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Posted by: ghastley Sep 2 2011, 01:28 AM

Until I complete the other mods, there's not a lot to add to their stories, so I thought I'd tell the tales associated with http://ghastley.org/Oblivion/Docs/The_Gweden_Cathouse.html while I work on them.

That mod's anything but linear, as you can do the individual quests for most of the girls in any order. That meant I'd have to come up with a narrative that links them all together and creates a sequence. Rather than take the easy way out and describe it all from the Player-character's viewpoint, I thought I'd try a different approach entirely.

So I'm going to write a story, about a reporter writing a story, about the stories of the girls who work at Gweden. They'll tell them to him one at a time, and there will be a bit of extra narrative added beyond what actually happens when you play through each of the quests they're describing.

The Champion is arbitrarily male as before, and of no specific race. Because of the requirements of the mod for some of the quests, he's also the Madgod, Master of the Fighter's Guild, Listener of the Dark Brotherhood, Arena Champion, and Archmage, although I'll try to play those down as much as possible. All of those things are less important to his employees anyway. He's the boss, and he did something special for each of them, or they wouldn't be there.

----

"Listen up girls," Tsarrina began. "This one expects you've all heard the news by now. The Oblivion Crisis is over, and the Gates are all closed. Martin Septim is no more, and the Elder Council is running things ."

"Our boss is now the Champion of Cyrodill, and so everything he does is front-page news in the Black Horse Courier. They're sending a reporter down here to do a story about this establishment of his, in the next few days."

"This one doesn't want it to be just another story about the boss. He's getting a bit tired of that himself. This one wants it to be our story. Your story."

"We probably won't make the front page, as it appears they're sending a junior down to do the interviews. But that should work in our favor. He'll be young, and you'll all appreciate that. Especially Juliana. This one wants you to be ready if he's really inexperienced. The rest of you are to make the best impression you can. We can get some really good publicity from this."

"Should we start shopping for new clothes?" asked one of them, hopefully.

"No, you won't be needing those much," Tsarrina chuckled, "but make sure anything you do wear is is the best you have. And by that, this one means the most effective, not the most expensive. Unless it's both. Dark-eyes, get your uniform starched up and crisp. Cybeline, that red velvet number with the plunging neckline that you keep for special occasions. This is a special occasion."

Everyone looked at Prizna. She just laughed, and Tsarrina had to grin, too. "This one does not expect you to start wearing clothes now."

"This one wants you all to be ready to tell him how you came to be here, and what part the boss played in that. It will keep the stories relevant to his assignment, but they'll be about you as much as they are about the Champion."

"We'll make use of the old farmhouse as the interview room. It's nice and cozy in front of the fire there, and we'll put some comfortable chairs either side. We should keep the main rooms in the Lodge open for business. There's no point losing any trade while he's here, after all."

"Will he be staying at the Count's Arms while he's here?", asked Maeva. "I can walk up with him in the mornings if he does."

"No, we'll keep him here at the farm," Tsarrina decided. "He'll use the main bed in the farmhouse, and this one doesn't want him sleeping in it alone! You'll each get a turn to tell him your story. Make sure you also get a turn to show him what you can do."

----

Future pieces will have each of the women telling her story of how she came to be at the Gweden Brothel, or the reporter putting the report together. I'll add a postscript article from the Black Horse Courier about Cousin Miranu's miraculous potion at the end, which should take a post or two to cover it. I have most of the stories drafted, as they come straight from the mod itself, but I'm still working on the wrapper narrative, and haven't finalized the sequence of the individual tales yet.

Posted by: Acadian Sep 2 2011, 02:03 AM

This is a fun idea and off to a grand start! You efficiently get across much here without seeming to do a data dump – especially your opening two short paragraphs. A stellar example is that via name and dialect only, we infer Tsarinna is Khajiit.

What a fun way to introduce folks to your mods!

Posted by: Grits Sep 2 2011, 09:29 PM

I imagine the reporter will need some of Cousin Miranu's miraculous potion before he's finished with his research. Great idea to keep the boss out of it as much as possible, so that it still fits just about anyone. There may be an issue with the link. Looking forward to the stories!

Posted by: ghastley Sep 2 2011, 10:23 PM

Link fixed. Something defaulted my "org" to a "com".

Posted by: ghastley Sep 8 2011, 11:55 PM

Still just introducing things, I'll get into the mod proper next time.

-----------------



Skingrad to Gweden

The junior reporter from the Black Horse Courier sat on the bed in his room at the West Weald Inn. He was reviewing the notes he'd made in preparation for this assignment.

He'd not been the contributer for the original "Anvil Tarts Thwarted!" issue, so he'd read that before he set out, to get some of the background. All he knew was that Gweden Farm had been the scene of that incident, although that hadn't been mentioned in the printed edition. "Why not?" he wondered. He'd ask the Madam, what was her name? Ah, yes, Tsarrina. He'd ask her what she knew about it. Maybe she'd known that Faustina Cartia woman that ran the gang. That would add a bit of spice to his report!

Skingrad seemed to be a dull town compared with Anvil, and he couldn't find any past editions with a story of the Champion that took place here. He knew the Oblivion gate just outside the walls had been closed by him, but nobody knew any details. He'd gone out to look at the site, but there was nothing there but the blackened remnants of a wayshrine, and a few burnt trees.

He got half a story concerning a paranoid Bosmer by the name of Glarthir, but no-one wanted to talk about that. Everybody wanted to just forget about it, and they suggested that he should, too. Glarthir was dead now, anyway. There were hints that the Champion had been involved, but nothing he could use.

The wine and food here was anything but dull, however. Tamika and the Surilie Brothers seemed to be constantly trying to out-do each other with the quality of their wines, and Salmo's sweetrolls were the best he'd ever tasted. Here in their home town, they weren't so expensive, and even a junior like himself could eat and drink well. He made a note to suggest a "fine dining" edition, but ruefully admitted to himself that his chances of getting to write it were slim.

He visited the other tavern in the city, the Two Sisters Lodge, as inns are always a good source of gossip. Mog gra-Mogak, who ran the place, didn't have any stories for him either. There had been a band of Vampire hunters there a few months back, around the time she'd last seen the Champion. She'd thought they might generate a bit of excitement, but they'd all disappeared without bringing back any tales to tell in the bar. Mog suspected they were just passing through, as she'd never heard of any Vampires in the area.

One of the other guests at the West Weald Inn, a big Nord fellow called Bjarne Long-arm, had just come back from Gweden. He wouldn't tell him anything about it, though. Didn't wan't to spoil the fun of finding out for himself. Bjarne slapped him on the back and nearly knocked him over. "You'll have fun there," he said. "You can count on that."

Bjarne warned him to watch out for bandits on the Gold Road. There were several camps close to the road that they used, so he'd be well advised to travel with the Legion Patrols if he could. If he reached the Gottshaw Inn safely, there was one Patrol that went into Anvil, and another from there to the farm. He marked the camps on the reporter's map so he'd know when he was getting close.

"If you get past Fat Ramp Camp without meeting any bandits, then the next one is Ra'sava. There's another Legion horseman that turns around just there, so if your timing's good, you can follow him to where the road to Kvatch turns off. Then you're almost at the Gottshaw Inn, and past them all."

He got the impression that the Nord did that trip fairly often. He didn't pry any further though. He could always ask about Bjarne at the farm when he got there.

If there were bandits on the road, he'd better make sure he was prepared for them. He dropped in to Hammer and Tongs before he left, to have Agnete the Pickled make sure his travel armor and shortsword were in good condition. Although he'd been a customer, she didn't have any stories about the Champion. She apologized for having such a poor memory. Some evenings especially seemed to be completely missing from it.

Falanu Hlaalu, the Alchemist next door, sold him some healing potions, just in case. She also suggested he take some Mandrake root. It would be just the thing if he got bitten by any diseased creatures along the road. Then there was that comment about necrophilia, as if she expected him to be dead the next time they met. He was beginning to reconsider this trip!

The actual journey turned out to be completely uneventful. The patrolman from Anvil to the farm wasn't there when he left the city gates, but the road was deserted. He found the man's horse waiting patiently outside when he got to Gweden.

He was quite astonished to find a large Lodge had been built next to the farm he'd been expecting. The farmhouse was the usual low thatched block common in this region, but the Lodge was a big two-storey stone structure in the Anvil style, with a tiled roof and a collonaded porch. The red light hung next to a big metal door. He checked his notes. The report of the Sirens affair had only mentioned the farm, and said nothing about this other building.

Just then, the patrolman emerged from the farmhouse and walked over to him. He hadn't seen him here before and wanted to know who he was. He showed the legionary his press card, and asked about the extra building. It hadn't been built all that long ago, just after he'd taken over this patrol route. The previous man had retired, and he'd pulled rank to get the assignment. He remembered that the old farmhouse was getting rather full at the time, so he wasn't surprised when Tsarrina had the Lodge put up.

"So how many women are working here?" asked the reporter.

"Must be at least a dozen," the legionary replied. "Of every race, including a few you've probably never met before. But go on inside and count for yourself. They're expecting you." He opened the farmhouse door and ushered him in.

Tsarrina and some of the women were indeed waiting for him. They took his bag and put it by the chest at the end of a big comfortable-looking bed. Tsarrina led him over to an armchair by the fire and put a glass of wine in his hand. "Make yourself at home," she said. "We've got a lot to tell you."

One sip told him it was Tamika's. He liked these people already.

Posted by: Acadian Sep 9 2011, 02:08 AM

What a fun little tour of Skingrad and the road to Anvil! Many great touches, sure to bring a smile to those who know the game.

Well, we saw the preparations that Tsarrina and her crew were making during the last episode in anticiapation of the reporter’s arrival. Here we get the reporter there. I’m looking forward to the stories that follow.

Posted by: Grits Sep 10 2011, 12:46 AM

As Acadian said, plenty of smiles here.

That would add a bit of spice to his report!

He has no idea. This is going to be fun.

Posted by: ghastley Sep 15 2011, 11:36 PM

Tsarrina

"So, Madam Tsarrina, is it true that the Champion of Cyrodiil owns a piece of this brothel?" asked the reporter from the Black Horse Courier.

"No, this one must correct you" she replied. "Firstly, this is a Gentleman's Lodge, and this one requests you not to use that other term. Secondly, he doesn't own a piece of it. It's all his property. This one is but the steward of this part of his estate."

"This one can see that she'll have to explain the whole story, to set the record straight," she continued. "She hopes you brought a large notebook"

----

It all starts with Ma'iq. This one was working the streets of Leyawiin, and let's say she knew Ma'iq well He told her one day that he'd come across a farm for sale in Anvil County. The soil was poor, and the property abandoned, but the farmhouse itself was sound. The Countess was eager to sell it off, so that it didn't become a haven for bandits or marauders, so the price was very low, something even this one might afford.

"This one, a home-owner?" she asked, disbelieving.

"Would I lie?" he countered. "To you, I mean."

It certainly sounded like a good idea, the way he described the place. Not too far from town, a price this one really could afford, as long as she didn't need to spend any gold repairing the place. She'd traded for services before, so she imagined that fixing it up shouldn't be a problem. It certainly would be nice to have a permanent roof over her head instead of using bedrolls and dark doorways. The poor land wasn't an issue, as this one wasn't going to become a farmer.

You may think her foolish, but this one gave Ma'iq all the gold she had to go ahead to Anvil and buy the farm for her. This one found out later that he had to add some gold of his own, but he didn't tell her that. She arrived a few days after and found that the previous owners had a left a small amount of furniture behind, including a real bed! That helped her thank Ma'iq properly.

The first customer was the Legion Patrolman, a fortunate circumstance, as it always helps to have the law on your side. This one set up an arrangement with him, where he'd bring supplies from town, in return for a discount for the Legion. He passed the word to some of the guard in Anvil, who are always helpful in giving strangers directions. Pretty soon there was a steady stream of visitors, all without this one setting foot in town.

Getting the place fixed up went much as expected. There was lot of labour given in lieu of gold, as well as not having to buy the materials. The men were making the place comfortable for themselves as much as for this one, after all.

Of course, one reason things were going well was that Khajiiti are rare in this business, and that made this one special. Most female Khajiiti are so ruled by the moons that they aren't interested for most of the month., When they are, it's so intense they'd never think to ask for gold, or to sheath their claws! This one doesn't know why she's different. There must be a bit of human or elf in her ancestry, she supposes.

But then Faustina and Signy turned up. They'd been working at the Flowing Bowl in Anvil, they told her, and heard about her activities at Gweden from the customers there. Faustina proposed a "merger". as she put it. They'd join her at the farm and in return, not report her to the Countess .

"Report this one? For what?"

"Running an unlicenced brothel, of course. Don't you know the Castle has to approve any business operating here?"

She didn't know any such thing. This one was a full paid-up member of the Guild, and had never heard of any county needing licences before. But then again, she'd not owned her own property before, either. Were the rules different if you weren't on the streets?

To make a long story short, Faustina convinced this one that she should let her and Signy stay at the farm and "help". That was a bad idea. Pretty soon this one found out that they were robbing the men, instead of giving them what they'd paid for. You don't get repeat customers that way, even if you do get a bit more gold than they were prepared to give you. This one was going to throw the two of them out, but Faustina pulled out a wicked-looking dagger and threatened her with it.

"You're part of this gang, just as much as we are," she said. "If you go to the watch they'll just throw you in jail. They'll think you're the ringleader, since you own the place."

This one didn't know the Anvil watch well enough to contradict that. She never went into town, and only knew the few who were customers before Faustina and Signy arrived. Decent sorts, but a bit literal-minded and unbending when it came to the law. This one could imagine Faustina was right.

The reporter though of Captian Dion from Skingrad when she said this. He was inclined to agree with her if the watch were the same here.

This one became a prisoner in her own home. Faustina and Signy would go into town and look for men to lure back to the farm. She'd have to stay behind, and they locked the door when they left. She went to the basement when the men came. She didn't want any part of their scheme.

Then one night, the man who turned up was a bit less gullible than the others. Apparently, he didn't put down his weapon and undress like the others, but confronted the women. The stupid pair attacked him! This one ran up from the basement to try and stop the fight, but it was all over and Faustina and Signy were dead. A couple of guards from Anvil came in and took their bodies away, and paid the man for his help.

That man is now the Champion of Cyrodiil.

After the guards left, we talked. He told this one the story of how Maelona and Gogan had recruited him to act as the Sirens' next victim. They were supposed to follow him in and arrest the gang, but all the hard work was over before they turned up. He'd also had to convince them that this one wasn't involved, as she'd been assumed part of the gang. She had a bounty that was more than she'd paid for the farm!

Realising just how much she owed this man, this one told him the farm was his, and proposed that she re-open the original business and work for him. If he could recruit a few more girls to help, honest ones this time, he could have a good source of income here. This one is good at persuading, but it didn't take much .

He already knew a likely candidate, just down the road at the next farm. Her husband had run off and left her, taking a family heirloom with him. He'd just retrieved that for her, and she was now a widow. Maeva the Buxom, he called her, and it fits her well. Maeva not only comes to work part-time at Gweden, she brings us fresh produce from her own farm.

At that time, the Champion was travelling around Cyrodiil closing Oblivion gates and collecting items for Martin's attempt to recover the Amulet of Kings, so it wan't hard for him to check in each city for likely girls to work here. Each of them has a tale to tell of the Champion. Would you like to hear them?

The reporter looked up from his notebook, which was filling fast. "I'd like that, of course, if they're willing to tell."

Posted by: Acadian Sep 16 2011, 01:28 AM

What fabulously creative twisting you have going on here to support your wonderful mod! I love how you tied it to the girl gang quest as well as Maeva’s quest and came up with the story behind Tsarrina and why the Champion of Cyrodiil owns the place.

Writing a first person narrative for one who speaks in the third person is a challenge I would not want to undertake - certainly not for more than an episode or two. Especially when some of the characters she refers to (also in the third person) are of the same sex and competing for the same pronouns! You did an admirable job however.

Nit:
’Faustina convinced this one that she should let her and SIgny stay at the farm and "help".’
That capital I in Signy needs to be reduced to an i.

Posted by: Grits Sep 17 2011, 03:01 PM

I like the licensing issue that causes so much trouble for Tsarina. Now the CoC can handle the bureaucratic concerns, and she can focus on her areas of expertise.

Nice touch recruiting Maeva the Buxom. As I recall, she is pretty open about being ready to date again as soon as she hears that Bjalfi won’t be coming home. And I know she must be happy with her new job, if she’s bringing fresh produce to share at work.

Posted by: MyCat Sep 18 2011, 05:05 AM

Heh heh. I've played the mod but it's nice to see some background.

Posted by: ghastley Sep 22 2011, 02:15 PM

@Acadian Thanks for the encouragement on the Khajiiti dialog. I have another Khajiit in the story later, and I've already decided that she's not going speak like that (having been born in Cyrodiil). SIgny's nit has been picked.

@Grits You hit the nail on the head with that piece of Maeva's standard dialog. It made her a perfect first recruit. In fact, the combination of having Gweden farm locked and wasted as a usable home, and Maeva being just down the road was the thing that got me started on the mod. The two stories needed to be finished, and connecting the two just made sense.

@My Cat I hope you'll try the others, if you haven't already.

-----------

First impressions


"The first this one wants you to meet is quite unique," Tsarrina said. "There aren't many Dremora around in Cyrodiil. The conjurers may summon a few, but they're all male, and they don't stay for long."

Prizna came into the room and and the reporter for the Black Horse Courier didn't know where to look. The woman was completely naked!

He kept his eyes focused on his notebook, but she wasn't going to be ignored. She walked over and sat in his lap. He was saved by Tsarrina remarking that he wouldn't be able to write her story if she sat there. Prizna got up again and took the other chair, but not before rubbing herself against him a few times.

He was left with the impression that she was hot! Not just that way, but her skin felt like she had a fever. He asked about that, and a voice like dark velvet replied that it was true. She came from Dagon's realm, where lava flowed and fires burned everywhere. Her body temperature wasn't all that different from Humans or Elves, and Khajiiti were somewhere in between. Argonians were a bit cooler, she thought, but maybe theirs wasn't constant anyway.

"Tell him how you came to join us at Gweden" Tsarrina prompted, and Prizna began her tale.

First I need to tell you about my childhood. Yes, we Daedra are immortal, as we can return from the waters of oblivion and resume our lives, but everything has a beginning, even if it has no end. I do not remember if I was born, or created, but I remember being a child.

Nor can I tell you anything about returning from death, as I have never done so myself. Most male Dremora return because they are called back by Dagon, to fight his endless wars. There may be other ways to return, but I have no knowledge of them. But back to my growing up.

Females live to serve the males. If a young girl shows competence at any trade, she may be set to doing that for the rest of her existence. If she's good at smithing, she may be set to making armor and weapons. Or with other skills, she could be a cook, or a healer, or a fletcher. I was a bit more intelligent than the rest of my class, and conspired to hide my abilities until I could choose my own vocation. I learned a little of every skill I could, in case it could help me later, but I was careful not to shine in anything.

It almost worked. When I was grown enough, they made me a "reward for valor". Well, I was good at that, and I might have chosen it anyway.

I think it was because I wasn't as submissive as the others. I could take the initiative, and be a partner instead of a chattel. True heros appreciate that, and I was serving the best. Kothet was a hero when he was presented me as a permanent reward for the victory at Ganoneh. I was happy to belong to him, at first.

But Kvatch was retaken and Kothet fell from Dagon's favor. He started to mistreat me, and I started to hate him. I learned spells and weapon skills in secret, hoping for the day I could free myself from Kothet.

The chance came when a Gate was opened outside Bravil. Kothet was chosen to defend the Tower island, and I managed to travel there too. When he took up his post near the flaming arch, I killed him and stepped through it into Tamriel.

I needed someone's help to close the Gate, so I could stay in this world and leave Kothet behind. I was sure that Dagon wouldn't restore him in any haste, especially as he'd been killed by a mere woman. However, I needed the Gate closed so he couldn't reach me later.

The man who helped me is the owner of this Lodge. I was being chased by Scamps near the Gate when he came to my assistance, and healed my wounds. He has such cool, gentle hands!

He asked me what my name was. I didn't understand what he meant. A Dremora woman doesn't have a name of her own. She's "Rynaz' daughter" or "Kothet's woman" or just "the cook". He decided I needed a name and called me "Prizna". Wow! I was just like the Kyn themselves now, with a Name of my own!

I put away my fears and followed him back into the Gate. I needed to confirm that Kothet was still dead. I also was determined to help close the Gate, or die trying. I wanted to deserve having a Name!

We found Kothet's body inside near the Gate, and he was as dead as I'd left him. We could see the Sigil Tower from there, but there was a locked war gate between us and the entrance, so we couldn't go that way.

There was also a Daedroth charging towards us. I dropped back and cast a shock spell, while my hero stepped forward with his sword and shield. He must have had an enchantment on that sword, as the creature didn't last long, and I heard a soul gem fill as it died.

We set off to the East past a small tower, where we ran into a couple of Dremora. I cast my shock spell again and one of them was hit. So he charged after me while his colleague engaged my partner. I backed up, casting my spell again, but he was getting very close. He swung his sword at me and opened a huge gash in my arm. I went down on my knees, and was sure I was going to die, when he fell dead on top of me. The Hero pulled his sword from the Churl's back and put it back in its scabbard.

He took a look at my arm and laid his hands on my breasts to cast his healing spell again. I asked why he hadn't put his hands on my arm instead.

"If I touched the wound, that would hurt you, wouldn't it? Until the healing is complete, the pain won't go away. I need to cast the spell as close to your heart as I can, so it works as quickly as possible. ... And it also helps remind me why you're worth saving."

That got a laugh that made me feel better. Taking the Churl's longsword made me feel better too, as I now had something to block with.

We made our way further and crossed a bridge over to another island in the lava. We appeared to be circling the Sigil Tower amd not getting any closer. A doorway in the rocks ahead of us looked as if it might lead into a cave or tunnel. If the tunnel was in the same direction as the door, it might take us closer to the Tower, so we went in.

By the time we emerged at the other end, I had a shield to go with the sword. Our tactics remained the same. I'd stay back and use spells, while the Hero got in close with his sword. If anyone attacked me I would block until help arrived. and continue to cast shock when I could. Then we'd stop, repair our equipment, and heal. I was enjoying the way he healed me, even if I didn't like it being needed.

We'd come out into a tower, from which a bridge led across to the central island where the Sigil Tower stood. An archer stood on the bridge and fired as soon as we came through the door. I blocked the arrow with my shield and fired a bolt of shock back. But then I had to turn my attention to a Clannfear who'd run over the bridge toward us. I knew that Clannfear reflect damage, so I didn't use the longsword, just blocking with the shield and casting shock when he recoiled. I didn't notice that I had my back to the archer until an arrow caught me in ... a certain large muscle involved in sitting down.

I looked back, to see the archer nock another arrow. As he let fly, I stepped sideways and the arrow flew past me into the Clannfear, finishing him off. That let me hurl another bolt of shock at the archer, and end his career, too.

My partner had also been busy. A Daedroth and a Markynaz lay on the edge of the bridge. He pushed them off into the lava with his foot, and came over to me.

"That arrow's got to come out before I can heal the wound" he told me. "You know they use barbed arrows, so this is going to hurt"

He made me lie face-down on the ground, so the muscle would be relaxed. I heard him cast a spell, but I couldn't see what type of spell it was. It can't have been healing, my breasts were beneath me.

When he started to pull out the arrow, I knew what spell it was - Paralysis! I couldn't scream, even though I wanted to. But it must have made removing the arrow easier, as the pain soon ended. I felt the healing spell flowing through me again, and I hadn't even noticed where he put his hands this time.

A few seconds later, the paralysis went away and I could stand up. I saw the huge door to the Sigil Tower ahead and I knew that's where we were going next. I didn't know what to expect inside, but I knew that whatever was in there kept the Gate open.

That's when I started to get worried. I wanted Kothet to be trapped here, but I wanted to escape. I knew that the mortals that closed Gates were transported back to Tamriel when the Gate closed. Kothet had mentioned that when he told me about the Gate at Kvatch.

But would I go with him? I had to take the risk. And by that point, I'd have followed my hero anywhere.

The forces guarding the interior of the Tower were much the same as outside. The good news was there weren't any archers, the bad news was more of everything else. By the time we reached the Sigil Chamber, I'd needed a lot of healing, and my hero had had to replenish his magicka from the wells several times to do that.

I'd had the opportunity to take a suit of armor from one of the dead, but it was too uncomfortable, and hampered my spell-casting too much. I just can't do anything properly if I'm covered up. I think I was also concerned it might hold me back in Dagon's realm if I wore it.

We climbed up the ramp to the platform at the top of the Tower. I saw the Sigil Stone balanced on top of the pillar of fire. That was apparently the key to closing the Gate.

"You take it" he said. "The stone always leaves with me when a Gate closes, and it should take you with it"

"But what if that's how you get out?" I asked. "I wouldn't want you left behind."

"I don't belong here," he reassured me. "And you don't either. So take the Stone and let's go back to Tamriel" I noticed that he put his arm around me, just in case. At least I think that's why he did it.

As soon as we re-appeared outside Bravil I gave him the Stone. I didn't want anything to do with Dagon or his realm any more.

However, I knew nothing about the world I'd chosen. Was there a need for someone like me in Tamriel? What would I do here? How would I survive? Who did I belong to?

He answered the last question first. I had my own Name now, so I didn't have to belong to anybody else. Not even him, even though I knew he deserved it more than Kothet ever had.

And he also knew just what I should do in Tamriel. What I did best, of course. And Tsarrina would help me learn the customs of this land, and how to make the most of my skills.

She never did get me to wear clothes, though. I still don't understand why anyone thinks they're a good idea. They tickle and chafe, which makes me too aware of my own body, and then I can't concentrate on my customers.

And it's not like I have anything special to hide. Every Dremora woman has a body just like this one. If you can't see our faces, you can't tell us apart. And you can only tell me from a Mazken or an Aureal by color. We're all the same size and shape. Well, maybe my skin's warmer, too, but that's all.

The reporter assured her that she appeared very special to him, not that he'd looked. He still wasn't looking. He tried to get his concentration back on the story by asking her about the others. "You're quite a different build than some of the humans and elves, though. You may not stand out from the crowd where you come from, but it's not like that here. Everybody's different, and that's good."

"Well, if different is good, why can't I be different by not wearing clothes?" she asked.

Again Tsarrina saved him by asking to see what he'd written so far. Or had she? Now he had nothing to look at but the floor, or Prizna.

Prizna went over to Tsarrina to take a look at his notes too. "This is very good. I think he deserves a reward, don't you, Tsarrina?"

He involuntarily looked up when she said that. Prizna had her back to him, and she was bending over the notebook...

---------

Note the "heal other on touch" spell always seemed to target her chest, so I added that into the story.

Posted by: Acadian Sep 23 2011, 12:29 AM

What a clever and even cute story! Tsarrina certainly has an interesting crew! Your hero is giving a whole new meaning to the paladin/cleric skill of laying on of hands.

Good idea to paralyze the patient to remove an arrow. We have found 'disintegrate weapon' helps as well.

Posted by: Grits Sep 24 2011, 01:59 PM

Prizna came into the room and and the reporter for the Black Horse Courier didn't know where to look.

I’m glad he figured it out by the end of the interview.

I like Prizna’s dark velvet voice. Instead of being harsh metal similar to the Dremora males, their females are completely opposite. Makes sense, and likely more soothing to her mortal customers.

Nice use of the Heal Other spell.

Posted by: ghastley Sep 29 2011, 03:29 PM

@Acadian I didn't know that "disintegrate weapon" would work on arrows. Is that any use in the game, or is it just useful in FF?

@Grits He's trying to maintain a professional detachment. The interviewees would prefer a professional attachment, so there will be a bit of friction until this is reconciled. (No, wait, hold the friction, that will only make things worse.) He's going to lose anyway, there's too many of them, and only one of him.

I wanted the female Dremora to be as opposite to the males as possible, so voice was another opportunity for contrast.

---------------

Virgilia

The next girl who came into the room next was naked, too.

"Virgilia," asked Tsarrina "did Prizna put you up to this?"

Virgilia giggled and nodded her head vigorously, which set most of the distracting parts of her body jiggling. And he thought them particularly distracting. She was an Imperial like him, and quite the prettiest he'd ever seen. Certainly the most naked one he'd seen, and perhaps that might have been biasing his opinion. As a reporter, he wanted to be unbiased, but he was finding it hard not to look.

Which was exactly what she wanted. Virgilia leaned back in the chair and uncrossed her legs. With all the willpower he could muster. he looked her in the eyes, and asked "Shall we begin the interview?"

She held his gaze for long enough to know he wasn't going to look where she wanted him to, and nodded agreement. More jiggling resulted, but he was already concentrating on his notebook.

My story really only starts when my father died. He was a member of the Imperial Watch, and he was killed trying to arrest a thief who turned out to be a Vampire. My mother mourned for the required period, and started dating again. After a while she found another man she liked and re-married. That was Viator Accius, the proprietor of Stonewall Shields. We moved into his shop and I started to attend the Arcane University.

My stepfather wasn't too happy about that. He knew what my mother was like, and he assumed I'd be like her, and chasing after men if I got the chance. But my mother assured him that I'd be kept too busy with my studies. I was only there during the day, and I wasn't allowed out in the evenings, so that was all too true.

But I did get to meet a lot of intelligent young men.They were eager to help with my virginity problem, but we were watched too closely at the University. The closest I got to success was when one of them learned a nice long-lasting invisibility spell. I took him home with me to the Market District, and he cast the spell just outside the shop. We entered, and I led him up to my room. I opened all the doors and closed them behind us, so he wouldn't have to do anything to make him visible.

I think it was closing the doors that made my stepfather suspicious. He was always shouting at me to come back and close doors, and that evening he didn't have to. Anyway, he must have followed us.

I took off my dress and lay down on my bed, ready for my lover-to-be. But just as he touched me, he became visible again, and the door burst open. I screamed and covered myself up, as my stepfather chased him out of the window. He had the presense of mind to cast his invisibility again when he landed, so nobody could see which way he ran off. Or that he was naked.

Well I wasn't going to be allowed to go back to the University after that fiasco. Mother suggested sending me away to stay with her sister down in Leyawiin. That would keep me away from the mage students I'd been plotting with, and Aunt Rosentia could teach me a few things, too. She was quite an expert on Daedric artifacts and knew a number of conjuration spells that I could learn.

We all traveled down to Leyawiin and Mother explained to her sister what had happened back in the city. Aunt Rosentia promised she'd take proper care of me and my virginity, and my stepfather appeared to be content with that. They returned to the city the same day.

Aunt Rosentia took me shopping. She thought I needed a new dress, as I couldn't keep wearing my University robe if I wasn't going there any more. She bought me a nice suit of armor too, in case I needed some adventure. It didn't look like it would protect me much, but it did look pretty.

At that time, she was a bit preoccupied with cleaning her house. Apparently, she'd had Scamps living in her home and they had left a nasty smell behind. She was still trying to get rid of it. I told her I couldn't smell anything, but she kept scrubbing the floors, and bringing in fresh lavender.

She told me that she'd bought a staff from a spellsword that had passed through the town. He'd asked for a suspiciously low price, but she she couldn't resist the bargain, and bought it. Then she noticed an inscription on it in runes. It wasn't a real word, but she could read it phonetically and pronounce it. When she did, the Scamps appeared!

After she realized they weren't going to harm her, she tried to drive them out of the house, but they just followed her everywhere. They were following the staff, but she couldn't put it down. Eventually she got word to her friend Alves at the mages guild, who researched the item for her.

The Staff of the Everscamp was created by Sheogorath to drive its owner insane, and it was working. She could only let go of the staff if someone else would willingly take it from her, or if it was returned to his shrine in Darkfathom Cave.

Fortunately, before long a hero had arrived to do that for her. He'd taken the staff to the cave and the scamps with it. She was so grateful, and gave him a ring she'd bought for an ex-lover who hadn't worked out so well. She was expecting him to visit again, and I got the impression that she had another reward to give him.

When he arrived, Aunt Rosentia introduced us. "This is my niece Virgilia, who's staying with me until she grows up a bit. I hope that won't take her too long".

It was the Hero of Kvatch! No wonder he'd had no problem sorting out Auntie's scamps for her. I was a bit eager and asked him if I could go along with him on his next adventure. Auntie thought that wasn't a bad idea and sent me upstairs to change into my new armor. "Take your time," she told me, "We have a lot to discuss while you're changing, and you need to make sure all the straps are done up properly."

When I came back down, the Hero looked at my armor and raised an eyebrow. He walked around me slowly, appraising it carefully. "Alright, let's go!" he said "Did you have anywhere in mind?"

The only place I knew to explore was somewhere called Barren Mine a short way north of towm. I'd heard someone say that there were Goblins there, and I'd never seen one of those before.

We left town through the North-East gate and headed up the road, with the Hero following me. After a while, he decided it would be better if he lead the way, so he could concentrate on watching out for wild animals.

That was all right with me, as it wasn't easy to stride along looking confident in those high heels, and the back of my armor does show a lot of skin! Well the front does too, but he'd need eyes in the back of his head - like my stepfather had!

http://ghastley.org/oblivion/images/VirgiliaStrides.jpg

We reached the mine and slipped inside the door into the dark tunnel. I was quite excited at being alone in the dark with a man, but that was all ruined by a screeching, smelly creature who ran at me with an axe! I pulled my claymore off my back and defended myself as best I could, but there were too many of them. Something hit me on the back of the head and it all went black.

When I woke up my head hurt and the smell wasn't making it feel any better. There were several of the foul creatures lying dead, one of them on top of me. My armor wasn't covering everything it should, and I had to wriggle it all back into place. The Hero was watching with considerable amusement, and I was totally embarassed.

I wanted to go back to town, right away. We abandoned our exploration and headed back. It was just as well, my sword was bent, my armor dented, and I had a headache. And my boots may have looked good, but they weren't meant for comfort.

When we got back to town, he asked if I'd learned anything from our trip. I told him I never wanted to see a Goblin again. He asked about my impractical armor, and what I thought it was good for.

"Aunt Rosentia said it would be perfect for the type of adventure I needed" I replied. "But it was useless for fighting Goblins".

"That's because she was thinking of a completely different sort of adventure" he told me. "The kind that happens when men notice how pretty you are. And that armor was intended to make them notice. Does it unfasten easily too?"

I felt so stupid! I'd assumed that Aunt Rosentia was supposed to be holding me back, but she was really on my side! I was about to run back to her house and apologize for misjudging her, but the Hero said she might be busy.

I didn't understand that either, at the time.

We talked a bit more, and he asked me if it was my mother who'd sent me down to Leyawiin. I replied that it had been her idea, and he nodded. "I'd better go have a word with her," he said. "First though, we should go get some breakfast at the tavern."

I got back to Aunt Rosentia's just in time to see a stranger leaving the house. A rather good-looking man, with a smile on his face. When I went inside, Auntie was sitting at the breakfast table, wearing a thin night-dress.and an even bigger smile than the man's.

By the time the Hero returned from the city, I wasn't the same girl he'd left. I could call myself a woman now, Auntie reminded me. Once we'd cleared up the misunderstanding, she'd been able to help me to ... achieve my goals. Maybe she'd been too successful, as Leyawiin wasn't a large town, and there really weren't enough men to go round.

Our mutual hero had a solution for that problem. He'd talked to my mother, who had no objection at all to what he suggested. When he told me about Gweden, it sounded like the perfect answer.

"Bring your armor" he told me "you might get to use it again."

I did bring it, but it just reminds me of Goblins. I hate Goblins.

She shuddered when she said it, and that distracting jiggle happened again. She could tell that he'd noticed her this time. He was finding it diffficult to conceal his interest. She ran off to let the others know, and he permitted himself to watch her leave.

Posted by: Acadian Sep 30 2011, 12:17 AM

Ha! What a clever weave in of the everscamp quest. Nicely done with plenty of fun, humor and jiggling. It seems the Hero has touched plenty of . . . lives.

Posted by: Grits Sep 30 2011, 06:30 PM

Well, Virgilia’s boots aren’t made for walking, and her greaves are definitely not for sitting down. I’m glad she found a way to put her gear to good use.

Posted by: ghastley Jan 10 2012, 06:44 PM

A mention of Ancondil's warhammer, Persuader, reminded me of Sugar's negotiating axe. About time I had her tell her story.

---

Sugar gra-Mazog

"Sugar, this reporter from the Black Horse Courier would like to know all about how you came to work at Gweden" said Tsarrina.

The Orc looked down at him with a scowl, or was that supposed to be a smile? She began.

You may have noticed that there aren't many Orcs in this business. That's because we're not the best salespeople in Tamriel. We need a good pimp to handle the negotiating part of the transaction, or we just don't get the price we deserve. Once I take over, I give good value, and I don't get any complaints. Oh I know what you're thinking, but they come back for more, so it's not that.

So anyway, I thought I had found a pimp I could work with. A scrawny llittle weasel that I didn't really trust, but he had the usual Imperial way with words and he got the job done. Trouble was, he got greedy. He wanted a bigger cut of the gold, and I told him he wasn't getting it.

At first, he tried persuasion, including that Charm spell they all seem to be able to cast. Didn't do anything to me, so he got mad and pulled out his sword. Now that's the sort of negotiation I can handle, so I replied with my axe, until he saw things my way.

So now I'm without a pimp again. He's off getting his face healed, and I figure he's not likely to work with me when that's done. I move to the Imperial city, where I hoped there might be more potential customers, maybe even a few Orcs that know true beauty when they see it. Turned out that most of my customers were Bosmers, whose eyes never got up to my face.

(At this point the words "copious cleavage" are underlined in the reporter's notes)

I was sleeping in an abandoned hut in the Waterfront during the day and working the Arboretum in the evenings. Darkness seemed to help trade in several ways, and it meant I was sleeping while the others who used the hut were working, and vice-versa. I always took my negotiating axe with me, except for the one day I forgot, and that's when it was stolen.

Fortunately, that was also the day the Champion came by the Arboretum. Of course he was just another adventurer then, and I thought he was there on business. My business, I hoped.

So I start to chat with him, and it turns out he knows my old friend Mazoga! She grew up in my family when we took her in as an orphan. Well, not even that. She was born in our cave where we were all sheltering as refugees from the war. Her mother died in childbirth, and we never even got to ask her who the father was. So we named her after my father Mazog, and that's the only name she uses.

He told me Mazoga had become a Knight-Errant of the White Stallion, no less, down in Leyawiin County, and she was busy hunting bandits for the Count. Had her own home just outside town and all. It was good to knows she's on the right side of the law at last.

I told the Champion that it was a good thing she hadn't come to the city, or she'd be hunting down the thief who stole my axe. I just wanted it back, but Mazoga would be after the thief's blood. That's just the way she dealt with things - violently. He nodded with agreement at that.

That's how I came to tell him all about the axe, and the pimp, and everything else. He asked me if I'd consider coming here to Gweden when I got my axe back. Well, of course I would! My own bed, no Imperial pimp to cheat me, what's not to like about it?

When he brought me the axe, he told me all about getting it back. How he'd asked around the Waterfront until one of the beggars sent him to Armand Christophe. I knew the guy slightly, he lived a few huts down from the one I slept in, but I didn't know how much he ran the place. Apparently he has all the beggars in Cyrodiil telling him what's going on!

Someone had seen the thief in Bravil, so the Champion had followed him there. He'd tried to fence the axe down there, but nobody was buying. He'd gone off to some Marauder hideout to try and sell it there. That's where the Champion found him, dead. Still had the axe on him, so it seems the Marauders weren't buying either.

It was always a good axe for me, but I could understand how it wouldn't suit everyone. Heavier than usual, and drains the user's magicka. But it hits hard, especially when I'm using it, and it's durable, too. I still have that axe, though I never need it here at Gweden.

Well, that's not entirely true. I did need it once. After I'd been here a while, the Champ turned up with a bizarre tale about the Dark Brotherhood and a contract to kill me! It was that old pimp of mine behind it, and apparently one of us had to die. I didn't want any killing, but if it was me or Octavius, I knew who deserved it the most.

Champ was going to go off and kill Octavius for me, but I insisted on going along. I found my axe, and put on my armor. That got a few comments from the Champ about a "chainmail bikini", but it does get me noticed, and I'm not going to fight everyone I meet. Got to think about business, too!

http://ghastley.org/Oblivion/Docs/Sugar_Armor.jpg

We set off for some Inn on the other side of Cyrodiil. The Drunken Dragon, I think it was called. A bit out of the way for an Inn, but Octavius was still in the pimp business, so a touch of seclusion was what he wanted.

The two sluts he had working the place hadn't seen him in weeks. As soon as they'd pulled in a few coins, he'd gone off to spend them in the city. The legion patrolman seemed to think Octavius had acquired the place a bit shadily, too. Seems the previous owner had been a Dark Brotherhood victim, and Octavius' claim to the property was somewhat doubtful.

We followed my ex-pimp to the city, asked a few beggars, and found him in Luther Broad's. He had an Argonian goon with him as a bodyguard, and they attacked us as soon as we walked in. I'm glad to say I got to finish off Octavius myself, with my trusty axe. Champ had sorted out the Argonian too, before Luther could even get the warhammer off his shoulder and help us.

We gave him the small amount of gold we found on the two as payment for the cleanup. He didn't want to take anything. We'd done him a favor getting rid of them, as they were obnoxious enough to drive his usual customers away. I could see his point.

The Champion and I parted company there in the city and I set off for home here at the farm. Just before I got to Skingrad, I was accosted by a highwayman demanding gold. I told him I didn't have any gold, but I could give him something much better than that. My armor doesn't hide much, and I could tell that he'd noticed.

I pulled him into the bushes and humped him senseless. While he was sleeping it off, I took his weapon, his armor, and everything else he was carrying, and sold it in Skingrad. He probably woke up naked after an hour or so, but I was long gone.I could have just killed him, but that was much more fun! He was lucky it was me and not Mazoga!

So now I keep the axe and armor in the chest at the foot of my bed, and I hope they can stay there. Gweden's a nice safe place. It's far enough from town that the drunks can't make it here without sobering up on the way, and there's the Legion patrolman to keep the peace, too. I like him, and I don't think it's just the discount rate that keeps him spending his spare gold here.

Oh, and my name? It's really pronounced Soo-GAAR, but it's written the same, so everyone gets it wrong. And in this line of work, that doesn't hurt any.


---

She's recounting what are two separate quests in the mod. The second requires the player to be Listener of the DB, and is started by taking to the Lucky Old Lady / Night Mother in Bravil. Since you have to have eliminated the publican of the Drunken Dragon earlier in the DB questline, it makes a perfect location for the new quest.

Posted by: Acadian Jan 11 2012, 02:28 AM

Quite a collection of working lasses you’re building! Very nice how you tie many things to the game, from aspects of Mazoga’s background to the warhammer that Luther Broad does indeed carry on his back. Just a spoon full of Sugar!

Posted by: Grits Jan 11 2012, 02:31 AM

She humped him senseless.

Posted by: ghastley Jan 18 2012, 02:50 AM

Our reporter needs a rest. However, he may not get much.

---

Juliana Galena

Tsarrina decided that it was getting a bit late for more interviews, and the reporter should have a quick tour of the place before he turned in for the night.

First, she took him across the yard to the main Lodge, so he could pick up a snack in the dining room and meet some of the customers. They were all busily engaged chatting with the women, so he just took an apple from the table, and followed Tsarrina into the next room and up the stairs.

The upper floor was one big dormitory, where the women could sleep, eat a quiet meal and generally relax between clients. Each of them had a well-appointed bed, and a chest for her personal possessions. Few of them were locked, and Tsariina showed him a few of the momentos they kept.

Prizna's held a solitary Daedra Heart. Was it Kothet's? Virgilia's held that skimpy armor she'd told hiim about.

Tsarrina's own room was on the same floor, with a double bed in it. But they were just looking right now, and she quickly closed the door, and took him back downstairs. Nobody was using the bed in the main room, but a lot of negotiating was in progress. A Bosmer girl was dancing in one corner, and attracting quite a lot of attention. She might have just taken something off, as there were approving sounds coming from the crowd. He wished he could see better.

They left the women to their haggling and went back over to the farmhouse.

"This is the original building this one bought when she came to Anvil," Tsarrina told him. "At first there was just one level of basement, with three beds. That was quickly filled, even with Maeva sleeping at her own farm, and the boss had a second level dug out beneath it."

They'd gone down to the first level while she was telling him that. It was just a single room with the beds around the walls, and a few tables and chairs around. The beds weren't as plush as the ones in the newer building, but they looked comfortable enough. Each had its private chest, and there was maybe a little more space for each of them over here. Tsarrina told him that many of the women preferred the coziness of the old place, even if the new one was a bit better furnished.

The lower level was just a little larger, with four beds in one room and a big stone bathtub in another. The tub looked large enough for two. There was a chest against the opposite wall to keep clothes dry in case there was any water splashed around. The damp floor suggested that happened a lot. There was a drain in the corner, and several buckets of water, some with steam rising from them. A table with some candles, and some bars of soap, one of which had a rather suggestive shape.

Tsarrina led him back upstairs, where he found a very pretty Breton woman sitting on his bed waiting for him. Tsarrina introduced her as Juliana Galena, and then left them alone together. Juliana wasn't wearing much, just a thin wisp of lace blurring her details, and some ribbon to keep it in place.

http://ghastley.org/oblivion/images/julianawaits.jpg

"I'm pleased to meet you," she said brightly. Then a huge grin broke out on her face. "And I can see you're pleased to see me."

He tried to explain to her about professional detachment. How he wanted to keep himself out of the story he was writing, and not form any personal opinions.

"Looks to me like it's not working," she giggled, pointing.

Juliana then showed him her idea of detachment, detaching all his clothes, and hers. "It's the same for us," she told him. "Most of the men who come here need to pay for it, because they're not likely to get it for free. We have to put our opinions aside and act like professionals, too.

"So when we get someone like you coming here, it's a welcome change. We can forget the business side, and have fun. Why don't you just do the same?"

He had to agree that she was making a compelling argument. And there was no way he could put this in his article for the courier anyway!

---

---

If you want to learn to swim in a hurry, dive in where it's deepest.

He had second thoughts about those words as soon as he wrote them. It was an accurate description of his experiences the previous evening, but perhaps in more ways than he'd intended.

