Vivec, Docks

Saryen's eyes slowly opened, then quickly shut again when Magnus's light came calling. Grumbling, he rolled over on his sacks of buckwheat flour he had been using as a bed, pulling his worn blanket closer to him. But the day would not wait, and the sounds of the water lapping against the stationary boat soon drove him into full-wakefulness.

"Gods, would it be so bad to have a few more minutes of sleep," he said, more to himself than anyone, as he sat up, rubbing his eyes. Throwing the blanket off of himself, he stretched his legs until his knees made a cracking noise, and he sighed contentedly. Seeing his sword jammed into one of the sacks, he wrenched it free and stood up. Hooking the scabbard to his belt, he looked around. Many of the sailors were awakening from their own slumbers, but a few were already up and about, untieing some of the cargo to offload it.

Spying his companion already on the quay, he hastened down the gangplank, and hopped off to her side. "So," he smiled with a toothy grin, "What's for breakfast? I would suggest the Elven Nations, myself. But," he yawned heavily before continuing, "If you'd rather head straight to the Telvanni Canton, I'll just follow along."

Aryon arose from his bed and lit a candle on his night stand, the soft light pervaded the room and cast shadows upon the walls. He stretched and walked over to his dresser and began to dress himself. Not long after he had finished packing what he was taking into a large leather bag his uncle opened the door and walked in with a few of the manor servants. Aryon noticed that they were carrying things wrapped in burgundy cloth.

"Aryon, I had something that I wanted to give to you before you left. I would have given it too you last night if you hadn't walked out with Ratharys in such haste."

His uncle motioned to the servants who placed the wrapped items on the table. His uncle then proceeded to unwrap the cloths that concealed what appeared to be a well crafted set of Gah-Julan bonemold armor with a scarlet cloak draqed upon the cuirass and intricate designs engraved throughout each piece.

"This is to replace your damaged armor, it was originally made as a gift for your promotion but I guess it now is of even greater purpose. It cost quite a few drake, it is very well crafted, strong as the thick steel armor of the legion but as light as the netch leather of the Morag Tong. Treat it well and it will return the favor, may it protect you in many battles to come."

"Thank you Uncle, I will wear it with pride."

After a short embrace his uncle and the servants departed from the room. Aryon began to fasten his armor upon his body and make final preparations for his trip. When he was done he slung his large pack over his shoulder and walk towards the manor entrance. When he stepped outside he was greeted by the four guards that were to escort him. Aryon nodded to them and they started walking in the direction of the entrance to Skar. Aryon opened the large door to see the sky still dark and the smell of dust in the air. Ald-Ruhn was a bleak place for the most part, nothing but sand and ash with little vegetation, however now that Dagoth Ur had been defeated and the blight removed from Vvardenfell the plants had started to take root again and there was a few green patches here and there. The group then made their way to the temple were they were greeted by Tuls Valen, the cleric of the Ald-Ruhn temple.

"It is good to see you Aryon, it has been a while."

"Aye it is good to see you Serjo, I have been meaning to pay you a visit but many things have interfered with my plans lately."

Tuls let out a short laugh.

"Yes I would say that your life has been quite eventful. The priests are ready inside, let us not keep them waiting."

Aryon and the soldiers followed the aging Dunmer into the temple. In the central room there was a group of priests standing in a circle. Tuls motioned them to the center of them circle.

"Take care Aryon."

Then there was a sudden flash and the all but too familiar feeling of nausea and being stretched apart, and with a thud and another flash they found themselves in front of the Gnisis temple, there was a group of guards near the entrance with a stout Dunmer in the middle. The Dunmer motion to one of his guards to take Aryon's bag, he walked over and relieved Aryon of the burden. He then approached Aryon.

"It is a great honor House Brother Llethri; my name is Drathyn Ramori. I am the guard captain here in Gnisis."

"It is a pleasure sera, I am sorry to be rude or brash but there is alot to be done and in a short amount of time, as you know there have been Oblivion gates appearing across Vvardenfell, and we need to assess the situation and prepare for an attack."

Aryon began walking towards the barracks, Drathyn and the guards followed.

"I hear that there is a telvanni mage-lord residing here by the name of Balada Demnevani."

"Yes Serjo, he lives in the old Velothi tower."

"I would like a word with him as soon as possible, and be courteous, I do not feel like making an enemy out of the Telvanni."

"I will arrange a meeting Serjo."

"Also I would need to speak with the Legion Commander at Fort Darius."

"Yes Serjo."

"That is all for now Drathyn, I will deal with the other issues after I have settled in. You may return to your duties."

"Yes Serjo, also your quarters are on the first floor, to the left as soon as you enter the barracks."

"Thank you."

Drathyn then departed with a few of the guards as Aryon entered the barracks followed by his escort.

"You can rest now, I doubt that I will be attacked inside the barracks."

"We will be in the training room if you need us Serjo."

One of the guards handed Aryon his bag and then walked down the stairs. Aryon walked over and opened the door to his quarters, it was nice as far as guard barracks go, but it was nothing compared to his uncle's manor under skar. He set his bag down by the bed and then scratched his head, pondering how his meeting with the mage would turn out, the Redoran and Telvanni dont see eye to eye and this might complicate things.

OOC: Ok if someone from the legion wants to RP the commander, and someone from Telvanni wants to RP Baladas then post it in your next post, otherwise I'll RP them myself. I'll be posting tomorrow so contact me or something before then.

Sathryon, Caldera Mine

The company continued to wander for another mile, the sunlight blowing over the light dust beneath them. Every now and then a small patch of green stuck out among its ashy comrades, emerging from its own battle with the fierce blight. The long, dreadful days of the blight and Dagoth Ur had come to an end in Morrowind, but now death came in a new circlet of fire, knocking upon the doors of the citizens of Vvardenfell.

"There, there's the mine."

The convoy had reached the mine, as the Dunmeri soldiers around them slowly began to form behind the group. A Hlaalu official approached the captain who had spoken to Sathryon before. "Be on your way," he said, "Your master has already received his payment for the slaves. Now, go. We've no more business with you, mercenary."

The captain backed away as the Hlaalu soldiers lead the slaves into the camp. Sathryon turned his head back to eye the captain once more, who smirked in return. He had not ever liked mercenaries, simply because their only purpose of employment was greed. They had nothing to fight for but themselves, and nothing to be loyal to. However, one man’s greed was a window for another man’s purpose.

"Go, slave, to the mine. The first shift is out. Get to work."

The words of the Hlaalu official echoed through his mind; his eyes tightened. He would have killed him on the spot, had they been alone.

Slave? You call me a slave, yet you are a slave to greed, a slave to money. No loyalty. No honor. Only greed. Tasteless greed...

The official moved on, as Sathryon spit into the soil beneath him. The soil had once been Redoran soil, though now the Empire had taken it from them and given it to the same b*stards they despised the most. Sathryon's first stop was to the tool shed. He equipped himself with a pickaxe, picking up some dust and rubbing it into his clothing. He took another handful, rubbing it into his face.

Revenge comes before Honor, always.

The Dunmer's sharp eyes pierced their way through the darkness of the mine, only accompanied by the slim torch lights. He made his way into the mine, finding a place beside an Altmer. It was strange to find an Altmer in the mine, but as he turned his face, Sathryon could tell he only had one eye. A patch was over his eye socket, fitting perfectly onto his shaven head. The Dunmer took his place beside him, digging into the cold stone with the pick axe. Sathryon observed his surroundings, waiting until one of the guards had passed by him to begin his dialogue. He added a quick, honorable boldness to his voice, making it quite different than the way he had spoken to the captain hours before.

"What's your name, Altmer? What are you doing here, in these mines?"

The Altmer heaved into the stone once more before turning to face his new co-worker. A slight smile latched itself to his face, before slowly fading away.

"I'm Cathrandil. Blind in one eye. Imperfect. They didn't know until I was a child, and then they sold me...here..."

Sathryon turned his back, scanning the area for guards.

