The Story Of Taillus, My First MW Fanfic Hope You Like It! Options

[Taillus]

**This is a story of one of my characters and how he came to be. It will be a long read just to warn you. Another warning is that some events in this story are not possible in the world of Morrowind but they exist for dramatic purposes. I tried to keep things as accurate as possible as far as lore is concerned but If I made a mistake please point it out to me. The first part of my story is the epic battle between the main Character Taillus and the one man who hopes to stop him. A breton battlemage named Xander. I decided to post the battle first as it gives insight into both of these men and their characters. This also shows a timeline sense as the story is narrated by my third character, L'arith Dahl who is a historic book keeper that keeps an archive of all of the historic events of Morrowind. He tracks people and can see what they experience, do and say as if he was hovering over their shoulder. This is how he follows my character and this is why he is narrating my story. I hope everyone likes it and I will be updating soon as my second chapter is still in the works. **

A fierce storm hits the lower half of Morrowind as the people of Ebonheart watch the seas from the edge of the Castle. A rocky battle ground has risen from the water and it flattens into a stage of sorts with jutted, rough edges. The flat surface of the rock column stands just over twenty feet above the top of the violent water as the waves beat against it. Two men stand atop the gravelly stage facing one another with nothing but anger in both man’s eyes. Two of the most powerful mortal men in Morrowind stand still as each person waits for the other to make a move. Xander Moorcroft has most of Morrowind rooting for his success as he may be the only man to save the people from the Dangerous, murderous and crazed mind of the man everyone has come to know as Taillus.

Taillus was once a normal man of only average skills and power. He was brought to Morrowind because he was banished from his hometown after killing a lord. He was put to work in a labor camp building castles, walls, and outposts for the Imperial Legion. His punishment seemed fitting at first, until Taillus was released in Morrowind and given a second chance. It was here that he stumbled upon an artifact called the Darkness stone or commonly referred to as the Daedric Soul Gem. It was a relic of unfathomable power and was only thought to be a myth. Taillus was overcome by the power of the artifact and later found out that it was crafted by the great Daedric Prince Molag Bal in hopes that the person who found it would kill mortal men, women and children so their souls would belong to them. Molag Bal offered Taillus great power and rare daedric and ebony weapons and armor as well as telling him how to use the soul gem to steal the souls of those he killed to give him even more power.

Taillus quickly became so powerful that he could wipe out small armies single handedly while offering their souls as gifts to his lord….
Xander Moorcroft grew up in a very poor family. He rarely had money for food and he usually had to take up contracts with the thieves’ guild in order to keep him and his family from starving to death. Because of this, he ascended the ranks at a rather young age and quickly came to be a reputable thief. He then honed his skills and became an apprentice mage in order to find a cure for a disease that had swept through his small home village and was killing his parents. He strived to know to create and use the most powerful spells and wanted to learn all there was to know about alchemy but his efforts were all in vain. Both of his parents died not to long after along with most of his home village. Despite this however, He continued learning about magic and also learned the ways of fighting with a plethora of weapons from axes, halberds, swords and more from a good childhood friend of his. He eventually made his place among the ranks of an elite branch of knights known as the Blue Lions of Ebonheart. He was the first ever Battle Mage and he was without a doubt the most powerful man in Morrowind other then Taillus.

This brings us to where things stand current day. These two men stand not even eight feet from each other. One man fighting for good, the other fueled by pure evil and both were gods in the eyes of the locals. The raging waters below the rocky platform slam and thrash as rain falls violently around them. The clouds swirl around the battleground as if a tornado is about to set down right between the two men. The sky rumbles and lights up occasionally as Cliffracers circle waiting for one of the men to die in hopes that they can pull the flesh off of the fallen man’s body. The commoners had flocked to the docks of Ebonheart to see the fateful battle between these two titans and tried their best to brave the harsh weather in hopes that they can see Taillus fall at the feet of Xander personally.

Taillus himself stands tall. Clad in dark Ebony armor with silver accents instead of the more common gold, and had long since discarded the chest piece, helmet, and all armor covering his left arm. He also sported an extravagant robe with a hood that covered his face. His long, brown hair creeps out from within the darkness of the hood and his pendant containing the evil soul gem stayed tucked within the confines of his robe.

Taillus watches every single move that Xander makes while clutching his weapon of choice, a large, thick ebony broadsword that hums with its recent enchantment. Taillus doesn’t try to hide the fact that one slip-up from Xander means that his poor soul becomes the property of Molag Bal.

Xander stands about as ready as he could be. Truthfully, he was scared to death of this man and he didn’t know how he could keep from fainting in fear. Xander made sure that he was as well equipped as he could possibly be by wearing a full suit of reinforced steel armor minus the helmet and further strengthened his armor with a robe lined with pure, triple woven Nordic silver chainmail. This makes Xander more mobile but gives him more armor then a full suit of stone. His short brown hair is neatly groomed and he proudly wears the white and blue of the Blue Lions of Ebonheart. He carries a shining Imperial silver long sword as well as another sword that is sheathed and is strapped to his back, hidden under his robe.
“Well aren’t you a sight for sore eyes, noble. You must think that you are quite a man seeing as how you are dressed so exquisitely. If you wanted to impress me or even scare me then you should at least have a sword with a chipped blade. That way I would at the very least be able to see that you have used it before. A man with shiny armor means that it us usually for decoration but I guess I should not underestimate. You could be the man that kills me. By the way Breton, what makes you believe that you can spill the blood of a god?!” Taillus yells as the weather around them almost gets worse with the sound of his voice.
People on the mainland continue to observe as the sky occasionally bursts with the flash of lightning revealing the outlines of the epic warriors.
“You’re right Taillus; I have no reason to believe that I will end your life tonight. But no one else can either. Why should I even try? You are far too powerful for even an army of men to defeat and I am certainly not a god. So since I am such a waste of your time why is it that you are so intent on ending my life?” Xander says softly, still staring into the eyes of his opponent. Taillus takes a few steps towards Xander, his armor jingling with each step. His footsteps sound like thunder as their rock podium almost breaks under the stress of his power. An evil grin crosses the face of Taillus as he makes Xander take a defensive stance as he approaches and he can see how Xander grips his sword tighter with each of his advancing steps.
“The sweat of impending death is very new to you isn’t it, Noble? You have never been in this much danger in your whole life have you? You are a virgin to battle and you are so far over your head you can do nothing but quiver in fear! I have killed young children with more courage and heart than you, Breton. I feel quite embarrassed for you.” Taillus hisses as he stops just feet away from Xander.

