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  • Locked thread
djw175
Apr 23, 2012

by zen death robot
Severia

"Magic, Dwemer, prophecy, and Ancestor Moths, huh? I don't know what the hell I did, but I musta pissed off one of the Nine big time," Severia sighs, leaning against the wall. She gestures to the Dunmer, "May as well. Knowing my luck so far, a Centurion will bust in if we don't."

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Whycalibur
Oct 17, 2013
"Whoah! Bigger on the inside, eh? That's some heavy magic," Tombak exclaims, walking into the room just as the cube expands. "I bet that journal's just dripping with juicy secrets. Can't wait!"

He taps his fingers on the wall in a specific rhythm, trying to remember the patter from earlier that day...

Recharge Super Overdrive (11+): 1d20 20
There goes my only natural 20 of the campaign...

SunAndSpring
Dec 4, 2013
You scan the journal, trying to find what was so important about it that it needed to be hidden in such an elaborate chest away from the world. The former owner of this journal was named Dunastyr, a Breton hailing from the city of Camlorn. The first half of the journal details his induction into the Cult of the Ancestor Moth. The order's rituals are a mystery to one so removed from Imperial culture such as yourself; for instance, Dunastyr details such activities as meditation on the nature of paradoxes, learning the histories and cultures of the world, interpretation of prophecy, singing something called a "fjyron" into moth silk, weaving said silk into fine clothing inscribed with the family tree of the buyer, and other things that are even more obscure. All this is done in preparation for the eventual reading of an Elder Scroll, a mystical artifact that allows one to see a possible future.

It appears the Scrolls were the reason this Moth Priest was on Vvardenfell in the first place. Dunastyr arrived in Morrowind along with an elder Moth Priest by the name of Origen, six men and women of the Imperial Legion, and two dozen Ancestor Moths a month ago. Apparently, a team of ordinators had discovered a Dwarven artifact known as a "lexicon" during a raid of Red Mountain. This device intrigued the Moth Priests, as it was rumored to be a way to inscribe and read the contents of an Elder Scroll without the negative effects; an Elder Scroll apparently causes temporary blindness when read, and each reading further increases the severity of the blindness until it becomes permanent.

About a week ago, just before the start of the Balmora tax revolt, the Moth Priests and their guard had reached Ghostgate, taken the lexicon, and were on their way back to Fort Moonmoth. During the dead of night, strange creatures ambushed the group while they were resting and slaughtered everyone save for Dunastyr, who had only barely managed to escape the attack. The journal's description of the monsters is vague, but apparently these creatures had "holes" in the middle of their faces. The Moth Priest, in his fright and confusion following the massacre, managed to miss Fort Moonmoth and arrive in Balmora, only to be trapped in the town due to the revolt just a day later.

Dunastyr's later journal entries are paranoid, although rightfully so. He believed that someone was attempting to recover the lexicon at any cost, and that he may die at any moment. The priest holed up in the Eight Plates inn room, tinkering with the Dwemer relic and only coming out to purchase medicine for his condition; the man was born with hemophilia, a disease that prevents blood from ever clotting. Any cut or wound he suffered had the chance to kill him if he was not medicated with the proper potions.

Finally, you get to what is really important. Dunastyr had managed to read the lexicon with the help of the few remaining Ancestor Moths that had followed him back to town, and what followed next seemed to alarm him. Written on one of the last pages in a blurry and trembling hand, is the following prophecy:

quote:

Under the ash of the Red Tower,
A Thief will be slain by a Serpent of his own blood,
Eternally damned by a Black Handed Blade.
The scales will be unbalanced, and a curse, long sealed, will be freed.
The sleepers will awaken.
The Dragon, cut by the Blade unwielded, will break itself upon the House Unmourned
The Three will be punished for their betrayal,
And the First shall conquer the Starry Heart with the Doom of the Dunmer

MelvinBison
Nov 17, 2012

"Is this the ideal world that you envisioned?"
"I guess you could say that."

