Poor Clark, he's got his work cut out for him escorting these two. Barenziah's blood runs strong, I see trouble ahead for Clark, lol.



Ain't it the truth, ROFL !!!

Awesome Write!

@Grits: Morgiah is twice Rinnala's age and more. And as her mother, she 's of another generation. This trip might change Rinnala's perspective, but it's just started.

@Acadian: Since Illusion gives you Charm, Command, Frenzy, and Fear spells, I figured there would be a few more specific ones for certain situations. But then I had to wonder why Miranu's potion was so special, before I painted myself into a corner.

I'm not sure Morgiah heated the towels magically, so much as knowing where to find hot ones. I suspect they have them at the palace in Firsthold. My take on the summon spells is that they relocate, rather than create. It makes more sense for creatures that way.

@mALX: If Clark isn't used to trouble by now, Taminwe will just have to find him some more.

-------------

Black Queen's Gambit - Part 3

The following morning, they crossed the road leading to Lord Drad's estate and headed towards Arkay's wayshrine. He and Rinnala both took advantage of the blessing of health, causing Morgiah to remark on how exhausting the previous night's activities must have been.

It was hard to miss the sight of Kvatch's ruined walls on the hill. Although the Oblivion Gates were gone, the place where the great siege engine had breached the wall was still visible, even from this distance. Clark asked them if there had been Oblivion Gates in their part of the Summerset Isle.

"There was one that opened not far outside the city of Firsthold," replied Morgiah. "But all that happened were a few Daedra wandered out and looked around for a while. I instructed the local militia to watch and wait, and not take any action until the Daedra got close enough to be a direct danger to anyone. It seemed that they were waiting for a signal from somewhere, perhaps intending to attack all the cities at once. Anyway, the Gate disappeared as mysteriously as it arrived. I later learned that all the Gates went together, just after the Crystal Tower fell."

She didn't mention those Thalmor that Lathenil had told him about. If they had indeed claimed responsibility for closing the Gates, it hadn't been reported in Firsthold.

He told her that the same had happened in Cyrodiil; all the Gates had closed at once, after Mehrunes Dagon and Akatosh fought their battle-by-avatar in the Temple of the One. And he asked her about the Mythic Dawn. Again, they appeared to be unknown in Firsthold. By then Kvatch was dwindling on the horizon.

Following*

They carried on past Bodean Camp, which was deserted. That was a good omen, he hoped. If all the campsites were empty, they'd be in a better mood for talking, than if they had to fight for them.

He steered them clear of the Forts, and the Ayleid ruins, but those were easy to see. Both had been built where they had commanding views of the countryside, and that worked both ways. He was more careful in avoiding Shattered Mine. The last report he'd had placed bandits there, but mines were always popular with goblins, and you often didn't see the entrances until you were right on top of them.

Fort Linchal got an especially wide berth. He'd heard about that place from Virgilia. It was where the Necromancers had taken her friend, Randonil. The Champion had helped to rescue him, and he was now the chapter head for the Mages Guild in Anvil. Clark had heard a few more Necromancer stories from him, too. He didn't mention Necromancers to Morgiah yet, that was a topic that needed more time, and they needed to get to Brotch Camp first.

The shadows were getting longer as they approached Brotch Camp. Nothing significant had troubled their journey so far. A few wolves had seen them, but they were dispatched by fireballs before they even got close. A boar that they flushed from a bush around lunchtime had provided their lunch, as well as bit of shortsword practice for Rinnala.

There was a plume of smoke drifting up from a campfire, so his hope that it would be empty proved false. The question was, how many bandits were in residence, and what sort of opposition would they present?

Clark had learned the benefit of spell reflection and absorption from his run-in with the Dibella cult, so he was wearing the same outfit today. He also had a sturdy shield, in case they were using regular weapons. Morgiah was completely unarmored, but he knew she would use spells for defense. Rinnala paired her shortsword with a buckler, favoring speed over anything else. He'd seen her in action against the boar, and thought he detected a shield enchantment, so he wasn't too concerned about her. They should be good against anything but archers.

Luckily, the pair of Khajiiti were armed with blunts. The female had a heavy warhammer, and the male an axe and shield. Rinnala picked the female and pointed him to the male. Morgiah would hold off and use ranged spells. They had the advantage of numbers, which should be more than enough to balance the armor advantage of their opponents.

His own blade skill was not that great, but when he went out with the sisters he'd done well enough by blocking his opponent until one of them could assist. His blocking skill had advanced much more than any offensive one. He hoped that tactic would work with these two, as well.

He edged around the Khajiit, trying to put him between himself and Morgiah, so that she'd get a clear shot at his back. It would also put him further from Rinnala and her bandit, so the two battles would stay separate. The cat swung his axe, and Clark raised his shield at just the right time to deflect it. As the axe slid off his shield, he saw Morgiah hurl her first spell.

