I am Tenyin Mairner, an honorable Redguard woman who is part of the council stationed in the Imperial City itself. I represent the entirety of the Redguard race from Hammerfell, speaking on behalf of their best interests. I was born and trained to be the best possible for the position I was given at my early age. Although I am still not too old myself in comparison to other newer soldiers, just reaching the ripe age of 32, I am very much not any weaker or unable to hold myself. I had earned the title of Knight and held such while not attending my duties on the court, during which I am simply called a politician with no specific title.
This was all before I was caught while doing my duties in the Imperial Tower. The last few months have been nothing but work because of the mysterious changing of The Emperor, Uriel Septim VII, and the even more odd disappearance of Jagar Tharn and Talin. The two posed as leaders of the Battlemages and Imperial Guards respectively but the odd thing about their absence is that there is no way Uriel would be without one of them by his side. He trusts them with this own life but all that is there to replace it are two random Imperial Soldiers. I don't know why that has changed but it has more than just myself worried and confused. The date is Year 389 of the Third Era and the last thing I can remember is preparing to leave for Hammerfell for some long time off. Everything suddenly blacked out and my mind went blank for an unknown amount of time.
When I came to, I could not bring myself to open my eyes or get any clear sight on where I was. The ground I was laying on felt exactly like cold, solid stone of a dungeon. I personally hadn't felt it myself seeing as I had done nothing to condemn myself to such a miserable place but the emptiness and silence gave it away. Even in the colds of Skyrim, my skin had gotten used to all the different climates of Tamriel, given enough time to acclimate of course. This cold, though, was different. It wasn't anywhere near as cold as the blizzards of Skyrim but this was simply a stale feeling, the chilling held air of death. Thankfully, I felt the linen from a basic outfit keep the icy sensation away a little in addition to my abundant, brown hair. It felt stiff as well, barely being able to assist the linens for warmth.
After getting the basic picture of what was below me and not hearing any movement besides rats, I felt brave enough to open my eyes and what I saw was just as unappealing as I had imagined it. The cells in the Imperial City were, in no way, made for comfort or a day off. I was surrounded by the same cold stone as I had foreseen. My muscles ached and were stiff, probably meaning that I had been dumped in the cell quickly after blacking out. It has been hours as well and they were not thinking of what would happen if I had woken up at all. It was apparent they had no interest in killing me, most likely not wanting to cause any sort of internal problems within the many races and territories of Tamriel. It was a smart political decision for sure, and whatever had happened, must have come up from the ones that were much, much higher in the political positions than myself. Despite the fact that I wasn't the highest member of the council by far but I can always theorize and I have an initial theory before moving from my position. With the odd behavior of Uriel Septim VII and the absence of Jagar and Talin, I can make the initial suspicion that one of the two had something to do with it. It could be someone outside the Imperial City but Uriel never was a pushover, even when confronted face to face…
I had to ignore my suspicions until I was somewhere safe, or in this case somewhere that wasn't in the Imperial Dungeons. After my body had fought against the slight paralysis, I stumbled to my feet and noticed a couple other small but unnecessary details including hanging shackles and moss growing from the unkempt hold. A few awkward steps forward and the room appeared bigger, having a symmetrical look of a 'U' shape with the other side containing both a table and the locked prison door. There was no apparent way out, the cells being unkempt but sealed and extremely well-made enough to not be inescapable.
"So, this is going nowhere. Stuck in the worst place possible with no way of leaving. I couldn't do anything an-ARGGHHHH!" I wasn't going to do anything extreme right away but before I could even begin to formulate a plan, a massive pain erupted from my head. It was far more than any sort of migraine that I had felt before, feeling much more…deep than anything else I had before. This was more than just a pain in my head, it felt like a pain directly in my brain itself. It lasted a few moments until something unexpected happened, a voice invaded my mind and I couldn't hear anything else besides it.
"Do not fear for it is I, Ria Silmane. Tenyin Mairner, listen to me, there are no others left to carry on this fight. You have been left in this cell to die. Jagar Tharn, Imperial Battlemage of Tamriel, has taken on the guise of the true Emperor. He does not see you as a threat, being only a minor part of the Imperial Court. In that act of arrogance, he has made his first mistake. Look to the north wall of this cell. You will find a ruby key which will unlock the door. Take it and make your escape! The passages here were once used by Tharn to hide treasures he had stolen from the Emperor's coffers. If you wish, you can gather enough to support yourself away from the Imperial Seat. Be careful, though, as there are many creatures which inhabit the sewers now: Vile rats and goblins." The woman, who has given the name of Ria, spoke on length about escape but gave me time to stop my head from completely blocking her voice out. It wasn't painful when she had truly started talking but my assumption was that the invasion of my mind was what had caused the initial pain. I had lost control of my body for a moment, realizing where I had gotten to and it was no more comfortable than where I had started, if not worse in ways. I had curled up on the stone floor, hands gripping my head hard in an attempt to cease the pain I can only assume. My eyes were also closed again, meaning I didn't know where in the room I had gone, not that there were very many places to go.
