Super Tamriel Quest Epic

[Maharg67]

SUPER TAMRIEL SAGA

0009(0002)0002: LUCKYTHIRTEEN: THE SAVING OF MARTIN

 

The Kvatch Marshal shook his head. “It would not surprise me, at all, if you knew more people in this city than I do. I am having difficulty getting hold of Guardsmen, both regulars and reserves. Not even half have shown up for normal duties. The small Imperial Guard garrison is having the same troubles with many of its soldiers who live in the city proper.”

 

Jadestone slipped out a curious item from a pouch. It was a stone half sphere and the flat side was softly glowing crystal. He pressed it lightly against the Marshal's forehead before the man could even note it was going to happen. An odd expression passed across the Marshal's face and then Jadestone took away the device.

 

Savlian looked shocked. “But I was sure I gave orders for all Guardsmen to come into duty. Now it is clear that I did the opposite... that I ordered many to stay home and relax. How could that happen?”

 

Jadestone turned and aimed fingertips at a particular Guardsman. A pulse of magical energies flew from his hand to strike that one. The Guardsman cried out and collapsed but as he did he ceased to look human and as he struck the ground his strange purple black body began to burn away as sunshine hit it.

 

Jadestone frowned. “That was a doppelganger but one whose powers were amplified by the dark curse of mesmerization being placed upon the city. The man that he copied may, or may not, be dead. Doppelgangers often use living victims to strengthen their own disguises through a special link. You are now free of the mesmerization influence but I need to treat others.”

 

It took some time but was worth it. The Guardsmen became totally free of the curse. The effect had varied on them anyway. Word went out, at once, to call up all Guardsmen and other forces. Word was sent to the Kvatch Fighters Guild Lodge, to the Kvatch Mages Guild Lodge, to the Kvatch Battlemages Guild Lodge, to the Kvatch Sheriffs Office, to the Imperial Guard Garrison Fort, to the Knights Heroica, to the Gladiators at the Kvatch Arena and to any others that could be thought of.

 

In the slowly growing darkness, strange sparkles began to flash in the air. The Mages Guild, with help, was trying to break the cursed magic being used against the city. It seemed that the mesmerization was only one part of the dark magical attack. Victims were falling into strange nightmarish sleep they could not wake from, were going berserk in rage, were going into panic attacks or were getting sick with a strange illness. The Healers Guild, along with other healers, were soon extremely busy.

 

The dead doppelganger was dragged away to be placed in safe storage. Jadestone carefully examined the body, did a series of tests on it with some devices and then destroyed the body with a pulse of flaming energies. There had been something else lurking inside the dead doppelganger that was also destroyed but he did not reveal this to others. Jadestone became most concerned and also puzzled. Had the doppelganger itself been a victim of something lurking inside of it?

 

Doppelgangers tended not to be brave creatures. They were a kind of vampire specializing in deceit, ambush, hit and run attacks and in cunning. Yet this one had come right into Kvatch and had dared to pretend to be a Kvatch Guardsman; that was extremely unlike a typical doppelganger. It made horrible sense that something had been placed into the doppelganger so as to make it go against its 'natural' ways. Jadestone faced another troubling possibility. If such things could be inside a doppelganger, could they also infest the living? Perhaps he had made a mistake in destroying the thing inside the doppelganger instead of doing more investigations on it but 'something' had pressed him into killing it before it could do 'something' most dangerous but what?

Edited November 5, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

SUPER TAMRIEL SAGA

0010(0002)0003: LUCKYTHIRTEEN: THE SAVING OF MARTIN

 

Jadestone left all but a three of the JadeKnights, their true name, behind and went deeper into the city. Discretely as possible he would use the crystal-cleanser on individuals, removing from them the influence of the great curse. They would sometimes tell him of actions that they had carried out with out knowing it, small but decisive actions that would help make the city less secure, along with its people. They would rush away to repair any wrong they had done, to spread word of danger while trying to avoid mass panic and to do what else they could.

