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

[haute ecole rider]

The crowd was silent for long moments. Teresa wondered if they had turned away before her first shot, and turned back only to find it all over. The thought gave her a modest giggle as she made her way back to Lum and Parwen.

Now that's damn fine shootin'! This is my favorite part of the whole thing.

Yaayy for Teresa! She did herself proud after all! And the competition doesn't have to be about who's the best archer in all of Cyrodiil, but rather about giving your personal best. That is exactly what happened here.

I also loved how Teresa fits in so well with the other Fighters' Guild members now. The camaraderie now includes her, and rightly so.

[ghastley]

This has been a good contest for the teachers. Both Daenlin and Parwen have much to be proud of.

Now can Teresa turn that "don't think about it, just do it" lesson to anything else?

[Grits]

"We can still do it for ourselves," Teresa said. "So what if we are not going to win? We can at least show what we're made of."

Teresa rallying her friends really set the wonderful tone for this episode. So many things came together for Teresa here, with a warm hug at the end. This is an episode to savor!

[Olen]

Good episode, she shot fairly well and though she sort of realises it she hasn't fully I think.

Teresa was surprised to find that she actually felt good.

That line is brilliant. It's quite Teresa but it also captures so much of her mood so efficently. But more than just being glad it's over and didn't matter and she can enjoy the festival (I'm told Tamika has some special editions for it) she's also done well against the best archers of Cyrodiil.

You've got the fighters' guild spot on too. The tournament has made her a member in more than just name, her getting advice then passing it on to the others shows that clearly enough.

Now I want to know what happens next...

[Acadian]

Forgive the tardiness caused by my travels. Gosh, I hated waiting so long to see how Teresa did!

34.23 -

This was great. A perfect rendition of Teresa's second round, then the aftermath. I was heartbroken to see Teresa miss the target. I know it's a 'silly tournament', but I could feel and understand the devastating effect it had on her confidence.

"Miss?" Parwen's eyes sparkled with mirth that Teresa suspected was well-intended. "A little late to worry about that I think." The Skingrad elf put a hand on her shoulder. "I've seen this before in other Bosmer. You are second-guessing yourself. You over-analyze your shots, and that makes you ignore both your instincts, and the years of practice that have gotten you here. Stop thinking so much, and just shoot. Your muscles know what to do, that is why we train for hours on end."
YES! This is so what Teresa needed to hear! That is why Parwen is such a good teacher!

Lum's support was touching and exactly what I would expect him to offer his guild-sister.

And finally, some wise advice from an unexpected quarter. I was delighted to see you portray the other side of Kurz. And of course I loved the reference to that shot in Chorrol that was heard throughout Tamriel and once again gently links TF and BF for the tournament:
"Aye," the orc responded. "I was at least, but he washed out yesterday. The Chorrol Guard thinks he murdered someone. But the man we're looking for made a long range shot across half the city in the middle of the night to kill the victim. This fetcher I was sent to watch couldn't hit the broad side of a mountain!"

A wonderfully natural and smooth introduction of Kirsty!

Nit: '"I don't know about those other shooters, but you, Lum, and me, were fighters.
I suspect you may have wanted we're instead of were?

34.24 -

And a magnificent finish to the shooting!

I found myself both grinning and cheering as Teresa shot that astonishing final round! I'm so glad she listened to her guild mates. She is truly an amazing talent with that bow.

Teresa was surprised to find that she actually felt good. Thanks to the combined advice of Parwen and Kurz, and finally completing her part of the tournament, she felt as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Nothing else mattered now, she thought. She could just stand back and enjoy the day.'
If her shooting made my cheer, this passage made my sigh contentedly. I love the growth this represents for Teresa. This, combined with the beautiful exchanges with Parwen near the end, confirmed for me she has gained from the tournament not what we might have expected, but more than we could have hoped for.

With the shooting now complete, it is such a joy to see that both of our elves have gained so very much from our 'silly tournament'.

[SubRosa]

Ceidwad: Lum is definitely too sexy for his shirt!


haute ecole rider: Those relationships with the other guild members was one of the things I wanted to focus on with this chapter. I am glad it worked!


ghastley: Teresa just do it? With Tadrose? Probably not!


