Seven, An Aela & Ungarion Prequel Options

[SubRosa]

The inspiration for this story came to me last week. As will probably be evident to many, this is an homage to the masterpiece by Akira Kurosawa. It is my humble attempt to translate that great story to the Elder Scrolls Universe. Following the old adage of striking while the iron is hot, I decided to put the TF on hold while I write this instead. Once I am done, I will get back to the TF, and wrap it up with one more chapter.

This is also a prequel, taking place eight years before the events of the TF, shortly after Aela and Ungarion graduated from the Arcane University.


Seven

Prologue

25th Second Seed, 3E425

Vishta-Zaw slithered through the mud with ease. In fact, he had to take care not to move too quickly, lest he overtake Dark-Eye. The other Naga would look upon that as a challenge for leadership of the company. A challenge that Vishta-Zaw was not ready to make, yet. For while his one-eyed leader's age was beginning to show in the fading color of his once dark green scales, his killing power had not subsided. The way he had dealt with the hackwing the day before had made that clear...

Soon the land began to rise, and the mud turned to drier, hard-packed dirt. That made the going slower for the pack of Nagas. Where folk with two legs had an easy time on such ground, it was more difficult for his race to propel themselves upon their serpentine lower halves. Unlike ordinary snakes, they had a torso, head, and arms to balance aloft above their thick tails. It was much easier moving through the swamp's water and muck, where their tails could whip them forward at speed. Yet still they managed without complaint. The latter was a sign of weakness, and weakness was not tolerated in Dark-Eye's company.

In time they topped a ridge and Dark-Eye came to a halt. Vishta-Zaw slithered up beside his leader and followed his one-eyed gaze down into the valley below. Stretched out there in the small, oval-shaped bowl of land stood the settlement of Agrigento, a collection of simple timber and reed homes raised up on stilts in the traditional Argonian fashion. At the center of the village rose a tall structure of the Imperial style. It's walls were entirely of stone, pierced by numerous windows filled in with hinged glass panes, and topped by a roof of glazed red tiles. A fence of simple woven reeds bordered the settlement, and beyond that water-logged rice paddies stretched in all directions. Dykes of hard-packed dirt spread out in a grid through the fields, dividing them up into numerous flooded squares.

Imperials, they just loved to impose their straight lines, squares, and rectangles upon everything. They seemed to think that their geometry would somehow bring them closer to the gods. Any Naga could have told them that nothing on Nirn was straight and neat. All their efforts did was separate them from nature. The Naga wizard knew that would only doom them to extinction. It was only a matter of time.

His eyes fell upon the Imperials laboring in the rice paddies. They went barefoot through the water, wearing simple dark tunics and conical reed hats to ward off the sun. Alongside them toiled their tamed Argonians. Once the Saxhleel had been a strong, proud people, Vishta-Zaw mused. But like so many of them now, these had abandoned the ancient ways of the deep swamp, and now what had they become? They were little more than slaves for the smoothskins. The Naga race would never fall so low.

"They are bringing in their crop," Dark-Eye observed. "Good, I grow thirsty."

"It will take them time to dry and husk the rice," Vishta-Zaw leaned against his staff, which was tipped with a large chunk of flame-red crystal. "Then they will need more time to brew their soju."

"To brew our soju," the chieftain corrected him. The side of his head that faced the wizard was gouged with deep scars leading through the ruin of his eye socket, which was covered with a jeweled eye-patch.

Dark-Eye turned to level his remaining indigo eye upon his lieutenant, and then the gang of other Nagas behind them. "We will give them six weeks," he cried. "Then we will return to wet our throats, and have some sport!"

That brought a chorus of assenting hisses from the other bandits. Some banged their spears against the rims of the small, bone shields. Others simply stabbed their weapons skyward in expectation of the revelry.

* * *

Hathei held his breath until the Nagas had gone. Even then he still waited, just in case any of them returned, or were still lurking in the shadows of the trees. Magnus crawled through the sky, and several lesser creatures crawled across the Argonian's washed out yellow-brown scales. Still he waited, not moving an inch, in the way that only his race could do.

Finally Hathei rose up from his belly and stood straight. His gaze darted through the trees that lined the top of the ridge, seeking anything out of place. Yet there came no hisses or croaks of discovery, no spears came flying out to pierce his scales, and no magicka crackled to snuff out his life.

The aging Argonian was thankful for the bundle of reeds that was slung over his back. If not for them, surely the Nagas would have seen him. He had been lying on his stomach, just inches from their bellies, with only the camouflage of those reeds between him and certain death. Now that bundle of reeds slowed him down as he turned and ran for the village below. He was tempted to throw them aside so that he might run faster. But he knew he would only have to return for them later. At his age, he did not have the energy to do the same thing twice. So he labored on, as farmers always do.

