Set within your backdrop of the immense palacial grounds, this was a lovely interlude. Teresa found a piece of nature that spoke to her, and even an old warhorse who listened. We also learned who she seeks, within the surroundings that clearly make the wood elf so uncomfortable.

A rich and enjoyable read.

Now there's scale, sort of put me in mind of descriptions of the chinese beurocracy in their palaces, certainly you've effectively show how centralised power is in the Empire. You described the peaceful bit of nature amid the bustle well and the inclusion of the general was an unexpected touch but again enhances the depth and coheasion of things.

A nice iterlude, but I do wonder what Baurus has to say...

Nit:
Teresa scampered off, hoping she had not indeed gone too far with her candor. Patricians were all so very touchy. You never knew what might set them off. Not wanting to put her foot any deeper into her mouth, she nodded to the older man and headed off into the direction he had indicated. -- I think you embarrassed her so much she left twice.

In the space of just a few paragraphs you are able to paint a picture of this legate. He jumps off the screen to such an extent that I now find myself trying to think of scenarios in which Teresa might encounter him again.

He was right about one thing, Teresa does indeed sound like a priest. I love the way that you have handled her spiritual awakening. It has been a subtle thing that has built up over the course of many chapters worth of experiences. It is little wonder that those who grew up with Teresa now barely recognize her. The change in her is apparent to all of us who have followed her story from the beginning. The magic in your writing is that the moments that sparked the changes are only visible through hindsight.

Olen already found the only nit I spotted in this chapter. I echo his anticipation, it will be good to see Baurus again!

Little to add, other than to echo the others.

I really enjoyed the description of the Imperial Palace District - it puts me in mind of the Forbidden City and the Forum all in one. Quite impressive, I may say!

Teresa, for all that she has matured, is still quite young, as is highlighted by this:

She is also very observant:
among others.

And she gets to meet my favorite kind of character:
Old soldier! Even though he's a legate now, his years of soldiering in the ranks shows very well in the description of his voice and the words he spoke to Teresa.

Guess I ended up saying a bit more than I thought I would! Good job!

Acadian: Thank you Acadian.


Olen: Thank you Olen. To be honest I never thought of China, but you and Haute are right, the Forbidden City is a good analogy to what I created. I was looking to the Imperial Palace in Constantinople, and places like Diocletian's Palace at Split, Hadrian's Villa, and of course the Palantine Hill palaces in Rome.

And good catch on Teresa leaving twice. You are right, she was so flustered at meeting the general that she was beside herself.


Destri Melarg: I am glad you noticed the bit about Teresa's spirituality. I did not want the entire first half of this chapter to simply be Teresa walking around "oohing" and "aaahhing" the architecture. I needed to put something personal in, otherwise I was afraid of it becoming a travelogue rather than a story. So Teresa finding the one piece of the natural world in the palace was just, well, natural. Once there I used it as an opportunity to demonstrate just what you saw. How far she has really come.


haute ecole rider: Just a little bit to add I see! As I was saying to Destri, I wanted to put something personal in that segment, to keep it from becoming dull. I needed a person for her to interact with, and while I was going through who she might meet at the palace, Adamus Phillida jumped right out at me. I think he will be played by R. Lee Ermey in the Teresa movie...


Next: Teresa meets the new Grandmaster of the Blades.

* * *

Chapter 14.3- The Grandmaster

"Teresa, I'm glad you came!" Baurus' voice rang out across the shining marble floor of the basilica. Just as Jauffre had before him, he now wore the simple cassock of a priest rather than the banded armor of the Blades. Given the way he visibly chafed under the brown wool, Teresa imagined that he would have preferred the armor.

Teresa stepped away from the entrance and strode into the central atrium of the basilica. Marble colonnades stretched to either side, rising to a clerestory that ringed the building and filled it with light from its many tall windows. Frescos of intricate knotwork patterns covered the walls, only stopping where the vaulted ceiling rose to a peak high overhead. A half-dome hung over the apse at the far end of the structure. With no obvious supports, it seemed to float in mid air. A great pebble mosaic was set into it, showing Tiber Septim – sword in hand and bathed in light – becoming the god Talos.

