Katia: Interrogate interrogator

Jan 242013

sL360 wrote:

Nightmares? Holy shit, it’s FLIP YOUR SHIT TIME you actually may have found a lead.

Nightmares! You said you had nightmares! Are you talking about, like, recurring, terrifying, monochromatic, and probably unnecessarily silhouetty nightmares? Unnatural feeling nightmares?

The Captain says that he suspects you already know the answer to that question, what with your cultist sp-

No! NO! No cultists right now! This is serious! After fifteen years of sleepless nights and ruined childhoods and drinking away pain and searching for answers you are my first actual lead and you are going to tell me everything you know. EEEEEVERYTHING.

EVERYTHING.

LawxLawlz wrote:

>Katia
Try to calm down, calmly speak to him and see if you can get him to trust you.

Ransom wrote:

Agreed, be honest with him, but be careful about bursting into a slew of questions. He doesn’t trust you right now.

833nirassi wrote:

>Calm Captain Gaius Atrum down BEFORE you start talking with him about the nightmares.

Huh, that probably would have been way better than what you actually did, yeah.

You cough politely and admit to Gaius that you might have approached that wrong. You calmly explain that you’ve been suffering recurring nightmares since you were a child, and from what he is implying it sounds like they might be very similar to his. You realize that he probably doesn’t trust you and that you’ve possibly made some bad mistakes in your past but right now he is the first person you have ever met who sounds like they might know something – anything – about these dreams. Finding him all of a sudden like this might be the one lucky break you’ve ever had on anything, ever. And you kind of want him to tell you everything he knows.

Eeeeeeeverything.

stupidjellyfish wrote:

Katia > PUT ON YOUR TRUST FACE

He still doesn’t completely believe you. The two of you simply running into one another like this would be too much of a coincidence. It feels like you have some dark, ulterior motive here.

You assure him that you are the sort of person who blindly walks into traps, continually acts without thinking, and repeatedly sabotages her own plans without knowing any better. Ulterior motives are far beyond your level.

… alright, yeah, he looks you over and eventually admits you do give that vibe, yes.

Even if your words are truthful, though, Gaius says there is not much he could tell you. Even after decades of searching for answers about his nightmares his efforts have turned up very little. His nights are still haunted with those dark dreams of just… being there, trapped in a small, dark room with a cultist. No way out, no one to help him. And the cultist just stands there, being a cultist.

Yes. Yes! That is just like yours…. except with cultists? You guess that makes sense, you say, given his apparent fear of cultists. Your dreams are about kings though.

He’s not afraid of cultists, he says, just appreciates their inherent danger on a deeper level than the average person does. And you dream about… kings? Kings aren’t even scary.

Kings are scary as fuck, you reply. Cultists, on the other hand, aren’t even dangerous.

Also, what’s that smoke coming from town?

Gaius says that’s probably just Miss Lenka’s weekly barbecue. Nothing to be concerned about.

Ah, okay.

ItWasA… wrote:

Trade snippets of your dreams with Captain Atrum. Bond.

Whatever. Kings and cultists aside, the dreams still sound really similar. And this is really the first time ever you’ve found any sort of clue on what they are, what they mean, or that such things even exist outside your own head. If he knows anything at all about them, it would mean a lot to you if he would share it.

Gaius says, once again, that even if you have the same affliction as him there’s nothing useful he could tell you. He has spent years searching for answers. He has read countless books on the topic, traveled across Tamriel in search of experts, spoken to numerous counselors, and even put himself under the scrutiny of the Guild’s top mages, all to no avail. In all his searching, only once did he find a possible clue…

… and that was when he spoke to the Daedric Prince of Nightmares herself.

