The Elder Scrolls: The Summerset Wolf

[caligari]

Keep talking to me like that, you old hag, and I'll be wearing your eyeballs as a pearl necklace. Ennoc thought. He would've said it out loud if he wasn't tired, wounded and running low on magicka. Between the lightning, ice spikes and spear and frost atronach he barely had any left to put up a proper fight. Besides, it looked as though he needed what remained of his magic reserves to heal himself and the Nordic idiot who almost got herself killed on her way out.

The dark mage got up and walked over to Tor's unconscious body. As he moved over to her, he removed his hand from his wound and licked up the blood from his fingers. The metallic taste of blood always seemed to wake him right up, but he just needed to fill his mouth with it, not his stomach. As such he spat the blood back out, "accidentally" on Delphine's boots. "[BCOLOR=#000000]Oops...[/BCOLOR]" he said to her "[BCOLOR=#000000]My bad.[/BCOLOR]"

Ennoc crouched down beside Tor and held his hands out over her. Slowly but surely a light shun from his palms and healing magic enveloped the Nord's body. She wouldn't die... Yet, but Ennoc only did what he could with what magicka he had left, he needed both rest and healing himself. For a proper treatment they'd have to wait until he'd gotten some rest or until anyone was kind enough to make his job a lot easier by handing out some potions.

 

[sivilia]

Logan glanced over to the woman as she spoke, certain that he was able to recognise her from somewhere. Narrowing his eyes, he remembered where he had seen her. She had owned the inn in Riverwood, near Camilla's house. Once, when he was about thirteen, he and Camilla had thrown rotting apples at the inn from her store, and were chased by a man who worked there. He doubted, after a decade, she would even recall him, but it was an odd thought that he was able to recognise her face and voice. She didn't seem a day older than she had been. Why was she even here? He decided to raise the question.

"You want us to work for you?" he queried, as he folded his arms, perplexed as to why she would break them out of prison to do something as menial as working for her. "Doing what exactly? Changing the bed sheets? Sweeping the inn?"

Logan turned his attention back to Victoria, who was lying unconscious. When a Breton approached her, he looked up from his seated position, and leaned towards her almost protectively, trying to distance the man from her. He frowned when the man seemingly drank his own blood and then spat it back out, before moving his hands over her.

"What are you doing?" Logan asked, standing up, but when he saw him begin to use healing magic, he backed away and sat down beside her again, leaning against the wall. "Right. You're a mage. You should have left her to heal naturally with time."

 

[Cerulean]

With everyone mostly on the boat, their new boss decided to roll in all military like and give them the briefing that only officers in the legion wet their beds at night hoping to give. With the classic giving us what for and essentially telling everyone here that they aren't worth a fart in the wind and if you do anything beside what she tells you that there will be Sovngarde to pay. It was textbook and he had talked to enough soldiers to see that coming a mile away once she started talking. It probably didn't help he had seen her a dozen times in Riverwood when passing through. Of course, he didn't have a reason to rebel and she was the reason he was out. Seemed like an alright to deal to him. "Sounds like an adventure. You have once again caught my attention, Ms. Delphine. The Inn not exciting enough anymore?" He said offering a bow. "You won't have any fuss from me."

Looking over his...colleagues, he could tell they all had stories to tell. Even if they didn't want to, Brollius could tell they were there. Like the story of the arrogant, rash mage who was bleeding after they parted and spit on Delphine's shoes. Or the muscled orc, who he wondered if they were from one of the strongholds. Or maybe fellow Imperial who thankfully jumped to action before he could even get off his pack. And the pretty Nord who was now potentially on her last breathes if it wasn't for a well timed healing spell. Of course, while it may have kept her from going into the black depths forever, she will still need her energy by the time she wakes. Taking off his pack and rummaging through it, a roll was pulled out and unveiled beside him. His eyes moved over the selection purposefully. "There it is." He grabbed a little green vial and moved over to Tor. "She is going to need this, if she feels like fighting, when she wakes." He slipped the potion into her hand and positioned it so it would not fall out.

