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]

It has been how long? Agh, several excuses and none of them hold any water.

Anyhow, I still don't know how I want to do Kvatch. So I figured I'd just bite the bullet and throw everyone towards the climax. The current update is also a long one because I figured that hey, both parts separately were rather short and I really want to get this done and over with.

First bit is Camorans, the second is Sorian. (Maorlatta is supposed to be the main character of her crew, but she's gonna hide in a tent while Sorian and co get to go to the scenic spots.) Anyhow, without further ado.



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Chapter 10.8 Mythic Dawn hideout


"Come to my temple and I shall judge your worth." Dagon's voice echoed through the underground shrine, making the bones of the listeners tremble. There were but two present at the moment. Mankar Camoran and his son, Raven.
"This affects us all, Lord Dagon. If we are to serve you we must be allowed to act now, not waste time with a challenge whose outcome is already set." The elder of the two Altmer, his arms raised, said to the monstrous statue. Again the Daedric Lord's voice shook the chamber.
"One boon, one Trial. Those are the rules, Camoran."


The ceremony to summon the Daedric Prince of destruction had taken hours. Hours of casting spells, chanting prayers and bloody sacrifice. In contrast, their actual negotiations had only taken a few minutes. A few minutes of explanation followed by a clear answer. No. It angered Raven that after all their efforts the Daedra wouldn't even give them the light of day. But there was nothing to do about it. When a Daedra said no, it was final. Especially with one as fickle and enamored with random murder as Mehrunes Dagon.


Mankar lowered his arms and turned away.
"So be it. One of my chosing shall come shortly and face the trial you have prepared." He said and motioned to Raven to follow him as the Mythic Dawn's prophet returned to the safety of Raven's office. There the mer sat down in the chair and placed the milk-coloured coffer on the desk before him.
"For the personifications of change, Daedra are infuriatingly inflexible about their rules." Raven grumbled as soon as he'd closed the door and checked the protective wards that kept anyone from eavesdropping. His father simply shrugged.
"A nuisance, but not outside our expectations. I can trust my Hand to see to this simple test?" He replied.


Raven shot the Altmer a sharp glance. Was that mockery he heard in his words? No, it couldn't be. But the failure still weighed heavily on Raven's mind and he found it hard to think about anything else.
"A test from Dagon. It will involve destruction. And killing. In great measures." He told himself and set himself to think about what was required for the Daedra's trial. Weapons and armor foremost. While he, like his father and sister, considered such to be the tools of lesser people, he was not above using a blade if he had to. Or hide behind a shield.


But where was he going to get any of it? They'd once had enough to outfit an army. Real weapons and real armour that had carefully been gathered over the decades, not the magical duplications that could fade at the most inoportune moment. But what wasn't still with their strike teams scattered across the province had been lost at the capital. When Harrow goaded the fools into the undercity where they drowned.
"Harrow has a sword. That ebony blade from Vvardenfell." Raven remembered and a cruel smile tugged at his lips. The traitorous Dunmer didn't deserve such a fine weapon. But one sword was only the beginning.
"I need arms and armour, father. Of high quality."



If there was anyone who knew the price of quality, whether it came in the form of a sharp blade or a well-placed bribe, it was Mankar Camoran. He didn't argue though, not this time. His hands lifted the lid of the box in front of him. He then took out a single coin and flicked it through the air at his son.
"We now possess literally limitless funds. Buy what you must but be quick about it." He said and picked up a second coin which he turned over in his hand.
"We could play the long game. Go underground and wait for a better time." Mankar murmured softly. The words however, struck Raven like a hammer.
"You wish to throw away what we have and lay low?!"


Still looking at the coin, Mankar chuckled and replied, "Is that impatience I hear?"
"It is not." Raven bristled at the accusation. "I can wait however long we need. From days to centuries. But after all the effort we put into the Dawn, it would be a waste to just throw it all away without expending it to the utmost. Besides, right now we have Uriel Septim bottled up. If we vanish, he can come out and appoint an heir. He could singlehandedly prevent everything we've planned."


