67: Sadrith Mora

I awoke early the next morning, despite the long and exhausting night. I had slept deeply and no dreams came, though the memories of the previous night were still clawing their way through my mind. Darkasha’s actions were frightening and unexpected, and I wasn’t sure if I could ever forgive him. Nevertheless, I had a mission to complete, and Darkasha would be a valuable asset. I forced myself to swallow my fear and revulsion as I began my search for him.

It was misty out, but otherwise a beautiful morning. The world obviously didn’t care about the battle that had taken place here, and it was merrily going on its way. It was infinitely refreshing. My heart was lightened by the general happiness of the world around me. Birds were singing and the river splashed and gurgled at the edge of hearing. It was as if it knew that Oblivion had been held back for once, and was rejoicing in its salvation.

I was awakened from my admiration of the world by a quiet thud slightly behind me. I spun to see the dark form of Darkasha standing a few steps away. He was heavily covered and guarded against the sun. I scowled briefly at him.

“I…” He began, but he struggled for words. “I am sorry for what I did last night. It was not like me.”

I raised an eyebrow but remained silent. He continued.

“It was the blood. The smell was all around and it was… intoxicating.” He narrowed his eyes in thought. “Also, I think the Daedric blood may have affected me somehow… made me more aggressive. It is a powerful taste, Daedric Blood.” He frowned, searching for appropriate words to say. He wanted me to understand.

And I did. “It’s alright.” I said, with a sigh. “People do stupid things when they’re drunk. It sounds like it was a similar situation you were in. I forgive you.” I truly felt sorry for him. He had lost control of himself and was clearly very ashamed. He nodded his head in thanks.

“Besides,” I said. “We have more work to do. The Nerevarine wants us to go to Sadrith Mora and recruit some of the Telvanni retainers to help his cause.”
“Heh, we have a snowball’s chance in Oblivion with that one.” Said Darkasha jovially.
“I agree,” I smiled, “but we have to try.”


It wasn’t hard to travel to Sadrith Mora, though we had to wake up the guild guide to teleport us. He had been napping in the transport room, confident that no one was going to want to travel to Gnisis.

“Uh,” He said, dazedly. “No one’s really supposed to leave here until Lord Nerevar gives the okay…”

“Yes I’m aware.” I said. “He gave us orders to travel to Sadrith Mora.”

He looked at me sleepily and then nodded. I hoped he could send us there in one piece, as tired as he looked. I cast a spell of restore fatigue on him and he perked up enough to get us through it.


We arrived safely in the tiny Mage’s Guild in Wolverine hall. It was a single room in which were crowded many scholars casting spells and doing experiments. Darkasha and I left them in peace, and heading straight into the main area of Sadrith Mora.
“Well,” Thought Telvana. “It certainly has grown since I was last here.”

It was a big city. I had heard from the Gnisis Guild Guide that the place had nearly doubled in size since the downfall of Dagoth Ur. There were small houses everywhere and many larger Inns and buildings near the center of Town. It was actually very surreal because all the buildings were carved out of a giant mushroom. The Mage Lord’s mushroom tower dominated the skyline, and it was from this that all the other buildings had originated. So when Telvana said it had grown, I knew he meant it literally.

“We really should get a look at the tower while were here. I’m curious to see how well they’ve maintained it.” I nodded and turned to Darkasha.

“I will try and speak with their Mage Lord. Why don’t you see what you can find out about their council?” He nodded and walked off towards a tavern. I made my way towards the tower, disregarding the streets and just walking straight for it. I walked up an ashen slope to find myself on the top of a hill overlooking the base of the tower. The base was in a deep crater and roots spread out in all directions away from the tower. I cast a spell of slowfall and jumped off the top of the hill into the crater. It was a long fall and I landed softly among the thick roots.

Telvana’s mind was racing; drawing in all that he could about the condition and structure of the tower. Occasionally he would have me touch things or cast unusual spells on them, and then give me little more explanation than an “hmm” or an “interesting.” All the time I worried about being attacked by a guard for spying on their secrets, but the crater was devoid of anyone but me. I mostly zoned out and did what Telvana asked me to do. I knew it was above my head.

Sometime later, after we were about three-fourths done with combing the root structure, Telvana gasped and I stopped. He told me to start digging beneath my feet. I remarked I didn’t have a shovel and he said “Good! You would damage it if you did!” So I began digging with my hands. After a short while I made contact with a buried object that had a similar texture as the roots, but it was small and spherical, rather than long and tubular. I dug out around it and pulled it out of the ground. It detached with a gentle popping sound and I began to examine it.

“Could it be?” Telvana said, excitedly. I rolled the object around in my hands. It was about the size of a small melon and had a tough outer covering. On one side was a small stem surrounded by tiny purple crystals.

“It is! I cannot believe it!” Thought Telvana. “Of course, it will need to be verified, and who knows how well it will survive… but this is big news!”

“What is it?” I said, though I had an idea.

“What?” Thought Telvana, apparently I had broken his train of thought. “Oh! This is a mushroom spore. Of course the Telvanni have hundreds of these in storage, but this one is different I think. Maybe this whole Oblivion Crisis has changed it somehow, or maybe it was an evolutionary inevitability…” He paused to think it over. The staff blazed in hundreds of scintillating colors. “If I am correct, this spore should be able to grow in any climate. Even in Cyrodiil.”