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Man and Dragon, Dragon and Man; ....with a side-excursion into vampires and so on
Topic Started: Jun 15 2017, 08:41 PM (1,201 Views)
Serethil
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Et'Ada
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One: Arngeir

We have waited a long time now. Verinne has been in contact with us at times - Tiercel is apparently a mother without peer; she has now seven children! Verinne says she herself is aging - the last time the courier brought a letter, she called herself "tottery".

I live in seclusion in this - former vampires' den of a castle. Something in the air here seems determined to keep me alive as long as is needed. Perhaps - it is to do with the Volkihar women, the Daughters of Coldharbour? If I were younger, I'd find that intriguing enough to study.

Or perhaps it is simply because it is not yet my time. It may have resonances in my determination to release my dragon friend from his curse.

In these days, I find it - fascinating - that Durnehviir has become more my friend than Paarthurnax ever was, no matter that Paarthurnax was head of our Order. We - Durnehviir and I - have much in common, odd as that may sound. He has lived eras of this world while shut away under a curse. He is - effectively - undead; the curse will never allow him to die, to find his own way to Sovngarde. This is sad, a travesty of what should have happened.

There are dragons in Sovngarde. Not all of that kind have been unmitigated evil like Alduin and those he corrupted. Durnehviir is cursed - and yet, he is far more civilized than most men of this world. Verinne Ravenwing the Dragonborn herself called upon him to fly me up to that glorious shrine to both man and dragon which her granddaughter commissioned. I find it far more likely that those dragons corrupted by Alduin were the operatives in the disconnect between man and dragon....

Still, those are just musings from the mind of an old man. The current hiatus - while Tiercel's children grow to an age where she may leave them - is very good for maunderings.

Now, some of those musings are pointless. But about the Ideal Masters - now that's to the point! They came to me, as close as a step away after Durnehviir faded that first night. And I offered to them a soul for a cursed soul: Alduin's soul for Durnehviir's cursed one.

They chose to remove and - perhaps - "think it over". I do not know how many Masters there were - or are! - but the stairs beyond which I could not go were clouded by something: mist? souls? I may never know. Some while later - several days or a week maybe, that cloud was there again, and I was told (inside my mind somehow) that it would be an acceptable exchange. I had the - distinct - impression of two things: that they were quite tired of having this dragon in their strange little world; and that they didn't believe I'd be able to give them Alduin's soul. Interesting.

I intimated that it might be a very long time before the exchange could be made. I received the impression of "We'll wait". And that's where we left it, two decades ago.
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Two: Durnehviir

My human friend seeks to set things out in a specific manner. Men have always chosen to - try to - limit - life... in this way.

We have of course discussed this in these decades of - waiting. There is a disconnect - between his understanding and mine. This does not cause us to come to blows of course. We are - more civilized than that, after all!

But it does cause me to wonder. How is it that the dova and man have become so.... lost.... from each other?

I lay this at Alduin’s feet. He.... chose.... wrongly. And now, all of us must deal with - the “fallout” (a word from far into the future of another world entirely; a place I have been due to not paying perfect attention to - where I needed to go....)

Still, there is so much of good, of right, of light, in this world. I have enjoyed the times flying over Tamriel at the Dragonborn’s Call. I wish.... to never leave this world. Nirn. I wish.... to go on to Sovngarde. The fault - aye, it was mine. But.... I was unaware. I know, I know. Ignorance is no excuse.

But.... eras of undeath, curse neverending. Alduin deserves this. I do not.
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neildarkstar
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Annnd... We're off with a great start!! :clap:
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Thank you, my friend! Oh, this is all so much "not lore" - but then again.... I've never been particularly fond of this world's lore.

Time for a shake-up!
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Three - Tiercel

I’ve - had - these odd bits floating into my mind for, perhaps, a year now. And tonight, with celebrating the Twins adulthood done - they’ve been.... forceful.

I see Arngeir. And g’ma’s dragon.... Durnehviir. They’re waiting. And somehow, in my mind, I know why they’re waiting. For me.

And my Twins. G’ma - she would have been their choice. But - she’s not young. So. It’s up to me - and the Twins.

Where then? Ah. Volkihar Castle. Arngeir has been there for... TWO DECADES?? Oh Divines. The poor man.... He’s waited while I had seven children. And Durnehviir has waited as well. So long....

