[Malchik]

Frouth, Ilutivar, Crimson and Lui arrive shaken and disoriented in a huge vaulted stone room. The ceiling is so high above you it is almost invisible. A stern, middle aged Redguard woman wearing a red and gold cleric's robe is waiting for you.

"Welcome unfortunates. You will shortly be allowed to rest but first I must outline briefly why you are here. The Monastery of the Rows takes its name from two rows of standing stones that were incorporated into the grounds when the monastery was first built many centuries ago. Over the years it became very wealthy and its area was constantly being enlarged. The building you are in now is just such an example. It is in fact the refectory of the Abbots palace built for some megalomaniac abbot in times gone by situated outside the walls of the main buildings. The original idea had been for the stones to be dedicated to the nine divines - there were 18 in total. However when people tried to perform any kind of rite or oblation or to make offerings at the stones things always went ill for them. After a time the stones were seen as cursed and they were fenced in. Part of the purpose of the order became to keep people away from the stones. In more recent times commerce has seen more acolytes than religion and the numbers here dwindled. Those who still believe worship locally where they live and more through custom than true belief so they do not come here. Recruits are ever harder to find. When our troubles began there were some twenty five here including myself. The monastery has cells for 300."

She waves you to sit at the long refectory table.

"They began to disappear one by one. At first we had no clue as to what was happening. Then one evening two monks were in the lavatorium together washing our robes. This creature of Oblivion burst into the room and dragged one off . When the other tried to follow he was blinded by a spell of some kind. When the spell wore off he came to me. Of course I had to protect those who lived here. Together we packed everything away and sent them to our sister order in the Imperial City. Sadly they too had plenty of room. By then we were only 16 in number."

She sighs.

"I elected not to go. Partly I felt that someone might find a way to deal with the outrage and also because I did not at my age wish to have to bow my head to some other abbot. I moved my meagre belongings into this grand folly. It has innumerable guest rooms. I will take you to them now."

She leads you up a flight of steps. A long stone corridor lit by flickering torches stretches ahead. There are many doors.

"After you have slept return to me and I will tell you more of the monastery and who you are probably facing. By the sound of it it must be an Ogrim but he has suborned a number of vampires to his cause. I trust you have items of silver with you?

Each cell has a key on the inside but this building is warded against intrusion from outside so you may choose not to use them. Another group will be joining shortly and then we may plan the offensive."

You enter the individual cell rooms (furnished only with stone sleeping plinths) and quickly fall asleep.

When the Abbey party arrives - Tiramir, Darak and Marissa - they are given the same story and soon too are asleep.

(OOC> the thread will be locked for an hour or so to register time passing)

[Malchik]

THE CURSED MONASTERY UPDATE 1

The group awakens completely refreshed feeling wonderful. The sensation lasts for a matter of seconds. Physically you are still fine but something is troubling your mind. You cannot tell exactly what it is but something is different. It will not take you long to discover that every enchanted item item, potion or scroll that helped you detect enchantment has been taken and those among you who knew any spell to that effect has suddenly forgotten it. Someone has been into your cell. Who? And is stealing the items the only thing they have done?

The obvious answer as to 'who?' is the Abbot Diane but when you go to find her she has been knocked unconscious. She is alive but weak, a healing potion or spell will revive her and perhaps she can tell you something of what happened.

As well as one of you doing this, everyone must perform such natural bodily functions as all creatures do - (in the reredorter off the thread please) and then deal with such nuisances as hunger and thirst.

And so you do - or do you?

[nielsmajere]

The familiar wrenching lurch of teleportation, and the sensation of slamming into the ground met Tiramir once more, as he found himself standing before an old decrepit woman. Above him stretched a cavernous ceiling, and beside him Marissa and Darak waited. The cleric shuffled towards them, and with what appeared to be a grin cackled "Welcome unfortunates..." Her voice had the ring of a harbinger, but putting his thoughts aside, Tiramir listened to her introduction. He was disturbed by her tale of disappearances, but he felt there was an underlying plot. A greater scheme for this ancient monastery than simply a Daedra base, and he was certain it had to do with those stones. Following the Redguard to the dormitories, he listened to her warnings of what they might face. Since when do Ogrim brutes call forth the undead? Strange things are at work here... After gesturing him to enter his room, she shut the door. Listening briefly for her fading footsteps, he locked the flimsy entrance, and made his way to the bed where he collapsed, unable to fathom how he might sleep with so much to think of.

Rising from the bed, Tiramir basked in the fresh morning. But the lack of light quickly chilled his spirit, and then, it came to him. Something was terribly wrong. Clawing furiously at his robe he realized in horror My amulet... is gone. The opal which had guided him in so many of his endeavors for knowledge and power was missing. Even more disturbing, he felt as though a part of his mind had been chiseled away, and the knowledge that had once been kept there, was gone. Listening closely, he heard the soft purrs of Darak's and Marissa's sleep, bringing him a twinge of envy. I’d best not leave without them. Whatever is responsible for this is much more than I can handle. After all, what being can affect ones memory? Unless... Hermaeus Mora again. The destiny of Darak and our lost memory intertwined with our assaults on Oblivion... Only time will prove if this bold Prince is responsible. Consolidating himself with the prospect of study, Tiramir lounged once more on his bed, taking solace in his books as he awaited his companions.

