He lived in Tel Uvirith for years and conducted his experiments there but after the Red Year, Tel Uvirith was completely burnt down and the residents there all died except him. not having a lot of things left in Morrowind. he left it and wondered Tamriel looking for more secrets to increase his power. he lived in High Rock, Hammerfell and even Alinor for some time, but never staying in one place. and its rumored that he may have found a way to extend his life during one of his researches. in the 4E 230 he came to Skyrim to study the Dwemer. one of his projects was the Aetherium Forge, and its said that he did indeed manage to find it after all and use the forge to create powerful staffs.

During his life in Skyrim he heard that Solstheim became a Redoran territory and a lot of Dark Elves were living there, even the Telvanni had a presence there and his colleague Neloth was also there doing research on Ash Spawn, Vilyn grew tired of wondering around and so he decided to go to Solstheim and grow his own mushroom tower there on the west side of the island so that he can be close to Skyrim for his research, after a few years his tower was complete and he was ready to continue his research on the dwemer. from Neloth he heard about the mysterious Black Books that appears on the island and took great interest in them. he traveled to Apocrypha and learned many great secrets there. which made Neloth angry since it meant that Vilyn was becoming stronger than him. nevertheless the relationship between the two stayed fine.

Shortly after finding about the books he also took another interest in the Albino spiders that make the island their home and to this day he is trying unravel the powers they hold. its unknown if he succeeded or not. all that is known is that he still lives in his tower on the shores of Solstheim doing his important research.

13th of Hearthfire, 3E 433

Here I lay, in an Ayleid ruin surrounded by the dead. Charming. Well this place is as good as any to begin my work. Away from the pestering eyes of the city and my dreadful family, I can now pursue my research in peace. Pathetic fools and their taboo superstitions, to Oblivion with Arkay! I was able to reanimate some of the zombies that I have slain. It was tricky getting them to remain "alive". I admit, I have much to learn, but this looks promising. If only I can find a way to alleviate the smell...

The Ayleids, from what I understand, were Aldmeri. They did not worship the Aedra as the Altmer do. Instead they worshiped the Daedra, and in particular, Meridia Prince of life and Energy. How fitting for a bunch of Slave lords... Meridia is also known for being a staunch opponent to the undead. As such her followers, along with Arkay's Priests, can expect no mercy from me or my Sovereign.

It's true, Ayleid ruins are magnificent. After all these years the traps laid here still work. I was nearly trapped in a gas chamber the other night and early this afternoon I witnessed one of my zombies fall into a spike trap. I admit, it was amusing.

As I pondered about the lost race of Daedra worshipping Mer I found myself thinking about my twin brother, Sanar...

Like the Ayleids, he fancies himself a devout Daedra worshipper. I don't get it. From what I've heard, bargains with the Daedra never favor the mortal follower. And conjuring Lesser Daedra is a risky endeavor. Where as raising the dead, I find it to be more reliable. Not only can I exert complete control over a subject, I also do not have to go through any "cross-realms" or traffic with any of the Princes.

Indeed, I never saw eye to eye with my brother, the only thing we shared in common was our hatred for our parents. I tried to reach out to him, really I did. I was always there for him, but he was never there for me. I could see it in his eyes, he thought I was a weak fool. I don't need him any more than he needed me, good riddance. I hope a daedra devours his soul.

3rd of Frostfall, 3E 433

It has been a few days since I last eaten anything. My food supply has run out and I needed to resupply, so I headed for the Imperial City. Turns out Emperor Uriel Septim VII was assassinated a few days ago. And according to some travelers, the city of Kvatch was sacked by Daedra. Wow, looks like Cyrodiil is on it's way down to Oblivion.

I understand the trauma for people losing their beloved leader, but Daedra attacking a city?! What madness is this? Clearly this is an exaggeration. I paid no heed to the rumor.

On my way back I stumbled upon a group of bandits lurking around the entrance of my "home". I stalked them as they entered. I watched as my minions made quick work of them. I was so proud of my servants. I immediately began to experiment on my fresh "material", I almost forgot to eat!

