Winterhold Wanderings Options

[King Coin]

Kayla stepped up to Faralda and got them inside the College. As Faralda ‘escorted’ them inside, Kayla kept looking back at Aravi with triumph written all over her face. Aravi kept her face straight, but she was laughing on the inside. The last thing they needed was for her to start laughing and anger Faralda.

When Faralda left them, she let the smile she’d been hiding grace her features.

***

“Thanks for the room, but –”

“Excellent. Put on your robe and you will be expected at class shortly.”

Mirabelle was gone with a wave of her hand before Aravi could utter another word.

Where am I supposed to change? The lack of doors on everyone’s room prevented any privacy.

I don’t even know what class I’m going to. She had no intention of becoming an apprentice of magic when she arrived, but now that she was here, she was excited at the opportunity of learning more.

She didn’t hold any illusions about how well she would do in any of the lessons however. She just gained the use of magic less than a decade ago, where everyone else here has been exposed to at least a little of it since the day they could walk and talk.

That thought soured her mood and squashed her excitement. She didn’t bother unpacking her bag. I should just find someone that knows the spells I need and learn them.

She took a last look at the robes and boots she was given and decided she would just go to class without changing. After class, she could find out where she could change without giving every passer-by a show.

Outside her room, she spotted Channah walking with one of the other apprentices. I’ll follow them.

“Borvir was in the last class of apprentices. No one has seen him for ages,” she heard the Dark Elf say when she caught up. Who is Borvir?

She saved her questions for the moment, not wanting to interrupt them.

[Grits]

Aravi appeared as they went through the door. Thank the gods, a friendly face. Channah grinned at her. “Aravi, meet Brelyna. Brelyna, this is my friend Aravi. Brelyna is showing me where to go for class.”

“I’m going there, too,” the Dunmer explained. “Most of the lectures are open to whoever thinks they might benefit from them. Tolfdir is in charge of my group, so I make sure to attend all of his lessons.”

They walked through the snowy courtyard. Wind howled around the battlements but couldn’t find a way inside.

“I’m not sure how much I’ll benefit,” Channah said. “I’m just here to learn a few spells. At least I hope I can learn them. It’s probably not whatever Tolfdir happens to be talking about today.”

“What spells?” asked Brelyna.

“An Armor spell and Heal Other. Do you know who I should talk to about that? And about how much it will cost?” Channah’s coin purse was flat. She might need to pick up a few jobs before she was through here.

“You’re in luck, Tolfdir is a Master Alteration trainer. He can sell you the spell tomes and teach you a few things if you have the coin. Lectures are free but private training will cost you. Colette Marence is the one to see about Restoration magic.”

“Thanks.” Channah held the Hall of the Elements door open for Aravi. “Well, here we go. I’ve never been in a college before,” she confided. “Good luck to us! I hope there’s as much after-hours drinking and carrying on as the bards’ tales say. I’m half Nord, so I’m already good at that.”

[Elisabeth Hollow]

Kayla didn't bother with her room. Not at first, anyways. Her first thought was to make sure she knew who was doing what classes. The other two women were separated from her, as Colette knew beforehand she was a student.

Before the town had collapsed into the sea, she remembered one of the teachers telling her that the college had stayed mostly intact. Mostly. There was another dormitory for students that had fallen into the sea, as well as another learning hall. She saw the dormitories were empty as she unstrapped Dawnbreaker from her hip and shoved it under the bed.

"This one wonders at the sword she carries," a familiar voice hissed. Kayla turned her head to see J'zargo with his arms crossed, leaning lazily against her frame. His tail wagged easily behind him.

"This one trusts that your mission was..successful?"

"I don't speak Ta'agra," Kayla said, standing up.

"But you understand it."

"No one needs to know that. I'm trying to keep a low profile here."

"The Khajiit you arrived with. She is-"

"Married. To a giant bodyguard."

J'zargo's ears flattened. "That is J'zargo's luck."

Kayla laughed, and the sound echoed through the hall. "Turn around and guard the door. I need to change."

