Crassius Gravius

Crassius sat in his tent, pondering his future and the future of everybody in Tamriel. He thought to himself that he was a little rude to that mage but decided he’d deal with that tomorrow. Going through his equipment and making sure he had everything that he needs for the coming weeks. After finishing that he laid down and hoped he would get some sleep because he knew he would need it for tomorrow.

Soren Snowe

Soren woke up in the morning with Zoe smiling at him. She snuggled up next to him and looked at his watch before Zoe sighed. "It's time for you to go Soren," she said with a bit of bitterness in her voice.

Soren got dressed in his traditional black attire and Zoe looked like she was about to scream again. "Soren...do you have to leave after you just came back?" Zoe asked as he planted a kiss. "Yeah, I have to Zoe. Work hard Zoe, I'm expecting great things from you dear Sister."

After the affectionate moment, Soren headed over to the campgrounds and waited for them to get moving towards the commander's tent. It was time for the first push into Order territory to begin.

Andrius - Cheydinhal Mage's Guild

Andrius picked up his head. The floor was not there - it was rock. He pushed himself upright and brushed his hair. His head was wet. Andrius, confused, examined his hand: crimson blood dripped from his fingers. He examined his surroundings to find burning foliage, pools of blood, and bodies. He was tired, and his magicka was exhausted. He scrambled about, crawling all on fours.

What happened?

He remembered the bodies spread around him. Attempting to take a closer look, he knelt into a pool of blood.

"Who..."

Andrius spoke as if someone was listening. He flipped over the body by his knee. He assumed it was a young man,from the back, but when Andrius turned the body over, it turned out to be a young girl - Nordic looking. She was familiar to him...

No.. Nora

His magicka was exhausted, and her wounds too grave. His eyes drew to the body a few paces behind them. The young Imperial lay pinned with three arrows. Ulno lay next to him with visible burns and cuts, and behind him the Breton, Arrius, littered with arrows as well. With a jolt, he turned around. Soren's armor was recognizable from a distance. He lay slain, amidst a plethora of Order soldiers, as if some heroic final stand occured. Andrius face contorted into a sorrowful and worrisome frown. He sobbed for his squad... his companions whom he so barely knew. Amidst the sobbing, a reptilian voice cried out from the sky:

"Andrius! Confounded dreamer!" exclaimed the voice.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes. He lay in the same bed he fell asleep in last night; the pillow wet with tears. The reptilian voice was Deetsan.

"What a dream that must of have been. Are you alright? No time to talk, a few others left a bit ago for the encampment. I'd assume they would be departing very soon. You should get go-"

Andrius interrupted abruptly: "Late again! By Mara! Gather my bags, will you?

He quickly donned his robe, and his cape. He fastened his belt with his dagger, and noticed there were three potions stuck in as well. He looked up at Deetsan, who stood in the door way holding his bags.

"A little gift for the road, my friend. A very strong magicka potion, and powerful healing potion, and a potion of night-eye for a dark night."

Andrius smiled as he grabbed his bag. He hugged Deetsan as he exited the room. He sprinted down the stairs, almost tripping over a bumbling associate. The other mages stared at him as he burst through the doors. The citizens and guards eyed him as well, as he sprinted down the street and exited Cheydinhal. The camp was a hub of activity again, as the amassed army prepared for departure. Andrius ran through the alleys, dodging grumpy soldiers, recruits, and tents alike. He finally approached Soren, who was in the commander's tent. He was breathing rather hard, due to his run from the Mage's Guild all the way to the encampment on the city's borders.

Catching his breath he said: "Andrius, reporting for duty sir!"

He was still gasping for air. With a quick examination, it turns out he had arrived first, and looked completely ridiculous sprinting into the tent sweaty, out of breath, and disheveled.

What a first impression thought Andrius to himself, as he waited for acknowledgement from Soren.

