Once again you've got my head spinning, mALX. Ormelius Goldwine? Rumpleteasza? Maxical as the spawn of nobility? The albino is not a curse? I . . . :nuke: :shocking: :blink: :drool:

*Please excuse Destri for not completing his comment. He has retired to a corner and adopted the fetal position.*

The "anus" part had me in stictches, I could relly imagine her babbling trying to form the word Janus but only succeed 80% :rofl:

Sorry that I haven't been around but I'm having trouble loading the new forum. Often will crash when I open the artwork/fanfic part..

My goodness, Maxical has something in common with Martin Septim, bastard nobility. Does Rumple know you stole her picture - - very interesting twists and turns.

@ Arcry - Thank you Arcry! I am glad you caught these, and SO glad you got your game back to play !!!
***
@ Destri Melarg - Wait - the Albino is still a curse, it is just that her mother didn't curse her birth - ROFL !!!!! Now did everyone see the resemblance in the pics of Rumple and Maxical? There is no denying they are related! Lol. Thank you so much Destri, You ROCK !!! - and I saw the sword joke you wrote earlier - gaaah !!! ROFL !!
***
@ RemkoNL - Thank you so much Remko, I appreciate you a lot!!! I had to throw that in, and everyone can blame FOXY for it too !! (he started it)
***
@ Leydenne - Thank you very much Leydenne! Yes, she is still a jinx, clumsy, etc. - but her name was not a pronouncement against her, and she comes from a good neighborhood! Till Dagon shows up...ROFL !!! You ROCK Leydenne !!!

Chapter 91: Vampires, Witches, And ?


Lord Kagrenac looked around furtively. "Fyr, we need to go check on Vardengroet and make sure he is all right. We need to get some Canis root for protection." He said in quiet tones.

"Why? I thought he wore the ring?" Divayth asked, then added, "Why are you acting so?"

"Shh! Clavicus Vile has removed his ring and placed it on the child. Remember the blood?"

"You don't suspect Gyron, do you? He wouldn't!" Divayth defended his friend.

"Who else has been here? Unless she was attacked by one before she died, but the vampire said he killed the girl." Kagrenac whispered hoarsely.

"He is not the only one from that region that is here. The witch is from the same area, and she had more access to the blood." Divayth spoke in quieter tones now.

"That one, I don't like her or trust her. Janus seems to, is he dumb or blind?" Kagrenac spat on the floor of the room.

"From what I've learned, the child's mother's soul lived inside that witch since the witch arrived. The one Janus likes and trusts is the mother, he just doesn't know it yet. He will soon learn what she is like. I like the boy. He could stand to mature some, but all in all, he seems a nice lad." Divayth threw a towel down over the spit. "That was quite unnecessary Kagrenac."

"I don't dislike the lad. But look at what we know of him. Start with his maker, and end with him keeping company with that witch." He spat on the floor again. "Sorry Divayth. It happens every time I think about her. When she bragged about stealing the heart, and said we should thank her for Yagrum Bagarn being left behind. His family suffered without him, he was well liked by all! By the way, Divayth; I do want to thank you for caring for him all these years. I heard his illness was too far advanced to cure."

"Best not think about it then, if you must spit on Janus's floor each time. Janus only met the witch trying to save the child. He did not know her before then. I agree, she is not a pleasant character. But we have no proof she is one of them, how do we find out? I have seen a ring on her finger, but never saw its pattern, she wears it twisted in. And your welcome, of course." Divayth mused.

"Aye, I noticed that as well. Let us find Gyron. He may know a way to trap her into revealing it if she is." Kagrenac said, leaning over to spit again. Divayth stopped him, shoving an urn beneath him.

"And if she is not? Would we not be providing him a scapegoat? One that he could quickly then go and infect?" Divayth asked.

"I thought you were on his side? Did not believe him capable?" Kagrenac demanded.

