Character Stories #9 : V - Skyrim

» Wed May 11, 2016 4:11 pm

Ah. Eh, not really my sort of thing. At least not at this point.

» Wed May 11, 2016 11:28 am

Sere., and army of falmer and humans is right, glad Veri could get by them! Black reach is fun, but again, keeps me running in circles, ugh! Great descriptions of the dark!

When y'all figure NMM has got things all in order, let me know, maybe THEN I will switch to the profiling version!

Ake...#85

Back at our training area, Gerdie handed me the mace first. I wrinkled my nose and sighed, not too loudly...I didn't like maces. After warming up a bit, Gerdie set me to striking at the dummy, watching and correcting my swing. It didn't feel anything like my pick or axe. She mumbled something, and it wasn't hard to tell she didn't like what she saw. I set the mace aside, I didn't care if it was enchanted or not or whether Gerdie thought it was a good weapon or not, I wasn't using a damned glorified club. My chin was thrust out and arms crossed over my chest as I glared. At her frown, and gesture, Kerik handed me the ebony sword. It felt heavy and unwieldy to me, but I set to it. It didn't take long before Kerik spoke up. "She'll need more strength for the ebony, and she doesn't have the build for it." I was ready to toss them both through something...but I didn't have the strength, I thought nastily, turning my renewed glare to Kerik.

He took the ebony sword calmly and handed me the sleek Redguard blade. I hadn't remembered it being so light, but liked the feel of it, and it fit my hand well. I took a few slow swings, and surprised, I swung it a bit faster, adjusting my movements with the somewhat shorter blade. This felt so much different than any other sword I had tried in the past. I'd taken to using an axe because I thought swords didn't fit me, but this one...this one did. I grinned, moving faster and faster, using strikes and parries I'd never done well before, when Father and Omar tried daily to drum swordplay into me. I listened as Gerdie or Kerik shouted instructions, altering my stance or movements as they said, enjoying the smooth flow of what seemed an almost living extension of my own arm. I didn't even notice time passing until Gerdie shouted to hold, and I stopped. I was panting for breath, but smiling as widely as Kerik. This blade was meant for me.

Gerdie was smiling too, as I drank some water, and Kerik spoke up. "Good idea, but what made you think of it Gerdie?" She thought for a moment, "She didn't like the axe, she used the war pick better, but had to almost be forced to fight in melee using either one. She didn't like them, so had no confidence. It was just a matter of finding what she did like, besides the bow." She shrugged a shoulder, then looked at me, "No need to try the other, easy to see the Redguard blade suits you very well." I didn't want to use the Thalmor blade anyway, it was only proof to me that one was dead, and I wouldn't use a blade that had likely killed many innocents. "Perhaps those two warriors from Hammerfell in town could give you some advice as well, if you want to ask them." I nodded, wiping my face with a rag. "They might at that." We broke for a meal, then it was back to the practice dummy for the rest of the day.

I didn't complain.

That evening, as tired as I was, my good mood lasted. It was hard to believe that Gerdie saw something about me that I had not recognized in myself. Her much greater experience showed itself once again. Such a simple thing, finding that I was just using the wrong weapon, and now I felt confident that I would improve, and hold my own in any close up fighting. Kerik vowed though, that I would train, at least for a short time, every day, no matter what. That didn't sound like it would always work, but I'd worry about it later. Gerdie and Kerik planned to have one more day of training, then the next day he and I would head for Riften again to look for recruits. From there, to other cities in our search. It was going to be a lot of travel, and even using the carriages some, it was sure to wear on us both.

» Wed May 11, 2016 11:09 am

Oy, sis - that's such a revelation! Ake can do using a good sword what she can't with the other weapons. Great! Gerdie to the rescue again, bless the woman!

» Wed May 11, 2016 8:43 pm

Well-written Andra. Reminds me of my own RL experiences with swordplay.

» Wed May 11, 2016 4:16 pm

Sere and Neil, thanks! It seemed a natural progression for her at this point. Ake couldn't do without Gerdie!!

EDIT: Neil, I always wanted to learn a weapon other than the staff, but I think I was a bit afraid, lol. How wonderful for you!

» Wed May 11, 2016 9:56 am

Andra..... awesome! The right weapon should feel like an extension of your own arm.... Good of Gerdie to know that and find the proper weapon for Ake!

