Open Trial upon the Mountain

[Star Gazer]

''Someone slip you skooma, Isnar? You are awfully eager to go.'' Said Ma'Piri. "That would be nice, but I'm afraid khajiit narcotics have a negative affect on the mind, although it is invigorating." Isnar said. Is skooma really that important to khajiits? Each one I have met has mentioned a form of skooma. Hmm, maybe it just gives them an excuse for being ill-educated. Thought the old man, watching Zij'Qua walk back to the fire. "Now is a good time to leave. They will be waiting for us, I think. I do not like this." "Then come, friends. We are down one horse, and it will make it harder to travel. Eat a good breakfast while you are packing. A full belly will make you better in combat."

 

[Star Gazer]

lol don't worry. You'll need to put his wounds into detail for Isnar to fix him up.

 

[Khaos the Argonian]

((OOC Trust me I will))

The day had gotten steadily unpleasant for S'darkiir, he was all wet, out of skooma, and had a Falmer sword embedded in his left shoulder blade. The Falmer that fled into the forest had evidently followed him, and after the skirmish with the Forsworn they chased him down. He managed to kill a few of them but his flagging strength forced him to hide then flee once they had abandoned the assault. He saw the clearing that the group had camped in. The gods had been cruel, letting the Falmer chase and ravage him, but they rewarded the worn Khajiit. The group was still there, although they were reading themselves to depart. He had to act now if he wished to live, his secrecy be damned.

((Is there anyone by themselves?))

 

[AtomicDonut]

((Wulf is not in the depths of the camp, he is patrolling)

 

[Khaos the Argonian]

((OOC *jaws music* Excellent))

S'darkiir saw that the burly nord was away from the others, walking on a lazy patrol. He pulled down the face mask of his now tattered cloak. He would die if he did not feed. The sun made using his power painful, but he ignored the searing pain. He focused the power of shadow around himself, shrouding his form from the naked eye. S'darkiir walked out of the brush, then silently rushed at the isolated Nord. He got down to all fours and then leapt at Wulf like a Sabercat, his vicious maw aimed at his neck, and tackled him.

 

[AtomicDonut]

"What the-!" Wulf cried as he fell to the ground. He managed to turn his head and see the bright orange eyes of a vampire. "Help!" Wulf shouted into the camp. Bah. They don't trust me. Why should they help a poor Nord. Wulf elbowed the Khajiit in the chest, no effect. Two seconds longer and Wulf would be infected. He elbowed again, harder this time, and the Khajiit rolled off with a grunt of pain. Wulf got off his stomach and onto his feet, ready his crossbow and aiming it straight for the vampire's head. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't pierce your skull with this bolt." He intimidated the Khajiit. He stood waiting for an answer, the vampire's eyes glaring back at him.

 

[Khaos the Argonian]

By the gods was the Nord strong! If S'darkiir had been at full strength he would have killed the Nord, but not without a fight to be sure. He was thrown off Wulf and the large man got to his feet rather quickly for a man his size. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't pierce your skull with this bolt.", he demanded. The khajiit took a moment to catch his breath, which he found was a painful exercise, By Azurah how many ribs did he break!, he stared at him for a moment, considering whether or not to take the crossbow from him and making him eat the bolt. Fighting would alert the others if they weren't already. He opened his mouth to speak, coughed up black bile and blood, and gasped. The Nord didn't send the bolt rocketing through his skull but waited for the khajiit to catch his breath. "Khajiit is most grateful that the esteemed warrior has not already placed the bolt between his eyes, most gracious indeed.", he coughed again, spat then continued, "I apologize for the assault, both for the inconvenience it has caused to you, and the sloppiness of it, most embarrassing to be sure, I would have-", he was interrupted by another coughing fit, "I would have simply fed upon you as you slept, then left, but I was occupied elsewhere." , he turned to show the man the sword that was propping him up like a picture frame. "Khajiit is sorry, we only need...we only need help.", S'darkiir frowned at the brazen display of weakness, but if he gauged the man right it would do the trick.

 

[AtomicDonut]

"Help? A vampire needing help? I hate your kind. Your kind killed my father, and I am ready to return the favor." Wulf intimidated again. He nudged the crossbow closer to the vampire, but backed off right away. "I don't know what help you need, but spit it out before I will split your skull in two." Wulf spit on the ground, he was in some pain from hitting the ground so hard, but it looked like he hit the vampire harder. He looks skinny. He must be starved from blood, but I am not letting him get the group's blood or mine. The tyranny of the knife-toothed has already stabbed into my family blood before.

