headcanon - THE SKY FORGE2024-03-29T12:17:51Zhttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/groups/the-story-corner/general-forum/feed/tag/headcanonThe Shinigami: Act 8 "Afterlife Shortlived"https://TheSkyForge.ning.com/groups/the-story-corner/general-forum/the-shinigami-act-8-afterlife-shortlived2019-09-12T05:12:48.000Z2019-09-12T05:12:48.000ZElomarhttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/members/Elomar<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}3552348905,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}3552348905,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="3552348905?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="300" /></a></p><p>Only the Volkihar can pull off a mind blowing trick like that. A grown man pulled downward through a frozen lake without so much of a crack on the ice above was astonishing. However, Lady Risa had no time to admire the fiend for Eljar had little chance to survive an underwater attack. He could drown any minute. Risa was swift to react.</p><p>Running at full speed, Risa used the momentum to slide on the ice to where Eljar was. Using her katana, she impaled the small crack where he had been pulled down, also abruptly stopping the slide. She spun around the blade to a stand. And without hesitation, she used her shield to hammer on the hilt of her sword before the storm froze the crack on the ice sealing the opening tight.</p><p>"You stupid fool", she exclaimed while continuing to pound on the sword. "You stupid, stupid fool", she added. She wasn't even sure who she was calling stupid if it was Eljar or herself because of her panic. She was usually calm and collected in situations like these. However, she let all her emotions this time to lash out on her katana to continuously break into the ice.</p><p>Letting insanity get the better of a person sometimes pays off. Risa was able to pierce through the ice a hole that could fit two men. But she has to bring Eljar back before the storm freezes the hole shut again.</p><p>She removed her heavy armor and shield, leaving only her tunic and trousers on. Armor would have brought her straight down to the bottom of the lake. Drowning was not an option. And without hesitation, with katana in hand, she plunged into the freezing water.</p><p>However dark and noisy it was on the surface with the storm unleashing its fury, it was a stark contrast in the water under the ice. The blackness of the stagnant lake below created an illusion as if the frozen water above was as white as the morning sky. Risa could see everything. But nothing else was around, save for a few rocks and aquatic plant life at the bottom. It gave her an eerie feeling that someone might grab her from behind, or something.</p><p>There was no sign of Eljar. She surveyed the bottom before she took a deep breath from the surface. Then she dove down to a crevice in between the rocks. It wasn't that deep at all, only shellfish lived there. She swam next to a patch of grass as tall as a man. She shoved it to the side. None. No sign of life except for a few Spadetails swimming frantically away.</p><p>She surfaced again just to check the hole wasn't sealed tight by ice, and to take another breath. The hole narrowed a little so she chipped it more with her sword before going back down. She kept repeating this process over and over until fatigue started to catch up with her. She was a Nord of Akaviri descent and should have been used to the cold, but the chill was also slowly creeping up to her bones to kill her. And there was still no sign of Eljar and the Volkihar vampire.</p><p>She was beginning to lose hope. But she never stopped. She went back in the water again and again covering even larger distances. At times, she opted from chipping the ice to save more time that was running out fast. With every second, she could feel that she was losing her strength.</p><p>Frustration was building up. With so much time passed already, she was beginning to realize that it was already a lost cause. No one would've survived that long under freezing circumstances especially while struggling against the clutches of a powerful vampire. And not to mention the fact that it was impossible to hold one's breath that long.</p><p>She eventually surfaced, and stood up slowly, clearly drained of her strength. She stared down at the ice she was standing on for a few moments afterwards. "El-Chan…", she whispered. A tear would have probably rolled down her face if only it did not get frozen by the blizzard.</p><p>Despair grew inside her as if its weight slowly became unbearable for her to suddenly fall on her hands and knees. And this time, the storm was not enough to prevent her tears from flowing like a stream out of her sorrowful eyes. She finally broke down. Denial transformed into regret. Her only thought in that moment was if only she could have told Eljar how she really felt for him. She then realized it was too late, and all was lost.</p><p>She looked up with tears constantly flowing out of her eyes, and screamed so loudly Eljar's name that the stormy weather did not muffle it at all. She kept wailing in sadness. She kept pounding on the ice with her fists. She had not broken down like this ever since she lost her husband and son.</p><p>The grief that she felt at that moment was so great that it made her decide to throw her life away. "One more time", she thought, deciding to give her last breath for Eljar as she jumped through the hole one last time.</p><p>In the end, she never gave up on him. She would have never surfaced this time, and drowned herself if she did not find him. However, drowning was not going to be the means to threaten her life because as soon as she reentered the water, something suddenly snatched her from behind.</p><p>A hand even colder than the frigid water grabbed Risa's right arm. The grip was so tight that it might have caused her blood to stop flowing through her hand. She could not break free from it so she forced herself to a turn to face the culprit to better assess the situation.</p><p>It was a Volkihar vampire. Its eyes had a red glow that pierced through the darkness of the lake and straight into Risa's soul. The gaze told a story of a thousand years of thirst that never quenched. It may be another monster, or the same one that took Eljar down. Whoever this was, its hunger was not satisfied.</p><p>Risa needed to act fast. If it was on land, it would be quick work. However, in the water, she was out of her element. Her katana was useless for her right arm was trapped in the clutches of the vampire. Using her left hand, she tried to get her soul siphoning wakizashi, but was immediately caught by the fiend causing the short sword to drop to the bottom.</p><p>It was of no use at all. Her godlike speed was powerless in the water. She tried to kick herself free with both legs, but the strength of the creature was too much, not too mention she was already in a weakened state to begin with. She knew it now. She was going to die.</p><p>The vampire was very much intent on biting her neck already. She could not move as it hugged her with her arms locked tight behind by its vice like grip. Its head was gearing towards her as it stared at her neck. She closed her eyes, and offered a silent prayer in her thoughts. It was a shame though that she met her end like this, death by the hands of her prey. Then that was it.</p><p>However, the searing pain of fangs piercing through her jugular vein did not come, not even the feeling of her blood and life force slowly draining away. "Ryuujin is kind", she thought assuming that the dragon god sent the real Shinigami to give her a painless death. But the tiredness and the pains of battle beforehand was still there. The afterlife must have something to do with lingering sensations coming from before the actual death. But it wasn't so. It was an indication that she was still alive.</p><p>When Risa opened her eyes, she realized that she was free from the clutches of the vampire. Vampire dust dissolved in water along with swirling purplish arcane energy clouded the water around her. The monster was defeated and soul trapped by someone, she realized as she looked around for the hole leading to the surface. This time, she was slowly losing air and drowning.</p><p>As her consciousness started to drift away from her, the cloud of ash started to clear revealing a shadow swimming close to her. "Great, I'm already dying. Can't these blood suckers leave me be..", she thought with some frustration, only wanting to die peacefully.</p><p>The shadow grabbed her by the waist, probably making sure to get the bite right this time around. "Funny that vampires are like feral beasts fighting each other for food", she thought as she continued to lose her grip on life. But the body next to her was warm. It was not one of the Volkihar, and it swam upwards towards the hole leading to the surface.</p><p>The moment they reached the surface, Risa gasped for air and pulled herself up, crawling on the ice away from the hole. She stopped on all fours and continued coughing out water. Her life started to flow back to her as if the true Shinigami gave her soul back. And it was interesting how the vampire's soul was caught as an exchange. "Wait", she thought as she looked back as if she realized something.</p><p>"I believe this belongs to you, milady", Eljar said while handing over the wakizashi that Risa dropped moments that seemed ages ago.</p><p>"Eljar? How…", Risa whispered, wide eyed and in awe. He was there kneeling beside her, handing over her soul trapping short sword, as if everything that happened was just trivial. He wasn't even trying to catch his breath which was odd since they were both underwater for so long. The whole setup felt surreal for Risa that it gave her an impression that they were now both in Sovngarde.</p><p>Eljar looked back at Risa as if adoring her look of disbelief. It was as if he read her mind perfectly when he jested and smiled, "no, Ri-Chan. This isn't the afterlife. We're very much alive".</p><p>Making sure this was not a vampiric illusion, or something else playing with her mind, Risa swiftly grabbed her wakizashi. She sheathed it without even releasing her gaze towards Eljar to make sure it was all real. Her curious look simply gave away her intent for Eljar to answer her question, how did he do it?</p><p>"You must be wondering how I did it", Eljar said breaking the brief silence. She simply nodded, still with a very cautious and curious look, and still catching her breath. "Fermented blood from Black Marsh. I got this to go from Haemar's Shame", he added jokingly. However, Risa shifted her look from curious to confused as her eyes squinted, implying that she did not get the relevance of it all. "I have a habit of drinking looted alcohol from quests, you know", Eljar added again, however, on a more serious note.</p><p>Risa shifted her head to the right, and squinted even more. She got even more confused. She had no clue what Eljar was talking about. It felt very nonsensical for her. "I'm probably dreaming", she thought. But the cold winds of the Jerall mountains smashed against her soaked garments. She shivered into reality. This was not a dream.</p><p>Eljar looked at Risa with some confusion as well. He could not understand why she couldn't comprehend what he's saying. "Sensei, don't you get it? It's blood wine from Black Marsh", Eljar said impatiently. But it seemed like it did not sink in to the both of them that they were misunderstanding each other until Eljar added, "Argonian Bloodwine, milady".</p><p>Suddenly, it seemed like Risa got her soul back. Her expression changed to a mix of relief and disbelief. Still teary eyed from the storm of emotions for the past few minutes, she smiled and approached closer to Eljar as if she was about to hug him. As Eljar readied himself to give the Lady Daimyo a tight hug back, out of nowhere, she punched him in the face, right in the middle, just above the nose.</p><p>"Ouch", Eljar exclaimed in pain from the bleeding nose. "Uh.. you're welcome..? That hurt", he added.</p><p>"You fucking son of a bitch", Risa replied softly, but furiously. She stood up, and stared down on Eljar, that same glaring look she gave him, as always.</p><p>"What? I saved your life. I didn't know breaking one's nose was your way of showing gratitude", Eljar said sarcastically while holding his nose. Risa was tired, but she still had the strength to break a grown man's nose. It bled profusely. And did not help seeing the Lady in a damp, white, now see through tunic. He could clearly see her black upper undergarment under her top, while she stood in front of him. His imagination seemed to ignite something that would make his head combust while he grabbed her cuirass as he stood up. "Risa-Sensei, your armor", he added as he gave Risa her armor chest piece, and simultaneously looking away, but stealthily glancing at her almost bare chest.</p><p>Risa swiftly grabbed her armor and donned it. She glared at him once, implying that she really was furious. However, she immediately looked away, flustered because of immediately recalling the events that unfolded prior to this. Her moment of weakness, when she cried for him, he was alive and conscious the whole time. It was really embarrassing for her thinking that she may have given Eljar a glimpse of how she really felt for him. "You were there the whole time, Eljar. You should've shown yourself to me", she said, while adjusting her armor.</p><p>"I was waiting for the right moment to strike, Sensei", he answered nervously.</p><p>"So you used me as bait", she replied coldly, but with obvious fury.</p><p>"No, of course not. But yeah, sort of."</p><p>"Care to explain?"</p><p>Eljar stared at her for a while. She was still giving him that glaring look. The wind blew and gave him an unusual chill. He was used to the freezing climate, but something was different. It was extraordinarily cold, but her stern look did not waiver at all. He then sighed and told her what happened.</p><p>"It pulled me downward into the water, but I quickly kicked myself out of its grip. Using the momentum of its pull, and my kick, combined with the weight of my armor, I sunk to the bottom faster than it could swim. Then I hid myself waiting for the right opportunity. But it stalked me relentlessly. That thing was really hungry, I guess."</p><p>"Enough with the details, Eljar. You sound like a girl in puberty", Risa cut him impatiently.</p><p>Then it was Eljar's turn to give her a glaring look, but also slightly twisting and nodding his head sarcastically to the right. He took a moment to think of how he was going to cut his story short. But the bone chilling winds did not help. It was becoming painfully cold. "Suddenly, you went in the water", he blurted out.</p><p>"So that's where I become bait then", Risa said without changing her expression, keeping her eyes on Eljar.</p><p>"No. Not exactly", Eljar replied immediately, finally clearing his head and gaining confidence with his explanation. "It was too soon for me to show myself. I would rather stay hidden than risk getting both of us killed", he added.</p><p>"Why would you assume that we'll both get killed? There's two of us."</p><p>"We were not exactly in our element in the water, Ri-Chan. This monster had been hunting in the water for years, and probably centuries already. Not to mention the fact that I would just get in the way, right, Sensei?"