ghastley -

Acadian - ArcUni is good for everything except fashion. Have you seen those robes!? We'll definitely be learning more about Ciri, just as soon as she feels up to it.

mALX - Your observations are spot on as always, and I'm glad you're still enjoying the story!



Previously - After deciding to find the elusive Trivea, Haa-Rei and Cirinwe resumed their journey to the Imperial City. As they entered the village of Weye, however, they were approached by a fisherman...

Chapter 46



“You there! I’ve been waiting for you!” Shouted the fisherman as he limped over to us. I exchanged a look with Cirinwe, who shrugged to show that she was similarly innocent of the man’s acquaintance.

“Er…waiting for whom?” I asked when the man finally reached us. He had the round face of a Breton, though it was so weathered and tanned that he could have been mistaken for an Imperial. Despite his age, his arms were roped with muscle that comes from years of physical labour.

“You!” He pointed to me. “Well, not you exactly, but an Argonian, or a fisherman, or even just someone willing to help out an old man.”

“Help with what?” I asked to try and coax more information out of him. Why people couldn’t just tell me what they wanted, or better yet write it down, had always been a mystery to me.

“I'm a fisherman. Or at least, I was. Until one of those slaughterfish damn near took my leg off.” he indicated the limb in question, “I was collecting their scales, see. I had a contract with this young alchemist. You wouldn't believe what he was paying for those scales! Then last month, one of the fish got a hold of my leg. Took me right out of the business. But this alchemist, he needs the scales right away.” He stopped there, as if that was enough.

“…and you want me to…get some fish scales?”

“Yes! I only needed twelve more scales! Can you believe it? I was so close! I've picked up a few things in my travels. If you head out there and bring me back the twelve scales that I need, I can make it worth your time.” He yelled, finally getting to the point.

“When you say twelve scales…” I asked, unclear whether he wanted twelve scales or the scales of twelve fish. He confirmed that it was the latter, and returned to sit on his porch. Apparently I wouldn’t be getting a fishing lesson.

“I don’t suppose you want to join me?” I asked Cirinwe, who looked rather amused for someone who’s companion was about to do battle with a swarm of flesh-eating water beasts.

“I think I’d only slow you down, not being able to breathe water and all. I’ll wait on the shore and hold your equipment.”

A few minutes later and we were standing on the shore. I’d removed most of my clothing, everything except my greaves – partially for the sake of modesty, and partially to protect my legs in the event of an aquatic altercation. I retrieved a knife from my pack and nodded to Cirinwe, who gave me a small wave and a slight smile.

The water was warmer than I’d expected, and I spent a few moments floating near the surface to allow my body to adjust to the temperature. Slaughterfish have rather poor eyesight, but can sense heat quite well. After that I slowly made my way to the bottom of the lake, or as close to the bottom as I dared. The bed of the lake was made up of sludge and sewage, which poured out of the city and drifted to the bottom. I wasn’t too keen on getting too close to that, so I stayed several feet above it.

Slaughterfish usually stay near the surface, unless they’re laying eggs, and have eyes that face slightly upwards. Thus, attacking from below would make it much easier for me. Add to that my low body temperature and my calm swimming motions and I would be finished in no time, with minimal risk.

The spines on my head, being used for their true purpose for once, could pinpoint movement from quite a distance away underwater. There were plenty of slaughterfish in the vicinity, so I got to work.

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Cirinwe yawned, feeling more than a little tired after so much walking. It had only been a few days since they had set out from Anvil, and she was yet to get used to all the exercise. She was enjoying herself though, more than she had done for a very long time.

When Ailinwe had first suggested this trip, Cirinwe had been a little unsure of it. The Imperial City was quite a draw, but travelling there on foot and in the company of a stranger made her more than a little nervous. Of course that stranger was now someone she considered to be a friend, and here she was holding his equipment while he darted about after slaughterfish to help out an old man.

Every so often he would appear at the surface to lob another fish onto the beach, and Cirinwe would tell him how many he’d caught before he disappeared again. Everyone knew that Argonians were good swimmers, but now Cirinwe realised that it wasn’t swimming at all. He simply moved through the water, propelled by his powerful tail, no splashing or flailing of limbs that counts as swimming among other races.

Cirinwe wondered what else she didn’t know about Argonians, and Haa-Rei specifically. She wanted to ask him where he grew up, and about his adventures in Morrowind, and about his favourite books, but she wasn’t sure how. It had been a long time since anyone had wanted to talk to her, her scar usually being the only thing people can see, and she was quite out of practice.

Her daydreaming was interrupted by Haa-Rei’s return. He waded out of the lake, sun shining on his green scales, and flopped onto the sand. Beside him lay twelve large fish, jaws full of needle sharp teeth.

“Let’s get these back to the fisherman.” said Haa-Rei, stifling a yawn. No doubt slaughterfishing was tiring work.

Cirinwe felt warmth rise to her cheeks as she realised she’d be staring at him the whole time, but composed herself and nodded her agreement. The two headed back to the fisherman, who was both grateful and surprised at the Argonian’s efficiency.

"I'm looking forward to my retirement - long days in the stable with the horses, long mornings in bed, and best of all: no more fish." The fisherman beamed, handing Haa-Rei his reward – a ring which looked to be enchanted.

They took their leave of the old man, who had already begun de-scaling the fish, and headed towards the Imperial City. They had arrived at last.

Of course, for once we have a protagonist who doesn't need the reward before starting the quest. Hopefully Haa-Rei isn't annoyed that it's not particularly useful to him.

What great fun to see this quest through the eyes of our Argonian friend! It answers the obvious question that most questers have about why the fisherman waited until the hero nearly drowns killing fish before offering a ring of waterbreathing. In Haa-Rei's case, I bet the ring would be a perfect gift for Ciri. . . . Loved swimming with his tail, matching his own temperature to that of the water and relying on his headspines to help locate his prey. As I said, great fun to read!

Also nice to get a peek into the mind of Cirinwe. And to confirm that she just might indeed have a touch of romantic interest in her scaly companion.

ghastley - Don't worry, I'm sure he'll find a use for it.

Acadian - I've been watching my axolotls swimming a lot recently, so I had some good inspiration. There'll definitely be more Ciri stuff at some point.



