Private To Be Equal [=] story thread

[Garashbur]

After the long civil war in Skyrim, between the Imperials and the Stormcloaks, a winner has been proclaimed. Ulfric is the High king, leader of the Stormcloaks and the native bred Nords. The war is over, many celebrated that day, but another war is brewing just under the happy countenance Ulfric has thrown over Skyrim. A new war that might be even worse than the last. Participants: ValkyrieWarrior, Znowcicle, Aquillus, Garashbur, Caravan Guard, Tyrone

 

[Garashbur]

Garashbur walked towards Riften. He wanted to see what the Bee and Barb inn was like. He had seen a poster for it posted up on a tree near his den. He walked towards the front gate. The guards unsheathed their weapons. "Don't come any closer beast! Trolls are not welcome here!" One of the guards said. Without saying anything, Garashbur walked around to the left of the town. He hopped up on the stone wall. He hoisted himself up and hopped down. He was near the orphanage. He walked to the market and saw theBee and Barb Tavern and Inn sign in the distance. Excitedly, he walked towards the bar. A short nord woman caught sight of Garashbur and screamed. "Help! Monster!" Many people wandered over to her, to see what the commotion was. When they saw the troll, they started yelling and calling for the guards. The guards got their weapons, and the townsfolk gathered anything they could use to slay the beast. "Garashbur no monster!" He said. Although the town was surprised he could talk, they were still furious Garashbur had infiltrated their city. They waved torches at him. A trolls only weakness was fire. The entire town had gathered around the armored troll. Garashbur either needed to fight his way out, or needed someone to stand up for him. It was rare, anyone ever showed compassion towards the troll, but with luck, someone will stand up for him.

 

[Znowcicle]

Runs-with-phoenix was heading towards the Bee and Barb with a crate of their special brewed wine. She enjoys the company at the tavern, most likely because the owners were of like scale. Talen-Jei always let her have a free drink when she wants one. Everybody knows that his special brews could knock the socks off a unicorn, and that they were perfect after a long day. Keerava was always a bit harsh but she softened up a little after she let Talen-Jei marry her. Runs-with-phoenix had a reptilian smile across her scaly jaws. A tune from home singing loudly in her head as she walked up the street to the Bee and Barb to see her friends and to chat small talk with the Black-Briars even though they looked down on her. She could make them laugh and they despised her for it.

Her tail was sashaying behind her, the hole she had made in her breeches was patched comfortable and fit the appendage snugly. Just the other day she had pierced the tips of her horns with red and white feathers. Looking at her rippled reflection yesterday at the shore she thought they looked very well with the intricate carvings that had come from her time in Black Marsh.

She came back to the road, her mind had been floating away with her what with the song and thoughts of home, and was about to kick open the door to the Bee and Barb when there were screams of monster and sound of flames first igniting. She looked over her shoulder, her foot poised mid-air as people ran past her towards the commotion. She could only see the top of whatever they were surrounding and hear the screams and yells. She pushed open the door quickly and set the crate down carefully inside the door.

"Talen-Jei! Keerava! Come help me outside! It's important!" She spurted out quickly before running out the door and around the latter side of the crowd.

And that's when she saw it, him, she thought to herself as she jumped in front of the angry mob. She bent her face down towards her chest as the torch swayed close to her nose. Runs-with-phoenix blinked her reptile blink and opened her mouth before she even realized she was standing in front of, protecting too, an armored Frost Troll. Wait...armored? And he talks! Phoenix must be dreaming in her cot before the sun sparks today...

"Stop! He speaks! You would do best to shut your mouths!" The mob stopped momentarily, stunned looks crossed their faces as Runs-with-phoenix appeared in their visions. Talen-Jei and Keerava appeared beside her then in this pause of sudden calm. But she was sure it wouldn't last very long...Help me out? She pleaded with her eyes, looking to each one.