Taillus lifts both hands in the air after sheathing his sword. His eyes glaze over and all coloring in his eyes vanish. A dark aura outlines his body and his grin goes from evil to manic.
“Worry not, young Breton. This will be over very quickly but I wish I could say that it would be painless. You will suffer greatly before you join the countless other souls that fuel my power.” Taillus explains before a dark, rolling cloud spills from the sleeves of his robe. The thick fog consumes Xander as it fills his lungs causing him to drop to his knees choking. He grabs his throat in an attempt to stop the fog from entering his body but finds his arms heavy as he quickly grows weak from a lack of clean oxygen.
“Can you feel it burn with every passing breath? Do your tears sear your flesh like acid? It is not an enjoyable nor pleasant way to die now is it Breton? The feeling of helplessness knowing that your shiny armor and pretty sword cannot help your fate!” Taillus mocks as he stands watching as Xander chokes to death. Thinking quickly, Xander extends a hand to the water and quickly chokes out the chant enabling his telekinesis to hoist a wave of water high enough to wash over him and Taillus, dispelling the black fog and also catching Taillus off guard giving him enough time to attack. The water pours over them as it crashes onto the surface of their rock battleground.

Water pours off of the sides of the stone pillar like waterfalls and Taillus stumbles in shock at the tactic from Xander.
“You are more intelligent then I had originally believed. That, and you have some magical ability as well. This might just turn out to be interesting!” Taillus claims as he shakes the water off of his robe. “Let us see how you handle this!” Taillus yells as he attempts to make Xander pay for his last stunt. Taillus extends an opened hand with the palm facing Xander as he chants something quickly in a deep, throaty voice. Suddenly, Xander screams in pain and horror as an overwhelming number of voices moan and cry in his head. Xander grips his head as the voices get louder and multiply in numbers. He shakes his head trying to make it stop and cannot even defend himself from a kick from Taillus that sends him falling to the thrashing waves below. As Xander breaks through the surface of the water he begins sinking from the weight of his armor, he still fights with the voices in his head but now also with the pulling of ghastly hands as Taillus’ spell makes Xander hallucinate.

Meanwhile, above the water on the rock podium, Taillus paces in wait, hoping that his opponent survives to withstand another thrashing. He contemplates pulling his worthless body from the waves so he can satisfy his craving of battle and fuel his evil pendant. Civilians watch from Ebonheart as they see a figure fall to the unforgiving waves below. Xander manages to pull a “Calm Self” elite potion from his robe and he casts a levitation spell on himself to escape the raging waters and ghostly hands. He bursts out of the water and hovers just above its surface. He quickly downs the potion of “Calm Self” and continues to float upward to meet Taillus.

As he quickly makes his way to the top of the rock podium, he readies his next spell that will hopefully give him the edge he needs. As was suspected by Xander, Taillus was waiting at the top of the Rock spire casting a new spell as soon as he could see the top of Xander’s head. Xander was met with a normally devastating blast of telekinesis but matched with Xander’s own version of the same spell they more or less cancelled each other out. Xander quickly voids his levitation spell and rolls to the flat surface of the podium. He lunges at Taillus who bats his blade to the side with his well armored hand and counters with a knee to Xander’s chin sending him headlong for a body’s length with blood seeping through his clenched teeth before slamming hard on his back.

As he gets to his feet, Taillus extends his hand at Xander again with his palm facing outward. Xander covers his face with his gauntlet as a wave of focused energy washes over him. He looks as his gauntlet along with the rest of his armor and weapons begin to liquefy before his eyes. His sword now a sizzling puddle at his feet and his armor begins to drip off his body.
“You look quite powerful now Breton!” Taillus laughs as he walks closer to his victim. “You must be quite frightened knowing that your shiny, expensive armor is gone. You are left now with nothing but the clothes on your back and your ridiculous blue and white robe. Even the Nordic chainmail is nothing but a puddle at your feet where your boots used to be. The hidden blade that you had sheathed to your back underneath your armor is gone. You have nothing left and I am going to have fun cutting into your defenseless flesh!” Taillus belts as he draws his sword and charges at Xander.

Thinking quickly, Xander pulls a ring from his pocket and slips it on his bare finger. As Taillus brings down his blade with the force and might of a falling star, it is stopped short by a hand that catches it in mid swing.
The hand is clad in a dark grayish or black armor that is spiked and evil looking. As Taillus looks up to see where the hand had come from he can see that it is the hand of Xander who is now wearing a suit of Daedric armor all except the shield and helm. Xander grins as he makes a fist from the other hand and plants it solidly into Taillus’ face. Taillus spits blood as he teeters away from Xander in complete shock at what happened.

“Is this not what you expected Taillus? You could not see this coming? I would have thought you could see this tactic coming from a mile away. I have studied your ways for a very long time and I know more about you then you do of yourself. I know every spell you have and which ones you find most effective. I know how to counter every single one of them and I know for certain that I can out fight you with weapons because it has been years since you have ever had the need you use one. This is a summon armor spell that binds a suit of Daedric Armor to my body! It weighs next to nothing and it appears in a blink of an eye.” Xander yells as Taillus wipes blood from his mouth.
“You think you have it don’t you? You think that you will defeat me? I am a god! I have been doing no more then toying with you! I will not lose to any mortal man!” Taillus screams as he raises his hands into the air readying himself for another magicka attack.

Xander can feel the temperature begin to rise rapidly as he digs in the remnants of his robes for a solution to this dangerous spell. He quickly pulls out a vial from a hidden pocket and holds it in anticipation for the right moment. Sweat pours down Xander’s face as the heat becomes almost unbearable. Rain sizzles and evaporates before even hitting the ground and Xander rips his robes from his armor before it catches fire. Suddenly, and if he was counting the seconds, Xander throws the vial full of a clear liquid at Taillus who grins as he reaches to catch it in mid air. The vial bursts as it hurtles towards Taillus and goes from a quivering liquid to a ball of fire as it collides with Taillus setting his robes ablaze. As he yells and struggles to get it off of his body, Xander summons a bound Daedric Longbow as an arrow materializes into his hand. He pulls back the string and fires the arrow while Taillus is still occupied and he watches as it screams towards Taillus and pierces his precious amulet which bursts with a black magical energy before falling to his feet.

