Thanks Acadian. You're right about "forging his own path" and for now it doesn't seem that he'll be very social.

-----

Charred corpses, burned buildings, ruined towers...a town that welcomed almost every traveler coming from Cyrodiil to Skyrim, has now been completely ravaged. There wasn't anyone alive in Helgen. Or was it? Footsteps could be heard in a clear night but there was nobody to hear them except the one making the sound...

...a ghost?

No, but a survivor. "The Redguard in the rags" as he was called by the now dead Imperial Captain. He didn't come to seek answers or look for survivors. No, he came because there was fire. And where's fire, there's warmth. As he laid down beside fire, he felt relieved that there was nobody around. Sometimes dead were a better company than living.

-----

Can't-Catch-His-Tail came to Skyrim many moons ago. At first the "business" was good - he and his crew were making enough gold merely by robbing travelers south of Helgen but when almost all of his gang were arrested or killed by Imperial soldiers, he fled north towards Cyrodiil. There he met a group of like-minded individuals, bandits who allowed him to stay with them at Fort Neugrad, but in return he had to patrol its walls during daytime. Can't-Catch-His-Tail knew that he deserves better and he also knew that almost nobody comes in this region so being on guard all the time was completely unnecessary. Just when thinking about how boring his life became, he saw a Redguard approaching Fort Neugrad. Orders were clear - nobody was allowed to enter Fort Neugrad. And it seemed to Can't-Catch-His-Tail that the stupid Redguard intended to do exactly this.

The Redguard stopped a few feet away from the fort's entrance, looked the Khajiit above him and raised his right hand. First he slowly waved, then pointed at himself, then raised both hands like he was surrendering, then pointed at himself again and gestured with his index and middle finger to go in the fort. Then he made one step back, crossed his arms and stared at the Khajiit.

"What is this idiot doing?" thought Can't-Catch-His-Tail, not understanding what the Redguard tried to "say". He pulled out his bow and showed it to the Redguard.

"Here, see this? This one will show you how to use it unless you go. Shoo, Redguard! Shoo!"

The Redguard was staring at him a few seconds, then turned around and headed back the way he came.

"Good for him. This one wouldn't mind some action but this one isn't in a mood to bury another corpse either."

Can't-Catch-His-Tail was satisfied with himself that he managed to scare the traveler away. Hence why his surprise was much bigger when half an hour later, he turned around and saw the same traveler on the other side of the fort, having just climbed its walls.

"It can't be! This idiot found another way! To arms, to arms!"

The Khajiit was joined by a mage and two more bandits and all of them felt excited to finally see some action in the fort.

"By Ysmir, you won't leave here alive!" a Nord hurled at the intruder.

"You picked a bad time to get lost, friend," said a Breton mage, warming up his fingers.

"Whatcha gonna do? Huh? Whatcha gonna do?" shouted a wild Elf, readying her bow.

----

It was already past 8 PM yet four bandits, tasked to patrol the fort's exterior, didn't come to eat. Bandits, led by a mage named Brandish, came out to see what happened that they didn't come to drink ale and eat some meat as usually. But they realized that their four friends won't ever drink ale again. Or eat meat, either. All of them were dead.

Brandish immediately sent some bandits to scout the vicinity of the fort and ordered a few more to patrol the walls. Then he took a good look at the fallen bandits...something was missing.

"Hmmm...odd," he said to one of his closest bandits, "someone stripped Erik of his fur coat and hood."

"And arrows," added the bandit.

"What?" asked Brandish, confused.

"Arrows are missing from Lelka's quiver, boss," said the bandit. "And look, the Khajiit's quiver is empty too."

"Damn, what do we have here? Someone killed our guards to take a coat, a hood and arrows?! And he didn't even touch gold."

"Well, looks like he was hungry too," said the bandit.

"Huh?"

"Look at these salmons, boss. Someone cut them and took meat out. But hey, boss, this time it won't be me catching fresh salmons again, I caught cold the other day when..."

"Shut up! Join the others and patrol the walls. Now!"

Despite the fact that bandits, sent to scout the vicinity, returned alive and reported nothing suspicious, Brandish ordered double more bandits than usually, to be on the lookout.

It was unnecessarily, though. The one who killed the bandits, was already far away. He got exactly what he came for - some warmer clothes, some arrows and some food. But If they were nice to him in the first place, they'd still be alive.