I took Fencing in 9th grade in high school.. That was fun, the instructor said that he would teach other types of swords to the more advanced student's the next year, but my schedule didn't allow for the class.

» Wed May 11, 2016 3:16 pm

Thanks Areial. I learned the staff, but the swords that were available to learn were large, almost like scimitars,and the art was a chinese style that didn't fit with the kenpo I took. So I passed...

Missing my Aillyn fix!

» Wed May 11, 2016 4:43 pm

I have one more Kurdan update in the works...then I'll start on her next update.

I wanted to learn the Cutlass... but a lot of that has to do with the History of the area I grew up in... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasparilla_Pirate_Festival I remember going every year to some of the "Float" parties and the parade... I can't remember how old my 1st parade was... 4 or 5... I would guess...

» Wed May 11, 2016 5:25 pm

I've heard of that festival, but sadly, have never been. Looks like great fun though!

» Wed May 11, 2016 5:02 pm

The Ravensdaughter:

I gathered myself, and stepped to the door. A gentle push opened it, and my jaw dropped again. I saw a round room, almost totally filled with a HUGE sphere of dwemer metals and glassy lenses. There was just enough room to edge around it to a ramp heading upward. I stopped to listen, but heard nothing at all. So I climbed the ramp as quietly as possible, and topping out, saw that there was another level above the sphere itself - and another ramp to get up there. In the ceiling were various odd lens-like things, depending from mechanical arms. They were jointed, as if they could move. I looked around the top of the sphere, finally finding a skeleton, and near it, a small leather journal.

He was Drokt. He'd become obsessed with figuring out this dwemer apparatus. Between his scratchings and the mad maunderings of Signus, perhaps I could sort something out. So I climbed the second ramp. There was an obvious place to put the cube that Signus had given me. So I did. Next to that receptacle were four buttons, one in each of four of those elegantly arched dwemer metal pedestals. The ceiling moved and a beam spotlighted something high above me that might be a scroll case - and if so, it was the largest of its kind I'd seen!

I realized that the two rightmost buttons now glowed electric blue. Hmm. Obviously they must have something to do.... Well, trial and error would seem the only way to proceed. A long while later, I'd managed to press the second button the right number of times - four - which caused a button to the left to light, and the cube - the Lexicon according to Signus - to open. So, I must now need to press the lit button.... but how many times? I pressed once - nothing happened. I pressed it again, and light flew into the lenses on the floor, then out and into the Lexicon. I think I'm glad the dwemer are long dead - knowledge enough to make things like this.... well, it could cause the entire world to go up in smoke and ashes. Then again, so can Alduin.

The farthest button to my left was now lit brightly. I pushed it. The lenses all moved again, and the scroll case was lowered slowly to the floor - or, well, the top of the sphere. When it settled finally, it opened in a graceful butterfly move - to reveal a large ivory-colored scroll. I had to assume this was the Elder Scroll itself. I grabbed the Lexicon cube - wouldn't do to fail to return it to Signus - and then dropped to the sphere to take the Scroll. It was beautifully worked and embellished, a truly lovely piece of work. I only hoped it was actually what I needed....

Signus was - well, excited doesn't quite cover it. He capered about, talking his nonsense, and then he said that I'd have to take his oddball mechanism and "harvest" the blood of the five remaining Mer races to mix in order to fulfill the requirement of dwemer blood for the lock - that would be of course, Dunmer, Altmer, Bosmer, and Orsimer - and Falmer. Well, much as I didn't want to do that, he'd helped me, so - I took his "extractor" and set off to get blood for the lock. I remembered that Alftand had bodies of all but Dunmer. Just as I got to the tunnel out of the ice cave, there was something - ugly - over the opening. Dark, roiling, smoking around the edges, and with tentacles writhing.

I stopped and waited to see what happened. A voice spoke out of the ugly. "I am Hermaeus Mora...." So a daedric prince wants me to supplant Signus as his "agent". Um. No. I told it to leave me alone. I have my doubts this daedra will pay attention even to the Dragonborn....

So I headed back to Alftand for the four that would be easiest to find. That took me another couple of days. Then I had to figure out where I could find a dead Dunmer. I didn't remember where I'd been lately that might have had Dunmer bodies.... I mean, I tend to blank stuff like bodies - and their races - out by preference.

