Phon - Great to see the ladies so active and doing well. From your screens and words, it seems like you've done a great job with both of them. Looks like interesting tensions regarding the civil war. And I'm not surprised that Azura would pick a kitty to be her champ!

nice job with the storytelling Phon. I read, but Don't always respond because I get busy with life and stuff. I like that we're all writing though.

Thank you all, it's good to be back writing again and nice to see others doing the same.

With reference to the whole civil war thing, it's not that Alaie disagrees with Annekke, as a creature who has lost her homeland for reasons she would rather forget, she's very sympathetic to the situation the Nords find themselves in and having teamed up with a "genuine" Daughter of Skyrim she has come to understand the situation that much more deeply.
Yes, it is one-sided from that point of view BUT as mentioned before, the Stormcloaks have never actively tried to kill her - (though that was partially/mostly her own fault with the Imperials) - and on the whole they have been tolerant of her, unlike the Imperials in Skyrim who tend to act, well, much more Imperiously than she has previously found elsewhere.

She does find herself conflicted though: Nords as a whole are intolerant of outsiders, as evinced by their treatment of the Dunmer which even Annekke finds shocking, also there is the whole thing about not allowing large groups of Kats into the major settlements, which Alaie'eesa used to find wearisome, though for some years she has travelled on her own so it's not so much a problem.
Like the Dunmer, the Kat has mostly learned to live within this framework although like the Dunmer, she is aware that elsewhere in Tamriel the Imperial provinces are very tolerant and even encouraging - (albeit hardly for altruistic purposes) - of integration of all species and races.
It's not about Cyrodiil though, or anywhere else, it's about Skyrim. She knows this and her sympathies have really been brought out by her relationship with Annekke, as she can see how passionate she is.

So she agreed to help her, but Annekke's private war has turned into something of a pogrom. Alaie'eesa is not a bad Kitty, and it sits uncomfortably with her that they simply kill Imperial soldiers out of hand. They are just ordinary folk for the most part and piling up the corpses of men and women for whom Skyrim was just another posting - (and an unpleasantly cold one at that) - is just not Alaie's way.
She will join the Civil War but she won't just kill others out of hand.

An argument about this ensues one night, fuelled by rather too much wine. Annekke called the Kat a hypocrite and accused her of double standards. Alaie pointed out that the Nords had never really done anything for she herself or her kind and that Annekke to be honest was lucky to have found a non-human even willing to understand, given the (<cough> dunmer) prejudices of the Nords as a whole.

The next morning, having slept upon it, the two met up and talked out an understanding. An understanding of each other's position mind, not a resolution.
Annekke can see the Kat's conflicted viewpoint, whilst the Kat feels strongly for Annekke's independent drive. Both see that the treatment of relatively innocent - (now at least) - outsiders by the Nords is wrong and Annekke is to a degree "humbled" by Alaie'eesa's forgiveness of the present Dunmer for the excesses of their forebears.
That both women will join the civil war is a given, but the mechanism leading to that, their own reasons, and indeed how they go about it still seethes under the surface of the relationship and may yet drive them apart.

--

For all of that though, Alaie cannot shake the feeling that there's more to Annekke's point of view than she's letting on.
Trying times indeed...



Anyhow, be that as it may and philosophical musings aside, the girls have continued their search for Dwemer ruins in the northern icy reaches, but have thus far come up Snake Eyes, indeed an horrific storm drove them to seek shelter in Yinvild - a ruin of a quite different nature - and one containing a dark secret all of its very own.
Having exorcised that particular demon Elaie and Annekke are waiting for the dawn not far inside, and passing the time fruitfully. Alaie'eesa is teaching the Nord Khajiit and both women are finding the process endlessly amusing given that - quite literally - Annekke cannot get her mouth around some of the words...

--

This post has been edited by PhonAntiPhon: Nov 20 2014, 09:05 AM

Actually, it is not large groups of Khajiit that the Nords do not allow in their settlements. It is drug dealers whom they do not allow in their settlements. All of the Khajiit Caravans sell Skooma, and they are the ones not allowed inside cities.

