Buffy the Bowgirl, Book 1, Thread 3, Do You Know the Way to Kvatch? Options

[haute ecole rider]

Yes, I remember Buffy's never-ending bag of tricks here. And that verbal arrow of hers was the most effective of all!

It looks like you tightened and polished this chapter up a bit, which only makes a great chapter even better.

Buffy spoke true when she spoke to Matius's abilities. Julian was nodding heartfelt agreement through that entire bit! You go, girl (and paladin)!

[SubRosa]

"I'm going to close that gate." The words just fell out of my mouth before I could stop them.
Yep, that is our Buffy!

I know there will be Daedra blocking my path. They will not stop me.
I wanted to cheer when I read this. Buffy throws down on the Master Wizard! What a journey she has taken to have come this far!

I loved this episode back in the BF 1.0, and still do. It is the reaping of so much work that Buffy has done before. Like the previous episode in Peryite's realm, it again demonstrates the steel that has now been tempered within our blond, bosmer, bravilian, bowgirl.

Also as before, I once again like the presentation of Raminus Polus. Much like in the TF, we see him as a humble man, who clearly takes his duties very seriously.

The Imperial City wasn't built in a day.
An excellent ES-ized version of the old saying!

[Thomas Kaira]

I did have one more arrow in my quiver of tools to persuade Raminus. This 'arrow' was a verbal one. I nocked the shock-enchanted words to my tongue and loosed them.

"The Daedra I encountered inside Peryite's plane included two Dremora. I cut their hearts out." Pointing at the dark red object on the desk, I continued, "This is one of them; I ate the other."

My verbal arrow found its mark. The impact caused Raminus to drop his quill and stare at me in disbelief. "Wha- why? By the Nine!"

Priceless reaction!

The Green Pact also decrees that all Bosmer be strictly carnivorous. Since Buffy is truly serious about closing that gate, it actually does seem that offering faith to Y'ffre may be quite helpful for her in there.

That was an excellent start to Act 3, Acadian. You've put everything into perspective and recapped everything important that Buffy has learned, every obstacle she has overcome, and left the reader hungering for more. I know I am.

This post has been edited by Thomas Kaira: Feb 11 2011, 06:45 PM

[ghastley]

Finally managed to register here (I started the process on December 13th. That was obviously an inauspicious day) so now I can say hello to Buffy (and everyone else).

One thing I liked about the last chapter/episode was that Raminus is amazed by what things Buffy has collected, but the fact that it all fits in the same small bag is just unremarkable to him. Bags of Holding are an everyday item that need no comment - if you're a Mage.

My compliments on a masterful omission. And don't tell us you didn't do anything!

[King Coin]

I agree with Thomas, PRICELESS!

[Acadian]

Episode 76 found our bowgirl meeting with Raminus Polus at the Arcane University. Buffy requested her guild provide assistance to Kvatch. The Master Wizard promised he would supportively bring the matter before the Council of Mages. He suggested that if Buffy could deal with a concern at Wellspring Grove that was distracting the Council, they would likely be more amenable to the request for aid.

mALX- Thank you so much! Buffy looks up to Raminus, but he is rather. . . academic. I'm glad Buffy's 'training aids' helped convince him how serious she was.

Rider- With Julian being the braveheart warrior she is, it feels good to know that she agreed with Buffy's assessment of the hero in a headband. Thank you!

SubRosa- Eliciting a cheer from the lady of the faint smile is a high honor indeed! Thank you. The opinion you offered on Raminus Polus nails Buffy's view of him exactly.

Thomas Kaira- Thank you. Buffy does have control over her fear of being eaten by Daedra now. There will be delays placed in her path, but she has taken a dramatic step closer to Kvatch. Although it will only take her several dozen of her days to get there from this point, the details involved will require as many episodes.

ghastley- Thank you for extending your support of Buffy the chatterbox from the Bethesda game forum to her fanfic over here at chorrol! I'm glad you appreciate the wonders of her pack and magic bag. Superian's saddlebags are of great help as well, since the mare can carry as much as, well, a horse.

