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Post by DarkNova50 on Mar 9, 2009 20:12:46 GMT
As some of you might already know, this is a fanfiction I wrote some time ago, posting it on BGSF. Now, I'm posting the story in its entirety here, in its original form, because it got pushed off the proverbial edge of the Bethesda forums some time ago. This is so that if anybody wants to read this story, they can.
In addition:[/u] If anybody has the idea to post this up on another forum, then please, at the very least, include my name as the original author. There's already been one attempt at plagiarism, and it was a messy ordeal that I'd rather not repeat.
Anyway, here we go. Enjoy.
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Introduction:[/u]
This fanfic takes place around fifty years after the Oblivion Crisis. It brought around a new age of peace, yada yada yada. It's really not about that. It's about a group of adventurers trying to find the lost artifacts of Tamriel (think Umbra, Chrysamere, Ring of Phynaster etc.) which have reportedly been gathered up by some unknown entity, and stored in a mysterious tower somewhere in Tamriel.
This fanfiction is meant to be funny. In it, I will poke fun at various elements in Morrowind and Oblivion (like bugs and glitches), explore various locales, and likely enrage more than one lore buff. A few ideas from various RPs will also make some brief guest appearances, because that's always nice, too. So remember it's not meant to be accurate.
As always, feedback (constructive) is appreciated.
Credits:[/u]
Oh yeah. There's all the thanking and stuff to do. Oi...
(I will update this as it becomes necessary)
Bethesda: For making Morrowind, Oblivion, and those other TES games (that I never played). Great games, guys. Keep em' coming!
Members...
Illusionary Nothing: For letting me use the Birthright Guild and character River from her RP "Blood of the Ancients".
FC4: For letting me use Kira and Jericho, his characters from "Blood of the Ancients". And the idea behind his RP, "Dragon's Dark Crusade."
Gilboron: For letting me use his idea behind "Trapped in Tamriel".
Treetop smoker: For the use of Sakura, his lovely character based on 7200rpm's Beautiful Breton Girl.
Rain-Watcher: For the use of his character Taven, from the RP "Blood of the Ancients". (He'll show up later, though)
The Entire TES Community: Because without it, these forums would be a very barren place.
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Chapter 1: Beginnings[/u] (or something like it)
It was a stereotypically beautiful day in the Imperial City. The sun shone brightly over the bustling metropolis, and its citizens went merrily about their business. Civillians window shopped in the Market District, mages talked about their latest discoveries in the Arcane University, and Gladiators begged for swift, merciful death in the Arena. The faces of the happy, dedicated Imperial Watch dotted the streets, and all was indeed right with the world.
"Shmuck! G-gimme another..." Bruno ordered to the bartender at the Tiber Septim Hotel. The Nord's drunken state was a familiar sight there, and the unmistakable stench of mead and drunken oaf wafted through the building. His dirty blonde hair dangled loosely at his shoulders, his steel warhammer on his back.
"I think you've had enough, there," the Imperial replied. "I'm not cleaning up another one of your little 'accidents'. Once was because I work here, twice was being a good person, three times-"
"I'll tell you when I've had enough!" Bruno roared as he swung his fist, missing by at least a foot. He clamoured to the ground, and let out a mighty belch before passing out.
"Well that's always pleasant," the barkeep grumbled sarcastically.
Two of the other Hotel's patrons watched this spectacle, but said nothing. One was a young Dunmer girl, quite a pretty little thing with a few freckles and her shoulder length brown hair. She giggled to herself slightly. The other, an Altmer male not much older than the Dunmer, with a bright blonde mane, simply sighed, and attributed the incident to the somewhat uncivilized nature of Nords. Plus the man was likely an idiot.
Another Imperial, young and with dark red hair, suddenly came rushing in, and ran up to the bartender. "Micheal, I did it!" he exclaimed openly. "I found it! It's somewhere on Vvardenfell!" His eyes widened. "The tower..."
"Well, I'd hardly call that 'finding it'. Vvardenfell's a big place, Nathan," the barkeep replied. "Still though, the lost artifacts of Tamriel..."
"Excuse me!?" the Altmer burst out, running up to the counter. "The name's Alderin. I'm a scholar, quite interested in history, culture, all that good crap," he looked Nathan in the eye. "Are you saying you've found the location of..." his eyes bulged. "That tower?"
"Indeed I have," Nathan replied. "Now all I need is to get there. Wouldn't hurt to have you along, Alderin. I'm sure that you can..." he looked the Altmer up and down, realizing that he didn't look like he could really do anything. "You know on second thought..."
Conveniently 'overhearing' the conversation, the young Dunmer exploded from her seat, shoving Alderin from his spot in front of Nathan. "Hi there!" she happily exclaimed. "My name's Netta. I'm..."
"A thief," Nathan cut off, rolling his eyes.
She recoiled from the comment. "What...how'd you know?"
"Are you kidding me?" Nathan asked. "This entire encounter is so formulaic, any five year old child could have blathered it out!"
"Formulaic?" Netta asked, curious.
"He means it's an archetypical pattern," Alderin replied bitterly as he regained his composure.
"Arche-wha..." the young Dunmer clearly had no idea what he meant.
"Talos save us all!" the bartender cried out. "He means it's predictable, you ignorant hussy!"
"And I suppose you want to tag along on this little expedition, hoping to find gold, gems, standard treasure-esque jazz?" Nathan asked.
She smiled widely. "Yes, I do. Plus, it's not every day you meet someone who's found..." her eyes went dramatically wide. "The tower..."
"Dammit!" the barkeep shouted, pounding his fists on the counter. "He hasn't found anything! Do you morons have any idea how big Vvardenfell actually is?"
"Well, we may as well make a clean break, and go for four..." Nathan looked down at the passed out Nord. "He'll do."
"So, just so we're clear, we have the drunken brute, the eager thief, the scholarly mage, and the convenient leader. All on a traditional, half-baked misadventure..." Alderin rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Glad to see we're thinking outside the box..."
"Why should we think outside the box?" Nathan asked as he grabbed Bruno by the heels, and began dragging him out of the tavern. "It works, doesn't it? The box is there for a reason."
"Yeah, thinking outside that box is over-rated," Netta chimed in, following the other two outside.
"WHAT BOX!?" Micheal hollered, frustrated. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?"
And so it begins...
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Post by DarkNova50 on Mar 9, 2009 20:13:36 GMT
Chapter 2: Meet and Greet (I'm sorry, your name is?)
Sunlight bore brightly into Bruno's bloodshot eyes. From all the mead he had consumed, his vision was incredibly blurry, but he could still make out three figures ahead of him, and there was the unmistakable sensation of being dragged along the ground.
"Aw crap...not the drunk tank again..." Bruno groaned. He managed to roll over onto his stomach and grasped at the ground. "It's not my fault! It was the bartender who did it! He cast a spell on me!" Bruno cried out desperately. "He's a witch! BURN 'IM!"
Nathan turned around, hearing the Nord's pathetic cries. "Listen, you idiot," he began, releasing the drunk's feet. "We're not watchmen, and you're not going to the drunk tank." He sniffed the air around the brute. "Although its gotta smell better than you..."
"Then what...what the hell is going on?" Bruno asked, beginning to feel every ache and pain in his body. "And don't tell me that you're taking me to a 'better place'. I'm not falling for that one again..."
"Well, the four of us are going to go to Morrowind," Nathan explained. "Because..."
All the sudden, Netta ran up and quickly kicked Bruno hard in the groin. The Nord moaned in pain, still too drunk to move.
"Um, Netta...what the hell was that?" Nathan asked the chipper young Dunmer.
"You didn't see how much he drank," she replied simply. "We wanna make sure he doesn't think this is a drunken hallucination."
"I guess..."
Then, as if on cue, Alderin performed the same action. The unfortunate Nord wailed in pain as he managed to curl into a ball.
"Let me guess...just to make sure?" Nathan asked, exhasperated.
"No...I just really, really hate Nords," Alderin said in response.
"And we hate you back!" Bruno cried out.
"Listen, I think I found the tower where the artifacts of Tamriel are being kept. We're going to Morrowind to find them," Nathan explained to the Nord.
"Don't care...dying..." Bruno whispered as he convulsed in pain. "Oh, why won't Akatosh just kill me now!? Stendarr? Julianos!?" He reached into the air. "You know I love you all!"
"I think he needs another wake up call," Alderin said with a grin, retracting his foot. Nathan clubbed him in the back of the head with his fist, however, stopping the High Elf.
"So, what do you think?" Nathan asked.
"Well, what's in it for me?" Bruno retorted.
"Weren't you listening? We get our pick of a whole ass-load of ancient artifacts!" Nathan exclaimed.
"Screw that crap! There's bound to be a whole bunch of treasure!" Netta yelled.
"Bah, treasure. Think of the archeological and cultural ramifications!" Alderin hollered.
"Wait...Morrowind..." Bruno got up off the ground, a happy look in his eyes. As if all the pain in his body had suddenly been replaced by something. Something...wonderful...
"Booze..."
"Excuse me?" Nathan asked, an eyebrow cocked in puzzlement.
"Last time I checked, Morrowind had plenty of booze! Really strong, really cheap booze!" Bruno explained, giddy with the prospect. "I'm in!"
"Leave it to a Nord to corrupt such a voyage..." Alderin wailed miserably.
"So, what are your names, anyway?" Bruno asked, almost as an afterthought.
"Well, this is Netta," Nathan said, pointing to the Dunmer. "Alderin's the whiny, irritating jerk over there, and I'm Nathan." He held out his hand. "Nice to meet ya."
"Likewise," Bruno replied before he spat in his own hand. He grasped Nathan's. "I'm Bruno." He smiled immensely, and then pointed ahead. "Now forward, comrades! To liquor!"
The Nord, Dunmer, and Altmer all headed towards the waterfront, as Nathan remained stationary, looked at his defiled hand. "Great. Now I've gotta cut it off..."
Alliances made...
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Post by DarkNova50 on Mar 9, 2009 20:14:01 GMT
Chapter 3: Transportation[/b] (Are we there yet?)
"How about this boat? The 'Saucy Mare'?" Netta asked the others, eyeing up one of the many docked vessels in the waterfront.
"Classy..." Alderin muttered to himself. "May as well slap on some suspenders and start downing the crew's 'homemade brewsky'. Next!"
"We got the 'Drunken Saint' over here!" Bruno cried out. "Sounds like the voyage wouldn't be boring..."
"Even if I didn't find the very name offensive, the fact that you picked it is. Next!" Alderin exclaimed.
Netta spotted another nearby ship. She read the name off the hull. "What the...the 'Edmund Fitzgerald'?" She looked at the others. "What the hell?"
"Maybe it's a typo..." Alderin grumbled. He looked at Nathan. "So, are we gonna pick a boat or what?"
"Hell no!" Nathan shouted. "The boats here are expensive..." he glared at Bruno. "And picky about their passengers."
"I apologize for nothing!" Bruno shot back.
"We're catching a boat in Anvil. They're super cheap, and the captains aren't half as picky as the ones here," Nathan explained.
"That wasn't part of the plan, Nathan..." Alderin spat.
"What the hell are you talking about? That was always the plan, dumbass," Nathan shot back. "Just because you didn't know what the plan was, doesn't mean it never existed."
"Anvil!?" Netta cried out. "You're telling us we gotta walk all the way there!?"
"Fear not, fair wench, for I've come prepared!" Bruno exclaimed, pulling out a map of Cyrodill. "By focusing intently, I can transport all four of us to Anvil..." his eyes bulged. "Instantaneously..."
"Now this, I have gotta see..." Alderin mused, crossing his arms.
"Wench?" Netta snarled, her hand on her dagger.
Bruno clenched every muscle in his body, baring his teeth and closing his eyes. Netta watched, irritated by his previous comment. Nathan simply observed the spectacle. And Alderin started giggling, trying to keep from laughing.
After 30 seconds of silence, Bruno finally spoke. "Anything?"
"I'm gonna go ahead and say...no..." Nathan replied.
"Damn...I thought it would work..." Bruno griped. He looked around the waterfront. "Maybe if I try again..."
Alderin fell backwards, laughing merrily.
"I'm thinking that we should just start hoofing it," Nathan said to the others. "It shouldn't take too long. And if along the way, some bandits decide to kill Alderin, so much the better."
Alderin stopped laughing immediately. "That's not funny man," he responded, disturbed.
"He's right, ya know," Netta piped up. "Not dead...maybe if some ogres just had their way with him..."
"Or if they wrapped him in a carpet and soaked him in mead...that's always good..." Bruno chuckled.
"Shut up, you assholes!" Alderin screeched as he ran ahead of the group. "Just shut up!"
"Maybe you could pretty yourself up for some goblins!" Netta hollered as she began chasing after him. "I've got some make-up you could use!"
"Or we can find some Daedra to put you in a dress!" Bruno yelled, following in kind.
"SHUT UP!!!"
Nathan watched the others run ahead of him. He sighed deeply. "Yes, I was very wise to invite them along..."
Long road ahead...
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Post by DarkNova50 on Mar 9, 2009 20:17:43 GMT
Chapter 4: The Blood of the Ancients[/b] (And making it boil)
"So, which way are we heading?" Alderin asked, his temporary insanity now subsided. "To Anvil, I mean."
"Yes, Alderin, I know..." Nathan replied bitterly. "And...there's only one road to Anvil," he added, somewhat bewildered.
"Yeah, but we could always cut through the Great Forest straight to Skingrad! It would make the trip alot quicker that way," the Altmer argued.
"Are you factoring in the time it would take to bury you? You know, after you were mauled by the dozens of animals living in said forest?" Nathan asked.
"Um, guys?" Netta spoke up. "I think we have a prob-"
"Well the roads aren't much safer!" Alderin hollered, easily provoked. "We all know the Legion does a real crap job of clearing out all the stuff that wants to kill us!"
"Nathan? Alderin?" Netta said, her voice more agitated. "I think you should kno-"
"Fine!" Nathan yelled. "But don't come crying to me, when some bear rips off your arm! Cause I'm gonna laugh!"
"HEY RETARDS!!!" Netta screamed, her patience expired. "Bruno is gone!"
"What!?" Nathan exclaimed. They looked around, and finally noticed the Nord wandering towards a nearby building. "Bruno! What the hell are you doing!?"
"Mead..." Bruno muttered to himself, as he walked up to the building. The place looked like a bloody mansion; surely somebody inside would have some mead. He slammed his fist on the door. "Mead!"
Nathan tackled the witless Nord, pinning him on the ground. "Seriously, what the hell, man?" he asked, his face mere inches above the Nord's. The stench almost made him puke.
Suddenly, the door to the building opened. A relatively short, but attractive, young Breton girl, with short, black hair, and bright blue eyes, cocked an eyebrow at the sight of Nathan on top of Bruno. She smiled slightly, bemused. "Um...can I help you?" the young woman asked, her voice perplexed, but kind.
"My friend here was just being an oaf," Nathan replied to the woman, as he got up off the ground. "He does that...well, since I've known him, actually..." he poked his head inside the door, and noted the massive, and grand, nature of the interior. "What is this place?"
The woman smiled proudly, standing up to her full height. "This...is the Birthright Guild," she replied happily.
"The Birthright Guild?" Alderin asked as he and Netta ran up. "How come I've never heard of it?"
"You still wouldn't have heard of it, if Bruno hadn't wandered over here," Nathan shot back.
A young Imperial lad, with brown hair and a rather crooked nose, walked up to the Breton. "River, come back inside," he looked at Nathan and his group. "And stop talking to these bums."
"Jeri!" the young woman scolded. "Stop that, you're being rude."
"Yeah...Jeri..." Alderin mocked. "We wouldn't want that now, would we?"
"Shut your puke face, elf-tard!" Nathan exploded, smacking Alderin upside the head. The other Imperial looked at the Altmer with distaste and irritation.
Another two people walked up to the door. One was a very attractive young Breton, with long black hair, and purple-silver eyes. She wore a lovely violet dress, that hugged her curves and showed off her figure. Nathan almost drooled, until he noticed the other individual. A rather large, and rather mean-looking, Redguard, with scars covering his arms. He wrapped one arm around the woman.
"Where are my manners?" the first Breton asked herself. "My name's River. This is Jericho, and over there are Kira and Will," she introduced. River gave a slight curtsy, Jericho nodded slightly, and Kira smiled warmly. Will, the Redguard, simply huffed, his expression unchanged.
"Well I'm Nathan, here's Netta, and this here is Bruno," Nathan began. "Oh yeah, there's also Alderin."
"Yes, I'm sure you're all very honoured to meet me," Alderin said with a grin. The Birthright Guild members all seemed quite perplexed at this notion, however.
"So..." Nathan began, uncomfortable. "What does this guild...do?"
