I do not find it weird. I would find it weird writing about Skyrim, to be honest. Just reading fan fics set there is strange. Although it would seem less so if all the dragon business was left out.

QFT. Although I love seeing the screens (whether they show dragon-fighting or not) - I'm just not ready for a forum full of dragon-fighting/shouting fics yet.

This post has been edited by mALX: Dec 3 2011, 07:44 PM

Not for me. If anything, it’s great to know so much more about that big formerly empty space north of the Jeralls. I don’t have any interest in writing about the dragons, probably since I’m still experiencing that story the way the game presents it. I’m also not inclined to read Skyrim MQ fanfics yet for the same reason.

I LOVE the setting that Skyrim offers, though. I already have the seeds of stories tucked away for when time permits. Hopefully by the time Martin does his thing in Jerric’s Story, I will have learned how to craft at least a simple plot.

SPEW !!! That's like Uma Thurman hoping she can find a beauty secret !! ROFL !! (that should be the bowing down "I'm not worthy" emoticon, but I can't find it on here).

To add to the Skyrim writing thing...Yes, something occurred to me Skyrim-wise, and I may get to it at some point...I spent ages reconciling what I was doing with the Oblivion-ish stuff with what they've done to everything in Skyrim...Obviously some stuff won't have happened...I'm just ignoring some of it...But I've had fun working out what will work...Including the Dragon stuff...Yay!...Oh, and I laughed with joy when I discovered things about the Dark Brotherhood...But that would be a spoiler...So no...

And yes, KOTNS...Or KNOTS as I've already christened it, is well on!!...Oh yeah!!...

Excellent story btw Grits... ...

That's good. Cyrodiil already feels like a place far away for me. I think part of that is because of the unique way I played for the last several months with Aravi. She did almost no vanilla quests during that time so thinking about this quest Jerric is on, I had to think back two or three years.

I'm glad you have some ideas about Skyrim. I think Jerric's story is magnificent. Sure, you borrowed the main quest, but there's a lot more going on here than the main quest. I (and several others I'm sure) would love to be able to write as well as you. Right now I don't dare do more than caption some screenshots or add a sentence or two before a video, and that's pushing it.

I know I keep saying it, and real life does a mustache twirl every time I do, but I WILL catch up on Jerric's story, Dammit!

Hello!

Although I have a lot to catch up on seeing as I've only started reading, I just wanted to say how much I enjoy this story!

Jerric is such a likeable and believable character, and that makes me very eager to follow his story. I also highly enjoy how each of your characters speaks with a different voice. They all have differences about them and that gives them many layers, and, again, makes for believability.

Even though I have a lot to read, I just wanted you to know that i am most certainly reading and I can't wait to read about Jerric's adventures.

You have another loyal fan, here

Amazing work

You're crafting the plot fine, you've got plenty of time for Martin, etc., etc., more general assurances from me to you.

You know, I never actually thought about wearing Necro-robes in Oblivion. Probably wouldn't help, as far as the game mechanics, but if it has some effect in Shivering Isles (Heretics and Zealots) why not here as well?

You continue to demonstrate great tactical writing with Darnand, Jerric, and Lildereth. I am envious and annoyed at my own inability to get to anything like that for a few chapters.

And lastly, couldn't Lildereth just curse Jerric with clumsiness instead of full paralysis?

mALX: Thank you so much, mALX! When Jerric starts thinking out loud, it’s best to just let him ramble until he’s finished. You never know what he’ll come up with.

SubRosa: Thank you, SubRosa! It was fun to fill in some blanks about Skingrad. I’m glad you liked the meandering discussion. Getting Jerric and Darnand to stick to the point is beyond even Lildereth’s glaring skills.

ghastley: Yuck. In this chapter we’ll discover that the robes don’t smell nice, either.

Acadian: I can’t wait for Jerric to meet Kud-Ei. She may drive him crazy, but “I'd do anything for one of my girls” is something he can relate to. Thank you, Acadian!

McBadgere: Jerric as Han Solo, that made me smile. Thanks, McB!

