Rales and Zerina are back! I like how you took the Delyna quest and changed it up a bit. The encounter is now one more piece of evidence that the Tribunal's power is slipping, and that of Dagoth Ur steadily rising.


nits:
‘Ofcourse not,’
Of course got squished together here.

As always, I am completely unfamiliar with the quest here, but relish hearing it from my guide Rales.

Anytime Rales and Zerina are traveling together, it is all good.

Nice characterization with the girl behind the door, and fun to hear about Rales and Zerina running around like little wood nymphs - oh. . . no. Wrong kind of elves! I understand Zerina perfectly though; Buffy loves waterfalls for example, but they make her clothes fall off.

It has only been a week and you are back. Such is your passion for storytelling!! Bravo.


To put the word levitation into the part where you talk about naked men and women in the buff was very devious. It couldn't be an accident, no?

@Everyone: Thank you all for the kind words. To be fair; I put in the part of the nakedness to voice my own disapprovement of every little thing be censored nowadays. That's why I put in the sentence:
Oh, and because I thought it would be fun. Gotta love writing.

@Winter Wolf; Errm, well, I hadn't looked at it that way... with levitation I did NOT mean bodily funtions

@Hautee: Yeah, the girl behind the door was one of the game's weird little things but I tried to make some sense out of why she would be locked up in there (don't remember the game's explanation). I kept how long she had been locked up there a bit vague on purpose, but don't be disheartened, I will get back to it. (MW vets will remember the importance of her in a Redoran house quest) I considered letting it out but it was too much of a nice opportunity to show the Blight is affecting the whole of Vvardenfell rather than just the PC and that other people are concerned about it too and actually do something about it rather than just moan. I also thought it would be a nice way to link the mainquest to the Redoran house quest line. (lord of Milk anyone?)
As a sidenote, I do not run around naked myself

The story continues;

I will always remember the look on the first bandit’s face we encountered like that. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t live to tell the tale. He insisted on having our valuables, especially the necklace - the only thing she never took off except when bathing - I had given to Zerina in Vivec. I had tried bribing him - I still preferred spending some gold rather than having to end a life, even it was a criminal - but he refused and had attacked us. Like Zerina who never took off her necklace, I still had my katana - Zerina had dubbed it MoonShard because according to her the blade reflected the light as dimly as Masser did - strapped around my waist.
He was the first to fall to the effectiveness of the Daedric blade and Yagrum’s enchantments on it. It was as effective as it was terrible, just like Wretched had been. Maybe even more so.

I nodded in acknowledgement of Nibeni and Sul Matuul’s assessment.
‘I have fulfilled the second trial, wise one,’ I said. ‘”Curse of Flesh” was indeed referring to the Corprus disease.’
Nibeni and Sul Matuul eyes spread and their faces paled while the moved away from me.
‘You have Corprus?’ Nibeni asked me frightenedly.
‘No, wise one,’ I replied patiently. ‘Well,’ I added thoughtfully, ‘ technically I still do but the ill effects have been undone by Lord Fyr. It can not be transferred from me to anyone anymore either.’
Sul Matuul's face was puzzled. ‘What do you mean Clanfriend?’
‘It means that nor age nor disease can still touch me.’
Nibeni immediately grasped the terrible truth in those words.
‘You,-‘ he said hesitantly. ‘You are as the ancient Master Wizards of the East? Immortal?’ Her face, displaying the deeper understanding of the situation, snapped to Zerina and looked at her intensely for a brief moment. It seemed women often didn’t need words to understand each other.
‘You are from the east too,’ Nibeni said to Zerina noddingly. ‘It will be- ah interesting to see what happens when you two ever have children.’ She waved her hand in a vague manner.

‘Now, you have fulfilled the second trial, you will need to find the Lost Prophecies. I have heard of priests that doubt the teachings of the temple and scorn the persecution of so-called heretics. You need to find these dissident priests and find out what they know about the trials of the Nerevarine and the Lost Prohecies. The word is lost among the tribes but the settled Dunmer have books in which it might still be found. Go with haste. Eat, sleep, make love but leave next thing in the morning. She pointed towards a new yurt. ‘We have taken the liberty to construct your own yurt so you two don’t need to use mine,’ she winked. ‘Sleep well.’

‘Rales?’ Zerina whispered, her head resting on my chest.
‘Hmmm,’ I replied sleepingly, still basking in the afterglow from our love game.
‘Have you ever considered the alternative of our decision concerning having children?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean; we decided not to have children before the end of this Nerevarine business.’
‘Oh, that. Can’t say I have, my love.’
‘You do know, if you do not make it, I will be left all alone,’ she said softly.
I was starting to see where this was going. ‘You mean…’ I left the sentence unfinished.

‘Exactly,’ she nodded, her hair brushing my chest with the movement. ‘I want your children so I have something from you, should you…’ her eyes filled up with tears and her voice became thick with the sudden emotion. ‘should you…,’ she broke down in tears and I embraced her tightly while whispering reassuring words into her hair. Deep down, I knew her argument made sense although I didn’t dare ask what would happen if not I, but she would perish. Would I allow to put herself at risk should she get pregnant? Would it even matter whether or not she was with my child? I didn’t want to lose her, period. The answer was simple; I would just have to make sure that we survived.

‘Ok,’ I finally whispered. ‘Let’s have a child. I am tired of letting this prophecy controlling our life’s path anyway. I am tired of being a leaf in the river, I want to be the rock withstanding the stream again.’ I hadn’t a clue whether or not she would be able to conceive right away or needed some ritual to enable her fertility again first but that night we made love countless times as though it was our first - or last - night together. I was sure that if she was indeed fertile again, that night she would have conceived.

He he - it never occurred to me that you might run around nekkid yourself!

