Clark - Second Era Options

[ghastley]

Now I've created a second-era Clark, I need a story of how he got there. I'd started something similar for Minx, but it wasn't going anywhere, so I've adjusted a bit. This may be a bit infrequent, as my logic is that Azura sends him back to Morrowind, which is special for her, and needs some attention in this era. However, ESO Clark probably won't go there until we get him up to Champion level, and he can start doing things for the story, and not just levels and skill points.


---

Chapter 1 - Arrival


It wasn't exactly deja vu, because this was the first time, and the other happened in the fiuture. Which is why I can't remember it clearly.

Azura told me it would be like this. I would have no memory of the things that hadn't happened yet, because that would cause problems with temporal causality, or something like that. But yet, things that hadn't changed much, like Seyda Neen, where I'd just got off the boat, would seem familiar.

I could remember anything that happened in a Daedric realm, because time worked differently there. So I remember all about my dealings with Azura and Nocturnal, and why they'd made me immortal. I had some recollections of mortal women, including my wife, Dralsi, and our daughter Karliah, but only the things that happened in Nocturnal's Realm. Fortunately, both had been Nightingales, so there was a lot that took place in Evergloam, which might have included Karliah's conception.

I remembered a Bosmer called Cyndil, who'd been made a Nightingale at the same time I was. I had fond, but sparse, memories of a Nord called Gilda, who'd also been a Nightingale with my daughter. There was a Dunmer called Minx, that had joined me in Cyndil's rescue from Mehrunes Dagon's Dremora. Azura tells me that were a lot more that I wouldn't remember in my future.

Most of my memories about Mundus seemed to relate to Nocturnal, and quests that I'd done for her, and yet it was Azura that sent me back here. The mission I was on was particularly hers, as Morrowind was under her protection, perhaps as a result of her turning the Chimer into Dunmer all that time ago. And yet, I didn't really know what that mission was. It would work itself out, just because I was here at the right time.

---

This promised to be an interesting time. Azura had told me about Almalexia, Sotha Sil, and Vivec, and how they'd used the power of Lorkhan's heart to become like gods. And unlike the Daedric Princes, they had nothing restraining them from interfering as much as they liked in the affairs of mortals. Indeed, it was Sotha Sil who had engineered much of that restraint upon their Daedric rivals.

That didn't seem to concern her too much. I imagine that she felt it was the best arrangement for both sides. I got the impression that she felt that the Tribunal were at least as constrained themselves.

And I knew that Balmora was in that direction, and the city of Vivec was in the other. I might know some of the rocks along the way, but not the trees or mushrooms. I have no idea when I was here before, or rather, when I would be here in future. I might be a child when I learn my way around, or an adult. I'm an adult now, but I'm not sure how old to consider myself, considering that I haven't been born yet. It's so confusing.

I wasn't likely to bump into anyone I knew in future. This was far enough back in my past, according to Azura, that no mortal could live that long. Not even the elven mages could prolong their lives that much. If I did see a familiar face, it might be one of her winged twilights with a message.

Azura had also warned me about history. Everything I'd learned about the past, I'd still remember, up to the now I was in. However, some of the accounts may have been revised before I'd learned them, so they'd be false memories, and anything that had just happened here would be fresh in everyone else's memory, but seem vague and distant in mine. This would be especially true about the Tribunal, who Azura felt bent the truth liberally in their records of this time. If I thought I recalled something, I shouldn't trust that feeling until I checked the facts.

This post has been edited by ghastley: Dec 15 2023, 07:41 PM

[Renee]

That's so wicked. So Clark remembers what happens in the future, even though he's in the past! Yikes.

Is Clark the guy who was involved with Gweden Brothel somewhat?

[Acadian]

Welcome to the Second Era, Clark! I'm delighted to see that I'm not the only one who views the Era hopping between Oblivion, Skyrim and ESO as simply an opportunity to figure out the means of time travel that best suits our characters.

[SubRosa]

Let's hope Clark doesn't follow in the Flash's time-traveling footsteps and create Clarkpoint!

[ghastley]

@Renee: No, Clark doesn't remember the future, but things in Daedric realms are outside time. In particular, he has no memories of Gweden, and none of those women were ever in the Deadlands with him. I'm still trying to decide if he'll remember anything about the Shivering Isles. Perhaps he will, but just not believe it!

@Acadian: As Cadwell puts it: Ah, magic, it's so ... magical!

@SubRosa: If clark did anything like that, he wouldn't remember.

----

Previously: Clark arrived in Vvardenfell with no memory of the future Tamriel, and only a few recollections of Daedric realms. He's forgotten all his skills, unless he used them outside Tamriel, too. He does know that Azura sent him there, but not why.

1.2 Seyda Neen

There was a shrine of some kind just outside Seyda Neen that I didn't feel belonged there. Perhaps it would not be there in future. I had no way of knowing. As I stared at it, a mer walked up to it, touched it, and disappeared! I backed away from it, just as a woman ran up to me, asking for my help, or anyone else's. Her companion, a Buoyant Armiger, had been attacked by Daedra, and was wounded. Canon Valasa had sent her to fetch aid. Did I know any healing spells?

Yes, I did, although they were a bit basic. I followed the woman to where the Buoyant Armiger lay. As I did what I could for the woman's wounds, I asked Canon Valasa what had happened. Were there more Daedra? She told me that the three of them - herself, Alavesa Arethan, the woman who found me, and Canon Llevule - had just entered the Andrano tomb when the Daedra appeared, and attacked them and the Buoyant Armiger guard. They weren't followed when they fled, but the Daedra were still in the tomb.

By this time, several travellers had stopped to see what was going on. Just as I agreed to go talk to Canon Llevule and offer any assistance I could, one of them started to glow, and rose off the ground. A moon and a star appeared above her outstretched hands and she started to speak in an unnatural voice.

