Chapter CXVII: Solstheim Wrapup
As I sat atop the towers of Raven Rock, legs dangling off the crenulations and the salty sea air whistling past me I allowed my thoughts to drift through the events of the past three days.
Our victory in Apocrypha was a muted one, and even if the sense of wrongness lightly suffusing the island disappeared, an event noticeable only by the attuned or able, the general populace remained unaware of all that had truly transpired.
Oh were certainly all quite happy that the threat of Miraak was declared to be officially over and the island had been thoroughly cleansed by our forces but their celebrations and relief simply seemed... lackluster to me, as hypocritical as that thought may seem.
Not that I was frothing at the mouth for the approval of the masses mind, my own feeling of accomplishment surpassed anything they could have ever given me, and the fact Minthara wasn't quite as pissed at me after a while lulled me into a fine sense of contentedness.
A feeling that would no doubt abandon me in mere days but such was life and I would frankly not have it any other way.
Speaking of progress, I felt almost grateful towards Mr. Fried Calamari, because the harvest he sowed was bountiful indeed.
[Reyvin Dagoth Septim]
[Str: 110 => 130]
[Dex: 115 => 170]
[Vit: 250 => 300]
[Mind: 250 => 320]
[Mag: 5000 => 5500(27500)]
[Div: 1000 => 1400]
[Lesser Aspect: +Fate]
And the glorious advantages of living inside a semi-dream realm show themselves once again!
It was a shame that growth tended to be so specific because my physical abilities were far outstripped by my mental ones but frankly with how much I relied on magic I would be confused if the weren't.
That and I could easily mold orichalcum with my bare hands at this point, it is not like I am not satisfied with my strength, especially since I can just buff myself whenever necessary.
At the battles of both Thorn Pass and Apocrypha I barely made use of my strength, relying on magic when it truly came to it and using finesse instead of power during physical combat. And as much as I was barely touched by the Argonians and Hist, Mora's literal fucking nuke did wonders for making me imprint my survivability upon the world.
The way of the cockroach was indeed still very strong with me.
The massive growth in my Aedric abilities did surprise me however, a mere trickle after Thorn Pass I fully expected and accepted it would me take years upon years to make any kind of progress, especially since the massive jump at Red Mountain.
But apparently fate, and no I will not apologize for the pun, had other plans.
My interaction with Ithelia's power had attuned me to the concept more than I originally thought (that is to say, anything beyond an absolute zero), the fact I could even see what she was doing should have already clued me in well enough but I was understandably distracted at the time.
The minor aspect still felt like a tiny speck that would allow me to maaaybe fuck with some minor probabilities and with the subtlety of a particularly large brick at that, but combined with the extensive use seen by my Anti-Outsider aspect alongside the one of Defiance it saw my Aedric Magicka reserves skyrocketing.
That I did so while facing one of the most terrifying beings in this existence probably helped.
Absently, my mind trailed to the Unbound trait sitting silently in the core of my being. Something told me I owed a lot of my progress to that unassuming line of text, a debt that would only increase as time went on.
Good thing I got it through honest hard scheming, or I might have started feeling bad.
Scorch looks down from atop his perch "Uh huh."
"Truly, my humility is the most impressive in the whole world." I nod solemnly.
He stares at me with utter disgust in his eyes, and then promptly jumps off the tower head first.
"Angsty ass bird" I snort as he simply sinks into the wet dirt below, drying it and then turning it to ash in the blink of an eye "Oi Scorch!" I call.
"What?" He chirps back, not even bothering to get out of his hole.
"You never got to eat Mora's eyes!" I cackle at him.
"FUCK!"
Thoughts trailing from my progress as I ignore the pouty pile of poultry, I cannot help but smirk as I remember our departure from Tel Mithryn
---
(Flashback)
The morning after Apocrypha's sundering had me meeting with all the magi who helped me out with the portal, the lot of them easily accepting a simple bribe of enchanted equipment so they wouldn't ask questions they didn't need answers to.
They were probably banking on the fact they'd find out later anyway and one did not become a centurial master of magic without learning some patience. Not that them knowing was the issue really, but them talking about it would be annoying.
