Ariitha Biethu's Journal

[Enlil]

Ariitha Biethu's Journal
by Ariitha Biethu

Day 1:

As a member of the house Telvanni, I have been left to my own devices in the matter of acquiring a corpse. A man accused me, today, of being a necromancer. I denied it as I live within the borders of my enemies and the fools who understand nothing of the Sacred Art. My neighbor, Dor Itashi was found to be incorrect in his version of our argument and is now an uncomplaining participant in my endeavor to restore the Lord’s will.
I have moved his body to The Temple at my Lord’s request. Now I must prepare it for instilling.
It is now nightfall and I must return to my home that my appearance may be kept in tact.

Day 2:

The body has been stripped of all clothes and articles of jewelry. I have placed the items in The Await. They will remain there until the cadaver has been reanimated and then placed, once again, upon it to clothe it (this will serve as a petty means of disguise).
I have placed the corpse within The Waters of Reliienth within The Temple. Here it must remain for sometime. This length of time is yet a mystery to me. When the skin has become leathery and tightens up and the eyes shine as a candle in a dark cave then it will be ready for instilling. I will check for this condition every day as it is very important not to let it set longer than initially needed lest it be wasted.
I will make a list of the required materials and gather them while I wait for this stage to reach its end.

Day 7:

I have gathered half the amount of ash salts called for in the formula by way of some of the alchemist in town. Nothing on the corpse yet.

Day 10:

The bittergreen petals have been collected as well as a small portion of ectoplasm. I still wait for results on the cadaver.

Day 21:

I have been in the Ashlands for many days and have contracted some disease in my effort to collect the rest of the ash salts I need.

Day 26:

Luckily the subject has not finished soaking in The Waters yet. I have been unable to check on this as I was negotiating with death. Too sick to move for the last few days, or hardly think, I could only pray. My Lord has spared me that I may continue his work.

Day 27:

The ectoplasm is proving to be very difficult to find. I have searched the tombs around the town in hopes of finding more. Upon entering the last tomb I discovered the source of this ectoplasm…..ghosts.
I attempted to destroy one of them but it seemed to be unaffected by my weapons. As I was running from the tomb it occurred to me to try magic upon it. This worked and it relinquished the rest of the ingredient I needed.

Day 29:

I have had to sell my home to afford the rubies and the ebony which I needed. This is not entirely bad as I will now have enough money to continue my practice for quite a while. I must be out of my home in two days (counting today). I will abide in the wilderness with those I have raised.

Day 31:

It is cold. Misery is my only companion on this wretched day.

Day 32:

It has been thirty days since the subject was placed in The Waters. This morning just past nine, it achieved the conditions required to continue to the next stage of preparation.
I have placed it upon The Alter of my Lord. It will be preserved there for the three days from the time it was removed from The Waters.
The ingredients have been placed in the appropriate jars and vials as per my desire for the type of reanimation.

Day 33:

I have slept within The Temple and awaken to the sound of my potion brewing.
I will wait.

Day 34:

The potion is complete. I have poured it on the subject as required by the ancient laws.
Yet, when I cast the according spell upon it there was no reaction…..I pray it worked.
Thirteen hours have passed and it is night.
The body is beginning to rise……..I fear the spell has not...(no further entries)

Day 36:

I have failed in my experiment and must gather the rest of the required elements in order to complete it.
I have decided to go looking where I have been warned not to; the ruins north of here. I wasn’t sure of the name of this place, but I had heard talk about it from some of the people from the Mages Guild. From the stories, it sounds as if one of them had set out to explore them and did not return for several days. Concerned, one of her friends went in after her. They have not returned. That story is about two years old. I plan to be gone for at least fourteen days. I need at least enough time to retrieve my treasure... a soul gem occupied by an ash zombie soul. It appears, through my studies, that I had missed one crucial element of my experiment… the soul of the creature. As this is the closest place with such possibilities, I will begin there.

Day 37:

I have secured passage on a small vessel heading north. This is going to be a miserable ride.

Day 40:

Now that my food is holding its place in my stomach and I am off that awful skiff, I will set out to find the ruins.

Day 41:

I have spent all day asking around town about the location of the ruins. I think I have a positive lead at last. I will head out of town tomorrow.

