The Order : Down the Path of Darkness (Chapter 1)

• Posted by TOPS Theodore November 22, 2013 - 458 views

  

  2nd of Last Seed.

  "My name is Amadeus Ros. And I am a member of a secret organization the beginning of which goes a few centuries back. An organization known among its hundreds of members as "The Order". Simple as that. Should someone try to learn anything about it, or search any references in books or scripts, or even rumors concerning it, he will simply find nothing. Partly because it is no common knowledge. Mostly because we do everything within our reach to remain hidden. And our reach goes far.  The Order, is composed of people from various positions of power. Powerful politicians, influential citizens, wealthy merchants, deadly underworld thugs, even members of the Elder Council. And no, the Emperor has no idea. I will not even bother to explain the chain of command, since it is so complicated and vast, that even the 12 year old membership of mine is not enough to understand it. The Order's purpose, is the preservation of the Empire, as well as its stability, always the way the leadership sees fit. Personally, I believe its all about some powerful people remaining, or even becoming more powerful. All about control over everything throughout the Empire. And considering the pay sums they give, I can only imagine the vastness of their resources. Every single objective of the Order's agenda is achieved by any means necessary. Bribes, exploits, smuggling, thefts, political maneuvers, frames, purchases, blackmails, threats....assassinations... you name it. Its political, economical, military, undercover divisions, further its goals by being nowhere, and everywhere. Doing nothing, and everything. Seen by none, and moving them all.

   For me, it all started 12 years ago, in my birthplace, Cyrodiil. A ten year old orphan with no means or resources to survive, is easy to turn to gangs in order to achieve a somewhat well being. For years, i learned the practice of thieving, mugging, and later exploit, smuggling... I killed for the first time at the age of 14. A rival gang kid. Older than me, to my pride. So a nice day of my 18th year in Tamriel, I was stalking outside the road to Chorrol, for unsuspected victims... I waited patiently for hours, for a suitable and doable target, hiding behind bushes... And then I saw him.... An old man, at his middle fifties no doubt, dressed like a noble, fat like a pig, and with a purse like a trolls fist.. walking alone from Chorrol. 

   I jumped him. Like i 'd done so many times before. I expected to see his scared to death expression begging me to take my price and leave him be,like all the others before him, but instead, when I pointed my dagger in his face asking for his purse, he remained annoyingly calm, almost apathetic in my presence.

   "Leave, before I make an example of your pathetic excuse of a bandit", he said, barely acknowledging my presence. Oh, no, I wouldn't leave an opportunity like that fly away... so I attacked him. I went to pierce his ugly bald head and be done with it, and my blade gloriously cut through... nothing. The fat ass moved like the wind. I can imagine my face in his speed.... but I did not give up, I attacked again, this time earning a nice tackle after a dodge, and I tasted mud.... "why embarrassing yourself like that, just go die with dignity in some forsaken corner of a slum." 

   That did it. I would kill the bastard. We fought for about 1, maybe 2 minutes, with the old man humiliating my younger age at every turn, gifting me a nice scar through my left chick, with MY OWN dagger.... When he had enough, he grabbed me with an otherworldly strength. He lifted me up and spoke. " you fight well for a shitty brat.... and you do not give up.... not the sign of intelligence necessarily.... So, i'll give you the freedom of choice. Either I handle your dirty skin to the guards, and toss your sorry ass in the coldest prison cell, or you follow me. But be warned boy, if you choose to come with me, you 'll be taking a one-way path, with absolutely no return... but better that your current disgusting state of living for certain"

   Normally I would have given it some thought to follow such a sinister man, but considering the alternative, I was forced to accept without further incident. After all, what could be worse than prison? And that was it. After a few days walk, we reached Bruma. I had never been there before. After passing through the gates, he escorted me to the local inn. There, an even more sinister man, a Breton judging by the accent, seemed to have been awaiting him. after some low voiced talk they had, he gave him the purse that was to be mine a few days back. And then he pointed at me. The other man took a good look at me, examining me through and through with his dark gaze. The fat man said a few words to him. "Underworld. He will do. Maybe even an Operative." The Breton tried to doubt, but Mr Fat Face had a way of convincing with his gaze.
  