Taillus staggers backwards from the impact of the arrow combined with the dark, evil energy given off from the broken amulet. He looks down at the Daedric Soul Gem as a black haze emanates from the middle. Taillus looks back up at Xander as his summoned bow disappears from his grasp.
“Face it Taillus, you are finished. There is nothing you can do! I have beaten you so why don’t you just give up and allow yourself an honorable death?” Xander shouts through the storm. The rain starts to fall harder then before and the sky grew more violent as lightning tears through the clouds and thunder rolls overhead.

The stone battle area created by the telekinetic magic of Taillus was showing the strain of battle and the ruthless storm around it. Taillus stands with his armor still intact but his robe was a charred mess in a heap beside him. The same can be said for Xander. His armor was still in pristine condition because of his bound daedric spell but his robes were toast. The two men stand, exhausted from battle as their health energy as well as Magicka reserves were running quite low.
“That trick with the Cyrillic Brandy was a great tactic! The only way to win is to fight fire with alcohol. The only way to make my own spell affect me. But you are right Breton; I should accept my fate and resign myself to an eternity in Oblivion. I should pay for what I have done and I should let you take my life where I stand. But I am not about to make it that easy. You may think you have my every move pegged. You think that you have studied all of my tactics and know every move I will make. I would just like to inform you that you could not be farther from the truth. My arsenal of spells is far greater then any man, and while I do admit you have forced me to alter my strategies remotely I still have spells that I have yet to even test they are so dangerous!” Taillus shouts as thunder claps over and over just above them. The cliffracers continue to circle as they can sense that death will soon come to one of the gladiators and rain continues to relentlessly pound by the buckets.

Taillus looks at Xander who is desperately looking for some sign of what is to come and Taillus grins before slamming the blade of his sword into the ground and raising his hands into the air. The dark clouds over head swirl even faster above them and lightning seems to hit the centre of the swirling mass. Taillus chants in a gravelly voice as the sky becomes void of any stars, or even the moon. All that can be seen is pitch darkness and swirling clouds. Suddenly, the sky seems to rip open as a thick red magma pours from the sky. The molten rock falls from the sky in what seems like rivers as it collides with the stone column melting pieces off and splashing into the water.
“What have you done!?” Xander yells as he looks around. Half of their battle zone has been melted off as steaming magma pours from the sky like massive waterfalls around them.

Taillus laughs maniacally as he looks up at the sky with his hands in the air. He lets his hands drop to his sides as he averts his glance to Xander who is in a state of panic.
“I have just opened a gate to Oblivion. I took your advice. I want to die with honor but I am going to take Morrowind with me!” Taillus booms at he pulls his sword from the rock below him.
“This is the bidding of my Lord, Molag Bal. He called upon me to harvest the souls of the mortals and I will do just that! This portal marks the beginning of the Daedra’s onslaught on human kind. He promised me unlimited power in exchange for my service. Can’t you see? With each soul I give him he grows so much more powerful! He will grant me immortality and I will become a prince myself!” Taillus screams as the storm’s intensity increases tenfold and the molten lava gushes in columns around them. The Commoners and Nobles alike on solid ground watch from Ebonheart but also fearing that their lives are coming to an end. Along with the magma, a small army of Daedra seem to fall from the hole in the sky and land in the water as they quickly head to shore. From Daedroths, to scamps and all sorts of Atronachs flood the shores of Morrowind sending its people into a state of panic and making all available soldiers available to fight the sudden outbreak.

Taillus and Xander both watch as the whole continent of Morrowind looks as if it is seeing its last day.
“Isn’t it beautiful, Breton? That our world has merged with the Daedra so that we can become loyal followers of their kings, queens and Nobles. This is the dawn of a new age and I am the one who made it all possible!” Shouts Taillus.

Xander grips his daedric long sword as he feels consumed with anger. He charges at Taillus in hopes to end this all for good but even after losing his pendant, Taillus still proves to be as powerful as ever. The two swords clash over and over again as lightning and thunder seem to spark with every collision of the blades. Xander continually has the upper hand because of the light weight of his bound armor but Taillus is relentless and refuses to give up. They duck and weave in a deadly dance of swords, each man showing their proficiency in a match of strength, agility, and battle savvy. The rip in the sky that had exposed Oblivion to the world seems to get bigger by the second and it begins to lift things into the air as its intensity increases. Small pieces of the rock podium break off and hover towards the hole in the sky as the two continue their fight.

“Taillus, you have no idea what you are doing! You are going to kill every man, woman and child in Morrowind in the name of Molag Bal in hopes that he will make you Daedric Royalty? You are a human just like us and when he realizes that you have the souls of thousands inside you he will kill you to become even more powerful! You have been consumed by the darkness of the Daedric Soul Gem and the promises of Molag Bal. You will die just like the rest of us and you know that!” Xander yells between the sounds of the clashing swords.

“I will not! I will become a Daedric Prince! It sounds so beautiful and so fitting. Taillus the Daedric Prince of War and Conflict! I will be immortal and more powerful then Vivec, Amelexia, Everyone!” Taillus yells as the two continue to battle. As Taillus becomes more and more interested in convincing Xander of his Ascension to the status of a god, his concentration slowly dwindles in battle giving Xander an increasing opportunity to strike him down. Taillus rants about becoming a Daedric Prince and about his life as a god and within seconds, Taillus stands with a long bleeding scar across his bare chest as blood trickles down Xander’s bound Daedric long sword. He staggers a bit with a look of complete disbelief on his face. Blood drips from the diagonal laceration on his chest and Xander stands in a readied stance in case of Taillus bluffing.

“You are the first man to ever make me bleed my own blood Breton. I have never felt a flesh wound from a sword before. It feels invigorating knowing that someone could possibly take my life when all I have ever experienced was taking another man’s life. It makes me feel so alive knowing that this is a well balanced fight. I have never met a man that has come so close to defeating me. Please, Breton fight me without any parlor tricks and Magicka. if you are going to be the man that kills me, then please let me die human. It is my only request.” Taillus says as he looks down at the wound.

