[center][i]4th of Sun’s Height, 4E 205 The Favor of Malacath, Part II[/i] Gurzuk gro-Golmur, Orsinium[/center] --- Gurzuk eyed the assembled team before him. Five of Orsinium’s best warriors gathered before him, each one of them battle-tested in skirmishes against bandits and marauding brigands within the past three years. He knew each and every single one of them by name, and was a sword-brother to each of them. All of them were honor bound to fight alongside each other, such was the oath they had taken when they had entered the Army of Orsinium. Now, they were all leaving together. He knew some of them wouldn’t return…but he was alright with that. He had come to understand that death was not an ending, merely another beginning for the next life. Gurzuk came to a halt in his pace as they stood there and began to speak to them, “Sword-brothers and sisters, today…” he thought for a moment, trying to keep up with his own mind, “Today we begin a long journey. We have been charged with finding, and bringing home the hammer Volendrung.” The five of them looked taken aback, hell, Gurzuk was sure that he had heard one of the gasp. Gol stood next him and chuckled at the sight, but Gurzuk’s look back to her silenced her rather quickly. He held up his hand and brought them all to a silence, beginning once more, “Now then, I understand that this will be a difficult task for all of us. Some of us will not be coming back from this journey, and that…that is okay. We all know the risks once we step outside the walls of Orsinium. Our safety ends once we leave…hell, let’s be honest. We hardly had any safety to begin with. However! We will get that damned hammer back, even if we have to die trying!” The five of them gave a roar and Gurzuk howled his own roar alongside them, as did Gol. “Now then, let’s move out! To Largashbur!” Gurzuk cried as the seven of the warriors set off on their journey, to Largashbur. --- [center][i] 25th of Midyear, 4E 205[/i] Hlaalu Grandmaster Ilyn Ondrano, Gnisis[/center] --- Ilyn stared out the window, his red eyes studying the city of Gnisis as he stood there, waiting on the last Councilor to arrive. The lot of them looked like they were conspiring to commit an act of murder or high treason…well, to be clear, they were planning to commit and act of murder, and possibly high treason, but for the potential gain they were willing to weather the risk. As he stood there, Ilyn heard the door open, and then close once more. In marched Farwyn Arnen, Master of the House Guard. Ilyn smiled and approached Farwyn, slapping his back like an old comrade, “Farwyn! Good to see you!” Farwyn reciprocated his grin and wrapped his arm around Ilyn’s shoulder, “Ilyn! You smarmy bastard. What have you called me here for today?” The two of them descended the stairs and there they were, the rest of the Council of House Hlaalu. All in one spot. “Well, Farwyn…” Ilyn began, “We’re taking over Gnisis. Plain and simple. That Dres lapdog s’wit Nilphas Seringi must be put down, swiftly too. Now then, here is the plan…” Ilyn pulled out a map of Gnisis, “The town hall is here, in the main square. Arvas, your operatives will eliminate Nilphas and escape quickly. Now, from what we have observed thanks to Nidryne’s networks are a lapse in guard changes from 12 High Noon, to about an hour after. Farwyn, this is where you and the House Guard come in. Three squadrons of spearmen will block the entrances while a squadron of sharpshooters ensures that Dres supporters do not interfere. From there, we will chalk it up to radicals from the underground, and nab the election due to our House composing most of the electorate. Fadren Adram will be mayor, and thus we will hold Gnisis. For the time being at least. We’ll have to prepare for a Dres retaliation, but that is a necessary risk.” Ilyn looked at a greater map of Vvardenfell and looked to Nidryne, “We need to focus our information gathering efforts on Hla Oad and Gnaar’mok. Tell your people to keep their ears to the ground about Dres retaliation.” Nidryne nodded and sighed, “Do you still want feelers in Cheydinhal?” Ilyn nodded, “That is still a top priority, but the Dres situation will take a similar status.” Nidryne nodded and took notes, encoding them as a recipe for security purposes. With that, the councilors rose and began to go their separate ways, their plot cooked ready for the next day. On the afternoon of the 26th of Midyear, Nilphas Seringi would die. --- [center][i]23rd of Midyear, 4E 205[/i] ???, Seyda Neen[/center] Night had fallen on Balmora, and the courier still had a bit to go. [i]Step one.[/i] The moonlight reflected off the still murky water. Though the ash had quit falling, the waters remained murky. It would take some time for the waters to clear, at least that is what the courier wagered. [i]Step two.[/i] The courier began to approach the house, a mere feet away from where the old Imperial Census and Excise office stood. [i]Step three.[/i] The courier’s fist rapped on the door. The door opened slowly, a gravelly voice let out a roar of, “Who in the name of Oblivion is here at this hour!?” The courier was a little taken aback, before he responded, “I have a message from a…Nelandria Moran?” The door swung open and the courier was snatched inside, a somewhat older Dunmer, presumably in his early 400s, eyed the courier before snatching the letter out of his hand and tipping him, for his trouble, “There you go. Now leave me alone.” The old Dunmer opened the letter and began to read it, [hider=Letter] [i] Draren, Travel to Cheydinhal with your team and gather information. Establish a network there, and keep up a correspondence. -N[/i][/hider] With that, Draren burned the letter and began to prepare. --- [hider=Actions] -Orcs on their way to Largashbur -Assassination plot in motion in Gnisis -Spies on their way to Cheydinhal[/hider]