Sleeper in the Cave, a Morrowind fanfic Options

[Grits]

Ajira stared at me hopefully. "Can you teach Ajira, then?"

Yep. Likely to be a learning experience for Adryn, too!

Oh dear. Customer Service Representative Adryn. Not her best day ever. But at least nothing's tried to eat her, and she showed great self control. And she had a good idea! That customer didn't deserve her.

[treydog]

“…her customers will decide it is better to go to Nalcarya 'oooh I am a master alchemist who is much better at everything than a mere Mages' Guild Apprentice, and also my neck has a crick so I cannot lower my nose' of White Haven - er, please do not repeat that,"

Wheee!

Except." Her voice was growing quieter and quieter, to the point where I had to lean in close to make sure I understood her. "That is what Ajira's sister thought."

Oh. I feel very much as Adryn does.

And you handle the entire passage with your characteristic skill.

The content of Ajira’s reports had me snortling again.

But it makes it hard to pick up things like the style of academic writing, and Ranis probably expects you to use that."

Ajira stared at me hopefully. "Can you teach Ajira, then?"

Fish- meet hook, line, and sinker. Except of course that Ajira was not being deceptive.

I'd tried to be tactful, but... well. Tact and I have never been the best of friends. In fact, our relationship could probably be more closely described as somewhere in between chilly hostility and open warfare, given what generally happened when I tried to get tact on my side. Most likely I'd dreadfully offended it at one point without meaning to. That happens more than I'd like.

Yes- I did have to quote that whole bit. And I am laughing over it again.

...together with Ajira's best sad kitten impression and use of "friend Adryn" (a combination that was so devastatingly effective it ought to be banned)

Right- not "deceptive," but certainly something ELSE that causes people to find themselves in unexpected circumstances- such as poor Adryn discovering one of the worst planes of Oblivion- retail sales.

[Kazaera]

@Athynae - I admit I've never been on the retail end of this equation, but I've heard enough horror stories and seen enough awful behaviour as a bystander that I'm very glad I haven't! *shudders* Usually I'd say I'm glad my writing seemed accurate, but in this case I rather wish it weren't...

@mALX - I'm glad you like Ajira's dialogue and Khajiit speak! At the beginning I really struggled with it, but now it flows pretty well. Ajira's report-writing skills were kind of inspired by the in-game version, which also looked nothing like you'd expect formal scholarship to and included the lines "Ajira must do two reports and Galbedir must only do one silly report. Ajira deserves rank of Journeyman very soon now."

@Grits - Adryn tried, she did! She found unprecedented depths of self-discipline! We can only hope it lasts until the end of the workday...

@treydog - I do suspect Ajira has some idea of the effect she has and is abusing it shamelessly but not quite deceptive, no, because she's being honest!

Last installment, Adryn found herself in hell - that is, found herself an accidental salesperson. She's just managed to get one particularly awful customer to leave, with the help of a Redguard stranger...

Chapter 5.7

*****

I turned to the Redguard. "Thank you, and I'm sorry you had to see that. Do you want any potions?" Dealing with a customer who didn't treat me as either some sort of potion-dispensing Dwemer automaton or a verbal punching bag would be a nice change - but she was shaking her head.

"No, no, I'm not here to buy anything. Er- is Ajira here? Because earlier she asked me to get her this bowl." She hefted a ceramic bowl which I hadn't noticed her holding before. Probably for the best, as I'd only have been tempted to use it to attempt to whack sense into a certain someone's head.

"Yes, she's in the back."

I pulled back the curtain that led to the alchemy lab. Even having only been here for a few days, I knew that ordinarily I'd have been met by the comforting, homey sounds of potions on the verge of bubbling over and melting the countertop along with panicked shouts as the alchemist inhabitant tried to salvage the mess. However, today all was quiet - well, quiet except for the frustrated groans of someone attempting to write up a report. It was positively alien; only the chemical fumes (all the ventilation shafts in the world can only do so much) made it seem familiar again.

Ajira looked up when she saw me. "Friend Adryn! Would it be better to write 'the outcome' or 'the result' of an experiment?"

Apparently my instructions had given her the mistaken impression that I was some kind of expert here, someone who submitted reports to the Skyrim Mages Guild Journal of Alchemy or even the Arcane University's Alchemy Monthly to have them read by other alchemists all over the Empire. "I'm not sure," I told Ajira, dashing all those beliefs. "Both sound reasonable. Also, there's this woman saying you asked her to bring her a ceramic bowl?"

"Oh, Jamexa, yes - she is a new member, does Adryn know? She was asking around for duties, and Ajira needed a new bowl." Wait. So I was sent on dangerous trips into the wilderness involving angry kagouti, misjudged teleportation spells and brothels, but she got to go shopping? How was this remotely fair? "But now Ajira has to finish this report, Ranis Athrys is asking for it and Galbedir has already finished hers! Could friend Adryn give Jamexa this potion as a reward and tell her Ajira is very sorry, she does not have the time to give her new duties right now?"

Ajira barely waited until I nodded - grudgingly (reward? What was this reward business?) - before she started to bend over her parchment again. I had to hide a smile when I noticed how she stole a longing glance at the alembic in the corner before gripping her quill.

Outside, Jamexa accepted the potion (healing) with a smile and information that no new duties would be forthcoming with a shrug. "I was expecting it, to be honest," was her comment. "Ajira really didn't know what to do with me. She was already reaching with the last one. I'm Jamexa, by the way, but everyone just calls me Jamie. Except for Ajira, that is - I'm not sure Khajiit really understand the idea of nicknames."

"Oh, right. I'm Adryn."

I eyed Jamie suspiciously. She had a sword sheathed at her side; the callouses I'd spotted on her hands giving her the potion and the way she hadn't tripped over it yet (a feat I certainly could not have managed) spoke that she was well-practiced in its use. She wore the quilted jacket I knew many people wore under armour, and I had some suspicions that the bulging pack at her side contained exactly that. In other words, she looked an even more unlikely Mages' Guild member than me - but more importantly, she looked like the perfect person to send into the wild on dangerous ingredient-hunting expeditions.

I told her so.

"Well." Jamie shifted uncomfortably. "She did try sending me out to collect mushrooms at the start."

Suppressed giggles told me Teleportation Girl was again listening in on our conversation. Jamie scowled in her general direction. "Look, I'm from Kvatch, all right? Second biggest city in Cyrodiil? I've barely ever been outside city walls, my family aren't alchemists or mages or anything like that, how do you expect me to know these things? I tell you, anyone could have mistaken the dried rat droppings for mushrooms-"

All right, I suddenly understood why Ajira had sent me out instead.

"Sorry," I said once I'd managed to stop laughing. "Just- you actually- er. I guess you really must not be an alchemist, then, I can't imagine even an apprentice making that mistake."

For a moment, Jamie looked as though she were going to take offense - violent offense - to what I'd just said (my amazing powers of tactlessness, striking again), then she sighed.

"Honestly, I'm not much of a mage. I know enough Alteration magic and healing spells to get by, but I mainly joined for the services. I figured that since I had joined, I might as well help out." She shrugged. "I'm more of a warrior anyway," oh really? I would never have guessed, "but I'm new to Morrowind and looking for an organisation where I can fit in."

"She was even in the Imperial Legion for a while!" Teleportation Girl chirped. After a few seconds - which felt like an eternity of sheer horror on my part - she added, "For about ten minutes, that is."

Jamie groaned. "Masalinie, do you have to tell that story to anyone who stands still long enough?"

"But it's a great story! And besides," Teleportation Girl smirked, "we may have the shortest-serving Legion soldier in history. No other guild can say that!"

"Wait," I said, startled out of my automatic reaction to the Imperial Legion (which runs along the lines of excessive screaming, sometimes mental and sometimes not, generally followed by running). "Ten minutes? How does that work?" Surely even being thrown out for gross incompetence - and considering the Legion, it must be very gross incompetence indeed - took longer than that.

"Well, this is a bit of a long story. Do you want to hear it?"

Somehow, despite Jamie's affected reluctance, I got the impression that she loved telling this. I looked around - the afternoon customer rush seemed to have died down, and the only non-Guild member still in the building was an elderly woman who was asking Estirdalin for a spell to dry laundry. My skepticism was clearly mirrored on Estirdalin's face.

"Sure. Go grab a seat," I nodded at one of the stools near the desk, "I'll make us some tea."

I would have gone ahead and made the tea in an alembic and served it in beakers, but Teleportation Girl pointed me towards a cupboard in the corner. I fished out the battered kettle, raised an eyebrow at the collection of clay mugs and leather tankards the guild had apparently amassed and raised the other eyebrow at the inscriptions they'd picked up along the way.

