Chapter 123: An interesting affliction

As a newly fledged vampire, Sirilonwe needed to feed right away. I did too, as a matter of fact: I had not fed since that morning. While Sirilonwe's head swivelled around, her senses nearly overwhelmed by how intense everything appeared - and smelled, and sounded - to a 'newborn' vampire, I proposed that we both use Divine Intervention spells to teleport across to the Imperial Chapel in Ebonheart. The only people about at such a late hour would be the Imperial Legion guardsmen patrolling the streets. A Legionnaire would be ideal for Sirilonwe's first feeding: strong and healthy enough to (probably) escape accidental harm during the process - but not so strong as to pose a threat to either of us.

A slight frown darkened Sirilonwe's features, reminding me of her passionate plea that I stop hunting mortals for their blood. She seemed resigned to it, though - it could not be helped, after all - not if she wanted to avoid starvation. Her altered instincts were no doubt making it easier for her to completely renege on her previous opinion on the matter, too...

Hunger is a powerful driving force.


By lucky coincidence, when we appeared on the doorstep of the Imperial Chapel, we found ourselves standing right next to an astonished Legion guardsman. Missionaries and magic-users appearing out of nowhere at the entrance to an Imperial Cult shrine was nothing out of the ordinary - Divine Intervention spells were used quite commonly, after all - but two vampires appearing suddenly, and right next to you, has to be frightening.

Sirilonwe and I both leapt on him before he could cry out, or draw a weapon - each of us putting our weight on one of his shoulders, to pin him down. I cast my Sleep spell on him, and then we were both hungrily feeding from him simultaneously; three prone bodies on the cold cobblestones. We both healed the guardsman as we drank, of course; keeping the amount of blood in his veins virtually unchanged - and we were gone before he awoke. Perhaps he believed us to be a dream - and himself to have been asleep on the job.


I spent several hours running through the night air with Sirilonwe, as she discovered her new body - or rather; her newly eternal, more powerful body. I showed her how fast we could run, how high and how far we could jump, and she showed me spells from the Destruction College made so potent that they could boil away seawater as they passed: parting waves and striking the sea-floor without being touched by the water. There was no doubt that she had 'inherited' the magic blood of the Aundae clan.

We spent nearly an hour near dawn lying on our backs on an isolated stretch of shore near Wolfen castle, watching the dancing threads of light between the stars that I was now sure I could see. Sirilonwe swore she could see them too; and I told her my theory that we were looking past the stars and into the great beyond: Aetherius, plane of pure magicka and home of the Nine Divines. I was linked to that place, I reminded myself; through the golden 'magicka threads' Ranis Athrys gave me all that time ago - and probably through whatever it was that Crescent Moon emblem had done to me, too.


We hunted and fed once more before the sun rose - again on an unsuspecting Legion guardsman. Afterwards, we returned to the castle and washed ourselves quickly (something made a necessity - for me at least - by my decidedly nasty Corprus sores), before teleporting over to the Balmora Mages Guild. Sirilonwe said she would spend the daylight hours in the guild halls, attending to her new duties as Steward of the Vivec hall. After eliciting a promise from her that she would be careful (it would be the first time she had to watch out for sunlight and the possibility of people trying to kill her for being a 'monster', after all), I hurried over to Caius Cosades' hut, across-town from the guild - anxious to reach it before the sun came up.

My Corprus disease had been in the back - or perhaps even in the main - of my mind all through the night; even when I was cavorting with Sirilonwe along the Ascadian Isles' south coast. I obviously did not have the answer as to what I should do about it: I needed more information - and who better to gather information than an Imperial Spymaster? I was supposed to give him a report about the Sixth House base in Ilunibi, in any case.

So; again I found myself paying Caius a visit just before dawn.

"Dear, oh dear." The spymaster said, peering out from his hut, the door open only a crack. "Look at you. Well, get in here."

Caius pulled the door open all the way, and stood aside to let me enter. I noticed him muttering a few words to himself as he pressed his free hand against his bare chest. A faint blue glow spread from his palm and settled into his skin. It was obviously a spell to protect against disease; much like the one Sirilonwe brought back from the High Fane.

"Corprus, is it?" The old Imperial man was shaking his head. He did not seem surprised to see my condition. "This island hasn't been easy on that body of yours, has it? First that business with... whatever that magical trinket was, that started sucking your life away - then your new face courtesy of that fire - and then vampirism to get around that early death - and now this. Join the Blades!" Caius said dryly - "See the world! Have your body abused and mutilated three ways from Sundas!"

I began to frown. Again the spymaster took on that flippant attitude about the least appropriate things. He noticed my displeasure, I think:

"Not to worry, Frost. I'm on your side: and things may not be all doom and gloom, in any case." This earned him an incredulous stare from me, but he continued on regardless: "First though, tell me about the Sixth House base. Was it a success? Is Gares dead?"

Forcing myself to ignore his galling manner, I recounted everything that had happened in the Ilunibi sea-caverns, finishing with how I had torn Dagoth Gares to shreds with that spell, but he had still somehow cursed me with Corprus. Caius gave me a dubious look.

"You're saying he gave you Corprus intentionally? And this was after you got him with a 'fatal' spell? Are you... sure he's dead, then?"

I fixed him with a furious glare.

"I'm not going back in there." I said, a note of warning in my voice. "Look at me! I have Corprus!"