   That was the last time I ever saw  him. Was he a leading figure? Just a high placed one within the Order? I ll never know. The Breton took me to some people, and then to some others and on and on, and within a few years, with the latter supervising my progress from time to time, I became a decent, to put it modestly, blades man, and a leading figure of the Cyrodiilic underworld, running various jobs from time to time, always and forever by the instructions of the Breton, and slowly I came to be informed the nature of the group I was serving. Stealing documents and shipments throughout the Empire, assassinating, smuggling, blackmailing, so many countless stuff in the name of the most mysterious agenda. Hell, I even framed a blind man for murder once.

   And back to present, at my 30 years, I sit in Cheydinhall after a long day at "work", enjoying a quiet evening at the local inn. As I have some mead warming my neck, Cyndia, the tavern wench approaches me. She looks at me with eyes full of lust. She comes closer, and closer, and finally sits at my lap. She prefixes her admirable breasts towards my face. By Mara, Dibella, Shor, Namira , Stendarr and all their nice lot, that girl is a pure fireball. She plays her fingers across my chest and waist, and suddenly she does it. She taps my nose. Everyone's watching, thinking that dirty Cyndia is having yet another flirt, but see, that's the way the Order works. She is not flirting this time. She tapped my nose. That means "hey handsome, by my ribbons there is and envelope the contents of which are for your eyes and for your eyes only..." I kiss her mouth after slipping the thing inside my coat pocket, and excuse myself. She promises to meet me at my place later, only she will not. There is work to  be done. I just couldn't imagine the size of that work....

   I casually walk to my house, and sit at my table. I open the envelope. The inside bears the seal of the Breton.

     Operative A.R.

  New directions from Authority.

   As well informed as you are about the crucial condition of Skyrim, and the final moments of the temporary truce with the Dominion, two facts that don't match well for our interests, you also know that numerous other Operatives are deployed in various regions throughout that province with as numerous objectives, all moving around the so much needed stabilization of Skyrim under Imperial control.

   Therefor, you are to move north as well, through Riften, to the inner of the province, with several tasks to fulfill towards the desirable goals, joining the Grand Operation codenamed "Wrath of Talos" as listed below.

  - As an Underworld specialized agent, you are to start from Riften, which is rich with your element of work, in order to take the pressure off High Agent Maven Black - Briar, for whom the Order has other tasks apart from becoming Jarl of the Rift in the near future, after that part of Skyrim falls in Imperial control. Current leader of the Guild is strongly suspected of exploiting the faction for his own interests. You are to assume leadership of the weakened Thieves Guild after exposing him and terminating him. Seek High Agent Maven for tactical advise. Self profit permitted. Part of the profit given to Imperial Command. Refer to Supreme Officer General Tullius.

   - After your first objective is completed, you are to use the Guilds contacts in order to get involved with the Dark Brotherhood AS WELL. Intel strongly suggests that this faction has been weakened to the point of near extinction. You are to join them, being easier as a Guild Master you are going to be by then, and enforce the faction. The current leader is an individual named Astrid. As an asset that has expired hes usefulness to the Order, she is to be terminated as well, do so with discretion if possible. At some point, when evidence suggests that the Brotherhood has been strengthened enough, I will personally come in contact with you for the commencement of the operation "Ascendance". You are already familiar with the contents of this colossal plan. Self profit permitted. Part of the profit given to Imperial Command. Refer to Supreme Officer General Tullius.

   - By that time, you 'll be the crime lord of all Skyrim, a person in a position so much needed for the Order. Thalmor (with the exception of Ambassador Elenwen)  and Stormcloak assets are to be considered targets of opportunity.You are to use all resources, means, contacts , and hostile activities to decimate those targets, and weaken their positions. Crew expendable. Refer to Supreme Officer of the Order, from the military division,General Tullius. You are to report to the latter in a monthly basis, stating the progress of your deployment.

   -Order's Operative under alias Ettiene Rarnis, last deployed in the Guild has been declared missing. Finding out about his disappearance will be valuable, but not crucial. 

