Adventures of young High Elf Options

[Lopov]

Hello everyone,

this is my first attempt at writing in fan fiction. I've been regularly posting updates on Beth forums but since I recently started a new character, I decided to share his stories here. He's a High Elf and everything else of importance will be revealed through his stories. I'm playing dead-is-dead which means no reloading under any circumstance - if he dies, his adventures are over. English is not my first language, so there will definitely be some grammar mistakes but at least in the first short story most of them are intentional.

The Introduction

Anvil, Cyrodiil, 27th of Last Seed 3€433…

On 27th of Last Seed 3€433 an old ship sailed into Anvil docks. A few Redguard sailors had jumped overboard, tied the ship up and began unloading a cargo. The merchant ship was called ‘Child of Ra Gada’ and it belonged to captain Amut (known simply as The Capt’n), sailing between Hammerfell, Summerset Isles and Cyrodiil. But this time it was besides the cargo ‘transpouting’ someone else.

Firsthold, Summerset Isles, a week before…

“Nou,” said The Capt’n, a little angry because young High Elf obviously didn’t hear him the first time. “We’re nout transpoutin’ people, ye know, jest cargoo…”

“I’d really like to get to Anvil as soon as possible. I can pay you, of course,” quickly answered young red-haired High Elf. The Capt’n was all ears!

“Paaay me? Hmmmm… lemme fink nou… ther’ might be sam place fer ya, young oun… but it depends – hou mouch are ye willing too paaay?”

“Will hundred septims do?”

“A hoondred, ye say… hmmm… mrmmm… ufhm…”

“Two hundred?”

“Twoo… like twoo… hmmm…. that’s bett’r, young oun… but… hrmmm…”

“Three hundred then. My last offer.”

“Free hundred, young oun?! Ye’ve got yeself a deal, young oun! Junp aboard, we’re leeving soon…”
The Capt’n couldn’t know that a ‘young oun’ would be prepared to pay much more than three hundred septims just to get away from The Summerset Isles but luckily, that was not necessary. He jumped on ‘Child of Ra Gada’ and after a few minutes the ship sailed from the docks and headed for Cyrodiil. As High Elf was standing on the stern and watching his homeland disappearing in the distance, he felt heavy burden being lifted from his shoulders.

Anvil, Cyrodiil, 27th of Last Seed 3€433…

While sailors were unloading the cargo, young High Elf handed a small pouch to The Capt'n. In the last week he got quite attached to the funny captain, his accent and the sailors - they were a merry bunch, particularly compared to his family.

“Thank ye, kind oun! And don’t get yo’self kill’d in the cap’tal, ye knou…”

“I’ll do my best. Thank you and… happy sails!” Having said that, a young High Elf left ‘Child of Ra Gada’. Immediately after he left, first mate Smoush approached The Capt’n.

“Take a good look at him, Capt’n, because that’s the last time you see this young man.”

“Ay knou, Smoush… poor kid, hi’ll get hisself kill’d in a matt’r of days… aye, a pity, hi looooks nice and well-mann’d. ”

“Indeed, Capt’n. But he must be as mad as the hatter! He hopes to succeed in the Arena! The A-r-e-n-a! Have you ever heard of a High Elf who survived the Arena? The A-r-e-n-a?!”

“Stoup spellin’ on mee, I get ye’… I couoldn’t belief heem when hi said that hi’s goin’ to the Arena. Imag’ne, a High Elf… I tould heem hi was bo’n t’be a mage, magus, whateveh… but hi j’st smiled and car’lessly waved hees hant… bout hi wasn’t a snobby one leyk most of them ar’!”

“Yes, he seemed down-to-earth. Aye, aye, poor kid…”

“Pour indeeyd…”

“Yay, yay…”

“That’s enoughg! I’ll sta't creyin’ if I jest fink abaut heem a littl’ lounger… let’s unload th’t cargoo, th’n we’re leevin’…”

“Yes, Capt’n!”

