Never forget, I learned from the best.

Very creative, having Agronak go to Mazoga's side and leave the arena. That surprised me a bit.

Just so long as Buffy doesn't walk in on them "sparring." Wait... bad images! Argh!

Harm's Folly, eh? No strangers to misery, are they. That must be one horribly unlucky family...

Oh, and Ghastley, I work in foodservice, so I know just how fragile mundane wine bottles can be. The main reason the game's bottles are made out of magical super-glass is because of physics limitations. However, I can envision Tamika placing spells on her bottles so they would not break if dropped, so I do see your point.

This post has been edited by Thomas Kaira: Feb 23 2011, 04:56 PM

Buffy the Matchmaker!

I see both Buffy and Agronak touch on just the exact issues I have with the Arena, which is why I've only done the storyline twice, and only with those PC's that also did Thieves' Guild, Dark Brotherhood and SI. All of my others have not been interested in killing for sport, especially since that could be your friend out there on the sand, damn it!

I have a good feeling about Sir Mazoga and Agronak the Grand Champion. But I am resolutely keeping any images of the two of them together out of my mind for the moment. Too early in the day for me!

I’m pleased that Buffy is through with the Arena. Especially since she gets to keep her raiment with the matching boots. Sir Mazoga and the Grey Prince, oh my goodness. Yay Buffy!!

Agronak: "How do I know when to kill?"

Buffy : "I have a doctrine to follow. 'If you are mean to me or my friends, I will kill you'."

Later, Mazoga: "Countess Leyawiin, this is my friend Agronak. I would like you to make him a Knight of the White Stallion..."


GAAAAAH !!! Agronak's first mistake in the outside world !!! GAAAAAH !!!


Just kidding, Acadian - I blame the dogs for driving me stir crazy, lol.

This was a nice surprise, and more than a bit of a relief seeing Agronak guided from the Arena to a new life (and one hopes a new chance on life, given what we know happens to him in the game.) So it looks like Buffy may be changing her name to Emma? It is very sweet of her to meddle in the lives of Agronak and Mazoga, with the hopes of bringing them together.

I did buy you a map at the Copious Coinpurse today
And it probably came from some poor sod's grave!

I would suggest you call her Sir Mazoga
A good suggestion!

Agronak is not Mr. Elton.

Loving this. I didn't know that Buffy could be so diplomatic.

Well I am finally through the first ten chapters of Thread 1. All I can say is WOW! You have an amazing talent for weaving a very enjoyable tale. The items I would recount have already been commented on and complimented, so I won't reiterate what has already been said. But I will reiterate...WOW!

Well, Buffy, I'm going to call her Madam Magoza... *Picks up liver* I see why you advise that.

Interesting installment. Only one thing stood out for me, though:

The possible children of Agronak gro-Malog and Mazoga.

Imagine them, running around in Leyawin. And as Knights-Errant of the White Stallion, our proud Orsimer parents will have to present them to the court for formal events. Great therapy for the Countess of Leyawin, I'd imagine.

And Captain Hammer wins +9,000 Oblivions.

PROBLEM, COUNTESS?

This post has been edited by Cardboard Box: Feb 25 2011, 06:48 AM

Episode 80 found Buffy in the Imperial City awaiting completion of the mage's staff she intends to deliver to Harm's Folly. She resigned from the Arena and, surprisingly, convinced the Grand Champion to leave the Arena and pursue a knighthood with the Order of the White Stallion in Leyawiin.

ghastley- Thanks for noting the implication of Buffy buying a map for Agronak even before talking with him. Her little wheels have been turning ever since Mazoga stated what she wanted in a man. Issuing a warning to Agronak shows Buffy's deep concern for Mazoga, and that her dragon mouth is still trying to write checks her butterfly butt can't cash.

mALX- Thank you! We'll try to keep romantic scenes involving the orcish sport of tusk locking to a minimum.

King Coin- It just seemed natural to me to incorporate a little naivete in Agronak as a price of being cooped up in the Bloodworks for so long. Also, to help balance his magnificent power and skill. Thanks!

