The Elder Scrolls: The Dominion. [IC Thread]
The Bruma air was brisk that evening, the snow falling heavier then usual. The sun had departed from the sky, and the streets were clear of even the drunkest of Nords. Vahlok held his pale hand outwards, letting the snow gracefully rest in his palm, before clenching his hand tightly shut, until he could feel it melt between his finger tips. The harsh wind passed him, the cloak of his armor lifting up behind him, fluttering in the air. Vahlok simply stood there, an enigma to any who might see.
Well, all except the three that glared at him from the safety of the darkness.
Vahlok shook the snow from his boot, breathing softly and releasing a faint smoke of warm air from his almost blue lips. His hand slowly but surely found the warming grip of one of his Elven daggers, unsheathing the blade from its hold, letting it breath at his side. "Either you will make the first move, or I will; the choice is yours." His words spat out into a mutter, it being the only sound other then the whistle of the wind. Without further more hesitation, three figures emerged from the darkness, each step portraying a natural arrogance and pride, which burnt inside Vahlok to the point that he cound hardly restrain his anger.
"The Night Mother seeks your head, Nord." One answered his call, an Imperial. The other two, an Argonian and a Dark Elf, walked opposite sides of Vahlok swiftly, forming a circle around, which they most likely thought would intimidate him. He almost laughed.
Aiming his blade towards the ground, Vahlok drew a cirlce around him, a meter long on either side. Whilst doing so, his eyes fixated on the ground, not his enemy, he spoke. "Did they even tell you my name, Assassin?" He asked, his tone filled with condescendance. "In doubt it, you don't look high enough ranked to know the details of your targets; you kill, and collect your prize, no thought about it."
All three unsheathed their blades, holding them towards Vahlok menacingly. Taking a step forward, Vahlok stopped them with one final sentence. "None of you will enter this circle."
With that, they charged simultaniously. Vahlok, taking one final breath inwards, reacted; the Argonian reached the circle first, it's sword lifted in the motion of a plunge. Vahlok instantly lifted his foot to the reptiles chest, knocking him backwards. Almost instantly, he turned back to the Imperial, whose blade was now inches from Vahlok's throat, his feet nearly inside the circle. Vahlok parried his blade, the chime of their weapons clashing ringing through the air. He immediately countered the Imperial, using his empty hand to grip the Imperials wrist, and his other to plunge his dagger into his stomach, cleanly going through the mans entire body. Having to react even quicker for the third target, Vahlok swung the inpaled Assassin around, knocking him into the Dark Elf, causing both bodies to fall to the ground. His blade now free, Vahlok spun, bringing his blade around in a long slashing motion, which lodged itself into the unsuspecting throat of the Argonian, who had barely recovered from the kick. As the light faded from the Argonians eyes, Vahlok pushed him backwards, releasing its throat from his blade. The body fell with a thud, leaving Vahlok stood silently.
"Tell whoever you take command from," Vahlok said, not even looking down to the stuned Dark Elf. "That if they're going to try and silence me, atleast do me the honour of sending superior Assassins; it's almost insulting."
With that, he broke the circle in the snow, walking down the snow filled streets of Bruma, leaving his trail of footsteps, and the bodies of his enemy, behind him. The Dark Brotherhood knew he was close to finding them, and their Night Mother, it was only a matter of days. With that, the rogue Nightingale disappeared into the night, his thoughts on nothing more than finishing the Brotherhood for good, and moving on with his life.
It would be a few days before Vahlok was seen again; following a lead he had been given in Bruma, he had embarked to Chedinhal, in the hopes of locating a Brotherhood sanctuary; he could almost smell their blood in the air, as he made haste aboard his horse. He chose to travel by night; whilst never being one for stealth, he, like all theives, prefered the cover of darkness; it was a comforting blanket to all thieves and Assassins that daylight just couldn't compete with.
If what he heard was true, a Brotherhood sanctuary resided in Chedinhal, hidden in plain sight. The city was known for its corruption, and it only made sense for the Brotherhood to have their claws deep seeded within the cities roots. It was simple; find the sanctuary, and then bring the force of the Nightingales down upon them, as the Nightingales should have years ago. Were it not for his actions alone, the Brotherhood would have grew at a much larger rate then they have; each day, their numbers slowly grow, and the threat of their faction increasing exponentially. It wasn't a rewarding mission, but it was one that Vahlok had chose, and one he intended to see through.
His journey, however, was interrupted by the most curious of this; a Courier. How the Courier had found him, whilst the Brotherhood and Thieves Guild could barely track him, was baffling to him. He had intercepted Vahlok from his own horse, barely saying a word, and leaving him a the note. Sat atop his horse, along the darkened road from the Imperial City to Cheydinhal, he examined the note, before opening it. The words were scurried together, rushed, and portraying urgency. Intruged, he read the words scrawled across:
Ah, Vahlok. I can only presume that by the time you recieve this letter, you are embarked on a quest against the Dark Brotherhood; I don't know why you choose to fight them, but I am not here to discuss that. No, I am here to discuss a much greater threat; the Dominion. I cannot discuss it here; their Spies are everywhere. Meet me at the College of Winterhold, and we can talk their. If you don't wish to do it for yourself, do it for your Uncle, Vahlok. Time is running short.
Signed: A Friend.
Vahlok read the note over and over, examining each word; who was this stranger, and how had they found him? More concerning, how did they know of Vahlok's past, and of his Uncle, who had died fighting the Dominion many years ago. Going against his better judgement, he turned his horse north, Skyrim in his sights.
The Nightingale road off.
(OOC: Okay, feel free to start postin. I do ask that your first post involves your character heading to the College, where I can post as the mysterious stranger to tell our characters the plot of the Roleplay. Thanks.)