TES : Order from Chaos

[rivaan]

"Technically anyone who openly practices this craft and uses undead is labeled such. Not without reason either... especially in these lands. Not few are the ones who lurk out of the view in dark corners of Skyrim, using the souls of the dead for nefarious deeds. " Saga mentioned when the woman comfirmed she was Necromancer with some seeming dislike for being labeled such. Not that Sage herself minded much." However magic is just that magic. It's not evil by nature, it's how you use it."

"Yeah those walls... their power was probably drained when the Dovahkiin took it during the Dragon Crisis. It's said that when a Dovahkiin... a dragonborn looks at the wall and reads it, they can learn the power hidden within the walls." Saga mentioned, not quite realizing that this didn't quite count as something an everyday young woman would know be it one who inhabits a barrow." Their power will probably recover given enough time. In any case, there aren't draugr when there aren't Word Walls or Dragon Priests so you can make of that whatever you want." She stated and tossed a look at the Khajiit woman that appeared. Great... " Well if you wish to learn more about the thu'um you can try the Grey Beards at the base of the throat of the world. For the more classical magical knowledge you can try the College in Winterhold. They have some of the more developped libraries and teaching materials in Tamriel. When they aren't fighting with those what's their name from cyrodil mages. If rumor's to be believed a few years back those guys form cyrodil came in force to demand some stupid powerful magic artifacts or something. Word of mouth says they fought on the bridge in front of the college and the cyrodil guys lost and were sent back to the imperial city."

She then couldn't help but roll her eyes when the wizard woman started to say how she can teach more useful power than the one here. Sure, probably if you didn't know how to make use of it. Sage admittedly couldn't make use of the word wall, but it didn't mean she wouldn't be able to use the Thu'um in the future given enough studying of the language and meditation on understanding. If she recalled her historical records right, Ulfric Stormcloak could use it rather well.

"..." Saga didn't reply right away when she heard Liliana offered to help with the thieves guild. She just looked very calmly and quietly for a good long moment as the woman introduced herself. Her right index finger tapped on the arrow she was holding a few times as she thought for another few moments and sighed." Shadow, that's what you can call me." She didn't give her name right away, she survived this long by hiding herself. Very few people actually knew her real name was Saga. They were calling her by the nickname Shadow for years now so it stuck." Look... just this isn't the place to talk. Come, I've got fire going on the other site where I live. It's at least better than standing here in the dust talking and standing the chill of the cold barrow." She stated and finally removed her arrow from the bow, putting the arrow back into the quiver and getting back into the rubble tunnel going to the door and entering her hideout, walking over to the bed where she sat down, placing the bow and quiver next to her, waiting for the other two to join her.

"Make yourself comfortable, there are two chairs by the table." She pointed out. THe chairs were simply wooden ones. On the table was a big journal book closed, an ink bottle and a quill were there as well. The bookshelves had quite a few books, even a few on basic magic theory and history. It was useful to know what to expect from mages and how to fight them. There were a few other books put away in the chests such as a copy of the Lusty Argonian Maid v1, though that one had come from one of the would be adventurers she had found killed by the draugr with his possessions put away in the treasure chest. She didn't know where his body must have went, she only knew someone bite the dust because she found typical someone died loot in the treasure chest. Anyways she was still embarassed to even look at the thing! Just kept it away from sight, didn't dare try to sell it either, pondered burning it, but burning paper wasn't nice. Honestly she was very much thinking of ways to clear the pages of the ink to reuse it later, but never got around to it.

"Look... the Thieves Guild has to be dealt with in Skyrim, it's not just dealing in stolen goods anymore they are just about bad if not worse than the dark brotherhood at this point." Saga stated, not really wanting to get much into details." Maven Black Brair the current Jarl of Riften also more or less runs the Thieves Guild. Anyone who is a danger to her or the guild ends up suspiciously ambushed by bandits... or just gone." Saga explained." No one can do anything about it because she's paying off anyone of importance. The Empire leaves her to reign free over the Rift... and she's has connections to the Dark Brotherhood. So it'd be best for your safety to just pretend you never came here or found me when you leave." She didn't want others to be drawn and involved into her problems. Her quest to kill Maven and effectively cripple the Thieves Guild's protection, allowing the imperial forces to deal with them, was likely to kill her. She didn't need others dying because of it too.

[ShadowWolf]

She walks closer hesitating for a moment at the mention of Maven. The woman would have her head if she could find her. Leaving the theives guild and turning her back on everything had cost her dearly.

She watch the women her ear twitch at the talk of necromancy and words of power. She had seen several such words in her travels through the crypts as she stole the gems that the dead kept. She reached in her satchel pulling out a small worn book she had found in one.

"Maybe this will help. This one has no use for such things."

Her dark blue eyes flicked in the torch light. She looked from one to the other. Putting her pack back on.

"What is this power you speak of?"

She looked at the necromancer again wondering what exactly she could be offering. She knew it would probably be something to do with the dead and she had no use for that. She only sought to fix her past and the wrongs done to her. Whiskers twitching her eyes flicked between the 2 nervously not wanting to end up like her mother had.

[Keira Kelly]

Liliana waved her hand dismissively at the Nord's insistence on calling her a necromancer, giving a hint of a sigh of defeated acceptance. She had learned what she had learned out of necessity.. and perhaps in spite of her past as well, to spite those who had driven her from her home. She had been branded, invisibly of course, but branded all the same, for something that she had not even done. Already stained as such, it would have been a fool to then deny such a tool in her kit. She raised an eyebrow. "Ah, that is it then? You worry that I am like these others? In it for nefarious reasons?" she asked with a small frown. "As you say, magic is not evil by nature. I do not seek to kill innocents with it, I do not steal souls with it.. at least not those of man or mer." she explained. "And I serve no one.. except perhaps my own pursuit for knowledge..." she added. Her tongue brushed her teeth though, hidden from the others by magic for now, reminding her that knowledge wasn't her only pursuit... or at least, there was one hindrance to her pursuit. Even so, it was not a hindrance that needed sating at the moment and these two were not the sorts she sought out for that reason, sticking only to bandits, highwaymen or other ne'er-do-wells for that, and Skyrim had shown it was not in short supply of those types.