 

[Star Gazer]

Isnar pulled the tent bag over his shoulder. He heard a rustling in the forest behind him. He turned around, nothing. Isnar put his hand on his war-axe. There were twigs snapping and dead leaves crackling. Isnar crouched and looked around. There was no sight of anything, but the sound was still coming. Isnar noticed the leaves cracking on the ground, and little boot shaped imprints in the snow covered grass. Isnar followed the trail of footsteps. It led to Wulf. Alright, it was just Wulf. Isnar thought, turning the way he came. He heard someone fall, and as Isnar turned around, there was a crossbow aimed in a khajiit's face. "Khajiit is sorry, we only need...we only need help." said the khajiit desperately. He was spitting blood. "Help? A vampire needing help? I hate your kind. Your kind killed my father, and I am ready to return the favor." Wolf grunted. Isnar stepped out of the bushes he was hiding in. "Wulf stop. You have him pinned. Just tie him up and we can figure out what he needs. If you learn to forgive, you learn more things than if you just kill the man." Isnar said, reaching into the tent bag, and tossing it to Wulf. "When you're done tying him up, bring him to the fire."

 

[Khaos the Argonian]

S'darkiir was stunned by the appearance of the old Breton, he was turning out to be quite the savior. The Elder tossed a tent bag to Wulf, "When you're done tying him up, bring him to the fire.", he said. S'darkiir was not sure if he should have been worried or not. He could have meant bring him to the camp fire so we can talk, or bring him to the flames for his interrogation. The vampire turned to Wulf, "I assume you know how to use a rope?", he said jokingly, the broad smile on his face faded slightly when the Nord snarled at him. "A joke Nord, I assume you know how to take a jest? Again another joke, we are very fond of our jokes indeed, now could you help S'dar-Khajiit up?". He caught himself before he revealed his name to the burly man. There is much power in a name. "Also the sword in our back is becoming uncomfortable, does the Nord mind removing it? Or shall you let the poor cat suffer?", he grinned at the man, hopping for the love of the gods that he would not lose his Nordic temper.

 

[Ma'PiriThePure]

Wulf's cries for help pierced her ears like a siren call, making her head snap clear around to the wood. Without thinking, she was off and running, oddly lithe and fairly silent as she sped through the undergrowth like a white blaze. Isnar and the large Nord were standing around a wounded vampire, bent up against a tree like a wounded animal. The three exchanged a few words before she came forward, ears pressed tight to her head and her teeth glinting in the open air as she snarled. "... the sword in our back is becoming uncomfortable, does the Nord mind removing it? Or shall you let the poor cat suffer?"

Life on the road had exposed her to these dangerous night beasts before, having lost friends and enemies alike to their voracious jaws. Her innate hatred, coupled with her dislike for any that bring shame to the name Khajiit, boiled her blood faster than even the Nord had. ''You leave it in his filthy meat, Wulf.'' she growled, ''He would make a better rug than anything, attacking then seeking forgiveness...'' Khajiit like him sickened her; it was their ways that tainted their already shaky reputation among the other races. She crept up to her fellow feline so that they were almost touching noses, but she recoiled in disgust from his scent.''So... 'we' are fond of jokes, eh?'' she said so quiet that only S'dakiir could hear her. ''I have a joke for you.'' Her hand moved to the head of her axe, thumb gently running along the blade. This time she spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. ''Do you know what happens when you skin a live cat?'' She paused, ''I don't, but I'm eager to learn.''

 

[AtomicDonut]

"He's all yours." Wulf said to Ma'Piri with a snarl. He lowered his crossbow and put it on his back, then returned his gaze to the vampire. With a menacing tone, he said, "But you do anything to my friends here, and..." Wulf dragged his thumb across his neck like a knife. The Khajiit's face still did not change, a cruel smile and squinting, orange eyes. Wulf smirked as he looked away from the vampire's face. He still stayed with the gathering group, afraid the vampire would make a move, but he stepped back, letting Ma'Piri take over.

 

[solace84]

"Enough!" Felian yelled out as he approached them. The wood elf grabbed the blade and pulled it from the khajiit's back, tossing it to the ground. "Yes, he is a prisoner, but I will not stand here and watch you all mock a helpless being whether he's an enemy or not. It's what separates us from them."
He pointed out to the mountains, intending to speak of the Forsworn.
"Now, what are we going to do with him?"

