Story of Soran: Prelude:Flight of the shadow.
This is my story it may not be how you would have done it but it's how I did. I was born in a small village near the border to Morrowind. Dispite what I would have liked at the time I never visted Vvardenfell. If you haven't guessed already I am a Dunmer or Dark Elf as we are known mostly in Cyrodiil.
At the young age of 20 I was thrown in the Imperial Prison for attempted murder. I know it was silly but I wanted to join the Dark Brotherhood. Upon reflection I suppose I could have picked a less well gaurded first kill. I tried to kill a member of the Imperial city watch while he slept. I would have killed him if he hadn't woken up when I drew my blade. At the time of my imprisonment I was unmarried and I remain that way till now.
Before I continue, understand that I can not for ANY reason tell you any secrets if I am to remain alive. I feel I am safely hidden but with my history you can never know. Enough of my past you are probaly wonder who in Oblivion I am by now and I shall tell you, my name is Soran.
*Warning from this point on the story will be told from the first person veiwpoint this is my first try at a fanfic so any criticism is welcome. If you want to help me by pointing out mistakes like slipping from first to third or present to past or grammar go right ahead. I am also in need of someone to read over my stories before I post them*
"This place is horrible," I thought to myself, "couldn't they atleast buy a cat to eat these rats? Hmmm, no, the rats would eat the cat.".
I rolled out of my bed and looked around the cell for the first time in a week. It was very sparcely frunished a table, cheap pitcher and cup, stool and the remains of its last occupent.
"I must have offended someone high up in the imperial watch. The normal punishment is no more than three days," I continued to think while paceing back and forth back and forth.
"Hey kinsman!" someone called
"What?" I hollered, quickly pulling myself back to the present.
"I haven't seen another Dunmer in here in ages." The person called back.
I realized that the stranger was in the cell across from mine so I walked up to the bars to see them.
"Where you from? Vvardenfell?" he continued, steping out of the shadows of his cell.
"No I was born here in Cyrodiil." I said to him.
"Have a wife back home? Tell you what I'm getting out in a few weeks and when I get back home to Morrowind I'll look her up." He said with a sneer while ignoreing my response.
I turned around and walked away seeing how he was just wanting to be insulting. I sat down at the table to think some more.
"HEY prisoner!" I heard shouted at me like they had said it two or three times already.
I looked up to see someone in full heavy armor at the door to my cell.
"Yes?" I called back.
"Stand by the wall next to the window or we will kill you." he said.
That got my attention I hurriedly stood where he told me to.
He unlocked the cell door and walked right up infront of me and told me to stay there. Behind him were three more people, two more in the same style of armor and one who looked familier dreesed in very rich looking robes. It was this man who looked right at me and got a shocked expression across his face.
"I know you." he said as he walked closer.
"Let me see your face." he said, so I looked up, "You are the one from my dreams." at this point his face got a really sad look to it and he mumbled "Then the stars were right and this is the day." Now he looked towards the heavens outside the window and said "Gods give me strength."
"Who are you?" I asked.
"I am your emperor. Uriel Septim. By the grace of the gods I serve Tamriel as her ruler. You are a citizen of Tamriel and you to shall serve her in your own way." Uriel replied.
"Why am I still in jail?" I asked.
edit: fixed some spelling at cleared a few points i thought needed it.
Full Version: Story of Soran Prelude:Flight of the shadow.
oi....tyme, i can read over your story before you post the next update if you want....just PM me, and I'll see what i can do...
As for the story, I think you're off for a great start, and it shall be my pleasure to follow it, I like it very much, so accept a
jona....and please continue the story.
As for the story, I think you're off for a great start, and it shall be my pleasure to follow it, I like it very much, so accept a
jona....and please continue the story.
Pretty nice. You got off to a good start and I liked the rats would eat the cats bit. Keep it up so we can see where it goes.
Thanks for the comments the next part is under way right now. It might take a while but I will eventually give more back story on Soran.
Looking good. I'll be waiting for the next one.
Telendil Delvanni did the editing for me and named the spell here is part two of Soran's Story
"Maybe the Gods have placed you here so that we may meet. As for what you have done it does not matter. That is not what you will be remembered for." Uriel said.
I opened my mouth to ask another question but closed it again after seeing the look his guards threw my way.
While the Emperor and me were talking his other two guards had entered the cell, one stood by the cell doors and the third was by the wall next to my bed. I looked at that one only to be roughly turned about by the first guard. I heard the sound of stone scraping against stone and I spun around in time to see my bed sink towards the floor and the wall behind it swing open revealing a secret passageway. The guard who opened this passageway said something about leaving the door open and not being able to open it from the other side.
"Today’s your lucky day, just stay out of our way and you'll be fine." The guard who was standing next to the cell door said. He then walked out the passage behind the Emperor and his other two guards.
I followed them as quietly as I could staying out of the way. We rounded a bend in the passageway and exited into a large room from what I could see it had twin stairways going down to a lower level. Off to my right was a platform. I had barely taken this in before three dudes in black armour wielding what appeared to be deadric maces charged in. Before I could think what to do I heard a shout.
"The Captain is down!" someone yelled.
The battle lasted a few minute more but the men in armour were hopelessly out matched. The guards quickly killed one and his armour and weapons just vanished.
"What in Oblivion happened there?" I thought as another dudes armour vanished upon his death, "These must be assassins, but why would they be here? Could they be after the Emperor? But why?" the thoughts continued to race around my head for the few secs that the last assassin lived.
"Are you ok sire?" one of the two remaining guards asked.
"Yes, and Renault?" Uriel asked.
"She's dead sir," the guard responded sadly.
"I'll take point." the other guard said, "How could they be waiting for us here?"
"I don't know but we have to keep moving." The guard near Uriel said. "Prisoner you stay here don't try to follow us."
"Ok." I told him.
They walked though a door on the lower level and I heard it lock behind them. I walked over to the body of the Captain and searched it for anything useful.
"Hmmm a steel shortsword I can use this." I thought. I stood up and looked around. I walked over to the assassins bodies and searched them finding a potion that reeked slightly of magicka and a potion with the remains of a label, it read "Weak Healing".
"A healing potion?" I thought while strapping on the shortsword. Looking around one more time I saw the hilt of another blade under a assassins body, "What? That looks like the blade hilts those guards were wearing." I walked over to the body and pushed hard moving it just enough to get the blade free. "This is the captains blade. I can't use this but I can give it to the other guards if I ever get out of here."
All of a sudden I felt I need to draw my blade and run down the stairs. Following that urge I got there just as the wall to my right fell in and two of the largest rats I had ever seen jumped though. My first thought was run but I decided that I could kill the rats and maybe get some rat meat off the bodies I swung my blade and killed one outright but the other grabbed my thigh, I screamed and swung my blade before I thought about what I was doing, luckily I hit the rat and not my self . The blade stuck the rats tail and it let go with a screech. It jumped at me again but this time I was ready for it and swung my blade slicing clean thought the rat's chest killing it instantly. I use the blade to cut some meat from the rats and I looked though the hole in the wall. Beyond I saw what appeared to be the supports to the prison above. to my left was the skeletal corpse of someone who must have fallen through the floor of the level above.
I stepped though the hole and kept close to the wall looking quickly to my left I saw a chest hidden in the shadows of a small alcove. I snuck over to it and carefully opened it wincing as it squeaked revealing that it had been down here for a long, long, long, time. Inside I found a rusty iron war axe and a little gold. I took the gold and left the axe seeing how I had no need of it. Back to the right I crept to see that next to the skeleton was a bow a shield, and in its bony grip was a small dagger. I picked up the bow and strapped it to my back looking back at the skeleton I saw that behind it was a cuirass and boots made of leather, the workmanship was rough but it was better that nothing. Before I could get a better look at this stuff I got hit in the back by something I spun about drawing my blade. Right there in front of me was another of those dratted rats. I was fed up with these creatures and I swung my blade and missed. I quickly reversed the blades path and hit the rat as it jumped at me. This rat was stronger that the other two though and survived my strike. I raised the blade in defence to ward off its next attack, it hit me and almost got through my block in reflex I flinched at that moment I felt a insane urge to throw up my free hand and speak the words “Obscurum Flaragis”. Suddenly I felt a heat near my hand and I flinched back slowly I opened my eyes to try and determine were the rat had gone only to see it aflame and dead. I decided not to question my good fortune and quickly donned the armour I had found.
Looking around I found a quiver full of arrows in a small dip in the ground under were I found my armour I put this on and looked for something to shoot before deciding that I didn't want to run the risk of losing a arrow. Searching the area revealed about fifteen more arrows and the body of a goblin shaman. The shaman had a couple scroll’s on it which I took along with the lockpicks. Looking back around I saw a chest partially hidden in shadow near the skeleton. I tried to open it put it was locked remembering the lockpicks I found on the shaman I carefully picked the lock finding a little gold but not much else. I removed the quiver from my back looking for a place to stash the pick on the bottom of the quiver was a small flap I opened it and out tumbled a half dozen more picks I was overjoyed. I decided that if I was to leave now would be the time I went back to the shamans body and up to the door there picking the lock I left that room.
"Maybe the Gods have placed you here so that we may meet. As for what you have done it does not matter. That is not what you will be remembered for." Uriel said.
I opened my mouth to ask another question but closed it again after seeing the look his guards threw my way.
While the Emperor and me were talking his other two guards had entered the cell, one stood by the cell doors and the third was by the wall next to my bed. I looked at that one only to be roughly turned about by the first guard. I heard the sound of stone scraping against stone and I spun around in time to see my bed sink towards the floor and the wall behind it swing open revealing a secret passageway. The guard who opened this passageway said something about leaving the door open and not being able to open it from the other side.
"Today’s your lucky day, just stay out of our way and you'll be fine." The guard who was standing next to the cell door said. He then walked out the passage behind the Emperor and his other two guards.
I followed them as quietly as I could staying out of the way. We rounded a bend in the passageway and exited into a large room from what I could see it had twin stairways going down to a lower level. Off to my right was a platform. I had barely taken this in before three dudes in black armour wielding what appeared to be deadric maces charged in. Before I could think what to do I heard a shout.
"The Captain is down!" someone yelled.
The battle lasted a few minute more but the men in armour were hopelessly out matched. The guards quickly killed one and his armour and weapons just vanished.
"What in Oblivion happened there?" I thought as another dudes armour vanished upon his death, "These must be assassins, but why would they be here? Could they be after the Emperor? But why?" the thoughts continued to race around my head for the few secs that the last assassin lived.
"Are you ok sire?" one of the two remaining guards asked.
"Yes, and Renault?" Uriel asked.
"She's dead sir," the guard responded sadly.
"I'll take point." the other guard said, "How could they be waiting for us here?"
"I don't know but we have to keep moving." The guard near Uriel said. "Prisoner you stay here don't try to follow us."
"Ok." I told him.
They walked though a door on the lower level and I heard it lock behind them. I walked over to the body of the Captain and searched it for anything useful.
"Hmmm a steel shortsword I can use this." I thought. I stood up and looked around. I walked over to the assassins bodies and searched them finding a potion that reeked slightly of magicka and a potion with the remains of a label, it read "Weak Healing".
"A healing potion?" I thought while strapping on the shortsword. Looking around one more time I saw the hilt of another blade under a assassins body, "What? That looks like the blade hilts those guards were wearing." I walked over to the body and pushed hard moving it just enough to get the blade free. "This is the captains blade. I can't use this but I can give it to the other guards if I ever get out of here."
All of a sudden I felt I need to draw my blade and run down the stairs. Following that urge I got there just as the wall to my right fell in and two of the largest rats I had ever seen jumped though. My first thought was run but I decided that I could kill the rats and maybe get some rat meat off the bodies I swung my blade and killed one outright but the other grabbed my thigh, I screamed and swung my blade before I thought about what I was doing, luckily I hit the rat and not my self . The blade stuck the rats tail and it let go with a screech. It jumped at me again but this time I was ready for it and swung my blade slicing clean thought the rat's chest killing it instantly. I use the blade to cut some meat from the rats and I looked though the hole in the wall. Beyond I saw what appeared to be the supports to the prison above. to my left was the skeletal corpse of someone who must have fallen through the floor of the level above.
