True that.... I use the "pirate" shirt and boot's... the regular huntress top... would be great if it wasn't sooo low cut.

No kidding. I mean, I'm okay with some stuff - misfit mage, or scarlet dawn.... but those are pretty mild compared!

Sere, so sorry Veri has to deal with that...man? He's another reason, and the one 'behind' him...that I don't like the MQ. Good update though!

Eh, really, that part is the least of my issues with the MQ. I feel sorry for Septimus. Obviously, if you are a mage, you are insatiably curious - which leaves you open (in TES) to invasion by daedric minds....

Okay, you (assuming you are a mage of more than average ability) should be wary of "offers" from agents of whom you have no real knowledge. But.... still....

The Ravensdaughter:

Winterhold was good for one thing anyway: an inn, with food and fire, and a bed. And wine. I indulged, after eating and warming up. Shortly before I decided to head for bed, Tolfdir walked in. He got some wine, then wandered over to where I sat by the firepit.

"Did you find him?"

I nodded. "He's old, he's crazier than a dwemer puzzle box himself, and he knows where the Scroll is. He says. I have to go into a dwemer ruin, then into something known as Blackreach. Want to come along?"

His eyes lit up, but then the embers died. "Yes - but no. I'm old myself, child. I know a bit about Blackreach, and it's not a place for an old man. In fact - it's likely to tax a young woman...." He relapsed into thought. "Do you really want someone to go along with you?"

I laughed gently. "No, Tolf. I would welcome you, if you really wanted to trail along after me. But otherwise, I'm a loner. At least until I get through this - whatever 'this' is. And.... even then.... I doubt I'll have much welcome for extras. Lots of water under lots of bridges...." I sighed, and lifted my wine in salute.

He smiled sadly. "I'm no diviner, but I do feel that you have much pain, and that you think you will never shed it. And I'm no prophet.... But you should turn yourself outward more than inward so much. That's not a good thing to do....'

"Oh aye. I know it. I seem to have inherited more from my father than just his swords. I remember Mamda telling him to quit crying into his beer.... And he'd growl at her, then laugh a bit. His temper was blacker than mine - if he was angry, he held a grudge until judgment before the Divines. Mine - well, it's tinder - instant flare, and then fizzles to nothing. You know.... if you ever need somewhere to retire.... I'll have a home (assuming I live over whatever this is) - it's building now just north of Morthal where my great-aunt is Jarl - and you would be a welcome addition to it. Think about it."

His eyebrows climbed. "That's a kindly offer. I will keep it in mind. I know there's a mage in Morthal - hight Falion, as I recall. But there's something - odd - there.... Well, not important now. Did Septimus tell you which dwemer ruin?"

"No. He showed me more or less where an entrance could be found on this little map I copied out when I first got to Skyrim." I pulled it out of its pouch and unrolled it for him. "See - his mark is here. Do you know the area?"

"Aye. That's Alftand, that is. I've not been inside it - Saarthal is enough for me now. In fact, if you get all this taken care of, I could use your help with Saarthal. Too many students have gone missing - I don't know that they're in Saarthal, but I don't know they aren't either...."

"I'll be back then, when I've got the rest of this sorted. Anything I can do for you - well, just ask. You've done me several favors, when you didn't have to. My thanks - and I'll be happy to help with your Saarthal issue eventually."

He grinned, which made him look only about Derda's age suddenly. "I look forward to it! Now, I must be off. Students will be waiting, FAR too early!" He rose, drained his wine, bowed, and left the inn.

I shook my head. I'd never known my grandas - but I'd bet they were much like Tolfdir, if without the magics.... I finished my own wine and headed for the room. I needed warmth and sleep.

Serethil.. that is a very nice update... sweet of her to invite Tolfdir to stay with her....

A crowd can be the loneliest of places, One is never alone as long as they have memories... only by self determination can one decide which is worse.

Oy.... yup. That's a pretty darn good statement of how I feel about things myself. I don't do people. I ESPECIALLY don't do people in quantities larger than two others (besides husband and me). More than four in a room these days? Nope. Not going there.

