The Goblin Lady Options

[Renee]

Hey. So in this thread I will writing up stories pertaining to TES IV: Oblivion. Because I keep thinking of more an more ideas that occur within this game. All of these stories will be rather short, two or three months apiece, I think, rather than years and years. And the very first one shall begin in the post below.

So far there are three story ideas I've come up with: a former scholar, a monk, and a guard. All of this isn't just to write stories, it's to (as usual) enhance my gaming. Make it more interesting.



This post has been edited by Renee: Jul 14 2019, 02:53 AM

[Renee]

This chapter is longer. I thought of chopping it into two, but I think it'll be better not to break up the flow. I originally wanted to have BOTH chapters (last week and this week) as one, but that would definitely have been too ambitious.

treydog (or anyone here) when different languages are shown in stories, I know these words get italicized. But do they always need to be italicized? That'll get sort of tedious for me to write the code in (or highlight stuff and press the I button).

Well... I guess I'll just post this as-is for now.

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Chapter V: Cracked Wood Cave

After some moments of preparation, Jayne stood fully from her hiding place. Immediately, the goblin sentry saw her. "Yargh!" he called, throwing his arms to the sky, readying his blade, baring his teeth. He began to stomp quickly toward her. Before she knew it, Jayne was fumbling her totem, hoping it would make all the difference.

Yargh, the common goblin war cry.

During the 3rd Era and well into the 4th, many different goblin tribes inhabited Cyrodiil: the Bitterfish, the Dust Eaters, the Bloody Hands, and so on. These tribes spoke many different dialects, and sometimes used words unique to their homesteads. But almost all of them shared yargh, which (like many goblin words) had several potential meanings. The most obvious, in this situation, being "attack!" of course.

However, it all depended how yargh was said, and when it was said. If someone wanted to learn to speak goblinese, this learner had to pay attention not just to words and phrases, but also body language, and sign language. Unlike human and mer communications, which depended almost solely upon specific sounds and articulations, goblins spoke to each other not just through their voices, but also by gestures, hand motions, and sometimes their entire bodies.

Jayne Goodfall considered all of this within a split second, before nearly having great lumps hacked out of her. The goblin rushed toward her! Made some sort of scream as he swung his weapon.

... And then stopped, his gaze transfixed upon Jayne's shiny wooden totem. He then blinked. He actually blinked.

"Tschoo gshirri Muluk," the goblin spoke, suddenly flummoxed, his face suddenly carrying an expression which could only be described as dumbfounded.

"Yes!" Jayne said in her own language, miming with her left hand. "Tschoo Muluk gshirri," she continued, constricting her throat, forcing her voice an octave higher. "I have Muluk. Muluk gshirri rashidaka," (Muluk me find) she added, moving her hands from up toward the sky, down toward her heart.

Muluk... the common word for the god almost all their tribes worshipped. Once the goblin had said that word, Jayne knew everything would be fine. She would certainly live. She had managed to distract the sentry. "Muluk rashidaka Jayne," she said, pointing to herself. "Jayne gshirri." (I am Jayne).

Unlike the languages of mer and humans, one did not need to worry about the order of words when speaking goblinese. One did not need to worry about conjugation. Or prepositions. Or conjunctions, and so on. Grammar was nearly nonexistent in most cases. She could have said "Rashidaka Muluk Jayne" (find Muluk Jayne) and the 'sentence' would still make sense to the goblin, for it was her gestures and facial movements which made all the difference. Only the shamans spoke in more arcane terms. Within the goblin tribe, it was usually the shaman whose intelligence was highest, and the actual usage of certain shaman terminology was often forbidden by others within the tribes.

But now, the goblin's face molded into a rather unusual shape, as though he were trying to smile. "Tschoo Jayne" (You Jayne) he said solemnly, pointing toward her, his eyes becoming rather enormous. He could not quite pronounce her name correctly, causing Jayne to stifle a giggle. "Tschoo ... Jayne gahlin ksharra!" he further emoted. (You Jayne goblin lady!)

Jayne did not answer, nor did she need to. She knew her face was blushing.