Previously - Haa-Rei went fishing in Lake Rumare, and was awarded an enchanted ring by the old fisherman. With no more distractions, Haa-Rei and Cirinwe entered the Imperial City...

Chapter 47



“So this is the Imperial City? It’s almost as I imagined it.” Remarked Cirinwe as we entered the gates.

The city was the same as it had been on my last visit, though it was late in the afternoon when we arrived so the streets were a lot quieter.

“Do you know how to get to the University from here?” I asked.

“I should be fine, I have a map.” Cirinwe looked nervous, though I wasn’t sure if it was the city or the prospect of entering another mage academy that was causing it. “Oh, that’s right, I haven’t asked where you’ll be. We should meet up tomorrow, I’ll look for some books tonight and we can discuss…your problem and how to find Trivea.” She produced a pristine map of the Imperial City, with the Arcane University highlighted in blue ink, from the sleeves of her robes.

“Luther Broad’s Boarding House, in the Elven Gardens district. Here.” I indicated the location with a claw.

“Thank you…and thank you for accompanying me this far.” She smiled and bowed slightly in a traditional Altmer gesture of thanks. She paused for a second, asif she was going to continue, but decided against it.

“My pleasure. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I did my best to smile with my mouth as humans and elves do and watched her leave before heading off to Luther Broad’s.

The boarding house, as before, was nice and quiet. There were only five people in the common room, including who I assume was Luther who was speaking quietly to a figure at the bar. He nodded to me as I entered and indicated a free bar stool. I'd never actually met Luther before, so I was a little curious to learn how he knew me by sight. As I approached I suddenly recognised the figure, and sat down beside them.

“Baurus.” I greeted the Redguard Blade quietly. He had been with The Emperor when he’d been assassinated, and I hadn’t seen him since. Today he was wearing a pair of light brown braies and a thin green woollen shirt – a very different look from the heavy Akaviri style Blades armour he’d previously been wearing. Despite obviously being undercover he still wore his katana at his hip.

“Good afternoon. I have a message from Jauffre.” he said quietly, getting straight down to business, “Weynon Priory was attacked, but the package is safe and secure. They’ve relocated to Cloud Ruler Temple.”

“No new orders?” I asked, hoping that I wasn’t going to be sent off somewhere before Cirinwe and I could finish our current task.

“Business as usual, but all agents are on alert for any red robes.” Red robes meaning the mysterious group who had killed the Emperor. I’d hoped to see the last of them.

“I see. Thank you.” I wondered why Baurus was really here, being a messenger was obviously a secondary task. No doubt it would be considered bad form to ask a secret agent what he was up to, so I stayed quiet.

I could hear someone getting up and leaving in the far corner, and was aware that Baurus was listening too. He rose to leave as soon as the stranger left the inn, nodding to me in silent farewell. He looked a lot older than when we’d first met, though it wasn’t difficult to understand why.

Once he’d gone I booked a room and made my way upstairs. I locked the door behind me, kicked off my boots, and dumped my pack on the floor before crawling onto the bed. A lot had happened recently and I needed time to relax and take it all in. I rose to a sitting position, legs crossed and hands resting in my lap, and let my mind drift off.

I was worried. Worried about daedra pouring out of Oblivion gates all over Cyrodiil, worried about Eithne the flame atronach who was still missing and unsummonable, and worried about accidentally transforming into a werewolf in my sleep.

I was also happy. Happy that I’d made friends with Jötnar, Sjöfn and Olorin when I’d first arrived here, happy that I was a Blade, and most of all I was happy to have met Cirinwe. Rarely did I feel so comfortable around another person, especially so soon after meeting them. The idea that I could have turned feral back in Skingrad and caused her harm made me sick, and I was beyond grateful that she was so willing to help.

All in all this was making my usually peaceful meditation quite confusing, but when I emerged from my room a couple of hours later I felt much more relaxed.

It was meal time in the common room, and there were a lot more people than before. It still wasn’t crowded though, just lively. The quietest table was a familiar one, and I was soon spotted and called over.

“Well I’ll be a horker’s uncle. Haa-Rei!” boomed a familiar voice. Between his unkempt brown hair, his fur armour, and his massive size, he resembled a brown bear more than a horker, though the smell of ale and mead gave him away.

“Good to see you, Jötnar.” I greeted him with a nod and sat down in the chair across from him. He was dining alone, on a meal that seemed to consist entirely of meat. In the chair beside him was his heavy greatsword and several pieces of iron armour.

“I certainly didn’t expect to see you here. My sister said you’d gone to Kvatch, and then we heard what had happened there...” He looked more curious than worried, so I told him a little of what had happened. I missed out the parts where I closed an Oblivion gate and almost transformed into a werewolf of course.

“…so I just got back a couple of hours ago. What about you? I assume you didn’t get that scar from sitting around here all day.” I gestured to the fresh scar on his face, which ran from the bridge of his nose to his jawline.

“Oh, this? Had a little scrap with some goblins outside of Skingrad. Part of my initiation into the Fighters Guild.” he grinned widely, clearly proud of himself.

“Really? Congratulations! I saw some dead goblins outside a mine near Skingrad. Was that…?” I asked, remembering the pile of charred corpses and the Fighters Guild emblem. If Cirinwe and I had been an hour earlier we might have caught up with him.

“That’s right! The Fighters Guild really knows how to show a guy a good time. Don’t get me wrong, I like my Legion work too, but this involves a lot more fighting.” He let out a large belch and waved his tankard in the air to signal a refill. When the waitress arrived I ordered myself some tea and a small bowl of the Boarding House’s daily special – Slaughterfish rice.

Jötnar was still drinking when I took my leave of him a couple of hours later. We’d discussed our respective work with the Legion, and of course I’d had to listen to more tales of his incredibly numerous conquests, both on and off the battlefield. We’d also agreed to train together the next day, though I’d be surprised if he would remember his own name after drinking enough ale to fill Lake Rumare twice over.

It was good to be back.

Poor Haa-Rei – trying to smile for Cirinwe like a mer or human.

’No doubt it would be considered bad form to ask a secret agent what he was up to, so I stayed quiet.’ - - This is so very Haa-Rei! I also really liked his observation about Baurus having aged. It really brings home how the Redguard's ‘failure’ to protect his Emperor must weigh on him.

Even Haa-Rei’s meditation seems so perfectly reptilian for him.

