Heroes Of The North

[mythicdawnmaster]

Anna followed the gazes of her Dunmer saviours to the tattoo on Malus's head, and she also noticed Eireen eyeing the man's armour like it was a Daedra. Anna recognised the material the moment she noticed it, and after noticing the difference between the Tattoo on Malus's head, and that of the Tribunal, she remembered seeing that image somewhere before... Of course! The Morag Tong, she'd stumbled upon a derelict safehouse when she travelled Morrowind, albeit briefly, as the Ashen weather was too much for her to bear.

 

When the man spoke reservedly, Anna just looked at him. For such a man of good deeds, he wasn't very talkative. Still, he seemed humble, and that was a good thing. She couldn't see any wounds inflicted upon the Dunmer, and could only assume he had taken care of the Nord without trouble; But what else was to be expected of one branded with the Tong's seal? She gave him a knowing look, her eyes flicking from his tattoo to his face.

 

She smiled ever so slightly when the woman's father stepped defensively in-front of the two of them, sword drawn. Anna had no such stance, but carrying her staff every step of the way meant she was always ready, no matter what. She rarely ended life with it, and solely it, but it was useful for stopping foes long enough for her to obliterate them with spells.

 

"I'd guess he's either dead or trapped. Whatever the way, i hope it was, or will be slow and painful " Anna spoke, her soft voice tinged with anger. She hated such atrocities, and against a defenceless barmaid? Unforgivable, under the influence of that foul mead or not. Confident the situation was over, Anna turned on her heel, and stepped out of the house, the chilly wind brushing against her cheeks. her nose was red from the cold, and she longed to sit down and rest a short while.

Edited February 16, 2013 by mythicdawnmaster

[Macman253]

Malus smiled at the Bretons approval of his methods, he loosened his hand from the dagger behind him and adopted a relaxed stance. "I used Beladonna and Deathbell mix with a touch of Canis Root..." He said, figuring she would know the virulent poison that mix would make. He gave and evil smirk, "Dosed him with enough of it to bring down a giant..." He added as he pulled down his mask to reveal his face to them, comfortable they weren't with the city guard. He did not trust Windhelm's city guard as far as he could throw one and he knew that in a heartbeat they would string up a Dunmer for a crime if they could.

 

"You, relax I care not for your daughter's life or yours... Noone is paying me to kill you..." He said to the older Dunmer, he was callous and mean but he was not threatening. The man attempt at stealth was on par with Troll in his opinion, but to most it would have been enough. Malus' eyes were honed to see through darkness like daylight and that was the major reason he saw him, that and he didn't steady his breathing and his armor was not oiled to prevent the leather from rubbing against itself and making noise.

[Niborino9409]

Eykthain were glad to hear that Eireen were out of danger. Now he wondered about the methods the Dunmer had used.

 

"I see. You are with the Morag Tong, or were. I am glad to hear that you are not out to kill for pleasure. What kind of poison was it? What will happen to him?"

 

 

Eireen who had been quiet the whole time, voiced her opinion on the matter.

 

"Dad do you really want to know that? The important thing is that no more Dunmers will be killed."

Keeping his attention on the man in front of him Eykthain answered Eireen."True, that Nord won´t kill anyone else. But there are more where that came from. There are people that would be capable of doing the same thing."

 

He directed his next sentence to the man.

"You did what was necessary, but from now on you are a target. I do not know how long you´ve been here lad, but it works like this: A Nord murders a Dunmer, a Dunmer pursues the Nord, the Nord disappears. The Nords can easily manipulate this to their advantage. It can happen anywhere, but the risk is greater here."

 

He sheathed his sword and waited.

 

Eireen did not know what to say nor think. Was this the way her father had been in his youth? He weren´t this cold normally. This whole murder bussines had changed him, for better or worse she could not tell. Perhaps she did not know her father as well as she thought.

Edited February 17, 2013 by Niborino9409

[Macman253]

Malus stopped and turned to the fellow Dunmer, he looked into his eyes and spoke coldly, "If a Nord or anyone murders a Dunmer in retaliation for this crime... They too will vanish, I promise to make them fear the shadows. They leave the Dunmer alone, they can live happily but a Dunmer man or woman is murdered and no recompense is taken... I will take it." He vowed, the passion of his words radiated from him. He was tired of seeing his people abused by these self-important Nords. Not once has he seen a Nord do anything other then drink, brawl and hate.

 

"I am not out to kill for pleasure, I have never taken a life of a person that didn't have it coming... But anyone that lays a knife to a woman because she would not allow him to defile her deserves the long death that awaits him." He said as he stood in the doorway, when he said his piece he slipped through and vanished into the darkness. It was only a few hours till daylight and he wanted to slip away before the Guard arrived and started asking questions.

[mythicdawnmaster]

Anna had to stop when Malus gave his piece to Eykthain... it was spoken with conviction, resolve, and it was an opinion she imagined would never be shaken. She couldn't help but carry the same opinion there and then, her time in Skyrim had been short, and aside from her sisters marriage a few years ago, she had yet to see anything remotely good or pleasant. Riften was a hive of villainy, a den of corruption and unsolved crimes, a place officials were paid off as often fish were caught on the fishery. And Windhelm had turned out to be much the same, only with a deep-set hatred for any outsiders that weren't Nords.

