Of Dark Plans and Evil Deeds (T3G / Chained-Wings)

[Then There's This Guy]

Even though it wasn't the capital of the land, Teseda felt that Whiterun easily usurped Solitude. While it wasn't individually as large, there was something to be said about the rolling fields and rising mountains of the central Hold. So many valleys and peaks one could explore - so many places to hide. Briefly her mind went back to the mine, to her Family waiting there for her, and to the power lurking deep within the tunnels they had discovered. Their's was a god that was powerful and strong. The flow of magic that came from the depths of the tunnel had their mages veritably high from the flows of energy that they'd tapped in to. In part, she hungered to be back there, and some small part of her mind regretted having volunteered to leave the settlement and the mine so that she might find what it was they were looking for. The mages of the New God's Circle, herself included, had sensed a growing power out in the lands of Skyrim. At first they had thought it an artifact of some kind when it brought Teseda screaming from a fitful sleep, but they quickly realized it as a person. A growing name - one the Greybeards might call the "Dragonborn". A person who sought "good" and "right" and everything that their New God found revolting and putrid.

She would need to be stopped. Brought before their New God and offered as the first of many new sacrifices from the lands beyond the mine, the New God's dark temple, for the New God's pleasure and appeasement.

Teseda pulled her cloak tighter around herself, the hide armor she wore doing little to shield the red-haired Norsewoman from the bitter cold of the coming winter months. She'd done her best to conceal her arms beneath sleeves of her armor, lest her newly gifted tattoos marking her for what she was draw notice. None outside of that mine knew of their New God - yet. But what she needed required delicacy. Ice blue eyes scanned the room as she stood off to the side of the doorway. The power of this woman, this Dragonborn, had brought her here, and she was almost desparate to find her. To bring her before their New God and - she shivered at the thoughts that ran through her mind but did her best to play it off as a simple reflex from "letting the cold out" as the inn-keeper told her in an obviously well-rehearsed voice.

 

[Chained-Wings]

((Wow, that's great))
Saphira sighed as she walked through the wide double- doors of Whiterun's entrance. She immediately went to her house. As she entered, she heard her guardian lurker a greeting, "Greetings, my Thane." Saphira nodded to her, and went to the back, where she had an alchemy station set up, and got to work grinding invisibility, muffle, and magics potions. What she was going to do required high amounts of stealth, and while she was well versed in magic and being stealthy, it never hurt to be fully prepared. She soon left her house and entered the Bannered Mare. She gave a small wave to Saadia, who was now running the inn. Saphira hugged Saadia and they went up to Saadia's room to talk. Saphira sighed as they walked up and loosened the straps on her theives guild armor, as well as her glass gauntlets and boots, pulling back her hood.

 

[Then There's This Guy]

Teseda could feel the energy increase several times over when the doors came open to admit just one person. She seemed - familiar with the locals. The way she wrapped the inn keeper, a Redguard woman, in an affectionate hug, and then disappeared towards the back when she headed upstairs. How adorable, she had a family and friends. Teseda grinned but quickly smothered the expression. The sorrow of loved ones missed was the most delicious, and it left ample leverage for later. Teseda burned the image of Teseda into the back of her mind. It would definitely be something she could use later once she and the rest of her Family had the Dragonborn in chains and at their mercy. She slipped in the back and had waited until she could hear the click of a door shutting. The mage headed up the stairs and grabbed a small pouch of Septims from her belt that she clutched to her chest. She gave her best "help-I'm-a-lost-damsel" face before rapidly on the door.

"D-Dragonborn." She called through the door, "Dragonborn, please, come quickly! I need your help!"

 

[Chained-Wings]

Saphira and Saadia were fetching up and jus relaxing when they heard uneven thudding on the stairs. Saphira stood, one hand on the holding sparks, and opened the door with her free hand. There was a woman, seemingly afraid, calling for her help. It didn't register that she had identified her as dragonborn, though next to no one knew that identity. She waved to Saadia and said a farewell, then closed the door behind her as she walked forward to the woman. "It's alright, I'm here. What happened and what do you need me to do?"

 

[Then There's This Guy]

"M-my home," she stammered. "Its b-been invaded by some strange c-creature in the mine tunnels. Nobody in my village has been safe for days and they sent me to get help two days ago." She bit her lower lip with a pained expression, "I fear the worst. Please, will you help?" She offered the small leather pouch, "I - I can pay you. Its not much but - please, if you will help then we need to go immediately !"

