Mystery of Talara , Book III Effects . Permanently increases the following skills : Content . Gnorbooth was leaving his favorite pub in Camlorn , The Breaking Branch , when he heard someone calling his name . His was not the sort of a name that could be mistaken for another . He turned and saw Lord Eryl , the Royal Battlemage from the palace , emerge from the darkness of the alley . " Milord , " said Gnorbooth with a pleasant smile . " I ' m surprised to see you out this evening , Gnorbooth , " grinned Lord Eryl with a most unpleasant smile . " I have not seen you and your master very much since the millennial celebration , but I understand you ' ve been very busy . What I ' ve been wondering is what you ' ve been busy doing . " " Protecting the Imperial interests in Camlorn is busy work , milord . But I cannot imagine you would be interested in the minutiae of the ambassador ' s appointments . " " But I am , " said the battlemage . " Especially as the ambassador has begun acting most mysteriously , most undiplomatically lately . And I understand that he has taken one of the whores from the Flower Festival into his house . I believe her name is Gyna ? " Gnorbooth shrugged : " He ' s in love , I would imagine , milord . It can make men act very strangely , as I ' m sure you ' ve heard before . " " She is a most comely wench , " laughed Lord Eryl . " Have you noticed how much she resembles the late Princess Talara ? " " I have only been in Camlorn for fifteen years , milord . I never saw her late majesty . " " Now I could understand it if he had taken to writing poetry , but what man in love spends his days in the kitchens of the palace , talking to old servants ? That hardly sounds like molten passion to me , even based on my limited experience . " Lord Eryl rolled his eyes . " And what is this business he has now in - oh , what is the name of that village ? " " Umbington ? " replied Gnorbooth , and immediately wished he hadn ' t . Lord Eryl was too canny an actor to reveal it , but Gnorbooth knew at the pit of his stomach that the battlemage did not even know Lord Strale had left the capitol . He had to get away to let the ambassador know , but there was still a game to be carefully played . " He ' s not leaving for there until tomorrow . I believe it ' s just to put a stamp on some deed that needs the Imperial Seal . " " Is that all ? How tedious for the poor fellow . I suppose I ' ll see him when he returns then , " Lord Eryl bowed . " Thank you for being so informative . Farewell . " The moment the royal battlemage turned the corner , Gnorbooth leapt onto his horse . He had drunk one or two ales too many , but he knew he must find his way to Umbington before Lord Eryl ' s agents did . He galloped east out of the capitol , hoping there were signs along the road . Seated in a tavern that smelled of mildew and sour beer , Lord Strale marveled at how the Emperor ' s agent Lady Brisienna always found the most public of places for her most private of conferences . It was harvest time in Umbington , and all of the field hands were drinking away their meager wages in the noisiest of fashions . He was dressed appropriately for the venue , rough trousers and a simple peasant ' s vest , but he still felt conspicuous . In comparison to his two female companions , he certainly was . The woman to his right was used to frequenting the low places of Daggerfall as a common prostitute . Lady Brisienna to his left was even more clearly in her element . " By what name would you prefer I call you ? " Lady Brisienna asked solicitously . " I am used to the name Gyna , though that may have to change , " was her reply . " Of course , it may not . Gyna the Whore may be the name writ on my grave . " " I will see to it that there is no attempt on your life like that the Flower Festival , " Lord Strale frowned . " But without the Emperor ' s help , I won ' t be able to protect you forever . The only permanent solution is to capture those who would do you harm and then to raise you to your proper station . " " Do you believe my story ? " Gyna turned to Lady Brisienna . " I have been the Emperor ' s chief agent in High Rock for many years now , and I have heard few stranger tales . If your friend the ambassador hadn ' t investigated and discovered what he has , I would have dismissed you outright as a madwoman , " Brisienna laughed , forcing a smile onto Gyna ' s face to match . " But now , yes , I do believe you . Perhaps that makes me the madwoman . " " Will you help us ? " asked Lord Strale simply . " It is a tricky business interfering in the affairs of the provincial kingdoms , " Lady Brisienna looked into the depths of her mug thoughtfully . " Unless there is a threat to the Empire itself , we find it is best not to meddle . What we have in your case is a very messy assassination that happened twenty years ago , and its aftermath . If His Imperial Majesty involved itself in every bloody hiccup in the succession in each of his thousand vassal kingdoms , he would never accomplish anything for the greater good of Tamriel . " " I understand , " murmured Gyna . " When I remembered everything , who I was and what happened to me , I resolved to do nothing about it . In fact , I