Anyway, this is a sweet little chapter. The discussion of children is a great way to show the age-old quandary. Life is so much simpler when there are no wee bairns underfoot, but at the same time those rugrats are often an affirmation of something wonderful between a couple (though some may disagree on that point!).

I'm glad you are continuing the adventures of Rales and Zerina, and not skimping on their relationship in the mean time!

One nit: Waste refers to trash or bleak country (Riders of the Wasteland, anyone?), while waist refers to the body part that usually carries a belt. That's all.

So this means that you walk around naked, rather than run...

As haute said, a very sweet chapter between Rales and Zerina. I can fully understand Zerina's desire to become pregnant. Children are an affirmation of life, and a commitment to the future.

nits:
Nimeni asked me scaredly.
A typo in Nibeni. Also scaredly is not an English word. Frightenedly is. You might consider replacing that last part with a little more showing though, such as saying "asked me with eyes wide in fear"


It seemed women often didn’t need words to understand eachother.
A very true statement! However, each other got squished together here.


I have heard of priests that doubt the teachings of the temple and scourn the persecution of so-called heretics
That would be scorn.

Moon Shard.
I knew you would not disappoint with an appropriate name for Rales' new weapon. The fact that the name was chosen by Zerina was a wonderul touch.

Speaking of. . . what a sweet interlude with the endearing Rales and Zerina during the latter part of this.

Great to see this continued I like the morrowind main quest and it's fun to read about. Reles and Zerina keep developing as characters too which is good, they're both well rounded now (even if they do have potentially disasterous habits in the ashlands (cliff-racers anyone?)). As ever I'm interesed to see what happens next.


Nah I'm betting on swimming

How could I skimp out on Rales And Zerina's relationship? It's the driving force in my story. I love writing about them.
actually, I was re-reading my last few installments and realised they needed "icing"
I hope I didnt't cross a line of decency but I made the part of Sul and Nibeni a tad more spicy to emphasise their lack of prudeness/shame. The thought dawned to me that in small tribes the tribespeople would be living so close on one another 24/7, privacy is non-existing.

I also added some minor details in the earlier installments, basically from the point Rales contracts Corprus.

And I love reading about them. They are my favorite part of the story too. But then again, chick talking here. Seriously though, love and lust are very powerful emotions that we all have. Not all stories need a romantic element, but having it does add more depth to the characters.



You have nothing to worry about. That was far from indecent. As long as you refrain from describing things "gleaming wetly" I think you will be fine!

Day 401

The following morning we, while still mostly undressed, had a simple breakfast of sweetened Trama roots and the local delicacy; stonepetal tea. We had resolved in wasting no time to get back to Balmora. We gathered what things we really needed; some clothes, being high summer, we didn’t take many; some supplies and our weapons.
‘Grab hold dear,’ Zerina said holding out her hand. ‘I am going to take us to Gnisis.’ She muttered a spell and the next moment we were looking at a familiar sight; the Temple in Gnisis.
The Stiltstrider south of Gnisis took us to Balmora within a day. Zerina slept while I thought recent events over. How would Caius react? I hadn’t reported with him for months but wasn’t worried about that. He had ordered me to prepare for the next mission. I was sure I was now as prepared as I could be. The Corprus had almost been my undoing but now I was stronger and tougher than I had ever been before.

Day 403

‘I am ready for your next assignment, Caius.’
‘I am glad you took my warning seriously, Rales,’ Caius commented. ‘You seem different from last time.’
I nodded. ‘I have been ill.’
‘Ill? Ill how?’
‘I contracted Corprus in Hassour several months ago after I found out about Uryne’s murder.’
‘You what?!’ Caius fumed. ‘And you didn’t bother informing me? And why the hell did you return there?'
Before I could answer the question, Zerina put her hands up in my defense. ‘He couldn’t help himself, Spymaster. The illness basically turned him into a mindless animal. We have been most fortunate someone recognised him before he was lost to us forever and that Divayth Fyr’s cure didn’t kill him like it did all the other victims he tried to treat.’

‘I see,’ Caius said looking defloated. ‘Okay, well, I want you to go to another Sixth House. Our scouts have found a Sixth House base nearby Khartag point called Ilunibi. Except for one terribly deformed soldier, none of the scouting party have returned. All are presumed dead - or worse. We could determine he was one of the scouting party by the scraps of his uniform alone. I want you to venture in and find out what happened to the party and we’d like to you to kill the Dagoth - one of Ur’s brothers - residing in there as well. Oh, you do know where Khartag point is, don’t you? In case you don’t; head to Gnaar Mok first, they will be able to tell you where to proceed from there. Please, be careful, don’t get yourselves killed in there now, you hear?’
‘We won’t, I promise,’ I said.

In Gnaar Mok we were reminded Khartag point was a holy place to Orcs. Apparently a famous Orsimer had died there after a battle so we were asked to act respectfully. It was also believed to be the location of the lost shrine to the Daedric Pince Boethiah.
‘So, no streaking,’ I whispered to Zerina jokingly. She could barely contain her laughter and elbowed me in my side.
From Gnaar Mok we headed north-west to Ilunibi.

From the outside, the cave was nothing special except for the eerie name; Ilunibi, Carcass of the Saint, which gave us both the creeps. Before we entered Zerina raised her shield. If we hadn’t had the specific order to go in and end the reign or terror the Sixth House inhabitants had over the area, I would have left the place as soon as we entered.
The whole place breathed malevolance. Familiar red statues littered the place as well as more Corprus victims aimlessly wandering around, just like in the bowels of Divayth’s Corprusarium. The only pleasant thing in the cave was a wonderful waterfall cascading from a underground stream unto the rocky surface of the cave and throwing up a mist of waterspray. Beams of light coming through the cracks in the rickety entrance door bathed the whole room in a crescendo of dancing colours.