> ==>

Rambo Dash

THEY ARE STANDING EXACTLY WHERE THE GATE APPEARS AND THE CITY IS ON FIRE BY THE NINE SOMETHING’S ABOUT TO GO DOWN
- Jeizar
  
  O_o you’re right
  - Dovahkiin
    
    But it won’t be that bad because some badass liek me will show up
    - Hero of Kvatch
      
      Goddammit man I told you I get there late. The whole town is finished by the time I get there.
      - Uriel Septim VII
        
        Heroes, heroes, please. You’re both powerful.
      - Kingkaor
        
        ALL HAIL EMPEROR JEAN-LUC PICARD!!
    - Nerevarine
      
      you gaylords are alright
      but you aren’t GODS
      - Talos
        
        I’m still a god.
      - M’aiq the Liar
        
        M’aiq has heard that the Hero of Kvatch is quite unreliable, but what does Khajiiti know of such things?
      - Akatosh
        
        You are far FAR from a god, Nerevarine.
      - Hero of Kvatch
        
        Well, I DID BECOME a daedric prince. It’s a pretty nice job, getting randomly attacked by angry flying mudcrabs in the morning aside.
      - Nerevarine
        
        Yeah, Champion of Cyrodiil, but if the Emperor hadn’t sacrificed himself to save your ass, you’d die like the wannabe hero you are.
  - Insane Randomness
    
    The thread above? Yeah, it’s full of win…
    - Mephala
      
      Let the webspinning continue…
- Mimokrokodille
  
  If my memory serves me right, Kvatch was attacked at night, so there is nothing to worry about.
  - Phynaster
    
    Please, none of you heroes even remember me.
    - Trinimac
      
      Oh boo hoo! At least you weren’t eaten by a freaking Daedric Prince.
      - Lamae Beolfag
        
        Oh, boo hoo! At least you weren’t savagely raped to death then to undeath by the king of rape, then killed everyone you loved.
- Blezmo
  
  Relaz, nothing’s going down. The reason why the city burns down is because the oblivion gate opens up. The oblivion gate can’t open until right after the Emperor dies. The daedra burn it, it doesn’t burn itself down.
  
  There are no daedra in sight.
  - Styx
    
    Katia’s in town, so there’s a 50/50 chance that it was the deadra’s fault. Still, it’s a week away.
Vaultdweller

Ahahahh, the part with the smoke got me worried at first, but goddamn that was hilarious.
RascalNag

DUN DUN DUNNN
ghost-reaper

…does anyone else other than me wish that somehow that smoke is from the mage guild?
- unclechoo
  
  When I first saw the smoke that’s what I wondered. On the off-chance it isn’t Miss Lenka’s barbecue or the beginning of the Oblivion crisis I wonder if it has something to do with the mage’s guild .
  - -skimmer-
    
    I’m pretty sure it’s just the orphanage finally meeting it’s fiery fate.
  - Nirassi
    
    Ironic plot twist: it actually was Miss Lenka’s barbecue.
    - MirrorMagic
      
      Even BIGGER plot twist: Miss Lenka’s Barbecue starts the Oblivion Crisis.
      - Solifuge
        
        Ah, the dreaded Double Shyamalan:
        http://dresdencodak.com/2009/05/11/42-essential-3rd-act-twists/
      - Jebediah Oldenheimer
        
        That 3rd act twist thing was a riot, Solifuge. Double Shyamalans are the best.
      - SkywardStrike
        
        You could say that they are OBLIVIOus to what is happening…
Ankoku

EEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeee……….
anyway, this is really exciting oh katia, your about to learn something, i hope she asks about the Voice
- SkywardStrike
  
  You mean the thu’um? That won’t almost certainly won’t happen.
  - Edgecutter Hattori
    
    Is that a double negative?
Terashi

And now Vaermina gets involved. Wonderful.

Love the epic feel of this post, though. It’s like shit is finally starting to transpire.
- Terashi
  
  Also, that second panel.
Germz

>The two are standing right in front of Kvatch’s main gate
>Fire erupts in town
>The guard suggests speaking to a daedric king

HILARITY ENSUES.
Fruckert

Vaermina looks remarkably like her Daggerfall interpretation.
I like that.
NoriMori

“Also, what’s that smoke coming from town?”