"Someone figured out that you could use a controlled Fire spell to etch designs on tankards, then one of Ajira's failed potions turned out to work very well as paint and then, well, we may have gone slightly overboard," the Breton explained as I pondered the cup with "Battlemages do it with great balls of fire!" written on it in wobbly red letters. "Just take some- no, not the plain one, that's Sharn gra-Muzgrob's-"

I carefully selected three mugs, making sure to leave Sharn's, the one labelled "Guild Mistress", and (after some consideration of both the Bosmer's reaction and what a certain intrepid Khajiit alchemist might have already added to it) the one with "Galbedir's! DO NOT TOUCH" written on it in glowing blue script in the cupboard, then turned to making tea.

And oh, I forgave Ajira all her oddities - ranging from Khajiit grammar over being hilariously incapable of writing a proper report to sending me out on suicidal ingredient-finding missions - for tipping me off about hackle-lo tea with honey before she'd withdrawn to wage her quill-wielding battles. The tea wasn't as good as Dulnea's brew, but that didn't really say much, and it was absolutely ideal for early evening lethargia. Refreshing and effective in restoring your energy, without the jitters and insomnia my previous tactic of sipping energising potions gave you, and with a lovely sweet, slightly minty taste. What more could an alchemist ask for?

Judging by her expression Jamie seemed to agree, which made my culinary heart swell with pride. She closed her eyes and inhaled the steam for a moment, then launched into her story.

*****

Notes: you would not believe how much reading about how to decorate pottery I did for the mugs XD

Next

This post has been edited by Kazaera: Jun 22 2013, 03:45 PM

[treydog]

Hooray! Adryn is back! I am probably only slightly less happy about that than Ajira.

Ajira looked up when she saw me. "Friend Adryn! Would it be better to write 'the outcome' or 'the result' of an experiment?"

Loved the continuation of Ajira's wrestling with the report- and her assumptions about Adryn's skills in that area.

Wait. So I was sent on dangerous trips into the wilderness involving angry kagouti, misjudged teleportation spells and brothels, but she got to go shopping?

As I recall- only one of my characters ever got the "fetch a ceramic bowl" quest- and I am still not sure what the determinant was.

"I tell you, anyone could have mistaken the dried rat droppings for mushrooms-"

Why do I have a feeling that Jamie and Adryn are going to get along like naptha and a torch?

"Wait," I said, startled out of my automatic reaction to the Imperial Legion (which runs along the lines of excessive screaming, sometimes mental and sometimes not, generally followed by running).

Trey is reminding himself that he is already married- and to a redhead at that. However, he still applauds Adryn's absolutley sensible reaction to the Legion.

...as I pondered the cup with "Battlemages do it with great balls of fire!" written on it in wobbly red letters.

This one was just wonderful- no surprise. Thank you so much for the laughter. I know Ajira already does the "big-eyed kitty trick" to Adryn... perhaps the "soulful dachshund" will work in inducing you to write some more?

[Athynae]

I've been a bit busy of late and I almost missed this...I would have been kicking myself for a week!!!

Adryn survived her round of customer service rep, whew, glad she didn't hurt anyone.

Ajira's faith in Adryn to know is so endearing. And I'm sure that somewhere Adryn is happy Ajira thinks that much of her.

Another lovely addition Kaz, can't wait til the next one, maybe I won't be late catching it...

OH! The mugs were great, glad I wasn't drinking anything when I read "Great balls of fire!" Hilarious!!

[mALX]

*

Wait. So I was sent on dangerous trips into the wilderness involving angry kagouti, misjudged teleportation spells and brothels, but she got to go shopping?

... (reward? What was this reward business?)

ROFL !!! You slid these in and surprised me, I was not expecting that - but def a fitting response, lol !!

I had to hide a smile when I noticed how she stole a longing glance at the alembic in the corner before gripping her quill.

I absolutely LOVE that line !!!

*

anyone could have mistaken the dried rat droppings for mushrooms-"

SPEW !!! Your humor just slides in under the radar, I never see it coming till it hits! My monitor and keyboard will never be the same !!

I fished out the battered kettle, raised an eyebrow at the collection of clay mugs and leather tankards the guild had apparently amassed and raised the other eyebrow at the inscriptions they'd picked up along the way.

"Someone figured out that you could use a controlled Fire spell to etch designs on tankards, then one of Ajira's failed potions turned out to work very well as paint and then, well, we may have gone slightly overboard," the Breton explained as I pondered the cup with "Battlemages do it with great balls of fire!" written on it in wobbly red letters.

Not just the hilarity, but this little detail tucked into waiting to learn Jamie's story - you ROCK !!!

Absolutely LOVED this chapter from beginning to end !!

[Grits]

Wait. So I was sent on dangerous trips into the wilderness involving angry kagouti, misjudged teleportation spells and brothels, but she got to go shopping? How was this remotely fair?

Well, since Adryn managed to survive it’s funny, but I imagine that would not be comforting.

And then it gets better, Jamexa’s shopping trip earns a reward!!

I love the custom tea mugs. Especially the one with the threatening message. It reminds me of those happy, long-ago lab days.

[Kazaera]

*looks around guiltily* Right, my apologies for the absence - life is being very stressful and I'm not writing that much either, alas. I haven't quite finished this chapter yet and the next one looks like Swiss cheese with all the holes... *siiighs* I will update when I can, though! And thanks everyone who's been commenting.

@treydog - The wiki says the ceramic bowl quest involves whether or not you leave the guild before asking her for the next quest? Which would explain why I never missed it in-game and didn't realise you could, I grab all the quests I can and then do them at my leisure. >>

@Athynae - I have to admit that I did not expect Ajira and Adryn to be this cute when I started writing them, but they decided to surprise me! I think it's a nice surprise myself.

@mALX - I start to worry that someone will sue me for indirect monitor destruction here XD glad you enjoyed it!

@Grits - the custom tea mugs are based on our departmental kitchen as well - be glad I didn't shoehorn in our Epic Teapot Story, 's all I'm saying. XD The Mages' Guild isn't really analogous to university life, but I do try to slip bits and pieces in where I can!

Last installment, Adryn met Jamie, another new guild member who is more combat-oriented and less alchemically inclined *cough*rat droppings*cough*. She got the shock of her life when Jamie said she'd been in the Imperial Legion... for all of ten minutes. Now, Jamie explains how she became the shortest-serving Legion soldier in history.

Chapter 5.8

*****

"I only arrived in Vvardenfell a few weeks ago," Jamie began. "And when I came here, I didn't have much more than the clothes on my back. So when I heard about the Imperial Legion recruiting up in Gnisis, I thought, why not give it a try? I'd never really considered joining the Legion before, but they supply recruits with armour. That really clinched it - I can't fight effectively without it, but I couldn't afford to buy any of my own."

So far, this all made sense. I had a sudden, unexpected burst of sympathy for all the people who must get snared and then brainwashed by the Legion this way.

Jamie took another long drink of tea and continued. "When I got to Gnisis, I went to speak to Darius, this commander of theirs. Lazy honoured user, that man - spends all his time sitting in the local tradehouse drinking ale instead of actually checking on his officers, and vain enough he got them to name the fort after him." She scowled. "Anyway, he said he'd be happy to have me, and in fact that he needed a newcomer he could use as a sort of independent agent. That suited me pretty well - I didn't think I'd make a good rank and file soldier, you know? I ask too many questions. So he sent me off to get my armour from the quartermaster-"

"Which took about ten minutes," the Breton threw in, grinning broadly.

Jamie frowned at her. "Who's telling this story, you or me?"

"Sorry," she said, not sounding particularly repentant.

"Anyway," Jamie turned back to me, "she's right, I don't think it took more than ten minutes. Apparently having armour that actually fits is a privilege of rank," she quoted acidly. "So quite soon I was standing in front of Darius again in a chainmail shirt that would have been big on an Orc."

"And then what happened?" I asked, fascinated.

"He looked at me and told me had a mission for me. Namely, apparently a widow in town owned a farm on land the Legion wanted to expand on. He wanted me to get the land deed off her." A dramatic pause. "He said he didn't particularly care as to how."

Judging by the glances Teleportation Girl and Jamie were shooting at me, they expected me to be outraged.

They weren't disappointed.

"Really?" I sputtered, appalled. "He- he just- I mean, I always knew the Legion was corrupt, but to just-"

Jamie nodded earnestly. "Really. I had about the same reaction."

"What did you do?"

"Really the only thing I could do," Jamie said. "I threw the armour they'd given me into his face - good thing it was so big, I could get it off easily - and told him that I was resigning immediately because he was a rotten fetcher who was probably here because no legion in Cyrodiil would accept him even as a boot-cleaner and I wouldn't be part of the sort of filth he was wallowing in for ten thousand septims. Then I marched out while everyone was still too busy gaping to do anything."

