Day 125: The good wizard

Divayth Fyr is a most rare individual. He is quite probably the oldest Dunmer I have ever seen, by his own reckoning perhaps the oldest alive. As he says "Ancient wizards need projects to keep them occupied." So many wizards keep themselves occupied by turning to games of power that enslave or harm the less fortunate masses. Divayth Fyr is different; perhaps unique. He keeps the Corprusarium.

I entered Tel Fyr hesitantly. The Telvanni have not made me welcome, and I did not expect any different here. I was wrong. I was greeted by a beautiful Dunmer woman. From her name, Delte Fyr, it was clear that she is kin to Divayth Fyr, but I could not quite figure out if she was wife or daughter. She greeted me warmly, expressed sympathy for my slowly worsening case of corprus, and gave me directions to Divayth Fyr's study. Adding to my surprise she told me "I'm sure he won't mind being disturbed." Most retainers of wizards I have met guard their master's privacy as if their lives depended on it. Frequently that is because their lives do depend on it. Sometimes it is because they are tired of cleaning up the ashes that visitors are reduced to by their inhospitable masters.

I did find the wizard in his study, and despite Delte's assurances I was surprised at being welcomed. Having the corprus disease did help I suppose, as he is clearly fascinated by it. He examined me thoroughly, and demonstrated his expertise by proclaiming that I had carried the disease for approximately five days, having contracted it by direct curse rather than from contagion contact with another diseased person. I complimented him on the accuracy of his diagnosis, then asked what he had discovered regarding a cure. My hopes were dashed when he said that he had not found one. He has developed a potion based on his theories about the disease that he believes should cure it, but it has killed every test subject he has tried it on so far.

The aged wizard spent much of his afternoon conversing with me. He expanded on his theories, which mostly were far beyond my understanding. Occasionally he would pause, and write a brief note in a large journal. "Explaining my theory invariably gives me insights into areas for further research. I hope you don't mind," he said with surprising courtesy at the first such pause. I did not mind at all. My only hope was that he would have some sudden insight into a cure.

Perhaps the strangest part of his lecture was the story of his 'daughters'. It is no wonder I was not able to grasp the relationship between Delte Fyr and the wizard. She and her three 'sisters' are a byproduct of the wizard's research. He grew them from samples of his own flesh using the regenerative properties of the corprus disease. Though they are difficult to tell apart by looking at them they all have different temperaments apparently. Delte meticulously manages the accounts of the tower and surprisingly, and as I had already noted she is friendly in a businesslike way. Alfe, who I also met today, is in some ways the brightest of the lot according to the wizard, but some significant portion of her intellect is reserved for guiding her sharp tongue. When we met she smiled slightly, a mere twitch at the corners of her mouth, then she said "You do have the corprus disease. Why aren't you in the caverns with the rest of the monsters?" I will be venturing into those caverns tomorrow, where I will be meeting Uupse Fyr. She takes care of the corprus victims.

Tonight I am staying in a guest room. Divayth Fyr says that my case is not advanced enough to confine me to the caverns. The other inmates would be inclined to kill me. He does want me to go down into the corprusarium tomorrow though. He has an errand I can do for him there, and he wants me to see clearly what it is like for myself. He wants to try his latest potion on me. I suppose he thinks that once I see the alternative I will be more inclined to take the risk. As he points out I have nothing to lose.