She glanced back at the still pulsing word wall with a look of... perhaps slight detestation. It wasn't just that she couldn't learn from it, though that was a part of it... but the magic in the wall, the magic as it 'spoke' its words, the pulse of that magic was slightly painful to her, slightly overwhelming. It grew worse the closer she approached. It enticed yet at the same time repelled her and she was resentful of that. She a sound of frustration in the back of her throat, she turned once more to the young Nord woman with her lavender eyes, the emotion slipping away behind a mask. What Lili hadn't known was how this Dragonborn character had been able to utilize these walls, and it was not something that most others had known during her investigations and research. This young woman seemed to know a lot about these walls, more than could just be figured out sheltering in this place. Curiousness took the place of any other emotion now. Such knowledge could have only been gleamed from either books that held accountings of what had happened two decades ago or... from someone who had known firsthand. Lili was all the more interested in this Nord woman now.

Lili frowned again now as the woman brought up the Greybeards, suggesting that the Breton visit them. She rolled her shoulders, stretching her neck before she answered that. "The Greybeards rejected my entrance." she said shortly, her appearance taking on only the slightest hint of turmoil, pain and anger, for a second before slipping away again. She waved her hand again. "Yes, I have heard of this College of Winterhold as well.. I do intend to make my way there eventually but I am in no rush. I search for whatever I can stumble across in the meantime as I headed vaguely in that direction." She gave a half smile. "Sometimes the most interesting treasures are the ones we find on accident, yes?" She shrugged on shoulder. "Besides, as you say, the college is more for traditional magic and.. well, I have a fair upbringing in the traditional. I am more interested in the non-traditional now." she added. She frowned now. Cyrodillic mages trying to attack the college? How odd. Then again, she did not have the best experiences in Cyrodiil herself either so it was not that hard of an issue to believe either.

Her eyebrow raised. These two were most definitely not trusting in the slightest, something she couldn't blame them for but.. even still. What was obviously a moniker from one and the cat was still not at all forthcoming with a name whatsoever. "Shadow, then, if that is what you prefer." she agreed with another shrug. A fake name was as good as a real one, it made no difference so long as she had something to call this woman. Liliana made a slightly pleased sound though at the invitation to the other's fire. Not only to be away from the incessant word wall but also that this was an allowance of trust, however small. She bowed her head for a moment in a grateful gesture. Whilst she did not really NEED the warmth of the fire, it would be a nice respite at least.

With a glance back at the Khajiiti woman to make sure she was following and not simply going to take off, Liliana followed the Nord back behind the wall, into a rear room. This other room was small, more utilitarian than the room the wall had been in, and unlike the rest of the crypt, it was light with a warm orange glow of a fire pit. She smiled a reserved smile in delight at the more inviting atmosphere of this room, and at the blunt hostilities being seemingly at an end as well. At the invitation, Lili went to one of the chairs, putting it out daintily, a gesture hinting at her upbringing, and sat down gracefully before glancing around, studying her surroundings. What she found surprised her. Quite a few more books than she had expected... quite a few more than she had seen many Nords possessing to be honest. This young woman was at least somewhat more learned than the average of her kind. Her estimation of this 'Shadow' was rising.

Once they were settled, Liliana's focus turned back to Shadow as she began to talk about the Thieves Guild. Lili was frowning at hearing that the local Thieves Guild seemed to be diverting from their usual directives and codes. While she had never had cause to brush with such ruffians back home, she had learned a little on her travels, namely that the guild frowned most heavily on murder. That the local chapter seemed to be embracing it was quite odd indeed. The frown fell even more at hearing the name of who was in charge here. Maven Blackbriar. No wonder the town of Riften had seemed so... rotten beneath the surface. Liliana made a sound of annoyance. "I have had my own run in with Jarl Blackbriar.... She was... not very hospitable." she said simply. It was now becoming apparent that the bandits that ambushed her not far outside the town had not found her randomly as she had thought. While Lili had been no threat to Maven or the Thieves Guild, the Breton suspected that the instant dislike at their meeting had been because Liliana carried an air of nobility about her and failed to show utter reverence for the Jarl. And perhaps because she had asked too many questions around town in her search for information as well, but more the former most likely.

Well, those bandits had satiated Liliana for the present and were no longer a threat. Doubtless Maven had access to many more but at least three were no longer able to attack the innocent. When Shadow stated it would be safer for Lili and the Khajiit to simply leave, Lili laughed. "Ah, well.. if its because you fear us crossing Maven for having been in your company, don't do so on my account." she replied. "That woman took a foul liking to me when I went to Riften myself." She explained about the bandit attack shortly after leaving. "I usually do not take lives lightly but I have been a victim too many times in my past. A threat against me.. or perhaps my allies? I do not take lightly either." she vowed.

She looked intently, seriously, at the other two. "Maven does not scare me. I can understand her defences, but if studied carefully enough, planned for enough, even the mightiest castle can be invaded and brought down. Maven is not invulnerable." She shrugged, giving a half smile. "Likely Maven would just as soon see me dead as you now too. She is a commoner, despite being of well means. She is not of noble blood and obviously, not of proper morals either for that matter. As I see it, she has little right to rule this region, yes?" she asked.

