The Black Horse Courier
Volume 1


This thread is new and as such, some further guidelines need to be layed out:
Firstly, despite the name, this thread is not designed to be one giant newsletter, rather, a 'What did you do today' style thread.
Please post only the adventures of your characters. You may distort the actual facts slightly if it makes for better reading, but try to keep it as close as possible to the events, so that other fans can learn/relate to the situation.
Please post in first-person english (I,me), or third person (he, she).
If your story is due to a mod, post the name of that mod.
Thank you.

I'll go first, then.
It was a very short adventure today, unfortunately, but here it is:
Today, Ganon ventured further into the Shivering Isles, until he stumbled upon Xaslem. He fought skeletons for the most part, dodging arcane traps that shot magic beams at him.
Then he went deeper and discovered the wicked Scientist Raymelna, the creator of the Gatekeeper. He saw the horrid experiments she conducted on humans and beasts and read her terrible scrolls.
Badly bloodied by Skinned Hounds, he retreated back through the fortress and camped outside Xaslem, eyeing the shadows suspiciously......

MARRIAGE MADE IN HEAVEN, HORSES NOT INVITED (they are on the menu!)

Bugak gro-Bol of Leywiin and Snak gra-Bura of the Imperial City (Chestnut Handy Stables) have announced their engagement and impending marriage, to be held in the Great Chapel of Zenithar, Leyawiin.

The Reception will be held at the Castle. Count and Countess Caro advise that if attendees are allergic to horsemeat, you should bring your own dogs or sheep. And you will have to buy a godamm book to attend!

Oooh! I think Buffy has a copy of the Courier that came out shortly after her Leyawiin Expedition:

* * *

BLACK HORSE COURIER SPECIAL EDITION!

DINNER PARTY MARRED BY PRANKSTER

Leyawiin - - Countess Alessia Caro held another of her formal dinner parties recently. We have often reported these events as somewhat dull, somber affairs. This one however was revealingly different.

At some point well into the evening, an unknown assailant cast a spell that literally stripped the event of its dreary predictability. In fact, the mischievous magic quite removed every bit of clothing from the lovely Countess and her fellow diners. The guests included the Invels, well known members of high society from the Imperial City. Other attendees included visitors from as far away as the City of the Great Oak. One of Leyawiin's own Knights of the White Stallion was in attendance; even she, however, fell victim to the spell.

Word is spreading of a possible motivation for the assault. Leyawiin is a city well known for tension between Argonians and Khajiit. Rumors even exist of the Countess' own dislike for the beast races. When asked about a possible connection, a spokesman for the castle flatly denied any such rumors as idle and malicious gossip.

The commander of the Leywiin Guard, Captain Caelia Draconis has ordered increased patrols, and launched an investigation in the wake of this grave breach of castle security. Given the lack of any evidence about the perpetrator, no arrests have yet been made.

Hildara Mothril, the Countess' chaplain and advisor, made a brief statement confirming the Countess has no dinner parties planned for the near future. The Countess herself was unavailable for comment.

* * *

THE BLACK HORSE COURIER

Alessia Caro is DEAD!!!!!

Yesterday afternoon seemed like a normal day in Leyawiin, the birds were chirping, the Niben was splashing, and the protests were wild. However, that day was far from normal.

The day started normal, and went normal, until about 8PM. The countess was hosting her first formal dinner since the unfortunate dinner disaster. The cook noticed that the food looked different than what he made, but did not tell anyone....big mistake. After about 6 minutes of eating, Alessia fell dead in her chair, just as Marius entered the room..

The city went into a rushed state, attemping to nab the assassin. There are many theories to who is responsible. "IT IS THE DARK BROTHERHOOD!!!!!!! SUCH A SECRET KILLING WITHOUT BLOOD!! IT IS THEM!" One guard stated.

Many others however, think that the Argoinians or Khajiit murdered the countess. We know one thing however. Leyawiin will never be the same.

For OP, I realize it was not your intent for this to become simply modified copies of the BHC. I hope my previous post did not lend that impression. Let me compensate by submitting a small snip that is more along the lines of 'what I did today'. This comes from Buffy's Journal:

* * *
I coated three iron tipped broad head arrows with poison, laying two carefully at my feet and setting one to the nock.

Bow partially drawn, I studied the green targets beyond the tip of my arrow. Their pointed ears swept gracefully rearward, and were even larger than mine or Superian's. The farthest goblin produced a brown glass bottle from between two rocks, opened it against the crossguard of a sheathed blade and took a long pull. A second comrade extended both arms wide in a lazy stretch. Each hand ended with three fingers and a thumb, all capped with large black claws. Raising a yawning muzzle skyward displayed dagger-like teeth. The final member of the trio revealed himself to indeed be a he-goblin by lifting his crude loincloth and casting a yellow stream upon on the trunk of a tree.

