Elder Scrolls: Interregnum Chapter 4 (Started, Open)

[Josh123914]

Snip

Snip.

"I think I've got one to top that," he began, "Once upon a time, the Black Company was working for The Lady, a sorceress who, at the time, had god-like power. She could hide her appearance from everyone save a select few - even making you forget what she looked like as soon as you looked away from her - she could conjure storms out of nowhere... and turn even her bitterest enemies into her willing slaves. And... she lost nearly all of that power... because of me. She ruled over a mighty empire that stretched thousands of leagues in all directions with an iron fist... and again, she lost all of that... because of me."


"How did I do it?" he went on, grinning wistfully, "How did I bring this mighty giant low? I... I..."

He trailed off for a dramatic pause.

"I wrote hopelessly naive fantasies about her... which she read without my knowledge," he paused again, "And she... started acting like them... and then... she started to love me. And I her. Heh. My brothers of the Black Company never let me live that one down."

''Acting like them?'' Endya scoffed. Unless this sorceress was similar to the divines in that her very being was completely at the mercy of mortals' perception of her, Endya doubted she was serious about this. ''Well, go on Mara's boy, what happened next?''

Joncis beamed at her, hoping she hadn't opened an emotional jar best left untouched. Could those arrows be reserved for this sorceress' killers? Joncis then detached himself from this conversation and took another drink. It was late afternoon, surely we're making good time.

"Not Mara," he said, "Not by a long-shot. As for tied to the world's very fabric? Perhaps. But... not this one. My history is not this world's history. Not anymore anyway. Might've been once. Then the Nine idiots came in and bulldozed over everything, leaving only scraps of the former world in their wake. But... tied to my perceptions of her? Perhaps. But only in a manner of speaking. I suspect that she only started acting like what I wrote down simply to mess with me. Think about it. If a being you know could kill you with a single hapless thought suddenly started acting EXACTLY, right down to small gestures and slight body language like the crap fantasies you'd written up out of sheer boredom... well... wouldn't you be more than a little unnerved? Heh. Didn't help that the rest of the Black Company never stopped riding me about those damn fantasies, now our boss was getting in on it. Not saying we fell into love immediately either. There was a lot she was doing at the time that repulsed me, but well... she was a hell of a lot better than her husband, who was still buried somewhere, waiting to be woken up."

He paused, as if for breath.

"Don't look surprised. You really can't walk from one town to the next without tripping over at least three ancient evils sealed in a clay chamber pot or whatever," he coughed, "Anyway, she... seemed to take a liking to me more than I did for her at first. For one thing, when I was forced to lead the remainder of the Black Company out of her lands to flee to safety from her more powerful servants that had grudges against us... well... she seemed deeply hurt when I told her she had betrayed me, and not the other way around. Worth mentioning, at the time, she was still trying to keep her husband from escaping his little prison and doing battle with the hundreds of his underlings that his... 'escape attempt' had spawned."

He took a quick swig out of his flask without spilling a drop.

"Gah," he groaned, "Then... she lost all of her power, and while she did eventually regain some fragment of it back..." he trailed off wistfully for a moment, "Well... let's just say while she was vulnerable... she had to confront the very thing she had been trying quash inside her all that time. That last bright spark left in her. That fire grew, and well... heh... I'll spare you the gory details but I'll give you one of the highlights."

He took another swig from his flask, and returned it to his satchel.

"During one of our first main forays against the Shadowlords, and our first great victory... we ended up killing one of them, who turned out to be one of her former servants. Stormbringer. And well... before the battle, I told her that we'd make it through this battle and well... 'have a go at it' in the soon-to-be liberated city. Find a bed somewhere maybe. Heh. We went at it in Stormbringer's bed before the night was over, and that's where our daughter was conceived. Apparently."

Endya disregarded his statement about the '9 idiots', (honestly at this point she'd given up on which races worshipped however many amount of divinces) and instead focused on the Shadowlords and Stormbringers, asking ''If your past is in a different timestream, how are you- or your daughter- even here? I thought Dragon Breaks would be something we'd all hear about? And nobody comes out of THOSE unchanged.''

