JoS/Kanna/4th Journal - Apprentice's Duties

Hearthfire, 4th, 3E 427

What a long and weird day today was. Karim and I returned to that dusty little Dwemer ruin today and came back with a lot of loot. It was a lot of fun, but that doesn't take anything away from two weird occurrences.

It started with me waking up to a disturbing dream. I was walking behind a tall, grey figure with a strange golden mask, and he was holding a sturdy metal leash connected to a collar on my neck. My hands were tied together with orange metal cuffs, and the same kinds of cuffs were also around my ankles. Apart from that, I was wearing nothing. There were people all around us, and there was nothing I could do to cover myself up. All I could do was follow that strange man.

There were elves and humans, men and women, all were unresponsive, and they looked like undead with patches of rotting flesh on their skin. The tall man was talking with them, throwing banter and pleasantries at them as he was passing by, but none of them replied to the man. I tried to speak out myself, but I couldn't utter a word. A tight leather strap had pulled a wooden gag into my mouth, and all I could was drool into it and mumble. The man turned around, realizing that I was trying to say something. It almost looked like he was about to do something, which is when I woke up.

I don't know what to make of the whole thing, but it wasn't the end of strange things happening because after we got back to Balmora, I was approached by a strange man, who introduced himself to me as a "Sleeper", one of the thousands, as he said, and he had a message for me. He even knew me by my name. His message was simple: "Dagoth Ur calls you, Aliya, and you cannot deny your Lord". He also talked about how the Sixth House has risen.

All I could think of was, "what the fuck"? I never got around to writing what Hasphat told me regarding the Sixth House, which was called House Dagoth back in the first era, but he also explained it doesn't exist anymore. This "Sleeper" seems to suggest otherwise, and who the fuck is Dagoth Ur anyway? The name suggests they must be connected somehow. I mentioned this all to Caius just a few minutes ago, and he nodded, also commenting, "We'll have to investigate this".

For now though, he just told me to sit tight, as he doesn't have another task for me yet. He needs some time to prepare and conduct his own research or something.

Anyway, since it's been a long day, and since it's already past sunset, I'm gonna get some sleep.

Hearthfire, 5th, 3E 427

So, I got myself in trouble with the law today. I was looking to sell some of the stuff I had on me, which included loot from Arkngthand. I visited a local pawnshop owned by a lass named Dralasa Nithryon, asking if my goods interested her. The thing that I was most excited to sell was a purse full of Dumacs, the silver coins that Dwemer used as their currency. I thought I was gonna make so much money!

Big mistake.

She first got awfully defensive, asking why I thought she would be willing to trade Dwemer artifacts and if I was trying to get us both in trouble. I didn't understand, so I asked what she meant. Well, I got to learn rather quickly. A group of three Hlaalu Oathmen employed by the Legion to act as city guards were walking by, and when one of them heard the commotion, he came to apprehend me on the spot, taking hold of my arms and asking me where I had found these items. Confused by the whole situation, I answered him as truthfully as I could, and it seemed to anger him just more. He placed me under arrest on the spot and dragged me out of the store.

They dragged me a few blocks away from the market district toward the richer and much more upper-class "High Town", and then to the first back alley they could find to properly search me. Ordering me to not resist arrest, they tied my hands behind my back and pushed my face against the wall. Honestly, the whole search felt more like sexual harassment with the man tapping me all over and groping me while the other two were looking at the evidence, making sure that the Dumacs I was planning to sell were authentic and of Dwemer origin. I had no idea what was going on throughout the whole thing, and I asked them to explain themselves. The man grabbed both my tits and then insulted me. "Foolish outlander, you really should know the trade of Dwemer artifacts is illegal by Imperial law."

"Are you kidding me" was all I was thinking. I genuinely didn't know! I had no idea! I mean, it's not like there are any remnants of Dwemer culture in Cyrodiil! It didn't really matter, as I was going to be punished either way. Not knowing wasn't an excuse to weasel myself out of my crime. Then again, these three men weren't too concerned with the law either, as they were willing to allow themselves to be "bribed" to ignore my crime.

