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31 comments
Other than seeing him, all bare-skinned and luscious, this chapter made my skin crawl! Holy crap- Dwight the cannibal!?? O.o I'll never look at a bowl of soup the same way! And what's up with the Night Mother- someone hose her down Quick!! Run, Rathe, run!!!
Now what is this with Quin and the Night Mother? Why would she leave Rathe out? What exactly does she mean by "I want HIM"??
Heh, I almost forgot about the "boy" Darius...could the disappearance of him and dear Cicero be related? Maybe Darius blames Rathe in Fleurs death and now is working with the "wannabes" in Riften....hmmm...you're teasing us dear!
On to the next chapter!!!
Killing elevates to the rank of God, there is a subtle pleasure in the murder, which Rathe, discovers but tries to remove and hide behind the cold professionalism. But at some point this discovery, can no longer be hidden, and from there is remorse, not so much to the murder itself, which is justified as the mere execution of a job, but behind the pleasure he feels in committing . This pleasure, this is the scandal, expands his being at the expense of another, and slowly convinces the murderess to rise to the rank of divinity. This is the mellifluous poison of sin that Night Mother inoculates in its adherents.
The difference between Morag Tong and the Dark Brotherhood is all here. The first guild of assassins trying to repress this aspect, while the second version as degenerate cultivates. Quin is already corrupt and in fact the Dark Brotherhood welcomes psychopaths like the Cannibal, are already within this groove. some of my more obscure carachters as Dialda considers the Dark Brotherhood as beginners. Why? Because they are still murderers who need someone to tell them who to kill, they have yet to hide behind an order. The real evolution can be reached when you cease to listen and become autonomous, then it turns out that the murder is not enough, then you have to make someone suffer and maybe leave in life, because sometimes grace is a conviction even worse for those now been destroyed by their own suffering. A God, not just condemn, but also forgive ... And this is sometimes the sharper of sadism.
I should also explain, reading the comments, that the Dark Brotherhood has nothing to do with Sithis directly. Sithis not the vacuum, as ignorant says Cicero, but it is the self-consciousness of the void. Padomay is a force "The becoming" playing with its opposite Anu, static and timeless, by breaking its symmetry and allowing the process of "fall" that generates the existence and linear time. Sithis is considered the creator of Munduns, because as self-consciousness of padomay, that of non-being or empty, open to the needs of its filling through the production of dreams. "Lord Sithis" does not exist, but it is a metaphysical substantialization of a force, which can be associated with the evil as non-being, but it can not be considered a God, in the above, and on is based not only Aedras and Daedras but the possibility of any entity .
The Night Mother, once in life, a killer, after death (porbably by suicide) became a restless spirit because trauma of her murder of their own children, the morag tong degenerates into something different, creating a cult within the killers, not because of the principle of death enhancing this aspect to the climax. Yet her function is covertly positive, because the subtle pleasure that Rathe tries in killing, makes less and less a mere executor and opens him to autonomy, to possibility of choice and to the abyss of freedom. Rathe can no longer hide behind what Hannah Arendt called the "banality of evil". Rathe can not say in front of his trial, "I did only my job," because it knows that it is not true , but he knows that what we become is a product of our choices.
At the bottom the Night mother take off the mask to the Morag Tong that behind its law office, his alleged political neutrality, exerts a more bureaucratic evil and more suptle and powerful, just because veiled behind the mere execution of impersonal murder. The morag Tong, just because it was legalized by the Dunmer society, becomes the path leading with time to Auschwitz.
Because the true evolution evil reaches when free of the remains and becomes abstract, pure, bureaucratic, expression of a society of which all are performers, but no one is responsible. This is the great lesson offered by George Orwell in "1984" where the great dictator is just a pure image.
An interesting point on Sithis; I have to admit I haven't gone too much into the lore on Sithis and I always view him as more of an over-seer God than a direct influence (like the Daedric Prince's are). Hence why I've made such a deference to the NM is this tale. I view HER as much more the immediate guiding hand if you like of Rathe and his coterie.
As for Quin, well he definitely fits into your analogy of a killer who actually takes pleasure from the act of killing and acknowledges it freely. Although I don't see him capable of the forgiveness side of 'Godhood' that comes with the ability to end lives. He is not evolved enough!
Interesting comparison with the atrocities of nazi Germany and bureaucracy with some kind of organised agency that deals in death like the DB. I do see similarities in that they might argue they kill for a higher power, but can't we all justify our evil actions in some way? Perhaps in this, Quin is actually more enlightened and at peace with himself than Rathe will ever be...
You do get me thinking...
Boethia is PROFANING the Night Mother's very own sacred chambers with his/her foul presence....what in all of Oblivion are the Night Mother and Lord Sithis gonna DO about it??
Any freaking TIME now, you so-called " Dark Deities"....I thought they were supposed to be at least omniscient if not omnipotent.... ^^
I sincerely hope that they're just playing possum now for Boethia's temporary benefit, leading up to a massive surprise-Fubar-reckoning for said foul Deity later on....Mouhahahahahahahahaha!
Speaking of playing possum: why is the Night Mother being totally silent on those disturbing disappearances?