And while ‘Child of Ra Gada’ was sailing from Anvil, young High Elf was still standing on the pier… admiring the sunny sky, people chattering and strange yet amazing architecture of a town called Anvil. He felt a stunning relief, being far away from the Summerset Isles… and his family.

A little insecure because of the new land but cheerful at the same time, Loypuur headed down the pier.

[Lopov]

A new friend

Skingrad and Weye, Cyrodiil, 7th of Heartfire 3€433

Loypuur didn’t sleep much, his mind occupied with the coming events. Parwen! Parwen! Parwen! All he could think about – Parwen! He woke up around 6 am and hurried to the chapel, determined to pray to Zenithar for a small boost of his luck. Because he will need a lot of luck today!

As he left the chapel, weather slowly turned foggy and soon it was so thick that one could barely see a meter away. But Loypuur didn’t care, he didn’t even notice the fog because of Parwen! He picked up some flowers from under the statue of a man on the horse and then decided to surprise Parwen… ‘I’ll buy her a present! She’ll definitely like it!’

Few minutes later as he was browsing the inventory of Gunder at Colovian Traders, he spotted something that should suit Parwen perfectly – a chainmail helmet! ‘That should do the trick… I noticed she likes to wear chainmail when practicing and she doesn’t have a helmet yet!’ With freshly picked flowers and new chainmail helmet he headed to the guild.

Parwen was practicing with her bow downstairs and Loypuur slowly walked behind her. He was watching her for some time as she was firing arrow after an arrow… ‘She fired an arrow at me as well but that one was invisible yet it struck my heart… ah, Parwen!’

He was trying to start the conversation but he was getting more and more nervous. ‘That’s much tougher than fighting the Daedra!’ He repeated his speech a thousand times in his head before yet he completely forgot it now.

“Good morning, Parwen!”
“It’s my pleasure. Please, continue.” ‘Her pleasure! Uh, we started well!’
“I… w-was wondering… if you would perhaps join me… in e-e-e?”
“Join you?” Parwen said with a surprised smile.
“Yes! That’s it! Join me.”
“Ummm… what do you mean, Loypuur? Join where?”
“Oh… how clumsy I am! I meant if you would join me for a goblin hunt! There are a lot of goblins around here, aren’t they? I thought… that we could perhaps go and do some hunting together.”
‘Okay, that was it! The hardest part is over! Will she accept? She’s smiling at me… why doesn’t she say anything? Oh by Zenithar, I forgot to give her the flowers and a helmet…’
“I really like you but I can’t do that now.” Having said that, Parwen turned around and continued practicing.

Loypuur felt like the time stopped and immediately got a lump in his throat. ‘That’s it then’ he thought. He was standing behind her for some time, looking at the flowers in his right hand and helmet in his left… then he silently turned around and left. He was greeted by fellow guild member Fadus but Loypuur ignored him… he wanted to go… suddenly Skingrad felt as unwelcoming to him as it did the first time. ‘I should stick to my first impression!’

He went upstairs, equipped his iron cuirass and new steel boots that he bought yesterday at Gunder’s, then packed his stuff and left the guild. He returned to Gunder’s, sold chainmail helmet and left Skingrad by northern gate.

‘Stupid fog… I can barely see what’s ahead of me… what was I even thinking back there? That she’ll go goblin hunting with a first stranger that came to the guild? I obviously didn’t think that much… by Zenithar, I must have looked clumsy there, I hope any other guild member didn’t hear me and my… attempt at making a love speech.’

He continued down the road, following signposts to the Imperial City… ‘In the end, that’s why I came to Cyrodiil. I should focus on Arena now!’ But his mood didn’t improve with time and neither did weather – Loypuur felt like current weather in Cyrodiil the best describes his current mood.

Apart from Khajiit highwayman whom was he forced to kill the rest of the journey was safe because an Imperial horseman far away in front of him was making a clear path… by slaying wolves, imps or even trolls. Loypuur preferred it that way – he wasn’t in a mood for fighting.

