Chapter 2c review

I can understand how writing these scenes would feel restricting, but you did an excellent job. Your descriptions of everything and the added dialogue is wonderful.


"It is our choices in life that define us," he said. "Everything we do, or do not do, makes us what we are, makes the world what it is. Some people choose poorly. Some choose to be something better. Your choices lie ahead of you, starting this night. You will have to live with them for the rest of your days. So make them wisely."

Teresa had heard much the same before, from the priestesses and priests of the Nine when they made their monthly tour of the Waterfront shantytown to save the souls of proles like herself. Yet where they always sounded like pompous hypocrites, every word the Emperor said struck home deeply within her. Somehow because he said it, something within her knew that it was all true.

This was beautiful. It is something that hits home with me.


Something happened to Teresa then, which had never happened before. Looking from the dead body of the Emperor to the assassin who had claimed his life, her terror washed away. Replacing it was something in her heart that was dark, cold, and furious.

Without thinking she picked up the sword from beside the Emperor's body and rose to meet his killer.

This was excellent. I loved it.


Its hard blade pierced her palm straight through and stuck tight in her bones.

Well written--but, oh, it made me cringe!


The assassin crumpled in a heap beside the Emperor, his armor and dagger vanishing in a swirl of blue light. With an effort Teresa pulled the sword from his body and stabbed him again and again, thinking nothing of her wound, or of anything else in the world. She heard a woman shrieking, and it was not until Baurus pulled the sword from her hand and lifted her to her feet that she realized it was her.

This was great. The rage that consumed her, having never felt it before, and then realizing it was her own shrieking voice she heard... It was awesome.


Concentrating upon the healing spell she had learned so long ago, she drew her magicka up from within her. She pictured her hand, not torn and bloody as it was now, but rather whole and unharmed.

I like the way you described this whole paragraph of Teresa healing herself. It was a great way to describe the power of healing with magicka that makes it more believable, and really explains how such a power is even possible. She had to envision it for the magicka to do its job--it makes it seem more truly like something you have to work on--not just clicking the right button. Excellent.

Hmmm a very orcy part.


This made me chuckle.


Ancondil's proposition of communal nourishment from a culinary effectation using such articulation propounds his character as the plausible antithesis of Lum...

Indeed for all we have orcs galore it seems they are all rather different. One is culturally an altmer, one is, as far as we know, a drunk and rude and the other is Lum. First impressions weren't good but I rather like him. Anyone too manly for shirts has to be interesting.

I also wonder if their meeting might be equally fun.

What a contrast between the dashing Ancondil, the boorish Kurz, and the underdressed but diplomatic Lum. Teresa’s anger management is clearly still an issue for her. I’m glad the gro-Baroth boys ticked her off, it shows us how she’s still growing. How fun to see Teresa confirm Daenlin’s assessment of her intuitive shooting! The crossover with Buffy’s world is such a delight.

"Well good thing you did, else I would be flatter than pita bread!"
Teresa is getting pretty quick with the snappy comebacks!!

Chapter 3a

I like how you went into great detail in the sewers, describing what a sewer would really be like—the muck and sludge, the dirty water that would empty into the lake. It made me realize things I didn’t really think about when playing the game and going through the sewers. For one thing—eww, I’m in a sewer, walking through water that’s probably filled with things I’d rather not think about—and no, it’s not the mudcrabs. Also, if that water empties out into Lake Rumare—hmm, maybe I don’t want to go swimming there while on vacation, after all.

I really liked the part where Teresa slipped on the muck—adds to the realism and reminds us that she’s not invincible. She is, after all, a stringy Bosmer.

This is a rather small point, but I also wanted to point out that I like how you mentioned Methredhel. She was always one of my favorite characters in the game...


Chapter 3b

The skin of her left arm ached where the bowstring had rubbed against it with every shot, and her fingers throbbed in pain from releasing it with her bare hands. That was what she got for using a bow without an arm bracer and a shooting glove, she thought.
Again, the realism is clear in these statements. And it reminds me of something I had forgotten about archery—the bowstring rubbing against your bare arm and the soreness of your fingers. I haven’t shot a bow since high-school, though I love archery, and I forgot about that whole thing. I am glad you put this in, because it reminded me of something rather important, especially when parts of Syl’s story involve the usage of bows and arrows.

I also love the sort of frailty here—she’s young and so innocent, and fighting goblins in the sewers is not something she’s even slightly used to. We are well reminded of that here—you did an excellent job really bringing that home to us.

Looking over his boots, she shook her head when she realized that both of her feet could fit into one of them, and left them behind.