 

[sivilia]

Logan gave a fleeting look in the direction of the man who had placed a green vial in Victoria's hands, before nodding at him respectfully. The man was a fellow Imperial, and while that fact in itself did not garner any respect from Logan, his act of kindness did. It was only at that moment that Logan realised that all of these people, bar the adventuring innkeeper who the Imperial had identified as Delphine, had been locked away in the cells with him. The Imperial had only been thrown in fairly recently.

He glanced at each of the figures momentarily, noting the Breton first. He appeared to be neither old nor young, yet clearly years of experience had hardened his otherwise soft face into its current stern state. He didn't like to be one to judge a man by appearances, but he could tell that he would have a difficult time liking the man. He didn't look to kindly on mages, or blood-drinkers. It reminded him, too worryingly, of the old stories of vampires and werewolves and the like. Turning to look at the orc, he slightly nodded. He seemed large and powerful enough to respect, but he had no other measure of judging whether he was likeable. Finally, his eyes fell back onto the Imperial.

"You have my thanks," Logan said, indicating the vials with a brief glance. After a short moment, he decided that, no matter how little he wanted to be here, this innkeeper had saved them from their imprisonment. Until the point where they docked, in the least, he wouldn't be able to return to Helgen anyway, so he figured it wouldn't hurt to interact with someone. Looking to the man, he forced a faint smile. "From which town in Cyrodiil do you hail? Skingrad? The Imperial City?"

 

[caligari]

Everyone wanted to say their thoughts when Ennoc started healing the dumb, Nordic bitch and it brought his piss to a boil like nothing ever did before. "Let her heal on her own?" Yeah, that would happen, with wounds like those she's lucky to be alive and with a body as weak as hers it was a miracle the hypothermia didn't just finish the job.

"How about you keep your dumb remarks to yourself," he barked at the imperial criticising his handywork "and start making yourself useful and pull the arrow out of my shoulder!" Maybe shove it up your ass too while you're at it. He didn't add that last part, but he thought it.

Stuck on a boat with eejits and commanding cunts so old that their first burning of king Olaf festival WAS the first burning of king Olaf festival. He could definitely imagine some better company, oblivion take him, even the dead were better company, at least they kept their mouth shut.

 

[sivilia]

As soon as Logan heard the man speak, he turned his gaze from the Imperial and frowned, before realising that the man was speaking to him. Swiftly jumping to his feet, Logan pinned him to the wall and, resisting the urge to punch him in the face, wrapped his hand around the shaft and yanked the arrow from his shoulder as forcefully as he could. Once he had done this, he discarded the blood-covered arrow on the ground and kept the man pinned against the wall with his arm.

"Shut the fuck up," he said through gritted teeth. "Or else my blade will take that arrow's place."

Logan didn't break his glare from the shorter man, even as he released his grip and backed away slightly, standing a few metres away from the Breton now, closer to an unconscious Victoria once more. He had a slight feeling he wouldn't have liked the Breton mage before, but now he was certain.

 

[caligari]

As soon as the Imperial grabbed him Ennoc reached for his dagger; at a range so close he'd be able to draw his blade and cut open the idiot's stomach before any of them had time to stop him, but such a thing would be unwise, it was obvious that the old hag who believed herself to be in charge would not tolerate any more corpses on her ship and the mage didn't have enough magicka left in reserve to force them all to their knees.

And so he remained "peaceful" even as the short-fused Imperial pulled out the arrowhead with a lot more force than needed, he remained "peaceful" even as the idiot ran his mouth to him and he remained "peaceful" even as he backed away to return to the soon to be corpse of the Nordic woman. To himself, however, he thought about how the imperial was big for his race so by extension he would have big guts and Ennoc couldn't wait to tear them out and examine them.

