1,058
edits
Lore:The Once-Shipstealer: Difference between revisions
no edit summary
(→XIV. The Scarred: Taniks might be in Salvation!!) |
No edit summary |
||
| (25 intermediate revisions by 7 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Verbatim}} | |||
[[File:LoreOS.png|300px|thumb]] | |||
'''The Once-Shipstealer''' is a [[Lore]] book introduced in [[Beyond Light]]. Entries are acquired by progressing through the Beyond Light campaign and completing [[Deep Stone Crypt (raid)|Deep Stone Crypt]] [[Triumphs]]. It describes the origins of the [[House of Salvation]] from the perspective of Fallen VIP members. | |||
__TOC__ | |||
{{clear}} | |||
==I. The Prisoner== | ==I. The Prisoner== | ||
In the depths of the Prison of Elders, Eramis is the Kell of No House. | In the depths of the [[Prison of Elders]], [[Eramis, Kell of Darkness|Eramis]] is the [[Kell]] of No House. | ||
Outside, she is the firebrand of House Devils, the archfiend of Twilight Gap, the Shipstealer. | Outside, she is the firebrand of [[House of Devils|House Devils]], the archfiend of [[Twilight Gap]], the Shipstealer. | ||
But here, she has no house. Here, she reigns all on her own. | But here, she has no house. Here, she reigns all on her own. | ||
In the arena, where Eliksni runts and leaderless Cabal challenge her, she rules with a broken Arc spear for a scepter. It's the strongest weapon they'll give her, and she bends it to her will. | In the arena, where [[Eliksni]] runts and leaderless [[Cabal]] challenge her, she rules with a broken [[Arc Spear|Arc spear]] for a scepter. It's the strongest weapon they'll give her, and she bends it to her will. | ||
No matter how many times the Ether-fat guards try to send her to her death in that arena, she triumphs. She kills their champions; watches the Ether hiss from their masks. Watches the gel leak out of their suits. She begins to cherish the smell of a good fight. Blood. Sweat. Ether. Fear. | No matter how many times the [[Ether]]-fat guards try to send her to her death in that arena, she triumphs. She kills their champions; watches the Ether hiss from their masks. Watches the gel leak out of their suits. She begins to cherish the smell of a good fight. Blood. Sweat. Ether. Fear. | ||
She imagines that one day, a banner will be emblazoned with a broken spear and an inverted crown. | She imagines that one day, a banner will be emblazoned with a broken spear and an inverted crown. | ||
| Line 18: | Line 24: | ||
When there is only one Kell, there is no need for houses. | When there is only one Kell, there is no need for houses. | ||
Today, she fights a Centurion of the broken Red Legion. Money changes hands. His pauldrons are scuffed with the memory of battle, and he's been given a War Hammer. He raises it to cheers and peacocks for the crowd. | Today, she fights a [[Centurion]] of the broken [[Red Legion]]. Money changes hands. His pauldrons are scuffed with the memory of battle, and he's been given a War Hammer. He raises it to cheers and peacocks for the crowd. | ||
Eramis tosses her broken spear between her hands, waiting. Two glowing, pinpoint eyes focus on her as the Centurion turns. | Eramis tosses her broken spear between her hands, waiting. Two glowing, pinpoint eyes focus on her as the Centurion turns. | ||
| Line 35: | Line 41: | ||
==II. The Wolf== | ==II. The Wolf== | ||
The neighboring cell holds a Wolf. | The neighboring cell holds a [[House of Wolves|Wolf]]. | ||
She ignores him at first. He's too greedy for her acknowledgement. Sometimes, he reminds her of the needy Dregs that followed her old Kell like carrion birds, squawking for attention and squabbling over his kills. | She ignores [[Praksis, the Technocrat|him]] at first. He's too greedy for her acknowledgement. Sometimes, he reminds her of the needy [[Dreg|Dregs]] that followed her old Kell like carrion birds, squawking for attention and squabbling over his kills. | ||
What the Eliksni have lost, more than anything else, is dignity. | What the Eliksni have lost, more than anything else, is dignity. | ||
| Line 43: | Line 49: | ||
Eventually, the Wolf learns to intrigue her. He calls himself Praksis, and he has ideas. But he's young. He thinks every idea he conceives of is the first and best of its kind. She suspects he's never had to report directly to a Kell. | Eventually, the Wolf learns to intrigue her. He calls himself Praksis, and he has ideas. But he's young. He thinks every idea he conceives of is the first and best of its kind. She suspects he's never had to report directly to a Kell. | ||