"Give me a minute then to regain my senses!" I knew I was visibly screaming to no one seeing as this person, this Ria, was not apparently anywhere close by. This was probably some very advanced level of Mysticism or maybe Alteration of some sort, something to play a trick of some sort but that didn't give any real information that was useful, for example how to get out of this cell other than the key that was laying out coincidentally. Either way, I found my eyes were already moving to somewhere that was described, not sure where to look right away seeing as I couldn't tell which way was north, but the glint of a stone other than gray gave its position away automatically. I carefully made my way not even a few steps away to the table that held the apparent key to my cell. Before I could pick it up, though, the feeling of my head exploding came back in a sudden wave. I quickly leaned onto the waist height table in front of me and waited for Ria to continue, if it was going to be her again.
"It is too late for me, for I am already dead. Only my powers as a Sorceress keep me between this life and the next. That power however is waning. Do not succumb to greed or you may find these tunnels to be your final resting place as well. I can still use my magic to a certain extent. If you travel west from this cell, then south, you will find a Shift Gate. It will transport you far enough from the center of the Empire where you should be safe. If you survive these sewers, you will see me again. Remember, Tenyin, Tharn has taken the guise of the Emperor. There are a very little amount of individuals who will take your word over his." Ria had stopped talking for a moment again, giving me time to completely take in what she had said. My suspicion of Jagar or Talin was on point but from what this Ria woman was saying, Jagar is to blame and he took the position of Uriel himself. If Uriel was in a different dimension without any sort of powerful magic around, he couldn't leave without a scroll but I can't say I have heard of a scroll powerful enough to transport one, let alone two, either way. After a moment of my own mind being free of pain and anyone's thoughts but my own, Ria continued with whatever she had left to say. It wasn't extremely painful like before but I couldn't think about moving for the time.
"I will come to you again in your dreams, so it is imperative that you rest from time to time. In that way, I will be able to communicate with you and lend you my aid. You are entering a dangerous arena, my friend, one which the players are beings beyond your mortal comprehension. I do not envy your role. There is however a power within you yet untapped. Look for me when you have gained experience in the world. You are my last and best hope…" Ria's voice faded out until both the cell and my own head were completely silent once again. While regaining my posture, I was surprised to find I had not moved or fallen to my knees again. It was a relief, though, seeing as if I wanted to get out, I couldn't let myself be beaten by a little bit of a headache. The ruby key below me stood out still and I wasted no time in putting my hand through the bars and easily maneuvering the key around the lock. It surprisingly opened instantly, meaning this all could be a serious problem and not just some demented trick by someone.
The surroundings outside the cell were just as 'welcoming' as the safe and locked deathtrap. The corridors outside the cells were, as expected, as much of a maze than any other dungeon made years ago. If anybody were to get out without any direction, with equipment or not, couldn't find the exit unless they were given a clue. Not that the clue given to me helped, seeing as all I was told was to first go west then south to some possible 'Shift Gate' to wherever the sick mage wanted me to be taken to.
Given the alternative of rotting in a cell, I had to admit that having even a slight chance of finding a way out BEFORE rotting outside the cell was the better sounding option. It seemed like the last person to come through left a few items probably before dying or trying to get out somehow. There was a small, linen sack lying beside a quickly disposed of rusting broadsword. It wasn't anything fit for a knight but even a dirk could be a weapon fit for a king in this situation.
"Who's there?!" I instantly perked up at a noise coming from an unknown position. It sounded like a grunting of sorts, speaking aloud not my best move alone but I wasn't going to let anything sneak up on me. The broadsword was surprisingly heavier than most generic models, meaning it wasn't a typical shop bought iron toy blade. It was steel at the very least but I easily held it my right hand, my other ready to react at the slightest aggression from the left. The sound either had echoed from a faraway location in the maze of halls, which was the most likely scenario, or the grunting thing was a very good rogue. It was silent for a moment and my body had calmed itself down, letting me completely assess my situation. I was stuck in the virtually endless maze of the worst Imperial Dungeons with a broadsword and an extremely vague idea of where I was going. Despite the horrible wording, this wasn't the worst thing that could have happened. I was at least left alive for some reason, probably to be decayed and fed later to the beasts that populated the stone halls.
