Wisdom of the Ancestors - An Elder Scrolls RP

[Zephyr2011]

Galus - Karthspire

 

The scene unfolded interestingly. Clearly all of these people knew each other, Svarn, Ra'Qassar, Sandhya, Willis and himself were just the outsiders along for the ride. Regardless of the interesting reunion that Galus had just witnessed, he knew where his duty lay. "My lady, I have dedicated my life to the destruction of the Thalmor, and if joining you is the best way to bring about that end: you have my sword, my mind, and all my being." Galus silently wondered why he had posed it so eloquently. Something strange had gotten into him it seemed. Regardless though, he now had a path, and a leader, one whom he hoped could bring about his ultimate goal.

 

Ra'Qassar - Karthspire

 

"My duty is to Whiterun and Skyrim. They shall never be truly safe until the accursed Thalmor are stopped, I am with you." Ra'Qassar pledged. It made sense, and this would surely be an adventure to remember, perhaps greater than even that incident on Wyrmstooth with Rorik. It was time that he returned to something beyond just hunting and scouting. These last few weeks had shown him that. He could no longer sit idly by, not with his gifts. He had an obligation to do his part. And this was the means.

 

Baltis Llervu - Karthspire

 

Baltis appreciated Velanya's offer of a choice, though they all knew that the reunited companions didn't really have a choice, only the newcomers. It was entertaining really, a lich was one of the only surviving members of the Blades. Sometimes Baltis still cursed Caius Cosades. After the Oblivion Crisis, Baltis got dragged into more missions than he would have imagined - or cared for. Most of them involved dangerous mages and strange phenomena. The Spymaster used his knowledge of Baltis's nature as leverage over him constantly. If Baltis didn't help the Blades, then the Blades wouldn't hesitate to ostracize him and try to bring him down if they knew he was a lich. Now though, he found he actually wanted to help. The Thalmor had plagued the entire continent and it was past time they were brought to heel. "If I wouldn't join you, I wouldn't be here. Just don't try to put me in one of those damned tin cans."

[Macman253]

Svarn watched as the two dunmer chatted as if they were old allies, he could sense the power radiated from these pair while a creeping doubt of his own skill as a warrior went up his spine. Around him were several battle-mages, ex-blades and a lich. All he had was an axe and his ferocity, but he knew that ferocity was just as able as spells, and in places such as Labryinthian warriors like him would be worth their weight in gold.

 

He turned his head to the Lich and leaned in to speak.

 

"Who is she?" He asked, he had not expected to find a woman in this mountain. Atleast not one still breathing.

[mythicdawnmaster]

Iodiria smiled warmly as Adrynn greeted her, bowing in turn. "Greetings, Redoran. We meet again after all these years my old companion, you have aged, but so have I." She reminisced, but returned quickly to the situation at hand, and the reason of her being there, the answer to Adrynn's question.

 

"My being here is no coincidence, Adrynn, as much as I wish it was. No, the Twilight Mistress herself tasked me with finding you; she told me that you would need my assistance as much as I need yours... for whatever cause we must fight this time." Iodiria answered, however this cause was as clear as Velanya's words: Azura had brought them together to eliminate the Thalmor it seemed.

 

Stepping forward to face the new blademaster, Iodiria began.

 

"Velanya, it is a pleasure once more. I wish to offer my assistance in this fight against the Thalmor, for it is clear that Azura's will has brought us all together. However..."

 

"I shall not pledge myself to your organization, your cause to serve the Empire, or your emperor; If I must live and die a relic of a dead culture and a ghostly house then so be it, but I shall not betray that which made me, the home from which I came. I am Indoril, and I shall die Indoril. Morrowind is my emperor, my king, my queen, my commanding officer. I shall never bend my knee to the Empire, but I will take it's hand to face the Thalmor. You will not make a blade of me Velanya, but you will receive my sword to strike with your own." Iodiria's tone was firm and unwavering, there was no debate to be had in this matter. She respected the woman before her, considered her a friend, but she would never join her in her ideals and allegiance.

[Zephyr2011]

Baltis Llervu - Karthspire

 

Baltis was mildly surprised that Svarn had spoken to him. Adrynn was about the only one the lich had really talked with one on one. Perhaps his words with Svarn the other night and his own display of power had garnered some respect from the Nord. He replied, "That is Velanya Therys, one of the best soldiers the legion has ever seen, Commander of the Blades, one of the few left after all this time, and champion of Azura, along with her cousin Adrynn. I fought along side her, Iodiria, Faeryn, Adrynn, Sera, Sorin and many others in the lead up to and during the Oblivion crisis. I bear no love for her, but she is a capable warrior and skilled leader. Do not underestimate her, or anyone else here. Even the new blood like yourself, none of us have made it hear without reason." Baltis's tone was flat, emotionless. He did not enjoy singing Velanya's praises, but he would not do her the injustice of lying about her skill and background. As much as they had quarreled in the past, Velanya was a fierce fighter.