King Coin: Sorry there’s been a little wait between episodes. I’m glad you mentioned Darnand’s insight and mannerisms, he has definitely been studying his friends. Thank you for your kind words about Druja.

Destri: It’s wonderful to see you back! This is a good time to catch up, with my posts coming every three weeks or so.

Tábrasa: Welcome, Tábrasa! Thank you for your kind words. I’m glad you’re reading, and I’m very glad you’re sharing Tara Willow’s story with us!!

Captain Hammer: Thank you for the reassurance, Captain! It’s great to see that you’re back. I’m afraid the necrobes in the game just annoy the Mages Guild members if you’re wearing one when you talk to them. Of course they won’t notice if you’re stark naked. I find that I’m straying farther and farther from the game in some places.


Where we are: Jerric, Darnand, and Lildereth are on a mission from Meridia to kill the necromancers in Howling Cave. Lildereth has thoroughly scouted and mapped the mine and caves. Now we find the team executing her plan.




Chapter 13: Part Seven, Howling Cave

Jerric leaned against the rough stone wall, waiting. The old silver mine had been exactly as Lildereth described it. A well-lit path through the middle with two zombies on patrol out in the dark. His friends had their night-eye spells, and Jerric used a potion. One zombie had led him into the necromancers’ cold storage chamber. Bodies lay there in neat rows, fresh from the grave or even fresher. Others hung along the wall, clothing and innards removed. Their fluids ran down the sloping floor and drained into an old cave-in. It’s bad, but I imagine that you’ve seen worse, Lildereth had warned him. She was right, but that didn’t make it easier to see. He left his lunch in a puddle on the floor.

Now they had reached the door to Howling Cave, with its five resident necromancers and at least six functioning zombies. The first chamber gave access to all of the rest. They needed to split the group and take them by surprise, and so they waited. Darnand knelt beside Lildereth, perfectly still. Jerric faced into the mine, watching their back with his life detection ring. Any concerns about the legality of their venture had been dispelled by the pathetic remains that lay behind them, waiting to be crafted into undead slaves. Jerric felt that simple joy again, under the itch to get back into the fight. Damn this waiting.

“Now,” murmured Lildereth.

As soon as Jerric moved through the door, he could hear the wind howling through the rocks above them. He stepped over a pressure plate and past the spiked mace hanging in the middle of the passageway. Lildereth had been right again, this trap was so obvious he wondered why they even bothered with it. Cool light from glowstones filled the chamber ahead. His ring told him they would find nothing living or undead there, but the contents did make him stop in his tracks.

More bodies hung from the ceiling with work tables alongside them. Rolled linen, leather straps, wire, and various tools stood ready. Two zombies lay motionless on tables. A glance into the closest one’s hollow abdomen revealed that someone had been reinforcing its exposed spine with metal. Most curious were the two figures clamped to the ceiling. Jerric could not imagine why anyone would do that. Darnand’s face wore a look that was equally disgusted and curious. A hiss from Lildereth brought them both back to attention.

This work chamber had two exits in addition to the door through which they had entered. With pillars, hanging meat, and tables cluttering the space, it would be a bad place for a fight. Darnand moved around to the left to block the passageway to the necromancers’ living quarters. Lildereth vanished. Jerric knew she was moving straight down the well-lit corridor to the right. She would target the necromancers there. Once the fight started he would kill anything that lay in his path. The zombies out in the mine had been tough to kill, and one of them had cracked Jerric’s shield. He hoped that Lildereth could stay out of their reach. After a moment, he followed her.

Jerric moved to the junction where another passageway angled to the right, toward the necromancers’ ritual chamber. Straight ahead lay the smallest workroom with its bookshelves and alchemy station. Lildereth had specifically warned him to be careful there with fire.

Life signs showed mortals and undead moving in both chambers. He would have to deal with the glowing distraction during the fight, so that he didn’t accidentally harm the invisible Lildereth. He drew his axe and tested the space, dissatisfied. He would get to a doorway as soon as possible, so that he could use Redeemer. He preferred the longsword’s reach.

