Muttonhawk

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

While Marod became thoughtful, rubbing his chin and leaning back, Lunise crossed her arms. It was hard to tell what she thought about the proposal.

Finally, Marod raised both hands. "That is beyond my domain of knowledge. I would have to ask my colleagues if that would even be feasible."

"It would not be the easiest thing to hide," Lunise took over. "Daedric reagents are expensive to acquire and highly sought after. If it were something possible to produce behind closed doors, it may be easier, but if you are seeking what I suspect, we would compromise our arrangement by involving too many other people required as experts, and others that would want to vet the costs. The best I can predict to give you is a small, untraceable quantity. Even then, shipping it from the Summerset Isles -- the only place where I could reliably acquire such items -- will cause that quantity to take some time to reach you here. Unless you wish to produce your antidote elsewhere?"

Lunise's expression lit up to the point where she was almost not angry. "You could have better production by producing it with us, if your alchemists can be discrete enough not to get themselves assassinated. Far be it from me to drag them away from their homes."

"If you were to have the Empire help you, you would have to produce that substance with us as well," Marod said. "Our people will want to make sure that you are making what you describe and not...well, something else..." Marod released the rest of his breath. "I must be forthcoming. Meesei, your clans are potential harbours for black markets. That is an issue that will be worked out during integration, though we cannot be a part of it, even potentially."

Lunise breathed out from her nose, almost in disappointment at Marod's transparency.

---

Fendros took a moment to think about what he wanted to say. He had thought on it before, but never considered Ahnasha's perspective, exactly.

"I see," Fendros responded. "Rhazii being outlived by us is something I have considered. It would be sad, though I suspected that he would make his own way in life, one way or another. He is not always going to be around for us to help him."

Fendros left a solemn pause, glancing away for a moment. He did not introduce the morality of finding another collection of souls to carry out the ritual, instead allowing Ahnasha to concentrate. However, Fendros suspected that Rhazii could have a problem with it. He skipped to the point of the thought. "What if he says no?"

Mid/High Casual - Divinus: The Deity Roleplay Mk.II

@Cyclone I have a hunger for Ommok...in...in my stomach...

Wait, no, that came out wrong.

More Ommok, please.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Marod managed to pull his smile again. "That would be most appreciated. Especially if they could help make capturing feral lycans less of a mess."

Lunise's shoulders were lowering as she regained her breath. She stood up to her full height and looked down her nose at Meesei. "The Dominion will accept such a token." Her voice had calmed. "Your position is tenuous, Meesei, I understand that much. Though it may go that seeking forgiveness shall be surer than seeking permission in cases such as this, my forgiveness only goes so far. I would prefer that you did not test it." She looked at Marod. "Was there anything else said to you while...out of time?" Lunise had a hard time even saying those three words.

"No," Marod said with a shake of his head. "Everything that I said, you said as well. Albeit with different tones, though it remains the same."

Lunise sighed. "So, why would Vile be targeting Talos cultists?"

Marod lifted his brow and shrugged. "I cannot think of anything off the top of my mind. They don't have lycan souls, they don't have any inherent political or military power. Perhaps they are just more souls, taken from those that are technically criminals, as if we would turn a blind eye." Marod switched from clasping his hands on the table to weaving his fingers together. "In any situation, it would appear that Vile is broadening his portfolio beyond lycans. We shall have to find out if we can." Meesei got his look again. "One upside to the Penitus Oculatus is that we can investigate under the noses of those hunting Talos worshippers. Perhaps we might find something out with some dedicated effort. Any important revelations shall be reported to you as with everything else."

"If it is necessary to spare a few heretics for the sake of finding out this 'grand plan,'" Lunise said with some defiant beats. "So be it."

---

"Okay." Fendros gave a small smile as he watched on. It was interesting to simply watch the patterns the soul energy made as it was driven through the air between Ahnasha and the crystal, enough to let some errant thoughts creep up.

Fendros was silent for about half a minute before he found a chair and seated himself nearby. Being quiet like this was not helping his own anxieties, that had been previously stirred by Ahnasha's nerves about this ritual. He tried to speak to keep them both focussed.