This morning was full of double-entendres . He'd said he felt like a new man. "I want one, too," she'd said before pouncing on him.

He liked Juliana. Apparently it was her special task to start things off with a new customer, or something like that. And he was a customer, even if he wasn't handing over any gold. They were getting repaid with a favorable story in the Black Horse Courier. An honest one, he reminded himself, these girls really were that good, at least Juliana was.

He'd leave last night out of the story, he decided. The girls' own tales were interesting enough and nobody needed to know about him.

But back to Juliana. She was on top of him now, and if she didn't quit doing that, he'd never get any reporting done. He reached over for his notebook, and announced that if she was going to do her work, he'd do his too. She didn't exactly stop, but she slowed down enough that he could write legibly. He crossed out that first line and started again, just writing down what she told him in her story of the Champion of Cyrodiil.

I was working Chorrol at the time, dividing my time between the Grey Mare and the Oak and Crosier. Most nights, if I didn't have a customer, I'd sleep at the Grey Mare.

I'd eat my meals at the other place, just because I like the spicy dishes Talasma serves. They remind me of the food in the south, where my sister and I come from. Luciana didn't get any further North than Bravil, and works in a tavern there, behind the bar. She's probably doing other work, too. A bar's a good place to do business.

One evening, while I'm eating in the Oak and Crosier, Modryn Oreyn comes over to me. I'm a bit surprised, because he's not the type that needs to pay for it. But it's not for himself, it's a new recruit to the Fighter's Guild. Now that makes sense, because I do have a reputation for being good with the first-timers.

This new recruit turns out to be Viranus Donton, the younger son of the Guildmaster, and Oreyn's trying to "make a man of him". He thinks a session with me will make a difference. Well, he was right about that, but it wasn't quite the difference he had in mind.

For a start, Viranus turns up at my room with another young man. He and Edouard are both ambidextrous, or whatever the term is, and I'm getting double-duty tonight. I don't think I showed them anything they hadn't already tried, but I learned a few new tricks from them!

I wasn't complaining. Not only was that more fun than I'd had in months, I got paid triple! Each of them paid me and I got another payment from Oreyn afterwards.

Well, it wasn't all good news. Just after that, I noticed an itchy rash down there. No idea when I picked it up, but there was a good chance Viranus and Edouard had it too. I decided discreet was the watchword, so I didn't take it to the chapel healer. I got a recipe from a book and made up a cure myself.

I wanted to let Viranus have some of the potion, but I couldn't get near him. His mother keeps him in the house most of the time, except when they're both over at the Fighters Guild. I needed someone else to act as a middle-man.

By the time I found someone, the potions had gone off, and I needed to make up another batch. I didn't have any more of the ingredients, either. Dreugh Wax and Ogre's Teeth aren't easy to get, unless you're Fighters Guild, maybe, and I couldn't ask them for obvious reasons. Aloe Vera's plentiful in the South, but there wasn't any left for sale in Chorrol.

Well, you can guess who agreed to help me. We're in his establishment now. He was a Fighters Guild member himself, and had all the access he needed to Viranus. Plus, he was travelling south on a contract, so he could look out for the ingredients. How's that for convenient!

It was a while before he came back with the bad news. He had all the ingredients for me. He'd killed the Ogres and Land Dreugh himself. But there wasn't any point in making up the potion, because he'd found Viranus and Edouard dead in Forsaken Mine.

It wasn't the Itchy Pox that took them, either. They'd been killed by Trolls, or possibly by the Blackwood Company, who'd interfered in their contract. His next job was to find out which it was.

I was devastated. Those two fine young men dead! I couldn't stay in Chorrol now. There was too much there to remind me of those two boys. So at his suggestion, I came down here to Gweden.

I love it here! No itchy pox, and such nice customers! Especially you.

He put his pen down and asked her "Off the record, can you show me some of those new tricks you mentioned earlier?"

"Only if you've got two" she giggled.

He opened a drawer beside the bed and took something from it "We can improvise."

-----------

In the game, there are two ways the player can complete the quest to recruit Juliana. One is to give her the ingredients, wait a day for her to brew it, and then deliver it it Viranus. The other is the one she tells here, if he's died in Forsaken Mine. This one makes more sense of why she'd join.

Posted by: Acadian Jan 18 2012, 03:49 AM

I wondered right up until you announced it whether Juliana was Luciana’s sister and sure enough, she is! And she even looks like it in the screenshot.

You did fine justice to the game’s treatment of Luciana, Viranus and Edouard here.

Posted by: Grits Jan 18 2012, 11:27 PM

Ambidextrous!

Nice to hear about Viranus and Edouard having some fun together. Finding his journal always makes me sad.

I like Juliana. She has a positive attitude.

Posted by: ghastley Jan 24 2012, 02:07 AM

Acadian: A few references to the vanilla game tied in to this one, too, and I took the opportunity of linking in to my Bear Riders, too.

Grits: More Fighter's Guild, (and more senselessness) in this episode.

----

Darwen

"Darwen!" Tsarrina called down to the basement, "Put some clothes on and come talk to the reporter, will you?"

"Is Darwen the Bosmer girl I saw dancing last night?" asked the man from the Black Horse Courier.

"Quite likely" replied Tsarrina. "She does like to dance".

Darwen entered the room like she was walking out onto a stage. She had a dancer's slender figure, with small, high breasts. Her subtle curves were like a sneak attack on your sub-conscious. So when she moved, it was hard not to watch her.

She sat still, so the reporter could concentrate on writing.

Dancing is fun, sex is fun. When I think of work, I think of hunting.

Everyone hunts deer for food, but the only quarry worthy of a true hunter is a bear. I'd hunted bears all through Colovia and the West Weald, selling their pelts, and sometimes fangs .

But then someone told me there were bears in Skyrim that were white like the snow, and I'd never seen one of those. I took a trip up there to see for myself. I did see a white bear, but there was a rider on its back! She told me that in that part of the mountains, it was illegal to hunt the white bears, as they were much too valuable as mounts. Nothing comes close to a sure-footed snow bear for riding in the icy mountains!

So no hunting for me. I traveled back South again, looking for black or brown bears, and I found Bruma. I made that city my base for while. I hunted in the mountains all week, and returned to town to sell the pelts at Nord Winds on the weekend. To start with, I stayed at the Jerall View Inn, but it was a bit expensive for my simple tastes, and a bit dull, too.

So I tried Olav's Tap and Tack. which had a much livelier crowd. Before long, I felt really at home there and started to relax and enjoy the company. My problems started when a travelling minstrel dropped in and started to play his lute. I can't just listen to music, I have to dance!

Well, all the men wanted to dance with me, so they were buying me drinks. More drinks than I'd have bought for myself. I don't remember much about what happened after that, but when I woke up the following morning, my head hurt, and I wasn't in my room at Olav's. I'm not sure whose house it was, because he'd already gone off to chapel and left me sleeping.

I put on my clothes and checked my purse, in case I'd been robbed. There was more gold in it than I expected to find! So I thought this would be a good time to pay Olav some advance rent on my room, before I wasted it.

Olav took the gold, but he wanted more. He said things had got broken while I was dancing the night before, and I had to pay for the damage I'd caused. Since I couldn't remember most of the previous night, I couldn't argue.

Most of the gold I got for the bear pelts the following week went to pay for those damages. But I had enough left to rent the room for the weekend, and have a meal and a couple of drinks by the fireside. Olav brought me a new drink to try, a mulled ale full of spices that was really tasty! He told me that one of his other customers had bought it for me.

I was just starting to notice how strong the mulled ale was, when the singing and dancing started up again. A few more of the women had joined in tonight, so I wasn't the only one dancing with the men. Olav had banked up the fire, so with all that exercise, it was getting quite warm in the barroom. Skjorta had her blouse unlaced, and pretty soon I'd taken off my fur armor, and was dancing in my underwear. Nobody seemed to mind, and we all kept dancing and singing until I passed out again.

Same deal as the last time. I wake up with a hangover in a strange bed, wishing I'd been awake for the best part. Olav wants the damages paid for again, says he's already got Skjorta's share, and mine's just a bit more than I have in my purse. I went and asked Skjorta about it, but she didn't remember any more than I could. At least it was her husband Olfand that took her home, or she'd have a worse problem than me!.

The next weekend I'm a bit more careful. I buy my own drinks and try and stay in my chair when the dancing starts. It doesn't work. I can't watch other people dance and not join in. I don't notice that my tankard never gets empty, or that the contents are getting stronger. This time I wake up in my room, but I'm completely naked, and my clothes are down in the bar on the floor. My tankard's still on the table, half-full of brandy, just like I must have been. Once again, I've been paid for the fun I presumably shared, but it's not enough to pay off Olav, so I'm still in debt.

I asked Skjorta if she'd help me by watching my tankard, but she's just not reliable. The following week she passed out before I did, and the inevitable repeated itself.

You're probably wondering why I kept returning to the Tap and Tack. Partly that was because I was in debt to Olav, and I wasn't going to leave town until he was paid off. But I also wanted to find out who was spiking my drinks. I wanted to tell him he didn't have to do that, and I was much better sober!

Then one Sundas, a stranger came into the chapel where I'd gone to nurse my usual hangover. He'd watched me dancing in Olav's bar, getting totally naked, and passing out on the floor. He'd talked to Olav while I danced. Olav spilled the whole story to him. I'd never broken anything; that was just a ruse to keep me coming back and dancing for him. Olav had been the one adding to my drinks, and he'd made even more gold pimping me to the men once I got legless enough. If my head hadn't been pounding, I'd have gone and killed Olav there and then - as slowly as possible.

The man had a better idea. He told me about Gweden Farm, and suggested I move down here. I didn't really owe Olav anything, and the bear hunting was just as good on the Gold Coast as anywhere else.

But the thing that really swayed my decision was the prospect of a warm bath. That was something you don't get too often up in Bruma. Tsarrina has a tub in the lower basement, and for a few gold pieces you can share it with one of the girls. I was down there when Tsarrina called. That's my second favorite "special duty", after dancing, of course.

I still take a bit of time off to go bear hunting once in a while. Tsarrina's always worried when I do that, but it's not dangerous if you have a good bow. And it's because I know my bears that I got involved with the pirates down in Leyawiin. The boss is also the Master of the Fighter's Guild, and they had a contract to stop arms shipments to the Black Bow bandits. He went down there himself to investigate, and came across a white bear pelt.

He brought it here and showed it to me. I'd seen the white bears in Skyrim, and I knew any white pelt had to be contraband. I'm a good tracker, if I say so myself, and I persuaded the boss to take me to where he found the pelt. We followed the trail of the smugglers, from a small dock on the Topal Bay, to a cave near Leyawiin that he knew was a bandit lair.

That confirmed the bandit connection, but we needed to tie the pelt to its source. He told me he'd found it in a rowboat. That was likely to have come from the Damsel, a ship in the docks that he'd been watching, but he had no proof. We asked around in town, and discovered that he hadn't found the only white pelt. Someone had just sold another to Gundalas. He didn't know the strange Khajiit, but the beggars did. She was the captain of the Damsel!

That was the piece of the puzzle we'd been missing, so we went on board to investigate. The boss was expecting to find an Argonian named Wave-Walker in charge of the vessel, as he was the one that told him about the rowboat. He was a member of the Blackwood Company, and he'd been hired to guard the ship, while the crew was away. But we couldn't find him, and the doors and hatches were all locked tight.

Except for one. There was a balcony door on the outside of the captain's cabin, They'd either forgotten about that one, or didn't think we could reach it, We went over the stern railing and entered the ship that way. The captain attacked us immediately, and we had to fight more of her crew on the decks below.

Wave-Walker was locked in a cabin on the lower deck. We also found the bodies of two Argonians in the hold, who'd obviously been tortured to death. Apparently the pirates had been working for both sides. They'd been smuggling weapons in for the bandits, and bodies out for the Count, probably dumping them at sea.

The boss had an idea. The Blackwood Company was struggling to reform itself as a proper hired security outfit. He'd killed off the previous leaders himself, when he destroyed the Hist tree they'd been using. The new head, Jee-Tah, was trying to run things honestly, but they had a bad reputation to dispel. The Fighters Guild was getting all the contracts, once again.

The idea was to turn the Blackwood Company into a naval patrol, hunting for pirates and smugglers. They had a number of good sailors in their ranks, and now the Damsel was available. They didn't really need a contact for the work, they could make enough income from any contraband thay confiscated. Now he'd found those dead Argonians, he had some leverage if the Count objected, too.

The Blackwood Company would no longer be in competion with the Fighters Guild this way. They'd handle anything off-shore, and leave the land jobs to the Guild.

Jee-tah liked the idea. Wave-Walker could captain the ship, and he'd run things back at base. Handle the financial side and record-keeping. The boss suspected he got sea-sick, but he didn't say anything.

Wave-Walker brought me back to Anvil in the Damsel. I wanted to bring him and his crew here to meet the rest of my team, but he was eager to go back and start patroling the Topal Bay.

Now I come to think of it, I'd bet he thought I was in the Fighters Guild, like the boss. Silly Argonian!

Posted by: mALX Jan 24 2012, 02:20 AM

GAAAAH !! You've got a thread that I didn't notice - will read and catch up - and sorry about that.

Posted by: Acadian Jan 24 2012, 02:34 AM

Nice tie in to the white bears and it was clever the way our hero resolved the Blackwood/Fighters Guild competition in Leyawiin.

Darwen was fun!

Posted by: Grits Jan 26 2012, 11:02 AM

Whew, I’m glad that Darwen is now getting senseless in the correct order. I like how the bears and Blackwood Company tie in to Darwen’s story. How funny that Wave-Walker thought he was going to meet a bunch of bear hunting fighters at Gweden.

Posted by: mALX Jan 30 2012, 05:58 PM

*

First off, this concept is Awesome & fun, but I expected that already coming from you.

Love that line !!!




ROFL !! Coming from Maiq - lost some coffee on my monitor over that line !!

Tsarrina's segment is my fave so far, this one had me rolling !!! The Legion is the first customer - yes, I absolutely picture that happening !! - Add to that word of her place spread without her ever putting foot in town and the Legion bringing supplies for discounts - again, Yes - You always manage to hide obscure realisms into your plots, Love that !!


Maeva - great candidate, ROFL !!



SPEW !!! ROFL !! I could picture this whole scene, but that line had me rolling !! As did the below quote :





SPEW !! As always, your unique humor and wording is going to cost me a new keyboard, ROFL !!
And again, below :



Ooh, your ridable bears join the brothel?

Love this, as I do all your mods - and Great Write (as always) !!!

Posted by: ghastley Jan 31 2012, 01:05 AM

@Acadian and Grits: More tie-ins in the next episode, mainly to a certain Alchemist in Skingrad. No bears were harmed in the making of this episode.

@mALX: Glad you've caught up.

----

Silanu Hlaalu

"Silanu is a special feature of Gweden" Tsarrina stated proudly. "Not only does she have the largest breasts in all Cyrodiil, but she's the strictest mistress of discipline you'll meet anywhere."

The reporter from the Black Horse Courier was inclined to think that her outfit was one of the wonders of the world, too. It seemed incredible that such thin leather straps could support what they did.

Silanu laughed. "If it's hard to believe, then it's usually magic. A lot of women are using Illusion magic to just make theirs look bigger, but I have a different story to tell."

---

When I was young, I was jealous of my older sister Falanu. She was getting all the attention from the boys, because her breasts had grown and mine hadn't started.

Do you know my sister? She's an alchemist, and she runs the All Things Alchemical shop in Skingrad. You do? Then you know she's a well-proportioned woman and I had a lot of catching up to do.

It didn't help that she was also a "wild child" in her youth, and way more active than most of her peers, if you know what I mean. I saw how much fun she was having, and I wanted my share. Well, I really wanted more than my share, like my sister was getting, but you get the point.

This was all when we were still living in Morrowind. Dunmer society is quite accepting of its young women playing the field before they're ready to settle down, and Falanu got invited to all the best orgies. I got left at home, because I wasn't big enough for that yet.

I was convinced that "big enough" was a reference to my breasts, not my maturity, so I was determined to do something about it, or them. I persuaded a mage I knew into casting a spell to make them grow. I should have just had her cast an Illusion spell to make them look bigger, but she did an Alteration spell. Perhaps it was so I wouldn't be pestering her for a repeat when it wore off.

Anyhow, they started developing, just as if I was a few years older. And they kept on going. At some point the spell-induced growth stopped, and my own natural growth took over. I ended up with both, and double-sized breasts. Apparently I was going to be quite large anyway. Fortunately, the spell had included a Feather effect, so they're no heavier than a normal pair.

Well I did get invited to the orgies once I was bigger, but they found out how young I was and wouldn't let me do any of the fun stuff. That's when I got into whips and teasing and that sort of thing. If I had to say no, I wanted to enjoy doing that. By the time I was old enough to say yes, I was attracting too much attention, and I wanted to say no, to most of them anyway.

When we left Morrowind, we settled on the Red Ring Road and Falanu opened her Alchemy shop there. I had a room in the basement where I could entertain my clients.

They tended to be the well-heeled gentry who had plenty of servants to order around. It seems that that kind of man finds relaxation in handing control to someone else for a time. He's used to getting what he wants, when he wants it, and it's all just too easy. I'm never easy, but I'm well worth the trouble.

One of my regulars was a nobleman by the name of Tertius*. He was an illegitimate son, but he didn't know who his father was, or if the first two sons were legitimate or not. He had an untraceable stipend that kept him comfortable, if not in luxury, and wasn't going to risk it by trying to find out more about his father.

He was a big healthy man, and I like big. Perhaps because he was so strong and commanding in his regular life, he liked me to spank him. I even had a special riding crop made with a weak shock enchantment, to make it tingle more. We had such fun together, I think I was falling in love with him. Not very professional, but so what?

So one day, he's bent over the chair in my room, I flick the riding crop across his backside, and he keels over dead! I can't believe it. If a man's heart is weak, it's much later in the proceedings that he'll have a problem. Besides, Tertius isn't a man with a weak anything.

A man I know only as Tertius' servant comes bursting into the room, screaming that I've killed his master. Falanu is as horrified as I am, and we're all panicking. To make things worse, the servant shows me a letter that was taken from a messenger on his way towards Chorrol, where Tertius lived. It's addressed to the illegitimate son ... of the Emperor!

The servant decides that I need to run away before the Legion Patrol finds out, and tells me I should go back to Morrowind while they try to cover up the crime. Before we know what's going on, the building is on fire, and I'm on a horse galloping up the road towards Cheydinhal, and the Morrowind border, with the servant leading the way. At the border, he sends me off to an address near Silgrad Tower. He turns back the way he'd come and I never see him again.

When the Emperor was assassinated, and the news reached Morrowind, I decided to return. There was obviously a bigger plot going on, and Tertius' death must have been part of it. I found Falanu's new shop in Skingrad and joined her there. Soon after, we had a visit from the Hero of Kvatch, who's now the Champion of Cyrodiil, and the proprietor of this Lodge.

He'd heard I was back in Cyrodiil, and he wanted to meet me. Someone in town had told him to ask Falanu about the large chest, so he had. Falanu sent him up to my room, probably thinking I had a customer.

I showed him the letter, and told him about the events at the old shop. He explained to me that the letter was meant for Martin, not Tertius, and the messenger they'd intercepted was on his way to Weynon Priory to have Brother Jauffre send it on. I could tell that he was intrigued by the story, and he wanted to find out more.

He went to the burned-out shop and found my riding crop, and that convinced him I was telling the truth. It still held a part of its feeble charge, and anyone could tell it wasn't a murder weapon. The fire was a troubling detail too. A blaze attracts attention, not deflects it, so it didn't make sense to do that.

Next he went to Chorrol, to ask about Tertius. There he was attacked by a member of the Mythic Dawn, a man called Eugal Belette. It turned out that he was the one who'd taken over Tertius' house in Chorrol after he died. There was a letter in his basement that tied him in to the plot to kill Tertius, and suggested that the servant I'd met was yet another agent.

Falanu remembered the servant hanging around the well at the old shop whenever Tertius was visiting, so she gave him the key to the well, and he went to take a look. He came back with another letter that proved what had happened, and that I was innocent. Or at least, that the Mythic Dawn was responsible for the murder. It was addressed to the assassin, and told him how he was to bring about Tertius' death.

He'd be in the room with us, under a spell of chameleon, so we couldn't see him. He was to cast a spell on Tertius that drained his health and made him weak to both magicka and shock.That tiny charge on the riding crop would become enough to finish him.

They thought they were killing the Emperor's son, and pinning the blame on me! Anyone could see now that it wasn't true. Except that if I hadn't used the riding crop, Tertius might still be alive. I hate them for that part.

I was still concerned that everyone might think I was part of that Mythic Dawn cult, so I came here to stay out of the way. This is a place that knows how to be discreet.

I still miss Tertius, and there aren't so many nobles to spank this far from the city. But they pay well, so I bring in enough for Tsarrina to let me stay. And I feel so much safer with all the others here. You've already met Prizna, haven't you? She's fought Daedra bare-handed, and bare everything else. How can I be afraid around people like that?

The reporter looked up from his notes. She'd mentioned her sister Falanu quite a bit in this story, and he could see that he'd have to get more detail from her on his way back to the city. He'd met her for the first time on his way to Gweden, and she'd struck him as a little "unusual". Especially some of the things she'd said when he was in her shop. Could Silanu enlighten him a little about what she meant?

Silanu would do that, but it would have to be strictly off the record. Some of the things her sister did weren't exactly legal, even it wasn't quite as big a deal as it would have been back in Morrowind. She'd get together with him later, when he'd finished his report about the Champion, and had more time to spend with her. It could be a long story...

----

* - Tertius means "third son", hence the musing about the prior two. It also suggests he wasn't considered by his father as being important enough for a proper name. Unless his oldest brother was Primo.

I used an image of Silanu as a load screen for when you enter the Gweden Lodge.

http://ghastley.org/Oblivion/images/load_silanu_sm.jpg

Posted by: Acadian Jan 31 2012, 02:49 AM

Falanu’s. . . little. . . er. . . big?. . . sister! And another story involving Cyrodiil’s Champ. Silanu seems like she would be well-suited to duty with the northern white bear patrol? Tsarrina seems to have quite a large crew working at Gweden!

Nit: ’Anyhow, they started developing,’

Posted by: mALX Jan 31 2012, 03:12 AM

This one had me rolling from beginning to end.

Spew! The riding crop survived the fire, ROFL !!

The plot to kill the Emperor's illegitimate son via riding crop, ROFL !!!

The final straw was the load screen at the bottom, I lost it !! LOVED this chapter !!!

Posted by: MyCat Feb 1 2012, 03:53 AM

Nit: Most people only use a single 'i' in "goiing".

Posted by: Grits Feb 2 2012, 03:41 PM

Silanu puts Alteration and Destruction magic to excellent use here.

I still miss Tertius, and there aren't so many nobles to spank this far from the city.

That just struck me as an especially humorous dilemma. Not the part about Tertius, of course.

Posted by: ghastley Feb 7 2012, 12:50 AM

@Acadian and MyCat: Nits duly picked. There seems to be an unwritten law that whenever you do a last minute edit you introduce another error in its place.

@mALX: It was that or Colonel Mustard in the library with a candlestick, and I don't have his permission to use him.

@Grits: Yes, Silanu has become a bit specialized, but I did add a customer for her in the mod, so she's not totally idle.


----

Cybeline

"Cybeline, tell the reporter how the Champion brought you to Gweden," Tsarrina asked the Altmer.

The tall girl smiled wistfully, as she remembered how it had all happened.

I was walking around a corner in Bravil, when I bumped into a well-dressed Imperial. I was quite a bit taller than him, especially as I was wearing high heels, so he planted his face right in my cleavage. He was polite enough to take all responsibility for the accident, and equally ready to admit he'd quite enjoyed it.

"It must have given you quite a shock," he said " I think you should sit down for a moment, perhaps in that tavern over there?" He offered me the support of his arm, and I accepted.

He was dressed in green velvet with gold trim, very opulent-looking. I didn't know who he was yet. "Probably a noble", I thought. "I hope he likes me!"

I was just a commoner, and I worked as apprentice to a skillful seamstress. I was learning to sew a straight seam, make simple lace and piping, that sort of thing. My employer also had me model outfits for her customers, particularly the men who were buying for their wives and mistresses. I was young and pretty, and all Altmer are tall and elegant. I was also not shy, even when I was modelling the more intimate garments.

She had the idea of letting me wear examples of her dresses, whenever I went into town. Then perhaps the women would see them, and want to look like me. If they dared to wear them, of course! Some of them were cut very low, like the one I was wearing on this outing. It was also one of her more expensive designs, and quite concealed my station, if little else.

He told me his name was Gellius, and I told him mine. He hadn't mentioned his family name, so I still didn't know exactly who he was. He showed his good taste by ordering a bottle of Tamika's 415. I was sure we were going to get along fine by the time we emptied that!

Much later in the evening, we left the tavern to head for his bed. Things were going just as I'd hoped. Then he turned us over the bridge towards the Castle! No, he can't be related to the Count, he's got such a nice personality.

The following morning, he asked me more about myself, and I had to tell him the truth. He was disappointed, as he knew his father wouldn't let him marry a commoner. I told him, quite honestly, that I'd never even considered marriage. I would perfectly happy as his mistress, especially if he was always as good as last night!.

He thought for a few moments. He wanted me to come and live in the Castle, so I really ought to become one of the staff. He'd ask his father if there was a job I could do. That seemed like a plan, but I had to get the dress back to the shop. I'd return later, to see what he'd worked out. He had a better idea. He'd buy me the dress. He really liked the way it looked on me.

I pointed out that I still had to return to the shop, whether I gave the dress back, or paid her for it.

So an hour ot two later, I was back at the castle, still wearing the same dress. Count Regulus liked it too. I could tell by the direction his eyes kept wandering.

He told me I could have a job in his court. I'd have a bed in the servants' quarters until he decided on more permanent arrangements. I could take my bag down there now while he talked further with his son about what sort of position I'd have..

I went down and changed into a plainer dress. Half an hour later, a guard came to fetch me. He took me up to the private quarters and opened the door to the Count's chamber. He pushed me inside and closed the door behind me. I soon found out what position the Count had in mind for me. Several, actually, and none of them comfortable. My dress was torn, and I was crying, as I clutched the remnants across my breasts and fled from the room.

When Gellius found out, his reaction wasn't what I expected. He wasn't angry with his father, but at me for not resisting his advances. I realized I wouldn't get any help from Gellius where the Count was concerned.

I got the job I'd been promised, but it was sweeping floors, and other drudge work. I was expected to sleep with the Count whenever he wanted. I tried to run away, back to my old job, but the guards wouldn't let me leave the Castle.

Gellius was obviously deeply affected by his father's treatment of me. He grew more and more remote, and started drinking heavily. Soon alcohol wasn't enough, and he moved on to skooma. His bed was no longer my refuge, it was just another part of my jail.

I was sweeping the floor in the dining room off the Great Hall when a stranger came up and spoke to me. He'd heard around town about the Count and how he treated his servants. Was it true?

I looked around to see if a guard was listening. When I was sure we were alone I told him all about Count Regulus Terentius and his disgusting demands. I probably embarassed him when I showed him where I'd been bitten.

He wanted to help me leave immediately, but for some reason I felt I had to give Gellius a chance to redeem himself first. Perhaps without the skooma, he'd again be the Gellius I'd fallen in love with He wasn't mean to me, like his father, just distant. There was still hope, wasn't there?

I knew Gellius kept his skooma in a chest behind his bed. I was only allowed in the room when I slept with him, so I didn't know how to take it from him. The stranger did. He slipped on a ring, and disappeared!

A few minutes later, he re-appeared with three skooma bottles in his hand. He'd give me three days to see if Gellius could straighten himself out, and then he'd come back to collect me.

Of course Gellius just got more skooma. He didn't care about me any more. He didn't care about anything. But there was still a problem with trying to leave. I knew the guards had orders not to let me leave the Castle, and I didn't have one of those rings. He let me wear his, but the guard's eyes still followed me. I knew it wasn't strong enough for me, and my weak skill at sneaking. They could still hear me, perhaps.

There was another chance, though. I could wear a robe and hood that covered me completely. The guards would see me, but they wouldn't know who I was. And if I looked like a noble, they wouldn't dare ask me to show myself. They were too afraid of the Count's bad temper to risk it.

So I just needed a silk robe and hood. And steady nerves. He could leave the first two in a sack in the servant's quarters for me, the third I'd have to supply for myself.

Two days later, the sack was full. I was happy they were red, as I always look good in that color. The silk accentuated my curves, which meant the guards wouldn't be looking at my face. This could work!

I started to creep out of the room, and then stopped myself. I had to think like a noble and stride out confidently with my head high. No, with my head down and my hair across my face. I wished I had longer hair.

In the end, I just walked. I couldn't decide what was the optimum strategy, so I didn't have one. That was probably for the best. The guards glanced appreciatively in my direction, and probably thought me stuck-up and aloof when I didn't look back. I headed over the bridge and across to the Lonely Suitor.

The stranger was waiting there for me. He had some normal clothes for me to change into. While I was doing that, he asked me what I would do, now I was out of the Castle. I replied that I couldn't stay in Bravil, as the guards might take me back. I didn't know a trade, as I'd not finished training as a seamstress, and the Castle had only taught me to be a drudge and a sex-slave.

"Regulus hasn't turned you off sex, I hope"

I wasn't sure if I was being propositioned. I was in the middle of changing, and everything was on show. He might want a reward for rescuing me, should I prove that I wasn't turned off?

I just laughed and assured him that that was impossible, and carried on getting myself dressed. He didn't try to stop me, even helped with the buttons at the back.

"Then I do have a proposition for you" He told me all about Gweden Farm, and Tsarinna's band of girls, He asked if I'd like to join them.

"As long as Regulus Terentius isn't a customer" I said.

She was wearing that dress. The one she'd worn when she met Gellius. She asked him to stand up close to her, so he could see her from Gellius' viewpoint. He put down his notebook and did what she asked. He wasn't so shy about looking at the girls now, and Cybeline was easy on the eyes, especially from that angle..

However, he wasn't expecting her to slip the material aside and show him how the bite marks had faded. She nearly put his eye out doing that!

----

I just started making an addition to the mod, that's in part based on writing this series of tales. Assuming that the Black Horse Courier did write an article about Gweden, it would probably get noticed by the Elder Council. The Red Dragon Club, a retreat for gentlemen in the Talos Plaza District, was run by the late Ormelius Goldwine before the Kvatch invasion took him out of play. The Elder Council needs the services of a few loyal women for various acts of intrigue and diplomacy, and the club was a fertile recruiting ground, as well as keeping them busy between assignments. The CoC would be the perfect person to step into Goldwine's shoes as proprietor.

I'm undecided whether any of the current cast should move to the city, or just pay the odd visit. So far I've just added the door to the end of an alley, and built the interior (below ground). I'll post some screenshots as soon as I have the staff uniform finished.

It will need a quest or two. I'm thinking of maybe busting the skooma trade in Bravil, although as seen above, I wouldn't wish dealing with the Count on anyone.

Posted by: Acadian Feb 7 2012, 02:24 AM

I do believe this may be my favorite of the stories so far. It fits beautifully into the game, has love gone awry, adventure, courtly intrigue, damsel in this dress distress and of course, the hero. I love how you portrayed Count Bravil and how his skooma-sucking son turned out so poorly – even tragically.

'It was also one of her more expensive designs, and quite concealed my station, if little else.'
This is beautiful in both its imagery and cleverness!

The Red Dragon Club sounds fun. A touch of noble intrigue between the sheets, as it were?


Nits – you are so right. I find exactly the same thing. It is the last minute edits that always seem to bite back. Anyway, I did notice a couple tiny ones:
'I was sure we were going to along fine by the time we emptied that!'
Missing a word? Perhaps ‘get’ in front of ‘along’?
'Much later in the evening, we left the taven to head for his bed.'
Tavern, of course.

Posted by: ghastley Feb 7 2012, 03:49 AM

I did a quick render from 3DS MAX of the basic outfit with a quickly-sketched texture (just diffuse, no normals yet) and I think it has promise.

http://ghastley.org/Oblivion/images/dragon.jpg

A bit of work on the dragon (especially the head) and I can start to populate the place!

Posted by: mALX Feb 7 2012, 05:10 AM

GAAAAH !!! Now we know who drove Gellius into his Skooma addiction!! ROFL !! Loved this latest addition.

I agree with Acadian, the Red Dragon Club sounds like fun !! Also, you could connect it to Gweden Farm with a transporter portal like the Arcane University uses so the girls could travel back and forth quickly for service vs sleep, lol.


PS: Love the screen of the headless lizard dragon (or is it two-headed?), ROFL !! Nice outfit for the Red Dragon Club !!!

Posted by: King Coin Feb 7 2012, 05:17 AM

I enjoyed this little story of Cybeline. She thinks her dreams are coming true, and then crushed!

Posted by: ghastley Feb 9 2012, 09:18 PM

I'm hi-jacking my own thread here, but the background for the Red Dragon Club is going to be spying for the Elder Council. Their main concern after the Oblivion Crisis is the succession, and finding a new Emperor. I'm assuming the fact that Uriel sends you off with the amulet towards Martin is that he's the only direct heir left (albeit illegitimate).

But I can't find anything about any siblings of Uriel VII and any cousins etc. that might still be around. Maybe I should ask Brother Arturo who he's going to check out next? Or does anyone here recall any genealogy I'm missing?

I just added a new section of sewers to connect the RDC to a grating just outside the city walls, so there's a back way out for anyone who needs it. Just need to add a few customers, and shoot the publicity stills.

Posted by: Acadian Feb 9 2012, 09:39 PM

Fact: Uriel's eldest son, Crown Prince Geldall Septim was assassinated right before the Emperor at the age of 56.

Consideration: Surely his age would support having produced an illegitimate offspring of his own?

Fun: One might think that the Guild of Prostitutes would definitely but discretely keep records of any. . . royal liaisons. You know, for future. . . business purposes. Or perhaps one of the older guild leaders would recall rumors regarding any of her sisters that hit the big time and attained the rank of courtesan and more. . . noble access? Just food for thought.

Posted by: mALX Feb 10 2012, 12:18 PM

Sorry for the double post

Posted by: mALX Feb 10 2012, 12:53 PM

This page has all the Septim Dynasty in it, scroll to the bottom of the page for the geneology chart:


http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Septim_Dynasty



There is another (illegitimate) son of Uriel's that it is up in the air whether he was actually killed. No body was ever found, and he was supposedly assassinated by Uriel Septim himself's orders (something Uriel Septim wouldn't have done), but it was at the time of the Imperial Simulacrum so that means it was Jagar Tharn that ordered the murder.

The murder was supposedly performed by Lady Benoch, who was devoted to the real Uriel. It occurred the year before Jagar Tharn was vanquished, and was ordered because Calaxes had suddenly become hostile to "Uriel" - which he would have if he suspected an imposter.

Calaxes was trying to overthrow "Uriel's" rule and set up the Temple of the One as the rule - probably to protect Tamriel from Jagar Tharn's rule.

I've always believed Lady Benoch knew Uriel/Jagar Tharn was an imposter by then, and instead of killing Calaxes she protected him. She developed a mysterious "gardener" after this, and 11 years later married him. My supposition is that the gardener is Calaxes and that he still lives.


Calaxes Septim (?b - 3E 398)

An (illegitimate) son of Emperor Uriel Septim VII, given the Archbishopric of The One in the Church of the Nine Divines. During Calaxes' reign as Archbishop, tensions grew between himself and the Emperor due to Calaxes' views on the secularity of government, and the Emperor's Legislation to limit the Church's Authority. Rumors grew that Calaxes was advocating a rebellion to establish a Theocracy, and soon afterwards he was assassinated on the 29th of Sun's Dusk 3E 398, in the Temple of the One, supposedly by Lady Benoch and the Imperial Guard because of the threat he represented.

Posted by: ghastley Feb 13 2012, 05:44 PM

Thanks for that link, mALX. Following a few leads from there got me to:

"Andorak Septim (?b - ?d)

According to A Brief History of the Empire, upon his father's death Andorak, Emperor Uriel IV's son, was disinherited by vote of the Council, and a cousin more closely related to the original Septim line was proclaimed Cephorus II by the next year, 3E 248. For the first nine years of Cephorus II's reign, those loyal to Andorak battled the Imperial forces. In an act that the sage Eraintine called Tiber Septim's heart beating no more, the Council granted Andorak the High Rock kingdom of Shornhelm to end the war. Andorak's descendants still rule Shornhelm as of the Fourth Era."

The last line suggests that the current ruler of Shornhelm would be the appropriate candidate to be rejected by the Council at the end of the process, being the closest provable relative, but of a lineage already rejected, and presumably with a renunciation of all future claims in the final agreement.

I've come up with my first pretender, and am putting the quest together now. http://ghastley.org/oblivion/docs/red_dragon.html Follow the link to Uriel's Cousin, too.

Hopefully I'll still have the time to continue this thread. And finish the Daggerfall mod, and the Bear Riders, and the companion sisters, and ...

Of course, "finish" is an inexact term, as I keep revisiting them to add more.

Posted by: mALX Feb 13 2012, 08:55 PM

WOO HOO !!

Posted by: ghastley Feb 14 2012, 12:46 AM

A quick interlude and Selena's tale. This was the first sub-quest I wrote for the mod, and it's a bit simple, even more so as she has to relate it without having seen it happen. Go there, kill everything, report back. So she'll talk more about Kvatch, from her point of view.


Selena

The second night at Gweden was just starting for the young reporter from the Black Horse Courier. His room was full of all the women he'd already interviewed, and he had a good idea what they had in mind.

They told him that Sugar had a pair of Orc brothers come in from Chorrol, and she was taking both on at once. With just one customer, it was like a cross between a rodeo and a wrestling match, so two was going to be a real spectacle. Tsarrina was selling tickets to watch, and she'd sent all these women over to him, so there would be more room for the men.

"So where would you like to start?" asked Virgilia, as innocently as she could.

He tried to avoid choosing. "Isn't there anyone here whose story I haven't heard?" But Tsarrina had sent those women upstairs over at the Lodge. She was controlling who he talked to, and when. He looked around the room, hoping for a way he wouldn't have to pick between them.

It must have been the way his gaze didn't linger any longer than it had to on Prizna that provoked her. "Come on now", she said. "You know you want to look. Start being honest with yourself!" Prizna was a tall, strong Dremora, and she had a lot of her colleagues backing her up. In seconds, he was lying naked on the bed, and Prizna was making him take a very close look.

That solved his problem with choosing, but now he had to deal with Prizna. He only saw one option, but he wasn't complaining. Prizna was moaning, but it didn't seem to be a complaint.

Inevitably, the others weren't going to just stand and watch. He couldn't see who was doing what, all he could see was Prizna. Sugar was busy, so he knew she wasn't one of them. He just hoped they'd be more gentle with him than she would.

---

"What did Juliana mean by 'silver-tongued Imperial'?" Tsarrina asked with a mischievous grin on her face. He groaned at that one, for more than one reason.

Tsarrina guessed he hadn't had a lot of sleep. She decided he should hear Selena's story next, as it wasn't too complicated.

Selena was a Redguard who'd survived the Siege of Kvatch. She came in and started to tell her tale.

Kvatch was a good town for a prostitute before the Daedra came. There was an Arena there, and a big market, and several taverns. Plenty of merchants and adventurers passing through, who might want a bit of fun while they were in town. The Count ran things with a light hand. Taxes weren't too high, the guard were forgiving, and business of all kinds was encouraged.

I worked for Garanil. He was an Altmer who owned a large house with private rooms that he rented out to us. He'd also solicit for us at the Arena, while we worked the taverns. I was making a good income, and didn't mind giving him a share. He took care of us, had a big Orc for a bouncer at the door to stop any trouble, and dealt with the law when we needed it.

But when the Oblivion Gate opened up outside the city, he ran away. He headed for a hideout in Salted Mine, to the north of Kvatch. We begged him to take us with him, but he told us we were on our own. The Orc bouncer didn't turn up, so we couldn't get any help from him, either.

We scattered, figuring we had a better chance of escaping individually. I climbed over a part of the city wall where a pile of rubble made a ramp, and made my way to the South. I found a campsite on the road. They told me Captain Matius had put up barricades to stop the Daedra coming out of the city, so it should be safe enough there. But they wanted to know where I'd got out, so they could guard there too.

I waited in the camp for the others from Garanil's house. None of them arrived, and nobody among the refugees had any news of them getting out. I guess I was the only one who made it.

A refugee camp's not a good place for a prostitute to do any business. There's just nowhere private enough. Most of us slept on bedrolls in the open, and the few tents were used by the healer, the smith, and others who had a proper job to do. We all pitched in to forage for food, but I had no hunting skills, and I wasn't good at finding the right plants either. I helped tend to the wounded, but I don't know any healing spells, so I still felt useless.

I was still hoping Garanil would return. He'd know what to do, and we'd start getting back to normal. But he didn't come. I was certain he'd got out of the city, so where was he now?

When the adventurer that I now know as the boss came to the camp, I asked him if he could help me find Garanil. I told him where Salted Mine was. That was the only place I knew where he might be. I was still hoping that Garanil would help us rebuild, and I could get back to my old job.

Salted Mine was on the other side of Kvatch, to the North. He asked me if he could go through the city to get there. I told him there was only one city gate, at the end of the road through the camp, and that one was blocked by an Oblivion Gate. Nothing could enter the city until that was shut down.

He strode off up the road anyway, to talk with Captain Matius at the barricades. The following morning a number of people came down the road telling tales of how the Oblivion Gate had just been closed. They'd not seen anything of the fighting, but had been sheltering in the Chapel of Akatosh until help arrived. The chapel had been damaged in the siege, but for some reason the Daedra were unable to enter it, and they'd been spared.

Brother Martin and Oleta, the healer from the chapel, were there, and so were Guilbert Selone, the gardener from the Arena, and a woman called Lenka Valus, whom I didn't know well. None of my sister prostitutes had reached the chapel, and nobody had seen Garanil. I asked Tierra, the guard who'd escorted the new batch of refugees from the city, but she hadn't seen him either.

She had seen my new adventurer friend, though. Captain Matius had told her that he was the one who closed the Oblivion Gate after the guards had failed. He'd rescued Ilend Vonius from the Deadlands too. They were calling him "The Hero of Kvatch" now.

She told me they'd all be trying to retake the Castle as soon as she returned to the city.

Just then a squad of legion men came into camp. They'd seen the smoke from the Gold Road and come to investigate. They followed Tierra back up the hill to Kvatch. I didn't see any of them come back down in the next few days, so I guess there was more fighting in the city.

The Hero came back a day or two later to tell me that he'd found Vampires in Salted Mine. They'd made Garanil a Vampire, too, and he'd had to kill them all. So Garanil wouldn't be coming back, ever.

He told me what the destruction in Kvatch was like. I'd seen some of it myself, but it got even worse after I escaped. He'd been with Captain Matius when they retook the Castle, and he'd found the Count's body himself. Matius was determined to rebuild, but that wasn't going to be happening soon. It would be years before there was a city on the hill again. Years before there would be a proper brothel in Kvatch. He asked me if I'd come here and help Tsarrina, instead. He'd see me here later, but he had to speak to Brother Martin first.

The three of us walked down to the Gold Road, but we went in opposite directions when we got there. I don't know where they were headed. The Hero thought it was best if he didn't reveal his plans. He and Brother Martin had something special they needed to do, and they didn't want to get me involved.

None of us knew back then who Brother Martin really was, and what would come to pass in the following months. I knew that the man I'd agreed to work for was now the Hero of Kvatch, and I had a feeling that he'd not stop there. Of course you know he became the Champion of Cyrodiil and more.

Posted by: Grits Feb 14 2012, 02:00 AM

The new mod sounds great! Politics and courtly intrigue will be a fun contrast to Gweden’s relaxed environment. The ladies look very svelte in their uniforms.

I thought Prizna's solution was perfect. Good thing the young reporter didn't have tusks or fangs to worry about.

I like Serena’s tale a lot. Just a working girl from Kvatch giving an insider’s view of events. I love that she walked Brother Martin down to the Gold Road with the Hero of Kvatch. I wonder if she knew him personally?

Posted by: Acadian Feb 15 2012, 12:59 AM

What a great interface and rich tribute you provide to Kvatch here! This was well-anchored in the game and should do a wonderful job of supporting your mod.

Nit: ’I asked Tierra, the guard who'd escorted the new batch of refugees fron the city, but she hadn't seen him either.’
‘from’ of course.

Posted by: mALX Feb 15 2012, 01:27 AM

The beginning of Serena's story where the reporter is talking SO reminded me of a joke. I typed it out before realizing...doubt it would be allowed on these boards, lol.

This Black Horse Courier reporter may never be the same, lol. And not sure if it was deliberate, but it seems everyone Matias went somewhere with - his partners ended dead and him a hero, ROFL !! I'd be leary about joining him in battle.

Loved Serena's tale, and the newest addition to the mod !!! Great Write !!

Posted by: ghastley Feb 20 2012, 05:57 PM

I just realised that I spelled Selena's name wrong all the way through that last entry. At least I was consistent! Let's hope I can spell Freija properly.

---

Freija

"I know you," said the reporter from the Black Horse Courier. "I reported on your Arena match against the Grand Champion."

"And I suppose you're wondering why I'm working here for him," answered Freija, "especially after the beating we gave each other."

"That did cross my mind," he admitted.

Freija took off her dress. What was it with these women? Why couldn't they keep their clothes on? She made him look closely at her body. She was covered in scars, everywhere he looked, There were a few places he wasn't going to look, or this interview would get off-track.

She put her dress back on, and he sighed with relief. Pehaps he'd be able to concentrate on getting the story this time. This should be a good one.

---

Like most Nords, I was fond of good food, a good fight, and a good ... well, just about anything. The North's like that, you have to work hard and play hard, just to stay warm. I did a few contracts for the Fighters Guild up in Bruma, and got myself a reputation for swinging a sword. That kept the men respectful, and made me a bit of gold, too.

But I needed some more excitement, so I went off into the mountains to look for ruins and caves to explore. That's where I came across a shrine to Boethia. I was promised all the excitement I could hope for, in the Tournament of Ten Bloods.