Grits: Teresa finally got her act together in that last episode (after only 24 episodes! ), and you are right, once she did, everything did come together.


Olen: What will Teresa do next? Well, the same thing she does every night, try to take over the world! Oh wait, this is not Pinky and the Brain...


Acadian: We're indeed. Thank you for getting a lock on that my friend. Both of our elves did gain quite a bit from this 'silly tournament' Much the same things too. They made new friends, deepened relationships that they already possessed, and came to new realizations about their own abilities.


Previously on Teresa of the Faint Smile: In our last episode, Teresa shot her final round, taking the advice of both Parwen and Kurz. Both obviously worked, as she did excellent. Next, the final episode of this monster of a chapter.


Chapter 34.25 - The Tournament Of Archers

"Our ship sails on the morning tide, so we have to get going."

"Are you sure you don't want to stay another day?" Teresa bit her lip as she stared up at the gro-Baroths. She wore her oversized legionary tunic and Fighters Guild medallion, and her crimson hair was tied back from her face in a ponytail. The two orcs were dressed in linen, except for Lum of course, who went shirtless as usual. The three of them stood on the front porch of the Fighters Guild. With Magnus but a faint glow on the eastern horizon, the streets were still and dark.

"It would at least give you time to sleep off last night's celebrations."

"Don't remind me of that," Lum said with a wince, lifting one hand to the side of his head. "I've got a headache like you wouldn't believe."

"Well no wonder, you probably drank more than the Count!" Teresa laughed.

"The honor of the Fighters Guild was at stake!" Kurz grinned. Then a moment later he too winced, and closed his eyes in pain. "I never knew Argonians could drink so much!"

"That's 'cause they're immune to poisons!" Teresa chided. "You two didn't know that?"

"Well poisons yeah," Lum said, "but since when is rum a poison?"

"It is when you drink as much as you two." The trio turned to find Parwen standing in the doorway. She wore her mail armor. A pack was slung over her shoulders, and her combination bowcase and quiver hung from one of her hips. "But Teresa's right, you can't out drink an Argonian. Alcohol has no effect on them."

"Damn," Kurz shook his head, and then seemed to regret that decision. "You mean those poor buggers can't get drunk?"

"Sure they can," Teresa offered. "But on tree sap. Give them maple syrup, and they go right around the bend."

"You know quite a bit about the tailed folk," Parwen noted through a raised eyebrow.

"I used to live with an Argonian, back in the Chamber Pot." Teresa said.

"Well, I guess we better get going," Lum declared. Still, neither he or his brother made any sign to leave.

"I am going to miss you both," Teresa said, biting her lip. Before she could talk herself out of it, she leaned forward to give each Orisimer a warm embrace. "I'll see you both at the next tournament. You come too Kurz, even if you're not on a secret mission."

"You can count on it!" the pony-tailed orc grinned. "We can see which Bosmer wins next year!"

"I think it will be Dame Buffy," Teresa said. "She's really good."

"I think it will be you," Parwen declared. "You are talented yourself, and are only going to get better."

Teresa turned red, and stared at the floorboards.

"And you're just as shy as that Alawen," Lum said. "She barely said two words in her acceptance speech."

"At least she could say them!" Parwen replied. "The Count was so bollixed that he kept forgetting what he was going to say!"

"Yeah, he swims in a wine barrel," Teresa scowled. "Bravil would be so much better off without him."

"Well, our ship sails at dawn. So if we don't get moving we're gonna be swimming back to the Imperial City." Lum stared down Silver Avenue to Bravil's interior docks. "We still got a long walk from there to Chorrol too."

"You come see us if you're ever in the highlands," Kurz said. "You too Parwen. I am sure we can rustle up a dark elf to keep you company."

Teresa was surprised to see the older wood elf blush. But she still smiled at the orcs, and waved goodbye along with Teresa as the two men walked away.

"It's time for me to go too," Parwen said, turning back to Teresa. "It's a long walk back to Skingrad as well."

"You aren't taking the roads are you?" Teresa asked. "There have been problems with bandits."