As far as the Dunmer of Windhelm go, their horrible mistreatment is more horrible in talk than in actuality. For example, while some NPCs claim the Dunmer are forced to live in the Grey Quarter, the truth is they were given those homes for free, along with political autonomy and exemption from all taxes and tithes. Any Dunmer can buy Hjerim. All they have to do is the same as in any other hold. Get in good with the Jarl and then actually pay for it.

Brunwulf Free-Winter claims that Ulfric does nothing about Khajiit being killed by bandits. But if you go to the steward, he will send you on bounty quests to the exact same bandits dungeons that Brunwulf will. So the fact is, the Stormcloaks do exactly as much as the Imps or any others on that score. OTOH, the Imperials are going to make Brunwulf the Jarl if they win. So Brunwulf has a lot to gain by trying to undermine Ulfric.

Rolff is the worst of the Dunmer's troubles, and he is just a drunk who wanders around shouting insults. Any Dunmer can go challenge him to a fight, and beat him up without the guards batting an eye. After that he will appear at your Dunmer's wedding. The Dunmer themselves are no better than Rolff, as you will learn if you do the East Empire Company quest. Or just walk into the Cornerclub and listen to the proprietor talk.

Now the Argonians do seem to forced to stay at the docks. Though again, any Argonian can buy Hjerim. So maybe 'forced' is apparently not the case. Nothing at all changes for the Dunmer or Argonians if the Imperials win the war either. So the Impies behave exactly the same. Or perhaps it is to keep the Dunmer from killing all the Argonians? Under Torryg, Argonians were not allowed into Solitude. Elisef changed that. Of course, the only Argonian who goes into the city is pirate who wants you to help him kill a lot of people. So maybe keeping them out is not such a bad idea...

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Nov 20 2014, 07:14 PM

I take your point, but it does depend on whose Tamriel you're in... ;-)

[edit]: sorry I was in a pub so did not write much!
Yes I do indeed see what you mean but that said In Alaie's Skyrim large groups of Khajiit are not allowed in settlements due to the perceived risk of theft,"dodgy" goods, and drug use. In some places even a single Kat is a no-no, although This One is quite the diplomat in that respect.

The Dunmer? Yeah they are in many just as blinkered and Alaie'eesa is as awware as any Kat of the subjugation of her species by them BUT that said, it's old history and grudges never helped anyone. In Skyrim at least they are both in the same boat and in Skyrim not all Nords are a**h*les. Annekke isn't, even if she is rather more "direct" than the kat anticipated...

Rolff may be just a drunk, whom Alaie bested in a fight, but she has to tread carefully because he has the ear of the captain of the guard who is his brother-in-law - (although he is "technically" divorced) - he can and indeed does make life difficult for, well, pretty much anyone.
He may be an Ass, but he has the ear of those in charge and more, the civil war festers in the minds of him and his comrades, to the extent that they will accuse anyone of being on the Imperials' side, regardless.
(There may be some evidence that he is actually correct, in one case at least).

Yes, those with money can by their way into society heck, Alaie can, but even if you buy Hjerim good luck with staffing it or with taxes or indeed anything else if you don't fit in.

What's funny is that Alaie and Annekke both agree and disagree on these fundamental points. That the Imperials are subjugating the Nords is a fact, but what sits ill with the Kat is what happens when they go. For every Annekke who seeks to move understanding and tolerance forward, there is a Rolff.
It does not mean One should not try, but it makes for a depressing potential outcome...

...still This One must work with what there is; and what comes, comes.

This post has been edited by PhonAntiPhon: Nov 20 2014, 09:32 PM

Nice to see the odd couple of Kat and Nord still getting on so well.



I've never done the civil war, but I do really like the gray complexity that BethSoft built into both sides. Both the redcoats and bluecoats have some degree of a case for their causes, seasoned with absolutely tons of flaws and human imperfections. Great stuff!

Yeah, it's gonna be quite interesting and I think the two are going to potentially be learning rather more from each other than they thought...

