DISCLAIMER -

I am not, by profession or hobby, a writer. At least it wasn't a hobby until now. I have no formal education in writing. Therefore, whatever grammar and spelling errors that get past spellcheck...well...hopefully it won't be too bad. I have not read any other fan fiction on this forum, except for the bare beginnings of a few to make sure I wasn't hitting too close to someone's mark before beginning. Any similarity to another piece of fan fiction is purely coincidental.

Here is the Prologue. It is written in 3rd person. The rest of the story will be in 1st person.

The Talendor Chronicles

Prologue – Unknown Origin

“My head is killing me!” The words echoed in his head for a moment before he realized that he had spoken them aloud.

Where am I?
Who am I?
What in the world is going on?

He raised his head and looked around. The surroundings were dimly lit by a flame from a sconce on a damp stone wall. There were two more stone walls, one with a small window near the ceiling letting in precious little light. Chains hung from the ceiling with manacles attached to them. The wall opposite the one with the window in it had a large barred iron gate. The large lock was unmistakable. His clothing smelled and looked as if they had been discarded some time ago and recently rediscovered.

This can’t be good.

He tried to stand and failed on his first attempt, thudding back to the stone floor and sending pain through his hip while making the thunder in his head crash between his temples. He made a second attempt, slower this time, and succeeded by using one of the damp walls for support.

Why can’t I remember anything? I can think. I am lucid.

He touched each of his fingers to his thumbs.

My hands don’t look right. They are too small.

He wiggled his toes in the sackcloth sandals he was wearing.

Where did those shoes come from? My feet are also too small. Huh?

He flexed his arms but wasn’t ready to try squatting and standing back up. The pain in his head was receding to a dull throb, but he was still a little dizzy.

Why can’t I remember anything?

The dull throb behind his eyes sent his hands up to his head. He paused and then felt all around his head.

MY EARS ARE HUGE! WHAT IS GOING ON?

Still using the wall for support, he made his way toward the barred door of his…
Cell?
He took a moment to survey his surroundings a little more closely. This definitely looked like a jail cell. Barely large enough to walk around in, the room was filthy. Some straw and…
Are those bones?
There was a recessed area with a raised stone slab that looked as if it was meant for sleeping on, a burlap rag with straw beneath lay upon it. There was a small wooden stool and table on the opposite side of the room. The table had an earthenware cup and pitcher on it. The smell in this place was awful. A combination of waste odor mixed with the sickly sweet undertones of something dead and rotting. He tried hard to think, to recall…
By The Nine, what is my name? Who, where, and WHAT am I?
A puzzled look crossed his face…
“By The Nine”? What does THAT mean? What are “The Nine”?

He shook his head and regretted it immediately, closing his eyes as the dull throb increased to full pain again. He sat motionless until the pain subsided back to a throb. He opened his eyes and continued making his way toward the door. He could see another cell across the hall. There was someone sitting in it, looking back at him. The person stood up and walked toward the bars of his door. The person had dark skin and his eyes shone red in the dim fire light. There were pointed ears on either side of the person’s narrow head with pulled back hair. This person’s clothes looked every bit as tattered and filthy as the ones he was wearing. The person spoke.

“Hey. Wood elf.”
Wood elf?
“You’re a little far from the forest, huh? Looks like your days of woodland frolicking have come to an end. To go from the gladed realm of Valenwood to a rat infested hole like this. How very sad.”
Forest? Valenwood?
“Those walls must feel like they’re closing in on you. Pretty soon you’ll go mad, and the guards will cut your throat just to stop the ranting. That’s right. You’re going to die in here wood elf. Die!”

He slid down wall into a squat. Slowly shaking his head so as not to bring back the pain. He had to think. He had to get a handle on this.
Wood elf? Forest? Valenwood? DIE IN HERE? This isn’t real. It’s a dream.
He nodded his head backwards into the stone. The pain caused him to squint tightly and grab his head.
OUCH! There’s no way that’s not real…

The Talendor Chronicles

Chapter 1 – Out of the Cell

Okay…I have to get a handle on this. Just think for a minute.

I looked around the room where the guards and the man that called himself “The Emperor” had left me. They went through a gate and locked it behind them. I barely had a moment alone when I heard a scratching sound and suddenly stone blocks tumbled into the room. Just as suddenly, the biggest rats I have ever seen jumped through the new hole. Straight at me! By reflex alone, I swung my fist and stunned the first one as the second one jumped through. Swinging my fists and stomping, I fought them off until I finally felt a skull crack under the weight of my foot as I choked the life out of the other rat.

Panting, I looked at the dead vermin. They were huge! Easily three feet long and probably thirty pounds each. I looked at my wounds from the battle. Nothing serious, but they will need cleansing. I took a deep breath.

Get a grip. Use your head.

I quickly reviewed the events that had brought me here. I had awakened in a jail cell. Some dark skinned fellow with pointy ears had told me I was going to die in that cell. Then the guards came. There was an elderly man wearing a velvet and fur cloak accompanying them. He had told me that his name was Uriel Septim and that he was “my Emperor”, and that I was a citizen of Tamriel. I asked him why I was in jail and he told me that maybe the Gods had placed me there so that we may meet.

That was as good a story as any, because I have no clue how I got here.

A female guard stood near the bed when it sank into floor and the wall behind it slid away. One of the other guards muttered something about it being my lucky day, and they all started off down the tunnel that led from the cell. I just stood there for a second, and then I followed them. Anything was going to be an improvement over the cell. The tunnel walls were raw stone and after a short distance we passed through a hole into a basemant of some kind. Stone block made up the floors, walls, and arched ceilings. I remember thinking the masonry work was amazing.

Suddenly the guards ran off and I could hear fighting. As “The Emperor” and I rounded a corner, we saw the guards in combat with several figures clad in a dark shimmering armor. The din of clanging metal and yelling echoed loudly off the stone block walls of the chamber. One of the combatants was slain, and suddenly the figures shimmered out of focus as it fell to reveal a human dressed in a red robe. When it was over, three robed figures and the female guard lay motionless. “The Emperor” and I walked over to the guards. “The Emperor” asked about the female guard, a Captain Renault, and was informed of her death. The guards and “The Emperor” walked toward a metal gate. After telling me to stay here, they left.

Tamriel? Okay. Focus. Act. You can’t stay here. Get moving! Think and move!

I looked at the dead guard. She had weapons. There was no way that armor was going to fit me though. It was way too big.

Too big? What has happened to me?

I grabbed both swords. One was shorter, double-edged with a hardened steel blade. The other had a long, slightly curved blade, thin with a single edge. It was amazingly light. With a little coercion, I was able to tie a scabbard to each side of my pants. The guard also had a torch and flint, which I liberated from her as well. I moved to the robed bodies and searched them. Two of them had bottles with strange writing on them. The labels read “Heal” and “Sorcery”. I briefly considered trading my rank clothing for a cleaner, if not blood soaked, robe. But the guards had just killed these people. Wouldn’t one kill me if he saw me in a red robe?

How did I know what that writing meant? Because it is plain as day you idiot! But the characters look so strange.

I took off my shirt, tied the sleeves together, and placed the bottles in my make shift satchel. I glanced at the dead rats again as my stomach growled. The thought of eating the beasts repulsed me. Maybe just a little, I thought as my stomach performed a reprise. I used the short sword to slice off about a half pound of meat and tucked it the shirt-bag. I placed the torch between my legs, then pulled out the flint and rubbed it briskly over my wrist irons while holding them over the business end. It caught flame on the second pass.

That was too easy. What else?

I scanned the room once more and headed toward the hole in the wall. The moment I stepped through, a high pitched screech stopped me. There was another of these huge rats charging toward me. I quickly drew the katana and clove the rat in two as if I had been doing it all my life. It was too easy, like instinct or natural reflex. A couple more rats charged and I dispatched them with the same ease.

Where did I learn to do that?

As I moved through the tunnel, I came across chests, barrels, and crates. I would look inside each of them because, well, you never know. I found all sorts of things. Gold coins, tools, cloth, but no food. My stomach was really growling loud now. I was worried that it might be heard by rats…or worse. I sliced a chunk of the rat meat and skewered it on the end of the sword. I held it over the flame of the torch for about five minutes, turning it every so often. When I took it from the flame, I had to blow it out. This was going to be a greasy, nasty nightmare. I popped it in my mouth and chewed, swallowing as fast as I could. It could have tasted worse I suppose, but yuck!

