Ah, in that case...hand it to someone interesting or leave it in a remote cave under some rubble...
Maybe we could give it to weepydragon
Flandre's Quest (Touhou) World - (Madness Quest)
- Thread starter Entropy Judge
- Start date
Maybe we could give it to weepydragon
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are not locked.
[X] Leave Skyrim quickly.
1
[X] Stay in Skyrim for a while.
1
[X] Send her to Mid-Childa.
1
1
[X] Stay in Skyrim for a while.
1
[X] Send her to Mid-Childa.
1
[X] Stay in Skyrim for a while.
Because I'm much more interested in what's going on here than with the Bureau.
[X]Send her to Mid-Childa
- [X]If she refuses; Give her up to Hermaeus Mora.
Honestly I'm not sure what to vote for on the second vote. But I'm very tempted to just chuck her to Mora in hopes of loot/ rewards just because I can't decide lol.
Because I'm much more interested in what's going on here than with the Bureau.
[X]Send her to Mid-Childa
- [X]If she refuses; Give her up to Hermaeus Mora.
Honestly I'm not sure what to vote for on the second vote. But I'm very tempted to just chuck her to Mora in hopes of loot/ rewards just because I can't decide lol.
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Yuri Vampire
Kirameku Hōseki! Cure Coral!
- Location
- US
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Been watching silently for a few days, figured it was about time I joined in.
[X] Leave Skyrim quickly.
[X] Send her to Mid-Childa.
[X] Leave Skyrim quickly.
[X] Send her to Mid-Childa.
Slith10
Back from the dead and ready to party!
- Location
- New Zealand
Not really.
We still have to sort out the castle + etc and leaving just means we go to the next world using up the easy access exit Remila has provided for us this time, we won't be any closer to anything.
In other words, we won't be going straight to the Bureau.
[X] Stay in Skyrim for a while.
Because I'm much more interested in what's going on here than with the Bureau.
[X]Send her to Mid-Childa
- []If she refuses; Give her up to Hermaeus Mora.
Either Vita leaves or she gets sacrificed/killed, simply assuming she will do as we say while we leave now isn't a good idea.
(@Entropy Judge , what were all of the options Hermaeus Mora gave us for dealing with Vita?)
We might as well make a more permanent impact by fixing up the castle/vampires to be more of a stronghold for Flandre to come back to, currently it will likely fold quite quickly after we leave.
Why are people impatient about leaving NOW, we don't have any time restraints now that we have dealt with Derp Vampire and Vita.
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Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
1) Take Vita to HM (preferably in a condition in which she is unable to resist);
2) Remove Vita from Skyrim; Kill/Corral/Enslave/etc;
3) Do nothing.
Option 1 gets HM to trade tasty knowledge;
Option 2 - in any of its various forms - gets Flan some protection against Daedric Princes;
Option 3 has no benefits.
Slith10
Back from the dead and ready to party!
- Location
- New Zealand
So killing gives the same benefit as throwing her off-world, nice to know.
So if people really don't want Hermaeus Mora to learn what Vita knows and Vita won't leave for whatever reason...
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are locked.
Vita is getting sent back to Mid-Childa, and Flan ... will be following Remilia's instruction:
...
I guess she'll be staying.
[X] Leave Skyrim quickly.
3
[X] Stay in Skyrim for a while.
3
[X] Send her to Mid-Childa.
5
[X]Send her to Mid-Childa
- [X]If she refuses; Give her up to Hermaeus Mora.
1
3
[X] Stay in Skyrim for a while.
3
[X] Send her to Mid-Childa.
5
[X]Send her to Mid-Childa
- [X]If she refuses; Give her up to Hermaeus Mora.
1
...
I guess she'll be staying.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Next set of Votes:
What to do about the Castle:
[ ] Install Serana as your Castellan.
[ ] Install Garan Marethi as your Castellan.
[ ] Other?
What to do about the Dawnguard:
[ ] Ignore them. They aren't a threat.
[ ] Use them as punching bags for the Volkihar Clan - they're sadly out of shape.
[ ] Wipe them out yourself.
[ ] Make a deal.
- Write-in
[ ] Other?
What to do about the Castle:
[ ] Install Serana as your Castellan.
[ ] Install Garan Marethi as your Castellan.
[ ] Other?
What to do about the Dawnguard:
[ ] Ignore them. They aren't a threat.
[ ] Use them as punching bags for the Volkihar Clan - they're sadly out of shape.
[ ] Wipe them out yourself.
[ ] Make a deal.
- Write-in
[ ] Other?
Whosoever supplies the most fabulous fashion accessory in the next ten minutes gets the job. After that, we go to the College or do random quests or something for a week before popping back for a surprise inspection. If we're unhappy with how things have been handled, we have the current custodian placed in the Horrible Pit and swap over to the other one. Repeat as necessary.