Joncis wondered as well, but only for a moment, in an attempt to blot out the mental image of some mage and Croaker bumping uglies he gazed at the scenery: Sand............ and from the looks of it a speck of grey in the far distance.

Enthir on the other hand wasn't listening, he was still trying to see if they were moving in the correct direction they could be halfway to Hammerfell for all he knew. He looked up from his map, then down, and then up again. He could see it.
''There it is'' Enthir told them all quietly, fanning himself with the paper and then stuffing it into his side pocket.

"I didn't say I was completely unchanged," he spat the words out like a curse, "Let's just say that the history of this world as you know it... is far shorter than you realize. I spoke with one of your gods once, when they arrived. Hell, I treated its injuries when it came in. Heh," he paused again, glaring at the constellation of The Lady for a moment before turning his attention back to Endya, "That's probably why I was... allowed to exist in their world with my memories. As for how I have changed... I'd rather not say. It is... an annoyance to be sure. But let's just say that your gods have a tiresome sense of humor when they put their minds to it."

He paused for breath again.

"While I treated this god's injuries," Croaker started again, spitting that word again, "it told me of their plans for the world. Not as though I could have stopped them, is it?"

He wiped his forehead, as if to wipe away sweat.

"I asked it why they wanted to change this world so severely," Croaker went on, "And you know what it's answer was?"

He paused for effect, seeming to snarl in distaste at a bitter memory.

"Because they could."

Joncis returned to the conversation and stared at Croaker for a minute, ''Seriously, I think you've been at the skooma'' Joncis had read enough about the subject, the Divines were barely living at this point, and for them to manifest on the mortal plane required a ridiculous amount of power. Some Daedra and Dremora however, could come here at will.''You certain you didn't meet with a Daedra or Dremora instead? We've had a run in with one of those earlier, what was it? Hircine? No, Hermaeus Mora?''

He asked, looking to the others for approval. Enthir looked over at them, and said slightly louder this time, ''There it is...'' he told them, pointing in the very far distance, with the naked eye you could barely make it out. ''How can you be certain?'' Endya asked him. ''We're in a desert. If I was wrong it'd still be good news, assuming it isn't bandit infested'' he retorted.

"Given how much they've changed," he said, "How can you be so sure that I'm wrong? And skooma? Tried it a long time ago, in a moment of weakness... when I wanted to forget all that I know. It didn't have any effect on me. Nothing seems to. And how do you propose I even try to prove this to you? That would be like asking me to show you how a willow that suddenly became a pine tree had once been a willow when no one ever remembers the change happening, and there are no signs of a change having happened."

He paused to take another quick swig of whatever was in his flask.

"And Endya, don't think that because you fail to voice certain opinions about me," he continued, "Makes me wholly ignorant of them. I know from your air of smug superiority that you are judging me based on the race I appear to be. I am not a typical specimen of a 'Breton.' Most of them, to my knowledge, revere the Nine idiots, sorry, 'divines' if you prefer. I don't. And I'm afraid that your 'creators' went by very different names when I knew one of them. From what I've studied of the myths surrounding both the Dadra and the Aedra... I suspect the one I spoke with was Julianos. The personality I dealt with matches at any rate."

Upon being in sight of the ruins...

"What do you mean, we're here?" Croaker asked, "I don't recall either of you mentioning combing ancient ruins when you brought me on. Just... what do you have planned here?"

''I'm not a very religious person you you can't peg me with that'' Endya snapped, moving up to a sand dune to try and get a better view, ''And I don't judge based on race, I judge based on one's merits. You've sort of stabbed yourself in the foot here by accusing me of racism when you assume I am based on the pompous altmer myth.''

Joncis could tell she wasn't sincere, racist or not she had a tendency to assume the worst of people until they proved her otherwise.