It wasn't as easy as his words might suggest. While the Mythic Dawn had failed to kill the emperor himself, the assassination of his children had been an overwelming success. As it stood, the Septim dynasty was poised to end with the death of the current emperor. That was something which wasn't far off even without the Camoran's plot on his life. Uriel Septim had been on and off his deathbed for years now. Come every winter, all the physicians would declare, with the appropriate sorrow and graveness, that the emperor of Tamriel would almost certainly pass away into the embrace of the Divines this year. And come every spring, the old man had shattered their predictions. But how long would his luck and near inhuman will to live continue? Not long according to both Camorans. Especially now that Uriel had been driven from the comforts of his palace in temperate Cyrodiil, to the belly of a gletsjer where Northern Skyrim would seem like a blazing oven.


When he passed, there would be no one to take the throne and Uriel would be hard-pressed to find someone who could take his place to everyone's satisfaction. Oh, there were plenty of claimants, ranging from side-branches of the Septim line to venerable council members such as Ocato to every warlord and wanabe noble with ambition. They would all stake their claim on the various rights of blood and merit. And when diplomacy failed, let their armies do the talking. Before long all of Tamriel would be plunged into an endless war that would shatter everything the empire meant. When the enemies ran out of uniformed men to throw into the grinder, they would turn to any man or woman old enough to hold a weapon. Entire provinces would be depopulated, their rulers lying as carrion for crows in the same fields as the peasants. There would be no time or hands for agriculture, commerce and all the other things that bound Tamriel together. A dark era would follow, an era of warlords clinging to their ruined castles and whatever scraps of land they could hold onto. That was the future of the world as Mankar Camoran had planned it. That was the future that would come inevitably, no matter how many valiant men and women, how many heroes quested to prevent it and restore the peace. That those heroes were likely to clash and undo each other's work towards the common goal was merely a sad irony.


After a moment of silence Mankar returned the coin and closed the lid on the milkywhite box.
"True." Mankar said, "Our opponents are graver than we thought, but we are far from beaten."
He took the priceless artefact from the pillow it rested on and held it out to his son.
"Take the coffer with you Raven, and hide it well. We'll stick to this plan for a while yet but if things keep getting worse for us, I want it safe. Far away from Harrow or this Dreth of yours."


Raven turned to leave with the coffer. But the moment he made a single step towards the door he froze. No matter how much he struggled, the Altmer couldn't move and his eyes widened at the familiar greenish glow that shimmered on the walls. His father walked around him in a circle and studied his reaction. Then he lifted the spell he'd cast.
"As I thought." He said and waved aside all the questions that burned on the younger Camoran's tongue.
"Later. I'd rather not have to explain twice. Go do Dagon's chore, my son. I will fetch Ruma before she can come to harm."


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Kvatch, Sorian


No one volunteered.


Go in, grab the thingie, find Kvatch. That was the plan the treehugger had come up with. As far as plans went, it was rather dumb. But then again, what did a tavern owner know about battles? Baurus, Hieronymous Lex and some other men worked out a better one. But it wasn't that much better. At least it was simple to remember.


The soldiers would go in first and make as much noise as possible before falling back to the gap in the wall. The place was a perfect spot to hold. A corridor with right angle turns and Stone-Breaker thought they could block it off quickly with a barricade made from his troops' shields. There would be just enough room for the people behind it to poke at any enemies with spears. A hundred warriors against an endless horde of monsters. And that was supposed to be the easy part. It was what they were trained for, what they understood. Just that their foes were Daedra instead of other soldiers didn't change it, just made it harder. Which was probably why no one volunteered for the real fight.


While the bait was trying its best not to get eaten, a second party would go over the walls in a different spot and enter Kvatch itself. What came after that we didn't know. Find the thingie, find the princess' master key. Easier said than done considering that we had an entire city full of Daedra to search. While dragging the treehugger along. She was the only one who could recognize the artefact on sight and use it. So not just a walk through an overrun city, but also an escort. No wonder no one volunteered. The soldiers because they were needed at the wall, the mercenaries because they wanted to have a chance to spend their coin. Even Baurus passed on it at first.