He likes to talk about machines—building them and bending them to his will. He has a mad idea about recapturing the Great Machine, binding it in Arc wire, and making it give them its power. He's been listening to the stories about Ghaul. | He likes to talk about machines—building them and bending them to his will. He has a mad idea about recapturing the [[Traveler|Great Machine]], binding it in Arc wire, and making it give them its power. He's been listening to the stories about [[Ghaul]]. | ||
She lets him talk, and she asks him questions. Every question is a whetstone. Every conversation is a test, and it will only take one failure to lose her interest. | She lets him talk, and she asks him questions. Every question is a whetstone. Every conversation is a test, and it will only take one failure to lose her interest. | ||
| Line 66: | Line 72: | ||
==III. The Traitor== | ==III. The Traitor== | ||
On the day of the prison break, Eramis is nursing a gut wound. | On the day of the [[Last Call|prison break]], Eramis is nursing a gut wound. | ||
It's not fatal, or at least she doesn't think so. She won the match in the arena, but not before an arrogant Captain drove a Sword into her side. It cut through her Devil robes and left a bloom of blood that reminds her of the water flowers on Riis. Athrys loved water flowers. | It's not fatal, or at least she doesn't think so. She won the match in the arena, but not before an arrogant [[Captain]] drove a Sword into her side. It cut through her Devil robes and left a bloom of blood that reminds her of the water flowers on [[Riis]]. [[Athrys]] loved water flowers. | ||
She's dozing when Variks arrives at her cell. | She's dozing when [[Variks, the Loyal|Variks]] arrives at her cell. | ||
"Eramis." | "Eramis." | ||
| Line 88: | Line 94: | ||
"No," Variks cringes. "Variks wishes—" | "No," Variks cringes. "Variks wishes—" | ||
"I do not care what you wish, Variks the 'loyal'," she says. There are Eliksni who change in the shadow of prison bars. They fall. They shrink. But Eramis has grown. She must show Variks that even with this steel between them, he is smaller. He is still a Dreg pretending to be a vandal. "If there is justice in this world, one day, I will dock your last two arms and leave you for dead." | "I do not care what you wish, Variks the 'loyal'," she says. There are Eliksni who change in the shadow of prison bars. They fall. They shrink. But Eramis has grown. She must show Variks that even with this steel between them, he is smaller. He is still a Dreg pretending to be a [[Vandal|vandal]]. "If there is justice in this world, one day, I will dock your last two arms and leave you for dead." | ||
Something in Variks's eyes hardens. They share a tense silence. Finally, he says, in a voice as cold as Ether, "Do not say that Variks did not try to help." | Something in Variks's eyes hardens. They share a tense silence. Finally, he says, in a voice as cold as Ether, "Do not say that Variks did not try to help." | ||
| Line 97: | Line 103: | ||
==IV. The Visionary== | ==IV. The Visionary== | ||
In the first several months of her freedom, Eramis curses Misraaks the Forsaken. | In the first several months of her freedom, Eramis curses [[Mithrax, Kell of Light|Misraaks the Forsaken]]. | ||
He is a wish-to-be Kell, a captured traitor, a four-armed Dreg cringing before a false queen, playing pretend among the enemies of the Eliksni. | He is a wish-to-be Kell, a captured traitor, a four-armed Dreg cringing before a false queen, playing pretend among the enemies of the Eliksni. | ||
| Line 103: | Line 109: | ||
And worst of all, the most humiliating: he has beaten Eramis. | And worst of all, the most humiliating: he has beaten Eramis. | ||
She has failed to acquire the SIVA weapon, failed to shame the Guardians, failed to reignite the fires of the House of Devils. Her failure haunts her. | She has failed to acquire the [[SIVA]] [[Outbreak Perfected|weapon]], failed to shame the [[Guardians]], failed to reignite the fires of the House of Devils. Her failure haunts her. | ||