"Well," River began, "we accept people from all walks of life. We offer shelter...a home, for those who need it," she said, a noble purpose in her voice. "We also offer training for those who are..." she looked to Jericho, then Kira. "Special."
There was an awkward silence, and the suspense was palpable. It was as if the moment was epic...as if it meant something...
"...sounds like a cult," Alderin said simply. Netta's eyes practically exploded from her head, and Nathan recoiled physically from shock. Bruno simply stood there, oblivious.
"E-excuse me?" River asked, taken aback.
"What'd you say!?" Jericho barked angrily.
Will took a menacing step forward, enraged. "Kira..." he growled, but the young woman placed a firm hand on his chest. "Will, no," she said softly. She looked back at the party. "I assure you, we are not a cult," she said defensively. "This guild...is like a sanctuary...a family for those who have none..."
"I...I'm sure what Alderin meant to say was..." Nathan began, trying to defuse the situation. "I mean..."
"All I'm saying, is that it sounds like a front for a cult," Alderin said, calmly. He shrugged in a nonchalant manner. "In fact, I can't even list the number of cults that have pulled this stunt. Alot of necromancers, too, if you catch my drift," he added, his tone that of a joke.
But it seemed it was the wrong croud. All signs of anger and irritation disappeared from River and Jericho, and they looked over at Kira, a look of confusion and worry in their eyes.
Kira was seering with anger, her eyes gates to the emotion roaring within. She was hunched slightly, and she breathed heavily, her teeth slightly bared. She looked back at the Redguard, removing her hand. "Will? Now you can kill them!"
"Uh oh..." Nathan managed to mutter.
Both Nathan and Alderin careened away from the door, as the Redguard hit them both with a flying drop kick. The Imperial lad swept the feet from under Bruno with terrifying speed, and then kicked him towards his comrades. Seeing where it was headed, Netta simply bowed politely before rejoining the others.
"Fine! We don't wanna join your crappy guild anyway!" Alderin yelled. "We'll make our own guild! With talking guars!"
"And booze!" Bruno added, before belching loudly.
"And male hookers!" Netta chimed. She helped the others up. "What do you think about that!?"
Suddenly, the Redgaurd began running at them, brandishing what looked like a very large, and very heavy, claymore. He yelled incoherently, a look of rage about him.
"Alderin, I've decided your idea to cut through the forest is a fine plan...a fine plan," Nathan said, beginning to run.
"Just book it!" Alderin screeched, as he and the rest of the group made best speed towards the depths of the forest.
Faintly, their four voices could be heard, as if an echoing chorus, as they ran desperately at top speed. "Tra-la-la, la-la la-la..."
Out of the frying pan...
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Post by DarkNova50 on Mar 9, 2009 20:18:29 GMT
Chapter 5: A Shadow Over Hackdirt[/b] (Again?)
"Alderin, I can't thank you enough for managing to turn a bunch of harmless guild members into homicidal sociopaths," Nathan snarled as they moved through the forest. He wasn't typically one to isolate himself from potential allies.
"Bah, guilds these days are too touchy," Alderin scowled, waving his hand. Shadows from the trees played over his face as he walked. "Back in my day, to be in a guild, you had to be tough! Had to suck it up! But now, it's all politics and handshakes..."
"Right..." Nathan murmured, realizing the Altmer wasn't really old at all.
The four adventurers stumbled upon a small settlement in the forest. Along the east side, there were a number of buildings that were half-burnt down, yet the frames were still standing. It didn't help much that the other buildings looked extremely old, and run down. As the sun began to set, long shadows stretched across the area, and only reinforced the deserted nature of the locale. Odd noises could be heard coming from several buildings.
"I've got a warm, fuzzy feeling about this place," Netta remarked, wandering around, observing the area. "The kind you get right before somebody stabs you, ya know?" She walked around, looking at several of the buildings.
"It's getting pretty dark, you guys," Bruno said, looking at the sky as it turned a deep orange. "Maybe we should set up for the night?" He looked over at Nathan, who was still standing on the outskirts of the settlement.
"Here? In this place?" Nathan asked, walking forward. He picked a random copper amulet off the ground, and observed it. "I'd rather make my own village..."
"Come on, Nathan. Don't be so timid. Where's your sense of adventure?" Alderin goaded, walking over to a nearby sign, and then brushing the dust and soot off it. "Moslin's Inn..."
"My sense of adventure? How cliché can you get?" Nathan shot back. "Anyway, I'm all for adventure...I just don't want to get murdered in my sleep by some psychotic villager..." He threw the amulet at one of the burned out buildings.
A flock of ravens exploded from the building, letting out loud, high pitched caws. As they fled the town, an eerie wind wisped through the buildings, and the sun sank below the horizon.
"Screw this crap, I'm out," Netta said before bolting for the open forest. Bruno, however, grabbed her by the collar, preventing her from fleeing. She struggled a moment, but gave up, as Bruno carried her over by Alderin.
"Well, we may as well check it out, people," Alderin said to the others. "After all, how bad can it be, right?" A wolf howled in the distance, and another strong gust of wind blew through the village. All three members glared at Alderin. He shrugged, and went inside.
The interior of the place was a mess. Tables were turned over everywhere, spoiled food littered the ground, and only a few candles provided any illumination. A man stood at the counter, a massive scar streaking over his right eye. He scowled at the party.
"Nice place you got here," Nathan said, walking towards the man. "Coat of paint, complete overhaul, you'd have yourself a regular King and Queen, I'll tell you wha-"
"State yer business, outsider," the man snarled. He tapped the counter with his grotesque, discoloured fingernails, and smacked his lips occasionally. His teeth were even worse than the fingernails...
Nathan simply smiled. "Right...we'd like a room for the night, preferably a cheap one...we're kinda on a budget, ya kno-"
"The room's 60 septims," the man growled. He looked down as he pulled out an iron dagger, and stabbed a large spider crawling across the counter. He licked his lips as he looked at it, before looking back up at Nathan. "A head, that is."
"Yeah screw this..." Nathan replied as he turned around to face the others. "The Tiber Septim doesn't charge that much, and at least that place doesn't look like it came out of Sheogorath's nightmare..."
"Yeah, I'll risk it with the animals," Netta remarked as she tried to wriggle free of Bruno's grasp. "Let me down, dammit!" she yelled as she kicked him in the groin. The Nord doubled over, and groaned in pain.
The innkeeper, now noticing Netta, looked her up and down in approval, smacking his lips. "Yes...yes you'll do..." he muttered, before looking at the others. "Tell ya what. You can have the room for 10 septims, for the lot."
"Gimme a break..." Nathan began bitterly, as Bruno picked himself up behind him. People didn't just drop the price by 230 septims on a whim. "How stupid do you think we ar-"
"Sweet! Thanks, buddy," Alderin said as he headed upstairs. Nathan gave the innkeep one more look of disgust, and headed upstairs with the others.
"My pleasure..." the innkeep chuckled.
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"See, now that is negotiating a price!" Alderin boasted, the four of them sitting on beds in the room upstairs. The place was in similar condition to the rest of the inn. "Maybe some day I'll show you all my...killer skills..."
Nathan covered his face with his hands. "Alderin, you mental midget! Psychos don't just drop their price from 240 septims to 10 without a reason!" He turned to his Dunmer companion. "No offense, Netta, but you ain't that good looking."
Netta gave him a disapproving look as Bruno too looked at Nathan. "Then what do they want? Because if I find myself fighting off another village of cannibals, I'm gonna start thinking that maybe it's me." He got up and began jostling a bit, a frown on his face. "Dammit, Netta, I think you finally broke it."
Alderin's face turned into one of disgust as Nathan thought. "Well, some small cults like to sacrifice virgins..." He looked at Netta. "Maybe that's why he changed the price when he saw you?"
"Well if that's the case, they'll be disappointed," Netta simply replied. "That boat set sail a long time ago..." She pointed her nose up and to the side, as if somehow defending her honour.
"I...I don't wanna hear that..." Nathan protested. He stood up, and walked to the door. "Well I'm gonna go see what the hell is going on in this crap shanty. Who's coming with?"
Netta and Bruno both got up and lined up behind him, as Alderin watched the trio. He fell backwards in bed. "But I am lé tired!" he whined miserably. "Can't we just give them Netta and get some shut eye?"
"Dammit Bruno, get him moving!" Nathan ordered. "Carry him if you have to!" He sighed, and whispered to Netta as Bruno grabbed a struggling Alderin. "I can't believe I'm choosing to keep that whiny bastard alive..."
"Don't worry, Nathan," Netta whispered back as Alderin kicked and screamed in the background, knocking down what little there was not on the floor. "I'm sure he'll turn out...not to be completely useless...eventually...?"
"The optimist of the group..." he chuckled to the Dunmer. He faced Bruno, and a disgruntled Alderin trapped in a bearhug. "Let's move out, ladies."
The group crept down the stairs, noting that the demented innkeeper seemed to be gone. "Alright, let's see if we can find anything around here," Nathan instructed the others. "Anything, as the Khajiits like to say...incriminating?"
"Oh yeah! Sure, eh!? It's a great plan!" Alderin replied sarcastically as the other three began looking around the inn. "How stupid would you have to be to leave something like that just laying around in a bloody inn?"
"Why don't you tell us, Alderin?" Netta asked, while rumaging through a drawer and pocketing everything of worth. "You seem to be the local expert on all things stupid, after all."
The Altmer was about to reply, when Bruno spoke out from behind a divider. "Hey, guys? I think I found something!" he cried out excitedly. Both Nathan and Netta ran to his location, and Bruno finally released Alderin. There was a trap door in the floor...in plain sight, mind you, that led to some underground caverns. "I did good, right?" Bruno asked.
Nathan simply patted the excited Nord on the head. "Bruno, my friend, don't ever change," he replied happily as he climbed into the depths below. Netta followed, and then Alderin. Finally, Bruno simply jumped down the chute, and they began exploring the caves.
"I woulda found that door eventually, ya know," Alderin bragged, as they wandered aimlessly. "I was just too distracted by your inane banter..."
"Shut your word hole!" Bruno threatened, before they heard a noise, They followed it through the caverns, until finally they found a large metal cage in a large section of the cavern. In it, a young Breton girl lay, apparently asleep. She wore high heels, white stockings with a mini skirt, and a black, sleeveless shirt. She had light brown hair, and wore a golden circlet around her forehead. The foursome approached cautiously.
"Damn..." Alderin commented with a grin, walking closer to the cell. "I'm not usually one for Breton girls, but she is one-"
Suddenly, the woman shot up from her position, shoved one arm through the bars and grabbed Alderin by the neck, choking him. His eyes rolled back in his head as he desperately tried to escape her grasp, but to no avail. The woman's blue eyes softened slightly as she looked upon the others, and she released Alderin. "You-you're not the bastards that captured me..." she said, her voice delicate and feminine, yet authorative. "Who are you?"
"Well, that's kinda complicated..." Nathan replied, unsure of how to respond. "I'm Nathan, with me are Bruno and Netta, and the retarded Elf you were just strangling is Alderin." He walked up closer to the cell. "Mind if I ask who you are?"
"Me? My name's Sakura," the woman replied, looking between the various members of the group. "I don't suppose one of you could get me out of here?"
Netta cheerfully rushed to the door, pulling out a lockpick, and began working on the door. "So what are you doing here, anyway?" Nathan asked as the young Dunmer worked.
"Well...it's kind of a long story..." Sakura replied, with a bit of a frown.
"Crap!" cursed Netta. She threw the ruined lockpick to the ground and inserted a fresh one.
"Something tells me we have time..." Nathan muttered, walking closer to the cell.
"Well, I was travelling through, just exploring the wilderness as I often do..." she began. "It was dark out, and then I noticed this little town, and figured I'd settle in for the night. But instead, a bunch of psychos attacked me!" she explained. "I managed to kill of at least a dozen of them..."
"By yourself?" Nathan asked, impressed.
"Anyway, then I noticed who must've been their leader. A real mean looking Imperial guy, in ebony armour," she continued, crossing her arms. "I started running at him...ya know, to kill him...when I..." she paused, embarassed. "When I fell."
"You mean you fell for him?" Nathan asked, "and he stuck you in here?"
"No!" Sakura shot back. "I...fell..."
"What, fell under a spell? Fell down a hole? Your fatigue level fell?" Nathan guessed.
"Dumbass, no!" Sakura shouted. "There...must've been a tree root or something...I don't know..." she turned her head to the side. "I tripped and I fell."
"Oh...well...it's no big deal..." Nathan said, sympathetic. "It happens to the best of-"
Alderin began laughing hysterically. "Hahaha!!! Wipeout!" he slapped his knees, doubling over with laughter. "Ah, that never gets old..."
"Just ignore Alderin...I think his mother pounded back on 'the sugar' a little too hard if you know what I mean..." Nathan said kindly.
Sakura smiled weakly, but it faded when she looked up. "Uh...Netta, you almost done there?" she asked.
"Almost...why?" Netta asked back, biting her lip.
"We got company...and they don't look happy..." Sakura replied, pointing behind the men. Nathan, Alderin, and Bruno turned around to see at least a dozen shirtless men, wielding clubs, axes and bows.
"Outsiders! KILL!" one of the men shouted.
"Awe, hell..." Alderin moaned, bringing out his staff. Bruno readied his hammer.
Nathan unsheathed his silver longsword, a look of angry determination on his face. "I love a parade..."
'Cause that's...where a brethren's...gonna be...
*Fade to black...
"Hey Nathan?"
"Yeah Alderin?"
"Your parade comment...it didn't make any sense..."
"...yeah...yeah I know..."
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Post by DarkNova50 on Mar 9, 2009 20:18:56 GMT
Chapter 6: Those Filthy Hackdirtians[/u] (Target Practice)
Alderin looked nervously at the newcomers. "Well...h-hey there...fellas..." he stammered. "I don't suppose you could...I dunno...tell us how to get to Anvil from here?"
"I'm afraid not..." a voice cackled from the shadows. "You see, you're not going anywhere..." The innkeeper from earlier, wearing a suit of ebony armour, emerged. "Ever again..."
"Well that hardly sounds like it's worth ten septims!" Nathan yelled. "I want a damn refund!"
"There are no refunds here..." the man replied cryptically. "You see, according to the town charter, management is not held liable for any misfortune during this little visit," the man chuckled. He pulled out an ebony longsword. "Namely, the killing of you..."
"Aw crap..." Nathan muttered. "There's ten septims I'll never see again..."
The group of shirtless men rushed Bruno, Nathan and Alderin, while their leader remained behind, choosing to watch...apparently.
"I feel obligated to warn you..." Alderin began nervously, as two of the men slowly advanced on him. "I have powers!...um...er...economic powers! Oh yeah, what with inflation, and slush funds..."
"Alderin, give it a rest already!" Nathan growled as he parried with three of the brethren, barely dodging each assault.
Netta muttered to Sakura as she worked desperately on the lock. "Can you believe this? An entire village of psychopaths, with weapons, that capture people and store them underground?" Netta asked. "If you forget they're trying to kill us...it's actually kinda hot."
Sakura's expression turned into one of confused horror. "You don't get out alot, do you?"
Bruno swung his hammer in massive arcs, repelling the four brethren trying to attack. A fifth, however, managed to get behind Bruno with a bow, unnoticed. He drew back the string...took aim...
...and fired.
Bruno's eyes bulged in pain as the arrow struck, and he recoiled a moment. "I'm hit!" he yelled out, before reaching behind him, and pulling out the arrow. "That little bastard just shot me...RIGHT IN THE ASS!" He swung his hammer madly, connecting with one of the brethren and sending him flying.
"Dude, in the ass?" one of the brethren asked, dodging Bruno's attack. "Why not go for something a little more important!?"
"Shut up!" the brethren archer screamed, panicked, as he nocked another arrow. "Stop yellin' at me!"
Alderin waved his staff furiously, and the archer flew clumsily into a wall accompanied by a hard crack. However, three of the brethren now approached the High Elf. "Um...how you doin' over there Nathan?" he asked, bringing up his staff.
"Oh, I'm great, eh! You know it!" Nathan yelled back. He was currently braced against a wall, his longsword the only thing between his neck and a brethren's steel battleaxe. The brethren pushed harder, and the two weapons slowly came closer to his neck. "Netta, my dear," Nathan began, calmly and politley. "I don't mean to panic you, but do you think that you could release Sakura immediately please?"
"I'm workin' on it!" Netta hollered in response, as an iron war axe sailed past her head, landing in the cell. "It would help some if you chuckas wouldn't let those guys keep throwing weapons at me!"
"My bad!" Alderin replied, gripping his staff with both hands again. "Melee weapons aren't really my forté." The archer, now back up, aimed at him. "And who in the hell are you callin' a chucka!?"
