If you want to read 20 Chapters ahead and more, be sure to check out my P-Tang12!!!
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(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
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"Indeed he will be," Aerion smiled warmly, knowing the true magnitude of the victory was completely invisible to them both. "Come. Let us return to the surface, and bring our prize back to Whiterun."
Aerion stepped smoothly toward her, extending an immaculate, dark robed arm.
"Allow me to secure it for the journey back to the surface, Aeloria," Aerion offered, his melodic voice perfectly masking the sheer, sociopathic amusement he felt regarding his massive sequence break. "It is an incredibly dense slab of stone, and you are already burdened by the significant weight of your new heavy armor and the battleaxe. My spatial storage is much more suited for it."
Aeloria didn't hesitate for a fraction of a second. She trusted the High Elf implicitly.
"Gladly," Aeloria sighed, handing the heavy gray tablet over. "It weighs as much as a small boulder. Farengar had better pay us well for hauling this chunk of rock out of the mud."
Aerion took the Dragonstone. With a faint shimmer of displaced light, the artifact vanished completely from his hands, securely locked away in his digital inventory right alongside the stolen Horn of Jurgen Windcaller.
"The Court Wizard's gratitude will undoubtedly be reflected in his coin purse," Aerion assured her with a confident smile.
He did not immediately turn back toward the flooded pathway they had used to enter the chamber. Instead, Aerion's golden eyes drifted past the beautifully carved central pedestal, locking onto the shadows at the very rear of the raised stone dais.
In the vanilla game, the reward for completing the dungeon did not end at the pedestal.
"Come," Aerion instructed, walking past the empty pedestal. "Let us return back to Morthal."
Aeloria and Jenassa followed him to the back of the dais. Concealed seamlessly within the shadows of the rock face was a sturdy, heavy wooden door bound in rusted iron straps.
Aerion grasped the rusted iron ring and pushed. The door groaned loudly, the hinges screeching in protest after centuries of absolute disuse, before giving way.
They stepped into a hidden enclosed room.
The air inside was incredibly thick, completely stagnant, and smelled of dry dust and ancient linen. Lining the walls of the rectangular chamber were dozens of massive, beautifully painted yellow burial urns, their clay surfaces covered in intricate, swirling Nordic knotwork.
But it was the object resting at the very back of the room that drew the eye. A massive, heavily reinforced ancient steel chest, its surface remarkably free of rust, completely untouched by the rogue mages who had failed to bypass the puzzle pillars.
Aerion walked directly to the chest. He knelt gracefully, his long fingers easily finding the release catch. He threw the heavy steel lid back.
The dull, ambient light of the room reflected off a massive, incredibly dense pile of ancient gold resting within.
Aeloria let out a low, appreciative whistle, her eyes widening as she stared over Aerion's shoulder.
Aerion simply raised his hand, engaging his transmigrator interface. He didn't bother scooping the coins into pouches, he allowed the system to seamlessly vacuum the currency directly into his void.
[Item Stored: 1,250 Septims]
With the raw currency secured, Aerion turned his highly analytical gaze to the other valuable artifacts resting at the bottom of the chest.
He carefully lifted a bundle of perfectly preserved parchment scrolls tied together with thick leather cords. He untied the cords, his mind instantly identifying the complex, swirling arcane matrices inked onto the pages.
"Fascinating," Aerion murmured. There were two Scrolls of Conjure Familiar, a highly useful utility spell for distracting enemies. There were two Scrolls of Magelight. But the final scroll caused a genuine, highly amused smirk to touch his lips. It was a Scroll of Fire Storm, he could use the spell without wasting needing some time even though he much prefer his own version.
He stored the scrolls, moving on to the jewelry.
Resting in a small velvet lined box was a heavy, masterfully crafted gold ring. Etched directly into the gold were glowing, ethereal green runes. Aerion's interface instantly verified its properties.
Ring of Archery. It possessed a potent enchantment that significantly enhanced the wearer's visual acuity and the kinetic tension of their bowstrings.
Beside the ring lay a pair of supple, expertly tanned Hide Boots, also humming with faint green runes. Hide Boots of Stamina.
Aerion stored them both, his hand closing around the hilt of a weapon resting beneath the armor. It was an Ancient Nord Sword, but unlike the rusted, mundane weapons carried by the common Draugr, the dark steel of this blade was perfectly honed. Pulsing along the razor sharp edge were dark, crimson red runes that radiated a faint, hungry aura.