Marwyn was both different and not when it came to his own desires, and his need for gear that would help him with his lack of Magicka superseded any curiosity he may have held.
That only left Neloth outside of my inner circle, and the old elf was to put it bluntly, still fucking livid about my decisions.
And the jaw.
He stood in front of me barely holding back his rage-filled trembles as he glared at me no doubt hopping I would spontaneously combust.
"So, Master Neloth" I smirk at the cunt "What reward would you ask for for your assistance?"
"Fuck off and never return" He answers immediately "You have disturbed my peace, ruined years of effort, and humiliated me before the fools of my house. I have no need for your filthy fucking rewards."
He manages to nearly stop his flinch as Akulakhan leans towards him but doesn't relent.
"Ah but where is the fun in that?" I smirk "No, I am afraid the picturesque sights of Tel Mithryn have grown too dear to me to forever abandon." Irritating him was just too fun, poor fucker was almost boiling with rage.
"Come now" I drawled "I am sure you can think of something I can offer, why I may even be feeling particularly generous."
"How generous exactly?" He turns guarded.
"Generous enough to consider requests I otherwise wouldn't" I spread my arms and smile 'innocently'
Neloth actually turns pensive at that, hesitating as poorly hidden desire warred with rage and hatred. But as always, greed would overcome all, and he spoke "Tell me of your odd power, the one that allows you to go beyond mere magic."
Knew it "So long as you swear on your name that once I reveal the secret you will forget all your grudges and not fight my authority ever again."
He frowns, almost refusing out of hand but failing to notice me lacing my voice with my aspect of deception "Very well, you have my oath."
"Excellent" I rub my hands and nearly cackle as I see him still in realization "The answer to your question, Neloth" Even the other magi were listening in closely now "Is the Psijic Path."
My knowledge must have utterly astounded him, so shocked was he that his eyes turned completely bloodshot and then rolled back into his head, a tiny trace of foam appearing at the edges of his mouth as he fell onto the ground, unconscious.
Best part of it all? I didn't even lie.
---
(Present time)
I allowed myself a cruel grin 'Good times.'
Of course, our arrival to Raven Rock was met with much greater fanfare than the silent goodbye the residents of Tel Mithryn gave us, even as a good number of them prepared to leave Neloth's oppressive rule.
Hell, even now, three days later, some of the resident elves were still in a celebratory mood.
They weren't quite as bad as Nords when it came to feasting but the Second Councilor very nearly had to make an emergency order of supplies from the mainland as the heavily stressed Dunmer population finally internalized they were no longer under treat and proceeded to celebrate appropriately.
First Councilor Lleril surprised me by breaking his vaunted Redoran austerity and outright telling his second to simply pay out of his personal coffers if it came to it. The Mer was not blind and knew his rise would be coming now that the island had been cleansed and he had not proven a disappointment to his Hortator.
And that was without mentioning the freshly undead-free ebony mine he now administered, free of any and all East Empire Company meddling under my personal auspices.
The Morwayns would be on the rise in the house of the warrior, so long as they remained competent.
Minthara had no desire to watch me organizing the city and holding the speeches so she joined the rest of the army with her retinue and helped with cleansing the rest of the island.
Or at least that was the excuse, I didn't miss how she 'borrowed' my maps of the small island off of Solstheim's northeast, exactly where a barrow rumored to hold great treasure stood, and the only other Dwemer ruin that just happened to be on the way there.
Can't wait to catch her swimming in gold and immortalize the moment, it shall be glorious!
Good blackmail was oh so hard to come by these days.
Filing that image for later, I focused on another memory of the past days, for while Raven Rock was the most important polity on Solstheim, others also noticed the shift in the air.
Even if their gratitude could have gone without all the reservation.
---
(Flashback)
Storn Crag-Strider stood beside me atop a hill overlooking Raven Rock, his daughter and a dozen of their fellow tribesmen sitting around a fire some hundred or so meters into the nearby forest, enjoying the smell of roasting deer and chatting without a care in the world.
"It is over then." He muttered "Herma Mora no longer threatens Solstheim, and Miraak's foulness has been put to rest. You and the Dragonborn have the Skaal's eternal gratitude."