Bravo Lopov, awesome. I Love all the conversation, even your Redguard who doesn't speak, and doesn't take gold from enemies.

Lovpov, I see the Raggedy Redguard has already eaten and gone, leaving without much of a trace. I wonder where he's headed?

*

Buffy and Jordis left Solitude this morning. They skirted the horses just off to one side of Dragonsreach Dragon's Bridge and were almost at the foot of the bridge when they heard someone yell. Turning the mounts, they saw a young boy cowered down and the guards involved in a disturbance up the street. The ladies drew bow (Buffy) and claymore (Jordis) and charged their mounts into town. Just in time to help kill a cave bear that was terrorizing the town.

Always concerned about named NPC's I asked Buffy to scan for casualties. Her detect dead spell revealed a dead chicken, two dead goats and two dead NPCs. At that point, we resurrected the NPCs - there are too few named NPCs in Skyrim as it is and it is not as if folks are wetting themselves to immigrate to the war-torn frozen tundra province. . . .

The day was still young though, so the pair saddled up and continued over the big bridge, headed for Morthal.

This post has been edited by Acadian: Nov 1 2014, 01:05 AM

A cave bear in the middle of the city? What are those Companions up to now?

I suspect that was Dragon's Bridge, not Dragonsreach, if they just left Solitude for Morthal.

Oops! You're right of course. Thanks!

Thanks!


It will be revealed soon.

--

I'm glad that Buffy (and you) resurrected the NPCs because unique NPCs are really rare in Skyrim. On the other hand, I like it when random attacks such as this one, occur, because they show us that not everything is scripted. But losing two named NPCs is too much of a loss, and I'd probably resurrect them too. There aren't any consequences of overusing this command in Skyrim, are they?

Lopov, I really enjoy the NPC-view in the stories about your silent Redguard. Regarding your question the only consequence I know is that resurrected NPCs sometimes keep their dead status for the purpose of quests and such. For example if you resurrect a child’s parent the child will still think they are dead and if possible will ask you to adopt them.

I tend to resurrect dead NPCs in my long-running games but not for my DiD characters. Some of my characters (Jensa!) insist upon resurrecting all of the dead chickens. In Jensa’s game the dead NPCs stay where they lie despite my interest in reviving them. I suppose she thinks the people have earned their good deaths, but the only place in Sovngarde for chickens is on a spit.

I smile to think of big blonde Jordis and little blonde Buffy wandering the wilds.

Lopov, I think Grits is right. If an NPC dies it can permanently make the game think they are dead as it may relate to quests - even if you resurrect them. No problem 'overusing' it however. Our game confines dragons to their lair's/word wall areas so we don't have any urban dragon attacks. But we do get the occasional vampire attack in town. Buffy does the same thing after those - scans for bodies with detect dead and we resurrect any named NPCs.

Thanks, Grits. We've got Jordis decked out in Solitude guard armor - that seems pretty appropriate for her and looks pretty good (and comfortable). Heh, they are an odd couple. Buffy likes occasionally traveling with NPCs/followers. . . but generally prefers to keep her posse limited to Superian, Acadian, herself and a KynarethKritter.

Thanks, Grits & Acadian!

I'm used to writing in 3rd person ever since I was writing about Falador. Now my stories consist of actual games events, added by some obviously fictional ones.

I use a mod (Timing is Everything, IIRC) that lets me configure when do vampire attacks start in towns - right now I have them set to a relatively high level but if necessary, I'll increase it later.

--

Was there any assignment more boring than telling travelers of borders being closed? Guards at the Skyrim-Cyrodiil frontier certainly didn't think so. They've been stationed at far south of Skyrim for weeks and it didn't seem likely that they will get reassigned anytime soon.

"Greetings, citizen. Borders are closed until the civil war resolves. Now please leave this area. Goodbye."

This and many similar sentences could be heard when loyal Imperial soldiers were telling travelers to head back the way they came. Some obeyed them immediately, some complained and some tried to bribe them. There were also some that tried to pass the border by force and some so brave that tried to climb the deadly mountains and pass the border illegally. Most of these "brave" travelers were killed on spot because orders were to execute any that don't obey, on sight. They could be rebels, after all. Those that tried to pass over the mountains, were usually intercepted by skilled Imperial Legion foresters who didn't have mercy for them either. Still, it happened from time to time that someone successfully sneaked over the border, be it by bribing, sheer force or pure luck.