A little later he noticed a prominent tower sticking out of thick fog far away… he knew that must the legendary White Gold Tower, the central point of the capital of Cyrodiil – the Imperial City. He had heard from many adventurers in Summerset Isles that this tower is the most significant landmark of entire Cyrodiil and can be seen from almost anywhere… but now when he finally saw it, Loypuur didn’t feel anything special. He felt just like the fog surrounding him.

Late in the afternoon he arrived to a small village, obviously the suburb of the Imperial City. A village was called Weye and there were in fact only two houses – one was an inn and the second one was a farmhouse. Loypuur didn’t have any appetite but he decided to eat something nonetheless so he headed to the inn.

The innkeeper, a High Elf like him, was beautiful, definitely one of the most beautiful High Elves he had ever seen but Loypuur was not in a real mood to admire her after what happened to him in the morning. Still, a look at her made him at least partially ‘wake up’ from his sadness as he realized there are many women out there.

After a short meal Loypuur headed outside… the weather didn’t improve and all he could see was a long bridge ahead of him and the tall tower behind it.

‘Here am I now… I don’t know why but I imagined my arrival to the capital completely different. I imagined that I would be riding a white horse… yet I’m on foot. I imagined that I would have a lot of septims by now… yet I have only eight of them which means I can’t afford a room either. I imagined that… well, I just imagined that it would all be completely different… guess my father was correct when he told me I was a dreamer.’

He exhaled deeply, looked a little around himself and noticed a man approaching… ‘Probably the owner of that farmhouse.’

“You know, stranger, there comes a time in every man's life when he has to admit that he's lost the fight.”
‘Just a second… how does this man what happened to me this morning? Or what is he talking about?’
“Well, I've fought and I've lost.”
‘Oh, he’s talking about himself!’
“Who did I lose to? Who is my great enemy? Well, don't laugh... it's a bunch of damn fish.”
‘Fish? Did he say fish?’
Loypuur then said:” You know, stranger, I agree with you. I also lost a fight this very morning. Not with the fish, though… what have they done to you, anyway? Can I help, perhaps?”
"Go on and lau... Wait. Help? Oh. Well, then... I'm a fisherman. Or at least, I was. Until one of those slaughterfish damn near took my leg off. 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 bastards got ahold of my leg. Took me right out of the business. But this alchemist, he needs the scales right away."
“I see… so… what about these scales?”
“The alchemist was paying so much for the scales that I'm close to having enough saved so that I can retire. But now, I can't get out there to the lake -- not with this leg. 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. Help an old fisherman out, won't you?”

Loypuur felt sorry for the old man, no matter how silly his troubles may sound, he could feel his distress. ‘This poor man was probably a hard-working fisherman for his entire life and how he can’t enjoy his well-deserved retirement because of the injury. I should help him, perhaps it will make me feel better.’
But then Loypuur remembered something… something that could also partially benefit him! As the fisherman was already walking away, Loypuur hurried to him.

“Alright, stranger… I will help you get those scales. But I also have one problem and… don’t laugh. I wanted to invite a cute Wood Elf this morning to go hunting with me… you know… just hunting. I bought her a nice chainmail helmet but in the end she rejected me… before I could even give her a helmet. The problem is that although I sold the helmet back, I’m low on septims. I don’t have enough to afford a room. I could go on and sell some of my stuff but… I don’t feel like doing it. And I was wondering… would you allow me to spend a night in your house? In return, I’ll get you twelve or even more scales in the morning.”

The fisherman was listening to him and didn’t laugh at Loypuur’s problems either. Then he gave him a warm smile and said:” You’re more than welcome, High Elf. I live alone but I have a spare bedroll if that’s alright with you? If you’ll really retrieve these scales for me, feel free to use my bedroll for tomorrow as well… or the night after tomorrow, he he he.” Loypuur was happy and he finally started to feel better. Even the weather was slowly improving.

“Thank you, stran… ah, let’s drop this ‘stranger’. I’m Loypuur. Pleased to meet you.”
“Aelwin Merowald,” said the fisherman with a smile. “Pleased to meet you too.”
They shook hands and Loypuur had a feeling that he had just gained a first real friend in Cyrodiil.