Strife:Traitor (Dark Brotherhood)

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The party has an unexpected opportunity... When resting in a room post-murder of a civilian, a party member (preferably the lightest weight as they are a lighter sleeper) awakes inexplicably. Note that if they try to awake other party members, they notice a green glow fill the room and their words make no sound. They see ''a thick black smoke envelop the doorway and fill it out, blocking the lights from the next room. The front layer of the smoke dissipates and falls to reveal a black cloaked figure standing in the doorway. They look up, to show the face of an Imperial male looking directly at the awake party member. The smoke falls to his feet and turbulently follows him as he walks towards the party member who is somewhat and somehow unable to move. Now glowing a purple tinge, he stands over the party member and begins to speak: "You all sleep rather soundly except for a group of murderers, except you. Why?"'' If the party member tries to reply, they cannot, the green glow still envelops the room. ''"Ha, you prefer silence then? Of course, I jest. I have been observing you, but I do not yet know the extent of your abilities; this is a silence spell, you are also paralysed, the same goes for your friends. Listen! And listen well, I will not repeat my words, and those questions rattling around in your head I will not answer. 200 feet north of Suran is a camp-fire in a rock formation, a lady is temporarily living there by the name of Severa; she must die. Do this and keep those questions in your head, when we meet part of your reward will be answers. Now, I bid you farewell. I do hope we'll meet again soon." Instead of covering the Imperial, this time the smoke forms over the party member's face. They feel a calm wash over them, and then after 10 seconds a great, great panic, as they realise they might be in danger. They jolt up like waking up from a bad dream, and nothing in the room has changed, just like it was all just a nightmare.''
 * Quest Giver: Unknown Imperial.
 * Location(s): North of Suran and south of Bal Ur.
 * Prerequisite Quest: None.
 * Next Quest: Loose Ends.
 * Reward: Admission into the Dark Brotherhood as Apprentice Rank, 1000G.
 * Optional Bonus: None.

This mysterious Imperial recruits the party into killing Severa who is in a campfire site 200 feet north of Suran. This is mission 1.

Severa Magia will have NO loot as her sanguine items are rewards for other quests. After fighting Severa, when in a city, the party gets another encounter. As they are walking, one party member bumps into a brown cloaked man. If they turn around to accost him he disappears round a corner and is not seen again. The man snuck a note into the pocket of a party member, this note says "Ald Sotha is open to you; the answer is 'Blood, my brother'."

The party can then go to Ald Sotha; entering on the lower level, strangely, the fanatics around Ald Sotha do not attack. The party can walk through the eery atmosphere to get to a place where the fanatics are absent, a corridor with a large black door. Note that there is a crack in the ceiling exposing some light through from the outside. Upon approach, the door asks in a loud but breathy voice: "What is the waker of the rising sun?". If it is daytime, the crack in the ceiling darkens as outside has mysteriously turned to night. The correct answer to the question of "Blood, my brother", to which is the only reply the door will say "welcome home" and open periodically to let the party in before closing.

Ald Sotha ends up being the guildhall, and Dandras Vules is the guild master there, with the Mournhold chapter abandoned and to be used later in the quest-line. Ald Sotha is locked before killing Severa Magia. The party now report to Dandras Vules.

As the party walk in they are immediately