Flogir
Before Flogir could act on anything, Kirana teleported the necromancer away. Flogir was actually surprised that someone would risk themselves like that. Sheathing his sword, looked around at the others.
"What exactly just happened?"
Mannimarco
Disoriented by the sudden change in places, and rather displeased that his magicka field allowed this mistake, Mannimarco walked over to the form of Kirana. His staff was in another place, and he called it back with his Return spell. He looked at the form of Kirana on the floor. It looked like the teleportation spell took alot out of her. He raised her with the power in his staff and held her aloft in the air. "Fool girl!" He hissed, "I only needed the heirs for the secrets of REMAN CYRODILL! ARGH!" Mannimarco shot life, the antithesis of death, into Kirana. She would be feeling ectasy if not for her unconsciousness. Mannimarco waited for her to wake, readying a spell that killed all that were around the caster, because of the massive amount of magicka it took. "Your curse will be the worst I've ever created, wench, and you will seek death but death will not find you. You will console the end, but there is no end for you, You will feel every fiber of your being burnt down to its core. You will pay for this foolishness!" And he readied the spell that turned the victim into a conduit of pain, that is an immortal creature on Mundus that feels the pain of everything around it in a three hundred foot radius. The victim will not die until the caster says that they may die.
OOC: Maybe a little rough with the spell, PM me if too harsh
Army of Morrowind, Commander Astratus
Commander Astratus walked up the strange man dressed in black from behind. He said, "Can I help you find something, sir?" As he placed his hand on the man's shoulder, he thought, "What a strange person, who walks about masquerading like a criminal?" Commander Astratus placed a hand on his hilt. Carefull man, don't do anything stupid....
OOC: sorry I didn't use your thread, Revan, but it used incorrect roman numerals and this one had a post with it.
Rann
Rann let his sword fall to the ground as it was obvious he didn't need to be stalling for time anymore. Now he had to go about releasing the magicka he'd absorbed.
He had the idea of channeling it into a detect life spell. He figured he might be able to find out where Kirana was and at least point in her direction before he collasped.
The enormous amount of dark magicka he absorbed both from Mannimarco and the other unidentified source, he couldn't see Kirana's position, but he could feel it. Surprisingly enough, he didn't collapse or feel fatigued. He did however, feel an extreme pain in his arm where his tattoo was located.
He looked at his arm to see the snake slowly getting longer and getting larger, looking like a real snake slithering up his arm.
My power must be of dark nature. he surmised, That's why the magicka I absorbed from Serene had negative effects on me...
OOC: where exactly did they teleport?
Kirana
Consciousness returned, and Kirana felt more alive than ever before. It was a complete bliss, she nearly forgot what had happened. However, even though awareness of harsh reality was with her, she couldn't summon the will to fight or struggle.
Though not privy to Mannimarco's fuming, Kirana managed weakly. "Do your worst, I did what I intended to do and.... nothing you can do can make me regret my actions...." Despite the serious and absolute inevitability of retribution a naive smile played across Kirana's face.
OCC: Do his worst!
Hmm...... how about somewhere south, near the ruins of Leyawiin. And yeah, now I realize my mistake with the numerals...... curse me.
Issac
It took several heartbeats before Issac realized what had just transpired. With the realization came a cold feeling of dread. "That necromancer won't just settle for killing her...." He whispered hoarsely. Kirana had been more of a mother to him than his real one, she'd taught him most all of what he knew of magic.
Some people get choked up when people die, because they never see them again. This is so much worse..... Issac dreaded seeing whatever the necromancer would do to her. He'd heard about how necromancer dealt with people who got in their way.
Mutely, Issac clicked his blade back into his sheath. A lost expression on his face, he didn't cry, Issac kept the agony inside.
Rann
Rann picked his sword up off the ground and quickly pulled down his sleeve, hoping nobody would notice the fact that his tattoo was growing ever so slowly. He looked to the group and noticed Issac's reaction to Kirana's decision.
"I can locate her," he said flatly to the entire group, forgetting to say how, "But I don't want everyone to come. Some of you need to stay and help take care of the Silhouette."
Altair
Altair looked on with interest at the events that unfolded in front of him. Nothing escaped his notice. He noticed that Rann had drained a bit of power from him, he noticed that Rann's mark was growing, and he most certainly noticed that the stranger had been none other than the King of Worms.
This is perfect. Kirana is gone with her suspicions, Rann's ability is tied to dark magicka, and I have Kirana's tome to study it further. Not to mention the fact that Mannimarco's knowledge could prove invaluable...
Mannimarco
"Oh, this day you will mark forever as the day you wished you STOPPED BREATHING!" Mannimarco released the spell he had been preparing and a ball of cosmic energy, every color and no color, shot into Kirana. Mannimarco stored this image through a complex matrix of energy, and set the matrix to repeat itself every three seconds in Kirana's mind. Mannimarco waited for a response from Kirana, the he said, "You will serve me, or you will be bound to my Soul chain." He then lowered her and whispered into her ear with his snakelike voice, "There will be so much for you to do." Mannimarco noticed a small deer shoot across the clearing. Mannimarco snared the deer, and brought it close to Kirana, within five yards. Mannimarco impaled the deer on his staff, and watched it bleed to death. Mannimarco amplified the pain going into Kirana tenfold. "FEEL THE DEPRAVITY!" Mannimarco screamed.
OOC: Kirana isn't going to die, and there is a way out if you all decide she is needed. I recollect something having to do with the Blood of a god, and such...... Reman Cyrodill anyone.....
Flogir
Flogir looked over at Issac and noticed his expression. Flogir certainly felt relieved that the necromancer was at least gone for now, but he also regretted that someone had to basically sacrifice themself to do so. His attention returned to Rann.
"I would go and help you out Rann, but I don't think I'm one capable of dealing with necromancers and mages and stuff of that nature," Flogir admitted. His background in magicka was very limited and while he knew his Nordic heritage helped him with the cold, it wouldn't do much against someone who used dark magick like the King of Worms.
"I think I'm better suited to watch the Silhouette. Personally, someone capable with magick should go with you, Rann," he suggested.
Voltar, edge of the forest and heavily illusioned
Voltar intently watched the events unfold. It appeared as though one of the mages sacrificed herself by removing Mannimarco and herself with a teleportation spell of some sorts. Voltar was obviously intrigued that the Master Necromancer yet again walked the earth as it was understood that he had been defeated. Yet the undead were tricky creatures. While Voltar had dabbled in Necromancy, he found that Daedra summoning was much more effective and clean. To Voltar, necromancers were just second-rate conjurors in his opinion.
The events over the last few days had been interesting though as Voltar quietly kept watch. Many members had been entering and leaving the group. Voltar wished that some of the trouble instigators were still around, as for the most part things had been more interesting at the time. Still, this recent attacks by Karn (who foolishly broke his cover, in Voltar's opinion) and Mannimarco had made things interesting once more.
Even though patience was something Voltar had firm control over. He thought he could ascertain better intel by entering the camp and intergrating with the others. But in order for this to happen, he had to organise with Veric first.
Voltar gripped the yellow amulet Veric had given him and activated it.
Veric, it's Voltar. I've been keeping watch of things from a distance but I feel as though I would be of better use if I was actually in the camp with you. As they remember me as an advisor to you, my arrival could be simply "finding" you once again. The Silhouette's army separated us, and it has taken me this long to have found you once more. Sound like a good plan?
OOC: Haven't been using Voltar for awile, so I thought I would try to get him back into this.
Rann
"I just want one more person besides Issac and myself." he said, making the assumption that Issac would want to go.
If it was his mother he sure as hell would.
Altair
Very well, Voltar, but wait a few moments until this small group leaves to find their friend.
Patholos
Arriving at the Silhouette's camp set certain events in motion he could not control. For one, the packages he was supposed to deliver were immediately confiscated and he was tied to a tree. Apparently the Silhouette had heard of his guards' demise, and Patholos cursed himself for getting involved with the farmers. Patholos waited, and then a snakeman said, "You bring us weapon? What in bag?" Patholos said,"I was not instructed on what was in the bag, I'm only the messenger." Patholos waited for a response from the snakeman, but there was no answer.
Kirana, agony
As the staff pierced fur and skin, Kirana recoiled violently. As the deer thrashed, she writhered on the ground.
Kirana screamed as intense waves of pain lanced through her entire body.
Finally when the wounded animal died, the pain went away. Kirana shuddered as tears formed.
Her entire body shook as she attempted to rise.
She only managed to stand for a few second before her legs gave out and she crumpled backwards.
Kirana lay staring at the sky, gasping for air, her skin glistening with sweat.
The former sage was barely aware of Mannimarcoo's approach.
Issac
He managed to register that Rann claimed to know where to find Kirana and he had volunteered himto help him find her.
Issac could only nod numbly, his heart felt as though it was frosting over.
Dazed he procured a varla stone from Kirana's pack and used it to recharge his blades.
Green-Root.
,,Take the girl. She's attached to Issac. Those two will only hold each other back with longing to each other when they're split." Green-Root answered to Rann's question.
,,In the meantime, we're going to make ourselves a more secured camp before raising some ruckus with the snakes." He added.
,,Unless someone here prefers a different course of action? Come on, someone step up and be a leader here!"
Flint Ironwood, Morrowind army camp.
Flint smiled. He'd already expected this kind of response.
,,Walking in from behind, so old and so good at getting intimidation. If it isn't expected."
He turned around slowly and raised a sloppy salute.
,,I already found what I was looking for. It's hard to miss from cloudlevel. Flint Ironwood....a smith in the service of the countess of Chorrol. I was riding with fifty men of her cavalry when we encountered your messenger. They'll arrive in a day or two. Consider them to be under your command from that point. Anything else you would like to know, sir?"
Issac, consoled
He closed his eyes and nodded, sparing any unnecessary display of emotion. Issac opened his eyes again, "I shall do the same. Thank you, 'Tyana."
He took her hand in his to show he was here, not lost anymore. "I'm here," he said with his typical warmth.
Ian
From his vantage point, the hunter slid down toward the camp. He followed the allure of fresh blood to one of the nearby barracks. None of the resting soldiers heard or saw the vampire clad in gray sneak into their midst.
Once he'd sated his thirst Ian's control over his body and thoughts returned. As Ian regained himself, he sat on top of the prefabricated buildings. A familiar scent caught his attention, and he turned to look in the direction of it.
Ah, Flint, he must be back from Chorrol. Leaping silently from rooftop to rooftop, the agent made his way toward his ally.
Mannimarco
Mannimarco picked Kirana up and hurled her against the rocks around them. After about a minute, Mannimarco stopped and bellowed, raising his fists into the air. Kirana did not seem in too good of a shape, but she won't age or die unless Mannimarco says so, he had frozen her cells. Mannimarco retrieved his staff and reanimated the deer carcass. He made it walk over to Kirana and nudge her, with its bloodstained face. Mannimarco thought of the others he encountered, and he pondered what they were doing at the moment. Mannimarco swept the area for any undead he could use. Nothing, nothing at all. He reached even further, and felt the Vile Lair's evil off in the distance. "I'll make my heading there" Mannimarco said aloud. He cast a shell of shadow on Kirana's hands and pulled her along. The dead deer was going to follow, but Mannimarco incinerated it. What Mannimarco didn't realize was that Kirana had been bleeding before he cast his spell, which means that a small trickle off blood followed the pair as they set off for the Vile Lair.
OOC: Tried to give the hunters a way to find her, maybe use some kind of hunting device....
OCC: Let's just say Kirana is out cold for the moment, hit her head on the rock or something.
Karn
The messenger he'd sent to the caverns where the King of Worms had taken refuge had reported that the self-proclaimed monarch was not at home. That made Karn more than a little furious, How are we to fight a war if we don't know where our "allies" are?
Several patrols of assassins were scouring the Black Forest in case Marco or any of his foul work were about. Meanwhile, The sensei was killing time by watching the Narza'Tai assassins training. The killers used chain whips, wrist blades, shortswords, and their god-given fists.
Outside the drill yard was a course where teams of assassins were stalking one another. Although he had long since become independant, Karn wished for the Narza'Tai to be something greater than any fellowship before it.
That meant the assassins had to move, breathe, and think as a team. Each member had to cover the weaknesses of another and vice versa. The better their unity, the stronger the unit. Karn smiled, a genuine sign of satisfaction.
By the time the Silhouete and the other major powers were ready to fight the Narza'Tai would be ready to give the final shove Tamriel needed.
Voltar
Understood. I shall arrive when the opportunity presents itself.[i]
With that, Voltar broke the connection between himself and Veric by placing the amulet back into his pocket. It wouldn't be long now until he gained access into the group's camp. From there, he would study each member closely and prepare the proper strategies necessary to defeat them.
It'll be so simple, he mused as he observed the group once more.
Flogir
"I'm with Scarface," Flogir added after chuckling about the new nickname he gave to Green-Root. "I'm all for bashing some snakes in. I can handle that."
At least, I hope so,[i] he thought to himself. He had to remind himself that he wasn't in his prime anymore.
Rann
"How cute," he said, purposefully ruining the moment. He had a feeling he would be doing that a lot over the next few days. Especially if it was only the three of them.
I wonder if I should pray for another volunteer.
He felt an odd stirring inside him.
"We need to get moving," he said more seriously, "Because they are."
Commander Astratus
Commander Astratus told Flint where to find the brew house that the troops had set up, and sent him on his way. The Commander turned to one of his lieutenants and said, "Fifty horsemen?! Is that all Tamriel can offer? No wonder Helseth was worried! Akatosh! The Snakemen are rumored to outnumber us three to one, and Tamriel offers us fifty tin suits! Bah! Come, I need a stiff drink..." The Commander trailed off, and the lieutenant followed him to the brew house.
Patholos
After a severe beating, the Snakemen let Patholos go. He stumbled back to his horse, and mounted in quite some pain. He rode at a slow trot back to the Lair, and what he saw took his mind away from the pain for a moment. He is truly Sensei, Patholos thought. All the troops training, "Praise Sith-" But Patholos caught himself, there was no Sithis in his life. Patholos smile through bloodied lips as he rode back to camp.
Mannimarco
Aggravated again by the sheer weakness he found in Kirana, he vented his frustration onto a small bird. The bird died and then turned white and shriveled up. Mannimarco stopped, the human remnants of his mind began to speak. They didn't speak much, but when they did, they meant everything. "She is a woman, not a man, you remember your first woman," Mannimarco's head reeled from the memories thousands of years back. He shook them out and sent a telekinetic wave to all his high ranking necromancers. They responded with messages from the Bay. Apparently the Silhouette's ships are too heavily guarded for an assault, they need the Agents to help or they will loose the bay. Mannimarco had to hurry, so he turned Kirana over and cast a nasty little spell that he had cast on Garriden, Everliving Ice. I'll be back, sweetheart, don't you worry. Laughing like a madman, Mannimarco hurried off towards the Lair.
