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R.I.P. neildarkstar. Haven will miss you dearly.
| Tiercel's Peregrinations | |
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| Topic Started: Jan 10 2017, 09:00 PM (4,180 Views) | |
| Serethil | Jan 30 2017, 12:26 PM Post #121 |
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Et'Ada
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AAMOF - I don't know what CCR is. But since I'm not a fan of vocals, it's not likely to worry me much. |
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| Areial | Jan 30 2017, 12:37 PM Post #122 |
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Et'Ada
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Oh...lol Clearwater Credence Revival... it's a mouthful so CCR. |
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| Serethil | Jan 30 2017, 07:14 PM Post #123 |
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Et'Ada
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Oh. Well at least I've heard of them.... |
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| Andra Hawksdaughter | Jan 30 2017, 08:34 PM Post #124 |
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Jarl
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Love some CCR! :D Sere, this is great, and I hope she finds that little shit, and whups his ass! His Da seems a good man, but he should've whupped him good long ago too. No w I have to wonder if the jerk that we haven't seen yet, Winstad, is calling the shots or if it was a lie by Torvik. I am really loving this tale, it grabbed hold of me fast! LOVE the suspense! Edited by Andra Hawksdaughter, Jan 30 2017, 08:35 PM.
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| Serethil | Jan 30 2017, 08:39 PM Post #125 |
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Et'Ada
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Why, thank you, Sis! I didn't have much choice here - she sort of grabbed my grey cells.... More tomorrow! |
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| Serethil | Feb 1 2017, 07:24 PM Post #126 |
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Et'Ada
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18 - I should have shackled him to the carriage I guess? Damn. Bordag looked at me, perplexed. I gave the area around us a thorough going-over. It looked like he’d headed back toward Morthal. That was a facer. He was going to show up at the mine, and probably he and this Windstad character were going to take out Tovis. That can’t happen. So we turned back for home. I walked off and on, checking to see if I could tell how fast Torvik might be moving. I wondered if he was really good at weaponswork - or was a sabre cat going to get him? Torvik wasn’t making any attempt to hide his traces. He was walking in the middle of the road, apparently uncaring that he might be followed. He had a pretty good lead on us though - so I finally said, “Here. You go on back to town, I’m going to head for the mine - I might get there a lot faster than he will, since I’m mounted. Please, go to the Hall when you’ve taken care of the horse and carriage, and let my folks know what’s happened, won’t you?” “Aye, miss - and happy to do it!” I waved, and turned my horse, setting him at a canter toward the mine. It was at least one night more between where I was now and the mine, and since it wasn’t going to be full moons, I wouldn’t chance riding through the night. I should be able to make up some time though - and I hoped that I could beat Torvik to the mine so I could talk to Tovis before he showed up. I was muttering under my breath about this entire imbroglio. I had my doubts that any of the Whiterun guard would know anything much about this Windstad - it sounded like he used so many different names they’d be hard put to say anything. Still, I should get to Whiterun and try anyway - and see if Danica’s new healer had been able to draw the man’s face. But that would all have to wait now until I got to Tovis. I curled into my bedroll for a few hours rest after dark. I’d eaten the rest of Tovis’s stew, and was glad to have it. I slept about five hours I estimated, and was up at dawn, grooming my boy and tacking him. Nothing for breakfast, but that was fine. I set out again, and by noon was coming to lands I knew well, south and a bit west of the mine and the Manor. I didn’t ride right up to the mine; I dismounted in a stand of trees upslope from the cabin above the mead hall, tied the horse so he could get to feed, and did a pretty quiet sneak down toward the office. It was still. I didn’t hear anything around the buildings. The miners of course would be in the mine, or in their beds if off-shift. I sidled into the office. No one there. Ugh. Had Torvik made better time than I thought he could, and they’d already done something with Tovis? Or.... maybe he was just down the mine? |
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| Kane | Feb 2 2017, 11:32 AM Post #127 |
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Overlord
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Uh oh. I have a bad feeling about that mine. |
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| Andra Hawksdaughter | Feb 2 2017, 11:47 AM Post #128 |
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Jarl
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Uh oh is right! The things I want to call Torvik right now I won't print here.... But, SUPER update, though it's making me crazy, lol. |
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| Serethil | Feb 2 2017, 01:44 PM Post #129 |
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Et'Ada
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I live to make you guys crazy you know! Thanks guys! |
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| Areial | Feb 3 2017, 01:15 AM Post #130 |
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Et'Ada
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Oooo nail bitter... hope she got their 1st! |
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| Serethil | Feb 3 2017, 07:53 PM Post #131 |
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Et'Ada