Thomas Kaira- Thank you. Buffy so hopes that her meddling doesn't stuff everything up. She'll be nervously waiting to hear from her friend Mazoga.

Rider- I'm so glad that Buffy's maturing views on the Arena struck a chord with you. Although she has outgrown it for the reasons you mention, Buffy is grateful to the Arena for three things: It helped her earn gold to get home from prison so long ago. It taught her to better manage her fears. She got a beautiful blue outfit!

Grits- Aww, thank you! Yes, Buffy likes that little blue outfit. Gosh she sure hopes she's helping Mazoga and not just mucking things up!

SubRosa- Thank you. Buffy chose the Copius Coinpurse because she still feels badly about killing the previous owner. Besides, Thoronir is short enough she can look him in the eye! I'm afraid her nose for business is not quite keen enough to really wonder about why his prices are so low.

MyCat- Thanks for picking up on Buffy's growing diplomatic skills. She tried to learn some of those things as she hung around the Court of Leyawiin.

Rick- Thank you for the kind words! I'm delighted that you are catching up with us!

Zalphon- *shudder* Yes, fighting alongside Mazoga is scary enough. Buffy can't imagine the terror of being on the receiving end of Mazoga's mighty blade. Thank you!

Captain Hammer- Thank you. Oh my goodness yes! Little green knights running around the Court of Leyawiin! Seriously, I hope the Grand Champion passes muster with Mazoga and perhaps the knights can do some 'erranting'.

Cardboard Box- Thanks for popping in! Sadly, I don't think anything can really fix that Countess, but I don't think she'll cause too much trouble in Buffy's story.



Careful to control the flames of my torch, I knocked on the wooden door and took a pace back. Although the house was built of stone, the roof was straw.

"Hello? Who are you? What do you want?" The old Breton who appeared in the doorway was understandably surprised by a caller to his isolated farm, particularly at night.

"My name is Buffy and I'm from the Mage's Guild. Are you Corrick Northwode?"

"Why yes, I'm Corrick." The weathered face turned from suspicious to anxious. "What's happened to Arnaud? For the Guild to pay a call out here must be bad news. Is he hurt? Did he get himself into trouble?"

I took a deep breath and said as gently as I could, "Corrick, I'm afraid Arnaud was killed while on an important assignment for the University. I-I'm sorry."

The farmer winced, but did not break as he closed his eyes. After a few moments, he opened them again. "How?" he asked quietly.

"Arnaud died bravely, during an attack on one of the University's facilities." I then added, "None of his assailants survived."

"I. . . forgive my manners, young elf. You must be exhausted and hungry after your trip. Welcome to Harm's Folly." He motioned toward a reflection of moonlight on the surface of water in a nearby trough. "Please, tend to your horse then come in. I'll warm some stew."

*

"Thank you for the meal, Corrick. The stew was delicious," I said truthfully to the Breton seated across the table.

"Kayleen's recipe," he said sadly. "My late wife." Rubbing his hand over the ceramic urn that bore the symbol of the guild and contained the remains of his son, he continued, "It means a great deal that you were able to return Arnaud home to me. Thank you."

"You're welcome," I replied. "Arnaud's records at the University said that if he perished, he wanted to be turned to ash and brought to you."

"Aye, he was fascinated by fire," said Corrick. "It'll be nice to have him home with me tonight. I'll place him in the ground next to Kayleen's grave tomorrow. She'll be happy to have him near." He looked again at the gnarled length of enchanted wood I had placed on the table next to Arnaud's last letter. "My son always dreamed of being a mage. I'm sure that staff would have meant much to him. Thank you for ensuring it was completed." He then managed a flat smile. "Could you show me how to use it?"

The question caught me off guard. "Well, I think I understand how they're supposed to work. I've never actually used a staff, and I'm afraid I didn't pay much attention during those classes. I'll see if I can figure it out and teach you without setting your roof ablaze." My smile faded. "Corrick, it's horrible what happened to Arnaud, especially after losing your wife. How did Kayleen die, if I may ask?"

