Riel Stories Epic

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 8.1[30]

Of Burning Deaths

 

Very tough dremora warriors infiltrated caves close to the Imperial City of Kvatch that was high of a great low table top mountain. With them went beast daedra being fireball spitting scamps, basic weapon using scards, dinosaur like clannfears, bigger clannfear like clannfoors that carried panniers of spare stuff but also dremora human hybrids of draemans. Dremora despised the beast daedra but hated the draemans most of all so the hybrids were smart enough to stay as far from the dremora as they could.

 

The cave systems were once inhabited by goblins, and other goblinfolk such as gremlins. The tribes had departed the area, leaving behind them blood marked skulls and bones as warnings to other goblinfolk not to claim the caves for something very dangerous was there; that is even too dangerous for savage, wild goblinfolk of any kind.

 

Even as the newcomers came to a big destroyed goblinfolk settlement, filling a large glowcrystal cavern, the dremora would take no heed of signs of danger. The hybrids grew concerned but were wise enough to not approach the dremora, who were all battlemages, while the so called beast daedra grew noticeably more agitated.

 

It became so bad that even the dremora, in their arrogance, could ignore it no longer and they drew forth their magical weapons even as they ordered all of the daedra into defensive formation. Dremora battle discipline took over and now even the draemans could approach the dremora safely if they needed to do so. The fairly passive clannfoors were placed at the center of the formation along with draeman healers and workers such as those ready to dispense freshly filled quivers of arrows or crossbow bolts, the latter for the scards who used crossbows.

 

Bonekynes, they came of dull blood red bone-platelet armor, claws, claw-blades and claw-hands clutching clubs, spears and other crude but deadly weapons. They came of different shapes and sizes, having two or four or six legs and two or four or six double jointed arms. Always there were three bizarre black eyes. Most were humanoid but some were more like distorted crabs or quadrupeds or other things less easy to describe. A small minority flew clumsily with vaguely bat like wings. They would have been easier to deal with if they had not come in such as great swarm and with such amazing force and speed.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 8.2 [31]

Of Burning Deaths

 

The battle was savage, with out mercy for that concept was unknown to either side. The daedric forces unleashed arrows, and bolts, the dremora arrows being magical while scamps hurled many fireballs. A large number of enemies died but not enough to halt the greater rush of them. Then the conflict was at closer quarters, was quickly falling into confusion as the daedra were overwhelmed. The daedra fought very hard, driven by the need of survival more than for that of victory.

 

Sword blades cut and stabbed, claws rendered, armor was ripped open, blood flowed, bonekynes burned away if they died, creatures became entangled with each other even as they died, groups formed and reformed while both sides perished. The daedra might have won if they had not been taken by ambush and if their numbers, their power, had been greater. As it was far more bonekynes perished than daedra but there were at least a dozen bonekynes for each daedra.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 9.1[32]

Of Burning Deaths

 

Scully stepped down from the tall bookcase, that nearly overflowed with books, and adjusted her kneedress before turning to Samsal. She adjusted her expensive magical augmented glasses and studied the Slayer a moment before speaking. "The Slayers Guild owes us (the Investigators Guild) some monies from broken verbal contracts and promises."

 

Samsal dropped a leather coin-purse onto the big wooden work-table that centered the much bigger library-study chamber. It held a fortune in hand written, cranker-printed and steammagic printed books. Despite the increased printing of books, using steammagic printing machines, books remained relatively rare and expensive in the Empire.

 

He spoke. "Five golden finger-ingots and 21 goldworth in assorted imperial coinage. Not all Guild Slayers support the Slayers Guild Elders in how they have behaved in the last few years. Change is coming but I am not here to speak of such matters."

 

Scully arched her eyebrows. "When such changes happen in the Slayers Guild, people die."

 

"Slayers die, being killed by other Slayers." He shrugged as if such things did not matter. "Usually mageborn Slayers! Being of the mageborn is to be hard; that is just a fact. We could not do what we do, otherwise. We do what we do in repentance for long ago crimes. I just told you more than I should have. Recently this has become a foolish habit of mine. A Guild Slayer group has been set up to investigate the Case of the Burning Deaths. We were told you have investigated the incidents and that you may have other information of value."

