General:Loranna's RP/The Blue Dawn

This archival work is dedicated to Loranna Pyrel, who passed away in early 2023. Rest in peace, friend. — Rock

Book Information
Source:	Elder Scrolls Forum
Archived Link:	lorannarp.pbworks.com
Book Date:	3E 429
Writer(s):	Ted Peterson
Publication Date:	January 2005-April 2005
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Loranna's RP Campaign 8:
The Blue Dawn

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The Blue Dawn was the eight campaign of the Loranna's RP series.

This page exists only to record the posts of Tedders, who was the only developer to participate in the roleplay. Not all concepts presented are original to Tedders' posts, as replies are built off of replies, and the original concepts of other roleplayers are frequently referenced in his content. For proper citation context, consult the archived forum threads.

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Sheogorath

Update:

Jazbet, Khajiit knight of House Dres, is the hosting the remnants of the cult of Loranna/Azura at his estate on the coast of mainland Morrowind. He lost his eyes at the coming of Azura in Vivec, but is gradually learning to get along without them, with the help of his precongitive visions. He is also trying to catch up with his estates finances, a slow process since his seneschal Kallen must read the copious accounting books to him aloud. (Don't worry I'm not RPing this tedious process)

Kallen is a 17-year-old Dunmer, peasant-born but a prodigy with numbers and organization. Despite his youth, he is Jazbet's right hand man at the running of the estate.

Razbiah is a stout, middle-aged Dunmer woman, in charge of the house itself, organizing the servants and (unfortunately) supervising the meals, which she thinks are most healthful when they're as bland as possible. Think of her as your favorite aunt: friendly and easy-going, but there are rules ...

The centerpiece of the estate is a thirty-six room castle, filled with many parlors and libraries, a central tower which is Jazbet's living quarters, and -- though no one has discovered it yet -- a dungeon beneath (which is currently used for storage, though the keep itself is ancient and may contain many secrets). It is perched atop a beautiful bay which is safe for swimming and fishing, shielded from the sea by a chain of mangrove trees.

Beyond the castle are fields of saltrice and wilderness. The people who work the fields are peasants, not slaves, as Jazbet was a former slave himself.

Several small villages are in the fifty mile zone of Jazbet's domain. The largest of which is Ald Raathim, only a few miles down the road, which has several shops, an excellent tavern (for those of who who grow tired of Razbiah's cuisine), and port with regular boat services to Vvardenfell and Mournhold.

Whew. Enough of Fodor's guide ...

Out of the area, Elysana, the Queen of Wayrest, is on her boat, heading for Wayrest. She has twenty of her best soldiers with her, and a playwright named Baloth-Kul who she is considering sponsoring. The rest of her army, hundreds of men, are waiting in Sheogorad for more ships to come.

Bosriel, the little dark-haired girl with hungry red eyes, the Void Vampire, is in Ebonheart, watching Lliryth, Helseth's mystic, examine a mysterious Dwemeri/Altmeri artifact.

Sheogorath

Ebonheart, Morrowind

Lliryth put down the ancient manuscript. It did not seem possible. As he passed his subordinates in the halls, they saw on his face something the icy professional mystic never showed: amazement. The Altmer even seemed to grin -- a peculiar working of unused facial muscles -- a little at his discovery.

'Where is the King?' Lliryth asked one of the royal guard, once again the consummate professional. 'I need to speak to him immediately.'

Sheogorath

'Your Majesty, the artifact you have been given ...' The mystic swallowed and began again. 'Your Majesty, when the great Kagrenac forged the tools to tap the heart of Lorkhan, he had a model in mind. An artifact that was fabled even in his own time, capable of safely siphoning the pure energy, the magicka of the worlds beyond ours. Unable to locate this famous device, the Eidolon, he created his own imperfect variations.

What you have here in Ebonheart, the gift you've been given, is The Eidolon.'

Sheogorath

Morrowind Mainland, Jazbet's Estate

A bell was rung from the kitchen.

'There ain't enough room for everyone to sit down at once,' said Razbiah to the other servants. 'Just feed 'em whenever and wherever they show up.'

Jazbet's housekeeper and her staff had put together quite a feast. Boiled meat, boiled vegetables, and it was hard to tell which was which. Everything was the same warm, wet, soft texture, and just about the same shade of beige.

The wine, by contrast, was excellent.

Sheogorath

'Lord Jazbet had a lady friend who came to Daruhn who tried to put a little pepper in the food,' one of the maids, an Argonian female with emerald-colored scales, whispered to them, giggling. 'Razbiah threw everything away, including the food that hadn't been 'poisoned' by the pepper. So, be careful.'

Sheogorath

'What's funny,' the Argonian whispered. 'It actually has all kinds of spices and herbs in it from the garden, and Razbiah is somehow able to boil all of the flavor out of them while keeping their medicinal value. And it is very good for you. None of us are ever sick.'

The maid giggled, shrugged, and continued on, cleaning the room.

Sheogorath

Razbiah watched the woman from the kitchen, smiling, 'Beautiful women. You can never predict whether they're going to be rude or stupid, but it's always one or the other ... And in rare cases like this, both ...'

She returned to the kitchen. The larder would need to be replenished. They were eating everything she was feeding them, bless their hearts.

Sheogorath

Razbiah chuckled, very pleased, and dished up another plate for Loranna. 'Pardon my manners, Sera, but I was going over the larder, and I was wondering if you knew whether there would be more people coming and for how long? It helps me to plan things out.'

Sheogorath

'You're already trying to get my guests so leave after one day,' said Jazbet, stepping into the kitchen. He was wearing a suit of black, trimmed with midnight blue, as befitting the lord of a Dres manor house. The Khajiit also wore a new blindfold of black silk. 'You are the finest house mistress in the land, Razbiah, but this place could use some etiquette lessons.'

Razbiah slapped the master of the house with her wooden spoon, and he grinned, and tasted it.

'Definitely needs pepper,' Razbet said.

'Pepper,' groused the Dunmer, returning to her larder. 'That's why men don't like as long as mer. Too much pepper.'

Jazbet turned to (roughly the direction of) Loranna and Allerleirauh: 'Hello.'

Sheogorath

'The castle wasn't originally built for comfort,' replied Jazbet, nodding. 'It is solidly constructed to withstand a siege. I believe long before your time, some of your ancestors tried to raze it without success ... But I agree. We can meet in my study for privacy.'

Sheogorath

Lord Dres Jazbet's study was on the highest level of the tower, up a narrow stone stairwell. Its wide windows looked out to sea beyond the bay, and into the woods, as far as the lights of Ald Raathim in the west.

In between the windows, tapestries hung to keep out the chill on winter nights. A huge double-sided desk dominated the center of the room, with several smaller tables and chairs scattered throughout. The papers and ledgers were neatly organized by Kallen. The fireplace was already lit.

Sheogorath

Kallen poured a glass of wine for each guest as they arrived in the office, while Jazbet took a seat behind his desk. As Kallen started to pour him a glass, the Khajiit waved him away.

'I should have my wits about me,' he smiled.

Sheogorath

Would you like to begin the topic of discussion, Allerleirauh, since you suggested this meeting, or shall I?' asked Jazbet. There was little of the playful cat to him now. He was all business.

Sheogorath

'These are fair concerns,' Jazbet nodded. 'I suggested this place because I thought it secure. Large ships cannot enter the bay but risk being sunk in the mangrove. An enemy approaching from any direction would be seen from this tower. The walls, as I've said, are sturdy. What weak points do you see, besides, obviously, the lack of a serious attitude?'

Sheogorath

Jazbet smiled, not altogether happily. 'You will laugh. No more than fifty. And they're largely peasants. We are surrounded by Dres territory, and my brother house men do not generally attack one another, so there has been no need of an army, only occasional guards to handle criminal matters. I would agree that that needs to change.'

Sheogorath

'Kallen,' said Jazbet, turning slightly to where he knew the seneschal was. 'She is right. We should begin by bringing all the guards together to see if any of them have succumbed to Azura. Once we have determined that, we can begin a thorough search of the domain. Now, where we're going to get weapons to arm a thousand peasants, I have no idea.'

Sheogorath

'Are there not,' Jazbet chooses his words carefully. 'Some skilled in the school of Illusion among us?'

Sheogorath

The Khajiit frowned. 'That is not acceptible [sic]. We are discussing trust.'

Sheogorath

'You are in my house,' said Jazbet quietly. 'I do not know you. This is not a time for games and secrets. If you would accept my food and shelter, and play coy games, you will find my capacity for warmth and generosity has its limits.'

Sheogorath

'We should arrange our defence, obviously, that is clear,' said Jazbet thoughtfully. 'But Loranna has brought up an interesting angle. The Azurites are enemies of all. We should not be lacking allies. Even the King himself would join with us against them ... Not that I'm suggesting going to that extreme, but we should also consider going on the offensive.'

Sheogorath

'Yes, I meant soldiers,' said Jazbet. 'I have about a thousand citizens scattered throughout my domain. Once we have determined who among them is still uncorrupted, we can arrange for arming them. Wherever we can find that many weapons is another question.'

Sheogorath

'There, my good fellow,' Jazbet smiled to Seltzer. 'Doesn't it feel good to trust a little? If this Celeste is still in my domain, we will find her again.'

Sheogorath

'I meant it in relation to hiding Loranna's identity,' explained Jazbet.

Sheogorath

'What has he thrown down?' Jazbet asked, hearing only the sound.

'A bag of some sort, serjo,' said Kallen.

Sheogorath

'Exactly, Jaster,' the Khajiit nodded. 'Telling the peasants to sharpen their pitchforks and find nice big sticks won't be good enough. We have one smith in the village. I don't see him supplying weapons for the entire population. We will have to find a way to buy a large supply ... or procure them by other means ...'

Sheogorath

Jazbet shivered and then smiled. 'I'm really glad I didn't see that.'

Sheogorath

'How will we move your stockpile here?' asked Jazbet.

Sheogorath

'I am happy to delegate jobs,' Jazbet nodded. 'Tell Kallen or me if you need anything from us. In the meantime, we will round up the guards, and then search the area for any Azurites. I will need every here to join in the search, or it will take forever to comb all fifty miles of wilderness. There are many caves and out of the way places to search.'

Sheogorath

'That would be appreciated, Jaster. I have maps in my office somewhere,' said Jazbet, and immediately Kallen brought them out as the Khajiit continued to speak. 'We should divide the domain into sectors and search it thoroughly in groups.'

Sheogorath

"Ald Raathim is not big enough for a Mages Guild,' said Jazbet. 'There is one a few days ride north, in Blacklight. It is Dres territory, so it should be reasonably loyal ...'

Sheogorath

Well,' said Jazbet, trying not to smile. 'There's that one you brought on the ship with us, assuming no one's eaten it ... So that makes, altogether, one. Kallen, how many parraptons do we have in the stables?'

'Sixteen adult,' said Kallen quickly. 'The queen Sanja's just hatched four, but they're too young ... Do you think they can ride them?'

'I don't know,' said Jazbet, turning to the group. 'How are you with heights?'

Sheogorath

'Why don't we go down to the stables and you can tell me what you think?' asked Jazbet, smiling.

Sheogorath

Kallen lead the group down the tower stairs, and Jazbet touched Allerleirauh's arm. 'That is a thought that has not been out of my head for one minute.'

Sheogorath

The stables were located a few yards behind the castle. The first thing that the group notices on seeing the building was how much taller it was that a traditional stable. If anything, it resembled a saltrice silo, which is what any who explored the area would have assumed it to be.

The vibrations, the ceaseless buzzing was evident before Kallen opened the door.

It was dark inside, but the stable master, an Argonian, stepped forward, surprised. He was polishing a saddle. More were strapped up on the walls.

'We wanted to see the parraptons,' said Jazbet.

The Argonian rubbed his dry hands together in a clumsy sort of a buzz, and the darkness above came alive.

Wasps the size of horses lit down from above. Twenty of them, as Kallen said, sixteen adults and four little ones, huddled around the monstrous queen.

Sheogorath

Jazbet couldn't help himself. He pulled Loranna closer to whisper something in her ear. It described the experience, and the specific vibration of the beasts which was, apparently, potentially enjoyable.

Sheogorath

'No, but if you're going to ride, you must first slowly approach the queen,' Jazbet said. 'Sanja must approve of you, and then her lads and lasses will let you ride them.'

Sheogorath

'Okay, I was bad,' Jazbet grins and shakes his head, getting serious. 'This is not the time to joke around. The queen needs to be approached like, well, a queen. She will sense if you are too frivolous or drunk or in any way unworthy of her patronage, and might hurt her children. You need to approach her with respect.'

It was hard not to respect the behemoth queen, a creature twice the size of the other parraptons, as she looked over the group with her black multi-fauceted eyes.

Sheogorath

The Queen looked at Teleran intently, and then Tris.

