Tales of a Seeker - Chapter I: Discovery

• Posted by Mortiferous June 10, 2016 - Filed in TSC: CB Story - #Mortiferous  #ToS  - 1,504 views

  "I did it!" he cried triumphantly "I DID IT!" he repeated, his voice bouncing off the stone walls of the cave. After a handful of years of searching, a Black Book was in Yamurns possession. Oh, how Yamurns kin had belittled him when he began to pursue knowledge and magic, little did they know that he was now about to become more powerful than any of them.

   

  Yamurn lifted the book up above his head and wondered at it in pure joy with his crimson eyes, his hands (which were dainty for an Orcs) holding the leathery cover of the book as they tingled with excitement. The Orsimer placed the book in his satchel and lifted his staff from the ground, it was a beautifully crafted shaft of sturdy oak, decorated with a glittering ruby at the head, it had been crafted for him by his dear friend from his days as a student at the College of Winterhold, Yamurn smiled fondly as he gazed upon the staff "Good memories" he thought to himself.

   

  As Yamurn exited the ruin and the sun of late afternoon poured across his pale green skin, he could smell the sweet scent of grass and berries on the wind, he was blessed to live in such a beautiful place to conduct his experiments. He made his way back to his “base of operations”, a wooden cabin about a hundred yards from the site he had been exploring, with a sigh of content, placing his cloak on the shelf next to him and his staff leaning on the wall. he sat in his favourite (and only) chair. Yamurn took the newly found book from his satchel and placed it on the table, unbridled knowledge just sitting there waiting to be unlocked...

   

  He took a sip of his mead and mumbled under his breath

   

  “I'll have to prepare for this...” he knew all too well how treacherous Apocrypha could be to mortals, he had researched long and hard on the subject. Yamurn stood and quickly sorted through his materials, a few potions went into his satchel, his dagger, some soul gems and some food and drink went into there too, he quickly studied over a few spell tomes he had lying around, he didn't want to forget a spell at a crucial moment. With a quick cleaning of his tusks and hair he was ready, he gingerly opened the book and began to read.

   

  A strange feeling came over Yamurn, a fuzzy feeling in his stomach, it quickly changed to a sickening coldness as he felt slimy, foul-smelling tendrils crawling up his forearm, a gelid, paralyzing grasp that sent shivers of despair into his very soul. He tried to cry in despairing agony, but no sound came out as his eyes rolled back in his head and he was falling...

   

  Falling... Then with a thump he landed. Yamurn groaned as he sat up, groping for his staff at his side, he felt slightly nauseous as he began to stand. When his vision finally cleared he leaned down and picked up his staff, leaning on it as he groaned again

   

  "Urgh... Damn book" he grumbled, suddenly he heard a voice, deep and ominous, it seemed to be speaking directly to him, yet he could not see a single living thing nearby

   

  "So... Another mortal seeking knowledge enters my realm..." the voice said, echoing within the deepest depths of Yamurn's mind, twisting reality and seemingly bending time "Hear this, mortal... If you are here seeking knowledge beyond your plane, then welcome. However... If you are a fool who has stumbled upon my realm by mere accident..." the voice paused, as if savoring the thought of what it was about to say, then continued "Then read that book of yours... Or rather, of mine... before Apocrypha claims you forever!" it finished with a malicious tone. "Mora..." Yamurn thought to himself, he looked up at the sickly green sky, it was filled with thin white clouds, but strangest of all, there were dark green tentacles descending from far, far above, swishing back and forth malevolently.

   

  Yamurn smiled, the home of knowledge, the infinite library of the unknown, the realm of Hermaeus Mora.

   

  Apocrypha...