An Encounter with the Uppenwyke Skepticus: A Report

SYNOD REPOSITORY: 149-N DISTRICT H12

4TH OF LAST SEED 4E 193 EXPEDITION CO-CHIEF Sotus Randil

REPORT ON MAGICAL ARTIFACTS RETRIEVED FROM CORTEN MONT REGION

I've done my best to get my crew to recover what we can from the site. Squatters proved to be much more aggressive and brash than we expected. Fighting ensued and much of the artifacts were destroyed or heavily damaged.

We entered a craggy opening in the mountainside near [D-771] as was located with the [REDACTED]. Surely enough, there was what appeared to be a deeply hidden, very poor-condition Dwemer ruin. We found what appeared to be a long line of brass railings traveling further in, with a metallic cart of sorts situated on top of it. The inside was resplendent with rusted machinery and all sorts of gears but we found nothing of use. I even used my ph--(the next line is smeared in ink)--had any magical properties but there were no signs of energy and none of our soul gems had any effect.

We ventured further in and a group of squatters, or raiders, perhaps, attempted to ambush us. Many of them brandished what appeared to be crossbows but imbued with some combustive magic and the functionality of rapid fire. The tiny bolts bounced off of our wards and Associate Vyrn retaliated with an storm spell, wiping them out. The raiders seemed to be typical brigands but some had journals and writings that indicated some time spent studying the ruins. Surviving raiders were detained, but some continued to scream about "miraculous un-magick".

Their leader, who also survived, claimed they were a psuedo-religious organization known as the Uppenwyke Skepticus, hailing originally from High Rock. I had an interview with him, he claimed that his group was formed by peasants weary of the "magical elite controlling society". He said that he and his fellows found inspiration from the ancient Dwemer, who rejected the gods and limitations of reality, just as they aimed to. I refrained from mentioning to him that the Dwemer are recorded to have been deeply involved in magic themselves, but he was quite determined that the artifacts they had recovered (and supposedly repaired) would lead to "luxuries and power for the mundane." We dismissed his rantings, but it might be worth investigating this "Skepticus" organization, if it exists beyond a group of vagabonds.

The remaining artifacts will be sent to you soon, but I doubt they will be of much use or interest.

END OF REPORT