"By Dawn and Dusk, evil creeps through the shadows of my beloved Vvardenfell. But an Outlander arrives to aid my people, just as I have foreseen."

I thought it was a bit heavy-handed of Azura to announce me this way, but it did at least confirm that helping these priests was the first part of what she wanted me to do. And I'm an outlander, am I? Well, I suppose that gives me cover for not knowing my way around like a native contemporary.

---

Canon Llevule was waiting outside the tomb, pacing up and down. He told me that it was his family's ancestral tomb, and he had been sent by Lord Vivec to make inquiries of his ancestors. He'd be needed to summon one of their spirits, and another would have to ask Viviec's questions, as the summoning required his full attention. He also needed help with the Daedra, of course.

Azura had mentioned Vivec before she sent me here. He, and Almalexia and Sotha Sil, were the Tribunal "gods". The way Azura described it, they were much like I was, mortals made immortal, but with a bit more magical power at their disposal, which was how they'd become immortal. Vivec was in Vvardenfell, building himeself a city, or rather, having one built for him. My first task, whatever that was, would mean getting involved with him.

So that made sense of why I was getting involved here. It would provide an opportunity to contact Vivec. But the task at hand was Canon Llevule's family tomb, and the Vivec connection would come later.

I wasn't exactly well equipped for fighting Daedra, having just arrived with no equipment whatsoever, and I pointed that out to the Canon. I had a few spells, which must have been ones I learned in Moonshadow or Evergloam, as I had forgotten any others I might have known. I had a sword and shield from the Buoyant Armiger, and I'd need to give those back after we were done here.

The Daedra in the tomb weren't particularly powerful ones, fortunately. The Armiger had just been unlucky in not expecting any, as the tomb was only supposed to contain Llevule's ancestors. Even if some of their sprits were floating around, they'd know him, and not be too aggressive.

I wasn't familiar with the "skaafin", as Llevule called them. The only Daedra I'd encountered were Dagon's - scamps, atronachs, Dremora - and these were apparently another Daedric Prince's minions. Canon Llevule wasn't forthcoming about which one it might be.

Eventually we reached the chamber the Cannon was hoping to, and went to the altar there to perform a brief ritual. It summoned the shade of one of his ancestors, but because he was busy holding the summoning spell in place, I had to ask the questions - on behalf of Vivec. I read them from the document he'd handed me.

Lord Vivec asks, "The heart of the world, key to ascension, should I be filled with apprehension?"

"Ah, Lord Vivec always had a way with words! Tell him to rest assured. The Heart remains safe. I wonder why that concerns him? Ask the remaining questions, as my time here is short."

Lord Vivec asks, "Has the enemy of old returned, so devious and bold?"

"An enemy of old, yes, but not the one that Vivec presumes."

Lord Vivec asks, "Did Sotha Sil in his unending crusade know our divinity would shrivel and fade?"

"Sotha Sil imagined multiple scenarios and contemplated endless solutions. He even experimented with his divinity, drawing energy to study before returning it. Loss will come, he foresaw, but not until the collapse of the Temple. Now, back to sleep."

I took note of the answers, as it appeared that I might have to deliver them to Vivec after all this.

We left the tomb, I returned the borrowed weapons to the Armiger, and chatted for a while with the priests, before setting off in the direction of Vivec City.

---

They told me I'd find crafting stations there, where I could make myself some equipment. There was a shop in Seyda Neen where I could buy some, but I'd do better making my own, as it would cost me less that way. I hadn't arrived with much gold, and I suspected that was because most of my coin hadn't been minted yet. The few coins I had in my pouch looked very worn.

The sword and shield had felt comfortable and familiar, but I wasn't sure if that was because I recalled using them in Dagon's Deadlands, or because I'd been skilled with them before. In future, I mean. Perhaps I'd used them because of my future skills, but I'd have to re-learn most of those. Still, if I had any aptitude for a fighting skill, it could be that one.

The few spells I recalled were fire-based, but that could have come from my memory of the Deadlands, too. Everything is fire-related there, of course.

Vivec City appeared to be mostly under construction, but that was just an impression from approaching it from the North. When I got closer, I could see that the southern part was already quite well completed, especially the palace, and its attendant buildings. The crafting area was on the western side, before you crossed over to the cantons, and I made my first stop there.

My crafting skills were also pretty meagre. Perhaps as well, as I couldn't afford the materials for the better equipment I didn't have the skills to make. I did what I could, and created myself some weapons and armour that should at least keep me in contention.

Canon Llevule had got ahead of me while I was doing that, so by the time I made my way to Vivec's palace, he was already there. I found him in conversation with Vivec, and Archcanon Tarvus. (I didn't know either of them, but Llevule made the introductions).

Archcanon Tarvus was reluctant to accept assistance from an outsider like myself, but Vivec overruled him. He sulked off to his office, leaving me with Vivec.

"Canon Llelvule says you helped him in his mission. As I have written, "the one who helps my ally becomes my friend. Despite the Archcanon's concerns, I greet you with sincerity and pose a simple question. Will you assist us further, Outlander?"

"What kind of help do you need, Lord Vivec?" I responded

"I have Ordinators and Armigers at my disposal, vast armies of followers and dedicated priests. What I don't have, however, is a fresh perspective. Will you set aside your personal goals for a time and become the eyes and ears of a god?"

"Of course, Lord Vivec. I can provide a fresh perspective."

"Good. I need assistance to investigate a … strange phenomenon that the ancestor confirmed may indeed be a problem. We'll start with a simple divination ritual. Archcanon Tarvus can tell you what we need to delve into this mystery."

And so I was dismissed to go talk to the Archcanon.

This post has been edited by ghastley: Dec 15 2023, 07:45 PM

[Acadian]

I’m sure Clark finds his new situation terribly confusing. Does he remember this? Has it already happened back in the future? This all must quite frustrate Clark since we know he analyzes things and prefers to make thought out, logical decisions.