Now she sits in the bridge of her stolen Ketch, straight-spined, staring. Staring at some distant point that she has long passed, one she can never return to. | Now she sits in the bridge of her stolen [[Ketch]], straight-spined, staring. Staring at some distant point that she has long passed, one she can never return to. | ||
Atraks, youngest of her council, watches her from across the room. She closes the gap between them. | [[Atraks-1, Fallen Exo|Atraks]], youngest of her council, watches her from across the room. She closes the gap between them. | ||
"My Kell," she says. She has a voice like a child. | "My Kell," she says. She has a voice like a child. | ||
| Line 138: | Line 144: | ||
As she dissolves the old bonds of House of Devils, Eramis is haunted by shadowed dreams. In one, she relives Twilight Gap. | As she dissolves the old bonds of House of Devils, Eramis is haunted by shadowed dreams. In one, she relives Twilight Gap. | ||
She lunges, driving a sword into the belly of a Guardian-soldier, grunting as they yell and crumple forward. Another Guardian rushes at her head-on before she has time to yank the Sword free. But she hears the sound of a Shock Rifle firing behind her… and leans abruptly to the right as the shot flies by and hits the Guardian before her with full force. | She lunges, driving a sword into the belly of a Guardian-soldier, grunting as they yell and crumple forward. Another Guardian rushes at her head-on before she has time to yank the Sword free. But she hears the sound of a [[Shock Rifle]] firing behind her… and leans abruptly to the right as the shot flies by and hits the Guardian before her with full force. | ||
She looks back to see Kridis, shimmering with the purple glow of the Void as her Servitor shields her. Kridis tips her head in acknowledgement of Eramis and turns to fire the rifle into another cluster of Guardians. | She looks back to see [[Kridis, Dark Priestess|Kridis]], shimmering with the purple glow of the [[Void]] as her [[Servitor]] shields her. Kridis tips her head in acknowledgement of Eramis and turns to fire the rifle into another cluster of Guardians. | ||
Eramis rips her Sword free and forges ahead. They are closing in on the city now. Guardians are falling all around her. | Eramis rips her [[Shock Blade|Sword]] free and forges ahead. They are closing in on the city now. Guardians are falling all around her. | ||
They are so close. | They are so close. | ||
Fast, heavy footfalls come up behind | Fast, heavy footfalls come up behind her—[[Phylaks, the Warrior|Phylaks]], ferocious and bloodthirsty, shouts to Eramis as she attacks a towering, broad-shouldered Guardian. Eramis ducks and slides out of the way. As Phylaks makes contact with the Guardian's head, Eramis slashes the beast across his side with her Sword. He loses his balance, and she kicks his hip, tipping him toward Phylaks. | ||
In these days, Phylaks almost always fights with her bare hands. She breaks his neck. | In these days, Phylaks almost always fights with her bare hands. She breaks his neck. | ||
| Line 154: | Line 160: | ||
They are so close… | They are so close… | ||
A ferocious laugh erupts to her right, and then the thundering blast of a Scorch Cannon. Taniks, a blur of whirring machinery, creates explosions of earth and flesh and blood all around them. He keeps laughing. | A ferocious laugh erupts to her right, and then the thundering blast of a [[Scorch Cannon]]. [[Taniks, the Scarred|Taniks]], a blur of whirring machinery, creates explosions of earth and flesh and blood all around them. He keeps laughing. | ||
So close. | So close. | ||
| Line 165: | Line 171: | ||
==VI. The Herald== | ==VI. The Herald== | ||
The dreams persist. They are old memories, but twisted: battling a Guardian in the Prison of Elders and falling before their Light; Athrys banging on the walls of her sleeping pod, calling for the Great Machine. | The dreams persist. They are old memories, but twisted: battling a Guardian in the Prison of Elders and falling before their [[Light]]; Athrys banging on the walls of her sleeping pod, calling for the Great Machine. | ||
She can't sleep. Something in the dreams tells her to travel to Earth's Moon, and she follows the sign. | She can't sleep. Something in the dreams tells her to travel to [[Earth]]'s [[Moon]], and she follows the sign. | ||
