The Siege of City Hall
The Siege of City Hall, or the Rise of the Thalmor: First Day
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It is the twenty-second year of the Fourth Era. Magnus sets in Alinor, a sundered Crystal-Like-Law but a speck on the western horizon. Mer begin to assemble in the Hall. They avoid looking one another in the eye as they take their seats. The mer present are as follows:
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> Ly. EHKI, Ald-Altadon to the late Crystal-Stone and presiding entity to the Council;
> Ld. HECEDNIL, representative to the Aldmeri-Tamrielic Cabal;
> Ly. RELANYA, representative to the Thalmor Cabal;
> Ld. SHOHIL, representative to the Veiled Heritance Cabal;
> Ld. OGALMO, representative to the Cabal of Ald Aldmeris;
> four mer present as secondary representatives to each party;
> two mer present as door-guards to the Council.
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The mer expected to be present, yet remain absent, are as follows:
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> Ld. NAARIFIN, representative to the New Cabal of the Thalmor ;
> one mer to be present as secondary representative to the New Cabal of the Thalmor.
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As per the policies of the City Hall, time makes no exception for the New Thalmor. The Ald-Altadon brings a hammer to the gong at the head of the table, ringing Council into session.
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EHKI: The word of the missing party is now declared void for this session.
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EHKI: Our Council opens with a finite number of issues, beyond the scope of which any word or agreement will be void.
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EHKI: I shall determine the moment to transition into the next issue. At that point, word of the previous issue will also be void.
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EHKI: The first subject for our Council to discuss is the terms by which the reconstruction of Alinor will continue, including the number of —
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NAARIFIN: This is for the New Cabal of the Thalmor to decide.
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EHKI: Your voice speaks alone to the Council, independent of your corporeal presence. This is illegal even when your word is void.
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NAARIFIN: Believe me, fallen mer; my voice will be legal, and my word valid, before this Council ends.
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EHKI: All mer present! Follow; we must leave the Hall immediately.
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NAARIFIN: None will leave this place until it is agreed for the Crystal-Stone to be reestablished as a member of my Cabal. That is as far as we will discuss the Alinor reconstruction.
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HECEDNIL: Stop! Everyone, Stop where you are!
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HECEDNIL: See there; we’re surrounded by a honing ward.
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OGALMO: Why am I unsurprised?
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RELENYA: More than that. Are you not relieved?
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RELENYA: We all knew it. There has been a coup waiting over the City Hall since the Council first met by the sundered Tower.
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OGALMO: Let the waiting be finished now.
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HECEDNIL: How can you say that? Naarifin, you serpent, like the devil who made us all!
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RELENYA: Nothing but silence now.
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SHOHIL: He means for us to do the talking.
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RELENYA: His eyes! I feel them.
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SHOHIL: Ehki. Ald-Altadon, the Council awaits your advice.
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EHKI: Protocol is over. Guards, you are free to stand or sit as you please. Second representatives, you may now speak as individual mouths for your Cabal.
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EHKI: Remember that I have the power to reintroduce all formalities to the Council when I see fit. I also reserve the authority to dismiss the Council at any time, not to be continued until the next day.
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EHKI: For now, my advice is that everyone retire to the living quarters. Patience is imperative to our escaping this treachery. We will resume in the morning.
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