OOC: I know Garriden broke the Vase and the water froze, but let's say Mannimarco was watching and intervened...the Commander is an alcoholic, just letting FLint know
OCC: Ah, yes the Garriden's Tears quest, I remember. Mannimarco sure is a sadistic lunatic.
Issac
He shrugged off Rann's comment, he was entitled to his own opinion. "Alright then, Let's get started." Issac grabbed a pack and stood. The past few days' burden on him was relieved, and he felt hopeful and determined to see this crisis through.
Ian, Morrowind Army camp
Trailing after Flint and the army's commander, Ian gracefully rolled off the prefab he was on and assumed a normal pace. The agent followed the pair into the brew house. Ian realized too late that this was were drinks were served.
Darn, oh well, I don't need to drink like normal people. He took a seat in a well-lit corner beneath a lantern. Ian opted to wait until Flint might notice him. Best not to interupt him in the middle of enjoying a drink....
Commander Astratus
After a few hardy laughs and strong bottles of Akatosh only knew what was in, Commander Astratus headed back to his tent. Stumbling around and emptying his stomach outside, Commander Astratus did not look the part of Commander of an Army. The Dunmer didn't even feel he should have fought for anything. He was so depressed after his family was murdered by Ascended Sleepers. He did nothing, he only watched as his family was killed for Dagoth Ur. That was some time ago, back when the Nerevarine walked the plains and Vivec bestowed his blessings on everyone. Now, nobody saw either. "That's what the men need, Priscilla, that's what the men need," Commander Astratus said to a small rabbit, thinking it was his wife. "You know Priscilla, you've lost a lot of weight..." Commander Astratus keeled over and came up with dry heaves. The Lieutenant walked over to him, also being drunk, and said, "Sir, there are reports of Snakemen in your vomit, sir!" The lieutenant snapped a sloppy salute, and feel over, stone cold unconcious. The Commander yelled, "Snakemen! I'll have you!" And the Commander drew his sword and swung it around violently, lost is his own battle.
Ian
He was roused from his shallow slumber by the shouts of the Commander. Ian shook his head when he realized it wasn't actual Akaviri, just drink. This is a disgrace... The Imperial agent realized that some people drank to drown their sorrows, but to him thatw as just an excuse.
Ian shut his eyes again and allowed himself to doze off.
Rann
"It was a detect life spell," he explained as they made their way, "I think the sheer power of Mannimarco that I absorbed enhanced the spell enough so that I feel this odd connection to Kirana. That's how I know where she is."
Patholos
Upon Patholos' entrance to the camp, he noticed a change in the demeanor of the soldiers, all except his cold Shadow Eaters. A change had come over them as well, but all the change seemed to be was frozen features. Patholos approached Karn and asked, "Sensei, we have many soldiers and hopefuls, but where is the gold to fill our coffers? I can barely scratch two septims together, and my Shadow Eaters were all poor before." Patholos hoped that the word "my" would go unoticed, he cringed inside, that was part of the Dark Brotherhood, not the Narza'Tai. He continued, "With commissioned Cleansings, we will earn income, but how to start now?" A deep voice answered him, "I can get you gold..."
Mannimarco
After he interjected into the conversation, Mannimarco looked at all the trainings hopefulls. Mannimarco said, "My Necromancers need your best to stop six supply ships from entering the Topal Bay. If we can eliminate the guards and the small galleys around the supply ships, we can sell the supplies to that new army. Of course, we is a business term, half for each. Are you in," Mannimarco paused, and then, from overhearing Patholos earlier, he said, "Sensei?"
Flint Ironwood.
Flint kept a conscious distance.
,,Geez, finally we get a real army and all they do is drink. What is up with this world?"
He shook his head and headed outside. Once he was nearly at the exit and about to sneak out, he noticed a familiar figure in the mass. Flint crept up to him.
,,Ian, is that you?" He whispered.
Ian
He opened his eyes to take his Bretaon ally. "I don't know if being a vampire qualifies, but yes, I'm not a figment of your imagination."
Before Flint replied, Ian said. "The Silhouete's army is marching to the Imperial City. Karn attacked again, but Patholos gave his live to put the group out of danger."
"We have another two members, a Quarra vampire and an Argonian.".
He added, filling Flint on some of the things that had happened since he'd left.
Karn
He nodded to Mannimarco's offer. Though Karn detested the necromancer, the King was their only standing ally, and Patholos had a valid point.
"Alright, then we shall send our best teams to assault the navy.". Karn turned, a like clockwork, the teams organized before them.
The sensei pointed to three groups and then to another two who had argonians in them.
All the other teams dispersed and Karn (all the assassins as well) turned his attention to Marco.
"These are the best teams we have; along with those who have specialized members." Karn added just low enough for the assassins to not hear. "These people aren't cannon fodder like your wretched servants. They can work indepdantly without you lording over their shoulders. And if even a quarter of them die, we'll expect compensdation for their loss."
Green-Root.
,,Scarface? The scar in my side is bigger. It should be Scarside, dumb Nord." Green-Root chuckled.
,,But before we handle our snakes, I still want a new camp. Preferable a hiding place, like a freshly dug pit in the shadows of a some dense bushes. It's better than sitting here all in the open.
Flint Ironwood.
,,Green-Root, eh? Well, I don't trust him. He was with the Silhouette when I last met him. As for the vampire, she sounds innocent and more like a victim than a bloodthirsty monster. Looks can be deceiving though." The Breton mumbled. He then realized what he'd just said.
,,Oh, oops. I didn't mean it like that. Sorry."
,,Anyway, the cavalry that's coming here is all loud and more talk than show and from what I've seen of this army, we can't expect too much of it either. Damn, this won't be easy." He quickly talked on, hoping to make Ian forget the accidental insult towards vampires he'd thrown. He realized though that this was empty wishing.
Ian
Flint's comment was a honed edge, but Ian let it pass. He'd been on the recieving end more than one person who had barbed wire for tongues in the past. At the mention of the army's competence, he glanced at the gasping form of the commander of said army.
"Apparently, he's tired himself out from swinging a longsword while drunk....." Ian turned his attention back to Flint. "Now you can see why I've never had booze and why I never shall. It's disgraceful....."
He muttured, "Well, we've got fifty men struting about in tin suits and any army being led by a drunk." He shrugged, "So we're in agreement, we are in hardly a better situation than before."
Maybe I should have a drink, they say it calms the nerv- "No," he said aloud.
Flogir
"I was referring to your snout when I gave you that nickname, Scarface," Flogir fired back in a friendly way, "And your idea about a better camp makes sense; we'll see to that once the others leave."
After that, Flogir decided to help out Satyana, Issac, and Rann pack up their belongings and provisions. The whole he contemplated on whether he was given the better deal of the situation. Flogir though harrassing an army was much less risky then persuing one of the most powerful necromancers to have ever existed. He offered a silent prayer to the Nine for the safekeeping on his friends.
After finishing helping the others pack up, he stood across from those leaving.
"Well, I guess this is goodbye for now. You guys get back safe, ya hear? It shouldn't be too hard to find us once you find Kirana. I think we'll be following this army where ever it decides to go," he said in an encoraging manner.
Patholos
"Sensei, may I speak with you in private," Patholos asked. If he still had eyes, they would be boring into Karn's head, if he still had eyes. Patholos hoped that Karn would take him aside and listen to what he had to say.
Commander Astratus
Groaning and moaning, Commander Astratus rolled over on to his back. He sat up and tried to clear his head. He noticed the unconscious lieutenant at his feet and he gave a chuckle. That man had been enlisted ever since the war against Dagoth Ur, and never once promoted past lieutenant, because of his wild frenzy and love of battle and drink. Commander Astratus noticed a few nicks and bruises on his arms and legs, and saw his long sword on the ground. "Luckily, no one was hurt," Commander Astratus said aloud. Sheathing his sword and wobbling down to the brewhouse, he thought to himself, "I wonder where that silly looking smith went off to..."
Mannimarco
Noticing the vast amount of experienced troops he was about to work with, Mannimarco nodded. His cold eyes searched the horizon as Patholos asked Karn something. Mannimarco never liked the sun, and then he remembered something. "That blasted girl!" He said aloud. Mannimarco said, "Excuse me, but I have a client I need to attend to..." And Mannimarco took off for Kirana encased in Everliving Ice.
OOC: Navy has snakemen and Pirates (mercenary), not too careful or cautious, they think it will be a free glide upriver, and they drink and celebrate every night.
Karn
He nodded to Patholos, and dismissed the teams so they could prepare. Frankly, Karn did not care what Mannimarco did as long as it was in no way treachery. However, three Shadow Eaters moved off in the opposite direction of Marco.
Their independance was honorable, Karn knew they were intending to circle back and follow their "ally" to see who this "client" was. "So," he turned his full attention to his bruised second in command. "Speak your mind."
Issac
Despite the situation, he found a smile spreading across his own face. Still, Issac knew no one would probably be smiling in a few days. Best to be happy when there's something to be happy about. He thought.
"I noticed you're not taking nap anymore, Rann." He said lightly, addressing the fact that even after absorbing more energy than last time the Dunmer was not suffering the same symptoms as before. Maybe it can give him an advantage now, certainly is a nice change from last time.
Patholos
"Sensei, there are certain things I must speak to you about. Firstly, our troops are training to be killers, and they might still lust for death like in the Dark Brotherhood. Second, Why was I not chosen to attack at the bay, do you not trust me?" Patholos paused and looked away. Then he said, "My life is in the Narza'Tai's hands, and the Shadow Eaters report that you have been spending a lot of time alone. I am worried for you, Sensei, and worry is not an emotion I am used to."
Mannimarco
Mannimarco rounded the bend where he left Kirana, and saw that she was still in the ice. He unsummoned the ghastly ice spell from Kirana, and he lifted her up into the air. He set her high up on a unaccesible boulder, because he knew that the others would come after him. Too bad they had no idea what Mannimarco had in store.
Rann
"Yeah, it's strange," he answered, "I think it's the fact that I absorbed dark magicka,"
He didn't feel like sharing the symptom he was suffering from; the image was still spreading throughout his body ever so slowly...
Karn
"My brother," Karn said leading Patholos to a vantage point where they could watch the Narza'Tai training. "This is war, something that the Brotherhood (or it's tactics) were not meant for. The Narza'Tai must learn to trust their brothers and sisters more intimately than anyone has trusted another before."
He continued, now pacing. "The Akaviri have not marched across Tamriel in thousands of years, all knowledge of their stratagies and tendencies may be useless. So we have to give our brethren experience, which they shall pass to one another."
"They must also learn to work well without having an immediate superior calling the shots. All teams must be able to make descisions amongst themselves if they are cut off from us and when on contracts that extend beyong our immediate influence."
Karn ceased his pacing, "And as to my loner ways; such habits are second nature to me by now. As I've told you, I've made my living on my own for much of my life." He turned to Patholos. "I don't think anyone has gotten completely used to the changes going on."
Then the sensei finished, "By the time the armies of Tamriel and Akavir are ready to fight we shall as well. The killers shall have their appetites fullfilled."
Kirana
Reality came back, and she groaned as her limbs throbbed after being frozen solid and thawed out. Kirana was too weak to even sit up, her muscles felt like they were made of lead. After shoving her body's complaints away long enough to concentrate, she realized that she was on top of a rock.
Kirana couldn't tell how large the rock was or how high she was, but it was a mild comfort to be moderately orientated.
Flogir
Flogir watched Rann's party walk off into the distance for a little bit and mulled over the possibility of seeing them again. Necromancers are tricky beings, but if anybody could handle them, Flogir felt that Rann's quick thinking, and Issac's level-headedness would definitely prove to be a good combo. There was also this "special weapon" that Satyana possessed. Flogir had yet to see what it actually did, but whatever it was, it would likely help defeat the necromancer.
Flogir turned back to the remaining party members, a flat expression on his face. "Well, by my estimation, it looks like the Silhouette's Army is heading back towards the Imperial City. I suggest we run a parallel course and eventually setup camp in a nice concealable copse, or cave or something."
OOC: If in fact, Dantrag, you want the army to move in a different direction just have them move whichever way and Flogir will suggest they follow them.
Mannimarco
Mannimarco looked up at the girl on the ledge, and he called out, "Girl, when your friends arrive, there will be death for them and you will have to endure it. All I needed was the heirs' blood and it was only a little concentration. You had to RUIN EVERYTHING!" He paused, panting, then continued. "No matter, if they kill me the spell will kill you, a nasty little trick I learned from Akaviri mages. It's called Soul-Bind, and I think it is very usefull." After his last comment, Mannimarco vomited blood. He leaned on his staff for support, but he still vomited. After a few seconds, it passed. Mannimarco muttered, "Fool servants in giving me a weak body. I still need more time on Mundus," and Mannimarco froze the dying cells in his body with the same spell he put on Kirana. A strange thing occured then, some sort of emotional link between the two, and Mannimarco felt every pain that Kirana felt. The pain brought Mannimarco to his knees, then he gasped, "Girl....the pain.....how do you......endure..... the pain?" Mannimarco passed out on the ground at the base of the boulder.
OOC: The spell still is vulnerable to physical death, swords and whatnot, and now Mannimarco feels the same side effects as Kirana, due to the sort of immortality spell he cast on himself
Kirana
When she heard Marco pass out Kirana smiled smugly to herself. "Typical, he condemns people to suffer without ever feeling that same pain."
While she didn't pass out, she was in no comdition to try an escape. Kirana shut her eyes and tried to save her strength for when it would be needed.
The sage had heard what Mannimarco had said. "So both of us must take the fall? If that's the price that must be paid....."
Satyana
"What do you think of our tattos, Rann?" she adressed her brother "Do you feel anything unusual after absorbing that .....ehh magicka...or power or whatever?"
She squeezed Issacīs hand.....
"I....feel something inside..." she whispered to her beloved one
Issac
He nodded, and whispered back. "Feel what?" Naturally, Issac was concerned, but he reminded himself that Satyana wasn't helpless.
Issac
Hate her; how can anyone hate Satyana? I guess anyone can feel something and say or act otherwise. "Hate is a powerful word, maybe he's just agitated by the recent stress." Issac reasoned. "We all know he loathes taking responsibility and this entire situation's been unforgiving to all of us."
"I'd wager everything will cool of when the Silhouete is gone and Tamriel is in some manner of repair." He paused as the tune reminded him of the Deadric song 'Tyana had been singing when they were going to Leyawiin. Issac said with a smile. "If healing turns out to be a dead end you might find a job as a bard. You have the voice talent to have an affect on listeners."