"And you thought him guilty till I brought up the witch. We are both doing what we should be, which is looking at this from all angles." Divayth said calmly.



***

"Have you met the child yet?" Divayth asked.

"She is a character. Called me a Dwemer right off, said she saw a drawing of Dwemer in her texts at school. She thought she was dreaming me." Lord Kagrenac laughed.

"Me as well. Spoke right up and said she was dreaming of Divayth Fyr. Ah what a shame the suffering she will face for this, such a child she is."

"She may not have to, Clavicus had me enchant the ring and amulet so they cannot be removed." Kagrenac said, pushing his lower lip out and chewing it.

"I'm glad. That child has been through enough. She has charmed Clavicus, he laughs quite a bit when she is awake." Divayth smiled, then added, "what about that Arch Mage Traven? When the witch blamed him, Janus defended him to the hilt, and he has known him over fifty years. Traven hired the witch. He may have seen her do things, being in there where the blood and body were kept. He also may have some idea about the child's problems with her motor skills since her return. It'd be a shame for one as young as she to be paralyzed.."

"You may have a point, I heard the witch, she wanted Traven killed. Do we send Janus down to ask him?" Kagrenac spit in the urn.

"No. If Traven knows Janus is a vampire, he may have thought he was protecting the girl not to mention anything. So he could not easily now admit to anything now without facing?possible death. I suggest we go have a talk with him without Janus present."

"Why would he tell us anything? We are strangers to the man." Kagrenac raised his voice to a loud whisper.

"Traven is a scholar. He will know me at least. Maxical recognized you as Dwemer right away, and she learned in Traven's University. Let us do it while Janus is up with the girl."



***

Hannibal looked up to receive the second shock of his life. Before him stood a legend, and next to him an obvious Dwemer. "Master Divayth Fyr! It is an honor!" Was all he could croak out. This was a dream he had since childhood.

"Arch Mage Traven, I presume? I would like to introduce you to Lord Kagrenac. We are here on behalf of the child we helped bring back to life on the 30th Evening Star. There have been some major complications to the child's health, and we respectfully request you join us in exploring the issues, more or less a medical conference. Would you be willing to give us your cooperation? We understand your reservations about certain aspects of the ceremony, but neither myself or Lord Kagrenac did anything of an illegal nature. Our concern is merely the health of the child."

Arch Mage Traven was torn. A medical conference with Divayth Fyr and Lord Kagrenac, or refuse to talk merely because others, (of which they had no control), resorted to necromancy to revive Maxical. He himself was willing to lend legitimate assistance as a medical procedure?this was a chance of a lifetime.

"I am at your service Master Fyr, Lord Kagrenac. How may I help?"

"How much do you know about blood conflicts, especially as pertains to Immortal vampires?"

"I know there is only one conflict." Traven replied promptly, then thought about the implications of what he had said.

"This will go no further than the three of us, we just need to know how to help the child. What do you know about the blood that was stored in the bottles in this crypt?" Divayth asked, not taking his eyes from Traven's face.

"Who else's blood was stored in those bottles?" Lord Kagrenac asked, leaning in toward Hannibal.

"Melisande said she was protecting the child from Janus making her his slave. She did not use his blood, she only took her own from the crypt. There sit's the third bottle of his, and here are the other two she switched out. Marie!"

Marie ran and got the other two bottles of Janus's blood hidden under the straw in the cell.

"May we take these with us for testing?" Lord Kagrenac asked.

"Be my guest. I don't know much about the witch, other than she is of the Glenmoril coven from the Glenpoint foothills of High Rock. They are said to be experts on this subject. She was researching a cure for vampirism for me, and so I contacted her when this came up. I have never been privy to her methods, or her?background other than what I have given you. You said there were other concerns as well?" Traven handed the bottles through the bars.

"Well, as she is staying in the castle and plans to care for the girl, I have concerns!" Lord Kagrenac fumed.