I love Jötnar’s attitude about the Fighters Guild – basically, ‘they let me kill stuff and I get paid for it!’

Acadian - Yep, the only thing better than hitting things with a big sword is getting paid to do so.



Previously - Haa-Rei and Cirinwe arrived in the Imperial City, and the Altmer went to the Arcane University. After heading to Luther Broad's Boarding House, Haa-Rei learned that Weynon Priory had been attacked, forcing Jauffre to relocate to Cloud Ruler Temple. Later, Haa-Rei was reunited with Jötnar and the two spent an evening catching up, with plans to spar with each other the following morning...

Chapter 48



I awoke the next morning feeling groggy. My sleep was becoming increasingly restless and I had to drink more tea than usual to wake myself up before heading downstairs.

To my surprise, Jötnar was already there. He was in the same seat he had occupied the night before, though he was not drinking, instead engaging in a great battle against a quill and some parchment. The look on the Nord’s face suggested that he was losing.

“Good morning.” I resumed my position in the opposite seat.

“Hey. Is this right?” He slid the parchment across the table for my perusal. At the top of the page in a clear, elegant hand was a list of words. Beneath each was Jötnar’s valiant attempt to copy them down.

“What am I looking for?” I asked, unsure.

“Y’know, spelling. I have to read Olorin’s words, then cover them up, say them out loud, and write them down myself.” The night before he had told me that Olorin was teaching him to read, and that Jötnar was awaiting promotion in the legion which required him to pass a written exam. I was happy to help, and went through the words with him to point out errors.

In fact we were so busy with writing that we didn’t notice our guests until they reached our table.

“Hard at work, I see. Makes a change.” Sjöfn said, nudging Jötnar with a skinny elbow. She looked none the worse for wear after our adventure near Chorrol. She nodded and I waved a claw in greeting and turned to her companions.

Olorin looked even older than I remembered, if that was possible. His face was deeply wrinkled, but his eyes were clear and full of vigour. He had tucked his long beard into his belt and was leaning on a gnarled wooden staff like an illustration of a wizard from a Breton children’s book.

Behind him, peering over the stack of books she was carrying, was Cirinwe. Somehow I wasn’t surprised to see that they had all bumped into each other, and couldn’t help but smile to see her. Jötnar seemed almost as pleased as me, and moved to stand in front of her before Sjöfn had finished introducing him.

“Allow me, my lady,” He took the stack of books and placed them on the table as if they weighed nothing, and brought one of Cirinwe’s hands up to his lips. “Haa-Rei didn’t mention that his companion was so beautiful. If I’d have known I’d have-”

“That’s enough.” Interrupted Sjöfn, cuffing the larger Nord around the ear and dragging him back to his seat.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Jötnar.” Said Cirinwe with a small bow, remaining dignified in the face of the Nord’s advances, before moving to stand beside me. “I met Olorin at the University, and Sjöfn on the way here. Quite a stroke of luck to bump into friends of yours. Even with a map I might have lost my way.”

“Just in time too!” Said Jötnar before I could reply. “Haa-Rei and I were about to head over to the training grounds for a little bit of sparring. You should come and watch, cheer us on.”

“Cirinwe and I have research to discuss…” I began. I’d hoped that Jötnar would have forgotten about our sparring, but apparently not.

“It’s fine” Cirinwe said, “I haven’t learned anything that can’t wait until after your training.” It might have been my imagination, but I could have sworn that there was a spark of mischief in the Altmer’s eyes.

“There we are then! Nothing like watching two strapping young lads stripping down and oiling up for a good scrap.” Bellowed Jötnar, clearly excited.

“I’m not doing either of those first two things.” I assured him as the four of us left the Boarding House. Olorin remained behind to ‘hold down the fort’, by which he meant that he would have a nap in front of the fire.


It was short trip from the Elven Gardens District to the Prison District. Despite the name, the prison itself is almost entirely underground. On the surface the walled area houses the Imperial Legion offices, barracks, armoury, and training grounds.

We were greeted at the entrance to the training grounds by a short, stout Imperial man who peered at us through a pair of spectacles which balanced precariously on the end of his large nose. He gestured to the small desk beside him, and asked us to sign our names and ranks before entering. His eyes widened when he read my information, and he snapped to attention with such ferocity that his glasses flew clean off his nose, saved only by the chain that attached them to his tunic.

“I-if I can be of any assistance at all, please do not hesitate, sir!” He stammered, clearly taken off guard.

“We just want to use a training area.” Replied Jötnar, receiving a harsh look from the Imperial.

“I was addressing the Legate.” The Imperial said, still at attention. I’d forgotten that my usual rank of ‘Agent’ only applied in Morrowind. The equivalent rank of Legate was used in most other areas of the Empire. I wasn’t sure if I felt like a Legate, but I quite liked the sound of it.

“As my friend said, we wish to make use of a training area…erm…you can stop saluting now too.” Being a Legate was already proving to be hard work.

The little man led us to an empty training area and, after several more salutes, left us in peace. The training area was little more than a large patch of dirt, surrounded by walls. Along one wall was a set of benches, which Sjöfn and Cirinwe made their way towards. The other walls were lined with weapon racks, archery targets, training dummies, and anything else that one might need to hone their skills.

Jötnar and I selected our weapons. He opted for a two-handed sword, a thinner but longer blade than he usually used. I chose a standard longsword, opting to go without a shield. I could hear Cirinwe and Sjöfn chatting quietly on the other side of the area, though I couldn’t make out what they were saying.

“I fought a frost troll once, armed only with the jawbone of an ox, but I’ve never been quite so terrified as I am when I see two young girls in deep conversation.” Said Jötnar beside me, looking over to our companions. At that moment I heard Sjöfn giggle, and saw Jötnar shudder slightly.

“I’m sure it’s nothing sinister.”

“Well I’m glad you’re not worried, since it’s probably you they’re talking about. Cirinwe hasn’t taken her eyes off you since she walked into the Boarding House.” Jötnar clapped me on the shoulder. “You should really tell her if you’re not interested.”

“She what? Me?” Either Cirinwe had been very subtle, or I was just too dense to notice how she felt. Probably the latter. “Well…it’s not that I’m not interested…it’s just that I don’t…” It was difficult to explain, and I was getting flustered.

