Teresa of the Faint Smile, Adventures of a Stringy Bosmer Options

[Acadian]

'Teresa wished she could be so cheerful, but the truth was that she would rather be picking mushrooms and roots in the forest any day.'
And here we have the perspective of the wood nymph vs that of the dirt farmer illustrated perfectly! Fortunately, Mara loves 'shrooms and roots as much as she does beans and corn.

And the traffic heading south to Bravil serves as another foreshadow of the tournament!

What a magnificent job you did allowing us to feel and see everything Teresa did with the bear encounter. There is much more at work here than Teresa's Bosmeri calm animals ability. I can't wait to learn how much more. It's gonna take an awful lot of healing to fix such a massive and majestic animal, but somehow I know Teresa's gonna try.

This post has been edited by Acadian: Mar 29 2011, 02:01 AM

[Thomas Kaira]

Oh noes! By the looks of that bear, the Ancient's lackeys are catching up with with Dere! Either that, or Drusilla has been rather busy over the last few nights. Some say she is capable of killing the Chosen of Azura with naught but her fingernails, after all (watch out, Buffy)!

Looks like this year's harvest is not going to be going completely as planned, that's all I can tell. But first thing's first, we have a bear to mend. I hope it doesn't mind, or Teresa might find her head facing the wrong way round after her spine has been shattered in three places. I don't think even TES magic can fix those.

This post has been edited by Thomas Kaira: Mar 29 2011, 06:31 PM

[Grits]

From 33.2, I love your lush depiction of Olava. It suits the role you’ve given her perfectly. I always thought she looked a bit too down-to-nirn in the game to spend her time loitering in the chapel. The appearance of the Three Sisters delighted me! It made me think of tidewater Virginia, my own inspiration for Bravil. Olava’s mention of her blood being transfigured into Mara’s made me think of another option for the Blood of the Divines quest!

In 33.3 Olava’s recollection of Button’s birth reminds us that motherhood is a messy business right from the start. It makes sense that Mara’s living saint would wear dirt-stained wool, not flowing white chiffon.

I love that Teresa finally gets bored with crops. It’s why I think some folks turn to banditry, they just can’t face another harvest season! The bear mystery is intriguing. Her dream had to come from somewhere. I wonder what could do that to a bear. A daedroth? I’ll wait and see.

[SubRosa]

mALX: That screenshot was not very difficult. I just summoned the bear, and used a pose mod to get Teresa in that stance (I think it is the Activate Low animation from the game).


Olen: Teresa does not like work! It comes from growing up on the streets. The whole idea of spending all day toiling away is as alien to her as it is dreadful. Of course she does not see her workouts at the guild, or harvesting of alchemy as work...

It is true that Teresa is not equal in her love of all creatures. She would happily hurt a fly! Not to mention mudcrabs. I did take out the disgusting though.

One of the things that I find gets very dull, very quickly in many fan fics is the need that new authors often feel to have a battle every post. It turns into the monster of the week. T.v. shows often get the same way. So most of the time I try to create conflict in ways other than battles to the death. Then when those do happen, I hope they have more impact, because of their rarity.


haute ecole rider: You would call Animal Control?


Destri Melarg: In the TF, all the major chapels, and probably some of the minor ones, would have a living saint. I thought they all did in the game. I knew about the guy in Cheydinhal, and of course Olava. So I just figured the others had one too.

Who knows, Teresa might meet Ama Nin in the future. I have something similar in mind already.

I did want the she there. But if noon does stem from latin, then I think it works even better, since that is basically what I am using for Cyrodiilic anyhow.


ghastley: I looked too, and that was all I found. I wonder why they only put the two living saints in the game, and not one for each city?


Acadian: We are going to see exactly what forces are at work this segment, and it won't be beans and corn!


Thomas Kaira: Perhaps William the Bloody is in town as well? Buffy may have conjured him up...


Grits: Transfiguration is a key element to all sacrifices. The word sacrifice itself means "to make sacred" in Latin. The act of sacrificing someone or something transforms it into the divine. The ceremony itself (really all religious rites) is a divine play, recreating some event from the mythology of the religion. The congregation becomes a part of the play, and the sacrifice becomes the divine actor. For example, in Catholic communion, wine and a cracker are sacrificed, and the act transfigures them into the blood and flesh of Christ. The penitent then consumes them, acting out the same role as the Apostles at the Last Supper. By taking communion, one is not only re-enacting the event, but reliving it and making it happen all over again.

We will see exactly what did that to our poor bear this segment.


Next: In our previous episode, Teresa and Olava finished the last of their blessings, and began the trip back to Bravil. But they encountered a wounded grizzly on the road, which Teresa used her Bosmer power to command animals upon to placate. Now in the final episode of Chapter 33, Teresa must find some way to rescue the poor animal.