"I am sworn to guard you. Were you to walk into Oblivion yourself, I would be one step ahead of you.. If you will not, I cannot go either." He'd said, then launched into how he didn't want her to go. She'd cut him off before he could finish one more sentence.
"Baurus, this isn't about me. This is about protecting all of Mundus. If I thought I would be of any help going in there myself, I'd drug myself with whatever I needed to stop thinking about my own safety and jump in. And that's why I want you to forget about that oath. Honour isn't worth the breath of its declaration if there is no one alive to hear it. I'm going to save everyone my way. Every single one of them. You can't help me with that."
They'd argued over it till late in the night but in the end it hadn't been a contest. One was taught to fight with swords, the other with words. By morning, I expected he would be the first to show up at the breach with half an armoury hanging off him.




I volunteered. A city under siege by monsters from another world? An Ansei wouldn't hesitate twice and more importantly, I was not going to let Baurus upstage me. The fact that the princess had insisted on sending him because he was good at it, yet refused me the same glory, stung.
"Do I have to bring up the zombie? Again?" Maorlatta had snapped at me when I told her of my plans.
"You just did. And I don't care. You need people for your crazy scheme and I don't exactly see them lining up outside." I'd said back at her.
"There isn't enough coin in the world to convince even one mercenary and the soldiers hide behind their rules and orders. You need people and you're not getting them!"
" You're too greedy , Sorian. It's suicide.."
"And that right there is why everybody is suddenly so busy!"


I ran out before she could give me second-thoughts.



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I walked around camp for a while, looking around and making idle talk with a few soldiers who let me join them at their fire. They weren't happy, but then nobody was. Not that it was all bad. There were lights in the west, which promised reinforcements from Anvil soon. And we had our own messengers racing to Skingrad for more troops and whatnot right that moment. So even if we were to fail tomorrow, at least the survivors would be able to get some solid aid.


When morning drew near I climbed the road to the front gates. I still didn't want to give the Maormer another chance to tell me how stupid I was for going and figured that I should be safe if I went up early. Because there was no way she would go anywhere near the city. Not after telling everyone how dangerous it was. At least that was what I thought. It turned out that she had gone up even before I did. Now Maorlatta and a bunch of other healers were setting up a tent with beds and tables and all the other tools of their trade. Baurus was not going to like this. She came running the moment she saw me and asked a very predictable question.
"You're still going?"


What was I supposed to say? Yes? She would just complain again. But after a moment of awkward silence she shoved her shoulderbag into my hands and went back to the tent without another word. I saw Baurus sitting on a stone near the gate and walked over to join him. He was sharpening a sword. A thin curved one, not one of his own straight ones. The treehugger and her daughter were with them. She was making up a story about the blade, how it had been hidden inside a wall of her home by a big green Orc. I hoped she wasn't going to drag the little girl along.


"So, this is it? Just us two?" I said once I got near. The elf didn't count.
"Three." Someone said behind me. It was the gateguard I'd seen talking with Lex and Stone-Breaker the day before. Mathius.
"I'm coming with you." He continued. The man was filthy, eyes red and baggy. His shoulders drooped and his hands shook.
"I think not. You can hardly stand." I replied. Before I could react the man snatched the bag out of my hands and took a vial out of it which he chugged down.
"I am a guardsman of Kvatch. For centuries we have defended her walls and I will not permit anyone to say that the wolves abandoned her in her hour of need while outsiders fought and died for her sake."


How had he known the princess' bag held potions? He must have seen her fill it. But wouldn't she need it herself? I looked to Baurus for advice but the Redguard only looked at the sword in his hands.
"You will follow my orders without questioning. We are not here for honour or glory. We are here because we are needed." He said and stood up.
"The troops are getting ready. We should get into position ourselves."