A black-robed figure passed across the chamber at the end of the passageway. It stopped and turned toward Jerric. A shout far to the rear announced the beginning of Darnand’s battle. Commotion to his right confirmed Lildereth’s position in the ritual chamber. Jerric had to stay on his side of the junction, so he opened a crack into the Void and pulled his scamp through. It charged straight toward the necromancer with a cackle of glee and a whoosh of flame. Jerric took a step back and waited for what would come.

Zombies lurched up the corridor from the right. He bashed the first swipe aside with his shield and chopped through an arm while it staggered. A step back for balance and repeat. The fight quickly turned to work. Screams from the alchemy room announced his scamp’s success, and a small explosion made Jerric wince. He had forgotten that Precious would not be careful with its fire.

A third zombie fell, and Jerric took the time to shake the splintered shield from his arm while the next one stumbled over its fallen brothers. He spit bitter slime out of his mouth and realized that he was grinning. Fire filled his off hand. He slid back to dodge the zombie’s overhead strike, then reached out with his Searing Grasp spell. Orange flames smothered the zombie’s pink glow. Jerric stepped back to catch his breath.

Only one life sign remained past the smoke. Its small arm reached up to cover its face. “Go!” choked Lildereth.

Jerric turned to charge back toward Darnand. He found the Breton himself approaching along the passage. “Clear,” said Darnand.

A moment’s cleanup had Jerric’s axe back at his hip. “You have to see the ritual chamber,” said Lildereth, heading off to the right. The men followed. Jerric picked up his broken Wolf shield as they passed.

The ritual chamber looked like it had once been used for burials. Niches lined the walls, mostly empty. The jumbled bones on the floor must be the niches’ former occupants, likely too crumbled to be suitable for raising. Rubble from a cave-in filled one corner. Jerric guessed that they were near the surface again. He remembered an old cemetery very near the mine’s entrance. Perhaps this chamber once exited to that hillside.

Three altars of white stone stood in the chamber’s center. Arcane symbols were painted on the floor. Glowing stones stood in metal brackets arranged around each altar. Jerric could feel power in the air.

“These altars could be from an Ayleid site,” mused Darnand. “The runes… It will take some study. I shall begin in their library.”

Lildereth nodded toward the back of the chamber. “That chest is locked. I’ll get started.”

Jerric looked at the two bodies on the floor. Fresh death clogged his nose. “These necromancers smell worse than their zombies. Ugh. I guess I can salvage their robes. They’re going to reek until we find a stream, and possibly even after.”

Darnand left the chamber. Jerric and Lildereth bent to their tasks.

After a moment Jerric heard a muffled click and a soft sigh. He glanced over as Lildereth slumped to the floor in front of the chest. She was in his arms before he knew that he had moved.

Poisoned, he thought. Another trap. “DARNAND!”

His healing spell showed him the damage inside. Lildereth’s heart fluttered unevenly, and her breaths were shallow whispers. Jerric felt the poison still working. He raced it with his spell.

Darnand dropped to his knees beside them.

“Poison,” gritted Jerric. “It hit her fast, and it’s still working. Do you know the spell—”

But Darnand was already gone.

Jerric kept one hand on Lildereth and reached for his magicka potion. He tried to estimate how long he could continue the healing spell, but dead faces crowded his mind. Every one of his failures that had cost a friend’s life. He gulped his potion and kept fighting.

Lildereth’s heartbeat slowed. He couldn’t feel her breathing under his hands any more. “Lildereth,” he started, and then he just talked. A tear slipped down the side of her face.

Then Darnand was there with a vial and a quiet word. Jerric kept healing the damage after the poison stopped, even after Darnand’s magicka joined his own. Eventually Lildereth opened her eyes, but she lay still and pale, not speaking.

After a long moment, Jerric cleared his throat. “That was clumsy, elf.”

“I know,” rasped Lildereth. “The door trap. I was fooled.”

“The hanging mace was only a decoy,” Darnand explained to Jerric. “There may be traps that we’ve missed. We must use more caution.”

“Where did you get the cure potion?” Jerric asked him. He took a swig of water and offered it to Lildereth. She pushed herself up to sit.

