Fredas, 2^nd Morning Star, 4E 202

After breakfast, I dressed in my Lord’s Armour and did the same trick as the day before so nobody would see me disembark. Most Dawnstar residents were wise enough to stay inside and out of the cold. Therefore, it was not difficult to find a deserted alleyway to pop out of the ether unseen.

I entered the Mythic Dawn Museum and was met by an eager Silus who asked, “Have you found one of the pieces?”

“I have all of them.”

“It seems you are worth every septim you demanded! Your payment is in the chest over there. Three thousand septim.”

“What do you plan to do with the pieces I retrieved and the scabbard?”

“I know how to put all the pieces together. I just need to take them to Dagon’s Shrine and contact the Lord of Change directly.”

“Have you ever spoken to Mehrunes Dagon?”

“No, but I am sure he will be pleased his Razor can become whole once more! Ever since I was a boy, I felt this strange sense of destiny surrounding the Mythic Dawn cult, and now I know what it is.”

“You wouldn’t want to be robbed and the pieces taken from you. So why don’t you head to Dagon’s Shrine, and I will meet you there with the pieces.”

“Why don’t you accompany me as my bodyguard?”

“I have something I need to do first. Don’t worry. You will not have to wait long.”

“You might take the gold and the pieces. How can I trust you?”

“Take the pommel stone. That is small enough to hide, and nobody would think it is worth much. The other pieces are worthless without it, so that is my guarantee I will not try and cheat you.”

“Fair enough. Do you know where the shrine is?”

“A pathway west of Hall of the Vigilant leads to a steep set of stairs. At the top of many stairs is Dagon’s Shrine.”

“Yes, that is the easiest way to find it. However, there is another path south of Fort Dunstad that is rarely used.”

“You are going to be close to the headquarters of The Vigilants of Stendarr. Do you think it wise to wear the outfit of Mythic Dawn?”

“It is not illegal to worship Mehrunes Dagon!”

“Do you worship Lord Dagon?”

“That is, frankly, none of your business!”

“Daedric worship is not outlawed. Mythic Dawn is outlawed. You can wear those robes within this museum as part of the exhibits. Outside, you risk arrest.”

“I accept that risk. Lord Dagon will be impressed by my refusal to conform!”

“If you are not at the shrine, I will rescue you from the Vigilants.”

“You can do that?”

“I can do a lot of things.”

“Okay, I shall meet you there.”

I handed Silus the pommel stone then he hurried out of his museum. I doubt he will sustain such a pace for the entirety of his trip to Dagon’s Shrine.

I gathered The Sentinels and explained where we were going. Then we started the long hike.

Halfway to Dagon’s Shrine, I realised The Sentinels were ignorant of my thoughts on Silus. I stopped so we could have a quick discussion.

• Wulf: I apologise. I have not told you what I think about Silus.
• Lydia: Wulf, I have known you long enough to recognise when you are deep in thought. Eventually, I would have asked.
• Wulf: Silus has nothing to do with O’s plot. The tour of his museum neglected to mention the lies of Mankar Camoran and how Paradise was used to cull cultists so that only the strongest ever served Lord Dagon. I think he is ashamed of his family’s past and is trying to regain some respect by glossing over the details of the Oblivion Crises.
• Rayya: Does he worship the Dark Lord?
• Wulf: I don’t think so. If Lord Dagon does not respond to his request to repair the relic, he will realise his family are mortal tools used and discarded.
• Lydia: If the god repairs the Razor?
• Wulf: I will offer Silus a replica for his museum and lock the original away in the museum’s pocket plane.
• Lydia: What if he refuses that offer?
• Wulf: Commander Valdr of the Penitus Oculatus can be very convincing. Silus can hand it over willingly and receive a replica, or it will be confiscated, and he gets nothing.
• Lydia: Okay, you have told us your thoughts on Silus. Now you can tell us why you have been so distracted.
• Wulf: My intuition, instincts or whatever are nagging me. Silus and Mehrunes’ Razor have nothing to do with the Divine Task. Stopping O’s plan would generally be a Divine Task in itself. However, I can’t help but think it is only a part of this Divine Task. I believe The Divines want me to reconstruct The Amulet of Kings.
• Rayya: What would that achieve?
• Wulf: That depends on what powers the rebuilt amulet possesses.
• Rayya: It can’t be difficult to remake if only Dragonfire is required. You could ask one of your scaly friends to supply that.
• Wulf: Lord Akatosh made it. I doubt normal Dragonfire is the only thing required.
• Lydia: Is that the only thing that has had you deep in thought this morning?
• Wulf: I am being my own worst enemy and speculating on ifs, buts and maybes.
• Lydia: Maybe you should talk to Rigmor?
• Wulf: I can sense she is in a good mood, so I will not burden her with my random musings.
• Lydia: She would not find it a burden!
• Wulf: Let us get Silus out of the way. Perhaps Auryen will then provide the next step in this Divine Task.