Arrius - Legion Camp

After introducing himself to his commander, Arrius had proceeded to find himself a empty plot of land. After finding no spaces in the inner parts of the camp, he turned his search to the outskirts, where, sure enough, he found plenty of space. After setting up his camp, Arrius took a quick look around, noticing a few sentries spread throughout the perimeter of the camp, 'At least the general is wise enough to have sentries posted.' it reassured him that the higher-ups were at least semi-competent. Though that didn't do much to allay his concerns about the general lack of coordination that would no doubt would no doubt arise once the group started to march. Still, no sense worrying over it now, it was highly unlikely that he would be heard anyway, being just another wanderer to join the group. With those thoughts in mind, he drifted off to sleep, sleeping soundly in the confines of his tent, despite his concerns.

He woke early at dawn to the bustle and activity of tents being packed and a general buzz of expectation. 'Ah, so we're moving already. Makes sense to take the initiative.', thought Arrius, nodding to a nearby group of adventurers. Finishing with packing up his own equipment, he made his way towards the Commander's tent, where he saw a sweating Imperial, clad in a relatively expensive looking outfit. With a slight shrug, he nodded to the commander,
"Arrius, reporting for duty."

Crassius Gravius

Crassius Gravius awoke early in the morning , he barley got any sleep last night but he was getting used to that now days. He slowly and methodically put on his armour making sure no strap was undone, no string was loose and the steel was free of smudges. He grabbed his bags and went outside there he found Drindrelh passed out on the ground.

He gave Drindrelh a kick, “I’m leaving, I’ll see you when this is over my friend…Oh and try your hardest not to get killed” he said with a smirk on his face.

Tiredly Drindrelh responded, “Goodbye my brother, I’ll see you at the bar back home.”

He was going to miss Drindrelh but he knew the rugged Nord would make it through the battles to come. And with that he left and headed over to the commanders tent. He arrived and saw Soren, Andrius, and Arrius. Walking up to them he noticed Andrius was drenched in sweat he let out a little chuckle. He approached them and gave Andrius and Arrius a nod, then turned to Soren.

Nora

The sound of people rustling around and packing their stuff eventually woke Nora from her sleep. She stood up and stretched her limbs before she gathered her stuff and prepared to leave. The weather was colder today, so she pulled out her cloak and hung it over her shoulders. With the backpack hanging lazily from her shoulder, she trudged out into the daylight and made her way to the commander's tent.

She entered the tent to see that everyone except Ulno had already arrived. She wondered how long they had waited. Andrius couldn't have arrived long before her, because he was sweating like a birthing pig. She wondered if he would have problems keeping pace with the others once they started moving.

"Mornin'. When do we leave?"

Ulno didn't bother going back to his rented room in Cheydinhal. Ishaal could keep that waste of space. Instead, after parting ways with his comrades, he decided to venture off of the camp ground, his shadowy silhouette blending with the camoflauge of night. He paid a short visit to one of the vacant tents and promptly swooped in to steal a bedroll. Content with his prize, he continued off to his random destination located in the southern outskirts of the camp. Those crimson red oculars diligently scanned the environment for a suitable place of rest until finally fixating upon a huge oak tree -- whos presence was illuminated by the cascading light of a full moon. His stepping was spread accordingly to confuse possible trackers, his armor encased feet placed carefully on the grassy floor so as to avoid the loud crunching of terrain beneath him. He was a shadow. Inaudible, and abrupt in the execution of his actions. A master of surprise who boasted prodigious strength. Hah.

Ulno you confident bastard. What good is power if you are in no place to grip the hammer of destiny?

Throwing the bedroll on the shaded ground beneath the oak, he began to shed his armor piece by piece, retaining only greaves and chitin boots on his person. A plethora of scars decorated his naked upper body, telling tales of trial and error, epic duels, and close calls. He believed that some of these wounds were burdened with the souls of deceased men -- refusing to completely heal and abscond.

Such was the providence of a former assassin.

The dunmer laid himself to rest, embracing the katana in his arms as if it were a distant lover that had come to quell his memories of the past.
His vision directed skyward, watching the clouds in their many forms as the drifted aimlessly in the heavens above. Then slowly but surely, Ulno finally concluded it was safe enough to sleep.

He rose the next morning to the sound of nature coming to life all around him. The idiot soldiers making a commotion at the camp also seemed to contribute. He sat up, and leaned against the rough bark of the oak, collecting his senses, and taking his sweet time before rising up to rearmor.

Taking the bedroll with him, he walked back to the camp to greet his squadmates.

