The Elder Scrolls - Ashfall

[Nato G]

IC: Anguis Nathair.

 

Despite the Argonian's confidence, she didn't find his smile even remotely reassuring. 

[The UltimoScorp]

IC:

 

Bites-His-Tail shrugged, turning back to the apprentice, "Just these today, plus whatever the Dunmer lady needs."

 

He put a look back at Anguis.

 

"Assuming there's anything you need, that is."

[Ghosthands]

IC Eponine [Narsis - The Lucky Guar]

"I though the Empire put a-"

 

Eponine stopped herself. She wasn't in Imperial territory anymore, no sir.

 

"I do hear there's a great Dwemer ruin to the east... Bthlannual... Barthual..."

 

If Eponine couldn't speak very good Dunmeri, she sure as Oblivion couldn't speak very good Dwemeri.

 

OOC: She's trying to say Bthanual. I'd advise one of you (probably Kelh) to correct her on this.

 

 

OOC: If you insist.

 

IC (Kelh) [Narsis - The Lucky Guar]

 

"Bthanual, yeah," I finish for her. "I was thinking I might head over for a looksy after the tournament."

[Padishah Mehmet II]

IC: (Elianne. Firewatch)

 

It was an hour later that Elianne made her way, carefully, unwilling to draw attention, to the empty house on Castle Street, once Firewatch's main artery and now the sole artery. You could distinguish the house from afar, as the Hlaalu retainers seemed to be throwing a party in the place right next door, whereas this building seemed peculiarly quiet.

 

Slipping quietly through the open back door of this once-modern Western manor, she glanced behind herself to see if anyone was following her. Having confirmed the absence of such individuals, she made her way to what was until recently the living room, now just an empty chamber devoid of life or furniture (all unused furniture in the city having been sold for money or burned as fuel to finance the continued existence of Firewatch in such an unsightly and unfriendly vicinity). Just in case Dorian would prove more principled than she thought - or worse, even less - she brought along a knife. And now, well, she waited.

 

(Mathyn Llethri. The Lucky Guar, Narsis)

 

"Bthanual's a dark place, that is," the Dunmeri nobleman said, his expression nondescript, stuck somewhere between a smile and a frown. "They say a curse lies upon those ancient halls. The Dwemer, they say, dug deep and greedily and unleashed many horrors that slumbered below. Servants of Molag Bal and of Mehrunes Dagon, full of the malicious intent of their masters. Few still dare venture inside, and few expeditions survive."

Edited June 2, 2015 by Albannach

[IcarusBen]

IC Eponine [Narsis - The Lucky Guar]

"Please," Eponine replied. "The most those Dwemer ruins hold are a couple of metal spiders and ballista. The only reason people don't survive is because they're not used to Dwemer ruins. High Rock's got a lot of them, so I spent a lot of time dungeon diving in my youth. It's where I found my steel kopis."

 

"Now, Aspen, what's this about a tournament?"

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"Hail, friend."

 

There was, however, one chair left in what had once been a particularly spacious dining room; conveniently placed in a corner, so as to be spun around in ominously from the shadows, "Dorian Doruani" spun around ominously in it from the shadows. His tanned skin and bright smile helped him stand out from the unlit parlor.

 

"I got here fifteen minutes ago, because I thought you'd be the type that would arrive fifteen minutes early and then chastise someone for only showing up directly on time. Turns out you're not. My mistake." He slanted his head, an oddly feline look about ultramarine eyes. "Are you giving me the house? Is that why we're here? Because I'm already devising a floorplan of what furniture I put where. This chair is going, as you might expect, into a corner. It's gonna be great. It's gonna be great. It's gonna be great."

 

-Tyler

Edited June 2, 2015 by Aikuro Mikisugi

[Padishah Mehmet II]

IC: (Mathyn Llethri. The Lucky Guar, Narsis)

 

Mathyn lamented the Breton's untimely passing already.

 

(Elianne. Abandoned house, Firewatch)

 

Elianne raised an eyebrow. "What?" she said, confusion written on her face. "No, we're here to talk about the hash you asked for. Why would I give you a house that doesn't even belong--- actually, never mind, I don't even want to think about it."