I wasn't too keen on having to kill all the other contestants, but I wasn't going to let anybody kill me either. I had trained well in the Fighters Guild, and I knew I could defeat them.

After I did, Boethia told me that my reward was immortality, if I wanted it. I didn't think it out, and agreed too quickly. I also accepted the suggestion that I should use it to become the Champion of the Imperial Arena. How could I lose?

The first fights were easy, but of course they get harder as you advance in rank. Before long I was fighting opponents who were my equal, and really able to hurt me. I couldn't lose, but I could get still get badly injured. You can't believe how painful it is to survive wounds that should be mortal.

The Basin of Renewal heals all, but it doesn't take away all the pain. Some of it will never go away; it's etched into my memory.

So I trained harder, and took more time between matches to make sure I was ready. I fought more defensively, and carefully. I still needed to attack to win, but I wasn't reckless any more. I became a better fighter, and won my matches fairly.

I don't know why I didn't just stop. I wouldn't have been the first to retire from the Arena. Maybe I was afraid of Boethia's "reward" and what might happen if it was taken back. I kept advancing, and was soon the team champion. Only one more match, and the title would be mine, and then maybe Boethia would be satisfied, and I could safely retire.

Normally, when the Grand Champion is challenged, it's an unlimited match, with no armor, weapon or spell barred. I had had matches against mages that burned off all my hair, and Orcs that swung huge warhammers that rattled my bones. I could get badly damaged in an unlimited match.

I persuaded the Battlematron, Ysabel Andronicus, that the crowd would be better served by the opposite. What would be better than a match where both combatants used equal equipment, and spells were forbidden? I got a lot of support from Owyn, the Blademaster, for that last idea. Like most Redguards, he hates spell-casters, .

Ysabel liked the idea too. We discussed what gear would be appropriate, and decided on reviving the ancient armor of the first Arena. Just a manica on the sword arm in place of the full cuirass. A traditional bronze helm and shinguards, with a round shield and gladius to match. Oh, better add a loincloth to keep it decent!

"That's not much protection, but it's the same for both combatants, The crowd will have no problems seeing the blood, if you're not all covered up." Ysabel reasoned..

Owyn wasn't so sure when he saw it. He wanted me to cover my chest. "This isn't that kind of show," he complained.

"It is now," returned Ysabel. "The crowd will love it. We should have the seats taken out from the cheap sections, so we can pack more in."

"But it's too distracting," Owyn argued. "I've seen them a thousand times, but I still can't help looking. It's got to be worse for the Champ. Aren't you supposed to be looking out for his interests?"

Ysabel was convinced that the Grand Champion wasn't going to have any problems concentrating on the fight. She had his financial interests to look after, too. This was going to draw in a much bigger crowd, and she got a cut of that.

They had an artist come in and draw my likeness for a new poster. It was quite tasteful, but one's imagination could easily fill in what it didn't quite show.. So could an urchin with some charcoal! I was going to be famous for that, if nothing else.

I would have the advantage of training with the unfamiliar antique equipment. The Gladius is a stabbing sword, unlike the modern edged weapons, and you need a different style of fighting to use it effectively. That also meant a different defense, especially without body armor. The current Champion would forget that, I hoped.

The day came, and I issued my formal challenge to the Champion. We suited up, (or is that down?), and took our places behind the arena gates.

When the gates dropped, we both came out slowly. I held my shield up in front of my chest to tease the crowd. I knew I'd get more effect when I moved it aside. I hoped that worked the same on the Champion.

The Champion never took his eyes off mine. Ysabel was right, he was too good a fighter to get distracted.

He opened with a slash at my shield arm, just as if he were using a regular shortsword. I dodged and stabbed under the swing. He wasn't there any more and I had to bring up my shield quickly to block the real attack. Damn! he understood the old weapons too.

Over the next half-hour we stabbed, blocked and parried at each other without seeming to make any progress. Neither had scored any major hits, but we were both bleeding from numerous small cuts. The crowd had cheered every one of those. especially when the blood trickled down my chest. Our swords and shields were showing a lot of wear, too, as most of our efforts had involved them colliding in futility.

I'd read that a lot of the fights in the early Arena had ended when one of the combatants collapsed from fatigue or loss of blood. Back then, the crowd got to choose if he lived or died. I couldn't die, but I was getting close to collapse.

My opponent had the advantage there. I'd fought short matches in the Arena, but he'd been off closing Gates in the Oblivion Crisis, facing streams of opponents in long battles to get to the Towers. I had trained hard, but I began to doubt if it was enough.

Then our equipment started to break. My sword tip snapped off against his shield, making it next to useless. Then the handle came off his shield, but I had nothing to attack with but my fists. I'd killed with them before, so that's what I used. And then my shield broke, just like his.

In a few seconds, we were both pummeling each other with our bare hands. The crowd had never seen anything like this before. This wasn't a back-alley brawl outside the tavern. We were trained fighters in open space. And without my shield, they could see me better. They loved it.

They couldn't see the bruises yet, but we could feel them. We were both liberally smeared with each other's blood, and our blows would re-open the cuts and keep it fresh and flowing. My only hope was that he was as close to collapse as I was.

He wasn't. I went down first. When I came back to consciousness, he was just standing there waiting for me. Anyone else would have tried to finish me off while I was down, but he hadn't.
Or had he? Had he tried and given up?

We tried to continue the match. I went down a couple more times, and realised we'd come to an impasse. He couldn't kill me, of course, but I couldn't win either. I suppose I could wait until he starved to death, but the crowd wouldn't.

I took off my helmet and told him what I had just thought. He agreed that the match had become pointless, and neither could win. We went back to the Bloodworks to ask the Battlematron for a ruling.

She had no idea how to handle a tie, they just didn't happen! She pulled a dusty old book from her cupboard, to read what had happened in the past. We'd fought our match with the old equipment, so the old rules should apply, shouldn't they? No, they didn't, she decided, one of us had to die.

"But I can't die" I confessed. "And I don't have the ability to kill him."

I had to tell them the whole story of Boethia and the immortality curse. I was cheating, so the match was void. Ysabel wasn't happy with the idea of a void match, as she might have to give the crowd its money back. And we'd certainly given them value. There hadn't been a bout this long in all her memory. Forfeit, then, just like you'd get for illegal equipment in a regular match.

I didn't care. I didn't want to fight any more, so any way we could stop was good with me. I didn't expect to get paid, either, and I was very surprised when the Champion insisted we split the purse. He said I'd done half the work, so I should get half the gold. We'd announce a tie, not a forfeit.

We washed off the blood, and went back up to the Arena with Owyn, who raised both our arms in "victory". The announcer declared a drawn match, the first in history, and the crowd went wild! The Champion would retain his title, as he had not been defeated. I would retire undefeated, too.

A part of the crowd who'd hoped for a rematch weren't happy with that, and a few small fights broke out in the terraces. The guards soon stopped those, however, as the majority of them knew they'd had a great show. I was still giving them one, if you think about it.

Back in the Bloodworks, the Champion asked me what I'd be doing after this. "Hurting" I told him.

He meant after that. I hadn't given it any thought, mainly because I hadn't expected this outcome.
He pointed out that I wasn't reluctant to use my "obvious assets" to my advantage, and suggested I join his venture here at Gweden.

I wasn't ready for that kind of switch in career yet. I liked the idea of giving pleasure instead of pain, but I couldn't come to terms with asking for payment. "If a guy deserves me, he should get it for free." I told him.

"Besides, I need to get myself some different skills if I'm not going to be a fighter any more. I want to learn to heal, instead of injure. Cure diseases, that sort of thing."

He'd wait. He marked the farm on my map, so I knew where to find him when I was ready. I gathered up my few possesions, put on a plain robe, and hit the road.

I went back to Bruma first, and had Cirroc teach me healing, both for myself and others. It was strange to learn spell-casting from a Redguard, but I guess healing is a special case. Owyn never had any problems with the Basin of Renewal being magical. It was just there, and we all used it.

Bravil was next, the Mages Guild. I wanted to avoid fights in future, and I thought a Calm spell would help. It would probably make healing more effective too. It's a friendly place, that guild, and I stayed for about a week before I moved on.

Heading back North, I ran into a bandit. My new Calm spell wasn't enough, and I ended up having to kill him with his own weapon. Carrying one of my own wasn't a good idea, as that seemed to make the bandits attack first and talk later. I needed to be able to conjure one instead. That way, I wouldn't look threatening until I needed it.

Chorrol Mages Guild was the place to go for Conjuration, so that was my next stop. We worked on creating me a custom spell that gave me both a bound sword and some armor. The defense was mainly magical, as I figured I'd use my natural distractions to supplement it. Even if it hadn't worked on the Champion, it would work on highwaymen and bandits. Teekeus made me practice it in the basement, as I was distracting everyone else!

I still wasn't ready to take up the Champion's offer. I felt better about travelling the roads now, so I went all the way to Cheydinhal next. I wanted to see more of Cyrodiil before I made up my mind, and I could take some training in the chapel there. Perhaps to cure disease, or poison.

I was about as far from the farm as I could get in Cheydinhal, and there was something I didn't like about the place. Maybe it was the corrupt guards, although I'd run into those just about anywhere I went. Cheydinhal did seem to have more than its share. So I didn't stay long, and soon found myself headed for Anvil.

I wasn't consciously going towards Gweden, that was just coincidence, wasn't it? I wasn't sure any more, but it wouldn't hurt to learn another spell at the Mages Guild while I sorted out my mind. By the time I learned to cure paralysis, I was decided.

The Champion wasn't at the Lodge when I arrived. Tsarrina promised to send him a message, and introduced me to the rest of the team. That was a word I hadn't heard since the Arena, and it meant something different here. Most of the Arena fights were one-on-one and the only help you got from your team was encouragement before the bout.

Ok, maybe there were a few similarities, but there wasn't another team to hate here. Quite the opposite. And every match was a tie, or as close as you could manage.

Tsarrina told me I'd really be part of a team that night. One of the men of the Anvil watch had got a promotion, and they were all coming here for an orgy to celebrate! She assumed I wasn't too shy for that after my Arena performance.

She showed me where I would sleep, and gave me a chest to stow my things. I didn't carry much, just the helmet from that championship match as a reminder of what I'd put behind me.

Back downstairs, the men were beginning to arrive. It was strange to see them in civilian clothes, but that didn't last long.

"Didn't I see you in the Arena?" one of them asked. I noticed he wasn't looking at my face when he said that. The other men noticed that too, and laughed at him.

So I gave him something better to remember me by. I could tell by the way they all cheered that he would.

Posted by: Acadian Feb 21 2012, 01:10 AM

And the crowd roars! This was just a real nice story with some great insights into the price of immortality, the Arena and respect between two skilled combatants. You well-captured the length and futility of Freija’s final match. And she retires in fine style. Hey, scars are sexy!

You also paint the Champion with a noble brush that makes the intentionally nameless/faceless hero one that any gamer would like to play.

Posted by: ghastley Feb 28 2012, 02:43 AM

Since posting Freija's story I've created a http://ghastley.org/Oblivion/images/FreijaPosterClean.jpg that I'll be putting up in a couple of places. The Red Dragon Club will get a clean copy as decoration, and the Gweden Lodge will get a copy that's been defaced by a street urchin with a piece of charcoal.

But on to the next interview...


---------

Nelrene

Tsarrina brought in the next one proudly. "This one would like you to meet our Mazken," she said.

Nelrene was as big as Prizna, but thankfully not as naked. She wore a dark satin dress decorated with black lace and fringes, with a wide hooped skirt. A plunging neckline fought for attention with her glowing eyes.

Did all Daedra have eyes that glowed? Prizna's were red, and Nelrene's were blue, but they both shone with the same unworldly light. He didn't ask, yet. But he did ask about her race. Mazken, Tsarrina had called her.

Nelrene explained that the Mazken came from Sheogorath's realm, the Shivering Isles. There was another Daedric race there, too - the Aureals, also called Golden Saints. Nelrene didn't understand why Sheogorath needed them when he already had the Mazken, but she bowed to his will. Nelrene started to explain:

The Mazken are all completely loyal to their Lord Sheogorath, but our loyalty to mortals has to be earned. For me, the Champion of Cyrodiil did that even before I knew that he had become the Madgod.

Syl had enough of Sheogorath's favour that we served her too, but it was starting to wane. She was his Duchess of Dementia by virtue of having slain the previous Duke, and she was permanently in fear that she'd have the same fate. Of course she would eventually, those are Sheogorath's rules.

She was supposed to just get on with her job as Duchess, and leave the succession issue to the Madgod's wisdom, but that wasn't Syl's way. She wasted all her time looking for conspiracies against her, and creating them in the process.

I could sense that she had overstayed her welcome as Duchess, and that I would serve the Madgod better by helping to remove her. When Muurine began to plot against her, I took my place in the conspiracy and did what I could to help advance it.

Muurine told me it was all about Syl's little fling with Thadon, the Duke of Mania, whom Muurine hated. It seemed important to her, and perhaps it was, as another sign that the era was ending and the Greymarch beginning. I didn't know, but I agreed to her plan. I didn't care about the petty excuse they had for wanting Syl's death, but I knew her time was coming.

I provided Ma'zaddha with a weapon, and demanded that he find someone to use it against Syl. Anya Herrick, Syl's handmaiden, was a good candidate, as she could get close to her. He had contacted Anya, and was beginning to bring her round to our side when the Lord Sheogorath himself spoiled it all. He sent the Champion to Syl, to become her Grand Inquisitor. It seems it was too soon to dispose of Syl, and the conspiracy was not to succeed.

I did not realize that until it failed. First the Champion, and Herdir, Syl's personal torturer, interrogated Syl's steward Kithlan, and found out about Anya. Then Anya directed him to Ma'zaddha. The Khajiit held out, despite the attentions of Herdir, and the trail could have ended there. But I foolishly tried to keep the conspiracy alive. I spoke to Ma'zaddha late at night in Crucible and told him to find someone else to replace Anya.

I didn't know that the Inquisitor was listening to us. He confronted the Khajiit after I'd left and got him to agree to get more names. Someone else overheard them. Ma'zaddha was murdered, and the Inquistor found the sword I'd given him in his cupboard. I knew the conspiracy was over when he showed it to me. I sent him to Muurine. I hoped she could convince him that it was justified.

Syl was delighted to have the plot unravelled, and took great delight in executing Muurine herself. Then she turned her spite on me, and had me sent to to Corpserot Prison.

The imprisonment itself was of no concern. I'd have to fight my way out past the Grummites, but a Mazken is immortal, and my death would just be a delay in reaching freedom. But that snake Syl had another card to play. She told me she'd asked Lord Sheogorath to make me mortal. As in no return to the Wellspring. As in dying from diseases, permanently. That kind of mortal!

I didn't know it was a lie. I stayed cowering in the cell until the Champion came to get me. He had to bring me some Amber armor and weapons before I'd venture out. I didn't trust anything else. Syl had no influence in Bliss, so Amber should be trustworthy.

If I'd stopped to think about it, I'd have realised that Syl would have killed me as soon as I became mortal. Since she hadn't, she couldn't and I wasn't, but I was too scared to reason clearly.

We didn't encounter any Grummites inside the prison, as they'd all fallen when he came in, but there were some waiting for us as we emerged. I forgot my supposed mortality when I got into battle, my training just took over. But the fear all came back afterward. He healed my wounds, which were minor anyway, but he couldn't take away the fear. The walk back through Dementia was a long and frightening one for me.

He brought me into Tamriel, through the door in Niben Bay. I still felt unsafe, even here.

He told me Syl was dead, and he'd killed her himself, so he could be certain of that. That she had lied to me about being mortal. That he was now the Madgod, after defeating Jyggalag. That's when I stopped believing him again.

He had to take me to Sheogorath's Shrine before I'd change my mind. When Haskill's voice confirmed all he'd told me I was so ashamed. I had disbelieved the true Madgod.

He understood. It was because I thought for myself, instead of just blindly waiting for Sheogorath's direction, that he'd thought me worth rescuing from prison in the first place.

Now he wanted me to think for myself again, and consider Gweden. I had a few questions first.

If I died here in Tamriel, how could I return when the Wellspring was in the Isles? He told me the door on the Island would remain, and I could return to the Shrine here too.

How could I be here in Tamriel, where none of the other Mazken could follow? That was harder to explain. Actually any of them could come here if they were invited, but they wouldn't, because they believed they couldn't. I believed I could, and he'd invited me, so I did. Especially now, Daedric princes weren't allowed into Tamriel, but he was the Madgod, and that didn't stop him returning. He belonged here, and I could too, if I wanted.

Would I really be welcome at Gweden? I had always been a guard, a soldier, an authority figure. He told me about Silanu, and that got me even more confused. I couldn't understand why anyone would pay her to do that. But then I remembered how strange the people in the Isles had been, and it wasn't so unusual after all.

And I really did find a welcome here. If there's any trouble, my training comes back to the surface, but that's rare. And my habit of ordering mortals around isn't the disadvantage I thought it would be. Apparently some guys do like to be told what to do. Of course, what I'm telling them to do has changed a bit.

So put down that pen and notebook, and help me with these lacings.

"How may I serve?" he asked her. Tsarrina stopped them. He had another interview or two before that.

Posted by: Acadian Feb 28 2012, 04:17 AM

Great poster for the Arena.

Goodness. Gweden sure stables a wide variety. Something for every taste. I’m really hoping there’s a Golden Saint in there somewhere! Or maybe a flame atronach – that would be hot. Eeep! No spider daedra though.

Posted by: mALX Feb 28 2012, 06:02 PM

I was amazed at the detailed background into Sheo's SI realm in this - and loved the Poster, you have some artistic talent !! Awesome Write !!

Posted by: ghastley Feb 28 2012, 06:27 PM

That's actually quite simple in GIMP or Photoshop. Take a screenshot, trim out the bit you need, run an edge detect filter, then colorize. It's not very far different from part of the process for making a screen shot into a load screen.

Which reminds me. I need a load screen for entering the Red Dragon Club....

And of course I http://www.ghastley.org/Oblivion/images/load_red_dragon.jpg

Posted by: Grits Feb 29 2012, 03:17 AM

These last two stories have been my favorites for their rich backgrounds and tons of detail. Also for provoking numerous giggles and snorts. Are you sure it wasn’t a drunken Nord who embellished Freija’s poster?

The Red Dragon Club quests look great! I especially enjoyed reading about Uriel’s Cousin. It’s fun watching the intrigue grow.

Posted by: ghastley Feb 29 2012, 06:54 PM

Nord, street urchin, where's the difference?

Posted by: mALX Feb 29 2012, 07:15 PM

You have an awesome talent !! Nice load screen !!

Posted by: ghastley Mar 6 2012, 12:21 AM

@Acadian: A Golden Saint? Ask and you shall recieve, if it's at Sanguine's shrine, and you do a quest for him first.

@Grits: Hopefully a few giggles in this one, too.

@mALX: No pictures in this one, and I've created a thread in the Mod Announcements section for the ongiong changes, so I can keep the future presents out of the present, in future.


The auto-censor had a field day with this episode, so if I missed anything it did, let me know. Or if you know an acceptable alternative to [woman of negotiable virtue].

-------------

Goldie

"When the Champion returned from the Shivering Isles, he told this one all about the Saints and Seducers," said Tsarrina to the reporter. "So when Nelrene came here, this one told him we simply must have an Aureal as well, to preserve the balance."

"To be honest, she just wanted to find out what one looked like. If that one proved to be a good fit for this establishment, that was pure gravy."

"So you'd best talk to Goldie, next, and you can see for yourself."

Goldie was everything the reporter had expected when he first arrived, but more so. This was his vision of the ultimate [woman of negotiable virtue]. A golden image of a perfect woman. Seductive, but aloof and detached. Dazzlingly beautiful, and the smooth gold skin, and glowing golden eyes, made her almost unbearably so. Out of reach, unless you paid for the privilege. And you'd pay anything for Goldie.

She'd had a lot of practice, being immortal, so it wasn't too surprising. She wasn't naked like Prizna, as that would give him an excuse to look away, but her outfit hid only enough to make him want what it concealed. A calculated balance that had been perfected over a long existence.

What he hadn't expected, was that she was not from Sheogorath's realm at all, but from Sanguine's.

"I'm not like the other Aureals," she told him. "It is true that I have little or no respect for males until they earn it, but they can do that in my bed. I'm not too hard to please, either."

The look Tsarrina gave him suggested that was an understatement.

"But how was a man going to get anywhere near me if he hadn't already proven himself?" she asked. "I desperately wanted them, but they were all unproven, and thus unworthy. I was rejecting them all until Sanguine took charge. I bowed to his will, of course. He is a Daedric Prince, after all."

"He told me to be his [woman of negotiable virtue] To simply obey him, and let him choose for me. To start with, I despised the men, but I loved what they did to me, They were as impersonal to me as I was to them, just a means to an end."

"But some were better than the others. They managed to engage more of me, to get me more involved. To find my preferences and exploit them, as I did theirs. Was it a contest, or a partnership? Did they care about me, or just getting good value for what they paid? I was intrigued, as well as stimulated, by Sanguine's game."

"And how did I come to be playing it here? The Champion asked for an Aureal, and Sanguine provided me."

Goldie began her tale of the Champion.

He had come to Sanguine's Shrine here in Cyrodiil to petition the Daedric Prince. Yes, there was an Aureal [woman of negotiable virtue] for Gweden if a small task could be performed in exchange. I was summoned and presented to the Champion for his approval. I was on offer if he could succeed. Sanguine didn't have to ask me, he knew I'd jump at this.

A Daedric Prince's task is never as easy as it first appears. Sanguine simply asked him to fetch the undergarments of Ulene Hlervu. What he didn't tell him, of course, was what he'd have to do to get them. The Champion told me all about it when he got back, and Sanguine filled in the parts he missed out.

He'd met Ulene before, and she'd been quite pleasant on that occasion. She'd told him where to find Azura's Shrine and been very surprised when he'd come back with her Star. She'd always considered worshipping at the shrine a complete waste of time, as you never get anything good from a Daedra Lord. True, he had the Star, but only after a gruelling fight with a cave full of Vampires, so her opinion didn't change much.

But Ulene and the Champion didn't exactly have the kind of relationship that gave him ready access to her underwear. He'd considered his options.

He could attempt to improve her disposition to the point necessary to remove them. Not only might that be beyond his Speechcraft's capabilities, but he was trying to recruit me, not her. Silanu was already at Gweden, so he didn't need another Dunmer.

He could sneak into her room at the castle and steal some. He had the impression that Sanguine didn't want stolen goods, and the ones he wanted were those she was wearing.

He could just tell her the truth, and see if she believed it. She'd been totally straight with him about the Daedric Shrines, so it seemed to be the best alternative. And it was.

Although she was a bit reluctant at first, she admitted that there was a good reason for Sanguine to be interested in her underwear, as he clearly knew all about the Count. The Champion didn't, so she explained further.

The Count had always been a philanderer, even when his late wife was alive. Lysatha didn't seem to mind, most likely because she wasn't entirely faithful herself. She was as young as Ulene, and Ulene understood that.

The Count, however, liked to mark his conquests by collecting souvenirs, specifically undergarments. No, he didn't have any of hers, and she was wearing particularly thick and unsexy flannel ones to help ward him off. They were probably the ones Sanguine wanted, because if she gave those up, it would be proof the Count had been "cured".

When I asked Sanguine about that, he said she'd got it exactly right!

The Champion made some discreet inquiries around town. Some of the answers weren't as discreet as his questions, and they painted a lurid picture of Count Andel Indarys. There were a few women who admitted to being flattered by the Count's attention, but complained that he'd been less interested in the contents of their lace and ribbons than the garments themselves. Others had refused the Count's advances, but found they'd lost items from their laundry afterward.

So if he wasn't doing it to keep a tally. Ulene wondered if the Count was just collecting, or wearing them himself? Which ever it was, she decided, it was time to stop it. If the Champion could steal the Count's collection back, she'd make sure they were all returned to their owners, and let all the women know what happened. Maybe if they all knew, the Count would be embarrassed enough to stop. Meanwhile she was going back to her room to see if anything was missing.

On his way into the Castle, the Champion met Garrus Darelliun, the guard captain. He knew Garrus from an earlier visit, when he'd helped him to expose Ulrich Leland, the prior captain, and his fines racket. He asked Garrus if he knew anything about the Count's panty fetish. No, he didn't, but it he found it particularly odd, because the late Countess never wore any.

Garrus looked the other way when he entered the private apartments, but he used his Ring of Shadows anyway. No point in the other guards getting involved. There was a chest behind the Count's bed containing what he was looking for, but he wasn't expecting the quantity he found!

Ulene was surprised to be talking to an invisible Champion, but he wasn't taking his ring off while he was carrying a huge pile of women's panties! She understood, and led him to where he could put them down. When she saw how many there were, she was even more astounded.

She picked through the heap until she found some she recognized as her own. That confirmed for her that the Count had been stealing! She held up the dainty scrap of lace and asked the Champion if these were the ones Sanguine wanted. She already knew the answer, she just wanted him to know that the ones she was surrendering weren't her usual style.

Ulene slipped into the next room and made the swap. She came back out with a large sack and stuffed the rest of the pile into it. Then she handed him his prize, which was almost as heavy as all the others put together. I saw them when he brought them back to the shrine. They were almost thick enough to wear for armor!

Sanguine wanted me to try them on. He said he wondered if they'd manage to make even me look undesirable. I told him he already knew the answer, so why spoil the Champion's opinion of me?

He laughed, and told me I was free to leave with the Champion if I wished.

I took that as a direct order, because I wanted to. I would inspect this Gweden Lodge on behalf of Sanguine, and see if it would meet with his approval. I wasn't going to let the Champion know that joining him was my own choice, even if I did think he'd done well. He had a bit more persuading to do, I hoped.

The reporter asked her about the name "Goldie". Sanguine had called her that, and it suited her purposes well. It made her anonymous and familiar at the same time. She'd almost forgotten her real name, and he didn't need to know it. Goldie was what she was and who she was now.
"Do you think you'll ever return to Sanguine's realm?" asked the reporter.

"Only when Tamriel runs out of men." she replied.

Posted by: Acadian Mar 6 2012, 02:03 AM

Golden Girl Graces Gweden Gang! Golden Globes Galore!

Woman of negotiable virtue! My chuckles grew greater each time I read that!

And the undulating saga of Ulene’s undies! The things our poor Champion does!

Posted by: Grits Mar 6 2012, 02:47 AM

I’ve resorted to “strumpet” and “harlot,” but they just don’t have the same zing as [woman of negotiable virtue].

Our hero conducts a legendary panty raid!! Nice to see Sanguine taking an interest. Ulene’s little I-don’t-usually-wear-granny-panties cracked me up.




ETA: Just saw "Golden Globes." LOL, Acadian!!

Posted by: mALX Mar 7 2012, 01:05 AM

*

GOLDIE! (donks forehead) [donk] - I should have know it would be a Golden Saint !! That shows how fast my mind isn't working today !!

Tramp
Trashy
Streetwalker
Lady of the Evening
Lady of Easy Virtue
Hooker
Horker Swallower (or Hider)
Worshippers of Dibella

Love the whole section about how to get into the pants, but this line had me roaring:

Loved this chapter !!!


*

Posted by: mALX Mar 7 2012, 04:56 AM

Trollop

Posted by: ghastley Mar 13 2012, 12:02 AM

@Acadian: no Golden Globes this time. WIll Golden curls do?

@Grits: no granny-pants either

@mALX: "Worshipper of Dibella" would only get me confused with my own Warrior Nuns, but I'll probably use most of the others at some time.

--------------

Meena

"So," said Darwen. "Do you think you can handle three?"

"We're only little" offered the girl with the long blonde curls. He hadn't met her yet. She looked young, or was that just because she was small, like all the Breton women?

The third was Virgilia, who wasn't exactly little. Not in the important places. But she was a lot shorter than the Daedra women, or the Nords, or Sugar, and definitely smaller than Silanu!

It was just that he was comparing her to a petite Breton and a slender Wood elf. She was probably as young as the Breton, and still as giggly as a schoolgirl. That could just be an act, of course, but he liked it.

She was wearing a dress this time, at least for the moment. That didn't fit the schoolgirl image, as it was cut to emphasise her shape, and show off her breasts. It was a rich velvet, with a deep blue color that matched her eyes, and a texture that invited his hands.

But Virgilia didn't want all of his attention - yet. She wanted to introduce him to Meena, the blonde. Meena was a diminutive of Hermine. Hermine Alliot, of the Harcane Grove. She'd have a special tale to tell him tomorrow, so they wouldn't spoil that now. The only thing they'd reveal was that she learned about sex from watching wild animals, so the others were teaching her all the other ways. He'd help with her education, wouldn't he?

"All the other ways?" he asked "How many are we talking about?"

"More than we have time for, but we can cover the basics tonight, and see how far we get," smiled Darwen, slipping out of her buckskins. "Help Meena with her dress, she's still re-learning buttons, too."

They were round the back, where nobody can comfortably reach for themselves. He'd always suspected they were put there so that help would be required. Women are just so devious! He let Meena undo his buttons in return. She did seem unused to them, but at least she could see what she was doing with these.

Darwen and Virgilia were waiting for them on the bed. They took turns to show Meena what to do, and she copied them. Some of the positions were new to him, so Meena wasn't the only one getting an education.

---

As it happened, the reporter's first interview the next day was with Meena, the cute little Breton with the intriguing mystery past they'd alluded to last night. He was eager to have it all revealed to him. Her story, he remininded himself. She'd revealed everything else most thoroughly the night before.

When I met "the Boss" I was a virgin. I didn't have any choice in the matter, I was guarded night and day to keep me that way.

You see, Hircine wanted a Unicorn horn for his collection, and they're rare, to say the least. It's not easy to create a Unicorn, and it takes a long time. You have to start with a white horse, and keep it in close contact with a virgin while the horn grows. That takes years.

I didn't know any of that to start with, or none of my story would have happened. I was maybe ten at the time, travelling with my parents down towards Bravil, when we were attacked by bandits. Someone grabbed me and carried me off, and I lost sight of my parents.

They took me to a shrine in the woods, and showed me a white colt that looked as nervous as I was. They told me they wanted me to look after the horse, and I'd be able to ride him when he got a little bigger. If I wouldn't do what they said, then they had some wolves that needed a meal.

I went over to the horse, and he seemed to calm down when I touched him. Someone handed me an apple to feed him, but no knife to cut it with. It was too big to feed him it all at once, so I had to bite pieces off.

They led us to a little valley in the woods where there was a small stream for water, and plenty of grazing for the horse. I got a bedroll on the ground, and a sack with some bread and cheese in it They left me there with the horse, and walked off, back towards the shrine.

I started to run off after them, but a Minotaur blocked my path! I was terrified, of course, but the creature didn't do anything but stand in the way. I walked back to where the horse was nibbling the grass. The Minotaur watched me, but didn't follow.

Over the next few days I discovered that there were at least three of the Minotaurs patrolling around the edge of the grove. If I tried to leave they'd be there to turn me back. The same for the horse. He couldn't leave either.

Eventually I got up the courage to try running past them. The Minotaur was faster than I was, and carried me back, kicking and yelling to the middle of the grove, where he gave me a beating to discourage any further attempts.

The Unicorn didn't try to escape until much later. He was big enough by then for me to ride on his back, but I wasn't riding when he tried to run off. He'd be faster without me. His horn had started to show too, but it was still just a little bony bump on his forehead, and no use as a weapon. He was quick, but the Minotaurs seemed to know where he was headed, and knocked him down.

He was frightened more than hurt, and ran back to me for comfort. He'd do that many more times in the years we were there. The Minotaurs never did us any real damage, but it always hurt.

I was growing, too, and my clothes were getting worn out and tight. My shoes hurt my feet, so I stopped wearing them, and then I wore holes through my stockings. My blouse wouldn't fasten any more, and my skirt was tprn in several places. Pretty soon, I'd stopped wearing anything.

A fresh sack of food would arrive while I slept each night, and I had hoped that new clothes would come the same way. Apparently I didn't need to wear anything to look after the Unicorn, so I didn't get any.At the rate my hair was growing, perhaps that would cover me soon!

It wasn't just my hair growing. I was starting to change shape, too. And there were other changes. I could see the horse becoming a Unicorn before my eyes. I wondered if I was turning into something else, too.

Just a woman, it turned out. That's a bit scary, if there's nobody to explain what's happening.

I didn't know much about sex, of course. My parents had only told me what I wasn't to let boys do to me. At that age, I hadn't a clue why they'd want to do that anyway. Out here in nature every day, I'd watched wolves, or deer, a few times, so I was starting to get the picture.

The males always seemed to know when the females were ready for them by smell. I could see him sniiffing the air, and he'd go trotting off towards her with, how shall I put this? Increased interest?

My own cycles seemed to cause some sniffing, too. My Unicorn would flare his nostrils, and sometimes he'd scare me with how he reacted. The Minotaurs sampling the air were even more of a worry. as they're half-human. Except that they had nothing to react with. No wonder they were such a bad-tempered bunch!

Riding the Unicorn was making me feel different, too. The more excited it made me, the faster the Unicorn's horn seemed to grow. It was getting quite long now, and he was becoming more aggressive to the other animals around the grove. He was always so gentle with me though.

One day, I found a man's dead body near the edge of the grove. He was wearing leather, and carrying a bow, but they were all useless now. He'd been badly hacked with an axe, it appeared. Just like the Minotaurs were carrying. One of them saw me and drove me away from the corpse, before he picked him up and carried him away.

I was beginning to understand it all now. The Minotaurs weren't there just as jailors for myself and the Unicorn, but also to stop the hunters from taking the prizes before they were ready. One prize was the Unicorn's horn, of course, and another was me.

I sat down and worked it all out. The Unicorn's horn had been growing really quickly recently, so obviously the older we were, the faster it grew. But there had to be a reason why they needed me here. Was it because the horn wouldn't grow if I wasn't with the Unicorn?

And then there was the question of why me, and not any other girl. Perhaps it was hard to find girls who hadn't done it?

And now the horn had grown big enough for the hunters to start coming, why was I still a prisoner? What would happen if they let me out now? Presumably the horn would stop growing, but was that all? Then it struck me. Maybe the horn would fall off and get lost! That had to be it, nothing else made sense.

But it wouldn't just be going away. It would be what I could do if I went away. That's why they kept all men away from me. Why the Minotaurs didn't have everything they were born with.

I wasn't going to let anyone kill my Unicorn, of course. That horn represented several years of my life, and so I didn't want it wasted, either. The two of us had to escape together, and find a way for me to lose my virginity without the horn getting lost in the woods.

The three Minotaurs were more than a match for us, so we'd need outside help just to get away. When another hunter approached the grove and the Minotaur started towards him, we ran over in the opposite direction and drew the other two Minotaurs with us, to stop us escaping. That left the hunter with only one Minotaur to deal with.

One was enough, especially one with an enchanted warhammer to swing. But the tactic was promising, if the right hero turned up.

And of course he did, or I wouldn't be here today. The Minotaurs fell one by one, and My Hero strode into the grove.

Well, limped, actually, because he'd not escaped totally unscathed. Fortunately, I was riding the Unicorn and he'd put away his weapons, so the Unicorn didn't attack. He was quite calm. I was the exact opposite.

My new Hero told me Hircine had sent him for the horn, and I told him everything I knew about it. He agreed with my theory about how it all worked, and said he knew just how to get the horn without harming its owner. I just had to follow him to Anvil.

I didn't know how far Anvil was, or I might not have agreed. We had to travel very carefully as we couldn't get into any fights along the way. He didn't dare draw a weapon because it would provoke the Unicorn, I didn't have any, and we didn't want the Unicorn to run off chasing anyone.

Well, eventually we arrived at the stables outside town. We put the Unicorn in a stall and closed the gate behind it. The man at the stables, Ernest, rented us a bedroll in the next stall so we could do the rest, without getting too far from the Unicorn.

The following morning, there was just an ordinary white horse in the next stall, and a horn lying on the ground. We were neither as unique as we were the day before, but I didn't regret anything. I'd do it all again, especially that last part!

That's when he told me about Gweden. I had a lot of catching up to do, and there wasn't a better place to do it. He had to go back to Hircine's shrine with the horn, but he'd see me there as soon as he returned.

Tsarrina had been told I was coming and had Juliana help me settle in. She even shared her next customer with me. As she put it "He doesn't know you're inexperienced, he's never done it before himself. Just stay one step ahead and lead him." He was a nice lad, eager to please, and exteremely grateful for everything. And why not, when he was getting two for the price of one?

And what happened to the Unicorn? I leave my white stallion down at the stables, and he's making me gold the same way I earn it. Isn't it strange how the stallions make all the money, but the men have to pay us?

Posted by: Acadian Mar 13 2012, 12:36 AM

What a clever and sweet adaptation of Hircine’s quest! *Sigh* If only it worked that way in the game. I’ve never ever been able to bring myself to kill that unicorn. You did a wonderful job with this one!

Posted by: mALX Mar 13 2012, 03:29 AM

I loved this !! Like Acadian, I can't bring myself to kill the Unicorn either...but usually ride her instead with some wild consequences, lol. Awesome Write !!

Posted by: Grits Mar 14 2012, 03:32 AM

My one trip through Cyrodiil with the unicorn ended in disaster. It got away from me and went on a killing spree. I like your unicorn (and Meena) much better! Of course, my CoC would have needed Plan B for the deflowering and dehorning. How sweet that the former unicorn gets to stay near his Meena, catching up on the action as well.

Posted by: ghastley Mar 20 2012, 12:49 AM

@All: Meena's quest was created because I didn't like killing off the one and only Unicorn in Cyrodiil either. So I came up with a story that lets other Unicorns exist any time they're needed, assuming you can ever find a virgin! Hircine's happy, the player's happy, and Meena's exstatic! If your Player happens to be female, Ernest is very happy, too, if a little exhausted.

(And Acadian, it does happen that way in my game, now)

Now back to minimal amendment of the vanilla game with Maeva.

------

Maeva

"Maeva was the first to join this one here at Gweden" said Tsarrina. "She's also my only part-timer"

Maeva explained to the reporter that it was because she had to work her farm the rest of the time. This was just a hobby really. Even if it was one she really enjoyed, farming was her true vocation.

I grew up on a farm, and I grew fast. Maybe it was all the exercise and good food, but I was the first girl in my class at school to fill out. That's why I'm called "The Buxom", of course. And it happened just when I was starting to rebel against parental authority, just like any kid of my age.

I could see that my new assets were getting all the boys' attention, especially the bolder ones who were starting to assert their own independence. I started hanging out with all the bad boys, much to my parents' annoyance.

It didn't stop me from doing my work on the farm. I was rebelling against my parents, not the cows, or pigs, or crops. They weren't the ones telling me what to do and what not to do. My mother did what she could, and taught me that if I wasn't going to be good, I should at least be careful. I listened to that, even if she didn't think I did.

Most of the kids I went around with grew up to be Marauders. One by one, they dropped out of school and disappeared, off to some ruin somewhere to join a band of outlaws. Soon there were hardly any interesting boys left. A lot of the other girls had caught up to me, so I wasn't the center of attention that I had been. Some of them could play the purity card, too. Bjalfi was the one guy who changed his mind and stayed, so I ended up with him kind of by default.

My parents weren't happy with my choice, but they helped set us up at Whitmond Farm, and let me have Rockshatter so I could look after myself. Obviously, they didn't expect Bjalfi to do that. It wasn't exactly dangerous there, just outside Anvil, but there were Marauders and Bandits just a bit further out from the city. I kept the mace handy, hanging over the fireplace where I could grab it in a hurry. That was as much to keep my parents quiet as anything. I didn't ever expect to use it.

Life at Whitmond was good enough to start with, but Bjalfi was one for going to the tavern in the evenings. He thought I was, too, but he didn't remember that I was always the first to leave, (with one of the men, of course). I wasn't there for the drinking, I had other things in mind, and I preferred doing it sober. And if I had to get up early to work the farm, I didn't want any hangover!

So I generally stayed at home, while he went into town for a few ales. Apparently he ran into a few of his old friends from our school days, because he came home one night, snatched Rockshatter off the mantel, and ran off out of the house with it.

I should have seen it coming, I guess. I'd complained when he came home worse for drink, especially if he couldn't perform, and he was probably feeling a bit hen-pecked. Anyway, I found out that he'd gone to join the gang at Fort Strand, just in between my farm and here.

If I'd still had Rockshatter, I'd have gone there and hauled him back out, but he'd taken it with him, and I wasn't taking them all on without any weapons. Fortunately for me, the Champion looked in at my farm on his way here to Gweden, and agreed to go get Rockshatter back for me.

Of course, he didn't know Bjalfi from the rest, so it wasn't too surprising when he came back with Rockshatter, but not my husband. He'd hauled a lot of armor and weapons back to town to sell, and the mace matched my description. He couldn't remember who he'd taken it from, but everyone in the fort was dead now.

So I was now a widow. I'd been pretty much working the farm on my own anyway, as Bjalfi wasn't a lot of help with that. He'd done odd jobs for other folks in the area, and brought in a bit of income that way. At least, that's what he told me. For all I know, he'd been taking a share from the Marauder gang he ran off to. I could survive all right on my own, but I needed a man for other reasons. I was going to have to get back to the dating game again.

The Champion had another idea. I could make a bit of extra cash at Gweden and get all the men I needed without having to find another husband. And it was close enough that I could just go there in the evening, and still put in a day's work at my own farm. They'd be good customers for my produce, too, especially when he'd recruited a few more staff.

So I came up here to see Tsarrina right away. It was sad for me to see a farm not growing anything, but a closer look at the soil told me why. You couldn't even grow weeds in that! All she could manage was a couple of flowers by the door.

It made sense that she was making the best of the situation by running a brothel instead, and she was doing a good job of that. I really liked the way she'd made the old farmhouse into a cozy nest for a bit of fun.

She showed me down to the basement, where I could sleep if I needed to. I told her that I had my own farm, and I needed to get back to it during the day, but I could help her out in the evenings. Now I had Rockshatter back, she had someone to keep the drunks in line, too. She told me the Legion Patrolman came here regularly, so that wasn't a problem.

I knew him, of course, as he'd drop by my place from time to time, especially if Bjalfi wasn't around. That sort of dedication to duty makes a woman feel safe. I suspected he was one of Tsarrina's regular customers, and I wasn't wrong.

I asked her if she ever did what I knew he liked. Tsarrina shows a lot of sharp teeth when she smiles, and that would put a lot of men off from asking. She told me she didn't but if I did, she'd be sure to let her customers know that was now available. We talked about our own likes and dislikes, I'd tried just about everything, or thought I had, but she knew more than I did. She called me an amateur, and grinned to show she was just joking.

And talk of the Daedra, who should come through the door just then, but the Legion Patrolman. He'd come by to introduce his replacement, as he was retiring. A younger man in the same uniform followed him in. Two of them, two of us. Perfect timing.

I rode back to my farm that night on the back of a Legion Horse. I don't think my legs would have carried me that far.

Posted by: Acadian Mar 20 2012, 01:56 AM

In TES, bad boys grow up to be marauders!

I love how this fits so perfectly right into the game regarding Maeva. A wonderful addition!

Posted by: mALX Mar 20 2012, 03:58 PM

I wondered when we'd hear about Maeva the Buxom - especially since it was mentioned she would be invited in so early on, lol. Awesome Write!

Posted by: Grits Mar 20 2012, 04:11 PM

I like this one a lot because it’s a solid tie to the vanilla game. It even works in Maeva’s remarks about dating again. Fun!

Posted by: ghastley Mar 26 2012, 11:52 PM

Back to all-new content (except for the back-story to Dark-eyes' employment) for this one. I'm rapidly running out of tales for the staff to tell the reporter, but at least there's the post-script of Miranu after that.


---------

Dark-eyes

"Why the maid's outfit? Because everybody's read the book, of course!" replied Dark-Eyes.

The reporter hadn't, so he didn't understand. Tsarrina had a copy of The Lusty Argonian Maid with her, and she passed it to him. It didn't take him long to get the point.

Of course I knew why I was being hired. Voranil even had a copy of the book on his desk when he interviewed me. I didn't have any problem with that, as long as he paid well, and treated me fairly.

I didn't ask about the size of the spear. I wouldn't have been given an honest answer anyway.

I'd heard about his frequent dinner parties, too. But I thought that was all they were. I didn't know about the skooma, then. So I was expecting to wait on the guests and serve their food, and nothing more.

The previous maid, a Dunmer called Tolisi Girith, had done just that, and probably wasn't doing anything special for Voranil. Maknok gro-Coblug and his wife Rogmesh hadn't told me about anything extra when they suggested I apply for the position. Maknok was the groundskeeper at Riverview, and Rogmesh was the cook, so they were busy elsewhere when dinner was served. Only Tolisi would have known what happened at the parties, and she was dead now.

The Coblugs told me how she died. They'd all been in the Newlands Lodge one Sundas, as they usually were, taking their one short break in the week. Maknok and Rogmesh were sitting at a table near the stairs talking to the other Orcs, and Tolisi and Tanasa were at the bar, talking to Dervera Romalen, who ran the place. Tanasa Arano was the charwoman and also a Dunmer.

Then the Hero of Kvatch came in, the same man who's now the Champion of Cyrodiil, and our boss. They heard shouts from the bar. Two women in dark, magical armor, with maces in their hands, came rushing out to attack the Hero. A watchman came in from the street and joined the fight, and the two women were soon killed. When they died, their armor disappeared in a cloud of yellow smoke, and revealed ... Tolisi and Tanasa.

They found a book on Tanasa's corpse that connected her to that Mythic Dawn cult, you know, the ones that assassinated the Emperor. Another book just like it was found when they cleared Tolisi's room. Maknok and Rogmesh picked up Tanasa's cleaning duties until a new charwoman could replace her, but Voranil needed a new maid for his parties right away. And I got the job, probably because I wasn't averse to the idea of spear-polishing.

Now let me tell you about Voranil's parties. The guests arrived one or two at a time, so we didn't have to seat them all at once. It meant longer hours for the servants that way, but it wasn't in one big rush, so we preferred it. Everyone was drinking wine, and some guests were more drunk than others.

