Happy Anniversary!


I'm with the Ladies on this one. Being the Guardian has a lot of rules.

20250629 A change of heart. Gweden/RedDragon, Ayleid Steps

After declining the transcendent Ayleids offer to assume the role of Fefandor’s Guardian my companions asked, “So what do we do now?”

Well, the Ayleids gave us 24 hours before we had to vacate I was thinking we could spend the night here and travel to that Leyawiin to meet up with Taminwe in the morning. Taminwe should be back from her trip to Senchal by now. By the looks on their faces I don’t think that’s what they had in mind.

Early the next morning after breakfast I sang the words of the spell to send us to our home in Leyawiin.

Saturday night I was downtown
Working for the FBI
Sitting in a nest of bad men
Whiskey bottles piling high

Taminwe wasn’t at the Five Claws Lodge when we arrived which gave us time to visit the local shops to do some trading. That wasn’t planned it just happened. Witseidutsei had barely uttered the words ‘hadn’t seen her” when I found myself being dragged and pushed out the door. With Kaleah locked on my right arm, Elenya a hold of my left and Pym pushing from behind I had no choice but to go shopping.

Sometimes I wonder what do the ladies find more thrilling, dungeon diving or merchant menacing?
Later that afternoon we were standing outside Five Claws Lodge, Taminwe still had not arrived. Had we missed her, did something go wrong?

Was about to call it a day and go back to the house when I noticed a long cool woman in a black dress flowing up the street like a panther on the prowl. Every male she passed turned to watch as she passed by, ‘cause I’m telling ya that long cool woman had it all.

With eyes wide open and my temperature starting to rise, I was in a bad mess. As she came closer the golden face of Taminwe, rising regally above the black robe, turned toward us.

A soothing dark voice at my side said, “Hope you’re able, Feache. It’s hard to figure Altmer these days. They could be Ayleid in disguise.”

That scary thought brought me back to my senses.

The woman in red err, black, Taminwe hailed us and approached.

Entering Five Claws, with the Ladies standing close for support I told Taminwe “You can turn the charm spell off. It won’t work on me, I’m immune.”

Taminwe gave a little snicker of disbelief as we sat down. Over a bottle of wine Taminwe updated us on her mission to Senchal.

It was like listening to a reading of one of Crassius Curio’s plays. Barely touching our drinks, we were held speechless as Taminwe unabashedly gave a detailed account of how she used her special skills to get the pretender, the grandson of the late Cassynder, to talk. Coached by his uncle, who had married a cousin of Alessia Caro, the pretender was to present forged papers establishing his claim to the throne. Unfortunately, once the plot was uncovered the uncle managed to escape apprehension.

Handing Taminwe the forged document and the fake seal, we agreed that although the mastermind is on the run the current investigation can be closed. There's one less candidate vying for the succession.

We were thinking of joining Taminwe on the trip to the Imperial City when I noticed Pym had lost her sword. She had dropped it somewhere in ancient ruins of Fefandor. The Assassin’s Blade, said to be forged of adamantium in the fires of Dagon’s Deadlands, is worth the effort of going back to retrieve. Using the mark I had set in the Guardian’s Hub room, we traveled back to the Fefandor crater to search for Pym’s adamantium sword.

It took some time, but we found the Assassin’s Blade where Pym had dropped it. It was badly damaged and in needed of repair.

When I suggested to Pym that she put damaged equipment in her pack instead of throwing things away, she put her hands on her hips and gave me a look that said, “Well it’s your fault for not paying attention to me.”

(Yes, Pym lost her sword somewhere in Fefandor. No, I didn’t find it. I had to load a previous save. Then I decided I wanted to see what happens if I agree to the Guardianship. I quickly found out. The very next morning I received the massage that the Core had run low on Deathgems.)

Tired after a long day we thought we’d spend the night at the Guardian’s residence, if it was available. Exiting Fefandor we found Bertold and Elsabeth tending to their garden. We stopped to say hello and to see how things were going.

The Selatuse’s were doing well. Everything seemed to be fine. Their son, Ervvin’s body was buried next to their house. We had a long conversation in which they filled in details that were kept secret before. They just had one little favor to ask.

Captain Tertia Aurum and her guardsmen have not yet arrived, and the facility is running short of Deathgems needed to keep the place running. Bertold asked if I would be willing to go fill some Deathgems for him. After I agreed to short time service Bertold told me where to pick-up empty Deathgems and where to find the Core for the filled Deathgems.

He even suggested his favorite location for undead harvesting, the lost Imperial Catacombs. To get there use a stepstone located in the Imperial Palace District. The stepstone is hidden by bushes along the northern wall of the Green Emperor Way between the Elven Gardens and the Market District gates.

We quickly gathered 48 Deathgems (all we could find), traveled to the Imperial City, located the Green Emperor Way stepstone, and entered the Imperial Catacombs. There are 8 levels to the catacombs. We only had to cover the first three before all our Deathgems had been filled with the souls of the undead.