Chapter 33.5 - The Blessing

Teresa dug into one of her belt pouches and drew forth a bottle filled with pink liquid. Its glass surface was emblazoned with the upraised image of twin serpents coiled around a central staff, and Teresa pulled its cork free and knelt down before the bear.

"Now how do I get you to drink?" Teresa wondered aloud. Putting the bottle in front of the bear's muzzle, she felt her heart sink as the grizzly wrinkled her nose and turned away. Once again Teresa moved the bottle in front of the animal, but again she swayed her head in the other direction.

"Oh they don't really taste that bad!" Teresa insisted, remembering Pappy's words in the alchemy lab a few days before. The forester sighed, staring down at the poor, wounded animal. She knew that there was no way she could force the bear to drink. The grizzly had to be six times her weight, and was strong enough to throw her all the way back to Bravil if she wanted to.

Staring at the long red marks that cut through the bear's fur, an idea blossomed within the wood elf's brain. Stretching out one hand to stroke the uninjured side of the animal's head, she held the potion over the wounds on the other side, and carefully poured. The pink liquid dripped into the raw cuts, and a moment later white light grew from the rent flesh of the forest giant. Teresa's heart leaped, and she continued to pour, until the entire contents had spilled into the bear's wounds.

The bear made another moan then, and lifted her head to once again gaze upon the wood elf. Again, Teresa was struck by the sadness in the predator's eyes, and she once again bit her lip in empathy for the poor beast.

"Don't worry girl," she breathed, "I'll take your pain away. I promise."

The wounds on the bear's head faded to nothing but old, upraised scars after a second healing potion. Then Teresa moved to the wounds on her flank, and used three more potions before they too faded away to a memory.

Staring at the bite upon the grizzly's foreleg, Teresa's heart sank. That was the last of her potions. Frantically digging into her Thieves Bag, she could find no more ingredients to make another with. She had used them all up to brew healing draughts for the rest of the guild. Now she had nothing left for the bear.

Teresa fell to her knees, and once more heard the bear keening sadly in her ears. The wood elf felt the grizzly's muzzle fall heavily upon her lap. As if they had a mind of their own, her hands moved to stroke the bear's stained and dirty fur.

If only there was something else she could do! If only she had not used up all of her lavender and cairn bolete! If only, if only, if only… Teresa closed her eyes in defeat. She knew it was no accident that she had dreamed of the bear the night before, and no accident that she had been the first mortal to come upon her in the road. She was here for a reason, and that reason was to help the bear. To protect her, and to protect those who would come upon her in her wounded and angered state. Yet she had failed.

If only she could heal the bear in the same way that she could herself. If she could just send her magicka into the animal, and take away her pain. If only she was a better magician. If only…

Teresa felt a tear break free from her eye and roll down her cheek.

Then she felt something behind her. Something large and warm, looming over hear like a vast shadow. She raised her head, but did not turn. A moment later she felt hot breath falling upon her neck, and then soft fur enfolding her back. Looking down, she found that her arms were covered in a curly brown pelt, tipped with tiny flecks of silver. Just like that of the grizzly. She sniffed the air, not a soft sound, but a low noise that emanated from deep within the long muzzle that extended from her face.

Reaching out one clawed paw, Teresa set it upon the bloody foreleg of the other bear. She could feel the bear's heart beat in her ears, and the grizzly's breath fill her lungs. Teresa felt the pain of the wound on the bear's arm. It was a deep, piercing flame that shot through her body. Yet it was nothing compared to the empty pit within her heart.

Teresa pictured the bear in her mind. Not in pain, but happy and carefree. The bright summer sun kissed her muzzle, while butterflies flitted about, and the water of the Larsius rolled past at her feet. The brown fur of her hide was soft and smooth - neither marred by injury or stained with blood- and she stepped along the riverbank with confidence and ease.

The forester let her magicka flow through that image, down her arm, and into the bear. She saw the terrible bite wound shrink, but not vanish. Again she released her magicka, and again. Until finally her last reservoir of the energy was spent, even with its potion-amplified strength.

Teresa blinked. She was an elf once more, sitting in front of the bear, who was now hale and hearty. The predator's open maw gaped before her eyes. Yet she did not flinch, and a moment later she felt the grizzly's wet tongue slide over her features. Teresa closed her eyes - and more importantly her mouth - as the great predator licked her face and then her hair.

She could not restrain the giggle that escaped her lips when she finally rose to her feet. The bear now stood on all fours before her, and Teresa motioned for her to follow as she stepped to the side of the road. Her eyes picked out the broken, bloody twigs that marked the bear's passage, and set her feet to that path.

