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The Elder Scrolls Forums _ Elder Scrolls Lore _ RP: Playing Houses

Posted by: Loranna Oct 15 2005, 10:33 PM

Hello, and welcome to our Elder Scrolls Role Playing threads, where we adventure and socialize in the vibrant land of Tamriel.

Before we begin, we'd like to clarify a few things:

Newcomers, we ask you to http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=141737&view=findpost&p=2871855 before starting up; everyone will be happier for it Also, read http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=141737 as soon as possible; this will give you an idea of who is in the RP.

This is an 'open roleplay' and everyone is encouraged to join in at any time!

'Open' roleplay does not mean 'unorganized' or 'limitless', however. The events in this story are usually planned, and if something BIG happens, you can be certain that it is the result of much discussion between players, usually in the mIRC chat (#Loranna_RP, Chatspike server). This is not just a bunch of disorganized individuals doing what they think would be fun for their character at the time.

So, while everyone is welcome to join in, they are NOT welcome to jump in and do big, world-changing things without DISCUSSING IT FIRST. Let me be very clear about what cannot be done without permission:

1:
Any action that effects another person's character, for ill or good. Although most people realize they can't harm another person's character without permission, many don't realize that you can't HELP another character without permission, either. Many characters have flaws for a reason. Don't go healing, saving, or otherwise fixing another character without DISCUSSING IT FIRST with the player involved.

2:
Any event that would drastically change things that have been done to the world, whether the change is physical (rebuilding destroyed locations), political (converting a population to a new cause), military (killing off all the badguys) or anything else. Almost every situation, good or bad, that exists in the RP was done for some reason. Don't go changing or fixing things without DISCUSSING IT FIRST with the group.

Everyone who is involved in the RP is welcome in the mIRC chat channel #Loranna_RP, on the Chatspike server. If you have a plot idea then you are encouraged to go there and discuss it. If you cannot get on the channel for some reason, or if the player whos character you would affect with your plan is not there, then PM them using this board's PM function. That's what it's there for.

If you do not have MIRC, you can http://www.chatspike.net/?p=javairc. Enter in a nickname where prompted and hit Submit. You'll be asked if you want to trust the signed applet. Hit Yes, and you'll be in the main chatspike channel. From there, type /join #Loranna_RP

You'll enter our chat channel and we can talk to you.

Not following the above advice will only result in one thing: your post is likely to be completely ignored by everyone as if it did not happen. This is obvously not good for anyone, so please, discuss major events before doing them.

Remember: Secret plans and surprises are seldom fun for anyone else. Before they're revealed they're boring, because nobody knows about them, and afterwards they're just annoying, because nobody knew about them.
Thank you, and have fun!

===

Summary for Loranna: Loranna continues to oversee and help with the construction of Ald Raathim, and to set up things which she will find useful in the future.

Posted by: Stargazey Oct 15 2005, 10:37 PM

(OOC:)
Isidor, male Nord, is talking with Kethiah, his lover, in their new tavern, The Nymph and Noggin.

Tyradil and Tilitalia are sleeping.

Tsei, female argonian is planning a trip to Argonia.

Solise, female breton, is in Tear.

Posted by: Nordic_bandit Oct 15 2005, 10:37 PM

Summary: Joshua Fergusson, Knight Errant of Fort Hawkmoth, and Diviner/Shrine Sergeant of the Imperial Cult, lies asleep on his hammock in the small ship that brought him to Ald Raathim, after discussing the rekindling of the Ordinator's with his former Ordinator friend, Kratos. He has asked for some reading material's to help him along.

Posted by: Solin Oct 15 2005, 10:38 PM

Summary:

Solin has left Ald Raathim and has returned to Solunastra after a long absence.

Ciel is at Solunastra attempting to comfort Tris.

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 15 2005, 10:40 PM

ooc summaries:

Allerleirauh is in Wayrest, watching the confusion surrounding the death of Alistaire Gaerington, Tris's father, who suffered heart failure.

Tris is in the Solunastra Guildhouse in Daggerfall, trying to take it all in. His last confrontation with his father wasn't a pleasant one. Goranthir suggested that he go to Wayrest for his father's funeral, but Tris refused, because he's in exile and Queen Elysana would have him arrested.

Mirea is staying with Quill and his circus. It sounds like she intends to stay with him for some time.

Posted by: vaanic~one Oct 15 2005, 10:43 PM

OOC Summary: Vaan is resting in his rented room.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

It was all a bit much to take in now...

Vaan had only told himself recently that his Ordinator days were over...and now....this very day, there was the possibility of them coming back....

Everything felt so different now, the old days could never come back properly, but at least...part of them could....

Vaan sat up and headed downstairs again. He needed to find Necron.

Posted by: Axe the Brave Oct 15 2005, 10:53 PM

Summary: Trason was sleeping steadily before the sound of footsteps had woken him up.

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

The Nymph and Noggin

"Oh... Im up early today... Strange..." Trason said to himself followed by a large yawn.

He stood up and put on his clothes he wore yesterday. If he was going to keep a room here, he needed to grab his supplies. First he needed to find Kethiah or Isidor to see if it was alright if he took one of the fifteen rooms for himself.

He walked downstairs into the tavern to see what was going on. Isidor and Kethiah were sitting at one of the tables having a discussion over a cup of tea. Trason gave them a sign of acknowledgement and headed towards the windows.

He pulled the curtains open and shielded his eyes as the bright warm light flowed through the window.

"G'Morning guys... Up for some breakfast?" Trason asked politely.

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 15 2005, 11:02 PM

Solunastra, Daggerfall: Tris

Tris found himself feeling a new kinship with Lelia, the recently deceased Countess of Ivytyde. He had shamed the girl, at the Biennie wedding, for being at a party on the day after her mother's 'suicide'. The gods were surely laughing at him now.

He was surrounded by patient loving kindness, and he was going out of his mind.

He wanted more than anything to run away to Barenziah, who surely couldn't have heard yet, and make violent love to her. Failing that, he wanted to go shopping. What he didn't want to do was sit around thinking about his father. And if Goranthir didn't stop suggesting that he should go to the funeral, he would kill him.

Finally Tris made his escape by claiming he needed time alone. In his bedroom he tried to read a novel, but the words wouldn't stay in his mind long enough to make sense. None of the other things that could be done alone, and quietly, appealed to him either. He decided he had better say his prayers, and try to get some sleep.

He needed to go to confession, that was what he needed. He had all but thrown himself into the arms of Sanguine. By all rights, Dibella should be angry with him.

He knelt before the little shrine to Dibella. He should be praying for his father's soul. But that seemed too much like work. Instead, he found himself praying, of all things, for Laurent Lyonswurst.

Well, why not? Laurent had died today, too.

"Goddess," he whispered. "If one person's prayer can aid another, have mercy on him... no one should end in the arms of the Daedra..."

He didn't even know whether it was a legitimate prayer, whether it was wrong even to ask. Could prayers be legal and illegal, like any other act?

Tris opened the gates of the first Dibella, withdrew the second, and chanted the appropriate prayer.

A scene from boyhood swam before his eyes with sudden clarity. He hadn't remembered Laurent particularly, before, but now Tris recalled a time he had arrived early at school, his work unfinished because he had been out drinking the night before. Trying desperately to finish before the others arrived for class. Laurent had also been early. Tris had asked to copy his work, and Laurent had handed it over without a word. Tris copying the answers swiftly, expertly adding mistakes so they would not be caught cheating. Tris had handed the paper back, and for a moment Laurent had looked as if he wanted to say something, perhaps to ask for a favor in return. Whatever it was, he hadn't said it; just then another student had arrived.

Had it been too late already, even then? Behind the bland, unremarkable face, had dreams of whipped Countesses already lurked? Tris couldn't believe it. If you went back far enough, there was a time when Laurent was a boy, not a monster. And so it followed that within the monster was still, somewhere, that boy.

Well, of course. Why else would a Daedra bother with him? Daedra didn't care about blood and pain, particularly. They dealt in lunar currency, which lasted longer. Why should Sanguine care if mortals suffered and died? Mortals did that; that was what it meant to be mortal. Sanguine cared that mortals suffered and died because of Laurent.

Which still didn't answer the question of whether or not it was acceptable to pray to Dibella on behalf of a worshipper of Sanguine.

Tris opened the second Dibella, and withdrew the third, his lips moving automatically in the familiar prayer.

You take after your Dibellan mother, I'll give you that...

Damn it. Damn him. How dare his father say something like that at their very last meeting.

For many years Tris had dreamed that his father was not his real father. His mother was a worshipper of Dibella, after all. In the Temple she would have had many partners. Tris's real father was one of them, was a Dibellan priest, tall, lithe and powerful, his skin beautifully kissed by the sun, his hair golden as Tris's hair, only a slightly darker shade, golden brown, not golden blonde. Tris had imagined this man so thoroughly that he knew his voice, the callouses on the side of his thumb, the single threads of white that were starting to emerge in his hair, and the crows-feet starting at the corners of his eyes because he smiled so often.

The only problem was that this man had never come. And as much as the imaginary father was like Tris (only better), Tris knew that he had many features which came from his real father. His father's square jaw and full lips. The way his father's hair tried to stick straight up right at the front, which was why Tris left his hair a little longer there. His father's stubbornness. His father's appalling temper.

Tris opened the third Dibella, and withdrew the fourth, rubbing his thumb against the gilded surface before setting it down, and chanting.

I have one advantage over him, though, the golden man said conversationally. I'm not dead.

Oh, stop it, Tris told himself.

The apparition was still speaking.

What I want is for you, just once, to do your duty to this family...

The golden man had become too bright to look at. He bent his head, which now was a dragon's head, with bright golden scales, and spoke to Tris.

You can't escape it, you know - this is a very large family. You ran away from my house, you ran away from my country. But you will do your duty in the end. The only question is, how hard are you going to make it on yourself?

"That's about enough of that," Tris said, out loud.

He had yelled that he wanted to kill his father, and his father had died. And now it seemed like a prefigurement. Ciel was mysteriously, undeniably, not well. How could Tris go to him for comfort when he wasn't well himself? He wanted to run to Emaera, Allie, Barenziah, Loranna... lay his head in someone's lap and stop worrying about anything for a little while.

What he wanted was to run to his mother. But his mother was dead too.

Both my parents are dead, Tris thought. I don't have any parents.

He found himself, not crying exactly, but making a sort of whining, yelping noise like a dog locked in a closet. On one level he was fascinated and appalled that he was capable of such a noise.

The door opened, and he took a breath, trying to collect himself to face whoever had come to comfort him. Goranthir, Allie, Ciel. But it wasn't any of those. It was little Tamne, the Azurite child.

"Oh sweet saints," Tris said, almost laughing because it was so horrible.

Tamne looked at him with her expressionless bright eyes, then at the shrine in front of him.

"Is that Azura?" she asked, and sat down in front of the shrine, taking one of the Dibellas in her hand.

Tris's first reaction was to say, No, those aren't to play with, but it seemed somehow the opposite of holy to deny the child.

"Dibella," he said.

"No, this one's Azura," Tamne said, fitting the Dibellas together. "The big one is Akatosh."

"They're all Dibella," Tris said, and she gave him a look that said she thought he was mentally deficient.

"Akatosh is biggest because he's the father," she repeated. "And when you open father Akatosh, you get Dibella. And when you open Dibella, you get Azura. Who's this, then?"

"I don't know," Tris said, beyond arguing with her, as she removed the smallest, solid figurine.

"The baby. Who's the baby?"

"I don't know," Tris said.

"You, of course. Stupid."

She kept talking, a bright stream of chatter, conducting her morality play, which involved mountains and fires and love trysts and destruction. Tris was too exhausted to follow it, but he tried to make the right noises at the right times, lying on the bed, watching her.

"Are you sleepy?" Tamne asked.

"I guess," Tris said. "Yeah."

"Then I'll put you to bed," Tamne said, and she reached for his shirt, and started to unbutton it. Tris yelped, and pulled away from her.

"At least take your shoes off," she said, with a look of frustration.

He did so, while she watched with proprietary satisfaction. Girls, they were dangerous creatures. Tris had matured very early; but the girls he knew had beaten him to it. Tamne was still too young for more than an innocent crush, but already her behavior had seeds of the woman she would become.

She tucked the covers around him. "Now, stay still while I sing you a story."

And she did, singing in her thin little voice in what Tris assumed was Dunmeri. He could tell from the intonations that this was a song parents sung to put children to sleep. It worked, too, it was surprisingly hypnotic, or perhaps there was a little magic in it; he felt as if someone had nailed him to the bed.

Goranthir was right, his father was right, Akatosh was right, he couldn't escape his family. He needed to go home. As for Elysana - well, he'd have to deal with that when the time came.

"I'm sorry I was short-tempered last night," Tris said, at breakfast. "Goranthir, you're right as usual... I need to go home."

Posted by: Aki Oct 15 2005, 11:38 PM

OOC Summary

Reichi Sari is in Ald Raathim, somewhere, doing something.

Yup...

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 16 2005, 12:32 AM

Summary:

Kratos is planning to try his best in reestablishing the abolished Ordinator society in Ald Raathim after discovering a fellow Ordinator in the mages guild.

He is currently bringing his things from storage, into his house.

Posted by: Draak Oct 16 2005, 12:45 AM

Summary

Drakar is in Gnisis with the Redoran Council meeting with a Indoril Emissary.

Ver'dan is at sea with the 'Freebooter' and the 'Privateer' on patrol.

Benar is in Khuul takeing a break and seeing how the tower is coming along.

Posted by: Dagoth Lich Oct 16 2005, 02:18 AM

Summary: Slyvos has been busy either hiding from that healer that couldn't keep his mouth shut and realize when people wanted him to stop talking, studying as usual, or playing his flute (oddly enough) near the construction, which has led to the performances being surrounded by town kids.

Right now though, he just sat out on the ledge of the bedroom window, looking down on Ald Raathim from above. it appeared as though he would fall, but he was able to keep himself balanced with a feather spell...

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 16 2005, 02:19 AM

Summary

Laurent Lyonswurst is dead, and rotting on a country road in High Rock, with no one to mourn him ... though Tris gave him a little prayer.

Kethiah, the ex-assassin, is at the Nymph and Noggin, preparing for the grand opening of the new tavern in Ald Raathim.

and ...

Solunastra, Daggerfall

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 15 2005, 02:02 PM)

"I'm sorry I was short-tempered last night," Tris said, at breakfast. "Goranthir, you're right as usual... I need to go home."

Goranthir laughed as he ate the delicious breakfast. "I had no idea you were angry, except you shut up when you are. Which as far as I know had only happened a couple times, so I'll let you get away with it ... All right, what's the plan? How are we going to do this without getting in trouble?"

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 16 2005, 02:26 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 15 2005, 07:19 PM)

Solunastra, Daggerfall
Goranthir laughed as he ate the delicious breakfast. "I had no idea you were angry, except you shut up when you are. Which as far as I know had only happened a couple times, so I'll let you get away with it ... All right, what's the plan? How are we going to do this without getting in trouble?"

"I don't know," Tris said. "I don't know what to do about Ciel either."