I continued through the passageways, always checking the crates and such for useful goods. I came to a room that had a water well, the usual rats, and a corpse. After dealing with the rats, I went to the well. I was parched. The well had a bucket tethered to a wound up chain. The chain was completely rusted to the point of being an orange welded mass. So much for the water. I went over to the corpse. It was little more than a clad skeleton. Any gore from decomposition had turned to dust ages ago. I grabbed the leather cuirass and shook the bones and dust from it. This was going to be better than what I was wearing, and maybe I wouldn’t appear to be a prisoner to any guards I might encounter. Under the corpse laid a quiver with arrows. I picked it up and slung it over my shoulder. There had to be a bow. I looked around and there it was, next to a leather shield. When I picked the bow up, I held it out straight with my left arm. I drew a arrow from the quiver, nocked it, drew the bowstring to my check and let the arrow fly. It didn’t make it half way to the well. Frowning, I stood the bow on end and applied pressure to release the bowstring. I shortened it by a couple inches, replaced it, and repeated the same motions again. This time the arrow flew true and hit dead center of the bucket with a satisfying THUNK.

How on earth did I know how to do all that?

As I adjusted all of my newly found equipment, I felt or heard metallic sounds from a pocket on the cuirass. I reached in and found several lock picks. I have no idea how I knew what they were, but I knew as sure as I was breathing. There was a chest near the corpse. Looking closer, I noticed a lock pick sticking out of the lock. I knelt by the chest, lowering my head so I could hear the tumblers, and started working the pick. Back and forth, up and down, and…click! I opened the chest to find some gold coins and the biggest sapphire I had ever seen.

WHY DO I KNOW HOW TO DO ALL OF THIS?

I shuddered. This situation was beyond comprehension. I know things I have no reason to know. I can read things written in characters I have never seen. I am so small. Rats were easy, but what if something bigger comes along?

Keep moving.

I stood up and continued on my surreal journey. At the other end of the chamber was a door, and something lying near it. I crept forward until I could be sure it was dead. It was one of the ugliest things I had ever seen. It was humanoid, a little shorter than me if it was standing. Its face was frozen in a contorted snarl for eternity. It was a goblin, the part of me that knows what I’m not supposed to know told me instantly.

Keep moving.

I went to the door. Locked! The door was made of a heavy enough wood that I could hack it until the cows came home, or the guards showed up, and it would barely show a scratch. I turned and leaned my back against the door and pushed as hard as I could. Nothing. I was facing the goblin. It was clad in a loin cloth and leather vest. Something metallic glinted in the briast pocket. I moved closer and pulled the key from its pocket. Am I that lucky? I placed the key in its home and turned, grinning as the tumblers tumbled and the lock released. Fortune smiles on the foolish, I thought with a chuckle. Maybe the guard was right when he said it was my lucky day. But what was on the other side?

Rats. My frustration at encountering more of the over-sized vermin was uttered in what sounded like a foreigner belching with a mouth full of marbles. As I made this odd noise, my right arm came up and pointed at the charging rat. Instantly a ball of fire shot from my hand and hit the rat in the face. It flew backward about four feet, landing dead and cooked.

What did I say? I said “fire”. How? Keep moving.

I continued forward and rounded a corner to see three more rats. Two were charging at me and a third seemed occupied with something around the next corner. I made the strange noise again with the same rat roasting results. I grinned when I realized there would be no more torchlight cooking. These babies were ready to go. I started to chuckle again when a new sound came from around the corner. I looked up from picking up the second roasted morsel to see a rotting corpse walking toward me. I jumped up and retreated several steps. Will the fireball work on this thing too? I shot one at it. Not the same as roasting rats. It kept coming. Fear seized me. This was the first thing that had not died quickly at my hand. I didn’t know whether to draw sword, nock arrow, or keep trying to cook it. I decided on one more shot of the fire before I retreated further. I worked! The corpse was once again an inanimate one, albeit smoking now. A relieved grin sprang out on my face, although I was still shaking from fear.

What kind of place is this where rotting corpses come after you? Zombies. Keep moving.

Beyond the passage where the zombie met his fiery demise was another chamber. It came with the usual number of rats. I sincerely hope that the places where normal people live have cats as well, and that these vermin are down here hiding from them. But this room came with an unexpected treasure. Food! How fresh food made it here I have no clue, and I don’t care. There was cheese, lettuce, and a tomato that I ate right on the spot. I had tossed away the raw rat meat, replacing it with cut portions of the rats that I had fried. There was another skeleton here, but this one was clad with armor that was made from iron plates. The cuirass alone weighed thirty pounds if it weighed an ounce. The greaves fit without causing too much restriction to my mobility, although they were definitely over-sized. Better than getting my shins and thighs wounded further. The rat bites I had already sustained were tender and swelling.

The thought hit me like a boulder. I opened my shirt-bag and grabbed the bottle that said “Heal”. I hesitated for only a moment. I opened the bottle and upended the contents into my mouth. It tasted sweet, like blueberries and graqes with a hint of peaches. An indescribable feeling washed over me. It was health, as if you could grab or taste pure health. Tangible health soaked through every part of my body. I laughed out loud at the sensation, and then stifled it as quickly, listening to my laughter reverberating around the chamber and down the passageways.

Keep moving.

I was beginning to wonder if these passages would ever end. The tunnels had lost their stone block sides in favor of raw stone, hewn by hands ages ago. I reached yet another wooden door. When I passed through it, the atmosphere changed. There was a faint sound of wind passing through the passages. Stalactites and stalagmites were visible in the dim lighting. I relit the torch to get a better view. Having the torch lit made me nervous. Could zombies see? I proceeded forward for several yards and quickly doused the torch after I heard a guttural sound from around the next bend. As I crept forward and reached the bend, I saw another goblin. This one was quite alive. He was standing by a fire, rotating a rat on a spit over the flames. Slowly, I raised my bow and nocked an arrow. In an instant, the arrow struck the goblin between the shoulder blades. I am pretty sure it must have injured it, but I am positive it became angry. It let out a screech, turned and bolted straight for me. I had just enough time to nock another arrow and let it fly. The arrow hit the creature right between the eyes and sent it backward to land next to the fire.

Letting out an exhale of relief, I walked over to the creature. It looked like the other one. It had a make-shift helmet made from a ram’s skull with the horns intact. A rudimentary cuirass made of bones and a loin cloth. Its skin was greenish grey and rough in appearance. Any remorse at killing what was obviously a somewhat intelligent creature was lost in the memory that it had meant to kill me. I would have to remain cautious as I moved along because where there was one of these creatures, there would probably be more.

Looking around, I saw a wooden stool next to a crate. On the crate were a mortar and pestle, some mushrooms, and a green bottle. The bottle had something scratched into the surface, but I was unable to discern what it meant. I was very thirsty, so I uncorked it and sniffed the opening. I recoiled immediately. It smelled like I had opened a crypt where the coffins had been left open. Perhaps it was some kind of poison. Looking at the mortar and pestle, and then at the mushrooms, that inner knowledge that has been with me since I awoke in the cell led me to place the mushrooms in the pestle and crush them together with the mortar. Instantly, the fungi congealed into a gelatinous mass that quickly liquefied. It smelled the same as what was in the green bottle. Glancing around, I located another bottle and poured the contents of the pestle into it.

Okay, now I don’t care how I know all of this. I want to see the sky. There might be more goblins. Keep moving.

Progressing through the cave, it wasn’t long before I realized the truth of that thought. I entered a room that had a torch burning in it. While searching a chest, I noticed a couple apples on the ground near a smashed barrel. I moved over to retrieve them and heard goblins screech and start running up an inclined passageway. I spun to face them and ducked behind a pile of logs to avoid arrows that were whizzing past my head. The logs shifted as I leaned against them and started rolling down the passage. When the noise stopped and the dust cleared, there were two dead goblins intertwined with the jumbled logs at the bottom of the incline.

I hope this luck can last. Keep moving.

It was becoming increasingly difficult to lug all of the items I had found. This trek seemed to go on forever and fatigue was starting to weigh on me. I entered a large chamber that had several fires burning. There was a goblin not twelve feet away from me. I dropped the shirt-bag, and fired two arrows in rapid succession. Both hit home in the goblin’s chest. He let out a yelp just before the second arrow sent him tumbling away. I stood motionless to see if the yelp had alerted others. There was no noise to indicate that the goblin’s short warning had been heard. I crept forward and saw a second goblin on the other side of the chamber. I poured some of the poison that I had made onto an arrowhead and fired at the goblin from across the chamber. It barked, turned to run toward me, and fell dead after two steps.