"We can deal with that without Traven's help, Kagrenac. Traven, Maxical is a lively child, that is obvious. But her motor function and limbs have not been working right since she has been back. Her speech was quite garbled at first, but is doing much better now. Her eyes don't open well, nor tear. Her hand movements are very uncoordinated, she can barely raise her arms and can't move her legs at all. She gets frustrated because she can't move at will."

"You say her speech was garbled? For how long?" Medicine was Hannibal's greatest interest in life, and he instantly began scanning his mind for what these symptoms could mean.

"Days. Then suddenly she was talking normally. She tires rapidly after saying only a few sentences, though. It also concerned us that she had extended seizure activity directly after the ceremony."

"There could be some residual damage to her brain, of course. It is important that she continue getting a thorough healing several times a day, and that she be given that paste I made for her to eat. Regarding her limbs, I believe in physical therapy after a trauma to the body. It is a series of stretches then encouraging her to use pressure against your hand to build her muscles back up; squeezing an orange for the hands; massages for the arms, legs, back. I have a whole program I would institute on her."

"You made that paste? Wonderful stuff Traven! I'd like to talk to you some more on that. It was given me when I donated my blood to the girl." Divayth looked at Lord Kagrenac. "Can you enchant some shackles? I would like him to assist with this. Is this young girl your assistant?"

"Er, in training. I have been teaching her a lot, but we only met in this cell." Hannibal didn't want to leave Marie behind by herself in the cell.

"We will be back, we need to discuss this with Janus, of course." Divayth said, reaching through to shake Traven's hand.



***

"What do we do now?" Lord Kagrenac asked as they left the crypt.

"First we test this blood in that vat. If it brings a reaction we will know Traven spoke the truth.

Carefully dripping one drop from each bottle into the vat proved the blood was Janus's.

"But why would the witch have switched the blood for her own, knowing there would be a conflict? I still wish to talk to Gyron." Lord Kagrenac spat on the ground.

"She didn't plan to use any of Janus's blood, only her own. Remember that night Gyron said that he told her the blood wasn't enough and she tried to use her own. Janus gave her a look like he was shocked she even thought that and insisted on his own. Gyron said she acted mad, but did put his blood in the girl. She didn't think there would be a conflict because she planned to only use hers and mine." Divayth mused aloud.

"Here is proof if you want it. Gyron went right into the sickroom, which proves he didn't know. But have you noticed that witch will not go into the sickroom? She knows, and is afraid the girl will call to her if she comes in the room. That proves Gyron is innocent." Lord Kagrenac emphasized his words with a spit on the ground.

"I wish you could discuss this without the constant spitting." Divayth said, clapping him on the back. "How do we handle this, though. That is the question. Do we warn Janus?"

"We may not have to, I sealed that ring and necklace on."

"She is a young girl. Anything could happen. Someone removing both those enchantments at once, it is a death sentence hanging over that girls head."

"Not necessarily. It devoured only Janus's blood. She would still have yours, which is immortal. And that witches. Okay, I won't spit!"

"The cure lies in the Iliac Bay, unless that witch has a scroll from Hircine. They are all given one. She obviously hasn't used hers. But how to get it from her."

"She wouldn't carry it on her. Find out her directions and I will search her home while she is here."

"That may not be a bad idea. I wonder what her motive could possibly have been to do this though? Maybe we should speak to Clavicus Vile."

"We have to! He thinks Gyron did this to the girl!"

***

I think I need to go sit down with Acadian. My head is spinning.

So, it's not Vardengroet, but Melisande after all? My original hunch was right?

Hmm, I'm going to have to reread the last few chapters to figure it all out!

So, things are closing in, maybe, on Melisande. How fun is this?!? Nicely done, mALX.

