Chapter 1: Ivarstead Screams, the Rift Bleeds, Part 2
Sleep Walking
Excerpt from Official Report, authored by Zeldava Ellis.
I wish I could say our second contract went as well as our first.
And the fact I’m comparing this to a contract where our members nearly drowned and we ruined the docks of a FUCKING FISHING VILLAGE should tell you what a shit-show this was.
Ah, but I’m getting ahead of myself. Cause just like every awful fucking day, it started sunny.
There are scribbled out daedric runes here, with an added note in the margins that states in thick, angry lines ‘SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU DAEDRIC FUCK I’M TRYING TO WRITE A GODSDAMN REPORT.’
As much as I respect the Constable’s commitment to keeping a sharp eye on Ivarstead, he’s real shit at giving relevant details for a mercenary to do her work.
So once again, I found myself scouting ahead. Thankfully, for as shit as the Constable’s details were, the Sleepless are equally shit at covering their tracks. Their trail led me to Nimalten and a very worried, haggard looking detachment of Pact forces.
I’d done a lot of work in the Pact early on in my mercenary career, and apparently left an impression, because Captain Baergulf recognized me. He said something about a job I did with him somewhere, but as soon as he described the details I knew I must have been wasted, because I’d never have done a job like that with a green-faced Pact soldier at my side. I smiled, nodded, and asked him to lead me to Nimalten’s Sleepless.
Turns out Nimalten and the Pact were just as ill-prepared as Ivarstead for whatever was causing this. Their inn was packed to the brim with screaming afflicted, all showing various signs of progression of the curse. If I’d known where the week was going, I’d have stayed and inspected them more, but tight spaces and large crowds don’t agree with me.
The Captain and his forces insisted on following me. It kind of reminded me of you, Valtire, assuming you’re reading this, in that they wouldn’t take the hint I work a lot better on my own for certain kinds of work, like tracking a bunch of crazed villagers.
Eventually, despite the Pacts best soldiers doing what they do best (getting in my way), we got to the ruins of Honrich’s Tower. And you know what?
I never thought I’d see the day when a bunch of screaming farm-hands marched with the precision of an Imperial Legion.
I knew then I was over my head, but it hadn’t sunk in yet how deep of a shit-hole I was diving headfirst into.
If it had been clear, I’d have told the Pact to solve it themselves, gone back to Crimson Silver Mine, and ripped up the Constable’s letter. Instead, I told the Captain to keep watch while I gathered the rest of the Company, so we could address it ourselves. He seemed grateful to throw a bunch of mercenaries at the problem, instead of his precious soldiers that were needed for more burning and pillaging of Cyrodiil.
I do love the Pact’s consistency, I have to admit.
With the details of the job settled, Loredas dawned like any other day. Better than any other day, to be honest. You see, there wasn’t any screaming.
“Hello all!” Ascela said, in an inside cave voice without screaming.
I smiled at her. “Look at you, practicing your inside voice! Someday soon I might not even need my earplugs when you’re around.”
The other members of the company assembled slowly, but eventually, Aesla, Aestaril, Ascela, Azazel, Bakes, Corin, Ina, and Valtire, were prepared to depart. I gave them the usual rundown, and ended in my usual cheery way.
“As much as I’d like to say our job is to return the Sleepless safely to their homes, I’d be lying if I thought that were possible. Our main goal is to determine what the Sleepless are doing, if its dangerous, and do it while hurting the fewest number of innocents possible.”
Ha, fooled you. Me? Cheery? Who the fuck do you think I am?
Arriving at Honrich’s Tower through Aestaril’s portal was just as pleasant as stepping into any other cool Rift evening. Assuming you ignored all of the screaming, of course.
Even up here, at the Pact’s outpost above the ruins, you could hear their screams. Sometimes they just screamed in pain, other times they screamed something in daedric. The Pact soldiers were jumpy, bags under their eyes, the screams keeping them from letting their guard down.