Surprisingly, we encountered no enemies during our long morning walk. At the foot of the steps leading to Dagon’s Shrine, I instructed The Sentinels to wait for me.

As I made my way to the shrine, I banished all wandering thoughts. I was probably going to interact with a Daedric Prince and needed to concentrate.

When I arrived at the top, Silus was eager to proceed and said, “Good, you are here at last! Let’s place the pieces on the altar, and Dagon should speak to me.”

After placing the pieces I carried on the altar, I stood back. Silus added the pommel stone, then started his plea to the Dark Lord, “Mehrunes Dagon, the Lord of Change, I have brought your Razor to you. I beg you. Please bring the blade’s full glory to Tamriel again!”

Dagon started to probe my mind and found himself unable to penetrate my defences. If he wished to speak to me, Silus would also hear what he had to say.

After standing for several minutes and fruitlessly begging for Dagon’s attention, Silus turned to me and said, “It’s not working. Why don’t you give it a try? Just place your hands on the altar.”

I told him, “I don’t need to place my hands on the altar or plead for Lord Dagon’s attention.”

I stood before the altar. Dagon ceased trying to get into my head and spoke aloud with the contempt and arrogance I expected, “You. Mortal. You are worthy of my attention. You have claimed the pieces of my Razor. It had been an amusing game to witness. But Dagon does not declare a winner while there is a pawn on the board. Kill Silus. He and his family have served their purpose.”

“You have not witnessed me retrieve the pieces and have no idea who I am. Lord Akatosh is my celestial father, and I am Champion of The Divines. I have with me the five shards of the Chim-el Adabal and have thwarted your plan to reconstruct The Amulet of the Kings. You did not sacrifice your immortality to build Mundus and Nirn. Therefore you have no legitimate claim to this realm! I will not kill Silus! Your Razor will be placed in Aetherius and will never again pollute the mortal realm!”

I yelled to Silus, “Go home! Do not touch the Razor! I will talk to you in the next day or so.”

“Who are you?”

“I am The Dragonborn. Now go!”

Silus ran. Dagon yelled, “You dare deny Mehrunes Dagon? Suffer!”

Two Dremora appeared. I laughed, then replied, “I can summon two Dremora Lords. How are they going to make me suffer? Once again, a Son of Akatosh thwarts your plan. So it must be you who is suffering, Lord Dagon!”

I quickly cut the Dremora down. Both of them had keys to Dagon’s Temple.

I entered the temple and discovered three Dremora being savaged by some sort of dog. The Dremora tried commanding the dog to stop. From their increasingly desperate pleas, I ascertained the dog’s name was Kaiser.

I was going to aid Kaiser but quickly decided he needed no help. He disposed of the three Dremora with flame and fang.

Kaiser was not pretty and a Daedra. He stood staring at me, and I instinctively knew he wanted to accompany me.

I patted him and found the flames surrounding him were an illusion. The ones he created during his fight with the Dremora were not.

Kaiser enjoyed a scratch behind the ear as much as any dog. I surmised that the Dremora were not gentle with Kaiser, and he rebelled when given the opportunity.

I asked Kaiser, “Do you want to come with me?”

It was a very deep bark and the enthusiastic wag of a tail that answered in the affirmative.

I had a look through the many chests and collected some good quality gems. The only other thing of value inside the temple was a bow. I took it with me in case it was worth displaying in my museum.

I left the temple, collected the pieces of Mehrunes’ Razor then made my way to The Sentinels.

Kaiser trotted along with a trail of illusionary fire following.

Lydia exclaimed, “What in Talos’ name is that?”

“He is called Kaiser. I just watched him destroy three powerful Dremora in seconds.”

“Is he a Daedra?”

“It certainly seems like it.”

“What are you going to do with him?”

“He can live aboard Bostin for now. If Meeko approves of him, then he will become part of my growing entourage.”

“And if Meeko disapproves?”

