Calendras Woke up with a start from his slumber as screams and cries resounded from the city. He dressed quickly and just when he was about to grab his sword. He hard a loud smash and screams from further down in the Inn. He opened the door and walked out to find a horde of corprus victoms smashing in doors and pulling people out to rip them apart. He saw a balconey further down the hallway. He probably wouldn't make it.

He charged down the hallway was Liquid fir and ice flew from his hands. He put almost all of his power into the spells and managed to reach the balconey...over a pile of corpses. He looked at the drop. He'd never make it without a broken arm. He heard more loud thumphs coming up the stairs. He was too weakened to fight anymore. So he took the leep of faith. An lept from atop the balconey. He hit the ground and heard a crunch in his arm and pain filled his entire body. Black dots flickered across his vision before he drained his last power to cast a healing spell on his arm. It would take a long time for his power to replenish enough to do anything else with magicka. So he drew his sword and moved on down the road. Hoping to save his house from the beasts.

Along the way, he say the people of chaydinhals weak attempts to fight off the Zombies. He wasn't strong enough to help any so he kept moving.

He finally arrived at his house and entered. He quickly ran up stairs and sopened his strongbox and took his 600 gold. He rushed down stairs and drank some of his magicka potions and used the lifeforce of the dead bodies there to heal himself. He began placing Wards and curses around his house. Anyone who entered would have a nasty fate in store for them. He resurrect a zombie and 2 skelotons and sent them to guard the door. This was a night, like he'd never seen before. In the morning, He'd head north to the Order of the Worm lair, and see if any of his colleagues survived.

He opened the window and with a magicly altered voiced, boomed a message across chaydinhal "If you wish safe haven from the Zombies, come to my house! It is well defeneded with wards! All are welcome until morning!"

As Amiel and Fanier walked through the doors to the lavish great hall of castle cheydinal, Amiel was struck by the relative silence of the castle compared to the screams of the city outside. The only sound seemed to be the echo generated by fanier and Amiel's footsteps. Satin and silk banners could be found hanging on the walls, and even the simplest bench displayed excellent quality in its component wood and the craftsmanship that was displayed in their shape and form. However, this silence was quickly broken when five castle guards ran to their positions and surrounded them.

"HOLD IT! STAND DOWN FOR MEDICAL EXAMINATION!" bellowed one of the guards to the duo.

"Medical examination?" Amiel asked, suprised.

"To determine whether or not you have been infected." The guard responded.

Soon, the court mage arrived at the great hall through a side door. It was breton with black hair. The breton was wearing a set of green robes, and walked in a manner befitting a old man. Of course, the breton appeared to only be in his mid 40's. The breton moved over to Amiel, and circled around him, searching for abnormalities that were grossly apparent.

"Stick out your tongue."

Amiel complied, although with some hesitation. The breton searched for any peculiarities in the coloring of the tongue, but finding none allowed Amiel to return his tongue to his mouth.

"Alright, this one's clean." The breton then moved over to Fanier.

Calendras looked at the peasant next to him. Only 4 had come. "Daniel," He said to the peasant next to to him. "You and denis stay here and guard the house. Im taking emily and Fred out with me to try and find some weapons in the shop acorss the street. Don't answer the door, even if its another surviver." He tossed his shortsword to Daniel and unbarrd the door. The sun was just starting to rise as he and his companions scurried across the road. He pushed open the door the the abandoned Smithy. They grabbed as many weapons as they could. When they were about to leave. They hard noises in the basemant. Fred, probably unable to control the prospect of other survivers dashed for the doorway. Calendras just had enough time to scream "NO!" as fred pulled open the door. Fred scramed and large hand grabbed him and pulled him in. They were screams from the basemant and Calendras had to hold back emily from making a dash to save her husband. Calendras dared not attempt to save him. The God of worms only knew how many of the things were down there. "Come on!" He shouted. "Fred's gone, We have to leave" Calendras and a sobbing emily left with the weapons and arrived back at the house. Calendras told them what happened and distributed the weapons amoung the villagers.

Calendras was still shocked at what happened last night.