"I'm callin you a chucka!" Netta screamed, as she desperately worked at the lock. "Why won't this open! All the tumblers are locked in place!" she hollered.
"Netta, try turning the knob," Sakura suggested, pointing at the outside of the door. With a dumbfounded look, Netta did so, and the door creaked open.
Sakura's face turned to one of sadistic glee as she picked up the iron war axe. "Payback time..." She ran to Nathan's position, easily decapitating the brethren assaulting him. She threw the war axe across the room, where it lodged in one of Alderin's assailants, and she then grabbed the steel battleaxe from the her first kill. She ran to Alderin, and with a single, roundabout swipe, killed his other attackers, including the archer. She lunged across the room, doing a perfect backflip in midair, and dispatched the remaining brethren attacking Bruno.
The cavern was perfectly still for a moment, as the Hackdirt leader, Sakura, Nathan and the others all remained silent. Finally, Alderin spoke up. "Meh, the finish was a little sloppy. I'd give it a seven."
The man in the ebony armour, however, ignored this. "I must give you credit, little girl, you've done well," he chuckled. "But surely you must see that you can't hope to defeat me! The extent of my training far exceeds yours, and-"
Sakura ran up with blinding speed, and swiped at the man's neck. A single, solid red line formed where she cut. The man did not seem angry, or even confused, but instead pleasantly surprised. "Huh. You seem to have cut my head off," he stated simply. "Touché."
With that, the head and the body fell simply on the ground. Sakura dropped her axe next to the body as she headed towards the others. "Excessive monologues are for nerds..." she growled.
Bruno and Netta rejoined Nathan and Alderin, and the group watched as a relatively unscathed Sakura slowly approached him. She stopped a few feet ahead of them, her expression neutral, and simply stared at them. "...I think I just crapped myself..." Alderin whispered.
Sakura's expression changed, though, as she smiled happily. "The four of you have my eternal gratitude for freeing me," she explained, as she kneeled in front of them. "I am forever in your debt."
Nathan sighed in relief. "I though that was going a different direction..." he muttered happily. "Don't worry, Sakura. We were happy to help." There was a dull thud as Alderin passed out, landing on his back. Netta knelt down next to him.
"So where are you four going, anyway?" Sakura asked, getting up and walking to Nathan. "Didn't really get a chance to ask earlier."
"Oh, well we're heading to Vvardenfell, to find the lost artifacts of Tamriel..." Nathan replied. "You know..." his eyes went wide. "The tow-"
"Yes, the tower, I'm familiar with it," Sakura replied. She looked down at Alderin and Netta. "Is he okay?" she asked.
"Wha-" Netta looked up, her hands still moving through Alderin's pockets. "Oh! I..." she stood up, pulling out her hands as the odd coin fell out. "Um...I think he's alright..."
"He just needs a little wake up brewsky!" Bruno exclaimed, reaching into his shirt and pulling out a flagon of mead. He opened it up, and dumped its contents on Alderin's face.
The Altmer woke up sputtering, the mead dripping down his face. His eyes barely opened. "What the..." he muttered as the liquor made its way into his eyes. They shot open in pain and surprise, as his pupils shrank. "...it...BURNS!!!" he screamed, writhing on the floor.
"Alderin, your dignity!" Nathan scolded as he picked up the Altmer. Alderin scowled at Bruno, who simply laughed. Netta rolled her eyes in disbelief.
Sakura giggled lightly as the five of them made their way to one of the nearby ladders. "Seems you've got quite the team, here," she commented cheerfully.
"Yup, we've barely left the Imperial City and our lives have already been endangered a couple of times..." Nathan replied, climbing up the ladder. "It's always a freakin' party..."
Together, the five of them made their way slightly south of Hackdirt, where the quartet faced Sakura. "Well, I guess this is goodbye, then," Nathan said with a slight smile. "It's been nice meeting you, Sakura. You know, outside the almost dying."
Sakura simply smiled as she placed both hands on Nathan's shoulders. "Don't worry, my friends," she said, before turning around and beginning to walk away. "I know our paths will cross again..."
The group watched as she walked off into the forest, and disappeared amongst the foliage.
"Wow..." Alderin began. "What a crap example of foreshadowing. Real subtle, that is," he whined as the group began south, for Skingrad.
"Stop yer bellyaching!" Netta exclaimed angrily. "Can't you ever just be grateful for something!?"
"Yeah...real grateful..." Alderin muttered. "We should celebrate every time we all almost die!"
And the bickering, groaning, and subsequent screaming of the group carried on well into the night...
Counties to explore...
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Post by DarkNova50 on Mar 9, 2009 20:20:03 GMT
Chapter 7: Difficulty in Skingrad (Self-induced trauma)
Nathan and the others emerged from the forest, and finally looked upon the towering walls of Skingrad. As the sun slowly rose, a beam of light shot out from over the walls, illuminating the quartet. "Bah!" Nathan cried out, covering his eyes as they struggled to compensate.
They made their way through the colossal gates, and headed first for the city's chapel. Despite Alderin's complaining, Bruno needed some healin'.
"He'll be fine!" Alderin shouted obnoxiously in the streets. Angry residents opened their balconies and glared down at the irritating tourists. "Besides, it's been said that time heals all wounds!"
"Somehow, Alderin, I don't think they had an arrow to the ass in mind when they said that..." Nathan countered, as they entered the chapel. A large number of people were currently gathered there, praying.
The four adventurers made their way past the groups of patrons, and approached the large altar in the chapel. "Yeah, we'd like one batch of healing, ASAP," Nathan requested, knocking on the circular altar. "Oh yeah, and praise the Nine, feed the hungry, etcetera..."
"You have already received your blessing today," a calm voice echoed through their minds.
"What!?" Alderin exclaimed. "We haven't got crap from you slouches! Now less yammin', more jammin'!"
"Shh!" one of the many patrons hissed at Alderin and the others.
"You have already received your blessing today," the voice repeated simply.
"What the hell is this, some kinda joke!? 'Cause it ain't funny!" Alderin hollered, making a scene.
"Quiet!" another patron scolded.
"Oh go to hell!" Alderin shot back. He turned around and kicked the massive altar, infuriated. A ball of blue light formed and crashed into him, sending him careening through the chapel, towards the back.
"Well I'd say our work in Skingrad is just about done..." Netta said, briskly clasping her hands together.
A chapel healer came up from the undercroft; a rather friendly looking Redguard. "How can I help you?" he asked the group, including Alderin, who was laying on his back in a daze. The man's voice was serene...at peace. The poor bastard never really had a chance.
"Yeah, I got me a busted ass over here!" Bruno shouted, pointing at where the arrow went in. "And I am gettin' no lovin'! None!"
"SHUT YER TRAP YOU MISERABLE OAF!!!" one of the patrons screamed hysterically.
"Have you repented your sins, my son?" the healer asked timidly, a weak smile on his face.
"Yeah, that's not the problem. Apparently we've 'already received our blessing today'..." Nathan complained mockingly. "I think your Altar of the Nine is broken."
"Altar of the Ten," the Redguard corrected. "There are ten Divines."
Netta counted on her fingers, confused. "You got your Akatosh, Arkay, Julianos, Stendarr, Talos, Dibella, Mara, Kynareth and Zenithar..." she tallied up. "That's nine." She gave the others a bewildered look. "Am I missing somebody?"
"Not unless they recently added Jim-Bob-Bob the Butler," Alderin spat. "Who the hell is this tenth Divine?"
"Why Horus Domitran, of course," the Redguard replied happily, walking them over to a plaque hanging on the wall. On it was a carving of the Divine, and his name beneath it. The Divine's left head was that of a dragon, which wore a helmet, barely noticeable, made out of scales. The right head was human, young and clean shaved. He wore a cloak, and held a circle made of three olive branches.
"Horus Domitran, the Divine of peace, and unity," the Redguard explained, his voice full of faith and humility. "The circle that he holds is symbolic of the eternal connection between the Empire, the dragons, and the Divi-"
"Holy crap..." Alderin interrupted, scratching his head as he closely observed the plaque. "Does anybody else think this guy looks like some kinda Daedra?"
"Well this should end well..." Netta piped up, sarcastic. "All ya gotta do is wait for it..."
The Redguard took a step back, too shocked for words. "B-b-blasphemy!" he finally hollered, shaking from the shock of the Altmer's words. "How dare you!"
"How dare I?" Alderin retorted, obviously unaware of the magnitude of his ignorance. "I'm not the one worshipping some 'supposed' Divine who just happens to look like a Daedra..." he shrugged at Bruno. "Can you believe some people?"
Now, Bruno was not the smartest Nord around...everybody knew that. But he was smart enough to come up with an appropriate response to Alderin. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" he asked the Elf, feining infamiliarity.
"I...I don't believe this!" the Redguard hollered. "Have you lost your mind!? Comparing the great Horus Domitran...to a Daedra!?!?" His hands grabbed clumps of his own hair as his eyes went wide with horror.
"Alderin, I'm begging you..." Nathan pleaded with the Altmer. "Just...let it...g-"
"If he's so great, then why doesn't he have his own window? Or an altar?" Alderin asked, cocky. "All he's got is some crap plaque in the corner!"
"Do you have any idea how expensive it is to refit one of these chapels, junior?" the Redguard accused, pointing a finger in Alderin's face. His face was full of fury...a righteous anger. "Well? This isn't like the Tribunal, where we stick some rock in the middle of a field and call it a religious landmark!"
"Hey!" Netta shot back, placing her hands on her hips. "Cheap shot!"
"To do what you're proposing, we'd have to refit the whole bloody thing!" the Redguard raged on. "Move all the windows, all the altars! Change the whole layout to make it symmetrical again! In every chapel in Cyrodill!" His hands flew into the air. "It was bad enough when Tiber Septim ascended! You ever wonder why the forts were really abandoned after that!? Upkeep is expensive, son!"
"So let me see if I understand you...you're skimping on the basics of your own religion...the foundation of the Empire...because it's too expensive?" Alderin asked, bemused and sarcastic. "Classy."
"Look, who Akatosh does and doesn't ascend...is up to Akatosh!" the Redguard roared. "But so long as the taxpayers remain stingy, Horus Domitran will just have to be happy with his little corner of the chapel!" He pointed at the door, his head drooping. "Now...get out..."
"What!?" Nathan exclaimed. "But my friend here still has a busted ass!"
"Busted ass..." Bruno echoed.
"I don't care!" the Redguard yelled, pulling out a steel crossbow. "Take your prejudice, and git yer skinny ass out!"
The four of them began for the other side of town as the sturdy chapel doors locked behind them. "Alderin, I have to give you credit..." Nathan muttered. "You've managed to turn every confrontation with an organized group thus far...into a 101 on alienation."
"Meh...it's a calling..." Alderin responded. "Besides, you have no idea how easy it is to alienate everyone you meet when you actually know something about their history."
Netta clasped her hands together and placed them at the side of her face, speaking in a sweet voice. "It's every little girl's dream to alienate everyone they meet..."
Bruno looked behind them, as a group of four county guards approached. "Crap, I smell bacon..." he mumbled. They all drew their longswords. "Angry bacon..."
"Holy hell!" Nathan cursed, looking up and throwing his arms in the air. "Won't this nightmare ever end!?"
"Well well, if it isn't Netta..." the captian sneered, as he approached. "You're under arrest!"
"Netta...?" Nathan inquired.
"Yeah...I've got a price on my head here," she answered innocently. "I honestly didn't think it would come up..."
"AWDAMMIT!" Nathan hollered. He turned to the captain. "What are the charges against her?"
The captain scowled. "She's wanted on charges of theft, petty theft, grand theft, embezzlement, fraud, forgery, and disturbing the peace!" he listed. "And...another charge..." he shuddered. "We don't have a technical description for it, but it's illegal...it has to be..."
"I'm disputing that charge!" Netta hollered. "What a woman does with her own time in the comfort of her room is of no concern to the government!"
"It is when it's that...it always is, when it's that..." one of the guards muttered. "And the guards back in the day thought Glarthir was crazy..."
"Well what in the hell was it, exactly!?" Nathan yelled. "Necromancy!? Daedra worship!? Pricking beggars with pins!?"
"No, no!" the captain shouted. "We have established protocols...for all of those! But this..." he closed his eyes and shuddered again, before looking back at Netta. "You know the drill! Pay the fine..." he leveled his sword. "Or be jailed..."
"You're forgetting the third option..." Netta replied kindly, her hands behind her back.
"Oh? What's that?" the captain asked, interested.
Netta suddenly shoved him over, and ran the other way. "The option where you eat shit and die!" she yelled. "C'mon guys, BOOK IT!"
The others reluctantly ran behind Netta, out of the city and back onto the road. "It wasn't my fault that time, right?" Alderin asked as they ran. "You all saw it was Netta, not me, right?"
"Friggin' elves!" Nathan shouted. "Lousy healer...stupid everything!"
The four continued running...along the road...towards Kvatch...
Old acquaintances...
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Post by DarkNova50 on Mar 9, 2009 20:20:36 GMT
Chapter 8: Ruins of Kvatch[/u] (Savlian wuz here)
The sky was dark and thick with rainclouds, and lightning roiled through the sky! Rain fell heavily upon the ground around Kvatch...but, faintly over the sound of water pummeling the ground, a voice could be heard...
"...and that was how my third boyfriend ended up worshipping Sheogorath..." Netta explained to the others. "Now, my fourth was already a little unbalanced, so I feel that..."
"Please...just make it stop..." Alderin groaned as Netta rambled on. Halfway between Skingrad and Kvatch, Nathan had the brilliant idea of asking what exactly Netta had done in Skingrad.
And that was when all three men had been scarred for life...
"Netta!" Nathan cried out frantically. "I'm fairly certain I speak for the whole group when I say we're on the brink of a four way murder-suicide pact...so give it a rest already!"
"Fine fine..." she replied. "Although I still haven't gotten to what happened in Skingrad with my fifth boyfriend! You see..."
Bruno desperately clasped his hands over his ears, as Nathan pressed on miserably, enduring the torture. Alderin collapsed to his hands and knees and crawled through the mud awhile, laughing hysterically.
The quartet finally made their way to the top of the winding path. Each had their own ideas of what they would do in Kvatch...sleep, eat, drink...other...things... But alas, when they looked upon the city, smoke billowed from the ruins, and scorched earth marked the entrance.
Bruno calmly walked up to Nathan. "Nathan...what the hell is going on?" the Nord asked, keeping his disappointment...and blood curdling rage...in check.
"Well, I mean I know it had been destroyed during the Oblivion Crisis...but that was over fifty years ago!" Nathan yelled, confused. "I guess I just assumed..."
"Well, this is where I check out everyone!" Alderin screamed happily as he fell back on his knees. "Night!" He collapsed face-first in the mud, air bubbles frothing around his head.
"Well...we may as well check it out..." Nathan managed to mutter, heading for the city gates. Netta and Bruno each grabbed one of Alderin's legs, and dragged him through the mud, the odd air bubble surfacing next to his head.
The foursome wearily made their way through the chapel, noting the remains of few legionnaires, and a city guard. They walked over a short bridge, and finally made their way to the city's ruined castle. There really wasn't much left of the county...most everything was destroyed.
As they entered the castle, Alderin shook free of Netta and Bruno's respective grasps, and stood back up, wiping the mud from his face. Noticing a skeleton a few feet from the door, Nathan walked over and read a note it held in its hand...
"Savlian Matius...due to a lack of public interest, plans to rebuild Kvatch have been indefinitely postponed. My condolences...
Please find enclosed my mother's recipe for apple pie. It's not a construction crew, but it's something...Chancellor Ocato."
"Well, the Elder Council is doing a real bang-up job of running the Empire..." Bruno grumbled. "Yeesh..."
Suddenly, there was a noise at the door. "Dammit! Everyone hide!" Nathan yelled, and the four made their way up the stairs near the back, and hid behind a protruding pillar.
Once hidden, the group watched as a massive horde of people, headed by a disgruntled Altmer, entered the castle. Most of the people behind the Elf wore odd, red robes. They filed into position throughout the hall as the Altmer made his way up the stairs, and turned his back to Nathan and the others, a few feet away.
"Alright, people, listen up..." the Altmer began with a rather arrogant voice. "Here's the new plan to take over Tamriel...now I..." he paused as one of the acolytes lifted his hand. "Yes, Acolyte 451, what is it now?"
"Actually, I'm Acolyte 452. She's Acolyte 451..." the man said, pointing across the room. "Anyway, I hate to belittle your plan Master Camoran, but how are we supposed to pull this off? I mean before, there was an amulet you could just steal...but how are we supposed to make off with a 100 foot dragon statue!?"