Loved how you introduced wayshrines in the opening.

I’m glad you’re taking us through Vvardenfell of the Second Era. I confess I prefer Vivec among the Three.

[Renee]

Ha! He's witnessing Players using Wayshrines! Clever. Hee, and there's the opening quest. My first character Ana Khanda totally avoided that quest, so in her game the lady's still kneeling there, asking for help.

Yeah, those "daedra" are walkovers, I agree with Clark. The equivalent of scamps in TES: IV .

Ha! He's got coins minted in the Second Era, brought back from the Third Era. Clark has the unique perspective of being able to tell these Second Era'd folks what's to come in their futures. Not that any of the NPCs in the game will know what he's talking about.

[ghastley]

@Acadian: I'm more impressed by Sotha Sil than Vivec, and of course Clark will prefer Almalexia.

@Renee No, Clark can't remember the Tamriel future, specifically to avoid that kind of thing. And he'd be wondering why wayshrines fell out of use.

------------

Previously: Clark met Vivec, and delivered the answers from Llevule's ancestor.

-------

Part 1.3 - Vivec City

On my way out of the palace, Azura steered me towards the St Olms canton where I found a different kind of crafting station. "That equipment you made looks a bit too ... functional ... for my liking," she told me. "This station will let you create a different appearance, without changing the way the equipment works."

"So it's a kind of disguise, or illusion?"

"Illusion is a good word, as it does use some of that kind of magic. It's what we Daedric Princes do all the time, of course. I don't know if we have a 'real' appearance, as you see what you want to see. And I must say, you have good taste."

So we spent a while deciding how I should appear. The overall idea was based on the suit of finery that I'd worn for my trip to Dagon's Deadlands, one of the few bits of my future I could remember. That had been heavily enchanted to reflect damage of all kinds, and was better than armour. With this one, I'd have the armour on "underneath", so to speak. But the illusion also affected me, and the outfit was as comfortable as the clothes, instead of feeling stiif and heavy, like the leather and plate I was really wearing.

I liked this. Just as good as wearing my enchanted clothes from the future, and much the same effect.

Azura liked the blue I chose, or did she nudge my choice in that direction? I never can tell with her in the back of mind all the time. And the gold trim set it off well. We applied that theme to my shield, too, which now looked a bit smaller than it really was. The sword was fine, so we left it alone.

"So now you're fit to be seen, you can go back to the Archcanon's office. You passed it on the way here."

Of course, now I was looking at everyone else along the way, wondering if that was an outfit, or what they were really wearing. "It's the same thing," Azura reminded me. "They're wearing what they want you to see, and the practical considerations of what they need to wear are out of the way."

It seemed like most of the Dunmer women wanted to show off their breasts, as most of the styles drew attention to them. Or maybe it was just what I wanted to see. I don't know any more.

The exceptions were mainly uniforms. The guards needed to be seen as such, and the Mages and Fighters Guild members wanted to show their affiliations. The laborers on the building sites either didn't care for appearances, or wanted to look like laborers. Or maybe it wasn't their choice. This was a time of slavery, after all.

The Archcanon looked like a priest, of course. And he sent me off, back the way I'd come, to the construction site beyond. I needed to retrieve the Blessing Stone that Lord Vivec had provided, so that it could be used for a divination. I was familar with Varla and Welkynd stones, so I assumed this was another store of magicka, with a specific purpose. Soul gems were a bit like that, too.

I needed to ask the site Overseer for the stone, as they might be a bit displeased if I simply took it. I asked a woman standing near the site entrance for directions. Not because her dress showed a very nice pair of breasts through the gap in the middle, but because she was nearest. Really.

It turned out that the Overseer was her wife. So was the display for her wife's benefit, or was she advertising on behalf of both of them? Interesting people, these Dunmer. The overseer herself was dressed in workman's rough clothing. Apparently she was unconcerned by appearances, or just thought that more appropriate for the job site.

"Our Blessing Stone? Do you know what happens if we give up our Blessing Stone? Well, neither do I, but I'm sure it won't put us back on schedule or end our string of disasters. I'm not one to disagree with the Archcanon, but that's a terrible idea."

I pointed out that it was Lord Vivec that needed it. The Archcanon had just been the one to send me.

"Lord Vivec? Why didn't you say so? But I'll need you help before I can turn over the Blessing Stone. The passage that leads to the consecration chamber collapsed, trapping some of my workers. If you can clear the way, you can borrow the stone."

Why is nothing ever simple? Well at least this task was uncomplicated. Passage around the site was a bit restricted, with several paths blocked by the debris, but lifting the fallen beams off rhe workers, and digging away a bit of rubble, didn't compare too badly to fighting Daedra, as I'd done in the tomb.

The Blessing Stone wasn't hard to find, either. Once the way had been cleared it was prominently situated in the middle of the construction area, on a scaffolding frame. Getting there was a bit tricky still, and more debris had to be moved out of the way.

This stone glowed yellow, unlike the ones with which I was familiar. It had the same feel of magicka when I picked it up, though. I took it back to the Archcanon, who was waiting with Lord Vivec. Two similar stones had already been placed in receptacles in the floor of the chamber, and there was an empty for the stone I'd brought. When I placed the stone, beams of light from all three formed images in the space between. I saw a male elf holding a strange staff, a mage with a dwarven spider, and a Daedric cultist. Before any of it could make sense, the stones shattered, breaking the image.

Lord Vivec apparently got more from the images than I did, or wanted me to think so. Perhaps he knew some of the people, and I didn't. It wasn't clear to me whose cult was involved, and maybe that was more obvious to someone of this time.

I wasn't getting any clues from Azura, so either she din't know, or just didn't want to tell me.

The Archcanon left immediately after the divination failed, but I stayed to ask Lord Vivec what he'd learned. Apprently, the main thing he took from this was that his loss of power was not natural, but the result of interference by others. Which meant it could be stopped.

