Agent, Ebonheart's finest Options

[Black Hand]

Oh Man, Jack, I'm still chuckling over that groin shot, I swear I could see his face twist in pain!

And where, oh where, could that note be leading too?

[jack cloudy]

Heh, the note will play a role later, not now.





I wandered around the city aimlessly for a few hours till Leroth finally managed to drag himself away from the ‘totally hot Bosmer chick’. As we walked back to the mage guild to hit our teleport to Vivec, we talked a bit about how we’d wasted our time. He went on for a long time about how wonderful Galbedir was and all. Me, I gave my story in just two minutes. I told him everything, except about who wrote that note. I believed it would be smart not to confront Leroth with my suspicions.
,,So let me get this straight, you hit a murderer in the groin with a hammer and then kicked him down the stairs, only to have him arrested by a whole bunch of guards a few minutes later?” Leroth asked me with that funny voice of his.
,,Well….that sort of sums it up. It was rather funny though.”

Leroth stopped to stare at me as if I was a Dremora.
,,Funny?! The guy is Camonna Tong! They’re the ones who pull the ropes in House Hlaalu. Our murderer will be out again by tomorrow and he’ll make sure to have you added to their death list. You stupid fool!” The Bosmer nearly literally exploded. I was blushing. I hadn’t thought about that when I messed with the smith.
,,Sorry.” I muttered and shrugged. From what I’d heard, the Camonna Tong was on our death list and would be wiped out someday. Nothing to worry about.
,,Sorry won’t help you at all. You’ll have to skip town, kid. I’ll have to find a use for you.” Leroth’s eyes focussed on nothing as he paced around.
,,I got it. Head to the Bitter Coast, Seyda Neen. Just follow the road and the signs. You’ll pass Pelagiad on the way. There, meet up with our local agent and help him investigate the smuggling activities. It is a full-time job so it should keep you busy till things cool down over here.” He elaborated.

We had arrived at the gate by now.
,,So, how will I recognize your agent? He is undercover, right?” I asked.
,,Oh, I almost forgot. He has a necklace with a tiny wooden spoon attached. You can’t miss him. He’s the finest agent we have so make sure you pay attention and learn a few things. Now, get going.” I didn’t knew if Leroth wanted to have me out of the way because of the Duke, or simply because I had been acting as a fool with a short temper again. Perhaps both.

I spoke a simple word of goodbye and headed out on the road. Having spent the night in Pelagiad, I arrived at Seyda Neen somewhere around lunchtime. My growling stomach alerted me to the time of the day so I made a quick stop at a place called Arille’s Tradehouse. I kept my meal simple, just a flin and some bread. Obviously, there wasn’t a lot to do here.
,,Oh my, a new inhabitant. Vodunius Nucius, at your servant.” An Imperial plopped down on a stool next to me and slapped me on the shoulder as if we were best of friends. Needless to say, we weren’t. I for one didn’t like people who acted to total strangers like that. It was fishy.

My suspicions were revealed when he pulled out a scroll and began writing on it.
,,Of course, that means there are certain procedures. Shall we discuss it over a flin? What could your name be, good sir?” I managed a quick glance at the scroll and memorised what he’d written. Then, I mentally translated the upside down writing. A tax report.
,,No, sorry. I’m just passing through. So according to the law, I don’t need to pay any taxes.” I replied and then turned my back to him. A moment later, Vodunius Nucius had moved around again into my field of view.

,,Looking at my tax report, aren’t we? You must be hiding something. Don’t think I don’t know you. Hah, thieves. That’s what you all are, miserable thieves with no respect for law and order.” He chuckled with an icy voice.
,,If you don’t shut up and go accuse someone else, I will show you my respect for law and order.” I replied in the same tone. The man had struck a nerve and he would regret it if he kept pushing.

Vodunius kept pushing. In fact, he shouted a barely concealed challenge for all to hear.
,,What, kid? Did the flin rise to your head? You’d better back down before someone here gets hurt!”
I grinned.
,,Is that a threat?” I asked him politely. Vodunius grinned as well.
,,As you are so observant. Yes, it is.” He told me and laughed at his own wit.
,,Good.”

Three seconds later, I dropped a few septims on the counter and walked away.
,,I don’t like threats. Here are your taxes. Use it to fix your bones.” I mumbled as I dropped a single septim onto the unconscious form of Vodunius. I then casually walked out of the building while whistling a nice tune.
,,You have been trained by Leroth, I see. Good morning, hotheaded youngster.” I turned around to see who had spoken. A necklace with a wooden spoon caught my attention. It was the agent I was supposed to meet. In Leroth’s words, the finest in the order.