He told the townspeople to be off and to return to there homes. They were well equip and it was day time. He walked along the street and over to bridge and evtually arrived at the east gate. There was birdsong in the air. Everything was so quiet and peacful. Regardless of what happened last night. The gate had, apperantly. Been smashed open. Calendras exited the city and approached the stables. The stable hands torn to peices body was strewn across the grass along with the horses corpses. Calendras sighed. It looked like he would have to walk to the old ayeliad ruin where the Order of the Worm resided. He went north and passed through a small village of about 10 people. He thought he hard a noise from one of the houses and approached it to get a better look.

OOC: Scratch that. Sorry about short post, but i made a mistake and need to edit.

IC:Calendras inspected the room nut it turned out to be nothing. He continued on north.

Ral smiled and waited for the other mage to return. He heard footsteps from the stairs and looked to his left. Falcar, the head of the Cheydinhal mages guild greeted them. Ral stood up and looked at Falcar.
"Falcar, what are we going to do? There are hundereds of monsters out there, tearing the innocent apart!" Ral said pointing at the barricaded door.
"Ral-Malius, we were waiting to see if you and Adrian were going to come. We are all going to retreat to the Anvil mages guild. Apparently the beasts haven't got that far yet, from reports."
"Good, at day time we will go out and get any survivors to come with us." Ral said.
"No, Ral-Malius, we are going now. Just us mages, if you want, you can bring this other stranger with us, but that's it."
"But, that would be cowardly!..." Ral was cut off.
"No, we don't have time to rescue what civilians are still alive. So be it if you want to stay and do that, but we are leaving now." Falcar turned around and started to walk upstairs again towards the teleporter where the other mages were waiting. "Oh, and one more thing." he said as he looked over his shoulder. "You bring any infected back with you, and we will kill you all." Ral turned around and looked at Adrian and Xa-Raku, awaiting there response, as the the mages one by one teleported to safety.

ooc: Guess I don't gotta worry about where to find a corprus anymore.

Time to bring Trisha up to date with the unfolding nightmare.

ic: As she walked through the oddly silent town, a shiver shot up Trisha's spine. Something was very, very wrong tonight.

At the edge of town, she finally saw it, the aftermath of the beast. It looked almost like a zombie, but not quite. Intrigued, Trish stepped past the men gathered around it and sat on her haunches by its side. Sores and abnormal growths, signs of decay.. I know I've read about this somewhere..

A groan broke her thoughts off and made her look up. She let out an involuntary little yelp at the horde of beasts she saw and turned tail, let out another little squeak at the blinding light that blossomed from a mage's staff and ran straight for her home. When she got there, nobody was home, so she ran to her parents' room to check if they were sleeping. "Mom? Dad? You guys here?" She asked, but no reply came. This has to be a nightmare, a bad dream. Where could those have come from.. and why can't I remember what they are?

Turning, hot panic rising in her chest, Trisha went up the flight of stairs that led to her room. A piece of parchment was tacked to the door. Taking it down, she read it aloud to herself. "'Your father and I went down to the Chapel; Jorda wanted to introduce us to her new baby. We'll be back in a couple hours. Love, Marina.'" A worried look fell over the reptile's face. Quickly, she bolted to her room, grabbed her backpack and stuffed her alchemy gear and every clothing item she owned into it. Trish vaulted down the stairs, into her parents' room again and grabbed her father's steel longsword from the beside, tossing the strap over her shoulder before putting her pack on over it. This can't be happening..

Running back out, she was greeted with an advancing horde of the creatures. They were slow and she could dodge around them, but she was frightened to death to get close to one of them. Trish darted through the town, over the bridge to the side of town where the Chapel stood and..

"Oh, Gods.."

It was all she could think to say. Before her lay a solid wall of the things. There was no way she could get to the interior of the building. "N-No.. No.. There.. There's gotta be a way.." But there wasn't. She could see that if she tried to get through, she'd either get trapped in the Chapel or eaten on the way there. Trisha couldn't bring herself to risk certain death to attempt breaking through, but couldn't turn and run either. She couldn't just leave them behind. The horde of creatures advanced slowly on her and she stared hopelessly at them. No.. It.. No! They're alive, I know it! I have to save them.. but.. how? There.. I.. no.. I can't..

"You there! What the hell are you doing? Do you have a death wish? C'mon!" An Imperial voice broke her trance, a hand landing on her shoulder. "Come on, we have to leave!"

