Okay, I remember what I wanted to say all week.

So when I began her game last year, I used a console command to set the date. I wanted her game to start late in Frost Fall, and now I remember why. The following story corresponds to October 29, the real-life day and month I rolled Miss 'Prima.

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Her Day of Birth

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Fredas, 29th of Frostfall

Laprima awoke early in the morning from another dream. In this one she'd been riding a white horse, galloping across scrubby-looking plains. The air was misty. Soft rain drizzled from the sky. She was headed toward a cave, located somewhere near a river with lots of stones in it. Mountains in the distance, birds in the sky. As she approached the river and then the cave, the horse slowed from a gallop to a canter, then finally eased to a walk.

And why was she here? Because somewhere deep in the cave there was supposed to be a sheaf of papers. Prose or poetry, which was wanted by Viarmo the Headmaster.

Laprima was about to enter the cave when a voice interrupted. "I trust that you'll do the right thing, and enter Dead Man's Reach," spoke an emotively-trained alto voice. Laprima jumped. Viarmo had appeared out of thin air, it'd seemed. Somehow, he was now standing right next to her. "You need to convince aunt Elisif to allow us to burn the effigy of King Olaf!" he whined.

She was just about to follow through; she was actually on her way inside the wretched place. It was at that very moment when she woke up.

"Huhnk! Oh, dreadful," she spoke aloud, shaking her head at the thought of it.

As was her habit, she immediately grabbed for her journal, inked a quill, and began scrawling as much as she could recall. A horse.... a cave... misty air, overly-grey skies... She'd been keeping journals ever since she was eight. Each one was full of her wants, her dreams, a variety of drawings and doodles, and so on. These journals also helped her stay organized for school. One of the ways she did this was to pay strict attention to dates. Which day of the month it was, which day of the week, and so on.

"Fredas, twenty-ninth of Frost Fall..."

Suddenly she realized: today was her day of birth. Her twenty-first day of birth, in fact! -- And what should be done about this? Anything? Should there be some sort of gathering, some sort of observance later on, perhaps with Chamany, and all the court?

Laprima hadn't been in the habit of celebrating these sorts of things, not since she was a young child. Not since her brother disappeared, and the Darkness began to pervade her adolescent life. But with Sybille's good news about Elijah becoming more of a reality in her mind, she'd been experiencing a turn of positivity these past three days. Things had changed for the better.

Still, maybe it was too late to really do anything by now. How exactly did one celebrate an adult's day of birth, anyway? - For children there were games, there were amusements, there were magic tricks (which weren't always tricks). But how did grown folks go about this? Seemed like things of this sort needed more planning.

"Ach." Laprima dropped the whole matter. Began getting dressed for work. Looked toward her windows, and guessed morning was already half past. "Perhaps I should merely stride my way toward the Skeever."

And that's exactly what she did. Maybe later on when she found her man, both of them could share some festivities after her shift was over.





"Chamany!" Laprima nearly squealed, one hour later. "Is that you? - Uch, you frightened me!"

Laprima had just gotten to work. Ten minutes before she'd been at the clothing store across the aveneue, where she purchased a spectacularly functional outfit fit for an alewife. Her new dress was composed of an auburn-colored bodice made from hand-stretched fleece, olive-green under-tunic, and a burgundy skirt. She'd put these clothings on, headed into the Skeever. Realized she needed to a place to store the original clothes she'd worn. Where could this be?

She headed into the Skeever's cellar, found a chest she could use, turned around...





"Well wha--" she stammered, blinking, truly stunned. "Why are you milling about down here, mon amour?"

He was wearing clothes she'd never seen before.

"Eh, yes. I am sorry to have made disturbed you," he said quietly, standing very still. "Many pardons."

"'Tis alright," she jittered. "I just. Well, why are you..."

"Oh," he said, interrupting her. "I have this to say. This is, I have found for us a nightstand, as you have request from two days ago. It shall be delivered as this afternoon."

