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]

Since everyone had pretty much the same comment, this part is easy today...

@ Everyone - I think I was worried that some purist might say, "Hey...you can't do that!" I am currently seven chapters ahead of my posts with my writing, and there are other instances of deviation from game mechanics. It is good to know that I don't have to worry about them.

As usual, thank you all for your comments and support.

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

Chapter 12 – Magicka

The walk back to Chorrol was uneventful. I had hoped to get a deer or two on the return trip, but it was not to be. The walk did give me time to contemplate. It almost seemed as if I were more than one person. On the one hand, I was a simple wood elf that relished every chance to be amongst the trees, care free and whimsical. On the other, I was an effective killer with knowledge of weapons and their efficient use. Like right now, I am walking in The Great Forest and thoroughly enjoying myself. If a wolf were to jump out, I would morph into this fearless life-taking being. Trying to puzzle it out for myself was like trying to explain the difference between red and blue to a blind man. Lost in these thoughts, the south gate of Chorrol came into my view. Rantus was standing post outside the gate and we exchanged pleasantries before I entered.

The sun was setting as I made the usual post-expedition rounds to all the shops in town and then went to the inn. Talasma had Shepherd’s Pie on the menu, advertised on a slate perched on an easel outside the front door. I could smell it the minute I walked in. I sat and gorged myself, washing it down with some very tasty red wine. I retired to my room, washed, and went to bed. I figured a good long sleep might be wise, as there was no telling what Honditar might have in store for the next excursion.

The next morning, dawn came and went a good three hours before I woke. I hadn’t realized just how tired I was. I bolted up and got dressed, feeling like I was about to miss something. Talasma must have thought I was a glutton, wolfing my breakfast down the same way I mowed through the pie last night. I paid for the meal and hurried out the door, heading for Honditar’s house. He opened the door before I knocked and invited me in.

“Here is your cut,” I said as I dropped a pouch of coins on his table.

“But I had not specified any fee for this trip,” Honditar stated as he lifted the pouch and surveyed its contents.

“It’s the least I can do. You have helped me so much.”

“I didn’t say there wouldn’t be a fee. I said that I had not specified one…yet,” he said as he unlocked and opened a small chest, placing the pouch inside, “Not money, but thank you just the same.”

Well there’s thirty Septims gone…wait ‘til he asks next time, knot-head…

Honditar continued, “The fee today is your undivided attention for as long as required. Do you think you can afford that?”

“Absolutely,” I said, still staring at the small chest that housed coinage I should have held onto.

“I’m over here,” he said, snapping his fingers.

“Right, sorry,” I said and went to sit with him at the table.

“Today we are going to discuss Magicka.”

Honditar paused for a moment, as if waiting for me to ask what Magicka was. When I didn’t speak, he arched an eyebrow and grinned a little, then continued.

“There is a force present in all things on Nirn. We call it Magicka. It is ethereal and doesn’t become tangible until it is wielded. It is everywhere. In me, you, the table, even the coins you gave me a moment ago,” I glanced at the chest again as he continued, “The existence of Magicka is not a matter of faith, but an undeniable fact. You are not required to believe in it for it to be wielded. You only require the knowledge of how to wield it in order to do so. This ties Magicka directly to the intelligence of the user. You seem to be very intelligent…scatter-brained at times…but intelligent none the less.”

I could not suppress a grin, but wiped it off my face just as quickly.

“You said that you have been able to use some Magicka during your short time here. You exercised elemental and restorative uses, by uttering strange sounds that you understood even though they sounded foreign. ‘Incanting strange powers’, I believe is what you called it. The fact that you uttered the sounds had no bearing on its use. Those ‘sounds’ are actually words. How you have knowledge of them is beyond me. They have not been spoken on Nirn for millennia. The first syllable defined the realm, or school, of the Magicka, and the second defined the use within that realm. That is as close as I can get to explaining it,” he paused briefly, and then continued, “However, the incantation is not necessary. You can do the same thing by just focusing your mind. I know that focusing is not your strong point, but discipline will come with experience. In essence, you focus your mind on what you require of Magicka, seeing it happen in your mind, and then releasing it. We call this casting. What you cast with Magicka, we call spells. A trained mage makes this happen in an instant, whereas you had to speak it in order to gain sufficient focus to accomplish what you desired. Are you following me?” he asked as he finished.

“I think so. What about the goblin staff that I found?”

