Greetings Master Claws,

I can scarcely believe I’m able to even write this letter. What an adventure! It was a close thing, and sadly the bitter taste of friends lost adds a sour note to this victory. But indeed a victory it was.

We gathered ourselves at the dreaming cave and Leythen summoned his Prince to see if she would honor her end of the deal. She arrived and decided to help us after all. Rather than simply attune us to the resolute diamonds, she instead turned them into some sort of anchor.

She explained that the Crystal Tower is losing its connection to reality, and that by giving us this anchor we could remain protected from that instability. The price for this was that we bring her Earl, Leythen, with us. She also asked for a private meeting with Sotha Sil. I for one wouldn’t speak for a living god. She’ll just have to deal with him directly.

Next, Barbas the Hound of Clavicus Vile opened a way into his masters realm; A place called the fields of regret. Daedric Princes always have such cheery names for their realms don’t they? Darien, myself and Leythen followed him through the portal.

Nocturnal, it seems knew what we were up to, and had already sent some of her creatures to attack his realm. They were no match for our magic and blades though. We fought our way through to the base of the tower.

Which is where we parted ways with Barbas. He was supposed to join us, but he was needed where he was to defend against Nocturnals creatures. His advice to locate Nocturnal was to go up, up up. I’m not sure what I expected. He isn’t exactly the most eloquent.

Sure enough, the resolute anchor that Mephala created for us did indeed open the doors to the tower, revealing a rather ordinary looking interior. I’m not sure what I was expecting. Perhaps something more, surreal? In any case, we started making our way through.

Once we made our way to the second level, we came across what at first appeared to be a dead end. Then magically, the wall before us became a long hallway. That was more like what I was anticipating. What a fascinatingly strange place.

Eventually we came across one of the Sapiarchs who had managed to avoid being converted into the monstrosities we’d been fighting by holding onto the power of a now fading relic. In a surprisingly compassionate way, Leythen used his arts to let her last moments be at peace before she faded into nothingness.

She had mentioned that the way was blocked to the next level, but after some searching, we were able to acquire all the components needed to have Darien repair one of the ancient ballistas and blew a hole in the blocked path.

And up again we went. This time into an even stranger sight. This level of the tower wasn’t even in the same realm anymore. The Evergloam could be seen through holes in the ceiling.

We made our way across the library on this level and found that our way was blocked by a locked gate. Followed by the appearance of Nocturnals Earl. She was obviously sent to slow us down.

It was at this point that Leythen used his abilities to teleport her somewhere. Unfortunately he also strayed away from the protection of the resolute anchor. He thought he would be able to protect himself if he was gone just a moment, but was very mistaken. He disappeared into the nothingness between realities. What a shame too. He was just starting to grow on me.

There was no time to mourn though. We were getting close to the top now. Up and up some more we went. We were eventually blocked once more by Nocturnals Earl.

After a short battle, we dispatched with the Earl. She thought that Dawnbreaker should have been able to protect her. She was wrong. The sword wasn’t meant for her. It was meant for Darien. Who finally figured out what his purpose was here.

He once said that Meridia told him he was her Vessel, and now understood what that meant. Her light had fled from the sword, but could be refilled by Darien, using his essence. He wanted to be at my side during the final battle, and in a way he was, but not as a person. He poured himself into Dawnbreaker and refilled it with divine energy, losing himself in the process.

Which left me on my own. Against a Daedric Prince. I was again reminded of that moment in the mind trap. Paralyzed with fear. Realizing that the only way to go forward was to just leap. So onward I went. Making my way to the pinnacle of the tower I finally came face to face with my foe.

Rather than face me herself, she sent a resurrected version of her Earl against me. I would have been dispatched easily without the restored power of the Dawnbreaker (Darien) at my side. It protected me, and allowed me to vanquish the Earl once and for all.

A few short steps forward and then I used the divine energy of the sword to make the Transparent Law whole again.

Nocturnal was banished, and tower again became peaceful.

And so here I am. The threat ended, writing this all down so I don’t forget a moment of it. What a thrill. I’ve heard it said that once adventuring gets in your blood, it never lets go. I can see why. I’m exhausted, sore and I think I may have soiled my armor at some point. But I’ve never felt more alive.

That being said, I think I’ll find a quiet corner of Alinor and try to find a tiny slice of quiet to practice my craft some. Although you never know when adventure may find you.

Respectfully,

Tiberious Maximillion III