King Coin- Thank you! Take good care of little Aravi and her companion Vilja.

* * *

77 Wellspring Cave

With Slayer in hand, I entered Wellspring Cave. Not sure what to expect, I immediately melted into the nearest shadowy wall. I was in a dark tunnel, but there was an open cavern straight ahead displaying the encouraging flicker of firelight. One life force, that I assessed as man or mer, moved unhurriedly about the rocky chamber. I crept closer and could now see robes adorning the glowing pink figure that was now partially hidden in shadow.

Relaxing at the sight of what appeared to be a mage, I emerged from hiding and cheerfully approached. "Hail! Raminus Polus sent me. Are you alright?"

The figure turned to face me and hissed, "Your presence here will not be tolerated!" His arm spiked the air, releasing a glowing lavender orb in front of him. As the magical light descended, it both produced a zombie and revealed that the man's robe was black.

My right hand shot upward in a well-practiced panic response. As my own cloud of magic blossomed and settled over me, I disappeared from head to toe and a skeleton emerged in my stead. The spellcaster's mace and zombie made short work of my bony distraction while I invisibly crept up and circled very close behind the robed man.

He apparently did not accept the illusion that I had turned into a skeleton. As his own summon expired, he said, "So the guild has sent an errand girl, hmm? And quite the looker, it seems." His tone oozed hatred. "Where are you now, little mage? After crushing your skull, I'll have my pleasure with your corpse. Once sated, I may even send pieces of it back to this Raminus Polus of yours."

I had heard enough. As his hand lifted to cast another spell, I reached out and discharged illusion magic into the back of his robe, forfeiting my invisibility. He lost control of his limbs and collapsed to the stone floor of the cave while my hand slipped into my quiver. Within seconds he began to recover from the paralysis, but it was too late. At this range, there was no delay at all between the twang and thud that lethally propelled him right back to the ground.

Scanning beyond the rocky walls, I could detect several distant glows, but none were nearby.

After letting out a long breath through puckered lips, I whispered, "Yikes! What have I gotten into?" I poked at the body with the toe of my boot. "I guess you're not from the guild."

Sparking flame from my fingertips to a torch, I wedged it into a crevice in the cave wall. The front of the dead man's robe revealed red skull and bone markings that I recognized. Why would necromancers invade this cave?

I shuddered involuntarily and my skin crawled as I thought about the black robe's words. I offered some of my own. "I won't exactly pleasure myself with your corpse, but I do need it for a moment." Drawing my hunting knife, I dropped to one knee by the necromancer and began the task of cutting my arrow free. "Don't worry, I'm not going to eat your heart." I carefully examined the broadhead tip of the arrow. The shaft remained straight, and the black and white feathered fletching was undamaged. Satisfied, I wiped down the arrow and returned it to my quiver. Shaking my head, I added, "You know, I've learned that losers talk while fighting; survivors talk after. Advice that's too late for you, I guess."

Grabbing my torch, I continued fully into the first cavern. A small figure lay on the ground ahead, but emitted no life force. As I got closer, my fears were confirmed. It was Zahrasha. Kneeling by her side, I noted that her limbs were stiff to my touch. I knew this Khajiit well enough from my University days to call her friend. . .

A small Khajiit raised her hand. In response to Delmar's nod, she timidly asked, "Isn't it wrong to use the souls of other beings to create magic items or recharge our weapons?"

"Excellent question, Zahrasha," began the Redguard thoughtfully. "You see, the term 'soul gem' is horribly inaccurate, no doubt coined by those who fear what they do not understand. We are capturing magical energy, not souls. Hence, the summoned skeleton who possessed no soul, spirit or life, was able to fill our gem just fine."

Zahrasha was not trained to fight, nor even skilled in destruction. She was simply a mage-scholar, seeking to live peacefully, study and tend her beloved grove.

Death traveled with necromancers. They were, no doubt, responsible for this. It was true that Arch Mage Traven did not allow the practice of necromancy within our guild, but that had no force of Imperial law. Was attacking this University facility some sort of retribution for the guild's policy? I had no idea, but I did know that Zahrasha didn't deserve this.