[Laurie]

AAbbot Diane fed and watered the group and led them to a cell to sleep off the worst effects of the previous day, and the teleportation.
They were given the option to lock the door and so they did.
Frouth awoke feeling fresh . Then feeling for her trustee sword she noticed it was missing, vanished or stolen in the night. The door still appeared to locked from the inside, it was still under the clothes where she had left it before drifting off to sleep last night. So who got in here to remove the sword, was it this Abbot Diane, she was the most likely candidate, she could after all have spare keys to the doors. Was it simple theft the blade was very valuable.
Fortunately she crossbow and the silver bolts had not been removed. So she armed herself and went to see if any one else was awake.
There appeared to only be one person awake, a stranger, so she went to see the Abbot and found her unconscious on the floor.
To get the information that she wanted she would need to revive the Abbot, so Frouth performed the spell heal companion on Abbot Diane to revive her. To enable the Abbot to come fully to her sense Frouth checked that she was recovering and left her in search of food and drink, brandy would probably help the Abbot to recover if she could find some.

[Laurie]

Searching the building for vitals Frouth found her sword, it looked like it may have been used in the assault on the Abbot, someone was trying to cause dissention amongst the enlarged group. It would appear at least one person could not be trusted but whom.
Frouth eventually found a pantry with bread, butter, cured hound meat, greef, comberries, Guar milk, cheese a pitcher which she filled with water and some brandy.
There was enough to make a substantial breakfast for them all when they awoke.
These she carried out to the refectory table that they had sat the night before. Then she went over to Abbot Diane and dampened her lips with some of the water. The Abbot was recovering but very slowly. The attack must have been magical as well physical for the recovery to take this long.

[Laurie]

Frouth walks up to the room with the stranger (Tiramir) in and says "my name is Frouth, the Abbot has been assaulted" she paused, “can you offer any help, I have tried a Heal companion spell but she only recovers slowly”.

“Also I have found some breakfast if you are hungry” Frouth said almost as an after thought.

Frouth went back to the heavily laden refectory table and ate some of the food, then took a trip back to the pantry to wash with the water from the pump followed by a trip out side the Monastery to complete her morning ritual.

[nielsmajere]

Tiramir paused from his reading, to look intently over his book at the Breton woman that had just entered his room.

"...also, I have found some breakfast if you are hungry." Smiling, Tiramir set the book down and, standing before the Breton, he introduced himself. "Greetings. I am Tiramir, a mage, and judging by your apparel, you too have some knowledge in the Art. As for breakfast," at this he grinned, "I could really use some." Following her to the table, they passed the injured cleric. Kneeling beside her, Tiramir sighed. "What you said was true, and I too cannot speed the recovery process. For now we will have to leave her, as I believe she suffers from a magical malady." Bracing the abbot's head on a cushion from his room, Tiramir continued to the center hall where a venerable collection of foods were piled on the table. A feast fit for Uriel Septim himself... Sliding into one of the chairs, he concluded he might as well enjoy himself in the meantime.

[Laurie]

Frouth looks quizzically at Tiramir “did you lose something last night?”, because someone or something visted my room last night while I slept”.

"the odd thing was the door was locked from the inside so how did any one get in and out"

[elftor]

Lui awakens from his turbulent slumber and finds that his satchel has been disturbed during his period of incapacitation. He goes through his stuff and realizes that nothing is missing so he decides that it is something that he can deal with later. My slumber last night seems to have done far more ill than good. I need to get myself back into a proper balance before I continue.

As Lui finishes this thought he sits down on the floor close to the middle of the room and slips into a deep meditation. After staying this way for nearly half an hour he gets to his fett and stretches his arms above his head. Ahh. that feels so much better. Now to see how my companions are fairing.

After gathering up his belongings Lui exits his cell and makes his way towards the table where they first met the abbot. As he approaches he sees the abbot lying on the ground, It is as I thought. Something unnatural happened last night, and he rushes to the abbots side.

As he nears the center of the room he sees a stranger sitting at the table eating. Lui readies his weapon and charges to where the stranger is seated. "Who are you and what have you, and what have you done with Abbot Diane," he roars as he appraoches. It isn't until he is at the end of the table that he sees Frouth hidden from view on the other side of the mage. He stops his charge but still has his blade pointed at the stranger, "Frouth do you know this man?".

[nielsmajere]

Slowly setting aside the cup of guar milk, Tiramir looked with amusement at the charging madman. "Put down your blade, brigand, I am in no way responsible for your abbot's injuries. Quite to the contrary, I am here to help you." This will prove itself to be quite an adventure... Deciding the man merited no more attention, he turned to Frouth to answer her questions. "Yes, I did 'lose' an item of value last night, one of my most precious. It was an amulet able to detect nearly all forms of magic and life. As for the doors, a scrap of wood and a metal key is no match for the secrets of the arcane. Even cantrips can render most locks useless. Apparently you battle mages do not dabble in the subtle forms of magic." Satisfied with his answer, he returned to the bread and cheese, hoping the insane Akavir before him would calm down, and that Darak and Marissa would soon rouse themselves.