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Arc 8 Chapter XVIII: Calculations Statistical And Political
🕑 Added 2024-10-25 22:00:54 +0000 UTC(Reyvin's POV)
[STR: 80 => 85]
[DEX: 86 => 90]
[VIT: 120 => 121]
[MIND: 125 => 126]
[MAG: 2100 => 2150(10750)]
'Hmmm... Nothing unexpected there, lower stats are catching up while the higher ones have become a bitch to improve naturally.' I cup my chin as I lean into a rather smooth bit of wall 'Rituals or patience? To risk or not to risk...' I barely shake my head at the thought 'Best not to, I got all the time in the world after all.'
[Blessing Of Zenithar: Everything made by your hands is slightly closer to perfection, in every single aspect of its being.]
'Going to experiment the fuck out of this thing.' I barely contain the mildly malicious chuckle building up in my chest as I start imagining the mad shit this will (probably) let me build (maybe)
'You are stalling~' Scorch's far too amused voice reaches me from within.
'Yeah, yeah, laugh it up you bucked of discount KFC' I roll my eyes, ignoring the suddenly much more furious squawk and focus all my perception inwards, the light film covering my Magicka having grown a lot more active and turbulent if not actually much denser.
A sudden and admittedly rather satisfying mental ping breaks me from my observations.
[Threshold for new statistic passed, divinity unlocked]
[Current aspects:
Greater: Anti-outsider
Lesser: Mortality, Defiance, Deception]
[DIV: 100]
'Aaaand that tells me absolutely nothing' I grumble inwardly.
"-in!"
Fucking vague ass system, I learned more by experimenting on my own at this point... still nice to have a number to track I suppo-
"Reyvin!"
I nearly jump as I finally register Minthara's voice, the same Minthara who was currently standing right next to me and staring at me with a mixture of worry far surpassed by mild irritation.
She huffs as she sees me react "Are you even listening?"
"No." I deadpan, earning a light chuckle from the old man in the room "You were just giving the report, no?"
She crosses her arms and narrows her eyes "Yes, which was very tedious mind you."
I shrug and look at her with faux condescension "Why'd you think I dozed off?"
"Ass." She pouts and returns to the large table in Titus' study.
The less hesitant and more self-destructively curious part of my brain decides to get some comparison material, and before the reasonable and not asshole part can intervene I am already getting an entire page's worth of information.
At least I retained the decency to skip anything that wasn't the stats.
[Minthara Dragonbane Septim (Mede, adopted)]
[STR: 246]
[DEX: 220]
[VIT: 270]
[MIND: 90]
[MAG: 900]
[DIV: 2000]
I blink 'Yup, that'd do it'
"Are you going to get over here or do I need to drag you myself?" She turns around again as she notices me not following her "Also why are you staring at me like that?"
I may or may not have developed a somewhat frustrated expression after seeing what I did, but I swiftly disarmed that unfortunate line of questioning with a coy smirk and a song in my tone "Coming dear~"
And that is all it takes for her strong front to collapse and for her to look away with red on her face and a sputter on her mouth. Mostly because we weren't alone, she was a freak otherwise.
"Ah, to be young again." Titus chuckles mirthfully while those of his council present range from anything between amusement, stern judgement, and gossip hungry interest.
I shake my head and take a seat across the main man of the Empire, addressing the Falmer already seated beside me "You brief them on everything yet?"
Alor goes to speak but Titus interjects before he gets the chance "Yes, your servant was quite informative in his retelling, though we feel a more detailed explanation than 'Daedra ambush in the church, don't worry about it' is needed when it comes to one of the greatest cathedrals of the empire apparently being taken over by a cult."
The whole time he spoke he kept a perfect calm in his tone but I could feel the carefully controlled hidden fury just waiting to burst at someone.
Instead of immediately answering I rose an eyebrow, silently communicating the question and receiving an immediate nod. Letting out a sigh I allow myself to lean a bit into my seat and light up a cigar "You want the long version or the short version?"
Commander Maro seemed to want to hear the whole thing but Titus spoke immediately "Concise if you will."