Teresa was aware of her jaw falling open as she stared up at the semi-dome and the image set within it. Even after living in the Imperial City all of her life, she could not imagine how people could build things like it, or White Gold Tower. What kind of magic must it take?

"I wasn't sure how I would find you, but it looks like fate took care of that for me," the burly Redguard breathed as he stepped up to Teresa. Closer now, the wood elf could plainly see the exhaustion etched into the Blade's dark features.

"I guess so," Teresa mumbled, reflexively biting her lower lip. She was not sure what to say to the other man. Should she congratulate him on his new position? Given how he had gained it, she doubted he felt very proud about it. Yet she had to say something. "I'm sorry about Jauffre. I only met him for a little while at Weynon, but I felt better knowing that he was out there. Coming from a street rat like me, that's saying quite a bit."

"Aye, Jauffre," the Redguard's eyes dropped to the shining marble floor. "I don't know how I'll ever fill his shoes. Being a bodyguard was one thing. Being the grandmaster, that is something else entirely."

"Well, I never imagined myself doing the things I am now." Teresa released her lip long enough for a faint smile to escape her lips. "Yet here I am. If I can manage, I am sure you will do just fine."

"Well, you certainly have changed since we last met," the Redguard's eyes now took in the forester's willowy frame. "I barely recognized you in the leather. Or with that hair!"

"Oh yes, I dyed it." Teresa ran a hand through her scarlet tresses. "It was actually part of my disguise after I got out of the prison. I figured if people were looking for a brown-haired elf, I ought to become something else. I can't change the elf part, so…"

"That was good thinking." Baurus motioned Teresa to follow him into the shadows behind the columns to one side of the vast chamber. "I did my best to cover your escape from where I was as well."

"So I found out later," Teresa nodded as she kept pace with the larger man. "When I finally got back to the city I was afraid I was going to be thrown into prison again. But then I found out I had never been arrested in the first place!"

"Yes, that was me," the Redguard smiled now. "If word got out that someone escaped from prison the same night that the Emperor…" he stumbled on the words, and Teresa imagined he must feel the same lump in his throat that she still did whenever she thought of the great old man. A moment later the Blade was himself again though, and he continued on. "Well, it would not have taken the Mythic Dawn long to put two and two together and go after you. So I made sure that no one would ever know you were there."

"How did you do that?" Teresa asked as Baurus opened a door near the back of the chapel and led her down a spiral staircase made of stone. A single glowstone hung from a wall sconce, giving its dim, but steady light to the passageway down into the depths.

"I pulled some strings, and made everyone who came into contact with you an offer they could not refuse." Baurus opened another door at the bottom of the stair, leading Teresa into a short corridor lined with more doors. Unlike the temple above, it was made of small stones carefully fitted together, so light in shade that they were nearly white. It looked old, much older than the chapel, and Teresa was reminded of the catacombs beneath the prison.

"You might recognize Cilnius here," Baurus gestured at the only other figure in the corridor as they walked its length. Standing next to a door at the far end, he wore the banded armor of the Blades and stood at attention. A curved Akaviri blade hung from his hip, and he gripped a round shield in one hand. The helmet he wore obscured his features, but from the olive-skin she could glimpse through the 'T'-shaped slit cut in its face, Teresa imagined that he was an Imperial. "He was the legionary that arrested you."

Teresa stared. This was the same man who had knocked her unconscious in the alley? She never would have imagined it. Then again, when she thought back, it was not like she had seen much of anything except the armor he wore. Even now, she still could not tell what he looked like under his helmet.

For his own part, the soldier made no motion as Baurus stopped beside the door he guarded and produced a mithril key from his robes. Inserting it into the lock, Teresa was surprised when she did not hear the rolling of tumblers as he twisted the key and opened the door. It must be magical, she thought. He was certainly not taking any chances!

"Cilinius, say hello to Teresa," the Redguard said with a nod to the forester.

"Sister," the Blade rumbled with a short nod of his head in Teresa's direction. Then he returned to standing with such stillness that the wood elf thought he might be mistaken for a statue.

