Redemption, part 2 Options

[jack cloudy]

Click here for Redemption Part 1


Alright, part 2. Still not much redeeming going on but whatever. Now instead of continuing the story, I figured I'd use this post for all the miscellaneous stuff. Things like a character list and the recap for part 1. So be warned that this post CONTAINS SPOILERS. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!


RECAP FOR PART 1 Again SPOILERS!

One night, the palace is breached by unknown assailants. Following standard protocol for such events, the Emperor is secretly transported to the prison by his Blades. The Imperial Battlemage, Ocato, declines to join him, claiming that the situation is under control and that his services aren't needed.

Despite having reached the prison safely, the Emperor soon finds that he is still in danger. It is then that Uriel receives help from an unexpected ally. Angoril Bobardi reveals that the very cell he has inhabited for decades, contains a secret escape route that was built during the simulacrum at the order of Jagar Tharn. With this passage and the considerable magical prowess of Angoril, the Emperor manages to flee the deadly trap.

Also freed from the prison by Angoril is Maorlatta Orgnum, a young (by elf-standards) and somewhat naive girl who was arrested for the crime of sleeping in the park. Once free, she quickly makes herself scarce and eventually finds herself in the shack of an old fisherman who lives on an island in Lake Rumare. The fisherman seeks the help of the thieves guild to rid her of the manacles and prison outfit that would have every Legionnaire arrest her on sight. Unfortunately, the one assigned to pick the locks on the manacles informs Vicente Valtieri instead, who takes a personal interest in the girl’s talent for camouflage. Maorlatta is saved by the Redguard Sorian, a young and rather strange lad who keeps going on and on about something he calls an Ansei. The two team up to go treasure hunting in a nearby Ayleid ruin.

Meanwhile, Angoril returns to the prison. Pretending to be from the palace, he gets a vital clue from the Argonian private investigator Grey-Tongue. The Argonian sends him to Chorrol to find the source of the assassins distinctive red robes. To get to Chorrol, he summons a shiftgate, circumventing days travelling. From Chorrol the trail leads to Kvatch, a city whose precise location he does not know. Unable to summon another shiftgate with reasonable accuracy, Angoril seeks more mundane passage to Kvatch.

While Angoril is travelling, Maorlatta and Sorian hit the Ayleid ruin. After some trouble with a zombie, they strike gold and find an abandoned office with some intact artefacts. They attempt to sell the artefacts in the Imperial city, where they are intercepted by Grey-Tongue and then Vicente Valtieri. Sorian again makes the vampire flee. The next morning Maorlatta wakes up in the Imperial palace with no recollection on how she got there or what happened during her stay at Grey-Tongue’s house. Jauffre interrogates her in the garden at the top of the tower.







Redemption's persons of questionable importance

Main characters:
Angoril Bobardi: An Altmeri sorcerer who inhabited a cell in the Imperial prison, fully aware of the secret escape route. After leaving the prison, he makes it his task to track down the leaders behind the red-robed assassins.

Maorlatta Orgnum: A Maormer from Pyandonea, sent to Tamriel at the command of king Orgnum. Circumstances land her in the same prison as the Altmer. After escaping, she returns to the pursuit of her own goals, one of which is to become filthy rich.

Side characters:
Grey-Tongue: An Argonian private investigator. He is a friend of Hieronymous Lex and has been hired by the guard-captain in the past. Grey-Tongue is hired now as well by the city-guard to investigate the events at the prison and find Uriel’s corpse.
Guard-Captain Hieronymous Lex: Hieronymous Lex is the man put in charge of investigating the massacre at the Imperial Prison. Upon finding that Uriel Septim was seen entering the prison that night, he hires Grey-Tongue to help him uncover the truth.
Sorian: A Redguard who saves Maorlatta from Vicente Valtieri. A simple wandering swordsman with a slight Ansei-obsession.
Rajn Geydar: A Wood Elf who lives in Kvatch. At one point possessed a piece of the Balac-Thurm.