Issac
The smile that had developed vanished when Satyana stooped and appeared in pain. "'Tyana? Are you alright?"
Issac looked worried and placed his hands gently on her shoulders. "What's wrong?"
Tenek, main group
This is wierd...... is this even possible? Tenek scratched his head. Who are these people? He watched as a small group of three split off and the rest of the party started going in the other direction.
Maybe I can find something valuable if I follow the larger group. As they got far enough, Tenek jumped up into a nearby tree and trailed the group just out of sight.
OCC: This post has been checked for grammer/capitalization/etc. errors by Lord Revan
(Do not erase this Tenek!)
Mannimarco
A cold hand grasped Mannimarco's mind, and his subconscious became aware of itself. "My physical being is unconscious, correct?" Mannimarco asked his conscious. Yes, came the reply. A feeling of misplacement shot through Mannimarco, and his mind saw a metaphor for life: a giant river, flowing and carrying the essences of every living creature along its path. Mannimarco saw creatures die, and when they did, their essence would divert and collect in pools outside of the river. Mannimarco saw the essence of Kirana, floating in the absence of space above the river, along with vampires and the like. Mannimarco asked how and why he was able to see this, and nothing answered him. Down the river a ways, Mannimarco saw a lone figure stand in the river like a rock: It was the Silhouette and he was diverting essence everywhere, destroying whole segments of the river. The Silhouette turned and gazed at Mannimarco, and Mannimarco's vision started to haze. Mannimarco came to below the boulder where Kirana was sitting, and he noticed she was of her own conscious. He breathed slowly and he relaxed against the boulder. He didn't know what to make of the vision, but he knew one thing: the Silhouette has to be some kind of immortal to be able to stem the river like that.
Rann
Rann heard Satyana and Issac's conversation, (they were, after all, walking right behind him) but pretended he didn't. He was bothered by the fact that his sister thought that he hated her, but didn't outwardly show it.
Then they stopped; Satyana was obviously not well. He stood out of the way, letting Issac take care of her while he helplessly looked on.
Satyana
"Issac...Rann! Thereīs someone- or thing present, that do not wish us good....I feel evil, and it hurts! Rann!! YOU must feel it!"
She held tight to Issac and stretched her hand out...towards Rann. Her tatto was flaming red and it burnt her like fire
"Rann????" her voice broke into a scream, then she let go of Issac and focused on the trees nearby....there was a movement in there....
OOC: Now then, who is threatening the youngsters? One of the evil ones I hope?!
Flint Ironwood.
Flint had been wandering about the army's camp in a restless state. He didn't like waiting. It was as they said, the waiting was the worst part of any war.
,,Screw this, I'm going to scout and see if I can find the snake army." He thought and was about to jump when commander Astratus came up behind him. The Dunmer was still half-drunk.
,,What is it, sir?" He asked bluntly. After the scene last night, he had lost his respect for the man.
,,I swear, a brewhouse is not part of an improvised camp!"
Green-Root.
They walked slowly, sticking in the shadow of the trees and checking the ground for twigs and leaves before proceeding. Letting the army know it was being shadowes was the last thing they wanted. Fortunately the Silhouette's army made so much noise that the occasional mistake of the less stealthy members in the party went unnoticed.
Ian
Having parted company with Flint, Ian had also been wandering about the camp. He passed many Dunmer in their bonemold, chitin, and various other armor. Some of the more seasoned mer gave him wary looks, recognizing him for more than a simple mercenary.
Ian felt the reassuring weight of his leather-chitin armor back on his body. Flint had given him back the pieces and chitin fragments were easily obtained since then. Walking toward one of the armories, the agent looked over its contents.
He selected a light iron shield and took the time to become aquinted with its use. It's durable enough, and it might be good for throwing if necessary. Although not a full-time (or even part time) smith, Ian had learned to maintain his gear.
Using a pair of tongs and callipers, the agent reiforced his glass bow and restrung it. He also ran a piece of flint (the rock) across his heated wrist blades to hone their edge. While Deadric arrows were not so easy to come by, Ian located some bonemold arrows in case he ran out.
After that, Ian spent some time exchanging experiences with veterans and mercenaries. All of these individuals were thankfully sober.
Rann
Satyana shrieked his name and stared into the nearby foliage, and Rann didn't know how to react. He didn't really want to peer into the bushes and get assaulted by something, so he stood by Satyana with his sword drawn just in case.
He wasn't sure if Satyana was going insane or if she haad somehow gained supernatural senses. Neither seemed very desirable at the moment.
Satyana, terrified
There was nothing....it was silent. Rann and Issac were both beside her, ready to fight whatever would turn up...
She felt the burning feeling fade but not entirely away....it turned into something else, something powerful. Satyana rose her head and looked at the men beside her
"Ehh I think I must have ....been imagining things maybe, I think Iīm ok now"
She stood silent for a moment then squeezed Issacīs hand reassuringly....and noticed his face wrench with pain!
Satyana let go and looked at her hand astonished. Did she squeeze him that hard? Weird!
Something did happen to me...but I donīt know what exactly. Besides I can feel the dark magic Rann has got in him, but he probably doesnīt know that ...I...feel...strong! Stronger than ever!
"Shall we proceed?" she smiled at them
Issac
He waved his hand to rid them of the dull ache, but Issac wasn't angry. If anything he was more surprised that Satyana had that strength than she was. He recognized that Satyana had not meant to hurt him, so he didn't bring it up despite his hand's throbbing.
"Well, I guess another thing we could do is get some more sleep from now on." He said politely, hiding his discomfort under false cheerfulness. I wonder when 'Tyana suddenly became so strong; she wasn't even trying to hurt me.
Rann
I guess she is insane. he thought to himself. It wasn't a happy thought.
"We don't have time for sleep anymore," he said, "I don't think Kirana has much time to spare."
It was odd, even to Rann, that he was so focused, and he knew it was because of the connection he felt to Kirana. She had been still for quite some time. He didn't share this news, because he didn't want to make Issac fretful.
At least I know she isn't dead; the spell is still active. It is a detect life spell...
Satyana
I wonder why Rann is so possessed by Kirana? Itīs Issacīs mother, not his! Very well....itīs his business and if he needs my help he just have to think about it....and I will know!
"Issac...did I hurt you? I..I didnīt know I squeezed so hard..can you forgive me?" She put her hand gently on his cheek...and then she kissed him.....
Issac
The pain became much less dramtic when competing with Satyana. Issac smiled with more genuine cheerfulness. "Sure, nothing is broken. Just don't accidently kill me next time, bearer of my heart."
"So, let's go find that necromancer and give him an extra deep grave for himself..... and freeze him for good measure." He said light-heartedly. "On a more serious note, yes, we need to get going."
Rann
Rann rolled his eyes at the 'bearer of my heart' line, but after thinking about it, realized it wasn't so ridiculous for a couple in love. He had been in love once, but that was ripped away from him...
He stopped that line of thought immediately; no need in digging up memories so deeply buried.
To think I'd almost forgotten...
Soldin
Soldin strode beside Rann for some time in silence. He had remained quiet for so long it would not have surprised him if he had been forgotten about. "You doing alright?" he asked the Dunmer.
(generic i know.. i dont know whats going on exactly)
Rann
Soldin's question brought his thoughts spiraling back to the present.
"Damn, kid. How long have you been following us?" he asked. Soldin's appearance was sobering. Normally nobody would be able to sneak up on him without him knowing. He guessed that the same went for Issac. The times were too dangerous right now to be caught unawares.
Soldin
The young Nord reeled, thinking for a moment that he had done something wrong by speaking up. "Uhm... just for a short while." His glowing adolescent eyes had faded somewhat, adjusting to the light of the recently passing events.
Rann
"You're fine," he said as an apology, seeing that Soldin interpreted his surprised question as anger, "We're glad to have you."
He felt a bit bad about Soldin joining them; meeting Mannimarco wasn't going to be a walk in the courtyard. But he couldn't deny the fact that he was glad to have someone to talk to when Issac decided to drop silly love-ridden lines on his sister.
"I saw you use that bow on that werewolf a while back," he said as they started walking again, "Nice shot."
Soldin
Soldin smiled. "You get practice when you live off the land. Every couple of days I have to snag myself a deer or a boar or wolf. Never have I used a bow in combat though..." he trailed off and glanced at Satyana and Isaac.
(OOC: where are they headed exactly?)
Rann
"Damn good first try," he said, messing the boy's hair as if Soldin were his brother, "If you can do that again, you're already better than Issac."
Soldin
Soldin smiled and let out a quiet chuckle. His face darkened once more when he returned to what they were doing. "So what exactly is Mannimarco?"
Rann
"Mannimarco is a necromancer. The best, actually. He claimed that he became a god, which is debatable, but I don't doubt he has the power to back up the claim. Legend has it he was in control of Tiber Septim's totem at one point. The Order of the Black Worm, a necromancer clan, worships him. All in all, someone you don't want to get in a fight with."
Soldin
"And yet," Soldin added on to Rann's explanation, "We are moving south to face him? Can we actually take him?"
Rann
Rann shrugged, "Maybe," he answered, looking at his tattooed arm, even though it was covered by his sleeve.
"The real question to ask, though, is 'Does Kirana have a chamce if we do nothing?'"
Sadril, Rahvin, and Brianna
The trio, though ruffled, bruised, and reeking of Durzog matter, exited the cave through a small opening. They were now on the east side of the largest of the Velothi that once blocked their path. Before them lied a less violent mounatin range and mainland Morrowind. Beyond that, in the Inner Sea the island of Vvardenfell could be seen.
"Somewhere out there we will find Amrita," Sadril waved his arm at the landscape before them. "So where do we start?" he turned to them and asked. His eyes were barely open, if at all. They were still used to the dark cave, and were doubly hurt by the sun due to his vampirism.
Soldin
"I suppose we have no choice then," Soldin said. He didn't even know Kirana, but the thought that he knew of someone who needed help drove him to continue with the group.
Still, he yearned for more information, "Who is Kirana exactly?"
Rahvin
"Good question," he said, as he wiped his bloody sword on Sadril's shirt jokingly. The whole durzog situation had been more than mildly humorous, as each of them had taken a ride before killing the beasts.
"I say we start with the inn. Clean all that durzog blood off your shirt," he said, pointing to the stain he just created.
Rann
"Seriously?" he asked, "She's the one who showed up during the fight with the werewolves. She turned one into ash with a fire spell..." he waited for the bells in Soldin's head to ring. They didn't. He kept trying to jog the boy's memory.
"Later on she sacrificed herself for all of us by teleporting Mannimarco and herself away from us...Issac's mom?"
"you don't remember her at all?"
Sadril
Sadril glared at Rahvin for a moment. The blood didn't show well on his black shirt, but it created a distasteful aroma and a sticky mess.
He popped his neck, still staring with a "Just you wait" look, before he spun around. "I don't have a map on me but..." he spotted a path leading downhill and eastward. "That path should lead to a road. Inn's are on roads, and roads lead to cities. Cities contain people," at this point the vampire had already started down the path acting as if he couldn't care less of Brianna and Rahvin. "And Amrita is a person," he concluded coldly.
Soldin
"I remember but..." he looked down as they walked, feeling a bit ashamed, "It's just... so much has happened. I lose track of things, you know?" He picked his head up and again his gaze focused to Satyana and Isaac and their flirtatious antics.
Rahvin
Rahvin thought on the Sadril's last statement for a while, and knew that it was directed towards Brianna and her hatred and fear of her daughter. He agreed with Sadril, but also felt for Brianna, so decided to keep silent on the issue.
"Come on, Bree, let's go find an inn." he said before starting off behind Sadril.
Rann
"S*** happens. I forget stuff all the time," he said, noticing that his words probably weren't heard, as Soldin was fixated on Issac and Satyana.
I should've asked the Silhouette if he wanted to come along instead of these two.
Karn
The three Shadow Eaters that had trailed Mannimarco were back and they stood with an intimidating superiority over common man..... and mer. "What have you seen?" Karn asked.
"The King of Worms went to an Altmer, both are some distance away. It would appear the necromancer is waiting for something, although....." The assassins paused and looked at each other as if..... uncertain?
Karn waited patiently, clapsing his hands behind his backand giving them a look that said 'get on with it.' "The necromancer king collapsed sensei, he was out cold when we left them."
The sensei raised an eyebrow at the sheer rediculousness of the claim, but he believed the Shadow Eaters. They weren't run-of-the-mill mercenaries, so whatever they witnessed had to be accurate. "Well, then I shall address this matter personally." Karnh turned to Patholos, "I shall return shortly."
With that he departed...
Issac
Like Rann, he was also surprised to find Soldin amongst them. However, he grinned, more amused than annoyed. "Nice to see you too, Soldin." Issac said, addressing the fact that the nord seemed to spend a lot of time glancing in their direction.
OCC: They aren't doing anything overt, just joking with each other..... sheez.
There's a difference between devotion and obbession (thank you very much!)
Soldin
"Yeah..." Soldin replied depressingly to Rann. When Isaac addressed him, he answered "Uh thanks."
He then looked back down at his feet, thinking he had been noticed glancing over at the two.
Sadril
They traveled down the path for a short while before it merged with a less steep road. Sure enough, as Sadril predicted, an Inn shortly followed. Sadril, being a few moments ahead of Brianna and Rahvin, took the liberty of ordering drinks for three and occupied a table. That's all he ordered, though, as he didn't know whether they planned to stay or just clean up.
He preferred to get going as soon as possible.
OOC: taking some minor liberties with Brianna, minque. If you mind, I'll edit later.
Rahvin
Rahvin and Brianna entered the inn to find Sadril already sitting at a table with a round of drinks.
"What would we do without you, Sadril?" he asked as he sat down and began to sip at his drink, "So what's the plan? It's kind of hard to find someone when all you know is that said person is possibly in the country."
Rann
"Come on," he said, punching Soldin lightly on the arm, "Don't get all gloomy."
OOC #2: i think i'm off for the night. glad to see you back, shogun.
OOC: i doubt minque will mind. its the first time brianna has done something in months
Sadril
"It's not a possibility. It's a fact," Sadril told Rahvin. Of course it wasn't a fact. Sadril had a connection with the darker river of energy on Nirn; the 'Shadows' as he called them. Occasionally he would place his trust in the shadows and it sometimes would get him where he needed to go. This was one of those times.
Plus Veric usually interrupted if things were going wrong, and he hadn't been heard from in days.
"Soluthis is near here I think. We head in the direction of Black Light . From there, Vvardenfell. We should just rest up here real quick then get goin' again. We'll stay the night in Soluthis." Sadril took a deep drink and set down the empty jug on the table. He looked around, a hungry look in his eyes.
No, I'll feed in the next town.
