Judd Vhahl
Ald-Ruhn

"There he is, walking like nothing's happened," commented a scout hiding behind a few boulders, staring at Judd as he entered the city with his giant mace in hand.

"Why aren't the guards doing anything?" asked another scout.

"They tried in Balmora, but he simply murdered them all. Brute strength means nothing against him. They layed a trap."

"Oh," said the other scout.

Judd smiled, staring at the buildings as they shut their windows and locked their doors, and everyone locked themselves in, in worry.

"PEOPLE OF ALD-RUHN!" he yelled. "Tonight you may all live, but tomorrow those I select for murder will find blood splattered against their door. If you see this mark, sacrifice one person of your household, and the rest will live."

"Steady..." an archer whispered to himself. "Steady..." he aimed the arrow right out Judd's unprotected neck.

Three more aimed around Judd, their mark purposely off by just a little so Judd would have no escape. Twelve more archers were along the building roofs laying in wait with their arrows strung, ready to send their volleys once the first four struck.

Forty guards waited within the buildings closest to Judd.

Four mages were ready to launch fire-balls at special pots filled with an explosive substance.

All they needed was for Judd to cross a single line drawn in the sand.

"Is this clear?!" Judd yelled.

There was no answer. Judd walked forward toward higher standing buildings. "Is this cl--" he began, but felt something sharp enter his body. He looked down and saw and arrow poking into his shoulder, and another in his leg. A sign behind him rocked back and forth with an arrow in its post, and a pot full of water spilled along the sandy road with an arrow stuck in it.

The dozen archers rose from the roofs and shot their arrows forward. Judd took a few scrambled steps back in shock, four of the arrows stabbed into him, the others bounced off his armor.

All around him, pots exploded and he found himself surrounded in flames, burning like a fireball. Guards burst through the flames and met him in the gut with swords and axes. He barely had time to react and already he had six arrows in him, was on fire and had something like four other wounds. He lost all his concetration and entered a rage, his mace flinging through the air in wild cycles, tearing heads from necks violently. Nothing was safe within three feet of him. He shut his eyes and rammed himself through the nearest door where spearmen awaited, hitting him in the gut. He pushed past them, trampling two. In the back of the house he found a pool of water, which he dived into, guards in hot pursuit.

Isaarin Sithiln
New Vivec

"Good, then we'll be in touch. Tomorrow I'll have a servant send for you to meet with Megil Telzeke and myself."

Isaarin finished his tea. "Good day, and good luck," he said.

Raavin
New Vivec

Raavin rose, gave Isaarin a curt bow saying, "Good day," and left. His Bodyguards waited for him to leave the room before following after him.

Falx Albarnias
New Vivec


"I see why many people revere you Megil. It is unfortionate that I was split from the adventurers that disposed of Arkyact before they met you." Falx feared that he said to much, but quickly deduced that Megil had figured it out by now.

"It seems that it is pointless to hide my past from you for I believe that you know the.. darker side of it already." He got up from the chair and walked towards the balcony, hand rubbing his chin. "Before I was tainted by Arcyakt I travelled with Sel, and the others, infact it was doing the Battle of Cyrodil City that we found each others company."

He scanned the plaza down below, not in search of anything other then the words to continue. "On the mountain passage into Morrowind we were assaulted by Arkyact, and I, foolishly thought to end his life even if it ended mine... So I threw him of the side of the mountain. By his magicks, he escaped the peril that should of been my doom. An unknown amount of time past before I was "discovered" again and reintorduced into the world. I say that because I lost memory of everything. Oh how it was so easy for that devil mage to corrupt me. It brings such a sour taste to my mouth. Reguardless that rest you should be able to figure out, for all of us have traveresed the dark path before."

Falx walked back to the door, "Please excuse me if my story was rather dull, but I think I feel better knowing that you don't hold a grudge for my previous actions." He opened the door and started to walk out, "Oh yes, I'll find a good canidate, and then send him your way for your aproval. Cheers."

