“He's a Daedra-worshipping heathen, they all are,” said Erandur, shuddering a little, and Elisif was glad to see at least someone else was a bit unnerved by it all. “But he's talented, I will give him that, and he was at least respectful of Lady Mara when I broached the subject.”
Keirine had already moved off towards the central tent, presumably to find her brother, and Argis was still cuddling Farkas, looking rather pleased to see the man for someone who allegedly had just wanted to get laid. So Elisif took a seat next to Brynjolf, hoping for answers.
“Not that I'm not pleased to see you all, but why are you all here?” Elisif said, confused. “This isn't Karthspire.” No, she'd have recognised the mountains – and the mountains surrounding this camp didn't look like the Druadachs. Far icier and one range looking almost like the Anthors in the Pale but surely not. The actual camp seemed located on a plain with a river snaking through it, not somewhere Elisif recognised, and there seemed to be a lot of pine trees around. Maybe this was in the north of the Reach near the Haafingar border, Madanach had said his camp would be there. Except why would Delphine send all the Blades up there?
Silence, all eyes falling on Brynjolf, who cleared his throat, and Elisif hadn't really ever seen him nervous before. She narrowed her eyes, fairly certain she wasn't going to like this.
“Do you know, that is a lovely crown you have there, lass,” Brynjolf said, stroking the dragon teeth, although he hastily stopped that when he saw Elisif actually start to growl at him. “Probably worth a fortune, eh? Don't worry, I wouldn't steal it – it'd be a nightmare to fence and dismantled it's just dragon teeth and steel. The teeth might be worth a bit, but not as much as the thing all together...”
“Stop changing the subject,” Elisif growled. “Brynjolf, what are you all doing on a Forsworn camp in the middle of nowhere? Especially you four!”
“Aela wanted to borrow Azura's Star,” Vilkas shrugged, indicating it. “When she told us what for, we were intrigued enough to volunteer our services.”
“What is it for?” Elisif asked, wondering why the camp needed a protective soul gem shield around it.
“Some sort of massive scale illusion magic,” Aela replied. “From the outside, you can't even tell the camp is here. It's impressive. Too impressive. Frankly, I'm glad we're on their side this time.”
“This isn't an ordinary Forsworn camp, is it?” Elisif said, looking around for Argis. He was sitting next to Erandur having his hand seen to but he did glance up on hearing Elisif.
“Not exactly, Brenhina,” Argis said, looking a bit sheepish. “Um, look, I'm just the housecarl, you want to talk to the King. He's in the tent.”
“Right,” said Elisif, steeling herself. “I'm going to go talk to him. I'll be back soon.” Something was niggling at her mind, something missing, something wrong. Time to get a few answers off Madanach. Someone wasn't telling her everything.
The command tent was one of the bigger ones around, a huge mammoth skull mounted over the entrance and inside several chests, a couple of cupboards, an actual bookshelf, more decorative skulls and Spriggan heads, a drum in the corner and in the middle, a big table with maps all over it, and Madanach himself standing over it, having an animated discussion with Delphine in her Blades gear, Keirine and a Dunmer woman in grey leather and with unusual purple eyes.
“It's definitely true, Madanach, none of them have so much as stirred for days. It's clearly as Erandur and Aranea told us, Elisif defeated Alduin and he's gone to Sovngarde,” Delphine was explaining. “And if he's in Sovngarde, he can't raise dead dragons here.”
“That's something,” Madanach said grudgingly, not looking up from the map. “Gives us a bit of respite at least – I was expecting to lose people to the Nords. Hadn't counted on three dragons roosting round here. I tell you, Delphine, I've never really fought away from home before. Can't tell what the land's feeling, not really.”
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 27.4
Keirine had already moved off towards the central tent, presumably to find her brother, and Argis was still cuddling Farkas, looking rather pleased to see the man for someone who allegedly had just wanted to get laid. So Elisif took a seat next to Brynjolf, hoping for answers.
“Not that I'm not pleased to see you all, but why are you all here?” Elisif said, confused. “This isn't Karthspire.” No, she'd have recognised the mountains – and the mountains surrounding this camp didn't look like the Druadachs. Far icier and one range looking almost like the Anthors in the Pale but surely not. The actual camp seemed located on a plain with a river snaking through it, not somewhere Elisif recognised, and there seemed to be a lot of pine trees around. Maybe this was in the north of the Reach near the Haafingar border, Madanach had said his camp would be there. Except why would Delphine send all the Blades up there?
Silence, all eyes falling on Brynjolf, who cleared his throat, and Elisif hadn't really ever seen him nervous before. She narrowed her eyes, fairly certain she wasn't going to like this.
“Do you know, that is a lovely crown you have there, lass,” Brynjolf said, stroking the dragon teeth, although he hastily stopped that when he saw Elisif actually start to growl at him. “Probably worth a fortune, eh? Don't worry, I wouldn't steal it – it'd be a nightmare to fence and dismantled it's just dragon teeth and steel. The teeth might be worth a bit, but not as much as the thing all together...”
“Stop changing the subject,” Elisif growled. “Brynjolf, what are you all doing on a Forsworn camp in the middle of nowhere? Especially you four!”
“Aela wanted to borrow Azura's Star,” Vilkas shrugged, indicating it. “When she told us what for, we were intrigued enough to volunteer our services.”
“What is it for?” Elisif asked, wondering why the camp needed a protective soul gem shield around it.
“Some sort of massive scale illusion magic,” Aela replied. “From the outside, you can't even tell the camp is here. It's impressive. Too impressive. Frankly, I'm glad we're on their side this time.”
“This isn't an ordinary Forsworn camp, is it?” Elisif said, looking around for Argis. He was sitting next to Erandur having his hand seen to but he did glance up on hearing Elisif.
“Not exactly, Brenhina,” Argis said, looking a bit sheepish. “Um, look, I'm just the housecarl, you want to talk to the King. He's in the tent.”
“Right,” said Elisif, steeling herself. “I'm going to go talk to him. I'll be back soon.” Something was niggling at her mind, something missing, something wrong. Time to get a few answers off Madanach. Someone wasn't telling her everything.
The command tent was one of the bigger ones around, a huge mammoth skull mounted over the entrance and inside several chests, a couple of cupboards, an actual bookshelf, more decorative skulls and Spriggan heads, a drum in the corner and in the middle, a big table with maps all over it, and Madanach himself standing over it, having an animated discussion with Delphine in her Blades gear, Keirine and a Dunmer woman in grey leather and with unusual purple eyes.
“It's definitely true, Madanach, none of them have so much as stirred for days. It's clearly as Erandur and Aranea told us, Elisif defeated Alduin and he's gone to Sovngarde,” Delphine was explaining. “And if he's in Sovngarde, he can't raise dead dragons here.”
“That's something,” Madanach said grudgingly, not looking up from the map. “Gives us a bit of respite at least – I was expecting to lose people to the Nords. Hadn't counted on three dragons roosting round here. I tell you, Delphine, I've never really fought away from home before. Can't tell what the land's feeling, not really.”