Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-5583506-20160209154925/@comment-5583506-20160224060305

Ran'Jinro entered the chambers of high commander Trymir where he found the old Nord seated by the desk, sorting some documents.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" said the Khajiit.

Trymir eyed him peculiarly the way a superior animal would look upon an ant. He motioned for him to approach the desk. "I see you brought new recruits", muttered the old man.

"That's correct, sir."

"Who gave you permission to let them in?"

It was a good thing that Ran'Jinro was well-educated on the complexity of Trymir's mind. That way he could prepare himself better to reply on questions that always seemed to have some sort of ulterior motive.

"I did", replied the Khajiit without hesitation. "The high commander wasn't present and thus I saw it fit to take initiative and allow these newcomers sanctuary."

"Hmrhm", murmured the Nord, not taking his gaze from the documents for one second. "I see." He put some papers to the side regarding some former trade arrangement with Kilkreath. "I want the latest update on your mission with apprentice Evelyne as well", said Trymir.

"I... I don't know how to put this, sir", said Ran'Jinro. "But the Beast we traced was an abnormal creature of enhanced intelligence."

Trymir raised an eyebrow curiously. "Enhanced?"

Ran'Jinro nodded. "It knew that we were tracing it. It laid a trap for me and my apprentice."

"Curious", muttered Trymir and drummed with the tip of a quill against the surface of the desk.

"It also refrained from chasing us further. It had its course set straight for Kilkreath. Even when provoked it seemed as if it didn't really care about me and Evelyne."

"Very curious indeed. And this is the same Beast our scouts reported immigrating from eastern Cyrodiil?"

"That's correct, sir." The Khajiit decided to hold back the news concerning Kilkreath's fate for as long as he could. Chances were that Trymir already knew about the city's demise, but also because he didn't want to cause any further distress until he had finished giving his full report on the case.

"Seems like they are getting smarter for some reason. While you were gone we got reports of two Bear Beasts coming in from the east, seemingly heading for some yet unknown location in the Jerall Mountains."

Now would be the best chance to tell him if anytime. "There is more concerning mine and Evelyne's assignment, sir."

"Oh?"

"Not only did we manage to slay the Beast after it had begun to attack the walls of Kilkreath, but... Its attack was followed. By four more Beasts."

For once in his life Trymir's face showed signs of concern. "Four?"

"Correct. And... Kilkreath fell..."

Trymir's jaw dropped slowly and he remained still by the desk as if he struggled to get a grip on what he had just heard. "Come again, Ran?"

"Kilkreath, sir. It's... destroyed. The city of Kilkreath fell to the Beasts."

Trymir looked down on his desk, on the papers with the trade arrangements, slowly swiping them to the side. "Give me the full details", he sighed and drew for breath.

"As I said, sir. The first Beast Evelyne and I were hunting was highly intelligent, and even though it had laid a trap for us to be rid off the people pursuing it, there didn't seem to be any real wish to destroy either of us. Almost as if we weren't it's priority."

"Priority?"

The Khajiit nodded again. "Aye, sir. I think... Forgive me for sounding crazy, but I think that this Beast had planned to attack Kilkreath for some reason or another. It knew its location and it knew where and how to attack."

Trymir got up from his desk and walked over to the windows glancing out over the vast landscapes below the keep. "Go on."

"We managed to slay the Beast before it could do any harm, many thanks to those newcomers by the table in the dining hall out there. But its attack was joined in by four more creatures simultaneously."

"By the Gods..." muttered the old Nord.

"I managed to slay one of them, but not before the walls had already been broken. Three Wolf Beasts and one Sabrecat Beast allied themselves to bring Kilkreath to the ground. Though there were plenty of survivors to escape into the wilderness and who sought refuge in the Underkeep, the city of Kilkreath will never recover, I am afraid."

The high commander nodded in understanding, not facing the Khajiit. "Sabrecat Beasts... since when do they work together with Wolf Beasts? They usually rip each other apart when they can't find any Outsiders to chew on."

"I don't know, sir. But my point is that something is happening. I don't think it was a coincedence that Kilkreath fell. I think it was... planned."

Trymir turned around with a confused expression on his face. "Planned how? By the Beasts?"

"I don't know, sir", repeated the Khajiit. "Just a hunch. Forgive me for speaking my mind."

"No", muttered the Nord and made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "You might have something there. Go on."

"Those newcomers by the table are all firsthand witnesses of Kilkreath's destruction and some of the few who managed to survive. They have all voiced their interest in becoming Beast Slayers."

Trymir put his left hand behind his back and used the other one stroking his beard. "Hrmh", he grumbled. "This isn't good. Kilkreath destroyed, reports of two abnormal Bear Beasts lumbering through the Jerall Mountains, enhanced intelligence, Sabrecat Beasts and Wolf Beasts working together. One would think its the end of the world in the pace that these events are occurring. What do you want to do, Ran?"

"Sir?"

Trymir turned to him. "What do you want to do? Your newcomers?"

"With your permission and approval, sir, I would like them to be trained into becoming Beast Slayers. I would also like you to revoke Evelyne's apprenticeship and allow her to be accepted as a fully-fledged Beast Slayer."

The Nord shrugged. "You are not asking for little, Khajiit. I will grant you your requests. I will meet up with the newcomers in the courtyard and inspect them personally. But are you sure about Evelyne? You are aware of her suicidal behaviour, are you not?"

"I am, sir. But judging from these past few years, I would consider that threat to be averted."

"I see", muttered the Nord again. "Then I have nothing else left for you here. I will revoke Evelyne's status as an apprentice and instead apply all of your newcomers for apprenticeship, if they can manage to convince why I should let them join our ranks. This is not the place for freeloaders. We are willing to lay our lives for mankind in order to keep it safe. Are they willing to do the same?"

"That remains to be seen, sir."

Trymir sat down by his desk again, pulling out a log book. He would most likely try to come up with some new plans and think, now that Kilkreath was erased from the maps. "Dismissed", he grunted.