One of the parraptons stepped out from her side, standing next to Tris.

'You've been accepted,' said the Argonian. 'Shall I saddle her up for you?'

The Queen returned her gaze to Teleran, flicking her antennae around him ...

'Serjo,' the Argonian whispered. 'Forgive me, but have you had a lot to drink?'

(ooc: Just in case some of you didn't know this is legitimate lore. For pictures of parraptons – thanks to Allerleirauh - http://til.gamingsource.co.uk/rgbooks/page.shtml?15)

Sheogorath

The Queen turns her attention away from Teleran a second time, looking to Loranna.

In a moment, a parrapton scurries around from her side. She has picked the one best suited for Loranna.

'Sera, would you like to ride now?' the Argonian asks.

The Queen looks back to Teleran.

Sheogorath

The Queen's antennae dance in the air above Teleran for a few more seconds. Finally, a parrapton emerges from her side for Teleran.

'She trusts you,' said the Argonian. 'Don't disappoint her.'

(ooc: I don't really need to play the wasp queen. If yawl want to ride, you can assume you get one, as long as they last ...

Oh, and I suppose we're locked now ...)

Sheogorath

Summary:

Elysana, Queen of Wayrest, is temporarily out of the story, still on her boat for Wayrest, with twenty knights and the playwright Baloth-Kul. Her army awaits their own fleet to bring them back in Sheogorad.

Bosriel, the little dark-haired girl, the Void Vampire, is watching Lliryth examine something called the Eidolon in Ebonheart. It is an ancient artifact of mythic power, in the King of Morrowind's hands.

Jazbet, the Khajiit Knight of House Dres, is hosting the remnants of the parade of Loranna-Azura. He was blinded in the Coming of Azura in Vivec, but has precognitive visions that allow him to cope, somewhat. They are organizing a search for Azurites, and Jazbet has brought them down to the stables to see their transport, sixteen giant wasps called parraptons. In order to ride them, you must approach the Queen, an enormous beast, and be judged worthy of being trusted with her children.

Sheogorath

'Would you help them out, Jaster, and make sure no one crashes into anything?' Jazbet asked. 'Kallen and I will go organize the guards so we can have a proper search party.'

With a wave, Jazbet let Kallen lead him into the castle.

Sheogorath

Two hours later, after the group has had more practice riding the parraptons, Jazbet and Kallen returned. With them were thirty-nine guards, armed and armored.

'I have news,' said Jazbet. 'The Azurites cannot conceal their eye color naturally. They must use illusions to do so. I had forgotten that Wyrloc's one area of magickal knowledge was in that area. So they may try to hide themselves if they know spells of illusion -- which very few of the peasants do -- but a simple magicka dispel will reveal them ...'

It could be noticed that the remaining guards, though cleaned up, have fresh knicks on their armor, as if they've been in combat very recently.

Sheogorath

"I think the trouble should be pretty self-evident," said Jazbet. "From what these men have told me, there have been fights throughout the area. The Azurites, for the most part, are not hiding their identities, and the peasants are fighting them as best as they can. Luckily, only a relative small percentage of the people succumbed to the call of Azura, but that still means as many as a hundred Azurites to be dealt with."

Kallen brought out several maps of Jazbet's domain, detailed out to show noticeable features, such as known ruins, and, in the main village of Ald Raathim, the actual names of the families inhabiting each house.

"Things are apparently quiet in the village right now," said Kallen. "Any Azurites remaining there have gone undercover. They will only be flushed out with the dispel magicka spells."

"What I'm worried about now," said Jazbet. "Is neighbor turning against neighbor. Paranoia. I will be going to the village so that people know that the situation is being handled. I shudder to think what would have happened if I waited even a day or two later before returning home ..."

Sheogorath

"And I need those weapons from you as soon as possible," Jazbet said, and smiled. "A lot of weight on your shoulders."

Casts-The-Bones brought out two parraptons, one for Jazbet and one for Kallen. He 'talked' to Jazbet's parrapton with his hands, rubbing them together, giving it instructions since the Khajiit would be unable to direct it to the village.

Sheogorath

Jazbet was not alarmed by Allerleirauh's appearance. He did not see it. But he heard the gasps of his men, and he waved his hands to calm them down. Whatever they were looking at, they had been warned.

'Friends,' said Jazbet, getting on to his mount. 'You know what you're best suited for -- interrogating and unmasking Azurites in town, or fighting them in the wilderness. Take with you at least one of the guards. They are good fighters, and they know the land. We can supply you with horns or drums, or whatever you need to communicate ... Jaster will see to it that you have whatever you need.

If you need me, I'll be at the tavern in Ald Raathim. I must speak to the people and offer them reassurance. Good luck, my friends.'

The two parraptons flew up, disappearing over the trees, heading due west.

Sheogorath

(ooc: sorry, Attrebus, I'm 'borrowing' Jaster for a post)

Jaster watched people scurry off in all directions, frowning.

'I thought we were going to go about this in an organized manner,' he scowled. 'That was the purpose of the maps, and organizing the guards as guides ... Everyone's running off as if this is a game of hide and seek ...'

He set about organizing the guards and remaining adventurers into groups according to outlined sectors on the various maps.

Sheogorath

Ald Raathim

At this time of day, the village but a few miles from Jazbet's castle was always busy. There was a port generally filled with fishing boats. Depending on the haul, they might be moving back and forth from the sea to the port all day. Carts filled with saltrice from the plantation and the smaller farms would bump their way through town. Some festivals, you would swear you were in the middle of the Imperial City.

Today, all windows were shut, all doors locked. It was as if the village had died.

Jazbet and Kallen's parraptons landed in the center of the village square, and the lord of the manor and his seneschal entered into the tavern. The giant wasps floated back into the air to circle the village until they were called back.

People began peeking out of shutters, looking towards the tavern. What was happening? Slowly, a few brave souls began to emerge, and then others, encouraged, stepped into the village square. They knew if Jazbet had instructions to give them, to organize them for an evacuation, it would be from the tavern's second story balcony ...

Sheogorath

Ald Raathim

Jazbet, Kellen, and a small collection of the more respected merchants of the village stepped out on the balcony. More and more villagers came into the square to hear the Khajiit speak.

"Good people," said Jazbet, his voice strong and clear. "As you can see, I have returned to you different from when I left. I am blind. But I do not need my eyes to see the menace facing us.

"Nor do I need to tell you the nature of the threat -- you have seen it first hand yourself. I have spoken to some of you in this tavern already, and heard tales of terror, and tales of great bravery.

"As we speak, some of the mightiest warriors in all of Tamriel are accompanied your own courageous lads and lasses in the Guard, scouring the countryside for these Azurites.

"Our first goal is to cleanse the land of these dangerous cult members. Our second is to defend ourselves from further incursions.

"In these goals, we must stand together. We must find the scourge where it lurks, and drive it from this fair land. And shortly, every able-bodied citizen will be given arms and training, so we can defend our freedom and our lives from this menace. I know you will not let me down.

"As you know, I am one of you. I do not want to be a warlord and rule you with a martial land. Some day, I hope soon, we can return to our peaceful ways. As of this moment, however, we at war with a terror from without and within.

"We will prevail."

The crowd cheered. They would do what it took. It was their patriotic duty.

Sheogorath

Winterhold, Skyrim

It took hours for Elysana's ship to skirt the massive ice floes in Winterhold's harbor. At last, it came to dock, where it was met by the harbor master and a dozen of the biggest Nord warriors the Queen of Wayrest had ever seen.

Her own twenty soldiers tried not to shiver as they stood behind their mistress.

'No alien ship is being admitted to Winterhold during this time of trouble,' the harbor master said.

'Take us somewhere warm and bring us food, and the Queen of Wayrest will tell her second cousin, your King Oftor, that you did your duty well,' said Elysana, looking him in the eye.

He did as he was bade. Very quickly.

Sheogorath

Flashback

The Void

He was sleeping. So beautiful. Bosriel reached forth, and her telekinetic touch ran through his hair like a cool breeze.

The bard Arynel had rolled onto his side, and she could see -- though no one else could -- the mark. He was healed, but he was hers. The Void Vampire smiled, and she felt her hunger grow. She had been trying to be good in Castle Ebonheart, but now, with so much death throughout Morrowind and elsewhere, who would notice if a few more people were found missing?

The Akaviri girl had appeared without warning. She and Bosriel, the little girl with the red eyes and the flowing black hair had stared at each other for an infinity that was the beat of a fly's wing.

Then Bosriel had her and began to feed.

Sheogorath

(The Void, a few hours ago:)

Bosriel's face was contorted in a snarl, blood streaming from her lips, spattering on her white robe, dropping into the nothingness below.

For that moment, she was not a little girl, even in appearance. She was the Void Vampire, a monster driven only by hunger and rage. She was the predator whose meal had been interrupted at the moment of ecstasy.

Then she blinked.

'I -' she began, but no apology would do. She bowed her head, and flew rapidly away, swallowed up by darkness.

Sheogorath

Ald Raathim

This had to be the worst part.

That was what Jazbet kept repeating to himself. This had to be the worst part. Going door to door, interrogating people like it was some sort of inquisition, routing out people, casting spells to find illusions, executing so many people, some of whom had simply made the wrong decision at the moment when Azura had coming calling. They were not bad people. They were people he knew.

They were the funny guys he told jokes with. They were women he had slept with. They were mothers, they were priests, they were good people he couldn't take a chance with.

It had to be better when he was killing people he didn't know. Invaders, that was the war he wanted to have, if he had to have one.

Once again, he was glad he was blind, and he refused to see his visions. The Khajiit did not want to see the faces of his people, the ones he had sworn to protect, at the moment he had them killed.

At the tavern, he drank deeply.

Overhead, the wasps circled.

Sheogorath

Ald Raathim

Already the town had come alive, simply on the news that so many dangerous cult members had been killed.

The people were in a mood for celebration. They played their traditional songs in the square beneath the moons, which were showing bright tonight, as if to mark the occasion.

'When will I get my weapons to kill the wretched usurpers to our land?' asked one merchant Jazbet had previously known to be the quiestest, most peaceful man in his village.

'Soon,' said the Khajiit, returning to his drink.

Sheogorath

Winterhold, Skyrim

Elysana, in truth, had never liked her second cousin, Orthor. He was a terrible drunk and a famous sex fiend, two traits she had never suffered from, among the many evils she had been accused of.

The Queen of Wayrest, swathed in the furs that were her gift, stepped out into the courtyard. Throught the civilized modes of discourse, she had heard from her court that the insurrections of Azurites, largely from witches and other unusual characters, had been dealt with. She was finally warm and well-fed. So were her men.

When the rivers were a little more clear, in a day or two, they would pass on south.

Elysana wasn't tired yet, but she wasn't in the mood for a Nord drinking hall. She stood out in the courtyard, and looked at the two full moons, Jone and Jode, Masser and Secunda ....

Sheogorath

'In the village, at the tavern,' the guard said. 'We will take this child. Don't worry, she won't be harmed.'

The girl found biting armor to be difficult, but satisfying.

Sheogorath

Jazbet turned towards the two.

'Good evening,' he said. He was not slurring his words, but he was right on the cusp of having too much. 'Would you care for a drink?'

Sheogorath

'I am at my leisure currently,' said the Khajiit with the darkest of smiles. 'I have executed twelve of my subjects today. Now is a time for a drink.'

Sheogorath

Winterhold, Skyrim

'I don't think I would get privacy even if I wanted it,' the Queen smiled. 'I am not alone.'

She gestured casually to the woman also in the courtyard.

'Have you eaten enough? Are you warm?'

Sheogorath

Jazbet feels Loranna's hand and holds it tight.

'Tell me your report,' the Khajiit says to Dram. 'I am not too drunk to hear it.'

Sheogorath

'No, I don't,' said the Queen with a smile, and complete lack of modesty. ' Are you a prostitute?'

Sheogorath

'Thank you, Dram,' Jazbet said, somewhat coldly. 'I knew you would have the strength to carry this out. These were your people as much as mine, as I know it was much more difficult for you to do, as for me to hear. Please, have a drink on me.'

Sheogorath

Winterhold, Skyrim

As Maranda moved away, the Queen felt free to speak to Herwyn.

'Did everything proceed as I planned? No. Do I think it was a complete victory? No,' Elysana said, smiling. 'Am I glad I went? Oh, yes.

'Are you still having nightmares?' she asked.

Sheogorath

Jazbet listened. He was sober suddenly.

'Should I talk with her?' he asked, very unlordly. 'Do you think ... she is beyond redemption?'

Sheogorath

Winterhold, Skyrim

'Do not repeat this,' Elysana said, her voice low. 'But I will have those terrors, for the rest of my days too. But do you consider our excursion a failure? I am curious why you ask. Please, speak freely.'