Perhaps she's MOST ironically, secretly and ruthlessly putting the Listener to some kinda treacherous test, Boethia-style....
BTW: Boethia and Molag Bal get along SO well, don't they now? ^^
For Cicero to be gone THAT long is most unlike him....Why do I suspect that "Qreepy Quin" might be involved somehow?
After all, he already made young Darius go "Jimmy Hoffa"....
Rathe is definitely feeling Boethia's "kill-thrill" style emotions now, (somewhat like Qreepy Quin's punishment) subtle "emo-hooks" being slowly dug into Rathe's psyche in order to try and sway him away from the Dark Brotherhood and into Boethia's sphere of influence.
Will the treacherous b1#ch succeed? .... >> DUN-DUN-DUN! << ^^
Endorsed.
Many thanks and cheers, dear!
As to the 'dark deities' and their inactivity... well, there's a reason for everything now isn't there
You've made some very interesting observations re the Boethia style 'kill-thrill' - I can't say much for spoilers but I will say I like the analogy of kill-thrill... very much
Just keep on watching this space and answers will come...
Many thanks again my sweet!
Really liked the story here, gonna have to catch up on this.
PS no drooling at the last image. XD
I thank they look a lot alike, Just that Damocles has lighter skin and blackish brown hair and dark brown eyes, while Rathe has darker skin, red hair and lighter color of eyes, even there personality's are the same and age. I am gonna stop right there lol
I also tend to agree with Nataly. My very first thought when I read a pendant of Molag Bal had to be - why would this be important? Not because of vampires (they have Babbette after all). Plus the way he was described by Quin, who was so kissing up to the night mother, indicates Boethia as a very likely candidate as she hates Molag. Yet lore indicates Mephala also has ties to to the DB in that some say she IS the Night Mother. She is also an enemy of Molag. Doubtful it would be other enemies of Molag like Meridia or Ebonarm.
So going to comment on what has stuck out in my memory as I read as that will indicate the points that made an impression. First Rathe is becoming very dark indeed. Turning a blind eye to evil, when you have the power to possibly stop it, is almost as bad as doing it yourself. Allowing the torture chamber and the Cannibal to exist are both examples of just how lost he has become. He use to have a few shreds of decency. He was always dark and slightly twisted but deep down he had something of value .. something that Fleur saw in him. But at some point actions can tarnish ones soul so greatly that it seems impossible to forgive the many sins committed. I wonder now if Rathe has already gone past that point? Killing the girl, turning a blind eye to heinous acts, and becoming more and more detached from the consequences of his actions. I will say at this point Rathe has changed categories in my own mind. I had him in the dark anit-hero postion. A little like the Ghost Rider (old comic book) or the Punisher. Now I see him as more of a very cool, sexy, villain whose soul is pretty much been lost. He just doesn't seem to have any real morals or code of honor any more. Not that I blame him - he started down the dark path as a child which is when you are the most impressionable. Yet Darius and Fleur seemed to pull him almost a little into the light for a short time. With them gone he has sunk even lower then before. It raises a very valid question - you said in a comment don't give up on him yet ... but just how much should a person be forgiven for.Should we ever forgive Quin or the Cannibal? What about Babbette? A tricky question when dealing with souls. Made murkier in Skyrim because of how souls are treated. In a world where souls are truly immortal then the mortal deeds become of less importance which offers the promise of redemption to even the blackest heart - for the evil was only committed against the temporary mortal body. Yet what is the crimes can destroy another entities immortal soul? How could that ever be forgiven? Worse Rathe may find himself beyond redemption simply because his soul is no longer his own - it belongs to the Night Mother and Sithis ... or it may.
Regardless I still like Rathe very much as a character even if I consider him more of a villain now. He has a great deal of depth and after following him for so long it is much easier to understand WHY he is the way he is and why he is sinking into the pit. I don't forgive him for it though. People lose loved ones every day all over Skyrim and they don't let themselves become mass murderers condoning cannibalism and torture. But Rathe was always a dark one so I think the scales of balance were already tilted to send him down that path. Even more so if something else is pushing him down the path ... like the Night Mother seems to be.
That Tingle of Excitement is clearly HER doing. Rathe has never felt those emotions. Nor is it at all plausible that he would start to now. If anything he would be feeling the complete opposite - pure numbness. As your recent stories have shown he has become lost, more and more detached form the world around him as he mourns his lost love. He is feeling less not more. Hence to me this means this new thrill he is finding comes from an outside agency trying to manipulate him ... to train him like a Pavlovian dog made to drool at the sound of a bell. He is not having sex nor does he enjoy his sleep it seems. That leaves food for a pleasure in life. If the Night Mother can replace that feeling of sex with killing (or worse tie them together) even Rathe is going to be hard pressed to resist. Unless he discovers what is happening. A man who values his self-control as much as Rathe does would be livid with rage if he found out he was being manipulated.
I am pleased that he is at least asking questions about Darius (I can't stand Cierco at all but I do like him more than Quin at least). I doubt because he cares about either of them on a personal level though - I suspect he is just becoming curious about what is happening and it seems to me Rathe is a man all about control. His work, his emotions, his life, etc. It must really bug him that he can't figure out what has happened to those two. Cierco was in with the Night Mother as well ... I wonder if he finds it odd she has not responded.