Her head spun. She was a nobody, she thought, a prole; just an orphan from the slum with no past and no future. Yet here she was alive and well, after fighting and killing an assassin and then three goblins all on her own. A curious sensation filled her chest. It was warm, comforting, and made her stand a little straighter. It was something she had never felt before, and it took a while for her to understand what it was. It was pride, she finally realized as a faint smile came to her lips. For the first time in her life, she felt truly proud of herself.
I loved this.^^ and then: The smell of feces interrupted her chain of thought however. Proud or not, she was still in a sewer. It was time to go. This made me laugh.

[…]she suddenly felt pleased with herself for being such a professional sneak, even if it was completely by accident.

the night sky around it glittered with a thousand silver stars Did she actually stand there and count? (I'm sorry, I had to...)

Her sack cloth breeches and shirt followed, until finally she stood naked in the lake and let her body sink into the cool embrace of the water. Ahhh, sounds refreshing.

And I just have one question concerning the goggles and the thief’s body—is that part of a mod you have? Sounds pretty cool.

This post has been edited by Lady Syl: Apr 18 2011, 09:18 PM

haute ecole rider: Like Teresa's faint smile, being too sexy for a shirt is Lum's signature, I could not leave it out! I skipped over Ancondil's dinner, as it was not important to the story. This chapter is already nearly 38k words, so I have been trying to keep it as tight as possible. I did go back and add in a little to show that Teresa was making it in the kitchen though.


mALX: I do not really plan on ever releasing that mod. I made it when I first started modding, and has a lot of mistakes, and changes a huge amount of things. Maybe someday I will get around to doing it over again, and make it in smaller modules.


Acadian: Nits be picked. Ancondil is always fun to write. Teresa certainly cannot help but to adore him. Kurz and Lum on the other hand, she is not so thrilled with. Although at least she is warming up to Lum.


Lady Syl: Restarting the story here at Chorrol really helped me improve those early chapters you are reading now. Technically, they were always the weakest part of the TF. So I focused a lot of attention on editing them before posting here. I am glad they are working now.

The Emperor's soliloquy is really the only reason I decided to have Teresa be there for his death and the beginning of the Main Quest. He changes Teresa forever, and will always be a guiding star in her life. Without him, she probably would have remained a street urchin for the rest of her life. So while Teresa will not be following the main quest, meeting him was a very key event in her life.

The use of magic has always been easy to write. I just write it as I know it from IRL. Granted I have to make a few changes to fit the nature of the ES universe.

The proud or not, I'm still in a sewer line was one of my favorites of the TF. It does such a wonderful job of keeping Teresa down to earth and accessible.

The goggles are from this mod. I took it and further modded it to remove the Detect Life option, and later also changed the mesh to the goggles from this mod. I not only like how the second one looks better, but it also adds a version you can wear pushed back up on your forehead, like this. Putting them on the dead thief's body was purely my invention, as I wanted Teresa to have a way to see in the dark, and it dovetailed nicely into creating an encounter in the sewers.


Olen: I had not really thought of it until you mentioned, but you are right, it was a very orcish episode. I am glad that they each came across as being unique. I was not planning on anything special that way. It just worked out like that. We will be seeing all three orcs together in the episode following today's, and sparks will fly!


Grits: Teresa's anger issues are definitely still there. They will be until she makes an effort to do something about them, which we will be seeing later in this chapter btw.

Teresa is a zen archer. All Bosmer archers are in the TF, and many others as well. Unfortunately, I have not figured out a way to say that and still keep it setting-friendly. So instead I have been simply trying to show it without the term "zen". Eventually I will have to make up some kind of word for it, when Teresa actually meets Daenlin and learns more about archery from him (in a future chapter).


Previously on Teresa of the Faint Smile: Teresa met Kurz and Lum gro-Baroth, archers from the Chorrol chapter in town for the tournament. The two orcs definitely made a bad first impression, although Lum did try to make amends later in the evening. The next day finds Teresa working a contract outside of the city...


Chapter 34.7 - The Tournament Of Archers

"We're going to have to leave that behind and walk from here on out," Teresa nodded to the landau in which the patricians sat. The open-topped carriage was made of mahogany and decorated with gold inlays. Even the four coal black Percherons that drew it bore feather plumes atop their harnesses.

"Capital idea!" exclaimed an olive-skinned Nibenean in his middle years. His expansive girth was draped in green velvet, and he clambered down from the elegant carriage with the help of a servant in fine linen. "Nothing like a brisk stroll in the country to improve one's circulation. Isn't that right Domitilla?"

"As you say husband." Next came a young woman of Teresa's own age. Her raven tresses were long and arranged behind her head in an elaborate braided bun. She wore a gown of velvet and lace, and a brocade corset decorated with flowers girded her waist. A necklace of pearls ringed her delicate throat, and diamonds glittered from her ears and fingers. She was everything a young woman was supposed to look like, Teresa thought enviously. Nothing at all like herself of course.

