JoS/Kanna/11th Journal - Second Trial

Sun's Dusk, 27th, 3E 427

North of the fishing village of Gnaar Mok, nestled in between swamplands of the Bitter Coast and the inner sea, we found a little, unassuming cave avoided by locals due to its activity with smugglers. Inside it, we found hell.

We were up against the so-called Dreamers, who are the servants and followers of Dagoth Ur, Ash Slaves, who fall further down the pecking order in their strange hierarchy, as well as undead and even some summoned lesser daedra like scamps and flame atronachs. Speaking of latter, they scare the fuck out of me, just the idea of being hit by their fire makes me want to recoil in pain and horror. It's not just my own negative experiences with fire magic, but also the fact that us High Elves generally speaking are weak to it.

Regardless of everything, we did great for a while, but this lured us into a false sense of security. I took the opportunity to scout ahead, using my chameleon spell and my light steps to my advantage. Little did I know, I was walking straight into a trap. They had set up a trap to lock intruders inside. A wall rose from behind me, and separated me from Kanna and Karim. I banged on the stone door, and I heard them shout my name from the other side. We could still hear each other well, so we could communicate without enemy finding out about us. We tried to figure out how to open it, but it was all in vain. If there was a way to open the door, some kind of switch or something, it wasn't anywhere close to us. When about an hour had passed by, we eventually decided it was pointless to try.

"You can do it", Karim said, encouraging me. "We believe in you."

His words touched me and gave me courage. Kanna was supportive and believed in me too. I thoroughly believed at that moment that I could do it. Even as I progressed, even though I faced many tough foes and got myself injured, ruined parts of my armor and ran out of potions, I thought I would be fine. I still have more than enough magicka left, which meant that my strongest weapons were still at my disposal.

I eventually made it to a shrine at the end of the cave, illuminated by flames and an eerie red light. A large, red statue stood in the middle of it, emitting blueish, grey mist from its base. They call them Ash Totems, and they're collected by the followers of Dagoth Ur for some reason. Normally they're smaller, but this one was huge. Behind it a man in a green robe was standing. He talked to me, but even though he was faced towards me, I couldn't see too much of him due to the poor lighting.

"The Sixth House greets you, lord Nerevar."

He was obviously talking to me, and it spooked me a little. I hadn't made my presence known, there's no way he should've known I was there. What's more, he certainly seems to believe that I'm Nerevar. Not quite a lord but rather a lady, but still. He continued to speak.

"My lord, Dagoth Ur, told me that you would come, and I see you have made quite a ruckus on your way here. He has offered you an invitation to honor his friendship and to make peace, but you choose to betray his trust and love for you."

I asked him why his kind keep attacking innocent people on the road and in the cities, to which his reply was rather clear: to drive the mongrel dogs of the Empire from Morrowind. I then asked him what he means by Dagoth Ur's friendship, his love and his trust, and this man went on to explain this in great detail.

Lord Indoril Nerevar and Dagoth Ur used to be the best of friends. To Nerevar, this undoubtedly was about friendship, and about Dagoth Ur's undying loyalty and service to him, the champion of the people, the Hortator, but to Dagoth Ur, there was a much purer element to all of this. Dagoth Ur love for Nerevar was pure and unconditional. He loved Nerevar like a brother, perhaps even more than just a brother, and would do anything for him. This love manifested itself in many forms, but above all, he wanted to protect Nerevar and do what was ultimately best for him, even if it may have led to disagreements. Regardless, there was always a mutual trust between the two.

I obviously don't remember any of this - I cannot remember any of this - but it was Nerevar betrayed him, according to this story. "You betrayed his love for you and cast him aside", he explained. He didn't explain how this happened even though I asked him about it, but had good news for me as well. "Dagoth Ur is willing to forgive you and let bygones be bygones if you're willing to make peace. It's not too late for you yet."

I have a feeling that I'm not getting the full story, but that's fine, because based on what we discussed next, everything of which I'm not going to go into, honoring his friendship and making peace with him would make me nothing more but a servant to his will, a slave to his whims, just like everyone else he has taken as his servants. I may be the Nerevar in his eyes, but I am not the same person anymore. His best for me would be for me to be his servant, just like anyone else. In his own eyes Dagoth Ur is a god and ultimately knows what's good for us better than us mere mortals, even if it means enslaving us. I'm going to let it come to it. I'm nobody's slave, I'm not willing to submit to his will.

He stepped into the light, and I could see his form for what it truly was. I steered into his head as he spoke, and in the middle of it there only remained a single tentacle, protruding from his brain, from a deep cavity in which his face once was. He had no eyes or mouth, yet I could tell he was staring right at me. He stood in front of the ashen statue and spread his arms wide, asking me one final question. "Will you make peace with our Lord, or will you strike me, his acolyte and loyal servant down?"

I walked up to him, the dagger still in my hand. He didn't move, I couldn't even make out what was going on in his head, for this grotesque face bore no mortal expression or emotion. I had already made my choice although I may not have articulated it to him yet. I thought I was going in for an easy kill when I finally plunged the dagger through his chest. He didn't even dodge, he just took the strike.

Current entry still unfinished.

End of current content.