Rastislav
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Arc 8 Chapter LXIII: Of Zeal And Strategy
🕑 Added 2025-01-08 22:22:04 +0000 UTCA/n: The winner of this month's side story poll is (cue distinctly unskilled drumroll) The political waves made by Reyvin's ascension!
Probably going to place it just after last chapter but I am not sure when exactly I will be writing it all.
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I hold back a groan as I finally get a free moment to myself.
Me being declared the sanctified dictator of an entire kingdom was of course a great achievement the vast majority of people could only ever dream of but dear gods was the pageantry of it all draining on the soul.
One measly hour after the house heads swore their loyalty I had to get moving, barely having the time to settle in and have a quick meal first.
First I was lead to a temple of the Good Daedra each where the resident priest blessed me in the name of their respective deity, the rituals would have probably had an effect if I was not already blessed by the Daedra themselves but I knew it was all for show more than anything else.
After all that was done and a third of a day was wasted, we went to a temple to the Reclamations, which was basically just the three Daedra united, and had to go through another overlong ritual before the gathering masses.
Thankfully for my patience, that was all the religious rites I had to go through for now and soon I was standing atop a podium in the center of Old Ebonheart and giving a speech to the people present, most of whom were soldiers gathering for the war, promising glory and prosperity and reassuring them that the quietening of Red Mountain was just the start.
The house heads reiterated their little submission ritual, and I reconfirmed their positions as my vassals and advisors, and then of course I had to stop a religious riot as people got just a bit too zealous and wanted to throw themselves at anything I commanded them right fucking now.
Redirected that ticking time bomb into a citywide feast and celebration and they thankfully took the hint and got drunk instead of starting to kill each other for perceived heresy.
The rest of the day I spent dictating numerous letters to everyone of importance both lesser and greater, as avoiding that would inevitably come to bite me in the ass later. Because of course a bunch of self-important little shits would be offended if I didn't consider them 'worthy' of a missive.
The one missive I sent to Alinor did make me grin though, as fitting in at least one veiled insult per sentence was a rather fun challenge. I could only imagine the fate of the poor fucker who would probably have to read it to their council.
Still, all of that moving about and grandstanding took an entire day that I could have used on more productive things like planning a war and coming up with trade agreements but needs must and all that.
No reason to give my future detractors ammunition to talk shit.
I did refuse the stupid fucking helmet they tried to get me to wear however. A golden monstrosity with the visage of Nerevar carved into it and with his shitty mohawk added on top just to make it even more jarring to look upon.
They tried to make it the Hortator's official regalia and I was having none of it, having to pull out a 'A Hortator is not a position but a person' statement out of my ass just to make them all shut up.
Still, the whole thing wasn't a complete waste of my time as it all allowed me to take the northern coast and center of Vvardenfell under my direct domain due to my lordship over Kogoruhn and Aldruhn.
The Ashlanders' declaration of my position as their Great Ashkhan, the Unmourned swearing their loyalty solely to me, and the fact I was Hortator easily justified me expanding my personal domain for only the most basic restitution.
None truly protested my landgrab as my word was effectively gospel at this point and what with the territories in question being practically worthless until very recently I actually came out of the entire day feeling like I had not wasted it utterly.
Still made me feel drained though.
My fatigue was thankfully almost entirely mental, and one minute after I sat down and finally took a breath I felt the irritation slowly dissipate, soon replaced with the supernatural comfort my own new existence provided me with.
I was unironically above getting a proper headache now.
Inevitably my thoughts drifted back to the sight of the crowd, a good half of whom looked near to frothing at the mouth with sheer fanaticism after what I did and said "Here is to hoping the idiots don't go full 'Jihad' in my name..." I mutter with a sigh.
Davos, Akulakhan, Anondor, Savos, and my most gracious self were currently alone on one of the many balconies of the Dres Keep facing Red Mountain, Vayrin having been practically dragged off by the priests so he could recount everything that happened.
He was definitely becoming the Grand Ascendant if anything happened to Alandro, of that much I was certain.
"Wouldn't know what that is, Boss" Davos chuckles as he leans against a nearby wall "But you just need to direct them at something else, right? Even the cunt from Windhelm had his rabid dogs doing things to distract them."
