The Khajiit’s brow slowly rose up.
“…if you’re referring to what happened with Brelyna, my tail wasn’t involved.”
J H A S I (barbarian abcs)
Jarl: How *does your muse address royalty? Would they carry out an order at the request of a Jarl?
He’ll be a little more respectful than usual, but it comes off as a little casual when dealing with royals of other cultures. If he’s not pleased with a certain ruler, then he’ll be curt and to the point, but not outright disrespectful…usually…
Unless the Jarl intended to pay him or he respected them, he would not.
—
Halfling: How do they view half-breeds?
Same as anyone else. If you asked him to pull a half-breed out of a lineup, he’d be hard pressed to do so unless it was super obvious.
—
Alchemy: Which ingredients do they most often collect and how successful is their potion brewing?
He’ll collect valuable ingredients depending on where he is. He’ll sell stuff he knows is useful/in high demand/valuable to local apothecaries and the like, usually at a discount if he’s been hanging around the area long enough to get to know the shopkeeps. Payment is usually gold at first, but will shift to more of a barter system once he finds them trustworthy enough.
Don’t ask him to make potions. He can make a few poisons, but his skill at alchemy is more around certain plants or substances that help speed up healing or stave off infection. He leaves actual alchemy to the people who know what they’re doing.
—
Shivering Isles: How *does your character handle the topic of mental illness? If *they’re mentally ill themselves then how are they currently dealing with it?
He doesn’t think about it much. His education on mental illness is more of running into people who are a little off, and they’re rarely dangerous. He’s mentally ill but doesn’t think of himself as such. As for dealing with it… I’d say ‘not well’ covers it.
—
Inn: What *does a typical visit to an inn entail for your character? What foods do they normally order?
Gold, Inn
Gold: How *does your character make their money?
He used to do his jobs for House Redoran, the Blades, the Thieves’ Guild, and general freelance thieving, but those avenues closed up long ago. Nowadays J’hasi primarily does bounty-hunting for his gold. He used to do contracted work as well, but his dislike for the lack of information of the situations and the negative connotations ‘mercenary’ carries with it, he doesn’t often pick up those jobs anymore.
Other times if bounties aren’t available, he’ll go hunting or fishing and sell his catches, do chores, odd jobs, or otherwise help out the local community, usually the latter in exchange for food or a place to sleep for the night if he’s too far away from wilderness where he can camp.
—
Inn: What *does a typical visit to an inn entail for your character? What foods do they normally order?
Answered! But I’ll go into a little more detail because I’m a sucker for questions.
His inn room is usually set up in a particular way. He’ll have the bed furthest away from the door, and almost always away from windows. While not all places allow for such rearranging, if it isn’t nailed down, you can bet that J’hasi’s gonna move it around (moving it back to where it was once he’s about to leave, of course). He’ll have the table between the bed and the door, if available, and sometimes it’s pulled pretty close to the bedside so he can have all his books and stuff on it. There’s almost always an obstacle or two in the way between the door and the bed, be it a chair, some crates, or whatever is bulky and can be in the way.
He’ll keep his dagger under his pillow, a knife under the mattress, and the bed is usually a nest of blankets and furs if it’s cold, just a mess of blankets when it’s warm or hot. He doesn’t unpack much when he’s just staying a night, but if he’s staying a while, it’s a fucking mess to an untrained eye until someone complains.
Inn and Xenophobia
Inn: What *does a typical visit to an inn entail for your character? What foods do they normally order?
If he’s staying for the night, then he orders his room with his meal/first drink. Too many times he’s tried to order a room only to find out that he drank away too much gold and had to sleep in an alleyway for the night (which he’s not particularly fond of doing).
Food and drinks vary on province, but usually it’s whatever local cuisine is available, accompanied with plenty of booze. Rarely has he come across dishes too adventurous for his palate, so it usually works out. He’ll order a little extra meat if he can afford it, and if not meat, then bread.
—
Xenophobia: Is your character racist? How do they feel about the racism plaguing Skyrim?
Yes and no. When he was younger, anything that wasn’t Argonian he distrusted greatly (due to the fact that his first encounter with non-Argonians, he was kidnapped and put into slavery, with all the not-fun that came with it). As he got older he slowly chilled out as he had positive and negative experiences with non-Argonians. Nowadays the most he gets is a mild wariness around Altmer, the initial unsureness if they’re involved with the Thalmor or not, but it usually passes relatively quickly.
As for the racism in Skyrim: it’s stupid.
[Here have a pic of this idiot as a tiny wee babby.]
Prompt: J’hasi’s first introduction to (and impression of) House Redoran.
“<First thing, pilgrim. You’re new. And you look it. Here’s two hundred drakes. Go get yourself a decent weapon. Or armor. Or a spell. And second…>”
The Khajiit stared at the purse, opening it and finding that there were a lot of coins in there. A lot. Nearly as many as that old Imperial back at the Census Office gave him, and without him having to kill someone for it first. Two hundred drakes…just like that… He wasn’t entirely paying attention until he realized Caius was looking at him, a brow raised.