Absorb Health, Aerion identified instantly. It was a vicious, vampiric enchantment designed to literally tear the life force from an enemy and funnel it into the wielder. A highly aggressive, self sustaining weapon.
Finally, he picked up two simple but elegantly crafted iron circlets, one embedded with a flawless garnet, the other with a deep, shining sapphire.
He absorbed the entire haul directly into his inventory.
[Items Stored: Scroll of Conjure Familiar (x2), Scroll of Fire Storm, Scroll of Magelight (x2)]
[Item Stored: Ring of Archery]
[Item Stored: Hide Boots of Stamina]
[Item Stored: Ancient Nord Sword of Absorbing]
[Items Stored: Iron Garnet Circlet& Iron Sapphire Circlet]
[Inventory Weight Increased by 7.67 KG. Current Max Weight: 93.20 / 540 KG]
"A highly profitable detour," Aerion announced, standing up and brushing the dust from his knees.
He did not lead them back out toward the flooded sanctum. Aerion turned toward the left wall of the treasury, where a secondary, open stone archway led into a dark, narrow, ascending tunnel.
"We take this path," Aerion instructed. "Ancient crypts of this architectural scale almost universally incorporate a secondary, streamlined exit route to allow the original priests and embalmers to leave the depths without traversing the traps."
They followed the narrow stone path as it sloped steadily upward, cutting directly through the dense bedrock. They walked in comfortable silence for quite some time, the ambient noise of the waterfall slowly fading behind them.
Eventually, the tunnel ended abruptly at a solid, flawlessly carved stone wall.
Aeloria frowned, stepping forward to inspect the dead end. "It looks like the priests sealed this route completely, Aerion. Should we turn back?"
"Patience, Aeloria. Look closely at the stonework," Aerion advised, pointing to a small, heavy iron handle recessed into a subtle alcove on the right side of the wall.
Aerion reached out and firmly pulled the heavy handle.
Instantly, a deep, grinding rumble vibrated through the floor. The seemingly solid stone wall directly in front of them wasn't a wall at all, it was a massive, perfectly counter weighted secret stone door. The heavy stone slab smoothly slid downward, sinking entirely into the floor and revealing the room beyond.
They stepped out of the secret tunnel and found themselves standing in another small, circular chamber filled with the familiar, painted yellow burial urns.
Aerion immediately spotted a sturdy steel chest resting against the left wall of the chamber. He walked over, popping the lid open. Unlike the master chest in the sanctum, this one held no legendary artifacts or glowing weapons, merely a modest pile of ancient gold meant for the lesser priests.
[Item Stored: 245 Septims]
With the final chest emptied, they walked through the open archway of the room and stepped out onto the main hallway.
Aeloria looked around as her eyes scanning the area and then her jaw dropped slightly.
They were standing on the same hallway, where they had fought the group of just hours prior. The scorched stone walls, and the piles of Draugrs and dead mages were clearly around them.
Aeloria let out a massive, highly exasperated groan, throwing her steel gauntleted hands up into the air.
"By the Eight, are you entirely serious?!" Aeloria complained loudly, her voice echoing in the large cavern. She pointed an accusing finger at the secret stone door they had just emerged from. "You mean to tell me that this hallway was here the entire time? We could have just walked through this door, skipped the fire traps, skipped the giant spider matriarch, skipped the Draugr Scourges, and walked straight down into the sanctum?!"
She crossed her arms over her heavy steel breastplate, shaking her head. "We took the absolute longest, most dangerous, incredibly agonizing way around for nothing!"
Aerion let out a rich, deeply amused chuckle, entirely enjoying the Dragonborn's exasperated realization of standard video game dungeon design.
He turned to her, his golden eyes dancing with mirth.
"We certainly could have taken this route, Aeloria," Aerion conceded smoothly, maintaining his scholarly composure. "It is indeed a vastly more efficient path. However... I must ask you a simple question."
He gestured gracefully toward the heavy stone door that was opened behind them, still showing the secret tunnel.
"When we were standing here, after fighting
The Draugr and the mages... how exactly did you propose we enter this hidden tunnel?" Aerion asked, raising a single, flawless eyebrow. "The iron handle required to activate the counter weight mechanism is located exclusively on the inside of the secret passage. From the outside, it is completely flush, seamless stone. There is nothing to pull, and nothing to push."
