An Old Altmer Lady and Her Necklace
Silnor the Dark
Ah, the Mages guild. An organization focused on the arcane. The perfect guild to join for anyone interested in any kind of magic, whether you are an alchemist, a sorcerer, an enchanter, or a battlemage like me, you would be wise to join. And for mages in Cyrodiil, you even have the Arcane University, the true pinnacle of magic and sorcery. Unfortunately, to join this revered organization, you must get a recommendation from every single Mages guild, excluding Kvatch, what with all the daedra and such.
However, for most aspiring wizards, getting these recommendations is easy. I have heard that most guild recommendations have you do something somewhat menial like getting alchemy ingredients or fetching an item. I, Silnor the Dark, don't ask why I'm called that, decided to join the Arcane University.
I had previously been in the Mages guild in Valenwood, but thanks to some nasty business regarding gossip, I was kicked out. However, after I moved to Cyrodiil, it was proven that I was innocent, so I am free to rejoin, albeit at the bottom of the rank ladder. However, like my mother always said, "Don't whine", I decided to swallow my pride and rejoin.
At the time, I was in Leyawiin, a swampy city between Elsweyr and Black Marsh. I had heard about the Mages guild there and I decided that I might as well start in this dank, dirty place. The guild was actually not bad. Very clean compared to the other buildings, and the mages there actually treated me with respect. You may not know this, but as a Bosmer battlemage, I get very little, so I automatically loved this place.
An older Nord woman pointed me to an elderly Altmer lady known as Dagail. Amazing, an Altmer. Call me a racist all you like, but Altmer are always so snooty and on their high horse, especially with the much shorter Bosmer. I got so tired of it during my stay in the Isles, that I started to threaten them with "Remember, I'm at just the right height to punch you where it really hurts".
I found the elderly Mer, and immediately realized she's absolutely mad. Mad as in running-through-the-streets-of-the-Imperial-city-naked-as-a-Spriggan mad. Talking to the loony old Mer, she spouted off some nonsense and told me about some fancy necklace, and to talk to Agata, the Nord woman from before. Walking down the steps, I asked her about the 'Seer's Rock' or whatever she said.
Agata told me to speak with the other mages. But these other mages told me little. I finally found another Nord, this time a man, named Kalthar. It seemed as if he knew a bit too much about the necklace, and I told Agata. She told me to talk to Dagail, by Julianos when is all the talking going to end? Speaking to the Altmer again revealed some sort of prophecy-like speech, and she sent me off.
I decided to inquire about what she said with a few citizens, and one of them told me of an old Fort called "Fort Blueblood". I looked at my enchanted map, enchanted to map every significant location I've found, and I saw it. It wasn't too far of a walk.
I quickly regretted not getting a horse at the city stables however, as my clothes were getting filthy and sopping wet. Disease-ridden insects flew about, annoying me greatly. But with the determination of a saint, I made it to the old fort. I walked in, readying my faithful steel battleaxe, don't laugh, and crept through the fort. I've been in many forts myself, having a good deal of experience with them. Most forts are inhabited by humans, whether they be bandits, marauders, or mages, and occasionally the undead.
I wasn't left to think for long though, as I heard voices in the distance. I couldn't make out the conversation well, but it sounded like an argument on taking the last bottle of ale. Two marauders, a Nord and an Argonian. The Nord seemed to have a claymore, and the Argonian a bow and some arrows.
As fast as lightning, I cast a weak flare spell at the Nord, my idea being to disorient them. It worked, as the Nord was startled, cringing from the mild pain for a few seconds. Within those seconds, I hacked at her with my battleaxe, killing her. By that time, the Argonian was drawing an arrow. But I would not let her fire. I sliced into her arm, and she dropped the bow out of sheer pain. The final blow decapitated her, and her grisly head rolled away.
After looting a little, I continued my quest. I encountered a few more marauders, with none surviving to tell the tale. I finally found the Marauder Warlord, a muscular Orc clad in almost a full set of Steel armor. This Orc wielded a longsword. The battle was fierce, but my battleaxe found his breast, puncturing his armor and ending his life.
After casting a few healing spells, I continued, looting all the way. I eventually found a couple of already deceased marauders. Interesting, something must've killed them. Seconds later, I encountered two imps, which were easily disposed of. Imps are annoying and all, but I highly doubted that they could kill marauders with heavy armor and large weapons. I found a brown coffin, with a necklace tangled around some bones in it. After getting the necklace, which I knew was the item I was sent to retrieve, I began my trek back.
But I was interrupted by someone, the Nord mage Kalthar! He muttered something about not letting me live, and attacked me. The creepy fetcher summoned a zombie, while I summoned my own skeleton. The battle was rough, but my battlemage slammed right into his face, ending his attack.
After healing myself, I made my way through a short cut I found earlier, and left the fort. I returned to the Mages guild, and gave the old and possibly senile Altmer her necklace. She thanked me and told me she'd send the University a recommendation.
What an odd, nigh unbelievable beginning for my quest.