“I get it. You’re asexual, right? Had you pegged pretty early on.” Once again Jötnar surprised me by how good he was at reading people. He would be an excellent spy, if he could learn to keep his mouth shut.

“Mhm.” I nodded, busying myself by swinging the sword around.

“…and you’re scared because you think she’ll want a more physical relationship.” He tapped me on the side of the head. “You think too much. You should talk to her about it instead.” It seemed incredibly simple when he put it like that. If only talking to people actually was that easy.

“Can we just hit each other with swords now?” I asked him, eager to end the conversation.

He’d given me a lot to think about.

The return of the Three Amigos!

Despite Jotnar’s struggle versus quill and parchment, his insight into Haa-Rei and Ciri is quite remarkable. Her response to the big Nord’s flirting by remaining aloof and stepping closer to Haa-Rei spoke volumes. I hope Haa-Rei takes Jotnar’s advice to talk with Ciri.

I loved the adorable description you gave of the stout little bespectacled guard they encountered in the prison district.

As ever, this tale is great fun to read!

Acadian - Everyone needs someone like Jötnar to give them a little push every now and then, Haa-Rei more so than others.



Previously - Cirinwe managed to find Haa-Rei and Jötnar, with the help of Sjöfn and Olorin. While Olorin remained at Luther Broad's the others made their way to the Imperial Legion training grounds so Jötnar and Haa-Rei could spar with each other. Before they got started, Jötnar gave Haa-Rei some helpful advice regarding Cirinwe...

Chapter 49



“Ow.” I said flatly, lying on the dusty floor of the training area. What Jötnar lacked in finesse, he more than made up for in strength. He’d been batting me about like an old doll for a while now, and showing me just how out of practice I was.

“Heh, sorry. I got a bit carried away there.” the Nord laughed, lending me a hand as I clambered to my feet. “you should take a break, let Sjöfn take over.”

“What? Oh no I won’t. You almost took my head off last time.” Sjöfn shook her head vigorously, as if testing that it was indeed still attached.

“Um…” interrupted Cirinwe, one delicate hand raised in the air, “I’d like to try it, if you wouldn’t mind teaching me.”

Silence descended over the yard as myself and the two Nords stared at the Altmer, mouths hanging open in surprise. It was Jötnar who recovered first:

“Well alright! I’m not sure you’re dressed for it though.” he indicated Cirinwe’s mages robes which were indeed more suited to quiet study than swordplay.

“Well I can help you with that.” Sjöfn said, taking Cirinwe’s hand and leading her toward a side door.

After they’d gone I slowly made my way over to the seating area. I was sore all over, but it had been an interesting experience. When Cirinwe returned I almost fell off my newly acquired seat.

She was dressed in the light leather armour that is used by Legion recruits. A padded leather cuirass to protect the torso, with padded leather gauntlets covering the hands, wrists, forearms, and elbows. The upper arms were bare to prevent overheating, and I noticed that her left shoulder shared the burn scars on her face. A skirt of leather pteruges protected her waist, as well as allowing for easy movement, and leather boots with a rigid shin guard protected her lower legs.

“I look ridiculous.” Cirinwe muttered, fidgeting with a gauntlet and blushing fiercely.

Jötnar let out a low whistle, while Sjöfn glared at me so sharply that I thought she’d bore a hole through my armour. I should stop staring and say something.

“Not at all. You look great.” I could barely get my words out, but it was true. Even with the extra padding on the armour it was obvious that Cirinwe was beautifully slender, and the golden skin of her long arms and legs seemed to absorb the bright afternoon sun. The warrior look suited her perfectly.

“See?” Sjöfn nudged Cirinwe, and allowed a smug smile to play across her lips. She was obviously proud of her transformation efforts, and came to sit beside me while Jötnar and Cirinwe decided on a weapon.

“She looks amazing.” I said quietly, more to myself than anyone else, watching the Altmer testing the weight of several different weapons.

“You sound surprised.” smiled the redheaded Nord beside me.

“Well it’s just so different from her usual robes…I-I mean it’s not like I don’t…”

“I know,” Sjöfn laughed, “I’m just teasing you.”

I frowned heavily, causing more laughter, and turned my attention back to Cirinwe. She’d chosen a two-handed sword, similar to Jötnar’s, and was being taught several different methods of holding and swinging it. The weapon suited her as well as the armour, its long blade complementing her own height. Even the shortest Altmer would have quite a long reach with such a weapon, and Cirinwe was the tallest I’d ever met. She had a serious look on her face, focusing on every word that Jötnar spoke. I had no doubts about his abilities as a tutor – his promotion in the Legion was evidence enough of that.

After the basic stances were covered, the pair moved onto some swordplay. Jötnar attacked slowly to allow Cirinwe to get a feel for blocking and countering. He sped up his attacks gradually, and once she’d calmed down Cirinwe was able to match his speed – albeit still rather clumsily.

The training continued for a couple more hours, until Sjöfn called an end to it. The sun was hanging low in the sky by that point - we’d been in the yard for most of the day and we were all tired and hungry. After Cirinwe changed back into her robes the four of us returned to the Boarding House, with Jötnar continuing his verbal lesson on the best way to fight someone with a shield.

“Nice job today, you’re a natural.” Jötnar said as we entered Luther Broad’s.

“Oh, well thank you.” blushed Cirinwe.

“I’m serious! You picked it up real quick. If you keep practicing like that you could be quite the warrior.” I’d never seen Jötnar look serious about anything before, but I nodded in agreement when Cirinwe turned to me.

“He’s right. It took me ages to get the hang of all that stuff when I was a recruit. You looked like you were enjoying it too.” If someone had told me at the start of the day that Cirinwe had a knack for swordplay I’d have found it hilarious, yet here we were.

“Well...it was fun…I’ll think about it.” she nodded.

The Boarding House was more or less the same as we’d left it. Olorin was still seated at the same table, and looked almost as much a part of the room as the furnishings.

“Aah the smell of youth.” the old Altmer smiled as we sat down.

“That’s just him.” grimaced Sjöfn, looking pointedly at her brother.

“That, dear sister, is the scent of hard work. Breathe it in.” Jötnar flexed his muscles, but eventually relented to his sister and moped away to bathe.

“Maybe I should find a bath too.” pondered Cirinwe. As far as I could tell she smelled perfectly wonderful, but I wasn’t sure how appropriate it would be to say so.