It is Fredas, 8:37 AM, 27th of Sun's Dusk in the 4th Era of Year 202 in my Crusader's game. 414 hours of gameplay, which means if this were vanilla Oblivion and I was on PS3, I'd be seeing the A-bomb by now!

Funny thing just happened: Rayya the Overkiller up and left Lord Haaf-Mersey. They spent the night in Fort Dunstad, and when Haaf-Mersey woke up, she was gone! He is confused, but I am actually glad. She's a great partner for him, but it's much more challenging when he has to figure his way alone.

Anyways, he is headed toward Dawnstar, then Solitude. The orc at the College wants LHM to fetch a book out of Volskygge, so off he goes.

HUGE EDIT: We found Rayya, walking alone. She was headed toward Fort Fellhammer, which is right up the road from Dunstad. At first, we didn't know who she was. We assumed she was a bandit, because bandits lurk in Fellhammer. But before Haaf-Mersey was able to approach her, she begins fighting the bandits of Fellhammer! ... After the fight was over, Haaf-Mersey simply let Rayya walk to wherever she's walking to. He's honoring her decision, whatever the heck it is.

This post has been edited by Renee Gade IV: Nov 23 2014, 05:33 PM

Renee, isn't it great fun when an NPC unexpectedly does something 'off script' for whatever mysterious reason?

Sometimes it is fun, sometimes not so fun. But overall, I like the 'surprise' factor in this case.

Real people sometimes do things for reasons unknown, and I like that Lord Haaf-Mersey had to make a few guesses and decisions about his new situation. My roleplay with LHM isn't as intense as it was with Mycharonna, so I don't entirely know what's going on with him and Rayya. But this is okay.

Dawnstar proved less than successful from the point of view of locating Deemed ruins, the Kat and Annekke did pick up a couple of jobs - most interesting of which was the whole "Mehrunes Razor" thing. The fact that Alaie was actually carrying the shards...

The two are now heading in the direction of Solitude, still searching...

--

There's an Imperial Camp not far from Dawnstar, the two took a look at it on the way but it was too big for them and Annekke, bearing in mind the Kat's reservations, suggested that they move on. About a hundred yards down the road was a mercenary, she was clearly working for the Imperials and clearly a Nord; also she very obviously had just done something very bad to another Nord...

...The Kat had no reservations about her.

--

Eventful times...

As mentioned the girls have been making their way westward toward Solitude, along the way picking up the odd job here or there.
Highgate Ruins for instance was rather curious. Alaie managed to come out of that with another of those priest masks and a potential new suit of armour for her companion. Annekke stayed outside as it was obvious from the start that she and the slightly odd woman who they found inside, searching for a scroll, were not going to get along.
At All.

They overnighted in the vestibule of the ruins and by the morning Annekke and Anska had achieved an uneasy truce. (Mead will do that. Oh yes, Annekke is a stereotype).
The day they continued on to Solitude, but arrived at the great city very late, and having found a bridge across the river, are spending the night in the inn at Dragon Bridge. Not a bad place in fairness...

--

Solitude: You have to be careful in Solitude, especially if you are a supporter of the Stormcloaks...
...The girls had it sorted however, and to be honest Alaie'eesa was very proud of Annekke for not going into a meltdown at the murder of Roggvir. Annekke took it hard, but a big hug from the Kat and a jar of mead sorted it, although Annekke did give Alaie a very strange look...
Anyway, a fair amount of buying and selling was done but frustratingly the blacksmith was completely out of steel, which was annoying because Alaie had found a pretty good suit of armour for Annekke.

Still and all, the bandits on the Dainty Sload were often to be found with steel, given that their leader down in the plains had a thriving business importing it. It was not to be however...
...frustrated by the admittedly failed plans over the last few days, the girls headed back to Solitude, intending to press west and then south the next day; they were distracted however by an unguarded vent leading to Solitudes sewers: the Cloaca Maxima and, after no little exploration, have ended up at the gate to a level of Castle Dour which, given nothing better to do, Annekke has suggested and with no small sparkle in her eyes, that they explore...
...just a bit.