Teresa could feel the hot breath of the bear on her back as she plunged into the Great Forest. By Raven, she could barely believe it was true! She had healed not herself, but another. She had thought that impossible for her to do. Not only that, it had all been without being taught the spell! The knowledge of how to do so had just come upon her.

No, it had not, Teresa realized a moment later. She had been taught. Just not by another mortal. She knew from her experiences in her Astral Temple that she had not been alone. It was a spirit guide that had been with her. That had shown her. But it had not been Raven. It was another. One with brown fur, a long muzzle, massive arms and dark claws. Exactly like the bear she had healed.

It had been Bear. Not only with her then, but in her dreams the night before.

With that she recalled something Morcant had said months before: "You might find a different spirit-guide coming to you every time you go down a new path. They may not be the guides that you expected, or wanted, but they are always what you need."

So just as Raven was a guardian for those who journeyed through dark places and change in their lives, Teresa mused, Bear was a healer. Yesterday she never would have imagined that a bear would be a symbol of healing. Yet now she could not imagine any other. It just felt, right. As right as the magicka that had flowed through her veins and into the grizzly that now dogged her heels.

Teresa came to a halt roughly half a mile from the road. She smelled blood in the air. Strong, sweet, and coppery. Looking around she saw broken branches to one side, and stepped off in that direction. A dozen paces later she stopped once more, staring down at the huge body laying torn and limp between the trees.

It was shaped like an elf, with two arm and legs. But there the similarities ended. Its muscular body was covered in dark green fur that was flecked with black. Its arms were over-sized, and ended with curved digits that looked like they were made of bone, or horn. Yet a closer look showed that they were jointed, like fingers. Its head looked like the drawings she had seen of the apes said to live in Valenwood. Yet it bore three black eyes, and its distended jaw was packed with dagger-like fangs.

A troll, Teresa thought. For what else could such a monster be?

The creature's head was twisted backwards upon its torso, and it body was torn open and bathed in black blood. A glance back at the grizzly trailing her gave Teresa the answer to how that had happened. One swat from the bear's paw could have easily snapped its neck, and she had no doubt as to what her fangs and claws could do. She had seen that up close during the Oblivion Crisis. There was no more deadly animal on Nirn than an enraged grizzly.

Stepping past the dead troll, Teresa found the reason for that rage, and her heart broke like crystal under a hammer. Laying silent and still in the bloody leaves were two small bears, no more than cubs. One's head was missing, and the other's belly was torn open. Among them lay more of the trolls, their bodies ripped asunder. She felt her heart lurch at the sight, and turned away. Now she understood the sadness in the bear's eyes, and that empty, forlorn feeling deep inside her. She had seen her children die, and had been unable to protect them. A mother's worst nightmare.

"I am so sorry." Teresa bit her lip, and laid a gentle hand upon the bear's shoulder. "I wish I could take this away too."

The bear moaned plaintively as she stared at the dead cubs. But she walked on at Teresa's promptings. The wood elf led her silently into the depths of the forest, until finally the terrible scene faded into the past.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Mar 31 2011, 02:16 AM

[Destri Melarg]

I did want the she there. But if noon does stem from latin, then I think it works even better, since that is basically what I am using for Cyrodiilic anyhow.

Well, no worries then.

I imagine that the story of Teresa and the Bear could be a fable to help the children of Valenwood come to know their spirit guides. Teresa overcomes her fear through an overwhelming need to help another, and in so doing it is that other that serves as the vessel through which Teresa gains knowledge of herself. The image of the bear as healer seems perfect for a race of people as bound to the land as the Bosmer in the TF. It sets the mind to wonder: What other spirit guides are out there waiting for Teresa to discover them? And, more importantly, does this mean that she can shift into bear form now?

[haute ecole rider]

It's very appropriate that Bear come to Teresa as her new spirit guide, after she had called one up during the great battle of the Crisis in the shop.

I might be confused a little, but I believe the Bear is considered a healing spirit among the Native Americans as well. Makes me wonder how far back that goes - to the time of the cave bears? There's archaeological evidence that cave bears and humans shared the same caves, though not necessarily simultaneously. Likely just that both recognized the space as being appropriate for each to hibernate in or perform sacred rituals or spend the night in.

Me, I wouldn't have called Animal Control! I would have healed the bear myself! I used to volunteer in wildlife rehab years ago, and have loved it (and miss it now).

I knew there were dead cubs somewhere. Only reason for the she-grizz to be so pissed off and sad at the same time. Considering how much time and energy they invest into those rug rats, no wonder she was lashing out at anything and anyone.

[Acadian]

This was powerful, poignant and spiritual all at the same time. Masterfully done!

And another spirit guide! I look forward to the possibility that someday, Teresa will be able to ask the spirits of the forest to magically appear and provide assistance to the red-headed elf.