''It's not a ruin, at least I hope it isn't'' Enthir told Croaker loudly, checking again with his map and then folding it neatly inside his pocket. ''I was given this place's location by a Khajiit monk high in a monastary, deep in the Dunes of Dune. We had to fight our way through and almost were killed by an Imperial and Altmer batallion simultaneously. We're do drop off our package here inhabited or not.''
He turned to face Croaker this time, giving him a reassuring look ''Who knows what we're in for there, but rest assured, there's no going back now. You're in the middle of the Elsweyri Wastes now. No sign of life within a 2 day radius.''

It was late afternoon and the swealtering heat had seemed to die down, still, they'll be at their destination soon enough.

 

[TheDoctor455]

Snip

Snip.

"I think I've got one to top that," he began, "Once upon a time, the Black Company was working for The Lady, a sorceress who, at the time, had god-like power. She could hide her appearance from everyone save a select few - even making you forget what she looked like as soon as you looked away from her - she could conjure storms out of nowhere... and turn even her bitterest enemies into her willing slaves. And... she lost nearly all of that power... because of me. She ruled over a mighty empire that stretched thousands of leagues in all directions with an iron fist... and again, she lost all of that... because of me."


"How did I do it?" he went on, grinning wistfully, "How did I bring this mighty giant low? I... I..."

He trailed off for a dramatic pause.

"I wrote hopelessly naive fantasies about her... which she read without my knowledge," he paused again, "And she... started acting like them... and then... she started to love me. And I her. Heh. My brothers of the Black Company never let me live that one down."

''Acting like them?'' Endya scoffed. Unless this sorceress was similar to the divines in that her very being was completely at the mercy of mortals' perception of her, Endya doubted she was serious about this. ''Well, go on Mara's boy, what happened next?''

Joncis beamed at her, hoping she hadn't opened an emotional jar best left untouched. Could those arrows be reserved for this sorceress' killers? Joncis then detached himself from this conversation and took another drink. It was late afternoon, surely we're making good time.

"Not Mara," he said, "Not by a long-shot. As for tied to the world's very fabric? Perhaps. But... not this one. My history is not this world's history. Not anymore anyway. Might've been once. Then the Nine idiots came in and bulldozed over everything, leaving only scraps of the former world in their wake. But... tied to my perceptions of her? Perhaps. But only in a manner of speaking. I suspect that she only started acting like what I wrote down simply to mess with me. Think about it. If a being you know could kill you with a single hapless thought suddenly started acting EXACTLY, right down to small gestures and slight body language like the crap fantasies you'd written up out of sheer boredom... well... wouldn't you be more than a little unnerved? Heh. Didn't help that the rest of the Black Company never stopped riding me about those damn fantasies, now our boss was getting in on it. Not saying we fell into love immediately either. There was a lot she was doing at the time that repulsed me, but well... she was a hell of a lot better than her husband, who was still buried somewhere, waiting to be woken up."

He paused, as if for breath.

"Don't look surprised. You really can't walk from one town to the next without tripping over at least three ancient evils sealed in a clay chamber pot or whatever," he coughed, "Anyway, she... seemed to take a liking to me more than I did for her at first. For one thing, when I was forced to lead the remainder of the Black Company out of her lands to flee to safety from her more powerful servants that had grudges against us... well... she seemed deeply hurt when I told her she had betrayed me, and not the other way around. Worth mentioning, at the time, she was still trying to keep her husband from escaping his little prison and doing battle with the hundreds of his underlings that his... 'escape attempt' had spawned."

He took a quick swig out of his flask without spilling a drop.

"Gah," he groaned, "Then... she lost all of her power, and while she did eventually regain some fragment of it back..." he trailed off wistfully for a moment, "Well... let's just say while she was vulnerable... she had to confront the very thing she had been trying quash inside her all that time. That last bright spark left in her. That fire grew, and well... heh... I'll spare you the gory details but I'll give you one of the highlights."

He took another swig from his flask, and returned it to his satchel.

"During one of our first main forays against the Shadowlords, and our first great victory... we ended up killing one of them, who turned out to be one of her former servants. Stormbringer. And well... before the battle, I told her that we'd make it through this battle and well... 'have a go at it' in the soon-to-be liberated city. Find a bed somewhere maybe. Heh. We went at it in Stormbringer's bed before the night was over, and that's where our daughter was conceived. Apparently."

