Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-5543592-20141201012529/@comment-5543592-20141203003525

(Super long post.  Just plot details.)

Not far away from the Academy, in the bowels of Bthardamz when the group arrived at Avanchnzel...

"Legate Hummel?" A Legionnaire poked his head into the Legate's office at Bthardamz.

Hummel looked up from his desk, antipcating whatever the Legionnaire was going to say next.

"The Deep Venue is fully operational.  The Conscioushas alerted us that animunculi are cocked, locked, and ready to rock." The Legionnaire explained in military jargon.

"Has Markarth been alerted to our plans?  That if they don't pay up we will effectively sweep control out from underneath them?" Hummel added the last bit for effect.

"Yes, sir, and in the hours we've given them, they have yet to respond, except with one thing.  They sent a squad of their best guards and Silver-Blood mercenaries to our outpost at the Abandoned Prison east of here.  They've since been wiped out."

Hummel nodded. "Good work."

"Weltrod also launched an assualt on Avanchnzel.  We only had eight survivors, and they've all been captured."

Hummel grumbled. He hated to here about his men being injured or killed. He'd made it very clear that if the Imperials just played along, no one would be hurt. Darrow and Frye were eager to send out those Dwarven automatons, animunculi, whatever.

"Prepare the machines." Ordered Hummel, suddenly and assertively. The Legionnaire nodded. "Yes, sir."

Hummel and the Legionnaire headed to the Grand Hall, the room at the very back of Bthardamz. There Captain Darrow, Captain Frye, Tribune Baxter, and Queastor McCoy all stood at their own array of bottons, switches, levers, and flashing blue lights.

They officers looked expectantly at the Legate as he entered.

"Launch the attack." Darrow and Frye were and looked elated at Hummel's order. McCoy jumped to his feet, he would be going with the automatons on their attack of Karthwasten. If Markarth was to pay up, they had to know Hummel and his men meant buisness.

Darrow and Frye began tapping rapid fire at buttons, and pulling levers. A loud sound echoed throughout the ruin, which was sounded like steam being expelled through small holes. Baxter didn't do much, just over looked the whole situation. Hummel sat began a desk in the back of the room  On it was the command console, which could override with the press of a button.

Several hours later, when the group drifted off to sleep...

The animunculi composed of several ballistae, several Dwarven spheres, and dozens of spiders, arrived on the fringe of Karthwasten, almost at their destination. They sent signals back to Bthardamz, alerting Darrow and Frye that they had almost arrived. Hummel looked nervous and uncomfortable, like there was something wrong.

"Close in on the town." Instructed Darrow to Frye, and began taping on buttons. The controls were needlessly complicated and confusing: they were rows of blue and Dwarven buttons

Suddenly Darrow got very angry, "What? What!?" He began slammign the console. "I'm getting new signals!  They're changing direction.  Headed back here!" He stood up and looked around furiously. Frye did very similary. Baxter looked over at Hummel, concerned.

Darrow's gaze slowly drifted to Hummel, who tried to look as innocent as possible. There was a scowl fixed on his face.

"You changed the coordinates, didn't you Legate?" Said Darrow, with hostility.

"That's an affirmative, Captain." Hummel's voice sounded impatient but unconcerned, like everything was well in hand.

"So now they think we're gutless, the Imperials?  That we won't actually do it?" Said Frye, a little astonished.

"They're going to come at us with everything they got.  They're going to wipe us off Nirn." Said Darrow, angry.

"They don't know we missed on purpose."

"Great!" Said Frye, slapping a hand down on his console. "We're not gutless, we're incompetent."

"What happened just now!" Demanded Darrow.

"Clear the room, Captain." Ordered Baxter.

"Legate, what happened?" Demanded Darrow again.

"Clear the room, Captain!" Ordered Baxter again.

Darrow made a grumpy face and stormed out, Frye at his heels.

"What the hell was that?!" Yelled Baxter knocked some documents off Hummel's command desk. More accounts of the "Remnants" group.

"I'm not prepared to kill hundreds of people." Replied Hummel.

Baxter went to the console, "Then ask for more time." They could probably access the Deep Venue in Markarth from here. Maybe contact Calcemo. Such transmissions were how Dwemer city states maintained contact.

Hummel stared at Baxter, "Back away from that console."

"The men are falling apart!" Baxter replied.

"The men are Legionnaires!"

"Are they?" Retorted Baxter

Hummel was silent.

Baxter went about pressing buttons on the console. "I want to talk to the Jarl." He must have contacted Calcemo.

"You've been asked by an old friend." Pleaded Hummel.

"Bring him here right now." He was speaking into the console.

"You're being ordered by a superior officer." Hummels hand went to the ceremonial dagger strapped to his chest.

"This is Tribune Baxter...!" He was stopped by Hummel drawing his dagger and bringing it up as to threaten Baxter.

"Now you're given your last chance by a man with a blade.  Back away from the console."

Hummel looked stunned. He backed up and canceled the transmission.

"I thought you weren't ready to kill yet." Said Baxter, sounding disappointed and surprised.

Hummel sheathed his dagger, giving Baxter a hard stare: "I'm warming up."