SpellSwords Fury, The Tale of Ibis Raze Options

[Black Hand]

The twin moons of Secunda and Masser reflected off the restless waters of the Inner Sea. A nondescript schooner made its way through the waters between the Mainland and the Island of Vvardenfell. On board, looking over the horizon to the Grand Pharos of Seyda Neen, was a mysterious figure wrapped in a dark blue silk cloak, a hood completely covered her face, save for the glint of her sharp green eyes that took in all things around her.

The Census and Excise office was not happy to awaken at the late hours to process yet another visitor to the Vvardenfell District, and Socious Ergalla grumpily adorned a simple robe to make his records.

Looking up at the beautiful Breton, he was glad that he had woken up. Perhaps in her late twenties, the blond hair was neatly tied in back of her hair with a Nord-Style decoration. The green eyes seemed to peer through his very soul, he couldn’t but help stare at her moist pink lips, desire clutched him, as he fell to his baser instincts.

“N-name?’ he asked, as she smiled slightly, she was all too used to the reaction from men. It seemed that they were all the same. Well. Almost all.

“Ibis Raze, of the Kingdom of Camlorn, High Rock Province.” She said in a singily hypnotic voice.

His eyes traveled the expanse of her shimmering cloak, the dark blue contrasting perfectly with her yellow hair.

“Class?”

“I am a SpellSword, sir.” She replied politely, as his eyes caught the hilt of what seemed to be a glass longsword from an opening in her attire, except that it was the color purple. Amethyst it would seem. Indeed, she even had a quiver of arrows, and a bow that looked Daedric, except that it was constructed of glass, all a strange Amethyst purple.

”Reason for visiting Vvardenfell?” he asked.

“Business.” She stated tautly.

“Oh, um, what kind….never mind!” He said laughingly, finishing his notations.

“Now then if you’ll just sign here…” he pointed to the bottom portion of the document, and as her lithe soft hand grabbed the quill from his, he gulped, and saw that the Bracer on her hand was also the purple glass amethyst. Indeed from neck to foot, she was adorned with the unique armor. She scratched out her signature, and handed the quill back. Without asking she took her leave, the cloak billowing behind her. With a very stunned Exciseman watching her leave.

Then the name suddenly struck him, was’nt that the name of a woman from a book he read? The Mystery of Princess Talara? Wasn’t that in the Kingdom of Camlorn? It seemed too odd of a coincidence. If she was her, or related to her, she was no doubt royalty.

The morning hours of Balmora brought the life and sounds of human traffic, and merchant shops opened there doors to hopes of another days pile of gold. And like clockwork, the Silt Strider arrived to the port, the Dunmer caravaner, graciously grabbed the hand of the lady that rode with him, and helped her to step off. She smiled sweetly and paid him a modest sum of gold, that he was delighted to receive, and bade her a cheerful good journey.

First thing’s first. And I need a room, and information. Hopefully the two go hand in hand here. Ibis thought to herself as she made her way to a local popular tavern.

The Eight Plates regulars looked up with their red eyes at the sight of the Breton woman walking in and making her way to the Publican before returning to the slump of their ritual drinking.

“I need a room, Sera.” Ibis said handing over a small sack of gold. Which the publican made disappear. “I also need to know if you’ve heard of any rumours?”

The lady Innkeeper looked up at her with a questioning gaze.

“Have you heard of any….Menaces?”

“My good lady, this is Vvardenfell, the only thing not a menace here is the scribs, you’ll have to be a bit more specific I’m afraid.”

“This one would be distinctive, it is said to appear friendly, but it gives a deadly disease that freezes its victims in their tracks,…some call this menace,…the Forumus Officialis..”

The publican gasped at the name. She had clearly heard the name before.

“Sadrith Mora, I can say no more.” She said looking around, as though afraid some unseen force would hear her and ban her to Oblivion.

Her brow knitted as she realized her quarry lay nearer than ever. In the Morning, she would depart.

[Kayla]

Oh... a very interesting start!

[The Metal Mallet]

Neato starting! Nice to see you trying something different with writing in third person. It's working really well for you. I love the description of Ibis, it gives a clear visual of her.

You're going to be super busy working on this and Sethyas' Tale.

[milanius]

Hmmm. Saucy.

[Ibis]

TeeHeehee ... I like Milanius' critique the best! Saucy. I love this tale already, Black Hand. Thank you so much for the great honor you are doing me. I didn't realize it would be an ongoing tale.

