Two sentences:

And

‘Hands the size of dinner plates' is a wonderfully visual image, and why do I have the feeling that Buffy’s kindness will be ‘remembered’ often?

I wonder what Shobob would say if he found out what happened to the child he saved from Lord Lovidicus. And is there anything more in keeping with her character than Buffy thinking that the ogres are ‘majestic’ simply because they didn’t try to rip her face off?

In Chapter 37, Buffy earned the favor of the Daedric Prince, Malacath. She was rewarded with the massive warhammer, Volendrung - a weapon she lacked the strength to lift. Rejecting the notion of trying to carry it in her magic bag, Buffy bestowed the hammer upon one of Malacath's followers, due to the chivalry and kindness he showed her.

Foxy- Only through Buffy's eyes, do I now begin to grasp the impact it tends to have on women when men write poetry for them. Even if it does rightfully tease her about her temper. Thank you.

Rider- Buffy was quite taken by her 'rescue' and offer of help from Shobob. Of course, if she was as wise as wonderful Julian, her mouth would not have generated the rescue requirement in the first place. The Gray Prince will play a small role in this book. We plan a much larger role for him in book two. At some point in book 3, we do expect Buffy the Slayer to visit Crowhaven. So many stories, so little time.

SubRosa- I hope you don't take it wrong, but Buffy was actually a little relieved to realize that she wasn't the only young wood elf with a temper problem. Here's hoping that both Teresa and Buffy learn to manage it better with time - at least Buffy doesn't have that red hair working against her! See the Agronak comments I made to our lovely Rider. Thank you for the thoughtful compliments on some of our phrasing.

mALX- Oh noes! Our pritty kitty Maxical has more than enough stalkers for any girl! (mALX of course is talking about how sometimes Drad's guards can stalk your character.) Thank you!

Zalphon- As the followers of Malacath like to say, "People think we're evil. Do I look evil?" Buffy thought freeing those ogres was a good thing. Thanks!

Linara- Thank you! Buffy loves pretty things she can wear or use. She is not real interested in lugging loot around to sell for cash. Again, she was very touched by the 'rescue' afforded her by Shobob.

treydog- Think before she speaks? As I alluded to wise SubRosa, I'm just glad she does not have Athynae's red hair to aggravate things. Seeing the ogres through Buffy's eyes was magical for me. She loved their power and majesty - like that of her black mare. I suspect it is a fascination with things she does not possess herself. Envy? In an odd way, somewhat like admiring the statuesque beauty of her friend Ardaline. She has no clue that most ogres are hostile; she will mention this in the future, at a dinner party with Countess Leyawiin.

Destri- 'Hands like dinner plates' - thank you. That was inspired by friend treydog's describing the hands of his Nordic smith as like shovels. The ogres were kind to Buffy; that's all she asks for of anyone. I know that if they didn’t try to rip her face off, she would find your Tsaesci majestic. I know I do.




Well-rested and provisioned, Superian and I left Gottshaw Inn before dawn and headed east.

As we approached a fork in the Gold Road, Superian sensed my indecisive turmoil and drew to a stop. To our right, the road continued toward Skingrad. To our left, the trail narrowed and wound its way up towards Kvatch.

On our trip west to Malacath's Shrine, we had taken a northern route via Chorrol, then west along the Hammerfell border. Once reaching its headwaters, we had followed the Brenna River almost to the Abecean Sea. The route was interestingly different, and enabled me to plot several new discoveries on my map. My creative navigation had also conveniently bypassed the decision I now faced.

Before departing the Gold Coast however, I had needed to stop in Anvil for provisions. It therefore made sense to plan a more southerly route for our return trip east. We had traveled easily from Anvil to Gottshaw Inn on the first day. I figured about four more days to Bravil, then we could restock our supplies and continue south to Sheogorath's Shrine. Of course, all of that assumed I could ride past Kvatch.

An Imperial Legion rider now slowly approached from the Kvatch encampment. As his bay came closer, he glanced over his shoulder at the first promise of daylight on the eastern horizon and extinguished his torch. "Hail, citizen."

"Good morning, brave soldier. My name's Buffy."

The Imperial drew his horse to a stop next to us and gently tapped a closed gauntlet to his chest. "Falcedon Laenius. How may I be of service, Buffy?"

