Okay, I started writing this story quite a while ago, and I even posted a couple chapters of it here. The idea behind it was basically to bridge the gap between the Nerevarine's heroic exploits in TES 3 and his sudden and unexplained departure. However, I got sidetracked and never finished it. After a few months, I've decided to try again (with Black Hand being my main inspiration for doing so). In addition to continuing where I left off, I also have been making some improvements to the parts that I already had written down (which is why I'm re-posting it as a new thread entirely). Hopefully, the results will be good. I might even FINISH it this time.

Anywho, here goes:


An Account of the Events of the Interim of Grignr the Nerevarine, Between the Fulfillment of the Bloodmoon Prophecy and His Departure to Akavir

Being An Anonymous Account Discovered, Compiled, and Edited by Bereditte Jastal


Editor's Note: The non-academic nature of this account (its authorship is uncertain, and it is clearly written in prose form, with considerably more detail than one would expect from a typical "journal" or even a memoir) makes it a tome of questionable historical accuracy. The Nerevarine as portrayed in this account ? a Nordic male named Grignr Star-Mane, married to an Imperial Legionnaire named Imsin the Dreamer, is b- [a blurry food stain blots out the next few words]-sistent with the details of Hasphat Antabolis's authoritative (though not universally accepted) account, The Life and Times of the Nerevarine, which [Another food stain, this one with the general texture and coloration of kwama cuttle]

It should be noted that Antabolis's account of the "interim" period (detailed in Volume IV) is rather sketchy compared to the immaculately detailed chronology of the first three volumes. Many of the events related in this text are [The rest of the page has been torn out, presumably used as a napkin].


Chapter I

The air was warm, heavy, and perplexing, draqed like a thick, wet blanket upon the shoulders of the harsh, rocky coastline west of Gnisis. The dark, bloated clouds in the sky grew fat as they slowly drew in the oppressive moisture, accumulating and converging as one. A storm was coming, and we were miles away from cover.

We were one of several detachments that I myself had sent to seek out and clear smugglers caves along the coast of Vvardenfell. This particular group was assigned to investigate the drainage basin of the River Samsi (wherein many underground streams flowed). I led at my own insistence. As Hortator and Knight of the Imperial Dragon, no one dared to argue with me.

"Tread carefully, men," I called back to the twelve Redoran soldiers who trudged miserably behind me. "We're a long walk from Gnisis, and we only have so many Intervention scrolls to go around. We don't want to have to carry anybody back to the Temple."

"Understood, muthsera," grunted Tedril Doren, the acting second-in-command of the detachment. His voice carried a ragged and weary tone to it ? for he, like the rest of the men, had been marching for at least fifteen miles that day, with very little rest. Even I was starting to feel a bit tired ? enchanted armor can only do so much.

"We'll keep marching until nightfall," I said, turning my head toward the lieutenant, "and then we'll head on home."

The soldiers behind me grumbled a bit, but I could tell they were fairly content with knowing that the march would at least end sometime. For now, though, we would continue to plow ahead.

After a couple minutes of marching, Doren hastened his gait to move abriast with me. "May I speak with you privately for a moment, sera?" he inquired in a low voice.

"Fire away," I replied quietly.

"Are all these men really necessary? Could you not have conducted this raid by yourself, sera? It seems an awful lot of trouble for us to have to go through."

"You can never be too careful, Doren. We might catch them in the middle of restocking. Not to mention the amount of contraband we already have to carry back."

I could tell that inwardly, we both knew the pointlessness of this mission. Even if we were to kill or arrest every man and mer in every cave, hideout, and abandoned fortress in the entire province, there would always be others to replace them. The drug trade is a horrid, unkillable beast, and we were both well aware of it. But I knew better than he did ? I knew how to stop it.

It was all a matter of bribing the right person: Orvas Dren. If I could convince Orvas Dren to tell me the names and locations of the major members and safehouses of the Camonna Tong (an organization that I controlled in theory, but not in practice), I could send the full fury of the Dunmer and Imperial military after them, setting the drug trade back months ? maybe even years. It only required the right application of bribery, blackmail, or brute force.

But I dared not do such a thing. It would shatter the uneasy peace I had forged with my fellow Hlaalu councilmen (most of whom I didn't trust as it was), and would put myself, my family, and many of the people I had sworn to protect in danger. And so here we were, scrounging and combing through the caves of Vvardenfell, fighting a war that could not be won.

We marched silently for a minute or two. We were sloshing through the water to skirt a small cliff face when a voice suddenly emerged from the rear of the ranks.

"Come look, sera!" one of the soldiers exclaimed. "I think I see an opening! It's?submerged, but there's a door there."

The rest of us doubled back to see what he had found. Sure enough, there was a weather-beaten, half-rotted door nestled into a small indentation in the cliff face.

"Yes, that's a cave, alright," I said. "And from the looks of it, there are or have been people in it. Doren, have one of your boys dive down and check it out."

"Yes, sera." He turned to a subordinate. "Arinith, I hope you can swim."

"I can, sera," the soldier answered. He dove into the frigid water, nudged the door open, and ducked under the low ceiling into the cave.

We waited what felt like an eternity for him to return. We waited for two minutes?three minutes?four minutes. Finally, after about half an hour, Doren spoke. "I do not know what is taking Arinith so long, but I think we should assume the worst."

"I agree," I said grimly. "Which is why I'm going in. I want you and everyone here who can swim to follow me."

"We'll be right behind you."

I dove in and entered the cave.

I surfaced as silently and carefully as I could, as my men emerged quietly behind me. I found myself in a shallow pool of dank, warmish water that smelled vaguely of sewage ? likely the refuse of the inhabitants of this very cave. I struggled to peer over the edge of the water, but a foul, brackish mist burned my eyes and clouded my vision. I squinted and tilted my head upward.

We were in a stiflingly narrow, low-ceilinged passage ? practically a crawlspace. Beams of flickering torchlight shone from the end of the tunnel, which opened into a large chamber. I could not see very far beyond the threshold, however ? a wooden staircase, leading to an unseen area directly above us, obscured my vision.

I squinted harder, straining my neck and my eyes to see through the openings, but I could see no farther. As I waded closer to the end of the passageway, however, visibility began to improve. The water carried a faint tinge of red - a trail of crimson drifting lazily along the surface. My eyes followed the hazy trail to its point of origin. There, near the center of the chamber, lay Arinith's body, broken and unmistakably dead.

Damn. One dead already and the battle hadn't even begun.

Whoever had killed Arinith was inside that chamber ? there could be no doubt. What's more, he (or she) knew we were coming, and had probably already alerted his friends. This was no time for rash, foolish aggressiveness ? it was imperative that we be as cautious as possible. I focused my keen and sharpened senses upon the area around me. A kind of deep, innate magic reverberated within me and throughout the cave. I felt aware - one with everything that lived and moved around me, while remaining aware of myself in relation to it all. I felt at least three other living creatures within the chamber. I could sense that at least one of them carried an item imbued with a powerful enchantment.

I signaled the archers to move abriast of me and aim up toward the platform behind us (in case there was a marksman perched there) while the rest followed behind us. We approached the opening, weapons drawn and at the ready.

No sooner had I emerged from the tunnel than I was spotted. I saw him at the same time he saw me ? a short, scrawny Bosmer in tattered chainmail, practically dragging a massive steel claymore alongside him. The sword looked bigger than he was.

"Intruder!" he shrieked, as he rushed at me with his sword raised awkwardly above his head. He let out a shrill war cry as he charged head-on into certain death.

I prepared myself to deflect his wild blow. Could this pitiful specimen of a mer REALLY have killed a battle-hardened veteran of House Redoran? I couldn't believe he could survive more than five seconds, unless he somehow managed to sneak up from ?

"Behind you, sera!" Doren shouted. I turned my head and saw an Imperial standing on a platform above me, his longbow primed and ready to fire. But that wasn't what concerned me. For there was another enemy approaching from the top of the staircase: a tall, muscular dark elf clad in a full suit of ebony armor and wielding an enchanted longsword. A scar ran down the length of his face through his right eye. This was a mer who had seen many battles. He wore a look of grim determination as he took off down the staircase with his sword raised.

In a single motion, I raised my shield, pivoting to face the two threats to my rear, and swung my blade to parry the wild blow of the charging Bosmer. The ill-delivered strike was deflected with a loud CLANG! Meanwhile, the Imperial's arrow missed, striking the Bosmer instead (who let out a piercing, agonized shriek). Unfortunately, my shield failed to connect with the Dunmer's glimmering ebony blade. The blow swept across the top of my helmet, knocking it backward. Bolts of magical lightning singed the hair on my neck and burned my scalp.

I pinned the wounded Bosmer's oversized claymore to the ground with my left boot and plunged the scythe-like tip of Trueflame into the wood elf's heart, killing him instantly. Then I pirouetted to face my other attacker, extending my sword just in time to deflect a potential death blow.

As I continued to defend myself, the archers moved into position to take out the Imperial. They made quick work of him turning him into a human pincushion. There was only one enemy left now. Still, that wouldn't be the case for long ? I heard footsteps coming from another passage behind me. The other smugglers must have heard us. My men moved forward to counter the threat as the Dunmer and I continued to do battle.

We dueled back and forth across the staircase, each of us holding one important advantage over the other ? I was the better swordsman, while he held the high ground. Neither of us, however, seemed able to gain the upper hand ? until a well-timed thrust to the upper body threw him off balance, causing him to stumble. I pounced at him, taking a step forward as I prepared to deliver the killing blow?only to slip on the wet, oily staircase beneath my feet. I fell backward, down the staircase and into the shallow water below, landing directly on my now unprotected head.

The world around me went dark as my mind began to drift?

Chapter II

I can remember only fragments of what went through my head while I was unconscious. They were not so much visions or dreams as they were the rattlings of vague memories, from my life and from many lives previous. I am not even sure if any of the things I remembered actually happened. Nevertheless, I witnessed many lifetimes worth of events in those few moments. I watched Akulakhan tumble into the heart of Red Mountain. I fought beside the mortal Vehk in battle, slaying Nords by the dozen. I died in dozens of different ways, both peaceful and violent. But the memory I remember most vividly ? the one that resonated with me the most ? was also one of the simplest and most mundane of the lot: a conversation between me and my wife, Imsin the Dreamer.

We had not yet become intimate at the time ? she was, after all, my superior officer. At the time, I was a young, fast-rising Knight Errant under the command of Radd Hard-Heart. But I had served under her before, and was now stopping by Fort Buckmoth on my way back from a mission to kill a mad wizard in Dagon Fel.

I knew exactly where to find her. I entered the main hall of the fort interior and turned right, heading down the stairs to the foyer. The room was bustling with activity ? the blacksmith was hammering away at a broadsword, as various cult members, enlisted men, and NCO's milled about. I slowly made my way through the crowd and proceeded toward a small, sturdy wooden door near the back of the room. Two guards stood beside it. I approached and addressed the one on the right, a balding Imperial wearing the uniform and insignia of a Trooper.

I cleared my throat and addressed him. "Excuse me, soldier, I'd like to speak with your commanding officer."

"She can't see anyone right now, sir. She's busy writing her monthly report for the Legion brass in Cyrodil. Sorry, but we have orders not to let anyone in."

"Well, it's, ah?somewhat pressing business, I'm afraid. Not completely urgent, but it'll only take about a minute."

"Well?" the guard pondered it for a moment. "I'll have to bring this up with Knight Imsin." He opened the door and stepped inside. Quite frankly, I was surprised he even considered disobeying a direct order like this. I rather suspected that it had something to do with the enchanted masque I had taken from the mad wizard.