I stepped though the hole and kept close to the wall looking quickly to my left I saw a chest hidden in the shadows of a small alcove. I snuck over to it and carefully opened it wincing as it squeaked revealing that it had been down here for a long, long, long, time. Inside I found a rusty iron war axe and a little gold. I took the gold and left the axe seeing how I had no need of it. Back to the right I crept to see that next to the skeleton was a bow a shield, and in its bony grip was a small dagger. I picked up the bow and strapped it to my back looking back at the skeleton I saw that behind it was a cuirass and boots made of leather, the workmanship was rough but it was better that nothing. Before I could get a better look at this stuff I got hit in the back by something I spun about drawing my blade. Right there in front of me was another of those dratted rats. I was fed up with these creatures and I swung my blade and missed. I quickly reversed the blades path and hit the rat as it jumped at me. This rat was stronger that the other two though and survived my strike. I raised the blade in defence to ward off its next attack, it hit me and almost got through my block in reflex I flinched at that moment I felt a insane urge to throw up my free hand and speak the words “Obscurum Flaragis”. Suddenly I felt a heat near my hand and I flinched back slowly I opened my eyes to try and determine were the rat had gone only to see it aflame and dead. I decided not to question my good fortune and quickly donned the armour I had found.
Looking around I found a quiver full of arrows in a small dip in the ground under were I found my armour I put this on and looked for something to shoot before deciding that I didn't want to run the risk of losing a arrow. Searching the area revealed about fifteen more arrows and the body of a goblin shaman. The shaman had a couple scroll’s on it which I took along with the lockpicks. Looking back around I saw a chest partially hidden in shadow near the skeleton. I tried to open it put it was locked remembering the lockpicks I found on the shaman I carefully picked the lock finding a little gold but not much else. I removed the quiver from my back looking for a place to stash the pick on the bottom of the quiver was a small flap I opened it and out tumbled a half dozen more picks I was overjoyed. I decided that if I was to leave now would be the time I went back to the shamans body and up to the door there picking the lock I left that room.
So, thanks for the mention, you do not have to mention that in every post....but fex in the beginning,or end of the chapter is fine...
But I must say you're an exellent writer, and the quality of the stuff you put into the updates is really good. The grammar is ok....but you may continue to give the updates to me so I can edit them, before you post them...no problem really.
So, since you were actually the first to reply on my story on the TES forum, I'm honored to return the favour...here..have a Tellie
And keep the updates coming...I love to read them.
But I must say you're an exellent writer, and the quality of the stuff you put into the updates is really good. The grammar is ok....but you may continue to give the updates to me so I can edit them, before you post them...no problem really.
So, since you were actually the first to reply on my story on the TES forum, I'm honored to return the favour...here..have a Tellie
And keep the updates coming...I love to read them.
It might be a while before the next one because I'm writeing this as I play the game. beside pulling myself away from the game long enough to wirte the update is hard for me. i started that one at 1200 done at 0330ish
beside pulling myself away from the game long enough to wirte the update is hard for me. i started that one at 1200 done at 0330ish
Heheh this is a good story, I liked the cat-eating rats ref. very witty 
I know what you mean about trying to pull yourself away from oblivion to write the fanfic. Keep it up!
I know what you mean about trying to pull yourself away from oblivion to write the fanfic. Keep it up!
Interesting adition but it had some things I didn't like. One thing was the character's use of the word "Dude". I don't think it exists in this world. Otherwise than that, this update was great. You really have a talent for describing the enviroment. Keep it up. Once you get out of the sewers and start doing things I haven't done yet I won't read. Don't want to spoil myself you know?
I used dude because I couldn't think of anything else. But now that you said it i can think of two or tree other ways to discribe them. "Shadowy figures" or "Armored foes"
hehe...it's not so big a deal...I find it funny, when writers write the game into something unique...so I'll be waiting patiently for the next update, but please let it come soon...
It's really good.
It's really good.
You find it funny when someone writes how they play in a more creative way? Then you'll love how Arthago handles various problems from Oblivion, one of them being keeping captain Renault's blade in char gen when Baurus demands it.
OK before anyone starts reaching for thier bows.... or thier weapons... or magic heres another update. If I start describing something in great detail its to show how careful Soran is in not making any noise if he can help it. By the way thanks for all your support I don't normally write anything so this is hard for me and I have to fight lots of writers blocks or bring myself back to this chapter not one four or five ahead. thanks again.
As I entered the room I caught a faint whiff of something very foul. This room was like the last in that it appeared to be supporting the prison above it. Looking across the room I saw yet another of those rats. Before I even thought about what I was doing I had slipped my bow off my back, silently drew an arrow, nocked it, aimed and let fly towards the rat. The arrow shattered the rats chest killing it instantly. I slunk carefully over to the rat. As I reached the centre of the room I caught a horrendous odour.
"What in Oblivion is that stench?" I wondered to myself. Looking around quickly, I saw a tunnel to my left and a large chest to my right. "Might be something useful in that chest." Walking over to the chest I inspected it carefully for locks. Upon finding none I opened it slowly to avoid making any noise. Inside I found the cuirass and greaves to a suit of Iron armour that were rusted with age, a torch, about ten more arrows and a few lockpicks. I took the arrows and the picks but left the rest. Heading over to the rat I retrieved my arrow only to find that it was destroyed from the impact at the rats rib bones. Using my blade to cut some meat off the rat I moved away towards the tunnel on the left wall. As I entered the tunnel I caught the same stench again but this time it was much much stronger.
Looking down the tunnel I saw a rat. Taking great care not to make a sound I slid the bow off of my back and held it parallel to the ground. Reaching over my shoulder I grabbed a single arrow and slowly drew it from the quiver, moving it in a slow arc I nocked it on the string and pulled the bow to full draw. Taking careful aim, I released the arrow. It arced in and hit the rat with such force that the rat was knocked back hard enough to kill it instantly. Moving silently I put the bow back on my back and drew my blade finally realizing what the stench was. It was the stench of rotting meat. As I reached the bottom of the ramp my foot slipped and a rock tumbled loose, I froze, around the bend in the tunnel came two more rats. I brace my self for a fight, but one of them turned back. Not questioning my apparent good fortune I swung at the rats that were still running at me. It took the hit right in its chest, killing it. I moved forward a bit still wondering about the smell. I was cautious. As I neared the wall I saw the rat that turned back fighting something. It attacked and then jumped back. I wondered why it jumped back until I saw a arm swing into view. Only then did I realize the source of the stench. The arm was rotting and looked like the rats had been eating it.
Around the bend the creature staggered chasing the rat. The rat jumped once more but the creature swung it arm and broke the things neck, killing it. As it turned to face me I remembered something I had heard before I got sent to jail. A mage described a corpse that had been reanimated as a zombie. I realized that that was what this thing was. I abandoned all hopes of stealth from this thing and stood up raising my sword to prepare to fight it. It only had one arm left it looked like the rats had eaten the other one. It swung one arm at me but I hopped back dodging it. I rushed it with a quick swing of my blade only to have to jump away to avoid its arm again. I took one more step back and waited. It swung and I jumped back then rushed in behind its attack I swung my blade with all my might hitting the zombie hard. The thing stumbled and I was getting weak. I reached out my hand and spoke the words "Obscurum Flaragis". The fireball flew from my outstretched palm and slammed into the zombies chest. It swayed a bit and I wondered if the thing could even be killed, it took one step towards me and I braced myself to fight to the death here and now but at that moment it fell over dead.
"Well its about time it died." I thought to my self.
Moving forward around the bend in the tunnel I heard the unmistakable sound of rats up ahead.
"Great just what I wanted, more rats." I thought sarcastically.
Turning the corner I saw what looked like a garbage dump at first glance. Four pillars of stone and wood supporting the floor above in the middle of the room and a small raised platform on both ends of the room. Looking into the middle of the room I saw two rats. I grabbed my bow and took aim killing one, the other must have heard me and came charging up the ramp to my left. Quickly putting the bow away I drew my blade. The rat jumped at me trying to latch onto my arm I hopped back preventing that and swung my blade in a wide arc. It was risky but I felt the rat would not be smart despite its size. I was right the rat jumped and at that moment my blade wistled though its neck. Wiping the blood from the blade on the rats fur I looked around, hidden in the shadows was a chest. Not having a torch or anything handy I stuck the pick inside the lock and gently pushed it up feeling for tumblers.
"One. Two. Three. Ok there aren't anymore because I just hit the back of the lock." I thought as I felt for the tumblers.
Carefully moving to the one furthest back I pushed up on it until I felt it hit the top I quickly twisted the pick to stick it up there. Moving to the next one I repeated the process until all of them were up. Grabbing the knob on the outside I turned it while removing my pick from the lock. I opened the chest as far as I could and then felt around inside, there I found two pouches and the handles of a few torches. pulling it all out I put all but one torch back. Next I looked at the pouches. One had a long string attached so I opened that one first. Inside I was delighted to find thirty gold. Opening the top of the pouch wider I fished the gold I had found so far out of my cuirass. after adding that to what was in the pouch I slipped the string around my neck and tied it to a smaller string that had gotten tucked inside the pouch. Now looking at the second pouch I noticed that it had a smaller pair of strings and was about the same size as my lockpicks fishing them out of my quiver I opened the pouch to find three more picks inside it. Adding the rest of my picks to these I tied this pouch to my waist. Moving to the middle of the room I saw that what I originally thought was trash was in fact tons of bones.
"What in Oblivion is THIS?!" I thought shocked at the sight.
As I entered the room I caught a faint whiff of something very foul. This room was like the last in that it appeared to be supporting the prison above it. Looking across the room I saw yet another of those rats. Before I even thought about what I was doing I had slipped my bow off my back, silently drew an arrow, nocked it, aimed and let fly towards the rat. The arrow shattered the rats chest killing it instantly. I slunk carefully over to the rat. As I reached the centre of the room I caught a horrendous odour.
"What in Oblivion is that stench?" I wondered to myself. Looking around quickly, I saw a tunnel to my left and a large chest to my right. "Might be something useful in that chest." Walking over to the chest I inspected it carefully for locks. Upon finding none I opened it slowly to avoid making any noise. Inside I found the cuirass and greaves to a suit of Iron armour that were rusted with age, a torch, about ten more arrows and a few lockpicks. I took the arrows and the picks but left the rest. Heading over to the rat I retrieved my arrow only to find that it was destroyed from the impact at the rats rib bones. Using my blade to cut some meat off the rat I moved away towards the tunnel on the left wall. As I entered the tunnel I caught the same stench again but this time it was much much stronger.
Looking down the tunnel I saw a rat. Taking great care not to make a sound I slid the bow off of my back and held it parallel to the ground. Reaching over my shoulder I grabbed a single arrow and slowly drew it from the quiver, moving it in a slow arc I nocked it on the string and pulled the bow to full draw. Taking careful aim, I released the arrow. It arced in and hit the rat with such force that the rat was knocked back hard enough to kill it instantly. Moving silently I put the bow back on my back and drew my blade finally realizing what the stench was. It was the stench of rotting meat. As I reached the bottom of the ramp my foot slipped and a rock tumbled loose, I froze, around the bend in the tunnel came two more rats. I brace my self for a fight, but one of them turned back. Not questioning my apparent good fortune I swung at the rats that were still running at me. It took the hit right in its chest, killing it. I moved forward a bit still wondering about the smell. I was cautious. As I neared the wall I saw the rat that turned back fighting something. It attacked and then jumped back. I wondered why it jumped back until I saw a arm swing into view. Only then did I realize the source of the stench. The arm was rotting and looked like the rats had been eating it.