</p><p>The sternest gaze of the Lady of the Pale Pass finally broke. Risa could not say anything to that and just looked away. She recalled that about an hour ago, Eljar was so enthusiastic in helping the Shinigami, but she quickly shut him down and said that he'll just get in the way. However, it all ended up with him saving her life. The ingredients to the mixture of emotions continued to increase in variety, and this time, guilt was added.</p><p>"You got its attention", Eljar continued, momentarily breaking Risa's silence. "The vampire's focus shifted towards you, and probably forgot about me completely", he added.</p><p>"So I was the easier prey then. Not bait", Risa replied blankly, almost whispering.</p><p>"No, milady. But more of the only available prey because I disappeared completely in the cold water", Eljar answered back, giving off a more forgiving tone. "Vampire's tend to track its prey through heat signatures, called thermoception, like the blood sucking bats they were derived from by the Daedric Lord Molag Bal. They love warm blood, apparently", he added.</p><p>"Here he goes again with his details", Risa thought as a smile lit up her face, breaking her sternness. She thought of the prospect of her former student becoming a more prolific vampire hunter than she is. And that gave her a sense of fulfillment, especially that it was Eljar whom she saw something with potential in him. But she sighed after a few moments thinking that she greatly underestimated him. She was still feeling guilty with what she said earlier.</p><p>"I have to give it to you Eljar", Risa said ending her brief thought processing. Then she added, "you know your prey very well. But these things still have heightened senses and abilities. How did you know when to strike it?"</p><p>"Heightened senses have consequences, Ri-Chan. Heightened focus. It simply forgot about everything else, and focused on you", Eljar answered, somehow with his voice waivering. "As I've said, it must've been really hungry. I just simply removed my armor and swam up as fast as I could to strike it", Eljar continued with a little bit more confidence, but he was obviously sounding fatigued. "It's actually a good thing you dropped your wakizashi. Was able to kill it quickly", he added.</p><p>"Eljar, are you alright?"</p><p>"I'm fine, milady. Just cold", he said, almost a whisper. "Let's just walk back home. I'm truly sorry for somewhat using you as bait", he added as he turned around to walk a few steps, only to collapse on the ice.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>*Author's Note:</em></p><p><em>The Vampires in es canon are not necessarily reliant on thermoception when hunting. It is only a nod to the real world vampire bats of the Americas where they regularly feed on the blood of mammals and birds. But feel free to imagine the possibility of an entity like Molag Bal being responsible for the creation of these magnificent animals.</em></p><p>If you're interested in more Shinigami action, here is the link of the table of contents: </p><p><a href="https://theskyforge.ning.com/groups/the-story-corner/general-forum/the-shinigami">https://theskyforge.ning.com/groups/the-story-corner/general-forum/the-shinigami</a></p></div>Chapter 3 - Llyrin's 2nd Greatest Gifthttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/groups/the-story-corner/general-forum/chapter-3-llyrins-2nd-greatest-gift2019-08-25T02:31:26.000Z2019-08-25T02:31:26.000ZTheGreyCrusaderhttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/members/TheThirdCrusader<div><p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><em><span style="font-weight:400;">Gthunk!</span></em></span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">I crashed on the bed completely worn out from my lessons with Llyrin and Ervyna.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“By the Three I’m tired,” I thought to myself as I laid on the simply made cot located in the furthest right corner of the room. “And tomorrow I have to train with Llyrin again.” </span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">Just thinking about it made me even more fatigued. I sighed at the thought.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Well, if I want to get some shut eye, then I’d better get ready for bed,” I said to myself in the barracks room.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">Standing up and looking around the sand colored walls that were lined with candles for some lumination showed that the barracks were full with at least thirty cots and bunks with accompanying drawers. It could house probably twice that number. However, the only occupants in the room were myself and maybe fifteen or so other soldiers who were either playing Shenanigan Cards or preparing themselves for bed. The remaining beds were unfilled, mostly due to lack of recruits. </span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">I looked around the room for a bit before taking off the shirt Llyrin gave me and my chitin boots and gauntlets. I was soon wearing nothing but my undergarments and my mohawk.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">A guard came through the door at the furthest left corner of the room and told the mer that were playing Shenanigans that it was lights out. The mer threw their cards on the table and grumbled, but didn’t complain too much as they removed their armor and headed for bed.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">I followed suit and pulled a fur blanket out from my cot side drawer and pulled it over me. I blew out my candle for some extra darkness to help me sleep and faded off to sleep.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">It was barely dawn when I awoke to the sounds of barrack horns. Everyone jumped to their feet and put on their armor. It was inspection time, for the soldiers anyways. They all rushed to strap their Bonemold on before Llyrin came for inspection. Llyrin came through the door to the barracks along side another guard to see if the men were readied and were squared away. He was a sight in his heavy chitin armor, adorned with gold and black ribbons, like the priests at the Temple.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">I quickly donned my chitin boots and gauntlets and threw my shirt on as well. I may just be a sellsword, but Llyrin is strict about the shape of his men, even the hired ones.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“ALL RIGHT YOU FETCHERS, STAND TO!” Llyrin barked at is men. Llyrin damn well knew how to make an entrance and his men listened too, some of them shaking a little where they stood.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Now all of you fall in!” Llyrin commanded again watching to see if anyone took their sweet time. None did, especially not I. Llyrin doesn’t like it when people drag ass.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">We all stood in a line in a row in the middle of the room where the cots and bunks left space to walk between. We were shoulder to shoulder and stood at attention.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">Llyrin began his inspection by starting at the far right end of the line and making his way to the end, where I stood. He began inspection by looking over his mens armor and making sure that they were in top condition.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-weight:400;">He pulled his ebony scimitar and tapped the chest piece of every mer in the line, all making the same dull thumping noise to test the thickness of the armor. He got to about the sixth man in line and tapped on his chest piece with his blade except this time it made a lighter </span><em><span style="font-weight:400;">tink</span></em><span style="font-weight:400;"> sound.</span></span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-weight:400;">Llyrin stopped and looked the man over, and tapping on his chest piece once more and making the same</span><em><span style="font-weight:400;"> tink, tink, tink </span></em><span style="font-weight:400;">sound.</span></span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Soldier, your armor isn’t up to par, go to the smithy and have it bolstered. If you don’t you will surely be ran through,” Llyrin said sternly. “If I inspect it again and your armor is not up to par I will reprimand you for negligence of Dres property.”</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">I found Llyrin’s words ironic considering the fact that Dres is known for slavery and they aren’t the kindest to them either, but that’s none of my business. I’m here to get paid to fight, not give my opinions.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">Llyrin finally went through the rest of the inspection without issue and finally came to me, the last man in the line.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">Llyrin looked me over, then smirked. He told the men to fall out and go to their respective posts, save for me. He looked at the guard accompanying him who was carrying some chitin armor and gestured to the guard to hand over the armor. The guard walked over to me and handed me a full set of some of the most well crafted chitin armor I had ever laid eyes on.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Sero I decided to get rid of your old chitin armor because I felt it wasn’t worth repairing such Netch dung craftsmanship,” Llyrin said with his arms held casually behind his back. “This, however, was crafted by Grendis Rolovo, one of the finest smiths in Morrowind, may it serve you well.”</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“L-Llyrin I-I-I don’t know what to say except thank you, I don’t know how I could begin to repay you,” I blurted out, ever grateful to have such fine armor and to have such a generous friend.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“You can repay me by helping me win this war Sero,” The Dark Elf said with conviction.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“I’ll certainly do my best,” I said as I stood there, armor in hand.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Well, when your fitted up come see me in the sparring room, you’ll need more practice,” Llyrin said as he turned towards the door and walked out with the other guard.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">I was filled with gratitude beyond measure that Llyrin would go out of his way to provide me with such spectacular armor. I hastily removed my worn chitin and tried on the new light chitin armor that Llyrin gave me. It was breathtaking.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">After I was done admiring my armor I went out the door and walked down the sand colored corridor that connected the barracks to the training room. The other soldiers were sparring with each other and Llyrin was walking in between the rows that they formed, evaluating their stances, their strikes and ripostes. </span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">Llyrin walked to the middle of the room and called everyone to attention once again. We all filed in in the middle of the room awaiting further command from Llyrin</span></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-weight:400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight:400;">“Listen up fetchers!” Llyrin commanded. “Today I’m going to show you how to fight like a proper Dres soldier! You will be sparring with yours truly. I will see if any of you need improving and which of you are fit for battle. We will go from left to right until everyone has sparred with me at least once.”</span></span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">With that we began the session. First up was a soldier I did not know the name of until Llyrin called him.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Hort, you’re up first,” Llyrin pointed to him with his scimitar.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">Hort stepped forward a few times and turned to face Llyrin. Hort, like the rest of the soldiers, were clad in full Armun-An Bonemold, and equipped with a steel longsword and bonemold shield.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">Llyrin took a stance with his sword pointed out towards his opponent and his knees slightly bent, ready for anything that the soldier could throw his way.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">The soldier unsheathed his sword and readied his shield for a charging assault at Llyrin.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“AAAAAAHHHH!” The mer yelled as he ran towards Llyrin, shield raised.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">Llyrin sidestepped the mer and tripped him, much like he had done with me the previous night. The guard crashed into the floor dropping his shield and losing his weapon.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Only s’wits announce their attack with a battle cry,” Llyrin jeered. “Now get back up and fight like a proper Dres soldier!”</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">The guard scrambled to his feet and picked up his sword. I’m sure under is helmet he was flush with rage because he charged for Llyrin again attempting to thrust his sword into him only for Llyrin to parry it with his ebony scimitar. Llyrin’s parry broke the mer’s stance and caused him to hunch over slightly leaving him open. Llyrin took the opportunity to simply smack the side of the mer's helmet, pissing him off even more.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">Llyrin walked away from the soldier with his back turned and the soldier tried to take advantage of this. The soldier regained his stance and charged once more towards Llyrin.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">Llyrin parried the blow by swinging his sword behind his back and driving his opponent's sword into the wooden floor. He then followed his blade up the soldier’s and stopped just short of the mer’s neck.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“It seems you need more training, I recommend trying a more subtle approach to your targets instead of wildly running at them,” Llyrin said as he gave his usual smirk.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">He went through the rest of the soldiers with ease, some needing improvement like Hort, and others being satisfactory to Llyrin’s evaluation. Then Llyrin came to me.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Sero you’re up,” The raspy voiced elf said.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">I stepped out of line and faced my teacher once more. I unsheathed my chitin short sword and took my stance.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">Llyrin was the one to make the first move this time. He came at me with an overhead slash, and I just barely dodged his attack. Even though he had missed it did not throw his balance. He regained his stance immediately. </span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-weight:400;">I acted like I was going to go for a right slash, but at the last moment switched for a left slash. It worked! Llyrin tried to parry my blow but missed entirely. My sword bounced off of his left pauldron making a </span><em><span style="font-weight:400;">twing</span></em><span style="font-weight:400;"> sound.</span></span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">While the blow caused me to recoil instead of him I was surprised I actually managed to land a blow at all. By the look on his face I’d say Llyrin was too!