10th of Frostfall, 3E 433

What has transpired today... I am at a loss of words. It turns out people are not as mad as I thought... While searching for some alchemical ingredients for one of my projects... I... how can I explain? ...Daedra! I encountered the most bizarre thing... The sky turned red! And past the hill I saw what appeared to be a portal to Oblivion! Sheogorath strike me mad! Daedra, pouring out of this portal attacked me on sight. Thankfully I had a small entourage of undead at my side. It was a fierce battle. I was able to repel the Daedra... at least momentarily. I dared not even think of entering the portal. As I prepared to reanimate my fallen minions, more Daedra started emerging from the portal, and I am certain I saw what appeared to be, a Dremora. I have learned about them from my brother and I knew better than to push my luck. I quickly reanimated one of my fallen zombies to serve as a last minute distraction as I ran for my life. I am back home now, safe, and in company of my loyal undead guardians... I thought about my daedra-loving brother... could he have been behind this? I shudder at the thought...

28th of Frostfall, 3E 433

I have accomplished much this month. I can safely say I have quite the entourage of minions. I feel confident in my abilities. Yes. In just one year I have gone from a novice mage to an adept necromancer. Not to mention I survived an encounter with Daedra not too long ago... It is time... I will seek out the Order of the Black Worm. I look now to my Sovereign, Mannimarco King of Worms. I only hope he finds me worthy. I will be leaving most of my reanimated corpses here to guard the place. I am taking my most powerful reanimated Skeleton with me to serve as both a bodyguard and as proof of my abilities. I begin my journey to Echo cave tomorrow. Hopefully no portals to Oblivion get in my way...

1st of Sun's Dusk, 3E 433

I have made it to Echo cave and spoke with the overseer, Bolor Savel. I showed him my skeletal bodyguard and further demonstrated my abilities on some corpses they had lying around. Needless to say, I was accepted into the Order.

22nd of Sun's Dusk, 3E 433

It has been quite a month of vigorous training with some of the best necromancers, I even met an ancient Lich! He wasn't much for talk but he did share some tips with me. There has been talk of Mannimarco visiting us soon.

Word around Cyrodiil is that the "Oblivion Crisis" is progressing. There have been reports of portals emerging all over Tamriel. I find this troubling... Interestingly enough however, Mannimarco apparently wants to wage war on the Mage's Guild. What with the Oblivion Crisis going on, I can see no better time. Archmage Traven brought this upon himself. How dare he and all the other cowards ban that which they don't understand. There is wisdom to be gained in this "Dark Art"! If used properly, I truly believe the Dark Arts can help people! The talk of necromancy being immoral is purely subjective. It can be used to benefit the people. I will prove this in time.

[pagebreak]

7th of Evening Star, 3E 433

Mannimarco has arrived! He wasn't exactly as I had expected... He looked... "mortal". I did not ask, out of respect, and perhaps some fear. I presume that he is simply using illusion magic to mask his true form. Perhaps it may be an avatar? I dare not speculate on such a trivial matter. He was impressed with my progress, Bolor himself vouched for me. I have been tasked with summoning and binding Wraiths to be used for an assault on Bruma's Guild office. I explained to the Worm-King that I have virtually no experience with conjuration magic. He comforted me and said that I'm a natural, he could sense it. He put me under the guidance of Camilla lollia. Looks like I have my work cut out for me. I look forward to it.

15th of Evening Star, 3E 433

After much experimenting and study... I have successfully summoned a Faded Wraith! Of course it was frenzied and nearly killed Camilla. Needless to say, she wasn't happy about it...

16th of Evening Star, 3E 433

I have managed to both summon and control a simple Ghost. My problem with the Wraith was that I rushed myself. instead of starting small and scaling upward, I did the opposite. Arrogant of me... I merely presumed that controlling a summon was the same as controlling a reanimated corpse, I was mistaken. No matter. I now know how to properly summon this Wraith. Now the next step is binding it to this realm...

19th of Evening Star, 3E 433

Success! I have permanently binded a Wraith, and best of all it was not in a frenzied state. Now Camilla wants me to bind a dozen of them. I am expected to complete this task by the 23rd. I should have at least six binded by tomorrow night.

20th of Evening Star, 3E 433

I was interrupted today... I received a letter... form my brother of all possible people. How the courier even found my location is beyond me. I was standing outside Echo cave for some fresh air when the courier found me.

It's an invitation. My brother is part of a cult called the Mythic Dawn. He wants to give me a second chance, he claims to pity me for being weak. He wants me to join paradise??? I have no idea what this lunatic is talking about, but apparently this cult was responsible for both the Emperor's assassination and the emergence of these Oblivion Gates that are sprouting all over the land. He want's me to pledge myself to Mehrunes Dagon.