Sheogorath

Ald Raathim

Jazbet smiled in Aricyn's direction, making a signal to the barkeep that all the mead the Nord ordered was to be on his tab.

Sheogorath

A tear ran down Jazbet's face. Apparently, though he did not have eyes, he still had that capacity.

'I know, and I know my responsibility,' the Khajiit said, as they walked into the night. 'But it is not a nice world we live in.'

Sheogorath

Winterhold, Skyrim

'Why do you think we've made enemies with daedra?' asked Elysana. 'Azura, whose cause we've supported with blood and gold?'

Sheogorath

'Everything,' Jazbet replied after a pause. 'I remember everything. You want to know ... what?'

Sheogorath

'The disturbances in our lands are minor, and the disturbances in the land of our enemy are major,' replied Elysana, pulling her furs closer around her. 'It is a victory. Albeit, for now, a small one.'

She smiled. 'Your death sentence is temporarily commuted.'

Sheogorath

'It needn't,' replied Jazbet, only looking forward, as if he could see the road ahead.

'We've seen each other naked. I did not plan our swim to seduce you, though you are an exceptionally beautiful woman, but because it meant, to me, as a simple metaphor, truth. Unadorned, unashamed, naked truth.

'I made a mistake.

'I confused the goddess for the woman. I have done this before ... I thought to bow before her, meant to bring down the kingdom. I realized my mistake, but only ... only later ...

'My eyes were torn out by a Winged Twilight, as I said. But under my orders.

'I am nevertheless dedicated to bringing down the Azurites, though I am one myself.'

Jazbet continued looking forward, for though he couldn't see Allerleirauh's face even if he had eyes, he did not wish to even pretend.

Sheogorath

'Yes, let us go in,' said the Queen of Wayrest, her hand on Herwyn's arm. 'As we've discussed, there are many difficult choices, but sometimes you take the best you are given.'

Sheogorath

Jazbet hissed. 'I do not wish to be an example!'

The Khajiit backed away from her, though he could not see where he was, he knew the path enough to know where was tree and where was path.

'Dres Gaor was a fine example, and he sacrificed himself to prove it,' he said. 'I am alive. I will not be an example. I am a man.'

Sheogorath

Jazbet continued on the path, trying to smile though it was hard. As he walked he said, 'We are the same, and I will consider you a friend forever. However, you can choose not to bring arms to my people as you promised ... you can decide not to visit the families of Lord Gaor and Lord Wyrloc as you said you might ... but the obligations I have must be fulfilled.'

The Khajiit turned to face her. Though he could not see, he knew he was near to her. 'What do you want? What will make you happy?'

Sheogorath

The Khajiit also opened his mouth, but he quickly closed it. There were visions he saw, dancing before his eyes, about these very sons ... But he remembered how uncertain these visions were ... And how, in truth, he truly liked Allerleirauh, and did not want to hurt her, like she had hurt him. On any other day except the one where he had arranged for the death of a hundred people, he would have wanted her frank opinion. He might still laugh at it, but still.

But tonight, there was no laughter: 'I forget sometimes that you're human. Many people do, I'm afraid. Loranna particularly. Now that I can't see you, I identify your voice as that of someone from beyond, a Goddess I suppose ...

Maybe because we saw each other naked, we must be truthful to one another. That in itself could be a blessing or a curse, but let us make it a blessing.

'I told you that in Vivec, I made the mistake of confusing the goddess for the woman. I have resolved to myself not to make that mistake again. I will do what needs to be done, without ideology, without calling on a higher source. If I must slay a child because she has blue eyes, I will do so. Call it hypocrisy. Call it reality. I hope to meet with your approval, but that is not required.

I have told you the one secret I have ever kept from you. I suspect you have many others. Do what you will, and I will do the same.'

Jazbet continued down the path into the dark. Eventually, he reached home where he was brought in to his bedroom.

Sheogorath

Ald Raathim

It was a new day, and the village which had been so dead had sprung back to life. The fishermen and farmers, merchants and peasants were back, conducting business as they had always done. There had been a tone of celebration the night before, but now, the atmosphere was a more sober, realistic optimism.

There was a strange new word being whispered about. No one knew who coined it, or what it truly meant, but the persistant rumor was that Lord Jazbet had an ally of soon-to-be-legendary status. An outsider of great power and vision. They called him The Tiberarine.

Sheogorath

They look him in the eyes, and speak politely but with authority. "What is your business in the domain of Lord Dres Jazbet?"

Sheogorath

"We will be happy to escort you to his lordship's castle," said the guard captain. "I must ask you to submit to one test we are administering to everyone, native and visitor alike, to guard against infiltration by the Azurites."

Another of the guards takes out a scroll. "It is a spell to dispel magicka, such as illusions. We must make certain you are who you appear to be. Will you submit to it?'

Sheogorath

Summary:

Elysana, the Queen of Wayrest, is in the Skyrim court of her second cousin, Orthor, the King of Winterhold. With her are twenty of her soldiers, the playwright Baloth-Kul, and a battlemage, Herwyn.

Bosriel, the little dark-haired girl with the hungry eyes, the Void Vampire, is in the Void outside of Ebonheart again. She was watching Arynel sleep when the Akavir Void Ranger Doll appeared to fetch him, startling Bosriel. Bosriel attacked Doll and nearly drank the life out of her, but Leseth broke them apart, saving Doll.

Jazbet, the Khajiit knight of House Dres, is hosting the remants of the cult of Loranna-Azura in his estate on mainland Morrowind. He was blinded in the Coming of Azura, and has precongitive visions which help him cope. The Khajiit has also recently admitted the truth to Allerleirauh, that he bowed to Azura, and is an Azurite himself. Please note: this is not common knowledge. The main features of the domain are fifty square miles of wilderness and farms, with only one village of any size, Ald Raathim. The Azurites have been flushed out, thanks to the adventurers and Jazbet's guards, but the Khajiit is currently in his room in the castle tower, thinking about the fate of a little girl, an Azurite child that Allerleirauh couldn't bring herself to kill.

Sheogorath

Castle Tower

"Come in," said the Khajiit.

The room was simply furnished, but everything was finely crafted.

Jazbet was sitting on his bed, still fully dressed, facing the window, feeling the wind.

Sheogorath

'Your pain,' Jazbet says, touching Loranna gently. 'You're still feeling it a little, aren't you? Did you talk to Razbiah about some herbal remedies?'

Sheogorath

Jazbet smiled and pulled her even closer, touching her hair, kissing her hands. It was not an act of seduction. He touched her because he could not look at her.

'You heard about the little girl?' The Khajiit asked.

Sheogorath

"Not always, but today, yes, it is," Jazbet smiled sadly. "But ... I have been looking at visions, trying to see what should be done. You have heard the tales of what became of the children of the Sixth House after the war? How they were not killed, but brought into the other Houses? I was hoping to think of a way to do that with the children of the Azurites, but ... The visions are not offering me sweet scenarios."

Sheogorath

Jazbet nodded. "I am afraid I have two choices. I can be ruthless and run the risk of becoming a despot. I can be merciful and run the risk of endangering everyone. Right now, I am inclined towards risking despotism. Maybe we will find a way to save the children, but this girl, I'm afraid ... it's too late for her ..."

Sheogorath

Jazbet nods. "We both have hidden capacities, untapped, sometimes with good reason. People can change, for better or for worse ... Thank you for letting me talk about this out loud. I know what I need to do, as impossible as it seems to do it."

Sheogorath

Jazbet touches Loranna's face, feeling the tears.

He shakes his head. "Something so monstrous, so unfair, that I cannot say the words."

Sheogorath

Jazbet shakes his head. "It is my responsibility. And it must be done soon. She is too dangerous. I'm sorry."

Sheogorath

Jazbet tries to interrupt Loranna several times in her rant, but finally shuts up and listens.

He kisses her.

"Thank you," the Khajiit says. "Perhaps there is time to discuss this. I know she, the child, is sleeping, and well-guarded. The mages can keep her sleeping for a little while longer at least ... Only promise me that if we cannot come to a solution, and soon, that you will not do as you said, and 'do it' yourself.

If the terrible thing must be done, I will do it. That is my responsibility and my decision. But I hope you're right, and there is another way."

(ooc: Unfortunately I'm out for the night, so Jazbet won't be able to 'weigh in' on another solution at least not until tomorrow ... 'Night, all)

Sheogorath

It was going to be a bear of a day, and Jazbet had resolved not to make it worse by growling.

After getting up quietly and getting dressed, he had spent time with Jaster creating schedules and patrols for the guards on the domain's most easily accessible borders. Some craftsmen from the village were creating towers to shelter the patrols.

There was the prisoner in the dungeon he needed to see. Someone who claimed to know him, but had baulked when asked to submit to a dispel magicka. They had tested him once he was unconscious, and he was not an Azurite, but still, he might be a spy from Helseth or someone worse ...

There was the issue with the Azurite girl, but Jazbet had promised Loranna a little bit of time for an alternate solution to her execution.

But first, a meeting with an emissary from Lady Dres Zara, his neighbor to the north ... The Khajiit smiled and welcomed the diplomat into his study on the top floor of the tower.

Sheogorath

A figure runs across the wide green lawn in front of the castle, and plummets off the twenty foot tall cliff into the bay below.

A few seconds go by, and Jazbet surfaces. He can hear from the sound nearby that someone is treading water, and breathing, very nearby.

'Good morning,' the Khajiit says in their direction. 'Sorry, I hope I didn't startle you.'

Sheogorath

Jazbet laughs, surprised, "You're awake! I was going to come in and see you after a little swim. Speaking of paperwork, was my note legible at all? I'm sorry I had to leave you. Trust me. Nothing I would have liked better than to spend all day locked away with you."

Sheogorath

'And who do I owe that to?' Jazbet smiles and kisses her. 'The water feels delicious, doesn't it?'

Walking down the path to the beach was Kallen, Jazbet's seneschal, carrying with him a robe.

Sheogorath

'Already?' Jazbet smiled, affecting a whine. 'Five more minutes, dad!'

'My Lord,' Kallen yelled. 'You told me to come for you in ten minutes, and --'

'No sense of humor,' the Khajiit whispered to Loranna. 'Enjoy the private swim while you can. This time tomorrow, this place is going be very crowded.'

Jazbet began swimming back to shore.

Sheogorath

'The two neighboring domains are overrun with Azurites,' Jazbet called back. 'We're going to be tripling out population with refugees, at least. I have to arrange for shelter and some kind of order ... Feel free to let people know that they might have to share a bit ...'

If it worried him, the Khajiit did not show it. He acted more like a host being ever-so-slightly put out because more people had come to his party than he had enough snacks for.

Sheogorath

Jazbet was on shore, putting on his robe, and called back to Loranna, "I don't think there's much anyone can do right now. I'll tell the people I run into, and feel free to do the same. It's not a secret," he laughed. "I guess anyone who doesn't hear about it will sort of get the idea when Ald Raathim is a sea of tents."

The Khajiit blew her a kiss (roughly in the right direction of where she was), and followed Kallen up the path towards the castle.

Sheogorath

Winterhold, Skyrim

After a meeting with the King, Queen Elysana of Wayrest concluded that she would have to continue her voyage towards her kingdom by the ocean. She had hoped that the rivers would be clear, but they were frozen solid.

With her soldiers well-fed, her ship restocked, and her playwright Baloth-Kul well into the second act of the revision of his play, Elysana boarded the boat and set sail for the west.

They would try again to break through to travel inland at Solitude.

Sheogorath

The wilderness of mainland Morrowind was not as dense as it was in Valenwood or even Cyrodiil, but it was not as sparse as on the island of Vvardenfell, where the volcano made the ground inhospitable to normal plant life. One could get lost in the woods here, and people did. The refugees came trudging in groups of ten and twenty, avoiding the main roads where the Azurites could see them.

"I never thought I'd see the day when I would set foot in Daruhn," said one rather fastidious Dunmer to his wife, spitting out the last word as if it were dirt in his mouth. They were both carrying all the belongings they could, their pockets filled with gold.

His obedient wife nodded placidly, but her heart soared when she saw the guard tower ahead through the trees, and knew they would be safe.

Sheogorath

Ald Raathim

A group of five strangers, four Dunmer men and one woman, entered the tavern. They were weary-looking and dirty from travel. One of the men approached the tavernkeeper.

'Pardon me, good sir,' he said. 'Is this the only place where one can get a hot meal in Daruhn?'

'Yes, it be,' the tavernkeeper said, gruffly. 'And you'd be best get used to calling it Lord Jazbet's domain as a well-mannered guest.'

'I beg your pardon,' said the Dunmer, returning to his friends who had already taken a table.

Sheogorath

The five stood and bowed politely.

'We are grateful to be granted sanctuary, my lady,' said the woman, who though bedraggled and travel-worn. 'If the rumors we have heard of the Tiberarine are true, we are truly safe.'