First of all, all these coins, possibly worth at least a thousand Septims, were going to be confiscated, as they don't belong to me, but rather the Empire. Secondly, they didn't care too much about throwing me behind bars for thirty days, as that would've required too much effort on their part. Instead, they used the threat of imprisonment to blackmail me into having sex. I, of course, didn't like the idea, but even I knew that this humiliating punishment was going to be better than being hauled into jail for a month, so I bit my tongue and complied.

They brought me to a nearby guard tower situated at the edge of the manor district, built on top of a ledge overlooking the Odai river running through the town, and dragged me to the underground barracks, where a couple of more guards were waiting. First, they wanted a little strip-show from me and told me to undress slowly. It was so embarrassing to have five absolute strangers ogle me like that, but I didn't dare to backtalk. Considering I was acting compliant, they also didn't bother to restrain me in any way. They just told me to get on the bed and do as I was told.

Five adult Dunmer men took turns raping me in those dark barracks, not giving me time to rest or breathe freely. All of it was simple vaginal sex - no anal, no kissing, no blowjobs - but it didn't make it much easier. By the time I was feeling done and practically begging them to just let me go, they weren't even halfway through with me. I passed out from exhaustion at some point, don't remember much of what happened to me, but when I did eventually wake up, they simply told me to dress up and kindly fuck off. On my way out the door, one of them reminded me not to do anything illegal again. "We're watching you, scum", he said as he shooed me off.

Now, I can't really blame anyone else but myself for not doing research, but at the same time, Karim should've at least warned me to be more careful. I should've just gone straight to the Thieves Guild's local fence. Sure, I wouldn't have been able to get as good of a price, but at the very least, I would've gotten those Dumacs sold. Now they were just confiscated from me, and worst of all, I bet you they will just sell them for profit themselves, the absolute fucking bastards.

I should be angry and sad, but I'm just tired and frustrated with the whole situation. I'm tired of being still treated like a slave by some and like scum by others, and I'm so frustrated because there's little I can do about it but suck it up.

Hearthfire, 7th, 3E 427

My stay with the Mages Guild has brought me a lot of knowledge. In addition to all the handy spells I used to know, I've learned quite a few new ones, like Soul Trap, a simple spell from the school of Mysticism that's a must-know for any aspiring Enchanter. Speaking of Enchanting, I also managed to create my very first enchanted item, although it's not very useful. It's a simple yet weak night-vision necklace powered by a soul of a rat, so go figure. Ajira has also been teaching me Alchemy, and while I'm no good at figuring out which ingredients go well with each other, it's easier than Enchanting for now. I kind of want to get better at the latter though, because it has much more potential for great power, and since I'm already good with Mysticism.

One funny tip and trick Ajira told me - as a secret, of course - was how to create recreational drug mixtures from Moon Sugar. "If you ever happen to come across any", she said, "don't consume it as it is." She taught me a neat little trick of cooking it at low temperature together with Corkbulb in bags of Guar Hide, which greatly offsets the drawbacks of Moon Sugar consumption, making it much safer to smoke. High temperatures and moisture should be avoided though, as they might damage the sugar crystals.

Why was she talking to me about drugs? I'm not sure… I don't plan on using any… Oh, but I bet you won't believe me now that I've written the instructions down! Doesn't help me make a convincing argument, doesn't it!? Ah, whatever…

Another two spells I learned rather quickly were two defensive spells, one which boosts my magical defenses to lessen the impact of incoming Magicka, and another one which allows me to absorb Magicka from spells cast against me. Spell reflection is sadly still beyond my capabilities, but I'll get there. Ranis suggested these spells to me, as both would be vital for my survival, and I should always try to keep both of them up to make sure I can survive magical attacks. I'm not exactly built to handle hostile spells, and the last thing I want is to be cooked alive by some crazy mage.

