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"Who is your lord then?" |
She sniffed loudly, rubbing at the shallow cut with a crude but heavy gauntlet that smeared the trickle of blood into her cheek. "I’m a free knight. I don’t have or need a Lord." |
As he had shown before, Detane had snapped at her proclamation and his face had contorted with rage. "There is no such thing as a knight without a Lord!" |
"Detane, shut up." I hissed and he quietened again as I turned back to Mazoga. "So I’m guessing that you haven’t been officially knighted?" |
There was a shake of a head, minute but still enough to leave the dozens of ponytails and braided decorations jingling together. |
"Well then. I’m sorry to say that you aren’t technically a knight." Her expression darkened and I could sense the building anger at my words and the insult they implied but I ignored it. "But it is highly likely that over the coming days that Viconia and I will be recognised as Knight Commanders which means that we wi... |
The strangulated sound from Detane’s throat was clearly audible even as the hints of a smile creased Mazoga’s face. I turned and looked at him as well, nodding in his direction. "Same goes to you Detane. Disenfranchised or not doesn’t matter to me as long as we all work together. We are heading into the most dangerous... |
Again I ensured that all present were aware that I wasn’t just speaking to Detane and I smiled grimly at the expressions on Alexi’s and Falid’s faces. I gained the feeling that I had earned some favour or respect from the red headed swordsman and the towering Redguard which went a long way to soothe the hammering of m... |
Thankfully I wasn’t truly alone and Viconia made her presence felt from where she had been sitting back watching everything that was unfolding with the utmost amusement. She moved over to my side, flashing a mouthful of white teeth at the small group before us with enough intensity to make them all look somewhat uneas... |
"Al t’yin. Now that Kaius has said his piece, perhaps we might all start considering just how we are going to dive head first into a million kilometres of stinking marshland?" |
We left the following morning before the sun had even reached its zenith. Weebam-Na and Bejeen had made arrangements for our passage via the rivers on board one of the several trading vessels. These ships used the Panther River to reach the more inland settlements and so for the first five days we did little but wander... |
From all accounts it was a profitable run for the captain and crew despite the fact that the ship was technically sailing up river and against the wind. My boots had always tasted soil, and maritime matters were a mystery to me but it was impossible not to notice that one of the crew, an Altmer by the name of Raveumair... |
The first days of our journey into the depths of the Blackwood were almost overwhelmingly calm, peaceful and in my opinion exceedingly dull. So used to the freedom and ability to choose my own path and wander the lands, being stuck on board a single ship less than fifty metres in length was excruciating. Even more so b... |
Alexi was bar far the most welcome of the group, and surprisingly I found myself with a considerable amount in common with Weebam-Na and Bejeen. As Tamriel’s premier swordsman and a pair of hunters with backgrounds and experiences similar to my own respectively, we spent a considerable amount of time chatting or sparri... |
Other than meals or during our own practices I saw little of Viconia. She busied herself with exploring and learning as much as she could about the ship and how it sailed and the life of those on board. Her and Raveumaire spent a lot of time together whenever the mage wasn’t busy with her duties discussing the finer po... |
Our other companions were not as easy going, nor were they as sociable as the rest of us. Falid would stalk the decks of the ship in full plate and for the most part he spent a considerable amount of his waking hours training, mediating or praying. He was concerning for our expedition but in a different way to the othe... |
Mazoga was more an enigma that most of the others. Her unusual name aside, there was no doubting her determination, drive and especially strength as she out muscled all of us by a considerable margin with the exception of Falid. Again, the only way that I could contend with either of them was if I was fully transformed... |
There was one individual that we didn’t see for most of the journey. Several times we had even suspected that Detane had simply skipped ship at one of the several minor river towns we docked with along the journey but just as we thought he was truly gone, he would simply reappear. The rest of us had signs of gaining fa... |
It was very quickly obvious that he was certainly no slouch in combat. One of the nights that the ship lay at anchor, Viconia and I found ourselves on deck and witnessing Detane going through some of his own training. For those few minutes that he practiced with his rapier, both Viconia and I were muttering between our... |