'Teresa closed her eyes - and more importantly her mouth - as the great predator licked her face and then her hair.'
I loved this. It is not exactly being sniffed by a dragon (Destri, I'm lookin' at you), but it is pretty close and just about as memorable!

'She could not restrain the giggle that escaped her lips when she finally rose to her feet.'
Such a rare and welcome delight from our Teresa, of the Faint Smile.

'Stepping past the dead troll, Teresa found the reason for that rage, and her heart broke like crystal under a hammer.'
Beyond the beauty of your TES friendly metaphor, my heart surely broke too.

Now I must strongly concur with Destri that this episode is no doubt fertile ground for the stuff of legend. I see the story of 'Teresa and the bear' being passed down from generation to generation of wood elves.

Nit: 'There was no more deadly animal on Nirn that an enraged grizzly.'
I'm sure you wanted 'than' instead of 'that'.

[Thomas Kaira]

This harkens to the search for a certain White Guar back east for me, or rather a hunt for the friendly beast back in Solstheim. I would certainly place this into the realms of Tamrielic Myths, and I certainly would not say no to seeing it featured in a future TES title as a misc. book! I wonder of Bethesda looks to their fan-fic writers for inspiration from time to time for the books they place into the game? If so, we should make sure they know of our haven here. There is much good to be found here, from Buffy the Shopaholic to Teresa the empathetic woods-woman to the Interregnum.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure Bethesda would take this segment, as the story of the Friendly Beast (Story of Aevar Stone-Singer, Ritual of the Gifts, Beast Ritual) we found in Bloodmoon is too much like this snippet of 'Rosa's quill. So similar, in fact, there might be some inspiration occurring here....

Also, if you would know, the Cave Bear was considered by many to be a most sacred animal in prehistoric times, particularly among the Neanderthals (at least if Jean Auel is to be believed). The bear was certainly revered among Native Americans, but its legacy stretches so far back it is an iconic symbol of power and free spirit throughout the world. A very fitting choice of symbolism here, if you ask me.

This post has been edited by Thomas Kaira: Mar 31 2011, 01:48 AM

[SubRosa]

Destri Melarg: Could Teresa someday be part of Aesopinor's Fables? Oh my! You have hit the nail right on the head, as usual. Teresa's empathy for the bear is what called her new spirit guide to her, and fueled her learning a new spell to heal others.


haute ecole rider: Bear is indeed a healing spirit, among other things. The cirumpolar Cave Bear Cult is the oldest known evidence of human & neanderthal religion. The cave bear skulls found in caves were carefully arranged, not haphazardly strewn about as if from natural deaths, or discarded after being eaten by humans. Some claim that because the skulls are only found in the caves means that the cult did not exist. But they are missing one important thing. Those caves were not used by early humans as homes, but rather as religious sites. That is the reason for things like the bear skulls, and the wall paintings of humans and animals. Joesph Campbell goes into this at length in The Way of the Animal Powers.


Acadian: Perhaps in the future, Teresa will not even have to use magic to gain help from the creatures of the forest... Being licked by the bear is certainly memorable enough for Teresa! She will pass on the dragon. And I did want than.


Thomas Kaira: I can honestly say that nothing in any of the ES games inspired Teresa's encounter with the bear. I had many reasons for using a bear as the particular animal. Some will not become clear until several more chapters. But others I can mention are simply that I like bears, always have. I have also established Bravil as being grizzly bear country. So they are the top-tier predators, the most powerful animal Teresa is going to run across (not counting magical monsters like will-o-the-wisps and such of course). Plus, since that scene was meant to bring out Teresa's bond with Bear the spirit guide, it felt only natural for it to be to in aid of an actual bear. Perhaps most importantly however, that scene reinforces how Teresa feels about the animals of the forest, and the lengths she will go to on their behalf.


Next: Our previous chapter saw Teresa acting as a bodyguard for Olava the Fair as she performed harvest blessings in the villages north of Bravil. In the process she learned more of the spirituality of farmers, and of Mara as a corn goddess. She also found her second spirit guide - Bear - who taught her how to heal others when Teresa found a wounded bear in the Green Road and rescued her. Out next episode begins a new chapter. It moves forward a week, and finds Teresa in the mountains along the border of Cyrodiil and Elsweyr. Clocking in at over 37,000 words, this will be my largest chapter ever.


Chapter 34.1 - The Tournament Of Archers

27th Hearthfire - 3rd Frostfall, 3E433

Teresa stepped into a break in the fir trees that dotted the peak of the Cligmande's Dome. Looking down the slope of the mountain, she found that the trees quickly gave way to short, rugged scrub brush. Soon even that too disappeared, until the ground evened out over a mile below and stretched away to the west. Jagged hills of barren rock thrust themselves in a chaotic fashion across the plain, with scattered bunches of pale grass stubbornly clinging to life between them. The barren land stretched on to the horizon, with no sign of roads, settlements, or other marks of a mortal hand.