I manage shopping because I concentrate on what I need, and ignore everything else. Those "crowds" are not - germane to anything regarding "me". Now if everyone else (family etc.) would just butt the hell out *sigh*....

Not happening.

Sere, again, I'm with Areial on this, very good, and Tolfdir is a sweetie. I would love to see him retire near Veri. *grin* But..that would change a lot.

No crowds, I don't do them either anymore.

Thanks sis! Well, Veri's missing her grandas (even though she never really knew them) and probably Tolf would fall into that niche - have to build him his own place, with a deep cellar for "experiments".... Heh.

Verinne Ravenwing the Ravensdaughter:

It was a fairly long hike (especially without Black) to the area where Tolf had confirmed what Signus had scratched on my map - an entrance to Alftand, the dwemer ruin "doorway" to Blackreach and an Elder Scroll. Since Alftand was smack in the middle of the northern glacial shelf southwest of Winterhold, it was not only a pretty long hike, it was cold. As was nearly everything in this country.... I longed for Whiterun and Riverwood suddenly. But I knew my home was Morthal. Thankfully, that hold was considerably warmer than it was out here, if not as summer-lush as Whiterun.

I arrived at a camp near the middle of the second night. I put off digging around until it would be light enough to see, rolling up in blankets and furs and trying to sleep. Rising at daylight, I started poking around the ramshackle camp. Bodies - either burned or cold-seared; and a leather bound book titled "Expedition Manifest". This proved to be a list of members of a party planning to explore Alftand, written by the expedition head, one Sulla Trebatius. So.... hmm. Were they inside Alftand and alive, even though this camp was long-abandoned, falling down? Or were they all dead in there? I was likely to find out one way or the other, wasn't I?

And how interesting that this Sulla had problems with the College.... even going so far as to supposedly find a mage not associated with said College. Two Khajiit - oh gods, they had to be miserable, must have needed this job in the worst way.... I poked around most of the day finally finding what looked like ingress to the ruins, and made a fire in the building with the most solid walls just at dusk. I ate, thought over what I had with me, and decided I'd go partway in, see if any of the expedition were alive, and then think if I might need to get more supplies - especially more blankets, furs, and warmer clothing.

Restless night - no dreams, but I was so cold it wasn't good for sleeping. Again, I rose at daylight, and gathered my gear, packed up, and headed down the slope and across the wood planks that seemed to be some sort of entry pathway. Eventually the path debouched into a narrow ice cleft that opened into an equally narrow tunnel. It actually felt warm. Well, warmer. Likely because I was out of the ever-present wind more than anything.

But that made me reconsider going back for anything. I thought I'd have enough food - I supposed if needed I could eat skeever. Bound to be some of them around a place like this. Not my preference for a meal, but going hungry would be a worse idea. True, I could go back to Winterhold and get a lot more food and supplies - but just at this point I wanted to be DONE with this. I hoped my impatience wouldn't lead to a sudden bloody end....

Serethil... I like that Veri is thinking about food supplies and how long they will last,

Heh. Veri's one of my alter egos after all. Of all the people I've ever known, I'M the one who would make it through a serious emergency - because I know stuff.... In fact, if we were under attack in the US, I'd bet on ME living over it (short of atomic bombs and direct hits of course) because I know how to kill my own food, cook it safely outdoors, use the hides/pelts for warmth - and I have a HUGE mountain with fresh water all year, and a gazilion places to hide, not to mention abundant game for that food, and plenty of wood for fires. And places to use to hide the smoke from same.... Not to mention a sufficiency of growing stuff for greens - not even a confirmed carnivore like myself can exist on nothing but meat. Fat could be an issue.... ever hear of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_starvation? This is why I keep a crapton of bacon frozen.... seriously.

Do I expect to have to use any of this esoteric knowledge? No, not really. But no knowledge is EVER wasted.

[Oh.... I also have a reasonable facsimile of an arsenal.... So yeah, invaders might get me eventually, but I'd take a bunch of them with me.]

