Stellius sat at his desk, shuffling papers. It was dark outside, but that didn’t bother him. Night was when he thrived; all the idiots had gone home, leaving only Stellius and his quill pen. His tiny corner office was lit only by a few candles and one large, shining, silver candlestick, a family heirloom. In case of any intruder, Stellius kept a shortsword in his desk and some potions in his cloak. Stellius was writing a declaration for the arrest and public execution of an infamous criminal, Rolten Detar, better known as “Rotten Rolten the Dunmer”. He had been a petty criminal, dabbling in various robberies, smuggling and hate crimes against Imperials, but had recently been rumored to have been involved in a number of brutal murders, all around Vvardenfell.


As Stellius scratched out the last line, he heard a noise. Stellius had worked at night for many years, but for some reason, this noise sent a chill straight up his spine, giving him Goosebumps. If the intruder was in the room, Stellius did not want to alarm him, thus sending him into frenzy. Instead, he sat very calmly and reached into his desk, pulling out the sword. Before Stellius could draw his sword, four crossbow bolts pierced his chest, arm and leg. He fell forward onto his desk, smudging the declaration.

Interesting. post more

Tell me more....

You asked for it:

Larrius Varro was worried. This was the second murder of an Imperial official in as many weeks. First, a treasurer named Tibius Terious, and then Stellius, a friend of Larrius. Varro had ordered an investigation into the death of Tibius, but it had turned up inconclusive. He had deemed it a random hate crime, with no motivation or pre-meditation. Varro had armed a squad of thirty men and sent them to canvas the Imperial Offices in Caldera. If there was a clue, they would find it. Varro had also warned the commanding officer, Leitaus, to watch his back. Just in case.

Leitaus was leading his men to Caldera when a runner came to him and said “Message from General Varro”. Leitaus
Unfurled the scroll and read it:

Leitaus swore and turned to the runner “Go to General Varro, tell him that fifteen men will go to Caldera, and I will lead fourteen to Ebonheart.” The runner saluted and cast a spell of Divine Intervention.

When Leitaus arrived in Ebonheart, the citizens were distraught. As they marched through town, Leitaus heard whispers of “Three in two weeks, disgraceful. Must be assassins…” In the whispers, Leitaus heard worry, panic and fear. If these powerful officials with bodyguards and fine armor couldn’t be protected, what about commoners?


When Leitaus and his men arrived in the Grand Council Chambers, the Duke stood talking to advisors and guards milled around, swords drawn and armor shining. Leitaus walked to the Duke and saluted “At your service, sir.” The Duke looked up and nodded “Ah, Varro’s man. Glad to see you.” Leitaus nodded and said “Where is the crime scene?” The Duke stared into Leitaus’s eyes before replying. “Down the stairs, to the right. The heavily guarded room.” Leitaus nodded and turned to walk away. “One minute, Colonel.” Leitaus turned and looked at the Duke “Tread carefully, solider. You don’t know who’s after the Imperial government.” Leitaus saluted again and turned away.

Maybe we can find a way to insert that smiley into the game.

Good job :goodjob:

wow very good and now I will quote a certain person

"please sir, can I have some more?"

[quote=Soulseeker3.0]wow very good and now I will quote a certain person

"please sir, can I have some more?"[/quote]

Why sure you can

The room where Terious had been found was a small room, dimly lit. Even through the sparse light, Leitaus could see the brutality of the murder. Terious had obviously been working, probably writing something. The attacker had come in, taken Terious by surprise, and then slit his throat. After Terious had died, the assailant had obviously wanted to make a point. He had cut out Terious’s eyes and impaled them upon two small daggers, which were stuck in the desk. In blood, the words “ALL SHALL FALL” was smeared on the wall. When Leitaus walked over to Terious’s corpse, he saw that he was missing two limbs. His arms had been cut off, and couldn’t be found in the castle. Leitaus was disgusted. The other two murders had been equally brutal, Leitaus was told. This was the same assailant, Leitaus was sure. Parts of bodies had gone missing from the other scenes, too. Leitaus shook his head and turned to a guard “Clean this room up, and send his corpse to his wife. Send her my regards.” The guard saluted and marched out. Truthfully, Leitaus had been sleeping with Terious’s wife, but that wasn’t important.