The smile that spread across my face was so broad it made my cheeks hurt. "That's amazing," I said with feeling. Imagining that scene made it hard to keep from bursting into applause, or laughter, or both, then and there.

"Thank you! And - do you know what the worst part was?"

"What?" I asked, agog.

"After that, I went to this woman - Vabdas, he'd told me her name - to warn her about what the Legion was planning. I figured it was only a matter of time before Darius found someone else to do his dirty business, you know? It turned out that her husband had only died very recently, under mysterious circumstances." She paused meaningfully. "Suspiciously mysterious circumstances."

"You don't mean..."

"I investigated it," Jamie said. "It wasn't as if I had anything else to do, and Tareyni - the widow - she was nice, you know, and still grieving for her husband and she didn't even know how he'd died. Snuck into the mine at night - it's a long story, but it turned out he was killed by a Legionnaire.

"That's right," she nodded at my shocked gasp. "I found some evidence - the murderer had left his axe still in the body, even. Took that to the village hetman. I hear he's going on trial next Sundas. Should be a short one, since he confessed - good riddance, I say." She pursed her lips-

"Please don't spit on our floors," I said hastily.

"Oh, right. Sorry."

"But, really," I said after the danger of saliva on our flooring, and possibly me as the low-ranking new guild member who didn't argue with Imperial Legion generals for fun told to clean it up, had passed. "This guy wants the land, and the poor woman's husband just so happens to get killed by one of his subordinates..."

"I know," Jamie said. "After Darius heard about it, he acted all outraged, apologised to the widow and everything - but of course he could hardly do anything differently now that the whole town had heard about it, could he?" She shrugged. "At least now he's not going to try getting at her land again if he has the slightest bit of sense. He'd have a rebellion on his hands."

"I'll drink to that." Teleportation Girl toasted Darius's frustration with her mug, then looked into it. "Or I would, if I had any tea left."

"I can make another-" I began.

"Uh, excuse me?"

We all turned.

"Sorry to bother you," the Breton standing behind us continued, "it's just, I'm looking for a potion to cure... um..." He looked at Jamie and Teleportation Girl. "Is there any chance of a little privacy?"

Jamie set the empty mug on the desk and stood. "I need to go see someone at the Fighter's Guild anyway," she commented. And even Teleportation Girl seemed to suddenly realise that travellers could be coming through any moment now. I mourned my tea break.

"So, um, the problem is..."

As the customer shuffled his feet, I mentally weighed the odds on this being chronic indigestion, a very intimate disease, or problems with a rather specific sort of stamina. At least he looked embarrassed enough that I didn't think it was a pretext to attempt (badly) to flirt with me... unlike the Imperial earlier. I can only thank the Nine for other races' fire resistance, or rather the lack thereof - a handful of flickering flames would never have sent a Dunmer scurrying that quickly.

Ah... business as usual.

*****

Notes: The hilarious thing is that my original plan for Jamie had her in the Legion. Then she showed up and... we had a difference of opinions on the matter. She won.

Next

This post has been edited by Kazaera: Jun 22 2013, 03:46 PM

[treydog]

No quote-fest this time (I am trying to cut down). Except of course, I want to quote the whole thing.

And I agree completely with your reading of the land-deed quest- it is just so coincidental that the Dunmer owner of the land the general wants just HAPPENS to wind up dead at the hands of a Legionnaire.

Well OK- one (longish) quote, because it is so perfectly Adryn-

As the customer shuffled his feet, I mentally weighed the odds on this being chronic indigestion, a very intimate disease, or problems with a rather specific sort of stamina. At least he looked embarrassed enough that I didn't think it was a pretext to attempt (badly) to flirt with me... unlike the Imperial earlier. I can only thank the Nine for other races' fire resistance, or rather the lack thereof - a handful of flickering flames would never have sent a Dunmer scurrying that quickly.

Ah... business as usual.

So happy to see you back and to see more of your story.

[Kazaera]

*tiptoes in*

So life has been very busy, and that combined with hitting a serious writer's block on the next two scenes and then losing interest in Morrowind for a while led to me vanishing. However, in the past few weeks I've been plotting and putting fingers to keyboard, and have enough together that I think it's worth posting. Adryn is back, everyone - I hope you enjoy!

I ended up having to axe the scenes I was blocking on completely because they just weren't working. As such, the last thing I wrote is actually the end of Chapter 5, and we are now onto Chapter 6...

Chapter 6: 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5

Last year installment: During tea break, Adryn learned the details of Jamie's record-breakingly short Legion career. Afterwards, she was forced back to customer service (the horror!) She survived, and we meet her again the next day...

Chapter 6, part 1

*****

The next morning found me wandering towards the Eight Plates with a spring in my step and a broad smile on my face. Now, let me hasten to make clear that this is not a typical state of events; overall I find being a grumpy curmudgeon quite enjoyable, thank you very much. However, last night marked the first of what I hoped would be many occasions known as "Adryn sleeps through the night and does not have a nightmare". Correspondingly, this was the first morning since I'd arrived that I actually felt well-rested. I had dreamt, true, but the few fragments I could remember now were surreal but harmless and the worst it had caused me was a momentary disorientation waking. A far cry from my restless nights before, and reason enough for a good mood.

Perhaps my threats yesterday morning had had an effect? If so, I found myself rather underwhelmed by this "soul-sickness" and pitying the poor fools who didn't have the strength of will to stand up to it. Or maybe my dreams had really only been difficulty adjusting to Vvardenfell after all.

"Ah- Adryn, wasn't it?" Dulnea bustled up to me after I stepped into the inn. "I thought I might be seeing you again, after Estirdalin told me you'd joined the Mages Guild." Her eyes roved over my form in a way that would have made me much more uncomfortable if I hadn't suspected she was mainly interested in the embroidered robe I was wearing. "So you did visit Millie - that's a much better look for you." She clucked. "It's good to see you didn't come to any harm visiting that- that-"

I had to agree with her distaste at the thought of Caius, although I suspected my reasons for it were rather different from hers. All the same, best to head her off... what had that cover story been again...

Had I just actually thought the words "cover story"? When had my life turned into a bad spy novel?

I swallowed hard to keep myself from throwing up and launched into my explanation. "Oh, Cosades? Apparently he's an amateur historian or something, got a shipment of books he needed. If I were him, I'd spend less money on building up my library and more on moving into a nicer place, but..." I attempted a nonchalant shrug. "At least he paid me," paid for me, more like, and if I didn't stop this line of thought right not I was not going to be able to stomach breakfast, "and now I'm in the Guild."

"Hmm." Dulnea narrowed her eyes at me. "As long as you're away from that sort of thing now."

Desperately wishing I were, I nodded, not trusting myself to open my mouth.

"And how have you..." Dulnea's voice dropped, "your dreams been?"

I'd really meant to scold her for frightening me so, but all my anger faded away when I realised she was genuinely worried about me. "Oh, they're gone," I said airily. "Probably just trouble settling in. Nothing serious."

"That'- that's excellent." Dulnea looked almost more relieved than I'd been. "I'm glad things are going so well for you, dear. Now, I'd best be getting back to work - the mages' breakfast is through here, there are already quite a few people here."

I thanked Dulnea and slipped through the door she indicated into another room, this one dominated by a long wooden table set with various breakfast items - I could see spiced rolls, a jar of scrib jelly, a big bowl of what looked like some sort of porridge, a large teapot with- could it be?

Tea.

"Over here, Adryn."

I blinked, and realised that in my focus on food and divine nectar of the gods I'd totally ignored the people sitting around the table. One of them had just pulled out the chair next to him.

"Thanks, Marayn," I said as I sat down. "Er, can someone pass-"

"Tea coming right up," the Dunmer woman across from me said with a grin as she reached for the pot. "You're not the first person to come here with that expression on your face."

A few moments later I had a hot cup of liquid joy in my hand, and a few moments after that I was in alchemical heaven.

There was the smoky taste - scathecraw, Ajira had said - but it wasn't overpowering. It was balanced by something spicy and a sweetness that wasn't honey or sugar, but the thing that truly offset the acridity was a subtle undertone of something refreshing, the tiniest bit minty and... familiar?

Was that hackle-lo?

I opened my eyes in triumph. Another ingredient down! True, I still had no idea of amount or preparation, but given how unfamiliar I was with local ingredients any progress was something to be proud of.

The other woman giggled, something I might have taken offense to if I hadn't still been kindly disposed towards her for procuring the tea. "I don't think I've ever seen someone drink even Dulnea's tea with such concentration before," she said when I looked at her.

"I'm trying to work out the recipe," I explained. "My pride as an alchemist is at stake."