As odd as it sounds, I quite like little mundane things that wind throughout a story. I remember a scene in a campaign tent by Destri where a poor little sweet roll got picked up, set down, studied, sniffed and almost developed a personaltiy, lol. Here is was the spitting - I love how you wove that little thing through most of the story. Ok, wierd I know. :wacko:

Caught up at last, thanks to the Download feature. If I highlighted everything that I loved about these latest chapters, we would be here for weeks!

Everything we have come to expect was here- High Opera ("It's ALIVE! It's ALIVE!'), the sadness of Shivani finally meeting her kit, the wonderful mALX humor we all love, plus the use of some of the most fascinating characters in all of TES Lore.

The Rumpleteasza connection seems to have been a hit- anything that can surprise D.Foxy is worthy of praise...

And (I just have to say it)- consider in your head the tune to The Beach Boys' Montego and sing a certain vampire's new theme song:

"Vampiric, predaceous, gigantic, ancient 'Anus"

I have this image of the movie Young Frankenstein in which Melisande is Frau Blucher and Kagrenac is a horse (spit!) :lmao:

I have another image of Kagrenac spitting into an urn while he massages Maxical's feet. Next to him, Divayth Fyr assists with peanut butter stuck to the roof of his mouth! :rofl:

Thankfully it is only water that I just spewed all over my monitor!

@ Hauteecole Rider - Lol, I told you that you were correct, but these new spoilers don't show up as well, you may have missed it. Never doubt that quick mind of yours! Lol - Thanks Hauty!!!
***
@ Acadian - I couldn't stop once I got started, lol. He was so mad that she bragged about stealing Yagrum Bagarn's piece of the heart and said they should thank her for it - I had to think of a way to show it was still rankling on him, and the spitting just seemed fitting. I appreciate you Acadian, Thank You very much !!!!
***
@ Treydog - ARGH! That song has been spinning in my head for two days now! ROFL !!! Thank you so much Treydog, for everything you did - I needed to make an announcement on Rumple's cameo and the famous "Mrs. Treydog" portrait - but if I announced it at the top of the story it would have killed the surprise! I was supposed to put it on top of the last chapter and forgot! The editor on this [censored] site doesn't let me go back in and edit once it posts or I have to re-do everything, so I will announce it at the top of the next post for a retroactive tribute, lol. I just couldn't stand the thought of losing that surprise value. You ROCK Treydog and Mrs. Treydog, and thank you so much again, for your hard work and for reading and liking Maxical!
***
@ Destri Melarg - ...must...obey...binary...code...must - ARGH! What happened to Destri Melarg's image? Is this what the new forum layout has done to him? He has turned into a mass of binary codes?
must...save...Destri...Melarg... - ROFL - I actually didn't think of Frau Blucher at the time I did that, but as soon as you mentioned it I visualized that horse rearing up and whinnying!!! Lol !!! Thank you so much Destri!!!!
***
@ EVERYONE - I could not mention it at the top of the page or it would have ruined the surprise totally, but I will post it here and at the top of the next chapter:

RE: Chapter 90:

There was a special guest cameo of Rumpleteasza as herself, playing Rumpleteasza Goldwine, Maxical's half sister. (and the legitimate heir)

There was a special mention of Mrs. Treydog (the Artist) and you can see Mrs. Treydog and Treydog's hard work on Rumpleteasza's portrait. That took a lot of effort and time on their part and I hope everyone will give them the kudos they deserve for all their help - they are AWESOME contributors to this story!

I agree that my dear Rumple has legitimate hair....well, THAT shade is legitimate.

Everything about her is legitimate, lol. Aw Foxy, you are missing my new pirate story

RE: Chapter 90: This should have been posted at the top of the last chapter, I forgot it and was not able to add it in later due to the new forum not allowing edits of fanfics after posting.

There was a special guest cameo of Rumpleteasza as herself, playing Rumpleteasza Goldwine, Maxical's half sister. (and the legitimate heir)

There was a special mention of Mrs. Treydog (the Artist) and you can see Mrs. Treydog and Treydog's hard work on Rumpleteasza's portrait. That took a lot of effort and time on their part and I hope everyone will give them the kudos they deserve for all their help - they are AWESOME contributors to this story!