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19 - Down the mine I go.... I didn’t want to go sneaking around in the mine - after all, the miners would be filling their carts with ore, and would tend to look at me strangely most likely. However, if I was looking for Tovis and Torvik - well, I could ask the miners about Tovis, of course. I didn’t want to ask about Torvik though, for obvious reasons! Before heading into the mine, I went into the mead hall. Televi was sweeping the floor; I walked up to her and asked “Have you seen Tovis today?” She looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. “Well, of course I have. Wasn’t he in here an hour ago to eat? He’s likely checking shift assignments in the old stope...” “Thanks - I’ll see if I can hunt him up.” It bothered me a bit that she didn’t seem confused to have Tovis, long retired, back at work. I wondered what story he’d given out, but obviously couldn’t ask her. I left the hall and went to the main doors into the mineworks, entering quietly. I stopped just out of the first lantern light to listen. I didn’t hear one thing - no mining noises, no voices.... A shudder rippled over my body - this was certainly not right. Not at all.... I decided the best thing to do would be stay as much out of lights as possible, and do a proper sneak - and hope none of the miners caught me. The first two workings were completely empty. The third one - there were miners stacked like cordwood all over! I started checking to see if they were alive - they were, at least those I checked - but all seemed out cold. Their breathing was shallow and slow. I didn’t know what sort of magic or potion could cause this - not being either a mage or an alchemist was turning out, in this instance, to be a liability! Surely it couldn’t have been potions though - there would have been no way to ensure all the miners drank at the same time.... Now I had to be even more careful - because it seemed likely that either Torvik or his friend, or both, were down here somewhere - with Tovis, who wasn’t here in the mess of miners. I moved even more slowly and quietly toward the main stope which was the next working down the way. Still no noise of any type, no pick sounds, no voices. I really didn’t want to wind up at the very bottom of the mine - it was tight quarters in those new stopes, no room to maneuver. Before I went on into the stope, I slithered into the miners’ kitchen and break room - no bodies, no food, no fire, no light. I stopped before heading further into the mine to consider whether I should go back to Morthal for help. But that might let them get away.... Well.... I hoped I had some warning before I found them - because if I walked right into them, I’d likely be dead before I knew what happened! Ugly thought.... About halfway down the main stope I thought I could hear voices. I got even slower and quieter. Yes - definitely voices, all male. At least two of them - no, there was a third.... Tovis! So, considering the situation with the out-cold miners, the others were probably Torvik and the man calling himself Windstad. Good thing my night vision was better than normal - there were no lanterns in this end of the stope, which at least meant I didn’t have to keep moving away from the circles of light. They must have put them out for some reason. I crouched close to the floor as I reached the opening into the workings to my left. I kept my own breathing shallow, and closed my eyes to slits - they had lanterns in the workings, and I didn’t want the light to show up my eyes. A voice I didn’t recognize - so likely Windstad (calling him that for want of a real name): “You’d best give over being obstinate old man - I’ll smoke you under like the rest of them!” Smoke.... I didn’t know there was a poison carried on smoke.... “I don’t care what you do to me. Your little game here is over no matter what. As for you, my son” I could hear the contempt, and sadness, in his words “I’ve left a letter with the full tale of everything that’s happened. You’ve no place left here - but you’d best get out of it while you can. Yon git’s going to kill you eventually anyway, you know.” Torvik muttered something under his breath; I couldn’t hear what he said. Windstad: “Go on. Get out then, your da’s a better hostage than even the girl was. You talk too much anyway. So get. Before I just give you enough smoke to kill you.” Ack. I slithered back away from the opening, and then across the stope into deeper shadow. I didn’t want Torvik falling over me, if he did leave! And he did. So I followed along a bit behind him until we got up to the top of the rise. He was foolish enough not to look back.... which is why I was able to brain him with a pickaxe as we reached the miners’ kitchen. He slumped without a sound. I tied him up with the rope that was everywhere, and then gagged him so he couldn’t make much sound. Then I hurried a bit to get back down to the workings where Tovis was held by Windstad. And I discovered that there were things about this mine I’d never known.... like the existence of a “back way” - out into the swamp. Into daylight. Damn. I didn’t follow for the obvious reason - I’d be seen the moment I left the dark of the mine. Windstad pushed Tovis along ahead of him. Tovis’s wrists were bound behind him, I could see. The two men were not heading for the Manor though - Windstad was herding Tovis east. The minute I stepped outside the mine I’d be in full view - so instead I ran back through the mine, then into the hall, and yelled for Televi. “Teli - the miners are all drugged by something, in the third working. And Torvik is tied up in the kitchen - don’t let anyone release him, he’s part of the gang that drugged the miners. Tovis has been taken by the gang, out the back entrance” by this time her eyes were as round as the full moons “so I’ll get my horse and follow if I can, while you go get Lami. Explain to her that the gang used something delivered by smoke to put the miners to sleep. Then go to the Hall and tell the Jarl and her husband, and my parents, what’s toward, please!” She gulped and nodded. “Thank you. Sorry to be giving orders but I don’t want anyone to be any further hurt!” She turned and ran for the mine’s horse and cart, expertly backing the horse into the traces, and taking off at his lumbering canter for Morthal. I mounted Vigil and headed around the mine eastward, stopping in a copse of trees to see if I could see Windstad and Tovis. Ah. They had just crested the hill between the mine and the road. I’d have to hang back far enough that Windstad wouldn’t see me.... |