The secret necromancer straightened his robes, picked up the bloody arrowpiece, put it away in his bag and returned to healing the Nord. Uncharacteristically he remained quiet, but he knew his time would come soon, all he had to do was wait. Then again... all their times will come soon.

 

[Dunruffle]

While the humans bickered amongst each other. Vruk pulled out a whetstone and began sharpening his battle axe. "I am in your debt Delphine for releasing me from thst prison. Therefore I will follow you until that debt is paid. If coin and battle follow, then that is merely a bonus. What is this mission of yours that requires a bunch of escaped prisoners?"

 

[Cerulean]

Before he could say a thing the fellow Imperial and the....he didn't want to call him a mage anymore. Sure, that is what they were but at this point all he has seen from him is arrogance, and willingness to step on anyone who gets in his way. Not the type of man he would ever get along with. During the heated exchange, he held himself still, ready if the shuffle ended up headed his way. Thankfully, the both kept themselves in check enough to not burn the shindig down before the party even started.

And then somewhat creepily, the orc had began sharpening their axe. Granted, he spent enough time around them to know that it was normal behavior but the timing was just divinely awful. And with the question directed an a below decks Delphine, he decided to not worry about if she could hear him and just go back to his previous conversation.

"Cheydinhal, actually. My father used to speak of the farm we had there, before I was born. What of you?" He asked, with a smile.

Sodmancer. That is what he will call think of him, for now on. Sounded good anyway.

 

[Applo]

The orc's voice carried across the deck and woke Delphine from the stupor she had dropped into and she pinched the bridge of her nose to help her bleary eye's focus.

"You'll get all the information you need in due time but know that you have the fate of all the peoples of Tamriel in your hands and that you're unlikely to have to do any sweeping. Now I'm going to get some sleep, you'd be wise to make sure you get some too."

With that Delphine made for her small cot in the hull of the ship. It irritated her that she'd been recognized but at least it had only been for a lie that was done with. As she lay in her cot Delphine thought about her band of reprobates. The two imperials appeared to have brains and charisma and the orc was clearly loyal, almost to a fault. The mage might be a problem, he seemed like the type unaccustomed to caring about anyone but himself and had all the charm of a dead frog but that was ok, she could work with that, everyone had levers that could be pulled and his seemed simple enough. Only the nord seemed like a mistake but four out of five wasn't bad, maybe Ulfric wasn't a total fool.

 

[caligari]

Ennoc continued his healing spell until he was certain the Nord was no longer in mortal danger, he could cure a stabwound, but he couldn't cure death... yet. With the corpse problem now out of the way, he turned his attention to himself and began casting a soft healing spell on himself, nothing too straining on his magicka of course. His shoulder would hurt and the wound would still be there, but at least the skin would grow back stopping the bleeding.
At the time he needed rest and lots of it, he was tired and drained so he stumbled his way below deck and made his way into the first quarter that seemed unused. It was a bleak sight; a worn out hammock, a bucket obviously used for human refuse and a smell worse than the Orc on the deck. It was definitely a long way from the luxury of the winking skeever, but he had experienced worse.
Exhausted the mage collapsed into the hammock and found it suprisingly comfortable. Normally he would place a protective rune on the entrance, but he hardly had the reserves for such a spell. Besides, he was out of comission before even he expected it. In less than a minute he fell asleep and subconsiously solving problems regarding the absurdly difficult process of necromancy.

 

[Applo]

The wind had picked up overnight and a fine spay rained down over the over Delphine as the brow of the boat cut through the waves. The smell of the sea and a good sleep had put Delphine in good mood and she had even been feeling a little pity for the Nord girl right until they had gone and made an odd snorting noise. She was lost in her own thoughts and worries when one of her blades whispered in her ear that they were nearly at the little landing stage. Blinking herself back into reality she turned and was pleased to see that her man had had the presence of mind to make sure all the prisoners were been assembled on the deck.
"Last night you asked why I have gone to all this effort to get you out of the damp hellhole the Ulfic calls a dungeon well here's your answer. I need people who no one will look too closely at to go and interfere with the best laid plans of some very powerful and nasty people." Delphine paused to try and get a read on the faces in front of her before plunging onwards.

