Conscript 1.7
TyrantTriumphant
Well-known member
Though it longer than they might have wished, eventually the Wardens found their way out of the wilds and back to Ostagar, though a little worse for wear.
Daveth had suffered a fairly nasty concussion from hitting his head on a tree, Jack was still missing his tongue, and the other two were still . . . processing recent events.
Jack figured it would take them a while.
Though the mission could have gone better on certain fronts, namely Jack’s utter humiliation and loss of his tongue, not to mention the divulging of several clan secrets, it could have gone worse too.
In the end, he had accomplished his main goal, the retrieval of the darkspawn blood and the Grey Warden treaties.
In time Jack’s tongue would grow back and the shame would fade. But the secrets he’s been forced to give up would be far more problematic.
His companions were already giving him sideways glances. Jack new that they considering what the witch had said, wondering if he was safe to keep around.
They would have been fools not to.
Not to mention the rest of what that old crone had revealed. That the Antediluvians had been here. That they had fought a war with something here.
And that those unknown creatures had won against the clan progenitors.
Assuming it was true, and Jack wasn’t naïve enough to take the witch at her word, it raised lot of unsettling questions.
Did they sire any progeny before they left? Are did any of those survive? Did Jack’s blatant actions just break some sort of local masquerade?
Or maybe, the Antediluvians were still here.
Well, not Ennoia, but the other ones. It could be that they had been hiding away here this whole time, safe from the hungry jaws of their childer.
His arrival could have even woken them up. Who knows, Jack be the one responsible for releasing Gehenna.
This whole situation was madness.
But giving in to paranoia would be even more insane.
Jack had experienced first-hand the madness Antediluvian’s memory could inspire in their descendants. Prince Roy, Regent Gavin, Sheriff Medici, and the entire Sabbat stood as testimony to that.
It really did put the Inner Council’s decision to lie about the Antediluvians in a different perspective.
Not that Jack wasn’t bitter about that, he was. But he could understand it. Even agree with it to an extent.
It would be hard to argue that his personal experiences hadn’t influenced his decision to remain in the Camarilla.
But none of that mattered right now. Even if any of this madness was true Jack lacked the capacity to effect it in any way.
It was best to let sleeping Antediluvians lie.
At the moment his only concern was Duncan and the Joining.
And so, after a quick delivery to the kennel-master Jack made his way over to Duncan’s campfire.
______________________________________________________________
Duncan was standing exactly where Jack had left him, starring into his fire with a look of such profound intensity that the man probably had to practice that facial expression in the mirror.
Upon seeing the returning recruits, Duncan left his fireside vigil and went to greet them. “So, you return from the Wilds. Have you been successful?”
It was a fair question. One which Jack would have been inclined to answer if he had a tongue. Though seeing as he did not, he simply growled.
Alistair stepped to the front of the group. “Yes, they have. And try to forgive Jack. He decided to bite out his own tongue on the way back.”
Duncan blinked in surprise. “What? Why would he do that?”
“I’ve been wondering that myself.” Alistair deadpanned. “The treaties were in the possession of some apostates. A woman and her mother. But when the older one saw Jack she just went unhinged. She started ranting about how his race were worse than the Darkspawn.
"Then she used some sort of magic to force him to tell his secrets. He bit out his own tongue rather than give them up.”
Duncan frowned. “That is unexpected. He had told me that he believed he was the first of his race to set foot in Thedas.” He glanced at Jack to which the vampire just shrugged in response.
“Unexpected as this may be, it does not change our purpose. This can all be investigated after the blight is dealt with. But for now, our first priority are the darkspawn. We shall proceed with the joining as planned. Alistair, take them to the old temple.”
_____________________________________________________
“At last we come to the Joining.” Duncan said as he began the ceremony.
And it was about damn time too. If Jack had to listen to any more Jory’s bitching or about Daveth’s hero complex he swore he was going to rip out his own ears.
Because really, what right did Jory have to complain that joining the Grey Wardens was a stupid decision? At least he had a choice.
Jack had never chosen his own destiny. From his embrace, to his exile, to his appointment as the Prince’s scourge, Jack’s decisions had always been made by others. To have this idiot whine about problems that were entirely his fault seemed disgustingly entitled.