The magma still pours from the sky and the storm is ever increasing as the two men peel off their armor. One swing of a sword can kill either man, and both of them have little or no Magicka to spend anyway. As the Magma depletes more of their battle ground and more still is lifted into the air the two titans clash swords once again. The rock column crumbles as it receives too much stress and the two fight as the top is lifted into the air and closer to the tear in the sky leading to Oblivion. Fate draws ever nearer as the men partake in a battle of human strength only and both grow increasingly tired as the battle drags on. Their platform rises into the air until they are both less then a hundred feet from the dimensional rift leading to the unforgiving section of Oblivion ruled by Molag Bal as it seemed.

“If we don’t cut it out we are both going to get a one way ticket to hell! We have to get out of here!” Xander hollers trying to be heard over the deafening sounds of the storm along with the sounds of the flowing magma around them.
“We will all be in Oblivion soon, Breton! It is the bidding of the Daedra Prince! We will all be servants of the Daedric royalty!” Taillus shouts as they continue to exchange blows. Taillus swings his sword hard and causes Xander to stumble off balance. Taillus begins to laugh as he holds his blade in one hand and faces his other hand palm opened as usual in the direction of Xander as he regains his composure.

“Enough of this nobility nonsense, Breton! I want you to be the first to accept your fate and mark the beginning of the end of Morrowind. You will be the first to power my Lord, Molag Bal. Tell him that I said there will be much more where you came from, Breton!” Taillus shouts as he expels a great amount of his remaining magicka causing Xander to lift into the air.

“Stop this Taillus, It doesn’t have to end like this! You can right your wrongs and help me seal this portal to hell! You are making a grand mistake but it is not too late to reverse this! Think about it! You will not be the most powerful being if the Daedra overthrow our realm. As it stands you could rule Morrowind, Tamriel, your choice! Who do you have that could stand in your way?!” Xander yells as he is lifted closer and closer to the gate to Oblivion.

“It is too late. Our fate is sealed. There is nothing anyone can do! I have accepted my fate from my Lord and I will become the Daedric Prince I deserve to be.” Taillus explains as he uses his Telekinetic power to lift Xander up and into the portal to Oblivion. Xander thinks as to if there is any way to stop this from happening and he tries to fight off the powers of Taillus’ incredible Telekinetic power but to no avail. He thinks quickly and also desperately for an answer.
“Can you see it, Breton? Can you feel the heat of the fire laden pits of Oblivion. Embrace it because it is your new home for eternity. I assure you that you will have company in due time!” Taillus yells as Xander crosses realms. He looks in amazement as the rip in the sky begins to seal shut. The magma slowly stops falling from the sky and the clouds stop swirling.

“No! This cannot be! Why is the rift closing? I am not done! There are so many souls left to send. This isn’t happening! What have you done Breton!?” Taillus screams as his spell begins to wear off. Xander looks as he is lifted upward through the closing hole and smiles.

“The name is Xander, Taillus. And I win!” He yells as he places his hands together in front of his body and chants quickly. He opens his closed eyes and stares at Taillus as a beam of Magicka explodes from Xander’s body. It blasts through the now tiny hole that is the gateway between the two realms and consumes Taillus’ body.

“What is this? What are you doing?!” Taillus shouts as the Magicka envelopes his entire body.
“You want to go to Oblivion so badly? I am giving you your chance to go there!” Xander yells from the remnants of the portal. Xander’s soul switch spell if he has enough time before the rift closes he will be able to trade souls with Taillus leaving him stuck in his body and giving Taillus his own. The spell takes quite a while to perform and if the Rift closes without its completion then both of the warrior’s souls will be lost forever. Taillus tries to break the bond but his body will not respond. The rift to Oblivion all but completely seals and as it does, Taillus crumples to the ground and lays motionless. The portal seals shut, trapping Xander in Oblivion.

The sky becomes clear in the matter of hours and the rain and the storm overhead stop completely. Soldiers fight off the few remaining Daedra and things seem to return to normal. The top of the rock podium where Taillus’ body rests falls out of the air and lands into the cooling lava forming an island where the two men battled so fiercely. People return to their homes knowing that things are normal but the nobles, and the lords of Ebonheart know that Xander sacrificed his life and would not be returning.

On the island where Taillus still rests, lifeless and still an elderly dunmer man slowly materializes by his downed body. The spectral image of the Dark Elf kneels beside Taillus and whispers, “You have done so well my friend. You have stopped the reign of Taillus and restored peace to the humble people of Morrowind they will all thank you in their prayers but the same can not be said in person. We both know that you traded bodies with Taillus in hopes that he would be the one to end up in Oblivion where he belongs but not everyone knows this. Everyone will believe that you are dead Xander and that Taillus still walks among us. You will be tried as Taillus and sentenced as if you were him. I wish I could help but I am so far away and I cannot meddle with history in the making. This is all fated to happen Xander so do not despair, you are still destined for more. I wish you the very best of luck my friend.” The elder dunmer says quietly before vanishing into thin air.

Hours later, Taillus wakes up…or Xander as is in reality; and sits on the ground cross-legged. He stares at the birds and the sky, he looks to the mainland where trees gently blow in the wind. A smile crosses his face as he can see a boat come towards the newly formed island. In only a short time from now, Xander knows that he will be prosecuted as if he was Taillus and his only hope will be to try to convince them that he is in fact Xander. Nevertheless, he looks to the sky again as the men land the ship and draw closer to him and he thanks whatever force closed the portal to Oblivion before looking upon the approaching Imperial Legion soldiers….

If you read this far without falling asleep I hope you continue to read the story of How Taillus came to be. My first chapter is complete and I will post it in a couple of days. Comments are really accepted so please tell me if I should give up or keep going.... Thanks everyone.

This post has been edited by Taillus: Feb 11 2006, 10:41 PM

[jack cloudy]

That was one hell of an intense battle! Please write more.

[Taillus]

LOL sorry for it being so long but before I knew it I had about 7 ish pages on Word.... I have chapter one of the story of Taillus ready but I just want to give more people a chance to read this one before adding another 7 pages.... Thanks for the feedback you will see chapter one by monday if not sooner.