Others:
Guard-Captain Argelius: A colleague of Hieronymous Lex who describes him as the man to call when you need subtlety.
Bannon: A merchant who travelled with Angoril from Chorrol to Kvatch
Baleni: Daughter of Rajn Geydar
Doruk: The Bouncer who worked at Rajn Geydar's restaurant. Deceased.
Penald Baurus: Blade and bodyguard of Uriel Septim.
Berius: Lord Protector and Head of the palaceguard in the Imperial City.
Valen Dreth: A Dunmeri prisoner. Not the most pleasant sort.
Jennifer Renault: Blade, recently promoted to captain.
Glenroy: Blade and bodyguard of Uriel Septim.

Fenasim: A member of the emperor's Palace guard.
Mankar Camoran: The father of both Raven and Ruma. He is the leader of the Mythic Dawn and its prophet.
Raven Camoran: The ‘Hand’ of the Mythic Dawn, an organization with an unknown purpose. What is certain however, is that the Dawn wants Uriel Septim dead.
Ruma Camoran: The sister of Raven, she serves the Mythic Dawn as Priestess. In the same night that the attempt on the emperor’s life is made, she infiltrates the vaults beneath the Imperial palace to steal two artefacts.
Harrow: A member of the Dawn, Harrow used to be an Armiger stationed in Vvardenfell.

Ludius Bester: Member of Bester and Bester, the Kvatch Hall of Mercantile Interests. He runs the office in lower Kvatch.
Aelwin Merowald: An old fisherman who lost most of his leg to Slaughterfish. Friend of Delmar Tunius.
Rajn Geydar: Owner of the Eight Provinces, a restaurant in Kvatch.
Ra’Jezhr: A Khajiiti lockpicker in the employ of the Thieves Guild, Ra’Jezhr is also coerced into serving the Dark Brotherhood’s interests.
Simanuel Rosendorf IV: The owner of a silk-plantation near Chorrol

Umbacano: An Altmer who lives in the capital city. A well-known collector of Ayleid artefacts.
Uriel Septim VII: The Emperor of Tamriel.
Brother Tanner: A priest who serves in the Kvatch-temple. Looks like a Septim.
Delmar Tunius: An old fisherman who lives on a small island in lake Nibenay.
Vicente Valtieri: A member of the Dark Brotherhood, he takes interest in Maorlatta’s talents at stealth, and desires to make her an assassin, with or without her cooperation.

Latta’s evergrowing list of people only she knows:
Levvelyn of Glashorn: The hero of a popular series who spends most of his books saving the world, slaying vicious monsters, duelling devious Altmeri warlords and chasing the girl.
Irrillys: A fictional princess of Pyandonea, she is Levvelyn’s love interest. Posesses an unfortunate talent for being kidnapped by devious Altmeri warlords.
Mettildi: The Maormer that taught Maorlatta how to fight, though his methods traumatized her to the point where she is mentally incapable of defending herself.
Master Zelthir: Another Maormer put in charge of educating Maorlatta. Master Zelthir is a well-known and highly respected healer.

This post has been edited by jack cloudy: Sep 22 2013, 07:36 PM

[jack cloudy]

Ugh, I'm finally done with this part. This also means that chapter 9 is now officially over! (Angoril needs to do some breaking and entering, but that's a small piece I'll tag onto chapter 10.) Speaking of which, he really should have kept his cool and swiped the thingy of doom in the middle of the night.


As for the spellsong thing, I wanted to give Pyandonean magic a slightly different feel. Singing was the first thing that came to mind and why not? Dagoth Ur and his ilk had sound-based magic so it wasn't as if there's no precedent for it. Of course, I don't actually do anything with the Maormer spellsong beyond mentioning it because Latta sucks at it.



And now for the update. Sorian the Redguard and Grey-Tongue the Argonian investigator have chased some 'thieves' to the slopes north of Bruma.


