Oasis chapter 3, In the enemies lair. Umm, mushroom. Options

[jack cloudy]

Oasis chapter 1
Oasis chapter 2

Ok, a new chapter. Let's just see where this goes. I've decided to do a small costume change, the old look got boring.



,,Ah, there you are, Evoker.” I hadn’t even put a step inside the hall, and already the Steward wanted something from me. It made me wonder how they ever managed before I joined.
She dragged me over to Galbedir’s office and waited till the woodelf had left before finally opening her mouth.

,,Tell me, Evoker. Have you by chance come across enchanted weapons or armour?” She asked. What kind of question was that, those things were all over the place.
,,Sure, are you looking for anything specific?” I answered while wondering just what might be so important.

,,Then you must be aware of the fact that no enchanted item seems to be able to hold its charge since a few months back. Only small items, like rings or amulets seem to be safe from it. It is as if something is draining them. Now, I have a very important mission for you.” Ok, so enchanted items couldn’t hold their charge anymore? That sounded familiar.
,,Let me guess, find out who did it and kill him.”

,,No, that would be too hasty. I am convinced that the culprit must be a member of house Telvanni. So I want you to go and join the house. You’ll be our spy on the inside.” Hold on, join Telvanni, the house of psychopathic mages?
,,Are you nuts?! I am already with the mage guild! The guild doesn’t like the Telvanni and the Telvanni doesn’t like the guild. And on top of that, I’m an outlander, how am I supposed to survive longer than ten seconds in their midst?!” I yelled at her face. Now really, this was the most stupid idea ever.

,,Calm down, Evoker. I don’t want the guild to hear this. Now to take care of things, you will be banned from the guild. After your assignment is completed, I’ll get you back in with your old rank, or maybe with a promotion. Skink’s hall in Sadrith Mora will serve as your link with the guild. It is right in Telvanni territory. I want you to prepare and pack. Tomorrow, you’ll leave for the hall in Sadrith Mora. Use the guild guide. Skink will further inform you.” I walked out of the hall with a very confused, and angry look on my face. There went my career as a mage, and I might even lose my life. I could only hope that those Telvanni weren’t as crazy and brainwashed as in mage guild jokes.

Back at my house, I took the time to work out the details. I would be dropped in potentially hostile territory and my only excuse was that I was kicked out of the guild and now wanted to join the enemy for revenge? That was the worst coverstory in history. I decided that a more thorough thing such as a disguise was needed. I had plenty of stuff to dress up with, so I just had to choose.

My new identity would preferably look somewhat magish, so I took Tarhiel’s robe out of the closet. Telvanni supposedly liked shiney stuff, so I replaced my Orcish armour with the new Glass armour I stole from Ghostgate. A Glass staff to walk around with, and my identity was set. I also geared on a Glass longsword for when things got rough. Using a weapon I was unfamiliar with was asking for trouble. I spent the rest of the night removing the markings on my new gear that said who the previous owner was.

Next morning, I got up very early and ate my breakfast enroute to the guild. A quick transportation later, and I arrived in Sadrith Mora.

First thing was to join the house and work my way to the upper ranks. With the skills I had gained during my mage guild career, I would have no problems passing the tests for promotion. That left making friends and making myself known as a loyal house member. How do you do that with a bunch of lunatics?

Sometimes when you don’t know what to do, the bold and direct approach might be the best. So I walked right through the middle of town to the council hall. And any guard who dared to stop me would get a sword in that ridiculous helmet.

[jack cloudy]

Another update. I hereby apologize to anyone who is a fan of the Telvanni that features in this update, but I just couldn't stop myself.



I woke up by the sounds of screeching. Instinct told me to roll out of my bed and rise up from the floor with a thrust from the dagger I kept under my pillow. The dagger simply slid through the thing without causing damage. Oh great, was this the way they woke up Redguards here? Didn’t matter, the ghost didn’t survive long against the flames that erupted from my hands.

