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R.I.P. neildarkstar. Haven will miss you dearly.
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| Zyne Greymore; Zyne | |
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| Topic Started: Oct 28 2016, 01:05 PM (146 Views) | |
| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:05 PM Post #1 |
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Et'Ada
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360 pictures will be placed in-line...as soon as Photo-bucket behaves. So for now my PC versions of Zyne & Marc Posted Image As Seen on 360 [IMG][URL=http://s1254.photobucket.com/user/Trace9569/media/20140216_165756-1.jpg.html]Posted Image[/URL][/IMG] Looking back, chapter 1 My very earliest memories are of our farm on the Summerset Isles. It was a hard working the land, but like most farmer's we didn't know how hard we were working and my parents and Aunt's and Uncles made my life fun. What can I say about that time? It's hazy with time and the horror that happened after, not just my nightmare, but the whole of Tamriell's also. I was a mere 25 at the time, very young by Altmer standards, though I know by human standards quite grown. I was the only child born of my Aunt's and Mother, so probably spoiled and innocent to the world outside our farm. How can I convey the horror and chaos of that day, It started with what I can only describe as a scream of the air, like it was protesting what had happened. I had been getting milk and egg's for breakfast, the animal's all got very skittish. My eldest Uncle climbed to the roof to see what might have happened, our land being rather flat. He said he saw smoke in the direction of the nearest town. All the men figured that some mages experiment had gone wrong, though my Aunt Irrillia said no, it was something else,she felt something wrong in the air, she was a mage of small magic's, mostly healing. I was weeding the home garden when my Aunt Irrillia came and grabbed my arm and dragging me towards the house. It was only then that I heard the distant scream's of our herd animal's. My father and Uncles I could see racing towards the house from the field's, which I thought rather odd with the herd animals screaming in pain as they were. My mother and other Aunt's where putting up the storm window's on the house and barn's, shooing the chicken's into the coop. All this time I had been hearing whispers in the back of my head, my Uncle Harriod thought I might have a form of telepathy, my Aunt Irrillia said no, it was something else. I had been hearing these whisper's since I was born, right then they were excited and angry. I never did understand them then and wish I didn't now. As my Father and Uncles got closer I could see that one of my Uncles was holding another in front of him, blood streaming down his chest. My Aunt stopped and waited on the men. As he came off the horse the other men wheeled around towards the barn and my Aunt caught him as best she could, I helped to keep him from falling on the ground and could feel the healing spell that my Aunt cast on him. The Blood stopped flowing, but I could see that the wound wasn't all the way healed. As my Aunt was tugging him to the house, I never did ask why she only partially healed him, now as a veteran of many battles, I know why. As the My Aunts and Uncles came into the house from the barn's, My Father latched the door and then pushed a low heavy piece of furniture against it. He looked at my Mother and asked if they had barred the upper windows also. She nodded yes and had the most worried expression on her face as she said " I saw what was attacking the herds, never have I even heard a rumor of so many in one place". Uncle Harriod came in from the other room with bow's and an assortment of swords, maces and axe's. Each of the men grabbed a weapon, My Aunts and Mother a bow, except Irrillia, and headed up the stairs. Irrillia looked at Harriod who kissed her on the cheek, with the sadist look I have ever seen on his face. She grabbed my hand just as my father told her to take us both to the cubby, which was a hidden room, very small, that had a hatch to a tunnel leading to the river. He put his hand on my cheek and said "No matter what, don't make a sound. Irrillia, cave in the tunnel as you go down it. We love you child, remember." I wanted to protest, to grab a bow and help the other's, but Aunt Irrillia was pulling me to the cubby. She whispered "we won't leave til we must, but you and my unborn child are to precious to loose". And stay we did, looking out one of the cracks in the wall, I am proud I never made a peep, never screamed, only stood their in horror as the things that broke through the door and windows tore my family apart. Deadroth, I was later to learn.... At the time all I remember of them is their horrible faces, fang's and claws. That's not to say that my Father and Uncles did not put up a good fight, they did. Once the door was broken down, multiple beasts came through. My family was overcome, farmers with very little weapons training, try though they might. Aunt Irrillia pulled me to the hatch, right as we heard scream's from upstairs....My Mother and other Aunts... Irrillia pulled harder and then shoved me down the ladder. Then as a child, I hoped my Aunts and Mother fought hard and long...now as an adult, I hope they died as quickly as my Father and Uncles did. I know I was in shock as I crawled through the tunnel, tear's blocked my vision, but I wouldn't have seen anything in the dark anyway. When I came to the "safe room", a stone room which my mother always kept clean, with emergency rations and money, clothing and medicine. I didn't light the candles and neither did my Aunt. Their was light from a type of fungus that grew on the wall, giving everything a dull green look. She came over to me and laid her hand on my head....which grew very fuzzy, I woke up two days later. "I'm glad your awake, I could use more company that your soft breathing", I looked around and saw Irrillia sitting on a chair, no one else had made it here. I knew it had been more than a day, my stomach felt empty. She nodded at the table and I saw bread, cheese and apples on it, more than enough food, a wine bottle with water in it to drink made up the rest of my meal. Through the dust on her face I saw the tear streak's, with haunted eye's above. " I put you to sleep, I thought it best, as we will be here at least another day. Be sparing with the water, they...fouled the well." I could only imagine what they had done, I know she heard thing's dropping into the well and might have looked. The tunnels lead past a gate that went to an old well, this place had been though out completely a long time ago. Sometime in the past my family had not just been simple farmers. We stayed a week in that room, I learned a lot about my Aunt then. Irrilia was the only one in our family not from other farm's or towns in this area. She talked about her parent's and siblings and wondered if they were fine as well. Somehow she knew we were not an isolated attack. Edited by Areial, Oct 29 2016, 11:03 AM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:05 PM Post #2 |
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Et'Ada
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Looking back, Chapter 2 I found out that week that Aunt Irrillia was the youngest daughter of an important political family in Alinor, she had married my Uncle Harroid without her families blessing. She said we would start heading in that direction, though we may not make it all the way their and our reception might be rather cold. She taught me to use magic, told me I would make a much better mage than she. Calm, fear, frenzy a couple distruction spells and healing.... she taught me much of healing. You wonder that I don't use much in the way of magic now? The reasons lay with that time, lulling even a monster into vacant stupidity and then stopping it's heart, will play very hard on the mind. Back then with the little training I had and the sheer amount of Deadroth we ran into, it was the best thing to keep us among the living. I prefer to use the sword and bow, unless I have no other choice and very rarely have I had to use magic to kill in the last couple hundred years. I went out of the tunnel first had had a good look around, our house was gone and the barn mostly burnt also. What animal's left were to skittish to catch, except our old plow horse. I found a saddle and rope to tie on his halter. I found some grain and a sack and put that together with what supplies we had left, vegetables from the garden and tied them to the back to the saddle so Irrillia could ride if need be. I could run along side the horse, Irrillia could not, not that he would go faster than a trot, but better than nothing. We both carried bow's and a couple of swords, also Irrillia had made us some traveling cloths, by taking our dresses and splitting them into a loose pant, with hidden pocket's for our money and jewels. We started out under a blood-red sky, with horrible smelling wind's blowing from differing directions. The first people we met were a couple of young children from the neighboring farm, who said they had been in the barn when the creatures attacked and climbed to the top of the hay stack's and then across the beam's to a small "hiding place". They were scared and hungry, having only eaten raw vegetables from their home garden. We ran into many deadroth over the next couple day's. I would calm them and Irrillia would stop their hearts. Sometimes if we saw a small bunch and could hide before they saw us, I would cast frenzy on them and they would kill each other off, fear sent them running when we could. Those children picked up both of our spell's very quickly and used them just as well as we did. Irrillia taught us to use runes placed on the ground in front of us at a distance as trap's that the Deadroth would run over and it worked well. The children and I would place runes of frost and lightning around our camps at night, fire making more light and noise than we wanted at night. It helped those not on watch to sleep better, even if it wasn't the best sort of defense. That poor horse got so used to thing's exploding and disintegrating in front of him, that he rarely so much as twitched an ear. Am I making it sound like to much of an adventure? Trust me it wasn't, we often found people torn apart or half eaten. Once or twice we found horribly wounded people that Irrillia would "mercy kill" as she called it, their bodies were so infected from their wounds, she could not have healed them even with a group of healers. We avoided other people after we were attacked by a small group of men. At first we had been happy to see two of them, but one of the children noticed a third hiding in some brush. Irrillia said to be ready with our spells. We ended up having to kill those men, which Irrillia said was a pity because so many had died and we would have shared everything we had with them anyway. This was the first time I used magic against my fellow Altmer on that trip, it wasn't the last. We made it to the coast and started heading south for Alinor. Irrillia thought it rather strange that we hadn't already run into a large military patrol. Remembering things my father had told me, I wasn't really to surprised, we hadn't stayed on the roads, but usually within a mile or so of them. Patrol's, like the deadroth they were hunting, would take the easiest route, the road. We might have passed a few patrols when going around hill's trying to avoid the Portal's or Gate's to Oblivion as we were to learn later and never knew it. We could see the smoke from Alinor when we ran into our first patrol, or rather they ran upon us heading back to their garrison. There leader a particularly tall man, with new claw scar's running down his handsome face, asked if we could keep up with them. Irrillia told them that the horse would only go at a slow trot and she could not run at all, obviously, as she placed her hand's around her belly. The commander nodded and said they would travel at our pace, though it would be right after nightfall when we got to the garrison at our best speed. I continued to lead our horse, with Irillia riding as the children asked questions that from an adult would be seen as rude or tactless. We learned they were Thalmor troupes and many were now flocking to their garrison's that before snubbed their noses. I remember my Father and Uncles talking about them, they didn't like what they stood for, called them terrorists of a sort. Even though I would later agree, right then and there, I was happy for the promise of a warm bed and a hot meal.... and a bath. Edited by Areial, Oct 28 2016, 01:12 PM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:06 PM Post #3 |
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Et'Ada
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Looking back chapter 3 After we had eaten and bathed Irrillia and I went to the room we were assigned and I know I at least slept the clock around. When I finally woke up, I looked around and my Aunt had gone, the two pallets on the floor were empty also. A note from my Aunt, beside the bed told me that I would find some clothing in the dresser and I should bath again and come find her. I choose the better of the outfits in the dresser, figuring if they wanted me to work I could come back and change out of the dress. I found my Aunt sitting in the sunshine, in a small garden along the fort's walls. She smiled her approval of my choice of clothing and then introduced me to the tall Altmer who had led us here. His name was Decintanor and he turned into the best friend I have had in ages. Decin ( as I called him) took us under his wing, got me training in magic and weapons, found me some good armor and then put me in his own patrol. Ok do putting me in his patrol was a way to keep his eye's on me and made Irrillia very happy, which was very important to him. He had fallen in love with her at first sight, as bedraggled and dirty as we were. I made another friend in that time also, though she has long since passed away, A Nord by the name of Ammila Snowfox, with her light blue eye's and bright red hair she did her surname proud. Amy and I were almost inseperable in those first months after the Oblivion gates opened up. You wonder at a Nord being in the Summerset Isle's at that time, her family were shipping traders. She was a wonder with her battleaxe and bow, either equally as deadly. She was only a year older than I, but much more mature and world wise. I learned quickly to use my sword and my bow skills improved, to the point I very rarely missed. When I went out on my first patrol Decin had me stay in the middle of the group, along with Amy and we both put our bow's to good use. With my sword strapped across my back, I kept a knife in my strong hand and used spells in the other. I healed our troupe and used small fire spells on the Deadroth that got to close to myself and my patient. Amy kept them off my back for the most part though, usually shouting "death or Sovengarde", which never made sense to me as one has to die to go to Sovengarde. Then again, my knowledge of the Nordic language wasn't very good back then. You wonder that I joined Thalmor back then? Well, at that time, they were for the most part, focused on getting rid of the Deadroth and the Oblivion gates that brought them. To me that was a good use of my skills and a way for me to learn more, while keeping myself and Irrillia fed. The children kept to our room's for awhile, until more and more showed up without parents or other guardians, they were put in their own bunk rooms then. I measured time not by the calendar but by how large Irrillia was getting with child. Also by how agitated Decin was getting, you would think he was the one with child. Irrillia had reason's, she wasn't completely over Harriods death and she wanted to get in touch with her family before she made the next step. I had a talk with Decin about her, I was curious what his family would think. He actually shrugged and then said, in probably one of the snootiest tones I had ever heard from him, " Irrillia Greymore is from very good family, with political and monetary influences". Then he laughed and said, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Finding out he really did love her, even though one could make the argument for a "political marriage", I told him that her birth family wasn't thrilled with her marring "dirt farmers". He just about choked on his wine and looked at me with astonished eyes... "dirt farmers? they think your family were only farmers?" I said yes, my family were just farmers. To that he looked at me rather oddly and then asked if I and my friend Amy would care to take a trip into Alinor, where Irrillia's family resided. I replied I was more than happy to do so, but would the fort commander allow us to go their just to visit my Aunt's family? Of course he wouldn't, but weekly the commander sent out letters to his superiors and got some in return. That is what we would legitimately be doing, with a side trip to visit family. We arrived in Alinor in the early afternoon, having dodged Oblivion gates and wondering groups of deadroth. Amy put up the hood on her armor, her face and ear's being dead giveaways she wasn't Altmer. She tended to dirty looks and words from those who didn't know her. We arrived at the Thalmor garrison and told the man on watch that we had letters for the commander. He showed us the way to go and when we arrived at the commanders door, we found someone else their who took our pouch and said to go find a meal, bath and bed for latter, we would have replies in the morning to take back. Not wanting to arrive on Irrillia's family's doorstep smelling of sweat and horse, I took a bath and found a clean cloth uniform and the bath attendant said my armor would be on my bed when I got back, clean and mended as needed. Amy said she would wait here as the garrison had it's own inn with mead and wine. I got directions to the family manor, which had not escaped deadroth distruction, but was being repaired quickly. The man at the door told me to have a seat and wait. Which I did for about a quarter of an hour. Then a servant asked me to follow her, to an office. Their were three men in the room, the oldest asked me why I had come and I went to hand him the letter Decin had written. One of the younger men took the letter and opened it, not reading just looking at it as if to make sure their wasn't poison in it or something. The old man read the letter and then looked up and asked me what Irrillia wanted. Because of his wording, I didn't think Decin had said anything about my relationship to Aunt Irrillia. " I believe Commander Decintanor wishes to marry Irrillia Greymore and is seaking your blessing. As far as I know Irrillia doesn't know that he sent me here today". I knew darn well she didn't know and I also knew she had sent a letter's each week with the courier, that were never answered. The old man nodded and told me to go wait out in the hall. After another quarter hour the servant came back and handed me two envelopes, with instructions to give both to Commander Decintanor, even though one was addressed to Irrillia Greymore. The servant handed me two silver coins and winked, I'm not sure if that meant she had taken one or if she had figured out that I wasn't just a courier. With the coin I had just been given and some I had earned, I went to the market. I had two thing's in mind, the first being some kind of sweet for my Aunt, the second being fabric to make some baby cloths out of. It didn't take to long to find sweet's, but I was their til late in the afternoon trying to find cloth that was soft enough for a baby. Trade with outside towns was very very scarce right now and somethings hard to get. I stopped a man wearing sailor clothing and asked how shipping was going. He shook his head and said "no where young one. Their are Deadroth in the seas, that you can't see until the start ripping up your ship from under you. No one wants to travel and I can't say I blame them." I said thank you to the man and sighed, Ammila wouldn't be going home anytime soon it seemed. The next day was a quiet one, Amy and I rode back to the Fort and other than seeing the Oblivion gates we saw not a single deadroth. I gave the courier pouch to the Fort Commanders aide and told him what we had or rather had not seen on our ride back. I then went and found Decin and gave him both letters. I do not know what was in those letter's, for I never asked, but judging by the rage on Decin's face the one addressed to my Aunt was not nice. He stood their with both letter's in his hands and then balled up the one to Irrillia and threw it in the fire. He looked at me and told me that I never saw or had a letter from her family addressed to her, I just nodded. He turned and looked out the window, which I took as a dismissal and left. Amy was right behind me as I turned to go, I had forgotten that she had come with me. As we left the building she said in a very soft voice, " I would not want to be on the other end of his anger". Me either I thought and told Amy we should go and give my Aunt her sweets and the cloth I had bought. It was not til nearly five decades later that I found out what that letter had cost Irrillia's family, Mer live a long time and Decin's family was very powerful before the Oblivion gates opened and twice as powerful in the year's to follow. Edited by Areial, Oct 28 2016, 01:13 PM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:06 PM Post #4 |
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Et'Ada