"How long have you been here?"

"Three years. Longer than most around here. I've already lost my ear in this place. Luckily I'm still alive."

The Dunmer got a better look at the right side of the elf's face. He had no ear, but just a mere stub. It appeared to be ripped off. Yet, this man was more thankful than most that had a pair of eyes an ears.

"Do you value your freedom?"

The Altmer looked back at him, puzzled. His pick axe stopped to a halt.

"What? Freedom?"

"Do you want to get out of here?"

The Altmer's face lit up, as the smile stuck to his face. A bright light had come to his reality; the stench of possible freedom was in his grasp.

"Indeed! Can you get me out of here?" Then the Altmer realized, he had not even asked him his name. His face now held a curious look. "What's your name? How will we leave this dreaded hell..."

Sathryon smiled. "Sathryon. I'll get you out of here, but I need to know one thing. The mine's records. Where are they? Where do they hold them? Here?"

The Altmer responded back, "They say it's in the city. Caldera. I've heard its in Odral Helvi's chest, second floor of the governor's hall. Every now and then, we'll hear the officials talk about it."

Sathryon nodded at the Dunmer, pulling one of the two ALMSIVI intervention scrolls out of his pants, both folded and partially shoved half way into his ass. He had always been good at hiding things.

"There. Use the scroll. It will take you to Ald'ruhn. Go into the Under-Scar. Ask to speak to Garisa Llethri. Immediately. Tell him Sathryon is in the mine. You're to be a good servant of Redoran for the rest of your days, in exchange for your freedom. Give Garisa the information about the records. I will soon follow. Now go. Get out of here."

The Altmer's face lit up in an indescribable fashion as he used the scroll, zapping his way out of the mine and to another location. Sathryon smiled, picked up his pick axe, and began to head towards the back of the mine.

When he finally arrived near the end, he waited for the guards to pass by before casting mark. After several more hours of work, the shift was over. He took the last scroll from his pants, using it to return to Ald'ruhn. It had been nice returning to his home, the dark sky above him. How the light cradled his dirty face in its arms.

He stormed into the Under-Scar, leading himself to a small room. In this room was a locked chest. His hand felt its way underneath the chest, grabbing the key. He opened it, revealing one last intervention scroll along with a vile of liquid, he grabbed these items.

"Recall!" he yelled, as he raised his hand into the air. His body lit up in a blue-green light. Within an instance, he was back where he was before, in the dark Caldera mine.

He drank the vile. His form soaked into the soft air surrounding him, as he disappeared. He had turned himself invisible and silent with the same vile. He made his way along as fast as he could, literally running and stopping at each one, tampering with every piece of the wooden foundations of the mine as he went, however, he did not make the damages obvious to the naked eye. It a was a matter of loosening the bolts and moving the wood. After he had finally completed his task, he released his last scroll, teleporting himself back to Ald'ruhn.

Operation Blind Lamp would nearly be complete. Now they needed two things: the records from the ledger in Caldera, and for the mine to fall. With its foundation shaken, the mine would surely fall the next day during the afternoon. They would have to steal the records themselves.

Slaves to greed...greed...

Vivec, Docks

Vedaelra gave a sideways glance at Saryen, noting his lack of vigour. "Tcht," she exclaimed, "you've the attentiveness of an Ogrim. No matter, we'll go to the Lizard's Head in the house canton." She moves with purpose, not particularily checking to see if Saryen is following her or not.

Curio Manor, Hlaalu Canton Plaza, Vivec
Crassius Curio

"Crassius, there's someone here to see you. He says he's here on behalf of the Duke."

Forvse's voice. And her official-business-tone at that. 'Gods, already?' Crassius sat up in his large featherbed, throwing the fur lined blankets from his naked form with a scowl. 'Stood up twice last night, and now someone wants to talk business? First sweet little Sadie is nowhere to be found, then this fellow from the Duke decides to wait until the next morning to come see me. It wouldn't be the first time a woman has blown me off, but I would expect a Royal Guard to be more punctual.'

Crassius threw on a velvet robe as he walked towards the door, making no efforts to hide the fact that he had just woken up. The night before had consisted mainly of him drinking Sujamma while staring at the door, then stumbling home at some ungodly hour after both his contacts had failed to show. And all it had amounted to was a throbbing headache and a terrible need to relieve himself in a nearby chamberpot. However, he was never one to keep a guest waiting, especially one sent from the Duke of Mournhold himself.

"Send him in Forvse, and tell him I apologize for my appearance. Spending the night in a cornerclub does not do anything to prepare a man to talk politics the next morning."



Hlaalu Canton, Vivec
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Traldrisa_Tervayn

Traldrisa unfolded the rough parchment, eyeing the crossed blades seal at the bottom and the thick signature that accompanied it, 'Grandmaster of the Camonna Tong, Orvas Dren'. She had never heard of the boss using the title grandmaster before, nor had she ever recieved such a formal letter from him. It smelled of change, and none for the better, as far as she was concerned.

'My Dear Traldrisa Tervayn,
The Camonna Tong requires your services as a diplomat and mediator for its interests within the holy city of Vivec. Visit Councilor Crassius Curio within his manor as soon as is possible, and deliver to him the included sealed envelope. Inform him that the matters we discussed have been attended to, and that I am ready to proceed with the next step in our venture. All of the preparations have been completed without incident, and the announcement has already been made. There is no turning back now.

Grandmaster of the Camonna Tong,
Orvas Dren

P.S. I do not need to inform you that the contents of this letter are not to be discussed with anyone, no matter how great your trust in them. Do not fail me.'

Decius Cassidius - Fort Darius

Decius smirked as as he sipped from his glass of wine. It was so hard to get the fine liquid crafted by the Surilie Brothers, but he simply refused to go without one of his favorite hobbies from his life in Cyrodiil. It was one of the few things that had allowed him to survive the first few weeks he had spent in this wasteland. Now though, he found it rather entertaining. Sure, he was in command of a Fort with almost no importance, and sure, the majority of his personnel was incompetent, but still. He was in charge. And that was all that mattered. Even with the odd ring of fire around the island creating an ominous mood amongst the troops, Decius' mood could not be brought down.

A knock came to his door, and Decius quickly called for the person to enter. A burly Orc lumbered through the doorway. Decius though the barbarian might have been one of the guards stationed at the entrance to the Legion outpost, but he found it rather hard to tell the green skinned people apart, so he couldn't be sure.

"Sir, a Redoran representative just arrived in Gnisis. I believe he is here to take command of the local garrison. He wishes to speak to you, as well."

Decius' eyes narrowed at the news. "Very well then. Have someone tell him that he can speak to me whenever it is convenient for him. We have no real power in this region, so best to keep on the good side of the Dark Elves, I suppose."

The Orc saluted and left, leaving Decius with only his wine and his thoughts.

Vivec, Hlaalu Canton, Curio Manor

Having been invited in, Andel opened the door himself and walked in. In the room was an Imperial wearing a robe, definitely Crassius Curio. It was a relief to see Councilor Curio with clothing, although his tone and dress suggested he had just woken up, and as such was likely cranky. I'd better be careful with him, he's probably in a bad mood. Andel slowly approached Crassius Curio, without removing his helmet, and spoke.

"I am Andel Othreleth, Royal Guard of King Helseth. My liege has sent me to Vvardenfell to aid Duke and Grandmaster Dren. As such he has sent me to you. I apologize for not arriving sooner, but I'm afraid there's little I could have done without having known of my mission to Vvardenfell beforehand."

Hopefully Crassius Curio would have something for Andel to do. Something that didn't involve removing his armor.

Aryon, Gnisis.

Aryon had just finished placing his clothes in the wardrobe when there was a knock on the door.

"You may enter."

"The door opened and Drathyn walked in.

"Serjo, Commander Decius has sent a message. He says that you may speak to him whenever it is convenient for you."

"Thank you Drathyn, tell him that I wish to speak to him this afternoon, he is to meet me here in the barracks. Also I would like you to gather your strongest troops outside the barrack as soon a possible."