</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">Llyrin attempted another swing at me and I sidestepped again, this time to the left. I used my window of opportunity to get some distance between me and Llyrin to see if I could coax him into running at me.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“What’s the matter? Getting slow in your old age?” I playfully mocked.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Oh, I’ll show you slow Sero,” Llyrin said with a smirk.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">It worked because Llyrin sprinted at me like a Cliff Racer on a Skooma binge. I used his speed to my advantage however by just ducking under his blade and sweeping his leg out from under him. His heavy chitin armor betrayed him and caused him to crash to the ground, and losing his grip on his blade in the process.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">I pointed the tip of my sword at him as he lay on the ground and he simply looked back up at me in utter disbelief. His shocked face turned to his trademark smirk and he laughed a little.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“You need to have a better grip on your weapon old mer, and a better grip off the floor as well,” I said as I smirked under my chitin helmet.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Well, well, well Sero, you’re shaping up to be a worthy investment after all,” The Dunmer said with a tone akin to a proud father. “Now help me up you fetcher!”</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">I sheathed my sword and helped my mentor off of the floor.</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Alright everyone, this concludes today’s lesson. I want all of you to turn in now. Those of you who are battle worthy be prepared to ship out by sunrise because you’re going to the front lines to take the fight to those scally bastards.”</span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">I suppose that meant me too. I would soon find out come morning.</span></p><p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p></div>Chapter 2 - The Priestesshttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/groups/the-story-corner/general-forum/chapter-2-the-priestess2019-08-17T21:56:19.000Z2019-08-17T21:56:19.000ZTheGreyCrusaderhttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/members/TheThirdCrusader<div><p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><em><span style="font-weight:400;">Creeeeeeek</span></em></span></p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">The large, wooden doors to the Temple were held in place by old, worn hinges. The creaking of the doors were just audible enough in the later hours of the night to attract the attention of a few priests who were praying or talking to some of the visitors.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">They simply glanced at me momentarily and continued about their business. </span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">I looked around the entry hall to see if this Ervyna was close by. I saw no priestesses. She must be further in the Temple, probably praying to the shrine of Almalexia as most healers would. </span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">As I made my way past the few rows of wooden benches and torches hung upon the walls I asked a few priests where I could find Ervyna. They pointed me to the left of where we stood. I headed in that direction and came upon the section of the temple dedicated to Almalexia. It was a few yards from the entrance and directly to the right. This is where I found Ervyna, who was as I had predicted, praying to a shrine of Almalexia.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">Ervyna was dressed in blue, flowing, temple priest robes with a black scarf with golden trim and decoration. Her hood was down revealing her short brown hair that she had swept back. From my perspective I could not tell she was a woman what with the flowing robe. The only give away was her voice. I was standing a few feet behind her when she spoke.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Do you require the services of a healer, or are you here to pray?” She said without turning to see who had entered.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“How did you know anyone was behind you?” I said, not alluding to who I was.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“I could hear the clack of your chitin boots when you walked down the hall, which means you’re not a priest, and guards rarely enter the temple when wearing their armor,” She answered. “Tear doesn't get many adventureres these days, mostly mercenaries looking for fortune in this war..”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">I detected a hint of resentment in her voice.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“I’m just here to fix my wounds and leave, Llyrin sent me,” I retorted, feeling a little uneasy at the remark.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“You know Llyrin?” Ervyna said as she rose from the ground and turned to face me. “Then let me see what I can do for you, after all, a friend of my father’s is a friend of mine.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">She was more beautiful than I had expected her to be. Most priestesses weren’t exactly the most fetching creatures to lay your eyes upon. Ervyna on the other hand was more than an eyeful, even if all you could see was her face. Lovely crimson eyes, hair that looked akin to brown silk, skin a light gay, and a face that was as youthful as ever. She could of been my age, or she could of been eighty years older. I stared at her for a few seconds before she spoke again.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Well are you going to stand there all night or are you going to let me take a look at your wounds?” The Dunmer priestess said demandingly.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“I, uh, y-yes of course,” I stuttered. She had caught me off guard with her stern, yet calm voice. </span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Then follow me over here and let me see what I can do,” Ervyna said as she directed me towards a small wooden table in the left corner of the torch lit room. I took a seat at the table and Ervyna asked me to show her the wounds. </span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Let’s start with this one,” I said showing her the top of my right hand.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">The slice on the top of my hand didn’t sting as much as the one across my chest, but it did look worse, even if it wasn’t bleeding...much.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">Ervyna’s eyes widened slightly at the slight gash on my hand. </span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“How did you do that?” She asked.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“I’d rather not say,” I replied, slightly embarrassed, remembering how I foolishly tried to mimic Llyrin.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Alright, well come here.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">She reached out taking my hand between both of hers and emitting a dim light. Her hands were warm and soft, a sensation I had never known.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“It should be fine now,” Ervyna said as she removed her hands from mine.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">I looked down at my hand and the cut was healed up. No scar or trace of any injury. Perfectly healed.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“I have another wound that needs healing.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Oh? Well show me so I can take care of it.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“It’s on my chest, a slash.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-weight:400;">“Let me see and we'll go from there, now remove your shirt.”</span><span style="font-weight:400;"><br /> <br /> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">Hearing her ask me to remove my shirt made me feel a little embarrassed, but I wanted this stinging to go away as quickly as possible. I lifted the loose fitting brown shirt Llyrin had given me revealing my defined abs, hours training with Llyrin had their benefits, and then finally my chest.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">I pulled the shirt off my head, ears snagging the opening then finally springing back into place. I swept my lengthy hair out of my eyes and put the shirt on the table and sat down. </span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">I think I saw Ervyna slightly blush when I finally removed my shirt, but her face held no immediate emotion, making her difficult to read. She just stared at my chest for a few moments until I was the one to break the silence.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“You going to heal me or just stand there all night?” I teased.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“O-of course, t-that's what I’m here for.” She said nervously, blushing again. “How did this happen?”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Training with Llyrin, he cut straight through my armor.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“If it weren’t for your armor the cut would’ve been more worse.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“How much more worse?” I asked, a little worried.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“If the cut was an inch deeper you might of had a scar at best, or a bad infection at worst had you not come to get healed.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">I let out a sigh of relief. For a second there I thought she was going to tell me I might of died. Carrying around a scar wouldn’t of been much, but an infection would off put me out of commission for a few weeks.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Well heal me up, I’d like to get to bed as quickly as possible,” I said, letting out a slight yawn.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">Ervyna seemed a little annoyed at my demand. I could tell by the slight frown she gave me. Never-the-less, she placed her hand on my chest and began the healing process once more.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">As I sat there with her hand on my chest I simply looked at her. She would look at me, then at my wound, then back at me. I think I saw her blush again.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Hey,” I said softly.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Yeah?”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Are you blushing?”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“What?” She asked puzzled.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“I saw your cheeks turn red when you touched my chest.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“I’m just not used to healing people, I’m a novice.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“A novice? My hand healed perfectly!” I said, astonished at her work.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“I can heal small and minor wounds like yours, but I need more practice.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Ervyna?”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Yes?”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">"You're a better healer than you think, so thanks for healing me.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Don’t thank me yet.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><em><span style="font-weight:400;">Don't thank me yet?</span></em><span style="font-weight:400;"> What did that mean?</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“What do you mean?” I asked.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-weight:400;">“You said you were training with Llyrin, and I can guess you’re not one of his soldiers, which means you </span><em><span style="font-weight:400;">are</span></em><span style="font-weight:400;"> a mercenary.” She said in her calm voice.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“What does that have to do with anything?”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“You’re probably here because of the war, aren't you?” Ervyna asked with a bit of sorrow in her voice.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">I sighed. “Yes, yes I am.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“So my healing you would be for naught,” She said in her still sorrowful tone.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“You think I’ll meet my end in this war?”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Sellswords like you are hired because they’re expendable,” She answered. </span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“While that is true, it is the only way I can make a decent living,” I declared.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Decent?” Ervyna said in a quizzical tone. “Is it decent to die for those who do not care for you?”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“You know that’s not what I meant.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">As I finished speaking she removed her hand from my chest to reveal that damage Llyrin had done had been reversed.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">She looked at me mournfully like I was an injured animal crying out in pain. She would’ve been only half-right. </span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“What is your name?” She asked.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Teldryn, Teldryn Sero, blade for hire,” I said as I began to put the shirt I had laid on the table back on.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Ervyna Dres,” She said in return. “You’ve already met my father Llyrin.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Yes, you mentioned that earlier. He is quite the swordsman. My previous wounds can attest to that.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Father can get carried away when training new recruits or giving lessons, but he means well,” Ervyna said perking up. “I’m not sure why he’d train a mercenary though.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“He wanted to see my form before I was hired, wanted to see if I was worth paying,” I replied.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Were you?” She asked.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Barely. He insisted that I train with him so I can become a ‘more useful soldier’.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Well if you intend on getting cut up some more I can teach you a basic restoration spell,” Ervyna said with a somewhat soothing tone of voice.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Don’t you need the practice?” I asked standing up from the chair and stretching my chest and previously injured hand.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“I get enough training from the priests here, but you won’t always be in Tear when in need of healing, especially when you go to war,” She said.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Alright, I must warn you, I’ve never used magic before.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">“Anyone can learn given time, especially this simple spell.