lol nah dont blame yourself, Uriel just kinda disapeard on us, not blaming him either, but things happen.

Oh here's a pick of Veronica I did.

http://s1022.photobucket.com/albums/af341/charon711/?action=view¤t=ScreenShot9.jpg

As soon as I can make Charon look the way I imagine him ill post it too.

She's a dirtier blonde than I imagined, but that's not a bad thing! Looks nice, Charon. If I have progressed well enough in my art skills by the end of Arc 3, I'll do portraits of Faire, Raize and Kiva. Maybe Elon and Adna too if I'm in a good mood.
As for whether I'm bored with it, it's not that. I'm having a lot of fun developing my characters and constructing an interesting story around them, but...
All things have to end, you know? And I think the end of Arc 3 will be the Raize's final adventure. Something for the bards to tell across the lands, if he lives through it.

*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************
*I took one last puff, blowing a smoke ring, before setting my pipe down and turning my attention back to Charon.*
Damn. I never thought I'd be saying this myself, but I could feel it in my bones. Trouble seems to follow you like a hound follows its master.
What's happening, Charon?
Nothing. Or at least, not yet. Soon, very soon, the land will be torn apart by a war that hasn't been seen for quite some time.
Stop being cryptic.
The daedric princes will be at war. One side will wish to take over nirn, the other will try to prevent them from reaching their goal.
How do you know what is going to happen?
Boethia informed me of the situation. He wishes for me to become his champion, to crush his enemies beneath my boot. I refused, of course, but that won't halt anything. He'll just choose another champion.
Then what?
The champions of each prince will try and destroy all the champions of opposing princes. Whichever side has a living champion remaining at the end of it decides the fate of Nirn. Those are the rules.
War doesn't have rules.
But it isn't a war to them, it's a game. We're just playthings in their great scheme, caught in their webs.
What stops them just fighting each other outright? Why the champions?
Because the Aedra would never allow that to happen. As confident as the princes may be, most still fear taking on the Aedra. Champions empowered by the princes, however, seem to slip under the Aedra's detection.
By empower, you mean?
Artifacts and the like. No direct power giving, that's in the rules too.

Hmph. That's all well and good, but what has any of this got to do with me?
It doesn't, technically. The problem is, you've made quite the name for yourself here Raize. Near everyone in Cyrodil knows of Raize the Storyteller, though perhaps not by that name. There might be people who would get to me by hurting the ones I care about.
I see where this is going. You think they'd go after me?
Precisely.
*I chuckled.* I'm touched, Charon. Still, I may be old, but I've got bite left in me. Let them come.
They won't be coming for you though Raize, not directly. Just the same as they won't be coming for me directly. My enemies are devious and cunning, they will target those weakest and most dear.
*My eyes widened.* You mean...the kids?
I wouldn't rule out the possibility.

*I put my pipe back in my mouth and rocked a few times, thinking.*
When will it start?
In the next day or so.
...thank you for warning me, old friend. Something tells me that when it happens, however, I will not be able to stop the action. Only its consequences.
Age has given you foresight, I see.
Perhaps. Or maybe I always had foresight, only now I'm actually taking notice.
*I stood up and clapped my hand on Charon's shoulder, pointing at the night sky twinkling with stars.*
Are you ready, Charon? I think this will be our last adventure, our last triumph. We'll fight for all we hold dear, and we'll win. We must.
I hope you're right, Raize.
Just remember what you fight for.
I will. But what do you fight for, Raize?
For my family, for my friends...and the stars in the night sky.
*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************
May I suggest the final sentence as Arc 3's title?

Do you mean "For my family, for my friends...and the stars in the night sky." or just "The Stars in the Night Sky"..... Hmmm not sure the latter sounds pretty good.

And I must once again hand it to you that you can pull Charon off pretty darn well. Its almost exactly what I was thinking.
******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************


Just then the door opened and Kiva stepped out.

Oh! I didnt realize you were here Charon. Everything alright?

Charon and Raize Shared a look, Yes, dear everything is fine. Are the kids asleep?

Yes, I just got them to sleep. What was it that you wanted?

What do you mean?

She looked a bit confused, I could have sworn I heard you call for me to come to you.

Charon and Raizes hearts skipped a beat and they rushed by her through the door nearly knocking her out of the way. The ran up the stairs and straight to the children's bed room. Adna was tucked into bed peacefully asleep Elon's bed though was empty with the blankets tossed to the side. They looked to the open window where they could just make out a dark figure just exiting it. Charon dove out the window just behind it.

