa crossed her arms and chuckled at Ahnasha. "Graverobbing, hmm? What an impatient young one you are, though at least you have dedication."

Ahnasha, however, was far more focused on Fendros. "It's just as it sounds. I made a deal, and now we've come out here so I can live up to it." She sighed, turning towards Hal-Neesa. "Listen, I just need to talk to him for a few minutes in private, if that's okay."

Neesa shrugged. "You can step outside if you like. I'm in no rush. In fact, I think I shall have some tea. You..." She began, pointing towards Sabine. "...make us all some canis root tea. Ahnasha assured me she had the ingredients here."

Ahnasha did not wait around and headed outside right away. Though, once they were alone, Ahnasha found it hard to keep eye contact with Fendros, instead staring out into the cavern. "I've been working on this for a long time, you know. Making thralls, that is. Thralls we can use in the invasion. I've made a lot of them, but recently, though, I decided to relinquish them all to Hal-Neesa in exchange for training. That's why I'm out here with her, and that's what I've gotten out of it. So does that settle it?"

Inside, meanwhile, Hal-Neesa found the only proper seat as she waited. After a fairly long and uncomfortable silence, she focused her attention on Sabine once again. "Since I have you here...I need to ask about the progress on that resonator I asked for." She stated. Sabine would no doubt be familiar with what she was asking about, as she had already inquired about it several times before. However, the news had not changed. No matter how many places their scouts searched, they could not find the object she had described in anywhere close to a repairable condition. "I can fix the machine without it, but if I don't get that resonator, then I will never be able to properly tune it to the planes of Oblivion. And all the machine will give us is a very pretty map of the stars. So unless you can bring me someone who can perform tonal manipulation themselves, I need that resonator."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha, naturally, was startled by the sudden voice off to her side. Her hand shot to her dagger, but stopped in place once she laid her eyes on Fendros. Even Hal-Neesa looked to be on-guard, though she did not give as much of a reaction as Ahnasha had. While Ahnasha was momentarily speechless, Neesa crossed her arms. "Well, I was wondering how long it would take to reveal yourself." She commented. It was possible she had used a spell to detect his lifeforce even before entering the hideout, though she had not been entirely stoic when Fendros revealed himself. It was possible she was simply acting to save face at having been surprised.

Regardless, Ahnasha did finally collect herself, and move her hand away from her knife. "Well...I could ask you the same thing! You're the one sneaking around under invisibility and...spying on me. I'm...fulfilling my end of a deal."

Hal-Neesa took a step towards Fendros with that wicked smile that was so common for her. Even in the times that she was not being sarcastically insulting, her compliments could seem pernicious. "Yes, you know, I must say that your dear wife here has surprised me. She is not nearly as much of an idiot as everyone else around here. In fact, she has just the...right kind of ambition, and the competence to carry through. I'm always looking out for just those right kinds of people."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

For the first part of their plan, at least, there were no complications. There was no magic or enchantments that prevented Sabine from teleporting Fendros and Saras back into the hideout after they had left, and the necromancer had not returned in the time it had taken them to make it far enough away from the hideout. In fact, it seemed like their worries about having already been discovered were unfounded, as they ended up needing to wait inside for the majority of another hour.

The footsteps outside the door were easy enough for Fendros and Saras to hear. Even moving quietly, they had enough time to hide themselves before the door began to open. Saras was in one of the corners of the room, near a Falmer totem when he cast his invisibility spell on himself, while Sabine's potion would allow Fendros several minutes of time to decide how to proceed. Unfortunately, despite the hope that some of the evidence they had found thusfar might have given them, it was not an unfamiliar face that came through the door. Contrary to Saras' intuition that Hal-Neesa was not involved, it was her finely-dressed form that first strolled inside the room. However, she was not alone. Any remaining hope that Fendros might have had was dashed when Ahnasha came trailing in just behind Neesa, and with her, many more questions would certainly be raised. Not only was Ahnasha sneaking around out of the city with Hal-Neesa, but she was actually grinning, and chuckled as she closed the door behind them.

"Okay, even I'm going to have a hard time believing that one." Ahnasha remarked, to which Neesa's own sly smile became visible.

The vampire stepped up alongside the corpse in the center of the room, observing it with seemingly no issue from the stench. "Ah, but you should know better than to doubt me. The Daggerfall Covenant lost hundreds of troops, thousands of gold, and piles of weapons all on this one commander's watch. It was a veritable witch-hunt through his ranks to uncover the traitor. It started with the officers, down through the rank-and-file, and even a stableboy was questioned before the commander himself was charged with being a spy. And all because his beloved housecat was actually an Alfiq."