Unable to hold back a snort, I shake my head "I doubt gratitude is the only thing you are feeling for me right now."
"Such are the challenges laid before us by the All Maker" He inclines his head, hiding his bitterness well "You have faced a great evil to protect us, even if it was merely out of coincidence that you did so, and you went out of your way to not seek the power to bend the will of others when you could. Not many would have done the same."
"High praise from you, Shaman" I hum, and do not bother correcting him about Minthara's devouring of Miraak's knowledge.
"Deserved praise" He corrects simply "For all your posturing and bold authority, you appear to be at your heart an honorable man, and whether I like it or not, my people will inevitably fall under your full authority." He sighs "At least I can rest easy knowing that those who come after me will have a bright future, even if it will not be one according to traditions."
"So quick to give up, eh?" I quip.
"Heroic a figure you may strike, but a child you remain" He huffs, though I do sense a bit of amusement hidden deep in there "Already we have reunited with our brethren from Thirsk Meadhall, and already our young spend their time brawling and hunting with them now that the hall's warriors have found their courage."
He exhales a long puff of cold air "I am not blind, and neither am I so stubborn as to refuse reality. I will do as the Shamans before me did, and preserve the knowledge of my people" He pauses and slowly turns to face me "But I would also like to share it with you."
"Oh?" I quirk an eyebrow as he pulls out a scroll of goatskin.
"It is not much for someone like you, I know this." He offers the scroll "But I hope our understanding of the land we walk will aid you in protecting others, as you did us."
Well damn, now I can't make fun of him anymore.
---
(Present Time)
The poor old man was watching his culture slowly begin their path to losing their identity, and took it like an absolute champ. A rare thing for a priest but for all my waffling he did prove his integrity many times over in the short time I had known him.
Storn and his little tribe thus carved into my memory, I pulled out a sketch book, replaying another memory as I started drawing a certain tree of stone.
And speaking of the tree of stone, Mephala was being rather coy about things recently, and kept delaying our meeting while being all smug and annoying like a certain someone.
She probably expected me to press the issue but frankly even if Mora somehow managed to survive my Daedra lifeforce enhanced storm of steel, he wouldn't be an issue for thousands of years, doubtful as the outcome was.
She wasn't panicking and she'd definitely warn me if I was about to get Daedra ganked so I wisely chose not to let her live in my head rent free and simply wait for her to contact me.
Knowing her MO I would probably appreciate whatever she did and be suitably irritated by the manner of it all.
'And boy does the fact I genuinely enjoy our little back and forths irritate me sometimes' I rolled my eyes and shook the thoughts away, resuming my little daydream.
After the pack of werewolves Serana had... befriended for the lack of a less offensive term, were given their chance to be useful as hunters and foresters, I was given the distinct privilege of talking to the now fully coherent, if still thoroughly traumatized, vampire I rescued from Apocrypha.
The man was bombastic in his presentation and far too boastful for his own good but I couldn't help but like the little shit, even if he tended to switch to third person sometimes.
He was scared shitless of Serana as well, the moment he learned what happened to Harkon and the obvious underlining threat he started slinking back the moment she so much as glanced at him.
Sadly for his peace of mind I wasn't about to babysit him as he got his bearings, me freeing him from both Mora and Bal was gift enough for his cooperation I think.
Also what kind of a name was Tredro Al anyway? Must be some weird Yokudan remnant or something because that didn't sound one bit Tamrielic, I was quite certain of that much.
The utterly inane consideration of mine stopped as I felt my Orb™ buzzing, the usual suspects finally voicing their curiosity, likely delayed by Shalazar for his own no doubt very mysterious reasons.
I 'scrolled' past the [Arcane Forum] that was used by most of those blessed with an Orb™ and unlocked the one reserved for the inner circle of the College archmagi, the glorious Quarrelsome Quintet.
[Channel: Shadow Wizard Money Gang]
Hoh?
[Skeletor: Which one of you humorless hacks changed the name again?]
[LizardWizard: Fear not colleague mine, for I have deemed this to be the optimal title of our most cumbersome company!]
[Former Paper Pusher: It is very fitting at least.]