“The necromancers’ alchemy lab. I knew they would have them if they were brewing poisons here. Thankfully they use the Guild’s enchanted glassware.” Darnand fixed a glare on Jerric. “The shelves were in complete disarray, with much of their contents strewn on the floor. I was lucky to find the right potion amidst that disaster. It looked as if there had been a fire. What happened in there?”

“Uh…”

Lildereth took the empty vial from Darnand. “This isn’t mine? I always have at least one in my pack.” She took another sip of water. “I’m surprised you don’t carry one, Jerric.”

“Yeah, I probably should. I’ve been poisoned enough. But it’s not exactly easy to dig through bottles during a fight. By the time I can, the damage is done. Then I just use my Jerric’s Juice and heal.” Talking steadied his hands again. He shrugged. “I guess I’m harder to kill, though.”

Darnand took the canteen from Lildereth. “I was brought down by destruction magic at Fort Strand, and now you have been poisoned.” They both looked at Jerric.

“I’m next, is that it? I’ll watch out for Nords with swords. And axes. And summoned daedra.”

“And frost,” said Lildereth with a twist of her lips. “You’re the one who took out Darnand.”

Jerric grinned at her and reached for his canteen. All at once he felt his own heart beating. “I guess you’re feeling better, sprig. Break time’s over. Let’s get back to work.”

What an intense chapter from about half-way through till the end! The bond of friendship growing slowly between Lildereth and Jerric took a good sized step in this chapter and was tangibly written - Awesomely Written!! Great Write, Grits !!

Ugh, I hate necromancers. I’m with Jerric in that first paragraph.

This cave just keeps getting prettier.

…opened a crack into the Void and pulled his scamp through. It charged straight toward the necromancer with a cackle of glee and a whoosh of flame.
You gotta love those little sh!ts!

Lildereth?
That was scary. Holy crap Grits!

Usually Aravi ends up taking the route Jerric does. Heals the damage when it’s past. That must have been a very potent one though. Yikes!

I liked the description of the cold storage room. Positively revolting. At least it was cold. Imagine if it was warm?

As soon as Jerric moved through the door, he could hear the wind howling through the rocks above them.
This was a thoughtful touch. Now we know where the cave got its name.

Once the fight started he would kill anything that lay in his path.
Now that is Jerric doing what Jerric does best!

so he opened a crack into the Void and pulled his scamp through.
A wonderful description of summoning a deadra. Also I noticed that Jerric was staying in the sweet spot in his fight against the zombies - chopping and stepping back out of range of their arms (at least the arms they had left ).

But it’s not exactly easy to dig through bottles during a fight.
What, he cannot stop time while he looks through is inventory of 200 potions?

And Lildreth felled by a trap. Very clever on the part of the necromancers (and yourself). It was a gripping scene, as she slowly slipped away (alliteration FTW!), while Jerric desperately tried to hold off the damage. One can easily picture Darnand feverishly tossing one potion after another aside in the ruins of the alchemy lab, searching for the Cure Poisons. In fact, I would swear it was an episode of Farscape!



nits:
Perhaps this chamber once exited to that hillside.
Since this is a question, I suggest using a question mark rather than a period at the end.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Dec 27 2011, 09:42 PM

’Jerric could not imagine why anyone would do that. Darnand’s face wore a look that was equally disgusted and curious. A hiss from Lildereth brought them both back to attention. ‘
Three sentences that perfectly define our three amigos!

’Orange flames smothered the zombie’s pink glow. ‘
Beautiful in its colorful lethality.

’Perhaps this chamber once exited to that hillside.’
Perhaps it did? Perhaps it did not. I see this as perfectly legitimate as either a question or a statement.

’Jerric grinned at her and reached for his canteen. All at once he felt his own heart beating. “I guess you’re feeling better, sprig. Break time’s over. Let’s get back to work.”
Aww, thanks for leaving us with a happy ending after such a tense episode.

Right, I was enjoying it immensely, and then this line came along...



And then the hairs on the back of my neck stood up for the rest of the chapter...

Oh. My. God.

Absolute brilliance...Amazing stuff...

Love it!!!...

Nice one!... ...

This post has been edited by McBadgere: Dec 28 2011, 04:26 AM

mALX: Thank you, mALX! I'm glad you for highlighted the growing friendship between Lildereth and Jerric. Remember the hard time she gave him when they first met? They’ve come a long way!