If there was any doubt as to the danger posed by this motley crew, it was put to rest by the remains that marked the area. There were a variety of bones that appeared to be from men, mer and horse. A nearly complete skeleton of some hapless traveler wore the tattered shreds of a burgundy shirt.

The moment I loosed my arrow, I snuck two steps back down my rocky perch, breaking line of sight with the targets. I was rewarded by the sounds of a sharp screech and breaking glass. After a brief pause, I crept back up the rock to survey the results. One goblin was dead. The other two quickly gave up searching and returned to their posts.

Another poisoned arrow knocked the archer to the ground. The remaining guard's short sword sang from his scabbard as his beady eyes darted among the rocks, trees and brush that hid me. If he saw my third arrow coming, he did not have time to react before he joined his comrades in death.

I checked the area around the mine. Each of the goblins bore a black symbol, vaguely resembling a skull, emblazoned on their upper right arm- perhaps some sort of tribal identification? Grim totems, fashioned from spikes with skulls impaled upon them, flanked the entrance. Crude letters, that had been carved and burned into the rickety wooden door spelled out the words, 'Derelict Mine'.

The goblins carried roasted rat meat and beer as rations, but nothing of value except the archer's quiver of arrows. I cut my own three bloody arrows free from their corpses, but upon inspection, only one remained useable. Goblin blood was red like mine. I wasn't sure why that surprised me.

I quickly repaired their poor quality equipment for the practice, and left it. Tucked among the boulders along the sides of the road grew several nightshade and peony plants which I harvested for later poison making.

Backtracking until I could see Superian patiently waiting, I cast a spell for her to join me. Fluttering nostrils and a soft snort indicated her displeasure at the smells of blood and death upon me, but she was beginning to get used to it. We then continued west along the Gold Road.
* * *

Excerpt from the posthumously published book, The Life of Ganon the Great.

....I awoke early that morning, having slept only lightly. The tortured screams of human and beast alike echoing from Xaslem kept me awoke most of the eerie night.

Now, I ate a breakfast of cold meat and stale bread, eyeing the twisted "tree" above me with distaste. Retrieving my map, I looked in dismay at the long distance left to New Sheoth.
I rolled the map back up; my mind was set now, set upon home. I longed to see the trees and fields of Cyrodiil, and to see the Chorrol Mages Guild, and a soft bed.

It was from that moment on that I suddenly felt a shift in my mind. The long days trekking through the Isles, Passwall and then all the way across Cyrodiil blurred into one. My mind seemed out of touch from my body, until it felt like my travels had taken but a minute. I dubbed the psychological experience "fast travel".

Finally, my mind melded back into my body as I stood before the northern gates to Chorrol. It was midday, so I breathed in the fresh air, and greeted my fellows Mages in that great building of wonder.
I sought out a dear colleague and asked of him some greater knowledge of Conjuration. He obliged, for a modest sum, to share his secret of summoning a Dremora, a much-needed replacement to my sad old skeleton.

Checking my notes, I discovered I had yet to give the Amulet of Kings to Jauffre. As I was in the area, I paid the monk a visit, carefully noting the locating of a man named Martin, the supposed heir to the throne. He was in Kvatch, a city I was unfamiliar with. One of Jauffre's fellow monks offered his horse to me, which I gladly took. I named him Thunderhoof.

After that, I rode south-east, towards the Imperial City, but took a detour to investigate Fort Ash. Inside I found the usual Goblins, but was troubled when one almost killed me, my own mortality seemed evident before me, reflected in my splattered blood. I now have the sudden realisaton that dead is dead. I do not believe in the Illustrious Daedric God, Quickload, so I must keep better care of myself.

When I staggered out the sun was set, and having no desire to sleep on the ground, I mounted my horse and galloped all the way down to a small inn named Wawnet Inn. I purchased some mead and a bed and went upstairs. I stripped off my armour and placed it in the cabinet, before turning in for bed.

In the morning, I donned my armour, ate a loaf of bread and cheese and took a quick morning swim in the Rumare Lake, laying my armour on shore so it did not rust......

Here ends page 157 of Ganon the Great.

Excerpt from the posthumously published book, Ganon the Great.

Today, I ventured around the Rumare Lake and have found a ruin named Sercen, if I read the Ayleid runes correctly. I shall venture forth after a quick lunch.

The publisher would like to make mention at this point that the original diary was heavily bloodied on the next page. The scribes have written it exactly as was found, without, of course, the blood.

To whom---r find- this bo-k, my na-e is Gan-n, son of G—th-l. I am badl- hurt an- I fear I sh-ll not li-e muc- longer. I hav- been stru-k down by bandi-s in Sercen, an- be-n left to die, stri---d of my posse---ns.

I wis- for my hor-e, Thunderhoof, to – car—d for -n t-e ----a ------- stables; I a-k al--- for rev---e, on th--- bast---s. I regr-t t-at I fai----d to he-p Ma—n Se—tim, an- I ----- th---------------- rel—ght th---- fires.

Th---- the last wi--- and test------ of Ga---, son of Geld---………………….