Zephyr2011 Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 (edited) Ra'Qassar nodded at Adrynn's remark and set forth along the road to the North with the rest of the party in tow. It was not an overlong journey by any means and a party of their size would deter bandits and the like with ease. The lack of a carriage also helped to display the seriousness of the band. Few groups traveled by carriage if they were warriors in large parties, most rode horses or traveled on foot together. The group would not make Labyrinthian that day, but they could march through the night and reach it by dawn or midday if they opted to make camp and set out at first light. They made good time, especially after resting on the way to Whiterun. "We can either continue marching through the night, or make camp and set off again at first light. What would you prefer? If we make Labyrinthian by dawn, I would recommend that we camp just within it to cut off any Thalmor exit and rest there. If we wait until tomorrow to set out we should delve further once we reach the place, which should be roughly midday." The khajiit addressed the group as a whole, but directed his questioning a little more towards Sienna. The majority would rule, but he assumed that most would assent with whatever the two of them decided and he would default to her, she took more punishment during the battle than he on account of her being more of a frontline soldier. ---------------------------------- Llervu stooped slightly to pick up the metal, but before he reached for it, he felt something else. Something different. It was not the warm dark that he had felt occasionally before, nor the tantalizing odor of power, but a distant feeling. Like some acrid smoke on the wind or the tang of metal on the tongue, faint, peculiar, but distinct. Magic users, destructive, perhaps disciplined, but they were ragged and weary. There was no time for this nonsense with the markings. He directed his servants to fan out across the ruin and locate the source of this annoyance. He sent the majority towards the entrance as that is where he felt it from, but with its faintness he could not be completely sure. Edited July 1, 2013 by Zephyr Kronos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AurianaValoria1 Posted July 2, 2013 Author Share Posted July 2, 2013 (edited) Faeryn nodded as Sorin's amulet landed beside him; he silently scooped it up and placed it in his pack alongside Adrynn's ring. They made fairly good time with the carriage, reaching the gates of Markarth in two days' time. The journey was, thankfully, uneventful, and the morning they arrived was clear and beautiful, albeit a bit misty. The Ordinator jumped off of the wagon and offered his hand to Serra, "So...how do we get to the Karthspire from here?" --------------------------------------------------- Sandhya crossed her arms, throwing out her opinion whether anyone approved or not. "This one is not tired. Sandhya would rather keep going. But this one is not in charge, so she shall do whatever the leaders decide." Edited July 2, 2013 by AurianaValoria1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkedge42392 Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 As the party slowly wound it's way across the tundra of Whiterun, Adrynn gave thought to Ra'Qassar's question. He glanced to the west, where the sun was setting quickly. The night would be cold, and there was no telling what might happen when they reached Labyrinthian freezing and tired. He stopped next to a stream, and slowly sat down on a outcropping rock. He hailed the rest of the group with his answer. "Friends, if we march through the night, we will suffer the cold and the stinging wind. And there is no telling what evils await us upon our arrival. I say we camp here for tonight, and leave at first light." He gestured to the stream, and pointed to a small herd of deer a few hundred yards away. "Here we have water, and food enough to feed us all. Plus enough of a shelter here to protect us against the wind and keep our fire warm," he added, showing the small depression between a ring of stones where it appeared a mammoth had lain. "But, that is my suggestion. If the others agree to march, then I will. Though my bones will complain by morning," he said, smiling softly. He hated getting old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr2011 Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Ra'Qassar's reply was to drop his small pack. The others hadn't spoken up, but he figured Adrynn wasn't much one for complaining, and if he voiced a grievance, the others were surely thinking it. "Very well, we shall camp here for the night, and be off at dawn." The sun was just now kissing the horizon, they would have a good night's rest and be ready to face the dangers of Labyrinthian tomorrow. The Khajiit prioritized the group and set about collecting firewood, kindling and tinder for a fire. After some brief time of gathering from a nearby copse of pine trees, he laid the fire. It was in the log cabin style, his favorite. It was flexible, as large or as small as necessary and it allowed airflow, but could also shelter a tender young flame from the harsh plain winds if arrayed properly. Once the fire was burning merrily, Ra'Qassar set up his bedroll beneath the overhang not far from the fire. He then set to fixing a spit for preparing the evening meal. The night passed uneventfully, with the companions taking turns with the watches. They were a large enough group that bandits would have thought better, had they been seen, and the fire was bright enough to deter wildlife. The group packed up in the morning and set off North again to the Labyrinthian. They