"This one would gladly turn his head from your hairless body," he teased before turning around. She slid her armor off, shivering in the cold air, and quickly put her warm robes on. She hated leaving Dawnbreaker in her room, especially nearly unprotected, but most of the students were "out of sight, out of mind," if they so much as saw a twinkle from her sword, they'd want to read the enchantment. As long as she kept it out of the way, they wouldn't know about it.

"Done." She slid her hood on, and braced herself as they headed to the large center building. Among the heads, Kayla felt her cheeks flush as she stood head-to-shoulders taller than the others, even Onmund. She saw his broad shoulders from the door, and she blushed deeper. He turned his head, and his blue eyes ran over her form, then turned back without acknowledgement.

He's still so handsome!

The crowd shifted, and among the twenty-or-so students, one reached over and grabbed his hand. Her heart fell.

Oh.

She turned her head back to see if Aravi and Channah had found their way into he hall yet.

[King Coin]

Aravi listened to the other two talk as they walked to the lecture hall.

Her interest was piqued when Channah mentioned the spells she needed. “I’m looking for nearly the same things. I need some more powerful healing spells, and I was going to see if I could learn some illusion spells as well. An armor spell would be wonderful though.”

Then she wouldn’t have to rely on using her elven set all of the time.

“I won’t be doing much after hours drinking. I can’t take much. I wonder where Kayla is?”

As if in answer, she spotted the tall Altmer standing with a Khajiit. Another Khajiit? Her kind were few and far between so she was interested in meeting him.

She waved to them.

[Grits]

Channah was delighted to hear that she might have a chance to learn alongside Aravi. Her respect for the Khajiit had grown each time they fought together on the journey, but even more she simply enjoyed Aravi’s company.

“Don’t worry,” Channah said, “you can always tip your extra ale into my tankard.” She gave Aravi a wink.

The lecture hall held nearly two dozen students with room for many times that number. Channah looked at all of the tall, hooded forms. Skeever nuts. Should have known there would be a bunch of Altmers at a mage school. There was no way she could tell which one was Kayla.

Aravi did not have that problem. She waved to one who was standing by a Khajiit. That has to be Kayla.

An elderly Breton stepped up onto the chamber’s highest level. Chatter ceased and heads turned toward him.

“Is that Tolfdir?” Channah whispered to Brelyna.

The mage turned her hooded head and shushed Channah. It was not Brelyna.

Channah tugged on the woman’s sleeve anyway. “Well, is it?”

“Yes!” the woman hissed. “Now shut it!”

Tolfdir began to speak. Within a minute Channah felt her eyelids getting heavy. She stared up at the high ceiling to keep them open. Gods, I’m already bored.

[King Coin]

Aravi stood with the other two as the lecture began. She listened as best she could, but several taller students blocked her view of Tolfdir. She hated crowds precisely because she was short and could never see.

Naturally, she didn’t understand much of what Tolfdir was talking about. She felt out of her depth.

She turned to ask for clarification, and saw the other woman’s eyes were glazed over. No help there.

She elbowed her gently to wake her up.

[Elisabeth Hollow]

Kayla's mind drifted off as Tolfdir droned on. She looked around as an audible yawn was heard, and was startled, to her chagrin, to see others staring at her. She lowered her hand from her open mouth and cleared her throat, her cheeks flushing.

"Yes, well, I suppose that is my cue," the elderly man said with a slight hint of amusement. "I see our adventuring student is bored by mundane lectures."

A few more students turned and looked at Kayla, sizing her up and down.

That old coot knows I hate attention.

The crowd dispersed, and one of the Altmer women handed her a pamphlet, saying something in Aldmeris. Kayla took the pamphlet and looked at it. It was a list of classes and the teachers.

"I'm sorry, I don't speak Aldmeris," she said in an apologetic tone. The young woman shrugged and walked off, handing out more pamphlets. She took a look at the list as she walked over to Channah and Aravi.

"And what is the elf taking, hmm?"

Kayla jumped at J'zargo's voice.

"Furball! Alchemy for sure."

"Not many ingredients out here. I wonder how you will learn?"

Kayla looked unsure. "I hope it's not too much reading. Stop making that noise."

"But your friend is so...lithe, like a dancer."

