Greetings Adventurers, it’s Chris with NAS and today we’re joining the Wolves of the XI legion and Octarin Stevius.
After a successful hunt last night, albeit a close call in truth, Illia and Octarin wake up together and then call the group together. After heading outside, he informs the Wolves to all stand by (2:00) as he takes out a few of the Wolves out to go on an actual recon run. He grabs Jenassa, Benor and then Sven. Sven is not the most capable, but lately he’s been able to handle himself after much practice. Plus with Benor, a seasoned warrior and then Jenassa—who happens to be his most seasoned and capable and SOBER scout, he didn’t think it was too much. Additionally, they’d been out and cleared most of the way the night prior.
In fact, Octarin comments to the group about the scenery (4:50), a nice calm moment and then up ahead they see the Western Watch Tower that they are using as a rough goal. They DO stop at the “recon camp” from last night, noting a massive mudcrap corpse, before eventually heading back to the road.
Sven and Octarin quip about how nice it is to be out. By the Nine, being out with the Wolves gets more invigorating every day. He hadn’t realized how caged and empty and alone he’d REALLY felt being away from his Legion. Even Jenassa is more talkative and engaging than usual.
After a warning to keep those eyes peeled and guard up in spite of the weather, they continue up the road and, coming around a curve in the road, come across part of the battle scene from yesterday. Not far up, they spot a lone surviving stormcloak and (9:20) Octarin decides to send up Jenassa to engage before the Wolves engage again.
He gathers the Wolves back up and spends some time watching over a farmer’s cottage. It’s a very tense situation, at least for HIM. He doesn’t want to attack and engage giants. They’re, well, GIANTS. Two of them. But they do not seem hostile, nor do the humans seem put off.
It IS odd, but he’s seen and heard in the past of some such relationships. So long as all seemed well, he didn’t find a need to engage the giants or put people in harms way, Additionally, there seemed to be hired mercenaries on the land so the four continue on.
The group spends some time bonding over battles and spirits are SOARING as the Wolves spot a fortress (14:20) up ahead. Opting to check it and make sure it’s clear, the four rush in, hugging the wall to avoid detection.
The 3 stick together and Octarin darts back and forth, aiding them and then cutting down archers. Almost immediately it’s clear they are overwhelmed and Octarin takes several wounds, some grevious and requiring several potions. He hacks an archer off the rampart and notes the awful silence and his heart freezes.
He hacks down the last of the bandits and his fears are confirmed by the utter silence...The 3 other Wolves had fallen…
...including Sven. Flashes of rages are tempered by the desire to gain control and assess the situation and keep moving. Always forward.
With a sigh, he mulls over the trip he’s going to have to take to Riverwood to inform Sven’s mother. The whole town will be grieving.
And so will the Wolves.