I have already pledged my allegiance to our Sovereign, the King of Worms! The Daedra can rot for all I care. Like I am supposed to take my twisted brother's word. He thinks me a helpless fool... He thinks me a child!

24th of Evening Star, 3E 433

Victory! Under Camilla's leadership, the assault on Bruma's Guild hall was a success. My Wraiths completely decimated all the pathetic "mages" in there. Camilla herself slew the Bruma Guildmaster. I was able to kill few of the mages myself with Frost spells. Still, after checking the bodies, I could have sworn one was missing. I recall battling a rather sly Khajiiti mage. He seemed to have vanished though.. I certainly can't find his body, I know for a fact he was not killed. Camilla brushed it off, but I insisted I could sense his presence. She told me stop my nonsense about invisible mages and ordered me to relay news of our victory to Mannimarco. So I went on my way.

25th of Evening Star, 3E 433

This is a complete disaster! I have returned to Echo cave only to find Bolor slain in the front entrance! I proceeded to investigate the rest of the cave and could find no trace of Mannimarco. Was he slain? Did he disappear? I do not know. It is evident that a battle took place hear. There were no survivors. Whoever did this seemed to have slain my fellow Worm Anchorites... single-handedly... Impressive.

4th of Morning Star, 3E 434

It would seem not all was a complete and utter failure, Archmage Traven was killed... but a new Archmage has taken his place... Mannimarco is gone, our order is leaderless. I immediately jumped to the challenge and proclaimed myself, Prince of Worms! Surprisingly, I received no opposition. Perhaps I am more intimidating than I thought... Suffice to say, it is now my solemn responsibility to get our Order back on it's feet. One of the Anchorites suggested I become a Worm Eremite. To pursue the path... of Lichdom. Where so many have either failed utterly, or have become only half a Lich a shadow of their former selves under the mask of immortality... There is wisdom in knowing your limits... I am nowhere near ready to pursue such a road. Perhaps in time however...

16th of First Seed, 3E 434

I am in hiding... I have been in hiding for an entire month. Damn Mage's Guild is relentless. Their constant attacks plus the multiple attempts on my life from my fellow Worm Anchorites! I have abandoned our Order. I have learned enough, I am more than capable of practicing necromancy on my own in seclusion... again. Except this time I actually know what I am doing. An Oblivion Gate has opened near my current "residence"... It is time to test my power. Tonight I will venture into Oblivion itself! I am ready. My minions are ready.

17th of First Seed, 3E 434

Fire... lots of fire, magma, lava, destruction. I have entered the Deadlands, Mehrunes Dagon's realm of Oblivion. It was literally a hellish place, definitely not a place for anyone but the harshest of Daedra. The Dremora were the fiercest enemy I have ever fought period. I could have sworn on multiple times that some of the Dremora were actually casting... soul trap on me... Surely enough when I searched their corpse after banishing them, some of them indeed had empty black soul gems. In my ignorance I have merely assumed that Daedra have no connection to necromancy. I was mistaken. The schools of conjuration and necromancy are like... kin to each other. They are both different while at the same time complimenting each other. I am not quite ready to start summoning Daedra... but I am open to the thought of it. I wonder what my brother is up to...

Also worth marking... I have actually closed the Oblivion Gate that I have entered. At the top of a central tower, guarded by a very powerful Dremora, was a darkish colored... orb? According to some vague responses I heard from the Dremora I battled, I heard him reference: "Sigil Stone". Interesting indeed.

11th of Rain's Hand, 3E 434

Forced into hiding again! Damn guild found me, I was forced to retreat and in the process I lost the sigil stone! I have now taken refuge in county Leyawiin, hopefully the swamps will provide good cover.

1st of Midyear, 3E 434

I have shown that the Dark Arts can be used for the good of the people! An Oblivion gate opened up near Leyawiin. My army of Undead Armored Zombie and Skeletal Warriors engaging the Daedra in front of all citizens of Leyawiin to see. I closed the gate. I offered the sigil stone to one of the city guards and then announced to the citizens: "I am Velacar Worm-Prince, and the mortal dead are at my command! No Daedra shall harm you while my minions walk! Fear not my Dark Magic as I use it to protect us all!" My Undead minions and I then retreated back in the swamps, the city guard did not come after me. I guess they were thankful. Hah!

To any who read this journal, let it be known that I, on that day, proved that the Dark Arts is not evil! It is up to the practitioner to determine if it is evil or not.