A scoff from the other end of the table interrupted me.

"Is there a problem?" I asked the Altmer who'd decided to prove he had no manners.

"As if you could," he drawled. "All the best alchemists in the guild - all the best alchemists on this benighted island, in other words - have been trying to work out the mixture to no avail. Anarenen, Ernand, and of course myself have spent hours bending our minds to the task. I can hardly believe some arrogant slip of a girl expects to make progress where we have failed."

Groans and eye-rolls around the table told me this attitude was common and not supported by the other people present, but I still wasn't going to take that lying down. "Well, I can hardly believe the guild employs giant peacocks, I thought it restricted itself to people. Moreover, I thought all of the members had to have something of substance in their heads. Apparently hot air is enough to qualify you."

The giant peacock's head grew red and he subsided as numerous people laughed.

"Nice one! I'll have to remember that," the woman across from me said. "I'm sorry for the idiot, who I happen to have the great misfortune of sharing a guild with. Our Guildmaster says he'll grow out of it one day, but I'm doubtful. I'm Uleni, by the way, Uleni Heleran - conjurer from the Sadrith Mora guild. The idiot is Tusamircil, but we're training him to respond to 'the idiot' so you don't have to bother remembering his name."

"Adryn," I introduced myself, ignoring the sputtering coming from the idiot's general direction. "I, in turn, seem to have the misfortune of sharing a profession with the idiot. I'm an alchemist - well, I guess that's a little obvious."

*****

Next

This post has been edited by Kazaera: Jul 27 2013, 10:57 AM

[mALX]

"Sorry," she said, not sounding particularly repentant.

Her eyes roved over my form in a way that would have made me much more uncomfortable if I hadn't suspected she was mainly interested in the embroidered robe I was wearing.

There goes my monitor again!

Notes: The hilarious thing is that my original plan for Jamie had her in the Legion. Then she showed up and... we had a difference of opinions on the matter. She won.

I love when that happens, those characters that take over the keyboard are always the best for the reader!

Loved your reference to the earlier scene with Caius - one of my favorite scenes! I could have quoted every bit of it for so much more than just the humor!

Another great write! Welcome back !!!!


*

[Grits]

Woo hoo, Adryn is back!! I’ve missed her.

[Kazaera]

@mALX - thanks! And yes, I suspect Jamie is a much more interesting character now than the way I'd originally envisioned her

@Grits - glad to be back!

Last installment, Adryn wandered over to the Eight Plates for the Mages' Guild breakfast, had a brief chat with Dulnea and a verbal scuffle with an arrogant guildmate (she won). Now, for breakfast and gossip.

Chapter 6.2

*****

I grabbed a roll from a nearby basket and looked around. Although there were quite a few people I didn't recognise, there were also some from the Balmora guild there - Marayn next to me, Teleportation Girl scarfing down porridge over there, Galbedir steadily ignoring everyone, Estirdalin (thankfully a few seats away) in deep conversation with an Argonian next to her-

I blinked as I became consciously aware of an absence that had been nagging at me since I came in.

"Where's Ajira?" Hadn't she said she always ate here?

"Oh, she's never here on weekends," Marayn said. "She always goes into the guild straight away on Loredas so she can leave before noon."

Galbedir sniffed. "Some dedication. And she thinks she's ready to become a Journeyman."

I sent as threatening a glare as I could manage in her direction, which she ignored completely. It stung, but I had to admit that I was at a natural disadvantage as far as threatening went - of the two of us she was the one who probably fought Daedra and studied deadly Ayleid artifacts for her living. The Hirtus Figulus, the Enchanter's Apprentice series I'd loved as a child (I could still remember parts of Hirtus Figulus and the Brotherhood of the Bone Hawk by heart) had left me with a healthy respect for enchanters. It persisted despite Galbedir's best attempts.

"Now that's not fair," Marayn said, frowning. "Ajira earns it with how hard she works the rest of the week. Besides, most of us take part of the weekend off."

"Yeah," Teleportation Girl muttered into her porridge, "most of us."

"Still," Galbedir wasn't willing to let it rest, "that, and all the times she 'had to' leave early during the week... don't you wonder what's so important? For all we know-"

"Maybe she has a boyfriend!" Teleportation Girl threw in, a thought that apparently cheered her up immensely. "Oooh, I wonder who it is? I've seen her talking with that handsome young Khajiit who owns the shop next door."

"Well-"

"Seriously, is that all you ever think about?" I asked Teleportation Girl, cutting off whatever poisonous remark Galbedir had been about to make.

"What? It's exciting!"

I was about to make a comment about her dedication to her art if she had let romance novels rot her mind this far when Marayn jabbed me in the side with an elbow.

"Still," Galbedir doggedly refused to let the topic go, "you don't seriously think that's what's keeping her. I mean, don't you know what her mother-"

A new voice joined the fray. "Apprentice Galbedir, if there is a problem with Apprentice Ajira, it is the duty of your guild mistress to address it. Not yours. And all should note it is impolite to gossip about our fellow members' private lives." The Argonian's voice was serene, but with a quiet undercurrent of authority that made everyone subside.

I was a little disappointed the gossip session had been curtailed (Ajira's mother? What about Ajira's mother?) but squashed that feeling down. If Ajira wanted me to know, she'd tell me, same as she'd done about her sister - and it wasn't as if I'd appreciate her digging into my past. Not to mention that whatever it was, I somehow doubted she'd want it laid out before the entire breakfast group by Galbedir of all people.

My side twinged; Marayn had exceptionally sharp elbows. I rubbed it pointedly and stared at him. "What was that all about?"

He looked around. Galbedir was again studiously ignoring us - I hoped she'd keep up with it this time - and Teleportation Girl had gone back to her porridge. "I can't deny that Masalinie is a little silly sometimes," he said quietly. "But it gives her something to do when she has to stand there all day. Being a guild guide is a very important job, but it's also a very boring job, and one that comes with sacrifices. Don't be so hard on her."

"I know I wouldn't be one for love or money," Uleni chimed in. "I see what Iniel has to deal with."

I shrugged. I still thought she could fill her time with more useful things, but it wasn't really something I cared to argue about. I also noted that Marayn hadn't bothered trying to defend Galbedir. "All right, all right. Pass the scrib jelly, would you?"

"You like scrib jelly?" Uleni asked as I slathered some on a roll.

I squashed my impulse to point out that if I didn't, I wouldn't very well be eating it, and just nodded instead. It helped that my mouth was full.

"Do you realise where it comes from?" There was a mischievous sparkle in Uleni's eyes.

I swallowed. "I don't have the faintest idea. My first guess would have been a sort of honey, but the texture is all wrong. Maybe some kind of fruit jam? But it doesn't really taste like fruit..."

"Ooh, no, you're quite far off. Scrib jelly is made from scribs, a kind of kwama." Uleni paused dramatically. "In other words, insects."

I blinked at her.

"You know, insects?" Uleni seemed disappointed by my lack of reaction. "Wriggly animals with lots of legs?" She wiggled her fingers at me in what I decided must be either a dreadful attempt at pantomime or a very strange muscle tic.

"Yes," I said slowly. "I know what insects are, thank you very much. And it's good to know where scrib jelly is from, thank you," I added, wondering if she was looking for acknowledgement. "It explains why it tastes so different. What part of the scrib do you use, and why is it so sweet? Do scribs gather nectar?"

Uleni was still staring at me with a betrayed look on her face - really, what was it she was looking for? Then Marayn started laughing.

"Really, Uleni," he managed, "didn't you realise that playing "disgust the outlander" wouldn't work very well on an alchemist?"

"Aw," Uleni pouted. "People usually have such funny reactions! An Altmer from one of the Cyrodiil guilds actually ran outside to throw up when I did the fingers." She giggled.

"Wait," I said, blinking. "You expected me to be upset by eating something made from insects? But it's not even poisonous, or explosive, or acidic, or still alive-"

At that point I had to stop because I could barely hear myself over Marayn's laughter.

"Point well taken. I'll keep it in mind: you can't shock an alchemist with edibles. Something of a challenge, hmm?" Uleni smiled at me. For some reason, a cold shiver went down my spine at the sight. "Well, I'd best get back. One of the Fighter's Guild members commissioned a custom night eye spell, he said he was going to pick it up this morning. Masalinie, would you?"

Suddenly there was a great hubbub as most of the table seemed to rise to their feet, similar explanations on their lips. "-can't possibly be away from my workstation this long," the idiot was saying pompously, and I caught a Breton talking about how it had been wonderful to catch up but she had a shipment of filled soul gems coming in, so sorry, must rush.