"Well met, Falcedon." I lifted my arm towards Kvatch. "I take it from your grim expression that the Oblivion Gate up there is still open?"

"Yes," the hazel eyes studied me, "and I take it from the concern on your face that your question is not one of idle gossip. Fear not, citiz- I mean, Buffy; you are safe from Daedra along the Gold Road. The guard force of Kvatch may be thinly manned, but they still hold their ground."

I winced. "They must be exhausted."

"Aye." Falcedon's bay gelding stood quietly. Aside from a snort or two, the old war horse ignored the curious nudges of my young mare. "Their numbers are less than a dozen, but they are well-led. The flow of Daedra from that infernal gate has slowed. The defenders are able to man the barricade in shifts now."

I frowned. "Why does the Legion not send an army to close that gate? I truly don't think the cursed thing is going to burn out all on its own."

The Imperial averted his gaze to study the pommel of his saddle. "I'm merely a soldier who rides my assigned patrol." His eyes then returned to mine, reflecting deep concern. "Emperors have been assassinated before, but this time it's different. Can't you feel it? We are a Legion without a leader. Unrest grows throughout Tamriel. The bulk of our forces are now assigned to the outlying provinces. There is talk that some of them are plotting to break away. Why even now, several of Skyrim's Nordic clans have defiantly announced their independence."

One corner of the soldier's mouth lifted into a brief smile that failed to completely dislodge the concern from his eyes. "Take hope, Buffy. Once the provinces feel the steel of our resolve to hold the Empire together, I expect the Legion will be able to send forces to Kvatch's aid."

I frowned, but accepted his explanation; I too had heard the rumors of unrest.

"I was up there," I said, "at that flaming portal I mean, quite some time ago. Captain Matius told me to stay away until the gate was closed. Can you tell me if he is well?" My eyes pleaded with Falcedon's as I held my breath.

"If you mean does he live, yes."

I closed my eyes briefly. Thank you, Mara.

The soldier continued, "In fact, I expect Captain Matius is the strength that holds the remnants of the city together. His advice is wise, young elf, and I urge you to heed it. Kvatch does not need more mouths to feed or citizens to protect. Stay on the Gold Road." He clicked twice, and the hooves of his bay slowly resumed their westward march.

I turned in the saddle and said to the back of his iron cuirass, "Thank you, Falcedon, for the news."

A gauntleted hand raised to acknowledge my words.

My eyes turned again to the fork in the road before me. I had promised Savlian Matius I would return. He had even asked me to - but he also clearly said after all this was over. The Legion rider was right that Kvatch didn't need visitors to deal with.

If I did turn left up that hill, what would I do? What would I find? I was probably being silly to think Savlian would even remember my visit, much less have any feelings for me. He certainly had much more important things to deal with than a silly wood elf.

And what of my own feelings? I didn't understand them myself. I knew almost nothing of Savlian except his bravery and passion for Kvatch. Was I simply drawn to the idea of a hero? Perhaps I was imagining what I wished to see. Could there be any room in that heart of a lion for a small, skittish elf? What if he just sent me away again? Or. . . what if I discovered that I wanted to stay?

I stared down at my fingers, as they absently twirled a strand of Superian's mane. I was hoping she would pick my path for me, just as she had made the decision to stop here. The mare stood quietly. "You're not going to help me at all, are you," I stated. She flicked her ears, but made no move to continue.

"Acadian, what should I -" I closed my mouth then, after a moment, opened it again. "No, don't answer that. Superian is right. I know you will both come with me, be it left or right. This is a decision I have to make though."

The sun was fully in my eyes, and Superian was impatiently pawing the ground and tossing her head before I reluctantly coaxed her to the right. We resumed our journey east along the Gold Road. "Someday, Savlian Matius," I whispered, "someday, I will return like I promised."


As most of you know, Buffy asked me for, and received, a cosmetic makeover quite some time ago. It included her delicately proportioned (ok, skrawny) body by BAB, new outfits, richer eye color, improved facial textures and a wide variety of hairstyles she can now choose from. All of this was provided of course by the wonderful cosmetic artistry boutiques found on the west coast in LA (Lower Anvil). Not surprisingly, Buffy has been pestering me about a makeover for her precious black mare. I thought the above story would be the ideal opportunity to introduce Superian's new look:

From Buffy's scrapbook:

Screenshot1

Screenshot2

Screenshot3

This post has been edited by Acadian: Oct 15 2010, 08:43 PM

Woo Hoo on Superian's makeover - and the chapter! Matias is never far from her mind, poor Buffy!