"Yes Serjo, I will begin immediately."

With that Drathyn left the room, Aryon could here he ordering a guard to relay Aryon's message to the commander, then the sound of muffled footsteps and the barracks door closing. Aryon walked over to his desk and sat down in his chair and began to think. Several minutes passed before there was another knock on the door, Aryon once again beckoned Drathyn inside.

"Serjo, the troops are assembled outside."

"Thank you Drathyn."

Aryon stood and motioned Drathyn to follow him. They walked out of his quarters and into the foyer of the barracks, a few guards were walking about but everything was calm for the most part. Aryon opened the heavy barracks door, outside was a line of around 12 Redoran troops, each and everyone of them looking as still as a rock. Aryon began pacing back and forth down the line.

"You are assembled here for one reason, you are the mightiest and strongest of the Redoran in Gnisis."

Aryon walked back towards the middle and stood facing the troops.

"I am here to offer you a great opportunity, a chance to show your honor and dedication to your house. I am forming a group of elite soldiers fit to withstand the hordes of daedra that will pour from the gates when they open. You will be a leader to your fellow troops, an example of how the should fight. Now I ask you, will you stand against this scourge that sweeps across our homeland and save our house from annihilation, even if it damns you to be a martyr?"

One by one each of the Redoran Soldiers kneeled before Aryon, just as he had expected. It is unlike a Redoran to turn away an offer such as this.

"Drathyn, outfit these mer with the finest weaponry and armor that you can find. Also relay to the council that these soldiers have risen to House Cousin."

"Yes Serjo."

Aryon then returned to his quarters and began to sharpen and polish his fine ebony longsword until it was sharper than the tooth of a Daedroth and shone with an intensity like that of Magnus.

Vivec, Docks

"Snotty [censored]," Saryen mumbled under his breath as he followed along behind the frigid beauty. Despite the sword at his waste, he tried to make himself look nothing more than her servant, digging his hands into his pockets, adopting a slight slouch, and hanging his head low. The appearance had gotten him past more lawmen than he could count, but never an Ordinator. And although he knew he wasn't in much danger, at the moment, he didn't want to take any chances with their ebony maces.

"So who's the contact we're meeting here? 'Cause I'm sure we didn't come all this way to stumble around blind until we found something."

Curio Manor, Hlaalu Canton Plaza, Vivec
Crassius Curio

Crassius stood by his desk as the Dunmer introduced himself, his bare forearms folded across his chest. The Imperial councilor wore one of his everpresent grins, one dark eyebrow cocked in amusemant.

"I am Andel Othreleth, Royal Guard of King Helseth." The elf certainly looked the part, his distinctive crimson armor marking him as one of the most respected warriors in Morrowind. And unlike many of the so-called guards Crassius had seen, this one actually seemed to fit the armor. "My liege has sent me to Vvardenfell to aid Duke and Grandmaster Dren. As such he has sent me to you. I apologize for not arriving sooner, but I'm afraid there's little I could have done without having known of my mission to Vvardenfell beforehand."

Crassius merely stared at the Dunmer, his amused expression never wavering. The only only sign that he had even heard the elf was a series of small nods. 'Looks young enough to be my son, but he's probably even older than I am. You never can tell with these elves.'

The Imperial blinked, a look of confusion mingled with sadness replacing his grin. "Old Vedam sent you? My pretty young lass was replaced with a crimson soldier? Bah!" The Imperial sat down at his desk, his head resting on his chin, a dejected sigh escaping his downturned mouth.

"Well, business is business I suppose. Here Andel, have a seat, and you can tell me all about why our fun-loving Duke has sent you here." Crassius motioned to an ornately carved armchair beside the door, a worn copy of "The Lusty Argonian Maid" sitting on the red satin seat.

Vivec, Hlaalu Canton, Curio Manor

Crassius Curio sat down and spoke seemingly disappointed, "Well, business is business I suppose. Here Andel, have a seat, and you can tell me all about why our fun-loving Duke has sent you here." The Royal Guard complied, sitting down in the chair, but did so carefully so that the sword on his back did not damage the chair. Now that things were a bit less formal, he removed his helmet and placed it on the table.

"I know not why Duke Dren sent me here, but I can think of a few possible reasons. Perhaps he doesn't want one of Helseth's most loyal and lethal servants watching his every move. Perhaps he felt I could better serve our house by going to you. He's surrounded by some of the Legion's finest soldiers; perhaps he wasn't in any position to tell me what he needed for me to do in person. So long as I can get to Ebonheart if need be, it matters little to me."

Andel relaxed slightly; it was a while since he had been involved with Hlaalu politics or mercenary work, and as it came back to him, he felt an oncoming desire to engage in some, for the sake of nostalgia. He was, after all, much more skilled and better equipped than he was back then; perhaps he would even enjoy whatever Hlaalu had for him. Provided he was put to good use of course; he was a Royal Guard, not a courier or an errand boy.

"I must ask, have there been any changes in House Hlaalu in the recent past? Do we have all the same councilors on Vvardenfell that we had a few years ago? Have there been any recent power shifts within our house? I'm afraid my duties have kept me from keeping up on the finer details of Vvardenfell politics."

Curio Manor, Hlaalu Canton Plaza, Vivec
Crassius Curio

The Dunmer guard slowly took his seat, adjusting his sword as he went, removing the crimson helmet that hid his face almost entirely. Now that Crassius could see him, he seemed handsome enough, with a small goatee not unlike Crassius' own. Crassius began smiling once more as the elf told him that he was basically sent to be Crassius' personal tool. 'And what a fine tool he shall be!'

The Imperial councilor toyed with a few of the papers on his desk as Andel spoke, recalling their contents with complete clarity, already figuring the Royal Guard into his own plans. He was not entirely certain what Duke Dren's plans were, but given past hints and his own spies he had a good idea where the guard would be most useful. 'A diplomat soldier, what an oddly perfect combination,' Crassius thought, 'Yes, I know just the place for you...'

Crassius was forced out of his own thoughts as the Dunmer began again, "I must ask, have there been any changes in House Hlaalu in the recent past? Do we have all the same councilors on Vvardenfell that we had a few years ago? Have there been any recent power shifts within our house? I'm afraid my duties have kept me from keeping up on the finer details of Vvardenfell politics."

The Imperial's grin flickered slightly; the state of Hlaalu had become one of his least favorite subjects as of late. "Yes, my good elf, as a matter of fact we have had a few things like that. I am not much of a gossip, you would have to talk to Forvse for that, but I can fill you in on some of the biggest changes." The councilor stood, pacing his well furnished room as he spoke, his bare chest showing through his robe.

"I suppose the most important differences are the replacement of Councilwoman Ules by my good friend Bolayn Rethryn, a wise choice by my opinion, and the rather unfortunate promotion of Odral Helvi after the death of Yngling Half-Troll. Nevena was disgraced after a scandal involving some Dwemer artifacts and an undercover Legion officer; foolish woman got what was coming to her. As for Yngling, well, he was found dead one day in his own manor, apparently some of his precious rats escaped and mauled him to death. Tragic story, but what's worse is that Odral was the one to suceed him." Crassius spat out the name, continuing his pacing, stopping every so often to adjust his robe, which seemed to be revealing more hairy, chubby skin as he walked. "Odral is by far the worst of the worst in our House; he runs that damn Caldera mine like his own personal bank, and will sink to any lengths to make a profit."

Crassius stopped, blinking as if he had said too much, before returning to his seat by the desk. "But how I carry on, you are an elf of action, I am sure, not one for all these pointless politics. You were sent here to fulfill a purpose, and House Hlaalu can certainly use your services in these troubled times. What would you say to paying a visit to our good friends in the House Telvanni?" Crassius concluded suddenly, looking expectantly at the Royal Guard, the grin firmly back on his face, brown eyes twinkling excitedly.