The room was relatively small for a fort commander's office ? only about a third the size of the foyer I was standing in. I could see her desk tucked into a corner of the grey stone room. The fireplace crackled and glowed on the side opposite her desk. She looked up from her work at the now-open door.

"Someone here to see you, ma'am," the guard called out.

"I thought I told you I didn't want to be interrupted," she snapped. Then, in a marginally less acidic tone, "Who is it?"

I realized that I had failed to give my name to the guard. I removed the masque and put one foot into the door. "Knight Grignr Star-Mane, ma'am, of the Fort Moonmoth garrison."

Her expression softened. "Hmm. I suppose I can spare a few moments. Come on in."

The guards parted to make way for me. I entered the room, saluted, and closed the door behind me.

She returned my salute. "Welcome, Grignr. It's been only about?a couple months, hasn't it? I've been hearing much about your meteoric rise through the enlisted ranks. You're becoming quite the soldier, aren't you?" She smiled at me.

"I?do my best, ma'am," I replied, rather sheepishly.

"Every soldier worth his salt gives his best for the Empire, Knight Errant," she said. "It takes a special talent ? and a decent amount of luck ? to be recognized for it. Now, then, what business is it that you wish to discuss?"

I cleared my throat and answered. "Just simple accommodations, ma'am. I need a place to rest before I head back to Fort Moonmoth, and I would like to know whether any bunks are available for the night."

"Well, you're certainly welcome to bunk here. We should have several beds available. Let me check the Quartermaster's Report?" She rummaged through the stack of loose parchments that lie on her desk. "Well, it looks as though we have enough room, and enough beds. I'll get a few of the men to set something up for you. I hope you don't mind sleeping with the enlisted men."

"Not at all. Thank you, ma'am."

"No need to thank me. You're welcome to bunk here whenever your duties require it."

"Understood, ma'am."

I started to turn to leave the room when she interrupted me. "Oh, and while you're still here, soldier, there's something rather personal I'd like to ask you, if you don't mind. May I ask it?"

"Hmm?I suppose I wouldn't mind too much," I replied after a brief silence. It wasn't as though I had any pressing or embarrassing secrets to keep from the Empire.

"Good." She smiled briefly, and then looked me straight in the eye. "Now, I want you to tell me honestly, one Knight to another?"

I stood stiffly, nervously anticipating the question she was about to ask.

"?how do you feel about being promoted so quickly?"

I was somewhat taken aback. This wasn't the sort of question I was expecting. "How do I feel about it?"

"Yes. Are you comfortable with it? Do you feel it was right to make you a commissioned officer after a little less than two years? Are you worried about what the other men might think about your swift and relatively painless ascent to the officer's quarters? How do you feel about it?" She stared piercingly at me, awaiting my response.

"Well, uh?" I mumbled as my mind grasped frantically for the right words. "I?can't say I don't like being an officer. I mean, I find commanding and coordinating squads on patrol to be more rewarding than standing still outside a door for hours on end.

"Still?I did notice that I was given active beat duty and special assignments more often than the other men. I did ask General Darius why that was, and he said it was because I was one of his best and most promising young soldiers. The other soldiers didn't complain much?well, not to my face, anyway. Some of them were more than a little resentful, though. I tried to ignore them, and assuage their bitterness by being the best and most trustworthy leader I could be. This certainly helped for the men I was assigned to lead, but for the others it was a bit more?difficult.

"I think that resentment has a lot to do with my being transferred to other posts so frequently. The fort commanders aren't sure what to do with me, and they don't want to spread discontent among their own men, so they ship me off elsewhere. So life in the Legion has been a bit less?stable than I was expecting. Still, I fully believe that I've earned everything the Legion has given me. Does that answer your question?"

Imsin, who had been listening patiently and attentively as I spoke, considered my words thoughtfully for a moment. "You say that you feel you deserve to bear an officer's rank. But are you ready to bear an officer's burden?"

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

"The duty to their men, to their garrison weighs heavily upon every good officer. You've proven to me that you are excellent at following orders from your superiors, and you certainly know how to handle a sword?" She paused for effect. "?but can you fulfill your responsibility as a leader of men?"

"Yes, I believe I can, ma'am. I know I can," I said firmly and with conviction.

"Then you must always be mindful of the soldiers under your command, for they are the greatest asset at your disposal. They are more important than your career, your rank, and even your life. As an officer, you must know their strengths and their weaknesses. You must gain their trust and respect. Most of all, you must be prepared to fight as one cohesive unit. In my experience, men who are promoted too quickly tend to be poor leaders no matter HOW good they are at fighting. And you've been promoted VERY quickly. No offense."

"None taken, ma'am."

She put one hand on my shoulder. "Good. Because I'm only telling you this because I like you. You must always remember that a good officer must take his responsibilities more seriously than his privileges. You're a good soldier, Grignr. I know you will do your duty."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"You're free to go," she said, "unless there's something else you want to ask me."

"Well, actually, I was going to ask for some archery training from the master-at-arms, but I see you're rather busy at the moment."

"True. It's not like it'll take me all night, though." She smiled. "Meet me at the archery range at dawn tomorrow. I'll give you a few pointers."

I believe it was at that very moment ? the simple promise of archery lessons ? that I knew I was destined to be with her; that she was the love of my life. Or would be, as it were. It wasn't so much concrete knowledge as it was intuitive ? a fuzzy, vague?

?dull, throbbing pain that got clearer and more excruciating by the second. Then a cool, soothing liquid touching my lips?a slowly solidifying gray blur in front of my eyes?a familiar voice?

"Grignr! Lord Grignr! Are you alright, sera? Wake up!"

My vision (and my head) gradually began to clear. I could see Tedril Doren standing over me, holding one of my own home-brewed potions to my lips. I moved the flask away from my mouth and sat upright.

"It's good to see you're alright, sera," said Doren. "You took a pretty nasty fall. Made a huge gash on the back of your head. We were able to take down the mer you were after." He gestured toward the well-dressed smuggler's lifeless corpse.

I rubbed my hand against the back of my head. There was still a muted, aching pain where I had fallen. "Is the cave secure?" I asked.

"All the smugglers are dead, sera," he said. "Unfortunately, we've suffered a few losses of our own. Two dead ? Arinith Sendal and Golam Vendal ? plus three wounded, not counting you. They're being tended to right now. One thing's for sure, this wasn't your usual den of run-of-the-mill drug runners. Sure, there were a few of your usual chumps, but make no mistake, these guys had professional help."

"Camonna Tong?"

"Probably," he answered. "It was a pretty big shipment of moon sugar ? I reckon about two and a half tons worth, plus fifteen slaves for delivery purposes. They wanted to protect their investment."

"That's for sure," I said. "Can I have a look at them?"

"A look at what, sera?"

"The slaves, Tedril. I'd like to ask them a few questions ? see if they know anything."

"As you wish. Right this way, sera." He led me down a dim, torchlit passage to the pen where the slaves were kept.

The slaves, like most slaves kept by smugglers, were in pitiful shape. Their quarters were cramped and filthy ? the only sanitation afforded to them within their wooden prison was a single bucket in which they were allowed to relieve themselves. The emaciated frames and glaze-eyed stares of these poor beast-folk indicated that they had neither eaten nor slept very much. Though they didn't seem to be much in the mood for questioning, I proceeded anyway.

"May I have your attention, please?" I called out to the miserable crowd. I was met with silence. A few of the slaves turned their gaze toward me ? the rest ignored me.

I knew that this was about as much recognition as I was going to get, so I continued. "Is there anyone here who can tell me anything about how they got here? From which city were you sent? Where the smugglers were sending the slaves for delivery? Any signs you might have read? Conversations you may have overheard?"

As I expected, none of the slaves had anything to say. They either didn't know anything or didn't care enough to tell me. "Thank you for your cooperation," I said sarcastically, and started toward the wooden gate.

"Wait!" a voice behind me cried out. "Don't leave, serjo! Ri'Darsha knows some things that might interest you?"

I froze in my tracks and turned to face the slave who had addressed me. "Really?" I replied coolly. "And what does Ri'Darsha know?"

The Khajit grinned. "The smugglers try to hide these things from Ri'Darsha. When they took Ri'Darsha off the boat with the other slaves, they put a sack over his eyes so that he cannot see. But Ri'Darsha does not need his eyes to see what is happening around him. Ri'Darsha still has his ears, his nose, and his whiskers. He smells the bitter swamplands and feels the wooden planks beneath his feet. Then, in the cave, he hears a few words and names that the smugglers whisper to themselves. Words like 'Gnaar Mok,' 'Othran,' and 'Gro-Bagrat.' They talk about the sugar, and about the plantation. Sometimes they bring a slave out with them when they empty the bucket, and Ri'Darsha never sees that slave again. Ri'Darsha thinks they were delivering the sugar from the cave to the plantation, and they would make the slaves do it. He does not think that there was anyone in the cave named Othran or Gro-Bagrat. They are from the plantation, he thinks. This is what the Nord wants to know, yes?"

I smiled and nodded. In truth, although I did indeed want every bit of information I could get from the slaves, this was not the main reason I had questioned them. I wanted to see which ones were observant enough to pick up on such details. I wanted to seek out the ones who had the qualities of a good agent ? one who could spy on the shipping routes of the Camonna Tong.

Just by looking into Ri'Darsha's eyes I could see a certain energy, visible even in his physically weakened state ? a "glow" that showed that a shrewd, intelligent mind lay behind those eyes. Yes, Ri'Darsha would make an excellent agent. I just needed to pry him away from House Redoran.

I thanked the Khajit for his help and turned to speak with the lieutenant.

"Tedril?these slaves are considered contraband, correct?"

"Correct. They are now property of House Redoran."

"And what does House Redoran typically do with slaves that have been seized as contraband?"

"Well, they're auctioned off ? unless there are exceptional circumstances involved. Why do you ask?"

"I'd like to purchase these slaves, if it's not too much trouble."

"Sera?" Doren stared dumbfounded at me.

"You heard me. I'm willing to pay 15,000 drakes directly to the House Treasury in exchange for these slaves. I can guarantee that House Redoran won't be able to auction them off for nearly that much, because it's considerably more than they're worth. Since I don't have that much money in my pockets right now, you'll have to settle for this certificate that promises that I shall deliver that gold within two days time."

"But?I'm not?it's not w-within my authority, muthsera!" he stammered.

"Sure it is! Auctions of government-seized property are usually conducted by a military officer, are they not?"

"W-well, yes, but ?"

"Then this is perfectly within the limits of your authority! Simply deliver this note to your bosses and tell them that the contraband has been legally redistributed."

"But ?"

"That's not a request, Doren."

The lieutenant hung his head in defeat. "Very well, Hortator. It shall be done."

"Good. Now, how are we in terms of hauling capability? Do we have enough men to carry these goods back to Gnisis?"

"We should have enough to do the job."

"Splendid. Let's bag and haul this contraband and head on home."

The men began the task of carrying away the narcotics, while the slaves followed behind. A furry hand tapped me on the shoulder. It was Ri'Darsha.

"So?you are Ri'Darsha's new master?"

"No," I replied with a knowing grin. "You will be free once the men and I are finished. However, I do have a job for you?if you're interested."

"Ri'Darsha is listening."

My smile grew wider. He would be a great agent indeed ? one among many under my employ.

My mind was now made up. There would be no more lives wasted on these pointless raids. I'd had enough. It was time for me to take a risk for the sake of my countrymen. I had a plan?one in which Ri'Darsha would play a small part.

Dagoth Ur paused momentarily for effect. He raised his hideous, clawed hand in front of his face, turned his palm inward and brought his fingers in one by one to make a fist, with the practiced debonair style and grace of a well-travelled troubadour strumming his lute. And then he spoke, his voice carrying the same terrifying calmness that it had before.