Sister? Teresa wondered as she nodded her head in return and followed Baurus into the small chamber beyond. Why had he called her that? For the first time since Julian had told her that Baurus had wanted to see her, Teresa began to wonder if the new grandmaster might have something more in mind than tying up a few loose ends from the Oblivion Crisis…

The room was very simply furnished, and brightly illuminated by glowstones perched atop sconces in either wall. A wide desk of dark brown teak stood near the far wall, and a few chairs sat before it. It was flanked by bookshelves brimming with dusty volumes, and a large chest bound in iron sat behind it.

"The others involved have received similar promotions," Baurus explained as he walked around the desk and sat down behind it. "The optio who had been running the prison desk is now serving in Daggerfall as a centurion. The legionary who carried you to your cell is now an optio in Morrowind. And the librarii who did your paperwork is now a monk in the Order of Talos at Weynon. Thankfully there hadn't been time to put you in front of a magistrate, otherwise I probably would have had to put him on the Elder Council!"

So that was how it was done, Teresa thought to herself as she sat in the one of the chairs before the desk. Give them a carrot, and keep them where you can watch them at all times. In return they were probably all quite happy to keep their mouths shut. It made her wonder how many times Baurus and those like him had made criminal charges - or even people - simply disappear. The thought was not a comforting one, and made her think of something Simplicia had said just before the Daedric attack.

"So was that you and Julian at Luther Broad's Boarding House a while back?" she asked, hoping she was not going too far in prying. "I heard a Breton was killed there."

"You heard about that?" the grandmaster said with a ghost of a smile as he poured out two glasses of wine from a crystal decanter atop his desk. Handing one to Teresa, he leaned back and took a sip from his own. "That was us alright. I tracked down a Mythic Dawn assassin there. He was one of those who killed our agent Cnaeus the day it all started. You remember, the man in the alley."

Teresa nodded, she would never forget the Imperial who had died at her feet, trying to warn her of the doom that was hanging over all of them. If only she had known then what she did now, she thought with a sigh.

"So what did you hear about it?" Baurus asked quizzically.

"The word on the street is that he crossed a patrician, who sent two Redguards to get even, then bribed the legion to cover it all up." Teresa lifted the glass to her lips, and allowed a mouthful of the cool, fruity liquid to slide down her throat. It was smooth as silk and bursting with flavor. Tamika's, she knew. One thing she liked about the Blades, they never went cheap on their wine.

Baurus nodded. "That is even better than I could have hoped for," he admitted. "The only thing better than total secrecy is a cover story that the public invents themselves. That way even if the truth does come out later, no one will believe it."

Teresa felt a chill run along her spine at his talk of cover stories. It made her wonder how much of what she read in the Black Horse Courier - or heard people talking about - was real, and how much fabricated by the Empire?

"Julian and I weren't able to take him alive," Baurus continued, "all those zealots used poison. But we still got a lead that took us to the rest of their cell in the Imperial City. From there we were able to find their headquarters at Lake Arrius."

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Jul 30 2020, 02:09 AM

And? And? And?

I hope you don't leave me hanging too long with this conversation! It is good to see Baurus again.



Did you mean either sword in hand and bathed in light, or sword hand bathed in light? A teeny bit of confusion here. Each version conveys a very different image of the mosaic.

I think I like this version of T meeting Baurus after the Crisis better than in the original. That seemed a little rushed, especially considering the lengths Baurus went to cover up Teresa's presence in the Prison the night Emperor Uriel was assassinated. And you're right, the best cover stories are the ones the public makes up.

What a neat scene within a richly described setting! I could hear the small sounds echoing from the marble floors and columns.

I love the feeling of spies and intrigue you seem to be weaving into the Blades. It was wonderful, of course to see Baurus again. As always, I was delighted to hear mention of our Fair Lady of Anvil.

Great line!

I see that perhaps wood elves are blessed with the finest of taste to fully appreciate the wines of Tamika.

Sister? Oooh. I can just imagine where this might go. I wonder if I'm right and, if so, what choices our Teresa will make?

Nit?

And another subplot developing, 'Sister'... well I think I can guess what that means, along with "The others involved have received similar promotions," I suspect that Teresa may be one who was 'involved'. Certainly she knows rather more about the secret service than they'd like. But will she accept, and what will they want from her? I have genuinely no idea and can't wait to find out.