"My.. My parents.. They're in there.. In the Chapel.." Trisha squeaked, then sniffed. "We can't just leave them!"

"Unless you know how to deal with this issue by yourself, I suggest you come. There's nothing you can do for them, alive or not. I don't think they'd want you to die pointlessly, so come on!"

"But.. they could.. I can't.."

The guard took her by the arm and dragged her, the Argonian stumbling through the rain. Her shield spell had failed when she saw the Chapel horde, so she was now soaked again. Her escort dragged her up the path, past her house and to the castle. "Found another straggler." He said to another guard. The man nodded.

"Put.. um.. him? Put him in with the others."

With that, Trisha was let go, whereupon she promptly collapsed to her knees in the mud and cried.

ooc: Wow, I'm glad I'm not in the thick of things right now. British timezone always screws me over, I'm fast asleep while ya'll are posting. Anyway, continuing from my last post:

ic: There was nothing but constant banging and groans for almost an hour, but Durus remained vigilant. He kept his back firmly pushing back against the table, blocking the door from being opened; there was little else he could do. Fortunately, his barricades were holding and they weren't getting through without some serious help; the wood was too strong to break through with mere fists. He could stay here until sun rise if he had to. Of course, he hoped that they got tired and left before then.

Then all of a sudden, the thundering of fists became slower. Dropping to only a few slow, tired thumps at the windows, this then ceased too. He waited a few seconds before standing, but there was no further sound, only comforting silence. Standing, he kept his sword stubbornly drawn, taking slow, measured steps away from the door. His former barricades which held the door shut lied around, and without hesitation he bent down, picking the largest and foremost piece up quickly.

Then; another sound from outside. Something different. Something he had heard before ? but frightening all the same.

At first it seemed far away, but then it got closer and closer to the door. A loud, thunderous roar, one that only a black bear could produce. Could it be among the dead too? He didn't have time to ponder the question though, as the full mass of a fully grown black bear smashed through the door at full speed, knocking him to the floor and sending huge splinters of wood flying everywhere. He looked up as the beast crashed to a halt against the wall and turned, staring straight at him with the same empty, soulless stare that his neighbour had given him earlier. It was dead, but its body went on, enraged and bloodthirsty.

And it was after him.

He knew that he had no chance down here, and immediately jumped to his feet and stormed up the stairs, the bear followed clumsily but frighteningly quickly. Its body not decomposed to the extent that the other zombies were. Durus reached the top of the stairs as the bear hit the first step, it begun to climb slowly and clumsily, growling and spitting blood everywhere as it did so. Durus sheathed his sword and took his bow from his back. He drew back an arrow and, barely taking time to aim, fired it directly towards the bear, striking it above the eye. The shot seemed to slow the animal somewhat, but it soon carried on regardless. He didn't have time to draw another arrow. Turning to run, the bear's claw swung for him, instead taking out a chunk of the wooden wall. It was one of the biggest bears Durus had ever seen, simply dwarfing his own frame. He only had one idea to deal with this, and so he went straight for the ladder that lead to the roof. The bear charged after him through the corridor, barely fitting through the narrow passageway.

Durus practically jumped through the small door that attic-like door that lead to the roof, and landed on the slippy tiles face first, but picked himself up regardless. His bow didn't do enough to take down this creature, and so he took out his sword once more, standing unsteady on the roof. The bear smashed a hole big enough for itself in the roof of the house and climbed out, looking around momentarily before finding Durus. It charged towards Durus, slipping and stumbling as it did so.

When it reached him, Durus's fighting instincts came into play. The claw of the beast came down with the force of a warhammer, and he dodged to the right, thrusting his sword quickly and powerfully towards its neck. It struck true ? but did not kill the unnatural monster, it would have killed a normal bear, but not this one. This one stood on its hind legs for a second longer, as if challenging Durus to take another swipe, before clumsily bringing down another huge claw towards his head. This time, Durus ducked under the blow, and the bear finally slipped. Falling onto its side, it began to roll down the side of the roof, but before Durus could find his own footing, he felt the bear's massive arm take his legs, and he began to go down with it.

They both began to roll painfully down the sloped roof, but just as they were both about to cannon off the side, Durus grabbed the edge of the wood with one arm, hanging on for dear life. He looked down as the bear fell, landing directly on its neck. A part of him doubted that even a fall from that height would kill the animal, but it did. It wasn't moving any more.