“I will figure something out. I will not kill him, no matter what!”

“What about the fire?”

“It is an illusion except when he fights.”

“We could hear Dagon from here. It sounds like you made another friend.”

“Did Silus pass you?”

“He came flying down the steps like Dagon himself pursued him!”

“I wonder if he will run all the way to Dawnstar?”

“Tell us the details as we walk.”

It did not take long for me to outline what happened at the shrine. Naturally, it took a lot longer to answer all the questions The Sentinels had. As we walked, Kaiser introduced himself to each Sentinel. By the time we reached Dawnstar, he was no longer looked upon with suspicion by them.

Upon entering Bostin’s cabin, I set a course for Solitude.

I entered my bedroom and contacted Rigmor.

“My dear Nordling, can you talk?”

“Better than that. I can be with you!”

Rigmor appeared before me in her Penitus Oculatus armour.

She asked, “Anything exciting happen today?”

I sat with Rigmor, and we talked for the entire two hours it took to ether to Solitude.

When the bell rang, Rigmor joined me on deck to watch Bostin automatically dock.

Rigmor asked, “When you join me in Bruma, could you set up one of these permanent docks at my castle?”

“Yes. I have already set one up at Clockwork Castle.”

“Oh, we must pay a visit there soon!”

“Lamar has not had a lack of guests to fuss over. But we will visit together as we promised.”

Gregor wanted to stay aboard Bostin, so it was the ladies and I that entered the museum.

When Auryen saw us, he beckoned us to follow him. So we sat in the museum’s dining room, and the gobblygook session began.

• Auryen: My friend, I have some incredible information about the relics to share with you!
• Wulf: Calm down, Auryen. If you speak too quickly, the others will not be able to follow our conversation.
• Rigmor: There is not much chance of that no matter how fast Auryen speaks!
• Auryen: Ah, good, well, where to begin?
• Wulf: Try the beginning, Auryen. If you start with the end and ruin the plot for me, I will cry.
• Auryen: Okay, but I know that I tend to expound upon things. I’ll try and be to the point for brevity’s sake.
• Lydia: Can you teach Wulf how to do that?
• Auryen: Yes, well, if you’d like to know more about anything, ask. Otherwise, I’ll assume you know what I’m talking about.
• Nubaree: I might not be able to ask a question if my brain shuts down.
• Wulf: Even if I think I know, I will get your point of view, Auryen.
• Auryen: A wise move because you never know what you don’t know, you know.
• Wulf: Yes, but I usually know what you know, so we both know, you know.
• Auryen: I’ve done a good deal of research to confirm some theories. From what I can tell, the connection between the shards and shield is their relationship to the Covenant that Akatosh made with Alessia.

I stood and quoted,

“Akatosh drew from his breast a burning handful of his Heart’s blood, and he gave it into Alessia’s hand, saying, ‘This shall also be a token to you of our joined blood and pledged faith. So long as you and your descendants shall wear the Amulet of Kings, then shall the Dragonfires burn, eternal flames, as a sign to all men and gods of our faithfulness. So long as the Dragonfires shall burn, to you, and all generations, I swear that my Heart’s blood shall hold fast the Gates of Oblivion.”