After a brief stay at Rockguard where we bid our farewells from the Sparrow and its crew and disembarked for the final time, we began our true journey. While relatively close to the border between Cyrodiil and Blackmarsh, the region we were throwing ourselves into was among the least populated and remote within the Emp... |
In my mind, the clearest fact to the worth or value of the region lay in the fact that no two maps had the border located in the same place. Depending on the year, century or simply by the personal opinions of the cartographers the borders shifted and moved. In other regions this was more than enough excuse for regions... |
Sir Henrik had truly chosen the site for the Fortress protecting the Shield of the Crusader well. Rarely travelled, sparsely populated, remote and entirely lacking in exploration and governance, it was the perfect concealment. Only through the notes and rough maps that Viconia had sketched during the time at the priory... |
We were forced to outright buy a collection of canoe-like boats after the original owner refused to hire them out to those he considered "dead-men-walking" for considering journeying into the Blackwood. After replenishing our supplies and loading our tiny vessels, we began the arduous journey away from civilisation. Sp... |
Every evening it rained and throughout the day when the sun was visible through the canopy the temperature rose dramatically and left the air so thick with moisture that we almost needed our blades to cut a passage. Three hundred kilometres to the west and the north west and in our rough direction of travel back toward... |
Despite the climate that I and most of the others found immensely disagreeable, there was a strange beauty to the marshlands. Strange flowers grew from the trunks and roots of the hundreds of trees that grew whether they were in water or not, and everywhere life seemed to swarm and multiply around us. This was the home... |
What little beauty could be found was soon drowned by the hostile environment of the region. Clouds of biting flies and other varieties of insects swarmed around us, burrowing into exposed flesh and sucking blood at every available opportunity. Under the guidance of Weebam-Na and Bejeen, we quickly learned how to keep ... |
Through the regions of solid ground, we saw shapes of prowling jungle cats; dark furred beasts of size and ferocity that ensured that several times we remained in our canoes rather than stopping to rest and stretch our legs. In other places we came across flat patches of seemingly solid ground, but Weebam-Na showed us ... |
Even the plants in Black Marsh were deadly to outsiders, as we were told that the further south we headed the more dangerous and outrageous species existed where plants could prey upon the natives and could even reportedly move under their own will. I watched at one point where a large area of ground had been consumed ... |
Despite the dangers, I was strangely surprised to find that the area wasn’t as thinly populated as I had imagined. In the region we were searching dozens of Argonian tribes could be found and every couple of days we would come across one. I certainly wasn’t surprised to hear that it was possible that many were so remot... |
Despite all of this, we found three villages scattered about the marshes. Each were relatively tiny, one little more than a pair of families huddling together in their wooden stilt-houses, and the others closer in approximation to towns. Each, for the most part allowed us the opportunities to rest and recover, especial... |
By noon on the fifth day we had turned our course slightly north by Weebam-Na’s suggestion, as he told us that both he and Bejeen had been tracking signs of Argonian habitation the further we travelled. We continued onwards where the trees began to thin out slightly, and I saw how Weebam-Na was becoming more and more w... |
"Is everything all right "Bam?" I asked him, calling him by his nickname that he acquired from Alexi. |
"So far," His voice was a low hiss as he turned his head from side to side, tasting the air and blinking slowly and steadily with both his inner and outer eyelids. "The village is nearby. Just a little up further upriver." |
"Like the others?" I too was looking about for potential ambush, keeping one eye on the encroaching foliage and the other on my bow in its protective covering. |
"Similar in size unless I’m mistaken. There are tribal signs marked along some of the trees on our left," With a head turned he flashed his fang filled mouth. "and one of their sentries have been following us for the past two hundred metres." |
I frowned, looking around and carefully drawing upon the vampire in me to detect where the Argonian happened to be hiding. There was nothing that gave me any hint that we were being followed, but I knew better than to question Weebam-Na’s instincts and skills. I had learned very quickly that while my vampiric senses we... |
