Muttonhawk

The Depths of Deception

Out of habit, Shiva was pacing herself with the Rothian booze. It was enough to get her slightly tipsy, but she wasn't nearly as incoherent as Rareth. It was as much amusing as it was uncanny to see her in such a state, but her slurring and slowness at least made her a little less alien.

"What kind of question is that?" Shiva responded with perhaps a little more volume than she intended. She continued with an interspersed, high pitched chuckle, "Right now is warm, before you turned down the climate it was like an oven in here! Try metabolising a little faster or something." Shiva redirected to Shuo, keeping him involved, "Hey, Shuo, so sleep for you yet, soldier. Do you have...a favourite weather?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

There was a nod of understanding from Vera. The clan's culture was not one that was entirely complete just from immediate visual observation. Kaleeth's questions would come eventually. Vera still proceeded as normal, "Very well, I suppose we might start with those immediately in my service," Kaleeth looked around her table and motioned to a number of people from those around her at various distances, "Tertia, Loren, Tulga, Pierette, and...where is he?" Vera had to crane her head up to find the final one, "...over there, Valan. These five are all alphas of their own packs, but I am their alpha in this clan." Vera gestured with one hand while she explained in an attempt to keep Kaleeth engaged. "All of the other lieutenants have about as many people in their command. The hierarchical structure makes it busy for us lieutenants, and unfortunately it makes for less personal time spent with pack members, but it seems to work." Vera paused to take a short breath and think of what to say next, "I have duties outside of leadership, of course. Everyone takes time out to do various labours according to our capabilities. Complex things, like smithing, fall to those trained, but everyone here knows how to clean or sew, for instance."

Vera began to stand up and motioned for Kaleeth to follow, but did not set off from the dining hall yet. "I myself used to work at an orphanage before I was turned. I learned how to teach young children, and I still do. The only difference is that now they're lycans." Vera managed to smile and laugh through her nose, "With some of their tantrums, it makes you wonder whether it really takes their teenage years to start turning, but at least there are not terribly many living in this place."

After walking up the stairs to the scholar's loft, Meesei and Sabine found it even quieter than before. It was bordering on silent if only for the small sounds creeping up the halls from the rest of the clan. Neither Juteem or Carana were present this time, the room was devoid of people. Although, as luck would have it, Sabine heard footsteps ascending the stairs behind them a short moment later accompanied by quiet, but casual voices. Sabine turned to see Carana holding a book to her chest and talking up to an Altmer woman about twice her height. Neither of them noticed Sabine and Meesei until they neared the top of the stairs, but Carana's reaction was more polite and surprised than anything. "Ah, Champion, good morning. Can I help you with anything?"

"What do I think?" Harriet repeated, a grin spreading on her face, "I think both." Harriet's grin instantly faded as she spotted someone out of the corner of her eye and swiftly shouted in the character's direction. "Hey, Gerald!" She stuck to fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly to grab the attention of the sword and training mace wielding Redguard in one section of the main chamber. The man was running through weapon drills at the time.

Despite being of a heavier than average build and clearly displaying practised movements with his weapon, Gerald the Redguard's body seemed to tense up in shock and slight fear. He even double checked Harriet once he spotted her. Harriet just seemed to laugh at the reaction as she walked towards him. She leaned her head towards Lorag to explain. "Gerald here is one of the more talented fighters in one of my packs. This'll still probably end up turning into a tutoring session for him, though. Who do you think would win a fight between him and...let's say your Imperial friend, Janius, was it? What do you think from a glance?"

The Depths of Deception

Got a busy couple of days. A post will be delayed.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sabine felt a little confusion, but didn't protest as it dawned upon her what Meesei was trying to do. Sabine was finding that keeping secrets in such a way seemed far more difficult now that she actually talked to people. She decided that she would just talk as little as possible until they caught the murderer.

Vera put her hands together and greeted Kaleeth and Sabine. "Ah yes, it is good to see you two again." Vera gave Meesei a smile, "Best of luck to you, Meesei."

As Meesei and Sabine began towards the scholar's loft, Vera bid Kaleeth sit near her. Breakfast was almost over, but they had some time to talk. "Now, Kaleeth, before we begin, I should note that I have a class to teach in the morning and clothes washing and repairing duties later on, so I may not be able to teach you throughout the day. However, we should have ample time." Vera turned in her seat to better face Kaleeth, "Before we begin, did you have any specific questions?"

As expected, Harriet was less than enthused with Lorag's response. She let out a short groan and frowned, "Really? That was what she said?" Harriet looked forward again and raised one hand, "Pfft, look, if you're not gonna to spar, I'll just find someone else. I'll teach you how the clan works as a...multitasking practice, I guess." Harriet shrugged as the approached the end of the corridor.

