The Demon of Knowledge; Elder Scrolls RP

[Arch-Mage Matt]

"Weeeell..." Siren said. "It might just be best to ride into battle without talking to him, y'know? I mean, you'd fight much better with him on the opposite side of the battlefield."

[Arch-Mage Matt]

Spoiler:

It's pretty easy for a RP to get lost now.

Wayne nodded in approval as the various factions pledged their allegiance to him and the Rebels. "Then begin the march!" He shouted. "Tell your men to gather, we meet south of the Arcane Univeristy, in the open land on the island - go!" The crowd cheered as several Rebels left, including Tabitha.

Bearn turned towards Bearn and his party when the room cleared out. "Listen, the High Priest in the Temple of the One - now dedicated only to Hermaeus Mora - is Mother Daphne. She is a double-agent in Mora's Empire and will let our troops, the Rebels of Skingrad, sneak in through a secret tunnel. When Mora is distracted with the Rebels, the Husks come in from the bridge, Skyrim assaults the north gates, and any remaining faction assaults the entry to the Temple District -- your reinforcements."

The Altmer Vampire approached Wayne. "Hello. I am Allison, Doctor Nylon's head assistant. Nylon insisted that our plan be to follow Bearn. But, you can hear that from the genius himself. He's almost -"

"Here?" Nylon asked, almost on-cue, as he, Phillipe, and the Dwemer rolled in four seven-feet tall obsidian pillars. Three hired mercenaries guarded Shadow Field closely. "We are - and we've brought the machine itself - this, my friends, are the four components that will make up Shadow field."

Spoiler:

*Gasp* A family reunion!

[Leyyuce]

Bun-Za leaned close to Jane.

"How, exactly, is the Shadow Field going to help us win this battle?"

[Arch-Mage Matt]

"Well, you know it's supposed to destroy Mora. I don't know the specifics." Jane said, raising her voice so Nylon could hear.

"Ah, yes, the unpleasantness of that matter." Nylon sighed. "I believe this is something everyone should hear. Shadow Field is as powerful as it is because it fuels itself off of no mundane source. Shadow Field generates it's powers from human lives; this is why it has the capacity to destroy Hermaeus Mora. I never even discussed this with my fellow scientists, but it has to be said. Five noble people are needed to power the machine - these five people will be killed along with Hermaeus Mora, I will not lie. I am the first to volunteer for this - I'm afraid that four people must step up or else Shadow Field will be a dud."

[Sav]

"Will the sacrifices happen before the battle, or after?" Ormis asked, looking at Nylon.

[Jingles]

Theydas looked up at Shadow Field with a mixture of awe, wonder, and fear. Before him he saw a weapon that would kill a god - he had so many questions, but kept his tongue tied to allow the leaders to say their piece free from his pestering.

It was odd though. While well rested, he couldn't help but feel tired. Drowsy even. Concentrating on what was being said was difficult. His gaze drooped towards the floor, his eyelids, feeling as though they bore the weight of the world began to close. His head nodded, and suddenly in his mind's eye he saw a light in the darkness, a brilliant bright one, and then he heard a voice. It was deep, powerful, unknown to him, but somehow he felt calmer and reassured, perhaps even joyful at its sound, although he knew not why. It spoke only three words - "We are coming."

He snapped back to reality and blinked his eyes open. Finding himself a chair he sat down, unsure what to make of what just happened. He thought to mention it to somebody, though only for a moment, and as is often the case in situations like this, Theydas, like any sensible individual, thought better of it and continued to listen to what the others were saying.

[Arch-Mage Matt]

Nylon patted one of the obelisks. "Five people will sacrifice themselves, and immediately after it will activate. Hermaeus Mora must be in the vicinity, and any Rebel must be out of the vicinity, besides those who are fueling the machine."

Bearn stepped forward. "Of course I would sacrifice myself to destroy Hermaeus Mora, of course." Followed by Jane, alarmed, whispering something in his ear.

Ana stepped forward eagerly. "I must do this. I volunteer." Nina did the same thing Jane did, but then pulled Ana to the side to talk to her.

[Leyyuce]

"Hold on," Bun-Za said with hands raised in protest to the volunteers' actions.

"I hate to be the the one to say this," he paused momentarily in order to properly arrange his words; " But we should sacrifice five who are less than crucial to our efforts."

[Arch-Mage Matt]

Jane nodded. "Yes, I agree. Bearn, step down."
Bearn snorted. "I must be the one to destroy Hermaeus Mora. I will not walk away from this. Besides, once Mora is gone you wouldn't need me anyways."

Ana approached the group, Nina nowhere in sight. "I still volunteer. I have no reason not to."

Helga stepped up. "Before any other important person makes a boneheaded decision to volunteer themselves... I'll take a place."

[Sir_Cuthulhu]

"Will this device accept the life of an undead?", Maurice the lich asked Nylon. "If so, I humbly offer my life"

[Arch-Mage Matt]

"An energy source," Nylon thought aloud, "Life force, just not 'life' force... I suppose. Yes, I'm sure. Thank you."