I could see yet another goblin at the far end of the chamber. It was standing in the glow of light that was let in through a hole in the ceiling. I anointed another arrow with poison and dropped the goblin with a single shot. As I moved toward this latest victim, another goblin howled in the pit that made up the center of the chamber. It was up the side and upon me before I could react. I drew the katana while trying to dodge its attacks. The shear ferocity of the creature amazed me as much as its skill with the dagger it was using against me. A final thrust with the katana left it quivering on the blade. It slumped lifelessly to the ground as I withdrew the sword from its chest.

I was bleeding from several wounds. I raised my right hand and muttered another of those marble-mouthed words. That same feeling of swimming in tangible health washed over me, but not as strongly. I repeated the sound a couple more times. I examined my wounds after the third utterance and was amazed to see that they had closed and the bleeding had stopped. They were still tender to the touch, but healed.

I looked down into the pit that the goblin had climbed out of. There was a caged area with several rats in it. I have really grown to detest these things. I decided to use them for target practice and dispatched them all with one arrow each. Then I headed to the dead goblin that was lying in the swath of sky light. This one looked different than the others. Its clothing was more ornate. On the ground next to its body was a staff capped with the skull of a goblin. It seemed to give off power. Not visibly, nor audibly. When I picked it up, it felt like the wood it was made of. Nothing felt out of sorts, yet I still had the feeling of power emanating from it. I pointed it toward the far end of the chamber and spoke some more mush-mouthed gibberish. Lightning shot from the end of the staff and slammed into the far wall of the chamber with the sound of a thunderclap. I jumped and dropped the staff.

This is really crazy! Keep moving!

I picked up the staff again. The weight of everything I was carrying had become too great to manage, so I inventoried what I had and left some items I thought were less important behind. I reached the continuation of the passages and pressed forward, coming to yet another wooden door. What was I going to find beyond this one? Rats, goblins, and zombies were quite enough for me. I hoped that this might be the last door, and that I would see sunlight at the end of the tunnel. I hoped…

The Talendor Chronicles

Chapter 2 – Into the open

I can’t believe my eyes. Is that sunlight? Am I breathing cleaner air?

I opened the grated exit, surprised to find that it had no lock. Three steps later I was standing in open air. My lungs couldn’t inhale deeply enough. I just stood there, head craned toward the sky with my eyes closed and took in the fresh air. Lowering my head, I looked at the lake in front of me. The water looked almost black in the gloaming. But that didn’t stop me. I hastily dropped my belongings and dashed the last steps across the beach, diving headlong into the water. It felt sooooooo good! I submerged myself and svcked water into my mouth and swallowed. Instant relief. I was so thirsty that I wanted to drink down the entire lake, having drunk nothing but some potion since I awoke.

I walked back out of the water and looked around. The sun has almost completely set. There was an old dock jutting into the lake a few feet away. Across the water was a ruined building or buildings of some kind. The architecture was amazing. Large stone arches, some of which were still completely intact, glowed orange in the light of the sunset. I turned around and faced the grated entrance to that rat infested jumble of basemants, caves, tunnels, and sewers. I hope I don’t have to go underground again anytime soon…if ever. Behind the entrance, the land rose abruptly. From where I was standing, I couldn’t see far beyond the entrance because of the grade and trees. I decided to walk out on the dock for a better view in that direction. I reached the end of the dock, turned, and was afforded a view of even more trees up the side of the hill. I sat down on a crate at the end of the dock.

Think! What next?
Tamriel? Jauffre? Amulet? Emperor?

The words poured and repeated themselves through my mind.

Weynon Priory? Chorrol? Blades? I had pulled it off. They didn’t kill me. THINK!

After creeping through what had seemed like endless leagues of tunnels, I had encountered the elderly man and his guards again. They were still being harried by figures in shimmering dark armor. Only this time, I got svcked into the fighting as well. I held my own, even though it was a small share. The guards turned on me and had been ready to kill me. But Uriel Septim had stopped them. I can’t get used to the idea that I have an “Emperor”. He said something about the guards not seeing what he had seen or some such. He asked me questions about myself that I could not answer.

Who am I? Where am I? WHAT am I? Stop it. THINK!

We had made our way yet deeper into the basemants. Finally, after a couple more skirmishes with assassins, we reached a dead end. Glenroy, one of the guards, suspected that it was a trap. He was right. Once again, dark armored assailants were attacking us. Suddenly, the Emperor turned and spoke to me again. He had said that he could go no further. He gave me a necklace with an incredibly large red stone. He called it “The Amulet of Kings”. He told me to take it to someone named Jauffre. Apparently this Jauffre fellow was the only one that knew of his last living son. He had no sooner finished his speech with the phrase, “…close shut the jaws of oblivion”, when another dark armored figure came through a panel in the wall behind him. The assailant slit the old man’s throat in a blindingly quick flash of steel and blood. The attacker wheeled on me and I barely had time to draw and get my blade up to prevent a similar fate. I don’t know how I survived that battle. My movements were completely instinctual. I was acting before thinking about it. And a good thing too, since I am alive. When the fight was over, I dropped to my knees and quickly fumbled through my shirt/satchel for more of the healing potion. I was bleeding badly from several gashes in my arm and side. After draining two of the small rose colored bottles, I stood up to find Baurus standing over the slain ruler.

“We failed! I failed!” he said.

He went on for a minute about how The Blades had failed their Emperor while he searched the old man's body, and then he stood and grabbed me by the shoulders.

“The Amulet of Kings! Where is it? It wasn’t on The Emperor’s body!”

I told him about The Emperor giving it to me and telling me to take it to this Jauffre fellow. Baurus went on about the Emperor trusting me and seeing something in me. He gave me a key and directions out of the underworld I had been stuck in since awakening on the cell floor. He told me where to find Jauffre and to get the Amulet of Kings there as soon as possible. Unfortunately, he also relieved me of Captain Renault’s katana. But that’s okay. I pulled it off. I was alive. I was free. I thought sure I would end up back in the cell when I met up with the guards again. They never even asked me my name!

My name…THINK!

So there I sat, on a crate at the end of a dock and I couldn’t have been more lost. I was just thankful to be out of that hell hole.

Goblins? Zombies? The Nine?

I got up from the crate and walked back to the shore. Kneeling at the water’s edge, I looked at my reflection in the water. Perhaps I could get a clue to my identity by looking at my face. My skin had a slight yellowish hue, very slight. Long pointed ears framed either side of a face that appeared to be in its early thirties. Hazel eyes and an unassuming nose. Eyebrows slightly arched. I stood up and looked at myself closely for the first time. I couldn’t be more than about five feet tall. Everything looked proportionately correct.

At least THAT much looks normal, just too small.

What had the other prisoner said? “Wood elf”? I didn’t look like anyone I have met so far. The fact that the prisoner had called me one leads me to believe that a wood elf is recognizable as such, and perhaps not uncommon. Hopefully wood elves are in high regard amongst the other races. Except for that prisoner, everyone else looked completely normal. Not counting goblins and zombies, of course. The fact that I am so much smaller could be a hazard. It had almost cost me my life already. The memory of those battle wounds in the room where the old man was slain made me wince.

I inventoried what I had brought out of that stink hole. A few more bottles of that amazing healing potion. Some gems, gold coins, lock picks, a couple of hammers. My quiver was crammed full of iron arrows, almost to the breaking point. I was wearing a leather armor cuirass. What animal the leather is made from, I couldn’t tell you. But it is pretty tough. A pair of greaves covered with iron plates. The greaves are way too big and uncomfortable.

Better than the helmet…

I had found an iron helmet back in the passages. I tried to put it on, but my ears wouldn’t allow it. I have some rough leather boots. Wrist irons which look like they are going to be awfully hard to remove. An iron bow that’s a bit rusty and a double-edged steel short sword. A staff of some kind that will shoot lightning on command. All of this stuff was heavy, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to carry it over a long distance.

I am sooooooo tired…

I considered lying down on the dock and sleeping. Hearing a wolf howl in the distance squelched that idea in a hurry. It also motivated me as I realized that the sun had set while I sat there and mused. I gathered my belongings and started up the hill. When I reached a break in the trees I stopped and stared in awe at an amazingly tall tower. There were two other towers visible, but not nearly as tall. Massive stone walls surrounded these towers. The wolf howled again, closer this time. It appeared that there was an old and disused switchback pathway up the hill. My fatigue forced me to opt for the shallower slope of the old path rather than the steeper direct route. Another howl, closer yet. I drew my sword and kept a watchful eye. I did almost a complete about-face as the switchback rounded back on itself to continue up the hill. At that moment, a snarling mass of grey fur and gnashing teeth knocked me on my back, its momentum causing it to somersault past me. I sprang to my feet and spun on my heels, holding the sword in front of me. The wolf sprang again. Unfortunately for it, but very fortunate for me, it landed chest first on the point of my sword. With a loud yelp that seemed to be cut off in mid utterance, we tumbled backward. It all happened so fast. One second a flash of fur and teeth, the next I am lying next to a dead wolf, its tongue hanging out and my sword buried to the hilt in its chest.