[Skeletor: I am so done with you people.]
[I Cast Fist: What could you possibly mean by "you people" young man?]
[Former Paper Pusher: Yes, Phineas, whatever could you mean? I thought we were more than labels to you, but it seems in your undeath has made you stop thinking of us as people. For shame.]
[LizardWizard: Indeed, most senior of skeletons! Your disdain disappoints your most devout companions!]
[Skeletor: ....]
[Skeletor: Just... just get on with it already.]
[Former Paper Pusher: You are no fun.]
[Skeletor: I will be 'fun' when you all stop ganging up on me like children with parental issues, now are we going to discuss whatever accursed thing Dagoth inflicted on Oblivion or keep showering me with shitty alliterations?]
[Big D: Sup.]
[I Cast Fist: Welcome back young man, I hope you are in good health.]
[Big D: It is good to hear from you again, Master Tolfdir, and yes I am quite well.]
[Big D: Savos I can feel you thinking it, don't you dare.]
[Former Paper Pusher: Me? Share incriminating information for my base amusement? Never!]
[Big D: You better not.]
[I Cast Fist: So long as you are well after all is done, we will be satisfied.]
Damn grandpa is too wholesome.
[Skeletor: Yes, yes, hearts and rainbows and all that, please leave such tripe for later. What happened in Oblivion? The entire damn realm has barely stopped shaking!]
[LizardWizard: And what a splendiferous shake it was!]
[Former Paper Pusher: Yes, as much as I understand not wanting to spread rumors, some confirmation would be nice. You've had more than enough fun being vague and smug for now.]
[Big D: No need to needle me about it, Mora is dead, and Apocrypha is gone.]
Probably.
[Former Paper Pusher: I suspected as much but it is still ridiculous to read.]
[LizardWizard: As expected of my student!]
[Skeletor: ...]
[I Cast Fist: ....]
[Skeletor: .... I am finishing the homunculus prototype tonight and getting drunk, undeath is overrated if I have to be sober for this shit.]
[I Cast Fist: I do believe I will be joining you.]
[Big D: Your awe is noted.]
[Skeletor: Fuck off] [Skeletor has disconnected]
[I Cast Fist: And I was just about to offer him a special brew I had imported just for him, how sad.]
[Skeletor has connected] [Skeletor: Oh shut up you old fart, I am not that fragile.]
[I Cast Fist: But of course my friend.]
A long pause stretches before the next message.
[Skeletor: I do have to ask though, why go so far? Mora is usually one of the more reasonable parasites, even if that tends to lead the fools into becoming Seekers down the line.... Or it used to anyway.]
[Big D: I came into possession of certain knowledge he desired, I was not keen on sacrificing it to him, and he took exception to that.]
[Big D: Naturally I then took exception to his exception, and decided I wasn't about to spend centuries warding off his subterfuge and simply cut the rot at the source. Now I will never have to worry about his bullshit again.]
[I Cast Fist: Quite the ruthless decision.]
[Skeletor: A bloody understandable decision is what it is, power prerequisite notwithstanding. Mora was a being of great power but if he threatens someone with the capability of ending him he only has himself to blame for being such a big threat.]
[I Cast Fist: I was not admonishing our young friend, do note that I have lived long enough to see the cruelty of Mora a hundred times over.]
[Big D: It was a decision I came to rather quickly and one I was certain of like none other, even if the execution took a while.]
[LizardWizard: Most inspiring, my illuminating student, but be wary. The denizens of the sea between Nirn and Aetherius now know you are able to play on their board instead of merely dancing off of the spider's web, and they will fight you all the more if you threaten them.]
[Former Paper Pusher: I fully expect a pact to be formed for whenever you try a repeat of Apocrypha.]
[Big D: I am well aware they will be cautious now, and as much as I'd like to find a way to enter the Colored Rooms and murder Meridia, showing I am not to be trifled with will have to do for now.]
[Skeletor: Daedra used to be unreachable beings of terrible power, you know?]
[Big D: Are you implying I am not an unreachable being of terrible power Phineas? How very rude.]
[Skeletor: ...Something tells me that is not a jape and for once I am not curious about the answer.]
