Meara's Diary : 14th Rain's Hand
I don’t know what’s next. The world has turned for the Reivers. There’s a ceremony tomorrow where I’m told it will become clear. I need to concentrate on yesterday first though. Once clear of the Imperial City we headed back to our base. I barely had time to update this, my diary, before we were called up again. The Whitefire and Hey Gal took us aside and explained that the other hands were required for a major offensive. The Whitefire wanted to complete this work and retrieve the BattleBorn family from the control of Phaegol. They explained the plan. The Reiver’s best mages had worked on understanding the situation. Phaegol had used various agents to kidnap the BattleBorn woman and child from Skyrim. They’d been smuggled to him and he’d used energy from an old tome to imprison them in a fake Oblivion plane. The Note from Phaegol’s office called it the Ass’ Arcadia, a poor imitation of Mankar Camoran’s Paradise. I’ve no idea who Mankar Camoran is but the Mages seemed excited by the knowledge.
They next said that we must open the gateway at a Doomstone and that they were pretty sure it was the Aetherius Doomstone. Which was north of Skingrad, behind Thalmor lines. General Jonna wanted all the Reivers for the next Imperial push, which only left us Fiddlers. The Whitefire was going against direct orders to join us, she’d told General Jonna a full hand was needed, going with us was her excuse. She also suggested that we were still behind enemy lines and had not been back to base today. Fresh horses were ready for us to head south of Chorrol, as close as we could to the lines. Then just a wait until dark.
Evening arrived and we sneaked through the lines. We slipped by the Aldmeri guards, cloaked in muffle spells and invisibility potions. Whitefire reminded us to keep some potions back for our return when we’d have a family with us. It was funny at first to see Hey Gal wanting to defer to Whitefire, Hey Gal had been set straight on the road to Chorrol. “This is your hand HeyGal”, her accent always made it sound like Hagal, “I’m at your command. Treat me like Beni here.” I was just wishing I had The Whitefire’s white crystal armour. From there it was cross country, avoiding the roads, down to north of Skingrad. When we arrived Hey Gal wanted caution. We scouted the whole area, killing a couple of wolves and a bear on our way round. Well I say we… Shaker and Hey Boy did the killing, Whitefire warned us not to use magic in case it alerts Phaegol. There was no sign of any Aldmeri.
I always thought Hey Boy was just your standard Nord heavy armour tank, slow to think and move. He’s been hiding some deep Alteration and Summoning skills beneath his silent armoured demeanour. He led the way to the doomstone and then performed the incantation as well as the ritual actions to open up this Ass’ Arcadia. A golden circular port zapped into view. Hey Gal, Hey Boy and Whitefire went in, Shaker and I stood guard outside. Shaker stood obviously on guard outside, whilst I waited hidden from a vantage point higher up. Shaker and I could see each other. I was scanning the darkness, nervously jumping at each wolf call in the wind when I caught a glimmer, a brief flash of spell casting light the distance. I hand signalled Shaker, b-alert-sign, ensuring I was out of sight from the direction of the light. It all went quiet and I began to wonder if it was some random conjuror walking through the woods.
Then I saw the figure, he wouldn’t make much of a thief, attempting to sneak up to the Doomstone. I signalled Shaker again, b-alert-n-m-e-apprches, and then we waited. Shaker moved to get his back to a Doomstone, I moved to cover him and the portal. The clouds cleared and I could see them then, two Aldmer, one stumbling the other sneaking approaching the Doomstone circle. With my staff I banged them with a Lightning Ball and I could see the stumbling Aldmer to be the one we’d killed back at Phaegol’s rooms, which probably meant the other was Phaegol himself! He was in Thalmor Armour but it was glowing with a red-gold magic colour. Phaegol retreated, leaving the body of his associate behind. I signalled to Shaker n-m-e-rtrt.
The time passed interminably, where were Hey Gal, Hey Boy and The Whitefire? Then I could hear Phaegol returning, this time with more soldiers. The armour gave him away, I’d never seen armour like it. I scanned the dawning horizon and could see an elite Thalmor unit with him. I let Shaker know and moved closer to him, ready for a spectacular battle but Shaker just thrust me through the gateway and followed me in.