I can see Buffy moving from being a spectator to being a woman of considered action here. Part of her longs to see Matius again (and Buffy, I completely understand the attraction to the man - I can't help stop in at Kvatch every time I go by just to say hello to him in the ruined Castle). But part of her recognizes that he has enough on his plate to worry about without her presence adding to his stress levels! The fact that the wise part of her triumphs over the clueless blond part of her shows that Buffy is an incredible woman of significant courage and strength.

And you've turned Superian into a Brunk-bred Morgan! The Brunks of Springfield, Illinois bred some of the best Morgans in the country in the early part of the last century, and Morgans of their bloodlines still carry the gene for silver/bronze manes and tails. My friend in Minnesota has several descendants, most of which have either silver or bronze strands in their locks. Lovely horses, all of them.

Casey
Cora Barr
Jazz
Jazzman

This post has been edited by haute ecole rider: Oct 15 2010, 05:28 PM

Buffy’s indecisiveness over whether to go to Kvatch or not shows her wonderfully appealing vulnerability.
And your explanation for why the Legion has not sent any aid also makes sense.



That is just such a perfect paragraph.

And horses ( and dogs) are great listeners- but they don’t seem willing to provide any advice.

Loved the ending, as well.

Nit:



I have a feeling one of your edits caught you here. Should that be “his gaze?”

Should she or should she not go to Kvatch?
I think that Buffy has sufficiently analyzed the Oblivion out of that question! I think that the correct answer would be ‘yes’, to whichever path she had chosen.

The conversation with Falcedon shed some much needed light on why no one seems to be rushing to Kvatch’s aid. I have a feeling that Ocato and the rest of the Elder Council are, like Savlian Matius, undermanned and holding a makeshift barricade against the vast numbers arrayed against them. Maybe Buffy should take some food, water, and blankets to White Gold Tower!

Love the screenshots! Especially the third one. That poison is positioned perfectly on the saddle.

Now that was a lovely piece of internal dialogue by Buffy, as she went over everything in her mind. Her natural doubts and insecurities really make her come to life as a real, breathing person.

Also some nice explaining of why the Legion is not closing the gate. Not to mention that Matius and company are holding the gate. Giving our Buffster the time to sort some other things out before it is indeed time for her to fulfill her vow to return.

And the new look to Superian is quite lovely!

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Oct 16 2010, 09:19 PM

That. But also, poor Savlian Matius. I've always been rather fond of him myself, the unlucky bloke, and you write him so well that its a shame not to see him this time around. Well, one day Buffy will feel ready, I hope. Savlian needs it.
Nell

Doubts, insecurities, confidence...Buffy I really like your autobiography. But who is this Acadian people speak about?

Chapter 38 found Buffy torn between continuing her eastbound journey from the Gold Coast, or turning up into the Kvatch encampment. A Legion rider gave her some news on the continuing siege of Kvatch. Ultimately, Buffy decided her presence would likely hinder more than help at this point. Reluctantly, she bypassed Kvatch and continued east, vowing someday to return.

All- Thank you for the warm acceptance and encouragement on Superian's makeover. The mare really has become such a big part of Buffy's life.

mALX- Yes, that darn gate and her hero with a headband do seem to pop into Buffy's mind a lot. If this first book of Buffy's had a title, it would be 'Do You Know the Way to Kvatch?' Thank you!

Rider- Where is that darn *twirl* emoticon? Such kind words about Buffy's rumination and growth! Thank you! What beautiful photos you graced us with of those beautiful horses! Although not necessarily my intent, I am delighted that Superian resembles them somewhat!

treydog- As is so often the case, your words are like a soothing potion; especially on episodes where Buffy wrestles with big decisions. I must admit that it is Buffy's vulnerability much more than her skills that keeps me firmly entwined about that tiny little finger of hers. Thank you also for the nit, so I could repair it.

