 |
Dagon Shrine
Liann
Arrive at the Lake Arrius Caverns.
Head inside.
Doorkeeper Dawn is breaking.
Liann Greet the new day.
Doorkeeper Welcome, sister. The hour is late, but the Master still has need for willing hands. You may pass into the Shrine. Harrow will take you to the Master for you initiation into the service of Lord Dagon. Do not tarry. The time of Preparation is almost over. The time of Cleansing is near.
The doorkeeper unlocks the door.
Liann
Head inside.
Harrow I am Harrow, Warden of the Shrine of Dagon. By following the Path of Dawn hidden in the writings of the Master, Mankar Camoran, you have earned a place among the Chosen. You have arrived at an opportune time. You may have the honor to be initiated into the Order by the Master himself. As a member of the Order of the Mythic Dawn, everything you need will be provided for you from the Master’s bounty. Give me your possessions, and put on this initiate’s robe.
Liann
Give up all possessions.
Receive the mythic dawn robes.
Harrow Very good. Follow me. I will take you to the Shrine.
Liann
Follow Harrow inside.
Mythic Dawn Guard How can I serve you, sister?
Liann Can you tell me about Mehrunes Dagon?
Mythic Dawn Guard We have been preparing for the coming of Lord Dagon for many years. You come to us at a fateful time. The Master has promised us that the Time of Preparation is almost over! The Time of Cleansing is almost here!
Liann Can you tell me about Mankar Camoran?
Mythic Dawn Guard The Master is preaching in the Shrine as we speak! Hurry, you should not miss the chance to hear the Master’s words!
Liann
Follow Harrow inside.
Mankar Camoran
Mankar is wearing the Amulet of Kings.
The Dragon Throne is empty, and we hold the Amulet of Kings! Praise be to your Brothers and Sisters! Great shall be their reward in Paradise!
Followers Praise be!
Mankar Camoran Hear now the words of Lord Dagon. “When I walk the earth again, the Faithful among you shall receive your reward: to be set above all other Mortals forever. As for the rest: the weak shall be winnowed; the timid shall be cast down; the mighty shall tremble at my feet and pray for pardon.”
Followers So sayeth Lord Dagon. Praise be.
Mankar Camoran Your reward, Brothers and Sisters! The time of Cleansing draws nigh. I go now to Paradise. I shall return with Lord Dagon at the coming of the Dawn!
Mankar Camoran opens a portal and disappears.
Harrow We have a new Sister who wishes to bind herself to the service of Lord Dagon.
Ruma Camoran Advance, initiate.
Liann
Advance.
Ruma Camoran You have come to dedicate yourself to Lord Dagon’s service. This pact must be sealed with red-drink, the blood of Lord Dagon’s enemies. Take up the dagger and offer Lord Dagon the sacrificial red-drink as pledge of your own life’s blood, which shall be his in the end.
Liann I will slay the sacrifice.
Ruma Camoran Lord Dagon thirsts for red-drink. Sate him.
Liann
Receive a ceremonial dagger.
Free the prisoner.
Grab the Mysterium Xarxes and run.
Ruma Camoran She dares to touch the sacred Xarxes! Kill her!
Jeelius Where am I? What is this place? Arkay preserve me, I remember now ... hooded men grabbed me as I was leaving the Temple ... We must get out of here! Come on!
Liann
Escape from the Lake Arrius Caverns.
Jeelius I am a priest in the Temple of the One in the Imperial City. Perhaps our paths will cross again one day.
Liann
Travel to Cloud Ruler Temple.
Jauffre Thank Talos you’ve returned safely! Do you have the Amulet?
Liann No. Mankar Camoran escaped with it.
Jauffre Please tell me you have some good news…
Liann Maybe. I have the Mysterium Xarxes.
Jauffre Ah. Good. You should take that to Martin right away. He’ll be in the Great Hall, reading. He’s hardly taken time to sleep since you left.
Martin
Martin is sitting behind a desk with a large pile of books.
Ah, you’re back. I told Jauffre not to worry… I can see you have bad news. You didn’t recover the Amulet, did you?
Liann No. But I have the Mysterium Xarxes.
Martin By the Nine! Such a thing is dangerous even to handle! Forgive me. You were right to bring it. But you’d better give it to me. I know some ways to protect myself from its evil power.
Liann
Hand Martin the Mysterium Xarxes.
Liann Can the Xarxes lead us to Camoran?
Martin I don’t know. Maybe. I suspect that the secret of how to open a portal to Camoran’s Paradise lies within these pages. But I will need time. Tampering with dark secrets, even just reading them, can be very dangerous. I’ll have to proceed carefully. In the meantime, you should speak to Jauffre. He was concerned about reports of spies in Bruma.
Liann Can you tell me about daedric magic?
Martin I put aside the dark arts when I became a priest. But the workings of fate may be seen in this, too. ‘The gods can turn anything to good’, or so I piously told those who came to see me for advice. Perhaps I may yet come to believe it myself.
Liann Can you tell me about the Mysterium Xarxes?
Martin This evil book was written by Mehrunes Dagon himself, and given by him to Mankar Camoran. I believe Mankar Camoran used it to create his Paradise. It should give us the means to open a gate there ourselves. I will continue studying it.
Liann Can you tell me about the Oblivion Gate?
Martin It is now clear to me that the only way to stop the Oblivion invasion is to relight the Dragonfires. Emperor, Amulet, and Dragonfire—with these divine gifts, the daedra of Oblivion have been kept at bay for thousands of years. While the Dragonfires burned, the divine barriers kept the daedra from making more than fleeting visits to our world. But the Dragonfires can only be relit by an heir of the Septim blood wielding the Amulet of Kings. This was the essence of Mankar Camoran’s plot. He was undone only by the merest…chance…but his complete victory remains perilously close. We must recover the Amulet of Kings and relight the Dragonfires, before it is too late to stem Dagon’s invasion.
Martin I hope to have at least part of the Mysterium Xarxes translated in a few days. Speak to Jauffre about those spies in the meantime.
Baurus
I never had time to properly thank you for your help back in the Imperial City. I wouldn't have made it back here if it weren't for you. Now that we have a free moment, I thought you might be able to use some tricks I've picked up fighting with the Blades over the years. Nobody who hasn't trained with the Blades will know these moves, so you should find them useful. See, when they swing at you sidearm, you twist your wrist like this... exactly! You're a natural at this. Let me show you another one...
LiannCan you tell me about Cloud Ruler Temple?
Baurus
I haven't been to Cloud Ruler since I was a young trainee. It feels good to be back. The Blades have always been here, and always will be.
Next: Spies.
|
|