Sheogorath

The five looked at one another, confused and concerned.

'Perhaps we have heard wrong,' the woman frowned. 'The hero who slew Azura, who destroyed the cursed city of Vivec ... He is not among you?'

Sheogorath

The Dunmer sighed in relief, and looked to one another, smiling.

'Oh, I would not presume to ask to see him,' said the woman, pulling her fingers through her hair and taking out a leaf. 'At least not now. I'm sorry, where are my manners? I'm Balensyna, and these are my brothers.'

The others rose, giving their names and greeting Loranna and the others in the tavern.

As they did, ten more Dunmer strangers entered the tavern. It was a large room, but already it was beginning to feel crowded.

Sheogorath

Kallen actually smiled.

Allerleirauh had never seen that on his young but austere face before.

'B'Vek,' the seneschal said. 'I will let Jaster know immediately so we can begin the arming. His lordship is in his study. I believe his conference with the latest ambassador has just ended and he's alone.'

Sheogorath

Ald Raathim

In the village square outside the tavern, tents were being set up by the villagers. They had heard the order of their lord to make the refugees welcome. More produce from the farms was coming in.

There were more than two hundred refugees who had found their way to Ald Raathim, and relations were cooly friendly. There was much history between neighboring domains, and not all of it was good.

For the time being, there was peace and order.

Sheogorath

'That's wonderful news,' Jazbet beamed. 'Of course, our population, as you may have heard, is booming right now. We'll doubtless need to find other means of procuring weaponry beyond your generosity, but ... What is on your mind?'

He knew where the bottle of wine was and was able to pick it up with some grace. 'Would you like a glass?'

Sheogorath

Jazbet's eyes could, of course, not be read, hidden behind the black silk blindfold. But from the lines on his forehead and the expression on his face, it was clear, he would've been staring.

Then he chuckled.

'If a Khajiit had your power,' he smiled. 'There would be no gold left in anyone's home. It is magicka, some kind of a spell? Like Mark and Recall?'

Sheogorath

'The child is showing signs of awakening, my lord.'

Jazbet did not want to think about it. It was truly, of all his troubles, the most personal -- the ones he most wanted to avoid dealing with.

'Put her back to sleep,' the Khajiit knight said.

'Muhsera, after a certain number of spells ...' the mage began to say.

'I know,' said Jazbet. 'Would you tell Bones that I'd like my parappton now?'

He turned his attention back to his guest.

Sheogorath

'I didn't really want to talk about it,' Jazbet said after a pause. 'My visions ... are not optimistic. If the child lives, many people will die ... So ... so ...'

Sheogorath

'You know that I was once a slave,' said Jazbet. 'And now I fear being a tyrant. But I would much rather be a tyrant, famous for killing a child, than to doom hundreds of people ... and that is the vision I have if the child lives.

I talked to Loranna about this, and she begged me not to kill the child until she talked to you and other people. I have seen what she has done. I saw her ask Arynel, who asked her what crime the child has commited.

The answer is none. But at this moment, the child is a mad dog, a poisonous serpent, and one does not say that the dog or the snake has commited a crime. They are killed because they will hurt people.

I am reluctantly the leader of this situation, and I know the worst thing a leader can do is not to act. Even if it is wrong, I must do something. If there is any practical solution, I would beg you, no riddles, no philosophy ... Just something I can do to spare the life of this girl, but also, more importantly, eliminate her threat.'

Sheogorath

Jazbet's Castle

Jazbet laughed and laughed hard.

'I could not imagine this subject would give me any cause to laugh, but ... are you serious? Give the child to Arynel, your dour bard?'

The Khajiit sat still for a moment, letting the visions come to him.

Sheogorath

Jazbet smiled. 'Do you know what I was planning to do? I was going to toddle down to her cell, blind as I am, and choke the life out of her while she was still asleep. I couldn't ask anyone else to share my guilt with me. But, I had this strange vision ... if you and Arynel actually took the child under your wing ... it might turn out okay. Actually better than okay. The child has vast promise ...'

---

'I would sooner kill her,' said Jazbet, losing his smile.

Sheogorath

Jazbet was serious. 'I must make some decision about her by tomorrow morning. If my mages continue to cast sleep spells on her whenever she is waking ... well, no one is normal after that. Too much fantasy from dreams, and you are a slave, albeit without braces, of the dam dog.

'I do not understand how my visions work yet. I know that when I saw Aricyn burning, I knew, completely, that would happen. When I see you, Allerleirauh, and Arynel adopted this child -- I see something good. It is not definite, things can go wrong, but ... it is right ...

But you must tell me tomorrow what is your decision. And I -- or we, if you have a suggestion -- must decide what to do about all the other Azurite children we run across. If we could be like the five houses and bring them in, and assimilate them, that would be perfect ... and perhaps it is possible still ...'

Sheogorath

Ald Raathim

It was inevitable.

Fights were breaking out between the refugees and the locals. At first, they were not serious fights. Someone did not acknowledge someone else who should have been considered of a higher caste in a different domain. Someone used the word 'Daruhn' around someone who respected Lord Dres Jazbet. Someone doubted the existence of the Tiberarine.

There were hundreds of reasons why the fights would have happened. Jazbet would have set extra guards to facilitate, but they were busy at the borders, so the fights continued, locals against refugees.

Sheogorath

Jazbet smiled at first. 'You know, Arynel has been someone I've tried because of you to form some attachment with. I've sung duets with him, I've tried to make him laugh ... And yet somehow, I feel that the combination of you and him as 'parents' to the girl will neutralize her destuctive tendancies ...

You shall have the alchemist you need for your trip. Perhaps you need a diplomat as well to go to the estates of Gaor and Wyrloc? I wish I could go with you, but that is impossible with my duties here ...

I was planning on going to the village, to help assuage the situation with the refugees ... if that is at all possible.'

Sheogorath

Summary:

Elysana, the Queen of Wayrest, is on a ship skirting the sea on the northern edge of Skyrim. With her are twenty of her knights and the playwright Baloth-Kul. Their destination is Solitude, to gain entry to the river system that will eventually lead to the Bjoulsae River and Wayrest.

Bosriel, the Void Vampire, is in Ebonheart.

Jazbet, the Khajiit knight of House Dres, is in Ald Saathim, trying to quell fights that have broken out between his people and the refugees from the neighboring domains. He has had a lot to deal with: the refugee situation; an Azurite girl who is currently sleeping under guard, her fate uncertain; organizing the defence of his own domain; learning about the world of the Void from Allerleirauh; and, yet, his mood is bright. Perhaps it's the sex.

Sheogorath

Ald Raathim

Jazbet found dealing with the fights curiously easier than he thought it would be. When he had his eyes, he would look rather than listen, and listening was what these situations called for. The guards were keeping some order, but there were precious few of them, and they were needed at the borders. It was essential that the people understood that for all their differences, they had much in common. At a deep level, they understood this.

As he spoke to them, Kallen approached. "Serjo, Jaster has seen to it that the guards are armed. We have weapons enough to give to the people."

"I've talked to a number of our citizens and our new friends, who should be deputized to join the guards," said Jazbet, and he gave their names to his seneschal. "Give the weapons to them first. They are level-headed and will keep order, as well as protect us from any invaders."

That accomplished, Jazbet went into the crowded tavern. His throat was dry.

Sheogorath

Jazbet laughed. "Marvelous news! Drinks are on me, all around!"

The crowd roared.

Sheogorath

Every road in Jazbet's domain was now lined with tents. It was impossible to say how many refugees there were, but the guards had kept a list of names to try to have some degree of organization to the chaos.

The formerly quiet little domain was very loud, and then it began to become still, quite suddenly. People were whispering and pointing down the road.

Sheogorath

They stared and they pointed. He heard them whisper the word 'Tiberarine' and 'savior' and 'slayer' and one little girl, before she was hushed, say, 'I thought he'd be even taller.'

No one approached, but they all smiled.

Sheogorath

Ald Raathim

The town square in front of the tavern was where the refugee camp was most chaotic. Still, even here, the noise died down to whispers, and when Aricyn came around the bend, entering the town, they parted like a wave to give him room.

People came out of their tents and houses to point and whisper and wave.

Word reached the people in the tavern.

'He's coming!'

People crowded to the door to see.

Sheogorath

The Castle

The door opened. It was not Jazbet, but the Argonian chambermaid, straightening up the room.

'He's upstairs in his study,' she smiled, motioning to the second stairwell, the private entrance from the room. 'You should tell him it's time to go to bed.'

The woman left with a wink.

Sheogorath

Jazbet opened the door, his brown eyes sparkling as he kissed her.

Sheogorath

Jazbet coughs in the force of the bearhug, crossed his eyes, and then they vanished.

'Apparently among the refugees is practically the entire Mages Guild from Blacklight,' the Khajiit smiled. 'I was talking to their archmagister about the idea of disguising you, since that was an issue we talked about before, and it occurred to me that it might not be a bad idea if I had the illusion of eyes when I needed them. Of course, they don't function, but if I don't want someone to think he can get away with something because I'm blind ... well ... could be useful ...'

He wrapped his arms around her giving his own tight hug. 'I'm sorry I left the tavern so suddenly. I would say that I'm almost done with work, but that would be a lie. Shall we go downstairs and ... talk?'

Sheogorath

Jazbet picked her up and carried her downstairs to the bedroom, where they did talk ... a little ...

Sheogorath

Summary

Elysana, the Queen of Wayrest, is on her ship, together with twenty of her knights and the playwright Baloth-Kul, nearing Solitude, Skyrim. She plans to take the rivers home to Wayrest if they are not frozen over. The remainder of her army is in Sheogorad.

Bosriel, the little dark-haired girl, the Void Vampire, is in the Void, alone, waiting for Leseth to return to her ... and waiting for freedom.

Jazbet, the Khajiit Knight of the House Dres, is waking up in his room. He gets up quietly to avoid waiting Loranna. He has a great many things to do today. As much as possible, he has seen to his domain's defense, and now he is planning to look to taking offensive action against the Azurites.

Sheogorath

Jazbet sat in his study with a strange noble, and his seneschal Kallen.

'Please find who you can,' he said to Kallen. 'Allerleiruah, Aricyn, Arynel ... Why does everyone's name begin with an A? ... Loranna, Solin, Tris ... you know who to look for ... I would like to have their thoughts on this matter of offense."

Kallen bowed and left to find members of the party to confer with his lordship in the castle tower.

Jazbet offered his guest a glass of wine. As before, she refused.

Sheogorath

As each person arrived, Jazbet introduced him to his guest.

She wasn't what you'd call beautiful, because there was no softness to her. Her face was long and angular, her hair cut in a short style like a man's, her body visible beneath her light armor muscular and well-defined. She was a Dunmer who could have been Boethiah incarnate, but Jazbet introduced her as Kethiah of the Morag Tong.

"She is a refugee," the Khajiit said. "But she can get us more weapons, and has many hidden associates, obviously. I thought the time had come for us to talk about launching an offensive against the Azurites, and see who will stand with us.'

Sheogorath

'The Azurites are not fleas,' said Jazbet. 'At least, the ones that are really dangerous aren't ... They make a lot of noise, they organize themselves in groups, in the practice of the true fanatics. They will not be difficult to find everywhere.'

Kethiah said nothing. She had a dagger in her hand she carefully balanced fingertip to fingertip, sizing up each person as he or she walked in the room.

'I would like to hear people's opinions on the matter,' said the Khajiit. 'Its seems to me that the longer we wait, the stronger their grip. We need to start with spies in the enemy territory to gather intelligence on their movements.'

Sheogorath

ethiah looked to Allerleirauh, the knife leaping from thumb to forefinger to middle to ring to pinky, and traveling back again. Her expression was cold.

Sheogorath

'Exactly,' said Jazbet with a smile. 'We have some advantage over them right now. They have no allies. But the longer they have, the more they will possess. We are right now in a prime spot to be the nucleus of a resistance, or the last great stand. I would hope we will resist.'

Sheogorath

That's true,' said Jazbet. 'They have a beacon call there, regrettably thanks to my departed brother Gaor. I wouldn't be surprised if that were a hive of their activity.'

Sheogorath

'We must issue them a clarion call,' said Jazbet. 'We have a Mages Guild here now, and the Morag Tong,' he added, gesturing toward Kethiah. 'The Fighters Guild would be a natural ally. The Imperial Legion may need a place to camp ... We need diplomats as well as spies ...'

Sheogorath

'I agree, of course,' said Jazbet. 'You know that I do not wish ill on anyone who does not wish ill on us ... But wherever they're organized, as you say in the Temple or the Towers, let us learn what they are doing, and plan accordingly.'

To Ciel, the Khajiit said, 'I do not know if what we have assembled is a sufficient fighting force until we know what we are up against.'

Sheogorath

Finally Kethiah spoke. It was with a laugh. 'You look for fighting allies among the Psijics?'