Destri- Yes, few can analyze, justify, rationalize, ruminate and confuse themselves like Buffy - and then do what she feels like anyway! She claims a young lady's prerogative to do so of course. Admittedly, having that gate (and only that gate) just sit there until Buffy gets ready to deal with it is not exactly realistic, but we are trying to work with it, since it is so central to her story. It would make sense to me that the Legion could be very busy as the outlying provinces exploit what they might perceive as an opportunity to be free of Imperial rule.

SubRosa- Thank you for the kind words on Buffy's internal dialogue, and my efforts to give her the time she needs to hone her skills up to where she could actually assist with something as terrifying as an Oblivion Gate.

Linara- Thank you! I'm so glad that you like Savlian Matius. I have always felt that when it comes to a noble selfless hero, he is the gritty real deal. I was so pleased to see that Buffy seems to feel the same way, with the added bonus that perhaps he makes her toes curl, lol. To Buffy, the word patient is two four letter words strung together. . . so, I suspect she may not heed the counsel to avoid turning up toward Kvatch the next time she passes near.

Zalphon- That Buffy lives, breathes and dwarfs the role of Acadian for you is music to our ears. Thanks!




Dogs, engulfed in fire, illuminated the night sky as they plummeted from the stars. "NOOO!" I screamed. Their howls of tortured pain only ceased as they thudded to their deaths on the hard dirt and cobblestones in the heart of Borderwatch.

I ran past several Khajiit that scurried through the town, as they yowled in fear. From over my shoulder came the words, "The K'Sharra has come true! We are doomed!"

Oh, Dear Mara, what have I done? I raced from the center of town into the eastern tree line.

With the light of burning dogs behind me and my eyes streaming tears, I couldn't see as I crashed and scrambled through the forest. Thorns jumped from the underbrush and punished me as they tore through cloth and buckskin into elfskin. My frantic rush continued, until I tripped in the darkness and tumbled downhill.

My short journey ended suddenly as I slammed into something that did not yield like the tree branches that had whipped me along the way. I found myself in a pile on the ground, with stars and lights flickering inside my head. I could no longer hear the yowling and howling. The sky was again dark, save for a few stars that managed to pierce the cloudy night.

I staggered to my feet, leaning against whatever had stopped me.

My heart was pounding, I was panting and my lungs felt as if they were on fire from my race through the forest; I was quick and agile, but had little endurance. Raising a fist above my head, I released a white glow into the night that soothed my injuries as it settled over me. The brief illumination revealed that the last portion of my head-over-boots journey had been abruptly ended by the wall of a house or building of some sort. After another healing spell, I lit a torch and looked around.

I breathed a sigh of relief to see Superian inside the barn at Water's Edge, where I had left her. Her tack, along with my bow and quiver were still safely staged on racks in the corner. She tossed her head as I limped over and dropped my torch on the ground. I clung to the mare and sobbed into her mane, "what am I going to do, girl? I've destroyed a peaceful village."

The approaching light of another torch and a soft Bretonic voice announced that we were not alone. "Buffy, is that you?"

I released Superian and turned. The gentle face was full of concern and framed by honey blond hair. "Yes, Biene. I'm sorry if I frightened you." I picked up my torch.

Biene Amelion lifted her own torch higher and peered at me. "I heard a small thump against the back of my house and came out to see if Superian was all right." She was in nightclothes, but wielded a short sword. "Look at you! You're all cut up." She gestured towards the house with the tip of her blade. "Inside, now. Let's get you cleaned up and you can tell me what happened."

I rubbed Superian's long nose, then limped behind the Breton as she led me into her home.

Biene helped tug off my boots, then my torn and bloody clothes. She heated water, and gently dabbed the blood from my many cuts and scrapes.

I now wore a clean oversize tunic that she had helped pull over my head. My trembling had stopped and my hands were wrapped around a warm cup of tea as I sat across a small table from my hostess. I had relayed some of my tale to her.

"When you asked us to watch your horse for you, I wish you had told me you were running off to carry out the whims of Sheogorath." Biene added some healing potion to my tea. "I was up at his shrine once. Even his followers are half-dressed lunatics. What good did you possibly think could come from it?"

"I guess I didn't really think it through," I said. "I mean, I've done tasks for Daedra Lords before. They were good things - righting wrongs."

