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]

Acadian: YES, the part when you said you "ponder for months" that's what this story is like. Also, you mention Book 1, where it was more writing each update at a time. That was Kahreem for me, although I'd literally write while I was gaming!

Yes, Book 2 definitely had a sort of 'relaxed' feel to it. I remember. Interesting. Okay, so you'd have a writing phase, and then an editing one. Very neat. I can see how this would work pretty well. It's like, almost a discipline, the way you'd write, right?

When I write, I don't even think in terms of episodes; that is, I save breaking it into episodes until quite late in the editing process.

Wow. Does your story change as you write and edit it? See, because Goblin Lady keeps changing. She was originally supposed to join Dark Brotherhood, for instance.

When a piece of the story gets close to posting and is culled out into a prospective episode, it gets lots (and lots) of edits.

YES. This is what GL is like too.

Most of my edits are done in the word program that I write in but I find much value as posting draws near in viewing the episode in 'forum' view - that is, either via a PM to myself or a draft post that I don't actually post in order to get a different view of the episode which often catches additional minor things to adjust.

So this is why your story (along with almost everyone else's in the FF section) never has that "Edited by X at X time" messages at the very bottom of the page, right? Maybe I should start editing outside of the actual thread when I start Laprimma's story.

Aw, how nice. Your wife proofreads for ya! That sounds really cozy.


SubRosa and Lopov: Yes a cliffhanger, sorry! BC. You're about to find out right now what this is (it's not a person).

I realized something. I am thinking Jayne went along with the elf's plan partially because she's become so used to getting involved in diabolical schemes in her past, especially after being brainwashed by the group she was with. I did not plan the story this way, but it's something I noticed.

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Grim faced and forbidding
Their faces closed tight
An angular mass of Cyrodiilans

Pacing at rhythms
Pause in sunlight
A fitful gaze at fallen matron

Flow through the streets
Engaging rumors
En masse to discuss that wretched Missus

Chapter XIII: l'intrigue s'épaissit

A cacophony of stimulations and emotions. Bewilderment. Astonishment. Disappointment. Ignytiq had had all day, Jayne realized, to plan what seemed was supposed to be her ultimate shaming. And I knew it! Deep down, she had known all along; something was not right. Whatever it was, she had certainly fallen for it.

But it wasn't just the scene before her which caused her anger. It wasn't just the severed head located on a desk in the middle of the room, surrounded by candles. It was also the fact that Jayne's former office, which she'd once joked about, calling her 'virtual broom closet,' was now an actual broom closet.

In the past this room held her plain wooden desk, her chair, and a variety of stands, drawers, bookcases, one large filing cabinet, and so on. Now, it was filled with cleaning supplies. Barrels of solvents. Dusters, mops, buckets, and, well, brooms. Assorted bits of paper and old books, lying here and there. Though it still contained a few items familiar to her, the room looked as though it hadn't been used as an office in years.

Her eyes adjusted, while she tried to temper her fury.

The head of a goblin had been placed carefully upon the room's sole table by someone, then surrounded by candles. As though the aim had been to shock and frighten her, perhaps. Jayne stared at it a moment, realizing there was no way Ignytiq could have (1) killed poor creature, (2) gutted it, and then (3) brought it all the way here, carrying it along like some sort of hunter's trophy. No, he'd be retching at the very thought of decapitation! Therefore, he'd had some sort of help.

Jayne stood still, listening carefully. Wondering if Ignytiq himself was about to burst into the room, enjoying this moment, as her haggard face was torn by emotion. Maybe this was some sort of prank, after all. A very tasteless one, of course, but a prank nonetheless.

But she heard no footfalls. Nobody was coming, apparently.

The only item which looked as though it actually belonged was her research tome, which was set upon a small stool. Jayne moved closer to her book, trying to ignore the head sitting two meters away. Was it really her book, though? She shined her torch upon it. She could see its cover was decorated in the way she remembered. So yes, her research tome. Here it lay. She flipped it open. First page had always been her 'dedication' page, in which a variety of her former charges had signed their names. And this was intact. She pored quickly through the rest of her tome, satisfied to see it was all still there. Her familiar scrawls, her familiar sketches. She relaxed, just a bit.

But the purported documents she was supposed to sign were nowhere to be seen. She investigated the room quickly, moving cleaning implements around, pushing them aside, already knowing her search would be futile. And... if what the elf had informed about was true, there'd be no reason why the papers he'd described would be anywhere other than with her tome.

Jayne's intuition triggered. She began moving quickly, leaving her former office behind, fearing she'd meet the elf just outside the door. No, he wasn't there. She stomped angrily down the corridor, no longer caring if anybody noticed her. Out of the Elder Scrolls Library. She did not bother to have a look inside the library itself, already knowing she'd likely never return. Instead, she opened the door to the library's outer ring, began moving upon its corridor, trying to calm her echoing footfalls. Ignytiq, you deplorable nuisance.

"STOP RIGHT THERE criminal scum!"

Jayne halted. A palace guard had moved into view, blocking her path.

"Nobody breaks the law on MY watch," he said ominously. "I'm taking all your stolen goods. You are under arrest now for trespassing. We already know you haven't the gold to pay the fine, so it's off to jail with ya! Now, how to you plead?"

Jayne did not respond at first. Ignitiq .. Draynas ... whatever your bloody name is. You are a fetcher.

Knowing it'd be useless to attempt stating her case, knowing it'd be useless to try and explain why she was there (for doing so would be seen as resistance to arrest) Jayne decided she'd not make the same mistake she made years ago. She would not go rushing off, stealing a stable horse, then fleeing to some other province.