Apart from that, I've learned frost and shock spells to expand my arsenal. Nothing crazy, but I must say, I quite fancy these elements of destruction to fire, not just due to my bad personal experiences but also because of the other subtle properties these magics have. They don't match fire with raw destructive power, but frost can slow down enemies and drain away their fatigue, while shock magic is more useful when fighting against other mages as it can damage their magicka. Besides, different races and creatures handle different elements in different ways, so mastering all three elements is crucial for any aspiring mage.

All in all, I must say, I'm learning faster than I anticipated, faster than even Ranis expected. She has already promoted me to the rank of Apprentice.

Ajira has also been very happy with my help, but the rewards for these easy and mundane tasks have been equally mundane. She's very apologetic about not being able to pay me much, but she supplies me with free potions and knowledge every now and then, which all go to good use. She also said she heard I've been climbing ranks quickly, saying that people are impressed with my talents. I mean, I'm a good mage, so what can I say? She almost admitted to being a little jealous of me because she doesn't have the same innate talent that I do. I did compliment her on being such a great alchemist and said that I love her potions too, and she thanked me dearly.

Today she asked me about something a little bit more personal. She's made some dumb bet with another student, Galbedir, about who's going to become promoted to the rank of Apprentice first. Galbedir is a Bosmer of Valenwood and a little bit older than me, maybe like fourteen or something. She's similar to Ajira in the way that she wants to learn about crafts, not so much about becoming an adventurer. Her thing is Enchanting. I guess many aspiring mages are like that? It's a safer way to practice magic, at the very least.

I have no interest in sabotaging someone else's work… but that's what Ajira wanted me to do. Ajira really wants to win the bet, and she's willing to pull all the stops.

"Don't worry", she said. "It's just a small prank", she said. What she wants to do exactly is place some fake Soul Gem into her desk. She went on about how trying to fill it with a soul will release some spell from inside it, a spell that likely will cause more embarrassment to Galbedir than physical harm. I asked Ajira to explain, and she talked something about Galbedir going into spring-heat in the middle of autumn.

So first drugs, then pranks? I'm starting to see what kind of person Ajira is. And no, that's not an insult, as I find this part of her rather amusing. So, obviously, I went along with it. It's too bad I wasn't rewarded for my efforts, but maybe the real reward is seeing what happens next!

She doesn't have any more real tasks for me either, but if I happen to come across a certain kind of bowl in any shop, she will pay if I bring her one. She'll pay me double. Not sure why it needs to be that specific bowl, but whatever.

Now, I'm ready to go to sleep.

Hearthfire, 9th, 3E 427

Of course, this bet between these two rivals has evolved into a real shitshow of playing pranks on each other, and wouldn't you know, I found myself at the receiving end of one prank too. That is, if you can even call it a prank at this point.

It started with Ajira coming to me, complaining that her research into the herbs I had collected had been stolen. She had already complained to Ranis, saying that this is theft, that this goes against the Mage's Oath, and that Galbedir should be kicked out for this, but Ranis didn't care. She simply just told her to solve her own problems. Ajira is a bit of a helpless little girl though, and she seems too afraid to confront Galbedir, who she believes to be behind this theft. I promised to stand up to my friend and approached my senior for a chat.

Boldly, I asked if she had anything to do with this, but of course, she denied everything. "Why would I even care?" she asked, saying that she's already been promoted to the rank of Apprentice. Does Ajira not know? Does she just have a grudge? Not sure. Galbedir said she'd even go as far as to let me look around her little shop and try to find any evidence of her wrongdoing. That's how confident she was about me not finding any evidence. I took up on the offer, which turned out to be a mistake.

That bitch had trapped one of her chests with a powerful paralyzing spell, and you know me… I may be a talented mage, but I'm also massively vulnerable to my enemy's spells, especially when I'm not anticipating an attack. So, of course, the spell put me completely out of commission. I couldn't move at all. She dragged me to her quarters right behind the shop and pushed me onto her bed.

She spoke to me as she untightened the belt around her robe, preparing to take it off. "Since you like doing pranks, I guess you also like receiving them." She then exposed to me her sleek and young naked body. "So, let's have some fun."

