Fantasy Tales from Tamriel: An Elder Scrolls RP

[WorldWeaver]

It is the year 4E 205, and Tamriel has grown restless. With Titus Mede II assassinated by the Dark Brotherhood, the Empire Tiber Septim had built now teeters on the edge of collapse, saved only by the quick thinking of the late emperor's grandson and heir to the throne: Claudius Mede. Quickly acting on preserving Cyrodiil at the very least and preparing for the inevitable second Great War with the Aldmeri Dominion, he offered peace to Ulfric Stormcloak and independence to Skyrim in exchange for a mutual defense pact, knowing Ulfric would be eager to take the fight to the Dominion when the time came. He is also reaching out to other territories, especially High Rock and Hammerfell, to aid in the oncoming war, for he has foreseen this coming conflict could determine more than whom Tamriel was dominated by. As the Dominion's army gathers at the heartland's southern borders, the fate of Tamriel and all of its people rest on a razor's edge.

Gorath and Ainssa
Location: Outside Bruma, hold of Cyrodiil
Ainssa shivered as a cold wind rushed down the mountain side she and her Orc partner Gorath found themselves ascending, the only other sounds around them being the clattering of the cart Gorath pulled behind him, the occasional clanking of his armor and the rustling of the trees. Around them, snow drifted to the ground, gently settling on the cobblestone road. She looked back to Gorath. The Orc didn't seem cold in the slightest, or at least wasn't showing it, stoically rolling their wares and supplies along the road with some effort. "We can stop on the roadside if you're tired, Gorath. This one wouldn't mind." It wasn't a lie, per se, as Gorath had been pulling the cart for miles now, and up quite a few rises. Frankly, the orc's strength and stamina had always astounded the Khajiit. But she was really trying to find an excuse to huddle up in a tent or by the fire with a nice warm blanket.

"I'd rather we get to the city as soon as possible." Gorath replied, grunting as he gave the wagon behind him a tug. "Uphill phases like this are tough enough, but they're next to impossible when they're wet. It's hard to get a good footing." He smirked a bit as Ainssa pouted. "Quit yer bellyaching, will ya? It's not that much further."

"That's what you said ten minutes ago..." Ainssa remarked, ears drooping. "My paws are already too numb to be sore..."

"Then it shouldn't be so hard for you to push on a bit more." Gorath pointed out. Ainssa grumbled under her breath, but kept going, her tail flicking about behind her as the duo continued up the mountain. Even if she hated coming here, she knew why they were here. Injuries and sicknesses were a lot more common in the Jeralt mountains during the cold season, and she'd be needed to tend to the injured and ill, bringing in a good profit for their two-person caravan.

In time, the two of them made it up the rise, and soon, Bruma came into their sight, the high stone-brick walls looming over them, and behind them rose the steeple of the city's temple. "Told you it wasn't much longer." Gorath said as he rolled the cart up to the outskirts. "We can rest here and go inside tomorrow." he reasoned, setting the cart down and pulling out the tents.

"You think we'll make enough here for that upgrade we've been working toward?" Ainssa asked as she helped him set up their mobile homes.

"Hard to say. But if your business intuition is anything to go by, and if there's enough bounties to go around, probably." Gorath reasoned, setting up the poles and draping and tying furs over them before lining the interior with furs as well. "Might want to set some aside for a winter cloak at least. Come to think of it, ya should've bought one while we were in the Imperial City." he chuckled. Ainssa gave him a hiss of annoyance, which only made him laugh harder.

 

[MarieK]

Aurelia
Location: Outside Bruma, Hold of Cyrodiil

El paused in her ascent up the mountain, allowing the natural slope of the land to conceal her cloaked form. For the fifth time since the start of their trek up the path, she pulled out a drawn image and stared at it. Despite the resemblance depicted there, she could scarcely determine if the one she followed was truly the same one.

Glancing aside, she allowed the picture to hover in midair and her lips tightened into a taunt line as they were prone to do when she was deep in thought.

"Gnat!" she whispered enthusiastically, snapping her gloved fingers. "We were in a lovers spat, then she ate a gnat."

El shook her head with a sigh, folding up the picture. She was losing her touch. The minstrel contest was a mere three weeks away. If she did not think of something better before then, that no-good Bramm would win it again- and she would gladly allow that Orc up ahead to ride Sweetfoot to Hammerfell before she let that happen.

Not that the Orc would have much trouble persuading the beast. Sweetfoot would follow anyone for a treat. That traitor.

With a sigh, she forced her legs back into motion. She was tired and cold. Hopefully, the duo would decide to stop and warm up with a nice campfire. It would also give her an excuse to approach them to ensure she had stumbled upon the correct culprit.

To be fair, it was not a great picture. The artist could hardly write much less draw. But the coin was enough for the trouble- at least it would be she hoped.

It was a pay-after kind of a job. The most unstable kind. The kind that made her want to give up chasing through the cold, go back down the mountain, find a pub, and-

"Cat!" she murmured beneath her breath, her lips curling into a numb smile. "We were in a lover's spat. It wasn't me, I cried, but the cat!"

