In the dim candle lit room, I curled up on a comfortable queen sized bed with the book, Progress of Truth. I rested it on my knees and opened to the first pages. The introduction stated that the contents of this book contained the eight points of Temple Doctrine that the Dissident Priests had taken exception to and explained their opposition to each point.

First, the divinity of the Tribunal. While the Temple claims that the Tribunal's godhood was conferred upon them by the judgements of the Dunmeri ancestral saints including Veloth, Indoril Nerevar, and what the book claimed were the good Daedra. I could only assume it meant Mephala, Boethiah, and Azura, who were generally claimed by the Dunmer as some of their races creators. The Dissidents argued that the Tribunal's power came from some source at Red Mountain as did that of Dagoth Ur. Some priests claimed that in the Tribunals own secret writings reserved for the temple hierarchy mentioned the use of profanely enchanted tools originally created by the Dwemer peoples in order to gain their power. This was a moral contradiction seeing as the war at Red Mountain was fought to stop the Dwemer from developing their heathen magics and creating something called Numidium. It made no further explanation or mention of the strangely named construct.

The second point is the moral purity of the Tribunal. The Dissidents contend that the temple has maintained a superficial history of the Tribunals deeds as saintly, heroic beings while hiding the true histories that reveal their more human failings. This is particularly true of the account of the events at Red Mountain. Once again, this called into question the true scope of the threat of Dagoth Ur and the Tribunal's diminishing ability to protect Vvardenfell from him.

Third are the accounts of the Battle of Red Mountain itself. Ashlander histories don't place any of the Tribunal at Red Mountain during the battle and claim that the Dwemer destroyed themselves as opposed to the temples official history that the Dwemer were overrun by Nerevar's armies. Furthermore, the Ashlanders tell that Nerevar left Dagoth Ur, one of his generals to guard the profane secrets of the Dwemer while he left to council with the then named grand council. It was at this meeting Nerevar died, rather than dying of his wounds later. The Grand Council, soon to be Tribunal, then confronted Dagoth Ur who refused to bow to their will.

The fourth point addressed the issue of worship at large. It stated that the Temple had abandoned many of the rightful practices of ancestor worship and had replaced them with their own veneration.

At this point, I was beginning to tire, not bored of the text in any manner, but discouraged by the scholarly language used. The title of the next section drew my attention back. The 5th point was the denial of the prophecies of the incarnate and persecution of the Nerevarine. While the Dissidents reached no consensus on the legitimacy of the the Nerevarine prophecies, they agreed that the reasoning for the persecution of its followers was unjust and could only be politically motivated. The Dissidents made a full study of the prophetic rituals of the Ashland tribes and many have become staunch believers as a result.

I continued to read, finally letting my drowsiness overcome me as I read of the political abuse of the temple's power. My restfulness didn't last long. A rumbling voice called to me. "Sad boy. Poor fool. Come to me before they come for you." A troop of Ordinators rammed through my door and rushed the room. I woke up when I hit the floor. The dream had caused me to start from my bed and I groaned from the pain of landing on my shoulder. There was a knock at my door which had probably inspired the end of the nightmare in the first place.

I crawled to my feet and answered, taking a moment to draw my sword. I cracked the door open to see a short calico Khajiit holding a wrapped parcel. "Han lu, it is time," she purred.

I opened the door and she slipped in, barring the door behind her. "This one is Sugar Lips Habasi. She is pleased to meet you Han lu." She held the package in front of her. "We haven't much time. Take this package. It contains everything you need. Speak to no one concerning your activities tonight." With that, she pushed the package into my hands and slipped back out the door.

I quickly rebarred the door and opened the package. It contained a note, a vial, and a dull, grey green cloak. After a quick inspection, I noticed nothing special about the cloak and didn't recognize the brown goop in the vial. I turned to the letter.

Dear hireling,

Please know that we have gone to the greatest pains to protect your identity. That said, I've personally made quite the study of you. Such a history. Needless to say, I have a great interest in acquiring your services for as long as possible and would gladly employ you if you were to change your mind and remain here in Vvardenfell. Alas, perhaps it is not to be. As for your offer, I gladly accept. Looking at the work history I was able to steal from the Imperials, I have decided to put you to work in an area less suited to my guild and more tailored to your forte. As you know from your prior dealings with this organization, we are at war with a local group. I have assigned you two missions. First, there are two members of the local council club I need killed, as they have been a great hindrance to my work. You need not know their names.