"I imagine that having all the extra years could really expand what you could do in life," Fendros mused. He leaned forward onto his knees and looked at his fingers while he wrung them. "I would find it intimidating to only have a few decades to live out my life. You would have to rush to make yourself into your fullest." He smiled. "Not that we haven't been doing that already, with this war. Still, now there can be room for other things." Fendros turned his head up to Ahnasha again. "Have you thought about what you might like to do? Now that you can have all this time?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Lunise's glower relaxed when time resumed again. Her eyes began to shift about the room in spite of Meesei's words. Mention of Talos worshippers being targeted was registered by a sudden glance at Meesei, but she quickly resumed scanning the walls around them, even extending her arms out as if she was plucking at cobwebs. She began to detect life and undeath and whatever else she knew to look for. When Meesei was done, Lunise took a step to one side, before looking at Meesei in utter confusion.

"What on Nirn was that?" Lunise asked in a near-mumble.

"Meesei merely asked me what your reaction would be," Marod announced clearly, looking at Meesei with his severe look maintained. "She was concerned that informing you that Vile's cultists were hunting Talos worshippers would encourage the Dominion to forge an alliance with them."

"What? The very notion is idiotic!" Lunise turned her body back to the table to lean her hands on its surface. "Beyond condoning some vigilantes, these Daedric cultists are responsible for an assassination of Thalmor officials, and countless more attempted assassinations and subversive, treasonous activity within both our governments-"

"I told her."

"That still does not explain that magic!" Lunise threw up an arm. "That was nothing normal. That kind of Mysticism magic, whatever it did, has no place in the hands of some Argonian shaman-"

"Lunise, she is the champion of Hircine, we know her to be a powerful mage."

At that, Lunise closed her eyes and took a breath. Her sigh was pained and long, though she opened her angled blue eyes with just as much anger at Meesei. "A powerful mage you may be..." She stabbed out a finger towards Meesei and lowered her scathing voice. "But you should not presume your position. Whispering to the Empire behind my back runs a dangerous risk. If you wish your clans to remain on neutral terms between the Dominion and the Empire, you had best keep an example set in this meeting, or that will be your undoing in the Dominion's eyes. Not some errant heretics. Do I make myself understood, Meesei?"

Marod had not shifted his expression. However, he offered a subtle nod, encouraging Meesei to placate Lunise herself.

---

Fendros slowly nodded. He didn't understand how to do what Ahnasha was saying, but her basic explanation was understandable. "I will be quiet and allow you to focus, then."

In reality, Fendros took a step back to give Ahnasha as much space as she needed. He knew how much this meant to her. The last thing he wanted was to be the reason for her failure.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Marod at least hinted that he was taken off-guard by Meesei's spell. His eyes darted around at the visual spectacle and he straightened in his seat, lowering his hands onto the table. He was cut off from asking what Meesei had done by her hastened words. To them, he turned his head a fraction to one side, regarding Meesei with more suspicion.

"I can tell you now, champion, that both Lunise and I regard Talos worshippers as criminals. However, there is some nuance to what you ask." Marod did not rush his words as Meesei did, but he was clearly not comfortable with speaking under such conditions. "That is, Vile is a greater enemy. We have approached Vile's cult to try and investigate this issue before searching for you. They entreated us, offered us a reward for pretending that they do not exist or to outright break our oaths. We delayed until we could safely refuse. Since then, our lives have been in danger." He lowered his words, as if trying to resist becoming impassioned. "We will not risk Vile's cult acting against the interests of our countries for the sake of catching a few extra heretics -- or whatever you want to call them. Especially if they are taking such people for themselves rather than being tried in courts of law."

Marod turned his eyes up to the frozen Lunise and back at Meesei with a severe brow. "I suggest you stop this and repeat what you have said to Lunise before she notices and you compromise our partnership. There is no chance of the Dominion cooperating if we keep secrets from one another regarding you and this war."

---

"It has been earned, then," Fendros attempted, regarding the soul gems. "Not stolen."

The next step of the ritual was not something Fendros understood any better with Ahnasha's explanation. "Well, if that oil helps, there is no reason not to use it." He paused and pulled a pained expression at the central crystal. "If it is not too hard to explain," Fendros said while pointing to the crystal in its stand. "What is the function of that one there?"

