JoS/Kanna/15th Journal - Service to Two Gods

Morning Star, 16th, 3E 428

We won't spend too much time in Balmora, as we're be leaving tomorrow morning. Still, even if it's just for one day, it's always nice to see familiar faces and sleep under familiar blankets.

Karim said he's happy for me starting to grow up properly with my menstruation starting, and while I'm "plenty cute" already, he also said he can't wait to see just what kind of a strong woman I'll grow up to be. When he puts it that way, he sure does make it sound a bit exciting. I'll be turning ten this year as well. It really won't be long until I'm in my teens either!

For work with Thieves Guild, Habasi has nothing for me or Aliya, but suggested that we should visit other ringleaders, who might have something instead. She specifically dropped Big Helende, who runs a business in Dirty Muriel's Cornerclub in the shadow of the Wolverine Hall, just south of Sadrith Mora.

As for active Morag Tong writs, I was trusted with only one. It's another petty contract, this time paid and bankrolled by Hlaalu to get rid of a treasury worker who embezzled quite a lot of money from them before going on a run and seeking refugee within a gang of criminals housing themselves in the sewers of St. Delyn. We're going towards Vivec City next anyway, so I have no problems getting rid of this guy. Still, a death sentence is a rather steep price to pay for mere theft of money, is it not? That must've been a huge sum of cash he stole! I'm hoping that the payment for a job well done will be equally big!

Morning Star, 18th, 3E 428

I had to walk into the holy city alone, as Aliya couldn't risk being seen by the Ordinators. She waited for me in Castle Ebonheart, or in Six Fishes Inn to be specific.

Getting to St. Delyn district was fairly easy, and finding our way to the sewers, also so. I really don't get why people call this city confusing. There are just seven cantons, eight if you count the temple, nine if you also count the palace. They layout is simple and every damn building is built in the same way, so why the controversy? Anyway, just because something's easy doesn't mean it's fun. Sewers are never fun places. They're smelly and filled with rats!

We - as in me and Staada - thought we found the place we were looking for when we found a door being guarded by a Nord male. He was not easy pickings for sneak with his back against the door, so I was gonna have hard time. Staada suggested we should try to flank him, so we did. That's when something surprising happened.

This man didn't take arms, nor did he even seem dispeased at our presence. He immediately recognized Staada as an Aureal and couldn't believe it, loudly asking out loud what a Golden Saint was doing in this place. Surprised by his friendly attitude, I told him that she's my servant and under my direct control. He then asked me if I've come here to pay tribute to the Mad God? He called this a holy ground, as for behind these doors we would find Ihinipalit, the busiest shrine of Sheogorath in all of Morrowind, a place of worship, stories and generally speaking, just overall happiness. Turned out, this wasn't the place we were looking for, but we let ourselves be invited in anyway, as Staada seemed convinced it was going to be perfectly safe.

The shrine was rather small, consisting of the actual statue in the middle, as well as three cozy bedrooms, with pathways leading to them through each wall of this square room. Haki the Nord introduced me to his good pals Ormax and the leader Bjadmund. Ormax the Breton was a pretty quiet guy, while Bjadmund the Nord was loud and boisterous as all hell. Such a friendly guy though, albeit also a creepy, had that "my perverted uncle" vibe in my opinion. This bald Nord kept asking me if I'm ticklish, and that he loves tickling cute kids and making them laugh, calling himself a master tickler, talking about his soft touch of laughter. I'm not exactly sure what to make of him, but he sure has that madness to him you can expect from a follower of Sheogorath.

I also asked for the man I was looking for, and they told me that they would be honored to assist me on my righteous quest of taking this foul, foul bandit down. That's exactly what happened. Those three helped me and Staada kill every last bandit in their lair.

As soon as we returned to the shrine, they urged me to approach the altar at the foot of the statue. It was the first time I had actually taken a good look at it, but there was something so familiar about this man with a walking cane. His visage was in form of an Imperial man with a long beard and a fluffy mustache, dressed in exquisite Nibenese garments. Something about it just reminded me of that man I met when I was four, the one that showed me pretty magic tricks when I was feeling down, the one who told me that I too had the power to cast such pretty spells.

"Welcome, welcome", the booming voice spoke with great energy put into both words, as the voice of a god reached to me from Oblivion. He stated that it's so good for him to actually meet me again. It's been such a long time since then, he said, and he's so very proud of seeing what an adorable specimen of a brown little girl I've grown up to be. He all but confirmed to me that he was indeed the man who I met that day. But how? I didn't know that the daedric princes could just walk on Tamriel so freely… I mean, it shouldn't be possible? Not anymore anyway… Maybe there are exceptions…

He went on to say that he has blessed me with many great gifts. First, it was just encouragement, but then also an ability to tap into his realm for a higher level of magic. His latest gift to me was a certain little commander, that hotheaded and unpredictable girl which no other mortal has never been able to tame before me. He was obviously referring to Staada, but to speak of her as a "commander" makes me wonder if she actually special herself.

Why has he done all this? Well, does he need a fucking reason? He's the prince of madness! According to him though, he's lately taken a greater interest in mortals due to him searching for a perfect champion. I suppose that makes me a candidate for that? He also said that there's very little he's asked of me in return, which has mostly been due to him not finding me capable, at least not yet. Now though, now that he has molded me with his image in mind, now that I'm starting to show the "characteristics of insanity and madness", he'll be happy to set me on a glorious quest! It'll serve as a real test for whether I truly have what it takes.

"First", he said, "I know what you want. I know what you talked with my wee Saint about, and I know it interests you, you little pervert. Don't even try to deny it! You wish to tap to the magic so debaucherous that even my good pal Sanguine would approve of! Fear not, you can do it! Don't believe me? I know just the man who can prove it to you! We'll be crushing two bugs with one stone here!"

That was the end of that encounter, and I turned towards Bjadmund, who would give me the details on my epic quest. I must first find my squire, he said, an Argonian by the name of Big Head, living in seclusion on an island in the Sheogorad region. Big Head in turn would provide me with a holy, dragon-slaying relic which I would first train to use and wield, and then use to rescue a princess. I pressed him on the question of dragons, and he confirmed to me that "Oh yes, it's a fearsome dragon you'll be slaying". He also said he's eagerly awaiting for my return, and reminded that he's always up for some tickling if I'm interested, but only if I consent. He claimed that consent just makes tickling hotter or something.

In other news, I met up with Eno, who was happy with me recovering two pieces of the Webspinner set, saying that it would really seem that we're dealing with Dagonists after all. Makes sense why he's had so little luck recovering these pieces from hunting down Dark Brotherhood members. For now though, he said I should await further orders, come back in a week or so. There's not much work to be done right now, and he says he's gonna do some research on where secret shrines of Mehrunes Dagon could be located.

That concludes my business in Vivec City. Man, what a day. I did not expect to meet up with a cult worshipping Sheogorath, much less to commune with the Mad God himself. I really don't even know what to make of all this. Have I really been blessed by him or something? Besides, it's not just him either; Mephala and Mehrunes Dagon also took an interest on me… I mean, why? I'm a nobody, am I not? Or is this just normal? I guess some of these daedra love dealing with us mortals…

I also asked Staada about her thoughts, to which she said that it's true that Sheogorath has allowed me to take control of her, but that she doesn't ultimately mind, because like she's said before, she likes me. Well, that makes me happy at least… It's good to know she's being genuine and not just acting nice because I'm her mistress.

In any case, tomorrow we'll travel to Molag Mar. It's a town directly to the east from Suran, not too far away. We should probably get there in one day.

End of current content.