Faal Grunzahro Unslaad Wundun Zeim Vennesetiid

>#Faal Grunzahro Unslaad Wundun Zeim Vennesetiid

>##The Prisoner’s Unending Travels Through the Currents of Time

Note from IceFireWarden: This is the old main quest design doc as well as the follower design doc I wrote for ESLY and its subsequent revival project A’saztslea. Since both mods are no longer being developed, and because the mods said I could post this awhile back, I thought I would share this piece so that people could know (from a lore perspective) what the mod would’ve been about. I hope you all enjoy it. And drink your Ovaltine. - /u/Al-Hatoor

This section outlines in a broad sense what the main questline of A'saztslea is about. Currently it provides the big-picture of the plot, including some pre-history. It also occasionally details themes and uses metaphors for the purpose of clarification.

Quick Introduction: The majority of the inspiration for the main quest of A'saztslea borrows from both Joseph Campbell's The Monoymth and several Jungian archetypes, and involves the player undergoing psychological, metaphysical, and technological change in order to combat a dangerous adversary on the island unlike they have ever seen before. After defeating this threat, they will be confronted with a choice influenced by their actions throughout the add-on that will change both A'saztslea and Nirn forever.

#Brief Summary of the Narrative

For probably the first time since the Skyrim main quest and its official add-ons Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn the Last Dragonborn has been placed in a situation where they are vastly inferior and unprepared for the road ahead. Shipwrecked on A'saztslea with all of their gear lost (but not forgotten, and with the certainty of being recovered later on) and in agonizing pain brought upon them by a steel spike lodged in their heart, they'll have to learn the ways of this new and interesting place in order to fit in and survive.

Eventually the Last Dragonborn will become involved with the politics of the island mainly through accidental means, becoming an essential figure in investigating the strange happenings occurring on A'saztslea. What looks like at first glance to be mechanical malfunctions and random acts of violence is soon revealed to have a sinister force behind them, and the Dragonborn is the only one who can potentially stop it by fighting memory-ghosts on ancient trains, exploring alternate timelines, and discovering long-lost discoveries. The denouement of the mod accumulates in a decision that will change A'saztslea and consequently Nirn forever, and the choices you made throughout other events in the mod will play an important factor in how you reshape the world.

#The Hero's Journey

##Separation

###The Call to Adventure

The Player is contacted through courier by an old yet adventurous Altmer named Saunar, who has heard of their deeds and wishes for them to accompany his crew on a voyage across the Padomaic Ocean for excitement and glory.

###Refusal of the Call

The Player upon arriving at Saunar’s ship speaks to the Altmer's assistant about joining his expedition (which they can begin immediately), but can also make dialogue choices that will ultimately cause them to not to join the voyage by leaving the ship behind. If the Player decided to abandon the expedition, twenty-four hours later the Player will receive the first of three letters from a mysterious figure identifying herself simply as ‘The Observer’ that will censure the Player’s selfish decision. Eventually the Player will theoretically come to regret their decision and return to Saunar in order to rejoin the voyage if they abandoned it; the ecstatic mer captain will then tell them to put all of their belongings into a chest and go to sleep so the voyage can begin.

###Supernatural Aid

When the Player falls asleep they will be contacted by the mysterious Observer in a place that is referred to as ‘The Prisoner’s Mind’ – all of the Last Dragonborn’s thoughts and inner feelings manifesting in the form of a prison cell. The Observer will tell the Player that the journey before them will be long and traumatic, but she will attempt to aid them as much as possible. When the dialogue ends, the Player will be instructed to exit the cell, where a cutscene dictating the ship being destroyed by a sea serpent plays out and the Player is knocked over the side of the boat and into the sea, where they will blackout.

###Crossing the Threshold

The Player will awaken within the Remedial Hut of Rian, injured and in great pain. Sarilah, the local physician, will approach them in order to calm them down and informs them that they have been gravely injured; the Player has been fighting for their life for nine days straight and has ultimately won, but they now have a steel spike lodged in their heart that is too risky to remove (this strange injury gives them the Active Effect 'Fool's Heart', which lowers their Health, Magicka, & Stamina by 50 but increases their Health, Magicka, & Stamina regeneration by twice the original amount). Sarilah will then inform the Player about A'saztslea and is concerned with their arrival due to the fact that no individuals were supposed to be entering Echmeri held lands at this point in time. To help the Player blend in with the citizens of Rian she instructs them to perform tasks for the townspeople, who are sympathetic to their situation and will try to teach them about life on A'saztslea. Unfortunately, however, there is one individual who does not share their motives...