The Dawnguard base their existence solely on the belief that our existence is anathema, and that shit just can't stand. Personally, I would be interested in getting them all to the highest point in Skyrim and seeing how many we can get airborne before the first one hits the ground, but that's probably not very practical.
The Dawnguard base their existence solely on the belief that our existence is anathema, and that shit just can't stand. Personally, I would be interested in getting them all to the highest point in Skyrim and seeing how many we can get airborne before the first one hits the ground, but that's probably not very practical.
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Someone explain the Castellan choices?
Also @Entropy Judge that vote didn't fire alerts. Usual suspects hadn't seen it
Also @Entropy Judge that vote didn't fire alerts. Usual suspects hadn't seen it
Slith10
Back from the dead and ready to party!
- Location
- New Zealand
[X] Install Serana as your Castellan.
She's likely more reliable and might be 'nice' to humans.
Better people, better neighbours.
What to do about the Dawnguard:
They are a minor threat, unless they manage to catch us off guard at sea with lots o' burny metal.
Time derp etc.
[ ] Use them as punching bags for the Volkihar Clan - they're sadly out of shape.
A bit of training + we can see how each side matches up without us intervening unless we have to.
[ ] Make a deal.
Neighbours/Humanity and Vampires not killing each other/etc
Too late at night to write out clearly.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
There are four candidates for Castellanship: Vingalmo, Orthjolf, Garan Marethi, and Serana.
Vingalmo and Orthjolf are fairly out of the running, because Flan doesn't consider them trustworthy. They both have the experience and political know-how to run things smoothly, but Flan believes that the moment she left them for any relevant length of time, they would do anything in their power to subvert the castle or otherwise betray her. And since they kept doing that under Harkon, she doesn't believe she can beat the habit out of them.
Next is Garan Marethi. Running the castle and making sure everything went smoothly, balancing Vingalmo and Orthjolf against each other - that's what he did under Harkon, and it makes him perfectly suited for the job. He is, like V&O, rather untrustworthy, but he's more upfront about following Flandre because she's shown that she can and will slaughter them without hesitation, so Flan actually trusts him a bit. However, given that he'd be continuing his job - except this time, he wouldn't have an authority figure to back him up - there are two issues. The first is that he may, despite appearances, decide that a rank up is his due, and betray Flan in a much more subtle way than V&O would, as those two would be combative. Garan's a bit sneakier and cleverer. The other issue is that he's not as good a fighter as Orthjolf nor as good a mage as Vingalmo, so either one could stage a rebellion and plausibly defeat him unless Flan takes steps to ensure otherwise.
Serana is a noble, is actually the line-of-descent owner of the castle, and has the power to enforce her rule over the other vampires without needing Flan as a threat. However, she is out of her time, and a little confused, and the ages spent asleep have dulled her somewhat, so a full-blown rebellion could still take her down. She is also something of an unknown quality, as Flan hasn't gotten a good read on her actual traits or motives/motivations.
"Other" refers not just to other choices for Castellan - of which Flan hasn't noted any in particular, as the rest of the castle falls under "Unwilling," "Incapable," or "Already part of V/O's faction" - but also options besides Flan continuing to outright own the Castle, such as suzerainty, or setting up a different form of control instead of a Castellan.
[X] Install Serana as your Castellan.
[X] Use them as punching bags for the Volkihar Clan - they're sadly out of shape.
Hopefully getting some idea of just how strong the Vampires are and that they're not going to be going crazy and trying to set out the sun anymore will put off any tensions. Serana when she gets in her feet can help to defuse what's left and create agreements that each side would be much more likely to stick to.
I don't see any deal that we force working out when we leave. Espcially not since both sides have no reason to follow it with us gone and it's unlikely that either would even like the treaty/ agreement we force on them. Telling the Vampires not to hunt Humans when they've been doing so for millennia at this point and see them as food just won't work without us holding the great of death over them. And the Dawnguard putting aside their fanatical tendencies doesn't seem likely either, espcially as the only way they'd likely do so would be if they have some way to watch the Vampires to see they're not hunting anyone/ feeding naturally and that would piss of the Vampires as they're essentially giving supervision/guardianship over them to a Human, and one who could easily abuse that relationship if he decideshe prefers a war or just doesnt like the Vamps. The Dawnguard are definitely the weaker party here but fanatics be fanatical
.
[X] Use them as punching bags for the Volkihar Clan - they're sadly out of shape.
Hopefully getting some idea of just how strong the Vampires are and that they're not going to be going crazy and trying to set out the sun anymore will put off any tensions. Serana when she gets in her feet can help to defuse what's left and create agreements that each side would be much more likely to stick to.
