Feyfolken , Book I This book is part of a three book series . The others include : Content . Feyfolken Book One by Waughin Jarth The Great Sage was a tall , untidy man , bearded but bald . His library resembled him : all the books had been moved over the years to the bottom shelves where they gathered in dusty conglomerations . He used several of the books in his current lecture , explaining to his students , Taksim and Volguldak , how the Mages Guild had first been founded by Vanus Galerion . They had many questions about Galerion ' s beginnings in the Psijic Order , and how the study of magic there differed from the Mages Guild . " It was , and is , a very structured way of life , " explained the Great Sage . " Quite elitist , actually . That was the aspect of it Galerion most objected to . He wanted the study of magic to be free . Well , not free exactly , but at least available to all who could afford it . In doing that , he changed the course of life in Tamriel . " " He codified the praxes and rituals used by all modern potionmakers , itemmakers , and spellmakers , didn ' t he , Great Sage ? " asked Vonguldak . " That was only part of it . Magic as we know it today comes from Vanus Galerion . He restructured the schools to be understandable by the masses . He invented the tools of alchemy and enchanting so everyone could concoct whatever they wanted , whatever their skills and purse would allow them to , without fears of magical backfire . Well , eventually he created that . " " What do you mean , Great Sage ? " asked Taksim . " The first tools were more automated than the ones we have today . Any layman could use them without the least understanding of enchantment and alchemy . On the Isle of Artaeum , the students had to learn the skills laboriously and over many years , but Galerion decided that was another example of the Psijics ' elitism . The tools he invented were like robotic master enchanters and alchemists , capable of creating anything the customer required , provided he could pay . " " So someone could , for example , create a sword that would cleave the world in twain ? " asked Vonguldak . " I suppose , in theory , but it would probably take all the gold in the world , " chuckled the Great Sage . " No , I can ' t say we were ever in very great danger , but that it isn ' t to say that there weren ' t a few unfortunate incidents where a unschooled yokel invented something beyond his ken . Eventually , of course , Galerion tore apart his old tools , and created what we use today . It ' s a little elitist , requiring that people know what they ' re doing before they do it , but remarkably practical . " " What did people invent ? " asked Taksim . " Are there any stories ? " " You ' re trying to distract me so I don ' t test you , " said the Great Sage . " But I suppose I can tell you one story , just to illustrate a point . This particular tale takes place in city of Alinor on the west coast of Summurset Isle , and concerns a scribe named Thaurbad . This was in the Second Era , not long after Vanus Galerion had first founded the Mages Guild and chapter houses had sprung up all over Summerset , though not yet spread to the mainland of Tamriel . For five years , this scribe , Thaurbad , had conducted all his correspondence to the outside world by way of his messenger boy , Gorgos . For the first year of his adoption of the hermit life , his few remaining friends and family - - friends and family of his dead wife , truth be told - - had tried visiting , but even the most indefatigable kin gives up eventually when given no encouragement . No one had a good reason to keep in touch with Thaurbad Hulzik , and in time , very few even tried . His sister - in - law sent him the occasional letter with news of people he could barely remember , but even that communication was rare . Most of messages to and from his house dealt with his business , writing the weekly proclamation from the Temple of Auri - El . These were bulletins nailed on the temple door , community news , sermons , that sort of thing . The first message Gorgos brought him that day was from his healer , reminding him of his appointment on Turdas . Thaurbad took a while to write his response , glum and affirmative . He had the Crimson Plague , which he was being treated for at considerable expense - - you have to remember these were the days before the School of Restoration had become quite so specialized . It was a dreadful disease and had taken away his voicebox . That was why he only communicated by script . The next message was from Alfiers , the secretary at the church , as curt and noxious as ever : " THAURBAD , ATTACHED IS SUNDAS ' S SERMON , NEXT WEEK ' S EVENTS CALENDAR , AND THE OBITUARIES . TRY TO LIVEN THEM UP A LITTLE . I WASN ' T HAPPY WITH YOUR LAST ATTEMPT . " Thaurbad had taken the job putting together the Bulletin before Alfiers joined the temple , so his only mental image of her was purely theoretical and had evolved over time . At first he thought of Alfiers as an ugly fat sloadess covered with warts ; more recently , she had mutated into a rail - thin , spinster orcess . Of course , it was possible his clairvoyance was accurate and she had just lost weight . Whatever Alfiers looked like , her attitude towards Thaurbad was clear , unwavering disdain . She hated his sense of humor , always found the most minor of misspellings , and considered his structure and calligraphy the worst kind of amateur work . Luckily , working for a temple was the next most secure job to working for the good King of Alinor . It didn ' t bring in very much money , but his expenses were minimal . The truth was , he didn ' t need to do it anymore . He had quite a fortune stashed away , but he didn ' t have anything else to occupy his days . And the truth was further that having little else to occupy his time and thoughts , the Bulletin was very important to him . Gorgos , having delivered all the messages , began to clean and as he did so , he told Thaurbad all the news in town . The boy always did so , and Thaurbad seldom paid him any attention , but this time he had an interesting report . The Mages Guild had come to Alinor . As Thaurbad listened intently , Gorgos told him all about the Guild , the remarkable Archmagister , and the incredible tools of alchemy and enchanting . Finally , when the lad had finished , Thaurbad scribbled a quick note and handed it and a quill to Gorgos . The note read , " Have them enchant this quill . " " It will be expensive , " said Gorgos . Thaurbad gave Gorgos a sizeable chunk of the thousands of gold pieces he had saved over the years , and sent him out the door . Now , Thaurbad decided , he would finally have the ability to impress Alfiers and bring glory to the Temple of Auri - El . The way I ' ve heard the story , Gorgos had thought about taking the gold and leaving Alinor , but he had come to care for poor old Thaurbad . And even more , he hated Alfiers who he had to see every day to get his messages for his master . It wasn ' t perhaps for the best of motivations , but Gorgos decided to go to the Guild and get the quill enchanted . The Mages Guild was not then , especially not then , an elitist institution , as I have said , but when the messenger boy came in and asked to use the Itemmaker , he was greeted with some suspicion . When he showed the bag of gold , the attitude melted , and he was ushered in the room . Now , I haven ' t seen one of the enchanting tools of old , so you must use your imagination . There was a large prism for the item to be bound with magicka , assuredly , and an assortment of soul gems and globes of trapped energies . Other than that , I cannot be certain how it looked or how it worked . Because of all the gold he gave to the Guild , Gorgos could infuse the quill with the highest - price soul available , which was something daedric called Feyfolken . The initiate at the Guild , being ignorant as most Guildmembers were at that time , did not know very much about the spirit except that it was filled with energy . When Gorgos left the room , the quill had been enchanted to its very limit and then some . It was virtually quivering with power . Of course , when Thaurbad used it , that ' s when it became clear how over his head he was . " And now , " said the Great Sage . " It ' s time for your test . " " But what happened ? What were the quill ' s powers ? " cried Taksim . " You can ' t stop the tale there ! " objected Vonguldak . " We will continue the tale after your conjuration test , provided you both perform exceptionally well , " said the Great Sage .