The deceptive beauty of the of the entrance was soon forgotten. As soon as we left the well lit entrance room and entered the more shadowy parts of the tunnels we encountered the first hostiles. Without any form of self preservation, they mindlessly lunged themselves at us. Most were skewered by three feet of Daedric Katana, some were utterly turned to dust by Zerina. There was no holding back anymore. Even Zerina had a grim determination over her into wiping out every single inhabitant from this evil place. They had struck us where it hurt, now we were going to return the favour.
Unlike in the Corprusarium, we eradicated any form of Corprus infection we encountered. Upon inspection of the corpses we found more scraps of the uniforms from the scouting party Caius had described. All had fallen to the dreaded disease. At least they were at peace now and not an unwilling agent for the enemy anymore.

Something I hadn’t really been able to put the test before was proven correct. No matter how many times I swung my blade, I just wouldn’t become fatigued. The blade glew up everytime I struck, indicating Yagrum’s enchantments on it did their work but there was something else. I really was far stronger than I had ever been. Another side-effect of the Corprus disease I had defeated.
After hours of trudging through murky waters that had submerged all passages, eventually we came to our destination; Dagoth Gares.

As soon as we opened the door to Soul’s Rattle, a gritty voice started shouting at us. Promises of a truce if I would just lay down my weapon and agree to the Sixth House terms. Like Dagoth Ur had tried with invading my dreams he claimed Voryn and I could be friends once more, just like we had been aeons ago. Then he made the mistake of threatening Zerina.
‘My name is not Indoril Nerevar,’ I growled between clenched teeth. ‘My. Name. Is. Rales. Sarethi,’ I spat in his deformed face while I drew Moonshard and buried it untill its hilt in Dagoth Gares’ chest. ‘And I will never submit to you or join your despiccable Sixth House. You tell Ur that when you meet him again in Oblivion.’
‘Foolish mortal,’ he maniacally cackled. ‘You will come to my master in his flesh and of his flesh.’
Gares mumbled a spell and a familiar cloud enveloped us both.
I grinned. ‘You haven’t heard the news yet? I am not mortal.’ Dagoth Gares' eyes spread wide as I twisted my blade in his chest and tore it upwards, effectively cleaving his upper torso in two.
I wiped the black blood from my blade on his robe before sheathing it.

~~~

edit: I made some small tweaks so it's more clear. I also added the bit of dialogue Destri mentioned.

Rales is back! And back on track hunting down the Sixth House. I found myself wondering if this was the place where he got Corpus from?

It is neat reading Zerina here again, after seeing her a child in the other topic. She feels deeper and more real here now, thanks to what we know from the other thread.

Soul’s Rattle, that would be a good name for a sword. I had to look it up in the Wiki to find out it was the final level of Ilunbi however. So you might want to change that to simply say "The last level", or "the last door".


nits:
Zerina slept while I overthought recent events.
I believe you want "thought over"


but now I was stronger and fitted than I had ever been before.
likewise, "more fit" would read more smoothly here, or perhaps "tougher"


‘I see,’ Caius said defloatedly.
I think you want to say "Caius said, looking deflated"


the cave was nothing special except for the eery name
A typo on "eerie".

Rales and Zerina are back in action at last! yea! Now I get to find out what happens next!

I agree with SubRosa on everything she said, including the nits! Zerina seems richer now for having had her own thread for a while.

Loved it! It's good to see Rales again. It has felt a little like a drought over here for a while.

Yay! Rales is back. Wonderful chapter.

Oooh, big mistake, Gares. Know what Rales is gonna do to you?

Oh my. Before Foxy rolls teasing you about ma love lance, you should change that to malevolence.

Well, it took me awhile but I am finally caught up again. Let’s start back in Divayth’s Tower, shall we? I like your take on the quest with Delyna, and I especially like your comment to haute that you will revisit it in a subsequent chapter. I can understand why she found it somewhat jarring; here we have the daughter of a Redoran lord trapped in Divayth’s closet yet no one in House Redoran seems all that interested in her plight. Explaining exactly who her father is will go a long way toward giving your reader some insight into why her being trapped in Tel Fyr is such an under the radar kind of event.

The discussion that Rales and Zerina have concerning children was perfectly executed. Rales, I have some news for you. Your concern over the prospect of putting the love of your life, the woman carrying your child, in danger is both understandable, and admirable. But if you think that you are going to be in a position to ‘allow’ Zerina to do anything then you have a very rude awakening coming!

One of my favorite things about Morrowind is the names of the various chambers inside the endless number of caves, ruins, and strongholds that you stumble across in your travels. Things like ‘Carcass of the Saint’, ‘Blackened Heart’, ‘Tainted Marrow’, and ‘Soul’s Rattle’ (and that’s just in Illunibi) are wonderfully evocative. I imagine that the Vvardenfell Chamber of Commerce is composed of a group of wizened old Dunmer sitting in the dark drawing smoke from a hookah and getting drunk on Telvanni Bug Musk!

I don’t know why, but I was under the impression that Rales contracted corprus in Illunibi already. That he went through the whole Sixth House quest while in a rage-induced stupor after the death of the maid. It seems that you have changed the order of events around a bit. Good, I love being kept on my toes like this. The only bad part I see is that you miss out on some of Dagoth Gares dialogue: “You will come to my master in his flesh and of his flesh” (I’m paraphrasing) as he curses you with corprus is just chilling!

@Everyone: Thanks for the nits. Of course you were right on all of them
@Acadian: Meh, Foxy doesn't read my stuff anyway But MaLoveLance is a bit too much

I agree with what you're saying Destri, but I think it was always a flaw in the game you can only contract Corprus in Ilunibi so I changed it so he contracted it in the cave south-east of Balmora (the one he ran into after being poisoned)