"My informants tells me that someone here in Skyrim is working on a plan weapon that will let them decimate the empire in such a manner that the last forty years will look like a gods damned golden age. Know you might be thinking well Del-, well then why don't you go and sort it out, why do you need us? That's the rub none of my informants have been able to give me anything solid and I'm stretched thin enough as it is, so you little jail birds are going to go and do some good old fashion prod nosing. You have two leads, in Falkreath there has been a rash of grave robbing that seems a cut above the normal for this cursed land and in Solitude someone is somehow burning the grain supply whilst leaving everything else untouched. I want you to find out what's going on and if you can deal with the problem."

The was a dull thud as the boat bumped up against the small jetty and Delphine paused so that she didn't have to shout over the voices of her blades. When they were done she turned to look squarely at the mage. "Last night I gave you the stick about why you're not just going try and make a run for it so now I'll offer the carrot. If you are successful in you mission I am in the position to offer you sizeable rewards. For instance I know that I have some ancient tomes that I suspect would be of great value to someone like you three. Now with all that said I'd suggest you get your things an make your way a shore quickly, I'll be instructing my men to cast of soon and if your still aboard you'll have to swim, oh and take the nord with you."
​

 

[caligari]

Ennoc didn't like her tone, if it was a situation where he would've been on top or even on the same level, he'd have taken her tongue, but he knew a shit-poor environment if he saw one, so he kept silent. Besides, the mention of unusually high grave robbing rates peaked his interest and the promise of suitable payment was also a pleasant bonus, so he'd play their game, for the moment. "Questions first; the grave robbing, what more can you tell? Has there been a reported increase of mudcrabs near lake Ilinalta? Or perhaps an increase of activity near the old Watchtower? Perhaps an Increase in travellers past Riverwood heading more West than North?" Graverobbing is a bold move, especially from Falkreath's cemetery, they had to have a place to store the bodies and Falkreath hold didn't have much in the way of concentrated necromancer activity. Mudcrabs are used to strip bones clean, makes the body easier to control and the only necromancer actively working in Falkreath was holed up in the old watchtower. Beside that, the closest, large concentration of death mages was at Fellglow, and it'd be surprising if they went all the way to Falkreath for bodies.

"Graverobbers in Skyrim go for old Nordic tombs, the ancient trinkets fetch a high price. Graverobbers in Falkreath go for bodies, which means you're dealing with necromancers, the worm cult is high on the list of possibilities." Ennoc raised his hand to his mouth in a pensive way, thinking about everything. "No, the worm cult wouldn't move unless they have something big planned at which point it would already be too late... You're not telling us everything, granny, start talking."

 

[Applo]

"Talos preserve me" Delphine whispered with her head held to the sky before once again staring directly into the belligerent mages eyes. "You're quite right, there is lots you are not being told and that is exactly how it's going to stay. However because I'm in a good mood I'll humour your questions: the robbers are after corpses; we have no idea if there has been an increase in mud crabs and as far as we can tell no noticeable increase in shady looking travellers apart from my men. I'm putting you on these two leads because of all of the possible avenues of enquiry I know off these two have big questions hanging over them. My men have turned over every rock they can and found nothing. To my mind that means professionalism instead of the usual amuture production that most supposedly secret make and I have it on good authority that none of the guilds. I could be dead wrong and both are just run of the mill bandits an trouble makers but that why I need you to investigate in a way that my men can't. Go to town, talk to people, poke your nose where it doesn't belong, somebody always know something and it's your job to find them and get them talking. That's all the answer you're going to get because it's all you need now kindly get off the boat."​

 

[Cerulean]

The night wasn't too turbulent at least. The sounds of the water and waves rang in his head like a wet sack of barley being tossed around or poured into a barrel. Brollius didn't sleep too far from the Nord, as he wanted to make sure they were okay. It was natural for him to want to care for people, and it seemed a few people in this group would be no different. He might even be inclined to have more care for the sodmancer once he gets the dragon sized stick out of his ass.

