Day Thirty-three: Daedric shrine
Vvardenfell is certainly consistent. I find a new danger to life and limb on a daily basis it seems. Today I found out that the Dwarven ruins are even more dangerous than I thought, and I found a Daedric shrine where I barely survived. It is good to be home, and for tonight at least I wonder if I will ever go out again.
I rose early this morning, waded across to Shurinbaal, and ambled down to the storage area. I put all the remaining goods in a pile, then gathered them up and teleported myself home. A couple hours work and I had everything sorted and stowed. I think I will set up the armorers of Balmora to meet me in the Temple courtyard tomorrow and teleport myself there with all the spare armor and weapons that I have acquired. I could outfit a small army, but I would prefer to have their gold.
That task complete I set off for the Dwarven ruins to gather my artifacts and metal. I call it mine since I had eliminated all the guardians yesterday. I learned a valuable lesson about the Dwemer when I strolled casually into the ruins today. Safe yesterday means nothing today. I was immediately swarmed under by a centurion spider, a sphere warrior, and two ancient ghosts which I took to be the Dwemer themselves. How all these creatures appeared in the ruins overnight I will never know, but I will always be on guard entering such places in the future. I was forced to consume my last restorative to heal my wounds during the battle, but did dispatch all of my opponents and successfully return home with the metal and artifacts I went to retrieve.
I was down to my last restorative because I had used most of my supply shortly before. Coming at the ruins from a different direction gave me a different view, and as I approached I saw a towering structure on another nearby isle. Curious, I turned and swam ashore there. No sooner had I climbed out onto the stones than I was struck by a scorching bolt of magical flame, launched from somewhere amongst a cluster of pillars. I rolled frantically for cover with seawater steaming from my clothes, gulping the first of many restorative potions. I gathered myself behind a stone platform and peered cautiously towards the center of the structure. To my horror a flame atronach burst forth, waving its fiery arms. Burning eye pits fastened on me, and I ducked as another bolt of flame roared out to lick the stones where I had sheltered.
With spear in hand I held my ground at the corner of a large stone block. I could hear the crackle and hiss of the atronach approaching, and timed a ripping thrust that tore through its burning chest as it turned the corner. Gouts of flame leapt with the point as it tore through, but the atronach did not fall. One swipe of its flaming hand and I was again scuttling out of reach gulping restoratives. The monster bounded after me, intent on finishing me before the restoratives could take effect, and it nearly succeeded. Curative magic from within battled the flames that threatened to consume me from without, and I writhed in agony. Though half blinded with smoke and sickened from the smell of my own charring flesh I held on to the devil spear and entrusted my life to its enchanted point. My vision cleared to find the atronach, still smouldering, stretched on its back with my spear pinning it to the moist earth. I retrieved some of the crystals left from its rapidly disintigrating substance and used numerous charges from my belt to complete my own healing process.
Once healed I ventured into the center court of the Daedric shrine. It was indeed a Daedric shrine, a place where evil people gather to worship the evil Daedra. I had been told that in the troubled times currently besetting Morrowind the Daedric cults had gained a foothold and begun restoring such shrines. I had also been advised to avoid them. Now I know why. The atronach was not the only creature summoned from distant planes of existence to defend the site. A powerfully built Nord woman in elaborate bonemold armor stood on an elevated platform and watched dispassionately as I was beset by three two legged lizard creatures.
The lizards, which the Nord barbarian woman Holmgeira later identified as clannfears, delivered powerful strikes and bites with their beaks while fanlike structures spread from their skulls to protect their necks and bodies. I found myself once again gulping restoratives, and barely able to sustain myself against the rain of blows. Sustain I did, and eventually my spear took its toll and one of the creatures collapsed in a heap. With only two opponents
the steady stream of restoratives began to carry the day, and I soon dispatched the two remaining clannfear. As each one fell Holmgeira raised an insincere round of applause, except for the last. When I looked up at her it was plain to see why. She held a bow loosely, an arrow nocked, ready and willing to draw and fire. I spoke quickly, in honeyed tones.
It was not easy to convince Holmgeira that I had no quarrel with her, or anyone else inside the shrine she called Addadshashanammu, but she did relent to letting me leave peacefully once I had promised not to make a quick move for the door. Holmgeira has fiery red hair, and a temper to match. I was happy to leave her cult's shrine behind without having to test her mettle.