 

They went through a residential area of poor working class nature and through another wall to an area of light industry of multiple kinds. They were heading towards the Chapel of the Nine where Martin, the illegitimate son of the now gone Emperor, was to be found.

 

Jadestone was not the only one who wondered why the MythicDawn had not sent assassins against Martin the same way that they had against the Emperor and his legitimate sons. Then he had learned that the MythicDawn was not appear to be active in Kvatch at all. That seemed most strange. Unless, that is, another force of the dark alliance was focused on the city other than that of the MythicDawn traitors. That meant that Martin was the target of that other force who were also seeking something else in the city but what?

 

A big steammagic wagon lumbered past, light smoke puffing from its stack, its great rubber rimmed wooden wheels rolling smoothly along on the road. It was the only steammagic machine on the road for the other traffic was animal drawn or was of animals being ridden. For a moment he watched the machine, a product of Kvatch's growing steammagic industries that were of increasing importance to the Empire. That was one good reason for attacking the city but other cities were also developing steammagic industries thanks to Imperial Policies.

 

=-=Perhaps you need seek older reasons for a large scale attack on the city to be undertaken. What do you know of Kvatch?

 

Older reasons? Stories? Legends? Then he remembered something that struck home, that was a dark legend to do with the city back before it was even called Kvatch. It was an Ayleid city but not a typical city where the Ayleid lived. No, it was a slave city where over a million slaves were held in miserable conditions, where many slave driven industries were run making goods for the Ayleid to use or to sell to other peoples of Tamriel. Not much of that Ayleid Slave City remained but one structure did. Surrounded by walls, largely forgotten, was the ArchDome; its human name was about its appearance of a great stone dome with great archway doors opening into it but also archways being placed around it. It had been kept for reasons lost to history but great locked gates sealed it off and none had gone into it, in theory, for centuries.

 

The ArchDome was linked to the Legend of the Amulet of Kings. The Amulet of Kings was supposedly the amulet worn by any Grand King of the Ayleid but there had been no such Grand King for centuries before the Ayleid Kingdoms were overthrown by their own slaves. The Amulet of Kings was supposedly hidden inside the ArchDome. The amulet was supposedly imbued with the power to unite all Kings, and Queens, of the Ayleid. Yet it was also supposed to have other powers that Jadestone did not know of.

 

=-=Given a chance, you will remember! That is your nature for you are ancient.

 

Jadestone knew, deep down, that this was true but preferred not to focus on such things most of the time. He stopped and looked around as he 'sensed' danger. He drew out a divine magical sword, glimmering with power, and his companions did the same with their own weapons.

Edited November 5, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Simple Feedback: :thumbsup: = okay :thumbsup: :thumbsup: = good :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: = very good

 

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt9/Dragonpen61/Terminals%20Used/TERMINAL-IT-Workit-new005.jpg

 

NOTES TO BE ADDED/EDITED BELOW

 

What can be killed, can be resurrected under the right conditions; this is true for a human, a dragon or even a Divine.

 

B of A TO Z

 

BAANECOSA: Small magical industrial city famed for its production/repair of soulstones.

 

BAT: Flying creature, nocturnal, often found in caves.

 

BATBEAST: Dark magic, curse, mutated bat.

 

BATBALL: Popular sports in some parts of Tamriel.

 

BAURUS: Young Blade, an elite warrior serving the Emperor as one of the Blades.

 

BEAR: Kind of animal found across Tamriel with some variations.

 

BEER: Common form of alcoholic beverage found across Tamriel.

 

BEGGAR: Poor person begging for coinage on streets of cities and other, larger, settlements.

 

BLADE: Elite warriors serving the Emperor.

 

BOETHIAH: Daedric Prince.

 

BONG: To 'bong' somebody, or something, on the head.

 

BOOK: Form of recorded informed with binding and covering.

 

BRAVIL: Royal City of Cyrodiil.

 

BRETON: Human native to the Province of HighRock.

 

BRUMA: Royal City of Cyrodiil.

 

BUNYUP: Monster creature, amphibious, found in waters in parts of Highcora.