Well.... children take time for growing. But now. It’s time to see what we need to do.

I called the family around me. And I set out the tale.
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Kane
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:pop:
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Thanks, Kane!
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Areial
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:clap: awesome start to a new adventure! I love the references!
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Andra Hawksdaughter
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Jarl
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Well you're shakin' it up Sis, and I for one love it! I'm happy, and not surprised that Durnehviir and Arngeir have become friends. I've always like Durnehviir! I like your Arngeir better than the game's. :thumb:
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Aw, thank you sisters! I could never make Arngeir be a cold clod of a Greybeard. I found him interesting from the beginning - and he just keeps putting stuff in my mind!

And poor dragon.... yep, have to do something to fix that....
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Serethil
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Four - A Tale of Two Beings

“See you, g’ma knew both Arngeir of the Greybeards, and Durnehviir the Cursed, long years gone now, when she had to deal with being the Last Dragonborn, to kill Alduin the World-Eater. After I finished the shrines to Meridia and Azura on Solstheim’s Frykte Peak, I had to decide where the shrine to Talos should go. And after some thought, I went to High Hrothgar to ask Master Arngeir (assuming he still lived) if I could go up to the very highest part of the Throat of the World, Paarthurnax’s Aerie.

“He was alive and actually quite well. And he gave me permission to go up to that pinnacle. When I got there, I found the old word wall, and I knew it would be the perfect place for the shrine. After some time, with the help of the sculptor Beran Ostigow and the Master Wizard Neloth Telvanni, the shrine was finished - with Talos in the center, no sword in hand to kill a dragon, and Akatosh about to spring to flight from the top of the word wall behind him.

“In order to get Master Arngeir up there - he had planned to simply fade to Sovngarde from the shrine - g’ma called the Cursed Dragon Durnehviir, whom she met when she was dealing with the Dawnguard and the Volkihar vampire women, to cause Harkon’s meddling with prophecies about putting out the Sun to fail.”

Tier paused, thought a moment, then continued. “Now, of course, that’s not the entire tale - by a lot! But it’s enough for now, enough to go on with. During the flight to the Aerie, Arngeir and Durnehviir found a friendship closer than most ever attain. And Arngeir chose to leave Sovngarde to wait for a time - until he could somehow trade one soul for another to those who manage the Soul Cairn, the Ideal Masters.

“He went to the portal to the Soul Cairn used by g’ma and the two Volkihar women, Valerica and Serana; and there he discussed the situation with those mostly unknown entities, those Masters of the Soul Cairn.

“He offered them Alduin’s soul in exchange for Durnehviir’s - so that Durnehviir would become uncursed, and able to go to Sovngarde, the long home of all of us. While his debt had long been paid to the Masters, he was trapped by so many eras in the Soul Cairn - and Arngeir thought that once the soul exchange had been done, that Durnehviir would be able to move his body, soul, and spirit to Sovngarde without issues.”

Terlinna frowned. “But ma.... what had the dragon done to be so chained to the Soul Cairn?”

“He - like so many necromancers of the human sort - treated with the Ideal Masters for assistance. In repayment, they tasked him with protecting Valerica the Volkihar Daughter of Coldharbour. They - um - failed to explain that she was immortal. And by the time he found out just what had been done to him, it was too late - he was so bound to the Soul Cairn that even his brief visits to Tamriel at g’ma’s call could be painful if they lasted too long.”

Vaerlon studied me, g’ma, ma, da, Var, and the others. “So. You are telling us this because.... we must have something to do with these two - with Arngeir the Greybeard and Durnehviir the Cursed.”

“Aye. You see, I had so many children... and you’ve all needed to be near-grown before I could go to help with finding Alduin’s soul. And now, g’ma” I nodded at her as the sadness grew on her face “says she’s too ‘tottery’. It was, I think, to have been g’ma and me.

“Now, it will be me and Ter and Vaer. And Var when he can be spared from governance. Two decades Arngeir has been living in Volkihar Castle! It’s time and beyond to deal with this.”

I got four definite nods: g’ma, Var, Vaer, and Ter. The others looked at us and seemed a bit bemused.

“You’re all grown enough to manage without parenting for a bit. G’ma, ma and da will be here for you.” And tears overflowed at that point, because g’da had died a few months back, and NONE of us were over that yet.