Having teleported home with my load of Dwemer metal I set out to brew some new healing potions. I have worked deep into the night sifting through mountains of ingredients, and have found no new formulae. I will either have to buy more potions, or buy the ingredients that I know I can use. I settle into my bed disgusted with the entire field of alchemy.
I rose early this morning, waded across to Shurinbaal, and ambled down to the storage area. I put all the remaining goods in a pile, then gathered them up and teleported myself home. A couple hours work and I had everything sorted and stowed. I think I will set up the armorers of Balmora to meet me in the Temple courtyard tomorrow and teleport myself there with all the spare armor and weapons that I have acquired. I could outfit a small army, but I would prefer to have their gold.
That task complete I set off for the Dwarven ruins to gather my artifacts and metal. I call it mine since I had eliminated all the guardians yesterday. I learned a valuable lesson about the Dwemer when I strolled casually into the ruins today. Safe yesterday means nothing today. I was immediately swarmed under by a centurion spider, a sphere warrior, and two ancient ghosts which I took to be the Dwemer themselves. How all these creatures appeared in the ruins overnight I will never know, but I will always be on guard entering such places in the future. I was forced to consume my last restorative to heal my wounds during the battle, but did dispatch all of my opponents and successfully return home with the metal and artifacts I went to retrieve.
I was down to my last restorative because I had used most of my supply shortly before. Coming at the ruins from a different direction gave me a different view, and as I approached I saw a towering structure on another nearby isle. Curious, I turned and swam ashore there. No sooner had I climbed out onto the stones than I was struck by a scorching bolt of magical flame, launched from somewhere amongst a cluster of pillars. I rolled frantically for cover with seawater steaming from my clothes, gulping the first of many restorative potions. I gathered myself behind a stone platform and peered cautiously towards the center of the structure. To my horror a flame atronach burst forth, waving its fiery arms. Burning eye pits fastened on me, and I ducked as another bolt of flame roared out to lick the stones where I had sheltered.
With spear in hand I held my ground at the corner of a large stone block. I could hear the crackle and hiss of the atronach approaching, and timed a ripping thrust that tore through its burning chest as it turned the corner. Gouts of flame leapt with the point as it tore through, but the atronach did not fall. One swipe of its flaming hand and I was again scuttling out of reach gulping restoratives. The monster bounded after me, intent on finishing me before the restoratives could take effect, and it nearly succeeded. Curative magic from within battled the flames that threatened to consume me from without, and I writhed in agony. Though half blinded with smoke and sickened from the smell of my own charring flesh I held on to the devil spear and entrusted my life to its enchanted point. My vision cleared to find the atronach, still smouldering, stretched on its back with my spear pinning it to the moist earth. I retrieved some of the crystals left from its rapidly disintigrating substance and used numerous charges from my belt to complete my own healing process.
Once healed I ventured into the center court of the Daedric shrine. It was indeed a Daedric shrine, a place where evil people gather to worship the evil Daedra. I had been told that in the troubled times currently besetting Morrowind the Daedric cults had gained a foothold and begun restoring such shrines. I had also been advised to avoid them. Now I know why. The atronach was not the only creature summoned from distant planes of existence to defend the site. A powerfully built Nord woman in elaborate bonemold armor stood on an elevated platform and watched dispassionately as I was beset by three two legged lizard creatures.
The lizards, which the Nord barbarian woman Holmgeira later identified as clannfears, delivered powerful strikes and bites with their beaks while fanlike structures spread from their skulls to protect their necks and bodies. I found myself once again gulping restoratives, and barely able to sustain myself against the rain of blows. Sustain I did, and eventually my spear took its toll and one of the creatures collapsed in a heap. With only two opponents
the steady stream of restoratives began to carry the day, and I soon dispatched the two remaining clannfear. As each one fell Holmgeira raised an insincere round of applause, except for the last. When I looked up at her it was plain to see why. She held a bow loosely, an arrow nocked, ready and willing to draw and fire. I spoke quickly, in honeyed tones.
It was not easy to convince Holmgeira that I had no quarrel with her, or anyone else inside the shrine she called Addadshashanammu, but she did relent to letting me leave peacefully once I had promised not to make a quick move for the door. Holmgeira has fiery red hair, and a temper to match. I was happy to leave her cult's shrine behind without having to test her mettle.
Having teleported home with my load of Dwemer metal I set out to brew some new healing potions. I have worked deep into the night sifting through mountains of ingredients, and have found no new formulae. I will either have to buy more potions, or buy the ingredients that I know I can use. I settle into my bed disgusted with the entire field of alchemy.
posted by Tim | 3:58 AM
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