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Looking back chapter 4 Days and week's went by I learned a lot from every member of our patrol. I also learned more than I ever wanted to about politic's, my Aunt and Decin would often talk about political happenings, Amy listened without ever saying a word to them, I listened but often gave my opinion. I didn't like the way it looked like the Thalmor were heading, as a deadra hunting quasi military group I was happy to be with them, but the direction of the politic's and religious aspect was something I was very uncomfortable with. In my Aunts quiet way, without ever sounding mean, she told me that my opinion would get me persecuted in the year's to come, that I should like Amy did, keep my mouth shut and no one would ever know. It was a lesson I took to heart. Decin said that he would never turn me in for my opinions, but their are many who would, to make themselves look better. Amy taught me another lesson that I caught on to right way. She said "Altmer could plant a little seed today and wait to harvest the Acorns 200 yr's from now, where as her people planted corn to harvest in less than a season." I saw what she was getting at right away. Aunt Irrillia and I worked on her baby clothing, Amy sat with us playing her lute. Decin would sometimes sit in, reading a book or working on a silver engraving. I really admired those engravings, but had no talent at all. I know we must have made an odd sight, 1 lady, 2 warrior woman and a scarred brute of a man. Because of his size and the scarring on his face, not a few softer political appointee's made the mistake of thinking Decin wasn't the brightest star in the sky. Decin had a rapier whit and slow way of talking, that often had people walking away before they realized he had insulted them. I heard from one of the guards that one young man took three days to realize he had been insulted. I did find in that time, that if I took my time, I was pretty good at carving stone. I did a lot of the Deadroth that we ran into and sent back to Oblivion. If the first couple were a little warped looking, no one seemed to mind. About two months before Irrillia was due, Decin had a meeting with all of his patrol to tell us some new's that had just come out of Cyrodiil and to ask us all a favor. Because of the type of news, he asked the favor first, which was probably a good thing, as no one would have shut-up long enough to hear the favor after the news. He asked us if we would run two patrols back to back and then have two weeks of guard duty in the week when Irrillia was due. He really didn't need to ask, we all agreed to that without any hesitation. The news and it was big, Decin stood before us, with warring emotions on his face, but then he became our commander. " I don't like repeating myself, so keep any comments and outbursts quiet until I have finished." He looked down at the paper in his hands, " Someone in Cyrodiil has figured out how to close these Oblivion gates. They closed a gate saving the city of Kvatch, it seem's you can go through the gate and into towers that are found in that realm. Making your way to the top of the tower and removing a sigil stone, will close the gate and send the person home that is holding it. Now that said, their are alot of unanswered questions. How long ago this happened we don't know, how many people went in the gate we don't know, how many came out we don't know. Our mages have been discussing this and think that as long as anyone that get's to the tower is touching the person removing the sigil stone, they will also come back. But we can't be sure." as he paused the room blew up with everyone trying to talk over everyone else. Amy and I kept quiet along with some others as Decin wasn't answering any questions, them being tossed at him to quickly to answer. As the room quieted down Decin started talking again, " The commander here has picked our patrol to enter a gate, now we won't be doing so alone, Merican's patrol will enter ahead of us, then someone will come back out when they get to the tower, then they will leave as we fight our way to the top. I would hope we all would come out, but some may get lost, others may die... I don't want someone getting injured and left behind inside the gate. Each of you will have a buddy, IF your buddy get's injured, you both will hurry as quickly as possible back out of the gate. I would think after a certain point that going back would take longer than going ahead, but staying behind everyone. Something's we will decide when we see what we are up against. Please take some time and come up with answers at evening muster. Dismissed" and with that he turned and left quickly. I slowly followed him out the door with Amy beside me, I had no intention of actually catching him. My Brother-in-law to be or not, he was still my Commander. I just didn't want to be in the cluster of questions, I wanted time to think. Amy and I went and sat up on the fort's walls, looking out toward the nearest Oblivion gate. "Healing" Amy said, "We need to ask about taking healer's with us or teaching those with any skill at all some simple healing spells". I nodded and told her I thought some potions would be a good idea also. Something else was food and water, nothing in the dispatch had said anything about how long they had taken to close that gate. Bandages and herbs, would be a good thing, as not every cut needed a healer or potion. The day wound slowly towards dinner, I checked in with Aunt Irrillia, but Decin was there and I felt they needed the time together. I was hoping he would talk her into marriage before we went to close the first gate. Amy and I went to the barrack's were most of our patrol was. They were all in little groups, talking quietly. As we came in the room got quit and I wondered what was up. Salihia the oldest of our patrol took it upon herself to come over to us and in a not so quiet voice said " We want to make sure the commander makes it out. You Zane are not just a good warrior but also a good healer. You know magic's and we think that you and Amy can stay right behind the commander and make sure he is comes out. Remilyn will be the commanders "buddy"." I nodded and went and sat at one of the tables. Remilyn was everything opposite to the commander, he looked about 200 years younger than he was, plus he had to be the heaviest set Altmer I have ever seen. He carried a shield and a mace, both of which I have seen him use to cut the head off of enemies. That shield had a metal ring around it that he kept as sharp as some people kept their swords. He was actually older than Decin by 100 years. He looked more like a bandit than the professional soldier. They would make excellent "buddies" for this trip. We all waited on Decin, quietly tossing idea's back and forth, we also decided that Salihia would ask all the questions, which I wrote down for her, that way we would have all our questions answered without it getting to late. As Decin walked into the barracks, he had a small smile on his face, I nudged Amy, who smiled large and nudged the man next to her, I think we all figured out that my Aunt had consented to marry him, before he even stopped in the middle of the room. Decin let us know that Irrillia Greymore had consented to marry him on the morrow, before we left to close our first gate the following day. That shut the whispers up for a moment as we all soaked that one in, then a round of congratulation before Salihia walked in front of him and started asking the questions that we had come up with. We came up with some changes, Merican's patrol would wait for 2 hr's for anyone that might be injured and help them out after the 2 hr mark, all injured would follow with the healers. The healer's would have guards that would also act as stretcher barriers. Any walking wounded would help the others. I went to talk to Irrillia and talk to her about everything we had discussed. If anyone got home, Decin would, all of us would make sure of that. Edited by Areial, Oct 29 2016, 12:14 AM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:06 PM Post #5 |
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Et'Ada
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Looking back chapter 5 Did you ever try and keep a secret from the two people closest to you? Let me tell you, it wasn't easy. With My Aunt soon to be married to my direct superior officer, I thought it a good Idea to vacate my room, in favor of the barrack's like the rest of the troupe. They would need my room for the baby anyway. So little by little I had been removing my thing's from my, soon to be the babies, room. It wasn't easy cause If I needed something I couldn't tell Irrillia that I needed to run to the barrack's for it. Our, that is the whole troupe's, wedding present to the blissful couple would be some new furniture. I was making them a Game board with stone pieces, Amy was knitting ( I didn't even know she could) a couple baby blankets. A new bed for them and new crib for the baby, plus odd's and ends.... all had to be put in the couples room's after Irrillia left to get into her dress. Not everyone from the garrison would be going to the wedding, because the Garrison commander decided that some important people from Alinor should attend, including some of Irrillia's relatives. Political maneuvering, they would attend because others of higher standing were going to be their. The Garrison Commander had somehow found out about my Aunts family and he was from a much much better one. Decin made sure that the trouper's seating the guests knew to put them in the back rows. As I changed in my old room into the dress I would be wearing I directed the troupers carrying thing in. Amy fixed my mane into something resembling tidy and fashionable. I stood their holding the sky blue dress off the floor with the train draped over my arm, while Amy put flowers in my hair and another Trouper kept track of time.... though we had a signal, a loud thunder clap made by one of the young mages, that would let me know I need to run. Just as the thunder clap let me know I needed to run, everything down to the lace table cloths, flowers and candles were in place. Someone would light them later, when the wedding diner was almost over. I hiked the dress up higher and Amy and I took off at a dead run. We got to the audience hall, only slightly out of breath, just as my Aunt came around the corner and the wedding music started. I turned and walked up between the guest's.... and the boring social wedding was on. My Aunt said it was expected, though she would have preferred something much more simple. May hours later, I finally escaped to the barrack's and was able to take off the dress and remove the, now wilted, flowers. Amy laughed as I practically flung the dress off. After a couple glasses of wine it was easy to fall asleep and the next I knew Amy was shaking me awake, it was time to go. We stood infront of the Oblivion Gate ready for anything that came out. The trouper that came out waved and gave the pass code for "everything ok". We went through the gate and followed the trouper and his "buddy" in a round about path to the door of the Tower where the rest of his patrol stood waiting, Merican walked up to Decin and they stood their speaking quietly for a few moments. I looked around at the patrol and saw not one injured trouper and none appeared to be missing. I caught the eye of one of the troupers and raised my eyebrows in inquiry, he shrugged and then wagged his hand. I nodded at him and looked at Amy, "either they don't guard the gates well or we over prepared" she whispered. "probably don't expect anyone do be stupid enough to come through." " Of course the inside may well be better defended" I whispered back. We went in the door and sure enough, it seemed the inside of the tower was much better defended than the area around the gate. We fought many Deadroth of varying types. Only one group of "buddies" let us pass as they waited for the healers. Amy and I right infront of the healers and two more troupers right behind them. One had an arrow through the thigh, which would be treated as if the arrow was poisoned.... something the healers and mages had thought out. The turns seemed to be getting so tight, that had we not went through doors and up levels I felt I should have been able to turn around and see Decin leading the patrol, on my tail. Finally I could see a ball of light sitting on/in an odd pedestal and knew that was the Sigil stone and we were in the last room. As we all gathered around Decin, he called out every ones name.....and all answered. He asked the healer who's job it was to keep the time, if an hour had passed, she replied that according to the time candle 4 hr's had passed. That did not seem possible, Decin raised an eyebrow and Carhathal one of the battlemages shrugged and then said, " I have tipped over my hour glass six times. Though it hardly seem's that an hour has went by". Decin nodded and told us all to come in close and make sure we where all touching. We were an odd ring around him, the inner ring each with one hand on him and the other on the person next to them, the next ring touching the first and each other, til it got back to the ring Amy, I and the healers were in. Decin started counting backwards from ten, at 2 I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth.... at one I saw a very bright white light behind my eyes and felt my stomach drop to my feet. The next thing I knew I was staring up at the night sky, with the smiling face of one of Merican's patrol looking down at me. I explained everything I had seen, smelled or felt to Aunt Irrillia, who had been waiting for us to come back to the garrison, along with the Commander, who took Decin with him. I told her that I thought we would disperse into smaller groups, maybe 5 or 6 as a full patrol was a bit much to close one gate. Irrillia informed me that two days had gone by since we had entered the gate. I nodded and told her about the time candle and hour glass, time must run differently inside the gates. I yawned and told her my body now felt the two days it had missed, along with all the meal's. I left with a kiss to her cheek, just as Decin walked through the door. I paused by Decin and with a wry grin told him " If you ever want to sneak in on your wife and child...take off the boots before you walk up the stairs". He smiled and went to greet his new wife. For the next year Amy, I and 4 other troupers closed gates as we found them and hunted the Deadroth that had come through them. We had noticed that we found no more open gates, only the shells left behind when one was closed...but there we still Deadroth to hunt. When we finally had found no more Deadroth in our area for a month, we returned to the Garrison, to find that a man named Martin Septium had sacrificed himself to end the Oblivion crisis. As elated as I was about the end of the Deadroth and to see my new nephew. I was also not happy to hear the way some things had been going with the Thalmor's politic's. I talked to Decin and while he wasn't completely happy, he wrote up my papers to leave their service. I talked to My Aunt who said I though to much like my father but she understood. I knew I would miss my little nephew, but left I did. Amy had also got her papers to leave and as a non-Altmer she decided that she wished to go home to Skyrim and see how her folk's had fared. Thus my first trip into the cold harsh land of the Nord's was to begin. Edited by Areial, Oct 29 2016, 12:15 AM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:06 PM Post #6 |
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Et'Ada
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A short walk chapter 6 Leaving Fort Dawnguard with Marcurio we headed towards Riften as I had some alchemy reagents for a couple of the vendors their. I paused at the center of the bridge to take in the view of the waterfall. Marcurio looked a me couriously and asked, " How long have you known Isran, you seem to have more lee-way than he gives anyone else." "That my friend is because I have known Isran since he was a young Deadra hunter with the Vigilant. He has always been driven. He doesn't much talk of his past. It's not pretty." I said with a firmness in my tone, I would not talk of his past, it was his. The wizard nodded and with a thoughtful look on his face asked. "You have been to Skyrim before?" I shifted my gaze over his shoulder as I saw movement, I narrowed my eye's and saw a blur infront of a bush. I answered Marcurio, with a distracted air, pulling my cross-bow from my back slowly, but keeping it between our bodies. His eye's narrowed and I noticed his hand's glowing as he readied a spell. " Yes, I've been here several times. I own two houses here, one outside of Falkreath, though it's been empty for about 100 yr's. The other in Solitude". He understood the nod I gave him and moved quickly to the side as he spun around, trying to catch sight of our enemy. I lifted my cross-bow, took aim and fired at the center of the blur. Marcurio followed the track of the bolt and sent a fire-ball following along after, both hit the Mist-walker squarely in the center of her chest. As she hit the ground burning up, I continued talking, "where their is one their is at least two. The house in Solitude I have owned for about 200 yr's, the Steward keep's a house-carl there." " Wait, the Solitudes steward? She's 200 yr's old?" He sounded surprised, but he was young. As I lifted my cross-bow again, he followed the track. "You get the one on the left, " I said in a low voice, "No, I think she's older than that actually. And yes, she is a vampire." The bolt I sent, was the type that explodes in a fire-ball. I quickly reloaded in case that one didn't do the job, but I didn't need to bother, it died. Marcurio sent two fire-ball's after the second mist-walker, both hit, but I think the first one did it in anyway. "You know and just leave her there? Why" He asked, "Are we not vampire hunters". We walked to the 1st mist-walker and I squatted down to look through her armor. Not finding anything more than odds and ends. " She's really only served the Jarl for 20 yr's or so, but she has served Skyrim for much longer. Which doesn't answer your question." I paused and checked the pocket's of the next vampire, " It's a little complicated, but I feel that just because one is a vampire it doesn't make one evil. Action's often speak louder than words and her's have. Let's just say I knew her before she was a vampire and abrasive as she is, she was a good person then. She love's Skyrim and now takes the long view on looking after her people." As I bent down to check out the third vampire, Marcurio flung a spell over my shoulder, I felt the heat as it passed. I stood and looked in the direction of the fire-ball and saw a troll. Drawing my sword, I ran at it and swung as I passed, Kruziik Dilon slicing it's head cleanly off, the body turning to ash before it hit the ground. Before I could even put up my sword a gaint spider spit poison at us, I threw up a ward with my off hand as it came at us. Letting down the ward just as a bolt of lightening hit the beast, I swung at it, connected and gut's flew everywhere. As a second gaint spider came at me, Marcurio hit it with lightning bolt after lightning bolt, unlit it was a smoking husk, the Third one hit just as I heard Marcurio yell "Bandit's!". The Lady Nocturnal must be giving some poor thief all the luck the two of us had, because we were receiving our share of mis-fortune on this trip. Trying to keep myself between Marcurio and the bandit's, so that he could throw out ranged attack's, was taking it's toll on me. I was slowing down slightly and could feel the burn of my muscles with each swing. I let out a curse at the Lady as I felt the pressure wave and the ground shudder as a Dragon landed, blasting one of the bandit's with it's icy breath. This gave me a little respite as I worked my way around the dragon to where Marcurio was. "Save your magic, except to defend, til we know which way this battle is going." I shouted at him over the sounds of battle. I sheathed my sword and brought out my cross-bow, keeping tract of where I might want to shoot next. Putting in one of the bolt's that would freeze the target, I took careful aim at a rather impressive bandit wearing plate steel, just as the dragon also took aim at him, one icy breath then the dragon snatched him up and flung him up over the tree tops. It took off and flew in a circle around us, as it passed over our head's Marcurio flung a fire-ball at it and then another at a bandit taking aim in our direction. The dragon shuddered as a couple arrows and the fire-ball hit it at the same time. It flapped it's wing's a couple times more, then taking a sharp turn back in the direction of the bandit's, it seemed to shrink as it hit the ground, plowing a furrow into it and taking out some of the bandit's out in the process. We dispatched the last of the bandit's and quickly looted them for valuables that we could sell in Riften. It was a pretty heavy haul, but Riften wasn't all that far away. I bundled everything up and made a sling for it, something easily dropped, if needed. Marcurio didn't seem all that pleased when I handed him his pack, saying he wasn't a pack mule, but an apprentice wizard. He would be a poor wizard with that attitude, I would try and help him with that. I'm not really even sure why he decided to become a vampire hunter, he didn't really seem suited to the life. Perhap's the life as a court mage. I couldn't really help him with that one, but I would find out just what it was he really wanted. I had very few friends, I lost tract of many of them over the years, but I knew a great many had passed away. I really liked the Nord people, they are very strait forward people, say what they mean, quick to anger and will give you the sword off their hip if your need it. The rest of the trip into Riften was quiet, we sold off all the thing's I had looted from the bandit's, then headed down to the Alchemy shop, where I sold of some of the rare reagent's that I came across, plus some of the dragon bones and scales that we had just acquired. I bought some health potions in exchange. We then went to one of the food sellers and I gave her the Ice-wraith teeth that she wanted, the Smith got his fire salt's for the forge. I sold a couple of the weapon's that, we had grabbed off of the bandit's. After grabbing a bite to eat in the Bee & Barb, we headed out to the carriage to hire it to take us to Markarth, where the priest of Arkay had said we would find information about a coven of vampires. Posted Image[/URL][/IMG] Edited by Areial, Oct 29 2016, 11:56 PM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:06 PM Post #7 |
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Et'Ada