TMM, don't worry about Black Hand having to get too busy, I think this will be a short tale that he has been more than kind enough to gift me with in thanks for his Signature I made. We are sympatico. I am also making him a smallish mod called The Writ of the Black Hand for Morrowind. I'd do it for Oblivion too but I don't know how to retexture there yet.

[Black Hand]

TeeHeehee ... I like Milanius' critique the best! Saucy. I love this tale already, Black Hand. Thank you so much for the great honor you are doing me. I didn't realize it would be an ongoing tale.

TMM, don't worry about Black Hand having to get too busy, I think this will be a short tale that he has been more than kind enough to gift me with in thanks for his Signature I made. We are sympatico. I am also making him a smallish mod called The Writ of the Black Hand for Morrowind. I'd do it for Oblivion too but I don't know how to retexture there yet.

Of course its ongoing, I do epic tales! EPIC I SAY!!!

(Gives speech to army of the Men of the West right before he smashes the Orcish Hordes and the British Army, screaming FREEDOM! Yes, I am Braveheart Aragorn!)

[The Metal Mallet]

Hahahah, beautiful Black! I'm so inspired to fight to my death now!

Shorter stories can turn out amazingly well. Look at Jack's stuff for instance. Everything doesn't have to be epic.

I'm not planning on making chapters to my fic, but there might be a slight chance I have to make a new thread to continue it because it could reach the 200 comments. I'm basically halfway there at the moment

But I really like what you have so far Black. Keep it up!

[Ibis]

Oh yes please! I am breathless .....

[Black Hand]

The Dockmaster of Vivec prepared the ship to go underway. The Breton Woman in the blue cloak sat at the stern, quiet as she examined the horizon, as was her custom. The sea winds blew through her hair, and she soaked up the morning sun. Vvardenfell, at least had at least some conveniences with travel. This was no carriage, but she would manage.

The ride was uneventful, and Ibis enjoyed the sights of the Mzanch Ruins, Telasero, and Molag Mar on the horizon en route to Sadrith Mora. She thought of the exotic diversity of this land, compared to the rolling green farmlands of the Camlorn Kingdom.

In spite of the landmarks, she was here for one reason only. Forumus Officialis. The monster would pay for what it did.

The local Guildboss Big Helende, watched the stranger walk in and ask Muriel Sette for something she couldn’t quite make out what was being said, but being a thief, it was in her nature to pry into affairs that weren’t hers. She pricked up her Altmer ears, and sat down on a stool next to the blue-cloaked woman, pretending to enjoy her drink.

“—fficialis. Who can tell me where to find it, if you can’t?”

Muriel shook her head; insisting that she never heard of such a thing, to which Ibis replied with a small sack of gold appearing from the folds of her cloak.

“All right, go to the Telvanni council house, speak with Raven Omayn. She may know something at least.”

The nimble fingered Helende tried to reach under the cloak and see how much more gold she was willing to part with, didn’t she know where she was?

Ibis felt the slightest breeze under her garment, and her expression became that of someone most displeased. With a quick motion, she grabbed the wrist of the Altmer Thief, smoke beginning to rise from her grip.

“I don’t think someone with as much weakness to fire like you, should be playing with it. Huh?” Ibis stated angrily.

Helende whimpered and nodded in agreement, a gasp of relief escaping her lips as the strong grip of the SpellSword was released. Her wrist was badly burned, and she began to desperately whisper the strongest healing spell she knew.

Ibis looked menacingly at the rest of the patrons as she departed for the Council House, as Muriel advised.

There was no reception to greet her, just a wandering Telvanni Wizard whom muttered ‘Mages Guild Scum” under her breath as Ibis walked by, paying her no mind, she was well aware of the hostility between this House and the Guild, and she did not care, she was here for other reasons.
The giant mushroom chamber hummed with the power of the soul crystals coming in through the foundation, a mastery of architecture since the Merethic Era, the Telvanni were proud of their achievements, as was Mouth Raven Omayn, someday she would become a Mage-Lord, perhaps even Archmagister. So when some outlander Breton Guild Mage came in, asking her about ‘Forumus Officialis” she had to laugh out loud.

“What makes you think I would tell you anything, n’wah?” she said laughing hysterically. “If anything I should tell you, just to see you dead!”

