Chapter 1 - Awakening
"Help!"
Lando suddenly woke up and sat bolt upright. He looked around.
Where in Oblivion am I? he thought to himself. He quickly took in his surroundings – he was lying in thick, rough grass and was surrounded by gently undulating hills, populated by the occasional tree.
"Help!" the voice shouted again. Lando got up and spun round to see a young woman, Imperial by the looks of it, running towards him.
"I'm being attacked by bandits!" she shouted between breaths. "My guard's been killed! You have to help!"
On the floor next to Lando, a sword in seemingly excellent condition seemed to have just been discarded next to where he was lying. Lando picked it up, and looked at his own body for the first time – much to his surprise, he was dressed in a full suit, apart from the helmet, of chainmail armour.
There must be an explanation for this…
"Stay behind me!" Lando said to the woman as he ran off in the direction she had appeared from. As he came to the crest of a slight hill, he could see two men running towards him. One was carrying a rusty-looking mace, the other a longbow.
Thoughts instantly came into Lando's head. Keep the man with the mace between yourself and the marksman and you won't get hit.
Lando ran at the man carrying the mace as the archer fired an arrow in his direction. Lando dived to the ground and rolled to avoid the missile, then leapt to his feet and engaged the mace-wielder.
He swung the sword hard, but the bandit blocked it with a powerful swing of his mace. Lando briefly reeled in shock from the impact, and the bandit used this moment to swing his mace horizontally at Lando's head. Lando quickly ducked, and as the bandit was spun round by the momentum of the mace, Lando seized the opportunity and thrust his sword into the abdomen of the bandit. He could feel the man writhe for a few seconds, before he became still. Lando pulled his sword out of the bandit's dead body and ran towards the archer, ducking and rolling to avoid the barrage of arrows being fired at him. However, as he got closer, the bandit fired an arrow at point-blank range. He couldn't miss.
The arrow slammed into Lando's left arm. Pain shot through his entire body.
"Aaaargh!" he shouted as he lunged forwards at the archer, spurred on by adrenaline. The archer dropped his bow and reached for a dagger on his belt, but he wasn't quick enough – Lando sunk his sword into the archer's chest, causing him to freeze where he stood with a look of absolute horror on his face, before Lando withdrew the sword and the bandit dropped to the floor, dead.
"By the Gods, are you alright?" said the Imperial woman, who had appeared at his side. She sat him down on the grass and placed her hands round the arrow sticking out of Lando's arm.
"This might hurt" she said in an inappropriately calm voice, then she pulled sharply on the arrow, pulling it from Lando's arm. Lando clenched his teeth as pain shot through his arm. The woman reached into the bag she was carrying and produced a small clay pot of a dark red paste. She scooped a small amount out with her fingers, pulled Lando's bracer off his arm and began rubbing the paste into the wound.
"Who are you? Where am I?" Lando said. Strangely, he trusted the young woman.
"My name is Alaina Winterstar, freelance alchemist. You're in Vvardenfell, in the Ascadian Isles, north of Pelagiad and west of Suran." Alaina placed the pot of red paste back in her bag and sat down next to Lando.
"I'm in Morrowind? But I…" Lando said.
"Why? Where did you think you were? Who are you?"
"I'm Lando Armitage, I work as an Imperial guard in Chorrol…"
"Chorrol? But that's in Cyrodiil, isn't it? How did you get here?"
"You tell me…" Lando got up and looked at the sky. It was early evening and the two moons were just about visible. But something wasn't quite right about their position in the sky…
"Alaina, what is today's date?"
"It's the 23rd day of Last Seed"
Lando sat down again and placed his hands on his forehead.
"The last thing I can remember was being on night watch in Chorrol… exactly a week ago…"
"Erm, I hate to impose…" Alaina said, standing up. "But I need to get to Suran before nightfall, and my guard was killed by the bandits…"
Lando stood up next to her.
"Come on then, I need a drink and a warm bed as soon as possible"
The journey to Suran passed without event, and at around 10:00 that evening Lando and Alaina arrived at the town gates. Throughout the journey they had talked non-stop – Lando about how he had asked to be transferred to a more peaceful job guarding the relatively crime-free town of Chorrol after fighting in two great battles against the Daedric prince Mehrunes Dagon, Alaina about her work – she lived in Tel Mora and created potions in her home, then travelled across Vvardenfell under armed guard selling them to traders and apothecaries. Judging by the exquisite red and gold robe she was dressed in, there was a lot of money in the freelance alchemy business. Alaina also told Lando about the latest news story in Vvardenfell – a group of Dunmer and Bosmer known as the Meric Liberation Front were attempting to disrupt the Imperial grasp of the province. Already, gunpowder had been used to damage the Imperial presence in Ebonheart, Gnisis and Sadrith Mora, and several high-ranking guards had been assassinated. The Altmer condemned these acts of terrorism and had refused to join in.