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A trip through Markarth chapter 7 Because the trip was partially at night, Marcurio and I took turns sleeping. I had thought about buying a horse, but Marcurio didn't ride. There would come a time when that would be a problem, as I liked moving fast. We arrived in Markarth late in the afternoon and headed to the Silverblood Inn, the Inn Keeper was the person I needed to speak with about the vampires. Knowing that money talked, I rented two room's and asked the Inn Keeper for the information with another gold piece in my hand. He was hesitant at first but another gold piece got his vocal cords moving. Getting the information on a Master vampire, Marcurio and I sat down for an early dinner to discuss what we would be doing. "You have potions of disease cure? If not I have a couple, I can give you one". I asked him as we sat down at a table. "Oh yes, I have a few myself. Do you think we would need more than two each?", before I answered him the Inn keepers daughter asked us if we wished to order anything. We both ordered dinner and an ale, I also ordered a honey nut treat. "No, one each should be enough, unless we run into more vampires elsewhere." I paused for a minute, " That's generally why I carry two or more, but the symptoms are obvious and if you catch it early enough, a potion or blessing from one of the Divines works as a cure also, as long as you don't allow it to get to far along." "You've caught vampirism before?" he asked with an odd look on his face. " Actually, no I haven't. I had this necklass made year's ago, it makes me almost immune to diseases. I'm not the best at enchanting, but I can make you one also, if you like." " I would really appreciate that, I like ale to much to want to have to rely on blood to live". We both laughed at that. " I take it you have been to Markarth before?". I snorted and gave a brief laugh. " Oh yes, I spent almost a year in this very Inn, during the Great War." I took a sip of my ale and motioned for another. " Really, I don't think I would want to spend that much time in this stoney place, though I find the Dwemer very interesting". " Trust me, this was not the place I really wanted to be for that much time either. On the night before I was supposed to lead some of the Reachmen to join with other's to fight the Dominion, I made the mistake of getting just drunk enough." I winced when I remembered just how drunk I had been. " I left here with a friend, but didn't even make it far out the door. He tripped over a loose cobble and fell into me. I staggered sideways and fell exactly the wrong way off the little bridge outside the door. With him landing on top of me, I ended up with my right leg broken in two places. The healers did the best at magical healing they could, but I still needed to stay off of my feet to let the bone knit properly." "So you missed the whole of the war, staying here in Markarth?' He sounded very unsure. " Oh no, only the first year, though it took another for my leg to fully heal. Well at least enough for me to spend half the day fighting on it. I spent time recruiting and finding good sources of supplies. Those were thing's I could do from the back of a horse or mostly anyway." I took another sip of my ale." I might have been the wrong person to try recruiting in Skyrim, at least while the Empire was fighting the Thalmor. Some Nord's make no distinctions between one Altmer and another. I got nasty looks then and I get them now. " "It was not a good time, but I worked at it and found good friends and allies. Marcurio, you have to understand, I might not have believed in what the Thalmor stood for or still stand for, for that matter, but I didn't and still don't wish to fight my own people. Not everyone in the Armies of the Aldemeri Dominion believe in what the Thalmor want. Some are poor farmer's son's who just want adventure and don't realize what it is they are fighting for, until after they have taken the oath. Not everyone wanted to hear what I had to say and while I did end up fighting on the front lines, I was never happy about it. Their is nothing like looking across the battlefield and taking aim against someone that previously fought along side you." Macrcurio nodded. " I can understand that, I know it's not the same, but I have had to kill vampires that were previously friends or just someone I knew. They at least had turned into monsters, I can only imagine how hard it is to kill someone that was a friend and is now an enemy just because of different points of view." "Sometimes it isn't even that simple, as I said some are simple farm kid's that wanted adventure and don't even realize what it is they were fighting for until it was to late." "But that is one of my trips through Markarth." I got up and told Marcurio I would see him in the morning, I wanted to talk a walk before going to bed. I walked out of the Inn and headed to the right, to were I knew the smithy was. Walking up the stairs and around behind it, I watched the moon rise and thought of the friends long since dead that had walked these streets. Bjorn, the tallest and widest man I have ever met, he was taller than I by a head. I shook my head as I remembered walking on this very bridge with him on our way to the Silverblood Inn. We were to pick up the last two member's of our little group. It wasn't hard to find them as they were rolling out the door as we walked up to it. Two Breton's, brothers and they were best out in the wild's, fighting what ever it was you pointed them at. Left in civilized company to long, they generally pounded on each other, I would have hated to have been their mother. Talin was a mage of no small skill, Kalin carried a shield and axe. I would have to tell Marcurio about them, he would be interested in Talin's view on some magic. I left the bridge and walked on the upper balconies, til I was at the highest watch balcony. The guard asked me if I needed anything and I told him no, just walking and taking in the view. I leaned against the guard rail and looked down on the road out. I saw the ghostly echo's of the four of us as we walked the road out. Bjorn with that huge Glass battleaxe across his back. It didn't look huge on his back though, I laughed inwardly, I had seen him use it with one hand. Kalin and Talin, pushing and shoving each other as they talked about the bar maids. and I walking beside Bjorn, Elven great sword and an ebony bow across my back, I really miss that bow. We where headed to an Ancient Nord Barrow, Bjorn had heard bandit's were using as headquarters for their raids. My Elven sword broke in half on that little trip, but I got Kruziik Dilon then. She's a beaut of a sword. When we got to the Barrow, the bandit's were having their way with a young Nord girl, I think that enraged the three men more than it did myself and I was mad enough, magic was oozing from my hands. All the bandit's outside were dead in a matter of minutes. I healed the girls wounds and put her to sleep, after we cleared out the first room, Bjorn went back out got her and the brothers made her a bed from all their sleeping gear. I spread mine over her to keep her warm, wishing I could heal the wound's to her mind as easily as those to body. Bjorn put his big hand on my shoulder and squeezed, I looked up at him then kissed his hand. I told the men that she would sleep the clock around, then wake, hopefully we would be back by then. We made our way through the Barrow room by room, showing no mercy to the bandit's with in. We looted the bandit's as we went, taking only the really light stuff, leaving the rest in small piles for when we came back. In a large room we saw, what we guessed was the bandit leader, messing with a claw and door. We didn't get four step's in the room when the large door disapeared into the floor and the bandit went through. We followed him, but as nothing seemed to want to stop him he made good time, we on the other hand had to kill a few Draugr along the way. We got to the last room as a draugr raised out of a crypt in the center of the room, as several other draugr were also raising out of their crypt's. We got set to have a fight, Bjorn smiled with all teeth showing, which for him meant he was thrilled. The brothers smacked their fists together. I pulled my bow and started firing arrows at the closest draugr. One thing I noticed about Nord's, they don't stay dead long, always seem to want to wonder around. I shot arrow after arrow until the draugr got to close and then I dropped my bow, meaning to pick it up after the fight was over. I took a quick look around and noticed that the Bandit was dead. Bjorn was fighting the same Draugr, he seemed much tougher than the others. I finished fighting the one in front of me and then looked around for more. Talin was bent over his brother using a healing spell, Bjorn was still fighting the big Draugr so I went to help him. As I made a second swing at him he turned and slammed his sword into mind, breaking it. I readied a sun bound spell and then flung it at the big Draugr, it burst into flame and Bjorn cut it's head off. I bent over and grabbed the sword he had been carrying, Bjorn asked if it was any good. I laughed and said it had cut mine in half, so it had to be, at the very least, better than the one I had. We looked around the room and looted some of the precious gem's and other artifact's of worth. Talin said that Kalin was still a little addled from the blow he had taken, as he wasn't all that good with wound's to the head. I walked over and delved him and found out that other than some minor brusing his head was fine, he would just be addled for a bit. We left the way we had come and picked up the bundles of loot we had made, along with the Nord girl. As the changing of the guard intterupted my thought's, I remembered that it hadn't been til we were well on our way back to Markarth that I had remembered I hadn't picked up my bow. I felt slightly depressed as I walked back to my room. I didn't like Markarth all that much, the memories were to good and depressing at the same time, to want to relive them. Only one place in Skyrim was worse, I hadn't entered or been to the house in a very long time. I laid down on the bed and fell asleep, I dreamed of Bjorn, who I was sure was drinking and eating in Sovngarde. Posted Image[/URL] Edited by Areial, Oct 30 2016, 12:14 AM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:06 PM Post #8 |
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Et'Ada
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The funniest thing happened Chapter 8 The next morning I woke early, not that I had slept all that well in the first place. I ordered breakfast and some provisions to take along with us. As it was well before daylight I let Marcurio sleep awhile longer. I talked with the Inn Keepers son and learned all the happenings around town. Nothing changed much here, fighting over the silver mines and over blood-lines still seemed to be the thing to do. About an hour before dawn I went and knocked on Marcurio's door to wake him. I quickly walked away as I had learned he wasn't much of a morning person. He walked out a bit later dressed and ready to go. I urged him to eat the breakfast I'd ordered, but he turned his nose up at it, with a slightly ill look. Serve him right to drink to much, seeing the shadow exit his room, I wondered if he had passed out before or after a romp with the bar-maid, by the ill mood it might have been before. The walk to the barrow we had been told to look for, was very uneventful, normally I would have been happy about that, but with my partner in a cranky mood, running into some bandit's or a dragon might have let him vent some of that bile. As we entered the place Marcurio took the lead and blasted ahead of him with spells, but anything that didn't die from the fire-ball he hacked into tiny pieces. He wasn't very elegant with that sword, but neither is a mud-slide and both will kill you just the same. Draugr or vampire, it didn't matter we found both umm dead, Marcurio took care of the victor. It didn't take long to get to the main chamber, Marcurio looked tired as we paused outside the door's. I raised my eyebrows at him and he looked down, I just shook my head and stepped back so he could open the door, while I readied an arrow. I quickly let off the string and leaned against the door frame to watch the scene in front of us. You ever watch two thing's that aren't really "alive" try and kill each other? The Draugr Deathlord seemed to be having a problem, one arm was missing...well until you looked at the Master vampire and realized He had sword stuck through his back... with the arm still attached. The Master vampire must of been thinking with a dead brain cell or something because he was using a drain life spell, it wasn't really having much effect. Just as the Deathlord decided to use a Thu'um, the Master vampire decided to unleash a blast of lightning. Both went flying across the room in opposite directions. I burst out laughing, hard enough to have tear's running down my face, I went and checked on the Deathlord while Marcurio went to see about the Master vampire. I turned and looked at him and said "Well they appear to be dead, again, for good this time one hopes." He choose that moment to fall into a fit of laughter, literally, he ended up half sitting half laying in a crypt. Thankfully they former tenant wasn't there any longer. Still laughing softly I wandered around the room looking for any loot light enough to take on the next part of our trip. Nothing really great in this one, just a few gem stones and one very nice dagger. After Marcurio managed to get up, we walked back out to the barrow's door's. As I pushed against the door it resisted, so I pushed a little harder, when the door gave it slammed open to show the world bathed in white as a blizzard was rampaging outside. I pulled the door shut and started gathering what wood I could find to make a fire. Most of it was furniture that had seen better days a thousand years ago. When I though I had enough to last the night, plus a little more, I put together a makeshift spit and found a bowl to make stew in. I shut the doors to the inner part of the barrow and jammed a sword into the ring's, so that the dead would stay on that side of the doorway. I took another and jammed it in the door to outside. It's not that I wouldn't allow anyone in, I just didn't want a surprise. As I sat on my bedroll to eat our dinner Marcurio asked if I had ever been married, since he had seen the amulet of Mara I kept in my pouch. With a sad smile I said yes, I had, almost 200 yr's ago. "Let me tell you about the first time I met him." I said as I leaned back against a pillar and looked into the past. " I was in Understone Keep, Oh about 2 or 3 in the morning, amusing the Jarl's new baby with a ball of light, that I sent swirling around his head. He would "catch" it and then try and jam it in him mouth, the way babies do. As he kicked his leg's and arm's out, a shadow passed over the two of us from a Hulk of a Nord that had gotten between us and the fire. He gurgled and laughed as I looked up into the bearded face of said Nord. Who asked me where the Jarl was, my answer was, "sleeping good sir, as most people around here do in the middle of the night. If I can help you in anyway?" He laughed and said he didn't need the Jarl's nanny, but a couple good fighters. Just as I was about to make a sarcastic retort, a young Nord girl came running out from the kitchen area, with a makeshift baby bottle in her hand's. " Oh thank you so much Captain, it's hard to hold him and get this thing filled and warm." I sent another swirl of light around the babies head and told her it wasn't a problem. As she disappeared from sight, I asked him exactly what he needed a couple of fighters for? I turned toward's him and realized that he stood head and shoulders taller than I, something that didn't happen often and usually it was another Altmer. He didn't immediately answer so I looked up at him and realized he was starring down my sleep-shirt, I refused to blush and snapped my fingers in front of his nose. Asking if he had never seen a woman's breasts before and do you know that big hulk of a man blushed solid red? He then started stammering something I really couldn't make out. I just stood their waiting til he could gather his scattered whits, it's not like I'm built like the Lady Dibella. When he finally got his composure back, he said the the farm stead he lived at was being attacked by giants. That they normally were very peaceful, but they were coming around killing the cow's for some reason. I asked him if he had eaten since he left the farm or slept, because I would make sure he got a good meal and a couple hours of sleep before the Jarl got up. I motioned for him to follow me and I went to the kitchen where I found the sleepy night cook and asked her to fix the man a meal, I then went in search of one of the maid's and asked her to fix the man up a bed and then show him to it and tell him that I would see him at 8 the next morning. You see Marcurio the Jarl had lost his wife in child birth, but the little tike was well loved by all around him. The land was rather unsettled then, not that it's much tamer now, Skyrim being a very harsh land, it was hard for all the deadroth to be hunted down. That is what I was doing there at that time, I had come with Amy to her home and we found that while the majority of the deadric creatures had been banished to Oblivion, there where still some left. I had become the Captain of the guard in Markarth, most people would retire from that job, I just moved on. I wasn't completely impressed with Bjorn when I first met him...well by anything other than his size, that changed soon enough though. Get some sleep, soon as this blizzard is over we are heading to the College in Winterhold, the Librarian is an old friend, he may know something about these Elder Scroll's we are supposed to find. That said I rolled up in my sleeping fur's and thought of the second time I had run into Bjorn, with a smile on my lip's, I fell asleep. Posted Image Edited by Areial, Oct 30 2016, 12:27 AM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:06 PM Post #9 |
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Et'Ada
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Hunting an Elder Scroll Chapter 9 It was still well before dawn when I woke to find the blizzard had passed, knowing both Masser and Scunda would be full and up til past dawn, I fixed breakfast. I woke Marcurio, we ate then left the barrow. The land was lit up by the moon's and an Aurora, putting on a beautiful display. We walked quickly to warm up our bodies, but not so fast that we would start to sweat, something that could be deadly in this weather. Reaching Winterhold in the early afternoon we walked strait up to the College, where we ran into a hiccup in our otherwise smooth day. One of the members was guarding the way in and seemed to want me to perform some kind of test to prove I belonged at the college. Just as I was about to unleash a levitation spell on the her, Marcurio walked around me. She smiled at him with a slight blush, the little hussy. "Oh, I didn't see you. You two go right in, I didn't know she was with you". I almost caste the spell on her anyway. "Have you flirted with every female in Skyrim, Marcurio?" " Now, why do you think I am here instead of The Imperial City?" he said with a roll of his eyes. I snorted and kept walking. Finding my way to the Library was no problem, I had been their countless times before. I asked Marcurio to distract the Librarian, so I kept my hood up and my head down. When Marcurio caught his attention and he started in a spiel that must of been decades old. "Old Man, I'll take your Atronach's and raise you two Dremora Lords". I said slyly as I pulled my hood down. Then started laughing as his jaw dropped and he snapped his mouth shut. Orc's really have to be careful about that, he just about bit his lip. He moved around the desk and caught me in a bear hug that threatened to crack my rib's. "Zane, girl, you don't look a day older and it's been.... at least 25 yrs. Where have you been?" "Chasing vampires," I shrugged one shoulder, "That's what I am doing here. I'm searching for an Elder Scroll or a rumor of where one might be. I don't suppose you have one?" "No, not a single Elder Scroll in my library, it could use one though. I do however have a couple book's that might point you in the right direction". He walked over to a locked book case and brought out two book's laying them on the counter. " You remember Septimus Signus, I think he had just gotten here before you left". I looked at both book's and chose the one not Signus, after leafing though that one quickly, I picked up the book by Signus. Read through it twice and grimaced, as I put it back down. "I don't think I recall him, but from reading his book, he sounds a few eggs short of a dozen." Urag, shook his head and then said he probably was. He had disappeared, somewhere up in the Ice flows and hadn't been heard from in a couple year's. " Do you know if I still have my room here or did they give it to someone?" I didn't hold out much hope, but it never hurts to ask. " They gave your room away about 10, maybe 15 years ago, you really should come by more often". I Just nodded at him and said thank's, gave him a kiss on his cheek and walked out. "He's a Librarian Marcurio, he'd rather my story in writing, than spoken. If that is your wondering." We left the college and walked to the Inn, where I ordered dinner and two room's. " I suppose I should write a journal and then send them to him, that he would be interested in." " Actually, I was wondering if you planned on taking us out to the ice flows and wander around". He said as the bar maid brought us our food. I saw him slip a gold piece in her rather low bodice, well she was showing off her asset's. " No, not wander, I did some Ice fishing and Horker hunting with a couple of families that used to live up here. There are a good many island's with cave's and such, but their are a few that I think might interest a crazy scholar, we'll start with those". I could tell he wasn't really listening, but that was ok, if I was a young man, I wouldn't be listening to me either. She really was pretty and well built. After dinner I left Marcurio to his own graces and went outside to talk to the guards. They are always a good source of information. One of the guard's remembered the family that fished the waters, but said they had moved closer to Solitude. After a couple more questions he did tell me that he had overheard one of them tell the other they would miss the extra coin from the mage. He didn't know anymore, but called over an older guard that told me the family had taken supplies out to a mage, that was hold up in a cave. He gave directions as best he could and also told me where a boat could be found, the owner having disappeared. I thanked both men and asked if they got off duty soon, both said yes, so I told them I would buy them some ale and dinner. I pulled an old book out of my pocket, sometime in the past it had gotten wet and the ink was smeared or just plain gone, I used it to write lists and other things I wanted to remember down, with a piece of charcoal. Just as I finished up my lists of supplies we would need, the two guards came through the door or the Inn, with a third. I motioned them over and the Inn