"Of course not!" the Bosmer laughed. "I'm a wood elf after all, like you." Then the archer turned serious. "Goodbye Teresa. Keep yourself well."

"Goodbye Parwen," Teresa embraced the older elf, and did not try to hold back the tears in her eyes. "Thank you so much, for everything. I will see you again at the tournament next year. If not sooner."

Then the other elf was making her way down Silver Avenue, in the opposite direction from the men. Teresa stood on the porch and watched until Parwen vanished into the darkness of the gatehouse.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she wondered how long it would take Alaine Retiene to use the sketches he had taken of the four of them separately and make a single oil painting from them? Henantier had already told her that he could make copies of it. The Altmer magician had said that portraits were more difficult than simple ink and parchment pages, but were not impossible to duplicate. Then she would have a freight company like Wandrev & Farthir ship them to the Chorrol and Skingrad Fighters Guilds. She only wished she could be there to see their faces when the paintings arrived.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Jun 17 2011, 02:33 AM

[Olen]

Hmmm I'd thought the last night's celebration might have been eventful enough to warrent a part, but apparently it was just another party (and in that case I can see why you didn't bother). Thought that it was just another party rather says something about how Teresa's developed.

Give them maple syrup, and they go right around the bend.

I liked this line, I might even have to steal it...

The painting was unexpected too, she seems to be accumulating friends all over cyrodiil now. As well as enjoying some of the finer things, certainly a long way from where she was at the start of this mammoth (and pivotal) chapter.

Looking back (to page 58 no less) and the beginning of this highlights how much it's changed her. Before the guild was more a job and training, not I think they are less important aspects in some ways and the other people have taken precedence for her in it. Along with obvious things (like getting her nickname) it's cemented the change in her which started as she left the Imperial City. She has more confidence both with the bow and with people.

I said it once, but I'll say it again: I like bits like this in stories, she could really go in any direction now. Back for a visit to the IC to celebrate, more jobs round Bravil, more statue hunting... whatever it is I suspect she will think to her own happiness more now, she still has her shadow to confront and a house to buy.

[Acadian]

A hearty congratulations on bringing the magnificent TF TOA to a perfect conclusion! I had more than a faint smile myself and could absolutely feel Teresa choking up as she said her poignant goodbyes.

I loved the time you spent teasing the orcs over the fact that Argonians can't get drunk on rum - but leave it to a pair of orcs to try.

Lovely light references to the evening prior awards ceremony, since that was pretty well detailed in the BF version. I am firmly convinced that the two versions of the TOA together present a much fuller and richer picture of the tournament than either one alone could hope to. Thank you, my friend. It has been such a joy to see these two complementary versions of the TOA come to fruition after the tremendous time, effort and fun that went into bringing them to post.

I'm delighted at how much closer the TOA has brought Teresa to some of her wonderful guild mates. Those orcs are solid friends once you get to know them all right. And you really brought Parwen to life as a wonderfully wise archer and guild mate (even if she can't look down and see her toes). I just know that if Teresa's future travels bring her to Chorrol or Skingrad, she will have those wonderful friends to visit.

Nit: "She barely said too words in her acceptance speech."
Here of course, you wanted 'two', and the darn spell checker was of no help at all, was it?

[Ceidwad]

"The honor of the Fighters Guild was at stake!" Kurz grinned. Then a moment later he too winced, and closed his eyes in pain. "I never knew Argonians could drink so much!"

"That's 'cause they're immune to poisons!" Teresa chided. "You two didn't know that?"

"Well poisons yeah," Lum said, "but since when is rum a poison?"

"It is when you drink as much as you two." The trio turned to find Parwen standing in the doorway. She wore her mail armor. A pack was slung over her shoulders, and her combination bowcase and quiver hung from one of her hips. "But Teresa's right, you can't out drink an Argonian. Alcohol has no effect on them."

Interesting observations here. The game doesn't recognise that alcohol is a poison it seems, as Argonians are just as affected by the drain intelligence effects of booze! I like how you transferred their ability to get drunk to tree sap. Very nicely explored.

"The Count was so bollixed that he kept forgetting what he was going to say!"

