Trouble never comes alone Options

[jack cloudy]

Yes, so I just couldn't resist and had to get this off my chest. We'll see how long it lasts. Same deal as with redemption, I'll be using this post as a character list and the first part will be in the next one. For now the list is simple.

A question. Should I add a separate entry for Spar at the very bottom that is basically the extra-spoilers edition?

Spar: A female Imperial and the main character of this story. Is guided by 'Them'.
(Portrait)

Silent Fist: A Companion Spar hires to escort her into Bleak Falls Barrow. He doesn't speak, wear shirts or use weapons. Click here for portrait

Faendal: A wood elf who lives in a small village known as Riverwood. He works as a hunter and lumberjack.

Lucan Valerius: The shopkeeper of Riverwood.

Jarl Balgruuf: The Jarl of Whiterun, a city located in the center of Skyrim between the fronts of the Imperial and Stormcloak factions.

Hrongar: Jarl Balgruuf's brother. Looks like he walked off the set of a Conan-film.

Irileth: A Dunmer who serves as Jarl Balgruuf's bodyguard.

Proventus Avenicci: Jarl Balgruuf's steward.


Vilkas: One of the Companions, a mercenary group in Whiterun
Vignar Grey-Mane: Formerly of the Companions, now retired.

Ulfric Stormcloak: The rebel leader in Skyrim, once on of the Emperor's generals.

Arkarik: Someone Spar was supposed to meet in Cyrodiil.

This post has been edited by jack cloudy: Aug 1 2013, 06:34 PM

[haute ecole rider]

Well, this interlude may have nothing to do with Spar's storyline, but I really enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at what appears to be one of the irksome issues of Skyrim (remember, I don't play it -- yet). I loved the interchange between the Altmer woman and Spar, and the question of why Spar's magelight didn't work earlier. Yes, I've noticed in Oblivion that spells fly straight, while arrows and other missiles follow a parabola. As I see it, spells contain no mass, therefore are not as strongly influenced by gravity. Energy does follow a parabola according to Einstein's theory of gravitation, but we only see that on the scale of the galaxy/universe, so on the much smaller scale that is Nirn we wouldn't notice such a deflection. Still I loved following Spar's thought processes as she tried to figure out her failure. After all, the key to survival is learning from our mistakes, right? Assuming we survive the mistake the first time!

I liked that the Jarl and his coterie focused on what to do with the dragon's corpse. I'd be bothered by that huge carcass sitting on my front lawn, too, and would be trying to figure out what to do with it. As the folks of Bruma did at the battlefield (butchered the dead elk, salvaged as many pelts as they could, used dead flame atronaches for funeral pyres, etc), I would expect no less of the folk of Whiterun. I also liked seeing how the smiths had to figure out how to work the material they were provided - it was nice to see that there is a learning curve here.

I do have a couple of comments about your random remarks. First, while chalk is extremely flame-resistant, it is also very brittle, and I have a difficult time imagining how it would hold up to hard use as a grip. Furthermore, it degrades into quicklime on exposure to heat, and quicklime is very caustic or corrosive and can cause chemical burns to skin. Also on exposure to water, it turns into slaked lime, which is a substance which, among myriad other uses, is used as a depilatory (hairless Nords, anyone?).

That said, I understand your challenge in finding a substance available to medieval era smiths that would be extremely heat resistant yet reasonably malleable and durable. Hmmm. I'll have to think about that one. Thank you very much for that mental challenge!

As for future burnings of dead dragons that you mention, I would wonder if they would burn off in response to how they died? Frost magic triggering an overenthusiastic response by the body's thermal system? Or shock? Something worth pondering, especially in the context of this wonderful story.

Edit: I looked into other substances that could be used on the grip of the dragon bone dagger. Have you looked into wool and gypsum? I think a combination of the two (gypsum impregnated wool felt) might be a workable solution to the problem you described in this installment?

This post has been edited by haute ecole rider: Mar 27 2014, 06:42 PM