Vivec

Vedaelra walked upright and confident, adopting a visage of slight diisgust, as if she smelled something foul in the air. The grabbed the hip of her dress instictively, as if she were wearing a full dress, as she once did. Silliness. Her hands dropped to her side.

Saryen spoke again, charming as always. "We shall be meeting a lackey in the Lizard's Head. He claims to have found a base of operation for them. It may even lead to their other hideouts." She paused, while keeping stride, and added "I don't have to ask you to be discreet, I hope?" The cantons were as brown and dull as ever, except there was even less of a buzz about them.

Vivec, Hlaalu Canton, Curio Manor

Two councilors replaced, in a relatively short space of time. Given the circumstances, it sounded like mere coincidence, but Andel wasn't going to drop his guard; he knew Hlaalu politics better than that. It didn't matter, though, as it was not part of his mission. Before he could think too much on it, Councilor Curio moved on to more prudent matters.

"But how I carry on, you are an elf of action, I am sure, not one for all these pointless politics. You were sent here to fulfill a purpose, and House Hlaalu can certainly use your services in these troubled times. What would you say to paying a visit to our good friends in the House Telvanni?" Andel raised an eyebrow in interest.

"It would be my pleasure, House Telvanni makes no contribution to the Dunmer people and has no respect for the laws of the land. The last I heard, they were defying King Helseth's ban on slavery as if it had never happened. What must I do, Councilor?" Andel was quite eager for this assignment; as he not only despised House Telvanni, he was also born under the sign of the Atronach and as such he had a natural defense against spells. While normally it was largely a game of chance, the odds could be improved greatly with potions.

Still, the Telvanni were not to be underestimated, as they were both powerful and ruthless. Whereas murder was but one tactic used by Hlaalu to further one's agenda, it was the norm in House Telvanni. They weren't subtle about it either; while a member of House Hlaalu would publicly deny having a rival murdered, a Telvanni would boast about it. As such Andel was going to have to adjust his tactics accordingly.

NPC
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Vedam_Dren

Non-NPC

Sheet One



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Vivec, Hlaalu canton




Light shone through the net curtains on the window, casting diamond shapes on the furniture and floor, Sadie stirred slowly, determined to make sleep stay as long as possible. However, the noise of the waking city was far too loud for her sensitive head and she could not put off starting her day any more.

“Oh my…” She muttered as her eyes opened with a flinch. “Ow, my head.” the hang over was her master. She looked around the unfamiliar room, the furniture was middle class at best, but it was clean and well presented. It took her a while to realise she was naked, and even longer to realise she wasn’t alone.

Sitting up, she looked around. Laying next to her was a young dunmer woman, also naked. The sheets only covering her legs, luckily the woman was laying on her stomach so nothing was exposed. However, laying to Sadies other side was a more familiar face, a Bosmer woman by the name of Elizabeth, on her back with a serene expression on her sleeping face.

Trying not to wake the two women, Sadie slipped down to the edge of the bed and stepped onto the cold tiled floor and began to retrieve her clothes scattered around the room, along with her precious rapier and instruments.

With a sudden pang of guilt Sadie picked up a discarded letter with Crassius’ hand writing on and realised that the entire reason she was in Vivec was to meet him. It seemed she had missed the rendezvous for their get together. Without delay, she made her way to the door trying her best to be quiet.

“Leaving so soon lover?” A gentle tinkle of a voice came, Sadie turned and smiled back at Elizabeth.

“I have urgent business that had slipped my mind last night, I’m afraid I have to go and do my best to apologise to keep good standing with my colleagues.” She said, approaching the now sitting Elizabeth. “But I will be back for you soon.” she added, leaving the faintest trace of a demure peck on the woman’s wanting lips before leaving her alone.

Sadie soon found herself in an unfamiliar part of the Hlaalu canton, but was quite relieved when she discovered that it was not too far from the Curio manor, which was a welcome surprise as she felt uncomfortable being judged for walking in the streets in such early hours wearing clothes from the night before. The infamous walk of shame did not suit her.

Soon enough she was walking through the doors of the Curio manor, finding herself face to face with Curios assistant Forvse.

“Good morning Forvse, I believe Crassius is expecting me?” Sadie spoke in her usual sing song voice, hitting a sour note here and there thanks to her hang over.

“Indeed, but you will have to wait I’m afraid, he is already with some one.” She said mildly, she had never approved of Sadie nor her position of authority in the most noble house.

“No, I’m afraid it cannot wait, I shall see him now.” Sadie replied, a more menacing note replacing the sour notes this time. Without further hesitation, she let herself into the study and found herself looking at a heavily armoured Dunmer, Royal guard judging by the décor of his plate, and a very under dressed Crassius Curio.

“Ah my dear uncle!” She said, pacing over to the desk, hands held open apologetically as she gave him a peck on the cheek. She had never been perturbed by Crassius’ desire to be called uncle. He was in good standing with Sadies father and had known her since she was a child, for all intents and purposes she was his uncle. “My deepest apologise for missing out meeting last night.. I arrived earlier than planned and bumped into and old friend. I’m afraid we decided to sample some of the local produce and ended up over indulging.”

She paced around the study to the refreshment stand. All manner of spirits and refreshments stood in crystal bottles, matching glasses beside them. In a small box next to them Sadie found her target, an assortment of Cigars, imported from the lands of Khajiit. She examined them carefully and removed the thinnest -- lighting it on a candle before pouring a healthy serving of whiskey.

“I’m sure you’ll forgive me for helping myself uncle, hair of the dog, I’m sure you understand.” She said with a smile before downing the glass and inhaling a lungful of smoke. “Who’s this? Actually that doesnt matter, can he be trusted? If not, remove him. We have urgent plans to discuss.” she added, nodding to the Dunmer with a very fake and very flirtatious smile.

Curio Manor, Hlaalu Canton Plaza, Vivec
Crassius Curio

Crassius nodded, his grin widening, 'As I suspected, he is the perfect elf for the job...' The Imperial stood once more, picking a sealed letter off his desk as he approached Andel. "I am glad you feel that way, my good elf, but I'm afraid you won't be able to utter such fine sentiments in the future. You see, what I require from you is not an attack on the mage lords- something entirely well deserved, in my opinion- but an effort at diplomacy with them."

The councilor dropped the letter in the Dunmer's lap, a coy smile belying the gravity of his words, "For now Hlaalu holds an uneasy peace with the Telvanni. We cannot fight on two fronts, Andel, the Redoran are already at our doorstep to the north- only the scarce Imperial troops hold them back. You must convince the Telvanni that a continued peace is their only option for survival, not to mention a road to great profit for us both." The Imperial returned to his desk, retrieving a heavy gold and red purse from one of the many engraved drawers. The purse bulged with gold, and jingled as Crassius bounced it on his palm.

"Of course, they will not agree to our terms for nothing. That letter contains the bulk of our offer, but you must personally see to the rest of our agreement; not everything is safe to put down in words." Crassius smiled devilishly, "We offer nothing but gold officially, in exchange for nothing but continued peace. However, you shall also propose a joint venture with some of our associates from the Camonna Tong, and a promise of a fair share of the territory we gain through this venture." The Imperial picked up another sealed envelope, placing it on a side table by the door, and dropping the gold purse on top of it. "This letter will explain everything, but be wary that it does not escape your possession, and do not at any cost let it fall into Telvanni or Redoran hands. The gold is to see to your safe passage; what you shall offer the Telvanni is already loaded onto an official House boat in the docks."

Before the Dunmer guard could respond, the door burst open, a young elf with blue eyes and a harp on her back already walking towards Crassius. “Ah my dear uncle!” The councilor broke into a broad smile before the elf even reached him, last night's absence already forgiven as Sadie gave him a light kiss on the cheek.

“My deepest apologise for missing out meeting last night.. I arrived earlier than planned and bumped into and old friend. I’m afraid we decided to sample some of the local produce and ended up over indulging.” Sadie was already walking away from Crassius, helping herself to his store of fine imported vices. The fact that she had interrupted him in the middle of his business with Andel was forgotten as quickly as the guard himself.