"You have found for us a nightstand," Laprima replied while putting her arms into the air, gesturing, confused.

Her man smiled, pleased at himself for remembering to inform her perhaps, while Laprima stashed the clothes she'd originally worn into the chest she'd found. She then turned. Stared at him, hand on hip. Expecting more.

"Listen," he started quietly. "The Skeever, it is a good place. No? A place where many can make show, and have oneself some good times. One can be oneself in the crowd, so to say, in the Winking Skeever."

"I ... well. Surely." She continued to stare. Expecting him to continue. Above them, Lisette the bard began strumming her lute while singing softly, warming her voice for the afternoon to come.

Chamany smiled. "Perhaps you'd better rise to the upstairs," he whispered.

"Chamany? What's this about? Why are you... I... well I do not understand."

Her fiancé made no reply at first. "Perhaps you'd better rise to the upstairs."

The barmaid slowly nodded. Decided to do just that. As she did so; as she climbed one flight of stairs and then the next, it was as though the awkward scene of a playwright's story transpired to a pleasant, more familiar one. Laprima walked from the stairs to the tavern's proper serving area. Spoke to Barre Bakkh, obtained her daily tally-sheet. And was ready to begin her day. She strode across the floor, forgetting about her beau for now. A lady with light-colored hair was seated nearby. Time to get to work.

"Morning. Might I get anything for ye, dear?"

"My name's Gisli, but you can just call me Erikur's sister. Everyone does."

Laprima addressed her first customer, the same snob from Radiant Raiments who'd been here the day before. Seems Gisli was, unfortunately, one of the regulars. Laprima approached the snob with just a wee bit of apprehension. Here we go.

"May I get you anything?" she repeated.

"Ugh, can'tcha see I'm busy, wench!"

Other than this frightful moment, the rest of her second day of work passed by smoothly. Today was slower than it'd been the day before. For hours, nobody new came into the Skeever on Frost Fall the twenty-ninth, despite it being a Fredas. Hmm, Fredas. Did many folks not end their work-week on this very day? - Laprima thought so. So where was everybody? After a few hours of sauntering about, the barmaid finally sat down to give her feet a rest.

"Perhaps it's the weather," Barre Bakkh opined, even though the day was sunny outside.

At some point after more hours had passed, Miss Donnaugh realized two things. Firstly, she'd completely forgotten today was her day of birth. Secondly, she'd also forgotten about Chamany, her man, still down in the cellar. Though she hadn't been paying full attention throughout her shift, never did she see him come upstairs.

Laprima finished her shift with not quite the same enthusiasm as the day before. She served her last customer, an elderly Nord, and received the day's compensation. Headed downstairs to retrieve her morning outfit, wondering why her man hadn't been up to claim a table. Wondered what he'd been doing down here in the first place, apparently for the entire day.

She walked back to the chest where she'd stashed her clothes.

Chamany LaCroix was no longer here.

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

Our protagonist, taking a break

Laprima's workmates, gossiping on a slow day

Gisli, also known as Erikur's Sister (which everyone calls her)
.

Laprima is having literal dreams of being an adventurer. The funny thing is January literally just did this quest last night. I wonder if Laprima will ever make her dreams come true? Or will she be a regular Tamrielite like Daria?

Fredas always makes me think of Fred Flintstone...

I still don't trust Chamany. He already used Laprima as an unwitting drug mule. He has a habit of just disappearing and reappearing. He reminds me of the RL Carlos the Jackal. He was a terrorist who had girlfriends all through Europe, and hid guns and explosives at their houses without their knowledge.

She is looking nice and colorful in her new outift. As the kids today say, it really pops.

Sounds like Laprima might have use of Belrand's services after all.

Chamany might be a wizard, for all we know. Adept at teleportation...

That bard quest just keeps resurfacing in Laprima’s thoughts. Somehow, I don’t think we’ve heard the last of that quest or the effigy burning of King Olaf.