Orintur and Eilonwy usually departed early, as did Naspia Cosma. That left just the men, and me. That's when the skooma came out. I was passed around like I was another bottle, and that made me mad. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't like doing it, or I wouldn't be here now. I just didn't like the way they just assumed I was available to them. I was Voranil's employee, not theirs!

But I needed the money, so I put up with it. I probably would have saved enough gold to quit before long, but the Hero heard the talk around town about Voranil's new Argonian Maid and came to see for himself. There I was, maid costume and all, just inside Riverview when he came in. I told him all about Voranil's skooma parties, and how I'd have gone completely nuts if I didn't have my amulet and all its memories.

You see, the amulet I wore was one of a pair. My best friend, Weedum-Ja, and I had bought them at the Red Diamond store in the Imperial City when we were both living and working (and having fun) there. That was in happier times before the Oblivion crisis started.

They weren't quite identical amulets. One had a blue stone, and the other a green one. but they were otherwise the same design. Neither of us could decide which we liked best, so we agreed to swap every time we met. That way we didn't have to make up our minds.

After we left the city, that didn't happen so much. Weedum-Ja went to Kvatch when her employer moved there, and I later moved in the opposite direction, to Cheydinhal. That made the amulets even more special, as we didn't see each other so often.

When I heard about the Daedra overrunning Kvatch, I had feared the worst. But the Hero told me he'd seen an Argonian woman at the refugee camp and it could be her!

I gave him the amulet I had, and told him to take it and find out if Weedum-Ja had really survived the siege. I was itching to quit that job, but I could wait a few days more for that kind of news. I was really amazed that he'd agree to do that for me, but that's what he did.

It took longer than I'd expected for him to return, but he explained why. Weedum-Ja was indeed safe, but the other amulet hadn't fared so well. She'd broken it scrambling out of a window when the Daedra arrived, and she didn't want me to see it until it had been repaired. So he'd stopped at the Red Diamond Jewelers on his way back to get it fixed.

That wasn't going to be so simple. The reddish gold that set off the jewels so well was hard to find, and Hamlof Red-Tooth didn't have any more. The only place to get it was the Abandoned Mine near the Black Marsh and Morrowind borders. Hamlof couldn't use anything else for the repairs, or the joins would show.

So he'd gone all the way out to the mine, and found it full of bandits. There were silver veins and even gold ones on the upper level, but none of them were the red gold he was looking for. That was only in one vein in a rock in the lowest level of the mine, past even more bandits.

He did find a sizeable nugget, and took it back to Hamlof. Since it was larger than Hamlof needed for the repairs, he kept the remaining gold as complete payment for his work. At least Weedum-Ja and the Hero didn't have to pay for anything. The Hero told me that he'd actually made quite a profit out of the trip, what with the other gold and silver nuggets he'd found in the mine. Not to mention the armor and weapons the bandits didn't need any more! I guess that explains why he didn't mind making the journey for me.

Then the repairs took another three days. Hamlof had to cast a new mounting for the jewel. Fortunately, he could take an impression from its sister amulet, or it might have taken even longer. Then both the amulets had to go back to Weedum-Ja, so she could see that the repair was good, before he could bring it to me.

Without the amulet to distract me, I was getting quite agitated. When he arrived with it, I quit my job immediately, without really thinking about what I'd do next.

The Hero fixed that, too. He told me about Gweden, and Tsarrina, and all the others here. I kept the maid costume, of course. A lot of the customers here can read, and I keep hoping that big spear will turn up!

It's not far to the Kvatch camp from here, so I get to see Weedum-Ja from time to time, and swap amulets again. They're making a start on rebuilding the city, but it's going to be a long slow process. The boss spends a fair amount of his time helping there, so you won't find him here at the farm too often. I'd like to help more too, but this place is busy!

She showed him the amulet she was wearing. Dark-eyes wasn't sure if it was the one that got broken, or the other one. Hamlof had made such a good job of the repairs, you couldn't tell.

He got the impression that it wasn't just the amulet he was supposed to be looking at. The jewel hung between two of the largest globes he'd seen on an Argonian. She noticed his gaze was wandering.

"I imagine you're asking yourself why an Argonian needs breasts, if she doesn't suckle her young?" she asked. When he nodded, she continued "Well, our own philosophers have debated that, too, and the theory is that the Hist are trying to make us more like men and mer. Our tails make us better swimmers, so we kept those, but we walk more upright than we once did. And we only lay eggs in the hot swamps of our homelands. In colder regions, we give birth in the same way your women do."

"We try not to breed too far from the Hist, as our young need to lick the sap to develop their intelligence. A new mother's breasts will ooze sap, or something very like it, for a few days after she gives birth, to allow her some time to take her child back to Black Marsh for the real stuff. The child will lick, not suck, but then again, with her infant having a full set of teeth, the mother prefers it that way!"

"We don't need anything this size for that, of course. We just seem to be mimicing the other races, so that we fit in better. And men (and mer) do seem to like the results!"

Dark-eyes seemed pleased to have got that little speech off her chest, so to speak. The reporter had taken it all down in his notebook, so that was good.

Tsarrina had told her to appeal to his curiosity. "He's a reporter. That's what makes them tick." She hoped his curiosity would extend a little further later. She had more to show him, if he was interested.

Posted by: Acadian Mar 27 2012, 12:37 AM

How clever to do so much with the Argonian Maid. Including the Cheydinhal Mythic Dawn Sleepers and the whole Riverview party scene was great. The whole idea of the amulets and friendship between Dark-eyes and Weedum-Ja was sweet as can be. I like Weedum-Ja a lot. I also enjoyed your wonderful stab at why Argonian women have breasts. Well done, ghastley!

Posted by: Grits Mar 30 2012, 01:36 AM

Oh, so that’s what they’re for.

It was neat to see the death of a cultist from a regular citizen’s viewpoint. I never thought about what their neighbors would think once the armor faded and they were dead on the floor.

The story about Weedum-Ja and the amulet swapping was very sweet. I like her. Fun story!

Posted by: ghastley Apr 3 2012, 12:06 AM

@Acadian: I think it must be because Weedum-Ja is the only one in the camp with a positive attitude. All the others are complaining about how they can't sleep, or the smell.

@Grits: Having two Mythic Dawn sleepers in the same town, and both working at Riverview, was why I decided she'd be the maid there, rather than anywhere else. In actual game play, she can be hired in the time it takes for the player to walk from the Newlands Lodge to Riverview, and she's already sick of the job when you arrive!

And while we're doing tales with tails....

----

Shulassa

"I'm sure Tsarrina has told you she think's she's part man or mer. That's because I know my Grandfather was a Nord, and we find a lot of similarities between us," Shulassa told the reporter. "Would you like to hear the whole story?"

The man from the Black Horse Courier told her that he would indeed, and she began.

Like I said, my grandfather was a Nord, and a particularly big and strong one. That was his problem. Everyone wanted to prove themselves by challenging him. He didn't like fighting, even if did do it well, and he came south to get away from it. He settled in Skingrad, which is where he met my grandmother. She'd come north from Elsweyr looking for employment. She thought she might get a job as as a maid in the town, or else picking grapes in the vineyards.

They probably met in a tavern one evening. They both felt like outsiders, and that was all they had in common to start with. Gradually, the two misfits fell in love. Slowly was good, because by the time the moons made grandmother receptive, grandfather knew what to expect. He wore an old leather cuirass that night, and never felt her claws on his back.

By the time it fell apart, years later, the old armor had done its job, and they had a pair of healthy young kits to raise. The older one, my father, was large for a Suthay-raht, and many mistook him for the larger breeds. Obviously a lot of that came from his father. My aunt, in contrast, was small like her mother.

When my father grew up, he took a job as apprentice to a merchant in the Imperial City, which is where he met my mother. When he became a Journeyman, he returned with his wife to Skingrad and opened his own store there. I was born a year later and was their only child. While they struggled to make their business a success, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents .

They were both wonderful story-tellers. Grandfather's tales all took place in a frozen north of ice caves and dragons, with damsels in distress that needed to be rescued. Grandmother's stories were of desert sands, and hidden oases. Her damsels could rescue themselves, and steal the treasure as they left!

Sometimes we all went hunting. Grandmother taught me to be stealthy, not grandfather's strong point, as his great size was hard to hide. But he could chase off bears, so we made a good team. My parents were happy to sell the pelts and meat we brought back, too, so they encouraged my hobby. Before long I was hunting on my own, and earning my keep that way.

The life of a hunter suits the female Khajiit. She's happy to be alone most of each month, and she comes back for company when the moons tell her to. That's when mothers watch out for their daughters, as they have little self-control, especially when they're young and inexperienced. My mother was a bit worried when I seemed much too calm after my hunting trips. It made things easier for her, but was I feeling well? We had that talk, and she discovered I wasn't as innocent as she'd hoped.

What shocked her more was when I'd done it, as her calendar didn't agree. No the dates weren't wrong, I just wasn't as tied to them as she thought I should be. I was more like a Nord than a Khajiit in that respect, a bit of Grandfather coming through.

She felt she had a freak for a daughter, and she wasn't too pleased. So I stayed out hunting for longer and longer periods, returning only when I need to get my equipment repaired. Soon I learned to do that for myself, too. My father was too busy with his shop to notice. Other Khajiiti seemed to agree with my mother. The women all thought I was shameless, being ready all the time. The men weren't happy with the idea of a female who had to be seduced first. They were used to just being in the right place at the right time.

My grandparents were getting old, and pretty soon the bears stopped being afraid of my grandfather. After the funeral, my grandmother moved in with my parents, but she didn't last long without him. Now I really didn't have any reason to go back to town.

When I finally did, I found that my parents too were dead, killed by bandits on a trip into the Imperial City. Someone told me that my mother's cousin S'rathad was looking for me, and he'd be back in town near the end of the month. I stayed around and waited for him, and he gave me a bottle that he said my grandfather wanted me to have. He'd been given it by my aunt when she went south to Elsweyr after my grandparents died, with instructions to pass it on to me when I grew up.

That's when the boss came into my life. He had a reputation around town for helping folks out. Erthor, over at the Mages Guild, had been rescued from zombies at Bleak Flats Cave. And there had been a nest of Vampires just outside town that he'd helped clear out. So everyone suggested I show him the bottle and the note I found inside it.

All the note said was: "In the shed behind the Inn". It didn't say which Inn, or what was supposed to happen there, or anything helpful.

"The bottle itself is another clue," he told me. "It's Tamika's West Weald wine, so I'd bet the shed is the one behind the West Weald Inn." He ran off to look, and soon he was back with another bottle in his hand, just like the one I had. There was a note in that one, too.

Again it just described a location - on a rock by the south wall of the castle. We went there and found another bottle, with another note. "Above the guards' heads in the courtyard." That bottle was on one of the rafters over the walkway.

The next note told us to look on Nestarel's balcony. That house had been locked and uninhabited for years, so he made me wait in the Two Sisters' Lodge while he went for it alone. He didn't want me getting into any trouble if he had to pick the lock to get in. The town watch owed him a couple of favours, so he'd take his chances.

It turned out that the watch wasn't the danger with this one. He found the place full of undead. Zombies, skeletons, and wraiths attacked him when he went in. After that, I stayed behind on all the bottle hunts. The next note said "by the press" and it was in another Tamika's bottle. She had a wine press behind her house in town, but it wasn't that one. The next bottle was out in the vineyard, by the press there.

"Behind the well" wasn't very helpful either. There was a well near the press in the vineyard, so of course he checked that on his way back. No luck. That well was the closest to the press, and the furthest would be the one by the North wall of the city behind Summitmist Manor. I asked if the one we'd seen in the castle wouldn't be more likely, but he said he knew there was nothing there. He was right, of course, and the next note told us to look "near the Tomatoes".

"That capital letter makes me think they're special ones, like Undena Orethi's"

I had to agree that hers were the best, but did that mean in her house, or out where she grew them? We used the same logic as before and decided he'd look outside the city walls for the next bottle.

Except that it wasn't a bottle this time. He found a small box with a plain gold ring in it. No enchantment, nothing special about it at all. I looked more carefully at it, and then I understood. This was my Grandmother's wedding ring! Not valuable, but priceless to me!

I was so happy, I could have burst (except that I'm not a Bosmer). I told him all about my grandparents and their stories, and my childhood in Skingrad. I probably told him a bit more than that, because he noticed that Tsarrina and I had something in common. He told me how she'd come to terms with being more like a human or elf than a Khajiit.

That made a lot more sense than becoming a hermit hunter. I leapt at the chance to join her clan here at Gweden. Apparently, it was a good time to do so, as she was getting swamped with running the business, and didn't have the time for anything else. She always made time for Ma'iq, but he was special.

And as I told you, Khajiiti males don't find me to their taste. I'm more the exotic dish on the menu here., I cater to the adventurous types of all the other races, who want something different. Tsarrina always tells them she'll give them their money back if I use my claws or bite them. And there's Freija here to heal them, if it's really serious. It's hard to keep a straight face when she says that!

He'd abandoned his ideas of professional detachment days ago, and this was the last interview. He let her show him what "something different" meant. The rougher tongue, the surprises she could spring using her tail. He liked different, he decided.

Posted by: Acadian Apr 3 2012, 12:39 AM

This was fun!

'He wore an old leather cuirass that night, and never felt her claws on his back.’
Ever so much more clever than just dealing and healing.

’I was so happy, I could have burst (except that I'm not a Bosmer).’

And our reporter finishes with something exotic on the menu: rough tongue and tail.

Posted by: mALX Apr 3 2012, 05:43 PM

Dark Eyes:

BWAAHAA! Ain't it the truth !!! ROFL !!!

Loved the little jaunt into why Argonians have breasts !!


Shulassa:

The last several paragraphs, had me rolling !!!

Great write, (and imagination) as always !!

Posted by: ghastley Apr 10 2012, 01:51 AM

Just an interlude to wrap up the Gweden part of the story before I move on to Miranu.

By the way "Summary" is the title because that's what the reporter needs to do, not just because I do too.

------

Summary

The young reporter from the Black Horse Courier had a problem. His normal practice was just to turn in his notebook and let the editor decide what would appear in print. That might not be such a good idea this time.

He'd been sent here to write an article about the Champion of Cyrodiil, but he hadn't even seen him, and all his notes were about the women.

For example, there were his notes on how to tell the girls apart in the dark. Dark-eyes had scales, and Shulassa fur, so they were easy. Size and shape did it for most of the others, especially Silanu. But Prizna had been totally right about all the Daedric women being the same perfect shape. For them, it was all about more subtle differences. Prizna's skin was warmer, so that was simple, as long as there was someone else to compare with. It took him quite some time to discover that Goldie would squeal with pleasure if you kissed her just there. Nelrene liked it too, but she did so more quietly. Once he'd guessed correctly and they opened their eyes, the glowing red, blue or gold made it easy.

How long had they played that game? He hadn't written that down. How could he write in the dark? Even if he wasn't way too busy!

And then there was the note that his favorite flavour was Virgilia. That wasn't in his own handwriting, but it was a very good forgery, enough to fool the Khajiit brothers. He suspected Virgilia had written it herself.

That reminded him of another benefit he'd got from this assignment: The words "Khajiit" and "lick" would no longer conjure up thoughts of that stupid Argonian in Leyawiin and his dumb jokes!

He wasn't sure if the references to "polishing" would make sense to everyone. How well-known was that book, or the play it was taken from? When he re-read that part it looked like he was bragging, so he decided to leave it out completely. She'd been exaggerating just to make him feel good, hadn't she?

He'd been at the farm for long enough to see that Tsarrina was very good at matching the customers to the specialities of the girls. Silanu to those who wanted discipline and correction. Nelrene to those who didn't quite take it that far, but still needed to be told what to do. At the other end of that scale, Selena was eager to please, and she'd do anything the customer asked, and better than they expected!

Sugar took on the "vigorous" types. She liked it rough, but she'd give as good as she got. They'd put a Restore Strength and Endurance potion beside the bed when she had a customer, and it wasn't for her, except indirectly.

Darwen and Cybeline were very acrobatic and flexible, and gave good value to the more athletic customers. Darwen was also the dancer, who'd set the mood for everyone with her gyrations.

Dark-eyes and Shulassa catered to the clients who wanted "something different". They didn't get Khajiit customers, except for Ma'iq visiting Tsarrina. It just wasn't part of their culture. Argonians were also rarely seen at the farm, and those that did come were as likely to go with someone other than Dark-eyes. But she had her Lusty Maid role, and she really enjoyed that game.

Prizna, too appealed to the adventure-seeking types. Most of them had never seen a Dremora before, and certainly never a naked female one! She'd also helped close an Oblivion gate, which left many of her customers in awe. So did most of the things she did to them.

Juliana remained the first-timers specialist. Any of them could make a man out of a boy, but Juliana could make him a regular customer!

Maeva and Freija were the archetypal Nord good time girls, the kind you'd want to cuddle up to on a cold evening in the mountains, ... or any other time. They were also the ones who'd take control if things got too boistrous on party nights. Nelrene's background as a guard would come out then, too, and Sugar could help negotiate the peace with her axe.

Virgilia wasn't a jiggly giggly schoolgirl any more, but she could play the part perfectly for anyone who wanted that fantasy. (She was still naturally jiggly, but the giggly part was all an act). Meena could play the eager young ingenue just as well. It wasn't that long since she'd been a virgin, and she still remembered how to act like one. As a Breton, she was naturally small, which helped the illusion.

And Goldie did her smoldering "are you good enough for me?" act to perfection. Nobody ever failed, but she managed to give her clients a feeling that they'd achieved something momentous. Ego-boosts like that were good for everybody's business.

And they all thought the Champion of Cyrodiil, their boss, was the perfect employer. Tsarrina was held in almost equal esteem for the way she ran the place and kept both customers and staff happy.

He'd been given enough gold to rent a room in Anvil for two nights. He'd been here a week, but he hadn't ever reached Anvil, so he still had all that. He decided to use it to rent a room at Brina Cross on his way back instead, and transcribe his notes selectively to a fresh book. He wouldn't get interrupted and distracted there.

He wasn't going to discard this one, of course. He had enough material here for a novel. One that would make "The Real Barenziah (Daggerfall Edition)" look tame. Now where could he find a publisher that he trusted?

Getting back to the Courrier article, if he didn't write about the women, what did he have left to write about? They'd all been rescued, or at least helped out of a significant problem, by the Champion, but in one edition, he couldn't tell all their stories. Certainly not as well as they'd told them to him. Especially as there were things you weren't allowed to print, and others he'd never be able to put into words.

He felt that he owed Tsarrina a lot for her generous gift of the girls' time. He also knew that was exactly what she wanted him to feel. She was a shrewd businesswoman, and had orchestrated his whole visit to suit her purposes, but he wasn't complaining. She'd get the sort of article she wanted, if he could just get the right words together. It suited his purposes too.

He had to make all the men want to come here and hear the stories first-hand, and all the women want to be rescued by the Champion. He should find a way to mention the Daedra, because you wouldn't find their like elsewhere. There was so much he wanted to write, and so few words you could get onto one broadsheet.

"Women Rescued" was a good headline. Especially with the Champion of Cyrodiil named in the sub-heading as the rescuer. He could point out the large number of good deeds as a reason for not giving all the details. He did need to mention Tsarrina's name, and maybe quote her somewhere in the article.

Prizna had made a real impression on him, which was clearly why Tsarrina started with her. It had taken him a while to realize that she didn't just party naked, she fought that way, and she'd closed the Oblivion Gate by the Champion's side without any armor. Reminding the readers that the Gate had been threatening Bravil would just add to the mood he was planning for that part of the piece. Just mentioning that there were two more Daedra women, of different races, should be enough.

And they weren't the only unique thing about the Champion's establishment. There were others to mention, like the Unicorn the Champion had rescued along with its rider. And a real Lusty Argonian Maid. Well, maybe she wasn't a real Maid any more, but the rest was definitely real. Silanu was also unique, in a big way, but she'd asked him not to reveal her hiding place, in case any of the Mythic Dawn were still around.

He reminded himself that all the races of Cyrodiil - and beyond - were represented here. He should use that to make the point that the Champion was everyone's champion, and here was the proof. That should keep the brothers happy.

He could attribute Gweden's fine taste in wines to the Champion too. Tsarrina wouldn't mind, he was sure. Tamika and the Surilie Brothers would appreciate their names appearing. He should show them the draft article on his way back.

He could mention the view of Anvil bay at sunset, and how the view inside the Lodge could be just as awe-inspiring. And on the subject of Anvil, he'd better provide a map to the place, so people would know how to get here from the town. That could be printed on the back.

But he'd have to write it tomorrow, because right now, a little blonde Breton wanted his attention, and he thought she deserved it in full.

Posted by: Acadian Apr 10 2012, 03:10 AM

This was certainly some of your very best writing. Summary was exactly what is was, but undoubtedly the most brilliant one I’ve seen. I loved it, starting here:
‘notes on how to tell the girls apart in the dark’
All the way to here:
‘because right now, a little blonde Breton wanted his attention.’

What a perfect conclusion to this wonderful series.

Posted by: mALX Apr 13 2012, 03:55 PM

This had me rolling:

ROFL !!!

Great Write, as always!

Posted by: Grits Apr 16 2012, 03:05 AM

A summary indeed, and wrapped in the young reporter’s very entertaining thoughts. The Champion really shines too, which is neat because they still could be anyone. This was great, ghastley!

Posted by: ghastley Apr 17 2012, 12:09 AM

@Acadian: considering that it was a collection of discarded notes from writing the individual stories, it did come together better than I thought it would.

Does anyone remember the ancient B-movie (and record) that I stole the title from? All I remember is the title!

-----

Love Potion #9

The young reporter for the Black Horse Courier had been sent back to Gweden. Apparently Tsarrina had some important news, and she'd specifically requested that he come down and get it. He tried to appear reluctant to do the long journey, but not too much. He didn't want anyone else takng this assignment, just some cover if it took him longer than they expected.

He'd lost out on doing the report on Skingrad's food and wine, just like he thought he would. One of the Khajiit brothers had taken that assignment himself. At least he'd brought some wine and sweetrolls back to the office and shared them with the rest of the staff. The wine traveled well, but sweetrolls are always better when they're still warm from the oven. He'd have to stop on the way to Gweden, and if he left the city at the right time, he'd arrive at Skingrad at dusk and have to stay the night.

He wouldn't mind staying a few nights at Gweden, too, if he could find an excuse.

---

"If you ask Maeva, she'll tell you that some of her customers remind her of her late husband." Tsarrina told him. "But fortunately most of them can get it up." She grinned. "She won't be able to crack that one any more, because of this!"

Tsarrina held up a potion bottle, containing a bright blue liquid. "It's miraculous stuff. Works almost instantly, and lasts long enough to make the girls very happy. And we have exclusive commercial use here at Gweden."

That explained why Tsarrina wanted the story told, but he'd need to know some more about this potion. What was it called? Where did she get it?

"Silanu's cousin Miranu makes it. She hasn't given it a name yet, it's just number 9 right now. She sent some to us, and some to Silanu's sister for her own use. Apparently Falanu's going to test a different application than we can here."

That at least gave him an excuse to spend some time with Silanu, getting her side of the story. She'd want something in return, of course, and he'd be happy to meet her demands. He wondered how many of the others had any information.

When he left the following morning for Skingrad, he had several pages of notes.

Miranu's secret laboratory was somewhere near the old All Things Alchemical, and he'd need to get a key from Falanu. He'd already decided he needed to interview her. Silanu had suggested that her testing of the potion wasn't going to be quite the same as they were doing at Gweden, and he was curious.

He already knew about her taste for necrophilia. He found out about it on the way to Gweden on his first trip. Silanu had given him the whole story of how she got started on that, but he'd never asked her directly for her own viewpoint. This would be a good time to fill in that gap, as well as find out more about the potion.

Falanu was working on making an ointment from the potion, for those who, for any reason, couldn't drink it. (That was a delicate way of putting it, they could even print that!) She'd made up a batch and her initial tests had been disappointing. It could just be that she needed to make a stronger mixture, but she didn't know if the effect was preserved in the ointment at all. It didn't affect her, so there was only one way she could test it.

He wouldn't get the key to Miranu's lab until he'd helped her find out. The things a reporter has to do for a story! She reassured him that he didn't need to be dead for this. She needed him to tell her what happened, and how it made him feel, and that needed a live subject.

He pointed out that the initial effect wasn't any true indication; if she did that with any ointment, he'd have reacted the same way.

He was sure that the rest of the effect wasn't just her. It had taken a couple of hours to wear off, and that was way past his normal capabilities, even after the training they'd given him at Gweden. Fatigue was still an issue, so she gave him potions to fix that problem. She didn't seem to need any, which probably explained her strange habits.

His legs were weak as he walked out of Skingrad towards the city. He hoped Miranu wasn't as amorous as her cousins. You can have too much of a good thing!

It was starting to get dark as he arrived at the old shop, and he was getting a bit concerned that the laboratory entrance was going to be hard to find in the gloom. He need not have worried, as a bright glow soon caught his eye. It was the dying embers of the fire from a small forge. An area of stone slabs, surrounded by a low, crumbling wall, appeared to be the remnants of an old fort. The tower was long gone, but a weathered trapdoor was set in the floor. The key he'd been given fit the lock.

The short ladder led down to an ancient-looking corridor. The stone walls were rough near the entrance, but quickly gave way to much better masonry as he walked farther in. He called out to announce his arrival, and a female voice answered.

"If Falanu sent you, you're more than welcome. Come on down."

He reached the top of a broad flight of stairs leading down to a large chamber. At the near end, two large tanks held a green, slightly glowing liquid. At the other end two massive stone columns stood at the foot of another flight of steps that led up to a balcony. There were chains hanging from the columns with large shackles on the ends.

In between, a screened-off area enclosed a bed, and some chests and shelves. Presumably Miranu lived here, as well as using it for her research. He heard her voice again. "Up here, on the balcony."

He crossed the chamber, and walked up the stairs. Overlooking the chamber she had a row of tables covered in alchemical apparatus, with retorts and alembics bubbling, and calcinators fuming. Brightly-colored liquids were arranged in bottles of all sizes on the shelves at the end, Miranu was fixing a label to another one, and setting it in its place. She was almost a twin to her cousin Falanu, except for a greenish shade of skin.

http://ghastley.org/Oblivion/Docs/Miranu_lg.jpg

He introduced himself and told her why he was there. "Oh yes, potion #9, one of my luckiest discoveries!" She replied. "But not the one I was looking for. That's a long story, and you should probably meet Boo before I start on that."

She called out, and a deep voice answered from beyond a pair of heavy wooden doors on the far wall of the chamber. Soon they swung open, and out walked a Minotaur!

The Minotaur was wearing a blacksmith's apron. It was apparently his forge that he'd passed on the way in.

"I'm pleased to make your aquaintance," said the Minotaur. "My name is Bucephalus. Miranu calls me Boo, for short. I gather you've come here to get our story for the Black Horse Courier?" Boo had seen the notebook he was writing in, and reached the right conclusion.

The reporter explained that his report was originally to be just about potion #9, but he could see there was a much bigger story behind it. He'd be glad to get all the details, but he couldn't guarantee what would appear in print. That was the editor's decision, not his.

"All the details will take a long time to recount," Miranu pointed out. "You'd better stay the night, and we'll tell you everything tomorrow. You can use the bed over there."

He'd only seen the one bed, so he asked her where she'd be sleeping. "In Boo's cave, as usual. I hardly ever use that bed these days."

"You might want to read some of the books on the shelf there," she continued. "That will give you a bit of the background, and what we tell you tomorrow will make a bit more sense."

She took Boo's arm and they disappeared back through the doors into the cave.

On the shelf he found a book about Alessia, the first Empress of Cyrodiil. That didn't help much, until he remembered what he'd heard about her consort Morihaus. It was said that the statue bearing his name in the Arena district was nothing like him. He wasn't even human, but a winged bull, a demi-god son of Kynareth! Belharza, their son, had been a Minotaur, as well as becoming the second Emperor.

Another was her http://ghastley.org/Oblivion/Docs/Miranu_Lab_Notes.html. The green stuff he'd seen in the tanks on the way in was Hist Sap, and she'd been trying to separate the active ingredients from it. He didn't understand much of it, not being trained as an alchemist, but he saw several references to potion #9, as well as a few others with promising effects.He'd have to ask her what it all meant in the morning.

That's when it struck him. Miranu and Boo were lovers! All the Minotaurs he'd seen were male, except that they weren't. Oxen, rather than bulls. Boo had been wearing that apron, so he hadn't seen any difference.

At least he'd be getting a good night's sleep without any interruptions from Miranu. He was still recovering from her cousin's attentions.

----

Posted by: Acadian Apr 17 2012, 01:18 AM

Potion #9! I love it!

Nice job tying in Falanu and her infamous predilections. An ointment! So one sister likes ‘em dead and the other likes ‘em minotaurish. Clever indeed. Well, at least our reporter will get a decent night sleep. Hmm, I wonder. . . will noise be a problem? Perhaps he could offer Miranu some of Pelena's potion of quiet passion to ensure his sleep is not disturbed?

Nice screenie of Miranu. By Kynareth’s wings, that white peasant blouse with the brown quilted bodice sure doesn’t look like that on my little woodster!

Posted by: ghastley Apr 24 2012, 12:03 AM

@Acadian: - It's probably the green skin that makes it look different on her.

---------


Love Potion #9 - part 2

The following morning he was woken by the sound of Boo's hooves in the tunnel leading up to the exit, and the distant creak of the trapdoor's hinges.

Miranu confirmed that Boo was indeed an entire male. That's what got her attention in the first place. "They're human you know. Not just human-like, their parents are Imperials just like you."

He was shocked at that, but she explained that he probably wasn't of a royal enough bloodline to have Minotaurs in his family. And those that did wouldn't talk about it, either. But someone directly descended from Alessia and Morihaus through both parents could be born a Minotaur, if they were male, of course.

The majority were abandoned by their parents in the wilderness, after a small operation. She supposed that some didn't even get that mercy. Bucephalus was a rare find indeed.

He'd been brought to her lab under a succession of Command and Paralysis spells, until he could be chained to those pillars over there. She'd administered potions that she hoped would calm him, but had little success. Even when he did cease his struggles, she couldn't communicate with him.

Then there had been the incident at the Blackwood Company Headquarters, down in Leyawiin. The Fighters Guild had discovered a Hist Tree in the basement and destroyed it. She'd bought the remainder of their stock of Hist Sap, and had it hauled here. If the stories about the sap, and its effects on the mind, were to be believed, this could help her find a way to cure Boo's animal behavior.

The raw sap was likely to cause hallucinations, or even provoke a violent frenzy, but there was a chance she could refine something more specific from the complex mixture. Her early attempts didn't produce much of any use, until she realized that all her standard Alchemical methods involved heat. Distillation and especially calcination were probably destroying the very compounds she was trying to find.

She reasoned that Fire wasn't the only force she could employ. Frost would also change ingredients, and allow her to separate liquids by freezing out the less volatile ones. She'd also seen an experiment where a mage had used Shock to separate metal and air from a liquid.

Her first uses of freeze-distillation had given her some promising results, These had included a potion to tranquilize her subject, so she could remove the shackles.That had let her start to train him. He responded better to reward than to punishment, perhaps because his size made the punishment less effective. Food was only a useful reward when he was hungry, so she used others. That was one of the reasons she was keeping her laboratory a secret. Not everyone would approve of those methods, and they'd have suspected her motives.

Major improvements in his behavior got major rewards. She admitted that she was rewarding herself, too. Boo was beginning to communicate with signs, and she could read his facial expressions. This was becoming more of a collaboration than the solo effort that she'd started. It just felt right to celebrate the breakthroughs together.

He'd become used to being asked to drink strange potions, and report on their effect. Potion #9 didn't need him to use any sign language. She could see what it did right away! He was a little annoyed that she made him wait to see if the effect wore off quickly. She asked him if it made his head hurt, or feel nausea, or anything else bad. He shook his huge head, and reached for her.

It took a long time for the effects to wear off. She was glad she'd held him off for as long as she did, or she was sure they'd have injured themselves. She made a note to dilute it next time.

She probably spent longer getting the dosage just right than she should have. On the one hand, this was going to be a significant commercial product, and it would finance all her research. She needed to be careful to produce the most return on her investment.

On the other hand, it wasn't the potion she was trying to make; one that would permanently boost Boo's intelligence.

She thought she'd found one later, but it wasn't as effective as she'd hoped. Boo could speak at last, but his words were child-like and simple. She was running out of possible combinations of ingredients, at least the ones she could get in Tamriel. Even the more exotic ones from the Deadlands, such as Harrada and Bloodgrass, had proven no more useful.

Then the Champion of Cyrodiil had paid her a visit, only a few weeks ago. He'd heard about potion #9 from Tsarrina, and Falanu had directed him here. "Just like she did for you".

The reporter wondered if the Champion had to negotiate for the key the way he had, but he said nothing.

The Champion had just returned from a trip to the Shivering Isles, the realm of Sheogorath. There were ingredients there that you just couldn't get in Tamriel. She actually had a few of them already, as they'd been found on the island in the Niben Bay, and her sources had obtained some for her. She'd heard stories of others, though. Mind-altering ones called Felldew, and Greenmote. She wasn't sure if they were real, as all people coming back from the Isles were known to be insane.

The Champion assured her that they were, he'd seen them himself. He had some of the Felldew with him, and he could get some Refined Greenmote in only a few days. He warned her about the effects he knew of the raw ingredients. He didn't think they could be combined with anything. At least he didn't have the Alchemical skill to do so.

She had limited success with the Felldew. Its effects were temporary, and harmful when they wore off. That was true even when she managed to separate it and react the fractions with other ingredients.

The Greenmote, when he returned with that, was quite a different proposition. That could have permanent effects. Fatal ones, if she wasn't extremely careful.

A few rats died keeping Boo safe. The mixture that eventually worked included fractions from both drugs, and some from the Hist Sap, too. It appeared to be an ultimate Restore Intelligence potion, capable of reversing even the damage that had been done to Boo. She tried a little herself, but she had no damage to restore, and it did nothing. It didn't make the rats smart either, so there wasn't any Fortification going on.

She was glad, because it meant that Boo really was as clever as he turned out. Her theories were right, he was an Imperial in a bull-shaped body, not just a beast with hands.

But she wasn't so glad when he started to talk about having a career. She'd been planning on keeping him to herself, not on giving him his independence.

And to make it worse, they'd had that misunderstanding. He'd mentioned becoming a gigolo, and she'd totally flown off the handle. Fortunately that was when the Champion returned to see if she'd had any success. He talked to Boo, and found out what he'd really said.

Boo didn't want to become a gigolo, he was just trying to tell her that it was the only job he'd been trained for! That was doubly embarassing for Miranu, but she wanted to make amends. Of course he needed other training, and she could do some of that herself. But she could only train Alchemy, and he'd need more options than that.

She didn't like the idea of him going to the Arcane University to learn other magical skills, there were way too many pretty young girls apprenticed there, with firm bodies, and tight.... And she didn't want him wandering around Cyrodill looking for other trainers, when he could be happier here.

"Skill books, then," the Champion had suggested. "You have taught him to read, haven't you?"

She had, and she knew he liked to tinker with metal. Perhaps the Armorer skill, so he could become a Smith? Alchemy goes well with that, making better alloys for armor, and harder edges for blades. She could use some better apparatus, too, if his skill would take him there.

He had a nice little collection of books now. Five in all. With that start, he'd been able to build himself a forge and start repairing things. Soon he was making weapons and armor from scratch, and that apparatus Miranu had wanted. She could make much more of the profitable potions now.

"Oh that reminds me" she said. "I found this other compound that I want Tsarrina to try out for me. It's really slippery stuff, and it cures disease, too! I'm sure she'll find a use for it!"

The reporter was more than happy to volunteer to take it there. And he really ought to report the results, too. Tsarrina would want that.

He began to compose a letter to his editor. He might not make it back the Imperial City for some time, and they'd need a first report soon. He wondered how many he'd get away with before he was ordered back.

Posted by: ghastley Apr 24 2012, 12:15 AM

Oops, double-post.

Posted by: Acadian Apr 24 2012, 12:19 AM

My Baldur’s Gate I & II are showing – When I see the name ‘Boo’, I think of a giant space hamster. Miranu’s Boo is likely a better bed mate however.

My goodness, this was graduate level alchemy! Freezing reagents and exotic ingredients requiring the attention of the Champion himself. Even test rats. No simple freeze and dispel here!

Our poor reporter may never get home to the BHC.

Posted by: Lady Saga Apr 24 2012, 06:48 PM

Interesting story, certainly different. I"m up to post 15 on the first page. Does such a mod require the user prove he/she's over 18? That's actually a serious question, not a joke! I'm curious.

Posted by: ghastley Apr 24 2012, 07:12 PM

The mod doesn't introduce anything that's not already in the game, as the concept of Gweden being a brothel is already part of the existing Sirens Deception quest. There is no visible activity at the farm, other than a lot of standing around chatting. All the quests are about finding the "staff" for the place, which are pretty regular fetch/rescue/steal etc quests.

The dialog's at about the same level of innuendo as the vanilla game, so pretty well anyone who comfortable with that won't get additionally corrupted.

Posted by: Lady Saga Apr 24 2012, 08:01 PM

Coool. I wasn't implying anything, just curious.

That is one of those things that cracks me up, too. Those brothel siren NPCs swivelling their hips around, trying to attract other NPC men down on Anvil's docks.

Posted by: ghastley May 2 2012, 01:03 AM

@Acadian: Miranu was always intended to be a real Master Alchemist, who's advancing the knowledge of the subject. I tried to make her methods match the game in using the known forces of Fire, Frost and Shock to act on the ingredients. If I'd managed to make a reasonable-looking piece of electolysis apparatus for her lab, she'd have done more with that. As it was, I was stretching a bit to have her consciously separate, instead of just mix, although that's what an alembic does to purify the result.

@Lady Saga: the women won't have to visit the docks now that the Black Horse Courier has a an edition to tell everyone where the farm is! Besides, that's Mirabelle Monet's territory.

----

Taminwe

The young reporter from the Black Horse Courier was still at Gweden helping to test the slippery stuff. When the first edition of his report arrived, he missed the Champion reading it. He was sharing the bathtub with Darwen at the time.

Tsarrina told him that the Champion had asked her about the article, just before someone delivered a letter from Ocato. He'd looked a little annoyed about having another Courier edition mentioning him, but Tsarrina had done her best to make sure it was all about Gweden, so he couldn't be too mad about it. And the letter distracted his attention even more.

All Tsarrina could tell him about the letter was that the Champion had been asked to expand into the Imperial City, and take over a men's club there. He'd left immediately to go and talk to the High Chancellor.

She was sure he'd tell her more once the deal was sealed, and her role, if any, became clearer. She hoped she wouldn't have to run both places, this one was quite enough work for her.

She did have a name for the place - the Red Dragon Club - so he decided to track it down when they finally recalled him to the office. He thought he had a little time left, as they hadn't published his report on potion #9 yet, and he was still writing the one about the slippery stuff. He'd had to re-write that a few times already, as it was hard to describe the possibilities in a way that wouldn't cause outrage in some parts of society. That might also be holding up the printing of his previous report, come to think of it.

When the inevitable recall finally came, he asked around the Market District if anyone had heard of the Red Dragon Club. Only the men told him anything, and they just knew it was somewhere in the Talos Plaza District, but it was closed now. Count Goldwine of Kvatch had run it, and he'd died in the siege.

He had to go looking for it on his own time, as this wasn't an official assignment. Fortunately Urjabhi thought he was looking tired, and gave him the weekend off. If Urjabhi had only known why, he might not have been so lucky.

Even with clues given to him by the people who lived in the Talos Plaza District, it wasn't easy to find the right alley that lead to the door to the club. You couldn't see the red light outside from the street, and the alley itself looked like all the others. He realized that it must be right behind the Tiber Septim Hotel, although the two were probably not connected in any way. And if it had been closed, it wasn't now.

The door opened onto a flight of stairs that wound down to a corridor in the basement. In one direction was a closed door, and in the other he could hear the sounds of a lively bar. But between him and the bar was a large Orc who wanted to know who he was.

Showing his press card was not the right thing to do, and he was on the brink of being forcibly ejected when an Altmer with the longest legs he'd ever seen intervened. Her name was Taminwe, and she was obviously in some position of authority here, as the Orc put him down. She asked if he was the reporter who'd written the Gweden dispatch.

He decided to admit that, which was apparently a better decision than his earlier one. She then asked about all the other details that hadn't made it into print. What did he know about the women at Gweden?

She led him away from the bar, through the closed door. He saw now that it led to the bedrooms, and she took him to one of them, instructing the Orc to have some wine sent from the bar.

It was quickly apparent to him that he had a lot to learn about getting information from others. He was answering far more of her questions than she was of his. And he felt lost without a notebook while she was completely confident in her memory.

But he had to admit that it was anything but an unpleasant experience. The wine, when it arrived, was Tamika's. They clearly had good taste in common. He remarked on that, and how Tsarrina at Gweden kept it on hand. "A couple of glasses will loosen lips" said Taminwe, "and a few more will loosen other things. But we really don't need to drink that much, do we?" She kissed him briefly. "I want you to show me your prostitute-interviewing technique, and if I'm not mistaken, you'd like that too."

He didn't feel quite so over-matched in the next part, but she was definitely impressive, and continued to catch him off-guard with questions when he wasn't even expecting her to talk.. But he was learning fast, and got more from her than he had earlier. He found out that there was more to the Club than met the eye. Yes, it was the brothel he'd expected, but it was something more.

Taminwe seemed to be on the brink of revealing what it was, but he couldn't talk, let alone ask questions, in that position. Her reactions gave him hope that she would later, as she did seem to like what he was doing.

Later she told him that she was quite impressed by his performance. No, not just the sex, but the way he'd only told her things she should know anyway, or could get from other sources. He'd revealed little about himself, other than his tastes in wine and women. "Both excellent, but then I'm biased, aren't I?." So she'd decided that he could be trusted with some additional information. He'd have to agree to her conditions before she'd reveal what that was.

He felt that he trusted her, even though there was a nagging doubt that he was being manipulated by a better operator than himself. He agreed to consider her terms.

"We'll need you to become part of our organisation, before you get the whole story," she told him. "As you probably guessed by now, I'm not just one of the whores in a city brothel, and this isn't just a brothel. And you aren't going to be just a reporter any more. You already work for the High Chancellor on the Courier. Now you'll have other duties in his employ."

"The main one will be information-gathering, just like you do now. You'll need to decide whether that information is for public consumption or not. Judging by the way you worded that article about Gweden, I think you understand that well. But instead of just keeping the unpublishable parts to yourself, you'll pass everything back to us for analysis. In return, you'll get leads that aren't available to others."

"From time to time, we'll also need someone who can persuade a woman to provide more information than she's comfortable with, or even take actions that she otherwise wouldn't. I believe you can be particularly useful there. Even for an Imperial, I haven't seen that kind of natural talent often."

She'd already told him enough to fill in the gaps. They wanted him to join their den of spies, for which the brothel was just a cover. He agreed and she told him more.

He'd need to become a regular customer at the Red Dragon Club, coming in whether he had information to report or not. She herself, or one of the other designated women she'd introduce him to right after this, would take him to one of the bedrooms and "swap notes" with him. If he had nothing for them, then any of the other staff would just serve their client as usual. Shurgak, the bouncer, had special greetings to let him know when there was something they needed to tell him, and then he'd select the appropriate woman for his session.

The Courier would get instructions from Ocato through their own channels to send him where he was needed. He'd have to provide news for the Courier as well as whatever other information was sought, but that would not often be a problem. The Khajiit brothers could be trusted to filter his reports correctly and pass anything on that they thought of higher interest, but his was the first cut.
They would not know that he was working directly for the High Chancellor, so leaving a liitle in his reports that was too hot to print would not be a bad thing.

He wondered aloud if potion #9 had become a state secret, as he hadn't seen anything in the Courier yet, and it now seemed certain that Ocato knew about it. Taminwe had to laugh at that idea. Her theory was that Ocato wanted to leave that decision to the Champion of Cyrodiil. After all, he had to run this place as a viable brothel, and not send all its trade to Gweden, or else there would be no cover for them. She suspected that he was negotiating with Tsarrina on the equitable merger of the businesses right now. Once Tsarrina felt that the Red Dragon Club was part of her domain, she wouldn't mind having #9 here, too. And then it could be announced to the world.

"You don't seem to need it," Taminwe remarked, looking down.

"With you, of course not." was his chivalrous reply.

Taminwe thought about that remark for a few moments before slipping on a black robe and cracking open the door to the corridor. He heard her call to another woman who answered and came over to speak to her, Then she closed the door and took the robe back off. Shortly there was a patterned knock on the door and Taminwe let in the others.

"I was just thinking of the short introductions right now," Taminwe told him, "but since you appear to be ready for the full ones, why don't we get started?" She beckoned to the blonde Imperial."Miranda, you go first."

He was fortunate that Miranda had to be back on duty in the bar very shortly, so she "passed the baton" to Tilasa before he was completely exhausted. The young Dunmer was not in any hurry, did not have any of the bizarre tastes of the Hlaalu cousins, and slowed to his pace contentedly.

Taminwe put her robe back on and slipped quietly out of the door. She'd just remembered that Ocato was due here for a briefing in less than an hour. She needed to freshen up.

After Ocato left, she went looking for Tilasa, but didn't find her. The door to the room where she'd left the reporter was still closed, so she assumed he was in there asleep. Perhaps Tilasa was too.

When the two of them finally emerged, if was Tilasa who looked tired. She reported to Taminwe that he didn't talk in his sleep, and was clearly more of a morning person than she. That made Taminwe and the reporter laugh, as it was quite late in the evening, but they knew what she meant. Since Tilasa had the night shift in the bar, her idea of time was the opposite of everyone else's.

Posted by: Acadian May 2 2012, 02:27 AM

Cloak, dagger, slippery stuff and potion #9! What a fun way to introduce the Red Dragon Club. The leggy Altmer, Taminwe seemed like the perfect mer to run it! You did a great job of displaying that our reporter was slightly outgunned in the info gathering department.

Posted by: Grits May 6 2012, 09:26 AM

I don’t know about the movie, but the song about the gypsy Madam Ruth with the gold capped tooth is very familiar. We sang it in junior high school show choir about a million years ago. I haven’t thought about that in a long time!