"I've seen her trip and fall into mammoth dung."

The two of them walked over to Channah and Aravi.

"See anything you're interested in yet?" She asked the women.

"Yes," J'zargo said.

Kayla rolled her eyes.

[Grits]

Aravi brought Channah’s attention back to the room with a gentle nudge. Not a moment too soon. If she had stood any longer in a slack-jawed stupor she might have started to drool. She gave Aravi a grateful little smile.

The lecture ended. “Did you get any of that?” Channah asked Aravi. “He might as well have been speaking Jel.” She shook her head. “If I can’t find an Apprentice class or trainer I’ll just earn some coin and head back somewhere warm.”

Kayla walked over talking with the Khajiit. He looked at Aravi like she was food.

“See anything you're interested in yet?” Kayla asked.

Kayla held some sort of brochure in her hands. No doubt she was talking about classes.

Channah’s eyes went to a good-looking Nord walking by. “Yep.”

[King Coin]

Aravi sighed in frustration at Channah’s question. “No not really.”

Aravi thumbed through a pamphlet that was thrust into her hands by a passing High Elf.

“See anything you're interested in yet?”

“Yep.”

“Yes.”

Aravi looked up when she heard the voices. Kayla and the Khajiit had made their way over when the class ended.

“I’m not sure yet. There are a lot of classes. Are they all this… dry? I thought there would be more magic in the lessons.”

Her attention shifted to the Khajiit. “Hello, I’m Aravi.” She was excited to meet another Khajiit. He wasn’t as big as Kharjo was, and he had a mustache in the human style that she thought looked funny. “Are you a new student too?”

[Elisabeth Hollow]

"J'zargo is pleased to make your acquaintance. No, this one is not a new student, three years has this one been here."

"J'zargo is one of the best Destruction students here," Kayla said absently as she flipped through the pamphlet. "J'zargo..." she trailed off as she became lost in thought while reading. To their right, two small Bosmer twins began arguing fervently in Cyrodiliic.

"I want to take practical Magick!"

"No, I want to take it!"

Kayla looked confused. "I wonder why they can't both take it."

"The bickerings between the littermates are loud and occur quite often," J'zargo said. "It is best if they are separated."

"Wait," Kayla frowned. "What's Earth Magick?"

[King Coin]

“The best at destruction? That’s impressive. I can only manage a small flame. Are you from Elsweyr?”

She heard the Bosmer fighting and J’zargo’s comments. She tended to agree.

“I’m not taking any classes with them.”

[Grits]

Channah glanced over the course offerings. “Magickal Defense Seminar looks promising. Oh wait, that’s for advanced students only. I’m a beginner.” She gave J’zargo an appraising look. She couldn’t see any obvious burns or scars. One of the best Destruction students. Mages never look like what they are.

“Sorry, Kayla, I don’t know about the Earth thing. Dirt spells, maybe? Say, is Collette here? Otherwise I should go talk to Tolfdir.” There was a crowd of students around the instructor.

Channah sighed. “I guess I’ll wait.”

The jabbering Bosmers didn’t bother Channah. Sibling rivalry sounded the same in any language, and at least these two were far below her ear level. Her policy with annoyances was to punch or ignore, and it seemed a bad idea to deck her fellow students on the first day.

Aravi chatted with J’zargo. Channah didn’t want to interrupt. She angled her body to the side so she and Kayla wouldn’t talk over their conversation.

[Elisabeth Hollow]

"That is a grand idea," J'zargo said to Aravi. "What classes are you interested in?"

Kayla pulled her hood down and scratched lightly at her scalp. "Did they show you two the sauna, Channah?" She stuck the course pamphlet between the front of her robes and looked over at Onmund.

"I'm thinking about Destruction," she said as Onmund leaned down and kissed a hooded woman.

I'm not jealous.

"I wonder what's in the mess hall tonight for food," she said purposefully, trying to keep her thoughts organized.

Is Channah talking?

"I'm sorry, what?" She looked over at Channah.

[Grits]

“I said I’m going to go talk to Tolfdir.” Channah gave Kayla and the two Khajiit a little farewell wave and started through the thinning crowd. “Oh,” she said, turning back. “I found some mead. Party in my chamber tonight. After chow.”