[The Metal Mallet]

Who could the agent possibly be!? I want to know! NOW!!!

Or when you're ready to... I'll be patient. I guess.


Damn taxmen, they're often not well liked. And it's definitely worse when you act like that!

[canis216]

I hate to be the one to bring it up, but... probably Fargoth.

I'm so sorry.

[jack cloudy]

I'll let you wonder about it for a bit longer. Now I present, the update.





Silence ruled for a short moment between us. We came to an agreement and left town without being seen. For ten minutes, we walked along the coast, jumping over the few Mudcrabs in our way. Then, we stopped in front of a tomb.
,,This should be far enough. You are?” The agent asked me.
,,Ro-El Frost, from Ebonheart.” I replied and we shook hands. So far, the agent hadn’t told me his name yet but I was fine with that. Names were trivial, unimportant. In the end, the person behind the name was what mattered.
,,Ah, Ro-El. Yes, now why did you come all the way to Seyda Neen? Got into trouble with that short temper of yours?”

I blushed slightly but nodded. We might as well keep honest with each other here in a world of lies and deceit.
,,Sort of. I beat up and humiliated a murderer. Turns out he was Camonna Tong. So instead of waiting for them to check their death list, I got sent here to investigate smuggling activities.”
The agent nodded. Obviously, the story was familiar to him. Perhaps he’d once done something similar himself.
,,Camonna Tong. I won’t sleep any less when they get beaten. Serves them right. As for the smuggling, that’s just a way to spend time. There are numerous caves around here, too many to clean out. I’d say we spend the night around a nice fire and get to know each other better. Cooked Crab meat is very good, trust me.”

He was right, the Crab meat was good. I also learned a great deal more of our agent. He was born in Elsweyr and moved to Vvardenfell at the age of twenty-one. There, he soon gathered himself a network of contacts which was taken into use by his lifetime friend, Leroth. He was good at being unnoticeable which helped him in scouting out any new arrivals on the island. Not only that, he also claimed to have a steady hand with the bow.
,,The things I do for the Duke. You know, once I even had an entire tree blown up in my face just to keep my cover. So, what are your talents?”

I thought about the question for a while. I wasn’t really all that special in the end, only average.
,,Getting into trouble, I guess. Fortunately, I’ve gotten a good pair of hands and feet to get me out of that trouble. That means, I know how and where to punch people. It’s too bad that I don’t quite think before punching. I once tried to punch a zombie, bad idea.”

Our conversation moved onto less serious subjects, such as the ‘101 uses for Cliffracer plumes and other bodyparts’, a well-known book among the locals. The sun dove into the sea and the moons rose up into the night sky. We covered up the fire, dropped ‘calm creature’ stones around our campsite and called it a night. The sound of a nearby Scrib soothed us into our sleep.

The banquet was, as always, incredibly vast. A Kwama pie the size of three men adorned one table, ten grilled Slaughterfish the other. Men, women and children from all over the island had come. Dumac walked around the hall, drifting from conversation to conversation.
,,I notice that you’re not eating, my friend.” A voice called out behind him. Dumac turned around slowly and gave an apologetic grin.
,,I have a banquet like this five days a week. If I just go around and stuff myself full each day, I end up fatter than a Kwama queen.” He said and laughed loudly. The Chimer chuckled before putting a hand around his friend’s shoulder.

,,Remember what I told you? I would tell you the reason for my coming after the sun had set. Well, there is my reason.” He spoke and gestured towards a female Chimer. The woman noticed this and bowed before the two.
,,Dumac, meet Almalexia. Almalexia, meet the king of the Dwemer and my good friend, Dumac.” The Chimer proudly proclaimed.
Dumac looked from one to the other. He was amused by his friend’s antics.
,,A woman? You came here just to say that you’re getting married? That’s wonderful! I’ll have to think of a wedding gift. A gift like no other. Give me a moment to think, ok?” He said.

Almalexia looked at the Dwemer. ,,So this is Dumac.” She thought, her face revealing none of the emotions inside.
,,Numidium would be nice.” She said with a joking tone. The Chimer instantly laughed, Dumac merely frowned before laughing himself, a bit more hesitant.
,,I don’t think it would fit through the door. Sorry, but I’ll settle for something a bit smaller.” He then pulled his Chimer friend away from his wife-to-be.

,,Listen, Nerevar. I hate to spoil the fun, but she sounds ambitious.” He whispered. Nerevar shrugged.
,,So? Who isn’t ambitious? You’re the king, don’t tell me that you aren’t ambitious.” He countered slightly annoyed. Dumac sighed.
,,I know, and look at what I’ve caused. I’ve caused the death of thousands of people, I’ve lead armies into battle. Trust me when I tell you, ambitious women and men only cause the spilling of blood.” He warned.