13th of Midyear, 3E 434

Rumor has it, the Oblivion Crisis is finally over! Good, maybe now life can return to normal...

13th of Hearthfire, 3E 434

One year... It has been exactly one year since I took residence in that Ayleid ruin and officially began my work in the dark arts... I wonder what happen to that place. If my minions are still there? If so will they even recognize me? Irrelevant now. I have raised quite a number of assorted undead at my disposal.

...It was... strange... meeting my brother in the middle of the Ayleid ruin, Anutwyll. I had just been visiting Bravil for supplies when I noticed the Ayleid ruin known as Anutwyll just outside the city. It was like fate brought us together. We fought for hours it seemed. Our skills were nearly identical. Only difference was that I kept reanimating my Undead minions as they fell, while my Brother just kept summoning Daedra. I was close to winning, I am sure of it. He made a run for it and escaped. Before he ran however, he told me to prepare for one final battle... on the border of Black Marsh. The treacherous swamps should deter any outside interference.

Soon...

30th of Sun's dusk, 3E 434

It is done... I was victorious. It was quite the battle. As much as I hated my damn brother... he put up a good fight. In fact I'm surprised I even won. He had the upper hand. It's almost as if some divine force altered the course of battle to turn in my favor, within a moments notice.

Whatever, I was victorious and that's done. My Brother's dying wish was that I would promise to let him die and not perform any necromancy on his body. He wanted to go to Paradise which the Mythic Dawn promised him... So be it. I left his body to rot. I feel lost now... I'm not sure what I want to do with myself. I feel lonely...

15th of Rain's Hand, 4E 7

It's been years since I recorded anything in this journal. I guess I just stopped caring, got all caught up in my experiments. I still feel as lonely as ever... I may have born in this wretched place of mankind but I still yearn for my true home, Summerset Isle, home of my brothers and sisters, the Altmer. I long to visit Alinor... I shall make the journey soon.

2nd of Sun's Height, 4E 7

Whoever these Thalmor are... they did not like the fact that I had my own personal royal guard of Skeleton Champions and headless zombies... Vigilant bastards! It's like the entire Valenwood border was on lockdown... I was forced to kill them and now they are on the lookout for a crazy necromancer... I guess I will just stay in Cyrodiil then... Dammit...

I have now up set up a new base for my experiments in the Jerall mountains. I will remain here for the foreseeable future I imagine... by myself. Well maybe not completely by myself, I do have my undead servants to keep me company...

4E 98

I have lost track of time... I'm pretty sure the year is 98 of the 4E... Anyway after not writing in this journal for a hundred years...well I re-discovered this journal. Apparently one of my reanimated headless zombies grew connected with it and carried it everywhere with him as if it had some sentimental value to him... cute... anyway, thought I'd mention that both moons, Masser and Secunda have vanished, literally.

I went for a walk one night to the nearby city of Bruma... and yeah, there is no moons. I asked around Bruma and no one knows what in Oblivion is going on... This is problematic as not only do I rely on the moons for black soul gems... but If I ever decide to pursue the path of Lichdom... well without the moons it would be even more difficult. I'll be sure to record if the Moons ever come back... If I even bother...

4E 100

No matter how many times I've checked, the absence of the moons has completely defied me of any access to my Sovereign's unholy light... This is most troublesome as I have exhausted all of my Black Soul Gems. I have failed multiple times to ascend into Lichdom, one of which knocked me into a 2 month coma. And some of my binded wraiths became a little antsy and started attacking each other. But they just sat there wailing at each other with unenchanted swords... doing no damage to each other... and screeching... So I had to shut them up myself... which then made some of my zombies panic into a frenzy... so I had to keep them from causing too much damage to my other loyal undead... And in all the commotion, a group of well-armed adventurers just so happened to stumble upon my home and joined the action... costing even more of my minions...

...

Arkay dammit!

4E 100

Masser and Secunda have returned to fill the void of the sky... Don't know how, don't know why...

4E 100

Have finally seen Sovereign's unholy light after 2 years... and I had no Grand soul gems... sigh...

4E 142

Oh look, this journal again... I found it on the same Headless Zombie that found it decades ago! I should make it my steward or something. How convenient...

Well... nothing really worth noting... these past... what was it now? Two decades or so? All filled with multiple failures on my part. I have become obsessed with Lichdom. I... Think I just need to give up...

Just... one more experiment...

22nd of Hearthfire, 4E 142

According to this diary of an unfortunate adventurer that stumbled into my "home" and got ambused by my minions... it is the 22nd of Hearthfire! Not like I'll even keep track of time... I mean, what IS time anyway?