Endya disregarded his statement about the '9 idiots', (honestly at this point she'd given up on which races worshipped however many amount of divinces) and instead focused on the Shadowlords and Stormbringers, asking ''If your past is in a different timestream, how are you- or your daughter- even here? I thought Dragon Breaks would be something we'd all hear about? And nobody comes out of THOSE unchanged.''

Joncis wondered as well, but only for a moment, in an attempt to blot out the mental image of some mage and Croaker bumping uglies he gazed at the scenery: Sand............ and from the looks of it a speck of grey in the far distance.

Enthir on the other hand wasn't listening, he was still trying to see if they were moving in the correct direction they could be halfway to Hammerfell for all he knew. He looked up from his map, then down, and then up again. He could see it.
''There it is'' Enthir told them all quietly, fanning himself with the paper and then stuffing it into his side pocket.

"I didn't say I was completely unchanged," he spat the words out like a curse, "Let's just say that the history of this world as you know it... is far shorter than you realize. I spoke with one of your gods once, when they arrived. Hell, I treated its injuries when it came in. Heh," he paused again, glaring at the constellation of The Lady for a moment before turning his attention back to Endya, "That's probably why I was... allowed to exist in their world with my memories. As for how I have changed... I'd rather not say. It is... an annoyance to be sure. But let's just say that your gods have a tiresome sense of humor when they put their minds to it."

He paused for breath again.

"While I treated this god's injuries," Croaker started again, spitting that word again, "it told me of their plans for the world. Not as though I could have stopped them, is it?"

He wiped his forehead, as if to wipe away sweat.

"I asked it why they wanted to change this world so severely," Croaker went on, "And you know what it's answer was?"

He paused for effect, seeming to snarl in distaste at a bitter memory.

"Because they could."

Joncis returned to the conversation and stared at Croaker for a minute, ''Seriously, I think you've been at the skooma'' Joncis had read enough about the subject, the Divines were barely living at this point, and for them to manifest on the mortal plane required a ridiculous amount of power. Some Daedra and Dremora however, could come here at will.''You certain you didn't meet with a Daedra or Dremora instead? We've had a run in with one of those earlier, what was it? Hircine? No, Hermaeus Mora?''

He asked, looking to the others for approval. Enthir looked over at them, and said slightly louder this time, ''There it is...'' he told them, pointing in the very far distance, with the naked eye you could barely make it out. ''How can you be certain?'' Endya asked him. ''We're in a desert. If I was wrong it'd still be good news, assuming it isn't bandit infested'' he retorted.

"Given how much they've changed," he said, "How can you be so sure that I'm wrong? And skooma? Tried it a long time ago, in a moment of weakness... when I wanted to forget all that I know. It didn't have any effect on me. Nothing seems to. And how do you propose I even try to prove this to you? That would be like asking me to show you how a willow that suddenly became a pine tree had once been a willow when no one ever remembers the change happening, and there are no signs of a change having happened."

He paused to take another quick swig of whatever was in his flask.

"And Endya, don't think that because you fail to voice certain opinions about me," he continued, "Makes me wholly ignorant of them. I know from your air of smug superiority that you are judging me based on the race I appear to be. I am not a typical specimen of a 'Breton.' Most of them, to my knowledge, revere the Nine idiots, sorry, 'divines' if you prefer. I don't. And I'm afraid that your 'creators' went by very different names when I knew one of them. From what I've studied of the myths surrounding both the Dadra and the Aedra... I suspect the one I spoke with was Julianos. The personality I dealt with matches at any rate."

Upon being in sight of the ruins...

"What do you mean, we're here?" Croaker asked, "I don't recall either of you mentioning combing ancient ruins when you brought me on. Just... what do you have planned here?"

''I'm not a very religious person you you can't peg me with that'' Endya snapped, moving up to a sand dune to try and get a better view, ''And I don't judge based on race, I judge based on one's merits. You've sort of stabbed yourself in the foot here by accusing me of racism when you assume I am based on the pompous altmer myth.''