"Well, I suppose we have our five chosen ones. Bearn, Ana, Helga, Maurice, thank y-"

"No! I take Bearn's spot. Bearn, try and stop me and I knock you out for the duration of the battle." Jane said.

"Jane," Bearn said desperately. Jane shook her head. "Bearn, no. I'm doing this."

"Jane, I will not let you." Bearn stated simply. Jane went up to Bearn's face and said, "Try and stop me. Bearn, this is for the good of the Rebels."

[Leyyuce]

"Jane, you're not doing that!" Bun-Za said angrily. "Come to your senses! This is ridiculous! Neither you, nor Bearn, nor Helga, nor Ana or Nylon, should sacrifice yourself. Don't any of you realize? The grunts should be the ones used to power this device! We all are aware of their willingness to die for this cause!" The statement was blunt, but, the situation was rather blunt as well.

[Arch-Mage Matt]

Bearn pushed Jane out of the way and turned to Bun-Za. "If Hermaeus Mora killed your wife, daughter and destroyed your home and life, would you not want to pull the trigger and end his life yourself?"

The others who volunteered remained silent, but were slowly shaking their heads at the notion of stepping down and letting grunts sacrifice themselves.

[Jingles]

"Do not be too eager to end the lives of great men and women to satisfy vengeance, dear Bearn," spoke a voice from the tent flap. "...for even the very wise cannot see all ends." There stood at the entrance to the tent an old man - a dunmer, clad in grey robes and a grey cloak, carrying a great staff of brass, and he was smiling.

[Arch-Mage Matt]

"Think about it; what other reason would Hermaeus Mora show himself? He would appear to kill me and crush the Rebellion, any other reason to appear would be for no reason." Bearn countered.

[Jingles]

"And what is to become of Tamriel when you are gone, Bearn Thalias?" The old man took a seat, and leaned forward, resting his hands on his staff. "Darker clouds gather on the horizon than Hermaeus Mora can hope to muster, and who can hope to stand against them when you and your companions have so nobly sacrificed yourselves? The old order has been swept asunder, Lord Mora has seen to that, and now there are none wise enough, or pure enough of heart to take your place. The free peoples of Tamriel will need someone to look to, lest they defeat Mora only to slip into the darkness of civil war and internal strife. A hollow victory at best."

He began fiddling with a Hackle-lo pipe from his robe pocket. "Mora will come to fight you - he has no choice, the destruction of the rebellion and of the Shadow Field is key to his survival - but your death is not the key to his destruction. There are lesser men who will willingly take your place, full of courage in their own right, but incapable of holding back the shadow that circles Tamriel."

He finished speaking, and began puffing smoke-rings, maintaining his unseemly aura of calm.

[Arch-Mage Matt]

"Listen, talk all you want, I don't care. I am going to be there." Bearn said.

Wayne stepped forward for the first time. "Bearn is a grown man, if he wants to do this... so it shall be."

[Jingles]

The man's eyes flashed. "There is more at stake here than your pitiful desire for revenge!" He took a step towards Wayne and Bearn, and he seemed to grow tall and menacing; his shadow filled the tent. "The fight has gone this far. Let it not all fall to wretched vengeance!"

[Arch-Mage Matt]

Wayne pulled his sword out and pointed it at the Dunmer. "Colonel. March your troops to the University." Wayne raised his voice so his Rebel officer could hear. Soon after, most of the Rebels left Skingrad Castle.

"I don't even know who you are, Dark Elf, but I suggest you step away now. We are at war and this is no time for foolishness! Now, everyone, we are going to the Imperial Isle."

[Leyyuce]

Bun-Za complied with Wayne's orders; he felt Bearn was foolish to leave his remaining daughter, Siren, alone, but was relieved that Jane would not be sacrificing herself as part of the final assault.

[Jingles]

The man scowled with a furious anger. "Then you doom us all!" With a flourish, he spun about and strode from the tent. Theydas, all atwitter at the unfolding events rose, panicked from his chair and followed. "I'm sorry..." he mumbled to the others as he left.

Outside three riders on white steeds waited for the old Dunmer, garbed in grey as he was. "Well, Master Fyr?" said the first, an Altmer.

Divayth looked up at the elf with a sadness of sorts in his eyes, and swung himself astride his own horse that stood before them. "Since time immemorial Tamriel has stood triumphant against those who would destroy this realm. Now at the whim of a mad farmer from Anvil it will fall. Tell the Marshall we meet the rest of the Order at the Imperial City. If nothing else we must save the scrolls." He looked down at Theydas and smiled. "Come, young one. You have played your part well." Theydas nodded, and with help from Divayth he mounted the horse behind the ancient Wizard. With that, the five riders galloped away towards City Isle.

[Arch-Mage Matt]

Wayne grunted in approval as they left. "Come, everyone, let's go."