Pillbug
Digs-A-Hole

After reading the journal, Digs has gone... pale? Is that possible for an Argonian? Digs has certainly managed. Hoping to take comfort in the only partially unfamilar, he turns his attention to the lexicon.

Int. check to examine lexicon closely: 1d20+4+4=15.

His concentration may be marred by his simultaneous attempt to make sense of the prophesy.

Int. check to identify familiar parts of prophesy: 1d20+4+4=26.

"Red Tower implies Red Mountain. Or if we're lucky, some Telvanni just got really eccentric with his decorating. Yeah that was a bad joke. Sorry, Ingot."

SunAndSpring
Dec 4, 2013
Your first assessment is correct: Red Tower appears to refer to Red Mountain. You're not certain at first what the second line means, until you remember a very specific detail of trivia you heard over your time in incarceration: Ethys Hlaalu, the man whose assassination by the Morag Tong started the revolt in Balmora, was born in Evening Star under the constellation of the Thief. And apparently someone related to him, born under the Serpent sign, was behind it. The next few lines suddenly fall into place. The Black Hands is a sobriquet of Mephala, the patron deity of the Morag Tong. "The scales will be unbalanced" is therefore the Balmora revolt and its effect on House Hlaalu, whose sigil is a set of weighing scales.

The part about the sleepers awakening and an ancient curse is an utter mystery to you. The next parts are what gives you cause for concern. The Dragon banner has represented Cyrodiil since the Second Era. It appears that the same assassin who did Ethys Hlaalu in will do something to enrage the Empire, and that the Empire will be defeated by this "House Unmourned" somehow. You're not too familiar with the Houses of Morrowind, so further research will be required on that front. The Three may be the Tribunal Gods: Almalexia, Sotha Sil, and Vivec. If so, who did they betray and why? And who would avenge that betrayal?

The last part is the most truly worrisome. It implies that if the prophecy comes to pass, this "First" will overcome Tamriel, or "Starry Heart" in Ehlnofex", with this Doom of the Dunmer.

The moths continue to circle the cube as you pick it up to closely examine it. Now that you're closer to these moths, you're certain they are humming. The glowing blue runes inscribed on the box are indecipherable. You've never seen anything like this before. It does not share any resemblance with Ehlnofex, Daedric, or even your native tongue, Jel that you can see.

SunAndSpring fucked around with this message at 18:43 on Jul 26, 2014

Whycalibur
Oct 17, 2013
Tombak

The orc's eyes widen at Digs' reaction to his reading. "Hey, you okay there Digs?" he asks, peering over the argonian's shoulder at the journal. Tombak scans the prophecy, most likely missing out on the parts that Digs picked up on. "House Unmourned... The Three..." he muses, thinking back to his time training with and serving in the Legion. "I wonder..."

Wondering about the prophecy (int + retired spearman): 1d20+4 19

Punting
Sep 9, 2007
I am very witty: nit-witty, dim-witty, and half-witty.

K'zan Redpaw

The Khajiit tsked softly under his breath, a small frown crossing his lips.

"Ominous words. Red Mountain is not a place to take lightly." he murmurs, looking a bit unsettled himself, though not quite as pale as the Argonian.

"The lands are all awash with prophecy these days; this one begins to wonder if it was a coincidence we all found ourselves jailed with a priest of the Moths."

A soft snort of amusement followed that; he couldn't imagine an unlikelier band of companions if he tried.

Flame112
Apr 21, 2011
Zairan Hainnabibi

Zairan reads the monks journal, mostly skimming over it until he gets to the important parts, that is, the ones concerning Vvardenfell. When he gets the prophecy, he stops cold. "This all sounds strangely familiar. Something about this prophecy reminds me of some stories I heard when I was growing up."