The two friends stared at each other, the atmosphere cooler than usual.
,,Nevermind that. She doesn’t look like a psychopathic murderer. So just go ahead and get married. And when you have some kids running around your house, uncle Dumac would be pleased to entertain them.” Dumac continued in a lighter tone.
,,Speaking about marriage, kids and all. I was looking for a Chimer to wed myself.” Now it was Nerevar’s turn to frown.
,,A political marriage? I thought you were against those. You turn down like, thirty marriage offers each year.”

Dumac laughed at the idea. It was true, he did turn down countless women each year.
,,I know, I should be ashamed. It’s not just that though. I’m sure that there is a fine lass among your people who I’d be happy to marry even if I had to give up my social status for it. So that would be a political marriage with an advantage in my private life. So, expect me to pay a visit someday.”

As Nerevar returned to his love, Dumac fled to a less crowded corner of the hall.
,,Why did she bring up Numidium? Not as a joke. Does she have any idea of the power such a thing requires to move? How that power could be abused? Or am I getting paranoid?”

The next day brought rain with it, lots of it. The rain perfectly displayed my own state of mind. My mind was clouded, thoughts swirling around in a mental storm. My dreams were getting stranger and stranger. Now that I’d gotten a few names to go on, it was even worse.
So Dumac was, the king of the Dwemer? And that woman was Almalexia, the Chimer was Nerevar. Nerevar and Almalexia as in, Nerevar Indoril and Almalexia, the Tribunal goddess?

[canis216]

Interesting. I honestly have no idea where this is going to go. Well done, Jack.

[The Metal Mallet]

Wow, these dreams/visions of Ro-El are really, really interesting. I wonder how this is all going to connect together eventually...

Also I get the impression that this other Agent might be a Khajiit, given that he came from Elsweyr. But you could just be tricking us... crafty jack!

[jack cloudy]

Muhahaha! Cower in fear before the wrath of the agent! No really, with the treatment he regularly receives, it was about time someone put him in a different role. Enjoy the update. Muhahaha!



The agent seemed to have noticed my behaviour.
,,Anything on your mind?” He asked me curiously. I shrugged.
,,Sort of, weird dreams mostly. About a bunch of Dwemer. No real clue why.” We looked at the sea for a while.
,,You are not Dunmer, so that would make you immune to soulsickness. That, and your dreams don’t go about the usual subject. I’d say you are seeing too much into this.” The agent told me. Maybe he was right, but I had this distinct feeling I was seeing too little into this.

,,Soulsickness eh? I never liked the sound of that. Can’t say what it is or where it comes from. The Dunmer blame the ash storms. I personally can’t see how a big load of dust makes you go wacko. Besides, soulsickness even spreads to those parts that are relatively ash free. When was the last time Balmora had to face an ash storm? Ebonheart records say three years ago. Back then, there were no reports of soul sickness on that part of the island.” Was my opinion on the dreaded curse that currently swept through the Dunmer population.

We walked back to Seyda Neen in silence. To my surprise, the agent continued past the small town till we reached a door set into the rock.
,,Smuggling cave. It’s been cleared out a while back, only I’ve noticed that the operation had begun once more. So, I figured we might as well clean it up again to keep our neighbourhood safe.” The agent explained to me as he took out a bow made of Chitin. I couldn’t help but laugh at the thing. Those bows were known for ease of manufacture, low cost and their pathetic firepower. The agent gave a knowing grin.
,,Not much to look at, isn’t it? Heh, I once took out a Flame Atronach with it, using a silver arrow of course. Don’t judge a weapon by its appearance, judge it by its wielder.”

I stepped up in front of the door.
,,Any preference of entry?” I asked, already raising my foot. We both now grinned.
,,Absolutely. When a door gets kicked in, everyone expects a barbarian with a big melee weapon or something, not a sneaky archer. You open the door, I put an arrow in the guard.” I took aim and hit the door right at the weak spot. With a loud crack, the lock broke and the door swung open. By then, I’d already ducked and rolled inside, feeling the arrow whistle over my head. There was a loud thunk and when I jumped up, the only one around to greet me was a Dunmer with a Chitin arrow right in the left eye.

We moved through the entrance chamber to another door. This time, we crouched down and listened before acting. Someone could be heard ascending a ladder.
,,Hey Guvrayn, what’s all that noise?” A voice said with the unmistakable slur of drunkenness. I shrugged as I brought out my best imitation of a Dunmer voice. They all sounded alike, especially if you were drunk.
,,I tripped over the guardamned bucket. Don’t you have anything better to do than breathing down my neck?” I hoped that the rudeness as well as my imitation would do the trick and keep him from busting through the door.
,,You’re right. I’ve got a deal to make. Well, keep an eye on that door. We don’t wanna have any intruders poking their nose into our business.” The owner of the voice could be heard descending the ladder.

