The story behind Shivering Isles revolves around the ruler of the plane of madness, Sheogoroth, and how you can help him save his domain from the mysterious forces bent on tearing it asunder. Sheogoroth seeks a mortal champion to aid him, and as an adventurer of some renown, I was coaxed towards the large mystical gate that would lead me to his realm. Upon entering the gate (pictured above), I was confronted by a rather well-dressed gentleman with an attitude that had me instantly in the mood to wipe the smile off of his sycophantic face with a mailed fist. What struck me as odd, however, was that we appeared to be inside a small drawing room of some kind, richly appointed by Cyrodillian standards. After the snooty quasi-librarian explained Sheogoroth's plight, the walls of the room erupted into hundreds of shadowy butterflies which disappeared to reveal the not-so-lush starting area of the Shivering Isles.​