Ashlander perspective on the prophecy: 1d20+4+4 17

SunAndSpring
Dec 4, 2013
Tombak

You recall reading a book on Morrowind just after being discharged from the Imperial Legion titled "War of the First Council". According to the book, a First Era religious war was waged in which the Houses Dres, Hlaalu, Indoril, Redoran, and Telvanni fought with the Houses Dwemer and Dagoth. House Dwemer were the dwarves, of course, but House Dagoth was one of the Chimer Great Houses. The war went poorly for the disorganized and squabbling Great Houses, due to the Dwemer's advanced magics and House Dagoth's recruitment of Orcish and Nordic clans to bolster their forces, until Nerevar Indoril became the Hortator, united the Houses, and enlisted the aid of the Ashlander tribes. At the Battle of Red Mountain, Nerevar's forces utterly annihilated the Dwemer and dismantled the traitor House Dagoth, but Nerevar was fatally wounded in battle with the treacherous Voryn Dagoth. Soon after, the Tribunal, who were originally Nerevar's war council, ascended to godhood and the Chimer were changed into the Dunmer.

Now, the Dwemer have been long gone, and you doubt they'll be coming back soon. But you've heard stories about what's inside the Ghostfence around Red Mountain. A demon by the name of Dagoth Ur resides there, raging at the Dunmer and blighting the land. His forces, known as the Sixth House, are too strong for even the mighty Ordinators or the cunning Buoyant Armigers to deal with. So the Ghostfence waits, separating the cursed volcano from the rest of the world through the power of the Tribunal gods and the dead Dunmer whose bones form the pillars and walls of this barrier.

Zairan

As a boy, you had asked your tribe's Wise Woman why your tribe did not keep the gods of the Great Houses, whose presence was much more tangible than even the Daedra. The old woman had made a motion to box your ears, but instead held back and took you aside into her yurt to explain why. She told you the following story, of Nerevar, and what had really happened at the Red Mountain.

quote:

Resdayn, present day Morrowind, was contested ground between two very different types of mer: the Chimer, who worshipped Daedra, and the Dwemer, who worshipped a profane and secret power. These two people warred with each other constantly until their lands were invaded by a young, vibrant, and violent alien culture, the Nords.

Two heroes, one from the Chimer and one from the Dwemer, Indoril Nerevar and Dumac Dwarf-Orc, made peace between their people and together ousted the alien invaders. Then these two heroes worked long and hard to maintain that peace thereafter, though their counselors thought it could not last or, worse, that it shouldn't. Nerevar's queen and his generals-- Almalexia, Sotha Sil, Vivec-- told him to claim all Resdayn for his own. But Nerevar would not listen, for he remembered his friendship with Dumac. There would be only peace.

Until Dagoth-Ur arrived. House Dagoth had discovered the source of the profane and secret power of the Dwemer: the legendary Heart of Lorkhan, which Dumac's people had used to make themselves immortal and beyond the measure of the gods. In fact, one of the their high priests, Kagrenac, was building a New God so that the Dwemer could claim Resdayn for their own.

The Tribunal urged Nerevar again to make war on the Dwarves. Nerevar was troubled. He went to Dumac, his friend of old, and asked if what Dagoth-Ur said was true. But Kagrenac and the high priests of the Dwemer had kept their New God secret from their King, and Dumac said the Dwemer were innocent of any wrongdoing. Nerevar was troubled again and made pilgrimage to Holamayan, the sacred temple of Azura, who confirmed that all that Dagoth-Ur said was indeed true and that the New God of the Dwemer should be destroyed for the safety of not only Resdayn, but for the whole world. When Nerevar went back and told his Tribunal what the goddess had said, his queen and generals felt themselves proved aright and again counseled him to war. There were reasons that the Dwemer and Chimer had hated each other forever.

Finally, Nerevar, angered that his friend Dumac would lie to him, went back to Vvardenfell. This time the Chimer King was arrayed in arms and armor and had his hosts around him, and he spoke harshly to Dumac Dwarf-Orc, King of Red Mountain. "You must give up your worship of the Heart of Lorkhan or I shall forget our friendship and the deeds that were accomplished in its name!" And Dumac, who still knew nothing of Kagrenac's New God, but proud and protective as ever of his people, said, "We shall not relinquish that which has been our way for years beyond reckoning, just as the Chimer will not relinquish their ties to the Lords and Ladies of Oblivion. And to come at my door in this way, arrayed in arms and armor and with your hosts around you, tells me you have already forgotten our friendship. Stand down, my sweet Nerevar, or I swear by the fifteen-and-one golden tones I shall kill you and all your people."

