EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"I doubt being nice had anything to do with it." Meesei responded, shaking her head lightly. "I believe he simply wanted to ensure me that I do stand to gain from exploring his realm. A gift, to prove the value of keeping this book. The knowledge I promised was not that valuable, in all honesty, so the power he gave was more of a token than a truly powerful secret. Certainly, it is a unique ability, but no more powerful than magic I already know. I can summon one of the Daedra from his realm. Something called a seeker. Here, I will show you."

Meesei found a reasonably open space in camp and started to collect the conjuration energy in her hand. Meesei was not particularly a student of conjuration, so she rarely summoned more than bound weapons, but since the knowledge had been planted in her mind by Mora, she had no difficulty forming the energy into a spell. When she released it, the portal appeared before her, conjuring forth what was frankly a hideous Daedra. It floated above the ground, with a few tentacles serving as its "legs." It had four arms and what looked like a toothy maw on its stomach and another set of tentacles protruding from its threatening face. It appeared to be wearing a sort of cloak, though that cloak could have possibly been a part of its own body.

"These beings are primarily seekers of knowledge, but they can harm opponents with their own form of magic." Meesei explained.

Coruscant Sacked: Aftermath

Sure

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei looked uncertain. "I was sure that I said I was going to try. Perhaps I was not as clear as I should have been? I am sorry, Sabine, I did not want to worry you. No more than would be natural, at least. I could not eliminate all risks, but with the way this war has gone, I had to make an attempt."

Meesei started to hold the book closer and more securely to herself. Now that she knew what would happen if it was opened, she wanted to ensure that it was only ever opened intentionally. It would perhaps be wise to craft a leather binding to keep it securely shut. "I originally brought it with me because I did not want it to remain around the clan, but I opened it for the exact reason you might expect. To gain the power it can provide. Mora has agreed to help us, so I am not sure it would be wise to squander what he can offer. Apocrypha contains knowledge from every civilization to have ever existed, on Tamriel or in Oblivion. The Dwemer, Ayleids, Psijics, Dragons, there are no limitations. There is no antidote for the soul-tearing gas within, but there is is still knowledge we can use to fight against Vile. When I arrived, Mora welcomed me, and told me that I had his permission to search his realm for knowledge. It is a dangerous place filled with strange beings, but I cannot die in his realm. I believe I was correct when I guessed that he might want to learn from how I fight those dangers."

Pausing a moment, Meesei began to look slightly more uncomfortable. "Although, he did also offer a trade. He offered a secret of Daedric magic in exchange for the promise of the formula for the soul-tearing gas when and if we discover it. I...refused that deal. I do not want anyone having knowledge of that weapon, even if they are not currently our enemy. I did, however, offer him knowledge of the antidote, when we discover it. I do not reason that would be harmful to us. He seemed disappointed, but he did give me a lesser power in exchange. It felt...odd, to have the knowledge just planted in my mind in that manner."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Yes...yes I am fine." Meesei answered, not fully understanding the worry that the others had experienced, since Meesei had only given her explanation to Sabine. She reached down and picked up the book from the ground, this time keeping it firmly closed. "I did not expect everyone to be here when I returned. I was only away for a few minutes, was I not? I am not sure if I perceived time the same way in Apocrypha."

Meesei held the book under her arm and looked around once more at the concerned faces around her. Her tent was not exceptionally large, so everyone was having to crowd inside. "We should...step outside. I believe I need some air."

Lorag made room for Meesei to exit the tent, after which she immediately looked up to the sky and took in a deep breath. "Apocrypha is nothing like Tamriel. It is...amazing and terrifying at the same time. The walls themselves were made from endless stacks of tomes, each page filled with knowledge. Mora spoke to me again, and explained to me how to use the book."

By this point, enough time had passed for Meesei's disorientation to start to wear away, allowing her to pay attention to the looks of the others around her. In particular, she looked back into the tent and noticed Sabine. "Are you okay, Sabine? What happened after I read the book?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The commotion quickly grabbed the attention of the others in camp. Lorag had quite a few worries in mind when he heard Sabine shout, but what he saw when he looked into the tent was certainly the last thing he had expected. He had feared that something had gone wrong in her self-treatment, not that there would be a bunch of tentacles coming out of a book holding her in some sort of ethereal limbo.

"What in Oblivion? What's goin' on? I can see right through her." Lorag said before finally paying enough attention to the details to recognize the book. "Wait, she brought that cursed thing? Alpha...I thought you were smarter than that." He added, glaring at Meesei despite the fact that she could not see nor hear him.

No matter what anyone tried, they would not be able to interact with Meesei in the slightest, but mercifully for Sabine, her foray into Apocrypha did not last but about nine or ten minutes. With everyone still gathered around Meesei, the tentacles unraveled around her and the book closed, dropping to the ground in front of her. She was no longer transparent, and was now fully back in Tamriel. She quickly began looking around, a bit disoriented. "That...was certainly unique."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei wished that she had clearer answers for Sabine, but she could hardly claim to have perfect knowledge on the Black Books. She had collected some information on the topic over the last few months, but there was not a great deal of information available on them to begin with. They were rare and powerful relics, not commonly found in Tamriel, so there was much she would simply have to discover on her own.

"I am not sure if you can. I have not uncovered any reference suggesting that one of these books can transport two people at once to his realm. Though, I probably should clarify that I will not exactly be transported in the traditional sense. My body will be here, in a sense at least. The writings I found were not too comprehensible on what will happen to my body. They said it would be both 'here and nowhere.' In any case, I cannot be killed in his realm. I believe it is how Mora bypasses the problems created by the barriers between Mundas and Oblivion. If my soul is sufficiently disrupted, I will be sent back to my body, along with any books or items I have collected. In all honesty, I am not entirely certain how I would be able to bring back anything tangible from his realm, but the writings support that." Meesei explained.

