Super Tamriel Quest Epic

[Maharg67]

SUPER TAMRIEL SAGA

0049(0008)0003: LUCKYTHIRTEEN: UNFRIENDLY COMPETITION

 

Thoronir tried to act casually but he seemed a little jittery, nervous. The latest edition of the Black Horse Courier had come out and copies of it were brought to the inn by one of its delivery people. The Black Horse Courier was far from the only news-scroll being published but it was well known of, popular and sponsored by the Imperial Ministry of Information. Yet the Black Horse Courier was in no way interfered with except with censorship laws applying to all such publications.

 

According to the new edition the assassination of the Emperor, and his three legitimate sons, was confirmed but so were rumors of there being a new Emperor, one Martin Septum. Martin Septum was of the Dragonborn and would carry on reigning over the Empire with the same strength, brilliance and wisdom as his father had shown during his latter rule. Except that Martin was yet to fully, officially, to become Emperor and the Imperial Elders Council was ruling, as headed by an Imperial Battlemage. Not the whole truth was spoken of.

 

Also according to the three page news-scroll, the Constitutionalist Movement were demanding more democracy for the people, were planning to hold rallies. Public opinion was much divided on such matters but the Constitutionalists were increasingly gaining support amongst the middle and lower classes of many parts of Tamriel.

 

The Imperium had declared the existence of the MythicDawn, a cult worshiping three Grand Daedra being MehrunesDagon, MolagBal and Boethiah. Again not the whole truth was given. The article went on to speak of the Empire's attempts to hunt down the cult members and bragged about a series of successful raids that were made to sound much more decisive than they actually were. In truth the Empire had only matched to catch a few unimportant MythicDawn Followers being Initiates or Acolytes. Higher ranks had manged to elude detection, let alone capture.

 

The Imperial Aeronavy was gaining three new airships, one being a warship and the others armed transports.

 

The situation at Kvatch was under investigation by the Imperium. Kvatch was gaining Imperial support for rebuilding and shorter term repairs. The city proper had suffered surprisingly little but many farms, ranches and other places out from the walls had to be rebuilt.

 

Batball Games continued for the Cyrodiil Cup with the Kvatch Team playing well against the Bravil Team. The Kvatch Team had won the match four goals to one goal though Bravil players had gained five bonus points that converted into a 'half goal'.

 

Jadetaer 'sensed' that Thoronir was about to leave via the back door to the inn, went out the front door and was spying on him when he came out the back door. The Bosmer merchant went along some garden back lanes until he ended up in an isolated courtyard, formed by the walls of buildings, and with an old well along with a utility hatch that led down to the Midcity.

 

Agamir showed up but there was something changed about him, something that the concealed Jadetaer did not like at all. She had met him briefly before but while that Agamir had been a nasty, brutal, man this Agamir was no longer quite human.

 

Thoronir spoke out, showing agitation. “You are late, its about time you got here, Agamir!”

 

Agamir scowled. “I told you not to use my name before and speak softer. I was delayed by an unfortunate incident. I have a new shipment of goods coming in. Clothes, exotic devices, jewelry.”

Edited November 12, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

SUPER TAMRIEL SAGA

0050(0008)0004: LUCKYTHIRTEEN: UNFRIENDLY COMPETITION

 

Thoronir looked troubled. “More of the same type of items? I already have more than I can sell. Is there anything else you have on offer?”

 

Agamir scowled, causing Thoronir to step back nervously. “I get what I can get and you buy it all, as per our agreement unless you want me to send some information to the authorities about all these unusually cheap goods you have been getting in secret.”

 

Thoronir grimaced. “Some of the items smell strange, even after I cleaned them again. Customers don't want to buy them, at least most of them. One crazy old guy in brown robes seems to like them. At he likes the things more like normal clothes. Some of the clothes, boots, hats I ended up not trying to sell; they are unlike anything I have ever seen from other lands, let alone Cyrodiil. Also they have strange language on them.”

 

Jadetaer did not like what she was hearing. She made some plans.

