THE ARRIVAL

My name is Eldorf Dragonmeal, and this is my story. I am a Breton from the province of High Rock, and from a small home just outside of Wayrest, but only knew my family for a short time after I was born. I was separated from my family by a flood. I was 5 years old at the time, so I never really knew my parents. I managed to live by stealing food but was eventually caught in the act. Because I was caught stealing food from the kitchen of the personal assistant to the Emperor himself, I was sent to prison for 50 years! I guess they wanted to make a point. I was never mis-treated by the guards, I guess they understood my situation. I was always treated kindly, and they even brought a desk into my cell so that I could study the many books that were brought to me.

During these 50 years, I had managed to learn several magic spells, but had to be very careful using them. You see, I was born under the sign of the Atronach, and while this gave me lots of potential magic capability, it also meant that I cannot re-generate any of my magic through resting, like most people of this world can do. However, this star-sign does give me the ability to absorb spells thrown at me (well, half of it, anyway). I would also need a magical potion to restore any magic I use, but I had no books on alchemy to study.

I was put into a carriage and rushed across the massive Empire of Tamril. The horses were kept at full gallop and were only stopped when we changed horses. After two days travel, we crossed the Velothi Mountains through Septim's Gate Pass into the province of Morrowind, and several hours later, arrived at Omayni, a port with a ship waiting for me. I was rushed out of the carriage, and hustled into the cargo hold of the ship. Apparently, they wanted to make the outgoing tide, because the ship left port 10 minutes later. The ride started out quietly enough, but with nightfall came a terrible storm. I never heard it, however, because I had fallen into a very deep, troubled sleep.

The storm must have affected my dream, because I thought I heard the voice of the Goddess Azura Herself, calling to me. She said: "They have taken you from the imperial palace, first by carriage, now by boat, to the East, to Morrowind. Fear not, for I am watchful. You have been chosen." What followed was a series of flashes of lightening, thunder, strange, disturbing images of creatures and forbidding landscapes.On the day after my 55th birthday, I was hustled out of bed by one of the guards. It seems I was to be released, but there was some urgency connected with this release. I felt bad that I was not able to say my farewells to the guards that I had come to know over these many years.

I heard another voice calling me. It was a male voice. It kept asking me to wake up. I suddenly found myself back among the living, so to speak, and heard my bunkmate's voice asking me why I was shaking, and was I ok? If he had seen the images I was just dreaming about, he might have been shaking as well. He asked my name, and said that not even last night's storm could wake me. I wondered if the dream was caused by the storm, and that my mind was playing tricks on me. Sometimes, when one sleeps, one cannot be sure of where the mind has actually been.

I followed the guard to the hatch, and climbed outside. It was nice to breath fresh air not fowled by dungeon straw, the back-end of horses galloping, kicking up dust, or the smell of old ship wood. I went down to the guard on the dock, and advised him I was a Breton. He said that I was expected. Well, after the rush they went through to get me here, I should hope that someone would be expecting me.

 

I went in to the census office at the port of Seyda Neen, and the nice old man there helped me fill out my immigration papers, so that I could be "officially" released. He must have done this a lot, since they were filled out and printed so neatly. I was officially a "mage", based on my race and astrological sign.

I was given my papers and told to give them to Selas Gravas in the building next door. On my way there, I found a few items that might prove useful, including some food and other handy items. In the courtyard between buildings, I found a ring in a barrel. My magical abilities told me it had healing abilities, so I decided to keep that as well. In a place like this, you never know when something like that might come in handy.

 

I found Selas Gravas in the next office, and gave him my papers. He stuffed them on a shelf along with dozens of other papers just like it. So much for being unique. Mr. Gravis told me a package had come the day before, announcing my arrival. My release, it seems, came on direct orders from no less than the Emperor himself. I received 200 drakes and a package that had also arrived the day before. I was to take this package to Caius Cosades in a town called "Balmora", just a short walk to the north. He didn't know where Mr. Casades was located exactly, but said to go to a place called "The South Wall Club" and ask around. Someone there would know how to find him.

 

So, I was "officially" released, now. What to do next? Just then, a wood elf approached. His name was Fargoth, and he whined like a little child about some ring the guards had hidden from him. I thought he was talking about the ring I found in the barrel. I also found myself restraining myself from strangling him. I just got out of prison. I decided it might not be a good idea to go right back there on my first day out.