Chapter 92: Who Made Janus Hassildor


"What were your plans for Traven when this was over?" Lord Kagrenac loomed his tall, muscular build over Janus, glaring.

"I always planned to wipe their memories. I was going to place the thought in their mind that they came here for Rona; met and fell in love, and stayed on after she died. I never planned to kill them, if that is what you think. Traven was a friend for years, I was just desperate when I kidnapped them."

"Why are you still holding them?"

"He and Marie cannot be allowed to leave without me wiping their memories, there has not been time since the ceremony?and I wasn't sure that Traven may not still be of assistance. Something isn't right with Maxical."

"Why keep the girl still then?" Lord Kagrenac asked.

"For Traven. She certainly keeps him happily occupied. There would be too many complications if we tried to do it before this is all over. I want any help I can get for Maxical, though. I have a locking suite in the private quarters they could share, but they must be shackled so they can't use Magicka or escape. It would certainly be more comfortable, and I would feel better about continuing the incarceration if they were made comfortable. I haven't done it before because I don't know how to enchant shackles."

"What complications?" Divayth asked.

"Traven may not be comfortable with Clavicus Vile's presence, being a Daedric Lord. He knows my nature and would actively pursue actions against my having a relationship with Maxical. He knows her parents and is close to her guardian. She was one of his pupils."

"A star pupil?" Divayth asked.

Janus barked a laugh. "No. She excelled in mischief mostly. She nearly destroyed the University during her five years there, creating havoc and damage almost daily. For some reason he loved her anyway?after she was no longer a student there, of course."

"I picture that." Lord Kagrenac grinned.

"How would you advise me to act on this?" Janus asked Divayth.

"Traven is the closest thing to an expert in exactly what Maxical's problems are that we will find. We need his help. I say we enchant the shackles and move them up here."

"What about that witch? Why is she still here? I say she should go!" Lord Kagrenac asserted.

"I can't wipe her memory, I tried. She has some barricade against my spells. And she knew I tried to do it. She looked right at me and said, 'You can't wipe my mind like you planned.' I don't want to push her out before she is ready to leave while I still hold prisoners here, she could bring the watch down on this whole thing. So far she has expressed no desire to leave, although I have paid her well for her services." Janus scowled.

He had noticed some differences in Melisande lately. Spending so much time with Shivani in the sickroom, Janus was starting to realize the different parts of Melisande that had actually been Shivani in her. It was especially noticeable in the absence of these traits in Melisande now. She seemed cold, harsh. Lately Janus had suspicions that she was devious as well. There was nothing that he could put his finger on, though. The incident over the blood at the vat, well maybe she just wasn't thinking. The statement over killing Traven had not set well with him at all. When Shivani was inside her she had said she always assumed he would kill them, but never said he should do it.

Yes, Melisande was very different now, and he wasn't sure he liked her anymore. The closeness they had before?he was finding it with Shivani now, in spite of the fact he had killed her daughter. She didn't understand or forgive him for it, that was obvious. But they were working through it between them in taking care of Maxical. Meanwhile Melisande was becoming more distant. With everything else going on, it was impossible to remember every conversation and anolyze it to see if it was Shivani or Melisande. But when things settled down, that is exactly what he needed to do.


***

"These are a lot of complications at a time when we don't need any. I think it would be best to enchant his shackles and wipe his mind right before we send him on his way. I have paid Melisande, she is free to go, but I won't throw her out." Janus said, his head reeling from the complications arising already.

"Agreed!" Divayth said quickly.

"Agreed." Grumbled Lord Kagrenac. "But I still don't understand why the witch stays. Why didn't she leave when she was paid? What is her motivation for staying? She has not been in that sickroom one time to help with the child."