---

When he came to, he was aware of Morgiah's hand on his forehead. "Sorry I didn't warn you," she said contritely. "I used a spell with an area effect, and got both of you. The Khajiit got more of it, and it looked like some reflected from you onto him. Your head doesn't hurt, does it? That spell's supposed to knock you out, but I forget if it feels like it."

It didn't, although it hadn't been pleasant at the time, and she had at least dispelled it before it could have any after-effects.

The Khajjit, however, was still unconscious. He had taken most of the spell's effect. Rinnala had laid him out on a bedroll, taken off his cuirass, and was tying his wrists securely to tent-stakes.

"What about the female?" He asked.

"Dead," Morgiah responded. "Rinnala didn't want to have to kill her, but she ran onto her sword. Those warhammers have a lot of momentum, and you can't help going with them."

He helped Rinnala pull the male's boots and greaves off, and they tied his ankles to another pair of stakes.
"I'm glad we could keep the male alive," said Morgiah. "There aren't a lot a of Khajiiti in the Summerset Isle, and certainly none around the court. Rinnala probably doesn't know about their peculiarities."

Rinnala was bit annoyed about being discussed in her presence as if she wasn't there. "What peculiarities?"

"Well, why don't you wake him up and ask him?" Morgiah could barely keep a straight face.

Rinnala used the same touch spell that Morgiah had used to bring him round. It took a few moments before his eyes could focus, and when he saw the three of them standing over him, his first reaction was to flee. But he was securely tied down, and couldn't move. After a short struggle, he saw that it was futile, and subsided.

"Why'd you keep this one alive?" he asked. "Even a Necromancer prefers a dead victim."

"Education," replied Morgiah. "My ... friend ... has something to learn, and I'm sure you'll learn from your failure today, too."

"So you're going to torture this one, are you?"

"Not exactly. Rinnala, would you take your shirt off, please? Show our prisoner what you have under there."

Rinnala looked puzzled, but she did as her mother asked.

"Nice pair, but there is no understanding," he grinned. "Where's the pain in looking at those?"

Clark was feeling mild discomfort, and had to adjust his clothing. The other presumably didn't find elves quite as arousing as he did, or maybe it was just fear. Either way, Morgiah instructed her daughter to strip off completely.

A fully nude woman had the effect Morgiah was expecting. As Rinnala watched, it became apparent to her what her mother had meant.

Rinnala knelt down and took a closer look. She reached out a finger and touched the barbs. Her gentle touch almost was the torture the poor Khajiit had feared. He moaned involuntarily and she snatched her hand back.

"That looks very uncomfortable," the young woman told her mother. "How do they ever persuade the females to mate with them?"

"Mostly, they don't." Clark told her all he knew about the Khajiiti. How the females were completely under the control of the moons' cycles, and all but oblivious when they mated. "They're even more driven to it than you are."

"It's not as bad as it looks, either," Morgiah joined in. "Your grandmother did it with a Khajiit called Therris, back when she was your age. She told me it was one of the most intense experiences she'd ever had. Mind you, Barenziah was an exceptional woman."

"Anyhow, you're in the driving seat here. You can do whatever you want, because he's not going anywhere for a while. Take all the time you need, and be sure to teach him something while you're at it. Meanwhile, there's another bedroll over there, and Clark has something I need to attend to."


----------

*The screenshot has my latest test character, not Clark, in it. He's got the sisters in tow wherever he goes.

This post has been edited by ghastley: Feb 14 2019, 08:57 PM

BWAAHAA!



This fascinated me. Your transitions between Lore and your own world-building for your mods is always so smooth that unless I know the Lore I can't tell where it stops and your story starts. Here is one of those places.

Did a gate open up in Firsthold? I honestly don't know, but if it didn't and this is from your creative mind, I am totally in awe of your ability to shadow the Lore this way! AWESOME !!!

*mALX searches for bowing down emoticon*

Loved that screen shot, Love seeing your mods in action!



SPEW !!! Like barbs? ROFL !!!



OMG, I nearly choked to death on this!

Ah yes, the scene with Barenziah and Therris - who could forget that? Lol.



So I read, ROFL !!! Awesome chapter, I am loving this addition to your mod!


*

I don't know for sure, but we do know from Lathenil's book in Skyrim that the Daedra did invade there and take down the Crystal Tower. I'm assuming a gate per major city as in Cyrodiil. Oblivion has "news from the other provinces" that indicates gates in Morrowind, and Black Marsh, and that's enough to suggest all provinces got the same treatment.

I haven't seen the Skyrim book, but the "news from other provinces" is very interesting - I will def peek into the dialogue boxes for that one, haven't seen it yet! (but wasn't looking, lol). Awesome Write, Ghastley!