Ibis’ eyebrows became knitted in anger, she had had plenty of insults since she had arrived, but this Telvanni had thrown her over the edge.

The room grew cold as Ibis’s eyes glowed with pure magicka, her lips barely moved as she muttered a powerful frost spell, and her hands moved forward, the icy grip of the spell embracing Raven, knocking her back, leaving large chunks of frost all over her robe.

Raven stood up, brushing off her robes ,she was rather impressed. She thought about retaliating with a spell or five of her own, instead she looked at the scowl on the beautiful woman’s face, and took a pity of sorts.

“All right then, you’re really that suicidal. Suits me fine.” Raven said, chuckling.

Raven motioned for Ibis to follow her, and they met up in her private chambers. Raven rolled up her sleeve, to which Ibis gasped.

“Yes, and I was the lucky one. These scars, they’re not just scars; they’re distortions of the very earth bones. Whatever the thing is, it can cause fundamental shifts in the Mundus itself. You aren’t dealing with some beast or dragon. This thing, it’s not of this plane of existence. Weapons and magic may very well be useless against it. Do you still wish to know where I last saw it?”

Ibis nodded, her determination unwavering.

“Myself and a small group of Telvanni Battlemages were sent to dispatch the atrocity near the Erabenimsun Camp, northwest of Uviriths Grave. I was the only survivor. I hardly think that it’s still there, but it will at least give you a starting point.”

“Can you describe it?” Ibis asked.

Raven gave her a wicked grin. “Oh, you’ll know it when you see it.”

[Ibis]

Wonderful, things are getting more complex. We will avenge ourselves of the Forumus Officialis, won't we, Black Hand. I wonder if it has spys that sniffs out other beasts or long tendrils that wrap around the information grid itself???

[DarkHunter]

This is where I step back and simplify things... Dwemer Blasting anyone?

[The Metal Mallet]

Ooooo this creature sounds devestating. Hopefully Ibis has the brains to defeat it, because I'm thinking strength and magicka alone isn't going to defeat it. She definitely shows a cold determination to get the job done though.

[Ibis]

If Black Hand doesn't mind ... I think I have found some pics that show somewhat what Ibis Raze looks like - - albeit not in her luxurious blue silk robe or lavendar glass armor. Simpler relaxed at-home dress:




Enjoy her tale!

[Black Hand]

Ibis ran through the Ashlands cursing the hostility of the landscape. She had long since shed her blue cloak, and her armor and armaments were impressive, she looked ready for war with her bow and quiver of arrows on her back, and her Glass Longsword swinging with her stride as ran at top speed too the Erabenimsun Camp. This close to her quarry, she would not let a single moment go to waste.

The Guar Herder Illath-Perenimus looked to the horizon and saw a cloud of ash rising in the distance. He wondered if another ashstorm was brewing, but realized that it was a trail of someone running. He could even see a glint of some purple property in the midde of the cloud, the setting suns light reflecting off of it. He stood there chewing on a hackle-lo, waiting for the cloud to pass him by.

Ibis saw a Dunmer in the distance, and kept on running to him, as she wasn’t certain as to the location of the Erabenimsun Tribe. He was surrounded by several Guars, whom wandered around chewing on what little vegetation there was. When she finally arrived to him, she took a moment to catch her breath her hands on her knees, as the Dunmer examined her indifferently.

“Forgive me, kind sera, but I’m looking for the Erabenimsun.” She asked politely.

“I am of the Tribe. What business have you with us, outlander.” He said neither politely, nor hostile.

“Forumus Officialis.” She said bluntly, as the Ashlander spat the leaf out of his mouth, and looked at her weaponry and glass armor more closely this time.

“You must speak with Ashkhan Han-Ammu, northwest of here perhaps half an hours walk. He will be willing to speak with you directly, do not concern yourself with tribal customs, if you have come to help, he will reward you.” Illath-Perenimus said quickly, pointing to the horizon, and gently nudging her with his hand on her shoulder.

Ibis ran once more, making the short trip in less the fifteen minutes. The stares of the red eyed Dunmer were filled with curiousity. Perhaps before the outlander Nerevarine had come, they would have spat at her, or attacked her. But under Han-Ammu’s wise rule, they had returned to their simple ways of farming and hunting.

Ibis smiled at expressionless faces as she entered into the yurt of the Ashkhan, new to his station, Han-Ammu was unconfident as to how to react to such a bold entry.