And so the Chimer and Dwemer went to war. The Dwemer were well-defended by their fortress at Red Mountain, but the bravery and cleverness of Nerevar's queen and generals drew most of Dumac's armies out into the field and kept them there, so that Nerevar and Dagoth-Ur could make their way into the Heart Chamber by secret means. There, Nerevar met Dumac and the Dwarf King and they both fell from grievous wounds. Dagoth-Ur slew Kagrenac and took the tools the Dwemer used to tap the power of the Heart. He went to his dying lord Nerevar and asked him what to do with these tools. And Nerevar summoned Azura again, and she showed them how to use the tools to separate the power of the Heart from the Dwemer people.

And on the fields, the Tribunal and their armies watched as the Dwemer turned into dust all around them as their stolen immortality was taken away.

Back in Red Mountain, Nerevar told Dagoth-Ur to protect the tools and the Heart Chamber until he returned. Dagoth-Ur said, "But shouldn't we destroy these tools at once, so that they might never be used for evil again?" But Nerevar was confused by his wounds and his sorrow (for he still loved Dumac and the Dwemer people) and so went to the fields outside of Red Mountain to confer with his queen and his generals, who had foreseen that this war would come and whose counsel he would not ignore again. "I will ask the Tribunal what we shall do with them, for they have had wisdom in the past that I had not. Stay here, loyal Dagoth-Ur, until I return."

Then Nerevar told his queen and generals all that had transpired under Red Mountain and how the Dwemer had used special tools to turn their people into immortals and of the wondrous power of the Heart of Lorkhan. The Tribunal decided that the Chimer should learn how to use this power so that Nerevar might claim Resdayn and the world for their people. Nerevar did not expect or want this, so he asked his queen and generals to help him summon Azura yet again for her guidance. But the Tribunal had become as greedy as Kagrenac upon hearing of the power of the Heart and they coveted it. They made ritual as if to summon Azura as Nerevar wanted but Almalexia used poisoned candles and Sotha Sil used poisoned robes and Vivec used poisoned invocations. Nerevar was murdered.

Then Azura came forth anyway and cursed the Tribunal for their foul deeds. She told them that she would use her powers over dusk and dawn to make sure Nerevar would come back and make things right again. But the Tribunal laughed at her and said that soon they would be gods themselves and that the Chimer people would forget their old ways of worship. And Azura knew this would be true and that it would take a long time before her power might bring Nerevar back. "What you have done here today is foul beyond measure and you will grow to regret it, for the lives of gods are not what mortals think and matters that weigh only years to mortals weigh on gods forever." And so that they might know forever their wicked deeds Azura changed the Chimer into Dunmer, and their skin turned ashen and their eyes into fire. "Let this mark remind you of your true selves who, like ghouls, fed on the nobility, heroism, and trust of their king."

And then the Tribunal went into Red Mountain and met with Dagoth-Ur. Dagoth-Ur saw what had been done, for his skin had changed as well, and he tried to avenge the death of Nerevar but to no avail. He was driven off and thought dead. The Tribunal found the tools he had been guarding and, through study of Kagrenac's methods, turned themselves into gods.

Thousands of years after their apotheosis, the Tribunal are still the gods of Morrowind and the old ways of worship are remembered only by a few. And the murder of Nerevar is known to fewer. But his queen and generals still fear his return, for the words of Azura linger long and they see the mark of her curse on their people every day.

Thus, the last few lines of the prophecy are made clear: Dagoth-Ur will avenge himself upon the Tribunal with the aid of the Heart of Lorkhan, the Doom Drum.

Unknown Quantity
Sep 2, 2011

!
Steven? Steven?!
STEEEEEEVEEEEEEEN!
Crassius Callei

Crassius just shrugs at this whole thing. "So...what did we just get ourselves into? You lost me a little while ago."