Keeper brought all of us a round of ale and asked the guards what they wanted to eat. "All of us got off duty at the same time, but Raic will pay for his own meal". the eldest guard said. I told them not to worry, I would enjoy their company. One of the guards asked about my armor, having noticed that My and Marcurio's armor were similar. I told them we were part of the newly formed Dawnguard and on the look out for anyone that wanted to join in our fight against vampires. I listened to them talking for awhile and joined in with stories of my own. "Let me tell you about the Barmaid at the Inn right outside the Imperial City and how she...volunteered to join the mages guild. She was a pretty little thing, dark of hair, blue eyes and a curvey figure that belied her small stature. It seem's that guards and traveler's to the Inn alike kept coming up with coin missing, but none could figure out exactly how. Coin purses tied on the inside of clothing and sealed shut would come up empty just as quickly as mugs of ale. After a couple months of complaints and the guard not figuring it out, they asked the Mages guild to send someone around. A Little old man of a mage walked through the door, in clothing that looked strait off a merchants caravan. He spread a little coin around and rented a room for a couple days. He watched everyone for a few days, while reading various book's he pulled out of his bag's. When some coin and a precious stone disappeared from his pocket, he noticed the change in weight. He concentrated but neither saw nor felt a body around him, which would happen if one was using an Invisibility spell or potion. He whispered the tiniest spell and felt the answer, magic but not what he had thought. He got up and walked out the door and walked a little bit up the road. When he ran into one of the city guard, he gave the man a note, which he said to deliver to the watch Captain. He then strolled back down the road, taking his time getting back to the Inn. He sat back down and pulled out his book's. About three quarters of an hour later the watch Captain and two guards walked through the door and over to where he sat. With a couple word's to the little mage, the Captain called everyone in the room together, as they stood their in a line the little old mage stood up. "Captain, the reason I asked you to bring battlemages with you, is that your thief stole a precious stone, but it's not just any stone. This stone has a spell on it, this spell is peculiar in that it can only be removed from one person to another by magic and the holder can't remove it at all. It is in the pocket of one of the people in this room. Just have them turn their pockets inside out." as he finished his sentence the barmaid disappeared for a brief second and then reappeared. " Oh did I forget to mention, that it also won't get more than 100 paces from the caster of the spell?" The Battlemages walked over to the barmaid and watched her closely as the little mage called his rune stone back to him. " If the Lady is willing, she may become a pupil of the mages guild, in Bruma. Otherwise the Lady can sit in a prison cell until she changes her mind". As it happened gentlemen, she choose to go to Bruma with the old mage. In the course of time, she became a very highly respected mage in the guild. I know because I was one of the Imperial Battlemages that escorted her to Bruma. The old mage had her cast a rune spell on another stone and kept hold of it, so that she wouldn't run away. And with that Gentlemen have a good night". I then got up and made my way to my bed and a good nights sleep. Edited by Areial, Oct 28 2016, 01:22 PM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:06 PM Post #10 |
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Et'Ada
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A matter of perspective Chapter 10 Marcurio woke me early the next morning and we managed to get most of the supplies I wanted from the Inn Keeper. Those that we couldn't weren't really the important things anyway. Wood could always be picked up along the shore. Plus the Inn Keeper had also told me that most of the things we hadn't been able to get, we would have to go all the way to Solitude to get. After two days of rowing around the islands closest to shore, I climbed up one of the rocky spire's late in the evening and waited til long after dark. After looking for an hour I finally spotted what looked like lanterns out on one of the Islands due North of us. I took note of the islands between us and their most prominent landmarks, I also looked behind me to the landmarks their, so that I would have a strait line to guide me. When we got to the Island that I had noted, I pulled out one of the long pieces of driftwood that I had gathered and walking a couple step's onto the island, caste the tiniest of fire spell's, then jammed the wood into the ice-pack, used the side of my wood ax to smack it further in, then caste a frost spell to make sure the wood was secure. Marcurio laughed and tied the boat up to my make-shift anchor. We walked to the entrance of the cave and down the passage, long before we made it to the cavern at the bottom, we heard the voice of a man, who appeared to be talking to himself. I looked at Marcurio, who rolled his eyes, I gave him a sideways smile and we walked into the presence of the man talking to himself. After a very rambling conversation, half of which made no sense what so ever. Septimus, because that's who it was, gave me two pieces of Dwemer artifact's. I know he gave me instructions somewhere in that nonsense, I could only hope that when the time came, I would understand it. The trip back to shore was much quicker and Marcurio and I tried to make some sense of what Septimus had said. We understood that we needed to go to Alftand and that somewhere deep inside we would find a gate of sorts, that the round artifact would open up. After that gate, we would find Blackreach, a very deep Dwemer dwelling. I knew were Alftand was, but we made two detours along the way, one to the Library at the college so I could tell Urag that we had found Septimus, but that he was stark raving mad. Urag said that dealing with Elder Scroll's could do that to a person, but I wasn't so sure that was the cause... he hadn't went to get the Elder Scroll, just knew where it was. The second stop was in Dawnstar so that we could get more provisions and most important healing potions. Marcurio said he would teach me a healing spell if I didn't know any. I laughed and said I knew quiet a few healing spells, I just choose not to use them unless their is no other choice. I really don't think he understood that one, most young mages wouldn't. I sighed, "what happen's when after a really hard fight, you are exhausted and can't use any magic to heal the axe wound to my thigh, that has nicked an artery and I am unconscious and can't "heal" myself?" I saw the instant he understood what I was getting at. "You can pour a healing potion down my throat or just put bandages on it and hope I don't bleed to death." The trip to Alftand was otherwise uneventful, a couple wolves and a snowy sabre cat, a calming spell too care of all of them and they meandered on there ways. Dwemer ruins are Dwemer ruins, the architecture is amazing, but very repetitive. I've been in an out of them for over 200 years, what I don't like is their mechanical guardians. Many a sword has been broken on them, which was my other purchase in Dawnstar, a Dwemer sword. I paid a courier to take Kruziik Dilon to the Temple in Riften, one of the Priestesses being a long time friend, I made sure to enclose a note so she would know I was fine. We ran into plenty of Dwemer automan's doing their job of guarding the ruins. When I saw the first dead Falmer, I stopped and thought a minute. It was mid to late evening, we would soon be getting tired and it wasn't how I wished to find Falmer. I thought back to the last set of rooms and remembered an area with a floor to ceiling grate. Going back I found the gate locked, I picked it and we both went in, I stood in the doorway and caste three frost rune spells, in a half circle in front of the gate. I then shut the gate, re-locked it and laid out my sleeping furs. Marcurio handed me some cheese, bread and and apple. I looked at the bread and cheese, then gave a rueful grin. I handed him a flaggon of water flavored with snowberries. "Zane, I was wondering, why it is you rarely use magic, I mean obviously you are well skilled and powerful." He asked in a voice that was more hesitant than I had ever heard from him. I paused for a moment to figure out how to answer the questions that I knew he really wanted answered, but had been to polite to ask. " What is the difference between good and evil, in the use of magic?", I didn't expect an answer right away and I didn't get one, as he thought about it. I let the silence drag on for a moment longer and then said, " If you were an observer and saw someone attack me and I used a lightning spell to kill them, you wouldn't consider that evil, would you? and neither really would the person that had attacked me, had they the ability to answer that question. Now if that same thing happened, but instead of a lightning spell, I used a teleportation spell to rip out the attacker's heart or a healing spell to stop it, would you as an observer consider that evil?" I could see the thoughts going through his head, it was actually amusing to watch. " Most people would, I on the other hand might not, because I might feel it is worth anything to save my own life. I have never taken the life of Man or Mer or beast race for that matter, by using such spells. I did during the Oblivion Crisis, use such spells on dremora. I used the spells to save the life of my Aunt Irrillia, her unborn child, two children we found along the way and myself. I have never, used them since, because you see good and evil are all a matter of perspective." I let him think about that as we settled in to get some rest, I knew he would have more questions the next day. We got up the next day and ate breakfast, I dissipated the runes so that we could leave without setting them off and we headed out. I was right, as we met Falmer shortly after the next set of doors. And then it was like a gauntlet of them and their Chaurus pets. One could feel sorry for the ancient Snow Elves that became the Falmer, but I was hard pressed to feel the least bit bad about killing them. We made it to a chamber with a couple Falmer and a Dwemer Centurion behind locked gates. Marcurio and I played tag with it, each of us hitting it once, drawing it's attention and then running to avoid it's steaming breath, then the other would hit and run. When we finally dispatched it, we went through another gate where two people seemed more intent on fighting each other than noticing we were their, so we let them fight it out. I put a crossbow bolt into the winner. We walked up to the Dwemer device and I put the round artifact into the receptacle, as we heard movement in the floor. We both hurried backwards onto what we hoped was solid ground. We walked down the steps and through a door onto a dark balcony, I caste a light spell and was immediately attacked by Falmer. As I fought the Falmer that came at me, through the haze caused by my light spell and the deep darkness beyond, I seemed to be seeing.... giant glowing mushrooms? Two Falmer attacking me and a Dwemer construct attacking all three of us, was keeping me from getting a good look. Marcurio was busy as well, but we got rid of our attackers at about the same time. We both walked towards the break in the balcony railing, figuring that is where any steps would be. Right as we go to the top of the step's, my light spell dissolved. As my eye's adjusted to the darkness after my spell, I stood their transfixed by the sheer beauty of the giant cavern we were in. How to describe Blackreach to someone that has never seen it. The dark velvet of the cavern roof was dotted with some kind of glowing fungus or creature that seemed to be swaying to a breeze that I couldn't feel. In white/blues and greens with some red's for color variation, it was like the twinkling of stars set to a music that only they could hear. Their were giant glowing mushrooms and also some kind of rock that seemed to have a light of it's own, even the water was giving off a pale light that made the ripples and eddies fascinating to look upon. Dwemer towers and buildings dotted the landscape and I wondered at the Dwemer that could leave such a beautiful place. I also knew some Dwemer scholars that would give their family fortunes to come down here to study. Once the main vampire threat was over, I could get an expedition together, some alchemists wouldn't hurt either. But a small part of me didn't want to share this place at all. All this ran through my head in an instant, next to me Marcurio was staring wide eyed and saying wow over and over. I knew the feeling. Posted Image Edited by Areial, Oct 30 2016, 12:33 AM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:07 PM Post #11 |
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Et'Ada
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Blackreach chapter 11 Have you ever walked into a place and just felt at home? I had that feeling as I gazed around, it felt as if I had returned to a beloved spot from my childhood, though I had never been here before. Marcurio and I walked to the nearest Dwemer building and opened the door, both of us ready for anything to attack. Nothing did, but the room looked as if someone had. That someone was a skeleton, so it was at least some little while ago. We looked around the room, that the person was an Alchemist was plain from all the herbs on the desk and counter. I was looking at one that I had never seen before, but recognized the noise from, when Marcurio found the Alchemist's journal and read it to me. We cleaned up the little building because both of us felt it could be defended pretty well. We burried Sinderion and I carved a stone marker for him with magic, then had to show Marcurio the spell. It didn't take a lot of power, just a lot of control. Marcurio was always willing to learn any spell I would teach him, he was also a very fast learner. After the building was all clean and straitened up, we cooked a meal and set up to sleep. The one thing about the Dwemers bed's they didn't fall apart, but weren't soft either though. With running water nearby, food and wood for the fire pit is the only thing we were lacking. Marcurio slept first so I sat in a chair and thought about this situation some. Surely the Dwemer would have more than one way in and out of here. Well it's not like their would be a big arrow over the tower we were supposed to find, so we'd have to go in and out of a few. Perhaps we would find one of the lifts, they dotted the landscape up above, so a few had to come from here. With access to a lift we could get wood and food and continue to look for the proper tower. I got up and lit another of the little pot's of oil that I found in a Dwemer automaton, they weren't always the easiest to light, but once lit burned brightly and slowly. As I sat back down I thought how much Bjorn would have loved being here. Finding someplace completely new was something he really loved to do. We had always meant to get out of Skyrim and explore some of the places he had only heard about. He always talked about the walking trees in Valenwood, how much he would love to see them or the giant mushrooms that housed people in Morrowind. The deserts of Elsweyr were such an alien concept to him that he had a hard time picturing them in his mind. I laughed softly as I remembered the way he, Kalin and Talin had constructed a miniature mushroom village, complete with tiny stick people, cows and a couple sticks with feathers representing chickens. They worked on it for a couple week's, all the children in Solitude running in and out of the Inn to look at it. When a Dunmer merchant had come in and asked them which village it was supposed to be, the three men beamed with pride. I had rolled my eyes and laughed. It was rather amusing to see a mushroom with tiny windows and doors and even a chimney. When I had suggested they construct a wood mushroom, to make a playhouse out of it to go along with the "village", they did just that. With little carved dolls that had clothing and armor that Kalin made. Talin not to be outdone carved miniature horses with saddles and bridles. Bjorn, made the furniture and I, I caste a light spell on tiny pieces of clear rock, so that they would caste light in the darkness and placed them in tiny lanterns. We then gave the whole mess to a local orphanage for the children to play with. Shaking my head, I let the images go and went back to figuring out the best way to explore down here. It seemed to me that I had seen a wall opposite the building we were in, on the other side of the balcony we had come in through. Start their and work our way around the big cavern clockwise? Septimus had said Tower of Mzark, which to my mind left out buildings such as the one we were in. Peek into doors and gates to see what was their, Map each place out and write down about where it was at. With all that firmly in mind, I decided I needed at least a little bit of sleep before we went exploring. I woke Marcurio up and took his place on both our sleeping furs. When I woke up Marcurio had made something to eat, where he had gotten the egg's from I don't know and don't really care. Egg's, buttered bread that had been toasted and roasted apple, Lovely. I went over what I had thought about last night and he said he had come to the same conclusions. So we left most of our gear in the building and I put a small rune spell on the door, anyone opening it would have a shocking surprise. We walked strait across from the building and headed clockwise along the base of the balcony til we reached a dark area, where we found out that their are some nasty flying insects down here. The next thing on our trip was a Dwemer machine infront of a gate. I pushed the activation button and the gate opened, we both walked in and looked at the lever, smiling at each other I pulled the lever and up we went. Looking out it was very easy to guess where we were. So supplies wouldn't be a problem, if it took to long to find Mzark Tower. We debated on unlocking the gate, but in the end decided that Dwemer automatons, Falmer and their pet's were enough to deal with. We didn't need to add bandit's to the list. I kept tract of where we were and which direction we where headed in on a large piece of paper, I am no cartographer, but I can do a reasonable map. Each building I marked. I would see about making different colored ink's with herbs and such one night while Marcurio slept, it shouldn't be really difficult coming up with a couple different colors do mark the different types of buildings. I also kept a journal with directions, Devines help the person trying to figure it out. It was more for me, so I could explain it to others. Fighting a few Falmer and Chuarus along the way, we made pretty good time. After the last small group of Falmer, we climbed the ramp and crossed the bridge to the tower on the other side, after a peak inside, we decided it didn't look as if it might be what we were looking for. Going back the other way, we saw a giant globe, yellow in color, but obviously constructed by the Dwemer. It was over what appeared to be a large fort type structure, though it was very hard to tell in the darkness. We walked a little further and saw a couple towers in the near and far distance. We both decided that they could wait for the next day and headed back to the building we had set up shop in. After I dissipated the rune on the door, Marcurio went inside and then came back out with a small table and the stew we had left simmering, along with some bread and mead. We both sat on the spongy like ground and enjoyed our dinner and the view of the underground river. From this vantage we could see the yellow globe in the distance and a slightly different side of the "fort". "Unless it's no other place, I would prefer not to have to go into that Fort like building. I would be my last piece of gold that their are Falmer their and probably a lot of them." Marcurio narrowed his eyes looking at the fort. "Not a bet I will take, I have a feeling your right. We'll just keep going the way we did today and leave that area for last. Did I see the wheel's turning inside your head, about coming back here at a later date?" I laughed at him and said in a neutral voice, " Now what would ever give you the Idea that I might want to come back to this dank, dark hole in the ground?" He burst out laughing and I joined him. " The same thing that makes me want to come back, cur-i-os-ity. And knowing that no one else had explored this place in a very long time." I nodded and then said it would probably be best if we went inside before we drew the attention of every Falmer in this place. We went inside, and I spent Marcurios sleep time writing my impressions of this place, along with some sketches of things we had seen. When I went to sleep that night, it was to the sound of the Crimson Nirnroot and picture of the giant glowing mushrooms swaying in an un-felt breeze. Posted Image Edited by Areial, Oct 30 2016, 12:35 AM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:07 PM Post #12 |
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Et'Ada