With harvesting complete, we teleported back to Fefandor and deposited the filled Deathgems in the Core Souls Container. With the Core filled with enough to run for the next thirty days, we leave it for Bertold to take care of things.

Well, that wasn’t too hard. Discussions with Bertold and Elsabeth gave us further understanding of the relationship between them, Ervvin, and the transcendent Ayleids. The Selatuse are nice people but that doesn’t keep me from have doubts about this operation.

A lyrically musical episode!

’Sometimes I wonder what do the ladies find more thrilling, dungeon diving or merchant menacing?’
- - Every fashion-savvy adventuress knows the answer is 'Both!'

Taminwe seems a master of illusion and feminine wile.

Pym! Take care of your sword and it will take care of you!

I still agree the crew was wise to turn down that Guardian gig.

20250713 Merendin - I-SL, Bloodrun Cave - OOO

We left Fefandor Crater using the Stranded Light teleport spell to travel to Merendin. The Stranded Light is running fairly smoothly now. No real pressing matters that need attending to, at the moment.

As we always do, Kanaane and I discussed the paintings that my Ladies and I discovered since our last visit to Merendin. Kanaane informed me that I had found all of her paintings and paintings from other artists as well. She then mentioned her thoughts of hanging paintings in Merendin. Great idea, this place needs something to brighten up the cold stone walls.

(Imagine that, working a quest when I didn’t even know I was questing)

Asking around, I found out that not everyone shared that opinion. While most felt that the paintings added to the harmony of Merendin, Karashivuel felt they were unnecessary, and Tesserayiel had mixed feelings.

For Tesserayiel the Zendria painting brought back found memories of beaches, sunsets, and peace. It was a place of great importance to Tesserayiel, a place and time where she spent contemplating her existence, and what she wished to achieve.

But, Tesserayiel finds the medallion depicting her dressed in seductive lace to be highly embarrassing. Definitely not in line with the dangerous Golden Saint reputation she likes to maintain. Kanaane warned me not to bring it up but I asked Tesserayiel about the seductive painting anyway.

POW!

Next thing I knew I was fly through the air.

The next day after a much needed rest, the Ladies and I left Merendin heading north through the Blackwood Forest to the Panther River. We’ve walk this path many times before never stopping to explore the area. This time something was different.

A jaguar, friendly as a house cat, beckoned to us to follow. She led us to the roughly boarded up door of Bloodrun Cave and then disappeared into the Blackwood. Why? Was it the recently acquired Gift of Nature or was the jaguar actually a Khajiit? I don’t know but that’s the way it happened.

From the corpses lying around the cave entrance we assumed there were necromancers inside. Now I don’t have an objection to the practice of necromancy per se. It does help in the advancement of medical studies, after all. But, do they have to be so sloppy. Leaving their experiments lying around is just bad

Entering Bloodrun Cave we were greeted with a lush shade garden, the result of a magicka well opened by Snus and Better Dungeons. The extremely high concentration of magicka has allowed dense vegetation to completely cover the walls of the cave. To our fae eyes it was beautiful. Only Kaleah saw through the guise.

She warned that with such dense foliage in a dark cave, not only would footing be treacherous, but all this leafy green stuff could easily conceal enemies waiting in ambush.

Our love of the greenery was soon shattered. Not because of Kaleah’s warning. She was proven right in the end but because of what we found in a side room. We had taken a turn to the left wound our way through sleeping quarters, a room containing wheel barrels loaded with dead bodies until finally reaching the last room.

The Ladies recoiled in horror. We had stepped into a room where twenty rotting corpses hung from the ceiling like sides of beef (Better Dungeons).

Elenya looked at me pointedly and said, “Someone is going to have to do a lot of good to balance this evil.”

We turned around to go back to go the other direction.

Once back to where we started we turned right and continued on in that direction. In one densely overgrown room we passed by two Ayleid stepstones. At that moment Sinbal Tavakrabi, a MOO necromancer, leading two initiates, an Argonian zombie, and an Orc zombie (from Creature Diversity, the first I’ve seen), stepped out from the thick foliage.

While the Argonian zombie had me distracted, Sinbal Tavakrabi tried to drain the life out of me. That didn’t work out well for Sinbal. Credit my natural resistance to magic for keeping me alive long enough to destroy the zombie and drive the Light of Dawn through Sinbal’s chest.

The initiates and their minions didn’t fare well either. Kaleah, Elenya, and Pym handled them easily.

A short way further into the cave we descended down to the final chamber. Several members of the necromancer sect, Order of the Putrid Hand attacked us as soon as we set foot on the stairs.

The Putrid Hand Master (OOO) wielding a green-glass scythe summoned a lich before using chameleon on herself. Her two acolytes summoned an ancient shade and a bone-knight to the battle. To counter this evil I called forth the Midas angel.

The battle was fierce, filled with summoned auxiliaries. For a time the necromancers, by adding spectral knights and wolves to their list of undead warriors, were able to keep their undead minions between them and us. Playing my trump cards, the Sisters of Insanity and the dremora lord Markie came at my call.