Finally, a middle-aged Imperial descended from the landau. Like the younger woman, she wore a gown of velvet. However, she decorated herself with rubies rather than diamonds and pearls. While she lacked the youthful bloom of the other woman, she carried herself with not only grace, but dignity and command. From the moment Teresa had met her, she had never once lowered her gaze. While young Domitilla shyly looked away whenever Teresa set eyes upon her.

"Silva, wait here with the carriage," the middle-aged woman said to the coachman. She swept forward, past the others, and set her hands on her corseted hips as she gazed upon the village before them.

"This is Silverbridge, is it not guide?"

"Indeed it is Lady Scaurus," Teresa replied. Patricians were always a pain to deal with, she thought. They were so touchy about their titles and formalities, and had the right to exact punishment on those who forgot to address them correctly. "We can cut through here to the river, and follow it upstream."

"And you are certain we shall find one of these ursine creatures near the river?"

"They like to eat fish," Teresa said simply. "The noise of the road and the settlements scare them away from the shores of the bay though. We can only find them if we go into the back country."

"Well, let us be off then," Lady Scaurus declared regally. She was clearly in charge of the group. Even though Pappy had told her that it had been the man who was paying for the charter. Teresa wondered if they were somehow related?

Teresa led the trio of patricians through the village, while a pair of linen-clad servants followed with large wicker baskets in hand. The farmers of Silverbridge all stopped and stared as the patricians went by. Most lowered their heads in respect as the nobles passed, a few even made formal bows. Lady Scaurus nodded to the villagers as they paid her the honors. She walked with back straight and head held high, as if she were a queen and this her court. On the other hand, the patrician couple openly gawked at the farmers, and Teresa wondered if they had never seen what poor people lived like. Probably not, she imagined. Their kind spent their entire lives surrounded by luxury.

"What is that smell?" Domitilla grimaced and buried her face in a scented hand cloth.

"Manure from all the animals," Teresa answered. "They collect it to put in the fields."

The young woman turned pale, and Teresa wondered if it was at the idea of living around the droppings of so many animals? Or perhaps the Imperial had realized that the food she ate grew in fields sown with it? She was tempted to say something about the latter, but decided it would be wiser not to press her luck.

Teresa saw Decimus as they made their way out of the river side gate in the village fence. As usual, the elderly Nibenean was fishing. Quintis and Poppea played nearby, running in circles with wooden swords in their hands. The old Imperial looked up with a start at the procession. Teresa allowed herself a faint smile and waved. But when he rose as if to come over and greet her, she shook her head. This was not the time to mix pleasure with business, she knew. Not with nobility in tow.

"Commander Vitellus tells me that you are quite an accomplished forester," the middle-aged man said as they entered the forest beyond the village. So close to the settlement, it was only a thin smattering of trees. Nothing like the deep ocean of greenery that Teresa knew it would become in a few miles. As he had at the village, the Imperial stared wide-eyed at the woods around them. "He says you live off the land, that sort of thing."

"I know my way around the forest Lord Regillus," Teresa replied as she led them through the trees. She still could not believe that she had taken this assignment. Of all the silly, stupid things to be doing, playing wet nurse to a bunch of patricians who wanted to go exploring had to be the most ridiculous of all!

"Lord Placus Regillus of the Imperial City and his new wife are here for the tournament," Pappy said to her in his office on the third floor of the guild hall. "Someone told him that this was grizzly country. So he is bound and determined to see one while he is here. Just take them up the river a few miles, let them gawk at a bear and have a picnic, then bring them back to the city. It'll only take you a few hours."

"What do I look like, a nursemaid?" Teresa rolled her eyes.

"It's no different from how you took Alaine Retiene up the Larsius to sketch the mountains."

"But at least he had a good reason for it," Teresa huffed. "He was working. Besides, he wasn't some nose-in-the-air noble."

"Their septims are just as gold as anyone else's," Pappy replied. "I suppose I'll just give the contract to Vincent then…"

As if Teresa would let Vincent Galien guide anyone into the forest! They would all end up in the belly of one of the bears if that happened! Of course Pappy knew both, she thought. Otherwise he never would have said it in the first place.

"Capital! just capital!" The middle-aged lord turned to his young bride. "You see, it is just as I said. Not only a champion archer, but a backwoods huntress. Nothing but the best for you dear."

"I am truly fortunate that Mara has so smiled upon me, to bring me such an accomplished and generous husband," the young patrician smiled.

Teresa wanted to roll her eyes at the pair. She did not know which one was worse. The good-for-nothing lord or his shallow, naive wife. They were truly made for one another. It was almost enough to make her forget that the lord had called her a champion archer. She had no doubt that the Nibenean had meant it as a means of inflating his own ego, rather than as a compliment to her. She was half tempted to lose the tournament on purpose just to make him look bad!