So that is Elsweyr, Teresa thought with a sigh. It was so barren, yet so beautiful. Someday her feet would wander those paths…

Yet that was not today, the Bosmer thought. Turning to the east, she strode into the enveloping arms of the firs that graced the highest reaches of the mountain. She stopped when the ground began to slope down beneath her feet, and stepped up to the nearest tree.

Pulling off one of her leather gauntlets, Teresa set her bare hand upon the grey-brown bark of the tree. She closed her eyes and breathed deep, feeling the wood against her skin. The bark was firm under her hand, and the fir's branches creaked above her in the wind. The rest of the world slowly faded away, until there was nothing but her and the tree.

Teresa felt what the tree did. Her roots sunk deeply into the rocky soil of the mountain, soaking up cool water. The refreshing drink spread through her body within the sap that flowed through her frame. The wind caressed the needles that grew from her many branches, and shook the seed cones that graced her limbs. A pair or thrushes hopped from her upper branches, adding more twigs to their nest. While far below an elf stretched out her hand to touch the base of her trunk…

Teresa stepped away from the tree and gingerly opened her eyes. Even under the cloudy sky, the light was painfully bright. How long had she been with the tree? A few minutes? A few hours? She had no idea.

"Thank you for sharing that friend." The wood elf smiled faintly at the rising form of the conifer.

When finally her eyes adjusted to the noon-day sun, Teresa stepped into motion once more. Skirting the crest of the peak, she walked until she found another opening in the trees, this one facing east. The Nibenay Valley stretched out beneath her eyes. A rolling tide of green tumbled down the slope of the mountain. First conifers such as the firs among which she stood, then spruces, and finally broad-leaved cottonwoods, oaks, and maples far below. To her left the Larsius sliced down the mountains, a vein of silver flowing into the vast expanse of Niben Bay. Setting her eyes upon where the river met the lake, Teresa could see Bravil, little more than a dark grey jumble at the edge of the endless blue of the Niben.

Screenshot

Tadrose Helas was down there somewhere, she thought. Probably working in her forge. The dark elf hardly ever seemed to emerge from her underworld of fire and metal. Teresa wished the vice-commander had accompanied her up into the mountains west of the city. If only she had asked the Dunmer in the first place…

Could have, would have, should have, Teresa thought. Someday she was going to work up the nerve to learn just how much the dark elf truly liked her. Even if that meant losing her forever if the other woman was not as sapphic as she prayed.

Gods, why did romance have to be so treacherous? Teresa sighed. Shooting Daedra was easy, following what was in her heart was another matter entirely. How did people like Nerussa do it? Or Pappy and Chance?

They have nothing to lose, her thoughts answered. As Simplicia would have said, they were following their loins, not their hearts. Perhaps she should do the same. Just forget Tadrose, and enjoy the pleasures of women such as the bright-eyed publican of the Wawnet Inn.

Forget Tadrose? The Bosmer shook her head. May as well forget eating, she thought. Sooner or later there was no ignoring either. More likely sooner with the vice-commander…

The smoldering eyes and dusky skin of the dark elf filled the thoughts of the Bosmer as her feet took her down the eastern side of the mountain. She came across elk, wild sheep, and even a bear as she wended her way down. The latter gave her a long stare, as if he remembered her from some past meeting. Yet Teresa was certain she would have recalled the grizzly if she had seen him before. Animals were no more difficult to distinguish from one another than people were after all, she mused.

The canopy of the trees blotted out the greying skies overhead, and by the time the ground leveled out under the elf's feet, tiny droplets of water had already begun to fall upon her head. The rain increased to a steady drumming on the roof of the trees overhead. Teresa did not mind however. The Jewel of the Rumare kept her leather armor dry, and the feeling of the rain upon the pale skin of her face was like the playful fingers of Kynareth herself.

She continued on for the rest of the day, gathering samples of lavender, nightshade, and mandrake as she went. It was long after dark when she stopped to roll out her bedroll under the leaves of an oak, and she drifted off into a sleep filled with dreams of bears and a female dark elf.

It was still raining when she awoke the next morning. The clouds made telling directions difficult. So she found a stream and followed it, knowing that it would eventually empty into the Niben. Here and there she would pause to watch the deer, squirrels, raccoons, and other animals go about their lives. Then she would move on again, gathering more plants as she went.

Another day passed before the forest turned into tilled fields and pastures. Working her way through the cropland between two farming villages, Teresa came upon the hard stones of the Green Road. The forester looked to her left. She knew that Silverbridge was somewhere in that direction, as well as Bravil. Turning her eyes south, she wondered how many days walk it was to Leyawiin? Or just to Bawn?

