Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-3293219-20140620212625/@comment-3293219-20140623145432

(A wise man once said: “Misery goes so great with pie!”

And after three months of shitty studying, I thought I’d celebrate with pie! ^.^)

After a long night’s sleep, Nepht grumbled and moaned into her pillow, lay face down like she usually was after a long night on patrol or whenever she had the chance to lie in. The Dunmer rolled her head to the side, refusing to open her eyes as she grinned, sliding her arms under her pillow and holding it in her arms.

Outside sounded like any Cheydinhal morning, twittering birds, the sounds of wagons being pulled along, creaking and groaning as merchants and farmers pulled them past her door. The wind picked up and the trees swayed from side to side, their bristling leaves added to the atmosphere as a cool breeze swept through her window. It was the perfect way to wake up in a morning, no mum or Aunt Tabith yelling at her, no surprises, no having her covers ripped off and cutting off the warmth and comfort of her bed…

Nepht slowly raised her head and began to look around, her head still whirring away, like she had been drunk the night before and she was trying to piece things together. She sat up and noticed that she was in a house, one that she had never seen before but it felt so… familiar…

It wasn’t unlike her old house, just a little bigger and it was obviously meant for one person as there was only one bed and one extra chair at the table, in case company arrived, unexpectedly. Nepht rolled out of her bed, slipping her legs from out of the covers and gently placing them on the floor, immediately noticing that she was just in her civies and that her armour and weapons had been taken away.

The Dunmer slowly stood up and went to the center of the house, wondering who could possibly live here. As she took her last step, she noticed that something small was digging into her leg, prompting her to reach into her pocket and see what it was.

A key…?

From the looks of it, this was her house but how? Why? She tried to remember the last thing that happened to her, she was with that Altmer lady and Manj-

Manja! The Dunmer’s back stiffened as she looked around, she had to find Manja! Nepht ran over to her front door and shoved it open, the morning light hit her face and caused her to squint as everything blared into focus and revealed that she was stood at the center of a small village. In the village there was an inn, a general store and three houses, all of which were like hers. Small, single story buildings, that were quite large for common housing. The inn and general store were two story buildings, both of which had housing on top of them. At the center of the town was a well, which looked quite beautiful as it was made out of white stone, which looked a little grey, due to the age of it but it was quite elegantly designed. It stood on a stone pedestal, where people would often sit and share gossip, much like the oak tree in Cheydinhal…

Nepht wandered out, into the street, completely dumbstruck as she looked at the town, seeing a Bomser, tending to some crops on his lawn, with a hoe. Nepht was about to approach him, when she noticed the rumbling and squeaking of a cart, which came to a sudden stop, to her right.

“Woah, easy there young lady! Almost ‘ad you I did…” A jolly Nord man cried, no hint of malice or annoyance in his tone as he stood there, grinning like a fool and stretching that big cotton-like beard of his across his face. His face was covered in dirt, most likely from handling the vegetables, he had a noticeably large, button nose and he was quite old, presumably in his sixties. He was balding, to the point that he was almost completely bald but it was a suitable look for the old farmer. It was obvious that he was a farmer, due to the clothes that he wore, a white shirt, much like Nepht’s civies and brown pants. His were a lot dirtier as he actually did some manual labour from time to time…

Nepht looked down and saw that he was pushing his little cart along, which was stocked with various vegetables that he had picked yams, potatoes and carrots. All of which had been recently picked, the dirt still clung to them. She immediately gasped as she came to her senses and stepped out of his way, doing a large sidestep as she tried to be completely out of his way.

“S-Sorry!”

This made the farmer laugh again, it was strange but he reminded her of Veneficus… When he wasn’t grumpy… He seemed so understanding and care free, with a great deal of patience for her…

“No need to be sorry missy, the well is a wonderful sight.”

“It… Is…” Nepht muttered, looking back at it for a brief moment before her gaze met with the Nord’s again.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I’m sorry but… C-Could you tell me where I am?”

<p class="MsoNormal">The Nord gave her a broad grin before letting go of the cart, with one hand and marking out the territory, with his finger.

<p class="MsoNormal">“You’re in Hearthchapel, the village of the Goddess, Lilina.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Lillina?” Nepht asked, raising an eyebrow and narrowing her eyes as she didn’t sound like one of the Nine Divines, an Aedra or even a Daedra…

<p class="MsoNormal">She sounded like…

<p class="MsoNormal">An Altmer…

<p class="MsoNormal">“Lilina created this town, just using her mind.” The Nord then laughed, giving a ‘hah’ to show how impressive it was as his smile grew even wider.

<p class="MsoNormal">“She gave us homes, crops, lives, families. Everything that you’re looking at is her gift to us!”

<p class="MsoNormal">That’s awfully nice of her…

<p class="MsoNormal">Nepht looked around, wondering who this…. Lilina woman truly was. There was something about this, something that just wasn’t right. Nepht looked back to the old man and smiled again, folding her arms and facing him.

<p class="MsoNormal">“So… Wh-What’s your name?” She asked as he dropped his car to the floor and rested it on its legs.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Izak, I own the farm, just over there.” He pointed to the house with the Bosmer outside, raking at the crops with his hoe, oblivious to the fact that someone was pointing at him.

<p class="MsoNormal">“E’s me assistant, Conor. He’s a hunter but he helps me work the land, whenever he’s at home. A good kid that Conor…”

<p class="MsoNormal">Nepht nodded, watching him work for a brief moment before looking back to Izak and smiling at him again, taking a step closer to his cart.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Anyone else that I should know about?”