"It will all be decided here. I believe I will prevail. But I cannot be sure, and I am vain enough that, should I fall, I would wish to be remembered in my own words. So, if you have final questions you would ask, ask them now. I have final questions I would ask you, if you would answer."

"You and I and all of Morrowind have waited three thousand years for this moment. A couple of questions should be no trouble at all."

My first question is?are you really Nerevar reborn?

His voice, normally so composed and self-assured, seemed to hold the tiniest bit of doubt as he asked this.

"Listen carefully, Lord Dagoth, because I will say this only once. I do not like to repeat myself." I removed my helmet briefly, wiping the sweat from my brow before continuing. "I am a self-made hero. I follow my own path and make my own destiny. I am no mere puppet of fate, prophecy, or the et'Ada. But the prophets have said that the spirit of Lord Nerevar will return to inhabit a champion who shall defeat you and bring an end to your reign of terror. And I AM going to kill you, Voryn, whether you believe it or not. Therefore, I am Lord Nerevar. And I shall prove it to you, to Morrowind, and to all the world on this day. The gods and fate have deemed that it is the destiny of the Nerevarine to kill the devil and sunder the false gods from the source of their unholy power. But it is by my hand, and NOT the gods and fate, that you shall fall."

Chapter III

It took me but an instant to teleport from Gnisis back to Rethan Manor, my home; the first true home I had ever known in my life. And what a beautiful home it was ? a practical castle in the true Dunmer tradition, unadorned as it was by unnecessary spires, staircases, or any of the typical signs of Imperial excess ? just a few economically placed sentry towers that loomed overhead. It rose above the lush, verdant ocean of grass that blanketed the Odai Plateau, watching over the land ? an oasis of justice in a desert of Hlaalu corruption. To see the sun set upon it, as it was doing now, was truly a marvelous sight.

But I had no time to take in the sunset. I materialized just inside the outer walls of the stronghold and made my way to the manor proper, leading Ri'Darsha by the wrist. Guards, both Hlaalu and Imperial, greeted and saluted me as I passed. In addition to being my home, it also served as a headquarters of sorts for all my political and Legion business. The compound was usually bustling with activity as a result, and today was no exception.

"So many people working for you, sera?" Ri'Darsha whispered into my ear. "What is it you want from poor old Ri'Darsha that all these men cannot do? Nothing illegal, he hopes?"

I cracked another smile. This Khajit never ceased to amaze me. "Not exactly," I said quietly. "We'll discuss it in my chambers when I meet with my advisors."

"Ah, a very secretive Nord, this one?"

We entered the manor itself and made our way to the Legion office, where Imsin the Dreamer, my wife and second-in-command (as a Knight of the Garland), worked. From there, she dealt with garrison business for the House and Imperial troops stationed here, and also took over my duties while I was away (as I did for her while she was away). However, she had been confined to her office more often than usual lately, for she was with child, and had been for almost six months now.

The sentries at the door parted to let me through. I turned back to Ri'Darsha. "Wait here. I'll be back in a moment."

"As you wish, muthsera."

I stepped into the office. Imsin was at her desk, dutifully looking over and filling out forms. Paperwork: the bane of every officer's existence. She looked up from her work to see who had entered.

"Good evening, my dear," I greeted her.

Imsin practically leapt straight from her desk into my arms to embrace me. "It is good to see you again, darling," she said. "I've missed you so much. I really wish I could have gone with you."

"So do I," I said softly. "But we cannot risk the life of our baby."

"I know." She looked down and put her hand on her pregnant belly. "I can feel it moving inside me more and more as the days go by. Listen?"

I bent downward and put my ear against her stomach. I heard a single soft thump?and then a second?and a third in quick succession. The baby was kicking ? and it was kicking pretty often, too.

"Well?this seems to be quite the energetic little one. I know it will be a strong child." I slowly rose to look Imsin in the eye. "Like her mother." I kissed her on the lips. We smiled at each other.

"So?how's business with the Legion?" I murmured, still embracing her.

"Oh?nothing much?of interest," she whispered to me in between passionate kisses. "General Darius says that they've brought in?Imperial geologists?to map out the?cave system?on the River Samsi. At Fort Moonmoth?they're dealing with a gang of?highwaymen based outside Balmora. In Ebonheart it's?business as usual, but Fort Wolverine?is noticing more smuggling?activity?going on lately. Raesa Pullia at Fort Buckmoth says that they just took down a?group of?stop it! That tickles! Necromancers."

"Yes?she seems to have done a pretty good job over at Fort Buckmoth since I stole you away from there?"

But as I moved in to kiss her again, she backed off slightly and looked over my shoulder. "Who's your friend?" she asked, gesturing toward the door.

I looked back and saw a fairly embarrassed-looking Khajit peeking through the door, which he was holding slightly ajar.

"He's a new associate of mine," I said, barely managing to stifle my laughter. Then I called out to him. "You might as well come on in, Ri'Darsha!"

He slowly slunk into the room looking rather sheepish, with his ears sinking downward and his tail twitching nervously. "Ri'Darsha is sorry for intruding, milord."

"You've nothing to apologize for, my friend," I assured him.

"Speak for yourself," Imsin muttered under her breath.

"Now now ? let's be nice to the poor fellow," I chided her. "It was an honest mistake. Still, I am curious?how did you manage to get a peek at us without the guards noticing?"

"The sharpest eye can be stricken blind by the right distraction, sera." The Khajit grinned mischievously.

"Hmm?I think we'd better leave it at that. I get the feeling I don't want to know. Regardless, I think I'm going to have a talk with those guards on the basics of sentry duty."

Imsin glared suspiciously at him. "So?Ri'Darsha, is it? What sort of duty were you hired for, I wonder?"

"Ri'Darsha is not sure. Master Grignr has not told him yet."

Imsin redirected her steel-hard gaze at me. "You haven't even TOLD this poor Khajit what he's doing here?"

"I needed to wait for the correct moment to do so," I explained calmly. "His work is going to involve some sensitive information, and I simply hadn't enough privacy to tell him about it on the way here. I think now would be a good time, seeing as how there's nobody else here."

"Go ahead, then. Tell Ri'Darsha what he is supposed to do."

"Very well." I cleared my throat and addressed the Khajit. "Now, what I am about to tell you is highly classified information. It must not leave this room. Do not reveal it to anyone unless I say you can reveal it to them. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good. I am an agent of Imperial intelligence ? a member of the Blades. I am, in fact, the acting Spymaster of the Vvardenfell District. I'm not particularly active or involved as a spy ? for the most part, my fellow spies go about their business autonomously. Still, I have the authority and responsibility to serve as the eyes and ears of the Empire, as a representative of law and justice. I also consider it my duty to monitor the activities of Imperial and Dunmer officials themselves, to ensure that they stay true to the ideals on which this government was founded, serving the people rather than themselves. If you have ever pondered the answer to the old paradoxical question of who watches the watchers, wonder no more. For the answer is to that question is the Blades ? the all-seeing eye of the Empire.

"I am telling you this because I wish to make you an associate of the Blades. I do not have the authority to officially make you an agent ? only the Emperor can do that. Still, you will be an Agent in all but name, and you'll be well-paid for your service ? 700 drakes a week. Understand, however, that you will be putting your life on the line. Do you accept?"

Ri'Darsha bowed his head to me in respect. "Ri'Darsha already owes you his life. Ri'Darsha would consider it an honor to work for you as a spy."

"Excellent. You will be assigned to monitor Camonna Tong activities and shipments in Telvanni country, under the guise of a slave working in the town square. Sadrith Mora will serve as your base of operations ? I have many such agents working in other important port towns, and I already have a few contacts in Telvanni territory who will help you get started. You'll have the authority to employ additional help should you need it, and will also be expected to make recommendations of the use of force against suspected hideout locations."

"So?Ri'Darsha will be looking for the sugar and the skooma, yes?"

"Not exactly. While severely restricting the flow of narcotics into Vvardenfell is our ultimate goal, you won't be looking for drugs per se. Moon sugar and other such contraband can easily be hidden among normal goods, and can even be sent in smaller shipments to areas of shoreline far from the cities while still remaining a viable enterprise. Instead, I want you to keep an eye on the slave trade. As you know, slaves are a vital part of the Camonna Tong's delivery network. If we could follow the slaves that the Camonna Tong are using, we'd be able to find their hideouts much more easily. You'll need to look for a few telltale signs ? frequent repeat business at the slave market, members of House Hlaalu with no good reason to be in Telvanni country, boats docked either outside or in the most remote areas of the harbor ? those sorts of things. Do you think you're up to the task?"

Ri'Darsha nodded.

"Good. You will leave for Sadrith Mora in one week's time. In the meantime, there is a special task that I would like for you to do for me. I will tell you what that task is when the time comes. Right now, however, I must leave. I will return later."

Imsin spoke up. "Why? Where are you going?"

"I have to speak with a few important officials and schedule a meeting," I replied. "I have important plans that I wish to discuss with them. Your presence will be required as well. You two can have dinner in the meantime ? the servants can probably cook something up for you. I'm sure you must be starving."

Imsin shrugged. "Well, I have been doing an awful lot of paperwork?"

"Ri'Darsha has not eaten in three days," my new spy cheerfully interjected.

And with that, I left the room and made my way for Ebonheart.

NOTE: Yes, I know Rethan Manor isn't as large in the game as it is portrayed here. I'm basing this off the Grandmaster of Hlaalu mod, plus the natural assumption that Grignr would expand upon the stronghold to fit his needs. This installment contains quite a bit of dialogue, an aspect of fiction writing with which I don't have a whole lot of experience. There's also some romance, which I have even LESS experience with. Anyway, I just hope you don't think it svcks.

Crossing my fingers,
BBQ Platypus




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Dagoth Ur paused momentarily for effect. He raised his hideous, clawed hand in front of his face, turned his palm inward and brought his fingers in one by one to make a fist, with the practiced debonair style and grace of a well-travelled troubadour strumming his lute. And then he spoke, his voice carrying the same terrifying calmness that it had before.

"It will all be decided here. I believe I will prevail. But I cannot be sure, and I am vain enough that, should I fall, I would wish to be remembered in my own words. So, if you have final questions you would ask, ask them now. I have final questions I would ask you, if you would answer."

"You and I and all of Morrowind have waited three thousand years for this moment. A couple of questions should be no trouble at all."

"My first question is?are you really Nerevar reborn?"

His voice, normally so composed and self-assured, seemed to hold the tiniest bit of doubt as he asked this.

"Listen carefully, Lord Dagoth, because I will say this only once. I do not like to repeat myself." I removed my helmet briefly, wiping the sweat from my brow before continuing. "I am a self-made hero. I follow my own path and make my own destiny. I am no mere puppet of fate, prophecy, or the et'Ada. But the prophets have said that the spirit of Nerevar will return to inhabit a champion who shall defeat you in battle and bring an end to your reign of terror. And I AM going to kill you, Voryn, whether you believe it or not. Therefore, I AM Lord Nerevar reborn. And I shall prove it to you, to Morrowind, and to all the world on this day. The gods and fate have deemed that it is the destiny of the Nerevarine to kill the devil and sunder the false gods from the source of their unholy power. But it is by my hand, and NOT the gods and fate, that you shall fall."

Chapter III

It took me but an instant to teleport from Gnisis back to Rethan Manor, my home; the first true home I had ever known in my life. And what a beautiful home it was ? a practical castle in the true Dunmer tradition, unadorned as it was by unnecessary spires, staircases, or any of the typical signs of Imperial excess ? just a few economically placed sentry towers that loomed overhead. It rose above the lush, verdant ocean of grass that blanketed the Odai Plateau, watching over the land ? an oasis of justice in a desert of Hlaalu corruption. To see the sun set upon it, as it was doing now, was truly a marvelous sight.