“You can use the one in my room. Come on.” offered Sjöfn, once again taking the Altmer’s hand and leading her away.

I turned to speak to Olorin, but the aged Altmer had already gone back to sleep. I wondered if I should go for a bath too, but ultimately decided to stay in my seat by the fire. Since Argonians don’t sweat I smelled as fresh as usual, and I knew that I’d almost certainly fall asleep in the tub.

Before long the others returned, smelling of soap. Cirinwe had borrowed a pair of dark brown breeches and a light blue shirt from Sjöfn, and sat down beside me to dry her long hair by the fire.

“Thank you for today.” she said quietly, fiddling with a hairbrush.

“Oh, well it was Jötnar’s idea to train together. I just tagged along with him.” I sipped carefully at the tea I’d ordered, steam tickling my nose.

“Not that. I meant about what you said…that you thought I looked good. I was quite nervous, so thank you.” she turned away, but the tips of her ears showed that she was blushing a little.

“Oh, that. Well…I just said what I was thinking. I-it suited you.” my words were all of a jumble, which seemed to be an increasingly common occurrence when talking to Cirinwe.

The Altmer turned to me and smiled, and now it was my turn to be embarrassed. I took a swig of tea and winced as I lightly scolded my mouth. Two distinct tones of Nordic laughter erupted from the other side of the table, and I suddenly became aware that Sjöfn and Jötnar had been listening the entire time. Maybe I should have gone to sleep in the bath after all.

Sorry but you can't toss "pteruges" nonchalantly into the story, and then put scolded when you meant scalded.

I'll be interested in what Ciri's sudden interest in two-handed means.

I grinned all the way through this!

What a delight that you are sharing Ciri’s transition to the way of the blade with us. She does indeed seem to have the aptitude and long arms for it. It also ties in beautifully to what we have seen of her progress in ESO.

The awkward flirting between Haa-Rei and Ciri before and after bath time was great fun as well. Maybe, with the Nordic coaching of Jötnar and Sjöfn, the lizard and high elf odd couple may yet find their path to each other.

ghastley -

Acadian - Hopefully Ciri is starting to materialise as a proper character now, rather than a shiny elf-shaped blob. I'm surprised at how quickly she's become such a big part of it all.



Previously - In a surprising turn of events, Cirinwe asked Jötnar to teach her how to use a sword. As it turns out, she has a natural talent for it, and the gang encouraged her to pursue this new vocation...

Chapter 50



“Ok, we’ll see you later then.” Shouted Jötnar as he and Cirinwe departed the Boarding House.

They were going to an armourers to find Cirinwe some equipment, as she had decided to stick with her swordsmership for the time being. She’d stayed up late the previous night, thinking hard about the direction she wanted to go in. I was pleased to see that she had made a decision, and especially pleased that she was happy with it.

Since I knew very little about armour, I remained at the boarding house with a stack of books that Cirinwe had borrowed from the University library. I’d already read through any that contained even a mention of werewolves, but it seemed that people are much more interesting in killing lycanthropes than they are in helping them. I now had a wide range of knowledge should I ever need to fight myself, but it really wasn’t useful to my current predicament.

The book that now held my interest was a reference text on enchantments. It was a thick tome which apparently featured every enchantment that had ever been invented, with illustrations and descriptions (lengthy, written by mages) to match. I was trying to figure out the enchantment on the old ring that I’d been given after helping the fisherman by Lake Rumare.

The ring was a plain gold band, though it had once had some sort of engraving around the outer edge which had long since faded.

The first enchantment rune was clearly visible, and glowed very, very softly. A human in a running pose, with a small ‘II’ above it. This told me that the secondary enchantment on the ring would slightly increase the wearer’s athletic ability – perfect for a warrior such as Cirinwe or Jötnar.

For a while I ran my fingers over the ring, and inspected every tiny detail for signs of the primary rune, but to no avail. I reached out with one hand to find my cup of tea, though I was concentrating more on the tome in front of me. When my hand found the cup, and before I could react, there was a thud and tea began spilling all over the table.

“Ah, caoc!” I swore, frantically grabbing all the books and lifting them to safety. The tea pooled around the ring, and that’s when I saw it.

“Well I’ll be a wamasu’s wet nurse…”

It hadn’t been that the rune was hard to find – it had been hidden. As soon as the tea touched the ring, the faded markings on the band began to glow a soft blue/green colour, revealing a beautifully detailed engraving of waves and fish which almost looked as if they were moving. I had heard of enchantments like this before, hidden until the item came into contact with fire, water, blood, or any other substance of natural energy. I hadn’t expected to find such an enchantment on a ring that still smelled faintly of slaughterfish.

After mopping up the tea I examined the ring again. Next to the athletic rune was now a symbol consisting of a circle with waves and bubbles inside it. According to the reference tome, this was an enchantment of water breathing. I couldn’t help but laugh when I read it – of all the enchantments for an Argonian to have…

I quickly decided what I wanted to do with the ring, though I was nervous to do so lest my intentions be mistaken. I had no more time to think however, as the warrior duo returned.

“How did it go?” I asked, noticing that Cirinwe was just as un-armoured as she had been when I’d seen her last.

“We found some, but it won’t be ready until tomorrow.” I could see that Cirinwe was disappointed, but a little excited. No doubt she had been looking forward to getting some shiny new armour as soon as possible.

“More importantly,” Jötnar turned to me, “I’ve got a job for the guild down in Leyawiin. Care to join me?”

“What, now?” I asked.

“Well I’m going now, but you and Cirinwe can catch up after she gets her gear.” he didn’t wait for a reply, simply clapping me on the shoulder as he made his way upstairs.

“So…we’re going?” Cirinwe asked once the Nord had departed, sounding rather hopeful.

“It would appear so. If we’re wanting to catch up to Jötnar we should just hop on a boat down to Bravil.” The journey would be much shorter that way, and I still had business in Bravil anyway.

“You’re from Leyawiin, right? I look forward to seeing it.”

“Is that why you’re so excited?” I wondered out loud.

“Well…a little. Also….” she trailed off, and I thought that was the end of it until she spoke again quietly, “the city is a little boring. It’ll be nice to get out and about with you again.” she looked a little embarrassed to admit it, but a faint smile played across her lips as she departed for her room to bathe.