I know next to nothing about The Elder Scrolls, but from the comments I know people have been wondering for some time if Kvatch’s destruction by unholy fire was nigh, so I was like, “Ohshitohshitohshitohshitohshi –”

That tiny “Eeeeeeeverything” had me laughing so hard. XD

I love how Katia and Gaius both find their own fears totally rational and think the other’s fear is retarded. XD
Calvin

Tenth! Or twelfth, if you count replies.
tronn

“I’M USEFUL” 😀
Nirassi

Aw, Katia is so cute when she’s flipping her shit, going crazy, in the first few panels.
hostergaard

He is afraid of cultist but spoke to Vaermina, prince of nightmares and possibly torture? Explains why the dreams have been so painful tough. But how did he even come out of that relatively sane?

Also, love crazy Katia, poor man, leave his beard alone!
- NoriMori
  
  What I like about this is that it shows that even someone who had horrific nightmares like Katia did can still come out of it sane enough to be a successful, respectable person.
  - Worm Anchorite
    
    “Respectable..?”
    - NoriMori
      
      Yup. XD
furnut

Yays! Been checking everyday here 😀

Wow Katia must weight very little since she can hang on to the guard’s beard with her entire body weight. o.o

Holy cow the guy spoke to Vaermina? What is this thing that afflicts them both that not even a daedric prince can identify/fix?

Guess I gotta press F5 until I see the answer next 😀
- furnut
  
  also, TRUST FACE. OMGGGGG…… >w<
Kaze’aze

Kazerad, you didn’t link to here yet from the previous entry, just so you know. Great update though.
- Kaze’aze
  
  Fixed.
  - Gaius
    
    Er, did you just reply to yourself?
    - Gaius
      
      Yes I did
      - NoriMori
        
        Lolwut??? XD
Hellbud khajjit

GODDAMNIT!I knew Vaermina had her hand in this!
- Worm Anchorite
  
  SURPRISE!!!
M

And there she is Vaermina!

Oo-hoo, that means this plot is going to thicken I bet! Those Daedric princes are always good for a wild ride…
cake

50 bucks say we get interrupted before he tells us what he learned from Vaermina.
dude

This is most interesting….. thank you!
Kal Tol’roth

~Do a bunch of crazy shit, trying to get away from nightmares.
~Join Mages Guild.
~Meet Daedric Prince of Nightmares.
~PROFIT.
Kal Tol’roth

Vaermina? The Prince of Nightmares? Vaermina? Is he sure he doesn’t mean the Prince of Sweet Dreams and Cuddly Stuff, and just got the two confused? As much as it makes sense for it to be her, let’s face it, going into the Nightmare Realm to face a Daedric Prince isn’t exactly on your Top Ten List of Things I’d Really Like To Do.
Uzi_Man

The 2nd and 3rd panels are very suggestive. I smell Rule 34 for this.. soon.

On topic, great update Kazerad!
Ectricark

HOLD THE PHONE, JETHRO. What the hell are you at, communing with Vaermina?
Twilight-Kun

hm…I wonder why in some pictures she has her hair…fur…whatever, divided, and in others, her cheeks/head/whatever is completely smooth…
- Andross
  
  Differing art styles.
  
  That and Kazerad can’t decide on a single style to use, so yeah.
  
  Inb4 next update/s are more flash crap.
Blezmo

congratulations, you punked out the guard captain. You finally punked someone out.

