Loyalty or No SV you Are the Daedra

[Kyrina]

You don't bother transforming your dagger back into a sword. Smaller faster weapons make striking fast and hard easier and you're going to live up to your name! And there's one more thing.

"We don't have to put up with you immigrant goblins from Morrowind!" You shout and cut down the nearest goblin with a perfect upward slash. It's friend sweeps its spear at you but your followup slash takes you out of its reach. "Coming into our lands and kidnapping our hardworking elves!" Red splashes on the ground. Two goblins down.

There's a third, already in the way of the last part of your flurry. It jabs at you, trying to keep you back. You ignore it, letting the point skitter off your armour. "Cyrodiil's bandits work hard for these kidnap extortion jobs and I for one-" the goblin doesn't hear the rest of the sentence but its friends do "-won't let lazy immigrant Morrowind goblins steal them!"

The four remaining goblins form a spiky defensive cluster. You descend on it like a madman, not feeling the spear heads driving into your armour with your own fervour. Your dagger darts up and down and side to side like a striking snake, almost faster than the eye can see and leaving only destruction in its wake.

Only two goblins remain and one of those scrabbles at an oozing slice down one arm, the fear of you in its eyes. "I'm going to build a wall along the border!" You declare and raise your dagger against the single un-wounded goblin. It doesn't stay that way for long.

"And I'll make Morrowind pay for it!" You shout as the goblin with the injured arm sprints away from you down the tunnel.

You hear a noise behind you and turn. Diana is clinging to Tenor's back, face visible over his shoulder plate, and she looks torn between confusion and horror. Lucas is being carried bridal style by Baritone for some reason. He looks absolutely livid about something... probably the way he's being carried by your minion. Yeah that has to be it.

Diana slides off Tenor, lower lip white with pressure as she bites it. "Y-You didn't mean all that about walls and lazy immigrants. Right Fast?"

Oh.... Shit, none of that sounded good, did it?

[ ] Sorry no time to explain gotta rescue Morlia. Bye!

[ ] It's not what it sounds like, I can explain!

[ ] Yeah, I meant every word! Is that a problem?

[ ] Write in

How do Diana and Lucas get across the chasm?

[ ] The don't, no time, gotta go Fast!

[ ] Maybe the minions can jump it, you did! Sorta.

[ ] Throw them!

[ ] Write in

I feel horrible for writing this, like seriously horrible. So you all get to suffer with me because you've disappointed Diana and hugs ain't gonna fix it.

 

[Kyrina]

"Ha! Not in the slightest! We were just aping the 'quality' political discourse we have back home." You make air quotes from your sword to frame the word quality, just to make things clear. "As a cunning strategy to confuse and demoralise the foe." Not that you probably needed it given just how effective those flurries of blows were against said foes.

"I don't think you should repeat any of that in a town... people might start thinking walling Cyrodiil off from the rest of Tamriel is a good idea." Diana says uncertainly, hands clasping and unclasping in front of her. "Besides all goblins are native to Cyrodiil, everyone knows that." She tries to smile but it breaks after half a second.

"Forget that, get this thing to let go of me!" Lucas distracts her admirably from where he's still stuck being carried by Baritone. He struggles with the crystal arms holding him but Baritone is much stronger and tougher than he is.

"His name is Baritone, try asking politely." Diana says in a syrupy sweet voice. "I'm sure that would work, right Bass." She pats your other minion on the forearm.

"I think so." Bass confirms. You're pretty sure Lucas is glaring at the pair of them.

"Fine, Baritone put me down." Lucas snaps. Nothing happens.

"Say please." You suggest, there's no way you'd miss getting in on this. Even if you aren't sure how it happened.

"Please." You can hear how hard he has his teeth clenched. Baritone drops him. "Ow" That worked exactly as you intended. Perfect. Now to figure out how to get them across the chasm. It shouldn't be that hard.

You hold up your dagger and frown at it. What you want is a long thin plank of crystal. It's not hard to visualise and you push the mental template you've created onto the dagger. It trembles in your gauntlet, expanding out a little to a more plank-like shape. You push harder and something somewhere protests with a loud crystalline screech.

