Riel Stories Epic

[Maharg67]

Riel Epic Story

One 13.3[48]

Of Burning Deaths

 

Aisha frowned softly. "The Imperial Alchemists Guild is the only faction legally allowed to refine moonsugar into skooma. Not many know that skooma is processed to become a variety of medicines and sometimes used as it is but under the medical name of healoma. Healoma is skooma with some coloring added and in different kinds of bottles. Possible links spring to mind between the cheap enhanced skooma, the burning deaths and.... possibly... the guild."

 

Trento frowned harder. "The Imperial Guilds are powerful, influential and wealthy; they are also not above striking out with the use of professional killers hired from the illegal Assassins Guild. We must take great care if we are to go any further, in this direction, with our investigations."

 

The others just nodded in agreement and quietly finished consuming their repast.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Story Epic

One 14.1[49]

Of Burning Deaths

 

Jagar Tharn stirred inside his tank and spoke to the hunched, robed, scar skinned man with a tone that was a curious mixture of respect, contempt and fear. "The spells that you used to save your life, after Caula Voria stabbed you, continue to your you mind-body-spirit. I do not trust fully that my lies, to her, convinced her fully enough. My people have reported being followed when they leave this Divines forsaken place to run errands. Watchers have been reported outside of the boundaries, the magical wards that took so much effort and magicka (arcane magical energies) that I was exhausted for weeks. I fear those wards are now not enough if the Crimesters Guild strikes at me."

 

Ventus Voria sneered but in a kind of bored fashion as if carrying out the expression for the sake of habit. "The second batch, of 100 bottles, has caused 89 burning deaths and five burning injuries but six subjects survived with the burning infestation being cleansed away. Two of the injured one had to be mercy killed but the others can be healed back to some kind of reasonable life."

 

The Tharn-skooma, which was not its real name, was designed to deal with the threat left behind by the Red Splash Plague. It was not the long term infestation, that might cause burning deaths, but a possible solution that often triggered off burning deaths.

 

Jagar frowned softly. "Very good! I suggest that you spend some time in your tank and allow your minions to get on with processing the third, altered, batch of shakooma."

 

The other man shook his head. "We need to get more skooma and other ingredients. The Crimesters Guild are much more guarded, with their skooma stockpiles, thanks to our two successful raids. I doubt we will be getting any more of the stuff that way. The only other supply of skooma, that I know of, is that stuff that the Imperial Alchemists Guild creates as a medicine, the stuff with the strange name."

 

Jagar snorted. "Healoma! Skooma with some coloring and a change of name!"

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Epic Story

One 14.2[50]

Of Burning Deaths

 

"The Imperial Alchemists Guild protect their skooma (healoma) even more strongly than do the Crimesters Guild." The Empress' cousin shrugged. "Perhaps the Guardians will give us some."

 

With a soft shimmer a Guardian formed out of mid air. It was RevastoTi. He seemed exhausted and one hand was heavily wrapped in healing serum soaked bandages marked with elemental magical healing emblems. He spoke with a very tired voice. "Give you some what? We have given you much, already, with only negative results."

 

Ventus Voria gave a mildly mad grin. "Six survived with a cleansing of the infestation, with no burning. Three survived with the need for healing of burns. 89 burned to death and two were so terribly injured that I had them mercy killed. I know it might not sound much, on the surface, but I consider it a big breakthrough for shakooma as a solution to the Red Splash Infestation. We need much more skooma, moonsugar and royalsavis."

 

The Guardian managed to smile lightly. "Very well done! First deliveries will arrive as soon as possible. We have paid off the Crimesters Guild for the skooma you stole from them, including a big bonus. We will supply you with all of your needs from now on. Crimesters should have stopped watching this place some hours ago but I have noted others doing the same. I suspect that they are Blades, the very dedicated elite warriors of the Emperor who do not make for the best of spies. If the Emperor has become interested in this place, then there may be trouble; this is especially so if he learns that you, Jagar Tharn, are still alive."

 

Jagar frowned. "How do I start to convince him that, when I betrayed him and threw him into the Realms of Oblivion, that I was a powerless puppet of a dark, powerful, force. That is darker, more powerful, than myself."

 

RevastoTi nodded. "We (Guardians) made a promise to you and we will keep that promise. We will speak to Emperor Uriel Septum VII of this matter. You have done well so I will also have some luxuries delivered to you." He nodded and then was gone with a soft shimmering.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Epic Story

One 14.3[51]

Of Burning Deaths

 

Jagar shook his head. "There was something odd about that visit."

