Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-17114085-20190505142549/@comment-17114085-20190827131235

The innkeeper found that very strange, but stopped himself from questioning his potential patrons. "Very well, that will be 8 pennings then, for the room and the meal."

(@Zoor: Do you want this to be happening 1 week ago or during the current time? We never actually stated when Lars arrived in comparison to Kal. So he could've arrived in Drakefell a week after she arrived with the Companions. Otherwise, we'd need to do a timeskip for him soon too to bring him into the current timeline.)

The two Companions headed towards the town's kennel. It was located near the chieftain's longhouse, as the kennelmaster was a subordinate of the chief.

It was morning, so the kennelmaster was in the dog pens feeding the hounds. He noticed them when the dogs began to bear their teeth and growl at the strangers.

He turned around. He was a man in his 30s with curled black hair and a matching beard. He had a muscular build, his skin was lightly tanned and he was a head smaller than both the Companions. "What can I do for you?" His Atmoran had a strange accent, as if it wasn't his native tongue.

The kennelmaster noticed the sabercat that was hiding behind Reyl and in a defensive stance, probably in response to the growling dogs.

Randagulf motioned for her to reach out her hands. "Here, your share of the reward."

He gave her two handfuls of gold coins. If she counted them, there would be over two hundred coins in her hands. That was half a normal person's yearly wages.

Skorm was carrying the clothwrapped corpse over his shoulder when he was led into the throne room. He saw Harald waiting for them on his stone throne. Above the throne was the skull of Jermulgraag, that hadn't been there when the housecarls departed.

He walked to the feet of the throne and knelt in front of Harald. "My jarl."

Kane and Agrunac copied him and knelt before their Jarl.

"Stand, Skorm. Tell me what news do you bring from the south." Harald beckoned.

Skorm stood up and explained their journey south, stopping at the incident at the Áfastr Homestead.

"Go on." Harald said.

Skorm let the body drop to the floor. "We heard the screams as we approached from the forest. We had arrived before the raid was done."

Harald looked at the corpse. "What was the cause then?"

"Snow Elves." Skorm replied. He grabbed the cloth wrapping the corpse and with Kane's help he unwrapped it, showing the body of the dead elf mage.

Holma covered her nose. "Oh, how putrid."

"I tried our best to keep it fresh, but it has been several days since the mage died." Agrunac stated.

Harald walked off his throne and knelt beside the body. He examined the decayed pale skin, the white hair and the elegant armor of the mage. "Snow elves..." He gritted his teeth.

"Why would they attack our lands?" Holma asked.

"They must see Østmark as weak after your father's passing." Agrunac guessed. "See you as weak, so they sent patrols to test your southern border."

Holma wasn't too sure about that. ''Why would they be attacking farms and homesteads though if that were the case? They should've gone for a fortress like Hammarheim?''

"How many people did they kill?" Harald asked his housecarls.

"We don't know the full casualties from the other hamlets, but Áfastr and his family were saved." Skorm replied. "Stinralg healed their wounds and we escorted them to the village for safety."

Harald looked at the dwemer spy. "Thank you, Stinralg." He then turned back to Skorm. "What of the rest of this raider patrol of theirs?"

"They escaped back into elven territory. We didn't chase them down, we wanted to report them to you first." Skorm replied.

"I appreciate it. If Stinralg is right and this is just the probes to check our weakpoints, the elves must be getting ready for a large attack. I will need to ready our forces." Harald muttered. He was visibly angry as he looked at the dead elf.

"May I offer a suggestion, my Jarl?" Agrunac asked. He continued when Harald nodded. "Instead of waiting for the elves to strike, we should strike first. They think you weak, we must show the elves that you are not to be messed with. If you fail to answer their aggressions now, they might become emboldened and strike harder to conquest your lands."

Harald mulled over the suggestion.

"I agree with Stinralg, Harald. We cannot let the elves strike first. If we muster our forces...!" Skorm was getting worked up.

"We don't have the men to invade Mereth." Harald said, visibly frustrated. "Even if I gather every man under my command, we wouldn't be able to get past their fortresses on the border."

"This act of aggression is just the beginning, my Jarl." Agrunac pressured him. "You must attack them with overwhelming force. These snow elves have been allowed to live unmolested for too long! If we do not attack them now, they might be able to rebuild their strength enough to take Skyrim from us!"

Harald looked down at the dead Snow elf.

"You are Ysgramor's blood, are you not?!" Agrunac kept pressuring him. ''Take the bait! Take the bait!''

There was a silence in the throne room for several minutes, as everyone waited for Harald to make a decision.

"You're right. I am the thirteenth in the line of Ysgramor! It is my duty to finish what my forefather started with his 500! The Night of Tears will never be fully avenged until the Snow Elves are finally vanquished!" Harald bellowed.

Skorm and Agrunac cheered in response. Kane joined in after a moment.