Previously: Fighters Guild members Jerric, Kjestrid, Shamir-do, and Gjaever entered a Gate to Oblivion. It is cold there, which was a surprise. While they were discussing matters a canyon opened at their feet and the Gate to Bruma closed.
Acadian: Thank you, Acadian! Jerric should have paid attention to his scout when Shamir-do came shivering back. Lil has taught him better than that! Heļæ½s lucky no one gave him a firm poke with those snowshoes he wanted to leave behind.
ghastley: Well, still in Oblivion but not quite as the game shows us. This is the part I meant with
almost following the game plot.
Definitely a what the heck moment for Jerric.
SubRosa: Thank you, SubRosa! Jerric made it all those years in his familyļæ½s company without accepting more responsibility, but now heļæ½s run out of co-workers to push forward. Perhaps his slacker days are (mostly) behind him!
Darkness Eternal: Thank you, DE! They will find out some answers now, but not all of them. Jerric is wishing for
A Gate-Crasherļæ½s Guide to the Daedric Realms, lol.
Destri Melarg: Thank you, Destri! Umm, the Fourth Sinus of Takubar? That would have been pretty awesome. What was your idea? Where they are is a different part of a familiar place, though. Iļæ½ve taken some liberties.
What Jerric misses, Iļæ½m sure Darnand will figure out.
mirocu: Indeed, Jerric is quite well and always adventuring, thank you for asking. Most of his exploits donļæ½t get mentioned in the game threads.
Renee: Yep, Jerric tends to mumble, drawl, and slur his words even when heļæ½s not been drinking. Heļæ½s been accused of sounding half-asleep when he talks. I put a bunch of words in the Darnandex so that I can remember them, including some swear words, lol. In ESO some of the Nords say ļæ½scat,ļæ½ so I will probably steal that to use here too. Thanks, Renee!
Next: Weļæ½re not in Tamriel anymore.
(Iļæ½ve been struggling to find a convention for Jerricļæ½s frost atronach Ishckrihk speaking to him. For now, ļæ½
Text in italics with single quotesļæ½ indicates that Ishckrihk is speaking words in Jerricļæ½s thoughts the way he and Darnand do with their summoning/communication spell, and ļæ½Text with regular quotesļæ½ indicates sounds or words that Ishckrihk is speaking aloud which everyone can hear. And as always Jerricļæ½s thoughts are in italics without any quotes. Please let me know what parts are confusing or if something else would make better sense. Thank you for your patience as we work this out!)
Chapter 17: Bruma, Part ElevenJerric leaned over the chasmļæ½s edge. The bottom was visible as a pale swath, details lost in shadow. He willed an orb of arcane frost to his hand and tossed it into the canyon. The rocky walls opened into a chamber, its limits beyond his visible angle. His improvised light was too faint to identify the shapes on its floor.
ļæ½This whole thing shows living energy,ļæ½ Kjestrid said. Her voice cracked. ļæ½Shamir-do, what do you see?ļæ½
ļæ½Some things at the bottom,ļæ½ said the Khajiit. ļæ½Lumps.ļæ½
ļæ½Pods?ļæ½ asked Jerric. ļæ½Do they look like sort of flesh pods?ļæ½
Shamir-do made a noise of disgust. Jerric took that as agreement.
ļæ½We need to move,ļæ½ Jerric said to Kjestrid, keeping the command out of his voice. This was no time for a pissing contest. ļæ½You have the ring.ļæ½
Kjestrid moved them back to their outcrop. ļæ½What is this place?ļæ½ she asked Jerric.
I have no idea. ļæ½Iļæ½ve seen this before,ļæ½ he said, focusing on the part that was true. ļæ½A nesting site for spider daedra full of those pods. Iļæ½ve seen them in chambers like that and scattered above ground in sheltered places. I thought they were egg sacs, but now I know that daedra are made, not,ļæ½ he made a crude gesture, ļæ½begotten. Iļæ½ve destroyed some and found scamp and clannfear parts inside, and also bones and clothing. Sometimes the daedra are all the way grown when I cut them out. Small, but ready to fight. They must put mortals into the pods and seed them with their own creatures. Thatļæ½s how Iļæ½d wager. ļæ½
ļæ½A trap?ļæ½ Kjestrid asked. ļæ½Draw folk from our world and then drop them down with the pods when the chamber opens?ļæ½
ļæ½Khajiit is going to be sick,ļæ½ Shamir-do announced. He quickly proved himself correct.