"Yes... yes." Caius said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Gares would have to be dead after what you describe. Yes - based on your... quite vivid description, he would have to have expired from his wounds: shortly after your encounter, if not immediately." The spymaster was making notes on an official-looking document as he spoke. "Alright. Now, I have to admit that I canvassed my informants after you left for possible treatments for Corprus: just in case something... went wrong." He nodded at my red, swollen skin. "Have you heard of a Telvanni wizard called Divayth Fyr?"

I leapt to my feet.

"WHAT? The Corprusarium?! If you think I'm going to consign myself, Cosades, then -"

Caius raised a hand and spoke over me:

"I have learned from my informants that this Divayth fellow - who yes, runs the Corprusarium - experiments on the... 'inmates' there; looking for a cure for Corprus. Now apparently, he has found something recently that... may interest you."

He fished out what looked vaguely like a watering can - only cast in glass and a dull, yellow metal - and handed it to me. It was obviously a Dwemer artifact of some kind; though anything more than that was past my ability to discern. I sat back down, and began to examine it.

"You should - in fact this is an order (if that actually means anything to you) - take that with you, and pay Divayth Fyr a visit. He is a well-known collector, I'm told; and he should appreciate a gift like that: he may even decide to help you."

I hefted the Dwemer object in one hand.

"Trading in Dwemer artifacts is treason, isn't it?" I asked. I already knew the answer of course; it was just that - given his attitude up until that point, I had not expected Caius to risk himself in such a way for me.

"Nothing to worry about." Caius replied, with a casual wave. "I work for the Emperor, remember? If anyone complains about it, I just sign a form, and everything is fine. At any rate; go see Divayth right away, and then return here - as long as... you know." He cleared his throat. "Mehra says that the Dissident Priests do have records of Ashlander Nerevarine prophecies, and she has an idea on how we might get a look at them, so... we'll need to get onto that once you get back."


I again spent the daylight hours locked up in my chambers with my books - unable to go anywhere for fear of infecting someone. Sirilonwe stopped in a couple of times (as I had asked her to), to assure me that she was alright - and to complain about how hungry she was. In the end, she left her Steward duties early to return to the castle in the mid-afternoon and sleep away the hunger.

We were out hunting as soon as the sun ducked behind the hills to the west, and were on our way to the Corprusarium in Tel Fyr soon after that. I had visited Divayth Fyr once before - if only briefly - and so I knew how to find his Telvanni tower; out among the shattered islands of Zafirbel Bay, along the eastern Azura's Coast. Balmora guild-guide Masalinie teleported us across to the Sadrith Mora Mages Guild, and from there we struck out to the south-west, water-walking over the choppy seas. It began to rain steadily during the trip, and we were wet through by the time I spotted the giant, hollowed-out fungus that was Divayth Fyr's improbable home.


"Sorry, not interesting enough!" The ancient Dunmer wizard was bent over his desk - just as he had been on my last visit - and he did not even look around as he dismissed me.

I stepped over to Divayth Fyr's desk and placed the Dwemer device Caius had given me next to the book he was making furious markings in. He dropped the quill and caught up the strange artifact.

"Ah, a Dwemer Coherer." He breathed, turning the object over and over in his hands, studying it closely. "Very nice. For me, is it? Very thoughtful - and shrewd. I suppose you know I am a collector? Well, alright: why butter me up? What do you want?"

Finally, Divayth turned to look at Sirilonwe and I.

"A vampire, is it? Two vampires, even! Perhaps a little more interesting, then..." He said, in a tone that suggested he was being generous with such a statement. "But hold a moment... the divine disease! You have Corprus! Now that is more interesting. So vampires can become infected after all..." The ancient Dunmer spoke as if I was not actually there. "Sit. Sit. Let me take a look at you. I suppose you're here looking for a cure, aren't you..."

I did as he asked, and the wizard took up station behind me, studying the lumps and mild deformations on the back of my neck, and then on my arms.

"And though I don't think I need to say this," he murmured in my ear as he worked, "I am not food, vampire. It would be inadvisable to treat me as such."

I remained silent, and let Divayth examine me. As long as there was the possibility that he may be able to cure me, I would allow the eccentric old wizard to have his way.

"Corprus disease is fascinating, really." The ancient wizard continued to murmur as he examined me. "Did you know that corprus makes you immune to disease? Makes you more-or-less immortal too, barring accidents. Have you ever heard of the prophecies of the Nerevarine? The Ashlanders say the Nerevarine will be immune to disease, and will live forever. I've always thought, 'Maybe I have the Nerevarine down in my Corprusarium, and I don't even know it.' Hah-hah! The Nerevarine is a fat, disgusting corprus monster, and mad as a marsh rat. Wouldn't that be funny?"

I clenched my teeth. I still did not believe myself to be the Nerevarine, of course; but such humour did not appeal to me, considering my position.

"Well then," Divayth said, as he finished his examination and indicated that I should stand; "you have quite a bad case of Corprus! If it continues like this, you'll be mad as my inmates in a week or two!" He said cheerfully. "However: I have this potion I've been working on. In theory, it should cure corprus." He took a deep breath. "It doesn't work, though. Killed all my test subjects. But then..." he gave me a shrewd look - "you're already quite dead, aren't you, vampire? So... who knows?"

Sirilonwe took my arm, her grip tight. She looked as worried as I felt.

"In any case," Divayth added; "you have nothing to lose."