I stifled a laugh.
,,Keep an eye on the door, we don’t want any intruders.” Well, too late pal. The agent was not laughing.
,,Hrisskar. That damned drunkard of a Nord bully is a smuggler. I should have known. So that is one corrupt Legionaire.” He hissed between clenched teeth. I understood that they weren’t exactly best friends.
,,You take care of him, I’ll handle everyone else.” I offered. I then looked at the door and came to a conclusion. No noisy entrances this time. Using a simple lockpick, I managed to open the door almost without a sound. We slipped through and looked both ways carefully. We could either go up or down.

We went up first, where we found a storage room of sorts. No one was there so we turned around and now headed downwards. Peeking down the ladder, we spotted three people. One was a Nord, obviously Hrisskar, one was a Breton and the last was an Imperial. A surprising lack of Dunmer for a smuggling operation. I took a closer look at the Imperial. It was the rude tax collector. Waiting for the right opportunity to strike, we had a chance to eavesdrop on their conversation.
,,So about that thing you found in Argonia. I’d like 3000 septims for it, no less.” The Breton demanded. Vodunius Nucius shook his head.
,,Right, do you take us for a fool? It won’t do a thing unless that crazy mer tells it to. We’ll have to put up with that one as well. You can get 2000.” He countered. The Breton sneered.
,,2000? Do you want to convict me to the life of a beggar? I’ll tell you what. 2500, and you get a favour from me as well.” During the whole conversation, Hrisskar didn’t say a word. It was obvious that he was acting as the tax collector’s bodyguard here. A dumb thug.

Vodunius gave a nasty smirk.
,,Deal and here’s the favour. An outlander broke my nose and several other bones yesterday. He was last seen heading west. He wears blue clothes. I want you to find and kill him.” My eyes darkened. Outlander who broke his nose? It looked like Vodunius wanted to take his revenge on me. That could be arranged. I took a rapid look at our surroundings and came to a plan. I informed the agent of it with a few gestures of my hand. He nodded and nocked an arrow.

,,Mind if I drop in on the party?” I shouted loud enough for everyone to hear. All heads turned towards me. Using a rope hanging from the ceiling, I swung down with and got the chance to break Vodunius’ nose for a second time. The Imperial was sent off of the wooden platform he was standing on and splashed into an underground lake. Now only the Breton and Hrisskar stood in my way. The Nord drew a sword and closed upon me while the robed Breton took his distance. I had full confidence that Hrisskar was taken care of so I advanced upon the fleeing Breton. A scream behind me notified me that the agent’s bow had struck.

,,Now please don’t go away. We need to have a nice chat.” I told the Breton with one of my grins. That grin vanished as I realised that the Breton hadn’t been fleeing at all. He’d just been stalling for time. Time he needed to make fire. I managed to jump out of the way just in time to avoid a nasty burn. In doing so however, I’d pressed myself into a narrow corridor, removing all chances of evasion for the next shot.
,,You’re playing with fire, kid.” The Breton gloated as his hands lit up once more. I threw up my arms in front of my face in a futile effort to shield myself from the flames that would surely consume me. With a mighty roar, the fireball closed in, its warmth washing over me and…..vanishing.

We were both surprised at my survival. My surprise became even greater upon feeling the power that welled up inside me. My hand moved on its own, pointing at the Breton. The same fireball that had threatened to consume me now shot forth again, consuming its creator instead. For a few moments, I stood there staring at the corpse. Emotions filled me, taking away any ability to act.

I was horrified, angry, and strangely satisfied. I’d killed someone, despite having never planned to do so. I had brought myself into an inescapable situation by underestimating the Breton. The spell that was supposed to kill me, it had been absorbed and then reused instead. After a long struggle, I managed to shake off these feelings and walked towards the corpse. I looked to the right where I saw Hrisskar facing of against the agent.

,,What’s the matter with you. Did the alcohol give you a fool’s courage? I had nothing to do with it, I swear! I didn’t take your ring, the damn Redguard did! I didn’t tell him to go up to the lighthouse and find out where you hid it! I didn’t offer him money for it, even though he betrayed me! I had nothing to do with it!” The Nord howled. The agent calmly adjusted his aim and put an arrow in Hrisskar’s knee.
,,Do you really think I ever cared about that ring? No. I am not what you think I am. The Fargoth you know is a disguise, a test. A test to see just who this prisoner was that the Census and Excise saw it fit to make a great fuss about. Everything was a calculated act, including having a tree get blown up in my face. I am not the loser I pretend to be. The real Fargoth can hit a Scrib from threehundred steps away. You are much bigger and a lot closer. As a representative of the Duke of Ebonheart, a servant of the empire, I give you the punishment for your betrayal and the disgrace you’ve become. Death.” With a single shot, Fargoth killed the Nord as if he was pouring a glass of Flin.