The portion where the village was located was in a section where the forests, dense marshes and the trees that grew out into the waters had been cleared away over the course of generations. While there was solid ground scattered about everywhere, this particular portion was by far the largest unbroken section for dozen... |
As for the village itself, it was little more than a small collection of mud mounds, barely even huts at all with only the barest amount of marsh tree wood for roofs and supporting. Unlike some of the other villages and settlements we had come across, this particular village was more traditional in design and architect... |
"Well. This is interesting." |
"Bam?" As we slowly made our way towards the nearest portion of solid ground, I could feel the sensation of eyes upon my flesh. |
"Well, this village has its own Hist. That is unusual for its size." |
"One of your spirit trees? This place must have been important." I said, my aching body lending strength to my sarcasm despite my intentions. |
Weebam-Na hissed but it was more of amusement that annoyance. "Don’t mock the Hist, at least not where one can hear you. This village may have been larger and more important some time ago but that’s not the most interesting thing about this place. This place reeks of fear." |
I look a slow and careful look the clearing containing the village but was unable to see any signs of disturbance other than the eerie lack of life itself. Smoke rose from a handle of fires no larger than a typical campfire but unlike Weebam-Na, my own senses were unable to detect any strange smells. |
"What do you mean?" |
He nodded towards some of the closest huts as we paddled up to the collections of duckboards reaching out over the water in the centre of the village. "I mean that we all should be wary here. We don’t want to force anyone to act rashly." |
At his nod I looked closer at the buildings, seeing how their windows and strangely curved doorways had been crudely barricaded with boards, logs and stones. It was obvious that they had only just been barricaded and I could’ve sworn that a clay pot in the nearest doorway was still shaking slightly after being placed j... |
"Keep your hands from your weapons, unless things go to oblivion in a hurry." Weebam-Na murmured, making a few short gestures to the others in the boats close behind us. |
As he or Bejeen had done when we had arrived at the other villages, he climbed carefully out of the boat and purposely left his weapons behind. The other villages that we had arrived in had been nervous at our presence and their lack of familiarity with non-Argonians but this settlement was appearing almost entirely de... |
Like the other times, he had simply begun making a clicking noise, standing tall and turning slowly as he made a series of strange calls that rose the hairs on the back of my neck. The limited number of Argonians in the Morrowind Legions had left me unaccustomed to their true culture but I still couldn’t help but chuck... |
His clicking and hisses continued for several moments and somehow his strange warbling cry seemed to echo through the entire area. For a few moments it did appear that the entire village was deserted, but my vampire hearing allowed me to hear the return cry emanating from within one of the buildings. Weebam-Na merely t... |
While the local was indeed an Argonian, they shared little similarity with our guides. Where Weebam-Na was tall and strong, his hide rough from a lifetime of hunting within the bounds of County Leyawiin, this new Argonian appeared almost stunted and deformed in comparison. There was however a strange strength to it as ... |
After several minutes of clicking speech, Weebam-Na looked back at us, providing a brief nod before continuing to chitter and hiss away with the other Argonians. With the simple gesture, the rest of us quickly disembarked, attempting not to fill our boots with river water and muds as we had on the previous times before... |
There were dozens of them, of all shapes sizes and ages. Some were old, hunched from age and covered with overgrowths of scales and parasites. Others were young hatchings, barely standing up to waist height and not even having shed their first skins, but no matter their age they all wore rough leather harnesses and bel... |
The crowding mass of the village’s occupants parted as Weebam-Na and the first Argonian who appeared lead us into the village. There was a considerable gap between us and the nearest locals as they all kept their distance. While we were all armed we moved carefully and without any outwards signs of aggression as trust ... |
"Is it just me, or does this whole place fell... off." Alexi commented offhandedly as we moved through the tiny crowd. "I thought that Argonians were resistant to diseases and such but this lot looks very sickly." |
"We are resistant." Bejeen’s reply was short, but she too looked uneasy. "There are some sicknesses that can claim us but these people are starving." |