Sheogorath

The Sea of Ghosts

From the north, a fleet of twenty ships with the Wayrest flag moved towards northern Morrowind. The wind was favorable and they would be there within a day or two.

Sheogorath

'Without us,' said Kethiah. 'There would be no Tamriel as you know it. It would have been destroyed many times over, starting with the Akavir potentates ... And some of our very best agents have been Nords ...'

Jazbet raised a hand, and Kethiah, who seemed to be getting ready to fight, silenced at once. Her expression for the Khajiit was nothing but respect.

'Of course if Master B will come, we would be greatly enriched by his help,' said Jazbet. 'You think there is a central leader to the Azurites, Allerleirauh?'

Sheogorath

Kethiah smiled and nodded. 'As an assassin, I am only unpleasant to my allies. To whomever I am about to kill, I am sweetness and light.'

Sheogorath

Ebonheart, Vvardenfell, Morrowind

Lliryth, the King's mystic, had lost all semblance of his normal sangfroid. The quiet, introspective Altmer ran through the echoing halls, asking each person he came to where he could find the King.

Sheogorath

'A combination of stealth and illusion it would seem to me would be ideal,' said Jazbet. 'But I am open to any and all suggestions. The purpose of this meeting is not for me to order anyone to do anything. You are not my subjects, you are my guests. I must regrettably act the part of the lord outside these walls, but in this room, among this group, we are all equal.'

Sheogorath

(The Void:)

'You're back,' the little girl said, her dark hair swirling about her, her red eyes slightly dull. Though there was no blood on her lips, Leseth could tell she was sated, calm, having recently fed.

Bosriel did not have to say that she was surprised that he had returned, that she thought herself alone again. It was in her eyes.

'The High Elf knows something,' she said, pointing to Lliryth running through the halls excitedly.

Sheogorath

'Just simple stealth,' Kethiah said. 'Like Jazbet already said. And you're right, they won't be expecting infiltration. People flee from them not to them, so you won't have the same trouble you've had in Daru -- Lord Jazbet's domain ..."

Sheogorath

Kethiah smiled. 'Psychotic and partial to daggers. I want this one on my reconnaissance team.'

Her own dagger was on her thumb when she snapped it into the air. It turned over once, and fell back to drop onto her outstretched palm, where it balanced without a scratch.

Sheogorath

(The Void:)

'No, he found something in a book, but I was too far away to read it,' the Void Vampire said. 'I can show you where it was, and you can look ... '

Sheogorath

Kethiah flipped her dagger into the scabbard on her belt.

'That was not a formal invitation to join,' she said coldly.

'I am open to suggestions,' said Jazbet. 'But I would suggest three fold action.

'Those of us most suited to combat, use Ald Raathim as a staging ground to take back the land surrounding us. We know there are Azurites in the surrounding domains to start with.

'Those of us most suited to stealth and subterfuge should get to Ghostgate, Vivec, Mournhold ... Though we must first find a means of communicating ...

'Those of us most suited to diplomacy, we should find means to get them to the Imperial City, to the various Guilds and Houses, so we can find allies to support our struggle.'

Sheogorath

'I'm not sending any of you anywhere,' Jazbet smiled. 'I merely wanted to talk to you about what has been on my mind, in dealing with this crisis. Allerleirauh, I know you, for example, while skilled in combat and subterfuge, have in mind a diplomatic mission. If that can be coordinated with our other activities, all the better ...

'We needn't decide our strategies now. I only wanted the trusted few to begin this dialogue ... and now ...'

Jazbet touched his forehead. The visions were coming on fast. He could make no sense of them. He needed to be alone without distractions.

'I should excuse myself ...'

Kallen helped the Khajiit to the door.

Sheogorath

Jazbet didn't reply, he just stumbled into his room. He was sweating, reeling. Gasping, he fell to the floor. His skin was hot to the touch.

Sheogorath

The heat had almost completely passed by the time the cool, damp rags had arrived. Jazbet was breathing normally but evidently in a deep sleep. One of the servants carried the Khajiit to his bed.

Kallen addressed the group of servants: "I do not want to hear any gossip about this. His lordship is fine."

As they left, the Argonian chambermaid put her hand on Loranna's shoulder: "He'll be all right, serjo. Just watch him and call us if you need anything ..."

Sheogorath

"Of course I know your name," she says with a smile. "I'm Wisp."

Sheogorath

'It's short for Whisper,' she said, and then actually whispered. 'Which is short for a much longer name, of course. I'll tell you sometime.'

Sheogorath

'If all the Aedra, Daedra, and Tribunal decided to lay siege on Daruhn, I would wager that his lordship would still be standing here, laughing,' said Wisp fondly. 'You needn't worry. I can assure you that I don't, and I've known and loved him longer than you.'

Sheogorath

Wisp actually laughs loudly, and then covers her mouth, looking at Jazbet. He still sleeps.

'No, no, no,' the Argonian giggles. 'Get the image of his lordship chasing the chambermaids around the castle right out of your naughty head. Oh, my, no. Not that most of us wouldn't go to him willingly and enthusiastically, but ... He would consider sleeping with a servant to be abuse, no matter how delightful the experience. I meant "love" in completely a different way."

Sheogorath

Wisp gives Loranna's shoulders another pat and smiles before moving to the door. 'My lady Loranna shouldn't worry so much. I should return to my work, but I will be nearby if you need anything.'

With a wink, the Argonian left the room.

Sheogorath

Some hours later, Jazbet awoke. He heard the breath next to him, and he put an arm around Loranna.

Sheogorath

'Confused,' Jazbet said. 'I don't remember anything ... Oh, Jephre ... Tell me I didn't faint in front of the Morag Tong. That would be bad.'

Sheogorath

'I don't know. The last thing I remember was feeling like I was on fire and smelling ash all around me, I just couldn't breathe,' Jazbet smiled. 'Thank you for staying with me. I hope you weren't too worried.'

Sheogorath

"Not a thing," Jazbet shrugged. "Except the smell and feel of fire, and ... footsteps ... Heavily armored footsteps, metal on stone. I don't know. I'm just glad I didn't embarrass myself."

The Khajiit kissed Loranna. "Tell me what you've been doing."

Sheogorath

Jazbet chuckled. "I think you have found your calling rather neatly. Do you fancy a swim ... or any other exercise?"

Sheogorath

The Khajiit answered her without words.

Sheogorath

Solitude, Skyrim

Queen Elysana made a sacrifice to Akatosh in His chantry in the palace. The patron of Wayrest was clearly at last blessing the voyage. The rivers south had an egg shell's worth of ice on their surface. It would take them no time at all to break through, join with the Bjoulsae river into High Rock. Only a few days more ...

Sheogorath

Ebonheart

'Your Majesty!' cried Lliryth, seeing the King walking away from him down the marble hall. 'Wait!'

The Altmer, not looking like himself at all, face flushed, eyes wild, ran to Helseth and immediately bowed. 'Forgive me. I must speak to you privately on an extremely urgent matter. I know everything about ... the matter we were discussing before ...'

Sheogorath

Ebonheart

'The Eidolon is a battery, a heart, like I said,' Lliryth said, trying to remain calm, his voice succeeding but his eyes looking like he has delved into the very edge of madness. 'Crafted by the ancient Aldmeri and then altered by the genius of the Rourken Dwemeri. But the energy it stores ... it is hard to explain ... It is ... a hole in reality. Maybe it is better to call it an unholy siphon than a battery. It will warp and implode all living energy for miles around. Complete and utter annihiliation.

'It needs a key of sorts to operate, much as the legendary Mantella needed the totem. According to my research, this key is a gem called Flamekiss, a magnificent red diamond. Where it is now, no one knows. In ancient times, it was held by the Queen of Hegathe, but it was stolen by an Argonian thief who brought it ... well, no one knows ...'

Sheogorath

'There is an interesting lack of information, which is, in its own way, informational,' said Lliryth, a little too excitedly. 'Nothing disappears forever in Tamriel. If a gem such as Flamekiss has not been heard from since the first era, it may be assumed that the Argonian thief hid it somewhere not only hard to find but supremely dangerous. A pocket dimension, I'd guess, or a dungeon of such horror, the mind reels. The Argonian's name has, alas, been lost to history ... but I can continue to research and see if I can unearth it ...'

Sheogorath

Summary

*****

Elysana, the Queen of Wayrest, is in Skyrim, her ship slipping through the icy rivers en route to the Bjoulsae and home. With her are twenty of her knights and the playwright Baloth-Kul.

A fleet of twenty ships will be in the Sheogorad region of northern Vvardenfell to pick up the remainder of her army by early tomorrow morning.

******

Bosriel, the little dark-haired girl with the hungry red eyes, the Void Vampire, is in the Void with Leseth. They have recently overheard Helseth speaking with his mystic Lliryth about a mysterious object called the Eidolon, which he had stolen from Queen Elysana. It is essentially a spiritual siphon, capable of destroying all sentient life for miles around. It is activated with a gem called the Firekiss which has been missing for millenia.

Leseth has said they are going to Allerleirauh with this information and for Bosriel to be on her very best behavior. In other words, don't eat anyone.

******

Jazbet, the blind, precognitive Khajiit Knight of House Dres, is the host for the group in his estate on mainland Morrowind. Notable features of the place are the village of Ald Raathim -- currently filled to capacity and beyond by refugees fleeing from the Azurites in the neighboring domains -- and the castle itself. All else is farmland, wilderness, and sea.

The domain's defenses more or less arranged, he has pitched a move towards launching an offensive against the Azurites. The first move is to get some spies throughout Morrowind to report on the Azurites' movements. With him is a new force, a cold Dunmer woman who is a member of the Morag Tong named Kethiah.

On leaving the strategizing meeting, Jazbet was overcome with a vision, and fainted. He remembers nothing of the vision on awakening except for the smell and feel of fire, and heavy metallic footsteps. When last we saw him, he was in bed with Loranna, and there was a discreet fade out..

******

ooc: I won't be on tonight, so these characters are more or less in a holding pattern until tonight. Have fun!

Sheogorath

The Void

The Void Vampire looked at Allerleirauh, her red eyes wide. She had seen her at a distance before, and heard Leseth talk of her power, and had in mind a horrible, ugly giantess.

'She's beautiful,' Bosriel said, and instinctively reached across the space with her telekinetic touch to 'feel' Allerleirauh's silken white hair. Thinking better of it at the last moment, she held back, causing the candle in the room to flicker and gut out with a plume of black smoke.

Sheogorath

The Castle

Jazbet woke alone in his bed. It had been a dreamless night, or he could not remember his dreams. It bothered him that his visions did not always stay in his conscious mind.

He did remember one thing a little more clearly. The color red, intensified around something, a round object, like a gem. It meant nothing.

He rose, drank his tea, and went to meet again with Kethiah in his office.

Sheogorath

'It was not -- ' Bosriel began with a stammer. It was too late. Leseth was gone.

Many times over the centuries, she had peered in on mothers and fathers and happy families. They always infuriated her in a way that she could not and never tried to understand. This odd group of people discussing a child only fascinated her. For one more time in an infinity of times, Bosriel longed to step through the coldness and join them.

She would not hurt anyone ... well, no promises ...

Sheogorath

Ald Raathim

Jazbet, his seneschal Kallen, and the Morag Tong assassin Kethiah walked through the village. Kallen described the activity, and Jazbet spoke to a few people, hard at work.

'They are working, so they they have less time to get in trouble or fear or complain,' said Jazbet. 'And they are actually helping the situation. We may have a functioning economy for the first time in years.'

'Lord Aricyn might've told your lordship what he was planning to do,' Kallen frowned.

'What does it matter?' asked Jazbet. 'It was something good. You talk as if he's led a revolution against me, when he's merely helped these people help themselves.'

'Something bad always begins as something good,' said Kethiah. 'It is the way of things.'

Jazbet laughed and shrugged off the voices of doom.

Sheogorath

Kethiah smiled and withdrew into the crowd.

'Privately is a hard adverb these days,' smiled Jazbet. 'Walk with me back to the castle. I tried to help the woodsmen and the fishermen, but I'm really just in the way. Tell me when you spot privacy ...'

It was sometime down the road before the crowds cleared and no one was in sight.

Sheogorath

Jazbet smiled at the mention of oranges.

'I was in Black Marsh, and they have something like oranges there, which were delicious ... I was told that the real things are even better. Thank you, I can hardly wait ...'

He laughed at the update on Tamne.

Sheogorath

Jazbet took Allie's arm gratefully but with an embarassed groan. 'I know it's not real, but I can't quite believe it. I still trust what I see and feel. I will have to work on that ...'

The Khajiit concentrated and found that he could distance himself from the screams and the heat, rising above the vision.

'I don't know what must be done, but I can say that if we do nothing, we will certainly die.'