Rage and tears welled up within me. I gently stroked the soft fur of the mage's cold face. "You have my oath, sister; no black robe who remains here defiling your precious grove will live to see tomorrow. Forgive me now, for I must see what help you can offer." A careful search of Zahrasha's russet felt dress yielded a key that I slipped into a pouch at my belt.

As I thought of the necromancers, I recalled another oath that had been promised and fulfilled by my fellow Knight of the White Stallion. With a grim determination, I repeated the words of Sir Mazoga, "You killed my friend, and now I'm going to kill you."

Lingering, I tried to sort through my emotions. Anger and revenge were not strangers to me. I had learned the hard way however, that it was the methodical and stealthy approach of the hunter that would keep me alive to exact my vengeance.

My tears were gone now. I extinguished the torch, but the words of my doctrine burned brightly. Wrapping the shadows of dark stony walls around me, I silently glided deeper into Wellspring Cave.

The short tunnel led to another cavern that was quite large, the front portion dimly lit by braziers and torches. A green flag of the Mages Guild hung from one wall, while alchemical supplies and a number of texts were scattered upon a large table. Moving about the far dark corners of this underground rocky chamber were three well-dispersed glowing men or mer that I feared were foes.

Briefly changing rings, I eliminated the distraction of pink glows and illuminated the entire grotto in a soft blue light that pierced every corner. Satisfied that the three figures were necromancers, I further assessed that given the size, darkness and layout of the cavern they couldn't really see each other. I removed the ring of night eye and re-donned my detect life rings.

Selecting several hidden firing positions, I set about my task. A single arrow killed the most distant target, but the twang of Slayer's bowstring raised the suspicions of the closest necromancer. As I silently repositioned, I was relieved to hear him attribute what he had heard to nonexistent rodents. The two remaining foes each similarly fell.

Relighting my torch, I searched the black robes in vain for any clue as to why they would attack this place.

My eye caught what appeared to be a bundle of green cloth. As I raised the torch, my heart sank. Crumpled in one corner of this cavern was a body wearing the robes of a University student. It had to be the missing mage that Raminus had sent to retrieve wood for a staff. I approached and, after kneeling by the body, rolled the mage onto his back. The Breton was younger than I. A search of the boy's robes revealed a letter addressed to one Corrick Northwode at Harm's Folly:

Dear Father,

You would be so proud of me! I completed all the various guildhall recommendations and was finally accepted into the Arcane University. Headmaster Raminus Polus has sent me to a nearby grove tended by mages where they will give me the special wood for my staff. Within a few days, I will have my very own mage's staff! I know it took every septim you had to get me here, but I will study hard and not disappoint you. I so wish mother was alive to hear this wonderful news. Someday, when I learn the magic skills to kill goblins I will return to our farm and avenge her death. I miss you.

Your loving son, Arnaud

After slipping the letter into my pack, I spoke to the young Breton whose future had been snuffed out. "Rest at ease now, Apprentice. As I told Zahrasha, the black robes will pay for this. Four of them already have." I leaned closer and touched his cheek, my tears falling upon his face. "Arnaud, I will finish the task of getting your mage's staff made. I will deliver it, along with this letter, to your father."

I resumed my search, hoping Eletta - the other mage that tended the grove - had somehow managed to escape the black robes.

In another corner of the same cavern, I found a tunnel leading to a locked door. I wished I had asked Raminus for a map of Wellspring Cave. Did this wooden door lead to the grove itself or simply more tunnels? Unsure of what to expect ahead, I whispered, "Thank you Zahrasha," as I reached for her key.

[mALX]

I remember the first time I did this quest, walking in totally blind to what was ahead. The shock of finding necromancers in place of the mages, then finding the bodies of the mages; Buffy may have tricks at her disposal to gain the upper hand (that my player did not have), but the emotions were the same - shock, horror, fear, sadness - (once I verified several times that I had entered the correct cave).

You did a great job of revisiting how this quest strikes the player the first time they enter Wellspring Cave, and that is hard to do - BRAVO !!!! Awesome Write and Chapter !!