 

[Zij'Qua El]

Zij'Qua El was curious about the commotion. However, before he could investigate himself the whole fiasco was brought to his attention. He heard the scorn in the nord's tone, the hatred in Ma'Piri's, and the short-temper the bosmer held for their actions. He gave a final tug on the straps that bound their gear to his horse and called to the rest of his party.

"I say we release the creature. Let it fend for itself on deer and fox."

The argonian looked towards Ma'Piri and frowned at her venomous nature, though he so easily understood it. If he had his way that vampire would have been gutted within the very second it attacked him. Zij had no ancestry as the khajiit understood it however, so he knew he could never completely feel her scorn towards the only other cat around.

"Ma'Piri, come on. Let us saddle up." A small attempt at distracting her, he hoped.

 

[Khaos the Argonian]

S'darkiir was shocked at the turn of events. His sympathy for Ma'piri was lost the moment they two made eye contact. The burning hatred for him in her eyes made him balk, the Nord's hatred of him looked like simple distaste compared to hers. Then the Bosmer appeared after she was done making threats, And that is all they are my sweet kitten threats, wasted ones at that., and pulled the sword out of his back. What was his name? S'darkiir strained to concentrate his mind away from the pain...Felain...Felain! He didn't make the connection earlier but if he was the same Felain...By the gods, all this group needs is a Vigilant, a Dawnguard and priest to Arkay and I might start to feel uncomfortable., he mused. Then the Argonian arrived on the scene. S'darkiir liked his callous disregard for the vampire before him, but he saw something else there too...Compasion. Love even. But for whom? Ma'Piri and the argonian made eye contact and the vampire understood. My, my, we are so very complicated aren't we?, the thought was intercepted by the Argonian,"Ma'Piri, come on. Let us saddle up.".

 

[Star Gazer]

Isnar walked back over to where the fight had started. The vampire was tied up, and the knife was gone from his back. "Bring him over to the fire." Isnar said. They dragged him near the fire pit and dropped him. "You guys finish packing, I'll talk to him." Isnar said. He watched the group leave and walk for the camp, not too far from the campfire. Fire, every vampire's weakness. That hole in his back will need to be stitched up before he can do anything. "Why did you attack Wulf?" Isnar asked, pulling his medkit put of his satchel, and taking the thread and needle from it.

 

[Khaos the Argonian]

S'darkiir was pulled by his bonds to the campsite. He was set down by the camp fire at the behest of the Breton. Isnar pulled out a satchel not unlike his own and took out a thread and needle. "Why did you attack Wulf?", the old man asked, "I believe the answer is fairly obvious is it not? Khajiit is quite clearly dying and-", he was interrupted by a rather well timed coughing fit,"-and Khajiit needs to heal. The sun has not been kind on us, and lack of food and proper blood has weakened our body. I saw that the Nord, Wulf, was isolated from the rest of the you, so my plan was to incapacitate him then drink well, although do note my intention was not to kill him.", he relaxed and readied himself for whatever the man had in store,

 

[Star Gazer]

"Why are you here? Doesn't seem fit that a vampire would wander the woods, looking for people to feed on." Isnar said, sticking the needle in the embers, making it easier to puncture the skin. "People don't usually wander the woods, but when they do, they are not usually alone. Word of advice, if you live from this wound, which is probable, don't attack groups." Isnar said, examining the stab wound. "You may have kidney damage, it's pretty deep. Any difficulty concentrating or focusing, any troubles sleeping?" Isnar asked, poking the thread through the eye of the needle.

 

[Khaos the Argonian]

The hot needle was not a welcome sensation but the khajiit understood the necessity. The old man looked at the wound the falmer sword had made, laying him on his side with his cloak draped over him, prying apart the blood caked leather of his Guild armor. "You may have kidney damage, it's pretty deep. Any difficulty concentrating or focusing, any troubles sleeping?", he asked, "Yes khajiit has troubles clearing his thoughts, yes, is it loss of blood? Infection is not possible considering the constitution of my blood.". He avoided Isnar's other questions, those were tricky, and he was to tired to think of careful, clever answers.

 

[Star Gazer]

"yes, is it loss of blood?" The vampire asked. "Do you also have nausea or blurred vision?" asked the old man. Keeping the needle a half inch away from the fur, Isnar said "Now before I stitch you up, tell me why you are out in the woods."