Hmm, I didn't know 'bollocks' was used in America, never mind 'bollocksed'. In any case, no change from the usual Regulus.....

[hazmick]

"Well poisons yeah," Lum said, "but since when is rum a poison?"

"It is when you drink as much as you two."

I just had to quote this line, it reminded me of my first encounter with rum...I was also shirtless! But not on a boat.

I loved these two chapters, Teresa getting closer to Parwen then having to say a teary goodbye to her new friends. I imagine that we will be seeing more of them? Who knows, maybe Lum will find a shirt!!

[TrisRed]

"Well poisons yeah," Lum said, "but since when is rum a poison?"

"It is when you drink as much as you two."

this made me literally LOL. Such a quick, simple, yet hilarious line!

I also love how Lum compared Teresa to Alawen; even if it was only a minor comparison.

great write!

[Grits]

I loved the front porch chat with the gro-Baroth brothers and Parwen. It reminds me of the mention of Teresa jumping off the bridge. I didn’t have to be at the party to picture it and smile. Though two orcs getting tanked with a still-sober Argonian would have been fun!

"I used to live with an Argonian, back in the Chamber Pot." Teresa said.

A mention of Geen-Rana is always a pleasure. I wonder what she’s up to these days?

"Goodbye Parwen," Teresa embraced the older elf, and did not try to hold back the tears in her eyes. "Thank you so much, for everything. I will see you again at the tournament next year. If not sooner."

This chapter has solidified for me that Teresa has found a place to be. Whatever journey she takes next, she has a foundation under her.

[SubRosa]

Olen: I did not want to post the same thing that was already in BF about the closing ceremonies, and as you said, it was just another party, and would have felt anti-climatic to me. So I decided to move to the next day, and address the high points in dialogue.

The painting was my idea of the Tamriel equivalent of taking a picture of everyone involved.


Acadian: Two words indeed. See how shy Alawen is, she said them in one word! It took a few months, but we finally got here!


Ceidwad: Argonians getting drunk on tree sap is an idea I got from some of the lore about them. They are supposedly descendants of the Hist trees in Argonia, and there are hints that licking the Hist trees is apparently what causes them to advance through their stages in life. So I thought it would be natural that tree sap in general would get them drunk.


hazmick: Lum, in a shirt! Aetherius forbid!


Rihanae: That was one of those lines that just flew out as I wrote, I am glad it worked.


Grits: Geen-Rana is one of those characters that I wish I could have done more with, but there was never a place to actually have her make an appearance. So I simply do my best to mention her whenever I can.


Previously on Teresa of the Faint Smile: Our last episode wrapped up the Tournament of Archers, when Teresa bid a fond farewell to her fellow guild archers. Next up, Teresa continues her hunt for Arimer artifacts.


Chapter 35.1 - Bawn

9th - 13th Frostfall, 3E433

"Val… Sir Valerius!" Teresa exclaimed as she turned a corner in the guild hall.

Clanking down the hallway toward her were two men. First was Pappy. He was dressed in his mixed orcish and legion armor, and his Dwemer arming sword rode at one hip. The knight in question followed behind the guild commander. The patrician was clad from head to toe in armor made of meteoric glass, and an arming sword of the same material was slung at his left hip. What might have been ordinary mail lay beneath the aetheric plates, and in places such as his boots Teresa could see leather beneath that. The preternatural crystal pulled at the wood elf's eyes, for it glowed faintly in the hallway. Even from where she stood, Teresa could feel the magicka brimming within it.

Screenshot

"Did you decide to join the guild after all?" Teresa asked as the pair of Colovians drew near.

"That's right," Pappy answered before the younger man could reply. "Kid's pretty fetching good with a sword too."

"As is your commander." The younger Imperial drew his meteoric glass helm from his head. Sweat stained his features, which would have been delicate enough to be elfin in appearance, if they were not marred by scars. One cut down from his scalp to the inner corner of his left eye. The other slashed an angry ridge across his cheek on the same side of his face.

"I must declare, I barely survived the entrance examination!" Valerius smiled. "You may refrain from using my title however, as it would be awkward under the circumstances."