Joncis could tell she wasn't sincere, racist or not she had a tendency to assume the worst of people until they proved her otherwise.

''It's not a ruin, at least I hope it isn't'' Enthir told Croaker loudly, checking again with his map and then folding it neatly inside his pocket. ''I was given this place's location by a Khajiit monk high in a monastary, deep in the Dunes of Dune. We had to fight our way through and almost were killed by an Imperial and Altmer batallion simultaneously. We're do drop off our package here inhabited or not.''
He turned to face Croaker this time, giving him a reassuring look ''Who knows what we're in for there, but rest assured, there's no going back now. You're in the middle of the Elsweyri Wastes now. No sign of life within a 2 day radius.''

It was late afternoon and the swealtering heat had seemed to die down, still, they'll be at their destination soon enough.

Enthir's last comments chilled Croaker in spite of the heat. He'd only then thought to check his supplies. He had maybe two day's worth of blood left, depending on how much exposure to the sun he saw. After that... Croaker figured he might be able to hold out for another six days. Oh crap.

Without saying anything else, Croaker started to quicken his pace a bit, trying to goad the rest of the group into following suit.

 

[Josh123914]

snip

Joncis noticed Croaker quicken his pace and began to follow. No clue why he'd be so quick on his feet now, he thought that he got an arrow in his knee leg? Joncis didn't worry about it though, he assumed that Enthir healed him or Dro'Araaj gave him one of his strange elixirs.
''So knowing our luck this place'll be home for... something.''He called out, ''Who do you think took up residence? Bandits? Thalmor? or just good old fashioned skeletons?''

 

[TheDoctor455]

snip

Joncis noticed Croaker quicken his pace and began to follow. No clue why he'd be so quick on his feet now, he thought that he got an arrow in his knee leg? Joncis didn't worry about it though, he assumed that Enthir healed him or Dro'Araaj gave him one of his strange elixirs.
''So knowing our luck this place'll be home for... something.''He called out, ''Who do you think took up residence? Bandits? Thalmor? or just good old fashioned skeletons?''

"Knowing my luck," Croaker called back, "probably some ancient eldritch abomination of nature that wants to devour our souls or somesuch nonsense."


Damn it all to hell! he thought to himself, fuming silently, I should have been keeping a closer eye on my supplies... damn it damn it!

 

[Josh123914]

Croaker's words ran through Endya's head a second time. ''I'm not your typical specimen of Breton'' he told her. Certainly not, she saw the wound that arrow left, only now was she noticing how quick his stride was. Joncis and Enthir hadn't gone near him the other night and she was a fool not to pick it up sooner. ''not your typical specimen..'' the words echoed in her ear again.
Evidently not, or else he'd either be limping or dead from exhaustion by now.

Best not to tell the others, Gods only know what he could be and Endya planned to leave this desert again.

 

[TheDoctor455]

Croaker's words ran through Endya's head a second time. ''I'm not your typical specimen of Breton'' he told her. Certainly not, she saw the wound that arrow left, only now was she noticing how quick his stride was. Joncis and Enthir hadn't gone near him the other night and she was a fool not to pick it up sooner. ''not your typical specimen..'' the words echoed in her ear again.
Evidently not, or else he'd either be limping or dead from exhaustion by now.

Best not to tell the others, Gods only know what he could be and Endya planned to leave this desert again.

Croaker glanced back, trying to make it look casual, and caught Endya staring at him. He looked away before he thought she or the others would notice.

Great... she's starting to figure it out... if she hasn't already. Just bloody wonderful. I don't want to kill anyone, but if they don't give me a choice in the matter... ehh... this is going to be a right pain in the ass.

"How much farther would you say we are," he said to no one in particular, "To the town or whatever it is we're heading for?"

 

[Josh123914]

After more monotonous walking the group finally arrived at the ruin.

On the outside it appeared to be a delapidated fort, probably out of use due to the remoteness of its location.
The ruin had an outer wall made of stone, and now rusted metal gates at the entrance, with two large towers on the interior's perimeter and a third that had collapsed onto the wall, destroying part of it.