Soldin
"You're right. After all, it's not like we're marching off to our dooms, right?" he asked satirically.
Flogir
Tailing the Silhouette's army had been fairly easy so far. It seemed that they were heading to the Imperial City the straightest way possible, making a parallel course easy to enact. The others with him had kept a steady march, despite the fact that many of them had little to no soldiering experience.
He caught Aenora's question to Green-Root and decided to answer it himself.
"Well, currently, I'm trying to figure out a way to inflitrate this army and hopefully hamper the speed of their march. We might have to try to march out ahead of their vangaurd and cause an obstruction of their marching course. Torching a forest, or destroying a dam which would flood a bridge are methods we could possibly use. We could also try attack their supplies during the night, but that risks conflict with their vast army. I was going to ask the rest of you guys which method you'd think you'd like to--" his voice trailed off as a robed Altmer came striding over to them.
Voltar
"Master? It that you!?" Voltar asked incredulously as he approached the group. He mimiced that Veric in the form of Altair had clearly come into view. "It is you!" he said joyously.
He stopped a few feet from the group. "Ahh, so he found you guys it seems. We met in Leyawiin correct?" he asked before continuing, "Anyways, thank you for allowing him to stick with you guys. I don't know if I could've lived with myself if I found out that my Master was did because I got separated from him!"
Voltar quietly hoped that his act wasn't too over-the-top, he needed to reincorporate himself into Veric's plans. Actually staying with the group would do better than simply spying on them he thought.
OOC: Got an idea where you want Amrita to be yet? I was thinking Mournhold, because that's still on the mainland and I'm fairly familiar with that place.
Green-Root.
Green-Root fought the urge to hiss and bare his teeth. Instead, he merely glanced at Voltar with his best 'I-know-what-you-are-up-to' expression, or at least the Argonian equavelent.
,,Ah, of course, the army. You probably went to hide in a cave, didn't you? Caves are popular these days. Assassin Dunmer, yelloweyed Bretons, they all love it." He greeted Voltar with a heavy load of sarcasm.
,,Be careful, friend. You are walking on slippery ground here."
He walked closer to Aerona and bent down.
,,See these leaves and twigs? They make a lot of noise if you step on them. You can clear them out of the way like this." He said and demonstrated how to sweep aside the many twigs and leaves littering their path. Behind him, he sweeped them back into their former position with his tail.
,,And the tailsweeping is a personal trick of mine to prevent a visible trail. Don't try that, please. Tails don't look good on you."
(Green-Root was there when Voltar and Veric had a meeting with Karn.)
Mannimarco
Mannimarco recouperated and stood up. He felt like hurting something, so he aimed to kill a small wolf that had quizzically came onto the scene. He went to cast his death spell, and he stopped. He was aware of some sort of leash on his life force, almost as if it weren't his anymore. He poured through his mind for the reason and he stopped. The spell he had cast on himself had, in a rare circumstance, bonded with the spell he had cast on Kirana. Cursing in an ancient dialect, he tried to undo the spell. All he succeeded in was exhausting himself. His life was in her hands, as was hers in his. She didn't know, which was what stopped her from leaving. If she killed him, she would never die, and likewise, but the latter was better for Mannimarco. Would Kirana put up with watching her children (child) die and watch as the world turned to ash?
OOC: What is she going to do?
Commander Astratus
Blowing off Flint as if he didn't exist, Commander Astratus moseyed off into the woods. He danced imaginarily with Priscilla and waltzed a few numbers with himself. He noticed a soldier with marks on his neck, and he sobered up, then relaxed as he saw it was just chaffing from the soldiers armor. If there was one thing on Mundus that Commander was afraid of, it was vampires.
Patholos
Watching his Sensei go after Mannimarco, Patholos turned and left towards the lair. He had complete trust in his Sensei, and complete trust in his Shadow Eaters. He stopped himself again. They weren't his Shadow Eaters, they were the Narza'Tai's Shadow Eaters. Patholos felt a little left out in this whole equation, and he mounted his horse. "I'm going for a ride," he told one of the Shadow Eaters. About five hundred yards later, he looked back and saw a fleeting glimpse of a Shadow Eater in his half-vision. He smiled, as he rode into the horizon. The Sensei taught them well, he thought. Trust none but yourself.
OOC: Astratus is petrified of vampires, so maybe Ian could coerce a little bit....
Patholos is seriously soul-searching right now, he might need some emotional help...
OOC: Jeez!! youīve been posting like.....ehh I donīt know! And of course I donīt mind if you take liberties with Brianna! Iīm just glad you drag her along!
Brianna, tired and hungry
It was good to be inside again. The last events had taken a tribute out of her. She leaned onto Rahvin when they entered the Inn. She was hurt during the fight but didnīt want to admit it, not in front of the vampire anyway! Maybe if she got a moment alone with Rahvin....she would give in..
That...thing...blames me for not having any warm feelings for Amrita..but he doesnīt know a thing...goddamnit, I wish he had been through what I have been through!
"So Sadril, you already ordered drinks for us? How utterly kind" Her words were nice but her voice was cold as ice...
Satyana
"Soldin!" Satyana clapped her hands in joy, "How lovely to see you" She went to him embraced him and planted a kiss on his cheek...."Where have you been silly boy?" She asked chuckling, "Iīve missed you!"
Rann
After the warm reunions with their young friend, tthey travelled on, Soldin's words echoing through Rann's mind.
"...it's not like we're marching off to our dooms..."
He could handle dying, personally, but he didn't like the idea of Satyana and Soldin dying. They were going to have to be excluded from the fight somehow.
I'll bet I can recruit Issac in this...
Rahvin
Rahvin rolled his eyes at the worsening tensions between Brianna and Sadril. If their mission wasn't so important, he would have probably abandoned the two long ago; he didn't know how much longer he could put up with the bickering.
All of it over how they feel about a young altmer...
"I'm going to see if they have some tobacco," he announced, standing to go speak with the bartender.
Veric/Altair
"Voltar! My friend," Altair exclaimed when his companion appeared from nowhere. He ignored anyone who might havebeen standing around him and turned his full attention towards Voltar. "Where have you been?" the Altmer asked with the same tone of concern he had been found by.
Soldin
Soldin was caught off guard by Satyana's attack. By the time he had the mind to return her embrace she had already asked where he had been. He blushed slightly and averted his eyes, "I've just been lingering around in the back..."
Sadril
Sadril grinned at Brianna, flashing his teeth as he loved to do. He could pick up on her resentment, not just in her voice, but in the her body language as well. He decided to play with fire a bit. See what he couldn't ignite.
"I do what I can, Brianna," he said slyly, emphasizing her name with a subtle wink.
Satyana, feeling pretty good
"Ahhh..great to have you back my dear" she smiled, feeling good..Then she turned to her brother sternly looking into his eyes....so alike hers...
"Now then Rann, I trust you to sort of lead this mission and donīt you dare exclude me! I am much stronger than you think, besides i have gathered some...." she stopped
I canīt reveal all of it just now, it isnīt the right time or place
Then she stood waiting for him to answer....still looking right at him. Behind her she noticed Issac approaching, she felt his reassuring hand gently holding her left shoulder....
That feels good Issac....more please..and harder
Brianna
"As always dear bloodsucker" Brianna smiled but the smile did not reach her eyes. She sipped her drink, noticing it went directly to her head....Brianna Sarethi was rapidly getting drunk and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.
She looked at Rahvin, her eyes half shut...and wondered why she always felt that way when she was around him...It wasnīt unpleasant..but...
A sharp pain inside her stomach made her gasp ....There was something wrong with her....she went pale and bit her lip, as she turned away from both men...
Damn if Iīll show them anything
Rann
"Oh, I would never think to exclude you," he assured her.
Which, was almost true. He would never think to exlude her in anything with the exception of a battle with the King of Worms. Maybe any battle.
He planned on speaking with Issac later; if his independence wasn't totally gone.
Sadril
As much as she would not have wanted them to notice anything, it was hard not to notice Brianna gasping and turning away in her chair.
"Something wrong, dearest Brianna? Hurt yourself, hmm?"
Voltar
Voltar decided to ignore Green-Root's sarcastic remark and focus on Veric. If the Argonian was seeking death, he'd receive it if his remarks got any more specific.
"I was stuck on the other side of that blasted army. When that explosion at Hero Hill happened, I think it knocked me unconcious because when I awoke, you were nowhere to be found. I've been looking for you ever since, Master. Damn near starved myself too. I'm not much of a woodsman..." he said, answering Veric's question.
He looked at the rest of the party. "I do hope you would allow me to travel with you, yes? I won't be that much of a bother. I'm usually known to be the timid sort," he said, looking to the Nord Flogir, since he appeared to be running things currently.
Flogir
"I don't see why not. We've met before and if we let Altair here join us, I can't see any reason to not let you join," Flogir said, answering for the party. Flogir thought he was good at reading people's characters and this Altmer seemed all right. His eagerness was probably due to the fact that he just found his Master.
"Anyways, let's keep going. And has anyone decided upon whether or not we want to march ahead of the army and create slowing obstacles, or do we want to attack their supplies?" he asked as he resumed his parallel course.
Sadril
Sadril let out a chuckle and sat for a moment as if the woman who had collapsed was none of his business. He leisurely took the final remaining sips of his drink before he, with great effort, stood, stretched out his arms and circled the table to loom over the unconscious Brianna.
He kneeled beside her and leaned in close. "You're useless and Rahvin has left you to go upstairs with a younger more beautiful girl!" Sadril called in an attempt to pull Brianna back to reality.
Veric
Still holding the caring master persona, Altair asked Voltar, "Are you hungry now? Shall I fetch you some bread or the like?"
EDITED
OOC: just so you guys know, Rahvin is no longer sitting at the table. He got fed up and went to get a smoke.
Rann
Rann didn't say another word about it. His opinions would have fallen on deaf ears anyway, and if all went well, Satyana wouldn't be in the fight whether or not she wanted to.
Satyana
Satyana could tell from the look in Rannīs face that heīd do anything to keep her out of fighting, somehow that made her happy....She picked another of those plants and offered it to the guys.
"Have a try! they are quite tasty, and besides they contain a lot of minerals"
So they continued.....
Brianna
She was probably unconscious for about ten seconds, when she hit the floor she woke up. The liquor made the dull pain fade away for a bit. She didnīt even pay notice to Sadril...it wasnīt worth it she told herself. Rann had probably got out....For a smoke she thought with a grin.
She managed to get to her feet and headed for the bar.
"So Rahvin...could I please have a smoke as well?" She tried hard to keep her voice steady, as well as her walk. She suspected that a couple of ribs were broken but that would heal. Now if she could get hold of a healing-potion it would be quite alright.
She smiled faintly and repeated her question
Issac
He had remained somewhat detached from the altercation between Satyana and Rann. Feeling thar Rann had something to say to him, Issac approached him as they continued on. "So, you wanted to say something?"
Karn
Striding down the beaten trail, the Dunmer kept a wary eye about him. Finally, he came to the base of a large boulder. As Karn rounded its base, he found Mannimarco, not unconscious, but the necromancer didn't look in the best spirits right now.
"King of Worms, what is it you are doing out here?" He shouted loudly as he approached. "This rocky ground does not likely hold potential servants to desecrate." The sensei kept any (overly) snide comments to himself. I can't just give an "ally" a good verbal lashing because I feel like it anymore. A leader can't compromise his or her honor like that.
Kirana
After a long while, she heard a man's voice break the silence of the scene. Though still physically used up, Kirana rolled over to gaze down from her boulder. To clear her mind, she downed a small vial she'd hidden in her robes until now.
Her vision lost its blurry veil, and Kirana looked down to see a young Dunmer stride up to Mannimarco with the air of confidence that illustrated that he had little fear of 'Marco. The sage watched silently, intending to make the most of here position to the enemy.
Voltar
"Some bread would be nice. I ran out of provisions about three days ago, and hunting hasn't been that successful," Voltar replied as he fell in beside Veric on their march. Without saying anything, he glanced at Green-Root and looked back to Altair with a skeptical look, basically inquiring if Green-Root was going to pose a problem.
Rann
Rann walked a bit slower so that he fell to the rear alongside Issac.
"You know we don't have much chance, right?" he asked, "And I know that neither of us wants to see those two die in a futile fight with the King of Worms..."
He let the rest speak for itself.
Rahvin
Rahvin wordlessly held out his pipe for Brianna to take a puff.
Aerona
Noticing the odd glances going around, she asked aloud in confusion, "Do you all know each other?"
Voltar
Voltar turned towards the vampire girl. His expression turned slightly incredulous.
"My, my! Such interesting company you've gotten to join you. A vampire in our midst; quite surprising," he mused as his "shock" faded.
"I'll assume you met this group only recently, else you would've known that my Master and I have met this party twice before. Once was in the Imperial City, and another tiime in Leyawiin, so we're fairly well aquainted," he finished, hoping that would end the subject. Green-Root could likely spill something better left unsaid.
"How did you come about in meeting this group anyways?" he decided to ask in an attempt to change the subject.
Aerona
"A dunmer named Rann saved me from a torturous and crazed man," was all she gave in reply. It wasn't that she didn't trust the man or anything like that, but she just didn't like to speak of her vampirism or her previous traveling companions.
Ian
As the company went out to do their duties, Ian found himself wandering again. He happened upon Flint and the commander, seeing the Dunmer just pass Flint by made Ian very displeased. Marching at rather threatening pace toward the drunken mer, the vampire agent had an equally intimidating look on his face.
The drunk had yet to notice the vampire, and Ian had only the mind to remove his guantlet so as not to impale the Dunmer. In a smooth motion he plucked a vial of wine from the commander's belt and broke the container on his face when the mer turned toward him.
"From now on it would be a very, very, brilliant idea to stop drinking you pitiful creature." Ian shouted, inadvertantly baring his subtle, but still recognizable fangs.
Issac, conferring
His reply was a reluctant nodd, he also didn't want 'Tyana or Soldin. But still he disagreed with Rann, somewhat. "I don't want them to get hurt, but of the two of them, Satyana is less of a liability."
"I know that you probably disapprove of Satyana and me, but if anything I can see that she has just as many reasons to help us fight Mannimarco." He whispered. "Soldin has only been with us or a short time, and he has nothing to offer than his self-taught skills."
Issac finished, "Satyana isn't helpless, Azura's love, she's deserves to take part more than I do. Rann, all I have is a few exceptional spells, exceptional for my age, but you and Satyana have devine aid. I'm more likely to be killed than either of you."
Rann
"Well I didn't disapprove, until I heard this. Look; the point isn't to defeat the damned King of Worms, because we know damned well we can't. The point is to see if we can save your mother. I'd rather not lose my sister to a fight that is unwinnable."