Chapter 9.10

Ysmir's Tongue


We'd taken up residence in the gletsjer-guide's shack while we waited for him to return. It wasn't going to win any prizes. Fireplace, bed, table, two chairs and a beaten book that was two reads away from falling apart. Still, the shack was the best place to stay. Wickedly cold winds streamed in from Skyrim and without the cover offered by the building, we would have frozen to death in the night.


I heard them before I saw them. The sound of snow and ice being crushed underfoot were unmistakable. It almost made not lighting a fire worth it. Almost.


I crept to the window and gripped my sword with one hand and the black knife with the other. The argonian rapped his tail on the floor and waved at the blank wall behind him.
"They're coming from the gletsjer." He hissed. As if I didn't know that. It's where he sent the Skyrim brute after all. I just hadn't expected him back this soon. Actually, I hadn't expected him back at all. It made no sense anyway. Why would a thief come back with its tail tucked between its legs because someone sent it a letter and asked nicely? And speaking of the gletsjer, wasn't the other side at least a full day away just getting there? It hadn't even been that long. This stank like a setup to be honest.
Grey-Tongue looked at the sword and gestured me to leave it sheathed. Was there any furniture by the door? No, fine then. I could probably draw in time if needed.
"This had better not be a trap." I muttered.


The crunching passed behind the shack to the front and then there was the rattling of the key in the lock. I pinched my nose and swallowed. The moment of truth.




Kort, the Nord guide, came in with his hands held up and horns of ice hanging down his beard. He had been under the gletsjer. Was Skyrim closer than I thought? I waved him to the side of the door where I could see him. But he hadn't come alone. An old legion scout followed him in. And then a Redguard, and a shorter man covered top to bottom in thick furs. I looked from one to the other. They were all coated in the ice that told me they'd ventured through the tunnels of Ysmir's Tongue. But who were they? The legion man, looking crossly at Grey-Tongue and me, he was too old for the job. Legion men and women passed their fighting prime were either moved to a desk or command.


The Redguard though was far more worrysome than an old grump too incompetent to get promoted. He was like a walking arsenal, two swords, a bandolier full of knives and dressed in a patchwork armour of leather, a few bits of plate and some chain. A sellsword if there had ever been one, and a good one at that.
"Ok, stay there." I told the lot of them and decided to keep my distance from the mercenary. He gave me the chills. With the way he kept his arms, he could draw either sword or a knive with only a slight movement. Definitely not an amateur.

"Hello. I was hoping you would come. Please have a seat. I made some tea." Grey-Tongue said behind me. The furmummy made muffled noises behind his scarf as he stared right at me with his pure white eyes. Oh, crap.




The Dark Brotherhood had come to kill me! My fingers felt like wax as I fumbled for my sword. Maorlatta pulled down her scarf. I finally managed to get the Shamshir out. She was going to kill me! She and that sellsword! How was I going to fight against elf-magic?!
"Seriously, I go away for a few days and you get your face bashed in? Do you like picking fights you can't win or something?" Wait, what?


Before I could even get over the surprise, the sellsword had gotten his own sword out. The Shamshir flew out through the window and the back of my head smashed into the floor. I blinked at stars and looked at the sword that was terrifyingly close to my throat. It was a simple type found in any legion of Tamriel. Double-edged, no decoration, triangle-tip. Good for hacking and stabbing, though not perfect for either. It's almost funny how one's mind becomes occupied with the stupidest details when looking death in the eye.
"Baurus! Step back! He is not an enemy!" The Wood-elf yelled. So she wasn't brainwashed afterall. I suppose I should be happy. That didn't make what she said next any better.
"He's a friend, though he's also a total idiot with the self-preservation instincts of a generic masked underling. Seriously, sir Redguard. What did you do this time?"
Well excuse me for worrying about you. And did no one ever tell you that throwing stools at people is cheating? I heard Kort laugh. The honoured user.

At least the sellsword listened to her and pointed his sword somewhere else. Was he on her payroll and if so, where did she get the money? I was still carrying all the coin we'd made from the Ayleid haul.