 

She glanced out the window. Street seemed empty enough, not that it was any surprise. "I can get you what you need. But you're going to have to find me a way out the city unnoticed. Contrary to popular belief in the Empire, you cannot smuggle anything just past the guards."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

Dorian's eyes lit up with something that was, for the first time, not something inherently and inanely childish.

 

"Hey, I'm looking for a way out of the city," he insisted in the same breezy tone he'd been using all along, as though there were nothing serious in his eyes at all. "Valerius is going to come down on me sooner or later with a court martial, which would normally be a problem because I'm a Legionnaire. The actual problem is that I'm not really a Legionnaire, which is an actual problem solely because it means they skip the court martial and skip right to the axe. We really can help each other out."

 

-Tyler

[Ghosthands]

IC (Kelh) [Narsis - The Lucky Guar]

 

One eyebrow shoots up. Generally, when a local advises you on the particular dangers of a location, you don't dismiss their warnings out of hand because 'every one of these places i've ever been to before didn't have them so this one couldn't possibly have them'.

 

I'm guessing they don't have Falmer in High Rock either. Therefore, by Miss Faircroft's flawless logic, there couldn't possibly be any in Skyrim. Ha. Haha.

 

"Word is the bigwigs in the Great Houses want to blow off some steam without actually rippin' each other's throats out."

Edited June 2, 2015 by Ghosthands

[Padishah Mehmet II]

IC: (Elianne. Abandoned house, Firewatch)

 

This was working out better and better. Elianne scratched her chin, thinking of a better way to turn this to her advantage. "Let me ask you a very theoretical question, not-Legionnaire. Would you say that it is in your interests that Valerius would just, and this is purely theoretical... disappear?"

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

...

 

"Oh, Divines, it's happening again."

 

-Tyler

[Padishah Mehmet II]

IC: (Elianne. Abandoned house, Firewatch)

 

Elianne tilted her head inquisitively.

 

Just in case this not-Legionnaire was going to rat her out, her hand clenched around her dagger, at the same time preparing to cast Invisibility. Just in case.

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

...

 

"Eh, what the ######, maybe this time I'll end up in High Rock. Sure. I wouldn't mind."

 

-Tyler

Edited June 2, 2015 by Aikuro Mikisugi

[Padishah Mehmet II]

IC: (Elianne. Abandoned house, Firewatch)

 

She nodded, slowly. "Then we can indeed help each other. I need to get my... tools of the trade into the city. And I am virtually certain there's a way getting past the walls; there's always a postern gate, or, worst case scenario, a sewer leak in these Imperial cities."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"Heh. Yeah. I know that one." Dor kicked back in the chair and regarded the Dark Elf thoughtfully. "What are you? Redoran?"

 

He hoped so. That and Indoril were the only Great Houses besides Hlaalu that he knew.

 

"Someone who wants the General...gone. Presumably so that the rest of Firewatch is vacated. What's your angle?"

 

Hopefully he wasn't too off track.

 

-Tyler

[IcarusBen]

IC (Kelh) [Narsis - The Lucky Guar]

 

One eyebrow shoots up. Generally, when a local advises you on the particular dangers of a location, you don't dismiss their warnings out of hand because 'every one of these places i've ever been to before didn't have them so this one couldn't possibly have them'.

 

I'm guessing they don't have Falmer in High Rock either. Therefore, by Miss Faircroft's flawless logic, there couldn't possibly be any in Skyrim. Ha. Haha.

 

"Word is the bigwigs in the Great Houses want to blow off some steam without actually rippin' each other's throats out."

IC Eponine [Narsis - The Lucky Guar]

"Ah. We have those in High Rock, too. Bunch of pompous nobles shooting targets and hitting each other with big sticks. Quite possibly the dullest thing to ever happen ever. I mean, come on. Targets don't even shoot back!"

 

Eponine made a mental note to check Bthanual for any archery targets that shot back.

