Back home in Cyrodill we were taught that the Nedes were our most ancient ancestors, yet we know so little about them. Most think of them as little more then primitive, uncivilized tribes; an unfortunate influence perhaps of the conceited Mer historians. Indeed, even the most renowned of Cyrodillic schools is want to teach more of Nord, Ayleid and Dwemer history then our own.

As soon as I entered the ornate heavy doors of Skyreach it becomes clear that the skill and craftsmanship of the Nedes is woefully under-appreciated today. The artistry in their stonework and masonry alone clearly shows that the Nedes were much more than just primitive sky-worshippers. Their architecture tells of a proud and powerful culture, not worshipping, but reaching for the stars.

Alas that Yokudan invaders, tomb raiders, and time have caused so much damage to the city of Skyreach that much of its former beauty is now forever lost. And now the Celestial cultists and their beasts roam the ruins in great numbers, further desecrating and trampling our heritage in search of ‘the blood of Nirn’.

It would not sit well upon my conscience if I did not at least attempt to scatter the cultists from these ruins, and the best way to achieve this is to challenge and overcome their biggest and their best. Where better to start then with a mantikora so powerful that the Scaled Court are afraid of it and have to contain it behind a magical barrier. The panic amongst the cultists as I begin to disrupt their spell-casting speaks of how formidable a beast Akranos the Unleashed is. I wonder if this huge creature is but an abnormality amongst the mantikora, or a consequence of too much nirncrux. Or perhaps it is because of the unnatural genesis of the mantikora, they will all eventually mature to be unmanageable monsters. Indeed, if these creatures really are as potentially intelligent as Regent Cassipia claimed, why would they subject themselves to the will of far lessor species.

I encounter a Breton mage atop a stair case within the Hold who was practising summoning Illusory Serpents. Only it turns out that the Illusory serpents hit just as stiffly as physical serpents, and together with the impressive destruction magics of Valana the Dreamweaver, prove a difficult challenge. I am glad for my shield and armour, for I did not wish to learn whether the poison upon the illusory serpents fangs was equally somatic.

Eventually I was to discover where the Scaled Court had began excavating beneath the hold to unearth the Nirncrux they so crave. Unsurprising they employed the Iron Orcs and their nirncrux enchanted trolls to do the hard digging for them. The Orc taskmaster Zagrakh is my obvious target but he had a secret weapon I was not expecting in the form of an enormous troll he called Rakmath the Breaker, physically an equal to any of the giant trolls I battled at The Valley of Scars.

Finally I emerge from the caves beneath the Skyreach Pass bridge where I encounter what looks like a rather large but dead wamasu being fed upon by hoarvers. As I approach however the wamasu rouses with a jolt, instantly killing its parasites. It seems there is no other way past this beast but through it.

S.K

The skyline of Northern Craglorn is dominated by the soaring towers of the ancient Nedic city of Skyreach. Despite having read that much of what now remains of the city is beneath the Dragontail mountains, I decide to wait till first light to make my approach to the entrance of Skyreach Hold.

As I approach an elf scholar named Nendirume warns that the Scaled Court has taken over the ruined city. She suspects that they are searching deep inside the Hold for “the blood of Nirn”, or nirncrux as it is known to the sane, sober and rational. She asks that if am going anyway, perhaps I could help her by investigating exactly what the cultists are up to.

The Celestial Serpent’s cultists are indeed numerous inside the Hold and I am forced to fight my way through many of them before I stumble upon a conversation between a well armed Argonian, and the mirage of a human the lizard calls Exarch Arnoth.  Before I am noticed the projection confirms that they have found what they were looking for, a source of raw nirncrux element deeper inside the hold.

Is it not ironic that here, where once the Nedes built their towers so high to reach for the power of the Celestials, the Celestial’s agents now dig so deep to unearth the power of the Nedes?

S.K

With the troll trainer slain in his hold we search next the Valley of Scars for the rune-scriber and the armourer, to try and convince them to put an end to this troll army. Runescriber Kulth seeks to bolster the strength of the trolls by carving nirncrux enchanted runes into their flesh, whilst Armorer Uthik adds nirncrux dust to the beasts armour she forges to make it tougher.

Unsurprisingly neither Orc responds well to Little Leaf’s diplomatic approach. Despite what the Bosmer diplomat believes however violence does not necessarily equal failure, through the soldier’s eyes it is just another form of diplomacy.

S.K