• Auryen: That is from ‘The Trials of St. Alessia.’ It has its critics and opponents like most historical texts.
• Wulf: Mehrunes Dagon proved the Covenant to be true. The Oblivion Crises would not have happened in the Dragonfires were not extinguished. I will believe the actions of a god and subsequent disaster over the ramblings of dissenting historians. The only conflict is how the Chim-el Adabal was created.
• Auryen: I find it fascinating because, in many ways, Akatosh only came to be because of Saint Alessia’s actions.
• Rigmor: I can tell Wulf does not believe what you are about to say.
• Auryen: The way his eyes looked to the heavens and his loud sigh is a bit of a giveaway.
• Wulf: Please, I said I would listen to your point of view. I will resist any raspberries or laughter.
• Auryen: I believe that during the ‘Middle Dawn’, a period of the first era that lasted one thousand and eight years, which the Marukhati Selective brought about, a group within the Alessian order, used the Staff of Eight to ‘dance upon the tower and reshape the nature of Akatosh. By their dancing ritual, they were able to purge the elven aspects of Auriel from Akatosh and instead bind the time element of ‘Aka’ to the Colovian Shezzar, which was a sort of heartland version of Shor, the god of mortals. By doing so, they established Akatosh as the god of time across ALL time, past, present and future, as if he had always been there, essentially breaking the concept of linear time briefly, but that resolved itself on its own. They did this to appeal to their Nordic allies, who would never have accepted a central deity tied closely to the elven Auriel.
• Wulf: The Marukhati Selective did not believe the teachings of Marukh but used them to justify their actions. Marukh’s bullshit and the Alessian Order are the greatest blasphemy against Saint Alessia and The Divines.  Almost two thousand years of Mer persecution and monotheism instead of The Eight. Even the Marukhati Selective’s own warped ‘Exclusionary Mandates’ shoots down this bizarre theory about Akatosh. One of them states, ‘That the Supreme Spirit Akatosh is of unitary essence, as proven by the monolinearity of Time.’ In other words, Akatosh was the God of Time according to their mandates which were written before they tried their bizarre ritual!
• Rigmor: You told me once that there is more than one God of Time.
• Wulf: In a way. Auri-El, Alduin, Alkosh, Tosh-Raka, Ruptga and others are shards or avatars of Aka, also called Aka-tusk or Ald. He is the ‘Dragon Made Whole’ whose different aspects take on features determined by their worshippers. Auri-El appears as a bipedal elven character in the Falmer pantheon. Alduin is a large black dragon in the Nordic Pantheon. What Saint Alessia did was make Aka-tusk the chief deity of The Eight but called him Akatosh. Aka-tusk, who is Akatosh, has always been the God of Time. That is what makes the most sense to me and destroys the lie that the Marukhati Selective removed the elven bits of Akatosh.
• Rigmor: How did Aka-tusk become many aspects or shards?
• Wulf: At the Convention, where linear time was forced upon Mundus, the shards or aspects were created. I think this was foreseen and not an accidental shattering, as some claim.
• Rayya: Can you explain the Convention?
• Wulf: Anu and Padomay created the Cosmos from the Aurbis. The natural forces of that creation formed Aka/Aka-tusk/Alb/Akatosh. Other et-Ada followed after him. When Nirn was first created, and the Gods walked upon it, chaos reigned, and the Cosmos was unstable.
• Rayya: I am okay up to that point.
• Wulf: The Convention at the Adamantine Tower was where linear time was first forced upon Nirn and ended the Dawn Era. The Cosmos stabilised. Magnus left the mortal plane after the Convention, and some other et-Ada followed him to become the Magna-Ge. Some of the et-Ada become the Earthbones. Some became mortals and the progenitors of Man and Mer. Others became Aedra, what we call The Divines. Others became what we now call Daedric Princes.
• Nubaree: Auryen, does this difference of opinion make the rest of your theory unpalatable to Wulf?
• Auryen: Maybe we will reach the same conclusion despite the differences. We knew there would be some.
• Wulf: Before we move on, I would like to clarify some other points concerning Auryen’s theory. The Nords had already accepted Alessia’s pantheon, which was in place for many years before the Alessian Order. There was no need to remove elven aspects of Akatosh to convince the Nords to worship Akatosh over Alduin.
• Auryen: Anything else?
• Wulf: The Marukhati Selective caused a Dragon-Break, the Middle Dawn, with their meddling. They did not remove the elven aspects from Akatosh as there weren’t any! The Dragon-Break did not fix itself. Female Dov, called Jills, wove the parallel timelines into the single timeline in which we now exist.
• Auryen: Your objections are valid. I will have to think more on the subject.
• Wulf: We are at the mercy of the myths and mixture of truths and untruths handed to us. But logic is a tool we can use to see what is sensible and what just does not fit in. Blasphemous mortals dancing atop the White-Gold Tower cannot change the nature of what was created at the beginning of the Cosmos!
• Auryen: Do you not use the word ‘gobblygook’ to describe the illogical? You have learnt to accept such illogic as factual.
• Rigmor: Wulf’s acceptance is dependant on how many Sweet-Rolls he has consumed.
• Lydia: Mine depends on how many meads I have consumed.
• Wulf: There are things beyond my comprehension, as I openly admit. If I accepted a theory or supposed history without giving it much thought, I would endanger myself and every other mortal. You all owe your lives to my ability to sort fiction from fact!
• Rigmor: Wulf, I am sorry as I did not mean to belittle what you say.
• Auryen: Moving on then. Queen Alessia’s soul was bound to the Amulet of Kings by The Covenant. It was captured within the gem upon her death.
• Wulf: Yes and no, but that simplified summation will suffice.
• Auryen: Her soul must still be bound to the Chim-el Adabal even in a shattered state.
• Wulf: There is no evidence or logical reason to support that assumption. Her soul resides in Aetherius after being escorted there by Pelinal Whitestrake. Upon arrival, she ascended to godhood. I am willing to believe that part of her Life Force, and therefore part of her soul may be bound to the shards. However, the majority of her Life Force and her consciousness is not.
• Auryen: The relics react to you because of your soul being directly bound to Akatosh.
• Wulf: I don’t think my dragon soul is the only reason, but that is a gut feeling. I have no evidence to support it.
• Auryen: I believe if we were to bring enough relics that tie to The Covenant, we might be able to appeal to Akatosh to reform the amulet.

