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]

Countess Arriana Valga was excited. She had just watched, hidden behind ramparts on the Bruma walls, as an escort of mages delivered the false heir to Cloud Ruler Temple. He was so close now, almost within her grasp. She could feel it. Soon the plans of the Divines would reach completion; with the death of this false heir, the way to an independent Cyrodiil would be open, and when the Madstone was delivered unto Countess Carvain, her vote in the Elder Council was assured.

A noise at the gates made her look down. She saw a small band of riders come up to the gate. All of them wore long dark cloaks and one of them was carrying something large that was draped over the front of his horse. At first glance it seemed like a large bag, but looking closer Arriana saw an arm hanging from beneath a blanket, the arm of a Dunmer. Could it be Farwil? Had he succeeded in getting the Madstone for Countess Carvain?

She couldn’t wait to find out. She hurried down and made her way to the castle. Walking past the courtyard, Arriana saw the horses of the riders that had just arrived. So it was true; it had been Farwil draped over the horse. She walked even faster inside and came into the great hall just as the riders were approaching the seat of Countess Carvain. To her surprise, Verata-Ves stood beside the countess in a position of honor.

“Excellent, Starama-Por. You found him then.”

“Yesss Countesss. And here isss the Madssstone.” The figure handed Countess Carvain a gold-colored necklace with a large stone on it.

Walking forward Arriana faced Countess Carvain, “I’m happy you got what you wanted Narina. Now let’s go to the temple and finish the false heir. You have your men ready, I assume?”

Narina Carvain slowly turned to look at Arriana. “Yes, my men are ready, but I have no intention of killing off the heir. Besides, he’s not a false heir, but the true heir to the Imperial Throne.”

“What do you mean Narina? He is a false heir, the Divines told me themselves!”

“You silly goose. Why would the Divines choose a dumb jellyfish like yourself to speak to? They no more spoke to you, then I intended to vote for your silly proposal. Hard as it is to imagine, you’re even more foolish then you look.”

Countess Arriana was red with suppressed anger, “Verata-Ves, tell this… woman the truth; tell her the Divines sent you to guide me.”

“Countesss, I wasss sssent to guide you, but not by the Divinesss. My Massster sssent me, and he isss no more a messsenger for the Divinesss then I am.”

Countess Arriana was confused. What was happening here? She didn’t understand any of this. She was about to speak again but was cut off by Narina. “No, save it Arriana. You pitiful creature. We’ve had more than enough of your rants. Starama-Por, please end this wretch’s life.”

“My pleasssure, Countesss.”

Arriana saw him move towards her, but she was too stunned to try and run away. She saw the large figure put his hood back, and only then understood it too was a Tsaesci. She felt him grab hold of her head and yank it back, and then felt something very cold and sharp move across her throat.


None of the Divines came to her aid, none of them protected her, and Arriana died a lonely death.