He hoped that would sink in. If not, he could always resort to insults that hit home.
"I don't know if you've become her slave, or if you don't give a damn. Either way, I'm still right."
Issac
A hand hidden in his sleeve clenched and relaxed for several heartbeats. "Yes, I know we can't kill someone who is immortal." Issac said through clenched teeth, Rann's constant stubborness was beginning to drastically wear on his nerves.
"But I never said she had to walk up to Mannimarco and slap him in the face." He struggled to keep his anger and..... resentment, in check. "No doubt Mannimarco has Kirana a short distance from wherever he's planning to fight us," Issac purposely insinuated that Mannimarco was planning to fight them. "So maybe Satyana and Soldin can help without having to get in harm's way."
His whisper gradually changed to an agitated hiss of restrained fury.
Rann
Rann spat on the ground at Issac's feet. Issac may have been annoyed at his stubbornness, but he was doubly annoyed at Issac's blindness.
"We could've escaped with two deaths. You insist on making it four, don't you?"
Green-Root.
Green-Root noticed the subtle glances going back and forth as well and changed his opinion. No longer was Altair one of the manipulated, he had now joined the ranks of manipulators in the Argonian's mind.
,,Oh yeah, girl. We go way back. Old friends, like to mess around and stuff." He joked, happy for once that it was impossible to read on his face if he was being sarcastic or serious. When no one but Voltar was watching, he said something else, without sound. If the man was lucky, he knew how to read lips, even Argonian ones.
,,I'm keeping an eye on you, and on your friend."
Flint Ironwood.
Commander Astratus simply plodded along and was about to vanish into the woods when Ian ran up and began his anti-alcohol treatment.
,,Ouch, that's got to hurt. Ah well, I'm out of here for now. Maybe I can find the group and tell them where to find this pathetic excuse of an army."
He leaped up into the air, landing near Ian and Astratus.
,,Yo, Ian. Be gentle with this guy. It's better to shape him up than to knock him out cold." He warned even though he knew it wasn't necessary. It was more directed to Astratus, to show that the Breton had full confidence in Ian. He then performed a full-length jump.
The first thing he saw was that unmistakable gleam of gold, like a giant snake slithering around.
,,The Snake army. They're closer than I thought."
(If anyone wants to deal with flying Bretons, feel free to make him land near you.
)
Issac
He didn't reply, the obvious was in his face again, reasoning with Rann when the young mer was set was nigh impossible. Issac gave only a look that said 'I hope you're right, Rann'
Mannimarco
A slow movement in his vision brought to focus a Dunmer. Mannimarco drove his fist in the ground and tried like he had many times to before to absorb the natural life in the dirt. He stopped when the leash around his life force tightened. He laughed pitifully to himself. He would only get better if the girl let him get better. Struggling to support himself, he stood up. He was about to answer Karn when a psycic (sp.) wave of energy hit him like a flood. He gasped and swayed, coming to rest leaning on the boulder Kirana was on. "My servants have failed, and your assassins have been driven off." Mannimaro paused, then continued. "The ships were rigged with explosives, and all my force was eliminated. I don't know your casualties, but I'm sure there are many..." Mannimarco trailed off, for he felt a small part of Kirana off in the distance. What approaches girl, is this an offspring? Mannimarco said through the leash.
Patholos
Arriving near the Topal Bay, Patholos nearly retched. Hundreds of bodies lay littered across the beach and floating in the water. As soon as he took his second breath, a hand went over his mouth and he smelled the sweet smell of a toxin. So this is how I die, he thought. Before he lost consciousness, he saw a familiar face. Narza'Tai? Then Patholos came to a horrid realization. "They think I did this?"
Commander Astratus
Seeing a real vampire scared the man more than anyone could imagine. It had been a fear since childhood that the vampires came to steal your blood away. Commander Astratus reached into his coat and withdrew three things: a symbol of Arkay he wore around his neck, a small flask of flin, and his hand-held cross bow in his shoulder strap. The crossbow looked ridiculous, and it folded and bent in weird ways to accomodate close quarters. Astratus loaded a bolt and fired it into Ian's leg, then turned to run. He tripped on a rock and his flin flask exploded. He tried in vain to lick up the remnants of the flask off of the ground. He turned to Ian and said, rather muttered, "Please, please, kill me quick, don't turn me into a beast like you......"
Ian
The bolt slapped against his leg and something cracked, but Ian's leg was intact. The agent looked sourly where the crossbow bolt had cracked the chitin plate. I just put that piece in... Despite the annoyance, Ian did not kill the mer.
Instead, he lifted the drunk by the collar and said. "I'm not here to kill turn you. I've already fed so there won't be any blood drunk tonight." The vampire noticed the symbol of the Devine hanging from the commander's neck. He snorted, where do people get the beliefs that charms can ward off danger?
"And consider the predudice mutual, drunk. All I have seen of you has proven that you are not fit to bear the faith of all these mer. If there is another individuel here who is more deserving of commanding this army then give them your rank." Ian was all for gutting the commander now, but he restrained himself.
The agent released the mer to drop to the ground. "I can imagine that there might be someone with experience who doesn't drink." With that, Ian departed.
Karn
The moment the words left Mannimarco's mouth, intense fury erupted in Karn. They weren't ready, I pushed them too quickly into action! He was torn between the urge to remain here and the urgent need to return to the Narza'Tai.
Shaking off the confusion, Karn methodically summoned one of his carbon copies. The Dunmer sent it on its way back to the 'Tai. Now Karn could be in two places at once. "So, you wretched cur, what now? This haste has jeopardized the beginning of our campeign."
Kirana
She listened to the altercation, but was distracted by the voice she heard in her head. "Close enough," Kirana replied casually. No one, not Ian or Issac, knew anthing about the two nobles who gave birth to Issac aside from the obvious, but she herself knew more. It was one of the few things she'd kept from either of them.
Kirana was now aware of the link between herself and Mannimarco, such awareness caused her to smile slightly. "Kirana will work fine, Worm King. You should have been more cautious, especially after your first demise."
Voltar
Voltar caught Green-Root's mouthed words and within he seethed. Outside though, he was still composed. The fool thought he could control him. If he thought that, he vastly underestimated Voltar's capabilities.
Watch me all you want, Argonian. If that's all you'll do I'll let you live, he thought as he continued the march.
"I guess I could be of assistance in making fires, Flogir. I do have knowledge of destructive spells," he offered to the former soldier.
Sadril
Sadril sat in the Inn in silence for a short while before stepping outside to find his two travel buddies.
"Let's go. The sun's setting and Soluthis is not that far. We can make it by night fall," he informed them plainly as he began walking north along the road. He hoped they would follow quickly; he'd left without paying.
Mannimarco
Whispers in his mind caused him to think a moment, then he responded through the link. Love is a strange thing, woman, and it is deeply saturated in magicka, alas, for I have never be able to harness it. Mannimarco turned to Karn, who looked about ready to kill him. "Do you know that there is no possible way for an undead creature to communicate with snake people? Let's look at the logic, my servants can't communicate, yet you blame me for this obvious set up? You anger too quickly friend, and for that matter, you are too open for a Dark Brotherhood member." Mannimarco paused to let his phrase sink in, then he allowed himself a small pride in calling Karn's bluff. "Tell me, ally, what were all of your men doing before the ships were discovered by my servants?"
Patholos
"I tell you HE LIES!" Patholos screamed between beatings. Heavy cudgels smashed down on his fragile frame, and due to the beating the snakemen gave him only hours before, Patholos was borderline unconscious. The Narza'Tai who were "interrogating" him were completely new, he had never seen them before. Patholos tried to take deep breaths, but all he accomplished came out ragged and pained. "That bastarde necromancer, he told you I did it, didn't he....didn't he?" Patholos trailed off waiting for the next blow. Instead, a Dunmer leaned down in his face and said, "Sithis is very displeased with you, Patholos, and because of his displeasure, he has decided to give you a gift." Patholos' face froze in silent horror as the Dunmer cast a spell only a evil person could cast. Madness enveloped Patholos once more, and his eye sockets ran with blood. An inhuman scream tore through the wooded area, and Patholos took off, running wild and going anywhere.
Commander Astratus
After the vampire shook up Astratus, he immediately got up. Maybe it was the strong drink, but he yelled back at the vampire, "HOLD! Hold in the name of AKATOSH!" Commander Astratus had nearly roused the whole camp by now, be he still went on. "Where were you, vampire, when thousands of Ash Zombies stormed Ald Ruhn? Where were you, vampire, when my two sons went mad and attacked me? Where were you, vampire, when the Nerevarine defeated Dagoth Ur? Vampire, WHERE WERE YOU WHEN MY MEN AND I HAD TO KILL AN ENTIRE VILLAGE, MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN AND THE LIKE, BECAUSE OF A DISEASE WE COULDN'T CURE! MY MEN DESERVE PEACE! BUT PLAGUES LIKE YOU DRIVE US TO THE GATES OF OBLIVION IN HOPES THAT ONE DAY LIGHT WILL SHINE AGAIN IN THE WORLD!" Commander Astratus was escorted away by his other lieutenants and the rest of the camp fell silent. Old memories of the Blight and Corprus sprouted and veterans shuddered and ensigns weeped. There was to be no mead hall for the rest of the campaign. The men now were on a mission to cleanse Tamriel, then they would return to their families.
OOC: Ahh... Little heavy on Astratus, but, thats why he is such a good commander, because through thick and thin, he is there for his soldiers....and Patholos is nuts again, Mannimarco is jealous of Kirana becuase of love.... whew
Ian
Although some distance away, Ian heard the commander's tirade. "You want to know where I was?" he whispered emotionessly. "I was......" Ian flinched and his eyes glowed faintly. "I was tearing at the very fabric of your being."
A spark of madness appeared deep in the vampire's eyes as memories of a past life came back..... no, a life of another person gripped by vampirism.
Kirana
"If love is such a mystery then you would want to solve it; find out what it feels like." She replied.
Karn
He crossed his arms over his chest, "Ex-Dark Brotherhood, King. And the Narza'Tai are not going to be just a revival of the brotherhood."
"And you view your servants as expendable, you can just reincarnate them, but that is not an option to my followers." Karn glared. "The Narza'Tai assassins I gave you were training together before you asked for them. These are men and mer of flesh and blood, Mannimarco, not pawns which can be sent in as fodder."
Mannimarco
A curious message back from Kirana yet all he felt was cold. He turned to Karn, and said, "Why do you think my servants are expendable? When I died, I caught a glimpse of the planes of Oblivion. There they wait for me, because I forestall them souls. Do you understand that, Dunmer?" That had been a closely held secret for a long time, almost as long as he had been alive the first time. "I can enjoy thousands of years of pain because of my endeavors, and yet you call me a louse by not valuing service." Mannimarco had never been one for communication, but he felt that Karn needed to know. Sent the memory of the river and of the planes of Oblivion through the leash, and he wished one being on Mundus would begin to understand him.
Patholos
Whispers......ghosts.....pale glass......NO!......Mother, mother stop bleeding, no, Mother STOP!.......red splotched cuirass,....gnarled hands on Mother's face......Against the wall.....please stop bleeding,.....hot white energy.......Pain,.....new face.....
Kirana
As the images Mannimarco sent reached her, Kirana adopted a grave look.
'This new riegn of yours won't last; just like the last time, someone will lead a crusade against the necromancers and people will die.'. The Sage advised.
'It would be wise to take a less aggressive stance, now. Do not gain the attention of the Mages Guild.'
Karn
He pondered this, "I meant that your dead could be raised again, but to reanimate one of our own is an affront to the individuel in question."
"Perhaps I misjudged you.". Then he recalled that his assassins had reported another person meeting with 'Marco. "So we is the other who was here some time ago?"
Mannimarco
Kirana's disaproving message pushed Mannimarco away from communication, but he did send one message back, "If you could change one thing that you regret every day, would you change it?" Mannimarco remembered when he first accepted the power. "So, Narza'Tai, where is the eyeless one, he was supposed to have come seen me when he had the plans in order?" He felt that strange sensation that Kirana felt as the group hunting here drew closer. Mannimarco sent confusion through the leash, and turned his gaze towards the horizon. "For some reason," he said, "I'm more powerful at night....."
Patholos
Agony......., memories,........eyes,......my eyes,.......must regain memories.......struggle,..... "Hu- Hu- Hu- Help me!!!!" Not working......mind is too scattered.....mother, please!
Kirana
"If I came a cross as condesending, I apologize." She answeered. "No I wouldn't change my failures, one's experience is what makes them into who they are. It would be nice to never make mistakes, but then you would still be flawed."
Karn
Karn did not respond to the question of Patholos' whereabouts. At least, not outwardly. He closed his eyes as if in deep thought, but he was remotely controlling his copy. The look-alike picked its way through the forest/swamps and toward the Topal Bay.
Issac
After a long period of silence, Issac asked, not at all in a level tone. "So what is your plan? Suicide?" His anger was more than apparent; Issac rarely became furious enough to show actual hostility towards someone he knew.
"Let's hear it, I would like to know how to die rather than ruin a brilliant plan with improvisation."
OCC: Yes, Rann really has gotten under Issac's skin. One can only take so much resentment before one comes to loath the object of said resentment.
[Rahvin
We didn't even get to clean up. he thought to himself before following Sadril alongside Brianna.
Aerona
Something was occuring between Green-Root and this Voltar, but she couldn't figure out what it was, and, timid as she was, she wasn't about to bring attention to it by asking either of them.
Patholos
I....am.....not....a servant......anymore.....release me....., release me false god........release me so I may make my way in this world!
Struggling to stay upright, Patholos saw a weird portrayal of Karn running towards the Topal Bay. Madness took him and he lost control of himself, but then slowly regained it again. This has to stop now, he told himself. He tried to approach Karn, but he couldn't compel his feet to move. He shouted "Sensei" and then he noticed something strange in his vision. He saw Karn as if he were made of smoky glass, part of Karn's essence was there, but there was no withering away that graced Patholos' own vision.
Mannimarco
Kirana's sudden change in attitude frightened Mannimarco, this woman was smart well beyond her years. He had never met a female like her. Mannimarco sent a small message back through the leash, "So, Ice Queen knows how to manipulate people as well..."
Kirana
"I wouldn't be good at my work if I couldn't." She said back smoothly. "Perhaps, my king would play along as if he did not know that I have no sympathies to him or his own kind...."
Kirana paused, then continued. "Experience could, however, prove my views on you are false. We're in the same ditch, and we will likely remain so for a long time. I see no reason not to give an alliance a chance."
Rann
"When you followed my sister here like a little puppy, you should've bet on dying. We're going to lose this fight; we can only hope we can save your mother before we do. Satyana and Soldin aren't going to clench the deal for us, so we might as well leave them out so they can live. So get your head out of your a** and listen to me."
