FVN Chapter 50: Chapter XXIII: The Webspinner
Chapter 50: Chapter XXIII: The Webspinner
Chapter 50: Chapter XXIII: The Webspinner
Without turning around I mutter with some fear in my voice "Welcome to my parlor, said the spider to the fly"
I hear a melodious laugh behind me and finally turn around, there at the table previously belonging to Dyrren, sat an unnaturally seductive woman, yet still utterly alien with spider legs sprouting from her back and elaborate chitin covering her body instead of clothes.
I force my fear down and give her a respectful bow "To what do I owe the unending pleasure of your visit, Prince Mephala?"
She, gives me another melodious laugh before speaking in a voice made to play with ones mind "Oh, do not pretend to be happy I am here young Dagoth, I can see within your eyes the lies you are trying to spin"Nôv(el)B\\jnn
I shrug uncaringly, this Daedra can read me like a book, so if she won't indulge my attempt I might as well be honest. "A mer has to try at least"
She chuckles as if she heard a child say something funny "Truly, one must. But that is not why I invited you to my parlor as you call it"
I raise an eyebrow "Then how may I be of service?"
She scratches her cheek in what must have been an attempt to be cute or disarming, but I steel my mind, this creature in front of me is the literal embodiment of all lies of this world.
Seeing my lack of reaction just seems to entertain her further, finally after an entire minute of seeing if I would break she speaks "Your little spat with dear Dyrren here has amused me greatly, not because of any great showing from you, mind you, but I do have to admit seeing a Master Telvanni get killed by what compared to him is a child did entertain me greatly"
I scoff "Yes, but if that was all you wouldn't deign to show yourself"
She raises an eyebrow at my sudden brazenness and says teasingly "Oh, and do you really think it wise to speak to me in such a manner, I might throw a tantrum as we Daedra are known to do"
How the hell does she know my opinion about them, seriously?
Seeing my expression she chuckles "Oh please, you are not the first nor the last to think themselves above us just for being 'rational' as some of you mortals like to portray yourselves"
My eye twitches and I drawl out "While the character breakdown of my mortal self is most riveting could you please get to the point?"
She waves her hand, and even that is somehow seductive "Of course, please do forgive me my ramblings, it is oh so dull spending eternity by my lonesome" she drawls back, making my hairs stand up and my eye twitch again.
She laughs at me "Fine, fine, the reason I am here is that a great web is being spun around you, by both you and others, it will be a most entertaining series of events for me so I decided to.... throw in a bit of investment you could say"
I immediately stop her in a firm tone "I am not under any circumstance swearing myself to a Daedra, you could burn everyone I know and love in front of me and it wouldn't change my mind."
She laughs, probably having expected this "Oh I can see right now that you will be a treat, do go on, there is a web waiting for you to spin, I will be watching" and with one final wink she disappears and I am back to normal.
"Well, that was an experience" I mutter, disoriented.
I hear yelling downstairs, but it is not what I expected. I notice the voice of Hjolmir, who was definitely not part of my group yelling at someone... Well, time to face the music.
I hope the college will be there to bail me out if I fuck up.
Before I levitate downstairs I check my quest rewards.
[Quest completed]
[Stealth-novice => Stealth-apprentice]
[Alchemy-apprentice: +poisoncraft]
[New system function unlocked: Identification]
While the two first rewards are completely expected, and I file the new knowledge entering my mind rather quickly, the third reward gives me a great bit of surprise. The identification function might not be ridiculously powerful, but the knowledge it might provide is sure to be useful in any situation.
Deciding to try it out at least once before I leave the tower I take a look at the locket Mephala
gave me.
[Mephala's favor (Minor Daedric artifact): A locket gifted to Dagoth Reyvin by the Webspinner, it is both a status symbol and a powerful artifact enhancing the wearer's ability to hide the truth, this goes for any and all ways of obfuscation up to and including spells. (Take note that while the item doesn't possess any inherent corruptive elements, it does make the wearer tend to lie on instinct while worn)]
Holy shit! Maybe she wanted me to discover the effects on my own, or it's just in her nature to hide the truth, but this will be very helpful in the future, even if the side effect will be
annoying.
Deciding to put the locket on just in case I prepare for what will no doubt be a long interrogation by the authorities.
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