Nope. Not quite.

Much to her relief Bruma soon came into view and the duo she had been trailing for miles, paused in their journey. Having no idea if the two were a friendly lot, she decided it was best to make her appearance known albeit with one hand close to a sheathed dagger. Pulling back her hood, she smiled warmly at the two as she approached, other hand extended in greeting.

Even this close it was impossible to decipher if the picture was a match. It left her in an undesirable position. Not the type to risk taking in an innocent, she would have to resort to asking questions to see if they knew anything about the situation.

"Hello, there," she called once she was within earshot. "It sure is cold, no?"

That was the understatement of the century.

Rubbing her hands together, she stopped just short of the edge of the path, not wanting to displease them by trespassing upon their campsite. Afterall, poking the wolf you wished to cage never turned out well.

"Mind if I sit for a spell?" she asked, looking from the Orc to the Khajiit.

 

[WorldWeaver]

Gorath and Ainssa
Location: Outside Bruma, Cyrodiil
Once their tents were set up, Gorath began assembling his forge, removing the stone bricks sanded down in a way where one layer interlocked with the other, creating a stable stone wall for the fire used to heat the metal, and a slot to poke the bellows through so he can keep it hot. Digging out a pit, he was about to place the bricks when someone approached their camp, calling out to them. Gorath looked over his shoulder as Ainssa stepped away from the cart to greet her.

"Greetings!" she said, walking up to her but pausing as she asked to sit at their campsite. She looked to Gorath, who simply shrugged. "Yes, please, have a seat and warm up. It is rather cold, yes... Truth be told I'm not quite built for it." She chuckled as she made her way back to the cart, pulling out a cauldron and filling it at a well before hanging it over the fire. "So, what brings you to Bruma?" she asked curiously, handing her a half-loaf of bread.

Gorath, meanwhile, kept working on his forge, laying down layers of bricks around the pit and setting the bellows nearby as he went to the cart and pulled out the anvil, a large block of wood to set it on, and a small smelting furnace, which he arranged in his usual fashion. Then, he unloaded all of Ainssa's alchemy supplies, bringing them into her tent, as well as a couple of bedrolls and furs for her makeshift clinic. All while he worked, he'd occasionally look over to Aurelia to make sure she wasn't planning anything. Once he was finished, he sat beside Ainssa, who handed him another half-loaf as she ate her own.

"You know you can remove your armor now, right Gorath? I mean, we're close enough to the city." Ainssa pointed out.

"I have my reasons." Gorath replied simply as he ate.

Mentions: MarieK

 

[Darkbloom]

Mairon Direnni
Location: Outside Bruma, hold of Cyrodiil

His blue robes flailed in the wind, requiring him to put up his traveler's hood. These were fairly warm robes but the enchantment he placed on them wasn't quite strong enough to keep our the cold. Something to work on, making enchantments better. He can see a bit of smoke coming from outside the city. His curiosity gets the better of him as he walks in that direction, catching sight of an orc, a khajit, and another he can't recall.

The orc has a forge set up, which peaks his interest in no small way. Forges have been in his life since he was a little boy, and one day he has a goal to forge his own set of armor and add a few good enchantments. These blue robes are the best he can manage at the moment. Once he is within speaking distance, he opens his mouth. "Good day, everyone. Need a hand with anything? I've walked a relatively far distance to get here with only my own thoughts as company."

 

[Gaius Danius Griinia]

Sword Puncher
Location: Jerall View Inn, Inside Bruma

"Why do we need katana? Ma'iq can find a normal sword for far cheaper without the hassle"

Sword Puncher had been drinking with this strange Khajit for the past hour. He said a lot of weird things that he couldn't quite understand. Things like why their current world lacked certain objects or phenomena. The reason Sword Puncher was even here in the first place was due to challenge the rumored giant bear that dwelled near some old Ayleid Ruins. Supposedly it was thrice the size of any bear in the entirety of Cyrodil. Defeating such a foe would surely help in his training to become the strongest man on Tamriel. Placing a few more septims in the palm of the barmaid. Sword Puncher wanted to get significantly more wasted before he set out. Clicking his neck and focusing in front of him on the Khajit. He was surprised to find the guy just straight gone. Asking around yielded nothing. No-one saw him leave. Bastard cat even stuck him with the bill for his cheese wheel. Sword Puncher now lacked the septims to afford any more mead. None of that wine made by Imperials was doing it for him. Sitting outside for a while. Sword Puncher found himself on the business end of a dagger in the hand of a scrawny looking punk. Offering the guy a single chance to back off. All the burly Nord could do was sigh before throwing a punch that knocked quite a few of the muggers teeth out. Picking the comatose punk from the ground and dragging him to the Bruma Guard. Sword Puncher was not rewarded with coin but words of praise.

 

[SomebodyElse]

Venora Argus
Location: Jerall View Inn

Venora had been staying at the Jerall View Inn by playing music on her lute. It was mostly men that had given her coin, with a few sweet words and flaunting her natural beauty, thank akatosh, she was able to be living a very comfortable life for over a week. Still she started to feel bored of living too cozily. Her tire of the same old mead they had been serving had been growing, she desired the taste of a more exciting brew of mead.