Remember I wrote that Rales mentioned the cave was familiar to him, that he just didnt notice? Same cave he turned and ran from first time and returned with tail between his legs to Caius? That's where he caught Corprus in my story. I know I am missing out on original game dialogue and breaking a bit with the game's storyline but I'm not bothered. I prefer the dialogue between Rales and Gares I wrote anyway

Shame on me that I didn't make that more clear

As a sidenote: I don't think Telvanni Bug Musk would taste very good. It's a perfume

Wooo Rales is back! And it's good, he's certainly changed since his last assault on the Sixth house, he tore his way through Illunibi.

I'm glad you included it, I think that quest is great and where Morrowind really starts to stand out as a game in terms of the MQ. It's an interesting change to have him already immune (well sort of...) - good stuff.

A bit short but it's closure of a chapter.

Day 406

‘What is that awful smell?’ Caius asked me when I put a bundle of dirty cloth on his table.
‘That,’ I said, ‘is the remainder of what was once Dagoth Gares.'
Slowly Caius unwrapped the bundle and looked at the contents disgustedly.
‘I had heard they looked terrible but I hadn’t expected it this bad,’ the Spymaster commented while lifting Gares’ head on one of its tentacles thad had replaced his Dunmeri features ages ago and turned it around to inspect it.
With a thud the head dropped onto the table when he was done.

‘Good job, Sarethi. Have you found any trace of the Legion’s contingency that was sent to inspect the base?’
Zerina and I nodded in unison. ‘You’re not going to like it Caius,’ I ruefully said.
‘They’re all dead?’ I saw no point in telling what had really happened in Ilunubi so I simply nodded. ‘There was nothing that could have been done for the poor soldiers anymore.’
‘I see,’ the balding Imperial softly said. Somehow I had the feeling Caius knew exactly what we had meant but much to his credit he didn’t inquire any further. The task had been gruesome enough, we were glad not to have to relive it by having to tell the whole story.

‘What is bothering you Caius?’ I asked. ‘I can tell there is something you’re not telling me.’
The Spymaster sighed. ‘I have been recalled to Cyrodiil, meaning you will have to carry on without me.’
‘What?’ I exclaimed. ‘You pulled me in into this mess and..’ Caius’ look on his face stopped me mid-sentence.
‘I am promoting you to operative so you have full access to the Blades’ resources. Continue in pursuit of the prophecies, find Mehra Milo in Vivec - I haven’t received any intel from her for weeks, I fear the Temple has found out about her sympathy for the Dissidents Priests. I want you to see what’s going on. If anything is wrong, she will have left a note in her appartment with a code word, Amaya.’

‘How can they do this to you, Caius?’ Zerina asked.
‘Word has reached them about my- ah, sugar problem,’ he wryly smirked.
I scoffed. ‘You know as well as I do that’s a cover.’
‘When did you figure that out?’ Caius smiled. ‘You know, you’re a lot more clever than you look Sarethi,’ the old Spymaster winked. ‘Oh, I would like you to have these,’ he said while handing me a black bundle he pulled from underneath his bed. ‘I won’t be needing it anymore. Now, get out here so I can finish packing. Good luck kids and may the Nine be with you.’
‘Thank you Caius- for everything,’ I said while extending my hand.
Caius grabbed it firmly. ‘No,’ Caius shook his head while drawing his forearm over his eyes. ‘Thank you Rales. Finish what we started; save Morrowind from the Blight and free it from the Sixth House menace. Maybe we will meet again some day but I doubt it,’ he said with a faint smile.’
‘Farewell Caius.’
‘Farewell.’ Tears were now running openly over his cheeks. ‘Oh, and Zerina?’
‘Yes Caius?’ she replied.
‘Take care of that scoundrel for me, will you?’

Nicely done, Remko. I really liked the interaction with Caius.

I think this line was wonderful. Just perfect.
This was beautiful!


A couple tiny nits-
I'm sure you want 'sent'.

The word gleefully seems inconsistent with the emotional tone you create in this farewell scene. Perhaps you were trying to insert a clever touch that Rales was a lot of trouble? If so, might you consider this?
"Maybe we will meet again some day, but I doubt it." Mustering a smile, the old spymaster added, "Given the trouble that follows you, perhaps that is for the best, Sarethi."

I echo Acadian - he already picked out the lines I loved!

So old Caius is leaving? He'll be missed! I rather liked him - he was like the reliable old sergeant who can be counted on to fix your screw-ups. Now Rales is really on his own (not really, so long as he has Zerina to cover his back - among other things ).

Short, and very sweet. I enjoyed this chapter immensely. Like the others, I will be sorry to see Caius go.

Ah, the passing of the torch. Rales is now the ranking Blade on Vvardenfell. I wish that you could give orders to the other Blades now in your charge. If that were the case I would order Rithleen and Tyermailin to move. It just seems silly to have three of the, what seven, Blades on Vvardenfell live within a hundred yards of each other. Nine-Toes can stay because he’s sort of entertaining, but it wouldn’t bother me at all if Tyermailin found himself a yurt out in the middle of nowhere like Sjorvar Horse-Mouth . . . out of sight, out of mind.

There is a bittersweet feel to this chapter of the story that I think you have captured well. Losing Caius is always sad, but this also marks the moment when the main quest really begins to take off so I am itching to see where you take Rales and Zerina from here!

@Everyone: Thanks for the kind words.

With "gleefully" I wanted to say it was kind of a bitter/sweet mood. You know, sad to go but also glad to go home? What's the word I was looking for if it's not Gleeful?

Not a bad idea, using the Blades more efficient by spreading them over the province rather than within a stone's throw reach in Balmora.... hmmm....

Gleefully normally evokes pure joy, such as the reaction of a child when given a pony as a present.

It can be used with a twist of evil or insanity as well, such as - The necromancer eyed me gleefully as he slowly drew his dagger.

You might try,
. . . he said with a bittersweet smile.
. . . he said with a sad smile.

. . . he said with a rueful smile.

Dare I say, a faint smile...

Wow, you have really added a lot to this since I've been away! I am not caught up yet. <3

Good to see you back Malx

Chapter 10: Old acquaintances