 

[Garashbur]

"Garashbur sorry... I human!" The troll said. "I no monster. I go to Bee and Barb, see?" He turned to walk into the inn. There was a guard blocking the way to the door. "You're no human, beast. You have committed crimes against Ulfric Stormcloak, the true high-king!" "What rule Garashbur break?" The guard sent a man to the jarls courthouse, the jarl's steward came out. He opened a book and recited. "Beasts are not to be allowed to live among man. Exceptions are for the blind, disabled, or any person with multiple disabilities. Helping animals are restricted to dogs. Seeing that you are not a dog, or supervised by any resident of the city of Riften, you are to be transported to the Skyrim Zoo, near Solitude." Garashbur remembered captivity. He hated it. He would never return to it. He would either have to find a way out of this, or die trying.

 

[Aquillus]

It was a cool winter night. The air in Skingrad was fresh, and the citizens were returning to their homes. A house on the corner had its door open, with light flooding out onto the road. A faint voice calls out into the darkening neighborhood "Aquillus! Time to come home child!"

He runs to the voice, to the light...

Aquillus suddenly awoke to screaming among the citizens of Riften. He was glad though, as that reoccurring dream had been haunting him for so long. But then, realizing he had fallen asleep during one of his contracts, he was instantly angered. "By the nine... It's always something here in Skyrim..." He grabbed his bow and moved to the other side of the roof of Riftweald manor. He had spent the night up there, while spying on his latest target's movements. This land had taken its toll on him, as the drastic changes in weather and rugged terrain were obstacles Aquillus wasn't used to facing.



He moved to get a better look at the town. To his surprise, it appeared a troll had made its way into the market area. "Security in this town just gets worse and worse" he joked to himself as he drew his bow. "I'll make this quick..." Aquillus began to aim his bow at this beast when he realized something wasn't right. "Armored?" he questioned. "I haven't seen an armored troll since my days with the Dawnguard... What's a troll doing in the city?" Aquillus then put his bow on his back and began to climb down, in the hopes of saving the misunderstood creature.



He jumped, and rolled once he hit the ground to brace his impact. By the time he arose, it appeared as though an Argonian had stepped in to save the creature herself. "Stop! He speaks! You would do best to shut your mouths!" She yelled. But the crowd wasn't without some disbelief. "I need to get over there before things get messy." Aquillus thought, and rushed to the scene. "It speaks? All the more reason to kill it!" a guard called out to the Argonian. He then made a move towards her, sword drawn.




Suddenly an arrow knocked the sword from the unsuspecting guard's hand. The crowd's attention turned to Aquillus, who was lowering his bow. Silently, he walked between the crowd and the Argonian. He spread his arms out wide, as if to say "Anyone who wants a piece of the troll has to get by me". The crowd calmed down, and Aquillus stepped to the side. No one wanted to give the hooded figure trouble. They recognized his amulet all too well....

 

[Garashbur]

Garashbur was ever thankful to those who stood up for him against the guards. He stepped near Aquillus, whose bow was still raised. The troll stood next to his defenders, with gratitude. He grabbed the hands of his new-found friends and led them out of the market. They stood in an open area, in front of the cemetery. "Thanks friends." Garashbur said, releasing their hands. "Why you save Garashbur?" The troll asked, unsure of why anybody would help him.

 

[Aquillus]

"You're a companion to the Dawnguard." Aquillus said. "I was a member for a while. The Dawnguard is a brotherhood. We don't leave allies behind." Aquillus bent over and showed Garashbur his Dawnguard insignia. He had left ages ago, as there was nothing left to be learned, and the threat of the vampires was but a distant memory.

He sat down and began re-buckling his enhanced Dawnguard boots, which must have came loose during his jump. Then he looked to the argonian. "And who are you? You could have gotten yourself killed under different circumstances." He said, in an almost lecturing tone.

 

[Garashbur]

"Dawnguard betray Garashbur. Garashbur hate dawnguard. It was Gunmar fault armor troll are a crime." Garashbur was referring to the time when a Dawnguard deserter used an armored troll to assassinate an imperial captain. "Garashbur betrayed by your group. But since you help Garashbur, I loyal."

 

[Aquillus]

"They just haven't been the same since the death of Harkon." Aquillus replied. Since the threat of the vampires came to an end, the Dawnguard had fallen back into disarray. With nothing to do, many became rowdy and unruly, and Isran dis-honed them. Others left to return to their families, or start new ones.