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 16 2005, 02:29 AM

Solunastra

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 15 2005, 05:26 PM)

"I don't know," Tris said. "I don't know what to do about Ciel either."

Goranthir nodded. "Do you know why he is unhap ..." he changed the question to the one he really wanted to know. "Are you still in love with him?"

Posted by: Stargazey Oct 16 2005, 02:36 AM

QUOTE(Axe the Brave @ Oct 15 2005, 04:53 PM)

The Nymph and Noggin
"G'Morning guys... Up for some breakfast?" Trason asked politely.

"Hmm, I'm not too hungry now. Maybe later, though. Thanks for the offer." Isidor said, with a smile.

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 16 2005, 02:39 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 15 2005, 07:29 PM)

Solunastra
Goranthir nodded. "Do you know why he is unhap ..." he changed the question to the one he really wanted to know. "Are you still in love with him?"

"I love him," Tris said. "I think I'd fall on my sword if anything happened to him. He's... I don't know... he's being kind to me. I wish I could talk to Mirea. Does he smell - Goranthir, do Dunmer have heightened senses, the way Bosmer do?"

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 16 2005, 02:42 AM

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim

QUOTE(Stargazey @ Oct 15 2005, 05:36 PM)

"Hmm, I'm not too hungry now. Maybe later, though. Thanks for the offer." Isidor said, with a smile.

Kethiah laughed. "Well, I would! What can you make in five minutes?"

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 16 2005, 02:43 AM

Solunastra

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 15 2005, 05:39 PM)

"It's nothing I've developed like animal speak, but I suppose they're a little better than Bretons," Goranthir frowned. "What do you want me to ... sniff for?"

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 16 2005, 02:46 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 15 2005, 07:43 PM)

Solunastra
"It's nothing I've developed like animal speak, but I suppose they're a little better than Bretons," Goranthir frowned. "What do you want me to ... sniff for?"

Tris had the odd sensation that if he didn't say it out loud, it wouldn't become real. But that was crazy.

"I wondered if he smelled... sick. There's something wrong."

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 16 2005, 02:54 AM

Solunastra

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 15 2005, 05:46 PM)

Tris had the odd sensation that if he didn't say it out loud, it wouldn't become real. But that was crazy.

"I wondered if he smelled... sick. There's something wrong."

"Oh," Goranthir said, surprised. He wasn't quite sure what he was expecting to sniff out on Ciel. The smell of another lover? "My nurse could smell it when I was coming down with something, but that, she said, was because she knew me so well. She knew what my natural scent was, and when it changed, she knew it was a fever or something ... I can try, though ..."

He inhaled. "You smell the same."

Posted by: Stargazey Oct 16 2005, 02:58 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 15 2005, 08:42 PM)

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim
Kethiah laughed. "Well, I would! What can you make in five minutes?"

"Well, I wouldn't want you to eat alone." Isidor said with grin, as Trason prepared breakfast.

"There was something I wanted to ask you, Kethiah. Why did you become an assassin? I don't know you very well yet, but your nature seems so caring, and loving, it wasn't what I would expect of someone who killed for a living."

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 16 2005, 03:05 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 15 2005, 07:54 PM)

Solunastra
"Oh," Goranthir said, surprised. He wasn't quite sure what he was expecting to sniff out on Ciel. The smell of another lover? "My nurse could smell it when I was coming down with something, but that, she said, was because she knew me so well. She knew what my natural scent was, and when it changed, she knew it was a fever or something ... I can try, though ..."

He inhaled. "You smell the same."

"I'm fine, I didn't mean to worry you."

Tris put his arms around Goranthir.

"You were going to ask why Ciel is unhappy. He's miserable, he's been miserable since he left Wayrest. For a while, the excitement of being in love was enough that he could ignore it, but he's lost his whole life - his friends, his country, his loyalty to his Queen, his good name - everything he used to define himself by. And, well, he's not in love with me anymore."

There, he had said it. And it stung, like pulling out a thorn.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 16 2005, 03:11 AM

QUOTE(Stargazey @ Oct 15 2005, 05:58 PM)

"I wasn't that easy of a nut to crack, though, was I?" Kethiah smiled, but her eyes, visible now, the red one and the violet one, as she was indoors, were more serious. "Well, I'll tell you what I can, but you have to understand, some things I need to keep secret, for your sake and for others ..."

"I was born into a family of assassins. I was taught early on that people die, and that it is no sin to help them along to that if it benefits you or others. That's ... an unusual philosophy, I suppose, and you needn't worry -- even though I'm not sure I disagree with it, I shan't be teaching your children that. Anyhow, there was little doubt that I would become an assassin when I was a little girl, and I killed a man who I disliked who lived in the village. My crime was covered up, and my parents were pleased that I had learned my lessons well ..."

"There were a lot of murders in the village I grew up in. It was where ... well, without putting too fine a point on it, it was where Morag Tong puts its people who have become too famous to do their jobs properly. A lot of people are homicidal maniacs there, and a lot of people are retired too early. Sooner or later, people get on the wrong side of others, and they don't last too long. My parents went that way, and I was supposed to go too, but I escaped to Morrowind."

"The Morag Tong took me in, but I didn't like them much. After all, I knew how poorly they would take care of their own. I did jobs for them, and in the west, the Dark Brotherhood noticed me, and offered me work. I took it. In time, I joined both."

"I guess that's the short version of it anyhow."

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 16 2005, 03:20 AM

Solunastra

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 15 2005, 06:05 PM)

"Well, I am," Goranthir said quickly, realizing he hadn't quite said it before, and ... [censored], what a crappy way to say it. In reaction like that.

"Tris, you know you can't help someone unless they want it. If he doesn't have new ambitions, new goals, you can't give them to him. If the old ones still weigh on him ... well, the only solution is to try to help him get those back."

Posted by: Argonians rule Oct 16 2005, 03:24 AM

OOC Summary:

Falco Redflash, male argonian rogue is currently guiding his ship North, out of the Sheogorad region.

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 16 2005, 03:28 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 15 2005, 08:20 PM)

Solunastra
"Well, I am," Goranthir said quickly, realizing he hadn't quite said it before, and ... [censored], what a crappy way to say it. In reaction like that.

"Tris, you know you can't help someone unless they want it. If he doesn't have new ambitions, new goals, you can't give them to him. If the old ones still weigh on him ... well, the only solution is to try to help him get those back."

"I thought he might be happy here," Tris said. "He had someone who relied on him, important things to do. But I had forgotten who he is, I think. Ciel's all about justice, he wants things to be set right. He needs to be... a policemen, I suppose. And Allie has her own justice, and her own way of doing things, but it's not quite that. And besides. I wanted us to be together. I wanted him to be my children's godfather."

He took a deep breath, suddenly realizing he was telling this to his sixteen-year old lover.

"I'm really a rotten lover. I... run off, eventually. Some day I'm going to do it to you and your grandmother is going to slit me open like a fish and pull my guts out. How can I, how can I help him get it back? I've tried everything. Elysana won't budge."

Posted by: Stargazey Oct 16 2005, 03:29 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 15 2005, 09:11 PM)

"I guess that's the short version of it anyhow."

"Ah." Isidor smiled at Kethiah and said "Well, I understand you a little better now, and because of that, I love you even more." He took her hand and kissed it, softly.

Posted by: Tri Oct 16 2005, 03:29 AM

Summaries:

Marein is wherever, doing whatever.

Diamond is helping set up at the Nymph and the Noggin, preparing for the big day, and carving out Shaka's comission in her spare time.

(At the Mage's Guild, she sold the Golden Saint's soul and is significantly better off, but has kept her barmaid position anyway.)

Shai...well, more on her in a few days, once she settles in to her new life.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 16 2005, 03:38 AM

Solunastra

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 15 2005, 06:28 PM)

Goranthir laughed. It was a real laugh.

"I'm sorry," he said, walking away into the library of Solunastra. "I'll give it some thought."

His laughter died away as he sat down.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 16 2005, 03:44 AM

The Nymph and Noggin

QUOTE(Stargazey @ Oct 15 2005, 06:29 PM)

"Ah." Isidor smiled at Kethiah and said "Well, I understand you a little better now, and because of that, I love you even more." He took her hand and kissed it, softly.

"Do you understand me better?" Kethiah smiled, almost shyly. "I hoped that wouldn't be a problem, when you did. I'm glad I was right."

Posted by: Stargazey Oct 16 2005, 03:50 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 15 2005, 09:44 PM)

The Nymph and Noggin
"Do you understand me better?" Kethiah smiled, almost shyly. "I hoped that wouldn't be a problem, when you did. I'm glad I was right."

Isidor simply smiled, and said, "I try my best to understand you, even though I still don't know much about you."

He looked thoughtful for a moment and then said, "Do you remember in Vas, the song you sung, when I was trying to find you? Where was it from?"

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 16 2005, 03:51 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 15 2005, 08:38 PM)

Solunastra
Goranthir laughed. It was a real laugh.

"I'm sorry," he said, walking away into the library of Solunastra. "I'll give it some thought."

His laughter died away as he sat down.

Now, if Ciel had been eavesdropping on this whole conversation, Tris would have one less thing to worry about.

After a moment, Tris followed Goranthir into the library. Something was off, but he couldn't quite say what.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 16 2005, 04:03 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 15 2005, 06:51 PM)

"Clearly I'm out of my mind," he sighed, mostly to himself, but partly to Tris, who he didn't look at when he entered. "I tell you that I'm in love with you, and your response is to say you're going to run away from me, and what are we going to do about the one whom you ran off on last?"

"Well, we've established that I'm some sort of idiot, but hopefully whoever replaces me will be helpful in telling you how to help bandage me up after you've broken my heart, so I ought to be good enough to do the same, eh?”

“I know I ought to be more sophisticated about this. I’m in love with two people too, and it’s absurd for me to be jealous of you and Ciel, and Allie and Arynel … You told me before when I said I would hope bad things on Arynel should she prefer him to me that I ought to be a better sport, but I haven’t developed this cavalier attitude towards the people who I would kill myself for yet. Maybe next month when I’m 17, I’ll be less stupidly jealous.”

He paused. He knew he had talked enough. For Nirni’s sake, Tris was mourning his father, trying to do right by his former lover, why was he so upset?

But Goranthir had one more thing to say, and instead of saying it, he said something close. “Why does Ciel care about Elysana anyhow? It’s not as if she were his mother, who he had to try to forge a bond with. Couldn’t he …”

Go with another love? was what he was going to say, but it was too close to the mark. So was the mother comment for that matter … Goranthir just said, “I’m sorry. I slept alone last night, and I didn’t want to.”

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 16 2005, 04:08 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 15 2005, 09:03 PM)

Tris became aware, gradually, listening to Goranthir talk, of how much his father's death had affected him. Usually he was better at playing the game than this. But he didn't want to play any games right now.

He sat down at Goranthir's feet, with his arms around his waist and his head in his lap.

"I'm so sorry," he said. "Gor - you know I slept alone last night too, right?"

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 16 2005, 04:17 AM

Solunastra

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 15 2005, 07:08 PM)

Goranthir pushed against Tris, and then gave up. "It's just backwards. I was upset at how upset I thought you were going to be about your father, and then I took it out on you ... And I know Ciel is a good man, and I'll help out how I can for you ... Just ... just know that you're not the only one with emotions you don't know what to do with."

(OOC -- Outta here until tomorow)

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 16 2005, 04:54 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 15 2005, 09:17 PM)

Solunastra
Goranthir pushed against Tris, and then gave up. "It's just backwards. I was upset at how upset I thought you were going to be about your father, and then I took it out on you ... And I know Ciel is a good man, and I'll help out how I can for you ... Just ... just know that you're not the only one with emotions you don't know what to do with."

"I love you," Tris said, pinning Goranthir's hands, gently, and looking up at him. "I'd give my life for you. That's a little better, isn't it?"

When did Goranthir's mother find her way into this?

Stupid, Tris thought. I'm really stupid.

Because Tris's father - the worst father in the world, Tris had once thought, a father who had tried to have him killed - really had loved him. That was what all the pitched battles were about. That was even what the murder attempt and the seduction of his stepmother were about. The frustrated ownership that came from - twisted as it was - love.

Goranthir had nothing like that. A cold mother who had crossed him off her list before he was born, a father so disinterested that he didn't even notice his son was unhappy. The only family Goranthir had ever had was an old blind Bosmer nurse who probably wouldn't live much longer. And he deserved family, not just a lover passing in the night.

"I haven't been a very good person in the past," Tris said. "The last time I saw Dom alive, he said he was going to kill me, and I handed him his sword. He was so angry he couldn't walk, just wobbled like an old man, and I laughed in his face. Don't stop me, listen.

"I'm better now than I used to be. You deserve someone better than I am. So I'm just going to have to be that person."

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 16 2005, 05:19 AM

Ald Raathim: Allerleirauh

Allerleirauh entered Ald Raathim out in the woods, and made her way to the work site, where she spoke to Dragon. Then she started the walk to the castle to speak to Loranna.

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 16 2005, 05:25 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 15 2005, 08:19 PM)

Kratos noticed Archpatriarch Allerleirauh walking to the castle and knew this was his chance.

He caught up with her and bowed. "Greetings to you Archpatriarch, I have been meaning to get in contact with you." He said.

"You see, I have something very important to discuss with you, would you be willing to hear me out?" He asked, nervously.

Posted by: Axe the Brave Oct 16 2005, 05:35 AM

Trason cooked a delicious breakfast. Kagouti Sausages with a side of toast and 4 strips of Alit bacon. A weird combination, but the next few days will be hectic so they need as much energy as they can.

He walked over to the table and gave them there meals.

"Breakfast is served!" Trason said triumphantly. Cooking a great meal gives you as much pride as you would winning a fight.

"Sorry to butt in, but what exactly is on the agenda today for the Nymph and Noggin?" He asked.

EDIT: Spelling corrections...

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 16 2005, 05:37 AM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 15 2005, 10:25 PM)

"Certainly, Kratos," Allerleirauh said. She had barely met the ex-Ordinator; but she knew him well from the reports of others, and of course he would know of her, because of her position. She continued to walk towards the castle.

The fortifications were progressing as well as could be expected. A shipment of stone had been delayed.

"I'm afraid personal business has been distracting, please forgive me for not speaking to you earlier. How have you been adjusting to your new life here?"

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 16 2005, 05:48 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 15 2005, 08:37 PM)

Kratos walked along side her to the castle.

"I have been progressing well since i've come to Ald Raathim, thank you for asking." He replied. "Actually, I met another Ordinator survivor from the Blue Dawn just yesterday, and he says he has knowledge of another."

"This is why I have approached you now,' He nervously grasped his shield straps and continued, "I would like to establish a small contingent of re-educated Ordinators, re-educated meaning to fit the New Temple's Doctrines and expectations, of course."

"What would you say to this, your Grace?" He asked.

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 16 2005, 05:52 AM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 15 2005, 10:48 PM)

Allerleirauh laid her hand gently on Kratos's arm.

"It must be very hard for you to live outside the Alma Rula. You are Indoril, are you not? Brought into the Ordinators very young?"