Well, I decided to head home - maybe Roggi or Aslfur would know where there was a body. Besides, I desperately needed a bath. And the waters around Morthal were warmer by far than anywhere but the steam pools!

The Divines are watching out for me. A Dunmer attempted to ambush me just south of Winterhold. She died on my blades, and the extractor drank her blood with the rest. Well, that meant either going all the way west to Morthal, and then back, or sluicing myself in ice water and heading back to Signus. I decided to do the deed in the cold, and get the rest over with.

» Wed May 11, 2016 5:24 pm

Serethil...lol... That was very neatly done! I love the way Veri dealt with getting the blood!

» Wed May 11, 2016 3:40 pm

When learning a sword (particularly a large one) it can be hazardous to all manner of furniture, light fixtures, pets , and onlookers, unless you have a lot of room.

It's not very clear, but my avatar is actually a picture of me (highly photoshopped to befuddle the NSA ) holding my second favorite sword. That one is kind of a bastardized cross between a claymoor and a long sword, but it's very heavy. I prefer my lighter katana generally, which is what I meant when I said your tale reminded me of my own experiences. Anyway, I was given a matched pair katana and wakizashi for my 25th Birthday, and I instantly fell in love... much like your character with her new sword.

Serethil, I'm pretty certain you've now reached the farthest point I ever made in the MQ, so I will now force myself to not continue to read. I have to say though, that the trip to here has been GREAT!

» Wed May 11, 2016 10:26 am

No worries Neil. Even if this forum goes away before you want to read further, I'm saving it all to file, so can send it along through PM or post it somewhere else. I know exactly how you feel about spoilerish stuff! And thanks for the compliments along the way!

The only weapons (besides guns) I've ever had any experience with are bows (in high school - probably the SINGLE PE class I ever enjoyed), and katanas - a friend had some lovely katanas and wakizashis. I liked (and was better with) two katanas than a katana and wakizashi. He said it was because I was balanced between right and left musculature and ability (and in fact I'm virtually ambidextrous - since you can't read anything I write with either hand - and I can do anything else with either one, except mousing... for whatever reason, trying to use a mouse left-handed makes me cross-eyed or whatever).

Which is why my melee girls use two katanas. And thankfully there's not only a LOVELY crafted katana mod, but a one-hand weapon on back mod (both of which are seriously antique - and may not even be on the nexus any more....)

» Wed May 11, 2016 10:03 pm

Sere...skilfull observation mixed with trial and error, can't go wrong for Veri! *g* Darn her luck, and the icy bath again! Oh, I despise old Herma Mora!!

After going as far as I wanted to go in kenpo, I still went, but after a while I caved to weapons lessons. I enjoyed the bo staff very much, but the closest I got to swordplay was the bokken. (wooden, katana shape) I thought it would be less dangerous to myself, but after a couple of months of that and bruises too numerous to count, I gave it up! Never let anyone tell you a wooden sword is harmless! LOL I might have tried swords, had the ones offered been smaller and easier to wield without fear of cutting off one of my own body parts.

» Thu May 12, 2016 1:08 am

Sleepless night, the bathroom's spotless, and I remembered this was halfway done. Here's an update.

Labyrinthian

Spoiler

I took some time to settle back into the College before heading out to Hjaalmarch for the Greybeards' test. Though I wondered whether it was necessary, as Faralda was the only instructor of my favored schools of magic that I didn't already outperform.

As always, she was late for her lessons. I figued I may as well start delving into the other schools of magic while I waited. Necromancy and Restoration go hand in hand, and Alteration is always useful. Though I would most likely take to Restoration more readily than Alteration, it would seem that Colette wasn't a master of the school at all. Tolfdir it was then.

I managed to catch Genevieve once more to ask about Labyrinthian. A massive Nordish city like that must have some words of power hidden inside, and it was just south of the city of Morthal, where I would start my journey.

She did find two word walls, but suggested there may be more hidden among the ruins as she didn't get to explore the site thouroughly. It would make for an interesting detour.