When the noises had gone quiet again and I was again examining the architecture of the halls that surrounded me. They looked the same as the cell, a gray stone with moss growing in many places but the hanging chains decorations were not around and the floors were made of a less expensive brownstone. The noises from whatever was lurking around magnified on the walls, which made me thankful that I wasn't something like a mage or at the very least, inexperienced in physical combat. Admittedly, it had been a while since I held a sword to actually protect myself but I at least still had my strength from the constant combat practice with mannequins.
"Better now than never. So, first west then south…could have said left or right first…" There was no way of telling which way that was but I did what I always did and that was go with what my gut told me to do. With the weapon drawn in front of me and after I had tied the bag of gold around my belt loop, I carefully started forward into the maze of stone corridors and iron gates.
It didn't take more than half a minute for me to meet my first vile creature but it was nothing more than a rabid rat. Granted, the thing could give me a disease and if not that, I doubt an open wound in an environment like this would be that pleasant. It skittered up to me, its body showing lots of damage already, mixing clear battle wounds with its dark brown fur to give it more of a look like an undead. It moved faster than the average rat, given how it was easily grown to at least five times the size, probably extra growth from the stranded adventurers or prisoners. I waited until it was in range of the broadsword and jabbed at its already partially defeated form, giving it its final moment of life before seeing its lifeless form falling for the final time. I paid no mind to it, keeping my eyes forward and my stance ready for any other foes. It only took another few seconds for another rat to make its way out of the twisting maze to try and get the jump on me. I dealt with this one the same as the other and continued around the maze for a few more minutes, going random directions that I felt were right and meeting more rats but a familiar sound broke the silence again. It was the same grunting as before, what I had heard after exiting the cell. It was closer and it sounded like more than one thing now. I immediately perked up once again, my safeguard feeling gone but instead replaced with adrenaline.
From one side of the split corridor behind me came two mid-sized green creatures. It didn't take a scholar to recognize them as goblins but these ones were different than the surface world ones. These looked to be much more desperate looking, far more aggressive. The giveaway was the large, red eyes that focused on anything that moved that came instantly on me and my ready standing form. The green monster held a large, rusted war-axe that looked it was made larger than the beast itself from how it strained to hold it above its own head. A quick judgement guess comparing it to my own size meant it came up to my lower chest, at least. The rest of the beast was not too different than many others, having green, loose skin and malnourished.
It cried a deep but loud grunt that sounded extremely familiar and it wasn't at the top of my thought list as it sprinted at me, ready to strike. Fortunately, it was nothing more than a mindless beast with no fighting skills that would only be able to hit the rats that were the only other hostile beings I have met so far. Still, judging when the axe was going to hit me from the left or right with the radical swinging was slightly harder but parrying was a skill I had all but mastered as a defender in wars. The axe ended up being close enough in no time and I expertly flipped the broadsword so the tip was facing downwards and the bladed edges perpendicular to myself and the goblin, my body turning sideways as not to strain myself when I take the shock with my eyes meeting the eyes of the goblin. Its eyes were shaking, not focusing on anything in particular.
The axe came from my left and I shifted my blade so the axe's metal blade edge did nothing but get stopped. The shock ran through my equipped arm, spreading actively to the rest of my body and dissipating it not even a second. The goblin reacted just as quickly as I started, pulling its axe back for a second swing but I was much faster. Before it even got the weapon backwards enough to effectively swing for any damage, my own strike came first by thrusting my broadsword forward. It kept its angle so I pushed hard forward while swinging upwards and it effortlessly made contact with the goblin. The strike cut directly through the beast more than enough to kill it without any chance of the goblin having time to retaliate. The goblin let out a final grunt before falling backwards in a growing pool of its own blood.
The adrenaline in me slowly decreased its boil, while I looked around constantly until I was sure I was alone and it was silent. Unfortunately, even when I was calm again, the grunts seemed to have multiplied but that was for obvious reasons. The grunt from the dead goblin dead in front of me attracted much more.
"Goblins and rats, not too hard but I don't know where in oblivion I am going still. That stupid gate can be anywhere and that stupid woman doesn't give me any more information." I lowered my weapon to my side, moving in the general direction of where I was suggested. The sounds of the grunts and squeaks didn't get quieter, in fact they got louder with every step in the labyrinth the Imperials decided to lay out for anybody. I couldn't even imagine who would think this was a good idea.
After a couple of other turns, hoping to see some indication of any magical gate but nothing came up. It wasn't a long time by any degree since I had been out of the cell, maybe twenty minutes, but I know how easy it is to die from water or food deprivation.