The Census guy said he'd pay me to bring the killer to justice. He had no idea who might have killed him, though. I asked around the village, and someone mentioned the lady in the lighthouse knew him very well. I went there and asked they lighthouse keeper about her friend, the taxman. She said there was only one person who ever gave him trouble. I went to that man's house to confront him with the facts. The one involved was a dark elf, and spoke with a very rough voice. When I asked him about the taxman, he freely admitted killing him. He wasn't a very pleasant individual to speak with. He asked me if I would be quiet about it. My sense of right and wrong told me that I could not accommodate his wish. With that, he said he would kill me as well!

I did not know how I would do in a fight, but instantly called up one of the few spells that I knew - I called an ancestor ghost. The dark elf struck me in the chest with his fist. I fell back a few steps, but then my ancestor ghost came to my aid. It cursed the dark elf, and struck him several times. I added my own, newly-purchased sword to the battle. The battle went on for more than a minute, and my spell faded, but by then, it was too late for the dark elf, and he fell dead by my sword.

I took this information back to the lighthouse keeper, and she thanked me for finding her lover's killer. I then reported back to the census office and received a nice reward.

I also met a man in the trade house that said Fargoth owed him money from a bet, but couldn't get Fargoth to pay him. Seems that whiney little wood elf was hiding they money someplace. I agreed to help. I went to the top of the lighthouse and waited until dark. I saw Fargoth sneak to his hiding place and put more money in it. After he left, I went back down the stairs and went to that hiding place, found the money and brought it to the nice man in the trade house. He was very happy with me, and split the reward with me. How nice!!I found that the tax collector of Seyda Neen was missing. Not my problem, I suppose. I stopped at the tradehouse and purchased a short sword, an iron shield, and a chest plate. In prison, I had access to many books that told about some of the wildlife here, and some of them didn't sound too nice. I went exploring just west of Seyda Neen, and after killing a few rats, came across the body of the missing tax collector. He had the tax records on him, as well as a good deal of gold, so robbery wasn't the reason for his death. It certainly didn't look like an animal had killed him. I took this information back to a guard in the village, and he told me to see the census man again.

 

So, how to get to Balmora? I could have walked, but I wasn't too keen on that idea, considering all the rats and things I had found just west of the village. I saw a stilt-strider just outside the village. I figured it would be safer to ride that, instead.

The creature was a huge insect, 3 stories tall. It didn't smell very nice, but it would be safer to ride to Balmora, since I wasn't very familiar with the area yet. I paid the driver a few pieces of gold and got into the creature's back. I'm sure it's a smell I will have to get used to. The creature lurched from side to side, the same way a boat does in a rolling sea, and lulled me into a much needed nap.

 

I woke up two hours later and got off at the Balmora platform. The driver pointed the strider back to Seyda Neen, and the strider that normally waits at Balmora was put back into place for the next passenger to use. I asked the driver of that strider where I could find the South Wall Corner Club. He gruffly pointed to the south, said to cross the river, and it'll be the last door in the second row of buildings.

 

It was just a short stroll across the river. Apparently Balmora is a fairly large town.

 

I finally found the South Wall Corner Club and went inside. I had to ask a few people where I could find Caius Cosades, and they all told me to ask the owner, who was "around here somewhere". I finally found the owner up on the second floor. He knew Caius, and told me where to find him, up on the third row of buildings, last building on the right.

 

I finally found Caius Cosades, in a little bed-and-breakfast that he rents. His room was shabby, unkempt, and had a smell of skooma around it. I had heard of skooma, an illegal narcotic.He looked at me with bloodshot eyes and asked why I was bothering him.I gave him my package, and he rolled his eyes, sighed, opened this most important package, and read it for a few minutes.

After a few minutes, he finally announced that my release was indeed at the direct order of the Emperor himself, and that I was to become a member of "The Blades", a spy organization that answers directly to the Emperor. Well, that was unusual - I had no training in spying; I had been in prison for 50 years for no reason at all!! Caius said I should report directly to him, and asked me if I was ready to accept my orders.

Here, I thought I was finally free to live out the last years of my life in peace, and now I had to become a spy. I thought about it for a moment, while Caius stood there with his bloodshot eyes glaring at me, then I finally agreed to accept my "orders".