 

“I don't care!” Agamir scowled even more. “You pay for the next shipment and the next. Then we will see if we can get something different for you, right?”

 

Thoronir gulped but he nodded. “Okay, okay, agreed! Calm down, will you? I pay, as agreed, the price set for the next two shipments and then you see if you can get something new. The damned Society of

Concerned Merchants is suspicious of me, I know it. I wouldn't be surprised if that Jensine has hired somebody to investigate me. A young woman visited me today, named Jadetaer. Something tells me she is dangerous.”

 

Agamir scowled. “I will deal with the b****, if I have to kill her. I will send a message telling you where, and when, to pick up your stuff. I suggest you bring the same lunkheads to work for you as you did last time.”

 

Agamir strode away and vanished from sight. Thoronir sighed, took out a big handkerchief and wiped the sweat off his brow. Then he gave a jump as Jadetaer stepped out into the open. He went to speak but she cut him off.

 

“Take me to your shop, now, and you will not suffer the executioner's axe for buying not just grave goods but undeath effected ones.” She smiled at the Bosmer. “You never did learn from your experiences in Anvil, did you? Trying to make yourself easy profits got you into trouble there as well. I had your background checked. If you behave yourself, if you cooperate properly, I will pay you enough goldworth to leave the merchant business and perhaps do something of real value with your life. I might even buy your business off you.”

 

Thoronir shrugged. “I was never a very good merchant. Why else would I have to rely on using cheap goods to make a living? People say I sing well and play the lute with reasonable skill. Perhaps I could be a bard. You have a deal.”

 

Thoronir did not know it but he was being influenced, in a subtle fashion, by the JadeThirteen to think deeper, more honestly, about his life.

 

Thoronir led Jadetaer to the Copious Coinpurse where he showed her the assortment of goods, the way they were arranged for sale and where 'unsaleable items' were put away in a basement chamber. He also showed her his books which were not well organized at all. She began to investigate further.

Edited November 13, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt9/Dragonpen61/Terminals%20Used/TERMINAL-IT-Workit-new036.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.

 

K of A TO Z

KAVENSHARD: Imperial City of Cyrodiil (Not in games!)

KVATCH: Imperial City of Cyrodiil.

 

Edited November 13, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

SUPER TAMRIEL SAGA

0051(0008)0005: LUCKYTHIRTEEN: UNFRIENDLY COMPETITION

 

The grave goods all came from tombs, from the catacombs, of the Grand Imperial City. That is not the ancient part of the catacombs that had long ago been abandoned but areas cleared recently for new users. At such times the remains of folks were transferred to deeper parts of the catacombs by groups of nervous workers guarded by mercenaries who were often just as nervous. It was not the dead that caused people to be fearful but other things down there like the restful, angry ghosts and other things supposedly even worse.

 

The grave goods was the majority of the stuff but the minority, the undeath stuff, was even more interesting. It was clothes, boots, leather armor, steel bladed weapons, small tools, pouches and some other items of the general kind used by locals but of unusual design. Thoronir had decided they were so strange they would not sell, showing that he was indeed bad at being a merchant; in truth he would have earned good profits from many of the items for they were mostly of very fine quality. Except that they smelt and 'felt' of undeath.

 

In the end she decided she did not need to have Thoronir hovering around her nervously, sometimes ogling her when he thought she was not looking. So she gave him enough goldworth for him to go and sleep at his own room in the Merchants Inn, to have a good meal and some other minor luxuries.

 

Soon after Thoronir was gone she went through the shop from attic to basement. There was something odd about that place that niggled at her. Before Thoronir had taken it over it had been empty for a long time thanks to past tragedies that had taken place there and that it had been previously a necromancer shop when such was considered far more normal. Thoronir should have had Divine Followers bless the place but it seems that he had neglected to do this along with so much else.

 

There was no much to the ground level, the first floor or the attic except what would be expected in such a building. Some family followers arrived to assist her. The grave goods were placed in neat piles and labeled with the names of families they had to be returned to. These were placed in the shop.