So for the first time since Windhelm it was time to see a new part of Skyrim. I heard that the West was much less barbaric than the East, with the city of Solitude being the peak of civilization in the entire province. I made a mental note to visit soon. Tour the shops and possibly commission some new clothes. Something with lace.

I was fully aware that the region of Hjaalmarch would be mostly marsh, but I didn't count on the capital to be little more than a village practically sinking into it. I read that the Oblivion Crisis had ravaged the province to the point where many major cities and settlements were wiped off the map, but I didn't think it would still be this bad two centuries later.

Well, I didn't have to dwell on it too long. I took the south road out of the "city" and into the mountains, where https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3XPus2T58o As I ascended the steps leading into the city I could see that the name was apt. Even above-ground the city was quite...labyrinthine. I could see how the site could inspire so many legends, from being Arch Mage Shalidor's proving grounds to being a place of key importance during the Imperial Simulacrum. For a brief moment it felt as if I was treading on sacred ground. Then the trolls came.

As she's primarily an Alteration mage, I expected that Genevieve's adventures there would mean that the place would be mostly pest-free by the time I arrived. Someone was slacking, and now I had to deal with it. Without fire to suppress their freakish recovery abilities I would have to strike quickly and mercilessly. At all eight of them. At least Edith helped in destroying the bulk of the horde. Good daedroth.

The rest of them were scattered, if only long enough to muster enough magicka to rain death on them again. I wanted to make sure the site was secure to avoid any nasty surprises before I started the investigation. Recent events had made me far too complacent. Edith aside, I was finally on my own. This was the perfect opportunity to rectify that before it got any worse.

After several empty buildings I managed to find a curious ruin housing a small maze. Shalidor's fabled labyrinth? Judging from the Dremora husk and several discarded staves, the answer was a resounding "yes." According to our old friend Shally's standards, Genevieve is perfectly qualified for her position. Nords.

I walked around the maze rather than through it, as it seemed to be absurdly straightforward and not very challenging at all. In the back of the ruin I managed to find one of the word walls Genevieve had spoken of. "Faas"...something about the word felt extremely familiar. For some reason I felt it would be a waste to meditate on the word. Later I would learn that the reason for that is because the "Dismay" shout is something I'd able to replicate both as an Illusionist and as a Khajiit. Useless.

Were you really capable of the Eye of Fear?

Well, no. Not quite. It was something I was working on, but as with the shout it was mostly unnecessary as I was an Illusionist.

I continued to search through the ruins, eventually finding an unexplored crypt with very little of import inside, an unusual shrine of the Dragon Cult that Genevieve may have mentioned, and finally the entrance to the deeper sections of "Bromjunaar", as the city is formally known.

The ruins ran deep. Very, very deep. Possibly well into the mountains and beneath the earth. I found living areas--some more recently inhabited than others, roads, aqueducts, cemeteries, towers, even a few relatively fresh corpses of failed adventurers that seem to have found an alternate route into the city. I almost wished I was able to see the city at its height. Mostly I wished I knew what time it was.

Eventually I had to find a secluded area to drop my bag for the night. The exploration resumed the next morning, or what I assumed was morning. After the hours I spent traversing the ruins I finally found my prize. "Tiid" or "time", finally a shout worthy of the legends ascribed to the Thu'um. I wasted no time in unlocking its power. I can honestly say the trip was worth it.

When I finally found an exit to the ruins it was nearing noon. Had I known about the secret hatch above the arch on the south side of the ruins I would have made an effort to scale the walls. It would have saved me hours of walking.

But then you would have missed out on all the sights. The history.

True. Additionally, I did spot a dragon flying overhead to the nearby mountain top. I briefly considered going after it, but I did still have my promise to Genevieve. I haven't gone through the illusion spells in that ancient spellbook of hers yet.

I made the short journey northwest back to Morthal at a brisk pace. I couldn't help but feel like I had wasted time and, strangely, like I was being followed. It was a mistake, as not even halfway there I was already tired. I took a short break then continued at a slower pace.

I was nearing the city limits when I picked up on three travelers not far behind me. Humans. Maybe some elves? None of them Khajiit, at least, as they were clumsy and reeked of ash even among the plethora of smells that came from the bog. Even a fool would know to mask their scent when stalking prey, at least one with highly developed senses.