 

If there was one thing Anna knew, it was that she was not going to stay there long. The thought of the happenings made her fit to burst with rage, but she couldn't help but feel the urge to document everything down- A terrible tragedy had turned into a great opportunity for her book. And then there was the matter of finding someone to help her out... Anna liked having a bodyguard to keep her safe, she paid well, and they accompanied her. Only her last had died, and she had no-one. She sincerely doubted anyone in this city could help.

 

She looked back at The Father and Daughter that stood split by their conflicting views, and predicament of trust an understanding- One didn't need to be a mind-reader to sense that Eykthain's words had unsettled his Daughter. Speaking in a soft tone, Anna offered "I need to sit down a while, I'll be in the tavern until daybreak, unless something else breaks loose. Should you want a drink, or anything, you know where i am." She continued on down the path, her heels clicking lightly as she went, cloak bellowing out behind her in the icy wind.

Edited February 17, 2013 by mythicdawnmaster

[Niborino9409]

Eykthain decided that they should go to the local Inn. They had been up almost the whole night. They could at least rest for a while after these gruesome events. Besides, Eireen had gotten along well with the woman, whose name were Anna.

 

When they arrived at the Inn, Eykthain knocked on the door, the Inn keeper opened and said with a hateful voice:

 

"What do you want?"

"We would like to rent a room for the night."

"Come in then."

 

Inside the Inn the Innkeeper told them how much a room for the night would cost.

"100 gold per room."

"Isn´t it 10 per room?" Eireen asked.

"It is. For Nords. Take it or leave it."

Eykthain let out a minor snarl, but decided to pay for a room. "Would it be possible to get 2 beds in 1 room instead?"

"I can arrange that, for say, 50 gold."

"I doubt I can barter with you so we´ll take it"

"Thank you. You rooms are over there." The Inn keeper pointed to a room in the far end of the corridor.

 

Eykthain and Eireen entered their room, the need for sleep began to catch up, so they went to bed almost in an instant. But before going to sleep they had a talk, Eireen were confused and wanted answers.

 

"Who was that man? And his armor, it looked so, exotic."

"I do not know his real identity, but he worked for the assassins guild of Morrowind, Morag Tong. With the eruption of the Red Mountain the Morag Tong was destroyed, they are only a shadow of their former selves, but that does not make them less dangerous. His armor. It was made of Chitin. Chitin is a shell from an insect that lives in Morrowind, I do not know much more about it though."

"Ok, thanks. I am aactually not so tired anymore. Can I go talk to Anna?"

"Do that if you want, I am going to bed. Remember your knife, you cannot trust anyone in this town. And I want you back here before dawn." He said.

"Yes, dad, Good night." Eireen said.

 

Before he went to sleep Eykthain wondered if he were to meet the Morag Tong assassin again. Eykthain and the assassin strived for the same goal, peace for the Dunmers. Eykthain too wanted them to be rid of the hatred that the Nords brought upon them, but the whole conflict was deep rooted and it would not be over in a handshake.

 

"We fight for the same goals, but from different sides, with different methods. I am inside the law, he is outside of the law." Unfortunately they met under weird circumstances. After a while he fell asleep.

 

 

Eireen closed the door carefully and walked up to the second floor, the second floor contained two big fireplaces with a table and several chairs each. After some searching she found Anna and took a seat beside her. She had begun to like her new aquaintance already.

Edited February 17, 2013 by Niborino9409

[Macman253]

Malus stalked through the city streets, the town guard was roused to the chase earlier in the night. He knew they were rounding up every Dunmer that walked the city streets at night. He drew his hood over his face and concealed it with a mask, he slid his the dagger he clutched in his hand into the sheath at his lower back next to its already sheathed twin. The sounds of the guards calling to one another carried through the tight streets of Windhelm, they were closing in. Malus looked for a quick avenue of concealment but found none that was fitting, he looked up to see the Hjerim was well built and tall, the buildings were close together and one if they were dexterous enough could move along them.

 

Malus smirked at the plan that was concocting in his mind as he took a great many steps back, planting his foot against the wall and dropping down to put his hands on the ground. He adopted the stance of a Ash-Runner, a sport he was excellent at in his youth. With a quick push from the wall he took off, his feet pounding the snow covered cobblestones as he ran faster then a Cliff Racer. His feet kicking up snow as he ran at his greatest speed towards the wall, his momentum helped him run up the side of the home and grasp the ledge on the second floor of the house. With that part done he pulled himself up and began to scale the side of the building freehanded.