"I am told there was a grizzly bear found on the Green Road just a week ago," Lady Scaurus declared. "They say it was wounded by a troll, and that a young woman healed it and led it back into the forest."

"By Aetherius, now that is a woman with balls!" Lord Regillus laughed, then turned to his bride. "Do you think you could do such a thing my dear?"

"I still fear I shall faint dead away when I first set eyes upon one of the beasts," the young Nibenean fluttered. Teresa had to fight to retain a straight face, and was glad she was leading the group, so that they could not see if she failed. Were all noblewomen such porcelain dolls?

"What do you think about it guide?" Lady Scaurus said. Coming from her, it was more of a demand than a question. "What was your name again? Teresa?"

"Indeed it is milady." Teresa glanced back over her shoulder. She found that the middle-aged woman was staring back at her with a slight smile upon her features. She knows who that young woman was, the wood elf thought. Nor did the noblewoman need to be reminded of her name. Now here was a real woman, Teresa mused, one she could respect. "I think that woman was just doing what she could, for the bear, and the people on the road."

"She is lucky it did not take her head off!" Lord Regillus exclaimed. "I proclaim, I should never get that close to a wounded animal. They are capable of anything."

"Luck had nothing to do with it…" Teresa muttered.

Now the forest became thicker, and she stopped to string her bow.

"What is wrong?" came the voice of Lord Regillus. Teresa thought she heard the tremor of worry in it. "Is there a bear?"

"No," Teresa answered, "this won't stop a bear, just make it mad. But there are other things in the woods." She remembered the villagers warning of trolls during the blessings, and the tragedy she had discovered in the forest the next day.

"So what do we do if one of these bears attacks us?" the young noblewoman asked.

"Pray," Teresa answered. Domitilla practically whimpered, and her husband gulped loudly. "Don't worry, bears don't normally attack people. In fact, they stay away whenever they hear us. If we treat them with respect and give them their space, they will do the same for us. If one does get out of hand, I will take care of it. Just don't run off. Stay behind me and everything will be fine."

With that she led the group down to the Larsius. Its waves lazily rolled by, as if in no hurry to join Niben Bay. Teresa scanned the banks of the river for signs of life. On the near side she found a mound of branches that told of a beaver lodge. Yet it was on the far side that she found what she had been looking for.

A grizzly bear stood in the shallows of the river. Not just any bear either, but the same one Teresa had found on the Green Road a week before. As Teresa watched, her muzzle darted under the water, and a wild splashing ensued in the waves. A moment later she reemerged with a steelhead grasped firmly within her jaws. Taking her time, the bear sauntered up to dry land with the fish still flapping in her mouth. There she dropped it upon the turf and tore it apart with one clawed paw.

"Oh good Aetherius!" the voice of Lord Regillus rang out behind Teresa. "Do you see that! It's a grizzly bear! And he's devouring something too. Look at that blood!"

"That's Barenziah," Teresa said quietly, "she's a girl." The forester looked back to the trio of patricians and their two servants. The lord was practically ecstatic, while his wife looked paler by the moment. As ever, Lady Scaurus remained calm and dignified, as if she watched bears rip fish apart every day of her life. Yet Teresa was certain she saw a smile as faint as any of her own crack the Imperial's features.

"Barenziah?" the middle-aged woman asked with one ever so slightly raised eyebrow.

"That's what I call her," Teresa shrugged. "It seems to suit her."

"Indeed, beautiful, powerful, and regal." The noblewoman's eyes sparkled. "It appears that this bear has no need of healing however."

"Not anymore," Teresa breathed. She looked back across the river to the grizzly. Thank you Bear, for allowing me to give Barenziah a second chance at life.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Apr 21 2011, 03:33 AM

Chapter 4a review

Teresa’s crab dinner makes me hungry for crab! Lol

She could smell the horse as the soldier came alongside her. The crackling of his torch was loud in her ears, loud enough to drown out the roaring of her heart, and she held herself absolutely still. Shadow hide me, she prayed. I could feel the suspense here, and I love how you described the awareness Teresa had because of the fear of being caught or killed by the legionnaire.

I’m very curious about this figure in Teresa’s dream. Is she a spirit guide of some sort, or something else…?

Also: Thank you for the link to the mod. I'm collecting the links to mods I like, so I can get them once I start playing on PC.

This post has been edited by Lady Syl: Apr 20 2011, 04:40 PM

This chapter had me in hysterics, and what a sweet ending !!! I could quote so many lines I loved that it would spam your thread, so I'll just say: AWESOME WRITE !!!!!


I hope we see more of Barenziah, too. You have developed her nicely !!


I loved so many lines it was hard to pick a fave, but I settled on this one - had me choking !!!





I loved this chapter, it has gone down with all my other Teresa faves !!!

This post has been edited by mALX: Apr 20 2011, 05:28 PM

Now why does that pretty young bride remind me of Countess Leyawiin from my own OHDH?