The Knight went to return back to the inn.

[B] Drathar Bloodcrown, somewhere in the ashlands

Walking with a slight stoop, a dark figure limps his away across the ashlands. 2 dead ashlanders lie in his wake, their mouths open, with expressions on their faces expressing their final moments.

Drather Bloodcrown, wounded, and fatigued, takes one more step forward before dropping his blood-caked sword and falling to the dusty charred ground. He murmurs one name before he loses conscienceness.

"...Falx..."

This post has been edited by Sotrak: Oct 26 2005, 03:41 AM

Megil, HOJ

Megil listened to Falx's tale. Megil ahd fit pieces of the puzzle together, Falx just put the final pieces into place. Megil had already decided to give Falx a chance, hence why the Legion was protected within the city, He let Falx tell the tale as he knew it would lighten the burden Falx had to bear."

As falx was turning to leave,
"If I am not mistaken there was damage to you tavern when the portion of the city collapsed under the creatures cursed magic. Despite the attacks, construction shall continue, So if you wish I can have the engineers set asisde a building for you to use as headquarters, you may even choose to have the building constructed in the imperial style. Thin it over and then tell me of your decision, We can have at least part of the building open in less than two months."

With that Megil stood and excused himself, he had assigned subordinates to take care of the meager details so that Megil could focus on the larger scale. The training of the new defenses and ordinators was the most important, as were the actual defenses. already Megil had warships being built on the mainland, soon Vivec would have a navy of it's own."

Somewhere in Ascadian Isles region

The small oblivion in Drathar's head began to clear, and as he stared up at the cloudy sky, he noticed he was moving. Sitting up, he realized he was lying on a silt strider.

"Finally awake eh?"

Drathar turned in the direction of the voice, which evidently belonged to the driver of the collosal animal.

"Found you out in the middle of nowhere. You seem okay, besides a few scrapes and bruises and you dealt with those ashlanders well enough."

Scanning the small area which he was sitting, Drathar looked frantically for his sword. Catching sight of it, he breathed a sigh of releif.

"The ashlanders weren't a problem." Drathar said hoarsely, before coughing into his sleeve. After this fit, Drathar gazed with perplexity at the blood he had spattered on his arm.

"If they were that easy, why were you unconscious." said the dunmer rider snidely during the coughing fit. "Here, take this healing potion. You have to be prepared on long trips."

Staring at the healing potion in the riders outstretched hand, Drathar replied with a note of vexation "I'm fine, thank you. I have no idea what happened. Where are you headed anyway?"

"New Vivec. Got some supplies to drop off for some whats-his-name" said the rider motion to a few crates strapped on the silt striders back.

"New Vivec..." Drathar searched his memory. "Would you mind me staying with you until you reach your destination?"

"Certainly not. I would enjoy the company for a change. I do have Ol' joe with me on these trips" said the dunmer patting the silt striders hard shell "but he's not one for conversation."

"Unfortunately, I'm a lot like Joe" murmered Drathar. "Not that I don't appreciate the ride."

"Well, at least I won't have to worry about cliff racers harassing me with a warrior on board..." the rider continued to ramble off, clearly ignoring what Drathar had said. Drathar sat in silence, letting the rider babble while he gazed into the horizon.

Dane
New Vivec Prison

Dane grimaced to himself. Judging by the long string of curse words that seemed to be flying out of one of the cells that argonian was in here too. As much as he wanted to deck the scaly honoured user <=== (replace that with Bast-) in the face he'd have to wait.

Malik
Fort Peligiad

The day was over and so was the life of the nobleman. Malik had his fun but now there was not a spark of life left in the steaming corpse of might be construed as a nobleman. He decided now he'd make at least one more abduction and he slunk out of his new fort, or "Meat House" as he called it, and back onto the road to Balmora. This would be so much fun!, a cityscape murder!