Edited December 15, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

SUPER TAMRIEL SAGA

0011(0002)0004: LUCKYTHIRTEEN: THE SAVING OF MARTIN

 

The distorted human came stumbling, charging, out of a house even as a thick wooden door exploded in front of it. The thing was zombie like but in truth was a zombinoid. Around it was a strange glimmering that protected it, somewhat, from the fading sunshine. It was naked but distortions made any nudity to be meaningless. In one hand it gripped a great steel battleaxe and in the other the head of a woman that clearly had only just been claimed.

 

Jadestone remembered suddenly what he had not wanted to remember; the Amulet of Kings could bring forth powerful undead spirits known as glimmervists. If a glimmervist was willingly accepted by a fool who was willingly possessed, it could become a zombinoid. The thing came charging right at Jadestone and it howled half intelligible curses. It hurled the woman's head at Jadestone and he grabbed it out of the air. Yet as he did so it vanished with a shimmering effect, surprising him.

 

The attack of the zombinoid was no coincidence. A dark and powerful force was attempting to kill him, at a distance, through the undead thing.

 

Jadestone moved with amazing speed, agility and skill. He darted towards the great distorted thing and cut its head off. It burned away with amazing speed, as if with sped up spontaneous combustion. The weapon, and some other items clinging to it, fell to the ground.

 

Aliceti, a JadeKnight, fired a magical arrow at a second zombinoid coming out through the smashed open door. The arrow struck it in the forehead and the former woman screamed briefly in agonized rage before it burned away. A big old steel sword hit the ground along with some other items.

 

No more monsters came out of the house but a woman did with the head that had been removed. Somehow she had been resurrected when Jadestone had touched her head. He was learned enough to know it was not he, himself, who had caused the resurrection to happen and wise enough not to claim credit for the resurrection.

 

The woman was holding, was comforting, an upset infant in her arms who had clearly witnessed her mother dying and then returning to life. The woman, a Cyrodilin, made her way to Jadestone with seeming purpose. She stopped in front of him and spoke.

 

“I have a message for you, Jadekin.” She sighed. “You need must reclaim the Amulet of Kings from the cunning fool who has claimed it for herself. Her name is Pavelino and she is a Breton mage, a necromancer of much ability, and ambition, but little wisdom. She was sent here to retrieve the Amulet of Kings for another but chose to try to keep it for her own use. The power of the Amulet of Kings is seductive, especially to such cunning fools as Pavelino Brown. There is more! The ArchDome was always more than just itself in importance but is a gateway to another, greater secret and the main reason that an evil army is set to invade Kvatch. Seek the One, the Three, the Nine of Kings and then follow the 'path that does, and does not, exist' to the city that does, and does not, exist.”

 

The woman sighed. “I must take my daughter and give her a warm bath. That always soothes her. Than I will do what I can to prepare for the great attack to come, to warn others, to help others. You need must take great care, eternal hero.”

 

He spoke to her. “Who were the zombinoids?”

 

She spoke with sadness. “My cheating, stealing husband and my sister who would sleep with him and form cunning plans with him. They chose their fate.” Then she turned and went home.

[Maharg67]

SUPER TAMRIEL SAGA

0012(0002)0005: LUCKYTHIRTEEN: THE SAVING OF MARTIN

 

The woman had spoken of a message but had not said how she had gained the message or from who or what. Jadestone 'sensed' it was better to leave her alone. She had been transformed by her experience, had become enhanced of mind, body and spirit. Yet there was more to the changes than that which he could not understand; it was both potent and subtle in nature.

 

What had caused her to be resurrected? He doubted that it was just the act of him touched her cut off head as it flew through the air. It would have disturbed him more if he had not experienced much stranger happenings very many times.

 

He needed to focus on finding Martin and getting him to safety. Then he would go to the ArchDome and seek the fool of a woman holding the Amulet of Kings. The top of the Kvatch Chapel of the Nine was now in sight, poking above the large fortified buildings of the Kvatch Battlemage Academy. He noted banners flying from the top of the walls, and buildings, of the academy that announced danger.