On the Moon, she fights through corpse-stinking Hive like swarms of flies. Their fetid stench is unbearable, worse than the carcass piles at the prison, worse than the battlefield of Twilight Gap. They eat and breathe death, and she resents their breath upon her, so she cuts through them like so much tall grass. | On the Moon, she fights through corpse-stinking [[Hive]] like swarms of flies. Their fetid stench is unbearable, worse than the carcass piles at the prison, worse than the battlefield of Twilight Gap. They eat and breathe death, and she resents their breath upon her, so she cuts through them like so much tall grass. | ||
A Knight stalks her deep into the catacombs, staying on the edge of her hearing, matching her footsteps. She lets it make the first strike, and when it does, she cracks its exoskeleton armor with her Sword. The thrill of the fight—hearing the Knight howl as it meets death—is almost comforting. A reprieve from her unsettling dreams. | A [[Knight]] stalks her deep into the catacombs, staying on the edge of her hearing, matching her footsteps. She lets it make the first strike, and when it does, she cracks its exoskeleton armor with her Sword. The thrill of the fight—hearing the Knight howl as it meets death—is almost comforting. A reprieve from her unsettling dreams. | ||
She's painted with Hive blood as she continues her advance, and when she finally comes upon the ship | She's painted with Hive blood as she continues her advance, and when she finally comes upon the [[The Lunar Pyramid|ship]]. a familiar sight causes her to freeze in her tracks. | ||
She remembers this fleet. | She remembers this fleet. | ||
She remembers seeing them in the sky like black arrows. She remembers the space where the Great Machine was, and then the blank space where it wasn't. | She remembers seeing them in the sky like [[Black Fleet|black arrows]]. She remembers the space where the Great Machine was, and then the [[Darkness|blank]] space where it wasn't. | ||
It was all a lesson in dependence, one that took many years to learn. | It was all a lesson in dependence, one that took many years to learn. | ||
This time, the black arrow speaks to her. She knows it's not Eliksni. It's not one of the clumsy tongues of Earth, nor the lilting speech of the Reef. It is something else: a whisper. But one that is so loud and somehow understood so perfectly. | This time, the black arrow [[The Witness|speaks]] to her. She knows it's not Eliksni. It's not one of the clumsy tongues of Earth, nor the lilting speech of the [[Reef]]. It is something else: a whisper. But one that is so loud and somehow understood so perfectly. | ||
Stop waiting, it says. | Stop waiting, it says. | ||
| Line 189: | Line 195: | ||
You must be your own salvation. | You must be your own salvation. | ||
She feels something in all four of her hands, a tingle, a buzz. It reminds her of the broken Arc spear. She clenches and unclenches her fists, staring at the sleek surface of the ship. There's power here. Power that she can grasp. | She feels something in all four of her hands, a tingle, a buzz. It reminds her of the broken Arc spear. She clenches and unclenches her fists, staring at the sleek surface of the ship. There's power here. [[Stasis|Power]] that she can grasp. | ||
But not yet. | But not yet. | ||
| Line 200: | Line 206: | ||
==VII. The Scribe== | ==VII. The Scribe== | ||
Eramis and Variks stand in the shadow of a half-constructed city. Her people have salvaged bits and pieces from the Eliksni hideouts across the system and lashed them to the ruins of a Golden Age facility, building something new from something old. It's Eliksni flesh on the bones of humanity's failure, nestled in the icy tundra of Europa. | Eramis and Variks stand in the shadow of a half-constructed [[Riis-Reborn|city]]. Her people have salvaged bits and pieces from the Eliksni hideouts across the system and lashed them to the [[Eventide Ruins|ruins]] of a [[Golden Age]] facility, building something new from something old. It's Eliksni flesh on the bones of humanity's failure, nestled in the icy tundra of [[Europa]]. | ||
She watches Variks's face as he looks up. There is something familiar there. An awe that she remembers from a long time ago. | She watches Variks's face as he looks up. There is something familiar there. An awe that she remembers from a long time ago. | ||
| Line 233: | Line 239: | ||