Given the way he visibly chafed under the brown wool



And that is enough to make anyone fine in my book. I hope she accepts if only for the wine.

A very enjoyable meeting but I want to know what happens next.

To quote mALX: AARGH!!! CLIFFHANGER!!!!

Like the others I want to see this conversation finished! Baurus didn’t bring her there simply to catch up with the young woman he met one night in passing. The ‘sister’ line is a tantalizing morsel that leaves the mind reeling. Teresa of the Faint Smile a spy? Yes, please!


Funny, Baurus doesn’t look like a Corleone.

You are missing a period after the word ‘wall’. And did you mean ‘sconces’? A ‘scone’ is a biscuit-like quickbread made of oatmeal, wheat flour, barley meal, or the like. It is also a village in central Scotland which was the site of the coronation of Scottish kings until 1651. In this context your use of it makes more sense, but it still seems strange that a scone would house a glowstone.

And also in honour of our (temporarily) missing MalX

AAARGH! WRITE A NEW CHAPTER SOON OR I SHALL COME AND HOWL OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR!!

*note: if that was the voice of nautee Foxee speaking, the verbs would have been reversed...hee hee*

haute ecole rider: And next the conclusion of the chapter. Thank you for finding Talos' sword, it was supposed to be in his hand. That Septim is a slippery one...

Every time you say T, I keep thinking of Mr. T.


Acadian: Thank you Acadian. I must admit though, when you said lady of Anvil, my first thought was of Parwen, thanks to the BF.

Thank you for finding my errant to, it was off gallivanting with Tiber Septim's in above.


Olen: Thank you Olen. You saw exactly what I was trying to convey.


Destri Melarg: Cliffhanger? I'm not the one who killed off Teresa half-a-dozen chapters ago and am only now showing that she did indeed survive being poisoned and stabbed...

Sconces was right. As much as I am a fan of the Stone of Scone, I think it would be out of place in ES.


D.Foxy: But I have not finished posting this chapter yet! You already want another! I am working on it though, and it features the appearance of fox...


Next: The conclusion of The Grandmaster.

* * *

Chapter 14.4- The Grandmaster

"Julian said a lot happened that no one knew about," Teresa breathed before taking another sip of the delicious wine. "She said they took the Amulet of Kings as well."

"They did." Baurus' face darkened then, and Teresa wondered if she should not have mentioned it. "The Mythic Dawn had a spy in our ranks - Brother Piner. He's the reason they knew so much. Where the Emperor and his sons would be, who their guards were, where the escape route was in the tunnels. He gave them everything."

"Piner?" Teresa wondered aloud, "he was the one I met at Weynon!" The young elf's mind whirled. She remembered again how Piner had tried to persuade her to tell her why she wanted to see Jauffre. He had been trying to get information from her to pass along to his true masters! she realized.

"The night after you were there, he murdered Prior Maborel and took the amulet." Baurus had a sour look on his face. "It was only at Lake Arrius that we were able to catch up with him. We broke their backs there, but Mankar Camoran escaped to his Paradise with the Amulet of Kings."

"Mankar who?" Teresa felt confused. She had never heard of anyone by that name.

"He was the leader of the Mythic Dawn," Baurus explained. "His writings go back over four hundred years, to the time of Tiber Septim. We think he was a high ranking noble in the Aldmeri Dominion, probably a member of the Camoran dynasty. One thing we do know for certain is that he has hated the Imperial Family since Tiber Septim conquered Summerset Isle and Valenwood. He spent four hundred years plotting his revenge, and this was his master stroke. Killing the Emperor extinguished the dragonfires in the Temple of the One. Without the amulet, it was impossible to relight them. Most of us didn't realize it, but the dragonfires were what prevented the Daedra from creating lasting gateways to Nirn."

Teresa nodded, her mind awhirl with Baurus' revelations. When she had carried the Amulet of Kings through the wilderness, she had only imagined that it was a tool to prove who the rightful heir was. But now from what the Redguard was saying, it had been Nirn's only protection from the hordes of Oblivion! To think that she had held such a thing in her very hands…

"So this Mankar wanted the Daedra to invade Nirn?" Teresa wondered as she stared down at her trembling fingers. "Why?"