Aeloria blinked, her eyes darting from the sealed stone wall to Aerion's highly amused face.
The mechanical reality of the one-way door crashed down upon her. She couldn't open it from the outside.
A heavy flush of embarrassment crept up her neck, turning her cheeks a bright shade of crimson beneath her new horned helmet. She let out a highly sheepish, awkward laugh, rubbing the back of her neck with her gauntlet.
"Ah. Right. The handle is on the inside," Aeloria mumbled, looking down at her boots. "I... I entirely missed that detail. Let us just completely forget I said anything, shall we?"
Jenassa let out a rare, genuine snort of amusement from the shadows, thoroughly enjoying the Nord's embarrassment.
"Your martial prowess is unmatched, Aeloria," Aerion smiled warmly, patting her heavy steel shoulder. "But leave the mechanism of these crypts to me. Come, let us leave this tomb."
They followed the path, navigating their way back toward the entrance of the crypt.
They retraced their initial path, passing through the long, claustrophobic stone corridors. They stepped over the mangled, hacked apart bodies of the rogue mages, and skirted around the piles of glowing white ash that were all that remained of the reanimated bandit thralls Aerion had purified.
Finally, they reached the massive, towering double doors of solid stone that marked the absolute threshold of the barrow.
Aerion pushed the heavy doors open, leading the team up the long, winding spiral stairs of the sinkhole.
As they crested the final landing and stepped out into the exterior ruins, a massive, freezing, incredibly crisp gust of Hjaalmarch wind hit them.
Aeloria immediately reached up, unfastening the leather chin strap of her heavy Steel Horned Helmet. She pulled the helm off, shaking out her sweaty blonde hair, and took a massive, deep, incredibly exaggerated breath of the freezing air.
A huge, brilliant smile of absolute relief split her face.
"Oh, praise the Divines, actual, breathable air!" Aeloria cheered, turning her face up toward the overcast, snowy sky. "No offense to my ancestors, but they had absolutely no concept of ventilation. That crypt smelled like three centuries of stagnant dust, wet dog, and rotting flesh. I thought the stench was going to permanently fuse itself to the lining of my nose."
Jenassa, casually slinging her heavy Dwarven Bow over her shoulder, offered the Dragonborn a look of dry, pragmatic mercenary wisdom.
"If you intend to continue following the Patron and doing the kind of work we do, Nord, I strongly suggest you rapidly acclimatize your nose to the stench of the grave," Jenassa advised her smoothly. "Because you are going to be seeing the inside of a great many more crypts. I believe this is already the fourth or fifth major barrow I have cleared since I swore my blade to his service."
Aeloria stopped breathing the fresh air, turning to stare at the Dark Elf in absolute, profound shock.
"Four or five?!" Aeloria gasped, her bright blue eyes wide with disbelief. She looked from Jenassa to the towering High Elf, completely baffled by their recreational habits. "How is that even remotely possible? Do you two actually love going into these places?"
She threw her hands up, gesturing wildly toward the dark sinkhole behind them.
"Those places are literal death traps!" Aeloria exclaimed, listing the horrors. "The floors explode in fire! There are swinging axes! There are hordes of my ancestors who are undead, who can literally shout you across a room! And let us absolutely not forget the giant, venom spitting spiders that are the size of actual draft horses! Why in Oblivion would normal people voluntarily dive into the dark over and over again?!"
Jenassa simply shook her head, a fatalistic, highly professional smirk touching her scarred lips.
"It is not a part of my job description to question the sanity of the destinations," Jenassa replied simply, adjusting her leather armor. "I am a blade in his service. As long as the Patron has conducted his meticulous research, and as long as he guarantees the objective is within our operational capacity... I simply draw my sword and follow his lead. The gold is excellent, and the combat keeps my skills sharp."
Aeloria stared at the stoic assassin for a long moment, completely unable to comprehend that level of casual, business like acceptance of subterranean horrors.
She slowly turned her gaze to Aerion, letting out a long, heavy breath.
"Wow," Aeloria murmured, shaking her head in awe. "You two are entirely out of your minds. Brilliant, terrifying, and completely out of your minds."
Standing a few feet away, Aerion did not offer a defense of his Gamer lifestyle. He simply looked down at the tiny, cinnamon red fox sitting in the snow beside his boots.
Aerion let out a heavy, highly exaggerated sigh, shaking his head slowly.