This post has been edited by Intestinal Chaos: Oct 26 2005, 04:04 PM

Falx Albarnias
New Vivec

"I'll consider your offer"

Falx stepped out of the door way, which was rather large and entered the sitting room for the main office.

Hah, all these people, and not one can guess the amount of power Megil has now. His thoughts then traversed slightly deeper. By the gods, I hate my situation.


Whilst walking back to the Inn Falx noticed the apparent damages to the building. Half of the top floor was completely exposed to the elements with damages trickling down like a inverted pyramid on the building.

He growled under his breath, "Bastardes, and I liked that place too." Falx walked several more feet and under the shade of a tree, "But.. This is New Vivec, we must'nt taint the place with outer world ideals." It stuck firm, most soldiers would stay with Falx, some would leave back for the mainland, but those that would stay, would stay because they have something to run from. It was a odd form of paradise.

The door to the New Vivec Inn, Falx's establishment, was slightly pulled open and the sounds of music spilt out through the opening. Enough to lighten Falx's mood a bit. However, it lightened even further when he noticed that one of his long gone friends had took rest in his Inn.

"Sel! Friend, how long has it been?!"

This post has been edited by Channler: Oct 26 2005, 05:45 PM

The security was tight. Ordinators were all over the HOJ. Endris had gone as far as he was allowed to go, himself not being an official in the HOJ that was not very far, when he decided it was time push a little farther.

Endris slipped into a dark corner and cast an invisibility spell on himself. His illusion skills were high enough to allow him to stay invisible for some time, he just had to avoid bumping into anybody.

He opened no doors. Any man with half a brain would be suspicious of seeing a door open and close on its own. Instead Endris waited for someone to open the door, then slyly slipped between them. He listened in on conversations and browsed over documents lying on desks, but info was hard to come by...

Sel, New Vivec Inn

Sel turned around quickly and almost jumped out of his skin. "Falx? But you're dead!" he said, almost like a protest.

OOC: He never did find out that Falx was alive, or that he became Alton, or anything else.

Amili, Sadrith Mora, Tel Naga

Amili dismissed the slave after the books had been properly delivered to her room. She looked around at her long-abandoned quarters; the mushroom walls were far preferable to the stone of New Vivec; the magic of the mushrooms gave her a comforting feel, while the magic in New Vivec always seemed oppressive.

She grabbed the book on the top and made as if to read it, just as she had dozens of other times; she had almost memorized the entire book, but hadn't even thought of actually casting the spell; "a good mage knows his limits" Neloth would say. Apparently, he should have heeded his own advice.

As she opend the leather-bound cover, she noticed that it was cold. She looked at the backside of the cover to find a note and a film of ice.

She read it, already knowing who it was because of the ice. She guessed that the spot he was saying to meet at was around the Gateway Inn...

After her next watch, she decided; a meeting in broad daylight was never good business.

Falx Albarnias
New Vivec

"Dead.. Once, but it takes more then just one visit to the grave to kill this legionnaire." Falx laughed as he embraced the Dunmers hand and shook it with a warmth not felt in his heart for a while.

He took a seat and began to speak even disreguarding the others at the table, "So, how did you make your way here to my establishment?"

This post has been edited by Channler: Oct 26 2005, 08:19 PM

New Vivec

"Here we are!" exclaimed the silt strider's driver. They were the words Drathar had been anxiously awaiting the entire trip. He wasted no time jumping out and heading in the direction he suspected Falx to be in.

"Perhaps you could help me with these crates here?" Drathar could hear the rider distantly ask. Drathars usual manners would have demanded he heed this. But his uncle had been specific about the speed at which he would have to travel.

Realizing Drathar was not going to help, the rider let out a sigh. "Ah well. Had the manner of a Redoran anyway. Wouldn't have been any good to ask him to help carry these crates of weaponry to the Hlaalu."