[Big D: Wise. Cowardly, but wise.]
[Skeletor: Right.]
[Big D: Tales of my prowess aside, any interesting news from the college?]
[Skeletor: Nothing you haven't found out when you passed throguh.]
[I Cast Fist: That isn't entirely true, my friend. Young Faralda has been making impressive progress with both her alteration and restoration studies, we may have another joining us once she proves herself and if she is willing.]
[Skeletor: ...Wasn't she insultingly content with her place for well near a century?]
[LizardWizard: Something has lit a fire within the thunderous trainer of ours!]
[Skeletor: I don't suppose you are about to tell us?]
[LizardWizard: No, I don't think I will.]
[Former Paper Pusher: Five thousand septims she makes it in three months.]
[I Cast Fist: My belief in her efforts is greater, she will do it in two.]
[Skeletor: You are on, my bet is on her relapsing into her old useless mindset.]
[LizardWizard: You are most cruel, colleague mine! My bet is-]
[Former Paper Pusher: Nope.]
[I Cast Fist: Absolutely not.]
[Skeletor: Fuck no!]
What a bunch of cunts.
--------------------------
Le stats for your enjoyment.
[Reyvin of Great House Dagoth and Imperial House Septim]
[Race: Ashen Ehlnofey] [Age: 21]
[STR: 130]
[Dex: 170]
[Vit: 300]
[Mind: 320]
[Mag: 5500 (27500)]
[Div: 1400]
[Greater Aspects: Anti-Outsider, Ash]
[Lesser Aspects: Mortality, Defiance, Deceit, Fire, Life, Fate]
[Skills]
[Mage]
Destruction Master (Elemental Malleability)
Restoration Master (Revivification)
Alteration Master
Conjuration Expert (Summons list: Scorch, Shackled Reach, Skittering Swarm, The Changed Ones, Enduring Hatred, Broken Glacier 20/50)
Mysticism Master (Sight Beyond Sight)
Illusion Master (Psionics)
Enchantment Master (Dwemertech Master)
Potioncraft Adept
Master Tongue
[Warrior]
Sword Expert
Pole Expert
Dagger Expert
[Thief]
Expert Sneak
[Abilities]
Ancestral Summon (Racial)
Magnus' Gaze (Divine Blessing)
[Traits]
Heart Of The Mountain: Immortality and Max Fire Affinity
Lorkhansson: Divinity Source, Domains of Lorkhan
Reyvin's Reticence: Anti-Oustider divine power.
Ashen Constitution: Lesser Invulnerability
Sunfire Bond: Scorch (Nascent Phoenix)
All seeing Third Eye
Greater Dunmer Paragon
Greater Falmer Paragon
Honored Nordic Paragon
Unbound
Dovah-Thur
Mephala's Blessing (Chosen): Deceit
Kyne's Blessing: Healing
Mehrunes' Blessing: Destruction, Hope
Auri-El/Akatosh's Blessing: Time and Sun
Zenithar's Blessing: Crafting (Perfectionism)
Azura's Blessing: Mysticism
Boethiah's Blessing: Warfare
[Equipment]
[Sharmat's Reach: 5x mag, Magnus' Gaze buff, Emergency teleport]
[Dragonfell Amulet: Time resist.]
[Vestments Of The Blasphemer: Divinity buff, bloodline locked, weightless plate, 1000% mag regen, 500 mag spell absorb, emergency ethereal time slow]
[Mercy's End: Blasphemy's Stick, Enchantment-to-spell conduit]
[War-Crown of Kogoruhn: Shade Upkeep, Thu'um buff, dmg resist, fear aura]
[The Blade of Blasphemy: Vorpal, anti-undead/daedra, Rule Breaker.]
[The Shroud of Reyvin: Supreme magical stealth, hides the soul perfectly]
[Auri-El's Bow: Anti-evil, sunhallowed arrow combo]
[The Mortal's Razor: Lifeforce stealing, Reality twisting, Critical Destruction, Cursed Wounds]
[Surge: Mega Magic Stick]
[Void's Blink: Conceptual Weak Point Finder]
-------
MOAR STONE!
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