We looked at each other. Fargoth took a short glance at the smoking corpse of the Breton and shrugged.
,,Smugglers usually suffer a violent death. His was much quicker than most. Perhaps you’d like to fish Vodunius out of the water. Being a tax collector here appears to be a bad choise of profession.” The agent chuckled. I didn’t say a word, still shaken by the death I’d caused. Inside, I was shouting at myself to stop acting like a fool. I had no problems when others did the killing, so why should I have problems when I was the killer? My heart was really messed up.

[The Metal Mallet]

Excellent update Jack! So we find out the "mystery agent" is actually Fargoth and that Ro-El possesses reflect abilities. I'm interested in seeing the latter part explored further.

Keep up the great work buddy!

[Black Hand]

Fargoth? NOOOOOO!!!!

[canis216]

Fargoth? NOOOOOO!!!!

Yes, Fargoth. Nobody (cough) could have predicted it.

Can't say I ever thought of the tax collector being so dirty. The woman in the lighthouse speaks so highly of him... but I guess the taxman is always going to get a bad rap.

This post has been edited by canis216: Dec 22 2006, 06:50 PM

[jack cloudy]

No, Canis. The tax collector you speak of is the unfortunately death one. The game never put in a replacement so I had Vodunius take the job. Hrisskar, Ergalla and him are my most hated Seyda Neen characters.

[canis216]

Oh, I don't blame you. It's a worthy interpretation.

[jack cloudy]

Also a funny thing is, is it just me or is Seyda Neen the only place with a tax collector (though death) in Morrowind?

[canis216]

Also a funny thing is, is it just me or is Seyda Neen the only place with a tax collector (though death) in Morrowind?

It is, but that's because it's also the only place with a Census & Excise Office. Almost everywhere else, the Great Houses collect taxes.

[jack cloudy]

Ok, I guess that works. That leaves only a few other problems, such as where the heck do they hide the toilets? *Thinks of Uriel Septim running out of the Imperial city whenever he needs to take a leak.*
Oh well, an update. I've worked with this new character before in the rp-thread but I kind of lost him due to circumstances. Now, I plan on reviving him to his full glory.





Chapter 2: Path of the dream.

Vodunius was flailing with his arms, trying to keep from drowning with his heavy robe. I unceremoniously grabbed him and dragged him out. In doing so, I caught the glimpse of a torch at the end of an underwater tunnel. This cave seemed to have everything.
,,Fargoth? I’m going to investigate the other end of the tunnel. Could you perhaps interrogate mister tax collector here?”

While I was fooling myself with mere curiosity, the truth was that I needed some time alone. Time to think about what I’d done. Time which I didn’t spent thinking because, as I already said, I was fooling myself into believing I merely dove into the water out of curiosity.

It was only when I’d swam about halfway that I realized a tiny detail I’d forgotten. What if there were slaughterfish in the water? Sure, my skills with my fists were good on land but the water slowed me down tremendously, making any punch a futile effort. Fortunately for me, the waters were completely slaughterfish free, though I did come across a skeleton. A rusty saber was stabbed into the ground near it so I pulled it out before continuing. Just in case I met a fish on the other side.

The tunnel opened up into a round chamber of sorts. There wasn’t much to see from underneath the water, except a platform with a robed figure on it.
,,Great, more smuggling mages.” I thought to myself as lack of breath forced me up to the surface. Nearly instantly, a fistsized rock splashed into the water nearby. From this close, it took really bad aim to miss. I dropped my sword and withdrew my hands into my sleeve where I retrieved a pair of stars.
,,Stop that right now or I’ll poke both of your eyes with some thrown steel!” I warned the man.

,,I’ve totally had it with you. You will let me and my companion leave in peace or else you shall face my wrath! My command over the forces of Magicka is something you should not trifle with!” The old man shouted proudly in return. At least he didn’t throw any rocks which allowed me to take a better look at him.

He was dressed in a darkblue robe with a bluish hat on top. A long grey beard hid part of his golden Altmeri skin. An Altmer with a beard, that was unusual. A hue I knew all too well came from the inside of his sleeves.
,,Sir, you are wearing slave bracers. So currently, your command over the forces of Magicka can be trifled with easily.” I pointed out politely.
,,Bah, I can’t possibly be bothered with the details!”
I had to stifle a laugh. This guy was hilarious. Saying that he couldn’t be bothered with the details when said detail controlled whether or not he could blast everything to pieces.