Around the bend the creature staggered chasing the rat. The rat jumped once more but the creature swung it arm and broke the things neck, killing it. As it turned to face me I remembered something I had heard before I got sent to jail. A mage described a corpse that had been reanimated as a zombie. I realized that that was what this thing was. I abandoned all hopes of stealth from this thing and stood up raising my sword to prepare to fight it. It only had one arm left it looked like the rats had eaten the other one. It swung one arm at me but I hopped back dodging it. I rushed it with a quick swing of my blade only to have to jump away to avoid its arm again. I took one more step back and waited. It swung and I jumped back then rushed in behind its attack I swung my blade with all my might hitting the zombie hard. The thing stumbled and I was getting weak. I reached out my hand and spoke the words "Obscurum Flaragis". The fireball flew from my outstretched palm and slammed into the zombies chest. It swayed a bit and I wondered if the thing could even be killed, it took one step towards me and I braced myself to fight to the death here and now but at that moment it fell over dead.
"Well its about time it died." I thought to my self.
Moving forward around the bend in the tunnel I heard the unmistakable sound of rats up ahead.
"Great just what I wanted, more rats." I thought sarcastically.
Turning the corner I saw what looked like a garbage dump at first glance. Four pillars of stone and wood supporting the floor above in the middle of the room and a small raised platform on both ends of the room. Looking into the middle of the room I saw two rats. I grabbed my bow and took aim killing one, the other must have heard me and came charging up the ramp to my left. Quickly putting the bow away I drew my blade. The rat jumped at me trying to latch onto my arm I hopped back preventing that and swung my blade in a wide arc. It was risky but I felt the rat would not be smart despite its size. I was right the rat jumped and at that moment my blade wistled though its neck. Wiping the blood from the blade on the rats fur I looked around, hidden in the shadows was a chest. Not having a torch or anything handy I stuck the pick inside the lock and gently pushed it up feeling for tumblers.
"One. Two. Three. Ok there aren't anymore because I just hit the back of the lock." I thought as I felt for the tumblers.
Carefully moving to the one furthest back I pushed up on it until I felt it hit the top I quickly twisted the pick to stick it up there. Moving to the next one I repeated the process until all of them were up. Grabbing the knob on the outside I turned it while removing my pick from the lock. I opened the chest as far as I could and then felt around inside, there I found two pouches and the handles of a few torches. pulling it all out I put all but one torch back. Next I looked at the pouches. One had a long string attached so I opened that one first. Inside I was delighted to find thirty gold. Opening the top of the pouch wider I fished the gold I had found so far out of my cuirass. after adding that to what was in the pouch I slipped the string around my neck and tied it to a smaller string that had gotten tucked inside the pouch. Now looking at the second pouch I noticed that it had a smaller pair of strings and was about the same size as my lockpicks fishing them out of my quiver I opened the pouch to find three more picks inside it. Adding the rest of my picks to these I tied this pouch to my waist. Moving to the middle of the room I saw that what I originally thought was trash was in fact tons of bones.
"What in Oblivion is THIS?!" I thought shocked at the sight.
Great stuff. Please write more.
Ah, I don't believe I've commented here yet...and for that I am sorry, as this story is pretty interesting and well written, please continue.
OK heres some backstory I figure that if I don't tell you guys something Soran will start getting......violent, aka pointless attacks on innocent bandits.
*This is in third person to make it easier for me to write and because its not part of the story.*
Soran was born in a small village near the Cryodiil-Morrowind border. Even at a young age he enjoyed sneaking around and listening in on people's conversations. When he was about 13 he was forced to flee the village and he headed to Cheydinhal. Hanging around the mages guild he heard about how the new arch mage banned necromancy. Because of this necromancers were forced to head into the wilderness. He started to practice with a small dagger he found and quickly became very good with it. Heading back to the Mages Guildhall he asked if they could teack him some spell for free. Getting a flat no for response he hung around when people were learning spell and he became decent with the School of Illusion.
ok thats it. I'll work out more later and post it again as a normal chapter size piece or close to it.
edit spelling
*This is in third person to make it easier for me to write and because its not part of the story.*
Soran was born in a small village near the Cryodiil-Morrowind border. Even at a young age he enjoyed sneaking around and listening in on people's conversations. When he was about 13 he was forced to flee the village and he headed to Cheydinhal. Hanging around the mages guild he heard about how the new arch mage banned necromancy. Because of this necromancers were forced to head into the wilderness. He started to practice with a small dagger he found and quickly became very good with it. Heading back to the Mages Guildhall he asked if they could teack him some spell for free. Getting a flat no for response he hung around when people were learning spell and he became decent with the School of Illusion.
ok thats it. I'll work out more later and post it again as a normal chapter size piece or close to it.
edit spelling
As I was inspecting the bones I glanced up and saw a rat. Not wanting to take any chances I slipped my bow off my back, drew an arrow, took careful aim, and let fly. Knowing that the arrow would kill the rat I looked back down. To my right a little away was an Iron helmet, closer was a iron shield. Grabbing the helmet I looked it over carefully. On top of it was a ridge like piece of iron. Seeing how it looked like it could take a few hits I placed it on the floor. Being very careful I put the outside edge of my wrist irons on that ridge.
"Well here goes nothing. If I goof up I'll lose my hand but if I’m careful I'll be rid of these irons that mark me as a prisoner." I thought as I prepared to break the irons open.
Looking around again I saw a warhammer. Grabbing it in one hand, I was barely able to move closer. Leaving the end of the handle on the ground I lifted the head and placed it on the other side of the irons. Up went the hammer head and down it came again. The iron on my right wrist was split in twain. Repeating the action for my left wrist produced the same results.
"Well, well, well." I thought while rubbing my wrists. "This feels better."
Moving to the ramp on the far wall I saw a chest.
"What’s in here?" I thought as I veered to open it.
Inside I found some gold and another rusted iron waraxe. leaving the axe I headed up the ramp. Seeing a tunnel leading further from the prison I slunk down it. It had a fairly steep angle downward.
"Is it me or are these tunnels are getting more humid. Humidity means water or cave." I thought.
Feeling the walls to give me a idea of the amount of any break points that might signify other tunnels or offshoots I moved silently remembering what happened last time with that zombie. Moving close to the left hand wall, I almost fell as I suddenly lost support because of a cubby in the wall.
"Huh I should be fine unless the constant fighting I’m doing here has made me weaker due to blood loss" I thought, startled that something that simple made me almost fall.
Not wanting to dislodge the potions that hung from loops of leather on my cuirass. I desperately tried to find a way to heal myself. Then out of the blue, the words "Momento Frisko" entered my head along with a vision of a healing symbol. Figuring that it can't hurt I spoke the words "Momento Frisko". Feeling the spell take hold of me, I looked down and saw the wound that a rat had inflicted on my leg a bit ago start to heal. Before it did more than heal the edges the spell wore off.
"What! Is that IT? Ok lets try this again." I thought as I prepared to try again. Speaking the words once more I felt it take hold. Quickly looking down I saw the wound rapidly begin to heal itself. The edges moved towards each other, as they met in the middle they melded together with out a trace of there ever being a injury there. Looking my self over I found that all my wounds had healed.
"Now THAT’S more like what I was thinking." I thought in amazement. "Well time to get moving again. I have to find a way out of here."
Continuing forward I left the end of the tunnel, right in front of a rat. The rat jumped and bit me. I pulled my blade and shifted it to a defensive position. When the rat jumped at me again I blocked its attack. As the rat staggered I reached for my fire spell.
"Obscurum Flaragis" I whispered trying to remain silent.
I walked over and retrieved some meat from the rat. Looking around it looked like there was more prison above me and that the pillars in here helped to support it just like in the other rooms further back the way I came. But on the wall to my left was a hole. This hole looked odd to me so I moved closer. Carefully inspecting the bricks that had fallen away I saw that there were what looked like pick marks.
"Picks? Here? I know that zombie was a tad to...dim to use them. And there’s no way in Oblivion the rats could have. So what?" I thought puzzled.
I crept though the hole. Looking at the walls I saw something that worried me.
"These walls aren't man or mer made. They look natural but that would mean a exit to the outside." My thoughts were interrupted by the squeak of a rat up ahead. Slipping my bow off my back I drew a arrow and nocked it. Pulling back to full draw, I crept forward. As I rounded the corner I saw the rat. Its back was to me so I took a little bit of time to aim well. Up came the bow and I let the arrow fly. It struck the rat in the backside. Continuing on my way forward I happened to glance around the pillar.
"Hmm. Wisp Stalks. These I might be able to use. But I'll need some thing else like Stinkhorn to make anything actually useful." I thought as I dug around in my memories for the info I heard while hanging around the Cheydinhal Mages Guild hall. "Ahh yes that was it. Mixing Wisp Stalk Caps and Stinkhorn Caps in equal portions will create a Potion with only negative effects that will Damage Health by a small amount. Potions like this are termed Poisons. Well I'm glad I remembered that little bit of info.".
Grinning a bit at that memory I carefully moved forward hugging the wall as the wall turned away I listened for any sound when I heard none I started around the bend only to see a flash to my right in front of me. Looking around I found a small gem. Picking it up I couldn't tell what it was but I saw a bit of light from around the pillar. As I moved towards it I glanced around and saw a chest to my right. Upon opening it I found a silver bowl, some gold and a lockpick. Adding the gold to the pouch around my neck and the pick to the one on my waist, I continued toward the light. As I turned the corner I saw it was a small fire. But what caught my attention was the things hanging behind it.
"Skulls? But that would mean...."I thought.
Ok peeps the lack of comments is starting to worry me.
In the next bit I'll be taking a few libertys with the combat system. BTW Soran is getting bored so I'll be wraping this up in the next update or the one after that.
"Well here goes nothing. If I goof up I'll lose my hand but if I’m careful I'll be rid of these irons that mark me as a prisoner." I thought as I prepared to break the irons open.
Looking around again I saw a warhammer. Grabbing it in one hand, I was barely able to move closer. Leaving the end of the handle on the ground I lifted the head and placed it on the other side of the irons. Up went the hammer head and down it came again. The iron on my right wrist was split in twain. Repeating the action for my left wrist produced the same results.
"Well, well, well." I thought while rubbing my wrists. "This feels better."
Moving to the ramp on the far wall I saw a chest.
"What’s in here?" I thought as I veered to open it.
Inside I found some gold and another rusted iron waraxe. leaving the axe I headed up the ramp. Seeing a tunnel leading further from the prison I slunk down it. It had a fairly steep angle downward.
"Is it me or are these tunnels are getting more humid. Humidity means water or cave." I thought.
Feeling the walls to give me a idea of the amount of any break points that might signify other tunnels or offshoots I moved silently remembering what happened last time with that zombie. Moving close to the left hand wall, I almost fell as I suddenly lost support because of a cubby in the wall.
"Huh I should be fine unless the constant fighting I’m doing here has made me weaker due to blood loss" I thought, startled that something that simple made me almost fall.
Not wanting to dislodge the potions that hung from loops of leather on my cuirass. I desperately tried to find a way to heal myself. Then out of the blue, the words "Momento Frisko" entered my head along with a vision of a healing symbol. Figuring that it can't hurt I spoke the words "Momento Frisko". Feeling the spell take hold of me, I looked down and saw the wound that a rat had inflicted on my leg a bit ago start to heal. Before it did more than heal the edges the spell wore off.
"What! Is that IT? Ok lets try this again." I thought as I prepared to try again. Speaking the words once more I felt it take hold. Quickly looking down I saw the wound rapidly begin to heal itself. The edges moved towards each other, as they met in the middle they melded together with out a trace of there ever being a injury there. Looking my self over I found that all my wounds had healed.
"Now THAT’S more like what I was thinking." I thought in amazement. "Well time to get moving again. I have to find a way out of here."
Continuing forward I left the end of the tunnel, right in front of a rat. The rat jumped and bit me. I pulled my blade and shifted it to a defensive position. When the rat jumped at me again I blocked its attack. As the rat staggered I reached for my fire spell.
"Obscurum Flaragis" I whispered trying to remain silent.
