Recruiting Kaidan/The Vampire Reveal

Recruiting Kaidan/The Vampire Reveal

     Ravenna never planned to take Kaidan up on the offer to repay his perceived life-debt to her. She feels a bit differently now.      It’s not as if her thoughts on the subject have changed, necessarily. When they parted ways before, she had insisted that she had only done what anyone would do if they found another person in such a state. It was - she hesitates to say human nature, because she is not human, but common decency, she supposes. It was the right thing to do, she had thought then, and it’s what she thinks now. Kaidan owes her nothing. But things have gotten complicated. The Vigil knows.      Kaidan hears the door to the inn open, sloshing steps walk towards him. “Kaidan,” he hears, “Can we talk?”  Kaidan turns, and, soaking wet, with an arrow sticking out of her shoulder, and bloody in several places besides, stands Ravenna. Her clothes are soaked dark red and brown, and, despite himself, Kaidan swears at the sight of her. “Fucking hell, you want to talk?” “Yes,” she says, gazing at him with misplaced guilt, “Somewhere else though.” Ravenna watches Kaidan’s whole face scrunch, as he rises from the tavern bench. As they walk to the cemetery, Ravenna takes a pause to pull out and discard the arrow in her shoulder, and it leaves a large, gaping wound behind, but she doesn’t seem bothered by it. Rain is the only ambient noise to penetrate the weighty silence between them, but it is not uncomfortable despite the tension.      Ravenna isn’t sure what she’s going to tell him, but if she’s to die, she’d like to at least have a say in how.      Kaidan isn’t sure what circumstances may have brought her back to him, but he can see they must be serious. It makes him apprehensive, as the realization dawns on him that he has no way of knowing what he may be getting into.  “So, are you still being hunted by Thalmor?” Ravenna asks as she picks a wall, surrounding, but not part of, the cemetery, and hops onto it to sit. Kaidan leans back against it and crosses his arms. “Of course I am. If those bastards want something and think they can get it from me, I’ve no doubt they’ll try to find and capture me again. But you’re not just making smalltalk, are you?” Ravenna shakes her head. “No,” she replies solemnly, “I am not.” Kaidan sighs heavily. “Out with it then.” “I am being followed by an organized group as well.” “And I had put together as much. Who are they? What help do you need from me?” Ravenna looks anxious, and Kaidan thinks the expression suits her poorly. “I just need you to help me get away from them. Hopefully there won’t have to be any confrontation,” she picks at her gloves while she answers. “You still haven’t told me who these people are,” Kaidan points out. "You won't like what I tell you," is her reluctant and guilt-ridden reply. Kaidan furrows his brow, unsure of her, but nods for her to continue. "The Vigil of Stendarr are the ones hunting me," she finally answers, avoiding his eyes. "So you’re saying you worship Daedra?" he asks, and she flinches, face pained. "No," she begins, "I'm saying I am a vampire." "Shor's Bones, are you serious?" "Look, I understand if you can't help me because of that," she says defensively, shuffling away from him where she sits, nervous, "But I had no one else to go to. I have no one else."     Just like him, Kaidan thinks unbidden, remembering being trapped, cold and injured and alone in that prison, until Ravenna Rosewood walked in and got him out, no ulterior motive and asking nothing in return until now, when she, too must struggle against a group who wants her dead at best and has no one to turn to. No, absolutely not. He is not considering this. "Do you really think I'm about to save the life of something that feeds on the blood of the innocent?” "I don't feed on innocents. I want regular people to live their regular lives undisturbed. Improved, even, if I can help it. I only feed on bandits and criminals, other sorts who so often prey on the innocent. Not so different from bounty hunting you do, even." She does make eye contact as she explains that, and her face and voice are steady. She expresses no ticks that might indicate she's lying. Fuck. Dammit. "And if I save you now, how do I know after we part ways that I'm not releasing a monster into skyrim where I could have prevented it instead?" "You don't," she says, "just like when I freed you from the Thalmor I had no way of knowing if I was letting some criminal thug loose back into the world. Kaidan, awful people come in all shapes and sizes. Being good is not exclusive to being human, and likewise, being evil is not exclusive to being undead."      ... Fuck, is he really gonna do this? He thinks of all the people who he's been before. He has not been a good person. Does he really have the right to pass that judgement on her just for what she is, when he himself has probably been someone just as awful, or even worse? He scrubs a hand over his eyes. "Alright. Fine, I'll help," he relents. Ravenna's whole face lights up with hope and disbelief. "You will?" she asks, floored. "Yes, I will. Don't make me regret it." "Oh, gods, no. I'll be out of your hair as soon as this is over, you'll never hear of me again. I promise," she says hurriedly, and Kaidan thinks she'd do anything he asked of her right now, but frankly, he hopes she gets over it fast. Desperation suits her poorly as well. "Let's get moving. After I collect my things from the inn, we'll move out towards the Rift. I'm no fan of the Thieves' Guild, but they can probably hide you until the Vigilants are off your trail," he tells her instead.