"Sadie, how happy I am to see you!" Crassius strode over to the young elf, leaving Andel in his chair, no doubt quite confused and insulted. "Think nothing of it, child, I have missed more meetings due to 'over indulgence' than I care to count." The Imperial smiled, pulling the belt of his robe tighter, and took up the bottle Sadie had just set down, pouring himself a drink as she spoke.

“I’m sure you’ll forgive me for helping myself uncle, hair of the dog, I’m sure you understand.” The blue-eyed Dunmer shot back the imported Cyrodillic whiskey with a surprising- and remarkedly unlady-like- gusto, quickly following it with a long draw on the Khajiiti cigar. “Who’s this? Actually that doesnt matter, can he be trusted? If not, remove him. We have urgent plans to discuss.”

Crassius sipped his own drink, enamored as much by the elf's words as her sensual smile. He turned to Andel, blinking as if he had not realized the elf was still there, and calmly finished his drink before replying. "Oh, yes, don't worry about him, Andel is already within my trust. He makes a living of not hearing his lord's secrets, surely he can hold ours just as well. Please, my lovely Sadie, go on; what does our noble Grandmaster need of me?"

Vivec, Hlaalu canton, Curio manor




"Oh, yes, don't worry about him, Andel is already within my trust. He makes a living of not hearing his lord's secrets, surely he can hold ours just as well. Please, my lovely Sadie, go on; what does our noble Grandmaster need of me?" Crusio asked after assuring Sadie that the Dunmer could be trusted.

“Ah, well, we could say that this is strictly off the record so to speak.” Sadie said, considering the Dunmer for a moment before continuing. “He is too concerned with keeping the peace to consider the welfare of his own house. His position of duke has compromised his ability to progress our most noble house.”

Sadie thought carefully about what to say next as she lowered herself into a comfortable looking chair, crossing her legs over the arm with a groan, she was still sore from the night before, though the pounding in her head had begun to recede.

“It is time for Morrowind to evolve. The Redoran insist on a warrior culture that while noble in tradition is obsolete in practice. The Indoril cling to their crumbling temple and dead gods like carrion birds while the Telvanni sit in their towers and care nothing for the land.” She spoke slowly, careful not to give away too much information in front of the new comer. Curio may trust him but Sadie wasn’t sure, his alignment was first and foremost with the king after all. “Now we offer a diplomatic alliance to the Telvanni as discussed previously, with their help the Redoran will be spread across two fronts. That combined with the thread of increased Daedric activity and limited resources will be enough to pave the way to their extinction.”

“Now, we have a very… interesting relationship with the Commona Tong, but they are a very forward thinking house. They might prove to be valuable allies. The Duke must never know of their involvement, Vaden and his daughter actively oppose the Commona Tong and their slaving activities. So I’m sure you both understand the importance of secrecy in this case.”

Aryon, Gnisis


After Aryon was satisfied with the quality of his weapon he returned it to the engraved ebony sheath that hung from his side. He had work to do anyways, no time to sit around and sharpen swords when theres a daedric invasion on your door step. Aryon picked up the quill on the desk along with a piece of parchment and began writing down a few of the ideas he had for protecting Gnisis. The wooden chair creaked slightly as Aryon rose from his seat, Aryon opened the door and walked into the foyer of the barracks. Turning to his left he walked down the stairs past a few soldiers who were returning home after their shift. At the bottom of the stairs he walked past the rows of beds and knocked on the door at the far end of the room.

"You may enter" said a muffled voice from behind the door.

Aryon turned the handle and pushed the door open to see Drathyn sitting at his desk looking over his documents.

"House Brother, I apologize. If I had known it was you I would have opened the door."

"No need for formalities Drathyn, I do not wish you to respect me because of my rank but as a friend."

"Very well, so Aryon what is that you need?"

"I have some plans for Gnisis, to protect the city. I need them seen through."

"What is it you had in mind?"

"I want checkpoints placed at every entrance and exit to the city, barricades, guards, archers, mages if we have them. Every citizen registered in Gnisis is to be given documents of identification, displaying name, age, place of birth, appearance, and rank. No one gets in without proper documentation, all traffic that occurs at the checkpoints is to be monitored and recorded in a ledger. Everyone is to be searched upon arrival and departure, those that are not in the Guard or Legion are prohibited from carrying weaponry. Any suspicious activity is to be reported to me immediately and those involved in it detained. A curfew of 9 o'clock shall be instated, all those outside of their houses after 9 o'clock shall be detained. I have written down the plans on this piece of parchment in case you forget, I want these changes to take place immediately. Have the scribes at the temple begin writing the identification documents for each person. All citizens are to report to the temple after the announcement, if they do not then they will be imprisoned for and indefinite amount of time. In times like this strict order is necessary, I do not wish to restrict the people of Gnisis like this but it is for their own safety. Is everything understood?"

"Yes, I will begin making preparations and adjusting the shifts for the Guards immediately."

"Thank you Drathyn, you have been an immense help to me."

"You are welcome Serjo."

Just as Aryon turned around to walk out a young rather small guard hurriedly opened the door and then looked up at Aryon in surprise.

"Oh! House Brother, I am sorry. Would I have known you were in here I would have knocked."

"It is alright, may I ask you what you are in such a hurry for?"

"I was on my way to inform Serjo Drathyn that the Telvanni mage has agreed to see you."

"Ahh that is good news, thank you. I will make my way there right now."

Aryon walked past the young Dunmer and proceeded to exit the barracks. Aryon opened the door to see the town alive with activity, it was now mid day and the markets were bustling with people buying and selling their wares, the occasional guard here and there making sure nothing got out of hand. Aryon began to look around, he hadn't gotten a good veiw of the town in the dim light of the morning when he arrived. The terrain here was much different than he was used to, in Ald-Ruhn trees and green things where sparse and few. However here in the West Gash the ground was covered in grass and there where a good amount of trees surrounding the town. The grass in the city however has low to the ground and spotted with patches of dirt where the constant traffic of the city had worn away at it.

After taking his surroundings he began to walk through the crowd of people past the markets and temple the the northern edge of town, where on the outskirts the old Velothi tower resided. The exterior of the tower was worn and cracked, however it still seemed quite strong and sturdy. Aryon walked up the small incline to the door of the tower. Presuming that the mage was in the central chamber he did not knock, but instead grabbed a hold of the rusty handle and opened the old door. The air in the tower was musty, but it also had the distinctive feel that magick was at work. The first chamber looked as though it was rarely used, it was small and had cobwebs hanging in the corners. Aryon walked across the dusty floor and up the inclined hallway. At the top of the hallway it joined with another circular one, Aryon turned left and began walking down the hall. He stopped just after a few steps, hearing a faint noise, almost like heavy breathing. Aryon crept up the hall a few feet, the noise growing louder the farther he walked. Then another sound was added to the already perplexing noise, this one sounded as if bags of flour where being dropped on the floor. Ever the more curious Aryon began to walk up the hall again. The noise grew even louder, the breathing was heavy as if 10 mer were all breathing loudly at once, however the thumps had stopped. Aryon approached another fork in the hallway, the noise was emanating from the passage to his right. Aryon quietly drew his sword and moved into the intersection. His heart stopped as he stared forward, for the second time he was eye to eye with death itself. The monstrous figure stood wall to wall in the hallway, its blood red eyes piercing through Aryon. However this time something was different, instead of attacking him the Daedroth merely stood there looking at him. It took Aryon a few seconds to realize what was going on. This Daedroth was not like the one that came from the gate, this one was summoned, most likely by Baladas to guard his tower. Aryon wearily placed his sword back in his sheath and walked up the hall away from the beast.