I can understand why he is with Quin. He feels a connection to that lost side of him. Without Fleur he has nothing ... except Quin. All his "friends" are dead or missing. Again pushed together with Quin. Yet Rathe knows people in his line of work are not the loving, caring, trust worthy sort so I expect he sleeps with one-eye open around Quin.
Excellent story although a very dark one - not what I should have read before going to bed lol. Writing was superb. Great dialogue. Loved how you made it clear Rathe was mostly in charge (except for Quin and the NM) by how people deferred and acted around him. A mix of fear and respect of his temper, mood, and ability.
Nice imagery with the Pavlovian dog and I love how you've mused on the sex / murder link. I definitely see the two very strongly linked in this point in Rathe's story (again, more on that later). The conch of self control is also hugely important in Rathe's story so glad you picked up on that too.
Also, very on point with Rathe's 'friendship' with Quin. You've actually written that more succinctly than I've had in my head... I had them having this antagonistic 'bromance' but you've worded it better than I could; its a friendship based purely on need - he needs that connection to all he's lost and Quin needs... Well, whatever it is Quin needs
Anyway, many, many thanks for your comments that you've so obviously taken the time and thought to post in such detail. Trust me and stick with it - answers soon!
Seems that last contract really shook Rathe as I had though it would, seeing in the unfortunate girl's eyes something very similar to that he had seen in Fleur's eyes, those memories like deep scars, waking that guilt he had in his effect on Fleur, those lines in her face haunting his dreams. It is good that he is unsettled by that touch of excitement he felt in a kill, a warning of the effects of walking an ever darkening path, certainly has him questioning his work, making him suspicious of the events that had unfolded, Darius' fate seeming to not be what it seemed, it is good that he has such questions. I was quite intrigued by the moment between Quin and the Night Mother, it is unusual for her to speak to another than the listener, to have one to serve her scheming to keep Rathe in her shadowy hands. Wonderfully done chapter, Jess
And yes, he certainly shows all the hallmarks of guilt over the death of the innocent girl, but some of that may be merely curiosity at the strange emotions he's been feeling lately, like that tingle of excitement. Still, whatever's driving him to question is hopefully going to lead him in the direction towards the missing Darius, Cicero and... well, uncover whatever it is that Quin is hiding... and the so called Night Mother
Seems like Dark Brotherhood rebuilt itself... following their own dark and creepy style of interiors. Rathe sure continues to be Mr. Broody, being as grumpy as ever... and everyone knows it, so other assassins, especially younger ones stay away from him. given his mood I don't blame them. So Rathe wants to forget and that is why he is so restless? It is very evident that he did not get over the trauma caused by Fleur's death, he still blames himself for everything, mainly for her death and apparently he begin to develop some darker tendencies... a thrill of excitement. Nit a good sight, especially since he felt it killing that girl who was much like Fleur with her wide innocent eyes... If Rathe continues on that dark path I am afraid he might become like Quin, who gives me creeps! Rathe scenes with Janis had some tension... although it seems she has no chance, besides Rathe still is loyal to Fleur... Maybe aside from feeling of empty heart and darkness in his thoughts, his sexual frustration also has something to do with this recent thrill of excitement over killing? And interesting thing that Rathe finally began to have second thoughts about Darius disappearance, since Cicero has gone too and I guess Rathe should pay closer attention to his colleagues... i wonder what new contract Nazir has for him!
And speaking of Quin... if he keeps as a company someone called Cannibal, it speaks volumes of him! If I was on Rathe place I would trust this man to do even laundry, not something serious like being an assistant up in contacts. and I was not surprised to discover Quin feels no remorse, only excitement and even arousal for holding power over lives and deaths of people. The reveal with pendant was very intriguing! Dean was sure nasty piece of work... serving Molag Bal and that might give some clues with whom Quin was speaking instead of Night Mother. Boethiah seems like most fitting candidate, although I would not rule out Mephala too, since she was always tied with assassins business. Or maybe it is someone very unexpected...
I would look forward for continuation and thank you for sharing your awesome work!
He certainly has taken Broody and Grumpy to a new level; living breathing and eating angst, moodiness and now perhaps even cruelty? Very good observations about his frustration and moodiness being tied in with Fleur's death and his obvious denial in dealing with his feelings over such an event. It seems he IS walking down a path that leads to an existence like Quin; getting that tingle of excitement when killing an innocent is a sure Quinnish thing...
That said, perhaps his realisation that he is turning into Quin is the reason he keeps Quin close-by. I think on that old saying, misery loves company, and birds of a feather flock together. Rathe's been around the block too often to be naive as to what exactly Quin is... but it just doesn't seem to BOTHER him like it would have once upon a time. I mean, honestly, is there THAT much of a difference between Quin and the Albino?
I like where your thoughts are headed in regards to the 'Night Mother' but I'm not allowed to say anything about that just yet (for fear of upsetting Mr Broody
Thank you again my sweet for your continued enthusiasm for Rathe's tale. Really makes my day to find your comments here!