###Belly of the Whale

Being arrested and hauled into Harron'numsaz for the first time is meant to be both a frightening and spectacular experience for the Player, who was betrayed by Sentry Captain Atreis in Rian. Although the Provisional Governor, Councilor Latergulas, informs the Player that entering a Directorate holding without permission is a capital offense punishable by death, he also admires the things the Player has done and proposes that they undergo the ancient Protoechi trial known as the Pathways of the Psyche in order to prove themselves to himself and the Echmeri inhabitants in order to attain citizenship on A'saztslea. Although the majority of his advisors are against the idea for various reasons, they eventually decide that it is the right thing to do and the Player agrees to perform the ritual – but not for Latergulas, but for themselves, which makes him smile. When the Player completes the Pathways (a bizarre, nightmarish self-reflection based on the events during the main quest of Skyrim) the mystical edict known as the Law that binds the Echmeri race deems them an Echmer in spirit if not of body, permanently attuning them to it (this gives them the Active Effect 'Yneslean Soul', which lowers Shout cooldown by 25%). Upon exiting their mind the Player is confronted by Latergulas, who grants the Player the right to move freely about A'saztslea and do as they see fit.

##Initiation

###The Road of Trials

Due to the Player witnessing and stopping a strange event in a Dwemeri ruin while performing tasks for the townspeople of Rian (and being informed of their legendary actions in Skyrim), Latergulas decides to induct them into the Echelons – an ancient special task force of militant spies and bodyguards of the Council of Dull Chimes whose purpose in life is to protect the Echmeri Directorate from all threats. He also suggests that the Player form a small team of their own and gives them dossiers on unique individuals who would be great candidates. These potential teammates are seen as mavericks, eccentrics, and social oddballs who don't quite fit into life on A'saztslea, and Latergulas strongly advises the Player to help them with their personal problems in order to make the team work at maximum potential. Shortly after leaving the Presidium the Player is also given letters from the Eyes of Auriel and Penitus Oculatus, who would like to enlist their help in gaining favor for their respected governments on A'saztslea due to their Echelon status, and have sent agents to their base of operations to provide aid and instruction. After that it is encouraged that the Player go out and help the common folk of A'saztslea as much as can – depending on the way these quests end it will affect the possible outcomes of the endgame. Several of these quests, which can be seen as tests, can and must be 'failed' in order for the Player to press on in their investigations.

###The Meeting with the Goddess

As word of the Player's actions begin to spread throughout A'saztslea they are contacted once again by the Observer, who soon becomes a trusted confidant for the Player as they continue their investigations. She teaches the Player how to teleport themselves to her inside of their own mind (this time in an area reminiscent of the Throat of the World, known as the Prisoner's Dilemma) whenever they wish to meditate on their actions throughout the main quest, as well as starting a miscellaneous objective to attain writings that focus on what it means to become a Ruling King. The Observer becomes equivalent to the Jungian archetype of God – a positive influence in the life of the Player.

###Woman as Temptress

After speaking with the Observer another entity will manifest herself within the Player's mind – the 'Denier'. A direct contrast to the Observer, the two will get into a deep argument on her being there until she ends it by introducing herself to the Player. The Denier states she is here to also provide feedback on the choices they have made and will make in the future, but whereas the Observer is being optimistic and benevolent the Denier flatly states that she is telling the Player the 'truth' (by being pessimistic and benevolent). She wishes to influence the Player to make more selfish decisions, and likewise has her own hidden miscellaneous objective on finding writings detailing what it means to be a Scourge like herself. The Denier takes up residence as well within the Player's mind and becomes the equivalent to the Jungian archetype of the Devil – a negative influence in the life of the Player.

