Riel Stories Epic

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

Septum Empire
Imperium (Core of Imperial Government and the Imperial Court)
Imperial Government
Imperial Guilds, Offices and Councils

Imperial Cyrodilins
Common Cyrodilins
(uncommon Royal Cyrodilins)

Slayers Guild
Olisha
Samsal

Aisha

Trento

Vaish

Investigators Guild

Scully

Mulder

Notes to be added-edited!

Edited March 3, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

Zero 1.1[1]

Of the Orbis Observing

 

Orbis observed the arrival of the mageborn to Tamriel thousands of years before the reign of Emperor Uriel Septum VII. They came stealthily and created underground colonies, sometimes taking over long forgotten Ayleid cities. At first they were focused in North-Western Cyrodiil in the large range of mountains there.

 

Orbis observed the first secret meetings between the mageborn and Emperor Uriel Septum VII ending in a special agreement in which the mageborn would serve the Empire in special ways but would be regulated by the Empire.

 

Orbis observed the mageborn refusing to give over certain high magical, and technomagical, secrets to the Imperium despite great pressure to do so. Emperor Uriel Septum VII surprised many by siding with the mageborn and the deep concealment of such secrets by many magical and other means. Both the Mages Guild and Arcane University supported the move. A small minority of mageborn did not support the idea.

 

Orbis observed the mageborn assisting in the rescue of Emperor Uriel Septum VII after he is trapped, in the Oblivion Realms, for three years by the treachery of the Imperial Battlemage Jagar Tharn. It is believed by many that with out the assistance of the mageborn that the emperor would have been trapped much longer and that Jagar Tharn would have pretended for longer to be the Emperor, as he sat on a false Dragonthrone. The Emperor suffered less and Jagar Tharn did less damage, to the Empire, but Jagar Tharn's fate was a mystery.

Edited April 1, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 1.1[2]

Of Burning Deaths

 

Samsal stood tall, slimly muscular, half smiling at the grinning half goblin, half orc. He wore light leather body-armor, had a knife and a longknife in sheaves at his belt but had no other real evidence of weaponry. Samsal was quite handsome, was wearing good quality gear including nice leather city-boots.

 

The orcblin sneered, leered, at Samsal and around them there were many other customers, of the rather seedy and run down tavern, who did the same. Most of them kept to their own business and a few, who were smarter and more observant, were leaving quietly but quickly.

 

Samsal sighed. "My family paid you 13 goldworth, with first chance credit, to provide us with the promised broken artifact and now you say you sold it to another for 15 goldworth. Not only that but you refuse to pay back the money that we gave you."

 

Krazgizk grinned and some spittle flowed from one corner of his mouth while his skin was oddly flushed red even for that of an orcblin. "Stupid little human, I cheated on you and your pissed on family. I cheated on you and there is nothing that you can do about it. I will now take more from you and will piss on you."

 

They were in the infamous Shades, a section of the Imperiarna Undercity. Imperiarna was the Grand Imperial City of the Septum Empire. It was the city of the Imperials, where the Emperor himself sat on the Dragonthrone, the bustling centre of culture, commerce and much else of the Empire. Yet it was also the home of scum like Krazgizk.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 1.2[3]

Of Burning Deaths

Krazgizk was acting strange even for a orcblin and others in the tavern were beginning to show puzzlement. The real reason that Samsal was there was soon to show itself. In front of many witnesses he was admitting his guilt of refusing to pay off a legitimate loan and threatening to rob Samsal. His eyes glittered with a deep arrogance, an over confidence and lack of conscious. He was demonically possessed in a willing manner.

The quite big humanoid threw a massive fist at Samsal and it seemed that it would strike, despite it being rather clumsy an action. Samsal easily slipped aside, just enough distance for the fist to miss, and trick threw the far stronger looking creature through the air. Krazgizk hit the floor even as Samsal stepped up closer and thrust a special knife into him. The shimmering blade caused Krazgizk to die in a most interesting fashion for he burned away into dust before he could utter a sound, let alone a scream.

Samsal slipped the special longknife away and took Krazgizk's coin-purse even as customers started to leave the chamber in a great hurry though a few did not bother to do so. They figured that Samsal had no interest in them, or so Samsal 'sensed', and they were right.

The 'burned' fool had left behind 21 goldworth, more than enough to pay off the loan. Samsal walked over to the wary looking orc bartender and dropped a golden finger-ingot on the bar top. "This is for lost business. Do you know where Krazgizk has been living recently; he gave my family a false address. He told us he was living at the Imperial Palace with the Emperor."

The barkeeper grinned. "You lot play a nasty game of dark irony. I might be an orc but I am educated. You do not seem to be surprised. Then again, considering what you do I don't suppose it would be easy to take you by surprise. All I have heard of Krazgizk is that lately he was sighted, a few times, close to the Dark Temple Sector of the Deep Shades."