When Leitaus returned to the Duke with his report, the Duke was being guarded by ten soldiers, all armed well and wide awake. The Duke was sitting in a chair, reading The Daily Vivec, Vvardenfell’s number one newspaper. “You see this, Leitaus? The press is having a field day with these assassinations.” The Duke threw the paper at Leitaus. The paper was headlined with the words “THIRD IMPERIAL OFFICIAL KILLED, INVESTIGATORS STUMPED “How did they get access to the crime scene?” The Duke shook his head and said “Freedom of the press.” Leitaus swore and said “I have my report, from Terious’s murder.” The Duke looked up and said “Very well, give it to me.” Leitaus nodded and handed it to him. “Very nice, Leitaus. You are dismissed.” “Very well, sir. I will visit Terious’s widow, and ask her if she knows anything.” The Duke nodded absent-mindedly, engrossed in the report.


As Leitaus put on his boots, he asked Dielle if she knew anything about her husband’s murder. Dielle laughed and said “We’re part of the Imperial government, what Dunmer doesn’t want to slit our throats?” Leitaus nodded and put on his armor “It was good to see you again, Dielle, but I might not be able to…..visit, for several weeks.” She nodded and said “Goodbye, Leitaus.” He kissed her and walked out. As Leitaus walked back to Ebonheart, he thought about Dielle. She was a beautiful, intelligent and very high powered woman, but how could he court her? This would raise suspicion that Leitaus had killed Terious, just to marry Dielle. No, he thought, I’ll wait until this investigation is over, and my name is cleared.


When Leitaus arrived in Ebonheart, bad news greeted him. Another Imperial Official had been assassinated, this time a judge. Liosis Titaron had been shot by a crossbow while walking to his Ebonheart office. One bolt pierced the back of his head, killing him before he hit the ground.


Leitaus walked to the Duke’s chamber, where Duke Dren paced back and forth, deep in thought. “Sir” said Leitaus. The Duke looked up and said “Another one, Leitaus. Another one, a judge this time. Do you know what this means? Some one is after the government, a treasurer, a judge, a Governor’s assistant and the ambassador to Vvardenfell. People are worried, Leitaus. They don’t know what to do, once the head is gone, the body will crumble.” Leitaus nodded and said “All high-ranking officials have been secured, right?” Dren nodded and said “All but Ordal Helvi, he’s disappeared.” Leitaus was shocked for a moment and then said “Is anyone looking for him?” Dren nodded and said “I’ve sent someone to look for him, of course.” Leitaus nodded and said “Is there anything that ties these victims together?” The Duke thought for a moment and then said “Well, there is one thing. They were all being floated as possible nominations
For Governor of Ebonheart, but we’ve already selected someone, Rufinius Alleius. Leitaus nodded and said “Where can I find this man?” The Duke thought for a moment and said “He was gone, but should be returning very soon.” Leitaus nodded and set out for the docks.


Rufinius Alleius sat on his boat, The Stargazey and felt it rock back and forth. He had made sure that he had been out of town while the murders had taken place. The Morag Tong had promised secrecy ‘till the death, but the Dark Brotherhood was cheaper, and in Rufinius’s opinion, more efficient. He had dealt with them in the past, and without fail, they had executed the plan perfectly. Rufus felt badly about the death of his colleagues, but they were necessary. This appointment was crucial, and Rufinius was, obviously, the best choice. He couldn’t leave this in the hands of the Duke and his cronies, so he took it in to his own hands. He sat thinking for a few more moments, until a there was a knock on his door. “Who is this?” The voice was that of the captain of his ship, Stilious Feitrion, and he sounded worried. Rufinius got up and walked to the door, where Stilious stood, a look of panic on his face “Guards, looking to investigate the murders, a commander no less.” Rufinius swore and then spoke in a whisper “Hide the moonsugar, and burn the contracts, I will talk to them.” Stilious nodded and disappeared into the hold. Rufus straightened his clothes, and walked above deck.