[haute ecole rider]

Ah, yes, I remember the first time in Wellspring Cave. I was WTF??

Good thing I had the official game guide handy. A quick peek in there and I was 'oh sh--'

I remember this from 1.0 and I loved your twist on this quest. It makes it even more poignant, especially when Buffy carried out her promise.

[King Coin]

(once I verified several times that I had entered the correct cave)

I did that too. I killed the first necromancer and checked my map to be sure I had the right cave, then exited it and compared the the name of the cave with the one in my journal. I couldn't believe that there were necromancers in the mage's guild cave.

Great chapter!

[Captain Hammer]

The others have already commented on the surprise of finding the Necromancers, but you also capture the second of thoughts that ran through my head when I played this quest: Vengeance.

Arnaud was a well done, if saddening, touch. I assume that this will somehow tie-in the quest at Harm's Folly to kill some more of them pesky goblins. They truly are annoying twerps.

[ghastley]

Unfortunately you've now got me thinking "It wouldn't be hard to create a mod that puts an extra dead NPC in the cave, and updates the other quest". I've got to finish my own new stuff first!

[SubRosa]

Oh noes, don't say hello! Poor Buffy! It is a good thing that her experience has now taught her to react to surprises. I especially liked the comparison between Buffy and the necrodude. Where he simply summons a critter, she summons one and turns invisible at the same time. Talk about having the last word!

I've learned that losers talk while fighting; survivors talk after.
QFT.

The brief flashback with Zahrasha was both excellent, and economical. By the latter I mean that you not only made the present circumstances very personal to Buffy, but at the same time you performed an excellent bit of world-building in your description of how soul gems really work. Two for the price of one!

Finally Arnaud's death brings extra poignancy to this tale. I really do love how you have framed this, not as an impersonal war between rival mage factions, but rather as a very personal experience of tragedy and vengeance.

[Grits]

After letting out a long breath through puckered lips, I whispered, "Yikes! What have I gotten into?" I poked at the body with the toe of my boot. "I guess you're not from the guild."

Priceless!

My tears were gone now. I extinguished the torch, but the words of my doctrine burned brightly. Wrapping the shadows of dark stony walls around me, I silently glided deeper into Wellspring Cave.

Beautifully put. Buffy’s skills and her composure are so impressive here.

Arnaud’s letter home really touched my heart. So much love, pride, and sacrifice contained in so few lines. I feel so badly for his poor father.

[Thomas Kaira]

A somber trek indeed. It is immensely satisfying to see Buffy dispatch those who violated her doctrine with such ease and grace. She has become quite the cunning hunter, one perhaps to rival Orintur Honditar (I always mix their names up for some reason ). Then again, if you were to pit them in one-on-one competition, it would appear to be rather one-sided to me. After all, can Honditar brag that he hunted Daedra for three days straight? Nope, didn't think so.

He apparently did not accept the illusion that I had turned into a skeleton. As his own summon expired, he said, "So the guild has sent an errand girl, hmm? And quite the looker, it seems." His tone oozed hatred. "Where are you now, little mage? After crushing your skull, I'll have my pleasure with your corpse. Once sated, I may even send pieces of it back to this Raminus Polus of yours."

Perhaps tricking a necromancer with a skeleton was probably not the greatest idea in the world, huntress. Maybe you should try a Clannfear next time... or perhaps a Daedroth? Remember what you were taught, always plan ahead. Expect the best, plan for the worst.

My tears were gone now. I extinguished the torch, but the words of my doctrine burned brightly. Wrapping the shadows of dark stony walls around me, I silently glided deeper into Wellspring Cave.

Loved the sentence styling here.

This post has been edited by Thomas Kaira: Feb 15 2011, 03:12 AM

[Zalphon]

I silently glided deeper into Wellspring Cave.

This sentence is beautiful in its simplicity, yet how elegant it is. The picture is so vivid and real...