The necromancers didn’t stand long after that. with the battle over we set about exploring and looting the main chamber of Bloodrun Cave.

Along the western side of main chamber, we climbed a stairway up to shrine dedicated to a long-forgotten champion. On an Ayleid style shrine platform sat an ornate coffin. Among other items the coffin contained 550 gold coins and a Tome of Lightning Touch.

Coming down from the shrine area, a turn to the right took us to a hallway leading to an Ayleid style stone entrance (Snus). Large rocks strewn along the hallway and dark gaps in the ceiling marble tiles above gave us pause. Was there a cave-in or is the hallway booby trapped? Six prisoner cages hanging from the ceiling didn’t help ease our minds as we cautiously made our way to the stone door.

Our attempts to open the stone door failed, the door would not open. Whatever caused the ceiling collapse must have damaged the stone entrance making it inoperable.

Unable to advance further we set about looting the place. Along the northern end of the western wall tucked away in a corner we found a Sphere of Nature (Phitt’s Artifacts).

Later, after sanitizing the area, we sat around the late necromancer’s sleeping quarters discussing the events in Bloodrun Cave.

Kaleah told us that early in the Second Era Bloodrun Cave was once a Dark Brotherhood sanctuary and served as a tomb for honored Dark Brotherhood members, including several well-respected Shadowscales. In particular, beyond the broken stone door lies the tomb of Ajum-Shei where Tumma-Maxath was defeated. It was sometime after that when the necromancers took up residence here.

The subject of the number of Argonian zombies came up. Why were there so many? We had no answer to that question. We fell asleep debating that issue.

Blood Run Cave sure looks lush and beautiful. . . but soon lives up to its name. Order of the Putrid Hand? Eww.

Kahleah has the right of it regarding the cave’s Second Era history. Buffy ran into this Tumma-Maxath.

The Putrid Hand is an Oscuro’s Oblivion Overhaul necromancer faction.


It’s been a long, long time since I’ve seen the vanilla game. It was curious to find an inoperable Ayleid door at the end of the main chamber. The Form Finder mod tells me that the inoperable Ayleid door in the main chamber is from Snus Dungeons. Now I want to know what the original cave looked like to see what changes Snus Dungeons and Better Dungeons had made to Bloodrun Cave.

By the map on UESP I can see a few rooms with corpses packed in carts or hanging from the ceiling have been added. The map on UESP also shows the cave ending where Snus puts the Ayleid stone gate. The UESP write-up on Bloodrun Cave mentions an incident in ESO. So naturally I look it up to compare the maps and found that the ESO map continues on where my Oblivion map ends with an inoperable stone door. Ain’t that somethin’.

Now the question becomes who put that door there first, Snus Dungeons or ESO?

I don't recall Sunken One at all, except yes, it begins at Shetcombe.

macole: 2 funerals, yikes. Is Julie your wife? Wow 50 years deserves some cake. Does Julie game at all? Does she read about Jandagaa?



Any pictures of this?



Place sounds Emmafied!

Assimulator is a neat idea. Try the old trick: 3 iron arrows perhaps. Since this is Archeology Guild, eventually my Xena-in-Cyrodill gal will discover all this stuff, too. Never mind, this sounds like Ayleid Steps.

Good lord, what a list of demands those Ayleids demand!

Part when he must choose to become the new Guardian had me rolling! Everyone has different opinions...I agree with Elenya though: Jandaga is busy enough.

20250730 Life on the upper Panther; slavers, smugglers, and necromancers

The crack of a whip and screams of pain coming from the east, echoed around the hills flanking the Panther River as we emerged from Bloodrun Cave. Troubling sounds, repeated over and over again.

“Someone has got to do a lot of good”, Elenya had said. I thought that’s what I’ve been doing all this time. I guess there is still a need.

With a laugh I said, “Ok, let’s go see what’s up”.

Climbing higher up the hillside we circled east until we could see Seran Camp below us. At least five Dunmer slavers were milling about in the camp. Two, most likely the leaders, wore expensive Eboron mail and plate armor. A worn path led east from the camp to a confinement pen holding Argonians. A sixth slaver patrolled the area near the confinement pen.

Well now we know why there were so many Argonian zombies in Bloodrun Cave. It didn’t take much thought to realize that the Dunmer slavers were offering the Putrid Hand an easy supply of subject matter.

The Ladies and I gave each other a look and silently decided to aid the captive Argonians. Waiting until the guard was not in sight, we snuck around the pen to find the gate. The Argonians inside the pen watched in silent anticipation as we attempted to unlock the gate. Their shoulders drooped as we realized that the lock required a key and we would not be able to free the prisoners.

We were about to turn away when a raspy Dunmer accent said, “Well, well if it isn’t the holy crusader himself.”

The guard was able to shout out half a word before the Ladies silenced him. The guard did not have the key on him. The key most likely will be held down in Camp Seran. With the advantage of surprise gone we advanced toward the camp.

