Re: Skyrim Role Play

[Pelt of Stary Light]

Breyela did not like the tone of voice the mer was using, or the look she gave when she saw her scar. Giving back the missive, she got up and replied,

"I'm going to start heading back then, you're welcome to ride with me or we can just meet back at Riften."

She did not want to say anything else that might give away the fact that she knew more about the Silver Crescents than she would like people to know.

[Admin]

The look persisted, though Belyani said nothing about her abrupt change in the tone of her voice. She merely stood with the wood elf.

"I suppose I've had my fun, Khepri will understand. Oh, and where are my manners, Belyani Notrara, a pleasure to meet you."

[Pelt of Stary Light]

Holding a stern look with Belyani, she introduced herself as well, but she did not give her true name,

"Eclipse. A pleasure to meet you as well." Eclipse was given to Breyela as her nightingale name when she became Guild master. She used it in times like these when she wasn't quite sure on what someone's true intentions were.

[Admin]

"Of course it is." the dunmer woman replied as she wrapped a fur lined cloak around her and packed her few belongings. In a matter of minutes the room was ready to be left.
--------
It was a long trip, from Dawnstar back to Riften, a week had passed and when the wood elf had dragged herself back to the Cistern with their guest Khepri did not look entirely pleased.

Her grudge against Breyela was still fresh in her mind and caused her to contemplate moving her kits to her hideout in Solitude. At least there her cover story would keep them safe as an Elsweyer emissary's adopted children, or cup bearers. But her house karl insured her that no other threats she could not handle have happened since the break in. And she trusts the womans skill with a blade.

As of now she sat at her desk, papers strewn haphazardly as always, with Brynjolf at her side. The damnable dog at his heels because apparently the damn nord was a dog person.

Humph.

She eyed Breyela sharply as Belyani glanced at the two of them with something akin to amusement. Though to be fair, Khepri hasn't seen much that didn't amuse the centuries old elf.

"Fine, you completed the task Khepri gave you. You screw up once and you are out." she hissed at Breyela. Brynjolf sighed, head in his hand.

"She just means to make note of the shadow marks more the next time to break into a place lass." he turns a disapproving eye to the Khajiit. "Isn't that right?"

Khepri snorted.

"So what is that you've brought to me Mistress Belyani?" she changed the subject. The dark elf waved her missives in her hand.

"Something seems to be amiss in Vallenwood. Alias hasn't reported in, in months, our last check in was a year ago and I knew the boy was in good shape. And his guild was doing fine, even recruited a new member," at this, the dark elves eyes flickered over to Breyela, eyes on the scar along her face, before turning back to Khepri.

"I have some information, but I wanted to get you in on it. Cyrodiil liked how you handled the corruption of Mercer's little conspiracy. We want it handled and Vallenwood back under our control."

Khepri tilted her head in thought.
"Alias...he was the bosmer guild master i met that time all branches gathered wasn't it. Khepri almost stabbed him, it is offensive to touch a Khajiit woman's tail as he did." she huffed.

"My, he always was a bit too forward with women." Belyani shook her head with a laugh.

[Pelt of Stary Light]

Breyela nodded a thank you Brynjolf for trying to help smoothe things down.
But a searing pain stabbed Breyela's heart at the mention of her deceased love. She tried to hide the pain, but if one looked deep enough into her eyes they could see they were like a raging storm. Breyela didn't even pay notice to Belyani eyeing her scar once again.

She turned away from the high ranking guild masters and made her way to the bar to get some much needed food. She beckoned Lazuli to follow her. The wolf nudged her hand obviously noticing she wasn't okay. smiling Breyela rubbed Lazuli's head affectionately, the damn wolf always knew when she was sad, and always tried to cheer her up.

[Admin]

Belyani and Khepri watched Breyela until she was no longer in the cistern. Brynjolf waited patiently for the others to speak.

Khepri did not wait long.

"What do you know?"

"I lied when i said last year was the last time i went to Vallenwood. Before I came to Skyrim I went to the source to investigate." Belyani started. She leaned against Khepri's desk with her hip and crossed her arms.

"I didn't let my presence be known. I saw no hide, nor hair of Alias or even who I knew to be his second, a wood elf, lovely girl and Alias was absolutely smitten with her."

"It isn't unusual to see bosmer in their homeland." Khepri pointed out.

"Yes well, she was distinctive enough that I could pick her out of a crowd of other wood elves, I'd seen her in passing when I went to the Vallenwood branch. But we're getting off topic. A different man was apparently the one giving orders." I did not like him, he just doesn't have the charm for running a thieving ring." Belyani fretted with a sigh.

