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]

I will remain disciplined and post no more often than I should. I fear the damage may have already been done, judging from the number of comments. But that's ok, because I am having a BLAST!

@ mALX - Thanks as always for your comments. Just so you know, I have started reading about the exploits of Maxical (Excellent writing, BTW) but I'll wait to start posting until I have caught up. This might take a while...

@ Acadian - Thanks for the nits, and I have picked them. I am always glad to receive advice. And thanks as well for the story comments. I do believe some hunting is on the horizon.

@ Both of you - I am glad you are enjoying Talasma as much as I am. Plugging a personality into an NPC has been great fun.

On to Chapter 5...

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Chapter 5 – Seeking, Then Hunting

Outside the inn, thunder still rolled through the hills in the distance. The rain had slowed to just a drizzle and I shivered briefly at the slight chill in the air. I looked up the street to my right. There was another shop with a sign that had what looked like an open book on it. I walked that way and grinned as the writing came into focus. “Renoit’s Books” it read.

Knowledge…

I entered the book shop. The scent of old paper and leather bindings competed with the aroma of burning wood from the fireplace. Standing near a table was a woman that I assumed to be the shop owner. I walked over to her and she introduced herself as Estelle Renoit, and stated that she was indeed the proprietor.

I explained that I was new to the area and that I was looking for books that could teach me the local customs, politics, or anything else that could help me become better acquainted with this land. She quoted several titles and gave me brief descriptions that sounded promising. Then she quoted the prices. Unfortunately, my dwindling supply of coinage would not permit me any purchases at those prices. Explaining my financial dilemma to her, she simply stated that the books were for buying and that this wasn’t a library. I thanked her for her time and left the shop empty handed.

So much for the traditional approach to education…

I decided to spend the morning exploring the town. Maybe I would overhear someone talking about some work. As I took in the sights, I deliberately walked near people that were having conversations, eavesdropping for information. I rounded the corner where the inn was located, and followed the next lane up a gentle slope toward a huge oak tree. A shop called “Fire & Steel” was located across from the inn. Smoke from the chimney and the ringing of a hammer pounding metal against an anvil described it as a blacksmith’s shop.

At the end of the lane, I found two more buildings with signs on them. “Fighter’s Guild” and “Mage’s Guild” their labeling proclaimed. This was one place where Talasma said I could find work. I wasn’t too keen on the idea of working for a guild that required fighting to be paid, and she hadn’t said anything about making money working for mages.

Just then, I overheard a man talking to an elegant looking woman in a green velvet dress. He was commenting to her about someone named Honditar, saying that he was a good hunter and knew his way around this area very well. I walked over to the gentleman and then, fibbing that I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, inquired about Honditar.

“He’s an Altmer that has a house outside the city walls,” the man said, “You may see him in town from time to time. You can’t miss him. He walks around with a bow and quiver. There he is now.”

He pointed to someone walking up the street. Honditar was an impossibly tall man, with a bow and quiver slung over his shoulder. He wore a dark green shirt and leather pants. His skin was a golden color. He had combed back hair that was bright silver verging on white, his hair line forming a widow's peak in the center of his forehead. I thanked the man and started walking toward the tall man. The Altmer stopped in front of me when I reached him.

“Hello sir. I don’t mean to keep you, but I wonder if you could help me out?” I asked, smiling politely.

“Perhaps I can, perhaps I cannot,” the Altmer replied without a smile.

“My name is Talendor. I am new to this area. I see that you are an archer,” I said, pointing to his bow and quiver.

“I am indeed. I’m Honditar. Hunter and mountain man. You asked if I could help you.”

“Yes, well, I am also an archer and I am interested in hunting game in this area. Can you give me any tips or advice?” I asked.

“The deer are skittish and will lead you on a merry chase if you fail to drop them with your first shot. Try poisoning your arrows. It won’t affect the meat at all,” he said, “but be wary. There are other creatures in the forest much more aggressive than deer. I hope that helps,” he said and started on his way again.

“Um…yeah. Well…thanks for the advice and warning, Honditar. Perhaps we will meet again after my hunting trip?” I said with my best 'fellow hunter' banter.

“Perhaps we will, perhaps we won’t,” he replied over his shoulder.

I had hoped that Honditar would share a little more information than that, but he didn’t seem to be in a good mood and I didn’t want to seem pushy. I continued my walking trip around Chorrol. Past the smith’s shop there was a rundown looking place that I learned was “The Gray Mare”. It was the other inn that Talasma had spoken of, and none too highly of at that. Up the hill from there was a castle. I assumed that the mayor or some such must live there. Suddenly, my stomach growled and I realized that I had killed the entire morning. I went back to the inn for some lunch.