She decided to take a moment to step outside, bearing witness to a failed mugging attempt by one of the skinniest men she had ever seen, poor fool.
"Not bad. Although he clearly needed the coin. Look how skinny he was." She said to the the warrior who was clearly as much of a drunk as she was.

Gaius Danius Griinia

 

[WorldWeaver]

Gorath and Ainssa
Location: Outside Bruma, Cyrodiil
Mentions: Darkbloom

As Gorath finished his bread and helped Ainssa with the stew, He heard another voice call to them as another stranger approached their camp. Just how many people were coming to this frozen mountain top city? He paused a moment as if he just recalled one crucial detail: The arms race between the Aldmeri Dominion and Cyrodiil. Of course refugees and civilians would be headed north away from a future war zone. After all, they all knew what was coming.

He offered to help out. But for the moment, anything that needed doing had been or was being done. He opened his mouth to speak, but Ainssa beat him to it. "While we do not need any further assistance, please, feel free to sit by the fire with us and get the cold out." She offered. "Supper will be ready soon." Of course, Gorath thought as he looked to the feline, who simply shrugged with a smile on her face. She always seemed to have that habit, likely due to her profession. Gorath, however, looked to the Altmer with barely perceptible caution. He was an Altmer. That much was clear, but it was also the reason for his concern. After all, the Thalmor were composed solely of high elves, and this could be one of their agents in disguise. He'd have to watch this one. Carefully.

 

[Galactatech]

...five years ago.

Patrik Andersen, now known as Patrik Stormblade had returned to his home in Bruma. He had come to collect his familyand return to Skyrim to settle in Windhelm for aiding the stormcloaks , but something was wrong. It was too quiet. There were no birds chirping, the sky darkened, and as he approached, an unnatural chill came over him. There was a feeling of dread as he approached his door. With his heart in his throught, he turned the door to find a terrible sight. His Wife and children were dead. Patrik scrambled to them as realization hit him. "Noooo!" He cried as he cluched their cold, lifeless bodies. He turned to see a lich..

Present

Patrik Awoke with a jolt. "That Damn nightmare again." He said, raising from his sleep.

 

[Lady Moldoma]

Mythril Chambers

Location: Entering The Streets Of Bruma,

There was the distinctive noise of something being dragged across the ground. Across the street of Bruma. It reeked of blood and dead animal.

In fact that was exactly what it was. The corpse of a bear, 3 to 3 and a half times larger than the normal kind, being tirelessly dragged by the arms over the shoulder of a woman who was built, but still far too petite to be carrying it without the use of something like a potion of fortify carryweight. Her eyes were dilated so that was probably the case.

There was an old man in college robes, an outsider of course, visiting from winterhold. Who stepped up to her. "Ahh! Adventurer! I see you've-" He was interrupted mid sentence.

"You said nothing about hypnotized bandits in the ruins. Or ghosts, or the dark welkynd stone traps. Or the fact that at the bottom the whole thing was run by a Spider Daedra who I think was coming on to me." The woman began. "I brought you back your bear. But if you want any of the loot, that's extra. and I'm keeping the magic chain-whip."

"Oh- Daedra you say? Surely their must've been something more at work their than simply a Daedra inexplicably in hypnotic control of a group of bandits, ghosts, and a giant bear." The old man began.

"Listen, Old man, there probably was. I found a few journals on the occasional corpse that said something about a ritual, or a cult or something. But I wasn't really interested. If you really still want to go there, I've killed every bandit, giant spider, and cave monster in there, except for the Daedra. Since I knew you'd still probably wanna go there, she's not dead, I just broke her jaw and left her gagged and bound with some rope i found in the ruins." The blue haired elf treated her story as if it was not nonsensical, not hard to believe, but instead, completely average and, judging from her tone, a serious annoyance. "Now we agreed I'd bring you back the bear's corpse to study it for your fancy wizard college in winterhold."

"You managed to physically beat and restrain a daedra on your lonesome after facing an entire group of bandits and a bear? I-I'm sorry adventurer but I find that hard to believe." The old man said. "I have to thank you for clearing out the Ayleid Crypt, but are you certain what you saw was not some sort of-"

"Listen, I'm getting really tired of the shit I've had to put up with relating to you and your ruins quest. I didn't sign up for the little mini-quest I went on to clear it out." She holds up an ancient akaviri artifact, or something of that degree. "I found this crown, but it grants fire resistance, so it's extra if you want it, because I want it. 3000 gold, up front." She says. "And by the way, the Daedra made me feel uncomfortable because she wasn't wearing anything over her lady-junk. Keep that in mind 'cause she might try to seduce you, not that you could satisfy a demon."

"So just give me the money or whatever reward you were hoping to give me, and you can figure out how the hell you're gonna get the bear back to somewhere where you can study it. But I'm done with this quest." The woman finishes her statement, hoisting the bear off her shoulders and dropping it on the ground.