Apparently Falanu's going to test a different application than we can here."

Oh my. Yep, by the time we got to her ointment, my mind was already there. The whole Falanu encounter was delicately hilarious!

I love the alchemy and lore in Mirau’s part. You had me digging through the Imperial Library again. The potion bottles look great, nice to see Number Nine safely stowed on the top shelf. The Lab Notes link didn’t work when I tried it, but I remember reading her notes some time ago.

The young reporter from the Black Horse Courier was still at Gweden helping to test the slippery stuff.

It’s always nice to start off with a grin. What a fun introduction to the Red Dragon Club. The young reporter is learning his lessons well!

Posted by: mALX May 6 2012, 06:27 PM

Yeah! The Red Dragon Club makes its debut! And the young reporter from the Black Horse Courier too! Oh, if those women slipped a drop of that potion in everyone's drinks they'd be rolling in Septims in no time (as if they wouldn't be without it, ROFL !! )

I was tickled to see the story of Miranu and her Minotaur again, too !! Great Write !!

Posted by: ghastley May 8 2012, 02:08 AM

@Acadian: So you noticed her guns too! Of the course, the reporter is paid to notice all the details.

@Grits: Yes, and the learning is continuing, although with a new subject added. Taminwe can teach him interrogation in ways they don't in school. He's already inquisitive, and she'll be developing his skills to suit her own purposes.

I fixed that link.

@mALX: On the contrary, if the customer doesn't need #9 he'll just take longer and they won't have time for more clients! Tsarrina can be trusted to apply her advantage judiciously. She just has to ask Maeva who needs it, and who doesn't.


Back to the story, and this episode ties in to the mod again with http://ghastley.org/Oblivion/Docs/Uriels_Cousin.html. The reporter can't take a role in it, but he does hear about it afterward.

------------

Taminwe - part 2

Taminwe had a few words for the reporter before he left. "Expect a trip to Leyawiin soon, There's something going on down there and the Champion and I will be paying a visit before long. We'll need you to pick up any ripples from the main splash, if you know what I mean."

The assignment came in on the same day he was due to visit the Red Dragon Club again, so he went there first. Shurgak's greeting told him that he should ask for Miranda's services. and after taking a glass of Tamika's from Tilasa at the bar, he followed Miranda down the corridor to a private room.

Miranda spent the first few minutes dutifully attending to her client before she said anything. The way she grinned like a cat told him she was really enjoying this part of her job, and she didn't stop when she passed on her information. He'd already been told that he was going to the Castle to report on the death of a mysterious stranger in the servants' quarters, but Miranda already knew the truth behind the mystery. The stranger had been a forger, hired to produce a fake document to support the claim of Alessia Caro's cousin to the vacant throne.

The unfinished document, together with the seal they were going to use to make it look authentic, were now in the hands of the Elder Council. The Champion of Cyrodiil had been forced to kill the forger when he attacked him, but Taminwe had got the rest of the story straight from the cousin in Senchal. Having experienced her methods, the reporter could imagine how she did that!

They hadn't been able to pin anything directly on the Countess, so that's why he was needed. If any rumours or clues had been missed, the Council needed to know. The announcement of the plot's discovery in the Courier would help suppress any further attempts along similar lines, so his report there was equally important. The more detailed it was, the better the deterrant.

One more thing. They already knew that the beggars had seen the Countess with the forger, but that couldn't be used in his article. If anyone else had done so, then it was good to print. That made sense to him. The general public wouldn't trust the word of a beggar, but on the other hand, they were a source to be protected because they were so reliable.

---

When he got to Leyawiin, he spent most of his time inside the castle. The locals really hadn't noticed the stranger in their town, especially as he'd disappeared into the castle almost as soon as he arrived. The beggars spot strangers right away, as they're more likely to cough up a coin the first time they're approached. Everyone else ignores them.

Only the private areas of the castle seemed to have any guards, and he was able to enter the servants' quarters without challenge. They seemed to have been built for a much larger staff than were currently employed, so it was easy to imagine the stranger finding a vacant room he could use. He had to ask which one it was, and he was shown a small chamber at the end of a corridor, opposite the door to one of the towers.

Apart from a bloodstain on the floor, there was little evidence of the occupant. He'd only left a quill and inkwell on top of an empty crate. The reporter already knew that the document that the forger had been working on was taken by the Champion, along with the fake seal of Pelagius IV that he was going to use on it. He asked if anyone had seen the man alive, talked to him? No, they'd only seen his body, and they might not have found that if the guard hadn't heard the fight. Nobody came down to this end of the place unless they needed something from the stores in the tower, and they couldn't remember the last time that happened.

Further chat with the servants gave him the impression that there was even more to the maze of rooms and corridors beneath the castle than he'd been able to see. There were parts that nobody visited, and rumours of secret passages, and ghosts, and noises in the night. All of which would provide excellent cover for any illegal activities anyone wanted to perform. But nothing told him what, if anything, actually was taking place.

He was able to talk briefly with On-Staya Sundew, the castle steward, and ask her if any official documents had gone missing. After all, a forger might be trying to replace a land grant with a larger one, or something like that. He really wanted to know if there were any documents here that might have born the seal that the forger had copied. She reacted by checking the ones she was concerned about, just as he'd hoped. None of them were old enough to have a seal before Uriel VII's, and most only bore a city or provincial seal anyway.

He'd have liked to talk with Hildara Mothril, the Countess' maid, as well, but Alessia Caro was visiting her mother in Chorrol, and Hildara was with her. Nobody else had access to the private quarters, so he had to leave that part of the castle unchecked.

Back in town, most of the talk related to the background rivalry between the Khajiits and Argonians. That was all at a low level and didn't represent anything significant. They'd always contested the city in the past, and having a buffer of neutral territory now let them jeer at each other without having to do anything serious.

If anything, they now had some common ground. Both sides seemed to resent the Countess and her Imperial ways, but held the Count in better favour, perhaps because he was at least doing something about the bandits. He didn't seem to be as distrusting of other races as his wife. He'd even made that Orc Mazoga a Knight-Errant and had her helping with the bandit problem. The reporter had his own suspicions that the Black Bow Bandits were too convenient as a distraction from other affairs.

Nobody told him anything that related to the forger, or that plot. Either they hadn't noticed, or they didn't think it was that important.

That all left him with a problem of what he could write for the Courier. He had the evidence of the quill and inkwell to confirm a forger at work, but couldn't disclose the nature of the actual document.

He could, however, take all the possibilities and print them, and see which ones provoked further tips from the public. Was the document connected to smuggling, or the Black Bow Bandits, or illegal immigration from Elsweyr and Black Marsh? Was the castle involved, or just a convenient warren for the forger to hide in? A good full-spectrum speculation was the right kind of article here.

---

Back at the Red Dragon Club, Taminwe gave him a long and vigorous debriefing. She was delighted at how well he had done in noticing all the little details. She took particular note of his conclusion that the seal had been made elsewhere. The reporter had noticed that the forger had had no materials or tools for creating it, so he must have brought it with him. He'd also need an impression of the real seal on a document, to make the fake seal match. There wasn't one in Leyawiin, as he'd discovered.

Leyawiin castle was the perfect place for the forged document to be "discovered", but that was no clue as to why it had to be created there. Perhaps they didn't want to risk any courier being intercepted by bandits or highwaymen?

Taminwe agreed with him about the article for the Courier. Stirring up talk about all the various issues in Leyawiin was the best way to make use of the current dead end. She had a few other pieces of information to add that he might find helpful.

The Champion had investigated the theft of a painting at Chorrol castle a while back. If the forger had been working there at the time, the investigation might have made him move on in a hurry. It was also possible that the document with Pelagius' seal came from Chorrol. The castle had had other thefts in the past, and the Honorblade had only recently been returned. One of those thefts might not have been what it seemed, especially if it involved a document.

Posted by: Lady Saga May 8 2012, 03:03 AM

I started this story over because I want to read it with fresh eyes. I'm up to the part where he's preparing to leave Skingrad (the reporter, that is). Pretty cool how there's all these vague traces of the "Champion" having been in town, yet nobody can relate a definite memory or story of him. I like that.

Bookmark: P51

Posted by: Acadian May 8 2012, 03:27 AM

More cloak and dagger. As ever, I love the wonderful references to known people/places/events. In this case ranging from dear Mazoga, to Countess Imperial White Bread, to paintings and Honorblades moving about in Chorrol. Great fun to read!

Posted by: mALX May 9 2012, 07:08 PM

This mod sounds fun, seeking out new false leads to the throne, I'd really like to have seen some screens of Senchal !! Your mods are all interesting and fun, and tying them together through the Red Dragon Club (and Ocato, lol) is so cool !! Kind of like a series of new quest DLC or something!

As always, enjoyed this addition to the report!

Posted by: Grits May 11 2012, 11:42 AM

How funny that Alessia Caro was visiting her mother in Chorrol. That woman is never in Leyawiin when you need her!

Posted by: ghastley May 15 2012, 12:08 AM

@Lady Saga: The Champion hasn't actually been in any episodes yet. I did have to decide that he was male, but he's of indeterminate race so far. The reporter is assigned to write a story about him, but never quite manages to do so.

@Acadian: This one's more "Cloak and Arrow". With a touch of Mysticism!

@mALX: In the mod, Senchal is left to the imagination, especially as that's where Taminwe gets some action. She just relates her success in the cousin's bed when she comes back, without being too explicit.

@Grits: If she didn't go off on those trips, you wouldn't be able to follow and watch her being chased by Land Dreugh and Will-o-the-wisps! (From a safe distance of course).

---

This next part follows the already-written mod, but after that I'll reverse the method: I'm currently adding a piece to the mod to match an episode or two that I'd written for here. I'll put more detail in the Mod Announcements section as it develops.

---

Enilwen

The reporter asked if all this meant he was going to Chorrol next. No, just that when he did have reason to go there, he'd know what to watch and listen out for. There were more urgent issues that might need his attention right now. One was the rumor of a plot to assassinate the Mane. He hadn't heard anything about that in Leyawiin, had he?

Since he hadn't, they'd have him ask around in Bravil. The Champion was already on his way to Skingrad to investigate there. Little was known at this stage. It was assumed that the conspiracy originated outside Elsweyr, as the Mane was almost universally respected as a uniting influence by the Khajiit themselves. While they still had differences between their tribes that caused periodic friction, none of them blamed any of that on the Mane. Rather, it was his mediation that kept it down.

However, any outsiders with designs on Elsweyr's territory would love to see civil war break out there, and the removal of the Mane could let that happen. Valenwood was the first "usual suspect" but they wouldn't act from there, or the war might not become a civil one if direct Bosmer involvement was found out. It could also be part of a more elaborate plot to start another war between Valenwood and Elsweyr, but that scenario was less likely to target the Mane in particular.

Taminwe herself couldn't take any part in the investigation, because she'd be busy with the representative from Shornhelm - the kingdom that Andorak Septim had been granted when he renounced his claim to the throne held by Cephorus II. The royal family there were distant cousins, but the Septim line had all but disappeared. The more remote fragments warranted some time, especially if the ambassador was worth her attention. He was here as a result of the Elder Council's formal request; Ocato was hoping she could make him a useful source of future information from High Rock. That province had been peaceful since the "Warp in the West", but no-one really knew if that could last.

That was a lengthy briefing, and he began to wonder if Taminwe really needed to tell him that much, or was just prolonging their cover activity. Not that he minded,

---

Bravil turned out to be an exercise in futility. The talk down there was all about the Archery Tournament, either the results of the last one, or else speculation about the next. There was a sprinkling of scandal at the extent of the skooma trade, which wasn't surprising with a den in the city itself, and the Count's son an addict. None of that was anything new, and the Mane didn't get a mention. There weren't any strangers in town, and all citizens were present and accounted for.

He returned to the Club to report that nothing, and was intrigued when Shurgak steered him to a new member of the staff. "Give her a try," he said, "I think you'll like this one."

Enilwen took him down the hallway and into the last room. She was a Bosmer, but fuller in the chest than most. Not to the point of making Nords jealous, but she wouldn't get overlooked among the others here. The rest of her was just as slender as you'd expect, which made them more noticable, especially in the Red Dragon Club uniform.

http://ghastley.org/Oblivion/Docs/Enilwen_lg.jpg

She explained that she'd just joined the staff and Taminwe had wanted her to introduce herself as one of his briefing crew, by giving him the details of the Mane plot. That had all gone down in Skingrad while he was covering Bravil.

It turned out that she also had a wicked sense of humour. When she had him in a particularly vulnerable situation, she told him that she was the one who had been recruited as the assassin!

They'd wanted an archer for the job, and naturally most of the best candidates were Bosmers. It would also be preferable if he or she were skilled enough in Alchemy to make poisons powerful enough for a single hit to be lethal. If necessary, the assassin could carry those in ready-made, but that was a risk they'd prefer not to take.

The problem with killing the Mane was that the thick covering of other Khajiit's hair that he wore was as effective as the best armor against any attack. It would stop any arrow, absorb any spell, and cushion any blow from a sword, mace or axe. But he had to breathe and eat, so his face was uncovered. A skilled enough archer could deliver a poisoned arrow that would do the job. One arrow only, as his guards would never allow a follow-up.

And the assassin would then have the problem of escaping. Invisibility gets the archer into position for the shot, but it dissipates immediately when the arrow is released. Only Chameleon would continue to protect the archer, and so she'd been working on that. She could cast the standard spell, and she'd found a leather cuirass enchanted at the same level. Not quite enough, but adding a ring or amulet would make all the difference.

Her contact, a Khajiit who refused to give his name, told her he'd try to get one for her. His master had a large network of agents he could call on. Again, she had no name for the master, but she knew he was male, and things the Khajiit said about him made her think he was of a different race.. She was curious, and pressed for more information, even sleeping with him in case that would loosen his tongue. It had helped, but not as much as she'd hoped.

He'd told her some of the things his master said. He obviously considered all Khajiiti to be inferiors, but there wasn't any suggestion that he was a Dunmer that wanted them back in slavery. The way the Khajiit refered to her made it obvious that she and the master were not the same race. He'd told the Khajiit at one point that he had more intelligence in the "tips of his ears" than her contact had in his head. That ruled out all the races of men, as well as the Argonians, and Orcs just wouldn't use that kind of language, because they didn't prize intelligence. So he must be an Altmer.

But back to the Chameleon. While the Khajiit, who she just called "Messenger", was off trying to get hold of her ring or amulet, she had a visit from the Champion of Cyrodiil. He'd found her practicing her archery out by the castle wall. She was shooting at long range, which was best done outside the city. He'd asked her if she'd ever used a Detect Life spell. She hadn't, as a good huntress doesn't need it. There are enough indications of prey or predator if you knew how to look and listen. She'd also heard that it made everything look fuzzy and unclear, not what an archer wanted.

He'd given her a scroll, and had her try it out. That's when she saw the flaw in her Chameleon strategy. The spell would not only make her visible, but they'd be able to see her lack of a tail, so she couldn't just merge into the crowd to escape. She didn't like the idea of being set up for a suicide mission, so she agreed to help the Champion instead.

They went back to the Two Sisters' Lodge in town, to wait for Messenger. He normally found her there when she ate her evening meal, so it was the logical place to start. He was already in there, and he had a ring for her.

She left the tavern following the Khajiit out to the sheep pasture beyond the vineyard. He wanted her to test out the new ring in combination with her cuirass and spell. If he judged it strong enough, she'd get her next round of instructions. The Champion followed at a distance, keeping her just barely in sight.

But the cat had keen eyesight, and spotted him. He attacked the Champion, expecting her to help. When she didn't, he commited suicide with a ring that set him on fire. They got no useful information from his corpse, either.

The Champion had quizzed her about how she was selected, and why she agreed to be the assassin. Messenger had seen her at archery practice shortly after she came into town and asked her if she wanted a well-paying job. He'd suggest that she join the Fighter's guild and get some training to further polish her skill - at his expense. Parwen has a good reputation as a trainer, although it's said she's not got the eyes to be a great marksman herself. "And it's true, she noticed little flaws in my technique right away." With the Khajiit, or rather his Altmer master paying, she took all the lessons she could.

It was quite a bit later that she found out what her target would be. As a Bosmer she didn't have any concern for the affairs of Elsweyr, unless it threatened Valenwood or the Empire. Messenger had implied that the Mane was a threat, but she was no longer sure who he meant was endangered. Probably just his master's interests.

Anyway, it appeared that the way she answered the Champion's questions, and her identification of the master's Altmer race, made him think she'd fit in here. He sent her up to the city to Taminwe, who had Ocato interview her for the job. She apparently made a good impression, enough for Taminwe to worry that she might not be Ocato's favorite any more!

Taminwe had told her that it was likely that there would eventually be an attempt on the Mane's life, but it would be harder for them to recruit another assassin once the Courier had published an appropriate report. It had to be made obvious that it would always be a suicide mission, and the brothers, all loyal Khajiits themselves, were composing an edition now. They could make it ring true for their own kind far better than any Imperial.

So the reporter had no immediate duties, apart from keeping Enilwen happy for a while longer, and getting to know her better.

Posted by: mALX May 15 2012, 12:25 AM

You've got a lot of lore in this one between the Mane and the Khajiit slavery by the Dunmer - and LOVED how the deduction of race was made in this, it had me rolling !! Great Write !!!

Posted by: Acadian May 15 2012, 01:44 AM

Oh dear Enilwen. You’ve simply got to lose those shoes!

Marksman training and talk of the Tournament of Archers! A productive trip to Bravil methinks. Yes, Parwen is a better teacher than archer, bless her big. . . heart.

Our reporter is getting quite worldly here, now covering matters even beyond the borders of Cyrodiil. Like mALX, I enjoyed the roundabout deduction of the ‘Master’s’ Altmerhood.

Posted by: ghastley May 16 2012, 02:52 AM

So Acadian's got Enilwen wanting new shoes. I offer her some nice upper-class green velvet slippers, and she likes the material, but it's the wrong color to go with her uniform. "I want ones just like that, but in red - with the gold trim, of course."

I point out that you can't get those in the stores, they'll have to be hand-made specially for her. That makes her want a pair even more.

So I make her a pair, and she wears them to work.

http://ghastley.org/Oblivion/images/NewShoes.jpg

"Ooh! I like those. Can I have a pair?"

"Me too!"

"Me three, or is that four?"

"Eight, since they come in pairs"

It didn't help that I'd already drafted a few more episodes, and there wera couple more women expecting a uniform (with the new shoes included). At least they didn't expect me to build a whole town for them, like Kintyra.

Posted by: Acadian May 16 2012, 03:17 AM

"Ooooh!" squeals Buffy, "I neeeeeed a pair of those! Can I get child's discount for little feet? Puleeez!?!"

Posted by: mALX May 16 2012, 03:42 AM

Nice shoes !!!

Posted by: ghastley May 21 2012, 04:38 PM

@Acadian: Going over the borders again with this one, but now the reporter gets to do the travel in person, instead of just collecting the traveler's tale. And Enilwen thanks you for getting her some new shoes. Any time you're near the Club, just drop in....

@mALX: A lot of this next one results from your pointing me at the Septim lineage on the wiki. Lore overload coming up! I reasoned that Cephorus II had to be a descendent of Jolethe, or he wouldn't be "a closer relative" than Uriel IV, so she must have married when she went to Solitude (or at least enjoyed her stay!) That should give me the chance for a few more relatives in the area, so it became worth while having a Falkreath town to set it all in.


This is a bit of a departure from the previous episodes, in that the reporter takes part in the quest himself. (I almost wrote "takes part in the action", but he's been getting enough of that! And it doesn't stop.) In the mod, of course, it's the player that would do it, so there are quite a few differences to make it work, not the least being that the player doesn't get as well rewarded.

I'm building the whole Falkreath thing as a bridge between the Bear Riders mod and the Gweden one, that will require both as masters. I consider it more part of the Gweden story, but the lines will get very blurred as it progresses. The reporter hasn't read my reports on the Champion's involvement with the Mountain Riders, so Claudia has to fill in the background in this piece.

---------

Kintyra - part 1

The reporter from the Black Horse Courier had been given an assignment to go to Falkreath, just over the border in Skyrim. He was to investigate a distant cousin of the late Emperor, who might just be the nearest relative left. She was a descendent of the same branch of the Septim line that Cephorus II came from, several generations back, but via a sister of his forebear, so she didn't have the Septim name..

The trails in that area of the border were treacherous, and often obscured by snow and ice, so they would have one of the Mountain Riders act as his guide. He'd meet up with her at the Lodge outside Bruma. Claudia would be there for her regular break from her patrol, and she'd take him the rest of the way.

He'd heard of the Mountain Riders, but had never met one. He knew that they were all women, and rode bears rather than horses, but not much else.

When he had to travel, he would try to accompany the Legion patrol along as much of the road as he could. They weren't the most inspiring company, but they'd sometimes have news of events along their route, and of course it was much safer travelling with them. He'd appreciate having a Mountain rider escort up in the mountains, and hoped she'd be a better travelling companion than the usual Legionaries.

When he entered the Lodge, the only person he saw was the barman. His name was Magnus, and he'd seen Claudia go downstairs with Timo just before the reporter arrived. He suggested that the reporter have an ale while he waited, as she wouldn't want to be interrupted. "Or you could go up to the office and see Captain Gudrun. She might have some further instructions for you."

There wasn't any good reason not to do both, so he downed a quick small ale, and then headed up the stairs. He knocked on the office door, and was commanded to enter.

Captain Gudrun was a leggy blonde Nord in her late twenties or early thirties with an apparent aversion to being too covered up. Her uniform consisted of a plate metal bikini with some decorative shoulder plates, and a pair of (high-heeled) plated riding boots, but mostly smooth, tanned skin. A broad smile revealed perfect white teeth, and her hair was carefully coiled into a bun to make her look even taller. She bent over the map she'd placed on her desk, to make sure he caught her good side.

Gudrun had been expecting him, and already knew who he was, and where he was going. She pointed out a mark, up by the borders of Hammerfell and Skyrim. "That's Sky's Edge Cave," she told him. "Claudia knows where that is, because her bear was delivered there. You'll most likely use it as a place to meet up again after you've been across the border to Falkreath, so I suggested to her that you stop on the way there. Did you meet Claudia yet?"

"Magnus told me she was down in the basement with Timo. He mentioned something about recharging."

Gudrun gave him a mischievous smile, and reached behind her back to where her armor fastened. "Then she won't mind if I welcome you to the Lodge myself,"

...

"Well, that was a warm welcome!" he thought as he walked down to the bar in the morning to look for Claudia. He saw a young Redguard sitting at a table with a mug of ale and caught her eye. She beckoned him over to join her. He got himself a bottle and tankard from Magnus and did so.

When he got closer, he saw that she shared her taste in outfits with Gudrun, except that her top was plain iron, and didn't flaunt her cleavage the way the Captain's did. It was still cropped short, and between it and her boots was the minimum amount of cloth to stop her getting arrested. She noticed that he'd noticed. "Standard Bear Rider uniform", she explained. "Everything's strongly enchanted with Frost Shield to keep me warm, and safe."

She told him how the bears they rode had issues with armor trapping their fur, so they needed something that would protect them, and keep them warm, but not irritate the bear. They'd tried wearing thick woolen dresses, but they couldn't fight well in those, and they didn't provide much protection. Eventually the Legion had paid the extra for magical defense instead. Why so much skin on show? The bears liked it better that way.

Gudrun wore plate armor that the bears wouldn't tolerate, but she didn't ride. Her job in public relations, which mainly consisted of looking good, called for a ceremonial outfit, rather than an operational one. It still had the Frost Shield, in case she had to stand out in the cold wearing it. "And don't underestimate her fighting ability. I've seen how she handles a Claymore, and she's quite impressive." He'd been quite impressed by Gudrun, too.

They'd finished their ales, so it was time to head out along the trail. Claudia took the lead, and her bear brought up the rear. He couldn't ride a bear himself, and he'd never keep up if she rode*, so they'd have to do the journey on foot. It would be a bit slower that way, but that just meant she'd have some company for a longer time.

After watching her derriere swaying along the path for a while, he decided it would be better for his sanity if he walked at her side, at least while there was a clear trail to follow. That made conversation easier, too.

A reporter likes to ask questions, and there's no better subject than the pretty girl you're walking with, so he soon found himself listening to her life story. She was half-Nord, with two Nord grandfathers, and she'd always dreamt of being a Mountain Rider..

But she'd had to put that idea on hold for a while, as her family all moved to the Imperial City. Claudia much preferred the mountains, and revived her idea of joining the Legion as a Mountain Rider as soon as she was old enough. Her father thought it was a good idea for her to get the military training, so she could look after herself. Her mother agreed, but for other reasons. Riders were the most sought-after as wives when they retired, and so mothers encouraged their daughters to aspire to the service.

Now she'd been a Rider for a time, she'd begun to understand why. The bears had a reputation for preferring riders who were pretty, as well as strong and athletic. The uniform didn't hurt their attractiveness either. But what really made the women desirable was they'd be away from men on their patrols for months on end, and would practically throw themselves at anything male.

"Gudrun's doing a good job as our Captain," Claudia allowed. "She recruiited Timo to do our recharging, when we take our break at the Lodge. He's made it a lot less of a strain."

"It's a bit ironic that I went from trying to keep the Watch Captains out of my bed, to the opposite extreme overnight, but that's the way it was. The Lodge didn't get built until months after I started my patrol." She told him how the Champion of Cyrodill had played a part in both.

That reminded her of another story about how Timo thought he was becoming a dog. The Champion had found him a cure, but he'd learned a few new tricks in the meantime. The reporter got the impression that, in Claudia's opinion, Timo needed a few more.

They were climbing higher into the mountains now, and he stopped to put on another layer of furs. Even though Claudia had been setting a brisk pace, which helped to keep him warm, he still needed a bit more insulation from the bitter cold air. And if he was being honest, he'd admit that he also needed to stop and catch his breath. He was starting to understand how the magical armor she wore made perfect sense up here, and the high heeled boots that seemed impractical before, were giving her better grip on the ice than his ordinary leather ones.

Dusk was falling and she lit a torch, as they walked up to the Hermaeus Mora shrine. The worshippers there appeared to be oblivious to the cold, although a small pile of empty bottles suggested a reason why. They continued down the other side of the ridge into a snow-filled valley.

There didn't appear to be a trail here, so he was following her again. At least it was dark now, and he was following the torch rather than the girl. He could hear wolves howling not too far away, but it appeared that they didn't want to come near the bear, and nothing crossed their path.

Soon another trail could be seen through the snow, and she picked up her pace a little. "We're nearly at the cave."

Sky's Edge Cave was small and cozy, You could light a fire and the smoke would escape through a hole at the top of the rock, and there were a lot of crates you could stack up to block the cold breeze blowing under the door. Someone had already done that, and there was a comfortable-looking bedroll nestled among them.

Claudia told him that the cave was used as a impromptu warehouse by the traders who moved goods across the borders. They'd pack and unpack crates here, separating the wares that were headed for Hammerfell from those going to Skyrim, or coming the other way. She didn't normally come here as part of her patrol.. That stopped at the entrance to the shrine, but she'd add the extra stretch on until he returned.

There was a pile of firewood and kindling already waiting to be lit in a hearth near the bedroll. Claudia advised him to do the same for the next traveller who came through. She used a minor fire spell to start it, and sat down to take off her boots as soon as its warmth began to fill the cave. Her bear got up and moved a bit further away from the fire. "Hey, I don't have smelly feet, do I?"

She didn't; the bear just preferred to be a bit cooler, but he was reminded that bears have an excellent sense of smell. Gudrun had told him that was one of the reasons they preferred women riders. They just smelled better than men.

He watched as the bear piled up some hay and made itself a pillow, and settled down to sleep. When he looked back at Claudia, she had taken off her cuirass and was waxing the leather of the straps. She hadn't been wearing anything under it, and if her backside was a distraction, the front view was even more so.

He wondered why she wasn't shivering, as he still needed a layer of fur to keep out the cold air, but she still had the one tiny item of her uniform in place. He could see that the Frost Shield would need to be strongest on that, for it didn't offer much defense.

She stood up, picked up a big pile of wolf and bear pelts and made a couple of layers on top of the bedroll. Then she slid between the layers, and called him to join her. "Once I get these off, I'll need you to keep me warm," she said.

He didn't have the advantage of using her method, so he was quite aware of the chill in the cave by the time he'd taken off his furs and snuggled in with her. Her hands were warm, and soon undid the effects of the cold air.

---

When they woke in the morning, she reached out and re-kindled the fire before squirming back into her frost-proof panties. She held his clothes close to the flames, one piece at a time, so they'd be warm enough to put on without too much of a shock. Once he was wearing enough to stand beside her, she turned her attention to breakfast. She put on her boots, and walked over to a barrel by the cave wall and looked inside.

She pulled out a sweetroll, and a loaf of bread. Turning back to him, she held out one in each hand and asked which he preferred. Since she hadn't yet put on her cuirass, he had plenty of opportunity to misunderstand her question, and spend a few moments admiring both of them.

She gave him the bread, and looked back in the barrel for something for the bear. Perfect, berries!

When they had all finished eating she put her top on and picked up her claymore. Time to head for the border.

They walked a little way further along the trail they'd followed the night before. Claudia pointed to a gap between the rocks up ahead. "Once you go between those rocks, you'll be able to see Falkreath," she told him. "The rocks are right on the border, and I'm not allowed to go into Skyrim without a pass. You have yours, don't you?" Gudrun had given him that before he left Bruma.

"I'll see you back at the cave in a week," he promised. "Keep safe!".

She stood and watched as he trudged through the snow towards the border. One part of her mind was thinking "What's wrong with me? I haven't retired yet, and I'm throwing myself at men already." Another part was telling her that it proved she was normal, and she should only get worried when they started throwing her back.


-----------

* The reason he'd never keep up is that the bears run all the time when their rider is mounted. And that's all because the mounted walk animation is broken, and I don't know how to fix it!

Claudia's tale was told http://chorrol.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=4645&view=findpost&p=124865

Posted by: mALX May 21 2012, 08:13 PM

Falkreath is a bridge between the Bear Riders mod and the Gweden one? And the Red Dragon Club is also connected? How much space do these mods take up, and is Falkreath going to be just an "out of borders" mod?

Great Write on the chapter, I liked being reminded of some of the great background stories from the Bear Riders that we haven't heard in a LONG time! (like Timo) !!

Posted by: ghastley May 21 2012, 10:14 PM

The Red Dragon Club is part of the Gweden Brothel mod, not a separate piece. When I started on the quest this episode leads to, it was also just going to be added on, but I wanted to use parts of the Riders one, too. After fiddling around with the CS for a while I figured out that the only way I can get it to work is as a separate plug-in that has two masters. That way Gweden Brothel and the Mountain Riders can be independent, but share this expansion. I'll include it with Gweden as an option that you can install if the other mod is also there. BAIN archives make that an easy process in Wrye Bash. The downside is one more .esp file, if you're close to the 254 limit. I already have optional installation of the SI parts of each, along the same lines.

Without giving too much away, I've been wanting to create an Orc Bear Rider for some time, but couldn't figure out a way to do so. Adding a trainer in Falkreath means that she can have visitors from all over Tamriel, including the Wrothgarians, where they'd need patrols, wouldn't they?

Posted by: Acadian May 22 2012, 12:06 AM

It was nice to see our bare bear riders again. Quite the welcome from Gudrun!

‘Gudrun had told him that was one of the reasons they preferred women riders. They just smelled better than men.’
I agree.

Claudia wears frost-enchanted panties, but she certainly is not frigid!

Nit – just a tiny typo:
'Claudia much preferred the mountains, and revived her idea of joing the Legion as a Mountain Rider'

Posted by: Grits May 22 2012, 02:59 AM

Somehow I missed the Enilwen part! Figuring out the master’s race was fun. How funny, I have been thinking a lot about invisibility and archers today. I love the new velvet shoes. Now Abiene wants a pair in brown.

Oh, big fun with the bear riders, and a good reason for their high-heeled boots. I suspect that many Champions will not mind walking behind Claudia for as long as necessary. Neat that this connects the bear riders with Gweden.

Posted by: ghastley May 28 2012, 08:36 PM

@Acadian: Claudia hasn't finished with him yet!

@Grits: Enilwen's better seen than not. Especially when she's armed and dangerous.

@mALX: I connected the bears to Falkreath when I decided, way back, that Jokull the trader lived there. He was the one waiting in the cave with Claudia's bear back in her story. I've added a house for him, but I'm still trying to work out how to give him an AI setup that has him out of town most of the time, without traveling into Cyrodiil. The game doesn't like people to go past the ends of the map!

---

Kintyra - part 2

Behind one of the rocks was a small hut, and a guard emerged from it. The tabard over his mail bore the Stag's head insignia of Falkreath. He looked briefly at the papers the reporter showed him, and pointed down the valley. The small town of Falkreath was just beyond the ridge.

Most of the houses looked relatively new, as if the town had had to be rebuilt not too long ago. That wasn't too surprising, as it stood next to two disputed borders, and must have seen more than its share of sieges. That impression was augmented by the large graveyard he passed, presumably the resting place of the armies that had fought here.

He'd been told to ask at the Jarl's house for directions, as it was always politic to let the authorities know why you were there. Unless, of course, you didn't want them to know. This time, any help from the Jarl would be useful. They knew where to find Kintyra, and wished him the best of luck with her.

The building at the other end of the street, that he'd been directed to, turned out to be a tavern. Behind the bar was a young Nord woman who was selling ale, and advertising milk. But when he looked up from her ample cleavage, her face made him wish he hadn't.

It would have been a very pretty face if it didn't have a sour expression that let you know the answer was an emphatic "No", whatever the question was. He wondered if she ever did any business. He asked for an ale anyway, and was pleasantly surprised by the reasonable price she charged him, if not by the tone of her voice. He took the bottle and tankard and walked over to a table in the corner, where an old man sat drinking alone.

When he asked about Kintyra, the old man indicated the woman behind the bar. "That's her. Used to be the friendliest barmaid in town, until she met that Redguard. Broke her heart, he did, running off with another woman, just when she thought he was going to marry her. I reckon she'd have chased after him and killed him, if she didn't have to stay here and care for her mother."

"Oh, her mother's still alive, is she?" asked the reporter. "I'd heard that Anya died on the road from Whiterun. Wasn't there an attack by trolls on their caravan, or something?"

"Aye, she nearly died in that, and was missing for a while. When they found her, they thought she was dead, but the dog that they used to track her wouldn't let them bury her. He knew she was still alive,.but she seemed to be totally paralyzed. She can swallow liquids and move her eyes, but she can't move her limbs, or talk. Kintyra or a servant has to attend to her constantly."

That changed his mission a bit. The older woman would be ahead of her daughter in succession to the throne, if they indeed had any claim. In her current condition, Kintyra would have to act for her, so you could argue that she'd still hold the power. But the Elder Council wouldn't want a Regency at a time when the throne was weak anyway.

Still, if the lineage wasn't right, it would all be moot. He still had to make the same inquiries, and find out more about their family tree. It would just be more complicated than he'd expected. The first thing he had to do now was to try and find a cure for Anya, so he could get her story.

He asked around the town, and found that the local healer had tried the usual Cure Disease and Cure Paralysis spells on her, but they'd had no effect. She'd even tried Dispel, in case it was a spell with a long duration, not that anyone knew of one that lasted that long. There had been a brief flicker of movement, but it disappeared as quickly as it came.

They'd even carried her to the local shrine, in case that could cast a more powerful cure than the healer could manage. That had just got Anya more worried - you could tell it from her eyes - as the shrine was in the graveyard!

He was getting nowhere. He'd have to do what he'd been putting off, and try to talk with Kintyra.

She was snappy and unpleasant at first, but once she realized he was trying to help her mother, she softened considerably. Not enough to remove the permanent scowl, but sufficient to sustain a conversation, and get him permission to visit the older woman.

Anya was propped up in her bed, so she could see what was going on around her. They had dressed her in one of her favorite blue mage robes, with matching suede slippers. Her expression was an unchanging one of surprise, as if she hadn't been expecting whatever had afflicted her.

When he entered the room, her eyes met his, but then fell to her hands as if she'd not seen who she'd hoped. He noticed that she wore several rings, as most mages did. Often they'd provide defense, or increased magicka or health, without diminishing the caster's ability to use spells the way armor would.

He turned to ask Kintyra some details about the prior attempts to cure her, and when he turned back, she again looked him in the eyes, and then down at her hands. She was trying to tell him something, he was sure.

He moved to the bed and took Anya's hands in his own. She looked back at him, and he began to understand. She looked down at her left hand, in particular. She wore two rings on that hand, a gold one with an emerald set in it, and a plain ebony band. He held the hand up closer to her face, so she could look at the rings. Her eyes seemed to indicate the gold one. Her slipped it off her finger, and felt her other hand grasp his shoulder.

It was a few seconds before she could speak, as she'd been severely weakened by the the long period of paralysis. Her first words were "My own fault".

Then she wanted a loaf of crusty bread, so she could chew on something. They'd had to feed her liquids while she was held immobile by the spell, and what she wanted most was something solid. That kept her from telling the story for a while longer.

When the trolls had attacked, she had of course hit back with fireballs, with considerable success. However, her magicka reserves were soon running low. She'd drunk all the restore magicka and sorcery potions she carried, and needed more. She decided to swap her defensive ring of aegis with one that fortified magicka, and rummaged in her jewelry bag for it. Unfortunately, she had another ring that looked just like it, and in her haste, pulled out the wrong one.

The Ring of Imprisonment he'd just removed from her finger was like a portable jail. You could just sit a captive down in a chair, preferably one with arms, so he couldn't fall off sideways, and make him put on the ring. He'd be unable to move, or call out, until you took the ring off again.

Perhaps it had saved her life, as the trolls thought she was dead, and ignored her as she rolled off the trail. Perhaps not, as she could no longer participate in the battle. She didn't think that would go well without her firepower. It did leave her stuck in the ravine, until the dog found her.

She wanted to reward that dog, as she was sure they'd have buried her alive, if he hadn't stopped them. Kintyra told her mother that Ingvar, the dog's owner, had already decided that Troll-biter was worth breeding after all, and she doubted he'd get a better reward than that. Kintyra actually smiled when she said that, proving that her face could compete with her other charms. It didn't last.

Anya hadn't really known anyone in the caravan that was attacked, they were all just strangers travelling together for safety. But she still wanted to know if anyone else had survived. Kintyra wasn't sure. Something had made the patrol go looking for them, but she didn't know if a survivor had reached town, or if someone had an expected visitor overdue.

Then Anya was quizzing Kintyra about all the things that had happened while she was paralyzed. That touched a raw nerve when the Redguard's name came up. The black clouds came back across the sun in the daughter's face. As the two women talked, it became clear to him that Kintyra had turned her full attention to her stricken mother, as soon as she had been brought back to Falkreath. Her lover had probably felt cut off and unwanted, so it wasn't surprising that he'd looked elsewhere. But how was he going to explain that to her? She was in no mood to hear that sort of thing from a stranger.

But now that Anya had her faculties back, she was the one he needed to talk to. She sent her daughter back to tend the bar, telling her to lighten up, or she'd drive away the customers.

Eventually he managed to steer the conversation round to ancestry. Anya could trace back through her mother, and her grandmother, to Jorgard of Solitude, whose brother Jargrim had married Jolethe Septim, daughter of Magnus Septim, and sister of Pelagius III. That wasn't as close as he'd thought when he was sent here. They'd believed she was descended from the other brother, and Jolethe. Cephorus II had come from that line, and he'd had aunts and uncles and cousins whose descendents would be closer to the late Uriel VII than were Anya and Kintyra.

So now he could turn his attention to Kintyra's problem. He told Anya about his earlier conclusions, and she agreed with his reasoning. "She's a stubborn one, and doesn't like to ask anyone else for help. Probably comes from being an only child, and from her father."

Anya's late husband Darci had been very similar, in many ways. He was a Redguard, and they don't like to use magic, so he'd resisted her offers to enchant his armor, or teach him any useful spells. He had no problem with her using all the magical ways she wanted. That was her choice, not his, and he wouldn't interfere.

And it was part of why he loved her. They were complementary, rather than alike. Each had aspects that the other admired, but would never take for themselves. He could never persuade her to wear armor, or use a weapon. But he'd be there to protect her, and vice-versa.Together, there was nothing they couldn't achieve, but separated, they were incomplete. He would never ask for her help, but he wouldn't reject it either. And when they fought side by side, they covered each other's weaknesses.

He'd died in a fight with a will-o-the-wisp, that she could have easily killed with a couple of fireballs, if only she'd been there with him. But she was pregnant with Kintyra at the time, and stuck at home resting.

Her daughter had grown up without a father, because Anya had never found anyone who could replace Darci. She'd had a few lovers over the years, but none had quite measured up.

Kintyra had matured with an attitude of independence, and self-sufficiency, that let her have fun with the boys without getting too emotionally involved. She was attractive enough to have her pick of boyfriends, but didn't stay with any of them long enough to get bored with them. She didn't expect any kind of fidelity from them either. So why was this Redguard getting under her skin?

Anya suspected that Kintyra was getting broody. She wasn't pregnant yet; Anya could use detect life in more ways than the reporter knew about. But she'd probably decided that he was going to be the one, and he'd messed up her plans by leaving her. Kintyra wouldn't have told him of her intentions, it wasn't her way of doing things. And she'd most likely have dumped him if she didn't get what she wanted. "I probably taught her that" Anya admitted. "Kintyra never saw Darci and me together, so she has no idea what that was like."

"So it's my job to undo it. Let me work on her for a while. I can be quite needy, and take my time recovering, so that she won't go running after him, and trying to kill him."

The reporter was wondering why he still felt involved. He'd found out the information he'd been sent for, and Anya and Kintyra could be crossed off the Elder Council's list. But he still had a few days before Claudia was expecting him back at the cave, so it wouldn't hurt to spend them helping Kintyra and her mother. He rather suspected that Anya was hoping to kill two birds with one stone, and have Kintyra reward him for her cure, at the same time as he filled the void left by the Redguard.

That wasn't an unpleasant prospect. He'd seen what Kintyra could be when she smiled, and he wouldn't mind helping that happen again. He just had to make sure she didn't think "husband".

After talking to her mother, Kintyra's mood had changed from angry to sad, so he still had some work to do, but that was a much easier place to start from. He'd much rather have her cry on his shoulder than pound her fists on it.

And by the time he waved farewell to a laughing Kintyra and her mother, he felt well compensated for his time. Kintyra had insisted that her mother provide her own reward, and she'd been persuaded to enchant a couple of silver rings with Frost resistance. Now he wouldn't have to struggle to keep the furs in place when he met back up with Claudia.

---

Of course, slipping a ring on her finger, and sliding her panties off, had Claudia almost thinking "husband" for a while. "It's only my dedication to duty that saved you" she told him. Her bear snorted, as if it understood what she'd said. Maybe it did.

Claudia was naturally familiar with the sensation of Frost protection magic, so she'd realized what he was giving her. The rings did provide a freedom they hadn't had the last time. It no longer mattered when the furs fell off the bedroll, and they could see what they doing, instead of hiding inder the covers all the time. So it wasn't long before she remarked "Timo never does that."

"Then teach him," he replied. "The other Riders will thank you for it." It was time for him to tell her more about his own past, in particular his stay at Gweden, and all the things he'd learned there. And of course, show her a few of them.

"You did it with Daedra?" she exclaimed. Claudia had only encountered Scamps, Clannfear and Flame Atronachs, so her ideas were a bit far from reality. He had to explain that Dremora, Mazken and Aureals were just immortal people, not scary monsters. She was almost as big as they were, where it mattered. Silanu, on the other hand...

Now Claudia was feeling very ordinary and unexciting, and he had to convince her that she wasn't. She was a Mountain Rider, and her bear knew she was special, or she wouldn't be one. And she was unique, as the only Redguard Rider he knew of. Which reminded him, she had a duty to be different from the other Riders when she was with Timo. "Put some variety into his routine, and he'll respond in kind."

"We'll be returning to the Lodge tomorrow," he mused. "Will any of the other Riders be there?"

"Why, did you want to sample something different from the menu? I thought Gudrun had already shown you how Nords do it."

"No, I was just wondering if Timo had ever had two of you there at once. I presume Legion rules wouldn't let you share him with Gudrun, her being your commanding officer."

"And what if I was the one wanting two partners? Would you share me with Timo?"

"Why not? If you could keep the entire city watch happy...."

"Hey, it was just the Captains, and I never said it was more than one at a time."

"And here I was, thinking you were really special." he laughed.


-----

It doesn't play quite the same http://ghastley.org/Oblivion/Docs/Kintyra_Falkreath.html. I put the trolls in a mine beneath the town, instead of out on the road to Whiterun, and the player has to go finish them off to get his reward. Not quite as much fun as cheering up Kintyra, but easier to script! You only get the one Ring of Frost Resistance, as Claudia's not being so cooperative either, and isn't waiting in the cave.

Posted by: Acadian May 29 2012, 01:11 AM

A cross-border tale of cleavage and lineage!

Ring of Imprisonment. Almost as bad as hungrily grabbing a poisoned apple from your pack by mistake!

’She wanted to reward that dog, as she was sure they'd have buried her alive, if he hadn't stopped them. Kintyra told her mother that Ingvar, the dog's owner, had already decided that Troll-biter was worth breeding after all, and she doubted he'd get a better reward than that. Kintyra actually smiled when she said that, proving that her face could compete with her other charms. It didn't last.’
This was sweet.

Posted by: Grits May 29 2012, 01:13 AM

They'd even carried her to the local shrine, in case that could cast a more powerful cure than the healer could manage. That had just got Anya more worried - you could tell it from her eyes - as the shrine was in the graveyard!

That’s horrifying and hilarious at the same time. I love it! What a fun story.

Posted by: mALX May 29 2012, 06:26 PM

This had me in hysterics!

The ring of imprisonment sounds like something I need IRL, ROFL !!

Love how the reporter has become the tutor to Claudia, ROFL !!

Awesome Write !!

Posted by: ghastley Jun 5 2012, 12:36 AM

@Acadian: I made a Ring of Imprisonment for the mod, (i.e enchanted one with Paralysis) and had the player put it on. It has no effect at all. Apparently paralyze "on Self" is ignored. So I have Anya take it back immediately she's back to normal. Her paralysis is totally scripted, and the ring doesn't actually do anything to her either. Poison apples do have an effect!