 

Ventus Voria shook his head. "There was much that was odd about that visit. Since when have any of the Guardians offered us any luxuries, no matter how well we have done with tasks that they have given us? Still, RevastoTi did not seem to be himself. He was close to collapse and had that banded wound on his right hand was heavily enhanced with both healing potion and spell emblems. It was as if he had been through some kind of savage battle and, considering how powerful the Guardians are, he must have been fighting a very powerful foe indeed."

 

They both watched the naked young woman, of a bard, playing her lute and listened to her sweet ballads. Neither of them were truly able to indulge in sex but they enjoyed her attractive appearance. They sipped bottles of expensive wine, having given the bard a bottle of her own to enjoy, and nibbled on butter-biscuits, fish-cakes and dried fruit.

 

Yet both of them were thinking about far more than the beautiful young bard woman.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

Zero 4.1[52]

Of the Orbis Observing

 

The Orbis observed the Hero Demidivines preparing for troubles of mysterious kinds.

 

The Orbis observed a small army of bonekynes being destroyed by a bigger army of goblinfolk and wildfolk allies such as trolls, ogres and imps. Leading them was a Wild Demidivine named Sheshia, who was like a wild seminaked woman with armor made of magical interwoven leaves. Her left breast was bare of her light green skinned body. Around her were bodyguards of dryads and other 'female' wildfolk entities.

 

The Orbis observed the gathering of the Thirteen Divines being the Nine Divines, the three Grand Divines and the Prime Divinity.

 

The Orbis observed the angry Daedric Prince MehrunesDagon recalling all of his daedric forces from Tamriel.

 

The Orbis observed the start of large scale Imperium investigations into the activities, and possible crimes, of some Imperial Guilds such as tax evasion, the trading in forbidden items and much else.

Edited April 1, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 15.1[53]

Of Burning Deaths

 

Legionaries fired off magical arrows, from bows, but also bow-bolts from crossbows and box-bolts from boxbows. The temporary wall, made from local rocks and sandbags, was besieged by a swarm of bonekynes. The red creatures came rushing through the semidarkness of dusk screaming and howling in berserker rage.

 

The boxbows were heavier than standard issue crossbows but able to reload faster from wooden boxes atop the breeches of the weapon.

 

Firing off the steammagic steambows, from tripods or wall fixed monopods, shot big metal steambolts that smashed through two, or more, bonekynes at the same time.

 

Battlemages used special arcane magical weapons while mages used magestaffs or hurled magic from magical gloved hands.

 

The small battle raged roughly 200 kilometres south-east from the Grand Imperial City in an area that was supposed to be heavily secured and free of any threats to the Imperium, including the Emperor.

 

Steam-cannons hurled great iron balls or shrapnel canisters.

 

Then it was over, the last bonekyne being dead or dying. Yet even as Legionaries, and Auxiliaries, worked to clean things up there was little doubt that the troubles had only just begun.

 

Some more intact bonekyne bodies were prepared, for preservation, by mages to be sent off to various places to be studied including the Imperial Sages University, the Imperial Arcane University and quite a few others. The Imperium wanted answers and wanted them soon on just what the real threat was. Or so went the Imperium's official announcements.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 16.1[54]

Of Burning Deaths

 

Olisha, Samsal, Aisha, Trento and Vaish were examining a big array of documents, and other items, placed on a large table. Other items, like the silverwood spikeswords, were placed in corners of the quite large chamber. The odd uniforms, and booklets, were also there. The rest of the household were off doing duties in, or out, of the housement or were relaxing.

 

The personal gear of the Slayers had been delivered from their Slayers Guild Quarters but with some valuable items missing. The bland faced Slayer-Servitors had stated that nothing was missing until the twins had made them pass over the stolen items and then had knocked the fools down for their stupidity. It seemed that the Slayers Guild was slipping into a state of stupidly criminal chaos.

 

With the gear had come two puppies, a big old cat, a rather stubborn tunnel mule and a two exotic golemites that the twins had made when younger and which they had been fine tuning ever since with only mixed results. The puppies were under the table, snuggled up to the big old ratter-cat (rat hunter), while the mule was in a chamber that also housed hoblin ponies and donkeys. As for the Gollots (exotic golemites), they had yet to be fully activated.

 

Samsal indicated a lose pile of slightly ripped and stained pages. "Unsigned but dated loose notes speaking of the spread of the Red Splash Plague, of burning deaths and also of folks who either recovered quickly or were immune. There are rough categories of those who were immune, those who recovered quickly, those who suffered much before they recovered, those who died quickly, those who died slowly or were given mercy-death and others who were those who were of the burning deaths. Yet there was another category, only spoken of briefly, and not given much explanation or description."

 

He went on speaking. "I would suggest that, after the plague was over, that a great effort was made to destroy at least most of the records of the event. We are finding but bits and pieces left over from that effort."