I know what time is... it's a SETBACK! I hate you time! Ticking away at my life. Laughing at me as I grow closer to my death! Denying me my youth! Denying me success! To Oblivion with you Auri-El, err.. Akatosh, or whatever your name is! Die!

4E 144

That's it... I give up on Lichdom. I simply cannot succeed. Perhaps I have become too cautious, but I simply do not have the resolve to pull it off anymore. That last slumber was too much a close-call. Forget it. I'll just focus more on prolonging my life. Just need... another 50 years... and I can die happy... Maybe research the Daedra? No.. maybe not... I don't know...

I still do look rather young all things considered though... I dare say I've aged rather well... Not like it matters...

4E 162

A cute Bosmeri woman was caught trespassing in this ruined fort which I call "home." She is a thief, and was looking for treasure apparently. She managed to sneak past all of my minions and into my main living quarters where I sleep and relax and what-not. I caught her trying to pick open the lock of my chest in which I keep some valuables. I approached her and she started to freak out, surprised that I was able to see her. She was invisible, I believe through a potion. However I was able to detect her life essence with my mysticism. She immediately began begging for her life.

I could have used her for my experiments... I could have also done other things which crossed my mind as I observed her beauty... Gods it's been so long since... I felt a woman's body... I pondered these thoughts in my mind as she yielded and dropped her dagger to the ground, two of my skeletal guardians heard the commotion and entered, weapons drawn. I raised my hand and commanded them to stop.

People say that the Dark Arts corrupt your soul. My soul is not corrupted one bit. Never had I experimented on innocent helpless citizens. Only fighters, rival mages, bandits, armed adventurers, or anyone who has either shown prowess in battle or people whom have displayed evil intentions. This Bosmer could have stolen from innocent people, she could have been a professional thief, she could have been an assassin out for my life. Regardless, she surrendered... I... escorted her out of this wretched place. She thanked me for showing mercy and ran away in the night. I found this encounter interesting enough to record despite not writing in this journal for years. I'm not even sure why I keep this journal around...

Sometimes I wonder... are the teachings of the temple true? Are the Divines forever forgiving? Goodness, I don't even know of my ancestral religion of the Altmer... What do I even follow, but some immortal Lich? A Lich that vanished in the Black Worms greatest need? An entity that has denied me the path to Lichdom!

No... stop it Velacar... just need to focus. Patience... patience... I shall never die... I just need... to take my research slow and moderate. Enough with the arrogance...

4E 174

The Aldmeri Dominion have begun their invasion of the Imperial City...I want absolutely nothing to do with this! Skyrim is not too far from where I am... I'll just look for a nice quiet ruin and continue my experiments there. I have heard stories of Ancient Nordic burial procedures... Apparently the bodies of the dead are well preserved... Interesting, the possibilities...

I have pondered the possibility of fighting for the Aldmeri Dominion. I doubt they would appreciate what I would offer... an army of undead! No, they would go on about the Aedra and blah blah. They sure have no problem using Goblins as slaves though... Hypocritical fools. Yet they would have a moral problem with my necromancy. They are not worthy of my aid. I remember the stories of Tiber Septim razing Alinor to the ground with a giant Dwemeri machine. The Thalmor see Talos as a false God. I don't really care regardless, I have forsaken the divines already. I certainly won't be helping the Empire, men who think that their way of life is supreme... nevermind the fact that we Altmer had a stable government before being forced into the empire! I don't care much for politics anyway. So it's off to Skyrim. The home of the Nords is not my preference but it is close by and seems to be quiet... and it's borders... loose... Thus I deem this the logical place for me to venture to.

Not yet though... Will stay a little longer... see how this war pans out... No rush... I am still safe here, plenty of game here to eat... remote area... neither of the armies will venture through here, I'm sure...

4E 199

I was forced to leave my home. A large group of conjurers attacked. I suspect they have heard of my exploits or something, they seemed really out to get me. I lost all my minions in that battle... including my faithful Headless Zombie whom has no name and keeper of my holy journal... What is wrong with me? Like NOW is the time for humor?

4E 200

Found a new home in this freezing cave. It is... inhospitable at best. I am pretty close to Skyrim though, right on the border I believe... I have no idea what has transpired in Cyrodiil for the past decade. No idea who won the war. Don't care... Need to leave...