[Not Quite Dead]

IC:

Not all too far away, our hero climbed out of Firewatch's sewers. The guards at the gate had given him an awfully rough searching before turning him away, must be he had them off somehow. He wasn't quite sure how that had happened given how amiable he was. Alas, the fact that he had had to travel for the better part of a week to reach her, and his increasing hunger for something that wasn't roast varmint had led him to improvise. He wouldn't let a simple imperial order to bugger off dissuade him! It'd taken him the better part of the day to search out the city walls for a means of ingress. A postern gate somewhere had been his first target, one that had proven elusive. Scaling the walls, even with liberal application of his alteration talents would've proven impossible, so the meager sewage leak he'd found was the only way in. It was a messy affair, but not as bad as some would have you believe. Such a large, luxurious and thoroughly western city as Firewatch had well maintained sewers with clear walk ways, maintenance tunnels and plenty of ways to avoid the titular waste. His own clumsiness had gotten him dunked once, slipping on something he hadn't wanted to identify into hopefully clean water. He'd left the soiled cloak behind and dried off before continuing onwards. When he found a manhole that he guessed to be in one of the city's less populated districts, he'd spent a good hour waiting underneath it, listening for foot steps, nearby voices and the like. His caution paid off when he levitated up the ladder (less noise) and propped up the manhole a bare few centimeters, treating himself to a view of an empty street. Satisfied that he had this time explained his escapades in a followable and contiguous manner, he closed his journal and dug into the food and ale he'd ordered at the nearest inn, aptly titled the Rusty Septim for the pyrite counterfeits that abounded in such a shady venue.

[Padishah Mehmet II]

IC: (Elianne. Abandoned house, Firewatch)

 

Elianne shook her head as she leaned back, against the room's wall. "I haven't got an angle, Imperial. Chap'thil do not get sent to such locations to do such work in this country. I'm here at the bidding of someone else's angle, and that angle happens to be Valerius's death."

 

(Mathyn Llethri. The Lucky Guar, Narsis)

 

"Ohh, believe you me," Mathyn grinned, "our tournaments are not like those of the West. They have live weapons, for starters. Even if usually blunted. And that jousting thing you have in High Rock, that the Imperials so like to imitate? That one hasn't caught on."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"What's in it for me? And don't say seasoning. This goes beyond petty seasoning."

 

-Tyler

[Padishah Mehmet II]

IC: (Elianne. Abandoned house, Firewatch)

 

She tossed her head back and took a look straight into the not-Legionnaire's eyes. "Firstly, of course, there's the matter of the number one current threat to your life, Imperial, being removed. So one might argue it's in your interest to help me to begin with. Secondly, my employer can get you an identity."

 

Pausing for emphasis, she continued. "You can try to find a way out of here yourself. But we both know your problems go beyond simple discharge, outlander. You don't get threatened with execution by being... too fun for a legionnaire, and you admitted that you aren't one to begin with. You faked an identity. Which leads me to one conclusion. You fled here, Dorian Doruani. And I don't know from what, but I know the sort of problems people who fake being a legionnaire had run into. Those problems aren't fine at all. So if you want to escape on your own and get tracked down and killed by whatever you're fleeing from, because an Imperial in Morrowind without papers isn't as usual a sight as you might think, feel free. But if you help me, I can help you leave this mess you're in."

 

Silence settled on the room for just a moment.

 

"And, of course, there's the seasoning."

Edited June 2, 2015 by Albannach

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

...

 

You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

 

Nonetheless, Dor shrugged.

 

"S'long as I get the house in the meantime, sure. Bag him."

 

-Tyler

[Padishah Mehmet II]

IC: (Elianne. Abandoned Dorian's house, Firewatch)

 

"Knock yourself out. Just be sure to be careful. Legionnaires probably won't take kindly if they find out you've been squatting at an abandoned house without permission and meeting with some shady Dunmer maid, to boot."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"If you'd seen my trip from Cyrodiil to Morrowind, I think you'd be amazed at the things I can avoid confrontation with."

 

-Tyler

Edited June 2, 2015 by Aikuro Mikisugi

[Nato G]

IC:

 

Bites-His-Tail shrugged, turning back to the apprentice, "Just these today, plus whatever the Dunmer lady needs."

 

He put a look back at Anguis.

 

"Assuming there's anything you need, that is."

 

IC: Anguis Nathair.