 

He took out a file-folder from his compact backpack, it was on the table, and placed it on the table top. "Here is a copy of all of the information passed to us by the Slayers Guild Elders. I do not have to tell you that my giving you this information will not go well with the elders, if they find out about it, so please be discrete. I suggest that you consider this a first move towards some kind of secret working partnership."

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 9.2[33]

Of Burning Deaths

She picked up the coin-purse and showed trust by putting it away with out trying to count the contents. "More burning deaths have taken place. Stories of cheap, enhanced, skooma are still circulating but it seems that people are wisely not being drawn into trying to buy any. So, if nobody is buying the stuff to consume, why do the burning deaths continue? People continue to vanish so perhaps people are being abducted and being forced to consume the substance."

Samsal snorted. "Why?"

The woman took the file-folder, that he had put on the table, and skimmed through it before looking up at him. "None of this is very useful at all. It is as if your leadership decided to give you no data of any real value, at least when it comes to the Case of the Burning Deaths."

The Slayer nodded. "Thanks for confirming what we had already come to suspect. Clearly our own guild leadership is hiding any real value information from us, which is most puzzling. Why would they do such a thing unless they are involved somehow in the burning deaths. Then again they may be carrying out another investigation while just using us as some kind of decoy to attract danger. Not so long ago Slayers Guild Elders would never have behaved in such a way with the lives of other Slayers but clearly times have changed."

Mulder came into the room, carrying a tray of food with two small books in one corner. He placed the tray on the table and frowned softly at Samsal. "The Slayers Guild owes us..."

Scully spoke out. "Samsal has taken care of that in a most generous fashion. That is 21 goldworth as good coinage and five golden finger-ingots."

Mulder grinned. "A minor miracle then. Still we have heard good things about you and your sister, Olisha. I would not be surprised if you provided us with the monies."

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 9.3[34]

Of Burning Deaths

Scully informed Mulder about the way that the Slayers Guild Elders had provided Olisha, and Samsal, with very poor information. Fox Mulder shook his head, in wonder, as he skimmed through the file-folder.

He spoke. "A good deal of this data is incorrect and, from what I read, deliberately so. Somebody has set out to give you misinformation of what is taking place with the burning deaths."

Samsal scowled softly. "This is deeply concerning." He changed subjects for he did not want to discuss too deeply the affairs of the Slayers Guild. "We have been visited by the Guardian RevastoTi who has given us many resources. The Guardians directed us to set up our mission base in the housement once lived in by..." He went on to speak of the set of chambers, the man who had lived there and other facts linked with both.

The two Guild Investigators were clearly very interested.

Mulder spoke. "We would like to help you investigate the housement and its contents. RevastoTi came to us also and gave us a heap of resources, including some very special items. That was yesterday. We have heard he has done the same with other groups including the Sisterhood of Compassion, the Shades Sheriffs Office and even the self styled Museum of the Shades."

Samsal responded. "Which means that other groups have been assisted that we have not heard of. What do you know of the Guardians?"

"Only that they have at least one purpose, which is to keep the Dark Temple Zone sealed off." Scully spoke. "Mostly they seem to have been successful in that they actually sealed off many entrances, even ones hard to find or which were designed to be secret. Trouble is that there seems to be at least one dangerous entity out there influencing people to go into the Dark Temple Zone where they are fed upon in a very gruesome and evil manner leading to death or perhaps worse than death. If the Guardians have other purposes, they have not spoken of them to us or anybody who is willing to speak of such to us. We do not even know how many Guardians there are or if they have followers or servants. The Guardians are as secretive as you mageborn are, which is saying a good deal."

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 9.3[34]

Of Burning Deaths

Scully informed Mulder about the way that the Slayers Guild Elders had provided Olisha, and Samsal, with very poor information. Fox Mulder shook his head, in wonder, as he skimmed through the file-folder.

He spoke. "A good deal of this data is incorrect and, from what I read, deliberately so. Somebody has set out to give you misinformation of what is taking place with the burning deaths."

Samsal scowled softly. "This is deeply concerning." He changed subjects. "We have been visited by the Guardian RevastoTi who has given us many resources. The Guardians directed us to set up our mission base in the housement once lived in by..." He went on to speak of the set of chambers, the man who had lived there and other facts linked with both.

