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> The Tale of Sudhendra Vahl: Part 3
OverrideB1
post Mar 10 2005, 09:55 PM
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From: The Darker side of the Moon



Yestere had been extremely profitable for me, as I had pretty much spent the day practising various spells, summoning, and combat techniques, not to mention a little alchemy. While there was no chance I was ever going to be partaking of the three greasy and foul-smelling concoctions I’d produced as a result of my experiments ~ the other training had been extremely beneficial albeit tiring. So, it was with more than a little impatience that I responded to the hammering on the front door that awoke me this morning. I was just about to address the young individual with the appropriate venom when he thrust a parchment into my hand, saying, “Muthsera Hleran sends her compliments.”

The note was brief and to the point:
CODE


“The first stage of your stronghold is complete. Please contact me at your convenience to discuss further development.”


Even though I knew that, at this stage, my stronghold wouldn’t be inhabitable, it was excellent news indeed. Dressing quickly, I spoke the words of the translocation spell and found myself in Sadrith Mora. Making my way into the oddly lit cavern, I listened to what Llunela had to say to me.

“I’m glad you came Muthsera Vahl,” she said. “The initial phase of growth is now complete. However, your tower still needs to grow more and it will need to be shaped. Traditionally, a skilled Tekton does this but, regrettably, the current expansion on the mainland means that they are all very busy there. We could leave the tower to grow wild ~ which rarely results in anything useable.

“But, when traditional means are unavailable, we have to make do with something else. It is said that the Dwemer had an artefact that could shape materials using sound. The book I read, by an Imperial named Hevou Thath, said that he’d seen designs for one such artefact in the Dwemer ruins of Mzanchend. I need you to travel there and locate these drawings, if they’re still there.”

Conveniently enough, the ruins I need are quite close to Uvirith’s Grave: so travelling there was my first priority. I followed pretty much the same route as before and soon came to the twisted knot of roots and branches that would form the basis of my tower. They had grown considerably since the last time, now being something like twice the height of a Mer. The environs, unfortunately, hadn’t improved any: the dust still lay thick on the ground and blew up in choking clouds at the slightest breeze. There was one change, however: and not a pleasant one. At the edge of the raised area of land upon which stood the hillock my tower was growing on was a campfire. Advancing cautiously, I made my way towards it.

“Greetings,” the armoured woman standing by the fire said, “what brings you to this gods forsaken plot of land?”

“This land is mine,” I replied somewhat sharply, “as is yonder tower. What brings you to my property?”

“Ahh well,” she said, raising the visor of her steel helm and looking at me. “Firstly, my apologies for any offence Telvanni. I have a tendency to speak jocularly when, maybe, I shouldn’t. As to what I am doing here, it’s complicated.”

“So, uncomplicated it,” I demanded. She grinned wryly.

“At your command. My being here serves a two-fold purpose. The first is that I am a researcher: and what I am researching is the life and times of the Mage Uvirith. Where you aware that this is the very spot his body was discovered in?” I shook my head, although given that the area was named Uvirith’s Grave, I wasn’t overly surprised. “Yes,” she continued, “and a very odd death he seems to have died too. He vanished from the Guild over in Balmora and, eventually, they became concerned enough to mount an expedition to locate him.

“After searching for many days, they found his corpse somewhere around here. It seems that he fell from a great height ~ with the inevitable consequences. Which is strange, because he was an accomplished mage and knew spells of levitation and slow-fall. Even odder was the length of frayed rope tied around his waist ~ what it was tied to at the other end, nobody knows.”

“All very interesting,” I interrupted, “but not really telling me why you are here.”

“Well,” she said, flushing slightly, “his staff was never found, although they scoured the area. It was, and probably still is, a very powerful piece of magical equipment. I had hoped to find some trace of it. The other thing is, recently I came into possession of a book of his that suggests he was looking for something very special ~ and may even have found it.”

“And what would that be?” I asked. She mumbled something quickly and quietly that I didn’t catch.

“A flying Dwemer fortress,” she snapped when I asked her to repeat what she’d said. I laughed until the tears ran down my cheeks while she stood there glowering at me.

“I’m sorry,” I finally managed to splutter. “Are you telling me that you actually believe those children’s’ stories about a big flying castle that swoops down and rewards good children come New Life Eve?”

“Not in the slightest…” she started to say, then stopped and looked at me. “Perhaps,” she amended, “I’ve found that there’s often a grain of truth in even the most fanciful tales. But I’ve spent many years chasing those grains of truth and rarely found anything. Which means that I’ve spent a lot of money and have little to show for it…”

“Which brings you to the second reason you’re here?” I suggested warily.

“I have heard,” she said carefully, “that Telvanni Mage-Lords hire mercenaries and was wondering…”

“Well, I’m no Mage-Lord,” I replied “and have no need of mercenaries at the moment.”

“I’m willing to wait,” she replied. I nodded thoughtfully. I hadn’t really given any thought to the protection of my tower and, given my ambitious plans for my self, I really should. If I rose much higher than my current rank of Spellwright, I could expect the unwelcome attentions of the lower ranking Telvanni who wanted my position. A few mercenaries wouldn’t go amiss.