Led by their Captain and Chief Guard the slavers met us at the edge of the camp. After a brief struggle Seran Camp was ours. Taking a rusty iron key from the body of the Chief Guard, we returned to the confinement pen to release the Argonians. Without a thank you they took off running toward the river.

Where were they going, we had no idea. Having gone through all this trouble to free the captive Argonians we decided to follow them to ensure their safety. They lead us to Deep Cover Cave on the muddy banks of the Panther River near the Halls of Lorn.

Once inside the flooded halls of Deep Cover Cave the Argonians thanked us for rescuing them from the Dunmer slavers. Here we found out that the Argonians we rescued belong to a large smuggling operation. To show their appreciation the Argonian smugglers offer to send word to their leader, Eidkee V’shiir in Blood Clot Cave. As a sign of trust between us, Eidkee V’shiir will open his vast inventory of illicit goods for sale. He will also buy stolen goods, you know, because he's a smuggler.

We thanked the Argonians and left Deep Cover Cave.

Blood Clot Cave, having been there before we knew it is just short ways up river from Deep Cover Cave. Since we are so close we might as well pay Eidkee V’shiir a visit. Last time we were there he wouldn’t even talk to us. In fact all the Argonians there kept telling us we didn’t belong and had better leave. Maybe this time things will be different.

Finding Blood Clot Cave was easy, the giant crabs patrolling outside the entrance made sure that we didn’t miss it.

Blood Clot Cave is as I remembered it, a dark maze of flooded tunnels that seem to go on endlessly. My Ladies were not happy at all. They kept making silly noises and floating in the water pretending to be drowning.

Our reception has indeed changed for the better. Instead of being told to go away, we are now addressed as “honored guests’. We found Eidkee V’shiir in his usual spot, the Blood Wound Deep section of Blood Clot Cave.
Once he learned what we had done for the captured Argonians at Seran Camp, Eidkee became very amicable. We spent hours trading all manner things at very reasonable prices.

It was late and the Ladies were getting restless. Thinking that Blood Clot Cave was too damp we thought finding a dry spot outside to throw down a bedroll would be more suitable. Heading west along the Panther River we passed several little islands, but none seemed to be to everyone’s liking. Near Kindred Cave to we found a nice little island. Would have been perfect had it not started raining.

We turned right around and entered Kindred Cave. Don’t know what we’ll find in Kindred Cave but at least it won’t be full of water.

Ever wonder what happened to the Universitum Arcanorum’s School of Necromancy after Traven banned the practice of necromancy? It moved here.

The problem started right after we enter Kindred Cave. We got as far as the sign-in desk when one of the faculty spotted us. A Keeper of the Dead and a Plaguebringer shouted commands and just like that we were being besieged by zombies, skeletons, wraiths, and liches.

Necromancers and their Argonian zombies fought us at every turn in Kindred Cave. We didn’t know what to make of it until we entered the main lecture hall. Seeing the hall filled with twenty-four seats, a lecture podium, and a goblin corpse on display told us all we needed to know. Kindred Cave was the new underground Necromancer training academy.

Had the lecture hall been full of students, we would’ve had a problem. Lucky for us class was out and Lector Antigonides Auguscle was alone, preparing for his next lecture on Goblin dissection.

Unfortunately for us twenty-four empty seats did not mean the student body and the faculty was gone for the day. Responding to the cries of the Lector, a Lady of the Dead and her student aid emerged from an adjoining room. Their arrival just delayed the outcome by a few minutes.

After defeating the necromancers in the lecture hall the Ladies and I went to investigate the room the Lady of the Dead had come from. It was a common dinning/study room with two long tables, six chairs each. Enough room to sit twelve at any one time.

To our right as we entered the common room was another door. This one led to the Winding Hollows. Winding Hollows a fancy name for the sleeping quarters, resident students or faculty? There was a physical laboratory classroom where a couple Master necromancers (MOO) were willing to gives us a personal tour of the facilities.

That was courteous of them but we drew the line when they called six liches and a wraith to give us a very in-depth and personal demonstration their dissection arts. Our objections were taken into consideration. There were no objections when we looted Winding Hollows.

Leaving Winding Hollows by the door we entered, we made our way back to the lecture hall via the common room. There’s an exit hallway leading to door beneath the lector’s podium. This door leads to the Runways.

In the Runways we found room after room of tombstones. We couldn’t read them, but we got the impression that details of failed experiments were recorded on each tombstone. Of course, there were more liches and necromancers attempting to make us the subject of their thesis that we had to deal with.

It was here among the tombstones of the Runways that we encountered a strange looking ghoul. The usual ghouls are hideous to begin with, but this one was covered with white fungus making it even more disgusting to look at. It wasn’t tough to defeat. A couple solid strikes with the Light of Dawn and it exploded like a puffball covering me in a fine white mist.

With the Runways cleared of necromancers and their experiments we looted the area and left. As we were leaving, we happened to pass by an Orc adventurer. Felt kind of sorry for the guy. He’ll be safe but he won’t be finding much loot here.

