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R.I.P. neildarkstar. Haven will miss you dearly.
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The Call of the Wind
Topic Started: Mar 5 2018, 12:43 PM (577 Views)
Areial
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Et'Ada
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Great read!! Knowledge of ancient times isn't always hard to find.. if one know's where to look.. and who to ask!
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Kane
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Thanks! It occured to me as I was typing that him or Paarthy would be perfect to speak to about Miraak.
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Kane
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The Island

Several days later, the Northern Maiden sailed into the docks of Raven Rock. They were met on the pier by a Dunmer of the town council named Adril Arano. He gave them the expected speech about how they were in Morrowind, not Skyrim and to adhere to their rules. Curiously, though, he could not recall anything about Miraak – but he did recognize the name.
And that seemed to be the case throughout the entire ash-laden town. The residents went into an almost trance-like state when asked about the mysterious figure. Only one exception existed. Near a strange shrine on the western peninsula stood a Dunmer robed in red, watching some islanders laboring away absently around the tall stone.

He was quite surprised to see someone approach in a normal state of mind.

"You there... You don't seem to be in quite the same state as the others here. Very interesting. May I ask what it is you're doing here?"

“We are looking for a man called Miraak.”

Miraak... Miraak... It sounds familiar, and yet I can't quite place... Oh. Wait, I recall. But that makes very little sense. Miraak's been dead for thousands of years."

“I know – that is one of the reasons we are here. Nothing seems to be making any sense, here.”

"It is fascinating, isn't it? Perhaps it has some relation to what's going on here. Quite unexpected. I'm afraid I can't give you any answers. But there are ruins of an ancient temple of Miraak's toward the center of the island. If I were you, I'd look there."

“Thank you for the tip,” said Kirin. “Any idea what they are building here?”

"Building something, clearly. And yet they don't seem to have much to say about it. I'm very interested to find out what happens when they finish."
“Maybe we ought to stop them somehow…”

"Certainly not! Doing so would interfere with whatever is going on, and I would be unable to see how this all turns out."

Kirin shook his head before turning back towards town. He and Lydia headed for the tavern to gather any information they could on the temple Neloth directed them to. Unfortunately, they didn’t get much of anything from the denizens. Kirin settled to buying a map of the island from the general trader’s stall in the marketplace. Afterwards, they returned to the Retching Netch to rent a room for the night, and studied over the map for a few hours before turning in for bed.

----------------------------------------------------

It was fitful night of sleep for both of them at first, but sometime around midnight a curious vision filled their heads, and everything else faded into nothingness. A singular goal seemed to be driving them forward as they toiled aimlessly around the Beast Stone, constructing a shrine to the Lord Miraak.

This went on for several hours into the morning before the dragon within finally had enough, and Kirin crashed back into his own consciousness. As his vision cleared, he looked upon the various islanders building around yet another standing stone. Men, Mer, and Reiklings all worked away oblivious to the world around them. His heat sunk when he saw Lydia pushing a cart of stone around the site, still enthralled from the night before.

The sun began to set when Lydia finally came to her senses. Kirin had long ago carried her away from the shrine and laid her down to rest on their bedroll. After a few attempts to get up and wander off again, Kirin resorted to lightly binding Lydia’s hands and feet while he prayed to Kyne and Mara for help. Evening came and went, but finally his wife opened her eyes and looked around in surprise before trying to sit up.

“Husband, why are my limbs bound?”

Kirin rushed over and hugged her firmly before untying the bonds.

“Some evil presence enthralled us last night while we slept. I awoke from it some time ago, but you were under the spell for nearly an entire day.”

“Miraak?” asked Lydia.

“I believe so,” said Kirin. “The good news is, we are much closer to his temple now. Our feet carried us far into Solstheim’s interior last night. Miraak’s temple is on the mountaintop behind us.”

Lydia rose to her feet and took stock of her surroundings. It was dark out and only the fire lit the area around them. She absentmindedly began checking her gear with one hand, while the other rested on her stomach.

“We should head up there, Kirin. I am not tired and even if I were, I would be afraid to sleep again. Better to stay on the move and get to the bottom of this.”

“Agreed,” said Kirin. “With one exception.”

He swung the bow off of his back and unstrapped the quiver. Kirin passed them to Lydia and told her to take a few practice shots.

“I will not have you charging into combat with our child in you. Stay behind and use the bow as best you can. I will handle the up close and personal duels.”

“Kirin, I –“ Lydia protested.

“No. Please do not argue with me on this matter. The risk is too great.”

Lydia nodded, and began to loose a few arrows into a nearby tree.
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Areial
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Et'Ada
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:clap: Scarry thing waking up and not being where you went to sleep at.
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Love it, Kane! You write them so well.... thoroughly enjoyable - for me to read. Not for them so much!
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Lapuaboy
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Thane
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:thumb: Well done!
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Kane
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Thanks! :$
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Kane
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Waking Dreams

On the footsteps of the ancient fane, they battled with more of the Cultists responsible for the attack in Whiterun. They did not fight alone, however. A brave Skaal woman named Frea joined into the fray alongside Kirin and together, the three of them ended the battle decisively. Frea then spoke to Kirin and Lydia.

