Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Tailing in Tamriel(OPEN)

The air surrounding the city of Whiterun stood calm in the uneventful spring morning as the citizens had woken and begun their daily work. Within the marketplace, the community was neither busy nor was it indeed quiet. Men and women, Nord and other had came and went as they casually bartered with the local traders for their necessities, accompanied by a light breeze which would occasionally harass the apathetic cityfolk as they continued to carry on their business. 'Warmaiden's', the blacksmith establishment was a slightly different story, however. Although the exploits of the Dragonborn had passed and Alduin had been vanquished, the civil war between the Empire and the Stormcloaks had yet to come full circle. Sinister news of a planned siege on the quaint city had sent the bystanders on a state of high alert.

Now every man, woman and child in Whiterun carried with them a swordarm, considering the conflicting opinions on whose side was just, it would seem that the city would be experiencing a deadly civil war of it's own if tensions continued to boil. Warmaiden's had made a small fortune over the paranoia of it's customers, with the Companions still snorting with a shade of arrogant pride over their Skyforge weaponry; such legendary steel would come at a price of coin most were not willing to part with, at least not over food and other needs.

The interior of the Drunken Huntsman had been colourlessly tanned by the dismal air, hung with the stale smell of burnt firewood, although no flames danced this early in the morning and no bard did sing a fair tune or played on his lute. J'o Rahe fiddled with a small cup of fresh alto wine as he quietly sat in solitude, procrastinating on the adventures that would await. He had never been to Skyrim before, but the arrival of Dragons in Tamriel had certainly piqued his interest, no matter how absurdly late he had begun his journey. Intending to travel from Whiterun to Dawnstar, then from Markarth to Riften, the Khajiit (Or Wood Elf, depending on what Rahe was mistaken as by the ignorant garrison) hoped to catch a glimpse at the majestic titans before his long trip had ended. Rahe was a fast drinker, it would not be long before he finally begun his painful trek, surveying the few patrons who had also came for an early swig.

An unfamiliar Khajiit was talking amongst the other patrons, ale in hand, whilst the other snuck into an oblivious patron's pocket, producing a hand-paw full of Septims. She quickly gave the newly acquired loot into a pocket of her own, victim completely oblivious. Smiling, she pulled down her bandanna, took a swig of ale, then pulled it right back up. The scanning Khajiit must've this petty thievery.

J'o Rahe continued to eye the various characters beside the bar; his brittle cup now void of any drink. He bit his lip in unease, there was a reason Rahe was postponing his journey: The wilds of Skyrim were a dangerous place, that was obvious to anyone who had taken a step past the border. But this adventure could be postponed no longer, and the treasures that lay within the neighboring ruins always left a twinkle of optimism.

As the Ohmes returned to his feet, he was visibly surprised to see a fellow Khajiit conversing with one of the patrons. Had the guard not mistaken Rahe for an armoured Wood Elf, entrance into Whiterun would have not been so simple. Although he had failed to notice the two-bit thief rummaging nonchalantly through the patron's pockets, the fellow he did scan did seem a tad shifty. A mixed feeling of dubiousness came over Rahe, but he would still make his way out as he calmly sauntered toward the exit.

Knowing it might be a bad idea to stick around, she decided to leave before they could notice their pockets were much lighter than when they came in. She spotted the other getting ready to leave, and decided that he might have something, because glass armor like that doesn't come cheap. Maybe they would have something legitimately worthwhile, or they could be flat-out broke. Either way, he looked worth her time to follow. Perhaps there was actually something to do today, she thought to herself.

It had not been the greatest start to his venture in Skyrim: After passing by the ruined, bandit infested outpost formerly known as Helgen, Rahe had the honour of witnessing a crime of theft in the seemingly calm Inn. With no other reason to loiter in Whiterun, the Khajiit breathed a small sigh of regret as he pushed open the oak doorway and exited the tavern, uneventfully beginning his adventure. His 'Elvish' ears had failed him, just as his sharp eyes had done before as he remained oblivious to the fact that he was about to be followed; his kin (especially the more feline among them) were certainly a tricky folk to catch.

However, as Rahe crept rather casually down the broad stairs of the Drunken Huntsmen, three figures covered in mail and cloaked in a dye of yellow approached the merchant district to the confusion of the civilians that gave a quick gawk before wandering off once more. They were guardsmen, and it was obvious that they had some business with J'o Rahe as the trio gathered around him after the captain, who stood within centre of the three beckoned him for a word. The weak breeze seemed like a freezing chill upon the tip of Rahe's ears as he waited for them to speak:

"Adventurer." The Nord in armour began to explain. "You may be aware that by the order of Jarl Balgruuf the Greater, Khajiiti travellers are banned from walking with the walls of Whiterun. Now you have gone and ignored this rule by duping our watch into thinking you were a Wood Elf. But at a closer look, it's clear that you're yet another from the caravans. We're going to have to place you under arrest for trespassing. Now come with us or we will haul you away." He hissed with a warning.