But I had no time to take in the sunset. I materialized just inside the outer walls of the stronghold and made my way to the manor proper, leading Ri'Darsha by the wrist. Guards, both Hlaalu and Imperial, greeted and saluted me as I passed. In addition to being my home, it also served as a headquarters of sorts for all my political and Legion business. The compound was usually bustling with activity as a result, and today was no exception. Soldiers, nobles, merchants, and commoners alike walked about the courtyard, going about their business even as the daylight waned.

"So many people working for you, sera?" Ri'Darsha whispered into my ear. "What is it you want from poor old Ri'Darsha that all these men cannot do? Nothing illegal, he hopes?"

I cracked another smile. This Khajit never ceased to amaze me. "Not exactly," I said quietly. "We'll discuss it in my chambers when I meet with my advisors."

"Ah, a very secretive Nord, this one?"

We entered the manor itself and made our way to the Legion office, where Imsin the Dreamer, my wife and second-in-command (as a Knight of the Garland), worked. From there, she dealt with garrison business for the House and Imperial troops stationed here, and also took over my duties while I was away (as I did for her while she was away). However, she had been confined to her office more often than usual lately, for she was with child, and had been for almost six months now.

The sentries at the door parted to let me through. I turned back to Ri'Darsha. "Wait here. I'll be back in a moment."

"As you wish, muthsera."

I stepped into the office. Imsin was at her desk, dutifully looking over and filling out forms. Paperwork: the bane of every officer's existence. She looked up from her work to see who had entered.

"Good evening, my dear," I greeted her.

Imsin practically leapt straight from her desk into my arms to embrace me. "It is good to see you again, darling," she said. "I've missed you so much. I wish I could go on these raids with you..."

"So do I," I said softly. "But we cannot risk the child."

"I know." She looked down and put her hand on her pregnant belly. "I probably wouldn't even be able to make it that long without food. I can feel it moving and growing inside me more and more as the days go by. Listen?"

I bent downward and put my ear against her stomach. I heard a single soft thump?and then a second?and a third in quick succession. The baby was kicking ? and it was kicking pretty often, too.

"Well?this seems to be quite the energetic little one. I know it will grow to be strong." I slowly rose to look Imsin in the eye. "Like her mother." I kissed her on the lips. We smiled at each other.

"So?how's business with the Legion?" I murmured, still embracing her.

"Oh?nothing much?of interest," she whispered to me in between passionate kisses. "General Darius says that they've brought in?Imperial geologists?to map out the?cave system?on the River Samsi. At Fort Moonmoth?they're dealing with a gang of?highwaymen based outside Balmora. In Ebonheart it's?business as usual, but Fort Wolverine?is noticing more smuggling?activity?going on lately. Raesa Pullia at Fort Buckmoth says that they just took down a?group of?stop it! That tickles! Necromancers."

"Yes?she seems to have done a pretty good job over at Fort Buckmoth since I stole you away from there?"

But as I moved in to kiss her again, she backed off slightly and looked over my shoulder. "Who's your friend?" she asked, gesturing toward the door.

I looked back and saw a fairly embarrassed-looking Khajit peeking through the door, which he was holding slightly ajar.

"He's a new associate of mine," I said, barely managing to stifle my laughter. Then I called out to him. "You might as well come on in, Ri'Darsha!"

He slowly slunk into the room looking rather sheepish, with his ears sinking downward and his tail twitching nervously. "Ri'Darsha is sorry for intruding, milord."

"You've nothing to apologize for, my friend," I assured him.

"Speak for yourself," Imsin muttered under her breath.

"Now now ? let's be nice to the poor fellow," I chided her. "It was an honest mistake. Still, I am curious?how did you manage to get a peek at us without the guards noticing?"

"The sharpest eye can be stricken blind by the right distraction, sera." The Khajit grinned mischievously.

"Hmm?I think we'd better leave it at that. I get the feeling I don't want to know. Regardless, I think I'm going to have a talk with those guards on the basics of sentry duty."

Imsin glared suspiciously at him. "So?Ri'Darsha, is it? What sort of duty were you hired for, I wonder?"

"Ri'Darsha is not sure. Master Grignr has not told him yet."

Imsin redirected her steel-hard gaze at me. "You haven't even TOLD this poor Khajit what he's doing here?"

"I needed to wait for the correct moment to do so," I explained calmly. "His work is going to involve some sensitive information, and I simply hadn't enough privacy to tell him about it on the way here. I think now would be a good time, seeing as how there's nobody else here."

"Go ahead, then. Tell Ri'Darsha what he is supposed to do."

"Very well." I cleared my throat and addressed the Khajit. "Now, what I am about to tell you is highly classified information. It must not leave this room. Do not reveal it to anyone unless I say you can reveal it to them. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good. I'll get right to the point, then. I am an agent of Imperial intelligence ? a member of the Blades. I am, in fact, the acting Spymaster of the Vvardenfell District. I'm not particularly active or involved as a spy ? for the most part, my fellow spies go about their business autonomously. Still, I have the authority and responsibility to serve as the eyes and ears of the Empire, as a representative of law and justice. I also consider it my duty to monitor the activities of Imperial and Dunmer officials themselves, to ensure that they stay true to the ideals on which this government was founded, serving the people rather than themselves. I am the one who watches the watchers.

"I am telling you this because I wish to make you an associate of the Blades. I do not have the authority to officially make you an agent ? only the Emperor can do that. Still, you will be an Agent in all but name, and you'll be well-paid for your service ? 500 drakes a week. Understand, however, that you will be putting your life on the line. Do you accept?"

Ri'Darsha bowed his head to me in respect. "Ri'Darsha already owes you his life. Ri'Darsha would consider it an honor to work for you as a spy."

"Excellent. You will be assigned to monitor Camonna Tong activities and shipments in Telvanni country, under the guise of a slave working in the town square. Sadrith Mora will serve as your base of operations ? I have many such agents working in other important port towns, and I already have a few contacts in Telvanni territory who will help you get started. You'll have the authority to employ additional help should you need it, and will also be expected to make recommendations of the use of force against suspected hideout locations."

"So?Ri'Darsha will be looking for the sugar and the skooma, yes?"

"Not exactly. While severely restricting the flow of narcotics into Vvardenfell is our ultimate goal, you won't be looking for drugs per se. Moon sugar and other such contraband can easily be hidden among normal goods, and can even be sent in smaller shipments to areas of shoreline far from the cities while still remaining a viable enterprise. Instead, I want you to keep an eye on the slave trade. As you know, slaves are a vital part of the Camonna Tong's delivery network. If we could follow the slaves that the Camonna Tong are using, we'd be able to find their hideouts much more easily. You'll need to look for a few telltale signs ? frequent repeat business at the slave market, members of House Hlaalu with no good reason to be in Telvanni country, boats docked either outside or in the most remote areas of the harbor ? those sorts of things. Do you think you're up to the task?"

Ri'Darsha nodded.

"Good. You will leave for Sadrith Mora in one week's time. In the meantime, there is a special task that I would like for you to do for me. I will tell you what that task is when the time comes. Right now, however, I must leave. I will return later."

Imsin spoke up. "Why? Where are you going?"

"I have to speak with a few important officials and schedule a meeting," I replied. "I have important plans that I wish to discuss with them. Your presence will be required as well. You two can have dinner in the meantime ? the servants can probably cook something up for you. I'm sure you must be starving."

Imsin shrugged. "Well, I have been doing an awful lot of paperwork?"

"Ri'Darsha has not eaten in three days," my new spy cheerfully interjected.

And with that, I left the room and made my way for Ebonheart.

NOTE: If this svcks, I apologize. I was VERY tired when I wrote it.

Love and hugs,
BBQ Platypus




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Three days later we gathered in the Grand Council Chambers in Ebonheart ? Imsin and Ri'Darsha were there, along with the two Hlaalu Councilmen I felt I could trust completely ? Duke Vedam Dren and Crassius Curio. All of them sat at a simple round wooden table that had been brought in for the occasion. The doors surrounding the chamber were locked, and the sentries on the staircases stood guard just outside of earshot. This meeting had to be conducted in absolute secrecy ? I couldn't risk tipping my hand.

I was the last of the people assembled to take my seat. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with us, Councilman Cur ? er, I mean, Uncle Crassius. Your Grace." I gestured toward Crassius and Duke Dren as I acknowledged them.

"Oh, it was really no trouble at all, pumpkin," the flamboyant Imperial replied. "It's not like I live very far away. And it's HIS castle, after all!" He beamed widely.

"What's this about, Grignr?" the Duke inquired with one eyebrow raised.

"Your brother, milord. And the Camonna Tong in general." I addressed the Duke with the reverence and respect with which subjects traditionally give royalty, even though I held at least as much power as he did. The fact that I respected him so tremendously as a person probably had something to do with it.

The royal stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm?well, I can see why you wanted to keep this meeting a secret, then. Still, I thought my brother effectively handed control of the Tong over to you."

"Officially, yes. Effectively, no. He still controls and coordinates all of its operations."

"Ah. It figures that he would make such an arrangement. Frankly, it would have surprised me more if that weren't the case. Now?what about the Camonna Tong do you wish to discuss, sera?"

"Well, as all of you know, I've been coordinating a series of House and Legion raids along the coast of this island, looking for smugglers caves. These missions are basically being conducted on a search-and-destroy basis ? we look in a vague general area and hope there are caves there. As you can guess, it hasn't been very effective."

"Patrols along the Bitter Coast by the Moonmoth Legion alone have gone up 300 percent, and we're not even making a substantial dent in the drug trade," Imsin piped in.

"Demand has a tendency to create its own supply, sweetie," Crassius said, shaking his head sadly. "Anyone who's ever wandered the Canolworks in St. Olms Canton could tell you that. Not that your old Uncle Crassius would know anything about that?"

"True. We'll never be able to truly stop the flow of illegal moon sugar into Morrowind. But we CAN stop the intrusion of the Camonna Tong and its toadies into House Hlaalu. And Orvas Dren is the key to stopping it."

The Duke looked at me with a skeptical expression on his face. "Really? And how's that?"

I smiled. "Blackmail. You see, a couple nights ago, I had my personal courier here run a little errand for me when something very interesting happened along the way. Perhaps Ri'Darsha would explain this best." I gestured toward the Khajit.

"Certainly, milord," Ri'Darsha said, his usual devious smirk spread across his face. "Ri'Darsha was returning home from running his master's errand when he passed by the Dren Plantation. But Ri'Darsha was getting lonely and wanted someone to talk to, so he pvssyd with an Argonian slave returning from the fields.

"The Argonian invited Ri'Darsha to come on into the manor and enjoy his master's hospitality. So Ri'Darsha let himself in. He also recommended a very interesting letter for him to read, so Ri'Darsha went to the basemant and brought it home for the Grandmaster. The Grandmaster is quite a bookworm, you see. Such a shame, though ? the Argonian's master did not show Ri'Darsha any hospitality. They never even saw him enter."

"Thank you, Ri'Darsha." I cleared my throat and pulled a parchment from the folds of my Grandmaster's Robe.

"Ranes and Navil,
You have served me well over the years. My brother has been trying to stop our business. We've lost over half our shipments recently. The Duke may be my brother, but if he keeps interfering I am afraid he must be killed. I will be next in line and can consolidate my power before the Redorans even come up with a candidate. I am telling you this so that you know the risks you may be taking. If you are unwilling, I will accept your word of honor not to speak of our business. If you stay, I will reward you.

~D"

"Lovely little note, isn't it?"

The Duke stood out of his chair and pounded his fist on the table in anger. "That fetcher! I'll have his HEAD for this!"