@Grits It's a pity I coulndn't include that detail in the mod. Although there are quite a few gravestones in between the tavern and the chapel.

@mALX: The shoe's going to be back on the other foot soon. And this one sets some of the scene....

This installment has the usual problem of having to be told second-hand to the reporter, and this case, by someone who's only partly involved. The Champion actually does make an appearance for the first time, but after most of the quest's events have already happened!


----

The Orcish Ambassador

On his next visit to the Red Dragon Club, the reporter was surprised to see yet another new woman in the uniform, but this time one he already knew. What was Sugar gra-Mazog doing here? Shurgak hadn't given any special greeting, so he took her down the corridor to find out.

When they found a vacant room, Sugar revealed that the Champion had sent her up from Gweden specifically to entertain the Orcish Ambassador. He'd already been in once, and she was expecting him to come back for more later that night. But not to worry, there was plenty of time for their session before he was due.

Somehow he'd never got round to sharing his bed with Sugar at Gweden, although all the others had visited, some more than once. She was nearly as big as the Daedra women, and more of it was muscle. The dress she wore at Gweden just exposed her ample cleavage, but the uniform she was wearing here didn't cover much at all, and he could see the strength in her arms and thighs. He'd heard stories about her clients needing endurance potions to keep up with her, so he was wondering what he'd let himself in for.

Perhaps she was saving her energy for the Ambassador, but she was taking it easy with him. "I don't often get clients who aren't Orcs," she explained "and they always seem to treat it as a contest. It's a nice change to do it slow and gentle, not fast and furious all the time."

And she had a special request. Prizna had told her about her first encounter with him. "Orcs don't do that," she told him, "and I'm not sure I'd want one to try." That made him curious. Did she...? "Oh yeah, I know it makes 'em real nervous, but no Orc would ever admit that! And then they find they like it, and let me do it again".

He wasn't feeling that adventurous, but while he indulged her, she told him more about the Ambassador. He'd come to Cyrodiil by ship, with his wife, who had a Breton name. Sugar was sure that was misleading, because all the Breton women she knew were really small, like Juliana and Meena. She just didn't see one being a wife to Gorthag. He was big, even for an Orc.

Milady had been kidnapped by bandits on the way here from Anvil, which is where their ship had docked. She didn't know much about the circumstances, but the Champion was out looking for her while the Ambassador was negotiating with the Council.

The strange thing about it was that Gorthag didn't seem to be worried about her at all. Sugar had her theories. "So maybe it's a marriage of convenience and he really doesn't like her, but you'd think he'd at least want to be certain she's not coming back. It was like he already knew what happened to her. And of course, he's not acting married when he comes in here."

When they emerged, they found Taminwe waiting to talk to Sugar. Gorthag wouldn't be coming to the club tonight. He was already on his way back to Orsinium. Lady Brienne, however, had been found, and would coming instead. Sugar looked puzzled. "You'll understand when she gets here," Tanimwe told her.

Lady Brienne was even smaller than most Breton women. Shorter, anyway. She sat quietly in a corner while the Champion spoke to Taminwe and Sugar. Then the Champion turned back to Lady Brienne. The reporter could hear her confess tearfully to being a prostitute at the Wayrest court, and not really the wife of the Ambassador. Queen Elysana had sent her with Gorthag and set up the fake kidnapping incident. They were trying to embarass the Elder Council into granting Orsinium official status as a full Province. Wayrest's existing treaties with Orsinium would be much more valuable if that happened. They wouldn't have been able to put that one past Uriel, but the Elder Council was a different matter.

Brienne had been expecting to get shipped back to Wayrest by the men she'd run off with, but they'd tied her up and imprisoned her in a cave. At first she thought they were just taking their kidnapping act seriously, in case anyone investigated. But they weren't following the same script she'd been given. There was no hint of a ransom being demanded from Wayrest or Orsinium. The men were treating her like the prostitute they knew she was, rather than pretending she was a valuable hostage. Or more like a slave, as they weren't giving her anything but food, in return for what they demanded from her.

The Champion showed her a note he'd taken from their leader. That made it clear she was disposable, and Elysana didn't want to see her again. She'd only received a small advance on what she'd been promised for this caper, and wasn't likely to ever see the rest. And she'd had to spend all that on her outfit, as she had to look the part of an Ambassador's wife. Queen Elysana had a reputation for being a devious back-stabber, but Brienne hadn't seen this coming.

Sugar wanted to know if she'd been sharing Gorthag's bed on the way down to Cyrodiil. Brienne nodded. "Then she gets my vote," said Sugar. Taminwe indicated that she had hers too. The Champion turned back to Brienne and offered her a job at the club, telling her that if Ocato concurred, she'd be doing a few extra things. She'd followed Elysana's orders well enough, and the Champion himself had been fooled by her act. They could use those skills here, if she was willing to join the right side.

She appeared to understand, and thanked them all for their generosity, smiling at last.

Sugar came over to the reporter. "Looks like I can go back to Gweden and my regulars now. Brienne can do Orc duty if the need arises. If she can handle Gorthag, she can cope with any of them."

"But before I do, I've got some spare time I wasn't expecting, and I haven't been in the city since the Champion got my axe back. I'd like to go visit a few of the places I knew when I was here last. Drink an ale or two in the old bars. Want to join me? We can come back here afterwards and finish what we started."

Posted by: Acadian Jun 5 2012, 02:17 AM

Courtly intrigue, plotting and doublecrossing - What fun!

The Red Dragon Club certainly opens new possible vistas into the assorted undercover goings on and political perversions within the courts of Tamriel! I hope the reporter will be able to walk and stand after his upcoming night. They say getting too much Sugar can be harmful to your health.

Posted by: Grits Jun 8 2012, 12:24 AM

Somehow he'd never got round to sharing his bed with Sugar at Gweden, although all the others had visited, some more than once.

Hmm, perhaps he heard that sugar would rot his teeth?

How fun that the young reporter gets to go out on the town with Sugar. And it sounds like a date rather than an assignment!

Posted by: ghastley Jun 11 2012, 10:50 PM

@Acadian and Grits: Sugar only comes in the "too much" size. In this installment the reporter at least manages to share the burden.

This isn't part of the mod, just a variant re-telling of a standard quest the way it might have happened if Sugar got involved. It's also setup for the next ones.

-----

An Unexpected Orgy

The reporter for the Black Horse Courier was a bit apprehensive about taking Sugar for a night's drinking. Or rather, about what would happen afterward. She'd clearly been holding back earlier, and saving herself for Gorthag. She might not be so considerate after a few drinks. But he agreed anyway, and they set off for the Waterfront, taking in quite a few taverns along the way.

By the time they reached the Bloated Float, they were both walking carefully and leaning on each for support. Ormil, the patron of the place, was delighted to see Sugar again, and found them a table where everyone could see them. He asked the reporter if he was planning any drinking contests with her.

"Ormil won't ever let me forget about that Nord," Sugar told him. "He was trying to get me drunk, so he wouldn't have to pay me. He almost succeeded, but after we'd both had a few, and I mean a lot, I was finding it hard to stay in my low-cut blouse."

The reporter nodded, he'd first seen her threatening to burst out of it at Gweden, and wondered how she ever managed.

"Anyhow, when it did happen, it got the guy's full attention, and I was able to pour most of my tankard into his without him noticing. So I started doing it deliberately, and pretty soon he was doing all the drinking. When he passed out, Ormil helped me carry him down to a bunk."

Ormil carried on for her. "In the morning, I complained to him about how noisy his activities had been. We completely convinced him he'd had the night of his life, and just couldn't remember any of it. I threatened to charge him extra for his room because of disturbing the other guests!"

Ormil and Sugar both chuckled at the memory of the poor Nord's face when he heard that.

"What I didn't tell Sugar at the time is that the rest of us were all watching and laying bets. On how many drinks he could take, how many times she'd pop out, and whether she'd show us both at once."

"Oh, I could see that everyone was watching," replied Sugar. "I was too drunk to care, and anyhow it never hurts to show potential customers what's on offer. I don't remember if I did flash the pair, though."

Methredhel remembered. "When he fell off his chair, you leaned over the table to see where he'd gone. That's when it happened."

"Oh, right!" exclaimed Sugar, as it came back to her . "And when everyone cheered, I thought at first that you were just applauding my victory in the drinking contest."

Methredhel sighed "If only we'd all been in one of the taverns in the City. We all could have had a lot more fun."

The man she was with asked her what she meant. Methredhel told him that breasts are a great distraction for what she liked to do. She unbuttoned her tunic, took the man's hand and slipped it inside. Then she dangled his coin-purse in front of his face, having just picked his pocket while his attention was elsewhere. He grabbed for it (with his other hand), but she tossed to Ormil and told him to buy everyone a drink. "In the City, I could have kept it," she told him "but there's no thieving allowed on the Waterfront."

"So what did you just do?"

"Encourage you to be generous. There's a difference."

He looked a bit annoyed, but his hand stayed inside her tunic. He decided he liked the way things were going, and he wasn't getting a bad deal. When the drinks arrived, they came with with the remainder of his money, too. But now he wanted that hand back to hold his tankard. Methredhel let him swap. If she couldn't indulge in a bit of thievery, this had its appeal, too

She'd apparently struck the right mood for the crowd, for when their tankards were nearly empty, Adanrel unlaced her shirt, and asked who wanted to buy the next round. Much to her delight, she got two volunteers, and their hands were warm! They'd almost agreed to split paying for the drinks, when the other women objected. They all wanted to be the benefactor. That looked like fun!

Before it turned into a cat fight, Methredhel called for order. They'd make a proper contest of it. The women all lined up at the bar and took their tops off, so the men could bid on who'd be next. Methredhel and Sugar weren't really eligible for the contest, but they joined the line, too.

Methredhel announced the rules. "No illusion spells. No Feather. No...no spells at all. Hold your hands behind your backs, and breathe normally. The men will vote by show of hands. No not like that, just raise them in the air, cheeky!"

Sugar's were the largest, and her well-developed pectoral muscles pushed them out even further. But on her large frame, they just looked well-proportioned, and the others all had that. The more slender Bosmers' were the smallest, but they were all high and firm. The men's personal preferences were just as diverse, and that showed in the voting. And of course, some of the men knew in advance who they'd have to support, or face the consequences!

There wasn't a clear winner, so they had to think of something else.

Jair had a proposal. Since they were all equally wonderful, if the women would keep their tops off, the men would keep paying for the drinks. "We'll just pass the hat, and share it out equally."

Praxedes saw a problem with that. She was wearing a dress, and couldn't just take off the top half. She had it peeled down to her waist, but she needed to hold it up all the time. "And if I take it all off, I expect you to buy me dinner as well!" Armand was going to do that anyway, so he extended Jair's idea to paying for the food.

Ormil saw his opportunity, and quoted a reasonable price for all they could eat and drink for the rest of the evening. The men went into a quick huddle to count coins before agreeing.

Praxedes dropped her dress to great applause. Methredhel let her man take the rest of her things off, and the others were soon naked, too. Sugar, who could strip faster than any of them, being a professional, decided to take it further. She lifted the reporter out of his chair and began taking off his clothes, too.

- - -

The established couples, like Armand and Praxedes, left first. They'd just go back to their cabins and continue in private. A few newly-formed ones did the same thing, and Sugar and he were soon left among those who couldn't, or wouldn't, choose. Adanrel seemed to making up for lost time, and wanted everybody. Besides, she didn't want to interrupt Methredhel and her guy by going home too soon.

Minx was a Dunmer, and nobody expected her to limit herself to one. Selene, the Imperial, was more of a mystery. She seemed to be enjoying all the attention she was getting, but her mind was clearly on other things. He fulfilled her needs and went to round up Sugar.

A groan from the corner told him her partner was done, too. He paid Ormil for a cabin and took Sugar below deck to sleep it all off.

- - -

They were wakened by the gentle rocking of the ship, as if it were out at sea. When they tried the cabin door they found it locked, but Sugar had learned to pick a lock while she was living on the Waterfront, and soon had it opened.

The man outside the cabin drew a sword as they emerged. The reporter tried to persuade him not to use it, but it was Sugar's fist to the side of his head that did the trick. They tied the unconscious man up in the cabin and crept up to the tavern deck to find out what was going on. Minx, the Dunmer he'd "met" the night before, was there in a suit of leather armor, with lots of extra straps. She recognized him immediately, and as she'd rather liked their time together, she was reluctant to use the sword she'd drawn.

She made a half-hearted swing at him anyway. He easily blocked her attack with the sword he'd taken from the bandit below deck, and Sugar grabbed her from behind. They took her down and tied her up, too. Strangely, she seemed to enjoy that.

The bandit up at the wheel saw the two coming at him, armed with the weapons they'd taken, and just dived overboard to avoid a fight. He didn't like the odds. Sugar and the reporter went across the deck to the captain's cabin.

They were about to burst in, when moans of ecstasy, in what sounded like Selene's voice, stopped them. Unlike last night, she seemed to be fully engaged with her partner, whoever it was. They decided to let them finish.

A little while later, Selene's head appeared around the door, looking for Minx. She was obviously startled to see the two of them instead, but quickly figured out what had happened when she recognized the swords in their hands. "OK, I give up," she said. "Take me away."

She confessed to having planned to rob the ship, tavern, whatever it was. She was sure it must be making a good pot of gold with all the customers she saw frequenting it. But she'd changed her mind when she met Ormil. She liked him immediately, and she'd really hoped that he'd join his customers in last night's orgy. She wanted to get to know him better, but he'd been too busy serving everyone food and drink. So she'd cornered him in his cabin today, while the gang were searching the rest of the ship for valuables.

She apologized to Ormil for forcing herself on him, but he told her that she'd done him a great service. Sugar cracked up at that. It had certain sounded like "great service".

Ormil saw the joke, too, but he meant it. He'd been too focused on running his business, and wasn't making any time to enjoy himself. Or anyone else. She'd made him realize what he was missing.

And he admired anyone with her determination to get what she wanted. That was a good trait in a businesswoman. Clearly that wasn't all he liked about her. He'd completely forgive everything, including her part in the attempted robbery, if she'd just be prepared to negotiate next time. That should be soon, please.

"Where's Graman?" he asked. Graman gro-Marad was the Bloated Float's only crew-member. He was the bouncer, and cook's assistant, or whatever Ormil needed at the time. They went looking for him and found him locked in the storage room below deck. Ormil was relieved, as Graman was the only one who knew how to steer the ship back to the dock.

That reminded them about the bandit that had jumped overboard. Selene said that he was called Wrath, and named the first one they'd encountered as Lynch. They couldn't just leave Wrath in the bay to drown, so they went up on deck to see if he was still near the ship. He was, clinging to the rudder. Graman put down a rowboat so they could tow him back to the dock. They debated putting Lynch and Minx in the rowboat too, but decided to leave them where they were.

Back at the Waterfront, with the Bloated Float tied up at her moorings again, the Watch took Wrath, Lynch and Minx away for a few days in jail. They'd only pressed a charge of stealing, as that's all they'd actually managed, so they'd all be out pretty soon. Minx whispered to the reporter before they took her away that she'd like him to tie her up again, when she got out.

Ormil and Selene had a reward for them. Selene's sword, the Blackwater Blade, was a nicely enchanted longsword that the reporter might find useful. She didn't see herself using it any more. Ormil had a decent amount of cash for Sugar, too. Last night's fun had brought in a good profit, and it was all her "fault".

With Selene's help in the tavern, Ormil would have more time to spend on the important things in life. Like Selene. So if the Bloated Float wasn't open at all hours in future, they'd understand, wouldn't they?

Sugar and the reporter set off back towards the Red Dragon Club, bypassing the bars this time.

Posted by: Acadian Jun 12 2012, 01:47 AM

A no tee shirt contest! It seems like there was no need for the tavern’s bouncer at all since there was plenty of that without him. I’m glad to see the crooks were fully exposed, tied up and delivered justice.

Ode to the breast:
Orsimer Sugar is mighty fine,
while Dunmer are divine.
Imperials delight once undressed,
but Bosmer are best!

What a fun rendition of the Bloated Float quest!

Posted by: Grits Jun 12 2012, 10:19 PM

My favorite title so far!

What a fun night at the Float! Lots of new friends. And maybe we’ll see more of that Minx in the future.

Posted by: mALX Jun 13 2012, 05:28 PM

Loved this rendition of the Bloated Float quest !! Now when I do that quest I'll be listening for the moans and groans, ROFL !! Great Write !!

Posted by: ghastley Jun 18 2012, 09:58 PM

@All The gang that hi-jacked the Bloated Float never really struck me as the violent bandit types, or they wouldn't have bothered sailing the ship away to rob it. This revision lets me keep them alive, and maybe use Minx later in the story. And it sets up the following episode better that way, I needed the pair out of the Club for a while, but I also needed a distraction for Sugar.

---

Once again, there's not a lot of the mod in here, except that Uzgash is added to act as a quest-giver for the new Helm of Tiber Septim quest. She'll provide some build-up to the forthcoming sack of Orsinium, which I've estimated at around 4E10. There will also be pointers to the plotting of the Thalmor, who were probably behind the attempt to have Enilwen assassinate the Mane. Uzgash can report developments in High Rock, as well as anywhere else the Orc Adventurers have travelled.

---

Uzgash

When Sugar and the reporter arrived back at the Red Dragon Club, Taminwe was looking for both of them, with an important bit of news. Apparently Gortwog hadn't completely trusted Queen Elysana with her "wife" gambit, and had sent his own spy to keep an eye on what happened. "We got a note just after you went out last night, asking us to arrange a private channel with Orsinium."

"I suspect Gortwog had this planned for some time, and was just waiting for the right moment," she continued. "Your recent trip to Falkreath makes it possible for us to capitalize on this opportunity and get a direct line to Gortwog established."

She explained that now he had contacts in Falkreath, they could use that as a rendezvous point with an Orc agent. There was a bear trainer in the town that already traded with Orsinium, providing bears for patrols in the Wrothgarians. Gortwog could send couriers to her without raising any suspicion. If the couriers made other contacts while they were there, nobody would know.

"Will this become a regular trip?" he asked, thinking of Claudia, and Kintyra, and the possible complications of seeing them too often.

Taminwe was ahead of him there. "Yes, and I've already sent word to Gudrun about putting a rotation on the route to Sky's Edge, so you won't have a problem. Not until you have four or five problems, that is."

"And you'll be too busy in Falkreath. The courier will be an Orc Bear Rider, naturally. That's why I need Sugar to stay here a while, and give you some extra training." Sugar gave him a wicked grin. She was obviously anticipating having way more fun than he would.

- - -

He was fortunate that he liked the taste of blackberries and apples, with the number of Restore Fatigue / Fortify Endurance potions he had to drink over the next few days. The aftertaste of Monkshood wasn't quite as pleasant.

But before long, Sugar wasn't holding anything back and she found herself reaching for the potion bottle. She reluctantly pronounced him ready for duty, to his great relief.

- - -

When the reporter opened the door to the Riders' Lodge at Bruma, he was surprised to see the five Riders all there at once. He wasn't so surprised to see a contented smile on Timo's face.

Gudrun introduced them to him. "You already know Claudia, of course. This is Pala, the redhead is Svana, and Ystrel is the Dunmer. You'll be going with Unna on this trip, as her route is adjacent to Claudia's and she already knows the way to get there."

Unna had long blonde hair, and a patch over one eye that promised a story to break the ice. "When Claudia found out I was taking the first duty, she lent me this ring," she told him. "Did you remember to bring yours?"

OK, forget the need for ice-breaking. Claudia had told them already.

Gudrun sent them all back out to their patrols, right after the briefing. Unna and Claudia both had to travel to the Hermaeus Mora shrine, so he had one on either side of him all the way there. At the foot of the slope up to the shrine, Claudia turned back and mounted her bear, and left him to Unna to take the rest of the way.

Although it was dark, Unna didn't light a torch as they left the shrine. She just flipped up her eyepatch and carried on into the night. When she noticed he wasn't following, she came back for him. "Just put your hand here," she told him, "and try to keep up." He wasn't sure if she was walking slowly after that just to keep in contact, but they reached the cave without any problems.

He'd guessed that she'd been using Night-eye, but hadn't seen her cast a spell, or drink a potion. Unna explained about how she'd got it permanently from a Daedra's shock attack, and a botched attempt to heal her. She amazed him with http://chorrol.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=4645&view=findpost&p=124821 He seemed to be involved in everything where these women were concerned.

Right now, Unna wanted him to get involved. He hoped Claudia hadn't been telling fishermen's tales about him, and he could actually meet her expectations. She certainly met his.

- - -

The next morning he took the short walk across the border to Falkreath. He didn't know how long he'd have to wait for the Orc agent to arrive, so he made no promises to Unna. She let him know when she'd be going back to the Lodge. Svana was the next for this duty, so it was possible he'd find her in the cave when he got back.

He went to find the bear-trainer, as she'd know whether the Orc was already in town. Meija was a tanned Nord, who wore even less than the Legion girls. She didn't need armor, she explained, as she was just training the bears, not riding a patrol. She needed sleeves, to protect her arns from being lashed by branches when the bear ran through the forest, and boots, for when she walked, but apart from that she could be naked. "The bears would prefer that, but the watch don't allow it."

Her compromise indicated that she put more weight on the bears' side of the argument. The lower half of her outfit was almost non-existent, and the top was guaranteed to keep her cool. She anticipated his question. "I have an amulet with Frost Resistance that's enough to make me immune from the cold," she told him. "Nords are half-way there from birth, so it doesn't take much."

He began to wonder if the woman was psychic with the next thing she said. "After you left last time, Kintyra took up with that Jokull, the trader. So she'll be glad to see you again, but not as much as you might have hoped." That let him off the hook there, but it also left him wondering if Meija had any motives of her own for telling him.

He asked if anyone had arrived from Orsinium, and Meija nodded. "She's with the bear now, getting to know him." Meija led him down the slope opposite the tavern to a snowy clearing.

http://ghastley.org/Oblivion/Docs/Uzgash.html dismounted and walked over to them. The pre-arranged handclasp let her know she had the right man, and left him with an appreciation for the strength of her grip.

He knew that Sugar was considered well-featured for an Orc, and this woman had everything she had and more. And yet her face was more to his human tastes than most. Very attractive, if you were the kind of person who liked tusks. She was built, and dressed, like a Bear Rider, too.

She tactfully separated them from Meija and the bear, and him led to where nobody could listen to their conversation.

It was an indication of the importance Gortwog placed on this mission that he'd sent one of his own daughters. He asked if she was using a pseudonym, but gra-Marghak was real. Her mother hadn't married Gortwog, as she already had everything a marriage would bring, and it left him free to make a political alliance if he needed to do so. He'd acknowledged all his children, and they had no less respect under their mother's name. As adults, they were expected to earn their own respect anyway. So she used her real name. One less lie to get caught in.

"I'll be riding real patrols in the Wrothgarians, too. Having a bear of my own will reassure my father of my safety, although he already respects my ability in a fight. I'll only need the one bear, of course. I'll need another reason for visiting Falkreath whenever I have information to pass on. That's where you come in."

She let the implications of that sink in for a moment before she continued. "We have to be known as an item. Which means we'll have to be quite indiscreet about it. You aren't the type who's easily embarrassed, I hope?"

No, but he'd have to explain why they didn't just build a cabin and stay here.

"Duty, of course. I have my patrol to attend to, and my personal wishes are subordinate to that. You have a job to go back to, don't you?"

Her bear had wandered over to them as they talked. It had clearly taken to her in the short time they'd been together, which was a good sign. He already trusted the bears' judgement when it came to women.

The bear turned its head towards the town. He looked in that direction and saw Meija's head appear above the rise. He pulled Uzgash closer to him and put his arms around her. This was as good a time to start putting on the show as any.

When Meija got closer, Uzgash turned so she could see her, repositioning the reporter's hands to make as clear a statement as possible. The expression on Meija's face indicated that she'd got the message. There was just a hint of jealousy showing, too. That was probably why she'd been so quick to tell him about Kintyra.

This time she just wanted to tell Uzgash that the assay on the gems she'd brought more than covered the cost of the bear, and she was free to take it back to Orsinium. Right away, if she wanted. Meija stomped off back towards the tavern.

"We might have to do something about that one," Uzgash said when she was gone. "We don't want her on the wrong side. And you can't be unfaithful to me, because then I'd have to kill you. This could be tricky."

"Sorry, but you're going to have to learn to share." he told her. "I can't do my job if you tie my hands that much."

"It's not your hands, it's your..."

"Stop being so literal. Anyway, it's only been my hands so far." He squeezed gently to reinforce the point.

She laughed. "And I'm only going to be faithful to you because I won't have any choice on patrol. It's just that everyone here thinks they know about Orcs and their sense of commitment and honor. They'd be the first to tell me if you slept with Meija. That's what makes them the perfect accomplices for our cover story."

"So you have to become the exception that won't turn homicidal if I wander a bit. Meija knows about Bear Riders, and every one of those that I've met has been practically a nymphomaniac. Won't she expect you to be that way too?" He reminded her that her actions so far had done nothing to contradict that picture.

"But then I'd have to show that by going with someone else. There's nobody here I'd want to do that with."

"Actually there's one other way. You can disarm Meija's threat by sharing me voluntarily."

"Share you with another woman? I haven't had proof yet that you can handle just me." She regretted using the word "handle" as soon as she said it, and squeezed back.

"No, you just need to tell her to keep me warm for you when you leave. Give her permission, whenever you're not around. Most likely I won't be around either, so it's not much of a concession. Let her know you're more Bear Rider in your morality than you are Orc, and everyone else will know before long. Besides, they already know about me and Kintyra."

"That was in the past, before you met me, so it doesn't count. But you're right, I'm going to have to share. The only problem I can see is having to put a damper on the men's expectations." He had to admit she had a lot to offer, and her outfit, like any Bear Rider's, put it all on show.

He told her about Sugar's party tricks, and her eyes widened. "An Orc male that brave is a rare find," she told him. "This Sugar has customers who let her do that?"

He told her how Sugar conned them into it. They often had an audience looking on at the Gweden Brothel, and an Orc can't show fear when other races are watching. The wine would bolster their courage, or recklessness, too. Not to mention that she was good at it, so they didn't just take the first opportunity to stop her. He pointed out that most men and mer weren't anything like brave enough to risk it, and if Uzgash had the right reputation....

He himself wouldn't have been that brave, if he hadn't known that others had survived to want a repeat. Uzgash looked at him with a new respect. "How do I develop this skill?" she asked him. He paled at the thought of trying to teach her. Fortunately he didn't have to, she just had to know how to talk about it as if she did. Even if Uzgash was intending to put on a public show, it didn't have to include that.

"I wasn't considering going that far" she admitted. "You can fondle me in public, but anything more is going to happen where we can be heard, but not seen." That would be a room at the tavern, of course. The walls were thick, but there were enough gaps between the logs to let the noise escape. And anyone on the floor below would have a good idea what was going on.

Uzgash wanted to know more about how she'd get her scary reputation established. That was where Meija was important. As long as she didn't have any hang-ups about doing it, he could let her know Uzgash liked doing it too. "You're devious," she told him. "I like that in a spy."

Posted by: mALX Jun 19 2012, 12:21 AM

ROFL !! Uzgash Gra-Marghak hasn't even slept with him yet and is locking him down, ROFL !!

This ruse looks like it opens the reporter up to all kinds of issues, especially dealing with Uzgash wanting to run everything !! Great Write !!

Posted by: Grits Jun 20 2012, 12:09 AM

This time she just wanted to tell Uzgash that the assay on the gems she'd brought more than covered the cost of the bear, and she was free to take it back to Orsinium. Right away, if she wanted. Meija stomped off back towards the tavern.

Perfect! The young reporter’s act of extreme bravery is hilarious. I love their intricate plan.

Posted by: Acadian Jun 21 2012, 12:28 AM

Our reporter is becoming quite skilled, now Sugar-certified as an Orcish consort.

Handy trick with Unna’s night eye – an accident, but not all bad. I wondered if she had perhaps had it poked out by the breast of another bear rider.

"I have an amulet with Frost Resistance that's enough to make me immune from the cold," she told him. "Nords are half-way there from birth, so it doesn't take much."
How lucky that the report has both eyes to enjoy the view!

I like Uzgash! Of course, I have a soft spot for Orsimer women. Poor reporter will have to make enough noise to fill the tavern at night. No Pelena potion of quietus for he and Uzgash!


Nit – ’He wasn't so surprised to see a contended smile on Timo's face.’
Did you mean contented?

Posted by: ghastley Jun 26 2012, 01:01 PM

@mALX: Uzgash is Gortwog's daughter, so she's used to running things her way.

@Grits: It's going to be a bumpy ride!

@Acadian: Unna really has an eyepatch to match her inspiration - the Rumple Minze girl - but her excuse is that a Khajiit healer didn't know she wasn't supposed to have that ability, and healed her too much.

- - -

Uzgash part II

That reminded Uzgash why she'd come here. The Orc adventurers that Gortwog had scouring Tamriel for treasure had reported finding less magical items recently. Someone else was apparently doing the same thing, and they weren't interested in the gold, or unenchanted items. Only the magical was disappearing.

They had their suspicions that the searchers were Altmer, as they'd found a few victims of the Ayleid traps, and Altmer seemed to be over-represented among them. Those that had fallen on their way out of the ruins had enchanted loot on their corpses, but little gold or other items.

One piece that Gortwog was sure they'd want was the Helm of Tiber Septim. He'd heard that the armor had been recovered from Sancre Tor, but no mention had been made of the Helm. That was supposed to have multiple enchantments, and would be a prime target for these Altmer dungeon-divers. If his own people couldn't retrieve it, Gortwog would prefer that it be reunited with the rest of Tiber's equipment, rather than fall into the wrong hands.

The reporter took note of the distrust of the Altmer here. He'd heard stories of plots and scisms among the people of the Summerset Isles, and this fit in with those all too well. Gortwog would naturally want to be seen as an ally, so facts would need to be checked, and the first would be the Helm. If it still remained at Sancre Tor, that lent credence to the whole story Uzgash had outlined.

He also got the impression that the alliance between Orsinium and Wayrest was strained, and Gortwog was looking for support elsewhere. The recent fiasco with the Ambassador's "wife" would not have helped

- - -

When he walked into the tavern with his arm around Uzgash the look of relief on Kintyra's face told him the whole story. He wished her every happiness with Jokull, and asked if the room was available. "There's only a single bed," she reminded him. She didn't charge him for the room, but she did let him pay for dinner. "I'll bring it over when it's ready," she told them.

Uzgash and the reporter found a bench in the corner. She leaned up against him and he put his arm around her shoulders. If anyone looked in their direction he squeezed her affectionately. When their food arrived they made a point of feeding each other, like the pair of lovebirds they wanted everyone to see. When Meija came in to eat, they beckoned her over to join them.

She sat down rather reluctantly on the seat opposite. Uzgash told her that she'd be leaving tomorrow, and she wanted her to take care of her partner while she was gone. Meija's expression was one of mixed shock and joy. "But you're an Orc." was all she could spit out.

"Yes, and now I'm a Bear Rider too. It wouldn't be honorable to make promises to him that I can't keep, so I don't expect any from him. All I can do is leave him with someone like me, so he'll still have the same tastes when I return." Uzgash was a genius, he thought. That was the perfect hook for this fish.

They'd concocted a story about how they met in Hammerfell, carefully contrived to be after his last visit here, but giving each enough time for their trip home. It established the idea that they'd have little opportunity to see each other, so they'd make the most of the time they had together, and that this was the convenient mid-point where they'd do so. Meija seemed to be buying it.

He'd arranged a day trip further into Skyrim that would have him return here tomorrow night, which would be his chance to work further on Meija. Then he'd be going back to Cyrodiil.

They bought her a drink when they left the bar to go their room, so she'd still be in there to listen to their performance. Kintyra would be behind the bar, and a few others could be expected to drop in during the evening.

He didn't have any potions with him but Uzgash wasn't as wild as he'd feared. That's not to say she was meek and mild either, and he didn't benefit from Sugar's training. She didn't seem to be faking her enjoyment either. He wondered if she could do it quietly when she wanted to, or if this was all spontaneous and involuntary. He was at liberty to express himself, too, of course, and that all added to the fun.

"Why did I tell Meija I'd be gone tomorrow?" She asked him afterward. "I want to do that again."

He told her he'd need weeks to recover before he could manage it, and she laughed. "Me too, but I can't tell you that. I have my Orcish reputation to think of."

- - -

He helped reinforce that the following day when he bought a few restoring potions from Dro'bari. Ashara, Dro'Bari's wife, was the source of most of the town gossip, and this would be common knowledge in a couple of hours at the most. He hoped Meija would understand the significance.

He headed north out of town and found the wayshrine he was looking for. It was both his excuse for remaining in Skyrim, and an aid in what he had to do next, which was planting the story with Meija. Dibella's Kiss to boost his persuasion skills, a charm spell when she was distracted, that should do it.

The only problem was that they'd been too successful last night. Meija was reluctant to use the room at the tavern, as she didn't want the whole town to hear her. The charm spell got her past that, but now he didn't have it for later, and he needed her to do that one thing, so he could associate it with Uzgash.

He need not have worried. She was on her knees as soon as he closed the door to the room, possibly because the charm spell hadn't completely worn off.. He told her she was even better at it than Uzgash, which wasn't a lie, after all. He hoped she was paying enough attention to what he said, and not just what she was doing. Her reaction was a great relief. "You let her do this? Brave man!"

From there on, he just let her take him wherever she wanted. She wasn't as strong as Uzgash, but she was just as supple and athletic, and had a good repertoir to try and impress him. He somehow managed to find the energy to keep her happy too.

- - -

He left early the following morning, so that he'd meet Unna as she left the cave, and wouldn't have to spend the night there. He knew she'd be disappointed, and he knew what he'd be missing, but he needed some rest. She was thinking more clearly than he was. "A day's walk to Bruma is going to be restful?" she asked. "Go rest in the cave for the day, we'll go back to the Lodge tomorrow."

"I need to make my patrol to Lipsand Tarn, but I'll be back late tonight, and we'll see how you feel then." she argued. He was too tired to reply, so he just did as she suggested.

She returned to find him weak and incoherent, in the grips of a fever. That's why he'd been feeling tired earlier, it was just the early symptoms of something he'd caught. She searched in all the barrels and crates around the cave, hoping to find some Mandrake Root, but there wasn't any. She'd given the last one she carried to Thor, her bear, after they'd fought that Necromancer.

He'd summoned a headless zombie, and it had given Thor the Collywobbles, even though it didn't put up much of a fight. She didn't know that at the time, the bear didn't show any sign of being sick until today. He'd sneezed a couple of times, and that's what drew her attention. Had he sneezed on the reporter, and passed it on to him?

She had to do something, but the nearest chapel was over the border in Falkreath, and she wasn't supposed to go there. Well, she could ask the guard at the border crossing for help, and see what he said.

She helped the reporter to his feet, made sure he was wearing his ring to keep out the chill, and half-dragged, half-carried him along the trail. The guard saw them coming and ran over to help. He put the reporter's other arm around his shoulder, and the two of them carried him to the chapel.

Martine Petit, the priestess, was up on the top of the tower when they entered. She heard the door open and close and came down to assist. The guard smiled as he watched her descend the ladder. She didn't always have underwear beneath her robe.

They took the reporter over to the altar and called the blessing of Arkay to heal him. The reporter sat on a pew, and gratefully waited while his strength, endurance and speed slowly returned. Unna asked if she could buy some Mandrake root in town. She wanted to keep a stock in Sky's Edge Cave in case this sort of thing happened again.

The guard didn't know about the cave. He'd not been over the border at all. He wasn't allowed to do that. Unna admitted that she shouldn't be here either, but you did what you had to when someone needed help. She described the location to him, and told him about the traders using it.

He'd seen Jokull going in that direction, and had accompanied him as far as the border a few times, But he'd stopped at the border hut, and Jokull had continued without him. "Pity you weren't with Jokull when that Ogre stole his amulet," said Unna, and recounted the tale Claudia had told her.

"It would be better if that route got a patrol," he agreed. "But it's on both sides of the border, so I can't do it, and I assume you can't either."

Martine suggested that they go talk to the Jarl about it. Maybe they could work out an agreement for a joint patrol. The guard's eyes lit up at that idea. It was obvious that the idea of a joint patrol with Unna was very appealling.

The reporter was feeling much better by this time, and he told Unna and the guard to go find the Mandrake root, and he'd talk to the Jarl. Diplomacy was his trade, and if the Jarl saw Unna, he'd know what the guard's true motivation was.

It didn't take much persuasion. Jarl Ulfric saw the benefits, especially if it also helped keep the Ogres away from the town. He'd authorize the Riders to come as far as Falkreath, if his men could use the trail to Sky's Edge Cave in return.

He met Unna again in the middle of town. Dro'Bari did have some Mandrake, and she'd bought his whole stock. Then she'd gone to meet the other guards at their barracks. "Did you talk with the Jarl already?" she asked.

As they walked back to the cave he told her what the Jarl had agreed to. He needed to get it ratified by the Elder Council, but he didn't see there being a problem. Gudrun probably had enough authority to permit her crossing into Skyrim, but they'd better make sure it was allowed for the Falkreath guard to cross the other way.

Unna had told the guards about her colleagues. They already knew about Bear Riders, with Meija in town. They appreciated the show of skin, but Meija was off-limits to them. She was a resident of the town, and they weren't supposed to have any conflicts of interest in dealing with the citizens. Unna, Pala, Svana, Claudia and Ystrel weren't citizens, so this had a lot of potential.

They didn't have to worry about making Sky's Edge Cave more comfortable, there was a private room at the barracks where a guest could spend the night. The cave would be too chilly for Imperials anyway, especially without any enchanted rings to help them.

Unna was working it all out. The rotation Gudrun had aready approved for the run to the cave would still work.The extra distance to Falkreath being so short, they wouldn't have to make any adjustments. There were five of them, and only three guards, so they wouldn't find themselves always with the same partner.

"So no favorites?" he asked, as they entered Sky's Edge Cave again.

"Only you," she replied.

"And why me?"

"Because you're here, now," was her reasonable response.

Posted by: Acadian Jun 27 2012, 12:34 AM

Nice reference/game tie in to Gortwog’s orc adventurers!

As much as I love orcs, I’d have second thoughts about the tusks too!

Woot! Joint patrols! Nice bit of cross-border diplomacy.

"Because you're here, now," was her reasonable response.’
This is so in keeping with the credo of the Bare Bear Riders!

Nit: ’She searched in all the barrels and crates arond the cave,’

Posted by: mALX Jun 27 2012, 04:53 AM

*
This line was my favorite:

Loved the whole chapter, but this line had me rolling. I remember even in Elementary School the boys standing under the stairwell and looking up constantly, ROFL !!! Great Write !!

Posted by: Grits Jun 28 2012, 01:42 PM

I love the references to Tamriel's political climate and developments with the Altmer.

She searched in all the barrels and crates arond the cave, hoping to find some Mandrake Root, but there wasn't any.

And isn’t that the way it goes when you’re looking for one specific thing?

Great idea for a cross-border patrol. Also, I really like the name Sky’s Edge Cave.

Posted by: ghastley Aug 1 2012, 02:22 AM

@Acadian: A lot of the things in my mods try to tie up the loose ends in the vanilla game, or at least connect them to new loose ends of my own. So the Orc Adventurers took me in some new directions, just like the Old All Things Alchemical, and Gweden itself.

@mALX: When I gave Martine the AI package to go up the tower and pray at her little shrine to Dibella, this crossed my mind and I knew it had to be in the story, because I couldn't do it in the game.

@Grits: That part was inspired by my current character's hunt for yarn for the Sheo shrine quest. There's alway some in one of the barrels around Water's Edge, except when it would be useful.

---

The reporter has met Uzgash gra-Marghak, daughter of Gortwog, in Falkreath. Now it's time to report back.

Uzgash Part III

The reporter arrived back at the Red Dragon Club, and Taminwe was there, waiting to debrief him in her usual way.

Uzgash had told him that the Orc adventurers, that Gortwog had sent out to scour the dungeons of Tamriel for treasure, were sending back less magical items recently. They'd also reported finding dead Altmer in the traps in the ruins, and it looked like someone else had copied Gortwog's idea. It appeared, however, that they were only interested in enchanted items, and were ignoring anything else.

She'd also passed on a rumor that Tiber Septim's Helm had been in Sancre Tor, with the rest of his armor. They'd heard that the Champion had retrieved everything else, but not the Helm. Those Altmer would be especially interested in that, as the legends said it had multiple enchantments. Gortwog didn't trust Altmer, and if his men couldn't find the Helm, he'd prefer that it be reunited with the rest of the armor.

Taminwe decided that she wouldn't just pass that all on to Ocato, but she'd tell the Champion, too. He'd probably be the one who'd go look for it, as he knew the layout of the place, and would have a reasonable idea where he hadn't looked before. And if he found the Helm, it would be a good sign that Gortwog was playing straight with them.

The Altmer, or some of them at least, were up to something. That plot against the Mane, that Enilwen had been caught up in, was another indication that there were problems brewing in the Summerset Isle. Ocato had reminded her that the Altmer are anything but united, and that this was probably a particular faction among them, although it wasn't yet clear which one.

"It could be the same bunch that's stirring up trouble in Valenwood. They haven't taken any direct action yet, but we're keeping an eye on them, just in case. They seem to be trying to act through proxies, rather than expose themselves to any retaliation, so they'll be a hard nut to crack!"

Taminwe wanted to know more about Uzgash herself. They hadn't expected that Gortwog would send his own daughter. That must indicate that he doesn't trust anyone else, which might mean that relationships between High Rock and Orsinium were breaking down. The failure of Queen Elysana's ploy with the Ambassador's "wife" would only have made things worse.

Since Taminwe was a lot more fun when she was just a bit jealous, he painted a glowing picture of Uzgash for her. Not that he had to embellish it at all, as she'd inherited a lot of admirable qualities from both her parents. He'd experienced a little of her skills at intrigue and diplomacy that she'd got from her father, and quite a bit more of those abilities she got from her mother, and they were germane to their current .. er ... intercourse?

Taminwe was quite aware that he was attempting to manipulate her. She'd been training him to do that, and reaping the benefits of his progress. And awareness didn't confer immunity, so he was getting what he wanted, too.

She found his description of their performance for the listeners in the tavern rather amusing. She'd always prided herself on her ability to stay silent under extreme conditions. The thought of deliberately doing the complete opposite was a great novelty.

She was careful not to tell him that, or he might have considered it a challenge. With the training he'd got from Sugar, and now Uzgash too, she wasn't so confident of having the upper hand.

Now she was more concerned with getting a good profile of Uzgash gra-Margak, as they'd be dealing with her on important matters in future. The fact that she used her real name, and preferred to use selected truth rather than lies, was a good sign. As long as they knew which way her interests lay, they could probably trust any information she provided. She might not tell them all she knew, but if his training paid off, the reporter would get more than she wanted to reveal.

As he'd only spent a day and a night with her, she wasn't expecting a lot of detail, and he'd impressed her considerably with the amount he had discerned in that brief time. Of course, it had been a rather close encounter, aided by Usgash's need to win him over to her side. He was probably exagerating a bit to try and make her react, but it was all based in reality from which she could draw a valid conclusion.

He interrupted her thoughts with the same idea she'd just reached. "Gortwog didn't send Uzgash just because she was the best woman for the job. He has another purpose in mind."

She concurred. Her conclusion was that Gortwog was dispersing his children to make them less vulnerable. Uriel's sons had been slain together in the Palace, and Gortwog would have learned from that. But a solo patrol in the Wrothgarians wasn't any safer for Uzgash, so that wouldn't be the end of the story. Establishing contacts for her in Cyrodiil was part of it, but they'd have to wait and see what developed.

"How many children does Gortwog have?" he asked.

"Officially none. He's still an eligible bachelor, if politics requires an alliance." Taminwe replied. "But we know he has seven with Marghak, four sons and three daughters. Uzgash is the middle one. We have no reason to believe there are any other consorts or offspring, but can't rule it out. That's probably the way he wants it."

"And what do we know of the other six?"

"The eldest son commands an army based as far from Orsinium as you can get, within his province. Another is ambassador to Elsweyr. The others have no specific duties, or locations, and have been reported all over Tamriel. Cyrodiil's representative at Gortwog's court has not seen more than one in the Iron Fortress at any time. That's making more sense now."

Taminwe continued "I'm assuming that Plan A was to have you fall for Uzgash, and become her protector. She does appear to have made a good first impression, doesn't she?"

"But they won't have counted on that, would they?" he responded. "They didn't know who we'd send to Falkreath, and it could just as easily have been a woman. And frankly, I don't consider myself the protector type."

"They knew that we knew why Falkreath was chosen, and that we'd expect a Bear Rider as their contact. That made you, or someone like you, the most likely candidate, and their plans would include that detail. I don't see their Plan B being much different, either. You are willing to work with her again, and both sides know that. It's not you personally that they want as a protector for her, it's the service you work for, all of us. We just wait for their next move, and see what direction it takes."

"And in the meantime, she's on the move, with a bear to look after her."

"Yes, she should be safe enough for now." Taminwe agreed. "But I'd be a lot happier if we knew where the threat was coming from. This Altmer faction appears to prefer acting indirectly, so she's probably in more danger from the Bretons and Redguards. For all we know, the bandits on the roads might be their agents."

"I can't see bandits being any worry to her," the reporter replied. "The Frost Shield on her outfit must make her nearly invulnerable to their weapons. She's got the strength to make good use of her battleaxe, too."

"Still, I don't see Gortwog having her make a predictable patrol for too long. It would keep her out of touch with her intelligence sources for longer that he'd like, as well as making her easy to locate. Expect to see her at Falkreath again, before much time elapses."

That reminded the reporter to mention his negotiations with the Jarl of Falkreath over joint patrols. He'd like Taminwe to bring it up with Ocato, when he next visited.

