Ra'Aneshi yawned as he slowly got out of the mess of a room he awoke in. Stepping over the sleeping Nord farmer's wife the Khajiit slowly got dressed for the long day ahead of him. The informant had delivered a letter from an old adventuring buddy of his, Faethar, about a possible adventure with the gang again.
"Ra'Aneshi wonders what is so important that the beautiful Faethar needs him for." Ra'Aneshi yawned out as be made sure everything was together that belonged ro him. Pickpockets and opportunistic adventurers were always an issue at taverns like this, especially after the war. Ra'Aneshi was happy he avoided being a part of the combat as he preferred the simple life of venturing into ruins for gold and artifacts to sell... Perhaps even making a name for himself like the old trickster god Rajhin.
The Khajiit winced as a snore from direction of the sleeping drunken Nords rattled his head. Last night as.the most fun he had had in months, even if his sister was going to yell at him for letting the freaking get out of hand and everything descending into a brawling fight. But Ra'Aneshi was sure she'll forget about it once he came back with a stor, money... and being gone for for bit. Stepping outside he made his way to the stables where a Breton tended to his horse
"Morning Ra'Aneshi." The man said as he Ra'Aneshi approached.
"Morning Barnand. How's the old girl today?"
Barnand chuckled. "Well my friend. I said that I would tend to you and your familn's needs after what you did for me."
"It was only what was right my friend. No one would have blamed you for attempting to save your family from those Marauders. Although the City Guards are still keeping an eye on you in case you attempt to leave." Ra'Aneshi spoke as he rubbed his horse's neck.
Barnand shook his head. "Aye... I dishonored my name and my child that day. But I would do so again to save his life."
"Ra'Aneshi understands. But Ra'Aneshi was hoping you'll be willing to keep quiet about my whereabouts, yes?"
"Whatever do you mean sir?" Barnand said with with grin as his savior/master got onto his mount. Ra'Aneshi sent him a smirk before galloping off as fast as his mount could. The Khajiit had a long journey ahead of him and he didn't want to be late to whatever Faethar had in store for him and the rest of the gang.
As Ra'Aneshi rode his horse among well beaten pathways to the forest of Greenwood he wondered for what reason Faethar had called them together. With her position within the Altmer Dominion ruling body she still sought him out. A fellow adventurer being call upon was not always a good thing in Ra'Aneshi's past few instances. The last one that the Khajiit recalled was where he ended up having to swim slaughterfish filled waters then through a troll den with Faethar to save a lost piece of history of the old mage guild from being found by a necromancer.as well as save their buddies who were held by their ankles in ice on the roof of the cavern.
The skeleton army of birds and rodents weren't as bad as the fish and the gold coins were worth it but it wasn't the point. Nor was the Dwmer giant beetle thing that had Faethar stuck until they saved her.
"Ra'Aneshi you are a fool, but a fool for his friends." He decided on as he traveled. While the war wasn't as prevalent in the area he was traveling in, Ra'Aneshi took note of the effects that had become of it. Elsweyr was south of the Imperial province of Cyrodiil where most of the fighting took place. However the Khajiit border lands weren't lifted unscathed.
A collapsing burnt out husk of a building stood sentry over a destroyed farm like a monolith to the dead. It was one of many farms that were attacked by raiders by the empire to break the Dominion's hold of the city during the war. Ra'Aneshi's clan were of the lucky few families to have been spared, but famine was a concern to many this year. While the Dominion was strong military, the Altmer forgotten that militarism and religion only fed a population so far. Surrendering the Imperial province ment that while the empire had lost the war, it had retain its vast farmlands.
Granted said land was covered in bodies and destruction by the war, but Ra'Aneshi was no fool. The Imperials had farmlands made from war. With it's long years of combat around its walls, Cyrodiil farmers learned how to grow crops that could recover the land quickly and feed it's population. With a bit of Alchemy the farms in the north of Cyrodiil were already selling excess food to northern Elsweyr at steep prices. Prices that only the rich or thise who were able to squirrel away funds could afford for the next few months, but there was not enough money for the food needed for the community to survive the coming winter.