I enjoyed Teresa nursemaiding a trio of spoiled aristrocrats in the backcountry. But wouldn't Barenziah hear them coming? I bet they're not very woodscrafty (as Captain Steffan would say).

She was everything a young woman was supposed to look like, Teresa thought enviously. Nothing at all like herself of course.
Poor Teresa is never satisfied with what Mara gave her. Must be a wood elf thing.

Wonderful to see Silverbridge again. You have, of course, a very large scale to Teresa's Cyrodiil. For example, the lapping waves of the Larsius' tells me the river is likely quite a bit wider than the narrow thing we see in game. It would not surprise me if Barenziah was not concerned about a hand full of puny humans and a scrawny mer on the far side of the river. Or perhaps mama grizz was smart enough to recognize her healer.

It was almost enough to make her forget that the lord had called her a champion archer. She had no doubt that the Nibenean had meant it as a means of inflating his own ego, rather than as a compliment to her. She was half tempted to lose the tournament on purpose just to make him look bad!
This was a delicious string of logic! The scary part is that it makes perfect sense!
Oh, and this passage was also a nice little reminder of the tournament in town.

A delightful episode! Teresa in her element, contrasted with her nursemaid duties. A nice touch to introduce the fact that although Bravil is hardly the cosmopolitan center of Cyrodiil, it does indeed host some representation of monied nobility. Teresa has a learned dislike of nobles, but to her credit, she is quick to respect those who deserve it, regardless of class; Lady Scaurus is a fine example. After all, the Lady seems to be a sister of the faint smile who, like Teresa, does not suffer fools.

How lovely to catch a glimpse of Decimus, and Quintis and Poppea at play! Quite a contrast to the bejeweled and brocaded nobles in their measured procession. It was great to see Bear Barenziah on the far side of the river. No need for hysterics, and Teresa could enjoy the scene.

What is it about Bosmer women that makes them want to deliberately under-achieve in archery contests? Or at least threaten to do so.

Nicely contrasting characters among the patricians, though I begin to suspect Domitilla is behaving the way she expects her husband wants her to, and could surprise us all later. If she was that fragile, she'd never have got this far.

I liked this part. It's a change of pace from the previous and brought the focus back onto Teresa from the guild. I suspect the competition might be immenent, though I could be wrong... I agree with Acadian that putting her in her element and then giving her a bunch of nobles was excellent, it goes to show how much she's learnt. I suspect we might be seeing Lady Scaurus again too, she seems quite the character.


How to win friends.... Teresa should learn to put up with nobles though, they have more money to fleece than normal people. I wonder if Pappy was trying to show her that...

10e - 10j


That battle was quite an undertaking and you did it so well!

Pappy's guild was decimated. I had taken a liking to the Argonian. I felt bad for the Khajiit just because I like playing them. All I can say about the one that went out for the berserker is FOOL. Too bad about the recruit but with that kind of fighting I can't say I'm surprised. Raminus really thrashed the daedra! I've always had fun playing as a heavy hitting wizard like the Raminus you describe!

Well done!

Lady Syl: Yes indeed, like h.e.r., you recognized Teresa's spirit guide right away. He will play a very important role in her life. This is one of the things that is completely new for Teresa 2.0 here at Chorrol. When I moved the story here and restarted it, I decided to delve deeply into Teresa's spirituality, which was noticeably lacking in 1.0.


mALX: I am not sure if we will see more of Barenziah or not. If I can, I would like to work her into future storylines though.


haute ecole rider: The river is well over two hundred feet at Silverbridge, so I figured that was enough space for Barenziah not to worry about the picnickers. Of course if I had named her Yogi, they would have been shy one picnic basket before the day was out...


Acadian: Trust me, it is not just a wood elf thing...

Perhaps Barenziah did recognize Teresa. Also if you recall, when Teresa was making her way back to Bravil back in the beginning of this chapter, she saw another bear that give her a long, almost knowing look...

You did indeed, hit one of the main things I wanted to highlight in this episode. Bravil's upper class. Even here in the ruins of Detroit we still have monied nobility. So Bravil would be no different. Teresa has indeed learned to dislike such people, and we will see why in a future chapter.


Grits: It was good to get back to Silverbridge again, however briefly, and see old man Decimus again.


ghastley: I guess Bosmer bowgirls are just not that competitive. At least not for the sake of competition itself. Now show a Skingrad elf some Dunmer sausage, and you will see some fight. Some might say the same of blond Bravilian bowgirls and Imperial Guard Captains from Kvatch...


Olen: The FG qualifications are very close, just a few more episodes to get there. We will be seeing much more of Lady Scaurus as well. Not only in this chapter, but in future ones as well.