I raised my finger at him. "Ah, but then we wouldn't be able to bring down everything he's worked so hard to build. I plan on blackmailing your brother into telling me everything he knows about the Tong. I'm placing particular emphasis on the names of major members and associates with positions in major organizations. The Fighters Guild, for instance. Faced with being executed for treason and conspiracy, he'll have no choice but to offer his full cooperation. Now, I've personally written two exact duplicates of this letter, one for each of you. This is in case anything goes wrong with the negotiation process."

"And what are we going to do with the members that he identifies?" Imsin inquired. "We won't be able to arrest a lot of them ? they hold too much power!"

"I've already thought of that. We will deal with them the way the Dunmer have always dealt with such matters ? through the Morag Tong."

"Hmm?I like many things about this plan," said the Duke. "But what about Nevena Ules and Velenda Omani? They are Camonna Tong as well, and they represent damn near half our council!"

"Ules and Omani are cowards. When they see what has happened to the mer who bullies them around, they will capitulate immediately. Still, it would be a good idea to expel them from the council. I would suggest House Brother Relen Hlaalu and House Cousin Hlodala Savel, my savant, as replacements."

The table fell silent.

"Look, I know this plan carries many risks. But they are the sort of risks that every leader must take. Those who stand for justice will always have many enemies. By doing this, there is a possibility that we will make more enemies, which we will fight in new ways. But I would rather have many weak enemies than a few powerful ones. Right now, we have in our hands the weapon that could wipe out corruption in this district. Without a leader, the Camonna Tong would collapse under the weight of petty squabbles between would-be kingpins. No longer will criminals hold sway over this Great House! The people would finally be able to trust those who have tasked to protect them and honor their laws! We may not be able to put a stop to trafficking, but we CAN stop it from permeating our government! Who among us is willing to actually FIGHT for that which they claim to represent!? Have we NO courage at all?"

For a few agonizing moments, all was silent. And then, finally, Imsin spoke up. "I will do whatever your plan requires, Grignr. You know that I would follow you through nine hells if you asked it of me."

After a brief pause, the Duke rose from his seat. "I will go along with your plan, Lord Grignr."

"As will I," Crassius interjected.

Although my expression remained grim and determined, I could feel the faintest hint of a smile begin to creep across my face.

"Go ahead. Stare. Marvel at my own mortality ? the way I defy your preconceived notions, but then, when you REALLY look closely, turn out to be everything you thought I'd be. Feel free to state your thoughts out loud. Tell all your friends that there's just something special about me ? you can just see it. As if you would have noticed had you passed me on the street back when I was just a young, wet-eared pauper.

'Is that REALLY the Nerevarine?'

'It can't be ? the stories say he is eleven feet tall, with the glowing bronze skin of our ancestors.'

'They say he can kill a man jes' by starin' at 'im. And he jes' stared at YOU.'

'No, that's him. Has to be. Look at him?the way he stands, walks, wears his armor?that man was born a Hero.'

Yes, it is true. I was born the incarnation of Lord Nerevar. But do not make the mistake of thinking that I was born a Hero. I did not always possess the innate qualities that you claim to see in me.

Nobody, not even Lord Nerevar, is born a Hero ? you will never find a Hero within the soul of a newborn. This is because the Hero is not born from the womb as mortals are, nor is he defined by his personality, his character, or even his soul. In fact, it is best not to view the Hero as a man at all, but as an ideal ? a path to be walked down. For the Hero, being and becoming are one and the same, for it is not the mortal soul that defines the Hero, but his deeds. Once the Event has come to pass, the world will know of the Hero and his greatness ? because he has become the Hero, he always was and always will be. But he never would have been had he not brought himself into being. As the proverb says: 'Walk like them until they must walk like you.' The Hero did not exist until someone took on his mantle by imitating him.

The Hero is naught but legend; yet the stories of his exploits describe him better, and will last longer, than the mortal who carries his legend ever could. More people will know the Hero than will ever know the man. So if you have seen me in person, let your friends know the truth.

Tell them I am eleven feet tall."

- Excerpt from Collected Wisdom of the Nerevarine


Chapter IV

I strode toward Dren Plantation in full armor, with my sword by my side. There was no point in adhering to the usual softness and niceties of negotiation here. I meant business, and I was prepared for war in the event that my offer was refused. And I had a sneaking suspicion that Orvas Dren did not want me here.

And sure enough, as I approached his villa, I was accosted by two angry-looking Dunmer, each dressed in black from head to toe. Both of them carried what appeared to be enchanted glass shortblades.

"You are not welcome here, outlander," snarled the one on the left. "Leave this place now, or you shall die where you stand!"

I stared deeply into the mer's eyes, maintaining an expression of complete calm. "I only wish to discuss business with the master of this plantation."

"And yet you come dressed for war," he noted.

"I am a soldier by vocation. War is my business. Will your employer speak with me?"

"Orvas Dren does not wish to speak with you. Go away."

"Hmm?pity. Perhaps I should send someone else to deal with him, then. Someone carrying a different sort of contract?" I glanced knowingly at the Dunmer to my left (as he seemed to be the brains of the outfit), making sure he got a full grasp of my meaning.

"You seek to threaten Orvas Dren?" The Dunmer's red eyes flared.

"I don't make threats, sera?only promises." I subtly moved my right hand toward Trueflame. I could sense that this would not end peacefully.

I snuck a glance at the thug on the right. Although his physique was tough and brutish, his body language was submissive, with just a hint of insecurity about it. I knew his type well ? sycophantic, dim-witted, and easy to prod into foolish action. I put on a smug sneer. "Well, what say you, friend? Do you do any talking, or do you just follow him around like his little pet? You wouldn't happen to be sleeping together, would you?" I asked in the most mocking tone I could muster. Even the feeblest and most juvenile of insults can hurt like a thousand daggers when it is well-delivered.

He hissed with rage and drew his shortblade. Exactly the reaction I was hoping for.

Fortunately, I was prepared. By the time his hand had reached his sword, I had already drawn mine. I made short work of him, slicing open his stomach. He writhed in pain as Trueflame's fire enchantment boiled away his innards. Now I had only one adversary to deal with.

The other Dunmer proved to be more of a challenge, however. He dodged and darted around me swiftly, making quick jabs at me with his shortsword before ducking out of range. We moved back and forth across the grounds in front of the villa, with me only having enough time to deflect his strikes.

Then, as he leaned in to attack me again, I parried his blow with such force that I knocked him on his back. I took advantage of the opportunity as best I could and swung my sword downward toward his heart. Unfortunately, he was able to roll out of the way, and he somersaulted back onto his feet.

Still, I struck quickly, thus seizing the initiative. The Dunmer had only barely managed to escape, and he was now on his heels. I now controlled the direction in which the battle would go. Slowly, through precision strikes that took advantage of my own momentum, I was able to back him against the wall of the villa. Though he tried as best he could to block with his glittering jinkblade, I needed to get through his defenses only once to run him through.

With my way now clear, I dusted myself off and entered the villa.

I entered slowly, carefully surveying my surroundings as I crossed the threshold. Turning my head slowly and deliberately, I scanned the entirety of the entry room for guards and traps ? from the pale stone floor to the lofty ceilings, to the unassuming corners, behind the ornate wood furniture and the brightly colored tapestries. Strangely, no weapons of any kind - living, mechanical, or magical - were there to welcome me. Most people would find this to be an encouraging development. Not me. I smelled an ambush.

So I inched my way across the foyer and ascended the staircase to Dren's chambers with even greater caution than usual. Yet I still encountered no resistance on my way up the staircase, from Dren's thugs or otherwise. And the door that led to Orvas's chambers ? where he himself was no doubt waiting for me ? appeared to be unlocked! I checked the mechanism three times for traps before I opened it. I practically tip-toed my way through.

And then, out of the corner of my eye, I could see it ? a glint of black. A razor-sharp ebony blade making a beeline for my throat. Time seemed to slow down. An eternity seemed to pass before?

CLANG!

In a split second, I had somehow managed to duck and bring my shield just high enough to re-direct the blow toward my shoulder, where my Daedric pauldron was able to absorb the damage. Had this battle taken place but a year before, I would have been a dead man. Fortunately, blocking was practically a reflexive action for me now.

I turned to face my assailant. It was Orvas Dren himself, clad in a full suit of orcish armor. "Prepare to die, meddler!" he snarled, brandishing his longsword with an elegant flourish.

I took advantage of his posturing, however, knocking the now-unbalanced weapon out of his hand with a single blow and sending it flying across the room. I then shifted weight and kicked him to the floor.

I planted my foot on his torso and sneered at him. "If you were planning on killing me, serjo, you should have just done it and dispensed with the showboating." I leaned in closer, preparing to start my interrogation, when I noticed something. He wasn't glaring or grimacing at me ? he was smiling?and staring over my shoulder?

I did an about face, expecting to see the whole of Dren's guards come to face me. Instead, I saw a single guard wearing a full set of ebony armor, complete with a Daedric shield.

Almost in spite of myself, I laughed. "What? There's only ONE of you?"

Leaning forward, I charged (or rather, walked briskly ? I was indoors, after all). As formidable as my opponent was, I was really more annoyed (yet at the same time, excited) than I was frightened. I don't know why this was ? perhaps it was the famed Nordic thirst for battle awakening within me. Or maybe I was simply tired of having to deal with thugs like him. Whatever the reason, I attacked with more energy, more aggression, and less restraint than usual.

The guard seemed quite taken aback by this. I imagine this was because he was not used to fighting someone who wasn't intimidated by him ? he was well-armed and incredibly muscular. But as strong as he was, I had fought many stronger enemies, and after a disappointingly short period of time, the battle was over.

As the guard's head rolled out the door and down the staircase, I again turned to face Dren. As I suspected, he was crawling quietly toward his weapon. I walked over calmly and stepped on the blade just as he was about to reach for it.

I looked down at the drug lord and smirked. "I wouldn't touch that if I were you. You could hurt someone."

The Dunmer glared at me, his eyes seething with boundless hatred. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get on with it, s'wit! Kill me!"

"Kill you? Why in blazes would I want to do that? I have a business proposition for you, Sera Dren."

"Whatever it is, my answer is no."

"Really? That's a shame. I was really hoping you'd say yes. If only there were some way I could force you to cooperate?for instance, if I were somehow able to implicate you in some sort of crime. Conspiracy to commit murder, perhaps? Throw in a bit of treason?maybe a dash of attempted fratricide? Why, I'd be able to get you to do anything. Hypothetically speaking, of course."

Dren's eyes widened with fear. "Y-you can't?you have no proof?!"

"I can and I do. I wouldn't be here if I didn't. One of my associates took the liberty of rummaging through your personal correspondence, and found a most interesting letter. I have a duplicate right here, if you'd like to read it. But then again, I suppose you already know what it says. You wrote it, after all."

"Fine! Tell my brother all about it! I don't care! I'm prepared to go into hiding! I'm even ready to face the executioner! But I will NOT cooperate with you, you Imperial dog!"

"As it happens, I've already TOLD your brother. And yes, it's true that I am authorized to use lethal force against you if absolutely necessary. But we don't plan on killing you, Orvas. After all, that's exactly what you want, isn't it? No, we'll just put you to sleep?" I pulled a sedative-laced dart from my pack, "...and we'll take you away, leaving you at the mercy of the Duke's guards. You'll experience pain as you've never experienced it before. They'll do things to you that you can't even imagine." I drummed my fingers and paused for effect. "Or maybe they won't. Maybe they'll just strap a pair of bracers on you and send you to work in the mines, alongside the beast-folk and outlanders you hate so much. Perhaps they'll do both. Whatever suits the Duke's fancy."

The Dunmer's face exploded with rage. "You scheming, sniveling n'wah scum! You lying, treacherous, son of a snake! I KNEW I shouldn't have trusted you! I should have KNOWN you were lying when you promised to drive the Empire from Morrowind!"