When we arrived at Mehra’s appartment and had knocked no one opened so it appeared Caius’ suspicions were correct. Mehra wasn’t at home and judging the dust gathered on the doorknob, she hadn’t been at her appartment for some time. The door proved locked and no matter what Zerina tried, the lock wouldn’t open to any spell. As soon as the patrolling Ordinator turned around the corner out of sight, I put my shoulder to the door and used my Corprus enhanced strength to dislocate the lock and bolt with a powerful push. With a louder crack than I had anticipated - stealth really wasn’t my specialty - the door gave in and quickly we made our way into the small two-room appartment after briefly checking the Ordinator around the corner hadn’t heard the door and would arrest us for breaking and entry. With the door closed one could hardly tell except for the small cracks around the lock. By the time anyone would find out, I was sure we’d be long gone.

While Zerina searched the bedroom - I wasn’t comfortable rummaging through a lady’s properties of the kind one would find there - I scanned the rest of the appartment looking for clues where she might have disappeared to. It didn’t take me long to find the note on her desk.

Amaya,

Sorry I missed you. I had to run some old documents over to the Inquisitor at the Ministry of Truth and I’m likely to be tied up there for a while. Why don’t you meet me there as soon as you’re able? Then we leave together as soon as I’m done.
And Amaya, please don’t forgot to to bring those two Divine Intervention scrolls I borrowed you to study. Or, if you used them, buy a couple of new ones for me. I think I am going to need them soon. The Breton mage, Janand Maulinie, at the Mages Guild in the Foreign Quarter has them in stock.

Alvela Saram is the guard at the entrance, just tell her you’re looking for me and she will let you in.

Your faitfhul friend,
Mehra Mila

Ps. I left some levitation potions for you, just in case. I couldn’t remember if you knew the spell or not, so I drew a couple from stock.

I wasn’t sure if it was true or legend but I was now part of a legend and the rock was really there - floating above the Temple canton - and it was serving as a prison as well as an archive. It hadn’t been necessary to stock up on Divine Intervention scrolls, I always carried one or two with me in case of an emergency but now it would appear they would be used for a jailbreak. Just how we were supposed to find her inside the moonlet I hadn’t a clue yet. I just hoped the guard mentioned in the note would provide us with the information allowing us to locate Mehra Milo somewhere inside - if the whole thing wasn’t a trap.

Our second obstacle was figuring out the best way to actually get up there. We had two options; either Zerina would cast a levitation spell on both of us or we could use a potion I made. We had left the potions Mehra had referred to in the letter, after my ordeal months ago I was careful drinking some random potion. For all we knew it hadn’t been Mehra that had left them for us but by someone else instead, someone with far less good intent. It didn’t make much of a difference which option we would choose, except for the minor detail that I had only three potions left. We decided to have Zerina cast the spell to get there so we could save the potions for later. A spell was noisy and cost time to cast where a potion could be swallowed in mere seconds and the effect would be instantaneous

Slowly we floated upwards to the rock in the sky and headed to where we could see a female Ordinator. Hoping it was Alvela Saram and not another that would arrest us on sight, we made our way to her on the wooden walkway that had been created around the Ministry of Truth.
‘What are you doing here, you are not allowed to be up here citizens,’ she adressed us, her hand slowly reaching for her blade. I had heard enough of the Ordinator’s reputation to not want to fight one.
‘Mehra send us,’ I stated. Those three words were enough for her to stop the descent of her hand towards her sword. In stead, she procured a key from her belt.
‘You can use this key to access the ministry from the back-entrance. Please be aware that even though some of us sympathise with the Dissidents priests and keep an open mind towards the prophecies,’ she looked at me instensely for a brief moment,’ if you kill or harm any of the guards, you will lose that sympathy and we will cut you down. Nerevarine or no. Do I make myself clear?’
I nodded. ‘Crystal clear.’
‘Good.’
‘Alvela?’ I asked.
Her reply was hardly more than a growl.
‘Could you tell us where Mehra is most likely to be held?’

‘Ignorant Outlander,’ she scoffed insultingly but continued to explain us we would need to make our way through the Halls of Processing and at the end we would find a door leading to the Prison Keep. According to Alvela, the door to the Prison Keep was locked with a unpickable lock and that we could most likely find the key in the first room to our right in the Halls of Processing. True to her word, we found the key exactly where she said it would be and soon after, Zerina and I found ourselves in the Prison Keep. The place was crawling with Ordinators. I saw no way to sneak past them to the three small holding cells at the opposite side of the Keep of where we had entered it. Alvela had entrusted us that Mehra was most likely be held in the most southern of the cells but getting there was problematic.
‘The way I see it, we have two options,’ Zerina said. ‘Our first option is to risk sneaking past the guards,’ she paused briefly to look at me in a way I knew she was wondering why she even brought that up, knowing my sneaking skills - or rather; the lack of it - it wasn’t a viable option.
‘Our second option is similar to how we got up here by-’
I interrupted her ‘But we might need the flying potions to get,’
Zerina placed a finger over her lips and shushed me. ‘I was going to say by casting both a levitation spell and an invisibilty spell on us so the guards won’t hear our footsteps nor see us.’
I grinned. Of course she was right, as always. ‘Go ahead. The guards are too far away now to hear your casting.’
Once more I marvelled how easy it was to her. I could feel a tingle as the spells washed over us and our forms slowly disappeared. Gently we pushed off and floated to where - if our information was correct - Mehra Milo was held captive.

