"Hello Sarah Phimm. So nice to finally meet you."

Sarah emerges into the secret lair of Tayka Byite, devout follower of Molag Bol and the Dark One. As a precaution, Tayka prefers to stay within his own secret room, deep under the ground of Fort Istrius. Alone for hours, Tayka's ability to receive visions could indeed become intact, and the visions he'd begun seeing of a young, red-haired scullery maid miles away in Skyrim had become the main focus of his daily seeings. With special aid given from the specter inhabiting the walls of his room, Tayka had eventually come up with a plan to contact her. One letter at a time.

The necromancing followers who dwelt within Istrius would allow Tayka plenty of space alone, for he had gained a certain respect amongst the others, most of whom had spent varying amounts of time dabbling in magic, but not truly mastering it. They had therefore honored Tayka's word, when he'd begun describing the young lady he'd been seeing.

A lady who could withstand any sort of fire, yet looked just as ordinary as any other maid in the land.

Time had passed, and Sarah had been duped, just as Tayka had predicted. She'd shown up in Skingrad, had not managed to find her aunt, yet she also hadn't just left to go back north.

She'd managed to find a job, and seemed to be attempting to build some kind of life. Working hard, every day. Noz had seen her first. He'd also been the first to speak to her. Because he'd spoken to her before Notta had had a chance (despite specific instructions to avoid direct contact) and because of Noz's latent opinion that gaining Sarah's trust would be a waste of time, Noz Hayre had been punished. The ultimate punishment, matter of fact. Tayka had seen to this, for sure.

But in Noz's opinion, Sarah had been nothing more than an ordinary citizen. A toiler, a cook, and a servant. Nobody special, nothing more. Unfortunately, Noz's opinion had not been well-received within Istrius.

"Thank you for coming. And how was your journey?"

"I -- well I am so confused."

"Allow me to explain," says Tayka. "I am sure you have plenty of questions, and all shall be explained."

"Yes. Can you explain?"

"On behalf of all the necromancers of Fort Istrius, I do apologize for the circumstances which have befallen you. And now, to my point," he says, facing the woman who'd made it all the way here, leaving her homeland, leaving all that had been familiar. "You have come here to meet your aunt Matilde, and we are well aware of this. However...."

"Yes?"

"As fate would have it, Lady Petit could not, and will not, be here to meet you. Yes I know, circumstances are indeed strange. But all is not for loss. I am in contact with your aunt, believe me I am. When Matilde contacted me, she wanted to let you know the manor in which she once dwelt is now open."

"The manor? You mean Summitmist? ... But where is Matilde?"

"I have proof of contact. She wanted to give you this key," continues Tayka. "It is the key which fits Summitmist Manor."

"It .. a key to Summitmist? Are you sure?"

"Good question. Let me give you some history. Summitmist has been unoccupied for years. The place has been empty, yet as rumor has it, Summitmist is also haunted. Which is all untrue. All of it. Nobody is there, not Matilde, nor any citizens at all, and certainly not any ghosts. All false."

"Yes, I have heard from the townspeople of Skingrad these rumors. But no one ever seems to want to divulge any straight-forward sort of answers on the subject."

"Long ago," Tayka says, taking a bite out of an apple, "there was some sort of soiree which took place in Summitmist. A party, a gathering of townspeople."

"Go on."

"Your aunt was there, along with several others. Maybe five or seven in all. Accounts vary, you see. Well, something happened at that party. Rumor has it that somehow, the Dark Brotherhood got involved. Whatever happened, happened quickly. Everybody died that night. All the partygoers, were later found and removed. A big mystery. Nobody really knows what occurred."

"NO, Matilde has passed?!"

"Indeed she did. I am sorry to be the one to inform you. However, I am still in contact with her. Let's just say I've got a special sort of gift. I know all about her, and all about you. Trust me on that. Lady Petit has asked that you use Summitmist as your new home. However, she has also informed us that we are to place one condition."

"A condition? What of a sort?"

"We need something from you, Sarah. We need your service. In return for accepting Matilde's gift, we need you to become one of us."

"One of .... I --"

"Now, I am not saying you must go around wearing black robes with a black hood, nor must you learn to practice the Dark Arts .... you do not even have to live here at Istrius, though if you'd like, you can stay here with us any time you wish."

"I .. I do not know .. why me, sire? Why would you desire such position from me?"

"We know of your ... 'peculiar' quality, Sarah," Tayka says, gesturing with his fingers. "We know of your powers."

"Powers?"

"We know of your upbringing in Skyrim. We know most specifically of your ability to resist fire. Yes, fire."