Leitaus stood on the deck of The Stargazey, tapping his foot. The longer this Rufinius took, the more suspicious Leitaus got. He had sent the captain of the ship to summon his master, but that had been ten minutes ago. He was about order his men to go and investigate, when a finely dressed Imperial appeared on deck. “Commander, how may I help you?” Leitaus did not like this flip attitude and planned to make this clear. “Are you Rufinius Alleius?” The tone of his voice was clear, cool and to the point. “Yes, I am. Is something wrong? Has something happened to my wife?” Leitaus could hear the indifference and smugness in this man’s voice “No. But you are suspect in four murders. All high-ranking Imperial officials.” “Me? I have been out of town for two weeks, away in Cryodiil on vacation.” “Do you have proof of this? Traveling papers, witnesses?” Anticipating this, Rufus had brought the papers above deck “Yes, Commander, right here.” He produced traveling papers for him and his captain and said “My captain will testify as a witness, as I’m sure the dock guard in Topal Bay will.” Leitaus wasn’t satisfied, but according to the law, there wasn’t anything else to do. “Very well. You will be under surveillance and will be escorted to any locations by an armed guard. Also, you are hereby not allowed to leave the island of Vvardenfell.” Rufus had expected this, but the armed guard might be a problem. “Thank you, Commander, but I must profess my innocence. I have never committed a crime in my entire life, let alone kill four of my colleagues in cold blood.” “Your statements will be noted, but this does not exonerate you.” Rufus nodded and returned to his ship, followed by a guard.

As Rufinius and the guard had gotten back aboard the boat, Leitaus’s eyes followed them. Leitaus had warned Sellius that Rufinius and his captain would be tricky, to never let his guard down. Sellius had been trained by Leitaus, a sort of an apprentice. He was an expert in combat and was very intelligent, coming from a scholarly family. The ship was an undoubtedly a find ship, majestic and Imperial in its beauty. Leitaus would’ve liked nothing better than to summon his archer and sink it. That liar, Rufinius, had killed those men, whether he admitted it or not. Leitaus would get him, one way or another. He turned and walked by to the Castle.

How could an archer sink a ship???? :confused:



But good job! :goodjob:

[quote=Konradude]How could an archer sink a ship???? :confused:



But good job! :goodjob:[/quote]


*Glares at Konradude*


Archers could.

Expect more soon, and then none at all, as I will be gone and might not have internet access.

[quote=Konradude]How could an archer sink a ship???? :confused:



But good job! :goodjob:[/quote]

With a Fire arrow(s).

But yes. Goodjob. :goodjob:

[quote=Stargazey][quote=Konradude]How could an archer sink a ship???? :confused:



But good job! :goodjob:[/quote]


*Glares at Konradude*


Archers could.

Expect more soon, and then none at all, as I will be gone and might not have internet access.[/quote]

Heeey!! Nice work here.....and yes I expect some more......don´t go too far then....because that would be teasing ........hmm?

:goodjob:

Sellius stood on the deck of the boat, watching the Captain intently. Leitaus had told him to never let down his guard, to stay alert, vigilant. Sellius would not fail him. He had ordered Rufus to stay below deck, and to not emerge until they arrived at their location. Rufinius had accepted this, grudgingly. Sellius was wearing a robe, his armor underneath. He wore Imperial Legion armor and wielded an Imperial Broadsword. The captain of the ship, Stilious, stood near the mast of the ship, gazing at something Sellius couldn’t see, as the ship drifted along, without aim. Sellius walked over to Stilious and said “Where do we sail to?” Stilious did not reply for a moment “The master’s mansion is close to Caldera, so we sail for the port of Hla Oad. Sellius nodded and turned away. Night was coming now, and Sellius was tired, so he retired below deck. He did not trust these criminals, and slept with his sword in his hand.


Leitiaus was wandering around Ebonheart, with no real aim, just thinking. Thinking about the murders, thinking about Dielle, thinking about moving up in the Legion, thinking about Sellius, thinking about everything. Nothing was as he wanted it, especially concerning these murders. Then something occurred to Leitiaus, Rufinius’s mansion. He could get a warrant and get up to Caldera before the ship did. Leitiaus was a man of spontaneity, and acted quickly. He sprinted to the Duke’s Chambers, and began to present his case for a warrant. “Sir, he’s the only suspect we have, and he has the best motive. These people were political opponents, competition is a powerful motivator. Just get me a warrant, I can get the evidence.” The Duke thought for a moment and then said “He wasn’t here, so what charges could we get him on?” “Conspiracy, contract killing, dealing with an illegal agency.” The Duke looked quizzical “Contract killing, dealing with an illegal agency? What for?” Leitiaus laughed and said “Dark Brotherhood. If he didn’t do it, must be the Dark Brotherhood. If it was the Morag Tong, he wouldn’t have anything to hide, it’s all legal.” The Duke nodded and said “Yes…..yes…that’s true.....Very well, see my assistant, he’ll grant you a warrant. Leitiaus don’t do anything stupid, please.” Leitiaus saluted and walked to the assistant.


