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]

Alright, the last update of the chapter. I must say that I really like the way Bethesda did this part of the storyline, even though you could see it coming from miles away.




,,So you are not the Nerevarine yet but you might become the Nerevarine? Strange, it would have been a lot easier if you got a simple yes or no. Whatever is the case, I need to find the Dissident priests. They’re not on my map, that’s for sure.” Caius commented and diverted all his attention back to the huge map he had stretched out over the floor. The whole thing was littered with funny symbols that might mean something to Caius but they were useless to me.

,,Want to hear the opinion of a retired smuggler?” I suddenly said after having stared at his map for a while.
,,I suppose it can’t hurt. Go ahead.”

,,Great. Now the Dissident priests are being hunted by the temple so they’ll want to be as far away from it as possible. I don’t think they’ve gone to the mainland, that’s a bit too far. That leaves the Ashlands, all the islands around Vvardenfell and inside the Ghostfence. The Ghostfence is a bit close to Dagoth Ur and his pals if he’s alive. The Ashlanders probably won’t let the priests on their land, they have been part of the Tribunal after all. That leaves the islands. Now the western islands are all close to Hlaalu and Redoran territory which also means close to the temple. Now the Telvanni in the east don’t really seem to care about the temple and as a result I have yet to find the usual temples. If you ask me, the priests are on an island in the southeast. Away from anyone that wants to kill them but still close enough to civilization to be reached by a small fishing boat that won’t draw any attention.” It sounded wellthought to me, but who knew how the spymaster thought.

,,Hmm, so this is what a smuggler learns? Alright, I’ll have my agents take a look over there. In the meantime, I‘ve received some bad news from Buckmoth.” Caius paused for a moment as he cleared his thoughts. Whatever it was, it was something that really scared the crap out of him.
,,Fort Buckmoth has sent a patrol to a Sixth House base. Only one man came back. He was infected with the corprus. He was nearly mad and died soon after, but he managed to tell us that someone named Dagoth Gares had given him the Corprus. I wished there was another way, but you will have to go there and stop Dagoth Gares. Be careful, whatever is in there, it managed to defeat a whole patrol.” He continued. Oh, crap.

,,Caius, this is suicide! Am I expected to go in alone?!” I yelled at him. Losing my skin or getting infected with this corprus was the last thing I wanted.
,,Sorry Luper, but there is no other way. However, if anyone can do this, it’s you. I’ve seen you grow since you first came into this door. Then, you were a honourless little bully with no manners. Now, you are a battlehardened veteran who has the skill, the tools and the will to wipe the floor with anything that stands in your way. You are on your own, but more capable than the poor men that have been sent to their doom. I won’t force you to go.”

In the end I made up my mind and left for Fort Buckmoth. I didn’t go just because of Caius or the lost patrol. I also went to find out once and for all the connection between the Sixth House, the death Dagoth Ur and the Nerevarine prophecies. With a bit of luck, I would also find proof that I wasn’t a mythical hero and just a normal Redguard.

I first stopped over at Fort Buckmoth to gather as much information as possible. Going in unprepared was the last thing I needed. What I heard wasn’t so nice. I stocked up on cure disease potions just in case. This Corprus sounded really bad.

The entrance to the Sixth House base looked like every other cave, with the exception of something lying outside that looked like human flesh. No flies touched it and even I could smell the evil curse emanating from it. I didn’t touch it. Inside, the first to greet me was a skeleton and a Daedroth. I took them out without too much difficulty and after taking a deep breath, I ventured into the darkness.

The Skeleton and the Daedroth weren’t enough to wipe out a patrol and what I found inside wasn’t enough either. Hulks of what where once humans lumbered towards me and never tried to avoid my blade as I struck them down. So these where victims of the Corprus. I never slowed my blade. I would be doing them a favour by killing them.

The Dreamers were just as easy to kill but making the decision was harder. They were clearly insane and rushed at me while wearing nothing but their pants and wielding a cheap club. They fell after just one swipe of my blade. The trip through the cave had turned into a step-slash-step process.

Finally, I arrived at the heart of the cave and found before me something that looked like a Daedroth mixed with a Dark Elf. I was shocked when it opened its mouth and began to speak.
,,Greetings, Luper Alkad. I have been told to expect you. Or should I say, Lord Nerevar?”
For a moment I thought that this was some kind of bad joke but I then realized that the thing had no sense of humor. It was speaking the truth. I was Nerevar.

,,Why are you so sure that I am Nerevar?” I asked out of pure curiosity.
,,I have been told by my lord, Dagoth Ur. You bear the mark of Nerevar, and I can see it. You have betrayed your friend beneath Red Mountain. Yet despite of that, Dagoth Ur has given me a message. Listen to what he says. Once we were friends and brothers, Lord Nerevar, in peace and in war. Yet beneath Red Mountain, you struck me down as I guarded the treasure you bound me by oath to defend. But, remembering our old friendship, I would forgive you, and raise you high in my service.” The horrible monster stopped.
,,I am not your lord, but I too will ask you. Have you come to join us and gain the power to avenge yourself on the empire that has slain your family and used you as its pawn? Or have you come to strike me down with your weapons?”

After a short hesitation, I put my hand on its chest.
,,I have not come here for friendship, nor for the words of your lord. Dagoth Gares, I shall kill you and do you want to know why? You’ve got bad breath and you smell horribly.” I said.
It smiled with an evil grin.
,,How are you going to kill me, Nerevar? You hold no weapon.”

I gave a smile of my own.
,,This is for the people you have cursed with your Corprus.” I said and summoned my Daedric sword that cleaved through the abomination as soon as it appeared in the hand I held on its chest.

The thing slid of the blade and fell to the floor. Even in its death, it had the last laugh.
,,Corprus is not a curse, but a blessing. And even though you have sworn to be Dagoth Ur’s enemy, I shall bless you with the corprus. If you won’t join as a friend, you shall join as a servant.” It then raised its hands and cast a spell that filled the room with the curse before dying. I had been infected.