The Ladies are tired, I’m tired, and we all could use a bath. How about a swim in Lake Rumare? I know just the place.

Using our Stranded Light Transport spell we teleported to Elysium.

Saving smugglers from slavers! Ahah, I see the Argonian zombie connection now.

Nice to have some smugglers on your side. Blood Clot Cave is great for those with tails and scales but elves and ladies need dryer sleeping quarters.

Urgh, rain. Crap, instead of a nice dry place to camp, Kindred Camp is Necrodude Headquarters! Well, at least until rendered safe for Orc adventurers.

Now, the crew needs both sleep and a bath. Wise call to teleport somewhere nicer.

20250810 I-Stranded Light, Moon Reaver

It was the wee hours of the morning when we appeared in Ocean’s Elysium. The dark subterranean waters of Lake Rumare was the perfect place for a private swim. Erriallus, the Maormer from Anvil was the only one up and about when we arrived. We stopped to chat with him for a moment.

While it’s not like being at home, Erriallus prefers Ocean’s Elysium with its clean fresh water over the polluted salt water of Anvil’s harbor. The only issue he has is there’s not much ship traffic these days. There’s no way to tell when he’ll catch a ride back home.

Umm, there are three attractive Maormer ladies staying here Donajiri, Donajira, and Orneilla. Being the only male Maormer why would he be so anxious to leave?

“The Maormer do not believe in the Balance and are more overly possessive in their relationships than the Keiju or Päkapikud,” Elenya informed me.

My Ladies and I wished him luck with his predicament.

After talking to Erriallus our thoughts turned to swimming to wash away the stench of Kindred Cave. Kind of felt bad about that after Erriallus told us about how clean the water was here.

Afterwards, while it felt good to wash off the dungeon diving grim, I was still feeling unusually tired. Finding an open bed I settled down for a nap while Elenya, Kaleah, and Pym excited with having free time, roamed about Ocean’s Elysium.

It was much later in the day when I woke up. Feeling weak and groggy, barely able to stand I forced myself to get up. Elenya took one look and said, “You’re sick.”

Placing her hand on my forehead Elenya and with a concerned look on her face, she waited a minute.

“Ghoul Fever,” Elenya proclaimed. “You’ve been neglecting your morning devotions. Where’s your portable shrine? Use it and you’ll be fine.”

“And be quick about it!” Kaleah ordered.

Pym stood there, stern faced, arms crossed, and feet firmly set ensuring compliance. Caught what else could I do? I relented, “Yes dears.”

Wasn’t my fault we ran into a fuzzy puffball ghoul in Kindred Cave. Oh well, the healing shrine worked. I’m cured and crisis averted. I admit I’ve been lax in keeping up with preventive care.

At lunchtime, we were sitting sipping glasses of wine with Shiva, the Xivilai who first discovered this place called Ocean’s Elysium, talking randomly about whatever came to mind. Such as the great creation riddle.

“If Daedra sprung from the blood of Padomay,” Shiva asked. “And Aedra from the mixng of Anu and Padomay blood, what may have sprung forth from the blood of Anu? No one ever talks about that. I wonder why?”

“Some say ‘the stars’”, I added. “But that doesn’t make much sense to me.”

“Well, my Feache,” Kaleah corrected. “It was the Anuic spirits, the ‘Manga-Ge’ or as some call them the ‘Star Orphans’ that tore holes in the veil of Oblivion, thus creating the stars as they retreated to Aetherius.”

I stared at Kaleah bewilderment. Anuic Spirits? Does she mean to say that they sprung up from the Blood of Anu? And where did she get that from? Has she been reading the books we’ve collected over the years or was she there? Oh no, don’t even think of asking her how old she is.

Anyway, all that showed was that the Blood of Anu has been talked and written about. What’s seldom if ever mentioned is what sprung forth from the blood of Nir?

I was about to speak to that point when something Shiva said piqued my curiosity. Since the Ladies and I have proved to be very trustworthy by showing Erriallus a safe way back home, Shiva offered to share a secret.

She tells me about the Moon Reaver, a sword made of Dagon’s own essence capable of disturbing the strongest magika flows. The hero of Battlespire used the Moon Reaver to defeat Mehrunes Dagon. Then, after the hero rescued the missing agent, they returned to Tamriel leaving the Moon Reaver behind.

According to Shiva, a Daedroth, the Xivilai Firukuruzk was to take care of the Moon Reaver but when she picked up the sword up Firukuruzk went rogue. Firukuruzk fled to Mundus taking the Moon Reaver with her.

“Firukuruzk,” Kaleah said. “Isn’t she the Xivilai we freed from the Bruma jail?”

“Yes,” confirmed Elenya. “Remember, she joined the Bruma Watch, of all things. According to reports I’ve read, Bruma is now one of the safest cities in the empire.”

Hmmm she didn’t have the sword in her possession at that time. Maybe she hid it somewhere?

“What a shame,” I said. “Too bad the Hero of Battlespire didn’t have the foresight to bring Moon Reaver with him to Cyrodiil. Martin would not have had to sacrifice himself. Let’s go find out what she did with it.”