Some conversation examples:

I have heard things are bad in Vvardenfell. The Telvanni do their best to close the gates, but it is to no avail.

The news has not been good. I've heard it said that the daedra have overrun the town of Ald'ruhn. The entire town has been destroyed.

There is grave news from Skyrim. From Falkreath to Windhelm, the foul daedra attack the land.

I hear all of Skyrim is under siege. The daedra lay waste to the Old Holds, and there is little to do to stop it.

Many Argonians say they have been "called back" to Black Marsh. They disappear into the swamps and are never seen again.

The last one doesn't mention Daedra or gates explicitly, but there are other lore references that indicate the "call back" was to fight the Daedra.

Thank you so much! I def need to listen better in game, these are great!

What a pleasant view your screenshot provides to follow through the golden grasses of the Gold Coast! I can see why Rinalla can raise a cat’s barbs.

Neat to hear about how the Ob Crisis went in other parts of Tamriel, and a grim reminder of Kvatch.



Nit? Do you want 'camp' or 'Camp' when associated with the actual name of the place? (My recommendation would be Brotch Camp, but more important is consistency.) –
'They carried on past Bodean Camp, ...
...they needed to get to Brotch camp first.
The shadows were getting longer as they approached Brotch Camp.'

If that was Clark in the screenshot, he wouldn’t need to adjust his trousers. I liked hearing about the Oblivion crisis in the other provinces.

I chuckled at “Nice pair.” Isn’t that what Therris says? What an educational trip!

@mALX: Since the mod's events are set in around 4E1 or 2, I need to make it fit what's reported in Skyrim as well as the Oblivion 'rumors' dialog, which is fun when they contradict each other. I'm also using known stuff from Daggerfall and Morrowind, although the latter is harder when I don't have a copy of the game! Apart from Helseth, who does get a fair amount of mentions in this part, as Morgiah's brother, I'm not sure who's a canonical survivor into this time. Morrowind didn't do "essential" the same way as the other games, so everyone could be dead!

@Acadian: Again your proof-reading catches the elusive ones. I'm usually using too many capitals, perhaps a hang-over from German, where all nouns are "proper'.

@Grits: I was hoping someone would pick up that quote from the book.

I have since re-run the quest with Clark in the lead, and I may post a screen-shot from that later. There are still a few loose ends in the choreography of the Rinnala/Khajiit scene (which all happens in a closed tent out of view). It took me a long time to stop the bandit getting up and going to sleep in another tent. Rinnala was quite offended! And I want to re-work the closed tent model a bit before release.

----------------

Black Queen's Gambit - Part 4

"So how do you know so much about Khajiit mating?" Morgiah asked him. "Dunmer, I can understand, although you surprised me a couple of times."

Clark told her about Shulassa and Tsarrina at Gweden. As far as he knew, they might be the only female Khajiiti who really knew what was happening when they mated. And yes, he'd asked about that. Shulassa had shrugged and told him it was just different. She liked it with or without, no preference for one over the other.

"Rinnala's apparently taken to it," Clark added. "How many times have we heard her so far?"

"More than we've managed, that's for sure. I'm starting to feel cheated." Morgiah replied, wondering if Clark was getting aroused by the sounds from across the campsite. She certainly was.

Her own experience with Khajiiti men had been under different conditions. She'd taken drugs to reduce the intensity, as she'd wanted to keep full control. That had left her with a feeling that she'd missed out on something. And Rinnala was getting it full-strength, as much as she wanted.

Clark may not been able to read Morgiah's mind but it was clear to him that he needed to distract her, or she'd be running over and taking her daughter's place. This was his best opportunity so far to really get Morgiah off-guard.

"Have you wondered why they didn't just send a hulking Orc with a battleaxe to escort you?" he asked her. He didn't dare let her think too much about that, so he answered his own question. "Because you need a guide, not a guard. Someone who knows the territory, and I don't just mean the land, I mean the people, too. You need to be kept clear of the all the threats against this journey, and the worst of those are ..." He trailed off, letting her fill in the space with her own thoughts.

"I need to know where you think the threat is coming from," he continued after a moment. "You mentioned those fear-mongers, the Beautiful, but I got the impression that they weren't the only ones. There's some other group that has you worried, isn't there?"

"If I knew who they were, I'd have dealt with them myself." Morgiah replied with a disgusted look on her face. "But all we see is the results. Someone's stirring up the common folk, but nobody ever seems to know where rumors started, or who was the first to complain. That's not easy to manage, and their competence is what has me scared. It started even before the Daedra invaded, but it got worse after. The gates used up a lot of good soldiers that would otherwise have kept a lid on things."