A few other students were still waiting for Tolfdir. Channah quietly introduced herself while he talked with a Dunmer.

At last it was her turn. “I’d like to learn some mage armor spells,” she told him.

“We’ll be covering those in depth during Magickal Defense Seminar,” he said.

“Yeah, I’m not sure I’m qualified for that class.”

“Have you met the prerequisites?”

Channah blinked. The what now? “Uh…”

“Have you mastered a basic Ward spell?”

Channah shook her head. “No. I carry two blades, so I don’t have a hand free to cast.”

A few heads turned in their direction.

Tolfdir crossed his arms and gave her a once-over. “It sounds as if your practical experience may be an adequate substitute for the introductory coursework. If you see me during office hours I will give you a formal evaluation.”

“Yeah, thanks. What if I just want to buy the spells?”

Tolfdir quoted a price that made her heart sink.

“All right,” Channah said. “Say, is there any work you need done for the college? Some way to earn coin?”

“Indeed. In fact, I…” Toldir leaned in and lowered his voice. The surrounding students leaned in, too. “I seem to have misplaced something. My alembic. If you find, I shall give you a reward.”

“Your ambelic? What, did it fall off the base or something?” Channah could mix a few simple potions, but her experience was limited to the fixed alchemy tables sometimes found in public houses.

Tolfdir chuckled. “No, my dear. We keep the students’ apparatus immobile to prevent their unauthorized removal, but I can assure you that I have no such problem with my personal alchemy set.”

Channah’s brows went up. “Yeah, but yours is missing anyway.” Uh. I probably shouldn’t have mentioned that.

To her relief Tolfdir only looked amused. “I take your point. Blame an old mage’s distraction. If you find it, the reward is yours.”

Several of the other students were giving Channah the eye. She decided her time must be up. “Thanks, um, sir. I’ll do what you said.” Old mage my foot. He could probably turn us all inside-out with a word. It’s the old ones that are the most dangerous. She stepped back and glanced over to see what her friends were doing.

[King Coin]

“I should take a class in restoration and alteration. I’m interested in illusion spells too.” She noticed J’zargo avoided answering her question about his origins. She didn’t press. “Do you know the instructors for those classes?” She looked at Kayla too who seemed to be distracted. Did she say something about a sauna? She will make sure to ask about that later. That sounded wonderful.

Channah left. Aravi saw her talking to Tolfdir, probably about defensive spells. When she returned Aravi asked, “What did he say about the prerequisites?” If Channah was let in, perhaps she would be too.

[Grits]

“He said…” Channah’s eyes rolled up as she thought. “I think he said that surviving actual fights might be enough to get us in. That’s not how he said it, though. I got some looks when I mentioned wielding two blades. Hah! If they ever get to see you fight, their eyes will pop out!”

The trip to Dawnstar and back had been relatively peaceful, but even a walk to the pub could turn deadly in the Pale. Aravi’s speed and agility had been impressive.

“Anyway,” Channah continued, “I got the sense that combat experience might make up for a lack of their school work. Which probably means that most mage defense students have never been hit for real. Tolfdir is going to give me a test in his office and let me know. Want to come along? I have to find Collette, too, and see how much gold I’m going to have to scrape up before I get a spell from her.”

[King Coin]

“How much are the spells?” Her purse had been getting alarmingly light. She suspected that she had less than a hundred septims to her name at the moment. Money goes fast when you are hiring mercenaries.

“I wonder what this test is going to involve. I mean, we aren’t going to be hitting him, right? I’ll go with you to find Collette.”

[Grits]

“The Novice spell was forty-four Septims and the Apprentice one was ninety-five, but Adept level and the training to get there will cost hundreds. I don’t think a spell called Oakflesh will do much against dragon teeth. Maybe make me into a toothpick for it. Anyway I want some real protection. It’s going to cost me.”

Channah sighed.

“Maybe the Jarl has a bounty out on some bandits or something. Tolfdir said he’d give me a reward if I found his alchemy stuff, but I doubt it will be a fortune. I’m not much for tomb-raiding, but one of these scholars might need hired swords to keep the draugr off their neck.”

