Tamriel Data:The Lantern Thief

Book Information The Lantern Thief
Added by	Tamriel Data
ID	T_Bk_TheLanternThiefTR
	250		2
Skill	Illusion

The Lantern Thief

by Mavon Romaris

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And that's why you must always practice your illusion spells," said Gilvas. "Many wicked creatures stalk these lands, possessing powers unfathomable to most men and mer. Perhaps the great Masters can contend with these beasts, but we common folk possess not the abilities to defeat them. The most we can hope for is to live to fight another day."

Sera Gilvas Rathon was a wise and respected mer among the Velothi in Llothanis, who had lived a long life of adventure in the treacherous Telvanni homeland. Locals frequented the tavern to hear him tell stories of his encounters with monsters, rogue wizards, and experiments-gone-wrong. He was no expert in magic, but he insisted that basic knowledge of practical illusion spells was essential for anybody, wizard or not, who lives in these dangerous lands.

"Show us a spell!" cried Fathis, eager to learn from the wise Gilvas. "How else will we defend ourselves against the Bloody Moth?"

The Bloody Moth was a legend in northeastern Morrowind, a tale intended to scare children from staying up too late. It was said that the Bloody Moth was attracted to the lanterns that Dunmer use to light up their homes. A grotesque form, it had a thousand eyes inside two eye sockets, six arms, and a wingspan of over ten feet. Worst of all was its sting, which meant certain death. The people in the tavern shuddered at the mention of it.

"I don't have the resources to teach you many spells right here, but I suppose I can teach you all a spell to create light," replied Gilvas. He proceeded to teach all the interested tavern goers how to cast a basic light spell. They caught on quickly and by midnight they were all lighting up the tavern, thanking Sera Gilvas before leaving for the night.

As Fathis walked home, he couldn't help but smile. As a child, he had always wanted to learn magic, but his parents would never let him, for fear of becoming a target of the more powerful mages that dominated the region. Even after he became an adult, the barrier to entry was simply too high. Until Gilvas Rathon taught him a spell.

Fathis reached his home on the outskirts of the city, but as he was about to turn in for the night, he heard a blood curdling shriek. The sound was inhuman, it was deep and powerful as a daedra, yet grating as a cliff racer. Fathis looked out the window and saw a thousand glowing red eyes joined in two piercing orbs, staring right at him. The Bloody Moth.

Never before had he seen such a terrible omen. Fathis' multicolored lanterns were still lit, and the Moth was flying right towards him, shrieking. In this hour of desperation, Fathis closed his eyes, focused, and began to cast the spell. He uttered the words and waved his hands; out of his fingertips shot a beam of light that engulfed the Bloody Moth, causing it to writhe in anger and confusion. During this precious time he had given himself, Fathis unlit all the lanterns and hid beneath his kitchen table.

When the Moth stopped screaming and jerking about, its focus was shattered. Upon seeing no light coming from the house it was about to ransack, the Moth let out one final howl and fluttered into the night.