With a wave of the hand I transported us to our house in Bruma. Firukuruzk was in the guard barracks preparing to start her patrol, when we found her. The other guards in the room starred in shocked amazement when she snatched me up in a great bear hug.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Firukuruzk bellowed as she spun me around. “Thank you for freeing me. Is there is anything I can ever do to repay you, just ask.”

“Well there is one thing,” I replied.

“You want this terrible weapon?” Firukuruzk exclaimed when she heard my request. “Alright, it’s the least I can do. Of course I don't have it with me! It's too dangerous to keep lying around so I hid it. I have some free time, walk with me down to Olaf’s for dinner and a pint and I’ll tell you how to find the Moon Reaver.”

Taking the long way around, we walked slowly to Olav’s as Firukuruzk explained how she hid the Moon Reaver behind a trail of enchanted chests and keys, so no one could get it by accident. Keeping her normal booming voice down low she gave detailed instructions on how to find the sword.

Listening to Firukuruzk brought back memories of the Pale Pass. Touching the ring on my finger I thought of the string of chests that led to the Circlet of Omnipotence.

Dinner was over and Firukuruzk got up to begin her tour on the night watch. Leaning close, she said, “Good luck!
Once again you have freed me. No longer am I burdened with safeguarding that sword, and honestly, I don't want to have anything more to do with it. May it bring you more luck than any of its previous owners.”

Returning to our house, we spent a cozy night anticipating adventure on the morrow.

A bath, some wine and a bit of pontificating about Divine essences that eventually leads to a task: Recover the Moon Reaver.

20250819 I-Stranded Light Moon Reaver, Capstone Cave

A day after speaking to Firukuruzk we left Bruma to find the first junction to acquiring the Moon Reaver. First stop the nearby Capstone Cave. The cave was so close that from the entrance one could see Apple Watch to the west, Rielle to the north, and Bruma to the east.

There was evidence of occupation outside the cave’s entrance but how recent the activity we couldn’t tell. Inside Capstone Cave, everything, from the ceiling above us to the floor beneath our feet was encased in ice. This made footing treacherous for everyone except Kaleah. She just extended her talons to get a firm grip the ice.

Geez, I’m going to have to repair those boots again.

Progressing cautiously we made it to a trapper’s camp, a wooden platform raised high above the icy floor. We were investigating, searching for a red key, when we were approached by eight Skyrim trappers. They didn’t ask questions but immediately attacked.

What is it with Nords from Skyrim? The way they’ve been acting since the emperor’s assassination you’d think they were the vanguard of a Nord invasion. Yeah right, a Nord rebellion, like that’s ever going to happen.

But then again, perhaps they are because their first reaction was to fight. Within minutes, five lay dead on the floor, one fled through the exit to the right, and at least two fled down a tunnel to the left.

During our pursuit of the Nord that fled through the east tunnel, we came across an amazing sight. Someone had erected a towering arch (Better Dungeons) in Capstone Cave. It didn’t look like Ayleid construction. In fact it could have been an Arch of Triumph had it been on the Imperial City Isle.

There’s a door at the base of the left tower. It’s locked, requiring a key to get in. Unable to open the tower door we left the tower wondering who built this arch and why.

Our search for Firukuruzk’s Red Key in the east end of Capstone Cave has come up empty. Returning to the Skyrim camp we continued our search in the western half of Capstone Cave. Knowing that two hostile Nords from Skyrim had fled this way, we proceeded cautiously.

We encountered a few more hostile Nords in a small chamber of the cave. They were easily taken care of. Unexpectedly, just outside entering the door to the Capstone Grand Cavern we encountered two bandits with a MOO bounty on their heads. Cornered they braced for the fight.

The two wanted criminals V’orht and Dul gro-Ulfish were no slouches in the fight department. It took a considerable effort to claim V’orht’s shoes and Dul gro-Ulfish’s gauntlets as proof of their demise.

The western half of Capstone Cave now subdued we searched the entire section for the Red Key, once again coming up empty. Firukuruzk’s red key must be deeper in the cave complex, we entered Capstone Cave’s Grand Cavern.

A short ice-covered tunnel opened to the Skyrim Nord’s operation headquarters. Thirteen Nord trappers attacked us en masse, forcing me to call on the usual reinforcements to handle the situation.

The battle over, we search everywhere for the red key. Found a lot of gold but no key. Franticly we raced back and forth through the complex. Running past a fallen tower in our search we completely ignored its unusual design. So intent were we in our search for the red key that the similarity between this collapsed tower and the arch we found earlier didn’t register.

A tunnel took us to the top of the cavern. Here a shelf ran the entire circumference of the Grand Cavern, overlooking the operation below. Up here we found two Ayleid stepstones. Close by the stepstones was a very strange object that reminded me of a brick oven. Curiosity got me to try opening it. It wouldn’t open and we went back searching for the Red Key.