 

The activities of people was changing. People were moving quickly now as with urgent purpose. He was noting more armed, armored individuals and groups. Shutters were being placed over windows, a priest was blessing various houses against evil, while a horse drawn ambulance raced past with its red banner flying, indicated it was in a hurry to get somebody to one of the city hospitals or healing centres.

 

Then he saw the quasimagical airship flying in to land at Kvatch, noted streams of smoke coming from parts of it and big temporary patches on the semirigid liftergas body that had probably been summoned to there by a mage. Clearly the flying vehicle, an armed freighter, had been attacked but by what. It was limping low enough through the air to indicate it had lost a good deal of valuable liftergas, an expensive resource to buy. Mage-artisan created, mage used, elemental jets drove the airship through the air.

 

Time was running short and he hoped Martin was at the chapel. Then he smiled for the priest blessing various houses was indeed Martin, the illegitimate son of the ceased Emperor.

 

Jadestone made his way to Martin, his JadeKnights following quietly. Martin turned and smiled benignly at Jadestone, as any Divine Priest would be expected to do. “Yes, may I assist you? I have many houses to bless so I...”

 

Jadestone broke in. “You are the illegitimate son of Emperor Uriel Septim VII except that he has been killed by MythicDawn traitors. You must be taken to a safe place because you are a target of traitors, though not of the MythicDawn itself.”

 

Martin frowned. “If it were not for the strange dreams that I have been having over the last few days, I might dismiss your words. No, perhaps not, for I 'sense' truth in you and that there is something special about you. Truth is I came here to bless houses but also because I was driven by a strong impression that to do so would be for the best.”

 

Martin looked around. “The cursed feeling has lifted some what but lingers uncomfortably. The Divine Orders have been asked to spread the blessings of the Nine Divines.”

 

Jadestone was relieved to find Martin, had no doubt that Martin was strong with the ThirdEye as his father, the Emperor, had been. “I need to get you to safety, that is away from Kvatch.”

 

Martin frowned. “I will not abandon my people at the hour of their need.”

[Maharg67]

SUPER TAMRIEL SAGA

0013(0002)0006: LUCKYTHIRTEEN: THE SAVING OF MARTIN

 

Jadestone smiled. “You have not changed since I tutored while you staid with Sir Aronz Septim.”

 

The Emperor's son gave a start. Then he nodded. “Of course, you are Jack who taught me so much, so well, from empty handed combat to geography to alchemy to magic of sorts. What did you call it, oh yes, real magic tricks of slight of hand and common deception. You said it was magic with out magic. Your teachings did much to save me as did you cousin, Jane.”

 

Jadestone smiled some more. “Both Jane and I are immortal champions linked to the destiny of the Divines and even to that of the Grand Daedra, along with other deities, forces and influences. Aronz Septim was the Emperor. You came to love you, to respect you, more than he did his three illegitimate sons.”

 

Martin failed to look shocked. “Yes, he did love me and I him. Three times I spent months with him and you, as Jack, saw me more times than that. That was over ten years ago. After that I saw no more of either of you or of Jane.”

 

Jadestone frowned. “Jane is named Jadekin. We were drawn away to deal with a tricky situation on another realm but one linked to Tamriel in a special way. Perhaps one day I will be able to tell you more of that and of so much more or you will learn of such things with out my help. I do not know why the Emperor ceased to see you as he had been doing. You say that was about ten years ago.”

 

Martin looked puzzled. “About eight years ago I was invited to visit him, as Aronz Septim, but when I went to the estate it had only its caretaker staff, some servant families and some guards. I felt quite hurt, perhaps betrayed, but mostly I was greatly puzzled. When I made some inquiries I found no mention of an 'Aronz Septim' and a woman came to me. She advised me to do no more seeking of that man and assured me that I would continue to get my annual stipend of goldworth. She told me that it was no fault of mine that Aronz Septim could no longer see me but perhaps one day matters would change. I never saw either him or her again. Is that important, Jadestone?”

