Open Trial upon the Mountain

[Khaos the Argonian]

S'darkiir ground his teeth and snarled quietly to himself, If he only knew, if he could even understand the sacrifices I have made, the people I have lost, the hardship I have gone through to protect those who I hold close. And his speak of a cure, HA! If only it were that easy. The fool best watch himself, or this merry cat will make him understand my misery!. The thought was silenced by Ma'Piri, who was maneuvering herself into a position of power within the unspoken hierarchy of the group, Clever girl. She nuzzled the arrogant Betmer and smiled, ''Ready when you are, men.'', she said. "Khajiit must retrieve his bag from the clearing.", said S'darkiir, his voice low and raspy, "It holds many things of importance, potions, supplies, ingredients and the like."

 

[Star Gazer]

Isnar nodded to the khajiit and retrieved the bag. Isnar brought it back and tied the satchel to the argonian's horse. "Take the vampire on your horse, I guess Felian, Ma'Piri, and I will walk since we are low on horses." Isnar said, pointing down the road in the direction to the camp. Isnar started on the road. I wonder what a khajiit and argonian hybrid would look like. Isnar thought.

 

[Khaos the Argonian]

Isnar retrieved his bag, but fortunately did not look inside. S'darkiir could smell his special skooma raidating from his bag, acrid almost sickly sweet, but with a metal-y tang...Curses, I must have broken my last bottle!, he prayed none would smell it, and if they did he hoped they would not be able to identify the smell, but since it was not normal skooma he doubted they could guess."Take the vampire on your horse, I guess Felian, Ma'Piri, and I will walk since we are low on horses.", the old man offered, S'darkiir shook his head,"Khajiit has been able to keep up with you for this long on foot, you honestly believe this one needs a horse? Much less desires one? I will go on foot.", he winked and flashed a broad mocking grin, which was rather unsettling on account of his Saber teeth, "I can keep up don't worry."

 

[Zij'Qua El]

The argonian smiled and suddenly stood. Though not so quickly as to upset the khajiit holding onto him. He took to hand his shield and his blade.
"Let us ride."
He went to his horse and mounted the beast, looking over each adventurer as they began to move. It was going to be a tough battle, he felt, but he was sure that the pain would not be too much compared to the reward.

He also smiled at the thought of, perhaps, making more of a bond with the cat.

 

[Star Gazer]

The group had been riding and marching for a good half-hour. Isnar stopped. The sun came out and the clouds disappeared, and in the silence of the day, a twig snapped next to the group. "Stop." Isnar said, holding his hand near his head. The old man walked in the direction of the noise. Isnar looked around. A broken twig, pointing west, and fresh footsteps. "The person ran away recently. It is possibly the forsworn. We were stupid to be such large targets all this time. We can't take that horse, it's too big of a target. Tie it to a tree and we come back for it." Isnar said, pointing to a large, dead tree. Isnar looked around for anything that could be of use. The old man took off his cloak and stuffed it into a saddle-bag on the horse. Isnar ran to a patch of mud. The rain only recently stopped, and the dirt was still a murky liquid. Isnar rubbed it over his body, allowing him to better disguise himself in the wilderness. "Shirts off, cover yourself in mud." Isnar said, with a serious tone to his voice. The old man crouched, tossing his walking stick aside, and unsheathing his iron war-axe. "We must be close if we are already approaching patrols." Isnar whispered.

 

[solace84]

"Shirts off, cover yourself in mud." Isnar said, with a serious tone to his voice.
Felian laughed at the idea. "No."

 

[Zij'Qua El]

The argonian looked at the old man like he suggested that they go to the forsworn with a sweetroll and ask if they'd stop being jerks.
"No."