She stripped me while I was just gaping my mouth like a fish. I had no idea why she was doing this. By the time some strength had returned to me, she had already tied my hands behind my back, and when I finally managed to ask what in Oblivion she was doing, she placed a cloth across my mouth to muffle my speech. She started going through drawers, looking for something, and brought out a dildo carved out of chitin, but I could tell it wasn't all there was to it. She also had a little silvery gemstone with a tiny fragment of a Soul Gem embedded into it, and she started going on about how she has this hobby of creating naughty toys. "There isn't really a vendor dedicated to these kinds of toys in Balmora…" she said, while she approached me and climbed on the bed, staring down my groin, which I was desperately trying to hide by keeping my legs shut. She was having none of it and said I needed to be taught some lessons.

She pressed that little vibrating piece of silver against my clitoris, and I moaned through the cloth as my entire body reacted to its touch. I couldn't help but spread my legs completely for her. Happy with what she had accomplished, she took her fingers and stuck them inside me while also going on to lick, suck and kiss my lips and my clit. I had no idea why she was doing this, but I didn't feel like resisting at all for some reason. Everything she was doing was rather pleasant, although still extremely embarrassing. She toyed with me all the way to my climax, at which point my pussy was already soaking wet from being teased by her.

Oh, but she was far from done. That was just the beginning. She teased me about how I actually liked what was going on and how I was making such a lewd face. I didn't react, didn't try to deny or admit it. Instead, I just watched as she turned around on the bed, laying down beside me, with her hip beside my head and her hands and face right over my groin. She was holding the chitin dildo in her hands and channeling her magicka through it. It was vibrating softly, and my body shuddered in anticipation. She stuck that thing right into my pussy, and I kept my legs spread for her throughout her advance.

She fucked me with that toy so gently, all while making sure to taste and tease my wet lips with her tongue. The way it was vibrating was maddening, and with each long and deep stroke, she kept it pushed against my cervix for a second or two, twisting and turning it. I still can't get over it. She made me cum so hard, especially when she demonstrated that she could make it vibrate even harder. It even got to the point of being a little painful, as I just couldn't take the constant pleasure. I needed a break, but I couldn't get it. She wanted to make me, and I quote, "squirt like a whore", and she got what she wanted.

After it was all done, she pulled the cloth from my mouth and let me finally breathe properly. She asked me why I waste time helping that "kitty cat" and why I would even go so far as to play pranks on her. I said I was just doing what was told, helping a friend out, but she didn't like the answer. Or, maybe she did. I don't know. "Maybe you shouldn't take orders from your inferior", she said, "unless, of course, you like being a servant for that good-for-nothing kitty cat."

Well, she just wanted to get back at me for doing that prank on her and said that she actually liked me, unlike Ajira. "You're cute", she said, with a playful smirk, "and you actually have talent, unlike her. I respect that."

And so, she let me go and let me dress up, but not before giving me a loving kiss on my cheek and calling me "delicious". I didn't even know what to say. When I was preparing to leave, she said where she hid those papers she "loaned" from Ajira and gave me a slap on my ass, giggling playfully. "If you wanna", she said, "we can do this again…"

And so, that was the end of that. I returned to Ajira with her papers, and she thanked me dearly, thanking me for standing up to her. Well, I'm not sure if I honestly succeeded, but whatever. It was confusing, but in hindsight, I have to say… I liked it very much! I told Ajira that I wouldn't be helping her anymore though, and she took it well. "You've done more than enough already", she said.

However, she also had some advice because she suspected that Ranis could be giving me work next. "Ajira does not like that woman", she said. "Be careful around her. If she starts making unreasonable requests, try to look for work in other cities."

Sure enough, when I was leaving the guild for the day, I was stopped by Ranis. She sat me down in her office and sighed, saying that I shouldn't waste any more time with my fellow rookies. She admits that she's impressed with my rapid growth, and said that she's been talking with many other senior members of the guild about my willingness to learn all kinds of new spells. "You're a natural", she said, "so how would you feel about doing some actual work for me? No more picking mushrooms or flowers, silly pranks, or getting involved in petty rivalries and bets."