I shall make my way tomorrow... Perhaps... I can start anew in Skyrim. Experiment on those savages preferably...

On Soul Cairn

by

Velacar Worm-Prince

Master Necromancer & Conjurer. Proud student of the Dark Arts

College of Winterhold

Before I begin, know that I am an authority on the subject of necromancy. The Dark Art of necromancy is very much associated with this realm of Oblivion. On that note, I shall transcribe my journey to the realm of the Undead.

Through means I shall not discuss, I have discovered a portal in a location I will not reveal. I have journeyed to the Soul Cairn and returned to tell the tale. The Soul Cairn is a realm of Oblivion. This realm is not owned by any of the Daedric Princes. It is run by the mysterious Ideal Masters. I do not know who they are and I do not know of anyone who knows who they truly are. What I do know is that they are the rulers of the Soul Cairn. The Ideal Masters seem to have a heavy interest in souls, indeed souls are the one and only thing that necromancers have as leverage in their bargains with the Ideal Masters. It is possible that the Ideal Masters use souls as a means of currency for an even higher power. Of perhaps they use the souls to maintain their very existence. It is impossible to know for certain. Necromancers or anyone with an interest in acquiring power to summon the undead may bargain with the Ideal Masters. Yes summon undead, and not the typical undead in which you may know of, but powerful forms of undead whom are alien to Tamriel. The three most common are: Bonemen, Mistmen, and Wrathmen. I will go into further detail in my other book: Denizens Of The Soul Cairn.

Those who bargain with the Ideal Masters are often deceived. Sometimes they are deceived in such a way, they won't even know it until they find themselves in the Soul Cairn. I have not spoken to the Ideal Masters nor do I plan to. Entering their realm without their consent was dangerous as is. Learning how to summon some of their minions on my own accord was even more dangerous, thus I will not be bargaining with them in any foreseeable future.

The realm itself is bleak, and barren with only dead trees and bushes. There is but one plant that seems to actually "grow" here. The local souls refer to it as soul husks. When I ingested it, I felt a sense of energy around me. I recognized this energy as a form of magic resistance. I have collected over a dozen samples for study. I have yet to reproduce any viable alchemical mixture with them unfortunately. The sky is purple and there seems to be perpetual lightning, in the center of the sky one can see what appears to be a pocket of void. It is a frightening sight to behold. There are buildings dotting the landscape, some in a destroyed state. Have they been destroyed by something? Or have they always been? I do not know. The atmosphere is peaceful, but in a very eerie vibe. One cannot help but feel the essence of death creep into your very soul. Misery and sadness fill the air. One can find the souls of those who are stuck here permanently. Some of them are victims of having their soul trapped in a black soul gem. Others are victims of deals with the Ideal Masters. They are not tortured. They live in an eternal peace, yet are filled with misery and sadness. One of the souls which I have spoken with, describe their existence here as a "prison without walls".

Throughout the landscape one can find fissures in the ground. When I got close to these fissures an empty soul gem I had on me was filled. It would appear one can harvest the essence of souls from these fissures. The implications of this are rather interesting. Also dotted across the land are altars containing what appears to be a rod erected towards the sky. I discovered when I placed a Grand Soul Gem on this altar lightning began to strike the rod repeatedly. I was then attacked by Undead Guardians exclusive to this realm. After defeating them I turned my attention back to the altar and noticed my Grand Soul Gem has turned into a Black Soul Gem. I found other Altars and there functions were consistent with the first. If one could replicate the process, perhaps one could create Black Soul Gems on Nirn. Further study will be required but I suspect this may not be possible. If you can strike a deal with the Ideal Masters for safe passage to this realm then I imagine you too could utilize these altars as a consistent source of Black Soul Gems, assuming you can defeat the Undead that emerge when activated. The only other method of creating Black Soul Gems which I know of requires a ritual associated with the Sovereign or King Of Worms. If you want to learn of it's practice then you will have to make contact with the Order Of The Black Worm as I will not discuss the procedure here.

In conclusion, I shall reiterate that the Soul Cairn seems to be a repository of sorts for souls. Specifically souls that are trapped in Black Soul Gems, willingly or unwillingly. The Undead roam the land in an eternal happiness. How you define happiness is of your own discretion as the Ideal Masters have their own definition and understanding of the term. To them, their servants got exactly what they agreed to. They live in this realm now perpetually, blessed with immortality, and forever happy to serve their masters. They are given sanctuary and no longer do the realities of life trouble them.