My paranoia about a trap proved wrong. Mehra was exactly where she would be according to our sources. The invisibility spell had worn off as soon as we had entered the small cell. I had to check twice to make sure it really was the priestess I had spoken to weeks earlier. Her skin-colour was sooted, her wrists and ankles were swollen and red and her eyes were devoid of any passion. Her hair had been shaven off and traces marked her cheeks. Anger boiled up within me. How could they do this in the name of the Tribunal? Was this the Temple’s benevolance? Locking up and torturing people?
‘Mehra,’ I whispered. She looked up to me without and sign of recognition in her eyes and embraced her knees tighter.
‘Mehra?’ I tried again but she had drawn herself back into a corner of her cell and wasn’t responding to reason and just looked at us in fear. I looked at Zerina in desperation. How was she going to give us any useful information? The Temple had broken her and I wasn’t entirely sure she’d ever recover from it. One thing was sure, we needed to take her out of this place. I cast a regretful look over the other two holding cells close to Mehra’s cell. There was just no time to rescue the other prisoners as well. We didn’t have enough time, nor did we have potions to get them to safety. I promised them quietly that if I was indeed the Nerevarine and was destined to change things, this was the first thing that needed changing. The persecution of innocent people was going to be put to a halt. No Religion could justify what was going on here.

Ignoring her frantic screaming and the scratches she made on my back and shoulders, I gently lifted Mehra’s slender body in my arms and nodded to Zerina to take us out of here. Cries outside indicated we had been heard and that we had to leave in a hurry. Again, I could feel the tingle of a spell as we were teleported to the nearest Imperial Cult shrine – the shrine in Ebonheart. We had made it to safety. Now we had to save Mehra’s mind before it was lost forever. If it already wasn’t.

This is new to me! Is it a side quest or part of the Morrowind main quest? I don't remember this from the other MW fan fics I've read.

Pretty grim, torture, but almost a fact of life. Sad in reality, but it certainly adds something to fiction, doesn't it?

It is part of the mainquest. At some point you have to rescue Mehra Milo from the holding cell but I gave it a more sinister twist. I imagine it's not called the ministry of truth because it sounded nice. In my vision I see it as a place where they wring "truth" from people. Bit like the Spanish Inquisition. Hurt people long enough and they will confess to anything.

To me, the Ministry of Truth has a Kafka-esque or Orwellian overtone. I agree that the Ministry of Truth is just a front for government-authorized torture. Good decision on making it dark.

Good to see you back, Remko. Sorry to hear about your game. If memory serves, this is the first time that an Ordinator has identified Rales as the Nerevarine. Too bad it won’t be the last. I like your take on the Ministry of Truth. It sounds very much like something that the Temple would do to those it deemed a threat.

One observation I do have is that you might want to say that Zerina’s spell wore off before Mehra looks at Rales and before he looks at Zerina. When I first read it I assumed they were still invisible.

Yeah, it took me a while to update. Now the ball is rolling again, the next update shouldn't take another 3 weeks.

edit: I put in additional sentence so it's clear they aren't invisible anymore.

Good to see this updated, especially once it's at the bit of the MQ where Morrowind really starts to shine as one of the best games made. I can't wait to read more, it's so fun reading another take on my favourite game.

Those who haven't played it should

What a complementary pair the two are!

Rales - I may not know any magic, but I can break down doors and lift heavy things.
Zerina - Say the word and we're magically outta here.

Yay its Rales! Once again, he and Zerina make a perfect team. The Ministry of Truth does sound very Orwellian, and I liked you presented it as dark, cold, and cruel.


nits:
small scracks around the lock.
I think you meant either scratches or cracks, not sure which.

Ps. I left some levitation postions for you, just in case.
I am sure that is potions.

a potion could be swallowed in mere seconds and the effect would be instantainuously.
and this instantaneous.

In stead, she procurred a key from her belt.
This ought to be procured.

Glad you enjoyed it Look forward to writing about getting named Hortator. The Telvanni part was big fun while playing and should leave enought gaps for humorous encounters.
I also look forward to sending the pair to "Uncle" Crassius

I wish I knew all the quests too, but even not knowing them this story is great! Like Acadian, I love the balance between Rales and Zerina - like two holding hands, one's skills fill in the gaps the other lacks - really perfect !!!

I promised it wouldn't take weeks but my holiday got in the way. Anyway, I won't keep you waiting any longer.

Still carrying her, we ran as fast I dared with our precious cargo to the altar. ‘Clear the shrine,’ I yelled pantingly.
‘You Ash-borne savages! This is a holy place and I will not stand for barbarians desecrating the shrine!’ the local priest shouted at us.
I growled. ‘We don’t have time for this nonsense.’ Zerina wasted no time. With a single swipe of her arm, the clutter on the altar was cleared and crashed on the floor, much to the priest’s anger.
Gently I placed Mehra - who had finally succumbed to her exhaustion and had passed out - on her back on the altar. Immediately, Zerina’s hands started to glow and soon the soothing light enveloped Mehra’s body. Even the priest had stopped his angry ranting and had jumped into the healing process of the mangled priestess, while I stood there feeling helpless.

‘I can heal her physical wounds but I am not sure I can still get to her,’ Zerina commented exhaustedly. ‘She has withdrawn into a lethargic state and only she can break free from it. There’s nothing else I can do for her.’
‘Pray for the Nine to save her,’ the priest mumbled whle eying the broken artifcats scattered all over the floor. I put my hand on his shoulder while I toed a large shard of a vase that had been on the altar.
‘This,’ I said, kicking the shards to the side, ‘is a worthless piece of clay without people to pay tribute and appreciate to what they represent. Good people like her,’ I said while pointing at Mehra.