Sheogorath

'I don't see ... I don't see anything,' Jazbet stammered. 'Wait ...'

The Khajiit stopped and stared in the direction of a wildflower meadow, but what was behind his blind eyes was a series of overlapping visions he had to concentrate on to make sense of.

'The one possibility I don't see is the Flamekiss being taken by the acts of Void Rangers alone ... I see many people of different skills and abilities ... They will find it, whether it is the people with us, or Helseth's men ...'

Sheogorath

'No,' Jazbet smiled. 'Not everything is our fault or our responsibility. So many of us -- you, me, Loranna, Aricyn, many others -- need to remind ourselves of that from time to time.

'Yes, another meeting would be good, and this one should end with a plan ...'

Jazbet and Allerleirauh continued their walk into the castle.

Sheogorath

Sheogorad, Vvardenfell, Morrowind

An armada of Wayrest (though without flags flying), twenty ships, manned by the barest skeleton crews, set anchor. They at once began launching row boats to shore to meet with Elysana's army's camp.

Sheogorath

Ald Raathim

The seneschal Kallen began the slow process of finding people to bring to the strategizing meeting at the castle. He knew many people would be found in the castle itself, many more in the tavern and town. It was a moment where he must exercise discretion, but emphasize the urgency -- a duality he was an expert at conveying.

'You are requested at the castle in Lord Jazbet's office in the tower,' he would say, and let his eyes convey the importance.

Sheogorath

Jazbet is alone in the office, and as each person enters, he offers them a glass of wine, a smile, and a greeting.

Sheogorath

'Other may yet arrive,' said Jazbet at last. 'But we should begin now.

'In the province of Black Marsh, in a dungeon called the Vaults of Gemin, there is an artifact that must be found. It is a red diamond called the Flamekiss. The perils of this quest are not to be taken lightly. My visions have shown many possibilities, and there is no one in this room I have not seen in one future possibility or another, greatly hurt or killed in this endeavor.

'If, however, we do not send a group to recover this artifact, I have but one vision: our complete annihiliation.'

Jazbet took a sip of his own wine. There was perspiration on his brow, but he could put the vision back, and continue.

'Allerleirauh brought this matter to me yesterday,' Jazbet said. 'She and Solin know more than I do the particulars of this. I can only say that we will need all of you, and more, to survive this, and recover the Flamekiss.'

Sheogorath

'Why does a simple question from you make me nervous?' Jazbet said with a slight smile. 'Yes. We will need everyone we can get. The Flamekiss has been hidden away for thousands of years, and many have tried to recover it. Like I said, it is a most dangerous quest.'

Sheogorath

'It is a long flight for a parrapton to make,' said Jazbet. 'I would suggest taking a ship. I have a couple of them, and one of them would be large enough for the entire group.'

To Loranna, he adds: 'The gem itself has little power, except for its value. It is a trigger for an artifact of great destructive power that is in Helseth's possession. He knows of the gem, but not its location ... not yet ..."

Sheogorath

'We have guards, we have practically the entire Mages Guild of Blacklight, a Fighter's Guild, and the Morag Tong to protect this land,' said Jazbet. 'Thanks to you, many of our citizens are well-armed, and thanks to Aricyn, they are well-organized and self-sufficient. That said, I would not want them left alone for long. With hope, those who leave on this quest will return in short time.'

Sheogorath

"That's right," Jazbet nodded. "We can discuss our other options once it is in our possession ..."

Sheogorath

Summary

Elysana, Queen of Wayrest, is in Dragonstar, Hammerfell, mere days from being home. Many of the soldiers aboard her ship have become sick after traveling through the cold wastes of Skyrim, and are being healed. She is visiting her agents in the area, and about to receive a very interesting letter from Tris's father.

The Queen's troops in Vvardenfell are boarding an armada of twenty ships in Sheogorad to be returned home.

Bosriel, the little dark-haired girl with the hungry red eyes, the Void Vampire, is with Leseth.

Jazbet, the blind, precognitive Khajiit Knight of House Dres, is the host for the group in his estate on mainland Morrowind. Currently the small domain is filled with refugees from the Azurites, but thanks to the efforts of Aricyn, Allerleirauh, and many others, they are produtive, well-organized, and well-armed against the menace.

The Khajiit has come to understand his strange vision of destruction and a burning red diamond on hearing about the Eidolon and the Flamekiss from Allerleirauh. He called this meeting to tell the group that the Flamekiss must be found in the Vaults of Gemin in Black Marsh, before Helseth's men or anyone else can find it. If they fail, all are doomed.

Sheogorath

Jazbet's Castle

'Let me remind you,' said Jazbet, in response to the suggestions of several in the group. 'The goal of this quest is to find the gem and hold it. Do not take it upon yourself to find a new hiding place for it, or to attempt to destroy it. We are safe while we hold it away from others, but we will have to make certain we know what we are doing before we proceed from there. It is too important for any one of us to decide on our own.

'Are we agreed that it is best to proceed by boat?'

Sheogorath

'Teleran asked about parraptons. They wouldn't be able to fly all the way down to Black Marsh, but perhaps it would be good to have a couple of them in the boat, in case they're needed,' Jazbet said and then smiled. 'Provided their mother will allow them to leave for a couple of days. I will have to ask Casts-The-Bones to ask her very politely.'

Sheogorath

Kallen spoke up. 'There is Mages Guild in Stormhold, which is ...'

He brought down a map from the shelves and unfolded it neatly on the table.

(http://til.gamingsource.co.uk/maps/arena_blackmarsh.shtml -- The Vaults are the little lump just south of Stormhold)

Sheogorath

'Actually the boat trip shouldn't take too long, if you notice the river which runs just east of the mountains between here and Cyrodiil,' said Kallen. Of course, he had never been there, but he knew maps.

'The Mages Guild will be tricky,' said Jazbet. 'The nearest one is ... well, was in Blacklight ... The transportation may still be possible, but it will be a hell of a fight to get to it ...'

Sheogorath

'A good question,' said Jazbet. 'We need warriors, surely, and a mage or two ... And at least one healer like Loranna ...'

Sheogorath

Jazbet looked in Aricyn's direction and then towards Jaster. 'I had not thought about staying here,' he said simply, with a frown. 'I think that is out of the question.'

Sheogorath

Jazbet shook his head. 'Fortune telling is not the only way for a man to make a decision.'

They were right. But he was never the one to send others to do a job, as Wyrloc was. He himself loaded half the boxes onto the ship at Suran. Let others organize -- he was a man of action ... Or he had been ...

Sheogorath

'As they would,' Jazbet said quietly, and nodded. That was a certain vision. He would be killed in Gemin if he went, and so would others who attempted to help him, who he had slowed down ... But there was no reason to go into that ... Again, the Khajiit nodded. That was the way it would be. He would stay behind.

Then Tris's words made him laugh in pure delight. 'Thank you, Tris. You're absolutely right.'

Sheogorath

'Do you still intend to use the Mages Guild in Blacklight to transport yourselves to Stormwatch?' asked Jazbet, smiling now from Tris's comment. 'Because, if so, you would be smart to bring some of the Guild members from here along to help you do it.'

Sheogorath

Kallen looked to the map. "Three or four days. Probably four."

Sheogorath

'There is also a Mages Guild in Tel Silgrad to the south-west,' said Jazbet. 'It is right near the border to the Imperial Province, so the Azurites may not have reached there ... It is a few days by foot, but the parraptons could get you there within a few hours. They can travel that far at least.'

Sheogorath

Jazbet took a breath and smiled. 'He's a bit of a bully, isn't he? Does he have to stay here with me?'

Sheogorath

Jazbet takes her hand, and tells everyone, 'I'll have the parraptons ready for you as soon as you need them. Let me know ... or Kallen if I'm otherwise occupied ...'

With a smile, Jazbet led Loranna down the staircase to his bedroom.

He kissed her quickly and whispered, 'You are certain you want to go?'

Sheogorath

'I knew that you would go, I saw it,' said Jazbet. 'And I just assumed I would too, isn't that funny? I was never good at fighting, even before I was blind, I can't use magic, and I have the responsibility by my title for all the people in my domain, and it never even occured to me that I would stay here.

'Thank Baan Dar for Tris,' the Khajiit said, chuckling softly. 'Only he would call a quest that we have emphasized over and over again as being dangerous as being 'the fun job.'

'You must make it through alive, you know that, don't you?'

Sheogorath

'I would like you to have something,' Jazbet smiled, and reached into his pocket. 'It is a bit of magic that will allow you to turn invisible and see in the dark ... like a cat ...'

It was a golden ring with a similarly gold-colored gem in the center, which looked like a cat's eye.

'I want you to have it for those two spells, but it has a third one, if you want it to,' the Khajiit said. 'If you would marry me, you could consider it an engagement ring ... You don't have to give me an answer now, but please take it ... '

Sheogorath

'Just do me the honor of thinking about it,' Jazbet smiled. 'Use it to survive in Gemin, and maybe, when you come back ... we can talk about it a little more ...'

Sheogorath

'Ah, staying alive, yes, that's the great trick,' Jazbet smiled and kissed and whispered. 'Enough talk, until you return ...'

Sheogorath

The Stables

Kallen spoke to the stablemaster, the Argonian Casts-The-Bones, who in turn talked to the queen parrapton.

'Yes,' said Casts-The-Bones. 'She will allow her children to go to Tel-Silgrad. Have each prospective rider approach her as usual, and she will select a steed. When they have arrived and dismounted, tell them to rub their hands, and their parraptons will return here.'

'I don't suppose it's possible for them to wait for the group to return, so they can have a ride back?'

'No, they will need to return here afterwards,' said the stablemaster.

Kallen thanked him. He would have to fly with the group to Tel Silgrad, and see if any of Lord Jazbet's allies were still around who could send word when the group had returned, so they could send the parraptons back for them. He would confirm this plan with his Lordship ... well ... later ...

Kallen smiled despite himself, and set about letting everyone know that the parraptons would be ready for them whenever they were.

Sheogorath

Jazbet woke up. He reached over and spoke her name, but he realized Loranna had left ... Well, they had agreed not to talk about what he had suggested until she had return from the Vaults of Gemin.

The Khajiit knew that he needed to wish the adventurers well on this most essential mission.

He dressed in the clothing that he never had felt comfortable in, and still did not, but he felt the occasion merited it, if any did. A midnight blue robe with a black fur color with the crest of House Dres embazoned on the back. It was as formal and as somber an ensemble as he possessed.

So dressed, he went out to the stables, to bid the adventurers a safe journey to Tel Silgrad, and from there to Stormhold, and the Vaults of Gemin.

Sheogorath

Candlemass, High Rock

The little village of Candlemass was on the Bjoulsae, a day by boat to Wayrest. To the north-east was the Kingdom of Evermore, to the south-east, the Hammerfell Kingdom of Skaven. It was a idyllic place, a little clearing of trees along the banks of the river, with nothing much of interest for merchants or adventurers, except for a temple, a Benevolence, dedicated to Mara.

As if protected by the Mother Goddess, Candlemass had clement weather year round, though today there was frost on the grass and the windows.

It was here Elysana, the Queen of Wayrest, met her children.

Tymona took after her father, Elysana's consort. She was four, but extremely formal, polite, and deferential. She kissed her mother's cheek, and did not speak unless spoken to. When asked, she said she was enjoying herself, and the Prioress said that she was a delight.

Eadwyre, Elysana's son, was nine. When the Queen had seen him last, he had been crying, furious with her for leaving him behind. Now he threw himself into her arms, eager to tell her all of his adventures. The Prioress had been less effusive in her praise of him. Eadwyre was emotional, impulsive, stubborn. Elysana couldn't think where he had gotten those traits, unless it was from his namesake, his grandfather. Perhaps he had been like that at that age. Perhaps, Elysana thought with a slight smile, she had been like that herself.

The children and the Queen spent several hours together, and then their belongings were collected, packed, and the three of them boarded her ship to continue the voyage to Wayrest.

Elysana reread the letter from Count Sternhart on the way, touching her necklace instinctively as she did.

Sheogorath

Kallen's parrapton flew lightly over the tree-tops, approaching the castle of Jazbet, until it arrived at last, landing at the stables. Casts-The-Bones led the wasp back to its mother while Kallen approached Jazbet.

'Good,' said the seneschal. 'I was afraid everyone would have left already, milord.'

'They will be here soon,' smiled the Khajiit. 'They know how urgent this is. But they each have preparations to make. I would not want them to rush in in a disorganized fashion. Were you able to find Pulcinius?'

'Yes,' said Kallen. 'He will greet them when they arrive in Tel Silgrad and when they come back. He will give them shelter and help if they need it, and send word to us when the parraptons should be sent to pick them back up on their return.'

'Good lad, thank you,' said Jazbet.

Sheogorath

The crowd felt to silence. They looked to one another, not even whispering.

