Oblivion Day 37 - A Place of My Own

4 Frost Fall, 3E433

Bruma

~~~

Today I decided to pursue the Countess's Madstone rather than the Amulet of Kings. This would seem somewhat counter-productive against the difficulties I have been facing as of late, but with Bruma likely being the next target of Mehrunes Dagon's violent attentions I feel that improving my place there is a worthwhile goal.

The Countess made it sound like the Madstone was hidden in a place rather far away, but following the Akaviri messenger's diary provided me a ride to a cave system no more than twenty minutes from the city. I had only to go to a rock formation known as the 'Dragonclaw Rock', turn west until I came upon a statue of a King long since passed, then north until the cavern's ornate carved door.

I was unpleasantly surprised to find that a tribe of Ogres had taken up residence in the cave and the pass beyond it. An Ogre would likely squash any Auxiliary flat, unless she was quick on her feet and experienced in fighting Ogrims, albeit years ago. I have to say fighting the brutes made me long for my spear of times gone by, but spears have since been removed from the Imperial Legion's list of arms and thus are nearly impossible to find in Cyrodiil. I had to do what I could with my short Elven blade and I did it well, carving through half a dozen Ogres on my way through the cave and into the Pale Pass.

While busy with my bloody business I came across a skeleton whose bony hand was still clutching a packet the cold had preserved. I recognized the writing as Akavir, though of course I could not read it. I took it anyway, hoping to later sell it to a collector interesting in antiquity. Just ahead of the corpse was a door leading to the secluded Pale Pass...and more Ogres.

A bow would have been handy, but I had sold my own off some time ago and was forced to close in and engage the Ogres with my short blade, a dicey proposition at best. I eventually stood victorious and battered within the ruined fort hidden in the Pale Pass after dispatching nearly a dozen Ogres.

For some nefarious reason the fort's ancient garrison still patrolled the halls, the skeletons of the ancient Akavir soldiers wielding rusted shields and swords resembling katanas. Their advanced age did little to help their endurance and what remained of their bodies were soon reduced to splinters.

Deeper inside waited the fort's commander, long dead but still bound to the place by an unshakable sense of duty.

Somehow he mistook a Khajiit for a fellow Akavir and asked if I had brought news from his homeland. Risking a guess, I handed him the leather packet I found on the skeleton and waited to see if I was to do battle with the confused spirit. But when he read the papers his semi-transparent visage broke into a smile and he congratulated me on completing my mission. With that, he declared that he could now rest and then simply disappeared altogether. I suppose stranger things have happened.

I had yet to find the Madstone, but the fort's guardians had been put to rest along with their commander and I passed several piles of bones and equipment as I made my way further into the fortress. The Madstone was on a pedestal in a crumbling room, with nothing to indicate why it was in the Pale Pass to begin with. Perhaps an heirloom of the fort's commander?

The Countess was very excited to receive the Madstone, describing it as even more beautiful than she imagined it would be. To me it appeared to be a large piece of jade inserted into a gold amulet, but she was enamored with the amulet and gave me a rather worthless ring as a reward. She also mentioned that he had a house she was willing to adventurous people such as myself and after some negotiation we settled on a price of ten thousand Septims. The house was unfurnished, but I was informed that a local merchant would have everything I need at reasonable prices.

My new home is in an excellent location, at least for me: right next to the main gate. It was as sparsely furnished as I was warned, with only a simple table, one chair, and a bed.

A quick trip to the local outfitter, a few hours carrying furniture, and I had something approaching a comfortable home.

And with that I finally had a place of my own. The location will likely prove very useful in the times ahead. Tomorrow I will undertake the acquisition of Tiber Septim's ancient armor and be one step closer to recovering the Amulet of Kings.