This whole place is trying to kill me!

I collected my belongings and scrambled as fast as my tired legs would carry me up the rest of the hill. When the terrain leveled out, I found myself at the base of a massive stone masonry wall. It was curved. I decided to continue along the wall in the same direction I had been heading. Plodding forward, following the wall that kept curving to my right, I reached a bridge. Large cauldrons of flame lit the far end. The end I had approached led to a wooden gate with a sign that read “Imperial Prison District”, written in those same characters that I could not decipher, but knew the meaning of anyway. I knew that wasn’t where I wanted to go, so I set out across the bridge. It was massive and made entirely of stone. Six people could walk side by side and not bump elbows. When I reached the wooden gates at the other end of the bridge, there was another sign. The sign read “Market District”.

I paused for a moment. I had managed to make it this far on mostly pure luck. Going through this door could change all that. But what other options did I have? I needed a place of safety where I could slow down and consider all of the ramifications of my current dilemma. Inside these walls should be safer than out here, but who or what would I encounter on the other side? The better seemed to outweigh the worst, so I made the choice to enter the Market District.
When I passed through the gate, I was surprised to find the street empty. Fortune was still smiling on me. I didn’t want to have to try and explain who I was or what I was doing. I didn’t have those answers. As I continued into the district, I began notice people walking about. I saw one fellow that was a walking reptile! I didn’t tarry to gain more details, but walked quickly in the other direction. Another person, wearing a long skirt and blouse was walking toward me. Just as she was about to go by, she stopped and said, “Hi there”. That didn’t surprise me as much as the fact that her head looked like a cats head! Her voice was deep for a woman, almost a growl.

Cats and lizards?

“Hello” I said and continued walking. So far, so good. No one yelling for a guard or trying to stop me and press me for information. I saw a sign that said “Merchants Inn”. An inn…bed, food, safety. I bee lined for the door and entered the inn. The common room was filled with people. The sudden number of possible encounters gave me pause to continue inward. Some of the people were alone. Others were in groups of two or three. Some were eating at tables. Others were drinking at the bar. The aroma of cooked food and pipe smoke filled the air. The low toned conversations were comingled in a steady murmur, with an occasional laugh breaking through the drone. Steeling myself, I walked up to the publican at the bar.

“Hello. What can I do for you?” he asked.

“I’m looking for a place to sleep tonight.” I replied. “And something to eat.”

“I do have a bed available for twenty gold a night. Would you like to rent it?”

The innkeeper gave me a puzzled look as I tried to count gold coins in my shirt/satchel. I dug out twenty of the gold coins I had found in the underground, hoping that each coin was indeed worth one gold. I placed them on the bar and shoved them toward the innkeeper.

“I’ll take it.” I said matter-of-factly.

The innkeeper still looked at me with that puzzled look, and then counted the coins as he slid them off the bar and into his hand.

“16…18…20. Very well then. It’s up the stairs there. First door on your left. Sleep well.” He said and started to turn away.

“Excuse me. I was hoping to get a bit to eat as well.”

He stopped, turn toward me with the puzzled look again and said, “All rooms come with a meal at The Merchant’s Inn. You will find venison, corn, potatoes, and bread in your room, along with a few bottles of libation. My name is Velus Hosidius. I am the proprietor of this establishment. Let me know if you need anything else.”

With that, Velus turned away and placed the gold coins in a strongbox behind the bar. I made my way to the stairs. As I walked, I caught bits and pieces of conversations. “The Emperor and all his sons, dead!” “…see Maro Rufus at the Best Defense.” I ascended the stairs and passed through a door into the second floor hallway. I reached the first door on the left, opened it, and entered the room. True to the innkeepers promise, food and bottles adorned the table to my left. But straight ahead of me was a bed. A bed! I disrobed immediately, piling my clothing and belongings at the foot of the bed. I walked to the wash basin and cleaned up as best I could. Drying off with a fresh smelling towel, I eyed the food. It smelled delicious. I sat at the table and ate until I thought I would burst. Sated and exhausted, I got up and got into bed. I didn’t have time to think of anything before I was sound asleep.

Wow. And you say you AREN'T a writer. Its better than most of the millions of Prologue narratives out there, thats for sue. I look forward to reading more passages!

Thanks. I'll try to keep things rolling. You know how it is though. This is spare time stuff, and spare time can become rare now and again.

The Talendor Chronicles

Chapter 3 – Finding My Way

I have no idea how long I slept. I opened my bedcovers and sat up. Before I stood up, I examined all of the wounds I had received the day before. There were scars from blade strikes and rat bites on my arms and legs. A particularly tender scar on my right side. But all the wounds had healed. Memories of potions and incantations and tangible health flooded my head. On the tails of those, memories of assassins, goblins, and rats closely followed. I had to get a handle on this situation. I still have no memory of anything at all before waking up in that cell. This was going to be a problem. It was one thing to walk into a crowded inn and procure a bed for the night. It was going to be quite another to move forward from here.

Think of what you know. You are a Wood Elf, according to the only person that would identify you. You are at an inn in the portion of a city known as the Market District. You have some money. You have a necklace with a large red stone that someone claiming to be your Emperor gave you charge over. Your see writing on signs and bottles that is of an unknown set of characters, but you can still read them. You have the ability to incant powers, from within and through at least one staff, with words that sound like gibberish. But you know the meaning of the words. You can use a bow and sword as if you have been doing it all your life.

It was too much to digest. Can dreams last for days? I stood up and went to the table. There was still food left from the night before. I sat down and began eating as I considered my options. I had two…stay here or not stay here. Staying meant paying twenty gold a night until I ran out of money. Not staying meant interacting with the residents of this city and possibly revealing how vulnerable my current situation was. I frowned at the thought of not even being able to introduce myself. I finished eating, stood and dressed, grabbed my belongings…and sat back down on the bed. I needed a plan. I could go out and just try to remain unnoticed, studying the people and actions around me. Figure out how to blend in that way. Yes! That was the plan. I got up, got dressed, grabbed all of my belongings, and left the room.

The common room was quiet. Only the innkeeper was there, wiping down the bar with a clean towel. He looked my way but said nothing as I walked toward the door. When I stepped outside, I was face to face with a man in dull brownish armor. We stared at each other for a minute, neither of us moving.

“What is it citizen?”

So much for unnoticed

I just stared back at him, dumbstruck. His expression began to change and I blurted out, “I have some things I want to sell.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“Well, you’re in the right place then, eh Bosmer? Just look around. Shops everywhere. You might want to buy some proper clothes with the money you make. Those look like they came from a grave. Heh, heh, heh.”

Bosmer? Did this man know me? Was my name Bosmer?

Still chuckling, he walked away. He must have been a guard, armored and armed as he was. I looked at myself. The guard was right. These articles still smelled, even after my dip in the lake. I stepped into the street and looked at the shop sign that was closest to me. “A Fighting Chance” it said, with a picture of a sword beneath the writing. I walked to the door and tried the latch. It was unlocked and I entered. All around were swords, daggers, and archery equipment. A stout woman wearing a metal briastplate stood behind the counter.

"Welcome to 'A Fighting Chance'. I'm Rohssan, proprietor. I sell the best swords in the City, and I offer Advanced Training for Armorers." she said as I walked toward the counter. She was dark of complexion, muscled with obvious years of work with metal. At one time, she may have been pretty.

“Do you buy iron arrows?” I enquired.

Chuckling, she said, “Of course I do Bosmer! I’ll buy any weapon you have for the right price. And I do mean it will be the right price. Let’s look at those arrows.”

I pulled my quiver over my shoulder and dumped all of the arrows on the counter.

“I’d like to keep 30 of these, but I’ll sell you as many of the rest as you want.” I said, trying to sound like I knew what I was doing.

“Well then,” she said, “let’s say you count out 30 of those and return them to your quiver while I examine the quality of these arrows, hmmm?”

I did as she said while she examined one of the arrows, looking down its shaft for straightness, feeling the fletching, gauging the weight of it by feel.

“I’ll give you one gold piece each for the lot. That is the right price.”

“Sold.” I said.

