I remember thinking the same thing about mage followers, and then Kharjo started using staves that he was given for safe keeping. Holy crap he kills everything when he has a pair of staves!

Onmund even sneaks, and won't go in unless I attack first. I was like... "MARRY ME!" And then I realized that I did...in the game, lol

Poor Roggi, left to be a stay-at-home dad while Mikke runs around Skyrim having all the fun (and apparently every other man).

A wonderful reunion between Kharjo and his old buds in the caravan. Old friends, a warm fire, and fresh fish, what more could a cat wish for? I loved your inclusion of Ta'agra. That is going deep into some world-building. Here I thought the Tardis just translated everyone's languages for each other...

Three hooded travelers were on the road, walking calmly toward the city gate. Something about them made her skin crawl. Uh oh, vampires. Aravi's spider-sense is serving her well. That was a close call for Khajiit. But they were lucky compared to the smoothskins.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Jan 10 2013, 03:58 AM

Very cool I enjoyed reading this letter.

Morndas, 2:39 Am, 2nd of Sun's Dawn, 4th Era 202

Lord Haaf-Mersery is still deep in Cindha Mine, and has found some sort of disagreement exists between a man named Grisvar the Unlucky and Madanach. The Lord had been sent here to kill Grisvar. If this were done, Madanach has promised to help the crusader get out of Cindha Mine...

...and after what must be several days below-ground, the Lord is getting desperate. He assumes he's been here for several days, but how did he really know this? He thought the guard who caught him was just showing a moment of sarcasm when he told the Lord he would "nevah see da son again!"

What had been going on outside during his absence? Was Lakeview still standing, Lucia keeping the place safe with her pet rabbit?....Were vampires on the rise again? .... Was Marcurio still here in Markath? The Lord knows Marcurio so well. Marcurio gets bored "very easily" if he has nothing to do. So is he still here? Or had he wandered off to Riften?

Lord Haaf-Mersey is least worried about the gear he left up in Silver Blood Inn. His weapon, his armor, his potions...these are meaningless to him*. All of this stuff could be replaced. But not Lucia. Not his home. He needs to get out of here, Skyrim needs him.

*(but not to me! I hope his stuff is there!)

But now, he stands before this "Grisvar the Unlucky". He is supposed to kill the man, but wants to see if things can be worked out another way.

"Please, don't kill me! Madanach does not know what he is talking about!"

"'Twas not of mine intentions. Mine intentions wer'st to bring a light towards the greater of causes. That such a light might shine upon the injustices ye have all suffered within these earthen walls".

"WHAT?" Grisvar screamed. "Never should have come here!"

Why do'st he not make understanding of mine words? Haaf-Mersey thinks for just a second as Grisvar starts to stir. 'tis mine manner of speaking, perchance? He had been raised to "speaketh in proper tones" by his family, who taught him early that most Cyrodiilites (not to mention those living in Skyrim) spoke with a lower-class demeanor. Perhaps this is why so many people mis-understand him when he speaks.

Before he knew it, Grisvar was rising, and taking a small weapon Lord Haaf-Mersey has never seen before ("shiv" is what they call these) out of his pocket!

"But no!! I did not make such a meaning!....."

Before the crusader can react, the nearest miner now SHOCKS Grisvar with a bolt! Lord Haaf-Mersey initially thinks the magic-using miner was meaning to aim for him, not Grisvar, but this turns out not to be. Within seconds, he hears the other miners, two of whom rush into the chamber! and start pounding on poor Grisvar with their pickaxes!

"No! 'Tis not the way! I could'th made such handle upon tha's situation mine-self!"

Lord Haaf-Mersey pouts as the other miners calmly walk away! He doesn't exactly know what is going on, what the situation with these miners (all of whom happen to be Forsworn) happens to be. He says a prayer to Arkay, and wanders glumly over back to Madanach.



4:39 pm

"Prison's not so bad" says the lazy orc who never digs "....less complaints when I kill people".

The Lord ignores him, and tries his magic once again. He has been using magic more and more down here in the mine: bringing light to the other miners as they worked, and occasionally healing them, too. He has earned their respect, and has a new respect for them, as well. These "Forsworn". If he gets to the outside, never shall he slay one of these again, not unprovoked, anyways.

"You remember the sun? Because you'll forget .... soon".

"'Twas not of necessity, to arrange that man towards fixation, and sendeth him into his grave. Such could have been made of avoidance, Madanach of leisure", he looks down. The man is writing. He's always writing, Lord Haaf-Mersey notices.

"You're back. Have you done what I asked?"

"No, but thine acquaintances have accomplished such".

"You've finally become one of us", Madanach says. "Come with me. I think it's finally time I announced my plan to you...and your brothers".

As Madanach runs off, Lord Haaf-Mersey definitely disagrees with this. He does not want to be affiliated with these men, he does not want to become a Forsworn. On the other hand, he needs to get out of here, for the greater good of Skyrim. It feels as if this just might happen, too.

