The Battle for the East, Defunct

[MARS]

"Relying on gods is as foolish on relying on the dead Almsivi." Dridyn replied. "There is no guarantee that the Daedra will help us. We will try to converse with them but we must not rely purely on them."

[JVElEven]

"Blashpemy isn't going to help us one bit either, Magister. Though you Telvanni might believe you are the smartest, you haven't got monopoly on knowledge and the like."

[Jingles]

Voryn, who had been watching the proceedings carefully, finally, wearily stood up.

"Kinsmen, first of all, let us be calm, and co-operative. If our nation has but one failing, it is that in hours of darkest need, we have always stood divided, and divided we have fallen. Let us not make the same mistake that our ancestors did when we were subjugated by Tiber Septim. Freedom of debate, of course," he eyed the other councilors carefully, "but unity of action."

"To defeat our enemy we must first of all understand it. These are not the Argonians that I, and indeed many of you here fought in the Arnesian War. In those days, Argonia was weak, a runt province, the refuse pile of the Empire, but times have changed. Argonia now is led by the An-Xileel, a strange order that to the best of our knowledge was created during the Oblivion Crisis. They united Argonia's tribes in order to fight the invasion, and then throw off the shackles of the empire. Most argonians in fact believe it was because of the An-Xileel that Mehrunes Dagon failed to conquer Black Marsh. They know nothing of the sacrifice of the Septim emperor, or of the appearance of the false god Akatosh. What you must understand is that in their hearts and minds they know no defeat while the An-Xileel lead them. And that, more than their numbers, strength of arms or crafts of war is what makes them so dangerous."

"I agree that our first priority should be the defense of Mournhold. Our people are disheartened, broken. Some even now flee our borders to safety. If the Holy City falls, the people will despair. However we need to think ahead - as I have said, it is the An-Xileel that make the Argonian armies so invincible, and so, underhanded as it may seem, it is amongst their ranks that we must strike to break the backs of the Argonian armies. Once they see their seemingly invincible saviours fall, they will be immeasurably easier to rout. Now earlier I spoke of co-operation, and here it is most important of all. My house cannot provide the assassins that would need to undergo such a perilous task. We are but simple clerics and holy warriors. That is where one of you, councilors, needs to step up."

"Before I finish, just let me say this. I could have spoken to you of Dunmer honour, pride, heritage, and other such metaphysical notions that are of no help to us today, but ultimately none of this matters." at this moment there was a ripple of discontent amongst his indoril kinsmen. "This is no ordinary skirmish with Black Marsh, like that which we have fought countless times before. The An-Xileel will stop at nothing until their ancestral enemies are defeated, and a thousand years of historical injustice are made up for. Kinsmen, the matter is this simple: We are fighting against our own extermination. There must be not one step back, not one word of retreat, because if we falter for even a moment, all is lost. They will put us to the gallows and the stake just as they did to the Imperials that once dwelled in their lands in their bloody purges. Even if we were to flee to the far corners of Tamriel, the An-Xileel would still hunt us even as their offspring defile the halls of our homeland, for that is their nature. We are not today fighting an army, or a simple country or kingdom, we stand in battle against nothing short of a force of nature."

Voryn nodded to the others in the room, and sat down, reaching for a blue-glass pitcher of water and pouring some into a tumbler.

[MARS]

"You however, certainly have a monopoly on stupidity." Dridyn replied to the Dres' words, his annoyance growing by the second as was evident in his tone. "Blashpemy! Ha! Morrowind is at stake Dres. We all have our own reasons for wanting to keep it under our control. But our goals are the same. Daedra are unpredictable and can be wicked. We must not rely on them."

[JVElEven]

"At least they listen to reason. Don't you forget, Telvanni, where your magicka come from! Those gods you are waving off."

[MARS]

"Are you paying attention to my words Dres?" said Dridyn. "I am not waving the Daedra off. I am saying that we must not rely on them. We must leave nothing to chance. Think my words and the words of the other heads of the houses' words over. Listen to your superiors. We have not been given these positions by chance."

[Jingles]

"Enough of this!" barked Voryn. "The Dunmer have for far too long been coddled by divine heroes and living gods, we must today stand on our own two feet if we are to ever survive as a nation. The importance of this, I think is shown in the fact that we have so far been overrun by a race of peoples who know no gods at all beyond their Hist, which even they know are far from divine in nature. I will not see us tied again in servitude to the capricious daedra, for surely servitude is what they will ask in return for whatever service you can cajole them into bestowing on us."

[JVElEven]

"And you speak of unity? If there's no one to rule, then how long will it take before we're all at each other's throats again? Let's face it: We're not a people suited for unity!"

[Jingles]

Voryn replied, exasperated. "Even now, in our darkest hour, in the face of Morrowind's extinction, you would stoke the fires of internecine strife? Really? What you speak of is nonsense. When our people first came to this land we were united, and once again we shall need to be if we are going to survive. There is no such thing as a people ill-suited to unity. The lizards who as we speak array their great siege engines against the walls of Almalexia are proof enough of this."

He smiled. "You believe these lizards better than us? Is that it?"