She clung tightly to him, as if for reassurance, and that gave her the opportunity to change the subject. Clark smiled, recognising those tactics. She was good at this, too. "Of course, Rinnala thinks you were sent to look after her needs, not because we needed any help with the journey. They all think they're immortal, and capable of anything, at her age. Travelling across Cyrodiil with just a map and a shortsword seems easy to her."

---

In the morning, Clark and Morgiah found the other pair still asleep in each other's arms. She'd obviously untied him at some point, once she trusted him not to run away. When she'd found the time to do that wasn't clear. Last night, it had sounded like non-stop action. Clark told Morgiah that another quirk of the Khajiiti men was that they had to be ready for the "feast or famine" nature of the females by being ready to mate many times in quick succession.

The other side of the coin was that they'd have to be prepared to wait a whole month for the next opportunity, so it evened out over the course of time. That was good, because they'd have to leave him behind. Morgiah was a little worried by that thought. She was sure that he'd have heard her use Rinnala's name, and didn't she mention Barenziah, too? Did he know too much for them to let him live?

"Look at them," said Clark "Don't you think he's on our side now? Have some faith in your daughter's abilities, even if they are a bit uncontrolled at this stage."

Morgiah didn't look convinced.

"And if you really need to be certain, stay here another day, and work on him yourself."

He knew before she responded what her decision would be.

---

They helped bury the dead female, and make a small pile of rocks to mark the site. She hadn't been his mate, just a fellow bandit he'd recently teamed with. It hadn't been long enough for the moons to take control of her, so he didn't know if she'd accept him, or go and hide herself when the time came. He'd not really thought about it. Khajiit don't, it just happens.

And mating didn't necessarily create any permanent attachment. A female in heat couldn't always escape her own desires, and she'd do it with someone she didn't really care for. If there were several men around, and she was unattached, they'd most likely all get a turn.

So no, he didn't feel bound to Rinnala in any way. Grateful, and happy to serve again if called upon, but that was all. She was too strange, too foreign. "But exotic, and erotic, are only one letter different. Khajiit has certainly learned from this."

---

"Do you think I'm just a slut?" Rinnala asked. Clark had to think fast. There's no right answer to that question, so he answered another one.

"If you'd asked me if your breasts are too small, or too large, I'd point out that they fit my hand perfectly. That's because you wouldn't really want an answer, you'd just want me to give them a bit more attention. You would have asked, because you'd be worried that I might be ignoring them because I don't like them. You should know I think they're just right, but you'd ask anyway, just to get me thinking about them."

"So I'm guessing that your question means that you over-did things last night, and you're feeling a little sore. You're wondering why you didn't know when enough was enough, so you ask that other question, really meaning that you want to be treated gently tonight."

The way she smiled at him told him that he was right. But then a frown crossed her face. "Why do you think I'm not happy with the size of my breasts?"

Clark was saved by a loud cry of mixed pain and ecstasy coming from the other side of the camp. Rinnala laughed. She knew just how Morgiah felt. And Clark had taken the hint and was doing exactly what she'd wanted. She didn't ask any more questions.

Does this dress make my butt look too big?

And in between talk of kitty licks, breast size and other prickly subjects, Clark tries to learn a bit more about the nature of the threat they face.

Loved this:
”Travelling across Cyrodiil with just a map and a shortsword seems easy to her."

Loved your world building of Khajiit lore here, having a pride of feral cats you have nailed their biological functions down amazingly well, lol.

Clark makes a great diplomat, but he met his match in Morgiah.

I absolutely loved this chapter, you have touched on so many facets so subtly they could have been missed if anyone thought the sole focus should be on all the mating calls in the air - Loved this! Awesome write !!!

Travelling across Cyrodiil with just a map and a shortsword seems easy to her.
I just love this line. It’s the exact attitude of many young characters who think they’re immortal in the game. (And actually are if you re-load them.)

"Do you think I'm just a slut?" Rinnala asked.
Quick thinking from Clark! Change the subject to breast size, and she’ll forget all about the slut question. Thankfully Morgiah could change the subject from all the way across camp.

I enjoyed the Khajiit discussion. I wonder if Clark will meet some Argonians? I still have some questions about them.

@Acadian: If you try to squeeze into Buffy's dresses, what do you expect? Not everyone can have the perfect petite posterior, and I suspect you've spent too much time sitting around on yours, (watching hers?)

@mALX: The real question is whether I've got the late-teen Dunmer's biological functions right.

@Grits: Just wait until Clark has to go on assignment with Nelrene, the Mazken, who actually is immortal. She tends to forget that Clark isn't. Clark has "interviewed" Dark-Eyes at Gweden, but that's only half the story.