"I hope we're not too late" Alaina said as the pair walked into Suran. "I'm usually here in daylight" Alaina turned to the left and walked up some steps into the northern part of Suran. Lando followed her.
Alaina stopped at a door and knocked three times on the door. A sign above read simply 'Suran Apothecary'. It was one of the many new shops that had appeared in Suran – Vvardenfell's economy was booming after the import and export business re-opened after the Blight was abolished.
A few minutes later, a tired-looking Dunmer woman opened the door.
"Alaina! I thought you weren't going to make it!" she said.
"Sorry, Maryon, trouble on the journey. Rain and bandits. The shipment survived though" Alaina replied. She opened her bag and took out a cloth sack which was taking up most of the space in the bag. Lando noticed the remaining contents – another smaller sack, the pot of red paste, a few small glass bottles containing various potions, and a purse which no doubt contained money.
Maryon took the bag from Alaina.
"I'm a bit tired, I'll do the stock count and pay up tomorrow morning" Maryon said. "If that's alright with you, that is"
"That's fine, but it'll be quite early tomorrow morning" Alaina said. "I've got to get to Molag Mar before midday"
"Well, you know I open up shop at 8 in the morning, and that's quite early enough for me! Goodnight, Alaina"
With that, Maryon closed the door. The sound of a latch being bolted came from inside. Alaina turned to Lando.
"Fancy a pint?"
"Thought you'd never ask"
Several hours later, in a small, crowded tavern in Suran, Lando and Alaina sat at a small table surrounded by empty bottles. Alaina was on her fourth ale, Lando on his sixth, and both were starting to feel the effects.
Using empty bottles as props, Alaina was trying to explain her trade route across Vvardenfell to Lando.
"So the end of the route is in Molag Mar, west of here, then I go all the way back up here to Tel Mora…"
As she moved her hand across the table, Lando lightly took it in his. Alaina grasped Lando's hand tightly and looked up at him.
"Thanks" Lando said."
"For what?"
"Just thanks"
Alaina smiled, then leaned across the table and kissed Lando on the lips. However, the romance was disrupted by the smash of glass from across the tavern.
"I'll kill you, I swear! Even if it means I'll spend the rest of my life in the dungeon I'll kill you!"
Lando and Alaina looked across the room. An Argonian male wearing a black robe and hood had smashed a bottle on the edge of the bar and was striding towards a Dunmer who had just walked into the bar. Lando noticed that the Dunmer was wearing a large amulet crafted from what looked like Daedric ebony around his neck. The Dunmer turned round and bolted out of the bar. The Argonian tried to follow him, but another Argonian sitting by the door got up and restrained him.
"Easy now, swamp-brother, you don't want to be in any more trouble"
The Argonian nodded and walked towards the bar, placing a handful of gold on it.
"If anyone comes looking for me, I'm not here"
The barman, an old Imperial man, scooped up the money and gave it back to the Argonian.
"You don't need to pay me to look after you, Shadow-Runner"
Shadow-Runner. The name rang a bell in Lando's head. He knew he recognised the Argonian!
"I know him" Lando said quietly to Alaina. "His real name's Ah-Mazia. We intercepted an illegal slave ship docking in Anvil years ago. He was on board and we set him free"
The Argonian strode upstairs to the room he had rented.
"Come on, we need to get a room for the night" Alaina said, taking Lando's hand and motioning him to get up. "Two rooms to be exact" she added, flashing a wicked grin at Lando. "I'm not like those Nord women!"
Lando was awoken by a knock on his bedroom door. He opened his eyes. Sunlight was flooding in through the small window above him. As he moved his head he realised he had a severe migraine, no doubt from the amount he had drunk the previous night.
"Come in!" he said drowsily. The door opened and Alaina stepped in.
"I've got to continue on my trade route now, do you want to come with me? See a few of the sights of Vvardenfell?"
"Yes. Yes I do" Lando replied, getting out of bed. Alaina handed him a small glass bottle half-filled with a clear liquid.
"Hangover cure, half each" she said, smiling. "I thought you might need it"
Lando watched the beautiful Imperial woman walk out of his room. He had never understood the fairer gender – had last night's kiss meant anything or was it an effect of the alcohol? Was Alaina asking him to travel with her because she needed a guard, or was there another reason? And the question that was bothering him the most – how did he even get here in the first place?
Sadrith Mora, docks, 2 days later
The boat slowly slid into Sadrith Mora docks. It was a grim, overcast day and the waters of the Sea of Ghosts and Azura's Coast had been choppy – the boat journey from Molag Mar had not been a pleasant one.
"Now what?" Lando asked as him and Alaina disembarked from the large ferry.
"We need to get a boat from here to Tel Mora" Alaina replied. "But I'm hungry, I don't know about you"
Lando nodded.
"We can get some food at the inn just up…" Alaina cut off abruptly.