Just a few days after Helgen was destroyed by the harbinger of the end times, a young Imperial soldier spotted a traveler approaching the frontier. It was snowing as it usually did in these parts, and the soldier envied the coming traveler - he was wearing a warm black fur cloak with a matching hood so he certainly didn't feel cold as much as he did. As he came closer, the young soldier stepped ahead, cleared his throat, and said:

"Greetings, citizen. Borders are closed until the civil war resolves. Now please leave this area. Goodbye."

The young soldier was ready. If necessary, he'll repeat what he just said. If necessary, he'll repeat what he just said with a louder voice. And if necessary, he'll unsheathe his Imperial sword to show the Redguard that he's serious.

The Redguard stared at him for a few seconds, a blank look in his eyes. Then he looked upwards, to the high snowy peaks of the Jerall Mountains, as if observing them.

"Don't even think of trying to pass the border over there, citizen," said the young soldier. "Not only are there are many experienced foresters stationed, it's unlikely that you'd be able to climb them and survive. I suggest that you..."[/i]

The young soldier didn't finish the sentence because the silent Redguard already turned around and headed back.

"Huh? That one was a talkative, for sure."

The soldier's friend cautiously stepped outside the Imperial tent, approached his mate and and said:

"I've seen that one before."

"Have you? Where?"

"Can't tell. But I've seen him...I recognized his face despite his hood. Wait...I know...I know...he was on that carriage that passed through here just a few days ago! He was with Ulfric Stormcloak! He was unconscious but I remember his dirty face!"

"A rebel, you say? Huh? What shall we do? Go hunt him down? He can't be far by now."

"Let's go. Maybe we'll earn a promotion and be reassigned back to warm Cyrodiil."

Two soldiers ran down the snowy path yet after only a few steps they stopped, looking in every direction. The Redguard was nowhere to be seen.

"Odd," said one of them,"we should already see him. He couldn't have gone so far by now."

"He just...vanished," said the other one."Should we go after him or return back?"

"Now that I think of it...let's head back. Who knows where did he go? And I didn't like his face at all. Could be he's hiding somewhere, waiting to ambush us. Not that we wouldn't be able to defeat him, of course, but..."

"I agree. I didn't like his dark eyes either. Not that I'm afraid of him of course."

As the young soldiers were returning back to their outpost, a dark figure was watching them, hidden under a snowy spruce.

This post has been edited by Lopov: Nov 1 2014, 08:16 PM

Nice! And the thing is 'a dark figure' could be anyone, or anything. Might be that Redguard, or maybe not.







Yikes. So the parent can walk around in front of the child and they'll still think they're .... Wow, that's creepy.

Turdas, 11:00 AM, 12th of Sun's Dusk, 4E 202

Today it is a lazy Sunday, and I returned to Lord Haaf-Mersey. It'll be fun to run around with him for a month or so before switching to PC. I have this vision of going from Xbox to PC, really getting to know this game again, and so this way I'll have a list of things I'd like to see changed or added.

But besides all that, it's just fun to RP my Crusader. It will be easy to get back into his RP.

We arrive in his home, Proudspire Manor. Lucia's room is looking girlier than ever (forgot about all the flowers we've placed up there) and I forgot all about her 'bug collection'. She's got a drawerful of things that she apparently adds to from time to time. I am assuming she does this automatically? I don't remember. Anyways, her clothes drawer is packed with dead dragonflies and bees and butterflies.

Rayya the Overkiler is bored and eager for her Thane to decide to get back on the road again. And Motormouth Mjoll is practicing her Moonwalk. She's got a weird glitch that causes her to walk backwards.

Right now, Haaf-Mersey is wandering around his house, looking at all the stuff he's accumulated. All sorts of cool weapons in their racks. All sorts of armor sets too. But he's really wanting to do some smithing. I forgot all about Smithing. Yeah, who needs high-priced enchanted crappe when we can just make a cheap iron sword, and then sharpen / harden the heck out of it until it's much more dangerous than it was. Haaf-Mersey has three items he can wear (a medallion, a ring, and a circlet) to improve his smithing skills even more. Once he does this, he and Rayya are off to... who knows where? .. Lots of evil is afoot though, and Haaf-Mersey has little time for chatter.

Good to read about Lord Haaf Mersey! Looks like he's married to a crab.

Being without the laptop for some time, I now have an urge to game and write. So here's another story.

