Cyrodiil Options

[Alexander]

Ok, so for the unavoidable introduction babble, as most of you know I was rather pleased with Morrowind. I thought it was far better then the dribble I wrote prior to that, and most people seemed to agree with me. After I finished Morrowind I already had an idea for a sequel, I actually wrote the very first chapter of said sequel while I was posting up parts of Morrowind. Unfortunately though, after that first chapter I kind of lost interest. I didn’t think the ideas I had back then were enough to weave an entire story together, and I was probably right.

But as these things have a habit of developing themselves, over the past months I kept thinking back to the sequel, and kept adding ideas to the pile I already had. Now it’s done. I once again enjoyed writing this, and I hope you’ll have similar fun reading it.

As I’ve explained in the past, I’m not very good at making up things like titles, Akatosh knows it took me about as long to come up with the various titles of the chapters as it did to write the entire thing, so I’ve named the story “Cyrodiil” (catchy wot? )

Before I end my babbling and get on with posting the story, I once again would like to thank Treydog for agreeing to help with my story as editor, and for fixing the many, many, many grammatical and spelling errors, and placing every comma, semicolon and whatchamacallit in the correct place. And thanks to everyone who ever read Morrowind, and commented. I really enjoy the comments.


Now, while you don’t have to have read Morrowind, I believe in order to get the most out of Cyrodiil, it would be recommended.


So, enough babbling and on to Cyrodiil.

[Alexander]

Chapter 4. Plans are made.

Baurus was standing next to the door when it opened. The meeting had ended and it was time to take the Counts and Countesses back to the Tiber Septim hotel. At the sight of the doors opening, all the guards and Blades sprang to attention. First ones out of the chambers were Count and Countess Umbranox. They swept past Baurus and left him little choice but to follow rather than lead.

“I cannot believe her; how can someone who rules be so dense?” Baurus didn’t know what had gotten the Countess this upset, but decided it wouldn’t do to ask questions.

“Don’t forget love, the only reason for her being ruling Countess is the untimely passing of her husband the count. She’s simply not used to dealing with such pressure and she might see this as the most logical short term solution to the problem.”

“Surely you don’t agree with her Corvus? Recalling the remaining legions from all the provinces would send the empire into greater chaos then it is in now.”

“Of course I don’t agree with her Millona, but I’m just saying that, to someone not used to thinking long term, this might be a very natural reaction.”

“Hmpf. Sure, very natural, and then after five years or so, when she feels safe enough again, then what, we simply march the legions back into the other provinces and think we can go on the way we always have? No, in five years time those provinces would have tasted independence again, and never want to go back to the old ways where they are merely part of the Empire.”

“Well, regardless of what Countess Valga wants, she doesn’t have nearly enough votes in the Elder Council to get this passed.”

“You’re right Corvus, and she isn’t likely to get enough votes anytime soon.”

The conversation carried them all the way to the Tiber Septim hotel. As she put her hand on the door, Countess Millona Umbranox turned around and looked at Baurus.

“Baurus, Ocato asked to see you in the Elder Council chambers just as soon as you’d seen us safely back to the hotel. I think we can take it from here, so you’d better head back.”

“Yes, my lady; if there’s anything you need from me, one of the guards stationed in the hotel can come get me.”

Bowing, Baurus turned around and walked back to the palace. While he was hoping Ocato wanted to see him about something related to gaining entry into Oblivion, he assumed it was something altogether different.




As he entered the Elder Council chambers, the first thing he noticed was that Ocato wasn’t alone. Jauffre and Captain Steffan were there as well, but so was Count Hassildor from Skingrad. What was he doing here? “Come in Baurus” said Ocato, “and please take a seat.”

“Good, now that we’re all here, Janus, please tell Baurus and the others what you told me last night.”

“Thank you Ocato,” Baurus found the voice very eerie, “Ocato here came to me last night and told me your dilemma. Getting into Oblivion or taking someone out of it is not an easy thing to do. Daedric prices have been summoned in the past, but very few times have mortals entered Oblivion and returned from it alive. I believe the last one to do so was Varvur. But do not despair, for I may have the answer to your problems.”

“As you know, I’m a Vampire. Most people are unaware of that, but the Blades information service is good enough to know that detail. I’ve been a Vampire for many years now; in my early days, right after I’d been turned, I had a close friend, another Vampire. He was a great story teller, and something he’d learned from the Vampire who turned him, he told me. Apparently this Vampire Ancient who turned my friend was a master thief, both in life and in undeath. His most entertaining stories were about robbing a Daedric prince himself; Mehrunes Dagon.”

Baurus felt numb; could this be true? Could he finally have found someone who knew a way into Oblivion, even if he did not have a name? He couldn’t help but feel hesitant to embrace the feeling though and asked; “Count Hassildor, I mean no disrespect, but how can we be certain this is true? How can we be certain the Ancient wasn’t just bragging?”

“A good question, young Baurus.” Baurus wondered if he should feel insulted at that, but then considered that, by Janus Hassildor’s standards, most everyone would likely be considered young. “The Ancient told my friend how he’d found his way into Oblivion one day, well after his own turning, and learned that he was in the realm of Mehrunes Dagon himself. He made his way into the throne room, and there found and stole Mehrunes Razor. After he got back Nirn, he sold this legendary blade to a Dunmer, and not just any Dunmer, but a Telvanni mage-lord called Neloth.”

“It is commonly known that Neloth at one time got hold of Mehrunes Razor, and that it was stolen from him by a number of acrobats and delivered into the hands of former mage-lord, and later Archmagister, Gothren. After that, the blade’s whereabouts are no longer known. Now what is not commonly known, and how I know the tale of my friend is true, is how mage-lord Neloth got hold of the blade. The Ancient told of how he sold it to him, and during my travels I once had the pleasure of meeting Divayth Fyr, arguably the most famous Dunmer, and certainly one of the oldest still living. He told me the other side of the tale, of how mage-lord Neloth sometimes dealt with Vampires if he thought it could further his career, and during one of these dealings, he bought the Razor from an Ancient and used it in his battle against rival mage-lord Gothren.”

“While I agree that if the story had only come from my friend, it might have sounded dubious, together with the story of Fyr, it becomes very plausible- wouldn’t you say young Baurus?”

“Yes, yes Count Hassildor, I would say it would become very plausible.”

“Do you know the name of this Ancient, Janus?” Ocato asked,

“Unfortunately no; my friend has always had a most thorough practice of telling great stories, and not naming names. But then, in his line of work I would guess that is a natural reflex. And I fear I never thought to ask Divayth Fyr about it.”

“His ‘line of work’?” Ocato asked.
“Ah yes, I suppose I hadn’t mentioned this yet. He was, and is, an executioner for the Dark Brotherhood. And please don’t ask me how I became involved with a Vampire who is an executioner for the Dark Brotherhood. I wouldn’t be willing to answer such questions anyway.” At that, the Count showed a very toothy grin.

“Do you know where to find him, Janus?”

“Now that, I do not. Suffice to say, as Count of a city, one has very few dealings with the Dark Brotherhood, if one is lucky, that is. One thing I can say is that he is not in Skingrad or else I would have known. Where he is, I have no idea.”

Baurus looked questioningly at Grandmaster Jauffre and, after seeing him nod, spoke;

“During Varvur’s initial journey into Cyrodiil, he encountered a speaker for the Dark Brotherhood; Lucien Lachance. It took us a while, but we managed to locate his hideout. If anyone knows where your friend is hiding, he would. What’s your friend’s name?”

The Count of Skingrad smiled again and said, “Vicente Valtieri.”