MelvinBison
Nov 17, 2012

"Is this the ideal world that you envisioned?"
"I guess you could say that."

Pillbug
Digs-A-Hole

"In a word? Apocalypse," Digs said, stuffing the lexicon in his robe pocket. "Make room, Ingot. I said make room. There's plenty of room in there, cube or no cube so just... Fine, you spoiled brat." Digs stuffs the lexicon in his other pocket.

"I have a few suggestions as to how to proceed, assuming we're following through on this. We could look for more clues at Ft. Moonmoth since the priest was supposed to be meeting up some comrades there. We could travel to the Dwemer ruins not far from here in hopes of finding a use for this cube (and Ingot maybe). I shouldn't have to tell you how happy I would be with that outcome, despite being the most vague lead. Or..."

Digs turns to Zairan. "We could ask that Webspinner you love so much. She seems to have her (his? its.) hands in this mess as well."

"Oh. And yes, Tombak. I'm fin-I'll be fine. Excuse me for a moment. Will you?"

Digs goes to the bar. "Give me one (two? three.) three of whatever you have left."

MelvinBison fucked around with this message at 18:46 on Jul 26, 2014

Whycalibur
Oct 17, 2013
Tombak

"Apocalypse sounds about right," Tombak agrees. "I don't know if I feel up to tangling with Dagoth Ur quite yet... Fort Moonmoth might be our best bet. People there could have some more information on the Dwemer ruins." He leans against the wall, pondering. "Don't want to go down there blind..."

SunAndSpring
Dec 4, 2013
Digs

The publican stares at you as she pours you the first drink of Sujamma. "Are you alright? You sound worried."

You have every right to be worried, really. Red Mountain is the closest thing to Mehrunes Dagon's realm on Tamriel. The sky is a burning red, everything that lives there is diseased, and the air is constantly filled with storming ash. It's no small wonder that only the most skilled and best equipped warriors can even hope to survive in there. It would be suicide to go in there now.

As you get drunk, you wonder who the Serpent mentioned in the prophecy was. It had to be someone related to Ethys that ordered him dead, according to the prophecy. It might be a worthy avenue of investigation, at least.

Flame112
Apr 21, 2011
Zairan Hainnabibi

Zairan summarizes what he remembers of the story to his companions. "While I believe the Tribunal undoubtedly deserves what's coming to them...I fear Dagoth Ur's methods may bring destruction across the entire island. I can't support this war he seems to be planning. However, I don't know how we could possibly stop it."

MelvinBison posted:

Digs turns to Zairan. "We could ask that Webspinner you love so much. She seems to have her (his? its.) hands in this mess as well."

"I'm loathe to call on the Webspinner again so soon. The Daedra have little patience for those who bother them with frequent interruptions. And as for heading to Fort Moonmoth, are we not still on the run from the law? I remember seeing an Imperial Guard talking with the Hlaalu guards back at the cells. I'm not keen on heading right back into their hands. Perhaps there's another lead we could more safely follow."

Zairan heads out of the monk's room and back into the bar. "Bartender, how much do you know of the late Ethys Hlaalu? Did he have any family who would have cause to murder him? Specifically, ones born under the Serpent Sign?"

SunAndSpring
Dec 4, 2013
Zairan
The bartender looks confused at your question. "I wouldn't know, serjo. The Hlaalu family is huge, especially in regards to Ethys. The man had so many children, bastards, and cousins it would be hard to tell who was even born under fixed birthsigns. And every seemed to like him. I heard no rumors that anyone had any quarrel with him. Besides, the Serpent moves around so often, it would be difficult to know who was born under it. You could try the Hlaalu archi-"

She stops herself and then frowns. "No, wait. I'm sorry, serjo, but the rebels burned it down during the uprising."

K'zan
You overhear the last part of the publican's conversation with Zairan, and you wonder how you'll be able to find the killer now. But suddenly, a bolt of inspiration hits you. You recall a few factoids you learned while visiting the Tribunal Temple. Dunmer like to keep private burial grounds. While this tradition is on the decline due to the Temple asking their followers to give remains up to the Ghostgate to be used as reinforcement for the barrier, some families still prefer to keep their dead buried with the rest of their relatives. Usually, a genealogy is kept in the burial tombs to be used during prayer sessions. And the Hlaalu burial ground just so happens to be located just a few miles away from Balmora.