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 16 2005, 06:01 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 15 2005, 08:52 PM)

Allerleirauh laid her hand gently on Kratos's arm.

"It must be very hard for you to live outside the Alma Rula. You are Indoril, are you not? Brought into the Ordinators very young?"

"Yes I am Indoril, ... although they have been showing signs of heresy as of late, I had been loyal to the Tribunal and am loyal now to the New Temple,' He released his hands from the straps and let them hang to his sides as he continued, "Very young indeed, it is tradition for our House to offer service to the Temple in the form of the Ordinators, or was..." Kratos replied.

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 16 2005, 06:04 AM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 15 2005, 11:01 PM)

"Answer two questions for me, if you please, Kratos," Allerleirauh said.

"Why did you become an Ordinator? And when your brothers turned to the worship of Azura, why did you not do the same?"

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 16 2005, 06:15 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 15 2005, 09:04 PM)

"Answer two questions for me, if you please, Kratos," Allerleirauh said.

"Why did you become an Ordinator? And when your brothers turned to the worship of Azura, why did you not do the same?"

"I became an Ordinator to serve and protect the Tribunal and to respect the traditions of our House." "You could say I did it for the honor and for the peoples' safety under the Temple's governing law." He replied.

"On the subject of me not joining my brethren to serve under Azura, it is simple, I had more self-restraint than them.' He removed his helm revealing his scar, "I would have rather died then abandon the people to her wrath." He finished.

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 16 2005, 06:21 AM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 15 2005, 11:15 PM)

"Most of the Ordinators followed Loranna/Azura because they believed she would lead the Dunmer people into a new age," Allerleirauh said. "They believed that the child of Azura and Vivec was the fulfillment of ancient prophecy, and that in the absence of the Tribunal, the old gods were the obvious thing to worship. So, you believed that Azura's rule would not be a pleasant thing. In this you prove that you have studied the words of the Tribunal well. It was Sotha Sil who said that the Daedra were cruel and inconstant."

They had almost reached the steps of the castle; she paused.

"What do you see as the function of the Ordinators, should they be restored? Almalexia and Sotha Sil are dead; Vivec has left this world for Aetherius."

Posted by: Nordic_bandit Oct 16 2005, 06:33 AM

A completely confused and befuddled Dunmer child kept glancing at a piece of paper in his hand and the ground in front of him as he walked along the shore of the inlet. He let out a sigh of relief as he saw the small boat in the alcove that his employer had mentioned. His load was heavy, especially for a child, but he wanted to be a big kid. He wanted to prove that he could do something, instead of being just a small boy. He walked onto the gangplank, and onboard the small boat. He then proceeded to knock on the door of the cabin.

Joshua awakened with a start as he heard the slight knock on the door. He got up and went to open the door. He opened it and looked at eye-level. Nothing. He looked down and saw the child. "You must be the courier with my reading material." he said in a slightly jovial way. He took the reading material and pretended to show great strain when carrying them to a small table in the room. He set them down with a very audible sigh. He went over to the child and patted him on the shoulder. "Would you like a reward for your hard work?"

The boy replied, "Yes, sir, yes I would!" his face lighted up.

"Stay right there while I go get you something..." Joshua moved off to his hammock and with his back turned to the kid, retrieved a small Kwama Egg, and Scrib Jerky. He turned around, at the same time twisting his arms, so the food was kept a surprise. He walked back over to the child and brought out the food with a flourish. "Tada!"

"Thank you, sir, Thank you!" He smiled and ran off back towards Ald Raathim.

Joshua spoke to himself, "Ahh, how I love the energy and innocence of small children." He stretched in the sunlight and closed the door. He opened a shutter behind his hammock and layed down to read.

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 16 2005, 06:45 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 15 2005, 09:21 PM)

"The function of the Ordinators would be completely up to you and the New Temple, your Grace, but I would like them to function for the people, and the good, of Morrowind." Kratos stated, stopping and facing her.

"We could establish a new version of the Four Orders, incorporating each in one version based here, in Ald Raathim.' "We could handle the Temple's wishes and add protection to them, and the people as before."

"We can change our Ideals to fit the Doctrines of the New Temple, if it is your wish, and adapt to the new times to best serve." He added.

"My fellow survivor and I would like to establish them to recompensate for the past wrong decisions of our Order, but this all comes down to your decision, Grace." He finished.

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 16 2005, 06:52 AM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 15 2005, 11:45 PM)

"You make a compelling case for yourself, Kratos," Allerleirauh said, smiling. "I want to make certain things clear now, so you will not accuse me, later, of deceiving you. The Indoril armor which you love so dearly has become a hated symbol of oppression to all the people of Morrowind. I do not foresee a situation in which its revival would be appropriate. Likewise, the Ordinators themselves are seen as oppressors. In their last days, they defied even Vivec. So great was their pride.

"Indoril was the most noble of all noble houses, and I would gladly see it restored to its ancient glory. I applaud the intentions behind your desires. Let me take council about this matter; I will have a better answer for you soon. Do we understand each other?"

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 16 2005, 06:59 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 15 2005, 09:52 PM)

"Yes, Grace.' He replied, "I understand you completely."

"I will await your final decision." He finished, bowing to her and putting his helm back on.

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 16 2005, 07:07 AM

Allerleirauh found Loranna in Jazbet's study.

It would always be Jazbet's study to her, no matter how many centuries passed.

"I hope you're not too busy," Allerleirauh said. "I have unfortunate news. Tris's father has died. It was his heart."

Posted by: Loranna Oct 16 2005, 07:14 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 01:07 AM)

Allie can see that the paperwork is piled higher than she is accustomed to seeing on the study's desk, and that Loranna does indeed look fairly busy - or rather, she looks like an adventurer who is wishing she were somewhere else right now, preferably a Daedra Shrine with a few empty soul gems in her pockets and a spell on her lips.

Still, despite the furrow in her brow and the somewhat overly-firm grasp on the reports she was reading, Loranna registers shock and sorrow at Allie's news.

"Nine above, that's terrible," she says, pushing aside her paperwork and rubbing the back of her neck. "How is he taking it?"

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 16 2005, 07:19 AM

QUOTE(Loranna @ Oct 16 2005, 12:14 AM)

"He's pretending not to care," Allerleirauh said. "He does care. And he's enough his father's son that he cares about the money, as well. That's where I've been, spying on solicitors. Don't ask. If you have time to pay us a visit in Daggerfall, I imagine you would be very welcome."

She looked at the mountains of paperwork, and raised one eyebrow slightly.

"Don't you have people who do this?"

Posted by: Loranna Oct 16 2005, 07:24 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 01:19 AM)

"I'll make time to visit," Loranna says, glancing at the paperwork with what could only be described as a sour expression.

"You're looking at the things for which I do not currently have people for, plus the accumulted paperwork of a number of unfortunate events," she says, frowning. "I am in fact planning on talking to one or two people about some new positions in my employ. But that can wait until tomorrow; let me go let Kallen and Slyvos know I'm stepping out for a while ..."

"Oh," she asks, "just on the off chance, has Solunastra any burning need for a few crates of pillows?"

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 16 2005, 07:28 AM

QUOTE(Loranna @ Oct 16 2005, 12:24 AM)

"You're got a shipment of stone that's been delayed too," Allerleirauh said, without changing expressions. "I suggest using the pillows to make a pillow fort and solving both of your problems."

Posted by: Loranna Oct 16 2005, 07:31 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 01:28 AM)

"You're got a shipment of stone that's been delayed too," Allerleirauh said, without changing expressions. "I suggest using the pillows to make a pillow fort and solving both of your problems."

"That," Loranna sighs, "has already been suggested. I think I just might do that ..."

She excuses herself and returns a couple moments later, looking a little more relaxed. "All set; to the Mage Guild then."

Posted by: syronj Oct 16 2005, 07:35 AM

Summary: Shaka, an Argonian battlemage, has woken in his yurt an hour's walk from Ald Raathim.

Morning was beautiful and somewhat cooler at the higher elevation of Shaka's wooded campsite. He finished breakfast, and walked to town. Shaka was looking forward to the grand opening of the Nymph and Noggin in the near future, and hoping that the carving he had commissioned would please Kethiah and Isidor.

As he neared the town, he found himself thinking again of the concept of metamorphosis. Not just the illegal, changed gender of Teleran; a more fundamental change.

Posted by: Stargazey Oct 16 2005, 03:00 PM

QUOTE(Axe the Brave @ Oct 15 2005, 11:35 PM)

Isidor smiled as the food was brought out, and said "Looks delicious. As for an agenda, nothing special. Putting on the final touches, stocking the liquor, and food, and anything else that needs doing."

Posted by: Argonians rule Oct 16 2005, 07:18 PM

Meanwhile, in Dagon Fel....

Falco and his crew unloaded the many cases of mead from their ship, and into the end of the world inn.

The proprieter knew something was afoot when the shipment arrived late, delivered by a different ship, and with what appeared to be bloodstains on some of the crates of mead. However Falco sold the mead to him at half the normal rate. The massive profits possible from this deal caused him to overlook its inheirent shadiness.

Once the crates had been unloaded and sold the Red Falcon departed swiftly, heading North.

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 16 2005, 08:10 PM

Kratos wandered into the Drunken Guar, obviously still nervous from his conversation with Archpatriarch Allerleirauh.

He noticed Vaan, his new found Ordinator brother, sitting at a table near the bar and pulled up a seat.

"Greetings, brother.' He called the keep over to order some sujamma, then continued. "I have approached her Grace Archpatriarch about our proposal."

Posted by: vaanic~one Oct 16 2005, 08:13 PM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 16 2005, 02:10 PM)

Vaan couldn't help but smile.

"That's good. I haven't managed to work out where Necron'll be, but I'm pretty sure that he is on his way here, to collect this:"

He pulled out one of the stones.

"Anyway, I hope you put forward some pretty strong points for re-organising the ordinator corp to her?"

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 16 2005, 08:27 PM

QUOTE(vaanic~one @ Oct 16 2005, 11:13 AM)

"Indeed, Vaan. I hope I had as well.' The sujamma was brought to their table and Kratos picked up a mug.

"If the Temple and she decides in our favor, you do realize that our time will be enveloped in training new recruits and that there will be major reformation of our Ideals, do you not?"

Posted by: vaanic~one Oct 16 2005, 08:30 PM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 16 2005, 02:27 PM)

"If the Temple and she decides in our favor, you do realize that our time will be enveloped in training new recruits and that there will be major reformation of our Ideals, do you not?"

"Of course!" laughed Vaan "that was the idea!"

"Recruits....I have plans for that"

Vaan took some writing implements and a piece of paper, and started to write a list.

"Here, I'm writing a list of all the reasons...good ones, for rebuilding our order, help me out."

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 16 2005, 08:48 PM

QUOTE(vaanic~one @ Oct 16 2005, 11:30 AM)

"I think we could give her good enough reason for our reestablishment.' He sipped the sujamma, then continued. "And it is not the reasons on paper that count, it is the reasons in your soul, Vaan." Kratos stated.

He smiled and brushed dust off of his pauldrons.

Posted by: Nordic_bandit Oct 16 2005, 08:53 PM

Joshua finished reading the books, having had a little trouble reading the Temple Script, but finally suceeding in translating it.

He got out of his hammock, retrieved his broadsword and walked out into the forest bare-chested, and barefooted. He found a small clearing and began to do a small, but deadly dance with his sword. It was something his father had taught him, just like most knowledge of the sword he had.

The deadly dance involved many many positions and stances, and opened all senses to nature and his surroundings.

After about an hour of this, beads of sweat poured steadily down from his forehead, arms, chest, and hands, but he maintaned a deathgrip on the sword. He never faltered while doing this dance, as he became one with the sword, and the sword became an extension of his arm.

Posted by: Thommeh Oct 16 2005, 09:10 PM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 16 2005, 12:48 PM)

After another good nights sleep, Thom made his way back to town. Walking past the construction, the Ranger made his way to the Drunken Guar, where he saw Kratos and a dunmer having a drink. Thom worked his way over to their table and said, "Hail, Kratos. How are you today?" He nodded to the other mer at the table.

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 16 2005, 09:12 PM

QUOTE(Thommeh @ Oct 16 2005, 12:10 PM)

"Greetings Thom, I am fine, you?" He replied with a smile.

"Oh, where are my manners, this is Vaan, another Ordinator survivor of the Blue Dawn." Kratos said, gesturing to Vaan.

Posted by: vaanic~one Oct 16 2005, 09:15 PM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 16 2005, 02:48 PM)

"It isn't hard to put my soul onto paper, kratos!" smiled Vaan. "besides, I wasn't going to just hand her the paper and leave...more like...make a passionate speech...standing ona table....kicking things..." He laughed jokily.

QUOTE

"Oh, where are my manners, this is Vaan, another Ordinator survivor of the Blue Dawn." Kratos said, gesturing to Vaan

Vaan nodded to Thom, "Nice to see you Thom." he held out his hand to Thom in greeting.

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 16 2005, 09:17 PM

QUOTE(vaanic~one @ Oct 16 2005, 12:15 PM)

"That sounds good to me, Vaan." Kratos said, laughing.

Posted by: Thommeh Oct 16 2005, 09:19 PM

QUOTE(vaanic~one @ Oct 16 2005, 01:15 PM)

Thom shook Vaan's hand, then pulled up a chair. "Another Ordinator? I'm guessing that you two have become fast friends."

Thom ordered a flin, then said, "So, what at you two doing?"

Posted by: vaanic~one Oct 16 2005, 09:54 PM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 16 2005, 03:17 PM)

"That sounds good to me, Vaan." Kratos said, laughing.

"yeah, I've a got a few reasons here:"

The Temple currently has none to protect it, if hostilities were to be made against it, who better to protect it than the Loyal ordinators?

The few surviving ordinators are strugging to adapt to this new world that we live in, how can they live their lives with this brandishing of evil on their heads? Someone needs to take them in, feed them, love them, there is none better to do this than their own former order, which will ease their minds, and make them feel whole again.

In these turbulent times, the temple faithful need to feel protected, and not naked to war. the ordinator corps can do both this and at the same time prove to everyone that they can be good, not just evil: Better to love than to hate.

Vaan Shrugged "That's all I've got."

QUOTE(Thommeh @ Oct 16 2005, 03:19 PM)

Thom shook Vaan's hand, then pulled up a chair. "Another Ordinator? I'm guessing that you two have become fast friends."

Thom ordered a flin, then said, "So, what at you two doing?"

"Another two, Thom" Vaan smiled.

"At the moment, I'm trying to formualte more persuasive reasons for the Council to re-instate the order."

Posted by: Thommeh Oct 16 2005, 09:58 PM

QUOTE(vaanic~one @ Oct 16 2005, 01:54 PM)

Eye brows raised, Thom said, "Ah, bringing back Ordinators. I wish you luck."

Thom took a drink of his flin. "So, a total of three Ordinators, so far? If theres three there might be more."

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 16 2005, 10:06 PM

QUOTE(vaanic~one @ Oct 16 2005, 12:54 PM)

"I think they all sound good, and for the sake of our lost brethren, I hope the New Temple does as well." Kratos replied, finishing his sujamma afterwards.