The 42:

I have gotten sidetracked today. It is difficult for me to pass by so many good plants and not retrieve at least some of them. I have arrived here by boat and have never been this far north. There are strange plants that seem so foreign to me, but are all but background to the natives. I plan to stow away some at my first chance to take back as most of these are harder to come by back home.


Day 43:

I have made camp. I can see the ruins about two miles off. I have read about the Dwemer but never been to a place such as this. I am anxious to see what I have only, yet, read. I will rest here tonight so that I may enter into them tomorrow with my full strength and wits about me.

Day 44:

I entered the first accessible floor of the ruins and found a few other doors… I have opened none of them yet. I found some type of mechanical spider that seemed to be halfway dismantled or perhaps in repair. What wonders are these? I have searched through most of the containers, closets and dressers in this place and come across some very useful items. Of note, a barrel full of scrap metal, some cogs, wheels and the gears of sorts. I will have to choose wisely, for I cannot carry all this back. All along with this I found some paperwork; some kind of drawing for the construction of… something… I am unsure but I will take the document with me. The lettering is Dwemeri and I cannot read it.
Among my findings were Dwemer coins. Very strange; these people left their money in the drawers and equipment stowed away. This leaves much to ponder as to how and where they went.

Day 45:

I opened the first door on the right that one reaches upon entering these ruins. It is very different from the exterior door: this one was a circle split down the center. Upon opening it, I discovered a room quite similar to the first one; however this room was strangely warm. It would appear that some type of machine was being powered using a river of lava that flows under these ruins. The machine is still running. I find it difficult to understand how skeletons can lie on the floor; bones, dry as the air around them and yet machinery, is still in motion. There are lights on the walls of some type that does not require fire to be illuminated. But I had not known what these were in the outer room, as they are all broken. I have moved my base of operations into the small room since it is warm and lighted and has a desk, uncomfortable as it may be. I think I will stay for longer than originally planned as there is much more here than I could have fathomed. It is several leagues from The Temple so I will have to find supplies around here.

Day 46:

It has proved to be an uneventful day at long last. I am still confused as to the purpose of this place even in its prime. Why would they build such a majestic structure and then leave. It shows no signs of being under attack or siege whatsoever.
The Dwemer are a fascinating race.
I have finished exploring this place and will leave tomorrow.

Day 48:

I have managed escape the ruins and have made my way to a small clump of trees for some shelter from the coming storm. I am wounded and fear I may not see the morrow. I have left my supplies inside the ruins for I had no time to retrieve them. Some haunted machine roams that place. It is cursed. Beware the northern........(words trail off into scribbles and a few blood stains).

[Gez]

This book was on the forums about two years ago and was approved and ready for BoT (as were a few other of my works). It was then lost with several others that I have written...I have managed to recover a few of them and would like to put them back up for submission into BoT.

XDS#:TrBook3MisTheUndeadJournalsVolI

Thanks,
Enlil.

It's better to put these comments on a second message, keeping the first one entirely for the book.

I'm not sure if it can be put back in, since there is now a moratorium on Morrowind-related books.

[Hemitheon]

Beside the moratorium, this deals with a rogue Telvanni. Once Map2 is done, the Telvanni probably won't be seen much thereafter. It could possibly be used in one of the quest interiors for Map1, maybe Lambinatha or Hermites cave.

[Enlil]

These book were on the forums about two years ago and were approved and ready for BoT (as were a few other of my works). They were then then lost in a forum clean-up with several others that I have written...I have managed to recover a few of them from the forum archives and would like to put them back up for submission into BoT.

XDS#:TrBook3MisTheUndeadJournalsVolI

Thanks,
Enlil.

[Nanu]

This breaks the moratorium, and BoT for Morrowind is finished and will not be updated unless it's for a single claim.

Things have changed quite a bit around these parts since '06. If you'd like to post a non MW book in Showcase, I'll look through it, since you have contributed to the project in the past.

Same goes for your other book. For future reference, when things are put in the Archives, it's for a reason. These can't be used at all.

I do appreciate your efforts, however, and look forward to seeing some writing from you on Hammerfell.

[Harke the Apostle]

At the moment, some modders are still working on map 1 and map 2 claims. For instance, I have four map 2 interiors to fix and or finish. As far as I'm concerned, the book can go into one of those.