In thick, aggressive lines, like she was jamming the pen as hard into the paper as she could, the words “THE TIME OF THE DREAMER IS AT AN END. THE CORRUPTOR WILL SOW DESTRUCTION UPON HER REALM AND CLAIM WHAT SHE SO PAINFULLY STOLE FROM HIM.” It’s crossed out in equally thick lines with a crude drawing of a middle finger next to it.
Fuck where was I? Oh right, the Rift. Everyone made it safely through the portal, and I introduced them to the Captain. I’ll admit, I felt bad for Corin. She looked awfully cold in her thin armor. The Captain nodded to the assembled Company members, though his fidgeting with his sword told me he was just as on edge as the rest of his soldiers.
“I'm glad you all could lend us a hand in these strange times. If you have any questions for me that Zeldava has not already answered, I'll do my best to help answer.”
I was glad to hear one of mine speak up first, given how few Expeditioners had taken the contract.
“Tell us more about Honrich's Tower. How is the current situation?" Azazel asked.
"The situation is... strange,” The Captain said, scratching at his beard. “The Sleepless from other towns are congregating there and guarding it like they own the place. They're attacking anyone who isn't infected that tries to get near. Oddly, they're not attacking some of the monsters that have come and gone, but we've kept our distance out of concern for our safety and theirs."
Ascela sauntered forward, tilting her head. “Do you know how many of the people who don't close their eyes are here?”
"We're not sure how many of them there are, but we suspect its at least a couple dozen."
There were a few more questions, including Ascela’s strange obsession with eye bags, before we prepared to depart. As we prepared to set off, Ascela shared some of her research, but slowly I became aware of another conversation going on.
"As much as I would like to believe that, I do not think this is a situation in which we can avoid it." Aesla said, her hand pointed squarely at her fist.
Aestaril spoke softly, but carried a wisdom to his words, like he usually did. "...these aren't monsters, they're victims. Try your best to not murder.”
“I never said murder. Hit them in the head, and knock them out." She shrugged, and turned back to face me.
Right, because I was in charge here.
Why the fuck was I in charge here?
My attention drifted back to Ascela’s research, as she said something about it being a magical curse, not just a disease. I’ll admit, in hindsight I should have paid more attention. Maybe it would have helped avoid the fucking JACKASS IN MY HEAD WHO WON’T STOP SCREAMING WHILE I WORK ON REPORTS.
ARE YOU DONE? I’LL FUCKING WAIT.
THANK YOU.
The Company prepared to depart, and I’m still amazed how a single word can stop so many people in their tracks.
"Hold," Azazel said, his eyes fixated firmly on the group. ”I'm not killing any innocent folk this day. I expect you all to do the same.”
“I make no promises,” Corin said.
Aesla was quiet at Azazel’s words, but nodded in affirmation.
“If they attack us then I will try to subdue them. Though if things get desperate enough....I can't promise I will be able to keep hold of my mind." Ascela said with words that were far too cheerful in tone for what she was implying.
And I’ll admit. I’m not sure how I kept it together in the moment. No one reacted like I screamed at them, but I wouldn’t have been surprised if you told me I did much worse.
“Nonlethal force only,” I said, my face contorted in a snarl. “Subdue them, do not kill them. The only exception is if you are in mortal danger and are left with zero options. Your pay will be forfeit if any die needlessly. And if a large number of them die..."
I let my words trail off, pausing to look at each of the assembled company members. “You will have to deal with me.”
As we approached, I could see the Sleepless milling about, occasionally screaming when they blink.
They seemed to be doing.... something that involved the large central keep due North of where we approaching from. I wasn’t sure how the rest of the company felt, but every time I saw the Sleepless, it was hard to keep two words are heavily crossed out here an animal part of me from wanting to bolt out of the country, to a land untouched by whatever fucked up shit was going on in front of me.
The Sleepless barely looked human. The purple in their eyes had completely replaced the whites, the iris, even the pupil, leaving only a pulsing purple sac of fluid in its place. It spilled down their cheeks and out of their mouth, exposing their veins with pulsing purple light. I’ve seen daedra that looked less horrifying.