I walked over and retrieved some meat from the rat. Looking around it looked like there was more prison above me and that the pillars in here helped to support it just like in the other rooms further back the way I came. But on the wall to my left was a hole. This hole looked odd to me so I moved closer. Carefully inspecting the bricks that had fallen away I saw that there were what looked like pick marks.
"Picks? Here? I know that zombie was a tad to...dim to use them. And there’s no way in Oblivion the rats could have. So what?" I thought puzzled.
I crept though the hole. Looking at the walls I saw something that worried me.
"These walls aren't man or mer made. They look natural but that would mean a exit to the outside." My thoughts were interrupted by the squeak of a rat up ahead. Slipping my bow off my back I drew a arrow and nocked it. Pulling back to full draw, I crept forward. As I rounded the corner I saw the rat. Its back was to me so I took a little bit of time to aim well. Up came the bow and I let the arrow fly. It struck the rat in the backside. Continuing on my way forward I happened to glance around the pillar.
"Hmm. Wisp Stalks. These I might be able to use. But I'll need some thing else like Stinkhorn to make anything actually useful." I thought as I dug around in my memories for the info I heard while hanging around the Cheydinhal Mages Guild hall. "Ahh yes that was it. Mixing Wisp Stalk Caps and Stinkhorn Caps in equal portions will create a Potion with only negative effects that will Damage Health by a small amount. Potions like this are termed Poisons. Well I'm glad I remembered that little bit of info.".
Grinning a bit at that memory I carefully moved forward hugging the wall as the wall turned away I listened for any sound when I heard none I started around the bend only to see a flash to my right in front of me. Looking around I found a small gem. Picking it up I couldn't tell what it was but I saw a bit of light from around the pillar. As I moved towards it I glanced around and saw a chest to my right. Upon opening it I found a silver bowl, some gold and a lockpick. Adding the gold to the pouch around my neck and the pick to the one on my waist, I continued toward the light. As I turned the corner I saw it was a small fire. But what caught my attention was the things hanging behind it.
"Skulls? But that would mean...."I thought.
Ok peeps the lack of comments is starting to worry me.
In the next bit I'll be taking a few libertys with the combat system. BTW Soran is getting bored so I'll be wraping this up in the next update or the one after that.
Ok sorry all but I have been off on vaction and only got back the 22 besides i am not able to play Oblivion for a bit because it just killed my second graphics card since i got it. 
ill be saving for a new one but till then this is the final update for a long while. this is not fully edited but i think i got most of it done. By the way from now on I'll be putting Sorans thoughts in italics and takeing a few libertys with the combat system and conversations among other things.
Goblins. They are the only creature I've ever heard of that hangs skulls from cords in the ceiling. They can use pickaxes and they know how to make fire. Luckly they aren't too bright. I was thinking quickly and trying to remember anything else that might save my life if the goblins were still here. They are normally lead by a Shaman. They see really well in caves but aren't good at close combat. I think I remember something about them being able to set basic traps.
Looking around and gathering my wits again I remembered why I came over here to the fire. Reaching under one of the straps on my armor I retrived the gem, holding it upto the firelight I saw that it was a ruby.
Double checking all me gear I went over my spells.
Ok I have that fireball. For that I speak Obscurum Flaragis. And that Healing spell is Momento Frisko. That should be good enough. As I prepared to go though the door I glanced around one last time. Huh? Is that Stinkhorn? If I can find a Mortar and Pestle I can make some poisons with this.
Looking back I saw some more Wisp Stalks heading over there I picked the caps and moved back to the door. Carefully opening it I found another tunnel heading downward. Staying close to the left wall I headed down it. At the bottom there were some crates checking them over I found nothing of use. Moving along the tunnel I saw a break in the wall up ahead. As I reached it I heard the shuffleling footsteps of a gobin. Peering around to wall I got my first glimpse of a gobin. The thing was rather short and lanky. Its arms were very thin and I thought I could snap its back with one good hit. Sliding my bow off my back, I nocked an arrow and took aim. Letting the arrow fly I put the bow away and drew my sword and slunk closer.The arrow hit the thing in its shoulder and spun it around. It glanced about the room then look up and inhaled. It suddenly looked right at me. Startled I braced my self to attack. Pushing hard on my back foot I ran up to him and slamed the edge of the blade into its chest. I continued past dragging the blade with me. The goblin staggered and collapsed dead.
Well that was..... odd. If it had anything of use it can keep it. Its wearing only a loin cloth. Nope I'm not gonna touch it. I thought. Now lets see here what is around this area.
Looking around I saw some firelight around a wall. Moving towards it I saw a broken crate that appeared to serve as a table. On its surface I spotted a bottle, a single portion of stink horn cap and another of wisp stalk cap. But what cought my eye was the Motar and Pestle in the middle of the makeshift table.
Now looky there! I thought as I picked up the Mortar and Pestle, Now THIS I can use. It looks to be in astoundingly good condition. Hmm lets see. How do I do this again? Thinking carefully I placed the stink horn and wisp stalk caps in it and began to mix them. After finishing my potion makeing I looked around for something to use as a liquid to make a paste out of it. Wait if I leave it as a powder untill I'm ready to use it it SHOULD last longer.
Looking towards were the goblin was faceing when my arrow hit it I saw a rat roasting over the fire and the end of a crate hidden partly in the shadows of a small alcove. Deciding that the food can cook some more I slunk over to the crate. Looking carefully at it I saw it was locked. Running my fingertips around the edge of the lock I got a supprise.
Huh? Whats this bump here for? I wonder.... Thinking that I might be on to something I sliped a lockpick free of the pouch I was keeping them in. Upon slidding it into the lock I felt only one tumbler.
Ah HA! So maybe if its one bump on the outside its one tumbler on the inside. But the only way for me to test that is to find a lock with two or three bumps and a corrisponding number of tumblers. I thought.
Carefully sliding the tumbler up I locked it there and opened the chest. Lighting my torch I peered inside and found a few lockpicks, yet more gold, torches, and a pack. I grabed the pack, gold, and lockpicks. Putting the gold and lockpicks away I carefully inspected the pack.
Well this will be useful. I thought. The pack was black as night in color and very light. The straps looked like they could take any amount of wieght and the rest looked the same way. Flipping it over I found another strap like the first. Realizeing that this straps over my armor and under my arrows I pulled my quiver off my back and unlooped everything I had picked up so far. Being very careful I put the potions in one spot and then everything else were I could find it quickly.
Huh? What are these loops on the bottome edge for? I thought placeing a potion bottle in one of then I tightened the loop around the bottle neck. Pulling my hand back but remaining ready to grab the bottle again if it fell. I found that it was in easy reach if I had to grab it quickly. Pulling iy loose I double checked it then put it back in the pack. Fishing around in the crate again I found a tiny vial that was totaly empty.
I could put my poison in this for safe keeping. Heh safe keeping a poison thats pretty ironic. Chuckleing quitely to my self, I proceded to ever so carefully scrape the powered poison into the vial. Slipping the newly filled vial into the first loop I tightened it down around it neck. Turning back to the fire I used my blade to carve some meat off the rat. Sitting down on a stool I began to eat.
I feel like I've been down here for ages but it couldn't be more than a day. After all I've been though so far I would bet that no-one could be more determined than me to live a VERY long time. I know I'm not as strong as I could be so when I finally get OUT I'm gonna stay far away from everything. Thinking back I remember and vauge map of Cyrodill. The Imperial Prison is north of the Imperial City, Capitol of the Empire and of Cyrodill itself. If I could get a compass I would be able to tell which way I'im going. Now I better start moveing again. If stay here to long I run the risk of getting caught by these goblins. Getting off of the stool I faded into the shadows of the room. Heading away from the fire I saw a faint glow from a small tunnel that I hadn't noticed before.
Well that might have been fatal. If it had been something more inteligent than goblins I might have been overwhelmed. I thought scoldingly. Entering with extreme care I saw what I feared the goblins might have been able of.....
ill be saving for a new one but till then this is the final update for a long while. this is not fully edited but i think i got most of it done. By the way from now on I'll be putting Sorans thoughts in italics and takeing a few libertys with the combat system and conversations among other things.Goblins. They are the only creature I've ever heard of that hangs skulls from cords in the ceiling. They can use pickaxes and they know how to make fire. Luckly they aren't too bright. I was thinking quickly and trying to remember anything else that might save my life if the goblins were still here. They are normally lead by a Shaman. They see really well in caves but aren't good at close combat. I think I remember something about them being able to set basic traps.
Looking around and gathering my wits again I remembered why I came over here to the fire. Reaching under one of the straps on my armor I retrived the gem, holding it upto the firelight I saw that it was a ruby.
Double checking all me gear I went over my spells.
Ok I have that fireball. For that I speak Obscurum Flaragis. And that Healing spell is Momento Frisko. That should be good enough. As I prepared to go though the door I glanced around one last time. Huh? Is that Stinkhorn? If I can find a Mortar and Pestle I can make some poisons with this.
Looking back I saw some more Wisp Stalks heading over there I picked the caps and moved back to the door. Carefully opening it I found another tunnel heading downward. Staying close to the left wall I headed down it. At the bottom there were some crates checking them over I found nothing of use. Moving along the tunnel I saw a break in the wall up ahead. As I reached it I heard the shuffleling footsteps of a gobin. Peering around to wall I got my first glimpse of a gobin. The thing was rather short and lanky. Its arms were very thin and I thought I could snap its back with one good hit. Sliding my bow off my back, I nocked an arrow and took aim. Letting the arrow fly I put the bow away and drew my sword and slunk closer.The arrow hit the thing in its shoulder and spun it around. It glanced about the room then look up and inhaled. It suddenly looked right at me. Startled I braced my self to attack. Pushing hard on my back foot I ran up to him and slamed the edge of the blade into its chest. I continued past dragging the blade with me. The goblin staggered and collapsed dead.
Well that was..... odd. If it had anything of use it can keep it. Its wearing only a loin cloth. Nope I'm not gonna touch it. I thought. Now lets see here what is around this area.
Looking around I saw some firelight around a wall. Moving towards it I saw a broken crate that appeared to serve as a table. On its surface I spotted a bottle, a single portion of stink horn cap and another of wisp stalk cap. But what cought my eye was the Motar and Pestle in the middle of the makeshift table.
Now looky there! I thought as I picked up the Mortar and Pestle, Now THIS I can use. It looks to be in astoundingly good condition. Hmm lets see. How do I do this again? Thinking carefully I placed the stink horn and wisp stalk caps in it and began to mix them. After finishing my potion makeing I looked around for something to use as a liquid to make a paste out of it. Wait if I leave it as a powder untill I'm ready to use it it SHOULD last longer.
Looking towards were the goblin was faceing when my arrow hit it I saw a rat roasting over the fire and the end of a crate hidden partly in the shadows of a small alcove. Deciding that the food can cook some more I slunk over to the crate. Looking carefully at it I saw it was locked. Running my fingertips around the edge of the lock I got a supprise.
Huh? Whats this bump here for? I wonder.... Thinking that I might be on to something I sliped a lockpick free of the pouch I was keeping them in. Upon slidding it into the lock I felt only one tumbler.
Ah HA! So maybe if its one bump on the outside its one tumbler on the inside. But the only way for me to test that is to find a lock with two or three bumps and a corrisponding number of tumblers. I thought.
Carefully sliding the tumbler up I locked it there and opened the chest. Lighting my torch I peered inside and found a few lockpicks, yet more gold, torches, and a pack. I grabed the pack, gold, and lockpicks. Putting the gold and lockpicks away I carefully inspected the pack.
Well this will be useful. I thought. The pack was black as night in color and very light. The straps looked like they could take any amount of wieght and the rest looked the same way. Flipping it over I found another strap like the first. Realizeing that this straps over my armor and under my arrows I pulled my quiver off my back and unlooped everything I had picked up so far. Being very careful I put the potions in one spot and then everything else were I could find it quickly.