LOL.... Bear meat? Large fat content.... I'd have to look up the nutrition content...but I think it's one of the "fattier" north American meat's ( not including whale and seal) ... after swine of course. ( ok...so P.E.T.A. would have a hissy fit... Oh wait... since they don't hunt... prolly no guns... ) Their are just times when Tofu and Kale won't do.

Survival of the... errr well not really smartest... most knowledgeable?

Makes that question that pop's up on the forums once in a while... very enlightening... " Could you survive in Skyrim?" ..answer... yup ( barring dragon's and Troll's )

Yah. I could survive in Skyrim - for dragons and trolls, I'd have to find a very small cave and pull it in after me! *laughing*

Yes, bear is a great fat option. Not many up on the mountain though - we've seen the tracks occasionally, but I'd estimate there are less than 100 total on several thousand square miles (or more.... I'd have to get a current estimate, just don't know). Bears this far south - just not optimal. And man, trying to kill one quietly.... well.... nope. You'd need a pit trap, and some SERIOUS damage dealers in the bottom (if you were trying NOT to use the 30.06.... since you can hear that SOB for about 80 miles in any direction - so if you're wanting to keep enemies from finding you.... not a good idea to kill ANYTHING other than human hostiles with it....)

Of course there are some decent (if labor intensive) options for fat: currants, raspberries and blackberries (TONS of them on the mountain - and they have a fair amount of fat when cooked down - more obvious that way, but eating them raw is far less laborious; it's not as useful as animal fat, but in a pinch.... and if it's the right season....); fish, mostly brown trout; eggs from various wild birds.

We have a really lush area here. We'd probably be able to survive for decades without anyone really finding us....

Well ..yeah their IS that little problem of how to kill it....lol Back home it would be fish, pecan's, walnuts and some of the fattier fish...berries.. Oh and Lord knows... hogs... in some places they absolutely destroy strawberry crops. Not sure myself what the bear population is in FL... but as Fish and Game had them "extinct" til the mid 80's when a man hit and killed one with his truck... can't be all that many... maybe 100 or 200 for the state.

Well that was quite a bit to catch up to. Great stories as always, ladies. Both HR and Immersive Jewelry are mods I wanted to try but never got around to. I did try Helgen Reborn but dropped it like halfway through for some reason.

@Maxus - Yet another new character but as always your introductions have me asking for more.

Anyways, yeah, Aza and Genevieve's relationship is based on geeking out over magical things and cattiness, so that was a way of letting him know that they'll still be doing projects like those as equals, but she's still technically his superior.

Nothing new yet. Still working at the actual game.

Bears are doing good in mid-Florida area. I don't know their numbers but they are doing well enough that they just had a bear hunt here this last year. Caused a real ruckus let me tell ya.

Veri is sounding a bit like my new girl that I mentioned in the other thread. She set herself up in Cracked Tusk Keep and is squirrling away all kinds of food preparing for winter LOL. They are smart ladies

Wonderful Sere!! You're making me feel the cold again, and oh lordie, Alftand. I dislike it, gives me the creeps, like most dwemer ruins! I look forward to what Veri thinks and has to say about that place! *g*

monkeye, give the updated HR a shot, it's pretty darn good!

Good to know... I haven't been back to FL in 5 yr's.. and didn't really keep track...lol... though I know Bear's made the new's quiet a bit for a while... I was born in Dunedin and lived most of my "growing year's" In Pasco county.

I might in the future. I can't for the life of me remember why I uninstalled it, though. Was there a conflict? Was my mod list poorly made? I think I just gave up on the save. Next new save, I'll try it.

Ake...#83

I actually decided not to get into HR - because it's all these followers in everything. I HATE FOLLOWERS. I'm a lone wolf. Period.