ļæ½Not many would come here on purpose,ļæ½ Jerric said. ļæ½More likely they planned to attack the village and bring those folk back here. Iļæ½ve seen that, too, and theyļæ½ Well, they take everyone. Could be waiting for tonight when the houses will be full.ļæ½ He spent a moment fighting his stomach while Shamir-do retched and spat. ļæ½I think these Gates connect with fixed points in Tamriel, but I donļæ½t know how close they can get to their target when they open them. The Mythic Dawn, I mean. When they do their ritual with the sigil stone in our world, they might not be very close to where they think they are in this one. Maybe they need someone on this side to help, and the time is off in our world. I donļæ½t know, though. Darnand says Daedric scholars that make it in these realms donļæ½t tend to come back out and share their work with the likes of us.ļæ½
ļæ½Then we need to move,ļæ½ Kjestrid said, echoing Jerricļæ½s words. ļæ½A raiding party could be on its way here. How do we get out?ļæ½
ļæ½Uh,ļæ½ said Jerric. He stalled for time to think. ļæ½Someone closed the Gate. If they were going out why did they shut the door first?ļæ½
ļæ½Does it matter?ļæ½ Kjestrid snapped. ļæ½You can ask your mage when we get home. Letļæ½s go.ļæ½
ļæ½Perhaps when we stepped upon this ground the chamber opened to receive its meal,ļæ½ Shamir-do said. ļæ½Perhaps their tower thought its work was complete.ļæ½
Jerric gave him raised brows.
ļæ½Khajiit has heard much of those who travel to Moonshadow,ļæ½ Shamir-do said. ļæ½Portals can have minds of their own.ļæ½
ļæ½How,ļæ½ said Kjestrid. ļæ½Do. We. Get.
Out?ļæ½ She continued to turn, searching for life signs in the fog.
ļæ½Weļæ½ll have to find a sigil tower thatļæ½s connected to an open Gate,ļæ½ Jerric admitted. ļæ½Or find one and wait for it to open. The Gate site in County Bruma is guarded now, no one will come back to open it. Waiting here weļæ½ll likely freeze to death long before the food runs out.ļæ½
ļæ½This one does not see a tower,ļæ½ Shamir-do hissed. ļæ½This one does not see an open Gate. This one sees no water, no food, no way out. The land is frozen and dead! Shamir agreed to guard the Kjellingsson, but Khajiit does not wish to die here for that one!ļæ½
Kjestrid gave Gjaever a look. The big Nord placed his palm over the Khajiitļæ½s shoulder.
ļæ½I have an idea,ļæ½ Jerric said. ļæ½I know what we need, but not where to find it. I know someone who might. A frost atronach. His name is Ishckrihk.ļæ½
Kjestrid opened her mouth and then closed it again.
ļæ½I can summon him to any realm,ļæ½ Jerric continued.
I hope. ļæ½Heļæ½s an ally. This may be his home for all we know. Itļæ½s cold enough for ice people here.ļæ½
ļæ½What happens when your summon turns against you? Will he call for his folk?ļæ½ Kjestrid gestured at the canyon. ļæ½Will he move the ground on us, grow some frostlings in our bellies?ļæ½
Asgerd said to show them what you can do and theyļæ½ll more readily accept your command. ļæ½Kjestrid,ļæ½ Jerric said, ļæ½we need to move in the right direction. We donļæ½t have the luxury of mistakes and backtracking. Something to eat or burn for heat will buy us time, but weļæ½d miss it in this mist. Ishckrihk can see without eyes. Letļæ½s ask him.ļæ½
ļæ½Do it,ļæ½ Kjestrid told him.