 

Jadestone nodded. “Yes, it is, as you already suspect it is. Your mind is very sharp, like that of your father, and also hidden behind calmness and modesty. You need to go to Weynon Priory, to meet a man called Jauffre, for the good of the Empire and its people. While you are here, in Kvatch, the enemy will hunt for you. That will put others in danger and, if you are killed, will cause harm to the Empire.”

 

Martin nodded. “Very well but we must hurry if we are to get to Weynon Priory.”

 

Jadestone took out the exotic bracelet, one of five stored in a small ornamental chest, that the Emperor had given to Jadekin. “Please give me your wrist and trust me.”

 

Martin was obviously puzzled but he stretched his left arm out and Jadestone place on his left wrist the bracelet with its distinct symbol. He closed and sealed it to Martin's arm. “Martin, this will help keep you save. It is a Bracelet of Imperia, the fifth of five such.”

 

Martin examined the bracelet. “What does the symbol mean? It looks impressive!”

 

Jadestone smiled. “The symbols states that 'this is a Bracelet of Imperia, being the fifth such bracelet of a set of five such bracelets'.”

 

Martin snorted with mild bemusement. “That goes well with Imperial pragmatism!”

[Maharg67]

SUPER TAMRIEL SAGA

0014(0002)0007: LUCKYTHIRTEEN: THE SAVING OF MARTIN

 

Jadestone, Martin and the JadeKnights walked through the streets of the city. Fighting had broken out as some went berserker mad but the focus was on to try to take care of such threats with out killing the berserker ones; they were victims. Jadestone used the crystal-cleanser on people, it was also a powerful healing device.

 

Jadestone spoke with people in a way that gained much information from them, often more than they knew or meant to give. Martin listened quietly and also gained much. Martin gained much from listening because he could fit it with what else he already knew, which was a great deal.

 

Martin had spent a dangerous period of his life dabbling too deeply in daedric, necromancic and other dark knowledge. Only his own amazing canny intelligence, his strength with the ThirdEye, his many refined skills and 'Jane' had saved him in the end. Jane (Jadekin) had appeared seemingly out of nowhere to help rescue him from a dark underground fortress where daedric and necromancic factions fought a savage battle with each other and other dark forces.

 

Soon after the Mages Guild, supported by the Battlemages Guild and the Fighters Guild, had destroyed part of the fortress and sealed off the rest; they could do no more than that.

 

Martin had spent two years, recovering from the ordeal, under the care of Divine Followers. He had been inspired to become a Divine Priest after that.

 

As they walked away from some people and to a particular spot chosen by Jadestone, he spoke to Martin. “I was there in the Shadow Citadel to save you, along with many JadeKnights. We helped save you, along with others, releasing many trapped souls from the torment of true undeath. We learned much and that knowledge was one of the reasons Archmage Traven banned the use of soulstones, and soulstone magic, from the Mages Guild and the Arcane University, along with necromancic magic and active necromancers. The knowledge boosted the Divine Orders' push against narkane and soulstones along with convincing Emperor Uriel Septim VII to secretly support the Divine Orders and the Mages Guild in such matters.”

 

The Orders of the Divine had been against narkane, the magic of soulstones, and the use of soulstones for centuries. Others had turned, or were turning, against them. Elemental crystalstones, and crystalcores, had emerged as copies of Dwemer and Ayleid devices and knowledge. Crystalstones came, indirectly, from the Ayleid and crystalcores from the Dwemer. Narkane magic, and the use of soulstones, was embedded into not just Imperial culture but into societies across Tamriel so making change was not easy but it was happening. Some odd, surprising, events had boosted the changes.

 

They came to a particular alcove area in an ancient city wall, a clear disk of stone with ancient symbols of the Eight Divines, of DemiDivines and other deities linked with the Divines. Martin followed his 'instincts' and walked out into the center of the great stone disk. Then he bowed to Jadestone, along with the JadeKnights, and vanished with a sparkling shimmer.