She smiled again, leaning forwards in her seat, her arms now resting crosswise on her legs. The smile she wore now was slightly cold and harsh. "While I have not ties to these lands, nor do I have any intents to settle permanently in Skyrim, this woman... this woman tried to have me killed. As I said, I do not take threats against myself or any that might be allied to me lightly. Now that I have confirmation that the attack against me was not random and was in fact a known tactic of Maven Black-briar's, I refuse to ignore it. I would see her brought down before I should ever choose to move on elsewhere." her voice passionate and acid at the same time. Maven had tried to turn her into a victim again and would therefore reap the rewards of that failure to do so successfully.

Suddenly a small, soft voice purred from the side, knocking Lili out of her inner wrath. The emotion on her face fell away as she turned her purple eyes to the Khajiit. Her expression turned to one of surprise at seeing a small book being held out to her in the dark furred hand. She took it, keeping her own movements calm, and began to flip through the book. It was a journal, of sorts, one from what looked like a researcher as well. Lili glanced up at the cat for a moment before looking back at the book. There were notes about certain hidden doors and locks and.. keys. Dragon claw keys of some sort that also carried a code. One had been found apparently but.. the book stated that there were a myriad of others. The location of some of the locks was noted but it stated that all but one of the keys was for now, still lost. While the book mentioned that this researcher had found the one key, it was obviously not here, so for all intents and purposes, it was still lost. Even so, this was interesting. It might do to investigate some of these doors with the locks at some point. Later though. She nodded as she closed the book and held it in her lap. "Thank you, young Khajiit. It at least offers some interesting avenues of adventure." she said sincerely.

And then.. came the timid questioning of Liliana's earlier offer. She smiled, the smile warm like that of an older sister perhaps. "There are many choices when it comes to power. Many fields that I have knowledge in." She held up a hand, not threatening, just palm up, as a flame sprang to life within it. "Fire perhaps?" The orange red glow quickly turned to a cold blue. "Or ice?" Her hand turned down as the elemental glow extinguished and a soft golden glow came off it, bathing herself. "Healing?" she continued before cutting the flow of magical power. She waved her hands around, conjuring until a glowing ghostly dagger was held in one hand. "Conjuration?" She waved it away and the dagger dissipated into nothing. "How about the ability to muffle all sounds so as to sneak past enemies? Or steel your flesh against attack? Perhaps.. perhaps if I can track down the means to learn myself, even invisibility?" she put forth. She was able to understand how to become invisible herself but.. it was a skill she had always had an affinity for as long as she could remember. It was not something she could figure out how to teach to another, not in the same way.

She spread her empty hands now. "There are many powers I could share a knowledge of if you have interest. Many potential tricks that could be of use in self-defence if need be." she answered. She sighed, showing a weariness of her past now, as she looked at the two women, a finger tapping lightly on the book still in her lap. "Young women are not meant to be thrust out into the harsh world with nothing more than the clothes they don, without proper means of defence, without..." she trailed off struggling to find the right words, not wanting to insinuate by mistake that women were weak, far from it. "Without the strength and experience of age and proper training. Because, let's face it.. this world will view a young woman, alone in the world, as an easy target." she explained with a tough look. "An easy victim. Easy prey. I myself learned harsh lessons to that end. Not only in what threw me out into the world and left me alone in it, but what happened in the dark when I was alone...." She shook her head wistfully. "If I can help any other young woman avoid.. similar hurts, I would choose to do so." she added.

She frowned, a hint of her own pain showing. "You may think that you can handle yourself out there. And while that may be true to an extent, the world is not a fair place. Perhaps you could handle one, or two.. or perhaps even three attackers. But what if it were more? What if the three were... something other than man or mer? Something that a simple arrow or dagger would not stop so easily?" She seemed to turn into herself as her eyes fell to the side, as she turned into her own memories. "Something that even a rudimentary knowledge of magick could not stop..." After a moment, she shook that memory off, pulling herself back to the present. "If I can impart some assistance that.. I would have once wished for... how could I walk away?" She glanced now, first at Shadow, then at the Khajiit she still did not know the name of, waiting to see their responses to such an admission of her own once-weakness.

[rivaan]

Saga nodded as Liliana explained about her encounter with Maven Blackbrair and the following 'coincidental' encounter with the bandits that plague the Rift. Well officially Maven kept hte bandits in check, but weirdly enough there always seemed to be a bandit ambush or two every now and then like the one this mage woman experienced. In other words sure Maven kept her things clear for the most part because it was bad for business to attract attention should hte Empire start asking question of why there were too many bandits. Bandits would always randomly appear whenever someone was asking questions or angered her however. Saga sighed and looked at the crackling fire for a moment. She herself had encountered a number of such ambushes, but usually avoided them well in advance. It was her specialty after all.

"Technically that should be the case. The title can be earned, however it requires certain criterias. Ones she didn't possess, but I guess money buys you everything in the Empire." Saga nodded and looked at Liliana." This is Skyrim, our Jarls aren't supposed to be resorting to the methods that only cowards and weaklings should emply." She growled and sighed." This all stems from the civil war 20 years ago. The empire in the wake of it did a lot of questionable things, that however doesn't mean the Stormcloaks weren't the same. Anyways... Jarl is a hereditary title... not something the Empire should have meddled with. However when the Rift changed hands in the wake of the Dragon Crisis, Maven was given the title by the Empire instead because she was supposedly 'empire loyal'. Please... that woman's only loyal to herself. She would have easily switched sides should Ulfric had won..."

"That's not a bad plan, admittedly most would have left Skyrim as soon as possible to escape her reach. THough even that isn't certain as she'd just send people after them." Saga nodded, looking at the mage. This woman, there was something let's say charismatic about the woman. She had a certain presence that if nothing else made you listen to her, maybe a nobility of sorts. Yeah that could be it at least some of it. Saga wasn't really sure, but she was certain that Liliana was a noble. The mage had the bearing of a noble. The posture, the air about her, it made Saga almost instinctively trust her, but she was still holding onto her reservations. She had survived so long by being paranoidly careful.