 

"Ah, no, I'll be fine," she lingered near the entrance, "Over here.... away from the searing hot metal...."

[IcarusBen]

(Mathyn Llethri. The Lucky Guar, Narsis)

 

"Ohh, believe you me," Mathyn grinned, "our tournaments are not like those of the West. They have live weapons, for starters. Even if usually blunted. And that jousting thing you have in High Rock, that the Imperials so like to imitate? That one hasn't caught on."

IC Eponine [Narsis - The Lucky Guar]

"I'm not saying that there's not a lot of carnage. It's just really boring carnage. One time, they had to cut a fight short because of time constraints. They were beaten to a pulp yet there was no winner."

 

Eponine began to twitch after she fully absorbed Mathyn's sentence.

 

"Believe you me? Believe you me? I'm sorry, but on what plane of Oblivion is that even close to making sense? It's 'You, believe me' or just 'Believe me.' I know Tamrielic probably isn't your first language, but that's just rude."

[Ghosthands]

IC (Kelh) [Narsis - The Lucky Guar]

 

I almost fell off my chair at that.

 

Once my laughter has mostly subsided, I wrench my face into as sober an expression as possible (not that that's saying much) and set out to explain things to Eponine as politely as I could (also not saying much).

 

"Miss Faircroft," I begin, then pause, stifling another giggle that comes bubbling up from my diaphragm, "if I may say so, you are quite a specimen. Are you seriously telling me you've never heard the phrase 'believe you me' before? Now, if I were one o' those fancy edumacated types you see hangin' around the Bards' College, I'd probably say something about archaic syntax an' marked imperatives an' some such nonsense, but I'm not, so I'll stick with this: it's a popular phrase and there's nothing wrong with it, so don't get your knickers in a twist."

[Padishah Mehmet II]

IC: (Mathyn Llethri. The Lucky Guar, Narsis)

 

Mathyn sighed.

 

"Outlanders."

 

(Elianne. Dorian's house, Firewatch)

 

"I'll contact you if I learn anything on how to get outside the city unnoticed, then. I'll expect you to do the same. You know where to find me. Kitchens, mostly."

Edited June 3, 2015 by Albannach

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"Sure thing. If you can't find me around the cornerclubs or castle, I'll be here." It was then, in Dorian's head, that the words 'FIND FIREWATCH HOME DECORATION GUIDE' and 'ESCAPE FIREWATCH!' were emblazoned into his conscious mind. "Nice meeting you."

 

-Tyler

[The UltimoScorp]

IC:

 

"All kinds of nervous, aren't you?"

[Ghosthands]

IC (Kelh) [Narsis - The Lucky Guar]

 

"I resent that. Don't tar me with the same bloody brush."

[(Daedalus)]

IC: K'Larn (Narsis - The Lucky Guar)

 

In a back corner of The Lucky Guar, a lone Khajiit sat slouched in a chair, his legs stretched out, his arms crossed on his chest, his head back, and his eyes closed. His race and his position in the establishment would probably lead many to assume he was of the less desirable sort, the kind who would either snatch you coin purse, mug you in a dark alley, or kill you. Maybe even all three. None of those were accurate, of course, but that was the nature of things... well, pretty much everywhere.

 

For his part, K'Larn didn't really care what others thought of him. Truth was, he had long ago accepted the fact that people would automatically assume he was a thief, which, sadly, wasn't exactly untrue. He was a member of the Thieves' Guild, and he stole things for a living. But at least with the guild, it was structured and he rarely stole from the "common man." Didn't really make it any less wrong, but it did make his stealing less detrimental.

 

The things you tell yourself to assuage your guilt, K'Larn thought with a barely perceptible smile.

 

"Sorry I'm late."

 

K'Larn had heard the Imperial approach, but he didn't open his eyes until Diron spoke. Diron was a fellow guild member and his superior. He made sure K'Larn was providing the Thieves' Guild with a steady supply of ill-gotten gains and occasionally gave him special tasks. He was normally a grim man; he didn't appear to have a sense of humor. Today was no different, though he did look a little pale.