There's a bloody grin in Phylaks's voice as she clasps Eramis's hand and pulls her close to her chest. Kridis stands behind Phylaks, tall and ethereal. They're exactly as Eramis remembers them. Phylaks chuckles. "I always said no prison will hold her." | There's a bloody grin in Phylaks's voice as she clasps Eramis's hand and pulls her close to her chest. Kridis stands behind Phylaks, tall and ethereal. They're exactly as Eramis remembers them. Phylaks chuckles. "I always said no prison will hold her." | ||
Eramis laughs, easy and familiar. It's as if nothing has changed. She's transported back to her House Devils days. The days of assignments in the darkest, grimmest parts of her old stomping grounds: the Cosmodrome, with no one but these two for company. They laid waste to members of encroaching houses, razed human settlements to the ground, dreamed about the day they could challenge and strike down their own Kell to take up the mantle for themselves. | Eramis laughs, easy and familiar. It's as if nothing has changed. She's transported back to her House Devils days. The days of assignments in the darkest, grimmest parts of her old stomping grounds: the [[Cosmodrome]], with no one but these two for company. They laid waste to members of encroaching houses, razed human settlements to the ground, dreamed about the day they could challenge and strike down their own Kell to take up the mantle for themselves. | ||
But Kridis looks behind Eramis, not at her. And soon, Phylaks does the same. Her eyes narrow. She lurches forward, past Eramis, to grab Variks up by his neck. | But Kridis looks behind Eramis, not at her. And soon, Phylaks does the same. Her eyes narrow. She lurches forward, past Eramis, to grab Variks up by his neck. | ||
| Line 249: | Line 255: | ||
Phylaks looks at Eramis, and then drops Variks. She says nothing, but Eramis can feel her disapproval. Kridis's too. Doubt creeps into their minds… | Phylaks looks at Eramis, and then drops Variks. She says nothing, but Eramis can feel her disapproval. Kridis's too. Doubt creeps into their minds… | ||
"His crimes are undeniable," Eramis says, dismissive. She doesn't look at Variks but hears his tortured breathing as he scrambles back, away from Phylaks. "But he's all that remains of House Judgment." | "His crimes are undeniable," Eramis says, dismissive. She doesn't look at Variks but hears his tortured breathing as he scrambles back, away from Phylaks. "But he's all that remains of [[House of Judgement|House Judgment]]." | ||
"You've no special love for scribes," Kridis says skeptically. | "You've no special love for scribes," Kridis says skeptically. | ||
| Line 260: | Line 266: | ||
==IX. The Kell of Darkness== | ==IX. The Kell of Darkness== | ||
When the [[The Europan Pyramid|obsidian ship]] descends on Europa, Eramis is prepared. Her council by her side—Variks, Phylaks, Kridis, Praksis, and Atraks—she greets its arrival with bated breath. | |||
When the obsidian ship descends on Europa, Eramis is prepared. Her council by her side—Variks, Phylaks, Kridis, Praksis, and Atraks—she greets its arrival with bated breath. | |||
The foreign whispers return. This time, they say… | The foreign whispers return. This time, they say… | ||
| Line 271: | Line 276: | ||
Eramis boards the ship and chooses strength. | Eramis boards the ship and chooses strength. | ||
It is in this moment, as she holds this cold and ancient power in her hands, that House Salvation is born. | It is in this moment, as she holds this cold and ancient power in her hands, that House Salvation is born. | ||
==X. The Warrior== | ==X. The Warrior== | ||
I am Phylaks, once-warrior of House Devils, once-child of home-Riis. I speak now to Eliksni still-scattered. Listen close. There is no repeating. | I am Phylaks, once-warrior of House Devils, once-child of home-Riis. I speak now to Eliksni still-scattered. Listen close. There is no repeating. | ||
| Line 280: | Line 285: | ||
I fought many battles and found no warrior above the knife-will of Eramiskel. Together, we sieged the walls of the Earth-city with weapons in every claw! Side by side, we spilled life-force across the system. No Ketch was out of her reach! No death could seize her! Even enchained by the wretched Reef-born, she grew only stronger in mind and body. | I fought many battles and found no warrior above the knife-will of Eramiskel. Together, we sieged the walls of the Earth-city with weapons in every claw! Side by side, we spilled life-force across the system. No Ketch was out of her reach! No death could seize her! Even enchained by the wretched Reef-born, she grew only stronger in mind and body. | ||