[JVElEven]

"If we were then, we most certainly aren't any more! Things change! Things have always been best for us when someone else was in charge. I'm not saying we should let the argonians take over. Heavens forbid that! But I'm saying we should ask for help. We have almost nothing left. Don't throw it away on talks of having to stand on our own feet and forcing unity down everyone's throats" Llemetha retorted, before turning towards Dridyn once more, "And no matter what you think, even though you may be the finest mage the Telvanni can procure, you are NOT my superior!"

[Eltee]

From her position beside the door, Shanna smiled. Guard duty was usually boring, but it wasn't everyday she got to see her employers squabble. She held her tongue, listening to the heated back-and-forth.

[Jingles]

"So beasts from the marshes are capable of uniting against a common foe, but we civilised mer are not?" I would say your words smack of pride, were it not for the irony."

[MARS]

"Take this fool out of here." Dridyn said. "Her words hold no wisdom and all we are doing by debating with her is losing precious time."

[Jingles]

"Hear, hear!" Roared Voryn. "We come to a council of war to discuss strategy and all she offers is doomsaying and calls for repentence to false gods."

[OblivionDuruza]

"ENOUGH!" Duruza roared, "you are all my guests and I shall have non of this bickering in my house. It is clear that none but oursleves can save us now. We must remain calm and remember the teachings of Saint Veloth. We must decide on a course of action"

Spoiler:

The passion is good, as long as it stays in the RP

[MARS]

"If she won't be sent away then I suggest she be ordered to keep her mouth shut." Dridyn replied, still annoyed. "Now, as I said earlier. The Neravarine would be a useful ally. Another good course of action would also be sending spies into Argonian territory. We don't know what the An-Xileel plan or think. We are completely blind."

[OblivionDuruza]

"But where has the Nerevarine gone friend?" Duruza puzzled, "today is a day not for the heroes of old, but for the heroes of tomorrow, the Dunmer here in this room."

[JVElEven]

"You don't have to throw me out of here! I refuse to stay in room with you blasphemers! So if you'll axcuse me, I'm going to talk to my 'false gods'! Maybe I'll go talk to those Divines the Imperials always ramble about as well. At least they seem to offer intelligent discussion at times!"

"And how do you plan to find the Nerevarine? Last we heard, he disappeared in Akavir! Good luck to your 'inteeligence' finding him!"

Llemetha stood up, made a very obscene gesture towards the Indoril, and left the room with long, fast steps,muttering something about doing what had to be done.

[OblivionDuruza]

"The matter at hand please," Duruza said. He was disappointed that the situation had got out of hand, but he knew that the Dres mage would return soon enough so for know he was content to wait.

"I propose we send a party to investigate the borderlands in the south. We must attain a better grasp of the situation before we are able to engage in a fully fledged war with the Argonians."

[MARS]

"Good riddance." Dridyn said without even gracing the foolish Dunmer with a glance. He turned to Duruza.
"The Neravarine is in Akavir. He is a mighty warrior, a force to be reckoned with. The Argonians know who he is and they will fear him on the battlefield. But I agree with you, Hlaalu, that it is not of the greatest importance. What is of the greatest importance however is information. We require a spy amidsts the Argonians."

[OblivionDuruza]

"I am unsure how we should proceede in that regard Archmagister, but the Argonians seem to be very willing to accept escaped slaves that wish to join their cause."

[Jingles]

Voryn chuckled as the engraged Dres stormed out. "Well as I have said, were I in charge my course of action would be to relieve Almalexia as best we can, and then see what can be done about the An-Xileel leadership - to start with, those specifically present at the besieged city.

However I do agree that spies need to be sent south to give us a better understanding of the situation. With regards the Nerevarine, we do not know if he yet lives, or even if it is a good idea to disturb him in his cause. He did not simply leave for Akavir on a whim. For all we know, it may be in our best interests that he remains unfound. Neither do I believe that the Argonians will fear him. Their precious leaders have already in their eyes destroyed Mehrunes Dagon, after all. The Nerevarine, while a force to be reckoned with, is not to be compared with the might of the Prince of Destruction.

If we need spies for our cause, I am sure there must be some Argonians amongst our number that refuse to bow to the teacherous An-Xileel."

[MARS]

"Yes, but I am certain that they will be sent onto the battlefied. It is to be expected, since they have such a brooding hatred for us. We need someone from the inside. It will require time and subtle planning. My bodyguard, Kogomorag is a fitting candidate for the task of finding someone willing to work with us. He posseses the skills necessary." Dridyn said to Duruza.

[JVElEven]

Meanwhile, outside

Llemetha exited the council building, and began to make her way through the people gathered by the council building. She was heading somewhere secretive, as was obvious by the continous wary glances she shot backwards.

[OblivionDuruza]

Back in the Great Hall

Duruza paused for a moment to contemplate this offer. Finally, he spoke "Then it is settled Telvanni, your man shall be the Council's eyes and ears within the Xileel.

Now, what to do about the Thir river? The Argonians continue to press into the renaming Hlaalu land. Something must be done."