"If we can get them to reconsider our abolishment, the people will still be hostile toward us, this her Grace informed me of.' "We must do something about this as well." He stated.

Posted by: vaanic~one Oct 16 2005, 10:14 PM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 16 2005, 04:06 PM)

"If we can get them to reconsider our abolishment, the people will still be hostile toward us, this her Grace informed me of.' "We must do something about this as well." He stated.

"In time" Said Vaan "Reputations can be changed...."

"Which is why It's a good plan to fill the new order up with some fresh blood, that'll go down well in the matter of us being evil, since they are all innocent." Vaan continued.

"And also, there is the idea of making much ado about us becoming "good" again, you know, hand out pamphlet's, make speeches, all proclaiming that we are back for sake of being protectors of the Faithfull of morrowind, ready to spill blood for them so that they may live without harm.....something like that."

"I remember, that we were only following orders for our gods, telling them that will go down well too."

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 16 2005, 10:23 PM

QUOTE(vaanic~one @ Oct 16 2005, 01:14 PM)

"I would like to see our order restored and thriving again, but I am afraid there is more to consider here." He continued, "We were folowing orders for our Gods, this is true, but the people view us as a sort of evil that has been phased out and restoring our Order to get back a pinch of honor is not enough." Kratos replied.

"We are going to have to take into very deep consideration, how we are going to appear to the people for the good of Morrowind." He finished.

Posted by: vaanic~one Oct 16 2005, 10:32 PM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 16 2005, 04:23 PM)

"yes, of course, of course, I agree with you there." Vaan said, nodding wisely.

"I do understand that there is lot's to consider, not accepting that would be stupid."

"getting rid of the order of inquisition would be a step in the right direction." Vaan continued

"It is that order that did most of the "evil", and thus, getting rid of it would be symbolic of our change towards working for the good of Morrowind, I suppose. Besides, our new order won't be in need of such a thing, if it's going to be working for the good of Morrowind."

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 16 2005, 10:43 PM

QUOTE(vaanic~one @ Oct 16 2005, 01:32 PM)

"Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of combining all of the Orders into one, which would make us function better as well as keep the heretics under control.' "Granted, the New Temple would have to appoint four leaders of the Orders, we would still function as one, you see?"

Posted by: vaanic~one Oct 16 2005, 11:01 PM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 16 2005, 04:43 PM)

Vaan nodded

"Yes, indeed, that would be somewhat wise, actually."

he waved the piece of paper

"It would also be wise, to get these to Archpatriarch Allerleirauh, but not now, we have time, let's plan things out first, since we are in that mood."

Posted by: Solin Oct 16 2005, 11:06 PM

An ashen hand reaches out and seizes the flapping sheet of parchment.

"Enough," Solin says crumpling the list and smashing it heavily against the table under his palm. "This will proceed no further."

The Dunmer had appeared from a shadowy recess of the tavern apparently having heard a majority if not the entirety of the conversation.

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 16 2005, 11:10 PM

QUOTE(vaanic~one @ Oct 16 2005, 02:01 PM)

Kratos snapped to attention as one of the Triune entered and grabbed Vaan's "Reason paper".

"What have we done to offend you, your Grace?" He asked, still shocked.

Posted by: vaanic~one Oct 16 2005, 11:11 PM

QUOTE(Solin @ Oct 16 2005, 05:06 PM)

Vaan had little to say, apart from:

"Oh dear."

Having a member of the Triune denounce this...was not good.

"You have objections....sir?"

QUOTE

"What method should we use to recruit, if we are able to convince the Holy Council to accept our proposition?" Kratos asked, glancing at the Right Hand of the Tribunal on his shield.

"Well, I belong to a guild of warrior mages whom are faithful to the temple, they might come of use...I suppose"

Vaan would have said more, but then the above happened.

Posted by: Solin Oct 16 2005, 11:20 PM

“You have obviously been negligent in regarding your former studies,” Solin remarked flatly.

“‘Learn by serving,’” he intoned. “You stand on a midden heap in the shadow of a mountain and account yourselves tall. This is inappropriate at its best.”

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 16 2005, 11:26 PM

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim

QUOTE(Stargazey @ Oct 16 2005, 06:00 AM)

"Meat with a side of meat," Kethiah smiled. "Well, we should go over a list of finger food, but first ..."

Kethiah wrote up a notice for the bulletin board "GRAND OPENING."

"When do you think we'll be ready?" she wondered, looking around. "Could be tomorrow if we keep pushing."

Posted by: vaanic~one Oct 16 2005, 11:27 PM

QUOTE(Solin @ Oct 16 2005, 05:20 PM)

"Tall....." Vaan swilled the word around his mouth like a fine brew..."Tall...."

"If you mean, Sir, that you are offended at our pre-planning, then I can only say in response: Better safe than sorry."

"I do not presume that our proposal will go through, but in the event of success, pre-planning will go a long way."

"Neither do presume, sir, that I understand you completely, was my response working on the same tangent as your concerned statement?"

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 16 2005, 11:29 PM

QUOTE(Solin @ Oct 16 2005, 02:20 PM)

"We thought it wise to plan before we acted this time, Grace. Your objections are welcome." He replied.

"But what else would you have us do to promote a new breed of Ordinators?" He asked in confusion.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 16 2005, 11:43 PM

Solunastra

Goranthir and Tris’s conversation had changed, as conversations do, from discussing Ciel, to discussing their relationship, to discussing the particularities of Tris attending his father’s funeral.

“When I said you would be sorry if you didn’t go,” Goranthir was protesting. “I meant you should sneak over, like you always do, and observe it in disguise or from the Void. I didn’t mean that you should get yourself arrested … I don’t see the sense in that, as you already said I’m usually right.”

He couldn't understand it. Elysana wanted his head, and he was going to turn himself in. Was Tris now ready to join his father in the grave?

Posted by: Solin Oct 16 2005, 11:47 PM

QUOTE(vaanic~one @ Oct 16 2005, 04:27 PM)

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 16 2005, 04:29 PM)

“The Ordinators were once Ayem’s gift to the people,” Solin said. "And Ayem is set to be joined with our ascended ancestors.

"Why would you prostrate yourselves at the wrong door,” Solin replied. “You make your cases to the good of Morrowind, the people. That is beyond the scope of your doctrines, you would serve the Temple. The Temple heads would assure your place among the masses. Make your concern theirs."

Posted by: Loranna Oct 16 2005, 11:52 PM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 05:43 PM)

After taking the guild guide to Daggerfall and catching a carriage, Loranna and Allerleirauh arrive at Solunastra, Loranna reflecting briefly on the last time she was over. She thinks briefly of Sen-Yedda, as she always does when at Solunastra, but concern for Tris stays at the forefront of her mind.

Still, it was hard for her not to wonder at least a tiny bit how the golden-eyed princess was doing as she steps into Allie's house.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 16 2005, 11:53 PM

The Royal Dome of Wayrest

Elysana’s throne room had a new addition, a massive, sixty-foot-long skeleton of an ancient sea beast, bleached to a blinding white, which stretched across the ceiling. Its ribcage was now an enormous chandelier filled with candles. It was slightly macabre but weirdly beautiful. A gift from Gortwog gro-Nagorm of Orsinium to Wayrest.

“I’m just not sure it gives the right message to diplomats,” the Queen of Wayrest’s consort, Prince Cayler was saying. “I mean, a huge rotting corpse …”

“It’s not rotting, it doesn’t smell,” Elysana said looking up at it, with a smile. “And I rather like the message it gives to diplomats. Here there be monsters.”

Herwyn Brand was announced.

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 16 2005, 11:56 PM

QUOTE(Solin @ Oct 16 2005, 02:47 PM)

“The Ordinators were once Ayem’s gift to the people,” Solin said. "And Ayem is set to be joined our ascended ancestors.

"Why would you prostrate yourselves at the wrong door,” Solin replied. “You make your cases to the good of Morrowind, the people. That is beyond the scope of your doctrines, you would serve the Temple. The Temple heads would assure your place among the masses. Make your concern theirs."

"I see now what you are saying, Grace." Kratos replied.

"We will leave the fate of our proposition to be decided by you and the rest of the Triune." He added, removing his shield from the table.

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 16 2005, 11:56 PM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 04:43 PM)

"I can't stand in the Void and watch my father laid in the ground," Tris said. "I won't do it. Not even if Leseth comes to hold my hand. And there's more to it than that. I had a vision of sorts. My father's last words to me were that I should do my duty to the family. And then there's Ciel."

He turned his head, as Loranna and Allerleirauh came in, and went to throw his arms around Loranna.

Posted by: vaanic~one Oct 16 2005, 11:57 PM

QUOTE(Solin @ Oct 16 2005, 05:47 PM)

"I've no bother with one preparing oneself for the trials ahead," the Dunmer replied. "My problems stem from where the preparation is progenitored."

"When has it been that your left arm has dictated your choice of drink?" Solin asked Vaan. "It is ill equipped and wrong in its concern to make such choices."
“The Ordinators were once Ayem’s gift to the people,” Solin said. "And Ayem is set to be joined with our ascended ancestors.

"Why would you prostrate yourselves at the wrong door,” Solin replied. “You make your cases to the good of Morrowind, the people. That is beyond the scope of your doctrines, you would serve the Temple. The Temple heads would assure your place among the masses. Make your concern theirs."

Vaan was silent for a few minutes...translating.

"Oh! I get it now! Fine, so be it, I hope you realise, that in our excitement of the prospect of this paradise, that we got rather, carried away...Sir" He smiled in a friendly way.

"You have my apologies"

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 16 2005, 11:59 PM

Solunastra

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 02:56 PM)

Goranthir also turned to them, frustrated. "Can you talk sense to him? Tris seems determined that the only way to help Ciel and obey his father's directive to do his duty is to get them both arrested and executed by the Queen of Wayrest."

Posted by: Loranna Oct 17 2005, 12:03 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 05:56 PM)

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 05:59 PM)

Solunastra
Goranthir also turned to them, frustrated. "Can you talk sense to him? Tris seems determined that the only way to help Ciel and obey his father's directive to do his duty is to get them both arrested and executed by the Queen of Wayrest."

Goranthir's words were like a jolt of electricity down Loranna's spine; she blinks and movers her head back slightly, looking at Tris.

" ... Uh, Tris?" she asks. "What exactly is he talking about?"

Posted by: Solin Oct 17 2005, 12:07 AM

Solin face cracked into the slightest of grins.

"Very good," he says simply, apparently satisfied, and made to depart the tavern.

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 04:59 PM)

Ciel entered shortly after the other, close enough on their heels to hear Goranthir.

"Sometimes," Ciel said softly as he sits down on a cushioned bench. "Doing ones duty requires one to make sacrifices one would rather not make at the time but it remains important all the same."

Posted by: syronj Oct 17 2005, 12:07 AM

Shaka bought a bouquet of gold canet and Timsah-Come-By before stopping by the Nymph and Noggin. He stood for a moment and looked at the notice board outside the new tavern. Shaka understood the value of it right away.

I'm almost surprised the owners of the Drunken Guar never thought of it, Shaka thought. It goes to show how small the town was in those days; everyone knew everyone else's business already, so less need for a message board.

Shaka knocked on the tavern door.

Posted by: Stargazey Oct 17 2005, 12:09 AM

QUOTE(syronj @ Oct 16 2005, 06:07 PM)

After breakfast was finished, Isidor and Kethiah had gone back to work, fixing what needed to be fixed, stocking what needed to be stocked, and anything else that needed to be done.

When Shaka knocked on the door, Isidor was taking a break, with a bottle of mead.

He rose out of his chair, and went to the door, he opened it, and smiled when he saw Shaka. "Hail, friend. Care to join me for a drink?"

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 17 2005, 12:11 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 04:59 PM)

QUOTE(Loranna @ Oct 16 2005, 05:03 PM)

Loranna embraces Tris, offering him what comfort she could, her silver tearstreaks contrasting with his blond hair.

"I came as soon as I heard," she tells Tris quietly, her fingers running through his hair soothingly. She opens her mouth to say something else, but finds her breath catching; words leaving her for the moment, she simply holds Tris, feeling the emotion rising up in her.
Goranthir's words were like a jolt of electricity down Loranna's spine; she blinks and movers her head back slightly, looking at Tris.

" ... Uh, Tris?" she asks. "What exactly is he talking about?"

Tris turned from Loranna to Allie.

"What did you find out?" Tris asked.

QUOTE(Solin @ Oct 16 2005, 05:07 PM)

"Sometimes," Ciel said softly as he sits down on a cushioned bench. "Doing ones duty requires one to make sacrifices one would rather not make at the time."

Allerleirauh looked from Goranthir's face to Tris's, and then at Ciel. Her mouth drew tighter as she looked at Ciel, as if she had made a decision.

"You are planning to go to the funeral?" Allerleirauh asked Tris.

"You're driving me insane," Tris said. "Just tell me."

Allerleirauh shook her head.

Posted by: syronj Oct 17 2005, 12:11 AM

QUOTE(Stargazey @ Oct 16 2005, 06:09 PM)

Shaka hugged Isidor. "Don't mind if I do. The flowers are for Kethiah and you; let's find a tankard or something to put them in."

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 12:19 AM

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim

QUOTE(syronj @ Oct 16 2005, 03:11 PM)

Shaka hugged Isidor. "Don't mind if I do. The flowers are for Kethiah and you; let's find a tankard or something to put them in."

Kethiah dropped down from the chimney where she had been tightening the flue holdings. "They're lovely, Shaka, thank you," she said, and came back with a vase.

Posted by: Loranna Oct 17 2005, 12:22 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 06:11 PM)

Tris turned from Loranna to Allie.

"What did you find out?" Tris asked.
Allerleirauh looked from Goranthir's face to Tris's, and then at Ciel. Her mouth drew tighter as she looked at Ciel, as if she had made a decision.

"You are planning to go to the funeral?" Allerleirauh asked Tris.

"You're driving me insane," Tris said. "Just tell me."

Allerleirauh shook her head.

Loranna looks to Allie, to Ciel, and then back to Tris. " ... I get the feeling I missed about half of that," she says, " ... but if you are going, dear, I'd be willing to go with you. Ater everything we've all been through, it's the least I could offer."

Posted by: syronj Oct 17 2005, 12:24 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 06:19 PM)

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim
Kethiah dropped down from the chimney where she had been tightening the flue holdings. "They're lovely, Shaka, thank you," she said, and came back with a vase.

"You're welcome," he said, and handed the bouquet to Kethiah. "It occurred to me yesterday that I didn't say much about the Nymph other than 'impressive'. But I wanted to let you know the place looks great."

Sitting down, Shaka added, "I've had an idea lately that's probably illegal at best and insane at worst; might as well talk about it with old friends . . . ."

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 17 2005, 12:25 AM

QUOTE(Loranna @ Oct 16 2005, 05:22 PM)

Tris turned to Ciel.

"I want to go," Tris said. "He was my father, after all. But there's more to it than that. I thought... you might want to come with me. She'll be there. I feel sure of it."

