The Talendor Chronicles, Part One Options

[TheOtherRick]

AUTHORS NOTE AND DISCLAIMER

This is my first attempt at fan fiction. I am not a writer, by profession or hobby. At least it wasn't a hobby until now. We'll see where that goes. So since I am not a writer, grammatical and spelling errors may slip past the spell-check from time to time. Please feel free to point them out so that I may make the proper edits.

I have read very little fan fiction, which is to say that I have not finished reading any story that I started reading...yet. But starting to read a few has put a flow in my creative juices. (Go Buffy!) Any similarity to any other fan fiction posted in this or any other forum is purely coincidental, with one exception. I have posted this story on another site. I am posting it here because I would like feedback, and I am not getting any at the other site. The readers here seem to post more feedback than readers at the other site. I'm not trying to be a glory hound, and I encourage constructive criticism.

The story is a gameplay narrative. It starts in the 3rd person for the prologue only, the rest will be in 1st person. It is not a walk-through of the Main Quest. However, as it is a gameplay narrative, so readers will have to plod through the tutorial section much as I had to plod through while writing it. The tutorial is essential for character development, as you will see. The posts will be relatively short so that the reader will not have to wade through miles of text per post. To keep them short, I am going to borrow Acadian's chapter numbering system (1.1, 1.2, etc.) so I don't end up with three digit chapter numbers.

I hope you will enjoy...The Talendor Chronicles

Post Script - I have already screwed up. Instead of putting "Authors Note and Disclaimer" in the subject line, it should read "Part One". Is there a way to change that?

Post Script #2 - The first four installments after the Prologue are way too long. This was a rookie mistake and has been rectified Beginning with Chapter 3. I apologize for the long posts, but I promise you'll be glad you slogged through them.

This post has been edited by TheOtherRick: Feb 5 2011, 02:00 AM

[TheOtherRick]

To my two fans, a word like "brilliant" coming from you both is like mana from heaven! Thanks so much for the compliments and support! I am finding it hard to hold back the posts because I am six chapters ahead of my posts with my writing. But I shall remain true to your advice and keep the reins pulled back.

@ Acadian - Re: "Knot-head"...You will find that the not-so-long-to-be-nameless Bosmer will use that phrase often. Anyone acting in an imbecilic manner (including himself) will receive the label.

@ mALX - Indeed, the main quest is but a side road now. As much fun as it was, I was eager to get that portion of the story behind us. Perhaps we will make a sojourn back to it later.

Let's get 'Bosmer' a name, shall we...

********************

Chapter 4 – Unbound, Yet Fettered

The man was smiling and laughing. The woman was also laughing with her arm around the man’s waist. They stood in front of the home and watched the child as it giggled endlessly, chasing a butterfly. Suddenly there was a tremendous thunderclap. The youth stopped and turned in fear toward the man and woman. They were gone. The child looked around, fear growing by the moment. Dark clouds welled up from every horizon, plunging the world into twilight. The gentle breeze became wind, steadily increasing to a full blown gale. The earth began to tremble, knocking the youngster off its feet. The child began to cry. Lightning struck nearby, followed immediately by a deafening blast of thunder. Another, and then another. The frequency increased until the world became strobes of electric flashes and a cacophony of thunderous explosions. The toddler lay shrieking with terror in the grass, its face down to the ground, and its arms over the back of its head. Suddenly all was silent. Complete and total silence. The child could not even hear its own sobs when it rolled onto its back, looking up at the sky. The boiling clouds above swirled and contorted with violence. A ring of light, dim and unfocused at first, brightened within the clouds. Suddenly a rotating ring of nine points of light, like bright stars, broke through the clouds. Without any visible change in cadence, the ring evolved into two rotating rings of four stars while the remaining star grew dimmer and larger. They seemed to be amongst the undulating clouds, not in front of them or obscured by them. The two smaller rings coalesced into red orbs. The dark star grew larger and darker. The clouds morphed into the shape of a beast. The red orbs became its eyes. The large dark orb, which now more resembled a hole in space, became the beast’s mouth. The face of the beast looked straight down at the small person and charged toward it, opening its fang filled maw. The child could not hear its own screams as total darkness enveloped it…

I sat up in the bed with a scream. My hands were trembling and I was dripping with sweat. I shook my head and gave an exasperated sigh as I realized it was only a nightmare. A terrifying one, but just a dream none the less. I looked around the room and jumped when lightning flashed outside, followed by rolling, vibrating thunder. I could hear the wind blowing rain against the window.

I must have heard the storm in my sleep…

I stood up, realizing that I was still wearing my armor. I must have dozed off. I went over to the pitcher and basin on the dresser, poured water into the basin, and splashed my face with it. The water in the basin stilled and brought my reflection into focus.

Now what are you going to do Mister “I-Got-Rid-Of-It-Alive”? You no longer have the Amulet of Kings. You are unbound. Yet you are a prisoner. You have no freedom because you have no knowledge. You have no clue… You don’t even know your own name…

That last thought was the most frustrating of all. I could not introduce myself, or answer anyone that asked what my name was. Knowledge was indeed the key. I needed to learn about where and what I was before I could set my path to find out who I was. However, I desperately needed a name. It would not do to be fumbling like a senile old man if a guard demanded to know who I was. I thought of the two wood elves that I had met so far. Rindir and Thoronir. Bosmer men seemed to have one-word names.