+1 intimidation skills
FuzzyZergling

CUTE FACE~
Love everything about the update.
cAPSLOCK

15 years? Hold old is Katia?
- stupidjellyfish
  
  19 or 18 — typical age for a protagonist.
  - David Argall
    
    We calculated her age/date of birth once, but I’ve forgotten it. it has to be in the files somewhere. But 15 years seem long and Katia may be rounding up.
  - Mallow
    
    Her nightmares manifested from an experience unknown at the moment. Probably started at around five years old? After that, you hit maturity and at a point in age, you use what freedom you can to escape or indulge. She does have a history of being a cultist, years spend drinking and award, drunken fornication…So best bet? Katia is likely in her late twenties or early thirties.
TheLogicalOne

Oh shit. OH SHIT! The Daedric prince of Nightmares himself? Shit…And SERIOUSLY, what is up with that smoke?…I’m getting a bad feeling about this.
Dynablade

Shit just got real.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br2_22e2RoU
Pajaul

…because the command thread is closed…

“and that was when he spoke to the Daedric Prince of Nightmares herself.”

He spoke to a Daedric Prince. That means he had to find the shrine. and learn how to contact the daedric prince. From a daedric cult. I don’t know whether to commend him on his bravery on facing his fear of cultists by learning of and from them to talk to a daedric prince, or accuse him of being a cultist himselSTOP RIGHT THERE CRIMINAL SCUM!
- varsaigen
  
  Actually, people often ended up meeting Vaermina, through nightmares. But very rarely would they ever remember meeting her upon waking up.
  
  “Many scholars believe that, through their dreams, even otherwise magically-untalented mortals can slip into Quagmire, and behold Vaermina’s presence. Upon speaking to her, Vaermina will explain that mortals visit her constantly in their nightmares, speak to her in their sleep, and often wake in a cold sweat upon leaving her presence. Most mortals are unaware of this meeting, however, as they cannot remember anything that occurred during their dreams. After a true, remembered encounter with the Daedric Lord, her followers often claim that nothing on Nirn holds any fear for them, as nothing can possibly be as frightening as being in Vaermina’s presence.”
  
  “At the same time, Daedra worshipers will often pray to her just before sleeping, likely in hopes of warding off any potential meetings during their rest.”
  
  Information retrieved from the Mystic Archives. (http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Vaermina)
  - Pajaul
    
    Considering it was dreams that plagued him, your suggestion would imply she was in fact the cause. We’ll see if that’s the case but I don’t think it is for Katia nor for Gaius. If the Daedric Prince of dreams wanted to convey a message it would be far easier to simply come out and convey the message- seeing as how s/he seems wont to do so at will- as opposed to constantly repeating it in hopes he’ll understand, which would imply a certain lack of power. Also since he doesn’t seem to have any understanding, and since his fear of cultists hasn’t lessened, I’m going ahead and plant my suspicions in the grounds that these dreams are not of her cause, and thus, s/he would needs be sought out to confer on the matter as opposed to simply dream-meet with her. Thus, cultist activities.
    
    Plus my way is funnier because it makes him a hypocrite.
    STOP RIGHT THERE CRIMINAL SCUM!
    - egg brother
      
      my theory is a former worshipper stole the skull and is using it to his/her advantage/ammusment
  - egg brother
    
    uuhhh, i got lost there for a minute
stupidjellyfish

“Prince?”

“Herself?”

Shouldn’t it be princess?
- zj
  
  In Elder Scrolls lore, all of the Daedric Lords are ‘Princes’ whether or not they are male or female.
  - stupidjellyfish
    
    That’s sexist!
  - The Whicher
    
    I bet that they simply don’t have a fixed gender (even if they seem to have one). After all those are deadra.
    - varsaigen
      
      And you would be correct. Besides, there is one that swaps genders. In Oblivion, he was male, represented by a powerful warrior, and in Skyrim, as a cunning and beautiful woman.
      
