New Allies

"Listen up! This right here is Jeleia, and she is going to be working alongside from here on out! We're pirates, sure, but I know all of you have craved real purpose in life! Something to strive for, something to accomplish! For the longest time, our goal has simply been gathering wealth. But... for what? Why did we want that coin?"

Miss Leader looked around at the various Daedric Cultists that had gathered around us, the Blood Horkers having a good amount of discipline and curiosity to see what their leader wanted to say to them.

They nodded and adopted thoughtful expressions as they pondered her question, some muttering a few of their own ideas whilst others remained silent and looked at the leader curiously.

"For some, I know the answer all too well. A lavish life, right? Food when you need it, drink when you want it, women or men in your bed - take your pick, none of us judge. That's something we all wanted. A good, cushy life, where we could eat, drink, and fuck without ever needing to worry about anything... ever. That's something we all wanted."

Repeating herself, the green skinned woman nodded and looked around, getting a large amount of nods back as most of the Cultists agreed with her, though some of the more bloodthirsty and hardened ones seemed indifferent to that.

"But, I think I know what we all want. Truly, deep inside ourselves, in our hearts and our very souls, we want a place to call home. Somewhere we can stay - permanently - without needing to worry about being scorned or looked down on. Someplace that is accepting of us, of our pasts, of our respective choices of worship. A place to be able to just... live our lives. Together. To have a society that welcomes us, a society that doesn't look for their pitchforks and light a bonfire to burn us."

More heads nodded, and this time even the murderous looking Cultists were amongst them, their features softening for a moment as their eyes took on a faraway look.

"That's why we're here. The Blood Horkers. Not because we want to be pirates, but because we want a community. Someone to laugh with, to joke with... someone to call friends. Family. Some of us are fine alone; and that's great, but even those of you that enjoy the solitude of a pirate's life, I know you want to eventually settle down. Be that stubborn, creaky old fart that sits on a porch one day and mutters about how the younger generations have it easy. 'Back in my day-' and all!"

Snickers filled the cove, and people nodded as they glanced at one another, pointing and chuckling as they guessed who that would be.

"And... after talking to Jeleia, I realized that. That we want a community. That we want to have somewhere to put down our blades and instead pick up a smiths hammer, an alchemists vial, a scholars quill, hells, even a farmers hoe! Be miners and brewers, tanners and jewelers. The point is, we want to find somewhere to live, right?"

"""Right!"""

A shout filled the cove, and I smirked as I looked over the various Cultists in the clearing, finding their reaction amusing to something so simple... but understanding it completely; everyone wants to fit in, to have a community around them.

Only those with real screws loose don't, and no one here had that vibe around them that they were beyond 'saving'.

"Well, I talked to Jeleia about her plans, about her vision for the future! Some of you thought I was fucking crazy?! No, this Redguard here is insane! But, damnit if it doesn't sound like fun, like a future I want to be apart of!"

Patting my shoulder, the leader grinned at me before looking back towards her fellow Cultists, who were staring at me curiously as they wondered what she was getting at.

"She wants to form her own Hold, to take a swathe of Skyrim for HERSELF! How utterly insane is that?! And yet, she made it sound damn feasible! Something that would get most people put to the stake and thrown into the annals of history as a buffoon sounds like it could be fucking possible!"

Their curiosity turned to incredulousness as they stared at me in shock, before redirecting that shock to their leader.

"She has not one, but TWO Jarls at her beck and call! She has knowledge on things that are worth fortunes if sold to the right people! She has plans to bring some portions of this beautiful, vicious, hideous yet damn lovable land to ruin, and plans to restore it and improve upon it! She has a plan to create a home for herself, where she can live freely, away from the meddling of the damn Empire, away from the gnarled hands of those damn Thalmor, away from the grumblings of those idiotic Stormcloaks! So when I ask you, are you crazy enough to believe alongside me that we can create that home... what is your answer?"

The cove fell completely silent, and I looked around at the various Cultists curiously, wondering what their answer would be, before smirking as a loud cheer entered my ears.

One of them - a bulky Orc man - stepped forwards and said "I don't fucking see why not! The hell have we got to lose anyways?! Our lives? They'd slip through our fingers in a few years time, so let's put them to fucking use instead, huh?!"

The cheers grew louder, and I smirked more as I stepped forwards and nodded, looking around at the new allies I had created with a few choice words whispered into the ear of their leader, promising them things that may or may not come to pass.