His mind whirled as he made his way down the slope of the valley to the settlement below. They were coming back, again! They would take all of the soju, just like the last time, and the time before. Worse, the Nagas might take another of the women again, just as they had Rullianus' wife. What had been left of her after they had finished would have made a butcher sick. Who would they take next? His own daughter Meen-Sa?

No, not Meen-Sa. He could not let that happen to her. They had to do something this time. They just had to.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: May 5 2019, 11:00 PM

[SubRosa]

Grits: I am glad Valens and Seri's being part of the Warp was something that would be deducible. I was hoping to show it, rather than tell it.

I have always thought Azura's Star was rather creepy too. The game describes Umbra as an evil creation, and all it does is cast a soul trap on what it hits. The Star is the other half of the equation, and is actually trapping those souls. Hmm, presumably it would be sending them to the Soul Cairn as well then, since that is where souls that are trapped eventually end up. So why would Azura be feeding the Soul Cairn? Unless the Star sends them all to her realm instead? Either way, it sounds really disturbing.


Captain Hammer: Maybe I should has said "before you get out the torches and hammers"? I am glad you are enjoying the tale. I am trying to make Seven a clear homage to the original work, and still infuse enough originality so that it is worth the time to read.


ThatSkyrimGuy: The Warp, and the events of Daggerfell, go back pretty far IRL. So I am not surprised that its new to a lot of people. In a way that was one of the reasons I liked going back in time. There is a certain freshness to the material now, since many people have never played that game.

BTW, on graphics mods, have you ever tried playing Real Life? The graphics are extraordinary. But the gameplay is crap...


haute ecole rider: Good call on the howevers. I had not even noticed that. My characters never use the star in my games. Granted, a while ago I found a mod that allows you to recharge your magic items with a spell, which made it completely superfluous.


Kazaera: You hit the nail right on the head. Valens was the Agent/Hero of Daggerfell, and Seridwe was his companion. That is why his entire life got erased by the Numidium's warping of reality, and Seridwe only lost the actual events which she participated in. I wanted to be subtle about it, and I am glad so many people picked up on that.

You also called it with Aela's feelings about being put on a pedestal. She just wants to be treated like any other woman. She just wants to be any other woman! Next week's episode will be all about her and Seridwe.


Acadian: Valens definitely has discipline, but not marital experience. Sorry, could not resist. Have you ever noticed how similar martial and marital are in spelling? Perhaps that is not an accident... Interesting that you mention Nashira, as we will be meeting her again this episode. The same with another character.


ghastley: Valens' doom waits for him to the east, and part of him knows it. Exactly what that doom is remains unclear, but you are right in suspecting that is has everything to do with Azura. It is hinted at in Chapter 36.2 - The Witch Of Bawnwatch Island


McBadgere: I spent a lot of time working on each character, and their 'art direction' if you can call it that. I wanted them all to stand out as unique. For example with Do'Sakhar I went digging through the lore about Khajiit to find that they have a traditional lamellar armor. So I rolled with that and decided to use an early Japanese form of armor. A new character being introduced this episode has a shield that is inspired by the Thracians, both in its crescent design, and its decoration.

I sort of had to go with Bravil, in order to fit Aela and Ungarion into the tale. Aela likes the area around Bravil, so they spend a lot of time there now that they have graduated.

Nashira is based upon Kyūzō from Seven Samurai, who was James Coburn in the Mag Seven. There is one other character being introduced today who is also a direct inspiration from both films (and it should be obvious who). But the others are all original. They had to be in order to mesh with the people that Aela used to adventure with in the past (that is the past from the perspective of the TF - when Teresa met Aela at Bawnwatch Island


King Coin: Interesting you mention that quote, because Aela will say something very similar to Valens in a future episode.

Kerr Cuhulain once wrote that "Soldier's March, Warriors Dance." I think that really sums up the difference between the two.


Previously on Seven: In our last episode Seridwe introduced Aela and Ungarion to her partner Valens, who is also the bearer of Azura's Star. A&U learned that while Seri cannot recall any of the events leading up to the Warp In The West, Valens cannot remember any of his life before the world-changing event. This led both to suspect that Seridwe and Valens were an active part of the Warp, perhaps even its cause. Valens initially turned down the quest to help the Agrigentans. Then when he learned that it was to the east, he changed his mind.


Chapter 1.6

The foursome was making their way back through the darkened streets of Bravil when an Argonian stepped out of the shadows along their path and blocked their way. A pair of straight horns pointed back from his head, which was crowned by a row of rust-colored feathers. He was dressed in little more than a loincloth and a belt. In one hand he clutched a long spear with a leaf-shaped head of steel. In the other hand he held a crescent-shaped shield of wood that was painted yellow, and emblazoned with a pair of large crimson eyes drawn at a slant.