"Well, I've developed a system of ropes and pulleys, through which..." Mankar Camoran stopped. "What the hell...if you're so down on the plan, why did you join up!?"
"Are you serious?" the acolyte asked. "The inside of these robes are all 100% Colovian silk...and to get it, all I had to do was join some psycho ass cult!?" He raised his arms happily. "Now that is the best bargain in Tamriel!"
Mankar furrowed his brow. "Colovian silk..." His expression then morphed into one of surprise, and horror. "But...we can't afford that!!!" he looked pleadingly at a nearby Dunmer. "Harrow! Is this true!?"
"I'm afraid so, Master," the Dunmer replied. "But, we are all now quite stylish, I must say!"
"So my plan of ropes and pulleys..."
The Dunmer shook his head. "Completely out of our price range..."
"YOU A-HOLES!!!" Mankar hollered angrily, grabbing his hair. "Years of planning...down the hole!"
"It took you years to come up with that plan?" Acolyte 452 asked. "Sad..."
"These guys are all retards..." Nathan whispered to the others. "If we wait for them to leave, then we can-"
"BRUNO SMASH!!!" Bruno cried out, running at Mankar. The Altmer turned around in surprise, and barely dodged the warhammer racing at his face. Bruno lept off the ledge and into the group of followers, who then froze in surprise.
"Bruno what the hell!?" Nathan cried out, as he and the others revealed themselves. "There was a plan in place!"
"No smash?" Bruno asked, dissappointed.
"Who the hell are you shmucks!?" Mankar roared at Nathan, Alderin and Netta. "Why are you here!?"
"Well, we're apparently here to ruin your day...thanks to super-Nord over there..." Nathan answered bitterly, as Netta and Alderin reluctantly filed down the steps, flanking the Mythic Dawn and backing up Bruno.
"Well then...I guess I'll be seeing you assholes around!" Mankar cried out, and waved his hands...nothing happened. "Where the hell is my paradise!?"
"We haven't gotten the new one up yet, Master..." Harrow replied as he turned to face Alderin.
"Morons!" Mankar cried out as he turned to face Nathan. "Then...take care of his friends!" he cried to his followers. "As for you...looks like I'll be beating you the old fashioned way..."
"In a timely fashion, with no boring monologue?" Nathan asked, bringing up his fists.
"To death!" Mankar yelled, raising his fists as well. He lunged forward, his arm stretched before him.
BANG!!![/b]
Nathan staggered backwards a moment. "Man, I will corpse you up!" Nathan yelled, wiping a trickle of blood from his mouth. "Corpse you up, and give you to Netta!"
BURN!!![/b]
"I'm not a necrophiliac, you jerk!!!" Netta cried out, pulling out one of her daggers. "Stop implying that!"
"DIE!!!" Nathan yelled as he unleashed a potent backhand strike at Mankar.
ZORT!!!
Alderin waved his staff, and a trio of assailants flew gracefully into a wall. Bruno chased a number of horrified acolytes through the hall, yelling something about 'mead pie'. And Netta engaged a few in dagger to dagger combat.
"Hey Alderin! Justify your existence, and help me out over here!" Netta yelled out, fighting off two attackers at a time, using a dagger in each hand.
"Normally I'm a helpful kinda guy, but I seem to be in something of an awkward position here!" Alderin replied loudly as he desperately avoided death at the end of a dagger. "Maybe Bruno can be of some assistance!"
"...and I'll also make Ogre bait out of the other leg!" Bruno hollered, catching an acolyte in the head, and sending him soaring into a nearby pillar. He let out an incoherent Nordic battle cry.
"Then again, maybe not!" Alderin corrected, dodging a knife swing. "You useless oaf!"
SHAZ-ZAM!!![/b]
Nathan was slammed hard against a wall by Mankar. "So, you wanna play like that!?" Nathan spat in the Altmer's face. He brought back his head, and slammed it into the Elf's face in a horrific headbutt.
BUNT!!![/b]
Mankar stumbled backwards, before retaining composure. "Fine...it's time, then..." he muttered. He brought his hands together, readying himself...physically and mentally. "You will never escape...THE CAMORAN JAW-LOCK!!!"
"Say what!?" Nathan yelled as Mankar lunged at him.
CHOMP!!![/b]
"HE'S...BITING ME!!!" Nathan hollered angrily, as he tried to move with Mankar latched onto his neck.
Netta weaved right and left, frantically dodging a number of fairly brutal shock attacks. Unfortunate acolytes were taken down all around her as she moved.
"Friendly fire, you bastard!" one of the men yelled before being hit.
"Dammit! Stop dodging!" the attacking acolyte cursed at Netta. "I wasn't trained to hit a moving target!"
"Not my problem!" Netta responded, as she connected with the side of his head using a spinning kick. She looked up at Alderin and Bruno. "How you two doin'!?"
"Swell!" Alderin shouted as he smacked an acolyte in the head with his staff. There was a gruesome snap as the man fell, utterly dazed. "How 'bout you, Bruno!?"
Bruno plowed headfirst into a swarm of the attackers, not even bothering with his hammer. They flew in various directions as he exploded out the other side of the group. "You know you don't wanna mess with this!" Bruno roared happily.
Nathan finally pried the psychotic Elf off his neck...and it was then that he noticed...the man's stance was too wide. It was his only chance...he brought back his foot...
Mankar gave him a puzzled look...
And it began in a swift arc, towards...that...
He knew...he tried to move...
But it was too late...
GUAR!?!?[/b]
Mankar collapsed in a heap on the floor, speechless. His eyes bulged and he raised a single, pleading hand, before succumbing to the pain, and becoming motionless.
"RUN AWAY!" the acolytes screamed as they fled the castle, defeated.
With each of them sporting battle wounds, Nathan, Netta, Bruno and Alderin rejoined, and stood over the fallen Mankar Camoran. "Ironic, isn't it?" Nathan asked. "All his life, he wanted to take over Tamriel...and now he's dead..."
There was silence a moment.
"Wait a minute..." Netta intervened. "That's not ironic...that's just some stuff that happened!"
"I'm not dead," Mankar added calmly, without moving or opening his eyes.
"Do you want me to kick ya again!? 'Cause I will!" Nathan threatened angrily. He pointed wearily at the door of the castle. "Let's get movin'..." And with that, the four headed out of the castle, and made their way to the city gates.
"Hey, so if Nathan was bitten by a Mythic Dawn...does that mean he'll turn into a Mythic Dawn?" Bruno asked the others. "Cause I'm not sure how I feel about that..."
"I'm pretty sure it doesn't work like that..." Nathan shot back sourly. He rubbed the bite wound. "Seriously...what the hell was he thinking!? Was he a bloody vampire!?"
"Nah...I'm fairly certain he was just a total psychopath..." Alderin cheerily answered. "Either that, or an Elf with a fairly weird biting fetish..."
As the quartet neared the city gates, the rain lessened, and beams of light pierced the dark clouds above, illuminating the ground surrounding them...
"Anybody know any decent travel songs?" Bruno asked the others, reaching for a flagon of mead.
Docks await...
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Post by DarkNova50 on Mar 9, 2009 20:21:12 GMT
Chapter 9: Anvil at Last (Farewell Cyrodiil)
Standing on the docks of Anvil, with the pale illumination of moonlight shining down from above, Alderin frowned bitterly at his realization. "Guys, the plan is really coming apart..." he grumbled sourly.
Before them, were the docks of Anvil...the empty, docks of Anvil. There was only one ship to be found amongst the area...and it appeared to have been built by a consordium of labotimized scamps.
"Dammit...how in the hell was I supposed to know!?" Nathan hollered angrily. At the moment, it seemed as though the four of them were the only living souls on the docks. He threw his arms into the air. "This place is usually bustling!"
Bruno nodded as he reached for another flagon. "It sure was when I was a captain..." he remarked, taking another swig of mead.
The other three slowly turned to face the Nord, looks of horrified amazement on their faces. "You...were a captain?" Alderin asked, utterly dumbstruck. "How the hell did you...I mean..." his face morphed into one of horror, and his arms shot out before him. "Well I mean look at you! What the hell happened!?"
"Oh, I owned my own trade ship for a few years...the "Stalwart Flounder', it was called..." he looked down at Netta and Nathan. "Oh, I was a damn fine captain, too...my crew and I even worked for the East Empire Company a few times..." he smiled happily. "And then, we got our first shipment of mead...I remember Riley suggested we crack open a case...and everything from then until meeting you guys in the Tiber Septim is a blur..."
"And so the nightmare began..." Netta cursed under her breath, shaking her head. "How long ago was that?"
"I think it was...let's see...40 years after the Oblivion Crisis..." Bruno reminisced, stroking his chin.
Alderin grabbed his hair, his eyes bulging wide. "T-ten years!?" he cried out. He grabbed the Nord by the shoulders. "You moronic oaf!!! You don't remember the last ten years!!??" He slapped the Nord across the face in hysteria. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!?!?"
Bruno shrugged, indifferent. "Meh...it's not that bad..." he stroked his flagon tenderly, and gently kissed it. "And we wouldn't trade you for any number of years, would we? No we wouldn't...my precious..."
Alderin shuddered uncontrolably, his face locked in horror. "The more I learn about this beer guzzling galoot..." The Altmer's eyes began to roll back in his head, as he slowly began to go comatose.
Nathan addressed both men now. "Listen, you muttonheads. As much as I'd like to see today's lesson on 'how to be a boil on the ass of society', we've gotta find a boat. So less yakin', more..." he sighed, exhasperated. "You know what? Screw it. Netta, if they don't move, stab em..." He began for the solitary ship.
"Will do!" Netta called out after him, before quickly plunging her dagger into Alderin's foot. The Altmer came to, and howled in pain.
"Traditionally, you give someone a few moments before you do that!" Alderin hollered angrily.
Netta simply smiled, and sheathed her dagger. "Traditionally..." she shrugged before following Nathan. Bruno and an annoyed Alderin did the same.
As they slowly approached the slipshod vessel, they noticed an Argonian admiring the ship. An Orc and a rather portly Bosmer rapelled from the deck rails, hammering planks of wood in place. "Um...hello?" Nathan began, uncertain.
The Argonian quickly spun around, eyeing up the newcomers. "Oh...hello..." he greeted, albeit with little enthusiasm. "Is there something I can help you with?"
"Maybe...we need transportation to Morrowind..." Nathan explained to the lizard. "Any chance we could get you to take us there?"
"Well, we're heading for Morrowind anyway...but we can't take you..." the Argonian replied. "We're going on...personal business..."
"Business, eh? What kind?" Netta asked, intrigued. "Is there gold? Or diamonds?"
"We're goin' back to Earth!" the Bosmer hollered loudly.
"Earth? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Bruno questioned, slightly irritated. "Is that some kinda code? Are you from Akavir, trying to take over Tamriel!?" He pointed an accusing finger. "I won't let you do it!!! I'll stop you!!!" He raised his hammer. "BRUNO SM-"
Netta and Alderin both grabbed onto Bruno, trying to restrain him. The Nord thrashed back and forth, clearly a match for the Elves. Nathan sighed, as he turned to face the Argonian. "What the hell is Earth?"
"It's our home planet!" the Bosmer yelled in response.
"Connor just shut the hell up!" the Argonian bellered at the Bosmer. He gave an exhasperated sigh. "Look, you seem like nice enough people..." he explained as, in the background, Bruno threw Alderin into a nearby wall. "But...we just can't do it..."
Nathan nodded, and headed over to the other three, who stopped fighting when he approached. They huddled into a small circle. "Alright people, we need a new plan to steal that boat..." Nathan whispered to them.
"Alright, I've gotta plan..." Netta replied, crouching down. "I'll seduce their leader, and draw him away..." she threw back her hair. "Shouldn't be hard at all...then, Bruno makes a drunken scene, to distract the two workers. Nathan, you and Alderin sneak onboard, and secure the ship. Bruno will keep all three distracted as I get on the ship, and then Bruno gets on, and we take off." She sat back, satisfied.
"Wow, Netta...that...that could actually work..." Nathan replied, impressed.
Alderin stood up, a calm expression on his face. "Meh...I'm gonna go with my plan..." He took in a deep breath.
"Alderin what the hell are you doing!?" Nathan asked desperately.
The Altmer ran into the middle of the docks, and screamed as loud as he could. "PSYCHOPATHS! THERE ARE PSYCHOS ON THE LOOSE!!!"
Patrons from taverns, inns, and regular citizens poured onto the docks, accompanied by the city watch. The guards approached Alderin. "What's this all about?" one asked.
Alderin looked at the guard. "It's a good thing your here!" he pointed at the nearby ship. "That bunch is going on about how they're preparing to go to their home planet, Earth! They're up to no good, I tell ya!"
The guards ran over to the ship. "What's this about Earth?" they bellered.
"For the last time, it's our home planet...in an alternate dimension!" the Bosmer screamed.
"Alternate reality..." the Orc interjected.
"That does it! You're all under arrest for...conspiracy to be insane!" the guard yelled as they gathered up the group.
"What!? That's not a real charge!" the Argonian hollered as he was carted off.
"Oh, yes it is! It's part of the 'Glarthir Act' of the Third Era, 433..." the guard replied angrily. "Now to the jails with you!"
As the "visitors" to Nirn were carted off to the jails, and the citizens of Anvil returned to their respective buildings, the Argonian could be heard one last time..."...you blood suckas..."
Nathan approached a rather smug looking Alderin. "See...now you're doing something to help!" he said happily. The quartet walked up the ramp onto the deck.
Another four strangers began towards the boat. "Hey, where's Connor and the others!?" a female Bosmer cried out. She looked up at the deck. "What the hell!? They're taking our ship!"
"Dammit!" Netta cursed, grabbing the rudder wheel. "BOOK IT!!! NAVAL STYLE!!!"
The boat made its way out of the dock, and towards the open sea...as it did so, Alderin leaned out over the side.
"Ha! We win again!" he taunted, pointing and laughing at the angry group on the dock. "In your face!"
An arrow from the female Bosmer's bow sailed through the air and embedded itself in Alderin's shoulder. He grabbed at it, teeth clenched. "Crap!"
Nathan sat down at the bow of the ship, and looked out at the open sea. Moonlight gently reflected off the water, and stars hung overhead. He couldn't help but wonder what Morrowind held for him...for all of them. He had never left Cyrodiil, and-
"Don't tell me you're doing a meaningful reflection, marking the next leg of the adventure!?" Alderin hollered, making his way next to the Imperial, the arrow still jutting from his shoulder. "It's so overdone..."
"You must never interrupt a man's inner monologue, Alderin," Nathan replied calmly, grabbing the arrow and yanking it out. "Lest he become enraged, and beat you to death with a sack of oranges." He continued to look out at sea, as Alderin clutched at his new wound. They were on their way...
To Morrowind...
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Post by DarkNova50 on Mar 9, 2009 20:21:43 GMT
Chapter 10: Peril on the High Seas (But not the Carribean...)
The light of day was once again upon the quartet as they slowly ventured to Morrowind upon their commandeered vessel. However, there, far outside the protection of the provinces, the open sea was a dangerous place...
"You can't stay up there forever, Alderin!" Nathan yelled, looking up the mast of the ship. "And when you do come down...bam, boom, straight to Masser!"
"It's not my fault that there's no food on the ship!" Alderin hollered back, his arms and legs wrapped tightly around the mast, high above the deck. He looked down at his companions. "In fact, this is everybody's fault but mine! You should all be ashamed!"
Bruno angrily threw an empty flagon at Alderin, which struck the Altmer in the back of the head. Netta stuck her hands on her hips, irritated. "Dammit Alderin! You're the on who picked out this tub!"
"Picked it out!? There was only one ship to choose from!" the Elf cried back, struggling in an attempt to climb higher up the mast.
Bruno grumbled, rubbing his hands together nervously. "Let's just stay calm...wouldn't want somebody to go crazy and start eating everyone..." He looked Netta up and down, and turned to Nathan. "How much ya figure she weighs?" he asked with a crazed look in his eyes.
Nathan rolled his eyes, exhasperated, before noticing something on the horizon. "Alderin...what do you see over there?" he asked the Altmer.
"Care to be a little more specific? We're surrounded by water on all sides out here!" the Elf shot back.
"Moron! Over there!" Nathan bellered, pointing at three black specks, which were getting bigger by the second.
Alderin squinted, and observed the specks for a moment. "I spy...with my Altmer eyes...a convoy of pirate ships, heading this way..." Alderin responded in disjointed phrases. "Wait a minute...aw crap!"
"Son of a bitch!" Nathan roared, heading for the bow of the ship. "Netta, set a perpindicular course, and commence evasive maneuvers!"