What a view! The light was purple from a single point on the horizon, a parody of a setting sun with the light flowing over an elastic sea and onto a plastic beach as if the grains of sand had been fused into a rough covering. An island rose from the beach with simple trees, everything was as if created from a child’s drawing. A grey path moved up the rising hill, we could see piles of ash signs that there were undead guardians and also Dremora bodies. All of them enemies, we followed the path looking for the rest of our Hand. They’d had to battle their way through the path, over a rise we spotted a parody of an Ayleid temple, it had the correct form but was not made of stone. It had a warm, smooth texture that fingers could tell was fake somehow. This whole place was a facade and I wanted to find Hey Boy and make sure he had a way out. In this temple we heard voices and made the Hands call before entering.
The rest of our hand, Hey Boy, Hey Gal and The Whitefire were stood there with a Nord woman and child. They were signalling to us but we couldn’t hear, so I grabbed Shaker and stopped him. Shaker was all for charging in, a typical Orc, but I held him back outside the fake Ayleid temple. I threw a rock at the temple and it bounced off some sort of ward or protective field, they were all trapped inside! Shaker and I knew we needed to hurry. Those Thalmor were not going to be long behind us. Shaker I sent circling to the left, whilst I took the right and found a hidden entrance. I waited for Shaker to get round to me and we snuck inside. There were two Storm Atronach’s patrolling an underground room. It meant my staff would have little effect. Shaker took his bow out and I went in to super sneak mode by glugging an invisibility potion and slowly moving around behind the first one. With a flick of my hand Shaker fired his bow and before the Storm Atronach could spot me I stabbed my Katana into it’s back then retreated as Shaker moved in wielding his big two-hander. I heard it cutting the air and I threw a couple of firebolts in before the Atronach collapsed. Just in time too because the second fully alert Atronach was upon us. Shaker had to take the brunt, toe to toe with the big boulders of the Daedra, I kept behind and to the side of Shaker throwing firebolts and occasionally stepping right and forward to lay healing hands on Shaker. These were no ordinary Daedra Atronach’s, it took us a long time to take it down. Down it was though. A search revealed a hidden chamber with a missing square puzzle. Each square had a pattern upon it, I was starting to work it out when Shaker just walked up and completed it, I couldn’t believe it and Shaker just shrugged at me said “Seen it before” and walked through the doorway that opened up. We pulled the lever and ran outside, throwing a rock at the forcefield as we got outside. The rock met no resistance. Hey Gal and The Whitefire ran to us as we ran back warning of the attack. Hey Boy shouted that we needed to get to the beach so he could open the portal out of here.
There was no sign of Phaegol or his soldiers, so they’d not followed us in. Before Hey Boy could start the gate conjuration The Whitefire said we needed a plan. It was likely the enemy were waiting to see if we could escape. She suggested that Hey Gal, her brother and the BattleBorns run back to Bruma whilst The Whitefire, Shaker and I held the retreat. Hey Gal argued that she should cover whilst the Whitefire escaped but The Whitefire was immovable, she was going to lead me and Shaker. Our plan was for the escapees to take our remaining invisibility potions and head North through the Dominion lines to Chorrol and Bruma whilst the three of us would hit with ranged weapons to attract their attention and then head east to escape via Lake Rumare up the Cerbele and Red rivers to Cheydinhal.
Which is what happened, Hey Boy opened the gate we exited and hit them whilst the other four exited the gate, went invisible and escaped. As the Dominion soldiers charged we ran east, dodging shock bolts and arrows. We outran them quickly and after several hours reached the gold road but all the time they were following. A couple of lions were met crossing the West Weald, we had to outrun them too but when we hit the Gold Road a guard unit spotted us. The Whitefire had been leading us and she just ran straight at them. Bashing the first guard with her shield and then a single powerful strike to cut him down, she battle-shouted at the next guard and also took her with a single backward slashing attack. I hit the third guard with a shock attack then the Katana to finish him off to see the rest of the Unit down and Shaker sheathing his sword. Soon after we found a cave, Felgageldt, and hid to heal and get some food inside. We then went through clearing bandits and a couple of wolves from the cave. We could then hide in peace until dark. It was during this time that The Whitefire and I talked, or rather The Whitefire talked to me.