"Tschoo ... Jayne gahli ksharra!" the goblin said again.

"Yes. I am the goblin lady." She was grinning now. She could not help herself.

"Tschoo Jayne gahli ksharra!" He made a little dance, as he spoke louder. "TSCHOO JAYNE GAHLI KSHARRA!"

At once, the sentry ran off into the evening, gesturing for Jayne to follow. And she did. She followed him round a large boulder, hastily spied what looked to be a small village across a road. She was sure it was Cropsford, but there was no time to investigate. She knew what was coming next.

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Jayne was led to a door in a rock, which led to an underground dwelling which the Imperials had designated Cracked Wood Cave. The goblin rushed ahead, chittering and chattering so quickly, even she could barely understand. Once inside the cave, she waited a moment as the sentry rushed ahead. The place was well-lit by wall sconces, she noticed, which meant it was one of the more comfortably-inhabited goblin lairs.

"Oh, what have we here?" she spoke aloud. Within seconds, the initial sentry she'd met outside the cave was then joined by two others!

"Gahli tschoo ksharra!" they burst, speaking over each other. "Tschoo ksharra tshchoo ksharra gahli gahli!"

"Yes. I am the lady of goblins! And I have returned!"

Her voice delighted the green-skinned creatures. They parted ways, then motioned with their hands, allowing Jayne Goodfall to stride into their home. Down a set of passageways, and into a rather large chamber of stone, where she was greeted by their resident chef, and one of their designated warriors. All around, their babbling continued. The chef began scrambling in an over-excited manner, rushing over to her tables, probably trying to see if there was something for Jayne to eat.

After several more minutes (and several more urgings for her to venture deeper into Cracked Wood Cave) Jayne strode into a second large chamber, where she was met by their children. At least a dozen of them crowded around the goblin lady! At that moment, there was little difference between the adults and their spawn; all were in a frenzied state of rejoice.

Finally, the shaman herself joined the crowd. When she appeared, the others hushed their revelry at once, for the shaman's presence (in this situation) demanded a few moments of silence. It was important that the shaman make her inspection of any new incomers. Though more sullen than the others, Jayne did not mistake the shaman's downplaying of the moment. She knew at once what she must do. Jayne made a motion with her hips and hands, rather like a lass curtseying before a queen. She then held this pose. Five seconds. Ten seconds. Twenty. After thirty full seconds, the shaman seemed satisfied. She then made her cry, filling the underground with a shriek which might make a seasoned legionnaire shiver.

"Yarrrrgh!" She approved. And now, the celebration was on!

Jayne Goodfall was ushered toward a rather haughty-looking throne, and nearly forced to have a seat. The chef who'd been looking for some food earlier, finally bustled over. Handed Jayne some sort of roasted kebob, as well as a cup full of liquid. The kebab was either roasted rat, or roasted durzog. Whatever the delicacy, it certainly tasted good. As the goblins continued to make noise in festivity, Jayne cautioned the drink she'd been handed with a sniff. One had to be careful with goblin imbibements! But to her relief, she discovered the drink was ordinary beer.

As the celebration wore on, and two of the children began to paint Jayne's feet, Jayne could not allay a tinge of worry. She had been through so much, and now she was home. Back in Cyrodiil, for good. But because she was back for good, she knew her days as a free woman were numbered.

"I must return to the city," she said aloud decisively. "'Tis what is right, and 'tis what shall be required. And I must see. I must see if anything has survived. And if this means my imprisonment, so be it."

"Gahli maakshira towee!" one of the children called, pointing toward Jayne's newly-painted feet, expecting approval.

"Towee maakshira gahli," Jayne Goodfall agreed with a smile.


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Creepy roleplay video -- (Even though I am the one who modded all this in, my gosh I got shivers when those gobs started running out of darkness! It's kinda messy, but I spent so much time making it, and there are some genuine inspired moments at least! ... The beginning is really dark, not sure why. If you can't see what's going on, just fast-forward to 30 seconds or so).

This post has been edited by Renee: Aug 18 2019, 06:03 PM