Karn
Patholos' shout caused the clone to pause and turn toward him. The clone approached Patholos cautiously, at the beck and call of its' master. "Patholos," Karn's voice said through the copy's mouth. "Are you alright? What happened to the assassins sent to the Topal Bay? Did any survive?"
Issac
In spite of having a thousand things he would have had a lot of enjoyment saying, Issac refused to reply. And gave a curt nod that said 'so let's get on with it.' I do not believe there is anyone in existance that can put Rann in his place.... So why is it that I always end up being to one to try?
Mannimarco
For the first time is his second life, Mannimarco felt regret. He studied the figure on top of the boulder, looking quizzically at her for a few seconds. He lowered her gently to the ground and said three simple words, his mouth having a hard time formulating them. "I am sorry." He waited for Karn's response, then he sent through the leash, "I will study my previous life in depth and see if there is a way to reverse this mistake, obviously you are not the fool I took you for." And to punctuate his message, he bowed low, nose to knee. He sent a small message through the leash, "What will your friends think of this when they arrive. I will have to fight them, no matter what, but I feel as if I have enough servants for the moment." Mannimarco smiled his black smile, then started to create another black hole of magic, but this time, he tuned the pulse to the same pulse tattooed on the people he met.
Patholos
"Sensei? oh, Sensei, help me, cure me, I am becoming undone, please!" Patholos pleaded at the copy's feet. After a few sobs, he straightened up, and tried to focus, but the madness kept creeping into his mind like blood in water. "Wimpering is not the Narza'Tai way, Sensei, I will try my best to suppress my condition. The bay was---Argh!" Patholos cried out, and he started to bleed from his eye sockets. Patholos drew his knife and stabbed wildly at the copy, but a Kagouti with one leg could have dodged his attacks. Patholos fell over, and smashed his face into the dirt. He looked up at the copy and whispered, "He's...still.....after....me.....and I can't escape...."
Commander Astratus
The Commander awoke after a brief nap with a headache the size of the Red Mountain. He withdrew a small Dwemer locket, which was illegal for him to have in the first place, and turned certain knobs on the surface. Accidentally messing up, the Commander dropped the locket and right when it hit the ground, a small needle projected from the locket. The Commander reset the locket and opened it successfully. After a few seconds, he called in his lieutenant. "Lieutenant, make ready the soldiers, we march in an hour."
OOC: Commander is pushing his troops, the troops would like to see other heroes encourage them, because the general will march on foot like the rest of them.
Kirana
She nodded, accepting Mannimarco's apology and his situation. "Yes, they will be less than understanding, I'm afraid."
She gave a reassuring smile of encouragement. "We must play along as enemies for now, but circumstances can be changed, my king. But let's not dwell, my companions grow closer, and everything must be in proper order."
Karn
He pitied his brother, and despite the generally incoherant cries understood Patholos. Raising his clenched fist, the copy knocked Patholos out and Karn ordered it to return with the unconscious mer.
As it made its way back, Karn opened his eyes and returned to his own body. He was surprised to find Mannimarco with an Altmer woman in crimson robes. Being completely unaware of what had gone on during his "absense of mind" Karn was puzzled, but he did not raise any questions.
He sat down on a nearby rock, waiting...
Green-Root
,,Not to spoil the fun or anything, but do mind that there is the possibility that the fire spreads out of control. We're in the same forest as the snakes." Green-Root interjected, still keeping his eyes trained on Voltar and Veric.
,,And please for everything that is holy to you, keep your voices down."
Flint Ironwood
Flint was high up in the air and took the time he had before landing to think.
,,Ian should have been harassing that army all over the place. It doesn't look like he did. Now how am I going to find the rest of the group. Detect life? Yeah, and land right next to a snake scouting party. No. Hmm, maybe I'll follow up with Ian's part of the initial plan. Harrassing. If they are paying attention, I should be back with the main group in no time."
Flint checked his pack for the restore magicka potions he'd recently aquired. There were three in total.
,,Two for the battle, one spare for getting away."
He landed, summoned his bow and launched himself up again in a parabolic path that would take him right over the army. Once he figured he was right above them, he began firing arrows straight down. With an army as dense as this one, it was impossible to miss. And daedric arrows, accelerated by both bow and gravity, had to hurt.
,,Ian might have handled melee just fine, with his reflexes and all, I need to keep my distance."
Voltar
Voltar snickered. "Obviously you're not all that familiar with magic, Argonian. An able magick user should be able to control the fire he or she creates," he said in a manner-of-fact tone.
"Plus, even if the fire gets out of control, I know a resist fire spell that will certainly last long enough for everyone to get out of the flames safely."
Though I could always forget to cast one on you, Argonian. It'd be nice to eliminate a risk due to an "accident".
Flogir
"About time someone answered me!" Flogir muttered, making sure he wasn't too loud to draw the army's attention. "Well I guess it's up to you magic users to figure out how to get this forest fire started. And try not to let it reach us, I like my hair the way it is right now."
Finally, they were about to do something that would help their cause. Hopefully.
Flogir
Flogir shook his head. "We don't have scouts out. I'm not sure if any of us here are truly capable of actually doing it. Plus, it's safer staying in a group for the most part," he said, answering the latter question first.
"But, I've been observing the general direction they seem to be moving. To me, it seems like they're marching a straight line to the Imperial City. At the rate they're going, they'll reach the capital in 4 or 5 days, 3 at the earliest. There are lots of woods in this area, so I'm sure they'll be one worth burning down to slow em up and cause some chaos."
OCC: I did not get Tenek's consent in making this post, but he didn't tell me not to make it. Tenek turns out to be an environmentalist (I guess Bosmers are all tree-huggers)
Also, from what Tenek has told me, the Bosmer has been in jail until recently (until he broke out with a bunch of other convicts).
Just moved Kirana and 'Marco's position along, POS.
Tenek
Hearing what the group was doing, Tenek panicked. They can't just go burning places to the ground; What will happen to all the animals that live here!? Moving faster than most people could, the Bosmer appeared in the groups midst.
"There is no way I'm going to let you burn this forest; you'll be doing as much destruction as that big army you're all chasing!" He yelled. Tenek unsheathed his ebony daggers, "Anyone, who tries to singe so much as a blade of grass gets a nice little hole in his...... or her, chest. Savvy!?
The Bosmer spun, keeping an eye on every single individuel, no mean feat. "This be the line in the sand, you bloody cutthroats!" Wait, I'm a pirate....... That's not the point, the forest can't defend itself and I'll be rotting in a prison before I let a bunch of ne'er-do-wells burn this pretty place to ashes.
Kirana
Now back on the boulder, she flinched as pain, not physical but emotional distress, hit her. Kirana knew part of it was from Mannimarco, but the rest was from a few familiar individuals: Issac, Rann, and Soldin. There was another, but Satyana was much less afflicting, a fountain of determination and protectiveness.
"They approach, give them another twenty minutes." Kirana said through the link with Mannimarco.
Ian
Everything was a haze, Ian's mind gradually cleared and he blinked several times before being able to accept his surroundings. No longer was he in the camp of the Dunmer army; now he was in a cavern, among undead.
Zombies and skeletons marched and limped past without registering his presense. Shafts of light came from above, so they had to have seen him, but none reacted with hostility. Ian wandered through the tunnels until he noticed an oppressive grasp on his mind.
As soon as he stopped to clear his mind the presence vanished, slithering out of his awareness. The vampire blinked, then shook his head and moved on, if not more wary than before.
Rann
When Issac didn't reply, Rann figured his point was made. He quickened his pace for a few steps to catch up to the others.
They'd been walking for at least half a day now; he could feel Kirana's presence getting closer.
"Not too much farther now," he said, in a tone that told Issac that he had one last chance to change his mind.
Issac
Unsheathing his katanas just far enough to make them accessible, Issac replied. "So the blame shall be all mine."
His tone was frosted over, Issac would do what was needed, to free Kirana and protect Soldin and Satyana.
Karn
In the distance he heard the sound of footfalls on gravel. Opening his crimson eyes, Karn turned to gaze in the direction of the intruders.
However, they were not in view quite yet.
Voltar
Voltar grimanced as a Wood Elf suddenly appeared and started rambling about the effects of burning down a forest.
"Do you honestly think you can stop all of us, Bosmer? You are vastly outnumbered and outweaponed even with those daggers. I would be wary of what you say before you say it," Voltar said in an annoyed fashion. Any other case, he would simply blast the pest away but he needed to keep up the illusion that he was only a capable magick user. Not one who could rupture planes of existance. Perhaps a comprimise could be made.
"If it bothers you too much, we could take out a dam and flood them. It's a bit more hazardous to us if we're not careful, but we won't hurt the Bosmer's precious trees nearly as much that way."
Green-Root.
,,Except for the trees we use to build the dam." Green-Root added. He actually hoped that the Altmer would get into a fight with the Bosmer and hopefully lose. It would be one way to get rid of him.
He then walked away from the group.
,,While you all argue about a plan, I'm going to check up on that army. Something's up, I'm sure of it." He spoke over his shoulder.
,,With an army like that, something's always up."
Green-Root.
Something was up. Chaos reigned on the left flank. As he watched, he saw one snake drop to the floor, impaled by the black shaft of an arrow.
,,Ouch. Arrows from above?" Green-Root argued with himself whether it was best to look up or to get away before an arrow flew of-course. He looked up and saw a tiny black speck shooting across the sky, aparently dropping the arrows.
,,Not just dropping, they're falling way to fast for that. It is actually shooting them. Hmm, better get back."
He ran back to the group without worrying about the noise he might make. Right now, not even a herd of Kagouti would be noticed by the army.
,,Hey, you won't believe this! Something is distracting the army. Arrows being fired from the sky and all. So if you want to make an obstacle, this is the best chance you'll get." He urged. He saw that Tenek was still threatening everyone, preventing any real progress to be made.
The Argonian levelled his spear, a bit awkward due to his stiff side.
,,I really don't want to hurt you, but we are in a hurry."
(Crap, running back and forth, it's like Green-Root has been moving at matrix-style superspeed.
)
Flogir
"Something shooting down from the sky? That sounds like Flint to me! Haha, that old bugger is going get himself killed if he keeps doing stuff like this," he said increduously.
"But yea, we gotta take advantage of this. If I remember correctly, there's a dammed river up ahead that they're going to have to cross. If they cross south of the river, we can bust down the dam and hit em with a flood. It would probably slow them down quite well."
Tenek
Up until the Nord actually attributed somethign solid to the proposal of breaking a dam, Tenek was suspicious. However, once the suggestion was made, he sheathed his blades. Instead of remaining, the Bosmer grabbed a pouch of what he suspected (and hoped) was gold from the Argonian and then departed before anyone could stop him.
Tenek kept his eye on the group from a safe distance, taking a moment to pocket the loot. If they pull through, I'll just meet them at that dam. If not, then I'll just break it myself and drown out the flames...
Green-Root
Green-Root waved his fist at the departing Bosmer.
,,Dammit! My lunch! I put my soul into cooking that rat and now he stole it!" He hissed. He leaned on his spear and relaxed a little afterwards though.
,,Heh, probably thought it was money."
Something Flogir had said caught his attention.
,,Flint? Is that the Breton? Well, he did seem like a bit of a highflyer. Whatever, lead on. We're going to the dam. Forest fires can be our backup-plan."
Flint Ironwood.
Flint landed for the fourth time and scooped a potion from his pack.
,,Ok, two more jumps and I retreat. Thirty arrowshots so far. Here we go again."
He leaped into the air once more.
Rann
And you know I'll never forgive you if anything happens to them. he thought to himself. Issac's idea of protection was defending them during the battle. His own was to have them avoid the battle altogether.
He thought his own thinking contained more sense.
Cerpin Taxt
Ian...do you know what that was you saw? a small 'voice' echoed in Ian's head. His disembodied soul had been sharing the vampire's body for sometime, and decided to make himself known. He hadn't gained enough foothold in the body yet to be able to read Ian's thoughts, though he saw and heard the same things Ian did.
Ian
He paused mid-stride, the voice echoed through every recess of his mind. It was chilling sensation to "hear" someone speaking internally. "Who-what in Oblivion- are you?"
Cerpin
It's no matter who, or even what, I am. he replied curtly, But I ask you, do you know what it is you saw?
Ian
He sat down on the rocky floor, closing his eyes and concentrating. "They were memories.... but they weren't mine. I didn't do those things..... It was so long ago, thousands of years. All the blood spilt could fill bathing pools for every person in any one province."
Ian lapsed off at that point, hundreds of lives had been ruined with undeath, thousands of normal mortals had been slaughtered or defiled. The memories burned like a brand on his head.
Cerpin
Were they memories of other vampires? he asked. There was a short pause. ...Or were they mine?
Ian
He didn't reply, though he knew that it was not his, but a memory from someone of Imperial descent. Someone who had preceded him. "I don't know," Ian lied. The emotions that accompanied the memories didn't agree with his insides and the vampire fought off a wave of nausia.
Flogir
It didn't take the party very long to reach the dam. Behind them, the army of the Silhouette were slowly approaching. Flogir stood beside the slow, trickling river and judged the movements of the army. A broad smile crossed his face.
"I'm pretty sure they're going to cross the river about a mile down from here. If we get lucky, they won't even see us destroy the dam while they attempt to cross," he said cheerfully.
"All we gotta do now is not draw their attention and keep a close eye on them to figure out the perfect time to blow this thing."
Amrita, Inn in Soluthus
What a dive... I don't think the drink is going to be much better, but surprizes can happen, the assassin thought as she pulled up a seat at the bar counter. A grimey bartender approached her.
"What can I get yee, lass?" he asked, drywashing his hands.
"A filn."
The bartender grimanced. "I'm sorry, lass, but we don't have anything nice like filn or brandy."
"Then what is the best thing ya got?" Amrita asked, her reddened eyes flashed and the bartender visibly winced.
"We have Nordic Mead and Sujamma, lass," he replied meekly.
Amrita gritted her teeth. Neither choices were that great. "Give me a mead then," she replied in an exasperated tone.
"Right away!" the bartender said, happy to get away from the unnerving Altmer.
As Amrita was drinking her drink, a drunken lout brushed past her and obviously tried to accidentally touch something unappropriate. A dark smirk crossed Amrita's lips and she turned around in her seat. The drunk looked back, a sheepish look on his face. She pointed a dainty finger at him.
"I know what you just did there, and I'm sure most girls would just let that go," she said as she began to approach the drunk. Suddenly, Amrita launched her arm out, smashing it into the drunk's throat, crushing his windpipe. The drunk crumpled to his knees, a sickly wheezing voice struggled out of his mouth. Amrita knelt down behind him and placed her mouth very close to his ear.