"He was mad." Baurus put it plainly. "Julian and the others who stormed his Paradise and regained the amulet said as much from his rants. Destroying the world was his idea of creating a Golden Age. Thank the Nine we had Martin, or we never could have gotten to Camoran. Martin never talked much about his past, but it was clear he had run-ins with Daedra when he was younger. Thanks to what he learned then, he was able to create a gateway to Camoran's Paradise - some strange Oblivion realm that Mankar Camoran had created with the help of his master, Mehrunes Dagon."

"So did the glowing stone Julian took from the Oblivion Gate have something to do with that?" Teresa asked. The other Redguard never had answered her question about that when they had talked the other day, and it had been in the back of the forester's mind ever since.

"Oh yes, Julian mentioned you saw that, even though you weren't at the battle. That's quite a trick…" Baurus took another sip of the wine. "That was a Great Sigil Stone, the power source of the Great Gate. We needed one in order to create the portal to Camoran's Paradise. So we tricked the Daedra into creating a Great Gate at Bruma in order to get it."

"You wanted them to attack?" Teresa's eyes widened, and she was certain that her jaw had dropped to the floor.

"We had no choice," Baurus explained, staring deeply into Teresa's eyes. "It was all Martin's idea. Believe me, I thought it was crazy too, so did everyone. But it was the only way to get the Sigil Stone. Still it's no less crazy then handing the Amulet of Kings to an escaped prisoner."

Teresa looked down at her lap, keenly aware of how warm her cheeks were becoming.

"Hey, don't be embarrassed, we've all had to do things we never imagined." Baurus started in a friendly tone, then his voice turned somber "It's got me thinking though, I wonder how random some of these things have been. I mean take Martin. His past knowledge of the Daedra made him exactly the right person we needed. Or Julian, who just happened to return to Weynon at the right time to head to Kvatch, after the first group sent there had been ambushed thanks to Piner. Or you? Was it pure chance that put you in the alley at the same moment that our agent watching the Mythic Dawn was killed? Or that you were accidentally put in a cell that is never supposed to be used?"

"What are you saying?" Teresa now looked back up at the Redguard, feeling her eyebrows furrowing as she stared at him. "That the gods arranged it all?"

"I wonder." Baurus put his fingertips together in a steeple resting under this jaw. "You, Julian, and Martin, all of you were exactly the right person, and just happened to be in the right place, at the right time. Can it really all just be coincidence?"

Teresa felt her cheeks turning warm again. The idea of her being the right person for anything was just ludicrous. Yet somehow she did not feel like laughing. Could Baurus be right? Could there have been an unseen hand shaping events, shaping their lives, all along? She thought of Raven, and how many times he had led her to where she needed to be, and she knew the answer.

"There are no coincidences." She was probably more surprised than Baurus at her words. "And somehow I don't think you brought me here to tell me all of this."

"No, and yes," Baurus now smiled faintly himself as he leaned back in his chair. "Most of this will probably be released to the Black Horse Courier soon. But I thought you had the right to know what you were a part of. And that is what brings me to the reason I wanted to see you."

Now the Redguard leaned forward, and his features became serious once more. "Have you ever thought of becoming a Blade?"

If he had not looked so serious, Teresa would have laughed in his face. A street rat like her, be one of the Empire's elite? That was crazy! Yet Baurus' eyes were so intent, his features set in such a somber mask, that she knew this was no joke. He really meant it!

"I…I…um," she stammered. What do you say to an offer like that? "I can't do that. I pick plants and make potions. I'm not a fighter. I could never even stand up in all that iron mongery you people wear!"

"The Imperial Bodyguard is only the smallest part of our organization," Baurus explained, leaning back in his chair. "Most of the Blades are secret agents. People who watch and listen, and report back what they find, without being noticed. You've already proven you can do it. The way you slipped out of the prison and turned up at Weynon, leaving no more sign of your passing than the wind, that was brilliant! You are exactly the kind of person we need."

'Me, a spy?" Teresa squeaked. That seemed even more preposterous than her being a bodyguard! "I don't know the first thing about spying on people. I'm just a girl from the street."