[Acadian]

In Episode 77, Buffy entered Wellspring Cave seeking to check on the mages who tended the grove beyond. She was dismayed to find one of the grove's mages and a University student dead inside the cave. After killing the necromancers responsible, Buffy found a wooden door that she figures leads deeper into the cave or perhaps to the grove itself.

mALX- Thank you for endorsing that we managed to capture the surprise and confusion of finding those black robes in the guild's own facility. I'm so glad that we were able to display Buffy's surprise, confusion, then anger.

Rider- Thank you. I'm glad you liked the addition and tragedy of Arnaud as a means to enhance the importance of a mage's staff. Raminus was quite right that sending Buffy to get wood for a staff for herself would not make sense unless it could be turned into a bow.

King Coin- I'm really glad you are enjoying our version of this in-game quest. This will be the only Mages Guild quest Buffy completes during Book 1. Thank you.

Captain Hammer- Thank you for highlighting Buffy's vengeance. It is a definitive term as, like Buffy, it has both positive and negative connotations. She makes no claim to goodness, and is willing to accept the roll of judge, jury and executioner when her doctrine is triggered.

ghastley- A mod that mirrors our version of this quest! How cool would that be?!? It would still support mages who want to use a staff, but better support mages who prefer a dagger (or even a bow). Thank you.

SubRosa- Heh, I see you note Buffy repeating her mistake of declaring herself to strangers in dark places. I'm glad that repeating the soul gem flashback from one of Buffy's University episodes worked on both the levels you mentioned. Thank you for picking up on the critical lesson that Buffy has learned - focus on killing your foe, not talking to or taunting them. The addition of Arnaud helps reinforce that when Buffy goes into danger she does so either to improve her ability to survive, or to help those she holds dear. This ties of course to the fact that her motivation to help Kvatch is all about one special individual, not an empire or city.

Grits- Thank you for those mighty nice words on a couple of passages. I'm so glad we were able to touch your heart with Arnaud's letter. Buffy will fulfill her promise and try to bring comfort to the poor boy's father. She is easily distracted and drawn from her main path, and this will be one of those times.

Thomas Kaira- Thank you for the kind words about her fighting style. Buffy's going to quickly discover that not all necromancers are as uncreative as those she has met so far. Buffy would indeed summon a more potent helper, but at this level in her story she did not know how. Given her passion for bow, illusion and restoration, she is somewhat of a slow learner with conjuration. She'll address it in this next episode. Thanks also for highlighting the sentence referencing her doctrine; the previous and next episodes are good examples of her doctrine in action.

Zalphon- Thanks for liking that imagery. Great to see you!

* * *

78 Wellspring Grove

The tumblers, protecting whatever awaited beyond the heavy wooden door, yielded to the key I had found on Zahrasha's corpse.

Emerging from the cold stony darkness of Wellspring Cave, I found myself suddenly outdoors. My senses were overwhelmed and I was slightly disoriented. Bright sunlight hurt my eyes and I could smell flowers and forest. A woman's cry of fear assaulted my ears. By squinting and raising a hand to shield my eyes, I could make out the blurry image of a hooded necromancer taunting a woman.

I blinked rapidly, forcing my eyes to more quickly adjust. As punishment for my effort, I watched as the insults culminated with a silver dagger being plunged into the chest of another guild mate that I recognized as Eletta. Blood immediately darkened the Redguard's burgundy blouse. As she fell limply to the ground, I silently cursed myself for being too slow to prevent her death.

Hoping I had not been noticed, I raised my hand and released a shroud of invisibility that cloaked me as it settled.

The hooded black robe turned toward the door I had emerged from, scanning suspiciously. I could see now she was a Dunmer. "So, intruder, you would seek to hide rather than join your friends in death?" The voice oozed vileness.

Ok, so she had noticed me, but at least she couldn't see me now. I stood, barely breathing as I considered how best to proceed.

A spell formed in the dark elf's hand. She began to smile, releasing a pinkish glow above her head. "Be revealed now, guild worm, and yield your corpse to me."

I gulped, hoping she had not cast what I feared. As the glow of her spell dissipated, the sinister smile broadened and her red eyes snapped straight toward me. They were filled with hatred.