Saga noted that the khajit gave Liliana a book... no looked not quite as a proper book, maybe a journal? Anyways, she couldn't quite make out what was in the books, not that she was straining to do so. It would be bad etiquette, after all it was something between the two of them now. However she couldn't help, but spot a certain illustration in the journal from a passing glance. It was a big door with circular patterns on it. Her eyes twitched, recognizing the design of hte door, but she didn't say anything about it. That was... well now she was admittedly curious as of what was in the book also. She knew quite a few such doors they existed all across Skyrim and she had seen some, but likely tehre were many many more which she had never found. She had also seen the claws, there was one really popular one in Riverwood. The guy had it on display.

Then Saga's eyes narrowed in a suspecting manner as the woman started suggesting magical powers to teach if htey so required. This caused the little paranoid part in the nord woman to take over for a moment. As far as she had experienced in life so far, no one ever did things without expecting something in return. It wasn't how the world worked, even priests of the divine always knew they would be getting something in return for their work even if not from the ones they let's say heal, from their gods. Still it was well expected to reward a priest for his work. It was only logical, they had the temples to maintain and allthat, but still. Nothing was free... at least very few things were. She continued to listen however, she could do at least that and by the words that followed, it made Saga more inclined to believe that the woman did in fact at least have good intentions when she was proposing to teach and help. She might requrie somethign in return like help in matters of her own, but from the way she spoke, from the intonations of her voice, it seemed like she had her own fair share of struggles in life. As much as Saga wanted to just reject the offer, she couldn't bring herself to say 'no'. Lili was charismatic, seemingly well meaning and well... the nord young woman has been along for most of her life. She was lonely, quite a bit. Maybe the reason she'd ofter talk to herself quietly was also because of it, not that she knew that fact. Making a complicated thinking expression she looked at the fire again, fingers tapping on the bow rested in her lap.

Saga's eyes suddenly snapped back to Liliana as she started speaking about possible attackers and the like. She had... seen such things. Sometimes from distance yes, sometimes from closer than she'd have liked, but usually she would just escape before having to face them. Othertimes she'd have heard them from afar, howls in the bright moon lin nights, or the aftermaths of attacks and the bloodless corpses. Okey that was a concern, she had taken a few steps in maybe defending herself, but she had heard stories of how terrifying such creatures could be and that's no even considering ghosts and specters that cannot be killed by normal means to begin with. You require at least silver for those." Well... I suppose you are right there." She eventually said looking to the side, pondering about something." With the fall of the Vigilants of Stendarr 20 years ago, the region did grow a bit... more unstable when it came to supernatural dangers... There was an increase in daedra activity... Luckily the Dawnguard did step in to fill the void since the Volkihar clan no longer is rampant as during 20 years ago. Not sure if it's true, but stories have it that the Clan Lord position changed hands so now they well... aren't outright kidnapping people anymore. From what a member of hte Dawnguard once told me, they seem to have more issues with the common vampire covens that aren't tied to the Volkihar rather than the Vampire Lord and their clan." Suddenly Saga realized that she's rambling and stopped talking, cheeks flushing a bit. She didn't know why she was so talkative so much with these people.

"...Anyways..." She mumbled and looked at them. It was going to become dark soon." Look... if you 2 want to, you could stay the night here. It's going to be dark soon outside and at this time of year the temperatures drops A LOT once the sun sets behind hte mountains. It takes hours to get to Darkwater Crossing. Here at least you won't be freezing. I have some dried rations if you are hungry also."

[ShadowWolf]

Her senses jumped as she listened to the sounds in the crypt. The soft brush of the clothe the women talking. The spark of light as the woman showed types of magics which definitely caught her eye for a moment.

She heard the women speak of Maive as well. Maive was holding a grudge against this one. And she knew if Maive had anything to do with it the bandits would’ve had her by now. No one turns Maive down not even for a job. But this one had morals even if they were ones only she understood.

She stopped listening to them when the silences changed. It became a more dark and foreboding type of silence. She pulled out her dagger quietly and slipped silently to blend in with the shadows again. She knew the women wouldn’t notice the change as easily as her.

She quietly hissed, “Listen.”

Her eyes reflecting the torchlight. They were the only thing that betrayed her location. It could’ve been a lost explorer or maybe a thief but the fur on her neck stood up as she listened close trying to place her sense of unease.

Nothing out of the ordinary could be seen. There were wrapped bodies and large urns all around. She heard a soft dripping sound and knew there would be a small pool further in.

She glanced over to the women again wondering if either of them could sense the deepening silence.

[Keira Kelly]

Liliana listened with some distaste to the explanation about what was going on with the leadership of this region. Wealth and power needed to be tempered by the burdens of noble birth in her experience. Something that was common enough back home in Wayrest was someone coming into money and power and then having no idea how to handle the responsibility of their newfound role in the world and failing the people depending on them for a living. This Maven was obviously corrupt to the full extent of the word. Not to say there wasn't corruption and failings amongst nobles but... it was different, and rarely to the degree than what she had seen in Riften. She sighed lightly, holding her hands out towards the fire, wishing it offered her the warmth and comfort it once had. "If Jarl Blackbriar were to be removed from her station though.. who would succeed her?" she asked. It was an important question: it wouldn't do to have someone just as bad as Maven take over.