      In truth, none of them have genders. It’s all personal preference.
Gavinfoxx

Sigh and bond with him about how the Daedric Princes are ruining your lives. After all, at least two Daedric Princes seem to have it in for you, if what he says is right… ask for his advice on how to stay far from cultists and weird cult type daedric worshiping activities, but still try to get some closure from these entities so they stop screwing with your life…
varsaigen

*AHEM* [b]I WAS RIGHT![/b]
Vaermina! Prince(ss) of Nightmares, and my personal character’s tie through using the torpor her cult used, but for personal reasons (not being a cultist). Vaermina is the most interesting Prince of them all, and [b]I WAS RIGHT!!!!!![/b]
Asoyna

He… Daedric Prince… isn’t it too royal for the clue? ~_~
- Expresate
  
  She’s afraid of Kings.
  
  Besides, the Daedric Princes are just gods. She might as well be afraid of Akatosh, then.
catchTwentythree

So, concern:

Gaius Atrum is excellent. I am also pretty sure he’s gonna die. Or maybe retire one day before the attack. Since the captain of the Kvatch guard during the attack is Savlian Matius.

I will be sad if he dies. And laugh madly if he inverts the one-more-week-to-retirement trope by suddenly stepping down and moving to Cheydinhal two days before Kvatch is annihilated.
Mallow

Hum..

He meant Daedric PRINCESS of Nightmares, right?
- Akatosh
  
  No. Daedric Prince is correct. Daedric Princes have no gender, and are ALL referred to as Prince in a neutral sense. Vaermina chooses to look like a woman, but that does not make it princess. She would still refer to herself as a Prince.
  - Mallow
    
    Oooooooh. Learned something new there~♫
  - egg brother
    
    i always wondered why half of them were still refered to as princes
Dave

Her trust face was absolutely adorable ^_^
Papa

The plot thickens, keep up the good work man, the amount of content you’ve been pushing out recently is absolutely astounding

10/10 bretty gud
David Argall

Yes.. the nightmares may well be linked, but we are not going to find out today… But the nightmares do seem the same, and when different, there is the link to the other person, cultist vs king… definitely worth further attention…
- Expresate
  
  Wait, Cultist Vs King? OHSHT I wonder of Kaz is alluding to the assassination of Uriel Septim VII.
Expresate

You guys need to give Vaermina SOME credit. She’s also the Prince of Dreams.
Flouries

Hmmm.. Is it possible that the voice during Katia’s dream (the one where she basically burned alive) was Vaermina…? 🙂
- Arthur
  
  Or She’s causing the nightmares. The person who interrupted could be someone else.
- Blezmo
  
  No, that was the voice of herjf4qw0[o]mdfvew9qyb
KFM

ive been reading for a while, just now commenting, so, love this comic.

on topic, im glad for katia. despite the fact that she has woken up naked 3 times now
Kobold

This guy is hardcore. He went way further on his quest than we ever could.
Seems like way it’s easier to just find people who already did the things we kinda wanna do and just ask what happened to them. Why doesn’t everyone do that?!
billy

http://memecenter.net/media/created/x4o558.gif
Worm Achorite

BLOODY SURPRISE!!
Roose Bolton

VAERMINA! We meet again.

And you dont have that sexy voice like you did in Skyrim, although you do have a much better quest
Digo

Heehee, Katia jumping the guard in panel two is pretty funny. The face expressions are wonderful.
Robert

Okay this is getting no where, sides the attack hasn’t started cause no oblivion gate has appeared in front of the main gate, and who says hero’s go alone? I think it would be effective to travel with three others and have two stay outside the oblivion gate to provide assistance to the guards while me and another travel into the gate to close it. Poor Katia though, I do not think her trip to the Daedric Prince of Nightmares will be very effective as she will have to go into her dreams to face them.
J’zargo’s apprentice

http://static.skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/images/17040-2-1337000640.jpg
‘Ello, jo-khajiit. What are you doing lost on the cold lands of skyrim?

ooc: OH GOD THAT TRUST FACE!
Shazbot

In #1365, Katia’s missing her little light-coloured blaze on her chest. No biggie.
Samuel McAfee

VAERMINA TIME
Dragon

” Prince of Nightmares herself”? Is that a typo?
Edit: apparently not, that’s just how the game works