I grinned. "Why, whatever are you talking about? I made no such promise, serjo."

"Yes you did! It was the only reason I agreed to name you Hortator!"

"Oh, you're referring to that little incident. Well, you should really learn to listen more carefully, serjo. What I said was that I would rid the land of Imperial corruption and oppression once and for all. Completely different from Imperial control itself.

"But I wouldn't expect you to know the difference, Sera Dren. To you, control goes hand in hand with corruption and oppression. You derive your very power through fear, crime, exploitation, and death. Face it, Dren ? you don't hate the Empire because of your pride in Dunmer tradition. You hate them because they're cutting in on your action!"

"LIES!" he screamed. "And besides, I can never talk! People will suspect?they will come after me!"

"Well, then, leave the island. As a matter of fact, I recommend you skip the province entirely. I have a few shares of an ebony mine up in Raven Rock that I'm willing to sell you. Solthsteim is really quite nice at this time of year. How does 500 drakes sound?"

Dren stood there, fuming silently. Then, after about a minute, he finally spoke. "Fine. Hand me a quill and let's get this over with."

I have killed gods. I have survived Hircine's Hunt. I have saved all of Morrowind twice. But of all my accomplishments, none felt as satisfying as sitting in that room, watching Orvas Dren sign document after document, compiling list after list, destroying his entire criminal empire with a few strokes of his pen. And then, after it all was over, to have HIM hand me a sack of gold?I could not help but grin like a Scamp.

I returned to Rethan Manor happy and victorious.

3 posts before this one has symbols isntead of the proper characters...

Fixed. (Fitting that this should be the first actual comment).

I dont feel honoured to be the first commenter to be blunt, I just thought you would like to know one person suffered through read our story.

Actually it isn't too bad, I thought the dialogue was the best part. (as strange as that seems)

Well, on this board, I'll take what I can get. I'm just another inexperienced, not particularly outstanding writer on this incredibly large forum. I get that. I have no delusions of being Faulkner or Hemingway (American Modernists FTW). I just hope it isn't dreadful like "Doom: Repercussions of Evil" or unintentionally hilarious like "Half-Life: Full Life Consequences."

A quick little mini-update to tide everybody over until "Part 2" begins in earnest. I thought this fit better as a little add-on than as the beginning of a new chapter.


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By the time I returned to Rethan Manor, dusk had already fallen. The sun had set, and the busy shuffling of the various guards, soldiers, and officials was slowly beginning to subside. There would be no reception or grand celebration to greet me upon my return ? only the quiet comforts of home and hearth: a hearty meal, a bottle of well-aged brandy, and the tender embrace of the one I love most. It was all I needed.

We ate and drank and pvssyd amongst ourselves and our closest friends. And when the meal was finished, we discussed business. I described my triumph that day in great detail. And then, when the day's work was finished, we retired to our chambers and made love until well into the night. And when we could take no more, we each drifted off to sleep.

And as I slept, I had a strange dream. I dreamed that I was lying there in bed next to Imsin, when suddenly a bright beam of light shone on me, seemingly from out of nowhere. I could feel my soul leaving my body, and I watched it rise through that beam of light as though that light were a keyhole to Aetherius itself. And I saw, from the perspective of my body, that my soul did not take the form of my own countenance, but instead that of a mer, dressed in a full suit of Indoril armor. I reached out to try and stop it from leaving, but instead found myself pulled along with the spectre! I swiped desperately downward, trying to grasp onto something, but my hands gripped nothing but air. The room ? indeed, everything around me ? seemed to be evaporating into a thick gray mist. I called out to Imsin, but she could not hear me ? she, too, seemed to be fading into nothingness. I screamed louder, but my voice rang hollow, like that of a child who has fallen into a well. Finally, I began to fade, and all that was left was the gold-skinned warrior floating above me. And then I awoke.

WARNING: This update contains copious amounts of HOT COUNCIL ACTION! People with heart conditions are advised to avoid reading this update, as its exciting nature may lead to a sudden cardiac arrest! WATCH with great anticipation as a meeting is held! THRILL as the minutes are read! This update is so action-packed that you may FALL ASLEEP from sheer excitement! Consider yourselves WARNED!


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"Neither blight nor age can harm him
The Curse-of-Flesh before him flies"

Chapter V

I was nervous. In the eleven weeks immediately following my successful "negotiations" with Orvas Dren, all had gone according to plan. The list he had given me was genuine, and all Camonna Tong members who held positions of power had been honorably executed. Safehouses were raided, shipments were severely disrupted, and Dren had taken a slow boat to Solthsteim. I would also soon be a father. But I was not at ease.

Part of this may have been due to my sense of duty. After all, I still had a job to do and many enemies to worry about. But that didn't explain the dreams I had been having ? disturbing dreams the likes of which I had not experienced since my brush with Dagoth Ur. Dreams of loss, loneliness, and sorrow; dreams of Lord Nerevar. Sometimes I would dream that I was a bonewalker, standing guard over a tomb whose occupants grew to include everyone I had ever befriended or loved. They would come on a nightly basis, then subside for a while, only to return more vivid and frequent than before. It was like soul-sickness all over again. I was more afraid now than ever of the possibility that I would lose everything that mattered to me.

No one else knew of these dreams except for Imsin. I knew I could confide in her; tell her anything ? my deepest fears and anxieties. She would listen and offer words of comfort and support, despite the fact that she, as a mother-to-be, needed it as much as I did. As bad as I still felt about it, there is no doubt in my mind that I would have gone mad were it not for her.

I could not permit anyone else to know of this. Especially not the Hlaalu councilmen who were presently gathered before me.

And so I entered the council chambers as I always did: last, and to little fanfare. "Sorry I'm late," I said as I walked through the heavy oak door. If I showed any signs of nervousness, the Council didn't seem to notice it.

"How nice of you to join us, Grandmaster," Duke Dren said drolly. "Are you ready to begin?"

"Yes," I replied as I made my way toward my seat. "This meeting of the Grand Council of Great House Hlaalu is hereby brought to order. First, I'd like to welcome two new members to our ranks: Relen Hlaalu and Hlodala Savel. I assume my late arrival has given you more than enough time to become acquainted with them, so let's just get right to going over the minutes from our last meeting. Kinsman Salobar, if you please."

"Yes, Grandmaster." A stately dressed Dunmer woman holding a long scroll that unfurled nearly to the floor stood and began to read an account of the events of our last meeting.

For those of you who have never attended a Grand Council meeting, allow me to enlighten you on the experience: it is without a doubt the most boring thing that can possibly be endured. The reading of the minutes is a large part of the reason why. It is virtually impossible to retain interest while listening to a recap of political issues and disputes that you have already dealt with and are thus already familiar with. And it's not like many of them were very interesting the first time around. So, naturally, Salobar recited them with all the passion and excitement of an old man muttering in his sleep. Even the two new members, to whom all of this was completely new, seemed bored out of their skulls.

After what seemed like hours, the minutes finally concluded. I yawned and rubbed my eyelids, doing my best to rouse myself from the dreamlike stupor clouding my mind, and continued. "Thank you, Kinsman. And now, for our first and most pertinent order of business ? our struggle against the Camonna Tong. I believe Councilman Hlaalu has compiled a report for us."

"Indeed I have, serjo," the Dunmer replied.

"Care to read it for us?"

"Certainly, Grandmaster. As everyone here no doubt knows, a recent string of drug busts and assassinations has all but eliminated the Camonna Tong's presence within the upper echelon of our House. Over a hundred of their supply lines in Hlaalu territory alone have been successfully interdicted, resulting in the seizure of millions of septims worth of contraband. It seems that, within our own borders at least, the wisest course of action is to continue doing exactly what we are doing right now.

"Turning our attention outside our own House tells a somewhat different story, however. Although Imperial and Redoran cooperation in pursuing Camonna Tong officials and shipments has been outstanding, participation within House Telvanni has been sorely lacking. Far fewer stings and seizures are being reported in Telvanni country, even in the parts of it that are most suitable for smuggling activity. Judging solely from correspondence between our leaders and theirs, this seems to be more of a matter of indifference than outright malevolence. Regardless, I think Legion interven-"

His speech was interrupted when a tired, winded-looking Imperial guard burst into the room. "Pardon?the interruption," he wheezed. "I have?urgent news?for Lord Grignr."

"Well, what is it?"

"It's your wife, sir?she's gone into labor."

I teleported home and made my way inside, nearly tripping over my own robes as I ran. Three guards were there to greet me.

"Where is she?" I demanded. "Lead me to her!"

"Certainly. Right this way, milord."

They led me downstairs down a broad hallway toward where my healer worked. As I got closer, I could hear the sound of pained moans and labored breathing. It seemed as though I had arrived just in time.

"Leave me," I commanded the guards. They turned and headed back up the corridor as I entered the room.

Imsin lay on one of the many simple brown cots that lined the side of the room, panting and groaning, her legs spread and her back periodically arching back. The healer, a Breton woman by the name of Edrene Sylbor, stood over her, patting her forehead with a dry cloth.

Edrene turned her head to face me with a visible look of concern in her eyes. "Thank the Nine you've arrived," she said. "The baby is coming any minute now, and the birth is not going to be an easy one. Your wife is in a great deal of pain ? even more than you'd usually expect. I've given her some marshmerrow extract to help relieve the pain, but she's still in pretty bad shape. The good news is, our mystic's determined that the head's facing the right way, at least."

"Is she going to be okay?"

"I think so?but I'm not sure. You never can tell with this sort of thing."

I walked closer, right beside the bed where Imsin was. She was staring at the ceiling, her eyes vacant yet wild and feverish at the same time. She didn't even seem to notice I was there. Almost instinctively, I brought my hand down beside her face and stroked her hair gently. "Imsin?" I murmured.

"Grignr?" she whimpered softly. "I?n-need you?" Her eyes fluttered shut for a moment as she screamed in pain. Her breathing and convulsions began to grow even louder and more rhythmic.

"It's coming!" yelled Edrene. "Breathe, Imsin! Breathe! Slowly?slowly!" She turned her head. "Get ready, Grignr! You're going to deliver this baby! Do exactly as I say when I tell you to! Do you understand?"

I nodded.

"Alright. When the head appears, I want you to use your hands to guide the baby out. Do NOT pull it out. It'll come out on its own. Just sort of slowly help and guide it along. Got it?"

I nodded again.

"Good. Now brace yourself. This is going to be messy."

And indeed it was. The next few minutes felt like an eternity. Imsin's contractions gradually grew more frequent, and her cries of pain grew louder. Then, she gave out an ear-shattering scream. The child's head was now visible. I reached out to guide it as I had been instructed. Then, another thrust, this one even more forceful than the last. Imsin's screaming conveyed more sheer agony than I had ever heard before, even from my many foes on the battlefield. There seemed to be a sort of desperation to them that I wasn't expecting. Was something wrong?

Time slowed down with each contraction. And then, as the baby finally came out, it literally stood still. All sound and motion ceased ? from the baby, from the healer, and from Imsin. I looked at the child?and then I looked in her eyes. There was no trace of life to be found in them. She looked as though she had died?

And then, I heard a voice echoing inside my head. It was distinctly feminine, yet with traces of masculinity, dripping with bass overtones. It was a voice the likes of which I had never heard before. And yet, it felt strangely familiar.

"YOUR VISION FAILS YOU, MORTAL," the voice said. "YOU HAVE FAILED TO SEE YOUR TRUE DESTINY. HEARKEN NOW, AND I WILL BRING LIGHT TO THAT WHICH LIES HIDDEN TO YOUR MORTAL EYES."