The Breton's face turned hard. "Goblins. Damn things have a clan or tribe or whatever they call themselves. They showed up and moved into nearby Exhausted Mine a few years ago. We've always been able to fight them off when they would send a scout or two snooping around. One day about a year ago, Arnaud and I returned from selling our crops to find a war party had attacked the farm and. . . killed my Kayleen." The Breton finally allowed a tear to slide down his leathery cheek.

"Corrick," I got up and stepped around the table until I stood next to the seated man, "I don't know if I can help with your kind of wounds, but would you like me try?"

He looked up at me. I could see pain, confusion and hope warring within his eyes. After a moment, he nodded slightly.

Focusing on what I imagined Corrick's pain felt like, white energy began to surge deeply within me. I felt it travel up through my shoulders and out along my arms. When it reached my hands, they began to glow with a white aura. I placed one on each side of Corrick's face. I could sense a broken leg that had healed long ago, a gentle spirit and a heart full of pain. As the healing magic passed from me to him, I could feel some of that pain being transferred to me. Overwhelming sadness and loss swept over me for several moments. Finally I could take no more and let go, breaking the bond between us. Exhausted, and in tears myself, I looked at him hopefully.

"Buffy, I do feel a little better, somehow." Corrick tentatively touched a cheek with his hand. "Whatever you did, I thank you."

Suddenly, I heard the neighing cry of Superian and my blood ran cold.

Corrick shouted, "Goblins!" and jumped to his feet. Plucking a mace from above the mantel of his fireplace, he quickly covered the distance to the door.

Grabbing Slayer and my quiver, I was on Corrick's heels as we burst out of the farm house.

Under the light of both moons, I could see Superian rearing and flashing her powerful front hooves at a single goblin.

As Corrick charged and swung his mace, the goblin easily turned the weapon aside with a leather shield. He then answered with a swing of his own mace that knocked Corrick to the ground.

Before the goblin could raise his weapon again, I launched an emerald sphere of magic into the dirt in front of me. Upon impact, the spell burst into a cloud that engulfed the entire area in a brief flash of greenish light.

Corrick, now struggling to regain his feet was not affected by the illusion. Superian and the goblin however, both stopped their hostilities and stood, passively awaiting my command.

Sidestepping quickly, to offset myself from both Corrick and my mare, I nocked an arrow and loosed it. From a range of less than three paces, the impact to the goblin's chest drove him to the ground where he gurgled in pain. I watched the blue arcs of Slayer's shock magic briefly dance over the green skin of Superian's attacker. Before the sparks could fully dissipate, Corrick finished the job with his mace.

* From Buffy's scrapbook: Screenshot

And now we begin what is quite possibly my favorite chapter from BF 1.0 - Buffy's encounter with Corrick. For me, this chapter highlights the wonderfully warm-hearted kind person Buffy is, and juxtaposes that with the lethal blonde she has become. It also showed me creative ways (creative to me, melee fighter that I am anyway) to use magic in combat. This is the chapter that encouraged me to look for new ways to incorporate magic in my combat style in the game. For those reasons, it was my favorite chapter, and to date, it is still my favorite in BF 2.0, though the entire storyline thus far has been a wonderful, wonderful journey.

I liked how Buffy gave the news to Corrick, sparing him the ugly details of his son's death, and instead conveying that he fell bravely. It is bad enough news as it is, not to make things worse.

I'm afraid I didn't pay much attention during those classes.
Too busy staring out the window at the university garden and daydreaming no doubt!'

I could see Superian rearing and flashing her powerful front hooves at a single goblin.
That goblin just found himself on the wrong end of the Buffy Doctrine™!

And we see an example of the experienced Buffy in action. A Command Creature spell settles down the chaos, and gives her the clear opportunity to finish the goblin for once and all, without further harm coming to either Corrick or Superian.

At the same time this little dust-up shows us several things. That the goblins who killed Corrick's wife are still a real threat. It also shows us that Corrick is out of depth in dealing with them. He is a farmer, not a trained fighter.

Corrick’s words about Arnaud and Kayleen are just heartbreaking. I can see how Buffy would be moved to help ease his pain. Then seeing her empathetic way of healing was quite special.