"I didn't stay much longer, I thought perhaps if there was a sudden change in leadership like what happened here we would get a report soon. But no such thing, we waited weeks. The Grey Fox was getting antsy."

"All reports stopped then?" Khepri asked, Belyani nodded.

"I've no clue if its related, but just recently group in Raven Rock got in contact with one of ours in Cyrodiil. Which is odd, some no name thieving ring wouldn't know how to contact the Grey Fox's men without prior knowledge, or we go to them. Thats how I planned it to be. It pleases Nocturnal that we do not simply give hand outs to any ragtag group of scoundrels the chance to serve her."

"Yes, Nocturnal has standards, we mustn't forget." Khepri huffed, she had heard once, Mercer had even tried to get in with the elusive few that spoke directly to their patron Deadra. Foolish man he was.

"It gets stranger." Belyani interrupted the khajiit's thoughts. "the Grey Fox had counsel with our prince, Nocturnal seemed almost...pleased that this group in Raven Rock searched us out."

"I am inclined to follow her demands and observe them before making contact, but I wanted you to assist. You are skilled, Khepri, and one of the few in Nocturnal's graces. One of the youngest to be guild master other than Alias and I way back when--"

"You are only 2 centuries."

"Yes, well, I no longer run the guild in Cyrodiil." she pointed out.

"Please, by this point Khepri knows you are simply letting the Grand Guild Master speak in your stead as you go off on missions Nocturnal sends you on. She uses the Grey Fox to do her bidding more than her common followers."

Belyani gave a shrug but did not bother to say much else. This was not going to be a task for her other identity, the grey fox mask securely locked away in the Nightingale vault in Cyrodiil.

"So...say Khepri comes to help you, should I bring another along?"

The dunmer hums, then gives a scheming smile.

"Bring that wood elf, Eclipse."

"You mean Breyela?"

"Yes, I have a feeling she will knows far more than she's willing to let on. You are her Guild Master, I expect her to trust you enough to be another pair of eyes and ears for you. If she cannot spill her secrets to you, then I will make her."

"Do not set Khepri's people on fire, Khepri might actually grow to like her if she thinks before acting."

[Pelt of Stary Light]

After a early morning trip to the lake to give herself a good bathing, Breyela Headed back to the cistern to ask Brynjolf for some work. She wanted to show her guild master that she wasn't just some clumsy thief who couldn't keep her head on straight.

Ariving at the bar she asked Vekel if he'd seen Bryjolf, "Hes in the practice room, he said he was looking for ya." Continuing on into the cistern she eventually found Brynjolf. "You wanted to see me?"

[Admin]

Bryjolf paused mid swing of his sword and turned to her with a friendly smile.

"Aye, Khepri has a proposition for you, I was asked to bring you to her and Belyani." he informed. He sheathed his blade and turned to walk through the winding halls back to the cistern.

When once again they were back to the little corner of the cistern Khepri looked up from her silent discussion with the Cyrodiil dunmer.

"Good, you brought her." she spoke to Brynjolf. "As you were Brynjolf, this one will call if she needs you."

With a nod, the man turned back to his own business.

[Pelt of Stary Light]

Slightly nervous as to what kind of job they wanted her in on, she approached them. "You wanted to see me?"

[Admin]

"Yes, are you from Vallenwood?" Khepri got right to he point.

[Pelt of Stary Light]

Fuck. She let a long sigh. "Yes. Me and Alias were partners. Until he died."

[Admin]

Khepri blinked, her ear standing up on point. Her usually slit pupils rounded until she looked as harmless as a curious cat.

"Huh, this one did not see that coming." she admited before turning to the Dark elf in the room who didn't look surprised at all.

"You knew, didn't you?" she accused. Belyani quirked her lips.

"Of course I did, I know everything." she said lightly before her smile dropped and the woman was all business. "Now what's this about the boy being dead? Why was the mother guild not informed of this change in leadership, more importantly, Breyela of the Silver Crescents, why are you not currently leading the guild you were suppose to take over after said death?"

"The tail grabber is dead? Khepri does not understand."