------------------


Black Queen's Gambit - Part 5

Their next destination was Lakeside Camp near the road out of Chorrol, only a couple of hours away. They'd be able to bathe there, and If they got there early enough, they'd have time to try fishing for their supper, too. This was only a short journey, but there weren't any other campsites in Chorrol County, so their options were limited. Clark had already guessed where they'd head after that, as Bruma County was equally sparse.

It made sense that they'd be going north of the Imperial City. Although there were more campsites for a southern route, they'd have to cross the Niben somewhere. Morgiah would expect the bridges to be watched. That could also be an issue with the few trails through the mountains, but that was a much less hospitable area to lie in wait.

And some of that was patrolled by the Mountain Riders. He wasn't sure if their routes had changed, but Unna had been on the Lipsand Tarn to Hermaeus Mora Shrine stretch, and Claudia from there to the trail into Bruma. They'd likely see Pala between Dragon Claw Rock and the campsite, part of which was right on the trail. Then the next day's journey would probably see Svana and Ystrel, if they were headed for the Morrowind border where he expected. Most of the trip would be safe from whatever Morgiah feared.

That was assuming they didn't go through part of Skyrim. He didn't think that was probable, as Falkreath lay at the only border crossing, and they wanted to avoid towns. He didn't know much of Skyrim either, and he'd been told he'd be with them until the Morrowind border. So that meant going north-east of Cheydinhal somewhere.

But he was thinking too far ahead. It wasn't too far to Chorrol, and he needed to steer a little further North to avoid going too close to Pillaged Mine. They didn't want to get involved with any goblins.

So in avoiding the goblins, they met a troll instead. He and Rinnala readied their shields to block the beast's attack, while Morgiah began building up for a fireball. It seemed to hesitate for a moment, trying to decide which one of them it should charge first, when the fireball struck.

"Morgiah must have trained with the same teacher as Delphine Jend," Clark though to himself, as the troll's body flew through the air to land somewhere in the woods. "I'm just glad it didn't get close, or we'd have all been caught in that blast!" Rinnala must have been thinking something similar, because the look she gave her mother spoke volumes.

That was their only adversary, and the campsite was empty when they arrived. It wasn't far from Chorrol, and he doubted it got used much. Most honest people would get a room in town, and anyone who didn't dare show their face there would camp further away, or hide in a cave or mine. He asked Morgiah if she wouldn't prefer one of those options, but she didn't want to get trapped in a place with only one or two exits. Campsites out in the open were much safer, even here near the city. And he already knew there weren't any others they could reach before dark.

There was a small boat tied up at one end of the little lake. Since you could walk all round the edge in a few minutes, it obviously wasn't for getting to the other side. That meant there could well be fish to catch. They looked around the campsite for rods, or hooks, but found nothing.

"We'll have to use the Argonian method," Morgiah announced.

Clark looked puzzled until Rinnala explained. "Go down there and join them. If you don't have claws, a touch paralysis spell will catch a fish just as well as a hook. You just have to patient and let them come close to you."

"Well you can go do that, while I try to find a pan to cook it in," he replied. "I don't know that spell, and I only just learned to breathe underwater the other day."

He didn't find a pan, but there were a few plates, and one of them was metal. He hoped it would stand up to being used as a makeshift skillet. It didn't have to. Rinnala had found the cooking equipment in a chest on the bottom of the lake. Why it was there was a mystery, it didn't look worth stealing.

"My guess would be that whoever set up this camp didn't want to make it too hospitable, or he'd be run off by bandits. Probably an Argonian, if he hid the stuff under the water." Morgiah's idea seemed to make sense, except for one thing.

"But why would an Argonian need a boat?"

Rinnala's hasty retreat from the water gave them the answer. "There are Slaughterfish in there!"

"Then you won't have any problems persuading them to come to you," Morgiah gave Rinnala an evil grin and sent her back in. "Just look tasty."

---

"I wasn't scared of them, I was just startled to see any in a lake that small," she explained while they ate the creature that had tried to eat her. "I don't understand how they find enough to eat."

"Maybe the boat-owner feeds them," he suggested. "There's not many places around here you could catch one, so they'd fetch a decent price. And the scales are valuable to alchemists, so he could have been trading those too."

Morgiah wondered what they'd been fed on. "You didn't see any skeletons down there, did you?" she asked her daughter."It would be the perfect way to dispose of people who you need to disappear."

"No, and I'm not going back to look."

---

The day was only half over, but they weren't travelling any further until the next morning. That left them with nothing to do but read a book, or sunbathe on the shore of the lake. Clark tried to do the former, but with both women lying naked in the sun, he was finding it hard to concentrate on the story.

He decided to join them. Maybe if he were to lie down over there, then Morgiah would block his view of Rinnala, and he'd only have half the problem. And he wanted to talk to Morgiah about Mannimarco and the necromancers. He'd have enough time for that today.