Teseda made motion to the stairs, taking a step in that direction as if encouraging the Dragonborn to follow her.

 

[Chained-Wings]

Saphira nodded, immediately heading after her. "It's fine, I'll help. Where are they? Shor's stone? The Reach?" She said, thinking of mines that had had monster troubles before. She realized she wouldn't be tatting any rest for a while but shrugged it off. People needed a hero. She tossed her silvery short hair out of her blue eyes, which were set quite beautifully in her pale, thin face. She pulled her hood up, covering her features in slight shadow.

 

[Then There's This Guy]

Teseda shook her head at each name as she led the way out of the inn, "None of those. Its in Halted Stream. We had mercenaries who had cleared out the bandits and poachers so we could take up iron mining." She looked over her shoulder at the woman as she walked, "But there was something else in there. Something - dark. It already took five of us in one swoop before we had realized something was wrong." She shook her head again and lead the way to and out the main gate of the city, down the winding stone path, "We - we don't know what it is, though. It just - absorbs any magic we throw at it and never seems to get affected. I should know, I graduated from the Mages' College and I couldn't come up with a single spell to fight whatever darkness was in those tunnels."

She started to head for the southern watchtower, with one hand resting on the pommel of the sword kept secured at her waist, and eyes constantly on the lookout for bandits or wild animals that might have been on the road.

 

[Chained-Wings]

Saphira nodded. She knew a few spells that some of te teachers at the college didn't. And if all else failed, she could about. She reached out and held the girls arm. "Wait, I have a horse and I can buy one for you. It will help us get there faster. That way I can stop it quickly."

 

[Then There's This Guy]

The woman shook her head, motioning to the hills in the distance, "That's hardly necessary." She urged, "Its just along the river, not more than a mile away, and besides." She regarded the thief with a flat expression, "Its in a mine Dragonborn. It sealed off the only entrance you might have been able to lead a small horse through. The only other option is the old pit the poachers who used to run the mine dug and your horse wouldn't survive that fall for sure."

Again Teseda shook her head.

"No, Dragonborn. By foot is the best way." Then she leaned close, whispering, "Besides, the darkness it - it has a strange way with animals. Drives them under its control. My brother tried to ride his horse to get help and was bucked off. He broke his arm."

 

[Chained-Wings]

Saphira found this one odd. I've never heard of any sort of beast or monster controlling animals. Though Wood Elves can.... Perhaps it is a wood elf with more power and range than his or her brethren? She nodded. "By foot, then." She said, following her as she tightened the straps on her armor and used a soul gem to replenish the enchantments on her armor.

While they walked, Saphira decided talking would help pass the time. She cast around for a subject. She wanted to all more about the mine, see if there was anything she could use, but that would be rather boring. Instead, she asked, "How long have you been at the Halted Stream Camp?"

 

[Then There's This Guy]

Teseda shrugged, "Long enough to know I'd found something I might call home in the middle of this whole damned country being shadowed over with talks and rumors of war." She spat at the last word, "And yet it seems every damned time we find some place safe, Talos must not be watching our little spot of Skyrim right then because something happens."

Talos may have been watching. He could watch all he wanted. He and the rest of the Divines could watch in awe as the New God would come into the lands, taking into its' hold all those who had once claimed themselves believers of other gods, and casting aside any who refused by crushing them as their own temples collapsed atop them. It would be a day she would relish. But for now? She eyed the form of the Dragonborn from beneath the shadows her hood provided, taking in curves hidden beneath the armor of the Thieves' Guild. Not even her goddess would protect her from what was to come, from being bent and destroyed by the will of the New God.

"What of you, Dragonborn? Where do you call home?"

 

[Chained-Wings]

Saphira sighed. There was a question she was all too familiar with. It was complicated, but it wasn't so bad she had to withhold it. "I'm from Cyrodil(I didn't spell that right, I know). Surprising, I know, due to my hair." She said, indicating her silvery tresses. "But.... I couldn't stay there. So I ran away. To Skyrim. I first settled in Winterhold. Then Riverwood. Then Solitude. Of the three, I loved Solitude the most. My house had a balcony that looked out from the south side of the arch.... It was a beautiful veiw." She sighed. "Then the mess with the war and my discovery of my dragon's blood inside me sent me out. I hope I can return home soon..." She said, reminicising.