Pulling himself up was painful, and his arms burned with the effort it took, but as he got back inside the house, he sighed and thanked the gods. He closed up the passage that led to the roof once more, and simply laid on the floor for a minute, catching his breath. But he then remembered, the door was gone completely.

Walking down the stairs slowly, he kept his sword ready for any sound; any movement in the dark, but there was nothing. The other zombies had left. His living room was a mess, full of broken wood and blood; the bear had completely decimated the door. He looked helplessly at the mess, before deciding on a solution. Grabbing a piece of wood, he carved crudely into it in big letters:

ALIVE INSIDE AND SAFE, COME TO THE BACK OF THE HOUSE AND CALL FOR ME. MY NAME IS DURUS. I AM ALIVE.

Then, after nailing it the largest piece of wood, he began to seal up the front exit completely. He would open up the back door after.

Calendras poked around the entrance to the alyied ruin of therlin. There were a few corprus beats corpses lying around. He descended down into the depths. The hallways that he walked along were littered with the corpses of Necromancers and corprus monsters. Nearing a white bridge of a gap, two corprus beats rushed at him from around the corner of a narrow passage. One of them struck him in the chest and he fell and hit is head of the wall. Calendras was dazed as the two corprus beasts approached him. Well, He thought, Looks like this is the end. Suddenly a burst of fire hit both of the beasts and they ran off into the shadows. The necromancers ran up to him. He couldn't regognise one, but the other was a man he knew, an imperial called Jim. "What are you doing down here, calendras!" Called jim helping Calendras stand up agian. "These things attacked chaydinhal. I came here to make sure you fellows were alive. Are you the only survivors? What happened?" Calendras asked.

"There are another 10 of us left, the creatures charged into the ruin in great numbers slughtering most of our comrades. Falcar wasn't here when they attacked. He was out with his mages guild friends" Jim sneered. "Come on, we have a barricade across the bridge."

Calendras followed them into the necromancers living quarters. It was magickly warded, so there would be no threat from the monsters. Calendras helped out where he could, healing some necromancers. Calendras told the necromancers of the Events in chaydinhal.

The necromancers debated for a long time. Eventually, they decided to teleport to the headquarters weast of bruma, and inform Mannimarco.

Calendras decided to stay and help the survivers of chaydinhal rebuild, so he returned to chaydinhal.

After walknig through the east gate. Calendras made his way to the castle. A gate guard approached him "Wha' a' we 'ave 'e? Another straggler?Well before yer' come in mate, ya' gots to ter' talk ter' the ba'lle mage." he said.

Calendras was led into the castle by the guard. They arrived near two men and a Breton with black hair. Calendras recognised them as Amiel and Fanier, the two men he had met in the bar. He approached amiel and said "So we meet agian, amiel. Thanks for the help fighting the first beast. I suppose i most take this test now." "After fanier" Said the Breton.

OOC: It's still night time in my last post, can you wait to continue in time until blademaster and/or krimson post?

Yeah. I won't posy anymore 'til you guys catch up.

OOC: Don't go changing the time. It's night until I say that the sun comes up.

IC: Fanier reluctantly opened his mouth for the breton to examine his toungue. "You're good, go on ahead," the guard told him. Fanier passed by and stood next to Amiel, looking back to see if the necromancer woud pass.

"Your good" the breton told him. Calendras continued on. "so what now?" He asked Fanier and amiel. "Do we stay here until sunrise and defend the place?"

"That's the plan," Fanier told the necromancer. "We should get to the armory, stock up on weapons, and maybe armor. We'll take shifts in keeping watch in the guard tower, two keep watch while one gets some sleep." Fanier looked at the others to get their opinion.

Calaetus went up the well just in time to see a horse stride to the castle with Fanier and another person on it. Without a thought, he chased after them to the castle courtyard. Fanier went inside while the assassin waited patiently outside the gate to the castle interior. He began to search for any sewers that led into the castle and eventually found a loose grate he went into the dark sewer and cast a night-eye spell. It smelled worse than any guts or blood could and almost made him puke. He continued in the muggy water while small water rats ran by. After walking through it a few minutes he could hear a loud breathing. He walked closer to the sound.

