If he does Bruma, he'll get an open spell and can go back for the chests he couldn't open, too. My characters tend to use my meta-knowledge and not bother buying the equivalent one. Then they make their own at all the higher levels, as it's a little cheaper that way. I think the standard spells have more range than you'd ever use.

Bruma's the second recommendation he got. None of my character bother buying an open easy lock spell, just because of that, unless they're the type not to play along with Volanaro.

Anyway, Severan's now level 4, having cleared out Vilverin. That was an interesting experience. Severan was using detect life a lot, paired with night eye when underground. Mysticism is now his highest skill, with destruction just behind it thanks to Dunmeri natural affinity for it. His marksman skill's coming up nicely too, with all the practice he's been getting with his bow. But, beyond more welkynd stones and a varla stone, now safely stored in his chest back in Frostcrag, he didn't find anything of note.

Edit: On a not-really-in-game kind of note, for the first time in years I turned the volume for the music back up earlier. I found that otherwise when it's quiet I can actually hear the hum of my tv, which is surprisingly distracting.

This post has been edited by Callidus Thorn: Dec 17 2015, 01:21 AM

Damn the fireballs, I'm double-posting.

Severan's now reached level five, having been diving into just about ever cave or fort that he comes across, looking for loot to sell. He's cleared out forts Magia and Urasek, as well as Barren Cave, without finding anything really worth noting. What he did find in Fort Urasek was an adventurer, under rather unfortunate circumstances, for the adventurer at least. Severan was sneaking around, using detect life to scout for goblins to kill, and saw a pink shadow at the top of a staircase. So he put an arrow in it, and it fell with a rather un-goblin like cry.

Yup, he killed an unsuspecting adventurer. But at least the guy had a mace of embers, which turned out to be the most valuable item he found in any of those places. The gold he got for his loot gave him enough to buy the alchemy lab for Frostcrag Spire, and still have the best part of a thousand septims left.

So, he got an invitation to join the Dark Brotherhood, and as a result will sleep with his silver dagger close at hand from now on.

It certainly is easy to kill one of those adventurers in a dungeon - especially for a range attacker. Oh well. . . it's a dangerous business.

Mmm hmm, Acadian is right; it's hard not to hit one of those Adventurers. For one thing, they show up so rarely. For another, as soon as we see them, sometimes it just makes such an easy target to just go for hit. Hit 'em with an arrow or a spell.

On the other hand, I've had times in the past when we've caught ourselves, and managed not to down the Adventurer guy when we find him. Something about the way they just stand around. They move differently than enemies, or something.

I agree, Renee. Buffy makes her living extinguishing pink glows from the maximum possible range. And she's gotten fairly good at target identification based on the things you mentioned. How they move, their shape. And she also sometimes arms up her telekinesis spell to use for target ID. She normally can avoid taking out those adventurers in goblin, spellcaster or critter lairs. Unfortunately, when they roam around in a marauder lair, their chances of Buffy killing them are much higher as there there is so much less to distinguish them from the other occupants. Still makes one feel badly though - and it is pretty neat to properly ID them from a distance, then go up and talk with them.

A neat little idea from Buffy, Lothran made his own ID spell from that. However he doesn´t use it as much as she does, he normally just summons his Spriggan while staying in the shadows with a bag of popcorn

Yup, summons can be very clever at picking friends from foes.

My avatar prefers a relaxed, genital way of life. Neither of us appreciates being rushed. Bearing this in mind, is it any wonder the gang's just concluded patrol of the Silver to Bruma proved so vexing?

It need not have been so. He and his companion exited White-Gold Tower that morning, assignments in hand, to an idyllic sunny sky for which Cyrodiil is justly renown, perfect weather for travel. The ride along Perimeter Road was as tranquil as one might expect. The rise immediately north of North Bridge was threatened by nothing more menacing than roving deer. A small contingent of scum lurked amongst the ruins of Sercen it's true . . . anticipated and easily dealt with. Only after joining the Silver proper did complications set in.

Not far along the way my avatar spied three citizens dead ahead. Two seemed content to converse at roadside. The third trudged resolutely onward toward Bruma. Sensing impending misfortune, my avatar spurred Arrowspeed to a gallop, soon passing the unarmed wanderer. Not far beyond that point they encountered a minotaur. Spotted at distance, my avatar was able to dismount the patrol, tether Groucho and fell the beast with a few well aimed arrows. Task accomplished, he reclaimed an arrow, untethered Groucho and remounted the patrol . . . to find the traveler once again scaling the Silver ahead of them.

There was nothing for it but to gallop past the fellow and hope to put some distance between themselves and he. Alas. A short way ahead they encountered a bear. Too short. They could not dismount and tether Groucho fast enough to keep the traveler from joining the fray. Still, a bear is only a bear after all. What great harm could it do ere succumbing? This bear did none. Groucho was untethered. The patrol remounted . . . to find the traveler scaling the Silver ahead of them.

Off they went at a gallop, passing the traveler, to run smack into an ogre. So near was the traveler there was no time to tether Groucho, only to dismount and rush the foe, my avatar swinging his blade rapidly to keep the beast's attention. It was a messy fight, all speed and brute force with no thought for tactics. As expected the ogre proved no match for the gang, nor did it harm the traveler. As expected, said traveler ended up ahead.

The rest of the patrol is something of a blur, a steady stream of gallop, dismount, fight, mount, gallop, dismount, fight, mount, rinse and repeat. Not once was there time to tether Groucho until clearing the last known ambush point not far shy of Bruma. Securing their beasts at the stables, my avatar entered the city flustered, nerves on edge. He and Vil marched straight to the Gold Horse Courier, handing their package to the clerk on duty. They should have continued on to Jerall View. Instead, my avatar led them to the Fighters Guild basement, left Vilja to her own devices, shed his battle regalia, donned a robe and napped for a solid hour, an all but unheard of occurrence. Waking reasonably refreshed, they walked to Jerall View and delivered the last of their two packages. Here I left them. It's still some time til supper, they having arrived earlier than expected thanks to all that galloping. They will likely while away the time strolling the city, maybe visit my avatar's statue.