Soren Snowe

"Andrius, reporting for duty sir!"
"Mornin'. When do we leave?"

The entire squad was assembled and Soren smiled. "Alright...in one hour, we leave. I just got our battle plans for today. Please note that this is not my battle plans but those of the Imperial Legion..."

Soren paused for a moment before he kept going. "We will attack the north east corner of Cyrodiil where the last Order encampment in Cyrodiil exists. From there, we will rest up a bit and be deployed with Legatus 1 and Legatus 2 to attack the city of Narsis. It doesn't matter HOW we attack Narsis, merely that the city falls. After that, we wait until the Altmer Navy bombards the eastern seas of Morrowind with their spells and reinforcements from High Rock and Hammerfell come to help us. From there...Vivec will fall."

He waited for a moment and sighed as the clock started to head closer and closer to 10:00, where they were about to leave. If everything went right, they'd reach the encampment by noon. "We're going to be spending the next couple months together as a squad...might as well start by introducing ourselves..." Soren paused to think if this was a good idea. He concluded it was. "As you know, my name's Soren Snowe. And yes, I am a member of the Dark Brotherhood, pretty high up the rank too...

But don't be fooled. The Brotherhood isn't just some kind of killers club. It's a family...and I'm even dating somebody there. So if you're going to leave behind a special somebody, just know that you're not the only one..." Soren smiled. "Anybody else want to go?"

Andrius cleared his throat, and stepped forward from the diverse crowd of adventurers in order to draw their attention. By now, his sweat had dried, and he had caught his breath.

"I might as well go next. Clear the mystery left from from yesterday" smirked Andrius. "My name is Andrius. I am monk, mage, healer, and magician of the Mage's Guild. I specialize in the healing arts, as well as alteration, and Illusion. I am also a skilled martial artist... the dagger is just for show." Andrius glanced at Nora, and let out a chuckle. "If any of you have ever been to Bravil, I am the assistant chapter head there under the wizard Kud-Ei."

He then looked Soren

"Also, commander, I may be able to assist you in battle plans. I have an understanding of tactics - only if you need it of course..."

Andrius then paused, and folded his hands in front of him. His eyes drew away from Soren, and then scanned his squad. The ticking of the clock became like thunder in his mind, as the time drew closer to the hour of departure.

"I hope to never to have to use my healing powers on any of you, and that our mission goes well." said Andrius with a smile.

Arrius

Arrius listened intently to his commander, Soren Snowe give them a brief summary on the overall plan. He thought it seemed risky, relying on the Altmer and the people of Hammerfall and Highrock. He doubted the Altmer really cared who won the war, chances were, they'd get their independence either way. The countries of Hammerfall and Highrock were possibly still allies of the Empire, yet it could take a long time for them to reach Morrowind. But chances were, that the high command had already worked out the details and logistics and everything would unfold perfectly. That was just wishful thinking, but he didn't want to think about the thousands of possibilities that could arise if things did, and probably would go wrong.

"I hope to never to have to use my healing powers on any of you, and that our mission goes well." said Andrius with a smile. Arrius smiled faintly at Andrius, appreciation in his eyes,

"Personally, I appreciate a good healer, I know that the skills of your kind have saved my life many times in the past. It would be a honour to have you with us. As for me..." He chuckled softly, glancing down at his rather simple armor, a far cry from the familiar Legionary armor,
"The name's Arrius, A spellsword, is what I suppose you might call me. I was once with the Legion, so perhaps if you needed some advice on how the legion operates and is organized... Well, I'm here."

Crassius Gravius

Crassius Gravius listened intently to their introductions. When the commander mentioned leaving behind a special someone he thought about his loved ones that were taken prisoner. After listening to Andrius he was hoping he’s was joking about the dagger being “for show“.

After Arrius finished Crassius stepped forward, “Nice to meet you guys, mine name is Crassius Gravius. Simply putting it I’d describe myself as the warrior type and with me its pretty much what you see is what you get, but I have a few tricks here and there.” he said with a grin and then stepped back. He hoped he had given them enough information to make a good impression, but he still didn’t want to reveal to much to them yet.

