The Siege of City Hall, Second Day
Day I
The Siege of City Hall, Or the Rise of the Thalmor: Second Day
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The mer of the Council emerge from their chambers and reenter the main hall. Each still looks to the ground or an imaginary entity in the background; each refuses to meet the eyes of the next. The parties are drawn together as much by petty rivalry as by the ward about the Hall.
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EHKI: Now that everyone is here, we may address our dilemma after a few opening words.
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EHKI: As you very well know, the City Hall is besieged by Lord Naarifin and the rest of his Cabal, who maintain a honing ward about the premise.
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EHKI: It is likely that Lord Naarifin and Lady Aralenya exploited last week’s uproar at the Headquarters of the New Cabal of the Thalmor, where an unknown mer set fire runes by the entrance, to gain the favour of the City Defense for this coup.
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EHKI: Lord Naarifin has presented an ultimatum; we permanently abandon the Council and yield to another domineering Crystal-Stone from the New Thalmor, or we are trapped within this hall until the wards can no longer be maintained.
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EHKI: From the strength of the ward, it appears that every member of the New Thalmor is reinforcing it, so the ward could hold out for months or even years. Our first priority is leaving this place without accepting Naarifin’s ultimatum, and we will take whatever measures are necessary to do so.
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EHKI: Discussion is now open.
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SHOHIL: Could we not teleport outside the ward?
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RELENYA: The New Thalmor have common sense, curse them. The ward is coupled with a silencing spell.
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SHOHIL: And scrolls? I suppose the silencing spell is strong enough to cover scrolls too.
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HECEDNIL: What about soul gems?
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RELENYA: Not a bad idea. We could create a quasi-wayshrine that involves no spellcasting.
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SHOHIL: Would one of the two guards please search the lower storage for soul gems of appropriate size?
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FIRST GUARD: Certainly.
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OGALMO: Suppose this plan succeeds; the gem would only port us a negligible distance. If we appear just across the barrier, we will be cut down by the Cabal in an instant.
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RELENYA: Once we breach the barrier, the magicka will be ours to use again. We can quickly recall to our respective Headquarters where our fellow Cabal members await.
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OGALMO: What if our magicka capacity has been restricted as well? That effect would last even after we passed the ward, and we would all be dead.
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RELENYA: If the guard returns with the proper grade of soul gem, we will then look for potions. A restoration draught with a lingering effect should allow us to recall.
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SHOHIL: But there he is, empty-handed.
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FIRST GUARD: My apologies. I only found petty and common gems.
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SHOHIL: Of course; that would have been too simple.
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OGALMO: And we could not fuse them either, since that process requires magickal casting.
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FIRST GUARD: On the lower floors there is an emergency exit. Maybe we can move around the ward?
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SHOHIL: I imagine that the New Thalmor brought up a spherical ward, but yes, check. Actually, stay here. The other guard, if you will.
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SECOND GUARD: I’m on my way.
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RELENYA: We will need our luck here, but this plan could be our salvation. The exit is supposed to lead out of Alinor Central itself, so there would be no concern about the City Defense.
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HECEDNIL: Do you really believe that the City Defense has turned against the Council?
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RELENYA: Most of them are former Dominion soldiers. They will listen to any promises.
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HECEDNIL: Then maybe the City Hall should have given them better promises.
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RELENYA: Unlike any Cabal, the Ald-Altadon must keep the promises they make. They are the only ones the people can easily blame.
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HECEDNIL: Now we see the fragility of the City Hall parliament made manifest.
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OGALMO: One should not say such things. Neither in the Ald-Altadon’s presence, nor in total solitude.
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EHKI: I myself object, Lord Ogalmo. I declared this Council free of formalities not for the sake of lenience, but to ensure honesty.
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OGALMO: Of course. Pardon me.
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HECEDNIL: She is back too soon. Guard, the ward is a sphere, isn’t it?
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SECOND GUARD: That it is.
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SHOHIL: Maybe we have no choice.
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RELENYA: We have just begun to plan. It would be treasonous, rather than weak, to speak of giving up so soon.
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EHKI: The Council is dismissed.
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OGALMO: What, this instant?
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RELENYA: Isn’t it a bit drastic?
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EHKI: You heard. We resume tomorrow.
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