Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-5583506-20160602184114/@comment-5583506-20160602215708

(Will add my CC's soon.)

One year ago... Aldryn couldn't hear anything what Yldina said to him when she called out. He had heard nothing but the howling of ash storm winds for days now. The deafening sound had almost become a part of his everyday now. He had begun to get so used to it that if he didn't hear it, he would often clean his pointy ears to make sure that he hadn't lost his hearing.

He held on tightly to the rope tied between him and Yldina. If they somehow got separated or lost sight of each other during the storm, the rope would be his only life line to make sure that he made it back to the camp. The wind and the ash pushed around the group. For each third step they took, it almost felt as if they were being pushed back two. Little to no progress was made on the distance between the first camp and the Nexus. He had seen the distance between the two locations when the storms had settled briefly. It was barely sixty yards or less, yet walking in this storm made it feel as if they had been wandering for days, just to reach a location which they had previously visited without much trouble earlier the same day. The constant ash storms had surprised them as usual though.

Behind him were Ralsimar and Fendayne. He hadn't gotten to know the pair so well, but from the records he had read back at the company in Mournhold they were some sort of eggheads with much field experience in researching Dwemer technology. Apparently they were also inventors of some sort, having designed some apparatuses of their own based on Dwarven schematics. He was not an intelligent person. Or at least that's what he would say. He was a digger, not even an archeologist. He had been educated in the proper ways of how to handle the tools given to him and how to use them as to not damage or destroy any archeological findings. But he was no historian, nor a researcher. He was there to do as he was told. He would dig, excavate and uncover whatever they told him to do. It was then up to them to decipher or analyse just what sort of strange objects they had brought up from the earth.

He had the feeling however that there wouldn't be many things to dig up. He knew that the main purpose of this expedition wasn't to follow in the footsteps of those who had lived down in the annex before the events of the Red Year, but rather to recover what they had already dug up. The company was strangely optimistic about finding anything down there.

Finally he could feel the ground changing underneath his feet, from a deep sea of ash, to the steady footing of volcanic rock and calderas. A lantern was swinging wildly from a wooden post put up just above the underground entrance of the Nexus, the monstrosity of an annex the company had constructed years before Vvardenfell had been reduced to a scorched and blasted ruin. It was an underground complex, consisting of a myriad of tunnels, rooms and chambers; housing at least over a hundred of the most brilliant minds Morrowind had to offer. All eager to discover what secrets of the Dwemer that might have gone unnoticed beneath the cold, dark ground.

They had indeed found what they were looking for. In the middle of nowhere, miles away from the slopes of the Red Mountain, the company had establish an underground facility. Below the facility itself they had uncovered ruins, ruins far more ancient than any Dwemer cities they had previously discovered. The company had sent their best men and women to stay at the Nexus, to live there and research, to which they had all been too happy and thrilled to oblige.

And finally just a week in on the year of 4E 05, the company had received a letter with a description of the marvels found deep below the ground. And then... there was nothing but silence...

The Red Year had happened. The entire facility, the annex was buried below layers upon layers of ash and rock. Some of the tunnels had collapsed and all the people still living there had been trapped in the very dead cities they had sought to research, permanently becoming a part of their own find. The thought of it all kind of made Aldryn's stomach turn. Knowing that somewhere deep within the Nexus they would probably find the remains of the people living there, was a sight he could happily be without.

Yldina signaled for the group as soon as she reached the lantern, waving them over. Aldryn turned around for a brief second to make sure that Ralsimar and Fendayne were still with him. The rope was hanging in mid-air and faded away into the blurry mess of the storm, indicating that they were still there just far too deep within the ash to be spotted. A figure revealed itself from the the cloud and stumbled forward, soon followed by another. They were both carrying crates of provision.

Yldina pulled down her scarf and raised her goggles. Their sight had been almost completely covered by layers of ash.

"We will have to return to the camp at least three more times!" she called out, to overcome the howling of the wind. "We need to secure the equipment and the provisions and stash it underground! This storm will most likely not subside for another month or so! We got here in the worst of it!"

Knew I should have sent that letter to mom while I still had the chance, reflected Aldryn.

"Nothing that can be done now though!" she said. "Get inside and get some rest! I will have Brilnea, Fadmeni and Dramala to relieve you!"