She chuckled. "I think he'll agree to that without my persuasion. It can only enhance border security, and a local agreement is all it really needs. The prospect of increased trade with a safe route isn't a bad thing, either"

Taking of trade routes reminded her that a ship had arrived in Anvil from the Summerset Isle, the filrst since the Oblivion crisis had ended. Newheim the Portly, as harbormaster, had to report the comings and goings of all vessels in Anvil. The Black Horse Courier would want a report on events from the Altmer province, and since none of the Imperial agents had returned on the vessel, so would Ocato.

Posted by: mALX Aug 1 2012, 08:13 AM

*

Ha! We had one teacher that the boys couldn't tell if she wasn't wearing underwear or had a nest of flies buzzing, but made up numerous stories about what could be hiding under that skirt which were made much more interesting by the fact that she walked with an odd limp. I learned all this eavesdropping, of course.



This is so intriguing! I love the genius behind the proxy attacks, what a cool quest that would/will be!

Awesome Chapter !!


*

Posted by: Acadian Aug 2 2012, 12:16 AM

’And awareness didn't confer immunity, so he was getting what he wanted, too.’
This struck me as a wonderful line.

Wonderful in depth speculation by Taminwe as she ‘interviews’ the reporter. And Wow! She has the discipline and self-control not to need a Pelena silent passion potion.

Plenty of political intrigue going on, it would seem.

A couple tiny typos:
- ‘And if he found the Helm, it would be a good sign that Gortwog was playing straight with tem.’
- ‘SInce Taminwe was a lot more fun when she was just a bit jealous,’

Posted by: Grits Aug 2 2012, 03:05 PM

Uzgash inspired me to create my first two orc adventurer characters in Oblivion: Burzul (she died) and now Bezel gra-Grubsakh (still going). Sadly their vanilla world has a shortage of young reporters.

Good thing Taminwe knows some expert nutcrackers.


Love it!

Posted by: ghastley Aug 7 2012, 12:25 AM

@Grits: Good thing Taminwe knows some expert nutcrackers
You weren't thinking of Sugar, were you?

@Acadian: Nits picked, on with the politics.

We left our reporter on his way to Anvil to try and meet the first ship to arrive from the Summerset Isle since the Oblivion gates started to appear.

-----

Lathenil of Sunhold - part I

Taminwe had told the reporter that when the Oblivion Crisis started, the seas around the Summerset Isle had seen their worst storms for centuries. Sailors who turned back to the mainland to avoid them reported seeing wreckage floating on the ocean from the vessels that had been caught up when they started. The storms had ended when the Avatar of Akatosh sent Dagon back to the deadlands, but it seemed there were no sea-worthy vessels left to cross the Abacean Sea from the ports of the Summerset Isle.

The ship that had berthed in Anvil had started its voyage in Hammerfell, probably from Hegathe or Gilane. It was likely moving on to Valenwood and Elsweyr, and they might see it again at Leyawiin. If the crew were still in Anvil, he was to ask them what they knew of the conditions in the port cities of the Summerset Isles. Any news from Hammerfell would not be unwelcome, either.

---

The reporter had just walked onto the docks at Anvil, when he was accosted by a robed Altmer, with a deep tan and an angry expression.

"You there, have you seen Rynandor?"

"Who's Rynandor?"

"Like me, he's a Master Wizard, not the sort of person you just don't notice. But everyone here denies having seen him! Why are they all lying?"

"Perhaps he's just not here?"

"How could he not be here? He was on the ship before mine. I'd have been on the same vessel if I hadn't just missed it at the port. When they sentenced him to exile I was determined to accompany him, but I didn't account for their haste."

"Yours was the only ship that's come here from the Summerset Isle. Apparently Rynandor's didn't arrive yet. Was it sailing directly here?"

"Yes, that was the sole purpose of the voyage, to take Rynandor into exile. Why would they go anywhere else? Those accursed Thalmor must have done something to prevent it getting here. They're behind all of this!"

"Who are these Thalmor? I've not heard that name before."

"The Thalmor are one of the syndicates of wizards in the Summerset Isle. They're clearly trying to seize control of the province. They claimed to have defeated the force of invading Daedra that toppled the Crystal Tower, and they've got most of the people believing them. More likely they brought it down themselves, just so they could destroy their opposition among the other mages."

"The Crystal Tower has fallen?"

"Yes, the Tower of Crystal-Like-Law, and the University it housed, with its library and laboratories, all gone! And no sooner had the Tower fallen, than the Daedra all disappeared. The Thalmor claimed responsibility for the latter. If they had that power, why didn't they use before the Crystal Tower was lost? Because it didn't suit their plans! And if they could dismiss the Daedra like that, what's to say they didn't summon them in the first place?"

"The Mythic Dawn did that. And the Daedra were banished when Martin Septim defeated Mehrunes Dagon in the Imperial City. Presumably from all of Tamriel." The reporter recounted what he knew of the Mythic Dawn.

"So the Thalmor were in league with these Mythic Dawn people? Was Mankor Camoran an Altmer? Not that it would have mattered. The Thalmor will deal with anyone to further their ends. And then stab them in the back when they have no more use for them!"

The reporter continued his conversation with the agitated wizard for a few more minutes, trying to calm him down enough that his rantings would make sense. He considered using a Calm spell, but he knew that he didn't have the skill to do so without it being noticed.

He found out that the Altmer's name was Lathenil of Sunhold, and that he'd been among the defenders of the Crystal Tower. He guessed that the stresses of that battle had rather unhinged the wizard.

The Daedra had opened a Great Gate just outside their defences, just as they'd done at Kvatch, and Bruma. The Siege Crawler had emerged and attacked the Tower, which toppled quickly, as if it had been held up by magical forces that had been dispelled. Fortunately, most of the defenders had evacuated before the collapse, but the contents of the library and laboratories had been lost.

Lathenil blamed all the misfortunes of his people on the Thalmor. He denied that they had the power to defeat the Daedra, yet attributed them equal power to afflict their own kin. The reporter had little idea what was fact, and what was exaggeration, and what was just plain supposition on Lathenil's part. He was clearly not a neutral observer, but just where his loyalties lay was unclear, other than his opposition to the Thalmor. He tried to get Lathenil to make statements that other agents could verify, but most of it was just a stream of accusations of Thalmor duplicity.

The conversation was interrupted when Lathenil glanced over the reporter's shoulder, and swore in Aldmeris. (At least it sounded like he was swearing, the reporter didn't know the language that well.) The wizard's glance was swiftly followed by a fireball, but when the reporter turned to follow it, he saw no-one.

That changed when the fireball struck someone. An outline of flame appeared where nobody had been standing a moment before, and a man's voice expressed considerable discomfort. As the flames died out, a slight shimmering in the air replaced them. Whoever was there was using a chameleon spell or equipment, and presumably still a threat. Now that his attention had been drawn to the invisible adversary, he could detect the distorted outline of a Bosmer (he was too short to be anything else).

The reporter backed away, not letting his eyes leave the Bosmer, or he'd have never found him again. He heard the angry shout of an Anvil Guard, as he ran to intervene, and saw another fireball strike. This time, its target fell, and the chameleon dissipated.

The guard bent and examined the body. The Bosmer was holding a silver dagger, enchanted with Drain Magicka, clearly a weapon for use on a mage. He'd approached under chameleon, too, and had he struck first, Lathenil would have found it difficult to respond. That didn't matter to the guard. Lathenil had attacked first, so he was under arrest. He could argue his case later, in a court, but not now.

The reporter advised Lathenil not to resist. There were other guards running towards them, and the odds were not in his favor. Remarkably, the wizard was rational enough to agree.

The reporter found a note on the Bosmer's corpse that confirmed that he'd been hired to kill Lathenil. Naturally, it gave no clue who'd sent him. The Altmer may be deranged and paranoid, but he did at least have some justification for it.

He decided that he needed to know more, so he'd go pay Lathenil a visit in jail. But fIrst he'd ask around the docks for any other news from the ship.

As he expected, the ship Lathenil arrived on had already sailed on for Valenwood. There were no other passengers, and all the goods they'd unloaded had come from Hammerfell. Nobody had any information on the missing vessel with Rynandor. There was nothing to say he wasn't an invention of Lathenil's.

---

Lathenil was a lot less agitated behind bars, and talked quite rationally to the reporter about what he knew. He admitted feeling a lot safer in the jail, although he wished the guards had let him keep his ring of life detection. The reporter suggested that he ask the jailor to wear it, just in case, and that idea seemed to cheer Lathenil considerably.

The reporter had shown the Bosmer's dagger, and the note that he found, to the magistrate, and got Lathenil's sentence reduced. That got Lathenil worried again, as he'd be back in danger when he was released. He needed somewhere to hide from the Thalmor.

Perhaps it was the earlier mention of the Mythic Dawn that put the idea into his head, but the reporter saw a similarity with Silanu's case. Gweden farm was a perfect place for her to take cover, and maybe it would be just as good for the Altmer. The fact that he wouldn't mind visiting there if he needed to question Lathenil again had nothing to do with it.

He mentioned Silanu, and he could tell that Lathenil was intrigued by the idea. Perhaps a taste of her discipline would do him some good, too.

His time with the prisoner was up, and he left the Castle. He skirted the town wall and joined the road up to the farm. He'd better let Tsarrina know that she had a guest arriving shortly. He had no doubt that Lathenil would pay handsomely for the protection (and other services), but it was just the courteous thing to do.

The Breton girl he met just outside the farm wasn't one he knew, but she came right up to him and kissed him as soon as she saw him.

That was the last thing he remembered.

---

Lathenil is the author of http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Rising_Threat - a book series in Skyrim. The events in it start at the fall of the Crystal Tower, so they're just the right period for this. The http://ghastley.org/Oblivion/Docs/Rising_threat.html follows the events here quite closely, but will diverge as the reporter is not the player character.

Posted by: Grits Aug 7 2012, 12:49 AM

It is so neat to see what I’ve read as history in Skyrim happening in the time after the Oblivion crisis! I’m really enjoying this, ghastley.

The Breton girl he met just outside the farm wasn't one he knew, but she came right up to him and kissed him as soon as she saw him.

Uh oh…

Posted by: Acadian Aug 7 2012, 01:40 AM

He considered using a Calm spell, but he knew that he didn't have the skill to do so without it being noticed.
I love this acknowledgement of what only a master of illusion can do!

Paranoia. . . but seemingly justified. That is one scared wizard to almost prefer the safety of jail. I wonder if that Bosmeri assassin was DB or simply hired by the Thalmor? More intrigue, regardless.

Here’s a few more tiny typos:
-"So the Thamor were in league with these Mythic Dawn people?”
-‘He'd approached undcer chameleon, too,’
-‘He decided that he needed to know more, so he'd go pay a Lathenil a visit in jail.’
-‘He had no doubt that Lathenil would pay hansomely for the protection’

Posted by: mALX Aug 14 2012, 01:31 AM

WOO HOO !!! Toppling the Crystal Tower - I love that !!! This whole paragraph is absolutely perfect - love the whole thought behind that, ROFL !!!

GAAAAH !!! What happened?

Awesome Write !!!!!

Posted by: ghastley Aug 14 2012, 01:43 AM

@Grits: When I went researching for things that should be starting to stir around 4E1, I discovered that the Thalmor had begun the moment the crisis ended, by claiming responsibility for the Daedra's defeat. And that was chronicled in Rising Threat, whose author conveniently followed Rynandor to Anvil. The rest is history...

@Acadian: Typos always seem to happen between the cut from Wordpad, and the paste and cleanup here. I edited this one, so ther are probably more.

The unused Calm spell was intended to do two things at once: reinforce the fact that the reporter knows one, and his belief that Lathenil really was the level of mage he claimed.

@mALX: I didn't write the loss of the Crystal Tower, Lathenil's ghost-writer at Bethesda did that. But it is a nicely dramatic feature for his tale.

----

Lathenil of Sunhold - part II

The reporter woke with a pounding in his head, on the bed inside the farmhouse. Freija was standing over him with a worried look on her face.

When his eyes could focus properly, he saw that most of the others were standing in a circle around the bed, looking on anxiously. The door opened and the Legion Patrolman came in.

"She's dead" he told them. "We'd have preferred to interrogate her, but she wasn't to be taken alive. And if we let her summon another of those Clannfears, we'd have taken a lot more damage."

Nelrene followed him into the room, dressed in a fetching set of dark armor that she filled very nicely. The reporter hadn't seen her wearing that before. He wondered if that was her guard's uniform from the Shivering Isles. She cast a healing spell on herself as she put away her mace.

"Who was she?" the reporter asked, but nobody knew. Just some crazy witch who wanted to kill him, and nearly had.

He tried to get out of the bed, but a sharp pain in his leg stopped him.

"Wait until I've taken that arrow out" Freija advised him. The Patrolman looked a little embarassed when she mentioned the arrow, and ducked back outside. Freija beckoned Prizna and Nelrene, the largest of the women, over to help her. Although being held down by those two was quite a pleasure, the reporter still passed out again when Freija pulled the arrow out.

---

"He's awake!" Meena called out cheerfully, and Freija came back in to see how he was doing. This time his head didn't hurt, and his leg didn't either.

Freija explained what she knew about the attack. She'd been passing between the farm and the Lodge when she saw the reporter approach, and started to walk towards him. The stranger had appeared from nowhere, and kissed him, and he'd fallen over paralyzed. Then she'd summoned a Clannfear to finish him off.

Freija had cast her bound claymore and armor and run to intercept the Clannfear before it could reach him. The patrolman had come out of the farm, with Nelrene close behind, and they'd gone after the witch. When the Clannfear switched its attention to Nelrene, in defense of its mistress, Freija had picked him up and carried him inside.

She didn't know when the arrow thing happened. It was all too quick, and there were spells and arrows flying everywhere for a time. She'd seen the witch afterwards, and there were a lot more arrows in her. And another thing crossed her mind. "Why did you let her kiss you like that? I've never seen anyone uglier."

The reporter assumed that she'd used an Illusion spell to make her look young and pretty. Clearly she'd known some powerful magic, if she could summon Clannfears. And he'd heard about people who could paralyze with a kiss. Had something to do with their birthsign, if he remembered correctly. Freija didn't think that it was just the Lover's power. His health had been damaged at the same time. More likely the Cobra's Dance.

Lathenil had warned him that the Thalmor might go after him too, but he didn't think it would have been that quickly. Still, if they'd had a second assassin ready for Lathenil, it wouldn't have been hard to divert her to a new target. His story was looking more plausible all the time. These Thalmor probably were a significant threat if you weren't on their side.

When he spoke with Tsarrina about Lathenil, she didn't seem to be worried. Another customer was always welcome, and the threat from the assassins might be over, anyway. "We have an immortal Arena Champion, a Mazken guard, and a bear hunter here to look after us. Not to mention Maeva has Rockshatter back, and Sugar's handy with her axe. We'll do all right"

Tsarrina was forgetting Prizna, he reminded himself. She may walk around naked, and appear vulnerable because of that, but she hurls a mean shock spell when she wants to. Not only that, but Lathenil was intending to travel here under invisibility. The Thalmor would probably never know he was here.

---

The reporter was attacked again between Anvil and Skingrad. He couldn't be sure if it was just a highwayman, or another assassin. This man wore heavy armor, which was unusual if he was a Bandit, but he swung an axe, which didn't fit the Marauder norm either. At least he saw him coming, and he'd just passed a Legion Patrol. He ran back up the road and alerted him, and together they subdued the Redguard.

There might have been another nearer the city. He passed an archer fleeing across the meadows from a Minotaur, firing arrows as she ran. He left them to their fun, and hurried on up the road, hoping he hadn't been noticed.

---

Taminwe had heard of the Thalmor. She described them as an insignificant faction that was fanatically racist. They wanted to send all foreigners back where they came from, and dreamed of recreating the civilisation of the Ayleids. She felt that their views were far too extreme to have any traction with the rest of the people, and they probably weren't a serious threat to the Empire. But they'd still be a threat to any weaker group that opposed them, if general order broke down. The Daedric invasion had probably given them a chance to assert themselves more than usual, and they'd bear watching.

She'd heard of Rynandor the Bold, too. Another minor faction leader, but one with a practical and honest demeanor that meant he'd never amount to anything in politics. If Lathenil was in his group, at least they weren't anti-Empire, like many of the others. He was probably harmless, although she'd have preferred that he hadn't brought the Summerset Isle's squabbles to the mainland.

He didn't understand why he'd become the new target of the assassins. Taminwe had a theory. It was because he was a reporter. Lathenil's was a lone voice, and his tale of Rynandor's probable demise would likely go unheeded. An article in the Black Horse Courier would be seen everywhere, even in the Summerset Isle, and the Thalmor would presumably not like that.

Ocato had connections with the bureaucracy in the Summerset Isle that would give them some more information on Rynandor. Any banishment or exile had to be communicated through diplomatic channels. The other provinces didn't like criminals being dumped on them without notice, after all. Since Rynandor's trial had been public, the Thalmor could not have suppressed that notification without arousing suspicion. They might have intercepted his ship on the high seas, of course. She reminded him to be on the lookout for reports of piracy in the Abacean.

"If it weren't for those assassins chasing you, I'd have asked that you go to Leyawiin and Senchal, and see if the ship that brought Lathenil puts in at either of those ports. Now I think it would be better if someone else does that. I may even go there myself." Taminwe told him. "The Black Horse Courier won't print anything until we have a full picture of this, and then not if it puts you in more danger. You should take another trip to Falkreath, and see what Uzgash has for you this time. See if she knows anything about Lathenil, Rynandor or the Thalmor."

Posted by: Acadian Aug 14 2012, 03:38 AM

Were you trying for this: “I used to be an adventurer like you. Then I took an arrow to the knee and now I’m a reporter.”

I loved the debate over Lover’s Kiss and Cobra’s Dance.

’Another minor faction leader, but one with a practical and honest demeanor that meant he'd never amount to anything in politics.’

So Taminwe’s putting our reporter on ice for awhile by sending him back to Skyrim. Probably safer for him. I can imagine what Uzgash has for him.

Posted by: mALX Aug 14 2012, 07:40 PM

Ah, I never played Elder Scrolls before Oblivion, didn't know the tower got toppled!

I had originally suspected the birthsign kiss too, but didn't suspect the illusion to look beautiful - nice touch !! You nailed the description of Thalmor politic and beliefs! Awesome write!

Posted by: Grits Aug 18 2012, 05:12 PM

"Wait until I've taken that arrow out" Freija advised him. The Patrolman looked a little embarassed when she mentioned the arrow, and ducked back outside.

Oops.

The reporter was attacked again between Anvil and Skingrad. He couldn't be sure if it was just a highwayman, or another assassin. This man wore heavy armor, which was unusual if he was a Bandit, but he swung an axe, which didn't fit the Marauder norm either.

I like this. Running back to the Legion Patrolman is a familiar tactic, and the combination of weapons and armor are great clues that this is not the usual bad guy. I really enjoyed Lathenil’s story.

Posted by: ghastley Aug 21 2012, 04:47 AM

@Acadian: Glad you liked that bit. The reporter suspects the Lover's Kiss from the way it was delivered. Freija is a bit more realistic.

@mALX: It's getting hard to write about the Thalmor without making too obvious what's really going on. The Imperial side has to discount most of the facts or they'd have been prepared. Lathenil being the only one to point at them in particular, and his being a bit paranoid, should keep it down.

@Grits: I had to give the Legion a chance to make amends.

-----

Uzgash - Part IV

When the reporter arrived at the Falkreath Tavern, he found that Kintyra had made a few alterations to the room he rented. The bed had been replaced with a larger one, and when he flopped onto it, he noted that the frame didn't creak like the old one. There was a new, rich, tapestry hanging on the wall closest to the bar. He peeked behind it, and found that someone had stuffed wool into the gaps between the logs. There was a thicker rug on the floor, too. Uzgash would get a good laugh out of all this new sound-proofing, he thought.

He'd arrived before her, this time, and Meija was out of town fetching a new bear to train. He'd travelled here with Svana and her bear, but she'd already left to continue her patrol. That meant a night alone, and he could get some rest for once.

He stowed his gear in the chest in the corner, and went back down to the bar for a drink and a meal. Ingvar had killed a boar in the forest; it was roasting on the spit, and nearly ready to carve, if that delicious aroma was anything to judge by. Svana and the reporter had been joined on his trip here by Jokull, back from one of his many trading trips, and perhaps that was the cause for tonight's feast. Kintryra got Jokull to carve thick slices off the boar, while she stirred a pot simmering next to the fire.

The reporter's plate arrived just as Uzgash slipped into the seat next to him. Kintyra set another plate in front of her, and she breathed in the unfamiliar tang of the sauce. "Oranges!" Kintyra beamed. "Jokull just brought some back from the South, and I've been dying to try this recipe."

---

Everyone affirmed the success of the sauce, by taking a second helping of everything. Uzgash leaned against him and pronounced herself too well-stuffed to move. Loudly enough to announce that there wouldn't be a repeat of their last visit's performance, in case anyone was wondering, and to let Kintyra know that her cookery was appreciated.

For public consumption, it was just as effective to cuddle in the corner over a slowly-sipped glass of wine. And then to walk slowly to their room with his arm around her waist, chatting inconsequentially.

When Uzgash saw the changes Kintyra had made to the room, she laughed so much it almost hurt. But she stopped suddenly, and turned to him with a sheepish look on her face. "I guess I owe you a bit of an explanation" she said.

"You probably noticed my lack of inexperience last time. Especially with your training." she went on. "I've been studying the report on you from our agents in Cyrodiil, so I know a bit more now. I shouldn't have let myself get so carried away, with someone who knows the professional tricks."

"Those reports should have convinced you that we were both sent here for the same reason," he argued. "I don't think anyone was being decieved, certainly not me. When you mentioned your mother, I was already expecting that you'd learned from her, and delighted that you had. Expert-level stuff, too!"

"And what did your intelligence reports say about me?" she asked. "Did they tell you that my mother had let me work in her Guild, and earn the price of my first armor that way? She said it would help me think of myself as an ordinary Orc, not a princess. I realise now that it's also good training for a spy."

He admitted that his own reports on her were now the most complete, and they didn't have much other detail. How much more did she want him to know?

She decided to tell him what else her mother had taught her. Spells to keep her free from disease and "other complications" that any Guild member needed. As well as a few special ones, nasty painful ones for dealing with abusive customers without actually being fatal. The reporter was glad she was just telling him about those, and not demonstrating anything.

"I was going to use that armor I'd earned to go dungeon-diving for better equipment, but that was more my older sister's style than mine. She'd been the only girl for a while, and she was used to playing rough with my brothers. As the second daughter, I got to do more girly things, and I developed a taste for pretty clothes. You don't find those in dungeons, so I stuck to earning them the way I liked best."

"So what have you been doing since we were here last?" he asked her.

"Patrolling on my bear," she replied. "Fighting a few ogres, and wolves, and bandits. Oh, and a Spriggan. And getting more and more impatient for a chance to come here!"

He reminded her of the heavy meal they'd just eaten, and protested that he was in no condition for a repeat of their last encounter. She wasn't either, but she felt he owed her some of the seduction and foreplay that they'd skipped last time. And that had been a bit extreme for her tastes, too. It was what the occasion called for, and she'd enjoyed it at least as much as he had, but she'd be perfectly content at a more sustainable level. He knew just what she meant.

---

Later, it was her turn to ask him about recent events, and he told her about his visit to Anvil, and Lathenil. She knew pretty much the same about the Thalmor as Taminwe had told him. They were known to be hostile to immigrants to the Summerset Isle, and generally considered too extreme in their views to become a popular movement of any significance. They hadn't been seen in the other provinces, although they probably had sympathisers and contacts all around Tamriel. The Orcs saw a lot of prejudice, and it wasn't easy to tell the Thalmor's from anyone else's.

When he got to the part where the assassin had attacked him outside Gweden, he got a mixed reaction. She was genuinely grateful that the attack had failed, but also inclined to think he'd been too easy a mark. When he told her about the arrow being pulled from his leg she expressed surprise that only two could hold him down. He decided not to mention passing out.

He led her to believe that his subsequent fragility was just a ruse to get sympathy from the girls (which wasn't too much of an exaggeration), although she told him that it would have had the opposite effect on her. "If a man's fragile, what use is he to me?" she snorted.

That thought led her to talk about the situation between Wayrest and Orsinium, which could equally be described as fragile. Queen Elysana had never been any real threat to Gortwog. Her duplicity was somewhat cancelled out by the simplistic nature of her frequents plots against him. She was predictable, and therefore caused little or no problem. Until recently.

Either she had new advisors, or another party had joined the game. There had been acts of sabotage, and thefts of material and information, that she'd never have managed. There had even been an attempt to kill Uzgash's younger brother on his way back from Lilmoth, in Black Marsh.

The An-Xileel had declared that the absence of an Emperor made their accords with Cyrodiil null and void. Black Marsh had received no help from the Empire when the Daedra invaded, and felt they owed nothing in return. They had decided to secede, and were preparing to notify the Elder Council. That had made her brother's presence in Lilmoth "unnecessary", as they put it, and he was advised to return home.

It wasn't until he'd crossed the border from Wayrest that the attack took place. The boat in which he was travelling up the river had been moored for the night, and someone set it ablaze while they slept. He'd managed to get off alive, if a bit singed, but many of the crew had perished. The Argonians had had many better opportunities to do the same thing while he was leaving Black Marsh, and hadn't, so they were the least likely suspects. Gortwog believed that he was supposed to think Elysana was behind it, but he knew her style, and this was completely different.

It also wasn't clear if this was a failed attempt at an assassination, or an attempt to create friction between Wayrest and Orsinium. They could have used much more subtle methods if they just wanted him dead. The fire would be widely reported, and become the topic of speculation in all the markets and taverns around the land.

Gortwog had not sent couriers to warn his other children, fearing that they would be followed. Uzgash only learned of this when her duty roster returned her to the Iron Fortress.

So this trip was a welcome break from her routine in more ways than one. If she was a target, they'd be looking for her in the Wrothgarians, and not in Falkreath.

Taminwe hadn't mentioned which side had instigated this meeting. But there must have been a message sent between the agencies, and that courier could have been compromised. Uzgash told him not to worry on that score. They didn't need a courier for something that simple. There was a crystal ball sitting on a desk in someone's office in Orsinium, and if it glowed, she'd be sent here. She assumed another one existed in the Imperial Palace, to tell them to send him. The mages who did this didn't know what the signal meant, just that they had been told to send it. Another similar ball could cancel the request, from either end, if they weren't available. Any messages that needed to be passed would have been given to him or her to bring.

So why were they here this time? He hadn't been given a message for her, and she didn't have one for him. The events they'd just discussed were important enough, but there were no explicit instructions for either of them.

He asked her when she was due to return. "Whenever I'm done here," she responded. "Whatever done means. If you don't have any specific orders from your side, then I'm not sure why I'm here at all."

It didn't take long for them to realize that they'd both been sent here to hide. With assassins potentially looking for each of them, they were most likely safer here than anywhere else. They'd chosen this town because it was small, and easy for them to get to know, and be known by, everyone here. They'd soon spot a stranger, or they'd hear the rumors if any showed up.

Posted by: Acadian Aug 22 2012, 01:02 PM

Roast boar with orange sauce – yum!!! How sweet to imagine the gentler side of Uzgash’s orcish bed maneuvers.

‘The Orcs saw a lot of prejudice, and it wasn't easy to tell the Thalmor's from anyone else's.’
I love orcs but know exactly what Uzgash means.

"If a man's fragile, what use is he to me?" she snorted.
That thought led her to talk about the situation between Wayrest and Orsinium, which could equally be described as fragile.’
What a wonderfully ghastleyesque segue!

I like the crystal balls for sending signals.

They were both sent to Falkreath to hide, and pulling the bed sheets over them sounds like the perfect cover!

A couple small nits:
‘Svana and the reporter been joined on his trip here by Jokull, back from one of his many trading trips, and perhaps that was the cause for tonight's feast.’
Did you want to perhaps say, ‘…reporter had been joined…’?

‘The reporter was glad he was just telling him about those, and not demonstrating anything.’
I think it is Uzgash telling him these things so I suspect you want ‘…she was just telling him…’

Posted by: Grits Aug 22 2012, 02:20 PM

Kintyra’s redecorating had me rolling.

Roast pork with orange sauce, I love it! Lore-friendly and delicious. What a nice evening for the reporter and Uzgash.

I love the Black Marsh politics and the crystal ball messaging. Sonds like it’s time for a little Falkreath vacation!

Posted by: mALX Aug 23 2012, 07:36 PM

ROFL !!! Seems like Uzgash was a little too pleased with the reporter for the other residents of the inn's taste, lol.

Ooh, Kintra's meal sounded AWESOME !!

ROFL !!!

Awesome Write!

Posted by: ghastley Aug 27 2012, 11:58 PM

@All: I've only eaten Roast Boar once, and I don't recall what kind of sauce went with it. Orange was lore-friendly and a good way to entangle Jokull in the plot. And I know the readership likes to be fed!

@Acadian: Crystal balls seem to everywhere in the game, and nobody using them for anything. They can't all be Syl's. And if you can kill off Savlian, this time I'm killing the reporter, sort of.

----------

Uzgash - Part IV

They stayed in Falkreath for several days, making the most of each other's company, and expecting some communication from Orsinium or Cyrodiil to tell them it was safe to return, but nothing came. It wasn't long before the welcome break turned into unwelcome boredom, and they were both anxious to leave. And they'd leave together. They just wanted to do something else, somewhere else.

When Pala and her bear arrived to escort Jokull on his next trading trip south, they decided to join them and travel down to Bruma. Uzgash's bear would not be so obvious there at the Lodge, and he'd be more able to blend in with the crowd, too.

As they travelled down the trails through the Jerall Mountains, Pala brought them up to date with the news. It had been quite an eventful period for him to miss. Ocato had been elected Potentate by the Elder Council, as they'd felt the power vacuum had gone on for too long. He had reluctantly agreed, and almost immediately received notice of Black Marsh's secession from the Empire. Not an auspicious start.

The two events were unrelated; the Argonian delegate who'd delivered the message had already departed from Lilmoth before the Council's decision. It was not unexpected, as links with Black Marsh had been tenuous at best before the Oblivion Crisis. But it was potentially a pattern for the other provinces to follow. Everyone expected Elsweyr to be next, or at least part of it, as it seemed to be suffering from internal strife of its own. An attempt to assassinate the Mane had failed, but it probably would not be the last.

The reporter thought of Enilwen when she told him that. It wasn't the first attempt, either, but only a few knew of that one.

They'd just passed over a bridge across a deep ravine. On the way to Falkreath, he'd travelled with Svana, who noted that the main ropes were starting to show signs of fraying. She'd have to report that when she got back, so they could be replaced. Pala saw it too. They weren't all that bad yet, and she'd have given it a few weeks longer before she reported anything. Svana didn't have bridges on her regular route, so she was more eager to show her inspection skills when she got the chance.

But the ropes had given the reporter an idea. Since the bridge was due for repair anyway, they could use it to fake the death of Uzgash and himself. "And her bear", Pala reminded him, "or else he'd stay here and look for her body." That might get the assassins off their trail, as each group, those pursuing him, and those persuing Uzgash, would think the other sabotaged the bridge.

"Pala can even draw everyone's attention to the cut ends of the ropes, which will indicate foul play. Everyone will think we were killed by the assassins, and stop hunting us." The reporter made it all sound like it would work.

Jokull agreed. "If they were hired to kill you, I'd expect both lots to try and claim responsibility. They'd all want the payment for the job."

Jokull could take the bogus news to Falkreath when he returned; the bridge would be back in place by then. Uzgash would go into hiding at the Bruma Lodge for now, as her bear could stay there without raising any suspicion. He'd want to go back to the Imperial City and get a handle on the latest events. He couldn't go back to his reporter's job, but he hadn't being doing much of that recently anyway.

Pala and Uzgash stood either side of the trail, and counted down together. Then they swung their claymore and axe at the ropes, which obliging parted at the same time, and sent the near end of the bridge swinging down towards the opposite wall of the ravine. Pala was pleased to note that the frame of the bridge hadn't suffered in the process, and the bridge deck had only lost a couple of loose planks. That would be re-hung in no time, and the patrol could resume.

They peered down at the river at the bottom. It was hard to see anything, as it flowed rapidly over several small cascades of falls, and there was a good deal of spray obscuring the view. Good for washing away bodies, even one as large as a bear.

---

Gudrun had one small objection to Uzgash staying at the Lodge. There was only one Timo, and he had enough on his plate already. The other Riders' schedules meant that he wasn't overworked right now, but if Uzgash wasn't going to be out on patrol the way the others were, things would be different.

Well, Uzgash didn't need to stay in the Lodge all the time, he reasoned. Nobody in Bruma knew who she was, so they would just think she was a fresh recruit, waiting to be assigned her patrol. She could go out with one of the other women from time to time, as part of her "training".

Gudrun cut him off. That would still put Uzgash in the Lodge at the same time as whoever she patrolled with. Yes, there would be a problem less often, but it was still there.

If he'd been at the Farm, he could have asked Darwen for ideas. She knew Bruma well, having come from here. Better than Gudrun, and the others, who only went into town shopping from time to time.

And that's when it struck him. "Do you dance?" he asked Uzgash.

She responded with a display of gyrations that left him in no doubt. There was a lot more to this woman than met the eye. And in her bear-riding outfit, most of her did meet the eye, which only amplified the effect.
---
Olaf was delighted at the proposition they had for him. He hadn't had a dancer since Darwen left town, and business just hadn't been the same. Skjorta had almost agreed to do it, but Olfand had finally decided that there were limits to what he'd tolerate, and she didn't take the job.

Uzgash and Olaf haggled for a while. She told him that she knew all about Darwen, and besides, she didn't get drunk. She knew how to stop drinking before she was the worse for it, as any good warrior would. She'd want a cut of the extra income, as well as her food and drink.

Olaf started to object, but Uzgash unbuckled her chainmail top, and Olaf forgot what he was going to say. The reporter decided she would get a good enough deal without his help, and headed back to the Lodge.

---

Uzgash returned the following morning. She good-naturedly denied his accusation that she must be half-owner of the Tap and Tack by now. It hadn't been Olaf that occupied all her time. She'd come to an agreement with him soon after the reporter left.

She'd already mentioned being a Guild member, well now she was two. She'd paid her dues a second time to the local chapter, and they'd licenced her to trade in Bruma. This Uzgash was just "Uzgash" on the register. She'd left the "gra-Marghak" in the bottom of a ravine.

Next, she'd gone to Nord Winds and bought some clothing in the local style. Something that covered her much more than her uniform, but would peel off well when she danced at Olaf's.

Then she'd gone back to Olaf with a proposal of her own. She wouldn't just draw in a crowd, she'd see to it that a room got rented for the night. The man would be paying, of course, and she'd like a piece of that, too. On top of what the man was paying her. Uzgash hadn't put too much pressure on Olaf this time, she didn't need to. And she'd celebrated her success with a few drinks, a bit of dancing, and a Nord or two. "Even after buying those extra clothes, I'm ahead," she proclaimed.

Gudrun came downstairs from her office to discuss a roster of duties that would fit in with those evenings at the Tap & Tack. Uzgash would want to to spend a decent amount of time with her bear, so something close to town was needed. And Pala had talked to her about giving Timo a bit of expert training. They'd have to work that in somehow.

It seemed that the reporter didn't need to worry about her settling in here at Bruma, and he could leave for the Imperial City whenever he wanted. "Not going to see Falanu in Skingrad?" asked Gudrun, who'd met her when she and the Champion had gone hunting for Goblin Jim. "She'll be especially pleased to see you now you're dead."

Posted by: Acadian Aug 28 2012, 01:42 AM

Ahah! The fake yer death with a falling bridge gambit! Great idea for the reporter’s witness protection program. I can see that Uzgash is a natural on the dance floor and had to chuckle as Gudrun pointed out how the reporter was just Falanu’s style now!

Posted by: mALX Aug 28 2012, 04:04 AM

Acadian hit exactly what I was going to say, lol. Faking the reporter's death was an awesome idea, then referring to Falanu's darker leanings - her secret is out! Lol. Great Write!

Posted by: Grits Aug 28 2012, 06:22 PM

Uzgash is one heck of negotiator. Olav’s place (or is it Olaf's?) is going to be awesome with the regular crowd plus a dancing orc. No one will notice Ongar’s food thieving again!

Posted by: ghastley Sep 3 2012, 01:55 PM

@Acadian, mALX: I like the "Falanu prefers you dead" idea so much I couldn't help repeating it in this one.

@Grits: True, Uzgash will be the only one looking on his direction. But if she notices what Ongar's doing, he may have to reform quickly!

---

Since we're leaving Falkreath, I thought I'd show one easter egg I just added to the mod. Fjarnheld's shop is just labelled "Falkreath Smithy" in the game, but it does have a sign outsidehttp://ghastley.org/Oblivion/images/Hammer_Thumb.jpg.

The next part of the story picks up an idea of Acadian's that sacrificing a woman will get you a female Daedra in return. Thanks for letting me use that!

---------


Aranxa

"I need you to go and interview Falanu Hlaalu," Taminwe told him. "It only seems appropriate to send you, now you're dead."

That joke was beginning to get on his nerves, which is probably why she repeated it. But she really did want him to go to Skingrad. Tsarrina had made her monthly trip to the Red Dragon Club to do the books, and as always, they'd exchanged gossip while she worked. She'd heard from Silanu about a suspicious Altmer mage visiting her sister. She was in regular contact with Falanu through messages carried by one of their regular customers, Bjarne Long-Arm, who lived in Skingrad and visited once a week. The reporter remembered him. He was the Nord he'd met in the West Weald Inn on his first trip to Gweden, which was also when he'd met Falanu.

"I thought at first that she was describing Lathenil," explained Taminwe, "but this was someone else. Tsarrina confirmed that Lathenil was still at Gweden."

"This other mage was buying all the Columbine Root Pulp, Ginkgo Leaf, Ginseng, Nightshade, and Water Hyacinth Nectar he could lay his hands on. That made no sense to Falanu, as they're all ingredients for fortifying Magicka, and an Altmer usually has that to spare. But if they weren't for his own use, who would it be?"

"Go down to Skingrad and see if she has any more clues, and then maybe you could go on to Gweden, and finish up with Lathenil. He's probably calmed down a lot by now, so you should be able to get more from him."

The last time he'd spoken to Falanu was when he went to get the key to Miranu's laboratory, and that was quite an exhausting experience. He made a mental note to refuse any potions, ointments or the like this time, especially if Miranu made them.

---

Falanu repeated what Taminwe had told him, but added that she'd been curious about where the Altmer was going with all those ingredients he'd bought. She'd followed him after he left her shop, until it was apparent that he was leaving town through the East gate. She'd gone up to the bridge leading to the castle in time to see him pass beneath it and walk up the road. When he turned off towards Silorn, she went out on the Castle hill to watch which way he went from there. He wasn't headed for the ruin itself, but left the trail after it crossed the river. When she lost sight of him in the distance, it appeared that he was traveling due East.

"There's not much in that direction until you get to Fort Black Boot," she told him. "I've been out that way gathering ingredients before, so I know. I don't get too close to the Fort, though. There seem to be conjurers living there, from what I can tell, and I have no wish to be chased by a summoned Clannfear." She marked the fort on his map, so he'd be able to find it if he needed to.

She also described the man's robe, in case he saw him later. It was blue, like a regular mage, or conjurer, would wear, but had a border of gold writing in what looked like Daedric letters. Not a style she'd seen before.

---

When he left Skingrad, it was to the West. He needed to have another chat with Lathenil before he dealt with Fort Black Boot. That sounded more like a job for the Champion anyway, as conjurers usually hurled spells first, and talked afterward.

Freija saw him walking up to the farm and ran to meet him. "Are you crazy?" she demanded. "There could be more assassins looking for you!"

He assured her that it was much less likely now that he'd faked his death in a bridge collapse. "You'll probably read about that in the Black Horse Courier soon, " he told her. "We just need to leave enough time for an investigation, so there are some 'facts' to quote, and a few witnesses to the scene that can be interviewed."

Freija wasn't easily convinced. "If you're wandering around the country, you should have someone with you to defend you." He got the impression that she meant herself.

He reminded her that she was needed at Gweden to protect Lathenil, but that didn't sway her. "Nelrene's here, and Prizna, and Maeva, and Sugar. That's enough to look after one elf."

She hadn't mentioned Darwen. It turned out that the Bosmer was off on a bear-hunting trip, which undermined his argument further. If Darwen felt she could do that, it really had been quiet around the farm. So Lathenil wasn't attracting any attention, and that probably meant nobody knew he was here.

He went in and spoke to Lathenil. The Altmer was much more calm than he'd been the first time, but he was still adamant that the Thalmor were the root of all evil, and responsible for everything wrong with the world. He'd most likely never change his mind about that. Unfortunately he didn't have any information about their activities outside the Summerset Isle. Other than the attempts on their lives, that is.

Lathenil had no idea who the mage was that had bought the supplies from Falanu. The reporter passed on her detailed description of the man's robe, but it didn't evoke any reaction.

When the reporter went to leave, he found Freija, in her travel robe, by his side. "I'm not letting you journey back alone," she told him.

"But you're unarmed," he protested. "How are you going to protect me?"

Freija summoned her Claymore and Armor to show him. The weapon looked fearsome enough, but just skimpy plate panties? They didn't look like they'd do anything but distract the enemy. She admitted that was one purpose of her outfit, but assured him that it also held a significant Shield enchantment. She was better armored than she'd be with a full set of Steel plate. He agreed that it did look a lot better, too. Like many Nord women, she had a lot to display.

As they walked together toward Skingrad, he told her about the Altmer mage and Fort Black Boot. He'd be asking the Champion to go down there when he got back to the city. "But won't that be too late?" she asked. "It's been a day or two since he went there already. If you leave it much longer, he'll have moved on."

By the time they reached the West gate to Skingrad, she'd changed her plans from protecting him, to leading him directly into danger. Conjurers were a known quantity, and it was the unknown that worried her. She could handle a nest of conjurers on her own, and there were ways to keep him safe at the same time. His Illusion skill was quite high, as he'd made a lot use of his Charm spell, and he'd be able to sustain a useful duration of invisibility if he learned that. She was sure the Mages Guild would have that one available.

---

At the door of the fort, she made him cast the Invisibility spell before they went in. "I'll open any doors," she told him."You should be behind me anyway, watching my back, and warning me if any of them get around us. If you need to re-cast, step behind a pillar, so they don't see you doing it."

As he watched her swing into action, he was reminded that she had been a team Champion at the Arena. She certainly knew how to use that Claymore, and mowed down the conjurers with ease. But the summon spell eventually expired, just as another stepped out of a corridor behind them.

Freija had her hand raised to re-cast her bound equipment and was unaware of the threat at her back. He realized that if he called out to warn her, he'd give himself away, just as much as losing his invisiblity would. So he stabbed his shortsword into the conjurer's back as he passed. His howl of pain gave Freija all the warning she needed, and she swung her Claymore through his neck.

A charging Clannfear disolved into smoke a few feet short of the reporter, who hastily cast Invisibility again.

The corridors wound on down to a wider hallway lined with stone coffins, from which a broad stairway led up. Around the corner at the top came a hooded figure flinging shock, and the reporter had to duck behind a column. Invisible or not, that lightning was something to avoid. He heard Freija curse in a most un-ladylike manner, and a thump as someone's body hit the ground. The lightning stopped, but whether that was for lack of a source, or a target, wasn't clear.

Remembering that he was still invisible, he stepped back out to look. Freija was standing over a crumpled figure at the foot of the stairs. She moved on, cautiously now, as that last Adept had been more than she'd expected. He hurried to catch up with her.

In the chamber at the top, there was a large stone throne. Sitting on it was the largest woman he'd ever seen, at least eight feet in height, if she'd been standing. Even now, her eyes were higher than his own, and they seemed to be looking straight at him.

That was because they were. The Xivilai was a mage, and could detect his life despite the invisibility spell. She spoke directly to him.

"Who are you that has come to defy those annoying mortals that summoned me?"

He let the spell dissipate, as it seemed pointless now. He introduced the two of them to her, and was given her name, Aranxa, in return. Freija dispelled her bound equipment, and relaxed somewhat. Aranxa didn't appear to be on the conjurers' side, at least.

The huge woman rose from her seat, and led them around the corner to a stone slab, on which there was the naked body of a young Imperial woman. The hilt of a silver dagger protruded from her chest. "They sacrificed this one to bring me here, thinking they'd get a warrior in return," explained Aranxa. "But they got a healer instead. My magic is all Restoration and Mysticism, and I bear no weapons. They were not pleased. One of them attacked me with his magic, but his spells were easily reflected, and he learned a hard lesson."

"Now I'm stuck here in your world, unless you can find this woman's soul and return it. Molag Bal has accepted the exchange, and it is in his world now."

"How can we get her soul back from there?" the reporter asked. "We can't just open up a portal and go fetch it."

"You can't, but I can," she replied. "I am of that world, so it's my right to invite you there. I believe I know where the soul has been taken, too." She waved her hand towards the center of the room, and a blue swirling mist condensed into a small archway filled with blue flame.

He looked at Freija, and the two of them tried to decide if this was a trick. "Before we go," he began "Could you answer a few questions?"

He asked Aranxa what she knew of the conjurers' purpose in summoning her, or rather the Xivilai warrior they wanted. Had they said anything about that?

Not much, but the names Elsweyr and Riverhold had been mentioned. Freija and the reporter recognised those. Elsweyr was the nearest province, and Riverhold was a market town in it, just across the border from here. They might be targets for an attack, and summoned Deadra would be an untraceable weapon to use aginst them.

"I'll be here when you get back," Aranxa interrupted. "Give me your questions, and I'll think about them. You can have the answers when you return."

---

The world they emerged into was hot and dry. The sky was red, and full of threatening clouds. Lakes of lava surrounded the island of bare rock they found themselves on, and there was no immediate sign of life, or even undead.

There was also no sign of a portal to go back, so they'd have to go exploring anyway. Freija made the reporter try his invisibility, in case it didn't work here. She tested her bound equipment, too. In this heat, it was more comfortable than the thick robe, anyway.

There appeared to be only one path away from there, so they took it. At the foot of the first slope, a Dremora was waiting, and he was immediately hostile, hurling a fireball towards Freija. She dodged as she ran towards him, and the fireball sailed on into the sky.

"All threat, and not much delivery," was how Freija summed up her late opponent. "But he's just the first. Who knows how many more we'll meet."