I don't see any deal that we force working out when we leave. Espcially not since both sides have no reason to follow it with us gone and it's unlikely that either would even like the treaty/ agreement we force on them. Telling the Vampires not to hunt Humans when they've been doing so for millennia at this point and see them as food just won't work without us holding the great of death over them. And the Dawnguard putting aside their fanatical tendencies doesn't seem likely either, espcially as the only way they'd likely do so would be if they have some way to watch the Vampires to see they're not hunting anyone/ feeding naturally and that would piss of the Vampires as they're essentially giving supervision/guardianship over them to a Human, and one who could easily abuse that relationship if he decideshe prefers a war or just doesnt like the Vamps. The Dawnguard are definitely the weaker party here but fanatics be fanatical
.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are not locked.
I don't think there's anything else that needs to be voted on immediately, so unless there are objections, there should be an update following the conclusion of this vote.
EDIT: Votes are locked.
[X] Install Serana as your Castellan.
3
[X] Use them as punching bags for the Volkihar Clan - they're sadly out of shape.
2
3
[X] Use them as punching bags for the Volkihar Clan - they're sadly out of shape.
2
EDIT: Votes are locked.
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Goodbye, Vita
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
[X] Stay in Skyrim for a while.
[X] Send her to Mid-Childa.
[X] Install Serana as your Castellan.
[X] Use them as punching bags for the Volkihar Clan - they're sadly out of shape.
You sigh and shake your head. The Dawnguard are a minor irritation, but Vita is a threat to your plans for this place. She may have gone back to her roots as a Destroyer, but she's still siding with humans, and that means she'll want to reduce or eliminate the threat of the vampires. And while a fighter of her caliber might be useful down the road, she's honestly more hindrance than help. So she needs to go, but you can't kill her or let Hermaeus Mora take her, and that means you need to send her back to Mid-Childa. But how to do that …? You frown and tap your pointers together as you try to come up with an idea about how to get her out quickly – and then she pokes your forehead, and you recoil, startled. She gives you a look.
"You okay?" You shake your head, clearing it.
"Yes, yes, I'm fine. Mm … was there anything else you wanted here, or are you guys going to go back now?"
"Well, we had hoped to get the Elder Scroll, to make sure it goes back to the people who take care of them, but I suppose you're not going to give it up." You snort and shake your head.
"No, it's staying in my hands for now. I'm not going to use it – can't, in any case, since there's nothing in it." Vita's eyebrows rise and you shrug. "I looked at it, in case there was anything interesting, but there's … well, nothing there. Empty scroll with nothing in it." She gives you a particular look, like she's trying to decide whether or not to tell you something, but then she shrugs and looks at the castle.
"Well, that's that, then. Isran'll be upset, but if you're not going to do anything with it, I suppose that'll have to do. Fighting you for it's not worth it …." She scowls, then sighs glumly, shaking her head after a moment. "Anyway, I wasn't planning on getting these guys killed even if you hadn't been here, so we're pulling back." She takes a deep breath and starts to head for the Dawnguard.
"Hey, Vita." She stops and looks suspiciously at you. "About how long is it going to take you to escort them back to their base?" Her eyes narrow even more. "Well, there is a group making sure the surrounding area is clear, and … shorthanded as they are," you giggle at your little joke, "I'm sure they could take out those humans. But … well, there's something I want to do at the College of Winterhold, and it would be a lot easier if you helped. So, um, if you could meet me there – if you're not busy, I mean!" You hold your breath and give her your best pleading look, which was probably not the best idea, because her expression doesn't change at all.
"… Eight days." After a long period of silence, she finally sighs and looks at the floor, almost deflating. "I could meet you at the College in eight days." You giggle and dart forward to hug her, and it's only after you've held her for a moment that you back up, realizing that she hasn't moved. You tilt your head inquisitively, but she just shakes her head. "I'll see you then." She drifts past you and dives down to the Dawnguard troops, and you lean over the wall to frown at her. What does she suspect? Something is upsetting her …. You keep watch until the Dawnguard cast off and turn their boats back to the mainland, then shrug and collect your things to head back to the castle. Garan Marethi waits for you inside the entrance.
"That could have gone poorly, had they attacked. How fortunate for us all that they did not." You chuckle.
"I rather doubt it; Vita wouldn't have attacked, and she was the only one I would have needed to be worried about." On the other hand, if you had attacked them while they were in their boats, and Vita had attacked you … you nearly shudder at the idea of being slammed through the waters of the ocean. You probably would have survived, at least long enough to break through the surface, but you'd have been nearly helpless. "And shortly, if my plan works out, she won't be a problem at all."
"I see. Well, as you are the one with the immediate perspective of the situation, I suppose I should defer to your experience." He bows sardonically, and you give him a stern look. He bows more appropriately and begins making a retreat.