Veri's Tale:

I steeled myself - I really don't like "undergrounds". And dwemer ruins? Even less. But - needs must when devils -or daedra - drive.... Gramda was laughing in her shroud I had no doubt, at me using one of her favorite sayings! But it had to be done, and it was mine to do. So I set about it. As I edged carefully around corners, and stopped often to listen, I also thought about Tolf's recommendation that I turn outward instead of inward. He was, of course, entirely right. It was hard to change the bent of a lifetime though - while happy enough (at least until Derda left) as a child, I'd still been caught within myself. I'd found it a protection.... one very much needed.

Suddenly I heard a voice. Rambling words I couldn't quite catch.... ah. Because it was khajiit.... Huh. One of the two was alive. The voice went on, and now I could catch the anger, the loss, the sheer hatred - I didn't get all the words, but he was talking to his brother.... about skooma.... and where was it hidden. Oh Divines. A khajiit coming down off a skooma high, and not finding more. Ugly. And likely to get uglier, if the brother didn't produce.... I quickened my pace a bit - I really wanted to find the brothers and ask some questions....

Well. It was worse than ugly. One brother was long dead, lying in a dried pool of - presumably - his own blood. The other leaped on me the minute I turned from the body, and there was nothing I could do but kill him. I found the journal of the brother who was long dead - he had brought them on this trip to try to wean the other from the drug. He'd brought what he thought would be enough skooma to bring his brother down over time.... Obviously this plan had gone tragically wrong. I shook my head. Well, get on with it Veri.

I did. It wasn't fun. In fact, it was anything but. Twisty paths and corridors, full of dwemer automata and falmer.... Just let me be DONE with this! And finally I was - the last two of the expedition were dead. Umana and Sulla - they were fighting each other and yelling; and then they saw me, and turned to attack as one. So they died, my swords singing their death song and drinking their blood. And in the center of the last room - was the receptacle for the odd little sphere Signus had handed me. It had taken me a couple of days to get this far. I still had food - I'd raided the falmer abodes for edibles after killing the owners. And I had water. So. I would camp tonight, and head into Blackreach in the morning. So far, Signus had not played false. I hoped I could count on that continuing.

[Ooo Andy - Ake's in deep yogurt, she is! I laughed at Kerik getting the rough edge of Gerdie's tongue.... That was fun - not for Ake though....]

Sere....ugh, Falmer! Hate those things. I've always felt sorry for the Khajiit though, the brother who just wanted to heal his brother. Veri did the only thing possible though. I love her determination!

Gotta love my Gerdie, hehe.

Thanks - well, she has no choice really.... Sometimes she thinks "honor be DAMNED" - but she can't go there....

Andra... LoL... I can't say as I feel sorry for Ake... Training... one must always keep up with it... but better the sharp tongue of a friends than the sharp edge of a sword. And... story wise anyway...she might need all that training!

Serethil......I can understand Veri's dislike of underground places... I barely got my cave diving license and did the minimum at that.... I always feel sorry for the Brothers.

Yeah, the brothers.... I understand thinking that the addicted one should just - well... whatever happens. I also understand the brother doing his best to fix things. I hate that J'zhar wound up dead, and that the PC has to kill J'darr - no option at all. I REALLY hate it. I want to have some other option there.... Too much water under too many bridges.... And if this tale hadn't already gone on for far longer that it should.... I'd have "fixed" all that.

Maybe on some other girl....

Veri:

Dreams. I swear they'll be my death. At least - not this night.... but - what did it mean? Derda standing, swords out, limned against the fae lights.... backlit, I couldn't see his face but considering.... I assumed a death-grimace. "You shall NOT pass. I will die before you gain this side. Get you back to the hell from which you were birthed, spawn of -" I didn't understand the word he spat at the blackness. It was a language I'd never heard before. But the blackness drew away a bit, as if taken aback that any mortal would front it in such a way.

I heaved myself up - out and away from that dreaming. I could not... WOULD not.... watch the rest. Not this night, not in this place. 'Derda. I love you. If I knew whence you had gone, where I could find you....' My thought trailed away into the cold of this dwemer tomb.

I woke suddenly, tears freezing on my cheeks. Gods. These places.... sometimes I thought dead would be better. But not this day. I gathered myself, packed up my kit, and headed into Blackreach.