With no warning a mutated rat jumped at him and knocked him to the ground. Calaetus grabbed his katana and split the body of the rat in half and examined it. The blood was turning a greenish color and it's pupils were almost completely faded with the rest of the eye. He finally realized that it was a disease spreading through animals and human alike. He anolyzed the body a few moments longer then moved on to find where the sewer lead. After ten minutes he came to the end of the sewers which was the castle kitchen drain. There was no one there, which he figured was a result of the attacks on Cheydinhal. Everyone wanted to see what happened. He picked up the grate and went into the kitchen. It took him a few moments to remove the stench from his body, but he did so with water and a spice containing a deluctable fragrance. He then hid under a table with a cloth drooping down to hide everything underneath it.

"Ok, I'll get a shortsword and the two of us will do the first watch" Calendras said. Picking a shortsword up off a rack next to the wall. He sat down in a chair infront of the window and kept watch for any apporaching Corprus victims.

Fanier nodded, surprised at Calendras's willingness to keep watch. "All right," he said, taking a steel bow off the wall along with a quiver of arrows. Strapping the quiver to his back, he added, "Let's get up to the watchtower. Amiel, you get some sleep."

With that, he began walking, heading towards the door on their left which would lead them to the tower.

OOC: Can I say when a quick zombie tries to get me or is that up to you decide as well? I'm gonna say the rain has slowed to somebody who asked. You guys are quick. Hopefully this will slow down.

IC: Dro'Raska's fast quick breaths were nearing hyperventilation. This is not what I came here for! Dro'Raska thought hopelessly while jogging up to a house's entrance. He sank down into the corner, concealing himself from view and forming the smallest ball he possibly could. He ducked his head into his arms and closed his eyes. All that he could sense was the screams and wails of the beasts and citizens. In the background he heard the rain, drizzling and slowing considerably. He heard glass shatter and then a loud groan coupled with several screams. There was a loud shrieking, paired up with the snapping and crunching of someone's bones. Then the scream stopped and all that he could hear was a loud wet mushing and smacking noise of the beast feeding. Dro'Raska looked up and let out a hollow gasp.

Dro'Raska surveyed the scene of horror. The streets were filled with crimson puddles and diluted streams of water and blood. The beasts wandered aimlessly through the streets. Some randomly began to pursue something, as if in search of food. He looked the other way and saw a woman shrieking in terror and running. She was in front of a wall of the creatures. Dro'Raska looked straight at her and she turned her head, locking eyes with him. Faltering for a moment, one beast found its target and lashed out its arm striking the woman. She fell and held her shoulder in pain. The woman, likely Imperial, faced Dro'Raska and began to get up. The Imperial slipped and landed with a splash. She looked up and peered hopefully into his eyes, her face covered with thick maroon blood. Her hair was tainted red from the bloody puddle. For what seemed to be an eternity they gazed at each other. Dro'Raska crouched unmoving, despite the woman's eyes screaming for help. The stare was interrupted when a Corprus beast pounced, not very well, onto the woman. Dro'Raska winced and looked away as he heard the sickening screech and crunch, followed by silence. He looked up desperately hoping that he would find her alive.

His eyes were greeted with a gory mess. Her limbs were no longer attached to her body, but instead were bloody twigs of bones, stripped of all flesh within seconds. Dro'Raska gagged and watched as the beasts formed a tight circle around the victim. She was a victim to me, but a meal to them. I should have helped her! I would have died though, so my sacrifice wouldn't have changed the outcome of the situation in the end. Dro'Raska thought, his thoughts conflicting in a stormy cloud on the horizon of his mind. svcking in a breath, Dro'Raska peered at the scene again and knew he had to get out, now. Stepping up quietly, the rain pattered lightly on the red painted streets. He looked up and saw just what he wanted. The beasts were far to clumsy to climb and based off that pounce, Dro'Raska knew they couldn't jump either. Dro'Raska entered the street and made sure he quickly exited it before he was seen.