“We will do this as expeditiously as possible. Of course, if any of us had any idea where Alduin’s soul might be, it would be easier!”
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Andra Hawksdaughter
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Jarl
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I love it Sis, and I think that many things the kids have probably heard about their Elders' lives (that likely doesn't seem real to them, lol) will surprise and even shock them. Children too often don't see their parents and grandparents, much less those even older, as real people who've lived real lives. LOL I'm really looking forward to more of this! :clap:
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Thanks Sis! I could have of course, shortcut that by just picking up with them on their way, and mentioning that the tale-telling had happened. But *shrug* - there's no premium on space here, and I felt like writing it out!
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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And.... to address the business about kids not getting that their elders had "real lives" - it's a fair assumption. Until I was grown, married, and a mother - my parents lived in some oddball non-reality.

Unfortunately for me, once I realized.... I'd have far preferred to have left them there. Admittedly, most people don't have family shit of the dreck-depths of mine....
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neildarkstar
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A second good start, eh? :thumb:
Edited by neildarkstar, Jun 17 2017, 04:21 AM.
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Thanks neil!
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Areial
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:clap: Lovely... I can almost hear the "children" now.. "do you know what Ma, did?!

I was a little different, I knew my Elder's had had a life and what kind they had.. but that's a story for a different place!
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neildarkstar
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I knew my parents had lives, and... I just tried to stay the hell out of the way so that I could have my own life while they were gone. :)

As an afterthought, some might say that's a tough way to live at ten years old, eh? :D
Edited by neildarkstar, Jun 17 2017, 10:12 AM.
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Serethil
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Five - Beginnings

And having said that, I had a sudden thought. “G’ma. Did you - absorb - Alduin’s soul?”

She shook her head. “No. And I asked Arngeir about that - after. He said Alduin may perhaps not be permanently dead - he might be sent back by the Gods to fulfill his intended destiny as the World-Eater at the true end of time. So I think that meant his soul must have remained with his spirit even though he - disintegrated - upon his death.”

“Then we need to think how to find where his spirit now resides?”

“So it would seem. I think the first thing might be to talk to Arngeir....”

This meant of course, traveling first to Volkihar Castle, and making a way into it to find Arngeir. “G’ma, how do we get to the portal where I suppose Arngeir is waiting?”

“I think you can reach the balcony from the ruined side tower, without having to go clear through the castle the way I did. It’s not really a balcony, more of a slightly arched bridgework from the door into Valerica’s lab to the next tower. I didn’t look around in it - I couldn’t get out of there fast enough! If nothing else, you should be able to rope-climb it.”

I arched my eyebrows. “Of course. I’m so young and nimble after seven children!” which got grins all around. I actually could still rope-climb if necessary....

We plotted and planned and packed. Three days later, we tacked horses, stowed gear in packs and bags, and I walked into the house to say farewell to Var.

“I want to be with you on this, but there’s this damnable fuss between Whiterun and Falkreath....”

“I know my love. Once you’ve sorted them out, you can catch us up. I’ll be sure to send couriers to keep you updated about where we are.”

“Be careful. All of you. I don’t want anything to happen to any of you!”

We held each other close for a moment, shared a long kiss, and then I went back to the stables, gathered reins and mounted, followed quickly by Vaer and Ter.

“We’ll go to Katla’s Farm, stable the boys, and pay Felgor to ferry us out to the Castle. He won’t want to, but he can’t say no to septims, so....”

It was about half a day to the Farm by road, and none of us were interested in swimming the Sound. After paying Lenna for a couple of days for the horses, I told her if we didn’t get back by then just to run a tab and send Var the bill. She just laughed at me.

“Ye be th’ High Queen. Shouldn’a charge ye at all!”

Then we walked down to the far dock, to argue with a recalcitrant ferryman. It took a half hour of offering more septims a little at a time, but finally we got to his sweet spot, loaded the bags and packs and ourselves into the boat, and were off.

“I bain’t waitin’ fer ya. So don’ be thinkin’ it.”

“Fine. We’ll manage.”

He dumped us off on the shingle below the gloomy old castle, wheeled his boat, and left without a backward glance. It was nearing sundown, so we moved back from the water a ways, and set up a sketch camp for the night.
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Andra Hawksdaughter
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And so, here they go! I hope the place is clean of what was left after Harkon and company were slain, and that Arngeir can help with information. Jeez, I love Tier's determination!! I'll try to be patient for the next! Well done again Sis!
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