Despite Ajira's warning, I was happy to hear what she was offering me, and to be honest, the work I was given sure took a giant leap from mundane to potentially dangerous.

She had two missions for me, both of which are located in the same area, in a place called Sulipund, to the east of Balmora in the desolate and volcanic Molag Amur region. Sulipund is an ancient structure of the Velothi people and a very typical place of settlement in some parts of Morrowind. Think of them kind of like mini-villages, which consist of only one building with all the possible services a village could need inside. I'm going there to recruit a Telvanni wizard to the ranks of the guild, as well as collect guild fees from an existing member. She also told me that should they refuse - as in either of them - I should kill them.

I immediately challenged her on resorting to violence, but it didn't sound like she appreciated me talking back to her. She started going on about how the Mages Guild needs to protect the sanctity of magic and safeguard it from falling into the hands of criminal organizations like House Telvanni. When I asked what she meant, saying I'd never heard anyone describe them as criminals, she scoffed at me. "Just do what you're told, Apprentice. If not, stop wasting my time." After that brief lash-out, she left in a huff.

Fuck… What's her problem? Why send an apprentice on such an unsafe mission? I mean, she instructed me to kill them if they don't comply. Does she seriously expect me to be able to do something like that? What's more, killing other guild members is against the Mage's Oath, and even if it wasn't, surely not being able to pay dues is not an offense worthy of death? Surely being a member of a competing magical institution isn't either?

She also said that the Telvanni are criminals. I don't know much about them, but I heard they prefer to be isolated from society and keep to themselves. Are these "guilds" at odds with each other? That's probably the case based on what Ranis said.

I'm going to travel there to see what they're about. I mean, there's also a chance that Ranis is correct and that they are genuinely as dangerous and problematic people as she says. I don't dare to go alone though. Karim already said he's interested in joining me on this trip as he's got nothing better to do, and I sure could use a bodyguard!

Hearthfire, 10th, 3E 427

The road from Balmora to Sulipund is long and winding, and to top it off, grey and treacherous. Zigzag through the mountains, you can hear the rumbling of the ground underneath and the volcano to the north. Not many wildlife survive here - forget about vegetation - and the travelers are often tormented by Cliffracers. I've never seen one before, and after today, I never want to see one again. They're these noisy birds that will attack any travelers on sight with absolutely no chill whatsoever and will not give up once they set their eyes on their prey. We were attacked by a whole flock at once, and they were pissing off Karim so badly because of being so hard to reach. Seeing him trying to ward them off with his sword would've been funny if it wasn't for the fact that these birds were trying to dismember him into pieces. My magic proved quite effective against them, as I didn't have to worry about being able to reach them, but I was left without any energy to cast any more spells by the time we made it to our destination.

I got to see some sights on the way as well, like the ruins of an old Daedric shrine and the Marandus stronghold, both of which we had no intention of visiting. We weren't interested in picking any unnecessary fights, especially not with anyone who could get us killed.

We weren't really made feel welcome in Sulipund at first, but we managed to talk to its resident after convincing them we came in peace. After talking with them, we were told that our first target, Manwe, is conducting some research in a nearby cave. That's the woman I was supposed to gather guild fees from, by the way, so we visited her first.

We found her nearby entrance, where she had made herself some kind of makeshift office. When I told her Ranis sent me, she seemed apologetic and said she'd pay immediately. She did start muttering something about wanting to leave the Mages Guild though, as she really doesn't seem to like Ranis either. Is she really that hated in the Balmora guild? Before yesterday, I'd always only had good interactions with her.

As for Llarar Bereloth, the man I was supposed to convince to join the Mages Guild… That business didn't go at all as planned.

When I told him what I was sent to do, he said I must be a fool. "You come to Telvanni territory trying to recruit me to your Guild?" he asked. When I told him that I had no idea that EVERYONE here is with the House Telvanni, he just laughed and said that I really must be a fool. He wasn't offended though, as evident by his hospitality and the fact that he wanted to chat.