reached the ruin-filled pass just before midday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulofChrysamere Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 Suetin Marczon: The Reach - Old Hroldan Inn Using his abilities and resourcefulness, Suetin managed to avoid any more unnecessary skirmishes and reached the Old Hroldan Inn after a couple of hours. One of the patrols spotted him coming and walked out to meet him. "Halt! State your name and rank, soldier!" The Redguard sentry ordered. "Suetin Marczon, Scout of the Imperial Legion." Suetin replied. "Ah, Suetin! Where've you been, eh?" The patrolman asked as he recognized the Breton's face. "Working, my friend. Working." Suetin answered simply as he made for the inn's porch. The doorman turned his head to the sound of approaching footsteps, and he smiled when he saw who was making them. "Suetin! Finally back, huh?" The tall Nord asked. "Only for a minute I'm afraid, Atherd." Suetin replied. "Oh? Belinossa still keepin' you busy, eh?" Atherd queried. "Eh, kind of. Listen, I've still got work to do, and I really don't need to be stalled by one of his rants. Could you please give this to him? It's my latest report." Suetin requested as he extended the parchment to his friend. "I take it this'll spark one of his rants." Atherd quipped, accepting the letter. "I've no doubt. It's not exactly an ideal message." Suetin said. "Well then, I guess you'd better hop back to it. I'll make sure he gets this." Atherd confirmed as he turned toward the door. "Thanks a ton, Atherd. Divines bless you." Suetin thanked as he wheeled around and started off. "Divines bless you too, friend." Atherd replied before disappearing inside the in. It was close, but Suetin managed to get back to Skyhaven Temple's courtyard before the onset of dusk.========================================= Serrabinashiah Masseribalit: The Reach - Markarth City Outskirts Serra accepted Faeryn's hand and disembarked. Then, she looked out over the Reach's cliffs and sighed at the Ordinator's question. "The Karthspire's a full day's hike eastward. We'll have to be careful not to run into any Forsworn or Thalmor out there along with all of the predators." Serra answered. "If we're going to set off now, we'd better get going. The Thalmor patrols around here are going to get suspicious about us if all we do is stand around." She added, warily eyeing all the patrols. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mythicdawnmaster Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 (edited) "So this is the fabled Labyrinthian is it? Imposing, very imposing. Tell me, if this is where the Thalmor have fled, then why are we not seeing the slightest notion of them being here? No tracks, no blood, no stragglers... I have a bad feeling that we have been led here for another reason entirely... Keep your eyes open, I smell a trap, for who in their right mind would seek refuge here?" Sienna drew her blade and looked around in paranoia. ---- "Thank you m'lady." The robed old man coughed as he sat himself down beside the fire, the shivers he was experiencing soon dissipating after feeling the embrace of the flames. Once Velanya had written her reply it was back through the underground of Skyrims many cave systems he went, up through the Jeralls, or, beneath them as was the case, and to Morgiah once again. The appearance of another alerted the elder, brandishing icy magics as the man approached, he let the frost die as he recognized the mark of the legion. Edited July 7, 2013 by mythicdawnmaster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AurianaValoria1 Posted July 6, 2013 Author Share Posted July 6, 2013 Velanya finished her letter just as Suetin returned, and she got up with the rolled and sealed parchment in her hand, "Good to see you back in one piece, soldier. I'm sorry to say that you won't be able to rest long...I want you to join the old man here and help him get back to where he came from in one piece. You're headed to Cyrodiil, by way of some tunnels beneath the Jeralls, and this letter is to be delivered to a member of the Elder Council who is well known to Gregor, here. The seal is not to be broken under any circumstances. You understand your orders, correct?" she raised a brow as she handed the letter to the elder, then added, "Just keep him safe, and you'll be appropriately compensated when you get back." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sandhya's lips curled back, her ears swiveling around as she drew her daggers, "This one smells trolls." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Faeryn gestured to the road ahead, "I defer to you, Serra. I do not know this land well at all. I've got your back." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkedge42392 Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Adrynn stood with the others, feeling the quiet roar of magicka all around him. He bristled at the unfamiliar yet soothing tracers of ancient and powerful magicka. His skin crawled with gooseflesh under his armor as they seeked to wrap about him, learn him, take him. His eyes flashed, and with a small surge of his own magicka, banished the seeking tendrils. "I do not care for this place. There is ancient and fell magick here, it would be wise for you all to be careful about how much of your magicka you expend here. From what I feel, any magicka lost here is absorbed by these ruins," Adrynn said with a grimace. He slipped his arm into his shield as he said so. It seemed he would be relying on more mundane means of defending himself here. Just as Sandhya alerted the others to the prescense of a troll, a loud, guttural roar echoed throughout the ruins, and Adrynn