Unlucky. Good shot though... gives me an idea.

You're left holding your sword, nothing more nothing less. "Damn." You thought it was working there for a second but you suppose not. Maybe it's not designed for large non-weapon constructs? Oh well on to plan B!

I do not approve this plan. Knights of Order are not known for their balance or acrobatic skill.

Morphing your sword into a grappling hook complete with length of chain is child's play. Throwing it accurately across the gap is harder and you don't snag the support post on first try. Bass and Baritone helpfully hook it around for you, then loop the chain around once more just in case. On your side of the chasm you loop and fuse the chain around a support post sturdily. No way that's coming off unless you want it too.

"Alright, Bass first 'cause I need to borrow your sword buddy." You pat the taught chain gently. Bass looks at it. If he had a face to emote with you're pretty sure he'd be giving the chain a very dubious look. Lucas rolls his eyes.

"Allow me to demonstrate." The thief says and hops up onto the chain lightly. He pauses a moment, taking a deep breath, then walks across the chasm, eyes fixed somewhere past you and definitely not on the chain links under his feet. He reaches you in a handful of seconds and hops off with a showmanly flourish. "Tah-dah"

"Can I borrow your sword?" You ask him eagerly.

"Have you ever seen me carrying a sword for you to borrow."

"Well..." you check, there's no sword at his side, "no. Come on Bass, it's easy." You call to your minion.

Bass considers the chain for a moment before grabbing it with both hands and proceeding to climb across sloth style. He releases the chain, lands with a crash then scrambles to his feet to present you with his sword.

"Thanks Bass." You say brightly, taking his sword. Diana approaches the chain with trepidation. Lucas is standing by the post, watching carefully and smiling encouragingly at her. They look well able to handle this.

New sword in hand you charge deeper in the tunnels. You've got to be nearly there now. There's no way the goblins who took Morlia can be much further ahead of you.

You've gone maybe ten paces, past a turn in the tunnel, when you hear a high terrified scream from behind you that cuts off abruptly. You know that voice. Diana

[ ] Go Back! If something attacked her you'll tear it to shreds and set them on fire for daring!

[ ] Keep going. Lucas and two Knights of Order are with her. You trust them. She'll be fine... right?

*Evil Laughter* Ahem, I mean, write ins remain a welcome addition to this quest and the dice gods remain evil.

 

[Kyrina]

Bass, what was that?! You yell mentally at your favourite minion, refusing to slow your stride until you know whether or not Diana needs your help.

Nothing Boss-man. Diana just slipped a little, Lucas caught her, it's all good. Bass reassures you quickly, adding a flash of memory to the end of his communication.

You watch Diana edging close to the end of the makeshift rope bridge when her foot slips off the crystal links of the chain. A replay of the short terrified scream you heard fills your head as Diana loses her balance and starts to fall. Luckily for her she's practically over solid ground and Lucas is right at the end of the chain. He grabs her wrist and pulls her onto solid ground, safe and sound.

You sigh. Thanks Bass, give her a hug from me.

Can do Boss-man! It's too easy to imagine Bass saluting the air. Relief eases a little tension and worry from where it's settled in your chest. One damsel in distress down one to go.

You emerge from this tunnel into a huge open cave, large as a lord's hall with cracks in the ceiling to let in golden shafts of light. This chamber looks very, very lived in. Several fires flicker and spit around the edges of the cave while a huge central bonfire burns brightly in the centre. Pots, pans, spits, chests and rugs litter the ground, grouped up around fires and small humps of fabric that are probably beds or the like.

A nodule of a shiny rock, most likely a kind of metal ore you think, rises to one side of the bonfire. It reminds you of Pride Rock in how it stands proud and slopes to something of a pinnacle overlooking everything in the cave below it. Standing on the rock is a goblin, red painted markings striping its face, bones clattering from strings hanging off each joint and holding a staff topped by a skull. You have a sneaking suspicion that's the shaman for this tribe of goblins.