Huh? What are these loops on the bottome edge for? I thought placeing a potion bottle in one of then I tightened the loop around the bottle neck. Pulling my hand back but remaining ready to grab the bottle again if it fell. I found that it was in easy reach if I had to grab it quickly. Pulling iy loose I double checked it then put it back in the pack. Fishing around in the crate again I found a tiny vial that was totaly empty.
I could put my poison in this for safe keeping. Heh safe keeping a poison thats pretty ironic. Chuckleing quitely to my self, I proceded to ever so carefully scrape the powered poison into the vial. Slipping the newly filled vial into the first loop I tightened it down around it neck. Turning back to the fire I used my blade to carve some meat off the rat. Sitting down on a stool I began to eat.
I feel like I've been down here for ages but it couldn't be more than a day. After all I've been though so far I would bet that no-one could be more determined than me to live a VERY long time. I know I'm not as strong as I could be so when I finally get OUT I'm gonna stay far away from everything. Thinking back I remember and vauge map of Cyrodill. The Imperial Prison is north of the Imperial City, Capitol of the Empire and of Cyrodill itself. If I could get a compass I would be able to tell which way I'im going. Now I better start moveing again. If stay here to long I run the risk of getting caught by these goblins. Getting off of the stool I faded into the shadows of the room. Heading away from the fire I saw a faint glow from a small tunnel that I hadn't noticed before.
Well that might have been fatal. If it had been something more inteligent than goblins I might have been overwhelmed. I thought scoldingly. Entering with extreme care I saw what I feared the goblins might have been able of.....
Story of Soran Prelude: Flight of the Shadow
Well I'm back sorry about the long time between updates but my computer just about gave up the ghost trying to run Oblivion so I have built a new one (specs in sig) but enough preface here is The Story of Soran Prelude: Flight of the Shadow part 6
Traps. Why did it have to be traps. Well there is the trip wire and where is the rest of it... I thought looking over the scene carefully. There is the goblin, if it sees a intruder it's gonna run over the wire and away from the trap. I looked up to the ceiling of the small room. Ah there it is, hmmm those are gonna hurt if I get hit by one guess I just have to avoid getting hit then.
Slowly releasing the breath I was holding I pull out a vial of poison and proceed to use my own spit to make it into a thick paste. Well this isn't the way I was planning on using this but it will do for now I thought as I spread the paste over the tip of one of my arrows. Making sure to use up all the poison in the vial and slip it back into my pack to be cleaned out and reused later. Notching the arrow to the bowstring I draw it back and step out from behind my cover next to the wall. Taking aim I let it fly at the goblin. Hit, please hit.. *Twump* Yes! ... Wha? Why isn't it dead? Quickly drawing and notching another arrow I let it fly and the goblin falls dead. Note to self, make better poisons.
Stepping forward the bottom of my bow brushes against the trip wire breaking it. I hear it snap and look up. By Sheogorath's Teeth! Dodging to my left the center cylinder passes me without harm but then the left hand one starts to swing toward me looking around quickly I jump left as the trap reaches me and just barely make it onto the ledge as the cylinder speeds through the spot my chest and head were in just a half second before. By Oblivion im not normally this careless. I must be tired. I'm going to need a spot to rest for a hour or two. Hmm, this ledge continues on into some deep shadows over there that should be a good enough spot to take a light rest, very very light rest. Slinking over to the shadows I curl up with my back against the wall and my armor still on and drift off for a hour or so.
Ahh much better. I thought as I woke up to the absolute silence I fell asleep to. Checking my armor and bags for anything that is missing or stolen. Ha goblins stealing from me? They wouldn't know stealth if it bit their heads off. Getting up I stretch out my limbs and warm up my armor to help prevent creaking of cold leather. I stretch first my right leg and all the joints that involved, then my left leg, then I bend over and touch my toes. Twisting my torso around I feel the leather loosening up and then I stretch my arms out in every direction. Finally I work the kinks out of my neck. going through the stretches again I make sure that the armor is warmed up at the joints and I'm ready to continue.
Sneaking forward I approach the doorway near the fire and quickly duck inside and out of the firelight. It's a long hallway with darker shadows on the left side. Hugging those shadows I find that they hide a second passage so I divert down that trying to sneak past anything that might cause me troubles later. What is that? I thought as the firelight's flickering shows a chest on a table and the glint of metal next to it.
Slinking toward the table I feel for the metal and find a small dagger-like object and a gold coin. Hmm I can use these. I thought as I moved back to the chest feeling along the front of it for the lock I found the same odd bumps again. These have to be some way to identify the complexity of the lock. Lets see here, ok only one bump so its a simple lock. Quickly breaking it open I pull out the arrows and lockpicks I feel inside of it and leave the torches. Rubbing my hands together to get blood flow back into them I feel something warm and wet on them. Odd lets check this out in the firelight. Slipping around behind the fire back the way I came I look at my hands and see little cuts from feeling around in the box. Ouch I must have cut myself on those arrows. I need to get some gauntlets soon if im going to keep digging around in dark chests, because my luck of not finding poisoned arrows or other nasty things inside one of these chests will run out sooner or later and I don't want to risk it. Slipping back around to the chest I follow the wall and see six logs stacked on top of each other.
Wouldn't take much to knock those over Peering around the corner I see a pair oif goblins right in the way of the logs. Oh my. Drawing a arrow I fire at the log in the front causing it to shift the little bit needed to send the entire pile rolling down the slope and over the goblins. Well that worked much better than I thought it would. Moving down the slope careful not to bump the logs I find the goblin furthest back is still alive, but only just, the logs are slowly crushing it's ribcage. Grabbing one of it's horns I turn it's head to the side and take the arrows from it's quiver. HA! Letting the stupid thing die a slow death would be nice but I can't afford the risk of it getting loose. I reach down and pick up the dagger that is on the ground and drive it through the thing's temple killing it instantly. I continue moving forward and I hear the sqweaking of rats in the darkness of the next tunnel. Oh great just what I need more rats.
Well I'm back sorry about the long time between updates but my computer just about gave up the ghost trying to run Oblivion so I have built a new one (specs in sig) but enough preface here is The Story of Soran Prelude: Flight of the Shadow part 6
Traps. Why did it have to be traps. Well there is the trip wire and where is the rest of it... I thought looking over the scene carefully. There is the goblin, if it sees a intruder it's gonna run over the wire and away from the trap. I looked up to the ceiling of the small room. Ah there it is, hmmm those are gonna hurt if I get hit by one guess I just have to avoid getting hit then.
Slowly releasing the breath I was holding I pull out a vial of poison and proceed to use my own spit to make it into a thick paste. Well this isn't the way I was planning on using this but it will do for now I thought as I spread the paste over the tip of one of my arrows. Making sure to use up all the poison in the vial and slip it back into my pack to be cleaned out and reused later. Notching the arrow to the bowstring I draw it back and step out from behind my cover next to the wall. Taking aim I let it fly at the goblin. Hit, please hit.. *Twump* Yes! ... Wha? Why isn't it dead? Quickly drawing and notching another arrow I let it fly and the goblin falls dead. Note to self, make better poisons.
Stepping forward the bottom of my bow brushes against the trip wire breaking it. I hear it snap and look up. By Sheogorath's Teeth! Dodging to my left the center cylinder passes me without harm but then the left hand one starts to swing toward me looking around quickly I jump left as the trap reaches me and just barely make it onto the ledge as the cylinder speeds through the spot my chest and head were in just a half second before. By Oblivion im not normally this careless. I must be tired. I'm going to need a spot to rest for a hour or two. Hmm, this ledge continues on into some deep shadows over there that should be a good enough spot to take a light rest, very very light rest. Slinking over to the shadows I curl up with my back against the wall and my armor still on and drift off for a hour or so.
Ahh much better. I thought as I woke up to the absolute silence I fell asleep to. Checking my armor and bags for anything that is missing or stolen. Ha goblins stealing from me? They wouldn't know stealth if it bit their heads off. Getting up I stretch out my limbs and warm up my armor to help prevent creaking of cold leather. I stretch first my right leg and all the joints that involved, then my left leg, then I bend over and touch my toes. Twisting my torso around I feel the leather loosening up and then I stretch my arms out in every direction. Finally I work the kinks out of my neck. going through the stretches again I make sure that the armor is warmed up at the joints and I'm ready to continue.
Sneaking forward I approach the doorway near the fire and quickly duck inside and out of the firelight. It's a long hallway with darker shadows on the left side. Hugging those shadows I find that they hide a second passage so I divert down that trying to sneak past anything that might cause me troubles later. What is that? I thought as the firelight's flickering shows a chest on a table and the glint of metal next to it.
Slinking toward the table I feel for the metal and find a small dagger-like object and a gold coin. Hmm I can use these. I thought as I moved back to the chest feeling along the front of it for the lock I found the same odd bumps again. These have to be some way to identify the complexity of the lock. Lets see here, ok only one bump so its a simple lock. Quickly breaking it open I pull out the arrows and lockpicks I feel inside of it and leave the torches. Rubbing my hands together to get blood flow back into them I feel something warm and wet on them. Odd lets check this out in the firelight. Slipping around behind the fire back the way I came I look at my hands and see little cuts from feeling around in the box. Ouch I must have cut myself on those arrows. I need to get some gauntlets soon if im going to keep digging around in dark chests, because my luck of not finding poisoned arrows or other nasty things inside one of these chests will run out sooner or later and I don't want to risk it. Slipping back around to the chest I follow the wall and see six logs stacked on top of each other.
Wouldn't take much to knock those over Peering around the corner I see a pair oif goblins right in the way of the logs. Oh my. Drawing a arrow I fire at the log in the front causing it to shift the little bit needed to send the entire pile rolling down the slope and over the goblins. Well that worked much better than I thought it would. Moving down the slope careful not to bump the logs I find the goblin furthest back is still alive, but only just, the logs are slowly crushing it's ribcage. Grabbing one of it's horns I turn it's head to the side and take the arrows from it's quiver. HA! Letting the stupid thing die a slow death would be nice but I can't afford the risk of it getting loose. I reach down and pick up the dagger that is on the ground and drive it through the thing's temple killing it instantly. I continue moving forward and I hear the sqweaking of rats in the darkness of the next tunnel. Oh great just what I need more rats.
Nice to see this story finally continuing. Glad to see you back, Tymestrike. You've definitely maintained your intricate and heavily detailed style. You definitely get the reader right inside the mind of your character.
well good to see that people still want the story to go on ill get right onto writing up the next part may get it done as soon as tonight if i really buckle down to it
Story of Soran Prelude: Flight of the Shadow part 7
Here is part 7 of the Story of Soran, yeah 2 updates in a day? odd for me too blasted creative spark and i cant type that fast to write it all down as I'm playing
Moving in the direction the sqeaks of the rats were coming from I saw a flickering of firelight. There must be alot of goblins in here because I'm seeing more skulls on spikes. Reaching down to my left boot I pull out a scroll I found on a dead goblin back when I found my armor. Let's see here... Ok that is the mark for illusion, and that one is for Chameleon, so this must be a scroll for a Chameleon spell can't tell how long it will last but it should be long enough to see whats ahead of me in this next room. When will these Oblivion cursed caves end? They seem to go on forever and ever. Casting the scroll I mumble out its words "Obscuro Sireneth" and instantly fade away a fair amount. Sneaking forward very carefully I spot a goblin in a fair amount of armor ahead and start to sneak forward but it detects me and charges. I barely have time to get my sword out and up into a block before it makes impact. Holding my blade up I deflect two of the goblins strikes before swinging out myself. The goblin and I trade blows in rapid exchanges till I deal a lucky strike. My blade swings in from the right and the goblin quickly raises it's shield to block but my blade skips off the top of the shield and slits it's throat in a ear to ear smile. As the goblin falls to the ground the scroll wears off and I snap back into visibility. Very useful spell- I must learn that one so I can cast it without the aid of a scroll I thought.