King Coin: The Battle of Bruma remains one of my favorite chapters. It was murder to write, given that at the time it was the largest chapter I had ever done (of course now I look at this chapter and laugh at a mere 16k words... ). It was also required very intricate details to be worked out, with the movements and counter-moves of the two armies. I have always been at least a little (and usually a lot) disappointed with the portrayal of major battles in fantasy novels and especially movies. So I was glad to have the chance to show how it can be done with realism, rather than as two mobs brawling with one another. I am glad it all came together for you!


Previously on Teresa of the Faint Smile: Teresa performed a simple contract guiding a group of nobles into the forest for a picnic and bear-watching. While she found two of them to be as annoying and exasperating as she expected, she found that Lady Scaurus was not one to be trifled with however, and is a noble whom she can truly respect. Next we return to the guild hall for dinner later that night, and sparks fly as three orcs are put together in the same room. The fight depicted (and fighting styles of the combatants) was loosely based upon a famous boxing match from the 1970's. Can anyone guess which one?


Chapter 34.8 - The Tournament Of Archers

"Well I have to say, you Bravil fellas sure put on a good spread!" Lum leaned back in his chair and belched loudly. Vincent and Pappy laughed from where they sat at the large, round, dining room table. Teresa could not stop herself from rolling her eyes, and she could see Ancondil doing the same across the table from her. Storm-Tail made no sign however. In fact, if his chest had not occasionally risen and fell with breath, the wood elf would have wondered if he might be a statue. Just like all Argonians, she mused. Unless they had to for some reason, they rarely moved at all, but instead remained perfectly still for hours on end.

"Hey, what's wrong, our manners aren't good enough for you?" Kurz's voice was a low growl, like that of a dog after someone stepped too close to its bone. Teresa looked up from her half-finished stuffed cabbage to see the Chorrol orc glowering at Ancondil. The pony-tailed orc had been needling Ancondil all day long with snide little comments. Now he was practically throwing down the gauntlet in front of the other Orisimer. "That's how a real orc shows appreciation."

"Indeed," Ancondil replied in a conciliatory tone. He reached for a bottle of Surilie Brothers as if nothing had happened. "Here, try a glass of this brandy. It is the best way to finish a good meal."

"Orisimer don't drink that fruity elf piss water," Kurz spat. "Beer and ale are a green man's drink."

"Fruity elf what?" Teresa's knuckles turned white under the force of her clenched fist. She felt Tadrose lay a gentle hand on her own, holding it under the table.

"Piss water, that's what I said twig." Now the orc turned to face Teresa. "That's fine for little girls, but not a real orc."

"Now see here!' Ancondil rose to his feet, his face set into a mask of stone. "A gentleman does not speak that way to a lady."

Kurz now stood as well. His brother reached up to take his arm, but Kurz brushed it aside. He balled one hand into a fist and pressed it into his open palm, and Teresa could hear his knuckles crack loudly. "You wanna learn me some manners pretty boy?"

"I am Ancondil of Cheydinhal, son of Orintur and Eilonwy." Ancondil stepped around the table to face the other orc. "I am calling you out. What say you sir?"

While his face was an expressionless mask, Teresa could not fail to miss the sarcasm that Ancondil's final word dripped with. The next thing she knew, she was standing on her feet as well. Part of her wanted to tell Ancondil to stop. The last thing she wanted was him being hurt over her. But another part of her very much wanted to see her friend bury a green fist into the Chorrol orc's face.

"Let's dance." Kurz swung at Ancondil. Yet even Teresa saw the blow coming from a mile away. Ancondil rotated to one side, and the ham hock of the other orc slipped past his head. Then Ancondil unleashed an uppercut with his left, and Kurz staggered as the cultured Orisimer's fist sank into his gut.

The others leaped from their seats to pull the two orcs apart. Lum grabbed his brother and drew him back, while Pappy and Tadrose stepped in front of Ancondil. Vincent on the other hand, simply cheered and shook a fist in the air.

"Alright that's enough you meatheads!" Pappy's shout cut through the commotion. "This is the Fighters Guild, not some Waterfront dive." Then his voice softened, and gleam lit his blue eyes. "We do our fighting in the dojo. Now come on!"

With that Pappy led the way from the dining room to the back of the guild hall. Teresa and the others filed into place between the orcs, providing a buffer to ensure that more fisticuffs did not erupt along the way. Once in the airy training hall, Ancondil stripped off his velvet doublet and undershirt, until he stood in nothing but his trousers. Kurz likewise doffed his own tunic, and he reminded Teresa of an angry lion as he prowled back and forth behind his brother.

Pappy then took up leather straps and began wrapping them around the Kurz's hands. Tadrose did likewise with Ancondil. Teresa saw her whisper something in the orc's ear, and he nodded in return. Finally, the two Orisimer faced one another once more as the others backed away to form a ring around them.