"I have not made of such bloodshed, and so be it mine fate where such might lie".

Haaf-Mersy says to his Gods and Godesses, hoping they will see that he had nothing to do with Grisvar the Unlucky's death. And if they don't hear him, his mentor Dyan phor a'Cauz certainly would do so. She had appeared in his dream, he remembers. She told him she had been watching over him for some time. He almost feels her presence.

4:47 AM

"What's going on Madanach, you wouldn't plan on having Grisvar killed unless you were needing him", says a voice in the other room.

"My brothers we have been her long enough", Madanach announces to those now gathered before him. "It's time to leave this mine, and take a stance against the Nords! Beyond that gate is a tunnel, it thru the old Dwarven ruins of Markath, into the city. But what do you say my brothers?"

"THROUGH THE GATE!" they shout in unison.

"I say you've earned an early pardon! Let's go." Madanach calls to the Lord.

Lord Haaf-Mersey is not about to argue or disagree with the man.



Morndas, 7:59 Am
Finally on the outside! Lord Haaf-Mersey's fabled compatriots make a challenge to Sir Silver Blood. Arms are drawn, and a grand fight ensues.

"If they have made thought towards mine desires to joineth them, those Forsworn are on the cusp of deep errors".

He calmly walks through the town of Markath while they fight. He is wearing the leather armor and boots he had crafted days ago. Madanach had given the Lord a full Forsworn set of armor, as a sort of "thanks", but these items were left behind on the floor once the man eagerly left the ruins.

The ruins! He has never seen ruins like these before, built long ago by dwarven people who are now extinct. And just before leaving the place, he had been attacked by some sort of golden metal creature he had never seen before! Brandishing just a pickaxe and a couple of shivs at the time, Lord Haaf-Mersey chose not to fight this being! ...Whatever it was..

The Forsworn apparently win the fight, and truely win their freedom. As Haaf-Mersey walks, he counts mostly dead guards, and only one of the former prisoners (the orc) has fallen.

8:34 am

"Marcurio, are ye present?!"

Lord Haaf-Mersey opens the giant golden door to the room in which he last saw his companion. Never has the Lord wanted to hear the man's annoyances so much. But Marcuio is not here.

"Well. 'Tis to be expected. Perhaps he has found himself of boredome, then, and made travels of arrangement back to Riften. Or as I might hope, Falkreath. And Lakeview Manor of more specificity".

That would be pretty hamster cave cool if Marcurio went back to Lakeview to keep Lucia company! I wonder if he did this.

The good news is, all of the Lord's things are still here. He has a much-desired bottle of alto wine while he eats his first real meal in days.

LHM Full pic

This post has been edited by Lady Saga: Jan 13 2013, 09:06 PM

I opted Kayla to kill Madanoch and sneak out lol. I didn't have time for his Forsworn shenanigans.

I tried it with Madanach at first, but double crossed him at the end and helped the town guard kill him and all the other Forsworn. But even after doing that, all the townspeople act like you are in the Forsworn, which I did not like. So I went back and just killed Maddie and all the other Forsworn before escaping.

You know what really sucks about helping the Forsworn? They still attack you, except in ONE lair, which is the one Madanoch is stationed at.

Oh gawd. So you mean I have "Are you with the Forsworn? I heard people saying you escaped the prison with them!" over and over? Oy vey. I find that language very immersive right now, but it would suck if months from now that's all they're still talking about.

I think once you start doing other things, that gets lost.

Good. That would bug me after awhile.

Denelle is my only character who has done the Cidhna Mine quest. She was helpless in there without her poisons and bow. Denelle was a sweet and clueless kid in way over her head. After some mining she decided that she wanted to live, and so she did some wrong things to get out. Even though she ran like hell to avoid the fight afterward (Erik found her right away and a Nord and a Breton together would have had to kill everyone in that situation), she still feels guilty about being asked if she is Forsworn. Since she is a Breton living in Markarth it doesn’t seem odd to me that the local Nords ask her that, but I would be annoyed if another race kept getting that question.

Ahh! Interesting that Denelle would feel guilt. LHM feels no guilt. He is rather self-righteous, matter of fact. I can see anohter character of mine feeling the same way as yours, though.

So I don't feel like writing it all up in story form, but LHM just met Sorine Jurard in the middle of nowhere. He is supposed to recruit her back to Fort Dawnguard, but she wanted him to find her dwarven gyros first. We did this.

LHM is smitten with the lady. A female adventurer! He is in love! We can't get her to become a follower (not right now) which is pissing me off kinda, but he is currently following her instead. Silly crusader.

This post has been edited by Lady Saga: Jan 15 2013, 01:36 AM

A lovestruck LHM? Oh my! -waggles eyebrows-

Yeah, and it was also funny that the devs stuck that lady out in the middle of nowhere. She started to walk away from LHM, told him she'd meet him back at Dawnguard, but then walked into a river that was too deep for her to ford! She stood there, trying to swim, but coudln't get anywhere! I waited an hour just to RP it that she moved along!