Netta gave the Imperial a confused expression. "Translation!?" she hollered.
"Run and dodge, damn you!" Nathan barked. "Run and dodge!"
The three ships quickly gained from behind on the small vessel, and started to flank them. Flaming arrows began to soar through the air from all sides. One of them struck the sails, and Alderin desperately shuffled down the mast as the flame spread.
"Um, guys? We may have a problem!" Bruno hollered as the sail quickly burned away to nothing, and the ship stopped, dead in the water. He retrieved his hammer, and managed it with one hand.
"Don't worry guys, we've been in worse situations!" Nathan said to the others hopefully, unsheathing his blade. "Like that time in Hackdirt!"
"Yeah, see, we would have died, had Sakura not been there..." Netta retorted angrily, pulling out her daggers.
"Um...how about in Kvatch?" Nathan asked, as the three ships began to circle them, blocking off the outside sun. The vessels finally stopped, forming a triangle and completely surrounding, and trapping, them.
"Meh...those guys were incompetent. And idiots..." Alderin replied, fairly indifferent. He held his staff in both hands, and glanced at the pirate vessels...each one was at least twice as long as their ship, and nearly twice as high, even without the mast. They were massive...
A single figure emerged onto the deck of one of the ships. He had jet black, wavy hair and a matching beard, and wore a dark red jacket. He sneered at the quartet down below. "Enemy vessel! Ye are clearly outmatched! Surrender yer booty, and ye'll be spared a briny grave!" the captain shouted.
"Man, what a joke this is..." Nathan muttered silently to himself. He looked up at the captain. "Yeah, we don't have anything of value!" he yelled, before looking briefly at Bruno. "Unless you want some stale mead..."
"I'll fight you, and anyone else, to the death for this mead!" the Nord shouted angrily, grinding his teeth.
"Nothing of value, eh?" the captain asked. He looked to the short, portly crewman on his right. "What do ye make of it?"
"Well captain, I tend to believe them...I mean, look at their vessel. Look at what they're wearing!" the crewman replied, throwing his arms in the air. He then lowered his arms, and sneered cruelly as he eyed up the four below. "However...we could take them prisoner...you can never have too many male...slaves..."
"Aye...pirate's rule, #73. I know it well!" the captain exclaimed. "And the girl?"
"I'm sure we can find some bandits who would gladly take her..." the crewman replied with a chuckle. "A pretty little thing like her...we can make a tidy profit..."
"So it's settled then!" the captain hollered. He addressed Nathan again. "Prepare to be boarded, ye scurvy dog! We're takin' ye and yer crew prisoner!"
"Not without a bloody fight you're not!" Nathan scowled, frustrated. "I sure as hell didn't survive the 'Camoran Jaw-Lock' to be taken prisoner by you retards!"
"Enough of that!" the captain bellered in anger. "Ye are surrounded, and outnumbered! Now surrender, before I forget meself!"
"Well, I guess this is it, then..." Bruno muttered miserably, grabbing yet another flagon. "But I've had a good run..."
"Screw that! I refuse to let it end like this!" Alderin screamed, his eyes bulging. He quickly threw his staff to the deck, and clasped his hands together, then clenched his eyes shut. He hummed a silent tune...
"Looks like they're going to be difficult!" the captain hollered to the other ships. "Archers! Ready!" Archers on all three ships took aim with their flaming arrows.
"Alderin, if yer gonna do something, now would be nice!" Nathan hollered in horror. With that many archers, this close...
Alderin's eyes shot open, and he angrily thrust his hand forward. From it, shot out a tiny speck of bright red light, only slightly bigger than a speck of dust. Enthralled, the enemy archers watched the tiny beacon as it slowly danced through the air, and eventually made its way to the ship in front of them...
The tiny speck made contact, and the ship glew a menacing red. There was a massive flare as the vessel burst into bright crimson flames. Crewmen could be heard hollering in horror as the fire quickly spread, before the entire vessel erupted in a terrible explosion. Planks of smoldering wood, melted iron and the ship's former occupants hurdled high into the air, and arced into the nearby waters. A column of thick, black smoke billowed from where the vessel had just been.
"Un-unbelievable..." the captain stuttered silently as he watched the remains of one of his ships float through the water. "Just incredible..."
"ALDERIN, WHAT THE [censored]!?!?" Nathan screamed at the top his lungs, turning to the Altmer. "WHAT...[censored]!?!?"
Alderin knelt down on the deck, breathing deeply. Seeing an opportunity to escape, Netta quickly picked up his staff, and aimed at the ship behind them. She triggered it, and their tiny ship went racing forward as a massive crater formed in the pirate vessel behind, splinters and planks exploding outward. "Freedom!" she cried out happily.
The crewman next to the pirate captain watched as the tiny vessel fled. "Sir, with one vessel destroyed, and another seriously damaged, we have suffered serious losses!" he cried out. The captain, however, simply scratched his head and walked belowdecks, to his cabin. "Sir, shouldn't we try to capture them, and recover some of our losses?"
"Ya know, I been thinking about retirement anyways..." the captain mumbled, as he slowly moved down to his cabin. "Hammerfell...I hear it's nice there this time of year..."
Alderin picked himself up off the deck, the other three staring at him in disbelief. He brushed himself off, and with a smile, took his staff back from Netta. "Thanks," he said simply as he placed it on his back. He looked between the trio, however, and cocked an eyebrow. "Erm...what?"
"Alderin..." Netta replied with a smile, her hands before her. "That was incredible!"
"A fine display!" Bruno shouted, taking another swig of mead in celebration.
Still with a look of disbelief on his face, Nathan walked up next to Alderin. The Altmer gave a satisfied look to his Imperial companion. "Anything you'd like to add?" the Elf asked.
Nathan slapped Alderin in the back of the head. "Idiot!" he shouted angrily. "Why in the hell didn't you tell us you could do that earlier!?"
Alderin rubbed his head in pain as he answered. "Well, it's not something I really like to talk about, ya know? Besides, you saw it...it takes alot out of me!"
"Well it should! You blew up a damn ship!" Nathan bellered, throwing his hands into the air. He forced himself, calm, however, and patted Alderin on the back. "But I guess you did good...I'll even forgive you for the food oversight..."
"Uh...thanks, I guess..." Alderin replied, uncertain.
"Um, guys?" Bruno asked, leaning over the side of the ship. There was a flame eating away at the side of the ship, and water was beginning to rush in. "We got us a problem..."
"Crap..." Nathan muttered, as he looked around. Besides the two stationary pirate ships in the distance, there was nothing but open water all around...except for a nearby island..."What the hell?" he asked, looking out at it. "Can we make it there, Netta?"
"I think so..." the Dunmer replied. She turned on the rudder control, and one of the wheel's pegs detatched. "Real quality workmanship, that is..." she grumbled, tossing it aside.
The vessel managed to carry them to the tiny island, where the quartet jumped off the ship. They watched as it slowly sank beneath the water's tranquil surface, stranding them there.
"Oh well..." Bruno said with a shrug, walking up a strange path through on the island. "It had a busted sail anyway..."
The foursome moved along the path, noting that the island had some fairly odd mushrooms growing on it...most were an odd shade of purple. However, the most notable feature was a massive structure jutting out of the ground...a massive stone head, or rather three heads, with a massive, glowing mouth...
As they slowly approached, a man's voice screamed from the mouth. "Come on in! Don't be shy!" it hollered happily.
"That's...not normal..." Nathan muttered, nearing the structure cautiously.
"I could've sworn I've heard that voice before..." Netta muttered.
The man's voice screamed out again. "Oh, come now! Stop for a visit! You're all welcome...in the Shivering Isles!!!"
Daedric Detour...
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Post by DarkNova50 on Mar 9, 2009 20:22:18 GMT
Chapter 11: Madness Becomes You[/b] (With a side of insanity...)
Alderin scowled at the massive head miserably. "Dammit...it's never good when a rock shaped like a head starts talking to you..." the Altmer whined pathetically.
"Really? That's a real quote worthy piece of advice. Any other helpful insights, professor?" Nathan shot back sarcastically.
"Only one: you're an ass hole," Alderin responded calmly.
"Shut up you morons!" Netta bellered, clubbing both men outside the head. She defiantly marched up to the massive bust. "I wanna know just who the hell you are, and what it is you want!" she demanded fiercely.
"Me!?" the voice hollered happily. "Why I am the Dominator of Dementia! I am the Master of Mania, and undisputed ruler, of everything that lays between!" The massive mouth flared brilliant white. "I...AM SHEOGORATH!!!"
The holler was so loud it shook the whole island. "Alright...alright!" Alderin cursed angrily. "Can you be Sheogorath, only about half as loud?" he asked, his hands over his ears.
In a rather nonchalant manner, Nathan approached the gateway. "So, Sheggy..." he began, propping himself against the thing with his arm. "May I call you Sheggy?"
"NO." The voice replied simply.
"So Sheggy, why is it that you have a portal to your realm...just sitting out here, in the middle of the ocean...nowhere near anyone, or anything?" Nathan asked, his voice casual.
"To be honest, it seemed like a good idea at the time!" Sheogorath yelled through the portal. "Besides, it seems it will now work to our mutual benefit. I have a little bit of a maze for you to run through, my little rats..."
Bruno tensed up, angry at the notion of being called a rat. Nathan cocked an eyebrow. "Why in the hell should we help you?" the Imperial asked.
"Simple...if you help me, I'll send all of you to Morrowind," Sheogorath replied, his voice meant to sound enticing. "Nice, juicy Morrowind..."
"What? How'd you know that's where we were headed?" Bruno questioned the structure.
"HELLO!? I'm a Daedric Prince! Doesn't that count for anything anymore!?" Sheogorath hollered. "Why, back in the First Era..."
"Well, your kind isn't exactly known for being super generous..." Netta commented with a sceptical tone. "What is it you want in return?"
"Oh, it's really nothing at all...I want the flames at Cylarne relit," the Daedra explained. "You see, the Golden Saints and Dark Seducers are constantly fighting each other there, to prove their devotion to me...it's actually kinda sweet, in a special sorta way..." he added, his voice appreciative. "ANYWAYS! They're stuck in a stalemate...every time one side is near victory, reinforcements balance it out, and it begins anew! So you, my little friends, are going to break it."
"This is so stupid...why us, when you could have your followers do it? And you're supposedly their leader...you could just make them stop fighting!" Nathan bellered at the statue.
"Well for one, you're here, they're not...or are they? No, they're not..." Sheogorath began. "Besides, I could make them stop...but it will be so much more interesting to watch ya wee little mortals try to do it yerselves!" The portal flashed a dark blue. "So step on through, and I'll take you to Cylarne directly!"
The group realized that there weren't many other options available. "Alright...let's do this..." Nathan grumbled, anxious to get to Morrowind (finally). He stepped before the gaping maw, and the other three assembled behind him. He stamped his feet nervously, preparing himself for what he might-
"TIMES UP!" Sheogorath screamed quickly. The massive structure was suddenly animated, and the mouth opened wide, moving forward, before engulfing the group. From the outside it appeared to chew several times, before swallowing and assuming its original position and appearance.
_ _ _ _ _
Alderin slowly awoke, his back flat on the ground, staring up at the sky in the Shivering Isles. It was evening, and massive swirls of light accompanied various other wonders not seen in Tamriel, dancing high above in the sky, amongst the stars. It was actually quite lovely. Alderin was about to say something insightful when Bruno stirred next to him, also on his back. The Nord coughed out a dislodged ball of mucus, which arced through the air, and landed, wrapping itself around Alderin's face. The Altmer simply lay there a moment, mouth open. "I feel like I've been violated..." he finally uttered.
Nathan woke up a moment after, his stomach on top of...something. Disoriented, he pushed himself up to find he was laying on top of Netta. She too stirred, and looked up to see his face a few inches from hers. He flashed a charming smile. "Hello my dear...fancy seeing you here!" he commented.
Netta's knee quickly found its way to Nathan's groin, and she shoved him to the side as the entire quartet snapped out of their haze, and became aware of their surroundings. They were outside a large structure, presumably Sheogorath's 'Cylarne'. Large, metal gates were to either side of them, but they were unmanned, and the spaces beyond empty. A single massive flame burnt brilliantly outside.
"You know...I honestly expected the realm of a Daedra to be a little more...flashy..." Netta complained, disappointed.
However, Bruno's attention was directed straight up at the sky, as he watched various phenomena, each one significant in a cosmic way. Together, they danced elagantly; a ballet of the stars, seen far and wide across the expanse of Oblivion. "...well that's real purdy, guys..." the Nord commented in awe.
"Normally, Bruno, I'd look up..." Nathan groaned, forcing his way off the ground. "But right now I'm in such blinding pain..."
"You deserved it, and you damn well know it..." Netta shot back. "Fancy seeing you here..." She searched the area, and spotted a nearby gate leading into the structure before them. "Well, we may as well check it out," she commented, and the dynamic foursome made their way inside.
The distinct sound of weapons clashing rang throughout the halls of Cylarne, as did the cries of the warriors brandishing them. Whether they be cries for glory, or pleas for mercy, they all rang out loud and true. The bodies of fallen Golden Saints and Dark Seducers littered the ground in a gruesome trail of death, beginning at the entrance.
"Well, this is...nice," Alderin muttered, nudging a fallen Saint with his foot. The pain filled scream of another warrior being sent to the waters of Oblivion rang out.
"Real nice..." Bruno added with a grin and a nod.
They cautiously made their way further inside, paying notice to the details of the structure itself. The odd designs on the walls, strange looking containers littering the ground, and of course the demonic looking buttons, portraying nightmarish faces. Nathan shuddered. Finally, they stumbled upon what was undoubtedly the 'main event'.
An entire host of Saints fought and equally large group of Seducers. Some were male, Netta noted with interest, while the majority were female. "Hey! You guys!" Nathan bellered at the warring parties. "Psycho Daedra sent us!"
The factions stopped, and stood down from the fighting a moment. One Seducer and one Saint, the only two not wearing helmets, approached them.
"Greetings...I am the Aureal commander here," the Saint introduced. "I assume you've come to help us drive out these Mazked dogs?"
"Don't be ridiculous!" the Seducer barked. "I'm commander of the Mazken forces in Cylarne...and I'm sure you're here to aid us in our crusade against the Aureal!"
"Kids, kids..." Nathan said, a massive grin on his face. He placed a hand on each of the commander's shoulders. "You're both right!" They each gave him a confused glance.
"What he means," Netta began to explain. "Is that we're here to light some flame...not to kill anyone!"
"What other way is there? The Mazken must be destroyed if we are to light the flame!" the Aureal shouted.
"Not true..." Nathan retorted. "There's a little something called...negotiation. And Alderin here just happens to specialize in that kind of thing!"
"I do?" Alderin queried. Nathan grabbed the Altmer by the collar.
"Listen...if we don't try this, that means we'll have to kill off one entire side in mortal combat..." Nathan muttered quietly. "And we're really...really just not that good at it..."
Alderin stared at Nathan a moment, blinking rapidly, before turning to the Daedra. "Let the peace talks begin!" the Altmer yelled. The two commanders gave each other odd looks. "I guess..."
Two hours later...
"Look, you have to meet us halfway here!" the Aureal commander shouted irritably. The two commanders, their male lieutenants, Alderin and Nathan sat at a three sided table within the walls of Cylarne. The remaining Mazken, Aureal, and Bruno and Netta stood behind the negotiators of their respective sides. The last two hours of 'negotiating' had been mostly quibbling about past grievances. But now they seemed to making some progress...
"No! You cannot have the artifacts inside the Museum of Oddities!" the Mazken commander shouted back. "Besides...I'm much more interested about Mania's secret greenmote silo!" The Aureal and Mazken all let out a dramatized gasp.
"Stendarr have mercy on us all!" Nathan wailed, slamming his hands on the table. "If we go into another hour long discussion about that..."
"Man, we're never gonna see Tamriel again!" Alderin whined miserably.
The two commanders looked looked at the Altmer, their heated discussion halted temporarily. "What's that?" the Mazken asked.
"Sheogorath told us that if we could get the flame relit, he'd get us to Morrowind...but it looks like that's never gonna happen..." Alderin replied grumpily.
"So you were never in this for the Manics or the Demented..." the Aureal growled bitterly.
"This won't end well..." Netta chimed in, sensing the changing winds of hostility.
"You were only in this for yourselves!" the Mazken commander barked angrily. "That's it! Now you die with the Aureal!"
Alderin's eyes bulged wide in panic. "Dammit Nathan!" he cried out desperately. "What are we gonna do!? The fine art of diplomacy has crapped out utterly!"