[Pelt of Stary Light]

"I guess i should start from the beginning. He went on what was supposed to be a five day job, someone up in Hammerfell wanted someone framed for some crime, I cant exactly remember. We waited a month, I sent his bestfriend Damiel to go find out what happened and when he returned we found out he had been murdered." Trying not to let her voice shake, she continued,

"I sent out a letter to the main branch in Cyrodill with the information, and took his place. I really didn't handle much anything, Damiel did. I was a wreck and he was Alias's bestfriend so i thought he'd have the guilds best interests at heart. Then, our relationship took a not so good turn. He became infatuated with me and when I told him I didn't feel the same way, he said he'd frame me for Alias's death and that the guild would have me put to death if I didn't marry him. I wrote a letter of resignation and fled that night. Then i came here and you know the rest."

[Admin]

The two women were silent as Breyela recalled her tale and when she was finished, Belyani was frowning, her red eyes narrowed.

"Why does this sound familiar?" it was Khepri that answered with a threatening growl.

"Because this is similar to what my guild went through."

"To threaten someone of the guild with death--that is not the way Nocturnal guides her people. If Alias is indeed dead, then I can only imagine it was a planned murder. And while one of the Thieves Guild's cardinal rules is not to kill, the nightengales are not bound by such if they are given Nocturnal's blessing." Belyani spoke. She clicked her tongue then.

"Khepri, you are one of the three of her favored located here in Skyrim--well, four if we include Breyela--do you think we could hold counsel with our lord of shadows tonight?"

Khepri didn't take even a moment to think, her mind working even as she answered.

"I will inform Karliah and Brynjolf." she says, then turns to Breyela with her sharp eyes.

"It is always the man's best friend that ruins these things, it is good that you left, but Khepri thinks you should have killed this Damiel first. You had the right as an agent of Nocturnal."

[Pelt of Stary Light]

Thankful to the fact that they were understanding, she let out a sigh of relief. "I'll get my armor, I hid it just outside the city walls. Where are we meeting?"

[Admin]

"The entrance is to the south of Riften, I will lead us there once the moon has risen." Khepri finalized before she dismissed the other women to open the doors to the guild treasury where the Khajiit held her own armor inside a hidden chest behind the very walls.

She closed the doors behind her, ignoring the gleam and sparkle of the septims and jewels, and enchanted armor.
---

Belyani, after Khepri had left them to their own divices, turned to Breyela. The dunmer smiled that strange, enigmatic smile of hers.

"Alias...I saw the boy grow up, even taught him a thing or two." She murmured. "This indiscretion with the Silver Crescents will not go unpunished. He spoke highly of you Breyela, I expect to see what he saw in you during our endeavor to make sense of this matter."

[Pelt of Stary Light]

Breyela didn't know what to say to the kind words, though they brought her much sorrow, they brought her something else as well. She finally felt like she could start to heal, She had hope.

"I wont let you down. I wont let him down, not again." she pushed back her emotions that were boiling under her skin. She headed out the cistern without another word or glance, her shadow mark necklace in hand. I'm going to make him pay for this.

She headed out the city gates and to a large tree that was wedged in between two boulders, underneath the braches was the locked chest she hid her armor in. She pulled it out and unlocked it with the small key she had in her pocket. Pulling out the armor, and suiting up there was one more thing she needed sitting at the bottom of the chest, Her bow. Pulling out the beautiful and sentimental weapon, she quickly aimed and shot a branch clean of a tree across the forest floor. She was ready.

[Admin]

Belyani came to the little nook in the cistern Khepri had provided her. Her bag at the end of the bed. As she shuffled through it, picking out her black armor with care, she almost wished she had brought the cowl of the grey fox, but with pursed lips and a shake of her head she gave up on the thought.
----
Khepri ran her clawed hand over the emblem of a bird embracing a full moon, recalling the only time she had need to wear the gifted armor. It had only been once and see had locked it away, more focused on building up the thieves guild and admittedly, providing for the two orphaned children she had taken to.

The khajiit looked down at her discarded guild master leathers before pulling on the form fitting armor that felt like no leather or metal known to the mortal plane. Her mask and hood was last, leaving just her piercing turquoise eyes to catching the light of the scones attached to the walls.
----
By the time the moon had risen high into the sky, Khepri stood in the center of the cistern. The bodies of the guild members that lived in the cistern fast asleep. A her side were Brynjolf and Karliah, the other two to make up Skyrims Nightingale trinity.

They waited in silence for the elves.

Khepri studied the emblem of her armor yet again, as she was prone to do when in the armors presence.

Belyani was the first to met with them in the center of the hideout, her emblem that of a bird holding a half moon, much like Brynjolf's.