Finally, a young man, a fisherman, asked, 'When will the true Tiberine be coming, o lord? For what date do we prepare a proper welcome?'

Sheogorath

The crowd shuffled back to their work. Unlike before, where they seem united in their adoration of the Tiberine, now they seemed more fractured.

'Why did he lie to us?' was one whisper. 'Why did he say he was the Tiberine before?'

'He didn't lie,' came the response. 'He simply did not deny it before.'

'Yeah, not a technical lie, but still ...'

'He is still a powerful warrior who will protect us ...'

'On whose authority did he hang the men before? Jazbet's, the Emperor's?'

'Will he kill Jazbet too, as a thief?'

'Quiet.'

'How are we supposed to welcome someone when we don't know when he's coming?'

'He's right. It's the end and beginning of things. I can feel it too.'

'So can I.'

Though there were still many questions, the crowd did not abandon their organized activities. There was simply nothing else to do, and though Aricyn may not have been the Tiberine, he was still too intimidating a force to approach.

Sheogorath

'Not at all, serjo,' said Kallen. 'Everything is arranged. Shall I go and see if anyone needs my help with their preparations?'

Jazbet nodded, and the seneschal began making inquiries.

Sheogorath

Summary

Jazbet, the blind, precognitive Khajiit Knight of House Dres, is at the stables, waving the adventurers off as they take off for Tel Silgrad. From the Mages Guild there, they are going to Stormhold, and from there to the Vaults of Gemin. It will be a treacherous, dangerous quest for the legendary gem Flamekiss, but he has seen that if they do not succeed, all will die.

Bosriel, the Void Vampire, is with Leseth.

Elysana, the Queen of Wayrest, has just picked up her little boy and girl in Candlemass and is but a few hours away from returning home to Wayrest. She has received a letter from Count Sternhart, Tris Gaerington's father, who has told her that his son lives.

Her army in Sheogorad has likewise boarded ship and will be home in a week, or two, depending on the winter weather.

Sheogorath

Tel Silgrad

Pulcinus, an affable overweight Imperial of advanced years, greeted the adventurers as they arrived.

'The officials at the Mages Guild know to expect you, both here and in Stormhold,' he tells each person. 'When you return, you can come to my house just outside of town, and I'll put you up until your parrapton returns ...'

Sheogorath

Stormhold, Black Marsh

True to its name, it was forever raining in Stormhold. The water soaked the very stone itself, seeping into cracks and mortar, so even the interior of the Mages Guild was damp, musty. The Guild itself was composed of nothing but Argonians of a majestic variety, tall and crowned with scaled hoods, horns, spikes, and frills. Their skin were jewelry, male and female alike, flashing blues, greens, reds, orange, and sparkling black.

'Welcome to Stormhold,' the mystic in charge of teleportation, a ruby-colored female Argonian called Seven-Stars greeted each person as he or she arrived. 'I have not been told why you seek it, but the Vaults of Gemin are to the south. If you are lucky, but a few hours away. An infinite distance if your luck is not with you.'

Stormhold was a city of enormous size, set on stilts with covered bridges linking block to block. Beneath it all a black swamp surged and hissed, constantly fed by the rain, flowing southward.

A few miles in any direction, the rain would reduce to a mere mist, but never less than that. It was green, but a pale green, from constant sunless days. The air was heavy, and though some of the swamp flowers had sweet perfumes to lure, it was hard to avoid the pervasive smell of decay.

Whatever lurked in the slow-moving waters between the mud, perhaps it was best not to imagine.

Sheogorath

A young lad, a mottled emerald colored Argonian who moved toad-like in jumps, bounded next to them. 'You had Argonian food in Balmora? Is it true they eat ... corpses?' He shuddered.

Sheogorath

'You might try The Inferno,' said Seven-Stars with a wide toothless smile. 'Despite its name, most visitors find it very comfortable. There are multiple fireplaces in every room, so it is relatively dry. Except on very rainy days, when some have complained of being ever so slightly parboiled.'

Sheogorath

The Argonian lad gagged. 'So, you do eat dead things there. I thought that was a lie, eating rotten flesh days after its death ... Ugh ... Why would you kill something to eat it, when you could just kill something by eating it?'

Seven-Stars shook her head. 'You're being rude, Peel.' To the others, she said. 'I also understand The Inferno serves food specifically for those of ... necrophagous inclination ...'

She looked at the drake on the floor in front of her, curiously. It then rose in the air and returned to Dante.

Sheogorath

'Can I?' asked the Argonian lad, who had been called 'Peel.'

'Don't you have lessons from Master Dark-Eyes-Open?' asked Seven-Stars.

'Please?' Peel asked. 'This will be educational for me. I've never been out of Black Marsh. Please?'

Seven-Stars relented. 'But he is not to leave Stormhold.'

Peel jumped around the room excitedly. 'Where do you want to go? What do you need?'

Sheogorath

'This way!' cried Peel, leaping directly into a hole in the wall that no one but him could possibly fit through.

A second went by, and he jumped back out.

'Sorry,' he said, sheepishly. 'This way.'

With a single leap, he had reached the top of the stairs in the corner of the room. In three more leaps, he had bounded across the Guild and out the front door.

Outside, canopies covered the walkways, and oil-filled lanterns hung to illuminate the gloomy walk through mud puddles towards the first bridge. Everything was thick with moss, which was surprisingly fresh smelling, like evergreen and mint.

Black clouds hung over the land beyond and lightning flashed every minute.

Sheogorath

'You're slow!' Peel laughed, leaping onto the main support rope of the suspended bridge. He crouched with fingers and toes in a straight line on half an inch of fiber.

'Most of the prettiest things are down below, but you have to hold your breath if you can't breathe water,' he said with a touch of pity. 'Come on, The Inferno's right over the bridge.'

The boy jumped from the rope to the tarp covering the bridge, sliding down it to the other side, fifty feet away, in a few seconds.

Sheogorath

At the end of the bridge, six huge Argonians stood around the entrance to a tavern called The Bog. Their beady black eyes looked unfocused from drink. They looked at the group suspiciously as they came over the bridge, and talked to one another in hisses, croaks, and clicks.

Peel dropped to the ground in front of them, and said something that sounded for all the world like three quick belches.

They looked from him to the group. Spikes rose on their backs. A hood came up. One of them opened his mouth, revealing a mouth full of fangs, dripping with venom.

Peel backed away from them slightly. 'Be good, be nice, they are good, they are nice.'

He was definitely frightened.

Sheogorath

'We can find another way around,' Peel whispered, crawling behind him. 'There are other bridges.'

Sheogorath

The Argonians looked at one another, and laughed, a curiously high-pitched sound for creatures as huge as they were, each of them over seven feet tall.

One of them, a fellow with extended spikes and something that looked like rudimentary gliding wings under his arms, bent down to pick up the coin.

Sheogorath

Peel began hopping back across the bridge towards the covered quarter where the only structure was the Mages Guild. From their perspective at the bridge, the adventurers could see bridges were throughout Stormhold, linking the platforms together like an enormous spiderweb.

Sheogorath

The group merely looked back at the adventurers with their drunk, unblinking eyes. Reptilian faces were usually expressionless, and these six men proved it. They did not go back into the tavern, but they continued to talk to one another in their indecipherable tongue.

Sheogorath

'Come on!' Peel called from back at the Mages Guild's walkway, leaping towards a bridge a little further east. 'Come on! Don't make trouble! They're nagas!'

Sheogorath

'Come on come on come on come on!' the lad cried from the other bridge. 'I'll tell you later!'

The Argonian nagas were looking even larger than before ... puffier ...

Sheogorath

Peel hopped along the eastern bridge, which rose up a higher tiered platform that wrapped around a tree, or a series of trees webbed together, it was hard to tell. Its canopy was the branches itself, and the tree rose up even higher, disappearing into the black clouds above.

'Hist,' said Peel, keeping his eyes on the Nagas, who were still visible on the other platform. 'One of three in Stormhold.'

There were six bridges stringing out from the tree's platform, and Peel bounded down one that led to a building with a hundred chimneys, all burning, like a castle made of smoke.

'That's The Inferno.'

Sheogorath

Peel reached the platform which housed The Inferno. He pointed to a uncovered slide to the south, which arched down to an island of mud that snaked on in the same direction until it could no longer be seen, covered by low-hanging trees and mist.

'That is the way to the Vaults,' the boy said, his eyes wide, as if the mere name of the place was frightening enough. 'The Vaults of Gemin.

He opened the door to the The Inferno, and it was not heat so much as a wave of aridness than sprang out. The clay walls within were cracked and blistered from the lack of humidity.

A cheerful Imperial woman in a rainbow-colored leather robe greeted the group. 'Welcome, welcome, my smooth-skinned lovelies. How many rooms would you be needing? We have beer and mazte and all sorts to eat in the dining hall ...'

Sheogorath

'You know, I had a feeling this morning when my last guest left that I shouldn't put out any of the fireplaces because I'd have visitors soon enough,' the Imperial smiled, guiding them in. 'There's room for a dozen and a dozen more. My name is Novia Xerius. Let me show you around.'

It was at first uncomfortably dry in The Inferno, but it was only a reaction to how moist it was outside. In truth, it was no drier than an average day outside in Vvardenfell or Hammerfell. In fact, it felt like a tavern from Hammerfell with its simple earth tones.

The interior was indeed filled with fireplaces in every room. The walls were unpainted clay, buttressed by wood that was equally dry and cracked.

The dining hall was obviously meant for outsiders. All the common staple foods of the provinces were there, quite deliciously prepared by Novia and her husband Veptimus.

The rooms were small and fairly sparse, but again, each had two fireplaces.

Sheogorath

'You don't ride beasts above the water,' said Peel, his tongue hanging out slightly from the aridity of the air. 'If you don't want to get your feet wet, you can charter a raft.'

Sheogorath

'If you want to go down south, maybe four to eight people on each raft?' Peel replied, taking a seat in the middle of the table in his customary crouch position. 'You can have more, if you want to move down vertically.

'I showed you the slide to the south. That's the way you go. It's easy to walk and swim, but if you don't want to get dirty, I can get you some rafts. Very cheap.'

Sheogorath

Peel dropped his head on the table, smiling. 'It's not hot, but it's dry. You stay in here too long, and you will turn into a mummy.'

Peel rolled off and under the table.

'You have a foot!'

Sheogorath

Stil under the table, Peel giggled. ' Very angry, yes.'

Sheogorath

Peel looked closer at the foot. He decided he was being teased, and rolled back from under the table, bouncing into the center.

'You're in a hurry, yes?' he asked. 'Then maybe when you come back. We can get some water breathing potions from the Guild, and I'll show you where most of the city is --' he pointed below him. 'Down there.'

Sheogorath

'There is some air, but it is never in the same place,' Peel frowned, trying to explain. 'Yes, you will need potions and a few days to explore ... I don't want to tell you too much ... What else do you need for the rest of your journey? Everything is in Stormhold, everything.'

Sheogorath

'I'm confused,' said Peel but with a grin. 'You're not in a hurry to get to ... you know where?'

Sheogorath

Peel looks from Jaster to Teleran, unsure what to do.

Sheogorath

'I should get back to the Guild anyhow before Seven-Stars starts to worry,' Peel shrugged. 'You should talk to the innkeeper about hiring porters.'

With that, the young Argonian lad leapt off the table, and bounded out the door, breathing deeply when he reached the moist air outside.

Sheogorath

Veptimus and Novia Xerius were happy to help. There were a lot of Argonians they could think of who needed work.

'Late-Hatch and Narrow-Way-Through both know the area very well,' Novia said.

'And Late is strong,' agreed Veptimus. 'They couldn't go wrong with Footsteps-Pad and Moon. Strong, dependable boys.'

'We can have them meet you at the bottom of the ramp whenever you're ready,' Novia said.

(ooc: If I'm not online when you're ready to take off for the Vaults, feel free to RP any of these guys. In my head, they're just names. Point being, don't let me not being on dissuade you from beginning the trek towards the Vaults)

Sheogorath

Wayrest, High Rock

It was a considerable topic of discussion outside Elysana's realm whether she was beloved or feared by her subjects. Like all complex subjects, it could not be reduced, and, of course, there were as many shades of feeling for the Queen as there were people in the realm.

But there was little doubt that she was greeted back with enthusiasm.

She had left her capitol city in secret, going to her palace in the Wrothgarian Mountains. She had left there in secret too for Morrowind.

Her return was public. The streets were filled with red rose petals, the symbol of her rule, and the harbor was filled with people in the thousands, cheering as her boat flying her flag came in.

Her ministers were there to greet her.

'Ryvad Castellian is dead,' her Minister of War whispered to her as he got aboard the boat. 'I will tell you about it when we have a moment alone.'

'I think I've had enough of the Castellians,' Elysana whispered in return, smiling sweetly, waving to the crowd who let out a roar of approval. 'They simply cannot stay alive.'