Posted by: Stargazey Oct 17 2005, 12:26 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 06:19 PM)

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim
Kethiah dropped down from the chimney where she had been tightening the flue holdings. "They're lovely, Shaka, thank you," she said, and came back with a vase.

Isidor looked up, as Kethiah dropped down, and laughed.

QUOTE(syronj @ Oct 16 2005, 06:24 PM)

"Thanks. The grand opening should be tommorrow. If we're lucky, that is."

"What's your idea ...?" Isidor asked, slightly concerned.

Posted by: Solin Oct 17 2005, 12:28 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 05:25 PM)

Tris turned to Ciel.

"I want to go," Tris said. "He was my father, after all. But there's more to it than that. I thought... you might want to come with me. She'll be there. I feel sure of it."

"I'll go, I should go," Ciel responded after blinking a moment. "To, at the very least, make my peace."

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 12:29 AM

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim

QUOTE(syronj @ Oct 16 2005, 03:24 PM)

Kethiah put the flowers in the vase and set them on the bar, admiring them.

"I think I've taught you a couple illegal things in the past," she smiled demurely. "You have something more wicked in mind than the Kiss of the Green Lily maneuver?"

Posted by: Rhedd Oct 17 2005, 12:30 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 03:53 PM)

The Royal Dome of Wayrest

Elysana’s throne room had a new addition, a massive, sixty-foot-long skeleton of an ancient sea beast, bleached to a blinding white, which stretched across the ceiling. Its ribcage was now an enormous chandelier filled with candles. It was slightly macabre but weirdly beautiful. A gift from Gortwog gro-Nagorm of Wayrest.

“I’m just not sure it gives the right message to diplomats,” the Queen of Wayrest’s consort, Prince Cayler was saying. “I mean, a huge rotting corpse …”

“It’s not rotting, it doesn’t smell,” Elysana said looking up at it, with a smile. “And I rather like the message it gives to diplomats. Here there be monsters.”

Herwyn Brand was announced.

The Queen's Spymaster entered, dressed as usual in unassuming, grey attire.

He bowed deeply, and then made his way down the hall to the throne, eyeing the enormous new skeleton above as if it would fall on him at any moment.

Reaching the foot of the throne, Herwyn bowed again.

"Very impressive, your Majesty. I'd heard of the gift, but I hadn't expected it to be so... big."

Shaking his eyes away from the morbid decoration, he gathered a bundle of books and papers from under his arm and presented it to the Queen.

"Concerning Lord Lyonswurst, your Majesty. It's all rather clear."

Laurent's journal explained in disturbing detail all about the man's unusual hobbies, but of more interest were the letters, schedule entries, notes, and scribbled ramblings explaining how he, Lord Lyonswurst, had used a rather remarkable magical ring to force people to do his bidding.

The papers that concerned the Queen most directly were those detailing Laurent's plot against her, and how he used the powerful ring to accomplish his goal.

Herwyn's jaw tightened as he handed the papers to Elysana. Here was a turning point. Here, for the first time in his life, he blatantly and intentionally lied to his Queen... Many of the most incriminating documents had been written by Laurent by Herwyn's commands as he wore the infamous ring.

Herwyn bowed, and told himself for the thousandth time that Elysana would be happier, because of this.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 12:31 AM

Solunastra

QUOTE(Solin @ Oct 16 2005, 03:28 PM)

"I'll go, I should go," Ciel responded after blinking a moment. "To, at the very least, make my peace."

"So, do you want the rest of us to go when you turn yourself in?" Goranthir asked, amazed. "And just watch them cart you away?"

Posted by: syronj Oct 17 2005, 12:34 AM

QUOTE(Stargazey @ Oct 16 2005, 06:26 PM)

Isidor looked up, as Kethiah dropped down, and laughed.
"Thanks. The grand opening should be tommorrow. If we're lucky, that is."

"What's your idea ...?" Isidor asked, slightly concerned.

Shaka looked at his mead for a moment. "I don't know whether Telera's situation got me thinking of it, or a dream I had, or both. If you think of the trap that Anya and I are in . . . What are some ways to get out?"

"Obviously, we could walk away. But what if I were to change the game in my favor, get out of the trap?"

"It's illegal to change your form the way Teleran changed his gender, though that was accidental. How much more serious to change your race? To go from cold-blooded Argonian to warmblood? And what price would I have to pay, if I'm crazy enough to try it?"

Posted by: Solin Oct 17 2005, 12:35 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 05:31 PM)

Solunastra
"So, do you want the rest of us to go when you turn yourself in?" Goranthir asked, amazed. "And just watch them cart you away?"

"I don't require anyone to accompany me," Ciel said almost glaring at Goranthir under hooded eyes. "I'm a living lie, a shell, strike me and I ring hollow."

He shook his head.

"That doesn't warrent it. That doesn't want it."

Posted by: Stargazey Oct 17 2005, 12:37 AM

QUOTE(syronj @ Oct 16 2005, 06:34 PM)

Isidor didn't say anything for a moment, and when he did speak, he sounded slightly confused.

"So, you want to change your race? Because of Anya? Is that even possible?" Isidor shook his head, and said "Well, if it is possible, and you want to do it ... more power to you, I guess."

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 12:39 AM

Solunastra

QUOTE(Solin @ Oct 16 2005, 03:35 PM)

Goranthir called Ciel "a selfish martyr," but out of politeness, did it in the language of the red-breasted thrush, so it was just a simple, if slightly peculiar, chirrup.

"I am going," was all he said in response.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 12:42 AM

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim

QUOTE(Stargazey @ Oct 16 2005, 03:37 PM)

"Isidor told me a little of what you're going through," Kethiah said after a pause. It was obvious she was a bit stunned by Shaka's particular plan. "I think ... Well, tell me, does it matter what I think? Are you going to do it one way or another? Because it strikes me as extraordinarily foolish if not completely insane."

Posted by: Solin Oct 17 2005, 12:43 AM

Ciel blinked, he hadn't been expecting that. Then again, there were lots of things these days that he didn't expect.

"I need something to drink," the former knight mumbled to himself as he leaned back.

It would help dull everything into the greyness he felt.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 12:50 AM

Solunastra

QUOTE(Solin @ Oct 16 2005, 03:43 PM)

Goranthir got up to get some brandy for Ciel. It gave him a chance to relax, and whisper to no one, "It's bloody unfair."

He returned with the brandy, a glass, and a friendly smile.

Posted by: syronj Oct 17 2005, 12:50 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 06:42 PM)

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim
"Isidor told me a little of what you're going through," Kethiah said after a pause. It was obvious she was a bit stunned by Shaka's particular plan. "I think ... Well, tell me, does it matter what I think? Are you going to do it one way or another? Because it strikes me as extraordinarily foolish if not completely insane."

"It's not set in stone that I'll try it, Keth. I'm just trying to think outside the game. I don't know if it's even possible; for all I know, it's possible but lethal."

"You see why I can talk about this with friends I trust, but I can't go to the Mages Guild with this. I'm not sure I'm ready to talk to Loranna about it, and we've all trusted her with our lives. But assume it's possible: who should I bargain with?"

"Some Telvanni magelord that would as soon see me dead as succeed? Or maybe try to contact a daedroth and strike a deal. The thing is, I'm not willing to sell my soul for such a change . . . . Though who knows what price the Daedra would ask."

"That leaves the gods. I may have told you that I once met an avatar of Mara. Maybe I should somehow try to petition the gods . . . No, that sounds crazier yet."

Posted by: Stargazey Oct 17 2005, 12:53 AM

QUOTE(syronj @ Oct 16 2005, 06:50 PM)

Isidor spoke, in a softer, calmer voice. "Why, do you want do to this? Just because of Anya?"

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 12:55 AM

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim

QUOTE(syronj @ Oct 16 2005, 03:50 PM)

"How about the simplest, least crazy solution?" Kethiah asked sympathetically, but awed by how far Shaka was willing to go. "Decide that if she can't love you as you are, you will remain her friend, accept a broken heart in consolation, and keep yourself available for the next woman? What if you changed your race, and things still didn't work out with Anya, and then you fell for an Argonian woman?"

Kethiah poured Shaka a drink unbidden. "Let me ask you this, and I know it's tough but that's what old friend are for -- can you picture Anya changing her race for you?"

Posted by: Loranna Oct 17 2005, 12:55 AM

QUOTE(Solin @ Oct 16 2005, 06:43 PM)

Loranna frowns, feeling an ache in her heart for Ciel; to see the man who crossed Tamriel to ensure she kept her word like this ... it was making her eyes moist.

Slowly, she realizes she's still holding Tris, as though to offer comfort to him for Ciel's depression.

"I agree," she says quietly in response to Goranthir's whisper.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 01:01 AM

Solunastra

Goranthir poured himself a glass of brandy too. He had never had it before. Two glasses of wine were his usual limit.

After the first burning sip, he winced and asked. "So, when is the funeral?"

Posted by: syronj Oct 17 2005, 01:06 AM

QUOTE(Stargazey @ Oct 16 2005, 06:53 PM)

Isidor spoke, in a softer, calmer voice. "Why, do you want do to this? Just because of Anya?"

Shaka hesitated. "Yes, to be honest, because of Anya. I was resigned to living and dying a lizard until she came along. And because of the life I've led, the choices I made -- thinking and living as if I were a human -- it means dying alone someday."

"The idea almost turns my stomach too, giving up whatever natural advantages I have of being Argonian. And there are some; the resistance to poison, the agility, the ease in water. But there's a final point, Isidor."

Shaka looked at Kethiah and Isidor even more directly. "This may not make much sense to you, Kethiah, but Isidor and I have seen our true selves. For whatever reason, mine is apparently Ra'Gada. I can only assume I grew up in the Mundus as Argonian for some unknown purpose, to learn something perhaps; or maybe it was just an accident."

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 17 2005, 01:09 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 05:39 PM)

Solunastra
Goranthir called Ciel "a selfish martyr," but out of politeness, did it in the language of the red-breasted thrush, so it was just a simple, if slightly peculiar, chirrup.

"I am going," was all he said in response.

QUOTE(Solin @ Oct 16 2005, 05:43 PM)

Allerleirauh looked knowingly at Goranthir, but said nothing.

"You don't need a drink," Tris said. "The Ciel I met a long time ago didn't drink. Come on, then. Let's see what Elysana has to say to her two most loyal citizens."

Posted by: syronj Oct 17 2005, 01:10 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 06:55 PM)

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim
"How about the simplest, least crazy solution?" Kethiah asked sympathetically, but awed by how far Shaka was willing to go. "Decide that if she can't love you as you are, you will remain her friend, accept a broken heart in consolation, and keep yourself available for the next woman? What if you changed your race, and things still didn't work out with Anya, and then you fell for an Argonian woman?"

Kethiah poured Shaka a drink unbidden. "Let me ask you this, and I know it's tough but that's what old friend are for -- can you picture Anya changing her race for you?"

"Thanks for the drink. . . . No, I don't think she would change her race for me. Somehow it didn't occur to me to think in those terms. And yes, if I even succeeded in changing, for all I know she will have moved on to someone else."

He shook his head. "You could be right that I should just wait for the next woman. But they've been few and far between in my life."

He brooded for a moment.

Posted by: Stargazey Oct 17 2005, 01:14 AM

QUOTE(syronj @ Oct 16 2005, 07:06 PM)

Isidor looked at his friend, still somewhat shocked. He had thought he had done a lot to prove to Kethiah that he loved her ...

"Have you mentioned this to Anya, at all, yet? As for your true self being Ra'Gada, well, I don't know what to say to that."

Isidor took a sip of his drink and said "I think what you're suggesting is drastic, and insane, but, love can make someone do drastic and insane things."

"The one real question, as I see it," Isidor said, "is are you prepared to take this risk? To change who you are, for another person? Because, that's a very large risk. And, if you are, you need to talk to Anya about it, too. See if she wants you to do this. She should at least know."

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 01:22 AM

The Royal Dome of Wayrest

QUOTE(Rhedd @ Oct 16 2005, 03:30 PM)

"Concerning Lord Lyonswurst, your Majesty. It's all rather clear."

Laurent's journal explained in disturbing detail all about the man's unusual hobbies, but of more interest were the letters, schedule entries, notes, and scribbled ramblings explaining how he, Lord Lyonswurst, had used a rather remarkable magical ring to force people to do his bidding.

The papers that concerned the Queen most directly were those detailing Laurent's plot against her, and how he used the powerful ring to accomplish his goal.

Herwyn's jaw tightened as he handed the papers to Elysana. Here was a turning point. Here, for the first time in his life, he blatantly and intentionally lied to his Queen... Many of the most incriminating documents had been written by Laurent by Herwyn's commands as he wore the infamous ring.

Herwyn bowed, and told himself for the thousandth time that Elysana would be happier, because of this.

Elysana studied all the notes and letters intently, asking Herwyn questions about codes. If the Queen were shocked and appalled -- as it was obvious her Prince Consort was -- she did not show it.

"I would expect nothing less from a Lyonswurst," she said at last. "What's become of Laurent and his ring?"

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 01:25 AM

Solunastra

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 04:09 PM)

"By means of the Mages Guild, I suppose," said Goranthir quietly. He had put down the glass of brandy half-empty, but felt light-headed. "No reason to arrive there stealthily if you're going to immediately announce your presence."

At the touch of his hand, Goranthir's cloak turned black. "I'm sorry I didn't bring any other clothes."

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 01:28 AM

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim

QUOTE(Stargazey @ Oct 16 2005, 04:14 PM)

"He knows she'll tell him not to do it," Kethiah replied. "He wouldn't love a woman who would rather him be a dead human than a live Argonian, so he's going to take the risk on his own ... I think we've made it clear that we don't think you should do this ... But you should someone who doesn't wish you ill, who wants to do it for the challenge of it, like old Baladas in Gnisis ... And you should be prepared for disappointment if it doesn't have the result you want."

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 17 2005, 01:37 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 06:25 PM)

Solunastra
"By means of the Mages Guild, I suppose," said Goranthir quietly. He had put down the glass of brandy half-empty, but felt light-headed. "No reason to arrive there stealthily if you're going to immediately announce your presence."

At the touch of his hand, Goranthir's cloak turned black. "I'm sorry I didn't bring any other clothes."

"Don't worry," Tris said. "I don't plan to die today."

He wasn't sure about Ciel, however, and the thought made him feel sick all over.

"I slept in these clothes," Tris said. "Let me dress properly. I'll be down in a moment. Goranthir - my clothes fit you. But I think you look fine."

Allerleirauh, again, said nothing.

Posted by: Rhedd Oct 17 2005, 01:38 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 05:22 PM)

The Royal Dome of Wayrest
Elysana studied all the notes and letters intently, asking Herwyn questions about codes. If the Queen were shocked and appalled -- as it was obvious her Prince Consort was -- she did not show it.

"I would expect nothing less from a Lyonswurst," she said at last. "What's become of Laurent and his ring?"

"Laruent, I'm sorry to say, lies dead on a country road. The Count of Ivytide, brother of one of Lyonswurst's most recent victims, exacted his revenge before I could intervene."