The forester looked back to the north, thinking of the crimson eyes of Tadrose Helas. The next thing she knew, her feet were taking her across the road, and into the wide meadows that bordered Niben Bay. Soon the waters of the great lake were lapping at her boots, and Teresa stared across its blue expanse, to where she imagined Bravil lay across the horizon.

That is when she noticed that the rain had stopped. The clouds opened, and the rays of Magnus streamed forth to create a rainbow in the sky above the surface of the water. With more than a faint smile, the wood elf stepped into the lake and began to swim.


btw. Cligmande's Dome is inspired by a RL mountain in the Eastern U.S. Can anyone guess which one?

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Apr 2 2011, 07:41 PM

[haute ecole rider]

And quite the enjoyable interlude this has been!

I loved the description of the landscape west of Bravil, and the brief glimpse into Elsweyr. Quite the barren place, but even barren places hold some kind of life.

Joseph Campbell is quite the scholar of mythology and archetypes. I'm going to have to revisit his writings. I've only read a couple of his books, and would love to read more. His insights are amazing. I quite enjoyed the Smithsonian exhibit of Star Wars and the Power of Myth - it interpreted the original Star Wars trilogy in terms of Campbell's archetypes and made me even more aware of my own use of the same in my fiction.

I really enjoyed Teresa's experience of the conifer tree. They are some of my favorite trees (along with oaks and maples) simply because I grew up with them. A neighbor down the road from my family home has a blue spruce that has grown to the impressive height of about sixty feet. It is quite easily the equal of any of the old oaks that grow in that neighborhood. And I'm not the only one that is impressed by the conifers. Frank Lloyd Wright admired them, especially for their ability to withstand high winds. He knew it was because such trees tend to have a single tap root that reaches deep into the ground and serves as an anchor for the green mass above. He used that same principle in his buildings, and it can especially be seen in Fallingwater.

Oh, and what a wonderfully evocative screenie! I loved the misty environment, especially as today it is raining as I type this.

[Olen]

A good couple of sections. The new spirit guide isn't somehting I saw coming, but once it appeared it made perfect sense. A bit like using a bear for healing, not obvious but it fits brilliantly. The further extension of her spirituality is a great bit of worldbuilding.

34.1 was quite different. I see she's finally done a bit of mountaineering, but seems a little distracted. If that swim doesn't cool her off I suspect she might try to find out how interested Tadrose is in more definate terms when she gets to Bravil. The experiance with the tree tied it nicely to the previous section's spiritual bit and made me wonder if spirit guides need be animal... The tree noticing her there made me smile. The different time scales you've given animals, trees and the land itself (I seem to remeber her getting a vision of an old Arimer site that way) works well.

This post has been edited by Olen: Apr 1 2011, 07:25 PM

[Acadian]

I love how Teresa is embracing her wood elfness!

The scene with the tree was beautiful, going 'full circle' as she (the tree) glanced far below to see she (the elf) standing with her hand against her trunk. Quite magical!

And once again, Teresa's mind travels to Tadrose.
'Gods, why did romance have to be so treacherous? Teresa sighed. Shooting Daedra was easy, following what was in her heart was another matter entirely.'
Yes indeed, why does it have to be so complicated? There is so much truth in Teresa's words here.

We see tantalizing glimpses of the rich and massive Tamriel that Teresa lives in, ranging from the barren Elsweyr to the majestic conifers to the vastness of the Niben.

Well, my friend. After more than a year of preparation and collaboration, I say we allow the very different worlds of Teresa and Buffy to magically touch as they briefly and lightly intertwine. Let the Tournament of Archers begin!

[mALX]

As powerful as the scene was in the last chapter when Teresa finds the bear cubs - this chapter overwhelmingly surpasses it as one of my top (if not the top) all-time favorite chapters of "Not A Hero" history !!!

This chapter touches everything perfectly !! Teresa coming to an awareness of her feelings for Tadrose - and the TOURNEY !!! WOO HOO !!! Awesome Write, as always !!!

[Ceidwad]

I am late to the party, but also have to congratulate you on an excellent job with the bear encounter. Bears and humans have an ambiguous relationship in real life, and some hate them. But, like Buffy, Teresa shows that bears are not all that different from us.

[Thomas Kaira]

So Teresa wishes to wander the sands of Elsweyr for one thousand and one nights? Perhaps sooner than one might think?

Most everyone else has already commented on what stuck out to me, so I will simply echo them. Wonderous little wander you gave us!

This post has been edited by Thomas Kaira: Apr 2 2011, 10:48 PM

[SubRosa]

haute ecole rider: It is a bit dense to read, but I recommend Joseph Campbell's Historical Atlas of World Mythology. It comes in a zillion books, only the first five were finished before he died. They are out of print, so used book stores are your only option.