“Good question! I am pleased that you thought to ask that,” he said with a smile, then continued, “As I said, all things on Nirn have Magicka to one degree or another. But items can be imbued with additional Magicka as well. Such was the case with the staff. It was once just a piece of wood with its natural amount of Magicka. Someone, or something, infused the elemental power of lightning into the wood. At that point it became a tool, for lack of a better word, to focus and concentrate that power for the wielder. This is why goblins use them. They lack the mental alacrity to focus their minds sufficiently for casting, and have to rely on enchanted items to wield Magicka. Other creatures can cast spells. Take imps, for example. They have sufficient mental abilities to cast basic elemental spells. Are imps more intelligent than goblins? Possibly, but they are not nearly as dexterous, so an imp wouldn’t know what to do with a mace if one fell into its hand.”

“So how do I learn how to focus and use Magicka?” I asked.

“That is another great question! There is hope for you yet, Bosmer,” he said, “and it leads to the heart of our discussion. You require training. I am knowledgeable in many things, but this training is above my ability. I suggest you join the Mages Guild. With your obvious intelligence, you should excel with their training. Plus there are perks. You will have a free bed to sleep in at any Guild hall. There is an alchemist at almost every Guild hall for buying and selling alchemical ingredients. But the biggest perk for you, my friend, is knowledge. It is the perfect path to finding out your true purpose for being on Nirn.”

“How much does it cost to join this guild?” I inquired.

“Out of pocket, it costs you nothing,” Honditar said, “Of your time and energy, it will cost plenty. It will require discipline and perseverance. Do not take it lightly. Remain focused on the tasks and lessons that the Guild affords you.”

“I will,” I promised.

“Now, I have something to show you. Let’s step outside,” he said, rising from the bench.

We walked outside and Honditar asked me to wait where I was. He walked around the back of his house and returned with a cage and an iron mace. In the cage was a large rat, ferociously trying to get at him through the bars. He stopped a couple dozen feet away from me and set the cage on the ground.

“Every Bosmer is born with an ability known as ‘Beast Tongue’. It will allow you to cajole animals to your will. It is a form of Magicka called a Greater Power. These powers are race specific. Each race has its own unique Greater Power. Some say that they were gifts granted to each race by The Nine Divines, while others argue that it is much more ancient than that. But I digress. I want you to focus your mind on the rat. Focus your need to have the rat bend to your will. Focus on making it your ally. When you think you are ready, point to the rat and I will open the cage. As soon as he charges you, release that focus through your hand toward the rat. Got it?”

“I will try,” I said.

I did exactly what Honditar had described. I cleared my mind first, and then placed the rat there alone. I pictured the rat becoming a pet, an ally, a soldier. I raised my hand and pointed. Honditar opened the cage and the rat immediately charged at me. As I released the Magicka, green light bloomed from my hand and shot at the charging rodent. Suddenly, the rat stopped, and then walked toward me calmly.

“This effect is not permanent, but you can certainly see the implications this can have when you are in a cave and confronted with several of these beasts. Allow me to show one such implication,” he said, then raised the mace and charged at me with a yell.

The rat immediately spun around and shot for Honditar, who quickly dispatched the rodent with a skull crushing blow from the mace. I just stared in awe.

“And there you have it,” he said, “You will find that Magicka is going to be an essential tool for you during your stay here in Tamriel. You have but scratched the surface of three uses so far. The Mage’s Guild is going to be able to teach you many score more. Think on it first if you prefer, but I suggest you join today. It is never too early to begin an education. They will likely have you traveling all over the province, which in and of itself will be a learning experience. In the mean time, if you ever need to come across more coin, come visit me and we’ll make another mark on your map. Come, let’s eat.”

We went back indoors and had a meal of beef stew and bread. He asked me to tell the tale of my trip to Broken Promises. When I had finished the tale, he rose and fetched my sword.

“Take this with you then,” he said, “It may be that I misjudged, since you seem to be as adept with a blade as you are with a bow. But promise me to at least try to keep your bow as your weapon of choice.”

“I will, Honditar. Thank you so much for all that you have done for me. I won’t ever forget it, or you. You are my one and only true friend here. It may be some time before I see you again, and I will miss our lessons,” I said with genuine emotion.

“I will miss you as well, Talendor. If you need to confide in someone at the Guild, trust Athragar. Remember, aim true and don’t be seen. Now off with you. Good luck, my friend.”

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

EDIT - Nits picked.

This post has been edited by TheOtherRick: Feb 25 2011, 05:35 AM