Teleportation Girl scowled for a moment as she gulped down the last of her tea, then she got up and walked to a corner. "All right, all right, one at a time. Anyone going to Ald'ruhn? No? Caldera? Oh, Medila. You know the drill, just step over here-"

In no time at all, most of the breakfast group had vanished into the ether. The only ones left were Balmorans - no, the Argonian was still here. "Thank you for the offer, Masalinie," he was saying, "but I have some business in Balmora this morning. I shall travel back from the guild later."

"I didn't realise you could do that outside the guild building," I told Teleportation Girl. Now that I had a teleportation spell under my belt, I found myself curious about how the guild guide system worked. From everything I'd gathered yesterday, I'd thought the departure and arrival point had to be the stone platform.

"The spell is anchored to a spot, yes, but there's a bit of flexibility," Teleportation Girl explained. "This is about as far as I can get and still connect to the spell matrix. My range is good, too - Iniel can barely get out of the room." She sounded proud. "Erranil, in Ald'ruhn, is best. She says she can get almost to Skar before she loses the magicka flow."

"I had no idea - I thought you could only work from the platform."

"Actually, we'd appreciate it if you didn't let on." She rubbed the back of her neck. "Otherwise half our customers would start demanding special treatment so they don't have to queue at the guild with everyone else. None of us want to get dragged to some Hlaalu House Cousin's bedchamber so his mistress can visit without his wife knowing."

"I should probably take offence at that comment," Marayn mused. "If only it weren't accurate."

"You're my very favourite Hlaalu, don't worry." Teleportation Girl beamed at him. "I believe, I truly believe," she put a hand over her heart as though affirming her honesty, "that you'd make your mistress walk to the guild with everyone else."

Marayn snorted, then turned to me. "More to the point, Adryn, if the flexibility of the system was widely known we might have to shut down the Sadrith Mora point. We only have that under guarantee that it's fixed. It effectively is - like Masalinie said, Iniel doesn't have the sort of flexibility she or Erranil do, and none of them could get out of Wolverine Hall - but the Telvanni would undoubtedly let their paranoia stretch beyond their common sense if they knew. All in all, it's for the best to keep that information in the guild."

I swallowed the last of my scrib jelly roll and nodded. "No problem, I'll keep quiet." I did think that if they were really so keen on keeping this secret, using it every day just so the breakfast group didn't have to walk down the street to the guild wasn't exactly the best of ideas, nor was showing off to random new guild members. I decided not to point this out - Marayn was friendly, but I still didn't think he'd take particularly well to said random new guild member criticising the way things worked.

"Well, it's about time we started heading back," Marayn said. I blinked and looked around. The three of us were the only people in the room. Everyone else had apparently left while we were debating teleportation spells.

Marayn continued, "Dulnea will want to tidy the room soon, and there's undoubtedly already people beating down the doors to get to Vivec. Shall we?"

*****

Notes: Figulus is "Potter" in Latin, and Hirtus translates roughly as "hairy". Three guesses what "Brotherhood of the Bone Hawk" is a Tamrielfied version of... some stories are so popular they transcend dimensional boundaries, 's all I'm saying.

Next

This post has been edited by Kazaera: Jun 22 2013, 03:50 PM

[Kazaera]

Last installment, the mages finished breakfast and gossip, and Adryn learned more about the guild guide system and what they are and aren't capable of, as well as a minor digression into Morrowind politics. Now, back to the guild hall, where there is a bit of a surprise waiting for Adryn...

Chapter 6.3

*****

When we reached the guild common room, I stopped and stared for a few moments.

Occupying the table usually set aside for Marayn's book collection was the biggest bouquet I'd ever seen. Stranger yet was the fact that the flowers were native to Vvardenfell yet I recognised all of them. I recognised them because - I flushed with embarrassment at the thought - two days ago I'd spent all day trying to pick some only to be thwarted by what I was certain had to have been divine interference. Yes, those blue bells were stoneflower - I remembered trying to sneak some when I thought the evil pilgrim hadn't been looking only to discover that, like all good fiends, she had eyes in the back in her head - and the bright yellow petals were unmistakeably gold kanet, and...

Teleportation Girl had bent to inspect the bouquet and discovered a roll of parchment tied to it. Her eyes widened in surprise. "It says it's for you, Adryn!"

"It's - what?" Who on Nirn was sending me flowers? The idea of having a secret admirer was outlandish enough, but I'd been here less than a week! Surely there must have been a mistake somewhere? Or - I swallowed as a truly horrifying idea occurred to me. What if it was Eddie? If anything was worse than the idea of having picked up some stranger as a stalker along the way...

"Give me that," I told the Breton shortly.

Dear Adryn,

I hope you got back to Balmora all right. I'm sorry I couldn't see you back, but duty called. An Armiger's work is never done.

I gave a fervent sigh of relief. "Oh, it's just Ervesa."

"Who?"

I eyed Teleportation Girl with suspicion. Her eyes were shining in a manner I found entirely inappropriate, and I remembered Ajira's warning - not to mention the scene at breakfast.

"Oh, just someone I met on the road." No need to give someone who'd had their brain infected by romance novels ammunition.

"So," Estirdalin this time, and sounding quite a bit less enthusiastic than her younger guildmate, "why is someone you 'just met' sending you flowers?"

I looked back down at the letter.

I hope the flowers arrive in good condition. I ended up walking to Seyda Neen, you see, and saw them by the wayside and remembered you. It's not as if it's much effort for me to pick some if I'm travelling anyway, and after what happened it's probably safest if you don't try to look for them yourself!

"Well, they're the alchemical ingredients I was looking for. I mentioned that I'd had no luck gathering any, and since she was travelling where they grow anyway she decided to pick some on the way as a favour to me - I guess making them into a bouquet was her idea of a joke? I'll have to see if there's anything I can do for her in return, but it's not as if she's..."

"Sending you enchanted jewellery?" Galbedir this time, sounding almost offended.

"Yes, exactly! I-" Looking at Galbedir, I found my gaze arrested by the expensive amulet glimmering with magicka in her hands. "Wait, what?"

"No, really. Why, exactly, is she sending you enchanted jewellery?" Galbedir threw the amulet in my direction with more force than I felt was truly necessary - it was only thanks to my birth-sign I was able to catch it before it hit my head. Attempted murder (or at least concussion) attempts aside, I had to admit that that was a truly excellent question.

"Well..."

There's meant to be an amulet as well, so in case it didn't arrive go complain to the Couriers Guild. That Bosmer gave it to me as a reward for rescuing his friend from the kagouti, but I think it's yours by rights. After all, you were the one who risked your life for him! And Buoyant Armigers don't accept rewards like this anyway.

I meant to give it to you right after you recovered, but with everything else that happened I'm afraid it slipped my mind completely. I hope it comes in handy - it's enchanted with a Slowfall effect, those can be very useful exploring! Although I guess you've had enough of that for a while... otherwise, you can always just sell it.

"It's nothing like you're thinking! It was a reward for rescuing someone from wild kagouti-"

"Rescuing someone? You?" I was impressed at how much scorn Galbedir managed to pack into one syllable. Had she ever considered a career in acting?

"So," Estirdalin interjected again, "if it was a reward for you rescuing someone else, as you say, how did this.... Ervesa... get her hands on it?"

I bristled. I could hear the doubt in everyone's voices and I was growing exasperated by this interrogation. "Look, it's quite simple. Someone asked me to find his friend and I agreed because I didn't know kagouti were involved," or what a kagouti was, and how I wished I could return to such innocent times. "When I found him, we were attacked, and the spell I used to temporarily neutralise the kagouti had some... adverse side-effects. Ervesa, who was passing by, killed it. Apparently they gave her the reward for the rescue, but she sent it on to me because she thought I ought to have it, and because Buoyant Amor- Armigers," I was starting to get the hang of that name, even if it still sounded ridiculous, "have some silly vow of poverty going on or something like that. Now is everyone happy? Can I have my privacy back now?"

The silence following this was broken by a quiet groan from the alchemy corner. I looked over at Ajira and suddenly remembered that she'd warned me about-

"You were rescued by a Buoyant Armiger?!" Oh, no. "That's so-" please don't say it, please don't say it, "romantic!" Teleportation Girl's voice reached a pitch that made me wince.

"Nonononono," I frantically waved my hands as if to blow away all the misunderstandings, "it wasn't like that at all, she was just being kind to a misplaced traveller, the only reason we ended up sharing a room at Desele's was because there wasn't any space in the-"

Oops.

Too late, I clamped my mouth shut.

"Girls these days," Marayn tutted, which I found rather excessive as he was only a few years older than me.

"I can't believe this." The way Galbedir clenched her fists was rather alarming, especially given she'd tried to brain me with an amulet just a minute ago. "Her? What's so special about her?"