Harriet and Lorag came upon the main chamber to find that a few pairs of fighters had donned padding and were already practising amongst themselves. Harriet stopped to scan the room and tried to spot someone she knew. "It takes a lot a' respect to stop most orcs fighting. Are you afraid of me, or is Meesei just that persuasive?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sabine peered into her shoulder bag briefly before she answered Meesei. "I have glassware and ingredients for some tests, and I have storage for what I need to collect from the scholars, but other things are still in the sleeping chamber. Packing it all and setting it up again would take too long if all I need to do is..." Sabine's eyes shifted as she cut herself off, looking at Vera's followers. She finished slowly "...what I told you last night." Harriet's audience with her followers, sans the group that left to hunt, proceeded with a few more questions and idle conversation. None of it seemed consequential to Jerrick's murder, in fact most of it centred around jabs at Harriet for getting beaten by Lorag. This made Harriet grumble somewhat, but there seemed to be a distinct boundary that no one crossed to drive her anger too far. After a few more strings of conversation, Harriet stood up and addressed her packs. "Alright everyone, it was a free day for the rest of you in the first place, so don't waste it. Regular trainin' as always tomorrow, are we clear?!" Harriet's packs had quietened as soon as she had begun. When she shouted her question, they all emitted a sort of reverberating, quick, low grunt that didn't resemble a 'yes' or a cheer, but seemed to be the way they carried group acknowledgement. "That's what I like to hear." Harriet turned her head to Lorag, "Okay, Big Boy, you're with me." Harriet pointed her index finger to Lorag, then her thumb to her chest. Without waiting for a response, she began walking with purpose towards the main chamber. She spoke along the way. "Well, with what's goin' on, I ain't huntin' today, so here's the deal. We're gonna spar. Not like yesterday. You use a hammer, yeah?" Harriet gave Lorag a questioning look, "Not many people beat me, and the only way I'm gonna get better is if I train with people who are better fighters. Maybe you could learn a thing or two yourself."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

It should be good for now. I'll get up another post some time later. I have to work on an assignment.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I decided to omit the scenes where it was just my characters and NPCs so that the events can be summed up when Meesei catches up with them. I know I haven't given Lorag much to respond to, but after your next post, I'll move on with panning out the day with him and Harriet.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sabine was consoled enough once her direction was clear. She nodded and let Ahnasha go so that she could begin her journey to Bruma. "See you soon," Sabine said before she was out of sight. Rather than pack away all of her equipment to take it with her all day, Sabine only took her empty shoulder bag and a few implements of glassware so that she could store and retrieve ingredients for her tests as needed. She would likely head back to their sleeping chamber to resume such things. Once Sabine was ready, she headed out with Kaleeth, locking the old Ayleid gate behind them to keep Leaps in. The hatchling ran up to the gate and propped his forelegs up onto it, chirping in protest for being left alone, but he would settle eventually. Kaleeth seemed to hold herself tensely as she and Sabine headed to the dining hall. When Sabine noticed this, she wished that she could help in some way, but she was still slightly anxious herself. She couldn't really think of anything to say. After a short while, Sabine tried something that was often used by Meesei to try and calm her; she reached up and placed a hand on Kaleeth's shoulder and rubbed it lightly. It was more awkward than she was expecting, not only because they were moving side by side, but because Kaleeth's shoulder was at about the same height as Sabine's chin. The pair entered the dining hall and spotted Meesei nearby Vera, who was talking with a number of other lycans around her. Sabine found it strange that she seemed to look and act the same even though she had just lost her husband. --- The Argonian nearby Harriet attempted to probe further into Lorag's comment. "Preparation, you say? What kind of preparation?" "You'll get more details if you actually need to do anything, Galsek," Harriet answered before Lorag could elaborate. "Oh? And why's that?" The Argonian, Galsek, crossed his arms and raised one brow to Harriet. Harriet grinned and answered casually, "'Cause you might be a spy, stupid." Harriet faced Lorag again, "Seriously, Lorag here's gonna help me with a few things today, so you kids play nice, alright?" Breakfast proceeded without any notable events, apart from one of Harriet's packs heading out on a hunt. No one amongst Harriet's packs seemed to spot the fact that neither their alpha nor Lorag ate or drank anything, and the only time Jerrick was brought up was in a passing query about timetabling amongst the lieutenants or something of that nature. His impromptu 'journey' was not mentioned as it was unnecessary.

[Pathfinder - House Rules] Non-Serious players only!

Here I was about to express my loathing about not having the time for a new campaign because of study starting up despite my recurring visits to this thread, then you put this on hold! Aaargh! In all seriousness, boop me when you want to start this up again. I might be free by then and I love me some PF. One hypothetical question, though. If you were to run this, were you intending on running it though a thread, or text or voice chat sessions?

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Five different scenes at once! That's a new record. I'll try not to make a habit of it :I