The two Guild Investigators were clearly very interested.

Mulder spoke. "We would like to help you investigate the housement and its contents. RevastoTi came to us also and gave us a heap of resources, including some very special items. That was yesterday. We have heard he has done the same with other groups including the Sisterhood of Compassion, the Shades Sheriffs Office and even the self styled Museum of the Shades."

Samsal responded. "Other groups may have been assisted that we have not heard of. What do you know of the Guardians?"

"Only that they have at least one purpose, which is to keep the Dark Temple Zone sealed off." Scully spoke. "Mostly they seem to have been successful in that they actually sealed off many entrances, even ones hard to find or which were designed to be secret. Trouble is that there seems to be at least one dangerous entity out there influencing people to go into the Dark Temple Zone where they are fed upon in a very gruesome and evil manner leading to death or perhaps worse than death. If the Guardians have other purposes, they have not spoken of them to us or anybody who is willing to speak of such to us. We do not even know how many Guardians there are or if they have followers or servants."

 

Samsal spoke of the hoblin follower of the Guardians, confirming there was one and most like more.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 9.4[35]

Of Burning Deaths

Samsal frowned softly at Scully. "You, of the Investigators Guild, have your own secrets such as where did you really come from. Our real origins are a secret also but we have good reasons for having it so. We are from beyond Mundus, from a realm known as Englorfere where Good Queen Elizabeth ruled through Westminster and Britannia ruled the waves using great ManOwars bristling with cruise-missiles and muzzle loaded laser cannons. Shakespeare was the wisdom of imperial pride on stage while Grand Churchill fought the Nazi Germans in the air, on the beaches and in the lounge rooms of the good common folk of the Empire."

"Football games proved manhood as did riding giant crickets into battle games while wielding great wooden bats and hurling hard red balls. Toads in holes were eaten as a matter of pride along with chips and fishes fried deep in oil. The Bee Bee of Cee broadcast knowledge, and news, to the masses through amazing tell-me-all-visions. Newspaper coupons were all important a currency while wicked anarchists threw black ball bombs to blow up noble aristocrats."

"Massive atomic steam trains ran across Englorfere, here and there, while proud Redcoat soldiers marched to war with bolt-action rocket rifles and atomic battletanks. Comic magazines educated the children with much hilarity while Doctor Who fought the wicked daleks, cybermen and Morris Dancers. Internets threatened to entrap folks into delusionary worlds while the empire of Hollywood launched block busters at their enemies of the Movie Critics. There is much else to speak of but I have spoken of too much already of our ancient secrets."

Mulder, and Scully, gave him odd smiles as if not sure what to say.

Scully spoke. "We have much important information to exchange but I suggest that it be done with a good deal of diplomacy."

Samsal gave the two Guild Investigators a puzzled look.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 10.1[36]

Of Burning Deaths

 

Aisha, Trento and Vaish were highly experienced Slayer battlemages but the Shades was fairly new to them so they focused, at first, on areas fringing it to gain more knowledge. Aisha was a young Redguard woman while Trento was her Redguard brother and Vaish was a Common Cyrodilin, not to be confused with an Imperial Cyrodilin of the Dragonblood Linage. Slayers Guild training had made them much more effective fighters and survivors but also assisted to boost their magical abilities. Yet the three were pained that many mageborn Slayers did not consider them as equals, keeping them to the common ranks of the guild despite the three being potent magefolk. Olisha, and Samsal, treated them as equals and did so naturally as if they did not even have to consider the matter. It was the twins who had given the three the best training and even some 'secrets' that officially they should not have gained.

 

Other victims had burned, had appeared in public sick and acting strangely, then had burned to death as if by fast spontaneous combustion.

 

The three came to a large, important markets that was a kind of trade hub between the Shades and Common Undercity; in a burst of wild imagination they were officially named the Hub Trade Markets but many called them the 'Hubs'. There were plenty of markets stalls in big chambers with an amazing array of smells, sounds, colors and other effects. Humans were most common, the most numerous humans being Common Cyrodilins, but there were so called beastfolk, orcs, hoblins, tame goblins, some Mer and other folks. Some folks were quite uncommon and as a pair of centaurs made their way along a wide lane, a few stared at them.