Teresa felt a wave of relief wash though her. As much as she liked the patrician, the idea of having to constantly watch her etiquette around him was something she had not been looking forward to. It was one of the reasons she loathed being around nobles.

"Let's go upstairs to my office," Pappy said to the knight. "I'll give you a guild amulet. Just remember, you're still only a probationary member until your background check goes through."

Teresa smiled faintly as the pair of men continued down the hallway to the front of the building, where they would have to ascend the stairs to reach Pappy's office on the third floor. After her own experience joining the guild, she was always relieved to hear that everyone else had to pass that same background check before becoming a full member.

Setting her feet back into motion, Teresa made her way to the rear of the building, across from the dojo. There she opened a door that took her down a wide set of stone stairs to the forge. The stone-walled room was brightly lit by glowstones, and was dominated by the circular furnace that sat cool and dim in the corner. Before it stood several anvils of various sizes, and along one wall nearby were hung numerous tongs, hammers, and other tools.

A ramp wide enough for a cart rose on the opposite side of the room. Teresa knew that led to a pair of cellar doors in the alley outside the guild hall. She imagined that back when the building was a luxury inn it had been used for deliveries: a means to keep the servant's work from the eyes of the wealthy folk staying there. But having lent her muscles more than once to carry raw metals into the forge, and finished armor and weapons out of it, Teresa was thankful for the second entrance.

Teresa was surprised to see that Tadrose was not in front of the furnace. Instead she sat before a long table with pieces of green and brown leather laid out before her. The Dunmer looked up as Teresa entered, and her crimson eyes widened slightly.

"Teresa," she said. "What brings you down here?"

The forester walked to the other elf. As she stepped up to the table, she realized that the strange material Tadrose was working on was actually armor.

"I am leaving for Bawn tomorrow." Teresa bit her lower lip as she stared down at the dark elf. "I was wondering… well…. if you might…"

"Oh I am sorry Teresa," the vice-commander sighed. "I am going to be too busy. I have a hundred swallowtails and twenty pincushions to make for Daenlin, an order for an elvish arming sword, and I have this to finish as well."

Teresa could not stop herself from frowning. Or was it pouting? She was not sure. She just knew that her heart fell lower than Oblivion at the sound of the armorer's words.

"So what is this anyway?" Teresa forced herself to fill the awkward silence that was growing between them. "It looks like leather."

"Not at all." Tadrose smiled. "These are leaves."

Teresa blinked. "They're what?"

"Leaves," the armorer smiled faintly. "I know, everyone is surprised the first time they see miran-talurn armor. The brighter green pieces are miran leaves. They are resilient as steel when struck or cut, yet supple like leather when force is not applied to them."

To demonstrate, the dark elf lifted what looked like a plate of the emerald material. It seemed as flexible as the stiffened leather in Teresa's own armor. Yet when Tadrose struck it with a closed fist, it did not bend around her fingers. Rather it stood firm and solid as a piece of wood, and even rapped with a similar noise.

"The darker leaves are from the talurn plant," the vice-commander set down the plate and lifted a vest of deeper green material. "It does not stiffen like the miran leaves, but is more difficult to cut, almost like rubber. It makes an excellent under tunic to protect the joints, while the miran pieces act like any solid plate might. All at a tenth of the weight of ordinary steel."

"Oh my," Teresa lifted a gauntlet of the combined material. It was soft and supple in her hand, and did indeed feel more like a leaf than leather. "Where does this come from?'

"Valenwood." Tadrose rose to her feet, casting a critical eye upon the forester. "They use the miran leaves to build their homes with, as it flexes with the swaying of the trees. Henantier has a customer who ordered an enchanted suit of it. He imported the leaves, and I have been crafting them into the armor for him. When I am finished he will enchant it. He and I often work like this when people want enchanted weapons and armor, and do not have an original piece to supply him with."

Teresa nodded. It was the same as how the armorer made Daenlin's arrowheads.

"You know, you are about the same size as the woman who ordered this." Tadrose looked up and down Teresa's frame. "Why don't you try it on? It would help me make sure I have the dimensions right."

"Me?" Teresa bit her lip. "Here? Now?"