"Garan." He pauses and stands to face you. "How long has it been since the castle has been to war?" He frowns, head tilted, and stares at you for a moment.
"Please explain, my Lady." You sigh.
"The Dawnguard. I don't consider them a threat at all, but I understand that the level on which I operate is far superior to yours. What I intend to do is use the Dawnguard to gauge the abilities of the vampires here. That means fighting them, and not with the intent to defeat them, but to taunt them. How equipped is the castle for those kinds of operations?" He continues staring at you, and you can almost see the flags being raised in warning, screeching to not underestimate you.
"… It has been a long time since any resources were expended in an actual venture, as opposed to an individual doing something on his or her own. I assume you also want things like their encampments, strengths, and the like, as well?" You nod.
"For the Dawnguard, and for the rulers and powers in the surrounding areas as well." He blinks, eyes wide, then they narrow. "And their allies and enemies, if necessary. I would prefer to not lose my new castle to an army comprised of a significant majority of the military might of the region, so if we need to take action to secure certain locations, I want information on those locations." Garan sighs before nodding in understanding.
"Yes, my Lady. Is there anything else you'd like? An audience with Molag Bal or Mehrunes Dagon, perhaps?" You grin at his tone and laugh a little, then nod, enjoying the look of disbelief that flashes across his face.
"Just one, and it's something that will make your existence miserable in the short-term, but should make things easier in the future. I'm … adjusting your duties. Serana is going to run the castle, doing the majority of what you used to do, and you're going to need to make sure she's competent at that. You …." You tap your lips. You don't want him to be upset enough over having someone promoted over him that he rebels, but you don't want him to have too much power, either. "I'm not certain just what duties you will have, but they will be more external in nature." He considers the idea.
"Hmm … something along the lines of diplomat or spymaster? I'm sure I'll be able to make do. Then, if there is nothing else, I'll get started on your requests." He waits for your gesture of dismissal before departing, and you sigh. None of this is stuff you like doing, or are much good at – it's so boring, and not fun, and keeping track of the details is nearly impossible, and none of it is nearly as much fun as fighting. But this is your castle, not Remilia's – it's not even shared! – and you need to make sure it's taken care of. With that in mind, you start heading for Serana's room. Your new Castellan will need to be informed of her duties before she starts thinking she can control her own life!
You study the portals around you, looking for Mid-Childa's entrance, but you don't see it, and that worries you. If you don't find it, you won't be able to send Vita back, and that'll mean problems for you and her.
"Huh." Once again, you spin, startled, but you manage to keep from drawing your gift on Vita this time – you were expecting her, after all. She still shakes her head. "Still jumpy, huh?" You frown at her – despite her amusement, her mouth is firmly set and her eyes seem darker than you remember, and she has a heavy backpack with her. "Something wrong with my face?" You shake your head and turn back to the portals.
"No, not that I can see," you reply.
"Huh. So what did you need my help with?" You pause, thinking back over the weeks, and slap your hand against your face. Of course it wouldn't be here, it would be upstairs! You spin and dart down, grabbing Vita's arm as you land to pull her along as you hurry back to the entrance. "Hey!"
"You said Verossa wasn't here, right?" Confusion flashes across her face.
"Yeah, or if he is, I don't know where he is. Seriously, what -!" She breaks off as the two of you stagger to a halt as a brisk wind washes over you – a foul, ill-smelling wind, rather like some of the oldest and worst-maintained books in the Library. Vita coughs, almost gagging on the experience, and when she looks up leaps back and, in a burst of dull red, is wearing her Barrier Jacket and carrying Graf Eisen. Past the gate, the world transformed into a world of pages and books, like a twisted and perverted version of the Library, and standing, staring, are a pair of twisted piscine ogres, lanky and needle-mouthed. Behind them are several … four-armed, tentacled things. Vita snarls, but even that ferocity is curtailed by Hermaeus Mora's entrance, eyes and tentacles bursting into existence above its servants.
"Aaahhh …. Little Scarlet. You have, returned." Some of the eyes focus on you, and some on Vita, while others simply gaze around inscrutably.
"What … what the hell?" You spare a glance backward – Vita is still standing, her hammer held up as a ward, but her free hand is pressed against the side of her head, like she's in pain.
"Hermaeus Mora, she's not here for you. I'm dealing with her in my own way." The Daedric Prince laughs.
"Oh? And what … way would that be, hm? You will not … give her to me?" You shake your head.
"No. I'm sure the information you're willing to trade is worth her life, but some shielding from your kind is more useful – and if I give her to you, I don't get that. So, I'm taking care of things my way; she won't be in a position to interfere with things, so I'll have satisfied my end of the deal." It laughs again, and the book-world begins fading, falling apart like fog in the wind.