Nora

"We're going to be spending the next couple months together as a squad...might as well start by introducing ourselves..." Soren paused to think if this was a good idea. He concluded it was. "As you know, my name's Soren Snowe. And yes, I am a member of the Dark Brotherhood, pretty high up the rank too...
But don't be fooled. The Brotherhood isn't just some kind of killers club. It's a family...and I'm even dating somebody there. So if you're going to leave behind a special somebody, just know that you're not the only one..." Soren smiled. "Anybody else want to go?"

I always thought the Brotherhood were a bunch of loners... Nora was surprised by Soren revealing his real profession. Of course there would be some Brotherhood among the soldiers here, but she wasn't expecting to have one as her commander. She wondered if his leading style would be appropriate for a squad of warriors. They were not assassins.

Andrius were the next one to speak. "I might as well go next. Clear the mystery left from from yesterday" he smirked. "My name is Andrius. I am monk, mage, healer, and magician of the Mage's Guild. I specialize in the healing arts, as well as alteration, and Illusion. I am also a skilled martial artist... the dagger is just for show." Andrius glanced at Nora, and let out a chuckle. "If any of you have ever been to Bravil, I am the assistant chapter head there under the wizard Kud-Ei. Also, commander, I may be able to assist you in battle plans. I have an understanding of tactics - only if you need it of course... I hope to never to have to use my healing powers on any of you, and that our mission goes well." said Andrius with a smile.

A martial artist... She was kinda curious about how he would fight without his dagger. Nora didn't recognize any of his specializations as offensive magic.

And then it was Arrius' turn to speak.
"Personally, I appreciate a good healer, I know that the skills of your kind have saved my life many times in the past. It would be a honour to have you with us. As for me... The name's Arrius, A spellsword, is what I suppose you might call me. I was once with the Legion, so perhaps if you needed some advice on how the legion operates and is organized... Well, I'm here."

Well at least he carries a sword with his magic. It wasn't what she had hoped for, but at least he had legion training. After Arrius it was Crassius' turn to speak.
“Nice to meet you guys, mine name is Crassius Gravius. Simply putting it I’d describe myself as the warrior type and with me its pretty much what you see is what you get, but I have a few tricks here and there.”

Another real warrior, Nora smiled. She had feared that she would end up with a bunch of spell-flingers, but Crassius had turned the odds for the better. Hopefully Crassius and her wouldn't have to spend all their time babysitting the mages. Everyone had introduced themselves, so she guessed it was her turn now.

"Name hasn't changed overnight. Lived and worked at the Mages Guild in Skingrad as a... guess you could call it field assistant." Hell if she was going to call it 'flower girl'. "No family, friends or other obligations. Those who have tried to mess with me has left with their teeth in their hands. If they were lucky." She took a break to look everyone in the eye. "So I advice you to not try anything funny just because I am a woman."

"I guess that's everyone? No wait, the Dunmer. Where is he anyway?"

"Ever since I can remember..I have been no stranger to death. My profession is simple. I am a warrior. Nothing more, nothing less. Commander Snow, I respect your responsibility as a leader -- however I pray that your Brotherhood logic does not cloud the competence of your tactics."

Typical proud Dunmer youth. Despite renouncing his allegiance to the Morag Tong, he couldn't help but to live according to their teachings...It was all he knew. Ulno would do his best to hold his biased tounge out of respect of rank, yet having a former sworn enemy as a commanding officer just wasn't going to sit well with him. This, and the fact that these were the final hours before the invasion were putting the Dark Elf on edge..He would soon be revisiting his war-torn homeland. Feelings of anxiety and apprehension swelled within him like a giant ball of burden. He did his best to retain his composure...It usually wasn't like him to be caught up with such frail emotions. He dug into his alchemic pouch retrieving another piece of scribe jerky and took a bite. He seated himself in a nearby wooden chair and reclined comfortably to further contemplate the campaign. He wasn't sure how he'd react after touching down in Morrowind. Bah. To Oblivion with it. He was here on business, not for some silly reunion.

Soren Snowe

Soren listened to everybody's stories very well and smiled. He checked his watch and it was time for them to move out. His smile faded and he paced around the group. "Listen up! We're going to attack an encampment north east of here! Grab what you need and move out!"