Stepping fully into the room I relize it is huge in comparison to all the others more along the lines of a cavern than a room. Moving forward, being careful to avoid the firelight, I spot the rats I heard earlier and a goblin pacing infront of the cage door that keeps two of them contained. Taking aim I bury a arrow into the goblin and draw my sword. Looking around I see another torch off to my right sticking to the shadows. I slink around for a better veiw with my bow drawn the entire time. Reaching the doorway I entered the cavern from, I spot a goblin in the torchlight so I draw a arrow and let it fly, drawing a second and also letting that fly without waiting to see if the first killed the goblin. The first hit and stunned the goblin, the second it dodged in a amazing feat of agility for a goblin. Drawing a third arrow as the thing closed in, I fired and saw it hit the thing in the shoulder blocking it's first swing with my bow. I flinched as I heard it make impact on the bow's leading edge. Quickly drawing my sword I do two fast swings to kill the thing before it can call for help and grin as it falls dead.
Moving forward toward the torchlight I see the light of the sun outside shining in from a hole in the ceiling. looking at it I see movement and see another goblin there. Not wanting to risk it I back up and go around the thing to kill it from behind. As I reach the halfway point I remember the rats and seeing how there is a bonfire down in the pit they are in, and a torch at the midway point I take aim and with three arrows kill all three of them, ending the threat they posed to my stealth-filled approach of the last goblin. Getting right behind the last goblin I see that it is first of all the witch of the tribe and that it is female. Good thing I chose to sneak up on this one I wouldn't fair to well against the spells they can throw. While most goblins are stupid and ruled by instinct, the witches and shamans are fairly intelligent. Pulling a vial of poison out of my pack I cause my healing spell to seal any wounds I may have and using a bear pelt I got off of a goblin I spread the poison on both sides of my blade with my spit again serving as a liquid to turn it into paste. Sliding right up behind the goblin witch I slide my blade into her right side ribs at level with her heart on her left side and keep shoving till it pokes out on the left side. Good and dead now, arent we, stupid goblin?
Examining her body I find a soul gem of a light blue color and a flawed ruby. Tucking those away in the pack on my back I spy a chest sitting in the sunlight. Hmm, whats in this? I wonder to myself poping it's lock I find some nice items and I tuck those in my bag too. Looking around I see another chest in sunlight to my right. dashing over there I can't contain my glee when I find a longsword and more lockpicks. Walking back to where the witch died, I see more torchlight so I follow it and find myself in a tunnel leading up to a door. Listening carefully, I hear nothing on the other side so I open it and slip through, glad to be able to see something other than goblin work again.
I'm back in the prison again?! I thought, astounded. so how did those goblins get down there? oh well, let's keep going and hope I find a way out before meal time in the cells. Then they will surely know that i'm not in the cell anymore and the whole prison will be flooded with guards looking to recapture me. Walking up and down the hall that I find myself in I hear voices up ahead.
"We should find a defensible spot to protect the Emperor until help arrives." one familiar voice says.
"Help? What makes you think help will arrive before more of those bastards? We have to get the Emperor out of here." Another voice says.
[i] Oh no, not them again, I thought they would be long gone by now. I thought in panic, this was not how I planned to get away from them. They should have been long gone and have cleared all the guys in funny armor before I got this far.
"I think that was all of them, let me take a look around." the second gaurd says. Now that I could see them they looked a little weary of fighting almost as if they had had to fight a huge number of enemies in the last minute or so.
"Have you seen the prisoner" Uriel asks.
"Do you think he followed us? How could he?" the gaurd that had thought it was a good idea to shove into my shoulder to spin me around back in my cell asked.
"I know he did." Uriel replied.
I drop down off the ledge the hallway had led to and draw my blade knowing they are not going to be happy to see me again.
"Damn, it's that prisoner again. Kill him! he may be working with the assassins." the first gaurd barked as he drew his blade and moved to attack me.
"Ha! Put down that blade before you hurt yourself! I'll kill you before your blade gets to contact my armor." I say in a cold voice How did I manage to say that without any sign of fear? I'm worried he would kill me if he had the chance.
The gaurd laughs "Oh really? I'm so scared the little prisoner is going to kill me! what ever will I do?" he says with a mocking tone to his voice.
"No!" Uriel commands, "He is not one of them, he can help us, he must help us."
"As you wish, sire." the guard says and walks away with his blade back in its scabbard.
I advance toward Uriel with my blade put away and my bow still on my back.
"They can not understand why I trust you. They've not seen what I've seen. How can I explain. Listen, you know the Nine, how they guide our fates with a invisible hand." Uriel says when I reach a distance he deems reasonable from him.
"The gods and me are not on the best of terms." I tell him truthfully.
"I've served the Nine all my days, and I chart my course by the cycles of the heavens. The skies are marked with numberless sparks, each a fire, and every one a sign. I wonder, which sign marked your birth?" He says after a thoughtful nod.
"I was born under the sign of the Thief, and it's power has been made manifest in me already since I have come of age" I tell him. Why is he so interested in me? what does my star sign have to do with anything?
"The signs I read show the end of my path. My death will come when it will come." He says with a look of relaxation on his face.
"What about me? What will happen when you are no longer there to protect me from your own body gaurds?" I ask him.
Here is part 7 of the Story of Soran, yeah 2 updates in a day? odd for me too blasted creative spark and i cant type that fast to write it all down as I'm playing
Moving in the direction the sqeaks of the rats were coming from I saw a flickering of firelight. There must be alot of goblins in here because I'm seeing more skulls on spikes. Reaching down to my left boot I pull out a scroll I found on a dead goblin back when I found my armor. Let's see here... Ok that is the mark for illusion, and that one is for Chameleon, so this must be a scroll for a Chameleon spell can't tell how long it will last but it should be long enough to see whats ahead of me in this next room. When will these Oblivion cursed caves end? They seem to go on forever and ever. Casting the scroll I mumble out its words "Obscuro Sireneth" and instantly fade away a fair amount. Sneaking forward very carefully I spot a goblin in a fair amount of armor ahead and start to sneak forward but it detects me and charges. I barely have time to get my sword out and up into a block before it makes impact. Holding my blade up I deflect two of the goblins strikes before swinging out myself. The goblin and I trade blows in rapid exchanges till I deal a lucky strike. My blade swings in from the right and the goblin quickly raises it's shield to block but my blade skips off the top of the shield and slits it's throat in a ear to ear smile. As the goblin falls to the ground the scroll wears off and I snap back into visibility. Very useful spell- I must learn that one so I can cast it without the aid of a scroll I thought.
Stepping fully into the room I relize it is huge in comparison to all the others more along the lines of a cavern than a room. Moving forward, being careful to avoid the firelight, I spot the rats I heard earlier and a goblin pacing infront of the cage door that keeps two of them contained. Taking aim I bury a arrow into the goblin and draw my sword. Looking around I see another torch off to my right sticking to the shadows. I slink around for a better veiw with my bow drawn the entire time. Reaching the doorway I entered the cavern from, I spot a goblin in the torchlight so I draw a arrow and let it fly, drawing a second and also letting that fly without waiting to see if the first killed the goblin. The first hit and stunned the goblin, the second it dodged in a amazing feat of agility for a goblin. Drawing a third arrow as the thing closed in, I fired and saw it hit the thing in the shoulder blocking it's first swing with my bow. I flinched as I heard it make impact on the bow's leading edge. Quickly drawing my sword I do two fast swings to kill the thing before it can call for help and grin as it falls dead.
Moving forward toward the torchlight I see the light of the sun outside shining in from a hole in the ceiling. looking at it I see movement and see another goblin there. Not wanting to risk it I back up and go around the thing to kill it from behind. As I reach the halfway point I remember the rats and seeing how there is a bonfire down in the pit they are in, and a torch at the midway point I take aim and with three arrows kill all three of them, ending the threat they posed to my stealth-filled approach of the last goblin. Getting right behind the last goblin I see that it is first of all the witch of the tribe and that it is female. Good thing I chose to sneak up on this one I wouldn't fair to well against the spells they can throw. While most goblins are stupid and ruled by instinct, the witches and shamans are fairly intelligent. Pulling a vial of poison out of my pack I cause my healing spell to seal any wounds I may have and using a bear pelt I got off of a goblin I spread the poison on both sides of my blade with my spit again serving as a liquid to turn it into paste. Sliding right up behind the goblin witch I slide my blade into her right side ribs at level with her heart on her left side and keep shoving till it pokes out on the left side. Good and dead now, arent we, stupid goblin?
Examining her body I find a soul gem of a light blue color and a flawed ruby. Tucking those away in the pack on my back I spy a chest sitting in the sunlight. Hmm, whats in this? I wonder to myself poping it's lock I find some nice items and I tuck those in my bag too. Looking around I see another chest in sunlight to my right. dashing over there I can't contain my glee when I find a longsword and more lockpicks. Walking back to where the witch died, I see more torchlight so I follow it and find myself in a tunnel leading up to a door. Listening carefully, I hear nothing on the other side so I open it and slip through, glad to be able to see something other than goblin work again.
I'm back in the prison again?! I thought, astounded. so how did those goblins get down there? oh well, let's keep going and hope I find a way out before meal time in the cells. Then they will surely know that i'm not in the cell anymore and the whole prison will be flooded with guards looking to recapture me. Walking up and down the hall that I find myself in I hear voices up ahead.
"We should find a defensible spot to protect the Emperor until help arrives." one familiar voice says.
"Help? What makes you think help will arrive before more of those bastards? We have to get the Emperor out of here." Another voice says.
[i] Oh no, not them again, I thought they would be long gone by now. I thought in panic, this was not how I planned to get away from them. They should have been long gone and have cleared all the guys in funny armor before I got this far.
"I think that was all of them, let me take a look around." the second gaurd says. Now that I could see them they looked a little weary of fighting almost as if they had had to fight a huge number of enemies in the last minute or so.
"Have you seen the prisoner" Uriel asks.
"Do you think he followed us? How could he?" the gaurd that had thought it was a good idea to shove into my shoulder to spin me around back in my cell asked.
"I know he did." Uriel replied.
I drop down off the ledge the hallway had led to and draw my blade knowing they are not going to be happy to see me again.
"Damn, it's that prisoner again. Kill him! he may be working with the assassins." the first gaurd barked as he drew his blade and moved to attack me.
"Ha! Put down that blade before you hurt yourself! I'll kill you before your blade gets to contact my armor." I say in a cold voice How did I manage to say that without any sign of fear? I'm worried he would kill me if he had the chance.
The gaurd laughs "Oh really? I'm so scared the little prisoner is going to kill me! what ever will I do?" he says with a mocking tone to his voice.
"No!" Uriel commands, "He is not one of them, he can help us, he must help us."
"As you wish, sire." the guard says and walks away with his blade back in its scabbard.
I advance toward Uriel with my blade put away and my bow still on my back.
"They can not understand why I trust you. They've not seen what I've seen. How can I explain. Listen, you know the Nine, how they guide our fates with a invisible hand." Uriel says when I reach a distance he deems reasonable from him.
"The gods and me are not on the best of terms." I tell him truthfully.
"I've served the Nine all my days, and I chart my course by the cycles of the heavens. The skies are marked with numberless sparks, each a fire, and every one a sign. I wonder, which sign marked your birth?" He says after a thoughtful nod.
"I was born under the sign of the Thief, and it's power has been made manifest in me already since I have come of age" I tell him. Why is he so interested in me? what does my star sign have to do with anything?
"The signs I read show the end of my path. My death will come when it will come." He says with a look of relaxation on his face.
"What about me? What will happen when you are no longer there to protect me from your own body gaurds?" I ask him.
So you've started again? That's great! We need more people who have the guts to continue stories they haven't been able to update for months.
And I can see it is pretty good stuff. As Mallet said, you've got an eye for putting in little details, like using spit to turn the powder into a paste, warming up leather before sneaking, cutting fingers when shoveling around inside a chest. Nice.
And I can see it is pretty good stuff. As Mallet said, you've got an eye for putting in little details, like using spit to turn the powder into a paste, warming up leather before sneaking, cutting fingers when shoveling around inside a chest. Nice.