Rufinius sat in his chambers, thinking. He was in trouble, and he knew it. With a guard onboard, he couldn’t pay the Dark Brotherhood the rest of the money he owed, so they would kill him. They would also kill the guard, a fact Rufinius took some comfort in. That commander, Le-something, had it in for him, and would probably have his little toady reporting to him as soon as they hit ground. If Rufinius and Stilious managed to kill the oaf, and he didn’t report, the Legion would show up and teach them the ills of killing an officer. Rufinius thought about many things, mainly how to immobilize the guard. He could drug him, but the same problem came up. What was his pleasure? What was his pain? Did he want girls? Skooma? Flin? Mazle? Brandy? Rufinius could get it, but if it didn’t work, the guard would report him for bribing an Imperial Official. May that damn commander rot in hell, thought Rufinius, a thought that afforded him some sense of happiness.

Leitiaus had summoned a guar from the stables, to aid in his trip to Caldera. Guars had been trained and put in the use of the Legion, as horses couldn’t be used on the rocky, desolate terrain of Vvardenfell. The guars were temperamental beasts, even with the training, so all riders were told to carry a scroll of Calm Creature. Scroll and warrant in hand, Leitiaus and his guar, Loki, set out for Caldera. Although not his ideal weapon, Leitiaus had taken a bow from the armory, as to pick off any beasts or humans that might hinder him.


As Leitiaus rode forward, an ash storm began to blow, causing him to stop. Even with his visor down, the ash found a way to get in his eyes. He reached into his satchel pack and drew out a bottle of flin. As he drank, he thought he heard the swish of an arrow. Drawing his sword, he drank the rest of his Flin and then turned around. It was an arrow he heard, an arrow coming from a group of Ashlanders, all sitting atop Alits, glaring at him. “I’m an Imperial Officer” yelled Leitiaus through the ash and wind. Not the reaction he had hoped, a flurry of arrows flew towards him, causing him to jump and get out of the way. Picking up his sword, he charged forward, revenge on his mind.

As Leitiaus charged forward, the Ashlanders let fly another volley of arrows, all which Leitiaus deflected with his sword and shield.
He wore the finest Imperial made, but the arrows were starting to become a nuisance. One had pierced the armor, embedding itself in his shoulder. Pulling out his bow, he fired four arrows into the air, just as a distraction. Picking up his sword and shield, he charged at the Alit’s, killing one and knocking two of the riders off other ones. As they lay on the ground, Leitiaus hit them with the butt of his sword, knocking them out. One ashlander remained mounted on his Alit, and seeing what had happened to his clanmembers, he charged forward, a shining sword drawn. Leitiaus assessed the situation and then made a decision. Throwing his sword and shield to the ground, he lunged forward, jumping on to the charging beast. The weight of his body on the animal brought it and its two riders to the ground. Leitiaus had been cut by the ashlanders’ sword, but the adrenaline was pumping, and seemed to heal the wound. The Ashlander was knocked out and bleeding from the mouth. Taking the sword from him, he slit the beasts’ throat, putting it out of its misery. Turning back to the fallen ashlander, he did the same thing. When he walked back to were the guar had been, he noticed something was missing. The Guar. “Damn beasts” Leitiaus swore. Picking up his blood stained sword and shield, he trudged through the barren wasteland.


As The Stargazey sailed around the Sheogorath region, something began to shake the ship, violently. Sellius was still asleep, in his chambers, when he heard a frantic knocking on his door. Springing up, his sword drawn, he walked to the door and opened it. A frightened Stilious stood cowering in the doorway, blood running down from a cut on his arm. “Daedra, bombarding the ship. Winged Twilights, Ogrims and Scamps!” Pushing Stilious into the chambers, he muttered “Stay here.” As Sellius came above deck, he saw what Stilious meant. Winged Twilights hovered over the small wooden boat, pelting it with spells and curses. From the shore of a nearby island, an Ogrim was tossing rocks and scamps, trying to reach the ship.


Sellius decided to deal with the most immediate threat first, so he took out a bow and began to fire at the Twilights, hoping to get them on his level, where he could make short work of them. They ignored the arrows, and instead doubled up on their attacks. As Sellius fired more arrows up at them, he heard a thump and then a horrible creeeee sound. Turning around, he saw a Scamp standing on board the ship, his claws sharp as daggers.