"Sit down, sera", he said, "let's have a chat." He sat down beside the table he was standing close by and poured me a drink, offering a mug to Karim as well. Like really, he seemed rather friendly from the get-go!

He first asked me why did I join the guild. I answered as truthfully as I could and said that it was suggested to me when I came to this island because I needed to make allies, and because I want to - and also need to - learn more about magic. Then, he asked, "suggested by who", and while I had no reason to lie to him, I didn't outright tell him I was with the Blades. I just said I'm an outlander fresh to this island with a long-term job, which means I'm not gonna leave anytime soon.

He called my goals relatable but also said I'm unlikely to find what I'm looking for in the Mages Guild. When I asked him to clarify what he meant, he said he thinks they just want me to become another puppet for the Empire, just another puppet unable to think for herself. "They want to centralize the study of magecraft under one united institution", he explained, "and to have a total monopoly on the subject. They want to control what kind of magic you can and can't use, who can and can't teach magic, and so on and so forth. They even think that levitation magic is unlawful. Can you believe those fetchers? If you truly care about learning magic, you shouldn't mingle with them."

Then, he explained why he joined House Telvanni. They offer him the freedom he wants, the freedom to study and practice magic as he pleases and sees fit. Everything's permitted as long as you've got the means to do it. They don't care if you're young or old, man or woman, native or outlander; you can even be a vampire or a werewolf! They won't judge you! He finished by saying that if I agree that studying magic should not be centralized to some "Imperial institution of annoying busybodies", I would be a much better fit for the House Telvanni.

"You're young, sera", he said. "You have much to learn, and I suggest you take the opportunity to learn from the best, not from those who just wish to use you for their own selfish goals."

I can't help but agree with what he said. I don't see the Empire as inherently evil like he does, but he does raise many convincing points. I told him that I was interested but said that I'd have to consider it first. I mean, he could be just highly biased… But at least he sparked my interest.

Well, obviously, the recruitment failed on my part, and I have a feeling that trying to murder him for the crime of not wanting to join the Mage's Guild would be just wrong. I mean, if he doesn't want to join, nobody should force him. It's not like he's a criminal or anything, right? He's super friendly! In fact, everyone here seems nice, although they were a little unwelcoming at first. Maybe that's just because we're in the middle of nowhere. Can't help but feel a little bit of stranger danger when there are bandits, highwaymen, and slavers about.

I hope Ranis will be happy with me being able to complete one of two tasks. If not, well… She can suck it.

As it is late, and as we're tired - both me and Karim - we were offered to stay for the night. There were some guest rooms downstairs. We were too tired to do anything dirty and not really in the mood either, but for what it's worth, we cuddled for a good while before falling asleep. He's yet to wake up, hence why I'm writing this now and not yesterday evening…

Hearthfire, 12th, 3E 427

As I suspected, Ranis wasn't too happy about the news I brought back to her, saying that she fully expected me to complete both tasks. I pointed out that she sent me into Telvanni base knowing full well I could get myself killed there, and asked her, was that what she truly wanted? Did she really want me to risk my life just so she could recruit someone else for the guild? She stared at me quietly for a while and then apologized, admitting that I was right.

She then explained to me why she hates the House Telvanni. Apparently, her parents were killed by the Archmagister of House Telvanni, which is why she just can't bring herself to forgive them. She also said that she was glad that I was at least honest, as the last thing she wanted from me was to return to her and start spewing lies and making excuses. She said she won't reward me monetarily, but she will give me good marks on the book for completing one of the tasks, which will help me advance through the ranks in the long term. She also promised to find me more work, something that could be better suited to my current abilities.

In other news, Caius has a task for me again and wants me to gather more intel. Last time, it was regarding the Nerevarine cult that some locals believe in and the Sixth House, but since we only received satisfactory information on the latter subject, I will have to work more on the former. My next target is Sharn gra-Muzgob, an Orc who I already know somewhat well because she's with the Mages Guild.