"Very … well …." When everything's back to normal, you heave a sigh of relief, only for Vita to spin you around and lift you by the front of your dress. She glares at you, and you'd actually be worried were it not for the fact that you're too close for her to use her hammer effectively, and you aren't so hampered.
"What was that? What the hell kind of deal are you trying to pull here?" She slams you back into the wall, trying to cover the fear in her voice.
"You remember I said you were in danger? That's why. A Daedric Prince, and it wants you dead or otherwise removed from this world. And my way is sending you back to Mid-Childa, because I don't need a chaperone or bodyguard." She shakes her head.
"No. I'm not going back, not until we find Verossa. You can open up those portals, and we go looking for him, and we find him and bring him back. That's wha-!" You cut her short with a savage blow to the side of her chest, along the rib cage. Her Barrier Jacket helps blunt the strike, but she releases you, and your next hit strikes the middle of her chest, sending her tumbling backward. She shudders and tries to rise, failing and lashing out with her hammer as you approach. You sigh as she hauls herself upright, drifting into the air. She coughs, shakes her head, and coughs again, and on the second cough you dart forward, fist slamming into her side again – and then you grab her arm forearm and twist, snapping the bones and finally making her sag against you. You shove her away and she collapses to the floor, shuddering, so you drag her by the collar of her Jacket, ignoring her coughing and strained breathing as you march up the stairs.
"You don't get to tell me what to do, Vita, and the fact that I think you would try is another reason I'm sending you away. You're human, and I'm not; you'd want to come to some sort of agreement between my vampires and the Dawnguard, but that's not going to happen. I'm going to make my own decisions, and if that means I get to kill a few thousand humans because they were in the wrong place when something goes wrong for me, well, I want to be able to do that or choose not to, not have my hand forced by someone who has forced herself into my company. You know?" You hold her up, making her look at you, and she weakly tries to grab at you with her free hand. You frown at the bright red blood leaking from her mouth as she tries to breathe – you must have hit her lung a bit too hard. Good thing she'll be going right to the hospital, then!
You force the door open, sighing in satisfaction as the hinges shriek in protest as they're torn from the wall and the door crashes to the floor. So wonderful! You hold up the rod, and the portal to the Mid-Childan hospital fades into view in the darkness. You wait until it's stable, then hold Vita up to it.
"Well, Vita, there you go. Home for you. If you remember, let them know that I'll keep an eye out for Verossa, but I don't know where he is, and I don't have an unlimited number of portals I can open. I'll see you later~" You push her into the portal after making sure she has Graf Eisen with her, and it's only a few moments before some people you don't recognize rush toward her. You sigh; perhaps you were a bit rougher than you needed to be, but you're still upset with her for treating you like a problem, how she didn't want to be your friend and just wanted to get away from you, and now how she just wanted to use you to get Verossa back. Well, if it's a problem, it's a problem for much later! You frown as you finally notice the empty state of the room, then shrug – it's not a problem.
Now, of course, you have to go back to work. Teaching Serana, working with Garan on just what you want, keeping Orthjolf and Vingalmo from killing each other … well, you suppose you could lock them in a very small coffin together for a week. That would probably result in them getting along better. … You have no idea how Remilia pulled all this off, much less how she made it look easy. Hmm … Orthjolf did say that they wiped out a Stormcloak force while they were clearing things up, and Windhelm is right there. Maybe you should pay Ulfric a visit before getting back to work?
What do you do?
[ ] "Chat" with Ulfric.
[ ] Focus on the Dawnguard.
[ ] Focus on the Civil War.
- [ ] Support the Imperials.
- [ ] Support the Stormcloaks.
[ ] Bring other Vampire groups under your banner.
[ ] Other?
[X] Send her to Mid-Childa.
[X] Install Serana as your Castellan.
[X] Use them as punching bags for the Volkihar Clan - they're sadly out of shape.
You sigh and shake your head. The Dawnguard are a minor irritation, but Vita is a threat to your plans for this place. She may have gone back to her roots as a Destroyer, but she's still siding with humans, and that means she'll want to reduce or eliminate the threat of the vampires. And while a fighter of her caliber might be useful down the road, she's honestly more hindrance than help. So she needs to go, but you can't kill her or let Hermaeus Mora take her, and that means you need to send her back to Mid-Childa. But how to do that …? You frown and tap your pointers together as you try to come up with an idea about how to get her out quickly – and then she pokes your forehead, and you recoil, startled. She gives you a look.
"You okay?" You shake your head, clearing it.
"Yes, yes, I'm fine. Mm … was there anything else you wanted here, or are you guys going to go back now?"
"Well, we had hoped to get the Elder Scroll, to make sure it goes back to the people who take care of them, but I suppose you're not going to give it up." You snort and shake your head.