 

[Khaos the Argonian]

(( OOC mobile post wip))
S'darkiir was well aware of the group's shadows. Forsworn for the most part, but on a few occasions he saw the pale eyeless faces of Falmer. He almost groaned when Isnar pointed out the trap, first rule of being followed, don't let the follower know that you know, that way you maintain the upper hand. "I agree with the bosmer, maybe that is just because I can turn invisible hehe, although if we are all stripping down...", he looked ay Ma'Piri and gave her an over exagerated smile, his top lip curled up showing his gums, his bottom lip covering his top teeth, except his huge canines of course. "But in all seriousness Isnar, that is utterly ridiculous, yes let us all strip down and cover ourselves in mud ,the Forsworn will never see us then!" He shook his head and laughed, "Khajiit says no."

 

[Zij'Qua El]

((...Falmer? Traps? Bugger it. I'm going to have to drive this story with a more iron fist now.))

The argonian rode the horse with the heavy supplies, despite the old man's misgivings. This was there land. It would be much easier and simpler to simply knock on their gates with blade and hammer than to skulk about the trees and stones they know like the back of their hands. They were close. Many figures of the sneaky Forsworn could be seen as silhouettes above the sheer canyon that surrounded the group on their path, pressing them in like lambs to the slaughter.

After moments of built up tension the canyon suddenly shot in opposite directions, giving way to a large clearing or valley. It was ruins, ancient and long forgotten. Ahead was the foretress walls that once held off a mighty army and the great gate, looking like it was still in working order.

Should anyone observe their area more closely they would see many places where the Forsworn left their fetishes and idols out as warnings. Or challenges. The sound of many of the reachmen drifted to the party over the frozen and broken walls of that long forgotten fort, no longer hidden behind wailing gales or tumbling stones.

The fort was long as anyone could tell, it proceeded to extended over a rise at the back of the valley where three large, hooked rock formations extended from. It resembled a dragon's claw, marking the origin of its namesake.

The Forsworn made no move to attack them, only that the single path the group took was now covered in the broken debris of both stone and trash. The forsworn on the canyon ledges has blocked their path.

Zij'Qua El dismounted his horse and kept blade and shield close to him. This was not usual. The Forsworn are not known for allowing people so close to their camps.

A most unholy and damnable noise rang through the boxed canyon. A screech that no natural beast could ever emit on Nirn.

 

[Star Gazer]

"No." Felian said, jokingly. Isnar looked him up and down. "That's some shiny blades armor you've got there. Might attract an eye or two." The old man said as the light reflected off of Felian's armor. Isnar completely covered himself in the substance until his trousers turned brown. The argonian seems tense, as he moved his hands to a position where he could unsheathe his sword and shield. "Zij, what's wrong?" Isnar said, quietly. Just as Isnar asked, a loud, high-pitched, screeching sound came from down the canyon. Isnar backed into the shadows and laid in a position that looked natural and blended into the mountain shadow.

 

[Khaos the Argonian]

((OOC the falmer were never going to attack the whole group, just something for me :3))

The group had finally arrived at the "Forsworn" camp, in fact they got so close that S'darkiir could smell it, and it smelled WRONG. Then the screech ran out of the canyon, hurting his ears. "So, who still thinks these are Forsworn? Although that may have been a Hagraven, I think they only make that sound when you are violently dismembering one, I speak from experience.", he said in a low tone, he snickered, "Off to get some food, hopefully, I'm starving..."

 

[Khaos the Argonian]

((OOC Hey what ever happened to Wulf, and that guy who left the two longish posts in the beginning, not me the other one))

 

[Star Gazer]

Atomic Donut? I don't know. We'll just say he comes along until he thinks it's time for him to post.

 

[Khaos the Argonian]

((Finally took pictures of S'darkiir, they are pre-vamprism [I had to go back a whole bunch of saves >_<]))
((profile: S'darkiir Profile Pre-Vamprism | Flickr - Photo Sharing!))
((front, again slightly different then how he is represented in the forums,S'darkiir Pre-Vamprism | Flickr - Photo Sharing!))

 

[solace84]

((Wulf, we should kill him off muahaha...and the other guy has two Nords in his group, they are following. Don't know if he'll post again though...we should keel them as well!))