Ahnasha laughed as she leaned herself back against a wall rather close to Fendros, though she showed no signs of having discovered him. "Surely if they were at war with the Dominion, then the basic forms their enemy could take would be a part of their standard training?"

Neesa grunted. "One would think. But you want to know the real twist to the story? The commander was set to hang for his treason, but the night before, he was broken out of prison by his 'housecat'. They were married in Pact territory a few weeks later, so it seems she quite appreciated his loving care."

Though she started to laugh at first, Ahnasha just ended up wide-eyed as she thought more about what Neesa described. "I, um, but how..." She began, interrupting herself and clearing her throat. "I could have gone without thinking about that, thank you."

Without a doubt, the identities of the graverobber, or perhaps graverobbers, complicated matters immensely. But, Fendros would still have a few minutes of invisibility if he wanted to continue to observe.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Hmm, that is possible." Saras replied. Their findings had given him much to think about, though he was still surprisingly quick in coming up with his response. Given his background, this sort of plan was just the kind that he had experience making. He gave a nod, then continued in a slightly hushed voice. "If that is the case, then the necromancer would not want to use this hideout any longer. And if they escape us here, then they will certainly lie low for some time. They will be more cautious, and we will be unlikely to find them again. So, it would be best to catch them here and now. You said there were black soul gems inside? I am no necromancer, but I do know that they are quite valuable and difficult to acquire. If we are working under the assumption that the necromancer saw us and knows we're here, then I would wager they would risk returning here after we leave to retrieve them, and anything else of value they can carry. Probably shortly after we leave."

Saras gave a glance towards the building, then to Sabine. "You have been inside, so that means you can now create a portal into it, yes? I propose we take our leave, back in the direction of the city. Then, once we are out of sight, Sabine can teleport us back into the hideout. Then, we can wait in ambush. Can you cast invisibility on Fendros as well, Sabine? I can only hide myself. Ideally, we can capture the necromancer alive. A paralysis spell from invisibility would likely be effective, no matter how skilled our necromancer is. If that fails, and it is necessary, then I can attack from stealth with my blade. And if the necromancer does not know we have found them, then we will simply be able to wait until they return and carry out the same plan."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

On the approach to the structure, the whole area seemed silent and still. Nothing moved around them, as it seemed that the only thing that was alive within sight of them were the mushrooms. Around the structure, they would have noticed several Falmer totems driven into the dirt near the corners of the building, but if there was any Falmer scent present, it would have been overwhelmed by the persistent scent of death that covered the area like a blanket.

Peering inside the door revealed no one living or undead, though that did not stop Fendros' senses from being assaulted by a pungent odor of rot strong enough to make the act of stepping inside a battle against nausea. As the interior was still illuminated by its glowing Dwemer lights, the source was easy to see. On a stone table in the center of the main room was a half-rotted corpse of either a Human or Elf, as it was far too decayed for any sort of identification. It might have been the corpse of a female, but even that was uncertain. What would be apparent, once they were able to stomach examining it, was that it had already gone through some amount of preparation. There did not seem to be any maggots, nor anything else to continue decomposing the corpse more than it already was. Sabine might notice that the body had been covered in a small portion of frost salts, likely to aid in preservation, and some of the rotted flesh had been mended together either through magical means, or simple stitches. Some of the more damaged parts of the body had been fastened together with leather straps to strengthen it, though the preparation was obviously incomplete. The body was still surrounded by the tools of the necromancer, and no soul had yet been transferred into it.

As there were only three small rooms, it was easy to confirm that the building was currently unoccupied by anything living or undead, so they were free to investigate at least for the time being. Saras stopped just outside the door, glancing back in the direction from which they had come. "I should keep watch out here. See what you can find inside."

Although it was a relatively small building, there was quite a lot aside from the corpse to sort through. The most obvious details were the Falmer totems in the corners of the rooms and next to the stone table, though they seemed out of place compared to the rest of the building's contents. Naturally, there was an abundance of soul gems on the shelves, tables, and even in the two Dwemer cupboards. There were even a few filled, black soul gems. The back room was smaller, but less cluttered. It contained a hammock, a small crate of necromantic tools, and a small stack of books. Most were rather thick tomes dealing with necromancy, conjuration, and various forms of mysticism, along with what appeared to be a Nordic cookbook. The last room, just to the right of the entrance, appeared to be used as a kitchen, with a small cooking fire fueled by fire salts on top of a stone counter, contained by a few repurposed pieces of Dwemer scrap that had been made into a makeshift spit. In addition to a few waterskins filled with presumably fresh drinking water, another Dwemer cupboard in the room contained a small collection of meat, vegetables, and other foodstuffs on a pile of frost salts that kept everything inside nearly frozen.