"You're losing divine energy? How is that possible?" I asked

He replied that it would be my job to find out. To follow the trail, and discover who was involved, and how. And I should start by asking Archcanon Tarvus if he got anything the two of us had missed.

Tarvus was in his office when I found him, consulting his books. The three images had indicated three locations, he told me. Balmora, Ald'ruhn, and Barilzar's Tower. I needed to go to those places, and see what I could find.

---

I bought a map before I left the city. Balmora would be in the same place in the future, so I knew roughly how to get there, but Ald'ruhn was somewhere I didn't know, and neither was this tower. Of course, I might know it as somebody else's tower. Barilzar was presumably just the current owner.

Balmora was also the nearest of the three, so I headed there first. All the clues I found - the overheard conversation at the docks, the proclamation notice on a wall, and the lengthy but unprofitable flirtation with the barmaid at the local tavern - pointed me to the Shulk Ore Mine as a source of cultist activity. But if I needed to know more about what cult it was, or anything like that, I'd have to go there.

I found the crew chief, a Nord named Hondulf, hovering outside, reluctant to go in. The cultists were still in there, he told me, and particularly irate, because an Ashlander had just stolen the weapon they'd summoned with their ritual. His crew were still trapped in the mine, hiding from the cultists.

Clearly I wasn't going to be able to get this weapon, as it was already gone, but there might be other clues, and I might be able to help the miners. I went in.

This post has been edited by ghastley: Feb 27 2020, 08:30 PM

[Acadian]

Oh this is great fun, seeing Clark’s perceptions of the Second Era. He certainly has a good tour guide in Azura.

Loved your description of the outfitting station and tying it to illusion magic.

So instead of following quest markers, Clark finds himself following breasts – at least around Vivec City.


Nit: "But I'll need you{r} help before I can turn over the Blessing Stone."

[Renee]

Nice, he's doing some crafting. That's one area of ESO I haven't touched at all yet.

Awesome, he's retrieving the Blessing Stone.

Why is nothing ever simple?

Quote of the Year, when it comes to this game. And that's even if you've got the Quest Compass turned on.

Cool, I'm glad Clark is doing this quest. I started it, haven't gotten into it yet though. I won't mind reading a few spoilers.

[ghastley]

@Acadian: There's a lot of Azura in this quest-line, and Clark might get a bit tired of being steered.

@Renee: Much of it is simple - "kill everything", but we don't do Cyrodiil.

---------

Previously: Clark had visited the first location his list, and found a mine.

--------

Part 1.4 - Ald'ruhn and Barilzar

I suppose any cultist is not in a normal state of mind, or they wouldn't have become one to begin with, but why do they have to become homicidal? At least there weren't many of them.

I found a couple of items that might be useful: a Nycotic Ritual Bag that may provide some clue as to what they were doing, and a note that had been dropped by the invading Red Exiles that had stolen the weapon. The latter told me that it was a staff, perhaps the one the divination vision had shown us? It didn't tell me much more, except that the sender's initial were "CC".

After talking to the crew chief again, who was still reluctant to enter even after I told him the place was cleared, I set off for Ald'ruhn.

---

As I approached the wayshrine just outside Ald'ruhn, I saw a young(ish) Dunmer woman in an argument with a couple of uniformed men. She was demanding to see her brother, who was apparently in these Red Exiles' camp. Whether that was voluntarily or otherwise wasn't clear.

Red Exiles were the ones who had taken the staff from the cultists, a further clue.

She'd apparently seen me approach, as after knocking the two men down, she called out to me. Even though she didn't appear to need any help, she solicited mine, in return for her assistance with Lord Vivec's quest.

She was Seryn, and her brother Chodala was Ashkhan of the nomadic tribe they belonged to. Her job was as ambassador to the other tribes. He was trying to unite the Ashlander nomads against the Morrowind Great Houses, but hadn't progressed very far with that, yet.

I went to the Red Exiles' camp, hoping they'd be more hospitable to a stranger, but was not surprised that they weren't. I did manage to discover that Chodala was no longer there, but a document of his meeting with them was still lying around. I took it back to Seryn.

I talked with Seryn for a while longer, getting more information about her brother, herself, and their Urshilaku tribe. Something in the document I'd retrieved alarmed her, and she gave me a scroll of her brother's writings to help clarify why. It appeared that he believed himself to be the Nerevarine - a term that rang a faint bell in my faulty memory. I imagined that these writings would make more sense to Vivec, anyway.

---

The last location on my list was Barilzar's Tower, and that was way across to the east of the island beyond Molag Mar. Apparently it wouldn't have been a significant journey if I'd found the wayshrine, but you had to travel to those and find them, before you knew how to get there. Since this was my first trip, I'd have to do it the hard way. I could at least use the one at Ald'ruhm to go back to Vivec City, which cut the travel in half.

The route to Molag Mar took me through the town of Suran, which seemed familar in many ways. Azura had told me I'd 'remember' places from the future, if they'd stayed much the same over the intervening years. That was true with Seyda Neen, where things seemed to be where I expected them to be, and there was much familiar-feeling about Suran.

I went into the local tavern, called Desele's House of Earthly Delights with such a feeling, However, the interior was a different matter. Presumably interiors get redecorated more often. I never did discover what the 'Earthly Delights' were. I don't imagine they were the drinks, which seemed to be the same varieties i'd found in the bars of Vivec. In particular, there weren't any dancing girls. I don't have any clue why I was expecting any, other than a vague hope from the name of the place.

---

Molag Mar was quite a bit farther. It was built in the same style as the cantons of Vivec city, so I wasn't sure if that was the source of any familiarity, or if I'd been here in future. In any case, Barilzar's tower was out in the coastal wetlands between there and Azura's Shrine. The shrine was on my map, but the tower wasn't. I found the local wayshrine first, and from there a passing traveller pointed out the tower in the distance.