"Right." I nod "Meridia, Molag Bal, and Hermaeus Mora" I made sure to channel a bit of my divinity to not let the names summon their attention, even as I doubted they would be able to do anything near the Amulet of Kings "Allied each other and used my apparent lack of allies to ambush me, they only got the chance due to Marius Caro being a retarded cultist wannabee and the Thalmor completely suborning his household."
"So a trio of Daedra." Titus enunciates every single word "Decided to nearly invade my Empire... because they wanted to kill you?"
"Much worse than simply kill me." I correct with a cheeky smile, feeling more than seeing Minthara narrow her eyes "But in short? Yes. Oh and also Zenithar helped" I add after a second "City would have probably joined the river otherwise."
Titus Mede II stares at me for a long while before sighing and shaking his head "I am not sure if I should be impressed and thankful you are on our side or furious that you drew the attention of such creatures and curse your very existence." He huffs and downs a gulp of wine "By the Divines, I swear I will go bald if things continue like this."
I merely raise an eyebrow, staring directly at his hairless head, beside the most appreciable beard of course.
"The Daedra will always do as the will." Marshal Valenicus pointedly does not spit on the ground as the Daedra are mentioned "Having someone able to send them running is purely a blessing in my books."
"So long as such knowledge is kept away from the public." Chancellor Jukulus interjects "We do not need anyone outside of this room knowing the Daedra are willing to ruin a city for any single person."
He gives me an apologetic look and goes to voice said apology but I stop him with a raised hand "No need to mince words on my account, Chancellor. I've been dealing with public perception for years now."
The Bosmer visibly relaxes.
The rest of the imperial councilors (sans a very noticeably absent Redguard) all descend into comments of their own, though they keep them quietly shared between each other instead of announcing it for the whole room.
None were advocating for my lynching at least, which was good.
"Loath as I am to change the subjects." I allow a tiiiny bit of Magicka into my voice to draw attention "But allow me to blatantly change the subject." Titus holds back a snort but fails to do it completely "What have you decided on doing with Leyawiin?"
Minthara nods along my question "Marius' trial will give us some time to move but the opening will only last so long."
"I trust you have noticed the absence of our dear colleague, the Admiral?" Jukulus asks rhetorically and continues after only a light pause "His Majesty has seen fit to command him to act the moment your news arrived a day ago. The river fleet, mostly based from the Imperial City itself, has been dispatched down the Niben."
"Ostensibly as a reserve guard force to keep control of the city, as any legionary garrison would have taken much longer." Marshal Valenicus adds with a small bit of annoyance "Those boatmen rejects will no doubt muck it up somewhere, but at least I know to trust Alakim to keep them from making things worse."
"Yes, trust in your colleagues is important." Jukulus narrows his eyes at the master of the legion ever so slightly at being interrupted.
"Where the river fleet fails, my Dragon Banner will not." Minthara points out offhandedly "They were left there for a reason." She tilts her head "Well them, the legion volunteers and Bruman forces."
"At least the overeager kid will learn some patience by dealing with idiot citizens." Valenicus scoffs, obviously referring to Count Roland who was left in command of the temporary garrison.
"Yes, quite." Jukulus clears his throat, his demeanor shifting into his natural neutral state but a single moment later "That being said, the river fleet has been additionally equipped with masons and architects, and local trading guild contacted to transport stone. I will permit" He glares at Valenicus again "My colleague the lady Ara to elaborate on their task."
The mistress of infrastructure smiles affably "My thanks, Chancellor." The petite Altmer already looking back to me "Initially we had planned on merely destroying the bridge and forcing the crossing to be done by boat." She winces "A rather... immediate solution, and one I did not agree with. Which is why we hired the greatest architects of the city to design a large drawbridge wide enough to let proper seafaring vessels through while still retaining the commercial benefits of its previous iteration."
"And what of the houses already on the bridge?" Minthara questions.
Ara answers without pausing a beat "The families, if found to have not colluded with either Marius or the Thalmor of course, shall be given new housing wherever possible, while also retaining the rights to a minor percentage of the income the bridge tolls from passing ships."