Ignoring the increasing spells hitting the ship, Sellius threw the bow to the ground and drew his broadsword. He ran towards the Scamp, who at the sight of a six foot tall Imperial with a sword and armor barreling towards him, promptly jumped into the ocean. Sellius came to a skid as the scamp jumped overboard. Immediately turning his attention to the shore, he saw a rock coming his way, thrown by an Ogrim. Jumping to the side, he watched as the rock hit the deck, and penetrate into the lower decks. Realizing the problem, Sellius picked up his bow, and began to fire off a volley of arrows, all aimed at the Ogrim’s head. Sellius watched as they all hit, two in the eyes. Exactly what he had wanted, he knew he couldn’t kill the Ogrim with arrows, but he could blind it. As the great beast blundered around, Sellius turned his attention to the great beasts hovering above him. With no other choice, he picked up the bow, and jumped to the highest point on the ship, the battlements. He fired as many arrows as he could, just hoping to irritate them. Eventually, one of them decided to humor him, and came down for a fight. Tossing the bow aside, he grabbed his sword and ran towards the Daedra.


The Winged Twilight stood perched on its two legs, glaring at Sellius. Its purple body seemed to radiate with a dangerous combination: hatred and magic. Sellius decided the best way to deal with this beast was head on. Or if he was lucky, head off. (Editors note: Sorry for the pun.) Running towards the Daedra, his shield and sword drawn, he felt a spell hit the shield. As it hit, he flew backwards, nearly becoming unconscious. As he got back up, the Twilight charged towards him. He waited until the creature was on top of him, and then, he drew his sword, impaling the great beast. It would certainly not kill it, but it dazed it enough for him to pull his sword out and ready a death blow. As it blustered around, wounded, Sellius drew his sword up and brought it down with a vengeance. The head and the body soon parted company, leaving a bloody mess on the deck. Cleaning off his sword, he turned his attention to the Winged Twilight that was still hovering above the ship. While he fought with its friend, it had been slowly melting away the wooden shell of the boat. It was now at hull level, casting a very powerful fire spell. Sellius couldn’t believe his luck. If he could just get over there, and take the beast by surprise. He sprinted up the deck, sword drawn.

As it cast another spell, he lunged at it, grabbing onto its back. It was truly a bizarre scene, an officer of the Imperial Legion, wearing full armor and wielding a broadsword, holding on to the back of a Winged Twilight. As the Twilight tried to buck him off, Sellius readied his sword and then plunged it into the beasts’ chest. It screamed, a horrible scream, like nothing Sellius had ever heard before. As it screamed, it fell. Plummeting down into the vast waters of the inner sea, Sellius looked around. The ship was burning, but still floating and the Daedra on the shore were still trying to find a way to sink it. Sellius felt the cold water rush all around his body, freezing him. In an instant, he was submerged, drowning. His eyes felt like they were spinning out of his eyes, and he felt as though he was going to vomit. He couldn’t move, because the Twilight had fallen on top of him. Before the darkness came, the last thing Sellius saw was the face of the goddess Mara. He heard a whisper “Mortal, your time has not come.” Thinking this was some sort of insanity; Sellius closed his eyes and let the darkness engulf him.


Leitiaus had made his way to Caldera, unhindered by neither man nor beast, but by elements. Once he had gotten out of the ashstorm, the rain set in. His armor was enchanted to be rust-resistant, but constant sheeting rain was a different matter. When Caldera was in sight, he breathed a sigh of relief and continued on. Rufinius’s mansion loomed on the horizon, a truly masterful site. If Leitiaus didn’t detest the man, he might’ve liked him. When he arrived at the door, his Imperial majesty was somewhat lessened by the cuts, bruises, wet armor and the blood smeared on his armor. This perhaps was the reason the Khajiit that opened the door judged him with a wary eye. “Can Dri Zhir help you, sera?” Reaching inside his cloak, Leitiaus pulled out a piece of paper, stamped with the Imperial symbol. “A warrant to search this house-“The Khajiit’s face turned white and said “The moonsugar? I’m so sorry, Sera, p-p-please, don’t arrest me.” Leitiaus laughed and said “I’m not drug control, Khajiit, I’m homicide. Your ‘master’ is the prime suspect in four murders.” The Khajiit was so relieved he nearly fell over. “Oh, yes Sera search all you want. Dri Zhir will just dispose of the moonsugar.” Leitiaus nodded and entered the house.