[Pelt of Stary Light]

Arriving in the cistern with her bow and quiver strapped to her back, she greeted them all with a nod, she also noticed that she was the only one with a new moon on her armor. she dismissed the observation and brought herself back to the present.

"I'm ready."

[Admin]

"We must keep to the shadows," the female figure with the crescent moon emblem on her armor informed. "And exit through the rat way, guards are being posted at one of our back exits."

Khepri shook her head in annoyance.

"The Jarl thinks if she posts stricker guards, hen she may find weasel amongst the guild." she muttered before leading the way out of the cistern, Ragged Flagon, and rat way. Khepri had to stop by the door to peak though just a crack before deeming it safe enough to leave.

Riften at night was heavy with fog and faint pin points of light from the guards mens' torches. And there were definitely more than there were during day time.

"Should I be worried about this increase in guards?" Belyani whispered.

"No, Khepri has it handled. The Jarl will give up before too long once again until her conscious tells her otherwise, a vicious cycle she goes through." the khajiit said with no room to argue. She lead the group towards the south exit and into the cover of the trees and foliage where they could relax.

Fog still danced at their calves as Khepri lead them around the corner of a rocky out cropping where a pitch black monument stood before them, Nocturnals symbol carved into it. The moonlight shinning down on it made harsh shadows on the rock wall behind the monument.

Khepri and her two nightingales bypassed the monument to walk towards one of the inky black shadows in the rocks, one by one, disappearing inside.

[Pelt of Stary Light]

Following the others into the shadowed cleft, she realized a change in the atmosphere around her. It felt like a strong, almost comforting energy was engulfing her, she could tell they were in a truly spiritual place, made just for the nightingales.

She followed the others into a large ancient looking room with sconces and small fire pits to illuminate it. On the other side of a small bridge sat a bed with a bookshelf and it looked as though someone was living here.

"What is this place?"

[Admin]

"Nightingale Hall," the masked figure that must be Karliah spoke. "It is the head quarters for the Skyrim trinity as well as one of the few physical shrines to our Mistress of the Night. It is also where we three guard the Twilight Sepulcher."

Khepri stayed silent as they walked through the ancient temple.

"It is also where I was told to stash the Skeleton Key after returning it to Nocturnal...at least--" Belyani was interrupted by Khepri's hiss.

"Until that bastard Mercer Frey stole it after breaking into the very place it was suppose to be protected in."

"Our Mistress is not one for organized religion or worship, so there is no divine protection on the entrance to the hall. Just us." Karliah sighed. "And I was...indisposed."

"I do not completely blame you or Gallus for the slip, the guild here was under a lot of scrutiny." Belyani explained.

"Enough of this chatter, what's done is done." Khepri snipped from in front of the group, her tail lashing thoughtlessly through the dimly lit hall they walked through.

They soon came to a stop in front of passage way, blocked by metal bars barricading entryway. Brynjolf pulled a lever and the bars sunk beneath the ground and opened up a cavernous room that let the light of the moon trickle in from the ceiling. A raised platform in a crystal clear spring was front and center with smaller platforms branching out and connected by stone walkways. Each were engraved with Nocturnal symbol.

[Pelt of Stary Light]

Looking about the enormous room, Breyela watched the others and tried not to be clueless as to what she was supposed to be doing.

[Admin]

Karliah waved the group of nightingales to the podiums, unconcerned of where they chose to stand before walking over to one of the smaller podiums in the center.

The Dark elf raise her hands and spoke the words to summon their daedric lord.

Khepri held her breath as he damp, cool air of the temple became tense and charged with the feeling of magika in the air. clouds blocked out the moonlight that streamed in from the open ceiling and there was a gust of wind from the large center podium. Purple light flashed and danced like arcane fire before forming a barely seen orb in the shadowed place. And then, just like that, the orbs purple fire light bleed of color and light and into a miasma like fog that shrouded the cloaked form of their prince in it, hiding her from view.

Nocturnal stood before her nightingales in utter silence. It could not be seen, but the feeling of eyes watching and studying each and every one of them could be felt in the chilled sensations going up their spines.

Then with a turn of a shadow the obscured figure spoke.

"It has been so long, Breyela, I see you have come back to me and your duties."

[Pelt of Stary Light]

"Yes nocturnal, my apologizes for leaving your path for so long. I hope to make it up to you in the many years to come." she said kneeling before her. She had only once every address nocturnal herself, and that was when she fist became a nightingale over a year ago now. She never really can get used to the powerful energy surrounding the Dadric lord.

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