She carried the arrows off and left me standing at the counter. I glanced around at the weapons she had on display. There was a very nice iron longsword lying on the counter, along with an impossibly large steel sword, and an iron shortsword. Rohssan returned and tossed a small pouch on the counter with a clink.

“It’s all there.” She said, “You can count it if you like.”

“That’s okay. I’ll trust you. How much does a sword like this go for?” I asked, gesturing toward the fine iron longsword.

“It’ll take back that pouch and a bit more Bosmer.”

I frowned. I didn’t want to spend everything in the first shop I entered.

“Maybe later then.” My next question was a risk. “Say, do you think you could remove these?”

I held up my wrists and exposed the irons clamped over them.

“You wouldn’t be the first parolee that I released from a pair of these.” She chuckled. “Step on back here.”

I walked around the counter while she picked up a chisel and a large one-handed sledge.

“Put your wrist on the counter.” She ordered.

No sooner was it on the counter than she placed the chisel between the cuff halves where they were pinned together and brought the sledge head down on it with a high arched swing. Visions of a horribly crushed wrist flashed briefly before my eyes. But it wasn’t to be. She deftly snapped all four pins in mere moments.

“There ya go Bosmer, free as a bird.” She laughed. “Will there be anything else?”

“I think that will do it. Thank you very much.” I said, and smiled genuinely at her as I gathered my quiver and left the store.

Well that wasn’t so bad. Let’s see what else I can sell.

I had a small collection of gems. There was a sign across the street that read “Red Diamond Jewelry”. Shrugging, I walked over to the jeweler’s shop, digging the gems out along the way. There was a stocky man behind the counter at the far end of the shop. I figured I’d play it the same way as the last shop. Expecting the same type of greeting, I strolled casually up to the counter.

“What?” was all the man said in a gruff tone.

“How much will you give me for these, my good man?” I said, trying my best to sound worldly as I placed the gems on the counter.

He just stared back for a moment, then started perusing through the stones. He held the clearer ones up to the light and looked through them.

“Not the highest quality here. Many of these stones are flawed.” He said, pausing and tapping his forefinger to his chin. “Tell ya what. I’ll give you 76 gold pieces for the entire pile. That offer is non-negotiable.”

“Sold.”

I continued this course of action at every shop that looked like it dealt in the goods I was carrying around in my shirt-bag. Some of the shop owners complained about a shop owner named Thoronir. I didn’t bother asking what their beef with the man was. I was too busy just trying to get in and out of these shops as quickly as I could. I found one shop called “The Best Defense”. The proprietor, a gentleman by the name of Maro Rufus, told me I hadn’t found him a moment too soon when he saw my armor. When I left his shop, I was wearing a brand spanking new leather cuirass, some new boots, and greaves made from fur pelts that were infinitely more comfortable than the over-sized iron pair I had. “The Gilded Carafe” bought all of my potions, except for the healing potions. I kept those.

A place called “Rindir’s Staffs” was my next port of call. I walked in the door, and for the first time, I saw someone that looked like me.

“Hail fellow Bosmer! This is ‘Rindir’s Staffs’, and I’m Rindir. I sell magical staffs. Imagine that.”

Fellow Bosmer? So much for the chance that Bosmer was my name.

“Hail Bosmer.” I replied in kind, thinking it must be the right thing to say. “I found this staff and wondered if you might be interested in buying it. It shoots lightning out of the end of it. Well, you have to say a word first.”
I started to utter that gibberish sounding word –

“STOP!” he yelled, “We don’t want that going off in here now do we? Let me see it.”

He studied the staff for a minute.

“258 gold pieces.” He stated.

My jaw dropped. It was more than everything else I had sold combined.

“Do you think it is worth more than that?” he asked.

I closed my mouth. “No. That will be fine.”

“Great! I’ll be right back”

Rindir scurried off and returned with a small chest. He counted out my 258 gold pieces, thanked me and bid me a good day. As I walked out of Rindir’s shop, I stopped for a minute and looked at the people walking up and down the street. Very few of them were wearing armor. The guards were of course, but most of the common folk were dressed in clothing rather than armor. If I was going to fit in, I would need to dress accordingly. I found a shop called “Divine Elegance” that had just what I needed. Most of Palonyria’s goods were very fancy, fancier than I cared to wear. I wanted to blend in, not stand out. I settled on a brown quilted doublet, some linen pants, and a pair of moccasins.

I headed back to the inn. I was hungry and I wanted to change into my new clothes. When I entered, the innkeeper informed me in a serious tone that it would be another 20 gold to keep my room. I paid him the 20 and 5 more for his service. His demeanor immediately changed and he asked if I was hungry. After a delicious shepherd’s pie and a bottle of ale, I went up to my room and changed.

So far so good. Let’s go see about that sword.

As I left my room, I saw a book lying on a shelf in the hallway. Curious, I walked over and picked it up. “A Guide to Imperial City” was the title. I knew that I was in Imperial City from my visit to Rindir’s shop. Being a fellow Bosmer had caused Rindir to be a little chatty. This was perfect! Exactly what I needed. I went back in my room, kicked off my moccasins, and reclined on the bed to read.

The book was written by someone named Alessia Ottus. According to this, the man I had seen murdered in the underground was indeed this land’s Emperor. He was descended from someone named Tiber Septim, whom she also calls Lord Talos, “The Holy God of State and Law in our Blessed Nine Divines.” I paused for a minute. If the elderly man was The Emperor, then I needed to get rid of this necklace, this “Amulet of Kings”, before someone discovers that I have it and assumes I was responsible for the Emperor’s death. But information is valuable, especially for me right now, so I continued to read.

It seems that Imperial City is quite large. There were ten districts in all, of which I had seen only one. Strike that. I had seen the Imperial Prison District, albeit from inside an eight by twelve cell. I read on, trying to stifle that memory. This author doesn’t think very highly of any part of this city except for the Temple District, where she lives with her husband. The only other district she has anything nice to say about is the Arboretum. And even then, she complains about Talos taking up space where Akatosh should be. Every other district she describes as dirty and a place not to be. The guide ended with the line, “May the Nine bless you and keep you.”

The Nine.

Religion is a powerful force. It binds people together that might not be bound otherwise. “The Nine” was obviously a reference to The Nine Divines that she spoke of. Evidently, the religion of this land is centered on these Nine Divines, be they Gods or Saints. A good way for me to fit in around here would be to become better acquainted with this faith. But first things first. There was a particular sword that I wanted to buy, and I have to get rid of this amulet. As I closed the book, I noticed a folded sheet of parchment wedged into the jacket of the book cover. I removed it and unfolded it. It was a map. Roughly in the center was Imperial City, with the districts labeled. Directly on the spot labeled as The Market District was a point of light, as if a beam of sunlight was shining on it through a knot hole in a barn wall, only smaller. I rubbed the spot, moved the map, even shook it, but the highlight remained.

How odd.

More important to me was the fact that this map showed another location. Just north of due west from Imperial City was the place Baurus had mentioned. Chorrol. Jauffre was near Chorrol, at a place called Weynon Priory. I could not tell how far away Chorrol was as the map had no scale. I folded the map and placed it in my pocket. I was formulating a plan of action as I moved. Having resigned myself to the fact that I was stuck here, I decided that following the flow of events and continuing to find my way around was best. First, I would pay “A Fighting Chance” another visit and procure that sword. If I had learned nothing else about this place, it was that being armed was beneficial to one’s health, and survival. Then I would try to get rid of this amulet, even if it meant journeying to Chorrol to do it.

I really like this story, it is dripping with potential.

First, thanks where they are due...



Thank you. I appreciate the compliment. Here is a little more...


The Talendor Chronicles

Chapter 4 – To Chorrol

I replaced the book on the shelf in the hallway where I had found it. It wasn’t mine after all, and I didn’t need to be accused of stealing it. Hopefully no one would notice that I had kept the map. I headed down stairs and out to the street. The afternoon sun was lowering in the western sky and was starting to give an orange cast to the buildings. I went to the weapon shop. Rohssan greeted me with a smile when I walked in. I went straight to the counter.

“I am back to purchase this sword. How much did you say it was?” I said, lifting the fine iron longsword.

“That will cost you 126 gold pieces.”

“I’ll take it.”

I counted the gold coins onto the counter, keeping it in stacks of ten so I wouldn’t lose count. When I finished, she held the end of her blacksmith’s apron up and dragged the pile toward her with her other arm. The coins cascaded over the edge of the counter into her apron.

“Thank you very much. I think you will find that an excellent weapon, if you take care of it. You do know how to take care of it, don’t you?”

“Of course I do,” I lied, “but perhaps you know techniques that I am unaware of. Could you show me what you know?”