"I'm not buying it, Buffy. We're just simple sheep herders here, but we know animals. Even I can recognize the stable markings on your beautiful saddle as being from Equestria. That place is up in the Imperial City and only accepts the horses of mages. So, I figure you're a mage. Probably a graduate of the Arcane University as well, and too smart to fall for Sheogorath's craziness.

I nodded and squirmed as I lowered my eyes from her sharp gaze and raised eyebrow. "Well, I must admit that I've grown to quite fancy the mystery and excitement of earning the artifacts they give with their favor."

"Well it seems that my poor Khajiit neighbors in Borderwatch have paid for your greed."

I glanced up to see that her gaze had not softened. "You're right, Biene. I should have known Sheogorath was no good, as soon as he threatened to make me fall in love with a cloud or eat my own fingers. It seemed like a harmless practical joke at first."

Biene rose, poured us some more tea and returned to her seat. "Drink," she said. "Look, I only just met you a couple days ago, but like I said, we know animals here. I can see from her condition, the loving care you lavish on that mare of yours. I don't think you're a selfish elf by nature, and I believe you're justifiably ashamed of your actions. I'm a good listener if you want to talk about it."

"Stealing the cheese hadn't seemed so bad," I began. "I mean it was just rats that got hurt. I should have stopped there, after I saw how concerned those Khajiit became when one of their prophecies was fulfilled." I swallowed hard and continued, "I managed to talk myself into causing the second prophecy of the K'Sharra too. I figured they could eat the dead sheep and buy more livestock. If only I had known what Sheogorath had planned. . . . I can still hear the tortured yelps and howls of those dogs. The poor Khajiit are convinced their town is doomed now."

"Biene," I continued as I met her gaze, "I've killed Khajiit before, either bandits or highwaymen who would accost my mare and I - and I don't regret it one bit. This is different though; Borderwatch welcomed and trusted me, and I betrayed them. I'm ashamed of myself and I don't know how to fix it." I felt a tear sliding down my cheek. Lowering my eyes, I watched as it gently plopped into my tea cup, causing tiny circles to ripple.

The Breton covered my hand with hers. "We all do things we regret. The best we can hope for is to learn from our mistakes."

I nodded sadly. "Well, I sure learned from this one. I will never again just stupidly just do what some Daedra Lord says. Thank you, Biene. I do feel a little better. I surely will give that Sheogorath a piece of my mind when I go back to see him. Do you think there is anything we can do to help those poor Khajiit?"

"Well, it's too late for that tonight," replied Biene. "You'll sleep here. I have a spare bed, and your company is welcome. Father is up in the Imperial City, no doubt gambling our savings away. Tomorrow morning, we'll see if we can't undo some of your damage."

Excellent work I would like to hear Buffy's adventures in Arena, Daggerfall, Morrowind, and TES V

Poor Miss Buff. She may have just realized that if you have to rationalize your actions - you probably shouldn't be doing them...Poor Buffy !!!!

I love the way you portrayed Biene in this, that is exactly how I picture her being. I hate the quest that takes her from the game.

as they tore through cloth and buckskin into elfskin
An excellent phrase!

Poor Buffy. Sheogorath really burst her bubble about the fun and excitement of Daedric quests. To think that as they go, his is one of the less evil ones too! Now she has to live with the guilt of what she has done. Not an easy thing. I am wondering what she might do next? Go back to Borderwatch and try to patch things up with the Khajiit? It probably would not go well for her if she explained to them that it was all just a practical joke.

Also, a very nice touch by including Biene Amelion in the episode. Once again you have taken that extra step of taking characters we know from the game and putting them in places we are not used to seeing them. I also liked your characterization of her, and the emphasis you placed on her natural knowledge of animals.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Oct 18 2010, 05:02 PM

To be honest the Sheogorath quest is one I haven't done, mostly because I don't ever go near Borderwatch, but I have read about it, and I like Buffy's take on it. Most people don't really think about how truly frightened the Khajiit are afterwards, and what will happen. Now what will Buffy do with her new staff?

That was a hard lesson, but one Buffy had to learn. Good on Biene for being honest in her criticism- and her caring. The worst things we do are the hurts we bring to others, the ones we instantly regret but can never take back. It would be easy to be angry with our blonde Bosmer… but to let anger dictate our feelings would be to fall into the same trap she did. Instead, the lesson I take away is to remember that she is still very young and can still be misled. She did a terrible thing- but she is not a terrible person. She is still our Buffy.

