Delirium - A Skyrim Story

Act I Chapter VI - The Price of Knowledge

Thorian's pulse raced as he pondered what he'd say to Sheogorath about his father. What if Thorian turned hostile? He couldn't let his quest for answers end without learning anything, but he was painfully aware that pushing the Mad God too far could end poorly. Even as he resolved to tread carefully, the grandeur of New Sheoth Palace captivated him—the sheer scale of the palace grounds was beyond anything he could imagine, a structure surely requiring centuries to construct.

Suddenly, Sheogorath's booming voice broke his train of thought. "Oh! Forgive my rudeness! Did you mistake your goal of finding your father with that of a builder? Or do you actually want to spend your days scrubbing my floors and washing my royal toes?"

Thorian huffed but tried to stay respectful. "Please, can I at least see my father... or know where he is?"

Sheogorath let out an exaggerated yawn, waving his hand lazily. "Your father? Oh, he's perfectly fine. Well... as fine as one can be when madness starts to take over in one's old age. He's more cracked than I am! But to 'free' his madness, as you put it, I have a little request of you."

Thorian's brow furrowed. The offer seemed suspiciously convenient. "You... can actually do that? Reverse someone's descent into madness?"

Sheogorath raised an eyebrow, leaning forward on his cane, his gaze sharp. "Boy, do you forget who rules this domain?" He grinned with an unsettling gleam in his eye. "So, will you accept my offer, or would you prefer to wander these Isles wondering what if?"

Thorian's resolve hardened. "Alright... I'll do whatever you ask."

"Excellent!" Sheogorath cackled, slumping back onto his throne. "Ah, in my time, I've done marvelous things, you know! I stopped Dagon from turning Tamriel into his playground, staved off the Greymarch, and of course, indulged in my beloved cheese!" He paused, his gaze darkening slightly. "But you... I've been watching you. You're like a caterpillar, bursting with potential, just waiting to transform."

With an almost manic smile, he continued, "But before I share the finer details, let's see how 'mad' you can be in a fight! Go find my Gatekeeper, best it in battle, and bring me one of its eyes. Do that, and not only do you earn your father's freedom, but you'll also gain something no one's claimed in over two centuries."

Thorian steeled himself, nodding as Sheogorath's laughter echoed through the palace halls. Without another word, he turned toward the courtyard, knowing the path would soon lead him to his next deadly test.

Thorian approached the hulking Gatekeeper, its massive, grotesque form blocking his path. With each lumbering step, the creature's mismatched limbs of bone and flesh scraped across the ground, eyes glowing with an unsettling, primal intensity. Its teeth ground together as it sized him up, flexing a hand bristling with jagged claws.

Thorian took a breath, steadying himself as he summoned lightning to his hands, arcs crackling through his fingertips. Before he could strike, the Gatekeeper lunged, swinging a club-like arm. Thorian dodged, rolling to the side, narrowly avoiding the crushing blow as dust and debris sprayed up from the impact.

He retaliated, hurling a bolt of lightning directly into the creature's side. The Gatekeeper bellowed in pain, but showed no signs of weakening. Thorian knew he needed a different approach—the creature was too resilient to simply wear down. Scanning the Gatekeeper, he spotted vulnerable gaps between its armor-like bones where raw flesh was exposed.

Summoning his courage, Thorian advanced, dodging another wild swing and ducking under the Gatekeeper's arm. He conjured a blade of pure energy in his hand and, in a single quick motion, drove it into the exposed flesh beneath the creature's ribs. The Gatekeeper roared and lashed out, knocking Thorian backward, his head spinning as he hit the ground hard.