 

[Garashbur]

"Mhmm. After I help kill big flying vampire, they don't need Garashbur anymore. You still in Dawn-Guard?"

 

[Aquillus]

"I go where the money goes." Aquillus then rose and began heading for the gate to the town. He had a contract to fulfill.

 

[Garashbur]

"That why you in Riften? Need Garashbur help?" The troll asked, willing to repay Aquillus.

 

[Aquillus]

Aquillus brushed off the troll, trying to shake off unwanted social interaction. He stopped walking for a moment. "I work alone now." Aquillus replied, with the gates of the city closing behind him.

 

[Garashbur]

Garashbur looked at the argonian. "We meet again sometime. Garashbur come back to Riften later." The troll hopped over the stone wall and followed Aquillus. "Wait!" Garashbur said, finally catching up with him. "What your name?"

 

[Znowcicle]

Runs-with-phoenix took the next few minutes in a slurred thought. One minute she was in front of the troll with a mob in front of her and the next she was with an assassin and the troll outside. And now she was being left! She huffed and followed them stiffly. She could see the troll and the hooded figure up ahead, granted the troll was easier to spot. Steadily the mob from earlier followed the straggled line of Argonian, Troll, and hooded assassin hissing demoralizing things at them. Runs-with-phoenix thought about glaring at them but thought better of it. They're not worth my time...she thought darkly as she started to run, her feet still just as silent as the day she realized her calling.

In a short moment she was beside the troll easily keeping up with his large strides. What had his name been? Gasbur? Gas...Garashbur!

"Garashbur, follow me!" She urged him taking his furred club of a hand. It was strange being so close to a troll, but she didn't hesitate. She could tell he was a gently giant...at least to those he liked...

"I know where he's going and I know a short cut." She tugged Garashbur down an alley, for one to get the villagers off their tails, and two, she really did know. She'd been watching him on top of the roof. The black of his get-up was a stark contrast to the wooden brown that roofed the WiftWeald manor. Shadows would help with this, of course, but only for untrained eyes.

 

[Tyrone]

Searal, woken up abruptly from a much needed sleep, quickly jolted out of bed and grabbed his bow. He would silently walk down the stairs of the Bee and Barb, his bow drawn and his face serious. Had vampires attacked Riften again, he wondered in his head.
The Wood Elf would be clad in Thieves Guild Armor, his long red hair poking out through his hood. He would have a tan skin tone and a tensed, young-looking face, even though he has already been through much in his life. He would, however, look dirty due to his last odd-job he had done.
He was never really one to draw a bow, as most wood elves are, but the roars outside the inn did not sound human at all. He opened the door slowly and stepped outside, spotting a troll and readying his bow...

 

[Garashbur]

Garashbur heard his name and felt someone grab his hand. First he felt fear, but looked to his side and was delighted to see Phoenix. "Where we go?" "I know where he's going and I know a short cut." She said. They were in an alleyway now. "What you look at? Where he?" Garashbur asked, in the softest whisper he could manage, which was still very loud. They were completely oblivious to the man aiming a bow at the troll.

 

[Znowcicle]

Runs-with-phoenix put a scaly finger to her scaly lips and blew a soft shh sound through them. She tugged on his hand a little, backwards, for him to halt. She had heard an arrow being knocked into a ready position and was afraid for Garashbur.

"He is a friend." She murmured to the elf. She could see him now and she held up her hand as well as Garashbur's. "Think I would be so close if he was a bad troll?" She looked behind them and then back to the elf.

"We have to move, come along and watch the back if you want. We're on a mission." She grinned saying "mission". It always put a thrill in her to be on a job, even if she wasn't on a contract job.

 

[Tyrone]

Searal hesitantly lowered his bow, but still he would have an arrow drawn just in case. He nodded to then to the argonian, following the group in hopes that he would score a few gold coins at the end, maybe even pay back Keerava for the room.

 

[Garashbur]

"Yeah, michin!" Said Garashbur holding a finger up to his lips, not knowing he was in any danger.