--

A rapid exit from Solitude was necessitated...
...Moving east they headed up around the headland to the north of the city and turned westwards sticking to the coast, intending to turn further inland aways on.
Their plans have been somewhat interrupted however by the appearance of a dragon, out over the ocean but heading to the shore. The night is dark and cold and the area bleak but the girls discover a cave, albeit flanked by sabre cats, and decide that some shelter would be better than none at all...

--


This post has been edited by PhonAntiPhon: Nov 26 2014, 06:33 PM

The girls spent the night in Ravenscar, north and west of Solitude. There had been a dragon about earlier in the evening and neither of them was prepared to risk being caught in the open. Their hiding place proved no less eventful however as it turned out to be home to several Hags, who had been capturing and "doing things" to bandits.
One of these bandits was still alive and, as we would say, high as a kite on whatever the Hags had been feeding him. Upon ill-advisedly releasing him, he tried to attack Alaie and it took 5 arrows at close range to drop him.

--

The following day the two made their way south and a little east to pick up the main road once again. Signs of the Civil War are growing and they came across 3 Imperial soldiers setting upon a Stormcloak Shaman and downing him.
Annekke, enraged vented her fury upon them and savage, if brief, battle ensued. One of the soldiers turned out to be a tribune and the Kat was able to find for herself some rather natty boots and bracers.
The Stormcloak was barely alive, and Alaiee was forced to administer the Coup de Grace. She was also unfortunately forced to silence a completely innocent refugee who had seen them and whose allegiance could not be verified.

Thus they are drawn into the conflict, further...

--

They headed on in an uncomfortable silence, the Kat wrestling with her doubts and Annekke thoughtful and far away.
A couple of hours later, the shrine of Meridia came into view on their left and Alaiee suggested a stop. Annekke, well aware of the subtext, agreed.

What happened when they arrived at the great statue took them both by surprise however...

--

Well that was certainly a curious interlude, and Alaie surprised herself and Annekke by coming out as rather more religiously-inclined than either of them had thought. Of the two it would have previously been wiser to place a septim or two on the Nord doing Meridia's bidding, but there you.
Falkreath stands as a testament to the Kat's hitherto unrevealed faith.

That the two have much to tallk about is obvious, but for now they continue their journey, throwing their efforts jointly into heading ever westwards in a roughly road-following manner, deviating occasionally north if either one spots something likely.

--

This post has been edited by PhonAntiPhon: Nov 29 2014, 08:48 AM

Loredas, 9:32 AM, 28th of Sun's Dusk 4th Era 202

"Azura's wisdom to you friend."

"By the essences of the Nine, I am muchly within agreement. Enlift and guidances, instill within."

Lord Haaf-Mersey is in Dawnstar, and more specifically inside of Nightcaller Temple. It is Loredas, not Sundas, but Haaf-Mersey has decided to make the trip up to Nightcaller anyways. He will spend the entire day inside its keep, deep in thought and prayer.

He is rather perturbed at the moment. He just had to deal with three ice trolls just outside the temple. These trolls seem very territorial, like they simply live here at all times, waiting for some unlucky worshipper to try to ascend to the temple. They don't seem to want to risk going into Dawnstar, and why should they? These trolls have it good here.

But Haaf-Mersey is upset by the fact that nobody in town seems to want to deal with these trolls. Which means they never bathe themselves in the Nine's (or even the Eight's) guiding light. They never pray, they never tithe, they are forced to be unholy, because nobody has taken the helm to rid these trolls, and keep them rid.

On the other hand, he sees their side of things too. He, himself, can face a troll by himself. No problem. But three at once? He is suddenly missing Rayya the Over-killer.

EDIT: Didn't know we can get Erandur, Nightcaller's priest, as a follower! And he's actually not bad as an archer, and he can cast magic too. Wow, all three trolls are dead. All we gotta do is buff that toon a little bit, and he'll make a good follower.