,,Ro-El Frost, a….mercenary. My friend and I have been hired to clear this cave of smugglers. It is safe now. So, please follow me back to the entrance.” I offered, only to receive another hilarious comment.
,,What, do you honestly expect me to swim? I’ve never gotten around to learning how. There were greater priorities, such as growing a beard.”
I rolled my eyes and surpressed a sigh.
,,Hold on, bring me my staff and I shall separate these waters with a great display of my might.” The Altmer added quickly before I could vanish underwater. Whoever he was, he sure had a large expectation of his power. If anything, he was more arrogant than any other Altmer which sounded quite hard to believe. Yet here I was, with an Altmer who had refused to learn how to swim because he had to grow a beard. Just how did he ever manage to grow one in the first place?
,,Right, I’ll be right back.” I mumbled before taking a deep breath and diving. In reality, I had no idea where his staff might be. What if the smugglers had already sold it?

When I came back, Fargoth was still interrogating our prisoner. Several arrows poked out of various painful areas of the tax collector’s body.
,,What were you smuggling beyond Dwemer artefacts?” The Bosmer demanded to know. He was rather small, yet that didn’t diminish his intimidating appearance in the slightest.
,,Ow! No, not an arrow! I’ll tell! We were transporting ash statues, ash statues and small pouches filled with ash from Red Mountain. We had to deliver them all across the Bitter Coast and West Gash.” Vodunius cried.

Now things were getting clear. Vodunius was involved with the Sixth House, whatever that was. The ash statue sounded just like the thing Hanarai was dealing in. And pouches filled with Red Mountain’s ash? That might explain the presence of soulsickness in Balmora, even though there never was an ash storm near there. If the ash caused the soulsickness, I still had my doubts about that. I left the two alone and instead grabbed the Glass staff conveniently located atop a crate.

The staff sang with the promise of pure power. Power I could not accept. Despite my trick with the fireball, I was still a total loser when it came down to Magicka. Relying on other people to fire their lethal spells into me before I could use them myself didn’t sound right. Whatever was the case, I delivered the staff to the Altmer and also relieved him of his bracers.

The bearded fellow gripped his staff and waited for a moment as his Magicka reserves were restored by the staff’s power.
,,Now, step aside. I, Zarador, shall cause a miracle like you have never seen before!” He spoke with a perfect sense of drama. I’d expected something, anything but not this anti-climax. The only thing he did was cast a simple waterbreathing spell!
,,What happened to the separating of water?” I asked with a smug grin.
,,Bah, treating a peasant like you to a fancy trick is not worthy of my vast knowledge and skill.”
I rolled my eyes once more.
,,Right.”

Vodunius was silent upon our return. His body was devoid of arrows yet a red pool of liquid around him told me everything I needed to know. He was death.
,,So, you found the hostage this traitor spoke about. Perhaps he knows more about why they took him?” Fargoth asked with a raised eyebrow, his hand subtly hovering near his bow. The Altmer stepped forward and leaned on his staff as he looked into the eyes of the much shorter Bosmer.
,,Since you saved me the trouble of claiming revenge, I will answer. Centurion, come!”

A loud thumping of metal feet echoed through the cave. Before our surprised eyes, what looked like a walking suit of richly decorated Dwemer armour broke through a rusty fence. The thing stopped before the Altmer.
,,This here is Centurion. Those uncivilized criminals were looking for what they called the ‘heart of the knight’. They believed that Centurion holds the answer.” The Altmer claimed with a proud spark in his eyes.
,,I built it myself. Unfortunately, Centurion is not the heart of the knight, whatever this knight might be.”

I didn’t answer. My thoughts returned to my dreams, my visions. I had seen a knight there. Looking closer at Centurion I realized that it resembled a miniature version of Pelinal. Was Pelinal this knight? If my dreams were real, if they revealed the past to me, then what happened to Pelinal? For once, I longed to sleep, hoping that the answer would be revealed to me. The Sixth House was looking for the knight, I would try to find it first.

,,Ro-El? Are you awake? Listen, kid. There is no time to waste. We must go after Vodunius’ contact. We must destroy a Sixth House base he revealed to be near Balmora. Vvardenfell depends on it! The Duke depends on it!” Fargoth shook me back to reality. He was right. If we wanted our information to be useful, we had to act now.
,,I, Zarador of the Steel Tower shall accompany you. They have disgraced and humiliated me. Now they shall face my wrath. They shall cower before me as I strike them down with my powers.” The Altmer spoke up. Fargoth and I exchanged a grin. The Altmer might be overestimating himself. Not that it mattered, we could use any help we could get.
,,Welcome aboard, Zarador of the Steel Tower.” I replied, bowing slightly.