Herwyn bowed.

"My sincerest apologies for not bringing him in alive."

Straightening, he brought his left hand up between him and the Queen, showing the simple platinum ring that he wore on his third finger.

"The ring is here."

Herwyn's dark eyes were unreadable.

"Shall I demonstrate, your Majesty?"

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 01:43 AM

The Royal Dome of Wayrest

QUOTE(Rhedd @ Oct 16 2005, 04:38 PM)

Elysana frowned but nodded at the news about Laurent's death. "I'm sorry he's not here to interrogate, but I don't think he would have been extraordinarily helpful."

She nodded again when Herwyn offered to demonstrate the ring, her bright blues eyes on it, missing nothing.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 01:44 AM

Solunastra

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 04:37 PM)

"I'll go up with you," Goranthir smiled a little. "If we're going to meet my dear step-aunt whom I've heard so much about, I better look my best."

Posted by: Loranna Oct 17 2005, 01:45 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 07:37 PM)

Loranna looks down at her own outfit - deep blue blouse and matching skirt, comfortable shoes, her hair loose and over her shoulders. As outfits go, it was one of her more sensible ones, but it still wasn't quite the proper attire for a funeral.

She clears her throat a bit. " ... Could I borrow a black shawl?" she asks, brushing her hair out of her face.

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 17 2005, 01:57 AM

QUOTE(Loranna @ Oct 16 2005, 06:45 PM)

"I don't wear a great deal of black, myself, but I'm sure I can find you something," Allerleirauh said. The two women went to Doll's room - Doll had many clothes. And among them was an elegant black silk shawl. Allerleirauh herself didn't change clothes. She was planning on attending the funeral - from the Outside.

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 06:44 PM)

Solunastra
"I'll go up with you," Goranthir smiled a little. "If we're going to meet my dear step-aunt whom I've heard so much about, I better look my best."

"It's lucky I have a flair for the dramatic," Tris joked. His heart was pounding so quickly that he really did feel sick. Black cut velvet with damasked sleeves. The sleeve lining was brilliant white, and flashed elegantly. Tris looked at himself in the mirror, and saw that his face was very pale, and his eyes had purple circles beneath them. The outfit took all the color from him; his green eyes seemed greyer. Even his hair looked pale.

"You look better in black than I do," Tris said, smiling. "By the Nine, I need a drink."

Allerleirauh had Solunastra's liveried carried waiting, to take them to the Mages' Guild. She kissed Tris. And then she kissed Ciel Dolbinen, and pressed something into his hand. It was a heavy, dark metalled ring set with rubies, magical.

"For your service here," Allerleirauh said.

Posted by: Rhedd Oct 17 2005, 01:58 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 05:43 PM)

The Royal Dome of Wayrest
Elysana frowned but nodded at the news about Laurent's death. "I'm sorry he's not here to interrogate, but I don't think he would have been extraordinarily helpful."

She nodded again when Herwyn offered to demonstrate the ring, her bright blues eyes on it, missing nothing.

Herwyn lowered his hand and looked at the faces of the Queen and the Prince Consort. Here they were, the three of them... A Queen, a Prince, and simple Herwyn Brand.

But it was Herwyn who wore the ring.

"Prince Cayler," he said, "please stand on your head."

Herwyn was rather surprised to see that the man could easily do such a trick. He also noticed that one of the Queen's eyebrows had raised.

Making a prince stand on his head was impressive, but the magic to do such a thing was far from rare, and Herwyn had to be certain the Queen understood the ring's power.

"Prince Calyer..." Herwyn said, slowly, "Kill the Queen."

A look of shock broke on the man's strong face, but he was upright on his feet without hesitation, drawing his short sword and advancing on the Queen's lovely throat.

Elysana lowered her eyebrow, but did not move. Bravery, Herwyn thought, was one of the things he so adored about his Queen.

"Stop!

"Put your sword away, my Prince, and be at ease. My apologies to you."

Herwyn turned to the Queen, stared into her strong bright eyes, and bowed.

Posted by: Solin Oct 17 2005, 02:01 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 06:57 PM)

Allerleirauh had Solunastra's liveried carried waiting, to take them to the Mages' Guild. She kissed Tris. And then she kissed Ciel Dolbinen, and pressed something into his hand. It was a heavy, dark metalled ring set with rubies, magical.

"For your service here," Allerleirauh said.

Ciel looked at the ring in his hand. A torn look crossed his face, almost as if he didn't want to accept it.

"Thank you," he said at last.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 02:03 AM

Daggerfall to Wayrest

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 04:57 PM)

Goranthir kissed Allerleirauh as they got into the carriage. His eyes were serious but adoring.

He held Tris's hand, and said nothing more as they rode on to the Mages Guild, and from there, by Guild Guide, to Wayrest.

It was an idyllic day in the rich city, with white clouds smeared across the bright sky.

Goranthir looked around at wonder at the city where his mother and uncle had once been Princess and Prince, and his grandmother had been Queen.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 02:08 AM

The Royal Dome of Wayrest

QUOTE(Rhedd @ Oct 16 2005, 04:58 PM)

"Prince Calyer..." Herwyn said, slowly, "Kill the Queen."

A look of shock broke on the man's strong face, but he was upright on his feet without hesitation, drawing his short sword and advancing on the Queen's lovely throat.

Elysana lowered her eyebrow, but did not move. Bravery, Herwyn thought, was one of the things he so adored about his Queen.

"Stop!

"Put your sword away, my Prince, and be at ease. My apologies to you."

Herwyn turned to the Queen, stared into her strong bright eyes, and bowed.

"What in the name of bleeding Oblivion just happened?" Prince Calyer asked, discombolated.

"You don't know?" Elysana asked her consort, a tiny smile on her red lips. "You don't remember?"

Calyer shook his head, and sat down heavily on the floor.

"What a marvelous toy!" Elysana laughed, holding out her hand. "Let me see it. Do you have any idea how Laurent Lyonswurst came by it?"

Posted by: Loranna Oct 17 2005, 02:19 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 08:03 PM)

Daggerfall to Wayrest
Goranthir kissed Allerleirauh as they got into the carriage. His eyes were serious but adoring.

He held Tris's hand, and said nothing more as they rode on to the Mages Guild, and from there, by Guild Guide, to Wayrest.

It was an idyllic day in the rich city, with white clouds smeared across the bright sky.

Goranthir looked around at wonder at the city where his mother and uncle had once been Princess and Prince, and his grandmother had been Queen.

Loranna had spent the trip in the carriage in silence, Doll's black shawl draped elegantly around her shoulders. She had a lot on her mind, and didn't trust herself not to blather if she tried saying something.

Tris looked frightening in black, like the clothes drained the color from his body, and Ciel ... she didn't know what he thought he was going to do, and she didn't know what she thought of what she thought he was thinking of doing. It felt like going to an execution more than a funeral - not that either was preferable to the other.

At least, Loranna thought when they arrived with a grim smile, the weather was lovely; Tris's father would have a beautiful day for his family and friends to bid him farewell.

She looked over at Ciel and Tris, still unsure what to say, but offering an encouraging smile to both.

Posted by: syronj Oct 17 2005, 02:23 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 07:28 PM)

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim
"He knows she'll tell him not to do it," Kethiah replied. "He wouldn't love a woman who would rather him be a dead human than a live Argonian, so he's going to take the risk on his own ... I think we've made it clear that we don't think you should do this ... But you should someone who doesn't wish you ill, who wants to do it for the challenge of it, like old Baladas in Gnisis ... And you should be prepared for disappointment if it doesn't have the result you want."

Shaka looked at Kethiah with a wry smile. "You're like Anya in some ways, Keth; or maybe most women can do that: cutting through the nonsense."

"Anya told me she may be going away for a while. I think she's trying to figure herself out just as much as I am."

Shaka got up from the chair. "Thank you for listening. And don't worry, I haven't lost my mind; I won't rush into anything."

"I'm looking forward to the Grand Opening." Shaka couldn't recall hugging Kethiah before, but she was a pleasant armful as he prepared to leave. Shaka hugged Isidor as well.

Posted by: Stargazey Oct 17 2005, 02:26 AM

QUOTE(syronj @ Oct 16 2005, 08:23 PM)

Isidor hugged Shaka back, and said, "Good luck, in whatever you do. May the Nine be with you, friend."

Posted by: Solin Oct 17 2005, 02:27 AM

QUOTE(Loranna @ Oct 16 2005, 07:19 PM)

Ciel was still looking at the ring in his hand as he stepped into Wayrest. He never thought he'd be back. Even though it had not been more than about a year since he had sat looking back on the city from the stern of the ship that carried him away.

He had loved this city.

The knight found himself recalling a frighteningly cold, stormy night as he had closed on Loranna's trail. The following morning had been so gloriously beautiful, belying the night, a crystaline forest lit by the rising sun.

Ciel blinked and returned to the present.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 02:28 AM

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim

QUOTE(syronj @ Oct 16 2005, 05:23 PM)

"Certainly not most women," Kethiah smiled back, fondly if still concerned. One does not idly talk about self-transformation. "Most women are as foolish as most men, but I appreciate being put into the same category as the lady you admire. Good luck, Shaka, and I hope you will consider what we've said. And will be in here tomorrow, of course."

Posted by: Rhedd Oct 17 2005, 02:35 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 06:08 PM)

The Royal Dome of Wayrest
"What in the name of bleeding Oblivion just happened?" Prince Calyer asked, discombolated.

"You don't know?" Elysana asked her consort, a tiny smile on her red lips. "You don't remember?"

Calyer shook his head, and sat down heavily on the floor.

"What a marvelous toy!" Elysana laughed, holding out her hand. "Let me see it. Do you have any idea how Laurent Lyonswurst came by it?"

"I do not," Herwyn said, "but he trafficked with Daedra, your Majesty. One assumes that the ring was part of some unholy transaction."

Herwyn's mouth spoke words to a queen in a throneroom, but his mind was someplace entirely different.

Here, on his hand, was a ring that gave one power over all others. On his hand. With it, Wayrest could be his... everything could be his.

All he was to do was to take off the ring, and place it in Elysana's cool hand, but the question nagged him; Why?

How strongly did he believe in the divine providence of royalty?

The Queen had power because she was born a queen, and for that fact alone, she deserved it. Herwyn had not been born a king, and so he followed her, as was only right.

The power in his hand now, though, didn't care who you were born. Now where once he was Elysana's servant, she could now be... what? His servant?

His lover?

Herwyn removed the ring and handed it to Elysana, leaving her exactly what she was; her own person. His beloved Queen.

Posted by: syronj Oct 17 2005, 02:35 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 08:28 PM)

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim
"Certainly not most women," Kethiah smiled back, fondly if still concerned. One does not idly talk about self-transformation. "Most women are as foolish as most men, but I appreciate being put into the same category as the lady you admire. Good luck, Shaka, and I hope you will consider what we've said. And will be in here tomorrow, of course."

"Count on it," said the Argonian, as he exited.

Shaka knew now why he had talked to non-mage friends before the magically inclined; he had been given common sense to think about, instead of just echoes of his speculations.

Posted by: Stargazey Oct 17 2005, 02:42 AM

QUOTE(syronj @ Oct 16 2005, 08:35 PM)

"I hope everything works out for him," Isidor said, turning to Kethiah. "Though, I had something I wanted to ask you, about a less morose matter. What else do we need, specifically, for the grand opening?"

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 02:44 AM

The Royal Dome of Wayrest

QUOTE(Rhedd @ Oct 16 2005, 05:35 PM)

Herwyn removed the ring and handed it to Elysana, leaving her exactly what she was; her own person. His beloved Queen.

The Queen of Wayrest put the artifact on her own finger and looked at it.

"It's rather plain," she said. "Why is that all magical rings are either too simple or too gaudy? Why don't enchanters ever talk to really fine jewelers and make something that is both useful and pretty?"

She called her minister of the Treasury.

"Put this in the most secure part of the vault," she said, tossing it to him. "We better go before we're late for the funeral."

"What funeral?" asked her Prince Consort still sitting on the floor, an even more stupid than usual expression on his face. "I don't feel well."

"There's a fine jewel for you, pretty but useless," Elysana sighed. "Count Sternhart's funeral, husband. Oh, for Akatosh's sake ... Herwyn, you were planning on going, weren't you?"

Posted by: Rhedd Oct 17 2005, 02:47 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 06:44 PM)

The Royal Dome of Wayrest
The Queen of Wayrest put the artifact on her own finger and looked at it.

"It's rather plain," she said. "Why is that all magical rings are either too simple or too gaudy? Why don't enchanters ever talk to really fine jewelers and make something that is both useful and pretty?"

She called her minister of the Treasury.

"Put this in the most secure part of the vault," she said, tossing it to him. "We better go before we're late for the funeral."

"What funeral?" asked her Prince Consort still sitting on the floor, an even more stupid than usual expression on his face. "I don't feel well."

"There's a fine jewel for you, pretty but useless," Elysana sighed. "Count Sternhart's funeral, husband. Oh, for Akatosh's sake ... Herwyn, you were planning on going, weren't you?"

Herwyn smiled. His eyes, again, unreadable.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, your Majesty."

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 02:47 AM

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim

QUOTE(Stargazey @ Oct 16 2005, 05:42 PM)

"He had to know we wouldn't approve," Kethiah frowned a little. "Ah, well, he'll do what he does, and we'll have to accept it. Well, food should be planned, musicians hired, and, obviously, people should be told ... Not everyone reads our notice board, at least not yet ... Would you check with Loranna, and see if she's available?"

She looked around the place, well pleased. "Other than that ... I think we have a tavern."

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 02:50 AM

The Royal Court of Wayrest

QUOTE(Rhedd @ Oct 16 2005, 05:47 PM)

Herwyn smiled. His eyes, again, unreadable.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, your Majesty."

"Thank you, Herwyn, you're always reliable," Elysana said, and then called for a black cloak and her children.

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 17 2005, 02:54 AM

QUOTE(Solin @ Oct 16 2005, 07:27 PM)

Tris felt as if knives were cutting him apart. It was such a bright, beautiful day. There was Ciel, looking more alive than he'd looked in half a year. Awake, finally, like an old warhorse that hears trumpets. There was Goranthir, who had sweetly held his hand and tried not to look fierce the whole ride here. Loranna dutifully being a good friend, as best she knew how.

Tris had tears on his face, and not because of his father. But his father would serve as an excuse.

"Get me a carriage, please,' he said, pressing coins into the hands of a passing boy. "A black one."

The carriage swept through the large gate of pink marble, and stopped under ancient shade trees to let them out. In Daggerfall crypts were opened only at night; here in Wayrest, the dead were interred in daylight. A city guard approached. "I'm sorry, we're having to restrict access to members of the family and those with invitations."

So soon? Tris had hoped to get farther before encountering resistance.

"That's all right, then," Tris said, and the guard gasped in his face, realizing who he was.

They weren't stopped.