So I know The Whitefire’s full name, Kudri, she really trusted me in that dark cave she told me of vision she’d been given by a half-mad Daedra worshipping Dunmer who was in the Reivers. He’d said “You will meet a Breton with the blood of the Oblivion Hero, called Benny. You will not survive this war to see your children again but you must entrust your children to the Breton. My ancestors have told me that your son will tame dragons.” So when I joined she knew I must be the one but caution had led her to holding back from talking to me. This moment in a dark cave, hunted by the Aldmeri Dominion felt like her last chance. We exchanged histories but it was focussed on what she needed to tell me...
She has an elder son, Beorning Wildfire, the ‘Fires family are matriarchal and it’s the custom to either choose your father’s surname or your own prefix at your naming ceremony. Beorning had chosen Wild. She also has twin daughters Agneta and Astrid not old enough for their naming yet. Beorning’s father was a Nord Blade who was most probably murdered at the start of the Great War. Agneta and Astrid are her daughters by her husband, a Silversmith called Lodbrok. They live west of Bruma just north of Applewatch in a large house. I am to take the family into Skyrim and head for Falkreath and then to train her children in magic and swordplay. The tasks that she will not be able to do. At the time the thought of Kudri’s death was too much, but now….
This is how Kudri “The” Whitefire died, living by her own rules. Night had fallen and I scouted outside the cave. The plan was to sneak to the White Rose River and then swim all the way to Cheydinhal. I’d been taught a water-breathing spell before we left, that along with four potions and a water breathing amulet should see us through any Slaughterfish or water borne enemies. We were just coming to a rise above the river when torches appeared along the river bank. Then torches behind and to the side. We were surrounded by elite Thalmor troops, groups of them closing in. From his clothes it looked like Phaegol led the group from the North. Kudri grasped her amulet to Kyne, looked us in the eye and told us how it would be. “You two will smash the group by the river and escape, I will follow you and hold them back from chasing you.” She quickly handed over her potions, gave me a quick hug and handed the amulet to Shaker. “No arguments from either of you, it is my time. Keep an eye from the river and make sure I die.” So saying she turned and hurled a firebolt in the direction of the red-armoured Phaegol, then changed to her shield. Shaker and I turned to the river hammering in arrows and shock bolts at the group. They returned fire, we dodged, rolled and charged them. “Reivers a-aa, a-aa. Death to the Dominion!” Our battle shouts hit them, then we did. Shaker cut three with one masterful swipe, I jointly shocked and cut with my katana, two I think. My ancestor’s legacy in tandem! Half of them were dead or down when Kudri came in bashing with her shield and slashing with her sword. There was a battle rage in her eyes which had almost got a daedric spark. As the last died she pushed us into the water and turned to face four large Thalmor groups. She swallowed potion after potion in between mage fire attacks and rolling defense. Shaker and I hid in reeds the other side of the river with a full view of the battle. A line of Frost Atronachs came stomping at Kudri, stood in her white glass armour with a single Fire Atronach at her side. She dodged, defended and struck until the last one was melted. She had time to conjure another Fire Atronach before hurling herself at the Thalmor, the fight was short and intense. Several Thalmor were down and she was on bended knee bowed but not quite broken when five Thalmor hit her at the same time as her Fire Atronach exploded. We could see Phaegol kicking her dead body before we slipped under water and began the long swim home. I’ll not forget that night. The grim torchlight and a single brave Nord fighting for what she held dear. Shaker and I shared a look but knew we had to press on. The swim was cold and miserable but mostly uneventful, even the Slaughterfish seemed to respect our mourning.