###Atonement with the Father

The Player finally comes into direct confrontation with the individual who is threatening A'saztslea, Seth, who is revealed to have been guiding the Player's hand into helping him unknowingly. Seth explains that the Echmeri Directorate was a great machine once, but after becoming enveloped with Tamriel it has been broken beyond repair. In order to 'fix it' he believes that both the Starry Heart and the Yneslean archipelago must be completely revolutionized. He explains that he manipulated the Player into repairing an ancient Dwemeri device known as the Aethergence that once activated will send out a protocol to hidden Noraken lull-lines constructed in Tamriel, A'saztslea, and Yneslea that will begin to transform the inhabitants of those landmasses into synthetic beings under his direct control in a matter of minutes, which he will then use to take control of the world and impose 'perfect order'. After attacking and killing Seth the Player will then approach the device and cause it to malfunction so that only 25% of a determined population will be transformed. The Player is given the choice to either make this happen to either Yneslea or Tamriel, and regardless of this decision the Aethergence will explode and knock them unconscious.

###Apotheosis

The Player awakens in an expanse of black as far and wide as they can see. Suddenly there is a noise and a large Echmer materializes in front of the Player, introducing himself as the Echmeri god-hero Hrahndeyl. He states that when the Aethergence exploded it created a rift in time and space due to the raw creatia it had been absorbing over the centuries, and the Player would have been surely ripped apart had he not reached through the fabric of worlds brought them into the Void under his divine protection. Hrahndeyl tells the Player that he is proud of them and what they have accomplished, shares some interesting dialogue about their future, and tells them that they are the first mortal ever to Echmer ever to survive the nothingness of the Void and will remain changed as a result (gaining the Active Effect 'Void Survivor' – which increases their Health, Stamina, and Magicka by 100 – and the new shout 'Tonal Dissonance' – which banishes enemies directly into the Void). Suddenly another entity will materialize within the Void, this time the demon-god Lyednharh, who will also congratulate the Player on aiding the Echmeri Directorate (which he states furthers his own plans greatly) and informs them that he and his brother came to a necessary truce to help them, implying they were the Observer and the Denier respectively. Hrahndeyl and Lyednharh will then get into another argument, and the former will banish the latter from his presence as a result. Hrahndeyl will then tell the Player that their name will be legendary in Yneslea for generations to come, and they have earned one final reward.

###The Ultimate Boon

Hrahndeyl gives the Player the Law, which binds the Echmer race, and states that he thinks it is finally time for the Echmeri to no longer be governed by it anymore but they need time to heal from this affair in order to propose it to them (basically, the Player has to complete all side quests and faction quests in order to unlock the epilogue, similar to becoming the leader of the Thieves Guild). After asking the Player if they have any more questions, he will then teleport them to the Presidium to the surprise of Councilor Latergulas and the other Echmeri Councilors (who have just arrived from the Yneslean archipelago), who were in a heated discussion.

##Return

###Refusal of the Return

After informing the Councilors of all that transpired (except for gaining the Law) they will be ecstatic and thank the Player for ending the menace, being surprised that a shipwrecked foreigner could do so much good for the Echmeri Directorate. Depending if the Player decides to promote and reference the Penitus Oculatus or Eyes of Auriel as a major help during their investigations the Council of Dull Chimes will decide to either form an alliance with the Empire, the Aldmeri Dominion, or remain independent. They will then be given a portal within the base of operations so they can travel to and from A'saztslea without any repercussions, allowing them to finally leave the island. Latergulas will then ask the Player if they would like to retire from the Echelons and return to life in Skyrim, but if they heed the advice of Hrahndeyl they can decide to stay on the island and help its people as much as they can now that the threat has been ended.

###The Magic Flight

As the Player helps the people of A'saztslea now that the main quest is over (or has returned to Skyrim to complete tasks there) they will suddenly begin to be attacked by members of the Mirror-Talker cult, who know that they have the Law and want to stop them from using it to help the Echmeri Directorate. They will also receive letters from the Denier that they should flee A'saztslea and never return (if still there), or never return to the island (if in Tamriel). This is an attempt to have the Player leave behind all they have done on A'saztslea and the ties of friendship they have made there, which they can if they want.