Standing up to her feet, Meesei looked upon the book in her hands with some dread. "If you could, I would appreciate if you would watch after me, at least. And explain to any others what is happening if they come into the tent. I do not want anyone to worry for me, and I am not sure if I will be at all aware of the world around me while I am reading the book." For a few moments, it seemed like Meesei might have been waiting for Sabine, or reconsidering her choice altogether. However, in a single moment of resolve, she suddenly opened the book. Although, at first, nothing happened.

"I am not entirely sure how..." Meesei began, but she was quickly cut off when the book seemingly sprang to life all of the sudden. Symbols formed in the air around her, which quickly became tentacles that wrapped around her upper body. To Meesei, her mind was transported into Apocrypha, but to Sabine, she just seemed to sand there, motionless, expressionless, unresponsive. Sabine could see her, but also see through her. If Sabine tried to touch her, she would find that her hand would pass directly through both Meesei and the book. If Sabine spoke, there would be no indication that Meesei could hear her, or any clear way to interact with her at all. There was nothing Sabine could do to bring Meesei back to Mundas except to wait, and there was no way to know for how long that wait would be.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha shrugged. "Being that I don't really know Monderyn that well, I can't really say. I mean, my only experience with him has been in the Imperial City, and now. Obviously, those are, uh, very different experiences. I do have a good sense for people, but you know him a lot better than I do. I would have to be around him more before I could get a better sense of how he feels. Maybe at the wedding we'll be able to figure more out." Ahnasha began to grin. "Who knows, maybe I should give him a good thrashing in a practice duel to demonstrate how a Khajiit can really be 'superior.'"

---

Meesei's expression remained just as uncertain as it had been, even without any continued protests. "In truth, I do not know. I have no way of knowing what knowledge I possess that Mora does not, if I have anything at all. I do know many magical secrets, but that does not mean they are unknown to Mora. He is an immortal Daedric Prince, and just because Tamriel has all but lost some of the secrets I know, that does not mean he has forgotten them. Some of what I have read suggests that, for some knowledge-seekers, he simply requires that they fight off the dangers of his realm to gain his knowledge, perhaps to learn fighting styles and other habits of some of Tamriel's more powerful mortals. If I do not possess any specific secrets for trade, then that may be how I earn his power." Meesei reasoned.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Okay. As long as you have an idea of what you're going to do, then I'm sure it will go as smoothly as we can make it." Ahnasha responded. Turning back towards the road, she let go of one of his hands, but kept her grip firmly on the other as she started to resume walking. "Now, we can go see if we can find a priest in the temple, then head back and relax in camp. I'm sure the others will want to hear that it went well."

---

"I doubt he does." Meesei answered honestly. "Any Daedra, even Hircine, does not care about the lives of mortals in the same way that we think of as 'caring.' But, they do sometimes respect individuals for their actions, and they do recognize that mortals have the kind of agency on Nirn that they cannot have themselves. Mora will not harm me while Vile is a threat."

Pausing for a moment, Meesei picked up the Black Book from her bag, but did not yet open it. Instead, she simply stared at it, running her hand across its cover. "I have heard all the tales of what can happen to those who seek Mora's knowledge. But, that is by no means a guarantee. Even Vile himself will sometimes deal favorably with those who seek him. Daedra cannot betray everyone who decide to deal with them, else they would have no worshippers, and therefore little influence. I cannot pretend that it would not be a risk to read this book, but I have experience with Daedra. Experience that I can use to protect myself. Based on the writings I've gathered over the last few months, this book will essentially transport me to Mora's realm of Apocrypha. It is a source of near limitless knowledge, and while I could just explore it randomly in the hopes of finding what I need, it will more likely be up to Mora what to reveal to me, and when. Usually, Mora likes to learn something from those seeking his knowledge."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha was quick to bring her lips up to Fendros', though she was not sure how long she left them there before Fendros finally pulled away to speak up once more. She gave a nod, then pulled him in close for another hug. "I'll be honest, I was worried about you there for a while. I'm still a little worried about your father, but it wasn't all bad. It was actually kind of good. Now we just have to make sure this wedding goes just as smoothly."

Grabbing Fendros' hands in hers, Ahnasha paused, uncertain. "Saying we do get to speak to your parents again...how do you think we should handle it? Now that we've seen them, and have an idea of what they'll be thinking, I think we can try to figure out what might work best. And not just to convince them of anything, but to show them who you are. You're your own, independent man now, not the child they remember. Your father...I mean, I don't want to insult him, but he seems aggressive, and stubborn. If you hadn't have held me back, I definitely would have given him a good punch to the gut for striking Llarasa. That was uncalled for, unacceptable. Still makes me angry just thinking about it. If he does happen to show up for whatever reason, I could foresee him putting you in a bad position. You might have to decide whether or not to stand up for yourself, or go along with a lie or something, and that won't be my choice to make. It's yours."

---

"Under normal circumstances, I would agree with you." Meesei responded. She brought her hand up to the side of her head, contemplating as she stared down the book. "But this situation is far from normal. Mora does not give knowledge for free, and I certainly doubt he would do so now, but he has already shown himself to be in opposition to Vile. If the books on the topic are at all credible, then scholars in the past have had their minds consumed by madness searching through the volumes of knowledge found in Apocrypha. But, none of those scholars were at all important to Mora. For myself, he obviously does not care about me, but he has to recognize that I am the leader of Vile's primary opposition. To try to take my soul, or something of that nature, would be in opposition to Mora's goals, while granting me more power would help him. Even if Mora is entirely selfish, then he may give me what I need for his own benefit."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Fun fact, Clinton won the popular vote in this election. Electoral college said otherwise.