Followed by battle, rawr! Buffy used a spell to quiet both Superian and the goblin, so she could use her bow safely! I still remember the Legion Rider and the mountain lion. It seems this bowgirl doesn’t need to learn lessons twice.

This post has been edited by Grits: Feb 26 2011, 10:39 PM

I particularly liked the idea of the command spell keeping Superian from getting in the way of an arrow. Oblivion's AI turns all non-ranged allies into liabilities when a fight breaks out. And the ranged ones shoot you in the back if you don't time your attacks right.

As SubRosa pointe out, you've got all the setup for the next part nicely decided in advance, looking froward to that!

I also liked that, Ghastly

Emotion runs deep here.

Where's a redhead named Willow when you need her the most? It would seem a delightful flicker of Ms. Summers has appeared within your words.

Buffy's continued reliance on magic remains ever-present, as well (as she is a mystic archer, after all). She has a play for everything, as well. If command doesn't work, paralyze em, and if that doesn't work, drain their speed. Finally, if all else fails, disappear and leave behind a Clannfear to busy your opponent while you're busy severing their spine.

This chapter displays Buffy's personality so perfectly !!! Buffy at her Buffiest !!! AWESOME CHAPTER !!!!!!

I'm predicting some goblin hunting in the near future

81 was the first episode of Buffy's four part miniseries, 'Harm's Folly'. She delivered the mage's staff and remains of Arnaud Northwode to his father's farm. Their after dinner conversation was interrupted by a goblin attack against Buffy's mare, just outside the farmhouse.

Rider- Aww. It was music to my ears to hear that you really like the Harm's Folly story because I have expanded it from three to four episodes in 2.0. Thank you so much!

Subrosa- Wow. As is so often the case, your insight provides confirmation that what I was trying to do here came through. Buffy surely was trying to give Corrick the impression that his son died bravely, perhaps smiting foes as fire blazed from his fingertips. Thank you.

Grits- I'm so glad you like Corrick's compelling story. We'll linger a bit more with it in this next episode. Thank you so much for recalling Buffy's sense of failure when that Legion rider fell to the mountain lion and her determination to learn how to do better.

ghastley- Thank you. Buffy is so glad she majored in illusion at the University! She tends to get flustered when surprised of course and illusion is often just the ticket that can bring her some time and control. Boderi taught her that if she can imagine a fight, she can plan for it and win it before it ever begins. Thanks to a lion slaying a Legion rider long ago, this goblin attack was such a fight.

Zalphon- Thank you very much! I'm delighted to see your new story 'Devotion' on the boards!

Thomas Kaira- Who'd have thought she'd ever have to use a staff? I'm sure her mind was off with Superian running in the tall grass during those classes. With her focus on bow, illusion and restoration, Buffy's conjuration still lags at this point in her story. I'm afraid she is relegated to the most basic summons during Book 1.

mALX- Thank you! When you say Buffy is at her Buffiest, it makes my heart sing!

King Coin- Goblin hunting? Oh my goodness, yes! She does have some more business with Corrick first though. Thank you!



I shouldered Slayer and turned to the farmer. "Corrick, are you all right?"

"I-I think so," he replied unsteadily as he slid the mace's handle under his belt.

My hand slipped into one of the quick access pouches on the outside of my pack and grabbed a potion. "Here, drink this - all of it." I then sparked my torch to life and offered it to Corrick as well. "Hold this with your free hand, please."

White magic filled my hands as they gently wandered over Superian's neck, shoulders and front legs to assess for any wounds. Sure enough one of her front shoulders was injured, no doubt by the goblin's mace. Nothing was broken however. I channeled healing magic through my fingers, slowly enough to control the rate and amount of pain that I received in return.

Physically and emotionally drained, and low on mystical power, I turned my attention back to the Breton. I had absorbed a fair amount of pain for one evening and hoped the healing potion was all he needed to recover. "Are you feeling better?"