"That's some shiny blades armor you've got there. Might attract an eye or two," said the old man.
"Good," Felian said. "That way they can see it coming when I kill them."
The valley of the forsworn was enormous and seemingly ancient. The screetching sound that suddenly came annoyed Felian the most, as he could hear the pitches. He covered his ears in disgust.

 

[Khaos the Argonian]

S'darkiir sniffed and looked around itching his bonds nonchalantly, "We should rest before we storm the keep, Khajiit can keep watch,",he eyed the party, "We won't try anything, if blood is too be taken we want it to come from a Forsworn, they owe this own much blood indeed.". He shook his head and made a nervous laugh, "I swear, we will find no forsworn in there. Naught but death lies within."

 

[Shouts-At-Dragons]

OOC: I'm still here, I was just waiting for you guys to arrive at the camp. This post is going to be crappy so I apologize. I just want to get in your guys group.

Hodlin slowed his horse, they had arrived. Well at least he thought they did. He saw another group in the distance. This was the group he had saw leaving the stables in Markarth. Apparently they had grown a man stronger, or at least a cat stronger.

Hodlin understood that his two Nord comrades needed the money, and that 6,000 would be great for them. But they were going to face there deaths if Hodlin didn't team with this other group. The Forsworn were no group to mess with.

"You two, were going to have to team up with this group. Your pay is going to be, significantly smaller. But it will be enough to keep your guys farm going and your family alive. If you just work with me we would have to fight this group, and the Forsworn. It would be our death. I hope you two understood. If not, you can leave me".

The two simply nodded, they knew they couldn't back out now. Especially that they were now sharing a horse. They would be open season for any bandits on the road without a person like Hodlin. They had no choice.

"I'm going to approach the other group, keep a distance away if they attack me. I don't want you two dead. If I'm attacked you leave with your horse right away, don't try saving me. I'm not worth it".

Hodlin then began to speed towards the other group, while he was far away, it seemed like the look on there faces was hostile. Hodlin wasn't surprised though, who wouldn't go into self-defense when they were attacking a Forsworn base and some random dude starts to speed towards them.

"Do not shoot, I'm not a Forsworn. I am just here to help".

Seconds later, Hodlin was in front of the group on his horse. He was actually surprised an arrow wasn't running through his body. He wasn't going to complain though. "You guys aren't probably happy with my presence, along with my two friends over there. But your going to need as much men as possible. I've be a great asset, trust me. And also, I don't want any of the cut. I don't need any money, its useless to me. Just give a small amount to my two friends. There brothers and there family's farm is failing. They need the cash to get through the season. I'm not expecting you guys to take us in, but if you do, I'll be grateful".

 

[Zij'Qua El]

((I'm going to pretend you strode in AFTER the only path in or out was blocked off by the forsworn.))

Zij'Qua El noticed the new man and groaned audibly. By the divines, I am never attending a large expedition again after this.

"We are blessed to not be killed as of yet. I care little for anyone willing to charge in with me. It would give them less arrows to use upon me. Stop your incessant talking and take out your blade."

"And you, blood-cat. You want to rest at their door after we camped? A lazy thing, you are."

With that there was a blur and then Primoridius, his trusty blade, was fully equiped. He walked towards the gates with his shield raised for any surprise attacks. As he did so the sound of many forsworn quickly stopped until it was eerily quiet. If a stranger were to arrive at this point they would declare the place was deserted.

The argonian looked back and observed everyone who was there, "Someone help me with these gates."

 

[Khaos the Argonian]

Sdarkiir turned towards the sound of hoof beats, "What in Oblivion....". A trio of nords decended into the canyon stopping several feet of the party, the large one introduced himself and announced his intentions. "Khajiit is thinking a few things,", he said quietly to the group, "this may be a trap, if so they are most likely bounty hunters or bandits, if he means what he says we should put him in the front in the assault, or we just tell them to begone, less gold to split yes?"

 

[solace84]

Felian recognized the new party from Markarth.
"Be silent cat," he said. He went down and helped Zij with the gates.