 

Thoronir did have a list of all those he had sold the grave goods, and other goods, to including he crazy old man in the brown robes. Those goods would have to be regained and dealt with.

 

When she found the secret door, in the basement, somehow she was not surprised. It led to a secret necromancer laboratory workshop. The necromancer who had did his foul research, in that place, had left behind much alchemy and other equipment on workbenches, worktables, in sets of shelves and large wooden chests. There were stacks of old, 'empty' soulstones of low grade quality, some being marked with the symbol of the Baanecosa Soulstone Mercantile Guild. She soon found that it was mostly a typical necromancer's set up for research, development and arrogant stupidity.

 

The long dead remains, the the necromancer, were found in a box in a corner. Some kind of oils had been dumped over it to slow down the decay and to take away any stink. Another, perhaps the one who had killed the original necromancer, had worked in the laboratory for a time. Which explained the few, more disturbing, items in the chamber.

 

The reanimator was prototype of some kind being a metallic slab big enough to take a child or a smaller animal, a metallic box next to that and next to that a control panel of a wooden box with a top covered with brass switches, small crystal glowglobes, and other odd features. The design was rather clumsy but useable. Some of the family followers came down with her, into that hidden place, all being armored and armed with divine magical items. All were battlemages except for two mages come to assist her in her investigation.

Edited November 13, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

SUPER TAMRIEL SAGA

0052(0008)0006: LUCKYTHIRTEEN: UNFRIENDLY COMPETITION

 

The well hidden journal was found under the machine and was from the original necromancer. A sketch of his face showed that he looked much like Thoronir. This made sense for Thoronir had inherited the shop when another branch of his Bosmer extended family clearly had no desire for such a place with its stained reputation.

 

The journal spoke of how Tharlnir, the long distant relation of Thoronir, had been contacted by a stranger who had made him a seemingly fantastic offer. The stranger, who called himself Mister Zero, wanted to use both the secret basement, and Tharlnir's assistance, in a special project. Mister Zero always wore both a hooded robe and a mask so Tharlnir never knew his true identity.

 

Tharlnir soon found himself being treated like the low quality necromancer that he actually was, being expelled from his own basement and sent off on errands that were designed just to keep him away from his own shop. Mister Zero even brought in a man, and woman, to run the shop which they did more effectively than Tharlnir had done. Tharlnir had enjoyed good money, had lived it up while away from the shop, but his pride had been hurt and he decided to spy on what Mr Zero was doing in the secret basement. That must have been a mistake for it was the last installment in the journal. Tharlnir's body was the one in the box.

 

=-=The Mages Guild has been alerted and some of their people are on their way to here from the Imperiarda Mages Guild Lodge.

 

The Mages Guild had not build a Lodge in the Grand Imperial City, of Imperiarda, until the guild began to divide away from the Imperial Arcane University. As the split continued, and it was still doing so, the need for a lodge arose and so one was built from scratch. The split was due to the guild becoming more 'practical' in its purpose and the university leading more towards research and development, to the 'theoretical'.

 

The mysterious Mister Zero had vanished, taking much with him, but leaving the prototype reanimator mechanism behind along with some other experimental gadgets. Jadetaer picked up the strong sense that he had left in a hurry but not in a panic.

 

She found the BBs in the next room. They were two hulking reanimants but were peaceful and dumb. The two wore coveralls and boots. One was vaguely female and the other male. They were Bab and Bob. They were not alone. Three much smaller reanimants, otherwise identical, sat on the table. They were Beb, Bib and Bub. Beb was vaguely female and the other two were vaguely male.

 

=-=Thoronir could have come down here and used the Bab and Bob to pick up shipments from Agamir and his cronies.

 

Jadetaer=I 'sensed' no falsehood in Thoronir when he stated that he did not know of any secret places. Nor do I 'sense' that he has been here.

 

She spoke to the five sleepy looking figures. “Who are you?”