(prepare for an incredibly looooooooooooooooooong post with some important plot points)

En'Fel
Sadrith Mora, Underneath the docks below the Gateway Inn

En'Fel crawled out of the dark crevice he had turned to a campsite. He kept silent, watching as the large gate to the inn continued the open and close all day, deeply in a meditative state which was ready to be awakened at the moment he saw Amili. He was well hidden, it'd require a detect spell to find him in his position, or a lot of luck.

The day wasted away like years as he meditated, locked away inside his mind, opening himself up to whatever wisdom managed to find itself within his head.

There is no such thing as an honest deal, he heard himself say within his brain. It felt strangely alien though he knew he thought it himself. It was true, he did not believe Amili cared for anything but her own greed, and he sincerely doubted she would even ease the attacks on the Ashlanders. He planned treachery from the very first moment they agreed to work together in the prison cell. He planned to kill her shortly after killing Melkaan, when she was most vulnerable. He wanted to kill her with a simple hand-shake maybe, or just a grab to the shoulder, anything would suffice as long as she let her guard down and he managed to touch her. His chilling touch was more keen than ever, as long as he concentrated and could catch the victim off guard he could kill almost anyone.

"Did you hear about the Ashlanders in the Grazelands?" a man asked a guard outside the gate.

"Yeah it's terrible, I knew one of the men."

"Oh I'm so sorry, I knew nothing of it, what happened specifically?"

"Well you know the ashlanders," the guard said. "Rumor has it the ones that lived in the Grazelands, the ones we struck first, they started it all. They got the other camps along Northern Vvardenfel and convinced them to fight, too. The got the ones in the South and warned them of the attack before it struck. Rumor has it there's this one that can perform frost magic and is really deadly with it, it's his fault the Ashlanders survived the attack of the Grazelands and now we have this whole big mess down there."

En'Fel couldn't help but like hearing about himself. The conversation he overheard continued as the villager asked another question.

"I don't get it though, they have no armor, bad weapons, smaller forces and no organization, how did they manage to attack the caravan?"

"Well you need to understand the caravan wasn't meant to be in harms way. We have scout parties all over the Grazelands bringing in Ashlander heads all the time but they never attack the scouts, they always run so we only ever manage to the kill the Ashlanders from a distance with our bows before they disappear again, sort of like phantoms. So, a big group of them managed to sneak behind our scouts to the caravan road. It was strange though, they had healing potions and fatigue potions and armor and some really high class weaponry. Our guards could barely react in time before the entire caravan was on fire."

"Yeah, I heard they only managed to kill three."

"I got a report from some of my friends over there they kept wounding the same Ashlanders but the lousy rats just kept jumping in, lighting something on fire or knocking something over, then disappearing, getting another potion, and attacking again."

"It seems to me like you guys need to step up."

"Yeah well the Captain of the Guard in Sadrith Mora is like two seconds away from being shipped with the rest of us over there, and all the scouts in Telvanni territory are over there. If we keep sending men we'll be left defenseless. Besides it's not as bad as it sounds, that was only one unlucky break. Most of the raids we get in the Grazelands are fended off. it's like batting a fly though, we keep swiping but they fly away before we can hit them only to zoom around and land again when we don't expect it. Anyway, my relief is coming in a few minutes so I'm going to head into the Inn for some ale, have a nice night," said the guard and he left into the Inn. The villager waved before walking along a coastal path. En'Fel realized the entire area for that brief period was deserted.

Wred Halius

"You say your name is Telzap?" Wred asked a recruit as he signed his name.

"That's right," to short recruit said back.

"And you're sure you meet the age requirement?"

"Yep, I promise!" said Telzap.

"Very well," Wred grumbled.