And happy twenty first birthday!

Off to work she goes and into a lovely new tavern dress. And in the basement of the tavern she finds its namesake – the skeever called Chamany. At this point, I’m hoping LPD wises up and gets rid of that guy – he reeks of trouble.

I guess I've been waiting for that moment since the 1st story.

One more story to catch up on, then I'm back on the trail.

Isn't that always the way? Right when you've started settling into your new role, in comes someone from your past to mess it up. Granted, Chamany's not exactly from Laprima's past, but it feels the same: something from her old life messing up her present.

There's simply no way that Laprima can afford to trust Chamany. I just hope she realizes this before she gets even deeper into trouble.

Don't trust a man who doesn't even remember the birthday of his supposedly loved one!

This post has been edited by Lopov: Feb 25 2023, 02:33 PM

The funny thing is, Chamany appearing down in the basement was a random thing. No quests at all. He's got some AI which makes him wander around, but not specfically into the basement. NPCs don't usually go down there. It surprised me just as much as it surprised my gal.


@Rosa-- Same thing with Teresa, eh? I read some Teresa of the Faint Smile last night, learned that she eventually began doing Umbacano's quests. Not to get rich, but so she could afford a house for Simplicia. And because of that, that's how she eventually became involved with adventuring.

Chamany certainly is based on some of the many nefarious men who live double-lives, but the good thing is he's not a womanizer. No girlfriends all over the place. Not sure I could write about something like that. Already too much of that as it is.

Yeah, mod-added outfits are always great to explore. So much fun. I haven't even gotten to ghastley's trove yet.


@Lena-- She might hire Belrand in the future, who knows? See, part of this story is random. We follow our character's wishes to an extent, and then use our mod ideas to structure the things which surround them.

Cham's a wizard, all right! Not in this sort of way, though.


@Paladin! -- Thanks! I almost missed the in-game date, too, yikes I would've been mad if that one got by.

As stated, Cham appearing down there was not a planned thing. All of that happened as I was merely gaming with my gal. She wanted a place to hide her dress, and next thing you know, her guy was standing right there. Stuff like that has to go into the story, in fact it added an extra, unexpected chapter.


@Scoundrel-- Elisif won't be playing as much a role now that they've smashed heads. She will appear later on in the story, but not in the same way. Relief, eh?

Are you sure he forgot her bday? 🍰


@Clav-- Oh yeah, she's definitely losing her trust in her man, but hold that thought.

This next chapter... I don't know what you all are going to think of it. Sort of nervous, actually.

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Cannot Return to Past Ways

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Her second day ever of work should've been followed by the same simple feelings of accomplishment as the first. The day before, she'd been satisfied. She'd been proud.

But tonight, Laprima stood in the Winking Skeever's cellar, a mixture of befuddlement and ire overcoming. Because of Chamany. Who exactly was Chamany LaCroix, other than a former student, turned smuggler? -- Just four days ago, he promised he'd given up his former ways, now that both of them had lots of coin stashed. So what was he doing, skulking down here earlier? And why had his answers been so vague the other night, when she asked him how he'd been filling his days?

Part of her was feeling as though perhaps she'd committed an enormous blunder. Coming here, coming to Skyrim, that is. She'd been the daft one, falling for a man whom she thought she'd known well. Had journeying to this strange, cold land been the right thing to do? Every single day in Solitude so far, the man she loved was becoming more of a paradox.

Upstairs, some sort of commotion was going on. Lots of shoes and boots had moved onto the floor above, stomp! clomp! clump! It had been slow all day; perhaps now was the time when the place got busier. Well, of course it got busier. Everyone was done with their workdays, by this hour. The dock-workers, the shopkeepers, those who ran the smith, maybe a town guard or two, maybe Falk Firebeard, maybe even the town beggar, all of them would be here, celebrating the end of another week of toil.