 

A few groups of haughty Imperial Cyrodilins were tasting the markets' delights, bringing with them extra goldworth and being happy to pay extra. It was a matter of pride, to Imperials, that they were not publicly seen to be greedy. Most were privately generous but there was a rotten core to the Imperialanda, the society of Imperials and their enclaves.

 

They came upon a spot divided off from the public where three Sheriff Constables stood on guard along with a Sheriff Deputy. The ranks were Elder Sheriff, Deputy Sheriff, Sheriff Deputy and Sheriff Constables who directly enforced the law. There were also Sheriff Guards, Sheriff Clerks and others who did not enforce the law. In the center of the cordoned off area was the remains of a 'burning death victim' who was nicely covered up with canvas; this was so that markets customers would not be diverted from their spending on goods and services.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 10.2[37]

Of Burning Deaths

 

The Sheriff Deputy gave the three newcomers a look of suspicion as she saw their Slayers Guild emblems. "I thought that the Head Sheriff made it clear that we will not take part in any foolishness with the Slayers Guild Elders."

 

Aisha showed her puzzlement. "We serve a new mission of the Slayers Guild as run by Olisha, and Samsal, Oringgon. We have no idea of what you mean by 'foolishness with the Slayers Guild Elders."

 

The more mature woman looked thoughtful. "So there really is a growing rift inside the Slayers Guild. I wonder if you are the official investigation meant to decoy attention away from the real focus of the Slayers Guild. Mageborn play dangerous games but you are not mageborn or so my 'guts' tell me."

 

"Your 'guts' are correct." Aisha shrugged. "As long as Samsal and Olisha are in charge of the investigation, then it does not matter so much that the Slayers Guild has given us so few resources and a useless premission briefing. As for a 'growing rift' inside the Slayers Guild we are of too lowly a rank to be mixed in such matters."

 

The Sheriff Deputy shook her head. "I am mageborn, though of a different faction than that which has infiltrated, and come to dominate, the Slayers Guild. If you serve Olisha, and Samsal, then you know of a rift."

 

Aisha shrugged. "The Oringgon Twins told us to keep out of such matters for our own safety. We came here to investigate the Case of the Burning Deaths and not to discuss the internal affairs of the Slayers Guild."

 

The woman snorted. "I am Sheriff Deputy Reggina. I was nicely retired but the Head Sheriff begged me to return to service due to growing troubles mostly due to growing madness amongst the people of the Shades. The burning deaths are but a more recent set of troubles. We came to investigate the burning death here in the Hubs because the damned Legionards do not give a damn about this place or its people. As for the Common Undercity Sheriffs Office, they have their own problems to deal with."

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 10.3[38]

Of Burning Deaths

 

"Is the madness linked to the sale of half price, supposedly improved skooma?" Aisha asked hopefully. "We have found evidence that such might be linked to the burning deaths."

 

The Sheriff Deputy shook her head. "Not that we know of. The madness appears to be linked with a cult that is situated in a temple just inside the Dark Temple Zone. Our one, and only, expedition into the zone ended up with two dead constables and no positive gains at all. We were attacked by a group of black robed cult fanatics of some kind who possessed enhanced strength and speed but who seemed to be somewhat clumsy and over confident. We killed many of them and when they died their bodies burned away."

 

Aisha arched her eyebrows a little. "As in the burning deaths?"

 

Reggina spoke out. "As in the burning deaths and as in the killing of the orcblin by Samsal who did not report the killing to the Shades Sheriffs Office as he should have done."

 

Aisha frowned. "The Slayers Guild has put so much pressure on him, and his sister, that they have had little time to do anything but focus on the Case of the Burning Deaths. We have been given no real information or much of any worth while resources. Thankfully the Guardians have..." Then she stopped as if realizing she had said to much.

 

"Guardians gave us some very well needed resources also." The Sheriff Deputy sighed. "Clearly they see Olisha, and Samsal, as worthy of their support which makes it clear that the Head Sheriff is correct in saying we (the Shades Sheriff Office) need to work with the twins and their people."

 

At that moment there was the muffled sound of somebody screaming in terror and agony!

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67