After a quick meal of jerked beef and cheese and some ale, I went up to my room and changed into my armor. I emptied the contents of my satchel onto the bed to make room for all of the meat and pelts I would be carrying back into town. I grabbed my bow and quiver. Adrenaline started coursing through my veins, and I felt the need to hurry. I was so excited that I took the stairs two at a time when I returned downstairs. With nothing more than a parting wave to Talasma, I strode out the door and toward the south gate.

Once I was outside the town, I slowed my pace. As soon as I cleared the town walls, I turned left and started skulking through the tall grass and brush. I overheard one of the gate guards say something in a sardonic tone to his partner about “checking out the master hunter”, but I paid it no heed. I continued along, crouched and attentive, with the town wall not more than fifteen feet to my left. I came across a mine entrance. The mine itself looked like it had been abandoned for some time. The door at the entrance was barely on its hinges. However, there were some fairly fresh looking tracks leading to and from the door. I continued the hunt.

A little further on, I stopped dead in my tracks. Through the trees and brush, I could see Weynon Priory. I wanted to be nowhere near that place. I retraced my steps, walking normally now, back to the gate. The guards were pointing at me and laughing.

“What, no trophies?” one of them said.

They both laughed even harder now. I frowned and turned along the path away from the gate. I would show them. When I reached the Black Road, I continued straight across and into the brush. I couldn’t see far because of the uneven terrain. I walked up a small rise with a crumbling stone wall. There was a much better view of the area when I reached the top. I scanned down the hill and through the trees. Not a deer in sight, or any other animal for that matter.

What did you expect? Herds of deer stretching out for as far as the eye can see?

I turned west, keeping the road in sight so I wouldn’t get lost, and continued my hunt. I topped another small rise just in time to see a deer scamper away in front of me. I quickly drew out my bow and nocked an arrow, but the deer was gone. Honditar had called the deer “skittish”. That seemed an understatement at this moment. I kept the bow out and arrow nocked, and continued in the direction the deer had run. Suddenly, there it was again. With lightning speed I raised the bow, aimed, and shot. The arrow found nothing but air, and eventually, I assume it found the ground. Regardless of what it found, I frowned over the fact that I would never see it again. The deer mocked me with flashes of its white tail as it bounced away…again.

Well that arrow is history. Good shot knot-head!

I combed the woods near Chorrol for hours, losing three more arrows to bouncing white deer butts. The sun was getting low and with a dejected sigh, I decided to call it a day. My hunting tactics definitely needed improvement. Just as I turned to head back, movement caught my eye in the brush ahead. I crouched immediately. More movement. It wasn’t a deer…too small. I crept closer. I could hear my pulse in my temples. Whatever it was, it hadn’t noticed me yet. I could see dark brown fur through the grass. I nocked an arrow, pulled the bowstring to my cheek, and released. At that very moment, the animal reared on its hind legs with its back to me. The arrow struck it dead center in its back and sent it flying.

“Yaaaaaheeeeee!” I yelled, jumping into the air. I ran to my prey and all of the excitement ran out of my heart the second I saw it. I had killed a rat. A filthy, stinking rat! Despair dropped my shoulders. I placed a foot on the fruit of my stalking and removed the arrow. I started to just walk away, but then decided to place the vermin corpse into my satchel. Even if I couldn’t sell it, I may be reduced to eating it when I became broke.

Some trophy…

Back at the south gate, I was grateful to see that the two guards had been relieved by others. I entered the town and walked over to Northern Goods & Trade, went in and met Seed-Neeus at the top of the stairs.

“It looks like someone has been hunting. Any luck?” she asked.

“Not really,” I said, pulling the rat from my satchel by the tail, “Do you buy these?”

She flicked her forked tongue out rapidly a couple of times, and then she said, “Well, we Argonians don’t mind a little rat meat now and again, but it is not a big seller in these parts. I might be able to sell it to Rena for her dogs. It would be better if it was cleaned. I’ll tell you what. I will give you one Septim for it. But next time, you have to clean it first.”

I handed the rat to her and she dropped the coin in my hand. Without a word, I turned and left. I felt completely demoralized. With sagging shoulders and a lowered head, I dragged myself back to the inn.

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EDIT - Nits picked.

This post has been edited by TheOtherRick: Feb 4 2011, 02:00 PM