An Ashlanders Tale


Many stories have emerged from the time period of Red Mountain’s largest eruption. Most have to do with a hero or undefeatable warrior who fights alongside his companions and frees the world from certain destruction. Well I shall tell you this; An Ashlanders Tale is not one of those stories. This is a story that shadows the gruesome scenes of war and tells about the not so happy lives of the people caught in the middle of the battle. One of these people is a young Ashlander named Ashibalk and he is about to discover that no matter where you hide war will always come and find you.

It was a day like no other. The sky that day was bright red making the surrounding landscape look like some scene from a traveler’s book I had once looked through. If I spent more of my time studying with the wise woman I would have known that the red sky was not something I should be caring so little about. I wasn’t the only one though that recognized the change that day, but most of us in our set ways of thought didn’t give it a second care. I spent some time that morning gathering all my things and double-checking them over and over. Today the men were going out on annual hunt. It was meant to be a spiritual and mind cleansing task for the younger men. I had decided that I was old enough to undertake this hunt and no one would be able to tell me otherwise.

I had just started to realize that I didn’t need to continue my checking of the pack when my older brother, Ash’ am, walked in.

“Ashibalk, what are you doing?” He came up beside me and started kicking through my stuff.

“Im going on the hunt today.” I said pushing his dirty feet off my freshly packed cloths. I knew that this calming conversation would soon turn into a fight so I braced myself and began thinking of ways to convince my brother that he couldn’t stop e from going. Ash’ am had always been that way to me. Always telling not to do this and that. I was now almost seventeen years old and I felt I no longer needed my brother’s guidance.

He sighed and squatted down beside me and looked at me with a puzzled look on his face. “You know their not going to let you go with us don’t you? If I can tell by just looking at you that you aren’t ready then certainly the elders won’t even have to ponder the question of letting you go. You still have a lot of growing up to do.”

“Don’t try and tell me what I can and can’t do. I will make my own decisions.” I said with a harsh tone to my voice. My brother didn’t seem at all shocked by my determination but he did stay quite for a while. Finally after staring out ahead of him for a few min he turned to me.

“We shall see. If I cannot tell you what to do then I will get someone who can.” Before I could respond to his threat he walked out of my tent mumbling something about teaching me a lesson. I knew he was going to get the Ashkan of your camp and he would back up my brother’s reason for not letting me go. I had no chance now of going on the hunt this year. I slowly started to reach for my stuff and unpack when my Ashkan walked in.

There was awkward silence as he stood there watching me slowly unpack. I decided that it would take forever for him to some out and tell me I couldn’t go so I began talking.

“Why can’t I go on the hunt? Am I not brave enough for this occasion? Have I not proved my self to you and the others?” I stopped to let my words sink in and hopefully persuade him to change his mind, but it looked as if what I said went in one ear and right out the other. He sighed and started to leave. I thought he would go without saying anything but he turned around right in the entrance.

“It is not that you aren’t brave enough… There is another reason. I alone cannot tell you whether or not you can go. It seems the wise woman will have some say in this today. Go to her and you will find out if shall go or not.” He smiled and walked out without another glance back. That was the last time I ever saw him.

“Ah Ashibalk, I have been expecting you. There is much talk today about your going on the hunt. But I cannot base my decision on these rumors. I must hear from you why you think you should go with the others.” She said. There seemed to be a hint of sorrow in her eyes as she spoke to me. It was something that immediately caught my attention and frightened me. She always was kind and helpful. What would make look so different today?

I spent some time contemplating my answer but I couldn’t come up with anything that would convince her that I should go. It seemed that the best thing to do now was to just be truthful. I looked up at her and began my speech.

“Ever since I’ve had knowledge of this of this hunt the older boys go on I have dreamed of one day going with them. I have spent countless days and weeks planning everything I would bring and do on the hunt. Just like the others that went on the trip I was certain that when I became seventeen I would go and join the ranks of men in our camp. But it seems that even though I am old enough I cannot go. I now question my abilities and the trust the others have in me. Have I not proved myself to the others? Have I not time and time again come through for them in the darkest of times? I want to go on this hunt Wise woman. It is vital that I do for I believe that if I do not I will miss some very important part of my life. Please. I beg of you. Let me go.” After finishing I took a deep breath and let my head hang down. I do not know how long I stared at the ground before she spoke to me but I do know that what she said must have taken lots of consideration before saying.