"It's that bloody elf, isn't it? HE is the one who's behind this all. Well, I suppose I have no choice." She handed over her bag. "That tome is mine, and so is this totem. You can confiscate the rest, I do care not."

The guard seemed not to notice her words one way or another. "Hope you rot, criminal scum!" he stated.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Her sentence would not last long, she was informed after being locked up. A mere trespassing charge; it would be over in three days. She had never been arrested before. Long ago, all of this might have caused her some emotion. Not necessarily tears, at least not until she was alone. But certainly surprise, and also a lot of fear.

Now, however, Jayne went through it all with a coolness which she quickly took notice of. Her anger dwindled, as she spent the first several hours pacing around her cell aimlessly. I am not a criminal, she realized. Somehow, all of this was Ignytiq's doing.

She soon learned (from a man who was locked across the hall) that the Imperial City's jails offered conditions which were better than usual. "Was locked up in Bruma for awhile," he called to Jayne. "At least these cells we in now are warm! Swept daily, too. And no rats. Food's not so bad. Have a look in your barrel there. They come and restock every few hours, usually when you're sleeping."

His words were true, especially about the bread, cheese, and water which had been rationed. But within a day, Jayne had gotten sick. Contracted diseases which were later diagnosed as Brain Rot and Greenspore. It seemed no matter how much she slept, she always felt miserable and fatigued.

One day she awoke to find a Khajiit male standing just outside her cell's bars, scratching upon a hand-held board with a quill. He would look at Jayne, scratch something on his board. Look at her again. Scratch again. "Khajiit has no words for yoooo," he told Jayne after she inquired what he was doing.

Time passed, and since there were no windows in the cell. it was impossible to tell just how many hours had gone by. Finally came the moment when she awoke from her bedroll to find a familiar figure standing just outside the bars to her cell. Jayne could actually smell his flowery perfume before she saw who it was.

"Jayne Goodfall," he called out to her. "Here you are, right where I wanted you all along."

Jayne came toward the elf slowly. "Draynas. Despicable moron. Well I suppose yer all delighted now, eh?"

"I may be despicable in your mind, but you cannot deny I'm not daft." Ignytiq paused a moment, as if to let his words sink in. "Oh, what was it you said? 'I'm not that daft, Draynas.' Was that it? ... Well, seems the shoe fits rather nicely now, does it not?" The elf looked at her smugly.

Jayne stayed silent a moment, thinking. "You left my tome," she finally spoke. "All of that planning, the goblin's head, the candles, the certain arrangement to have this all done under Imperial watch, yet I've been given back my most prized possession from those days."

"Indeed I did give it back. Like I said, you deserve to have it back, for all your former years of service. And believe me, when I get done with you, that book full of trivialities will be all you'll have left."

Jayne did not answer. Months of training from her Morrowind abduction days were again crossing her mind.

"But I did not come to talk to you about your book. Oh no. I have other reasons for my visit."

"It was you, Draynas. Was it not? YOU are the one who's got me thrown into this jail."

"Yes, it was me who planned your capture all along. But that's not all. Oh no," he said, wringing his hands. "I have some rather unpleasant news for you, Jayne. Think back to that night long ago, when you'd so pompously arranged to have all those creatures imported into our fair city. Then you were off, drinking in The Feed Bag to your heart's content, eh?"

Jayne said nothing. Months of incidental training. Her face, she tried to keep neutral.

"And then in the morning," the Bosmer continued, "you blamed yourself once you'd learned about your rioting goblins, rushing all about the street that night before. But it was not your fault, Jayne. It was not your fault that they managed to escape their captivity. Oh no."

"What are ya saying?"

"It was I who had the key! ... Yes. And it was I who snuck to that room where those abominable creatures had been stayed for the night!" Igntiq was smirking now. "I let them out. I freed them, then stepped aside while they left their quarters, then ultimately swarmed into the city at night, straight to their very dooms!"

"You bastard. You fetcher."

"All these years you've blamed yourself. Meanwhile, once the mayhem was done, I finally had my chance to get rid of Jayne Goodfall once and for all. No more threat of seeing your success dwindle my chances for promotion. No more of your nagging voice, dragging upon my ears. You were supposed to fall for my ruse. You were supposed to NOT avoid capture, then find yourself right here, arrested and imprisoned. And for a much longer time.

"Little did I know you'd somehow avoid capture," he continued angrily. "Well, it was not my concern at the time. I figured you had died somewhere on the road. We all did." He smiled. "But now, here you are. Here you are."

Jayne glared. She then spoke, fighting to keep her voice sure and steady. "Time shall come, Draynas. You shall NOT get away with this. You shall not." As she said this however, she found herself unable to believe her own words.

"Oh but I will. I already have. You do not know who I am, apparently, and whom I have become, Jayne. I have influence now, you see. I am ingrained within the city's political system nowadays, although I am not any sort of politician myself. Upon your release, you shall see just what sort of power I now wield. You have no idea. None at all. And you shall see."

Jayne continued to glare. But her head swooned with sickness.

The elf in tight pants and grandiloquent perfume spoke one final time. "Upon your release, I predict you won't last within the city for more than a day, once you learn of what I have done. The dismantlement of your research team, and everything which has then commenced, will be the least of your worries. You shall see."

Draynas "Ignityiq" Pertrucio then stalked off. The next day her sentence ended, and Jayne Goodfall was to quickly learn that every word the elf had told her was true.

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The Fetcher delivers

Jayne's research tome

My old office, the 'virtual broom closet...'

STOP RIGHT THERE

She's in trouble now

Incarceration

This post has been edited by Renee: Oct 28 2019, 03:52 PM