I caught Viconia’s glance around all of us from where she was walking by my side. Her face and mine were flushed with heat and I especially was suffering from an increasing sweat rash from the tropical humidity. "How are they starving? We have had no problems catching game or food on our way here." |
Towards the back, the weight of Mazoga and Falid was making itself felt through our boots and the layered stones that had been built between the huts. Mazoga simply grunted, gestured with an enormous gloved hand at those clustered around us and shrugged. "They have no warriors. There aint any who aint very young, or ve... |
"Out hunting maybe?" I suggested, seeing the expression on Bejeen’s face and the way she shook her head. |
"A village would never willingly send all their warriors and hunters out at the same time and leave it defenceless. I caught a glimpse of their nursery back there and its defended by a pair of middle-aged hatchlings. That’s a job for the largest and most experienced males." |
"Plague?" Growled Falid. His voice as ever was deep and purposeful and he was able to simply look over everyone’s heads, providing him with a clearer view of the entire settlement. |
"No." Bejeen looked around at us and I could tell by her body language that she too was uneasy with being here. "If there was a plague or some form of sickness then we’d only be seeing the healthy and the young, rather than the sick and the old. Something else has happened here, and I would put money on some form of co... |
The centre of the village was a large circular space built around the towering tree growing in the very middle of the all the huts and buildings. It was as tall as an oak, the branches twisting and spread out like the dozens of other species within the marshes and yet its leaves were somehow spined like a pine but as s... |
Standing before the tree were a small collection of individuals, two of which standing out of the rest of the village by their appearances. One stood half my height and if he had been human I would have assumed that he had been a young boy barely in his teens, while the other stood half my height due to the fact that i... |
The other being was one that none of us wished to move closer to within seconds of laying eyes on it. While much, much older than the jawbone wearing youngster, this Argonian was filled with a strange maniacal energy as it twitched and writhed this way and that. So jerky and uncoordinated were its movements it almost a... |
What was worse was unlike all of the others it almost appeared to be clothed. Great sheets of leather taken from all manner of creatures and beasts hung down over it like an ancient, crumbling cloak of hide, and somewhere in its mass it had inserted branches, horns and talons to prop its horrid garments in seemingly ra... |
Moving into a rough, curved line on the semi-paved path looping around the base of the ancient tree, we all came to a stop facing the two individuals and their assorted followers. The tribe was still exceedingly wary of us but it was more and more apparent that they were entirely lacking in males, and most females in t... |
To my surprise, the younger Argonian stepped forward and began to squeak and hiss at us, the seemingly enormous jawbone rattling in the movements while struggling to remain locked to his own jaw. He continued for a few minutes, before stopping and looking over us all as the silence dropped heavily over the village. |
"Well?" I said simply, looking over to Weebam-Na in expectation after he replied and made the show of baring his throat to the young Argonian. He had explained in the first village that we had come across that a gesture was a sign of respect to those in positions in power and such an act from himself would show that he... |
"Wuleen-Tulm Kaysareeth welcomes us to his village. He has just formally introduced himself and Greejan-Ze. Greejan-Ze is the village’s Tree Minder; what you all would call a shaman." |
In front of us all the moss and leather covered shaman was shifting and moving about, stepping down onto the rocky path in such a way that seemed more insect that Argonian. His motions somehow hurt the eye and as he moved closer I could help but shrink back in his presence. The sheer overwhelming aura of his power was ... |
The young chieftain also moved closer, his tongue flicking out of his mouth with each step as he took his time to regard each and every one of us. Despite my unfamiliarity with Argonians in general it was difficult not to see the trepidation and uneasiness he was showing despite his best efforts not to. His position an... |
It was when he stopped in front of Viconia and me that his interest, and that of the tribe in turn seemed to stay. As the leaders of our expedition we stood in the centre, but it was our armour that seemed to have their attention rather than who we were. In the heat and moisture and while paddling our boats we all ensu... |
Our shirts were of great interest and for several minutes the young chieftain looked over them, taking into the way that the different scales were overlapped in such a way to maximise protection. After some time, he had simply stopped, looking between the two of us and hissing in his native tongue. |