I soon learned that they weren't exactly trying to be sneaky. I stopped briefly at the alchemy shop and noticed them walking into the city in full view. For a brief moment I thought that I was being paranoid. Then I noticed they were walking my way.

As I mentioned before, they reeked of volcanic ash, though it wasn't the strangest thing about them. The first thing I noticed were their bizarre masks that seemed to be modeled after some sort of cuttlefish or skull or both. They were unnerving to look at. The next thing I noticed were their robes.

Some kind of fusion between ancient Nord and Dunmeri designs and...something else...

They were weird, that much was certain. I wasn't the only one watching them carefully as they walked down the road. After what felt like ages they finally reached me and began to rudely interrogate me.

"You there. Are you the one they call Dragonborn." A Dark Elf. Figures. Must be from that crater of a province in the East, I thought.

I wanted to respond in kind, but I was taught that one must be polite even to the filthy and uneducated. Well, tried to be taught, anyways. I bowed and said, "Yes, I am Dragonborn. How may I help you?"

They...didn't take it very well regardless of my undeserved politeness. They called me a fake and a deciever. The Dunmer began to go on about how some meer-rat was the true Dragonborn and how none shall stand to oppose him. A threat. An invitation for violence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICvr93Bz1S4 Normally a sphere of electricity is enough to kill most fleshy things with a heartbeat, but these...cultists seemed to be much sturdier than that. I needed to get some distance after that stunt, so I fell back on the Ethereal shout. Being casters themselves, they did the same.

At first it seemed like they were casting the basic elemental spells, but they left walls of fire and lightning where the spells hit after passing through me. It wasn't going to be an easy fight. First thing I would need to do is finish off the cultist. I considered throwing a bolt of Chain Lightning, but there were stupid village vermin standing far to close to the cultists. NORDS.

So I fell back on simple lightning bolts. The shout faded as the first cultist fell, but I still had two healthy ash squids left to electrocute. I was barely able to get off a fear spell when my tail whiped into the lingering flames and caught my coattails on fire. I...panicked, and ran into even more fire before I fell into the swampwater.

I was angry. In a fit of rage I considered unleashing as much lightning as possible without worrying about the consequences. Those stupid villagers would deserve what they got for standing around gawking. I hoped none of them bred, as this would assure their stupidity wouldn't pass on to a new generation.

The cultist that wasn't affected by the fear spell rounded the alchemy shop and began spreading walls of lightning directly onto the water. I had become so used to electrical currents they barely affected me. I wanted to think that at that moment I had finally mastered the Eye of Fear, as the cultist seemed to jump as I glared at him while preparing to obliterate him with my own lightning. Then he was thrown forward, and I saw the two spikes of magical ice sticking out of his back.

"That couldn't have ended well. You okay, mang?"

It's a rare thing when I want to both bump my head on and claw someone. This ape is something else.

Of Arch Magi**

Spoiler

You don't like Arch Mage Shalidor, do you?

What gave you that idea?

Well, just like in Southpoint with Sheogorath, you seemed to be very agitated when around him. Or did you expect that Sheogorath would also be involved in that instance?

No, you're right, I don't like him. He was a wretch. A thief. He was a powerful mage, of course, but he was also an elitist fraud. He deserved what happened to him in the end. That the Mages Guild, the organization that stands to oppose everything he stood for, and the true founders of the modern schools of magic, would gain his most prized possesion, that which he sacrificed even his family for, is just so absolutely delicious.

In that instance, I was largely on Sheogorath's side.

Oh dear.

Of course, Galerion was an obnoxious twit, and his rivalry with Mannimarco set Necromancy back quite far. In that regard he's no better than Shalidor. Letting their backwards beliefs get in the way of Magickal progress.

I didn't realize you had such a strong opinion on...

That Telenger was a good man, though. Anyone who sasses Daedric Princes are alright in my book. Shame he was overshadowed by that dork.

I think regret asking.

» Wed May 11, 2016 7:10 pm

Phew ... I am finally caught up.

Serethil - Really enjoyed your writings describing Blackreach. It's been literally years since I've been through there and I could picture it all with your words. Veri makes a very enjoyable read. She's resourceful in a practical way which makes it really fun to go along the journey with her.

