Fast Eddie may have an odd name, but he does good work. The teleportation ring worked as advertised, and I found myself standing just inside the doorway of my stronghold of Tel Uvirith.

The steam centurion let off a blast of steam, still standing guard, should any intruders try to make their way into my home away from home.    

"Centurion," I shouted, in a most commanding voice, "what news of urgency brings me from so far away?"

Primus Pilus responded with a very odd sounding voice: "Master Eldorf ... greetings ... odd ... things ... fly ... past ... guard ... not ... seen ... before ... people ... report ... to ... me ... we ... watch ... not ... see ... anymore. Your ... mouth ... leaves ... message ... for ... you ... in ... office."

This was odd.  Everyone knows what a cliffracer looks like, they are the most common thing here.

"I will check this message and return shortly. Wait for me here."

"Yes, Master Eldorf ... I ... wait ... here."   

I cast 'levitation' and rose to the upper doorway of my stronghold. I didn't see anything unusual or disturbing. I wasn't sure what I would be looking for here.

Since Fast Eddie had left me a message in the office, I decided to check there and see what he had learned.  His note to me that arrived at Solstheim Castle was dated several days earlier, so perhaps there was something new he had found.  

After going back inside, I cast 'slowfall' and gently dropped to the next level down. There, as promised, was a scroll from Fast Eddie. I almost couldn't believe what I was reading: Master Eldorf, I hope the first note to you safely. I have received some disturbing news from the inhabitants of your stronghold of strange flying creatures. I have queried them directly, and they are not cliffracers. I fear by their description that what they are describing sound more like dragons, which have not been seen in this land for countless years. I hope I am wrong. Primus Pilus, your lead centurion, had one of your people contact me to inform you of this. It is suggested that you take him with you. The creature was seen near a lava flow just north of your stronghold. Please let me know if you receive this note, and what you have found, as the other council members are certain that the witnesses are either crazy or on brandy, but are still worried, none-the-less. Sincerely, Eddie Thieman, Mouth.

I was not sure how to react; dragons, in Vvardenfell.  None had been seen in hundreds of years. It was believed that they had all died off or simply moved to another part of the world. This definitely needed to be checked out.     

I went back down the stairs and found Primus Pilus. "Follow me now!" I commanded. Primus turned, and follwed as commanded, making the floor shake with each footstep he took. We headed out the door and went down the walkway. The one good thing was there was no ashstorm at the moment, so even though it was hazy out, we could still see fairly well.

"Where was the centurion that first saw this creature?" I asked.

"Centurion ... sphere ... north ... I ... show ... you."

"Lead on", I replied, and the steaming, lumbering giant walked slowly forward.

I was wearing my good robes. I was very glad it was pleasant weather. I saw the centurian sphere ahead and quickened my pace, with Primus falling slightly behind me. I knew he would catch up shortly.  

We found the centurion sphere, guarding the area just to the north of my stronghold. "What news do you have of strange sightings?" I asked it. The machine just huffed and puffed, it's 'eye' flickering on and off quickly. "Primus, what does it report?" I said, realizing that only Primus would be able to understand this thing.

"Centurion ... report ... not ... cliffracer ... by ... lava ... drink ... lava ... try ... destroy ... sphere ... with ... fire."

The centurion sphere did look like it had been burned in places, although these things are not hurt that much by fire spells. This looked like actual fire.

I turned to Primus and said "Ask the guard if a fire spell was used, or if some other form of destruction was attempted." Primus' eyes flickered, and the centurion sphere became agitated, flicking it's sword in and out of it's arm, releasing steam, and making that strange flickering light with it's eye again.

"Master Eldorf ... sphere ... reports ... fire ... not ... spell ... sphere ... burned ... still ... works ... not ... replace ... begs ... you."

The sphere was more worried about being trashed and replaced. Interesting. Fire - actual fire. If this thing actually IS a dragon, this would be a fire-breathing dragon, of the old legends.

I informed Primus to inform the sphere it's job was secure and to continue standing guard.  We then headed to the lava flow just to our north.       

We ended up at the edge of the lava flow. There was an old Dwemer stronghold nearby that I had already been to. I didn't thing anything as large as a dragon would be hiding there, so I checked out the area along the shore. The head from the lava was intense, and hurt my eyes. Just then, I heard Primus call me.

"Master Eldorf ... find ... object."

I walked over to where Primus was standing. At his huge feet was a rather large object, almost the size of a cliffracer plume, but definitely not from such a creature. It looked more like a scale from some larger creature. Could this be a scale from the creature itself?

I decided we should head back and speak with some of the people that reside at my stronghold.

This was, indeed, a very important discovery, but I still needed to confirm what it was I was looking at.

Primus did his best to keep up with me, causing the trees to shake with his every step.     

The merchant, Gorven Menas, proved most helpful.

"It was a large creature, red, huge body, and wings like those of a bat. It was quite a distance away, but I could make it out through the haze. It roared with a sound I had never heard before, and landed near the lava flow to the north of your stronghold. I couldn't see very well after that, but I did see a blast of fire from that direction, and if you say your centurion sphere was burned by it, it would have been in the area the creature landed."

I thanked her for her report, but before I could leave, she asked me "What does this all mean? Is it a dragon, of the old legends? They were supposed to be a myth, or so I thought."

"I am not sure," I replied, "but that is what I am here to investigate. I have a scale here, and it doesn't look like it's from a cliffracer. I will say this: if it is a dragon, I will have to send word to the duke of this event, however, I must make certain before such a report can be made. Do not worry, however, if an attack comes, you most certainly may duck into the lower parts of my stronghold for safety."

She gave me a look of relief, and I patted her on the shoulder, thanking her for her most valuable report.   

Inside my stronghold, I found Sara N'tashra, whom I had found in the very lower reaches of my stronghold after it was built.

"What have you found so far, Master Eldorf?" she asked.

"I have a scale, and a report of a large beast that uses fire as a weapon. Not a fire spell, mind you, but actual fire. The merchant reports that it looked huge and had wings similar to those of a bat."

"I, too, have seen this thing." she said. "It is as Gorven reports, large, bat-like wings." 

"I must continue my investigation on this matter, however, I want you to take this scale directly to the duke in Ebonhart and report on what you have seen. The centurian sphere reported being burned by this creature by actual fire. Advise him I am still investigating this matter and will report further information as I receive it."

"Do you wish me to accompany you?" she asked.

"No, it is not necessary now, but do report to Eddie Thieman, my mouth, at the Telvani Council chamber, and let him know what has happened so far.  Then report back here. If the stronghold comes under attack, you must do your best to defend it. At the very least, make sure the people here are moved to the lower parts of the stronghold. Those are my orders."

"I will see to it, Master Eldorf." she said.  I gave her the scale, and used my amulet of recall to return to Balmora.  This was, indeed, disturbing news.