The adventures of Arthago chapter III, A Province united Options

[Agent Griff]

So let's kick this chapter off shall we? A small bit of info at what's to come further in the series: At the end of this chapter, Arthago will move to a whole new province and I think many of you already know which province it is. Anyway, let's enjoy Hammerfell while it lasts shall we?

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After the defeat of Lord Vhosek's rebellion, things went back to normal in all of Hammerfell. Some local kings and rulers however, seeing that Lord Vhosek managed to battle the King and even defeat him, albeit for a short time, started a fight against King Lhotun's rule as well. Since I was one of the highest ranking knights in Sentinel, with the exception of Marshal Daron and a few other senior knights of the order, I was often sent to these small kingdoms to stop the rebellions. The first kingdom to revolt, a few years after Vhosek's uprising, was the small kingdom of Santaki which was close to the Dragontail mountains. I was sent there, together with a few other knights below my rank, to stop the rebellion.

We arrived there after a few days ride. The capital of the small kingdom was the town with the same name, Santaki. The kingdom, albeit small, had its own knightly order, the order of the Hawk. That meant that the Kingdom had some importance in the politics of Hammerfell but it also meant that other smaller kingdoms may gather around Santaki and fight against Sentinel. I never really understood why Redguards or men in general fight eachother if there's no other foe to fight against. Maybe to heighten their skills? No, the answer was quite simple really. For Power. Once a man got ahold of better, he never could really let go of it. The more power you have the more power you crave. King Lhotun obviously had too much power for the regional kingdoms to bear, so they rebelled against him. Quite simple if you look at it from a political point of view.

The capital was a rather big town. It was quite smaller than Sentinel though but bigger than any other town I had seen before. The seal of the order that was etched on my cuirass was concealed by a cloak and so were the seals of the knights under my command. I didn't want someone to see that knights from Sentinel had arrived to settle affairs with Santaki. The palace was not a big or tall building, it was merely three storeys high. I could see an open balcony leading to the throne room at the last floor. There were also knights of the Hawk standing guard near the palace. Even though they came from an issolated kingdom such as Santaki those knights looked fierce.

Once we reached the gate of the palace, a knight stopped us to ask us of our business with their king. I didn't exactly think of an excuse on the way so I had to improvise.
"We come from Sentinel to bring word on King Lhotun's movements." I said in an official tone.

"Sentinel eh? Why do you have to bring the news to the King personally? I thought that sir Greklith was in charge of intelligence." the knight said with a suspicious voice. He was also constantly looking at my knights who were behind me.

"Our duties are to transmit this information to his Majesty personally." I said, trying to keep the lie going. He seemed to believe me.

"Very well then. If the King specificaly required that you meet him I won't interfere. Carry on!" the guard said as he opened the gate. How polite of him! I'm sure that he will be pounding his head after I slay his treacherous king.

A few minutes later we were standing in front of the king of Santaki. He was a man close to old age with a small beard and long, flowing, hair. He looked at me and my men with his brown eyes and asked what my business was in Santaki. He seemed confused and I felt sorry to slay him because he looked like an innocent man.

"What is your business in Santaki, travellers?" the king asked.

"We come from Sentinel with news and counsel." I said, with a soft tone that calmed him down a little.

"Counsel? What counsel? I think I can handle my own kingdom, despite my advancing age." the king said with a hostile voice. Alright so he didn't like advice. It wasn't as if he had much choice when it came to the advice I was about to give him.

"King Lhotun of Sentinel advises you to lay down your outrageous claims and slanders against him. He also advises you that uprisings are very dangerous for men of advanced age such as your fine self." I said in a cold voice.

"Men as myself? King Lhotun now mocks me! I will not lay down my just claims! Hammerfell must be free!" the old king shouted.

"The king of Ephesus had the same opinion regarding the King's counsel. He dissapeared shortly after he made his opinions public and his cousin now peacefuly rules the kingdom. I would not want the same happening to yourself." I said, trying to scare the old king.

"I know why you're here. Lhotun sent his assassins after me. He is a coward not to face me in just battle!" the old king shouted.

"Neither I nor his Majesty see a brave, young King fighting against an old man as a just battle. I think you will agree with our opinions." I said with a sarcastic tone. This man was really pushing my indulgence to the very limit.

"Your king is a filthy coward! And so are his men!" the old man shouted.