“Teaching ain’t free Bosmer, but I’ll show you a thing or two for, let’s say, fifty gold. What do you say?”

Reluctantly, I agreed and paid her fifty more gold pieces. She picked up an old rusty sword and showed me some general repair techniques, including how to use what she called a “repair hammer”. As luck would have it, I had found one of these hammers back in the underground and had not sold it yet.

“You will get better at it with practice.” she said, “To keep that sword in good condition, always make sure you are carrying a few repair hammers with you. I see that you have but one. Would you care to buy a few more? I have plenty.”

She showed me a case of them and said they cost 31gp each. I looked at my dwindling supply of cash and decided against it. She shrugged and said, “Suit yourself. Now if you don’t mind, I have work to do. Good day Bosmer.”

I clipped the scabbard to my belt, thanked Rohssan, and left the shop. When I got outside, I pulled the sword from its scabbard, swung it a few times in a figure eight motion and acted out a couple of thrusts.

“Don’t hurt yourself with that thing Bosmer.” a guard said as he passed behind me. Then he laughed heartily and continued on his patrol. Embarrassed, I resheathed the sword and started walking. I remembered seeing a book store earlier and set out to find it. Perhaps it would have a copy of the book I had read. When I reached the four way intersection in the center of the district, I glanced to my left and there it was. “The First Edition” the sign read. Across the street from it was another shop called “The Copious Coinpurse”. With such an interesting name, I decided to check out that shop first.

I entered the shop and was delighted to find that this shop was also owned by a Wood Elf. He was only the second one I had seen, though he did not seem to notice me. As I walked to the counter, I noticed an inscription on it. “Copious Coinpurse. The shop where your purse is just as full after you buy!" it read. The Wood Elf was studying what appeared to be an inventory sheet of some kind. I cleared my throat to get his attention.

“Well hello there. Thoronir is the name. What kind of deal can I make for you today?” he said with a smile that appeared less than genuine.

“I am trying to find a copy of ‘A Guide to the Imperial City’. You wouldn’t by chance have one, would you?”

“As a matter of fact, I do. It can be yours for the low price of 2gp.”

“That does sound like a bargain. I’ll take it, thank you.” I replied. This would save me from having to go to the book store.

Thoronir walked over to a shelf along the wall filled with books. He thumbed through them for a moment, mumbling to himself as he searched.

“Ah. Here it is.” he said, pulling an exact replica of the book I had read earlier at the inn. When he returned to the counter, I asked if he was familiar with the area outside of the city walls.

“I don’t get out of the city much, but I do know a little. Why?”

“I need to get to Chorrol, but I am from far away and do not know anything about this area.”

“Here from Valenwood are you?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Yes. Valenwood. That’s right. Can you help me?” I asked.

Please don’t ask me any questions about Valenwood...

“Ah, Valenwood. I really must get there one day.” he sighed. I tensed, preparing to tell more lies when he pressed me about Valenwood. He shook his head slightly as if to regain focus on the moment.

“Chorrol. Yes.” he continued, “Well, there are four ways to get to Chorrol. You can walk. You can buy a horse and ride. You can procure transportation by horse drawn carriage at Chestnut Handy Stables. The fourth method is probably not available to you, unless you happen to be a mage.” He paused. “Are you a mage?”

“No.” I replied, thankful that the topic of Valenwood had come and gone.

“Then I won’t bother with telling you about the portals at the Mage’s Guild Halls.” he said.

“Where might Chestnut Handy Stables be located?” I asked.

“Right outside the city’s main gate. On the west side, through the Talos Plaza District.”

He gave me directions to the west gate. I gave him the two gold pieces and an extra one for his help regarding Chorrol.

“Thanks. I’ll try not to spend it in one place. Come back again.” he said with a touch of unmistakable sarcasm.

The sun had set while I was in The Copious Coinpurse. A waxing moon had risen and was trying to add its light to that of the street lamps. I made two more quick stops before heading back to the inn for a meal. “Three Brothers Trade Goods” to purchase a proper satchel, and a return to Rindir’s because I had noticed that he had a variety of hoods to sell. I settled on a teal colored one that Rindir called a mages hood. It was very light and comfortable, much more so than the fur helmet I had bought from Maro Rufus. My tasks completed, I started walking back to the inn. I planned on getting an early start for Chorrol in the morning. The common room at the inn was starting to fill with dinner customers as I entered. I ordered a mutton and radish pie and an ale. I sat in the corner, not feeling confident enough yet to mingle with the other patrons. When I finished eating, I sat back and enjoyed my bottle of ale. It was very refreshing on the heels of what I considered to be a successful day. I still didn’t know who I was, but I had managed to keep everyone else from finding out as well. Pouring the last of the ale down my throat, I rose, tipped the kitchen helper a gold piece as he cleared my table, and went up to my room. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day of travel and new places.

* * *

I had dressed in my armor, quiver slung over my left shoulder and bow snugged in behind it. My sword hung in its scabbard, clipped to the harness of my cuirass. I found the easiest way to carry my shield was to just wear it on my left forearm. My satchel was loaded with my clothing, my remaining bottles of healing potion, the repair hammer, a small amount of food, the mortar and pestle, my book, and a couple of torches. There was still plenty of room in the satchel, however the torch heads stuck out of the top when the flap was closed. A separate pocket inside the satchel held my coin purse and The Amulet of Kings. (Thoronir gave the coin purses away as a promotion for his business.) The satchel strap was over my left shoulder, allowing the bag to hang on my right side. A backpack would have been preferable, but there were none to be found. The briast pockets of my cuirass held my lock picks in one and my map in the other.

Equipped this way, I walked out of the inn into bright morning sunshine. The air was brisk, and while I could see no frost, my breath came out in steamy puffs that vanished in the breeze as quickly as they formed. Remembering the directions that Thoronir gave me, I made my way toward the Talos Plaza District and the west gate of the city. Upon entering the Imperial Greenway, I was awestruck once again by the sheer size of the tower that rose from the city center. The Imperial Palace, I had learned from Alessia Ottus’ text, was built ages before the current tenants occupied it. How something so old and so tall could remain standing this long was beyond me.

The Greenway itself was a broad stone walkway that made a complete circle. Inside the circle was the Imperial Palace. Walkways branched out from the Greenway like spokes on a wheel, one going to each of the six districts that made up the outer ring of the city. Between the spokes were six very nicely maintained cemeteries. Thoronir had said to go right at the Greenway and then to follow the second walkway on my right into the Talos Plaza District. Entering the district through large wood and iron gates, it was immediately apparent that this portion of the city housed the wealthiest of its citizens. I only saw one business sign as I passed through the plaza in the district center, The Tiber Septim Hotel. I assumed that the rest of the buildings were residences. I paused at the city’s west gate. I stared at it and took a deep breath. I had found the city to be a place of safety after it seemed that this entire land was trying to kill me. But I had to get rid of this amulet. Just possessing it had to be dangerous. I hadn’t dared to let anyone know I had it. A guard looking as if he were about to speak was the last motivation I needed and I left Imperial City.

Outside of the city, the main road started immediately downhill and led to a bridge several times more massive than the one I had crossed two nights ago. Just a few yards down the road on the right hand side was a cart path that led to what Thoronir told me would be Chestnut Handy Stables. He said to ask for Tappius Velvus, and that I couldn’t miss him because he always wore the most garish blue outfits. I walked toward the stable and saw a man clad in a bright blue velvet blouse and breeches. Garish was an understatement.

“Are you Tappius Velvus?” I asked, even though I already knew this must be him.

“Indeed I am sir.” he replied, and then just stared at me.

“Um, I am looking to hire a carriage.”

“Well why didn’t you say so? Where might we be traveling to today?”

“Chorrol.” I said.

“The Black Road it is then. That will be 10 Septims, in advance please. Come on around the side here. You can load your belongings in --- “

“I’d prefer to keep my things with me, if that is okay.”

He looked me up and down for a moment, and then said, “Suit yourself.”

He opened the door to the coach and pulled down a retractable step, then held out his hand expectantly. I shrugged, took his hand and used it for leverage to enter the coach. I didn’t need his help, but it looked like he was offering. I realized I was mistaken when Tappius cleared his throat with his hand still extended.

“Oh,” I nervously chuckled. I fished out 10gp and placed it in his waiting hand, “sorry.”