Kurz took a moment to twist his head around in a circle, creating a series of ominous popping noises from his neck, which looked as thick as a tree-trunk to Teresa's eyes. He grinned, exposing his teeth like a predator about to pounce. Raising his hands, he stepped forward in a pugilist's stance.

"I'm gonna beat you into next year!"

Ancondil was unfazed by the other man's threat, and moved forward in a similar pose. However, Teresa was quick to note that while Kurz's steps were heavy and deliberate, those of Ancondil were light and quick. He almost seemed to dance upon the hardwood floor of the training room.

It was Ancondil who struck the first blow as the two closed. It was a quick jab from his left, connecting with Kurz's chin. The Chorrol orc's head rocked back for a moment. Then he smiled, and continued to close in. Ancondil floated away however, and jabbed again. Now Kurz swept aside Ancondil's left with his right. Stepping forward with his left foot, he brought his left fist across his body and landed it square in Ancondil's face.

The Orisimer's head snapped back under the force of the blow, and blood sprayed from his lip. But he did not falter, and a second later he smashed home a right uppercut into Kurz's chin. Teresa could swear that the Chorrol orc's entire body was lifted from the ground, and before he could regain his balance, a left hook buried itself into his temple.

Kurz staggered back and shook his head. Yet he remained on his feet, his hands still up and on guard. Teresa was stunned. If only one of those punches had landed on her, she knew that she would have been a smear on the floor.

"I've got twenty drakes on Ancondil!" Pappy shouted. "Any takers?"

"I'll cover that!" Lum shouted back.

"Hey, let me in on this action!" Vincent cried. "I'll put twenty on Kurz!"

"You're on!" Teresa found herself shouting to Vincent. Her heart was pounding in her chest like a racehorse, and her palms glistened with sweat. She felt as if she were fighting herself!

Tavian joined in with a few drakes a moment later, and even the normally placid Storm-Tail threw his own money into the rapidly growing betting pool. Only Tadrose abstained, remaining cool and composed as usual. If Chance had not been on a contract, Teresa had no doubt that he too would have joined in. He probably would have been the one to start the betting! Teresa imagined.

In the meantime Kurz and Ancondil were still in action, seemingly oblivious to the chaos of bets that had erupted around them. As before, Ancondil's feet were quick and light. He bobbed, weaved, and jabbed. Kurz on the other hand, was slower, and continued to try to close with the other orc. Whenever he could, he blasted at Ancondil with crushing uppercuts and hooks, putting all of the strength of his body behind the blows. Yet Ancondil was too fast, and most met nothing but air.

"This is an excellent example of opposing styles," Tadrose said quietly, so that Teresa barely heard the dark elf over the shouts and cheers of the others. "Ancondil is a classic out-fighter. See how he keeps Kurz at a distance? He uses quick jabs and moves fast on his feet, to keep Kurz back. He cannot hit very hard like that, but he controls the pace of the fight, and is slowly wearing Kurz down. He got cocky at the start there, and let Kurz hit him. But now that he's had a taste of what Kurz can dish out, I think he will settle down."

"Kurz on the other hand, is a slugger," the dark elf continued. "He is slower, both in the feet and the hands. You can often see his punches coming from a mile away. But he hits like minotaur, and he can take a beating like one."

Teresa nodded. Thanks to her sojourn into Henantier's dreamworld, she knew the latter from personal experience! "So he's just a brute then," she observed.

"No, it is not like that at all," Tadrose said, her eyes remaining locked on the combatants as they spoke. "Kurz was not born with the quickness or nimbleness that Ancondil has. If he tried to fight like Ancondil, he would lose. He has to use what Mara gave him the best he can. Watch how he punches. See how he not only throws his arm forward in that left cross of his, but rotates his hip and torso? Also how he moves his weight from the back foot to the front? He's using his body as fulcrum. That sudden shift of weight puts even more power in his blows. He would drop most people with only one of those punches. Ancondil probably only stayed on his feet the first time because it was the start of the fight, and he was still fresh. If Kurz hits him with another after he is worn down…"

"So how can Ancondil win?" Teresa bit her lip.

"He has to keep doing what he is," Tadrose explained. "Keep moving, tire Kurz out with jabs, and stay away from that left cross of his. It is all about endurance, skill, and strategy."

Teresa continued to watch as the two behemoths slugged it out before her eyes. She had been so caught up in her feelings, that she had not really analyzed the tactics of the two fighters. Yet trust Tadrose to turn anything into a training session, even a brawl! Still, she told herself to stop worrying about Ancondil, and tried to take mental notes about the strategy and moves that both fighters were using.

It finally ended when Kurz's body shook like leaf. Letting forth an ear-splitting howl, he leaped forward at Ancondil with a speed that was surprising for his bulk. He pushed his way through Ancondil's warding jabs, and pummeled away at the other orc with crushing punches to the torso. Ancondil pulled his arms in front of him, hands up before his face, to ward off the hammer blows.