The priest’s eyes glowed up. ‘I don’t know who you are, but you are right stranger. How could I have been so blind to the obvious truth? Honouring the Nine isn’t done by worshiping some man-made icon.’ He smirked briefly. ‘Even it was an expensive one. It’s in serving what the Nine Divine care about. Their creation. Us. Thank you.’
I held out my hand in comradery, which the priest grabbed firmly.

***

‘She’s awake!’ Zerina’s cheerful shout awoke me from my slumber. Yawningly I rubbed my eyes. I had meant to stay awake vigilantly but fatigue had caught up and had lured me into closing my eyes for just a second. Mehra’s eyes still reflected the horrors she had been through when I looked into them.
‘How do you feel?’ Zerina asked her softly.
‘Is it over?’ the priestess shakingly asked.
Zerina nodded. ‘You are safe and among friends now.’
When the realisation dawned she was really out of that dreadful place, she broke out in tears, streaming over her face. In mere seconds her cheeks were soaking wet and her eyes swollen. Zerina just embraced her and let her cry out on her shoulder.

After her tears and cheeks had dried up, we had to take her somewhere safe, somewhere out of the Temple’s reach. ‘Mehra,’ I whispered. ‘I know you have been through a hard time but we really have to leave here as soon as it’s dark. It won’t take the Ordinators long to get back on our track. We have to go somewhere you are safe. Do you know such a place?’
She looked at me with blank eyes. For a moment I feared her sanity was lost, raptured by the harsh interrogations she had endured but slowly intelligence returned together with a spark in her big red eyes.
‘Holamayan,’ she whispered. ‘Take me to the docks in Ebonheart, to my friend Blatta Hateria. Fisherman.’
I sighed in relief. Ebonheart was an Imperial town so the risk of being spotted by Ordinators was minimal. To make sure, I gave Mehra an invisibility potion and told her she needed to drink it because it would make her feel better. Without hesitating she poured the potion down her throat and slowly her form disappeared. Like a bag of potatoes I hoisted her over my shoulder. It might have appeared a bit disrespectful carrying her that way but carrying an invisible person in your arms might raise unwanted questions we wanted to avoid at all costs. Hurryingly we made our way to the docks. Thankfully, the Imperial shrine was only a short distance away from the docks. No one had taken a specific interest in us between the shrine and the docks and soon our boots rapped the wooden walkways towards a female inspecting her nets. Quickly deducing she had to be Blatta as she was the only female Imperial fisherman present, we walked over to her.

‘What do you want, can’t you see I’m b-’ she started but her rude line trailed off as Mehra’s form slowly reappeared on my shoulder.
‘She,’ I head-gestured to Mehra,’wants to go fishing.’
‘Get on board, quickly,’ she breathed. ‘I will take you to the monestary right away.’
‘Monastery?’ I suspiciously asked. ‘Won’t there be Ordinators to arrest her again?’
The fisherman shook her head amusedly. ‘You misunderstand, Holamayan is a safe haven for people who question the temple doctrine.’
‘I also misunderstood you for a fisherman,’ I replied.
Blatta smiled mysteriously, asked me to lift anchor and set sail.

When we arrived at the island, on which the monestary was built, a couple days later, Mehra was almost back to her old self. Her hair had started to grow back and the hollow look from her eyes had all but been replaced by a vivid spark again. Two days at sea had also done her complexion good. In stead of the sickly grey, her skin had regained the usual tone. Somewhere between blue and green.
Gently I awoke Zerina. ‘Wake up my love, we have arrived.’

Stepping onto the dock, we were hailed by a Dunmer donning a simple, brown cloak.
‘You have arrived at the Holamayan Sanctuary. Welcome pilgrims,’ she said.
‘The monastery is up those stepping stones but it will open only at dawn or dusk, so I suggest you find something to pass the time.’
I smiled at Zerina. The sun had set an hour before we had landed at the docks so we had the entire night to spend. Crookedly she smiled back at me and grabbed me by the hand.
‘Will you two ladies excuse us, we eeuhmm, well-’ I didn’t finish the sentence. Mehra and the Dunmer monk who had hailed us grinned. ‘Just make sure you are back before dawn, or you will have to wait untill dusk again,’ Mehra commented.

Zerina and I awoke before dawn, our bodies entangled as usual after a passionate night. Breathlessly we watched the early rays of light piercing the purple hue of the morning sky. Breaking free from the mesmerizing sight we got dressed and made the short trip to the monastery. Mehra and the monk were already there when we arrived just before dawn.
As soon as the sun peeked above the horizon, the stone mantle hiding the monastery opened with a mighty rumble and slowly revealed the ancient monastery of Holamayan.

Good to see this continued. The slight deviation from the game works well and makes more of the effects of Mehra's imprisonment. And now they arrive at Hlormaren where I suspect Reles will find certin answers to some questions. Certainly the best part of the game begins around this point.

Yeah! You finally updated and I got my fix of Rales and Zerina !!!!!! Woo Hoo !!!!!

Cool! New Rales! Your much darker take on the Ordinators and the Tribunal is spot-on, I believe. There has to be a reason they wear those masks to conceal their true identities- and it has to do with more than just "honoring" their Chimer ancestry.

Honouring the Nine isn’t done by worshipping some man-made icon.
People have been tortured and murdered for saying that IRL! However, that should be worshiping.

Your story certainly has taken a darker turn since you began to take a closer look at the temple, ordinators, etc... Which is not a bad thing at all, imho. It feels that you are upping the stakes. Where before it felt like a cut and dried good guy vs. evil monster king, now things become much grayer, and dingier, in Morrowind.

The monastery only opens at dawn and dusk? Would Azura be worshiped there by chance?


nits:
It might have appeared a bit respectless
The word you are looking for there is disrespectful.

‘I will take you to the monestary right away.’
This is monastery.

When we arrived at the island on which the monestary was build several days later
You have the wrong tense here. For past tense, that should be built.

I like how it's in line with the game

Thank you all I am glad you appreciate my darker take on things. It seems the story has strayed far from what started as a light-hearted MW fan-fic