this guy nailed it

So I just finished Inigo's quests and I brought all my followers along. Now I can't stop thinking about it-

Langley: I am your friend, Inigo

Inigo, referring to the ldb: I already have the only friend I need.

Lucien, offended:

Langley: Oh. I didn't realize you were... an item

Kaidan, harboring secret feelings for the ldb:

Langley: I continued to track you for years...

Lucien:

Langley: All this moron can do is collect eggs!

Kaidan being protective even though he knows full well the ldb could shout Langley off the mountain:

The ldb ranting, balancing halfway up a tree: I don't fucking trust this dude, guys. He's being a real pain in the ass, and what in Talos' name does he need this many eggs for-

Serana, who's only here because the ldb was supposed to take her to find Auriel's Bow:

Meeting Inigo

"Isn't that my ring?" Madesi asks. Ravenna looks at her hand, confused. She's not wearing any- Oh. "Is it? I don't know whose this is," she replies, taking it off and holding it out, "If it is yours, I'm more than happy to return it?" Madesi scowls at her, eyes narrowed. "How kind of you, to return something to me which you've already stolen. Guards! Over here!" At Madesi's call, two guards shuffle over. Lucien cowers, while Ravenna, infuriated and dumbstruck, confronts Madesi. "I didn't take it from you! I said you could have it back if it was yours, why do we need to get the guards involved?" she demands. "Because I don't believe you didn't steal it. You’re only offering to return it because you were caught." In the background, Kaidan gets between Ravenna and the guards. "Woah, hey now. Let's not make this bigger than it is," he attempts to placate them, but they don't seem to care. In fact, they care so little, that they decide to arrest Kaidan along with Ravenna. Only Lucien is let be, but he trails behind the guards as they cart away his companions like a lost puppy regardless. Ravenna and Kaidan are shut up in the same cell, across the prison from a strange Khajiit with blue fur, who talks to himself in his cell. Ravenna looks to Kaidan as the guard locks their door. "I didn't steal that ring from him." "Know you didn't. Think it was that hooded bastard who bumped into you while we were at Brand-Shei's stall, must've planted the ring on you. Sorry I didn't notice when it happened." "Not your responsibility to look after me. Hopefully this will sort itself out quickly." As they are talking, deliberating what to do and trying to guess what may next happen, the Khajiit from across the room speaks to them. More specifically, he calls to Ravenna, waving his arm at her through the bars of his cell. "You there," he calls, "the woman! Do you recognize me?" Ravenna and Kaidan exchange confused gazes. "No," she calls back to him, "Should I?" The cat looks crestfallen. "You don't?" "No," she repeats. "You've not come to Riften to finish me off?" he asks. If Ravenna had liquid in her mouth, she'd have been spitting it out right then. "Why would I be here to 'finish you off'?" she asks. "You don't remember? The job? Anything?" "No, I don't know what you're talking about." "That," he begins, "That is my fault also." "What do you mean?" "Let me introduce myself. I am your so-called friend Inigo. I was the one who killed you, I tried anyway. I am guilty! Kill me!" "You didn't do a very good job, did you? Also, I'm locked up too. I couldn't kill you if I wanted to. Why are you in here?" "After I shot you I realized my mistake and turned myself in. Your body was gone, the guards did not believe me! I had to pay them to put me in this cell. It's where I belong. I needed to repent, I need to repent." "If you thought I was dead than why were you here waiting for me?" "I heard tales of an adventurer, both brave and resourceful, matching your description! I knew it was you,  it had to be! I knew you were going to be coming for me, so I waited. Are you going to kill me? Or not?" "Kill you for what? I don't remember what happened." The cat - Inigo - sighs heavily. "I see I must relive it again, your memory is not what it was." Ravenna's memory is perfectly intact, actually, but she does not bring this up. "We met on a job." "What kind of job?" "The killing kind. We were hired by a lord called Dupan to kill his brothers," Inigo starts the tale and already Ravenna knows this wasn't her. This is an assassination job; a variety of work she usually never takes. "With them gone, Dupan would inherit a great fortune, and promised us much gold in return. Do you remember none of this?" "No. Inigo, I'm fairly sure I'm not who you think I am." "You are," he insists, "Before we left, Dupan said that if only one of us returned from the