--

Ranger Angi left Helgen years ago, when her family was killed by two drunken Imperial soldiers. With her bare hands she built a small shack south of Helgen, high in the Jerall Mountains. There she lived lone yet peaceful life, away from the Imperial law. She was well-versed with a bow so obtaining food for survival wasn't a problem. Occasionally she got some "visitors"...most of the time it was bandits yet some of them didn't even make it to her shack alive because they stepped into one of Angi's traps, placed on a path leading to her camp. Those bandits, that made it to her shack, either left fleeing or ended with arrows in their necks. Occasionally she was visited by pilgrims or common travelers and while Angi allowed them to stay and refresh, she wasn't very hospitable, so travelers quickly left. That was the life she chose and she liked it - alone, her bow being the best company.

As she was cooking a venison stew outside her shack, she heard footsteps behind her. She quickly turned around, her right hand ready to pull out her trusted bow if necessary...there was a Redguard standing a few feet away from her, clad in black fur armor, hiding his face under a hood. Though the first thing she noticed was a hunting bow on his back. He was supposedly an archer like herself.

"Name's Angi and if you try anything stupid I won't hesitate to put in arrow in your head!"

Was he a bandit? Could be. But a bandit probably wouldn't hesitate to attack her. Unless he was one of those sadists that preferred to capture their victims alive.

The Redguard slowly raised both hands like he was surrendering, then lowered them and put them in front of himself, gesturing her to calm down. Then he slowly pulled his hood back, revealing long black hair and a thick beard.

"Sorry but a girl can't be too careful out here. Who are you and what do you want?"

He said nothing but pointed at a campfire behind her.

"Alright, you can warm yourself by fire if you like. But you haven't answered my first question - who are you?"

The Redguard looked at her for a few seconds, then put his right index finger to the left mouth corner and slowly moved it to the opposite side.

"Yes...I noticed that you are...hmm...silent. Do you speak at all?"

The Redguard shook his head.

"Oh..."

Angi felt sorry for being rude with him. It could be he was pretending, but it was unlikely. Something in his eyes convinced her that the stranger was honest.

"Go ahead and warm yourself by fire. I'm making some venison stew - want some?"

She was convinced that he'll nod but once again he shook his head.

"As you wish."

The silent stranger sat down by the campfire and to Angi's surprise, pulled some raw meat, looking like liver, from his backpack. Without bothering to cook it, he bit into it like he was used to eating raw food.

"By Talos!" said Angi," do you want me to cook this for you?"

The Redguard looked at her and once again shook his head.

"A-a...as you wish."

The Redguard was eating slowly and when he finished, he kept sitting by the campfire. Angi also eat her delicious venison stew and afterwards returned to her daily chores. But she always made sure to know what the Redguard was doing. It's good to trust but it's even better not to, she thought.

From time to time he stood up and walked down to her target practice field, watching the skies and snowy peaks of the Jerall Mountains. Angi couldn't figure out what exactly was he watching, but with time he didn't bother her anymore as much as he did when he arrived. He seemed to live in his own world, and this suited her just fine. Though she had to admit to herself that she found the silent stranger...intriguing.

...

Sometime later, when Masser and Secunda were high in the sky and Angi was slowly finishing repairing one of the shack's windows, the Redguard approached her.

"Mhmm. What do you want?" she asked and looked into his dark eyes.

He put his hands together and moved them to his right cheek, gesturing to sleep. Then he pointed at her shack.

He wants to sleep here. Should I allow him or not? He doesn't look harmful but one can never be too sure. On the other hand, I can't really force him to return to wherever he came from...

"You want to sleep here?"

He nodded.

"Fine. But not in my bed."

He shook his head forcefully, like he didn't even intend to. Then he pointed through the window at a cooking place in her shack.

"You can sleep there, if you want, yes."

The Redguard nodded and wanted to head inside but Angi stopped him.

"Wait. You must have a name, don't you? How I should call you? Can you write?"

He nodded insecurely.

"Come inside."

She led him inside, opened a drawer in her end table, pulled out a piece of paper, an inkwell and a quill.

"Here, what's your name? Mine is Angi, as you already know."

The Redguard hesitated, then took the quill, dipped it in ink and slowly wrote something. When he finished, Angi took the paper and read the inscription:

Silence

Angi got a puzzled look on her face.

"Silence? Your name is Silence?"

He nodded.

"Huh...I see. Did your mother call you like this?"

Silence shook his head.