Once inside though it seemed much different. There was a small oasis in the centre of the fort, with a stream leading to a small farm as irrigation, its long since been abandoned and the crop grown has expanded and wheat has begun sprouting around the oasis. Lining the back of the fort were several thatched houses.

Joncis had a look inside one of the houses and discovered the place as completely stripped bare. Everything of value was taken away until all that remained were wardrobes, the beds and a couple of tables. Mostly items that couldn't be fit onto the back of a horse easily or weren't of much value, In the cabinets all he found were some spoons, books and children's toys.
''This was a settlement, not a fort.'' he said to himself quietly.

Enthir filled his flask from the oasis and looked around ''Which one should we check first?'' Enthir asked them, pointing towards the remaining towers. The one on the left had a wider base and was most likely the main building in the settlement, and it seemed to be the best maintained of the two, while the one on the right was taller with an open roof acting as a watchtower, however it's first floor was completely submerged in the sand. ''I'd go with the one on the left unless we all want to climb through the other one's windows.'' Endya told him.

 

[TheDoctor455]

As he walked through the ruined settlement, Croaker couldn't help but feel as if this was familiar. All too familiar.

I've seen too much of war... but it doesn't look like this world is going to give me any more of a break on that front than the old one.

Croaker silently started searching huts as he slowly made his away through the town. Croaker had no idea what he was looking for or even why he was poking around in the first place... but he did it anyway.

Eventually, in a small hut that looked like it had belonged to a small family. Croaker stepped into the little shanty, and found the bodies of a young mother and her daughter. The sight chilled Croaker, before he began to feel, for the first time in centuries, rage starting to boil its course through his veins. He clenched his fists. He took a moment to take a deep, calming breath before examining the bodies more closely.

"No lacerations, or signs of bruising," he noted out loud, "Burns, but no other signs of fire on scene. Magic, most likely. Wait a minute," he stopped to look more closely at one of the burn wounds on the young mother. He sniffed it, "Foul smell. But not sulfuric... not rot either, hmm..." he poked one the wound with a scalpel, the 'burn wound' darted up the woman's arm and into the folds of her dress. Croaker jumped back, and drew his bow. He ran out to join the others.

"Run you fools!" he shouted at his party, "Get out of here! This town is a trap! Get out now!"

Croaker nocked an arrow in his bow, and started scanning the area.

 

[Josh123914]

snip

Joncis had his foot out of the door when he saw Croaker sprint outside ''What did you see?'' he called over at him.

Enthir and Endya meanwhile had already into the adjacent towers. Enthir chose the newer one. After knocking its door down he climbed up a long flight of stairs and was met by the sight of 2 dead Khajiit at the top. One with a mace and another with a note clasped in his paws. 'GET OUT' it had scrawled on it.

Endya meanwhile begrudgingly climbed through the sand sunken tower's window, inside were two staircases, one leading upstairs and the other downstairs. She chose to go up, near the top of the tower was a small bedroom. On a bench was a note:
I've locked up the basement for this tower, and the front of the other other one, apparently the others plan to knock down the third. Idiots. What if they're wrong? What if they went back through the portal?
The ancients maintained this citadel for centuries. Gods bless them, they managed to not do for millenia what it took us only a few months to allow.

To any that read this, leave. Deep under this keep lies several strange portals. Some in my order said they transported those unfortunate enough to pass through them into realms of Oblivion or possibly through time itself.

Several nights ago, creatures began to come through from one of the portals, we don't know what they are and we aren't warriors, so we've sealed them off below. Its possible that they've left by now but we aren't taking chances on this.

I doubt anyone will be left to warn you, but stay here at your own risk...


''Looks like we're checking the basement'' Endya told herself.

 

[TheDoctor455]

snip

Joncis had his foot out of the door when he saw Croaker sprint outside ''What did you see?'' he called over at him.