After she had explained.. or at least hinted at her reasons for wanting to offer help for these two, Lili noted the looks she was getting in return. The Nord woman had seemed.. contrary at first but had begun to look more amenable to at least considering the offer. The young Khajiit however seemed more enigmatic to read. In fact, she seemed.. distracted. Lili shrugged it off for the moment as the Nord woman had continued talking. Lili's back drew straighter at the topic and her eyes took on a sharp look. She should not be so surprised to find out there were Vigilants even here in Skyrim. They were everywhere. Still, she couldn't help but wear a light scowl at the mention of them. While some of their ethos was... necessary, they were also close-minded and unable to even consider exceptions to their ideals. They would destroy the innocent just as well as the guilty in their efforts to cleanse Tamriel of daedra and so-called 'monsters'. Daedra were most definitely dangerous but.. the Vigiliants had very lax requirements for what was considered a monster and worthy of eradicating.

Liliana narrowed her eyes. "What.. is this Dawnguard?" she asked slowly. It was not something she had yet run into in her travels and she had to assume it was something that was based solely in Skyrim, something she had not yet encountered. That it was likely tied with the Vigilants though made her suspicious. By the Nord woman's words, it sounded like this Dawnguard was much the same type of organization.

The rest, she tried to make sense of internally. So there was a regional bloodline of vampires, a clan, that kept now mostly to themselves, one that had to be too powerful for the Vigilants or this Dawnguard to outright attack. And then there were lesser covens, probably closer akin to blood fiends, though likely with a bit more intelligence.. but just as much a threat. If they attacked the innocent, they were fair game as far as Lili was concerned. It was more what the local Vigilants and this Dawnguard did with those who did not attack the innocent that Lili was interested in... but it was not something she could yet ask outright. She strove to hide the slight frown on her face. "You know some of these Dawnguard?" she asked.

The offer that the Nord woman finally made now surprised Lili. She had been hoping that she was getting through to these other women and the offer to let them stay the night in her sanctuary made Liliana realize that she had at least earned a little trust from 'Shadow'. She gave a small smile, genuine but reserved as was right from one of nobility and nodded her head once despite the surroundings being less than her ideal for slumber. "Yes, I would appreciate a sheltered refuge for the night. I have been travelling much and I am growing a tad weary. Thank you for extending the offer." she admitted. A bit of trust but... well, she had yet to even get this woman's true name and the Khajiit had not yet even offered a pseudonym at all.

It was then that she realized that the Khajiit was indeed distracted as the other stood, pulling a dagger. Liliana stood as well, her eyes fixed on the Khajiit, hands ready to raise and begin casting a spell should it been warranted. She began to wonder if this cat had suddenly turned against them... or was perhaps an assassin sent by Maven. But the cat was not looking at either herself or the Nord but back the way they had come from before quickly heading back into the darker doorway.

Lili threw Nord woman a confused look for a moment before she heard the Khajiit telling them to listen. Liliana held still, listening but... she heard nothing other than the crackle of fire, water droplets falling from the ceiling in the next room and the low, rhythmic chanting of the word wall. Well, just as animals seemed to be able to sense the unseen that men and mer could not, the beast races were more in tune with their own senses as well so Lili would put at least some stock in the Khajiit's alert. When the eyes turned back towards her, Lili spike in barely a whisper. "What is it?" she asked.

[rivaan]

"Hmmm...." Saga thought about how to answer the succession line for Riften quesiton that Liliana had put forth. It was honestly a bit of a hot mess right now." Well... in theory the next to inherit the position would be the oldest son or daughter of the Jarl. In this case it would be Hemming, the oldest son that also serves as a steward." She explained, tossing a look at the fire." However he's... let's just mildy say it, not of his mother's caliber. None of her children have the same abilities, skills and influence or even anywhere near hers. Her younger son, he's a scum, he's got decent head on his shoulder so he should be able to keep the family afloat, but also wouldn't be able to maintain the rulership position as for the daughter... She's an alchemist skilled with poisons. Pretty good at the craft, but last I heard she has no interest in the family rule. If my sources are correct on this, she has long since left Skyrim to pursue even greater alchemical knowledge somewhere else. So honestly, as long as Maven is dead, the family line would be ousted from the Jarl position soon enough. Maven has influence, power and the know how of what and who to pay... her heirs do not. It's pretty likely that as soon as she's gone, the empire would start influencing for a proper PRO Empire jarl of Riften."

"The Dawnguard? Well you could say they are Vampire Hunters, it's their focus and specialty. It was formed a very long time ago for a time before disbanding." Saga replied without thinking much of it. It was pretty common knowledge around Skyrim." The local Vigilants of Stendar were decimated about 20 years ago and around the same time the Dawnguard came to be reformed. I'm actually not too sure what exactly happened. Stories are a bit conflicting from the time, it happened around the time of the Dragon Crisis. However from what some people are saying, the Volkihar Clan at that time attacked and practically completely annihilated the Vigil. Records and stories tell of regular vampiric attacks on cities and villages. A man named Isran reformed the Dawnguard at the outset of the vampire attacks. They and the Volkihar clan waged a conflict across Skyrim. Story goes that the Volkihar wanted to use a Elder Scroll and some powerful artifact to block out the sun or the like. Evidently something happened, though I'm not sure what, because the Volkihar stopped their attacks and the Dawnguard isn't attacking their castle either. As I said earlier, I've heard talks that the Volkihar clan changed rulership, but I cannot be certain it's true. It was all told to me by the Member of hte Dawnguard. POint is that the coordinated vampire attacks stopped."

"I wouldn't say we are best of friends." She shrugged." We've met and worked together once with one of their members actually on some daedra cultist hunt. With barely any of hte Vigil left in Skyrim, they on occasion take care of the Daedra worshippers also. I'm actually surprised you didn't meet any, their base of operations is right by Riften maybe on a day or two distance from it, entrance is by the road leading towards Cyrodill. There's usually at least one or two people always being on guard there." Saga smiled." I actually was invited by one of their traveling agents to join them. I refused though. I've already got a prey hard enough. No need to add more." She sighed.