King Coin: You’re right about the potency of the poison, I gave the necromancers as much credit as Lildereth for their poison making. I never felt threatened by damage poisons in Oblivion, and then a chaurus nailed Rowan in Skyrim. The trapped chest was inspired there, too. Oh, and using the advanced alchemy idea here comes from the game glitch that gives those necromancers hundreds of potions. Really, they should be pushing around shopping carts with all of that in their inventory! Thanks, KC.

SubRosa: It’s neat, you can actually hear whistling wind in the game. That chop and step back gave me trouble, since Jerric’s fight was all in the corridor and very boring. Finally I just cut most of it out. It’s funny, I thought of Farscape too, because in the first season Crichton and Sun are constantly “falling” into each others’ arms! I promised L and J that I would not make it a habit.

Acadian: Those three sentences that you pointed out just wrote themselves, and I didn’t really notice it. Now that you’ve drawn it to my attention, it’s my favorite moment in the episode. Thank you for that! The orange and pink is a flashback to the fun we had vampire hunting with Aravi. That happy ending was the last thing to click into place. I had to wait until it did, because I was not going to leave Lildereth lying on that floor!

McBadgere: Thank you, McB! And you did it to me first, with Aeirawen and the crossbow bolt! Only we had to wait days to learn she’s better than OK.

Where we are: Meridia’s task has been successfully completed. We find Darnand and Jerric at the Shrine of Sanguine, Daedric Prince of Naughty.



Chapter 13: Part Eight, Sanguine

Darnand walked up the hill toward the Shrine of Sanguine with Jerric at his side. Nerves made his stomach feel tight. It was easy to see that Jerric shared his disquiet.

“What’s it like to talk to a Daedric Prince?” asked Jerric.

“It is as if one's skull has opened and the words are laid upon the exposed mind.”

“Ugh,” said Jerric. “I can’t wait.”

“Meridia’s voice was not precisely painful. Though I expect that it might have been so, if we had returned to her with news of failure.”

“Yeah. But instead she called you a champion and gave you a ring. I wonder what Arkay thinks about that.”

Darnand preferred not to dwell on that subject. He had performed invocations to Arkay over the desecrated bodies in Howling Cave and then hastened to Meridia’s shrine to receive her favor. The sense of wrong lingered. “I hope that our deeds are weighted more than our motivation.”

Jerric still looked concerned. “I know it might be different here, but what do you think the summoning ritual will be like?”

“His coven will decide if we may approach with our offering. It will be up to the Prince himself to speak to us, if we please him. There was no ritual in the sense that we use to bring lesser daedra bodily into this realm. Our presence at the shrine should be enough to attract his attention.” Darnand fervently hoped this was so. He was not inclined toward debauchery, and his only dark passions were of the mind.

They reached a flat, open area furnished with benches and chests. A giant statue loomed ahead, beyond the hill’s crest. Darnand could see Sanguine’s horned head and fleshy torso rendered in stone, but the rest of him was hidden. Like Meridia’s, this shrine was concealed by the land but readily accessible to those who knew where to look.

A bald wood elf trotted down from the shrine to meet them, silken robe flapping open around his bare legs. Darnand’s stomach heaved again. He felt the bottle neck slip in his sweaty palm. The Bosmer halted in front of them, blinking up expectantly.

“We wish to visit the Shrine of Sanguine,” said Darnand.

“You have nearly reached it,” chirped the Bosmer. “This is our place of celebration. We dance, we make love. Will you join us in our worship, or would you speak with the Lord Sanguine?”

“We would speak with him,” Darnand replied. Jerric shot him a look. Darnand had to agree that he did not sound anxious for hedonistic revelry.

“Have you brought an offering?” asked the mer, hands on hips.

Darnand held out the bottle of Cyrodiilic brandy.

“Splendid! I see you are not mere tourists. Approach then, and bring the gift for your host. We have a number of celebrants presently at worship, but you really should return for one of our parties. The Pleasure Pavilions are heated and fully supplied. You will not need anything else.”