A ghostly hold of contempt and bafflement caught the Ohmes by his throat, considering there was already a blatant Khajiit inside the tavern already. "But..." Rahe uttered. "I haven't even committed any crime. Infact, I'm already on my way out of the city. You don't have to arrest me! I only came here for a quick rest before I went on my way." J'o Rahe reassured, once more biting his lip under pressure.

But the captain would have none of Rahe's excuses. "I'm afraid that does not give you the right to break one of Whiterun's laws, traveller. Now unless you want more than just a few days in a cell, you'll come with me, or I'll take that nice armour from you as well as tax." He chuckled, now placing his hand upon the hilt of his blade.

She made sure to keep some distance between her target and herself, waiting a few moments before leaving. Before making it very far, she overheard the guards, and hid behind some nearby barrels. Overhearing this conversation made her realize two things, she might lose this chance for loot, and that her target was kin. Perhaps looting wasn't the best choice, and helping them out of this was now a better option. Maybe they'd reward her afterwards?

Either way, she chose to take action. This will be easy, Krin thought to herself, readying a Scroll of Pacify. As she did this, she walked out into the open, "Renrij!" she taunted, while also throwing a cabbage in their direction.

The sudden shout from the fellow Khajiit cut the tension with a headsman's blade. Rahe's vertical eyes shot like daggers as the vegetable awkwardly clashed with the captain's iron helmet. His tense body language made it clear that although the lump of cabbage hadn't exactly hurt him, having an object being thrown at his head had indeed caused a slight bit of annoyance. "What in the name of Talos..?" The Nord couldn't help but whisper as his head swerved, finally noticing the heckler: the fellow kin. Rahe was once more left breathless.

As the trio of guardsmen caught open sight, one of the captain's retinue thrust his pointed finger toward the feline figure. "An accomplice!" He loudly announced.

"Criminals!" The Captain did agree. "Seize them both-!" He was barely able to speak his orders before being thrust to the dirt by a desperate Rahe, who had barged past the other two guardsmen and was currently running toward the sanctuary of the wilds, accompained by the staring of the townspeople who looked on in curiosity.

"Ignore him." The disgruntled captain growled as he rose to his feet. "I'll get the other cat, you both search the tavern for any more of those rogues." He ordered, unsheathing his silver blade. "...As you wish, sir." The two complied, somewhat shaken after being thrown to the hard soil as they headed past the oak doors with their weapons in hand.

Meanwhile, the Nordic captain stood firm, eyeing his elusive prey before he ran toward the rogue. "In the name of Jarl Balgruuf, you will comply with the law of Whiterun!" He roared as he charged the Khajiit.

She stood her ground, her unfaltering gaze watching for the right moment. As soon as the captain was close, "Daythozay!" Krin yelled, casting the Pacify Scroll. She then promptly strikes the hilt of her dagger across his helmet, right before the Khajiit turned to flee and check on her Kin. This turned out really well, she thinks, running to the gate.

As the Nordic captain was caught under the effects of the pacify scroll, a sensation of pure bliss completely overtook him. Mentally swept by the spell of illusion, he had almost completely forgotten the reasoning behind his attack, trapped in his own tranquil little world. "You... violated... the law..." He struggled to whisper... before being struck on his head by the Khajiit. He once more fell comically onto the grass dirt, this time unconscious. It seemed like illusion and blunt hilts went well together, not to mention that his two guardsmen had failed to notice of what had taken place outside, as they fruitlessly searched the empty rooms of the Drunken Huntsman for any more Khajiiti trespassers.

Arrows, stones, bricks and other hard materials rained down upon Rahe and his kin as they both ran toward the city gates. "Stop them!" A female guard hissed amidst the small chaos with a sharp voice above the city walls. "Thieves! Trespassers! Close the gates." Fellow guards beside her continued to shout and roar, much to the shock of the spectating folk who were rudely barged out of the way by both Rahe and the oncoming Nord fighters. However, it would seem that the Whiterun garrison had failed their Jarl today, as J'o Rahe almost threw himself toward the doors that lead directly toward the city exit, toward safety. Khajiiti speed and athletism proved a large factor in the final escape, as the warriors who stood guard by the city's tall doors were evaded rather simply. Arrows continued to hail even after the Khajiiti had finally made their escape out of the settlement, complete with various jeers of venom from the guard and misled cityfolk. A few had managed to catch Rahe out, but the arrows themselves were simply not enough to penetrate the volcanic glass.

They were however able to startle the rather skittish Ohmes, who instinctively jumped as though he had been caught with a hot pike, causing him to trip and unceremoniously tumble down Whiterun's steep hill. A rather embarrassing display had anyone caught sight. On the bright side however, Rahe had been given a speedy escape away from the range of the arrows. Bringing himself back to his glass-clad feet, the Khajiit dusted himself off, unsure whether to leave immediately or wait for his saviour as he looked back toward the city walls.

She ran down the hill to where the Ohmes was, making sure he was alright and that this wasn't for nothing. Although, Krin' could loot him if he's injured, but he appeared fine, picking himself up and off of the ground. She looks him up and down, just being sure, and finally speaks to him.