 

"We didn't have a specific meeting time, Diron," K'Larn said, maintaining his slouched position. "We never do. Just specific days."

 

Diron rubbed his forehead. "Right. I know. Anyway."

 

He paused for a long moment and his eyes unfocused. What was wrong with him?

 

"Are you well?" K'Larn asked, straightening in his chair.

 

Diron blinked twice, refocusing his eyes.

 

"Yes," he said quickly. He licked his lips and rubbed his forehead again. "Sorry. I... I haven't slept well the last few days."

 

"Well, you look horrible."

 

Diron took a deep breath and waved his hand. "I'm sure I do, but that's not what we're here for. Look, I've got something I want you to look into. You know Hoarders' Retreat, about a day north of here?"

 

K'Larn nodded. "Popular with less-than-legal trade, from what I understand. Some group will set up there for a few days or weeks, and then they move on or are encouraged to do so by nearby authorities."

 

Diron nodded--impatiently, it seemed to K'Larn--and said, "Exactly. Well, it would seem a group has moved in just recently. Decent looking crew. Probably have something valuable. I want you to check it out, see if you can get anything interesting."

 

"How did you hear about this?" K'Larn asked.

 

"I saw the group moving in the last of their items. A big, long chest of some kind."

 

"So... why didn't you stick around and scout the place out yourself?"

 

The pause that followed led K'Larn to think that something weird was going on. Diron almost looked like he hadn't thought of such a question being asked.

 

Diron cleared his throat and blinked. "I... have my own task. Here in Narsis. I couldn't, I couldn't stay and do it, or... I would have."

 

K'Larn leaned forward. "Are you sure you are well? That it's not just sleep deprivation bothering you?"

 

"Yes, I'm fine," Diron snapped, standing up. "I expect to hear back from you a week from today. You better have something good, or a good reason if you don't."

 

And with that, Diron quickly left The Lucky Guar.

 

K'Larn didn't like the way Diron was acting, but he wasn't in a position to refuse an assignment, not after he'd come up empty the last time. Looked like he was on his way to Hoarders' Retreat.

 

Stealing from thieves. He could do that.

Edited June 3, 2015 by (Daedalus)

[IcarusBen]

IC (Kelh) [Narsis - The Lucky Guar]

 

I almost fell off my chair at that.

 

Once my laughter has mostly subsided, I wrench my face into as sober an expression as possible (not that that's saying much) and set out to explain things to Eponine as politely as I could (also not saying much).

 

"Miss Faircroft," I begin, then pause, stifling another giggle that comes bubbling up from my diaphragm, "if I may say so, you are quite a specimen. Are you seriously telling me you've never heard the phrase 'believe you me' before? Now, if I were one o' those fancy edumacated types you see hangin' around the Bards' College, I'd probably say something about archaic syntax an' marked imperatives an' some such nonsense, but I'm not, so I'll stick with this: it's a popular phrase and there's nothing wrong with it, so don't get your knickers in a twist."

IC Eponine [Narsis - The Lucky Guar]

 

"I'm a Breton. I get grumpy when I hear people say 'believe you me.' It's the same thing with 'I could care less' and 'who'd thunk. And yes, I heard them. All the time. Cyrodiils have this thing where they mangle their own language into something rotten. It's ridiculous."

 

She turned to Mathyn. "And, hey, you pointed it out when I screwed up your language, don't huff and puff with resentment when I do the same."

 

Eponine soon became curious.

 

"Aspen, I know where Mathyn's from, but where might you be from?"

[Ghosthands]

IC (Kelh) [Narsis - The Lucky Guar]

 

I did fall off my chair at that.

 

"Aspen, I know where Mathyn's from, but where might you be from?"

 

 

"All sorts of places," comes my reply from under the table.

[IcarusBen]

IC Eponine [Narsis - The Lucky Guar]

 

THUNK.

 

"Uh... Aspen... You alright down there?"

 

Eponine jumped down from the chair and ducked underneath the table. She accidentally put her finger down on top of a loose nail, however, and jumped up, hitting her head on the table.

 

"Um... did we order tomato soup at some point?" Eponine asked, looking the strange red substance coming off her head.