[minque]

Oh dear, interesting start and a good description.....

One thing though! Please think about paragraphing more! It makes it far more reader-friendly!

And start a new line when a person says something!

Apart from that, it´s a really good story!

[Taillus]

It originally started off as a decently spaced and moderately well laid out piece on Microsoft word but the translation to here didn't go so well. I will play around with chapter one before I submit it
Thanks alot.

[Tellie]

Same as Minkey said, use paragarphs, start new lines when a person talks.


All in all, it was dreadfully good, please give us more.

[Taillus]

**Sorry about the wait everyone. This is Chapter One of the Story of Taillus. Keep in mind that This all happens long before the battle at the beginning of this post and it describes the life of Taillus leading up to his cross into the realms of Oblivion. I will be posting in sections so it will not be such a large read all at once. Thanks for all of your interest I hope everyone loves it as much as I love doing it. **

Chapter One - An Outlander's Welcome.

“ Many people come to me to hear the tales of lore. Some of legend only, others are from the unwritten history of our land. I am a traveling storyteller and I wander from place to place seeing the sights and experiencing everything that life has to offer. I tend to keep my hands out of places where they do not belong but I indirectly follow those of interest and keep track of what is happening. You could almost call me the scribe of legends. I make sure that each story is told as it happened with no padding or exaggeration and I am the one who keeps everything archived for future generations.

But where are my manners, I have yet to formerly introduce myself. My name is L’arith Dahl. I am just an old Dunmer that has far too many stories to tell. My most requested story holds a sentimental value to me because I have had the privilege of meeting this extraordinarily interesting man personally before he had become the man that everyone knows. He was so different then, he was youthful and full of life. He had so much vigor and always claimed that he was going to become a rich and powerful man. If he had only known how true that was he might have thought twice before following the path to complete and utter madness.

Of course I am talking about Taillus. The man who was sent to our fine home of Morrowind as a slave, released under the conditions that he would become one of the Blades and work under the watchful eye of Caius Cossades. My story you must understand is nothing but truth and none of what I say by any means is false. I am not an ally of Taillus in any way but in hearing my story you will understand more about the events that took place not too long ago off the coast of Ebonheart.
This is the story of Taillus……”


The sun breaks the thin line that separates the sky from the sea as color floods, replacing the dim shades of pre-morning. The quiet, portside town of Seyda Neen slowly comes to life as the locals emerge from their modest, thatched wooden houses. The town itself was quite crude and was only comprised of a small census and excise office as well as a small Imperial Legion barrack that was connected by a stone passage that traversed over one of the paths and connected the two buildings via their top floors. There were no more then a total of ten stone houses and a lighthouse that seemed to have withstood many years of storm and abuse. There was also a Tradehouse and bar that occupied the middle of the town which was really nothing more then a murky swamp.

This was the destination for a wooden ship that was getting close to making a small delivery to the swampy town. Inside, beneath the deck of the ship were two men. Shackled to the floor and clad in nothing but a tattered pair of pants each. Both men showed the signs of a fair amount of time in captivity which was apparent by their lack of grooming and the hands of the two were cracked and scar covered from their days of hard labor. Their spirits were broken and their eyes showed not only a lack of sleep but were missing the signs of life. The silence of their room was broken by a wooden hatch opening and a studded leather armored foot tramped onto the first step leading below.

They both watched as a man in cheap, worn leather armor traverses the hall leading to their room. The Imperial carried himself as if he was royalty despite his rusted blade and abused, obviously second hand armor. One prisoner who goes by the name of Taillus, a dark haired Imperial with an impressive build despite his apparent malnourishment and scars from being whipped as a labor prisoner sits on the floor as he watches the guard approaching as a look of complete disgust crosses his face. Long strands of his deep brown hair partially cover his dark eyes and scruffy beard.

He looks at the other prisoner, an elderly dunmer man named Jiub. A dark elf who looked to be much older then Taillus made apparent by the deep creases of age on his face and his head of graying hair. Jiub looks to the floor not wanting the guard to shove him around any more. He lived a long and painful life as a labor prisoner, working to build the various castles, barracks and outposts for the Imperial Legion. It was a life of pain, suffering, meals that barely had enough nutrition to keep a man alive and continuous back breaking labor that ended long after each day was through. Taillus gets to his feet while still tethered to the floor by means of a thick chain.

“This guard makes me sick. I would love nothing more then for him to get what he deserves. Getting pecked to pieces by a flock of Cliffracers!” Taillus half-whispers as he looks again to his cell mate.

“Quiet down in there you two blighted sewer rats!” The guard shouts as he grasps the hilt of his sword for safety. The guard reaches down and releases the shackle Taillus’ foot to the floor of the ship and he points to the stairs that he had descended only moments ago.

“This is your stop Taillus. You are being released into the hands of the Imperial Legion so consider this a second chance at life. Unfortunately for your Dunmer friend he will not have the same fate as you.” The guard explains as he shoves Taillus in the direction of the stairs in an attempt to get him out and off of his ship.

Taillus walks down the hall and up the stairs of the ship. He can overhear the other crew members complaining that they would have to stay here over night. Taillus simply smirked as he hopped off the ship and onto the dock below and into the armored gloves of an awaiting Imperial Legion guard. The guard gives Taillus another push and tells him to enter the Census and Excise office to get his release papers.

As Taillus enters the building he is greeted by a white haired old Breton man dressed in a brownish robe.

“I will need to ask you a series of questions to finish your release. Please do not make this harder then it has to be and everything will run smoothly.” The old man says as he begins scribbling into a large book. The old man either took his job direly serious, or was just not much of an extroverted type of person.

Taillus answers the questions and signs for his release while the guard across the room opens a large wooden door apparently leading to the outside of the office. Taillus rolls up his release form, gives a quick nod of acknowledgment and passes through the door.

In the next room, Taillus finds a modest meal which was more then he was used to. It consisted of a bottle of local liquor and a plate of warm, fire cooked mudcrab and a fresh loaf of crusty bread. Taillus eats while standing up as he looks around the room for items that could prove useful in the not too distant future. He finds a small dagger wedged between two neighboring planks of wood that make up the table he was eating at. It was rusted but silver and could probably earn him a piece of gold or two if he could barter well enough. He also found a bottle of liquor and a lock pick that once tried on a small chest on a bookshelf behind him earned Taillus a solid thirty gold.