“What brings you to this place? Why are you here?"

“I would ask who you are, before I speak too much,” said Kirin.

"I am Frea of the Skaal. I am here to either save my people, or avenge them. Something has taken control of most of the people of Solstheim. It makes them forget themselves, and work on these horrible creations that corrupt the Stones, the very land itself. My father Storn, our shaman, says Miraak has returned to Solstheim, but that is impossible."

“The impossible has become the improbable. Miraak’s influence is spreading even to Skyrim, where his followers assaulted us boldly.”

"Then you and I both have reason to see what lies beneath us. Let us go. There is nothing more I can do here. The Tree Stone and my friends are beyond my help for now. We need to find a way into the temple below."

The three of them readied their weapons and descended the long spiral stairs into the pits of the temple. Kirin took the lead, followed by Frea, with Lydia bringing up the rear, bow at the ready. Throughout the temple the familiar undead Dragur were raised up in defiance of the intruders, alongside of Miraak’s fanatic cultists. It was not an easy going and more than once the trio was forced to stop and rest.

Ever downwards they delved into the seemingly endless depths of the temple. Long passage after passage lay before them as they ventured forth before they finally entered into the inner sanctum. Here the temple aesthetics began to change drastically and soon became a far cry from the customary design of the ancient Nords.

"I do not recognize this statuary,” said Frea. “We passed by a few of them earlier, but they are becoming more frequent as we get further in. I do not like this place. It almost looks as if these statues will come to life at any moment."

“Agreed, Frea. Be careful of what is to come, Husband. There is an air of danger all around us.”

They continued on until they emerged into an empty room with a single pedestal at the center. There laid a large black book – a tome much bigger than any Kirin had yet seen.
"There are dark magicks at work here. Ready yourself. This book... It seems wrong, somehow. Here, yet... not. It may be what we seek."

Kirin reached for it, but Lydia grabbed his arm and pulled it away.

“This isn’t right, Kirin. That book is evil – I can feel it.”

“Evil it may be, but we need answers, Lydia. This might be the only way. Pray to Kyne for me…I think I will need it.”

He moved the book spine to the center of the pedestal and opened its heavily worn cover. As he lifted it up to read, his vision began to shroud under an intense green and black fog. Dark tentacles quickly spewed forth from the book pages and wrapped themselves tightly around Kirin’s frame as he faded into Oblivion.

---------------------------------------------

When his mind cleared, he found himself far from Solstheim, in an eerie realm beneath a green sky filled with swirling fogs and mists. Huge stacks of books towered all around like the stones of the ancient mountains and loose papers twirled about in strange funnels. The ground beneath his feet was solid, yet an ocean of oily green and black stretched off into the distance as far as the eye could see.

And directly ahead stood a man in strange robes, conversing with an unfamiliar type of dragon. Around them floated huge creatures in tattered robes, with tentacles alighting gently on the ground.

But Kirin’s presence became known as Miraak turned to address him.

"What? Who are you to dare set foot here? Ahh... You are Dragonborn. I can feel it. And yet...you have slain Alduin... Well done. I could have slain him myself, back when I walked the earth, but I chose a different path. You have no idea of the true power a Dragonborn can wield!"

MUL QAH DIIV

The ground rumbled as the power of his shout encased him with a powerful energy that bolstered his might. Magic swirled about his being and invigorated his willpower and strength.

"This realm is beyond you. You have no power here. And it is only a matter of time before Solstheim is also mine. I already control the minds of its people. Soon they will finish building my temple, and I can return home.”

He then turned to the mysterious floating creatures and spoke to them.

“Send him back where he came from. He can await my arrival with the rest of Tamriel."

They huddled around Kirin and began to cast spell after spell upon him until his vision left again and he was returned unto Nirn. The tentacles retracted back into the Black Book and he closed it with a snap as Lydia and Frea moved forward to check on him.

"What happened to you?” asked Frea. “You read the book and then... It seemed as though you were not really here. I could see you, but also see through you!"

“I spoke to Miraak in a strange place.”

"Where? Where is he? Can we reach him? Can we kill him?"

“I do not know. The book took me before him as he conversed with a few of his minions.”

"This is a dangerous thing, then. We should return to my village, and show this to my father. Perhaps Storn can make sense of what is going on."

Kirin nodded and turned to Lydia.

“I’m okay, Lyds. Although it was certainly an odd experience. Was I still here?”

“You were, but as Frea said you seemed to be…translucent. We could almost see right through you as the tentacles moved about your still form. Please don’t do that again.”

Kirin laughed.

“I will try, but I cannot make any promises, love. Come – let’s follow Frea to her village. Maybe this Storn can answer some questions for us.”
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Excellent read, Kane!
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