I've never gotten a chance to talk to her because she's often flooded with books, and she does NOT enjoy being interrupted at all. It seemed like she got annoyed just by me asking her about Nerevarine, but at the same time, she realized that since I was eager to get valuable information from her, she was quick to send me on a task. What she needs is a skull. Yeah, I need to STEAL a skull from some wealthy family's ancestral tomb.

So wait, who am I working for again? The Blades, the Mages Guild, or the Thieves Guild? Never mind that, a skull?

She warned me that the Dunmer are really sensitive when it comes to the topic of necromancy, which just so happens to be illegal in this province, unlike in some other parts of the Empire. It's punishable by the death penalty, and a mere suspicion of being a necromancer makes you a prime target for being lynched by a mob. While I agree that mingling with corpses is disrespectful, I don't particularly care about necromancy myself or think it's necessarily immoral. I mean, yeah, I can see it from the perspective of someone doing something like that to my ancestors, which is also the Dunmer argument, but it's multiplied like ten-fold thanks to ancestor worship playing such an essential role in their culture… I'm not sure I would want that happening to my ancestors either…

Still, it's highly suspicious that Sharn would be willing to send me on a task like this. Could she be a necromancer herself? I'm afraid to even ask.

I'm also afraid of asking Karim to go along with me on this journey since he could very well be against this kind of stuff as well. He's much more concerned about the law than I am…

All I know is that I'll do this. If I can do this without being discovered, there won't be any trouble for me.

Hearthfire, 14th, 3E 427

I'm not skilled enough to turn invisible yet, but I can handle a weak but straightforward Chameleon spell. Nothing extreme, just coat myself in a cloak of transparency. I'm sure it ended up becoming useful, but what I discovered weren't guardsmen, but rather ghosts of the past. Supposedly, certain kinds of funeral rites allow parts of the deceased's soul to linger in the mortal world to offer guardianship to these tombs, or something like that. These ghosts can even possess skeletons and these zombie-like creatures called Bonewalkers, which makes me wonder, isn't this kind of like necromancy too? If the deceased consent to becoming tomb guardians or retain free will after death, I guess it's not, but I'm not actually sure how all this works. I'm sure some priest could give me a lecture on the subject.

Regardless, while these ghosts ended up being a lot of trouble, it took just two to three spells to take each one down, and I didn't get hurt by them. The skeletons were a pain in my ass, though, as I got myself injured on one occasion. One of them caught me with a freezing arrow straight to my thigh, and it probably would've killed me too had I not been successful in retaliating. It's actually frightening how close I got to dying. It took me at least thirty minutes to recover, but I was able to heal my wounds, so I'll be fine.

I only faced one Bonewalker, but it proved way more durable than I expected, and I let it get to me. It wasn't trying to bite me or anything, but instead was trying to rip my pants away from me. I never really felt like I was in danger though, as despite being strong and durable, it was surprisingly easy to fend off with a dagger. Do undead even feel sexual excitement? Maybe he was possessed by a spirit of a horny boy who died without getting laid?

As a final note, as it didn't really feel right to be stealing from a tomb, the only thing I took was the skull. Sharn was happy with me and provided me with some notes, which went into some detail about this so-called Nerevarine cult. Basically, there are some select people in the land of Morrowind who believe that some ancient hero called Nerevar will return to our mortal world one day in his new, reincarnated form to cast down the false gods of the Tribunal who rule over Morrowind, restore the traditional ancestor worship practiced by the Ashlanders, and drive out all the outlanders. This Nerevarine would be quite a villain if he or she was real!

It's probably a myth anyway, but I can see why Caius is concerned and why he's making me collect this information. The Empire considers these cultists criminals, and the Temple of the Tribunal considers them heretics. Makes sense since this guy would want to kill the very living gods that the Dunmer worship…

This still isn't enough for Caius, who's still eager to find more information, but he's not sure who I should turn to next. He said that there aren't many here in Balmora he can turn to anymore. I should return to him in about a week for a new list of people to interview. I'm not sure what to do meanwhile, to be honest… I'll worry about it tomorrow.