After what seemed like a half a mile of winding hallways and passages occupied by daedric creatures Aryon found himself in a large circular room. Another Daedroth patrolling around the bottom floor. Aryon walked past it towards the large set of stairs on the far wall of the room. He walked up the stairs to find a circular platform with lavish furnishings and a plethora of arcane and alchemical items on tables and shelves. Behind a desk sat a Dunmer in a extravagant jade colored robe. His face had a few small wrinkles and his hair was jet black, however Aryon knew that even though this dunmer appeared to be only a 100 or so years old that he was most likely far older than that. Aryon approached the desk.

"Serjo Baladas, it is a great honor to be able to meet with someone of your stature. I have come to discuss a few topics that I am unclear about, I was hoping someone as knowledgeable as yourself would have the answers I seek."

OOC: Ok I really need someone to RP Baladas, otherwise I'll have to and that would make it not quite as interesting.

Vivec, Hlaalu canton, Curio manor

Andel listened attentively to what Crassius had to say regarding the Telvanni. Diplomacy with the Telvanni. Not my first choice, but perhaps something will come of it. Crassius dropped a sealed letter on Andel's lap and continued.

"Of course, they will not agree to our terms for nothing. That letter contains the bulk of our offer, but you must personally see to the rest of our agreement; not everything is safe to put down in words." Crassius smiled devilishly, "We offer nothing but gold officially, in exchange for nothing but continued peace. However, you shall also propose a joint venture with some of our associates from the Camonna Tong, and a promise of a fair share of the territory we gain through this venture." Andel noticed Crassius take a purse, obviously filled with gold, then continued. "This letter will explain everything, but be wary that it does not escape your possession, and do not at any cost let it fall into Telvanni or Redoran hands. The gold is to see to your safe passage; what you shall offer the Telvanni is already loaded onto an official House boat in the docks."

As Andel started to contemplate the assigment, a woman burst into the room and kissed Crassius on the cheek. That must be Sadie. I wonder what business she had with Councilor Curio. She looked like a typical Hlaalu; well-dressed (although her clothes looked rather worn and crumbled), carrying a small but ornate blade, probably decorative. She didn't look like much, but, he recalled a piece of advice he heard back in Mournhold: Don't judge an enemy by his gear. The really dangerous ones don't need gear to kill you. His contemplation was broken by the woman's addressing of him.

“Who’s this? Actually that doesnt matter, can he be trusted? If not, remove him. We have urgent plans to discuss.” Andel was a bit put off by her lack of respect for the King's Royal Guard, but it was quickly replaced by curiosity when he noticed the Dunmer woman didn't have red eyes; her father must have been of another race. She looks too short to be of Altmer, Nordic, or Redguard stock. And I can't imagine what Dunmer woman would sleep with a Bosmer man, even if she was heavily intoxicated. Her father must be an Imperial or Breton. It mattered not, however; it was not his job to speculate on the parentage of his allies.

Caius replied to her. "Oh, yes, don't worry about him, Andel is already within my trust. He makes a living of not hearing his lord's secrets, surely he can hold ours just as well. Please, my lovely Sadie, go on; what does our noble Grandmaster need of me?"

Sadie replied. “Ah, well, we could say that this is strictly off the record so to speak. He is too concerned with keeping the peace to consider the welfare of his own house. His position of duke has compromised his ability to progress our most noble house.” Interesting way of looking at it, but I hope she knows what she is doing. “It is time for Morrowind to evolve. The Redoran insist on a warrior culture that while noble in tradition is obsolete in practice. The Indoril cling to their crumbling temple and dead gods like carrion birds while the Telvanni sit in their towers and care nothing for the land. Now we offer a diplomatic alliance to the Telvanni as discussed previously, with their help the Redoran will be spread across two fronts. That combined with the thread of increased Daedric activity and limited resources will be enough to pave the way to their extinction.”

I can understand without Archmaster Venim Redoran is at a vulnerable point, but why destroy them? They may interfere with Hlaalu at times, they fulfill a purpose beneficial to our nation, regardless of who is in power.

Sadie continued. “Now, we have a very… interesting relationship with the Commona Tong, but they are a very forward thinking house. They might prove to be valuable allies. The Duke must never know of their involvement, Vaden and his daughter actively oppose the Commona Tong and their slaving activities. So I’m sure you both understand the importance of secrecy in this case.”

The Camonna Tong again. And going behind the Duke's back. If done incorrectly, this could jeopardize House Hlaalu's relationship with King Helseth. On the other hand, if done correctly, it could help Helseth gain influence with both Telvanni and the Camonna Tong. Andel took a moment to think a bit more, then turned towards Sadie and spoke.

"Are you sure it's wise to try and bury Redoran? You may not have heard, but on the Mainland there are rumors that the Nords are beginning to attack Morrowind again. Like every time, they're being opposed by the Redoran. They may get in the way of business and commerce, but Redoran has a very important purpose; protect Morrowind from the Nord invaders. I can understand trying to drive them off Vvardenfell, if we strike too hard, it will be Dres and Hlaalu blood that the Nords will eventually spill." Andel turned towards Crassius.

"That is all Councilor Curio. What must I do now? If there is nothing else, I would like to acquire some supplies before heading off. I like to be prepared for the worst when dealing with cutthroats and wizards."

Vivec, Hlaalu canton, Curio manor




"Are you sure it's wise to try and bury Redoran? You may not have heard, but on the Mainland there are rumors that the Nords are beginning to attack Morrowind again. Like every time, they're being opposed by the Redoran. They may get in the way of business and commerce, but Redoran has a very important purpose; protect Morrowind from the Nord invaders. I can understand trying to drive them off Vvardenfell, if we strike too hard, it will be Dres and Hlaalu blood that the Nords will eventually spill." Andel said before turning to Curio. "That is all Councilor Curio. What must I do now? If there is nothing else, I would like to acquire some supplies before heading off. I like to be prepared for the worst when dealing with cutthroats and wizards."


“Ah how sweet of you.” Sadie said slowly, cutting in before Curio could answer. “We have no contact with the mainland. How will they ever know what really happened to the Redoran here on Vvardenfel? We can simply chalk it up to the Daedric activity or a foolish move for power made by the Telvanni. Either way, all transactions of land and resources will be completely legitimate on paper, the mainlanders will have to deal with their humiliation in silence. The only other option would be civil war between the houses, and once Hlaalu control Vvardenfel, I very much doubt that our dear King will want anybody interfering with business, great house or no.”

“However, I have a favour to ask of you myself. I have a very talented friend acting as a sleeper agent. I arranged for him to be sold to the Telvanni along with a group of mercenaries acting as slaves. The transaction was dealt with by the Cammona Tong of course so Hlaalu’s involvement in this is invisible. He will provide you with more information once you reach the Telvanni, and don’t worry about recognising him. He’s the largest Khajiit in the group and very well mannered. If Curio is happy for you to proceed then I trust his judgement. What say you Uncle? Are you onboard?”

OOC: And so the wheels of Hlaalu are set in motion...

Curio Manor, Hlaalu Canton Plaza, Vivec
Crassius Curio

“Ah, well, we could say that this is strictly off the record so to speak.” Sadie eyed the Royal guard; despite his profession of trust in the elf, the woman remained wary. “He is too concerned with keeping the peace to consider the welfare of his own house. His position of duke has compromised his ability to progress our most noble house.”

However, despite her apparent unease, Sadie devulged the broad outline of their plan with a disregard for the careful wordplay so common to House Hlaalu. It refreshed Crassius to hear such open talk about such serious matters; it almost made him feel like he really could trust both of these elves. 'Never assume that you're worth more than gold to anyone. Everyone has a price.'

“Now, we have a very… interesting relationship with the Commona Tong, but they are a very forward thinking house. They might prove to be valuable allies. The Duke must never know of their involvement, Vaden and his daughter actively oppose the Commona Tong and their slaving activities. So I’m sure you both understand the importance of secrecy in this case.”

Crassius nodded gravely, his earlier grin nowhere to be found. 'We hold the cards so long as our plans with the Tong remain a secret; if evidence ever escapes we are ruined. But Hlaalu is nothing if not careful, we all know how to edge around what is strictly "legal".'