"No, it's staying in my hands for now. I'm not going to use it – can't, in any case, since there's nothing in it." Vita's eyebrows rise and you shrug. "I looked at it, in case there was anything interesting, but there's … well, nothing there. Empty scroll with nothing in it." She gives you a particular look, like she's trying to decide whether or not to tell you something, but then she shrugs and looks at the castle.
"Well, that's that, then. Isran'll be upset, but if you're not going to do anything with it, I suppose that'll have to do. Fighting you for it's not worth it …." She scowls, then sighs glumly, shaking her head after a moment. "Anyway, I wasn't planning on getting these guys killed even if you hadn't been here, so we're pulling back." She takes a deep breath and starts to head for the Dawnguard.
"Hey, Vita." She stops and looks suspiciously at you. "About how long is it going to take you to escort them back to their base?" Her eyes narrow even more. "Well, there is a group making sure the surrounding area is clear, and … shorthanded as they are," you giggle at your little joke, "I'm sure they could take out those humans. But … well, there's something I want to do at the College of Winterhold, and it would be a lot easier if you helped. So, um, if you could meet me there – if you're not busy, I mean!" You hold your breath and give her your best pleading look, which was probably not the best idea, because her expression doesn't change at all.
"… Eight days." After a long period of silence, she finally sighs and looks at the floor, almost deflating. "I could meet you at the College in eight days." You giggle and dart forward to hug her, and it's only after you've held her for a moment that you back up, realizing that she hasn't moved. You tilt your head inquisitively, but she just shakes her head. "I'll see you then." She drifts past you and dives down to the Dawnguard troops, and you lean over the wall to frown at her. What does she suspect? Something is upsetting her …. You keep watch until the Dawnguard cast off and turn their boats back to the mainland, then shrug and collect your things to head back to the castle. Garan Marethi waits for you inside the entrance.
"That could have gone poorly, had they attacked. How fortunate for us all that they did not." You chuckle.
"I rather doubt it; Vita wouldn't have attacked, and she was the only one I would have needed to be worried about." On the other hand, if you had attacked them while they were in their boats, and Vita had attacked you … you nearly shudder at the idea of being slammed through the waters of the ocean. You probably would have survived, at least long enough to break through the surface, but you'd have been nearly helpless. "And shortly, if my plan works out, she won't be a problem at all."
"I see. Well, as you are the one with the immediate perspective of the situation, I suppose I should defer to your experience." He bows sardonically, and you give him a stern look. He bows more appropriately and begins making a retreat.
"Garan." He pauses and stands to face you. "How long has it been since the castle has been to war?" He frowns, head tilted, and stares at you for a moment.
"Please explain, my Lady." You sigh.
"The Dawnguard. I don't consider them a threat at all, but I understand that the level on which I operate is far superior to yours. What I intend to do is use the Dawnguard to gauge the abilities of the vampires here. That means fighting them, and not with the intent to defeat them, but to taunt them. How equipped is the castle for those kinds of operations?" He continues staring at you, and you can almost see the flags being raised in warning, screeching to not underestimate you.
"… It has been a long time since any resources were expended in an actual venture, as opposed to an individual doing something on his or her own. I assume you also want things like their encampments, strengths, and the like, as well?" You nod.
"For the Dawnguard, and for the rulers and powers in the surrounding areas as well." He blinks, eyes wide, then they narrow. "And their allies and enemies, if necessary. I would prefer to not lose my new castle to an army comprised of a significant majority of the military might of the region, so if we need to take action to secure certain locations, I want information on those locations." Garan sighs before nodding in understanding.
"Yes, my Lady. Is there anything else you'd like? An audience with Molag Bal or Mehrunes Dagon, perhaps?" You grin at his tone and laugh a little, then nod, enjoying the look of disbelief that flashes across his face.
"Just one, and it's something that will make your existence miserable in the short-term, but should make things easier in the future. I'm … adjusting your duties. Serana is going to run the castle, doing the majority of what you used to do, and you're going to need to make sure she's competent at that. You …." You tap your lips. You don't want him to be upset enough over having someone promoted over him that he rebels, but you don't want him to have too much power, either. "I'm not certain just what duties you will have, but they will be more external in nature." He considers the idea.
"Hmm … something along the lines of diplomat or spymaster? I'm sure I'll be able to make do. Then, if there is nothing else, I'll get started on your requests." He waits for your gesture of dismissal before departing, and you sigh. None of this is stuff you like doing, or are much good at – it's so boring, and not fun, and keeping track of the details is nearly impossible, and none of it is nearly as much fun as fighting. But this is your castle, not Remilia's – it's not even shared! – and you need to make sure it's taken care of. With that in mind, you start heading for Serana's room. Your new Castellan will need to be informed of her duties before she starts thinking she can control her own life!
You study the portals around you, looking for Mid-Childa's entrance, but you don't see it, and that worries you. If you don't find it, you won't be able to send Vita back, and that'll mean problems for you and her.