"No problem. Sending you out to freese in the Late Autumn Skryim night, doesnt' really sit well with me..." She mumbled and walked to the chest she had in the room and from it pulled a pair of wooly blankets." Here, they are a bit rough, but will keep you both warm." Saga explained and then pulled 2 old bedrolls. She had spares because well... the ocassional traver died in the barrow and those items she collected from the loot chest the draugr put them in. No need to waste them, beside the bedrolls were of leader and fur, she actually planned to use them as spare parts material to patch up her own clothing and tools.

When the Khajiit reacted to something unknown, Saga's eyes narrowed, noting the way the woman pulled into the shadows. She tossed a glance at the mage as well. She shrugged her shoulders for a moment when the reply came. She moved to the doorway and listened very carefully." ... " She could make out the noise outside in the silence of the barrow. Voices... " Bandits..." She whispered a reply and relaxed a bit." probably have followed one of you in. They should leave when they don't find anyone... or anything." She smiled, but readied her bow, kneeling behind the door and continuing to listen.

The sounds of the living were getting closer and they were loud. Normally bandits in Skyrim didn't dare to venture far into the habitats of hte dead. This was new... Then the sound of something heavy falling, there were some shouts and some curses and Saga grinned ever more wide." Someone fell to the oil on the stairs trap..." She smiled, tossing a look at the two women in the room with her. She was honestly surprised neither had fallen for that, she supposed that the Khajiit might have noticed it with her senses while for Lili, well she had a draugr reanimated, so it might have fallen for it so she avoided it when she saw the undead slipping.

A bit later, the steps and voices got close enough as the bandits finally walked through the entrance of the main chamber with the wall." Damn... we lost Rolph." A male voice could be heard. They couldnt see the men through the wall and she wasn't going to risk opening hte door to the rubble right now." Who would have guessed oil would be spilled on the bloody stairs!"

"Shhh!" A rough female voice snapped." We are in a barrow, in the name of the Divines... We should be wary of the Draugr. Keep your eyes open. There were a few passages we didn't check..."

"Bah, don't worry." A third voice chimmed in." Didn't you see it? All the Draugr along the way were dead!" The voice carried some southern accent." That woman killed all the draugr, she must be tired by now, we just need to finish her off and all hte treasure will be ours." Hmm... eh... This is it? This is the end?"

"Damn... I told you we should have checked all the passages earlier on, she might have hidden in there and we passed her by. She must have bailed by now!" The female bandit cursed.

"Shut up, all of you." A more authoritive male voice echoed." What's done is done. Loot the room and we shall leave. We may have missed the woman, but at least we can get whatever's here."

The 3 men and the woman then started to fan out through the room, searching for loot. They pretty quickly located the Dragon Priest puppet. As expected htey thought it was a killed undead. They also opened the chest, one could here them grinning as they were talking about hte loot inside. The gold coins and the fancy gilded gauntlets. They didn't find the entrance through the rubble, however something else found them. With scary and monstrous growls and uncompherehnsible sounds what Saga knew full well as the draugr of the barrow rushed into the hall. There were 2 draugr that were supposed to be 'living' right now. Lili and the khajiit must have missed them, since the draugr had the tendency to hide away at the side passages for some reason, Saga had noticed. These draugr weren't the simple kind though. Shouts, curses and screams followed, along the sound of a hailing ice. The bandits weren't anything special and as expected under the attack of the simply stornger draugr and their ice magic even though they were just 2 in number, soon the screams stopped, replaced completley with the low growls and teh dragging of feet and bodies.

Saga moved back to the bed and didn't seem to find it disturbing, she actually appeared and was well used to it by now." By morning, the draugr would return to their hiding places... we can see if there is anythign interesting they placed into the chest from the bandits... as for the bodies... I have no idea what htey do with those and where they put them... I've never found any by the time the draugr are completely done with them. Also don't worry, the draugr cannot get in here, they lack the precise movement to move through the rubble tunnel." She was actually very weirdly fine and used to living with a number of wild undead on the other side of the wall... well to be fair the undead rarely hanged around the Word Wall room, only when they were drawn here by stupid would be explorers and adventurers who fell to the traps and made a lot of noise.

[ShadowWolf]

She climbs up into a hole near the ceiling. Blending in with the shadows as the other women take cover. She watches the bandits come in they were the same ones as before, she thought she had lost them. Her eyes flicked between each one. Then peeked at the entrance to the room with the other two in it.
Her ears twitched as she listened. That’s when she heard it the draugrs shuffling in as they became more aware. Anyone with common sense knew better than to wake them. Uncontrolled draugrs wouldn’t stop til death of either them or the intruder.
She winced at the sound of bones cracking as the draugr swarmed the bandits.
Scurrying over to the room where the other two hid. She silently dropped down near them.
“You might want to wait a while from what this one has seen.”
She moved towards the fire and pulls out some dried meat from her pack. She glances back at them. “This one is hungry but will share.”
She motions to the small pouch holding the meat before sitting on her roll that had been hooked to the pack. She stares at the fire and tries to ignore the sound of the draugr.
Pulling out an apple and a knife she slowly starts carving off pieces to eat. Seemingly ignoring the other two women even though she was listening closely. Her blue eyes catching the firelight. She wondered what to do with these two. Should she tell them more about her predicament or just stay silent and learn what she could.

[Keira Kelly]

Liliana listened silently as the talkative nord woman went on about the lineage of the current Jarl. The offspring of Blackbriar seemed to be incompetent enough not to be able to retain power once their mother fell, though Lili supposed that was no surprise considering the apparent fluidity of rulership here. How were any hiers supposed to be properly trained if there was no continuous line of rule? It was only to be expected then, if one of these came to power, they would be woefully inadequate. In the end though, did it really matter? Liliana had no intentions on remaining in the frozen land of Skyrim indefinitely. She was only here for her own research and would welcome the day when she could leave here for a more civilized land once more. Helping these two young women she had found though was an interesting diversion in the meantime but the politics of the region were not why Liliana was really here.

