Chapter 45 - Grey-Prince

I was waiting in the end to see what the player who was watching me would do. It was early morning now and they have yet to make their move. Truth be told their wasn't much to do in Dawnstar from my memory. I could wait here longer or explore the town and see if they make a move then. 

I closed my eyes and thought for a moment. I got up and exited the Inn. I had an idea of what I could do. I had bought a fishing rod in Solitude just before leaving. I had prepared it for acquiring some food if we ever ran out. However it could be useful here. I found a place to sit near the edge of the water away from most of the town.

I started fishing letting the time pass. I kept feeling the same itch of someone watching me. I thought it would be a waiting game, however as it turns out I soon sense the person walk up to me. A Dunmer came up to me. "What are you planning on catching today, friend?"

I gave a blank expression, "Ah, well... No one has ever asked me that before. Hmmm, well. Someone freed the town of nightmares and I figured I'd come to Dawnstar. I've been fishing in Solitude. Making my living there lately." I mixed truths and lies together using speechcraft carefully on him.

The Dunmer looked a little confused, but he sat down next to me. His next questions convinced me. He was trying to figure out if I was really a player or not. "Oh? So you normally live here in Dawnstar? I hear Morthal is in between here and Solitude you ever go there before to fish?"

I shook my head, "I used it as a place to sleep on my travels. My name is Gills, people like to say I was born to be a fisherman with a name like that. What's your name? You don't see many Dunmer around here."

He froze almost as if he was trying to resist something. However he responded, "You can call me Grey. I am a traveling priest from Ravenrock." He took out two bottles of mead and I made a shocked face. "Pretty neat, huh? Would you like a drink."

He held one of the bottles out to me. I could tell it was poisoned, that same itch that came from danger sense was screaming at me now. This guy was the first to really cause that to happen. I checked my quest log and sure enough the favor for Sheogorath updated. I gave him a shrug, "Set it down. I'm not too thirsty yet. Can i ask what a priest from... uh Ravenrock is doing talking to me? As I don't really know where Ravenrock is."

He eyed me and nodded, "Vacation, you see Ravenrock hardly gets any visitors. So to become a a better priest I came here to skyrim to learn more about how people view the divines here." His guard was lowered, it was about time to make my move.

I nodded, "Ah so you came to learn about Talos? It is one of the many reason for the civil war. I can understand that." I feigned catching something on my line and his eyes moved just enough. I slipped my dagger out of my inventory and stabbed him in the leg. His eyes went wide, but he quickly froze due to the paralysis poison.

I grabbed him and dragged him away from the town. As we got further out of view I quickly tied him up with my rope. Using a small cloth I gagged him. "Should've been more on your guard friend."

I dragged him to the Dawnstar Dark brotherhood sanctuary. When I arrived at the door it asked, "What is life's greatest illusion?" I had to briefly wonder how this thing worked, however I responded. "Innocence, my brother."

The door opened and I dragged the idiot in. Poison seems to really be boosted. Grey-prince remained paralyzed much longer than I expected. I check the poison in my inventory. It stated the poison would last for 2 minutes. The quest was telling me to kill him. However I wanted some questions answered. 

So I looked around and found some embalming tools. I lined them up on the table, first things first. I took out the Oathblade and stabbed it into his foot. I smiled while speaking down to him. "So I am gonna to ask you some questions. Try to use your special power and I kill you. Don't answer my questions and I torture you. Nod your head if you understand."

With the effect of fear driven into him and the threat of torture he nodded. "Let's start with... Why did you pick the name Jyggalag Grey-Prince?"

He stuttered, "I Th-Thought it was funny!"

I shook my head, "Well, you pissed of Sheogorath apparently." That made him shiver and I smiled, "Did you unlock your personal quest?"

The look of confusion that mixed into his expression confirmed he hadn't. So before he responded I continued, "Your look says it all. What quest have you completed."

His eyes flicked to the side, and he bit his lip. I moved as hand to one of the embalming tools and he started speaking. "I completed Ancestor's demand, Waking Nightmare, The Pale Lady and finally a quest called protect the vigilant. I also st-started pieces of the past, but the quest maker was pointing to you."

I asked, "What is the quest Ancestor's demand and Protect the vigilante."

Grey gave his explanation quicker. "Ancestor's demand was a quest to unlock my racial power. The Protect the vigilant was to protect the hall of the vigilant from vampires."

The fear effect was wearing off, so I picked up the oathblade and held it to his neck. "The Hall is only attacked when the dawnguard has more than 7 members. So was that your starting point?"

He was staring at the oathblade and stuttered, "D-Do you mean the Hall or the Daw-" I pressed the blade into his neck and he cried out. "I started at the hall! I started at the hall!"

I gave a one-word demand. "Backstory?"

He explained, "My backstory is that I am a priest of Azura from Morrowind! I traveled to skyrim after being banished from the temple. So I traveled to skyrim hunting daedra as revenge for my banishment. I gained the trust of the Vigilants in hopes of using them to kill the followers of other daedric lords. That's all, but... When I first woke up it was in the hall and it was being attacked already!" 

Interesting, that gave some insight on quest log timelines. I moved on, "What skill trees did you pick at the start."