“I’d be willing to consider you for the position,” I said. “But I need to know that you’re trustworthy. No offence, but you could be here to gain a position with me and use that position to a rival’s advantage. Here’s a couple of hundred Septims as a retainer. Keep your eyes peeled,” I said as I handed over the money, “and when I come back I shall expect a report from you.”

Leaving Kallin Basalius to her assigned task, I followed Llunela’s directions until I found myself at the ruins of Mzanchend. The ruins were only small, much of what had existed was lost behind a massive cave-in, but they did boast a small array of those spider-type animalcules. Having filled a collection pouch with a small number of rubies and diamonds, I finally found what I hoped I was looking for ~ a small sheet of the strange material the Dwemer used for writing and drawing on, covered in bizarre symbols and lines.

There was one other interesting feature in Mzanchend. Opposite the main entrance there was a flight of stairs leading down to a small corridor. At the end was a massive Dwemer door ~ the ornate engraved kind rather than the simple iron doors that you usually find in a ruin. What made this door particularly interesting was the lock that sealed it. It was not a Dwemeric lock; rather it bore the ornate style of local manufacture. Whoever had placed the lock had seriously intended to keep people from whatever was behind the door: no amount of examination or magic seemed to make the slightest difference; it simply would not be opened.

With a resigned shrug, I left the intriguing lock (I admit, its presence there had piqued my interest) and made my way back to Sadrith Mora. There Llunela Hleran had something of a shock for me. She’d been studying the drawing I’d brought back for a while before she spoke to me.

“This device can be made: I have enough knowledge to make it myself. However it can only be used once and it’s going to cost five thousand Septims to produce.”

“Five Thousand!” I exclaimed.

“I’m afraid so,” she replied. “Some of the materials are going to be very difficult to obtain, and there’s a lot of work that needs to be done. It will take me a day, or two, to create this object but once it is done, your tower should be ready fairly quickly.”

It was with a heavy heart that I handed over the money, five thousand Septims represented almost every Drake I had accumulated since arriving here, save the money safely tucked away in the Bank of Vvardenfell. It was with a much lighter purse that I returned to Balmora ~ on the morrow I would have to see what could be done about replenishing my funds.


--------------------
Food, Slave, Telvanni ~ Take your pick.
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OverrideB1
post Mar 12 2005, 09:53 AM
Post #2


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Joined: 12-February 05
From: The Darker side of the Moon



Much of this day was spent clambering over rocks and sliding down steep inclines as I tried to make my way back towards the dump known as Dagon Fel. The inevitable Cliff-racers may have learned a few new swearwords, as I was fairly prolific in letting my displeasure of this benighted wilderness be known.

I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere along the way because the path I was following curved down and around to a small rocky outcrop that blocked the way. Obviously I hadn’t come this way. Backtracking, I followed the track back to the crossroads and then headed eastwards and then south at the next crossroads. This track led down to a nice seclude cove. I resolved to give it one more try and, if I couldn’t get myself back to Dagon Fel by mundane means, I’d translocated there.

I had spent much of yestere and this morning railing against the games fate plays with the lives of Man and Mer. Whatever power dabbles in the life of insignificant Dunmer rogues hadn’t finished playing with me ~ only in whatever game it played it must have rolled a six. As I trudged along the westward track I came upon a door set into the side of a cliff. A splintered sign hung askew over the weathered portal and, through the moss and grime I could make out the characters P..ai

With trembling fingers, I pushed open the door and was greeting by the warm, fusty smell of an egg-mine. Shaking myself, I reminded myself that the story was just that… a story. Still, an egg-mine, long abandoned, with a name that might have been Pudai? It would have taken someone of much stronger character not to be excited by the possibilities. Carefully avoiding the egg sacs on the floor and stepping around the Foragers and Workers, I made my way deeper and deeper into the mine.

The Queens chamber was guarded by a couple of Kwama Warriors but my trusty axe soon made very short work of them. At the back of the chamber lay seven objects and I could only shake my head in wonder. No egg sacs these, they were large and shaped like an egg. But no egg I’d ever seen glistened with the mellow tones of gold as these did. They were incredibly heavy and the weight of them convinced me that this was no delusion or fever dream ~ this was real. I resolved, right there and then, that I’d never scoff at an old tale again.

“Lassie!” Hrundi beamed, “’Tis fair to see your face again, I was a feared you’d left us for good, you bein’ a Telvanni an’ all now. Aye,” he continued with a smile, “even here in our wee hovel we get a smattering o’ news now an again. So, what is it that brings ye here?”

Wordlessly I placed my bulging pack on the table between us and fetched out the seven eggs I’d recovered from the Pudai mines. When I placed the first on the table, I thought his eyes were going to drop out, when he saw all seven he went quite pale.

“Ye’re having a wee jest aren’t you lassie,” he said looking me in the eye. “Tryin’ to fool old Hrundi wi’ some Telvanni magic?”