Enthir and Endya meanwhile had already into the adjacent towers. Enthir chose the newer one. After knocking its door down he climbed up a long flight of stairs and was met by the sight of 2 dead Khajiit at the top. One with a mace and another with a note clasped in his paws. 'GET OUT' it had scrawled on it.

Endya meanwhile begrudgingly climbed through the sand sunken tower's window, inside were two staircases, one leading upstairs and the other downstairs. She chose to go up, near the top of the tower was a small bedroom. On a bench was a note:
I've locked up the basement for this tower, and the front of the other other one, apparently the others plan to knock down the third. Idiots. What if they're wrong? What if they went back through the portal?
The ancients maintained this citadel for centuries. Gods bless them, they managed to not do for millenia what it took us only a few months to allow.

To any that read this, leave. Deep under this keep lies several strange portals. Some in my order said they transported those unfortunate enough to pass through them into realms of Oblivion or possibly through time itself.

Several nights ago, creatures began to come through from one of the portals, we don't know what they are and we aren't warriors, so we've sealed them off below. Its possible that they've left by now but we aren't taking chances on this.

I doubt anyone will be left to warn you, but stay here at your own risk...


''Looks like we're checking the basement'' Endya told herself.

Croaker quickly described what he had found in that small hut, and the strange injury.

"I've seen that sort of curse only one place before," he explained, "in the old world. A curse that only a mercifully few knew how to cast. The Dominator, The Lady, and the Ten Who Were Taken... most of which are now long dead... or... never existed in the first place. If I'm right, then one of them could very well be here."

He checked the skies above them.

"Don't touch any of the bodies," he told them, "And if a fight starts up... the rest of you... run," he told them, "If I'm right, then this doesn't concern you, and you will only get yourselves killed by staying."

 

[Josh123914]

snip

Joncis had his foot out of the door when he saw Croaker sprint outside ''What did you see?'' he called over at him.

Enthir and Endya meanwhile had already into the adjacent towers. Enthir chose the newer one. After knocking its door down he climbed up a long flight of stairs and was met by the sight of 2 dead Khajiit at the top. One with a mace and another with a note clasped in his paws. 'GET OUT' it had scrawled on it.

Endya meanwhile begrudgingly climbed through the sand sunken tower's window, inside were two staircases, one leading upstairs and the other downstairs. She chose to go up, near the top of the tower was a small bedroom. On a bench was a note:
I've locked up the basement for this tower, and the front of the other other one, apparently the others plan to knock down the third. Idiots. What if they're wrong? What if they went back through the portal?
The ancients maintained this citadel for centuries. Gods bless them, they managed to not do for millenia what it took us only a few months to allow.

To any that read this, leave. Deep under this keep lies several strange portals. Some in my order said they transported those unfortunate enough to pass through them into realms of Oblivion or possibly through time itself.

Several nights ago, creatures began to come through from one of the portals, we don't know what they are and we aren't warriors, so we've sealed them off below. Its possible that they've left by now but we aren't taking chances on this.

I doubt anyone will be left to warn you, but stay here at your own risk...


''Looks like we're checking the basement'' Endya told herself.

Croaker quickly described what he had found in that small hut, and the strange injury.

"I've seen that sort of curse only one place before," he explained, "in the old world. A curse that only a mercifully few knew how to cast. The Dominator, The Lady, and the Ten Who Were Taken... most of which are now long dead... or... never existed in the first place. If I'm right, then one of them could very well be here."

He checked the skies above them.

"Don't touch any of the bodies," he told them, "And if a fight starts up... the rest of you... run," he told them, "If I'm right, then this doesn't concern you, and you will only get yourselves killed by staying."

Endya came down from the tower and approached him ''Doesn't concern us? We came here for a reason and we intend to do that.'' She told him angrily.
They already trekked up a mountain for nothing last time, she wasn't about to find a 3rd place to hide the damned scrolls. ''Besides, what possible thing would force all but you to run? We're in the middle of a desert with several days between us and civilisation in any direction, so even if we were to leave where would we run?''

Joncis took a quick peek in the shack Croaker ran from, ''Endya its not like he's lying or anything, I've never seen markings like this before on a body'' he called out.