You’re determining this after meeting only two?

I frowned. It was a chance I would have to take. I needed something that sounded similar.

Rindir…Thoronir…

Talondir?

I sounded it out. “Talon-deer,” I said aloud. It sounded like an elk with claws. Shaking my head, I changed it a bit. “Talen-door,” I said aloud this time.

“Talendor,” I repeated. It sounded good to me. Talendor it would be. If anyone asked, I was Master Talendor of Valenwood.

What if they ask you about Valenwood, you knot-head…

Perhaps it would be just plain Talendor then. One issue solved, hopefully. But I still had the issue of my lack of knowledge to contend with. Saying that I was from far away could probably fly for a while, but I would still be handicapped with ignorance about my surroundings. I decided that the pursuit of knowledge would be my primary goal for now. Gain knowledge, and a means of supporting myself. My supply of money would not last indefinitely. I got out of my armor, leaving it lying on the bed, and donned my doublet and linens. Then I grabbed my satchel, headed for the door of my room…and stopped.

Had anyone from Weynon Priory come looking for me?

I opened the door as slowly and quietly as I could. Another lightning flash made me jump, the thunder louder and quicker this time. There was no one in the hall. I slipped out of the room, closing the door just as quietly behind me, and crept toward the stairs. I stopped again before descending, listening intently for voices from the common room. All was quiet. I eased down the stairs, wincing as a few of them creaked. There was still no sound. As I got low enough to see into the common room, I saw Talasma sitting on a stool behind the bar, reading a book…and purring. Her tail swung back and forth like a pendulum on a clock. I took the next step and the tread squealed with an unbelievably loud creak. Talasma stopped purring, raised her head and saw me immediately. She marked her place in the book, set it on a shelf under the bar and stood up.

“Good morning, Bosmer,” she said.

I tried to continue in stride so it wouldn’t look like I was sneaking about. Whether I was successful or not, she gave no hint of.

“Good morning Talasma. How are you today?” I responded. It sounded forced.

“I was just catching up on some reading. It is slow,” she gestured toward the windows, “the weather.”

As if on cue, lightning flashed. Close on its heels was a crash of thunder that made me jump again.

“Relax, Bosmer. Storms of this nature are not uncommon where I come from. This one is sure we will survive it,” Talasma said with a chuckle.

“The thunder caught me by surprise, that’s all. I’m fine,” I fibbed, still trying to forget the dream.

“Perhaps you would care for some food. Maybe a glass of mulled wine for your nerves?” she said, chuckling again.

“Some food would be nice. Eggs with some bread and cheese please. I’ll pass on the wine though. It’s a bit early for that,” I replied.

“As you wish, Bosmer.”

She walked back to the kitchen. I was sure glad to find the common room empty. Brother Jauffre was just going to have to find someone else to go heir hunting. I pulled out my coin purse and counted out twenty Septims. The remainder of the coins taunted me. Money was going to become a problem very soon if I didn’t find a way to gain some income. Talasma soon returned with a plate of food and a carafe and placed them in front of me. It smelled delicious and whetted my appetite immediately. She poured me a cup of milk from the carafe. Speaking around a bite of cheese, I innocently asked her if anything odd happened last night.

“The only strange occurrence this one noticed was you running in here like you were on fire and failing to close the door behind you,” she said with what looked like a scowl.

Think quick…

“Oh. I’m sorry about that. I thought I was being chased…by bandits…on the road…coming back from the priory.”

She cast me a sidelong glance, and then continued, “Well, to put your mind at ease, no one here heard tales of bandits on the road last night. By the way, it will be ten Septims for the breakfast.”

At least no one came looking for me…

I gave her half of the coins I had laid on the bar and tried to steer the subject.

“You wouldn’t know if anyone in town needs hired help?” I asked.

“Well, the Fighters Guild is hiring. Not bad work, if you’ve got the stones for it. Just make sure they don’t send you out on stormy days or down roads with phantom bandits.” she said, and laughed at the joke she had made at my expense, and then continued, “I am sorry, Bosmer. It’s just that you seem jumpy as a kitten with hounds at his hind quarters this morning. No offense meant.”

“None taken,” I replied. Frowning, I took a bite of food.

“If you are worried about your solvency, there are other ways to make money as well.”

“Yes?” I said with a mouth full of bread.

“Yes. You can hunt in the surrounding forest and sell the pelts and meat. You can explore some of the abandoned mines in the area. There is no telling what you might find.”

Underground again? No thank you!

Hunting had real potential though, provided there was sufficient game in the area. I mopped up the last of the egg yolk with my bread, popped it in my mouth, and washed it down with the last of the milk.

“That was a fantastic breakfast Talasma. Thank you very much,” I said as I rose.

“Talasma thanks you as well…what did you say your name was?”

“Talendor,” I replied as if I had been telling people that all my life.

“Thank you Talendor. May luck be with you in your search for employment.”

She gathered the dishware from my breakfast and took it to the kitchen. I collected the remaining ten coins from the bar and walked to the window. The storm had let up. I decided to explore the town and see what I could learn. I left The Oak & Crosier as Talasma sat back in her stool and picked up her book.

********************

EDIT - Nits picked

This post has been edited by TheOtherRick: Feb 3 2011, 03:09 PM