I will say that I very much enjoyed my journey to this realm. Perhaps as a result of my extensive work in necromancy I found the place to be... rather comforting. If one can get over the hostile inhabitants and gloomy atmosphere I believe one can find a sense of happiness here. Again I must warn all who wish to make contact with this realm: be wary of the Ideal Masters and pay very close attention to what they say. It is no ones fault other than yourself if you find yourself cheated in anyway. The Ideal Masters are beyond our comprehension. Do not assume for a second that you can out maneuver them or manipulate them in any capacity. Stay clear of necromantic lairs and pray to Arkay if you find yourself soul trapped. You may find yourself in this realm. Woe to the unwary, for there is no rest for the weary.

There is no rest for the wicked.

They die.

They pray.

To live.

They serve.

Denizens Of The Soul Cairn

By

Velacar Worm-Prince

Master Necromancer & Conjurer, proud student of the Dark Arts

College of Winterhold

Greetings esteemed reader, if you have not yet read my previous book: "On Soul Cairn", then I recommend you do. If you have read the book or you already have reasonable knowledge on the Soul Cairn then you may of course, wish to know more about the denizens of this realm.

I assume the reader also has some basic knowledge in either necromancy or conjuration. If you wish to learn how to summon these Undead creatures, you will have to receive this knowledge, either by your own means(studying this book should prove invaluable) or contact the Ideal Masters. Generally only they can bestow the knowledge. I was able to learn on my own by traveling to the Soul Cairn. With that said, they were not pleased with what I have done and I refuse to anger them further.

I will discuss the following entities in this book:

1.)Trapped Soul

2.)Boneman

3.)Mistman

4.)Wrathman

5.)Boneyard Keeper

6.)Reaper

Trapped Soul

The most common of the Undead that walk the barren land of the Soul Cairn are the unfortunate(or fortunate) souls. They have either made deals with the Ideal Masters, or they found them selves soul trapped in a Black Soul Gem. They wander the bleak land aimlessly in a constant state of awareness or lack thereof. Some know where they are and are disgruntled and miserable. Some have no idea where they truly are and are trapped in their own minds essentially. Which one of the two have it better is up to debate. Both types seemed pretty miserable regardless. I managed to communicate with some of them. The stories of how they ended up here were essentially the same, the only variation being the aggressor who put them here. Some stories recalled battling a necromancer and then ending up here. One soul recalls his arrogant decision to argue with a Dremora - a Daedric being for those who do not know. One soul even recalled being sent here by the Wolf Queen, Potema! Others recall themselves being cheated by the Ideal Masters.

One particular soul worth mentioning that I met: Perhaps you know of a famous Dunmer named Jiub, Saint Jiub. Yes the very one who drove the Cliffracers from Vvardenfell. He told me his tragic story of how he ended up here. He was living in Kvatch you see. When the city was sacked by the Daedra, he was one of the unfortunate victims... If it eases the reader's mind know that Jiub fought well and died with honor. He helped the city guard of Kvatch fight and likely helped many innocent citizens flee to safety. He met his end at the hands of a powerful Dremora. Despite my great talent in necromancy, there is no known way I can release Jiub from this prison. Believe me, I have actually tried to even summon him at least temporarily as if he were a Daedra. Anything to get him out of there. His soul is in complete custody of the Ideal Masters. There is nothing I can do for him. Even if I had access to his body, I simply do not have the power to release his soul from the extremely tight grip of the Ideal Masters. I regret being unable to help. Saint Jiub does not deserve this, this is injustice. The best I can do for him is make sure his deeds are never forgotten. So I have included him in this book. I have helped him finish writing his own book on his great deeds. I am working on making copies of the book so I can share with the rest of Tamriel. It's the least I can do for him.

Boneman

"Blessed are the Bonemen, for they serve without self in spirit forever."

Bonemen represent the common reanimated humanoid skeletal remains. They are of a black color with a purple tint. Their eyes glow purple. They tend to prefer both ranged and melee combat. For melee combat they predominantly use one-handed weapons like longswords and war axes. They are generally more durable and powerful than your common skeleton. They serve as reliable and very easy to control servants to those who have the knowledge and power to summon them. They are extremely obedient and quick to follow commands.

Mistman

"Blessed are the Mistmen, for they blend in the glory of the transcendent spirit."