I stood there dumbly for a few minutes before I gathered the books and ring and headed to my room. It hadn’t been that long since I’d last seen Leyawiin, but I echoed Cirinwe’s sentiment about getting back out into the wilderness. It had been far too long since I’d shot anything or had something try and kill me – I had a feeling that this trip would introduce plenty of both opportunities.

Ahh! The magic of tea!

Your Englishness is showing Haa-Rei.

Hee! One of the nice things about having an elven character is license to use words like ‘swordsmership’.

“Well I’ll be a wamasu’s wet nurse…”

I enjoyed your description and logic of how Haa-Rei discovered the enchantments on the fisherman’s ring.

There is no doubt who he intends to give it to. If he needs any encouragement in that direction, he but needs to listen to Ciri’s words and read her manner around him. I love the delicate dance between the two of them and hope that Scales and Scars can find a future together.

ghastley - I've long thought that tea-craft should have its own school of magic.

Acadian - Scales and Scars has a good ring to it (no pun intended). They're getting there, gradually.



Previously - With some time to himself, Haa-Rei investigated the mysterious fisherman's ring and discovered a hidden enchantment. He and Cirinwe then agree to journey to Leyawiin, to meet up with Jötnar while he has business there...

Chapter 51



It was a warm day, though the cool air over Lake Rumare made sure that the ferry ride to Bravil wasn’t uncomfortable. Other than that I couldn’t tell you anything else about that morning, since I spent the entire boat ride with my eyes fixed firmly on my travelling companion.

We’d been to pick up Cirinwe’s armour from the smith, and she’d wasted no time in wearing it. The cuirass was split into two parts – the first was a chainmail vest which covered the lower torso, while a solid plate covered the upper torso. The shoulders were protected by layered strips of heavy leather, with one shoulder also featuring a heavy pauldron of overlapping metal strips. This overlapping metal design was repeated on the forearms, thighs and shins. The waist, hands, legs, and feet were all protected by more dark, heavy leather. The metal was a warm gold colour, a shade lighter than Dwemer metal, and adorned with intricate vine motifs. The whole ensemble gave Cirinwe protection to vital areas, while still allowing a good deal of movement and flexibility. There was also the telltale feel of magic about it, which suggested that at least one piece was enchanted. All in all, the armour (and the Mer) was absolutely gorgeous.

After collecting the gear we’d made it just in time to catch the not-quite-midday ferry that headed south. The ferry was large enough to comfortably fit perhaps a dozen passengers in the designated passenger area, though the large cargo area could accommodate a lot more people if needed.

“You’re staring,” Cirinwe said suddenly, “and fidgeting.”

“Ah, sorry.” I was indeed staring, though I hadn’t realised that I was fidgeting, and looked down to see that I had been playing with the fisherman’s ring.

“Is that the ring?” my companion asked.

“Hm? Oh, yes. I…er…found out what enchantments it has.”

“Oh?”

“Well the secondary enchantment is athletics, and the primary is…water breathing.” I smiled again, still finding it amusing. Cirinwe began laughing too.

“I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised, but it would have been helpful to have it before he asked someone to go and wrestle slaughterfish. I could have helped.” she echoed the thoughts that had popped into my head when I’d first discovered the enchantment.

“You can help next time. Here.” I held out the ring, clicking my tongue subconsciously as a sign that I was more than a little embarrassed.

Cirinwe looked at me for a long moment, and I thought she was going to say something. Finally she settled on a simple “thank you” and smiled brightly. She slid the ring onto a slender finger – a perfect fit. I almost hoped that this boat ride would last forever.

Eventually though the boat drifted in to dock at Bravil. Dock workers began exchanging cargo at lightning speed, and it was a struggle to get through the throng of crates, barrels, and muscles.

Once on the other side, we found a bench and sat down to plan our trip. Moving alone, Jötnar would make good time to Leyawiin, and we were to meet him there when we could. Before that, though, we were going to take a little detour, to fulfil a promise I had made when I had last been in Bravil.

“So this is payment for your bow?” asked Cirinwe once we’d left town. I had told her the story of how I came into possession of my Hist wood bow, which was why we were currently heading towards the Ayleid ruin of Anutwyll.

“Yes. I have to clear out the ruin, and return to the bowyer. It shouldn’t take long.” I wasn’t sure what to expect though. All I knew was that the ruin was ‘overrun by monsters’, which was a little too vague for my liking, but it was something I’d gradually grown used to as an adventurer.

The ruin lay a short distance from the walls of Bravil. It was such a short distance, in fact, that I couldn’t see any reason for the town guards to ignore it. The campsite at the entrance to the ruin suggested that someone was keeping an eye on it, though there was no sign of recent activity. The townsfolk were lucky that whatever creatures lurked within the ruin had decided to stay away from town.

“Are you ready?” I asked Cirinwe, who adjusted the straps on her gauntlets and nodded. Even if her hands hadn’t been shaking, it was clear that she was nervous. This would be her first taste of actual combat, but I had faith in her strength and Jötnar’s training.

We carefully slipped in through the open door and made our way inside. The entrance chamber was small, and branched off in three different directions. I lifted my snout into the air and breathed in all of the different scents. The dusty, cold scent that seems to permeate every Ayleid ruin was strong, but I could detect two other distinct scents – imps and a troll. The former wouldn’t be a problem, but the latter…

“I can deal with the troll. I think.” Cirinwe replied once I’d given my report. She’d readied her weapon, a surprisingly brutal looking axe with a wooden haft and a single broad blade, sharpened to a wicked edge. A faint golden glow surrounded her hands, no doubt she had several spells ready and waiting.

“We’ll deal with it together. I’ll lead, we’ll move slowly and quietly.” I set off at a half crouch, and heard Cirinwe fall in behind me. Her armour made very little noise, and I guessed that it had some form of muffling enchantment.

We moved so quietly that the first imp we met went down without raising the alarm, its frail body falling prey to my arrow. Three more imps went down in a similar fashion, and I almost got a fourth, but my arrow went a little wide and succeeded only in tearing the creature’s wing.

The imp let out a shriek, but it was cut short by a spear of golden light punching through its chest. I turned and nodded my thanks to Cirinwe, and we both immediately froze as a bestial roar echoed through the hallway.