As for game? Ra'Aneshi rode past bones of of Glyptodons. Many of the large animals that once wondered the land had moved south do to the access better feeding areas, being hunted too quickly by the military to eat or killed by raiders. Now only the terror birds were lefted, the meat eating birds that attacked travelers in flocks to survive. Ra'Aneshi made sure to watch the tall grass as he rode as he did not want to be ambushed by the six foot tall starving birds.
But someone else had been ambushed. Pulling the the reins Ra'Aneshi stopped his horse as the path opened up to show a sight that depressed the Khajiit. It was a caravan that showed signs of a recent attack.
"What has happened here?" He said as he got off his horse. Sliding his shield into place he gripped the reins of his mare and slowly inspected the caravan. It happened recently, perhaps ending less than hour before he had stumbled upon it. Ra'Aneshi's nostrils flared as the Khajiit smelted the faint hints of grain and blood. This was a food caravan and from the insignias of the guardsman scattered on the ground, it belonged to the merchants of the Cyrodiil.
This made Ra'Aneshi frown as he inspected everything. While there was resentment towards the fact the grain prices were so steep, it wasn't yet at a level of families being reduced to bandits to survive.
"Who could have done this?" He muttered to as horse rubbing its neck as they passed an orc corpse. crouching down me swiped a finger in the drying blood of the large cut on the Orsimer's back. Bringing it to his nose he gave it a sniff. "... Poison... Not local."
"Hello? Is anyone there?" Ra'Aneshi turned quickly, letting go of the reins to place his hand on his weapon at the sudden voice. Then he saw who had spoken. It was a young Nord, barely an adult leaning against a destroyed cart holding his side. Blood was dripping between his fingers and Ra'Aneshi knew that the Nord was lucky to be still alive. "Is that you father?"
"No, my name is Ra'Aneshi. Let me tend to your wounds." Ra'Aneshi said softy as he walked over to the Nord. Reaching into his potion supply Ra'Aneshi frowned as he only had a few minor potions. It was better than nothing he supposed as he held on up to the Nords lips. "Drink my friend. This will help heal you."
"Many thanks stranger." Coughed out the Nord after drinking. Ra'Aneshi however noticed that nothing happened. Potions worked fast but to have no effect ment that the guard was near death. Only a healer of the arts could save him now.
"Ra'Aneshi was only helping someone in need." Ra'Aneshi mentally sighed as the Noed coughed some more. Perhaps if he had arrived sooner the man would have better odds of being moved so Ra'Aneshi could take him to a healer, but it was too late.
The nord knew it too. "We were attacked Khajiit. We were attacked. "
"Who attacked you?" Ra'Aneshi asked slowly and calmly. It wouldn't help if the man got excited as he lay there on his deathbed.
The Nord slowly closed his eyes. "...Dam lizards."
Ra'Aneshi watched as the Nord slumped down as death claimed him. Out of respect Ra'Aneshi waited a moment before closing the man's eyes and saying a prayer to the gods to aid the man's soul to the afterlife. There was nothing left to do here. The river was quick this time of year and by the time he had arrived the Argonians were long gone.
The Argonian lizard race had become more and more of an issue the last few months. Emboldened by their victories of the former dark elf territory they now held, the lizards were now seeking to expand their territory and make an Argonian empire for themselves. Both the Empire and the Dominion had been effected by raiding parties the lizards had attempted successfully. Ra'Aneshi had heard rumors that the Dominion had encouraged the lizard folks to attack the Dunmer but the Khajiit did not believe it. The Dominion presence at the time was still incorporating the territories of Elsweyr into the alliance as well as researching new ways to prevent more incursions of Daedra.
Hearing calls of terror birds the Khajiit jumped onto his ride. Normally he would attempt to bury the dead or set them on fire to prevent necromancers from using their bodies in their foul dark rituals but he was no fool. There was no time to waste and he had a meeting to get to. Tangling with starving terror birds to protect corpses wasn't worth the effort today.