Morlia is surrounded by goblins with weapons of all kinds and being urged up the sloping rock on pain of being stabbed. There's a streak of damp red in her blonde hair and down one side of her face.

There are a lot of other goblins here. Too many to count at a glance. You'd estimate about a dozen menacing Morlia and more than forty others watching the shaman and the elf.

[ ] Sneak around and try and get to Morlia before letting all hell loose

[ ] Wait, if they hurt her you can leap into action but backup is coming soon and a proper plan will help

[ ] You took my Morlia, give her back! (CHARGE)

[ ] Do something else

Apologies for lateness, have an update for being patient and sticking around!

 

[Kyrina]

You sheathe your sword, crouch low and proceed with catlike tread. The cavern is mottled by deep shadows around the edges and between the fires. There's not a full path in shadow to the rock platform in the centre but you think you can get there without turning too many heads.

But for now you can stick to the murky, slightly smokey outside of the cave. Like a pale blue crystal ninja you hug the wall, feeling every bump and lump under your fingers as you crouch along behind the crowd of goblins watching the production atop the rock. Morlia is holding herself rigidly upright and stubbornly refusing to do as she's instructed by the menacing goblins until one or two take a swipe at her. You'd grin about the fact that she's giving you time to get to her but no lips and you content yourself with general smugness.

Half way around the cave edge and you reach a difficult spot. You need to start towards the rock if you're going to get close enough to get up there and free Morlia before any goblin can react. The problem is the two fires close together near the edge. The warm orange glow from both laps at the tips of your crystal boots and they gleam a little in the light. That wouldn't be so bad but there's a group of goblins around each fire. One wrong move and they will notice a gleam of light in the dark let alone a seven foot Knight of Order.

Mentally you breathe deep, inviting in a calm certainty in what you are about to do.

With careful feline precision and grace you pull away from the wall and tread the murky path to the rock and Morlia's salvation. Each footstep makes you want to wince, ringing loud in your non-existent ears. Thankfully the goblins don't notice any of that.

Then your foot brushes against a pebble and sends it skimming out in front of you. One of the goblins looks after the noise, scanning the murk ahead of where you're standing, sword ready. After several moments the goblins shrugs and turns back to chatting with a friend. You think it might have said something like 'it was just the wind'.

You sigh and immediately freeze. You didn't mean to actually sigh! Argh, it was so loud as well! They're going to see you for sure!

Instead you just hear the same probably 'it was just the wind' comment make the rounds again. Not about to push your luck any further you hurry quietly onward and make sure not to step on any more pebbles.

Finally, when Morlia is very nearly exactly where the goblins want her to stand and the shaman is polishing a very large, very rusty knife, you reach the rock. You'd wait for a better chance or scout around for a better angle but there's no time. Morlia needs rescuing now.

"AAAAAAAA! KIBENYA!" You leap up onto the rock sword in hand and slash it across the shaman's chest. The bone covered goblin staggers back in a chorus of clatters and jangles. "AMADITCHIBABA SITTEEYU~"

"Took your time didn't you! 'Fast Enough' my foot!" Morlia snaps at you. The goblins who were menacing her back of, confused if their wide eyes and rapid chatter is anything to go by. The Shaman, blood oozing from the cut across its chest, scrambles past you into the ranks of the other goblins before you can hit it again.

You quickly cut a thick rope from around Morlia's wrists and retreat up the rock further, hoping to bottle neck the goblins so they can't swarm you.

"Do you have a plan for this?" Morlia asks.

[ ] What do you do
-[ ] Flurries for everyone!
-[ ] Power attacks are the way to go
-[ ] Spin to win deals with numbers best
-[ ] Basics are where it's at
-[ ] Write in

[ ] Ideas for what Morlia does
-[ ] Summon something, preferably lots of them!
-[ ] Just blast them with that little fireblast!
-[ ] Improvise, just don't light me on fire!
-[ ] Nothing, stay behind me and stay safe.

Update for the update throne and bad singing for all!