Vvar/BM - Orphans of Arnesia

[KuKulzA]

Orphans of Arnesia
A Tale of War, of Love, and of Treachery
By Favilea Sathendas

[TITLE]Chapter 1[/TITLE]
The words reached the young Dunmeri and lured their hearts and minds like scribs to scraps. The traveling merchant from Cormaris View brought the word ? war in the South. The sturdy young men and women of the northern Velothi Highlands gathered together, and with some older warriors, a small band, perhaps only a score, headed south. Soon they were joined by another group, then an entire clan, and within a few months, an army. For in those days the Redoran were the supreme warriors of all the Great Houses, and their marching feet and the clash of their swords rang all across Morrowind. For in those times Redoran mercenaries were to be found in all Dunmeri armies. But this was different. This was not a war between Clans nor Houses, rather, a war of races. The southern lands of Hlaalu and Dres were in danger, and the Indoril and Redoran would answer their call for help. A merchant-prince, Roris was killed, and Dunmer set aside their rivalries to fight the common foe ? the scaly n?wah of the southern marshes.

Felsen Sethandus stood up and yawned. The air was heavy with mist and it bothered him. He checked his sword and then went over to where some of the early-risers had begun cooking kwama-stew. It was slightly bitter but he had no reason to complain. As he sat on a rock and watched others gather round for some stew, he noticed a face in the crowd. Their eyes met, and both smiled. He bade her come over and made room for her on the shelf of granite protruding from the hillside. She was Relmerea Saram, a young woman who had come with her father to fight the Argonians. The Redoran allow their women to fight, for they are a warrior-folk, and even their women learn the art of war. Relmerea found in Felsen an open heart, a kindred spirit, and a training partner. They began training later. At first in solemnity and fully focused, but by the end of the day they had taken to lying together in the grass and laughing at each other?s jokes by the campfire. However the next morning, Saram?s band was headed for Almalexia City to join with an expedition being mustered by King Symmachus. Serjo Sethandus would be heading south with his band, to Narsis, and then straight to the border to join the southern Velothi and Dres in their struggle.

[TITLE]Chapter 2[/TITLE]
The tall trees of the gloomy forest sprang up around him in the mist. Sethandus? warrior-senses made him cautious. He stepped carefully; the whole band was hushed. Suddenly, the undergrowth around them erupted and a band of wild looking Dunmer sprang in from all sides. When they realized who they were attacking they stopped, and in old Dunmeric, called for the leader of the troop. Nelos Sethandus straightened up and put away his sword. He raised his hand in greeting to the f?lah and asked him about the war. Felsen noticed that these southern Velothi appeared very similar to Ashlanders, except seemingly adapted to the jungle. He heard talk of the war going from bad to worse. Plantations raided, slave rebellions, whole Argonian tribes slaughtered, for fear that any slave kept would turn out to be a rebel. The Empire did nothing. It seemed than dusk had come before the two men were finished conversing. However, as soon as they began moving once more, they entered a meadow, and realized it was but noon; the jungle canopy had obscured all light from the sun. The large band made its way to a limestone hill that seemed a mountain compared to the jungles and marshes around it. On top of the great hunk of limestone was a camp. A Velothi tower, surrounded by large chitinous huts, stood watch on the top of the atoll amongst the sea of sawgrass. That night, as Felsen Sethandus sat by the campfire, a young Velothi warrior approached him. Decorating in barbaric finery, Atakallit Falen had multiple earrings, and one that connected to a nose ring. He wore a wild Mohawk, and had a braid at the end with feathers tied to it. He wore a combination of netch-leather and bamboo and asked the Redoran to stand up and to have a duel. Felsen looked over at his father, and taking his nod as approval, stood up to meet his friendly challenger. The Velothi played their drums, the sounds reminiscent of Ashlander war-songs, and the duel began. Atakallit swung out his chitin ax which Felsen deftly side-stepped as he brought out his sword. Felsen got into his guard stance, with his sword lifted above his head, known as rako-hwene-wah, or ?cliff racer-swoops-down?. Atakallit, using the ?Steps of Kusi?, a famous maneuvering technique of his clan, stepped in and out, raining blows, many blocked by Felsen?s sword but many finding weak points in the bonemold armor. Slightly frustrated, Felsen blocked an incoming strike and then, with all his might, chopped downwards with his blade. This was exactly what Atakallit had been waiting for and he caught the sword in the horns of his chitin ax and trapped it. As the two struggled, both weapons fell out of their hands, but Atakallit, seizing the initiative, jumped and kicked Felsen in the face. However, as he was about to put Felsen in submission, he himself slipped on the uneven gravel and fell. Felsen jumped up and grabbed his hand. The camp applauded, and both youths were treated as heroes. Nelos Sethandus beamed at his son and gave him his bottle of mazte.

