I can't say I didn't expect this. I was staring down at one of the Thalmor Viree had killed. This was the only one I could really give a in detail investigation. Since she brutally mauled the other one. I tried to use harvest on that one, but got only the bent metal armor and sword. I left that behind and moved onto this guy.
His head was crushed, but searching him over I did find a key. Viree pointed, "That likely goes to the hatch I found."
Viree returned back to her human form. So I couldn't actively treat her like a pet anymore. I mean I could, but it was less funny. I pocketed the key. Viree continued speaking, "That hatch was buried under some shrubbery. It's outside the hole in the wall upstairs on the second floor."
The Beacon was different than my memory of the place. When it came to my memory I had an amazing one. Mostly because I take notes and remember whatever was on those notes. Skyrim was one of the things scorched into my memories. Snowpoint Beacon was a location I remember because it was a possible spawning point of Meridia beacon. An ironic twist of the beacon spawning at the beacon.
Currently however the location clearly had people coming and going through it. The place was maintained, organized, no debris anywhere. The second floor had a wall, but clearly someone was fixing it. Even the the makeshift patio of the second floor was being replaced with stone rather than its wood.
I walked out to the hatch Viree found and she followed along. "You are having the same thoughts I am? This place was being lived in by someone with higher standards than bandits."
I nodded, Viree was on the mark. A makeshift, however study bed was on the roof. Something a two lookouts would use. Specifically two lookouts Viree likely killed. They had Thalmor armor on, but... the gear Bandits wore was laid out on the roof as well. The Thalmor do use disguises, Captain Valmir came to mind as an example. He used civil war officer outfits to trick soldiers.
I clicked my tongue at all the stupid nords who fell for his tricks. Seriously you want to fight for skyrim and its people. Except you are tricked by A Altmer in disguise? Really, would the stormcloaks really have an Altmer officer? Fucking idiots, imperials were no better either. Since it would be reversed depending on who you side with. As even if they fight for the empire most imperials soldiers distrust Altmer due to the Thalmor and Aldermi dominion.
I shook my head as Viree asked, "So what are your thoughts?"
I pointed to the shrubbery hiding the hatch. "The hatch is really well carved into the mountain. You don't even have to open it to see that. These shrubs are planted to hide it, but not interfere with foot traffic. However they are placed in a way to almost completely block the entrance. Which means not a lot of foot traffic. Begs the question what in the word goes on down there. Lastly, these shrubs...."
I paused, and sighed. "Don't know what dumbass plant them, bu-"
I was cut off, "They aren't native to skyrim."
Me and Viree snapped to the voice, prepared to fight. It was Canary though and i lowered my guard slightly. "She's the one we are meeting Viree."
Canary smiled, "Didn't expect what we were looking for to be literally at the beacon. I was tracking the soldiers and the movements. Even connecting soldier reports of comrades disappearing in the snow and sightings of the Thalmor. However I didn't expect them to be literally in the mountains."
I kept my hand on my sword, and asked. "So please do enlighten us!"
Just because she was the quest giver, doesn't mean I could fully trust her. An ex Thalmor soldier was still a Thalmor soldier at one point. Canary accepted my actions and pointed to the beacon. "Best to hide."
I could agree with that, the two lookouts were dead. Didn't mean they were the only look outs. Canary began asking when we entered the beacon, "Do you know why they left their positions?"
I shook my head slightly, "Not entirely, just a guess. I believe they were checking wildlife traps. i saw a few bear traps on my way up the mountain."
Canary nodded, "I saw several too. They were either checking them or placing them."
Viree motioned, "So the explanation?"
Canary giggled at Viree's push. I was wanting the same thing though. Instead Canary asked, "What happened to those soldiers though? No way a blade did that." Canary looked at us dead serious, "Are one of you a vampire?"
I almost burst out laughing, right the vampire problem. If one never seen a werewolf attack before they would suspect a vampire. "No, we aren't vampires." I held up Hircine's ring, "This ring lets one turn into a werewolf. It's a daedric artifact. Before you ask, the second ring is a vampire ring. It's only useful to vampires, however doesn't mean it doesn't look pretty."
I wasn't gonna mentioned how it gave me vampiric drain as a spell. The excuse of a pack rat would be more believable. Canary sighed, "I won't ask how you have a daedric artifact or a vampire ring. However I would like a heads up on anymore surprises. I would've liked some living subjects to interrogate."
She continued talking, however she lifted a hand. It glowed with a purple blue light and I recognized the magic. Necromancy, "Intact corpses can still be interrogated too. Try not to brutalize anyone we can interrogate."