Imo darkness is far darker when there's light to contrast from.

That last part was really fun to write; it allowed me to go deeper into the conflict between the dissident priests, the temple doctrine and the Imperial Cult. The battle between the Nerevarine and Dagoth Ur is far less interesting because it's the chewed out good vs evil.

@SubRosa:
I had a feeling you'd pick up on that.
You probably figured out I have little sympathy for religion. I (usually) respect religious people but please don't ask me on how I feel about churches and stuff

A neat journey you have us on. As ever, the centerpiece is the interaction between Rales and Zerina and those they encounter. Nicely done!

Chapter 11: Dusk and Dawn

Day 412

The four of us were greeted by a wrinkled Dunmer. He looked even older than Divayth Fyr.
‘Mehra!’ he exclaimed emotionally. ‘What happened to you?’
I could see the pain in Mehra’s eyes while she shook her head. In stead of answering she threw herself in his arms, her eyes filling with tears again.
‘They will pay for this,’ the Dunmer hissed between clenched teeth. ‘They have gone too far. This can’t be what lord Vivec had in mind.’
‘No Gilvas,’ Mehra sofly said. ‘Don’t be angry with them. They are misguided souls and should be pitied, not punished.’
The old monk scoffed but didn’t comment. ‘Who are your…. friends?’ he asked.
‘These,’ Mehra started,’are Rales and Zerina. They have rescued me from the Ministry’s holding cell.’
The monk’s eyes narrowed. ‘And why would they do such a selfless thing?’ He drew his staff threateningly. ‘Maybe they are Temple spies, sent to infiltrate our ranks under the pretenses being your friend.’
Mehra shook her head. ‘They are not spies.’ I cringed with that remark, glad she didn’t know the whole truth about me. Or maybe she did but decided to keep silent about me being in the Emperor’s secret service.
‘Then why are they here and how come you are so sure they’re not spies?’
Mehra shrugged. ‘I don’t know but somehow I am sure they are not.’
I decided to come clean and hoped the Dissident Priests had a more open mind towards the Lost Nerevarine prophecies. ‘Truthfully, we are here to find the Lost Prophecies.’

‘Then you are spies,’ he growled. ‘Nobody knows about those, except us and the Temple.’
‘And the Ashlander tribes,’ I added.
His demeanor changed immediately. ‘What do you know about them?’
I sighed deeply. ‘More than I’d like to. The Lost Prophecies are about me. I am here to find more answers about the prophecies. Unfortunately, the Ashlanders don’t have the written word on it and parts have gone missing through the ages. The Urshilaku Wise-Woman believes we could find the Lost Prophecies with the Dissident Priests and unless I am very mistaken, I have found them.’

‘You,’ Gilvas hesistated. ‘You are the prophesised Nerevarine?’
I nodded slowly. ‘I didn’t want to believe it at first either but I-,’ I corrected myself while looking at Zerina,’we have been through too much to still deny the simple truth.’
‘I see,’ Gilvas reconciled defloatedly. ‘How much do you know?’
I told him everything I had learned the last few months, about the Corprus disease I had contracted and defeated and how we had rescued Mehra from the Ministry of Truth.
‘Follow me,’ he said after I finished. ‘I think we have the answers you are looking for.’

All the answers we had been looking for, were right there. Gilvas and I talked for hours about the prophecies, how they had gone missing with the Ashlanders and the difference of opinion between the Dissident Priests and the Tribunal Temple’s point of view. It was the Temple’s opinion that the Blight could be defeated by resolute, unified faith but it was the Dissident Priests’ opinion that the only chance in defeating the evil underneath Red Mountain lies in the spirit of the great General Nerevar Indoril and the unification of the Dunmer underneath a single banner.

Gilvas then explained that if they could find a way to show the Temple the Dissident Priests were capable confronting Dagoth Ur and his minions more effectively than the Temple and the Buyant Armigers could, the Morrowind people might recognise the Tribunal’s power was waning and that they were gradually losing the war.

‘The worst thing,’ Gilvas said, ‘is the fact the Temple are hiding the awful truth.’ He showed me some books, exactly the ones we had come looking for, that held the terrible truth about how the Tribunal had acquired their godhood so long ago. In an ancient document, called “Kagranac’s Tools”, the event was clearly decribed. The Temple had persecuted the Nerevarine and the Dissident Priests to hide the fact they had used the same corrupt power as Dagoth Ur had. According to Gilvas, the persecution has to stop and the Tribunal, the Ashlander tribes and the Nerevarine have to stand together as one against the true enemy; Dagoth Ur and the Sixth House. But for that to happen, the people of Morrowind needed a miracle. The look he gave me told me I needed to be that miracle. I was going to have to be the one to give shape to the ancient legend, to become someone people could look up to, someone to follow. An avatar of hope and renewal.

‘Take these.’ He handed me some books, containing more explanation concerning the Nerevarine Prophecies - including one that specifically stated the Nerevarine was prophesised to be an Outlander, something the Aslanders might have resented or even rejected, hence the disapperance of that specific prophecy.
‘May our Lady of Dusk and Dawn be with you. Good luck….. Nerevarine.’
‘Lady of Dusk and Dawn?’ I thought to myself. ‘Azura? Again her meddling?’ Had she been coercing me towards my destiny since birth? Deciding that it mattered little, I said my goodbye to Gilvas, thanked him for the books and went to find Zerina.
‘Bring the books back when you are done with them, please,’ Gilvas shouted after me halfway the stairs.

The more I read of these quests, the more I am dying to play Morrowind!!!!! Awesome write Remko! (as usual, I knew that already!)

And the journey continues. I always thought the dissident preists got too small a part in the game but you brought them to life rather well.


That line made me grin, the mismatch between 'save the world' and 'look after my books' is one I appriciate.

And for those who haven't played Morrowind you should, the GOTY version is availible for peanuts on ebay/amazon etc and it's not exactly hard on the old processor.

As ever, the centerpiece is how Rales and Zerina SHOW how they care for each other. Wonderful.