Story of Soran Prelude: Flight of the Shadow Part 8
"Your stars are not mine. Today the Thief shall guide your steps on the road to destiny." Uriel responds.
"Are you not afraid to die?" I ask amazed that during our talk he has never shown any outward sign of fear.
"I have no trophies of my triumphs to precede me. But I have lived well, and my ghost shall rest easy. Men are but flesh and blood. They know their doom but not the hour. Yet, in this I am blessed, to see the hour of my death to face my apportioned fate, and then... fall." he responds solemnly
"Can you see my fate?" I ask curiously.
"My dreams do not grant me opinions of success for they do not venture beyond the doors of death. Yet in your face, I behold the sun's companion. The dawn of Akatosh's blazing glory may banish the coming darkness. With such hope and with the promise of your aid my heart must be satisfied." he responds in a regal way.
"Ah, ok that settles that little matter then. So where is our destination?" I ask trying to change the topic.
"I head to my grave, for a tongue shriller than all music calls to me. You on the other hand, shall follow me for a while yet and then we will part," Uriel said.
"Here take this torch and stick close." the kinder of the two guards told me.
"What are you guys?" I asked.
"We are the Emperor's bodyguards and our job is to get him out of situations like this, although things are not going according to plan. My name is Baurus, and my companion up ahead is Glenroy." Baurus spoke with feeling in his voice.
Deciding to follow along, I slip the torch into my pack and follow at the back of their group. Stepping through the doorway I see a room with what looks like two floors. The upper floor is where we entered and another floor is just below it. The lower floor has open air above it where you can jump down from the top floor. The Emperor and his guards take a set of stairs to the right, but I get an odd feeling and step up to the edge where in the shadows I see more assassins.
"Assassins!" I scream and pulled my bow off of my back.
The guards heard my call and charged forward. I’m unwilling to hit the guards. I can’t get a clear shot of any assassin. So I put my bow back on my back and wait. When all the assassins are dead I drop down and follow the emperor out of the room. The next room is full of dark shadows and all I hear is the clanging of weapons as the guards fight off the assassins. Quickly ducking into the shadows I hide from combat. Finally I see three bright flashes as the assassins all die and their armor and weapons vanish. Ok this is nuts, Sheogorath must be having a field day here with the madness that seems to have overtaken tamriel. Walking forward I do a quick check of the bodies and find nothing useful.
"Hurry up! We don't have all day you know!" Glenroy said is a low tone.
"It takes you more than four hours to go fifty feet or so, and we don't have all day?!" I ask, annoyed with the constant rushing that seemed to happen after I met back up with Uriel.
Slipping forward through the door at the end of the hall, one of the few lighted places in the entire room, I see we have entered a massive room. Looking around, I see that throughout the room there seem to be ledges on the upper floor and a single stairway flanked by twin ornate pillars leading downward into a much darker room. Carefully trailing behind them, I check for extra things they may have missed. Jumping up onto one of the ledges, I feel the pulse of a spell but I cannot figure out what kind of spell it is. Odd, I thought these tunnels were long deserted. Guess not, seeing how the magicka feels freshly placed. Carefully remembering the feel of the magicka pulse I file it away into my memory for later use.
"Looks clear, come on we are almost through to the sewers." Glenroy says.
Well that’s the price I pay for lingering behind them to look over things. I missed what he was talking about. I mused annoyed.
"Damnit!" Glenroy cursed, "The gate is barred from the other side! This is a trap!" he said in a panic.
"What about that side passage back there?" Baurus asked.
"It’s worth a try! Let’s go!" Glenroy said eyes glancing around in fright.
Quickly dropping down from the ledge, I sprint over to the passage that they are heading towards and look for shadows to hide in. Finding some in the back of the room I duck down and wait, listening attentively.
"It's a dead end, what's your call sir." Baurus said with defeat in his voice.
"I don't know. I don't see any good options here." Glenroy sighed, defeat evident in his voice.
The sound of a gate sliding shut startles all of us and Glenroy is the first to respond.
"They are behind us. Quickly defend the Emperor!" Glenroy spoke suddenly in command again.
Glancing over his shoulder to look at me Baurus says "Wait here with the Emperor, guard him with your life."
"Fine, but you better keep them out of here with your own life if need be." I tell him.
Both of the Blades look at me funny and then charge back out of the room.
"I can go no further, you alone must stand against the Prince of Destruction and his mortal servants." Uriel tells me as he suddenly spins me around to face him, this is the first time he has touched me. "Take the Amulet. Give it to Jaufre. He alone knows where to find my last son." Suddenly his face grows very grave, "Find him, and close shut the Jaws... of Oblivion." and with those words I hear a door open flicking my eyes to the right I see an assassin jump out and stab the Emperor through the heart.
"You picked a bad day to take up the cause of the Septims" the assassin says to me and advances toward me.
Quickly I strike out, going into a blind rage. He has just killed one of the few people in my life to show me something other than contempt. But he calmly knocks my blade away and stabs me in my left side. Thankfully, my armor deflected most of the blow. Quickly I step back and Baurus charges past me. He removes the fools head from his shoulders in one clean stroke. Stepping out of the room to let the man regain his composure after seeing his emperor dead, I spot the other guards’ blade. Picking it up I figure it’s the least I can do out of respect for the duty he did.
Trudging back into the room I clasp Baurus's shoulder.
"I'm sorry. You gave me a task and I failed." I tell him, true regret filling my voice and my eyes full of tears.
He turns and looks at me, "We've failed. I've failed ... The blades are sworn to protect the Emperor, and now he and all his heirs are dead." he says with distress plain on his face. Suddenly Baurus looks up in shock "The Amulet, where's the Amulet of Kings? It wasn't on the Emperor's body."
"I have it, with his last breaths he gave it to me." I tell him, still clutching the thing in my left hand.
"Strange, he saw something in you, trusted you. They say it’s the Dragon Blood, that flows through the veins of every Septim. They see more than lesser men. The Amulet of Kings is a sacred symbol of the empire. Most people think of the Red Dragon Crown, but that’s just jewelry. The Amulet has power. He must have given it to you for a reason, any idea why?" He asks.
"I am to take it to a person named 'Jauffre'." I say.
"Jauffre? He said that? Why?" Baurus asks me suspiciously.
"There is one last heir." I tell him.
"Nothing I know about, but Jauffre would know, he is the Grandmaster of my Order. He lives as a monk in Weynon Priory."
"And I go about getting there...how?" I ask.
"First things first.” That door, he points to the one used by the assassin that killed Uriel, "must lead to the sewer entrance, past the locked gate. That was where we were heading. It was a secret way out of the Imperial City. At least, it was supposed to be a secret. Here, take this key, it will open the last door to the sewers." he tells me.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold up a minute there. The sewers!?" I say shocked, They were going to drag the Emperor of Tamriel through the sewers?!
"There are rats and goblins down there... but from what I've seen of you. I'm guessing that you are an experienced Assassin. Am I right?" he says.
"Close I'm a Shadow." I tell him
"Hmm never heard of that before but rats and goblins won't give you any trouble." he says with a frown.
"After I get out of the sewers, what do I do next?" I ask eager to be on my way.
"Take the amulet to Jauffre at Weynon Priory immediately. Understand?" He instructs me.
"Yeah I understand you perfectly." I tell him. Understand but not agree. The amulet can wait. I need to get back to my peak of ability again. I should take a few months after I get out of this gods forsaken hole.
"Good to see the Emperor's trust was well placed." he says
"What will you be doing?" I ask.
"I will stay here and stop more assassin's from climbing up your back while you get out of here. I also will be guarding the Emperor's body," he says, "Now get moving, and may Talos guide you." he says and then stares as I retrieve the two blades from his comrades from the bottom of my pack.
"These are for you." I tell him gravely.
"Thank you, I'll see to it that they are given a place of honor in the halls of the Blades." He manages to choke out, his eyes full of emotion. Not wanting to shame him by seeing his tears, I leap into the doorway and slink down the hall it opens into.
Following the hallway I reach the door into the sewers. After slipping the key into the lock, I twist it until I hear a click and then I swing the door open flinching from the squeal of badly oiled hinges. As I begin to remove the key, it shatters inside the lock and I leave the broken thing there. I proceed to swing the door shut again. Looking forward, I see the lid that covers the shaft into the sewers. Sneaking around it, I look for some kind of hinge or something. Upon seeing nothing, I straddle it, one foot on either side of the stones that it rests upon, and I begin to lift the thing. UG damn that’s heavy....just a little higher....and swing it forward....ahhh... I manage to move the massive thing off the top of the shaft and quickly drop into it.
When I reach the sewers, the stench overwhelms me and I dry heave. I fight down the urge to vomit and I move forward, spying a tunnel that leads deeper. Working my way down the tunnel I hear the shuffle of goblins and the scratching of rats. By Oblivion will I never stop fighting goblins and rats?! I think, I’m starting to really lose my cool. Drawing my bow I slip around the end of the tunnel and see nothing, so I slink forward to the other end. Listening closely I hear the sounds stronger on my left, so I notch an arrow and swing my bow to the left as I side-step right out of the tunnel. Spotting a rat at the end of the walkway on my side I let the arrow fly killing the thing instantly. Moving forward to retrieve the arrow, I hear goblins to my right on the other side of the sewer drain. I notch an arrow and swing, keeping my bow trained on that side of the sewer. I spot the goblin but not before he spots me. I fire my arrow into him and draw my blade while rising from my crouched position. Parrying his initial strike, I strike him with enough force to kill him outright. Sheathing my blade, I pull my bow back into my hand and notch another arrow just in case. Looking down the tunnel on the other side, I see another goblin, this time one with a shield. I aim for his head and let the arrow fly, and nail it. Slipping over the bridge that spans the two sides I hear the scratching of claws to my right so I head that way. Finding yet another tunnel, I head down it determined to leave nothing alive down here.
At the end of the tunnel I see another rat, quicker than a thought I let another arrow fly and kill that one too. Not hearing anything else I stand up and walk to the stairs that are in the room the last tunnel in this section of sewer. Quickly, I ascend them. I turn to the right, after noticing that to the left is open air. There, in front of me is a gate. Through that gate I feel a slight breeze. Abandoning all form of stealth I sprint forward and slam the gate open, tripping over another rat. Drawing my sword, I kill the thing and stand up. Moving around the corner, I see my freedom up ahead. Yet another gate, but this one has the outdoors on the other side.
Opening the gate I step outside, free, again. Looking up, I see the stars and realize that now I really am free.
"Freedom." I say quietly to myself.
The amulet can wait. I need to train. I think to myself as I wander off into the wilderness.
And that is the end of part 8 to the prelude to my story. Now for some background info.
Soran was born on the border to Morrowind but still within Cyrodill itself. He was not born in any village that remains today, nor was he born in a village that you could find. He was born in his parents’ tower, his parents were rogue telvanni. Soon after he left at age 16, a telvanni found his parents and killed them in order to rise in the ranks. When he came back to their tower he found the bodies and the blast marks of magicka and that is when he decided to truly try for membership into the Dark Brotherhood. He developed his own fighting technique that he calls "Shadow". He utilizes all the skills of assassins with the minor change of Illusion magic in place of Acrobatics. Upon leaving his parents tower for the last time he took great care in covering the place with booze and burying his parents corpses under the tower, then lighting the place ablaze and walking away, forever. In the 4 years since, he has learned to never show emotion for any reason, but the events in the tunnels under the prison broke the barriers he had set around his emotions and now they are quiet unstable.
I will not be posting again for a while as I get him to where I want him for the next part. He is going to spend three months game time (without waiting for more time that would be needed) training, and he does not care to be disturbed while doing so. Please feel free to comment, for negative or positive. Now that the boring part of the beginning is done there are going to be massive spoilers ahead. In case anyone wonders mods for this game are Quest Award Leveling and Deadlier Sneaking both can be found on Planet Elder Scrolls. Anything those two mods don’t change is me playing "I don’t like that" with the game
"Your stars are not mine. Today the Thief shall guide your steps on the road to destiny." Uriel responds.