"You clumsy, but alright, yes? I, Krin'Knihira, saved you," She said, introducing herself.

(Very sorry about the wait, making room for the weekend. )
J'o Rahe sneered as the fellow Khajiit came running down, her words only added insult to injury. "Saved..?" Rahe asked with a raised brow. "Ha! Had you not entered the city in the first place, I'd probably could've left quietly." He hissed. Although that was possibly true, the Ohmes could not help but feel as though he was being rather cruel. "Then again" His tone softened slightly. "I suppose the guardsmen were being rather prejudiced, and you were the key to my escape, so thank you, Krin'Knihira."

"My name is J'o Rahe." He introduced. "I am an adventurer from Skingrad, the less I remember of my native home, the better." the Elvish feline stated rather bitterly. "I'm wandering Skyrim to see as many Dragons in the flesh as I possibly can, journeying to Dawnstar, Markarth, then back down to Riften. What would another Khajiit so far from Elsweyr be doing here?" Rahe inquired, unaware of Krin's origin.

"Born here, left at orphanage. Became thief." She replied, happily. "Riften, Riften Orphanage. I never knew mother." She added, extra clarification not needed. Krin' checked her pockets, to make sure she hadn't dropped anything during the run, and then looked back over to Whiterun. She dropped a couple of golden coins, but who would really miss them? ....Her, but currently she had better things to do, like pestering J'o.

"I see." The Ohmes replied sympathetically. Despite Krin's lighthearted tone on her past, J'o Rahe did feel a slight bit solemn hearted. He had been reminded of the unwelcome memories of his youth as an orphan himself, squatting within the city of Orcrest. Although Rahe's time in the brutal shantytowns was short, it had been a black cloud on the memory of his life. Being Jyggalag's unwilling thrall almost seemed gentle in comparison. "Well, so long as you're content, then so am I." He shrugged with a weak smile.

Rahe once again surveyed the hill: They were not even close to the stable, and Rahe couldn't see a Khajiit caravan on the horizon at all, no matter how far he gazed with his sharp eyes. "So er, are you with the caravans, by any chance?" He asked nervously; the chances of buying a good horse now crushed.

"No, Krin' just a travelling Khajiit." she replied, shaking her head. "Why do you ask...? Sk- ...Moon sugar?" She asked the Ohmes, looking slightly confused. "Something different?" Asking again, in case it was a sore subject, and for additional confirmation.

J'o Rahe shook his head fervently, complete with a awkward frown of disapproval. "Er, no." He replied rather bluntly. "I'm not interested in any of that stuff. I asked because, well, it's a long trek to Dawnstar on foot." He corrected, quickly whipping out an antiquated map from a socket in his glass armour. As he scrawled apart the aged paper, he placed finger upon the map; toward the north point. "Here, this is where I am heading." He said, displaying the map to Krin. Unfortunately, the old thing was rather missing in information, with no information of small settlements and landmarks within Skyrim. Even High Hrothgar was ignored. It was a poor atlas, but it was the only one Rahe had.

The Ohmes then turned his Elvish face back toward his Khajiiti fellow. "Do you know of any settlements we could find?" He asked.

"Ah, Dawnstar." Scanning over his map, she pointed to a location north of Whiterun, and said, "Farm here." and then took out a map of her own. It was a crudely drawn map of the region, with all of the keeps marked with what looks like a ink/blood stamped septim, some crossed out spots, a couple of leek-like drawings, some things that look mildly like ingots, and the rest of the map's locations were simply unlabeled dots. Somehow, it seemed somewhat reliable, even if the map could've been drawn by a child. She pointed to the leek north of the Whiterun septim. "Farm." Krin' repeated.

The Ohmes pondered for a moment in silence. Sure, now he had a more reliable idea of what lay ahead, but that did not account for all the wild beasts and malicious cut-throats that secretly blemished the province. Both of which did not make searching for Dragons any less dangerous. "Well..." J'o Rahe stuttered. "Would you perhaps like to join me?" Without a horse or without a guide, the road north would be difficult and perilous. "I like to explore, y'see, but without some sort of guide, this first trek could be my last. I haven't really got any sort of coin on me at the moment, but you'll be welcome to whatever you find in the ruins."

Rahe had given his kindly offer, all that waited now was for Krin's response.

Krin' thought over it for a moment, considering her options. She could either do some petty thievery, and maybe get a few septims and a scroll, or she could go on an adventure with a larger chance of getting so much more. It also couldn't be that dangerous to go along with him. She would get loot and gold, and he'd have a better chance of surviving. It'd be a win for both. "Krin' will aid trevan." She said, putting away her map.

"Ah. Thank you, my friend." J'o Rahe sighed, though in truth he was very appreciative. The way toward the frozen north was daunting enough for the stumbling explorer, but now Dawnstar's trek seemed much safer in the hands of an experienced guide.

"Well, shall we start our journey immediately?" His elfin face stretched as he smiled. They were both full of vigor after that chase from the Whiterun guard. Loitering around the outskirts to tire would only disuade them, not to mention it would not be long before the guard felt confident enough to scout for these two newly-made outlaws.