"It doesn't take an education from the Arcane University," Baurus murmured. His dry, sardonic tone gave Teresa the distinct impression that he was growing impatient with her answers. How could she tell him no without making him angry? she wondered. The last thing she wanted was to be on the short list of the Grandmaster of the Blades.

"Baurus, I really appreciate what you are offering me." Teresa swallowed, picking her words carefully before continuing. "But I don't think I am ready for something like that. I spent all of my life living in the gutter. I had never set foot outside the Imperial City until a few months ago. Now I see that there is a great, wide world out there, and I need some time to figure out where my place in it really is. This is just too much for me right now."

Now Teresa rose and stepped away from her chair. Baurus sighed, and stood as well. In that moment he looked so tired, so utterly worn out, that Teresa felt her heart lurch. She knew she was letting him down, and she wished it could be some other way, but he was just asking too much.

"I'm sorry Baurus." Teresa bit her lip as she stared into the Redguard's brown eyes. "I wish I could be the person you want me to be. But I'm just not like you and Julian."

"Yes you are." The grandmaster spoke with a resolve that was as firm as iron as he met the forester's gaze. Then his tone softened, and he stared back down at his desk for a moment before raising his brown eyes again. "You just don't know it yet. Just keep in mind what I said, and one day, when you're ready for it, come and see me."

"I will." Teresa smiled faintly. That she knew she could do. She turned for the door, but the voice of the Redguard brought her around again.

"Do me a favor while you're out picking plants." Baurus sat down and pulled a blank sheet of parchment before him. Dipping the point of a quill into a pot of ink, he began to scrawl across the page. "Keep an eye out for trouble. We smashed the Mythic Dawn, but some of their sleeper agents are still out there, and there is no telling what they might do now that they've been left to their own devices. Not to mention all the other cults, revolutionaries, and just plain monsters that are up to no good. The Oblivion Crisis may be over, but that doesn't mean that Tamriel is safe. If you see anything, let me know."

"I'll keep both eyes open." Teresa vowed.

"This is the address of one of our drops." The Grandmaster rose and handed the forester the parchment. "Send a letter here, and it will get to me. Use the legion relay posts. I'm sure you've seen them. They'll know the address and won't ask any questions."

"Sextus Clodius, at the Merchant's Inn?" Teresa said aloud, reading from the sheet. "Who's that?"

"Nobody," Baurus said, "he doesn't exist. Remember that name. Once you do, I want you to burn that sheet. Don't let anyone else see it."

"I'll remember." Teresa folded up the page into a tiny square and slid it into the top of one of her boots. "Thank you Baurus, for everything. I'll never forget what you've done for me."

Then like the wind, she was gone.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Jul 30 2020, 02:11 AM

I love how you wove the Main Quest in and out of this with some neat twists and, of course, mention of Julian. Well done!

Somehow, I knew Baurus was going to ask Teresa to become a spy for the Blades. You handled her decision wonderfully. Closing the door, but not tightly. . .

I felt very much in Teresa's head. I felt what she felt, and she led me to the same conclusions she reached with her Teresa logic.

I see Teresa's trademark is contagious.

Just like a creature of the forest - or perhaps a secret agent?

As with every other story on this forum, I am desperately trying to catch up, but from what I've read of yours...wow. Your descriptions are so detailed and real that they pull me into the setting. The Imperial City at the beginning was fantastic, and while I can already tell that you're following the game's main story line, starting on the peripheral of the game with your prologue was a wonderful touch. It made your main character that much more distinct in my mind, and her emotions were described in such a real, gritty way, especially her musings over being hanged. One of my favorite aspects of her personality is that Teresa isn't adventurous or brave, or at least, she isn't in the chapters that I've read. I imagine that she'll develop quite a bit over the course of this story, but for now, I'm left with a character that is fairly timid and uncertain. It's a nice contrast to stories with figures who are already skilled in combat and whatnot at the beginning.

That said, I'm very much looking forward to reading more, even if it takes me an eternity to get to the latest posts.

Why am I getting a horrible feeling that Sextus Clodius is meant to be...to be...ARRRGH...

But Teresa would be perfect as a spy!

Regarding your comment, I have a good friend who is named Teresa, but we all call her T. She doesn't go around calling everybody a fool, either. Sorry.