"But I'm not most girls," she whispered. She pecked his cheek with a kiss before the last breath of air escaped the drunk's lungs and he crumpled to the floor.
As she went back to her seat, those around her decided to give her a lot more space. She couldn't help but think that she might actually find some fun here.
Brianna
She inhaled the smoke from the pipe Rahvin offered he with great satisfaction. The drug made her life more bearable...for the moment. She walked on alongside the others. Then she stretched her hand out towards Rahvin...a gesture of concern..
"Will you please hold my hand?" She asked gently
Satyana
"Rann! Nobody is going to die! I'll take part in the fight, but I won't let either Issac or Soldin die...you mark my words sweet brother of mine!"
Satyana was aware of Rann's concern but she was sad that he didn't get on with Issac the way she wanted him to do. She loved Issac deeply and she was also very fond of Soldin...no way she would let them die!!
Flint Ironwood.
High up in the air, Flint looked around while blindly firing his arrows. He was running dangerously low on Magicka now and finding a place to retreat to was a high priority.
,,Hey, there are some people standing at the dam. Hmm, they're not snakes. They're more like humans. Ah, Flogir!"
The Breton changed his heading in midair and smoothly landed.
,,Yo, Flogir! What's up, old buddy?"
Green-Root
Seemingly out of nowhere, a Breton appeared, dressed in Dark Brotherhood attire yet lacking the intimidating appearance of a professional assassin.
,,Well, well. It's you. Hello again." He hissed. The Breton looked at him, his eyes narrowed and a pair of katanas flew into his hands.
,,What are you doing here?" Flint asked. Green-Root shrugged and jabbed a thumb at Flogir.
,,Drinks are on him, after we get rid of this little army. And, we're here to destroy the dam."
Flint Ironwood (yes, again.)
Flint glared at the Argonian. He did not thrust him, despite whatever Ian might've said.
,,Do you thrust....him?" He asked Flogir.
Flogir
Flogir watched as Flint approached the ground and he shook his hand warmly to Flint's greeting.
"Flint, my good friend! Glad to see you still in one piece," he said chuckling. "We're about to give these snakes a bath in the near future. Should be barrels full of fun, stick around and enjoy the show!"
As the topic of Green-Root's trust was brought to question, Flogir took Flint aside and kept his voice low.
"Well so far, he's been good. He's even risked his life with us, which is actually quite surprizing. I have a feeling though that he's one of the types that switches to the side that's currently winning. So as long as things keep going good, I think we'll be fine, but we gotta keep an eye on him if things start going wrong."
Flint Ironwood.
Flint dropped the 'Storm of the Night' in a hurry when Flogir tried to shake his hand.
,,Man, I really should've given that sword a shorter name. Yup, I sure suffered delusions of grandeur when I was young."
,,Keep an eye on him? Sure, I'll do just that. And I'll enjoy the show as well. After firing arrows into their heads for a while, my Magicka is pretty much wasted. One half-sized jump is all I've got left."
Veric
Veric was disappointed with trashing the idea of a forest fire. He had hoped to use the fire to kill off a few of his 'allies'. But a flood should prove to be just as fun.
"So," Altair asked no one in particular, "How do you plan to destroy a dam?" He knew he and Voltar both had the ability to do so, but not while acting their current roles.
Soldin
Soldin had deliberately fallen behind a little as the others seemed to be arguing about something. He thought he heard his name mentioned, and as far as he could tell they were debating how safe he would be, or something along those lines.
He began to feel cold and quickened his pace to get behind his three companions, but remained quiet...
Rann
"You can't guarantee anything," he said, obviously not happy with Issac, Satyana, or the current situation. Satyana's stubbornness and Issac's sheer desire to please Satyana did nothing but endanger too many people.
Cerpin
They are more than likely memories of your ancestors; quite common for vampires to have such dreams. I, however, am a much more advanced kind of undead. Quite above such things. Would you like to see my memories, Ian?
Rahvin
"Sure," he replied, taking Brianna's hand as they walked.
Ian
"No, but an explaination as to why and how you are in my head would suffice."
Issac
He nodded to Satyana, pleased to have her support. Rann apparently belived that he only did things that Satyana told him to do, but Issac actually believed everything he'd said.
As they passed the treeline, Issac spotted two figures at the base of a large boulder. He could faintly feel Kirana nearby, and the presence of Mannimarco was evident.
"Too late for second-guesses, Rann." Issac muttered pulling both of his katana from their sheaths.
Mannimarco
A dark shadow fell upon the travellers, and it seemed as if the shadow fed off of Mannimarco. Mannimarco felt hesitation through the leash, and he realized that every choice he made, Kirana would feel. Rather than have her experience death (one never got used to it, and for once, Mannimarco felt sympathy), he send a psionic wave of energy through the leash and attacked Kirana's consciousness. Moving his arms in ancient patterns, Mannimarco started a spell that a Sload King had taught him in his younger days. The energy required would drain the area of life, and probably cause another nexus, like the last time. He saw the figures clearly, and Mannimarco aimed his staff at a tree next to them. He focused on the tree's living tissue, and he killed it, then brought it back to life. He swung the dead tree at the group. Mannimarco jumped, without waiting for he knew there were people who knew how to fight in that group, and landed off to the side of the group. He targeted both of the dark tattoos on the two "unique" people in the group, and flared pain from the afterlife into a direct beam. The beam shot for the tattoo's warping the energy in the air around the beam....
Patholos
Color, and odd shapes fluttered throughout his head. He knew he was unconscious, but he was aware of himself. Patholos's mind raced to fight for control of his body against the madness, and he finally saw the madness in his mind. The avatar of Sithis that he and Karn had fought slowly grew shadow in his mind until it formed a mass. Patholos had blood from the avatar they had fought on him, he hoped Karn did not. Patholos had to wake and inform Karn of the new discovery....
Commander Astratus
OOC: Someone take over the army for a while, I am getting sick of them, with all of the Commander's quirks, I'll make a page if y'all promise to take the army over.....
Flint Ironwood.
,,How to destroy the dam? What do I look like, an architect? I'd say a Telekinetic barrage at the weak spots should do the trick." Flint said slightly annoyed.
,,Or if not, how about a bit of Destruction. All Altmer I've known pride themselves for their skill at blowing up things. And I know quite a few. So why don't you two give it a shot?"
He peered at the army and walked a bit away.
,,And please, don't let anyone stand in front of the dam when it cracks!"
Voltar
"I must correct you on your point, Flint. It's actually the Dunmer who enjoy the use of Destructive magic the war. Most likely because their tribal, war-strewn past. Altmers on the other hand pride themselves in the more crytics magicks like Conjuration and Mythicism," Voltar said in a scholary fashion.
"But, I do have knowledge of some destructive spells. I could freeze the logs with a frost spell and one of our more burly companions can smash them. Sounds good?"
Issac
When a tree suddenly came out of the ground and shot towards them, Issac hastily conjured Silver Aegis, the best shield spell he knew.
The protective barrier materialized, encapsilating the entire group.
Issac reeled when the tree impacted. Said tree splintered and broke to pieces. Moments later the shield collapsed, its caster covered in sweat and gasping from the exersion.
OCC: I'll operate under the pretense that Kirana is now unconscious.
OOC: Okay, that is good....Mannimarco will awaken her for the battle, sorry that she has to fall unconscious then reawaken (is that even a word?) Also, will she make the choice for soldin to die??
Mannimarco
The tree exploded against the barrier and Mannimarco laughed as he focused the beam more intensly into the tattoos. He turned his gaze to the man next to Satyana, and he fired Living Ice at him. Pulling more trees from the ground, he threw them at the group like he would toss a stone. Mannimarco cast a nexus on either side of him, and he drew energy from them as he launched bolt after bolt of crackling death energy at the group. Yet, the bolts seemed to be off slightly, and hesitation filled Mannimarco. He woke Kirana and told her through the leash, "One will die, make your choice now....."
Kirana
She awakened and blinked. Kirana looked over at who constituted the rescue party.
Her heart sunk, she didn't want for any of them to die, much less condemn them to death.
Kirana cast aside her conscience, anyone who didn't have a heart of steel wasn't willing to do what was necessary.
The sage reluctantly commanded, "The youngest, Soldin. May the Nine be kind.".
Kirana looked away, feeling sick at her own cruelty.
Karn
As the fighting started, he rose from his stone. Karn recognised the group.
Since taking commanbd of the Narza'Tai, Karn had lost some of his cruel motives.
Still, the Dunmer unsheathed his blade and approached the group's flank.
Issac
The air became suddenly cold, frozen solid. Before he even knew what was happening the ice consumed him and everything whited out.
OCC: living ice is what 'Marco used on Garriden and Kirana, right?
OOC: If Rann ever figured out what Kirana just did, he'd be even more angry.
Rann
It took some effort to dodge the trees that were flung at him with restless abandon, especially after the shock of having so much power coursing through his veins. He wondered if Mannimarco knew anything about the nature of his tattoo. That power could be flung back.
He tapped into a small amount of it for a boost in physical strength, and was about to go for Mannimarco, but spotted Karn out of the corner of his eye.
We still have a score to settle...hell, a fight while dodging trees could be interesting.
He just hoped that everyone could keep their unfounded promises and protect each other.
Sword in hand, he separated from the others a little to keep Karn away while the others worried about Mannimarco.
"We just keep meeting like this, don't we?" he asked, spitting at Karn's feet, "Until you run away."
Aerona
"Why not use telekinesis to move the dam?" she asked, "That way we could put it back afterwards, and no damage will be done."
She let out a small laugh, "Except to the snake-people."
Flint Ironwood.
Flint scratched the small beard at his chin.
,,Telekinesis, now that's my playground. I could do that, but I'd be completely drained afterwards. Too much jumping around recently." He said and looked up to see that the snake army had begun to cross the killzone.
,,So, do we wait till the middle section is in or do we take out the front?" He asked and raised his hands, ready to dismantle the dam.
Soldin
Soldin hit the dirt when he saw a tree lifted out of the ground and launched at them, though Isaac's shield is what saved him from harm. He stood and took a step back, unsure of how to handle himself. He didn't expect to be thrown into such intense combat so quickly.
He drew his bow and nocked and arrow but held it, waiting for a clear choice of who to shoot it at: Mannimarco, or Rann's opponent.
OCC: Understandable, but she feels bad enough already..... Not that guilt ever stops Rann from chewing someone out.
Karn
The cold deadric metal gleamed in his hand's grip. Karn evaluated Rann, narrowing his eyes ever so slightly.
"Revenge is a beast which feeds itself upon itself, the mate of spite and hatred." He remarked casually, like a teacher to an insolent child.
His blade was not pointed completely toward Rann. "I no longer have any compunctions to slay you or your companions, now I have my own cause." Karn spoke what he truly believed, he did not need to assosiate himself with that shapeshifting mage anymore.
"In fact, I have no reason not to inform you about my client, the one who displayed much interest in your kin." By now several assassin teams began appearing from the forest. None appeared bloodthirsty though, they were still in mourning of their recently departed brothers and sisters.
Karn's clone appeared beside him, the unconscious Patholos draped over its shoulder. As it set down his brother in the night, The Narza'Tai Sensei began to circle Rann taking slow, methodical steps. "If it is battle that you crave then there is much to be had, but enemies are not always permanant, Rann."
Voltar
"Telekenisis works fine with me. I can help you out should you tire, Flint," Voltar offered.
Flogir
Flogir thought over Flint's suggestion.
"I would wait until half have gotten over, that way, it'll be more difficult for them to regroup and get themselves in order. Unfortunately," he said, turning to Aenora, "once we blow this dam, I don't think we'll have enough time to put the dam back together. We're going to have a lot of snake people head this way once the flood passes. We want to be as far away as possible once they get here. If we're lucky, we could eventually get back here and rebuild the dam."
OCC: Can Karn at least bring Altair, not his true identity, into question? Rann probably won't believe him anyway, anyone else for that matter.
Karn
He pointed his blade to the ground, "Then forgive any misinterpretations." Karn replied. "While we need no longer be enemies, Mannimarco and I have a mutually benificial arrangment. We all do." He emphasized the last three words.
"Good and evil are trivial matters when a third force enters the game and threatens both. As for allegiances, the Narza'Tai and I are nuetral in this squabble, the King of Maggots can look after himself." The ninja added matter-of-factly, "Oh, and the Dark Brotherhood is disbanded, or will be once the Narza'Tai gain enough influence to hunt down any renmants that refuse to convert."
Karn sheathed his deadric shortsword, "It would be a wise choice to leave here, Tamriel can't save itself."
Mannimarco
Disregarding the others while they talked, Mannimarco strode over to the man encased in Everliving Ice. He calmly stroked the frozen face of Issac, and then looked with his abysmal eyes towards the youngest of the group. "Your choice has been made, girl," he told Kirana through the leash. Mannimarco strode towards the young Soldin, opening his arms in a wanting gesture. "SHOOT ME, FRIEND!" He cackled madly as he walked ever towards Soldin. Mannimarco began a spell that the first Mages on Mundus experimented with, utterly annihilating the victim until the matter is spread so thin that there was never a trace of the victim to begin with. It is a very dangerous spell, but Mannimarco played with death every day. "Shoot me, my son..... Quickly now, before its too late...." Mannimarco smiled a devilish grin.
Patholos
Twisting and coming to, Patholos watched from the ground as the Sensei talked himself and others out of a fight. Approval rang inside Patholos, as blood was no longer spilled for pleasure. He noticed unease within the Shadow Eaters though, and they still seemed ready to kill. Patholos wondered as he turned his gaze to Mannimarco. In utter horror, he saw Mannimarco in his half-vision begin a spell that Patholos had seen in a book he had to retrieve for the Order. The spell would obliterate the poor man, and Patholos could do nothing but watch.
Army of Morrowind, Scouting Party
OOC: Dammit, you guys made me post with these guys again....
Three mounted knights quickened their horses to a gallop when they heard the sounds of battle. The knights were extremely off course, and they were hungry and on edge. The knights dismounted and drew their swords. All three of the knights were Nords, and they all prayed to their personal deities before they came upon the glade where the sounds were coming from. Without pause, the Nords broke and ran pell-nell into the glade, swinging and chopping in all sorts of random directions. The first one struck was Patholos, as he could do nothing to evade the attacks. The longsword bit deep into Patholos's thigh, and Patholos cried out. The Nords charged all the way into the glade without pause.
Mannimarco
Slowly he advanced, with each step setting up the complex matrix of energy bit by bit. Soldin didn't know this, and neither did anyone but Kirana, Mannimarco was completely mortal for the next few seconds. All Soldin had to do was fire that arrow.....
Patholos
Unconsciousness gripped Patholos and he fought to retain himself. Utter blackness enveloped him....