Poor Buffy?! How about a little love for the poor rats and sheep that had to die so that Buffy could get the Wabbajack?! I know her own sympathy is reserved for the dogs, but those rats and sheep deserved better! Having said all that, I always do this quest with every character I have ever made . . . even the cleric. So, yes, I am not one to judge.

The idea of Buffy relating her story to the sympathetic ear of the lovely Biene Amelion (who remains the single biggest reason why I refuse to finish the Fighter’s Guild) is spot on. Biene's reaction to and honesty with Buffy was more than welcome. Here at last we see an image of Buffy in which her rationalizations sound hollow even to her own ears. I hope we see more chapters like this in the future.

Acadian, what can I say? I've read all the story, and couldn't stop reading it to post anything.

For more praise, see what I wrote to sub'Rosa, every bit of that applies to you and buffy.

This post has been edited by Doommeister: Oct 20 2010, 08:39 AM

In Chapter 39, Buffy dealt with her shame and regret caused by helping Sheogorath play a cruel trick on the Khajiit of Borderwatch. She seems interested in attempting to make amends for the damage she has caused.

Zalphon- Thank you. Buffy has so much to accomplish in Cyrodiil, but we do have adventures in Skyrim and Valenwood planned for the distant future. She is intrigued of course by Morrowind. After others have scouted TES V, I imagine she might be traveling there at some point as well. My goodness; we have to get the poor girl ready to deal with Kvatch first - given how much she has to learn and her short attention span, that will take all of Book 1. So many stories, so little time.

mALX- You nailed it! Buffy has done things that others might question or condemn, but this is the first big thing she has done that she is ashamed of. Knowing the proximity of Waters Edge from Borderwatch, I couldn't resist introducing Biene for a minor role.

SubRosa- Thank you. After Azura, Meridia and Malacath, Buffy had lulled herself into sort of trusting these Daedra Lords. Sheo burst her bubble. She will try to patch things up, but alas, the damage is done. The harsh lesson will not be wasted on her though. Nevertheless, it will take one more of these shrines after Sheo before Buffy drops the 'material girl' motivation for them and begins to realize the deeper reason she is drawn to them.

Linara- What would Buffy would like to do with that staff, indeed! She'd like to find Sheo and stick it up his crazy . . . oh, well that is probably very unwise - even for Buffy.

treydog- You are so right, my friend. She is young and can be misled. Isn't it ironic that sometimes it takes unfortunate events like this one to learn how not to be misled? I expect Buffy will remember what she learns here. As Kud-Ei told her: "The wisdom is quite attractive on you, but I hope the scars will fade." *sigh* I hope so too, Buffy.

Destri- Yes! Buffy ran into something that she was able to rationalize her way into, but even she can't rationalize her way out of. I am grateful for the straight talk from gentle Biene. I'm pleased that you, like mALX, enjoy Biene in the game. She is a wonderful NPC among so many in Cyrodiil.

Doommeister- What a pleasure to have you join us from the other forum where Buffy chatters so much about mystic archers! I am humbled by your praise. I did as you asked, checking the kind words you left for both Teresa and Buffy on SubRosa's wonderful thread.

All- It will be a week before I post our next story, as I will be out of town. As several of you know, I routinely embark on a pilgrimage to visit my fellow old war horse, Acadian the Senior. I know such opportunities are limited by the relentless march of advancing years. It is a bittersweet time to talk of old loves called Phantom, Corsair and Skyhawk. I also enjoy hearing him speak of the real Superian - the mare of his father - for he knew her far better than I.



I shook Borderwatch's shaman by the shoulders. The robed Khajiit remained listless as I looked up at his eyes. "Listen, this was not the K'Sharra," I said. "It was a stupid wood elf that stole S'trassa's olroy cheese to summon those rats. I then used your own poison to kill the town's sheep. Ri'Bassa, do you hear what I'm saying? It was me, not prophecy."

There was no acknowledgement in the Khajiit's blank gaze. His words floated flatly into the air above my head, "the end of all things has come." He then turned from me.