She slightly drew back at the explanation of the Dawnguard, her face taking on a cold expression. She listened raptly to this bit, frowning at hearing what the local vampire clan had been planning. Using an Elder Scroll to block out the sun? Madness... This would have all happened years before.. before it would have been any concern of Liliana's, but... She sighed at the idea of it. How misguided this clan must have been, not realizing the greater ramifications of doing such a thing.... It might as well have been and end to the world as they knew it and the eventual beginning of starvation for all vampires one day. Kudos to whomever had stopped such a mad quest, she thought to herself.

She was relieved to hear that the Vigil was nearly inactive in the region at the moment though and only frowned slightly that Shadow was surprised that Liliana had not run into any of them. She arched one eyebrow. "I actively avoided contact with them." she answered truthfully. "I have learned that such people, those that claim to root out evil often are too quick to pull the trigger... and those that are too different from them are very often easily chosen as a target...." She knew very well that the Vigil would have chosen to hunt her down for more than one reason, however misguided. Intent or morality of a person was of no concern to them, only what someone WAS... simply being a necromancer, not even counting other.. things..., would have had them mark her for death.

Liliana stood up, the action graceful yet almost too fast for a normal person as her pale purple eyes fixed on the dark doorway from where they had come. The supposition that it was bandits did not surprise her but she was a little doubtful at one of them having been followed. The Breton had been careful in coming here to this place, using her magic often to hide herself whenever she had any inkling that people had been nearby... and she had the means to detect when the living were close by. On the other hand, she had a little trouble believing that the Khajiiti woman had allowed herself to be followed either, what with the senses the cats possessed. Well, in any case, they would either find their way to the end of the barrow here or they wouldn't and the three women would deal with trouble should it get too close.

And soon enough, the voices were in the next chamber, the word wall chamber. It was unfortunate that there were no bodies nearby that Lili could use.. Other means would have to be used instead. She was just about to conjure a dagger when loud growls began to echo in the next room. She moved towards the hidden doorway, keeping ahead of the other two women should the bandits be able to find their way in here. Her eyes began to glow softly as she began to use her ability to detect life. Though in the next room, despite any obstacles or darkness, she could see the auras of life of three individuals moving around, reacting to sounds of attacks. By the previous voices and the movements, she could tell that the three living beings were together and... whatever was making those sounds was, well, not living. She knew some of those sounds well enough too. Undead. The hoarse rasp through long dead and desiccated tissue. Most definitely undead. It had to be draugr.

The sounds that followed were... surprising. Someone was using magic of some sort and in very short order, the number of auras that she could see dropped to two, suggesting it was in fact the draugr casting the spells. Soon there were no auras left at all and they could hear the scrape of leather against rock as... it sounded like the draugr dragging away their victims. When all was silent once more in the next room, Lili turned an arched eyebrow at the Nord. Had she been alone, Liliana would have tried to follow the undead and find out what they did with the bodies but she fought her own curiosity for the sake of these two young women. It was dangerous here, despite Shadow having lived here thus far safely for a time and her reassurances that the draugr could not get past the rubble. Lili's want to watch out for these women superseded her curiosity this time.

She moved back over to her chair beside the fire, to where the other two women had already retreated, studying both. Both were seeming to ignore the brutality that had just happened in the other room, one used to it and the other.. well, Lili was not sure about the Khajiit. Scared and trying to deal with it? Or also used to violence? Hard to say. Liliana smiled though at the offer of food but shook her head no. "Thank you but.. I am.. not hungry at the moment." she answered. It was true, she had fed well earlier in the day and dried meat did not do much for her appetite.

She glanced back and forth between the two women before her. One who had only given a pseudonym and the other who had yet to offer up any sort of means of addressing her at all. It was a long time till morning and silence was now filling the time. She lightly tapped a nail on the arm of her chair for a moment. "I will tell you then, a bit of my story." she said finally into the silence. "Perhaps you both can then understand something of where I am coming from." she added.

She stared off into the darkness beyond the fire's light as she gathered her thoughts before starting. "Five years ago was when it all started. I lived in Wayrest, the capital of the Breton lands. I was born into a noble family there, well-stationed in the society there and I lived a happy life. I had good friends, a good education and never wanted for much." she began to explain. She gave them both a look, a small smile. "Likely the type of person both of you would have disliked simply because I had been born into privilege. I would not fault you for thinking so but I chose to do what I could to help the less fortunate. I did not choose my origin any more than you did yours but, still, I sought to bring betterment to others." She gestured lightly with a hand. "I began to learn healing, both with herbs and with magic because I liked to help people and did not like seeing them in distress. I also donated funds and time to those less fortunate and brought my healings to them in charity."

Her eyes closed for a moment, a long moment, as she thought about falling in love during that time, at having lost that now. She took a deep breath, opening her lavender eyes once more and now staring into the firelight. She would skip that part at least for now. "I was always a curious girl, and I am still just as curious about the world, about learning all that I can... And so, I explored much and often when I wasn't helping others. One day, in this exploration, I stumbled upon a secret chamber in a crypt, one that had belonged to a necromancer." She paused for a moment. "Necromancy in High Rock is.. well, outlawed. A practice punishable in the most extreme of ways. Still, when I found this place, I decided it wouldn't hurt to.. explore it a little bit before I turned it over to the authorities." she said with a crooked half-smile.