He nodded and closed the door. Telling the driver that this fare was headed to Chorrol and imploring him not to dawdle, Tappius sent us on our way. As soon as we were on the main road, I heard a whip crack and we jolted forward so fast that I was thrown back in my seat. We were racing at breakneck speed, the staccato clack of the horse’s shoes on the stone settling into a rhythmic thrum. As we reached the bridge, I leaned to look out the window. I had learned from my map that Imperial City was actually located on an island in the middle of a large lake called Lake Rumare. Seeing the city this way from beyond its walls reaffirmed the immense size of it.

The road became much rougher once we were off of the bridge. I had to brace myself to keep from being beaten to death by the walls and ceiling. My head made contact with the roof more than once. The driver maintained this pace for the entire journey. I could swear we rounded curves with the coach being on only two wheels several times. The only time we slowed was when we met other traffic on the road. These were usually guards patrolling on horseback. One woman on a black horse actually passed us! But due to having to brace myself throughout the entire ride, I didn’t get to see much of the countryside. There was an occasional low stone building with a thatched roof. At one point we passed through what appeared to be an old stone building that had no roof. The landscape was forested hills and pasture land.

We finally began to slow enough for me to look outside again. On our right was another low stone farmhouse with a thatched roof. Then just a little further, we passed what looked like a church and a large manor house with a slate roof. The coach slowed further and I could see a tall stone wall with ramparts and battlements. The coach slowed even more and came to a stop. How far we had traveled I could not gauge due to the insane speed we maintained, combined with the many curves in the road. A neatly dressed gentleman opened the door and lowered the step.

“I hope you had a pleasant journey sir.” the man said as I got out of the coach. My muscles were sore from trying to avoid death by bouncing.

“It was very pleasant.” I lied.

“Just follow the main road there to the south gate. Welcome to Chorrol.”

I really like, "An exact replica of the book I was reading in the inn earlier". That was really good.

AUTHOR'S NOTE -

Up to this point, the story has been a narrative of the events we have all gone through at the beginning of the game. After this installment, the story will veer from the main quest. So, anyone that was looking to read a narrative of the entire main quest, I apologize. This installment is the end of following the main quest line.

The Talendor Chronicles

Chapter 5 – Meeting Jauffre

Judging by the sun, the raucous coach ride from Imperial City had taken a couple of hours or so. Its position in the sky claimed it to be early afternoon now. Adjusting my quiver and satchel, I started toward the south gate. The surrounding countryside was mainly forested with deciduous and evergreen trees alike, with the evergreens being in the minority. Songbirds chirped and whistled in the trees. A butterfly fluttered to and fro on the breeze in front of me. The sun was warm, if the air was not. Several of the deciduous trees had leaves that were changing color. But all of these things distracted me little as I focused on the task at hand.

I reached the gate. It had a large white tree within a round field of blue painted on it. A guard standing post at the gate had the same emblem emblazoned on his chainmail cuirass. He never took his eyes off of me and nodded in my direction as I passed through the gate. Once inside, I paused and took in the stark difference between this city and the one I had come from. The fine masonry and crowded row houses of Imperial City were not present here. Instead, houses of masonry and wood beams lined the lanes of this town. A large statue of a woman cradling a fallen soldier, surrounded by a low masonry wall, was the focal point of the village center. I moved closer to the statue. The artistry was exquisite. Such care taken to make the long thin stone sword. The attention to detail, although the finer details had weathered away.

Stop gawking at art and find Jauffre…

I moved on, walking toward a building with a sign on it. “The Oak & Crosier” it said. An inn? I stepped inside. I had seen cat-like people in Imperial City, but I hadn’t had to speak directly with any of them. That streak of fortune was about to end as the proprietor of this inn was a female of the cat-like race. I considered turning around and leaving, and then decided that I might as well get acclimated to speaking with feline humanoids. Still, I approached the bar uneasily.

“Welcome to the Oak and Crosier. This one is Talasma, your hostess. Our rooms and food are at your disposal.” she said with an air of formality.

She was about a head taller than me with a shapely figure. Her eyes were bright green. Her skin, or what I could see of it, was covered with very fine and short fur. Had I touched it, it might have been just slightly fuzzier than a peach. Several large earrings with gold colored baubles hung from both ears. The ears were set high on her head, just like a cat’s ears. As a matter of fact, her entire head looked just like a cat’s. But from the neck down, she looked completely human, except for the fuzzy skin and the tail that flicked back and forth from time to time behind her blue velvet skirt.

“Hi there. How much for a room, assuming you have one available?”

“I do have one and it is ten gold pieces for the night.” she replied.

“That will be fine.” I said as I slid ten gold coins across the bar.

“Very well sir. It is upstairs. The first room on your left.”

“Do you have a menu?”

“We do. Meals are available during business hours. Here you are.” she said, passing me a sheet of folded parchment.

I read the menu. Not as large a selection as The Merchant’s Inn. I selected some ham, cheese, bread, and a bottle of wine, then handed the menu back to Talasma. She took it and walked away, her tail swishing back and forth. How does she avoid breaking glasses and bottle with that thing? While I waited, I looked around the common room at the inn. There were wooden tables with high backed chairs in the main area, and benches along the walls. On the far wall was a large fireplace with a fire burning lowly in it. The heat it produced was enough to be felt where I was sitting, but not overpowering. Talasma returned with my food and wine.

“Enjoy.” she said, and started to turn away.

“Wait…please. Forgive me, and I hope this is not rude, but I am not from these parts. Could you tell me…um…what…are you?”

Talasma started laughing. I guess it was laughing. A kind of chuckle with purring mixed in.

“No offense taken Bosmer. Not many Khajiit in Valenwood, eh? Yes. This one is Khajiit.”

“Khajiit.” I said, and she quickly corrected my pronunciation, repeating it slowly and putting the inflection on the correct syllable. I repeated the word again and this time it met with her approval.

“This one would be happy to tell you about our proud heritage, but that would take more time than this one has right now, or perhaps more time than you could spare. If you come back when this one is not so busy, then this one will teach you about Khajiit.”

“And the people that look like reptiles…what are they?”

She looked at me with what I can only assume was puzzlement.

“You really have been isolated, haven’t you Bosmer? The reptilian ones are called Argonian. This one won’t pretend to be able to tell you much more than that. Is there anything else?”

“No. You’ve been a great help. Thank you.” I said. She nodded and walked away.

I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I started eating, and in no time at all, my plate was clean. I leaned back and stretched on my stool, then stood and finished the last of my wine. I tossed a gratuity on the bar and thanked Talasma again.

“Thank you as well Bosmer. This one is at your service should you require anything else.” she said. I couldn’t tell if she was smiling, but she sure was polite.

“Actually, there is one other thing. Do you know a man named Jauffre?”

“I can’t say that I do, but I have only been up from Leyawiin a short while now. I am sure if you ask around town, someone will know of this ‘Jauffre’, if he is indeed from these parts.”

“Okay. Thank you yet again.” I said. With that, I went back outside. Across the lane was another business establishment. Perhaps someone there would know Jauffre. As I was crossing the lane, two large animals came running around the corner and plowed headlong into my side, sending me tumbling to the pavers. I jumped up and wheeled instantly on my attackers, drawing sword.

Wolves inside the town walls?

“NOOOOO! STOP!” yelled a female voice from behind me. “Bailey! Kezune! Come HERE!” the voice said again.

My attackers tucked their tails between their legs and walked toward me whimpering. I could see now that these were not wolves, but rather large dogs. I turned to see who had yelled. A pleasant, if not somewhat harried woman was walking toward me. She wore a blue and green dress. Fair skinned, with her hair up in a bun atop her head.

“I am so sorry sir.” she said, and then turned again toward the dogs, “Bailey and Kezune, get over here NOW!” She looked back at me and said, “They really are good dogs. They meant you no harm. Please forgive us.” The last sentence she spoke while looking at my drawn sword.

I glanced down at my sword, resheathed it, and said, “You really should have those animals on a tether miss. I had a run in with a wolf the other day. It is a good thing that your dogs didn’t turn and jump on me again or else they could well be dead now.”

“Really sir, they meant no harm. It was purely an accident.” she said.

“Well, that doesn’t change the fact that you would be mourning over dead pets had you not stopped me when you did.” I replied, with a little more force than I had intended. My heart was just settling back to a normal beat.

“Well really! I told you it was an accident! Bailey! Kezune! Come. Let us leave this animal hater be!” With that the woman and her dogs stomped away up the lane.

I just stared after her for a moment. She walked away with her nose in the air while Bailey and Kezune ran circles around her legs. With a sigh, I finished crossing the lane and entered Northern Goods & Trade. At first I thought I had entered through the wrong door. There was no counter and no proprietor. There were crates and barrels, some paintings leaning against the wall. I heard some shuffling up the stairs to my left. I walked to the base of the stairs and looked up. My breath caught short as I saw a large lizard wearing a burgundy and black dress with gold embroidery.