Sellius was in excruciating pain, but he couldn’t feel it. He seemed to be floating, certainly not restrained to any surface. His eyes were shut, but he could see the features of the chamber he was in. It was pitch black and it seemed that he was alone. While he tried to open his eyes, he felt his body hit the ground, but he felt no pain. When he recovered from the fall, his eyes opened and he saw what seemed to be a breathtakingly beautiful woman wearing nothing but a fancy skirt. Sellius tried to speak but it felt like his mouth was filled with guar hide. He moved to get up, but she raised a hand and he fell back to the ground. She walked over to him and said “Mortal, you are safe, do not worry. I have transported you here, where I healed you. You were not meant to leave this mortal plane yet; your journey is not done. I will transport you back to your ship, where your quest shall continue. Goodbye, Sellius.”



Leitiaus didn’t expect to find anything incriminating in Rufinius’s mansion, but it was worth a try. The ship would arrive in port soon, and the walk was very short from Hla Oad to Caldera. He searched everywhere, opening clocks, looking in pillowcases, even looking in the pot that was used as a restroom. Finding nothing, he walked to the door. The Khajiit slave walked up to him and said “My master is very mean to Dri Zhir, beating me all the time. You are a nice Imperial, Dri Zhir will help you. My master has been dealing with some men that Dri Zhir does not trust. The Dark Brotherhood Dri Zhir thinks. Master goes out late at night, and comes home with pieces of paper with strange symbols on them. Dri Zhir saw master withdrawing much money from his bank.” Leitiaus was stunned by this. The servant was growing suspicious of Rufinius, and this only made Leitiaus’s theory of the Dark Brotherhood more intact. Pulling out a sack of gold, he handed to Dri Zhir. “You are free, by Imperial decree. Here is some money.” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a quill pen and a piece of paper and wrote something down then handed it to the Khajiit. “Give this to anyone who questions you. Go to a smithy and get that bracer removed.” Before seeing the Khajiit’s reaction, he walked out and closed the door.


Sellius awoke in his bed, sweating. He could not be sure, but it seemed he had been saved by the Divine Goddess Mara, who had healed him and sent him back to The Stargazey. Too many things were racing through his mind. He closed his eyes and went to sleep.


During the attack by the Daedra, Rufinius had stayed in his chambers, an ebony shortsword in his hand. He had heard shrieks, grunts, thumps, and then the boat began to sail forward, as if propelled by some sort of Divine Intervention. As it sailed on, the shrieks died down and the thumping ceased. Rufinius didn’t know the fate of his shipmates, but he could only assume they had died. Thinking it was safe; Rufinius emerged from his chambers into blinding light, causing him to block the sun with his hand. The ship had been grievously damaged, but miraculously was still floating. The body of a Daedra lay on the deck, a pool of blood surrounding it. Rufinius nearly had a heart attack when Stilious yelled his name. “Rufinius, sir!! We’re still afloat. That guard, Selli-something fought of the Daedra, all by himself! Never seen fighting like that, amazing. He disappeared over board, though.” Rufinius took this all in and said “He fought them all by himself?” “Yes he did sir.” Rufinius arched his eyebrows and said “Where are we?” “Coming down the west coast, we just passed Khuul.” “Very well. Step up the speed, Stilious, that blasted legion officer is probably already there.” Stilious nodded and got back to work. Rufinius surveyed the ship one more time before going below deck. He had to pay the Dark Brotherhood, and know that the guard was gone; he could make the drop in Hla Oad.

Nice... Hehe couldn't remove my eyes from the screen, you write very well I think Stargazy... :goodjob:

Noow.. what was it again... S.G.M. ?

Glad you like it


Leitiaus raced to the dock of Hla Oad, determined to head off The Stargazey. He had sent a message to the duke, ordering four ships and sixty men, just in case Rufinius had anything up his sleeve. He doubted that Rufinius could somehow summon sixty fighters, but better to be safe, rather than sorry.


As the ship came into port, Rufinius went above deck. It was a beautiful day, but that made no difference to Rufinius. Today was all about business, not the flora and fauna of Vvardenfell. He had the agreed payment, 450,000 gold in unmarked chest and sacks, arranged in the hold. He and Stilious would carry it out, mark it with a burnt out torch, and then leave. If anyone stayed around, the Dark Brotherhood promised to deliver them a crossbow bolt.

Sellius was still deep asleep it when the ship pulled into port, but the sounds of banging and clunking awoke him. Having no memory of the previous day, he picked up his sword and went above deck, only to find it empty. Wondering what was going on, he looked down into the hold.