---

Barilzar was in his tower when I arrived, but in the middle of an experiment that couldn't be interrupted. I offered to help in exchange for a few answers, and he readily agreed. I could activate the crystals for him while he operated the modulator, whatever that was. Apparently this would make an explosion less likely.

The required order wasn't hard to guess, and we did it quickly, and without any explosions. Barilzar was relieved (and maybe surprised) at that.

I told him that Lord Vivec had sent me to inquire about the transfer of divine energy, and that was a familiar topic to him. Apparently, he'd worked with Sotha Sil on just that topic, and his master had a tool that permitted him to do so. With its aid, he was able to isolate some of his own power and analyze it, drawing conclusions on how it might be sustained, and whether it was temporary or permanent.

I suspected that tool might have been a staff, and the notes he gave me only strengthened that suspicion.

---

As soon as I stepped outside, an apparition of Archcannon Tarvus appeared, urging me back to Vivec City as fast as possible. There was ... a problem.

This post has been edited by ghastley: Aug 19 2021, 02:04 PM

[Acadian]

Wow, Clark covered a lot of terrain in this one. I had to laugh about his true observation that wayshrines would be ever so much more helpful if they helped you get somewhere the first time instead of having to find them first.

[ghastley]

@Acadian: He's about to have that reinforced by a longer trip.

-------

Previously: Clark had been sent around several locations in Southern Vvardenfell investigating the images from the divination. Now he'd been called back to Vivec.

-------

Part 1.5 - Cavern of the Incarnates

The problem was that Vivec was weakening further. Archcannon Tarvus quickly reached the same conclusion I had, that Chodala was using Sotha Sil's "tool" - the staff he called Sunna'rah - to steal Vivec's energy. Presumably it powered the staff, and it was that effect that Chodala wanted, rather than any harm to Vivec, but it was hard to tell.

We went to consult Vivec himself, who felt it strange that an Ashlander was involved. He'd had no problems with them before. He nevertheless sent me to discover more about Chodala.

This was what I'd expected, and the prospect of dealing with Seryn again was a pleasant thought. I rather liked women who could take care of themselves, and she'd shown me that in her confrontation with the Red Exiles.

---

Since this was no longer my first trip to Ald'ruhn, I now had the option of taking the wayshrine to get there. However, there were a few things I needed to do before travelling, which included some upgrades to my equipment. So I found my self approaching the wayshrine on the land side of Vivec City, rather than the one near the temple. And just beyond that was a stable.

---

Perhaps because I'd helped her before, I had no problem persuading her to help. In fact it was she who approached me as I returned to Ald'ruhn. She'd been thinking about her brother's ambitions, and needed to head him off before he could do anything rash. She asked me to talk to the Wise Woman of the Urshilaku. I agreed, but found Chodala in her hut, and the Wise Woman gone.

Apparently she'd left for the Cavern of the Incarnate to ask Azura for advice about Chodala's claim to be the Nerevarine. Chodala, who I noticed was holding a staff I assumed to be Sunna'rah, was convinced she'd return with confirmation.

When he left, Seryn told me to go after Wise Woman Dovrosi, and talk to her, try and persuade her to find against Chodala. She'd remain behind and try to rally the tribes.

---

The Cavern of the Incarnate was a long way away, up in the northern part of the island, where I'd never been (and apparently wouldn't in the distant future). So I didn't know any wayshrines in that area. The best option was actually to go back to Balmora, where I had found the wayshrine, and I could take a Silt Strider to Gnisis, which would get me half-way there, at least.

I didn't ask what a Silt Strider was, and perhaps I should have. I wasn't really prepared for the experience of riding a giant insect, and watching the way it was steered left me feeling a bit unsettled.

Gnisis didn't feel familiar at all. It probably changed a lot, or else this was my first visit. A bit of familiarity would have helped a lot, as it was a maze of bridges and canyons that I found it hard to navigate. However, I eventually found myself on the road to the Urshilaku camp near the shore. From there, I'd been informed, I could just follow the coastal trail to the Valley of the Wind, and the Cavern was at the end of that.

Red Mountain had erupted in this direction not long ago, and much of the trail was across barren lava flows, some of which were still warm. Indeed, I saw several pools of still-molten lava in places. There were abandoned settlements in a few places, and others that appeared to have been deserted, and then re-established, as there were makeshift buildings among older ruins.

There were Dwemer and Daedric ruins here, too, but I avoided those on this trip. If I passed a wayshrine, I could always come back. Except that there didn't seem to be one, until just at the end of the Valley of the Wind itself. From there it wasn't far to the Cavern.

I found the Wise Woman had only just arrived there herself, and had been ambushed by Daedra at the entrance. The Skaafin weren't particularly strong, but they were a nuisance. I sent her inside while I dealt with them.

---

Once inside, I found Dovrosi already in conversation with Azura, via her statue. "The outlander? Surely there's another way. No, my lady, I'll do as you ask."

"The Queen of the Night Sky insists I need your help. I must render judgement on an important claim, and she says you can offer guidance."

"This is about Choldala, and his not being the Nerevarine, right?" I surmised.

"The Red Exiles and a few others believe that Choldala is the Nerevarine. He has convinced them, but not me. However, I fear bloodshed if I find against him."

"So we need strong evidence against his claim, that you can't ignore." I suggested.

"Right. I need to remain impartial. Another needs to reveal the flaws in his claim, so I can reasonably deny it. Perhaps comparing him to the failed incarnates here would do it."

She gave me a bag of dust that would raise their spirits, so that I could talk to them. They each had a tale of believing themselves the one, and each had failed in a different way. Ranso had been the most powerful Ashkhan of his day, but power was not enough. Adusi had chosen a path of war, but it was the wrong path,and Danaat had ignored the council of the Wise Women, only to find they were right, and he was wrong.