 

"I had never thought to see any one of the people who I worked with during the Oblivion Crisis, and now, I've seen almost all of them, and many talented people beyond just them. Something greater is at work here. Let me tell you something, Svarn, this may begin with the Thalmor, but it does not end there. Something bigger is at stake, or else the Lady of Dawn and Dusk would not be maneuvering her pieces together so much." Baltis had some more passion and urgency in his voice now. He despised the Thalmor, but he had theorized that they wouldn't be called together just to deal with the Thalmor, nor could they be brought together if that was the only game afoot. Azura had used them once before to save Nirn, Baltis was sure that she would not use them again if not for the same purpose.

[Macman253]

Lucius strode through the Reach, alone he could move about uncontested. His katana's strapped side by side across his back and his cloak covering his face. His armor worn from countless decades of wear and tear, much of it replaced from other armors and fur had been added to survive the harsh colds of the Ashlands he had exiled himself to, but the call of the blood could not be easily ignored and he had heard of a mage that could cure him of his curse.

 

For now, he sought the great temple of the blades hidden within the Karthspire. There he hoped to find some peace before continuing his quest to rid himself of the beast within.

 

Lost in thought as he walked, his mind many places but where he was he was suddenly brought to reality by the sounds of battle and the cries of Forsworn.

 

Lucius drew one of his swords and ran, his vampiric strength giving fleetness to his feet. When he arrived he watched as the last of a party of adventurers disappeared into the mountain, bodies of Forsworn laid about. Some torn to pieces and others turned to ash from spell-fire. Rustling came from the trees nearby, it was the reserve forces. Lucius quickly dropped to a knee as three Forsworn ran past him, unaware of his presence.

 

They emerged from the tree line to view the scene of the battle.

 

"Curse them! They are all dead..." Said the youngest, a Breton man of no more then sixteen or seventeen winters. His helmet which appeared to have been made from a Bucks head and Raven feathers while he clutched one of the wicked Forsworn swords in his hand.

 

The leader raised a hand, he too wore a Buck's head for a helmet yet unlike his two kinsmen he was bare chested and where his heart was there was a strange flower inside a gaping hole. Lucius could smell the foul magic that created him and gave him life even though his heart was missing.

 

Closest to him was a woman, her armor little more then leather rags and feathers with her hair cut into a tall Mohawk held together with pigs fat. He felt the hunger inside him grow, he had not fed in several days, not since travelling to Windhelm aboard the Northern Maiden from Solstheim, and even then all he fed upon were rats in the hold of the ship. With little effort of restraint he leapt from the brush and grappled the Forsworn woman, he pinned her sword arm behind her head and jerked her head to the side to expose her neck, he drew back the cloak that covered his mouth and sank his fangs into her jugular artery. Warm and nourishing blood poured into his mouth, his free hand clasped over her mouth as she struggled in vain to free herself from the starving vampires grasp.

 

Within a few heartbeats her blood had been fully drained and she was dead. Lucius smiled a bloody smile and leapt upon the unsuspecting Forsworn, feeding upon them all before following the party of adventurers into the mountain.

[SoulofChrysamere]

Sorinyarie: Skyhaven Temple

 

 

The fight with the Forsworn had been sudden and bloody, but Sorin had managed to regain most of her magicka by that time, and she had been yearning for something to distract her from the dark, cyclical thought process that had been whipping through her mind for the last few days. She bolstered the group's resistance with plenty of fire, frost, and lightning of her own, carving up any who managed to slip through her defensive arcanix.

 

Once the group had made it to the Karthspire and inside the mountain passages, she assumed the role of guarding the entrance until everyone had safely progressed far enough through the pathway for her to follow. For a minute or two, she returned Forsworn blades, arrows, and magic with spears of ice, sending quite a few of the Reachmen to their frostbitten deaths. Upon the rest of the group's safe passage, Sorin abandoned the entrance and retreated inside the Karthspire, content that the attackers' paltry remnants wouldn't stir up any more serious trouble.