At last, Sarah is silent. Gazing at the hooded man before here, with an almost guilty look upon her face. Nobody had known of this trait of hers, not for many years. She hadn't spoken of it since leaving Riften, and hadn't immersed herself at all within flames once she had relocated to Solitude. She had tried to become as ordinary as possible. And had succeeded, or so she'd thought.

"I can see the look in your eyes. How it fascinates you, how you can even bathe within its flames. Your immunity to fire, combined with your standard Breton heritage for magical resistance, both of these traits are what we need."

"I .. but I.."

"You do not have to decide whether you'd like to join us now, I will give you one week to decide. Until then, enjoy your new home. If you should join us, it would be to our advantage actually that you are living in Skingrad. That we have someone inside its perimeter."

"I see." A serious look upon her face.

"I bid you farewell now. Think carefully about our offer. I'm sure you will. We could use you, Sarah, and a grand portion of our riches will be yours if you decide to join Istrius. Farewell."

And with that, the hooded man who'd been able to fool Sarah Phimm for this long began looking forward to the days to come. The next segment of his plan had just begun, just as the specter who'd guided him in his ministrations had promised.


Approaching Istrius

Greeted by Notta Wynner -- Note: we can see Noz Hayre glowering in the background in this shot. By happenstance, the necros of Istrius quickly did him in just after Sarah arrived. These necros are added by the MMM mod, so I have no control over what they do. It's interesting that they left Notta alone though, just as the story says.

Door to Tayka Byite's Lair --Like I said, MMM necros are unpredictable. They can decide to kill any NPCs I add, or sometimes they'll just leave 'em alone. For this reason, I've found it best to protect certain NPCs by giving them their own room or dungeon!

*curtsies*

Thank you Lopov, mirocu, and Acadian. That update wasn't even supposed to be "funny", but when Kahreem met the countess on the road ...

mALX: Yes, Sarah's game is a custom-made quest. It'll have several plot-twists and bizarre stuff to come. I got the inspiration for Sarah Phimm last summer as I was watching Dark Shadows, that old horror soap-opera from the '60s. There's an entire set of episodes during which a seraphim shows up to Collinsport, and she's obsessed with fire and stares into fires (etc.) and this gave me inspiration for Sarah's gameworld and motivations.

~Fredas, Heartfire 21

Late at night it is. As I write this. Darkness. I write by candle-light.

Some-thing here, in this old manor. Far below. I feel its presence. And I believe it does not know I am here. But I know IT is here. It ... or he? Or she?

I lay nightshade upon the bed I claim, that such poisonned flowers lend their assurance.

@-->---- @-->----- @->-----

~Morning

Oh blime! Such a fright I have had!

A Kham Khajiit lady crept within my domicile while I lay in slumber, and granted presence just as I aok arose! Just as I awakened. Sj She wanted to grant me a pair of items: a deed writ upon parchement, and a key to Summitmist's locked cellar. She informs that I am to carry this deed where-ever I go within Skingrad, and present it (which has been penned by some official within the Imperial City by the name of Vinicia) if I should by happenstance find my-self accosted, and tried for arrest.

Tried for arrest? .......... I do find my-self in agreement with her cautionings.

Such astute assessment, indeed. This very thought, that I might attract unrest, just by squatting here, these thoughts had girded me so. For no-body has dwelt within Summitmist for years, and for me to be found squatting here ... when I have not even the money to be in acquiescence of such a home, or even a squallid, puny shack ... well. 'Tis of interest.

But ... Takya is not to blame for this intruder. The khajiit woman made claim of this. Takya, she in-formed to me, is NOT the one who made delivery of this key, nor the deed in my pocket. The khajiit woman was quite emphatic on this topic: Takya is not culpable in this regard.

So if Takya is not making involvement here, then ho WHO is? The Khajiit infr divulged: the one who sent her to make delivery of this key, and this deed, IS a her, not a he. A woman, not a man. Perhaps a slip, orated in error? But I feel not. If such is truth-ful, then some-body else has knowledge of my presence here.

The key. Yes, I have the key. It does fit within the cellar door. But I cannot. I cannot go down there to-day, or to-night. I desire a day of toiling. Back to Mog. Normalcy and compliance.

"STOP! In the lame of the law! ... name... In the NAME of the law!"

The Khajiit interrupts Sarah's sleep

The Khajiit denies knowing who Takya Byite is

She will not say who delivered the deed + key, but makes a mistake, and identifies the sex of the sender.

The Deed

The start of an arrest...

Um... what's this you say?

The smug apology