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| Andra Hawksdaughter | Feb 4 2017, 06:13 PM Post #132 |
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Jarl
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Holy crap! Ooh, she needs to get that bastard! Good on Tovis to leave the letter, unless it was just a ploy! Nerve wracking Sere, and great fun to read!!! |
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| neildarkstar | Feb 4 2017, 06:50 PM Post #133 |
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Overlord
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:pop: |
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| Areial | Feb 4 2017, 07:56 PM Post #134 |
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Et'Ada
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Now she has seen the adversary! Hopefully he does not have time to hurt Tovis! |
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| Serethil | Feb 4 2017, 07:58 PM Post #135 |
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Et'Ada
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20 - Time to track a weasel! I chose to lead Vigil instead of riding. I would close up on them too fast if I rode, and that would be a bad idea, considering. As I crested the hill myself, I saw Windstad making for - Stonehills? Why would he go there? Uh oh. Windstad would take Tovis there - if Stonehills was under Windstad’s control.... Damn damn damn.... Whoever this man is really, he’s got his fingers in way too many Hjaalmarch pies. This is not good at all. I’m going to have to be really careful not to get caught by whatever crew he has at Stonehills. If it’s his own people, what happened to the locals, and why didn’t anyone know there was a problem here? G’ma was going to have hissy fits over all this eventually! Can’t blame her either. I decided to drop back far enough to mount, and then ride around and come in above the little settlement near the mine. I knew a place where I could watch the whole area, including the road. I’d really love to get down there and hear what was going on, but I was pretty sure there wasn’t going to be a safe way to do that. Getting myself caught again wasn’t something I wanted to think about.... I might not live over it the next time. As narrow escapes go, the first one was hellacious. I likely wouldn’t get that lucky again. Once in position under cover but with a good view, I saw Windstad directing Tovis into the mining camp. And then into the mine itself. Windstad was down there for a few minutes, probably just long enough to tie Tovis more securely, and then he reappeared and headed for the largest of the houses - the one where Farnan Whitenose lived, or had, when he had been running the mine. I’d bet on him being dead by now. Maybe all the locals were dead. Well, I’d better get back then - likely Lami, Teli, and the family were at our mine by now. I hoped Tovis would be all right - but without a large group to go into Stonehills, there would be no way to tell. Unless.... I wondered if there was a back way out of Stonehills mine too. That would have to wait, but I wouldn’t be surprised. The likelihood was pretty high that Windstad had opened the one at our mine - and my guess would be that he used the same setup as long as it worked. I left quietly, backtracked south instead of north just in case, and mounted when well out of range of sound from Stonehills. I set Vigil to a racing canter - and we were home within an hour. Yes, the family was here, and the miners were staggering out of the mine. Torvik was laying in a heap to one side, still bound and gagged. Da looked up as I dismounted. “Geran, deal with Tier’s horse. Tier, three of the miners died from whatever was used on them.” He told me that Televi was inside with Lami, g’ma and ma, working on the most seriously ill of the miners still remaining. “I’m taking the older boys to dig graves; da’s gone to talk to the High King, who’s for a wonder in Solitude for a change. Damn that Ulfric - he should have had the sense to die a lot sooner, because Vartain is having a hell of a time keeping things together....” I just nodded. I wasn’t about to get into it with da over the new High King and whatever idiocy was going on with sixty or so years of ‘cloak stupidities. Yes, we’re Nords; no we didn’t choose sides, but damn - da’s a bard, and he just can’t quit chewing on it! It was long past middle night, with the fae lights green-glowing, before we got back to Morthal. And then I had to explain to everyone about Torvik (hauled along with us, and thrown into the jail in the Hall), Windstad, and Tovis. The silence was total. I could have cut it with a knife. |
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| Areial | Feb 4 2017, 08:11 PM Post #136 |
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Et'Ada
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great read.... sound's like a "war" strategy is in hand... |
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| Andra Hawksdaughter | Feb 4 2017, 08:12 PM Post #137 |
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Jarl
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Once they wring all the information they can get from Torvik, I hope it's off with his head, with the same for that Winstad! Loved the history touch about the High King. :D :thumb: |
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| Serethil | Feb 4 2017, 08:26 PM Post #138 |
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Et'Ada
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Well, jeez - 60 years on, they HAVE to have had a couple of them probably! This stuff just jumps into my head and through my fingers on the keys into the story.... Yep. War council coming up. Tier hasn't told me what happens to Torvik.... and maybe this is one place where I'll be deciding.... Thanks, sisters! |
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| neildarkstar | Feb 5 2017, 06:18 PM Post #139 |
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Overlord
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:thumb: |
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| Kane | Feb 6 2017, 10:21 AM Post #140 |
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Overlord
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:nails: |
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