"There was more magic written there than only necromancy. New theories that used some necromantic understandings in relation to healing was amongst it. And by this, I do not mean necromancy but.. an understanding of death that allowed restoration magics to be more effective. It was all very interesting, even the necromantic aspect, if only in learning the theories of it a little. I would have never have attempted necromancy itself.... I would have never have risked what I had.. or soon hoped to have for something like that." She ran a hand back through her hair at that, feeling distressed at thinking again about that bit. So much lost to her.... All the plans for a happy life... "Suffice it to say, out of jealousy, someone followed me without my knowledge one day on an excursion to the crypt, saw me take a book out of there, one of the journals of the former mage. There was much to do with healing magics in the journal and I had been interested in studying it further; I'd have had much more time reading it at home... and so I bought it home." she explained.

She sighed. "And it turns out that was the worst mistake of my life. As I have said, someone I knew followed me and out of spite I'm sure, reported my name to the authorities." Her eyes turned down to the ground. "They found the journal within my room while I was out with... a friend. That book was more than enough evidence for them to brand me a necromancer even though I was not, nor had ever even intended to attempt anything like that. I was luckily forewarned that the authorities were looking for me. I knew they would refuse to listen to my reasons, to the truth of the matter... My... friend bought me time so that I could flee, knowing that I would be executed if I didn't."

"I had lost everything. My family, my home, my passion, those that I cared.. deeply about. My future plans. Everything." she added in a strained voice. "I had to leave High Rock, never to see... Never able to go back again. I don't know what became of my.. friend that helped me. I wandered, ending up in Cyrodiil for a long, and partially involuntary, span, but during that time, I learned all that I could, learned all I could as to how I could defend myself from those wishing to further harm me. Perhaps out of spite, I sought out necromantic practices. They suited me now. Who I had been might as well have been dead, so why not?" she said with sudden passion, looking up.

"It was a powerful means to protect myself so why not use what I had already been accused of? Any reputation I had was already sullied with it... There was no way to prove my innocence." she said in resignation. "It would merely be my word against the one who had turned in my name. And she... well, her father held command of the authorities in Wayrest." She was slowly shaking her head. "There was no contest there, on her word and what with the journal also having been found in my room..." She sighed tiredly, the emotion of recounting even this much of her tale having taken it out of her. "There. There is why I wish to be of help to any I can, especially those.. like both of you, where I can see something of myself in you..." she admitted. She had left out some fair chunks to her story of the past five years but... this was more than enough for the others to chew on for now. Perhaps it would help them open up a bit more...

[rivaan]

With the bandit situation resolving itself rather pleasantly, Saga relaxed a bit. She put down the bow next to the bed and having noted that the khajiit already took out food, she decided that she might as well do the same. She tossed a look at Liliana who refused food, saying she wasn't hungry. She'd likely be later, but oh well. Thus as the host, she walked to a cupboard she had self assembled, and pulled out a cloth wrap with a big chunk of dried up meat from it and another with cheeze. She placed it on the table and since Liliana had refused food, she didn't bother directly cut some for her. Instead she cut a big pieace of the cheese and the dried meat for the Khajiit." Here, have this too. Meat's from elk I hunted and the cheese's from mammoth milk. Traded it with a giant... long story, but it's very good." She explained and looked at the wizard woman as she started talking.

Saga listened carefully as she pulled out a small kettle and hanged it over the fire, pouring water inside it from a small wooden keg. Liliana's story was actually pretty tragic, Saga realized. It wasn't really fair, but it seemed to be the way everywhere when it came to people of power or even without political power involved. Many were ready to backstab their best friend even to get some kind of benefit. She nodded in understanding as the story continued and while listening tossed some dried fruits from a pouch into the water, starting to boil them, making a sweet drink of dried fruits and a bit of herbs. So effectively it was fruit tea of sorts. She let it boil to get ready while the woman was finishing her story.

"I see." She mumbled, thinking about it. This explained a few things." Well you can be sure that with me at least you won't be persecuted for necromancy. In fact the skill as stated is pretty common here in Skyrim, there are quite a few necromaners around, it's just that we got an issue with necromancers that take over the old family tombs and start raising our honored dead to make their own lairs inside those same tombs, but on occasion you can see necromancers also strut around town with an undead thrall in tow. Usually to be berrated by the priests that take care of the tombs underneath the towns, but nothing physical." She told Liliana, explaining a bit of Skyrim's and the Nords' stance on necromancy." As long as you don't do actual crime here, you are good."

"Ohh.. it's ready." She mumbled and pulled the small kettle with the fruit tea off the fire and hanged it on the metal hanger next to it to cool down." Well I suppose in some ways we are similar..." She said and looked at the wizard." Though you are the first to decide to do anything about it. Many people are in similar situations and most of them usually just toss others under the wagon to help themselves rather than help anyone else, so thank you." She didn't really want to rely on the woman, but it was nice to hear it, that there were nice people around." Mmm... actually if you ever make your way towards Whiterun, there's a monument on the way there if you take the norhern path. One of the standing stones in skyrim. It's just a little bit off the road, overlooking it from a high hill. I've heard that necromancers sometimes gather there, it seems to be tied to necromancy in some way, though I've never checked it out myself in detail. Just seen it in passing. They don't bother anyone who doesn't bother them. Hopes that helps you eventually." She added in return, hoping it would help Liliana with her quest for knowledge, since she wasn't getting anything from the word wall that was for sure. You had to be dragonborn to gain power from one.

"There are other sources of possible necromancy knowledge out there, but aside the college the rest is pretty dangeorus. " She stated. Saga wasn't the most versed in magic, but knew a few things because she loved hearing stories a lot and listened to bards and townfolk saying folk legends and the like many times. For necromancy she knew dragon priests would be a great source of lore, but those were usually protected by the highest grade draugr and then the dragon priest themselves. There was also hagravens, she ahd heard they are also wielding freely the craft, but one could never trust the hags." Actually... the court wizards might be willing to teach you if they have studied the craft, for a good price of course."