"She hasn't been in the sickroom to help Maxical?" Janus asked stunned. "She told me she had been going up there when I am not in there; and that she has been caring for Barbas while I am busy. She said she is needed to help with Maxical when everyone else is gone. I told her she was welcome to stay as long as she liked."

A vision of the day Maxical was resurrected flashed into Janus's mind, Melisande pressed against the door with an odd look on her face while they all healed Maxical, all but Melisande. What was going on? His eyebrows snapped down into a suspicious scowl.

"My boy, Kagrenac tells the truth. She has not been in there." Divayth said.

"I'll tell you what her motives are, being the next Countess." Lord Kagrenac leaned over to spit and then caught the signal from Divayth. "Uh, Janus, do you have a spittoon?"

Janus grabbed a stein and handed it to him. "The next Countess! You mean she wants me? Oh, you must be mistaken. She has always treated me like a child?wait, that was Shivani. But she knows all this was done for Maxical, why would she think my affections would transfer after all this trouble?"

"Maybe it isn't your affections she requires, but the position." Kagrenac leaned over, then remembered. He grabbed up the stein and spat in it.

Divayth looked troubled. "Kagrenac may be right Janus. And if he is, I'm not sure letting her care for Maxical would be the smart thing to do. She could poison her mind, or just poison her. It would definitely explain some things about her motivations." He caught Lord Kagrenac's eye.

Lord Kagrenac leapt to his feet. "You're damn right it explains things. Why didn't I see that before?"

Janus felt that they were talking about something he knew nothing about. "Why would she help me save her if she wanted me? Wouldn't it be easier to just say she couldn't? Well, I guess she did get paid very well for that."

"Paid well, and her plan may have developed as she came to know you. Don't take me wrong in this lad, I like you well enough. But you are quite easily influenced." Lord Kagrenac said.

Divayth shot him a look. "I wouldn't go so far as to say that. Janus has been isolated and is inexperienced. He got the vampirism in his late teens, younger than Maxical is now. Other than Traven and the rest of us, his only human contact has been his staff for the last fifty years or more. You can't gain experience in the world with a castle full of people that are paid to do your bidding."

"Are you telling me this town elected a vampire as their Count?" Disbelief could clearly be heard in Lord Kagrenac's voice.

"No, I was nominated at just under eighteen. My father was influential in my getting nominated, and he arranged for my marriage to Rona later that year. But we had a falling out over the campaign manager I hired. We barely spoke after I was elected. Less than six months later I was attacked. I haven't left the castle since, till this happened."

"Obviously the campaign manager did a good job, you got the position. Why didn't your father come around then?" Kagrenac sounded interested.

"Because my father hated the man, and it didn't end there. I hired him on at the castle as my personal manager. He handled everything, right up to the attack. That was the last event he planned for me."

Both Divayth and Lord Kagrenac sat up staring at Janus.

"Go on, lad." Divayth said.

"Well, when I got back, I let go all the staff except the ones that I brought with me from my home. I bolted the castle gates and no one came or left. I didn't have any public days or functions after that."

"And what about your personal manager? Was he sent off with the others?" Lord Kagrenac asked.

"Of course. He had only been with me about six months at the castle, and my campaign of course. I had barely known him a year."

"Do you remember his name?" Lord Kagrenac was looking intensely at Janus now.

"Malan. I don't remember if that was his first name or last, but it was what he went by."

Lord Kagrenac looked over at Divayth and then leaned back, blowing out his breath noisily.

"What did your father have against this Malan?" Divayth asked quietly.

"What didn't he have against him. He ranted about the man, said he was evil, the spawn of evil. The man was a perfect gentleman, and did an amazing job of getting me into this position. As my personal manager he was on top of everything, I barely had to lift a finger except to sign and seal documents."

"You should always listen to your father, lad." Lord Kagrenac said.