 

Malus was surprised at how easy this was, the feat seemed much greater in his mind but he moved gracefully and easily. His many years as a Street-Runner had paid off tonight but as he got a birds eye view he noticed the many torches of the city guard moving about the city. Searching for him and Rolff. He stopped to count them but they eventually became too many to count and too many to track so he continued on to the roof. From here he could move between the buildings with relative ease and they provided excellent placed to escape to. He took a running leap from the roof of Hjerim and landed on the roof of the house next door. Moving quickly he was able to return to the Grey Quarter and to his safehouse hidden there, The Morag Tong and the Dark Brotherhood in ancient days were once the same, The Morag Tong also had a number of safe places constructed around Skyrim for purposes unknown even to him but the main reason he came to Windhelm was because of the existence of this safehouse.

 

The entrance was built into the wall behind memorial plaque that had long since faded away, if one touched the right runes the stone wall would slide away revealing the door behind it. When he arrived and found it to be safe he dropped down next to the plaque and touched the proper series of runes that opened the door, he double checked to see if it was clear and when he was comfortable he slipped inside with the door closing behind him. The place well warm and dry well kept and most of all, hidden.

 

"Mephala be praised..." He said as he removed his hood and mask while walking down the entrance tunnel to the main room, hidden under the New Gnisis Cornerclub. Unknown to most but its original owner was a member of the Morag Tong and had built the club over the Safehouse to give fleeing members a place to stay and operate, yet no one came until Malus. They were all that was left of that ancient order of assassins. As he entered the crystal lights illuminated, revealing the furniture that filled the room. The ancient Dunmer rugs that laid across the floor and the arsenal of assassins tools and weapons that hung on the wall. This place was his home, originally it had racks of cots and places for them to sleep but he turned it into a home after the previous owner left it to him. A ladder in the corner of the room ran up to a hatch that lead to the cellar of the Cornerclub. Malus sighed as he removed his armor piece by piece, his body was tired and he walked over to his bed and flopped onto it, shutting his eyes and falling asleep almost instantly.

[mythicdawnmaster]

Anna found her way into the Inn, and got a strange look from the Innkeeper, but after sternly explaining that all she wanted was a quiet drink, she avoided any insults or racist remarks with a stern glare. The fact she made a point of holding a ball of seething magic in her hands, that threw the staff into a state of fear- mages weren't just hated in Skyrim, they were feared, because the simple minded Nords didn't grasp the concept.

 

Upon reaching the second floor, Anna received more looks, but ignored them completely, holding her noble head high. She found an empty table in the corner of the room, and sat down with a sigh. She removed her velvet cloak, and hung it on the back of her chair, despite the simple wood she sat on, it was like heaven after her long walk, and exiting night. She got out her journal, and her notes, and spread them out infront of her, she began scrawling down everything she had memorized from the night, and got about writing a chapter on Windhelm. Her powerful Black Book rested on the table next to her, the cover an engraved image of Hermaeus Mora, and silent whispers were audible from within it's covers. Anna opened the heavy, thick tome with one hand, settling on one page. It was an incomprehensible riddle, the page was dotted with large, black dots, around them encircled moving runes, that constantly shifted direction, changing with every second. To anyone that wasn't gifted in the reading of Daedric writing, and who didn't possess the gifts Mora granted, it would be impossible to even fathom a single rune. She didn't have to worry about her work being stolen either... the book had it's own.. defences.

 

Looking between her three avenues of text, Anna smiled when Eireen came to sit with her, putting down her quill she smiled, the redness of cold long since dissipated from her face. "It's good to see you again." She said softly, settling her eyes on the Half-Dunmer before her. She noted the pale blue of Eireen's skin, it was a lovely shade. "I don't think we have been properly introduced, I'm Anna, Anna Lébonte... You might have heard of me if your an avid reader." there was no boasting or arrogance in her voice, she was a humble woman, well, for the most part anyway.

[Niborino9409]

The guests of the Inn all looked at her, probably because she was a Dunmer. But she did not care, Eireen had all right to be there, wether they liked it or not. As she sat down next to Anna she noticed the book she was reading, or the books. She saw several books, thick books, small books and even thicker books. The one she held were also thick and ugly too, like it had been in a tomb from the day it had been written. Eireen did not care much for reading, but her new aquaintance seemed to be a devourer of books.

 

"It´s good to see you too. You´re right, we haven´t been properly introduced to each other, Eireen Rightain. Dad did not want to follow, he went to sleep instead." Eireen said happily with a smile.

She looked into the fire in front of her and then continued.
"To be honest, I do not really read much, so sadly, I have not heard of you. What kind of books do you write?"

Edited February 17, 2013 by Niborino9409

[mythicdawnmaster]

Anna smiled back, and replied "Well, your father doesn't seem the talkative type anyway, best it's just us eh? It's nice to have some young company once in a while... I'm used to ageing old lecturers and the spirits of the dead, that, or my lord. Who has no age..." Anna paused for a moment, staring into the void of text that whirled around the black book.

 

Anna smiled again and said happily "I write facts, history, events, recordings. My first book was a detailed tome on Breton history, and then i made a number of smaller pieces about various families and factions, I've written about Hammerfell, Elsweyr, Morrowind, and now i'm here in Skyrim writing a book named 'Nords: A Truth!' and so far that truth isn't very pretty.