"Well, I don't think asking Vincent to try it on would do any good!" the Dunmer laughed. "Really, it would help a great deal. I can lock the door so no one comes in."

Teresa nodded as the armorer ascended the steps to ground floor and bolted the door that Teresa had entered through. She let her eyes fall to the pieces of armor scattered across the table. The boots and gauntlets were obvious, but the function of many other pieces eluded her. When Tadrose finally returned, Teresa was still marveling over the Valenwood leaves.

"Let's get you out of these clothes, shall we?" Tadrose said. The armorer reached out to loosen the laces on the black bodice that the wood elf wore. Teresa's breath caught in her throat as the other woman's fingers undid the tight garment and drew it from her frame. How many times had she dreamed of this moment! Yet this was not at all the way she had hoped it would happen.

Teresa tried not to look in Tadrose's eyes as the dark elf lifted her cream-colored chemise over her head and set it on the table. The last thing she wanted was for the armorer to see how she felt, else she might never have this opportunity again. The forester breathed in relief when the other woman turned away from her and began going through the pieces of armor on the table. That allowed her to pull her skirt down without Tadrose seeing, and left her standing in nothing but a thin loincloth of dark linen.

Tadrose was all business however, and began to set piece after piece of armor upon Teresa's nearly bare flesh. As she said before, the darker talurn went on first, creating an undersuit that completely sheathed her frame. Then came the separate pieces of brighter miran, laced both to one another, and to points on the talurn underneath.

It all went much quicker than Teresa would have imagined. While she had never worn steel plate, she had helped the other guild members don theirs. It was a slow, tedious process. The suppleness of the miran-talurn leaves made them much easier to pull on however, almost as if they knew where they belonged on her body. It was only the lacing that took any time.

"The way this is designed, the talurn underpadding can be easily slipped on," Tadrose explained. "The miran plates can remain laced together in many places, even when you take it off. So most of this only has to be done once. With some practice, you can probably get in and out of this in just a few minutes."

Teresa pulled the fingerless gauntlets on, and looked up to see Tadrose holding up a full length mirror. She nearly gasped at the image she saw staring back at her in the silvered glass. It was her to be certain, but the green armor that sheathed her frame was simply beautiful. Unlike her leather - which was purely utilitarian - the miran-talurn armor was as much a work of art as a protective device. The emerald miran plates were embroidered with designs of vines and leaves. They were so cunningly placed that they seemed to grow from the darker talurn underneath, like leaves upon the bough of tree.

Teresa took a few moments to move around in it, staring at herself in the mirror the entire time. She found the plates did not hinder her movement as she imagined they might. As she had seen before, they were as flexible as her leather, and were designed to move with her rather than against her. The talurn underneath was practically a second skin, and after a few minutes she barely noticed it was even there. Only in her shoulders and upper arms did she find the armor too tight as she went through the motions of drawing a bow.

Screenshot

"It looks like I have the measurements almost right." Tadrose's voice brought Teresa back to Nirn. "The shoulders look a bit tight though, I had better loosen them. The upper arms too." To reinforce her words, she felt along those areas of the armor with practiced hands.

"Aye," Teresa nodded. "It is a bit stiff there."

"As I thought, I still have some more work to do before I can pass it along to Henantier." Tadrose sat back down at the table and began taking notes. Teresa frowned. That was so like Tadrose, she thought, completely absorbed in her work. She was always the ever-competent armorer and lieutenant. Was she just imagining that Tadrose felt something for her after all? Would they never be more than friends?

"So who is this for anyway?" Teresa asked, hoping that Tadrose would at least turn back to look her way.

"A customer of Henantier's." The vice-commander shrugged, still staring down at the sheet of parchment before her. Now Teresa could see it was a diagram of the armor, with lengths called out along the various pieces. It was there that the armorer was busy crossing off numbers and writing in adjustments. "She is a wood elf, like you. Henantier sent me her measurements, along with the leaves."

"Oh," Teresa breathed, staring down at her armored form. "How much does a suit like this cost anyway?"

"Here in Cyrodiil? Probably about four thousand drakes," the Dunmer said off-handedly, still looking down at her papers.