“I think the troll knows we’re here.” Cirinwe said, doing her best to avoid looking too terrified.

“So it would seem. Well, best not keep it waiting.” I turned toward the source of the sound, and together we headed deeper into the ruin.

At least it wouldn’t be boring.

“I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised, but it would have been helpful to have it before he asked someone to go and wrestle slaughterfish. I could have helped.” she echoed the thoughts that had popped into my head when I’d first discovered the enchantment.’ - - Heh, I believe this thought has popped into the heads of everyone who has ever done that quest.

Smitten. Yup. Haa-Rei is definitely smitten.

’The imp let out a shriek, but it was cut short by a spear of golden light punching through its chest.’ - - WooHoo! I know what that spear of golden light is!

I love how you take this story wherever it needs to go, from Oblivion to ESO and back.

I was laughing out loud at Haa-Rei and Jötnar's exchange at the boarding house before their sparring match. I'm enjoying the warming relationship between Haa-Rei and Cirinwe very much. I love how Ciri's growth into weapons and armor felt perfectly natural. Seeing her through Haa-Rei's eyes is a delight.

Woo, a tall, golden womer wielding spears of pure light, yay for Ciri!:D

I do too, but it can get very confusing when it's things from a game I've never played. At least there's a consistent time-line, and we're not jumping back and forth a couple of centuries at a time. I do like the way the other provinces aren't "out of bounds" and things can be rare imports. There are some good mods that do that, so it's not unfamiliar, either.

Acadian - Hopefully Templar Ciri fits doesn't seem too out of place in Oblivion with her fancy new magicks.

Grits - Yay for Templars! Divine magic and heavy armour are two things no girl should be without.

ghastley - I hope it doesn't get too confusing. Sometimes I even forget what stuff comes from which game.



Previously - After getting Cirinwe equipped for her role as a swordsmer, she and Haa-Rei set off for Bravil. Once there, the duo decided to clear the Ayleid ruin of Anutwyll. After a successful start, the two adventurers hear a troll from deeper in the ruin and move to investigate...

Chapter 52



The troll was standing off to one side in a large, open chamber. It looked as if it had once shared this chamber with more imps, but their discoloured corpses now lay slumped on the ground in the middle of the room, . I could smell the faintest hint of some sort of poison, no doubt the work of some kind of Ayleid trap.

The troll itself was pretty standard as trolls go. A large, hunched mass of stinking fur which breathed heavily and growled to itself. At the end of each long arm was a set of gore-encrusted claws. I could see the fatty coating on its fur glinting in the pale Ayleid lights as the creature paced back and forth.

Cirinwe and I wasted no time in getting to work, beginning our assault with a salvo of magic and arrows. Of the three arrows that I fired in quick succession, only one actually hit home - the other two failing to penetrate the creatures greasy hide.

Cirinwe’s spells had a much more significant effect. Two lazy orbs of golden light floated over to the creature and exploded on impact, showering the troll with golden flames that seemed to catch almost immediately on the flammable fat. The creature howled but continued its awkward advance, lolling towards us in that shambling half-run that trolls seem to favour. Its three black eyes were completely focused on Cirinwe, and I did my best to assure myself that she would be fine.

Of course I needn’t have worried. Cirinwe moved so as to place the troll between us, allowing me to fire more arrows into the creature’s back while it was busy flailing its arms at her. Despite her armour, Cirinwe was able to gracefully weave around the creature’s attacks, lashing out every so often with her axe or a spell.

An arrow to the back of the neck stunned the troll for the briefest of moments, and Cirinwe seized the opportunity, burying her axe in the monster’s skull with a dull crunch. The troll crashed to the ground, axe still in place, and lay still. The magical flames vanished with a gesture from Cirinwe, and I moved over to make sure she was unharmed.

“Are you alright?” I asked, seeing that she hadn’t even been scratched. What a relief.

“I’m fine,” She breathed heavily, clearly exhausted, “I’ve never killed anything like that before.” She smiled, proud of herself, and retrieved her axe.

“We’ve still got more to go.” I pointed to the only passage that we were yet to explore.

On further investigation it seemed that this passage lead to a large door, around which lay more dead imps, their small bodies had been crushed by some sort of blunt weapon. Together, Cirinwe and I heaved the door open, greeted by a rush of thick, musky air.

“What is that smell?” Cirinwe gagged, clamping a hand over her nose and mouth.

“That’s the smell of a minotaur.” I grinned, feeling excitement welling upon inside me.

We moved slowly and cautiously. Beyond the door lay a long corridor, with several small alcoves on either side. At the end lay another room, which would no doubt house our bovine friend. I brought my storm atronach spell to the front of my mind, just in case, and nocked an arrow. If the minotaur saw us and charged in the corridor, things could get very messy very quickly.

Fortunately the beast waited until we entered the far room before attacking. The spines on my head suddenly flashed me a warning and I ducked just in time to avoid the warhammer that had been aimed at my skull. The minotaur had been waiting by the door.

A burst of golden light from Cirinwe struck the minotaur in the middle of its broad chest, and it turned to face this new opponent, allowing me the time to open some distance between us. Although I didn’t doubt her bravery and natural talent, a minotaur could prove a little too dangerous to Cirinwe, at least alone. I raised my hand and called forth Thiazzi the storm atronach, who thundered into existence and turned his stony face to me for instruction.

“Help Cirinwe!” I said loudly, pointing to the elf in question.

Thiazzi grumbled his acknowledgement and stomped forwards, punching the minotaur’s hammer out of its hands with a large, stone fist. The minotaur roared and charged Thiazzi, head down so as to make good use of its long horns.

The storm atronach loosened the stones of its body just before the impact, and tightened them again to catch the charging horns and trap the minotaur. Cirinwe brought her axe down hard on the creature's exposed next, killing it instantly.

Thiazzi relinquished his grip on the now-dead minotaur and turned to me, awaiting more instructions.

“Thank you, my friend. That will be all for now.” I raised my hand again and released the spell.

“Thank you!” Cirinwe called to the fading atronach, who made a quiet rumbling noise before vanishing back to Oblivion.

I scanned the room, a dead end. I also couldn't smell or hear any other signs of life. We’d done it.

“Looks like that’s everything.” I smiled at Cirinwe, and plopped myself down on the cold, white stone floor to rest. I wasn't tired at all, but Cirinwe looked about ready to collapse. After a moment the elf joined me, sitting so we were back to back.