“The courage to say what you believe is the strongest courage a person can have at your age. It is this that has convinced me that you shall go on the hunt, but you shall not go today for they have already left. You must leave to meet up with them tomorrow and then you will perhaps have what dream of having. That part of your life you thought you should have missed.” That was my cue to leave. I gathered up my stuff and walked out of her tent into the blazing hot sun. I held my hand up in front of my eyes and stumbled back to my tent. How long had I been in there with the wise woman?

When the sun rose the next morning the sky was still blood red. Unlike yesterday I spent sometime staring up at it wondering why this change had occurred so randomly. The rest of the camp seemed to be a bit more jumpy also. It seemed this sudden change in color had us all a bit on the jumpy side. I didn’t once see the Wise woman outside that day. Usually I would have seen her walking around; giving people help with whatever they were doing, but I guess I was just to busy running around gathering a few last minute things.

Once I was sure that I was ready to begin my march to catch up with the other hunters I went to my mother’s tent, said my farewells, and set out on the most bloody, and heart-wrenching journey I would ever go on.

I spent several days following the trail of my fellow hunters and it seemed that today I would finally catch up to them. My heart was filled with a joy that only the littlest children have when they get something they’ve wanted for a long time. I was certain that today I was finally going to become a man. My feet began increasing pace without my knowing of it and I soon found myself running. On the horizon I spotted a smoke trail winding up into the sky hinting at the fact that my friends were just over the hill in front of me. I picked up speed and began hopping from rock to rock to get up the hill.

When I got to the top of the hill I took a giant leap off and skidded down the rest of the way on my backside. I quickly wiped the dust off me to look presentable for the Ashkan and ran into the hunting camp.

“I am here! I am here to hunt!” I shouted happily. “Come out and strop hiding. I wish to be with you!” There was no reply to my shouts except for the sound of the leather pieces being flapped around in the wind. I stopped and looked around me for any hint of someone’s presence, but I could see no one. I walked towards the middle of the camp where the fire was hoping to find someone there when a foul stench came to my nose. It smelled horrible and I had to cover up my mouth and nose from gagging. When I walked around the last tent I saw the fire. There was no one around it because they were all in it. I slowly walked up to the fire and fell to my knees. No words came to my mouth and I found gripping the weeds beneath me.

I would find whoever did this and bring justice to them. This horrible deed would not go unpunished. I burning hate started to build within and I started to shed tears. The hatred kept churning and churning; building and building until I let it all go. I yelled out the most heartbreaking cry I had ever heard and reached into the fire to grab my father’s sword. It was a family heirloom and I would slay all who did this with it. The sword (being red hot) burnt my hand and sent a searing pain up my arm and through the rest of my body thus building up more anger.

I jumped up and stared at the bodies and the sword. My heart raced. I wanted to grab the sword no matter how hot it was and hunt down the people who had killed my family and friends, and slay them. I began looking around me for any sign of who could have committed this and where they could have gone. I spent some time standing there waiting for the sword to cool down, and thinking of a way to get revenge when there was a noise behind me.

I spun around to face what I hoped to be a survivor of this atrocity, but I saw no one. I gave the area a quick glance through again and turned back around to see if the sword was cool yet. It seemed to be so I picked it up and sheathed it. Then another noise came from behind me. I spun around and saw armored gauntlet flying at my face. Then, nothingness…

Uhhh.....it´s just such a horrible experience for a young boy, ( I do remember, from the previous time, but it caught me right in the stomach nevertheless)......oh my ...Keep it coming please, I can´t wait for an update!

Very nice, again. please update, again.

It is good to see the beginning of this epic story again- it helps me to recall the events that set "The Ashlander" upon his path. I shall look forward to additional installments.

Well, whatever minor, erm, disagreements we may have had on some topics, its a bloody great big pleasure to see this back. This remains one of my favourite Morrowind stories, and I'm looking forward to seeing it progress.

( Heh, ya knew it was coming )

Like a phoenix reborn, we experience the beginning again. With our rekindled enthusiasm comes rekindled hope; please keep our hope alive with many superb updates.