Meara's Diary : 16th Rain's Hand
A short message today before General Jonna puts us on lockdown. We had a memoriam for The Whitefire followed by a Guild meeting. The Reivers leaders; the remainder of her hand and the other hand leaders voted for a new Reiver Guild leader. They took no time to choose Hey Gal which left us Fiddlers without a leader. Shaker and I, back in the crowds of the Hand members looked straight at Hey Boy. He was the only Nord in the Fiddlers so he would be leader. He grinned at us, winked and shook his head signalling ‘not me’. Then I got the biggest shock. Hey Gal called me forward and read The Whitefire’s last instructions to the whole of the Reivers. I was to be the first non-Nord to be given Hand Leadership, additionally there was a private note from Kudri to me. Shaker came over and lifted me in a great Orsimer hug, almost cracked my ribs, and his gutteral voice just kept repeating ‘You’re the boss now’. I think that meant he was happy, leadership’s not his style and for Hey Boy it would involve too much talking.
“Dearest Beni,
I’ll be gone now but I guess we’ll have talked. Once the war is over you know where to go and what to do. This is my introduction note for you to give to Lodbrok, Beorning and the girls. You have my full trust and confidence. Make sure that Beorning and the girls continue their studies, honour the Nine Divines and are respectful to their Lodbrok and you.
See you in Sovngarde, Kudri.” there was a symbol as well. I guess her personal symbol.
Afterwards Hay Gal told us that the Emperor wanted us to be ready for a ‘big push’ no details on where or when. We were to hold our lines and prepare. Hey Gal took me aside and assigned me two new recruits to train up as Fiddlers, there was a Dunmer “I -can” Ekani and “Sig” another Nord from Markarth and none too happy at being led by a Breton girl I think. I guess Kudri had to deal with similar before taking over the Guild.
Meara's Diary : 21st Rain's Hand
Training went well, after the third day of me giving him a magical kicking Sig started to respect me, the fact that Shaker and Hey Boy were backing me also helped. Sig’s a mage so we needed him to get a bit better at stealth whilst I-can was in a Thieves Guild in the Nibenay basin, she needed a focus on killing rather than avoiding. She also needed to know her physical charms won’t work in battle. It’s weird being the leader of the Hand, I didn’t realise how far I’d come until working with these novices. Hey Boy seems relieved he won’t have to take leadership duties too, probably a bit difficult when your sister’s head of the Reivers.
Meara's Diary : 25th Rain's Hand
I remember my first sally to Fingerbowl Cave and how it all went wrong, and my old chainmail shirt. Now I have full Glass Armour courtesy of the Hand’s smiths, it’s got some good defense against magic too. Just to wet the new Hand members palms we headed to Moss Rock Cavern and cleared out the Bosmer inside and followed it by a quick hit and run raid on a Aldmeri patrol. All was good, Sig took to his role as artillery and healer, I-can got her hands well and truly dirty. We behaved like a properly organised hand although I had to change the tactics with our different skillsets. Saffsir and Hey Gal had some good ideas which we put into practice over the past few days of training. Sig has a good singing voice whilst I-can has skills with the lute.
Meara's Diary : 26th Rain's Hand
Feeling good, a bit too much Nordic Mead and a wild night with Saffsir. Probably a bad idea but there’s a battle coming and neither of us might be alive soon.
Meara's Diary : 3rd Second Seed
Well he had a laugh on Jester’s Day in the Reivers Guild. The Fiddlers, as Hand band, kept playing all day there was a fierce energy floating through our headquarters. We all knew that the ‘big push’ was coming soon and that many of us won’t make it. I almost wore my drum out but I do miss Tully’s lute playing though. It had an etheric quality whilst I-can’s playing is harder and raunchier.
On the 29th Rain’s Hand we moved south overnight, ready for what people are now calling ‘The Battle of the Red Ring’. We were the light troops to harry and distract any sally to the south by the Aldmeri Dominion from the Imperial City. Jonna was looping through there to join up with the army of General Decianus. This would surround the Imperial City and cut off the Thalmor army inside. I was hoping to meet Phaegol and fulfil my oath of revenge. It was good to see all the Reivers moving out, even the support staff were moving. We were to clear the route initially, saving the Jonna’s Legions from having to slow down and then protect their northern flank.