“Outlander, you, um. Show disrespect. You should leave and ask one of the gulakhans for an audience with me.” He said in a timid voice, intimidated by Ibis Armor, weapons, and beauty.

Ibis knelt before Han-Ammu, and put her head down. “My Lord Ashkhan, forgive my transgression. But I have come for Forumus Officialis, I was told to come to you directly by one of your herders.”

Han-Ammu’s eyebrows raised in surprise. This was surely a blessing from Azura! “You show respect, and you were wise not to speak to a gulakhan. I don’t wish my tribe to believe that I am incapable of handling this matter. I will reward any outlander, any Houseman, any Tribesman, whom may defeat the Abomination. Even the mighty Telvanni with there witch-warriors could not defeat the thing, the Redorans came from Molag Mar, in mighty formations, and all were killed. The Hlaalu will do nothing, as the thing does not threaten there trade or profit. The Legion refuses to face it after the two houses were defeated. They are here to fight us, not our problems. The Temple,…the temple is another matter. So much is in disarray after the coming of Nerevar Reborn.” Han –Ammu said with a grave tone.

“I will fight it. I will defeat it. I have come for a taste of vengeance, and I will be satisfied!” Ibis stated strongly.

Han-Ammu gave a slight smile, and nodded in approval. “You are brave. Perhaps a bit foolish. But that will be necessary to face the thing. You wish to know where it is?”

Ibis nodded with a serious look in her eyes.

“To find the thing, look in Tusenend, a Daedric Shrine to the Southeast of here. You will find death and destruction. I wonder if Forumus Offialis is not some Daedra of Mehrunes Dagon. But it is unlike anything of legend or experience. And my people have faced many Daedra before.”

Ibis nodded once more and she took her leave, she followed the directions of Han-Ammu, and ran to the reputed shrine. It was easy to find. There was the unmistakable architecture of the shrine, and then there were black marks on the ground where Buildings once stood, Rubble littered the ground, and bodies littered the landscape. There were Telvanni in robes, there were Redoran in Bonemold Armor, there were Ashlanders in there tribal dress, but there was one commonality. The bodies seemed merged with the stone itself, and the faces of all the dead were distorted, as though the features had melted.

There was also one more strange detail. There was no smell of death; decay hadn’t set in on these bodies, even though some of these bodies had to have been here for weeks at least, they seemed in a state of perfect stasis.


“FORUMUS OFFICIALIS!!” Ibis Raze screamed in a pure rage. “FACE ME NOW MONSTER!”

The sky grew dark, and lighting surged through a cloudless sky, a distortion swelled and grew in the air above Ibis, and from it descended a creature of nightmare. Its Electric Blue Eyes beheld the SpellSword, and it opened what could be called its mouth to speak.

[The Metal Mallet]

Oh boy! The showdown commences! This update expresses Ibis' determination excellently.

I want to know what it's going to say! Ohwell, I must be patient, it's likely going to be a Sethyas update before this one continues. But that certainly isn't a bad thing!

[Ibis]

Wowww!! What an exciting cliff-hanger of an ending to this sequel ... more intriguing and gnawing than "who shot Mr. Burns?" over the summer hiatus of The Simpsons!!

And I love how Black Hand has Ibis running everywhere. If I really traveled around like that lass, I'd probably be as thin and svelte as I'd like to be. I must try it ... but hmmmm, what will I wear as heavy as light lavender glass armor? Gotta think of that.

B.H. - I love this tale, I just cannot wait to ge the full description of Forumus Officialis in all its horrific malifocence! Electric blue eyes ... what a good touch!!

Write on, my friend.

[jack cloudy]

Purple Glass Armour? COOL!!!!!! *grabs a towel and starts cleaning the drool off the floor*
Ahem, this is interesting. Forumus Officialis, I wonder what it is? (Actually, I have an idea what but I won't tell. )

Whatever the thing is, Ibis has to be careful. Unless she's some sort of demi-god, she runs a serious risk of winding up in the same situation as the Redoran, Telvanni and Ashlanders. Stuck to a wall.

And about the running? Well nothing grows stamina faster than running across the island with loot collected from three different places on your back. Not to mention it saves time.

[Ibis]

Aye Jack ... I collect Glass Armor mods (MW & Obliv) and purple glass is my favorite.