“My luck seems to be getting better and better.” Taillus laughs as he pockets the gold. Taillus heads outside with a jingle in his pocket that he hadn’t heard in quite some time.

Entering the next wooden door brings him to a room where a man in shining gold and red Templar armor stood. He was a proud Imperial man that seemed to have a fair amount of status in the Imperial Legion, or he thought he did at the very least. The man who went by the name of Sellus Gravius handed him a package addressed to a man in Balmora by the name of Caius Cossades as well as a map leading to his home where Taillus was supposed to get orders from. Taillus hated the idea of working for the Imperial Legion and was fighting the overwhelming urge to break Sellus Gravius’ nose just for being a man of status in the Legion.

Taillus breaks his daydream of stomping on Sellus’ head as he is handed the items for the man in Balmora. Taillus thanks the Imperial and kicks open the door leading to the waiting town and the warm embrace of the mid morning sun.

This post has been edited by Taillus: Mar 3 2006, 05:06 PM

[Kiln]

I am sorry I neglected your story Taillus, there is a lot of fan fiction here, though I know that is no excuse. Your writing is good...very good and there is alot of it to read with each update. Do not be discouraged by the lack of replies, it may take some time for people to notice you've updated and to get around to commenting but that means very little. You keep writing and I'll keep reading.

This post has been edited by Kiln: Feb 13 2006, 10:05 PM

[Taillus]

Taillus enters the town with a large smile on his face regardless of the fact that the townsfolk aren’t exactly greeting him with open arms. “Outlander” was a fitting term for him and it was a common name for Taillus to hear as he makes his decision to visit the Tradehouse as his first destination.

Taillus smiles and greets the villagers happy to be without a ball and chain but with his current appearance what with the tattered rags and the odor associated with not having the opportunity to bathe and keep clean he was about as popular as a bloated, rotting corpus victim.

Upon entering the Tradehouse, Taillus is met by two Altmer, or high elf civilians that are less then happy to see him. The male Altmer that quickly introduces himself as the owner of the Tradehouse, Arille quickly assesses Taillus trying to determine his worth. From the sour look crossing his face he knows that Taillus has not much to offer. As if it wasn’t made blatantly obvious from the clothing, or pants that he wore and his unkempt appearance. Taillus drops the rusted dagger, the silverware plate that held his meal earlier in the Excise office, the liquor as well as some shiny silverware that he has recently used to consume his first meal in Morrowind.

“I would like a modest shirt, pants, and shoes please. This slave getup is not becoming of me and I would like to stop the piercing glance of the people of this village.” Taillus explains as he looks up at the shop owner. Arille looks down upon Taillus as a frown crosses his face.

“I know not what you think this establishment is for young Outlander but I do not do business with your kind. I would recommend that you leave my Tradehouse without a fuss before I call a guard on you. Filthy animals should be kept outside.” Arille huffs before crossing his arms in front of his chest in disgust. Taillus grabs his belongings and walks out the same way in which he came. Not one to be discouraged so easily Taillus makes his way just to the outskirts of town and hides quietly at the top of the light house by the water’s edge. He stores his belongings by the fire pit at the top and rests until nightfall.

[jack cloudy]

Ay, that was a cold welcome. ,,Filthy animals should be kept outside." Boy, I wouldn't be surprised if Arille receives a trashing sometime. You're doing great. Don't stop.

[Taillus]

I totally agree with the number of people adding to their own respective Fanfics and I too find it hard to read while working on a story of my own. I was just afraid my work was in vain. I guess I should just keep posting as usual and if no one reads then that is fine. I enjoy working on it and it passes the time before Oblivion comes out. So thanks everyone, Thanks Kiln and sorry If I was being a baby for a sec there I was experiencing a moment of weakness. More to come everyone. I still have a fair chunk of Chapter one left to post.

[Kiln]

Dang, harsh words from the tradehouse owner...a different and perhaps more realistic impersonation of the altmer than most fan fictions who portray him as a friendly character, most altmer consider themselves the better race.

Oh and at the beginning of the first chapter how you started with the old man, very good, I enjoy the story being told by someone rather than a mysterious author.

This post has been edited by Kiln: Feb 13 2006, 10:13 PM

[Taillus]

Taillus awakes to the moon only minutes away from taking its place in the sky. The town getting all of its illumination from various torches placed strategically around the town centre. Taillus gathers all of his belongings once again and scales down the side of the Lighthouse.

He guessed that it was inhabited by someone and didn’t want to cause a disturbance by going inside. He places his belongings in a hollowed stump by the lighthouse and takes the long way through town by sneaking along the water. His lack of shoes made him silent as possible as his feet sink in the muddy terrain. He makes his way to Arille’s Tradehouse and waits until Arille himself is done sweeping the wooden entrance and locks the shop for the night.

Taillus creeps along the wall of the Tradehouse while watching for guards as he edges along. He comes to a window that seems to lead to a storage area and he bites his lip in anticipation. Taillus was not normally one to turn to thievery to get his way but he was more interested in teaching Arille a lesson in bartering. He quietly props the window open and pulls himself up and inside the room. Without any light at all except that coming in from the window Taillus begins searching for anything of value or interest.

He manages to find a full suit of commoner’s clothing that seemed to fit him perfectly. The shirt was a dark blue and laced up the chest and a pair of brown pants with some shoes to match. He also found a bucket of water to dunk his soiled hair in and pull the dark brown locks into a crude ponytail to keep it from his eyes. He came across a well built steel short sword that he took a certain level of pleasure sheathing by his right hip before continuing his search. He continued to plunder as his belongings grew steadily.

By the end of his search he had found many pieces to a suit of leather armor missing only a shield, a helm and gloves. He also stumbled across a very shady substance. It flowed and felt like salt but was cut into larger pieces.
“What do we have here Arille? It seems you have a collection of moon sugar in your storage area. This will prove a great bartering tool. This is what I have been looking for. Time to teach my friend upstairs a lesson.” Taillus whispers as he pulls himself back out of the window with his new found belongings and heads back to the lighthouse to rest until morning.