"I don't understand. What could Malan have had to do with what happened to me? It was our one year anniversary of marriage. A romantic picnic with my wife in a beautiful setting. He could not have known about the vampire nest there; and to what would it have availed him if he did?"

"Power, position, the ability to enact laws, laws that protect him and his kind. A young influential Count he could manipulate and be the puppet master of. The man thinks to build a race of men that will take over all Tamriel one day. How you tricked him by throwing him out and sealing those gates." Lord Kagrenac spat into his stein.

Janus went sheet white, and wished he had his cowl to hide the horror he was sure was written across his face. "What?what are you saying? That Malan?"

"Malan made you Janus. He set you up for that attack, and he made you while the rest of his clan made Rona. Divayth and I have known that since that day at Gyron's, or strongly suspected it. His name is Dagoth-Malan. Dagoth. Have you never heard of Dagoth-Ur?"

Oh wow! I thought it might've been Dagoth Ur who did it. Poor Janus He must feel so betrayed

So now Melisande is not as sweet as she used to be? Two-faced in more ways than one!

And Janus is such a gullible lad (even fifty years later)!

Dagoth Ur - Just who is he? I've seen/heard references to him but I keep losing track of who he really is (or what he is). Please refresh my memory so Dagoth Malan makes sense to me!

@ Jacki Dice - Yes, and to lose the relationship with his father defending the man too. Thank You so much Jacki!
***
@ Hauteecole Rider - Thank you so much Hauty! Ok, in Morrowind, Dagoth-Ur is the head of the 6th House. There is a discrepancy about whether he was evil originally, because Nerevar was his best friend and trusted him, leaving him to guard the three implements that would destroy Lorkhan's heart. It is assumed that a close relationship between Dagoth-Ur and the heart developed during the time he was on the mountain guarding the tools, because he is supposed to have turned evil from greed for power after that. Anyway, he takes the heart and builds a giant metal robot powered by the heart and has ash vampires and ascended sleepers guarding the 6th house by the time the player becomes the Nerevarine; and when the player comes he is polite, but has to kill you - so you therefore have to kill him. He is immortal due to the heart, which means you have to kill the heart. Azura tells you to kill him, and then removes the title of Nerevarine from you.

My apologies for any spelling errors in Lore names, lol - I woke up sick as a dog this morning, and don't feel good enough to look it up.

Janus's gullibility: I don't think he has had much opportunity for personal growth locked away in his suite and surrounded by servants. When you meet him in game he seems stuck in the past a lot; it made sense so I kept that part of him intact (till he meets Maxical, who changes a lot of things about his life).

Nicely done, mALX. I'm wondering what will happen with Melisande now. So many questions. . .

But....was Dagoth Ur a Vampire??? I thought he was just a Daedra ...

@ Acadian - Thank you so much! Er, what questions? ROFL !!! Since you didn't PM me with them I assume you are kidding, lol. Thank you again Acadian!
***
@ FOXY - It is Dagoth-Malan, he is just related to Dagoth-Ur - I heard you were known as: Mr. Dee, the connected dude - ROFL !!!! Thank you so much Foxy !!!!! You ROCK !!!

Ah, I have mixed up my Dagoths with my fagg...


never mind.


As for connections, I am connected. Why, many times I connect my -

(sees Mummy Summer bearing down with a :stare: )

Never mind...again...

:whistling:

fixed fer ya, boss


^{The writing is great!!! I am but a mere toad in your presence m'lady.}
;)

ROFL !!!!! Has "Dee" put you to work posting whistles for him? Thank you so much Andy, I appreciate you a lot! I know this story isn't just in your style, but I have a pirate story I am doing - now that one might be more to your taste, and it is only 4 chapters so far. If you ever get a chance to see it, it is over at chorrol.com. You don't have to join over there to read it, and you can PM me here if you want to tell me you like it or that it :whistling: , lol.