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">Within the hour Ervyna showed me how to channel my magick into a healing light. It took a fair few tries and a quick skim over one of her healing tomes, but eventually I figured out how to tap into my magicka reserves for the very first time and produce my first spell that Ervyna simply called Mend Wounds.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:12pt;">After our little lesson concluded I thanked her and asked how much her healing services would cost me. She said I didn't owe her a single drake and that I should just rest. I thanked her one last time before heading out of the Temple and back towards the barracks where the soldiers slept so I could, at last, catch some shut eye. </span></p><p> </p></div>Chapter 1 - My Lucky Starthttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/groups/the-story-corner/general-forum/chapter-one-my-lucky-start2019-08-13T19:37:53.000Z2019-08-13T19:37:53.000ZTheGreyCrusaderhttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/members/TheThirdCrusader<div><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"No boy, again!" A deep, raspy voice said as the elf who it belonged to easily disarmed me. "You'll be no use to us in this war if you cannot even fight properly."</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"You're supposed to train me! How do you expect me to get better if I can't even swing?" I angrily remarked.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"You need to learn to have a firm grip on your weapon Sero. You cannot hope to learn how to fight if you can be so easily neutralized," The Dres elf retorted with a stern voice.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">The Dunmer that was attempting to train me was Llyrin Dres. A soldier and noble belonging to the Great House Dres. He was clad in heavy chitin plate armor. Very similiar to steel in construct, only it was made with chitin from local ash hoppers and reinforced with resinous glues. His ebony scimitar gleaming a black silver in the torchlight. It was late at night and I was to train inside with him until I could get the lesson right. I was becoming more and more exhausted with each attempted swing. Llyrin was still wide awake and not the least bit tired as I was. Groggily, I went in for another swing and.... failed miserably. </span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">The elf sidestepped my overhead swipe from my chitin shortsword with a swiftness I thought only a cliff racer could possess, my sword burried itslef into the wooden floor and for the love of The Tribunal I could not wrench it free. Llyrin took the opportunity to bring his elbow crashing down onto the back of my head rendering me dazed and confused. The blow dropped me to my knees.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">I scrambled to my feet and looked up to see three Llyrins staring back at me with blurred and wavy outlines. He dashed towards me and cut me across the chest diagonally, but just enough to cut through my chitin armor and draw blood. It stung. I recoiled from the swipe while also trying to distance myself from him and his blade so I could regain my eyesight and hopefully land a blow on him. Even though I was seeing triple and my vision was blurry I could swear I saw Llyrin smirk.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">Knowing I couldn't retrieve my shortsword, for fear of Llyrin to take it as an opportunity to land another hit, I rushed him with as much speed as my tired, aching body could muster.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">Llyrin kept his composure and simply ducked with a swipping leg, tripping me up and knocking me on my ass. </span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"Tsk, tsk, tsk," The elf clicked with his tongue while shaking his head in dissapointment, his black flowing hair shifting as he did. "We shall continue this session tommorow Sero, for it seems you cannot grasp this lesson and I wish to retire to my bed. I want you at your best tommorow morning at four o'clock right back here. Do I make myslef clear?"</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"Yes sir," I said whith a huffing breath.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">Llyrin sheathed his sword with a showy twirl back into the scabbard and stretched forth his right hand to help me up. I looked up at him, my stomach falling and rising with each labored breath. I reached up for his hand and grasped it with what little strength I had left. Llyrin yanked me to me feet and looked me over.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"Seems I did a little damage to your armor and some to your body as well what with that blood dripping fom your cuirass," Llyrin pointed to the slash across my chest that trailed from my left shoulder down to my lowest right rib. "However I feel I've done more damage to your ego than anything, but worry not, I will whip you into shape before long. Never-the-less go see Ervyna at the temple to get healed up. You're going to need it for tommorow. And take that armor off and give it to me so I can repair it."</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">The Dunmer went over to a table where some armors, weapons, and a few clothes layed. He tossed me a brown shirt and I snatched it from the air. I quickly loosened the amor and attempted to remove it. As I did I whinced when I lifted my arms above my head. The cut still stung, but Llyrin was right, my pride hurt worse than the physical damage. With a little effort and ignoring the slight pain I removed the torso piece of my chitinous armor to reveal the slash mark. A Scrib could have done more damage, but that didn't stop it from stinging anyways.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"Did you have to ruin my armor?" I asked in an annoyed tone as I pulled the shirt Llyrin gave me over my head.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"Oh please Teldryn, don't give me that shit," Llyrin said in his monotone, grumbly voice. "Your armor might as well be made out of Netch dung, besides I said I would take care of it for you. How many nobles do you know would actually do that for someone like you?"</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"None," I replied.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"Exactly, now off with you."</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"Yes sir," I said in an affirmative tone as I turned to go out the door.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"Hey Sero!" </span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"Yeah?" I asked as I turned back around to face Llyrin.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"Catch!" </span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">He pulled the chitin shortsword from the floor and tossed it in the air towards me. I easily caught it with my right hand, then tried to mimick what Llyrin did when he sheathed his sword, but ended up slicing the top of my hand when I tried to put it back in its small scabbard and missed.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"Dammit!" I grunted as I dropped the blade.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"Hahaha, quit fooling around boy and go see Ervyna before you get hurt anymore," The older elf laughed.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">I picked my sword back up and gently placed it back into its small, cheap leather sheath.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">With that I let Llyrin close up the training hall and headed for the door. It was probably around eleven or twelve o'clock at night so not many people where on the streets. Just a few guards and people closing up their market stalls. Tear was a fine city, but not as fine as where I grew up. Blacklight. I have fond memories of that place, but others I'm not so fond of. It's where I took my first job.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">On my walk to the temple I lost myself in thought about how life was growing up in Blacklight. I wasn't exactly raised by the most loving parents, but I managed. They both died when I was but a small elf, no older than ten years of age at the time, but like I said I managed.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">Instead of doing what most would do when thrust into an existance such as mine, which was begging or thievery, I decided to work for a shop owner. The shop owners name was Slythe if I remember correctly. He sold just about anything you could imagine. Anything from magick tomes to armor and weapons to even goblets and gems. His store was filled with items that adventurers had sold to him in their travels including a few daedric weapons and pelts from animals I had never seen or heard of, such as a sabre cat I believe the man called it.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">Slythe was kinder than most people I suppose, I say that because he kept me around when nobody else would and he clothed and fed me. He never really paid me until I became older, around eighteen or something I suppose. That's when I picked up on the diffirent habits and interests of certain races. For instance, Khajiit would almost always attempted to pocket something from his store when he wasn't looking and it was always, always gems. Of course I told this to Slythe who would then have the thief arrested. Another example was when Imperials came to his shop. Most the time they would attempt to persuade or flatter him into parting with something for a ludicrously low price and half the time he buckle under their haggling. </span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">Around the time when I was eighteen I said I was getting paid by Slythe. That is because I worked for him as a guard to make sure the afformentioned didn't steal from him or, Tribunal forbid, harm him. I wasn't the most compitent fighter, but I was intimidating enough that we rarely had trouble out of customers and we started getting a few regulars in too. Slythe paid well too, around seventy drakes a day.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">However when I reached age twenty-eight Slythe was killed. He was in his shop as usual and I was standing just inside the door guarding as usual and keeping a close eye on the customers in the store. It was a slow day, but there was about four people in the store. I remember it vividly. There was one Dunmer dressed in typical town clothes, an Imperial man and I assume his wife both looked rather wealthy, and an Orc wearing a musty grey cloak, the same color as my ashen skin. I kept a close eye on the hooded Orc because he looked like your typical ne'er-do-well. I paid too much attention to him when I should've been paying more attention to the Imperial couple. The orc was perusing some daggers on a small table than had a linen cloth laid over it and I thought he was going to steal one when I heard a loud yell come from behind the counter.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">Slythe had been stabbed by the Imperial man with a dagger and the woman was behind the counter filling a sack with money Slythe had placed in the drawers there. I reacted instantly running over to the table the orc stood by and picking up one of the daggers mid-stride. </span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"Malacath curse you!" I yelled as I charged the imperial who had now turned to face me.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">Before he could react I tackled the Imperial to the ground and plunged a dagger in his forehead. The Imperial lady panicked and attempted to jump the counter and kill me with a dagger of her own. She died before she even cleared the counter, her corpse straddling the top of it. </span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">I turned my head quickly to look back at who had just saved my life. It was the orc in the dusty cloak who had thrown the dagger he was looking at earlier and pierced the womans heart within the blink of an eye. The other Dunmer had fled, presumably to get the guards.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">The Orc lifted his hood and spoke in a way you wouldn't expect an Orc to speak.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"Are you alright?" The Orc asked in a slight Dunmer accent.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">I stood there for a minute out of breath and trying to process what in Oblivion just transpired before I spoke.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"Y-yeah, I'm f-fine, thanks f-for asking," I said in between heavy breaths.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"You'd better check on the one behind the counter," Said the Orc.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">Immediately I remembered Slythe, I had forgotten in all the excitement and jumped up and ran around the counter. Slythe lay clutching his stomach, eyes open, motionless. He had been killed instantly. I went back around the side of the counter and looked back at the Orc.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"He's dead," I said in a colder tone than I would've liked.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">The Orc let out a long sigh before speaking.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"Damn, and I was planning on doing business too," The Orc said in response.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"Just who in Azura's name are you?" I aksed with a little grief in my voice.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"Just a mercenary," The orc replied.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"With the way you dispatched that woman I'd say you're not just a mercenary," I said, "with skills like yours I probably could've saved this mans life."</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">"I am truly sorry for your loss, friend." The Orc voiced trying to console me.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">At that moment the elf who had fled before had now returned with a few guards in tow. Me and the Orc gave our stories to the guards and we both went our separate ways. When the guards left with the Imperial corpses I asked them to let me handle Slythe's. They agreed to let me be over his burial. I had Slythe cremeated and his ashes shipped to Necrom where one of his relatives lived.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">Since Slythe had no will and testament the store and all its contents where now property of Blacklight. Meaning I had nothing but the clothes on my backand the coin in m pocket. I was all alone...again. However one thing did stick with me after I had grieved for who I thought of as my father. It was the Orc and his skill at how he handled that Imperial woman. I decided after that I would learn to use a blade and make money at it as I still had no desire to steal or beg for money. </span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">I found a few sword trainers and trained here and there for nearly two years. I didn't have much gold to pay them so I took odd jobs here and there to fund my training. Just when those two years had passed I got word that House Dres had entered a war with Argonians from Black Marsh who had revolted and apparently before that they kidnapped a Dark Elf merchant and tortured him. They dubbed him Saint Roris and he became a rallying cry for war. </span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">Seizing an opportunity to make some gold with my newfound swordsmanship I decided to see if Dres would hire me on. Who would say no to an exta soldier?