Jerric and Darnand exchanged an uneasy look. “All right then,” said Jerric. “Let’s go.”

“Oh, no!” laughed the elf, pointing a playful finger. “You will not need to bring anything else.”

Darnand realized what the underdressed mer meant just as a crescendo of squeals drifted down from the shrine. Panic iced his skin. Whatever unseemly demands were about to be made of him, he was certain he would be unable to rise to the occasion.

Jerric’s hand engulfed his shoulder as the Nord braced himself to pull off his boots. “I guess I’d better handle this one,” said Jerric.

Thank the Nine, thought Darnand. Then it occurred to him that he ought to leave the Divines out of this.

“My name is Engorm,” smiled the Bosmer, looking Jerric over.

His friend did not seem bothered. “I’m Jerric. Pleased to meet you.” He took the bottle and sauntered away, leaving Darnand clutching an armful of warm laundry.

Darnand settled himself on a bench to wait. Two nights of camping at Doomstones had left him exhausted and irritable. Jerric alone had gained a new spell at the Aetherius Stone. Neither of them could determine why these Stones would not awaken for Darnand. He had spent most of both nights kneeling on cold rock while Jerric kicked and groaned in his sleep.

It could have been moments or an hour later when Jerric strode back over the hill. His friend looked completely at ease despite the chill. He has forgotten that he is unclothed, Darnand decided. He amended that thought when the brandy fumes reached him. Wordlessly he began to hand Jerric his clothing.

“Well?” Darnand asked as Jerric fastened his belt.

“I got off easy, compared to some. I guess you don’t have much left to prove if the Daedric Prince of Debauchery already knows your name. Anyway, I have to go pull a prank in Leyawiin. Sanguine thinks the countess throws boring parties.” Jerric stomped into his boots. “Leyawiin. Dammit! I thought I was just going to have to hump a couple of those daedra worshippers. At least that would have gotten this business over with.” Jerric gave Darnand’s arm a squeeze. “It’s a good thing you stayed down here. Sometimes you see a thing and just can’t look away, and you don’t have anything handy to gouge out your eyes.”

“I am surprised you are not planning to return for one of their orgies,” Darnand remarked.

“No thank you. I don’t need to read that scroll to know how it ends.”

Darnand shot him a curious look.

“Well here’s how it would go,” Jerric explained. “You show up in your best shirt to find that Engorm fellow and a crowd of his friends who look just like him. Where are the women, you wonder. Then you realize that some of them are women. The minstrels start to play, and someone passes a bottle around. Now you’re dancing, and some more attractive women have shown up. Or maybe they’re the same ones, but who could tell? More empty bottles hit the ground, and you lose track of who’s doing what to who. And what does it really matter? Then you wake up with a sore head and discover that it wasn’t just a dream.”

Darnand opened his mouth, but no words presented themselves.

“Not that it’s ever happened to me,” Jerric added. “But that’s the thing about orgies. They’re always full of folk that you wouldn’t normally take for a ride.”

They started walking back to the horses. “When is this party?” asked Darnand. “I should not like to change our plans. Leyawiin will mark the end of our journey, or the turning point if we return over land.”

“He made it sound like it could be any dinner party. She does a lot of entertaining. Countess Caro, she’s the one I have to prank. Abiene’s folk live in Leyawiin, I wonder if any of them will be there. I guess they're in amongst the nobles pretty often. You know, moving up through the ranks. That’s why she acts so prim and proper all of the time.”

Darnand gave Jerric his full attention. “What is your meaning?”

“You grew up in a ‘good’ family, right?”

“Indeed.”

“Me too. But we had our place, and we didn’t try to change it. Didn’t stop me from doing what I pleased. Pissed off my Ma plenty, but she always forgave me. Well, I did move to Anvil for a couple of years, but you know what I mean.”

Darnand sought his patience. “My grasp on your thread of reasoning is tenuous.”

“What I mean is, no matter how I screwed up, I knew my family would be there. I was never afraid of losing them. I don’t think Abiene has that. She still feels like she’s being judged all of the time.” Jerric looked over expectantly.

“I suppose you are right,” said Darnand. “I never considered straying outside my father’s guidelines. His expectations seemed reasonable.”