Nathan simply chuckled. "Given the current situation, it is apparent what you mean..." he replied in a stuffy voice. He clasped his hands together, and leaned back in his seat. "But when the pen of diplomacy fails, the hammer of justice prevails. In which case, my associate Bruno has a little gift for them..."
"AZAYAH!!!" Bruno hollered, bounding on top of the table. He swung his hammer, missing the commanders but connecting with the two lieutenants in one mighty blow. They sailed across the room as he hunched over, letting out a feral war cry.
"Even in Oblivion we can't catch a break..." Netta grumbled as she hauled Alderin over to the majority of the Daedra, hoping to help out Bruno. The two commanders, however, turned their attention to Nathan.
"Now, you wouldn't want to do anything hasty..." Nathan warned, backing away from the Daedra slowly. "What with the ramifications...and all the other reasons killing me would be a bad idea..."
"You are nothing more than a piece of meat to us, mortal!" the Saint shouted with zeal.
"Face the inevitable, and embrace your demise!" the Mazken yelled with determination.
Nathan slowly backed over the dormant torch of Cylarne, a smile forming on his face. "Well if I'm gonna die anyway, what say we make this night really memorable?" he asked, his eyebrows moving up and down repeatedly. "Bow chicka bow-"
In anger and haste, the two Daedra lunged at the Imperial. As they passed over the torch, however, their eyes went wide with the realization of what had happened. Their bodies fell to the ground, and a massive flame roiled to life. The various Mazken and Aureal recoiled, and bowed their heads in respect to the sacrifice of their commanders and the accompanying flame, unmoving even as Bruno took them out one by one.
Sheogorath appeared atop the table in the room, clapping. "Well done lad! Ya broke the stalemate...even if it did mean killing off both commanders! I suppose I'll have to round up some replacements!" the Daedra hollered happily, as another Aureal was sent across the room in the background. "And ya managed to light the flame! But tell me, how did ya know yer plan would work?"
"I'm no hero..." Nathan responded with a shrug, although his tone held no such humility. "It just seemed like the most crazy ass thing to do..."
Sheogorath was clearly ecstatic. "And when in the Shivering Isles! I love it!" he screamed. "And now it's my turn...yer off to the land of the Dunmer! Enjoy yerselves, why don't ya!" he hollered as the quartet began to slowly rise up into the air, being consumed by bright blue light.
"Well it's about damn time!" Bruno yelled right before the light began to dissipate. "I want my damn liquor!"
The Daedric Prince waved happily after them, as the surviving Aureal and Mazken composed themselves. "Ta! Come visit again! Or I'll feed you your organs, and boil you alive!"
Where in the hell's Jiub!?
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Post by DarkNova50 on Mar 9, 2009 20:22:39 GMT
Chapter 12: Enter Morrowind[/b] (Back in the 'hood'...)
"What the hell is it?" a high pitched voice asked from the darkness. Something jabbed him in the side. "Is it a person?"
Footsteps, and sloshing...coming towards him... "It smells like it's dead..." a second voice replied, followed by more jabbing. "Where d'ya think it came from?"
Bruno wearily sat up, emerging from the fluid, and opened his eyes. He was in some kind of town...and in a pond full of goo, to be more specific. Streaks of moonlight lanced from behind a nearby lighthouse, illuminating the ground. Two Dunmer children, one with a long stick, stood on either side of him, staring at the Nord intently. "Where the hell am I?" Bruno asked, blinking rapidly.
"It's...it's a Nord! Run for it!" the one with the stick hollered, dropping it. Together, the two of them ran towards a shack in the distance.
Bruno took out a bottle of mead, shook off the goo, and cracked it open. "Y'all come back real soon, y'hear!?" he yelled out after them, before taking a swig. From the direction of the lighthouse, Nathan, Netta and Alderin approached, soaking wet. They looked relieved to see him...well, Netta and Nathan did, anyway.
"There's the miserable lummox!" Alderin hollered, pointing at the downed man. "Where the hell have you been!? We've...I've, wasted valuable time searching for you!"
"Valuable time my ass!" Nathan bellered, clubbing Alderin outside the head...he was getting quite good at it. He reached down to Bruno, offering him a helping hand. "We've been looking for all of five minutes!" He helped the Nord onto his feet.
As Bruno clumsily righted himself, he looked between his would-be three man rescue team, and pointed at Alderin's sopping wet robe. "What the hell happened to you guys?" he asked.
"Oh, it's nothing really..." Netta began sarcastically. "Seems Sheogorath thought it would be funny to stick us over water, instead of land..." She painfully rubbed her ass. "Damn slaughterfish!"
"Well, last time I checked, Netta, he was the Daedric Prince of Madness..." Nathan shot back, wringing water from his shirt. "Not the Daedric Prince of Public Transportation..."
"I still say the prick could've put us on an island...it's bad enough we're in this abysmal province to begin with..." Alderin whined. As he turned to glare at Bruno, Netta gave him an annoyed look. "And why did he put you over land? Why not me!?" He collapsed on his knees, shaking his fist at the heavens. "Where in the [censored] is the justice!?"
"Destiny is an enigmatic mystress, my friend," Bruno replied, looking thoughtfully to the sky. "So full of mystery in determining our fates...one never knows her mood, or what may sway it..." He looked back down to the others, who went silent for a moment. "I read it in some book, I think..." Bruno explained with a shrug, before knocking back another mouthfull of the fermented honey.
"...so, where to Netta?" Nathan asked, choosing to disregard Bruno's statement rather than think on it further. "We need some information, and chances are you probably know this slum alot better than anyone else..."
"Well, last time I was here, I heard they were building a tavern...the 'Seyda Neen Cantina'," the Dunmer chirped, heading for a nearby building, on the edge of town. "Probably as good a place to start as any..." The building was up ahead, and from the outside looked fairly large, even for a tavern.
As the four approached the door, a rather large, and ugly, Nord emerged from the door. He wore a filthy gray shirt, complete with sweatstains at the armpits, and dark blue pants with suspenders. His hair was matted and brown where he wasn't bald, and his gut stuck out like a sore thumb. One felt greasy even to look at him, and even Bruno noticed the stench.
"Just where d'ya think yer goin'?" the filthy man asked the quartet, scratching himself. Flies randomly emerged from any exposed slabs of fat.
Nathan gagged in sheer disgust, and the others stayed at least an arms length from the revolting creature. Composing himself, Nathan marched up and looked the man in the eye. "We're going inside this here cantina...is there a problem?"
The greaseball nodded reluctantly at Nathan and Bruno, still scratching himself. However, he scowled angrily as he turned to Netta and Alderin. "We don't serve their kind here..." he growled, pointing at the pair.
"You've gotta be shitting me!" Nathan hollered in bewilderment. "What the hell are you talking about!?"
"The owner ain't fonda them pointy ears..." the fat bouncer grumbled, reaching out and flicking one of Netta's ears. She gave a look of horrified disgust as she removed some kind of discharge from it, and the man crossed his arms. "Your Elves will have to wait outside..."
Nathan was about to shove an accusing finger into the man's chest, but intelligently stopped just short of the man's protruding flab. "Listen here, Captain McGristle...I haven't come this far to-"
Alderin walked forward, and calmly pushed Nathan aside. "Let me handle this..." the Altmer instructed confidently. He made his way up to the bouncer, and grinned slightly. "Listen, I'm sure we can be reasonable about this!" he exclaimed, cocky. Suddenly, though, his eyes shot wide. "After all...we aren't the Elves you're looking for..." he added hypnotically, waving his hand in front of the man's face.
The greaseball stared at the Altmer a moment, a vacant look on his face, before it morphed into one of anger. He quickly reached out and grabbed the Elf by the neck, lifting him off the ground. "You wanna pull that kinda voodoo mind crap on me!?" he hollered in rage. "You know how many Altmer I've killed, son!? I break'a you face!!!"
"Holy hell!" Netta cried out, worried. "Alderin's chances of surviving this encounter are roughly seventy two thousand to one!" She gave Alderin a concerned look, but he could only respond with a series of whistles, followed by a frantic gurgling noise.
"Never tell me the odds!" Bruno roared, slugging the fat bouncer in the jaw. The man recoiled, dropping Alderin, who quickly scurried to and hid behind Netta. The man threw a punch at Bruno, which he dodged easily, and was then thrown back by Bruno's own blow; a devastating uppercut. The bouncer flew back into a few drums of trash, where a family of rats latched onto his unconscious body, seemingly nourished from the film of grease.
Bruno simply huffed, and turned to the others, triumphant and victorious. "I am...THE CHAMP!!!" he bellered proudly, beating his chest in a charmingly barbaric fashion.
"Well that's swell, Bruno..." Nathan responded, humouring the Nord. "But if you're all done with your new found superiority complex, you mind if we head inside?" With a nod of agreement from the new drunken champion, the four adventurers headed inside the cantina.
The interior of the establishment was relatively dark, relying on a few well placed torches around the edges of the walls for light. Patrons lined the side of the bar, and small rooms with wooden doors could be seen dotting various locations along the wall. Odd, unfamiliar music played in the background.
Nathan walked up to the edge of the bar, the others maintaining their distance behind him. The bartender, an Orc, approached. "What the hell d'ya want!?" the Orc hollered angrily, cleaning out a mug with a filthy rag.
Nathan cocked an eyebrow in bewilderment. "Wow...I see standards for customer service here in Morrowind are real tight..." the Imperial grumbled sourly.
The Orc stuck his finger a few inches from Nathan's face. "Listen, you. Most of the customers who walk through that door are inbred, half-brained hicks, who don't care about manners. All they want is to get drunk..." he explained.
Alderin looked at Bruno, grinning madly. "My friend, I think you've come home."
"Well the details of my breeding really aren't your concern, rummy..." Nathan scowled at the barkeep. "Now I'm looking for information...who would I talk to about some Morrowind lore?"
The Orc huffed bitterly. "If it means getting yer sorry mug outta mine, you might try Taven...he's in one of the back rooms," he instructed, pointing to one of the sets of doors. "Y'all should be careful though...he's not well liked in these parts, if ya catch my drift."
"I hope to Akatosh I don't..." Nathan replied, flipping a single Septim onto the counter. He led the remaining trio towards the indicated door. "With any luck, this Taven guy can help us," the Imperial added to his comrades as they neared the door. He began to push it open. "And we can be on our merry-" A massive spear pressed against his neck.
"Way."
A rather brutal looking Khajiit, with a long, braided beard and long blonde hair stood on the other end of the spear. He wore a simple blue shirt, and baggy, brown pants. His eyes were wide; with anticipation or psychosis, though, nobody could tell. He nodded at Netta. "Close the door..." he said quickly. "Do it!"
Keeping one arm in the air, Netta did as the Khajiit asked and closed the wooden door. They were now stuck, in the tiny room, that contained little more than a bed and an undecorated table. Alderin and Nathan too kept their hands in the air. Bruno kept one arm up, using the other to periodically drink mead.
"Alright, now...who sent you?" he asked Nathan in a rushed voice, obviously on the brink of snapping. He scratched himself irritably, and blinked rapidly. "Was it the guards?"
Nathan simply gave the Khajiit a puzzled look. "Listen man, I really don't have any clue what you're-"
The cat's eyes bulged even wider, and the spear pressed harder against Nathan's neck. "WHO-SENT-YOU!?!?" he hollered frantically, losing what little control he had.
Somebody banged on the outside door. "Taven, you shut the hell up in there!" the bartender bellered angrily. "Dammit, don't make me [censored] you up, cat-tard!"
"You kiss my ass, you stinking bar grub!" the Khajiit yelled back. He turned his attention back to Nathan. "I'll gut you, man! Don't think I won't do it!"
Nathan gave a horrified look, and looked pleadingly at the others. Alderin cocked a curious eyebrow at the Khajiit. "Um...any chance that you're Taven?" the Altmer asked.
"Perhaps..." the talking cat replied, more calmly than before. Nevertheless, he brought his spear to bear on Alderin's neck now. "What is it you want?"
The Altmer gulped nervously. "Well for starters, to know where I can clean the crap outta my pants..." he sighed, shifting uncomfortably.
Netta glared at the Khajiit. "We were told you might have information...we're looking for the tower. You know, the one with all the artifacts?" she added irritably.
The Khajiit licked his lips, eyeing up the four strangers, before lowering his spear slightly. "Well then, perhaps I can be of some help, yes?" he responded in a much more rational tone. "You'll have to forgive me for my abrupt greeting. But for all I knew, you were working for Orvas Dren...one can never be too careful when being hunted by the Commana Tong."
"Well, so long as we're past the homicidal, 'I agonna killa you scum' phase, it's a damn pleasure..." Nathan groaned, rubbing his neck. "To be sure...what the hell does a crime lord like Dren want with you, anyway?"
Taven smiled fiercely, showing off his teeth. "Suffice to say, I free the slaves that he does not want to...an abolitionist, if you will."
Bruno pointed an angry finger in the Khajiit's face. "Are you saying you're against liquor!? I have the right to drink, dammit!" The Nord raised his fist high into the air. "My father fought in some war! Tamriel for the Nords!" His eyes went wide with pride and ferocity. "VIVA REVOLUTIONÉ!!!"
There was another bang on the wooden door. "Oh, that does it! Git yer scrubby asses outta this hole!" the bartender screeched.
Nathan sighed deeply, looking apologetically at Taven. "You'll have to forgive Bruno...he has a real drinking problem." He shook his head sourly. "So Taven, will you help us?"
The man looked between the members of the quartet intently, before finally nodding. "Very well...although the one you seek is actually in Vivec City," Taven explained to the adventurers. "This man...he knows much, and unlike my cousin M'aiq, tells all...very wise..." The Khajiit ventured past the small wooden door, and made his way out of the cantina.
As the foursome plus one super cat headed for the outskirts of the town, a new bunch of shadows appeared in the moonlight behind them. The fat bouncer from before stood there, with a few of his equally fat and unpleasant looking friends. "There they are!" he bellered angrily. "They're the ones that left me to die!"
Alderin shook his fist angrily at the gaggle. "Well it's not like you didn't deserve it, you hulking waste of existence!"
With a deep, exhasperated sigh, Nathan turned to Netta for support. "Netta, it's about that time again...would you care to prepare our rebuttle?"
Netta nodded calmly, before clasping her hands together. She clenched shut her eyes, and cleared her throat, before turning to the members of her group. "BOOK IT...MORROWIND STYLE!!!" she hollered.
As the five of them easily outran the portly posse, Taven gave Nathan a confused look. "Morrowind style?" he asked, bewildered. "What does this mean?"
"We've been at this awhile..." the Imperial replied. "It's just to shake up the box, ya know? Shift the paradigm!"
"Oh please! Paradigm is just a word that stupid people use to sound intelligent!" Alderin bellered, infuriated. "That and osmosis!"
"Quit yer clever wordplay and haul ass!!!" Bruno ordered, leading the group on their path to Vivec, and peril...
Nice, juicy peril...
Tamriel's own Tony Soprano...
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Post by DarkNova50 on Mar 9, 2009 20:22:59 GMT
Chapter 13: Trials of Vivec[/u] (The city, not the man-god...)
"Whatever else people say about Cyrodiil, at least we don't have those things... " Nathan grumbled bitterly, through the pain. "What the hell were they!?" He nursed his wounded arm, with its blood soaked bandages, as they moved between the cantons of Vivec.
"They're cliffracers, Nathan..." Netta grumbled back angrily, a scratch on her face. "And yes, I realize they're a colossal pain in the ass! But with St. Jiub gone...you just have to learn to live with them..." Pale moonlight reflected off the water between the man-made islands as Taven led them to their destination. The moon itself hung motionless, peaked in the night sky.
"Well it wouldn't be so bad if there weren't so [censored] many of the things! I mean, we ran into thirty five of them on the way here! The damned things are a menace!" Alderin yelled, sporting a few wounds of his own. "But again, the government has dropped the ball! Damn politicians..."
"Shut up, scum!" an Ordinator on the level above them screamed, looking over the side. He angrily shook his fist. "Don't make me go all righteous on your ass!"
Bruno made an obscene gesture at the guard, with a slight sense of satisfaction, before facing Taven. "Why don't you tell us a bit more about this guy we're going to see?" the Nord requested. "So far, all we know is that he's a wise old mage."
"Well, I-" Taven turned to Bruno. "Wait, I never told you he was a mage..."
"Please..." Netta grumbled. "Who do you think you're talking to? How often do you hear of a wise old warrior?"
The Khajiit shook his head. "Anyway, he is a wise old mage. Nobody is quite sure how old, but he doesn't look it, I'll tell you that," he explained with a sigh. "But he's a quite hospitable, and a fairly friendly guy. I don't think I've ever even seen him get mad..."
Nathan groaned. "Sadly, we have a habit of bringing out the worst in people...maybe we should just go look for the tower ourselves. It'd be better than pissing off some über mage..." he surmised.
