Morrowind, A fanfic Options

[Alexander]

Another fanfic about Morrowind you must be asking yourself? Do we really need yet another one? I've asked myself the same question
As some of you might know I tried a hand at writing some two+ years back, resulting in two chapters of something I didn't really like looking back. Though even back then, I'd had the idea for another, a different fanfiction.

For some reason despite the fact that I was very much convinced I was not a good writer, this idea stayed with me through all this time and kept nagging at me. Then early this year I decided to simply give it a go again, and the result is something I'm actually quite fond of. This is the result.

It's a fan fiction about Morrowind, set in the time after the events in the game Morrowind but before the events in Oblivion. It's told from the perspective of three people who play a large part in Morrowind's future, at least the future I've created with some parts told by other characters.

As you'll notice, some events in chapters start a little while before the end of the past chapters, just a heads up there.

And lastly, before I bore you all to death with my rants I'd just like to extend a very large thank you, firstly to everyone who ever read "Alexander in Morrowind" and told me it was good (whether they meant it or not ) and second a very special thank you to Treydog who sacrificed quite a bit of his spare time in order to proof read this story, and who played the role of Editor for me. I'm very grateful for that.

Now, on to the story.







The year is 3E 432 many things have changed since the return of the lord Nerevar, and even more things are changing. Four Great Houses have a new head. The Tribunal gods are slain. Temple doctrine is falling and failing rapidly. Oppression of other faiths has been removed. Many rumours float around, rumours of things unheard of in the very near past; The lord Nerevar wants to abolish slavery, Indoril generals are taking bribes and forsaking their honour, some or all of the Tribunal gods were killed by the lord Nerevar, the lord Nerevar used the powers of the heart of Lorkhan to make himself immortal and godlike, secret cults are rising in Cyrodiil, Imperial legions are being recalled to Cyrodiil to quell the unrest, king Helseth poisoned the last king, Mehrunes Dagon has come to earth in the guise of queen Barenziah, Sheogorath has started a love affair with Azura, Bosmer everywhere are planning the end of the world, Orcs have taken to worshiping Khajiit instead of Malacath.

Some rumours are a bit wilder then others of course, but if only half of them are true the future promises to be spectacular.

This story starts in Ebonheart, in the Grand Council chambers where the lord Nerevar is preparing for what could be the most important council meeting in many years.

[Alexander]

Chapter 3. The hatching of a plan.

Helseth was pacing in his throne room in Mournhold. If anything had happened he should have been informed by now. And something had better have happened this day. Helseth recalled all the previous gifts and money that had been sent back by Eno Hlaalu. Each time with a polite note saying the writ could not be made, nor carried out, and never a reason given. This time, though, Helseth had sent Eno an offer he couldn’t refuse. Or so Helseth assumed anyway. He’d been anxiously waiting for these past few days, and the gift had not been sent back. Now it was the day of the council meeting and still nothing had come back, but also no messenger saying is was done. Helseth assumed it was only a matter of time.

He was proven correct as a royal herald announced the arrival of Raynasa Rethan. She was a newly appointed Hlaalu councillor, appointed by Vedam Dren just before he left for Cyrodiil, but unbeknownst to him, she’d been in Helseth’s back pocket ever since entering house Hlaalu.

“My king,” she smiled broadly, “I bring grave news- lord Nerevar has been killed.”

Helseth had trouble containing his own smile, but knew he had to. He was in the presence of the captain of his guards, a righteous man left over from the reign of the previous king. So instead of howling with pleasure as he wanted to, he solemnly replied,

“This is grave news indeed, councillor Rethan. Thank you for bringing it to me yourself.”

Out of the corner of his eye Helseth observed the captain casting a troubled look at his first man. They knew this would not make things easy in Morrowind.

“Captain, I require your man Drusus for an assignment.” The captain bowed in obedience and the king motioned for Drusus to follow him. With the guard on one side and councillor Rethan on the other, Helseth strolled back to the reception area of the palace. There he dismissed the people present and turned to look at Drusus. He took the heavy pouch hanging from his belt and gave it to Drusus.

