Day Seventy: To join the Temple

I have tired of the warrens of Vivec City. Even in the upper levels of the cantons there is a sense of being indoors. Travelling by spells, be they my own or the guild guides there is no chance to feel the dirt underfoot, breathe open air, see the sky and far vistas. Today I made up for that by strolling the countryside between Pelagiad and Balmora. I wanted to adjust to heavy armor again as well as practice my alteration magic, specifically water breathing. I am becoming quite adept. Much of the countryside in the Ascadian Isles region being underwater gave me many opportunities. Walking through the depths in heavy armor is a much slower way to travel than teleportation, but I arrived in Balmora with a fair sack of pearls gathered in passing from the Kallops of the lakebeds.

In Balmora I had dinner with Caius. It took an effort to pull him away from his books and notes. Finally I said "Something may be revealed in discussion that could be read over a dozen times." We dined on fresh mudcrab and nix hound steaks that I had gathered during my hike. I don't know if anything revealed by our discussion will prove important or not, but it gave me a chance to get more familiar with the mysterious spymaster, and gave him a break from his endless studying. He has not yet determined where to send me next, but we agreed I should take the time to get familiar with more of the island.

"Have you heard of a book called 'The Pilgrim's Path'?" he asked.

"I think I saw it in Jobasha's Rare Bookstore," I replied. "Am I remembering correctly; he said it was a temple book?"

"That's the one. It recounts the seven graces of Vivec. There are shrines, and initiates of the temple make pilgimages to them representing these seven graces. I've been thinking about the temple; and you. The Tribunal Temple has no tolerance for the Nerevarine Cult. They have even less tolerance for anyone claiming to be the Nerevarine. I think there are some in the temple who would just as soon round up everyone born on the specified day, have a big bonfire and roast them all. That would include you. And the further along this path we go, the more inclined they will be to have at least a small fire and roast you."

"Thanks Caius. When you brought me here that was part of the plan I assume. Looking forward to grilling nix hound on a spit at the big occassion?"

He chuckled. "No lad, I never intended for it to get that far. At the time the whole Nerevarine question was just....sort of out there. Now I'm starting to think it all makes sense. Gone native a bit maybe. At any rate, I don't want to see you get tossed in a fire by the Ordinators. There's a bit of wisdom I've picked up in my years of service. Know your friends well, and your enemies better. The temple may well become dangerous enemies. It may serve you well to learn more about them."

"So you think I should do these pilgrimages?"

"It wouldn't hurt. Make some friends in the temple. Might accidently come to know some of these disidents, or some that might become disidents. And the pilgrimages will take you into parts of Vvardenfell you've not yet seen. Things are cooling off here in Balmora with the Hlaalu, but Feldrelo Sadri over at the temple doesn't like you much. Might help with that as well. Since she is in charge here in Balmora she is not a good enemy to have."

I went back to the guild hall and took transport to Ald-ruhn. I don't have 'The Pilgrim's Path' in my collection. Tomorrow I will visit the temple here and pick up a copy.