Hearthfire, 16th, 3E 427

I was surprised to see Karim approach me, distressed and desperate. I asked him what had happened, and he told me he desperately needed help. The Legion has caught wind of his crimes with the Blackhawk Bandits, but he's been given a chance. The thing is, he must stay stationed here and continue to follow orders given to him, which will help him pay back for his crimes through labor and reform.

The problem is that something has happened to her sister, or so he thinks, based on what his superiors told him. He was also given a letter by some mysterious woman, and he feels like something has to be done. When I asked him what he knows about the situation with his sister, he said "nothing", and it's pissing him off.

"I hate to ask this of you", he said, "but you NEED to help me. You're the only one I can trust."

His plan is risky, as it involves me heading towards the unknown, but there's nothing that can prevent someone from seeking out her sister in his stead. Of course, the Legion can't find out, but that's a problem for the future. Finding out what has happened to his sister takes precedence.

He handed me the letter given to him and explained what I have to do. "As long as you have this letter, you will be believed", he said. He finally instructed me to find out what happened to his sister and preferably, if at all possible, even bring her to him. He's not expecting me to risk my life for her and says that if the situation, according to my judgment, feels insurmountable, I should return to him and tell him to take action himself. He would do so in a heartbeat.

I'm not so sure about this, as I'm not allowed to leave this island either per my commitment to the Blades, but at the same time, this is really important to him, which is why I promised him that I'll do what I can. I feel like I owe this huge favor to him since he helped me in that Dwemer ruin. As for what I can do? Well, the only way for me to get out from this island is by illegal means. Lucky for me, I have a friend who can help me.

I explained the situation to Habasi, saying I must visit the mainland, promising good pay. She just smiled and told me not to worry. She has a contact in Seyda Neen who will gladly take me along on his next "fishing trip" to Old Ebonheart. She said I would be safe with friends there and gave me the name of the local Guild Stewart in the city, who would be able to get me back to Vvardenfell when needed. He's some old skipper-looking Imperial who runs a tavern by the docks, named after the Empress Katariah Ra'athim of Ebonheart. "Just tell him you're asking on behalf of his secret admirer in Balmora. He'll let you travel through our trade routes".

The road from Old Ebonheart to Kragenmoor should be safe and straightforward, but it's also long. Habasi suggested that I should rent a horse to make it more bearable, as sleeping in the wilderness can be dangerous. There's a lot of dangerous wildlife in the volcanic Stonefalls region, including goblins, giant spiders, and land dreughs.

I'm excited to go along with this but also nervous. I really hope this won't get me in trouble.

Hearthfire, 20th, 3E 427

Named Kragen Mar by the Dunmeri people, Kragenmoor by the Empire, it's a city about the size of Skingrad just by the border with Cyrodiil, with the city of Cheydinhal being located just on the other side of the Valus Mountains. I've been to this place once, but you know, I was in a prison carriage, so I can't say I got to experience the city. Historically been involved with House Dres, it's known for its plantations and farming. These days though, it's controlled by House Hlaalu. I guess Tiber Septim drove those slavers out of the city or something, not sure. Maybe Hlaalu got a better deal due to being welcoming toward the Empire.

Regardless, I've been trying to figure out what this damn riddle in this letter is supposed to mean. There are no dragons in this city - obviously - and not even a single statue of a dragon, so I'm at a loss. I guess up the road could, in theory, refer to the mountain path leading to Cyrodiil, assuming that the dragon refers to the seat of the Empire. It's my best guess at the moment. According to local travel maps, there's a tavern in a village called "Mountain Watch" just east of the border, where a bunch of Imperial hillbillies live in a small commune, running a place to rest to serve weary travelers. I suppose that could be it? Remains to be seen, as I'm far too tired to actually go there today. I already spent the whole day looking for clues in this big, confusing city…

This trip is taking much longer than I thought. I hope nobody's looking for me in Vvardenfell. Like, if Caius figures out I'm on an unsanctioned field trip, he'll probably give me a spanking for the ages.

• 5th Journal - Escape (By Kanna)