Two of my claims were meant to be mortuaries in Necrom (silly me for thinking a mortuary was the same as a charnel house now I have to fix them both). If it's alright with you -and with the BoT people- this book can be among the personal possessions of a deceased Telvanni lying in state at the mortuary.

The text does need some fixing, methinks. It has at least one typo.
What are The Waters and The Await you mention?
I'd change the title too (if this can be added to BoT there will be only one copy in the game).
If you write a diary, would you call it "The Musical Journals Vol I by Enlil"?

[Enlil]

I can make the book unique to accommodate the "one copy" issue...that would be kinda cool actually.

There are two volumes. Do you want me to combine them into one?

What did you mean regarding the "Musical Journals"?

I also have a few more books that are about Vvardenfell if anyone wants them.

And the books, btw, that were found collecting dust in the forum archives were not put there intentionally Nanu Ra, it was a mistake as they were already listed as "Ready for BoT" by the old moderator. It's good though that someone can use at least one of them...makes me happy.
And now, I will get my happy ass into the Imperial Library an read up on Hammerfell and write some new material.

Thanks guys,
Enlil.

[Nanu]

This will not be added to BoT. If someone would like to take it and put it in a claim and it not be lore-breaking and the author is fine with it, I see no problem. I'd like someone else's opinion on this, however.

Things don't have to go to BoT if they're only going to be used once, like some letters or missives like this.

[Harke the Apostle]

I can make the book unique to accommodate the "one copy" issue...that would be kinda cool actually.

There are two volumes. Do you want me to combine them into one?

It would probably be better.

What did you mean regarding the "Musical Journals"?

Ariitha Biethu's Journal or something like that would be better.

[Thrignar Fraxix]

why would this be among personal belongings at a mortuary. If the guy died in the wilderness, what are the odds that the body would be found while still in tact, and figuring it was, the odds that the person finding the body would keep the journal with the body rather than delivering the journal to the guy's master.

Also, where does this take place?

[Enlil]

Do you remember the tax collector that is found dead near of Seyda Neen? He still had his tax records.

Also, there are good characters in Morrowind who would do right by a dead body and also those who would be opposed to furthering necromancy by returning documents containing information about the subject to those who would use it (ok I'm outta breath after that run-on). Anyway, there a hundred scenarios one could dream up that would allow such an situation to occur. I think the topic could be served by thinking of reasons that it could be.

Pick any ruins you like for the location. I had the Ashlands in mind but anywhere your imagination takes you works for me.

XDS ID:TrBookUNIQUEMisAriithaBiethu'sJournal

[Gnomey]

The only thing that was rather jarring for me is that the (in-game) author is far more ignorant than most common people of Tamriel, though he's the apprentice of a Telvanni and should know a lot more. However, that isn't necessarily an error: He apparently leads a very sheltered life and his master might have concentrated purely on unrelated subject. (It is still strage that things like ectoplasm coming from ghosts and the disappearance of the Dwarves weren't mentioned, but then again Telvanni are strange...)

[Hemitheon]

COuldn't this be useful in the Ordinator Complex in Almalexia as contraband in the Office of the Watch or whatever?

[Harke the Apostle]

why would this be among personal belongings at a mortuary. If the guy died in the wilderness, what are the odds that the body would be found while still in tact, and figuring it was, the odds that the person finding the body would keep the journal with the body rather than delivering the journal to the guy's master.

I'm assuming a ranger discovered the body fairly quickly.
The request to return the book should go.

[Enlil]

Done

[Harke the Apostle]

^ You must write out the numbers in the entries themselves.

e.g.:


Day 32:

It has been thirty days since the subject was placed in The Waters. This morning just past nine, it achieved the conditions required to continue to the next stage of preparation.

If this text is approved I will place it in i2_48-Tri, near to or on the bier where the body is.

[Hemitheon]

Harke, I don't think your interior is the best place for this book. Wouldn't priests/ordinators burn this book before it ever even entered Necrom? They consider necromancy to be extremely evil, but you're want a book on it in the city of the ancestors?

[Harke the Apostle]

I think the authorities would put the diary on display instead, so the public could be warned against the evils of necromancy. At least until the body is cremated.

[Thrignar Fraxix]

I have tried subtlety, it failed. Hemitheon has tried soft bluntness and failed. Next up is a hard blunt command.

