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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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# ? Jul 25, 2014 07:01 |
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# ? Mar 28, 2024 10:00 |
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"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...
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# ? Jul 25, 2014 21:02 |
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,
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# ? Jul 26, 2014 03:38 |
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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."
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# ? Jul 26, 2014 05:17 |
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 |
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# ? Jul 26, 2014 05:46 |
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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
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# ? Jul 26, 2014 07:39 |
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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.
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# ? Jul 26, 2014 12:27 |
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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
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# ? Jul 26, 2014 17:05 |
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. 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.
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# ? Jul 26, 2014 18:10 |
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Crassius Callei Crassius just shrugs at this whole thing. "So...what did we just get ourselves into? You lost me a little while ago."
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# ? Jul 26, 2014 18:13 |
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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 |
# ? Jul 26, 2014 18:33 |
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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..."
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# ? Jul 26, 2014 20:09 |
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.
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# ? Jul 27, 2014 00:41 |
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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?"
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# ? Jul 27, 2014 23:49 |
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 |
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# ? Jul 28, 2014 00:17 |
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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.
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# ? Jul 29, 2014 10:50 |
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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.
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# ? Jul 29, 2014 19:16 |
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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."
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# ? Jul 29, 2014 20:28 |
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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.
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# ? Jul 29, 2014 22:42 |
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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."
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# ? Jul 30, 2014 03:51 |
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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."
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# ? Jul 30, 2014 10:51 |
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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."
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# ? Jul 30, 2014 15:52 |
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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."
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# ? Jul 30, 2014 19:21 |
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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
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# ? Jul 31, 2014 00:28 |
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Tombak "Maybe ancestor spirits wouldn't eat you," Tombak replies. "I'm very tasty, though."
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# ? Jul 31, 2014 01:09 |
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.
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# ? Jul 31, 2014 02:08 |
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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."
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# ? Jul 31, 2014 17:30 |
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.
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# ? Jul 31, 2014 21:58 |
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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
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# ? Jul 31, 2014 22:29 |
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.
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# ? Jul 31, 2014 22:41 |
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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."
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# ? Aug 1, 2014 00:43 |
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"Well then, let's mosey on over to the Guild," Tombak suggests. "Time's a-wasting."
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# ? Aug 2, 2014 18:32 |
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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.
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# ? Aug 2, 2014 23:16 |
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Digs-A-Hole "Hmm, yes. I concur. We should get moving then." ... "...I'm sorry. What bit's getting old, Ingot?"
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# ? Aug 3, 2014 01:21 |
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.
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# ? Aug 3, 2014 01:41 |
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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."
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# ? Aug 3, 2014 05:51 |
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Tombak Tombak picks up the pouch and opens it, quickly counting through the coins before divvying them up as equally as possible.
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# ? Aug 3, 2014 06:12 |
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."
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# ? Aug 4, 2014 05:23 |
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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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# ? Aug 4, 2014 05:50 |
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# ? Mar 28, 2024 10:00 |
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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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# ? Aug 4, 2014 21:33 |