Andra - LOL! I was feeling sooooo sorry for Ake during those work outs. If it was me I would have smashed someone right in the face LOL. I am so glad she found something that works for her. Maybe she can take a breather now ... or at least have much LESS training.

monkeyemoness - LMAO I am truly getting a kick out of your writings. It's nice to see Khajiit stories. "I hoped none of them bred, as this would assure their stupidity wouldn't pass on to a new generation." ... I spit coffee on that one

Thanks to you all for a very enjoyable Sunday morning reading session!!

» Thu May 12, 2016 12:06 am

monkeye, I enjoyed the trolls and the trip through Labyrinthian, but moreso that that, his impressions of Morthal (and inhabitants!) and the encounter with the cultists! I LOL'd at the 'meer-rat', and thought a very mundane oh shi...when he caught on fire! NOT a pleasant day at all! Very good!

hehe..."I think I regret asking."

» Wed May 11, 2016 10:19 am

Monkeyemoness... very nice updates... I really like the comment's about the former Arch-mages.

» Wed May 11, 2016 4:54 pm

Great stuff monkey! I felt bad that he caught his coattails on fire, but got a good laugh out of the rest of it. And his Labyrinthian adventures reminded me why I don't really like the place much....

Back later with a Veri update....

» Wed May 11, 2016 1:31 pm

Veri's Tale:

Cold water wasn't any more pleasant now than it had been that first time near Riverwood. But, at least I couldn't smell myself any more, and I didn't have blood and assorted other body fluids - and parts - all over me. I might shiver myself into an early grave though. I remembered seeing a huge statue of - Azura maybe? - in this area. I set out to find it. At least, a shrine should be (I hoped) a place of relative safety while I got warm again.

Wasn't an easy place to get to, but I did eventually manage it - adding a deep drop cave opening to my growing list of "need to explore" places. Huh. This shrine was tended, interesting. I approached the priestess, and bowing politely said "Lady priestess, I beg shelter for the night. I am cold, and have a long trek tomorrow; tonight I need safety."

Well.... THAT wasn't how I expected things to go. Now I've got this OTHER daedra wanting something from me. Divines please, just let me finish what I need to! I finally agreed to help Azura - AFTER I was done with the rest of all this. Aranea (the priestess) let me use one of her tents and a bedroll, and fed me. I eventually got more or less warm - heaping all my furs and such over the top of me. But damn, I was tired of every blessed (or not....) entity in this entire province deciding I was some sort of savior! I so wanted to just say "honor be damned". But I couldn't, so finally I slept.

I was up betimes the next day. I wanted this DONE. I thanked Aranea, and told her I'd be back to do Azura's bidding - after I finished with Alduin. And I reiterated that I didn't know when that would be. She gave me a wall-eyed look as if she really didn't want to know anything about all that, and I loaded up all my gear, then headed back for Signus's ice cave. And I wondered what that slimy, tentacled, seriously ugly daedra was going to do....

Ugh. Just.... UGH. I handed Signus the extractor full of blood, he capered around some more with more incomprehensible meanderings; then he unlocked the damn dwemer cube thing. He rushed into an opening spiraling tunnel, and stopped short at the end of it, exclaiming something about "That's not IT! It's nothing but a book!" And then.... he was gone in a flash of ugly dark light.... leaving nothing but a pile of ash on the floor in the cube, at the foot of the pedestal whereon lay the book.

That.... slimy wormy presence in my mind - telling me the book is his Oghma Infinium.... mine now to unleash on the world. No. I left it there, and when he pushed at my mind, I sent up a shield Gram would have been proud of.

"Hermaeus Mora - get out of my mind and my world. I'm not doing your bidding. I'm not taking poor Signus's place by your side. I'm not taking the book with me, and I'M NOT USING IT. So get you gone, get the HELLS out of here. Just.... GO!" Well, I don't know if he did - but at least I could leave now.... So I did. And then outside, I stopped.

If I just left the book there - ANYONE could find it. Not good, Veri. So I went back, picked the damn thing up using a cloth over it so I didn't have to touch the covers, wrapped it in the cloth and thrust it into a pack. I'd.... put it in a chest eventually, and mage-lock it or something.... Well, I would if Tolf could teach me (non-magical me) how to do that....

I felt like I'd been held down for years and beaten with switches. So I trudged back to Winterhold and bought a room at the inn. I hoped the dreams would leave me be.