They landed on the roof top of the next building over and it began to run with Charon hot on its tale. From what he could see it was wearing dark leather armor with a loose hooded cloak and a cloth mask that hid its lower face. Charon could hear Raize closing in behind him cursing him for running on the damned roof like some kind of buffoon and that he was getting to old for this. They made it to the end of the roof and it let itself fall off the edge to the ground below. Charon followed and aimed to land on top of it.

It landed and rolled just as Charon had predicted and he was going to land right where it would be. Just as he was about to hit it with all his weight it turned and grabbed him and used the momentum of him falling to launch him into a near by stone wall. He twisted mid air and slammed into it with his back, the air being knocked from his lungs. His vision caught the flash of steel and a short sword came straight at his chest.

He reached out beyond the blade and grasped the hand holding it and directed it into the wall instead of him, then with his other hand extended out and grasped the attacker by the throat and with a mighty shove separated it from its sword. It went flying through the air a few feet before it landed, a hand went to its throat. He could hear the strained grasping for air.

Where's the child!?

It didnt respond right away but soon started to chuckle in a silky smooth voice that sounded like it could become as sharp as a well honed dagger.

WHERE'S MY ELON!?

It turned to see Raize just reaching the bottom of the building.

Your child is... safe for the time being Raize.

How do you know my name?

I know everything about you and Charon and Kiva and even Adna, the reincarnation of Faire.

How do you know about that?

My father has shown me many things. Things that Charon could never imagine.

What does this have to do with Charon?

HA!Dont you know? I'm his little sister!

I have no sister.

Oh but you do, well half sister to be corect. You see Boethia Is my father, my actual father unlike you Charon who has been deluted with mortal blood.

So you must be his champion?

Yes my father chose me to be his champion, to best his enimies and bring him honor!

Strange that he asked me to be his champion, I mean i turned him down of course, and with only one champion per prince that would have to mean that you were second picked. Am I right?

Her worm smirk turned to a dirty scowl, I'll kill you yet you bastard! But not today, oh no, I'm going to make you suffer so much.

I'm only going to ask you one last time, where is Elon!?

Like I said, he is safe for now. I cant kill him or do anything to him until the games start. So you have until both the moons are full in the sky. Which should be in two nights.

If you touch my son, so help me, I'll gut you.

Hehehehe, good luck with that.

She held out her hand and her short sword leapt from the ground, from behind Charon. It shot through the air and stopped in her opened hand where she then sheathed it.

Two more nights Charon, and your world will be turned upside down. You'd best prepare yourself.

And like a dream she faded away.

Where did she go?

She went back to Boethia's realm, which is where I'm guessing Elon is.

Cant you take us there?

No, I dont have that ability.

Raize sat on the curb with his head in his hands.

I dont know what I'm going to do Charon.

We will wait and see, If she didnt kill him on the spot and only abducted him then she has plans for him. Thus she needs him alive. We will git you son back, I swear my life on it.

You'd better Charon, because if something happens to him your going to have to deal with Kiva.

Charon smiled at his friend, even in times like this he still had his wit.

There are a few things though I dont understand.

Such as?

If the daedric blood is purer in her, then why was she second picked? Wouldnt she had been first?

Not exactly, though it is purer in her, the blood is different in each individual. It may be stronger in me even though it is deluded by mortal blood.

Really? Thats kinda strange.

Think of it like the vampire disease. It manifests itself differently in each individual. A five hundred year old vampire who is master of a coven could make two children of the night. One could be more powerful than him, the other might not be much more than a walking corpse.

I suppose that makes since, though its obvious she is no walking corpse.

No, she is certainly powerful and will make a worthy Champion to Boethia.

Thats what I'm afraid of. You wouldnt happen to know what her name is do you?

I in fact do.

Well?

Lilith.

Right, I have an idea for who the thief is, may I make hher my character?

Jance Percurius, the black assassin of the night, the woman who killed an Emperor of Tamriel, and who is now after Raize and Charon.

Essentially imagine Tamrielian Riddike.

What thief?

You mean Lilith, the psychotic half daedric princess?

If so you might wanna re read my post and i'd rather keep her in my control for the time being. She is another character from my RL book that i'm trying to get a feel for.

Lilith, eh? Apparently it means "Of the night", and is also the name of a female demon. Good choice.
And I meant "The stars in the night sky". Sorry, should've made it clearer. Considering Lilith's name root, it fits even more now.