Of course, the Dunmer also like to resurrect their dead and use them as guardians to stop grave robbers and necromancers from looting the tombs. Not everything's as easy as taking sugarcane from a kitten.

SunAndSpring fucked around with this message at 00:22 on Jul 28, 2014

Punting
Sep 9, 2007
I am very witty: nit-witty, dim-witty, and half-witty.

K'zan Redpaw

A thought occurs to the Khajiit, listening in; it's not, in any particular manner, a thought that he likes, but it might just be a way to get more information on the mystery they seemed dead-set on unraveling.

He leans out of the room and flicks some debris at Digs and Zairan to get their attention, and gestures for them to rejoin the rest of them in the room; he had no particular interest in explaining his idea more than once.

K'zan takes a moment to make sure no one outside is listening in, and sighs as he starts to explain. "This one has a possible idea. The Great Houses often keep private crypts - and House Hlaalu's happens to be close by Balmora - and lists of relations both live and dead within them; if we truly need to find a scion of House Hlaalu born under a certain sign, it might be possible to learn this information with a bit of, ah, careful excavation, if you get this one's drift."

He felt a bit dirty just suggesting the idea, honestly; new arrival to the neighborhood or not, there was something unwholesome about breaking into your neighbor's tomb.

MelvinBison
Nov 17, 2012

"Is this the ideal world that you envisioned?"
"I guess you could say that."

Pillbug
Digs-A-Hole

"So that was the mudcrab incident," Digs said, conversing with the bar keep, "or as I like to call it, reason #3078 why my life is terrible. Which reminds me. Ingot, I need to get this off my chest. You snore, and it keeps me up at all hours of the night. There. I said it. gently caress you for making me do that."

During his drunken rant, Digs gets hit in the head with something. "Oh. Sorry. I'll be right there." Getting up from his barstool, he slips and falls face first. "Eventually."

After listening to K'zan's idea, Digs, now relatively sober, pipes up.

"That's not a bad idea, provided we're well prepared. If we could get our hands on some silver or magic weapons, those ghosts won't stand a chance. Oh! Before I forget..." He motions to the bar. "Please don't ever let me do that again." Digs turns around and rubs his still sore snout.

Whycalibur
Oct 17, 2013
Tombak

The orc chuckles at Digs' antics, and takes a seat himself. "No, I don't think we're wanted criminals. This big old prison camp was just a sloppily executed crime of convenience, really. They didn't even take my name or make a sketch of me when they tossed me in. Did they get details from any of you?" Tombak raises a brow questioningly.

"And on top of that, we are now on official Mages Guild business. If a bunch of priests want to try to arrest us while we're carrying out an official, legal investigation, well..." He waggles those brows. "Plus, worst-case scenario, we just lie. And lie and lie and lie. I get the feeling we have enough liars here to get by."

Unknown Quantity
Sep 2, 2011

!
Steven? Steven?!
STEEEEEEVEEEEEEEN!
Crassius Callei

Crassius thinks for a moment about the prospect of robbing graves.. On the one hand, it's awful, but at the same time, he's never slain a ghost before. Then he hears about the need of special weapons to attack spectres, and something in him clicks as he snaps his fingers.

"Magical weaponry, you say? Well, I think I just so happen to know someone who does some dabbling in enchanting services right here in the Balmora chapter of the Mages' Guild. Bosmer lady, forgot her name, but I'd recognize her the moment I see her."

Cashing in my 6 with the Mages' Guild.