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Dwemer Machines chapter 12 It was late on the third day that we found The Tower of Mzark, someone had been here in the not to distant past. If their had been any automatons in this tower they had been disabled by the people that left their stuff behind. Unfortunately for them at least one member of their party had left their corpse in the Tower. Looking at the Dwemer machine it was obvious where Septimus's lexicon went. It was also rather plain where the Elder Scroll was. The hard part would be to determine which button to push when. Marcurio and I decided to move our stuff to this place. So before we touched the machines we went back to the small building. Eating dinner Macurio and I discussed how we would go about activating the machine. Neither of us had seen any traps and it appeared that the skeleton had died of starvation. We also decided that instead of carting everything over to the Mzark Tower, we would take it up to Alftand on the lift. So I packed up all the Herbs I didn't recognize from up above, making sure that light wouldn't get to them. Put the loot that we wanted to take into a different pack and put a label on the pack of herbs. I figured if anyone found our stuff and decided to "loot" our loot, herb's might be the last thing they would want. Marcurio and I divided the precious gem's between us. First thing in the morning we went over to the lift and took our stuff up, I unlocked the gate, leaving it closed, but jamming the lock in a way that could be undone, but would take some work. We then went back to the small building and made sure it was neat and tidy. I then locked the door, put a small rune acrossed it and we hurriedly went to the Tower. I put Septimus's lexicon in the machine and we watched it spin and take on another color. We both noticed that one of the lights on the console of button's lit up. So I went and pushed that button, the mechanism in the center of the room moved and another light lit up. I kept doing it that way until the mechanism lowered an egg shaped device that opened and revealed an Elder Scroll, that looked just the same as the one Serana carried. Taking the Lexicon from it's holder we walked down and then climbed up the device, taking care to stay on part's that appeared solid metal. I wrapped the Elder Scroll in one of Marcurio's spare robes and made a carry strap out of leather strip's that I always carried for repairing armor. I gave the Scroll to Marcurio to carry, as the War Axe he carried was more for show than for use. I on the other hand actually used my sword and crossbow and the Scroll would make it awkward to draw. Their was a lift in the down the hallway from the Dwermer machines. As we took that lift upwards, I asked Marcurio if he wanted to go back to Alftland and get the packs we left of just head on to Fort Dawnguard. After asking if the herb's I had packed would go bad and being assured they wouldn't, I didn't really know that, but none of them were one of a kind, he said he would rather head to the nearest town with a carriage, spend the night, getting a mug or two of ale, a full hot meal, a pretty lass on his knee and a warm bed, not necessarily in that order. I laughed, cause I really didn't feel like hiking all that much myself. I made sure to rib him about sore feet verses a sore behind though. This would not have been a good trip to have a horse. Early that afternoon we made it into Whiterun, selling off our loot first thing. I also asked the smith if I could use her forge and other equipment to do some repair's on our armor. After agreeing I told her I would be back after I changed out of it and had a good lunch. After going to the general store, we went to the Alchemy shop where I sold some of the reagent's that I knew she would know of and some of the more rare ones. I then asked if their was anyone here in Skyrim that she knew of that was an expert on Nirnroot's. She replied that while she knew of someone she wasn't sure of her name, but if I asked in Riften they may know as the woman lived in The Rift. We then headed to the Bannered Mare, where we rented room's, We both went and changed out of our armor, bringing it out to the common room where I put both set's on a chair and ordered a light lunch. Marcurio ordered a heafty lunch. He'd probably end up sleeping half the afternoon away, which was fine. After eating lunch I headed to the blacksmith shop with our armor. As I was pounding away on one of the Pauldron's, a large man stopped next to me, just in my line of sight, obviously waiting til I finished what I was doing. I finished knocking the small ding out of the metal and then wiped my hands and asked him how I could help. "Well we need the plowshare fixed because it cracked when I hit a large rock." The young man spoke so fast that I almost didn't catch what he was saying. As I shook my head, his hopeful face fell, I had to quickly tell him that I wasn't the smith, she had went inside to eat her lunch, but he could go arrange the repair with her husband. I was sitting outside on the edge of the bridge, replacing some of the leather plates on Marcurio's armor when they came back outside. Adrianne came out and knelt down next to the blade, ran her hand's along the crack and then shook her head. Telling the young man what I had already known, the crack in the metal was to extensive to simply repair, the blade would have to be remade. When she gave him a price, he told her he simply didn't have that much money, even with selling all the produce and hunted meat he had brought. I spoke up, "Adrianne, what about taking some of the cost, in trade", I nodded toward the pile of swords, " If the young man came back tomorrow, wrapped all the hilt's and sharpened the blades, that would save you a good days work. Actually, that might be two days worth of work. Melt the blade tonight and you can have it half done by tomorrow noon, make some more swords in the afternoon, have the young man work those also. Have him help you with the actual shaping of the blade, I'm given to understand that is easier with a second person. He can finish any swords up in the afternoon and leave the next morning with the plow done." She looked thoughtful for a moment and then looked at the young man and said "Well?". He looked confused for a moment and said that was a deal. Adrianne looked at him and told him to go inside and tell her husband to fix him a bowl of stew and show him a bed for the night. "Could you imagine him down at the Mare?" I laughed softly and said," No a man came in and asked me if I wanted to get in a drinking contest with him, I declined. I thought for a moment my partner was going to accept, specially when he said the prize was a staff, but a pretty little blonde walked up and he also said no." Adrianne shook her head and said that the boy probably would have excepted and ended up married to a Hargraven or something. She thanked me for thinking about having the young man do all that work for her, she hated the tedious but necessary task of hilt wrapping and sharpening blades. I told her I understood completely, then got up and walked back to the Bannered Mare. Either the erstwhile merry maker had went elsewhere or had found someone to have his contest with and they drank themselves into an early stupor. I ordered a light dinner and took it up to my room, where I read for a while and fell into a deep sleep. Posted Image Edited by Areial, Oct 30 2016, 12:39 AM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:07 PM Post #13 |
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Et'Ada
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An unlucky day Chapter 13 I woke at a very early hour the next morning and saw the Carriage driver eating. I asked if he minded company and we had a nice conversation over our breakfast. I told him that I would like to hire him to take Marcurio and I to Riften. He said he had already been paid for another party to go there, but had informed them that he wasn't a private conveyance. If we paid, we had a ride, so I paid right then. I had two hours to get Marcurio up and ready to go. I first asked Hulda if she would fix two lunch meals and a small light breakfast for Marcurio. I went to the back room where Marcurio and his companion were sleeping or rather he was sleeping. As soon as I walked through the door the Lady sat up, it wasn't the little blonde but a rather fierce looking redhead. I quirked my lip's sideways and told her that Marcurio needed to be at the carriage in two hours. I took our stuff to the carriage, Marcurio liked to wear an old robe when traveling by carriage, so his armor was packed away. He really didn't need to wear it as neither spell nor arrow ever got through his wards. But he did like to wear the Eleven warhammer that he had gotten off a bandit, said with the armor it looked dashing to the ladies. The Lady he was with last night was a real warrior and would never be fooled, but at a distance it would fool bandits. As it looked like rain I bought two waxed and oiled cloaks from the general store. I left it hanging on the room door for Marcurio, not wanting to interrupt. I walked out and talked again with the carriage driver and put the Elder Scroll under his bench seat, asked him if Marcurio could ride up their with him as he would get motion sick otherwise. He and his lady friend walked out, I had judged her correctly, the armor and her weapons screamed warrior and a competent one at that. We talked quietly next to the driver, who commented here and there and watched our fellow travelers come out. The first group was obviously rich, male and female alike their armor, clothing and weapon's screamed of money, but not a great deal of use. Cloak's of velvet with spells to ward off the rain and probably mud as well, spoke of more than just money. This was going to be an interesting trip. Marcurio took one look at them, then the group coming up behind them and started cussing up a storm. They weren't to hard to size up, either mercenaries or bandit's, possibly both. The carriage driver got a tight look to his mouth and Marcurio's lady friend, put her hand on the hilt of her sword. As the two groups got closer, I climbed into the carriage and sat right behind where Marcurio would be sitting. I hooked the Dwemer sword on the back of the seat and put my crossbow across my lap, with our lunch basket sitting at my side. Their was more than enough room for all of us to be spread out and I didn't want to be squeezed in. Sitting this way I could watch Marcurio's back. Marcurio gave his lady one last kiss and climbed onto the seat the driver. One of the bandit/mercenary looking fellows had walked up and from the look on his face had expected to ride up front. Another got in the carriage and walked to the front and sat across from me but slightly back, putting his backpack against the front of the carriage. The well to do passengers got in next, followed by two more ruff looking characters. It wasn't adding up to a trip that would end well. With everyone at last settled into a seat the driver took off. I had ridden with him several times and Bjorlam didn't look happy and the tension in his back was almost painful to me. I slouched down and pulled the hood almost over my eye's and relaxed into the sway of the carriage. I watched the other passengers from under the hood. It wasn't so much that I could see their faces, but I didn't need to, I could see their bodies and most specially the tension in them or how relaxed they were. A couple hundred years and I considered myself a very good judge at reading people, not everyone's body language was making sense. The bandit/mercenary across from me was wearing an excellent quality plate steel, but it had seen a lot of use and even more abuse from swords and other weapons. He was relaxed to the point of almost being asleep. Three of the four well to do youngsters were relaxed and jovial, the third nervous , but by the fingernails bitten to the quick, it was normal for him. The last two of our party, looked pretty rough on the surface, but as I looked more at their armor and weapons, I noticed that both were of the finest quality, so more than likely mercenaries over common bandit's at least. They were nervous to the point of being unable to sit still. Not the excited nervous that anticipated an upcoming raid or swindle, they were both tense nervous that could speak of so many things. Just to see what would happen, I slowly relaxed my hands so that it appeared I had fallen asleep, letting my crossbow start to slip down my lap. As it hit the floor of the carriage the bandit/merc across from me tensed, but didn't open his eyes. The well to do group stopped chattering for half a second as the young lady next to me leaned over and picked up the crossbow, she then put it on top of my pack in a way that would be handy to use, but wouldn't slip off. The oddest reaction was from the two at the rear, they just about jumped out of the carriage. With the sun saying it was noon and more than half the trip to Riften over, we stopped for lunch. It appeared to be a place that Bjorlam stopped at often. As the carriage had stopped I sat up and looked at my crossbow. So, she was a mage and a pretty subtle one. I couldn't see what had been done, only that something had, I wouldn't count on it. It was a good thing I really didn't need it for distant targets anyway. As I stood up I put the crossbow in it's holster and grabbed the Dwemer sword and strapped it on. It wasn't the normal Dwemer sword, it's length and width said opposing things, Length said greatsword, width said one hand, I could use it either way. I grabbed the basket on the way to the back of the carriage, definitely wanting my lunch. I met Marcurio on the side of the carriage, he, Bjorlam and I took the horses down to the creek and let them drink, the men sat on a log, I sat on a stump and we ate our lunch has the horses munched on grass. I asked Bjorlam where he thought the best place to attack the carriage would be. He got a very thoughtful look on his face, took a couple bites of his lunch, took a deep breath. " Just slightly up the road, there is a very steep grade and a switchback. The horses can't go faster than a slow walk, lot's of tree's, shrubs and rocks to hide behind." Thinking quickly, I told Bjorlam to just drive the carriage, Macurio and I would take care of his safety. We finished our lunch, helped hook the horses back up and climbed back in, the other passengers not far behind. I didn't want to caste any spells to see if anyone was ahead, but I watched the birds and listened to the sounds of nature. The breeze was almost non-existent, so when I saw some bushes moving ahead, I bumped Marcurio's back with my elbow as I stretched my arms over my head. When they attacked I wanted out of the carriage, so I figured out how to do that by going over the side, my knee's were going to protest. As we hit the turn in the road an arrow came at us, Marcurio must have been looking in exactly the right direction, because he slammed up a ward around Bjorlam, the horses and Himself, and helped get the horses stopped, as the couldn't keep up that large a ward up while moving. I put up a ward for myself and looked for a target, as I found my target the Lady next to me found one also and shot out an ice-spike. She wasn't the only one though, it seemed like everyone but me fired off one kind of spell or the other. I did a detect-life spell and chuckled as their was no one else there. No one had been injured and as the two on the back of the carriage jumped down to go look at the bandit's, the older man in plate steel introduced himself as Captian Kiran of the Imperial Army. He had been instructed by the Legate to get rid of these particular bandits, who were targeting rich merchants and caravans. He had just been hoping that she and Marcurio didn't think they were the bandits, he knew her reputation and basically counted on her savvy. Everyone but She and Marcurio, were part of his patrol unit. All battlemages or spellswords, as he figured they would be most useful. The young lady came up and asked after her crossbow, saying that the spell she used would just cause it to freeze if the trigger were pulled, but she banished it. Zane thanked her and had the young lady show her the spell, in return the soldier wanted to know the enchantments that were on her armor. Zyne laughed and told her that the enchantments weren't just on the Armor itself, but also on the gambeson, so many mages didn't even think of that, it was after all a separate piece of clothing. The two in badit type armor came back and one of them waved a piece of parchment at his Captain. The Captain read it and laughed. "Well it worked, they got the information that a group of rich young adventurers would be traveling from Whiterun to Riften today, now all we have to do is figure out who was giving up the information." The Captain was well pleased with the ruse and we all climbed back into the carriage to continue on our way to Riften. I looked back and thought.... It was a very unlucky day.... for those bandit's. Posted Image Edited by Areial, Oct 30 2016, 10:32 AM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:07 PM Post #14 |
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Et'Ada
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An Innocence Lost Chapter 14 The rest of the trip to Riften was quiet, which was good for everyone. Macurio and I talked for awhile and he said he needed a break even if I didn't. He wanted a week or so, to relax, not have to worry about vampires, drink more than one ale and not worry about the hangover the next morning. I thought very quickly and asked if he would like to go and check up on my house in Falkreath Hold, take the carriage to Whiterun and perhaps ask that redhead if she wouldn't mind playing house for a little bit. While he was seeing if any repairs needed to be done and getting workmen from Whiterun, Riverwood or Falkreath to actually do the labor. He thought about that and said he would. I told him I had some gold and gems at Fort Dawnguard and also where one of my stashes were at the house. He didn't really want me to travel on by myself or to go on any of the job's Isran might have, but he really needed the break. When I told him I would take Serana with me, he didn't seem any happier. Explaining that if I didn't get her out of the Fort Isran might forget she was an asset and I had had dealings with worse creatures than one teen age vampire. She would actually need to get out and feed on something or that something might end up being Isran. He grimaced at that and I shrugged in return, she may or may not actually need to feed, but vampires weren't exactly known for having a lot of patience. I left all the loot we had with Marcurio to sell and headed off to Fort Dawnguard on my own. Only one lone wolf interrupted a nice evening walk in the Rift. I caste a calm spell in her and sent her back to her cub's. I got to thinking about that house, Marcurio wasn't the kind of man that would except the house as a gift, but perhap's if I made him the steward. Perhaps if I got the housecarl that I knew the Jarl would try and foist on me, he had tried once and I distracted him. Maybe adopt one or two of those orphans I had seen around the cities, with a nanny to care for them. I chuckled to myself, Marcurio had a very large sense of responsibility and would care for everyone in the household with determination. It would surprise him, he considered himself a playboy, but I knew, if he had been an Altmer, I would have put on a low cut dress and an amulet of Mara, to get his attention. Even though Mages tended to live longer than other humans, I just couldn't bring myself to get in any relationship beyond just friends with one, not again. Bjorn, from the day I met him, when he was a mere 25 til the day he died in my arms at the rip old age, for a Nord, of 72. Long lived for one of his race and profession, but short for one of mine. I felt the same pain in my heart thinking about that day as I did, when I felt him breathe his last breath, just not as intense. I looked up through the leaves and found the sun, very low on the horizon. I picked up my pace a little, and bit the inside of my lip and ran through all the wording for all the spells I knew. I needed to stop thinking of him, it would get me killed one day. Perhaps I needed a break also, when Serana's father was taken care of, yes I would take a break..... while planning an expedition back to Blackreach. It would take time to get letters written to all the right people and they might not be able to drop what they were doing right away. In the meantime, maybe I could set up a household. Since Marcurio was checking on the house and getting it in order, I'd see how he did their and if he did well, ask if he wanted the job permanently. Adopt some of those kids that seemed to need a home, I really had thought Nords were more caring of their children than to leave them running he streets. Housekeeper, I'd need a housekeeper, one that loved children. Maybe I could find a woman that had lost her husband and needed a job. As I walked up to the gate of the Fort, I figured maybe a Bard also, one with more knowledge than singing skill, I'd just tell him or her not to sing while I was their. Nord's didn't ever seem to notice that there Bard's were singing off key, could have something to do with all the mead and ale they drank. As I rounded one of the parapet bases, I noticed some tent's and people in farming cloths. Damn, Isran was leaving these people outside, of course they were safer outside here than inside at their own homesteads. But still there was more than enough room for all of them in one of the wings. The Fort probably still needed the cobwebs swept from the corners, Isran didn't care about those things. I entered the doors and the first thing I saw was Serana hovering nearby. Great now I really would have to take her out the next time. When I found the Moth Priest, I saw the cloth wrapped over his eyes, that wasn't good news. I walked up to him making sure that I scuffed the floor so he would know I was close, then I sat on the bench next to him. "I found the Elder Scroll Dexion, but I have the feeling you can't read it." He shook his head, but then told me all hope wasn't lost as he knew of a way I might be able to read them. I listened as he explained where I would need to go and exactly what I would need to do. I squeezed his arm and asked if their was a chance that he'd get his sight back, as he shook his head. I felt terrible, but he explained that it wasn't unexpected, he would always have a home in the Imperial city with the rest of Moth Priests their. That was a weight off my mind, but I would have found him a place where he felt useful. With both Serana and Isran hovering nearby, but on opposite sides, I chose Isran first. He just wanted an update and to tell me he might have a job for me. I replied that I already had a couple things I needed to do and they all had to deal with Serana's father, so they would come first. I brought up the farmer's outside and the fact that I thought they would make good with farming, with some of the ladies perhaps cleaning. One could only hope a couple of the men could make repairs that were desperately needed. By bringing them inside the walls at night, they would feel safer and might not mind doing some of the labor that no one else wanted to do. I turned around and walked away before he could come up with the reason's it wasn't a good idea, to find Serana a come up closer. " Marcurio had some business to tend to, so if you want you can come with me. I do want to make it clear, IF you can't hold your own and still watch my back, they way I will watch yours. I will send you packing right back here. We will leave about 3 am, so we can travel some by night". While she didn't look happy, she did look relieved to be getting out of the Fort. The next morning before the sun came up we were in the carriage heading to Falkreath Hold, the nearest place to the Ancestor Glade that Dexion had told me about. We made our way to the glade, not even going into town from where we were dropped off at. Once inside I realized it was a very special place, the flora and fauna inside the cavern were amazing. I picked up the ritual knife and peeled some of the bark from the Canticle tree and applied the sap over part of my skin. I felt like a fool, but I walked around and soon noticed that Moths were swarming around me. After about the fourth group Serana said I began to glow, I couldn't see it. I walked around drawing more and more of the Ancestor Moths to me, about the point where I started wondering how many groups I would need, I suddenly knew I had enough. I could hear the Elder Scrolls, very distinct melodies from each of the Scroll's I carried on my back. If I didn't know better I would say they were talking to each other in a language that sounded like music to my ear's. I walked slowly back to the ritual stone that had held the Drawing knife and reached behind my back to grab one of the Scrolls. At the point where I almost had my hand on one scroll it seemed as if another moved itself under my hand, the way a puppy will to get attention first. I pulled that Elder Scroll around and untied the ribbon holding it. I opened it and words and symbols and music all played itself out in front of my eyes and in my head. I knew were Auriels Bow was, I knew exactly what Harkon would do with it if he got hold of it. I read all three Scroll's, I would say I don't know what came over me, but I do. All three of the scrolls wanted me to read them, because all three had somethings they wanted to say to me. When the last Scroll showed me Bjorn standing in front of a roaring fire drinking mead in a grand hall, I hit my knees. Beside Bjorn laughing up at him, was myself. Sovngarde, I had seen myself standing next to my Love in the Nord afterlife. Could an Elder Scroll lie? Serana broke into my thoughts by asking if I was okay, for a second I wondered as I couldn't see, but then my sight came back slowly. I told her I was fine, but joy and dread fill my step's as we started making our way out. I had seen so much, They had told me so much. I knew I would not die soon if fate had anything to do with it. I had much to do, the voices I had heard my whole life now made sense, I understood them. I wish I didn't Edited by Areial, Oct 29 2016, 12:28 AM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:07 PM Post #15 |