 

Bab and Bob giggled. Beb spoke out and it soon became clear that the smaller BBs were smarter than the taller ones but were baby like in many ways. “We is the BBs. Mister Zero said we was too 'nice' to serve him any more but he would send somebody who would take care of us. Mister Zero always did what he said he would but nobody came so far so we has been waiting, sleeping. Some times we play games with each other and our teddies and our toys and our games.”

Edited November 13, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

SUPER TAMRIEL SAGA

0053(0008)0007: LUCKYTHIRTEEN: UNFRIENDLY COMPETITION

 

It had been around fifty years since Mister Zero had departed the place. Jadetaer could not narrow it down much more than that from what she was 'sensing'.

 

Bub spoke. “Mister Zero went away using a ZeroGate. He said he was trying to do good things by knowing bad things that bad peoples doing bad things know.”

 

Beb smiled at Jadetaer, tilting her head as she did and looking somehow ugly cute. “Mister Zero kind of loved us; he would not play games with us or cuddle us but he made sure we were okay and he got us toys, games and teddies. Will you love us and take care of us?”

 

Jadetaer smiled. “Of course! That would make me very happy! I would love to love you and to have you love me. I am Jadetaer.”

 

Bib smiled and ugly cute smile. “Jadetarrrrrrrrrr! I got five toes on one foot and six toes on my other foot. That makes eleven toes all together. Mister Zero says I am clever with adding things up to, maybe, twenty. Mister Zero killed that stupid man who owned the shop. Stupid man got angry at Bab and tried to hurt her cause Bab got a little mixed up cause she was scared cause stupid man made her scared.”

 

Bab nodded. “My name is Bab!” Then she beamed happily as if knowing that much was a real accomplishment.

 

The BBs had already given Jadetaer some valuable information or at least clues. Now she had a good idea why Thoronir's ancestor had gotten killed. What was a ZeroGate? Then ancient knowledge stirred as within the shared secondary mentality of the JadeThirteen of the LuckyThirteen. Yes, ZeroGates were powerful magical artifacts as were DivineGates and OblivionGates. Waygates were not as powerful and the same was true of other 'artifact gates'.

 

She spoke to the five BBs. “Where is the ZeroGate?”

 

Bab and Bob looked confused. Beb, Bub and Bib pointed to a blank wall of the underground chamber. Jadetaer did not take long to find the secret door despite it being very well hidden. It was a solid illusion that she easily undid and there stretched a basic tunnel, almost smoothly cut rock, that plunged downwards at a fairly steep angle.

 

Jadetaer went down the tunnel and found that it went quite deep. With her went three battlemages. Magetorches were ignited magically, these burning with much light but no real heat. The light, and heat, of these could be adjusted but less light meant more heat and visaversa.

 

At the bottom of the tunnel was a large chamber and the only place it led, through another secret door, was to the Grand Imperial Midcity of utility networks, of old abandoned tunnel systems, of sewer tunnels and deep basement levels along with other places, many long sealed up and forgotten. Or so it seemed at first but Jadetaer gave undertook a second, deeper search and found where another secret door was found. It led to a great chamber where stood a great artifact something like both an OblivionGate and a DivineGate, yet distinct from both.

 

The vast majority of Tamriel's people did not even know that ZeroGates existed and not many more knew about DivineGates while OblivionGates had been largely forgotten about until recently. ZeroGates had once served ancient, exotic deities that had vanished during the Mythic Era.

Edited November 13, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

SUPER TAMRIEL SAGA

0054(0008)0008: LUCKYTHIRTEEN: UNFRIENDLY COMPETITION

 

Jadetaer shook her head in wonder. The ZeroGate, that should not have been there, was not only totally inactive, with out charge but was also locked. She would not have activated it even if she could have done, which she could not have done.

 

It was time to deal with Agamir and his crimes, to find out where he was getting the exotic items that smelt of undeath. An easy way to continue was to go through to the Midcity and make her way beneath Agamir's house, she knew where it was, and get into it through the basement. It, like many of the older buildings, had a heavy door that led to a ladder tube that in turn led down to the Midcity.