We didn’t give the oven thing or the two tower structures a second thought as we raced through the entire Capstone Cave complex searching for the missing Red Key. We must have gone through the entire cave system at least three times.

I was at a loss and about ready to give up, when we found, hidden by several large rocks and stalagmites, an unopened chest. Furthermore, hidden behind the chest sat a tiny “inscribed jewelry box” with a very hard lock.
How many times had we run past this site while not seeing this chest? Sure its coloration blended in with the cave’s features but still that was of little defense to my Ladies scrutiny.

Making the necessary preparations, I cast the spell to open the jewelry box and there nestled like a pearl in a clam sat the Red Key.

“There are you happy now?”

With great relief and joy often comes a great tiredness. We decided to spend the night at the camp in the Grand
Cavern, where there were enough beds for everyone. In the morning we’ll travel to Belda where Firukuruzk told us she had hidden a second key. Now that I know what kind of box she has placed the keys in, the Purple Key should be easier to find.

I hope.

'Find the key in Capstone Cave' turned into a needle in a haystack-esque affair! Finally, success however. As you say, hopefully the next key will be less elusive.

20250905 I-Stranded Light Moon Reaver

According to the map, Belda is just north of Roland Jenseric’s cabin. It was an uneventful walk down the Silver Road to the Ring Road. Turning left, we continued east until we reach a trail leading up the hillside.

The trail up the hill was actually at one time a grand Ayleid staircase leading to Belda. Parts of it still remain. We passed the remains of a still smoldering Oblivion Gate, an Ayleid well and when we neared the top of the hill the trail split.

To the left lay the marble gates of Belda; to the right a grand three-story manor (Belda Elysium Revisited).

It was late in the day the choices were; enter Belda and fight for a bed or we could approach the house with the hopes the owner would offer us a more comfortable and civilized lodging for the night. The looks I got when I turned to ask told all I needed to know. Unfortunately the door was locked requiring a key, and no one answered the door to let us in.

(The version of Belda Elysium installed uses a replacer ESP (Belda Elysium Revisited) that delays activation until MQ05. Sad to say it didn’t trigger properly (operator/installer error?). I could break in using console command UNLOCK but the quests and some features are disabled.)

Of course I could use ancient Fay magic to unlock the door. I tried to explain that we didn’t know who lives here and how it didn’t feel right to just break into someone’s house.

The looks I got said, “What? You’ve doing that for years.”

“Please my Jandaga, do it for us,” Elenya pleaded. “You won’t regret it.”

They were right. Once inside we found three letters and three keys on a table. One letter assigned full deeds and ownership of the house commissioned by the Emperor Uriel Septim VII for someone named the Savior of Tamriel to me as I read it. The other two described features of the house. Similar letters are found on each of the four floors. All letters were signed Raimyr El'Eluril, Chief Custodian of the Crown.

Beaming with pride my Ladies straitened up when they read Savior of Tamriel. Yes, to the Ladies bragging rights is everything. Sometimes I think it’s the old ‘if you’re going to run with me, you better be somebody’ sort of thing.

Elysium Manor is a very nice three story house with a full basement. It’s got everything you could want. There’s ample storage, display cases, a lockable room for making spells and enchanting items, a lockable gated vault. The master bedroom on the top floor has its own private bath and its own alchemy station. Down in the basement there’s a guest room, a kitchen, servant quarters, and a bathroom. Best of all it has two baths and three double beds.

Something interesting and unusual was found in the Magus Room, the Orbs of Elysium. The two steaming glowing orbs sitting on the desk function like Mages Guild spellmaking and enchanting alters.

“Where did they get these?” I asked.

No one knew for sure. Could they be crystals from a falling star or are they from one of the moons. Elenya favored Secunda.

I pondered that question as I took a nice hot bath.

The next morning we left Belda Elysium Manor. We took a quick tour of the property before heading next door to Belda the Ayleid ruin. Within Belda Elysium we saw an Ayleid fountain, a garden, stables, and a nice seating area with a great view east over the Blue Road.

Entering the Ayleid ruin Belda we progressed down a staircase and hallway to the first intersection. We like in Capstone Cave we turned right. A short distance later we stepped into a small room. Unlike Capstone Cave we meticulously inspected every nook and cranny. The only thing we found was a small jewelry box. This was exactly what we were looking for.

With the purple key now in hand, I was about to suggest we leave straight away for Fort Entius when Kaleah said she didn’t like the smell coming from the other side of Belda.

“Free roaming Daedra of the evil kind,” Kaleah said. “The antithesis of Stranded Light is here, my Feache. I’m sure our Stranded Light friends would approve.”

So, with Elenya’s and Pym’s approval we purged Belda of 12 persistent Daedra, 3 golems, and 9 conjurers. It was exactly as Kaleah said it would be. Belda turned out to be the dark opposite of Merendin and the Stranded Light.

A couple things stood out in Belda. One was the location of four Ayleid stepstones. Their location near a rising floor trap resulted in having to cross the floor trap in order to reach Belda’s exit. When a casual step hopper appeared and walked off toward the exit, we watched in horror as the floor shot up and smashed against the ceiling.