» Wed May 11, 2016 5:16 pm

Have a question, but first I really enjoyed your stories! When I click on the links within the labrythian spoiler it takes me to a youtube that's for Zelda Twilight Princess and the other one is something else, is that intended???

» Wed May 11, 2016 9:32 pm

Oh, and thanks FW for the compliments! I really love reading your tales, and Rick's, and Bram's.... et al. I wish we had somewhere they all "fit" so we only had to read one forum! (Not to mention that chat about a DiD character's posted story can totally derail a thread - and I've been quite guilty there myself....)

» Wed May 11, 2016 5:39 pm

Sere...Yep, Veri's in that 'one thing leads to another thing to another...' loop!! That was good though, especially the telling off of Hermaeus Mora!! LOL

» Wed May 11, 2016 9:56 pm

I just wish the game let us really GO there and DO that. That would be my ideal game: where I could choose something off the wall (but that fit my characterization), and the game would "accept" it, and morph around it....

» Wed May 11, 2016 2:03 pm

I know, I feel the same. Unfortunately, we deal with the limitations of technology...that's why we tell our stories here. *grin* Sometimes I fell born too soon...and sometimes, too late, lol.

Ake...#86

The Redguards had no time to train with me, but did give me a little of their knowledge. They also told me that my blade was a Shamshir, and that it was likely once very special to someone, from the elaborate engraving on it. From one of the old houses, perhaps. They marveled over it, sighing sadly when I told them I'd found it on a bandit. I told them the bandit was now dead, so vengeance had been served. Their grins at that news were a little vicious, as was mine. I think I liked these Redguards, so polite and courteous, just maybe not their reason for being in Skyrim, and in Whiterun itself. But I knew nothing of that to judge them by, just how they treated with me, so...mentally shrugging, I thanked them with a smile and went to meet Gerdie. We worked half the day, then I went home to rest and prepare, with Kerik, for our travels the next morn.

I woke abruptly in the quiet, unsettled and agitated. Something didn't feel right, but listening intently, I could hear nothing but Kerik's soft breathing. Perhaps my dreams left me feeling this way, they had been full of images there and gone of Thalmor and assassins. And dragons. Now where had that come from? The only one I'd ever seen was that big black monster at Helgen. That had to be it, we'd been back to Helgen, and Helgen and dragon came together in my mind. Still...I didn't like it, and I was uneasy, though not as much as when I woke. I threw on a shift, and keeping as quiet as I could, I stepped outside onto the small balcony. Inhaling the fresh air, my mind eased more. We'd have rain soon, from the smell of it, and the skies were dark, heavy with clouds and the far off rumble of thunder. There were still a couple of hours before dawn, but I was done with sleep for the night.

The only light outside was from the torches the guards carried, and the few braziers scattered about the city. When I saw another coming down the steps across the way, I thought at first that it was another guard, but it was Kerik's friend Amren. He had an odd look on his face, and stopped every few steps to look around. Had he had a bad night also? He seemed to be watching, or looking for something. My uneasiness returned, and I stepped quickly through the still open door to grab my bow. It had only taken seconds, but when I stepped back out, I could see dark shapes appearing at the edges of the little light there was, and heard sudden and vicious growls. A battle erupted before my eyes, guards and Amren on the defensive as men and ugly dogs with glowing eyes attacked. Vampires. I drew and shot at one who had brought a guard to his knees with some kind of magic. My arrow took him through one of his glowing eyes, and he looked up at me with pure malevolence and screamed before collapsing into a pile of ash. I nearly retched at the sight.

The battle was under control quickly, only the beasts still fighting, and they fell as I watched. I realized I was panting from fear, and jerked as Kerik's arms wrapped me. "It's over, come back in." He drew me inside and shut the door, keeping one arm around me as he took my bow with the other and laid it aside. "I woke when you grabbed your bow. Why didn't you wake me sooner?" I wrapped my arms around his waist and laid my head on his chest. "I never expected that, I woke from bad dreams and just wanted some air. Amren was there, and he seemed to know something wasn't right, he was prepared. It was caution that made me get the bow, nothing more. Then they attacked. There was no time." He murmured softly in my ear, "There's time now," and pulled the shift from me.