</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">As that thought finished I came back to reality and found myself at the temple. I climbed the steps and went in to see Ervyna.</span></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p></div>Tale of a Swordsman: A Teldryn Sero Story - Table of Contentshttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/groups/the-story-corner/general-forum/tale-of-a-swordsman-a-teldryn-sero-story2019-08-13T15:49:05.000Z2019-08-13T15:49:05.000ZTheGreyCrusaderhttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/members/TheThirdCrusader<div><p style="text-align:center;"><em><span style="font-size:24pt;"><strong>This is the story of how Teldyrn Sero came to be.</strong></span></em></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:24pt;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}3423939814,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}3423939814,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="3423939814?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="400" /></a></span></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:12pt;">Some know my name. Some fear it and others respect it. However, none know my story, at least not the entire story...</span></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:12pt;">My name is Teldryn Sero, one of the best swordsman in all of Morrowind at anyones service....eh, for the right price. I may not look very old, but that is simply because I am a Dunmer. Even by Elven standards I'd be an old man. I am 268 years old, but do not look it, in fact I feel as spry as ever. With that age came experience and lessons that I would never forget.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:12pt;">I began my life as a sellsword and that is most likley how it will end. Enough babbling fom me though. You want to hear my story, and so I shall tell it. It all started when I was but a young elf at the age of thirty and was hired by House Dres during the Arnesian War.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;"> </p><p style="text-align:left;"> </p><p style="text-align:center;"> <span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><span style="font-size:24pt;"><em>Chapters</em></span></strong></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ </strong></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:16px;"><a href="https://theskyforge.ning.com/groups/the-story-corner/general-forum/chapter-one-my-lucky-start" target="_blank">Chapter 1 - My Lucky Start</a></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:16px;"><a href="https://theskyforge.ning.com/groups/the-story-corner/general-forum/chapter-2-the-priestess" target="_blank">Chapter 2 - The Priestess</a></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:16px;"><a href="https://theskyforge.ning.com/groups/the-story-corner/general-forum/chapter-3-llyrins-2nd-greatest-gift" target="_blank">Chapter 3 - Llyrins 2nd Greatest Gift</a></span></p><p style="text-align:left;"> </p></div>The Shinigami: Act 3 "Angel of Death"https://TheSkyForge.ning.com/groups/the-story-corner/general-forum/the-shinigami-act-32019-07-31T05:33:39.000Z2019-07-31T05:33:39.000ZElomarhttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/members/Elomar<div><p style="text-align:left;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}3397981711,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}3397981711,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="3397981711?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="366" /></a>Then it happened. The rogue Samurai drew her katana. Eljar took a step back and repeated himself in his intention to arrest her. She moved forward, sword drawn. He warned her the last time and took another step back, “I will not hesitate to strike you, Shinigami. Drop your weapon”. His heart was pounding wildly now. He was absolutely confident that he wasn't sure he could go on a duel with a vampire slaying Ronin. In one swift motion, she reversed her grip, and impaled the snow, surrendering the katana.</p><p>“Are you sure you have the right person, Samurai? You're making a mistake”, she finally spoke, but with a strikingly familiar voice.</p><p>Upon hearing the mysterious woman's voice, Eljar recalled the last bed time story he heard when he was a child of six years, ‘Ryuujin and Ryouko No Tensei’. It was the creation myth where the Akaviri Dragonguard faith revolves upon. “The world was created by the dragon god, Ryuujin, at the cost of his soul being broken into many pieces”, a woman's voice spoke in his head. His thoughts took him back while he was lying on his bed, his mother telling him a story for him to sleep, a flashback. It was the last time he saw his mother alive.</p><p>“These pieces became the timeless dragons we know today, each one a mere shadow of his former self, each one with a will for creation and destruction”, the voice continued. “However, mortals like us can never comprehend the dragons for their voice is power, and we are powerless. And to them power is truth. When they speak of truth, we become false and cease to be.”</p><p>“I'll pretend you didn't lose me there and understood everything, mum”, Young Eljar replied, jesting to imply that he misunderstood the story. His mother laughed, amazed at the wit and maturity of her young son.</p><p>“Let's just say you're like men, and I'm the dragon. You just don't have the power to understand me”, she replied while giggling. Eljar frowned as he understood his mother.</p><p>“So do ‘us men don't live forever because we can't understand how to’ count, mum?”</p><p>Impressed by her six year old son's capacity to comprehend complicated and abstract religious verses, she pressed on with the story with more vigor. “Yes Eljar, men die because we're mortals and they're not. However, when the balance tips off, and destruction prevails, a shard of Ryuujin's soul falls upon a mortal for us to understand the will of the dragon god. He will retrieve the other shards of his soul through the body of a man, until he dies and reunites with himself, thus bringing balance to the world once more. This man is the Tensei, incarnate, the Son, born of the dragon, one who speaks their tongue, and will return once destruction becomes imminent again”, Eljar thought hearing the voice of his mother in his head as he blasted back to reality. How could this person in front of him remind him of his mother? “Could it be? That's impossible”, he thought assuming, and hoping that some twisted magic brought his mother back to life.</p><p>However, Eljar thought that this hooded woman in front of him was not his mother. “This one's a little too short, and we buried mum a long time ago. Then why am I, all of a sudden recalling this story”, he thought that upon hearing the mystery person's voice, somehow she was linked to his mother's bedtime story.</p><p>And then he glimpsed at the katana in front of him, making sure she doesn't swiftly get it. It was still safely pierced through the snow, standing before them. Yes, it was the same sword he saw resting beside the loot a few weeks back before disappearing in daylight. No doubt about it. This was the Shinigami the Daimyo was after for seventeen years. However, something was odd. He knew he definitely saw this katana before. He saw it right before it disappeared on that day the Shinigami warned them about vampires. But it gave him a feeling that he saw this uniquely designed Akaviri sword somewhere else.</p><p>Then Eljar started to hear his mother's voice in his head again. But the memory flashed back to his first history class. “When dragons die, their souls linger until they get absorbed by a more powerful entity. It could be another dragon, or Ryuujin himself if there were no more powerful dragons than the one just killed”, a woman's voice said.</p><p>“You see, students, if a dragon breaks, its soul shatters, but it will try to find its missing pieces as time passes”, she continued. “Think of them as a puddle of water on a flat surface that's been stepped on. When the surface moves, just like time, the splattered water puddles reunite with each other. Smaller puddles seemingly join the larger ones until there is one. Larger, more powerful souls tend to act like sponges. They absorb the smaller, weaker ones. That is why the Dragonguard, our ancestors, slew dragons. They did it to hasten the reunification of the dragon's soul, the return of Ryuujin himself, the dragon god, Akatosh, as our Tamrielic brethren call him.</p><p>“However, he would arrive in a place during the most unexpected circumstance, inside a mortal's body, the Ryouko No Tensei, born of the dragon, the Dragonborn.</p><p>“The moral of the story here is that we need to be prepared at all times. Live your lives as honorably as possible for we will never know when our one true god returns to our world. At least, that's what our ancestors believed in”, then she ended the lecture singing the song of the Dragonborn. She started humming the tone of the song as an intro. “Our hero, our hero, with a warrior's heart.. I tell you, I tell you the Dragonborn comes..”, she had an angelic voice, Eljar thought while the voice of her mother gradually changed to Lady Risa's, as he stared on the tsuba of the katana impaled through the snow. There were two bats on either side. The blade was black gold.</p><p>She unveiled her hood, and stroked her ebony black hair aside revealing a very familiar and beautiful face, then spoke once again, “arrest me for what, Samurai? For helping my people? I dare you to present your warrant”. Shocked and completely lost in thought with hysterical confusion, Eljar just simply blabbered the words, “Huwoahhh… Makenzo-Sensei! It's dangerous out here. You should be indoors”.</p><p>“I should be telling you the same. You're not on duty. What's that on your other hand? You're supposed to hold the hilt with two hands when on the defensive”, Lady Risa replied as if lecturing her student once again.</p><p>Momentarily forgetting that the Shinigami was indeed the Daimyo, Eljar realized that he was fucked. He was holding a very illegal skooma vaporizer with his offhand, and was probably very high and drunk. It was also partly the reason why he was still denying the reality in front of him.</p><p>He needed to change the tone of the conversation quickly. Fortunately, he was good with that. “This? This was my wakizashi, Daimyo-Sama. Blade fell off. Low grade smithing. Tsk”, then he immediately added. “Your arm. You are wounded, milady. You need to be tended quickly”. But she was fine. The effects of the potion regenerated her health fast, all thanks to Eljar's alchemy lessons.</p><p>“I am a Samurai descended from the Shugosha Ryuujin. I should be fine”, she said. She had a good point. She might be a petite looking girl, but she was tougher than she looked. She had been through worse. “Eljar, no one knows about this”, she said implying to keep her identity a secret, while walking away into the woods.</p><p>“Which one? The part that you're the Shinigami, or that you got wounded by bloody milk drinkers? A bit confused, you know”, Eljar jested even though he knew vampires weren't milk drinkers at all. Lady Risa just simply smiled. Eljar had an extremely defiant nature, but his wits always brought good humor that made her smirk every time. “Sensei, you know the rumors were right about the angel of death”, he added.</p><p>“Really? What's that”, she asked while still walking away, grinning.</p><p>“The Shinigami is indeed an angel”. Risa flushed. She continued walking though, not revealing the inappropriate flattery. Then she replied after a moment and smiled, “You do not use Daisho with one opponent, Eljar. Lay off the Skooma, and drink responsibly. It makes you say things.”</p><p>The night passed without so much of a happening save for the winds that continued to howl through sunrise. Eljar went to work the next morning with a massive headache. He was hung over, again. The events that happened the previous night seemed like a dream. Otherwise, he would have to carry the burden of keeping the Daimyo's secret. It really did seem like a dream. Everything was going normally, and smoothly within the now walled village. That was until he entered the headquarters to report to Captain Halfdan.</p><p>Seven black soul gems, a few pieces of moth wings, and a cup of vampire dust were on the table. “Maybe that part was not yet a dream”, Eljar thought still denying the moment the Shinigami revealed herself could be real. “It's either the Shinigami wiped an entire coven of vampires out, or there could be more of them out there”, Halfdan said.</p><p>“I do not mean to be the ‘anti-hero' here, Taichou, but the latter is the more inconveniently, convincing truth”, Eljar replied, half joking. “We're going to make more flame based enchanted weapons”, he grimly added. He kept trying to insert a little bit of humor about everything even if it was out of place. That was his way of denying reality. He might be able to turn everything into a jest by some supernatural ability to invoke the law of attraction so that reality would turn coat, he thought. Not only that he wanted the gargantuan vampire menace to be unreal, but the confirmed truth that Risa Makenzo was in fact, the Shinigami.</p><p>It actually was an awesome idea, Eljar thought. Lady Risa was her own anti thesis that she created herself. She diverted her own secret identity by continuously denouncing it publicly. No one would ever thought she and the Shinigami were one. Two personas, both in the same interest to alleviate her people's hardships. “But why battle the undead? The bandit catching was already a good touch, Ri-Chan”, Eljar asked Lady Risa one day in her office.</p><p>“Ri-Chan? Suddenly respect is diminishing here, Samurai”, Risa responded sensing the sudden shift of endearment from Eljar, but secretly liked it. She flushed, but didn't look at him and continued writing on her scroll. They had been becoming closer recently since they talk more often nowadays due to her big secret.</p><p>“Alright, Makenzo-kun..”</p><p>“Stop it.”</p><p>“This is not a conversation between a master and a student anymore. It's just casual.”</p><p>“I don't want you to get used to it.”</p><p>“I already am, Shinigami-Sensei.”</p><p>“Silence! I am still your Daimyo, soldier”. Risa ends the conversation with a somewhat fake angry tone. She had been longing for this kind of pointless conversations since the death of her husband. But she needed to remind Eljar his place. Unfortunately for her, it may have not worked on his deviant and jesting personality.</p><p>“Alright ‘Daimyo-Sama’. But on a bit more serious note, why the undead? You haven't answered it”, he asked again.</p><p>She said that the most compelling reason was she was trying fulfill her role as a Blade since they were in hiding. The ancient Dragonguard killed dragons, but dragons were difficult to come by so she resorted in hunting what was left of the dragons, their foul necromantic magic in the barrows. But that was not the only reason. “Remember, the story of Ryuujin and Tensei”, she said with her tone shifting back as if she was still his Sensei.