 

=-=Martin has appeared in the ancient chamber beneath Weynon Priory's central building. Jadekin was waiting for him and is escorting him to meet with Jauffre and others of the Order of Talos, and of the Blades.

 

That was good, very good! But now there was a city to protect and mysteries to solve.

 

HERE ENDS CHAPTER TWO: THE SAVING OF MARTIN

Edited November 6, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

HERE STARTS CHAPTER THREE: HUNTING THE SNARK

 

 

SUPER TAMRIEL SAGA

0015(0003)0001: LUCKYTHIRTEEN: HUNTING THE SNARK

 

Before Jadekin went to Weynon Priory, she returned to one of the heavily armored, locked and magically warded doors that the group had passed earlier on when the Emperor had not died. She listened quietly to the strange rhythmic thumping noises that came from the other side, that caused even the massive door to shudder lightly.

 

She touched the door with an ungloved hand and the shuddering ceased. Then came a soft, plaintive moaning.

 

Jadekin spoke softly but the entity on the other side of the door heard her clearly. She spoke in a very old form of Cyrodilic that very few people would understand anymore. “You have suffered enough for your crimes. You gained immortality at the cost of many deaths, much suffering, of your people. The Divines have let me know that you are ready to face a chance to repent, to prove yourself. Emperor Uriel Septim II had you sealed away in there and now I will release you after you have gone through a testing-transformation and if you survive it.”

 

Jadekin's hand glowed with many colors of energies and then the elemental energies faded through the thick door. There was a cry of shock, pain and ecstasy. Then something fell to the floor with a great thud, causing the door to shudder.

 

Jadekin sighed and taking out an elaborate looking electrum key, she opened up the elaborate, sophisticated lock that was almost impossible to get past using lock picking techniques. The key opened up wards, the door slid quietly downwards into the floor and there she stood, the mighty monster herself.

 

She looked like a slightly grouchy six year old girl with golden blonde curls and a fancy golden lacy dress. The chamber was largely bare magic hardened rock with a glittering metallic surfacing to make it even more indestructible. At the back of the wall was a crazy jumble of boxes, lidboxes, chests, toys, bottles of drink, empty bottles, skulls of numerous kinds, leather bound books and much else.

 

The girl, who was not a girl, frowned at Jadekin. “Okay, I transformed. What must I do as my first Quest of Repentance?”

 

Jadekin smiled at Jadedisa. “I did warn you but you did not listen! Instead you heeded the charming deluded falsehoods of the TwistedGod of the AntiDivines.”

 

Jadedisa shrugged. “I wanted to escape our cursed luck! I had a moment of desperate hope! I caused much evil and paid for it with centuries locked away here in a hideous shapeform. It was so very ugly, yuck!” She sighed. “What is my first Quest of Repentance?”

 

“Firstly you can choose a more adult shapeform and something fitting for a quest as a battlemage.” Jadekin frowned. “The death, destruction and death you caused was undone by the Nine Divines. You owe them muchly. We are going into the cave systems below the Grand Imperial Palace. We are hunting for the Snark!”

 

Jadedisa grimaced. “Not again!” She transformed with a sparkling shimmer until she looked much like Jadekin with enough differences of features to be noticeably different. One difference was that she had a elegantly powerful bow on her back along with a scabbard-quiver for the bow and many arrows. She also had the emblem of the Blades, an irony because the Blades had helped to hunt her down just before she was sealed in the chamber so long ago.

Edited November 6, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Simple Feedback: :thumbsup: = okay :thumbsup: :thumbsup: = good :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: = very good

 

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt9/Dragonpen61/Terminals%20Used/TERMINAL-IT-Workit-00066.jpg

 

NOTES TO BE ADDED/EDITED BELOW

 

What can be killed, can be resurrected under the right conditions; this is true for a human, a dragon or even a Divine.

 

C of A TO Z

 

NOTES TO BE ADDED/EDITED BELOW

 

What can be killed, can be resurrected under the right conditions; this is true for a human, a dragon or even a Divine.