Before the old king could say another word he fell down on the floor. His throat was pierced by a small dart. Blood started flowing shortly until it reached our feet. Our job was done! Slaying old men with darts really wasn't my style but at least it payed well, well enough to manage the estate that Lord Vhosek left me. Before the guards could react we were already outside the palace and into the crowded streets of the city.

Once we reached the gatehouse, one of the knights under my command entered as the others, myself included, exited the city. Shortly after, the guard inside the gathehouse fell out of a small window. The knight inside had done his job well. He was more lightly armoured than the rest of us and he was adept in sneaking around and stabbing people when they weren't looking. He then fired a flaming arrow into the sky. The army waiting for us outside soon stormed the town with the gates open. The town guards and even the knights of the Hawk surrendered once they saw what was pouring through their open gates. The King would be pleased to hear of my actions, conquering a town without any loses and slaying a king without anyone noticing. Being an assassin though, didn't quite fit me. I lusted for the thrill of battle again. I had not fought anyone since Vhosek's rebellion. I had to return to Sentinel to report my deeds and receive my rewards anyway. I wonder what Marshal Daron has to say? I had not spoken with him since the days of the rebellion and I was anxious to speak with him again.


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That's it for the start of the chapter! I've followed advice and have used spaces between dialogue lines, tell me if you like it how it is now or if you liked it more the way it was before.

[Agent Griff]

I'm glad you all liked this chapter and I'm glad you all liked character development. Well, for your knowledge, the next updates are gonna be full of it. Enjoy!

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I was extremely angry, like I had never been before in my whole life. I felt insulted and ashamed by what the Marshal had said of me. Skooma or no skooma, he did a horrible thing by his own will. Skooma doesn't take you that far as to insult your own friends, or does it? Well, I never took skooma in my whole life. Too degrading for me you see. Still, the only thing I had on my mind in that moment was to chop something apart to vent out the anger. I tried to exit the city before doing this though, I didn't want to hurt anyone. As I quickly made my way across the streets, a Dark Elf bumped into me.

"Watch where you're going, fetcher." the Dark Elf hissed.

"What did you just call me?" I asked as I grasped the hilt of scimitar.

"Fetcher. Leave me alone now you scrib-sucker." the Dark Elf said as he turned around. I don't even know what scrib-sucker means but that was the last straw. He was asking for it.

"Turn around and beg forgivness scum!" I shouted at the Dark Elf.

"To you? Out of my sights, you son of a Hammerfellian..." he couldn't complete his sentence. My scimitar stuck in his neck stopped him mid-sentence.

I quickly sheathed my scimitar and ran to the city gates. Damn! What I loathed just happened. All thanks to the Marshal. On the cover of the setting sun I exited the city. I was now a murderer. Hopefully, no one had seen me do it but hope was a resource that couldn't be relied upon. Once I was out of the city, I didn't quite know where to go. To the sea to drown myself? Perhaps to the Alik'r to starve to death? Or, home? Home, my home. Yes, I would go to Vulnim Gate and revisit the place where I was born. The journey would also help me meditate on what I had done. Yes, to Vulnim Gate then!

Before that though, I needed a way of transportation. Walking on foot wasn't exactly the best way to go. I looked around but there was nothing to be seen. Perhaps I could find something as I walked towards Vulnim? I tried just that. A few days later I discovered that relying on chance wasn't the best way to go. I soon found myself laying on the ground and thinking of what I had done. It was folly to travel so great a distance on foot through that harsh a climate. I desperately needed water and food. I practically set off into the desert with nothing but my scimitar and the clothes on my back. As time passed, I found myself drifting through a state of conciousness and a state of sleep. The latter soon took complete hold of me as the cold desert night made me want to sleep. I slowly felt my lower limbs numbing completely under the cold. I soon felt completely asleep, a slumber of death and cold. At least sleep would ease the latter.

Strangely, I had a dream. I was in front of a ruined city and the sky was blood-red. Behind me were a few soldiers, bearing the head of a black wolf on their tunics. In front of me was a strange gate made of black marble. The gate was a blood-red portal, but to what? I shouted at the soldier but they stood still. I tried walking away but as soon as I passed the soldier I hit some kind of barrier that sent m straight back to where I found myself in the first place. Since there was no other place to go, I decided to enter the portal. As soon as I entered I could feel the light of day opening my eyes. Before I could wake up, a horned figure appeared in front of me. He started whispering some words which I could hear with an eerie clearness:

"You cannot die here manling. Fate has another destiny in store for you. Wake up. Wake up and see to your destiny. Do not let others cloud you for you will be greater than them. Greater than all! Wake up!"

