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]

You asked and you shall receive. I've tied up a few loose ends in Vivec first. Such as where I got some of my in game weapon collection from.





No such luck though. Either the Ordinators were in an overly paranoid mood, or I was wearing a huge sign on my head. Anyway, after a few tense moments, I was directed to the hall of justice where they told me everything I didn’t want to know.

When I came out, I was less than pleased. Ok, so we’ve got a mass murderer running around who kills Ordinators like Scribs and I’m the one they send after it. Am I lucky or what? Their suspect was identified as a Dunmer woman wearing Netch leather and using a dagger. Great, and how many of those where there in the whole freaking city?

My luck hadn’t totally abandoned me, though.
,,You better leave while you can, Outlander. If you don’t, Dagoth Ur shall devour your flesh and desecrate your bones.” Phew, these Dark Elves sure had a lot of imagination.
,,Look, go bother someone else, Ok?! I don’t have time for any stupid ramblings about Dagoth Ur! I’m looking for an Ordinator killer here! So go and take a hike!” I shouted in the face of the woman who was conveniently wearing Netch leather and holding one hand not so subtly near a dagger. It was when she ran off that I realized who I’d been talking to.

Cursing myself, I gave chase but found out that I was a bit too slow to catch up with her. Finally, I entered the waistworks of the Foreign Canton and stood there wondering where the little bloodthirsty elf had gone. Only one answer, the place with the worst smell.
I went deeper into the Canton and kicked open one of the trapdoors leading to the sewers. After making sure that no one was waiting for me, I descended into the sewers.

Phew, I’d forgotten how bad the smell was. I just couldn’t figure out why people always had to hide here when I came looking for them. Anyway, I crawled through the sewers, whacking a rat from time to time. First thing I found was an Orc who was guarding a Daedric shrine. I treated him to a mouthful of water when he became aggressive and moved on.

In the end, I came across the Ordinator killer.
,,Hello, miss. Seen any Ordinators today?” I said as I unsheathed my sword. Just a single woman wearing crappy armour and a little dagger. Now where was the threat in that?
I moved forward and swung at the elf, who rolled away and stabbed me in the leg with that annoying dagger. Suddenly, I felt really tired. My eyes began to close when I broke the spell with a reenergizing spell of my own. I lunged at the elf again, who evaded this second blow as easily as the first. Mostly cause that spell from that dagger was still slowing me down.

The next moment, she hit me in the eyes with a spell that blinded me. Crap, you can’t fight what you can’t see. But you can fight what you can hear. I’d been experimenting with my favourite school, the school of Alteration, and came up with a spell that increases my hearing. I casted it and focussed on the footsteps that now sounded like loud thunder. The Elf was sneaking to my rear. I waited till the footsteps stopped before crouching while simultaneously spinning around with my sword. I was rewarded with the satisfying sound of glass piercing flesh.

When my vision finally returned, the killer was lying dead at my feet. That was easier than I’d expected. Ok, who was I kidding. I’d come way too close to dying again. Maybe I should’ve just remained behind the bars in Cyroddill. I could use some entertainment right now to get my mind of this.

I went to the sewers in St Olms, washed the Nord standing guard out of the sewers, activated my amulet of Shadows and entered the shrine. Inside, there where three cultists doing their stuff. They were quite rich also. One was wearing a full set of Ebony as well as having what could only be a Daedric Longsword at his side. Then there was a cultist with a crossbow and finally one with a Dwemer shortsword. Maybe I should join the cult, it seems to be a quick path to wealth.

But all that expensive stuff could prove problematic. I crept up behind the guy in Ebony. Fortunately, he wasn’t wearing his helmet. Probably cause it was too hot or something. I used telekinesis to lift up a piece of Raw Ebony they were offering and hurled it into his face which send him crashing down to the floor. One quick stab later, and mister heavy armour was out of the game.

I had underestimated the other cultists. The one with the crossbow fired at the area above his fallen friend and only barely missed my face while the one with the shortsword ran in at full speed while slashing at the air. I dodged the shortsword and hit the owner in the back with my own sword. A fireball finished the job. That left the crossbow.

He had wedged himself in a corner that I couldn’t approach without entering his field of fire. Lucky me. And my Chameleon spell wore of at this moment. Of course I was spotted instantly.
,,Ha ha, it appears we are at a standoff. If I move, I loose my aim. If you move, I put a bolt right between your eyes. What are you going to do, Redguard?” He laughed. Ok, time to repeat history.
,,True, but what if the furniture moves?” I responded and did the good old trick with the falling statue again. Oh, how I love to telekinetically drop tonnes of steel on my foes.

I stripped the guy wearing Ebony of his armour. I also picked up his sword. Man, that thing was heavy. I could barely lift it with both my hands, how was I supposed to swing it with one hand? I hid it all underwater in the sewers. Due to its weight, it would stay put for later pick up. Now I wonder what the authorities would think of me now that I’d killed that woman who was slaughtering Ordinators? I wonder if it would mean an improvement of their vocabulary beyond the word scum.