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Et'Ada
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Old Friends Chapter 15 I heard a scuff of boot on stone and a pebble rolling down an incline, so I caste a detect dead spell. Looked like a whole group of vampires and their friends. I caste Stendar's Aura on myself and pulled Kruziik Dilon from her sheath, it felt good to have her back in my hands. Serana made a snippy comment, I had forgotten about her for a minute, so i moved away from her. Where she touched, Kruziik set flame to vampires, made their gargoyles howl and turned their thrall's to ash. When nothing more came at me, I banished Stendar's Aura, I know I could have just waited out the time, but Serana looked uncomfortable. Once it was gone, Serana walked over and asked me if I knew where Auriels bow was. I replied that the Elder Scroll's had given me their location. I thought about going by Lakeview and checking in, but decided it wasn't a good idea. Instead I headed strait to Whiterun and the carriage, when I thought of buying a horse for Serana, something in my head said it wasn't a good idea. Looking at the sun and gauging how long t would take and not wishing to travel through The Reach at night, I delayed leaving til the morning. It was early enough that the merchants were still open so I went to the Alchemy shop and got a couple healing potions and a couple more cure disease ones. I wasn't ready to go to sleep but we did go into the Inn and get our room's. I told Serana that I had a couple friends I wanted to see and I would meet her at 5am tomorrow morning by the carriage. I headed to Jorrvaskr, I wished to speak with Kadlak Whitemane, who had been a friend since he was but a Welp. I waved at Skjor, who seemed to be arguing with the firey redhead I had seen with Marcurio. He nodded back at me and kept talking quiet heatedly with her. I asked Tilma if Kodlak was down in his room, she nodded and kept sweeping. A beefy young man came out of the sleeping quarter's and asked if I was lost or was a a new recruit. I replied neither, just a friend of the Pack. It took a minute for it to dawn on him exactly what I was saying, he smiled and nodded. I got to Kodlak's room with out any one else stopping me. He was in ernest discussion with a man that looked remarkably like the one that stopped me, only thinner. I leaned against the door frame and listened to the two of them for a minute. Kodlak turned his head and asked if I was going to grab a chair and sit or just hover over the two of them. The young man that Kodlak introduced as Vilkas, told me it was extremely rude to listen in on private conversations. I told him that the Pack had few secrets that I didn't already know. Kodlak broke into what might have ended in an argument with, " What bring's you back to Skyrim? That armor look's like a uniform, but I don't recognize it." I told him that Isran had written to me and asked me to come back and help establish a new Dawnguard, to hunt vampires. His eyebrow's rose and he did remark that they had been getting more job's to deal with vampires, than ever before. I chuckled and asked if he was sending the "circle" after them, the young man started as if goosed. He said yes, when they knew it was vampires, after all it's not like they could catch the disease. I nodded and asked why he looked unhappy. Only one word was necessary "Sovngarde", I looked down and knew, " You are now regretting your choice to become one of Hircines?" He replied yes, he was along with the twins. Skjor was happy with the idea of an eternal hunt so was another member of the circle. I reminded him of how I thought that the curse could be broken and surely these two stout young men would be able to do the task. "Kodlak my friend I would gladly help you out with that, but I have issues of my own to deal with at the moment," I tapped the side of my head, " and I have a Master Vampire that wishes to darken the sun. He may be able to get the ability to do so." Kodlak looked surprised, but didn't say anything about the vampire, instead asking about the voices. "I finally understand them and know who and what is talking. Dragons, would you believe? I've only been hearing them for the last two or three centuries. I read an Elder Scroll," at that both men started like they had been goosed, "and now I understand them. I can hear them talking to each other over great distances, sometimes I hear them arguing a very short way away. The odd thing is I hear the whisper of power coming from the ancient word wall's and I understand them also. I know I have at least one Dragon to destroy, that must be destroyed." I paused because this might be a hard thing for him to believe. I took a deep breath. " Kodlak, my old friend, some time, some how I travel to Sovngarde. I saw you there, so I know you can get free of this curse. The Elder Scroll showed showed me, I was their talking to Bjorn and I saw you also. I don't know as Tsun would allow an Altmer to cross the bridge to the door's of Shor's Grand Hall, but can or rather would an Elder Scroll lie about such a thing?" Kodlak had a very thoughtful look on his face, as did young Viklas. Both seemed to be pondering as the three of us sat their sipping mead. Kodlak finally spoke up, " Knowing who Bjorn is to you it seem's that is something that you would want, to spend the rest of eternity with him." I nodded and he kept talking. " At the same time, by my understanding an Elder Scroll only tell's of the possibilities of the future, present or past. What will happen, what can happen and what may happen IF other things happen. So at some point you may become a great hero to us, the Nord people and that may be the reason that Tsun allowed you past the gates into the hall." he paused for just a brief second, "You really saw me their also? That's not something you just thought of because I said I was regretting my curse?" I looked at him and told him I would never say such a thing to him, I had seen him their, the Elder Scroll showed me. But as he had pointed out it was only what may happen, he would have to work at it to ensure that it did happen. I sat their with them for another hour or so and listened to Kodlak tell the young man of our exploits when he was a young Whelp, though I had never been part of the Companions, I had always been a friend. I told one of my own, about catching him and a very prominent member of Riften society in a very compromising position. After a few more stories and a couple bottles of mead with cheese and bread to soak it up, I gave the old man a kiss on the cheek and a warrior's grip to the shoulder and took my leave. I knew I would not see him again in this life. I went up to Dragonsreach and looked in on my old friend's their, the Jarl I just waved at as he seemed to be in a heated debate with a Redguard man. I talked to Hrongar for a while out on the balcony, it seemed he wasn't really happy with his brother's neutral stance on the civil war, he wanted some action. After awhile he left and I was beside myself, well aside from a couple guards, that never said anything to me. It was exactly what I had wanted, I needed to sort out my thoughts. I listened to the dragons talk to each other, mainly about the return of one named Alduin. They seemed to be both terrified and in awe of him. After awhile I tuned out their voices, a trick I had learned in self-defense long ago. As Masser and Secunda trailed across the sky, I thought of the last thing the Elder Scroll's had shown me. War, not the Civil war here in Skyrim, but another massive war like the Great War. I didn't recognize the armor I was wearing, not totally unexpected, but their was nothing that I recognized either. The landscape had been faintly familar, some place I had been, but had not stayed long enough to know the land well. So definetly not Skyrim, while I can't say I know every trail, I do know all the roads, I know all the mountains well enough to use them to navigate. The Summerset Isle's perhap's, one of the few places I haven't been to often since I first left. I did not really know, but I had recognized the language of the men and women around me, Nord's. It would make sense that I was fighting at their side, I have for centuries. I listened to the whispers of words floating on the wind, I could still see the glowing symbol's on my eyelids when I closed my eyes. I held face dearest above them all and I felt a little thrill that I would be seeing him again, even if it wasn't soon. I got up from my chair as the first light of dawn crept over the distant mountain tops. It was almost time to go. I thought for a moment and went down to Farengar's office, I knew he would be awake and I wanted to borrow some paper and send off a letter to my Aunt. I very carefully crafted a letter to my Aunt, one that would let her know that I needed to speak with her. That some very great changes were coming and this time, she would have to pick a side. Well knowing her, she wouldn't have to pick a side, their were places she could go that might let the War to come pass her by. Decion on the other hand could not stay out of it, IF he stayed in his home. I didn't know when and I let her know that, but I did know it was coming. I would send the letter off with a ships captain I knew, that traded with an Altmer ships captain on a deserted island. I got to the carriage right behind Serana, I don't think either of us actually slept. I knew I planned on sleeping in the carriage on the way to Solitude. Posted Image Edited by Areial, Oct 30 2016, 10:36 AM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:07 PM Post #16 |
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Et'Ada
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Future Shadows, Past Lives chapter 16 I laid out on the seat as Serana and I were the only passengers on this trip. With my pack as a pillow and my hood pulled over my face. I was soon in that misty realm between waking and sleeping. I had told the driver that we wanted out at Dragon Bridge, if he wanted to continue on he could, but please do stop. In this state it was easier to understand what the dragon's conversations were about, most of it was non-sense about territories and not being greedy about their hord. It didn't take long to realize some of them thought Man, Mer and Beast race were food though. That would put those particular dragons on level with vampires and they would have to be put down. They were happy that Alduin had resurrected them and some were more than happy to follow him. Others seem's to be cautious because they had heard about a Dragonborn that had already killed a few of them. She had a Dragon that she summoned to follow her already. I forced myself to calmness when I realized they were talking about Durnehviir and myself. It seemed some were very afraid and other's felt that the dragon's I had killed were wimp's. Well that's not the word's they used, but the meaning was pretty clear. Then the topic switched again, they had heard the call of a couple of the Dragon Priests, but the call's had all been from underground. The consensus their was that those Priest should have built up a following, not just have draugr, to help them. Then like a whisper, I heard the name passed back and forth, with terror, Miraak. If other Dragon Priest's were waking, surely he would be coming also... he already had...no he was still in another realm... dragon's disappeared... In the silence that followed, I decided to tune out the dragon's gossip, they really were worse than a bunch of fishwives. I had run into a couple Dragon Priests over the years, they had all been pretty formidable, but from the dragons I had fought, so were they. For dragon's to be that terrified, even for just one, that spoke volumes about Miraak. But I had another problem Harkon, Serana's father. I had no doubts about his demise, Isran was a fanatic, but he was a smart fanatic. I wasn't exactly a helpless, I laughed inside at a thought. Hrongar had made a quip about hiring an assassin to take him out. Once the contract was signed, surely the Night Mother would help the assassin who was assigned to it. Two creatures of the night fighting it out, when he had made the comment I had giggled like a small girl, giggles that had turned into laughter so zealous that tears ran down my face and I fell out of the chair, though I blamed that on the mead. I do so love the Nord people, they are so very unrestrained in thought's and deeds. The change in sound of the horses hooves on stone had me sitting up and looking around. We were on the Dragon Bridge. The driver stopped infront of the Inn and told us if we needed the return trip, he would be coming back through here tomorrow morning around 9am. I thanked him and said if we finished our business before then we would be waiting for him, but he shouldn't wait for us, not that I thought he would anyway. I looked around and noticed the banner on the building opposite the Inn, seeing two soldiers walk in the building and a couple more walk out. None wearing officers uniforms. So probably six to eight soldiers plus at least one officer. So the private guards of the Emperor, could only mean a visit was in the offing from the Emperor or his near and dear. I shook my head and shrugged, none of my business. I turned and walked back by the mill as the easiest way to the cave the Elder Scroll had showed me was in this direction. Before crossing the water I closed my eyes and tried to visualize the route we would need to take. I stumbled forward into the waist deep water and crossed over to the other side. I had gotten the impression of a long dark cave system, maybe I wouldn't want to return to Blackreach, I heaved a great sigh, and continued on. A Spriggan stepped out of her tree as we passed and decided we didn't need to be their, so sent her nearest allies after us, a cave bear, then a pair of wovles. I pulled out Kruziik and proceeded to hack her into kindling. I felt rather bad about it, as generally they allowed peaceful creatures to pass. I killed the cave bear and Serana took care of both wolves, with the help of all things an Elk that she resurrected. I shook my head at Serana's choice of creature to thrall, next it would be a rabbit or chicken. I turned and walked away from the dead beasts, hoping that their was some carrion creature nearby that could eat the remains. That bear alone could feed a small family half the winter, I hated the waste. I wasn't really partial to wolf meat myself, but some hunters I knew swore by it. We got to the entrance of Darkfall cave right as the sunset over the mountains and I asked Serana if she was rested enough to go ahead or would she prefer to sleep at least part of the night. She replied she was rested enough and besides, nighttime was the best time for her to travel, even through a cave. The cave system seemed rather strait forward and at first we ran into nothing more dangerous than a couple skeevers. Then we found a dead body and searching around a note saying that she didn't think the troll's were all that friendly. Really, she expected wild trolls to be friendly? Well I guess that's one kind of stupid that get's you killed young. I shook my head sadly and thought that maybe the Orc's had a good system after all. Only the strongest, smartest and bravest were chosen as husband's or wives, weeded out the weak and stupid for sure. It really did take all kinds to make a society. We soon ran into the cave troll's, who actually seemed stronger and meaner than other troll's I had run into. I half expected Serana to thrall the first troll we killed to help take care of the second troll, but she didn't. As soon as the second troll was dead, I cleaned up my sword and armor with a damp cloth and then ran an oiled cloth over the sword before sheathing her. I made sure all the blood was washed off my body and out of my hair. Deep cave's generally meant Falmer and while they might be blind, they could hear and they could smell even better. When Serana just stood their, I explained exactly why I was cleaning up. She hurriedly availed herself of my cleaning supplies and washed up. She had thought I was just being polite to her about being covered in blood, as I knew she hadn't fed in awhile. We headed up the cave system a little bit and started seeing what appeared to be ruins of one kind or the other. I stopped and looked at a pillar, it looked familiar, but at the same time very foreign. I had seen something very similar, but where, when, I could not remember. As we rounded a curve in the cave wall, I came to a complete stop and Serana readied a spell in each hand. I knew that symbol on top of the shrine, Auriel. It took me a minute to notice the mer standing their gazing at us. I heard Serana gasp as the mer called us forward. Serana let go of her spell's and I the hilt of my sword. I soon realized that the paleness of the Mer was not due to lack of sun, no it was a racial trait. "Snow Elf",I whispered, I almost heard Serana's "but", though it never left her lip's, his people were thought extinct, except the Falmer, even before she was put in that crypt. "I am Knight-Paladin Gelebor, and I take it you are seeking Auriel's Bow?" Edited by Areial, Oct 29 2016, 12:37 AM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:07 PM Post #17 |
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Et'Ada