"You're all misunderstanding the situation," I moaned. "Seriously, if you'd just listen to me-"

A hand fell on my shoulder. I scowled in the general direction of the perpetrator, finding I had to adjust my glare upwards when it turned out to be Estirdalin.

"My dear," her tone of voice was probably meant to be soothing. It wasn't working. "I know you grew up outside the province, and that this must be hard for you. But Morrowind is a civilised place, you see. You will not face any prejudice here, so there is no need to hide your proclivities - or your relationships - from us. Although," her voice grew stern, "you should learn that there are better places for such... activities than that-"

Desperate, I looked from face to face and decided that the only person who was going to listen to me was Ajira - and judging by the way she was covering her mouth with one paw and how her whiskers were twitching with suppressed laughter there wasn't much hope for sympathy from that quarter either.

All right. That was it. I needed to get away from these people or I'd try to kill something.

"I... need some fresh air," I mumbled, and fled up the stairs.

*****

Next

This post has been edited by Kazaera: Jun 22 2013, 03:50 PM

[Grits]

Oh dear. I was almost hoping that Ervesa would send along some travel rations in a fancy chocolates box. How funny!

[Kazaera]

@Grits - Somehow, I suspect Ervesa would have done *exactly* that if she'd thought of it...

Last installment, Adryn finally, finally gets her flowers... and a rather embarrassing misunderstanding with her guildmates. Now, she is definitely not running away from them. Nope. No way.

Chapter 6.4

Upstairs, Ranis Athrys and the Argonian from breakfast were standing near the supply chest, deep in conversation. The impression I'd had of him earlier as someone with authority was borne out - she was listening to him intently, nodding once in a while. I'd never seen her treat any of us with that kind of respect.

Upset though I was, I had no wish to interrupt two high-ranking guild members - even ones who were blocking the corridor - nor to look as though I was eavesdropping. All the same, I really didn't want to go back downstairs.

Wait, didn't this building have another floor?

Indeed, there was another flight of stairs just around the corner. At the top of them I found a small, unoccupied room. Perfect, in other words, to sit for a moment and recover my temper. Why, here was a comfortable-looking chair in front of a desk... a desk with, I noted, Galbedir's mug sitting on it.

Come to think of it, I didn't see Galbedir downstairs all that often. This must be her workspace. Yes, there were a few soul gems scattered around, and here was a sheaf of paper in the same looping script as that on the mug. I peered at them more closely, but they just seemed to be her work notes. No sign of blackmail material. Luckily so - if there had been, Ajira might have been tempted, and that kind of thing never goes well.

I let myself fall into the chair with a groan, hoping Galbedir would stay downstairs for a while longer. Long enough for me to figure out how to handle this situation.

Well, first I could finish reading Ervesa's letter.

I might pass through Balmora sometime in the next few weeks. If so, I'll have to see if I can find you so we can catch up - I enjoyed our conversation, and I think you could do with someone to help you settle into Vvardenfell. If you need to ask me anything, you can reach me by sending messages to the Armigers' Stronghold in Molag Mar - I stop by there regularly.

Your favourite giant insect,

Ervesa

Her name was followed by a doodle of Ervesa in full insect regalia, along with a stylised smiling face.

I let out a sigh.

I wanted to be angry at Ervesa, but I couldn't really. It had been a very thoughtful thing to do, and she could hardly be expected to realise everyone would go all... all... all romance novel fanatic over a few alchemical ingredients and a reward. Besides - I winced - letting the thing about Desele's slip had been entirely my fault. Maybe if she visited she'd be able to explain to Teleportation Girl and the rest that there was really, truly, nothing of that sort going on between us at all, thank you very much - even if they refused to listen to me, they must surely believe my purported partner. Until then...

Despite calming down a little, I still really didn't want to go downstairs and spend the day fending off everyone's misconceptions. Even the prospect of experimenting with the flowers didn't look pleasant with that taken into consideration. Sadly, the alternatives didn't look much better. I didn't like the idea of wandering around Balmora with nothing to do, I certainly wasn't about to venture into the wilderness again, and it wasn't as if I could just pop over to another city on a day tri-

I slapped my forehead.

Of course I could pop over to another city on a day trip. Hadn't I only just now been feeling irritated by Teleportation Girl's romance obsession? Teleportation Girl, who had that nickname because she happened to offer instantaneous transportation to numerous cities on this island? One of them was Vivec, which I vaguely remembered was meant to be the largest city on the island and boast a living god. That sounded like a good destination for a day of sight-seeing for me.

Besides, if it was that big it would surely have an enchanter's shop - somewhere I could sell that amulet. That would do something to stall the rumours, and would bring some coin to my pocket while I was at it. It looked to be worth almost two septims at a fence, meaning I might be able to talk an enchanter up to three or so since I'd acquired it legally - more than doubling my available funds and thereby staving off financial worries for a while.

And maybe I'd be able to meet the Vivec guild alchemist while I was there...

Plan made, I slipped Ervesa's letter into the pocket of my robe, thought for a moment and then fastened the amulet around my neck - it was invisible tucked under my shirt, and with the sturdy silver chain it was probably safer there than it would be in my pouch.

I stood to move back from the desk, but accidentally jolted it. The stack of Galbedir's notes spilled to the floor.

"Scamp drek," I swore. I didn't think Galbedir would take my upsetting her workspace very well and I hardly needed more hostility on that front. I hoped I could manage to put everything back the way it had been. Thankfully, burglaries are good practice on that front.

As I bent to pick up the pages littering the floor, something on the desk caught my eye. Something that must have been underneath the stack of paper. Something glowing-

All the air left my lungs in a whoosh. I felt as if someone had just punched me in the stomach.

It was a grand soul gem. A filled grand soul gem, judging by the glow. And it wasn't the flickering, barely-there light of a lesser soul, either. No, this was a rich golden light that I had never seen before, not even in Svarti's Magicka, Windhelm's biggest and most expensive enchanter's shop (Svarti being the one I could thank for most of my practical knowledge of magical items and soul gems, or more precisely Svarti's bad memory when it came to locking his shop's upstairs window). It must be a Daedric soul, and no scamp's either. Atronach at the very least. Perhaps even the soul of a Golden Saint.

Automatically, my mind brought up the worth of such a soul gem, then reeled at the number. It was such an astronomical sum of money that I couldn't properly imagine it. Well, I'd have plenty of time and reason to try if I just slipped the gem into my pocket - the glow would be a problem, true, but that would be easily mitigated if I wrapped it in-

Wait, stealing something of this value on impulse was a bad idea. Hadn't that been how I'd almost got caught in Seyda Neen? I should prepare, make sure I wouldn't get fingered for it - set up an alibi, make it look like a burglary, find a safe hiding place for it and a buyer. Obviously selling it here was out of the question, but head out to another city- finding a fence for such a valuable object wouldn't be the easiest thing but with my experience-

What was I thinking?

"No," I whispered to myself. "No, no, no." With each repetition I backed away from the desk, staring at the soul gem as if it was a wild sabre cat.

That wasn't me anymore. I was- I was retired. I was a mage now. It wasn't as if I'd ever really wanted to be a thief, I'd just fallen into it out of lack of other options. This was a fresh start with real chances and opportunities, and I was slowly coming to realise just how much I'd needed that. People tolerated me - no, people actually liked me! And Ajira was - time to admit it to myself - becoming a close friend. Was I going to throw that away, steal from my own guild, for the sake of-

Who was I trying to kid? A mage? Me? It'd only be a matter of time until they tossed me out on my ear. So sorry, you don't meet our standards after all. What, you actually thought you could be a proper mage? You're just a jumped-up street rat who's deluded herself into thinking she's an alchemist, useful for a while running errands but not fit to dirty our guild once that's run out.

It would happen sooner or later, what was wrong with making sure I had some insurance-

"No, no, no-"

But- but- but if I started stealing again the Guild would find me, he'd find me, where was I supposed to run from here, what if he- what if all of it happened agai-

"No no nonono-"

Wood, behind me. I'd backed into the wall. No, not the wall- there was something digging into my back-

A doorknob.

I fled.

*****

Next

This post has been edited by Kazaera: May 16 2020, 02:39 PM

[Kazaera]

Surprise!

So I got blocked on a particular scene and then wandered off to do something else for six months (as, you know, you do). But lately I've been back at the keyboard and thought I'd show off some of the results! Also, I feel a little guilty for leaving you on what's a bit of a cliffhanger since November. >>

I hope to stick around for a few months at least before wandering off this time, but, well! You know the drill.

Last installment, Adryn pondered theft and had a panic attack.

Chapter 6.5

*****

A brief time later found me sitting on the flat roof of the guild. I wasn't sure how I'd gotten up here exactly; I remembered bursting through the door into sunlight and cool air, but the next few minutes were a bit of a blur.