Well…it is a day of firsts…you’ve talked to a cat, let’s go talk to a lizard…

I walked up the stairs and she started speaking before I reached the top.

“Only the finest goods to buy and barter at Northern Goods and Trades. I’m Seed-Neeus, the proprietor. How can I help you?” she said in a low pitched, gravelly voice. Her skin was scaly, green on her head and fading into brown on her neck and chest. A tail, thick at the base and tapering to a point, trailed out from behind her dress.

“I am looking for a man named Jauffre. Have you heard of him?”

I could not discern her expression as she paused a moment. There was only the slightest change in the demeanor of her red, slit-pupil eyes.

“An old cleric with that name comes in now and then. Lives southeast of town on the Black Road, at Weynon Priory.” she replied.

“Thank you very much Miss…um…Madam…um…Thanks.” I fumbled.

I headed back down the stairs and out of the store. Talking to reptiles was disquieting and going to take some getting used to.

The Black Road. Tappius had said, “The Black Road it is then.” when I hired the carriage. So we must have traveled the Black Road to get here, and that must have been Weynon Priory that I saw as the carriage began to slow.

With my pulse quickening, I headed back to the south gate. When I got there, I asked a guard how far Weynon Priory was. I had been too rattled to gauge the distance in the coach. He told me it was a short walk south on the road and would be on my left. I thanked him and passed through the gate. I was glad to hear that it was a short walk. The afternoon sun allowed for perhaps two or three hours of daylight and I did not want to be outside the town walls after dark. The terrain was that of foothills to a mountain range that I could see in the distance to the north. Large boulders were scattered here and there amongst the growth of trees. Long grasses and meadow weeds swayed in the breeze. Clusters of various mushrooms and other fungi huddled in the shady damp areas near the boulders and fallen trees.

Before I knew it, the manor house I had seen near the end of my coach ride appeared as I rounded a gentle bend in the road. The road forked, a sign proclaimed that Imperial City was to the right and someplace called Bruma was toward the left. The Bruma road passed straight through the property, passing under an enclosed loft that connected the house with the barn. I walked up to the manor door and knocked. No one answered and I knocked again as I opened the door.

“Hello?” I said as I entered. I had barely closed the door when a man in a long brown robe walked toward me. His hair was cut tonsure style, a ring of dark hair surrounding a bald pate.

“Yes? May I help you?” he said.

“I am looking for Jauffre.”

“He is upstairs. Go ahead.” he replied, pointing to the stairs, then returned to a candlelit table where he had been reading.

I went up the stairs, nervous as a cat in a dog kennel. I had no clue what was going to happen when I spoke to Jauffre. I turned right at the top of the stairs and entered what appeared to be a study or office. A balding man with grey hair sat behind a desk at the far end of the room. He was clad in the same type of brown robe that the other man wore. I walked toward him. This was not what I had expected to find. Baurus had told me that Jauffre was the “grandmaster” of his order. I thought surely that a large battle-hardened warrior would be Jauffre, not this old man. He didn’t even look up until I had reached the desk.

“I’m Brother Jauffre. What do you want?” he said in a very direct manner.

“The Emperor sent me to find you.” I replied.

“Emperor Uriel? Do you know something about his death?”

“Yes. I was there when he died.”

I had Jauffre’s full attention now. He swept aside the papers he had been reading. I quickly opened my satchel. Jauffre tensed visibly, as if preparing to defend himself. Slower, I reached in and pulled out the Amulet of Kings. His eyes widened, staring at the amulet for a moment, then glaring back at me.

“You’d better explain yourself. Now!” he said. His tone clearly stated that he would brook no delay.

I explained the events that transpired in the underground beneath Imperial City, leaving out only the facts surrounding my current problems with memory loss. He sat patiently though the entire narrative, showing no change in emotion. Only when I had mentioned the Emperor’s last words, “…close shut the jaws of Oblivion”, did his expression change at all. Not to one of alarm, but more like deep seated concern. He sat quiet for a few moments, staring at the amulet. Then he looked at me again and spoke.

“As unlikely as your story sounds, I believe you. Only the strange destiny of Uriel Septim could have brought you to me carrying the Amulet of Kings.”

Relief flooded through me as if a dam had burst.

I did it! I have rid myself of that amulet and lived.

"Close shut the jaws of Oblivion.” he said, repeating the Emperor’s last words. “The Emperor seemed to perceive some threat from the demonic world of Oblivion. The Prince of Destruction, Mehrunes Dagon, is one of the lords of Oblivion. But the mortal world is protected from the daedra of Oblivion by powerful barriers that should not be able to be undone, by mortal or daedra." He seemed to be talking more to himself than to me. Then he looked directly at me.

“This amulet is ancient.” he continued, “Saint Alessia herself is said to have received it from the gods. It is a holy relic of great power. When an Emperor is crowned, he uses the Amulet to light the Dragonfires at the Temple of the One in the Imperial City. With the Emperor dead and no new heir crowned, the Dragonfires in the Temple will be dark, for the first time in centuries. It may be that the Dragonfires protected us from a threat that only the Emperor was aware of.”

I stood there a moment, not wanting to repeat the next words that were forming in my mouth. I just wanted to leave now that I had delivered the amulet. But I felt that I owed it to Uriel Septim. If it wasn’t for him, I would still be in that fowl cell.

“The Emperor said there is another heir.” I said. Jauffre leaned back in his chair.

"I am one of the few who know of his existence. Many years ago, I served as captain of Uriel's bodyguards, the Blades. One night Uriel called me in to his private chambers. A baby boy lay sleeping in a basket. Uriel told me to deliver him somewhere safe. He never told me anything else about the baby, but I knew it was his son. From time to time he would ask about the child's progress. Now, it seems that this illegitimate son is the heir to the Septim Throne. If he yet lives."

Then he leaned forward, looking me dead in the eyes, "His name is Martin. He serves Akatosh in the Chapel in the city of Kvatch, south of here. You must go to Kvatch and find him at once. If the enemy is aware of his existence, as seems likely, he is in terrible danger. And please, let me know if there's anything you need. My resources here are limited, but I will help in any way I can."

With that, he rose and walked out from behind his desk to a chest next to the wall. He pulled a key from his robe and unlocked it.

“Help yourself to whatever you may need.” he said as he went back to his chair.

My head was reeling.

Martin? Go to Kvatch and find him? The enemy? Terrible danger?

I tried not to show any emotion. I walked over to the chest and opened it. There was an array of weapons, armor, and potions in the chest. Too bad there weren’t any gold pieces.

THINK! What are you going to do?

A quiver of steel arrows and a steel bow caught my eye. They were obviously of a higher quality than the bow and arrows that I was carrying. Still trying to figure out my next move, I swapped the bow and quiver for my own.

I just traveled in the coach of bouncing death to get OUT of danger, not head right back into it!

Looking at the bottles of potion, I remembered how much money I had made selling them in Imperial City. I grabbed every bottle in the chest, not bothering to read the labels. None of the armor looked any better than what I already had. I rummaged through the chest in an attempt to look like I wasn’t finished.

You can’t stand here forever. THINK!

I inhaled deeply as I slowly closed the chest. I stood up straight and adjusted my new quiver and bow. Without another word, I bolted for the stairs. I took the stairs three at a time until I was down them, and then I was out the door before I heard a word from Jauffre or his assistant downstairs, slamming it loudly behind me. I almost knocked over a stable hand running through the yard. I ran as fast as my short legs would carry me, back up the road toward Chorrol. I glanced back only once to check for pursuit and saw none. I didn’t slow down until I reached the south gate. When the gate closed behind me, I continued my dash straight for the inn. Bursting in the door drew a sudden growl from Talasma. I didn’t hesitate. I sprinted up the stairs to my room, entered, closed the door and locked it. I stood there panting for a minute, listening at the door for sounds of anyone coming to my room. Nothing. Out of breath, I sat on the bed. I intended to eat from my satchel and not to leave the room for the rest of the night. I lay back on the bed and closed my eyes.

I hope I made the right decision. I can’t go looking for heirs. I still don’t even know who I am! I owed the slain Emperor a debt, but that would just have to wait. A stranger in a strange land could be no help to anyone except a bandit’s coinpurse, or an undertaker. Yes. I did make the right decision. I have no intention of dying to help a dead Emperor. I am happy to help those in need when it is in my power, but not this. Yes. It is the smart thing to do.

This story has been moved http://chorrol.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4608. Thanks for the comments and compliments Kalarn and Sannes Vallen.