"Huh." Once again, you spin, startled, but you manage to keep from drawing your gift on Vita this time – you were expecting her, after all. She still shakes her head. "Still jumpy, huh?" You frown at her – despite her amusement, her mouth is firmly set and her eyes seem darker than you remember, and she has a heavy backpack with her. "Something wrong with my face?" You shake your head and turn back to the portals.
"No, not that I can see," you reply.
"Huh. So what did you need my help with?" You pause, thinking back over the weeks, and slap your hand against your face. Of course it wouldn't be here, it would be upstairs! You spin and dart down, grabbing Vita's arm as you land to pull her along as you hurry back to the entrance. "Hey!"
"You said Verossa wasn't here, right?" Confusion flashes across her face.
"Yeah, or if he is, I don't know where he is. Seriously, what -!" She breaks off as the two of you stagger to a halt as a brisk wind washes over you – a foul, ill-smelling wind, rather like some of the oldest and worst-maintained books in the Library. Vita coughs, almost gagging on the experience, and when she looks up leaps back and, in a burst of dull red, is wearing her Barrier Jacket and carrying Graf Eisen. Past the gate, the world transformed into a world of pages and books, like a twisted and perverted version of the Library, and standing, staring, are a pair of twisted piscine ogres, lanky and needle-mouthed. Behind them are several … four-armed, tentacled things. Vita snarls, but even that ferocity is curtailed by Hermaeus Mora's entrance, eyes and tentacles bursting into existence above its servants.
"Aaahhh …. Little Scarlet. You have, returned." Some of the eyes focus on you, and some on Vita, while others simply gaze around inscrutably.
"What … what the hell?" You spare a glance backward – Vita is still standing, her hammer held up as a ward, but her free hand is pressed against the side of her head, like she's in pain.
"Hermaeus Mora, she's not here for you. I'm dealing with her in my own way." The Daedric Prince laughs.
"Oh? And what … way would that be, hm? You will not … give her to me?" You shake your head.
"No. I'm sure the information you're willing to trade is worth her life, but some shielding from your kind is more useful – and if I give her to you, I don't get that. So, I'm taking care of things my way; she won't be in a position to interfere with things, so I'll have satisfied my end of the deal." It laughs again, and the book-world begins fading, falling apart like fog in the wind.
"Very … well …." When everything's back to normal, you heave a sigh of relief, only for Vita to spin you around and lift you by the front of your dress. She glares at you, and you'd actually be worried were it not for the fact that you're too close for her to use her hammer effectively, and you aren't so hampered.
"What was that? What the hell kind of deal are you trying to pull here?" She slams you back into the wall, trying to cover the fear in her voice.
"You remember I said you were in danger? That's why. A Daedric Prince, and it wants you dead or otherwise removed from this world. And my way is sending you back to Mid-Childa, because I don't need a chaperone or bodyguard." She shakes her head.
"No. I'm not going back, not until we find Verossa. You can open up those portals, and we go looking for him, and we find him and bring him back. That's wha-!" You cut her short with a savage blow to the side of her chest, along the rib cage. Her Barrier Jacket helps blunt the strike, but she releases you, and your next hit strikes the middle of her chest, sending her tumbling backward. She shudders and tries to rise, failing and lashing out with her hammer as you approach. You sigh as she hauls herself upright, drifting into the air. She coughs, shakes her head, and coughs again, and on the second cough you dart forward, fist slamming into her side again – and then you grab her arm forearm and twist, snapping the bones and finally making her sag against you. You shove her away and she collapses to the floor, shuddering, so you drag her by the collar of her Jacket, ignoring her coughing and strained breathing as you march up the stairs.
"You don't get to tell me what to do, Vita, and the fact that I think you would try is another reason I'm sending you away. You're human, and I'm not; you'd want to come to some sort of agreement between my vampires and the Dawnguard, but that's not going to happen. I'm going to make my own decisions, and if that means I get to kill a few thousand humans because they were in the wrong place when something goes wrong for me, well, I want to be able to do that or choose not to, not have my hand forced by someone who has forced herself into my company. You know?" You hold her up, making her look at you, and she weakly tries to grab at you with her free hand. You frown at the bright red blood leaking from her mouth as she tries to breathe – you must have hit her lung a bit too hard. Good thing she'll be going right to the hospital, then!
You force the door open, sighing in satisfaction as the hinges shriek in protest as they're torn from the wall and the door crashes to the floor. So wonderful! You hold up the rod, and the portal to the Mid-Childan hospital fades into view in the darkness. You wait until it's stable, then hold Vita up to it.