Well, I knew at least Ascela wasn’t horrified. She squealed quietly, and was practically trembling. “I wanna push the glowing bags so badly!" She brought her hands up close to her face, "I hope it pops like a pimple!”
I really don’t understand mages, at all.
"On second thought..." Azazel said, his face clearly cringing at the sight of the sleepless. "... Ending their misery won't be such a bad idea."
I shook my head. "No popping eye bags. And no murder, even if they look like they might prefer it."
Corin, quiet up to this point, spoke up. "I could also try and calm them."
We made our way into the keep, subduing a few Sleepless patrols on the way in. Inside, I saw things I never thought I’d see. All around the walls were stacks and stacks of goods waiting to be packed into crates by some of the unarmed Sleepless that were milling about the place. Despite subduing their guards on the way in, the sleepless in here completely ignored us, continuing to pack goods into awaiting containers.
That wouldn’t have been that weird. But when a werewolf, fully in wolf form and drowning in purple, walked in, ignored us, grabbed crates like a fucking dock worker, and walked backed out…
Well, it took a lot to quiet the voice telling me to kill it on sight.
When we realized what the sleepless were doing, it was hard not to just burn the entire place to the ground and be fucking done with it.
“Um... There's... purple alcohol...” Ina said, looking back at us from the crate she’d pried open. "The tops are laced with whatever... is coming from the sleepless." Ina sighed at Corin as Ina watched her bring a bottle close to her masked face. "Perhaps... we shouldn't bring it close to our faces..."
Corin frowned, dropping the bottle. "Rude.. Was trying to figure out what this is… Thanks."
Aestaril added to the evidence, mumbling to himself, “...non-perishable food... packed with purple liquid... blood. Hm.”
My attentions were elsewhere, dealing with Ascela kicking a Sleepless in the balls and the fact a troll was helping the werewolf load crates. By the time I started paying attention to the conversation at hand, the Company had started moving out of the eastern passage, after the werewolf and the troll.
“If I attack one of these people on the ground, will all of them suddenly attack me?” Aesla stared at some of the sleepless as we walked past them, wondering out loud.
"Test that theory and they won't be the only ones attacking you." I growled.
As we passed back into the open air, I could see the werewolf walking to the left, towards a ship waiting in the distance, moored seemingly very far away, if the haze in front of it was anything to go by. The troll was carrying crates to the tower, dropping off one before heading towards the ship the werewolf was walking to. We contemplated splitting up, but realized it would be better to get straight to the ship. Whatever was going on, we couldn’t let these infected crates go anywhere else.
As we approached the ship, it became much more apparent that it wasn't quite as far off as I’d initially thought. The strange haze I’d seen? Well, turns out it was purple, some kind of barrier of energy. The large sphere pulsed every few seconds, sending shock waves through my chest, rippling the water. Just outside the barrier, watching the comings and goings of various creatures as they loaded crates onto the waiting ship, a giant sat. It slowly dawned on me that it was watching us as we approached. The closer we got, the tighter its grip got on its maul.
And wouldn’t you fucking know it? It had purple eyes and glowing purple veins.
"Good sir!” Bakes-with-Cinnamon shouted. “We have you outnumbered right now. It would be much more favorable to allow us to board this boat and investigate it, rather than for you to throw your existence away to slow us down. We are lawful, mind you; we are not pirates.”
Ah, Bakes. I wish I were half as innocent as you are. It’s heartwarming to find someone who hasn’t had their inherent belief that people are good squashed out of them.
Of course, as the giant smashed his maul in Bakes direction, I wasn’t sure how much longer that would last.
My sword leapt to my hand as Bakes was smashed by the maul, staggered and wounded. Everything seemed to go into a blur, but one thing was very clear as I charged at the giant.
I’d missed two things.
The first, was a man in robes. I didn’t tell anyone else in the moment… maybe I should have. But I knew the rest of the council was well aware. He wore Craglorn Syndicate robes, and his eyes were just as purple as the giants. He vanished with a sharp crack, appearing next to Corin. Her eyes flashed with a calm spell, but the robed man seemed unaffected, stabbing her with his dagger.