Tomorrow they'd be passing near Echo Cave, where the Champion had fought Mannimarco. It would likely be an area where they could expect to run into necromancers, and any influence she still had with them would be worth knowing about. That gave hm the perfect excuse for bringing up the subject.

Morgiah was surprised to hear that Mannimarco had returned to Nirn. She hadn't been in Wayrest at the time of the Numidium event; she'd been on her way to Firsthold, but she had heard that Mannimarco had got his wish of becoming a god. Wasn't there something called the Necromancer's Moon to prove it?

At the time she'd dealt with him, he'd already been a Lich. He'd achieved a limited immortality, in that age and disease couldn't touch him, but he was still vulnerable to violence. Surrounding himself with trusted people helped that, but most of them were mortal, and needed replacing after a time. He'd also had to give something up to become a Lich, and putting aside the frailties of the flesh took away some of the pleasures, too.

Her problem with approaching King Karoodil was the opportunity he needed. Morgiah couldn't remember who'd contacted whom, but Mannimarco had agreed to help Karoodil speak with his dead son, if Morgiah would let him share her mind on her first night with her new husband.

Morgiah had experienced a lot of different things when it came to sex, but having someone else in her mind sounded like it might be creepy enough to spoil her fun. And, "Mine, not his?" she'd asked. She assumed that Mannimarco would be missing that side of the dance.

"Oh, I already know what it's like to sleep with you," he'd chuckled, in that disturbing way that only Liches can. "I leave it to you to guess which of your lovers had my help. ... Or how many."

She looked at Clark in a strange way. "You're experienced beyond your apparent years," she told him. "It almost makes me wonder if you haven't got an ancient Lich riding along with you."

Clark was used to Taminwe messing with his mind with off-the-wall comments like that, but that one was different. It left him more than a little uneasy.

The Mannimarco that the Champion had described didn't fit her picture either. He wasn't a Lich at all, and just appeared to be a normal Altmer, albeit one of prodigious magical ability. Apparently when the Jills of Akatosh repaired the Warp in the West and reconciled the branches of time, they chose to revert Mannimarco to his mortal form. Or maybe that was only part of him. Something kept the Necromancer's Moon functioning, and that hadn't stopped when the mortal Mannimarco died. Clark decided that he'd never understand the metaphysical.

The physical, he could handle, and that appeared to be what Morgiah felt, too. Rinnala had found the book Clark had abandoned, and was reading it as she let the warm sun work on her back. He slipped quietly into the main tent with Morgiah.

She didn't mind discussing the Necromancers, as long as it didn't distract him too much from what she wanted. And she preferred to do so where Rinnala wasn't listening. They weren't a group she had any sympathy for, and she didn't want her daughter getting curious about them. They were, at the time, a tool to be used. She wanted Karoodil, and only Mannimarco offered a means.

The information she gave him merely confirmed what he already knew about them. It appeared that any influence she might have had was lost by now. She'd had little contact with any necromancers in Firsthold, and only a few mer were likely to still be around from those she'd met in Wayrest. The chance of any of them being in Cyrodiil was minimal.

----------

Notes: The little pond with the boat at the dock is a familiar landmark north-east of Chorrol. I added a couple of tents and a campfire for the mod, plus putting a slaughterfish in the water to account for it all.

Despite the Legion Patrolmen and Imperial City guards all telling you to stay on the roads, it's a lot safer not to, so they aren't meeting much danger, except when there are bandits at the camps. And that wasn't all bad.

Awesomesauce in blue velvet! I see that the Diva of Destruction, Delphine, is as legendary in Clark’s world as she is in Buffy’s and Maxical’s!

’Rinnala's hasty retreat from the water gave them the answer. "There are Slaughterfish in there!"
"Then you won't have any problems persuading them to come to you," Morgiah gave Rinnala an evil grin and sent her back in. "Just look tasty."

Hiding the pots & pans at the bottom of the lake with a slaughterfish on guard duty. Yup, must be an Argonian's camp.

*



You absolutely have the teen female Dunmer down pat from everything I've read about them, lol.

I'm with Acadian on loving the whole fishing scene, and what a brilliant idea that Argonians would hide their valuables at the bottom so their campsites wouldn't be usurped! You never cease to surprise with your ideas !!!

Clark sending the women in to face slaughterfish while he stood around with a metal plate in his hands waiting had me rolling !!!

So did Clark thinking he'd only have "Half a problem" if Morgiah blocked his view of Rinnala. SPEW! Like it would only be half as high? Lol.

This floored me as totally awesome:



I have to agree with you on staying off road when traveling in Cyrodiil and Skyrim both - have always had much fewer problems that way. Totally Awesome chapter, I loved this one!