One of my favorite quotes of his, and I think perhaps the most important one, was a warning not to take your religion literally, but rather to understand that it is all symbolism:

"I'm calling a symbol a sign that points past itself to a ground of meaning and being that is one with the consciousness of the beholder. What you're learning in myth is about yourself as part of the being of the world. If it talks not about you, finally, but about something out there, then it's short. There's that wonderful phase I got from Karlfried Graf Durkheim, "transparency to the transcendent." If a deity blocks off transcendency, cuts you short of it by stopping at himself, he turns you into a worshiper and a devotee, and he hasn't opened the mystery of your own being."

Olen: Way back when Teresa first came to Bravil she looked up at the mountains to the west and vowed to one day go there. That last scene was the fulfillment of that vow. A nice simple mountain too. No snow, cliffs, or exposed rocks.

Anything can be a spirit guide, so long as it serves as a symbol for some state of being or phenomenon. So a tree, a rock, a river, a mountain, a desert, etc... All are valid guides. Many religions see these having a spirit as well. That belief integrates into ES rather well I think, as all of Mundus is formed from the energy and physical being of the Aedra that created it.


Acadian: It was good to show Teresa back in her natural environment. In her home really, just being herself. I particularly enjoyed the scene with the tree, because as with so many other things concerning Teresa's spirituality, that is directly taken from my own experience.

Yes indeed, let the Torment ahem, Tournament of Archers begin! It is so much fun to be finally doing this.


mALX: Teresa does finally admit to herself that she is lovestruck doesn't she? Now she just has to get off her boat and work up the nerve to actually do something about it.


Ceidwad: I have always liked bears. I have one on my bed in fact (of the teddy variety of course!). I will admit that is a big reason for my putting so much of a spotlight on them in the TF.


Thomas Kaira: That is another of those mods I saw a long time ago, and never had any desire to bother with. Unlike Teresa, I am quite happy with Cyrodiil.


Next: After a relaxing journey into the mountains west of Bravil, Teresa returns to the city.


Chapter 34.2 - The Tournament Of Archers

Magnus was slipping behind the mountains to the west as Teresa swam up to Bravil. Even in the gathering darkness, the city was aglow with the light of torches, lanterns, and glowstones. There was always some illumination in the city after night fell, be it from the street lamps or homes of folk not yet abed. But this seemed brighter than normal to the willowy elf. Similar lights bobbed in the bay near the city, and the Bosmer's squinting eyes made out the dark silhouettes of several galleons riding anchor there.

Teresa continued on, swimming through the Niben Gate and into Bravil. The City Guard paid her no heed as she swam through the open channel in the city wall. In fact, she did not see any soldiers upon the lake side battlements at all. She thanked Raven for that. At least she would not have to explain herself again. Like the time she had leapt from the bridge at the North Gate and into the Larsius below…

Teresa found that every inch of the docks was crowded. Not with just the small dories of fishermen, but also with galleons like those anchored in the bay. Normally there might be one or even two such great ships found in the harbor. But Teresa counted over half a dozen as she came to a ladder rising from the waves. She hoisted herself up onto the quay, finding it deserted, and watched with satisfaction as the water rolled off her to puddle on the wooden boards under her feet.

Taking a moment to fix her hair with a brush and mirror from her Thieves Bag, the wood elf then made her way along the docks and up the stairs to Riverwalk. The stone-paved boulevard that hugged the northern edge Bravil's inner river was bustling with people. They were talking, laughing, drinking, and generally carousing. A few wore the velvet and silk of the wealthy, but most were clad in the simple flax of farmers, or finer linen of artisans and shopkeepers.

Could all this be for that tournament Olava had mentioned? Teresa wondered as she made her way through the traffic. She could not recall ever seeing so many people in Bravil during the day, let alone after nightfall. The chapel of Kynareth was quiet and dark as she walked past, as were the many warehouses that lined the southern edge of the street. But the taverns and shops along the other side were all brightly lit and busy with customers.

Following Riverwalk to where it ended at the southern tip of Silver Avenue, Teresa was greeted by even more crowds. She was starting to wonder if she was back in the Imperial City by the time she reached the Fighters Guild, and more than once she had to weave her way between pedestrians to get there.

Teresa felt relieved when the front door of the hall clattered shut behind her. One of the things she had always liked about Bravil had been its quiet and sparsely populated streets. Not to mention the trees and mostly wooden buildings. Imperial City snobs called it 'rustic charm'. Now it seemed as if all those city dwellers had descended upon her country home.

"There you are!" Pappy's voice caused Teresa to turn from the door. The Colovian stood in the entrance to the sitting room that bordered the foyer. He was dressed in dark trousers and a white shirt that barely peeked through the black doublet he wore over it. It was all of fine linen - Teresa had never seen him in velvet or silk after all - and was clean and pressed. Even his boots were polished to a shine.