"Are you sure it's wise to try and bury Redoran?" Andel asked, and just as Crassius was preparing his response. The councilor almost smirked when he heard the word Nord. 'There are other ways to deal with the barbarians, my good elf,' Crassius thought, 'But you are a soldier through and through, it seems. Hopefully you will start to think more like us soon, else the Telvanni shall make short work of you.'

"That is all Councilor Curio. What must I do now? If there is nothing else, I would like to acquire some supplies before heading off. I like to be prepared for the worst when dealing with cutthroats and wizards."

Crassius nodded again, acknowledging the elf's concern, but was interrupted by Sadie before he could assuage his fears. 'She has a point,' Crassius admitted to himself, 'But that means this must be all or nothing. If we move, we must move quickly; there must be no one left to point fingers once these blasted Daedra are dealt with. If they can be dealt with...'

“However, I have a favour to ask of you myself. I have a very talented friend acting as a sleeper agent. I arranged for him to be sold to the Telvanni along with a group of mercenaries acting as slaves. The transaction was dealt with by the Cammona Tong of course so Hlaalu’s involvement in this is invisible. He will provide you with more information once you reach the Telvanni, and don’t worry about recognising him. He’s the largest Khajiit in the group and very well mannered. If Curio is happy for you to proceed then I trust his judgement. What say you Uncle? Are you onboard?”

Crassius' smile had returned by the time Sadie finished her request. If he didn't know the elf as he did, he would have been surprised to hear such words coming from such beautiful lips. "Of course, my dear Sadie, so long as our friend here does not mind such an arrangement. But where, might I ask, have you placed these 'slaves'? I'm afraid my memory in such matters isn't what it used to be."

Crassius already knew, of course, but it saved Andel from having to ask, and the councilor felt badly enough about ignoring the poor elf earlier without forcing him to speak to Sadie about such matters. 'Lovely, yet difficult to deal with at times, and a tad overzealous for my tastes. Of course, she's more capable than most elves I've ever met, yet more ambitious as well.'

"And of course she's right about the Redoran, Andel," Crassius remarked, turning to the guard, "If all goes as planned, the Nords shall be the least of our worries. And before you go, you might think about sending word to the Telvanni Canton that you would like to prepare a meeting with their masters. The mage lords are very particular about courtesies, and rarely see anyone without word of them beforehand. They need time to scheme, you see." Crassius chuckled at his own remark, "Don't forget my letters either- the one you already have must be delivered seal unbroken, but the one on the table is for your eyes alone."

Vivec, Hlaalu Canton, Curio Manor

Sadie responded to Andel's query. “Ah how sweet of you.” Sadie said slowly, cutting in before Curio could answer. “We have no contact with the mainland. How will they ever know what really happened to the Redoran here on Vvardenfel? We can simply chalk it up to the Daedric activity or a foolish move for power made by the Telvanni. Either way, all transactions of land and resources will be completely legitimate on paper, the mainlanders will have to deal with their humiliation in silence. The only other option would be civil war between the houses, and once Hlaalu control Vvardenfel, I very much doubt that our dear King will want anybody interfering with business, great house or no.”

She has a point. As long as the ring of fire encircles the island, few outside can know of what will have gone on within. And it also prevents us from causing any harm to Redoran outside of Vvardenfell.

Sadie continued. “However, I have a favour to ask of you myself. I have a very talented friend acting as a sleeper agent. I arranged for him to be sold to the Telvanni along with a group of mercenaries acting as slaves. The transaction was dealt with by the Cammona Tong of course so Hlaalu’s involvement in this is invisible. He will provide you with more information once you reach the Telvanni, and don’t worry about recognising him. He’s the largest Khajiit in the group and very well mannered. If Curio is happy for you to proceed then I trust his judgement. What say you Uncle? Are you onboard?”

Clever..leverage on both parties. And if anything goes wrong, it will be the Camonna Tong that the Telvanni blame, not House Hlaalu. I wonder though, how many spies do they have elsewhere?

Crassius Curio gave his reply. "Of course, my dear Sadie, so long as our friend here does not mind such an arrangement. But where, might I ask, have you placed these 'slaves'? I'm afraid my memory in such matters isn't what it used to be." He paused, then continued. "And of course she's right about the Redoran, Andel," Crassius remarked, turning to the guard, "If all goes as planned, the Nords shall be the least of our worries. And before you go, you might think about sending word to the Telvanni Canton that you would like to prepare a meeting with their masters. The mage lords are very particular about courtesies, and rarely see anyone without word of them beforehand. They need time to scheme, you see."

Excellent, I need to buy some scrolls anyway. I can't imagine I'll get a good price from a Telvanni merchant, but it'll allow me to prepare myself for any uncertainties without taking any major detours. Andel then put his helmet back on, taking the letter on his lap and stood up.

"I had better get going then; there is much to do to put this plan into motion. When is the Hlaalu ship and when is it scheduled to depart?"

OOC: By the way, what is the cargo on the Hlaalu boat?

Aryon, Gnisis



The old Dunmer looked at him.

"I presume you are the new Commander here in Gnisis, Aryon Llethri nephew of councilor Llethri if I'm not mistaken."

"Yes you are correct, it seems that word travels to your ears faster than I expected."

"You will come to find that we Telvanni are many things that are unexpected." said Baladas, giving Aryon a blank stare. "Now what is the purpose for you wanting to speak with me?"

"I am here to discuss something that would be of great importance to the both of us. As you know the daedra are invading, gates have sprung up all across the country side. We are all in danger of being wiped off the face of Nirn if we do not find a way to combat this scourge, I was hoping that you had insight on how this could be accomplished"

Baladas once again gave Aryon a blank stare as if he was becoming quite bored.

"And what possesses you to think that I would divulge such information to one such as yourself?"

Aryon took a moment to think about how he could win the mages approval; Aryon had no love for the Telvanni however they stood higher on his list than the n'wah loving imperial lapdogs in the south, and desperate times call for desperate measures.

"If we don't find a way to rid Vvardenfell of the daedra what is stopping them from destroying every last bit of life on the island? I doubt that this tower could survive a full daedric assault. You know as well as I do that if they choose to come in full force endless hordes of daedra will flood from crimson gates with no end, every one we kill comes back from oblivion to kill more of us."

Baladas took longer to reply this time, Aryon could tell he was thinking thoroughly about what Aryon had said. He looked at the small glowing soul gem on his desk and began to move it around.

"You make a valid point Redoran, however my knowledge does not come without a price."

"I thought that would be so, I offer you protection and peace in return for your insight. No daedra, man, or mer will ever bother you so long as I command Gnisis."

"Bah! You think I need protection? You are sorely mistaken young one. I do not deal with trivial things such as 'protection' and 'peace' Vvardenfell will never have peace so long as there are Great Houses. I prefer to deal in more material matters."

"Very well, state your terms."

Baladas once again paused to think the situation over. He looked back up at Aryon a slight grin on his face.

"I presume that you fear a gate opening in Gnisis, am I right?"

"Yes"

"I have a plan to stop the daedra, in the fulfillment of this plan you will come across a few items of interest. I want these brought to me, I will explain further during the discussion of the plan."

Aryon did not like the way the old mage was talking, it worried him. Aryon replied with a curious but cautious look.

"What exactly is this plan?"

The smile on Baladas's face grew wider, he stood from his desk walked over to a bookcase and pulled a dusty leather bound book from the middle shelf. He set down on the table and opened it, after flipping through the yellow worn pages for quite some time he stopped on a page. One page was filled with Daedric Runes, the other had a sketch of a gate to oblivion and next to it large tower with a red beam through the middle. At the top of the tower the beam stopped were a little black dot was in the center. Baladas began reading the page to himself, stopping every now and then to look at the diagram. He looked up at Aryon and began to speak.

"This shows how you are to stop the daedra, you see this tower here? It resides in the realm of oblivion, it is the anchor for the gate, what holds it open." Baladas pointed at the top of the tower "At the top of the tower is a spherical stone that is black as midnight but has a fiery aura. This is called a sigil stone, it is the gates power source. If you remove the stone the gate will crumble and fall."