"Well, Vita, there you go. Home for you. If you remember, let them know that I'll keep an eye out for Verossa, but I don't know where he is, and I don't have an unlimited number of portals I can open. I'll see you later~" You push her into the portal after making sure she has Graf Eisen with her, and it's only a few moments before some people you don't recognize rush toward her. You sigh; perhaps you were a bit rougher than you needed to be, but you're still upset with her for treating you like a problem, how she didn't want to be your friend and just wanted to get away from you, and now how she just wanted to use you to get Verossa back. Well, if it's a problem, it's a problem for much later! You frown as you finally notice the empty state of the room, then shrug – it's not a problem.
Now, of course, you have to go back to work. Teaching Serana, working with Garan on just what you want, keeping Orthjolf and Vingalmo from killing each other … well, you suppose you could lock them in a very small coffin together for a week. That would probably result in them getting along better. … You have no idea how Remilia pulled all this off, much less how she made it look easy. Hmm … Orthjolf did say that they wiped out a Stormcloak force while they were clearing things up, and Windhelm is right there. Maybe you should pay Ulfric a visit before getting back to work?
What do you do?
[ ] "Chat" with Ulfric.
[ ] Focus on the Dawnguard.
[ ] Focus on the Civil War.
- [ ] Support the Imperials.
- [ ] Support the Stormcloaks.
[ ] Bring other Vampire groups under your banner.
[ ] Other?
Sivuel
n00b Technomage
- Location
- Space
[X] "Chat" with Ulfric.
[X] Focus on the Civil War.
- [X] Support the Stormcloaks.
Vampire nation was Harkon's plan, and that was a miserable failure. If we have enough time we could win the civil war (easy), crown ourselves shadow-queen of Skyrim (tricky), and hopefully scare off the Thalmor retaliation (actually risky to our well being), then leave Tamriel forever as "king" Ulfric has nightmares every night of the vampire who actually won the war. But all that would take a good chunk of time, maybe a year or two depending on the Thalmor's time-table.
[X] Focus on the Civil War.
- [X] Support the Stormcloaks.
Vampire nation was Harkon's plan, and that was a miserable failure. If we have enough time we could win the civil war (easy), crown ourselves shadow-queen of Skyrim (tricky), and hopefully scare off the Thalmor retaliation (actually risky to our well being), then leave Tamriel forever as "king" Ulfric has nightmares every night of the vampire who actually won the war. But all that would take a good chunk of time, maybe a year or two depending on the Thalmor's time-table.
Slith10
Back from the dead and ready to party!
- Location
- New Zealand
So, your saying it would take ages to do, would be annoyingly difficult and yet you are still choosing to vote for such a course of action?
(Also if Ulfric wins, the Empire is weakened still further compared to the Aldmeri Dominion and so they would be able to conquer the Empire/Skyrim more easily, even if Ulfric isn't actually working for the Aldmeri Dominion. But that's all irrelevant to Flandre.)
I ended up viewing the civil war as 'The Man' vs 'The Inhumans' as the big picture, due to all the information given over the course of Skyrim. Siding with the Empire is better for humans overall because if the Aldmeri Dominion were able to make the Empire stalemate into a bad enough position that they needed to conceed Talos worship to end the war, then further dividing the human lands would be a bad idea.
Then you add in the fact that Ulfric 'allegedly' did work for the High Elves before the war according to the private records of the Thalmor, making it seem like he might be getting supplies from the High Elves to drive the Empire out because of a law the High Elves made the Empire pass.
Ulfric isn't particularly smart, even if he isn't a collaborator.
... Whoa, that was more than I thought it would be...
The Empire dislikes the Aldmeri Dominion but needs to build up/preserve the current peace to prevent an all out war destroying it.
Tldr of previous happenings in Nirn(the world):
Talos worship was 'banned' due to Aldmeri ceasefire, but not fully enforced, the Thalmor decided they didn't like that so decided to 'help' the Empire enforce 'it's' laws; other Aldmeri groups may or may not have stirred up dissent against the empire via human agents, Ulfric deals with 'corrupt' high king in potentially the most disadvantageous way possible(following what others said was a good plan?), civil war starts over a law neither side wants.
I'm a bit tired of people supporting the Stormcloaks jumping up and down over it, sorry about the potentially 'taking it too seriously' text.
EDIT:
Moved Vote:
[X] "Chat" with Ulfric.
[ ] Focus on the Dawnguard.
We could focus only on our purposes, but the longer the civil war goes for, the more likely the Aldmeri Dominion will declare another war against the Empire.(Regardless of which side you support, both sides being weak won't ultimately end well for 'Us'.)
or:
[ ] Focus on the Civil War.
- [ ] Support the Imperials.
Restoring the status quo, balances the Empire and the Dominion meaning less chance of any army/force being sent out to 'clean' the vampires, etc...
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- Location
- Moon
You know, this is why this is one of my favorite quests.