I have been struck with a case of sudden inspiration. I do not know where to take this tale, but I figured I'd put it into writing before it fades into oblivion.

Originally Drafted/Published: 29/07/2022

Buried underneath the desert sands of Si Wong, was one of the most impressive libraries to ever stand. Hidden underneath, contained the accumulated knowledge of the world around them.

It had been considered a great wonder of the world since it's creation ages ago, but has now become lost in the sands of time. Remaining now as a mystery, a legend, for those who were willing to seek it.

Yet, despite its now long forgotten history, it was still kept and maintained by its eternal guardian.

Within the halls of the great Spirit Library, an ancient, wise, and powerful spirit who collects information for knowledge's sake, stood. Considered to be the most knowledgeable of all among the spirits and mortals, Wan Shi Tong was one who knew all.

Through the centuries that the library has existed, his knowledge seekers have spread out across the globe to collect manuscripts, codices, scrolls, and other sources of information, making the library the world's greatest repository of knowledge.

But, despite this. He was rather curious at the new oddity one of his Knowledge Seekers had brought into his domain. It was a tome, of sorts.

Bound in some unknown black colored material which seemed to blend into the darkness around it. The ancient spirit could feel such powerful energies emanating from the tome, as his fox-like aide had presented it to him.

"Curious. What is this you have brought before me, little one?" Wan Shi Tong asked, as he picked up the tome from the tight grip of his aide's jaws.

Upon closer inspection, he noticed the symbol etched into the cover. It was of a mysterious multi-tentacled creature. Vaguely resembling one of those odd aquatic lifeforms that dwell within the depths of the ocean. Possibly some sort of Octopus-Squid, or some other combination.

Though he considered himself the most knowledgeable of all beings between the worlds. He was left at an end when it came to the symbol. It bore no resemblance to any known groups, past or present that he could recall.

Even stranger still, were the energies that seemed to radiate off of it. It didn't resemble the kind that the other powerful spirits were able to exude. It did not resemble the fires of the Dragons, the cooling waves of the Moon, nor the strength of the Earth. It was something else entirely.

What it was, he didn't know. Something that irked the great spirit, immensely. Knowledge was his domain, it was his duty. Such is the case, that he would never turn down an opportunity to gain new knowledge in his endless quest for it.

Taking a gamble to look into the tome, he opened it. Only to be met with complete and utter darkness.

"What is this?" he shouted in disbelief, as tentacles began to spring out of it. Threatening to envelop his entire body in their foreign and mysterious embrace.

"Show yourself, spirit! You are in the presence of Wan Shi Tong, he who knows Ten Thousand things," He proudly boasted, "and I know that you do not belong in this world." The great spirit roared in defiance towards the writhing mass emanating from the tome.

While his regular shape is reminiscent of that of a black-and-white barn owl, he could also transform into a much more frightening and stronger form in his angered state. His talons were bared and his body grew in size as he began to threaten towards the newcomer before him.

Only to be met with a resounding laughter that echoed throughout the halls of his great library.

"π•Ύπ–šπ–ˆπ– 𝖆 𝖇𝖔𝖑𝖉 π–ˆπ–‘π–†π–Žπ–’ 𝖙𝖔 π–’π–†π–π–Š, 𝖋𝖔𝖗 𝖆𝖓 π–”π–›π–Šπ–—π–˜π–Žπ–Ÿπ–Šπ–‰ π–”π–œπ–‘."The voice of the otherworldly spirit said in a mocking tone, taunting him.

"And? Who are you supposed to be? You are nothing but an insignificant speck in my vast sea of knowledge, I could bury you in all of the tomes I've collected throughout the ages!" Wan Shi Tong proclaimed. Though, he could feel a sense of doubt as he stared on into the abyss that was before him.

"𝖂𝖍𝖔 𝖆𝖒 𝕴?" The foreign spirit made a noise in-between a cackle and a growl. An eerie noise echoed behind as it spoke. "𝕴 𝖆𝖒 π•³π–Šπ–—π–’π–†π–Šπ–šπ–˜ 𝕸𝖔𝖗𝖆. 𝕴 𝖆𝖒 π–™π–π–Š π–Œπ–šπ–†π–—π–‰π–Žπ–†π–“ 𝖔𝖋 π–™π–π–Š π–šπ–“π–˜π–Šπ–Šπ–“, 𝖆𝖓𝖉 π–π–“π–”π–œπ–Šπ–— 𝖔𝖋 π–™π–π–Š π–šπ–“π–π–“π–”π–œπ–“. 𝕴 π–π–†π–›π–Š π–‡π–Šπ–Šπ–“ π–œπ–†π–™π–ˆπ–π–Žπ–“π–Œ π–žπ–”π–š, π•·π–Žπ–‡π–—π–†π–—π–Žπ–†π–“." The tentacles that came from the cursed book began to recede back into it, slowly being replaced by something far more sinister as the beginnings of a many-eyed and grotesque being came into view.

"π–„π–”π–šπ–— π–‘π–Žπ–‡π–—π–†π–—π–ž, π–•π–Žπ–™π–Žπ–‹π–šπ–‘ π–Žπ–“ π–˜π–Žπ–Ÿπ–Š π–™π–π–”π–šπ–Œπ– π–Žπ–™ π–’π–†π–ž π–‡π–Š. π•½π–Šπ–‘π–Žπ–“π––π–šπ–Žπ–˜π– π–Žπ–™, 𝖙𝖔 π–’π–Š." The monster demanded, before everything that the great Wan Shi Tong had ever known began to disappear.

Hermaeus Mora, the Demon of Knowledge,the Master of the Tides of Fate, Gardener of Men,Prince of Fate, Lord of Secrets, the Keeper of Forbidden Knowledge, the Golden Eye,,Ur-Daedra, the Abyssal Cephaliarch,Old Antecedent, Scryer, Inevitable Knower, Lord of Knowledge, the One Who Knows, among his many titles. Had begun devouring the contents within the library that once belonged to Wan Shi Tong.

His entrance into this plane of existence had been but a calculated move. One he predicted so many ages past. Within his many machinations, he had desired to seek the knowledge from beyond Mundus, beyond Nirn.

Now, at last, he had finally done so. By casting one of his Black Books into the infinite void of Oblivion, a fraction of Itself had ended up in another plane entirely.

The Daedric Prince couldn't help Itself, and began to spread its influence here.

First by taking control over this library's Knowledge Seekers, who were proving to be far more effective than his followers back on Nirn. The agile spirits could easily traverse the gaps between the Spirit and Mortal worlds, allowing the ageless Daedra new opportunities into seeking what it sought for its entire existence.

Knowledge was the ultimate power. One that not even the other Princes could rival him in. When it came to knowledge, both known and unknown, after all, Hermaeus Mora's domain was Apocrypha. An endless library where all knowledge could be found. And now, it has expanded with the knowledge of another world. Of another plane.