was leaving Camlorn and going back home to Daggerfall when I saw Lord Strale again . He was the one who began this quest to resolve this , not me . And when he brought me back , I only wanted to see my cousin to tell her who I was , but he forbade me . " " It would have been too dangerous , " growled Strale . " We still don ' t know yet the depths of the conspiracy . Perhaps we never will . " " I ' m sorry , I always find myself giving long explanations to short questions . When Lord Strale asked if I would help , I should have begun by saying ' yes , ' " Lady Brisienna laughed at the change in Lord Strale and Gyna ' s expressions . " I will help you , of course . But for this to turn out well , you must accomplish two things to the Emperor ' s satisfaction . First , you must prove with absolute certainty who is the power behind this plot you ' ve uncovered . You must get someone to confess . " " And secondly , " said Lord Strale , nodding . " We must prove that this is a matter worthy of His Imperial Majesty ' s consideration , and not merely a minor local concern . " Lord Strale , Lady Brisienna , and the woman who called herself Gyna discussed how to accomplish their goals for a few hours more . When it was agreed what had to be done , Lady Brisienna took her leave to find her ally Proseccus . Strale and Gyna set off to the west , toward Camlorn . It was not long after beginning their ride through the woods that they heard the sound of galloping hoof beats far up ahead . Lord Strale unsheathed his sword and signaled for Gyna to position her horse behind him . At that moment , they were attacked on all sides . It was an ambush . Eight men , armed with axes , had been lying in wait . Lord Strale quickly yanked Gyna from her horse , pulling her behind him . He made a brief , deft motion with his hands . A ring of flame materialized around them , and rushed outward , striking their assailants . The men roared in pain and dropped to their knees . Lord Strale jumped the horse over the closest one , and galloped at full speed westward . " I thought you were an ambassador not a mage ! " laughed Gyna . " I still believe there are times for diplomacy , " replied Lord Strale . The horse and rider they had heard before met them on the road . It was Gnorbooth . " Milord , it ' s the royal battlemage ! He found out you two were in Umbington ! " " With considerable ease , I might add , " Lord Eryl ' s voice boomed out of the woods . Gnorbooth , Gyna , and Lord Strale scanned the dark trees , but they showed nothing . The battlemage ' s voice seemed to emanate from everywhere and nowhere . " I ' m sorry , milord , " groaned Gnorbooth . " I tried to warn you as soon as I could . " " In your next life , perhaps you ' ll remember not to trust your plans to a drunkard ! " laughed Lord Eryl . He had them in his sight , and the spell was unleashed . Gnorbooth saw him first , by the light of the ball of fire that leapt from his fingertips . Later , Lord Eryl was to wonder to himself what the fool had intended to do . Perhaps he was rushing forward to pull Lord Strale out of the path . Perhaps he was trying to flee the path of destruction , and had simply moved left when he should have moved right . Perhaps , as unlikely as it seemed , he was willing to sacrifice himself to save his master . Whatever the reason , the result was the same . He got in the way . There was an explosion of energy that filled the night , and an echoing boom that shook birds from the trees for a mile around . On the few square feet where Gnorbooth and his horse had stood was nothing but black glass . They had been reduced to less than vapor . Gyna and Lord Strale were thrown back . Their horse , when it recovered its senses , galloped away as fast as it could . In the lingering glowing aura of the spell ' s detonation , Lord Strale looked straight into the woods and into the wide eyes of the battlemage . " Damn , " said Lord Eryl and began to run . The ambassador jumped to his feet and pursued . " That was an expensive use of magicka , even for you , " said Lord Strale as he ran . " Don ' t you know well enough not to use ranged spells unless you are certain your target won ' t be blocked ? " " I never thought - that idiot - " Lord Eryl was struck from behind and knocked to the wet forest floor before he had a chance to finish his lamentation . " It doesn ' t matter what you thought , " said Lord Strale calmly , flipping the battlemage around and pinning his arms to the ground with his knees . " I ' m not a battlemage , but I knew enough not to use my entire reserve on your little ambush . Perhaps it ' s a matter of philosophy , as a government agent , I feel inclined toward conservatism . " " What are you going to do ? " whimpered Lord Eryl . " Gnorbooth was a good man , one of the best , and so I ' m going to hurt you quite a lot , " the ambassador made a slight movement and his hands began to glow brightly . " That ' s a certainty . How much more I ' m going to hurt you after that depends on what you tell me . I want to hear about the former Duke of Oloine . " " What do you want to know ? " Lord Eryl screamed . " Let ' s start with everything , " replied Lord Strale with perfect patience .