Crystal Fire, A Backalley Story Options

[Priest of Sithis]

Introduction:

In the days of Uriel Septim, there was a family living near the capital that would grow the finest vegetables this side of Vvardenfell. These vegetables, however, weren't widely known. The family was content, and the mother and father were proud of their son and daughter.

There came a day around the son's seventeenth birthday, that the father decided to share something with the family. So, that night, near their small fire, the family listened to what the father began to say. "It began as a competition," he said, "a competion, among gods. You see, the gods grew tired of their planes of Oblivion, and the Aedra were inquisitive as to how the Daedra were doing. So, before the creation of mer, the gods walked Mundus." The daughter was spellbound by the story, and the son cocked his head in interest. The mother smiled and lay back, closing her eyes in imagination.

"When the gods met, there was confusion, because the gods had no way of distinguishing who was better. They thought, Should the Daedra rule Aetherius, and the Aedra Oblivion? Who is to keep these boundaries in check? So they talked and schemed and one god, a certain Prince of Oblivion decided to make material objects to allow the borders never to be questioned." The father looked around, and each member of the family looked back at him.

"The gods wanted their own planes to themselves, but they wanted to be able to govern the soon to be mer, so they created Crystal Fire." The father emphasised the two words, and astonishment was written all over everyone in the family. "Crystal Fire allowed the gods to travel to any realm they desired, but, it was dangerous. So dangerous, that they had to hide it. An evil entity not part of the Divines or the Princes emerged, and he wanted Mundus for himself." The daughter asked, "Who emerged, father?" And the father simply replied, "Sithis."

"Sithis brought with him the Void, which swallowed everything into it. The gods were worried that Sithis would destroy everything that they had created, so they used Crystal Fire to seal Sithis off from Mundus. The rumor is, Sithis is circling just outside the stars, right now, ready to swallow you into the Void." After the last word, the father sprang at his daughter, and she jumped, then giggled as he hugged her close.

"You see, the gods were smart, even though they couldn't get along. They stopped an evil that could threaten everything." Then the father smiled and stopped. But the son, who was still interested, asked, "What did the gods do with the Crystal Fire, father?" The father looked back at his son and then looked at the fireplace. "Some say the gods destroyed it, but that wouldn't go with the story, now, would it? No, I believe the gods hid it on Mundus so Sithis would never find it and threaten the gods with the Void."
The father then said, "It is late, time to sleep," And he laid his daughter down by the fire. "I will see you all in the morning for your chores and breakfast. Goodnight," And he kissed his daughter on the forehead and went to sleep next to his wife.

[Priest of Sithis]

Harmonius Interlude:

A bard was playing a tune when a girl ran by, obviously intending for the bookstore. The bard smiled on his reed and continued to play until the girl was well out of earshot. He had been playing that damned instrument for three hours, and was running out of songs. The Fox would be upset if he failed, so he played and played. Amazingly, he had earned money without even setting up his hat. People would be people, throwing money at the poor.

The bard tucked away his reed and walked down the alley adjoining the bookstore and a clothier. The bard walked until he was just inside the alley, then sprang up onto the roof of the bookstore, apparently without any sign of resistance. He prowled along the roof and hung vertically down, looking into the second story window. He saw an older man and a younger man at a bed, conversing, then the girl appeared at the stairs. The bard smiled and recoiled back up onto the roof. He whispered into a brooch pinned to his cloak. "I have found the three of them, one looks sickly, the others appear uninjured. Will case tonight, send findings morning after." It was about a minute before a mysterious voice whispered back, "Good. You have been cleared for the casing. Remember, no fatalities. No robbery either." The bard muttered, "It shall be done," And laid down on the roof to await nightfall.