</p><p>“How could I forget? That's my favorite bedtime story”, he replied. She continued on saying that the foul magic gifted upon by the dragons to men worked similarly. An Overlord of a Nordic barrow in life, would break his soul into many pieces to give to his servants. These now individual souls would grow in power in them as time passed. Eventually, the servants would be killed to join him in the burial chamber when he died. Then they would rise as undead Draugr to tend him and recycle his soul.</p><p>“The knowledge of withstanding the test of time through the breaking of souls was the dragons gift to high ranking members of the Dragon Cult. These overlords were kings, priests, lords, or military leaders sympathetic to the said Cult in life”, she said getting to her point.</p><p>“However, Ryuujin had the purest of souls so when his soul was broken, his ‘diminished selves’ turned into powerful dragons. Men don't have souls like him. The diminished self of a once proud Nord hero would become nothing, but a corrupted soul of a Lich. This is known to be the foulest form of Necromancy. The one that even the great mystic, Galerion had to stop and cost him his life”. She added, and also stressed the point why she took the mantle of the Shinigami. She wanted to free their souls from the curse of their Overlords by trapping them in soul gems to make sure they didn't rise again as undead. And then fully releasing the curse by breaking the gems in an Arcane Enchanter.</p><p>“And the vampires”, Eljar said asking about the problem at hand.</p><p>“Works the same, in essence. Turning another one to be a vampire is a form of one's transference of his or her soul”, she replied.</p><p>“Only that they're still somewhat ‘alive’.”</p><p>“Still a form of undeath. Necromancy manipulated by the demons or Daedra so they retain their sentience. Not a shadow of their former self, but more demonicly powerful. However, still dead.”</p><p>“Which makes them more dangerous.”</p><p>“Unfortunately, yes.”</p><p>Eljar went home that night baffled with the conversation he had with Lady Risa about Necromancy. He was at the same time impressed with her knowledge about the undead, and felt against her actions about trapping vampiric souls. Only black gems can hold them. And when black gems get used up, their souls go to the Soul Cairn, a hellish plane of Oblivion.</p><p>They were still sentient beings. They can be cured of the curse. He did not like the thought of sending souls to a place like that. They were cursed by Daedra, they weren't necessarily evil.</p><p>“So the dragons taught men and Daedra this”, he thought staring at an empty black gem on his table. Yes, he thought about it. He wanted to help the Shinigami straight on by trapping a vampire's soul himself, and face the menace head on. “But it's wrong. They're alive. I would be playing with a mortal's soul”, he still hesitated.</p><p>For as long as man can remember, he venerated the dragon god. He tried to be like the great beast, but failed. A mortal's soul was never really destined to be eternal. The Daedra did the same, and still ended up creating the undead vampiric curse. It has always been death if a mortal's soul was broken. It was such a grim lesson given by Ryuujin. There was always a fine line between a blessing and a curse. Only one's strength of individuality could determine the difference.</p><p>“God. Ryuujin is god. He was, is, and will always be the only one who could withstand the test of time. Break him and he still remains him, incorruptible, and undying, a dragon”, Eljar thought. He then realized that vampires don't possess a mortal's soul anymore, but a Daedric curse. “No. They're already dead. Their souls have long gone. Nothing but a curse inside a shell of what used to be something. Time to hunt some bloody milk drinkers”, then one night he set off to hunt down his first vampire.</p><p>Author's note: the Akaviri creation myth mentioned above is not elder scrolls canon, and was created purely for the backstory's interests by the author. </p><p>Also, the image above does not belong to the author, but to the Bleach Manga series created by Tite Kubo, and published by Shonen Jump. The author would love to draw images of his own, but struggles at it, and that would be a story for another day.</p></div>The Shinigami: Act 2 "Ronin"https://TheSkyForge.ning.com/groups/the-story-corner/general-forum/the-shinigami-act-22019-07-30T04:01:52.000Z2019-07-30T04:01:52.000ZElomarhttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/members/Elomar<div><p style="text-align:left;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}3390937655,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}3390937655,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="3390937655?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="360" /></a>The 4E 201 midsummer sun blazed through the icy slopes of the Jerall mountains as Eljar and some other young Samurai grabbed the loot left by the Shinigami to be taken to their commander-senpai. After that, they would present the report to the Daimyo. It was never a pleasant meeting since it had always been a fruitless investigation. Cleaning up the Shinigami's mess then being lashed out by Lady Risa was becoming a nuisance, he thought. Still, he represented his job with great honor.</p><p>He wasn't the best, in fact he was one of the younger and inexperienced ones, but he fulfilled his role as a Samurai to the best of his abilities. He just wished that there could've been more to this. Besides being lashed out by the Lady ever so often, doing security patrols, hunting and collecting white souls, smithing and enchanting, and doing menial tasks for common folk were becoming a repetitive chore. He believed that he could do more ‘dangerous covert work’ like raiding bandit camps or tracing the Shinigami's trail. But they were under strict orders.</p><p>However unreasonable Lady Risa was, Eljar never resented her. He was just fresh from graduation from the dojo, and just started to work as a retainer. Even if it was difficult to work with her, Lady Risa was a brilliant, kind, and understanding Sensei, or teacher. He learned everything about swordsmanship and its forms from her. The ‘Daisho’, or ‘big little form’, utilizing a wakizashi with the offhand, and a katana with other when dealing with multiple enemies was his favorite. The core philosophy of Bushido, and its codes of honor was also imparted by her.</p><p>He wasn't the type of student that always excelled, but she always motivated him to do better. She treated her students with care, always patiently sharing her knowledge. Although he saw her more than just a teacher. He was secretly infatuated by her. Besides being amazing in every way as a leader, warrior, and teacher, she was incredibly beautiful.</p><p>The Daimyo, Lady Risa was ten years his elder, but it was as if she never aged. Her ebony black hair never turned grey. Her face never wrinkled despite having such a stressful life. She had already given birth to children, but for some odd and twisted magic, she remained youthful in body. It was probably the Akaviri in her, whereas they usually looked a lot younger than their age compared to their pure Nordic counterparts. The Nords tend to look older than their age at a certain point in their lives. Many in the Pale Pass were already considered purely Nords for the clan had lived their for generations. They either envy or admire her for how she looked. Eljar was definitely on the admiring side. He has Akaviri ancestry too, but the Lady got the better branch of the family tree. The Shinigami was his first inspiration to join the dojo, but it was the Lady of the Pale Pass that got him going until he graduated.</p><p>Eljar was still very much inspired in his first year of working for his Daimyo. She had been widowed already. Maybe he had a chance, he daydreamed, there was nothing wrong with it. But it never stopped him to work at his best. A slight possibility, perhaps? He suddenly snapped out of his dream when a sound of metal dropping on the ground was heard nearby. When he approached the location where the sound was heard, to his surprise, the Shinigami dropped its loot in broad daylight.</p><p>How was that even possible? He thought. He checked the equipment. A katana was there. That was odd, he thought again for ancient Nords never used Akaviri swords. Unless, that was the rogue Samurai's sword. The Shinigami accidentally dropped its weapon. That meant it was still in the area and might return to get the sword back. He searched the vicinity while keeping an eye on the loot and katana. Nothing. The Shinigami disappeared into thin air in the middle of the day.</p><p>He should've kept two eyes on that katana. When he returned, the sword wasn't there anymore. “How in Oblivion did the Shinigami cross you twice? In the middle of a fucking sunny day”, Halfdan-Taichou, or Captain Halfdan, Eljar's commander-senpai lashed out at him, once he reported the incident. (Taichou is captain in the said Akaviri dialect).</p><p>“Maybe it really was the angel of death, Taichou”, Eljar jested, but he was more of lost for words. He had nothing to say. It was his watch. Maybe he was a bit complacent since it happened during the day. Regardless, he had nothing to do, but apologize when the Daimyo confronts him. “Great. Plus points to Lady Risa then”, he thought sarcastically. All of a sudden, a realization that might save his head from being lopped off his shoulder came into mind while he was investigating the loot with his senpai.</p><p>There was a filled black soul gem and a dusted piece of Nirnroot. He may not be the best swordsman and may never be, but he definitely was one of the more intelligent ones. “Thank Ryuujin for herbs and alchemy books”, he thought recalling all his free days of studying books. “Halfdan-Senpai, our Shinigami is telling us something. This is a black soul”, he said.</p><p>“It's still not going to save your arse, Eljar”, the captain replied.</p><p>“Oh but it will”. Eljar explained that the black soul gem wasn't just filled by any ordinary Draugr. It could be something more powerful, and sentient. “An Overlord, perhaps”, Halfdan said.</p><p>“A Draugr Overlord's soul is white and can fit in a grand soul gem”, Eljar answered.</p><p>“What does it matter? Maybe this Ronin trapped a poor bandit's soul, or he or she ran out of gems to use?”</p><p>“Unlikely. Our friendly neighborhood Shinigami had been giving us an abundance of soul gems, and it does seem out of place for it to trap a living soul. It usually brought in living unconscious bandits before.”</p><p>“Get to the point.”</p><p>Eljar showed his senior the dusted piece of Nirnroot.<br /> It was bitten off by something, but Nirnroot is very poisonous. However, the dust that covered it neutralizes the poison. “You need an alchemy lab to mix ingredients, Eljar”, the captain said.</p><p>“Your own digestive system can be an alchemy lab, Taichou”, Eljar replied. “Clearly, it didn't use the dust to neutralize the poison for satisfying one's hunger”, he added thinking that Nirnroot doesn't taste pleasant at all. The Shinigami was utilizing the other more potent side effect when mixing these ingredients, prolonged invisibility. “And I suppose you now have concluded where the dust came from”, the captain said with an assumption of what was going on.</p><p>“Absolutely. The dust belonged to, rather, was the one inside this black soul gem,” Eljar said now with much more conviction. The Shinigami must've been tracking it for days until it caught the undead creature. And it was an undead creature with a black soul. The rogue Samurai purposely struck in the middle of the day to give the filled black soul gem, and cross Eljar twice to show off the ability to turn invisible when consuming Nirnroot and vampire dust. “Our friend is telling us that vampires are about, Senpai”, he added.</p><p>“You just figured this out now? Alright, let's report this to the Daimyo and see what she thinks”, Hafdan said with astonished disbelief. “You're not off the hook yet”, he emphasized. Fortunately, Eljar was.</p><p>Although the Daimyo was upset with the news of the vampire menace, she commended him for a job well done. She ordered for more frequent security patrols within the settlement's vicinity especially at night. She also encouraged mastery of fire magic and alchemy to exploit the weakness of the undead. And since it was also common practice among their ancestors, the Dragonguard, fire wasn't something unfamiliar. For the first time in seventeen years, it seemed as if the Daimyo was finally appreciating the work of her arch nemesis.</p><p>“I still do not, in under any circumstances, agree with the desecration of our ancestors' tombs”, she said while being taught by Eljar how to make ‘weakness to fire’ poisons using juniper berries, one day. He was an extremely difficult student, she thought. The boy had no skill with the sword at all, and was always very rebellious, constantly questioned what she taught. He would always sit out Kendo classes whenever he did not feel like it. He had such a negative disposition in life before, as understandable being an orphan of war veterans.</p><p>However, history, alchemy, and arcane arts classes always got his attention. For a child who was of lower birth relative to the main branch of the Makenzo family, he was very well read. In fact, the amount of knowledge he possessed can compare to that of the nobility's. She would've gladly kicked him out of the dojo if not for his smarts. And she saw something in the boy that she could not explain.</p><p>But what really surprised her was his insurmountable honor he had when he started working as a Samurai. “I guess he turned out alright, after all”, she thought while thinking he had become a fine, honorable, and handsome man. “Those eyes”, she thought. Eljar strikingly resembled their great Dragonguard ancestor, Miyamoto Makenzo in his portrait in the main hall of the long house. Brown sleepy eyes, long rugged black hair tied in a half bun, with a scruffy beard, he was definitely Akaviri at first glance. But his tall frame, slightly pointed nose, and pale complexion was a dead giveaway of his Nord blood, if one was unfamiliar of the Mannish Akaviri race.</p><p>She was infatuated with this man beside her, she realized while she looked intently, and closely at him while he spoke about alchemy. “He's pretty good at mixing things”, she taught. She had never admired a man so much save for his late husband who had died in Solitude fighting for an independent Skyrim a few years back. Come to think of it, she hadn't been in bed with a man for a while now.</p><p>But this wasn't right. She shouldn't be thinking of such things. She should be focusing on making potions with him, and not making 'something else'. Besides becoming an excellent craftsman, he had become a good Samurai in general. She taught her well. “Still much to learn, though”, she said. Then she flushed realizing that she was already thinking out loud.</p><p>“What was that, Daimyo-Sama? You were mumbling”, Eljar asked trying to maintain composure because it seemed like she had been staring deep into his soul for a while already.</p><p>“Nothing. Just carry on”, she answered sternly then looked away as if she just revealed her nakedness. “Excuse me, Eljar. I have to go back to my chambers”, she added then walked away.</p><p>That was strange, but rather adorable, Eljar thought to himself. It was the first time he saw his Daimyo-Sensei went awkward like that. She was, and will always be his biggest crush, but it seemed like at that moment, the tables were turned. “No, it couldn't be. I should not be assuming such things”, he thought. But he felt it. There was an obvious feeling of intimate tension. He still set the thought aside for he felt it was wrong.