It was a misty morning when we moved east of the Imperial City, looping to the south of the city. Our job was to cross the Upper Niben and wait near Alessia for the Jonna’s Nord Legions. The Reivers were to hold the bridge until the heavy Legions could secure it. After that we were to harry and delay any raid from the City. We left undercover of the night and got to the NIbenay Basin for dawn. We carried food for a couple of days and stored them. Traveling through the mist the Reivers Hands caused eddies and flows in the fog like some current in time and history. Then the battle started, to the North first with the Emperors attack then troops started leaving the city. They must have seen Jonna’s Legions heading to cut their supply routes. That’s when we came screaming out of our hiding places to ambush them. That first group was a mayhem in attack, a blur really. We outnumbered them and pushed them back, soon after came the heavy counter-attack, that was hard, hard fighting. We held the bridge, just almost breaking as the Legions came in. The organisation of the Hands had fallen apart, we were just a single army of Reivers fighting, supporting and dying against the Aldmeri Dominion.
Then the day became a blur of counter-attacks by the Dominion. Troops coming up the Green Road from Valenwood or Bravil, with others attacking from the Imperial City. Hey Boy went down somewhere late in the day, I never saw what happened. Too busy surviving an onslaught of Thalmor troops along with some Nord Legionnaires and Shaker. I lost all sense of time, it just became the slip, slide, cut, thrust and parry of battle followed by gulping food, healing myself and fixing my armour for the next firebolt or Daedric force to come. What I do remember is early on the second day, just as dawn was lighting the sky.
Shaker and I were hunkered down behind the barricades with a few Nord Legionnaires, getting some rest. Too tired to talk or grieving Hey Boy’s loss, I was numb anyway. The guards shouted another counter, it was a suicide attack. A small group of Altmer led by a Thalmor in red armour; Phaegol. The tiredness left my body, it was as if Stendarr himself had energised me with righteous anger. Shaker spotted the change in me, saw where I was looking and then just went Berserk. Like a bolt he thundered across the space towards the Altmer his hammer swinging. He’d outrun me, who was not far behind. Neither of us cared what the Legionnaires did behind us. Phaegol’s death was all I wanted, I’d sworn an oath to Talos! Phaegol pushed the Altmer into the attack, they took the brunt of Shakers hammering. I moved round the side and faced Phaegol, my Glass armour was a glowing cyan sea colour against his Thalmor blood-red.
Time slowed, I shouted “For Tally” and Phaegol stumbled I had a second Katana from somewhere and the blades whipped upon the Altmer, slicing his armour. It was as if he didn’t bleed as his armour was blood-red but his magicka was diminishing. Summoning power was slowing, I kept up the attacks knowing I was close to death but that Phaegol was closer. No time for potions or healing, just sword dealing. I think I was close to death when suddenly a feeling of strength and health flowed and Sig was behind me. I took a deep breath as Phaegol conjured some demon from Oblivion and then hit him with a flurry of attacks, disrupting his conjuration and leaving him defeated on the floor. Shaker turned and hammered in the killing blow. This was a suicide attack to break our lines and then heavy Thalmor troops came flooding at us. We were smashed and disorganised, somewhere I lost Sig and Shaker. But Phaegol was dead, I was alive and my revenge oath had been fulfilled.
The battle raged for another day or so until finally word came down the Dominion’s General Naarifin had been captured and the Emperor had his city back. I searched for the rest of my hand, finding Hey Boy’s body. No one knew what happened to I-can, Shaker had taken arrows to both knees and was being nursed by a female Orc soldier he’d hooked up with. Sig I found near Phaegol’s body, he must have died in that berserk battle there. A shame, he saved my life.
Meara's Diary : 10th Second Seed
Last day as one of the Reivers. My hand died in the Battle of the Red Ring, the Reivers are not needed now the Emperor is back and is negotiating a peace with the Aldmeri Dominion. Time to fulfil my oath to Kudri. Time to head north, time to meet the boy Beorning.
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