She wiped a set of tears from her eyes as she packed her belongings. Began climbing the stairs, fuming. Saw herself quickly pacing across the floor so she could exit the tavern, avoiding eye contact, avoiding direct conversation. If she did it right, she'd be out the door and back at the palace, where she'd hopefully find Chamany. Then they could talk. Then, she would confront him. About all of this. Whatever 'this' is.

She walked from the stairs to the tavern's serving area.







"What--??"

She was surrounded. Chamany was here, and so was his near-twin Barre Bakkh. Corpulus Vinius thrust a mug full of drink into her hand, while Laprima's jaw went slack and she nearly dropped her bag.

"This is for your day of birth," her fiancé said with a wink. He gave her a small gift box while the tavern's inhabitants whooped and hollered.

"Drats. You trickster!"

So this is what he'd been up to earlier, Laprima assumed.

As the tavern's floor filled with patrons, Lisette the bard began singing and playing. Over half the place dallied around. There were ladies, there were gents, commoners and patricians, pantaloons and skirts, those who'd lost, and those who'd prospered, there was even a young child seen joining the grownups' merriment. Some of these folks were strangers, others were those Laprima served earlier in the day. Everyone, dancing! Everyone, smiling! - Even Gisli the snob was present. Although the bitter woman who'd previously slighted Miss Donnaugh remained in her seat, she had a slick smile on her face while doing so, as though she was amused.





Their revelry lasted an hour or so. Laprima, unsure how to celebrate her own day, became tipsy with drink. What a surprise! And her beau somehow managed to plan all of this without her knowing. Lady Donnaugh, she'd never felt such joy, not during any of her young-adult life thus far, anyway. Her previous doubts and worries, pushed aside.

But no one's day of birth lasts forever. As the partygoers began to head home one after the other, eventually Laprima and Chamany followed suit, wavering a bit on their feet while their imbibements swirled.

As they walked back to the palace, a lone figure watched, quietly from the shadows. "Curses!"

The woman they'd seen the night before, the same one who was currently engaged to Chamany, that blasted, pompous ass who'd started this all, was not walking home alone. In fact, Chamany was here, right there with her.

"I shall have to wait another night," the shadowy figure grumbled in anger.




Loredas, Frost Fall 30

Laprima awoke the next morning to find her man milling about their bedroom.

"Lovely," Laprima began. "Such a night of feasting did you and I partake, eh?" She yawned. Still lying in bed, she noticed her head had that same feeling she'd experienced long ago, when she and her ladyfriends back home would sneak liquor from her father's libations cabinet. Despite this, she was already looking forward to her day.

And what should she do on this day, this Loredas day? Corpulus had told her she could take the entire weekend off if she wanted; the Skeever already had someone who could handle the floor during weekends. So, perhaps she and Chamany could spend their time walking about town, taking in its flourishing sights.

"What shall we do today, dear? And I ask this while considering one word of caution. Which is to say, no more spirits!"

Chamany was still wearing the same strange clothings he'd worn the day before, but had added a leather-colored hood atop of his head. "Laprima," he said.

"Aye, I am she."

He sat upon one of their chairs across their room. "Laprima. I need for you to me, listen."

The hood he was wearing hung a bit over his eyes, so that she could mainly see the lower half of his face. Despite their previous night night of festivity, there was now an aura of seriousness about him.

"Alright." She got out of bed, and took a seat as well. Ironically, it was this moment when Laprima noticed the nightstand he'd promised four days ago. It was here, placed next to her main dresser.

"I need for you to me listen, Laprima. Is very important. A task for you, you can say."

"A ...task?" She shook her head left, then right. Immediately saw where this was going. "Chamany. If the thought you are grappling in any way involves skooma..."

"Oh no. No skooma," he wagged, placing three fingers to his lips. "I need for you to do something. Mm, we need for you to help."