Netta gave Nathan a wry grin. "You worry too much, Nathan. You gotta be more impulsive, and simply assume that you'll figure a way out of every situation! Like me!" she added happily. "I mean, hell, we've made it this far."
"And even if we should inevitably meet with our ultimate demise, at least I'll die how my father died, and his father befrore him..." Bruno added in with a content tone, his expression somber.
"How's that? Septimless, drunk, and stranded in a foreign province?" Alderin asked the Nord.
"No...fighting a mage, while drunk outta my mind!" Bruno shouted excitedly. He began pounding back the mead faster.
Finally, the group neared their destination. At the top of the St. Olms canton, there was a large, circular wood and metal door, different than the others. There were sturdy hinges, and it seemed to lead into the very top of the section.
Alderin's eyes bulged wide as he looked at the door. "You mean...you mean this is the mage we're gonna talk to!?" he hollered.
Taven looked at the Altmer quizzically. "Of course," he replied, knocking on the door. "The home Olothan..."
Alderin turned to Nathan, pleading. "You know, I...I don't think I paid for my drink at the Tiber Septim! Uh, we shoudla finished off that guy in Kvatch! Taken the pirate captain captive!" He turned around. "I'll just go take care of all that for you..."
Nathan and Netta grabbed the Altmer by the collar as he tried to run. "Alderin, what's the matter with you?" the Imperial asked as the door creaked open.
On the other side was an Altmer...a tall Altmer; he had to be at least seven feet. He had pale, almost grayish-brown hair, with a short, trimmed beard and goatee, and wore his short hair relatively loose. He had a kind, gentle face, and looked at each of the adventurers as though they were his own family. "Taven..." he said softly, smiling at the Khajiit. "I see you've brought guests..."
"Yes, Olothan..." Taven replied, attentive. Bruno, Netta and Nathan each gave a slight nod at the towering Elf, but Alderin remained facing the other way, remaining still.
The kind old Altmer walked up to the figure, curious. "Tell me, who's this little rascal?" he asked warmly, smiling.
Nathan turned to Alderin, glaring. "Dammit, don't be so rude!" he bellered, turning the Elf around. "Sorry about that, he's kind of a retard. This is-"
Olothan's face turned into one of pure joy as he looked upon the fifth figure. "Alderin? Is it really you?" he asked, placing his hand on the Elf's shoulder.
Netta looked at Alderin, concerned. "You know this guy?" she asked worriedly. "What'd you do? Steal from him? Alienate him? Call him a Daedra?"
Olothan chuckled. "Not exactly, you see...Alderin is my son," he explained kindly. The other four simply stared at the father-son duo, not understanding.
"Come again?" Taven and Bruno queried simultaneously, bewildered.
Alderin forced an uncomfortable smile. "Hi...dad..." he managed. Barely.
"Well this truly is a joyous occasion..." Olothan said softly, patting his son on the shoulders. He turned to the others. "Please, come in, my friends. You are more than welcome in my home." He led them inside.
They were led through a narrow hallway, fairly drab in appearance. There was the odd Ayleid or Dwemer artifact on either side, but for the most part it was unfurbished. As they reached the main chamber, however, they noticed a...considerable, change in design.
The room was massive, and about three stories tall. A massive purple crystal pillar extended from floor to ceiling in the center. There were a variety of of different lush, green plants dispersed, and a number of plush, comfortable looking couches and chairs. A massive bookcase completely dominated one entire wall. To Nathan, it looked more Cyrodiilic in design than Dunmer, but it was still unlike anything he had seen before.
An Altmer who looked a great deal like Alderin, only more lean and professional looking, sat in one of the chairs, speaking with an elderly Dunmer in Daedric armour. They turned at the arrival of the newcomers.
"Gentlemen, Taven has stopped by...and he brought guests..." Olothan said happily to the others. "And look who else he brought..." he added, gesturing to his son. With a smile, the Dunmer got up and walked over to the group.
"Alderin...it's good to see you again..." the Dunmer said warmly.
"Hey there, Divayth..." Alderin mumbled, shifting uncomfortably.
"Please, Alderin. How many times have I asked for you? Call me Uncle Fyr!" the Dunmer exclaimed, followed with a chuckle. He patted the Altmer on the shoulder. "It's been too long..."
"Alderin...you know Divayth Fyr!?" Netta hollered, her gaze shifting between the two. "Why didn't you say anything!?"
"It's one of those things I just don't talk about..." Alderin grumbled in response, as the other Altmer walked forward.
"Alderin..." he greeted, albeit fairly bitterly, in a stuffy voice. He scowled at the others. "I see you've come back, and brought...friends..."
"Ilithan..." Alderin grumbled with a bit of a smug grin. "I see you're still living at home with mom and dad...classy."
Olothan slowly walked towards one of the massive walls, covered with intricate paintings. One could see a small doorway leading into another chamber in the wall. "Darling, do come out, and bring Rebecca! Taven has come by with visitors...as well as Alderin!" he stated, only raising his voice enough to be heard.
Two Altmer females came out of the doorway, one of them an older woman, with long brown hair, wearing a long red dress and exquiste jewelery. The other was a bit younger, and shorter, than Alderin was, and really quite attractive. She had long blonde hair and wore a white tank top that showed off her mid riff, and a black skirt with leather sandals. The two of them came running over to Alderin.
"Game, set, and match, eh Bruno?" Nathan mumbled quietly with a cocked eyebrow, as he eyed up this...Rebecca. Bruno nodded his head in satisfied agreement. Netta simply rolled her eyes in the background.
The two women wrapped their arms tightly around Alderin, obviously overjoyed to see him. "Alderin!" the mother cried out happily. "Oh son, it's so good to see you again!"
"Where ya been, big brother?" the young Rebecca asked, proceeding to reach up and ruffle his hair with a grin. Alderin simply sighed deeply in response.
"Well look at him, Rebecca..." Ilithan growled, scowling at the quartet. "Looks like he's been galavanting around with...some drunken Nord, a half-brained Imperial, and a Dunmer harlot." He turned to face his sister, shaking his head. "Pathetic."
"This guy's asking for it..." Netta growled to Nathan, cracking her knuckles. Bruno nodded in spiteful agreement.
"We'll hold off for a little while, guys..." Nathan whispered back. "Then, if he's still going on about it..." he turned to Bruno. "Smash time." Bruno smiled psychotically.
"Watch your sass, Ilithan!" the mother scolded angrily. She turned to Nathan and the others, an apologetic look on her face. "You'll have to forgive my son...he can be a bit, trying, at times." She straightened to her full height, and happily clasped her hands together. "Now I'll go get you all something to eat...you must be famished!"
As the mother ran off into the other room again, Rebecca slapped Ilithan outside the head. Hard. "You fathead...these are obviously friends of Alderin's. Don't be such an asshole!"
Ilithan glared at his brother in petrid disgust. "Yeah, 'cause that really raises their status in life..." he replied bitterly, crossing his arms and shaking his head.
"Oh no! Ilithan doesn't like me!" Alderin mocked melodramatically. "At least I'm not the retard who took the Mage's Guild entrance exam five times before passing!"
"Well at least I'm in the Mage's Guild!" Ilithan hollered angrily, shaking his fist. "What'd you do!? Go running off to the Imperial City, to no avail it would seem! Big man, Alderin! BIG MAN!"
"Stop it!" Rebecca yelled at them, looking up. "Can't you see you're both being complete idiots!?"
Olothan walked over, waving his hand dismissively. "Now children, behave. Taven and the others are our guests, so let's use our manners, shall we?" he requested calmly and kindly, without the slightest hint of irritation. "Now, come and sit down."
The three children and Olothan made their way to one of the large couches as the mother returned with the promised snacks on a tray. A variety of dishes, from 'cheese stuffed venison bites' to 'mead fried boar snouts' were arranged on it.
Fyr, meanwhile, led Taven, Netta, Bruno and Nathan to a nearby couch, on the opposite side of a table between them. The mother set the snacks down there. "Margaret, these look delicious, as always," Fyr commented cheerfully as she sat down with her family. Bruno grabbed a snout while Nathan grabbed a venison bite. Netta simply observed the situation, sitting next to Fyr.
"So tell us Taven, how have you been?" Olothan asked curiously. "It's been some time since you last stopped by...how has life been treating you?"
"Well, you know how it is...Orvas Dren's been after me again." the Khajiit grumbled. His ears slowly perked up as he grinned sadistically. "But at least I know that it drives him nuts, knowing that his niece and I are friends."
Fyr and Olothan both chuckled slightly at this, before returning to the conversation. "So was it my son's return home that brought you here, my friend?" Olothan asked the Khajiit.
"To be honest, I didn't know that he your son..." the Khajiit explained. He looked between Olothan and Fyr. "They're looking for the tower, you two..."
Olothan and Fyr gazed at each other, frowning. They looked over at Nathan and the others. "Well, my friends, I'm afraid you have your work cut out for you..." Olothan explained.
History of To-
"Holy crap, these snouts are GREAT!!!" Bruno hollered happily.
Damn Bruno...
History of Towers
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Post by DarkNova50 on Mar 9, 2009 20:23:25 GMT
Chapter 14: The True Tower (Life is swell)
Fyr nodded somberly in agreement. "I'm afraid I have to agree with my friend Olothan on this one...this is a most perilous undertaking you four have embarked upon."
"Of course it is..." Netta grumbled sourly. "Because every quest in the whole freakin' universe starts off easy, and then ends up all epic. From getting milk, to recovering Tamriel's lost relics..." The Dunmer shook her head miserably. "What a pain..."
Nathan stared blankly at Netta for a moment, before turning his attention back to Olothan. "Look, I knew from the beginning that something had to be guarding the tower. So what is it, exactly? Some kinda weird, horrible creature? A crazy mage? Or just a Daedric Prince with way too much time on his hands?"
"Crazy mage, crazy mage, crazy mage!" Bruno repeated hopefully, crossing his fingers.
"To be honest, I don't know what occupies the Tower of Solstheim..." Olothan replied simply. "All I know is the history behind its appearance."
"Hold on a minute..." Netta began, pointing accusingly at the mage. "Solstheim? Isn't the tower supposed to be on Vvardenfell?"
"Many false rumours have led some to believe that it's on Vvardenfell, but no. It is actually on the island of Solstheim, which is slightly off the coast," Olothan explained. "It appeared at the ruins of Mortrag Glacier a short time after the Oblivion Crisis ended."
"Swell. First I have to see Ilithan again..." Alderin whined miserably. "And now I have to travel to a frozen waste, filled with drunken Nords!? This quest is going downhill faster than a Guar on a toboggan!"
Fyr gazed over at Alderin. "Actually, lad, it may not be quite what you expect. You see, when the tower first appeared on the island, odd creatures, supposedly similar to werewolves, showed up with it. The climate there worsened, the days grew short, and the creatures began attacking various settlements across Solstheim." The Dunmer leaned back in his seat. "Everyone who was still alive left that island shortly after, and nobody has returned since."
Alderin sighed. "Drunken Nords, or beasts of the apocalypse...I stand by my previous statement."
"Noted and ignored, Alderin..." Nathan simply shot back. He turned back to Olothan. "Why haven't more people heard about this? I mean really, the evacuation of an entire island?"
"Typically, when one encounters unknown creatures and is forced to abandon an area, one doesn't go on bragging about it..." the Altmer replied. "The Elder Council didn't want to start panic so soon after the Oblivion Crisis, and now with the relics of Tamriel disappearing..." Olothan managed a slight shrug.
"More and more, I'm really hating this whole idea..." Netta groaned sourly. "So what specifics do you know about the tower?"
Fyr looked intently at Netta. "As Olothan said, we know it's near the ruins of Mortrag Glacier, and that those creatures are reportedly most numerous at its base." The old wizard sighed. "Or at least, that's how it was. An energy barrier of unknown origin surrounds the island, and prevents anyone from seeing into the interior. Any ships going inside have never returned."
"An energy barrier? Seriously?" Alderin asked, dumbstruck. "Honestly, how unbelievably cliché and lame can one quest get?"
"The point is, you'll have quite a time getting there, let alone managing to get into the tower, retrieve the artifacts, and make it back," Olothan surmised. "That's assuming, of course, you still plan on going."
There was an awkward moment of silence, as the group thought on these words. They had come this far...angered so many people, fought with fanatics, and even gone to Oblivion and back. Was this as far as they-
"Screw all that self doubt crap!" Bruno barked, looking to the two mages. "We've gotten this far, and I ain't a-givin' up now! Now how the hell do we get there!?"
Ilithan quickly got up, out of his seat, ran over to Bruno and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Weren't you listening, you drunken retard!?" he screamed, shaking Bruno madly. "The damn thing's a kamikaze mission!"
"Maybe so..." Nathan muttered, looking up. "But this isn't some crap quest like getting somebodies pants, or killing slaughterfish! This is the big league! Now I know I'm going..." Nathan looked to Netta and Alderin. "What about you two?"
Netta gave the Imperial a slight smile. "Well, I know I'm in this for the long haul. Can't let the two of you have all the fun, can I?" she said to Bruno and Nathan. The three of them looked over at Alderin.
The Altmer shrugged slightly. "Now normally, I'm against going on some half-cocked quest, what with me not being a suicidal kinda guy. But a chance to show up Ilithan this badly..." He gave a slight grin. "It comes once in a lifetime, really."
Ilithan threw his arms hopelessly in the air. "You're all totally psycho! The four of you really are meant for each other!"
Olothan chuckled slightly. "It's always good to see young people with such drive and spirit. So be it." He looked directly at Nathan. "There is a man in Ald' Ruhn, who has been known to construct Dwemer airships. They aren't exactly...reliable, but he is always willing for new volunteers. I'm sure he'd let you test it for him, with my recommendation." He looked into the other room. "Rollie, would you be so kind as to bring me a quill and parchment?"
"Yeah, yeah..." a coarse voice called from the room. "Do us both a favour and keep yer damn pants on!"
"So just how many relics have been stolen?" Nathan asked Olothan. "I mean, I know about a few, but-"
Olothan sighed deeply. "With the recent theft of Sunder, Keening and Wraithguard..." he began, shaking his head. "All of them. Whoever or whatever this thing is, it now has all of the relics of Tamriel. Daedric artifacts, armour, weapons...all of it. And now it looks like it may be up to you four to get them back."
"So no pressure, or anything..." Netta chimed in. "Go to Solstheim, get past demonic beings, storm a nightmarish tower, kill whatever's inside, and grab every artifact known to Tamriel. Simple, right?"
"More or less..." Fyr replied with a slight shrug.
A large Guar with a pack on his back, and a quill and parchment in his mouth, walked up to Olothan, and dropped the items in his lap. "There. Satisfied?" he asked the mage.
Netta's eyes shot wide. "Hold it...you mean this thing can talk!?" she hollered.
"Yes, Rollie here is quite the conversationalist..." Olothan confirmed while writing the note. "Sometimes it can be a hassle to get him to stop talking."
"Yeah, what's your problem? Ya never seen a talking Guar before, ya dumb Dunmer whore!?" Rollie bellered.
"Hey man! What's your problem!?" Nathan howled, coming to Netta's defence. "You'd best mind yerself!"
"Cool yer jets, there, hotshot," the Guar shot back, sarcastically. "Didn't mean to upset ya. Sure yer girlfriend here is real classy..."
Nathan turned to Netta, and the two of them gave each other confused glances, before shaking their heads and turning back to Rollie. "She's not my...I mean we're not..." Nathan sputtered madly.
"Oh really?" Rollie asked with a massive smirk. He turned to Netta. "So that means you're available tonight, eh?" he teased smugly. "Whadd'ya say? Once you've had Guar, you never go back!"
Alderin got up out of his seat, and walked towards the Guar. "Alright then, even I know when it's enough, pal," he growled.
"Oh, you think you could do better?" Rollie asked, cocking his head to one side. "How 'bout we let the lady here decide? Or ya 'fraid that I'd whoop ya!?"
"That does it!" Bruno hollered angrily, jumping up to a standing position. "I've had enough of this Guar! BRUNO SMASH!!!" he roared, baring his fists.
"Just try it, you miserable galoot!" Rollie taunted excitedly. "I'll mess you up!"
Fyr calmly waved his hand to the side. "That's enough, Rollie," he instructed, before turning to Netta and Nathan. "You'll have to forgive him, he's somewhat high spirited."
"Yeah, I can see that..." Nathan grumbled irritably. He scowled at the rather annoying Guar for a moment before Olothan handed him the note.
"There," the Altmer said kindly. "Just show that to Louis Beauchamp in Ald' Ruhn. He can usually be found with some lady friend of his, and usually with some kind of a cold or another." Olothan smiled fondly, looking between the four adventurers. "Now stay safe, you four. I hope that you're successful in your quest."