 

Yet she did not need to go herself. She was linked with Jadewere and Jademay. Except for Jadecora, each one of the JadeThirteen was part of a threesome. Jadewere would go to Agamir's house while Jademay would go to the Grand Imperial City Cemetery District. This was a series of entrances to family tombs, to the upper catacombs, to various underground devotional chambers and other fixtures. It was dotted with statues and some big, cylindrical structures.

 

There were still three of the JadeThirteen at the Majestico Emporium and they would remain there. The family home was next to the shop, was in truth blended into it at the edges. They were Jadevada, Jadesaga and Jadetiga.

 

Jadetaer went up to the secret basement chambers and was soon to meet with the Mages Guild people. She did not tell them about the BBs who would from then on become part of the Majestico Family that ran the Majestico Exotic Goods and Services Emporium along with some other operations.

 

Jadewere went to Agamir's house, getting into it through the basement, and found strong evidence of his grave robbing operations. There he also found a crude map to where an Ayleid catacombs area could be found and along with it a way to a stranger place. Jadewere called for the Imperial Sheriffs' people to investigate, which they did do.

 

Jademay went to the Grand Imperial City Cemetery District and in the Trentius Family Mausoleum she found the mangled dead bodies of Agamir and his cronies. Something had killed them quickly but terribly. The corpses all wore expressions of shock, horror and agony. Blood had been drained from them but only about a litre from each body. Jademay soon enough knew it was no mere vampire that had done the nasty deed.

 

The strange place that Agamir had taken odd items from was a chamber of Ayleid design that was much like that of the Outer ShadowTemple that was deep beneath the Grand Imperial City Prison. Why it was there was unknown for it was now swept clean of anything that been there that might have given a clue. Perhaps it was the same sort of creatures, that had killed Agamir and his cronies, that had swept the strange chamber clean of stuff.

 

Thoronir gave into his old ways, fleeing with the monies that Jadetaer had given him. The Imperial Sheriffs' people picked him up riding towards Bravil. His past caught up with him and the foolish Bosmer was to spend many years in the Grand Imperial City Prison.

 

The Majestico ended up buying the Copious Coinpurse business, building and property but they closed down the shop. All of the stolen inventory was turned over to family, that is the normal grave goods. The other stuff, that smelt of undeath, that was of strange design, was another matter. Through a series of careful negotiations the Majestico Family also gained Agamir's house and property. They made sure that Agamir's relations gained good inheritance from the deal.

Edited November 13, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

SUPER TAMRIEL SAGA

0055(0008)0009: LUCKYTHIRTEEN: UNFRIENDLY COMPETITION

 

Jademay, Jadewere and Jadetaer met together in the basement of Agamir's House, that now belonged to the Majestico Family. Family followers were there along with a Sheriff and his people. They had found some dark magical devices there that had not been found in either the Outer ShadowTemple or the ArchDome by the JadeThirteen. Nor had Agamir sold any of such to Thoronir.

 

Yet the exploration of the ArchDome, and the Outer ShadowTemple, had only just begun so such devices might easily enough be found there.

 

There were eight glove-blades, five bladethrowers and two helmets of strange metallic bone substance that 'felt' worse than just unnatural but 'antinatural'; that is they 'felt' antagonistic to nature, to the natural order of things; they should not have existed. The coffin shaped device, the reanimator, 'felt' worse, somehow, than did the other devices.

 

Yet there was another find that had the three totally astonished for it was very unexpected. The three stood around a wooden table and studied the amazingly dark, powerful artifact as it lay on a sheet of trusilver metal to help nullify its evil influences. It was the genuine Amulet of Kings, its true name being the Amulet of SorcererKings. The expectations had been, reasonably enough, that the artifact would be found in the horrid depths of some ShadowPlace but instead it had been found by a petty criminal in a strange catacombs chamber.

 

Just what was going on?

Edited November 13, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt9/Dragonpen61/Terminals%20Used/TERMINAL-IT-Workit-new029.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.

 

L of A TO Z

 

 

M TO Z of A TO Z (To be transferred onwards.)