Jane continued to talk to Bearn, Nina was not with them, and Visas trailed behind silently.

[Jingles]

As the horses galloped along the road, Theydas, in a state of thorough confusion at this point, leaned to the side and spoke. "Master Fyr?"

"Yes?"

"Why are we going to the Imperial City? Should we not be headed for Artaeum?"

"None reside at Artaeum, Theydas. The whole Order has travelled here for the final reckoning. It was hoped I might be able to dissuade Bearn from this course of events he has set himself upon, but it seems he will sacrifice himself in spite of my advice, and that of his followers. We will join the final battle nevertheless."

The horse slowed to a trot for a moment, and Divayth turned around to look at the young mage. "You did tell him of my coming, didn't you?" Theydas' mouth hung open.

"The... words... in my head? They were from you?"

Divayth scowled, and kicked the horse into a gallop once more. "Fool of an apprentice! Well of course he didn't listen to me! Well it's too late now. We ride for the palace. The Psijics are already marching to war so we might recover the elder scrolls before that damn fool farmer plunges us all into an age of madness. We had better hope Mora hasn't already had his way with them."

He turned to the Altmer. "Anaril, you are the fastest among us. Ride ahead to the Red Road with news of our arrival. The elf nodded and galloped ahead of the group.

"I'm confused," said Theydas. "You spoke of another shadow circling the world?"

"Mora is but a puppet held on the strings of another. And beyond whoever that is, who can tell? I have learned of what happened under Red Mountain, and it is clear that forces are stirring that a weak Tamriel will not be able to contend with. But enough talk."

[Arch-Mage Matt]

Three Days Later

It was not a secret anymore. As tens upon tens of thousands of humans gathered outside the Imperial city, and twice as many Husks, Mora's Imperial City went into complete lock-down. No one came out and no one was able to go in. It was midday, and rather cloudy, and all was silent.

Bearn, Theo, Visas, Helga, Ana, Jane, Bun-Za, Ormis, Leowyn, Sigmund and Maurice gathered at the wall of the Arcane University. Tabitha and her officers were close by, and Wayne was approaching them. Nylon, Allison, Phillipe and the Dwemer brought Shadow Field, each wheeling in one of the four obelisks.

Wayne gathered everyone's attention. "There is a trap door near the wall, it leads to the Temple of the One. Bearn, you and your strike team will go to the Temple with Doctor Gerronius and his fellow scientists who will bring Shadow Field. Once you are safely in the temple, my elite Rebels will follow and create a diversion outside. Using the diversion, the other Rebels and the Husks will storm the Bridge to the Talos Plaza District. Tabitha's slaves will break down the gate to the Temple District and invade from there. Skyrim's forces will head to the Bastion and break down the doors to the Elven Garden District. Any other forces will come in through the Waterfront. Bearn, you and your team's goal is to get Nylon's machine to the Imperial Palace and wait for me to rendezvous with you. Does everyone understand their objective?"

No one spoke up.

"Good. Everyone, get to it. Bearn, meet with Mother Daphne in the Temple. Good luck, my friend." Wayne smiled and patted Bearn on the back.

Bearn nodded. "Don't worry, Wayne, I have no plans to fail. We will get Nylon to the Palace."

[Jingles]

Marshall Haakon, Battlemage of the Psijics looked out across the landscape towards the Imperial City. The armies of the rebels and Skyrim massed not far from the walls. The clouds gathered. The carrion birds circled. There was a chill on the wind.

He focused in particular on the troops of Skyrim. He still wasn't sure what to make of a Dark Elf ruling his native country, but it was not his concern. Below the ridge on which he and Divayth Fyr stood, just under a thousand Psijics and their retainers stood astride their mounts, ready to march.

"So it begins." He said, bluntly.

Divayth nodded. "Everyone is ready?"

"Aye." He mounted his own horse, a mighty black steed, clad in mithril armour plates. Divayth followed suit, and trotted to the edge of the ridge. "Before I give the order, Haakon, remember we must act with all haste. If the rebels activate the Shadow Field and we have not yet left, we will be consumed."

The Nord nodded. Divayth drew his sword, and held it high above him. "Wizards of Artaeum!" There was a roar from the assembled host below. "The final hour has come. Rare are the times times that our order marches to war, but today is one of those times. Our efforts have failed, and so today we have but one objective, and it comes before all others for with it goes the key to our future. The elder scrolls must be recovered, at any cost, save the halting of the rebels. They too must complete their mission this day, for the wheel of fate compells them - we must not stand in its way. I would ask that you do not fail, but I know that you will not. You are the finest and oldest wizards Tamriel has to offer. Never before has our order tasted defeat, and never shall it. Go now. Break your staffs on the backs of our enemies. Show them the true power of the Psijics in this, the last gasp of our era." He lowered his blade, and turned to Haakon. "Give the order."

Haakon drew his massive claymore, and with the power of the Greybeards bellowed so loudly it echoed right across City Isle. "MARCH!"