Day breaks again as Taillus gets ready to start his second day as a free man in Morrowind. He yawns loudly before covering his mouth. He remembers he had spent the night loitering at the top of a not-so-high lighthouse and the guards could have heard him. Taillus scales down the back side of his perch once again and gathers his items in anticipation for Arille to open his shop. Taillus walks down the dusty dirt path through town and cockily struts into the Tradehouse.

He looks at Arille with a smile on his face as he walks up to his counter once again and slides his newly acquired steel short blade across the counter. Taillus knows full well that Arille would recognize the sword seeing as how he was smart enough to inscribe the letter “A” into the base of the blade.

“Good morning good sir, I was inquiring as to how much I could get from a fine sword such as this?” Taillus asks as his smirk widens. Arille spots the inscription right away and his face shows his increasing anger.

“This is my blade and you know it thief! I am going to alert the guards about this!” Arille shouts in anger as he slams his fists on the counter. Taillus quickly reaches into his pocket and throws a bag of moon sugar on the counter on top of the silver sword.
“You might want to quiet down my friend. Lest you want the Imperial Legion to find out that you have been selling moon sugar under the counter.” Taillus states in a quiet, but confident voice.

“I can certainly keep quiet, you have my word but I need a favor. I want this armor repaired, the sword sharpened, the inscription removed and about one-hundred gold for my experience here yesterday. If you want to seal the deal then you can give me a potion of healing in order to keep my mouth shut for good. If you think this is a bargain Arille I can throw this bag of goods into the river and we can forget this ever happened. I leave this in your hands.” Taillus explains. Arille stands silent as his face still shows the expression of pure anger.

“Let us not forget your surplus of supplies that lay just below your feet. A simple leak to the guards could get you quite a stay in prison.” Taillus adds as he removes his armor to be repaired.

“I have a busy schedule Arille. I will be back in less then an hour to retrieve my belongings. I expect this will be done for me upon my return.” Taillus asks as he heads for the door and looking over his shoulder as he walks away.

“Yes… sir.” Arille chokes as Taillus closes the door behind him.

[minque]

It´s awesome! Taillus, this is just so good! Wonderful language, vivid descriptions and a nice approach to the whole story!

It will be on my "must-read-list"....Oh and don´t worry if I don´t respond immediately....I read it ....that´s for sure....and I´ll comment as often as I can!

[Kiln]

Haha, I thought Taillus would allow Arille to get away with what he'd done in the tradehouse and as I read that last bit I felt happy for the character. A twist at the tradehouse has never been done before so I must say I'm impressed.

Edit: This kinda goes with what Minque says but just because nobody responds doesn't mean they aren't reading...just that they didn't respond keep that in mind.

This post has been edited by Kiln: Feb 13 2006, 10:28 PM

[Taillus]

As Taillus walks out of the Tradehouse with a large smile across his face, he remembers that the ship that carried him here would be leaving this morning. He had to save his friend, Jiub before it set sail. He crossed his fingers in hopes that his armor would be done in time for him to get back on that ship and save his friend.

Taillus strolls through Seyda Neen waiting for his armor and sword to be finished. He can still visualize the look on Arille’s face as he was played like a Mandolin. Taillus notices a trail that leads out of town and seems to wind around a hill and beyond. He decided that a good walk would be in order as he was curious as to what wildlife and plants were common in Morrowind. He quickly realized that Morrowind had a kind of beauty only a hog or some disgusting toad would appreciate.

The ground was pelted with small pits filled with a bubbling, foul smelling bog and the plant life had the potential to scare someone into being strictly carnivorous. He slowly trudges along the path as it winds around the bubbling swamp pits making Taillus thankful that he didn’t have to wade through that filth.

Taillus, thinking that he should eventually turn back to town suddenly spots a book lying conspicuously on the ground up ahead. As he approaches it he can hear something above him. Taillus looks up to see a pair of feet followed by the robe of a falling man. Taillus quickly jumps backwards just in time to avoid becoming the victim of a falling Bosmer.

The poor man had obviously died on impact as the sound of breaking bones broke the silence of the peaceful wilderness around them. Taillus slowly crept up to inspect the strange occurrence as well as the unfortunate event that ended the little Wood Elf’s life so abruptly. The elf was dressed quite ridiculously in a yellow and red robe complimented by a bright yellow hat and pointed shoes.

Taillus had no interest in his getup but was impressed by the shimmering sword at his side. He could tell by the way the sword shimmered that it was imbued with the powers of lightning. Taillus quickly lifted this item as well as some gold and a few spells that he would decipher later on and he heads back to town. Taillus tried to feel bad for relieving his Bosmer friend of his effects but it is not like he would need them anymore.

Upon arriving back into town, Taillus could see that the wooden ship containing his friend was beginning to set sail. He quickly runs though Seyda Neen and bursts through the door of Arille’s Tradehouse.

“If my armor is not ready then give me a new set I am in a hurry!” Taillus shouts as he looks for Arille who was just coming around the corner. Arille sets down the set of leather armor as well as a newly sharpened sword and a pouch with what seemed like gold pieces. Taillus quickly suited up and burst back through the door of the Tradehouse before sprinting through town.

He looks at the scrolls he lifted from that poor Bosmer and deciphered the top line. It turns out that it was a magical scroll of jumping which quickly explained how the man met his end. Taillus decided that it was his only hope and red the scroll as he ran. He quickly found that his feet were touching the ground less often as each step carried him several feet ahead. As he met the water’s edge, Taillus leapt with all of his might.

The ground left him as he soared through the air and the wooden ship drew ever closer. Taillus knew that the fall would hurt but the water would be much safer then a fall on solid ground not to mention that he jumped at an angle so he wasn’t even at a fraction of the height the Wood Elf was but nonetheless he landed directly in the middle of the ship causing the front end to sink in the water a bit from the impact as well as knocking the crew off balance.

The crew members gasped in surprise and horror as Taillus drew his sword. It would be the very first time he had ever drawn metal so he decided that it would be a good idea if he used the sparkblade from his recently deceased Bosmer friend so that he could compensate for his lackluster skills and really fry someone if and when he actually managed a successful strike.

“We can save this from becoming a bloody mess if you let Jiub go!” Taillus yells to overcome the sound of the boat hitting the waves. The shipmates laugh as they draw their various weapons.