His voice was slow. Chamany LaCroix looked tired, as though he hadn't just slept next to her for the past eight hours or so.

"Now keep you must know," he continued. "That this is just for the once. We need for you to ... eh... how you say? - Déverrouiller une porte. To make pick for a lock. I should say ... we should say, that we need for you to make pick a lock."

"Make pick a lock? - You wish for me to pick a lock?"

"Yes, yes. And just for the once. You pick a lock for me, eh? And just for the once time. In days before you come here to Skyrim, you have pick for lock in the jewels store, down in Cyrodiil, yes? Se souvenir. And now, we need for you to pick for one lock here in the Solitude, as well."

"I ... shall ... not!" she nearly shouted, a slip of anger presenting. "Chamany! I shall do no such thing!" She grabbed an apple off the table. "I cannot return to my past ways, particularly as per my standing now with Elisif."

"Yes," he replied. "This is what I think you will say. I know as this, Laprima. But before you give up to make pick one lock, I must show you something."

He handed her a heavy object, which she (at first) wanted to throw across the room, where it would shatter upon the nearest wall. But then, her eyes turned downward, if only to see what it was she'd be throwing, and shattering.

It was a crystal goblet, bluish-white in color, its glazing somewhat translucent. Although she now held a vessel which was designed to contain drink, right away she guessed this one had never done so. She passed it from one hand to the other, unsure of what exactly she was holding. As she did so, she could feel its magic, frisking astir within her palms.

"Please look, into the cup," he suggested.

Laprima rose from her seat, staring at Chamany as though she didn't know him. Who, pray-tell, is this sodden husband-to-be of mine? Perhaps now was the time to have that talk she'd mulled the night before.

After a few moments though, she obliged. Gazed into the crystal. And what she saw caused a look of stunning and then horror to flash across her face.

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

Dancing and Feasting

"You want me to pick a lock?"

Gazing into the crystal
.

Opa! We have that here in Detroit at the Greek Coney Islands.

Party in the Skeever! Happy B-day Prima!

Uh oh, The Shadow Man is lurking in the... well... shadows. Probably some underworld contact of Cham's, or a rival.

It looks like Cham has his thieving outfit on.

Yep. Just when she thinks she is out, they pull her back in.

Great going, Renee! And ending on a cliffhanger... I won't be gossiping until it's clear what is going on!

Well the party at the Skeever was a pleasant enough surprise, but not enough to redeem Skeever LaCroix.

Uh-oh, a mysterious stranger. . . this can't be good.

And sure enough, Chamany is trying to coax LPD into more crime. What does the lock he wants her to pick protect? What magic animates that goblet and what is it showing LPD?

Oooo, sorry! About the cliff-hanger that is. Two in a row, in fact.

Problem is, the next part of the story's going to require I stay with it for a while, which definitely would've made this week's chapter too long, so it had to get broken up. Some of the chapters so far have been longer ones, and I don't want to seem indulgent as we move forward.

Thanks for the feedback, at least.

I didn't mean it as criticism, actually. Cliff-hangers are allowed! It is a valid way to keep your readers bound to your story! I do it all the time... Well, may be not all the time, but from time to time for sure.

Honestly I was more worried about the fact that Chamany tricked her, which caused a huge dovetail in the story with the party and all. I thought some of you would be upset about that!

This post has been edited by Renee: Feb 26 2023, 05:27 PM

I was, still am. I felt her hurt of being forgotten. I felt her elation at being remembered with the party in her honor. Yet, I know that once the euphoria of the party is over in a day or two the pain of the cruel prank will return. I never spoke to several of the conspirators again.

Oh, oh. Chamany is at it again. Don't you just love drinking from the Cup of Destiny

This post has been edited by macole: Feb 27 2023, 04:56 AM

As some of you may've noticed in that last story, I finally got an animation mod, which I think 'Rosa recommended a while ago: Puppeteer Master. It was last updated in 2012, and it's a little clunkier to use than Actor's Ball for Oblivion, but at least it does work. There was another mod I tried called Universal Poses which for some reason just couldn't figure out.