"That is the plan, yes." I give him a quick nod "I'm just afraid some of the idiots will try and 'prove' themselves worthy or something equally asinine and fuck things up out of proportion before I can ensure they do it productively."
"You should have considered that before you gave them a gift worthy of worship." Savos points out in a half lecturing tone as he takes a seat opposite me "The people are riled up like never before, calming them down will take a long while."
He was still a bit out of it from receiving my blessing but that did not mean he was suddenly reluctant to point out what he thought were mistakes or miscalculations. In fact, he seemed almost emboldened with his criticisms, which I found a somewhat refreshing change.
I will have to examine the exact effects of it all soon.
"It was always going to happen" I scowl and grumble "People without hope for a future suddenly being given it will do a lot of stupid shit in their confusion." I let my head flop onto my hand "Guess I will just have to throw the dumbest ones at the Argonians."
Savos winces slightly "A bit cold, wouldn't you say?"
I shrug, not even bothering to look back up "You've seen how stupid fanatics can get during Ulfric's little rebellion, if the worst of them can't curb their impulses then they may as well be spent on something useful."
"Spent?" My living grandfather repeats in a deadpan.
"Spent." I confirm and sit up "I am not getting emotionally invested into fools that will inevitably infuriate me, so yes, they will be spent."
He stares at me for a long moment before chuckling "They really annoyed you, haven't they?"
"You can't even begin to imagine." I snort and summon drinks for everyone "Now enough about that, we came here to take a break, not reiterate my frustrations."
"Indeed" He agrees easily, having gotten quite a bit of 'splash damage' with people pestering him near constantly. He leans back in his seat and hums "So, when do you plan to inform your ladyfirend of everything that happened?"
I blink 'oh I didn't call her in a while' "Shit." And immediately rush to my room.
The shiteating grin Savos had on his face was something I would carve into memory.
We'd see who will have the final laugh you old fart.
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Thankfully, I managed to placate the Dreaded Dragon Overlady well enough and her pouting session quickly turned to excitement as she started asking me all about my most recent adventure. Her good mood was palpable and soon I too found myself smiling as I regaled her of most the things I did.
She did not even consider criticizing me over the risky ritual, as for us that kind of thing was par for the course and pretending we would never take risks with anything would be the height of hypocrisy.
When I got to my current troubles all she did was grin and began returning my previous teasing with interest now that we were both effectively fated to be the sovereigns of our peoples.
The future relations between Morrowind and the Empire were left unresolved though, even if we both knew the path that needed to be taken for the best outcome, but neither of us felt like outright stating it right now.
Her because of her own shyness at the topic, and myself due to my procr-patience.
She did act rather suspicious when I told her about my plans of expanding Morrowind and retaking lands from the Argonians but when I asked her what she was thinking about she refused to elaborate and even managed to resist my merciless teasing or similar attempts at prodding.
I need to update my tactics, it would seem.
We spoke long into the night and when morning came I found myself marching into the Dres throne room with a relaxed pep in my step.
All five of the Great Lords were present and none stopped me as I made my way to the head of the table and the high chair usually reserved for the head of the Dres, in fact every one of them stood as I entered, bowing their heads as I passed them by.
Quite the heady thing I will admit "Thank you all for your patience, and for getting up so early" I say as they all take their seats once more "Are there any urgent matters to discuss before we begin planning our moves?"
None of the nobles spoke but the Grandmaster of the Morag Tong, who had partially blended into one of the corners of the room cleared their throat "There were a few fools who thought your ascension a travesty and planned to take matters into their own hands."
I hold back a groan 'How fucking stupid can people get?!' "And were they dealt with?" I ask.
"The most violent ones were disposed of" The Grandmaster no doubt smirks under their mask "The rest were... educated on the error of their ways."
"You beat them up" I deadpan.
They shrug and I think I hear a familiar muffled giggle at the edge of my senses "They were but peasants, my lord."
'Should have just natural selected the lot of them' Scorch deadpans.
"Next time just apprehend the ringleaders and have the guards deal with the rest" I order without raising my tone "I can approve of your current resolution as things were rather excited yesterday but there should be a proper way of doing this."
They bow and say nothing.