[Ghosthands]

IC (Kelh) [Narsis - The Lucky Guar]

 

If it were possible to fall off the floor, I would probably do so.

 

Still lying sprawled on the floorboards but just about managing to suppress the laughing fit that robbed me of my seat, I look up at Eponine, then down at the loose nail, then back up at Eponine, then left to the smear of blood on her hand, then back right to Eponine.

 

"...are you sure you're a trained killer?"

Edited June 3, 2015 by Ghosthands

[IcarusBen]

IC Eponine [Narsis - The Lucky Guar]

"Yep... But if you haven't noticed, I'm a little drunk at the moment, and judging from your habit to fall off the chair, I'm guessing you are, too.

[Ghosthands]

IC (Kelh) [Narsis - The Lucky Guar]

 

"Sorry to disappoint."

 

With a wolfish grin and uncanny speed I spring to my feet.

 

"Perhaps if you'd been paying attention you'd have realised that the only reason I fell off my chair..."

 

I pick up a fork from the table and twirl it skilfully between my fingers, just to illustrate how non-inebriated I am.

 

"...was because I was laughin' so hard. And I'll give you three guesses what I was laughin' at."

[Not Quite Dead]

IC:

The breton's face showed a mixture of apprehension and panic as he fled. Perhaps he was thinking of how to embellish this in his journal, because the actual story was quite pathetic. After finishing his meal at the Rusty Septim, he had as was customary, decided that the food and drink were not worthy of his coin. Why was he under obligation to pay for misleadingly advertised goods he had asked of the man behind the bar. Several strong words had been exchanged and soon enough he'd thrown a couple of punches in defense of his honor. An off duty and friend-of-the-owner guardsmen had reacted, he ran, they chased and that was about as far as we were when his face was showing that mixture of emotions. Use of his magic had allowed him to gain the roof tops, he was light on his feet and had made some small jumps, sure to be made more impressive with every retelling. The guards, having multiplied, still prowled the streets below. Gotta think, what was a good move? The breton knew he needed them off his tail and fast. He scanned the buildings nearby, more than a few had windows he could jump through dramatically. But doing so would surely attract attention, what with the loud noise and all. A roguish grin lit up his face as he tore lose a chunk of masonry, eying a seemingly abandoned building nearby. He took aim and chucked it with all his might, shattering the second floor window with a ginormous racket. Below him, he could hear the guards rush towards the noise. That ought to keep them off my tail, he sighed.

 

OOC:

That house is Dorian's.

Edited June 3, 2015 by Kaneo Takarada

[Nato G]

IC:

 

"All kinds of nervous, aren't you?"

 

IC: Anguis Nathair.

 

Today had started off so well, and then everything had gone to Oblivion. "Yeah, I guess...." 

[IcarusBen]

IC (Kelh) [Narsis - The Lucky Guar]

 

"Sorry to disappoint."

 

With a wolfish grin and uncanny speed I spring to my feet.

 

"Perhaps if you'd been paying attention you'd have realised that the only reason I fell off my chair..."

 

I pick up a fork from the table and twirl it skilfully between my fingers, just to illustrate how non-inebriated I am.

 

"...was because I was laughin' so hard. And I'll give you three guesses what I was laughin' at."

IC Eponine and Courier [Narsis - The Lucky Guar]

"Bloody wood elves..." Eponine whispered under her breath.

 

Standing up and wrapping her hand in a piece of cloth, she downed her glass of shein and cradled her face in her arms upon the table.

 

"Aspen," Eponine said, muffled by her own arms. "You suck. You know that?"

 

As Eponine was about to pour herself another glass of shein, a courier, obviously Dunmer, handed Eponine a sealed letter, and began speaking in pretty heavily accented (though not Narsis-accented) Tamrielic.

 

"Sera, I got sumtin for ya. Yare ouys only."

 

"Serjo," Eponine said as she reached into her coin purse and pulled out a few drakes. "Thanks."

 

"Nah warries."

 

As the courier walked off, Eponine inspected the letter. Address was from... High Rock, eh... How peculiar. She unsealed the letter. Forgoing the second page, she sighed when she saw the first page.

 

"Ah... ###### it all to Oblivion..."