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Going in Circles Chapter 17 As he introduced himself, I had another face flash into my mind. It was very similar, but something said more dangerous. A shiver went down my spine and I tried to keep the image in my minds eye to figure out what it was, that was giving me pause. I couldn't pinpoint what is was and the sharp tone of the Knight-Paladin jerked me out of my thoughts. I interrupted Serana who seemed to want to belittle the man for some reason. I told him that yes we were looking to get Auriel's bow and asked him about his Chantry, as he seemed to want to talk about it. I listened with interest as he told about how and why his people built the Chantry here and all the things that had happened since. He said he would help us with the bow if we would help him with his brother. Serana made a snippy comment and I really wanted to smack her upside the head, I made a mental note to ask her how old she was when she was turned. I said that we would help him, I didn't really see the problem and if his brother was in the main part of the Chantry, not just a way-point, then more than likely Auriels Bow was their anyway and we would have to do something to help his brother anyway. He then explained that we would have to take the Initiates way and travel from Way-Shrine to Way-Shrine filling up the Initiates Ewer along the way to open up the main Chapel, where his brother should be found. He opened up the Way-Shrine and I filled the Ewer that he gave me and a portal opened. Searana and I stepped through into a dark cavern, filled with glowing fauna. As we moved on and passed out of what I thought might be hearing distance of the Portal, I turned on Searna and asked, "What in Oblivion is your problem? Did you expect to just waltz to the end of a cave and find Auriel's bow guarded by a couple skeletons? Or is it the contempt that young often feel towards anyone old? Or perhap's you sense his power and know that it is a kind you will never have and you fear it because of that? What ever your problem, if you ever treat another person like that in front of me, we are done." I paused just long enough to see her eye's get slightly glassy and watch her lip's tighten, " If it's his religion, then get over it, I have never made a derogatory remark about your worship of Molag Bal. You have never said you regretted what you have become, so it is your choice, even if it hadn't been at the very begining.", With that I walked down the passage fast enough that she would have to yell after me or pant as she ran to talk. When we ran into the first Falmer I caste a flame Atronach spell and then blasted them with firebolt's without even a pause in my step's. When the first little group of Falmer were dead, I paused long enough for Serana to catch up. I looked at her and apologized for my out burst, but also told her I wasn't joking about the derogatory remark's. She looked a bit rebellious, but finally nodded her head. I really liked the girl, but I often got the impression that even though she had been in that crypt longer than I had been alive, I was the elder of the two of us by a couple hundred years. I really didn't think she had been walking Nirn much longer than her apparent age of early twenties. Even though she is a vampire I would like to keep her as a friend, I knew that she would be around for awhile. To often I have left friends only to return and find that their grandchildren are now adults and they passed away some time ago. I know it has always been my choice to be around the shorter lived Human and Beast races than around other Mer. Sometimes I wished that I had found my love in another Altmer, instead of a Nord, but their is still no telling if he would still be alive. It's not like I have lived the safe life of a courtier or city merchant and the type man I like wouldn't be one either. It seemed like half the day had gone by, by the time we exited the cave system. When we exited the caverns it was early evening by the angle of the sun. I both way's down the valley, to our left the cliff's and mountains were close, to the right it seemed we could walk through the forest for quiet a bit. So that is the direction I choose to go, feeling that if their was a Way-point in this valley, it would be a little bit of a walk to get their. It seemed I was right, in the last hour before the valley would be in complete night, we found the next Way-point. I stopped a little distance away and even though the spectral guardian looked our way, I went no closer. To the right and slightly behind the Way-point was a pocket valley. I made my way in that direction, picking up kindling and deadfall along the way. If their was enough, we wouldn't have to chop one of the fallen tree's. I lit our fire while Serana set up her small tent, then I set up my tent while she started dinner. When I finished that I wandered a little ways away from our camp and picked up more deadfall to keep the fire going. I found a largish limb that was just barely dry enough to burn without smoking to much, I used my hand ax to cut it into a reasonable size for our fire. I sat on the log that bordered one side of our camp and Serana handed me a plate with my dinner on it. Venison, potato and roasted apple, much better than the bread and cheese I had been eating of late. I watched her pick at the food she had put on a plate for herself, it wouldn't have been enough to feed a small child , IF she had been eating it in the first place. "You know you don't have to pretend to eat, I know that if you actually ate that, it would make you sick.", she started and then put the plate down. I caught her looking at me several times and finally asked what was on her mind. " You aren't like any of the Altmer vampires that my father has around, not snooty and full of yourself." She kinda blushed, which was rather odd for a vampire. I took pity on her and answered the question she didn't really ask. " I have spent much more time around Nord's, Imperials and Breton's, that I have around other Mer. I think that gives me a slightly different view of the human races than what alot of other Altmer have. I don't think we are superior, just different." Finishing my food, I dumped sand on the plate and scrubbed and then rinsed it with water. I said good nite and got up and went to bed. Serana woke me as color started creeping over the mountains. Posted Image We went to the shrine and talked to the spirit guardian, who raised the Way Shrine. I went in and filled the Ewer. I looked at the portal that opened up and decided that it could be the one that Knight-Paladin Gelebor was at. I walked back out and talked to Serana for a minute and then picked up the pack's I had made and walked through. It turns out I was correct and I waved at Serana who waited on the other side. I walked over to him and told him that I made a pack with some fresh venison in it and also some fall apples and gourds I had found in the valley.They were for him, as it had looked like his supplies were a bit low. I told him the other pack was herb's and samples of plant's and fungi that I had collected along the way and wanted to leave with him, for us to pick up later. He said that was fine as any Way Shrine I opened would always be open for me to use. I asked him a couple questions about the different Way Shrines and then walked back through the portal. On the other side Serana looked relieved when I came back. I told her we would be going up over the trail I had seen to find the next Way Shrine. I knew we could have walked through the other portal that opened up, but as it wouldn't actually exit at a Shrine anyway, I preferred to walk. So we walked back the trail I had seen the day before and started up it, along the way were some familar foe's, Ice spiders. I was always nice to see a friendly face. As we crested the top of the pass, we could see a large valley, mostly covered in ice and snow. Waterfalls frozen in timeless beauty and a large lake who's ice could be a death trap, to those unwary enough to walk the middle of it. As we turned on a switch back I caught a glimmer of sun gold in the distance and pointed to Serana, who also thought that it might be a Way Shrine. We headed in that direction and sure enough, it was a Shrine. I went through the ritual of talking to the guardian spirit and filling the ewer. I looked at the new portal that opened up and it also seemed to be on this icy lake. Along with the last two Way Shrines that I had opened up. I thought about that for a minute, from the view it appeared on the opposite side of the large lake. I was pretty sure we could make it to that next Shrine before sunset and then we could go through to the wooded Shrine, camp their in relative warmth and go back to that Shrine to head for the last one in the morning. Which, sounded great, until we got out on the Lake and I heard two great explosions of ice as two dragon's came up through the ice pack. I told Serana to keep close and we would fight the dragons together. Posted Image Edited by Areial, Oct 30 2016, 10:43 AM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:07 PM Post #18 |
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Et'Ada
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Realizing the obvious Chapter 18 As the dragon's circled higher and higher, Serana and I moved across the ice to an outcropping of rocks. I cursed the fact that I had a crossbow instead of a regular bow, I really loved it, but it didn't have the range of my Dwemer bow. I watched them flying around, figuring they were sizing us up. As long as they didn't attack us, we would leave them alone, I said as much to Serana. I was going over all the spell's that I knew that would be affective against dragon's. Ranged spells as well as a couple conjuration spells. Slipping my gauntlet off, I felt through the pouch that held the enchanted rings I had, very glad that I had carved symbol's into each. It really helped to find them in the dark or as now, with only one hand. I pulled two out, one with a protect against fire enchant the other protect against frost. seemed the most likely that I would need. I slipped them on, one per hand and waited. One of the dragons can in fast from out of the sun, I caste a Storm Atronach spell and a stoneflesh spell to help protect me. I then readied a lightning bolt, if it got close enough. As it came in it shouted it's spell at me, and I felt weaker for a moment, it then shot a blast of fire at me. Serana was steadily hitting it with Ice spikes and a Flame Atronach that she had summoned. As it veered off, I cast a healing spell and dug into my other pouch for a potion that would help my stamina and health regenerate faster. The second dragon came in from behind us, but had to fly around to the side as the stone Word Wall was blocking it from a direct shot at us. I was ready with a lightning bolt, I got off two spells before it shot out a firey blast of it's own, but that was deflected off of my by a ward that I caste. As Serana hit it with a couple ice spikes it seemed to stagger away from us in the air and then the first dragon came back. As it landed in front of me I pulled my crossbow, which was already loaded and shot it with one of the specialty bolts as it exploded in a icy blast I put up the bow and pulled Kruziik Dilon out, before the cloud of ice had dissipated I was at the beasts head. I slashed at it's head once and then moved down it's side and gave a great over head swing at the beasts right wing, severing it. As it reared up onto it's hind leg's, I slashed at it's belly with all my strength and ripped open a gashed that caused it's gut's to spill onto the ice. I heard it shout in it's own language , but for once didn't understand the words it was saying, I took it to be a name though. Serana yelled to watch out and I felt the ice quake under me as the other dragon dove beneath the ice. I tried to move to the solid ground by the Word Wall, but the second dragon came up from under the ice. He was shouting at me "Aus Bah Sil Biinah Fah Fin Dinok Dii Zeymah, Naaslaarum" before I could really get a grip on what he said, he shouted "Yol Toor Shul" at me, which I understood quiet well. I caste a ward just as the blast of fire hit me. I thought quickly and realized I could speak or shout back at him, so I gathered up the energy and shouted " Fo Krah Diin" back at him. I had heard these word's from a frost dragon, understood them and figured it was worth a shot. I watched as he was incased in ice, he froze for a moment and then took off. His wing's sent loose snow and ice at me, blinding me for long enough for him to take off into the sky. I put my hand over my eye's and squinted in the direction the dragon had gone. I heard more than saw the ice spike Serana sent after the dragon and sent one of my own in the same direction. This time I made it back to where Serana stood next to the Word Wall. She asked if I was ok and I told her I was fine as I closed my eye's and felt the tear's stream out. I caste a healing spell and my eye's stopped stinging. I hear the dragon roar and lament over his brother's death, in that moment I remembered what he had said, Sil Biinah, soul sister. Jarl Balgruuf had said something about being Dragon born and one of the dragon's Marcurio and I had slain had called me Dovahkiin, I had paid attention to neither. So Auriel had a sense of humor. As I watched the dragon fly back and forth and rage about his brothers death, I too lamented his brothers death, as I would his. I knew he would attack eventually. He disappeared beneath the ice again, only to burst out directly in front of us just as the sun was started to dip beneath the mountain. Both Serana and I were ready, She sent ice spike after ice spike, I sent a dual caste lightning bolt and then shouted "Fo Krah Diin" at him again. This time the ice completely encased him and he didn't break free. I whispered " Drem Zeymah" as I felt his soul leave his body and be absorbed into mine. I knew then and there, that it would be very hard to ever again kill another dragon. I looked at Serana who was gazing back the way we had come, shrugged when she turned to look at me and started in the direction that I knew the last Way Shrine was in. when it was dark enough I started tripping on mounds of frozen snow, I caste a light spell and kept going. I looked out in the direction I knew I was going and tried to remember exactly where the dragon's had crashed into and out of the ice. I did not want to stumble on weakened ice. When I though we were nearing one of the area's I bent slightly to the right, but knew we wouldn't be able to go to far to the right as there was a waterfall going down to the level the last shrine was on, but much further back. As a thought occurred to me, I stopped and asked Serana if she wanted to lead the way, because her eye sight should be much better than mine at night. She replied that under normal conditions, she would have suggested it, but with all the ice and snow and very bright sun over the last two days, her eye's were very sensitive and she was probably seeing much worse than I was. I sighed and caste another light spell and kept going. About the time I saw the top of the Way Shrine, I decided that we would go back to the valley and spend the night again and probably the majority of the next day. So I preformed the ritual again and again we stepped through to the valley. This time however, I had left wood in the fire ring ready to be lit, so I cast a fire spell and kept it going til the wood was on fire. I told Serana that I would make due with cheese, bread an apple and honey-nut treat for dinner. We both fixed our tents, I ate and then laid down, Serana was already breathing deep and even, which told me she was in the trance that passed as sleep for her. I laid their and thought about the day. Bjorn would laugh his fool ass off at the irony of my being Dragonborn. I heaved a great sigh when I thought about what the Thalmor would do if they found out. This was a complication I really didn't need in my life right now or ever really. I had thought the voices in my head were annoying when I didn't understand them, now I wish I could go back to blissful ignorance. I suppose as Jarl Balgruuf had suggested I should go see the Greybeards. I had been up the 7,000 step's before, Bjorn had wanted to make the pilgrimage, even though he knew the Greybeards wouldn't want to talk to him. I fell asleep with that thought on my mind. The next morning I told Serana we would stay here for the day and relax, I was tired and I could see that she was also. So I hunted herb's and other plant's of use and killed a rabbit to roast for dinner, I really needed nothing larger than that. I did alot of walking and thinking, also some prospecting as I found a couple mineral outcroppings in the valley. I did run across a sabre cat with unusual markings, but instead of killing it, I caste a calming spell on it and it went on it's way. I decided that after we had delt with Serana's father, I would tell Isran that I had some thing's I wanted to do. He would fuss about it, I'm sure, but it would give one of the others a chance to get out and about and learn to do his "special project's". I would also pick up Marcurio, I think he would enjoy the climb up to High Hrothgar much more than Serana would. Plus her brand of irreverence for people she should show some respect to, was kind of getting on my nerves. It would also give me a chance to take it easy, as Marcurio was never in a hurry to go anywhere and if their was a pretty bar-maid involved, he would rather just stay a couple days. All these things decided, I went back towards the camp, finding a deadfall along the way and chopping some of the wood for our fire tonight and chopping more for the next person that might come along and need it. I got a very good night's sleep and had a lovely dream of being in Bjorn's arm's again. Posted Image Edited by Areial, Oct 30 2016, 10:46 AM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:08 PM Post #19 |
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Et'Ada
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The games we play Chapter 19 We made an early start of it the next day and headed to the inner sanctum of the Chantry we had seen from the frozen lake. Once we got their I stood half amazed at the statue of Auriel, it was in the same form as those my parent's had in our shrine. Of course I had known that my family worshiped Auriel, while playing lip service to which ever deity or forma the ruling body tried to force down our throat's. To get in I poured the Initiates Ewer into the basin and watched it run down channels cut in the stone. As we entered the main room, we saw Falmer and other creatures frozen in ice. We went from room to room looking for the Knight-paladin Gelebor's brother and any sign of Auriel's Bow. Serana bumped into one of the frozen creatures and it broke from the ice encasing it. We were twice as careful after that fight, as during the fight we woke others, to not bump into any of the frozen creatures. I am not totally convinced that they were alive though, as they shattered apart after a few good hit's with the sword or a fire spell. When we finally made it into the room Gelebor's brother was in, he seemed rather happy to see Serana. After his little speech about, prophecies and Daughters of Coldharbor, it's a complete mystery why he didn't melt into a pool of burnt flesh. The look Serana gave him would have killed a lesser being. He told us that while he was appreciative of my bringing Serana to him, I should just lay down and die, it would be easier on us all. Well that was something I had never heard before, I really wanted to go back to killing deadra, at least they didn't try to kill you with inane drivel. Evidently Serana had heard enough also, because she sent a blast of energy at him, that had it hit, might have sent him through the icy wall. He revived some of the frozen creatures and dropped icy chunks from the ceiling on us. After the majority of his icy minions where destroyed he revived the rest and started dropping huge chunks of the ceiling on us. When I got in a semi clear spot I summoned my own flame atronach, took a deep breath and charged back in. While fighting 2 falmer's and a frost atronach, I heard the tell tale creak of ice parting ways with the ceiling so I moved quickly to my left. I saw them go down at the same time a large piece of ice hit me on the shoulders, causing me to black out. I came out of it with Serana kneeling in front of me with a potion bottle in her hands. "Get up, he ran out-side, all his minions are dead. We should be able to catch him if you hurry". I groaned but got to my feet and followed her out onto a balcony that over looked the frozen lake. When I caught up to her, the two of them were standing at the edge of the balcony and he was taunting her again. They were spitting venom back and forth when he finally said that Auri-El, had betrayed him, when one of the initiates had turned him into a vampire, Auri-El had turned his back on him or it never would have happened. Serana spat that this whole thing was because he wanted revenge...on a God? I listened to them go back and forth for a little while longer, I needed to regain just a bit more strength to caste the spell I wanted to caste. Just at the point where I knew I had enough strength for one spell, I slowly grabbed a bottle out of my pouch and sipped the potion inside, holding it in my mouth. When Serana had had enough of his rhetoric, she grabbed him with both hands and lifted him high above her head. She told him exactly what she thought of his false prophecy, that had driven her father half in-sane and broken her family apart. He had also gathered enough strength to break free and did, blasting Serana across the balcony. I knew she was fine, as he needed her alive to do what he wanted. It was the moment I was waiting for though, I swallowed the potion in my mouth, it went down like a lump of mud. I felt the serge of power, I knew it would only last a limited amount of time. The first spell was one I generally used only on myself, but had caste it on others time to time, I threw the spell at Serana and she was engulfed in a misty ward. Vyrthur, whipped his body around to face me and started gathering the strength for his own spell. But I beat him to it, my magic was already gathered and as I finished the incantation in my head, I sent the Sun spell blasting at him. Before it had a chance to hit or miss I gathered the strength for a lesser spell and held it ready. The light from the spell had left spot's in my eye's and I squinted so that I would be able to see if the spell had worked. Serana screamed and huddled in a small ball behind a stone bench, she would be fine. As the spell hit Vyrthur, it flung him backwards into the balcony railing, I heard the stone of that snap over the sound of fire roaring. I walked towards where he was and as the spell completely dissipated, I could see it had done it's job. As he lay there dieing, I knelt beside him and told him the truth, that he had never looked for. " Auri-El, didn't abandon you until you turned your back on him. There is a cure for full blow vampirism, He was testing you, testing your faith in him. You failed and managed to destroy the rest of your people with you." As the light started dimming in his eye's I saw the comprehension bloom. He closed his eye's and whispered, " Auri-El forgive me". Took one last breath and was gone from this world. I stepped back as his body turned to ash, leaving behind his armor and knife. Behind us I could hear a Way Shrine rising, so Gelebor was able to open it. I walked over to Serana, who was still behind the Ward I had put her in. I raised a hand and dissipated it. She looked a little sun burnt, but other wise alright. I handed her a bottle and said not to ask, she unstopped it and took a sip, grimaced and then finished it off. In a matter of second's the burnt look was gone and so was the haggard look she had had for a week. I turned around as Knight-paladin Gelebor walked up from behind us. I explained everything about his brother, why he said he had done all that he had done. While the Snow Elf wasn't happy to hear the knews about his brother, he said it now gave him hopes that the Falmer could be saved, that maybe some time in the future, they could again be his people. When I asked if he thought he might be the last of his people, he said no, he figured that their would be other pocket's of Snow Elves, just as his people had been here. He asked if we had any Eleven arrow's, which I did, he blessed them and they started to glow. He looked at Serana and said she might either want to use gloves or not touch them at all. They would be very effective against the undead. He told us he would be staying here in this area, to repair the Sanctum, so if we needed more arrow's blessed just bring them. Also, any fresh fruit's or vegetables would be a very good trade for them... milk or butter? Maybe a live chicken, he hadn't had any egg's in a couple hundred years. I laughed and asked how he felt about company? I knew a couple dozen Altmers that still worshiped Auriel or and I nodded Auri-El in the old ways. They would jump at the chance to find sanctuary here in return for helping put it all to rights. Well