I scampered in front of him to block his path. "I know not how to replace the olroy cheese, but if I ever find some, I promise to deliver it here. Look," I pointed toward the six sheep grazing inside the town's enclosure, "I bought sheep from Marie Alouette, the herder at Water's Edge. She and Biene Amelion helped me herd them up here. We cleaned the poison residue from their trough. And see?" I swept my arm around the town, "We carried the poor dogs and dead sheep away from town and burned what remained of them." My eyes pleaded with him.

"The K'Sharra has come true. It's hopeless. Leave while you can." He turned and walked away.

Biene grabbed my arm to stop me from following the shaman.

I watched R'Bassa as he wandered aimlessly about the town like a lost kitten with a broken spirit.

The Breton's grip on my arm eased from one of restraint to one of comfort, but there was no softening the truth in her words. "We've done what we can, Buffy. I hope you will learn from this."

"I will, Biene," I said, blinking back tears. "The head of my guild branch in Bravil told me that wisdom comes from experience - and experience comes from bad judgment. Never again will I allow myself to be blindly seduced by the whims of a Daedra Lord."

*

"Good times!" Sheogorath's voice was a perverted mixture of good cheer, laced with cruelty. It now echoed in the small clearing. "I hope you had as much fun as I did. Here, take this. It's a fun little toy. Now, go away - before I kill you."

I was too angry to be intimidated. Dropping the staff that had materialized in my grasp, I planted both hands on my hips and glared up at the stone figure. "Now you just listen to me. I trusted you, and look wha-"

"Today must not be Turdas." I wheeled to see one of the Daedra Lord's followers speaking to a tree and gently caressing its smooth bark. The Altmer's golden skin was on full display, save for the fur helmet and iron boots she wore. "You see," she continued as if her logic was obvious to all, "Lord Sheogorath only listens to trees on Turdas - when it's not raining of course. You're only a small tree, but you still must come back on Turdas. Perhaps you can bring imp chips and tea?"

She was right. Sheogorath was gone. I picked up the staff that he had given me. "What kind of foul trickery does this unleash?" I wondered aloud. Perhaps Delmar at the Chironasium could figure it out. Thankful for my magic bag, I slid the staff inside it.

I stared at the shrine, but all I could see in my mind were images of flaming dogs and despondent Khajiit. Rage bubbled up within me. "Oww!" I hobbled a few paces to a bench and sat. Painfully tugging off one boot, I rubbed my foot. That was really smart, Buffy. Did you think kicking a stone statue was going to hurt a Daedric Prince? I guess you really showed him.

Two of Sheogorath's half-dressed crazies bowed to each other, then began to dance. A Nord wearing only a shirt approached, knelt in front of me and tried to lick my sore foot.

"Get away from me!" The venom in my hiss apparently penetrated his insanity, for he scurried away.

A moment later, he stood politely in front of Superian. "Do you have any lettuce? I like lettuce."

The mare flattened her ears, opened her mouth and snaked her neck at the Nord as he quickly jumped back to avoid her bite. He then turned to tap one of the dancers on the shoulder. "The Madgod rejoices! May I cut in?"

Trying to ignore the antics and naked bits of these followers, I quickly drank a potion to ease my self-inflicted foot pain, and pulled on my boot.

"Stop laughing about my foot," I snapped at Acadian. "It hurts! Ok, so this didn't work out so well. Vaermina can't possibly be worse than Sheogorath. Let's go."

Naked...bits? Wait, I need to clean my monitor and keyboard...

I always use Sheogorath's staff as a Daedric artifact to give to Martin.

Buffy returns and tries to set things right as best she can. That is indeed the good heart of our Buffster at work. Only she has learned the hard lesson that some mistakes you can just never put right. You can only learn to live with them, and hopefully not make them again.

Perhaps you can bring imp chips and tea?
Ha! The imp chips raise their ugly head, well, clumps...

Did you think kicking a stone statue was going to hurt a Daedric Prince? I guess you really showed him.
Looks like Buffy and Teresa do have a lot in common!

Vaermina can't possibly be worse than Sheogorath.
Now this is priceless!

I hope you have a good time with the Senior Paladin. You might talk to him about Pappy Vitellus while you are at it!

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Oct 21 2010, 03:30 PM