She shrugged.

“Anyway, Kayla said something about a mess hall and a sauna, so I don’t mind staying here for a bit while I earn some coin. Maybe Collette will be having a sale. I’m not sure which to get first, a spell so I don’t get hit as hard or one to fix my bones afterward.”

Channah smiled at Aravi. “I’m glad you’re coming with me for the test and to find Collete. I hope we don’t have to hit the old fetcher. I kind of like him, and if he’s lived this long he can probably kick my backside to the floor with his magic. Oh, and he asked if I’d mastered a basic Ward spell. I haven’t. Have you? It might get you into the class if you have.”

[Elisabeth Hollow]

When Channah had wandered off, tossing back an invitation of some drinking in her chambers, Kayla left Aravi with J'zargo and made her way to the library. Instead of the old, grizzled Orc, there as a younger Orc woman sitting in his spot. She looked up when Kayla walked in, and Kayla blinked.

She has the bluest eyes I've ever seen.

The woman didn't get up.

"Yes?" Her voice was deep, yet feminine, like other Orc women. Her face was smooth of any blemishes. Her thick, raven-black hair tumbled around her shoulders and around the plain blue dress she wore. Kayla envied her thick locks, and ran her fingers through her own auburn tresses.

"Oh, I'm looking for-"

"He's not here." The woman cut her off. "Not at this moment. He's eating his lunch."

"He doesn't eat in here anymore?"

"Not since one of the students read while he ate. My father hates smudged pages."

"Oh," Kayla shifted on her feet. "You're Urak's daughter."

"Urag. And yes. And before you ask, no, my mother wasn't an Orc. She was a Nord, which is why I'm still ugly."

"You're not...I mean, not as...Oh..." Kayla groaned. "Can we start over?"

"What for?"

"Can I borrow a book, then? On conjuration?"

"Sure." The young woman gave her a book and sat back down. Kayla made one last attempt.

"So, you like books like your father?"

The look the woman gave her made her scurry out the door and towards the mess hall.

[Grits]

Channah and Aravi were directed to the second floor of the Hall of Countenance. They found a mage pacing and fuming in Collette’s office.

“You consider Restoration a valid school of magic, worthy of study, don’t you?” she demanded. “Don’t you?”

Channah glanced over her shoulder, but it seemed the woman was addressing them. “Uh, sure. Are you Collette Marence?”

“Good, good,” said the woman. “Not that I require validation, of course. There are just some — and I shan’t name names — who would disagree. It can make life difficult when one’s colleagues fail to recognize the research one engages in.”

Channah took the lack of denial as assent. “All right then. I’m Channah and this is Aravi. We’re new students and we—”

Collette wagged a finger in the air. “It’s not just healing cuts and bruises, you know. The undead are a very real, very dangerous threat and Restoration magicks can keep them at bay. Not to mention the benefit of wards! How can they continually overlook wards! It’s baffling!”

“Yeah,” Channah agreed. She decided to go along with the tirade in hope that it would pass. “And also you probably have a spell that would make my bust look bigger in this robe. That would be useful. No wait, that would be Illusion. Well I’m sure you have one for when you’re with a guy and he’s a little too excited and it’s all over before you get yours. You know.”

Collette stopped pacing. From the look on her face Channah guessed that she did not know.

She tried again. “Or how about one for when you get back to your room and the fellow just doesn’t measure up. Like if he’s an Imperial or Breton.”

Channah noticed another student standing in the doorway. She recognized him as one she had met while waiting for Tolfdir. “Oh, hey there, Tristan. I didn’t see you. Say, have you met my friend Aravi?” Channah turned her attention back to Collette while Tristan greeted Aravi. “Anyway, I guess that would be from the school of Alteration.”

Collette closed her eyes and began massaging her temples. Tristan slowly shook his head.

Channah sighed. Her ideas did not sound great after all once she had given them voice. “Or the spells you said sound really important. Even though the best way to deal with undead is to kill them again, not make them run away so you have to chase after them.”

Collette’s mouth was still open, but she didn’t speak.

Channah looked at Aravi to see what she might think.