The morning of Sun's Height 5 couldn't be any gloomier. Enduring through a sleepless night brought on by Kamal bombardment, the people of Windhelm should at least see sunlight to brighten their morning. Alas, none came. The White River spew out dense fog, blanketing the city in mist as snow demons continued pounding. Above everything, layers upon layers of cloud hung ominously low. These were dark storm clouds, though not all have arrived above Windhelm, they were definitely on that trajectory.
Walking outside would make one shiver, from the damp water vapors seeping through clothing. As such, leaving the wounded out in open air certainly does not constitute for wise. Neither was leaving out the deceased. There were hundreds of corpses still waiting to be taken care of. In no way, shape or form could the Hall of the Dead accommodate so many, so quickly. A few dead bodies have been burned in small pyres, but with the city streets crowded, smoke and flames spreading is the greater concern. For the time being, most of the dead were stacked near the gates, hidden under dirty tarps and watched over by guards.
Normally, morning meant fresh supplies brought in through the front gates, and then traded in the marketplace. No such relieve came today. Even though most households owned sufficient reserves to last days, if not weeks, the panicking idea of isolation from the outside world was unsettling. Business came to a grinding halt, nobody in their right mind would dare setting up shop while projectiles landed left and right. A select few shops remained open against the odds, all under the security of sturdy roofs. The Candlehearth Hall was one of such. Patrons drank harder than ever, so hard that the owners established a limit to how much each person could drink. Beside them, a portion of the main floor, along with most of the basement were cordoned off to facilitate medical demands.
Now, just because the average citizen practiced duck and cover, it doesn't mean the next person hid as well. Routine parties frequented the ramparts, braving all sorts of projectiles sent their way. Most of these parties positioned themselves over the front gate (or western sections), overlooking the bridge while staying away from Kamal ships. Ice missiles still bombarded the walls, albeit at a slower rate now then before. Looking through a spy glass would allow the observer to see Kamals offloading materials from their vessels. Like Tamrielic armies, the snow demons brought in crates and barrels as well. However, some swore they glimpsed strange matters as a few ships came and went. There was supposedly a polar bear-like creature, except that it had eight legs, whiskers and a suction cup type mouth. Others spotted vehicles similar to chariots, which instead of using horses and wheels, were carried on the backs of ice wraiths. Lastly, Tamrielic figures could be observed marching under Kamal orders. These were likely prisoners, uncertain whether they would executed or something worse. However, rumors quickly spread about collaborators working in conjunction with the enemy. Such thoughts borderline the unthinkable; did the snow demons truly have inside help?
Worrisome as the Kamals are, many in the city had more pressing matters. For one, finding sheltering in order to get some shut-eye might be a shrewd choice for many. Since the Kamals first struck in the morning, capable bodies stayed alert for an entire day. As objects would occasionally tumble from high-up, good sleeping quarters became more valuable as ever. The Palace of the Kings restricted access to guards and officials, even so, rocks piercing through its roof proved it was not completely safe. Relmyna and Anika were escorted away to barracks adjacent to the Palace, where they could be visited behind bars should one speak to the guards there. With their former leader relieved from command, the Dawnguards made themselves scarce, probably shut behind their rooms in Candlehearth. Adelaisa Vendicci rounded up rest of her employees in the old Aretino residence (purchased by EEC last year); they have many casualties to contend with. White River Braves played the good samaritans, aiding those in dire need. At last, the Argonians were the most restless.
After their elder's rousing speech, many lizard-folks charged themselves up in vigor. Throughout the night, an Argonian mob would grow in number as it marched through the Gray Quarter. Some Nords, and even Dunmers, shouted obscenities and threw objects at the them, but that would only stir up the mob's anger. When morning finally came, this mass of lizards drew ever closer to the Stone Quarter, where guards kept well-off Nord holdings separate from carnage of war. However, confrontation broke out as soon as the crowd met guards. Nearly a hundred Argonians demanded they be let out somehow. To which the guard responded with the obvious: it is unsafe to venture outside. Then a few eager Argonians shove their way through, knocking down guards and Nordic citizens while causing brawls to break out. A Dunmer further escalated the debacle when he lobbed a bottle full of alchemical mixtures into the crowds, prompting weapons to be drawn and morphing fisticuffs into a full-on battle.
Not far from the scene was Ashav and his lieutenants. The company leader just assigned Edith to check up on Relmyna, and Dumhuvud to the rest of the company, as one guardsman came requesting assistance. Apparently, Argonians are ready to prove their undying loyalty to the Hist by shedding Nord and Dunmer blood. The mercenaries would be needed to keep the mob down, deescalate hostilities and catch the Dunmer agitator who hurled the potion.
Sillyman59,
Carantathraiel,
AlteredTundra,
ayzrules,
Shu,
Spoopy Scary,
MacabreFox,
Shin Ghost Note,
Vesnic,
CaliforniaState
