Killing in the Emperor's Name, A collection: An argonian assassin's world Options

[canis216]

Here you, the reader, will find works associated with Always-He-Lingers-in-the-Sun's life and work all together. His future stories will be found here, primarily. I think it's appropriate, as his tales have taken on a more serialized form--if not strictly so. I still intend to experiment with different perspectives and styles within his general narrative, so don't expect every installment to flow perfectly into the next--that isn't what I'm going for. I'd like to think that I'm using Always-He-Lingers-in-the-Sun's stories as a medium--evocation of the rough existence that is life on Vvardenfell.

[canis216]

An Obsession- Part One

“Where did you get that?” The argonian, arrayed in netch leather armor, asked his compatriot. The other, a slightly taller person-of-the-root wearing chitin, glanced down to the dagger in his grasp.

“It’s a souvenir from Shadowscale training, Nine-Toes. Do me a favor and don’t tell anyone about it.”

“I see. Does this mean I can have that ebony blade of yours, Heik-Auri?”

Heik-Auri laughed. “No, clanbrother, I’ll be keeping that one. I intend to use both.”

“Yes, we’ll be needing your blades, friend. The time is nearing.”

“So Gei-Tekri means to go through with the plan?”

Nine-Toes grinned ruefully. “Yes, he does. It’s been his dream—his obsession really. It’s only gotten worse since you’ve been gone. This last raiding season was devastating. Whole families were lost. Some of our own band were taken. We’ve been trying to recruit more fighters, but times are difficult.”

“Do you think raiding Tear will help? We stand to lose a lot if it fails.”

“Either way, I think the situation is untenable. I’m not sure that it is the best approach, but I know that we cannot just sit and wait for them to come to us.”

Heik-Auri held his new blade before himself, rotating it, checking the balance absentmindedly. “No, no we can’t. Tell Gei-Tekri that my blades have returned to seek their vengeance upon the Dres.”

----------------------------------------------------

The encampment, buried deep in the swamp north of Chasecreek, was not more than a scattering of moldy shacks, mud-brick huts, and yurts loosely arranged around a central firepit. The main building, if you could call it that, sat between the two old hist trees which gave the encampment its shelter. A smattering of argonians solemnly wove their way between the shacks and tents, looking to fix their arms or armor or just for a good nourishing meal; whatever was needed to sustain their meager fighting force. Nine-Toes and Heik-Auri emerged from a yurt on the outskirts of camp, discussing the campaign to come.

“It’s the biggest slaveyard in Morrowind” Nine-Toes explained, “so we have a bit of a force problem. We thought about hiring on some mercenaries to augment our forces, but they’re untrustworthy and we really can’t spare the gold anyway. We’re going to recruit best as we can internally and arm ourselves with whatever we can get. You’ll probably have the finest weaponry in the entire raiding party.”

Heik-Auri nodded, “ My blades are good, that’s for sure, but I’d like to upgrade my bow. I think the wood is getting a little moldy and brittle.” He held up a bow hewn from the wood of the hist tree.

“You should have taken better care of it, friend. That bow was your father’s after all.”

“That’s the problem, it’s old. I need something modern, like that crossbow of yours.”

“Ah well, it’s a bit of high maintenance weapon itself. Still, it works well; I picked this steel off the body of a dead legionnaire.”

“A legionnaire?”

“Drowned in a mudslick west of Thorn. I don’t know how it happened, and I don’t really want to know. Took me long enough to get the mud out of the trigger.”

They reached the main building, a low log structure chinked with mud, peat, and whatever else was available, just as a stocky gold-skinned argonian in chainmail stepped out.

“Good morning, Gei-Tekri. How can we serve?” The two younger hist-men bowed their heads.

“I am glad that you are here, Nine-Toes and Heik-Auri, for we are to discuss our final plan of attack this night. You will both be needed, and badly.” He paused, in thought. “Tell me, Heik-Auri. How was Shadowscale training? Might we receive more aid?”

“I regret to inform you that the training did not go as planned, Gei Tekri.” Heik-Auir hung his head. “I think our relations with the Shadowscales may be quite damaged. I am sorry.”

“That is unfortunate. But we haven’t time for regrets or recriminations. We will speak of this again at a more appropriate hour. Right now I need you two to be ready to fight, and soon. Tonight, you will see that this is true. Now I must go. We have reinforcements coming from Tenmar Wall and they must be attended to.”

When the battlechief had gone his way, Heik-Auri turned to his friend and clanbrother. “Tenmar Wall? Just how big a force are we putting together?”

“One does not take on the Dres slavers, in Tear, with just raiding party.”

This post has been edited by canis216: Jan 28 2007, 08:57 AM