Screenshot

"It is said that these ones are seeking warriors," the Argonian declared. "Talun-Lei shall join them."

Like the others, Aela studied the Argonian. The flickering light of the street lamps glistened off his lustrous green scales, a sure sign of youth in one of his race. While his face seemed set in stone, his tail twitched, revealing his nervousness to all with an eye to see. His gear, or lack of it, again spoke of his inexperience. But most of all his eyes lacked that flinty edge that one got after having killed other sentients. Not from the first time, but the time after that, when you did it again even though you knew what it meant, and part of your heart went cold.

"You don't have what it takes boy," Valens said what Aela knew they all were thinking. "Go home, and live to see your scales fade."

"This one is a warrior," the Argonian insisted. "Talun-Lei may not have fancy armor or magics, but he is strong, and he can fight."

"What do you know about fighting?" Valens growled. He stepped forward, and grabbed the spear from the youth's hand. "We aren't spearing fish boy, or hunting razorbacks. We're killing people. People you have to look in the eye as their life drains out of them, as they scream, and cry, and beg for their lives. Can you do that son?"

"Talun-Lei is ready," the Argonian declared. The feathers on his head rose up, and his tail began to sway behind him.

"Then show me kid." Valens slapped the spear into the Argonian's chest, and the youth took hold of it with his right hand again. "Come on, stab me with that fish-sticker."

Aela felt sorry for the Argonian. He was clearly out of his depth. She hoped that he would just walk away, and spare himself the coming humiliation. But given his youth, she doubted that would happen.

Talun-Lei's eyes flickered from Valens to her, Seridwe, and Ungarion.

They all stepped back to give the pair room. "Don't hold back Argonian," Seridwe cautioned. "Give it all you have. Kill him if you can."

The Argonian stabbed with the lightning quickness of his race. But Valens appeared to have seen it coming. Aela only knew a little of sword-fighting, and far less of spear-fighting, so she could not tell what the name of the move was the Nibenean used to disarm the youth. All she did know was that an instant later Valens had the spear in his hand, and was whacking its wooden butt against the side of the Argonian's head.

Talun-Lei fell to one knee under the blow. But he did raise his shield over his head to ward off more attacks. Valens did not follow up his assault however. Instead he simply threw the spear down upon the cobblestones at the Argonian's feet.

"Go home son," he said quietly. Without another word, he walked on down the street. Ungarion opened his mouth to say something. Then he shook his head and walked on as well. So too did Seridwe.

Aela stared the young Argonian, and debated whether or not she should try to heal the bump she could already see forming upon his head. She could not help but to feel sympathy for him. She knew all too well what it felt like to be humiliated before a crowd. But she could appreciate that Valens had not been motivated by cruelty. Of course, whether or not Talun-Lei would understand the lesson the Nibenean had so painfully tried to impart was another matter.

Aela decided not to heal him. All actions came with consequences, sometimes painful ones. Talun-Lei would have to endure them all. It might even help him decide his future.

* * *

The next morning found the five mercenaries gathered at Bravil's inner docks, along with the four Agrigentans. The adventurers all wore their armor and weapons. Seridwe was clad in her elvish panoply, and carried her bow and sword. Do'Sakhar wore his own people's black lacquered lamellar, and carried his sandcrawler bone bow and dwarven axe. Ungarion practically strutted in his black silk robes and carried his black staff Andlome, or 'Long Night' in the human tongue. She herself wore her brown adventuring clothing, and carried her white staff - Hrive Amaurea - or 'Winter's Dawn' - in one hand.

Aela noted that Valens was now clad in armor: a gleaming hauberk of ebony links, covered by a breastplate and pauldrons of similar material. Vambraces of ebony covered his forearms, as did one piece greaves that were snapped into place over his lower legs, running from ankle to knee. While the power that Azura's Star resonated with made it difficult to tell for certain, she could feel no magic from the armor. Though given its material, it hardly needed enchantment. However, she could now discern that his swords were named Silme and Isilme, or 'Starlight' and 'Moonlight' in the Imperial language. Their enchantments eluded her however. Azura's Star simply overwhelmed everything else around it, like staring into a campfire made one night-blind.

Aela was surprised to see another figure waiting at the docks for them. It was Nashira, clad in her red and brown Hammerfell attire. Aela could now sense the protective enchantments upon the mail shirt she wore under her jacket, as well as those upon her boots and gloves. Her ice-ensorcelled scimitar was at her hip, and a backpack was slung over the Redguard's shoulders.

"I thought you were not coming?" Ungarion said what Aela imagined everyone else was thinking.

"The man I killed yesterday has three brothers," Nashira said matter-of-factly. "If I remain, they will come for me. Then I will have to kill them as well. So I will go with you instead."

Ungarion looked back to the others. "That makes six."

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Aug 4 2013, 06:38 PM