Teresa cringed, until she noticed that while Kurz was definitely unleashing punishing blows, he had lost his former skill. No longer was he shifting his weight with his punches, or even striking at vital points like Ancondil's head. Instead he simply flailed away like the mindless brute she had originally mistaken him for.

"He's berserk," Tadrose commented. "One way or another, it will be over soon."

Teresa's eyes widened. She had heard stories of berserk orcs, but had never seen one. Until now at least. Now she stared in horror as Kurz continued to unleash punch after punch into Ancondil's warding arms and the sides of his torso. For long minutes it went on, and Teresa could not believe that Ancondil was able to remain on his feet under the punishment.

Then a strange thing happened. It was Kurz who began to falter. He looked exhausted. Ancondil acted instantly, replying with a combination jab and cross to the Chorrol orc's head. Kurz staggered for a moment, then swung wildly back at Ancondil. The Orisimer ducked under the clumsy blow, and followed with an uppercut into Kurz's stomach, nearly lifting the slugger off his feet from the force of the punch.

Kurz staggered, and Ancondil pressed his attack. First jabbing with his left, he followed with a devastating right cross to Kurz's chin. Blood splattered from the orc's lip, landing hot and wet upon Teresa's face. He tottered, and a moment later went crashing to the floor.

"Kurz!" Lum rushed forward to his brother, lifting his head from the hardwood floor. The Chorrol orc's eyes fluttered open, and he stared up at Ancodil's own bloody and bruised visage.

"Well I'll be a tattooed dragon," Kurz spat blood from his mouth. "You're no ponce after all. You're alright Ancondil!"

With the help of his brother, the orc rose to his feet and extended a hand to Ancondil. Teresa bit her lip, waiting for the inevitable trick. Yet the Chorrol orc had no mischief up his figurative sleeve when Ancondil took his leather-wrapped hand and shook it vigorously.

"And you sir, have the hardest left cross I have ever had the misfortune of stopping!" Ancondil laughed and slapped the other man on the back. Then he turned to the others. "Drinks are on me!"

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Apr 23 2011, 05:38 PM

A good ol' fashioned tavern brawl. Between orcs, no less! And of course the one with the brains wins.

Wasn't it Ali and - and - and - I forget. I keep thinking Frazier, but I think that's a different match.

It's good to see Ancondil can hold his own, and win with grace as well. Now that's a classy guy!

Sonny Liston / Cassius Clay (he wasn't Ali yet).

I remember the 70's too well.

But a nice adaptation to TES, even if you can't rope-a-dope where there aren't any ropes!

BWAAAHAAA! Teresa providing a buffer between two Orc to keep them from fighting !!! It boggled the mind right before I was choking laughing at the image of it !!! Awesome little humor slipped in there !!!


Unbelievably Awesome description of a bout match blow by blow and the berserker attack !!! (hope they aren't too worn or bruised to shoot straight tomorrow !!


Really huge chapter!! Awesome Write !!! (as always !!!)

How fun to slip in an episode that is a heart pounder like this! And who better to provide such a violently sporting interlude to our non violent overall sporting event than a pair of orcs!

"Orisimer don't drink that fruity elf piss water," Kurz spat. "Beer and ale are a green man's drink."
This is perfect in so many ways, not the least of which is the anger that predictably erupts within Teresa.

Kurz staggered back and shook his head. Yet he remained on his feet, his hands still up and on guard. Teresa was stunned.
But he hits like minotaur, and he can take a beating like one."
These two above passages so beautifully capture the awesome terror and majesty of the Orsimer race. As another elf said, 'like trying to stop a fast moving building'.

I continue to love and respect Ancondil. How could one not?

How typically clever and efficient of you to feature the betting. Not only does it tie this 'sporting' event to the tournament, it displays the camaraderie of Teresa's guild. Most importantly, it gives us a perfectly delightful and concise snapshot of the personalities of each and every member of the guild simply by their actions once the betting began. Well done!

Fabulous analysis of the fighting styles by Tadrose. To deliver such detail from Teresa would have been out of character for her. But from Tadrose, it merely reinforced her professional competence. Indeed, when Pappy says she should have a guild of her own, he's right as usual.

You were probably thinking the Thrilla in Manila. Or maybe Ali vs. Frazier I. Close, but not there. You did get the first boxer though. Ancondil is definitely patterned after Ali. In fighting style at least. Obviously not when it comes to trash-talk!


Thank you for playing, but please try again. However, you were right on the Ali part, and the rope a dope...

Anyone else care to guess? I'll give a little hint about the second fighter. Think a lean, mean, grilling machine.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Apr 24 2011, 01:58 AM

Well, no ears were bitten off or women raped so Mike Tyson is out.