He's off to meet another of his women, Teresa thought. Or girls that is. She doubted any of them were more than two decades old. How he managed it was beyond the wood elf. If she could only have a third of his women…

"Have fun frolicking in the woods?" The Colovian took a moment to button up the top of his doublet and turned to look himself over in a small, oval mirror upon one wall. "I was worried you wouldn't be back in time."

"In time?" Teresa furrowed her brows in bewilderment. "In time for what?"

"Well the tournament of course!" the Colovian exclaimed, turning back to face the wood elf. "Some of the best archers in all Cyrodiil are going to be here to compete. The qualifications start the day after tomorrow. The finals are on the third of Frostfall."

"I don't really care about that sort of thing," Teresa said. "Although I suppose it would be interesting to see other people shoot for a change."

"Are you kidding?" the guild-commander said. "This is big. You place well here and people will be talking about you all over Cyrodiil. Don't you want to get your name in the Black Horse Courier?"

"Not really," Teresa shrugged. "I didn't learn the bow to become famous. I'm happy just staying alive."

"And that's why I hired you." The older man laid a hand on the forester's shoulder. "But you have to learn to broaden your horizons a little. Getting your name out there means more contracts, and people being willing to do favors for you. A little bit of fame never hurt anyone. It greases all the right wheels. That trick with the bear last week got you off to a good start. But this will get your name all over Cyrodiil. So I had Vincent sign you up this morning."

"What?" Teresa's eyes flew wide. "I can't enter that thing!"

"Well you just did!" The Colovian laughed. "You are one of the best natural talents I have seen. A few more years of practice and you'll probably be as good as Daenlin. Better even. You're already one of the best archers we've had here in the Bravil chapter. The rest of the guild too for that matter."

"I-" Teresa sputtered. This could not be real, she thought. He had to be joking. Yet the guild commander's features did not show the slightest sign of subterfuge. Nor did she see Vincent or any of the other members lurking around a corner to listen in.

"You can't be serious."

"As serious as an arrow in the head," Pappy said. "So be ready. Once all the guild archers come in from the other chapters, we'll all go down to qualify together. Probably on the second or third day."

"Pappy, I can't do this." Teresa felt as if the walls were closing in around her. Was he mad? She was no champion archer!

"You do it every day on the drill field," the Colovian insisted. "This is no different. Well, except for about twenty thousand people watching this time. Besides, I already paid your entrance fee, and its non-refundable. So be ready."

"But I-" Teresa stammered, staring at the guild commander's back as he stepped out the front door. Her head swam, and she leaned against the nearest wall to steady herself. Twenty thousand people watching!

The door opened a moment later, and Teresa looked up to see Pappy's head leaning back in.

"Tadrose is down in the forge," he said with a wink. Then the door clattered shut behind him once more.

Teresa stared at the closed door in amazement. How had he known she was going to look for Tadrose?

This post has been edited by SubRosa: May 9 2011, 09:26 PM

[mALX]

mALX: Teresa does finally admit to herself that she is lovestruck doesn't she? Now she just has to get off her boat and work up the nerve to actually do something about it.

My heart will be in my throat with nerves (RE: how Tadrose will respond) - GAAAAH!

Teresa's musings on Pappy had me laughing.


I see a Foxy comment in the making here:

"this will get your name all over Cyrodiil. So I had Vincent enter you this morning."

From the paragraph that starts "Well the tournament of course!" - to the end:

This is such a prime example of what makes Teresa so endearing !!!


GAAAAAH! I love this:

"Tadrose is down in the forge," he said with a wink.

How did he know? ARGH !!! I will be a nervous wreck till that part comes out, lol. AWESOME WRITE !!!!! (As always, SubRosa - You ROCK !!!! )

[haute ecole rider]

One of my favorite quotes of his, and I think perhaps the most important one, was a warning not to take your religion literally, but rather to understand that it is all symbolism:

Absolutely! It pretty much goes without saying, except for all the fundamentalists of all stripes out there.

Pappy's fun at Teresa's expense was enjoyable. The description of his evening wear was enticing as well. I kept seeing James West getting ready for a night on the town. Hot!

[Grits]

This could be the “I ♥ Pappy” episode!

When I read Chapter 34.1, I was really struck by the cool colors and water images in Teresa’s mountaintop setting contrasted with the smoldering eyes and underworld of fire and metal in her mind. Teresa has shown us what she sees in Tadrose, and now we can guess what Tadrose might see in Teresa.

[ghastley]

Twenty thousand people watching!

You're playing with mods, aren't you? I can't get more than half-a-dozen together to do anything!