"I thought so. So write me how did she call you then?"

The Redguard shook his head, looking annoyed because of the question, then dipped the quill in ink once more and started writing. This time he was writing longer, and Angi was anxious what will he write. Surely his mother couldn't give him such a name. When he finished, he showed the paper to her.

I dont know mother.

"Oh...I'm sorry. Well, then...Silence...ehmm...make yourself comfortable here by a cooking place. It's warm and if you want to eat something, don't hesitate to take it, alright?"

He nodded, but then pointed at his backpack and tapped it twice, probably gesturing her that he has a backpack full of food.

"Raw, no doubt," said Angi and smiled.

Silence didn't smile back.

"Oh, I didn't mean to imply anything. Well…I’m going to sleep. So are you, I assume. Good night."

He nodded and then sat by the cooking place.

Angi went to bed, watching mysterious Silence for some time.

Who would have thought this? A mute Redguard in my camp! I think he's harmless...unless...unless he's a very good pretender.

She decided to watch him for some time, just to make sure that he won't try and attack her when she falls asleep. He was sitting by the campfire, looking into it all the time, not even once turning his head in Angi's direction. But she was very tired after a working day, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't let her eyes open anymore. As she fell asleep and her breathing became slower and deeper, Silence slowly turned his head in her direction. Now he was watching her, his dark eyes fixed on her beautiful, pale face.

This post has been edited by Lopov: Nov 2 2014, 03:20 PM

Wow his name is Silence! I love that. Silence.



Very wise. The way it ends is awesome, like something out of a movie.

----------

Day 453
I am having a blast with Haaf-Mersey. So far he went to Falkreath and sold a ridiculous staff Rayya was carrying. I mean, she already overkills whatever she finds, but she's carrying a Wall of Ice staff??? ... Anyway, he sold this, and a few other things. Then they went to Helgen, which apparently hasn't respawned since the last time they visited there. And now they are in a vampire lair.

LHM decided to go towards Riften, and then to visit the Dawnguard castle. There are occasional vampire attacks in his game still, even though we 'beat' Harkon. This is good though, I like them because they are purely random. Never know when they will show up.

Renee, glad that Haaf-Mersey and Rayya are having fun in Skyrim, smithing gear and selling staves.

Lopov, Silence is a good name for your Redguard. I think it's very fun how you are working with the (vanilla) game's enforced silence regarding the primary character (except for grunting and shouting). Lol.

Buffy, on the other hand (thanks to mods) is more of a chatterbox than Mjoll the Motormouth.

Thanks! I was going to ask whether that vampire lair is Bloodlet Throne because it's close to Helgen but since you said that they're going to Riften, I assume it's the lair on the main road from Helgen to Riften? Hemar's Shame or something like that?

I wonder what'd happen if Silence ran into Motor Mouth Mjoll...


Thanks! It's something I've never tried before, so it's fun. Besides, I'm never satisfied with Beth's forced answers / limited options in dialogues so this time I don't have to create imaginary answers that fit my characters.

This post has been edited by Lopov: Nov 2 2014, 10:36 PM

Renee, yay for LHM! I’m sure there’s plenty of evil in many forms for him to smite.

Lopov, great to know your Redguard’s name. “Silence.” It sure suits him!

Thank ye thank ye. What mod is that, Acadian? The mod that makes Buffy speak? I am putting together a list of changes I want to see. Not that I'm going to get this talking mod, but I am curious about it, at least.



"I reeely meess traveling like these. Walking da breadth of Skyrim has always filled my heart with exciddement", said Mjoll as she traveled like this, walking the breadth of Skyrim.

The Redguard known as Silence raises his left hand, gestures toward his face, and slams his left palm upon his brow, covering his eyes.

Hi, Renee. The mod is called Additional Player Voices. You can add your own wav files to customize the voice that is used. There are about a dozen 'voice cue' situations (enter sneak, mount horse. . . ) and you can customize each voice cue with up to about 10 random responses. In Oblivion, Buffy used a voice that is called 'Innocent' and, thanks to lots of help from SubRosa, I was able to get those wav files into the APV mod. Naturally, I have her frequency of talking set all the way up to chatterbox. It is so nice to have her Oblivion voice now in Skyrim!

Oh wow, so it already has some pre-set voices? Interesting. I might look into this in the future. I might see if the Oblivion version might fit my Renee Gade character. I was assuming ... I don't know... I was thinking it worked in a different way.