"Lupin," Aerion spoke directly to the familiar, his tone deadpan. "Please remind me, prior to our next subterranean expedition, to purchase several small, tightly woven wads of cotton to firmly pack into my ears. The sheer volume of vocal complaints generated by our friend here regarding giant spiders and dusty air is rapidly becoming the true hazard of these dungeons."
Lupin the fox, possessing flawless comedic timing, looked up at Aerion and let out a series of loud, rapid, highly agreeable yips, thumping his bushy tail against the snow.
Aeloria's jaw dropped in mock outrage. "Hey! I heard that! My complaints are entirely justified!"
Aerion chuckled warmly, the tension of the crypt entirely washed away by the easy camaraderie of the team.
"Come, my complaining friend," Aerion smiled, gesturing toward the southern trail. "Let us return to civilization. I believe we have earned a hot meal and a soft bed."
They left the snowy sinkhole of Ustengrav behind, marching southward through the freezing wilderness.
The journey back was uneventful, their heavy presence and the scent of ash clinging to their armor deterring any wandering wolves or predators. They transitioned from the frozen coast back into the thick, clinging fog of the Hjaalmarch swamps.
By the time the heavy wooden palisades of Morthal finally loomed out of the mist, the pale sun had already begun its descent, casting long, gloomy shadows across the late afternoon sky.
The guards at the north gate recognized the newly appointed Thane instantly, hauling the heavy wooden doors open with crisp, respectful salutes.
They marched directly through the quiet town, heading straight for the warmth and light of the Moorside Inn.
Jonna greeted them warmly as they pushed through the heavy oak doors, the innkeeper having clearly grown accustomed to their heavily armed, intimidating presence.
They took their usual table near the roaring hearth fire. Aerion did not skimp on the post expedition recovery. He ordered massive, steaming bowls of thick beef and potato stew, several loaves of fresh baked bread to soak up the broth, and three flagons of the most expensive, heavily spiced Alto Wine the inn possessed to chase the chill from their bones. Lupin was treated to a large plate of roasted chicken scraps.
When the hearty meal was concluded, Aerion engaged his inventory, pulling a small stack of gold into his palm.
[Septims Deducted: 45. Current Septims: 81,120]
He placed the gold on the counter, offering Jonna a polite nod of thanks.
"Retire to your rooms," Aerion instructed Jenassa and Aeloria, his voice carrying the calm authority of a satisfied commander. "Rest your muscles and sleep well. Tomorrow morning, we hire transport and return to Whiterun."
The team dispersed without argument, completely exhausted by the sheer physical and mental toll of two massive dungeon clears in forty eight hours.
Aerion entered his small, rustic room, shedding his immaculate dark robes. He lay down upon the simple straw mattress, the immense, unparalleled satisfaction of his flawlessly executed narrative manipulation lulling him into a deep, dreamless sleep.
The next morning, Aerion awoke early. The fog outside the window was thick, but the ambient light indicated the sun had risen.
He dressed swiftly, feeling entirely revitalized, and descended to the taproom. Jenassa and Aeloria were already waiting, their packs secured and their armor adjusted for travel.
Aerion walked up to the counter, handing the three heavy brass keys back to Jonna.
"Thank you for your hospitality," Aerion said smoothly.
"You are welcome back anytime, Thane Aerion," Jonna replied respectfully, offering a smile to him.
They exited the Moorside Inn, stepping out into the damp, freezing morning air of the swamp. They navigated the wooden boardwalks, heading directly for the main southern gates that led back out onto the road to Whiterun.
However, as they cleared the gatehouse and stepped out into the large, packed dirt clearing before the town, Aerion stopped in his tracks, a look of genuine surprise crossing his flawless features.
Parked securely near the edge of the tree line, its massive draft horse currently chewing lazily on a patch of frosty grass, was a familiar, heavy wooden carriage.
Sitting on the driver's bench, casually whittling a piece of pine wood with an iron dagger, was Bjorlam.
The rugged Nord driver looked up as the heavy clanking of Aeloria's steel armor echoed across the clearing. A massive, instantly recognizable grin split Bjorlam's bearded face. He sheathed his dagger and enthusiastically waved his hand high in the air.
"Well, well, well! If it isn't the trolls' worst nightmare!" Bjorlam laughed loudly, hopping down from the bench. "I heard the rumors flying around the tavern last night. They say you folks marched into the dark, slaughtered a nest of vampires, and got yourselves named Thane of the hold! You certainly don't do things by halves, do you, my lord?"