“That was…amazing!” Cirinwe said after a few moments, her soft voice echoing in around the stony chamber. She was breathing heavily, and I could feel the heat from her body even through her armour. She was shaking slightly, no doubt the adrenaline from her first taste of combat.

“You were amazing. One would think you’d been hunting monsters all your life!” I was truly impressed by her ability after such a small amount of training.

“Thank you,” She laughed lightly, “we make quite a team.” even though I couldn’t see her face, I knew she was smiling.

“That we do,” I smiled too.

That we do.

Regarding evolving skills, gear and abiity, I think you and I have a similar perspective: Games come and go but characters are forever. That is not necessarily a better perspective, but those of us who do see things that way tend to evolve and adapt a character rather than starting a new character for a new game environment. It does bring up the challenge that you and I face to ensure we fully explain what our characters are doing/using when we intentionally view things from a TES-wide view rather than anchoring to one game.

A wonderful episode! Not only was the combat exciting and richly described, but the teamwork and growing closeness between Scales and Scars continued to blossom. And I loved seeing a visit from Thiazzi again!

Well done!

Acadian - Well said! Haa-Rei is Haa-Rei, regardless of where (or when) in Tamriel he may be. It's simply my job to make sure that it all gets pulled together nicely.



Previously - Haa-Rei and Cirinwe finished clearing the Ayleid ruin of Anutwyll, fighting a troll and a fearsome minotaur in the process. With that complete, they return to Bravil...

Chapter 53



I breathed in deeply, tasting the fresh air of the Niben Bay. After spending time in a cold ruin I always need to get myself warmed up and re-energised.

Not only had we cleared the ruin, we’d managed to take down a troll and a minotaur in the process. I’d removed the large horns of the minotaur and given one to Cirinwe, which she was utterly fascinated by. Minotaurs were indeed impressive, and a worthy encounter for even veteran adventurers.

“Back to Bravil?” Cirinwe suggested, stowing her minotaur horn in her pack.

“Yes, the bowyer is on the far end of town.” I nodded toward the town and together we made our way back. Cirinwe looked tired, as expected, but otherwise unharmed.


“The Archer's Paradox. Because a perfect arrow flies for-oh!” Daenlin’s speech had begun before we’d even entered the shop, and his already bright smile seemed to broaden even more once he recognised me.

“Hello Daenlin.” I nodded as I approached the counter.

“Welcome back, Haa-Rei, and welcome to your companion too.” the old Bosmer had to crane his neck to look up at Cirinwe, who must have been at least twice his height.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” The Altmer bowed.

“Am I to assume that you two have just returned from an Ayleid adventure?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. A glint of excitement passed over the bowyer’s eyes, and I felt a little guilty for leaving the task for so long before completing it.

“Indeed we have, as I promised.” I confirmed.

“Well come on through here and have a seat. I can’t expect you to tell a riveting story of adventure and romance while you’re standing in the shop without a cup of tea in your hands.” he ushered us through to a small adjoining room, which was simply furnished but quite cosy. Cirinwe had to duck slightly to get through the door without hitting her head.

Once we had tea and a comfortable seat, I properly introduced Cirinwe and gave Daenlin our account of the Clearing of Anutwyll. He was an excellent listener – content to absorb the story in silence, and asking several concise questions at the end regarding the various creatures inside.

“Now there’s a worthy trophy!” The old mer exclaimed when Cirinwe showed him one of the minotaur’s horns.

“Thank you, though I see you are no stranger to hunting either.” she nodded at the various animal trophies dotted around the small room, including some pelts which I didn’t even recognise.

“In my youth, of course. These days I’m only quick enough to take a deer every now and then, but that’s the point of trophies – to remind us of great hunts and honour worthy foes.” He handed the horn back to Cirinwe and poured some more tea.

We stayed a little while longer at Daenlin’s, the two elves engaging in small talk while I looked at the various trophies the old mer had collected, occasionally asking about the pieces I didn’t recognise. As with many Bosmer, his stature was certainly in no way reflective of his courage and skill.

When we finally left some hours later, it was dark outside.

“Time flies like an arrow, my boy,” Daenlin said, patting me on the shoulder, “I hope you’ll both visit again.”

“Of course.” Cirinwe and I said in unison.

“May all your hunts be swift, safe, and successful.” the old mer waved as we departed.

Bravil at night has a very different feel to it than during the day. The darkness seems to cling to the alleyways and the ramshackle houses are alive with creeping shadows and suspicious figures. Growing up in Leyawiin I had heard tales of skooma dealers, thieves, and various other unlawful sorts making Bravil their home.

I’d been heading towards the Mages Guild, assuming that Cirinwe would be keen to get some rest. As usual though, my companion surprised me.

“Haa-Rei.” she began.

“Cirinwe.” I replied.

“Could we…not sleep at the guild?”

“Of course. What’s wrong with the guild?” I was curious. Free room and board in a warm guild hall was certainly difficult to pass up.

“Nothing’s wrong, it’s just…we’re adventurers, right? Sleeping under the stars is what adventurers do.”

She certainly was an adventurer now. Kitted out in full heavy armour, fresh from hunting down a fearsome minotaur and clearing an ancient ruin.

“Fair enough,” I shrugged, “There are plenty of good camping spots near the ruin, and we know that the area is safe.”

And so, we headed back out towards Anutwyll. The large, flat white stones around the ruin make perfect camping spots. While I got a fire going, Cirinwe made herself some food – a selection of leaves and berries with a drizzle of olive oil. Once she had eaten we sat in silence, drinking tea and watching the stars glitter above us. I had all my senses on the alert for danger, as usual, but I felt much more relaxed. I knew that if anything should approach, Cirinwe and I would be more than able to defend ourselves.

“Haa-Rei…” Cirinwe said again after a while.

“Cirinwe.” I replied.

“I want to tell you.” she paused after that, and required a prompt before continuing.

“Tell me…”

“About myself. About why I left home. About everything. I…trust you.” Her face flushed with colour, but she looked determined.

“If you’re sure, then I would be honoured to listen to your story.” I bowed my head slightly and poured us both some more tea.

“Right. Yes.” Cirinwe cleared her throat and fidgeted around a little to get more comfortable.

Then her story began.