My blood ran cold with the terrifying realization that she could see my life force. I used magic to detect the presence of my foes routinely, but had rarely faced an enemy who did the same. I cursed myself for overestimating the safety of my precious invisibility spell - especially around spellcasters. My reliable panic response of disappearing had been shattered. Flustered, and feeling very vulnerable, my mind raced.

The necromancer hissed, "I see the glow of your life, plaything. That won't last for long." She raised her silver dagger, the blade still dripping crimson from Eletta's wound. "When your blood mingles with the dead Redguard's, will you remain invisible? I think not. I'm going to kill, then reanimate you. You'll dance for me, little one. Yes, you will. I'll make your corpse tear itself apart!"

Talking, instead of immediately attacking, was an arrogant mistake on her part. I wasn't the best at thinking quickly, and the precious delay provided by her threats had given me just the time I needed to devise a plan.

The Dunmer approached menacingly. A burst of green magic swirled from my fingertips. My hands instantly reappeared in front of me, but I was already reaching for an arrow. As my illusion engulfed her, the necromancer sheathed her bloody dagger and stood calmly. I couldn't miss her chest at this range, and my arrow propelled her to the ground next to Eletta. Her body now emitted no more life force than that of my guild mate.

I immediately crouched, melting into the bushes surrounding the cave's door. Scanning for life signs, I could see there were two more distant glows to extinguish. I was hidden and safe - for the moment. I let my pounding heart begin to slow as I surveyed my surroundings.

Were it not for the grim circumstances, Wellspring Grove was actually a beautiful forest on a small island punctuating the eastern portion of Lake Rumare. Birds cheerfully sang as they winged among the branches overhead, oblivious to the mortal events below.

A pink flame danced atop each of two stone pedestals in the middle of the grove. The structures were similar to those found inside the gates that welcomed visitors to the University itself. Nestled between the magical flaming markers was a stone chest that I suspected contained the special wood I needed.

I remembered my promise to complete Arnaud's staff and deliver it to the dead boy's father at Harm's Folly. Right now though, I needed to deliver on a more immediate debt.

My heart sank further as I looked at Eletta. The Redguard had been another scholarly mage simply trying to study arcane texts and tend to her grove. Again, I struggled to suppress my anger. Finally, I quietly said, "Like Zahrasha and Arnaud, I will avenge you too, sister."

Shifting my now hardened gaze to the nearby body of the Dunmer in black, I whispered venomously, "By yielding to your overconfidence, you attempted to toy with your prey. As a result, I yet live and you do not. Thank you, hooded one, for reminding me not to make your mistake. I hate you with a raging fury, and would love to toy with those of you who yet live. But I have learned the difference between trusting in my abilities and the risks of overconfidence. I will not jeopardize myself or my task; there will be no taunting from me. Your remaining companions, in fact, will never see their death approaching."

I was near the cave entrance, at the southern end of the island. One necromancer stood guard to my northeast; the other was posted to the northwest. Apparently, their duty was to prevent any assault from the lake. There was good distance between the necromancers, but given the bright light of day, I suspected if one fell the other might notice. How to kill one without alerting the other?

I could use illusion magic that would cause one necromancer to attack his companion. . . no, I had promised to kill each of them myself.

What about a high trajectory arrow to one, followed by a carefully timed direct shot to the other for simultaneous impacts? Glancing up at the trees and overhead branches, I rejected that idea.

Just shoot one, then deal with the likely attack from the other? I shook my head. Too messy and dangerous. Necromancers had that frustrating habit of summoning help that could suddenly complicate things. Besides, they outclassed me when it came to summoning. As an archer, illusionist and healer, my skills with conjuration had only progressed enough to summon the simplest forms of assistance. With practice, I hoped to someday conjure more powerful spirits.

Nocking an arrow and drawing some tension on Slayer's bowstring, I enhanced my focus to get a better look. As the necromancers snapped clearly into view, another idea came to mind. The black robe to the northwest was facing me, his back leaning against a tree. . . .

I returned the arrow to my quiver and looked at the bow that nestled so naturally in my left hand, like an extension of my arm. Slayer was indeed powerful, but could it do what I was contemplating?