“You mean you never wanted to get legless in the market square, draw private parts on a statue, or throw a hump into the wrong girls?”

“Such behavior would not have been becoming to a member of my family. Our standing in the community meant visibility, and with that came responsibility.”

“So, yes, but you didn’t.”

Darnand finally understood. “Whether I was born to fill a role or whether I grew to fill it, I do not know. The result is the same. It seems that you felt free to sink beneath your station. I am uncertain what you are saying about Abiene.”

“I’m not saying anything about Abiene,” Jerric said quickly. “That’s just what got me started thinking. My family is gone, but even standing back there bare as a Billy and knee deep in a cluster-hump, I wouldn’t have to worry about my Fa turning away from me. You played the good lad, but your brother threw you out anyway. Abiene’s folks are still living. Even on the other side of Cyrodiil she feels like Countess Caro is watching her.”

Darnand thought about it. “I know that my father would… No, there are things of which he would not approve. And yet I will still pursue them. If he gave me any legacy, it is confidence in my own judgment.” They walked for another moment. “Countess Alessia Caro of Leyawiin is the daughter of Countess Valga of Chorrol. I have met them both.”

“Yeah?”

“Alessia Caro is quite short,” said Darnand. “But she has an impressive bust for an Imperial.”

“Good,” Jerric grinned. “The prank has to do with getting naked.”

SPEW !!! ROFL !!!! Jerric: always at the ready to perform if needed, ROFL !! The whole second half of this chapter had me rolling !! Awesome Write !!

I just hope this part is not based on original research.

“It is as if one's skull has opened and the words are laid upon the exposed mind.”
This is a wonderful description. Much better than just listening to a thick Scottish accent.

I also loved Jerric bringing up Arkay, and Darnand's musings on how he said prayers to Arkay over the bodies, then went to Meridia for the loot. It could easily look hypocritical. But at the same time, welcome to polytheism. In such religions, you do not ignore every deity except one. In this case, there are two deities with a common interest - the eradication of necromancers and undead. There is no reason mortals should not to turn to each for help in accomplishing that goal.

So Jerric is off to join the mazola party! I am guessing this will not get mentioned in any letters back to Abiene. Like Falanu told Varla, what happens at the Sanguine Shrine, stays at the Sanguine Shrine!

Neither of them could determine why these Stones would not awaken for Darnand
Because he is an NPC, rather than a player character?

Aww, it looks like Jerric did not get any action at the party. Just as well, he would have needed to eat some mandrake afterward.

Sometimes you see a thing and just can’t look away, and you don’t have anything handy to gouge out your eyes.
You have just described nudist beaches to a tee. Orgies too. I have had the opportunity before too, and always declined. Like Jerric, that is a scroll I do not need to read to know the ending.

Darnand's brother threw him out? Was that in a past episode? If so, I apologize for forgetting it. My guess is that Darnand is the second son then, and so does not inherit anything. IRL, men like him often joined the clergy. Joining the Mages Guild is a very similar alternative. Over in the TF, Valerius is a third son, so all he got was a horse, a suit of armor, and a sir in front of his name. That is why he is a landless mercenary.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Dec 30 2011, 08:44 PM

This was delightful! So much so that I barely missed dear Lildereth. Sanguine is surely my favorite quest in the game and I can think of no one to whom it is better entrusted than Jerric.

I can only imagine how much fun you had writing this, and love how you brought out the ‘hedonistic revelry ever so much better than the game does.

Darnand is right. That is quite a hike to Leyawiin, so I know he was pleased that Jerric learned their timing for this was not overly critical.

Can I tell you again how much fun this whole episode was to read?

Jerric slipped his bare foot into his mouth somewhat regarding Abiene, but somehow managed to emerge from that conversation unscathed.

’Darnand sought his patience. “My grasp on your thread of reasoning is tenuous.”
Oh gosh, I like this so much. Firstly, your word choice and construction of this passage is pure magic – I am so jealous! Secondly, it captures Darnand to a tee. Thirdly, how fun it is to have a character who is such an academic intellectual that he can think and speak the way he does.