The "party" pics took close to an hour to arrange. Because I had to use Amazing Follower Tweaks to make each NPC a follower, lead them to the dance floor, wait until they weren't staring at some wall or whatever, use Puppeteer to make them pose (this means using the "Shout" button while aiming at the NPC, and then quickly going into Laprima's Apparel menu to select the NPC icon), and then finally use the TAI console command to freeze each one in place. After all that sometimes frustrating work, I only took two screenshots! Wish I'd gotten more.

I also wanted to find something which adds crystal balls into Skyrim so Laprima could gaze into that. Couldn't find any, though. Puppeteer has a pose which for some reason has the PC holding a goblet. 🍵

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SR: Again, quite funny that both our stories last week had parties in them. Totally unplanned, too. Just think of the odds.

"It looks like Cham has his thieving outfit on."

Funny thing about his outfits is recently I've figured out how to make NPCs "change" their clothes. So the cool thing now is, every other time we see Chamany in the game he's wearing something different.

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LW: True that, cliffies do make the reader quipped for more. They can be frustrating too, I get it! Especially for TV shows we grew up watching (well... not you personally. I know you don't watch TV). The most famous from my childhood was "Who shot J.R.?" on the show Dallas.

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Ac: That party was a late idea, too. 🎈 🎂 I think I was at work and saw something which reminded me of something, and next thing you know WHOA what a great idea. One which has never been done in a Fiction, so far as I know.

Has Buffy ever celebrated her Bday in-game?

No magic in the goblet, really. That part was imagination.

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mc: Aw, such kind words, friend. Yes, birthdays can be a weird, emotional thing, even for some of us who are grownups. I have a friend for instance. If you call or text her on her bday she gets upset, and I mean, she's yelled at me before. If you don't contact her at all that's even worse!

Anyway, next story coming up soon.

.
____________________________

I am not a writer, I am a thief.

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"So dreadful, Chamany."

"Is not so easy as to watch," he replied. "I know this."

Laprima said nothing. Her fingers trembled a bit. Within the goblet's cup a series of visions were being magically displayed.

"She is very sick," Chamany replied. "And we need potion for to make her better. The medicine woman, Angeline, she has inside her shop this potion, of this we know, yes. But ... she no give to us potion. She no sell for us. And great coin is made to be given to her, made to offer. But still, Angeline says 'no'."

Laprima could not reply as of yet, even after the goblet's little picture-show ended. Chamany took the goblet from her hand. "So for us, you will do this? In her shop, you pick just one lock, please?"

Her plans for the day had not included this sudden request, of course. When she'd arisen that morning all she'd been looking forward to was spending the rest of the day with him. But after gazing into the cup and viewing what she'd seen...

"Well, I suppose I can assist," she answered with reluctance. "If all you mention is true. It is not right that the apothecary should be so hesitant to assist."

"Many thanks. You have our many thanks."

Laprima stayed silent. Lost in thought.

"Here for you are lockpicks," he said, handing over a small leather pouch. "And find somewhere within the Angeline's potion shop is a chest, which is hiding. You find, please."

Laprima was grinding her teeth softly. Little clicking noises emitted her aristocratic jaw.

Chamany reached into the pouch a second time. "The final piece is here," he said, handing her a small decanter filled with a green, glowing powder. "You must give to potions lady this, as she speaks to you. It shall for her... eh... make distraction. Because Angeline is owner of this shop, she like to follow all around if you try to walk from her, away. Oi? You understand?"

"I, well I am not so sure that I do."

"You give to potion lady this," he said, pointing to the bottle he'd handed her. "Is glowing dust, also of magic. It make for her distraction. And she no follow at you, all over potion shop."

Laprima nodded. "You are saying, if I give Angeline this bottle of glowing powder, she will not follow me all about her shop?"