“<Are you listening?>” J’hasi’s ears flicked back, pulling the purse closed and holding it closer to his chest.
“<Y-yes.>” The Imperial sighed.
“<Look…you’re here working for me, alright? Under orders from the Emperor himself. It’s an incredible honor to be made one of the Blades, and not a choice made lightly, understand?>” J’hasi’s ears flicked back, his lower lip pouting out a little in a frown.
“<Why did he pick me then?>”
“<That’s not a decision I’m in a place to question, he did so for his own reasons. Now…what did I just ask you?>” The Khajiit swallowed, silent for a few moments until Caius sighed, pressing his fingers into his forehead.
“<That’s what I thought… You’ll need a cover identity, alright? You can do freelance adventuring, that’s common enough around here, or if you’re interested, there’s some guilds and factions that frequently take people on. It would be good practice for you after you’re trained a bit with the Blades trainers.>” J’hasi frowned.
“<I thought I was working for you. Or the Emperor or…whatever…>” Caius gave him a long stare, patience apparently wearing a little thin.
“<Yes, but you need a cover identity. You can’t go around telling people you work for the Blades, that’s not how we operate. And you clearly need some more skills before I send you out on orders. If I were you, I’d focus on listening first.>” J’hasi’s ears flicked back, mouth opening to protest, only for the Imperial to give him a firm look.
“<You couldn’t tell me what I asked you before, so yes, listening first. Then some training. I’m going to have to send you on some missions that could be dangerous, so you need to be able to handle yourself in a fight, alright?>” J’hasi scowled, looking towards the ground.
“<…I’m not killing people…>” Caius’ expression softened a little.
“<I’m not making any promises that you won’t have to, but it’s more of a concern that you come back alive.>” The Khajiit’s tail swished low behind him, ears pressed back for a few moments before he finally looked up.
“<…does freelance work mean I have to kill people?>”
“<Sometimes, yes. Would you rather be in a guild?>” J’hasi nodded. Caius sighed, starting to tick off his fingers.
“<Groups that favor Imperial interests are, of course, the Blades, but also the Imperial Cult, the Imperial Legion, the Fighters’ Guild, the Mages’ Guild, and the Thieves’ Guild…>”
“<No.>” Caius raised a brow, giving him a look that the Khajiit realized was a silent ‘are you finished?’ look before resuming.
“<Groups that favor the native Dunmer interests are House Redoran, House Hlaalu, and House Telvanni, as well as the Temple, the Morag Tong, the Camonna Tong, and the Ashlanders. The Great Houses hold a lot of the power here in Morrowind, and are likely to accept outlanders into their ranks, while the Camonna Tong and the Ashlanders aren’t fond of them. The Te->”
“<The Houses?>” Caius paused, looking at him.
“<What do you want to know about them?>” J’hasi fidgeted.
“<D’they…d’they have slaves?>” The Imperial nodded.
“<Yes. A lot of people here have slaves. It’s protected by the Armistice.>” The Khajiit’s face twisted a little, ears flicking back, fumbling with the leather of the coinpurse in his hands.
“<…if I joined a House, would people be able to make me a slave?>” Caius’ brows hiked up a notch.
“<…they would be less likely to, knowing that you’re in a position of power, no matter what your rank.>” J’hasi’s eyes focused on the Imperial’s.
“<I want to join them.>” Caius nodded.
“<Well, you can only join one. They don’t allow conflicts of interest within their ranks.>”
“<I know.>” Caius noticed the Khajiit’s fingers rubbing over his wrist anxiously.
“<…each of the Great Houses goes about things their own way. House Redoran is a very serious and honorable bunch. House Hlaalu are supporters of the Empire and very open-minded in religious and cultural matters, greedy and ambitious in the best Imperial tradition. House Telvanni… Well, their nobles are thousand-year-old wizards, and they’re supposed to hate politics, foreigners, and just about everything else, but the Vvardenfell Telvanni are apparently more ambitious and adventurous than most. I don’t know much about them, but they do hire Western mercenaries, and some even rise to higher ranks.>” The Khajiit’s eyes lit up at the ‘wizards’ bit, but then his expression shifted closer to nervous the longer they went on. He looked contemplative for a few moments, then…
“<…that’s all you know about them?>”
“<Yes. I wish I could tell you more.>” The Khajiit sighed through his nose.
“<…where can I join House Redoran?>” Caius’ brows rose.
“<Ald’ruhn. Their councilors are located primarily there. It’s a long way, so I would take the silt strider there if I were you.>” J’hasi nodded, taking a deep breath.
“<Okay… Um…I-I guess I’ll see you later, then.>” The Imperial nodded with a slight smile, giving a wave as the Khajiit headed for the door, picking up his spear (gods he hoped that poor kid would pick up something better) and heading outside.