'We have prepared a banquet in your honor,' said her Minister of Finance with a slight wince, as any expenditure pained him personally.

'Let us have it then,' the Queen said. 'The food in the east is beastly. And then I wish to talk to you about one of our financiers. I will need to make an appointment to see Count Sternhart.'

'He will be at the banquet,' said the Minister of Finance.

'Very good,' said Elysana, and guided her children through the crowd, making their way to the palace.

It was finally complete. Weird and beautiful. The Dome of Wayrest.

Sheogorath

They waited at the bottom of the ramp, the four Argonians and their rafts. Narrow-Way-Through was a tiny thing, barely four and a half feet tall, looking like a gray-spotted gecko on its hind legs. Late-Hatch and Footsteps-Pad were muscular things, six feet tall: Late was slightly alligator-like, resembling a friendly daedroth with intelligent eyes; Footsteps was toad-like, similar to Peel, but grown-up.

Moon was an orc. He had been raised in Black Marsh and took after their ways, but he was simply a big, brooding orc.

Only Narrow and Late greeted the adventurers with friendliness as they slid down the slide and landed, inevitably, on their butts. But all did as they were told, and helped one and all to the rafts.

Sheogorath

Wayrest, High Rock

Within the Dome of Wayrest, everything was design on spiral with low, barely perceptible angles. The walls were a crystalline granite that reflected the candlelight throughout the one hundred and twenty rooms, all circular, within.

The crowd was selected from the richest, most powerful families in eastern High Rock, and all the top members of the guilds. The food was lavish and the wine poured freely.

Elysana always mingled, and she had a way of getting all the information she was looking for in a light-hearted chat.

She learned about the Eidolon, the fire at the Mages Guild, the death of Ryvad Castellian and what was found in his office, showing him to be a double-agent of Helseth, all within the first hour.

'Lady Ymalna,' the Queen smiled, approaching the Count and Countess Sternhart. 'What an enchanting dress. Thank you both so much for coming. I have been looking forward to the opportunity to speak with you.'

Sheogorath

It was simply a hallway extending down into the darkness, plain and unadorned.

Five seconds later, it was an abyss. And then a different hall, far more ornate. Then an abyss again. Then a wide open room with a sarcophagus at its center. Then the abyss. Then the first hall.

Every five seconds the walls slid, and presented a different destination, and the mechanism was silent as a whisper.

Sheogorath

Summary
Jazbet, the blind, precognitive Khajiit Knight of House Dres is at his estate in mainland Morrowind. It was his vision that convinced the adventurers to go the Vaults of Gemin to retrieve the Flamekiss gem, or all would be doomed.

Bosriel, the little dark-haired girl with the hungry red eyes, the Void Vampire, is with Leseth.

Elysana, the Queen of Wayrest, has finally returned home. She is at a banquet at her new palace, the Dome of Wayrest, and has just seen again the battlemage Herwyn, one of the few survivors of her original trip to Morrowind.

Sheogorath

Deep, dry laughter echoed from somewhere close by.

Sheogorath

The stone floor beneath the adventurers began to crack like thin ice.

Suddenly, there was an explosion of dust and stone in the middle of the room. A red-haired Dunmer looking like Dagoth rose from a crack in the floor, electricity coursing over his skin like serpents. He opened his eyes, but they were empty eye sockets.

It let out a shriek like a high wind.

Sheogorath

As the flesh melted away from the illusion, revealing the lich, the floor crumbled away completely, sending the adventurers falling through. They suddenly found themselves rolling down a steep, rough rock hill that kept going and going ...

They had dropped in near the top of a six-sided pyramid and were rolling into an enormous natural cavern.

It would be another hundred feet before they reached the sand at the base. Overhead, giant bats flew around, calling to one another in the darkness.

The lich was nowhere to be seen.

Sheogorath

The base of the pyramid was thick gray sand which billowed up from time to time due to strange, underground drafts. A low sloping ramp rose to an entrance into the pyramid. Spider-like statues guarded the sides of the ramp.

Stalagmites some ten feet thick, others but a hair, crowded around like sentinels. Wide cave entrances could be seen to the north and west.

Sheogorath

Through the entrance to the pyramid, he first saw a shimmer of gold.

Torches burned brightly within. A seated statue three times life-sized was in the middle of the chamber. Its head and its hands had been cut off.

It and all the surrounding columns seemed to be made of out gold.

Sheogorath

Torches lined the walls, catching the gleam of the eight golden columns surrounding the statue in the center.

A long strand of fiber floated lazily down from above.

Sheogorath

A vast knot of cobwebs filled the ceiling, cloaking over a platform. Between the shadows and the webs (and the angle of looking at it from below), it was hard to tell what the platform contained. It looked like an altar and several benches. There was a switch on the wall next to the platform, also coated with cobwebs. Nothing appeared to be moving, but there were several human-shaped lumps in the webbing.

Sheogorath

So, Tris in investigating, Loranna is standing clear, and Dante is uncomfortably close to the switch if they've gotten about fifty feet up ...

Sheogorath

At closer look, the human-shaped objects were, as they appeared, human. Or had been, long, long ago. They must have been naked, because there are not even the shards of clothing or equipment on them.

Dozens of dead giant spiders, now only husks, lay around the platform and in the webs. Also, dead long, long ago.

There is a chain attached the platform which is now visible from this angle.

Sheogorath

A hole in the floor directly beneath the platform opens up. (Any characters, I don't think there are any, who are standing there fall in)

A stale smell of dust and old blood rises from below.

The platform quickly begins to descend.

Sheogorath

The platform continues to descend, its old chain creaking, until it is right over the hole, and then it continues down.

Something rustles within the hole.

Sheogorath

The hole only went down fifteen feet lower into a pit of darkness. All around Tris, Ciel, Loranna, Nalion, and Dante were thick, black webs, forming tunnel upon tunnel. They shook with movement on all sides.

More than one thing was coming.

Sheogorath

The spiders stopped when they hit the circle of light, and retreated back a bit.

There were three of them. Each the size of a horse.

Sheogorath

One of the spiders leapt out directly onto Dante.

Sheogorath

Smoke began to flow out of the webbing where the smoldering torch had been thrown.

The platform shook and began to rise.

Sheogorath

Before the platform rose up to fill in the hole above, the other two spiders leapt.

One was crushed on the lip of the hole and popped very gratifyingly.

The other jumped onto Tris and sunk its fangs into him.

Sheogorath

The platform continued to rise.

Smoke plumed up below them from the hole, which then slowly closed.

The spider's fangs sunk into Tris's heart before it died from Ciel's and Tris's blades.

Sheogorath

The platform kept rising until it was again where it was before, fifty feet above the ground, next to the switch, in the middle of all the old cobwebs.

Sheogorath

(Wayrest:)

The Queen was about to smile and thank Herwyn from rescuing her from that bore, his tone made her drop her smile.

"What is it?" Elysana asked quietly.

Sheogorath

Summary

Jazbet, the blind, precognitive Khajiit Knight is in his estate on mainland Morrowind.

Bosriel, the Void Vampire, is with Leseth.

Elysana, the Queen of Wayrest, is at a banquet welcoming her back home. She is speaking with the battlemage Herwyn.

Sheogorath

(Wayrest:)

"I will need to think on this some more," said the Queen. "And we must find a comfortable estate for your mother to retire to. It would not do for the mother of the Queen's new Spymaster to be a handmaiden."

Elysana smiled and rejoined the party. She would need to do some more investigations into Herwyn Brand's past. After all, Ryvad Castellian's friendship with King Helseth was not revealed until after his death. It would not be good to make the same mistake twice.

Sheogorath

The Void

Orc blood is the richest, like butter.

Though the Bosmer, Altmer, and Dunmer would find it offensive, all their blood tastes alike, sweet, delicious, fine for dessert.

She hadn't liked Khajiit blood at all at first, but over time its earthy gameyness had grown on her.

Argonian blood was refreshing, like water from a spring.

The blood of men was either the foulest or the most divine substance in Tamriel.

And now Bosriel had tasted Azurite – and it was even better than the best.

Sheogorath

Wayrest

Elysana, the Queen of Wayrest, walked into Herwyn's office unannounced, her soft footsteps making no sound on the rich carpets that lined the floor. She found him buried in paperwork, everything transfered from Ryvad Castellian's secret lair to the new rooms in the palace. Like all parts of the Dome of Wayrest, it was gently curved with no right angles.

"You are up to date on all the spies and their assignments, it seems," Elysana said, startling the battlemage who was now her Spymaster. "You have been working hard."

Sheogorath

Wayrest

Almost every name on the list was familiar to her. Many were people she had at one time considered loyal.

"Of course, with Ryvad pursuing Helseth's agenda not mine, some of these people may be innocent," the Queen said simply. "Obviously, more research is necessary."

Elysana sat down, "I need you to track down a man named Tris Gaerington."

She handed Herwyn the papers included in the letter from Count Sternhart, documenting Tris's movements through High Rock and Skyrim. "I believed I had him assassinated, but it seems I was wrong. The creature you saw with me in my room in the tavern in Vivec failed me and lied. I would know Gaerington's location, who his allies are, and what he is doing. Then we can proceed with a plan for rectifying this situation."

Sheogorath

Flashback 1: Four Days Ago

Ald Raathim.

A cool wind blew. Kethiah, chief assassin of the Morag Tong, went to Jazbet's room in the early morning hours, but he was not asleep. The vision were too vivid. Though no servant saw or heard her, Jazbet did.

"I can confirm it. Your visions are true," she said, and he nodded.

Allerleirauh, Aricyn, Solin, and the others who remained in the castle were summoned to war council in Jazbet's office.

The mood was dark. The odds were not in their favor.

Sheogorath

(Wayrest:)

"Organizing my spy network is no simple task," Elysana nodded, rising from her chair. "It is not unlike ruling the kingdom. You must know everything that is happening, but do not do everything yourself or you will be overwhelmed. Yes, this is a priority, but so is the situation in Orsinium. And Daggerfall must be watched as well.

"As for the Gaerington inquiries, I think you'll find my spy in the Imperial City, Lady Gecilia Quinta Dominitius, Countess of Briel, Baroness of Rymm, and proprietress of the finest house of prostitution in Cyrodiil to be very useful. She knows everyone. And in Skyrim, I would rely on my agent at the Fighter's Guild in Snowhawk, Fargul the Red."

The Queen left the Spymaster's chamber, "Keep me apprised, Herwyn."

Sheogorath

Flashback: Four Days Ago

Ald Raathim

Jazbet saw the blood tide rising to the east. He saw the sky turn black with Winged Twilights to the north. He saw the armies plow through the forests to the west. And within his land, he saw the spells of the Azurites surging through the peasants' simple gravesites and burial mounds, forcing the ancestors to awaken and attack their descendants.

Blood and darkness and death was rising in his domain, with blue eyes.

Sheogorath

Flashback: 3 Days Ago

Ald Raathim

The battle had not gone as they had planned. That was putting it mildly.

In every direction, at every corner, the Azurites had been routed, beaten back by this tiny little group. Nothing had gone right. Until now.

The group of Azurites had gone to the castle for one purpose, and now here he was. Bloodied, unguarded, here alone in the woods was the improbable liege of the land they called Daruhn, a blind Khajiit called Jazbet.

The ten surrounded him quickly.

"Where is your guard, o Lord?" asked Zyniel with a grin.

"Dead," said Jazbet. "Are you going to kill me?"

They couldn't. Not yet. They might need a hostage to get them out from behind enemy lines, but they didn't say that. Zyniel merely laughed and spit in the Khajiit's face.

Or, at least, he meant to. The spittle missed Jazbet's face by a half an inch and hit Moalacher. It almost seemed like the Dres knight moved to avoid it, but that was impossible. He was blind.

They shoved him forward, deeper into the woods towards the east. The further they went, the more it weighed on Zyniel's mind: why was Jazbet not acting frightened? Was he just trying to be brave, to give them no satisfaction, or was it possible that this was planned? That was as plainly impossible as Jazbet ducking the spit: with their initial plan to attack him at the castle foiled, they were improvising. This couldn't be planned. The Azurite was simply imagining things, so rattled was he from the army's annihilation.

When they reached the gravemounds, however, Zyniel found himself worried again. This was the perfect spot for an ambush ... if Jazbet had planned it.

"Get him next to the mounds," the Azurite said. At least, if there was an ambush, Jazbet would be shielding them.

He was right. It had been planned. All foreseen. The camouflaged trenches were the precise distance from the mounds so Jazbet could easily avoid them, but the Azurites couldn't. The spikes at the bottom killed them, but not instantly. They had time to think and suffer.

The hidden guards joined Jazbet, and they made their way back to the castle.

Sheogorath

Jazbet, far, far away, smiled.

Prev: The Evening Star Parade

Up: Loranna's RP

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