[The Metal Mallet]

Hehehe, Zarador seems quite the character Jack. It's going to be some good reading ahead from what I can tell. Good stuff!

[jack cloudy]

A long one. Enjoy.




Our trip to Balmora was as swift as possible. The Silt Strider walked as fast as its long legs could take it. Only the pockets of gas that revealed its similarity to the Netch kept it from falling. I was wary upon our arrival. What if the Camonna Tong were waiting for me? The fact that their club was situated right in front of the Silt Strider port did nothing to ease my worries. Fortunately, either they hadn’t figured out my deed yet or they were too busy drinking to keep an eye out.

There was not time for delays. We left Balmora even quicker than we’d entered it, this time on foot. None of us spoke a word, every lungful of breath fully devoted towards powering our legs forward. We passed fort Moonmoth, crossed a Dwemer bridge and soon descended a twisting path of ash accompanied by the strange Dwemeric towers of a what looked like a large Dwemeric fort.
,,Arkngthand, where the council met. Where Nerevar and Almalexia made their oath. Where the three blades were revealed.” My mind brought forth names, names that were strikingly familiar yet understanding slipped my fingers when I tried to grasp it. I ignored my strange connection to the Dwemer, focussing on running just a little bit faster.

Then, we’d arrived. A simple door like all others stood between us and an uncertain fate. I knelt down, swallowing the dry air like a man who has found a miraculous oasis in the middle of a desert. I was exhausted, there was no other word for it. My endurance had improved tremendously through the rigorous training Leroth had given me but in the end, I was still a rookie.
,,Sorry, I can’t go inside. I don’t want to kill again.” I managed to whisper. Beyond the exhaustion of my body, my soul was exhausted as well.
,,Guard the entrance, the Altmer and I will go inside.” I could only nod at Fargoth as a reply.

I sat down on a nearby rock from where I could see both sides of the road as well as the door. A pair of Cliffracers soared overhead, ignoring me completely. I was grateful for that. After all, I knew of the reputation these birds had. For a few minutes, I could hear the faint sounds of potent Magicka being unleashed. Then, silence. I waited and when I began to lose patience, I waited some more. By now, I had fully recovered from our run. However, I was beginning to get worried. Either this cave was huge or, Fargoth and Zarador had bitten off more than they could chew. If the latter was true, then all I could do was run and pray that I could make the nearby Legionaires perform a raid.

I doubted that they would. With all their regular patrols, I was convinced that the Legionnaires knew of this place. The simple fact that they refused to clean it out was evidence enough. Whatever was in there, it was enough to keep a whole fort of superbly trained soldiers elsewhere. Going inside after the two elves was definitely not an option.

I moved away from my rock, glancing at the door. It looked innocent, but what kind of terror did it hold? I was not eager to find out. I turned my back towards it and swiftly began to walk away. Then, it came. The voice. A voice I knew, somehow.
,,Who is it? Could it be? Yes, we remember. We recognize. Come and be welcomed, he who has returned from beyond.” My legs ceased to follow my command. Against my will, I returned to the door. My hands gripped the handle and pulled. I was no longer afraid.

He cave was lit by the eerie light of red candles that had been strewn all over. Rumbling, a zombie approached me. I stood my ground calmly, somehow feeling in my bones that the creature did not seek a fight. As it drew closer, its features became recognizable in the light cast by the candles. My heart stopped beating for a moment as finally, I realized what Hanarai had tried to tell me so long ago. It was not a zombie.

The remains of a suit that was unmistakable was wrapped around this terrible wreck of a man. It was a cuirass, with the emblem of Duke Dren himself on the chest. What Hanarai had claimed to be a blessing, was a curse like no other. Disgusting lumps of swollen flesh disfigured him. The man who had once lived beneath the skin was no more. Only a braindead monster, a slave of the Sixth House, remained.

It limped closer till finally, it stood still before me. I looked into its eyes and realized that I’d drawn the wrong conclusion. The man was still there, trapped in a body that was no longer his own. Slowly, my hand gripped the hilt of the sword sheathed at the monster’s side. I pulled it free and held it up.
,,Be free and find peace.” I whispered as I now gripped my weapon by both hands and plunged the blade in its heart. There was a faint hiss then, the corpse fell to the floor.