“Take this; use it to bribe councillor Yngling Half-Troll. Convince him the only future of house Hlaalu lies in handing control over to me. When you have his support, travel to Omani and Ules manors and persuade those two hags of the same. No money is required; a stern word is more then enough to get them in line, that and the fact that two other councillors will already be voting for me. Then when you have their support, in writing of course, take all the mandates and visit Councillor Curio in Vivec. Ask leave to stay as his guest and propose he relinquish control over house Hlaalu to me. He’ll likely refuse, but that is to be expected.”

“And what would you have us do with Councillor Bero?” Raynasa asked.

“Now Dram, Dram is someone we’ll never convince. No matter how much money or lands we offer him, he won’t join us. No, I have something else in store for councillor Bero. A lesson which will teach him honor means nothing, only money counts. Go Drusus and Raynasa, and win me my first Great House.”

Helseth was very pleased with himself; things were finally moving along nicely now. It was only a matter of time now before the whole of Morrowind would be completely under his control, as it should be. For what is a king with no country to rule?

Helseth made his way to the throne room and asked his Guard Captain to send word to the leaders of the other Great Houses, that he wanted a word with them the day after tomorrow, and that he expected all of them to be there at noon.

As he was getting ready to go to his rooms for the night, a soft voice behind him spoke,

“Helseth, Helseth my dear boy, is it true, has someone killed that sweet man, lord Nerevar?”

Helseth sighed and turned to the voice, “Yes mother, someone saw fit to end his time on Nirn. But please mother, you shouldn’t be out of bed; the priests told you to rest, did they not?”

If they hadn’t Helseth would have their livers for lunch, he thought.

“Yes, yes they did tell me, but you know how they are, son. Those priests together are worse then a wet nurse when it comes to worrying over someone. I’ll be fine, son.”

Unfortunately so, Helseth thought. It seemed lately that Barenziah was becoming far more alert again. Somehow she seemed to be developing immunity against the poultices of the priests. Helseth made a note to himself to speak to them about that. It simply would not do to have his mother running around the palace asking all sorts of embarrassing and dangerous questions about the goings on.

“Come now mother, let’s get you to bed shall we?” He took Barenziah’s hand and led her to her bedchambers.

After he’d put her to bed, and was standing over her, he felt an urge to put a pillow over her head and be done with it. He was able to contain himself, though. Having the queen mother turn up dead suddenly simply wouldn’t do. Especially since she was ever so popular. If it hadn’t have been for lord Nerevar interfering that day, after Helseth had hired assassins to do the job, he would now be rid of his meddlesome mother. Afterwards lord Nerevar had hinted at suspecting that Helseth had given the order for that kill, but fortunately the one person who could have testified against him had already been dead by then. Ironically killed by lord Nerevar a week before.

That had been a blow to Helseth. After he’d gone through so much trouble to find a place to stay for the Dark Brotherhood, and gotten the Morag Tong out of Mournhold, he’d had almost a private force of assassins at his disposal. They had performed such great services for Helseth, not only securing his throne, but also making sure any nobles who became too vocal in their objections met some “unfortunate” demise. Helseth had had no way of knowing lord Nerevar was so far beyond the Brotherhood’s abilities. Twice they’d come after him, and twice he’d fended them off. Then he decided to come to Mournhold himself and, after disposing of the Brotherhood, stuck his nose in business not concerning him in the least. He had done Helseth a favour though, when he killed Almalexia. Helseth had suspected for a while by then that Almalexia was losing it, but how can you ask a Dark Brotherhood assassin to kill a god? The money it cost alone would have bankrupted Morrowind, not to mention the chance that not only might the assassin be caught, but also that Almalexia would have wrung the truth from him and come after Helseth.

Helseth shuddered at that thought. But then this lord Nerevar had come along, disposed of the god, neutralised the Tribunal temple, for the time being at least, and brought Mournhold firmly under control of Helseth. If only lord Nerevar had been more pliable, if only he’d been more open to common sense and reason, but no, he had insisted on not only pursuing the abolishment of slavery, but also wanted to battle corruption. It, unlike slavery, was something Morrowind, or at least Helseth, could not do without.

Again Helseth sighed. He hadn’t wanted to do it; well maybe he’d wanted it a little, but he’d have preferred a different way. Alas, lord Nerevar was incorruptible and inconvincible.