Jerricļæ½s three companions stepped back in the same motion. Their weapons sang into the frozen air.
ļæ½Look,ļæ½ Jerric said. ļæ½Settle the hells down. I donļæ½t want to make him angry. Iļæ½ve fought daedra with him before and he stayed true, but right now thereļæ½s nothing else around for him to kill.ļæ½
ļæ½Make sure you tell him that weļæ½re friends,ļæ½ Kjestrid called.
ļæ½Donļæ½t know if thatļæ½s going to matter,ļæ½ muttered Jerric.
Ishckrihk made the connection immediately. The instant Jerricļæ½s portal opened, the atronachļæ½s essence roared out and began to solidify. For the first time Jerric felt the daedra reach through the spell and tug at his magicka. Jerric had one thought as Ishckrihk rose before them in crystalline splendor.
This could go very badly.
Ishckrihkļæ½s featureless face tilted down at Jerric, then back as he surveyed the group behind him.
ļæ½Ishckrihk.ļæ½
ļæ½
Jerric.ļæ½ The atronachļæ½s voice sounded in Jerricļæ½s head at the same time he made the sound, ļæ½Ck.ļæ½
Jerric gestured to the group. ļæ½These are my, uh, friends. We are allies. They are your allies. Protect them as you protect me.ļæ½ He sent an image of the group fighting dremora together with Ishckrihk at their side.
Ishckrihk bowed his head lump and brought his hand spikes together. He made a soft rumble.
Jerric turned back to his guild mates. They looked nervous but steady. Even Shamir-do stood still.
Now donļæ½t repay their trust by getting them all killed, he thought. Jerric let out the breath he hadnļæ½t known heļæ½d been holding. ļæ½My name is Jerric, son of Kjelling. Iļæ½m from Kvatch.ļæ½
ļæ½Youļæ½re Lionheart,ļæ½ Kjestrid said after a moment. ļæ½Heard of you.ļæ½
ļæ½All right,ļæ½ said Jerric. ļæ½Now me and the ice man are going to talk.ļæ½ He explained the situation aloud to Ishckrihk, all the while adding layers with the pictures in his mind.
ļæ½
I am sight for you,ļæ½ Ishckrihk answered. The vision came in a disorienting rush. Jerric fought rising bile as Ishckrihkļæ½s view laid over his own, showing him what the atronach could see. He closed his eyes so he could concentrate, then staggered when the ground seemed to shift.
ļæ½Kjestrid, is something moving underneath?ļæ½
ļæ½No. What is it? Whatļæ½s alive? Ask him.ļæ½
Ishckrihk answered Kjestrid with creaking sounds and another surge of thoughts crowding Jerricļæ½s mind.
ļæ½Gods,ļæ½ Jerric groaned. ļæ½I think heļæ½sļæ½ What?ļæ½
ļæ½
Ground.ļæ½
ļæ½Yeah, I know itļæ½s in the ground. Whatļæ½ļæ½
ļæ½
Ground a life. The ground is alive. They are one.ļæ½
ļæ½Does that ice noise make sense to you?ļæ½ Kjestrid asked Jerric.
ļæ½No, heļæ½s talking in myļæ½ Heļæ½s...ļæ½ Jerric opened his eyes and spoke to Ishckrihk. ļæ½Youļæ½re using more words.ļæ½
Ishckrihk made his affirmative hiss, then a series of cracking sounds.
Jerric stared at him. ļæ½Are you
laughing?ļæ½
ļæ½Anvil,ļæ½ Kjestrid barked, ļæ½Report.ļæ½
ļæ½He says the ground is alive.ļæ½ Jerric said to Kjestrid. He shot a look back at the atronach. ļæ½No kidding. He says itļæ½s, uh, I get the sense itļæ½s a, what do you call it? Like coral.ļæ½
ļæ½Colonial,ļæ½ said Shamir-do.