"Aye, that."

Chamany reached into a pocket where he found some more lockpicks. Gave them to her. He explained that he'd found two unused (but locked) coin-boxes she could try to break into for practice, right here in the Blue Palace. Both of these boxes were located in a remote storage area in which hopefully, nobody would discover her as she practiced.

"And for you, are these."

He grabbed into the pouch once again, handed over a couple of books: Advances in Lockpicking and Proper Lock Design. "You can read, for study," he suggested. These were common books. Laprima'd already pored both of these during her architecture class down in Cyrodiil, but that was several months ago. Wouldn't hurt to refresh her memory. If only for ... academic purposes.

"Well, I must... I must mull all this over."

But after taking a few moments to recall the horrid visions she'd seen in the goblet, Laprima Donnaugh decided to start Advances in Lockpicking. If only to ... get her mind away from those visions.

I am not a writer. I am a thief. I am a good thief. I am not such a good writer.
Anyway, I want to write about picking locks.
I read a book about designing locks once. It was good. It gave me lots of ideas...

She eventually moved on to Proper Lock Design, while her fiance laid down and slept. This Chamany! she thought fiercely. He has tricked me again! - He knows of my devotion toward study and tutelage, and my passion concerning the workings of locks. Oh, how very clever you are, my love...

How very clever, indeed. It seemed morning had passed into afternoon by the time she finished reading.

She realized she was hungry. Hours had gone by, yet she hadn't eaten. She grabbed herself a loaf of bread from the basket next to her bed. As she tore pieces away and began chewing, she decided to see if Chamany was right, about there being some doors and safes somewhere in the palace she could attempt to unlock. Just for the purposes of practice, of course.




Loredas, Frost Fall 30, late afternoon

Laprima and Chamany headed over to the Winking Skeever as the hours grew long. Here they shared a bottle of spiced wine, which the noblewoman took sips of in an effort to increase her courage.

"Perhaps you'd better go," he eventually suggested.

And she agreed. Left the Skeever, unsure if she was ready. Outside it was beautiful, full of sunshine. Nice to know that not every day in Skyrim was blustery and cold. Laprima took a moment to feel the day's warmth before striding into Angeline's Aromatics.

"Good afternoon," said an elder woman wearing a utilitarian smock over a tan blouse. The woman stood behind a counter. Dozens of phials and bottles, ewers and beakers sat upon shelves, all around the shop. Odd piles of herbs and flowers and even insects were arranged here and there.

"Afternoon," Laprima greeted.

"My name is Angeline Morrard, and this is Angeline's Aromatics. Might I ask of you a question?"

"Surely, you may."

"It's good to see a fresh face. You wouldn't have happened to have been to Whiterun, have you?" Angeline asked sadly. -- When Laprima explained that she'd just arrived in Skyrim just a few days prior and had no idea where Whiterun is, Angeline changed the subject. "So, you're interested in my potions and ingredients?"

"This is quite so!" Laprima chimed brightly, maybe even giddily. 'Tis the wine, thought she. She’d sipped upon this wine to hopefully increase her courage.

"You mentioned you are new in town?"

"Aye. Arrived Frost Fall the twenty-fourth. Say, might you perchance spend a moment, to have a look at this?"

Laprima pulled the decanter given to her by Chamany earlier that morning out of a pocket, and passed it to Angeline. The ornate bottle was filled with green dust, which glowed eerily inside. "'Tis full of magical powder, as can be seen. It has been mentioned to me that whatever essence is contained within is quite rare."

"Oh... will you look at that!" The potion lady was in awe. "Why, I've never seen such colors before..."

Chamany was right: Angeline Morrard stood transfixed, completely distracted, staring with stupid fascination at the bottle she held in her hand. As she did so, Laprima began to slip away from the counter, toeing slowly to the right. Angeline Morrard did not seem to notice this. Her eyes were locked. When Laprima was out of eyesight she ducked behind a large stone column, which she peeked around. Splendid. Angeline was still behind her counter, almost hypnotically still.