Samsal put two silver finger-ingots on the bar top and quietly left. The orc made the finger-ingots vanish quickly.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 2.1[4]

Of Burning Deaths

 

Samsal paced quietly through the Shades, there being something about him that had even the toughest locals leave him alone. Most did not go alone in the Shades, not even those who had lived there all their lives. He did not go to the Dark Temple Sector for that was a most dangerous place dotted mostly with temples that had been sealed off, or even destroyed, by the Empire. Others were in exile there. Even Legionards, the paramilitary force of the Empire, did not tend to go there and when they did so they went in force supported by Mages Guild, and Templedom, people.

 

The hallway tunnels, and chambers, of the Shades were a mixture of design and build being Ayleid, human and others who identity was lost in history. Very few knew that there were Aldmer made structures surviving down in the Undercity or even that the Aldmer, not the Ayleid, had created the WhiteGold Tower and walls of the city along with other structures.

 

Mostly humans, be they Common Cyrodilins or Outlanders, lived there but so did such as orcs, tame goblins, hoblins, hybrids of many kinds, so called beastfolk and others. Samsal could 'sense' it when werefolk went past him, the shapeshifters being werewolves or wererats, but had no reason to do anything for they were registered with the Empire. All citizens were registered with the Empire so it was no prejudice against them. Surprisingly few vampires lived down in the Undercity, except for their own area of Bloodville, so he 'sensed' none that day.

 

Samsal was of the mageborn, not to be confused with the far more common magefolk, and had the intrinsic enhanced senses, the mindeye and other special abilities including mageborn elemental magic. He and his family were of the Slayers Guild as many mageborn were. The Empire feared the power of the mageborn and demanded that they serve the Empire, that they be kept under control as its elite servants. Mageborn also served other Imperial elite organizations. The Mages Guild, and Arcane University, tended to be suspicious of them except for a minority such as the ArchMage himself.

 

The statues of the Nine Divines, and many more DemiDivines, were not very large. The Divines were bigger and on the top layer of the neatly lain out shrine. The DemiDivines took up many layers below the top one. 'Sensing' that he was being followed, by somebody very good at doing so, he stopped to study the stone figures.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 2.2[5]

Of Burning Deaths

Samsal spoke just before the woman reached him, approaching him from behind. "You are five seconds late, Paulina!"

Paulina, an agent of the Imperial Eye, halted next to him and frowned sweetly. She was dressed as a local prostitute but of course she was not one. The Crimesters Guild tattoo was shown clearly on her shoulder but it was a very clever fake as was her blonde hair and blue eyes. She wore a silken garb that concealed leather body armor. This was normal for prostitutes working in the Shades as was her hidden weapons but she was far more deadly at using them than most real prostitutes in the Shades.

She frowned softly. "I wish I had been born a mageborn."

"That is only because you do not know the real price of being one of the mageborn." As soon as he had said the words, he regretted it. "Please ignore what you just heard for I should not have spoken them. It is good to see you, Paulina. Will we go together to your special room?"

The 'special room' was not far away. Every higher class prostitute had her own such chamber where they would serve customers but Samsal was not a customer any more than Paulina was really a prostitute. Though she did have sex with those who came to see her because of the need to leave a sexual aura, and other impressions, in the chamber. Such could be picked up by enemy mages, or psykers, and the absence of such might cause suspicion. In many cases she 'worked' as a prostitute to pick up certain individuals and question them.

He gave her a pair of silver finger-ingots and a small gift of a silver necklace. It was part of the cover story for she would write it down in her chamber journal and then place the items in her safe-drawer in a local Bankers Guild Lodge. In the Shades such places were very well guarded and fortified. Yet records could be accessed by well skilled enemies and those willing to betray contracts and promises. She normally got to keep such items as a bonus on top of her special allowances and normal regular payments.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 2.2[5]

Of Burning Deaths

After they made love, it was more than just basic sex in their case, they lay nakedly together under a sheet on her very comfortable 'working bed'. She spoke as she lay with her head on his chest. "The first spontaneous burning death took place five days ago but since then there have been twenty-four reported cases and probably many more that have been not reported. Despite the odd features of the case it did not gain over much attention. Each victim was not one that would be expected to do something that would end in demonic possession, each victim was glimpsed near the Dark Temple Zone and each had strange symptoms before they burst into flames. Apart from the fact that you used a exotiknife on that orcblin today, causing him to burn away, he was just like those who have been burning away with out warning."

Not reported? The Shades people, or Shadefolk, did not trust authorities and kept themselves to themselves. If they did report information it was normally for payment of some kind.

"I was sent to find Krazgizk because we (the Slayers Guild) had been informed that he was showing symptoms that made him appear as if he would soon burn to death." He frowned hard. "I take it that you know three attempts were made to intervene, to stop the spontaneous combustions, but all failed. It was hoped that I, who can use a exotiknife because I am mageborn, might be able to stop the process using one. All that happened was that Krazgizk burned away anyway, most likely sooner than he would have done with out my intervention."

