Chapter One; A Mages Dilemma

Within the mysterious and dangerous halls of Tel Naga, Master Neloth’s wizard tower of Sadith Mora, a young mage contemplates his studies. It was an arid day, as is normal for the region, without a cloud in the sky. The sun beat gently upon the town as Avadeis delved deeper into his studies in Destruction and Conjuration within the confines of his root-home. Avadeis had always enjoyed his simple lifestyle, simple clothing, simple town with simple chores. Well as simple to a Dunmer Telvanni Retainer in Sadith Mora could be. Today was Loredas, the only day of the week he was free from chores. He spent these blissful days delving into the mysteries of magicka.

On this particular Loredas, conjuration was his theme. He took a book from the library concerning the summoning of scamps and flipped to a chapter about summoning scamps to do simple household chores. However the tome was in poor shape and some of the words had been smeared. Unable to make out certain syllables, he guessed at what the words were, a fatal err to a wizard in training. As he began the incantation, he knew he was mispronouncing a word for within seconds he was on the ground, head spinning. He was suddenly hearing a laughter he both feared yet found hilarious. “What’s going on?” Avadeis meekly said. He was greeted with a rush of words; he could barely keep up with it all. It was as if everything thing he had ever heard being spoken by one voice in one moment. “So much to learn, so little time.” He could barely hear it, the voice sounded male but with the hiss of its voice he couldn’t be certain.

“Who are you or were you?” Now recomposed, Avadeis stood confident and resolute as he was instructed to with ethereal or unknown beings. He was greeted with silence.The voice didn’t seem to reply to him. “If you’re still there then say something!” Now he began to feel silly, shouting into thin air. Perhaps all he did was cast a shock spell and it knocked him to his feet and the voice in his head was just his mind running rampant from overuse. He shrugged it off, assuming it was only his mind playing tricks on him. He informed his fellow retainers of the experience but they too told him to ignore it as a simple spirit. He couldn’t tell if they were just messing with him or were telling the truth. A random voice said something to him but nothing had happened in hours perhaps it was random?

Unfortunately, it was not just a random encounter, as every time he summoned something from Oblivion, regardless of where in Oblivion they came from the voice would whisper to him again and again. At times the voice seemed to help him, telling him not to summon this deadra for their temperament or to call upon this scamp as it was more submissive then the others. Yet during other summoning’s, the creatures he called forth were nothing near what he attempted to summon. Sometimes it was slightly varied, a Dremora instead of a Dremora Lord but other times he would get a Winged Twilight instead of a clan fear.

Master Neloth grew impatient with his retainer’s inability to control what he summoned. After Avadeis summoned a Deadroth that tore every banner and destroyed nearly every piece of furniture on a level of his tower, he had had enough. He called Avadeis into the top level of the tower, his study and home. “Avadeis, you undoubtedly know why I’ve called you here.” Master Neloth began with the same expressionless face he always used for lectures. His eyes narrowed upon the young retainer, “Well? You do know don’t you?”

“Yes, sir, my summoning’s have become… unpredictable.” Avadeis replied quickly, his eyes fixed upon his mentor’s. There was no fear in Avadeis’ voice, only a deep resentment for annoying his Master.

“Indeed.” Master Neloth motioned for Avadeis to take a seat on the other side of a desk. Neloth took a seat behind it. “It would appear that a deadra is torturing you. Although, some deadra will go out of their way to torture mortals, this one is particularly powerful. I’ve been trying to do away with it for some time now but have only been able to shunt its ability. I will not continue protecting you as I have my own research to conduct. I can no longer keep this deadra from engulfing your mind entirely.” Neloth had said that last part with equal parts pity and annoyance.

“Then what must I do?”

“There is a book pertaining to this sort of deadric trickery. It is called Implements and Consequences of Summoning vl 3. However, we lack a copy here in the tower and even if I knew of another Telvanni in possession of a copy I don’t think they’d be willing to part with it. It is a rare book and the only place I know where a copy may be found is in the Arcane University of the Imperial City.” Neloth’s face turned grim upon mentioning the Mages Guild. “I doubt they’d be willing to hand it over as well, but the Mages Guild is much weaker then us, they shouldn’t be a problem for you at all.” Neloth made a hand gesture that indicated their conversation was over.

“Of course…” Avadeis understood his task clearly, this was less about him finding a cure and more about simply antagonizing the Mages Guild. “I’ll depart immediately, Master.” His voice became more abysmal, as a man who knows he walks to his death sounds.

Avadeis set out upon his new chore, not only for himself but for his house as well. Making it to the Imperial City from Morrowind would be an endeavor all its own, but finding a way to get a book from the Mages Guild headquarters alive? This would test his skills in every way, he would either die a gruesome death or make it out stronger and better than before. In either event, he would be free of the annoyance that plagued him so.

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