[A tidy scroll lies innocently on your desk when you return to it, a steaming cup of tea in your hand. It was not there previously. It carries no curses or enchantments of any kind, and the piece of twine holding it together slips loose with a single tug. The handwriting within is sharp, traditional. Daedric script with Morrowind orthography. It reads:] Master Neloth, I heard that you were accepting questions, and so I ask one, if you will answer. Burn this letter if you will not. I divide practitioners of magic into the arcane and the Daedric. Of the latter, there are the bound and the unbound. I am bound to one Daedra Lord, and this limits the scope of my magic. My question is this: How can my gifts be applied to a study of the arcane? [The letter is unsigned, but you have your suspicions.]
Hmm, a proper question at long last. Though right away I would say you are limiting yourself needlessly. You even say: ‘I divide practitioners…’. For what reason? It’s not that you are incorrect, for there are mages among us who couldn’t even light a candle, yet with the assistance of a Daedric Prince could set the world ablaze. So I am going to assume that your magicka reserves are quite shallow and that your Prince gives you the ability to practice with any amount of competence.
Now, while I can’t say I know who you are as an individual, the style of your script and the specific formalities you invoke tell me you are a Morrowind native, most likely Vvardenfell. So, there is likely one of three Daedric Princes you find yourself in service to, and I think it’s quite easy to infer which one given the…secrecy you imploy.
The Webspinner, though often cruel, is a remarkably practical Prince to serve, though I can only assume she was attracted to you through the sheer amount of misfortune your life must contain. Mephala does not seek out those who live sunny lives. Fortunately for you, she doesn’t tend to toy with mortals for her own amusement. She is the Plot-Weaver; you have a purpose within her web. Your query aligns well with her realm, so I believe the answer will be far simpler than you might have originally imagined.
How can you apply these gifts to the study of the arcane? Try to frame your study within Mephala’s sphere. The arcane arts already deal in secrecy and mystery, so this should not feel unnatural.
Do not seek surface-level spells and concepts that any sideshow performer could master. You must burrow deep and uncover spellforms lost to time—techniques that no longer have names. You will both excel as a master of the arts and please your patron. She may very well offer you a boon for your efforts.
Now, if I assumed the wrong, you may simply apply this concept to the sphere of whomever it is you serve. But I sincerely doubt that I am wrong. Feel free to inform me of your progress.