"What is this?" I inquired silently. "Who are you?"

"I HAVE MANY NAMES, NONE OF WHICH I AM AT LIBERTY TO REVEAL TO YOU. BUT MY NAME IS NOT IMPORTANT. WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT YOUR DESTINY AND THE ONES YOU LOVE MOST ARE TWO THINGS THAT REMAIN FOREVER SEPARATE."

"What are you trying to say, spirit?"

"THAT YOU ARE NOT MEANT TO LIVE A MERE MORTAL'S LIFE. THE ONES YOU LOVE CANNOT ENDURE LONG ENOUGH, NOR NEARLY ENOUGH. YOUR WIFE IS NOW DEAD, AND VERILY YOU SHALL SEE THE DAY WHEN YOUR CHILD HAS GROWN OLD AND YOU HAVE NOT. YOU SHALL BURY THEM BOTH, AS YOU SHALL ALL YOUR DESCENDANTS. FOR YOU SHALL OUTLIVE THEM ALL."

"Dead? No?no?spirit, this cannot happen. I cannot allow it."

"IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT YOU ARE WILLING TO ALLOW, MORTAL. THE HEART OF THE WORLD HAS GIVEN A GIFT TO YOU AND TO YOU ALONE. IT IS NOT YOUR GIFT TO SHARE. EVERYONE YOU NOW KNOW ? YOUR FAMILY, YOUR TRUSTED FRIENDS, EVEN YOUR ENEMIES ? SHALL AGE BEFORE YOUR EYES WHILE YOU REMAIN THE SAME. WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE IF YOUR WIFE DIES TODAY, TOMORROW, OR A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW? IT IS INEVITABLE. YOU WILL OUTLIVE HER."

"It makes all the difference in the world to me, spirit. It means the difference between merely surviving and truly LIVING. I don't expect you to understand, but?I beg you. You must have great power to stop the hands of time. Please?don't let this happen."

"VERY WELL, MORTAL. I WILL PREVENT HER DEATH JUST THIS ONCE, FOR YOUR RECENT DEEDS HAVE GAINED YOU MY FAVOR. JUST KNOW, YOUR WIFE SHALL LEAVE THIS MORTAL PLANE LONG BEFORE YOU DO. PERHAPS SHE WILL DIE TOMORROW. REMEMBER?YOUR FINAL DESTINY LIES FAR FROM HER."

"We'll see about that, spirit. But thank you."

Time resumed. The baby began to cry. I could see Imsin opening her eyes and taking a deep breath. Her vitality had returned ? the sickness in her eyes had gone.

I looked at the child. "It's a girl," I said, handing the baby to her mother. We smiled knowingly at each other as she cradled it gently in her arms.

NOTE: Sorry for the delay between updates. I've just started school. Fortunately, one of my classes doesn't start until the 15th. Hopefully, I'll be able to finish by then. After that, who knows? Maybe I'll write some more stories.

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We named the baby Svytja, and spent most of the next two weeks taking care of her. Between the crying, the feeding, and (at certain times) the smell, neither of us slept very much. It was enough to make me forget about the spirits, visions, and horrific dreams for a while as I took on the blessings and responsibilities of fatherhood. To feel this burden lifted was a relief and a joy whose extent I cannot describe in words.

And then, almost as quickly as it had left, it came back to me as I drifted to sleep in the midnight hours. Once again I dreamed of a previous life, of my days as warrior-king of Resdaynia. I was standing before an altar alongside my trusted friends and advisors, the Tribunal. We were all four of us dressed in fine silk robes, and the strong smell of incense filled the air. Vehk began to read from an ornately engraved scroll. I could hear a crackle of thunder as he finished his invocation.

Suddenly, I was in terrible pain. My flesh felt as if it was burning, corrupted by a caustic toxin that covered me from head to foot. And then?a sharp, sudden sting in my back. I turned around?and saw Vehk, holding the ceremonial dagger, twisting it at the hilt. I fell to my knees and cried to the heavens in anguish. The rest of the Tribunal just looked on, completely expressionless, as the life slowly drained from me.

"My?my friends?" I gasped. "My Queen?" I had been betrayed.

I woke with a start, in a cold sweat. I looked to Imsin. She was still asleep. Slowly and carefully, I sat up, and the terrible thoughts that had lain dormant for all this time now flooded my consciousness.

I had thought about my quasi-immortality before, but never in great detail. I reasoned that there was no sense in worrying about it, for there was nothing I could do. After all, worrying could do nothing but keep me from living a happy, fulfilling life.

But I could no longer simply sweep this issue under the rug. The mysterious spirit had awakened all the questions and fears that I had harbored for so long and brought them to the foreground. I began to wonder how I would explain to little Svytja why her mother would die while her father would not. I wondered what it would be like to watch her, and generation after generation of her descendents, grow older than I was. Finally, I wondered what sort of ethereal being would be at all interested in such a quasi-mortal's plight. The fact that divine intervention was once again creeping into my life made me feel uneasy. I now feared that my duties and my destiny were putting my family in danger.

Finally, after much deliberation, I gave up trying to answer these questions on my own. To do so would require the counsel of someone wise ? someone who knew what I was going through. And so I resolved myself to leave in the morning. Vivec and I were going to have a little chat.

"You can hear the words, so run away
Come, Hortator, unfold into a clear unknown,
Stay quiet until you've slept in the yesterday,
And say no elegies for the melting stone"
- Excerpt from The Thirty-Six Lessons of Vivec: Lesson Five

Chapter VI

The gondolier stared at me, his eyes wide with nervous excitement. "Y-you're him, aren't you? You're the Nerevarine?"

I nodded.

The Dunmer fumbled around with his hat for a moment before removing it and giving a slight, jerky bow. "I?really can't tell you what an honor it is to be of service to you, serjo," he said hauntingly, his voice seeming to grow quieter and more sheepish by the second. "Listen?you've probably heard this before, but?well?I really can't?say?"

"You don't have to say a word, friend," I assured him. "Just take me to the Temple Canton, please."

"Yes, right away, sera." His expression instantly shifted to one of intent focus as he fastened his hat, reached for his pole, and led me down the wooden stairs to the gondola.

I had almost forgotten what a truly magnificent sight the city was. The sky was clear; the waters shined with a bright reflective light, illuminating the stone walls and foundations of the city with a faint bronze-tinged glow. The multi-tiered cantons towered majestically over the broad central canol, each of them symmetrically aligned down to the last tapestry. Statues of the twelve saints of Dunmer tradition lined the avenue, each one appearing to be subtly angled toward the center of the High Fane. It was pure and elegantly simplistic beauty.

"So...if you don't mind me asking, sera?" the gondolier said as he quietly pushed the boat forward, "?what brings the Hortator to our fair city?"

"I'm here to meet with an old friend," I replied. "I'd prefer not to have to elaborate any further."

"Certainly. I understand."

From there we continued in silence. Several minutes later, we finally arrived at the foot of the Temple.

"Here we are. That'll be six drakes, muthsera."

"Alright." I fished ten drakes out of my sack of coins and handed it to him. "By the way, what is your name, friend?"

"Dalse. Dalse Adren."

"Well, you can keep the change. Three blessings, Sera Adren."

"Home and hearth, Lord Nerevar."

And so I made my way through the Temple Canton, passing beneath the Temple prison of Baar Dau, crossing the small footbridge between the two buildings, and ascending the tall, imposing staircase that led to Vivec's doorstep.

Breathing deeply, I turned the key and entered the palace.

Vivec was sitting cross-legged, as always, levitating and meditating in the center of the room. His eyes were closed and his brow furrowed in deep thought.

Just as I was about to announce my presence to him, he spoke in his distinctively dreamlike, whistling baritone. "Ah?Lord Grignr. I suspected we might meet again. I sense you have come seeking my council." The corners of his lips turned upward in a rather whimsical grin. "What have you come here to talk about?"

"Dreams. Dreams and visions."

"Dreams of Akavir?"

"Akavir? No?why?"

"I have heard the name whispered among the flowers blooming over the wind-swept hills of Veloth. I whisper the name back to them and they speak of you. Perhaps you do not listen closely enough."

"Perhaps not," I replied. "Still, I'm hearing quite enough as it is. It seems as though every night I am dreaming of loss, suffering, death, and betrayal. I believe my fears stem from my divine gift. Surely you, in your long lifetime, have experienced something at least partly similar to this."

"You forget that I am a god," he said. "Or what remains of one. You cannot hope to compare the experience of godhood to anything you know, nor even comprehend what it is like.

"Still, I am well aware of how and why you suffer. You bore this gift ? one that no mortal was meant to take on ? out of necessity, to save the people of Morrowind. Because you walked the path of the Hero, which had been detailed by prophecy, you were able to retain this gift without being consumed by it.

"And so you have a mortal's hopes, desires, and aspirations, but not his lifespan. You will endure only to lose everything, for the days of mortals are few and miserable. It is very sad that this must be. But it must. All that can be done is to count and cherish what little time you will have.

"But you already know this. There is something else that troubles you, otherwise you would not have come to me."

"Yes?that is true." I told Vivec about the voice ? how it had halted time and brought my wife back from death.

"Interesting?the et'Ada are most certainly involved. The clouds of deceit linger like vapor over the Mundus. Threads are woven and unraveled, scores are settled through secret murder?the Webspinner is again at work."

My face blanched white as I realized the truth. "Mephala?"

"Yes?and probably Boethiah as well. Treachery and murder?one tends to accompany the other. Your visions are messages from the depths of Oblivion. The only way to end them is to listen closely to whatever they want you to hear. Find out what they want from you. I am afraid there is no other way."

"Isn't there anything you can do?"

"I am sorry, my friend, but these are your visions to deal with, not mine. The meddlers of Oblivion have something in mind for you. It is not wise to defy one Daedric Prince, let alone two. I know from experience, and though I have no regrets, I do not think things would turn out well for you. You must heed their words and follow them wherever they may take you."

"Even to Akavir?"

"If that is where they would have you go. Of course, you could always opt not to and see what happens."

I rolled my eyes in disgust. "You know, for a god, you are extraordinarily unhelpful."

Vivec glared at me, his eyes flaring bright red. "I have nothing more to say to you, Nerevarine. Leave me. NOW."

I turned around and stormed out the doors. The good news was, my questions had been answered. Unfortunately, a multitude of new ones had taken their place.

I think you can leave out the word BRAND new there. :shrug:

Ah...you caught me using one of those "dead" words. It's funny because I find them annoying, too. Fixed.

I think they make things sound sort of odd. :shrug:

"I am an atlas of smoke."
- From http://imperial-library.info/mwbooks/lessons.shtml#17

Chapter VII

Vehk burst through the ornately engraved wooden door of the King's palace, clutching in his arms the book of Tsaesci Secrets of War. He dashed across the courtyard to the slope-roofed pavilion where I and our horses were waiting as at least half a dozen serpent guards chased after him.

"Go! GO!" the thief-prince cried as the fiery red hail of Akaviri arrows filled the air behind him. For a moment, the projectiles seemed to hover in the air beneath the midday sun. Their volcanic glass tips glowed orange from the light of Magnus as the volley took the countenance of a great black-striped dragon. The creature opened its maw and devoured the pavilion in an instant before turning to bear its teeth?

A loud thump against the hull stirred me awake. I slowly sat up and looked around to see what the matter was, but things seemed pretty quiet below deck. A few of the men were talking quietly and playing a game of cards. Whatever it was, it probably wasn't too significant ? probably just a large piece of driftwood from one of the many shipwrecks along the rocky Telvanni coast.