Soon enough, they were all gathered on the deck again to receive some sort of debriefing. Upon hearing what was at stake, the young man took in a deep breath. This would surely be difficult, but thankfully, their two destinations were ones he was semi-familiar with. Granted, he may not know directly who is involved, but surely he knew someone who knew someone else and so on.

When the mage's questions were answered, it felt pertinent to get the group going. "Alright. Let's get a move on then. We got things to do and mead to drink. You fellas figure out what we are doing, I will get our little patient." Without another word, he gathers himself and scoops up the Nord. Her things were already in his pack, as he kept them safe during the night from any savage winds. Whistling a happy, soft tune, the bard walked right by anyone who was left on the deck and lock stepped down the dock. "Bye Delphie!"

 

[Dunruffle]

Vruk awoke from his slumber and yawned. Being an ork he could sleep through just about anything. Getting out of his hammock, he donned his armor and picked up his battleaxe. Stepping out onto the deck he watched disinterestedly as the wizard talked down to Delphine. "I honestly do not care what it is. As long as I can kill it and it puts up a fight I am fine. lets get a move on." He followed Brollius off the ship and down onto the dock, shoving aside anyone in his way."

 

[sivilia]

Logan watched on as the mage countered Delphine's instructions by questioning her motives. Despite his dislike for the Breton, at least he knew how to ask the right questions when it came to it. Logan certainly didn't want to dedicate the remainder of his life to Delphine's cause, but investigating grave robbings and arson attacks seemed to be the easiest way to pay back the debt he owed to her for saving his life. However, he certainly had no intentions to save the world. Not only was he not equipped to do so, he doubted very much that he would live as long a life throwing it into the path of blind danger as he would slotting back into his past existence.

When the other Imperial lifted up Victoria in his arms and headed off the ship, he followed him. He had no attention on staying behind any longer than he needed to with either the innkeeper or the mage, so he stuck to the only two people present with whom he felt he shared some understanding.

"Falkreath, huh?" he mused. "Could any place be so morbid."

 

[caligari]

Pathetically useless. Ennoc thought as his "companions" sortied the boat without them even having half a clue as to what needs to be done or what needs to be paid attention to. By the Aedra and Daedra combined how he loathed the very thought of them. "you'd best start watching your tone or start growing eyes on the back of your head, bitch, for I am not a dog you can just whistle up. I'll do as you ask and deal with these necromancers as I do, but once this is over and payment has been settled you'd better hope we never cross paths again for despite all your connections and all your men, you have no idea the amount of shit you waddled your old ass into."
And with that he removed his person from the ship not giving Delphine the light of day as he turned his back to her and stepped onto the docks.

 

[Cerulean]

"Short of Oblivion itself, I am not sure. I know a couple of people there, in Falkreath, not Oblivion. Hopefully they will be able to shed some light on the situation." He retorted to the other Imperial. "I'd rather keep it that way too." His eyes fell to the Nord, who still seemed to be no worse for wear, otherwise being unconscious. Shaking his head, at least they will save gold if she has to be carried by a horse rather than getting another one.

Making their way down the dock, it seemed that he was leading the group. Figures. Not to mention the group was getting looks from just about everyone. They were definitely an odd looking group.

"Ok. It seems we have to choices, gents. Deja Vu, seeing how the last one went. Anywho, we have two different destinations. Personally, I don't have a preference, as I have friends in both cities that may be able to help us out. And it seems we will have to go to the other eventually. So order isn't an issue. Anybody want to vote?"

 

[Applo]

Post Horded for Reasons