The Story Of Hajima The Nin Ronin, this is kinda long and addictive maybe.. Options

[jchamber]

I got inspiration from you guys, so thanks. Well here it is. Lemme know whatcha think.

(edited for fluidity, immersion, detail, and character touch up)

Chapter one- the begining
Part One
The Uncertainty

"Owww, my head..... dear Mephala!! What hit me?" I found myself with my face buried in a pillow on a hammock and my head was splitting in two. I can't remember what happened that was making my head hurt so bad or why I am lying down but I did know I wanted the pain to stop.

"Quiet, or the guard will hear you, he can be a mean sort." Said a gruff, deep voice. I turned my head to get a veiw of the guy and as I did so realized that I was on a boat, and that I didn't have a sea stomach as nausea overtook me and spilled my previous meal, which seemed to contain little more than a thin soup that I can't remember eating.

"Hey! Watch it!!" said the gruff voice that was now connected to a muscular dark elf with an ear ring, and scar on the right side of his face that took one eye out. He was wearing nothing but a pair of worn out, undyed, perhaps too used... pair of trousers on.

"Sorry 'bout that, I didn't see you were standing so close, good thing you were a little behind me."

"Yea good for yout health too, how are you besides being seasick?"

"My head is feels like it's going to explode, Several parts of my body feel like they have been wounded, I am still tired, and I haven't the strength to turn over to look at my body to see how bad the damage is."

"Well don't worry you'll be fine, gave that guard a mighty good fight though."

"What? Why is there a guard and just how hard did he hit me on the head, I don't even remember getting on this boat, or why I would be on one.. And why did I fight..."

"Slow down there," the man interrupted. "You are on a boat because that is where the guard put ya, the guard is here because I am a murderer and you have undoubtedly been found guilty of something...not that I am saying you did it, ... whatever it was. When the guard brought you to this boat I am guessing you knew you would get seasick or just wanted to escape and you just about did seeing as it took five guards to help the one you gave a thrashing to bring you down. I didn't see it but I heard it, and about it in good detail. I hear one had a hammer and got the back of your head when the other four were trying to get close enough to you, without getting hurt, to grapple you. I heard alot of scolding afterwards, seemed you were not supposed to be hurt getting on, that guard probably got his status revoked. As for this trip I am guessing we are about halfway there and I would suggest you go to sleep if you can't even turn over. By the way I am Jiub, we can will talk later, when you wake up, for now just rest."

And so I allowed myself to stop fighting the weary weakness that poisoned my mind and muscles and just let go...and soon I was standing in a windy foreign terrain. I had never seen anything like it before, the dirt was red and being picked up in the air, there was also another kind of dirt that seemed to be falling from the sky like a very light sprinkle in the storm of red. Before I could gather any more information about the place I heard a voice in my head of a soft but somewhat resounding tone, "They have taken you from the Imperial city's prison, first by carridge and now by boat. To the east... to Morrowind, fear not for I am watching. You have been chosen"

My shoulder was shaking, I began to wake up...to that gruff voice of Jiub's "Wake up, we're here. Why are you shaking? are you ok? Wake up. Stand up,... there you go. You were dreaming. What's your name? Forgot to ask before you passed out again.

"Owwwwww, I am still really sore, so take it easy on the sholder. Um, gimme a minute I just had a really weird dream.....Um .....BAH why can't I remember....I am sorry I can't remember my name right now, so just call me whatever you want."

"I think you seem like a Ganthar"

"That sounds bad lets go with Hanthimar instead."

"What do I care, it's your name."

"Fine then until I can remember my name we agree on Hanthimar"

"Ok, well, Hanthimar not even last night's storm could wake you, I heard them say we've reached Morrowind. I'm sure they'll let us go!" Jiub said hopefully. "Quiet, here comes the guard."

I could see him coming down the steps at the other end of the lower level of the boat, he looked very serious, but almost comical in that he only had one bracer on and one bracer off. His clothes were dark, but his boots and overvest were lighter. They might provide a little bit of protection...why am I thinking like that, I don't want to hurt the person who might let me go....now he was upon me and began to speak in a light, but very official, voice, "This is where you get off, come with me." I now noticed that the Imperial had some facial hair and was begining to bald, but that was at this point irrelivent. I was more worried about how I couldn't remember my own name. As the guard walked away I was caught up in my own thoughts, trying to remember something. The guard stopped and looked back threateningly.

"You better do what they say," said Jiub. So I got over my daze and followed the guard. When I got to the door in the floor of the top level a woman behind the stairs said, "The sooner you leave, the sooner we can move on." She was a ....well no better than a female dog let's say....That thought was interrupted by the gaurd from below that was escorting me,

"Get yourself up on deck and let's keep that as civil as possible." I paused for a moment to hate the woman, and the male guard gave me a small light push with a, "On deck now, prisoner" So I headed on up the stairs in front of me. I never could have guessed what I was to find at the top.

This post has been edited by jchamber: Feb 15 2006, 06:37 AM

[jchamber]

Took an extra day to edit everything just a little bit so that things move smoother, I made some changes to the first two posts so if you read them b4 this was posted you might wanna glance over it again.

Chapter one- the begining
Part 3
Initial Arrangements and Exposure.