Flame112
Apr 21, 2011
Zairan Hainnabibi

"Listen, Khajiit. What you are proposing is not just a crime. There are not many things that the Ashlanders and the Dunmer of the Great Houses agree on. Revering the ancestors is one of the few things we have in common. So believe me when I tell you that the Hlaalu family will take our intrusion into their sacred tomb as a great insult. If I found out that someone had disrespected my ancestors like this, I would not hesitate to kill them, and I have no doubt that if the Hlaalu discover our intrusion, they will do the same to us." Zairan sighs. "However, that being said...we have no idea when this prophecy will be fulfilled, and I believe the tomb is our best, if not our only, lead. Fort Moonmoth may or may not have the information we're looking for. The tomb certainly will."

Punting
Sep 9, 2007
I am very witty: nit-witty, dim-witty, and half-witty.

K'zan Redpaw

The Khajiit shrugged his shoulders, directing a frown towards the elf.

"You preach to the choir, friend. Note that this one did not say he had a good idea, merely a possible one. This Khajiit is not, in general, fond of the idea of crypt-breaking."

MelvinBison
Nov 17, 2012

"Is this the ideal world that you envisioned?"
"I guess you could say that."

Pillbug
Digs-A-Hole

"If it's any consolation, we're not actually taking anything from the tomb and can leave it pretty much the same condition as when we came in. Think of it like a nature walk: take only copies of documents we need, leave only puddles of ectoplasm. Not footprints, obviously, since that can be used to track us."

Whycalibur
Oct 17, 2013
Tombak

"If you all want to go raid a tomb, that's fine by me," Tombak concedes. "But don't blame me when we get eaten by ghosts."

Flame112
Apr 21, 2011
Zairan Hainnabibi

"Ancestor spirits don't eat people, you ignorant fool." Zairan shakes his head, but looks up suddenly, an idea forming. "However...they do consume offerings. Perhaps with the proper offerings, we could placate the guardians of the Hlaalu tomb? I am only familiar with the spirits of my own tribe, but surely the offerings must be similar. Still, it may not work, so we should prepare for a fight regardless."

Figure out offerings for the Hlaalu spirits (Zainab Tribesman + Wis): 1d20+8 12

Whycalibur
Oct 17, 2013
Tombak

"Maybe ancestor spirits wouldn't eat you," Tombak replies. "I'm very tasty, though."

SunAndSpring
Dec 4, 2013
Zairan

You draw a blank at what the Hlaalu spirits would be placated by. Guess you'll have to bear with sending the spirits back to the afterlife. At least you can take comfort in the fact that those whose spirits and bones are used to guard Great House burial tombs are those who have shamed themselves and their clan in some way.

MelvinBison
Nov 17, 2012

"Is this the ideal world that you envisioned?"
"I guess you could say that."

Pillbug
Digs-A-Hole

"Wait, Bosmer lady? I think I might know who you're talking about."

Remembering Bosmer Mage Guild member: 1d20+4+4=28. Oh wow.

"I hope I haven't ticked this one off recently."

SunAndSpring
Dec 4, 2013
The Balmora guild enchanter is a wood elf named Galbedir. She's not exactly the most friendly type (you recall her having a feud with a Khajiit named Ajira over who would be promoted first), but she is skilled in her craft. You hope that the money you'll get from handing the puzzle box off to Edwinna will be enough to afford silver weapons for everyone. Spirits are not able to be hurt by anything but silver, magic, and Daedric weaponry. You think Crassius can get by without them as his Kinetomancy channels magic into his strikes, but everyone else who is not blessed with magic or enchanted gear will need silver.

djw175
Apr 23, 2012

by zen death robot
Severia

Severia tries to think of where to get stuff. "The fighter's guild handles requests of all kind. And they tend to not like dealing with the Mage's Guild. Some dumb old rivalry. They probably have silver weapons. Although they don't give anything for free..."

Spending my Fighter's Guild 5

SunAndSpring
Dec 4, 2013
You recall that Wayn, the smith at this branch of the Fighters Guild, will probably be able to contribute some more silver weapons to the cause, as well as some blunt weapons for any skeletons that may be walking the tombs. Of course, he won't do it for free; This isn't charity, after all. He's been looking for something called Spider Daggers for a while, and he'll probably hustle you into getting them.