I started to laugh, and Auryen looked startled at first and then offended.

• Wulf: No offence, Auryen, but you have not provided a single piece of evidence to support that excellent piece of speculation. Nothing we have discussed so far even hints at it! But you honestly believe what you are saying, don’t you?
• Auryen: Yes, I am confident I am right in this matter.
• Wulf: If I asked you to prove the validity of this plan, could you?

Auryen was about to answer, then he paused. His angry retort was terminated when he realised he could offer no proof.

• Wulf: The Divines are using you to direct me to the next step of this Divine Task.
• Auryen: That is a disturbing concept!
• Wulf: It is not mind-control, but suddenly this idea about the relics seems logical and plausible to you without supporting evidence. I don’t know the mechanics of it, but let us proceed for now.
• Rigmor: Wulf has said on many occasions that the way he resolves a Divine Task is just as important as achieving resolution.
• Lydia: That is why they never leave him with clear instructions.
• Rayya: Or a map with an X marked on it.
• Rigmor: I doubt a restored amulet will have all the dweomer and powers it once had. It may strengthen the White-Gold Tower. Rigmor could take the repaired amulet to the Imperial City and have some Imperial Mages investigate.
• Lydia: Auryen, what relics do we need?
• Auryen: One of them should be something associated with Reman Cyrodiil. He had a rather… mythological origin.
• Wulf: Please, not that rubbish!
• Rigmor: You said Auryen could tell his gobblygook, and then you would have your say! Be a good Dragonborn and shut up for a minute.
• Wulf: Yes, master.
• Auryen: The story states that Reman’s father, King Hrol, begot him with the spirit of Saint Alessia upon the site of Sancre Tor, the ‘Golden Hill’. The spirit was the land itself, and Hrol placed the Chim-el Adabal into the dirt where Reman was ‘planted’, and then he died. Reman was then ‘born’ from the soil and bore the gem upon his forehead.
• Rigmor: That doesn’t sound as far-fetched as some gobblygook.
• Wulf: That’s because Auryen toned it down a bit. Would you like the uncensored version?
• Lydia: The Wulf version?
• Wulf: As his loyal troops watched, King Hrol dropped his trousers and stuck his willy into a muddy hole on the side of a hill. After ejaculating into said hole, he did up his pants, and everybody carried on as if this was normal. Over the next few months, the hill grew in size like a pregnant woman’s belly. Then, one day, baby Reman sprung from the ground like a potato with the entire Amulet of Kings on his forehead, not just the Red Diamond.
• Auryen: That does make it sound a bit silly.
• Wulf: A lot of these myths make no sense logically! Why would the Gods bother with such one-off showy phenomena? Especially when it makes a mockery of both Lady Mara and Lady Dibella! There must be something special about our mortal heroes. They can’t be conceived and born the same way as the town blacksmith! A stupid myth is constructed, and the laymen lap it up as truth. We are supposed to revere the processes involved in making and birthing children, yet the Gods themselves shunned such things to make Reman? No, they did not! Reman was conceived during normal intimacy and came into this world covered in the blood of his mother!
• Rigmor: Did the myth provide legitimacy to Reman’s rule?
• Lydia: Rigmor, you are thinking like a politician! What have they done to you in Cyrodiil?
• Wulf: Reman could wear The Amulet of Kings, so he must have carried Saint Alessia’s bloodline, but no records proved it. This myth provided a link to Saint Alessia, and I believe that is why it was created.
• Lydia: You told me once that Pelinal Whitestrake predicted Reman’s birth.
• Wulf: Pelinal often challenged the heroes and leaders of his enemies to a duel rather than try and find them on a field of battle. He duelled Haromir, where Sancre Tor now stands. Pelinal was insane and tore out Haromir’s throat with his teeth. He then praised Reman more than a thousand years before Reman the Potato was harvested.
• Rigmor: Auryen, we have Reman’s shield. What other relics should Wulf seek?
• Auryen: Wulf, do you know the history of the ‘Battle of Sancre Tor’ that Talos won?
• Wulf: Yes, let me narrate what I remember.