J’hasi leaned against Caius’ door, resting his head back to stare at the sky for a few moments. It was a lot to take in, and he wasn’t sure he was ready for all of this, but…if it meant he didn’t have to worry about becoming a slave ever again…he’d do it. But first… The Khajiit looked down at the coinpurse, digging around in his clothes to pull out the remains of the other one he had, dumping the gold from the smaller pouch into the bigger.
He was going to get some food first.
Prompt: First time riding a silt strider.
J’hasi’s tail slowly curled at the tip behind him before trotting up the stairs, eyes wide as he looked over the silt strider churring behind a caravaner. The mer smiled, inclining their head at him a little.
“<Good day, stranger. Was there a destination you had in mind? I can take you to Ald’ruhn, Suran, Vivec, or Seyda Neen if you want to ride.>” The Khajiit’s ears pricked, marveling quietly at the sheer size of the strider. This one seemed even bigger than the one in Seyda Neen… He swallowed.
“<How much for a ride to Ald’ruhn?>” he asked, finally tearing his gaze from the silt strider back to the Dunmer who seemed faintly amused.
“<Nineteen drakes.>” J’hasi nodded, shifting a little in place before digging around in his pack, finding the slightly-depleted purse and counting out the needed amount, handing them to the Dunmer with a nervous smile. The mer smiled, stepping over onto the back of the beast.
“<Watch your step, outlander.>” The Khajiit followed, nervously fidgeting on the platform before stepping over, fur rising up on end when the massive insect shifted slightly to accommodate his weight. The Dunmer chuckled.
“<First time on a silt strider, Khajiit?>” J’hasi frowned a little, then nodded, hand briefly going to the edge of the shell to steady himself.
“<Y-yeah.>” The caravaner smiled.
“<Just have a seat and enjoy the view. Take a nap if you really want. Name’s Selvil Sareloth.>” J’hasi nodded again, quickly sitting down on one of the cushions near the rear of the hollowed-out shell. When the mer started fiddling with the sticks up front, the strider shifted, then churred as it started to walk. The Khajiit’s tail curled, shifting over to peer over the side to see movement as the enormous insect started their journey.
Over the course of the first hour of the trip, the Dunmer’s patience was tested as question after question came from the Khajiit, about how the strider knew when to move, when to stop, which way they were going. By the start of the second hour, he’d settled down, tail swishing as he moved from one side to the other, enjoying the heights and sights as they traveled.
By the third hour, Selvil finally had some peace and quiet. J’hasi was fast asleep, curled up in the cushions in the back, lulled to sleep by the gentle rock of the carapace and the calming churrs emanating from the strider.
Burn the Thalmor, ain’t I right? I say we burn the n’wahs and remove em’ from the mortal world they’re so cryin’ about on the daily.
For the next hour my muse cannot lie and is insanely blunt to any questions they get on anon
“If you’ve got an army or two to spare, I won’t stop you.”
Magnus rises in the Atronach
astarill:
Well? What was he waiting for? Astarill sighed, silently. He knew better than to make a show of it. The Khajiit may not be his student, but he was a student. Nervous little twit though he may be, he was to be treated with due respect. He posed a good enough teacher to know pressing the apprentice would not have a beneficial effect in this instance.
So he refrained from commenting and simply waited, until the Khajiit began his summoning. A breath, a moment’s concentration, and Astarill’s eyes lit up with the soft glow of a Mage Eye spell. Streams of magicka pervaded the colourless landscape of his vision, translating, visualizing and clarifying the apprentice’s botched attempt. Except it wasn’t botched, was it?
He blinked and in doing so dismissed his own spell. “Were you born in Sun’s Dusk, by any chance?”
J’hasi’s ears cocked as he looked up at the mer, confusion on his face as he paused in rubbing his fingers, trying to get rid of the weird feeling in them under the leather.
“Y…yeah. The eighth…” A pause, dropping eye contact for a moment as the Khajiit thought the question over, only to increase his confusion when he looked back up.
“But what does that have to do with…?” he asked, unsure what to call his problem aside from ‘fucking up’. He settled for gesturing vaguely, teeth grit a little in a wince for lack of a better phrasing, ears flicking back as that sick feeling rose up in his throat again.
↕ — a memory that may or may not have happened
It’s not long.
One moment he’s helping repair a net so he and Jeer can catch the dinner in their trap that’s too small to be speared, and the next he’s looking up at a face that he’s sure he’s never seen in his life, yet it seems so familiar. A Dunmer, her face lit up with a smile, laughing. He smiles, leaning in to rest his forehead against hers, hearing his name, Peakstar, between giggles and a friendly scolding for being so late. His response, a murmured apology with a smile, excitement fluttering behind his ribs before they kiss, and he’s left with his ears burning and Jeer nudging him, confusion on their face.
The Khajiit brushes it off as best he can, fingers fumbling over the knots as he tries to forget about it. Those are her memories, not his. While he understands the concept, having the memories kept within the Hist sounded like a better idea, rather than kept with the soul.
When Jeer presses, he doesn’t mention it. It’s a private moment, meant for the them in that time and Peakstar’s lover, not for anyone else.
vvardenfellcat 