I took deep, slow breaths. In. Out. In.

Out.

It felt rather as if something had dropped chopped scamp skin into the potion of my mind, and I had to fight to keep the whole frothy mess from exploding on me.

Thankfully, I had practice. It had been a while and hadn't happened like this before, but I'd been having attacks like that all the time after-

No.

I cast about for something safer to think about. What had been going through my mind before I'd gone to pieces like that, anyway?

Right - my sightseeing plans.

"So," I said to the air. My voice was thin. "Vivec."

"Ajira thinks that sounds like a very good idea."

I jerked, and would probably have fallen off the roof if I hadn't remembered exactly where I was at the last moment. I really was in a bad state if people could sneak up on me like that.

"Ajira apologises. She did not mean to startle friend Adryn."

"It's all right," I said. It wasn't Ajira's fault I'd been... distracted.

"It is to be understood that friend Adryn would be upset after... that." Ajira's face set into an expression of distaste, making her whiskers twitch. "It is very rude of the others to demand to know about her personal life that way. Very, very rude to jump to conclusions and ignore her telling them they are wrong. They should learn a sense of propriety." Despite myself, I almost smiled - for a moment, my friend sounded like some scandalised old aunt.

"But," Ajira continued, "that is not the only reason she is upset, is it?" Her green gaze was calm, clear and penetrating; I had to drop my own after a second. "That is all right. It is private, yes? I do not dig into people's private affairs against their wishes. If friend Adryn wishes to tell Ajira, she will. If not, that is fine too."

I felt a rush of affection towards Ajira. If I weren't still feeling shaky, I'd probably have hugged her.

"You know," I said slowly, "someone should really tell Galbedir to store her belongings more securely. I mean, anyone could just- just walk in and grab things off her desk. If there was a thief around-" I couldn't continue. I swallowed, then tried again. "Some of those soul gems are-" My throat closed up. Ajira was still watching me steadily. It felt as if she could see right through me.

"Ajira agrees entirely. Galbedir is very careless about such things, and will not listen to Ajira when she says so." Ajira shook her head in disapproval. "Perhaps she will have a word with the honoured Ranis Athrys later. It will be difficult for the whole guild if something valuable is stolen. But that is not important at the moment, no? Because nothing was. There is no thief here, after all."

"Thank you." The words that escaped me were almost inaudible; I wasn't sure if Ajira could hear them.

"In any case, Ajira thinks going to Vivec is an excellent idea. Friend Adryn has been working very hard the past few days, has been a great help to the guild, even though she is only an Associate. But it is the weekend, everyone takes the time off. Ajira herself is only here to finish up some few things before going home. Friend Adryn should see more of the island, and Vivec is a grand and beautiful city. People come from afar to visit it. And," Ajira winked, "it has many, many shops, selling all sorts of things. Many other alchemists, many apocatheries, and the best bookshop in all of Tamriel."

I perked up. "Bookshop?"

Ajira grinned. "It is in the Foreign Quarter. Jobasha, the owner, if he does not have a book - this does not happen often - he will find it. Jobasha is a good friend of Ajira's, she has known him since she was very small. If friend Adryn mentions she is also a friend of Ajira's, he might not barter quite so hard."

"Ajira, have I mentioned I love you recently?" Getting me an in with the owner of a major bookshop? This was the sort of thing that called for sonnets. Sadly, my own poetic ability was at around the same level's as a giant flea's; under the circumstances, the kindest, most loving thing I could do was to refrain.

If Khajiit could blush, Ajira would undoubtedly be cherry-red by now. "Oh, no. This is only a small thing, a very small thing. And..." Ajira looked down. "Ajira must confess something."

I raised an eyebrow.

"When Ajira sends associates out on errands, she is meant to give them a reward for doing so. Friend Adryn saw, yesterday, with Jamie." I nodded; I had been wondering about that. "Usually, Ajira gives potions. But friend Adryn can make her own, so Ajira could not do that, she had to think of something else. And then friend Adryn ran the alchemy shop yesterday so Ajira could finish her report, which entitles her to a share of the profits. So-"

I stared at the five silver ten-drake coins Ajira was pressing into my hands.

"Ajira, I-"

"Ajira apologises for making friend Adryn wait," Ajira waved off my gratitude. "Although if she really wants to demonstrate her thanks, she could buy the Ascadian Isles volume of Dilavesa Seloth's Guide to the Flora of Morrowind with her new money at Jobasha's. He said he would have it in stock now, and it would be useful to study the flowers on Morndas."

Of course, the flowers. With all the bustle about the amulet and then my- moment earlier, I had entirely forgotten the fact that Ajira and I now had access to yet more genuine native Vvardenfell ingredients. Quite shameful for someone who called herself an alchemist! At least Ervesa's slightly unorthodox storage method meant that they would definitely keep until then.

"I'll do that," I told Ajira. It wasn't as if it buying alchemy books was a great hardship on my part, and I figured it was the least I could do for her.

"Thank you, friend Adryn." Ajira stretched with a yawn that showed off her fangs, then glanced towards the ladder at the edge of the roof. "Although this is a very pleasant break and Ajira is enjoying it very much, she still has much work to do and needs to be getting back to it. And if friend Adryn plans to visit Vivec, she had best leave as soon as possible. Vivec is a big city, she will want much time to explore."

Ajira always gave such sensible advice. It would be positively rude not to follow it.

*****

End of chapter.

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This post has been edited by Kazaera: Jun 25 2013, 04:46 PM

[Black Hand]

I had missed your return with a slew of updates and real life poking it's ugly head in.


Welcome back!

I see your time away has not diminished your talent in the slightest. Now, I admit I've lost some track in this so I'll need to go over a bit, but once I truly catch up, I shall deliver a far more deserving comment and constructive critique.

[Captain Hammer]

You're Back! Hooray!

From one long-term hiatus writer to another, no worries. Post when you post, and I'll be here, waiting to enjoy it.

Unless I'm dead. Or away from a place where I can stream wonderful, wonderful internets. Such as being on Krypton, which would start with the latter and end with the former (unless I get into the Phantom Zone, but that's another problem).

Anyways, it is good to see friend Adryn back, and I hope to see more and read more of her and her travels and travails through Vvardenfell in the weeks and months to come.

[Kazaera]

@Black Hand - thank you! If you're looking to reread, I just did a lot of linking chapters to each other to make the story easier to navigate, with the first post and the first post of each chapter serving as a masterlist. I look forward to any suggestions you can offer!

@Captain Hammer - lol! I will be highly insulted if you don't read my story due to being on Krypton, I'm sure . And yeah, long-term hiatus writer secret handshake here - I seem to write around 10k words a year via getting it all done in a few weeks and then wandering off. I'm trying to feel less guilty for this because hey, at least I come back.

Long installment this time because of there being no good breaking point.

Chapter 7: 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8

Last chapter, Adryn met the breakfast crowd, gossiped, then went back to the guild and was gossiped about when everyone decided to misinterpret Ervesa's totally innocent gift of a bouquet of flowers and expensive magical jewellery. And then she had a strange panic attack. After all that, Adryn decided to flee to Vivec for a nice, relaxing day of sightseeing and bookshop browsing.

I am sure nothing could possibly go wrong with this plan.

Chapter 7.1

*****

I lurched a little when I came out of the teleport, but managed to keep my feet. It helped that the platform I'd landed on was nearly identical to the one in Balmora, and so the transition was easier than the one to Suran had been.

"Welcome to Vivec, the Guild of Mages hopes you did not find the trip uncomfortable and that you will enjoy your stay, please move off the platform so we can assist further travellers."

I blinked at the Imperial woman - Imperial girl, rather, she couldn't be any older than me - who'd just rattled that off in what seemed like one breath. She looked distinctly bored. I couldn't blame her.

"Thank you," I told her as I hopped off the platform as directed.

"It's what we're here for. Um... do you mind if I ask you something?"

I decided to be kind and not play the 'you just did' game. "Yes... provided it's in within reason," I added quickly. I was still feeling rather scarred by the ridiculous misunderstanding that had taken place earlier, and now that Teleportation Girl, Second Edition had ventured off-script she seemed much less like someone who'd been hit by an incompetent Calm spell and more like a person with a possible streak of mischief or, worse, love of romance novels.

"Don't worry, it's not personal. Although it is pretty strange." She sighed. "I just need to know if you're carrying any pots or pans right now."

"Pots or... " I eyed the girl with an apparent unhealthy obsession with kitchenware warily. "No. No, I am not hiding any crockery in my pockets, I promise. Er... do I even want to know why you're asking?"