The evening prior saw them dine at the Wawnet, followed by a swim in Lake Rumare under an idyllic night sky. Moon, nebula and stars shown like jewels. So clear was the night they witness an all too rare meteor shower, so invigorating my avatar allowed them an extra lap. Back at the Manor my avatar dried himself at the foyer fireplace, bid Vil goodnight, walked to his private third-floor balcony, drank a container of milk to settle his stomach while watching more stars whiz across the sky, and at last called it a day.

….......................................................................

As to murder, I believe my avatar's count stands at five, as it has for quite some time. None were intentional. I no longer recall the circumstances under which they occurred, if I ever did. Some years ago, when it was all fresher in my mind, I wrote something of them in an official forum thread. With that forum's search engine the shambles it currently is, I doubt I'll ever see that post again. I believe the first occurred during the crisis, and that my avatar was unaware of it until being wakened by an unwelcome visitor. He did not heed that call, nor did he harm the visitor.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Dec 20 2015, 09:54 PM

I'll bet he does!

A very nice read, Decrepit. You often make mention of your "muddleheadedness", but it seems to have deserted you as I could follow along the story quite easily


I see no special mention of goblins so I trust Lothran´s efforts were not in vain

One of Maxical's favorite pieces of clothing!









PS: I had no idea you weren't able to buy the Magetallow candles unless you were a full member of the Mages guild! How did I not know that? I've always bought them for Frostcraig Spire, that is so strange - I guess I must have already been a mage every time or something!





I'm not sure if I should applaud him or blush!

That's just something I threw in, part of Severan's backstory. The Mages Guild has reasons not to trust him.

Edit: Because an update is all but necessary.

After gaining his recommendation from Cheydinhal, Severan made his way to Bravil, planning to head from there to Leyawiin afterwards. But, heading back to the Imperial City to fetch a staff, he ventured into Charcoal Cave. He's not sure how long he was stalking through there, slaying bandits and the creatures they'd somehow tamed; imps and timber wolves, but he knew it was worth the trip.

Not only did he get an immense amount of archery practice, but an equally immense value of loot. The ringleader of the bandits of Charcoal Cave carried two highly valuable enchanted items: a Weaponward Cuirass, and an Eagle Feather Shield, with a combined value of just under six thousand gold! From the various chests he acquired more enchanted items; two base rings of shock shield(one of which he's wearing), Speechcraft Green Brocade(unfortunately inferior to the Robe of Glib Tongues, he does like the look), a base ring of light that he 's going to keep to use for reading, and , best of all, a base Amulet of Absorption! That alone's worth more than five and a half thousand gold! Of course, he knows he won't get anything like that much, but he figures he's probably got enough to cover the remaining costs of refurbishing Frostcrag Spire, even if he can't get it completed yet.

The only problem was that he got caught by wolves so often that his brown outfit has been all but shredded, so he's had to switch to a dark shirt and blacksmith's trousers for traveling.

This post has been edited by Callidus Thorn: Dec 20 2015, 04:45 PM

I've had a couple characters find such items. Useless for adventuring, because they don't project enough light, and there are better magical items that can be worn while out in the world. But a lesser item like this is great for just sitting around, reading a book.

Especially for a magic wielding character. So much more appropriate than a torch.


Anyway, Severan's still out and about in Cyrodiil. He's wrapped up his Leyawiin recommendation(he got the staff then used Frostcrag to teleport down to Leyawiin, and will stop off in Bravil on the way back.

One thing I've noticed about Severan is his changing technique. He's not once used the blade, and has stopped carrying a shortsword, now only carrying a silver dagger for alcehmical use. He rarely uses destruction, relies heavily on his bow and poison for damage, and uses mysticism and illusion more than anything else. Now that the enemies are getting tougher, he's started using conjuration more, though the scamp he can summon is getting pretty badly outmatched at this point.

I imagine once he can make his own spells he'll make some on touch destruction spells, to complement his bow, and go looking for the coveted drain attribute and weakness to poison effects.

I think he's actually shifted from a Morrowind-style Nightblade to a Mystic Archer, albeit a more Dunmer appropriate take on it.

Decrepit - Sounds like the recent patrol was a bit busier than normal. So glad your old avatar is still on the job!

CT - Nice to see Severan progressing through his game and developing his skills. Of the vanilla summons, Buffy simply adores the aggressive foe-seeking clannfear. When crafted into a custom spell with a few seconds of invisibility on self, it guarantees attackers shift their attention to the summon.

Ah, okay!

Lothran is now in Pale Pass!


Details and elaboration in the fanfic thread in my sig

Right, Severan now only has the Anvil and Skingrad recomendations left to do, and he can finally see about getting his spellmaking and enchanting altars up and running.

He's now level 12, a journeyman of all the skills that he uses(except alchemy, but since he only brews up at home, it works out the same thanks to the Alchemy Bench's effect), is using a dwarven bow and has had to upgrade to steel arrows for the extra damage over iron.

He's just cleared out Fort Nikel again(I love that place. One shot in the dark, and I can sit back and watch the bandits and marauders kill each other) and got another base amulet of absorption. He's got more than 12,000 gold at this point, so he's not in any hurry to sell it right now, but probably will sooner or later. He's about to head up to Chorrol to get a new summon, then to Cheydinhal for some new alteration spells, before heading south for his remaining recommendations.

You are making me want to play Oblivion again