There he saw Stilious and Rufinius heaving crates and sacks up the stairs, grunting on every heave. “What is going on here, Rufinius?” The sound of Sellius’ voice made Rufinius drop the chest he was carrying, knocking Stilious to the ground. “You…what are you doing here?” Sellius looked confused but said “We’ve reached port, as I’m sure you know. I’ve been instructed to escort you and your captain off the ship, and to your mansion, where you’ll be placed under house arrest until the investigation is complete.”

The look of shock stayed on Rufinius’s face, and the look of pain upon Stilious’s. Sellius turned to walk up the stairs, and in desperation and panic, Rufinius picked up the top of a chest and slammed Sellius in the back of the head. With a groan and a thump, the tall Imperial fell to the ground, blood leaking from the back of his head. Rufinius cast a healing spell on him and dragged him into the hold. Stilious was still in pain, but now his face was shocked. “Have you killed him?” Rufinius shook his head, exerting himself to much to talk. “He’s a bargaining chip now. They’ve got us and there are ships sailing up the shore, I’ve seen them. He is now a hostage.”


As Leitiaus arrived in Hla Oad, he saw a crowd of people at the dock. Figuring it to be a group of performers, he shrugged it off. He walked over to the dockmaster and said “Where is The Stargazey?”

The dockmaster pointed to the crowd and said “The magistrate, Rufi-summat, has taken an Imperial Guard hostage, apparently has a sword to his throat.” Leitiaus’s stomach dropped, and his face turned white as a sheet. “A guard? Has the Legion been called?” The dockmaster shrugged and turned away. Leitiaus walked into the crowd, and looked at the ship. The deck was empty; he figured they were staying below deck, to keep out of the aim of sharpshooters. For the first time in his career, Leitiaus didn’t know what to do.

Wow.....great, really good stuff..".Please Sir Can I have some More?"

:goodjob: :goodjob:

[quote=minque]Wow.....great, really good stuff..".Please Sir Can I have some More?"

:goodjob: :goodjob:[/quote]


Exactly. You know, when I first read some of your early stories, I really enjoyed them, and though you had a lot of talent. What I hadn't expected, if I'm honest, is how much your writing would improve, in such a short period of time. You've gone from being a writer with a lot of potential, to just an excellent writer. Much more depth, stronger characters, plots, details. Hey, you've got the whole package now, so keep these coming. Really well done mate

[quote=burntsierra][quote=minque]Wow.....great, really good stuff..".Please Sir Can I have some More?"

:goodjob: :goodjob:[/quote]


Exactly. You know, when I first read some of your early stories, I really enjoyed them, and though you had a lot of talent. What I hadn't expected, if I'm honest, is how much your writing would improve, in such a short period of time. You've gone from being a writer with a lot of potential, to just an excellent writer. Much more depth, stronger characters, plots, details. Hey, you've got the whole package now, so keep these coming. Really well done mate [/quote]

Glad everyone likes it so much. I regret to inform you that I'm not sure the way this will go, so it might wrap up soon, or go on for another chapter.


I'll decide soon, but here is an update:

Imperial Commander Oriok Logr-Bogug was standing on the deck of a flagship of a fleet of ships, sailing for the port of Hla Oad. His ship was aptly named The Spillblood, aptly named because blood had spilled on the deck many times. He had been relaxing in his vacation home in the ashlands region, when he had been rudely pushed out of the bed he was sharing with his mistress.

He had gotten the order to summon sixty men, three ships and sail to Hla Oad. Thinking this was just a simple board-kill-sink mission, he had prepared his men with axes, bows, arrows and potions. When they pulled into the dock, the first think Oriok saw was a ship with no one on deck, and a crowd of people, chattering and pointing at the ship.

Thinking it was some crazed wizard threatening to destroy all of Vvardenfell (he had one of these at least twice a month), he had called his men to attention and gotten them ready to board. As he was sending messages to the captains of the other ships to attack, an Imperial Officer was trying to get his attention from the shore. “Oriok, it’s me Leitiaus!” Oriok nodded and pulled the ship in close enough for Leitiaus to get on board. “What have we got here, Leitiaus? Wizard? Hostage situation? Houseboat taken over by rats and scamps?” Leitiaus climbed on board and said “Nothing so easy. An Imperial officer taken hostage by a skooma-crazed, corrupt, contract-killing Magistrate.” Oriok looked stunned for a moment, but then said “Who’s the officer?” “Sellius Risidiaus.” Oriok nodded and said “How do you want to approach this?”