I examined the sword closer. The blade was long and thin, almost like a needle. Pure silver mixed with the finest steel. Like with the cuirass, the Duke’s emblem graced the bowl protecting the wielder’s hand. It was a weapon crafted by the best Orcish smiths, blessed by both the Divines and the Tribunal.
,,I will return your blade. Till then, the steel that once protected you shall protect me as I claim vengeance.” My hesitation had vanished. Whoever had done such a crime against everything that lived deserved to die. If my hand could kill those responsible, I would not slow my fist.

A scrap of paper tucked behind the thing’s belt caught my attention. I reached down and pulled it free. One eye scanning the corridor for trouble, the other eye focussed on the scribbling.

There is not much time. I don’t know how long I can keep my sanity. I don’t know how long it will be before he returns for me. I am Ephraim Serius. A loyal servant of the Duke of Ebonheart.

I stopped reading. I remembered the conversation I’d overheard between Leroth and Serius.
,,You said that Ephraim was ready!” Those were the final words Serius had said before stomping off. Ephraim, the man who I’d just freed from his prison, the man who apparently had been sent on the same mission Leroth had planned for me. Even now, I could not believe that the Duke was involved with this. I made a silent prayer for Ephraim’s soul. If I made it out of here alive, I would tell Serius that he no longer had to worry about the man who shared the same family. With a heavy heart, I continued reading.

I had been sent on a mission. I was to investigate the activities of Orvas Dren, the Duke’s own brother.

Orvas Dren? The Duke had an evil twin? That sounded so cliché it caused a smile even in this dark place. Now I knew the truth. No longer was I suspicious about Leroth. When he’d talked about taking action against Dren, he was speaking of Orvas, not the Duke.

Everything went well. Orvas treated me kindly, gracing me with his hospitality. Till the night came. Two assassins hired by him assaulted me. Their wicked blades paralyzed me. I was tied and taken away by Orvas’ terrible allies.
,,My brother will never find you. When he does, it will be too late for him and his Empire will be defeated. No one can stop House Dagoth.” Were the last words this monster in mortal form told me.”

For the third time, I paused. House Dagoth, the destroyed house. Not so destroyed at all, it seemed. I wanted to rush in and help my friends before they suffered the same fate as Ephraim yet I controlled myself. This note was written for me in the enemies’ lair. Every single bit of information could be vital.

I was knocked out and when I came to, I was here. Already, my flesh had been cursed even though it was not yet visible to the naked eye. A horrible monster dressed in robes spoke to me, explaining how I would serve the reborn House in search of the ultimate weapon. Boldened, I asked what this weapon was. Pay attention to what follows, as confident in his control over me, the monster was willing to reveal.

,,Long ago, in the battle for Red Mountain, Kagrenac betrayed his people. He had built Numidium, the great golem, given life to it with the heart of Lorkhan. During the battle, the giant machine wreaked havoc upon Kagrenac’s foes. Now, to complete his ascendancy to immortality, he claimed the souls of the Dwemer when no one was there to stop him. Only Dumac, weary of fighting against those he saw as his friends, had the fortune of being there when Kagrenac executed his plan. The two, king and priest, battled till Dumac was finally mortally wounded.

Kagrenac used his cursed tools to rip the very souls of his people out of their bodies. Dumac, clinging on to his mortal shell did the only action left that could stop his priest. When the souls of his people were taken, he claimed them for himself and gave life to the only weapon capably of fighting Numidium. This is how Pelinal, the shield of Resdayn awoke. The two Centurions, destroyer and protector, battled till Pelinal separated Lorkhan’s heart from Numidium with a swift strike. Both machines had suffered critical damage and fell.

Kagrenac died at Pelinal’s blade. The skies were ripped open and the servants of Azura took the knight away before it was claimed by the victorious Chimer. Now, after many years have passed, the heart of Lorkhan once again inhabits a great Centurion. Only Pelinal, whose whereabouts are unknown, stands between House Dagoth and victory.

Stranger who has slain the monster I’ve become. You must find Pelinal, the glorious knight, the shield of Resdayn. Find Pelinal, return its power. Only then can you destroy the Sixth House once and for all.

I put the note away. Now the truth about my visions had become clear. Pelinal was real, Dumac was real. Then, everything I’d seen was real. I was chosen, by forces unknown. I was chosen to find the Centurion and to battle the Sixth House, House Dagoth. This was why I lived, this was what I would die for if needed. I vowed at that moment that I would do everything in my power to fulfil Ephraim’s wish. I would defeat the Sixth House, or die trying.

[minque]

Ahhhh......nice Jack! Indeed very nice....

[The Metal Mallet]

Now, hopefully Ro-El decides to continue on and help out Zarador and Leroth, they could possibly need it.

This Pelinal Knight sounds quite interesting, now we know what the main goal is for this story. Good stuff so far!