"Of the Night" Eh? Didn't know that. I chose that name because i knew of the demon root. Also the Demon Lilith was once human in Christian based lore (not many people like the word "lore" associated with their religion but i have no other words to describe it so sorry if it is taken offensively) she was actually Adam's first wife. Eve was his second. But you have to dig into not so well known old testament text to discover that.

Anyways moving away from RL lore and history I'll probably continue later tonight, fill free to continue though.

Yeah, I re read, that wouldn't have made much sense...

Sorry about that...

I've got a lot going on at the moment so go right ahead. I need to get some ideas together about Arc 3 anyway. I'm kind of drawing blanks at the moment for a lot of plot points.
I'll think of something, I'm sure.

Its no problem.




Well for one thing Raize is going to have to tell Kiva and then run for dear life!


I was thinking that within the 2 day period Raize is contacted by Nocturnal. She then sets him on a quest to becoming the Nighingale.

Oh Christ! How did I forget about that particular detail? Poor Raize!
Alright, my thoughts have been set for that plotline. Ideas are coming in, and I'll hopefully be making a new post later tonight.

An elderly Dunmer in royal armor stood on top of the Dunmeth Pass gatehouse, flanked by his advisors, an eldery Altmer Sorceror and a middle aged Imperial in shining steel armor. Below him was an army of Dunmer, three thousand strong.

Milord, we are not ready for this war. We have neither the men, nor the weapons to win. Once we cross into Morrowind, there is no going back.

The Elderly Dunmer raised his hand to silence the Imperial.

Do you have such little faith in our people? With eight knights you toppled nations, with three thousand we will change the world.

Ha, has the Crusader lost his nerve? You forget, you have a god on your side, what do the Argonians have?

Right, I shall address my people.

The Dunmer walked to the edge of the balcony, looked over his army, and smiled. This was the first time in two hundred years that his people had gathered in such numbers.

We are Dunmer!

The crowd shouted back.

We are Dunmer!

The Crowd started to cheer and scream, nothing could be heard over the cacophany, until the Elderly Dunmer raised his hand.

For two hundred years, our people have been forced to live as slaves and nomads. No longer. Today, we regain our homeland from the barbarian invaders from Black Marsh.

Do not fear, for I have returned. Your Nerevarine, your King! I was lost, like all of your were. I wandered through what was once Morrowind, and saw the horrors the Argonians have inflicted. They use Dunmer as slaves, like common vermin! They do not even know of their great ancestry. But we will inspire them, we will show them what it means to be Dunmer!

It has been two centuries since I walked in the halls of my fathers. That is long enough. Today, everything changes. Today, we retake our homes!
March with me, march with King Belan, the last of the Helseths!

The army cheered and broke out into a rhythmic chant.

We Are Dunmer! We Are Dunmer! We Are Dunmer!

Up on the gatehouse, the mood was not as celebratory.

Good speech, milord, but you know we cannot succeed.

Have faith Quirinus, I know what I am doing.



P.S. Oh yeah, Mass Effect in only an hour!

Hmmm this might work with what i had planned for Boethia and Lilith messing with governments.

You guys still maxed out on people...? It seems as if it's only Gaius, Charon, Soul, and the somewhat mythic Uriel.

Lol no we're not maxed out, we did have people half way through the last thread of DOTF but they seemed to have ditched us, and the gods only know where uriel is. I'm fine with some extra people joining, we could always use the introduction of the other champions.

In that case I'll have a CS typed up soon, since the RP I had previously started didn't go over too well... So expect one from me tomorrow or Thursday.

yeah, as i PM'd ya we could use some one to take on the role of another champion. Also if you want to add in a few other characters thats up to you so long as you can keep track of them and not make it too confusing for the rest of us.

I am half done, I'll have Mephala's champion up tomorrow, but if I decide I can't do mephala I will do a different prince.

Mom?.............. Dad?...........

Where am I?

Elon had awoke in a room that was not his own, it was much nicer. The bed was so comftorable that he felt he could have easily slept longer if he had chose to. There was dark rich looking furnishings around the room that looked like it belonged in a lords castle. A night stand beside the bed held a single lit candle and a plate with sweets. If he wasn't slightly afraid of what had happened he may have ate a few.

There was a soft knock at the door and it slightly opened and a young woman ever so slightly peaked in.

Oh, your awake. May I come in? She had a very soft and silky voice.

Elon looked around the room before shrugging, I guess. Where am I?

