Oblivion Day 8 - The Unseen Defender of the Imperial City

4 Heartfire, 3E433

Wawnet Inn, outside the Imperial City

~~~

The problem is getting worse, not better.

I had figured my new status as a member of the Blades would protect me against arrest for having "escaped" the Imperial prison and wanted to visit what is nearly the place of my birth, the Imperial City. While I do know I was not born there, my earliest memories certainly begin there and I thought it nice to be able to walk around and see the familiar sights once again.

But before I could do that I had another Oblivion gate to demolish. I had ridden back to Bruma to rest for the night before tackling this latest surprise and rode back out early in the morning to confront it.

The sight that greeted me after I stepped into the gate was an imposing one, but still I only faced Scamps and two Dremora sorcerers of hesitant, uncertain skill. Despite looking at first like a challenge, I had no difficulty in fighting my way through to the stone that kept the gate open.

Closing the gate remains just as satisfying as it was the first time.

I could clearly see the Imperial City from the remains of the gate, so I can only assume the gate was just as visible from the higher points of the city, especially at night, yet the Legion had not been dispatched. This entire crisis is becoming more worrisome.

Continuing south towards the City, I encountered nothing worse than two hopeful bandits, one of which my horse dispatched with a kick to his head before I could do anything.

As I passed the ruin of fort Caractacus and the seemingly abandoned village of Aleswell the sky began to take on a red glow and lightning started to flash between the clouds. Another gate, this time one I would have walked by had it not been for the change in weather. The road was lower than the surrounding forest and it took a bit of searching until I came across the gate.

This gate sent me right back to the same place the small gate near Bruma had: a larger tower surrounded by several smaller towers linked by sky bridges and whose ground entrances were sealed by massive metal gates. Only by venturing into each of the smaller towers could I unlock a metal gate, eventually giving myself access to the ground floor of the main tower, atop where the gate's stone spun merrily within a column of fire.

My familiarity with this particular pocket of Oblivion served me well and I was able to complete it quite quickly compared to the others. Nevertheless, it was night when I returned triumphant to Cyrodiil and the City's gates were closed until the morning.

Anticipating this, someone had opened an inn right outside the City's bridge and I was able to get a bed for the night, though the inn lacked a stable, so I can only hope my horse decides to wait for me come the next morning. I have no doubt that tomorrow shall be an interesting day.