La Confrérie des Traducteurs

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I am using this empty book I found to write down my final words. I, Norman Bites came here with five men. We were hired by an Altmer sorcerer from the Cheydinhal's Mages guild to recover an enchanted Emerald from this ruin.<br>
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After bashing two dozens skeletons back to their grave we came across a nearly dead bandit who told us with his dying breath that his leader already took the Emerald, fled the ruin using a teleportation device in the throne room and went back to his base in Hollow Log Cavern, located far north of Kvatch.<br>
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The device the bandit used to flee the ruin is located above the altar on which this book is placed. We tried to get it to work by polishing it, casting spells on it and bashing it, but nothing worked. It would seem like the device needed a trinket of some sorts to function. If you manage to come by a strange crystal or gem try putting it close to the device and see how it reacts.<br>
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Two of my men already died fighting hordes of undead trying to get to this room and one was killed by that skeleton champion. What's worse is that Edgar accidentally activated some weird lightning shooting gems that killed him instantly. Now only I and Roghok remain.<br>
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I have only one question in my mind right now: Should I jump in front of the gem and be shocked to death or should I run out and face off Nebula's invincible champion?<br>
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I hope that you, reader, have the trinket needed to activate the device.<br>
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Death approaches.<br>
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<DIV align="center">School of Destruction<br>
by Melisande<br>
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<DIV align="left">Destruction magic provides many means of inflicting damage on enemies. Destruction spells use three elements, fire, frost, or shock, as well as pure magic to damage one's health. An enemy's fatigue, magicka, skills, attributes, weapons, and armor can also be reduced either permanently or temporarily. Weaknesses can even be inflicted on enemies, amplifying the effects of subsequent spells.<br>
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Fire-based spells are the most common type of destruction magic. Everybody is able to cast a fire bolt, no matter how weak it is. Another type of fire bolt is a fire ball which explodes upon impact damaging anything in it's area of effect.<br>
Dunmer have a natural resistance to fire and, while it does damage them, it is not wise to use fire-based spells when combating them. Other various creatures, such as most daedra have a high resistance to it as well and some, such as the flame atronach, are completely immune to it. However, fire-based spells are very effective against most undead, trolls, frost atronachs and spriggans.<br>
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Frost bolts differ from fire bolts because instead of shooting a flaming missile they emit a fog projectile. Unlike fire balls which damage the creatures within their area of effect upon explosion, frost balls emit a large and cold cloud that damages anyone or anything in it's path as well as lingers a few seconds longer after impact.<br>
In general frost spells are only resisted by undead, frost atronachs and Nords. However, they are only most efficient when combating flame atronachs and spider daedra.<br>
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Shock-based spells are the most expensive to cast regarding magicka cost, but they are undoubtedly the most powerful. The primary strength of the shock bolt is that it travels two times faster than fire and frost bolts.<br>
Shock damage is resisted by few, the Storm Atronach being the primary exception, and inflicts more damage on most daedra than any other spell.<br>
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Drain and damage spells can be used to lower one's health, magicka, fatigue or any attribute or skill. Drain lowers the value of a chosen parameter for a duration. Once the duration ends the target's value is restored. Damage, on the other hand, permanently lowers the target's value of a chosen parameter and it can only be restored with a spell from the restoration school of magic. While Drain spells are temporary they provide a good way to disable your enemy for a while because they can not be restored by the previously mentioned spell. However, they might be dispelled.<br>
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Some spell casters may use spells from the school of restoration to increase their resistance to destruction spells. One way to combat this is to use the weakness spell. It can reduce the target's resistance either to fire, frost, shock, or magic itself as well as reduce the target's resistance to various other things such as poison, disease and normal weapons. It is important to realize that the weakness will apply only if the spell exploiting that weakness is cast after the actual weakness is applied. Meaning that having the same spell weaken the target to a given element and damaging the target with that element won't give you any bonus damage.<br>
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One of the best spells to use against a heavily armored enemy has to be the disintegrate armor and weapon spell. These spells damage the target's equipment and eventually destroy it leaving him vulnerable. However, it is important to realize that while the armor won't provide any protection it will still give the enchanted bonus to the wielder if it has one.<br>