A nice conclusion to Teresa's association with the Blades. Yes, I know she may return in the future, but this is a really nice way to wrap things up for the time being. Teresa can go on collecting plants and learning how to defend herself, and learn her place in the world before revisiting the possibility of spying for the Blades. But I've noticed that Baurus didn't exactly accept her 'no,' temporary as it is. After all, what is that request for information?? Spying? Intelligence gathering right along with plants. That man is devious!

Cliffhanger?!? Me?! I have no idea what you’re talking about!

I love Baurus’ summation of the events in the MQ. So Brother Piner was a spy for the Mythic Dawn?! That really does explain a lot, actually(like how he managed to survive his encounter with three of them even though he is a self-proclaimed Blades dropout). I really thought that Teresa was going to take Baurus up on his offer. Her reasons for turning him down are clear, albeit slightly disappointing. Oh well, maybe after she has made enough potions.

It’s funny, those of us who are reading both this and Old Habits know that in the other story Julian took the Amulet to Jauffre. You would think that an inconsistency like that would have caused more trouble. It is a testament to your skill as a writer that it didn’t even occur to me until just now.

Now, that is an interesting twist. Brother Piner a spy... who would've guessed?
Loved it Rosa

I had expected her to refuse (and suspect her reasons are more than just those of confused identity and confidence), however I agree with haute on two counts, it was good to leave to door open and you showed every bit how devious and clever the head of the blades must be - and is. He has her spying anyway (albeit in a less directed way) and for free. Clever...

Now it makes me wonder what she plans to do next (a bit of statue hunting I suspect) and what she'll see which requires reporting (necromancers perhaps?) to carry on this foreshadowed line.

Great stuff.

I finally caught up! Simplicia's story had me in tears though.

Acadian: Thank you Acadian. I was worried about this coming across as a big infodump, but I wanted to finally answer some questions about the events of the Oblivion Crisis. It is funny about that faint smile, whenever a character makes one now, I think of Teresa.


Ornamental Nonsense: Hi O.N. Welcome to the TF! Let Baurus pour you a glass of Tamika's and sit down by the fire.

You have highlighted one of the things that makes Teresa such a fun character for me to write (and I hope for others to read!). She is not your standard hero type, filled with confidence and super-ability. Instead she is an ordinary person with a rather low self-esteem who tries to be a better person.

I am a big fan of character-driven stories, so the TF revolves around Teresa and her personal growth. Events around her shape that, as do people, but in the end it is about what is going on her head. Looking back from where I am right now to the beginning it is amazing how much she changed, and there is still plenty more to go!

Teresa will not be following the main quest however. She starts that way, but gets off that train rather early. The events of the Oblivion Crisis continue on without her, and she will see them from the periphery. The Crisis finished in Chapter 11, and the last three chapters since have been dealing with the aftermath. Next chapter will see Teresa setting out in an entirely new direction.


D.Foxy: You think he might be a device for determining latitude?


haute ecole rider: Well, she would be rather noticeable with that flame red hair and pasty white skin. Still, you are right, she is good at finding things out.

I am glad you caught that with Baurus. He does not take "no" for an answer, and still has Teresa spying for him!


Destri Melarg: I think the only way to explain many of the things in the MQ is through a traitor in the Blades. Besides in a story filled with spies and assassins, treachery is a staple.


Remko: Thank you Remko.


Olen: Indeed, Teresa did have unspoken reasons for turning down Baurus. Her sense of unease from the hidden machinations of the Blades is a big one. The idea of a secret organization shaping the face of Tamriel from the shadows scares her. At the same time she really does not have the kind of self-confidence (yet) to become a spy. Finally, she has a clear purpose now: making Simplicia's dream come true.


MyCat: Thank you cat! That is exactly what I am hoping for. Simplicia really has had a sad life. Maimed, alone, no skills, no hope, and no future. It makes me want to cry as well.


All: No new post, probably not for a while. Work has been crazy and I have not had much time or energy to write. I can barely keep up with other people's stories lately. I am working on the next chapter though, which shows how Teresa, Methredhel, and Adanrel met as children, and includes appearances by some other characters we have met in previous chapters as well.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Aug 8 2010, 09:32 PM