The largest mausoleum, of imported grey marble, belonged to the royal family. The Gaerington mausoleum was smaller, and more modest - but not much more modest. It was made of the same sparkling pink marble as the cemetary gates, and it had little pointed windows carved in the stone, so that you could look inside, at painted portraits of the family. Tris remembered being boosted up to see inside, as a boy. Before anyone he cared about was in it.

Four business associates of his father - he knew them well - stood in white robes, beside the casket. Old men, overweight. They would not actually carry it; paid servants of Arkay would do that.

The Archpriest of Akatosh was here, too.

Tris's family stood in the front row. He recognized Ymalna only by the long black veil covering her hair. She had gained weight, and looked pale and worried. The baby was in the arms of a nurse. Tris's favorite cousin Fredelar was here - he must have ridden all night to reach Wayrest in time. He had gained weight too.

His sister Iolanthe looked better than he had ever seen her, calm and confident, adult, with her brown hair neatly pulled back. She had grown into her nose. She would never be pretty - but she might someday be beautiful.

The sight of his little brother, Oro, broke his heart. A sturdy, ruddy-skinned, tough little boy. But not today. Today he looked about five years old. He wasn't crying. But he had been.

Tris walked to the front of the crowd. Someone clasped his arm, and he turned to see Nenius, one of his old running friends, who was weeping openly. Nenius never did have good sense.

"Oro," Tris whispered, putting his arm around the boy's shoulders. His brother looked up, horrified. Ymalna was staring at him with flat disbelief, fear and anger. Not fear that he would be caught, something else. What was she afraid of?

The hired mourners began their chant.

Off to one side, Tris could see the guard who had stopped him as they came in, speaking urgently with a captain of the guards in full dress uniform.

Posted by: Axe the Brave Oct 17 2005, 02:57 AM

QUOTE(Stargazey @ Oct 16 2005, 07:42 PM)

"Dancers!" Trason quickly replied.

"I know the men of Ald Raathim real well, and they'll show up no matter what if theres... Special entertainment"

They looked at him in disbelief.

"Or... We could... Ahh I got nothing..." Trason said as he walked back into his kitchen.

Posted by: Stargazey Oct 17 2005, 02:57 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 08:47 PM)

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim
"He had to know we wouldn't approve," Kethiah frowned a little. "Ah, well, he'll do what he does, and we'll have to accept it. Well, food should be planned, musicians hired, and, obviously, people should be told ... Not everyone reads our notice board, at least not yet ... Would you check with Loranna, and see if she's available?"

She looked around the place, well pleased. "Other than that ... I think we have a tavern."

Isidor smiled, and said, "There's no better reward, then seeing your hard work come to frutition. I'll go and see Loranna, first thing tommorrow morning. I feel like relaxing now, though." He kissed her softly, and said, "There's no-one I would've rather done this with."

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 03:02 AM

Wayrest

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 05:54 PM)

The hired mourners began their chant.

Off to one side, Tris could see the guard who had stopped him as they came in, speaking urgently with a captain of the guards in full dress uniform.

It was traditional for the royal family of Wayrest to attend the funerals of the more prominent citizens of their land.

Prince Eadwyre, called "Wyre," was there, a handsome little boy in black velvet. His five year old sister Princess Tymona was old enough to act properly serious.

The Queen tapped Herwyn's arm when she saw Tris and Ciel in the crowd. Not that she thought her Spymaster missed them ...

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 03:05 AM

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim

Kethiah laughed merrily at Trason's advice. "Duly noted, but maybe we should save them for the high holidays."

QUOTE(Stargazey @ Oct 16 2005, 05:57 PM)

Kethiah kissed him back. "Our hard work is just beginning. It's going to be regular work, keeping it up, making our place work ... But I think it will be good."

Posted by: Loranna Oct 17 2005, 03:08 AM

Wayrest

Times like this, Loranna always felt like she wasn't doing enough for the people she cared about. Tris and Ciel both obviously had so much on their minds, so much weight on their shoulders right now ... but she wasn't yet mature enough to know what best to say at a time like this, and she didn't want to make their pain any worse by saying the wrong thing.

She'd always been like that; this was why, when the Daedra Prince Azura had whispered to her that she'd be able to offer her caring thoughts directly to others, she hadn't thought twice about becoming her vessel. Imagine, to be able to offer the comfort you tried to infuse in your words to someone, without the worry that you'd choose the wrong words and just make things worse! How could that be a bad thing?

She knew better, now; but the desire to offer comfort still remained. She prayed silently to Dibella and Stendaar to be with Tris and Ciel today, and hoped that later, when this was over, she'd be able to do more.

Assuming of course that this ended in a way to let her even speak to Tris, or Ciel, again anytime soon; the guard's conference had not escaped her notice.

Tris's family seemed less than happy to see him; Loranna felt her heart twist, and she prayed again to Dibella.

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 17 2005, 03:09 AM

Drunken Guar

"So Thom, how have you been faring these past few days, good I hope?" Kratos asked, ordering more sujamma.

Posted by: Thommeh Oct 17 2005, 03:12 AM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 16 2005, 07:09 PM)

Drunken Guar

"So Thom, how have you been faring these past few days, good I hope?" Kratos asked, ordering more sujamma.

"Actually, I am doing better than I have for a long time. I found someone I care for very deeply." Thom smiled then looked at Kratos. "What about you; besides the Ordinator news?"

Posted by: Stargazey Oct 17 2005, 03:15 AM

QUOTE(Axe the Brave @ Oct 16 2005, 08:57 PM)

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 09:05 PM)

The Nymph and Noggin, Ald Raathim

Kethiah laughed merrily at Trason's advice. "Duly noted, but maybe we should save them for the high holidays."
Kethiah kissed him back. "Our hard work is just beginning. It's going to be regular work, keeping it up, making our place work ... But I think it will be good."

Isidor laughed at Trason's suggestion too, and then said, "It'll be good work, as long as you and the kids are here with me."

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 17 2005, 03:15 AM

QUOTE(Thommeh @ Oct 16 2005, 06:12 PM)

"Actually, I am doing better than I have for a long time. I found someone I care for very deeply." Thom smiled then looked at Kratos. "What about you; besides the Ordinator news?"

Kratos smiled and replied, "That is good, Thom. I am truely happy for you, love is a beautiful thing."

"I don't really have much to talk about beside Ordinator business. My residence has been constructed and I have moved in, I guess is one thing." Kratos said, glancing at the crumpled peice of paper.

Posted by: Thommeh Oct 17 2005, 03:17 AM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 16 2005, 07:15 PM)

Thom smiled and said, "Thanks."

"Thats well. No more filling up the guest rooms at the castle, eh?"

Posted by: Rhedd Oct 17 2005, 03:18 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 06:54 PM)

Off to one side, Tris could see the guard who had stopped him as they came in, speaking urgently with a captain of the guards in full dress uniform.

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 07:02 PM)

Wayrest
The Queen tapped Herwyn's arm when she saw Tris and Ciel in the crowd. Not that she thought her Spymaster missed them ...

Herwyn nodded as the Queen indicated the two outlaws.

He also took notice of the guards, and, excusing himself from the Queen's side, went to have a quiet word with them.

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 17 2005, 03:23 AM

QUOTE(Thommeh @ Oct 16 2005, 06:17 PM)

Thom smiled and said, "Thanks."

"Thats well. No more filling up the guest rooms at the castle, eh?"

"Actually, I had been staying in a poorly constructed yurt before the completion of my residence." Kratos remarked.

"How about you, tell me of this love you have found." He inclined Thom.

Posted by: Thommeh Oct 17 2005, 03:27 AM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 16 2005, 07:23 PM)

"Actually, I had been staying in a poorly constructed yurt before the completion of my residence." Kratos remarked.

"How about you, tell me of this love you have found." He inclined Thom.

Thom chuckles. "Joke."

"Well, it's Ahjaar."

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 17 2005, 03:31 AM

QUOTE(Thommeh @ Oct 16 2005, 06:27 PM)

Thom chuckles. "Joke."

"Well, it's Ahjaar."

"I thought I saw you two together on the ship-ride back here." Kratos said with a smile.

"Any plans for the future?" He asked him.

Posted by: Thommeh Oct 17 2005, 03:32 AM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 16 2005, 07:31 PM)

"I thought I saw you two together on the ship-ride back here." Kratos said with a smile.

"Any plans for the future?" He asked him.

Thom smiled. "Not right now, we are taking it day by day." Thom took a drink of his near-empty flin.

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 17 2005, 03:33 AM

QUOTE(Rhedd @ Oct 16 2005, 08:18 PM)

Herwyn nodded as the Queen indicated the two outlaws.

He also took notice of the guards, and, excusing himself from the Queen's side, went to have a quiet word with them.

The funeral went as planned.

Oro shied away from his brother, stood watching him. Ymalna, after the first look, turned her back. Tris listened as the eulogist went on at great length about his father's contributions to the city. The projects he had built to house the poor. The guilds he had organized and been a part of. His contributions to the health of the city in time of war. His charm, his devotion to his wife.

The vault was opened, and the casket carried inside. Tris could see, in the shadows within, the shining eyes of the portrait of his young, beautiful mother. And the newer portrait of his father, looking hale and well, florid and bearded and kingly.

He was only barely aware of anything anyone said; after a time it became a hum. And so he barely noticed when a black-robed solicitor stepped forward, and started speaking as the funeral ended.

"Tris, you came after all!" his cousin said, embracing him. It was good to know that at least one person was happy to see him.

Posted by: Stargazey Oct 17 2005, 03:34 AM

Isidor said "Goodnight." to Trason, and to Kethiah, he said "Well, I'm exhausted. I'll be up bright and early for the festivities tommorrow, though."

ooc: Gone for the night.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 03:35 AM

Wayrest

Goranthir knew them all, from the book or from Tris’s own lips: Iolanthe and Oro; Ymalna, the widow with whom Tris had an affair; and the guy in the coffin would be the fearsome Count Sternhart.

Tris meets my family at a costume ball, and I meet his at a funeral. he thought.

The Prince knew that Bretons and other men usually buried their dead underground, but the wealthy did it as the Altmer did, in structures built to house them. All the funerals he had ever been to had been at the Crystal Tower …

He found himself looking around, wondering where Allerleirauh was watching from.

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 17 2005, 03:36 AM

QUOTE(Thommeh @ Oct 16 2005, 06:32 PM)

Thom smiled. "Not right now, we are taking it day by day." Thom took a drink of his near-empty flin.

"I'm sorry I wasn't more clear. I meant, do you have any plans to adventure or go on a quest at all?" Kratos said.

Posted by: Thommeh Oct 17 2005, 03:38 AM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 16 2005, 07:36 PM)

"I'm sorry I wasn't more clear. I meant, do you have any plans to adventure or go on a quest at all?" Kratos said.

Thom blushed. "Oh, well...not really. Just sitting around and waiting."

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 03:43 AM

Wayrest

The royal family went to offer their condolences to the widow. It was not a duty Elysana particularly enjoyed. Weeping women made Elysana ill at ease, somewhere between anger and disgust.

"A sad day, Lady Sternhart," the Queen said to Ymalna. "You have our condolences. Your husband was a fine man and a loyal subject."

Posted by: Rhedd Oct 17 2005, 03:44 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 07:35 PM)

Herwyn finshed his conversation with the well-dressed guard captain, who saluted him sharply and called to his men, and retook his place at the Queen's side.

Posted by: Solin Oct 17 2005, 03:44 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 08:33 PM)

The funeral went as planned.

He was only barely aware of anything anyone said; after a time it became a hum. And so he barely noticed when a black-robed solicitor stepped forward, and started speaking as the funeral ended.

"Tris, you came after all!" his cousin said, embracing him. It was good to know that at least one person was happy to see him.

The ceremony had come to an end. Ciel glanced over to where Elsyana stood with the family left by Tris's father.

He was awash with an odd assortment of feelings. What he had done, how he had fled, and now he had returned.

Tearing his eyes from Elsyana for a moment his gaze desperately sought out Tris's. When the knight had found him he inhaled deeply and whispered a quiet prayer.

He needed to approach her.

Posted by: SpartanShea117 Oct 17 2005, 03:48 AM

QUOTE(Thommeh @ Oct 16 2005, 06:38 PM)

Thom blushed. "Oh, well...not really. Just sitting around and waiting."

"As am I, Thom." He remarked.

The thought of Ordinator business was still fresh in his mind.

"Sorry to leave so abruptly, Thom, but I have some business to attend to."

He gave him a slight nod goodbye and wandered out of the door, on his way to his house.

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 17 2005, 03:50 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 08:43 PM)

QUOTE(Solin @ Oct 16 2005, 08:44 PM)

The ceremony had come to an end. Ciel glanced over to where Elsyana stood.

He was awash with an odd assortment of feelings. What he had done, how he had fled, and now he had returned.

Tearing his eyes from Elsyana for a moment his gaze desperately sought out Tris's. When the knight had found him he inhaled deeply and whispered a quiet prayer.

He needed to approach her.

"Right, then," Tris said, detatching himself from Fredelar's embrace.

He met Ciel's look. If Tris had never answered Ciel's desperate cry, his appeal to a mirror, in what he thought was the privacy of his own room...

I want to live, Ciel had said. And so Tris had interfered, and he had lived. And now they were back at the beginning. Together.

He didn't take Ciel's hand; he didn't need to. The two of them approached the queen.

Posted by: Thommeh Oct 17 2005, 03:52 AM

QUOTE(SpartanShea117 @ Oct 16 2005, 07:48 PM)

Thom nodded back, and finished off his flin. He continued to sit at the table for a while, soaking up the atmosphere. After a while, he felt like he needed some fresh air, so Thom headed back to his camp, where he lit his fire and sat down beside it.

Posted by: Loranna Oct 17 2005, 03:57 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 09:50 PM)

Fortunately for her Majesty of Wayrest, the widow was not weeping. In fact, Ymalna looked as angry as a struck snake.

She curtseyed, bending her face forward to hide her expression, trying to collect herself.

"Your majesty is too kind."

"Right, then," Tris said, detatching himself from Fredelar's embrace.

He met Ciel's look. If Tris had never answered Ciel's desperate cry, his appeal to a mirror, in what he thought was the privacy of his own room...

I want to live, Ciel had said. And so Tris had interfered, and he had lived. And now they were back at the beginning. Together.

He didn't take Ciel's hand; he didn't need to. The two of them approached the queen.

Loranna sees Tris and Ciel approaching Elysana, and her heart skips a beat.

Some voice of reason tells her that this is not an encounter she can help Tris and Ciel with; their conflict with Elysana was ...

... because of her to begin with; if she hadn't torn through White Haven almost a year ago, Ciel would never have found himself staring at blood on the snow, nor being called back to Wayrest because he spared her.

She stays a step behind Tris and Ciel, but she follows them. Time to see what she could do, if anything.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 03:57 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 06:50 PM)

Fortunately for Elysana, Wyre and Tymona were at her side, and they offered their condolences as well. She was spared the usual chit-chat about tragedies, how we need to be strong, how the dead are in a better place, and the usual nonsense she loathed talking about.

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 06:50 PM)

"Ah, my lords," the Queen said, turning to them. Her face was neutral, not cold, but not smiling. "I have not seen you since we were on a slow boat to Vivec together."