 

NINE DIVINES: Pertaining to the worship of nine Divines, deities.

NORDS: Native humans to the Province of Skyrim.

THALMOR: The Thalmor are often taken to be a fanatical faction of Altmer but are actually a different people. Secretly they see themselves as the 'True Altmer'

and see themselves as being superior to all other Mer Peoples though they do respect the Altmer more than other Mer. Not so secretly they despise all nonMer Peoples and see them as being inferior to Mer Peoples.

Edited November 13, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

SUPER TAMRIEL SAGA

0055(0000)0007: LUCKYTHIRTEEN: BACKGROUND EVENTS

 

In a great NullChamber powerful and wise figures came to examine the Amulet of Kings, the real thing and not one of the cursed fakes. The artifact was so potent, and dangerously unstable, that the NullChamber was one of the few places it could be considered safe enough to examine closely. Yet it could not be really tested there because of the 'magical nullification' effects of the NullChamber.

 

There were Divines there and also Grand Daedra, Jadecora, TommiTomo and others of great influence on not just Tamriel but on Mundus. There were great avatars, of course.

 

A gracefully beautiful avatar of Azura was there and she frowned sweetly. “Yes, a ruined ShadowStar was used to help create this artifact but that was not all, far from it. During the Mythic Era was one who was a Daedric Prince, now lost and forgotten, who made many grand artifacts of power. Some he made for himself but most he made for the other Grand Daedra in exchange for grand favors or gifts. Sometimes he helped other Grand Daedra to make great daedric artifacts. He assisted me to create Azura's Star. That is an artifact no longer to be used with soulstone fashion. It will be altered to serve new purposes.”

 

Jadecora had delivered the Amulet of Kings to the DivineCitadel where the NullChamber was situated in a great tower that looked much like the WhiteGoldTower. It was known as the WhiteGoldNeedle for it was slimmer and taller, tapering at the top to a finer point.

 

Azura went on. “He was supposedly exiled into the ZeroVoid after he tried to cheat other Grand Daedra and to steal powers from them. He did this with a cursed artifact, a fake gift of supposedly great promise but actually a cursed form of theft. His name was Zarovasta and he was one of the weaker of the Grand Daedra. Yet, if he had not been so stupid, we would now be known as the Seventeen Daedric Princes.”

 

She pointed one elegant finger at the Amulet of Kings. “He created that or helped greatly in its creation. Yet none are supposed to be able to escape from the ZeroVoid of Mundus.” She gracefully dropped her hand. “I begin to see why the Ayleid suffered so badly. This Amulet of Kings was not designed to assist them, to boost their power. It was designed to trick them and to steal from them. The Ayleid were damaged so badly that they began to decline, began to lose their cultural, magic, technological and military strength. Then Alessia arose, an amazing leader and warrior, assisted by great champions, and what could they do? Now all they have are those few Citystates in Eastern Highcora and some hidden tribes of Wild Elves.”

 

Akatosh studied the Amulet of Kings with great intensity. “That is true but not the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Time leaves impressions of past events on-in everything and there were three Amulets of Kings made that were powerful cursed traps; one of those was that which malformed Jadedisa. Then there are nine lesser cursed copies of the Amulet of Kings: one of those turned against the foolish mortal of a necromancer, Pavelino Brown, whose soul is suffering in Hell now, suffering as all of her victims did, including herself. The Amulet of Kings, the one prime one, was to take all of the energies as stolen and send them all to some hidden destination. There, before us, is the prime, the true Amulet of Kings but not the only true Amulet of Kings. Another was made that would have truly served the Ayleid as they wished to be served but they were given cursed versions instead.”

 

TommiTomo smiled. “Akatosh, you have seen much truth, as you so often do! The Cursed Amulets of Kings also helped to curse the Dwemer so that they vanished. Yet there was something else involved in those events and that was the Heart of Lorkan. Yes, that remainder of the Divine who was undone and whose bodies are said to be the Moons of Secunda and Masser.”