Rufinius sat on his bed, smoking a Skooma pipe and gazing at Sellius, who was under a sleep spell, and had Stilious holding a dagger to his neck. If the Legion stormed the ship, they would lose an officer. Rufinius still hadn’t paid the Dark Brotherhood, and knew they would becoming soon. They did not like not getting paid, espically for four murders. Rufinius had given them the mandatory half up front, but that wouldn’t make a difference. Rufinius actually took comfort in knowing that the Legion was standing outside his ship, and surrounding them from all sides with ships. Though, knowing the Brotherhood, they would probably come up with something ingenious to get him anyway. Stilious was sweating, and his eyes were darting back and forth constantly, as if watching for unseen intruders. Perhaps it was the skooma, or maybe he had just gone completely insane, but Rufinius was perfectly calm. As it stood, he was grossly outnumbered, and outgunned. But, he had an officer, and that made all the difference. If he went down, so did Sellius.


Salion Raythen was sitting on a stool in a small shack in Hla Oad. Salion and his ‘comrades’ had taken care of the previous occupants, and artfully disposed of the bodies. They had traveled light, only their signature body armor and a few light weapons. They had come to eliminate the magistrate, and any witnesses. Body count meant nothing to Salion, though this was to be expected from a man who killed for a living. A member of his team had told him that the Legion was outside the mark’s ship, and that a crowd was gathering and watching. Salion was indifferent to this. He would kill every person there if it meant getting the mark. They had been watching the situation carefully, and realized the only problem was the shallow waters by the dock. Normally, they would sneak in and come up through the bottom of the ship, chameleon spells cast. But clearly, that was not an option. Salion had composed a new plan: Sneak aboard with chameleon spells cast, sneak in through the hold, get the job done, and cast out of there.


Leitiaus had told Oriok of his plan, and the Orc agreed. Leitiaus would go in, no weapons or armor and negotiate with Rufinius. Meanwhile, Oriok would send some of his stealth men in and eliminate or restrain Rufinius. Leitiaus took off his muddied armor, set down his bloodied sword, and boarded the ship.


Rufinius was inhaling a puff of sweet skooma smoke, and thinking about his situation, when he heard a thump and then footsteps. Stilious tightened his grip on the dagger, and Rufinius pulled out a crossbow and bolt, setting down the skooma pipe. He looked towards the stairs, and saw a pair of shoes descending them. “Who goes there? We have the guard; and he has a dagger to his neck!” The footsteps stopped, and a soft voice descended the stairs “It is I, Leitiaus. I am unarmored, and am carrying no weapons. Trust me, Rufinius.” Not loosening his grip on the crossbow, he replied “Come down now, and come slowly.”

I've read about half of all the posts...so far, awesome. Great plot.

I'll give you a cool smiley. (jonajosa style)

:goodjob:

Salion and his team had assembled in the shack and armed themselves. Salion was passing out rings with heavy enchantments of Chameleon. “We will be quick, quiet and accurate. The mark and the witnesses, then we teleport out. Any questions?” None of his team opened their mouths; they simply steeled their resolve and put on their helmets. They cast the spells, and then exited the cabin. The crowd around the ship had slowly gotten bigger, with reporters from The Daily Vivec and Balmora Weekly interviewing Legion Officers. The five dunmer crept forward, their swords sheathed. Salion had paid an Argonian drunk to make an boat out of himself, causing a distraction. They crept forward, and then, if completely in sync with Salion’s brainwaves, the Argonian burst out of his shack a crossbow held loosely in his hand. He screamed something then shot some bolts into the air. He fired some more, bouncing off the back of a Legion Officer. As the Officer gave chase, the Argonian ran, and Salion and his men crept forward.


Leitiaus descended the stairs, his hands raised, his body bare of armor and weapons. Looking around the room, Leitiaus saw the effects of drugs and paranoia on his captors faces. Rufinius’s eyes were bloodshot, and looked glazed over. Stilious was shaking and his eyes were darting back and forth frantically. “So, come to you rescue your friend, Commander?” Leitiaus nodded and said “Release him, take me. I’m a more valuable bargaining chip.”

Rufinius nodded and said “Or, I could take you both.” Not giving Leitiaus a moment to react, Rufinius fired a crossbow bolt into his stomach. Leitiaus crumpled to the ground, bleeding profusely. Rufinius got up and cast a healing spell on him. He cast a sleep spell, and then dragged the body over to his bench. Stilious jaw was hanging open, in shock. “They are going to kill us, Rufinius!! Two officers, both injured and being held hostage. They will kill us.” Rufinius ignored this, but readied his crossbow again. “Let them come.” Was all he said.