To our amazement, the floor came back down and the stepper stood up and calmly walked up the steps to the exit.

When this happened a second time, I turned to my Ladies and commented, “They must be using some sort of ‘Essential’ spell.”

Deeper in Belda Lor we entered a room containing a Varla stone cage. This room was occupied by several conjurers and free-walking Daedra not bound by a summons.

One conjurer in particular was accompanied by a naked Daedra Seducer. It was like looking in a mirror. The second that Kaleah and I starred at our evil twins felt like hours. My mind raced with strange thoughts of string theory and particle entanglement. If we kill them, do we die too?

Kaleah didn’t give it much thought. She just locked eyes with the Seducer and for the briefest of moments they starred at each other.

With a nod to me the Daedra Seducer still eye-locked with Kaleah sneered, ‘You bring me gift?”

"Ah, hahahahahahahahaaa,” Kaleah laughed. She then replied in her natural daedric tongue (I use a daedric font in my copy). “To the victor. Come, come kill me if you can, you naked little minx!”

Sounded like pretty tame insult to me but the Daedric Seducer went ballistic. The two flew at each other and fought like wildcats until Kaleah stood as victor. In the meantime, Elenya, Pym and I took care of several conjurers and few more Daedra.

Kaleah clapped me on the back, laughed and said, “Sometimes you think too much, Feache.”

After that battle the encounter in the final room was rather anticlimactic. The Sanctuary of the Adept with two adept conjurers, three golem servants, and a summoned Markynaz Dremora was an interesting encounter, but not difficult.

Belda, the Ayleid ruin taken care of we spent another peaceful night at Belda Elysium.

From Belda, per Firukuruzk’s instructions we are directed to Fort Entius near the head waters of the Silverfish River. We’ve passed by Fort Entius many times. We know where it is but we’ve never entered it.

It was late in the afternoon when we arrived at Fort Entius. We were about to open the door and enter when we heard a thunderous noise coming from the nearby wooden bridge. We turned to see an Imperial Huntsman chasing a herd of deer across the bridge.

We watched for a while before turning our attention back to Fort Entius. Entering Fort Entius we advanced unopposed along the corridor until we came to a balcony overlooking a flooded room below. A bridge crossed the gap to a balcony on the other side. Two iron gates presented us with a choice. Do we take the gate on the right or the gate on the left?

Using common dungeon diving logic we chose the door on the right. There wasn’t much down this way. A handful of Daedra and couple of flooded rooms containing locked chest. Unable to cast unlock spells underwater we left them alone.

Back at the crossroad we opened the gate on the left. This path led directly to the door of Fort Entius Sepulcher. For a long distance, Sepulcher’s hallway was quiet. There was no indication of enemy activity as we walked along. Lulled into a false sense of security we were caught with our guard down when we turned a corner and came face to face with a Clannfear, a hell hound, a scamp and a Water Golem from OOO.

The sounds of battle brought four conjurers from around the corner to the hallway. Two MOO Plane Summoners closely followed by an OOO Keeper of the Realms and Fallaise Acicius from MOO. As they rounded the corner the four conjurers summoned additional Daedra to their cause.

The summoned Daedra didn’t help the conjurers prevail but it did make for a colorful battle.

Up a staircase from the vanquished conjurers we came upon a balcony room overlooking the lower level. From the number of chests in this area we surmised that this is where the defeated conjurers stored their treasures

One spot was of particular interest. Placed on a shelf to the right of the entrance were all the things a mage might want to experiment with Daedra summoning; a beating Daedra heart, bleeding bloodgrass, Daedra teeth, soul gems, etc.

Also sitting on the shelf were two chests, an Elegant Chest and a Rune Inscribed Chest. Err; you might say one chest as OOO and I-SL try to put a chest in the same spot. Only a corner of OOO’s Elegant Chest can be seen protruding out of the Stranded Light’s Rune Inscribed chest.

Opening the Rune Inscribed chest with the purple key we retrieved the Moon Reaver.

Having claimed the Moon Reaver we went about looting the other chests in the area. I was in the back when Pym came running excitedly grabbed me by the arm and began pulling me to follow her.

Pym led me to corner to the left of the entrance and there on the floor sat a Sphere or Hate (Phitt’s Artifacts).

Now with the Moon Reaver and the Sphere of Hate as a bonus safely tucked away in the Midas Chest it was time to return to Merendin. Casting the spell the magic swirled around us and we left Fort Entius.

Back at Merendin most everyone had no comment about the sword. Only Karashivuel showed any concern about having found Moon Reaver.

“You've found it?” Karashivuel asked with a resigned disappointment in her voice. “Oh well, better you than, say, anyone else. Nevertheless some things should be kept at the bottom of the ocean. This weapon is one of them.”

Why? Don’t know. While Karashivuel is probably right about the weapon being better off lost forever, I’m just not sure the bottom of the ocean is a good place. The thought of some Dreugh finding Moon Reaver gives me the shivers.