 

By the time she had made her way to the temple courtyard, everyone else was lined up and she guessed they had already been addressed. When she saw a familiar, halfway hidden Dunmeri face atop the suit of Akaviri steel, the old battlemage felt a smile creep across her face.

 

"Well now......it's been quite some time since I've seen your face. I suppose I should be honored you remember mine" Sorin said to Velanya, her own yellow face wrinkled with age.

 

Sorin gingerly accepted her amulet back from Faeryn and secured it around her neck. "Many thanks, Ordinator." She replied.

=============================================

 

Serrabinashiah Masseribalit: Skyhaven Temple

 

 

Serra kept a wary eye on the remaining Reachmen as she, Faeryn, and Iodiria entered the Karthspire, and thankfully, none of the stragglers bothered to attempt a second attack. She followed the other two through the ancient passageways until the trio finally emerged into the courtyard of Skyhaven temple, much to Velanya's surprised interest.

 

The little scout removed her helm and beamed a childlike grin in Velanya's direction. "Velanya! You don't know how good it is to see you again!" She exclaimed as she approached everyone along with Faeryn and Iodiria. The past two centuries had managed to put a wrinkle or two on that ashen gray skin of hers, but those soft, youthful mauve eyes refused to age.

 

A single tear trickled down Serra's cheek as she briefly remembered her work with Velanya on Vvardenfell two hundred years ago. The woman had become something of a big sister to Serra, a notion that would never die in the Ashlander's heart.

[AurianaValoria1]

Faeryn glanced at Iodiria and then at the ground, "Indoril fell because it couldn't change with the times." He stepped up by Velanya's side, "I will join the Blades. I'm as good as one already, anyway. But like Baltis said, I'd prefer to keep my own equipment."

 

Velanya nodded to Iodiria, "I will respect your decision. And because you have remained a steadfast ally of ours, I will allow you to stay here for as long as you wish...Blade or not."

 

As she then moved to stand by Serra and Sorinyarie, placing her hand on the former's small shoulder, she gestured to the Nord, "That leaves you. What say you? Will you lend your strength to the Empire or not?"

[Macman253]

Svarn grasped his axe and looked her in the eyes. He hated the Empire, he hated what they took from his people and how many died to gain freedom from their iron grasp. He lost brothers and sisters, he lost friends and allies to Imperial arrows and blades. But he swore to help his companions and he knew Mighty Talos would look down on him turning away from that oath and he would not enter Sovngarde.

 

"I will fight... but not for the Empire, I will fight for the memory of my wife and child... I will fight for Talos and I will fight because I have sworn to do so." He said sternly, his usual stoic nature long gone and a well of passion and anger inside him fueled his words.

 

He stepped forward and drew his knife and slashed his palm and drew the blood over his arm. A Nordic Blood-Oath could never be broken, those that do are doomed to never enter Sovngarde and he swore that he would fight, on his honor and he wanted her to know that it wasn't for the Empire.

Edited September 12, 2013 by Macman253

[darkedge42392]

Adrynn crossed his arms, his brow creased in worry. If Azura had sent Iodiria to find him, then there must be a reason for everyone he hadn't seen in over two centuries suddenly showing up in the same spot once more. It was an interesting situation, Adrynn knew.

 

"Cousin, Blade I may be, but I will keep my equipment as it is, for now. I've worn this armor for so long it's become a second skin, and you know my distaste for more . . . conductive armors." He didn't need to mention when he had almost been roasted alive in a borrowed set of steel armor by a shock oriented mage.

 

"But come, let us get inside. It has been a long journey, and we have many things to discuss," Adrynn said, leveling a glance to Velanya.

[AurianaValoria1]

"That we do, cousin," Velanya replied with a glance to Adrynn before returning her attention to the Nord, "As for you...I will extend to you the same offer as I gave Iodiria. You may find shelter in these halls whenever you need it...but I do expect you to keep both our plans and our order's renewal to yourself. I do realize that the word will get out about it all sooner or later, but I don't want to find out that you or anyone here is the one responsible for that leak."

 

She gestured to the small passage of stairs behind her, "This way. Mind your step."

 

Faeryn followed her as she led them into the main hall of Sky Haven Temple. It was dark, dank, and cold. A ragged tear in the ceiling allowed the sunlight to filter through, and it illuminated the plumes of dust that were shifted here and there from the random drafts that circulated around the room. Off to one side was an elaborate carving - the famed Alduin's Wall.

 

"Well," Velanya gestured about herself, "Here it is. Welcome to Sky Haven Temple - the last fortress of the Blades, such as it is. As you can probably guess, one of our first orders of business is repairing this place."