Laprima moved quietly forward, passed into a backroom, and closed its door behind her. Now she was in what looked to be an all-purpose area, partially for reading, partially for dining. Still hunkered down, Laprima scanned the room for any sort of chest. Did not see one, so she continued to her left. Down a set of stairs, into the shop's cellar. Found an old wooden chest. The chest was unlocked. Inside was a litany of miscellaneous junk. It did not contain anything close to the special potion which Chamany told her about.

Time ticked by too quickly it seemed, as the Blue Palace's newest family member scampered about the cellar. Still distracted upstairs, apparently, Angeline Morrard began humming a tune.

Laprima reversed direction. Left the cellar, climbing stairs until she reached the upper floor. One bedroom, then another, both of their doors unlocked.

"Fuddles!" Laprima whispered. "How in oblivion could Chamany have figured that this supposed potion is even here?"

Finally, a locked door. She grabbed for the pouch full of lockpicks as a trickle of sweat dripped from her hair. She had taken Chamany's advice earlier in the day. Had found the two old, unused safes deep in the Blue Palace, and had managed to unlock both of them. In the process she'd broken a couple picks, leaving her with eighteen.

Downstairs, Angeline began pacing a bit. The noble-turned-reluctant-burglar could hear the woman's footfalls somewhere below, which caused some consternation.

Fortunately (and despite the effects of the wine she and Chamany had shared still warming her blood) Laprima was able to pick the door's lock, after her very first try. Behind the door was a small room containing bookshelves, a table, two chairs, and a large strongbox made of iron. She tried the box, which was thankfully locked. Laprima inserted a dowel into the lower portion of the keyhole, the pick into its upper end. Began feeling for tumblers as adrenaline surged within. After thinking she had placed the pick into its proper position she used the blade to turn the lock.



Concerning his instructions earlier that morning, Chamany was both right and wrong. Right, because inside the strongbox there was a particular flask filled with a pinkish liquid. Wrong, because the flask was contained within this box, not inside a chest. No matter. She grasped for the flask, then moved hurriedly downstairs. Angeline the potion lady, she was still here.

"The.... colors... oh how they glow!"

"I have returned," Laprima announced to the mesmerized woman behind the counter. "Have we opined upon the nature of the glowing dust within?"

"Why...I have never seen anything quite like this."

"Aye, that. And it would become my very pleasure if you'd prefer to keep it."

"I may keep it? Oh! You have my many thanks!" Angeline gushed, diving behind her counter. "I shall add this to my collection right away."

Laprima wasted no time. Scooted back outside, and back to the Skeever. The day was over by now. Hours had passed while she'd been prowling about, at some point night had fully taken over. Chamany was no longer in the tavern, so she bought herself a bowlful of cabbage soup, wondering if an entire garrison of Solitude guards was about to come and arrest her.

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

Laprima receives the tools of the trade

Quest Update

Advances in Lockpicking

Heading toward the Skeever - (Look at her eyes!)

*Click!*

Notes: She's really good at this! I made this quest with a mixture of Novice and Apprentice-level locks. My gal was able to pick half of them, first try.
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Ahh, so no crystal ball, but there is a cup animation. So Laprima is seeing a vision within the liquid.

Why do I get the feeling that Cham is lying to Laprima, and never tried to buy that potion?

So Chamany is loafing around while Laprima does all the work? It figures.

Well she pulled it off all by her lonesome. I wonder what that potion really is? And what Cham is going to use it for?

I have the same questions as SubRosa.

You really are weaving a fascinating tale here. Despite the ever-increasing red flags, LPD continues to be coaxed by Chamany into things I suspect she'll regret. Hmm, I wonder if he has ensorcelled her the way his phial was able to ensorcell the alchemist?