"Not going to try hoarding it all for the central government?" I quirk an eyebrow.
"Alas." Francis Vierre, the councilor in charge of commerce, laments aloud "I tried making them see reason but they keep stonewalling me with stupid excuses like 'ethics' and 'unrest. Surely you can make them see the rightness of taking it all!"
"And what, piss off a major trading city after they've already overthrown one regime?" I give him a slightly derisive yet patient look, making the Breton look away with a wince "Sorry to rain on your parade man but the city needs to keep most of the revenue."
"And so it shall." Ara interjects, giving Francis a pointed look "The city, the Count, and the previously mentioned will receive most of the revenue in question while a small portion shall be dedicated to maintaining a local force of legion personnel."
"You are leaving a personal garrison?" I raise an eyebrow, not a terrible idea.
"It was my suggestion." Minthara tells me just a tiny bit too smugly "It is an important location and we already have an excuse so... why not?" She smirks.
"True enough." The old Marshal nods begrudgingly "I will have to find a way to make the louts not grow lazy in their task but that is for me to worry about."
"Speaking of the Count and his rights." I latch onto what Ara said "What is to be done with Marius?"
"Something you'd know if you were actually listening." Minthara lightly elbows my side "He is to have a public trial held in the Central District before the assembled nobility and those influential enough to attend."
"Indeed." Titus nods along somewhat tiredly "We will heap upon him every accusation imaginable and make spectacle of a lost man's demise. I will drag it on for days so our scheme in Leyawiin can work."
"And speaking of our scheme." Minthara catches on "Are we decided on Janus then?"
"Reyvin's argument was sound." Titus smirks at me as once more they return to something they discussed while I was ignoring them "Janus is weak enough to control and so he will be given the position, under strict observation and a prolonged education to 'catch up' of course."
"Any plans on sticking it to the Thalmor?" I ask after a pleasant moment of silence "They have been using your trade hub as their personal back yard for years now."
"An official embargo." Titus' gaze darkens "The next war is bound to happen within mere years at this point and I refuse to enrich the enemy."
The whole council turns solemn at the mention of war but no one deigns to correct the old Emperor.
"Let's just hope they don't react... explosively to it." I note darkly "We wouldn't want them to attack when we aren't ready for it ourselves, even if their own readiness is much lesser in comparison."
"Their stances have been gauged quite thoroughly, I assure you." Jukulus informs me "They will cut their losses."
"So long as you are certain" I give him a nod.
"What is our next move then?" Minthara breaks the ensuing silence.
"We keep increasing your influence in the capital and most importantly within the legion itself." Titus answers "Our interior is mostly secured" He nudges his eyes at me "With only the situation in Skingrad remaining... obfuscated, as of right now."
"I will focus on that one then." I accept the implication easily enough "I don't know if I will be dealing with the issue myself but I should have it cleared up before I head out to Morrowind."
"I appreciate your confidence." Titus nods "The city has been paying its taxes regularly but any inquiry into its inner workings has been less than reliable. Find out what is going on and deal with it, I will naturally support your plans as much as I am able to openly."
The meeting descends onto less important topics after that, the many discussions and decisions melding together in my mind as I once more trailed off to consider my growing powers.
As I was walking out of the chamber I felt the old priest try and catch up with me "Archpriest Herjolfr." I stop and turn to him with a nod.
"Ah, young Dagoth." The old man smiles at me "If you would accompany this old man for a while I have some questions about the Aedric intervention you mentioned."
"Caught that did you?" I smirk at him.
He chuckles "I would be a terrible priest if I could not follow the smallest of portents."
I start walking again, just slow enough for his old legs to follow "So what it is that you want to hear about?"
"Everything." His eyes light up with zeal "The entire event must be recorded for the books, so that all may know the true sanctity of the cathedral." Before I can so much as breathe in a complaint he adds "With names of all involved redacted, and the release of the information greatly delayed, of course."
I snort at the sudden shift and begin my retelling.
Needless to say, by the time I was done Corvinus was more than assured an Archpriestly visit in the coming days.