Dawnstar's smithing facilities are pretty substandard, so LHM was only able to make some cheap iron boots and leather gauntlets for Erandur. There's nowhere to improve these items too. Can't wait to get to Solitude. Erandur's going to be very buffed once Haaf-Mersey can get to a proper smith.

This post has been edited by Renee Gade IV: Nov 30 2014, 05:21 PM

Phon, the girls aren't letting any moss grow under their feet! Glad Annekke didn't get into it with the whole Solitude Legion garrison while they were there!

Renee, I think Nightcrawler (lol) Temple is a great quest: Killing baddies, helping Mara, foiling Vaermina and, as you see, getting a decent follower! What's not to like?

I haven't done the Nightcaller Temple quest yet but if it involves Vaermina, it's probably good, her quest in Oblivion is the most interesting Daedric quest for me because it's unusual and difficult to initiate.

Acadian - no they aren't, I tell it's a job keeping up with them sometimes.

--

The Civil War is everywhere now, the road north and west has been plagued with squabbles, some of which have forced the girls to take sides when perhaps would not have chosen too, only to be turned on by the very people they helped.

Increasigly frustrated by their seeming inability to locate an Dwemer ruins, they have for the time being thrown themselves into the conflict, and are currently making life very difficult - (and painful and short) - for the Thalmor in Northwatch Keep...
...Although it isn't going quite as well as they had hoped.

--

Why can't they locate dwemer ruins? I know where a huge place is. Don't want to spoil though.



Oh no. Damn, that's a typo. *facepalm* Now everyone's going to think I'm into fishing. But yeah, that is a neat quest; it's too bad the townspeople don't revive NightCAller somehow. I'm sure they can get to work on PC.

I always call it Nightcrawler Temple too. I guess it is just the X-Men fan in me. Not to mention of Forever Knight/Nigel Bennet.

Because both of them have only hazy ideas where they are roughly

That being said, we leave them for the time-being at Bthardamz, having finally located one of what they were seeking. It would be perfection itself if they could only get in and it wasn't infected by the Afflicted.
Still, you can't have everything, and Annekke's sense of wonder at being in the midst of such ancient ruins is infectious.

--

It was an eventful and slightly strange journey from the the Thalmor base. Annekke suspects that her companion sometimes forgets that she, Annekke, is not a Kat as she goes racing ahead up the steepest of cliffs leaving the Nord struggling behind like some wet-eared serving maid who's never done anything more active than make a bed or serve a beer.
It's not that she resents it mind, it's just that sometimes she wishes Alaie would slow down!

There was another awkward moment during the night, caught in the open in a vicious snow storm, the girls were forced to huddle against a rock, which provided little shelter. Alaie noticed that Annekke was growing cold and less responsive and, to Annekke's surprise, responded to this by removing all of her armour and clothing.
"Take off your armour..." Said the Kat.
"Wh... What?" Replied Annekke, cold and exhaustion adding to her confusion.
"Your armour, take it off, or you will die, hmmm?"

Annekke felt like death, and was in no real position to argue, and so did as she was bid, covering herself with her hands and arms as the Kat moved across the rock to her.
"No time for modesty." Said the Kat. "This one has nothing you don't have."
(In the half-light it occurred even to Annekke's befuddled mind that the Kat appeared to have as far as she could tell eight of the things that she herself had only two of and was therefore well ahead of her anyway...)

"Hold me." Said the Kat, and wrapped her furry body around the Nord. Panicking slightly Annekke resisted.
"This is not the time...!" She said, a little more shrilly than she intended.
Alaie looked at her a moment, green eyes shining. Comprehension dawned and she frowned.
"Don't be an ass! This one possesses fur yes? You don't, no? Alaie will warm you, but the armour will suck the warmth away, yes?"
"Um..." It made sense, it was just that Annekke was more used wearing furs that did not still have a pulse.

Still, as the two women snuggled into each other and Annekke felt herself disappearing into the soft fur of the Kat, and subsequently growing warmer, she had to admit that as fur coats went it certainly wasn't a bad one...

--

A fur coat with a pulse!