Another thing which happened: LHM found a Forsworn bandit also in the middle of nowhere. She was actually friendly to him, perhaps because she was by herself, rather than surrounded by a bunch of macho companions. Anyways, I was looking at her armor and bare skin through LHM's eyes, and realized he wanted a little ... companionship.

I don't know what happened, but I think he finally got some luvin'! But it was not to be. The next morning, he felt a strange sort of guilt, and the Forsworn lady is perfectly happy to live by the river by herself. So no love prospects yet for my crusader.



This post has been edited by Lady Saga: Jan 15 2013, 03:20 PM

D'awww, poor LHM

Sundas, 8:01 Am, 8th of Sun's Dawn, 4E 202

Lord Haaf-Mersey

Level: 29
Race: Breton

Days Passed: 175

Dawnbreak is the best time of the day, Lord Haaf-Mersey realizes. He loves mornings, especially sunny ones. As he walks slowly towards Rorikstead, the sun breaks through the clouds, and blinds his vision. He lets the moment happen, even as his retinas start to feel singed!

Butterflies are flitting about far away in the fields. Children in the road. Skyrim at its most beautiful.

He had been making his way slowly through Forsworn territory these last few days. In his journal, he found out that he was near a place where one of his 'jobs' would be: Red Eagle Redoubt. * With this taken care of, the Lord started walking towards Rorikstead in the middle of the night, and arrives on the outskirts of the hamlet just as morning starts.

*LHM found the Red Sword being carried by an ordinary Forsworn Pillager, not a boss character. That was weird. LHM used the Red Sword just once: to attack the draugr deathlord who is the ruler of Red Eagle (I forget his name). After killing the deathlord LHM put Red Eagle back inside the stone, and left it behind, even though I was tempted to keep it! .

"Whehh ahh theez vampiahhs coming frahm?" says one of the road guards, "We need to wahpe theez theengs owt befahh things get wurse!"

"'I am of agreement, sir".

Lord Haaf-Mersey makes his way inside the Frostfruit Inn.



9:50 AM
It is Sundas, and Rorikstead hasn't even got an altar to worship at, not that the crusader has found. But it does not matter, he is too tired prayer right now, anyways. He hadn't expected that he would have been branded as a criminal in Markarth! Never in his wildest dreams! The mines, the running from guards, his adventures into the Forsworn, it has all worn Lord Haaf-Mersey out.

"It just feels right somehow, this new life of being an adventurer". It is Erik 'the Slayer'. "It's like it was meant to be."

"Adventurer? Thee? Would be quite a come-uppance, to have ye for good works as ye make travells across the lands. I can put mine faith in thee, and I see such recoverance in thine eyes so brown".

"Good to see you again, how would you like to hire a brave but untested mercenary?"

Lord Haaf-Mersey thinks about it. He'll be heading back towards Falkreath tomorrow after some rest on Sundas. He feels pretty confident Erik will be okay in this area of Skyrim.

"And if I may say so, wouldst thou make meaning of the light? To shineth upon the darkest of nights? And make banishment of the lowest of daedric menaces?"

"Seems like the best way to see the worrrld and make some coin!" Erik the Slayer admits with full honesty. "...Sure I'm a little green, but what I lack in experience I make up for in courage".

"Let it be so then", he says, handing Erik "the Slayer" five hundred in gold. "'Tis okay, that thee have not truely seen tha's light of yore. We shalt let it shineth upon thine heart, and maketh upon the lands full countenance, that ye shalt bear witness with full directiveness".

"Oh, did you need something?"*

"Need something? My apologies".

*while I was typing that long LHM soliloquoy, the dialog menu closed up!

This is it, Lord Haaf-Mersey decides. He can no longer speak the rest of his life in his family's high-brow manner of tongue. He decides he's going to try talking like a commoner. "Commoner". What did that word mean? Even the Jarls up here spoke just commoners!

"I am Lord Haaf-Mersey as thee have...." he stops himself. "Yes, I ... would ... like .. to .... maketh .... employment ... of ... thee".

"Lead the way".

It worked! Haaf-Mersey thinks. I have made of understanding amongst this commoner!

"You lead, I'll follow".

"Yes. And ..... may I see .. thine...your ... things?"

"No problem. How can I help?"

Erik the Slayer carries standard iron things: iron sheild, iron armor, iron sword. This will be something to do when he gets back to his home: improve Erik "the slayer's" chances of survival!





This post has been edited by Lady Saga: Jan 16 2013, 12:27 AM

Erik's in Rorikstead! Kayla has fond memories of him.

Now she's mad at me. O.o

Ha ha!

Now she won't talk to me. Though now she is glad LHM is keeping him busy. Se's tired of the love letters... XD