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The last form of destruction magic I present is the Stunted Magicka spell. Stunted Magicka prevents the target from being able to regenerate magicka. All characters with the Atronach birthsign naturally have Stunted Magicka. It is also possible to acquire this effect through the disease Astral Vapors, which can be caught from Dread Zombies. This spell is hard to learn and even harder to find someone to teach you. The most common variety of the spell is called Magicka Vortex which, apart from the Stunted Magicka also absorbs the target's magicka and makes him weaker to magic.<br>
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<DIV align="center">The Underground<br>
by Travis Lone<br></div>
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<DIV align="left">If you are reading this it means that you have become a member of our group or, and I really doubt this, you managed to steal from or kill me, Furion gro-Mecha or Hides-his-Face. If you are a new member I welcome you to our organization. If you have, in fact, managed to steal this from one of us or kill one of us, I congratulate you for completing such a difficult task.<br>
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What I plan to do with the next few pages of this book is to tell you all about our group, give you a brief history of it and tell you about a few rules and privileges you gain by being part of the underground.<br>
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<DIV align="center">From Three to over a Dozen<br></div>
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<DIV align="left">It all started years ago when I, Travis Lone, along with my Argonian companion, Hides-his-Face went venturing into the wilderness of Blackwood. While resting in the Drunken Dragon Inn I got in a brawl with an arrogant orc, Furion gro-Melech. It was here we faced off in a hand to hand duel with no weapons, armor or magic. After fifteen minutes of intense hand to hand combat both of us fell to the ground and woke up the next day.<br>
It was then, when the mead wore off, that we became friends and the three of us set on a journey across Blackwood, venturing into unknown Ayleid ruins, old forts and mystic caves.<br>
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Soon after we started venturing across all Tamriel, visiting various places such as Vvardenfell, Skyrim, Hamerfall and Valenwood.<br>
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After an exotic night in Valenwood with a Dark Elf who you know as Ginger Gangling, she informed me about her sister and their newly founded tavern and told me we could use it as a home away from home any time we'd like. It was not long after this that The Straight Arrow Underground became what it is today.<br>
After selling our riches to the city of Bravil we decided to pay a visit to the tavern and see what it's like. Once there we met another group of adventurers: Anedel Amras and J'din. We also met a freelance agent, named Richard Adral, who used The Straight Arrow as a base of operation.<br>
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The six of us, along with the Gangling sisters, became good friends and The Straight Arrow was indeed a home away from home for us. Traveling merchants would go by, various adventurers would visit The Straight Arrow once every few days, but nobody, save a handful of people, would be back, at least not anytime soon.<br>
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There were, however, a few that would, much like yourself, drop by few times a week. The ones we determent were "Regulars" like ourselves we invited to join our "honorary" group of regulars as we like to call it. It was nothing more than a social group at this point.<br>
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However, soon we learned the true potential of The Straight Arrow. After another night of heavy drinking and having fun Anedel got in a fist fight with Richard. It was so much fun that we decided to organize these events on a regular basis. That's how the fight club was formed.<br>
Because the patrolling Bravil guard used to interfere in our fun and even threatened to close this place down we were forced to stop.<br>
It was then that the Vitisha suggested we use the store room in the basement. And so we did. Ginger, who was always a feisty girl decided to make a small bar below so that we may rest in between fights. She also installed a dice game where we gambled and sometimes won, but usually lost. It was all in good fun.<br>
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One thing lead to another and Hides-his-Face started to fence stolen goods so he became somewhat of a "guild" fence. J'din formed a secret ring, secret even to the other regulars and will remain secret to you as well, for now at least.<br>
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Suffice to say that The Straight Arrow Underground was formed. We quickly decided that it was not wise to let just any regular into the underground. Why they may be regulars some of them might be working for the city guard or worse. We quickly came up with the three tests you passed, hopefully flawlessly.<br>
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<DIV align="center">A member of the Underground<br>
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<DIV align="left">As a member you have to follow a few rules. The first and most important rule of the Underground is: What goes in the Underground stays in the Underground. Do not discuss matters related to it above, even if only in the tavern. Do not talk about it!.<br>
The second rule is: Do not assault or kill fellow members and regulars. If you have a problem with somebody challenge them to a round in the fight club.<br>
If you assault a member by accident it can be forgiven. However, if you kill a member on purpose I would advise you not to sleep. Wherever you run, wherever you hide we will find you, be it at the top of Jerall mountains, the planes of Oblivion or the Shivering Isles. We will find you!