Each gave me a scroll to call on their testimony at the coming judgement.

Azura's statue then spoke to me, although she could have done so directly. I think she wanted Dovrosi to hear what she said.

"I foresaw your usefulness before you even set foot in Vvardenfell. Now comes a test that will challenge your ability to separate truth from lies. You must convince the tribes that Chodala is not the Nerevarine."

I agreed to do so, of course, and she continued. "Let Seryn assist you. She is my champion, and a trusted friend of all Ashlanders."

That part was almost certainly meant for Dovrosi's ears.

---

The Wise Woman and I walked back to the wayshrine at the end of the valley, stopping several times along the way so that she could collect alchemical ingredients. Many of them were unknown to me, being plants that probably grew only on Vvardenfell. "You should get Seryn to teach you the plants," Dovrosi told me.

"You'll be spending more time with her, and probably going to other areas of the island, where the plants are different. The Ashland ones are different from the Grazeland ones, for instance."

"Seryn is an alchemist?" I asked.

"Not specifically, but she does make all her own potions and poisons. She's often journeying alone, and it helps to be self-sufficient.

"And that reminds me, you should get yourself a guar, even if it's only to carry your extra equipment. They can use the wayshrines, if they're with you, so you don't have to choose between methods of transport."

"A guar, rather than a horse?"

"They're better suited to this place. A horse would probably starve in the Ashlands. It would have your problem of not knowing the plants, and which were edible, and which were poisonous. A guar can forage for itself, so it's much less bother. Take Seryn with you when you buy one, so you don't get fleeced."

This post has been edited by ghastley: Mar 19 2020, 08:34 PM

[Acadian]

I remember enjoying this quest of the false Nerevarine.

The silt striders were fun!

Dovrosi makes a good case for guar in Morrowind.


A couple tiny nits:
- - ’I rather liked women who could take care of themselves, and she'd shown me that in her confronttion (confrontation) with the Red Exiles.’
- - ’Another needs to reveal the flaws in his claim, so I can reasonable (reasonably) deny it.’

[Grits]

I am delighted that Clark is telling this story in first person.

Neat, he discovered a Wayshrine! Azura’s ambush of the player feels quite natural in Clark’s story, since she placed him precisely when she wanted him.

Nice explanation of the outfit station. I can guess that costumes will simply be another illusion.

Oh, I liked this quest and the Cavern of the Incarnates. Good idea to get a guar. Scrambling around the lava on mortal horse legs can be unsettling.

[ghastley]

@Acadian: I'm not sure if Clark will ever want to ride a Silt Strider again. And he may or may not take to guar.

@Grits: I'm less comfortable using first person, but since a lot of this is inside Clark's head, I couldn't find a better way. He is using a costume, but needed it died, so the outfit station was involved anyway.

--------

Previously: Clark went to the Cavern of the Incarnates to speak with Dovrosi the Wise Woman.

--------

Part 1.6 - Not the Nerevarine

I took the wayshrine back to Ald'ruhn, and Seryn was there waiting for me. She looked a little uneasy, which was exactly how I was feeling too. I'd figured out on the way back, that if I presented the case against Chodala, as an outsider, it might not carry much weight. What I really needed was someone who was a member of the tribe doing it. And the only candidate I knew was her. Could I ask her to oppose her own brother?

"Could you help me with a rather difficult problem?" I asked her.

"I will if you'll help me. You see, I know that I'm going to have to present the case against my brother, and I'll need your help. Hopefully, you've got evidence I can use from your trip with the Wise Woman, but it won't be easy for us. Chodal has the Red Exiles backing hime up, and they've intimidated most of the others into supporting him. We'll have to be very convincing."

Of course I agreed.

"Now what did you need?" she continued.

"Can you help me buy a guar? I don't know one end of those from the other."

---

We went to Vivec City to buy my guar and I showed her the scrolls I’d obtained from the Failed Incarnates. Her eyes lit up when she saw those.

"Perfect! It won't be me speaking against my brother, but them. They can't be intimidated, and they have the respect of the tribe already. But I'll still need your help selecting which one to use when. I suppose you talked to them, when you got these?"

---

Seryn persuaded me to ride the guar back to Ald'ruhn, rather than take the wayshrine. She pointed out that I'd better learn where nobody was watching me, except her, or my reputation would suffer. I suspected that she didn't want to share the inevitable amusement with anyone else, but her point was valid enough.

I did fall off a couple of times, and she helped me back up, and explained what I was doing wrong. With a straight face, most of the time. Fortunately for me, it wasn't a long trip, just enough to get the hang of the basics.

---

Apparently my riding a guar up to Skaar scored us a few more points with the tribal elders. Adopting the Ashlander ways was a good sign that I was sympathetic to their cause. Perhaps that was why Dovrosi had suggested it.

We went inside, and Chodola was already at the dais, ready to make his claim. He turned as we entered, surprised to see his sister taking the opposing position. He said as much, too.

Then he turned back to the Wise woman, seated in judgement at the high bench. "Even the Outlander can see that I am the most powerful Ashkhan. My strength alone proves that I am the Nerevarine."

I handed Seryn the scroll of Incarnate Ranso, and she nodded. She used the scroll to summon the Incarnate, and he did all the talking for her.

"As a warrior and as an ashkhan, I was the most powerful of my age. But for all my strength, I failed my people. Don't follow my example."

He faded back to his rest in the Cavern, and Chodala spoke again.

"The faithless Houses dare to threaten our land, but we shall meet them in battle and I will lead us to victory."

Again I handed Seryn a scroll, which she used. Incarnate Aduri gave our response.

" I thought the path to the Nerevarine was a path of blood and battle, but my love of war was my undoing. War is not the way."

I could see that Chodala was getting rattled.

"These Failed Incarnates prove nothing! I need no counsel but my own, as befits my status as the Nerevarine!"