[TITLE]Chapter 3[/TITLE]
Symmachus gathered all who would come with him. His personal Imperial guard, Indoril warriors, eager for battle, and the Redoran who had come so far to join their kin in defending Morrowind. Relmerea eyed Barenziah and Symmachus with some envy and scorn. Here was a royal couple, both beautiful and powerful, yet, they were collaborators. They sought to be friends with the Empire and carried out the Emperor?s will. She noticed the son, he had a strange look on his face, like he was calculating the future. ?A sinister one for sure?, she thought, ?he looks like he is scheming?. Turning away she led her band to rejoin with her father as they made their way out of Mournhold. Ships were at the docks and later that morning they would set sail for Tear, the grand clanstead of the Dres. As she sat in the bowels of the ship she heard two Indoril warriors muttering about the deadly Marshes and wondered what it was like. Wondered if she?d ever return to her village. She remembered the clean meadows, the claw-like rocks and ravines that ran like slashes in the earth, and the serene nights sleeping under the clear skies of the north. And she remembered a young Redoran, was it Sethandus? She wasn?t sure, but his face, she could remember his face. Seemingly an adult, yet with boyish charm, and dark red eyes. The rocking of the boat caused her to be uneasy at first but she soon drifted off to sleep.

In had been two weeks since they had left the city of Tear and they simply headed south. They followed the trail, made by centuries of slave-raiders marching captives north, and eventually found themselves in front of a wall of bamboo. Long columns of warriors marched with them. Indoril clansmen in golden masks and yellowed chitin and bonemold. Telvanni rogues and wizards accompanied by hirelings and Telvanni warriors. A few Hlaalu, and a cohort of Dres warriors, cloaked in dark hoods. In the center was Symmachus, riding atop a guar, surrounded by his Imperial Guard. They passed a an enormous plantation, and to their shock, it was afire and Dunmer were running about wildly with scaly beast-men chasing after them.

[TITLE]Chapter 4[/TITLE]
Five years have passed. Felsen Sethandus now leads his band along with Atakallit Falen. Nelos Sethandus had died two years ago, sank in quicksand while trying to chase down an Argonian guerilla whom he had flushed out of hiding. Relmerea Saram and her band of Redoran and Indoril were lost in the marshes, her band having been separated from the main force. Symmachus was killed in an ambush, and with him, Relmerea?s father, caught in the neck by a javelin. Fire, they learned, was their greatest weapon. The jungles and swamps of Argonia rarely see flame, and it strikes fear into beasts and beastmen alike. The Dunmer were winning battles, but losing ground. They lost many to ambushes, slave-uprisings, and the deadly marshes. Many headed back north, with tales of the fetid bogs and sickening diseases. Others headed back with war-scars and tales of the terrible ambushes executed by both sides. Falen saw lights ahead in the gloom and signaled to her band to follow. They soon realized their mistake.

Felsen looked up and noticed a few Argonians leading a line of captive Dunmer, all tied to a long length of bamboo. He saw one of the warriors was a woman, and though feebly tired, his mind still had some curiosity. Relmerea looked up, and their eyes met. Later on, the Argonians put them all in large cages hung up in the tree branches and Felsen found he was in one with Relmerea. He told her about the atrocities. The Argonians were planning to eat the greater warriors and then chop off the heads of the rest. The head-hunting ritual would begin tomorrow evening, and the Argonians were in a good mood. The two sat together, leaning their heads on one another as they listened to the strange hisses and clicks the People of the Root made as they conversed and celebrated their victory. They saw the lizardmen gathering by the light of a fire-fly lantern, mending bows and spears, and tightening the cords on clubs or adding resin. Some found sleeping places amongst the roots and others in the tree branches. They made sure not to sleep on the ground. Strange chirps and growls of the night creatures sifted through the foggy air, and she noticed a large shadow creeping on the ground, weaving between the roots of trees and sniffing the air, the beast had six legs and its sleek body began to climb the sides of one of the trees. Suddenly the whole Argonian camp rose in an uproar as hunters and warriors grabbed their arms and peppered the giant insect with arrows and darts. It hissed terribly and slashed at one of the Argonians, ripping it clean in half. The struggle continued until the bug died from the poisoned arrows. For the first time in her life, Relmerea was truly afraid. She embraced Felsen tighter, and fell asleep.

