EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei understood that Sabine would have a hard time deciding at the moment, especially after all she had been through, so she allowed her to retire for the night. Meesei was about to do the same, but first waited for Janius to return to head back to his post, as it was still his watch. Once Ariel laid down, Meesei walked across the chamber to Janius. "I know I've invited her here, but I want you to make sure to keep an eye on Ariel, just to be safe." She whispered, safely out of earshot of the others. She then bid him goodnight a bit more loudly, then made her way back to her bedroll to get some much-needed rest.

Ahnasha joined Fendros, laying down beside him. She was tired, but at the same time curious about this rather surprising turn of events. She certainly had not expected to encounter Runt's sister, of all people, as a result of this hunt for the Orc. Her mind was racing with questions, but unfortunately, pretty much all of them would have to wait until later. "So...what do you make of all this?" Ahnasha commented to Fendros. "For once, I'm starting to wish we could just enjoy the sights in the places we visit, instead of stepping into danger," she said, giving a bit of a chuckle, "Hmph, avoiding danger. I think my maternal instincts might be starting to take over."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I need to go to bed, so I'll make a quick one with some dialogue that you can respond to. I don't really have enough time to write up a timeskip.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"I am Ahnasha." Ahnasha said with a nod while Fendros was shaking Ariel's hand.

Meesei stayed where she was as well, preferring to avoid excess movement, but gave a respectful nod. "I am Meesei, Alpha of this pack." They all waited a few moments for Lorag to give his introduction, but were only met with the sound of light snoring from the other side of the chamber. Evidently, he had quickly lost interest, and consciousness, after the excitement died down.

"His name is Lorag." Meesei quickly added. "You can change back into your robe and recover your belongings, if you wish. I trust you will not abuse our hospitality. The hunters kept some provisions in the crates on the far side of the room, mostly vegetables and salted, dried meats. There is fresh meat in a bag by the fire, but you may wish to avoid it. The stream that leads to the pool over there is clean, and according to Ahnasha, the pool itself is surprisingly warm and relaxing if you wish to make use of it. Overall, this cave contains far more supplies than we could hope to use, so you may make use of whatever you wish."

Before she returned to her bedroll, Meesei turned to Sabine, having one final thing to speak about. "There is one last thing, Sabine. These revelations about your past, while I do feel sorrow for the pain you went through, there is one way in which this is good news. The struggles you endure, all the pain, the nightmares, the fear, they are not endemic to who you are. You were not born with them, they were forced upon you. Now that I know this, I believe there is something that can be done. The tortures you went through left your mind scarred, broken...but what is broken can be repaired. The souls of my people, the Argonians, are uniquely connected to the Hist. For all Argonians, they are connected to our minds from the day we hatch, but it is not only Argonians who can experience this. With the proper rituals, any mortal can connect their mind to the Hist. In my time as Shaman, I helped a few broken souls through this process. I believe I could use those same rituals to help you. Although I cannot hope to understand the mind of a god, my experience with the Hist leads me to believe they would help you. Your nightmares, all of the pain and fear you experience, it could be erased."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Its overall effects would be your choice, but it would help to undo whatever damage the torture caused. Lycans always have nightmares, but I imagine Sabine's are particularly bad. They would be lessened. It could potentially help her get over a lot of the fears she seems to have. Like I said though, how it changes her would be up to you.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei nodded. "Yes. We need to not only disrupt the production of this poison, but we need to determine if they have given the knowledge of its creation to anyone else. Their communication with Vile's allies may not be restricted to Vvardenfell. I fear Vile's minions may be far more organized than they have been in the past. If Vile is preparing for war, then he very well may have consolidated is forces, so to speak. It could be possible that they have shared the secrets with Vile himself, which would mean all of our enemies will have access to it. We can still go with your basic plan, but my pack can also help to draw the attention away from you. Of course, this will have to wait a few days. As you can see, myself and Lorag are in no condition to step into danger. I would like you to stay here in the meantime so that we may build our plans, and I am sure you and Sabine have much to talk about."

Though cautious, Meesei was optimistic that Ariel's intentions could be genuine. One of the main reasons she had offered to allow her to stay with them was so she could grow more familiar with the Breton, to learn what type of person she really was. If she ended up helping them stop the production of the suppression gas, then that would be proof enough to Meesei that she sought redemption.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

You receive the quest from a Dunmer woman to rescue her husband. He was born into slavery in Morrowind, and therefore did not receive the same type of connection to the Hist as other Argonians. They consider souls like that to be broken, though not in the same way Sabine was. It was a bit different situation, but it is the same concept. Communing with the Hist involves giving them a direct connection with one's soul, so it is very reasonable they can be asked to help repair the soul.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"I am no longer in danger of dying. My wounds will heal in a day or two. You need not be concerned about me." Meesei answered. "What I am concerned about is your chances of success. Your plan seems sound, but it does not seem like something that will be easy to perform alone. You were raised in this coven, yes? So the foundations of all of your skills came from them. Unless you have managed to improve your skills exponentially more quickly than them, then it stands to reason that they have as much, if not more magical knowledge than you, as they were your teachers. Your plan has no backup, no contingencies. What will you do if you are compromised? I wish to stop the production of this gas, and if you wish to atone for your sins, then our goals are aligned. Besides...I just told Sabine here I would keep you alive."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Made a short post. Also, I had an idea for a potential goal involving Sabine. In ESO, there is a mission that involves using the Hist to help mend a broken soul. Another mission also shows that non-Argonians can commune with the Hist just as well as Argonians can. What would you think about that?

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Then so it shall be." Meesei said, giving Sabine a warm smile. Either choice Meesei would have respected, but she was glad Sabine did not hold anger in heart. This Breton, Ariel, could still be completely lying. She could be guilty, unrepentant, and just trying to survive, but that did not matter. The fact that Sabine could rid herself of well-justified hatred was pleasing. Meesei herself was completely open to offering her sister a chance at redemption, she simply preferred to keep healthy skepticism about her intentions. She would not be entirely convinced until Ariel's actions proved her case.

"The matter of this suppression gas is unsettling to me." Meesei said, moving on to the next order of business. "You say you know how to stop your former coven from producing it. How do you intend to do that? As you can imagine, we have an interest in stopping them. That gas was largely responsible for my own wounds, and those of my pack members."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei listened carefully to her tale, her expression completely devoid of any emotion or reaction. She simply stared at the Breton while she spoke, examining every detail of the story. She was not certain on whether or not she should believe her, but she could not deny the possibility that she was being truthful. Sabine was not contradicting anything her sister said, though it could be that she could not remember. Meesei wanted her words to be true, as their implications were very much positive. It would mean greater insight into Sabine's past, and the state of her mind, which had never been normal through the entire time Meesei had known her. There were also other thoughts forming in Meesei's mind, though there was still more for them to deal with first.

"Assuming your words are true, then I would thank you for saving Sabine. The only time her lycanthropy has been a curse for her has been while she tortured by you and the coven. In all times since, it has given her the opportunity to join a family that, according to your description, has shown her the love and support she had never been able to receive before. It has given me the blessing of knowing such a sweet girl, who I am honored to have as a member of my pack. Your sacrifice has made that life possible, but that does not change your actions. Even if you did not like it, you knowingly tortured your own sister. Even the strongest of minds cannot hold forever against the torments of magic. You left her scarred, and could have broken her mind completely. You have attempted to atone for your crimes, but the effects of those crimes are still being felt today. You deserve a judgement, but whether that will come in the form of a punishment, or in forgiveness, is not mine to decide." Meesei said, turning her gaze to Sabine. "Her fate is in your hands, Sabine."