I smiled at that, as it led perfectly to our next move. I handed Seryn the final scroll, that of Incarnate Danasi.

" I refused to accept the counsel of the Wise Women and the Ashkhans. I thought I knew best, but I knew nothing. That is not the way of the Nerevarine."

Dovrosi kept a stern, contemplative expression, although I was sure she wanted to cheer. She could now pronounce the judgement she wanted, with the backing of the ancestor spirits.

"Seryn and the Outlander...their arguments have merit. Chodala, we deny your claim. You are not the Nerevarine."

I thought we'd made a strong enough case to convince everyone, but Chodala didn't think so.

"This proves nothing! Look how the staff protects me. I am the Nerevarine!" and with that, he ran from the chamber. Seryn started to follow, but some of his Red Exile followers came in through the same door and blocked her way.

They also attacked us. I sent Seryn out another way and faced them myself. I suspect I had some help from Azura in the fight, as they went down more easily than I thought I could manage alone. Also, they didn't send everyone into the room at once. I had two groups of three weaker "troops" and then their Gulakhan, Yus-Zahten came in alone. I even had time to heal myself between fights.

---

I found Seryn outside, but Chodala had vanished. As I walked over to her, she rose up off the ground, started to glow, and a moon and star appeared over her hands. Azura's voice spoke to me, through Seryn.

" Mortal, I would have words with you"

You could do that without involving her, I thought. Azura must want Seryn to know what she's telling me.

"Chodala has been revealed as a failed Nerevarine, but that hasn't dissuaded him from his reckless course of action. As long as he wields the staff, he shall be unstoppable."

"So what should we do?" I asked

"Time is against you, mortal. Even now Vivec, that pompous usurper, grows increasingly weaker. As much as I deplore him, Vivec cannot fall to Chodala's vile magic. There's another power at work here, one I can't quite put my finger on …."

"There must be something we can do."

"Return to Vivec City. Do what you can to aid Vivec. And pay heed to my faithful vessel, Seryn. I name her Champion of the Moon and Star. She will play a pivotal role in ending her brother's march toward godhood—if she survives."

I agreed to return to Vivec City, and Azura released Seryn. I understood now what she wanted to achieve. Not only had she told Seryn of her new status, but the little scene had attracted quite a few of the tribe to come over and witness it. They'd have the news all over Ald'ruhn in no time. And she'd told Seryn to be careful. She wasn't immortal, like me, and perhaps I needed to be reminded of that, too.

Seryn was still recovering from the experience of being "possessed" by Azura.

"That was amazing! As a mage, I'm used to assessing my magicka reserves, so I know how many spells I can cast. That just felt like I had unlimited power! Azura's, of course, and she was in control, so it wasn't mine to use, but still ..."

"If it's any consolation," I told her, "Azura can't use it here, either. She can only act through someone who belongs in this realm. In Moonshadow, though, unlimited pretty well describes it. And she can use some of that power to help us, but we have to wield it for her. I think I had her help back inside with the Red Exiles. And since Azura just reminded me that you are in danger from those people, so we'd better stick together from here on."

"So we go to Vivec next?" she asked.

"Yes, Azura wants me to check on Vivec, and do what I can to help. That's probably going to mean finding a way to stop that staff from draining his energy. Chodola is just aware of its ability to protect him, and doesn't know what else it's doing when he uses it. So we avoid him until we're ready to move, and that way he shouldn't have any need to use the staff."

This post has been edited by ghastley: Aug 19 2021, 02:11 PM

[Acadian]

I chuckled over Clark’s concerns about asking Seryn for help testifying, only to have her ask him for help.

Woot! Clark’s now guar-qualified.

That is a well-done quest.

I enjoyed Clark’s insightful analysis of the complex reasons and likely intent as to why Azura spoke publically via Seryn.


Nits:
- ’We went to Vivec City to buy my guar and I showed her the scrolls i'd {I’d} obtained from the Failed Incarnates.’
- ’As I walked over to her, she rose up off the groound {ground}, …’
- ’i {I} agreed to return to Vivec City, ...’

[ghastley]

@Acadian: Fortunately, guar-qualification has not had any long-term effects on Clark.

------------------

Previously: Clark had helped Dovresi deny Chodola's claim to be Nerevarine, and Seryn had been "possessed" by Azura.

-------------------

Part 1.7 - Dwarven Ruins

Vivec was, as expected, slowly getting weaker. Archcanon Tarvus warned me against working with that Ashlander, Seryn, who'd undoubtedly be in league with her brother, but otherwise had no advice. I decided to go back to Barilzar, who at least had some insight into the staff's origin, and its original purpose.

We took the wayshrine to Molag Mar, and set out on foot towards the tower. It wasn't worth taking the guars for such a short trip, and we'd have to dismount frequently to cross the water. The shortest route hopped from island to island in the shallow lagoons, and although you raely needed to swim, you wouldn't want to ride across the slippery rocks. Getting your feet wet was better than getting thrown off your guar.

It wasn't easy to keep your balance on foot, either, and Seryn and I frequently had to hold on to each other to avoid falling over. Perhaps not quite as frequently as we did, but often enough. And by the time we walked up the path from the shore to the tower, she had her arm around my waist, even though she didn't need the support any more.

Actually she did, because she wanted to empty the water out of her shoes. "These were made for the Ashlands, not the swamps," she pointed out. But after they were drained, the arm went back around me.

It was a pity that the entrance to the tower was so close to the bank. She hung back as I knocked on the door to announce our presence. Instead of Barilzar's voice in return, I could hear a creature's alarm cry, and it didn't sound like any of Vvardenfell's native ones. When we entered to find out, we discovered daedra had chased Barilzar out of the main room, and they were trying to break down the door to the basement.

"I'll hold them, you hit them," I called to Seryn. She was armed with a staff, and I had a sword and shield, so it made sense for me to get in close, while she attacked from a distance. "And don't worry about whether I'm in the area of your spells."