 

C of A TO Z

 

CAT: Feline animal ranging from small house cats to mighty panthers.

 

CATFOLK: Term for Khajiit People.

 

CHANCELLOR OF THE IMPERIAL TREASURY: Highest rank of the Imperial Treasury.

 

CHAPEL: Place of worship of one Divine or more than one.

 

CHEYDINHAL: Royal City of Cyrodiil.

 

CHORRAL: Royal City of Cyrodiil.

 

CIDER: Alcoholic drink made from apples but can also be non alcoholic.

 

COFFEE: Imported from the Havenlands this beverage can be served hot or cold and is becoming more popular in the Empire.

 

CONAN THE BARBARIAN: Part of a new transmigration to Skyrim from the far north.

 

CONDOM: To condom somebody. To suffer condomnation. Ooommm!?

Edited November 10, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

SUPER TAMRIEL SAGA

0016(0003)0002: LUCKYTHIRTEEN: HUNTING THE SNARK

 

The Snark? The Snark was a general term for a range of entities that existed only partly in the reality of mortals and immortals. The Snark was one entity but also many entities; one of many of one. The Snark was as much a philosophical spiritual concept as a real entity, a thing of theory, of fantasy, of fleeting dreams.

 

The Snark could be hunted and caught but only briefly. If the Snark was captured it could be questioned about an amazing range of information for the Snark knew both everything and nothing. One had to be extremely powerful, skilful, canny and careful when hunting the Snark. It was said that often the worst thing that could happen, when hunting the Snark, was that one could succeed.

 

Jadedisa snapped her fingers and everything, at the back of the chamber, vanished with a sparkling shimmer. Then the two of them made their way through the ways with the faithful dog, that was not a dog, and the steel golem.

 

They gained access into a glowcrystal lit cave area that was partly stone walls as it was a gap beneath the Grand Imperial Prison. They got through a hole in the wall sealed by a magical ward to stop things coming through it. The floor was dirt, there were some stone platforms and ramps, there were crumbled areas. The chamber was smallish but a tunnel led down into a bigger chamber, again cave like with stone wall areas and some stone flooring.

 

The area was part of the old Ayleid city known as the Temple of the Ancestors which was the ancient version of the Grand Imperial City before humans took over. Yet this was no elaborate, highly decorated part but an area once frequented mostly by slaves, trusted semislaves, overseers, guards and others working with the slaves. Ayleid did have some ancient magical artifacts and other devices; some of those would have been used in such areas.

 

Why hunt the Snark there and then? Jadekin, and Jadedisa, were of a kind linked to the Snark and could 'sense' the Snark if it came close enough. Jadekin had 'sensed' the Snark. If the Snark was there then it was mostly likely drawn by something else of exotic nature and she wanted to know what that was. Jadedisa was just glad to be out of the chamber and not to be either malformed or bored.

 

There were signs of vermin, of other lifeforms, most of which were harmless like smaller, more numerous rats and spiders. There were also unnaturally large and savage creatures like rats and spiders, to deal with. It was said, by some, that a dark curse had fallen upon the Ayleid centuries before they fell, that they had begun to decline in many ways long before the slave revolution took place as led by Empress Alessia. The dark curse supposedly had something to do with Kvatch but before that place gained that name, was linked with something called the ArchDome.

 

Natural rats, even big strong ones, had the sense to just sit still and do nothing. The group passed them by and no harm came to the creatures. They passed small alcoves with small statues that the slaves had been allowed to give respect to. There were archway doorways full of collapsed earth and others that led into long tunnels falling quickly into blackness. The deeper they got, going down ramping tunnel after ramping tunnel, the more of these side tunnels appeared. The feeling of troubling evil also grew in strength for there had been much suffering in that place. The Ayleid had not all been evil but too many of them had been and the evil ones had enjoyed torturing slaves. Some stories also spoke of a dark, secretive Ayleid cult that had many slaves sacrificed to their dark god. Of this little real information remained.

 

The first attack was to come soon enough.