Aldryn nodded and tied the rope around his waist around the lantern post, before he stepped onto the platform along with Ralsimar and Fendayne. His fellow kinsmen were more than pleased to know that they would be going back underground. Back to the warm and safe comfort of the ancient facility. Aldryn pulled the lever which triggered the elevator and slowly lowered them down to the rattling of chains.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">It had taken them at least a week to uncover the entrance of the Nexus. The elevator shaft had been filled to the brim with ash. Then the engineers had to restore the old machinery back to working condition which had taken yet another week. But the interior of the Nexus was remarkably well-preserved, considering the fact that it had been built so close to the Red Mountain, and underground at that. Some tunnels had collapsed for sure, but other than that, the Nexus was intact. Some dust and cobweb here and there didn't put Aldryn out of the mood to see the interior of it once more.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Once inside the howling winds of the ash storm faded into the distance once again, making Aldryn wonder whether or not there was something wrong with his hearing. Instead it was replaced with eerie squeaking of rusty pipes and walls of metal and stone, slowly giving in to the pressure the surface was putting on them. They had made a second camp just outside the heavily sealed entrance of the third sector. They hadn't uncovered any artifacts or bodies as of yet, which was why Aldryn was hesitant to actually enter the third sector. It was heavily sealed for a reason, he believed. It wasn't a sector anymore, it was a tomb.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">The original inhabitants final resting place, he thought.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"Welcome back, folks!" snickered Dramala as she approached the entering group.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"Oh, hi there", said Aldryn, somewhat embarrassed. He found it hard to talk to the woman after she had kissed him back at their first camp a few days ago. "Uhm... Yldina wanted you, Brilnea and Fadmeni to go outside and..."

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"Oh, I know", interrupted Dramala and dismissed his request with a wave of her hand and a short laughter. "I am still glad to see you back in one piece though", she said.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">I bet you are...

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Ralsimar and Fendayne eyed the pair with a mix of jealousy and irritation before they headed off to the rest of the group by the campfire they had set up.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"That's... very nice of you to say so", said Aldryn, feeling how his heart started beating faster.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"Tell you what", said Dramala. "When I get back and when the camp if asleep, would you like to...?"

<p style="font-weight:normal;">To what?

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"Would you like to come over to my tent?" she said. "We could talk or... do other things?"

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Aldryn felt it as if his throat collapsed inwards, making it hard for him to breathe. He had never been approached by a woman before in his entire life, especially not in this fashion. And to top it all off she was really pretty and smart. An archeologist with vast knowledge of Dwemer history.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"Are... are you sure?" he asked, although he was unsure as to whom he was referring to. Himself, who might have heard it wrong. Or Dramala for being so... eager?

<p style="font-weight:normal;">The woman smiled at him, sending her hand down to his leg, slowly letting it slide up to the inside of his right loin before bumping into... him. "I am sure", she whispered in his ear, placing a kiss on his cheekbone. "But for now, go and meet up with Serandus", she said, signaling for Brilnea and Fadmeni to follow her. "He wanted to talk to you."

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Aldryn stood still in his place, unable to move. Maybe after tonight he wouldn't have to be that dumb, virgin boy everyone had made fun of back in Tear. Dramala, Brilnea and Fadmeni suited up behind him, before stepping on to the elevator and were slowly raised to the ground as the cogwheels began to creak and get back to work.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Serandus was a grizzled old Dunmer with a long, white beard and bushy eyebrows. He had long hair, tied into a knot at the back of his neck. He wasn't the friendliest man Aldryn had encountered in the group, but he was honest and highly intelligent. It was his attitude however, that was a problem. He usually regarded Aldryn as that annoying fly on the wall one could never quite swat, yet from what Aldryn could recall he had never done anything to offend Serandus and thus just assumed that the old Dunmer's blind prejudice was not his finest quality.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"Boy!" growled Serandus through his beard where he stood leaned over a table with a map depicting the Nexus. "Get over here and do some good for once."

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"Yes, sir", replied Aldryn, yet did his best to make sure that his sigh was unheard.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">He approached the group. They were a total of twenty people, yet he hadn't bothered to learn the name of the rest. He knew however that they were all belonging to the elite and employed by the company. They had fine educations and were respected members of Dunmer society. And here he was... the son of a guar herder and a weaver, doing what he was doing best: digging and mining.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Serandus didn't appear to be as grouchy as usual for once. Instead he stood leaned over the map with an expression of concern.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"What do you need help with?" asked Aldryn, and tried to sound as humble as possible.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"Here", said Serandus and pointed at a corner of the map.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">It was an old map, probably one of the few copies of the Nexus that had ever been made, directly from the archives of the company. After all, the place was meant to be a secret from every foreign government, as were everything they found down here. Imperials, Nords, Argonians and Khajiits were all oblivious to the fact that this place had ever been constructed.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"Why is this room still sealed up?" asked the old Dunmer.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"Because I haven't been instructed with excavating that area yet, sir", said Aldryn.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"I don't care what you instructions you have been provided with boy", snapped Serandus. "You were brought here for a reason, remember? To dig. If you see someplace that is accessable through digging, you dig. Understand?"