 

[TheDoctor455]

snip

Joncis had his foot out of the door when he saw Croaker sprint outside ''What did you see?'' he called over at him.

Enthir and Endya meanwhile had already into the adjacent towers. Enthir chose the newer one. After knocking its door down he climbed up a long flight of stairs and was met by the sight of 2 dead Khajiit at the top. One with a mace and another with a note clasped in his paws. 'GET OUT' it had scrawled on it.

Endya meanwhile begrudgingly climbed through the sand sunken tower's window, inside were two staircases, one leading upstairs and the other downstairs. She chose to go up, near the top of the tower was a small bedroom. On a bench was a note:
I've locked up the basement for this tower, and the front of the other other one, apparently the others plan to knock down the third. Idiots. What if they're wrong? What if they went back through the portal?
The ancients maintained this citadel for centuries. Gods bless them, they managed to not do for millenia what it took us only a few months to allow.

To any that read this, leave. Deep under this keep lies several strange portals. Some in my order said they transported those unfortunate enough to pass through them into realms of Oblivion or possibly through time itself.

Several nights ago, creatures began to come through from one of the portals, we don't know what they are and we aren't warriors, so we've sealed them off below. Its possible that they've left by now but we aren't taking chances on this.

I doubt anyone will be left to warn you, but stay here at your own risk...


''Looks like we're checking the basement'' Endya told herself.

Croaker quickly described what he had found in that small hut, and the strange injury.

"I've seen that sort of curse only one place before," he explained, "in the old world. A curse that only a mercifully few knew how to cast. The Dominator, The Lady, and the Ten Who Were Taken... most of which are now long dead... or... never existed in the first place. If I'm right, then one of them could very well be here."

He checked the skies above them.

"Don't touch any of the bodies," he told them, "And if a fight starts up... the rest of you... run," he told them, "If I'm right, then this doesn't concern you, and you will only get yourselves killed by staying."

Endya came down from the tower and approached him ''Doesn't concern us? We came here for a reason and we intend to do that.'' She told him angrily.
They already trekked up a mountain for nothing last time, she wasn't about to find a 3rd place to hide the damned scrolls. ''Besides, what possible thing would force all but you to run? We're in the middle of a desert with several days between us and civilisation in any direction, so even if we were to leave where would we run?''

Joncis took a quick peek in the shack Croaker ran from, ''Endya its not like he's lying or anything, I've never seen markings like this before on a body'' he called out.

"At least if you started now, you'd have a chance," Croaker shot back at her, "I recognize the handiwork behind this town's destruction. To put it in terms you would understand... this is the work of an incredibly powerful mage. Judging from the lack of campfires anywhere around here, he's on his own."

Croaker scanned the area again.

"He has many names... he used to be 'The Limper'... though now I think 'The Burned Clay Man' would be a better fit. This... creature, has single-handedly toppled entire cities. The only reason that I would stand a chance against him is because I know him," Croaker explained, still scanning the area, "Damn it. Too late. He's here. Hide. Or just don't get in my way."

Croaker replaced his current, rather ordinary arrow with one of the black-and-silver ones. Croaker started to slowly spin around, constantly checking the surrounding area in every conceivable direction. Then, the sound of a horse plodding through the sand came from the direction the party had come from. Croaker swerved to face his foe. As the figure approached... it was the stranger that had appeared some nights ago, as if out of nowhere. But he was no longer speaking in that strange clicking tongue he had before. Now, he spoke in a language so ancient that even the Ayelids would not have been able to comprehend it. Yet, Croaker was keeping up, and responding in the same language.

While neither party had bothered to translate, the gist was clear. Both were cursing at each other, both sputtering rage and hate at each other. The stranger, for having apparently lost most of his original body, and having it replaced with steel-lined ceramics, and Croaker... for the much more personal loss the other had helped inflict upon him. Then, the stranger raised... its hands and began to chant in an unintelligible series of chants in that old tongue.

"Get to cover now!" Croaker yelled at his companions, making a dash for a nearby hut himself.