The young woman stepped in the room and all his worry seemed to melt. She was very pretty and had a smile that remindend him of the warmth of his mothers. Her hair was very dark, maybe even as black as ebony, and was long enough to reach the middle of her back. She wore a very semple yet beautiful dress that was mostly white but had brown and blue giving it character.

Your safe in my lords castle.

Why am I here?

Your father brought you hear and left you in our care, dont you remember?

No, strange that I dont.

Well you were half asleep when you were brought here.

What happened for him to just bring me here and where's my mom?

Well, your just full of questions. All will be answered in due time, until then though why dont we get to know each other a bit better over some sweets?

She gave him that smile that made him fill warm again and he just couldnt resist.

Oh, Ok.

They sat on the comftorable bed for a long while eating the sweets that just never seemed to go away. He learned that her name was Lilith and that she was the Lords, he couldnt remember his name, Lady in Waiting. She told him stories about how she dreamed of one day having a knight that would come in and sweep her off her feet and take her to the furthest edges of Nirn on wonderous adventures. Some how he felt that maybe, just maybe he could be that knight! She was so friendly and nice, he felt he would do anything to make her happy if she asked.

So tell me Elon, how well do you know your father and Charon?

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

She already knows everything that there is to know about them, but she wants to see what he knows so she can manipulate him

Let the deceit continue, I have everything but the background written up.

...Charon, have you been reading my mind again? That's exactly what I thought Elon wanted to be!

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Maybe we should stop and think on what to do for a little while. It won't help anything to rush straight in.
Of course not, but I know exactly what I need to do right now. I need to go and tell Kiva that our son just got kidnapped.
*Charon winced.* That...is not going to end well, is it?
I highly doubt it. Still, it has to be done. Now, I just need to work out what to tell her and what not to tell her...
Who aren't you telling what, Raize?
The two spun around to find Kiva glaring at them piercingly. She didn't look angry as such, but Raize got the impression that she was a hair's breadth from snapping.
Oh! Uh, Kiva...I didn't notice you there!
I've been practicing my muffle spell.
She slowly advanced on Raize, her face getting closer and closer to him, forcing him downwards. Charon was both mildly amused and frightened by this development.
Well, uh, the thing is...
Yes, Raize?
Ouronlysonjustgotkidnappedbyanevildaedricprincessandnowwedon'tknowhowtogethimback.
A few seconds passed before the information really got through to Kiva.
Elon...kidnapped? Oh, divines help me...
The first weak tears started forming on her face before Raize interrupted their passing with a full kiss on the lips. Charon coughed, feeling a little out of place in this encounter.
We'll get him back, Kiva. I promise.
We can go together! I'll go with you, and then we can-
No.
It was rare that Raize made his voice commanding, so when he did it hit like a crossbow bolt.
No? No?! How can you say that, Elon's-
In danger, yes, I know. But for all I know the people who have kidnapped Elon could be bent on getting a second bargaining chip. I need you here to protect Adna while I find Elon. Deal?
...fine, I see your point. I'll take her to my friend's house in Skingrad, I don't think they'll be looking for us there.
Good. Now, try and keep your composure, OK? If Adna sees you moping about it isn't going to be good for her. Can you do that for me?
I'll try Raize.
She kissed him goodbye, walking off back to the house.

She handled that better than I expected. You're really quite good at manipulating people, Raize.
Not exactly. It's just that when you've lived with someone for a long amount of time, you tend to know what to do in situations like that. Wouldn't you be the same with Veronica?
We aren't married.
Perhaps not, but you've known each other a long time and you trust each other. That's the main thing.
Anyway, what's the plan, Charon?
We'll need to enlist the help of another prince to make it into where Elon is being held. So that means we will have to take a side in this war, and a patron prince. Otherwise, we may not stand a chance against the other champions.
Sounds as good as anything, I suppose. We'll meet up at the front gate tomorrow morning, as we've got some supplies to get together. Will you be able to call Veronica?
I don't know. I'll try, but I can't guarantee that she'll come in time.
Not a huge problem, I'm sure she'll turn up when we need her help the most. I just get the feeling we'll need all the help we can get on this quest.

lol i was actually pondering about Veronica. She may appear later. Ill probably make a scene where Charon releases a hawk carrying a letter to her.

Double

Well I didn't really want to leave her out, since she didn't really have much 'screen time' in the last thread. She usually just stood at the side lines looking menacing .
I do have a character set up to be one of the champions, but I'm going to wait a while before introducing him.