Reaching back into my quiver, my fingers sought and found the tail of an armor-piercing arrow. The hardened, slender tip was made to pierce and penetrate. I coated it with a poison that would both paralyze and kill - just in case. I also planned for the possible spells I might need if this didn't work as intended.

After tossing a small pinch of dirt into the air and watching a slight breeze affect the particles' descent, I nocked the arrow. Pulling silk with calloused fingers, I applied some tension to Slayer. By concentrating on the tree-leaning necromancer, I was able to again draw him sharply into focus. The red skull emblazoned on the front of his black robe was now clearly visible. I intended the arrow to pierce the left side of his chest along with any necessary ribs, miss the bones of his spine and continue into the tree.

Factoring in range and wind considerations, I breathed normally. Years of practice helped generate my offset aim point. Halfway through an exhalation, I stopped breathing. In a single smooth motion, I drew full tension on the bowstring, adjusted to my final aim point and loosed.

After a breathless eternity of a couple seconds, the necromancer jerked slightly. The glow of his life however, immediately faded. His head slumped forward, but his body remained upright. At this range, the arrow that had impaled him was not visible. He simply appeared to be resting against the tree.

I quickly looked at the dead necromancer's companion for any reaction, hoping that the distances involved had prevented him from hearing the twang of Slayer's bowstring or my arrow's impact. He glanced at his upright cult mate. Apparently unconcerned, the black robe returned his gaze out to Lake Rumare.

"Yes!" I whispered, repressing a squeal. "It worked!"

The next arrow I selected was a broadhead - the more traditional choice for unarmored targets. I carefully aimed at my final enemy, and permitted a faint smile.

The necromancer never saw the arrow that fatally tore a path deeply into the center of his chest.

This post has been edited by Acadian: Feb 19 2011, 03:17 PM

[haute ecole rider]

Yes! My favorite archery lesson!

I loved the in-depth 'discussion' of archery tactics and shooting one without alerting the other (something I take advantage of all the time in-game). The selection of arrow points was also inspired.

Julian's only tactical nit (as opposed to a writing/style nit), and one I share, is that Buffy took her time coming up with a retort to a dead necromancer who can't hear her while there were still two live enemies within bowshot (and definitely ranged spell) distance. If one or the other had noticed her while she was communing with the Dunmer, they would have been the ones communing with her! There's plenty of time for that after the fat lady sings. I only bring it up because while Julian is a seasoned soldier with years of combat experience under her belt, Buffy is rather naïve in that regard, and that only highlights her character even more. She's not perfect, and there is a lot she still doesn't know about combat. Still, she has come a long way - so long that such lapses are few and far between and only serve to further highlight her hard-earned competency. She now has to guard against over-confidence.

As for me, I did notice something.

I remembered my promise to complete Arnaud's staff and deliver it to the dead boy's father at Harm's Folly. Right now though, I needed to put pay to a more immediate debt.

The phrasing here is awkward. 'Put paid' is the typical term here, and as I understand it, 'put' is the active verb, while 'paid' is more the object. That means the word 'put' reflects the rules of verb usage, while 'paid' remains the same. So either you meant put paid, or you intended something more like - I needed to pay a more immediate debt.

I continue to enjoy Buffy's story and how she is growing into such a competent young woman.

[Grits]

I remember stepping out of the cave onto that island exactly as you describe, you capture that moment so vividly! I have been dreading the day someone used a detect life spell to spot Buffy. And it had to be the first necromancer, oh no! My heart was in my throat, but she prevailed! The nearly silent battle on the island illustrates why Jerric gets a churning stomach when he thinks of archers.

[SubRosa]

The tumblers, protecting whatever awaited beyond the heavy wooden door, yielded to the key
I love the metaphors you use here of protecting and yielding.

"Be revealed now, guild worm, and yield your corpse to me."
This was nicely worded!

and permitted a faint smile
A certain stringy bosmer would be proud! Not only of Buffy's cuddly as a rattlesnake choice of smiles, but also of her inspired decision to try to pin the one necromancer to the tree.

[King Coin]

I'd love to be able to pin enemies to various objects in game. While they are still alive!