He left the tent to have Zoe standing in front of him. "Zoe what are you doing here?"
Zoe kissed Soren and smiled. "Just to wish you good luck Brother. Don't die."
She left and Soren was left stunned and happy. He walked up where the Imperial Legion general laid out the instructions. He singled out Soren's squad. "Nexus 1 will circle around and attack them from the rear...now move!"

OOC: Sorry if I went to far or character controlled; I didn't think much more could be done, but I'll rewrite the post if you want to go back farther. I just took the liberty to post first to get things rolling.


Andrius adhered his commander's order. He traveled light, carrying only his sac, which contained his potions and a few provisions, as well as his bedroll. After he gathered his equipment, he observed the long line of mercenaries and soldiers marching in disorderly columns toward Morrowind. The assembled army was so diverse - Andrius took note of those who passed by him: Grizzled veterans soldiers donning old legion armor, mercenary bands equipped with expensive armor - signs of their wealth and success, want-to-be heroes equipped with whatever they can afford, attempting to make their mark on the world through combat, mages wearing luxurious robes and wielding intricate staves were a oddity but still present. Andrius joined the squad as they were absorbed into the mass of troops, marching towards the first target. Andrius thought back to the members of the assaulting force that he conversed with at the encampment.

How many of them will return to their homes and families? he thought worriedly. How many can I save - or cannot save?

Countless thoughts like these rushed through his head. He hated that feeling before a fight: the air seemed heavy with fear, suspense, and doubt.

The march was long and hard. Even his light gear felt like an ogre after the first few miles. The scenery, though, made up for it. The forests around Cheydinhal were beautiful, and vibrant. The green leaves on the trees swayed in rhythm with the running streams. Further into the extensive march, the trees became thinner, and the air cold. The Valus Mountains appeared on the horizon. It was a sight to be seen. The slight pause in the march taken to admire the change of scenery caused Andrius to remember the mission.

The encampment must be near... or is it nestled within the mountains themselves?

That thought created fear within his mind. In order to dispel it, he attempted to create a converstation.

"So Soren, sir, are we there yet?" Andrius said with a grin.

Crassius Gravius


Never being the one the marching type Cassius didn’t pay much attention to his surroundings. His mind wandered off and thought this whole thing felt wrong, first off he’s never been in an army of this size. Occasionally he would join the town militia if a troll or bandits showed up. The weirdest thing though was not being in charge when he was smuggling he was the guy who called the shots. He didn’t consider this as a bad thing just different.

This battle is going to set the stage for the next few months Crassius thought to himself. Not only for the squad but for the entire war. Struggling to keep his mind on the upcoming battle he kept on having thoughts of Belviane and his friends and family. For some reason he wasn’t nervous and that sent chills down his spine.

Thankfully Andrius asked “So Soren, sir, are we there yet?" snapping Crassius back to reality.

Nora

While walking along the group, Nora entertained herself by trying to identify the flora on the ground as she passed and see if she remembered how it was spelled.
There's some flaks. F-l-a-k-s. No, that is not how it is spelled. F-l-a-c-s? F-l-a-c-k-s? F-L-A-X! I knew it. There's some ginzeng... foxglove... summmer boliit kap...

It was nice walking through the forest like this. The air was so nice and refreshing, and there was no loud noise from a busy city street feeding her headache.

Andrius had stopped to take a break it seemed. "So Soren, sir, are we there yet?"

"Didn't think you'd last this long before taking a break" she teased him as she passed him.

Andrius - On the March

As Andrius awaited Soren's response, Nora playfully jabbed at him:

"Didn't think you'd last this long before taking a break" she teased him as she passed him.

Andrius let out a little chuckle, and struggled to come up with an adequate come back. A grin grew across his face as the idea appeared in his head. With a smirk, he shot a glance over at Crassius and Ulno.

"M'lady, your pack looks quite heavy. Do you need a hand?"

He quickly approached Nora, and laid a hand on her leather back-pack.

"It looks like its BURDENING you." spoke Andrius, loudly.

Andrius quietly mumbled a few indiscernible words, and placed his hand on Nora's pack. The pack let out a faint glow. Andrius had casted a light burden spell onto Nora's back-pack. Back at the Mage's Guild, he would never get away with something like this, as it wasn't a good example for the various underlings at the chapter house.

