Shadows of Darkest Soul (An Elder Scrolls RP)

[AurianaValoria1]

Velanya Therys, Fort Floodgate, Blades Safehouse Bunk Room

 

Velanya leaned back against the side of the bunk. With Adrynn and Lecuaro's comforting words, she began to relax a little. She closed her eyes momentarily, before returning her gaze to her commander. She sighed heavily, and a little shakily.

 

"Lecuaro, sir," she began, "It's just...I don't know. I've been happy as a lark with my life in the legion for forty years now. Despite the hardships, I've always been satisfied with my choice to join the Imperial Army. Even in the chaotic days of the Nerevarine, I never complained, never faltered, never wavered in my duty, my faith, or my confidence. I took comfort in the daily routine...getting up at the crack of dawn, patrolling the battlements of whatever fort I was stationed at, eating some of the most horrible gruel ever created in the mess hall, going on some more rounds, and then crashing at about midnight - only to get up the next morning and start all over again. It wasn't great all the time, no, but I loved it all the same."

 

She put her head in her hands, "Now, it's like my life has been taken from me. I didn't choose to join the Blades. I didn't choose to become the pawn of a Daedric Prince. My freedom has been stolen. My path has been snatched from own hands and I have become a slave to...destiny? Fate?"

 

Velanya looked up again, a fierceness burning in her garnet eyes, "I swear to you that I will do everything in my power to protect the people of Morrowind and the citizens of the Empire, from whatever enemy that raises its foul head. But I want it to be my choice! My life is my own and I want it back!"

 

She was shaking again. She lifted her hands and watched her fingers tremble, "Why am I so angry? Why do I feel so...unsteady? Unhinged? I feel like I will explode at any moment. What has Azura done to me? I am not myself anymore, and I am afraid of what I have become."

 

Velanya looked down at the ripped parchment in her lap. Sighing again, she crumpled the ruined paper into a ball, "That's all I can tell you, commander."

Edited October 24, 2011 by AurianaValoria1

[SoulofChrysamere]

Lecuaro Sulnair Marczon - Fort Floodgate, Blades Safehouse Bunk Room

 

Lecuaro listened intently as Velanya vented her anger. It reminded him of his own trying time after being forced to accept promotion beyond the rank of Knight-Errant. He swallowed hard and carefully thought about how to phrase his next sentences.

 

 

"You're not the only pawn of a Daedric prince or princess here, Velanya." He said gingerly as he held up up his two forearms so both she and Adrynn could see the depiction of Hermaeus Mora and the text "Oghma Infinium" seared into the skin. "Looks like I have a puppetmaster too."

 

 

Lecuaro lowered is arms before resuming. "And believe me, I know the feeling of being forced into something. It was more-or-less partly my decision to join the Blades, but as I said before, I didn't want to advance to the officer ranks. And I didn't want to advance for the same reasons as you. I had no interest in getting swallowed up in all of the filthy politics and I never really cared about becoming very powerful. But when things got rough money-wise, it felt like I was in a prison cell with the walls closing in on me...and one of my superiors heard about my plight and offered me one last chance to accept the promotion. That time, it wasn't something I wanted to do, but it was something I had to do. The raise to my salary solved most of our money problems and bought my family and I some peace of mind again."

 

 

Lecuaro took Velanya's hand in his and squeezed slightly. "We don't always get to do what we want to do. However, the mark of a strong man or woman...the mark of a strong leader or ally, is the resolve to press on in the face of whatever circumstances come, favorable or unfavorable, self-chosen or otherwise. And...if you'd like, I'll pray to the Nine with you since I'm a believer myself."

 

 

The Breton then looked at Adrynn. "Adrynn, I don't think a prayer from yourself to whoever you worship would hurt either." He said.

[AurianaValoria1]

Velanya Therys, Fort Floodgate, Blades Safehouse Bunk Room

 

Velanya was stunned to see the symbols on Lecuaro's arms...and strangely, at the same time, they were not surprising. He, too, had been branded by the Daedra. But for what purpose? And to what end?

 

She nodded in acceptance of Lecuaro's offer, squeezing his hand in return, "Thank you, commander. My prayer goes to Father Akatosh and Talos, for the courage and strength to make it through the coming days."

 

The elven legionnaire then bent her head and began mouthing her prayer, her eyes closed.

Edited October 25, 2011 by AurianaValoria1

[darkedge42392]

Adrynn Indarys, Fort Floodgate, Blades Safehouse

 

Adrynn grinned humorlessly to Lecuaro's suggestion. "Hehe. Breton, I'm afraid that the god or goddess I pray to has already made herself known today. And I think she's answered enough of my questions today as well," the Redoran said, his eyes hard and filled with the irony of the commander's request. His eyes softened as he turned to his cousin. "But, I know she has chosen us for a reason, so she had better listen this time," Adrynn said softer, resting a hand on Velanya's shoulder.

 

"Azura, guide us safely and allow us to keep our wits and remember our training and instincts in the coming days," Adrynn whispered simply, his eyes resting on Velanya's bowed face.

 

And by the Three, don't get us killed . . .

[nethgros]

Dar'krinji. Fort Floodgate, Blades Safehouse.

 

Dar sat off in a corner, watching everyone exchange glimpses of daedric brands. He wondered what exactly was going on here, and why all these people had been chosen. He of course had been chosen by Sheogorath long ago, wearing and earring made of maddness ore, rather than a brand in his skin. Still, it was quite odd that almost everyone here had some sort of daedra backing them. What did the future hold? Maybe Lecuaro could tell him, seeing as he has been linked to Hermaeus Mora, the master of things such as the future.