Caius sighed again, and went to a small box on his dresser, opened it, and took out 200 gold pieces, handed it to me, and said to go get myself some weapons, armor, and some experience. He said to join a guild, like the Fighter's Guild or Mage's Guild. This way, he wouldn't have to worry about me when he sent me out on some errend and come back dead. He also gave me the names of some of the Blades trainers that would help me learn how to defend myself. Finding some of them might prove a challenge, since at least one of them was based out in the West Gash region, and he wasn't sure of the exact location. I liked the idea of joining the Mage's Guild, since that seemed to be a favorite talent of mine. Perhaps there would be someone there that could give me a few pointers in alchemy.

 

I trotted over to the Fighter's Guild and joined up, then next door to the Mage's Guild, then told both of them that I'd be back later for orders/assignments. I went back to Caius and asked about a place to stay. He said I could stay there as long as I didn't mess with his things (that were laying all over the floor), but there was a small cottage he had set up for his agents in Caldera, a small town just to the north. I was happy to learn that the Mage's Guild could teleport me there directly, so I wouldn't have to walk there.

 

I went back to the Mage's Guild, spoke to the nice young lady downstairs, and with a few pieces of gold crossing her palms, was instantly teleported to Caldera. I found that Caldera is near an ebony mine, and people there were just as (un)friendly there as they have been everywhere else. I left the Mage's Guild and found the cottage right were Caius said it would be: directly behind the Mage's Guild.

It was small in size, but more than enough space for me to sort things in, and right next to helpful merchants in Caldera. There was more than enough space downstairs to practice with my sword, and even a bench where I could put alchemy equipment (when I found some).

 

Well, I "found" some alchemy equipment in the upstairs tower of the Mage's Guild. I'm sure they won't miss it.

I decided to practice with a bound battleaxe on the practice dummy in the downstairs part of the house. I needed a lot of practice. Wasn't exactly sure how to practice with the alchemy equipment, but that would come later.

 

THE ASSASSIN

Just two nights here, and I awake to find an assassin stumble over the shoes I had left on the floor. Good thing I'm not very neat. I still had my sword with me, and managed to put him down before he managed to kill me!

I had no idea why anyone would want to kill me. I wondered if it had anything to do with my duties as a spy for the Emperor.I reported the crime to a guard. He said that by the look of the armor I took off of the assassin, it looks like the "Dark Brotherhood" was after me.

 

The guard suggested I speak with Apelles Matius in Ebonhart. There was no "fast" way to get to Ebonhart from Caldera, so I had the Mage's Guild stewart teleport me to Balmora. From there, the stilt strider took me to the landing just outside of the city of Vivic, then, a boat to Ebonhart.

 

Ebonhart is the seat of power here, the home of the Duke, the "official" representative of the Emperor.

 

The castle is impressive. Just the number of guards I had to pass by gave me an idea of how important this place must be.

I found Apelles Matius inspecting the grounds at the castle. When I told him of my situation, he said I was obviously in danger, and should probably go to Mournhold to speak with someone about it. Mournhold was many days away, first by boat, and then by foot. He suggested that I speak with a mage in the castle, and she would be able to teleport me to Mournhold in a second. Well, that would be a lot faster than walking!

 

I spoke to the nice lady in the castle. She really tried to convince me that going to Mournhold was a dangerous thing for me, considering the Dark Brotherhood and all, but I insisted that I be transported there anyway.

 

I found myself in the castle reception area of Mournhold. I was greeted by a friendly Argonian mage. I was about to ask him about the area when a royal guard came over, and seeing the Dark Brotherhood armor gloves I was wearing, glared at me.

 

"What do you want?" he asked, in a very gruff, unfriendly voice. I told him about the attempt on my life, and that I was here to try and investigate who was trying to kill me. The guard drew closer to me, in a menacing way. He said "You're pretty new, aren't you?" I looked him right in the helmet, since I couldn't see his eyes. He grabbed my robe, and continued: "You know that I, alone, could tear you apart in a heartbeat, right? If just one Royal Guard could do you in, what do you think is going to happen when you encounter a group of 4 or 5 of the Dark Brotherhood?" I began to fully appreciate the fact that he was, in his own way, telling me to back off for my own safety, that if just one of the Dark Brotherhood were deadly, a group of them would be impossible for me to defeat. Obviously, there were groups of them here in Mournhold. I could see where he was going with this, and thanked him for his "concern". I asked the Argonian to teleport me back to Ebonhart, and by late that evening, I was back in Caldera. Obviously, I would have to investigate this Dark Brotherhood situation in more detail, but not until I was actually able to do so without getting killed.

I spent the evening working on my sword skills until I fell on the floor, exhausted. I can see I'm going to have to get more practice dummies.

 

 

 

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