Mistmen are of similar appearance to the Bonemen. They are legless and seem to float in place. They seem to be of a corporeal nature as they are slightly transparent. Though not enough to be considered ethereal. They are very much physical though they seem somewhat resistant to normal weaponry, however they are not immune. An enchanted weapon is not required though recommended nonetheless. They seem to rely on frost spells rather than weaponry. At range they will launch ice spikes at their targets. In close range they resort to a concentrated gust of frost. If their magicka reserves are depleted they will resort to hand-to-hand combat. In this scenario, they will pick up any weapon that may be in the immediate area. If you can conjure an Atronach then you will find summoning a Mistman to be slightly more difficult. There minds are not as complex as Daedra but they are generally more unruly. This should not be a problem for adepts or even apprentices of conjuration.

Wrathman

"Blessed are the Wrathmen, for they render their rage unto the ages."

The Wrathmen seem to be the top-tier Undead of the the three. Like their name suggests, they are wrathful in nature and are the more difficult of the three to actually control if you manage to summon them. I recommend that the conjurer be at least of expert level. I'm sure adepts can control them as well but I will not recommend it. They resemble a slightly transparent, bright purple colored skeleton clad in Heavy Armor. They predominantly use two-handed weapons for combat.

Boneyard Keeper

The Guardians of the Soul Cairn. I have managed to locate only three of these magnificent beings. They truly are a sight to behold. The Keepers resemble giant armored headless warriors. Where there head should be - instead a black mist forms a head with a pair of glowing purple eyes. Their armor seems to be made of bones. Specifically, the bones of Dragons. They were immediately hostile and a force to reckon with. One of the most powerful creatures I have ever fought. One used a mace and shield. One used a battle axe. One used a bow. All of their weapons also seemed to be made out of the bones of Dragons. As such it is painfully obvious that these Undead constructs are the guardians or "keepers" of the realm. I speculate they administer the will of the Ideal Masters directly. They are quite possibly the body of the Ideal Masters in a metaphorical sense. The embodiment of their remarkable power. Through extensive research, and painful battle, I have managed to actually temporarily summon them as minions. They are extremely difficult to control, moreso than anything I have tried to summon in past experiences, and doing so drained me of almost all my magic reserves in one go. The trade off is well worth it in my opinion as I have not encountered anyone, be it man, beast, undead, monster, or daedra that could defeat them in combat. Once summoned I could practically just sit back and watch it decimate my opponents as my magicka regenerated. I have yet to be able to permanently bind them however. They are difficult enough to temporarily summon them and it would be even more of a monumental task to make them obedient. Summoning them strains my mind and gives me migraines. As such I only summon them when absolutely necessary. No one except for masters of conjuration should even dare summon them.

Reaper

The most mysterious of the Undead in the Soul Cairn. As mysterious as the Ideal Masters themselves. The entity the other souls call "Reaper". Some of the souls recall being watched. Indeed while traversing the realm I had a constant peculiar feeling of being watched. At first I thought it was the Ideal Masters monitoring me trespassing in their home. However after encountering this being I believe it was indeed the Reaper watching. If the Keepers are the Guardians, then the Reaper would be the Warden. Perhaps only emerging to deal with any the Ideal Masters consider a threat and only if the Keepers themselves fail. I was only able to summon him forth for battle by collecting shards scattered across the bleak land. In his dark lair was an altar. I placed the three shards and he appeared. Standing only slightly shorter than the Keepers, Ethereal in nature, a skeletal being wearing what appeared to be the clothes of an executioner. Wielding a powerful battleaxe. In battle he summoned forth multiple Bonemen and "vomited" vile vapors as his main offense. With proper poison resistance I was able to withstand some of it's damage. His attacks are quick and fierce, he was relentless in pursuit of my death.

I believe when souls enter the Soul Cairn, they are first processed and harvested by him.

If you ever manage to bind a Boneman, Mistman, or Wrathman to our realm you must have the proper invocation to actually control them. If received through a bargain with the Ideal Masters, depending on which one you spoke with, they may forget to give you the vital invocation needed. Going against my own word in my previous book I have managed to gain an audience with them. I will say no more on the details. I will however, record the invocation for reference. So long as you have willpower and certainty in your voice, they should obey any command. If you lack the confidence to issue the invocation your minion will sense it in your voice and likely kill you. If this is the case then you should not be dabbling in the Dark Arts and deserve your fate brought forth by arrogance.

Confront your would-be minion and command the following:

You die.

You pray.

To serve.

You live.

You swore.

To serve.

Your Lord.

Commands.