I quickly disposed of the skaafin, but something summoned a hunger as soon as I did so. That took us a bit more effort to overcome, believe me. Nothing replaced that, so I was able to get Barilzar to let us in to his hiding place.

I told the mage about locating Sotha Sil's staff, but that I couldn't get it back while Chodola was using it. We'd need to disable it before I could do that.

"A tonal inverter should counter it. Uses sound waves to temporarily disrupt the flow of energy," he replied.

"Do you have a tonal inverter?" I asked.

"No, I just invented it. And I'll need the proper components to make one. My hirelings should have kept me stocked up with them, but I haven't seen them for a while. Here's a list of what I'll need. You can head out the back door and ask them to direct you to these common Dwarven components."

"So I need to find your hirelings first? Where will they be?"

"Molag Mar, probably. And don't worry about more daedra getting in. Now I know they're trying that, I can take steps to prevent it happening again."

---

It was getting dark when we got back to Molag Mar, and I didn't want to travel at night, especially as I had enough trouble riding a guar when I could see where we were going.

"I'll look for the hirelings," I told Seryn. "You go get us rooms at the Penitent Pilgrim Inn, and I'll join you there soon."

---

Snorfin was fishing off the docks. He was happy to tell me where I could find a Dwarven sonance generator, but advised me not to go there. "The automata there are haunted. They're bad enough normally, but with the ghosts in them, they're even worse! I certainly won't be going back." Arkngthunch-Sturdumz was all the way up north, at the other end of the island, too.

The other two hirelings were both at the Inn. I found Leona Blaso just outside, and she directed me to Nchuleft ruins for the manual clockwork shaft. "You'll be lucky to get in and out before it collapses on you. I'm certainly not risking it."

Volrina Quarra was sitting in the lounge. She knew where I could get the inversion conduit, as she'd seen one in Galon Daeus, right before the vampires chased her out. "If you can wipe them out, it would be revenge for my brother. The Berne Clan were the same ones that killed him."

Seryn had got us a room. Whether they were full, or this was her decision, she didn't say, and I didn't ask.

---

In the morning, we looked up the Dwarven ruins on the map, and planned our journey. We discussed where we'd take the wayshrines, and where we'd need the guars. What to pack, what to leave behind. Everything but last night, and the new status of our relationship.

It wasn't until we were in sight of the first ruin that she brought it up. Perhaps it was the imminent danger we were just about to face together that triggered it.

"You know, I'm not sure what are my feelings for you, and what are Azura's. After she spoke to you through me, I've had the impression that she never left. At least not completely. Do you know what I mean?"

Having Azura always in the back of my mind was now something else we had in common.

"Yes, i suspect she's nudging you in the direction she wants you to go, but only because you're already leaning that way. I know she appreciates what I do for her, and perhaps you do, too."

Before she could think that through too completely, I carried on.

"It's in everyone's interest. Azura wants an end to the threat to Vvardenfell that Vivec's weakness presents. So she needs us to work closely together. With your brother on a path to self-destruction, you need my support, and if we come to a confrontation, I'll need you on my side, not his. And finally, Chodola needs me to be sympathetic to him, if only because you're his sister."

"Do you really think he'll live?" Seryn pleaded.

"It depends a lot on whether he has any choice in the matter. I believe that one reason Azura chose to speak through you, instead of directly to me, was that she wanted you to understand what it's like to be controlled by a Deadric Prince."

"You think that might have happened to Chodola? And by which one?"

"Maybe, and the main suspect is Clavicus Vile. He may have just made some bargain with him, and Vile always cheats with those. But we do have consider the alternatives."

We entered Galom Daeus with the same combat plan we'd used against the daedra at Barilzar's tower. I'd get any adversary's attention up close with my sword and shield, and Seryn would use her staff from a safe distance behind me. We'd gone through Vivec City to get here, and I'd taken the opportunity to upgrade my gear as much as I could. I felt reasonably confident we'd do better together than Volrina had managed alone.

And we got more help from the Dwarven constructs than she had. The last two of the vampires died when the spider they'd been working on electrocuted them as it fell apart. In the wreckage of the spider, I found a control rod, and, prompted by Azura, tried using it on another inactivated spider nearby. It got up, ran over to a warded chest nearby, and fell apart just as it reached it.

I tried again with another of the spiders, and this one turned hostile. Fortunately, it was already damaged, so it didn't give us much trouble. "Third time lucky?" I asked, pointing the rod at what appeared to be the only remaining inactivated spider.

This one survived long enough to remove the ward from the chest, and I was able to open it, and retrieve the inversion conduit we'd come for. Leaving the ruin was uneventful, and we set off for Nchuleft.

[Acadian]

Clark is such a charmer as he draws the arm of Chodala’s sister.

"And don't worry about whether I'm in the area of your spells."
- - Life, during combat, is good in ESO.

I figured Seryn was sweet on Clark. Looks like the one room at the inn may confirm that. Next morning looks like I was right.

The Morrowind Chapter certainly tries hard to make Buffy dislike all things Dunmer. She has to school herself routinely while there that she knows many wonderful Dunmer. . . it's just that most of them don't live in Vardenfell. She thinks the pompous and rude 'Great Houses' are basically irredeemable. While she finds Ashlanders generally inhospitable and ungracious, Seryn is a welcome exception.

I’m greatly enjoying Clark’s recount of this quest. Coincidence would have it that Buffy the Bowsorc just completed this questline only yesterday so it is nice and fresh.


Nit: ”But we do have {to?} consider the alternatives."

[Renee]

"A tonal inverter should counter it. Uses sound waves to temporarily disrupt the flow of energy," he replied.

"Do you have a tonal inverter?" I asked.

"No, I just invented it.

Ha ha ha ha!

That's always a sign, that first step when a room gets shared.