Storms over Tamriel: 6 - Enemy Within

  • This session was run on the 1st of February, 2015.


    Enemy Within

    After a day of respite in Senchal, Kitashi and Aethenar were recalled to the Altmer Embassy for another mission. Having recovered another of the Storm Orbs, the ambassador informed them they were to take it to the Imperial City for further study at the Arcane University. Aethenar noted that sailing up the Niben River probably wasn’t the best idea when their enemy had a powerful navy, as well as, of course, sea serpents. Their discussion, however, was interrupted by an explosive disturbance at the vault inside the embassy.

    The pair rushed to investigate, finding the vault door blown open, the Storm Orb missing and another hole in the floor leading down into a dark cavern. By the vault door was an unconscious guard, close to death with a grievous stab wound in his chest. Aethenar revived the guard, who informed them that the other vault guard had suddenly turned on him and left him to die. With some more healing, he managed to make his own way to the infirmary, and the duo prepared to investigate the cavern below.

    A 10 metre drop into the cavern revealed a old Khajiit ruin underneath the city, presumably where this thief had made his escape. Also investigating the explosion was Kiem, a cunning Khajiit mage with extraordinary levels of sass, who agreed to assist Aethenar and Kitashi in their search in exchange for a reward. Kiem lead the group through the ruins to a skooma den run by one of the more prominent gangs in (or rather, under) Senchal. A small bribe to one of the bouncers revealed that they had seen the thief enter the den, but they didn’t see him leave. Entering the den, they met Athalus, an Orc, who was a little *too* friendly for Aethenar’s tastes. He too joined up with the group, and did a little investigating.

    In a back room, they found the corpse of one of the bouncers, completely charred black. Aethenar recognized the magic at work here - an ancient High Elf technique called Skinstealing, which allowed one to steal the form of another humanoid. The skinstealer - disguised as one of the bouncers - realised that the group was on to him, and attempted to make his escape further in to the ruins. Bolting out the door and locking it behind him with some telekinesis, the rest of the group was left to deal with the bouncers.

    Rather than take them head-on, Kiem blasted open the door with a lightning bolt, and the party muscled through the bouncers to give chase to the infiltrator. After a brief pursuit and a lot of Force Bolts, they caught up to him. Rather than give it up, he launched the orb into the ruins using telekinesis. He would not escape, however, as most of the party worked together to stop him and knock him out. Athalus located the orb on top of a ruined structure, and they brought it and their prisoner back to the Altmer embassy.

    The party received a reward for their efforts, but the mission to the Arcane University had to continue. Rather than taking a ship to the Imperial City, Aethenar devised a plan for a decoy - a blue glass orb filled with kindlepitch, which would sail aboard a vessel to the city of Bravil, near the Imperial City. The rest of the group, with the real orb, would take horses and ride north to meet the ship there.

    Along their journey, they encountered a terrible beast of the Black Marsh - a Wamasu. The party’s teamwork in conjunction with Athalus’ mighty stealth fists managed to bring the creature down. They skinned the beast and forged onward to Bravil, where a wild night of drinking and thievery ensued, resulting in Athalus being banned from most taverns and inns in the city. The following day, they had the Wamasu hide made into three cloaks, which would grant the wearer resistance to lightning - a certain boon in the days to come against the Maormer.

    At midday, the Seafalcon - their decoy ship - arrived, and the party boarded to continue their journey. As expected, the ship had been ambushed, though Aethenar’s decoy had been useful in battle as well. Feeding the kindlepitch-filled orb to a sea serpent had allowed the crew to slay the beast by burning a hole through its internal organs.

    They arrived at the Imperial City at dusk, and brought their precious cargo to the Arcane University, where it was received by the Archmage himself - though his study, and the party’s adventure, would have to continue come the morning.

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