[Zephyr2011]

Kriak scoffed slightly at Caius's question. "Frankly spymaster there is nothing more to tell you. The emperor will be assassinated along with all of his heirs and you can't stop it. The Emperor himself knows when he will die but not where, how or by whom. It is fate that he should die and leave your Empire heirless. The Oblivion Crisis as it will come to be called will plague your entire realm but a warrior will arise, the Hero of Kvatch, and will force back the Daedra and restore your realm's tranquility but it shall be the end of an era. And-the end of your Empire." Kriak said this all rather matter of factly. "I don't know what Dar was saying earlier, for the Emperor is still alive now, it shall be no more than a few more years yet but he is still alive today, I'd put my wager on the drunken legionarre who slurred his speech too much to be entirely intelligible or too much skooma on Dar's account. I have my information because my realm has no reverence for time in yours. I traveled to Cyrodiil almost 20 years ago but it was shortly before the Emperor died. When I returned to my realm and then came here it was 7 years ago in your time. As I said, my realm has no reverence for any time but its own." Kriak kept with the brisk pace of the spymaster as they walked, based upon how some events were unfolding back in the stronghold he needed to know Caius' destination now so he could take the more efficient path, continue or return to the others, "Now Spymaster where exactly are you going?" Kriak said with a more demanding and assertive tone than he had shown before.

[SoulofChrysamere]

Lecuaro Sulnair Marczon - Fort Floodgate, Blades Safehouse Bunk Room

 

 

Lecuaro bowed his head and prayed aloud, calling each Divine by name.

 

 

"Father Akatosh, Zenithar, Dibella, Kynareth, Stendarr, Julianos, Talos, and Mara, I humbly ask you all to grant us safety and health during these trying times. I pray that we all will have the wisdom and energy necessary to push through whatever hardships come our way. I don't know why the Daedric princes and princesses have marked us all, but there must be a reason...there has to be. Please keep watch over everyone at this fort, no matter what their creed or religion may be."

 

 

The commander then lifted his head and looked toward the rising dawn shining through the window as he uttered his conclusion. "And above all else, along with Azura, don't let this be in vain."

[AurianaValoria1]

Caius Cosades, Fort Floodgate

 

Caius didn't quite grasp what Kriak was talking about. It didn't surprise him that the hunter was from another world, but it was very difficult to believe that such a place could defy the rules of time itself. And, on top of that, the very fact that the woodsman had imparted such information to him gave them the chance to save the Emperor and his sons. Now that they had prior knowledge of what would happen, they could prepare...at least, given that they had enough time.

 

He sighed, trying not to let Kriak's tone annoy him too much, "I'm headed to the kitchens first. I'll need to tell the cook to prepare enough ration packs for at least a week-long sojourn. We don't know how long this jaunt to Kogoruhn is going to take. Could take one day, could take five. Depends on how large their forces are. I'll probably grab a bite for myself, and then I'm going to find Serrabenashiah. I want to get her and Velanya together before I send them off to the Urshilaku Camp."

 

Caius cast a sideways glance at the woodsman, "So, where are you going?"

 

 

Velanya Therys, Fort Floodgate, Blades Safehouse Bunk Room

 

Velanya lifted her head at the end of Adrynn and Lecuaro's prayers. She got up, brushed herself off, and prepared to write again, this time with a much more calm and subdued demeanor.

 

"Adrynn, I may have some more parchment in my pack if you want to get some to write your own letter to Archmaster Serethi. I myself need to notify Faeryn of our situation. Commander, did you say you have someone who can ferry mine and Adrynn's letters to Ghostgate and Ald'ruhn, respectively?"

Edited October 28, 2011 by AurianaValoria1

[darkedge42392]

Adrynn Indarys, Fort Floodgate, Blades Safehouse Bunk Room

 

Adrynn smiled and stood up. Velanya was in a much calmer mood. Their prayers seemed to have taken the edge off of her stress and relaxed her enough to calm her down. Adrynn stretched momentarily, letting his joints pop and his muscles relax from his stiff sleep. Legion bunks weren't the softest thing he'd slept on in his many years. As his body's aches and pains slowly drifted into memory, he reached into Velanya's pack and pulled out a sheet of parchment. Sitting on the nearest bunk he could find, he grabbed a quill and an ink bottle and began to write, taking very little time to go into extreme detail. His Archmaster needed only to know the hard and undeniable truth. House Redoran might just go to war.

 

Adrynn signed the letter, folded it, then grabbed a lit candle, let the wax drip off of it onto the parchment, then pressed his House ring into it. That way Athyn would know it was from him.

 

Adrynn stood up and slid the letter into Lecuaro's hands. "Please get this to Ald'Ruhn as quickly as you can. I have to go see about a few things. Namely, where in Oblivion Edward ran off to," Adrynn said, his eyes hard, but also showing his respect for the Legion Commander. Not many could say that they've earned that from him outside of his own House, but these were strange days, and strange days called for stranger friends. Adrynn nodded and turned around, resting a hand on Velanya's shoulder for a brief moment, squeezing it as he made his way out the safehouse.

 

Where are you Edward?

[AurianaValoria1]

Velanya Therys, Fort Floodgate, Blades Safehouse Bunk Room

 

Velanya thought for a moment, then began to write her letter to her Ordinator friend, keeping it concise for time's sake. She then signed and sealed it, addressed it, and placed it into Lecuaro's hands with Adrynn's, "This one needs to go to the Tower of Dawn at Ghostgate, please."

 

Slipping her feet back into her boots, she belted Frostfang to her side and slung her pack over her shoulder, "Now, if you will excuse me Commander, I must see the smith about my armor. After that, I'll try and meet up with Caius. I recall that he has orders for me." With that, she silently followed Adrynn's footsteps out of the safehouse.

 

Duty called.

Edited October 29, 2011 by AurianaValoria1