[TITLE]Chapter 5[/TITLE]
They ran, ran faster than Kagouti before a storm. They had staged a mutiny and after killing a few sentries and grabbing their confiscated belongings, they had escaped. Soon the rest of the Argonians would be returning to the camp from their morning hunt. They could hear the angry cries of the Argonians a ways behind them. A few arrows and spears fell at them from behind, and though they missed their marks they fell perilously close to the escapees. They began to tire out and the lizardmen closed in. Atakallit screamed his clan?s war cry and hurled his chitin ax into the closest enemy. The Velothi, Dres, and Indoril fought the Argonians with the ferocity of cornered beasts, but the guile of the hunter rarely fails. The Argonians shot a volley of poisoned darts from their blowguns before advancing with spears, long knives, and clubs. Atakallit was shot in the neck by an arrow and he turned and rasped at Felsen. Crimson waters sprung from the base of his neck but his eyes were calm and fierce. Felsen stood, frozen? but Relmerea, knowing Atakallit?s meaning, grabbed her lover and they ran. Atakallit turned to face the naga?s jaws.

Felsen and Relmerea leaned against a large tree panting. They looked at one another, and suddenly Felsen saw her eyes widen. He turned, swung out his sword, and lobbed off an Argonian?s head. Three others jumped out of the tree from above.
Gulu the naga eyed the two warily, and struck. He knocked Felsen aside and clawed at Relmerea?s face before her sword was out. She screamed, and her screams were soon joined by Gulu?s. Felsen?s chopped furiously at the Naga?s back, and then turned. He saw the head of a club coming at him, and he knew he didn?t have time to duck. Crack. He felt the side of his head break like a kwama egg dropped on the floor. He rolled on the ground screaming, groping for his sword. Bochee-Tei croaked in wicked joy but his celebration was cut off by the steel edge of a sword. Felsen saw from his unhurt eye, through a blur of bloody tears, Relmerea struggling with the last two Argonians. Slash, guard, sidestep, chop. Grishka-Eel?s spear snapped in half and he tried to leap into the branches above but the merciless blade of a vengeful lover caught his legs. The last was dead. The two Redoran looked into each other?s eyes. Relmerea?s cheek hung limply, torn in half, and Felsen?s right side of his head shining with blood and his right eye was missing. They embraced and wept.


Fifteen years later the two have since healed. The Dunmer had won the war, but gained nothing. The island of Vvardenfell was to be opened for settlement, and the two set off, orphans of Arnesia, to brave the Ashlands of Vvardenfell, and to carve out a land for their kin. Wearing Gah-Julan masks to hide their scars they led bands of their people to Ald-ruhn. Hlaalu bandits along the Foyada Mamaea later killed them, and stole their helms as prizes, leaving their veteran bodies for the cliff racers to enjoy.

[Seniosh]

Oh come on, you had to kill them?? They survive all that, and then some Hlaalu N'wahs jump them in a foyada and kill them? that ain't fair, don't any of your stories have at least a half-happy ending.

Very good overall. It seems almost a tale of survival and inspiration for the dunmer, reminding them of battles and struggles past. Death for the heroes doesn't make good inspiration.