"Wuleen-Tulm is asking what manner of creature your armour is made from." Weebam-Na translated for us. |
"Tell him that it was taken from a pair of creatures that we killed months ago. Is there a word for daedra or do they have understanding of Oblivion?" |
Chittering in amusement, Weebam-Na laughed lightly and nodded. "They do indeed." |
When he translated my words, there was a noticeable ripple of surprise through the assembled mass and the young Argonian in front of us struggled to remain stoic and entirely impassive and almost succeeded. He turned briefly and laid eyes on the hunched figure hanging back between him and the tree, speaking briefly and... |
"They don’t trust us, and so he just instructed the shaman to consult with the Hist and their ancestors about our purpose here." |
"Stupid misbegotten peasants." As always, the odd times that Detane spoke his voice was filled with loathing and bile. "The heretical beings should kowtow to their betters rather than questioning them." |
"This isn’t the time or place Detane." Alexi warned. "Let them have their little superstitions and rituals. Maybe they’ll let us stay the night." |
Viconia, standing by my side muttered under her breath for a few moments before looking about the village. "Ka Shar zhah kaliath. Drag me out of here if you must but I will not be spending another night in one of those damn canoes." |
I watched the shaman with interest as he scrambled back towards the tree, moving over to where a curious arrangement of hanging clay bowls were suspended from the branches to collect the thick sap where it dripped from the bark. There was a handful of similar arrangements scattered about in the branches, some so high u... |
Whatever ritual I was expecting, it certainly wasn’t the shaman dipping his head over the bowl of sap and taking an enormous lick of the strange material. The effects were also unexpected and he twitched so hard that I was surprised that he didn’t break bones, his eyes writhing about in his skull until they were lookin... |
Rapidly hissing and chittering in their native tongue, the words if they could be called as such began pouring from him in an obvious rush that struggled to escape him quickly enough. Weebam-Na, Bejeen and the other Argonians were all standing as though entranced and we all were left looking between them and the shudde... |
"He says that eight have come seeking wisdom and nine will return." Weebam-Na translated for us helpfully, waiting a few seconds between sentences to listen and hear what the shaman was saying. "Death, doom and destruction walk in their paths but only to those who seek to hinder or to stop them. We are great warriors, ... |
There was considerable consternation amongst the villagers and there was a surge of what could only be described as excitement at the shaman’s words, even as he collapsed at the end of whatever visions that had consumed his mind. |
Forcibly spitting on the ground, Detane looked about the village and sneered with even more force than his customary nature. "Parasite riddled, brain addled animals." |
"They know about the shield." |
"Looks like it." Replied Alexi and I felt a measure of surprise as I thought I had been whispering my words too quietly for the others to hear. |
"Pagan superstitions and heretical rituals, that’s all that was." |
I turned and gave Detane an expression of annoyance even as I rolled my eyes. "He specifically said that we have "come seeking wisdom.’ The shield is the artefact of Julianos. You know? The God of Wisdom." |
The villagers were shifting closer to us as the shaman picked himself up from where he had fallen and had started a serious appearing conversation with the young chieftain and Weebam-Na hissed in agreement to my words. "Kaius is correct. He spoke of wisdom not as a thought or knowledge but as a physical thing. I believ... |
"How certain are you?" Viconia asked. |
"Very. We are in the right area by your maps and directions and there won’t be many other villages nearby." |
Bejeen also nodded "I agree. There won’t be any other places such as this. It will give us time to rest even if we aren’t right." |
Turning back to us, the young Argonian and his oversized decorative jawbone looked between us all and nodded, hissing and clicking to Weebam-Na and waiting with an air of expectation as our guide translated. |
"We have been granted permission to stay as long as we need, and Wuleen-Tulm has also granted us use of the communal hut for a place to stay. He makes apologies for being unable to provide much in the way of supplies but they will assist us where they can." |
"Excellent." I gave a light bow to the chief, patting my fist against my chest in a legionary salute that seemed to startle him slightly before he realised it was a sign of respect. "Bam, find out where this hut is. We’ll secure the boats and shift everything into it for the night. While we are getting settled I want y... |
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