“We’ve got you outnumbered friend!” One of the crew shouts as he runs at Taillus. Taillus smirks as he hooks one of his feet under a nearby bucket handle and kicks it at the man. Water soaks him from head to toe giving Taillus an opportunity to take a cheap shot at him. Swinging madly, Taillus sadly still manages to get his blade blocked aside by the shipmate’s steel sword but on this occasion that was enough to cause significant lightning damage due to his moist condition.

The man convulses and jerks a few times before falling limp on the deck of the ship. Taillus turns to the next man in line and smiles.

“We can do this the easy way, or the really easy way it is your choice. I have no bones about sending you all to Oblivion.” Taillus yells as he jabs at the closest crew member. Suddenly, a man bursts through the hatch that Taillus had exited from not a day before. The shipmate in the worn armor that released him stands with Jiub by the neck.

“This dunmer is not worth our lives men. If Taillus wants him free then we free him.” The man says.

Taillus lowers his blade and loses his readied stance. He looks at Jiub who looked as if he had been beaten even in the time that Taillus had left.

“Stand down crew.” The man says as they all sheath their weapons. “We will let them both go and we will speak nothing of this do you hear me!” He shouts again. The crew members nod in agreement as they surrender Jiub to Taillus.

“We will set sail to an island just off the coast of Caldera, a place very close to Balmora. We will let our prisoners go there and we will be on our way. Do you understand me men!?” The man who is obviously captain shouts. The men nod once again before hoisting the sail and readying their ship for the journey to Caldera. As the sun slowly sets on Morrowind, Taillus sits at the front of the ship and stares into the waters ahead. Jiub walks across the deck of the ship and stands quietly behind him.

“Why did you come to my aid Taillus? Why would you sacrifice your life as a free man to break me out?” Jiub asks with an aged, gravelly voice. Jiub waits for an answer as he too stares into the ever sprawling waters. Taillus gets to his feet and faces his friend as a smile crosses his face.

“No one deserves what we had to face, Jiub. We endured more than any man should ever have to face and I think it is time we make up for lost time. Vvardenfell is one big treasure map and all we have to do is look hard enough. We will become rich and powerful Jiub. Nothing will get in our way!” Taillus shouts, eager to hit dry land once again.

“I spent only one full day on land here and look what I have to show for it! I am telling you this place is ripe for the picking.” Taillus explains. Jiub listens but a look of disgust crosses his face.

“If you mean to tell me that your plan is to rob the sacred temples of Morrowind then I have to protest. Vvardenfell is the home land of my people and I cannot steal from my ancestors!” Jiub growls. “Besides, there are artifacts imprisoned deep within the soil in lost shrines for a reason. Some things are too powerful to be held by the hands of a mortal!” Jiub shouts as his voice become hoarse from yelling.

“My apologies Jiub, I was offering a partnership but I can understand why you do not want to defile those that have long since abandoned you. Who knows friend, you may end up living the rest of your life in poverty without becoming a slave again. I for one will not end up like that again. I want to have power for once in my life. Riches so I never have to worry where my next meal will come. This is a sure-fire chance and while there are many dangers, the reward will be great. Regardless, I will give you my second blade and some money for a room for the night. I will be staying in Caldera for the night as well so find me if you change your mind.” Taillus states as he hands Jiub a sword and some gold. They go their separate ways as the crew members drop the sails in anticipation of dry land.

Meanwhile, below the deck of the ship the captain sits behind a desk mapping the route after they drop off their human cargo of Taillus and Jiub. One of his crew members opens the door slowly and creeps in, partially hidden by the darkness and brought in to view briefly by the light of the lantern on the captain’s desk.

“I know it is not my place to question orders, sir but why is it that we are letting Taillus go again? He killed one of our crew members!” The shipmate states as his voice level raises in anger. The captain looks up from his map and sets his gaze on the crew member

"Taillus killed no one. Smithy is still alive he is resting in the holding area. Taillus gave him quite a jolt but he will be back to his usual self in no time I assure you. And for the reasoning behind my decision is two fold. One is that the Empire has expressed a specific interest in Taillus and in harming him we will most likely end up in prison, and secondly I believe that Taillus harbors a great resentment against us making me believe that he would have killed us all. He is no longer a shackled prisoner; he was armored and well equipped. That makes him quite dangerous in my eyes. I think it is best to wash our hands with the both of them and forget we ever had anything to do with them. We will drop them off close to Balmora because Taillus is supposed to meet with Caius Cossades there.” The captain explains before waving his hand in the direction of the door.

“Now leave me to my business. I have many things to do before we get to Caldera.” He states as the crew member heads out the door.

[Tellie]

Oh my...... you're an exellent writer, I'm barely managing to keep up with you. You post so much that even I ( the famous writer, who reads like a greased lightning ) cant even keep up with you......phew, it looks like I've got some serious competition here

So you're writing is amazing, and as long you keep following the advice you have been given, it will all turn alright.

And without further flattering , I give you the Golden Tellie award, for managing to stand up with, if not even outpace us old vet's here , congrazty.

All in all, I'm amazed how many new writers have come here to the forum, and I think us old vet's are in for some serious competition, as you seem almost born to do this.


*Give Taillus the award, and then he is greeted by the thunderous clapping from the audience*

[Kiln]

This story is very good, always something new and interesting with every chapter and the character is well thought out and details are explained very well. You keep writing like this and you might join the other great writers of W4O on the main page.

Tellie is right, us older writers are in a run for our money. Update again when you can.

[Taillus]

* Bows while blushing and accepting his award. *
"Really you shouldn't have. An award? I am speechless for once!"
"I'd Like to thank my mentor, Ra'Gruzgob the Orcish Khajiit."

Seriously though. Thanks for all of the praise as well as the constructive criticism Chapter 2 is in the works and I will be posting very soon after a much needed Valentine's Day off. Thanks again everyone!

[mplantinga]

I've only read the first entry, but felt compelled to post anyway (I'll get around to the rest, I promise). I'm definitely hooked; the story is complex and compelling. Keep it up.

Edit: Having read the rest of the posts in this thread, I'll second my initial comments. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the latest chapters.

This post has been edited by mplantinga: Feb 28 2006, 11:42 PM