stepped forward instinctively, drawing his sword with a flash. His ruby eyes locked on the white form that lumbered toward them, its three eyes locked on the unusual color of his armor. "I'll take this one, if you don't mind," Adrynn said behind him, stepping down the steps toward the advancing troll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr2011 Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Ra'Qasar's fur stood on end near this place. It was a wretched old city. Once the capital of the dragon cult, now it stood, the somber guardian of the pass, the past, and many secrets within. Sienna may have been right about a greater purpose drawing them there, it seemed that no one went to Labyrinthian truly of their own accord. Something higher was always pulling strings there it seemed. Though there were no obvious signs of Thalmor, there were subtler things. Wind whipped the snow into drifts in many places, causing banner-like sprays off of towers and walls. Any tracks left here would have vanished within a few hours' time. No trolls lay dead but there were a few scorch marks along a stone wall. "Don't be so sure that there are no signs, Ma'am. More like, they are hidden beneath this drifting snow. Look at the stones, where they are burnt, these are not old scars. No trolls lie dead, but a wall of fire is enough to scare many of them off." He addressed Sandyha's comment as well, "There are many frost trolls here, large and fearsome ones. But old ones, they are wise. A great enough show of force can usually deter them, especially of fire." Shortly following his little discussion, one of the aforementioned trolls approached. It was not a massive patriarch, but large nonetheless. It had likely not faced many dangers, he noted few scars on it. A pity, this one would not flee the party, nor would it provide Adrynn much of a challenge he surmised. "As you wish Ser, but it may be wise for everyone to assist in any of these encounters. Better to keep everyone fresh rather than one exhausted or dead and the others complacent." --------------------------------- Baltis's envoys had returned, well, most of them. A few had been destroyed. He did not bother to give much intelligence to what were originally meant to just be a spit in Dagon's eye. One by one, he placed his hand upon the skulls of his servants and divined what they had seen through the sight he had bestowed upon them. When he reached one from the entrance he scowled. The damned meddling Thalmor were here. They had not reached the great dragon yet, but they were foolhardy, casting spells all they could. Magic was all well and good, but self-sufficiency was also important. The blasted idiots couldn't even make a fire without magic it seemed. A fact reinforced by the incessant, erratic pings of magical reverberations coming from them. Labyrinthian may look like a dead city, but it was alive with energy and power. The stones themselves were filled with magic and each spell fed their hunger. Baltis made heavy use of his magic before he understood, and now he need not worry about the skeletal dragon which had risen again. He was far from its grasp, not that it could do much to him before. Ice and undeath are apparently a bad match against fire and undeath. While Llervu mused about what to do, he felt another faint magical presence. This was even smaller than when the Thalmor had first appeared, he marveled at how it had come to the forefront of his conscious. He came to realize however, that he knew this somehow. He had felt it before. This he knew well in fact, he had fought both with and against it... Baltis was infuriated, how dare this Daedric b&@*$ refuse him! She would not even give him the opportunity to earn what he sought. Why? Because he was an "affront" to nature, to the Dunmer and to all living things. Bah! How dare she! She was the one who cursed the Chimer and made them Dunmer, damned them for the foolhardy actions of only three of them, the one who was an affront to Dunmer herself. Hypocrite. She summoned her servants alright. The flying whores of twilight with their pale grey wings, nudity and grotesque features. They were nothing to his magic.They fell away easily. After they were dealt with, he was furious and blasted the door off its hinges. To calm himself he stood in the doorway and saw a small sailing vessel making directly for the shrine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkedge42392 Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Adrynn reached the bottom step just as the troll came within reach. It beat its great claws against the ground and roared, flinging its massive arms at the Redoran. Adrynn sidestepped one strike and blocked the other, testing the creature's power. His shield vibrated with the blow, but it was dampened by the angle it had deflected the strike. Adrynn grinned. This would be too easy. This troll was young, dumb, and imagined itself greater than anything that faced it. The Redoran proved it wrong by sidestepping a horizontal strike and slicing open it's gut, his enchanted blade searing the flesh. It howled in pain and attacked again. But Adrynn simply waited it out, letting the blood loss tire it while dodging and blocking its strikes. Finally, it moved just wrong enough to allow the Redoran to step forward, thrusting his ebony blade into its third eye. It shuddered and hit its knees. Adrynn twisted the sword free, before twisting his body hard and decapitating the troll. It's head rolled into a drift of snow, leaving a small trail of crimson. "Well, that was fun," Adrynn said with a small grin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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