The first member of our guild you dealt with will be arriving to Balmora on the 6 PM silt strider. This agent will attend the celebrations of the last evening of the harvest celebration. You will tail this agent. Throughout the night, they will mark your two targets with a white flower on their lapels. They must be slain before the night is through. The methods are up to you, just be sure not to incriminate our agent. I have provided you with a deadly poison as an extra assurance and a cloak of chameleon to help you remain unnoticed.

The second job is to assist in the ambush of a caravan run by my rivals. You will meet your contact for that job at the house of earthly delights in Suran tomorrow morning. Ask the matron for Marelle.

Should you successfully complete these two jobs, there will be room for you on a ship called Northern Pride on the coast an hours walk south from Hia Oad. It will depart in the early morning of the day after your second assignment. Your passage will be paid for along with that of your guest.

Best of wishes in your future endeavors.

Graciously,

GJS.

PS. Burn this letter.

I held the letter over my candle and let it be consumed before dropping it onto an earthenware platter. I donned my gear and added the cloak, leaving the hood off and letting it hang straight down my back rather than draping it over my shoulders. I examined my bow, having not taken particular care of the bowstring. I rubbed the slightly frayed cord with the side of the candlestick and made sure to rub the wax into the fibers before leaving the room.

With my new timetable in mind, I decided I needed to see Caius once more and try to throw him off my trail. I found him at home and he eagerly took the notes and book I'd brought him. After receiving my verbal account of what had happened, he stared at me for a short while. "Is there anything else you'd like to tell me Han lu?"

I screamed in my head. He couldn't know about the smuggler. Please don't let him know about the smuggler. I took a steadying breath. "There was an… attack." He nodded with concern in his eyes, waiting for me to continue. "A number of people confronted me on a bridge in Vivec. They seemed to be in a trance. They spoke as a group and called themselves Dreamers."

Caius leaned forward, taking a sheaf of paper and a charcoal. "I'd heard of the attack, but the Temple seems to be suppressing the details. Tell me everything." I did so and Caius wrote everything in as great of detail as I would provide.

"Caius," I said after finishing my account. "Who are these people? Why does an ancient demon want me to come to Red Mountain? Could it have something to do with the work we're doing?"

He concentrated on his notes. "It is undoubtedly connected, although I can't be sure how he knows of you." He made a few more notes. "I'll have to have someone investigate the ghostgate and see if they can pry any information out of the priests and the Ordinators there."

"Caius!" He jumped, surprised by my abruptly raised voice. "This is not what I was recruited for! You never mentioned I might attract the attention of the Tribunal's own devil! How am I supposed to sleep or walk down the street, knowing that he can just take the mind of the closest person and order them to stab me?"

Caius chuckled. "On the contrary, you seem to have the least to be afraid of. He invited you to his domicile, quite cordially too. If it were a matter of him wanting you dead, I'm sure he'd have taken you over and forced you to take your own life." He rubbed his chin. "I can't believe this opportunity. I have the chance to send an agent straight into Red Mountain and speak to Dagoth Ur himself."

"Caius!" I shrieked incredulously.

"I know, I know. Obviously, we can't really do it, but we don't want to miss an opportunity just because we didn't think it through. Perhaps we could send a decoy? I wonder if I could send another disguised as you. I'll have to think on the matter. Anyway, I'm very pleased with the work you've done. I have a line on a possible contact among the Ashlanders. We need to start investigating them ourselves, although if we could just find these Dissident Priests, surely they could more easily provide us with a wealth of information on what we need. Still, I need time to digest what you've told me and I don't have a name for you to go after yet." He waved his hand at the door, once again turning to the materials I'd brought him. I hesitated, having one more thing to ask. Caius noticed and sighed. "Anything else on your mind?"

"Itermerel's daughter. Apparently Ranis from the mages guild has put her on my tail."

"I expected as much. She's young, but she has a fearsome reputation. Her father was quite wealthy from his published research and he toured all of Tamriel. His daughter, Cindana, grew up on the road with him. I wish there was something I could do for you, but you made your bed in this matter. You're going to have to sleep in it."

I shrugged. "You seemed to show some amount of care for her when you confronted me about her father. I just wanted you to realize that if she confronts me, I may have to kill her."

Caius turned the page, purposefully pretending not to pay attention to me. "So the cycle of blood will continue. As I said, it's your problem, not mine."

"As long as we understand one another." I closed the door behind me. I'd done it. If all went well, I'd never have to speak to Caius again.