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As a member of the Underground you get access to a fence, a security expert, or should I say master, a well supplied bar, a dice table and the fight club.<br>
You also become "partners" with one of the most skilled warriors in whole Cyrodiil, or even Tamriel.<br>
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<DIV align="center">The Fight Club<br>
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<DIV align="left">Although I'm sure Morris told you all about the fight club I'd like to write it all down for you in bullets so you can have a nice overview of the activity.<br>
- You can challenge anyone to a duel between the hours of 6 pm and 11 pm.<br>
- Before the fight, after you challenged somebody you need to go down and leave all your gear with Morris. Only then are you allowed to fight.<br>
- There is no reward for winning or losing.<br>
- As soon as somebody faints the fight is over.<br>
- When the fight is over you can collect your equipement from the chest located in the small room across the store room.<br>
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<DIV align="center">The Dice Game<br>
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<DIV align="left">By request from Ginger I added this chapter to the guide. Ginger Gangling runs a dice game. It is fairly simple to play but I'll write it down either way.<br>
Firstly, you open the betting box near the dices. Then you raise your bet by 50 gold pieces at a time. Once you're done finish the bet by casting any old fire based spell(even the simple flare spell). Now if you changed your mind and don't wish to bet simply open the chest again and take your bet. If, however, you wish to continue simply throw the dices and the winner gets all the gold. If it's a draw Ginger gets 3/4 of all the gold while you get only 1/4 meaning you get half of what you raised.<br>
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<DIV align="center">Frequently Asked Questions<br>
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<DIV align="left">What is the weird trinket I get when I become a member?<br>
The "weird trinket" is an item me and Conjures-His-Gold have been creating for new members for over a year. It can be activated once a day and will conjure a random potion or poison, depending on your choice, based on your overall skill.<br>
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Can I tell my closest friends about this place?<br>
No! We are your closest friends now and you must not betray our trust in you. In the event that you really want somebody to join direct them to this tavern with a sentence saying how this place is really nice and that he/she should check it out. Remember, do not talk about the underground outside the underground!<br>
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What can I do to help our guild if I can't aid in recruiting?<br>
You can always volunteer to collect various ingredients for my research or to collect soul gems for Conjures-his-Gold's research. You could also donate gold for improving our "guildhall" to Vitisha, or you could donate lock picks to Hides-his-Face. Occasionally you might be sent on special assignments, but that's about it.<br>
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Do we have any enemies?<br>
No, not really. We have some trouble with the Bravil city guard occasionally, but it's nothing serious.<br>
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Do we have any allies?<br>
No, not directly. We have a good connection with the mages and thieves guild, as well as some contact with the crew of the Wailing Butcher and the crew of the Rusty Slaughterfish, but that's about it. Once again, even though we have some connections, that doesn't mean you can freely talk about the Underground with the members of said factions.<br>
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What is our primary goal?<br>
To be the best we can be. Through The Straight Arrow you become much more powerful. We train hard, train constantly and accomplish tasks most people wouldn't even dream about.<br>
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I was a regular and now I'm a member. Is there any other rank I will attain?<br>
Yes. There are, in fact, two more ranks. One of them is available to everyone that proves to be a true asset to the guild. The other is unavailable to most of the members, if not all. If you are truly skilled and devoted to the guild, and you prove this over a long period of time, then you might be invited to join the elite.<br>
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What is the next rank and how can I attain it exactly?<br>
The next rank is the rank of Honored Member. There is no real way to acquire it. Just perform tasks for the guild, spend more time here, fence some stuff, fight, donate and so on. Basically do all you can do to help and prove your worth.<br>
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And what about the rank after that?<br>
The final rank will remain hidden to you for quite some time, if not forever. Only an Honored Member may learn what the rank is, even though only a select few, if any, will become that rank.<br>