Don't use this book in your int harke, there is no reason for it to be there and every reason for it not to be. These are mortuaries, not mausoleums. People don't visit them.

[Haplo]

I think the authorities would put the diary on display instead, so the public could be warned against the evils of necromancy. At least until the body is cremated.

PS there's a reason countries don't showcase books they ban. Ward against shit by making the people ignorant, not by shoving the bad stuff in their face. "LOOK AT THIS. NOW DONT DO IT" srsly?

[Harke the Apostle]

Don't use this book in your int harke, there is no reason for it to be there and every reason for it not to be. These are mortuaries, not mausoleums. People don't visit them.

It's quite possible that I don't understand what TR means with mortuary. The internet tells me that people can visit the deceased there and have wakes.

Then there's the morgue which is essentially a (cold) storage for corpses.

You should probably tell me which or you'll have to send it back to me another time.

PS there's a reason countries don't showcase books they ban. Ward against shit by making the people ignorant, not by shoving the bad stuff in their face. "LOOK AT THIS. NOW DONT DO IT" srsly?

What country has banned a hand written diary? The threat to the public is infinitessimal.

Banning books that contain references to necromancy is a possible policy. The Tribunal Temple, however, didn't follow that policy, because why else is the book Blasphemous Revenants around?

I imagine that the Temple would more or less treat necromancy as many countries treat drug abuse. They would want the horror stories to be available to all. Volms Rotatas before necromancy; Volms Rotatas after necromancy.
Necromancy; just say no!

But if you say the book isn't going into the int, then I guess someone else has to offer Enlil an int to put the book in, because I don't have any other where I can plausibly put it.

[Hemitheon]

If it's important to you that this book gets into the game, I am willing to add it to a locked chest in the Telvanni Manor @ Necrom. Is that ok with everyone else?

[Haplo]

Google mein kampf then go away

[Harke the Apostle]

Google mein kampf then go away

Do you mean to say that a book that had 22 editions and 65,900 copies printed before 1939 -which btw is readily available (and not forbidden at all) in most countries that were in WW2- is the rl equivalent of a single bloodspattered notebook of an ex-necromancer?

I learn something new here almost every day.

[Haplo]

Except how to take a hint.

[Lady Nerevar]

i think what haplo means is: NO.

[Harke the Apostle]

I understood Thrignar, Hemi and Haplo the first time.

That doesn't mean that I'm also convinced by the reasons that they presented in this thread.

[Haplo]

I'm not convinced Riverbridge should be renamed or moved. That doesn't mean I can keep those things from happening.

[Nanu]

It is the ultimate decision to the HoI to decide if a given book is appropriate for an interior. This book, as a journal, is too unique to be added to BoT, and as such will not be added. If you would like to comment on any of the other books in L&W, I'd be happy to discuss what needs to be done.

Thank you.

[Enlil]

It is the ultimate decision to the HoI to decide if a given book is appropriate for an interior. This book, as a journal, is too unique to be added to BoT, and as such will not be added. If you would like to comment on any of the other books in L&W, I'd be happy to discuss what needs to be done.

Thank you.

In fact, this book has already been added to BoT as mentioned before. It had been lost along with several other books (and not just my own). There was an error with the forums some time ago and many people's work has since, vanished.

May I kindly and without sarcasm, remind everyone that TES III is just a game...what is the big deal with putting this book back where it was and where it belongs: BoT? Keeping in mind the many, many hours I spent writing several stories for BoT and also remembering that this is the only completed one left in tact after the forum disaster, I don't think it's too much to ask to have my book put back into the game.

Forgive me, but I must be equally blunt. I have done my best to comply with the above requests for revisions on grammar and content and if the new staff here is so uptight that they will fight me on this small issue, then I shall find other, more worthy things to do with my time.

Thanks,
Enlil - Long time contributor to the writing forums.

[Thrignar Fraxix]

Even if a book is grammatically perfect doesn't mean we should or have to use it. Lots of things have been cut or redone over the years. Things like this don't belong in BoT as that is for books to be used in all interiors and a journal is a one time thing that is not appropriate for a mortuary. This is not a small issue.

[Enlil]

Who said anything about a mortuary? That is someone else's idea. I don't care where it gets placed.

My point is this: I have already written several books for BoT which were approved and placed in BoT then lost. This is the only one remaining in tact and I am damned if I am going to waste my time writing new material if no one is even going use the books I have already written (which, as I said were already in BoT).