We were getting close to the rumored "hotspot" Ri'Darsha had mentioned in his report ? a small island that the locals liked to call Shroud Rock. Sailors made a point of avoiding the place ? it was frequently covered in a heavy fog that ships had a tendency to never come out of. Even when the skies were clear, the waters around the island were treacherous and unpredictable. It was rumored to be haunted, cursed, or protected from intruders by magic. But Ri'Darsha had overheard several different freighter captains talking about a suspicious-looking boat docked nearby - probably a Camonna Tong remnant. So I was now leading a detachment from Fort Wolverine to investigate.

I fell back in my cot and stared at the ceiling. I did not particularly want to go back to sleep. I had been dreaming about Akavir more and more in the past few weeks. Akavir...it was a word that now seemed to occupy my every thought. The dread curse of Akavir hung over me like a dark cloud. The dreams held sway over my future...and even my past. I remembered reading something in one of the Thirty-Six lessons about Vivec and Nerevar traveling to Akavir to learn the ways of the East. But I wasn't sure how much his account (if any) could be believed.

In fact, I was beginning to regard virtually everyone and everything with suspicion. I had nearly doubled the number of guards protecting Rethan Manor. I was going through the personal correspondence of my secretaries and advisors. I was more fearful and paranoid than ever ? the fear that something might happen to my wife and my daughter weighed heavily upon me, as did my own destiny.

I began to reflect back on what Vivec had told me: "The meddlers of Oblivion have something in mind for you." But what exactly was it? My dreams and visions were even more vivid and frequent than ever before. Yet I still was no closer to finding any answers.

As I pondered over this, the hatch opened. A stocky, ruggedly-built Imperial with gray-flecked hair stepped down from above deck.

"Knight Grignr?" he called down from above. "We just dropped anchor, sir. We're here."

I stepped off the boat and surveyed my surroundings as I waded toward shore through the shin-deep water. It was a harsh, craggy, miserable little rock ? ill-suited for habitation, or for any purpose for that matter. We had disembarked near the least steep and most approachable part of the island. Where the rest of the island was surrounded by sheer cliff faces, this area was more of a steep, graduated incline, with a modestly-sized flat section near the water's edge. Further north, the shoreline indented inwards to form a sort of miniature bay spanned by a crude, arch-like rock bridge.

"Their hideout is probably near that indentation over there." I motioned for the Legionnaires to follow me.

But no sooner had we started toward the bridge when a wrinkled, white-haired Dunmer in fine robes made his way over the top of the hilltop and into our line of sight. The archers noticed this quickly and readied their weapons, arrows primed to fire.

"Hold!" I ordered. Then, I called out to the Dunmer. "Halt! Identify yourself!"

The mer laughed and began muttering something under his breath. Then there was a brief crackle of thunder. Suddenly, a massive shockwave of magicka exploded from out of the ground itself, knocking me off my feet and onto my back. By the time I got back up, the island was quickly being enveloped in a thick fog. Within seconds, I could not see past my own outstretched hands.

"It's a trap!" I gasped. "We have to get out of here!"

One of the soldiers behind me spoke up. "How? We can't even see where we're supposed to ? AAAAAAAUUUUUUGH!" He let out a piercing scream and fell silent.

For a few agonizing seconds, all was silent. And then, nine hells broke loose. Terrified shrieks of agony and death filled the air, accompanied by the distinctive sound of sword slicing through flesh, and punctuated by the loud CLAK! of heavy boots against the ground as the Legionnaires desperately tried to flee. This was no battle ? this was a slaughter.

I tried to focus my innate Tower-sense upon my surroundings in an effort to search for traps or enchantments, but it was to no avail. The wizard had silenced me.

I had to think fast. The lives of myself and the men under my command were at stake. I could not see the end of my own sword, but I knew that I was dead if I just stayed where I was. I needed to dispel the wizard's curse.

Just then, I could feel a faint, rippling breeze coming from behind my neck. Realizing what it was, I ducked and dove out of the way. A split second later, I felt the cold WHOOSH! of a blade passing over me as I hurtled through the mist. Unfortunately, my momentum carried me over the edge of the narrow path on which I was standing. I tumbled down the steep slope onto the rocks below.

I landed with a mighty crash. Winded but alive, I slowly got to my knees, reached into my pack and groped around for the potions. I rummaged through the bag, squinting hard to read the labels on the vials. Finally, I was able to find what I was looking for ? a Dispel potion. I quickly drank it and stood up as I grabbed a potion of levitation from the bottom of the bag.

I could feel the magic of the Tower flow through me and everything on the island as I focused my inner eye upon my enemies. There were about twelve of them near the shoreline, each of them carrying armed with some sort of poisoned shortswords, plus enchanted amulets that presumably allowed them to detect us. The wizard was higher up, near the top of the hill at the center of the island. I had to kill him and lift the fog.

I floated silently up to one of my assailants. I knew he could see me as well, and had my sword at the ready. I could sense the location of his short blade as he moved to attack. But I knew quite well how to fight in the dark ? Imsin herself had trained me how to do it, back in the days when she was master-at-arms, and I her pupil.

My sword met his, and then swiftly swung around to strike at his torso. The invisible assailant blocked my strike just in time. However, he had left his flank wide open. I kicked the hazy expanse where I knew his stomach to be. My left foot connected with his stomach, and he fell back, dazed and short of breath. I plunged Trueflame into his chest and charged up the hill.

Every step up the rocky incline was a leap of faith; I had only my intuition to guide my footsteps. Soon, I was beset on both sides by no fewer than three enemies. With only my inner eye and sense of direction I thwarted their attacks, slashing, blocking, ducking, and dodging my way around and through them. One by one they fell until none stood in my way.

The wizard's powerful staff betrayed him to me. But he was not blind, either ? I felt him getting farther away from me as he fled down the other side of the little mountain.

"Come back here!" I snarled, unslinging my Daedric longbow. I focused my senses again, getting a bead on his spiritual aura and letting fly a bonemold arrow into the murky void. A whimpering cry of anguish let me know that my shot had connected.

I calmly strolled down to where the wizard lay, unable to walk. He had been shot in the leg.

"Please?" he pleaded. "P-please don't kill me?please, don't ?"

I didn't allow him to finish his sentence, separating his head from his shoulders. Good men had died because of what he had done. Men whom it was my responsibility to lead. Some of them I knew quite well. These were my friends; my comrades-in-arms. It was nothing less than what he deserved. If it hadn't been me, it would have been the executioner.

Gradually, the fog began to clear. As I stood there, carefully cleaning the blood off of my sword, I heard a voice cry out behind me. "Watch out, sir!"

I pivoted to face the threat, only to recoil in fear and surprise. Two tall figures were racing toward me, each dressed in black from head to toe, with a single glass eye gleaming on the left side of their faces. It couldn't be?

They were no more than five feet away. I couldn't stop them; there was no time. I closed my eyes and braced myself for the inevitable sting of their glass daggers?but the impact never came. One by one, I opened my eyes. The assassins lay face down on the ground, arrows sticking through the backs of their heads.

"The Dark Brotherhood?" I murmured incredulously. "They must have set this trap for me?" Then it began to dawn on me. "Imsin?"

"Is something wrong, sir?" a voice called out. I looked to the top of the hill. A Redguard in Imperial uniform stood there, his long braided hair flowing in the breeze.

"No?nothing. It seems I owe you my life, soldier. What's your name?"

"Trooper Sadean, sir. I am?or, was?head of the detachment of archers you brought here."

"I see?are there any other survivors, Trooper?"

"No, sir," he replied grimly. "Just me."

"Damn?we'll need to report this to Fort Wolverine. You'll have to do it yourself, unfortunately. I have to go. There's?something I need to see. Oh, and by the way, congratulations."

"Congratulations? For what?"

"Your promotion, of course. Best of luck to you, Agent Sadean."

I slipped on my Grandmaster's Signet Ring and teleported to Rethan Manor, terrified at what I might find there?

Furious, I bolted upright and balled my fist in anger. "And just why, pray tell, should I go along with the Emperor's plans for me? What do I owe the man to whom I have already given two years of my life? Was my stay in prison not enough punishment to satisfy his sadistic desires!? What possible justification could I have for doing ANYTHING other than walking out that door and never coming back?"

Caius seemed to look right through me, directly into my soul as he made his calm and measured reply. "You have nowhere else to go," he said plainly. "You are a stranger, alone in a strange land. You have no home, no family, no means of employment, no personal ties to Cyrodil. You cannot hope to survive here without the Emperor's help. To serve the Empire ? and above all to serve her people ? is the greatest deed, and the greatest honor, that any man or mer could ever take on. It is a duty you cannot run from. You must go forth and face it like a man?no matter how difficult or painful it may be. As hard as it may be for you to understand, this is the reality of your situation."

For a long moment, I sat there, deep in thought. Then, finally, I made my decision.

"Very well. I hereby pledge my life to the Emperor's service, and to the people of Morrowind. This I swear by the deepest depths of my soul."

Chapter VIII

I materialized once again inside the outer walls of my fortress, praying to any gods who would listen that it had fulfilled its purpose. Frantically, I ran across the well-trodden courtyard toward my home. But as I did, I saw something that made me stop in my tracks ? a sight that I would never forget. Two of my guards lay face down outside the manor, their corpses riddled with arrows, darts, and other unidentifiable wounds. Though I had seen many dead bodies in my time, the sight made my face blanch with horror. The Dark Brotherhood had been here.

Slowly, almost reluctantly, I crept closer and closer to the entrance, as if tiptoeing near the edge of a cliff. Could my worst fears have been realized? I could not bear to find out?and yet I had to. Trembling, brought my hand up to the handle and pushed open the door.

Inside was more of the same. I could see a few surviving guards dragging around the dead bodies of other guards, along with the corpses of a few assassins. Fjorgeir, the captain of the guards, was the first to notice me enter the manor. He looked very distraught.

"Lord Grignr!" he exclaimed, with a wild but exhausted look in his eyes. "Th-there's been a terrible attack on Rethan Manor! The Dark Brotherhood?just?there were just so many of them! So many dead?"

"How? What happened? Are Imsin and Svetja alright?"

His face contorted into a sorrowful grimace. "I'm not quite sure how it happened. One moment, it was a clear and sunny day over the plateau, and then?then a thick, damp fog just washed over us like a tidal wave. Men started dying left and right. And I?I ran away from them?back to the manor. I don't know how I made it to the door alive, but?I had to warn the others. I had to save your family, milord?and?m-myself?" The proud Nord hung his head in shame. "Forgive me, sir. I've?never fled from battle like that before."

"I understand," I said. "Tell me what happened after that."

"Well?I must have been able to escape their sight somehow, because I was able to get there about thirty seconds before they did. And then?then they came. There were just so many?there must have been at least two dozen by my count, maybe more. We fought and?slowed them down as best we could. Lady Imsin was able to take up her sword and shield to try and fight them off. She fought bravely, but?I'm so sorry?she?she was killed. Her body?it's still upstairs."

I swallowed deeply, struggling to hold back tears. "And what of Svetja? Where is my daughter?"

"I'm afraid we?don't know, sir. Lady Imsin ordered Edrene to get her out of here and take her to the Chapel at Fort Moonmoth. But Intervention didn't work here, so she had to run?jumped right off the balcony and just took off. We haven't heard back from her yet."

I stood there, unable to move. Then, finally, I spoke. "Show me to her body."

Fjorgeir led me up the stairs and into the master bedroom. There, right in the center of the room, lay Imsin, still carrying Hopesfire in her right hand. Around her were the bodies of a half a dozen assassins.

"I am so sorry, milord?" Fjorgeir said despondently. "I have failed you?we've all failed you?"

"You are not at fault," I said in the most stoic tone I could muster. "You've done all I've ever asked of you. Now I ask that you leave me in peace for a moment."

"Yes, milord." He turned and walked quickly out of the room.

I fell to my knees and wept bitterly.