I nodded and Viree looked away from Canary. The Altmer woman caught Viree's reaction. I could only hope she didn't think Viree was an actual werewolf, instead of my excuse of the ring. Canary sat down on a barrel, "I suppose let's start with introductions, after that current theories, move onto planning, and then into action."
She held out a hand to Viree, "My name is Canary. That's my code name, not real name. I'm an Ex-Thalmor soldier who worships Talos. Well, less worship and more highly respect. However at the very least I don't think he should be banned."
Viree looked at me in confusion and Canary laughed. "I guess you aren't religious. I've met Vek, but who are you?"
Viree shrugged, "Viree, my dad locked me in a prison until I was freed by Vek. That's my life."
Canary gave an awkward stare, before responding. "Fair enough, I'll just move on..." She blazed on, I could respect her forwardness. "So my current theory is that the Thalmor are using soldiers from both sides as experiments. From what I've gathered between our own soldiers and the Stormcloaks. Is that the Thalmor are investigating old Nordic sites and the apparent dragons."
That made sense, they were already hunting the blades. Which led us to what was currently going on. Which Viree commented on, "So why are we here?"
Canary sighed, "I fear, they are trying to create an artificial god." At first I tried to laugh, but a sudden realization hit me. Her theory on an artificial god wasn't a stretch. The Thalmor didn't believe in a lot of things. However despite their lack of belief didn't mean they didn't acknowledge them.
I clicked my tongue. I think I understood what was going on. "I have an idea of what is actually happening. I need more information though. Let's go down the hatch."
The two women looked at me. Viree was one of acceptance while Canary was one of confusion. With 22 players, it made sense some alterations to the story would be need. Simply put it was an expanded sequence of events. I wondered what that meant for the two other main quests. For now though...
I pulled open the hatch and stared down the dark tunnel. It was carved with out and a single ladder that descended down. "Not much room to move."
Canary looked back up and asked, "So who's first?"
It would be best if I go down first and enter stealth. I pointed at Canary, "Follow me down. Would be best if Viree stayed as a look out. Specially since she doesn't really have a clue about all this."
Viree snapped her fingers, "You aren't wrong! and I would be happy to stay up here."
Canary nodded, "I can agree to that. A look out wouldn't be a bad idea. Ladies first."
I rolled my eyes, I grabbed the ladder and slid down into the darkness. The travel down was deep, I guess this is what a loading screen would be for. I landed at the bottom and guess the way down 30ish meters? Hard to say. I plucked a few splinters from my hands as I crouched to the side.
Canary landed soon after me and commented, "They used magic on the walls. I believe it is called Texture. An apprentice level alteration spell."
Oh, I studied them slightly. They looked like brick, but I could see they were actually just the dirt and stone of the mountain. Interesting, "Why is it an apprentice spell?"
She looked at me like I was crazy for asking that now. However she did respond, "It requires one to continuingly use mana while the texture form. Thus the mana requirement is rather high... Speaking of, you have a lot of mana now that I look at you. Are you a mage?"
I shook my head, and was about to explain a little bit of the truth. However I heard voices and snapped into the shadows. They were coming down the hall and Canary motioned. We made our way forward until we found the room the voices were coming from.
It was a prisoner hall. Several dozen jail cells line the walls and they were filled with people. Several had rags one while others still wore military uniforms. It looked like Stormcloak soldiers were yelling at their captors. An Altmer man in Thalmor wizard robes was laughing.
He had casted a spell similar to muffle on them. It had the same hue and yet they remained silent. Canary whispered into my ear. "I recognize that man. His name is Anccelmo, he is an old Thalmor officer." She looked like she had more to say about the matter. However she shut up when he began walking toward the door.
We backed up and I quickly used harvest and extinguished the lights of the hallway near us. He blinked, "That's odd. Those lights should have had at least another hour on them. Was I here that long?"
Oh? He raised his hand and a light formed in it. He walked confidently into the darkness. I grabbed him by the ankle and slammed him to the floor. Using the magic the Skull of Corruption gave me. He blacked out, Night Terrors was effected spell. Honestly I think I'll keep the Skull of Corruption inside the Belt's storage.
The belt itself was beyond useful, as long as I don't fall under 10% health. I may need to prepare a back up plan should that ever occur. Perhaps ask Sybille to make something for that? Surely she could enchant a ring with magic. I had a few new items she may want to research in trade of an enchant ring.
Canary was already at work dragging Anccelmo to the ladder. I motioned for her to go up first and the two of us worked to get him up the ladder. If a werewolf, a professional interrogator and a...uh, hm... What would I be considered in this context? A madman, perhaps? I was wearing a belt that did just that.