Backing up a bit to the very edge of the street, the threshold between hiding and running, life and death, he broke into a silent sprint. He watched in pleasure as the years of sneaking around corners payed off by letting him go unnoticed. As he reached the wall, he ran straight up, outstretched his arms, and caught the edge of the brown roof with his claws in one fluid motion. He rooted his paws to the wood by digging his sharp claws into the soggy wood. Hopefully it will hold my weight. Dro'Raska thought hopefully. He tensed his muscles and pulled his torso up above the roof. He swung his legs left and right and once they reached the peak of their wide arc, he let his hands go, leaned back, and swung his legs over the side of the roof. He teetered dangerously at the edge, with his torso half hanging off the edge. His furry shape disappeared from the view below and Dro'Raska stood untouched by the creatures during his risky move.

Dro'Raska looked out over the city and saw a horde of gruesome, revolting beasts milling around in the city. He gasped and let out a silent scream. He was doomed. Cheydinhal was doomed. The Empire was doomed.

OOC: I have the best idea. Watch Dawn of the Dead and you will know.

Calendras looked out the window. There was some crazy Khajiit screaming. WEll...he was beyond help now. Calendras admired the tapestries in the room for a bit. He realised how long he'd been awake...soon he drifted off to sleep...at his post.

OOC: If I was that crazy Khajiit screaming, then you should really read my post, because nowhere in it did he scream.

OOC: Oh, so sorry! I didn't see the silient bit. "Embaressed*

Johann grunted, pushing his wardrobe in front of the door to his supply room. As soon as those freaks wandered into his store, he began to slay them. They seemed resistant to his mace, shrugging off broken bones and other wounds. They died later then most humans, but a strong hit to the head killed them as fast as any other thing. And now Johann was stuck in his store, fending off a horde bent on his death.

An unnaturally loud voice, probably magic, announced that there was haven at his house, but Johann had no interest in it. He didn't trust magic like other people. It failed people at the worst possible moments. Johann prefered to be naturally good at what he did. Shields and Fireballs were nice, but they were finite, and exhausted the user eventually. Johann then turned his attention to the castle.

A small mass of objects were heading towards the castle's inner sanctum. A few figures held flaming torches. Johann assumed that the survivors headed towards the castle, first chance they got. Johann shrugged; it was a good idea to go into the castle's stone walls and be protected by the guards. But it would be insane to attempt to go there himself. If he lasted long enough, he would try to head out to the castle. But in the meantime, he had to keep his barricade up.

The three "Men" slumped against the wall by the gate.
Ley could hardly be called a man. He hadn't even swung at a single Corpus zombie this whole time.
Primo would have liked for one of the others to survive .. maybe Valius. Or that soldier on the horse.

As they watched a Dunmer rush through the gates just after they had sat down, Ley jumped up, Throwing a barrage of questions at him.
" Are there any more people coming? What's it like out there? Are there lots of them? How many are there? "


Primo looked at the Hunter next to him. Adressing him in a curious manner, asking his name.
Replying with a nod, he spoke.
" My name is Hirrus. I was out hunting when the beasts fell upon me. They came out of nowhere, chasing me through the woods. I ran for the road when i heard human voices shouting. There was the soldier you saw, a fighters guild member, and a few other people running towards tge city.... As you can tell they didn't exactly make it. I made no attempt to fight the beasts as i ran.
When i first sighted them i slew 3 of the slow ones with my bow. After that i was hell bent on making it to the castle. "

________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________

The Imperial who had burst through the gates on the horse, stood up.
Looking down at himself, he noticed he was becoming .. one of them.

He staggered to get up, Unsteady feet and a throbbing in his head made everything difficult.
Approaching the smithy, he went inside.
Calling for help, he went towards the storage room door.

" Help .. I'm .. I'm a survivor. "

OOC: Just so that you know, even though i am no longer in my house. It's still warded and still a safe Haven.

Johann whirled around, looking at the source of the noise. He saw a ragged man, who was begging for aid. Johann thought about it. Now that he thought of it, there was too many zombies for just a couple of necromancers to make. Also, the zombies were pus filled and bloated. Johann thought it looked like what the Dark Elves described to him as Corprus. Johann backed up a bit.

"Have any wounds? Feeling sick? If you don't answer, I won't help you. And if you come at me too fast I'll kill you on the spot. Stay where you are and don't move till you answer." Johann picked up a Dwemer crossbow, and aimed it at the man, over his barrier. "Seriously. I'd hate to do it, but I am in the middle of a zombie crisis, and you could be infected with whatever made them. I want to get through this as much as you."