As soon as the voice spoke its last word I woke up on a bedroll. I was in a tent and the light of day entered the tent through a hole in the canvass. Someone soon came in. He was a Redguard but he was old. He was also dressed in tattered white robes, the sign that he was a dune-dweller.

"Ah, the outsider has awakened. What is your name outsider?" the old man asked.

"Arthago. Where am I?" I asked in a confused voice.

"You are at our camp. Two hunters found you unconcious in the desert as they were returning from their hunt. You were quite lucky outsider. Come, I have prepared you a meal." the old man said as he left the tent.

"Wait! Who are you?" I asked as I got up.

"I am Khalev, elder of the clan. Come, get on your feet and walk. I assure you that the meal is very good." Khalev said as he bobbed his head back into the tent.

I did as he said and got up. Outside my tent were another 20 or so tents, some bigger than the others. For some reason all the people were outside and gathered around a ring of some sort. At the middle of the ring, two people were fighting. Khalev showed me to my meal. It was on a large table that had 12 chairs to each side of it. I sat down and looked at my meal. It was some sort of meat drenched in a red sauce. I was kind of squeamish.

"Eat it. It's very good." Khalev said as he encouraged me.

"Um, I will but why are those two men fighting eachother?" I inquired.

"You have arrived during the Festival of Blades. Our people are celebrating the victory of the first Redguards against the giant goblins, when our people first came on these shores. It is a fine festival and everyone enjoys it. The two men that are fighting are the two hunters that rescued you, they are re-enacting Frandar Hunding's first battle against one of the savage goblins. The one wearing the tunic is Frandar Hunding and the one covered in sand and wielding a club is the goblin." Khalev said as he explained the festival.

"It sounds very interesting. What did you say this meal was made off?" I asked, changing the subject to the food.

"The meat is Wharbuck beef and the red sauce around it is boiled Wharbuck blood. It's very good and it is also very refreshing." Khalev said.

"Um, no thanks, I'm not very hungry. Maybe some other time. Let's go watch the festival shall we? I'm keen on seeing who wins." I suggested, changing the topic once more.

"Be it as you wish. You can even participate in the festival if you wish." Khalev suggested as we walked to the sand ring.

"Me? But I'm not of your tribe." I said.

"You don't have to be. You can participate in the bigger re-enactment that takes place later this day. The men of the tribe will re-enact the first great battle against the goblins. If you are good with the blade you can come." Khalev said.

"The blade as in the real blade? Aren't these thing done with wooden swords only? Can't people get hurt while fighting with real blades?" I asked in a fearful voice.

"That is another of the festival's purposes, to demonstrate one's skill with the blade. If you aren't good enough, just watch with the women and children. If you think yourself a skilled warrior, then participate. This festival is as much a demonstration of skill as it is a festival that commemorates the victory against the goblins." Khalev said in a serious tone.

"I understand. Perhaps I will participate later this day in the bigger re-enactment." I said in an understanding tone.

"There are smaller re-enactments leading up to the bigger one so if you'd like to see how the battles are like you can participate in these smaller battles. You'd have to be a goblin though, only members of the tribe can participate as Redguards." Khalev said.

"I will gladly be a goblin, it's not a problem. So, when will these smaller battles you speak off start?" I asked in a curious voice.

"Hmm, it seems this one has ended. You can go in there right now." Khalev said as he looked on to the sand arena.

"Right now? Isn't it a little too soon?" I asked.

"If you have skill it's never too soon. Get some sand on you and get in there." Khalev said as he made a sign towards the sand with his hands.

"Alright, just let me get my scimitar." I said as I made my way to the tent in which I woke up.

"THE OUTSIDER IS PARTICIPATING!!!" Khalev shouted as I found my sword.

I then made my way to the sand arena, ready to fight as a goblin against one of the dune-dwellers. I had heard that these men were masters of the blade. I was ready to put this knowledge to the test...

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That's it for this update that strangely derived into a tribal adventure. I think you know this already but I've said that I write as I think so this update really took a strange turn. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it.