Chelchis, Skolas, | [[Chelchis, Kell of Stone|Chelchis]], [[Skolas, Kell of Kells|Skolas]], [[Aksis, Archon Prime|Aksis]]—resurrect them all and watch her reduce them to Dregs. Her new-claimed power is beyond any they wielded. Beyond any our people ever knew. | ||
And she will grant it to all who unite under her banner! Even now, as lieutenant, I share in that with her. Side by side, our bodies thrum with the same ice-cold energy. | And she will grant it to all who unite under her banner! Even now, as lieutenant, I share in that with her. Side by side, our bodies thrum with the same ice-cold energy. | ||
| Line 295: | Line 300: | ||
Thus, it falls on me to make an argument I did not think I would have to make… No. That is false. I did anticipate some degree of cowardice, obstinacy, stupidity—whatever you might call it—but only in the beginning, when we lacked evidence for our endeavor. | Thus, it falls on me to make an argument I did not think I would have to make… No. That is false. I did anticipate some degree of cowardice, obstinacy, stupidity—whatever you might call it—but only in the beginning, when we lacked evidence for our endeavor. | ||
At this late stage, however, when Eramiskel succeeds where all others failed… Alas, I might find it hard to believe if I could not see the empty spaces in our half-filled capitol. Or heard the whispers of doubt sown by the weakling of House Light. | At this late stage, however, when Eramiskel succeeds where all others failed… Alas, I might find it hard to believe if I could not see the empty spaces in our half-filled capitol. Or heard the whispers of doubt sown by the weakling of [[House of Light|House Light]]. | ||
Yes, even from this moon of some distance, I can tap into your transmission, Misraaks. Others may call you Forsaken, but I dub you Foolish, clinging still to that moon-sized obsolescence. Do you forget the lesson we teach our children? A Ketch laden with the unnecessary will never fly. | Yes, even from this moon of some distance, I can tap into your transmission, Misraaks. Others may call you Forsaken, but I dub you Foolish, clinging still to that moon-sized obsolescence. Do you forget the lesson we teach our children? A Ketch laden with the unnecessary will never fly. | ||
| Line 308: | Line 313: | ||
==XII. The Priestess== | ==XII. The Priestess== | ||
Eliksni! Kridis, the Priestess, cries out to you across the abyss! As we speak, the once-Shipstealer brings the promise of our people to pass. Soon we will rise to true prominence, united under one banner and one Kell—with no gods but ourselves. | |||
For who withstood the [[Whirlwind]]? Who pieced together Ketches and armories out of ruins and scraps? Who roamed the vast expanses for generations, subsisting on drips of Ether and facing endless battle? Who survived?! | |||
We did! Not the so-called Great Machine nor the idols we crafted in its image. The Eliksni survived! | |||
So why do we pine still for a light that shines not on us? Why do we kneel to the Servitors that we created? | |||
Because we are afraid. Because—for all that we've suffered, for how long we've traveled—we clung tight to the belief that we were meant for a higher existence, meant to evolve beyond our current forms. If only the Whirlwind hadn't cut off our people from godliness too soon. | |||
This, I believed as well. I mourned the death of our collective potential in our rituals and rites. Felt the acid-burn of despair in my body as I received succor from our [[Prime Servitor]]. Dreamt of the day I turned my weeping eyes up to the sky and found it empty of salvation. | |||
I was blind. | |||
But Eramis removed the Light from my eyes, and now I see. | |||
So I entreat you, children of Riis. Come receive clarity for yourselves! Witness the greatness of the House Salvation and the Kell who leads it. Rejoice, for she who brought our Servitors low where they belong will do the same to the Great Machine! | |||
The light holds nothing for us now. Long we have traveled in darkness. Now is our time to embrace it! | |||
==XIII. The Wildcard== | ==XIII. The Wildcard== | ||