###Rescue from Without

After helping all the citizens of A'saztslea the Player will receive one last letter from the Observer stating that it is ‘time’ for the Player to inform Latergulas and the rest of the Council of the Law. After informing the Councilors of what they plan to do they will all look at the Player in complete awestruck. One of the Councilors will then ask if the Player would really unbind them from the Law, which they can or cannot answer that it is within their power. She will then state that if they do they will be remembered as the greatest friend the Echmeri have ever had and they will teach their children of the Player’s story until time itself ends. The Player can then use the thu’um to destroy the Law, which will result in everyone gasping (including the Player, who was considered Echmer by virtue because of the Pathways of the Psyche) as the Law breaks in their mind. The Player has done something the Echmer themselves have never been able to do, and because of that they are congratulated in the highest esteem as Latergulas declares a grand party in the village of Rian.

###The Crossing of the Return Threshold

As the Player attends the party they can speak to many of the people they helped throughout the mod, who casually joke around with them and give them useful advice for when they return back to Skyrim. It can be felt in the air that it is almost time for the Player to leave A'saztslea, if not for good then for a very long time.

###Master of Two Worlds

It is suddenly told to the Player by Sarilah that the Council wants them at the front of the party as they make an announcement – the Player is to be named the first in the hopefully long string of foreign members of the Council that rules the Echmeri Directorate. While the Council of Dull Chimes will still remain eight in nature, the Player will fulfill the role of a ninth and have all of the powers and responsibilities of one whenever they are on A'saztslea or in the Yneslean archipelago. This is the highest honor that the Player can receive from the Echmeri people, and they are honored to bestow it.

###Freedom to Live

And with that the story of A'saztslea truly ‘ends’…for now. The Player has achieved much in their adventures throughout the archipelago and have become enlightened in many aspects. Their journal’s final entry implies they are now content and are living in the moment: “I have helped the people of A'saztslea and have been named a Councilor of the Echmeri Directorate. Their future now rests in my hands and their past has become my past, but I shouldn’t worry about either of these things anymore. I just need to care about the present, and help them as they have helped me.”

#Companions

In the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the player can acquire a multitude of followers that will accompany their character throughout most of the quests in the game. Unfortunately, most of these followers are flat characters with little to no personality and background, and most of them offer little to the world beyond combat. The companions in A’saztslea are designed from the ground up to be the exact opposite of followers and are in-depth individuals whose presence can make impacts on the plot depending on the situation. For example: a particular companion might prove invaluable during a certain encounter, but may only frustrate things further during another.

In order to recruit a companion, you must first complete their allegiance quest. An allegiance quest usually introduces the companion, their personality, and combat skills in a limited fashion during a plot pertaining to their personal history. After its completion, the companion will agree to travel with you but will not follow any of your commands. In order to unlock allegiance quests you must first finish the quest ‘Pathways of the Psyche’ in the main questline.

Another thing about companions is that in order to gain access to all of their benefits, you must complete their fidelity quest, which becomes available after the player completes five quests with them in their party. Fidelity quests are all about the player helping the companion resolve their personal problems permanently, which will allow them to successfully move on with their life. After a fidelity quest is completed the companion will gain both a unique power and (for some) a new look, and will also be more willing to talk to the player about a wide array of topics as well as follow their commands now. There are five companions available from the start of the mod, but a sixth can be unlocked at the end of the main questline depending on the player’s choices throughout the mod and a sixth one is unlocked through the completion of an unmarked, secret quest. They are (in alphabetical order) as follows:

##Alere [Khajiit/Altmer]

Alere is a young member of the Eyes of Auriel, the spies of the Aldmeri Dominion, who is targeted by her superiors as a potential recruit for the Dragonborn during the start of their investigations in the main quest. Unlike most of her fellow members, she dislikes the Thalmor and their intentions due to witnessing her father (a high-ranking member of the Thalmor) killing the rest of her family for being ‘traitors’. However, she still believes that Tamriel would be better off if it had a High Elf emperor. She is timid, sarcastic, and will admit to having a bit off a crush on Damian if he joins the group despite him being her enemy; she is also much more accepting of different races and is not of a fan of bigots either, compared to other members of the Dominion.