"I am. Thank you Buffy, that potion was amazing. I can still feel it working." Staring at me, he added, "I couldn't help notice the pain on your face as you eased some of my grief after dinner with your magic. I saw it again just now as you worked on your horse. Does it hurt when you heal us?"

"Well, some. At the University, they told me I was an empathic healer; the Priestesses of Mara in my home town of Bravil have said the same. A very close friend, who is a paladin, calls it 'laying on of hands'." I shrugged and continued, "I'm just different I guess. I can heal a lot more pain than I receive, but sometimes I have to be careful. If my patient can drink a potion, it makes things easier for me." A little self-conscious about my healing, I unsheathed my knife and changed the subject. "I need to try and recover my arrow from this goblin. Then maybe we can drag his body away from both my mare and your homestead?"

Upon accomplishing those tasks and returning to the farmhouse together, Corrick said, "Let's get you back inside where it's warm."

I conjured a tiny cloud of icy fog in one hand and extinguished my torch. The farmer opened the door for us.

We sat quietly in front of the fireplace, dispelling the night chill that had crept into us while outside. I pointed to a large painting above the stone mantel. "Is that the Great Oak of Chorrol?"

"Aye." Corrick rose to his feet slowly and somewhat stiffly. As he snuffed out several burning candles inside his one-room home, he remarked apologetically, "I've got plenty of wood to burn for the fireplace, but these candles don't grow on trees." The Breton returned to his chair and continued, "It was many years ago that Kayleen and I came here from Chorrol to start this farm. We cleared a small plot of the rich land and built this house stone by stone. It was our dream. Arnaud was conceived and born here."

The Breton retrieved a dried tobacco leaf from atop the nearby chest of drawers and tore it into two pieces. Wadding up a portion, he stuffed it into one side of his mouth, offering me the other half.

I wrinkled my nose and shook my head. "Um, no thanks."

"I figured as much." Corrick managed a smile. "Kayleen hated the stuff too."

The flickering fireplace now provided the only light as the two of us sat comfortably together. Orange reflections danced softly upon the walls around us, making the small home feel warm and alive. "Thank you for trying to defend my mare," I remarked before taking a sip of cheap wine from the cup Corrick had filled for me.

"Horses are important out here, Buffy. Besides I probably owe you my own life. Listen, it's entirely too late for you to try and return to the big city tonight. I'd be pleased if you waited till morning to leave." Corrick added quickly, "As you can see, I have two beds. You're welcome to use Arnaud's. Please don't think-"

"Thank you," I interrupted, trying to ease the Breton's awkwardness. "I will stay the night. Perhaps tomorrow we can try and figure out how to use that staff. I don't question your intentions, Corrick. Besides," I teased, "I know some magic, and if you couldn't impose your will on that one goblin, I think I'll be safe."

The Breton replied sheepishly, "I guess you can see now why I haven't been able to get rid of those damn things. I've never been much of a fighter, and now with a few years on me, well," he sighed, "they're just too much for this old farmer." He leaned over and spat some tobacco juice into a metal urn on the floor by his feet.

I looked at Corrick. "What will you do? About the goblins, I mean."

"Probably die here." He shook his head sadly. "With Kayleen and Arnaud gone, I don't have much to live for. Besides, I guess I've had a good life. Not every man can claim to have been loved by a fine woman, tilled his own land, and raised a good son. I can't live here with those goblins, yet I can't leave either. Not with Kayleen, soon to be joined by Arnaud, buried next to the home we built together."

Corrick added a piece of wood to the fire, causing the small blaze to spark and flare a little brighter. I got up, refilled our stone cups and returned to my seat next to him.

"Farmers don't make a lot of gold, Buffy. For a long time I scrimped and saved, hoping I could hire the Fighter's Guild to clear Exhausted Mine." The Breton's eyes were moist as he continued, "Life has choices though. I don't regret it, but all my savings went toward getting my boy into the University. I'm sure some day those goblins will kill me; I'll then join Kayleen and Arnaud. Perhaps that is for the best."

We sat, silently watching the flames slowly dance before us for several minutes.

Finally, I said quietly, "I will clear this Exhausted Mine that threatens your farm, Corrick."