Teresa felt her eyes nearly jump from their sockets. She could buy Decimus' farm for that! Not only the house, but the twenty acres of fields to go with it. Another thousand drakes and she could buy a suit of meteoric glass armor like Valerius wore! As if she could ever spare the money for something like that.

Teresa sighed. If only she was rich. Maybe someday, after she had raised the money for the farmhouse, and collected more of Umbacano's statues. Maybe then she could afford such a suit of armor, and a recurve bow to go with it.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Jun 21 2011, 01:22 AM

[haute ecole rider]

Ahh, the warrior's dilemma! The good stuff just keeps getting more and more expensive. This is the TES version of the arms race, with each side (Morrowind, Skyrim, Valenwood, et al) coming up with their own ultimate armor.

I always liked the idea of glass armor, but found the TES version of it just plain ugly.

The description of the Valenwood armor is fascinating. I know such materials are possible - there is research going on all the time about that kind of stuff.

And Teresa gets her top taken off by Tadrose! Too bad it's for work, not for something - more fun.

[Ceidwad]

Enchanted armour from Valenwood - exotic! Too bad Teresa's too poor to afford it. Nice work with the screenshots too.

I think you missed a trick here:

"Really, it would help a great deal. I can lock the door so no comes in."

No what? Mountain lions? Think you missed a 'one' there.

[hazmick]

I am loving that leaf armor! It's always interesting to get an insight into different armor and weapons of the different races, you have done an excellent job!

I'm pleased to see that our noble friend has been accepted into the guild, I hope his background check comes through OK. I imagine he will play a bigger role in the future?

and then Tadrose removes Teresa's clothes, a dream come true! What's that? for work purposes? dang. One day Teresa...one day...

[Acadian]

It was great fun to see Teresa get excited about that wonderful leaf armor, even as was she distracted and frustrated by Tadrose. I continue to enjoy the barter for service that you have going on such as for arrowheads that you have now applied to enchanted custom armor.

I like the idea that a top quality suit of armor is considered as price-worthy as a decent house. And for good reason. I'm glad you drew the comparison in those terms. I so hope that someday, Teresa finds herself in possession of such a suit of armor. . . and a recurve bow.

Money is a problem here. Armor, Valenwood bow, farmhouse for Simplica. . . I wonder if that is a factor in where Teresa will go next. Clearly it sounds like this post tournament chapter will involve another Ayleid Arimer Ruin. Is that undead I smell?

Nit: "Let's get you out of these clothes, shall we?" Tadrose said. The armorer reached out to loosen to laces on the black bodice that the wood elf wore. '
Perhaps you meant 'the' instead of 'to'?

[Olen]

From the chapter title (and her declined invatation) I suspect we're in for some ruin delving this chapter. I look forward to whatever it is she encoutners there, maybe it will be exciting enough to attract a certain person along on the next excursion.

I liked the idea of leaf armour and the two different parts. It adds to the Valenwood lore you've been building, and looks like another piece of bosmer kit Teresa would like to get her hands on. Also having armourers and enchanters work together makes perfect sense, both have a specilisation which benifits from the other, and it brings Henantier back into the picture. Teresa should get him to make her a fortify strength thing.

Just remember, you're still only a probationary member until your background check goes through

I wonder if that will unearth anything more of our noble's background...

[Jacki Dice]

"Let's get you out of these clothes, shall we?" Tadrose said.

Oh my...

I can just imagine poor Teresa trying hard not to squirm or blush too hard during this.

This post has been edited by Jacki Dice: Jun 21 2011, 08:16 PM

[Grits]

I like Val’s color so much better. In the game, I just can’t get past the green.

Just remember, you're still only a probationary member until your background check goes through."

I also wonder if the IC shenanigans will appear in the background check.

The miran-talurn armor is as fascinating as it is beautiful. I wonder how Henantier will enchant it.

With some practice, you can probably get in and out of this in just a few minutes."

I’m sure Tadrose meant Henantier’s customer, or maybe he is feeling happy to be alive? Nice to see Tadrose practicing getting Teresa out of her bodice and chemise, even if it was only business.

I just love this episode.