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I knew exactly where you meant from your pond description, even though you added some parts. Xbox Jerric has spent some time in the Battlehorn Castle area recently. That pond is his bathtub. I love the cooking clutter in the secret chest. Sounds like an Argonian mystery to me! Love it.

"Oh, I already know what it's like to sleep with you," he'd chuckled, in that disturbing way that only Liches can. "I leave it to you to guess which of your lovers had my help. ... Or how many."

Yikes. Creepy. As is the thought that Clark might have an unknown passenger.

@Acadian: How could Delphine not be a legend? Her spell is in all the best catalogs.

@mALX: maybe, but it was Morgiah that sent her daughter back once it was known there were slaughterfish.

@Grits: My game doesn't have Battlehorn Castle, but that pond has always intrigued me with its pointless dock and boat. So I added the slaughterfish to make sense of it. It's a good thing Jerric didn't find it in his bathtub.

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Black Queen's Gambit - Part 6

They continued around the outskirts of Chorrol, taking care stay in the shadows of the trees. When they reached the trail leading north towards Cloud Top, they followed it for a while, before branching off east. At the first small bridge, Morgiah stopped to survey the hills above them. This was a likely spot for an ambush, as any travellers would have only one way across the small ravine. She cast a Detect Life spell, which revealed nothing, and they continued across.

Although the trail was narrow, Morgiah didn't seem so concerned about following it. They could get off the cleared path if they had to, and the higher ground was an awkward place for an attacker to reach. "Once we get up above the tree line, there won't be anywhere for them to hide," she reasoned.

With the trail itself as guide, Clark could spend some time talking to Rinnala as they walked. Taminwe had told him a lot less about her, than about her mother.

He asked about her combat teacher, the Orc that he knew was Gortwog's son, but she believed was just a hired mercenary. He'd obviously taught her short-sword, and he'd seen her in action, so he knew how skilled she was. "What about other weapons?" he asked.

Lumog (not his real name) had given her lessons in all the weapons, from Dagger to Claymore in Blades, and Maces to War-hammers, and all sizes of Axe in Blunts. She'd trained with bucklers, tower shields, and everything in between. He'd seen that her speed was more of an advantage than the reach of a longer, but slower, weapon, and had steered her to short-word, which could both cut and stab quickly. She preferred a light shield, too, for the same reasons.

"And the bow?" Clark asked. "Did you learn any archery, or do you use spells at range?"

Rinnala grinned broadly. "I didn't have the concentration to be a good archer. If there was a man anywhere near me, I'd be watching him instead of the target."

Clark hadn't seen her use any ranged spells. Morgiah had already mentioned teaching her some, so he presumed she had at least a little natural ability with magic. "Armor? I'd assume Orcish wouldn't be your style."

"No, it's as light as possible for me. And you can enchant leather to make it as impenetrable as steel or glass, so what's the point of anything heavy? Besides, tight leather can almost be a weapon for a woman."

"But I did learn to use any type of armor I might find. Lumog told me, too, that training in the armor would teach me what its limitations were. That would help me exploit them when my opponent was wearing it. So I'm proficient in Heavy Armor, even if I don't use it."

"You must have spent a lot of time with him," Clark reasoned. "That's a lot of ground to cover."

"Well, my brother and I started quite young. Kids are always getting into fights, and my mother wanted to be sure we'd win! And when I got older, she had other reasons for keeping me out of trouble. She trusted Lumog enough to let him teach me other things."

"Was he your only teacher, then?"

"Oh, no. There were other tutors for the academic subjects. Mostly boring old Altmer that spent all their time lecturing me, or making me write essays. The Alchemy tutor was a woman, and she taught me to make a few potions that a woman would find useful, and a male tutor might not have known about. And I did pay attention in philosophy classes. My mother had told me that one attribute men like in a woman is depth."

Clark managed to keep a straight face, and asked about speech-craft. That would be essential around the court. Did she have a special tutor for that?

Morgiah had taken that responsibility herself. What she taught wasn't just etiquette, but all the things a young princess would need. How to flatter an older man with her attentions, how to act naive and innocent, and the one that her mother had learned from Elysana - how to act dumb when you weren't.

She winked at him when she said that.

---

They were interrupted by the sound of a bear galloping along the trail towards them. Instead of the usual angry roar, though, they heard the delighted call of a Nord rider. Unna coaxed her bear to a halt, and leaped off to come and greet them. Rinnala was somewhat amazed at how little the Nord was wearing, and Clark had to explain about the bears' issues with armor, and frost shield, and everything.

"So Nords are resistant to Frost, like we're resistant to Fire." It made sense to her at last. "That makes them a good match to the requirements of the job. I suppose there aren't any Dunmer in the Mountain Riders."