No offense to the new staff but you seem rather rigid and unwilling to compromise even on the simplest of things. I game for fun, I mod for fun and work for a living. I am not interested in some fourteen year old's idea of politics. Use the book or not, at this point it does not matter to me but know this; if you continue with this condescending and rude behavior you are likely to lose more people than just me.

[Nanu]

We're not being condescending. If we were, this thread would have been deleted a while back.

I believe that you're confused as to what BoT is. BoT is not the Finished Books forum, it is a part of TR_Data and OoT. None of the books you've ever linked me have been added to the actual game files to my knowledge. It's entirely possible that I wasn't around when you posted the book. If your books have been added, then the fact that their corresponding threads are not in Finshed matters little. If your books were purged because you left them here and you wanted them added, then you're supposed to ask Haplo or I and we'll see to it that we move it back.

The way I see it, you're misinformed. This one single book is the only one that can't be added to BoT. If you'll notice Hemi, Thrig, and Harke (I think) have items that are unique. The policy for unique books from the time I took the HoL spot until it's changed is that a book that can only be used once needs to be added along with the claim or quest that it goes with. Both theviking and Thrignar Fraxix agree with me on this point.

No offense to the new staff but you seem rather rigid and unwilling to compromise even on the simplest of things. I game for fun, I mod for fun and work for a living. I am not interested in some fourteen year old's idea of politics. Use the book or not, at this point it does not matter to me but know this; if you continue with this condescending and rude behavior you are likely to lose more people than just me.

Then you give us this. I'll dissect this for you, since you're taking what we're saying entirely the wrong way.

No offense to the new staff but you seem rather rigid and unwilling to compromise even on the simplest of things.

What, to add a book to BoT? I've said this four times now: we do not add unique books to BoT; we add them to the claims. It will never be added. Never. Not ever. Anyone that wants to write something unique like this is free to do so. I'll correct it and give it back so it can be added to a claim. No one that writes a unique book will see it added to BoT, however.

I game for fun, I mod for fun and work for a living.

That's every member of TR, so you're not alone. Actually, most of us game, work, mod, and go to school.

I am not interested in some fourteen year old's idea of politics.

To the best of my knowledge, the current Core are all older than 14. If you think that organization is foolish and shouldn't be a part of a mod project, feel free to try and run one without it. We're going to stick with it, though. It's kept us for six or seven years now, so apparently we've stumbled on to something.

Use the book or not, at this point it does not matter to me but know this; if you continue with this condescending and rude behavior you are likely to lose more people than just me.

I'm sure at some point a modder will want to use a journal in a claim. At that point they are free to claim this for a one time use.

As to the rest of your books, if they are in BoT like you say they are, then they're already being used. If they're in Finished, they will be added. If they are in the Archives, then they were purged because they went six months without you or anyone posting in them.

That's pretty much all I have. You don't seem to be all that happy with us, and I'm sorry that you took what we said in the wrong way. If you're as old and wizened and prolific of a writer as your put yourself up to be, you're not going to have any problems in the real world. In that case, I wouldn't worry about a mod project all that much.

If you'd like to write something that can be produced in masses or resurrect a thread from the Archives, then PM me about it with the url and I'll take care of it for you.

[Enlil]

I assure you I am not confused. And yes, I'm sure that things were different then than they are now but that doesn't change the fact that this book WAS in BoT. Whatever error occurred to caused my (and several other people's work) to be lost is not my concern.

As far as this being unique, it was originally not so. I did it to try to accommodate the "adding to a cell" endeavor.


My other books. Well, as I have explained several times before, there was a problem with the forums some time ago (before you were here) and some people's work was lost. I put my work back on the forums and they were readded to BoT. the reason why they are not in there now I don't know and is irrelevant. There was a problem with the forums...for those of you who missed that...there was a problem with the forums and many people's work was lost.

Despite your smart ass comments, the fact remains in tact: my works were once part of BoT and were lost. I have resubmitted my last and already-approved work and it has been rejected out of hand due to new rules and new moderation.

The issue here, at least for me, is why this is such a huge deal to all of you. Feel free to quote me all day long and dissect each sentence and make attempts at poking fun if you wish but at the end of the day the facts remain: this book has been approved by previous moderators for BoT and should be grandfather-ed in.