"You and me both, Olothan..." Nathan mumbled with a bit of a grin, pocketing the note. Bruno and Netta nodded in agreement.
Alderin sighed deeply. "Uh...look dad, I know I didn't really say goodbye before I left last time..." The Altmer shifted uncomfortably. "What I'm trying to say is, well...I'm sorry. And thanks...for everything."
Olothan simply smiled gratefully, patting Alderin on the shoulder. As he went back over to his wife and Rebecca, Ilithan walked over. "Hey, Alderin..." he began, calmly.
"Yeah, Ilithan?" Alderin asked, crossing his arms. He tapped his foot anxiously on the ground, and his brother gave him a sincere look.
"When you get to Solstheim...try not to be too careful. After all, if you die, I get all your inheritance..." the brother explained simply.
"Ilithan!!!" Rebecca hollered angrily.
"No such luck. I already made it clear that if I die, Rebecca gets all my stuff. That, and she settles my affairs, from beyond the grave," Alderin retorted, before looking at his sister as they gave each other a curt nod. Ilithan simply rolled his eyes, and headed back to the others.
Alderin gave one last look to his family, and his home, before giving a slight nod. He and Bruno headed for the door, with Nathan and Netta bringing up the rear.
"Can you believe that Rollie?" Nathan spat angrily. "The nerve of him...and to think, the two of us..."
Netta simply shook her head. "I know...I mean, it's unheard of!"
"Simply ridiculous."
"Damn straight."
The door slammed shut as Netta and Nathan left the house, and Rollie turned to Olothan and his family. "You just know they're gonna be goin' at it any day now..." he explained sadistically.
Taven, who had remained silent until now, looked at Olothan, and frowned. "I have to say, I'm surprised you let Alderin go. Given how dangerous Solstheim is, I thought you'd try to keep him here."
Olothan shook his head slowly. "I learned a long time ago that Alderin does as he pleases. If he really wanted to go, he would've found a way." He looked somberly at the door. "And besides, I've got a good feeling about those four. I think they might just be able to pull it off."
"Oh please..." Rollie grumbled, rolling his massive eyes. "They don't have a prayer."
Taven angrily slapped Rollie outside the head as Fyr turned to Olothan. "I can't help but wonder, though, who did create that tower? And for what purpose?" The elderly wizard leaned back and thoughtfully stroked his chin.
______________
The bouncer of the Seyda Neen cantina sat at the bar, drinking a dirty glass full of flin, and nursing his sore jaw. Unbeknownst to him, however, a robed figure, with a hood obscuring the face, entered through the tavern door, approached from behind, and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Get up," it commanded simply, the voice low and crackling. The figure was otherwise perfectly still, waiting for the man's response.
The bouncer turned around, an irritated look on his face. "Look pal, I don't know who you think you are, but I-" the bouncer was suddenly cut off, as the figure grabbed him by the neck, lifting him up off the ground.
"I don't have time for your objections..." the figure muttered bitterly. "I'm in a hurry, so the quicker you shut up and answer my questions, the better off we'll be."
There was a distinctive click, as on the other side of the bar, the Orc barkeep levelled a steel crossbow at the stranger's head. "Now listen here, fella, we ain't fonda violence in these here parts, so why don't ya..."
The front off the crossbow clanged onto the counter as a long katana sliced through the air. The robed figure held the blade high above the counter top, the steel still singing from the impact. Looking at the barkeep, and then the other patrons, the figure spoke. "Get...out," it ordered.
"Alrighty then..." the barkeep responded compliantly as he and the others collectively tucked their tails between their legs, and rushed out of the tavern.
"W-whaddya want?" the bouncer asked pathetically, wriggling in midair.
With the hand holding the katana, Sakura pulled back her hood, and glared at the bouncer, her brow furrowed. "I need something from you..." she growled, her voice taking on its usual feminine tone once again.
The bouncer looked relieved, and let out a corresponding sigh. "Well, I usually don't with a woman I just met, but if you insi-"
Sakura let the man fall back onto his stool, a look of disgust on her face. "Don't make me sick, you filthy cretin. I need information."
"Information?" the bouncer asked, scratching his filthy hair. "What about?"
Sakura leaned forward, and glared at the man. "I have it on good authority that some friends of mine passed through here recently."
"Tell me where they went."
Happy days...
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Post by DarkNova50 on Mar 9, 2009 20:23:49 GMT
Chapter 15: The Life of a Henchman[/u] (Sign up today!)
Nathan grumbled angrily under his breath, glaring at Alderin ahead of the remaining trio. The hot, afternoon sun of Vvardenfell bore down on the quartet brightly, in the desolate region they now traversed. Odd looking roots and plants littered the otherwise bare soil, and he could've sworn he saw Daedra wandering around between lava pits.
Alderin suddenly stopped, looking around intently, before he sighed, and looked back to the group. "Yeah, I think we're lost..." the Altmer surmised, shrugging. "I have no idea where we are."
"What!?" Nathan bellered angrily. "The only reason we didn't go through Balmora was because you said 'this way' was a shortcut!!!" the Imperial yelled. He ran up, grabbing Alderin by the collar. "And now, you're telling me we're lost[/b]!?"
Alderin grinned nervously, cocking his head to one side. "It would seem as though that's the case..." he replied, his voice shaky.
As Nathan's eyes bulged in anger, Netta made her way between the two men, forcing the Imperial to release his deathgrip. Alderin fell to the ground and took a few steps back. "C'mon Nathan!" the chipper young Dunmer cried out, a hopeful look on her face. "Think of it this way; it may not be the road to Ald Ruhn, but every path, even this one, leads to somewhere!"
"Where!? The middle of nowhere!?" Nathan hollered in response. "Sorry Netta, but once again, Alderin's gotta die." He turned to the Altmer, and began slowly cracking his knuckles. "Sorry 'bout this, friend..."
Alderin took a few desperate steps back. "You back off, ya damn cock bite!" he screamed, pointing an accusing finger. "You'll never get away with it anyway...I've got witnesses!"
"Bruno, turn around," Nathan instructed, preparing to lunge. "If nobody sees it, it's nice and legal..."
The massive Nord marched over and picked the other two men up by the backs of their collars, holding them apart as if they were mischevious children. "By Ysmir's beard, you two are worse then a couple of Nix Hound pups!" he barked, looking between the two of them. He then turned his attention to Netta, and smoothed his features. "We should try to find a landmark nearby...something that could tell us where we are in relation to the main roads," he suggested.
Netta's eyes widened, both with excitement and surprise. "Wow...that's actually a really good idea!" she chirped happily, looking at the Nord. "In fact, that may be the best idea you've had on this journey yet, Bruno!"
"Yeah...what gives?" Alderin asked bitterly, glaring at the Nord who held him midair.
"Meh...even I have my moments," the Nord replied with a slight shrug, before releasing Nathan and Alderin.
"Well, as opposed as I am to agree with Bruno on anything..." Alderin groaned, brushing himself off. "I will admit that it isn't a completely bad idea. But how are we supposed to find a landmark!? It's not like there's a big green arrow pointing us in the right direction!"
"Stop yer whining..." Nathan grumbled, leading the group ahead. "There's plenty of old, useless crap all around this hell hole of a province," he explained. "Sooner or later, we'll run into a ruin, or some run down mess of a fishing town."
"Yeah, 'cause Cyrodiil is much better, with its deserted, and usually haunted, old forts..." Netta shot back smugly. "Plus, ya got way more necromancers...and vampires...and then there's Bravil..."
"Aight shut up!" Alderin finally bellered. "Both your native provinces are abysmal excuses for places to live! Just shut yer damn traps!"
The group wandered through the native foliage of the area, sure to avoid any Daedra they saw in the distance. After about twenty minutes of searching, they finally stumbled upon a large, seemingly abandoned Daedric ruin, parts of the structure jutting out from a nearby cliff.
"What'd I tell ya?" Nathan asked smugly, looking back at the others. "Tons of useless crap...we can use this to figure out where we are."
"Nathan...we don't know what this is!" Alderin yelled, throwing his arms out in exaggerated motions. "You have any idea how many of these stupid things are laying around on this island!?"
"No problem..." Netta responded with a grin, her eyes darting over to the Altmer. "We'll just ask whoever's inside where we are!"
"Uh, I hate to be a downer..." Bruno interrupted, holding up a single finger. "But aren't Daedra worshippers really, really unfriendly? As in, they're gonna try to kill us unfriendly?"
"Thank Mister Shortcut over there..." Nathan muttered, glaring at Alderin. He turned around and headed for the ruin. "Besides, I'd rather deal with the worshippers in there then the Daedra out here." So with that, Bruno, Netta, and a hesitant Alderin followed Nathan into the ruin.
As they entered, they noted that large torches provided ample illumination of the winding steps that led down into the ruin. Jagged protrusions shot out at all angles from the walls, etched with Daedrc runes, and the walls themselves were an odd shade of purple.
"Cozy..." Netta simply remarked, before crinkling her nose, and sniffing the air. "What the...do you guys smell something?" she asked, her face contorted into one of disgust.
Alderin hunched over, leaning against the wall with his right arm. "Only the stench of impending failure, that..." Alderin began, before raising his head, and sniffing the air himself. "Wait...I smell it too!"
"Son of a..." Nathan grumbled, before heading down the steps. "There's always something, isn't there? What the hell could it be this time?" The group reached the bottom of the stairs, at the entrance to the main chamber.
And they got their answer.
The bodies of dozens of Daedra, and Daedra worshippers, littered the ground, pools of blood around their lifeless corpses. Weapons lay strewn about the floor, while blood and gore decorated the walls. In the centre of the room stood three robed figures, seemingly the only survivors of the battle. The black robes obscured their forms from the quartet, and they stood with their backs to the entrance.
"Okay...this is new..." Alderin muttered, nudging a Dremora Valkynaz with his foot. Its Daedric armour scraped against the hard stone floor, and the noise echoed through the chamber.
"What the hell happened?" Nathan asked in surprise, looking between the dead combatants. "I mean, Dremora, Golden Saints, Atronachs...these guys don't go down easy."
Bruno glared at the figures in the centre of the room. "Hey! Who the hell are you guys? And what happened here!?"
The figure on the right slowly turned around, and pulled back its hood. The face of a Nord...or what had once been a Nord, looked back at them. Its face was a pale, almost unearthly gray, and its eyes were abnormally large. The colour was all but gone from those eyes, making it seem as though the thing may be blind, and its hair was but small, thinning patches. It smiled widely, showing its teeth as it looked at Bruno. "Hello, Bruno. It's good to see you again," the thing greeted, its normal voice belying its appearance.
Bruno took a trembling step back, his eyes transfixed on the creature. "By Talos..." he looked at the others. "That's...that's Riley! From my ship, the 'Stalwart Flounder'!" Bruno cried out. "But...it's been ten years..."
Netta cocked a partly disturbed, partly intrigued eyebrow. "I'm gonna go ahead and assume that he didn't look like that last time you saw him, right?" she asked calmly.
"Remember kids, don't do mead..." Alderin added smugly, crossing his arms. "Because it turns you into a twisted, demonic freak."
Nathan took a step forward. "What the hell happened to you, man? Looks like you got beaten over the head with an ugly tree."
Riley grinned even wider, in a disturbingly amused way. His gaze transfixed on Bruno, ignoring the others. "Since I saw you last, Captain Bruno, I've changed a great deal. I've seen many things, learned so much." He chuckled slightly. "If only you could understand what I've become...it's phenomenal..."
"Clearly you and I have different ideas of what that means, Riley!" Bruno barked, clenching his fists tightly into balls. "What happened to you!? I mean, look at yerself! Mead doesn't do that to people!"
"Of course not!" Riley barked back. "The...Master...showed me how that vile drink of yours, and so many other things, were clouding my mind...keeping me from becoming something greater!" The beast chuckled slightly. "...showed me how mead is a truly foul thing."
"FOUL!?!? MEAD!?!?!" Bruno bellered angrily. "I don't know who this master of yours is, but clearly he's warped yer mind, and made you evil!!!" the Nord screamed.
The other two figures turned around, and pulled back their hoods. Their appearances had been similarly altered like Riley's, although their original races were still evident. The one in the middle was clearly another Nord, while the other had been an Imperial. But now they were monsters, all.
"You don't understand..." the centre Nord chuckled, lifting his hands in front of him. "How could you? We were as ignorant as you, once. Before the Master brought his will to us...to Solstheim."
"Solstheim? But Olothan said-" Nathan began, before his eyes bulged wide with the realization. "Oh...[censored] nuggets..."
"Who are you guys?" Netta demanded, her brow furrowed. "And what are you doing here?"
The centre Nord stepped forward slightly. "Of course...introductions. I am...or rather, once was, known as Korst Wind-Eye, of the Skaal village on Solstheim," he explained, his voice calm. "Next to me is Wallace, of an Imperial expedition force that was sent to the island..." The Imperial thing gave a slight bow, wearing another of those horrific smiles. "And of course you already know Riley..."
"As for why we're here..." Riley began, as the trio began forward, slowly. "We're here to test you. The Master believes you may be...well, a threat, to put it simply. He knew that you'd come here, and these Daedra loving fools were a minor inconvenience to his plans."
"Oh boy..." Nathan grumbled, as he and the others took a few steps back. "What kind of 'test' did you have in mind?"
"Maybe something involving math? Or something more literary, perhaps?" Alderin queried hopefully.
"Combat, of course..." Korst replied. "If you are worthy, then you will easily defeat us, and you will continue on your quest to find the Master on Solstheim."
Netta sighed deeply. "I think I know the answer, but...what if we aren't worthy?"
All traces of a smile disappeared from the three creatures. "Then you will die," Korst grumbled bitterly, pulling out a rather menacing, jet black longsword.
"Ya know..." Alderin began, as the foursome readied their own weapons. "Once...just once, I'd like the answer to that question to be something like 'we'll let you go' or 'we'll give you a buncha gold'..."
"I don't see it happening, Alderin..." Nathan grumbled as Korst, Wallace and Riley charged at them.
_____________
Sakura, now without her robe, pounded furiously on the large circular door atop the St. Olms canton. Dark stormclouds dominated the sky, and rain fell heavily on the ground around her.
"Is anybody in there!?" Sakura hollered, still pounding. "Hello!?"
The door opened up, and a young Altmer stood there, his eybrow arched in suspicion. He looked Sakura up and down, and looked back into the room at the end of the hallway. "It's just more riff raff...nothing to-"
Ilithan was cut off as Sakura knocked him over, and charged past him, through the hallway and into the main room. Olothan, Fyr, Taven and Rollie still remained there, apparently talking before she arrived.
"Well hello, dear..." Olothan greeted kindly, seemingly not caring that she had simply barged in. "Who might you be?"
"Who cares what her name is!? She's a friggin' fox!" Rollie howled happily, his tail pointing straight out. He trotted up to Sakura, grinning widely. "Hey there, ba-"
Sakura punched the Guar in the side of the head, and looked intently at Olothan. "Tell me...were Nathan and his friends here!?" she asked, her voice pleading.
"Yes, they were..." Olothan replied, leaning back in his seat. "Although they left quite some time ago."
"Good riddance, I say..." Ilithan grumbled, making his way into the main room.
"Dammit..." Sakura cursed, collapsing into a nearby seat. She miserably buried her face into her hands. "Of all the damned, rotten luck..."
"What's wrong, my dear?" Fyr asked the distraught young Breton, genuine concern on his face.
Sakura looked up at the elderly Dunmer, and sighed deeply. "After Nathan told me about their plan to find that wretched tower, I did some digging around...to see if I could find out anything useful, I mean." She covered her face again. "I'm almost sorry I did..."
Olothan walked over, and patted Sakura gently on the back. "It's alright...if you're talking about what I think you are, we already knew that the tower was on Solstheim, and that it would be dangerous...we told them that before they left. You have nothing to feel bad about," he reassured.
Sakura glanced at Olothan, her face full of worry. "It's not the island that worries me...it's who's on it that matters..." She reached into a small pack she carried with her, and pulled out a stone tablet. "It was a real pain in the ass, but I managed to find out who actually put that damn tower there." She placed the tablet on the table before her, and looked at Olothan.
The others crowded around, reading it. To most of them, it meant nothing. Simply incoherent babbling. But when Olothan saw it, or more specifically, the last two lines, his eyes grew wide, and his hands trembled slightly. He looked up at Sakura. "Is...is this accurate?" he asked.
The Breton nodded. "I'm afraid so..."
The last two lines read: "There, on Solstheim, he awaits his calling...
Sir Vanion"
One big cluster [censored]...
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