“The Grey Wardens were founded during the first Blight, when humanity stood on the verge of annihilation.” Duncan continued.
“So it was that the first Grey Wardens drank of darkspawn blood and mastered their taint.”
Jory blanched. “We're... going to drink the blood of those... those creatures?”
“As the first Grey Wardens did before us, as we did before you.” Duncan affirmed. “This is the source of our power and our victory.”
“Those who survive the Joining become immune to the taint. We can sense it in the darkspawn and use it to slay the archdemon.” Alistair said.
“Not all who drink the blood will survive and those who do are forever changed. This is why the Joining is a secret. It is the price we pay.” Said Duncan.
“We speak only a few words prior to the Joining, but these words have been said since the first. Alistair, if you would?”
Alistair stepped forward and bowed his head. “Join us, brothers and sisters. Join us in the shadows where we stand, vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten and that one day we shall join you.”
Duncan raised a goblet full of darkspawn blood. “Daveth, step forward.”
Daveth obeyed and brought the cup to his lips. Several seconds later he bowled over in pain and began to scream.
“I am sorry, Daveth.” Was all Duncan could say as his first recruit died.
“Step forward, Jory.” Jory did not obey. Instead, the idiot decided to pull a blade on Duncan. Naturally enough, Duncan killed him for it. And there was one recruit left.
He handed the cup to Tanner, saying, “You are called upon to submit yourself to the taint for the greater good.”
Jack drank. It tasted kind of like normal darkspawn blood, but a bit more refined, if that made sense.
But it didn’t change him.
After all, how could it? Jack was dead. The taint could only affect the living. Unless . . .
Duncan had noticed the Cainite’s lack of reaction and began to frown. Jack held up a hand to signal the Warden to wait.
Because Jack had an idea.
Most substances that affected humans couldn’t affect Cainites.
Unless they were in the bloodstream of a human.
And Daveth’s body was very fresh.
Jack walked up to Daveth’s body and plunged his fangs into the corpse’s neck. As he drained the body, he could feel something new coursing through his veins.
They burned like molten lead, the pain only increasing until the vampire passed out.
They thing he remembered was Duncan’s voice saying, “From this moment forth, you are a Grey Warden.”
Daveth had suffered a fairly nasty concussion from hitting his head on a tree, Jack was still missing his tongue, and the other two were still . . . processing recent events.
Jack figured it would take them a while.
Though the mission could have gone better on certain fronts, namely Jack’s utter humiliation and loss of his tongue, not to mention the divulging of several clan secrets, it could have gone worse too.
In the end, he had accomplished his main goal, the retrieval of the darkspawn blood and the Grey Warden treaties.
In time Jack’s tongue would grow back and the shame would fade. But the secrets he’s been forced to give up would be far more problematic.
His companions were already giving him sideways glances. Jack new that they considering what the witch had said, wondering if he was safe to keep around.
They would have been fools not to.
Not to mention the rest of what that old crone had revealed. That the Antediluvians had been here. That they had fought a war with something here.
And that those unknown creatures had won against the clan progenitors.
Assuming it was true, and Jack wasn’t naïve enough to take the witch at her word, it raised lot of unsettling questions.
Did they sire any progeny before they left? Are did any of those survive? Did Jack’s blatant actions just break some sort of local masquerade?
Or maybe, the Antediluvians were still here.
Well, not Ennoia, but the other ones. It could be that they had been hiding away here this whole time, safe from the hungry jaws of their childer.
His arrival could have even woken them up. Who knows, Jack be the one responsible for releasing Gehenna.
This whole situation was madness.
But giving in to paranoia would be even more insane.
Jack had experienced first-hand the madness Antediluvian’s memory could inspire in their descendants. Prince Roy, Regent Gavin, Sheriff Medici, and the entire Sabbat stood as testimony to that.
It really did put the Inner Council’s decision to lie about the Antediluvians in a different perspective.
Not that Jack wasn’t bitter about that, he was. But he could understand it. Even agree with it to an extent.
It would be hard to argue that his personal experiences hadn’t influenced his decision to remain in the Camarilla.
But none of that mattered right now. Even if any of this madness was true Jack lacked the capacity to effect it in any way.
It was best to let sleeping Antediluvians lie.