MelvinBison
Nov 17, 2012

"Is this the ideal world that you envisioned?"
"I guess you could say that."

Pillbug
Digs-A-Hole

"A thought occurs. Not a good one, mind you, but it makes sense. On the off-chance something goes wrong, we should keep the journal and lexicon in good hands. So I think we need to pay a visit to..."

Digs inhales deeply. "...Edwinna. ...That hurt to say."

Whycalibur
Oct 17, 2013
"Well then, let's mosey on over to the Guild," Tombak suggests. "Time's a-wasting."

Punting
Sep 9, 2007
I am very witty: nit-witty, dim-witty, and half-witty.

K'zan Redpaw

"Yes. If we are going to do this thing, then let us not waste our time; get it over with and be done with it.", the Khajiit agrees.

MelvinBison
Nov 17, 2012

"Is this the ideal world that you envisioned?"
"I guess you could say that."

Pillbug
Digs-A-Hole

"Hmm, yes. I concur. We should get moving then."

...

"...I'm sorry. What bit's getting old, Ingot?"

SunAndSpring
Dec 4, 2013
You head onto the guilds, leaving behind the publican as she props up the dead bodies you left out of the way, taking the Dwemer puzzle box with you. The rain has let up a bit, at the least. You enter the Mages Guild and find Edwinna in the room down at the bottom of the ramp, leafing through a copy of "On Wild Elves". As you come into the room, she looks up from the book and says, "So, you lot again. Did you find that puzzle box like I asked? I'm authorized to pay you for it."

She reaches into her satchel and tosses down a pouch filled with coins. It makes a soft thunk as it hits the table.

MelvinBison
Nov 17, 2012

"Is this the ideal world that you envisioned?"
"I guess you could say that."

Pillbug
Digs-A-Hole

"I have it right here." Digs sets the lexicon down next to the bag of coins. "Still working on those fire salts, but don't worry. They're on my To-do list. Oh! 'On Wild Elves', eh? That reminds me, have you seen Galbedir around? I'm not insinuating she's uncultured, mind you, the Elves part was what jogged my memory, not the...nevermind. We need her help is what I'm getting at."

Whycalibur
Oct 17, 2013
Tombak

Tombak picks up the pouch and opens it, quickly counting through the coins before divvying them up as equally as possible.

SunAndSpring
Dec 4, 2013
Digs-A-Hole

She glares at you, and begins to shout at you. "To-Do List? So you haven't done what I told you to do yet? And you're all covered in blood too, as well as your friends. I assume you got into a fight, and seeing as you're not dead, you must've won. Typical. I leave you alone for a second and you wind up killing someone. Do you know how bad that makes the Mages Guild look? I ought to-"

She places her palm in her face and goes silent for a minute, trying to restrain herself. Finally, she says, in a defeated and tired tone, "Just get me the damned fire salts. Don't talk to me until you do. Go bother Galbedir if you want. She's upstairs."

Tombak

You rifle through the pouch and find 210 golden Tiber Septims staring back at you. You dole out 35 gold drakes each to every one of your new friends. Edwinna looks at you and says, "Now for the puzzle box. And while you're at it, tell me what in Oblivion happened to all of you? You people look like Trinimac after Boethiah sha-"

She looks at you, blushes in embarrassment, and stops herself before she finishes. "Er, you all look very bad is what I'm saying."

Whycalibur
Oct 17, 2013
Tombak

"To be entirely fair, the gentlemen with whom we had said altercation were attempting to access the priest's quarters as well," Tombak puts in, sounding all erudite and poo poo now. "We had no choice but to... dissuade them. And in the end they left mostly peacefully." He waggles his brows. "And mostly alive. And now, here we are, with the puzzle box. Job well done, I'd say."

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Flame112
Apr 21, 2011
Zairan Hainnabibi

"35 septims? Strange, I thought we had just risked life and limb to deliver a rare artifact to you." Zairan shakes his head, turns to his allies and mutters, "I'm not sure we'll be able to buy any kind of worthwhile enchantment with this. We may be better off looking for some silver weaponry.

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