"What?" Lando asked. Alaina pointed across the small bay – another boat had just moored. But more interesting was the figure who had just stepped off it.
"It's that Argonian" Alaina said. "The one from the inn in Suran"
Lando strode over to where the Argonian was walking off the ship and stopped him in his tracks. Alaina followed closely behind him.
"Have you been following us?" Lando said. Ah-Mazia looked Lando in the eyes.
"My business here is my own, Captain Armitage"
"I'm sure I saw him in Molag Mar as well!" Alaina chipped in.
"Ah-Mazia" Lando said, grabbing the Argonian's arm tightly. "Seeing me again after I freed you was a pleasant surprise. A second meeting was co-incidence. But a third time – you're up to something"
"You want to know why I'm here?" Ah-Mazia said angrily, pushing Lando away. He pulled his robe open to show a bow and a quiver of arrows slung over his shoulders. The quiver was empty, save for five arrows. "I need arrows, and Ranger's Armory here in Sadrith Mora has the best selection"
Lando looked at Alaina.
"I know the shop. Specialises in equipment for marksmen" Alaina said.
"OK, I'll believe you" Lando said to Ah-Mazia, "For now. Now, how about that food, Alaina?"
All of a sudden, an almighty rumble came from the south side of the island. All three of them whipped round to see that Wolverine Hall, the Imperial stronghold on the island, appeared to be sinking into the ground!
It was an incredible sight, watching the two towers of Wolverine Hall simply disappear into the ground in a spectacular fountain of rubble.
"By the Nine…" Lando gasped as he watched this extraordinary event. "How…?"
"There are underground caves under Wolverine Hall! It must have subsided!" Ah-Mazia exclaimed.
"Caves…?" Alaina said, confused.
"Yes, only accessible underwater" Ah-Mazia said. "Hardly anyone knows of their existence. I used to… erm… keep things there…" The Argonian quickly realised the error of what he said as both Lando and Alaina started at him.
"We'll worry about that later" Lando said. "Ah-Mazia, come with me! Alaina, I'll find you later on in Tel Mora!" With that he ran off in the direction of what used to be Wolverine Hall.
"Lando, wait!" Alaina shouted. She had cottoned on to what he was up to. Lando ran back to Alaina, who handed him one of the bottles of potion from her bag. "Drink it before you go into the water, then just breathe normally"
Lando thanked Alaina and started running back towards the remains of Wolverine Hall, Ah-Mazia close behind him.
Ah-Mazia pointed at something sticking out of the ground near the shoreline. "I left it as a marker" he explained. "It's a broken chitin dagger – I figured it would be of so little worth to anyone that they wouldn't bother moving it"
Ah-Mazia began striding into the sea. Lando drank the contents of the bottle Alaina had given him then followed him. When Ah-Mazia was about 20 feet out, he waited for Lando to catch up then they both submerged. Ah-Mazia swam straight downwards with powerful strokes, carrying a dagger in his teeth should any sealife choose to attack him. When he and Lando reached a depth of around 30 feet, Ah-Mazia pointed to a small opening in the cliff face. He swam into it, Lando close behind, breathing comfortably under the spell of the Potion of the Sea he had just drank.
The pair surfaced in a pool in a large but low-ceilinged cavern. They climbed out near a small tunnel leading out of the cavern.
"Right. That subsidence can't have happened naturally otherwise it wouldn't have taken this long to happen" Lando said. "We need to find out what caused it, or better still, who caused it"
"OK, but before we set off I've got something for you" Ah-Mazia said, walking over to a large rock near the entrance to the tunnel. He placed his hands on the rock and, much to Lando's surprise, simply lifted the top half of the rock off! Lando walked over to look – the rock had been hollowed out and split horizontally in two. The workmanship was immaculate – when the two halves were placed together it looked just like a normal rock.
Ah-Mazia reached into the rock and pulled out a long object covered by a black cloth. He pulled off the cloth to reveal something Lando had never seen in his life – a glass longsword. Made from a green volcanic glass which was far tougher, lighter and sharper than any metal, it was one of the finest - and rarest - weapons a swordsman could want. Ah-Mazia gave the weapon to Lando.
"Thanks. I won't ask who you stole it from"
Ah-Mazia looked slightly offended. "I didn't steal it from anyone, I found it in a Dwemer fortress I was exploring with some friends"
"Nice!" Lando said, genuinely impressed.
"I was going to keep it to sell if I ever needed money" Ah-Mazia continued, "But I never got a proper chance to thank you for giving me freedom, so I want you to have it"
Lando opened his mouth to thank Ah-Mazia, but was interrupted when he noticed something rather disturbing on Ah-Mazia's belt. A dagger, also made from glass, almost completely covered in dried blood.
"We'll talk about that later too" Lando said. "Right now though, unless I'm very much mistaken, we've got some terrorists to hunt!"