At the moment his only concern was Duncan and the Joining.
And so, after a quick delivery to the kennel-master Jack made his way over to Duncan’s campfire.
______________________________________________________________
Duncan was standing exactly where Jack had left him, starring into his fire with a look of such profound intensity that the man probably had to practice that facial expression in the mirror.
Upon seeing the returning recruits, Duncan left his fireside vigil and went to greet them. “So, you return from the Wilds. Have you been successful?”
It was a fair question. One which Jack would have been inclined to answer if he had a tongue. Though seeing as he did not, he simply growled.
Alistair stepped to the front of the group. “Yes, they have. And try to forgive Jack. He decided to bite out his own tongue on the way back.”
Duncan blinked in surprise. “What? Why would he do that?”
“I’ve been wondering that myself.” Alistair deadpanned. “The treaties were in the possession of some apostates. A woman and her mother. But when the older one saw Jack she just went unhinged. She started ranting about how his race were worse than the Darkspawn.
"Then she used some sort of magic to force him to tell his secrets. He bit out his own tongue rather than give them up.”
Duncan frowned. “That is unexpected. He had told me that he believed he was the first of his race to set foot in Thedas.” He glanced at Jack to which the vampire just shrugged in response.
“Unexpected as this may be, it does not change our purpose. This can all be investigated after the blight is dealt with. But for now, our first priority are the darkspawn. We shall proceed with the joining as planned. Alistair, take them to the old temple.”
_____________________________________________________
“At last we come to the Joining.” Duncan said as he began the ceremony.
And it was about damn time too. If Jack had to listen to any more Jory’s bitching or about Daveth’s hero complex he swore he was going to rip out his own ears.
Because really, what right did Jory have to complain that joining the Grey Wardens was a stupid decision? At least he had a choice.
Jack had never chosen his own destiny. From his embrace, to his exile, to his appointment as the Prince’s scourge, Jack’s decisions had always been made by others. To have this idiot whine about problems that were entirely his fault seemed disgustingly entitled.
“The Grey Wardens were founded during the first Blight, when humanity stood on the verge of annihilation.” Duncan continued.
“So it was that the first Grey Wardens drank of darkspawn blood and mastered their taint.”
Jory blanched. “We're... going to drink the blood of those... those creatures?”
“As the first Grey Wardens did before us, as we did before you.” Duncan affirmed. “This is the source of our power and our victory.”
“Those who survive the Joining become immune to the taint. We can sense it in the darkspawn and use it to slay the archdemon.” Alistair said.
“Not all who drink the blood will survive and those who do are forever changed. This is why the Joining is a secret. It is the price we pay.” Said Duncan.
“We speak only a few words prior to the Joining, but these words have been said since the first. Alistair, if you would?”
Alistair stepped forward and bowed his head. “Join us, brothers and sisters. Join us in the shadows where we stand, vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten and that one day we shall join you.”
Duncan raised a goblet full of darkspawn blood. “Daveth, step forward.”
Daveth obeyed and brought the cup to his lips. Several seconds later he bowled over in pain and began to scream.
“I am sorry, Daveth.” Was all Duncan could say as his first recruit died.
“Step forward, Jory.” Jory did not obey. Instead, the idiot decided to pull a blade on Duncan. Naturally enough, Duncan killed him for it. And there was one recruit left.
He handed the cup to Tanner, saying, “You are called upon to submit yourself to the taint for the greater good.”
Jack drank. It tasted kind of like normal darkspawn blood, but a bit more refined, if that made sense.
But it didn’t change him.
After all, how could it? Jack was dead. The taint could only affect the living. Unless . . .
Duncan had noticed the Cainite’s lack of reaction and began to frown. Jack held up a hand to signal the Warden to wait.
Because Jack had an idea.
Most substances that affected humans couldn’t affect Cainites.
Unless they were in the bloodstream of a human.
And Daveth’s body was very fresh.
Jack walked up to Daveth’s body and plunged his fangs into the corpse’s neck. As he drained the body, he could feel something new coursing through his veins.
They burned like molten lead, the pain only increasing until the vampire passed out.
They thing he remembered was Duncan’s voice saying, “From this moment forth, you are a Grey Warden.”