Aerion offered a smooth, highly amused smile. "News travels terrifyingly fast in a big town, Bjorlam. But what are you doing still in Morthal? I assumed you would have returned to the Whiterun Stables immediately after dropping us off."
"I intended to, Aerion," Bjorlam admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "But the Jarl put the town on absolute lockdown the moment you dragged that vampire into the hall. Nobody in, nobody out. The guards wouldn't let me leave until this morning. Figured I might as well wait and see if you survived the night."
Bjorlam gestured grandly toward the heavy wooden canopy of his carriage.
"So? What do you say?" Bjorlam asked cheerfully. "Would you and your heavily armed associates care for a swift, remarkably safe ride back to the golden plains of Whiterun?"
Aerion nodded his head, genuinely pleased by the serendipitous logistical convenience.
"We would indeed, Bjorlam," Aerion accepted.
"Excellent! Climb on up into the back and make yourselves comfortable!" Bjorlam grinned, moving to grab the heavy leather reins of the draft horse. "The fare remains exactly the same as the trip here. One hundred septims secures the entire carriage for a private, express ride to the gates of Whiterun."
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[Main Panel]
Name: Aerion
Race: High Elf (Altmer)
Health: 460/460 Stamina: 480/480 Magicka: 670/670
Level: 121
Skills: Animal Affinity (MAX LEVEL), Fast Skill Levelling (MAX LEVEL), Fast Magic Mastery (MAX LEVEL), Instant Shout (MAX LEVEL), Destruction (Fire(+3)/Lightning(+1)/Frost(+1)) (Level 0/41/0), Restoration (Healing(+1)/Purify(+2)) (Level 0/0), Alteration (Level 35), Illusion (Level 50), Conjuration (Necromancy/Summoning(+1)) (Level 37/26), Persuasion(+1) (Level 60), Smithing (Level 22), Sneak (Level 75), One Handed(+1) (Level 42), Two Handed (Level 81), Lockpicking (Level 35), Archery (Level 72), Enchanting (Level 66), Light Armor (Level 77), Block (Level 70), & Pickpocket (Level 8)
Shouts: Fus (Force), Tiid (Time), Krii (Kill), Feim Zii (Fade Spirit), & Su (Air)
[Inventory Panel]
1x Small Sack, Poacher's Axe, Mammoth Tusk, the Golden Claw, Calm Spellbook, Arvel's Journal, Inkwell & Quill, Thief Book, Scroll Of Summoning (Wolf), Scroll Of Healing, Weak Potion of Paralysis, Dragonstone, Golden Staff of Flames, Parchment Rolls Of Mammoths Farm And Loan, Ebony Claw, Orcish Dagger, Jagged Crown, The Mirror, Ring of Pure Mixtures, Grand Soul Gem (Filled), Reanimate Corpse Tome, Staff of Lightning, Deed to Tundra Homestead, Sapphire, Ruby, Dawnbreaker, Traveling Backpack (Supplies), Potion of Minor Magicka, Vampire Armor, Vampire Boots, Movarth's Golden Ash (Unique), Dwarven Sword, Hide Boots Of Sneak, Gold Ruby Ring of Fortify Magicka, Iron Garnet Ring of Fortify Conjuration & Magicka Regen, Elven Dagger, Potion of Healing, Honed Ancient Nord Sword of Sparks, Gold Emerald Circlet, Scroll of Fire Storm, Ring of Archery,Hide Boots of Stamina, Ancient Nord Sword of Absorbing, Iron Garnet Circlet, & Iron Sapphire Circlet
2x Common Soul Gem (Empty), Black Soul Gem (Empty), Elven Sword, Amethysts, Potions of Plentiful Magicka, Scroll of Conjure Familiar, & Scroll of Magelight
3x Glowing Mushrooms, Potions of Minor Stamina, Flawless Sapphires, Gold Necklace, Iron Necklace, Petty Soul Gem (Filled), & Potions of Minor Magicka
4x Spider Eggs, Garnets, & Common Soul Gem (Filled)
5x Lesser Soul Gem (Filled)
7x Vampires Dust
8x Iron Arrows & Ancient Nord Arrows
9x Potions Of Minor Healing
12x Black Soul Gem (Filled)
Weight: 93.20 KG / 540 KG
Septims: 81,557