The second was the barrier. As soon as the Giant had attacked it seemed to hum with a strange energy, the purple haze intensifying, turning more solid. And when it pulsed, it felt like getting sucker punched by a Daedroth. I stumbled, nearly stabbing Bakes as my sword swung wide.
“FUCK!” I yelled, annoyed my sword had missed the Giant. “We need to deal with that… barrier… thing… or this is going to be MUCH harder."
Please refer to my earlier statements about knowing jack shit about magic, thank you very much.
Valtire’s words drifted to me in the heat of the moment and it reminded me again how much I simultaneously hated he was right that I couldn’t have done this on my own and appreciated that he was here to do the things I was incapable of doing.
”It's drawing power from somewhere else! We need to find a way to stop it! Investigations, with me!”
I have no fucking clue what they did. They ran off, leaving Bakes, Aesla, Azazel, and myself to hold off the giant and Syndicate man. I think Val told me at some point, but honestly I’m so fucking tired right now I can’t even tell if this is pen is real, so don’t ask me what he said.
"If we're going to die, I just want you all to know that I want my horse to be at my burial." Aeasla spoke up, gripping her axes.
“We aren't dying to these fuckers,” I said, “I've got more important things to die to."
It felt like hours. The Giant wouldn’t go down, the Syndicate member kept teleporting around like a piece of shit, and I was growing incredibly frustrated that I couldn’t solve things with my usual methods. And I wish, honestly, that that had been the worst of it.
But the Giant wasn’t going to let things go that easily. He slammed his maul down with a demonic screech, and a wave of purple energy blasted out of it. Bakes dove out of the way. Azazel did the same. Aesla and I… well, if you haven’t figured it out by now, we weren’t that lucky.
The wave of energy hit me square in the chest, and I gasped for air, inhaling whatever toxic fumes the Giant had let out. And… fuck it was fast. It felt… wrong, deep in the pit of my stomach. It twisted and gnawed, like I’d swallowed something vile, before it tore up my throat. I coughed, hard, and my eyes went wide.
I’d coughed purple fumes.
Fuck.
Me.
I’d have loved to believe it wasn’t anything serious, that I wasn’t cursed. But… well, the whispers wouldn’t let me forget it. I…
Fuck… I was doing to die to this Giant wasn’t I? Not from a maul, but screeching myself awake until I ended up a purple monster, doing the bidding of some unseen force.
A bunch of lines are crossed out and covered in wet splotches from tears.
Eventually, the purple barrier went down. Investigations returned, triumphant in their success. The Giant died mere moments later, the Syndicate member following shortly after.
Aesla had collapsed from the fighting, unconscious. And I…
I was marked for death.
Details get fuzzy after this point. I haven’t slept in four days, so fuck off with your judging attitude.
Aestaril, Lucien, Bakes, Azazel, Aesla and I returned the next morning, to investigate the ship and the tower. I… I wish I remembered more about what happened here, but I had to get details from others later. I’m not used to sleeping this little.
Aestaril found a book with dozens of forged shipping documents, to places all across Tamriel. Worse still, two of them were missing. We found them later, on the ship itself, where Aesla and Aestaril discovered the current shipment was bound for Windhelm, and the ship had already made one trip to Rivenspire.
Great. Covenant territory. Of course.
I hope I live long enough to find whatever the fuck is behind this disease. If its in Covenant territory, I’ll chase it there. I’ll chase it wherever the fuck I go, for as long as I’m lucid enough to do so.
Because if you think I’m going to let some fucking daedra violate me with his purple goo and get away with it, then you clearly haven’t been paying attention.
Members in Attendance and Deserving of Coin Disbursement
Aesla Stout
Ascela Levazon
Azazel of Menevia
Corin Beaufort
Ina Ensinma
Council Members in Attendance
Zeldava Ellis
Valtire Leythen
Aestaril Leythen
Bakes-with-Cinnamon