mission, that one would get the other's reward also. I was hooked on skooma at the time, and I had a bit of a debt problem, so..." "You killed me for my half of the reward," Ravenna fills in the blank. "I tried," he agrees, "That is what matters. It wasn't an easy choice. We had only known each other for a short time, but I grew to like and respect you. We got on well, and fought bravely side-by-side. I threw all that away for gold, and skooma." "Did you end up getting the reward?" She asks. "Hah. No, Dupan was murdered by his sister before I returned. Our deal died with him. Money is an evil like no other, my friend. It is only just that I die at your hand." "Are you still hooked on skooma?" "No. I am done with the stuff. I want to die with my senses intact. Kill me now, I am ready." "No," she replies, "Even if I were able to from here, I would not. Don't ask me again. I am not the person you remember-" "What's all the ruckus down here, lass?" another voice cuts in, and Kaidan sits upright in the chair he'd been occupying while all this went down, suddenly at attention. Brynjolf walks down the stairs, one of the guards trailing not far behind. “I cleared things up with the guards for you, lass. Bad business for the guild to make trouble with someone we’re hoping to recruit. You and your beau are free to go,” the thief tells them as the guard unlocks their cell and lets them out. Kaidan looks to Ravenna with raised eyebrows as they leave. “Trying to recruit you? That why you’ve been avoiding the guild all this time?” He asks. Ravenna nods. “‘Afraid so. They’ve known about me for years, unfortunately.” “That we have,” Brynjolf agrees, “We know she plays nice, but the guild wants her for reasons other than stealing - not that she wouldn’t make a fine thief if she were willing.” "And I believe I've made it fairly clear that I am not-" "Not yet," Brynjolf insists. "Not ever," Ravenna pushes back. "Keep tellin' yourself that, lass. I'll be seein' you," he offers his parting words - and a wink - to Ravenna before turning and heading on his way. Ravenna's attention returns to their new, blue friend. "You said you had to pay them to put you in here? Do you know where they've put the key?" she asks. Inigo nods uncertainly. "In a chest above the fireplace. Why?" "I may not be the person you think I am, but that doesn't mean they're not out there somewhere. Why don't you come travel with me, and we can look for them, instead of staying here to rot in this cell?" she offers. Inigo perks up. "I fight with you?" He asks, hopefully. Ravenna nods. "For now, until you're ready to move on," she says. "Ravenna, are you sure about this," Kaidan cuts in, looking concerned, "I'm not making extra effort to look after him." "I don't expect you to," Ravenna placates, "You just focus on me. Don't worry about him, and don't worry about Lucien - leave them to me. Besides, I'm confident this fellow can at least handle himself." "Fair enough," Kaidan agrees, "If you're sure." "I am," she says, and returns to Inigo, "Are you though?" "I am more than sure, my friend! I accept! I feel lighter in my heart now you have given me this opportunity!" Inigo cheers. "Very good," Ravenna answers sweetly, "Just mind your aim, would you?" "Do not joke about such things my friend," he says glumly, "The sadness I feel for what I have done is brutal enough, for now." "What's going on!? They said you two could leave already!" Lucien's voice echoes in from the hallway, "We need to go! The Vigil are here again!" "Oh, for the love of Talos," Kaidan laments as Lucien runs down the stairs, tripping over himself to get down to reach them. "The Vigil?" Inigo asks, "Who are the Vigil?" "We can explain that later, but for now, we have to leave. Get your things," Ravenna orders, and as Inigo gathers his belongings within his cell, Ravenna and Kaidan recollect their weapons and tools from the warden, Lucien panicking around them all the while. "Where to next?" Ravenna asks the group as they rush out the nearest Riften gates. "Whiterun!" Lucien suggests, "Hadvar surely warned Riverwood about the dragon, but we should still go and make sure the Jarl knows!" "Dragon?! Do you mean to say that you have seen a dragon, my friend?" Inigo asks. "Whiterun works," says Kaidan, "Lucien's right, someone has to make sure the Jarl knows about that fucking wyrm. We'd have to move on again quick, though."

To shoehorn in some D&D content guys, I cannot WAIT to tell you about one of the homebrew classes for The Apocalyptic World Tour, my 80′s post-nuclear apocalypse D&D setting, called Smooth Criminal Rogue. Still gotta work this out more tho

pass the crab to your followers

Fuckin around with the bastard man