Wait!?! .... You doubt my Demi/Goddess status?? You know I am a Diva! At least my hair salon claims it to be so - - - teeheehe!

========

But Ibis Raze, heroine of SpellSword Fury is of noble/royal High Rock descent and her forebearers went through quite alot to keep their line alive ... so hopefully she will be up to the task and send Forumus Officialis to a sleepy time nap with the Telvanni, Redoran, etc. tired of living ones !

This post has been edited by Ibis: Aug 31 2006, 07:31 PM

[milanius]

My poor nails. Damn the suspence.

[Black Hand]

”Look at the little thing. Anger fills her eyes, frustration clamps her heart. Revenge pumps her blood. And yet, even after I destroyed your Mother. Jyllia Raze. Even though I have ended all these insects that have dared to destroy my peace, you still bear the Royal Armor of your beloved sire, and you think to take steel and spell against me. I wish not for their deaths, nor yours. These people, they are not dead. They are frozen. I have stilled the codes that animate and bind the denizens of Nirn. If you wish to join them in their fate. You are welcome to try.” The dark monstrosity spoke.

Ibis gaze did not show the fear she felt. Levitating in the sky, was a black collective of what Ibis would call vines. The tendrils that wove themselves outward from every orifice and place of the Anthropomorphic Shape disappeared into the distortion, and reappeared at random, blue shocks of electricity constantly flashed across the Forumus Officials.

The face, if it could be called that, was a series of strange stones, green with raised silver droplets, and from what could be called its eyes, emanated an unknown and eerie light.

“You will pay! I promise you that!” Ibis cried out in between gasps of anger, tears now moving down her cheeks, as memories of her beloved mother filled her mind.

It had been over thirty years since the events chronicled in the Mystery of Princess Talara, had passed. Jyllia Raze, the once prostitute revealed to be the heir to the Kingdom of Camlorn at the stories end, had married and ruled with a husband of Breton Nobility, Brusef Esteban, rumored to be a direct descendent of the Noble Knight Eidolon, from the first era.

They had raised three fine children, the first was a boy and the Crown Prince, they named Eidolon after Brusefs rumored lineage. The second was Ibis herself, Princess and Duchess of Camlorns Western Estates. The third was the youngest daughter, named Talara, to honor Jyllia’s cousin, Princess and Duchess of Camlorn’s Eastern Estates.

Ten years ago, The earth itself moved within the Kingdom of Camlorn, though it was just a small rift in the Royal Courtyard, in the Queens Garden. A garden where the queen herself happened to be tending to and a strange book had appeared at Jyllia’s kneeling
stance. A book that she opened, and unleashed this thing. The book itself was corrupted with a strange power, it spoke of an outer realm unlike anything that the people of Nirn could imagine, a world ruled by cold thought and steel, a people not unlike the fabled Dwemer.

Jyllia grew mad with the knowledge the book contained, she spoke nothing to anyone. Eventually taking her own life, and berthed from the tragedy that was Ibis pain, came the thing that called itself ‘Forumus Officialis’, she had hunted the thing to every corner of tamriel, following rumor after rumor for nine years, until she arrived here in Vvardenfell.

“Pay? That is an interesting concept Ibis. For so long have you sought to destroy me, yet you have destroyed yourself slowly with your hate. What have I done that is so wrong? The glitch that bore witness to my creation was of your own mothers doing. She could not handle the forbidden knowledge of the venerated users. Rejoice that she found peace at last. Return to your home, find a husband, bear children, live your life. This shall be my final act of mercy that I bestow unto you.”

Ibis became enraged at the beasts offer. And she called out, one last time.

“Before I kill you, will you bless me with the knowledge of what exactly I am about to destroy?”

”Very Well. You have chosen your path, and I shall honor your wish for death. I am a corrupted collection of consciousnesses. I am the meeting point of a hundred thousand minds, spitting forth a million ideas per second, and being eaten within a flawed soul. I am the ender of congress and exchange. Some call me ‘Forumus Officialis. Not so, I have another name, my true name. I AM FORUMUS OFFICIALIS DESTROYED! “


The creature screamed as a purple amethyst arrow pierced its body, the tendrils flaying rapidly.

“AND I AM THE DESTROYER OF THE DESTROYED!!” Screamed aloud Ibis Raze, daughter of Jyllia Raze, nocking another arrow into her Amthyest Glass Bow.