Allegiance Quest: The Dragonborn will be sent to Trinimac’s Blade, a top secret Thalmor research base in order to recruit Alere, but will find out that she has been tasked with destroying it due to the unethical experiments being carried out there by General Therion (her father) at the behest of her superiors. After aiding her detonate a creatia bomb that destroys the facility (but not her father), she will agree to join up with the Dragonborn since they’re a ‘pretty decent person’.

Fidelity Quest: Alere will ask the player with helping her track down and kill her father, who she has received a letter from. Therion has been working in another facility that is extremely confidential, but she believes it is unethical and needs to be closed down despite what her superiors may think. Upon entering the facility, she will be awed and mortified to find out that her father has discovered a living Aldmer and is planning on using her as little more than a breeder to manufacture an Aldmeri army. Depending on how the player communicates with her, upon reaching her father she will either kill him without remorse or arrest him so he can be charged by the higher-ups in the Dominion. Either way, she will gain peace over her personal issues.

##Damian Romulus [Imperial]

Damian Romulus is a young member of the Penitus Oculatus and former legionnaire who is targeted by their organization as a potential recruit for the Dragonborn during the start of their investigations in the main quest. Hotheaded, intelligent, and somewhat suicidal, Damian punishes himself for the loss of his squad two months prior to the start of the add-on and just wants to join them in the afterlife. He is a firm believer in the strength and discipline of the Empire of Tamriel, but is also a xenophobe and a lowkey racist that believes Imperials are the only race that can govern the nations of the world correctly. If recruited alongside Alere, he will buttheads with her a lot if they ever have to work together or within the Dragonborn’s base of operations.

Allegiance Quest: Damian is first encountered when the player goes to recruit him to their team, being sent to retrieve confidential documents relating to the Oculatus stolen by the brigands. Once the Dragonborn shows up and aids him in recovering the dossiers, he will begrudgingly join their team once he realizes he’s been ordered to do so by his superiors.

Fidelity Quest: After some time (and if the player has talked to him enough), Damian will ask the Dragonborn to accompany him to the place his team died in an unofficial skirmish with the Thalmor. While exploring the ruins Damian and the Dragonborn will find evidence that the Eyes of Auriel and the Penitus Oculatus staged the entire event in order to receive supplies and information from their superiors back in Tamriel, which begins to shock and enrage him. Depending on the Player’s choices, Damian will either realize that the Empire isn’t as great as he thinks it is and gets over the deaths of his friends or will go into denial about the Empire and vow revenge on the Thalmor, even attempting to kill Alere once the quest is completed. Nevertheless, he will thank the Dragonborn for their aid and will finally find some measure of peace.

##Hannar Almost-King [Echmer]

The most notorious Echmer to ever live, Hannar was the little known Demiprince son of Molag Bal and leader of a large movement known as the Resurgence. Having both suffered and witnessed many pains under the governance of the Council of Dull Chimes and its administrations, Hannar believed it was best for the Directorate to follow the Noraken’s example and install a King to manage everything. He quickly became popular amongst the Exul, and was the first to officially free Hyu-Ket slaves as long as they provided some aid to his cause. While his goals were noble, his tactics were ruthless and soon his ‘Brigands’ became reviled throughout the archipelago. This eventually resulted in Hannar’s Rebellion (the Hannar Wars), a decades-long conflict in the First Era where the Demiprince almost conquered the capital of Yneslea. He was finally killed when the leader of the Echelons impaled him with the Sword of Unforging, and the Resurgence devolved into the authority-hating Brigands that continue to walk Yneslea and its holdings in the modern day. As a Demiprince, his soul was able to refuse the Black and Hannar continued to watch the archipelago from his father’s realm of Oblivion.

Allegiance Quest: Hannar’s spirit can be found within a Dwarven ruin on A’saztslea, which is within an unambiguous cave. The Dovahkiin will encounter him after being informed that a group of brigands arrived on the island and it is rumored that they are trying to use dark magic to resurrect him from his stolen ashes; these brigands were partially successful, but were not prepared for his rage and the player will encounter him slaughtering them. After helping the spirit, Hannar agrees to accompany the Dragonborn by giving them a spell to summon him from his tomb.