One turn later and I got met with an odd scene of two goblins fighting off a half a dozen aggressive rats. I may have passed by without a problem but I was much more of a tactical thinker and what I saw got me debating about seeing out the fight until no one but one remained. Both goblins wielded different sized axes, though they were both quite large, but one also had the other hand filled with a buckler that shrouded the front of the rest of the goblins body. It barely had knowledge of fighting with it as it used it as more of a large clubbing tool than a blocking armament. Either way, the rats were not getting very far. In not even a minute, the goblins came out victorious but the less armored one had a few more injuries than the other. I knew which was going to be killed first, whether it was injured more or not, and I was going to walk out here with hopefully more defense.
The goblins wasted no time in frantically looking around, not at anything specific, but spied me and sprinted to me swinging wildly like before. The goblins didn't move in any tactical movement, so outsmarting them would be as easy as training new recruits. The goblin with the single axe came out front, swinging like the first one I had killed and It took but a swift motion of my broadsword to get the beasts axe bouncing back to its left. That meant the goblin with the buckler moved recklessly, pushing the parried goblin out of its way. I circled around the goblin in the middle of myself and my true target to get behind it. It took but a swift slice against the goblins neck to make it nothing more than a corpse in between myself and the buckler I wanted. The goblin left swung and the corpse got thrown out of the way, closing the gap. The goblin continued its reckless onslaught, myself taking a few large steps back, keeping the weapon from barely making contact with my body. The fact the goblin held a buckler in its other hand impeded my traditional attempt at slicing at the beast from its open spot, seeing as there were no open spot close by. I decided the only way was to get risky, hopefully not doing anything to cut this mission of mine severely shorter.
When the goblin swung away from me and more importantly away from the side with the buckler protecting it, my body reacted in tandem with my heads directions. My broadsword was held in my right hand only and I vaulted to the now more harmless side of the goblin. I lowered myself to get on the height of the goblin itself, purposely trying to confuse or stun it. It barely registered the change in height and had no problem in responding as well. I predicted the only move it could do and lifted my now free left arm to protect my defenseless head and body. The goblin shoved the buckler to the side I was at as hard as it could in retaliation and I took the blow. I didn't feel much pain at that exact moment but I knew that after this was over, I would most likely need a long lie down. The beasts strike dropped my guard a little but there was only one other thing I needed to accomplish and I made sure my weapon was in position well before getting behind the beast. It apparently had a little more brains than I expected, though, and started to twist its body to meet me face to face again. With the broadsword in position and pointing at the general direction of the beast, I thrusted hard forward, putting all my strength behind it. The blade certainly made contact due to resistance but I wasn't about to stop to check where or how severe of an injury it made. My only concern was getting out of the way, no matter the loss. My grip to the blade was cut and I fell to get farther away but that plan was cut short almost instantly by a heavy object falling on my outstretched and pivoted leg. It wouldn't have been anything to worry about normally but even though my adrenaline was still cancelling out a lot of discomfort, a twinge of pain came from the lower region of my leg. I simply ignored it and pushed the corpse off and retrieved my weapon and new buckler, walking away from the extremely messy room.
A few minutes had passed and I didn't see anything more of what I was looking for still. The Shift Gate had to be somewhere. I turned the corner again but something came back, the pain from fight before that I ignored. Before I could react, I had stumbled to the stone floor and my armaments fell along with me, clanging against the ground and causing a loud echo and myself letting out a hiss of pain.
"What happened?" I started to inspect my body and when I got to my legs, the evidence had not even dried up, looking more like it was only getting worse. The pain that I felt when the goblin fell was a deep gash on my left calf, from either the axe or, more likely, my own weapon that had protruded through the corpse. As an experienced warrior and a survivor of a lot worse than just a shallow wound, admittedly there were healers around to keep it from getting nearly as bad as this on most occasions, I kept a level head and examined my surroundings for anything that could give me a moments reprieve. I noticed another of the many scattered niches throughout the dungeon and stumbled my way over, bringing my equipment along with and using it as a crutch of sorts as well. When I was off the floor and in a more secure position, I inspected my leg but without any supplies, I couldn't do a thing. I clumsily pulled at my pants to reveal the wound but it was probably not the best idea. It was clearly not going to be long before it was too bad to walk due to some sort of infection.
"Hmph, there will probably be another to take up this mantle of 'Hero' I was forced to take." I didn't fear death, knowing that it happens to all beings at some point. My preference would be in a cozy house at a much older age than I currently was but I couldn't feel bad about what I had accomplished in my time. At the very least, I could die in a very slightly cozy position, seeing as the niche seemed to be a little warmer than the biting cold of the dungeons corridors. It wasn't a huge difference but enough that I could lay myself on my back and not be too uncomfortable. With the buckler laying on my stomach and the broadsword's handle below my hand just in case, I drifted off to what I expected to be a long sleep. It was almost instantly the adrenaline and shock from my situation was drained and the skittering that echoed on the stone walls lulled me into unconsciousness.