plus bringing in seed's and farm animal's to help with his food situation. His face brightened and he said he would love company, just let them know he hadn't had any so might be a bit of a recluse at times. I said that was understandable and I would let them know, but he could tell them as much or little as he wanted about his brother. I handed him one of my packs and said it was the rest of our travel food. It was sealed rather well so I told him that when he opened it, he might want to put the contents in a basket and put that in the icy waters to keep it all fresh. He would be very surprised as their was a bout a half dozen boiled eggs, plus some fruit tart's all wrapped in oiled cloth ground with Ice Wraith teeth to keep it fresh. Plus some honey-nut treat's as I found they were a good source of energy. Serana and I took our leave of him and walked out of the cave system. I made note of the turns as we went, so that Marcurio and I could bring him back some supplies and also so that I could give directions to my Aunt Irrillia. I knew she and Decion where only playing the game until they could find a safe place to raise their twin's. The boy's should be 5 or 6 year's old now. They were both worried about the war they knew was comming. Decion had already said he was not really willing to fight at the side of the Thalmor, he had been a part of for centuries, but he couldn't be a traitor either. I well understood his point of view, although I was considered a traitor by some. I had only joined to fight the deadroth that were attacking our homeland and had gotten out honorably when the Oblivion Crisis was over. Some didn't see it that way though, once a Thalmor, always a Thalmor. I didn't like their politic's then and I have liked them less and less over time. As we exited the last cave and came out into the light of day, Serana asked if we were going to head strait to her fathers castle or go tell Isran that we had he bow. I told her I had no intention of just the two of us fighting her father, I really didn't want to end up as either his thrall, dinner or both. I planned on heading to Markarth as I thought it might be a little closer than Solitude, plus it was on the way to Falkreath and I wanted to stop at my house and pick up Marcurio. Well plus I had a friend in Markarth that I thought would take a letter to my Aunt and hand it to her. Knowing Serana would never say anything, I told her my plans about Gelebor and that valley. She said she understood and it was a good plan, but did I really need to get Marcurio, weren't their enough people at Fort Dawnguard to take along. I wasn't sure if I was hearing jealousy or something else, but I explained that Marcurio was a wizard of no small talent and Isran had a habit of discounting wizards so didn't recruit them. I told her that would leave herself, me and probably that crazy Priest of Arkay as the only magic users and she couldn't caste a healing spell. That she seemed to understand. We headed down the trail and got to the road before noon. I kept my eye's out for anything I could eat along the way. Serana might not need to eat, but I did. The Snow berries that were growing right outside the cave hadn't been enough. As we were about to cross a bridge, I saw movement in the water and hurried down, I grabbed my crowbow and tied a string to the end of the bolt. I hit the tiny mud crab dead center, killing it instantly. When I got it to shore, I pulled out the bold and wound the string back up, then cast a fire spell on it until I could smell the crab was cooked. I pulled off the leg's, really the only edible part, without making a stew anyway, and wrapped all but one in a piece of leather and tucked it in my belt. I started back on the road to Markarth with Serana laughing at me. I shrugged and broke open the leg and started eating the meat inside. I sighed inwardly about the lack of butter, but I was hungry enough that I really didn't care. Between bites I asked Serana if she had any plans for after her father was killed and she did realize we would have to kill him? She said she knew that, but had not really thought about afterwards. So I offered her my house in Solitude, telling her she might have to hire a maid to clean the place, I had not been their in a couple hundred years. Then I startled her, by telling her about the Steward in Solitude being a vampire and she would have to give the woman a letter from me, so that Sybille would know I had let Serana stay their. Sybille wouldn't have a problem with Serana being their and would keep the young vampire in check if need be. I didn't say that to Serana though. I did let her know that their was plenty of money and gem's laying around the house, it would be a good place to hole up for a while and think. Also, the swamp across the canal always had bandit living in it. She understood what I was saying, if she got hungry, the citizens of Solitude were off limit's, but bandit's...well dead is dead one way or the other. As we entered Markarth and I found the Bard I was looking for, I asked her if she had ever considered getting cured. I didn't wait for an answer, because it was something she needed to think about. I walked up to Yngvar and asked the surly Nord if he wanted to take a trip and some gold. He played his part well and was as rude as he could be, without being so rude that I should have taken exception to it and challenged him to a fight, which I had done once already. I looked at him and told him I would have a letter for him in the morning and fare for whole trip plus half the money for going. He said fine and walked away, I turned and headed to the Silver-blood Inn and got Serana and I our own room's. That night when I went to bed, I left the door unlocked, but I knew I didn't really need to. About 3 am, I heard the knob turn, it wasn't loud, but I was expecting it and woke up. Yngvar slipped into the room and I sat up and lit a single candle as soon as the door closed all the way. He walked over to the bed and sat beside me. " So what's up my tall skinny friend?", he whispered in a gruff voice. I rolled my eye's and told him I need to get some information to my Aunt, but the real pay for him was another tid-bit of information I pulled out of the hidden pocket of my armor. I handed him the note and his eye's widened as he read it. I nodded and handed him a sealed envelope and a folded piece of paper. He read the paper and his eye's widened even more. He memorized what the paper said and then got up and burnt it in the candle. I told him if he ever wanted it, the sanctuary would extend to him also. He shook his head and asked how someone on the opposite sides of a war could be friends and why I was constantly giving him information. I replied that was easy, we weren't really on opposite side's of a war, this wasn't a war it was an argument. The war would come and Skyrim and the Empire would need each other. He changed the subject and asked what was in the sealed letter. I told him the truth, it was just a chatty letter congratulating my Uncle on his empending retirement from the military and asking him if he and my Aunt with the children would like to visit me here in Skyrim at my holding in Falkreath. Along with directions and a few gossipy things. The real message was the one he had memorized. I then handed him another envelope and told him that was the "reason" he was going to the Imperial City in the first place. Inge had commissioned a new Lute, a very special Lute and wanted someone that she thought could actually get to the Imperial City and back with it. You being a known bard and a tough man in a fight, where exactly who she would ask. I gave him a pouch full of gold and gem's and said it was enough to get to the Imperial City and back in whatever fashion he wished to travel, I gave him a second pouch and said that was his pay. He put the letters in a pocket on the inside of his armor and tucked the pouches to the outside. Before he got up to leave he asked if I knew that the little vampire was watching my door and that he had had to talk to her before he came in. I rolled my eyes and said that it figured as she didn't really need to sleep. We both stood up and I walked to the door with him, then grabbed him by the shoulders and gave him the biggest most passionate kiss I could, making sure to ruffle his well groomed hair in the process. As I opened the door, he turned toward me with a hazy well kissed look on his face, I adjusted his armor and said have a good night. Then smiled as I watched him go, pretending that I didn't see Serana standing in the shadows at the other end of the hallway. He turned around and looked at me again and nodded once. I stepped back into my room and closed the door locking it this time, sighed and laid down to get a few more hours of sleep. I rubbed the right side of my face, it would be red with irritation from his short beard tomorrow. I closed my eye's and took a deep breath and fell into a deep sleep. Edited by Areial, Oct 29 2016, 12:49 AM.
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| Areial | Oct 28 2016, 01:08 PM Post #20 |
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Et'Ada
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A needed break Chapter 20 The next morning we hired the carriage to take us to Falkreath Hold, from there we walked to my house. Their was a Redguard woman walking around, who asked who we were. After I explained who Serana and I were, she said Marcurio had went to the Jarl to ask about some purchases and found out that he had appointed her Housecarl. She had just been waiting til the next time I had come to town, but as Marcurio was her appointed steward, she had decided to come to the house with him. She introduced her self as Rayya and brought me up to date on the improvement's that Marcurio had, done to the house. The roof had needed fixing along with some of the flooring, because of water damage. He had added some smithing equipment, knowing that I did my own, plus an enchanter and alchemy lab for anyone who could use it. He had also added some chicken's and a cow, he was looking for some goats and a good horse, since he knew I liked them. As we walked up the hill to the house, I noticed the outside looked a lot better as well. A barn, pen and garden were actually nice to see. The house seemed to have gotten a new white-washing as well. She left to complete her patrol as Serana and I to walked into the house. I noticed right away that their was furniture in the entry way, dressers, tables, a couple weapon's rack's and assorted other things. A large table with apples and bottles of wine and some bread and cheese where on the table. As I went through the doorway, I heard footsteps from the second floor and then saw booted leg's coming down the stairs. Marcurio's tanned face soon followed, "Ha, look what the horker dragged in! You staying for a day or so or are we leaving right away?" I told him we would be staying at least a day, as I wanted to repair my armor and then all three of us would be leaving. He said hello to Serana as well and asked if she which bed she would like, the one in the room with Rayya, one of the small bed's meant for children or the big double bed that he generally used, but would give up for her. Serana looked surprised that he would ask and said she would take the bed in the room with Rayya. She asked if he had gotten any book's and a smile the size of a mammoth crossed his face as he said, " I should say, I sent for all the book's she, had stashed at various Inn's across Skyrim. They are still in boxes in the store room, but their's a table and chair's in the other room. You can either read there or drag the chair into the store room, though the lighting isn't great in the storage room." Serana wandered in the direction that he had pointed and Marcurio asked me if all had gone well getting the Auriel's Bow. So I explained all of that while he heated up a clam chowder and steamed crab leg's, my favorite meal. I told him about Knight-Paladin Gelebor and he was amazed that a Snow Elf still lived and he very much wanted to meet him. I explained about the deal I had made with Gelebor about people coming to help him rebuild the Chantry in return for sanctuary. I painted a picture of word's to the best of my ability, telling him about the twin dragon's and the frozen creatures that Vyrthur had sent after us. I asked him if I couldn't, would he take my Aunt and her family and retainers to the valley. While he agreed to do so, he would not be left behind while I went after Harkon to do so. I hadn't expected him to and would need him with me. I had told Serana that and I was now telling him, I needed his skill's with magic simply because Isran wouldn't recruit mages or wizards. That was the other thing I needed done, if he wouldn't mind doing it. If he could concoct some potions to cure disease, I would repair and improve his armor.... and by the way, I had a nice glass war-hammer if he wanted it? His eye's lit up, for a mage he really liked carrying a weapon he never used. So I was very surprised when he said he would do me one better and also make some healing potion's for all, if I would enchant the warhammer with the best two handed skill enchantment I could make. I raised and eyebrow and he told me his Companion friend had pointed out, that in a prolonged fight he might exhaust his magic and he should have something as a backup. I'm pretty sure I had told him the same thing a number of times, but then again I wasn't a beautiful redhead either. He went on to say that Rayya had given him some lesson's in the use of two handed weapons and would continue to do so. Rayya walked in through the door about that time and got herself some dinner and then sat down near us. She reported that all was quiet on the holding at the moment, but they seemed to have a repeated problem with bandit's in the area. It was nothing that she couldn't handle at the moment. I thanked her for taking such good care of the place and for giving Marcurio lessons in weapon use. She looked sharply at Marcurio and said it was no problem what so ever, then looked down at the table with what looked like a blush and self concious look and said they had traded weapon's lessons for reading lessons. I told her that reading and writing was like any other skill, it had to be taught. She had to learned her skill's with the sword's, a hunter had to learn to read the track's of their game on the ground. Reading and writing had to be learned and there was nothing to be ashamed of in not having learned it already. I told her about my family coming to visit and that if she could watch the workmen I would appreciate it, as I had need to take Marcurio with me. I needed more space for their retainers beds and all the stuff in the storage room could be organized and put in the cellar. Their were two room's there now and enough space where a third could easily be made. The three of us sat up pretty late talking and making plans, Serana would wander by from time to time, but I think she just wanted to be alone for a little while. When Rayya went to walk on her last round I went with her while Marcurio said he would clean up after dinner. I took in the lay of the land again and realized it wasn't really in a good position for a large farm, maybe some cattle and goat's would be fine though. All was quiet so we said good night and went to bed. The next morning was rather chill, so I stoked up the smelter and melted some steel ingot's and softened some leather with some troll fat mixed with juniper berries, just to cut the smell. I made some of the small plates that made up my armor and pierced the metal to attach the plates to the leather below. I then made up the mixture that would make the white enamel that covered the metal plates, spreading it over the metal squares. I put the new enameled pieces in the smelter and left them their for an hour so that they would harden. While I was waiting on that to cook, I worked on the hardened leather pieces of Marcurio's light armor. That was easier and quicker to do as his armor didn't tend to get hit anywhere near as often as mine, plus I kept replacement pieces for his armor in a pouch. I really liked to work on the leather in the evening's when I had nothing better to do with my hands. Stone carving was and always shall be my favorite pass time, but it is also a rather heavy hobby, that doesn't travel well. By noon I had all the repairs to our armor done and even looked at the armor that Serana had dragged along, she would look rather fetching in the white ancient Snow Elf's armor. It needed no repair, so I gave it back to her and she said she would wear it to defeat her father, since the original owner had caused all this in the first place. I decided since it was a rather nice afternoon to go to the lake, do some fishing and swim alittle. Marcurio and Rayya decided to come along, I had to persuade Rayya, when she looked interested but then said it was her job to watch the house. Serana said she would do Rayya's rounds as everyone needed some time off and Serana didn't swim if she could help it, plus it was turning into a rather bright day. So the three of us went down to the lake shore and went swimming, splashing and dunking each other like a bunch of children. As the shadow's started to lengthen on the ground we headed alittle ways up the lake and put our lines in the water to catch some fish. By early evening we had enough fish for a good dinner for the four of us, plus some left over so Rayya would have some while we were gone. We had another nice night of drinking, though that was kept light and story telling. Marcurio told us a story about the mishap's of one of his fellow student's that managed to conjure a dremora that had a rather odd request for the poor boy in order to not take the boy back to the Oblivion plane with him. It seemed this particular dremora had quiet a few dealing's with a certain Deadric prince and black mailed the boy into finding a sexual partner so that he could watch. It seemed the dremora liked to glean the energy caused during sex. We all laughed and I told the last tale for the night. I was on patrol, during the height of the Oblivion Crisis with Amy and two others..when we happened on a small valley that had quiet a few dreadroth in it. We took out the majority of them with little problem's, the last couple were centered around a small pond. At first we didnt see the leader of the group, then Amy and I were stunned into immobility as a Mazken caste a paralysis spell on the two of us. It was in the form of a beautiful woman with wings. She put a seductive pout on her face and swayed her hip's as she walked, Amy groaned and tried to walk towards it, which caused it to look her way. The Mazken smiled and I could almost see the thought in it's eye's that I would be the only problem. I looked at the two men and got a wink from one of them. I laughed inwardly, I watched how it walked and wondered if a real woman could walk that way. As the Deadroth got within sword length, it readied another spell. The two men lunged, one forward drawing his greatsword, the other lunged backwards casting two spells at the same time. He didn't need to as the Mazken's head parted from it's shoulders in a spray of blood. The second spell went past the Mazken to another lesser Deadroth and those remaining tried to scatter, but made it nowhere. Amy and I came out of the spell and charged at the nearest of them, within minutes you couldn't even tell they had been their. Amy was frowning as she walked back, cleaning her sword. The two men looked at her and laughed, I couldn't help but laugh also. The Mazken would have been a little more successful had it appeared as a beautiful male, 3 out of the 4 of us would have fallen for his charms. Marcurio, Serana and Rayya laughed, but then Marcurio asked what a Mazken actually was. I told him the several names they often went by and some of the history behind them. Then I got up and went to bed. It wasn't the most restful sleep in the world. The next morning I got up and cooked a good breakfast for us all. Made up a pack to take, with all the potion's and some trail ration's. I woke Marcurio and called out to Serana, both came down from opposite sides of the house, Rayya picked that moment to walk in from outside. I had made enough for all of us, plus a couple more of the apple & berry pastries for Rayya to keep here. Serana asked if their was anything that I didn't do well, as she took a tiny bite of the pastry and said it was very very good. We left the Hold and headed to whiterun, along the way a couple bandit's decided that we might be just the people they should try to rob. They were very sadly mistaken and Serana had her breakfast after Marcurio and I walked a little ways up the road. She looked a little sheepish when she caught up to us, she said while she needed to feed once in a while, it wasn't like our eating, she said it kind of felt like when she had over eaten as a child and gotten tired, but then a few hours later felt a burst of energy. We chatted and basically had a good time as we walked all the way to Riften. Well it was all fun and games until I told Marcurio that I had absolutely no intention of walking all the way to Volkihar Keep, he would just have to suck it up and ride a horse, or I could summon Durnehviir and ask him if he would fly the wizard their. The wizard went quiet pale at the though and said he would be happy to ride a horse, the lie was quiet plain, even Serana laughed at him. We got to Fort Dawnguard in the late evening and talked to Isran, who was more than happy to leave right then and their. I talked him out of that and said first thing in the morning would be soon enough. we all got a good night's sleep and Isran had everyone in the entry hall for a big speech. Then they took off and so did we, but their were a couple horses waiting on the road outside the valley. I thanked Shadr and asked if he had also gotten the food's I had asked for, he nodded and took the coin I offered him and headed back to Riften. We headed off in the same direction as Isran and the rest of the Dawnguard and were soon right behind them. The horses were kept to a slow walk until early in the evening, we were on the tundra on the other side of Whiterun. I trotted the horses ahead to the point I thought Iran and the rest could make it to and then stopped and set up camp for the night. The three of us had dinner and tent's set up for everyone by the time they got to the camp, which had been my intent. Everyone, except Marcurio had a good nights sleep. Edited by Areial, Oct 29 2016, 12:57 AM.
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