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Post by Haseed on Mar 23, 2009 21:56:58 GMT -5
Balderion was sitting in the corner of the bustling tavern deep in contemplation. He was tired of talking to the people in this blasted town he thought to himself. He had spent the whole day talking to people about the wherabouts of a secret shrine full of cultists. The blades had given him this assignment and he was waiting for his partner to arrive. The locals seemed wary of telling him where this shrine was especially the local dunmer. They are always so secretive and aloof especially about they're native traditions and religions he thought privately. The townfolk who weren't native genuinely didn't seem to know much but the blasted drunmer were obviously refusing to tell him exactly where it was, he even reluctantly threatened a few to get any information out of them at all. He had received some information though. The shrine was northwest of Balmora about a half a day's travel. He was ready to go, and now all he had to do was wait for his partner to arrive.
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Post by Neravarine on Mar 23, 2009 22:31:34 GMT -5
Eventually, a massive insect with legs as thick as trees and about as long as them sprinted on the horizon, coming to an abrubt stop near front of Balmora's gate. The silt strider had arrived with some new passengers, the massive flea-like creature cooing hauntingly as they exited from it's hallowed out carapace. Among these passengers was a figure about 6 foot, clad in steel armor with a claymore strapped to his back. The figure seemed to stand still for a moment before heading to the South Wall Cornerclub, one of the local taverns. Crossing one of the small stone bridges, Vintus narrowed his gray/blue eyes as he neared the tavern. Another figure, about 7 foot, was also clad in steel armor, blue hood up, concealing the face. Only altmer were that tall. Walking calmly towards Balderion, Vintus whispered in a low voice, "Are you the other one sent about this cult?" The imperial paladin asked asked the high elf battlemage.
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Post by Haseed on Mar 23, 2009 22:41:28 GMT -5
Startled, Balderion looked up at his partner for this mission. He looked the man up and down he assumed by his voice that he must be an imperial. He stood up and towered over the man. He beckoned Vintus to follow him, "It's not safe to talk here". Vintus turned around and saw many unkind eyes staring him down. Balderion led him upstairs to the room he had rented at the inn. Once they were in the room the Altmer turned and said, "Well you sure took your sweet time. Well no matter, we must leave as soon as possible, i have figured out the general area of the cultists's shrine. It's about a day and a half's trip northwest of here so you need to prepare and we must depart as soon as possible."
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Post by Neravarine on Mar 23, 2009 22:53:08 GMT -5
"Agreed." Vintus replied, checking over his equipment. Everything seemed to be in order... "Did you find out anything else about this cult our superiors sent us to investigate?" The imperial paladin asked. "The temple I worked with recieved a request for my services since I served the Legions before, as well as have had past experiences with this sort of thing. But I have never heard of this cult before... The natives either didn't know or wouldn't talk. I almost got in trouble with an ordinator that happened to pass through. What I DID find out was disturbing... Rumors of insane meglomaniacs that are cursed with some kind of dangerous disease, cutting off their own pieces of flesh and then eating it, and living with monsterous beings... Bad things indeed... This whole thing started when one of yours didn't come back right? We will most likely find this guy dead." Vintus informed as he got his pack together, as well as check Flame of Akatosh one last time. "And I'm sorry about my time it took getting here. Had last minute complications." Vintus continued as he remembered the young Redguard.
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Post by Haseed on Mar 24, 2009 15:16:46 GMT -5
"Unfortunately, I didn't find out anything but the general area, the locals were being very shady." Balderion informed. " I do hope that the rumors you heard were not true." Balderion said, he looked a little disturbed at the thought and shuttered. " It's a shame about my fellow Blade he was a friend of mine", Balderion frowned and seemed to go into deep thought. He snapped out of it and said blankly, "Well since you seem to be ready, we ought to go."
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Post by Neravarine on Mar 24, 2009 18:50:08 GMT -5
Vintus nodded, grabbing and organizing some food and provisions in his pack quickly, then getting everything together, said, "You lead then. You know where we are going, I just help out."
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Post by Haseed on Mar 24, 2009 21:44:20 GMT -5
Balderion agreed and they gathered up their belongings and began the trek to the Shrine. Balderion liked this man so far, he knew when to talk and when not to, at least he wasn't someone who talked constantly. After about an hour, it was still silent, although Balderion did enjoy the silence, he decided it was starting to get a little akward and decided to ask cheerfully, "So what brings to this stinking cess pool called Morrowind?"
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Post by Neravarine on Mar 25, 2009 0:37:18 GMT -5
Vintus snorted in amusement in his helm. "Come on, it's not all bad. Just surrounded by racist zeolots that want to tear my throat out along with monsterous creatues that wish to do the same, as well as dangerous sicknesses, ash storms, etc... Not bad at all." Vintus gave a soft chuckle. "Actually, I was sent here overseas form Cyrodil by the Temple of the Nine. Been here about a year since. Doing work, earn an honest living smiting evil. Wouldn't be a paladin otherwise." Vintus informed as the two walked on the paved road beside the stream that eventually led to Balmora. "What about you?" Vintius asked.