Oh, and if you are going to quote me, please make sure that I actually said a thing before quoting or critiquing it.

If you're as old and wizened and prolific of a writer as your put yourself up to be, you're not going to have any problems in the real world. In that case, I wouldn't worry about a mod project all that much.

Because of all the errors that occurred before in reference to my works (and others' works) and since they happened twice (the books coming up missing again after being added to BoT a second time), I thought it would be a show of good faith for the literary forum moderators to reinstate this work to BoT.

I'm sure you can understand a person wanting to know that all of the new things he writes will have, at least, the opportunity to make it into BoT. I wanted to make sure that all of my previous work would not be lost before I used any of my time to write more. It would be pointless to keep writing if my work were to continue to find it's way onto the shelves of oblivion even after being added to BoT (yet again); however, I can see clearly that the mood of the literary committee has changed significantly and I am pleased to take my leave.

[Thrignar Fraxix]

this book has been approved by previous moderators for BoT and should be grandfather-ed in.

We don't have a grandfather clause here. We redo things we don't like and cut out stuff we don't need.

Haplo, don't fucking edit or delete my posts

[Nanu]

I'm sure you can understand a person wanting to know that all of the new things he writes will have, at least, the opportunity to make it into BoT. I wanted to make sure that all of my previous work would not be lost before I used any of my time to write more. It would be pointless to keep writing if my work were to continue to find it's way onto the shelves of oblivion even after being added to BoT (yet again); however, I can see clearly that the mood of the literary committee has changed significantly and I am pleased to take my leave.

We give equal treatment to all books. Everything submitted is read by two people or more and is edited for lore and grammar. After that, it's passed to BoT or the Archives if the person abandons it.

You seem to be bitter about the fact that a forum crash deleted some of your work. Because of that, you no longer want to write for TR. That makes no sense, as it was a random event that no one had any control over. I will add anything of quality to BoT.

BoT, as according to Haplo, who has been here since you have, is this: "[A collection of TR's books that are] common and uncommon and rare; anything not used for a specific reason or quest." This was used for a reason. It had to be changed because it broke the Moratorium. The Moratorium is so old and important it's capitalized.

You're being treated the same anyone else who wanted to add something that broke the Moratorium or wrote something unique would be. We're not singling you out.

I said that someone will add it to the game as a part of their claim, there's nothing more that can be done with this. It will be a part of BoT, and in the end it will be in the Map1.esm if Hemi or someone adds it.

If a problem with the forums caused a file to become corrupted destroying only books, then I can understand. If the same problem took out a bunch of other books and most of yours were in it, then I'm sorry. I don't really have to apologize as I wasn't around and it wasn't really anyone's fault, but I too write and know what it's like to lose something that you spent time writing.

The issue here, at least for me, is why this is such a huge deal to all of you.

It's not a big deal to us, you're the one that came back after four years and started asking where your books went. We don't know, really. We're just as puzzled as you are. I am really confused because I wasn't here at all, much less the HoL or even a Lit Mod.

The only thing that was intentionally smartass was what you quoted, and even that only applied if you wished to leave. It was not a suggestion or a statement, merely a good tiding if you wished to bid TR adieu. Your tone in your last three posts has been less than happy, and I've seen my fair share of misunderstandings in my time here.

Anyway, this will be reviewed, stamped and given to a modder for a claim if you wish. If you don't want us to use this, then I'll send it packing. Up to you.

If you happen to misinterpret anything in this post, then I'm sorry for sounding rude/smartass/like a dumbass/sarcastic. I mean it as sincerely as I can. I don't know what else I can tell you, really.

[Haplo]

Enlil, for Morrowind, the Books of Tamriel(BoT) plug-in gets merged into TR_Data.esm, which is the master file required for all of Tamriel Rebuilt's mods. Custom works (such as this) are normal added in interior .esp plug-in files with the id tag of TR_M2-###_sc or TR_M2_###_bk depending on whether it uses a scroll mesh or a book mesh. These go straight to TR_Data, and skip BoT entirely.

So if you want your work(s) to be incorporated into TR's mod(s) as in the past, then trying to get them into BoT is actually not as good as the alternative trying to be explained to you here by Nanu.

[Nanu]

Not as eloquent as I was putting it, but it seems to explain things better. Thanks Hap!