Poor Janus! I bet he was thinking that he should have stayed in bed the minute he detected Maxical's scent outside of Skingrad that day. With everything that he has been through since, now to discover that his maker was an Ascended Sleeper (nice to see that you could find a use for Dagoth Malan, even if the devs couldn't). :wink_smile:

I think it is a testament to Kagrenac's strength of character that, even though he is a dwarf, he is still able to 'loom' over people. :unsure:

To pick up on what mALX is saying:

Voryn Dagoth was the head of the Sixth Great House of Morrowind (the other five being Hlaalu, Redoran, Telvanni, Indoril, and Dres). Back in the First Era the place that we know today as Morrowind was called Resdayn, and the people that we know as Dunmer were a gold-skinned race called the Chimer who resembled their cousins the Altmer. The Chimer shared Resdayn with the Dwemer (the Dwarves) and over the centuries they fought war after war to establish which race would be dominant in the region.

According to all the creation myths after Lorkhan tricked the gods into the creation of the mortal plane the gods punished him by stealing his heart and flinging it into the Inner Sea. It landed in the middle of Vvardenfell and formed a volcanoe that we have come to know as Red Mountain. There the Heart remained for millenia before it was discovered by the Dwarves. The dwarves turned the Heart over to their chief Tonal Architect and magecrafter, Lord Kagrenac, who began to experiment with the Heart as a power source to fuel the Brass God that he had created, Numidium. Voryn Dagoth discovered what the Dwarves were doing under Red Mountain and warned his King, the often mis-identified Nerevar, King of the Chimer and head of House Indoril.

War followed, during which time Kagrenac tried to tap the power of the Heart. In so doing he caused every Dwarf on Nirn (save Yagrum Bagarn) to suddenly disappear, in much the same way that the Isle of Artaeum disappeared at the beginning of the Second Era. The only difference being that the Isle of Artaeum eventually returned. Thanks to mALX we now know what happened to the Dwarves. After that things go pretty much as mALX described.

Everybody clear on that? :blink:

I read that the term dwarf was used in reference to "Dwarven" and was not referring to their size as it is used in the modern world. According to Lore they were actually about the same size as a Dunmer is in todays games. I pictured a bronze colored man about the size of Fathis Aren; a long thick curly black beard, thick curly black hair, and eyes with an almost oriental slant to them - brown eyes maybe. I thought I posted a pic of them somewhere, did I forget to? ARGH !! I'll have to drum them back up and post them! Lol.

Thank you so much Destri, especially for that history on Dagoth-Ur (Voryn Dagoth) - much better than my puny attempt to explain it, lol.

Below is the pictures (and cuttings from the two Lore documents I used) to determine how I would image Lord Kagrenac in my mind to write his parts. Whenever I write parts for anyone in my story, I look at a picture of them and make sure I can imagine them doing whatever it is. It makes them kind of come alive in my mind.




http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/oblivion/images/c/c4/Dwemerstatue.jpg


http://www.uesp.net/w/images/images.new/thumb/4/43/MW-art-Dwemer-Concept.jpg/466px-MW-art-Dwemer-Concept.jpg



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From "Mystery of the Dwemer"

It should also be noted that the term Dwarf is highly inaccurate, since all indications point to them being of comparable size to other elves.


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From "The Definitive Guide to Dwemer"


The Dwemer of Tamriel, also known as the Dwarves, were a reclusive Elven Clan who lived in Morrowind during the first era. Although they had long bushy beards, they were not short, stubby, Tolkein Dwarves.

Above is a sketch of two unknown Dwemer. Notice the beards, as well as the body shape. Dwemer were approximately the same height as humans and other elves. Pictured below and to the sides are statues found in the ruins at Vvardenfell and Stros'Mkai respectively.

The most referenced possibility is that "Dwarf" is simply mistranslation of Dwemer, and that it's proper use is in the "Deep Folk" sense, but that Dwe was mistranslated by humans into "Short". Thus "Short Folk", or Dwarves.

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