ļæ½Yeah. Itļæ½s a daedra colony. Of little ones.ļæ½
ļæ½Little what?ļæ½ Kjestrid asked. ļæ½Those seeds you were talking about?ļæ½
ļæ½I donļæ½t know how to kill the ground, so letļæ½s not stay and find out. Lesser daedra take different forms to meet what their masters need. Like doors, or weapons and armor. Some of what the dremora wear are other daedra. Maybe they need rocks. Maybe theyļæ½re growing a tower. Maybe we should get the hells out of here before it eats us and skitts out a staircase.ļæ½
ļæ½Kuh, kuh, kuh,ļæ½ said Ishckrihk.
Heļæ½s definitely laughing, thought Jerric. He felt another chill, this one from his insides.
ļæ½Focus,ļæ½ said Kjestrid. ļæ½Tell me what you know.ļæ½
Jerric stood facing the same direction as Ishckrihk and closed his eyes again. He could see his own back in front of the frost atronach. ļæ½Uhļæ½ there are mountainsļæ½ over there. Thereļæ½s a volcano covered in snow. I can see lava glowing and steam coming up. I guess thatļæ½s where this fog is coming from.ļæ½ He spoke to Ishckrihk. ļæ½Show me again.ļæ½
The pictures came with a jumble of impressions. Sorting through them made Jerricļæ½s head ache. Then his heart leaped.
ļæ½Are you sure?ļæ½
ļæ½Sss,ļæ½ said Ishckrihk.
It took all of Jerricļæ½s will not to just start running. ļæ½Thereļæ½s a settlement in that direction,ļæ½ he said. ļæ½With a sigil tower. Ishckrihk says itļæ½s active. Itļæ½s holding open another Gate.ļæ½
ļæ½Where?ļæ½ asked Kjestrid.
Ishckrihk gestured.
ļæ½Yeah,ļæ½ said Jerric. ļæ½Itļæ½s over there.ļæ½
Shamir-do growled some Taļæ½agra before correcting himself. ļæ½How far to the Gate?ļæ½
ļæ½Forget it,ļæ½ Jerric told him. ļæ½Weļæ½re going to the tower. Iļæ½m closing that Gate from there.ļæ½
ļæ½How far?ļæ½ Kjestrid demanded.
ļæ½Do you think you can get through the Gate before I close it?ļæ½ Jerric asked them. ļæ½I canļæ½t judge the terrain, and I donļæ½t know the distance in either direction other than itļæ½s far. Are you going to risk it? I donļæ½t want to leave you here, but Iļæ½m not going to wait.ļæ½
ļæ½Thatļæ½s not your call,ļæ½ said Kjestrid.
Oh hells, donļæ½t screw this up. Jerric looked at each of them in turn, squinting against the cold. ļæ½Youļæ½re right, I donļæ½t command you. Iļæ½m asking for your trust. These Gates and towers look like ones Iļæ½ve seen before. Ones Iļæ½ve closed before. Like the ones at Kvatch, and in the Reserve, and by the Gold Road, and a dozen other places I canļæ½t even name.ļæ½
He pointed into the unseen distance. ļæ½That Gate might not open to our world, but thereļæ½s a chance it does. Thereļæ½s a chance that daedra are crossing through and our folk are dying while we stand here burning time. And thereļæ½s a chance we can close it if we get to that sigil tower.ļæ½ He jabbed a hand in the other direction. ļæ½That way. One step at a time, one fight at a time, until weļæ½re at the top or dead from trying. Sigil stones bear the mark of their Lordļæ½s hand. Thereļæ½s one up there holding the Gate open. When we take it, my gut tells me it will reek of Dagon.ļæ½
Jerricļæ½s arms dropped to his sides. ļæ½I want you to come with me. Iļæ½ll need your night-seeing eyes in that tower, and your bows, and your stealth, and all of our blades together so that we can close the damned Gate and make it home. But I will go alone if I have to. Just like I have gone alone before.ļæ½
Shamir-doļæ½s expression was unreadable, but he had started to shiver. Gjaever somehow looked even taller.
Kjestrid sheathed her sword. ļæ½Weļæ½re with you. Jerric.ļæ½
.
This post has been edited by Grits: Nov 3 2018, 12:45 AM