He'd been recruiting for a day and a half and already had two hundred new recruits. It seemed Isaarin was right in using his recents deeds in the battle of Ebonhart to propel the recruitment drive. He assumed the recruiting in other parts of Hlaalu territory were going even better, not only with Isaarin spinning it for all the news providers that Hlaalu stepped in to repel the attack against the city, and with the propaganda flooding through the many different villages in Hlaalu territory that the Telvanni and Redoran both mean to destroy Hlaalu, but also with news the legion was rebuilding. It pissed off a lot of Hlaalu loyalists, and likewise there was a quite a jump in patriotism. Isaarin was right there, ready for it with delegates setting up recruitment posts in every village and rebuilding the forts. Wred wasn't quite sure whether he should be amazed or petrified by the extent of Isaarin's genius in manipulation.

Isaarin Sithiln
New Vivec

"Asthul, please call Ravvin and tell him to meet me in the Hall of Justice," said Isaarin. It was the next morning, and he was quite ready for the meeting, where he perfectly ready to spin the frightening news of the Morag Tong joining the Telvanni to his advantage, putting the two factions in the light of a dire threat and putting Redoran, New Vivec and himself in the light of three factions in need of as much help as they could get. He began his walk accompanied by two guards toward the Hall, his mind disorganized as he concentrated on perfecting his rhetoric while he walked.

Judd Vhahl
Ald-Ruhn

Judd re-emerged from the pool with his mace swinging forward, crushing the forces that tried to corner him, pushing himself back out of the building through hordes that trapped him within it. He bled like a fountain as he crawked back to the city streets, and let out a massive roar. Every citizen in Ald-Ruhn must have heard it echo, and the ones close by the action had hearts that sank to the bottom of their gut.

"What was that?" asked one of the scouts.

"He's outside the house again."

"Where is he?"

"I don't know... oh, there! Just follow that river of blood."

"How can one nord have so much blood to spare?"

"The question is how can he yell with an arrow stuck through his throat."

Judd bashed the skull of a spearman in his way as he ran through the city streets. The guards did not follow. Their trap had succeeded but it wasn't enough. They had nothing left to do except track him an wait for him to bleed to death. He left the city, running to the outskirts. He knew they were following him. He even managed to attract quite a bit of nix-hounds because of his blood-trail. He couldn't tell how long it'd last. He knew he'd recover from this but he needed somewhere to sleep while he nursed his wounds and if he slept he'd be vulnerable.

This post has been edited by DoomedOne: Oct 27 2005, 12:49 AM

Sel, New Vivec Inn

Sel forgot about those around him as well; Falx's appearance intrigued him more than a little.

"Why am I here?" Sel asked, repeating Falx's question. "Business trip gone bad. Blockades are damned annoying, huh?"

Amili, Sadrith Mora

Amili's watch ended after what seemed to be an eternity; Melkaan would have to be dealt with soon, if only to end her annoyance.

She had thought about it for quite some time during here four hours of boredom (the watch) and she had decided that En'fel would have oultived his usefulness once the deed was done; and dealing with him would allow her an excuse; she would have avenged Melkaan, allowing her support to grow.

Amili walked under the dock, and greeted the mer sitting below. "It took a deal of luck for you to put that note in the right book."

En'Fel
Sadrith Mora

"You wish you could blame it on luck," En'Fel said tersely. "So I'll tell you what I need. I need his chambers to be empty of everyone but you. I need the guards outside to be scarce. I need to doors to be charmed to lock him inside his chambers. Make sure there is no escape. Tell me which time this can be arranged."

Drathar, New Vivec Inn

Drathar had all but given up hope of finding Falx that day, and had intended only to eat a meal and rest his weary body. He was just sipping from his nordic mead when Falx entered and began chatting with another patron.

Drathar couldn't believe his luck. He fit the description exactly. Drathar confidently approached Falx and asked

"Are you Falx Albarnias?"

A long time passed since Endris had secretly entered the HOJ. The only information he had found was that there was a meeting to be held today within the hall between the Great Houses (or is it a more private meeting?). Endris enjoyed stepping in on the last meeting and decided to do the same this time.