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Post by Haseed on Mar 25, 2009 10:19:17 GMT -5
"I was shipped here by the Blades tearing me away from my native land of Summerset Isle. This place it just meakes me well... depressed to be frank. My homeland had lush trees and meadows, but here all the trees are dead and instead they have those," he said as he looked up at one of the numerous massive fungus they were passing under. "Don't get me wrong im honored to be here serving the great Uriel Septim but... I would have rather gone to Skyrim, and I hate snow... plus to top it all off one of my good friends in this hell-hole has gone missing and is liable to turn up dead." Balderion frowned he usually wasn't this open to people but he felt he could trust Vintus, and he had been a little stressed as of late.
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Post by Neravarine on Mar 25, 2009 14:14:21 GMT -5
Vintus nodded as they walked. "I agree... I miss my home in Cyrodil. The green fields, the mountains, the forests that actually had TREES... You really start appreciating home when you are shipped to a place like Morrowind. It's not all bad though..." Vintus proclaimed as he looked around the landscape. "It's got a sort of exotic feel to it. I mean, EVERY country has got it's problems, and Morrowind is no differen't in that respect."
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Post by Haseed on Mar 25, 2009 18:45:45 GMT -5
"Well I suppose there are a FEW interesting things about this land. It's still strange and unnatural though," Balderion murmured as they passed a herd of netch, strange jellyfish-like creatures thet were used as domesticated farm animals. "The Legions are improving Morrowind without them this place would be even worse, but the locals are resisting and want to keep their barbaric ways." Balderion said with a condescending tone. "Well we're almost there only a few hours away."
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Post by Neravarine on Mar 26, 2009 8:49:43 GMT -5
Vintus about halfway agreed with the altmer's statement. There was a lot less chaos when the legions moved here, especially if you read or heard about Morrowind's history beforehand. Most of the locals, especially in the northern parts of the country as well as in the Telvanni Territory were very cool to what they deem as "outlanders". Vintus didn't understand how a Dunmer managed to find 50 things wrong with every other race but 0 good things was beyond the Imperial. Vintus guessed, by nature, that Dunmer were racists... But in Cyrodil they weren't like that. Perhaps it was this country? Vintus couldn't help but feel the dangerous tension that seemed to overwhelm his other thoughts. The political standing in Morrowind was very shaky, all rivals were the Tribunal Temple, Great Houses, Imperial Legions, and foreign and native guilds... "I'm sorry, we have been traveling for hours and I haven't even caught your name." Vintus stated, trying to change the subject as well as get his thoughts off Morrowind in particular.
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Post by Haseed on Mar 26, 2009 22:45:17 GMT -5
"Oh.. well i guess i haven't told you,have I? I got a little caught up in ranting about Morrowind," Balderion said with amusement. "My name is Balderion. I guess you might be wondering why im wearing a hood, too? I'm one of the only Battlemages in the Blades and I wear it to show I'm not just a regular warrior. I grew up in a wealthy family on the Summerset Isle, my family was one of the few wealthy one's in town and the peasants thought we were corrupt, so one day as i was walking in the streets a peasant attacked me with a knife and i received this scar." Balderion pulled back his hood to reveal the long glistening scar running down the right side of his golden face. "I really haven't learned much about you either, so what's your story?"
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Post by Neravarine on Mar 26, 2009 22:57:54 GMT -5
Vintus raised an eyebrow in interest underneathe his eclosed steel helm. "Me? My name's Vintus Severus. Came from more humbler roots I suppose. Grew up in a small Imperial colony in Cyrodil. We were a small farming village, and I kinda always admired my father. He worked hard and was kind and caring to the other familys. One day, a goblin raid attacked when I was about 16 years old. My dad died when he gathered a team of militia to fight back. I was clueless about what to do with my life, and with dad dead, I decided I would one day like to go out helping others like he did. I thought the best and most obvious choice was The Legions. I ended up joining their youth program at age 17-19. It was really hard, and I had to prove myself worthy because our family didn't have a lot of money to get me certain advantages like others. I did it though, became a soldier and patrol officer for about three years... Then I had a problem with a guard captain. The guy was corrupt, raising taxes high so he could skim the top for himself as well as charge ridiculous fines. He even got a man killed because he was being drunk and dissordly. Poor drunk threw up on his new uniform. Guard captain insisted that the man assaulted him and could have done potential harm. I lost it then, got in a fist fight with the captain and got kicked out of The Legions. Sure the captain was finally figured out, but I didn't want to go back. Lost, I joined The Temple. Became a paladin afterward. Pretty boring I guess..." Vintus trailed off.
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Post by Haseed on Mar 29, 2009 18:51:12 GMT -5
Balderion remained quiet while he spoke. He especially listend when he spoke of his poor family. Balderion remembered the man who attacked him in his youth, Balderion felt a twang of pain as he remembered seeing the man sitting in prison, he had a family too. That's when he decided to leave, his eyes had been opened up to his father's corruption on that day. He bought many lavish things and food and although he had treated his family well, he felt no compasssion for the less fortunate and treated them as dogs. The peasant had a right to be angry, Balderion had finally decided he had had enough and he left his lavish roots to join the Legions. Balderion snapped out of the flashback and found Vintus staring at him, "Sorry, I was just remembering something from my youth." Balderion said. They travelled in silence for many hours. "Well this seems to be it. The people told me it was disguised as a normal cave but there was a distinct marking near the opening. He said it was some kind of symbol of a native demon called Dagoth'Ur."
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