Ruins Ruined

Michael stretches his back out as he walks alongside the relatively large expedition force. It was him, Tiffania, Megumin, and Saya that'd ended up upcoming, and they were accompanied by a few Markarth guards, a couple adventurers, and the Court Mage Calcelmo, who they'd been acquainted with during the last Forsworn attack.

They'd actually been travelling for a couple days now, and the boredom was starting to get to people. While the Jerall mountains did have many dangers, they were few and far between due to the low amount of resources around the place, leading to a lesser population of animals and monsters.

Things had gone relatively normally, with the only annoyance being Calcelmo's constant nattering about the Dwemer and his research, which not only caught the ire of the hired adventurers but the Markarth guards too.

Fortunately, it seems that the journey was coming to an end since Michael could spot the faint outline of a structure in the distance that was of distinct Dwemer design... Not only that, Michael could spot hide tents around it, Forsworn tents.

"Seems like the Forsworn have set up shop here... But it looks like their camp's empty." Michael remarks as he spies the area.

"Must all be inside then, that'll help get rid of them. Like spearing fish in a barrel." a Nord adventurer named Marko remarks.

"Whatever, let's just kill those damn savages and go home. I've heard enough about those dirt elves to last a lifetime." a guard growls while nonchalantly picking his ear.

Michael glances over at Saya, who was nervously holding a staff and equipped in Ebonthread robes. "You alright?"

She nods, "Y-yeah, just a bit worried. I've read about how dangerous these ruins can be. Combine that with cannibals and you've got a Tomb Raider scenario..."

Michael snorts, "Well, you've got the physique to play Lara Cr-Oof!" he yelps as Tiffania stamps on his foot with an innocent smile. "What? You've got boobs enough for two Lara-ouch! Alright, alright! I'll quit!" he laughs while fending off her playful swipes... All while the other nearby men watch with aggrieved expressions...

Megumin hops on her heels while ignoring the byplay next to her, "Can I blast them from here?"

"Bringing the ruins and half the mountain down with them? Don't ask questions you already know the answer to." Saya retorts, causing another argument between them that everyone else ignores.

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Fifteen minutes later the group had clambered up to the empty Forsworn camp and were now stood at the entrance to Arkngthamz ruins.

"Anyone who wants to turn back do so now, you won't get another chance." Michael throws out, not wanting to force unwilling people to their potential deaths.

No one moves, their pride and obligations forcing them forward. The group begins moving through the ruins, Calcelmo stopping at almost everything as it catches his interest, the Mage uncaring that Forsworn were somewhere further ahead.

They enter a large room with Dwemer pipes that led from one thin platform to another, eventually finding a naked rotting female corpse. An adventurer kneels beside the body to examine it, only to tumble backwards in fright as a ghost appears before him, causing everyone ready their weapons.

"W-who are you!? More scum who wants to dishonour my body further!?" she growls, her ephemeral voice echoing around the room.

"N-no lady! I didn't-" the adventurer stutters out but Saya saves him by stepping forward.

"We're hunting the people who dishonoured you, miss. You wouldn't happen to know anything about them? Their numbers, equipment...?"

The ghost shakes her head, "Most of them are wearing hides and bone weaponry, some were wearing armour of Dwemer make, one with the steel plate they'd stripped from my body... They also took my journal... They're likely trying to figure out the puzzle at the end of these ruins..."

"Anything else we should know? Any traps or other dangers?" Marko asks.

"Of course there are traps, this is a Dwemer ruin, you dolt... You'll have my thanks if you punished those dishonourable scum." says the ghost.

Saya nods, "You have our word. Miss...?"

"Katria." the ghost answers before dissipating, the relief Saya provided being enough to release her spirit.

"Let's go then, no point wasting time with the dead." Calcelmo remarks, ordering the guards and adventures forward.

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It isn't long before they encounter their first trap... Thankfully, the bisected Forsworn corpse next to it made it more than obvious where it was located. Indeed, it seems that every trap in the ruin had been triggered, killing one or two Forsworn so the rest could pass.

Only one guar was injured by any of these, a flamethrower trap that scorched his back after he'd stepped on an undiscovered hidden trigger. Luckily, Saya and Calelmo were more than skilled enough in Restoration to fix him up.

Three hours after they first entered the ruins and they finally spotted the enemy. They were within a large cavern that'd half-collapsed and allowed stray beams of sunlight to touch the area, allowing a few small trees and other plants to grow... Not that the Forsworn really cared as they'd already cut down these beautiful examples of nature's persistence and turned them into campfires.

At the end of the cavern was a huge Dwemer mechanism and a gated door that seemed impervious to the Forsworn's attempts at breaking through. With those many failures, they'd ended up having to rely on Katria's journal to figure out the mechanism... Yet, the cannibals were slightly too stupid to really comprehend her writings, leaving them just mindlessly shooting arrows at the triggers.

Michael could barely hold back his laughter at their stupidity after the group had managed to lodge all of their arrows near the triggers and angrily began throwing rocks instead. He doubted that they'd ever be able to get through the mechanism, no matter how much time and resources they had.