This time, however, he was going to make the Morag Tong noticed, important. And to Endris' luck Isaarin Sithiln walked directly in front of him. Endris moved quietly behind isaarin, still invisible, hoping that he would lead to him to the meeting...

Malik
Balmora

Malik finished up his dirty work and licked his blades clean. The corpse was hardly recognizeable as human any longer. Up on the side of the building were large splatters and a bit of entrails.

The guards were coming no doubt, but he wanted that.

A guard swung around the corner and gasped. His eyes widened in horror and disbelife. Malik laughed and waited for the first strike.

The guard drew his sword and screamed "Monster!" and tried to strike the ground where Malik was standing. Malik rolled to the right then sprung up and caught the guard in the throat under his helmet.

The guard gurgled and fell to the ground as a gout of blood spilled from under his helmet and formed a puddle under his head.

Three more guards rushed around the corner and and one yelled "Hal-" but was cut short by a gasp of horror. They tried to strike the wiry malcontent by he danced about and avoided every strike, laughing all the while.

He jumped behind a guard and grabbed his helmet. He twisted until he felt a crack and then laughed and dissapeared into the night. The guards attempted to pursue but were not quite fast enough.


Dane
New Vivec Prison

Dane awoke with a start. There was an Ordinator at the bars of his cell and he was apparently banging them with his armored fist.

"You awake now?, you can go." he guarded stated whilst yawning.
"Don't worry about the Argonian, he'll go after we feel your far enough away."

The guard grabbed his key ring and unlocked the cell. "Just drop by the front desk and give them this slip of paper to get your stuff back." said the guard and then handed him a yellow crumpled piece of yellow paper reading "1542".

Dane took the paper and and walked to the fron desk. After handing it to the attendent, a young dunmer wearing ordinator's armor but no helmet, the attendent said. "1542 ,eh?. Got your stuff right here. We took the liberty of reducing your fine from your money purse" the guard handed Dane his things and informed him he was free to go.

Dane just grumbled after recieving his sword, knife, and money purse and he shuffled off out the door and onto New Vivec streets.

This post has been edited by Intestinal Chaos: Oct 27 2005, 03:59 PM

Val-Jeer, New Vivec Prison

Heavy footsteps echoed toward Val's cell, accompanied by a jingle Val recognised as a key ring. An ordinator came into view from the left, as well as another from the right. The one on the left inserted a key into the lock.

They're letting me go?

Before they key could be turned, the ordinator on the right presented a paper the the other man. They both read it. With a look of contempt, the ordinator with the key ring removed his key and continued on his way.

WHAT THE HELL?!

The remaining ordinator, slipping his helmet over his dark face, spoke.

"You wont be going anywhere, murderer."

Then he was gone, leaving Val alone once again. Resigned, he fell onto the splintered cot chained to the wall. Did he really kill someone? Everybody seemed to think so. Not to mention there was a huge chunk of his memory still missing. It would certainly help if they could at least tell him who it was he supposedly killed.

A thought flared up in his mind and he launched himself into a sitting position.

I get it... I bet I didn't kill anyone at all. They just want me dead because they know I was in the Legion...

No... that wasn't it. He had seen plenty of people in legion uniforms relatively un harassed on the streets. But he had another idea.

Maybe it was because his captors were dunmer, and he was an argonian.

"I'm TIRED of this!" He fell back on his back. Deep down he couldn't accept that theory, as strangely comforting as it was.

No matter what he thought, there was always something telling him he had done something terrible...

"Ah yes, the great Imperial blockade. Obviously you've seen the state of the empire, if I were in charge I'd allocate resources a helluva lot better. But what would I know, I'm just..." His words were caught off by the approaching of an individual.



Falx, more then slightly annoyed, sent a coded hand motion towards to guards several feet away. They were his new body guards since the assasination attempt.

"And if I am?" He asked in a threatning tone, hand place on his sword.