I held up my hand in the hope that the Redguard would help me back on my feet, but no such luck. Instead it was Maorlatta who pushed me back down, scolding me about trying to get up before she'd checked my injuries. Meeting her here, unmolested even, was an incredible coincidence. The kind that didn't happen without the hand of a Divine to help it along. Was this what it was? The Divines telling me my fate was with her?
"Well, one thing is for sure. Life hasn't been boring ever since I let myself get dragged into her problems. Wished she actually did something about my wounds other than poking them though."



While the pale-eyed wood-elf poked and fussed, while the Redguard hovered behind her like a particularly frightening scarecrow, while Kort was the only one to help himself to tea, Grey-Tongue and the forester had pegged each other as the brains of their respective outfits and begun negotiations of some sort. I quickly lost what they were talking about as they threw too many technical terms back and forth. In the end I asked Maorlatta. Maybe she knew. It didn't seem like Grey-Tongue was interrogating the thieves. Where these people even thieves? Surely the little elf-girl would never let herself in with criminal scum.
"Sir Grey-tongue is arguing why you and he should not be executed right now."
He's what?!


Arguing why we shouldn't be killed? What kind of situation were we in?! We hadn't done anything wrong. Why would that forester want us dead? I don't even know how to hunt, I couldn't possibly poach anything! Maorlatta clasped her hands against the sides of her head and recoiled.
"Don't yell in my ears! I think he's winning. He just used pragmatism as an argument. That's always hard to beat." She screeched.
"But still, why?" I asked. The girl sniffed and for a moment she looked as if she'd swallowed a sour lemon.
"Because Jauffre is an ill-mannered controlling person with extra-legal privileges and responsibilities. Now shut up and stop wiggling your nose so much."


She continued looking at me from all angles and tapping with her finger till I had enough. Asking me to not sniff was one thing, but whatever she was doing wasn't working. There had to be an easier way to fix things. I remembered the last time she had tried to heal someone and did not look forward to being filetted like a fish. I was keenly aware that the knife she'd used for that now rested in its makeshift sheathe on my sash. It was definitely better to distract her before she worked herself up to Maorlatta the Ripper.
"Can't you cast a spell and actually do something about it? It would save time. Or are you some pointy-eared freak of nature who can't?" I asked her. It seemed to light a match.





She put her hands on her hips and pouted with trembling lips. Then, she burst.
"Well unlike someone whose name I shall not mention, I know my limits and don't go stepping over them at every opportunity. First the living corpse, and now a fight in a tavern? What are you, an overly excited fiftier who thinks he's immortal and has something to prove to his childhood sweetheart? Grow up already instead of swinging that metal weedwhacker of yours!!" I may have touched a sore point, but no way was I going to let an insult to all Redguard's prowess stand.
"Hey! Don't forget the vampire. I kicked his butt!" I yelled back at the wood elf.

She blinked, frowned and silently mouthed the word vampire over and over.
"What vampire?" She mumbled in the end. At this point, I was as confused as she was. Where was the vampire anyway? The Dark Brotherhood was as tenacious in keeping its recruits as it was at killing people. So why was she here now, as huffy as always and with a complete hatred of fighting? It made no sense.
"The one that you know, took you and all. I saw it, he saw it too!" I stammered, waving in the Argonian's direction and began to think again that this may be a trap.


"Sir Sorian, " The girl started, "there was no vampire. I am quite convinced I would remember such an occurence."


But it had happened. How could it not? I'd been there, I'd seen it! I looked to Grey-Tongue for help, but found none. When the Argonian did stop his argument with the forester, he only did it to back up Maorlatta.
"The princess is indeed correct. The fire curtain was ineffective the second time around, there was no sugar next to my tea and there were no footprints all over the carpet. A memory is an unreliable thing next to the truth of the world, Sorian. Especially a fabricated one. Ergo, what we both saw was something the Blades planted in our minds so they could steal a most important witness from me. I do however have a question. Princess, may I have a moment your time?" I broke my head on his explanation. It made sense if magic could do that, but why would the Blades of all people want her? And wait, did the lizard just call her princess? That had to be a joke.