</p><p>Then he noticed that his Sensei left her katana on the alchemy lab. She clearly wasn't herself. The katana was golden black in color, and had a very unique hilt or ‘tsuba’, two bats flying in suspended animation on either side. No, this was not the Makenzo family sword for it was lost with Lord Yuto in Cloud Ruler temple during the Great War. This was Lady Risa's unique katana that she forged herself.</p><p>Eljar stared at the tsuba of his Sensei's katana. Why did she put bats there? Very unique, indeed. He thought. Also, he had a strange feeling that he had seen this sword before, but couldn't quite recall it. Suddenly, Lady Risa entered the room again. “I knew it. I misplaced my sword again. Getting old, you know”, she said then went back to her chambers.</p><p>“Not quite, my dear lady. Not quite”, Eljar thought while simultaneously thinking how beautifully youthful she still looked despite her age.</p><p>A few weeks gone, there were still no reports of either the Shinigami or vampire sightings. The day's shift was over, and Eljar decided to grab a few pints of wine and ale with his friends in the tavern, probably his favorite hobby next to reading. When he had one too many bottles of mead, he went out to get some fresh air. The night sky was clear, and the borealis was visible. The strong icy winds of the Jerall mountains probably blew off the clouds and the fog. The lights of the White Gold Tower of the Imperial City could be seen from a distance. In fact, that night was so clear that he could see a few Samurai gathering around what seemed to be a large sack from the opposite side of the settlement. The Shinigami brought in something tonight.</p><p>The bag did not contain any ancient Nord weapons and armor. It only had seven large filled black soul gems and pieces of moth wings. All of which were dusted. The Samurai warriors on patrol duty brought the loot to the headquarters. Eljar stayed for a while, shell-shocked. “Seven.. Seven vampires”, a grim thought. There were seven vampires stalking the people right in the vicinity of the Pale Pass. “What a dreadful situation”, he shuddered at the thought that there was a possibility that there could be more.</p><p>Then he noticed something on the ground beside where the sack used to be. Blood. Droplets of blood were slowly emerging above the snow. He realized, “the effects are wearing off”. Moth wings can be an alternative to Nirnroot to make one's self invisible, and was even more abundant at night. And it has another side effect when mixed with vampire dust, accelerated health regeneration.</p><p>“The Shinigami is wounded”, Eljar concluded. As the effects of invisibility wore off, a trail of blood on the snow started to reveal itself. However, it was only a matter of time before the winds cover it with snow so he followed it quickly. He was off duty, but this was very crucial for the investigation. “I was going to the woods, anyway”, thought Eljar since he was going to smoke skooma, a very illegal drug, with his enchanted skooma vaporizer that he made himself with fire enchantments and an old steel katana hilt.</p><p>The trail of blood terminated at a foggy portion of the forest. There was nobody there. The snow must've covered the rest of it. He sighed. When he was about to put a drop of skooma in his vaporizer, a dark figure revealed itself behind the mist. It was a woman garbed in a hooded black ‘Kunoichi’ armor. (Kunoichi, or a female shinobi/ninja, were the special underground operatives of the ancient Akaviri).</p><p>“Your mixture wore off a little too early there, my dear”, Eljar said trying to look calm and collected even if he really was nerve wracked. “In the name of the Daimyo, Lady Risa Makenzo of the Pale Pass, and Jarl Siddgeir of the Hold of Falkreath, you are under arrest for disturbing the peace and desecrating holy ground”, he added as he drew his katana.</p></div>The Shinigami: Act 1 "Fatherland's Gateway"https://TheSkyForge.ning.com/groups/the-story-corner/general-forum/the-shinigami-act-12019-07-29T09:27:08.000Z2019-07-29T09:27:08.000ZElomarhttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/members/Elomar<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}3407776871,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}3407776871,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="360" alt="3407776871?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a>It was a cold damp night in a Nordic barrow somewhere in the Jerall mountains. It smelled like moss and decomposing wood. Only faint noises like droplets and slow footsteps can be heard. It was dark, but she could see very well in darkness as if it were day. She was a trained Samurai of Akaviri descent, after all. She already felled a few Draugr, Nordic undead that inhabit the ancient crypts of Skyrim. There were only a few left, daybreak was nearing, and she was near the main Sanctum. There she hoped to slay and capture the soul of the main culprit of raising these poor undead souls, the Overlord.</p><p>The morning in a settlement nearby the Pale Pass was cold and misty. It was silent except for faint noises made by some farm animals. A farmer was only starting to tend his chickens when he noticed something in the middle of the main road when the fog cleared. When he approached it, he was surprised to see a pile of bones, a collection of ancient Nord weapons and armor, and a stack pile of filled soul gems. Other people started to check it out until a commotion has formed.</p><p>Eljar, a young Samurai went to see what the fuss was all about so that he could report it to the Daimyo of the Pale Pass, the land owner. When he saw the gathered equipment, he felt that it wasn't that unexpected. It had been happening for the past few months already. He thought to himself “the Shinigami had struck again”. The Shinigami is the angel of death, or soul reaper of the ancient Akaviri, his people's ancestors. However, it was highly unlikely that it was the Soul Reaper itself, as what his commander-senpai has told him, “only Samurai wielding a katana can cut through armor and bone this cleanly. This is the work of a leaderless warrior, a Ronin, not an angel of death”. (Senpai is senior in an ancient Akaviri dialect spoken by the Dragonguard before).</p><p>Nonetheless, the people of the Pale Pass got used to calling the Ronin the Shinigami for its work involved freeing the souls of the undead Draugr by slaying and soul trapping them to pass through the afterlife. Even if the souls were trapped in gems, they were white, meaning that they were freed when used as enchantments instead of being brought to the Soul Cairn, a dark and desolate afterlife like black soul gems do. And it also provided a means to prevent them from being revived by other undead Overlords. At least, that was what their ancestors, the Akaviri Samurai believed being great enchanters themselves.</p><p>And since the Shinigami had been leaving a collection of filled soul gems for the past few months, they have benefited greatly in selling enchanted equipment to merchants all over Skyrim. And the timing couldn't have been more perfect since they lost their two main trading partners in the recent Great War, the Imperial garrison of Fort Neugrad and Cloud Ruler Temple of the Blades.</p><p>Since the people of the Pale Pass treat this as a supernatural event, faith in their god “Ryuujin”, or dragon god in the common tongue, had never been stronger. They often gave thanks for the blessings, at the same time prayed that he wouldn't send the angel of death to take their lives prematurely like what happened to some of their kin who lost their lives in the Great War. With faith restored, morale was high, therefore people worked harder to bring in more profit.</p><p>Such ingenuity by the Shinigami should've been praised by all, but the Daimyo (landlord or landlady in the said Akaviri dialect) of the Pale Pass, Risa Makenzo did not condone these actions. She disagreed with the desecration of their ancient Nordic ancestors' tombs, and it caused disturbance of the peace. With that, she ordered her Samurai retainers to investigate the case of the vigilante Ronin.</p><p>It was her duty to protect her people, the Nordic Akaviri descendants of emperor Reman's “Shugosha Ryuujin”, or “protectors of the dragon god” in Tamrielic, or more popularly known as the Dragonguard. Risa Makenzo wasn't always considered the heir of the land given by Reman I to retired Samurai of the Dragonguard. She had an older brother who served the Blades, and would've served as Daimyo when their father died.</p><p>Every generation of the Makenzo clan since the second empire sent their eldest child to the Dragonguard and eventually to the Blades only to retire to rule the Pale Pass when the patriarch or matriach of the clan passed. Many clans in the Jerall mountains did the same, but because of several wars in the history of Skyrim and Cyrodiil, many committed “sepukku” or ritual suicide in honor of their fallen lords. No one wanted to be branded as “Ronin” or lordless Samurai during that period because it was considered dishonorable.</p><p>There were still many Akaviri descendants in Cyrodiil, but the Makenzo clan was the only known family left to still practice Akaviri tradition in Skyrim. But nowadays, the clan was more Nordic than Akaviri. Very few could still speak the ancient dialect of the Dragonguard Samurai. “It doesn't matter. Times have changed everything for modernization”, Risa Makenzo thought of the land she loved dearly. Even if she was the second child, she still trained in the way of the warrior, or “Bushido” to become a proficient Samurai to uphold what's left of her Akaviri roots.</p><p>She had no intent in ruling though. That was reserved for her brother. But she was always visibly talking with common folk, and helping them in their needs. She was well loved. Even if she was doing this in her brother's and father's stead, she loved the people. However, her brother was lost to the Great War when Cloud Ruler Temple was besieged and razed. The family was devastated with the news, but there were more pressing issues to be tackled upon. Risa Makenzo was suddenly the sole heir of the land.</p><p>She now had to serve the Blades that were no where to be found. She needed to make a courtesy call to the Jarl of Falkreath since the Pale Pass was technically part of the said hold. And Jarl Dengeir wasn't exactly a trusting kind of man. Then she also had to do an impossible task of setting an appointment with the emperor who was currently fighting a war. She did all these while mourning for her beloved brother.</p><p>She never really served the Blades directly, but she searched for them, and salvaged whatever was left in the temple. However, she couldn't find her brother's katana, the Makenzo family heirloom. For the Makenzos, that Akaviri sword was their symbol of strength and only hope.</p><p>She also kept an ever vigilant eye on a possible reemergence of the "Ryouko No Tensei", or simply “Tensei”, the Dragonborn, the mortal incarnation of “Ryuujin”. She roamed around the countryside of Skyrim continuing in fulfilling her duties for her “Musha Shugyo”, or the pilgrimage of the Way of the Warrior where she honed her Samurai skills by serving good folk in doing common tasks, and doing mercenary work without the protection of her clan. When her father died, she went home and took the reigns.</p><p>At the age of twenty five years, and still fairly young, she took over her father's lordship in 4E 184. It had been nine years since the end of the war, but her people still mourned the loved ones who served in the Legion and died fighting. Many problems arose during that time. The settlement was low on supplies, and barely surviving. It was made worse when bandits often raided townsfolk due to the lack of protection caused by the aftermath of the war. Then the Shinigami problem came to constantly remind them of death.</p><p>Lady Risa had to make a swift action to improve law enforcement. She opened a “dojo”, a school for training new Samurai retainers. And she taught the new students herself. Soon incidents involving bandits decreased with more Samurai protecting the village. The people started to work with lesser fear in them. With that, the supplies started to flow inward. But the Shinigami problem did not stop.</p><p>Come 4E 201, Lady Risa had been married to a distant cousin, bore three children, and widowed a few years back, the Shinigami would still do its work every now and then. The reaper of souls would bring in loot from barrows for a few weeks then vanish. Sometimes, a group of unconscious and bound bandits came along with the loot. The ‘angel of death’ constantly did this cycle and disappear, only to make its presence felt again after a few months.</p><p>It had been happening for seventeen years, and the investigations had been fruitless about its identity. Even though the Lady was against the Shinigami's actions, the young Samurai, Eljar had been obsessed about it. In fact, it was the one that inspired him to become a Samurai.</p><p>Eljar was born right at the outbreak of the Great War in the Pale Pass. Both of his parents died when he was very young. He was barely a year old when his father died with the Imperial legion defending the Imperial City from the Aldmeri invaders. Thus he really never knew him. However, he did have memories of his mother for she died when he was six years old. His mother suffered the same fate, but this time, she was with Skyrim's delegation of the Legion in the Battle of the Red Ring. The Empire did win, but his mother only came back as a corpse to be buried.</p><p>Since everyone in the Pale Pass was technically related to the Makenzo clan in some way, Eljar was never truly orphaned by family affiliation. Lord Makenzo was his very distant great uncle, and his parents were somewhat cousins to Lady Risa around the eleventh degree. However, he still had a difficult childhood.</p><p>At six years old, he lived alone in their house, and learned how to take care of himself. He went on to become a blacksmith's apprentice to earn as much coin as he could. On his free time, he kept himself busy by educating himself by reading books in the Daimyo's library. Of course, after doing all that was necessary, he would play with the other children. But when the other children went back to their homes, it would become clear to him that he would have to go back to an empty house. He envied his playmates because they still had parents. To divert his thoughts, he would either go back to reading, or mine ore and practice smithing weapons and armor.</p><p>Eljar was fifteen years old when Lord Hisashi Makenzo died, and when Lady Risa took over. He thought to himself, “yes, they still took on ancient Akaviri names in Nord land. They'll all be taken by the Shinigami and die, anyway. This clan would die out soon. How ridiculously sad”. There was so much pessimism in his thoughts because of the troubles he and the village had to go through. The talk of the angel of death, or the “Shinigami” being upon them was so common place because of all the deaths occurring in the aftermath of the war. But he did not believe in that. He was more of a realistic thinker. Supplies were low. Bandits raiding every now and then. Enchanted equipment weren't selling the way they used to. It was only a matter of time before everyone died. “Then what's this dojo for Samurai that the new Daimyo is opening? What a waste of resources”, he thought again when he heard the Lady's plans of enhancing security.