Mid/High Casual - Divinus: The Deity Roleplay Mk.II

@Scarifar I care about the posts ;_;

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

In response to Meesei's words, Marod brought his woven hands up to his lips and looked to one side in thought. "I should hope you have a strong enough heir to succeed you, then," he mentioned. "If not, this whole agreement could be in jeopardy. Survive, it at all possible, champion."

Lunise lowered her brow in confusion as she breathed in to reply to Meesei's question. "I heard about troubles in High Rock, though it was dismissed as organised criminals collecting debt." She turned her head slightly. "The bandits were abducting suspects in Talos worship. Apart from one or two reported lycan attacks in the wilds, there has not been any apparent activity regarding your war in the region as far as I am aware." She narrowed one eye. "Do you have information, Argonian?"

---

"The smell of..." Fendros stopped himself. She knew. "...Never mind," he finished.

Fendros' reaction to seeing all of the soul gems was a mild chill. He brought his hand to his upper arm and pondered. Each one of the black soul gems was someone they had to kill and remove from the afterlife. Ahnasha justified each one as someone deserving of it -- an adversary -- and Fendros had justified them as well. It didn't dampen the feeling that they had done something dark by carrying it out all the same.

Looking back up to Ahnasha, Fendros tried to take his mind off it. He tried to focus on the positive. "To see it all there. Years of work. It is strange to think that these little things have been so much trouble." He sighed, failing to completely distract his mind. "Every life."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Lunise and Marod exchanged a slow look. In sync, they turned their eyes to Meesei again.

Marod took a breath to start again. "I will admit, that explains quite an amount of our investigations." He raised a finger. "It has been our goal to oppose Vile's plans insofar as they corrupt our governments, as it has always been since we discovered this war. I do not expect that this information will alter that, but we shall keep it in mind." The finger angled to Meesei. "You had best keep us up to date on any more details you find about this plan of Vile's. Whatever it might be."

"We shall keep investigating as well." Lunise preferred to get back to business. "There are more matters we wish to discuss. We heard an answer from Ardan, but we wish to hear it from you how cooperative the clans will be to integrating with the Dominion or Empire. You say you speak for all of those communities, large or small. Are you certain none will begrudge living under our law?"

---

Fendros was not proud of it, but he flinched at the Falmer skeleton that answered the door. He was not afraid of undead; he merely mistook the creature for a living Falmer come to ambush them. He made an effort to calm his heart as they headed inside.

While Ahnasha went about the laboratory, Fendros stood in place and scanned over its contents. In honesty, he had expected it to be more confronting. Apart from the skeleton thralls and piles of bones, the place was not dissimilar to the scholars' laboratories that Sabine frequented. However, he still wrinkled his nose.

"I take it you are used to the smell at this point?" Fendros commented

Mid/High Casual - Divinus: The Deity Roleplay Mk.II

Heartworm turned to look back at the portal, and the rift seemed open for an eternity before his anxious gaze. Finally, it closed and the Emaciator felt something--relief. Well, with that irritating bastard of Zephyrion's no longer on his tail, he could resume all those important projects that he was working on.

Chief among them was the Rovaick project, because although Heartworm may have seemed emotionless, he possessed a sense of humor deep down. He simply repressed it.

But not this time! He would see this project into fruition; by the end of it, he would be forever remembered as the one that Trolled the Trolls. It would all start with him gathering up the finest of white wool. With that he would fashion a white robe of the impeccable weavework, and then he would smear it with blood and ogre excrement before donning it upon himself. In that miserable and ever-so-slightly imperfect state, he would be perfectly disguised as Toun.

So then he would go to his faithful and eternally loyal Rovaick and tell them all to jump off a cliff. Then he'd find the other Rovaick and push them off a cliff too! Then he'd take all their angry neighbors and friends and dump them on Cornerstone so that they could riot and stamp all over the place with their dirty feet.

@Cyclone

This actually seems like something I would expect Chiral Phi to do, rather than Wormy.

In fact, shit like this is why Toun created droningbirds :P

<Snipped quote by Muttonhawk>

pls do not bully the AI it has enough problems already okay ;-;

@Antarctic Termite

It's not bullying, it's just friendly gaslighting C:

Mid/High Casual - Divinus: The Deity Roleplay Mk.II

@Antarctic Termite Oh, I see, so the nihilistic wormbot gets to rationalise things on principle now, does he?!