Might as well have some fun while we're here; Lighten the mood, and hopefully take everyone's mind off the events to come.

Andrius couldn't conceal it anymore, and burst into boisterous laughter.

Nora

"M'lady, your pack looks quite heavy. Do you need a hand?"

Nora raised an eyebrow as he approached her.

"It looks like its BURDENING you." spoke Andrius, loudly.

"What do y-AGH!" Nora suddenly fell forwards and tripped onto her stomach from the sudden weight increase of her backpack. The string of obscenities she shouted at him was muffled by the plants her face fell into. After brushing them out of her face she shouted "you better run, mage! When I get up I'm going to punch you so hard that your ancestors feel it!" She swung her arms after his feet in hope of tripping him. "Aaargh!"


OOC: :rofl:

Andrius', distracted by his laughing, looked over his shoulder only to see a very angry Nord woman with a red face - Nora - sprinting, flailing her arms, and yelling obscenities. It was a sight to be seen; a very scary one.

"Uh oh!" shouted Andrius, attempting to control his laughter.

He dashed away, but Nora, in her angry range, was closing the distance. He attempted to weave his way through the marching soldiers, but failed. Andrius collided into a very large Orc clad in ebony armor. Unfortunately, there's something more frightening than an angry Nordic women threatening to punch you... An angry Orc threatening to dismember you, and eat you, on the spot. The Orc swung around, eyes as big as the sun, and veins popping out of his skull.

"So sorry master Orc - "

Andrius' apologies were overpowered the Orc's numerous threats, and the ringing in Andrius' head due to contact with the Orc's very sturdy armor. Suddenly, Nora seemed much less frightening. Andrius escaped the Orc's malicious intentions, only to trip over a large rock, and land right at Nora's feet. He grinned widely.

"Now, now; Soren wouldn't have his squad beating each other, would he?" Andrius pleaded.

Nora

After a moment of running, she finally caught up with him.

"Now, now; Soren wouldn't have his squad beating each other, would he?" Andrius pleaded.

"But Soren isn't here," she smiled. She bent down and gripped his collar to lift him up, but were distracted by an angry Orc that marched towards them.

"You puny little man! I'm going to-" the Orc stopped only feet away from them as he recognized Nora. How fun, she thought.

"Hey, tough guy." She brought a hand up to stroke her chin, demonstrating. "How's that jaw of yours?" She asked with a cocky smile.

The Orc glared at her and gave a mean 'humpfh' before turning to walk away. She chuckled and looked back at Andrius. "So... where were we?"

Andrius slowly got up, brushing off his extravagant clothing meticulously. He was still laughing.

"I suppose I owe you... one? Two? Maybe three? Whats an Orc worth anyway?"

He made a face, and peered over his shoulder to see if the Orc heard his comment, which was inappropriate due to the circumstances. He then noticed the absence of the rest of Nexus.

"Perhaps we should rejoin our comrades? Or wait for them here. We shouldn't be that far ahead of them."

OOC: Join in with our banter everyone!

Nora

She leaned her back against a large boulder and started to pluck strands of grass and flowers out of her hair and clothing.

"I was kinda hoping to see that guy again. Hehehe. Oh..." she put her pack down on the ground and reached into one of the small pockets. "Forgot to give him this..." she pulled out a small fang covered with dried blood. "Oh well..."
She flicked it into the air before catching it again and putting it back into the pocket.

"I don't see a reason to go back to them just to turn around and walk over here again. Might as well just use the opportunity to take a breather."

Crassius watched Nora chase Andrius around. I wonder if the commander is going to do anything when he see’s them doing this he thought to himself. Maybe I should help Andrius out it’s the least I could do after being rude to him the other day.

Seeing the Orc got him a little worried and he hurried up to see what was going on but I guess they got that taken care of. He then walked up to them and bursted into laughter seeing both of them covered with grass, sticks and who knows what else.

Sarcastically he asked, “So who won?”

Nora

Crassius came after them, laughing. Sarcastically he asked, “So who won?”

"I did." Nora looked at Andrius and raised her eyebrow at him. "Or do you have any objections, Andrius?"