I probably wouldn’t be able to get much sleep, so I dressed up and walked over to the counter.
,,Ok, I want my money back.” I said to the clerk.
,,You do? Sorry Outlander, but that is not the way we do business here in Telvanni territory.” The clerk responded with the bored tone that was common in his profession. I grabbed him by his shirt and lifted him over the counter.
,,Listen, you piece of mud. I did not hire that room to be attacked by a freaking ghost. Now you can either give me my money back and speak with Archmagister Gothren if you feel the need to complain or you can end up as a pile of ash right here on the floor. Do you understand?”

He understood it and I got my nice ten septims back.
,,And one more thing. I am a member of the house so I can pull a few strings to have you….removed from here if you decide to bother me again. Have a nice day.” I said and left the inn.

I made my way to the council hall and went inside. The woman who hung out near the entrance told me that I could now find the Mouths in a room downstairs. Judging by what little I’d learned about the organization of the house, these mouths were all as powerful as a mage guild steward, maybe even more. They received orders from their masters who spend their days in their oversized mushrooms, but no one seemed to look if they actually followed those orders.

I put my foot in the room and saw how all the Mouths fell silent and began to stare at me. Just like the mage guild. Say hello to the new Redguard Battlemage.
,,What, is there something wrong with my hair? I’m the new guy around here if anyone wants to know.” I spoke to them. That got rid of the paralyzation spell that seemed to have taken hold of them and they all went back to their conversations. Except for one woman who ran towards me with some clothes in her hands.

,,Welcome to the house, Hireling. I am Felisa Ulessen. I would appreciate it if you brought these clothes to my patron, mistress Therana in Tel Branora. You can also have these scrolls of Almsivi intervention. Just in case she gets….excited. I will reward you well with your service to the house.” Ok, so I had to deliver a bunch of clothes in exchange for the friendship of one of the Mouths which would make my spywork here a lot easier. This was too easy.
,,I will depart at once.” I said and turned around on my heels. I nearly forgot to take the clothes with me.

Tel Branora was a boat trip away and I arrived in a place that reminded me of Hla Oad. The same kind of buildings. Luckily there were no slavers wandering the streets in plain view, or I might have gotten aggressive.

Tel Branora itself was just outside the harbour and another of the really huge mushroom towers. Seeing as the big boss around here would probably be all the way at the top, I went in and started to climb upwards, levitating when there was a big shaft. If I was ever forced to live in one of these things, I would tell them to build a decent staircase.

The smell of rotting Kwama eggs reached my nose when I neared the top of the tower. The whole room seemed to be decorated with those. Whoever this Therana was, she definitely had no taste when it came to decorating. She also seemed to lack a nose.

When I finally entered Therana’s room, it was clear why she had no taste for decorating. She was completely nuts. Right now, she was rolling over the floor while trying to imitate a Nix-Hound. I pitied Felisa who had to call this…thing her master.

,,Umm…Mistress Therana?” I tried but didn’t receive an answer, unless that Cliffracer imitation had any meaning.
,,Excuse me, your Mouth asked me to deliver these clothes to you. Hello, is there anyone inside that head?” Now there was a Scrib crawling around. This was just great.

There was also a slave in the room. He looked like he was feeling cold. Therana probably wouldn’t notice, so I gave him the clothes to wear. He was grateful. Maybe I could buy the poor Khajitt someday and set him free.

But that wouldn’t happen after all. Therana seemed to snap out of her madness just long enough to conjure a fireball that I wouldn’t be able to repeat myself and hurled it at her slave who was dead within seconds. She continued her play afterwards. My first plan was to avenge the Khajitt by putting my sword through the back of her skull but that would only get me killed by the guards. I left the room and made my way to the kitchen.

Ajira had made an attempt at teaching me alchemy, with disastrous results. One of my potions had us vomiting through half the day and nothing the guild came up with could make us stop. I still carried a sample of it and this would be the perfect time to use it.

,,Excuse me? Are you the cook here? Mistress Therana sent me. She wants you to put the contents of this bottle in her diner. Not a few drops or anything, just pour the whole thing in it. I have to be going.” I handed the bottle over to the cook and made my way back to the harbour. It wouldn’t kill her, but I knew from experience that vomiting for hours was not pleasant. Too bad I wouldn’t be able to see it.