<p style="font-weight:normal;">At that moment Aldryn had never felt so tempted to just punch the old man in the face, but he refrained from doing so due to fear of being permanently shut out of the project altogehter.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">My parents would be so disappointed...

<p style="font-weight:normal;">The opportunity of this job had gotten to him through sheer chance. A man from the company had just happened to drop by the old ebony mine outside of Tear in order to pick some candidates to lead an excavation team in Vvardenfell. Aldryn had currently been in charge of the group assigned to dig in the western section of the mine and the man from the company had just happened to walk in there and pointed at the man leading the miners. And just like that a simple commoner like himself was now working with the elite. He needed to make the best of the situation, and perhaps, just perhaps there could be an opportunity for a more... permanent contract with the company.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"I understand", said Aldryn. "I will get on it tomorrow."

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"Good good", muttered Serandus. "Now go and eat something. You will be working all day tomorrow. I must enter that chamber!"

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"What's so important with it, sir?"

<p style="font-weight:normal;">The old Dunmer stared the young man down as if he was an imbecile. "According to the map, it's supposed to be some sort... communication chamber? You know for those strange recording devices Ralsimar and Fendayne developed an updated version of? Apparently, when they constructed the Nexus they made sure that the entire place was littered with these devices. There are supposedly two in every sector, one at the entrance, and one at the exit; leading to the next. I am curious to hear what these apparatuses may have on them, assuming they still work, that is."

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Aldryn looked at the map for a brief moment, gently stroking his finger over a section. "Here", he said. "Behind..." He swallowed hard and gestured to the sealed up metal door, leading to the third sector. "... behind that door there is a sidepath and a set of stairs that will take us right up the back of the communication chamber. If we are to open that door tomorrow, then maybe... I won't have to waste time and energy to uncover that other door over there. We could simply use the sidepath."

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"You are not as dumb as you look", scoffed Serandus. Aldryn was unsure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult. "We could do that. Sure, it will take us some more time to reach the place than it would have if we had decided to go through that other door, but you are right. That would save some time for your skills to be used elsewhere. Only problem though..."

<p style="font-weight:normal;">The old man glared at the metal door. Some old locking device, composed of bolts thick as a man's head were keeping the door to the third section locked down and sealed. They had tried to open it up earlier, but hadn't been able to figure out just what kept the whole thing shut.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Aldryn simply nodded to the old man as he approached the fireplace. An old can filled with beans was waiting for him. He didn't mind. The half-arsed food contained within the provisions were like a nobleman's dinner in comparison to what he had been eating back home. A few hours later Yldina, Dramala, Brilnea and Fadmeni returned to the camp, having brought the rest of the provisions on the broken sleigh left back at the camp.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"That will save us a lot of trouble", said Yldina and took her ash-filled headgear off. The camp is still out there, but there is no way we could reach it now to take it down and bring it here. The storm has taken a turn for the worse. We probably have to stay underground for a week or so before the weather becomes milder."

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"That's fine", said Serandus. "Which reminds me that..."

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Suddenly the old man was interrupted as a loud rumble caused the very interior of the Nexus to shake. The group got up from whatever they were doing and looked around anxiously, wondering just what was going on. Though the Red Mountain was still active, there had been no prior indications that an earthquake would happen within the next couple of years.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"Keep away from anything that might collapse!" exclaimed Ralsimar.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Yeah, that's easier said than done, reflected Aldryn, considering that they were in an underground complex.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Everything could collapse. It seemed as if the very place had somehow come alive. Within the walls the pipes were whining. Under their feet the sound of machines were roaring, coghweels were turning and chains were rattling. The Nexus had become a living cacophony of all matter of sounds that made Aldryn miss the howling of the storm outside more than anything.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Brilnea whimpered and hid under a table, fearing that suddenly the ceiling would give in and crush her where shes stood. The tremors wouldn't seize and the rest of the group followed her example. They panicked and sought refuge wherever they could. The whole event would continue on for quite some time.

<p style="font-weight:normal;"> Fendayne prayed a silent prayer to Nerevar, before everything fell unpleasantly silent. Aldryn slowly opened his eyes and looked around. He found himself sitting in a crouched position on the ground with his hands over his head as if they could somehow protect him from the world collapsing over his shoulders.

<p style="font-weight:normal;"> Maybe I am just a dumb boy, after all?

<p style="font-weight:normal;"> "What the blood-soaked hell was that?" wheezed Yldina.

<p style="font-weight:normal;"> Serandus raised his shoulders, looking just as confused as the rest of the group.