I am Atraks, the Wildcard, and I have been charged by my Kell to speak to the youth of the Eliksni. Those who, like me, have never known a life that wasn't wandering. Who have no memories of Riis, only tales of glorious cities under glowing green skies passed down from our elders. The very same ones who moan that we have never felt true peace, which can only be found under the shade of the Great Machine. | |||
Well, I, for one, am glad for it! I could not be more grateful the Whirlwind came to slice the ties before I was entangled too! They told us it was destruction that visited that day, but what if it was salvation? They called us unlucky to have been born in the dark of deep space, but we were born free! They say we lack the Light to truly see, but when we first opened our eyes, there was nothing to block our view of the vastness of the universe. | |||
So why do we let the nostalgia-blind point the way? Why do we carry their dead dreams? They have turned their backs on the future! I say, let them! All the easier to strike them down and finish the cleansing started long ago. | |||
Then, you can join us on Riis-reborn. | |||
==XIV. The Scarred== | ==XIV. The Scarred== | ||
Ha! So, the Kell of Winter seeks the aid of Taniks, the Scarred. How formal! Wasn't long ago you called me self-serving scum and spat at my banner-less armor. I might've ripped each and every one of your arms from you then. And torn off your legs for good measure. | Ha! So, the [[Draksis, Winter Kell|Kell of Winter]] seeks the aid of Taniks, the Scarred. How formal! Wasn't long ago you called me self-serving scum and spat at my banner-less armor. I might've ripped each and every one of your arms from you then. And torn off your legs for good measure. | ||
But I sensed one day, you'd come begging for my services. Lucky I am such a vulgar mercenary after all, eh? It works in your favor now, that I hold payment above pride. Payment not just in Glimmer. In blood and battle too. No one Kell, no one house has been able to slake my thirst. No one job, either. | But I sensed one day, you'd come begging for my services. Lucky I am such a vulgar mercenary after all, eh? It works in your favor now, that I hold payment above pride. Payment not just in [[Glimmer]]. In blood and battle too. No one Kell, no one house has been able to slake my thirst. No one job, either. | ||
Though… a break-out of the Prison of Elders might come close. | Though… a break-out of the Prison of Elders might come close. | ||
But for Aksor? You ask me to pass over far-greater warriors for that impotent Archon? You think he will serve you better than Peekis, the Disavowed? Than Pirsis, Pallas-Bane? Than Calzar, than Drekthas? | But for [[Aksor, Archon Priest|Aksor]]? You ask me to pass over far-greater warriors for that impotent Archon? You think he will serve you better than [[Peekis, the Disavowed]]? Than [[Pirsis, Pallas-Bane]]? Than [[Calzar, Scarred Captain|Calzar]], than [[Drekthas, Metal Captain|Drekthas]]? | ||
You'd choose Aksor over the Shipstealer?! Eramis, who led the charge at the Final Attempt? Who hurled herself at the wretched Lightbearers, who moved so quickly I would've sworn she had eight arms? When your pathetic Winter-ones followed in her footsteps, they had to wade through the flood of life-force she left in her wake. | You'd choose Aksor over the Shipstealer?! Eramis, who led the charge at the Final Attempt? Who hurled herself at the wretched Lightbearers, who moved so quickly I would've sworn she had eight arms? When your pathetic Winter-ones followed in her footsteps, they had to wade through the flood of life-force she left in her wake. | ||
And still you wonder why I refuse my house-pledge. You could conquer the system, but you'd rather adhere to these arbitrary customs. Aksor belongs to Winter, and Eramis does not. | And still you wonder why I refuse my house-pledge. You could conquer the system, but you'd rather adhere to these arbitrary customs. Aksor belongs to [[House of Winter|Winter]], and Eramis does not. | ||
Twice my usual price. The fee is for my restraint. It will take what little I have to free Aksor over the fiercest of Eliksni fighters. | Twice my usual price. The fee is for my restraint. It will take what little I have to free Aksor over the fiercest of Eliksni fighters. | ||
[[Category:Articles with verbatim transcripts of official documents]] | |||
[[Category:Lore]] | |||