Aryon understood the reason Baladas had been grinning now, the only way to stop the invasion from oblivion was to enter the realm itself.

"Are you suggesting that I go into Oblivion and remove this stone?"

"No, I'm suggesting you go outside and mate with the nearest scrib, of course you have to go into the damned gate and once you have the stone you will bring it to me. Understood?"

"I am not very fond of this plan, there is too much risk involved. What happens to me when the gate crumbles, wont I be killed?"

"I believe that you will be transported to the site of the gate in Nirn, however this is just a hypothesis. I know not of what will become of you once the sigil stone is removed there are no records of a mortal ever removing one."

"Are there any other options than this one?"

"Pah! Do I look like an unending source of knowledge? It's hard to believe but even we mages have a limit to our knowledge. If you wish more then I suggest speaking with Hermaeus Mora maybe he'll let you take a peek at his Oghma Infinium." The look of sarcasm was heavy upon the Dunmer's face. "Anyways we had a deal, I tell you how to close the gate and in return you give me the sigil stone, now unless you know of another way to acquire such an item I suggest you start preparing for a trip to the lands of Mehrunes Dagon."

Aryon looked at Baladas with a disgusted look on his face, Telvanni, all the same. Morrowind would be a better place without them

"Fine, you will have your stone." Aryon turned around and walked down the semi-circle stairs retracing his path out of the tower. When he emerged from the tower he saw what seemed to be the entire populous of Gnisis gathered in front of the temple Drathyn stood upon a raised platform addressing the massive crowd.

"...those caught outside after the curfew will be detained in the imperial prison at Fort Darius. Furthermore a ban has been placed on weaponry for all those who are not part of the House Redoran or Imperial guard or military. Those caught with prohibited weaponry will be detained. All current citizens with weaponry are to be relieved of said prohibited items until after the crisis has been resolved. All personal property will be returned to the rightful owner or the the next of kin in case of the death of the original owner. The guard is also excepting new recruits, you may apply within the barracks. Benefits include food, shelter, permission to carry weaponry, a set of armor, and a promotion to the rank of Oathman. That is all, you may begin to register with the temple priests for documentation immediately."

There was alot of dissatisfied grumbling in the crowd of people, Aryon could tell that the majority did not agree with one or all of his policies. However this did not matter, safety of the people was his first priority, pleasing them would come later. Aryon walked through the crowd and approached Drathyn.

"I have figured out how to stop the invasion."

Drathyn looked at Aryon with a surprised face "What? How?"

"I will tell you in my office, come."

Aryon began walking with Drathyn to his office in the Barracks. Once there Aryon relayed the information he had received from Baladas to Drathyn.

"That sounds risky, are you sure that the mage was truthful?"

"Yes, I saw the ancient tome with my own eyes, what he said fit with the diagram perfectly."

"I still don't like the sound of this."

"Neither do I Drathyn but it is our only option. I need you to look over Gnisis for a few hours, I must go to Ald-Ruhn and inform the council of this discovery. I feel quite bad for putting so much strain on the priests but travelling by road is to dangerous and would take far to long. Have one of the priest prepare for my arrival, I will leave as soon as they are ready."

"Aye, I will inform them."

Drathyn walked out of the room leaving Aryon to gather somethings for his trip to Ald-Ruhn.

...15 minutes later...

There was a knock on Aryon's door and then Drathyn entered the room. Aryon was sitting at his desk reading over the documents on the guards Drathyn had put together for him.

"The priest is ready for you Aryon, however they seem to be quite fed up with all the work you've had them doing."

Aryon let out a small laugh, "They priests have studied and sat around for far too long, time for them to adopt a more practical role."

Aryon strode out of the room and into the trampled area infront of the markets, people were still lined up to receive their documents. A guard parted the crowd for Aryon as he entered the temple, he followed the guard to the lower level. There stood a middle aged Dunmer man with reddish hair.

"Are you ready House Brother?" spoke the priest.

"Yes, I am ready."

Aryon stood infront of the man, and again felt the sickening sensation of his body being stretched and spun around a thousand times before he found himself in the courtyard of the Ald-Ruhn Temple in the middle of a dust storm. Aryon quickly wrapped his scarf around his face and began walking towards skar as he thought to himself how much he hated being teleported. Once inside he shook the dust from his armor and scarf, he motioned for one of the nearby gaurds.

"Yes Serjo Llethri?"

"Notify the Archmaster that I need to speak with him, also if Serjo Ratharys is still here I am in need of his counsel also."

"Yes Serjo I will notify them immediately."

Aryon then walked up the wooden walkway and towards his Uncle's manor.

OOC: too tired to finish up tonight, I'll add some tomorrow.

Curio Manor, Hlaalu Canton Plaza, Vivec
Crassius Curio

Andel stood, replacing the crimson helmet on his head, only his eyes visible as he spoke. "I had better get going then; there is much to do to put this plan into motion. When is the Hlaalu ship and when is it scheduled to depart?"

Crassius got to his feet as well, his aging bones creaking slightly as he stood, his robe nearly open again. The Imperial councilor strode over to the elf, placing a hand on the guard's pauldron as he spoke, "I have faith in you, son. The good of House Hlaalu, and indeed, the very future of Morrowind rests in our hands. I know you shall not fail us." The Imperial's grave words were made no less serious by the fact that he was barely dressed, his chest hair tufting over the velvet edge of his robe.

The councilor took the elf's gauntleted hand, shaking it firmly before giving the elf a final clap on the shoulder. "But let's try and have some fun doing it, eh?" Crassius grinned, sincerely for once, and stepped back from Andel. "Please, take my assistant Forvse with you. Not only does she know nearly all my plans, she is really an invaluable ally. I didn't just hire her for her looks, you know." Crassius winked, pressing the other letter and purse of gold into the elf's hand, wrapping around the elf with his other arm in a sudden embrace.

"Now then, good luck to you, my dear friend." Crassius pulled away, smiling at the Royal Guard. "The ship is waiting at Councilor Omani's manor just east of Vivec. There should be a gondolier just outside that can take you there whenever you're ready. And don't worry, it won't leave until you get there; Forvse will know what to do."

Vivec, Hlaalu Canton, Curio Manor

Crassius put his hand on Andel's shoulder and spoke. "I have faith in you, son. The good of House Hlaalu, and indeed, the very future of Morrowind rests in our hands. I know you shall not fail us."

It seems he considers this quite important. I must take this very seriously.

The Councilor then shook Andel's hand before patting him on the shoulder again. "Please, take my assistant Forvse with you. Not only does she know nearly all my plans, she is really an invaluable ally. I didn't just hire her for her looks, you know." He then handed the Royal Guard the purse and letter before hugging him. If Andel hadn't been covered head to toe in armor, it would have made him feel somewhat uncomfortable. "Now then, good luck to you, my dear friend. The ship is waiting at Councilor Omani's manor just east of Vivec. There should be a gondolier just outside that can take you there whenever you're ready. And don't worry, it won't leave until you get there; Forvse will know what to do."

Andel turned towards the door and walked out. At the doorway he turned back.

"Farewell, Councilor Curio."

The Dunmer then walked upstairs and out of the manor, followed by Forvse. This was a curious mission. There were many unanswered questions. But so long as it strengthened Helseth's relationship with House Hlaalu, or at least maintained it, it would have to be done. He would watch his "allies" very carefully though. It appears that Hlaalu had not fully given up on slave trading, and as long as Andel knew, he knew that Hlaalu had something to gain from preventing him from telling Helseth. But for now, it was time to make alliances, to extend the reach of Helseth's influence.

First thing is first, I need to get to the Telvanni Canton, leak information about Hlaalu's actions like Councilor Curio suggested, and buy some scrolls in case anything goes wrong. Hopefully the gondolier will be willing to make a stop on the way to Councilor Omani's manor.