Paulina responded. "There does not seem to be much I can tell you except, perhaps, about the fact that each victim was addicted to skooma to at least some degree. Being that all victims are Shades people, and the Shades has a very high level of skooma addiction, that might not be of any use as a fact."

He gently stroked her upper back. "The majority of Shadefolk are not addicted to skooma or any other drugs. Many more drink too much strong alcoholic drinks. So its a factor that should not be dismissed. Skooma is known to make users more vulnerable to spiritual intrusion."

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 2.3[7]

Of Burning Deaths

After using a hand-pump shower, the two of them got dressed and she made them cups of mildly hot sweet leaf tea, each with a dash of milk and a small amount of honey. They ate small savory cheesecakes and bread tube-rolls filled with cheese and spicy cabbage.

They chatted about everyday things like the growing scandal of the Empress and her supposed cheating on her husband, the Emperor, and the latest Imperial Foot-Hand Ball Games. There was also growing pressure to expand democracy in the Empire by giving the vote to more people and allowing those people to have their own representatives in the Imperianate, the Imperial Parliament. Many citizens were concerned that too many Imperial Military Forces were outside of Cyrodiil, often helping to protect the interests of wealthy imperial elites.

Samsal departed back into the underways of the Shades of the Imperiarna Undercity.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 3.1[8]

Of Burning Deaths

 

Olisha, of the mageborn, had little respect for many of her mageborn elders. Thanks to fear of the Nameless Enemy, they had become paranoid. While she knew the Nameless Enemy had to be feared, she did not think that paranoia was anything but a weakness that made one more vulnerable.

 

She stood in a chamber of the Slayers Guild Lodge in the Grand Imperial City, Imperiarna, with light coming through armored glass of semitransparent nature designed to make it more difficult for outsiders to spy on what was going on in the room. The chamber was fairly sparse but had some furniture, fittings and decorations of moderate luxurious expense.

 

Three Slayers Guild Elders sat at the other side of a curving table in robes and, underneath, magical leather armor. They had hidden weapons, such as exotiknives, for they were all mageborn. The Slayers Guild had become dominated by the mageborn and at least one third of Guild Slayers were mageborn. She suspected that at least one of the guild elders wanted to have only mageborn in the guild but there were not enough mageborn for that to happen. She also considered the idea to be foolish for other reasons.

 

Vanze, the Slayers Guild Elder she suspected of hating all non-mageborn, was frowning hard. "We fear that your brother, Samsal, is getting far too close to the Imperial Eye Agent named Paulina. That is the woman who behaves like a high class prostitute though she is not one."

 

Olisha frowned. "Paulina is a professional with much skill and experience. She does what she has to do in order to carry out her work as best she can. She has done much for the Empire and has assisted the Slayers Guild on many occasions, along with we mageborn. Samsal would not betray our people even to her, even if he has fallen in love with her. His discipline is far too strong. He has been investigating the Case of the Burning Deaths and though he has requested more resources from the guild, so far you have refused to give them."

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 3.2[9]

Of Burning Deaths

 

Then Slayers Guild Elder Ephra spoke, she being one of the elders that Olisha respected very much. "I have every faith in your brother, Olisha, but our studies of his body language indicate that he has become overly fond of the one named Paulina. One saving factor is that she appears to feel the same about him. His amazing ability to detect true loyalty in people, even to gain deep loyalty from people, appears to continue to influence others. The Imperium (Core of Imperial Government) will not be pleased to learn of this."

 

The Imperial Eye was the Imperium's spy network of espionage and counter espionage. They observed, they ran a network of informers, they infiltrated and they did much else to keep the Empire secure from its enemies both internal and external. They were not to be confused with the assassins of the Imperial Hand or the Emperor's own Blades or the rather mysterious Imperial Guardians. They certainly were not to be confused with the corrupt, inefficient, aggressive Imperial Security Intelligence Office that had too many links to the damned Empress.

 

Ephra changed subjects. "That is not the reason we called you here. We want you to assist your brother to solve the Case of the Burning Deaths. You will be given more resources to complete the mission, including three more Guild Slayers to work with you along with other Slayers Guild people. That is a clerk, an alchemist, two guards and a personal assistant to serve both of you. You may wonder why we are being so generous; the answer is that the case is drawing the sharp attention of a surprising number of powerful factions and the attention of Emperor Uriel Septum VII himself. We want to know why and we also want to look effective in the eyes of the Emperor. As you know, we have suffered three big mission failures in the last year and the Imperium is not pleased while the Emperor is concerned, is focusing upon us too much for our comfort."

 

Olisha had doubts about the nature of the 'three failures' and was not the only one of the mageborn, or even others, both inside and outside of the Slayers Guild to have them.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67