I stood and said, “In 2E 282, Nords and their Breton allies occupied the passes and strongholds of the Jerall Mountains. The majority of their forces used Sancre Tor as their headquarters as they awaited the winter to pass before continuing their push into Cyrodiil.

King Cuhelain sent his brilliant young general, Tiber Septim, or Talos as his troops called him, to assault the fortress.

Talos’ troops were tired from continuous fighting and were not equipped for such an assault.

A turncoat whose name and race are lost to history told Talos of a secret passage discovered at the rear of Sancre Tor. Talos left a small but very noisy force outside of the front gates who taunted and insulted the defenders hoping they would sortie to crush the insolent mob. Predictably, the defenders did precisely that while the bulk of Talos’ troops followed him through the secret entrance. They quickly overwhelmed the undermanned fortress, captured nearly all the Nord and Breton generals, and then forced them to surrender.

After the battle, Talos had some of the Breton Battlemages executed but released the Breton troops. However, the Nords were so impressed by Talos they swore allegiance to him and helped with the rest of the conquest of Tamriel.

Talos went into the Sancre Tor catacombs, where he retrieved The Amulet of Kings from the tomb of Emperor Reman III. He then received Akatosh’s blessing, which made him Dragonborn.

The Blades had aided Talos to such an extent he gifted them his armour. Because that was the armour he wore when blessed by Lord Akatosh, it probably has a connection to the Red Diamond and The Amulet of Kings. Tiber Septim was also of the Alessian bloodline.”

• Auryen: We know the armour was still there during the Oblivion Crises. Martin Septim gathered the blood of Tiber Septim from the armour for use in a ritual.
• Wulf: Only the blood of a Divine could open the portal to Paradise, Mankar Camoran’s realm of Oblivion. Martin took some blood from Tiber’s chest plate.
• Auryen: Yes, and they used that blood to send the Champion of Cyrodiil through a portal to Paradise.
• Wulf: Yet more evidence of Talos’ divinity that the Thalmor pretend doesn’t exist.
• Auryen: The chest piece was returned to Sancre Tor after the Oblivion Crises ended.
• Rigmor: You want Wulf to travel to Sancre Tor? That might not be possible.
• Wulf: Sancre Tor is many miles inside Cyrodiil’s border. I can’t travel across Cyrodiil to reach it. The Divines had forbidden me from doing so.
• Auryen: Being aware of that restriction, I did some research. Have you heard of Ayleid Waystones?
• Wulf: I read several references to them when researching teleports and portals. Their dweomer was similar to a Scroll of Recall but permanent.
• Auryen: I have gathered a few. The inscription on this one indicates it will take you to Sancre Tor.

Auryen handed me an Ayleid Waystone.