“Feel one,” I said, rolling an egg towards him. “Pick it up and tell me it’s not real.”

Hrundi gasped as he picked up an egg, feeling the solid reality of all that gold in one place. Carefully, almost reverently, he put it back on the table. “I believe ye lassie,” he breathed. “Ye never played me false afore. Ye have tae tell me, where in all o’ the world did ye find them?”

“Aye,” he admitted when I just smiled at him. “Perhaps it’s all for the best ye dinnae tell me. ‘Tis yer reward you’ll be wanting I figure?” With that he walked over to a heavy chest resting near the back wall and unlocked it. From its depths he withdrew ten bulking leather pouches and carried them, two at a time, over to the table. “Do you want tae count it?”

“You’ve never played me false before Hrundi,” I countered, earning a beaming smile from the Nord.

“Ach,” he muttered blushing red. “Well, anyway, there’s one o’ your lot that’ll be pleased to get those. I’ve nothing else for ye at the moment, excepting a wee promotion. Congratulations Defender Vahl.”

I staggered under the weight: the seven eggs had been quite heavy but they were nothing compared to the ten sacks of coins I now carried out of Wolverine Hall and down to the Bank of Vvardenfell. I deposited half of it into my account and converted half of what was left into a letter of credit. Having done that, I returned to Balmora, where I sold off my spare weapons, ingredients, and books before returning to Dura gra-Bol’s house for some well deserved rest.


--------------------
Food, Slave, Telvanni ~ Take your pick.
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OverrideB1   The Tale of Sudhendra Vahl: Part 3   Mar 10 2005, 09:55 PM
jonajosa   Good details with stronghold construction. I am go...   Mar 11 2005, 01:07 AM
OverrideB1   My plans for today were simple: pick an area on th...   Mar 11 2005, 05:12 PM
OverrideB1   I hadn’t forgotten my promise to the Duke and it w...   Mar 12 2005, 02:29 PM
minque   Ok you post so frequent that I hardly get the oppo...   Mar 12 2005, 02:46 PM
OverrideB1   My hand, scrabbling for my fallen blade, encounter...   Mar 13 2005, 09:33 AM
Aki   Interesting... I wonder where House Redoran got...   Mar 13 2005, 11:08 AM
minque   Interesting... I wonder where House Redoran got...   Mar 13 2005, 12:00 PM
Alexander   Oh..but they have......never underestimate a R...   Mar 13 2005, 07:02 PM
minque   Oh..but they have......never underestimate a R...   Mar 13 2005, 07:17 PM
jonajosa   Sticking with you Minque. Will show those Telvanni...   Mar 14 2005, 12:41 AM
OverrideB1   Having spent yestere most profitably collecting se...   Mar 14 2005, 06:05 PM
OverrideB1   Taking my leave of Edward Theman, I stepped back i...   Mar 15 2005, 12:28 PM
OverrideB1   Sleep, poor broken thing that it was, brought no c...   Mar 15 2005, 09:00 PM
Wolfie   Really cool story. Can't wait to see what happens ...   Mar 16 2005, 10:18 AM
OverrideB1   There was a nasty sound, the sort of sound that ca...   Mar 16 2005, 07:21 PM
OverrideB1   Master Aryon chortled with glee as I related the t...   Mar 17 2005, 07:13 PM
jonajosa   “Yes, how about Obscurum successio?” I inquired sw...   Mar 17 2005, 11:44 PM
minque   Yes Sudhendra is one cool lady.....and I agree wit...   Mar 18 2005, 02:43 AM
OverrideB1   Tel Branora was my first stop this morning since i...   Mar 18 2005, 07:22 PM
OverrideB1   Maar Gan was my first destination, and I got there...   Mar 19 2005, 10:33 AM
minque   Incredibly strong parts here, there are no words l...   Mar 19 2005, 06:10 PM
OverrideB1   I welcomed the morning sun with outstretched arms,...   Mar 19 2005, 11:29 PM
OverrideB1   Baladas certainly gave me a lot to think about tod...   Mar 20 2005, 10:25 AM
OverrideB1   “But Muthsera Indoril,” I said, opening my bulging...   Mar 20 2005, 07:54 PM
OverrideB1   Dawn greeted me as I left the tower and stood in t...   Mar 21 2005, 07:12 PM
OverrideB1   I returned to Tel Naga this morning, having spent ...   Mar 22 2005, 07:12 PM
OverrideB1   I confirmed that that was my intention and he gave...   Mar 25 2005, 06:57 PM
OverrideB1   My injuries now, for the most part, healed, I awok...   Mar 26 2005, 03:20 AM
Alexander   this really is writing of the upper quality, I hav...   Mar 26 2005, 10:26 AM
Wolfie   cool story. I love the way they both get a shock w...   Mar 26 2005, 02:14 PM
OverrideB1   “Ummm,” the young Imperial said hesitantly, “I kin...   Mar 26 2005, 05:00 PM
Aki   “WAH!” we both yelled, recoiling violently. ^ ...   Mar 27 2005, 12:10 AM


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