Clark knew there was at least one, and there was a chance they'd meet Ystrel near the end of the trip. That would depend on where they intended to cross into Morrowind.

Morgiah had come over to them, and he introduced Unna. He didn't mention that his travelling companions were the Queen and Princess of Firsthold, but he did use their real names. Unna could be trusted, and besides, he'd forgotten if they'd ever decided on any false ones.

Unna told them that she'd met up with Claudia near the Hermaeus Mora Shrine, and she'd reported clearing a few bandits off her section of the trail. "Good, it usually takes a few days before any more come back.
That means we might get through the mountains without any opposition." Clark was pleased with the news, even if the timing also meant he was less likely to see Claudia.

"You'll probably meet wolves, though. And without a bear of your own, you could find a wandering brown bear crossing your path. They know when Thor's coming, and steer clear of us." Unna was proud of her mount, and grateful for his help.

Unna remounted and headed off along the trail they'd come along. They could count on the next section being clear of any threat, if she'd done her job.

---

The statue at the Hermaeus Mora shrine was visible from the trail. It was a little higher up the mountainside, and the main path curved away from it, with a side-trail winding up to the shrine. "Do we go past the shrine, or the other way?" asked Morgiah. "I'm detecting three life signs up there, and I don't know if they're hostile or not."

Three was the right number for the usual worshippers. He'd met them when he and Claudia passed them on the way to Sky's Edge Cave and Falkreath. An odd bunch, but not what you'd call dangerous. And anyway, they weren't going that way today. "We take the lower path," he replied.

Now they were a little closer to the shrine, he could just hear the drunken singing of Norasa. She'd apparently got another bottle from Unna, and he could picture her dancing in her underwear while the men watched. No, not dangerous, although the way Norasa sang might attract wolves.

---

The next part of their journey took them across several small bridges. Morgiah was extra-alert when they crossed each one, but nothing disturbed their passage. They heard wolves in the distance at one point, but didn't see any.

Before long, the trail forked again. Clark knew that to the West was Sancre Tor, not somewhere he'd want to go, especially with people he wanted to protect. They needed to go East, towards Bruma. This was the end-point of Claudia's route, and they hadn't met her. That could mean she was heading for the Lodge for a break, or that she'd been off the trail when they passed. Clark was hoping it was the first, as she'd have gone ahead of them along this next part of the trail. It was a section that didn't have a regular rider assigned. Gudrun had talked about riding the spare bear, the one that had been Uzgash's, along this way. Clark didn't know if that happened or not, and it wasn't likely to be often.

They'd soon be passing near Echo Cave. If there were any Necromancers left in the area, that was where they'd be. After that, there were Legion foresters that kept things relatively safe, although he'd had to duck an arrow or two when there were deer to hunt. At least they weren't actually aiming at him.

They left the trail when they got close to Bruma itself. It would have taken them too close to the city, and Morgiah didn't want that. It meant skirting around the Ayleid ruin at Rielle, too.

As they crossed the road that lead north to Cloud Ruler Temple, it was late afternoon. They'd need to make better progress if they were going to make it to Two-Decker Camp before nightfall. They chose to pass the battlefield where the wreck of the Great Siege Engine still lay among the rubble of the Gates. It was an area that wild animals still seemed to avoid, even this long after the battle was over. Rinnala and Morgiah gazed in awe at the size of the Daedric war machine, but nobody wanted to stop for a closer look.

They met Pala at Dragon Claw Rock. She'd just cleared a pair of bandits out of the camp they were headed for. "Yes, I know you did most of the work," she said to her bear, who seemed to understand what she was saying to them. "And you'll get your reward as soon as we get to the Lodge." Pala was clearly on her way for her break, so he didn't hold her up any longer than necessary.

"Give my regards to Timo," he called after her, as she headed down the road.

"Who's Timo?" asked Rinnala.

Clark had to explain why the Mountain Riders needed recharging services. "They go that long without?" Rinnala was incredulous. "That's definitely not a job for a Dunmer."

*


ROFL! Ain't it the truth!


Clark is insatiable, ROFL !!!

Loved this chapter, how nice to see the Bear Riders popping up! Awesome Write!


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What a delightful tour east across the northern Jeralls! And how fun to see the bear riders again.

’After that, there were Legion foresters that kept things relatively safe, although he'd had to duck an arrow or two when there were deer to hunt. At least they weren't actually aiming at him.’
Quoted for truth!

‘They chose to pass the battlefield where the wreck of the Great Siege Engine still lay among the rubble of the Gates. It was an area that wild animals still seemed to avoid, even this long after the battle was over.’
Very cool, to point this out!

’Clark had to explain why the Mountain Riders needed recharging services. "They go that long without?" Rinnala was incredulous. "That's definitely not a job for a Dunmer."