So I had gotten off to a rough start with the guards in the excise office but I now started off as a free man, with some instructions on paper from the "Personal Secretary to the Emperor" which really means that it's from the Septim himself somewhere along the line. So I guess I had better do what I am told for now since I have nothing better to do and only 87 septims release fee as pocket jingle. I decided to learn about this new place that I was in, I had even forgotten to ask what the name of the village was. So as I walked out of the office I looked around to see who I might be able to ask about the area. The first person I saw was a scrawny wood elf, he seemed like a person who would be quick to help another...especially if some persuation were used. As I started to walk up he not only noticed me but ran up to me with his eyes darting back and forth...he seemed outright terrified that something was watching him or going to jump out of nowhere and get'em, "Have-you-seen-a-ring-with-an-inlaid-green-stone-cut-witha-rectangle-flat-top? They-stole-it-again-I-have-some-friends-I-can-have-make-it-worth-your-while-to-give-it-to-me-or-find-it-if-you-don't-have-it-I-can-" Holy mushrooms this guy was talking fast and at the rate he was going to pass out if he didn't take a breath.

"Shhh ok, ok chill out and slow down. First off I want to know all about this place, but I don't have anything in the way of rings, maybe we can work something out, now who stole your ring."

"Will-I-get-it-back? Itsa-family-heirloom-and-I-can't-lose-it, damn those guards, When-I-get-my-ring-back-I-am-going-to-move-and-and-and"

"HEY! Chill out the guards took your ring? Where might they leave things they don't want found?"

"*inhale....Exhale* ummmmm wweeeeellllllll...maybe they would put it where they could keep an eye on it, but not in their pockets. The first time they took it one got caught by the local tax collector and he got the guy kicked out of the legion. So it will probably be hidden in a public spot where any thief could have dropped it so it wouldn't be traced back to them in a proof sense. So that is where to start..anywhere you can go."

"You still haven't told me about this town. What's here? Who are the big names? Where do I go to get food and a bed?"

"Ok, not much here but my friend Arrille will put you up for free as long as you're helping me out by being here. You can get some food and drink in the upstairs part of his building. Elone is the barkeep, she is a very good listener and is seeing if she hears anything about the ring from drunken guards. The new tax collector will be a big nameas soon as he arrives. Two guys you already met, Sellus and Mr. Ergalla, are the ranking officers here in Seyda Neen. Anything else you want to know?"

"Yea, why don't you know who took your ring in the first place...that would make this a whole lot simpler, not to mention quick."

"Well this is the sixth time they have stolen it. The first time I knew who it was because he just brutily took it from me and laughed at my inability to take it back, which is why I was able to get him sent home, because the guy had it in his pocket. The second time they picked my house doot open when I was gathering seawater and the local mushrooms for a stew, Elone found out it was on my roof, not the easiest place to get it back from since my roof can't hold a persons weight. Third time they took it they somehow pickpocketed it from me, found it in some swamp water in the forest, how lucky I was to fall down the hill that day. Fourth time they got it when I had too much to drink and had passed out while walking from Arrille's back to my house, but they did put me in front of my house. Fifth time they got it from my pants while I was taking a bath in the stream, they left in is a barrel between the two census buildings then and a nice man who, not unlike yourself got off an Imperial Guard Ship from a Cyrodiil prison. I decided to hide it in a nearby tree stump that time but they must have found it because it isn't there anymore and I didn't remove it and I haven't been drinking so I would remember if I had."

"Wow, I can see why you wanna move. The guards here seem to do less guarding and more than their share of theft, dishonorable layabouts....I might have to do more than find your ring before I am satisfied with this situation, and as long as I am involved this is going to be done in my way." Not that I knew what my way was, but it sounded good and I didn't intend to let someone who couldn't hold onto a silly ring tell me how to do anything. "Now let's talk about what I can get out of this other than a free bed and a cheap supply of food."

"I didn't say anything about foo....oh I will see what I can do about it, I am sure it can be done. Tell ya what if nothing else I will make you some of my famous homemade strew for free. I can also talk to Arrille about giving you a break on anything that he is selling from his weapons and such, might even get him to agree to teach you a spell or two if your interested."

"I don't know that I care to start trying to learn spells, seems like a waste of time when you could just as easy hit someone with a bow before they have time to cast one at you, I am already low on money can you offer me any for this job?"

"Sorry I make almost nothing myself, I give Elone the day off once a week and sell my strew at Arrille's but there just isn't much money in a little port town that doesn't do sea-trade, I heard that Processius, the tax collector, was thinking about changing that so we can get some inflow, not a very popular idea though considering he was dead less than a week afterward. I miss him because he used to make it so that everyone was equal."

"Alright I will take this contract but I am going to work in secret so I can't be seen with you again until I have recovered the ring. When I have the ring I expect you to be ready to leave town because you don't wanna be here at the rate things seemed to be going, also make sure that your friends don't let anyone know that they are familiar with me."

"So you don't want the cut on prices? That's strang-"

"Yes I want the cut, but just have them give the money that is the difference to you and I will get it from you right before you leave, consider that your guarantee that I will not leave until I have done this. On my honor you can believe I will hold up my end of the bargain, now go talk to the others in private."

With that I began to head off on a self guided tour of the town. There were only about ten buildings total so it was quick with alot of grunted "how do ya do, outlander." It was more of a statement than a question, which means they saw me I had been seen, but they didn't really wanna talk. That was fine by me. The guards however had more of a nosy manner about them, they seemed like they just wanted me to move on and would interrigate me should any trouble arise. Unfortunately for them, and maybe me, I was intending to start some very soon.