The Rogue Nords
Two of the three Nords bolted towards the gathering of shady characters and one of the two engaged with a Shadow Eater. The other swung his sword like a tomahawk and drew a silver hatchet from his waist belt. He charged Rann and swung hard with the experience of a hunter.
The other Nord sprinted for Kirana and swung a low stabbing swing. The blade seemed ridiculous and out of place, but it homed in on Kirana's stomach.
Karn
Turning his attention to the crazed Nords Karn yelled, "Narza'Tai, to me, kill the intruders!" He indicated the three soldiers. The assassins scattered and simultainiously to come at the two Nords from every direction. Chain-whips lashed out to snare the soldiers and bows and crossbows sang as projectiles quickly eliminated the threat.
Turning to Rann, "This is your battle, neither you nor Mannimarco are our enemy. There is a more important struggle that must be addressed at the moment." Karn and the assassins departed, three picking up the unconscious Patholos.
Kirana
Casting shield over her hand, Kirana moved in a fluid, practiced motion. Bracing she used her protected hand to deflect the blade; as the Nord came within arm's length, Kirana punched him in the center of his forehead, knocking his helmet off.
Before the knight could recover, she hit him just behind the chin, incompacitating him.
Rann
Rann had no time to think about what had just transpired, as his mind was more focused on the fight with Mannimarco.
He turned quickly and saw Soldin's predicament.
"Shoot!" he shouted loudly, seeing that Soldin was a bit hesitant.
Flint Ironwood.
Flint nodded and focussed. The logs began to tremble slightly as he put them into his grip. All that time, he watched the army warily.
,,One, two, three. Now. Both at once!" Voltar and Flint released their powers and smacked the lower logs out of the dam. Gravity took over, pushing away the remaining logs and allowing the water to flow free for the first time in years. An avalanche of water and floating logs assailed the army, breaking skulls and drowning lungs.
Flint spun around without watching any further.
,,I waited till those general-types were in the middle. Now let's run!"
(I decided to let Voltar and Flint coöperate at the same time. The dam had to be busted in a very short timespan. Don't worry about Voltar loosing his cover though. He used roughly as much power as Flint did and being an Altmer, this doesn't look out of place.)
Mannimarco
Slowly step by step he advanced, nearing completion with his spell. He started muttering a Sload death chant, and he increased in volume every step he took. He was almost on Soldin, within thirty yards, and the short timespan where Mannimarco was mortal was drawing to a close. Mannimarco sent the death chant through the leash, and it played in Kirana's mind. The sheer force of the necromantic power being muttered awoke the unconcious Nord at Kirana's feet. Mannimarco cackled and continued his approach.
Kirana, dazed
The ancient tones echoed through her mind; Kirana shut her eyes to listen to every word. She didn't notice the crazed knight getting up...
Ian
"Yes, I understand. So, I have a person in my body who won't answer any of my questions."
He got up and strode toward the cave exit.
OCC: I don't know where I want Ian to show up, any suggestions?
Soldin
Soldin watched Mannimarco advance. He drew back his arrow and aimed down it, pointing it at Mannimarco's chest. Faced with the decision to kill or be killed, however, took its toll on the young Nord. His arrow trembled as Mannimarco drew closer.
He heard Rann yell something and he loosed his arrow. It shrieked through the air and passed just above Mannimarco's head. Soldin didn't curse, he was too scared to. He simply reached for another arrow....
Rann
Rann looked on in horror as Soldin missed. He knew there was no way he could get there in time to help. It was as if everything around him slowed down, yet he was still helpless and as useful as a third eyebrow.
Soldin...I'm sorry.
Cerpin
Exactly, he answered, If you want answers, you'll have to rejoin some of your companions and do as I say...if not, oh well, we can have some lovely chats, right?
OOC: No problem, jack, makes sense to me.
Flogir
Flogir only spent a few moments watching the mass of water flow past him.
"All right, Flint's right! Let's move on out. We're going to go straight North and and head west to the Imperial City that way. Do you think we need to tail the army anymore?" he asked as they began their trip north.
Mannimarco
Reaching Soldin as he shakily drew another arrow, Mannimarco placed an open palm on Soldin's head. Mannimarco groaned as he tossed Soldin into the air with his magicka. Then he suspended him there with force from his staff. Mannimarco was now only a few feet from Soldin's face, with Soldin being horizontal in the air. Mannimarco stroked Soldin's brow, and Mannimarco could see obvious fear in the Nord's eyes. "Shhh, be brave, die like a true soldier would die! Honor your gods, man! Die with your fist in the air." Mannimarco could see what he said had affect on Soldin, and he hoped the Nord now died unafraid. The gods looked at that when you died, and he did not want Oblivion wished on any mortal, no matter how much he hated the person. Mannimarco placed his palms on Soldin's chest and released the complex matrix of energy into Soldin's body. Energy cackled all around the pair as Soldin was gradually dispersed across Mundus as energy. With his last surge, Mannimarco turned to face the assassins, and then told Kirana through the leash, "The boy is in some sense dead, but he will never truly leave Mundus until I die." Mannimarco paused, and he felt guilt, one of the rare times in his life, then he added, "I have done that to too many people, there will be severe judgement on me when I finally die." He wanted to call for his servants, but with the leash in the way, he didn't want to risk control over them. If Kirana ever found out...
Patholos
The smell of leather awoke him and he was aware of his body. Karn will never forgive me for this, I have been so weak! Disdain filled Patholos and he cried, "Sensei, Forgive me!" Before he passed out.
Soldin, in his final breaths
Soldin watched in horror as he was lifted up. He dropped the bow Rann had given him as well as the arrow he managed to draw out.
He kicked and swung his fists at the air, trying to free himself, until Mannimarco met him face to face. He reached out and touched Soldin's brow and said something about being brave. This only invoked more fear in the young Nord as he found out his death was certain.
Soldin'a dying expression was not one of bravery, nor anger or hatred. His was one of fear and regret. He feared the end and regret ever leaving his home with the strange company. His once bright blue eyes, still alive with teenage ambition and love, had been reduced to deserts of melancholy.
And then he was no more.
Rann
Rann stopped in his tracks, a few feet from Mannimarco. He looked on in horror as their young friend was killed.
The grip on his sword tightened, and he absorbed all the dark magicka he could from the area around him. His tattoo's fierce red glow was still visible through his shirt sleeve, and a single tear was seen streaming down his cheek. Soldin had become somewhat of a little brother.
He pointed directly at Mannimarco, "I swear I'll make you pay for that."
Mannimarco
"Oh you will, will you?" Mannimarco retorted. Mannimarco strode towards his staff and removed it from the ground. "Before you do, you might want to check on your friend there." Mannimarco pointed, and the Nord that had been unconscious before now moved for a killing blow on Kirana. "I see you have been absorbing the essence around here through the mark on your skin." Mannimarco showed hatred on his face. "Here, CATCH!" And Mannimarco threw a bolt of black energy at Rann, reflecting light as it shot towards the Dunmer.
Rann
Rann seriously considered attempting to catch the blak bolt, but decided against it. He made use of a small amount of his stolen energy to put an invisible wall of magicka between him and the approaching darkness.
The wall blocked the bolt, and Rann responded by telekinetically tossing a boulder Mannimarco's way. He didn't expect the boulder to kill, or even hit the necromancer, but it provided a diversion; he could now aid Kirana, their whole point in coming.
Soldin's death wouldn't be any more pointless than it already was, thanks to his two living companions.
He ran the reanimated nord through with his sword, piercing it clean through and pushing it away from Kirana. He kicked the thing to the ground then, and turned again to regard Mannimarco. He doubted he could keep up such a fight for long; he wasn't quite creative enough in the magick arts. It was all too new.
Hell, thinking of telekinesis took a few seconds, and he uses spells I've never even heard of.
Mannimarco
Jumping to the side and rolling away from the boulder, Mannimarco lost sight of the Dunmer. Swearing in Sload, Mannimarco ran after the Dunmer, trying to locate Kirana in the process. He must of become disoriented, because he could no longer tell where anything was. Mannimarco yelled through the leash, "Girl, where are you, where ARE YOU! I still need you in my custody!" Mannimarco cursed in tongues few people even know. Seething and dismayed, Mannimarco used some of his own blood to form a sort of tracking device for Kirana. The leash had attached itself magically to Mannimarco, so Mannimarco gave the blood its own consciousness and it took off towards Kirana. Mannimarco sprinted after it.
Rann
Rann noticed Mannimarco heading his way, and shook Kirana furiously.
"Open your eyes, Kirana! We have to go!"
Kirana
When Rann shook her she came to. Kirana took a deep breath, "Alright, let's get out of here."
"What do you suggest that wouldn't bring this entire chirade down around us?" She replied.
As she and Rann turned tail, Kirana conjured up a series of shields to show Mannimarco down.
Rann
They ran for a short while, but Rann stopped and stood his ground. Despite the fact that he didn't want to leave Satyana and Issac behind, he wanted the King of Worms dead for what he had done.
"If you had enormous amounts of dark power to fight him, what would you do?" he asked, obviously wanting a viable solution to their problem.
Mannimarco
Stunned that Kirana replied, Mannimarco responded, "Tell that Dunmer that if he doesn't release the energy he has stored in his body, he will implode." Mannimarco followed the blood trail towards the direction of Kirana. There soon appeared shields and Mannimarco destroyed the lattice that bound them. "Girl," he said again, "This puny magic will not stop me. Tell the Dunmer of our predicament, and tell him that if he kills me, you die, and vice versa. Do not forget the lives of both of us are tied to this predicament." Mannimarco suddenly felt extremely exhausted. He forgot about the man in the Everliving Ice. Mannimarco disrupted the spell's lattice and kept running on the blood trail.
Kirana
"Rann....." She managed to gasp as all the pain, physical and pschological, caught up to her.
"Rann, you can't just just kill Mannimarco. And even if you could, I would die as well!"
The pain was so keen that Kirana's legs collapsed from under her. "Somehow, when Mannimarco was torturing me, I became magically attached to him......" Rann's grief because of Soldin's death and his burning desire to slay Mannimarco were so vivid that Kirana could hardly keep her thoughts straight as Rann's hammered her mind.
"If either of us dies the other will die as well!"
Issac, thawing
As the Everliving ice melted away, Issac was sprawled onto the ground. The experience of being completely frozen had rendered him unconscious.
Rann
Rann paused for a moment, staring straight ahead. If he did succeed in killing Mannimarco, Soldin would be avenged, but his entire reason for dying -- rescuing Kirana -- would mean nothing. It was a lose-lose situation.
"Fine," he said, "But we still have to go back for Issac and Satyana." He didn't know why he even mentioned them. Their parts in Soldin's death were almost as big as Mannimarco's.
This wouldn't have happened if they had only listened... the thought was simultaneously angry and regretful.
Kirana
She was briefly confused when Rann thought about how he didn't like Issac and Satyana. But Kirana didn't address what she took for as deformed logic. He'd probably kill me if he knew I'd chosen Soldin out all four of them to die; no amount of justifying would change his point of view.....
Perhaps, she thought. When all this is over, provided he doesn't already find out and kill me or nothing kills either of us, I will explain myself.
OCC: I wonder what Rann would think if he knew Soldin had regreted even leaving his home with them in the first place..... not a nice thing to think when someone considers you his little brother and is glad to have you around. And will Rann ever get along with Issac? Or forgive Kirana?
OOC: he'd justify it somehow. And maybe. And maybe again.
Rann
He eventually decided to abandon his vengeful attitude, and formulated a very shaky plan of escape.
"You find Satyana and Issac and make a run for it. I'll find a way to keep him occupied for a while and then I'll follow."
Kirana
Nodding grimly, she replied. "Just don't do anything that will get you killed. The last thing we need is two people to mourn instead of one."
Kirana's form became less distinct, a weak chameleon spell was all she could muster at the moment. The blur moved to take a roundabout way back to their companions.
OCC: Kirana doesn't know that Mannimarco is tracking her specifically so she couldn't tell Rann.
Rahvin
"What is it?" he asked, noticing Sadril's odd behavior.
Rann
"I'll live, somehow," he answered as she ran off, "I always do."
He stood, waiting for Mannimarco to get a little closer. He still hadn't made a decision as to what spell to use on the necromancer. He thought about using the telekinesis trick again, but feared Mannimarco would be expecting it...
Amrita
Amrita clunked down a third glass noisly. While the taste of the drink reminded her faintly of that time she was forced to drink animal urine, the desired effect of the drink had begun to settle in. Those around her still kept their distance, despite the hazy expression on her face. The bartender nervously edged his way towards her once again.
"Another drink, lass?"
"No! I've had enough of this guar-piss!" she sneered, rising out of her seat and knocking over the stool noisely. Some patrons in the bar jumped at the noise while others stared. Amrita glared at them. "Quit lookin' at me or I'll roast them eyes out!"
Instantly, eyes returned back to their cups. Amrita smiled in satisfaction. "That's better! For now, I'm off!" she called out before shuffling her way out of the Inn. Upon her exit she bumped shoulders with a mer standing just outside of it.
"Watch out, scum! Can't you see that there's a lady trying to make her way out of here?"
Sadril
Rahvin, being the first to reply to Sadril's odd behavior, received his stare until a drunk mer exited the inn behind him and bumped into him. Sadril didn't break his gaze with Rahvin, only smiled and gave a wink as he spun, grabbed the woman's shoulder to stop her from walking away, and said in a low voice, "Care to chat, Amrita?"
Amrita
The use of her name instantly sobered her up. Without thought, Amrita reversed the hand placed upon her shoulder, swinging the arm around her oppenent's back and holding it in a painful cranking position. She also held one of her concealed daggers to the mer's throat.
"People who know my name don't live for very long, so start talking if you wish to avoid that same tedency," she hissed into the mer's ear followed by pushing on the crack for added measure.
OOC: I think this is the first thing Rahvin's actually done this RP.
Rahvin
Rahvin let go of Brianna's hand to allow for the removal of his own dagger.
"You're outnumbered three to one, here," he faked a few tosses of his dagger, "I don't miss with these, either."
Amrita
Something was unusual about this mer. Amrita's arm crank didn't seem to cause any discomfort and she thought she saw a glimmer of fangs from the corner of the mer's smiling face.
In a blink the dagger dissappeared and the arm was released. "Fine, I'll humour you. Though if you know my name I think it's only fair for you to tell me yours," she said in a light hearted manner. The mer's two companions didn't look like they would pose too much of a problem should she need to dispose of them. Well, perhaps the other Dunmer would stand some chance. He appeared to have a battle hardened edge to him.
She began to lead them down the main street. "I don't care for going back into that Inn, so let's talk a walk shall we?" she said in mock friendliness.
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