<p style="font-weight:normal;"> Then all of a sudden there was the scraping sound of metal against metal, as the bolts of the sealed door to the third sector, were finally unleashed. Whatever mechanical lock had been put on the door to keep it tightly sealed up was now unlocked. There was a deafening sound as the rounded door, leading into the section, slowly rolled to the side. Sparks flying in every direction as the old, rusted and miscoloured metal scraped against the stonework. It was followed by a long and uncomfortable silence as the door revealed the long and unknown darkness that awaited beyond.

<p style="font-weight:normal;"> Serandus slowly rose up from his hiding place, glaring in disbelief at the door. "Would somebody tell me..." he began. "... who the hell opened that door?"

<p style="font-weight:normal;"> There wasn't a single response from anyone in the group, but then again Serandus hadn't expected anyone to answer him. He was just as lost and terrified as the rest of them were. Was it something they had done? Impossible. No one had gone near the door since the morning, and even then they hadn't even been able to put a dent in it. And now... it seemed as if someone or something had done them the favor of opening it.

<p style="font-weight:normal;"> "Dr-Dramala", stuttered Yldina. "Would you be so kind as to hand me a lantern?"

<p style="font-weight:normal;"> Dramala was quiet at first, still staring dubiously at the door along with the rest, as if they were all expecting some horrific monster to hop out at them any second from now. She then hesitatingly approached the storage chest and brought up a lantern, handing it over to Yldina.

<p style="font-weight:normal;"> "Perhaps", said Yldina as she received the source of light. "We should consider moving the camp? If another quake like that occurs again it might cause the ceiling to collapse on our heads."

<p style="font-weight:normal;"> "What?" grumbled Serandus. "Down there? A door we had no knowledge of how to open just pops itself open for us randomly and you want us all to go down there?"

<p style="font-weight:normal;"> "Look, we wanted to go in there in the first place, right? And seeing as it might be to dangerous for us to stay this close to the surface as of now, I suggest we take whatever we can carry and move down there. You have the map as well, yeah?"

<p style="font-weight:normal;"> Serandus muttered something incoherent. "Fine, I suppose I could deal with resting in complete darkness for one night. But as soon as morning comes I want us all to return here again for debriefing. We need a plan of what we are going to do now when the door is open."

<p style="font-weight:normal;"> "I agree", said Yldina. "But first, let's all get some sleep."

<p style="font-weight:normal;"> As the group packed their sleeping bags and only brought with them the most essential equipment they all kept looking up at the ceiling, still wondering whether or not another quake would happen and if it would bury them all alive when it did.

<p style="font-weight:normal;"> "Follow me", said Yldina when the group followed her lantern into the darkness, carrying pillows and crates of provision. "Let's just hope that the Red Mountain will let us rest safely with no further earthquakes."

<p style="font-weight:normal;">At that moment Aldryn realised just how lucky these people were that he was there for them. He had worked long enough as a digger and a miner in order to tell the difference between an earthquake and otherwise. He bet that none of them hadn't noticed that the rumble had taken place directly below their feet. Somewhere deep down in the most forlorn sections of the Nexus. There had been nothing natural about that tremor. ..

<p style="font-weight:normal;">One year later...

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Remanos Andraryn was a thin man with a mouth shaped in a way that somehow always made it seem as if he was providing people with a smug smile, even when he wasn't in the mood. He was the spokesperson of the Mournhold Society, sometimes just referred as "the company" to anyone of Dunmer-kin. <p style="font-weight:normal;">With the... unexpected silence from the team they had sent to the Nexus on Vvardenfell, the people back at the company were indeed in an uproar. A major investment had just gone up in smoke. Not to mention the secrecy behind the mission. But the people running the company were no fools. They couldn't risk sending yet another group to locate what had become of the previous one, especially not when they had no people trained for circumstances like these.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">The Mournhold Society was dedicated to investing in the unearthing of ancient technology and magical artifacts. They had no people experienced with "missing people" cases.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">That's where Remanos Andraryn came in. He had been sent to Solitude, to the headquarters of the Investigators, in order to smoothen relations with the new chief of the Investigators. Kay Bellamy was her name.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">''Sounds silly... ''he reflected. ''With a little luck she might be one of those people the company could easily run over or have in their pocket. Remian was an impossibility. Bitter old bastard...''

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Approaching the office on the ground floor of the tall stone building with several stories, he presented himself to the secretary.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"Remanos Andraryn", he said, making an elegant gesture. "Spokesperson for the Mournhold Society. I am here, seeking an audience with chief Bellamy."

<p style="font-weight:normal;">The Nord sitting by the sturdy wooden desk eyed the slim Dunmer with some suspicion before he rose up. "Follow me", he said sternly.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">