</p><p>It was the winter of the 4E 184 when it first happened. It was a gloomy and foggy morning. Not even the chickens would coo for it was too cold. There was something on the road. Suddenly, there were noises, very worried sounds from townsfolk. A commotion started to build up. Eljar was among them. A large sack full with gems filled with no smaller than grand souls was laying on the ground. Normally, this would be a pleasant sight, but there were more oddities beside it. Along with the sack of gems was a pile of cleanly cut decomposed human remains still donning what was ancient Nordic armor.</p><p>However practical Eljar was, this was still a bad omen. No mortal in their right mind would venture in a Nordic ruin and capture large souls then just leave it in a place like this. The people came to assume that this was the work of the angel of death when it happened again and again. The Shinigami was making its presence felt.</p><p>Oddly enough, these events lead to the improvement of the settlement. People began restoring their broken faith in the dragon god by praying not to be taken by the soul reaper. The filled soul gems made powerful enchantments thus they sold more equipment. Eventually, everyone's morale got higher. Eljar, with his once strong sense of realism weakened, was suddenly obsessed with the power of the Shinigami. “How can something so grim cause so much positivity among people”, he asked himself. In fact, he was so into it that he snuck in the quarters of the Daimyo's Samurai retainers to eavesdrop on the current investigation of the Shinigami case. It was where he found out that this was the work of a Ronin, not a supernatural force.</p><p>It did not stop Eljar's admiration for the Shinigami, however. It even made him admire it more for then he knew that such a powerful individual existed. It was a Ronin. A trained Samurai. Just like the other people in the Pale Pass, he realized that the Shinigami turned everyone's life around. There was always light after the dark. Indirectly, it taught him how to make something positive out of the extreme negativity of his life. He realized that it would make him happier if he helped the people just like the angel of death. That day sometime in 4E 184, Eljar decided to join Lady Risa's dojo.</p><p>Author's Note: This is my first work here in the skyforge. This is also a first of the many acts of the backstory of a build that I'm currently playing. I was initially planning a short backstory then proceed in making a build, but it somehow became a full blown story in itself. Blending some aspects of Japanese culture and Elder Scrolls lore was a gargantuan task, but kept me interested in making this. This would be followed up soon. Hope you enjoy.</p></div>BB's Headcanon Literature - The Scar Knighthttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/groups/the-story-corner/general-forum/bb-s-headcanon-literature-the-scar-knight2018-03-26T13:54:55.000Z2018-03-26T13:54:55.000ZSkull-Blackbloodhttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/members/BlackBlood15532<div><p> <a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14178905?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14178905?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt="14178905?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" /></a></p><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14178955?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14178955?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt="14178955?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" /></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14178992?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14178992?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt="14178992?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" /></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14179000?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14179000?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt="14179000?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" /></a></p><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14179010?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14179010?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt="14179010?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" /></a></p><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14179034?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14179034?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt="14179034?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" /></a></p><p style="text-align:center;">:::TEXT VERSION:::</p><p style="text-align:center;">The Scar Knight<br /> <br /> <br /> by<br /> Lywane Hearthgnese<br /> Ex-Loremaster of the Knights of Camlorn</p><p> </p><p>What I write today, I write in memory of the brave men and women who died on that horrible day, so that the truth may come to light in the near future.</p><p>Within Camlorn there exists a brave order of knights, simply known as the Knights of Camlorn, that was formed somewhere around 4E 186. Much like the Vigilants of Stendarr, this group was born out of a desire to protect their province from the threats that the future may hold, more notibly the Thalmor. Founded by the powerful Spellsword Ilannius Gravenus, it boasts some of the greatest warriors in the area for how early it was founded, including one noteworthy Nord named Aron. This man is the main focus of this tale.</p><p>Aron arrived at Camlorn in 4E 198 to join the knights, for the purpose of becoming strong for war. Why he did not simply remain in Skyrim and joined the Companions is anyone's guess, but after seeing his incredible potential none would have it any other way. He was a fresh warrior, yet his heart, body and soul were clearly made of sterner stuff, and within the two and a half years he trained with them he became a mighty man. He was loved by both the people and his peers, and Ilannius saw within him the future of the Knights.</p><p>Untill that fateful day.</p><p>Somewhere around early 4E 201, word had spread of one of the most wicked bandit-mercenary groups known to High Rock, the Dreadmen. Barbaric, fierce and without morality, their ranks were said to be made up of exalted warriors whose restless hunger to kill prevented them from being a part of any knighty order in Tamriel. Bound together by a fallen soldier, Hrondir the Unfaithful, they took any job that was thrown their way, and even some that weren't. They and the Knights of Camlorn would often butt heads over missions, and Hrondir had even sworn to wipe them off the face of the map. That threat couldn't come to pass because of the Knights' impressive defenses.</p><p>But they attacked, and when they did they assaulted a nearby town first, one that was under their protection and served as their main hub for obtaining goods and materials. This attack would split the Knights' offense and defense, allowing Hrondir and his most powerful men to attack their base in a powerful blitz. The Knights were successful in putting down the Dreadmen but the victory was pyrrhic; the destruction to both the town and the base was immesurable, over 85 percent of the knights were slaughtered, and over 35 percent of civilians met the same fate.</p><p>After the storm, Ilannius then revealed a horrible revelation: The man known as Aron was the cause of the attack, having revealed information to the Dreadmen and assisted them in the assault, in an attempt to destroy the order and restore it under his banner. He branded his face with flame magic and dubbed him the Scar Knight, a traitor to High Rock and a blight on Tamriel. He would later meet his end at Aron's hand when the latter fled persecution afterwards, his heart pierced by Aron's sword, which pinned him to the earth he fell on even after the others had found his body.</p><p>The whereabouts of the Scar Knight are unknown, even to this day. It is said that missionaries from the now-defunct Knights began travelling to the various provinces in an effort to hunt him down and bring him to justice. Whether or not this is true, I cannot say, for I have since stepped down from my position as loremaster of the Knights to collect my thoughts and write this book. You see, I remain skeptical of the events that concluded on that dreadful day; Aron was a great man, unwavering in his desire to protect others, and Ilannius has ordered me to silence about events that have shaken my faith beforehand, so I am at odds with how much information is truly known about that dreadful day.</p></div>BB's Headcanon Literature - Advent of the Necrolordhttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/groups/the-story-corner/general-forum/bb-s-headcanon-literature-advent-of-the-necrolord2018-02-01T01:35:47.000Z2018-02-01T01:35:47.000ZSkull-Blackbloodhttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/members/BlackBlood15532<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14178886?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14178886?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt="14178886?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" /></a></p><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14178899?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14178899?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt="14178899?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" /></a></p><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14178919?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14178919?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt="14178919?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" /></a></p><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14178949?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/14178949?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt="14178949?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" /></a></p><p style="text-align:center;">:::TEXT VERSION:::</p><p style="text-align:center;">Advent of the Necrolord<br /> <br /> <br /> by<br /> Ormurus Vasotis</p><p style="text-align:center;"> </p><p>From the darkness will arise a force unlike any have seen before. His Grace left for this world two great gifts. The first, the Necromancer's Moon, which empowers those who seek the Dark Practice and allows the followers of the Divines to lose their souls. By its gift, we also gain the power to blacken Grand Soul Gems, to create vessels for these followers, that they may serve our wills against Arkay himself. The second gift, subtle as the air itself, whispered only to the most capable and secretive of Necromancers. The final gift of His Grace, the almighty Necrolord, inheritor to his power and knowledge.</p><p>Even the most accomplished Necromancers require months, if not years of study and practice, before they can raise their first permanent skeleton servant. However the Necrolord is a completely different entity entirely. From birth, he is given dominion over souls, and mastery of undeath. It must be learned, like any Necromancer, but the time it takes for them to raise their first undead can be shorter than a week at most. Truly, there is no greater with such affinity for death.</p><p>Yet for all their splendor, the Necrolord seems rare to arrive to this world. There was one, a pretender during the end of the Third Era, but his power was not fully realized and he was no Necrolord. And there have been other potential candidates throughout history since his ascension near the end of the Third Era, but they have all been feld by some hero or another, Truly, His Grace has yet to find any worthy successor, yet to bless the destiny of one with great undead power.</p><p>I believe, brothers and sisters, that the Dark Practice will gain its champion. Even now, there are loyal subjects who travel the lands, searching for the one who shows the signs of succession, and ready to lead him down the path to power in veneration to our own God. When that day comes, all acolytes of Arkay will feel the very breath from their body escape them as the darkness encroaches their space. It will be a sign that the successor has arrived, that the Necrolord is upon them all.</p></div>Nocturnal's Child - Table of Contentshttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/groups/the-story-corner/general-forum/nocturnal-s-child-table-of-contents2017-12-20T01:26:02.000Z2017-12-20T01:26:02.000ZJohn-Paulhttps://TheSkyForge.ning.com/members/JohnPaul<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Nocturnal's Child</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;">By: John-Paul</p><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/81/c9/a1/81c9a14977315fa5686ccad2fdde8213--elder-scrolls-skyrim-the-elder-scrolls-art.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/81/c9/a1/81c9a14977315fa5686ccad2fdde8213--elder-scrolls-skyrim-the-elder-scrolls-art.jpg?width=200" alt="81c9a14977315fa5686ccad2fdde8213--elder-scrolls-skyrim-the-elder-scrolls-art.jpg?width=200" width="200" /></a></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>INTRODUCTION</strong></p><p>Set in 4E 201 Skyrim, Nocturnal's Child follows the story of Caeruleus Vulpus, a young Imperial thief from Cyrodiil, who is on a journey to discover who his mother was. Having heard tales of a temple to Nocturnal herself, Caeruleus had figured it was a great time to go to Skyrim even with the Civil War going on. Caeruleus will soon discover he will have to bring glory back to being a thief, find out that everyone is corrupt for the right price, and most important he will meet someone he has never meet before and finally get the answers he has been seeking.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Table of Contents</strong></p><p style="text-align:left;"><strong>Chapter One: Solitude</strong> (Coming Soon)</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>NOTES FROM THE AUTHOR</strong></p><p>Hello, you guys and gals! This is my first public story that I am posting, and I am both excited and nervous about this, but hopefully, everyone enjoys it. This story revolves strongly around The Thieves Guild and the Civil War questlines, but I have changed a few things. I have tried to make the locations and characters as close to lore as possible, leaving a little room for imagination, but some places are changed.</p><p>I love feedback. Feel free to like, ask questions, and talk to me following the chapters if you have any questions or critiques. This will be a monthly thing and every chapter will come out in the last week of a month as I pre-draft every chapter, followed by a rough draft, then edits, and finally the final draft.</p><p>As mentioned above several locations and things have changed according to Lore and my own headcanon, if wanted I will make a list of everything I have changed for you guys' and gals' convenience. The main things are that there is no Dragons nor Dragonborn, and the major cities have all been overhauled to be better.</p><p>Shadow hide you, friend.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>DISCLAIMERS</strong></p><p>The story may contain situations not suitable for younger readers. This includes language, violence, and some romantic elements. Please use discretion when reading.</p><p style="text-align:left;"> </p><p style="text-align:center;"> </p><p style="text-align:center;"> </p></div>