<p class="MsoNormal">Well, there’s Alison, she owns the general goods store and then there’s Greck, he’s an Orsimer Blacksmith but he mostly does odd jobs, ‘cause Lilina won’t allow weapons in the town.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Why?” Nepht asked, suspiciously, though it wounded pretty obvious to her.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Well, they aren’t really needed, nothin’s going to hurt us, nothin’ or nobody has ever attacked this town in five years. Which’ll sound even more impressive, when I tell you that the town’s only existed for five years.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“F-Five years?” Nepht asked, in bewilderment as she looked around and examined the detail of the town again, it looked… old.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Aye… I remember, me and Alison were the first ones to arrive. Both of us were business people, wantin’ to become partners and build ourselves an inn on the road. We were goin’ to grow crops, outside of the inn, to save money on exports, we were out in the wilderness, lookin’ for a good spot to get set up before we bumped into Lilina.

<p class="MsoNormal">She gave us Hearthchapel, a village where we could build our inns and our farm and we’d   get custom every day.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Really?” Nepht asked, looking around in confusion as it didn’t look like anyone ever came here…

<p class="MsoNormal">“Wh-Who comes here?”

<p class="MsoNormal">Izak smiled, warmly and shrugged, folding his arms.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Whoever you want mis- Y’know, I’ve just realised, I’m terribly rude, I forgot to ask your name.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Don’t worry, my name’s Nepht, Nepht… Adlis…”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Well, welcome Miss Adlis! I see that you’ve found your new home.” He turned around and turned the top half of his body to the house that the young Dunmer had stepped out of earlier on. Prompting a confused look from Nepht…

<p class="MsoNormal">“N-New… Home?” She asked, in confusion, frowning and scratching her head.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Yep, it’s a nice house… A lot like mine, minus the crops on your lawn but we can plant some flowers or alchemical plants if you like.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Th-This… Is my house?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Yep, consider it one of many of Lilina’s gifts! Oh… Speakin’ of which, you should go and see her, in the chapel. Door’s always open Nepht and she’ll be able to meet any needs that you may have.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Th-Thanks…” Nepht mumbled, looking over to the chapel, nervously.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Oh, h-have you seen a Nord woman? L-Like you but… Well, a woman and young, older than me but…” Izak’s smile grew wider as she finished speaking, barely resisting the urge to laugh.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I believe I have seen her, though I really would go and see Lilina before you do anythin’ here, as I said, she can make sure that everything’s to your satisfaction.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“I’ll… Do that…” Nepht mumbled, looking up to the chapel, with a determined frown before she turned back to the old Nord, who had picked up his cart again and began to wheel it off.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Thank you Izak.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Any time Nepht, come and see me if you need somethin’ to do!”

<p class="MsoNormal">With that he was gone and Nepht was left alone, she looked up at the large, stone chapel, presumably what the town was named after. She noticed from the orange light, which shimmered on the floor in front of her, that it had stained glass windows, which wasn’t unusual for a chapel.

<p class="MsoNormal">As Nepht approached the tall church-like building, she was reminded of her own chapel, the Great Chapel of Arkay. She found herself smiling as she pushed her hands against the door, slowly pushing it open, getting that slightest confidence boost, thinking about home. The doors slowly budged and eventually gave way, opening with a loud creak as they revealed the chapel in all its glory.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Dunmer peered around, looking at the stain glass windows in awe as she saw the Icon, etched into each one. All of them featured the same woman, an Altmer, casting spells, healing people and dancing in front of a purple background. From what Nepht could tell, the windows didn’t tell a story as the images weren’t exactly consistent. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable could fill her in one what they were supposed to mean, though Nepht could already deduce that the overall message was ‘look how good this Altmer woman is,’ which made her even more weary…

<p class="MsoNormal">The Goddess Lilina… That’s what Izak called her… Nepht had her doubts of course, she was most likely a powerful mage, with a God complex or something.

<p class="MsoNormal">She tore her gaze away from the windows and looked ahead, suddenly noticing the fact that there was a person, in robes, standing before the alter at the far end of the church. There was only one alter, dedicated to this town’s only god…

<p class="MsoNormal">Or goddess…

<p class="MsoNormal">The robed figure turned around, revealing herself to be the Altmer woman from before, her intense yellow eyes and long brown hair. She looked quite surprised to see Nepht, for a brief moment before she raised her arms and opened them, ready to receive her embrace as the chapel doors came to a close.

<p class="MsoNormal">Nepht heard the bang, which echoed throughout the chapel as the doors closed, prompting her to jump out of her skin and look over her shoulder as she shuffled closer to the alter at the far end of the chapel.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Dunmer looked back and saw that the Altmer was still eager to receive her, giving her a warm smile, like a mother or…

<p class="MsoNormal">A Goddess…

<p class="MsoNormal">Nepht’s awkward shuffle came to an end as soon as she was just out of the Altmer’s reach, finding herself too unnerved by the strangeness of it all. Who built a chapel, dedicated to this Altmer, who built this village?

<p class="MsoNormal">Why was she here?

<p class="MsoNormal">Before she could think on it anymore, Lilina stepped forward, to meet her half way and wrapped her arms around the Dunmer. Her back stiffened, like it did when Petra embraced her, knowing full well that this woman couldn’t be trusted.

<p class="MsoNormal">She felt Lilina’s chin rest on her shoulder as she breathed out and closed her eyes, like she had been gone for a long time and only just returned.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Welcome home…

<p class="MsoNormal">Nepht…”