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 16.2[55]

Of Burning Deaths

 

UbiDoro, the household leader of the hoblins there, came in and bowed quickly in respect before speaking. "We (hoblins) have finished removing all items from the chamber with the strange feeling to it. I suggest you come and look at something that puzzles us and is... most peculiar."

 

Olisha, and Samsal, had taken all they could find, of great interest, from the odd feeling chamber being not much more than the items Olisha had found before the crazy Slayer had shown up. They had yet to learn why he had shown up and had made such a clumsy attempt to kill Olisha.

 

The five Slayers followed the nervous UbiDoro back to the big chamber with the 'strange feeling' that was now quite bare. There were normal enough features such as a fair sized stone wall fireplace, a big pump-tap sink missing its pump-tap, a long stone bench-seat carved out as the chamber was made and a large built in storage antechamber with door wind open.

 

Except that the back of the storage room was a wall covered with a disturbing, but not threatening, elaborate symbols, lines and other patterns forming into an intricate magical patterning. It was high magic of much power, skill and subtle nature. It was a magical doorway but just where it led was a big question and that was not the only question.

 

Olisha cursed softly. "That is of mageborn creation but not of our faction, our dynasty of magical inheritance. There is a hint of at least a couple of factions that we know of but none fit it fully enough to have been linked to its creation. Since the Scattering we..." She sighed. "Now I am gaining your bad habit of speaking of secrets of our people, the mageborn. It is said now. Since the Scattering faction clusters have become lost to each other. Most of our faction cluster dwell here in Imperiarna but others dwell in Northern Cyrodiil. This mageborn magical patterning does not belong to our faction cluster, which begs lots of questions."

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 16.3[56]

Of Burning Deaths

 

"Two hand impressions, one on each side of the 'doorway'!" Aisha spoke. "Right hand on the right side and left hand on the left side with the right hand being bigger than the right. I wonder what that means."

 

Samsal spoke this time. "According to the markings, there, the left hand mark is for Olisha and the other is for me. I do have slightly bigger hands though we are twins."

 

Olisha nodded. "The instructions indicate that we need to do more than just lay two hands on the hand impressions, while holding hands with our other hands."

 

The hoblin spoke out. "Perhaps you could prepare this chamber for the moment that you experiment with the magical doorway."

 

"Excellent idea!" Olisha smiled at UbiDoro. "Did you find anything else of use, from this chamber."

 

The hoblin nodded with a grin. "Two boxes of steel, iron and silver cutlery, most of it being iron and the least of it being tarnished silver. Four hunting bows of fine make but all in need of minor repairs. Three boxes of pots and pans, being mostly iron but some steel. A goodly made royal chess set with two missing pawns and one missing battlemage."

 

The hoblin shrugged and pulled out a shiny black-red stone, from a pouch, that sparkled softly in a strange way. "Oh, just this also and some others like it."

 

Both twins cried out in horror and concern. Olisha's left hand flickered into motion and then the item was in her gloved hand. She sighed with relief. "My sweet hoblin, this is a destructor-stone. One of these can cause a mighty explosion of elemental forces of fire, shock and subvibrations. Where are the others?"

 

The embarrassed hoblin had other hoblins bring three other destructor-stones but also over a dozen other artifacts. All were both powerful and meant for only much experienced and skilled mageborn to use.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Riel Stories Epic

One 16.4[57]

Of Burning Deaths

 

The hoblins had to show the twins everything they had collected and some small, powerful, magical artifacts were taken from them. In return for this honesty, the hoblins were given most of the stuff taken from the chamber of strange feelings and a magical gateway. This included many boxes.

 

The hoblins admitted they had taken the magical items to help hoblins living in the Shades who were increasingly threatened by bonekynes. The twins accepted, with a little reluctance, that more hoblins could move into the housement but this time as refugees. Other creatures, such as humans and goblins, were also under threat.

 

Emmet Quando, the Elder-Leader of the Magical Rational Society, had made the housement to have facilities for a large number of visitors including longer term ones. Much work had to be done to bring the set of chambers up to scratch. The hoblins would do as much of that work as possible with financial assistance from the twins.

 

The Slayers returned to the meeting room, to the big table, only to find that more items had been mysteriously added to those already on the table. There were local history books being uncensored copies of the censured versions that they had already found. There were official report journals of the mysterious plague workers who had served during the Red Splash Plague. There was one large briefing journal about the plague.

 

The twins started reading the uncensored books and the official journals of the plague workers. They wondered where the new items had come from, of course, but somehow were not surprised when the hoblins knew nothing of the matter. The battlemage Slayers went back out, into the Shades, to find out what they could from what was happening in the Undercity.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Maharg67