   - A currently deployed in the service of the Jarl of Whiterun novice level agent of the Order, Nord woman named Lydia is expecting you. She will provide geographical support of the province, as she is very well acquainted with Skyrim. Try to secure her survival, as the Order's Authority has future plans for her.

   - College of Winterhold. Do NOT interfere with that faction, other agents are engaged with it.

   -The Companions of Whiterun. Same as the College.Do NOT interfere with them.

   -Should you discover(highly unlikely) other agents or Operatives of the Order while in your endeavors, do NOT interfere with their work, thus jeopardizing their incognito status.

   - Engage in conflict with Imperial Troops, only if absolutely necessary.

   - Last, but most important, ALL agents and Operatives of the Order deployed in Skyrim, share a mutual goal. The ASSASSINATION of Ulfric Stormcloak, leader of the rebellion. Although the extremely high difficulty of the task, it will be a great boost to the entire Skyrim Project. Needless to say, as highly rewarded.
  

   While in the Grand Operation "Wrath of Talos", the only members of the Order that will be aware of your role and true identity will be High Agent Maven Black - Briar, and Supreme Officer General Tullius and Lydia. Make sure it remains that way. Those members of the Order, will support you as well as the rest Operatives, but should you be discovered, compromised, or fail in any way that will endanger the exposure of the Order, the first two WILL deny any knowledge of your existence, and Lydia, as your inferior member, cannot prove anything to begin with. Thus, your cover must remain intact at all times AT ALL costs.

  The war with the Dominion is imminent. But with the Empire weakened and worst, divided in half by the instability of Skyrim, the war will be a certain disaster. With Hammerfell out of the picture (partly due to failures of Redguard agents), Skyrim is the only Imperial bridge to High Rock. It is easy to understand her importance.

   Skyrim is vital for the survival and well being of the Empire. Skyrim is a mess right now. Go help get things right. Feel free to purchase land, estate or anything to your comfort. You 'll be staying in Skyrim for a long time anyway. And if you think that too much is required from you, then you do not want to know what tasks your fellow members of the Order are up to. 

   As always, serve us well, and you will be extravagantly rewarded. Fail, and you are on your own.

   Destroy this letter after you comprehend its contents.

   With best wishes for your success,

  Supreme Officer A.M.

                                       BY THE ORDER TO THE DOMINANCE

  And so I was off to those snow-for-brains Nords, and their frozen but beautiful homeland. After some days, I passed from the mountains north of Cheydinhall and from there to Rift, with my destination being Riften, the Thieves' City. Upon arriving, and through some minor endeavors, I was needed to perform a task in the area south of Windhelm, my ultimate targets stronghold. And as I passed through an area called Dark water Crossing, who do I spot in a short distance?
  

   By all the gods, Ulfric himself, with a few Stormcloaks, resting on a briefly made campsite after coming from who-knows-where. This mission will end in success sooner than anyone ever expected...

   I stalk their camp, and finally I manage to get behind Ulfric while he was relatively alone washing his face on a river. I approach him easily undetected, dagger on hand... just a pierce through the back of his neck, no noise, no pain, nothing.

   And then disaster. Imperials out of nowhere rush the place. Great commotion. Damnation. I barely feel the hit in the back of my head. I wake up in a cart with some random Stormcloak, a horse thief, and Ulfric beside me. So close... and now I am going to die with him. We are heading for the headsman's chop block. This mission will end in failure sooner than anyone ever expected.... and me dead.

   The horse thief tries to escape but gets pierced by an arrow. Another Stormcloak loses his head, and I am next. And then the unthinkable happens. A dragon appears and burns the place. A DRAGON. From the fairy tales.

   Anyway, taking advantage of the commotion, I manage to escape with an Imperial soldier named Haggard or something. He says he' ll go to Riverwood. As if anyone cared.

   Ulfric no doubt escaped as well.

   I am now gazing at the landscape of Skyrim, with all my targets and goals on the horizon...

   With Ulfric being game...

   The hunt is back on.