Posted by: Solin Oct 17 2005, 04:03 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 08:57 PM)

"Ah, my lords," the Queen said, turning to them. Her face was neutral, not cold, but not smiling. "I have not seen you since we were on a slow boat to Vivec together."

Ciel wondered how does one in his position approach a Queen even as he did so. He felt like a grey speck of dust landing amidst a colorful array of flower.

“This death of yours,” the Dunmer said as he accosted Ciel as the knight had left to dress into his own formal wear. The mer’s eyes had regarded him with a deep sense of disappointment along with a hint of something less intelligible.

“This is not the finale, know that what has been sown and reaped cannot be unsown, only sown anew and different. Whether that seed sprouts or not we may never know. That is not the point, a seed planted gives leave for one to wonder,” and then the mer had left him.

He shook his head. She was in front of him, addressing him.

“Your Highness,” he knelt head bowed. “I’ve come to deliver what I could not bring myself to deliver to you before, myself.”

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 17 2005, 04:06 AM

QUOTE(Solin @ Oct 16 2005, 09:03 PM)

Oh, goddess help me...

It was worth it. Every moment was worth it. Even if it ends now.

But if it ended with Ciel's death, Tris thought he might just die too.

Tris also dropped to one knee, and bowed his head. He had nothing useful to say, so he said nothing.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 04:10 AM

Wayrest

The Queen regarded Tris kneeling, but did not tell him to rise just yet.

QUOTE(Solin @ Oct 16 2005, 07:03 PM)

“Your Highness,” he knelt head bowed. “I’ve come to deliver what I could not bring myself to deliver to you before, myself.”

"Better late than never, eh, Sir Dolbinien?" Elysana replied. "Well, I think you'd both best come back to the palace ... You know the way, don't you, Lord Gaerington?"

The Queen gave a last smile of condolence to the widow, and children in hand, she left the funeral.

"Make sure the guards accompany them," she said to Herwyn. "But don't let them be hurt."

Posted by: Nylus Oct 17 2005, 04:16 AM

Not to far from Thom's camp Nylus caught the sent of smoke in the air. He looked toward the camp and noticed the Imperial had lit a fire, slowly Nylus made his was for tree top to tree top over towards Thom. Nylus leaped from a tree top and landed beside him. "Hello Thom."

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 17 2005, 04:16 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 09:10 PM)

Wayrest

The Queen regarded Tris kneeling, but did not tell him to rise just yet.
"Better late than never, eh, Sir Dolbinien?" Elysana replied. "Well, I think you'd both best come back to the palace ... You know the way, don't you, Lord Gaerington?"

The Queen gave a last smile of condolence to the widow, and children in hand, she left the funeral.

"Make sure the guards accompany them," she said to Herwyn. "But don't let them be hurt."

A tall woman in a white dress, inappropriate for a funeral, appeared from behind a tomb and grasped Tris's arm.

"Tris," Allerleirauh said, close to his ear. "Don't be a fool. You can't go to that palace."

"I know I can't," Tris said. He was blinking, as if he had dust in his eyes. "But I'm going to. Pray for me, all of you."

He turned to Ciel, and smiled, then turned to Herwyn. "Do I have to hire my own ride?"

"I'm going to knock you unconscious and drag you away..." Allerleirauh whispered. No one heard her.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 04:19 AM

Wayrest

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 07:16 PM)

Goranthir didn't make a move. He just watched Tris and Ciel with tears in his eyes.

A mourner, confusing him for a friend of the deceased, said, "He was a good man."

"Yes," Goranthir said hoarsely. "The best, and he wanted to be even better."

Posted by: Loranna Oct 17 2005, 04:20 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 10:16 PM)

Loranna's heart was pounding.

"Tris, Ciel ..." she says, feeling scared for the both of them. Seeing Allie suddenly show up and grab Tris wasn't helping matters any, either.

" ... Nine be with you both," she says, staring hard at Tris. "Tris, tell me you know what you're doing, or at least have an idea," she adds, unable to help herself.

Posted by: Solin Oct 17 2005, 04:21 AM

Ciel didn’t know how Elsyana was going to receive him. It seemed as if Akatosh had given him a moment longer to contemplate his existence.

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 09:16 PM)

Ciel smiled back. He mouthed the words 'Don't go,' to Tris even though he knew Tris wouldn't listen.

The knight blinked. That was something.

QUOTE(Loranna @ Oct 16 2005, 09:20 PM)

"The nine watch you always, Lady," Ciel gave Loranna a smile.

Posted by: Thommeh Oct 17 2005, 04:23 AM

QUOTE(Nylus @ Oct 16 2005, 08:16 PM)

Thom jumped, then turned to Nylus. "Thanks alot" he joked. The Imperial pointed to a log, motioning for Nylus to sit.

Posted by: Rhedd Oct 17 2005, 04:26 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 08:16 PM)

Herwyn smiled an oddly warm smile, and led the two men, each looking as white as Gaerington's father, to a waiting carriage.

"Ride on the running boards," he said to the guards as the three men climbed in."

The Royal Dome, the odd palace of Wayrest which, it was claimed, not even a Void ranger could get into (Herwyn had yet to test it), was halfway across town.

Herwyn didn't speak until the carriage had driven through the courtyard gates and into the wide gardens that surrounded the disturbingly smooth palace.

"You're both brave men. I suppose, though, that running gets tiring... Well, here we are, then."

The carriage stopped, and one of the guards opened the door.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 04:26 AM

The Royal Dome of Wayrest

The children were sent on. Elysana shed her black mourning weeds. The servants and guards were subtle in their movements, shadows flickering in the corners. The great skeleton of the sea beast glowered over them as if they were in its belly.

The Queen told the guards to bring Ciel Dolbinien and Tris Gaerington in as soon as they arrived.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 04:31 AM

Wayrest

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 07:16 PM)

"I'm going to knock you unconscious and drag you away..." Allerleirauh whispered. No one heard her.

"What are we going to do?" Goranthir whispered, approaching Allerleirauh at the funeral. "Can't you rescue them like Tris rescued Ciel?"

Posted by: Nylus Oct 17 2005, 04:32 AM

Nylus sat down laughing " No offense, but i don't think scaring you will ever get old." Nylus reached into his pouch and pulled out a flask of flin and started to drink. "So what have you been up to lately?" ask the Bosmer as he offered Thom a drink.

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 17 2005, 04:32 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 09:26 PM)

The Queen's skeleton had its intended effect. Tris felt as if he were stepping into deep water, entering into the land of the dead.

He knew what Barenziah had said, that forgiveness was not an option for Elysana.

This was far, far stupider than what he had done with Laurent. But he had been right about that... once there was no avenue of escape, everything got very easy.

He hadn't really LOOKED at Elysana. Not for the longest time. He had been too afraid.

"Your majesty," Tris said, going to one knee.

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 17 2005, 04:34 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 09:31 PM)

Wayrest
"What are we going to do?" Goranthir whispered, approaching Allerleirauh at the funeral. "Can't you rescue them like Tris rescued Ciel?"

"No Void Rangers can enter the Dome of Wayrest," Allerleirauh whispered. She looked frightened, a thing Goranthir had never seen before. "No strings of power reference it, it's wrong, the place is corrupted... Elysana dealt with Sheogorath, it's built to his plans. Oh Goranthir! Do you think we can take them by force?"

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 04:35 AM

The Royal Dome of Wayrest

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 07:32 PM)

"Your father wanted me to find you, Tris, and now that he's dead, I have," Queen Elysana said. "Rise, and tell me your intentions."

Posted by: Solin Oct 17 2005, 04:36 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 09:32 PM)

The Queen's wonderful ancestral palace was gone. Ciel flinched with the first step into the great dome. He was completely unfamiliar with Elsyana's new palace and couldn't help but stare a moment at the great beast that hung from her ceiling. It did not take the former knight long to follow Tris' suit.

Posted by: Thommeh Oct 17 2005, 04:36 AM

QUOTE(Nylus @ Oct 16 2005, 08:32 PM)

Nylus sat down laughing " No offense, but I don't think scaring you will ever get old." Nylus reached into his pouch and pulled out a flask of flin and started to drink. "So what have you been up to lately?" ask the Bosmer as he offered Thom a drink.

Thom shook his head at the drink. "No thanks, I just had a bottle at the tavern."

"Well, one of these days I am going to scare you pale" joked Thom.

"I really haven't been doing very much lately. Just sitting around."

Posted by: Loranna Oct 17 2005, 04:38 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 10:34 PM)

"Allie," Loranna interjects, her expression becoming sorrowful yet set, "you could kill mighty Vivec with a single stroke - but does that mean you should have?""

Then, her eyes moistening, she puts her hands on Goranthir's and Allie's shoulders. "He chose this; much as it seems foolishness, it's out of our hands now," she continues. "We try anything and Elysana will never rest until we're all taken down, and where will the children be then?"

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 04:39 AM

Wayrest

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 07:34 PM)

No, Goranthir had never seen Allerleirauh so frightened before, and it had a curious reaction to him. Suddenly, he felt strong.

"Of course we can," he even smiled a little, looking at Allerleirauh and Loranna. "No one can hurt our friends without our permission. Follow me."

He hailed a carriage to take them to the palace.

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 17 2005, 04:40 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 09:35 PM)

The Royal Dome of Wayrest
"Your father wanted me to find you, Tris, and now that he's dead, I have," Queen Elysana said. "Rise, and tell me your intentions."

Tris looked at her, and told the truth.

"I'm tired," he said. "My father is dead, and I wanted to come to his funeral. I love my country and I love my queen. And I love my friend... and exile is killing him. Better to die here, if that's what's going to happen, then to keep running forever."

Funny. Once Tris had thought 'running forever' would be his personal paradise.

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 17 2005, 04:44 AM

QUOTE(Loranna @ Oct 16 2005, 09:38 PM)

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 09:39 PM)

Wayrest
No, Goranthir had never seen Allerleirauh so frightened before, and it had a curious reaction to him. Suddenly, he felt strong.

"Of course we can," he even smiled a little, looking at Allerleirauh and Loranna. "No one can hurt our friends without our permission. Follow me."

He hailed a carriage to take them to the palace.

Allerleirauh listened to Loranna, and she listened to Goranthir. And then she got into the carriage.

"Goranthir's right," she said. "I let Vivec live because I loved him. Not because he deserved it. And I love Tris. I don't love Elysana. Our code as Void Rangers says we won't use our powers against the children of Tiber Septim; but there's no law that says I can't rip her limb from limb with my own two hands."

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 04:49 AM

The Royal Dome of Wayrest

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 07:40 PM)

Elysana rose from her throne and stepped down the dias. "A few days ago, if you two had come here, pleading exhaustion, I would have listened with sympathy, and then had you executed following a lengthy interrogation. I think you know I have a healthy dislike for treason."

"That was before I was told about Lord Laurent Lyonswurst," she said, and smiled. It was the guileless, beautiful smile that recalled her teenage years when Tris had first been aware of Princess Elysana. "My dear boys, you are not going to die. That much is certain."

Posted by: Loranna Oct 17 2005, 04:50 AM

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 10:44 PM)

Loranna frowns.

"I thought it was we younger ones who did the foolish things," she says, heading for the carriage as well. "If either of you get killed doing this I'd never forgive myself or either of you ..."

She was ranting; she was scared, for all of them, especially for Allie right now, and she could feel herself not thinking straight, going on impulse more than reason.

"Let's let this be the last such thing we do this year," she mutters, before grimacing at the fact that it sounded like she was dooming their venture instead of praying for no further crises ...

Posted by: Solin Oct 17 2005, 04:51 AM

Ciel felt Tris's words crush him like a vice yet, he knew it was the truth. That was why he was here after all. The former knight felt his eyes moisten.

Then Elsyana spoke.

"Your Highness," he said blinking his wet eyes in confusion. "I don’t know what to say…”

Posted by: Allerleirauh Oct 17 2005, 04:55 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 09:49 PM)

The Royal Dome of Wayrest
Elysana rose from her throne and stepped down the dias. "A few days ago, if you two had come here, pleading exhaustion, I would have listened with sympathy, and then had you executed following a lengthy interrogation. I think you know I have a healthy dislike for treason."

"That was before I was told about Lord Laurent Lyonswurst," she said, and smiled. It was the guileless, beautiful smile that recalled her teenage years when Tris had first been aware of Princess Elysana. "My dear boys, you are not going to die. That much is certain."

"I don't understand," Tris said, looking around for some explanation. "Laurent..."

Were they being rewarded for killing Laurent? That wasn't exactly what had happened...

If Elysana was searching his face for signs of guile, she saw nothing but pure bewilderment.

Or perhaps she was simply stating that she planned to torture them endlessly?

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 05:01 AM

Wayrest

The carriage stopped in front of the Royal Dome, and Goranthir whistled at the sight of it.

"Sheogorath indeed," he said. "All right, first we need reconnaissance."

With a couple quick whistles, he had sent two sparrows in the front gate. Circling around to the side, he squeaked to a family of rats. Yes, they knew a way in.

"Our scouts will let us know what we're dealing with," he said to Allerleirauh and Loranna. "Then we can decide --"

"Excuse me, sir," said one of the guards, an elderly man, mostly ceremonial, outside the Dome gates. "Has anyone ever told you you look like Prince Helseth when he first came here?"

Goranthir turned back to the women with a smile. "Maybe we can use that, if Elysana is as paranoid as they say?"

Posted by: Nylus Oct 17 2005, 05:02 AM

QUOTE(Thommeh @ Oct 16 2005, 09:36 PM)

"Sitting around? Surely you can find something to do. For example..." Nylus reached into his pouch and pulled out a small wood carving of, what seemed to be, a canton of Vivec. "What can I say, I have talent" joked the Bosmer as he tossed the carving to Thom.

Posted by: S'reddit Oct 17 2005, 05:04 AM

The Royal Dome of Wayrest

QUOTE(Allerleirauh @ Oct 16 2005, 07:55 PM)

"You're confused," Elysana nodded her head. "You need only know that your actions were not your own. You are not to blame for your treacherous acts ... I witnessed myself how Laurent's ring controlled and then befuddled its victims. The Lyonswurst family has always been a plague on Wayrest, and he used you to continue it after they were forced out. Now, with his death, we can put all that behind us and start anew."

Posted by: Thommeh Oct 17 2005, 05:04 AM

QUOTE(Nylus @ Oct 16 2005, 09:02 PM)

He caught the small carving and examined it. "This is actually really good. Where did you learn to do this? Extreme boredom?"

Posted by: Loranna Oct 17 2005, 05:10 AM

QUOTE(S'reddit @ Oct 16 2005, 11:01 PM)

"Goranthir, do we really want to excite Elysana's paranoid side?" Loranna asks. "Persoanlly, I think she gets more dangerous when she's paranoid, not less."

"Look, let's find where the two men are first, before we make any plans," Loranna says. "No point in crashing in without knowing what we're doing - not in this place."

Posted by: Salamandar Oct 17 2005, 05:11 AM

Time to lock this thread .... and start a new one

Take care,
Salamandar