She turned to him with an air of 'anything's better than talking to this idiot'.
"Certainly. How may I be of assistance?" How she did not pick up on the obvious sarcasm was beyond me. Where was her castle? Her crown and faithful manservant with a sword of silver? She was as far away from being a princess as you could get.
"When we first met, you asked me to bring you somewhere. Are my services still required?" Heck, when I first met her, she was dressed in rags! She was a delusional and strangely smart beggar!
"No, that matter has been resolved. But I thank you for your concern."
"Excellent." The Argonian hissed with one of his bare-toothed smiles. "I apologize for not recognizing the name before, princess. The university's librarian was most forthcoming in resolving this failing of mine however. It won't happen again." SHE WAS NOT A....but the Arcane University knew her name. That place was the biggest vault of knowledge for the sake of knowledge in all Tamriel. So did that mean, it was all real?

Grey-Tongue nodded and turned his attention back to the forester. The balding man gestured to the door.
"What are you still doing here?" He barked. "You have your mission, now go undertake it!"
Kort was laughing again when we left.



"Wait, you are really a princess?" I asked her as I followed her outside the shack. I was stunned. Meeting an actual princess? No, fix that. Meeting an actual princess and saving her life as the first thing you do? That was the kind of thing heroic songs were all about! I'd gotten myself half a kingdom and the king's favorite daughter's hand in marriage without even knowing about it!
"Did I ever say I wasn't?" I looked at her with new eyes. It explained so much. Her general haughty attitude, her fussiness over getting dirt on her, her general uselessness in anything that wasn't brain-stuff. Yes, she was princessy now that I thought about it.


"Well," I began. She'd said she was a merchant. Royalty did not trade, it was beneath them. But I wasn't going to say that to the face of one, especially when she had a Redguard bodyguard at her beck and call.
"I didn't know. I thought that at the gate when you told that guard. I thought you were lying, bluffing." What else was I supposed to believe when the elf you found in an alley starts talking down the guards like that? She looked at me sharply before answering.
"I wasn't. The only lie I told then was that you were part of my official entourage. I am Maorlatta Orgnum, of the House Orgnum, of the ruling family of Pyandonea. My g, father is the king so yes, I am a princess. I own land, a kelp farm, a fishery, collect taxation, speak law and if I find the time for it, I do charity. Any other questions?"


I tried to think of anything, but couldn't think of something to say without setting her off again.
"Err, no. Not really. No, I am completely without questions, your highness." I said and tried my best bow.
"Good, now don't mention it ever again." Know what? I'd take the kingdom, but I'd pass on the king's daughter's hand.




She suddenly dug into a satchel on her belt and took out what looked like a fishhook and a tweezer. I looked at the two tiny instruments in her hand and felt my eyes grow big. The ripper had come out.
"Oh, and speaking of favours." She said in an innocent voice that didn't fit her intentions. "Please hold still for a moment, I wish to do something. It's not magic, but I do have a few ideas on how to fix your face." Yes, I really should settle on just the kingdom.
"Err...I think I'll pass. Yes, definitely. There is no need to concern yourself with your humble servant. It is but a scratch."


The elven princess rolled her eyes.
"Humble, you? Auri-El have mercy upon me. I think the world might be ending." She groaned but to my relief, she didn't press the issue. I could feel the sellswords eyes on my back. He was obviously not happy with her decision to bring me along, but couldn't speak against her. As for me, I did feel kind of bad for abandoning Grey-Tongue, but the Argonian was a tough one and escorting real royalty was definitely the bigger job.
"Fine, it's your body and as far as I can tell, not fatal. But don't blame me when you can't win over any free women with it. Now come along. I'm not letting you out of my sight again." Maorlatta said and turned down the path towards Bruma, still muttering. "You would probably try to wrestle a flying tree the moment I turn around."

This post has been edited by jack cloudy: Feb 16 2013, 04:14 PM