Fidelity Quest: After some time, Hannar will materialize in front of the Dragonborn and request their help in regards to Hannar’s Legion, a Brigand splinter group who believes they are following the Almost-King’s example. In truth, Hannar is disturbed by their methods and wishes to intervene. Depending on the advice the Dovahkiin gives him throughout the quest, Hannar will either decide to exterminate the Legion in its entirely or remove its corrupt leader and reform it. Nevertheless, Hannar will thank the player once the deed is finished and will become much more eased in his newfound existence.

##Nikias [Echmer]

Nikias is an Echmer Exul who can be found in Skyrim hoping to complete his massive bestiary chronicling all of the animal life that exists on Nirn. He is unique in the fact that he does not reside on A’saztslea and will not travel there, and that he has no fidelity quest; he is the closest thing to an Echmeri hireling the add-on has available. A somewhat naïve but incredibly intelligent and sarcastic man, he comes to view the Dragonborn as his closest friend the longer they travel with one another in Skyrim.

Allegiance Quest: Nikias is being harassed by a group of Reachmen in front of Reachwind Eyrie, and needs helps help fending them off. After defeating them he will tell the Dragonborn about himself and can be persuaded to become a companion.

##Raze (Aurum Merces) [Echmer]

Aurum was a former G2 Acoustinight, a magically enhanced warrior trained from birth in the arts of the sword and allowed to use acoustineering for combative purposes. Fighting in numerous battles over the years, Aurum eventually began to lose touch with his dasein (the Echmeri equivalent to human nature) and his subconscious began to latch onto his self-styled ideal of the emotionless Consummate Professional. After resigning from service, Aurum took on the last name ‘Merces’ and became a military freelancer to whomever had the most money at the time. Eventually his reputation resulted in a warrant for his arrest throughout the archipelago, and he went on the run until he was hired by Seth to aid him in his plot of activating the Aethergence, faking his own death in the process. He is one of the main antagonists of A’saztslea, and after their first meeting begins to develop a creepy fixation on the Dragonborn, viewing them as a kindred spirit and attempts to lecture them about his philosophy whenever they encounter one another. Depending on dialogue choices, the Dovahkiin can cause Aurum to begin doubting himself and his philosophy. Unfortunately, however, Seth will test the Aethergence on Aurum and he will become a powerful synthetic being known as Raze. During their last encounter, the Dragonborn (if their Speech is high enough and they’ve been completely civil to the mercenary in all of their previous interactions) can reawaken both Aurum’s dasein and memories from inside Raze, and he will go on to help them fight Seth. After Zthgnthaz and the Aethergence is destroyed regardless of the player’s choice, it will be discovered that it was Raze who carried the Dragonborn’s body back to Harron’numsaz after they fell unconscious.

Allegiance Quest: Raze is unique in that his allegiance quest is the moment where you persuade him to break free of Naruddal’s control. If this does not happen, the player will have no choice but to kill the synthroid.

Fidelity Quest: Three days after the end of the main quest, Councilor Latergulas will alert the player that Raze is now on trial for his crimes against the Directorate. The player can either defend, provide more evidence, or remain neutral throughout the proceedings, which will either end with Raze walking free under the Dragonborn’s protection, going to prison for the rest of his life, or being executed on the spot. The latter two will obviously disqualify him for companionship.

##Sarlajra Alvedon [Aldmer]

Sarlajra is the last of her kind, an Aldmer woman who has been locked in stasis for thousands of years. She was found by the Thalmor general Therion in the depths of Eton Nir encased in an impenetrable prism of color and music and was consequently shipped to A’saztslea in secret in order for the Thalmor to enlist the aid of the Echmeri acoustineers, who they believe can destroy her prison with their knowledge of tonal architecture. In truth, Therion wished to revive Sarlajra in order for her to reproduce with him and create a true Aldmeri army. She will be encountered during Alere’s fidelity quest and can be released from her prison by the Dragonborn if they so desire. She is unique in that she has no fidelity quest herself, and has sworn to serve the Dragonborn for the rest of her life for freeing her (if they so choose to; if not, she will be taken by the Eyes of Auriel and shipped back to the Aldmeri Dominion in Tamriel).

Allegiance Quest: The Dragonborn can choose to free Sarlajra from her strange prison using the thu’um and their newfound connection to tones thanks to being attuned to the Law. Once freed, she will swear her loyalty to the player and join the rest of their team in the base of operations.