"Anything else" I ask and sweep my gaze across the room, and getting no answer in turn I clap my hands "Then we may begin."
A bit of an awkward moment passes as the high nobles were not truly used to anyone so utterly above them in authority but Lady Sadras has none of that and speaks up "The first thing we should discuss is how to best deal with our most recent... windfall."
She turns to face me "The Argonians are going to attack if we do not, all of us know this." The rest of the lords nod along "But at the same time the land is now blessed and not using this opportunity to expand our food production would leave us dangerously reliant on outside help."
"We could always capture the lizard fools and have them do the work" Demnevanni scoffs.
And immediately feels like he is suffocating as my eyes meet his "Call me a filthy n'wah indoctrinated by foreign beliefs, dear Archmagister, but I will not abide slavery in my domain." I stare at him for a good dozen seconds, letting the pressure really set in before adding "Are we clear?"
He grits his teeth and forcibly retakes control of himself "Clear, Hortator."
Aneris Dres visibly holds back a scowl but one raised eyebrow from me has her shutting up before she could speak.
"The travesty that is owning another intelligent being aside" I say as my power retreats "It is my belief that only the professional troops under our houses will be enough for what I have planned, no militias should be raised and the governors of each area should be commanded to grant land to all elves interested."
Varan Sarano immediately narrows his eyes "Apologies if I may sound doubtful, my lord, but would that not leave us dangerously outnumbered in the face of the Argonian horde? Their number has reportedly surpassed a hundred and twenty thousand already."
That we know of for certain.
"The plan was always to defeat them in detail" He nods along, as we had already discussed that particular overarching idea "Using our most elite troops and concentrating our magi into one small maneuverable army will allow us to strike their positions down one after another, crushing their morale and their supplies while preserving our own numbers."
"The sheer planning that would take..." I hear Alandro mutter.
"Is something we have a distinct advantage in" I face the new Grand Ascendant "The Telvanni have at least a few dozen skilled seers in their ranks."
Demnevanni grunts out affirmatively, still a bit miffed at his recent treatment.
"-And unlike their destitute Shadowscales we have a rather healthy Morag Tong to aid us." I turn to face the Grandmaster "Or so I hope." I add leadingly.
All they do is incline their head and say nothing.
Nodding in satisfaction I turn back to the high nobles "So you see, as daunting as the idea may be we will have the advantage in both information and maneuverability with our elite forces, allowing our less experienced and trained warriors to take and hold the land we capture with the least possible amount of resistance."
"A rather ambitious plan" Sarano points out "But not an impossible one with the help of enough mages and automatons."
They all still seem a bit doubtful at the idea, since it was rather different than most ways people tended to conduct war but all I would need was one victory to convince them.
That and I was their bloody Hortator, they could grumble but they would obey.
"Exactly" I give him a cheery nod "Why waste our already low numbers if we can win through bold strategy?"
"And what if the animals choose to counter that plan by simply throwing themselves at our lands?" Aneris asks "The entire south of Morrowind would be overrun in months."
"Then we use their physical superiority against them" I point at her, my choice of words causing a few frowns of offended pride "If they choose to throw themselves at our prepared defenses, then we utterly destroy their supply lines, letting not a single grain of their rice reach the frontlines."
Sarano's eyes widen slightly as he immediately catches on "And with Morrowind still being bereft of much food they would not be able to forage..." He continues for me.
"Indeed" I smirk "An Argonian warrior needs almost twice as much food as a Dunmer one." My smirk twists into a toothy grin "They would starve within days."
"The preparations necessary for something like this..." Sindrel speaks up "We would need everything done perfectly to succeed."
"Not necessarily" I shake my head "While a constant risk of failure will be present, my automatons should be able to bruteforce their way through any logistical issues we may find ourselves facing, we will succeed no matter what."
They share looks amongst themselves and after a full minute of silence they offer their nods.
I raise a glass filled with a nice serving of Dagoth brandy, a drink I was growing increasingly appreciative of "With that initial discussion out of the way, my goal of initial target has not changed" I pause for dramatics "Mournhold will be ours once more!"
They all raise their glasses in turn, and just like that it is decided.
And now to ruin their mood with land reforms...