"Ra'Aneshi is sorry." He said to the dead before clicking his tongue and slapping the reins. With a whiny the horse bolted off at a gallop, taking Ra'Aneshi far from this place as the sound of terror birds feasting filled the air.
For hours the Khajiit rod, stopping only to rest his mount at a brook and tangling with an ornery crocodile who was annoyed Ra'Aneshi was fishing in his territory. Soon the dry sands became grasslands, then forest. Finally he arrived at the gates to the home of the wood elves.
"Took you long enough Ra'Aneshi." Ra'Aneshi sighed as Faethar approach him with the rest of the group. "You know I lost a bit because of how long it took. Did you take the scenic route here?"
"Ah, miss Faethar! How good to hear your roguish elven charms again. Ra'Aneshi has missed you." Laughing, the two old friends hugged one another as a Bosmer held Ra'Aneshi's hourse to a stable. Together the duonmade their way up to the small tavern in the treehut the wood elves were known for. "Tell me my friend, what has happened to call us together again? Did being an important person in Summerset not take to the mistress of the thieving night and magic duelist Faethar?"
"This Ra'Aneshi." Faethar handed Ra'Aneshi a small scroll. Opening it up Ra'Aneshi quick the deciphered the code that the gang used to communicate between one another during missions. Adventuring was a risky business as.one was competing against a lot of competitors, some of which were other adventurers who would take information from you to get an edge on a job to complete frist. By making their messages in code the group did not have to worry for a time of someone interceding on a quest that had a large payday at the end.
Faethar watched as the eyes of Ra'Aneshi grew wide and his mouth dropped. She had seen similar reactions from the twins when they were reading the message It had only been two weeks after her adventure in the Imperial City catacombs and she still didn't believe it. Yes she was asked politely.by the ruling body of the Dominion to come post haste after claiming the scroll but she wanted everything to be together for the plan that was forming.
"Faethar... Ra'Aneshi is stunned. No words can describe this." Ra'Aneshi stuttered out as he handed the scroll back to her.
"I know. This is more than a simple job I took Ra'Aneshi. I need your help as well as from the twins to find this individual." Faethar looked Ra'Aneshi in the eye. "This is something that could change history Ra'Aneshi."
"Perhaps." Ra'Aneshi say down and waved over a honeybrew to drink. Taking a sip he went on. "... Ra'Aneshi found the remains of a caravan on my way here. Argonian."
Faethar blinked. "The Argonians Have never made it this far east before."
"Well now they have." Ra'Aneshi drank some more. "My cousin in the Northern merchants said that the Nords had been pushing south along with a Dunmer army to recover Stonefalls from the lizards with little success. But possibly the lizards are attempting to start another conflict between the Empire and the Dominion to stop this stalemate."
"It's possible." Faethar agreed with her Khajiit friend. While the Empire had surrendered to the white-gold treaty, the northern border with Hammerfell was a more pressing concern for the elites of the Thalmor after the conflict. Outwardly they expressed glee at the bitterness between the Empire and the redguards. But internally they were concerned. That bitterness could easily become a competition streak to see who can carve up the territory of the Aldmeri Dominion in their favor the most if war brought the two together again.
"So... you wish for Ra'Aneshi and the twins to aid you on this adventure?" Ra'Aneshi asked after finishing his bottle and getting another one from the bar tender.
Faethar hiccuped. "Once the Thalmor agree, yes. I know what I saw Ra'Aneshi, knowing my peers back home they would go for the more faster solution instead of the elegant slow process if I did this alone. presenting my case with representatives of our allies would make my argument more appealing to the body."
"Ra'Aneshi wished that he wasn't looking forward to finding this person but Ra'Aneshi is here anyway."
"I know you're itching for a good adventure too Ra'Aneshi." Faethar giggled as the Khajiit pouted.
"Dam you Faethar at least let me finish making a speech about not wanting to go but agreeing to do so for my friend. Tell me, what is the name of this person we're seeking."
Faethar's eyes sparkled and a grin threatened to split her face. "...Harry Potter."