"Are you not afraid to die?" I ask amazed that during our talk he has never shown any outward sign of fear.
"I have no trophies of my triumphs to precede me. But I have lived well, and my ghost shall rest easy. Men are but flesh and blood. They know their doom but not the hour. Yet, in this I am blessed, to see the hour of my death to face my apportioned fate, and then... fall." he responds solemnly
"Can you see my fate?" I ask curiously.
"My dreams do not grant me opinions of success for they do not venture beyond the doors of death. Yet in your face, I behold the sun's companion. The dawn of Akatosh's blazing glory may banish the coming darkness. With such hope and with the promise of your aid my heart must be satisfied." he responds in a regal way.
"Ah, ok that settles that little matter then. So where is our destination?" I ask trying to change the topic.
"I head to my grave, for a tongue shriller than all music calls to me. You on the other hand, shall follow me for a while yet and then we will part," Uriel said.
"Here take this torch and stick close." the kinder of the two guards told me.
"What are you guys?" I asked.
"We are the Emperor's bodyguards and our job is to get him out of situations like this, although things are not going according to plan. My name is Baurus, and my companion up ahead is Glenroy." Baurus spoke with feeling in his voice.
Deciding to follow along, I slip the torch into my pack and follow at the back of their group. Stepping through the doorway I see a room with what looks like two floors. The upper floor is where we entered and another floor is just below it. The lower floor has open air above it where you can jump down from the top floor. The Emperor and his guards take a set of stairs to the right, but I get an odd feeling and step up to the edge where in the shadows I see more assassins.
"Assassins!" I scream and pulled my bow off of my back.
The guards heard my call and charged forward. I’m unwilling to hit the guards. I can’t get a clear shot of any assassin. So I put my bow back on my back and wait. When all the assassins are dead I drop down and follow the emperor out of the room. The next room is full of dark shadows and all I hear is the clanging of weapons as the guards fight off the assassins. Quickly ducking into the shadows I hide from combat. Finally I see three bright flashes as the assassins all die and their armor and weapons vanish. Ok this is nuts, Sheogorath must be having a field day here with the madness that seems to have overtaken tamriel. Walking forward I do a quick check of the bodies and find nothing useful.
"Hurry up! We don't have all day you know!" Glenroy said is a low tone.
"It takes you more than four hours to go fifty feet or so, and we don't have all day?!" I ask, annoyed with the constant rushing that seemed to happen after I met back up with Uriel.
Slipping forward through the door at the end of the hall, one of the few lighted places in the entire room, I see we have entered a massive room. Looking around, I see that throughout the room there seem to be ledges on the upper floor and a single stairway flanked by twin ornate pillars leading downward into a much darker room. Carefully trailing behind them, I check for extra things they may have missed. Jumping up onto one of the ledges, I feel the pulse of a spell but I cannot figure out what kind of spell it is. Odd, I thought these tunnels were long deserted. Guess not, seeing how the magicka feels freshly placed. Carefully remembering the feel of the magicka pulse I file it away into my memory for later use.
"Looks clear, come on we are almost through to the sewers." Glenroy says.
Well that’s the price I pay for lingering behind them to look over things. I missed what he was talking about. I mused annoyed.
"Damnit!" Glenroy cursed, "The gate is barred from the other side! This is a trap!" he said in a panic.
"What about that side passage back there?" Baurus asked.
"It’s worth a try! Let’s go!" Glenroy said eyes glancing around in fright.
Quickly dropping down from the ledge, I sprint over to the passage that they are heading towards and look for shadows to hide in. Finding some in the back of the room I duck down and wait, listening attentively.
"It's a dead end, what's your call sir." Baurus said with defeat in his voice.
"I don't know. I don't see any good options here." Glenroy sighed, defeat evident in his voice.
The sound of a gate sliding shut startles all of us and Glenroy is the first to respond.
"They are behind us. Quickly defend the Emperor!" Glenroy spoke suddenly in command again.
Glancing over his shoulder to look at me Baurus says "Wait here with the Emperor, guard him with your life."
"Fine, but you better keep them out of here with your own life if need be." I tell him.
Both of the Blades look at me funny and then charge back out of the room.
"I can go no further, you alone must stand against the Prince of Destruction and his mortal servants." Uriel tells me as he suddenly spins me around to face him, this is the first time he has touched me. "Take the Amulet. Give it to Jaufre. He alone knows where to find my last son." Suddenly his face grows very grave, "Find him, and close shut the Jaws... of Oblivion." and with those words I hear a door open flicking my eyes to the right I see an assassin jump out and stab the Emperor through the heart.
"You picked a bad day to take up the cause of the Septims" the assassin says to me and advances toward me.
Quickly I strike out, going into a blind rage. He has just killed one of the few people in my life to show me something other than contempt. But he calmly knocks my blade away and stabs me in my left side. Thankfully, my armor deflected most of the blow. Quickly I step back and Baurus charges past me. He removes the fools head from his shoulders in one clean stroke. Stepping out of the room to let the man regain his composure after seeing his emperor dead, I spot the other guards’ blade. Picking it up I figure it’s the least I can do out of respect for the duty he did.
Trudging back into the room I clasp Baurus's shoulder.
"I'm sorry. You gave me a task and I failed." I tell him, true regret filling my voice and my eyes full of tears.
He turns and looks at me, "We've failed. I've failed ... The blades are sworn to protect the Emperor, and now he and all his heirs are dead." he says with distress plain on his face. Suddenly Baurus looks up in shock "The Amulet, where's the Amulet of Kings? It wasn't on the Emperor's body."
"I have it, with his last breaths he gave it to me." I tell him, still clutching the thing in my left hand.
"Strange, he saw something in you, trusted you. They say it’s the Dragon Blood, that flows through the veins of every Septim. They see more than lesser men. The Amulet of Kings is a sacred symbol of the empire. Most people think of the Red Dragon Crown, but that’s just jewelry. The Amulet has power. He must have given it to you for a reason, any idea why?" He asks.
"I am to take it to a person named 'Jauffre'." I say.
"Jauffre? He said that? Why?" Baurus asks me suspiciously.
"There is one last heir." I tell him.
"Nothing I know about, but Jauffre would know, he is the Grandmaster of my Order. He lives as a monk in Weynon Priory."
"And I go about getting there...how?" I ask.
"First things first.” That door, he points to the one used by the assassin that killed Uriel, "must lead to the sewer entrance, past the locked gate. That was where we were heading. It was a secret way out of the Imperial City. At least, it was supposed to be a secret. Here, take this key, it will open the last door to the sewers." he tells me.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold up a minute there. The sewers!?" I say shocked, They were going to drag the Emperor of Tamriel through the sewers?!
"There are rats and goblins down there... but from what I've seen of you. I'm guessing that you are an experienced Assassin. Am I right?" he says.
"Close I'm a Shadow." I tell him
"Hmm never heard of that before but rats and goblins won't give you any trouble." he says with a frown.
"After I get out of the sewers, what do I do next?" I ask eager to be on my way.
"Take the amulet to Jauffre at Weynon Priory immediately. Understand?" He instructs me.
"Yeah I understand you perfectly." I tell him. Understand but not agree. The amulet can wait. I need to get back to my peak of ability again. I should take a few months after I get out of this gods forsaken hole.
"Good to see the Emperor's trust was well placed." he says
"What will you be doing?" I ask.
"I will stay here and stop more assassin's from climbing up your back while you get out of here. I also will be guarding the Emperor's body," he says, "Now get moving, and may Talos guide you." he says and then stares as I retrieve the two blades from his comrades from the bottom of my pack.
"These are for you." I tell him gravely.
"Thank you, I'll see to it that they are given a place of honor in the halls of the Blades." He manages to choke out, his eyes full of emotion. Not wanting to shame him by seeing his tears, I leap into the doorway and slink down the hall it opens into.
Following the hallway I reach the door into the sewers. After slipping the key into the lock, I twist it until I hear a click and then I swing the door open flinching from the squeal of badly oiled hinges. As I begin to remove the key, it shatters inside the lock and I leave the broken thing there. I proceed to swing the door shut again. Looking forward, I see the lid that covers the shaft into the sewers. Sneaking around it, I look for some kind of hinge or something. Upon seeing nothing, I straddle it, one foot on either side of the stones that it rests upon, and I begin to lift the thing. UG damn that’s heavy....just a little higher....and swing it forward....ahhh... I manage to move the massive thing off the top of the shaft and quickly drop into it.
When I reach the sewers, the stench overwhelms me and I dry heave. I fight down the urge to vomit and I move forward, spying a tunnel that leads deeper. Working my way down the tunnel I hear the shuffle of goblins and the scratching of rats. By Oblivion will I never stop fighting goblins and rats?! I think, I’m starting to really lose my cool. Drawing my bow I slip around the end of the tunnel and see nothing, so I slink forward to the other end. Listening closely I hear the sounds stronger on my left, so I notch an arrow and swing my bow to the left as I side-step right out of the tunnel. Spotting a rat at the end of the walkway on my side I let the arrow fly killing the thing instantly. Moving forward to retrieve the arrow, I hear goblins to my right on the other side of the sewer drain. I notch an arrow and swing, keeping my bow trained on that side of the sewer. I spot the goblin but not before he spots me. I fire my arrow into him and draw my blade while rising from my crouched position. Parrying his initial strike, I strike him with enough force to kill him outright. Sheathing my blade, I pull my bow back into my hand and notch another arrow just in case. Looking down the tunnel on the other side, I see another goblin, this time one with a shield. I aim for his head and let the arrow fly, and nail it. Slipping over the bridge that spans the two sides I hear the scratching of claws to my right so I head that way. Finding yet another tunnel, I head down it determined to leave nothing alive down here.
At the end of the tunnel I see another rat, quicker than a thought I let another arrow fly and kill that one too. Not hearing anything else I stand up and walk to the stairs that are in the room the last tunnel in this section of sewer. Quickly, I ascend them. I turn to the right, after noticing that to the left is open air. There, in front of me is a gate. Through that gate I feel a slight breeze. Abandoning all form of stealth I sprint forward and slam the gate open, tripping over another rat. Drawing my sword, I kill the thing and stand up. Moving around the corner, I see my freedom up ahead. Yet another gate, but this one has the outdoors on the other side.
Opening the gate I step outside, free, again. Looking up, I see the stars and realize that now I really am free.
"Freedom." I say quietly to myself.
The amulet can wait. I need to train. I think to myself as I wander off into the wilderness.
And that is the end of part 8 to the prelude to my story. Now for some background info.
Soran was born on the border to Morrowind but still within Cyrodill itself. He was not born in any village that remains today, nor was he born in a village that you could find. He was born in his parents’ tower, his parents were rogue telvanni. Soon after he left at age 16, a telvanni found his parents and killed them in order to rise in the ranks. When he came back to their tower he found the bodies and the blast marks of magicka and that is when he decided to truly try for membership into the Dark Brotherhood. He developed his own fighting technique that he calls "Shadow". He utilizes all the skills of assassins with the minor change of Illusion magic in place of Acrobatics. Upon leaving his parents tower for the last time he took great care in covering the place with booze and burying his parents corpses under the tower, then lighting the place ablaze and walking away, forever. In the 4 years since, he has learned to never show emotion for any reason, but the events in the tunnels under the prison broke the barriers he had set around his emotions and now they are quiet unstable.
I will not be posting again for a while as I get him to where I want him for the next part. He is going to spend three months game time (without waiting for more time that would be needed) training, and he does not care to be disturbed while doing so. Please feel free to comment, for negative or positive. Now that the boring part of the beginning is done there are going to be massive spoilers ahead. In case anyone wonders mods for this game are Quest Award Leveling and Deadlier Sneaking both can be found on Planet Elder Scrolls. Anything those two mods don’t change is me playing "I don’t like that" with the game
Nice finish to your prologue. It appears you have an interesting character to follow in this story. I look forward to seeing how a "Shadow" will react to the quests that'll be thrust upon him.
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