[KuKulzA]

c'mon, don't you remember that quest, the first Hlaalu quest in TES3? Where you had to impersonate a dead Redoran warrior... who was killed by Hlaalu some time ago, but the Redoran didn't know that yet? And if you were a guy you impersonated Sethandas and if you were a girl you posed as Saram.

and yeah, most of my stories ARE kinda sad :eek:
except the locust one with the Argonians...

but hey, there aren't that many happy stories in the East, I might make a few if I think of any

[Seniosh]

Nah, i never really played morrowind. your right though, the locust story wasn't all sad. But there was the one with the orc that i remember (his tribe slaughtered everyone), there was that utterly depressing story you thought up for nelos and his girl (rape, murder, and betrayal i belive)

We don't want to have all our players killing themselves! The writing's written too well for our own good. try to make some happy stories

The dunmer must have won SOMETHING you can write about. Something inspirational and awe-inspiring. Maybe one of the times the dunmer kicked the nords' @$$

[KuKulzA]

huh, forgot about those victory stories... alright, if I get some inspiration I'll think a sompin'

[Oblivioneer]

KuKulzA,
Some quotes and comments:
"A Tale of War, of Love, and of Treachery
By Favilea Sathendas" Who is Favilea Sathendas?
"The sturdy young men and women of the " Are there dunmer words to use instead of men and women?
"they were joined by another group " Probably more accurate to say they joined another group and then, finally, an army.
"whole Argonian tribes slaughtered" This does not sound like the war is going so badly for the Dunmer.
"Decorating in barbaric finery," Decorated in barbaric finery,
"stand up and to have a duel." A duel is not typically a friendly event. Thesaurus?
"both weapons fell out of their hands" both weaposn wer forced out of their hands?
Gotta go for now. Are you sure it wouldn't be better to copy this kind of detail into a PM instead of making long threads in the forums?
Oblivioneer

[KuKulzA]

thanks, and no I want it to be in the open, then all can see and perhaps...
1. people can make suggestions based off of yours, and we can get a lot of creativity going, or a lot of correcting
2. maybe it'll get more attention to the literature section, so I'm not lonely

[Oblivioneer]

Originally posted by KuKulzA
thanks, and no I want it to be in the open, then all can see and perhaps...
1. people can make suggestions based off of yours, and we can get a lot of creativity going, or a lot of correcting
2. maybe it'll get more attention to the literature section, so I'm not lonely

KuKulzA,
Excellent, but if anybody ever thinks I am being too picky, detailed, or harsh, speak up!
More quotes and comments on Orphans of Arnesia
"Symmachus gathered all who would come with him. His personal Imperial guard, Indoril warriors, eager for battle, and the Redoran who had come so far to join their kin in defending Morrowind." The second sentence is incomplete. Either join it to the first sentence or recast it.
" ?A sinister one for sure?, she thought, ?he looks like he is scheming?." Your English teacher will have to decide if I am right about this to be sure but I think it should be 'A sinister one for sure,' she thought, 'he looks like he is scheming.'
"wondered what it was like. Wondered if she?d ever " wondered what is was like, wondered if she'd ever..
"In had been two weeks " It had been two weeks
"Symmachus was killed in an ambush " Surely the author of this book would not gloss over the death of Symmachus in a single sentence which also mentions the death of some back-country Redoran in the same sentence.
"Falen saw lights ahead in the gloom and " Seems like you meant to say Relmerea rather than Falen.
"foggy air, and she noticed a large " foggy air. Relmerea noticed a
"cries of the Argonians a ways behind them" cries of the Argonians close behind them I chose close based on the following sentences.
"spears fell at them from behind," spears came at them from behind
"Atakallit turned to face the naga?s jaws. " I did not realize naga were argonians or allies of argonians. If so, OK. If not, provide a short reason explanation of why this naga showed up.
"a blur of bloody tears, Relmerea struggling with the last two Argonians" What happened to the naga?
"won the war, but gained nothing. The island of Vvardenfell" I need a bit of transition between those two thoughts. Best I know they are not closley related, but your knowledge of history far exceeds mine.
"Hlaalu bandits along the Foyada Mamaea later killed them, and stole their helms as prizes, leaving their veteran bodies for the cliff racers to enjoy. " It would be a much more satisfying story to me without this last line. Let them, in their old age, enjoy the glory of having founded Ald-ruhn.

For a while I will be working on a quest for the MT and on some editing of dialogue.
Regards,
Oblivioneer

[KuKulzA]

thank you very much, when i see those errors it makesme laugh... I will be fixing up the story in word.doc and when i feel it is semi-fixed up I will post it up