He frowned at that, "I picked destruction, restoration and blessings. It hasn't worked out well for me. I tried to do Frostflow light house, but I couldn't even kill the first enemy. Please, I don't know what your quest is, b-but if you are a player we can work together!"

I stabbed him in the shoulder, "What did I say at the start? and Why would I work with someone like you, you did try to poison me first. Before you answer, I don't want you to answer those. What I want to know next is have you met any other players."

He shook his head, looking more scared than before. It seems he might be realizing I won't let him live. About time to wrap this up I suppose, "One last question. What bonus did you pick from your blessings skill tree."

He blinked, "Oh, right that. I just asked for all passive effect be 100% stronger. I didn't get that though and instead its only 50% stronger."

I made a note of that and slashed across his neck. He sputtered, "Wh-Why?"

His went limp quickly. However I felt stronger instantly. The same message I got from the first player I killed appeared. I checked to see what effect I gained, I gained Danger Sense from the first player. So I should get a second unique effect.

Sure enough, I did. The passive effect called Celestial Dew. I frowned, I had certainly gained the effect. However instead of the 50% I had expect it was only 25%. So killing someone with a unique gift gives a downgraded version.

I heard a snap and I jolted. I moved back and readied my weapon. Several more snaps occurred and I realized what was happening. Purple butterflies swarmed the player corpse and seconds later Sheogorath appeared behind it picking them up.

He smiled at me, "Great job! Amazing! I would've preferred more torture, or you using the wabbajack on him. In the end though, you got the job done eh? Here is everything from his inventory that you might want. I'll be taking the rest though."

Two other pieces of the razor, a large two handed mace, the Skull of corruption, the Pale blade and a literal sack of gold appeared on the floor. Sheogorath paused, "Oh wait! I almost forgot the reward a promised!"

He clapped his hands did a little jig and pulled his belt of his pants. His pants fell to his ankles revealing a pair of incredibly fancy polka dotted underwear. He kept his presentation and shouted. "Behold! The Supreme Uber Super Duper Belt! Otherwise known as the Belt of Many Effects."

He dropped it into my hands and looked me in the eyes. "Now remember! Side effects of the Belt of Many Effects are rare, but include headache, nausea, vomiting, death, dizziness, vaginal ejaculations, dysentery, cardiac arrhythmia, mild heart explosions, varicose veins, darkened stool, darkened soul, lycanthropy, trucanthropy, more vomiting, arteriosclerosis, hemorrhoids, diabetes, virginity, mild discomfort, vampirism, gender impermanence, spontaneous dental hydroplosion, sugar high, even more vomiting, total scrotal implosion, brown, your mom, and mild case of madness."

I almost choked when listening to everything he said, I couldn't help stuttering. "Wh-What?"

Sheogorath laughed, "Wh-What? Indeed! I am sure you will be fine. You can use your mystic super magic powers to see what it actually does. Now I have to get going. Busy as a Beekeeper after all!"

He picked up the player corpse and it turned into a grey dead cat. I blinked and decided not to question it as Sheograth skipped off into the shivering isles. When he disappeared the purple butterflies closed in on themselves and disappeared into a poof of smoke.

I looked down at the belt. It looked like an incredibly normal leather belt. It match my clothes though. I checked what it did and nearly choked again. "Can be used to store certain items. The belt will gain the effect, spell or enchantment the item has. Can store up to 12 items."

I instantly put on the belt. I picked up the Skull of Corruption. "Store!" The staff vanished and in my spells list I gained the spell night terrors and dream siphon. I laughed, I couldn't help but laugh hysterically. I checked my passive effects and I saw a red effect. Belt of many Effects, 20% chance of laughter falls into hysterics. Enter a Frenzy if health goes below 10%. 1% chance to fall into an episode of madness when sleeping. 

"What a trade off! HAHAHA!" I couldn't stop laughing and tried to control myself. I slowly gained control of my laughter. Despite the effects I deemed the belt more than worth it. I pulled out my lucky dagger, "Store!" The dagger vanished and now all my attacks should have gained the 25% chance of a critical hit.

I paused for a second and my eyes widened as I checked my passive effects. I almost burst out laughing again. Celestial Dew increased all positive passive effects by 25%. So it increased the effects given by the Belt. So I had a 31.25% chance of a crit! It was decided I had to start placing perk points into the blessings skill tree.

I clicked my tongue. "If I didn't fear Sheogorath sending a hit out on me, I would name my first born child after you Jyggalag Grey-Prince."

I shook my head and picked up the other item Sheogorath left behind. I picked up the pieces for the Mehrunes' razor, I only needed the sheath. I picked up the gold and discovered it was nearly 49k. I now had 50k in Septims. I don't know how he had so much gold, but I was happy he did. The last item Sheogorath left behind was a two-handed mace. I picked it up and looked it over.

It was called Pendulum a silver mace. Looking at its effects I blinked in surprise. The description says it does extra damage to Undead, Daedra, Werewolves and other abominations. This mace had to be something related to the Vigilant of Stendarr.

I dumped it into my inventory. I could given it to Viree, it was stronger than her current weapon. I cracked my knuckles and exited the Dawnstar sanctuary. Going further in would only lead to possible dangers, besides I had a museum to rob.