• Wulf: I put it on to zap to Sancre Tor and remove it to return?
• Auryen: That is how they are supposed to work. I didn’t try it.
• Rigmor: Will Sancre Tor be dangerous?
• Wulf: I have no idea. I assume such a sacred place is well protected against grave robbers.
• Lydia: Wouldn’t you be safe? After all, you are a Dragonborn and blessed by Lord Akatosh.
• Wulf: I don’t know. I will travel to Sancre Tor even though Auryen can’t logically support the gobblygook about gathering artefacts to please Lord Akatosh.
• Auryen: I am glad that unfortunate reality amuses you.
• Wulf: Don’t try and figure out when and where you first came up with the idea. I have a suspicion, though.
• Auryen: Which is?
• Wulf: When the elderly gentlemen brought my sword to you, I bet my left gonad that he said something that led you to your theory.
• Auryen: I remember talking to him about the history of your sword and famous relics. Yes, he did mention how different items were connected to prominent figures and gods. I am usually good at remembering such fascinating conversations, but now it all seems a bit vague.
• Wulf: As I said before, it is not mind-control. The gods use clever tricks to seed an idea.
• Rigmor: Why travel to Sancre Tor when you already own two items associated with Talos?
• Auryen: I know about your coin. What is the other item?
• Wulf: The sword you gave me. The man who ‘donated’ it was an Avatar of Talos. The blade may have been used during the Dragon Wars, but the hilt is a more recent addition. That is why it carried the symbol of The Empire upon it.
• Auryen: The avatar I talked to, is it the one called Wulf in that old tale about the lucky coin?
• Wulf: I think you will find that the old tale is accurate and that many lucky coins identical to mine have been gifted.
• Auryen: Oh, he told me you have to visit Old Hroldan Inn but not to hurry. Go there when you get the chance.
• Wulf: You only just remembered that?
• Auryen: Yes, and now I am even more disturbed.
• Rigmor: Wulf, you didn’t answer me. Why travel to Sancre Tor?
• Wulf: The Divines want me to.
• Rigmor: I knew that would be your answer.
• Wulf: Based on the blank looks of The Sentinels, I think they have had enough gobblygook.
• Lydia: I think we are still recovering from King Hrol humping a muddy hole.
• Rayya: And some dare say Yokudan beliefs are strange?
• Nubaree: The Hist doesn’t ask us to make love to muddy holes.
• Rigmor: Wulf, promise me you will resist the charms of any muddy holes you see!
• Auryen: When will you leave for Sancre Tor?
• Wulf: Straight away. But I will do it from inside Bostin’s cabin.
• Auryen: Good luck.
• Wulf: Oh, I almost forgot. Is this bow worth displaying?

I handed Auryen the bow I retrieved from Dagon’s Temple.

• Auryen: What is its providence?
• Wulf: It was inside Mehrunes Dagon’s Temple.
• Auryen: I will do some research and let you know.
• Wulf: Also, you may be interested in the dissembled parts of Mehrunes’ Razor. Collect them from Bostin and have two replicas made. One replica for our museum and another for Silus. The original pieces are to be locked away in our pocket plane.
• Lydia: Silus is probably hiding under his bed.
• Auryen: He is not involved in O’s scheme?
• Wulf: No, not at all. I will talk to him soon and tell him his museum is a good idea as long as he teaches the whole truth and not the sanitised version.
• Lydia: Silus learned the Dark Lord has no loyalty to his family. Dagon would only reassemble his Razor if Wulf killed Silus.
• Auryen: Is there a story behind the Razor being in bits?
• Wulf: Yes, there is a book and note from Silus. They will make a good foundation for the display plaque.
• Auryen: You angered another Dark Lord?
• Wulf: Dagon tried the ‘I have spoken!’ tactic. That irritated me just a little.
• Auryen: I shall collect the parts later.
• Rigmor: Don’t let Kaiser scare you. He is pretty friendly and won’t set you alight.
• Auryen: Who or what is a Kaiser?
• Lydia: Kaiser is a Daedra in the form of a dog. He didn’t like Dagon and joined our side.
• Auryen: Wulf stole Dagon’s dog?
• Wulf: I didn’t steal him. He followed me home!
• Auryen: I look forward to meeting him.
• Wulf: Okay, I think I have remembered everything. So, I will, hopefully, see you soon with news from Sancre Tor.

We made our way to Bostin and entered the cabin. Rigmor stood with her arms crossed and demanded, “If you can, talk to me when you are there.”

“Sancre Tor is in the mortal plane, so I should be able to.”

“You think there is something more to this than just gathering relics, don’t you?”

“For a devotee of The Nine, Sancre Tor is the most sacred place on Nirn. I know that my time there will be life-changing. I am bursting with anticipation but also fear. I like this Wulf and what I have become. I want to return a wiser Wulf but still me. Do you understand?”

“You are speaking in the third person. Perhaps you are part Khajiit?”

“This one will walk away grumpy if you do not answer. Do you understand?”

“Yes, of course, I do! As soon as Auryen mentioned a trip to Sancre Tor, your anxiety level raised to new highs.”

“And now it is subdued as our peace dampens it.”

“It is best you leave now rather than worry and stress. The sooner you go, the sooner you can return to me.”

I kissed Rigmor then placed the Ayleid Waystone around my neck.

The brief chill of the ether replaced the warmth of Bostin’s cabin. Relative warmth returned as I found myself in the confines of Sancre Tor. Calm was replaced by anxiety as Rigmor was no longer near me.

Rigmor asked, “Do the rings work? Are you in Sancre Tor?”

“Yes, my love, and undead Blades are attacking me! Something evil resides in Sancre Tor!”