"Our glorious leader, Archmage Trebonius, decided in his might and wisdom that he needed to know how many are on the island. I, being only a lowly Apprentice, am of course incapable of understanding why. Maybe there is a danger they will grow legs and start flinging fireballs at us." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm to the extent where I felt as if I could have almost held a vial under her mouth and collected some for alchemical use.

But...

"I'm a new member of the Guild and was thinking of asking for tasks here. I guess you wouldn't recommend that?"

"No. No, I wouldn't. But- wait-" she brightened. "You're a new guild member? I didn't know! What's your name, which guild are you attached to, what do you specialise in?"

"Adryn, I stay in Balmora and I work on alchemy."

"Oh, you might want to talk to Craetia, then. She's our alchemist. I'm the guild guide - well, obviously. I'm Flacassia Fauseius."

I struggled to keep my face straight.

Judging by the look Flacassia gave me, my struggle wasn't quite as successful as I might have hoped. Luckily, she just sighed. "Yes, I know, it's ridiculous. I think my father had built up so much anger because of being called Flaucius Fauseius that he took it out on his children. I even got off lightly, my younger sister's called Flasoniacria. Just call me Cassia, rea-"

In the middle of the word, she just- stopped. Her hands froze in the middle of a sweeping gesture, her eyes stared straight through me, her mouth hung slightly open. It was as if someone had instantly replaced her with a very lifelike wax replica.

"Cassia?" I tried cautiously. "Er, Cassia? Are you all right?" Maybe it had been a defective Calm spell earlier after all?

Then she blinked, awareness and life flooding back into her features. The whole thing reminded me of someone turning off and then turning back on some Dwemer automaton, or possibly an extremely absent-minded necromancer attempting to raise a zombie. I took a step back despite myself.

"Sorry," Cassia said, "it looks as if we'll have to cut this short because I've got four passengers coming through from Ald'ruhn-"

"Right, right, of course. I don't mean to keep you from your job."

As I wandered off, I heard the by now familiar crackle-and-pop of released magicka and displaced air, followed by Cassia's voice going "Welcome to Vivec, the Guild of Mages hopes..."

Turning the corner, I stopped and frowned. The Vivec guild was much grander than the one in Balmora. Sweeping staircases looked down on a large, vaulted, richly decorated hall. There were lush patterned carpets that looked like Elsweyr imports to me, polished marble Cyrodiilic statues, beautifully flowering plants in intricately painted pots which I happened to know were both non-native and alchemically useless... In short, the usual hallmarks of people struggling with the burden of having too much money and positively crying out to be liberated from it. I also couldn't spot any of the detritus of mages studying together in an enclosed area the Balmora guild had managed to accumulate (involving such things as precarious towers of books on the tables and floors, chalk writing on the walls from when inspiration struck and the writing-slate was simply too far away, and the occasional mug of tea or kava that had been abandoned so long ago it tried to hide behind things if you looked at it for long enough). Somehow, that lack made the hall seem empty and unwelcoming despite the lavish decoration.

No, wait - I'd just reached the bottom of the staircase, and from here I could make out the traces of scorch marks on the walls. And that bust of the Emperor had definitely had a close encounter with some sort of Destruction spell. Odd; Marayn and Estirdalin, our Destruction trainers, were always very careful not to cause any damage to the guild when teaching. Maybe the trainer here wasn't so conscientious?

I stumbled. Someone had just bumped into me from behind.

"Oh, and who might you be?"

Now, I admit I had far more experience being on the guilty end of accidental collisions, but this didn't seem entirely right. Shouldn't there be an apology in there somewhere?

I turned around ready to point that out out loud, then stopped.

The man who'd jostled me was a Breton as big and broad-shouldered as any Nord. Now, I feel the need to point out that my sense of self-preservation has never kept me from my mouthing off to people three times my size. It's usually relatively easy to lose big people by weaving through a crowd or other obstacles, and if all else fails their groins are handily in reach. The robes the man was wearing were another matter entirely. The tightly-woven cloth was a deep, uniform purple. Alinorean purple, I suspected. The dye was notoriously expensive - in Windhelm I'd seen it priced at eight septims an ounce. And then there were the gold buckles inlaid with gems-

I swallowed the accusation sitting on my tongue. I'd been having such a good run of luck in not making any higher-ups angry at me. It would be nice if that could continue.

"Well?" The man frowned at me. What-

Oh, right, he'd asked me a question.

"Er, Adryn. Sir," I added, suspecting some degree of buttering-up was appropriate. "I'm a new guild member. Joined in Balmora."

The man's expression cleared. "Ah, that explains it. Should have known - Ranis is so good at recruiting. Ten new members last month alone! Keep meaning to write her a commendation for that. I'm Trebonius. Archmage. Head of the guild."

Head of the guild? All right, it was definitely a good thing I'd managed to keep myself from snapping at him.

"Nice to meet you. Um, sir," I added quickly. This would be a good time to suppress my natural rebellious instincts.

"It is, isn't it? Now, no worries. I'm sure I'll be able to think of something for you to do."

All the warnings I'd had about the Vivec guild suddenly came together in my mind. The picture they formed was not pretty. Cassia's pots and pans featured prominently.

I really, really had better things to do than keeping a registry of kitchenware.

"Er, no, that's perfectly all right, I'm- I'm really very busy already and-" I stammered.

Trebonius didn't look like he was going for it. "Busy? Ridiculous. Apprentices always think they're too busy, and they never are. Never do anything sensible if you leave them to it, either. Need guidance. Glad to say I'm good at providing it. Now, let me think..."

Please let me get out of this, I prayed. Let him not be able to think of anything. Be interrupted by someone who needs something urgent. Suddenly succumb to narcolepsy. Get sidetracked when the guild is invaded by rampaging kagouti. Anything.

"I have the perfect task for you!"

Apparently the universe was not in an obliging frame of mind.

I squared my shoulders, preparing to become Adryn, second-in-command of the Great Crockery Census.

"Yes, yes, just the sort of small thing to keep an apprentice occupied but too trivial for anyone of higher rank." Trebonius beamed at me. My suspiciously pot-shaped forebodings grew. "Find out what happened to the Dwemer!"

Wait.

What?

There's a children's game in Daggerfall, the sort of clapping game that is so universal Tang Mo and Sload children probably play one but where the exact words used can vary from one street to another. In the orphanage attached to the Temple of Kynareth in the capital, the first verse was:

Tell me where the Dwemer went,
or the last of Falmer fell.
Tell me who the Elder Scrolls penned,
or where dragons now dwell.

We called it the 'game of impossible questions.'

Is it clear what I'm getting at?

"Capital!" Trebonius had apparently taken my expression of 'I wish to know who supplied you with skooma so I can make sure they never do so again' as enthusiastic agreement. "Now that we've sorted that..."

"But, but, but," I spluttered, "no one knows what happened to the Dwemer!"

"Of course," Trebonius frowned at me. "If they did, why would I bother giving you the assignment?"

"But you just said it was trivial-"

The frown started to morph into a scowl. I inched back. Trebonius was surprisingly frightening like this. "Well, obviously if someone like myself actually sat down and thought about the problem in detail, it would be easy to solve. However, it's just not interesting enough for anyone of that intellectual calibre to have done so already."

I feel the need to point out that over the years I spent some time in the Windhelm public library. Not an excessive amount, I hasten to add - certain people's comments about how one day my limbs would fall off to complete my transformation into a bookworm were a cruel and merciless exaggeration - but enough that I am still reasonably familiar with its contents. One of the things I remember quite clearly is that they had an entire bookshelf dedicated to various leading historians, archaeologists, mages, philosophers, and other scholars over the millennia trying to explain the vanishing of the Dwemer.

Trebonius apparently took my stupefied silence to be agreement, because he said, "There, you see? And now I have much more important things to do than to be chatting with apprentices. Ask Malven if you have any more questions. Making excellent progress on that tunnel to the mainland, Malven. Other guild members could learn from her." He turned around and bellowed, "Tiram! Tiram, where have you got to?"

*****

Notes: I usually make up extra NPC characterisation on my own instead of basing it on mods, but Cassia's Great Crockery Census is a nod to the Less Generic NPC project - I haven't been able to check the mod to see how it goes exactly, but I remember her dialogue being along those lines. It captured my imagination! *g* Malven's tunnel to the mainland is apparently from the vanilla game, although I really don't remember that dialogue option.

One of the reasons this chapter took six months to finish: that horrible poem up there. /o\ I know the rhyme doesn't quite work, but I hide behind a shield of "well, for all you know of High Rock dialects maybe the rhyme *does* work for them" and "it's a children's game, it's not epic poetry." Aka Kaz is really not a good poet, okay guys? You also really, *really* don't want to know what I went through to get an estimate for the cost of "Tyrian" purple dye!

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This post has been edited by Kazaera: May 16 2020, 02:40 PM