The ones that most concerned the reporter turned out to be the fire towers. His invisibilty proved useless against them, although the fireballs were slow enough to dodge. He drew their fire, as Freija sped through to attack the Atronach beyond. That hadn't seen him, and it didn't appear smart enough to realise that the towers had a target.

The trail they were following appeared to be spiraling outward. They hadn't been able to see anything beyond the lava from where they arrived, so they were hopeful that it wouldn't be endless. The enemies seemed to be closer together now, which might also mean they were close to their goal.

And then they saw her. A ghostly pale outline of a woman stood at the end of the trail, but there was no sign of a portal to take them all back. They ran the rest of the way, but as the reporter reached out to touch the spectral woman, she dissolved into smoke.

Freija pointed to a portal that had just appeared behind where the woman had stood. "We can at least go back and find out what we should do next," she reasoned. They stepped through and found themselves back in Fort Black Boot.

---

Apparently they'd just done the right thing, as Aranxa was beaming. They'd captured the soul, and she could restore the woman to whom it belonged. "While you were gone, I looked into the fading minds of those you slew," she told them. "Unfortunately, the one who gave them their instructions was not among them. They knew little of the ultimate aims, only their own part in it, which was to summon Xivilai. Riverhold was their target once the army had been raised."

They were suprised that she could read minds, especially those of the dead.

"The memories of the dead fade rapidly," she explained. "Starting with the most recent, and going back in time. When you get old, you'll notice the same thing happening to you. And the reading of minds is invaluable to a Healer, as you can't ask an unconscious man where it hurts! It was one of the first skills I worked on."

She led them back to the woman's corpse and cast a spell. The dagger in the woman's chest faded away, and her eyes slowly opened. She looked at Freija and the reporter as if she recognised them from the Oblivion realm they'd just left, and then she noticed Aranxa.

She leaped from the slab and clung to the reporter. He cast a Calm spell on her while she was distracted. Not too much, as he didn't really want her to let go. Just enough to prevent any accidents.

Aranxa laughed as he did that, and that also helped dispel the woman's fear. "Don't worry, Alessia," she said. "I won't be here much longer. I can use that portal myself, now you're safely returned."

But before she went through, she wanted to give Freija a reward. (Alessia would reward the reporter, if she wasn't mistaken.) She'd noticed the Nord's immortality and knew that she was scared of its potential consequences. A scroll of parchment appeared in her hand. "This is a scroll of Dispel Immortality," she told her. "You haven't been immortal long enough to know if it also stops you from aging, and I can't see into the future to find out. But either way, you may want to use this at some point. It is useless to anyone else, of course, so it has no value, but I think you'll consider it priceless."

---

"How did she know my name?" asked Alessia, after the Xivilai had gone.

"The same way she knew about my curse," replied Freija. "Not that it's a curse any more, now I have this scroll."

Alessia looked puzzled. How did she beome immortal? And why would she think that a curse?

"We can talk about that on the way back to your home," the reporter replied. "Assuming that you don't mind wearing a ripped and blood-stained conjurer's robe to travel in."

Freija cut him off. She'd just found Alessia's own clothes in a chest by the slab. No bloodstains on them, so they must have stripped her before she was stabbed. The reporter was disappointed. He'd hoped that Alessia would prefer to do without, rather than wear a conjurer's robe.

The look Freija gave him said that she knew what was he was thinking. She changed the subject. "Did you notice that the conjurers here were all Altmer?" she asked.

"Well, they're normally that or Breton, who don't have quite as much Magicka. I'd think you need the extra to be able to summon Daedra all the time. Even more for a Xivilai, that's an Expert-level spell just to summon one temporarily. Perhaps that's why they needed all the potions, if they were trying to do a permanent summoning."

"But it still required a soul exchange, even with that boost," Freija reminded him. "So I can't see them trying this often."

She had a point, but the Altmer factor had him wondering again if there wasn't something real behind Lathenil's paranoia. He'd have to discuss that with Taminwe. As Aranxa had mentioned, the mage that had visited Falanu's shop wasn't here. They'd have soon spotted that robe of his among the plain ones.

The three of them travelled on to the Imperial City. Alessia had been a chambermaid at the Tiber Septim Hotel before her abduction, and she hoped she still had her job. It was quite the best she'd ever had, as she got free board, and Augusta Calidia had hinted that she could earn a bit extra if she offered extra services to the male guests. She wasn't sure about that part any more, as it was what got her into this mess to start with. She didn't remember anything after she went into that elf's room.

Still, it wasn't a required part of the job, she thought, and she'd have to see if Augusta still considered her one of the staff. The reporter pointed out that the Red Dragon Club was open for business again, so there were alternatives, both for the Tiber Septim guests and Alessia.

Allesia was pleased to find that she'd been missed, but not dismissed. She hurried off to catch up on the cleaning duties she'd left undone. Freija decided that the reporter would be safe enough now he was so close to the Club, and left to return to Gweden. She advised him to find himself a bodyguard he could trust. "You're a lover, not a fighter," she reminded him. "Your instincts when you meet someone new are totally wrong for someone with assassins looking for him. You need a companion who's not so trusting, if only to make you think first."

He walked around the corner to the Red Dragon Club. He had a report to make.


--------------

In the playable version of this episode, Freija is not involved because you as Champon of Cyrodiil are quite capable of taking on the conjurers yourself. However, I did provide an option for the player to select the scroll of Dispel Immortality as a reward, and give it to her. You get an extra Fame point for doing that. See the walkthroughhttp://ghastley.org/oblivion/Docs/Life_Death.html for details. (Warning - naked Xivilai!)

Posted by: Acadian Sep 4 2012, 12:52 AM

‘He heard Freija curse in a most un-ladylike manner, and a thump as someone's body hit the ground. The lightning stopped, but whether that was for lack of a source, or a target, wasn't clear.’
This was a nice bit of wording here to capture the confusion.

What a pleasure to see several elements of what Buffy learned while helping Savlian clear the conjurors from Fort Agarctova make their way into this episode!

For a moment, I thought Aranxa would end up in a Cyrodiil brothel. I imagine she would damage the customers much more than even Sugar!

Posted by: mALX Sep 4 2012, 05:59 AM

*

Ooh, nice easter egg catch!

Loved this little character trait detail, lol.



I always love it when in game NPC's use life detect! Awesome touch!



This was a spectacular bit of world building! Absolutely Loved this idea!

This update goes on my list of top favorites so far - Awesome update !! Great Write!



*

Posted by: Grits Sep 8 2012, 02:10 PM

From the alchemical mystery all the way back to the Red Dragon Club, this was a tremendously fun adventure. After the young reporter gave that conjurer a poke with his shortsword and then took a walk through Oblivion, I worried that he might decide he was a warrior. I’m glad that Freija reminded him where his real strengths lie.

Posted by: ghastley Sep 10 2012, 07:54 PM

@Acadian: - I'm sure Tsarrina would have tried to add Aranxa to the staff if she could. It's one of the main attractions of Gweden that every race in Tamriel and beyond is represented there. However, she'd have to have the ceilings raised in the farmhouse, so it might have been a bit expensive!

@mALX: - I like to try and add the practical (i.e. non-combat) use of magic wherever I can. It's one of the features I like most in other people's stories.

@Grits: - He'll get reminded of that a few more times in the next few episodes! And in this one, he'll even think it himself.

Since I've run out of Gweden/Red Dragon Club-related quests to relate (until I add a few more), we're going to branch off and meet Angeline and Diablita.

---------------

A Shack on the Waterfront

"You haven't been back to your apartment since you 'died', have you?" asked Taminwe.

The reporter acknowledged that he hadn't. He'd wanted to, but it didn't seem like a good idea. He never spent much time there anyway, and he didn't really have anything stored there that he couldn't replace. Some of it he really should replace anyway. He needed a better sword, and his spare armor needed repairs.

Taminwe reminded him that he hadn't paid the rent on it either. They probably had a new tenant already. She told him he needed to get a new place, and she had heard that there was a shack up for sale in the Waterfront district, behind the harbor wall.

"That den of thieves! Why would I want to live there?" he protested.

"Because it's the most heavily patrolled part of the city. Because the crime rate is actually the lowest there - really! I don't know if it's all the extra patrols by the Watch, or if there's just nothing worth stealing, but you hardly ever hear of an actual crime down there. Yes, they find stolen goods from time to time, but they're always stolen somewhere else."

He remembered that he'd met quite a few of the people who lived down there already. They'd been at the Bloated Float when he went there with Sugar. He'd liked those people. Methredhel, Adanrel, Carwen, Praxedes - no wait, she lived somewhere else, didn't she? And he wasn't sure if Minx had gone there after she got out of jail. Selene and Ormil, too. That meant that he was known, in return, so it didn't seem to be a good place to hide.

Taminwe contradicted him. As the stronghold of the Thieves Guild, it was just the place to go. Someone could disappear there if they wanted to, and knew the right people. The way she said it suggested he already did. They weren't the kind to rat on their friends, and he had got to know a lot of them very well. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea.

He set off for the Market District, and the Office of Imperial Commerce.

---

Vinicia Melissaeia accepted his 2000 Septims, and handed him a key. "I assume you don't want this sale registered in your real name. Nobody in that district ever does. Traditionally, we enter the owner as Emer Dareloth, without a signature. Will you be doing the same?"

That sounded like a good idea. "I won't break with tradition," he told her. "That's never good for your luck."

Vinicia reminded him that the place had minimal furniture at present, just a bed and a table. "I'm not sure if there's even a chair to sit on. But you can get the furnishings at the Three Brothers store when you need it. They'll deliver it, too!"

He thanked her, and set off for his new home. He wasn't sure if he'd need anything major in the way of furnishings, just a few chests to store things in, but he would need a least one chair! Vinicia had told him that there was a basement, maybe he'd find something down there that he could bring up and use. Maybe a stool that would serve until he bought something better.

When he opened the door, he saw that she hadn't been exaggerating at all. The bed was a single one, and there wasn't room for a larger one there , without blocking the doorway. A small round table occupied most of the other half of the room, and there was nowhere to sit but on the bed. There was at least a solid-looking fireplace and chimney, so he wouldn't be cold.

There wasn't a trapdoor in sight to access the basement, which was a good thing, as it wouldn't restrict where could put any chairs or chests he added. He assumed that there must be a door on the outside, probably round the back.

Sure enough, there was a double hatch door covering the entrance and the same key as the front door fit the lock. He glanced behind him at the level of Lake Rumare, and noted that there wasn't a lot of depth available for a basement. He hoped he wouldn't find standing water down there.

---

The last thing he expected to find was the two young women that rushed to him as soon as the doors opened. One of them looked like a Breton, but with a Nord's flaxen hair. The other was unlike any race he'd encountered before. She had red skin, horns like a Dremora, and hooves and a tail!

They were both eager to get out into the sunlight, but their eyes were blinking furiously as they'd obviously spent some time in the dark. In the bright light of day, he could almost see through the blonde's dress, which was made of white lace. While he couldn't quite make out the interesting details, it was clear that she wasn't wearing anything under it.

The darker woman wore only tattoos and chains, if you didn't count the hair on her lower legs. Her ample breasts held up well on their own, but were also supported by chains that ran between her pierced nipples, and a spiked collar around her neck. There were a few other piercings and chains in intimate locations. And on her back, she carried a pitchfork.

When she finished rubbing her eyes, she introduced herself as Diablita, and the other was her sister(!) Angeline. She corrected herself. "Half-sister, that is. We have the same father, but different mothers. We're sort of twins, too, born on the same day."

He asked how they came to be locked in his basement. "Well, of course it wasn't locked when we went in there. We'd just got off a ship in the harbor, where we'd been stowaways, and it looked like a good place to hide for a while."

They'd brought bedrolls with them, and they'd found barrels of food stored in the basement, so they'd survived well enough. They were running out of wine and beer, though, and didn't like the idea of drinking from the little pool of water in the corner. There were a couple of stools, too, which was all the news he wanted.

Except that he needed to decide what to do with these two. They pleaded with him to let them stay for a while, as they had nowhere else to go. "We can be useful," said Angeline. "I'm a pretty decent archer and spell-caster, and Diablita's fork is like a mage's staff. It produces a nasty fireball."

Diablita admitted that she'd rather swing a sword or hammer than use the pitchfork, but she didn't have either right now, and it was good to have a ranged attack as well. "We can heal ourselves, too, and aren't much affected by diseases or poisons."

They weren't mentioning what else they could do for him, but they had cuddled up to either side of him to make it obvious. He found himself thinking that they were both fairly small, so they wouldn't take up much room, and Freija had suggested he get a bodyguard, and ...

"Just for a while," he consented. "This is a pretty tiny shack, and we'll find it's a tight squeeze for all of us. Don't expect it to be a permanent solution."

He was a little worried that such a conspicuous pair of companions would draw attention to him. He had also wanted to draw on his waterfront contacts to appear to be a long-term resident of the area. Having these two in tow might make it harder to pick up where he left off with the Bosmers, and Minx.

On the other hand, they'd be a distraction, and he did need a bodyguard, to keep any assassins at bay. He carried the two stools up to the ground floor, and sat down on the bed to talk to the "twins". They ignored the stools, and sat on the bed, too, either side of him. It was becoming obvious that they worked as a team, and each knew what the other was thinking. He interrupted their plans by asking them where they'd come from. They'd mentioned being stowaways, and they obviously weren't from around here.

The two exchanged glances, and apparently elected Angeline to do the talking, while Diablita continued to entwine herself around him and nibble his other ear. She explained how they'd grown up on a volcanic island somewhere in the seas south of the Topal Bay. They'd lost their parents, and the island's only source of fresh water, when the lava dome their house had been built on collapsed into the bottom of the crater.

She didn't want to go into any details right now, there would be time for that later. But they'd been in the basement for a long time without a man, and some needs were just more urgent than story-telling.

---

There may have been enough room in the bed for the three of them to do that, but there certainly wasn't room to sleep afterwards. The girls fetched their bedrolls from the basement and laid them out on the floor. There was only just enough room to do so, and it wasn't going to be a workable arrangement once he had a few chests added.

He'd only just moved in, and already he was in the market for a larger house! He'd want to keep this one as a City base, but he should be on the lookout for something that had enough bedrooms for each of them. That wasn't going to be cheap, but It would be their home, and they could help him raise the gold.

Adventuring around the countryside might be another good way to stay out of public view for a while, too. He'd not done that before, as he wasn't so confident of his ability to survive that kind of life, but maybe they'd be safer as a team. He'd discuss the idea with them when they woke up tomorrow.

---

Of course, they jumped at the idea of living in a home with room to move. Their home on the island had been a bit bigger than this place, but it was almost as cramped with its five inhabitants. Their parents' bedroom had been no larger than this one, although it did have a bed large enough for the three. The girls had slept in bunks in a small room on the other side of the house that was not much more than a closet. The room in between served as dining room, kitchen, workshop and everything else.

Their father had built it from the wood from a shipwreck, and there wasn't much that came ashore. Some of the interior walls were made out of crates that had washed up with it, so they were thin, and not very strong. He'd built it in the crater of the dead volcano, so that it would be out of the wind, because it probably couldn't have stood up to much. That was also where the only fresh water collected in a small pool.

The soil of the rest of the island was too sandy for the rain to stay on the surface, but the volcanic ash in the crater was more fertile, and they managed to grow a few vegetables up there. There were fish and clams in the bay, which had been the crater of an earlier eruption, and formed a natural harbor.

They told him how ships would shelter in the bay whenever there was a storm threatening at sea, and they'd get to trade with the sailors for goods they couldn't make for themselves. They had produce from their little garden, and some fruits grew wild on the slopes of the island, too. The sailors would appreciate something fresh, after living off preserved food while they were at sea, and they got a fair deal. Gold was useless, with nowhere to spend it, but timber and nails, and needles and thread were even better. Sometimes they'd have ingredients that could be used for alchemy.

---

They were eager to get started with earning their keep, so the three of them walked around the shoreline to a cave they could just see from the back of the shack. They could take a look inside and see if there was any treasure hidden there. The reporter knew that bandits often stashed their loot in caves like that, so there was a decent chance for it. Naturally, there was also a chance to find the bandits, but they'd cross that bridge when they came to it.

Which was a few feet inside the door. A shout from above them told them they'd been spotted, and an arrow flew past the reporter's head. Angeline returned fire with her own bow, and Diablita's pitchfork sent a fireball to chase the arrow. A singed and pierced bandit fell from the ledge above, injuring himself further in the fall. To compound his problems, he fell on a trip wire, and a large log swung down just as he was trying to pick himself up.

They weren't so lucky with the next bandit. He came running down the pathway with a large hammer raised above his head. The log was between him and the three adventurers, so they moved around it to keep things that way. Without a ranged attack, and unable to reach them, he eventually fell, too.

Now they had some better armor and equipment from the first two, they could deal with the remaining bandits as they came to them. By moving slowly, and healing themselves as they went, they could out-fight each individual they encountered. They found a few chests with gold and other items as they progressed, but the main value seemed to be in the armor and weapons they were taking from their adversaries.

The last bandit was a tough one, presumably the leader of this bunch, and they noticed a glow on the man's armor. Probably enchanted with something, they thought. There was a better haul of gold and gems in the chest in this part of the cave, too. His sword was of better quality than the one the reporter had been using, and defied his attempts to repair it. Most likely enchanted too, he thought.

They had just about as much as they could carry as they worked their way back to the cave entrance. The sky was beginning to darken as they emerged, and they knew they wouldn't get to the Market district before the shops closed. They'd just have to stow their haul in the basement and sell it the next day.

There were a few bottle of quite decent wine amongst the other stuff, and that wasn't going to bring them a lot of cash, so they decided to drink some before they turned in for the night. Perhaps that made it easier for the women to continue their tale of life on the Island.

Diablita, this time, took up the narrative. "When we were small, our father kept us in the house whenever there was a ship in the harbor. Our mothers would go down and do all the trading with the sailors. Father told us that they were much better at it than he was, and we assumed he meant haggling for a good deal."

"Eventually we noticed that our mothers sometimes came back really late, even the following morning. Usually only one of them, but as we grew up, it seemed more likely that they'd both stay out late. Father didn't look too happy when that happened."

"After a while we figured out that they had more to trade than he did. Until they brought the captain of one ship home with them. She was an elf of some kind, Bosmer I think, and she was really pretty. Father seemed to think so, anyway. They all disappeared into the adult's bedroom, and we heard laughter and other noises for a while."

"Our mothers went back down to the dock shortly after that, leaving her behind. We didn't see any of them until morning. Father looked a lot happier on that occasion! He looked a bit tired, though, and so did she."

"It wasn't long after that Angeline went into the adult's room, and found one of our mothers' toys lying on the bed. We hadn't ever seen one of those before. It was pretty obvious what it was, though. Very realistic, though maybe a bit smaller than the only example of the real thing we'd ever seen."

"Of course, she tried it out before she told me anything about finding it. Eventually I started wondering where she was and went and found her, still playing with it. I only got a turn by threatening to tell her mother."

"We left it where Angeline found it, and it got put away again, but a few days later there was another one in the same place. This one was a bit bigger, and made out of lacquered wood. It wasn't as life-like as the first one, and the end was more tapered. I found it this time, so I got the first try."

"When we found the third one, we guessed that they'd been left out for us deliberately, so we asked our mothers about it. Angela - that's my sister's mother - said nothing, but she handed us a small key and sent us off to their room. We found that it fit the lock on a small chest with all the rest of the toys."

"Some of them were made for two people. That made us think. It meant that our mothers could use them together, with or without Father's help. They'd never spoken about their life before we were born, and we'd assumed that they'd always been together. Perhaps that wasn't true."

The reporter asked if they'd kept any of the toys.

"No, they were lost with the rest of the house, when it fell down the crater. If we still had them, we could have lasted a lot longer in your basement!"

That appeared to be Angeline's cue for wanting the real thing again, so the story was shelved for the night.

Posted by: Acadian Sep 11 2012, 12:19 AM

“Traditionally, we enter the owner as Emer Dareloth, without a signature. Will you be doing the same?"
I really liked this, since denizens of the Waterfront are well familiar with the name.

Gosh, how handy to find such a pretty pair in one’s basement! Naughty and Nice bookends!

‘His sword was of better quality than the one the reporter had been using, and defied his attempts to repair it. Most likely enchanted too, he thought.’
Nice nod to the game’s mechanics regarding repairing gear.

Nits:
‘They way she said it suggested he already did.’
I believe you meant 'The' instead of 'They'.

‘That sounded like a good idea. "I won't break with tradition," he told her. "That's never good for your Luck."
Vinicia reminded him that the place had minimal furniture at present, just a bed and a table. "I'm not sure if there's even a chair to sit on. But you can get the furnishings at the Three Brothers store when you need it. They'll deliver it, too!"
1. Not sure why you capitalized luck.
2. This needs to be two paragraphs. I suspect you meant it to be and the space between perhaps got lost in the posting.

‘Sometimes they'd have ingredients that could be used for Alchemy.‘
As above with luck, are you sure you want to capitalize alchemy?

Posted by: Grits Sep 12 2012, 08:06 PM

How fun! I loved Angeline and Diablita’s island home even before I read about their mothers’ treasure chest.

I had such nostalgia for the Waterfront reading this. And I’ve always wondered what was under that basement door.

He'd only just moved in, and already he was in the market for a larger house!

I’m sure that’s true of many who move into that place! Though it’s a definite favorite of mine.

The cave adventure was great fun, and so true to the budding adventurer's game experience. Drinking the wine was an especially nice touch. After all, the shops were closed, so they might as well lighten the load.

Posted by: mALX Sep 13 2012, 07:33 PM

LOVED this beginning and the concept of the Thieves Guild keeping his secrets if he keeps theirs - even when he didn't know they had them, lol. Great philosphy!

I wondered if those two would still be in that shack - it's been a long time since you put them in there, lol. I remember when you were first making this section of the mod! Great Write!

Posted by: ghastley Sep 18 2012, 12:54 AM

@Acadian: Nice and Naughty applies to each of them, but together....!

@Grits: Dzonot cave was a perfect place to establish that the reporter may know his way around Tamriel, but that doesn't include the dangerous parts. (Unless you count Sugar, and Uzgash)

@mALX: It's a good thing I put respawning barrels of food and wine down there with them!

Last time we left the reporter with more women than his shack could handle, and a growing realisation that he's not the adventurer type. This episode will confirm that. The sisters will start to learn a few things about the world beyond their island, too.

----

Arborwatch

In the morning they retrieved their collection of bandit equipment from the basement and set off for the Market District to see what it would fetch at Jensine's. The reporter wasn't expecting much, but the offer Diablita got for the first piece was much lower than he could believe. "Let me handle this," he said, and took over the haggling. The price immediately went up considerably, and he made the deals on all the remaining items. The enchanted items got a nice premium, too. They'd decided that they weren't worth keeping if they couldn't be repaired, but Jensine didn't see it that way. She could sell them to people who had the ability to fix them.

He shouldn't have been surprised when he got the better deals. Jensine had never seen anyone like Diablita before, and probably thought she was Mehrunes Dagon's daughter. He'd also had a lot more practice at dealing with shopkeepers than the sisters, if they had any at all.

Angeline had noticed that. She proposed that she and Diablita would do all the dungeon-diving, if he'd do all the selling. They'd seen that he wasn't comfortable with fighting, and they'd like to keep him alive for the things that he did do well. She hoped that included map-making, as they'd need to know the good places to look.

He bought a couple of blank maps of Cyrodiil from Jensine, and marked on them the places he knew. Mostly, they were just ones that he'd passed by on the roads, but there were a few that other people had told him about. In particular, he pointed out Rockmilk cave, and Fort Nikel. Those were locations where bandits and marauders were always fighting each other for possession of the hideout, and there was a good chance one could just go and pick up the pieces when they'd wiped each other out.

"Rockmilk's a long way away from the city," Angeline noted. "But Fort Nikel's just up the road from the Talos Bridge. I bet we could go there and be back before it gets dark." She and Diablita scampered off across the plaza toward the gate to the Eleven Gardens before he could say anything.

He decided that this would be a good time to see what the Three Brothers had to offer in the way of storage. And maybe buy himself a chair, too.

---

The amount of stuff they dumped on the floor of the shack left him amazed. He didn't understand how they'd managed to bring back so much. Diablita told him they'd found a couple of feather potions in a chest at the Fort, and they'd lasted just long enough to get home.

That was how she put it. "Home", not "back here". He had a sinking feeling that his life wasn't his own any more.

They picked through the heap, deciding what to keep and what to sell. Some of it was better than the equipment they had, so their old things went on the "sell" pile in their place. Not much of the armor would fit Diablita, with her large breasts and beast-shaped legs, but there were a few plate pieces she thought she could adapt. Angeline didn't have that problem, but she was just as choosy in what she'd wear. It seemed to him that looks outweighed protection in her selections, but he said nothing.

---

He couldn't carry all the loot to the Market District at one time, so it took several trips across town before he'd sold it all. He'd also decided to sell the armor at The Best Defense, and the Weapons at A Fighting Chance, to get the best deals. Jensine still got all the jewelry and gems, as Hamloff was harder to haggle with at the Red Diamond. All of that added up to extra time taken with his side of the enterprise, so it was getting dark again when he returned to the shack and found the sisters there with their next load.

There wasn't as much this time, as they hadn't found any feather potions. They told him they'd had to leave some stuff behind, and they wanted him to come and help fetch it. They had turned the other way after they crossed the Talos Bridge, and had found Fanacasecul. They thought it was another bandit hideout at first, because there were a couple of them camped just outside, apparently guarding the entrance.

"But when we got inside, we found it was full of undead," Diablita complained. "And I hate zombies, they remind me of my sister."

The main reason they needed him wasn't the weight of the loot, but that they couldn't unlock some of the casks they'd found. He produced some lockpicks, and showed them how to use them. Angeline seemed to get the hang of it right away, and broke less of the lockpicks than he did. He made a note to go see Shady Sam and get a few more anyway.

He also found that there were Welkynd stones all around the place that they hadn't collected. They didn't know that they were valuable, they just appeared to be a useful source of a little light. He found ten of them, which would be a nice addition to their haul. He also collected Mort Flesh from the dead zombies, which got an "Eeeuw!" reaction from the sisters until he told them what it was worth to an alchemist.

Diabla, the mother of Diablita, had been an alchemist, so she knew what he was talking about. Some ingredients she just didn't know, because they hadn't been available on the Island. It seemed that none of the ships wanted to carry Mort Flesh in their cargo, so they'd never had any to trade. Bonemeal, crab meat, and things like that were well-known, and Diablita had some idea of how to combine them with other things. She had her own mortar and pestle, but all the other apparatus she'd owned had been lost with the house.

He told her he'd get the glassware from the Main Ingredient when he went to sell everything, but she'd have to do her alchemy in the basement. He'd ask Phintias about any books he had that listed Tamriel's ingredients, or would help her increase her skills. Alchemy was a good way to make some gold, as most potions were worth much more than the ingredients that went into them.

Angeline wasn't too happy with her sister's skills getting all the attention. Her mother had been a mage too, but she specialised in Destruction and Mysticism.

"Do you know how to Soul Trap?" asked the reporter.

"In theory," she replied. "I know the spell, but there weren't any soul gems on the Island for me to practise."

The reporter had found a petty gem in the last cask they opened, so they went looking for a mudcrab as they walked home along the shore.

"I'll find out how much extra this sells for tomorrow, but I suspect we'll want to use it for enchanting. I can get a contact at the Arcane University to put Night-eye on a ring for you. That will make it easier to see where you're going in the ruins."

"Oh, I can just use my light spell for that," Angeline told him, but he pointed out that it made her more visible too. Night-eye was better for an archer who wanted to be sneaky. Diablita wanted one too. If her sister wasn't lighting the place up, she wouldn't be able to see.

"Well if you want one, you'll have to find another gem, and get it filled," he told her. "They're not that uncommon, especially in dungeons with Conjurers or Necromancers." Then he had to explain what those were. Diablita liked the idea of summoning extra help. Could she learn to do that?

He thought about that for a while. They weren't carrying much, and they were close to Weye. If they walked past Fort Nikel instead of taking the road to the Talos Bridge, they could journey on to Chorrol, and Diablita could learn a Conjuration spell or two at the Mages Guild there. It meant travelling at night, but Angeline had just told him about her light spell, so why not?

---

They bought Diablita's glassware, and a calcinator, from Angalmo, and she tried it out by making a few potions and poisons. Then they got all their money back and more by selling the results of her efforts to him. Diablita was delighted by her success, and wanted to do more.

He was happy to have someone else do the work of mixing and refining, so he sold them more ingredients, and bought back the potions and poisons she made. Meanwhile, Angeline had bought all his empty soul gems, and had gone out of the city gate to go look for rats.

Athragar tested Diablita's Conjuration skill and found that she already had enough natural ability to summon creatures. "I'd normally start people off summoning Bound Daggers or Gauntlets, but she's ready for Scamps, Skeletons or Ghosts." Since she had a fireball attack of her own, she opted for a Summon Skeleton spell. It was a good thing that Angeline wasn't here to see how well her sister was doing, or she'd have been very jealous.

It wasn't long before she returned, a little out of breath. She'd got a bit more than she bargained for in the mine just out of town, where she'd found the rats she was hunting, but also a few goblins. She'd backed up and used her bow on them, but they'd pursued her relentlessly, and she'd had to resort to her spells when they caught up. And there were too many to handle on her own, she'd been forced to run back to the city gate and get help from the guards.

"Mr Bones here can help next time," said Diablita, and summoned her new skeleton right next to her sister. Angeline jumped when she did that, and Diablita giggled like a little schoolgirl.

She regretted that pretty quickly as Angeline had filled all the soul gems she'd taken with her, and threatened to just sell them all. Diablita needed one of those if she was going to get her own Night-eye ring.

---

All the rivalry was forgotten, however, when they left the Guild and turned down the street toward the shops. The house next door had a "for sale" sign sitting outside it. It looked big enough for all of them, and it had a garden out the back, too. "As big as the garden we had on the Island," Diablita pointed out. "We could grow some of our own ingredients!"

They made inquiries at Northern Goods and Trade when they sold the other items they'd brought. They got a very good price for the Welkynd Stones, and a fair one on the bandit's gear. Seed-Neeus owned the house they'd seen, Arborwatch, and she could sell them the furniture for it, too. "You'll have to pay the Countess for the house," she told them. "She's the agent for all home sales, because she has to handle all the registration of the deeds. Actually her secretary does all the work, but it's still a Castle responsibility. She adds a commission to the price, so you'll have to speak to her to find out what it will cost you."

20,000 Septims was a bit more than they'd accumulated so far, but they weren't far short. "We need furniture, too," Angeline reminded him. They went back to Seed-Neeus to find out what that would cost.

"We don't have to buy everything at once," he reasoned, "so we could start with the bedrooms and add the other things later. Once we have a base here, we should be able to earn enough for the rest in short order."

That sounded like a plan, so they set off back to the Waterfront to put it into action.

---

A few weeks later, they were back in Chorrol with enough gold to buy the house, and furnish the bedrooms. Careful haggling by the reporter squeezed the dining room into their budget, too. The study, seating area and wallhangings would have to wait.

"Who wants to open the door?" he asked. Of course they both did, until he announced that the other would get first choice of bedroom. So he opened the door, and and they all rushed in.

The place was huge compared to their shack. The floor was stone, instead of dirt, and so were the stairs leading up to the bedrooms. He was expecting arguments about who got which, but that seemed to sort itself out without any. He got the largest one, with the biggest bed, but apparently he'd be expected to share that most of the time. The two small rooms with the single beds had their differences, and each one appealed more to a different sister. "I don't think I could handle all the space in the Suite," Diablita said. That room's bigger than our whole house was on the island!"

That didn't stop both of them spending the night there with him. They'd sleep in their separate beds when he wasn't there.

They stayed in Chorrol for a week, raising the money to finish furnishing the place. The sisters were delighted to have rugs on the floors, and paintings and tapestries on the walls, all luxuries they'd never known before. But even when their own rooms were decorated to the same level of opulence, his was the only one they occupied at night.

The reporter wanted to pay a visit to the Red Dragon Club, in case Taminwe felt it was time for him to get back to his job. He'd not really settled his new identity into the Waterfront District either, and he wanted to consolidate that base even if he did have another home now. A pied-a-terre in the capital would be useful any time it wasn't safe to go to the Club. He left the sisters exploring the countryside around Chorrol while he went back down the Black Road with the Legion patrol for cover.

Taminwe didn't have anything that needed him right away. The Altmer mage that he'd missed at Fort Black Boot seemed to have gone into Elsweyr somewhere to try and stir up more trouble there. They had agents in that province who'd take over now.

He went back to the little shack on the Waterfront. It really did look bare after Arborwatch, but he remembered that he'd never purchased any of the upgrades. There hadn't been room for any furniture while the sisters' bedrolls were taking up all the floorspace. He had enough spare cash to make the place cozy, so that was the next business on the agenda.

With a much better-looking place to take a girl back to, he went searching for Minx and the Bosmers. It seemed that Minx had gone back to the Leyawiin area after she was released.

Methredhel was still seeing the man she'd been with at the Bloated Float. She'd not been seen much around their shack, presumably his place gave them more privacy.

Adanrel had come out of her shell, instead of just out of her clothes, and she had a lot more confidence in herself after that night. She'd found herself a boyfriend on the other side of town, and you never saw her here any more.

Carwen pretty much had the place to herself, and she was making the most of it. She didn't have a steady boyfriend like the others, but she wasn't alone at night either.

Selene was still happily working the Bloated Float with Ormil. They were planning to get married as soon as they had time for a honeymoon away from the city. He paid them a visit for his lunch, and had an excellent meal while he chatted to the other customers. Most of them were dockworkers who either lived on the Waterfront or in the nearby districts of the city.

Ormil told him that the evening crowd was a bit different. Since word had leaked out about the night Sugar and he had dropped in, he'd had quite a few private parties booked here by city folk who'd previously looked down on the place as just another dockside dive. They tended to have the whole place closed to the public on those nights, though. On the other nights, most of the customers were single men. "They're alway disappointed, but that makes them drink more." Ormil told him with a huge grin on his face.

Carwen dropped in for some lunch, just as he was about to leave. She spotted him, and came over to join him. She wanted to thank him for what he'd done for Adanrel. "She's a completely different woman these days."

He quickly pointed out everyone else's role in that. Methredhel, Sugar, Jair had all played a part. Armand and Praxedes had moved it up a notch, too, or was that down, or just off? Carwen laughed.

"Adanrel remembers you in particular. She can't explain why. It wasn't like she spent all of her time with you that night."

Now it was his turn to laugh. Adanrel had made a point of sampling every man she could, in every way she could. He'd just taken what he was offered, and paid back more than he was given. And he was embarrassed that he couldn't remember if he'd done anything with Carwen. There was bare Bosmer all over the place that night, and you couldn't always see a face.

She admitted that she wasn't sure either, for much the same reasons.

"So what have you been up to since?" they both asked at once. He told her that he'd just bought the little shack at the end of the row, but he hadn't spent much time there recently.

Carwen looked rather disappointed when he said that. She confessed that she'd intended to offer him a bed for the night, hers of course, but he wouldn't need that, would he? And she wasn't sure that bedding her neighbors was a good idea, if she wasn't looking for a long-term relationship. Forget the "if", she wasn't. She was having too much fun being free and single.

He told her about his other house in Chorrol, and how he wasn't going to be a resident, so much as an occasional visitor. The smile came back to her face when he suggested she knock on his door tonight if she hadn't made other arrangements.

---

The knock was a lot louder than he was expecting, and the face he saw when he opened the door wasn't hers. There was an Imperial Watchman instead, asking if he'd seen the Grey Fox. "We know he's somewhere here on the Waterfront" the iron-clad legionary told him. "Nobody's leaving their house until we find him."

He saw Carwen in the doorway just up and across the street. She blew him a kiss, and made a sad face. They were both confined, and separated, until the Watch completed its search.

---

The curfew was still in place hours later. He gave up and went to bed alone.

The following morning Carwen had already left for work, or whatever she did, in the city, so he left her a note, and set out for Chorrol to try and forget this missed opportunity. He'd at least established his being a resident with one of the right people, as Taminwe termed the Thieves Guild. And he'd have other opportunities later.

Posted by: Acadian Sep 18 2012, 01:40 AM

Heh, I got several chuckles from this episode:

‘Jensine had never seen anyone like Diablita before, and probably thought she was Mehrunes Dagon's daughter.’

"And I hate zombies, they remind me of my sister."

‘There was bare Bosmer all over the place that night, and you couldn't always see a face.’

And one small nit here:
‘...as they'd need to know the good places too look.’
You want ‘to’ instead of ‘too’ of course.

Posted by: Heather V Sep 18 2012, 08:50 AM

Oooooh! This seems interesting!

I've always loved the sirens quest so this story immediatly captured my attention! It's based on a mod you're creating? I'm still on the first couple of pages so i don't know if the mods been completed or not, but this is really great. As with the others im starting from the beginning I wont clog your thread with out of date comments, unless I have to comment on something I couldn't NOT comment on! haha

Posted by: ghastley Sep 18 2012, 07:28 PM

Actually, it's about four released so far, and another in the works. The central character in this doesn't actually appear in them, and the player character (The Champion of Cyrodiil) is also out of sight most of the time in this story. Other than being arbitrarily male, the CoC is of no fixed race, and may be a mage, fighter or assassin, or more likely all of those! He's not a thief, though, as you'll find out soon.

Posted by: Grits Sep 19 2012, 11:06 AM

Fun sibling rivalry. With the skills he demonstrated in this episode, I’m sure the young reporter will find a way to benefit from it.

There was bare Bosmer all over the place that night, and you couldn't always see a face.

Of course that line was a big hit with the Nord.

Posted by: mALX Sep 19 2012, 06:47 PM

*

Rock Milk Cave is my favorite in the game! LOVED the discussion of the shopping! "Mr. Bones" had me rolling! And Lex looking for the Gray Fox at the end, ordering people to stay in their houses - ROFL !!! A really fun chapter, Great Write!


*

Posted by: ghastley Sep 25 2012, 12:22 AM

@Acadian: The "zombies" bit is a quote from their dialog. Either one may randomly say it when the dungeon contains undead.

@Grits: Not, not his Bare Bosmer (I think), unless she was in the city at the time.

@mALX: You know, I think this is the first time our reporter has got less then he was expecting.

We left the two sisters in Chorrol, while the reporter paid a visit to the City, now he's headed back.

-----------

Return to the Island

The sisters had had the chance to sleep in their own rooms, in their own beds. He wondered if that luxury had affected them, and they'd want to keep doing that. He wasn't expecting the reaction he got.

Diablita told him they wanted to go back to the island. They hadn't slept in separate rooms before, and it had just made them homesick.

"What about with the sailors?" asked Angeline "You went off into a cabin with yours."

"I don't recall doing any actual sleeping," Diablita replied, "and I'm pretty sure you didn't either."

That had been when they lost their virginities. Their mothers had picked the lucky men who were to assist. They weren't necessarily the highest bidders, but the sisters were sure there was some trading involved. There were at least a couple of crates behind the beach hut afterwards that hadn't been there before.

After that, it had always been in the hut. Their parents had always been worried that they might go off on a ship and had forbidden them to board another.

They'd stowed away in the hold of a ship when they left the island, so they hadn't slept apart then either. They knew they could have revealed themselves to the crew, or simply asked for passage in the first place, but they also knew what they'd have to do in return. "One sailor's fun, but a whole crew is just too much!"

He wanted to know how going back to the island was going to help them sleep in separate rooms. Angeline told him that they had unfinished business on the island, and that they couldn't move on to their new life. "We need to go back and find our parents' bodies, and give them a proper burial," she declared. "and if they're already buried under the rubble, put up a gravestone, or something."

That meant finding a ship that was going in that direction. Very few came up the Niben these days; the river was almost blocked by silting up at Leyawiin. Any cargoes were unloaded at Senchal, and made the rest of the trip by road. The best bet would be Anvil. It would probably cost them plenty too, if the sisters didn't like the idea of working their passage.

---

Down in Anvil, there were only two ships in port. One of them was locked, and smelt of sheep dung anyway. The other had a worried-looking Altmer woman pacing on the deck.

Varulae was the owner of the Serpent's Wake, but she didn't have a crew. Or rather, she had one, but they were dead. No, make that undead. Their spectres were haunting the ship, and she couldn't go and get her crystal ball from the hold. "If you can get it back for me, I'd be glad to have my ship take you to the island. Of course, I'll need to hire a fresh crew before that can happen, but there are always sailors looking for work here."

Frost resistance was a useful thing when fighting ghosts, and they already had a few potions for that. But the reporter knew that ghosts were unaffected by normal weapons, so he took a look at what the sisters were using. Angeline had silver arrows, so she'd do all right, but he needed to find something else for Diablita. Her steel and dwarven weapons would be useless. A trip to Varel Morveyn's shop produced a silver warhammer, and they were in business.

He wasn't sending them in and staying safe on the dock, either. He'd learned how to make use of invisibility when he'd gone to Fort Black Boot with Freija, and he was coming in to look for the crystal ball. Varulae had described the chest it was in, so he didn't have to reveal himself until he found it. At that point, he'd just have to hope the spectral sailors were too busy to notice him.

The first one was in the captain's cabin, opposite the door to the deck. It spotted them as soon as they entered, and drifted over to attack them. It wasn't the usual wraith, it had a cutlass in his hand, and it swung it at Diablita. The reporter had to duck quickly, as he was invisible in between them!

Angeline stepped in with a damage health spell as Diablita blocked. The spectral form recoiled and flung a Silence spell at Angeline to stop her doing that again. But that gave Diablita a chance to use her pitchfork and send a fireball his way.

Down on the floor, the reporter caught the wash from the fireball, and wished he'd brought some fire resistance potions with him. He couldn't heal himself until the ghost died, either, or his invisibility would be lost.

Fortunately for him, Angeline's silver arrow ended the first battle, and the wraith dropped its cutlass. Right on top of him. He cursed, and stood up to cast a few healing spells on himself. He saw the sisters laughing at him. "What are you laughing at?" he asked. Then the blob of ectoplasm he'd just stood up through started to drip down his face, and he understood.

It took a few minutes to get it all out of his hair, and into a vial. It would be another useful ingredient for Diablita. The cutlass was probably worth keeping, too.

The captain's body was lying on his bed, with wounds that looked like they'd been made by claws and teeth. Either there had been a wild animal in here, or some summoned creature that acted the same way. They found a key on his body that fit a chest in the cabin, and another that opened the doors. The chest contained the captain's valuables. They left them there for now; none of it would help them fight the other ghosts.

---

The trapdoor to the next deck was just outside the cabin. The reporter recast his invisibility, and after Angeline had opened the hatch, he went first to scout. There were two ghosts down there, and they'd be coming down between them. Each one armed with a cutlass as before, so they could expect the same spells too. After reporting that to the sisters, he went and ducked into a cabin to stay out of the way. Since they couldn't see him, he was more worried about friendly fire than anything the ghosts did.

One of the dead sailors was in the cabin. The same marks were on the body, and the wraith had his cutlass.
The sisters stood back-to-back and used their ranged attacks until the ghosts closed in. By the time they reached them, they had been weakened enough that Angeline's spell, and Diablita's new warhammer were enough to finish them. They'd both got nicked by the cutlasses however, and he was pleased to see them casting healing spells on themselves. He didn't have a "heal other" spell. He should get one.

This wasn't the deck that Varulae had described, so there must be another below it. He looked around for another hatch, and found it around the corner near the bow end of the ship.

It was likely that the chest with the crystal ball in it was right below, and he could just go down and grab it. The ghosts would see him open the chest, but he'd be back up the ladder before they could do anything to stop him. Diablita reminded him that they needed to clear out the ghosts so that they could use the ship. The ball was just part of the deal.

This time it made sense for the sisters to go first. They knew there were two more ghosts, because Varulae had told them that she had a crew of five. But was whatever killed them down there as well? The reporter didn't think so. Wild animals don't use ship's ladders, and anyone who summoned creatures to do his dirty work would not stay with the ghosts afterwards. Diablita went first with her pitchfork at the ready. That seemed to hurt the spectres more than Angeline's arrows did, and if they were close together, she could get both at once.

They got lucky. The first fireball knocked a barrel over and it rolled into the gangway down the middle of the deck. It appeared that the wraiths couldn't move it out of the way, so it became a ranged battle with the sisters holding the trump cards. The silence spells the spectral sailors started with were futile, and they didn't have the magicka to throw frost spells very frequently. Diablita's pitchfork was almost fully charged, and she did most of the damage.

They took the crystal ball from the chest, where it had survived the battle safely. Or rather two battles, as there must have been an earlier one that killed the sailors, and they noticed a lot of disruption from that. There were broken crates and barrels all through the hold, as well as a few scorch-marks on the planking.

Varulae was overjoyed to get her crystal ball back intact. She explained that it let her communicate with the crew when they were off on a voyage. She had another just like it and they had each been enchanted to show what was around the other one. So she could see her crew, and they could see her, even if they were miles apart. They couldn't hear anything, but they could write messages on a slate and hold them up for the other to read. Casting a simple light spell near one end would make the other end glow, so they'd know there was a message coming.

She gave them an enchanted cutlass as a reward, and promised that her ship would take them to the island. She hadn't seen the state of the inside yet. When they showed her, she added "In a week's time, that is. At least the hull's intact, so it's just a matter of cleaning up."

---

A week later, Varulae sent them to see her new captain, a Khajiit woman called Zishara, on the refitted Serpent's Wake. Zishara had Calban, one of the new crew, show them down to their cabins on the next deck. Alois, the only other member of the crew, went to cast off the ropes, while she went up to the wheel.

Angeline and Diablita had sailed a small fishing boat before, so they were able to help the crew a little, but once they were at sea, their help wasn't really needed and they joined him in his cabin to pass the time.

They woke early the following morning and went up on deck. The ship was at anchor, but not at the island. Zishara explained that they needed to wait for the wind to turn a little, as it wasn't easy getting through the narrow entrance to the bay. She recommended that they go back to the cabin and wait.

A few hours later, they heard the anchor being raised and felt the ship start to move. But by that time, he needed a nap. The sisters' idea of passing the time left him drained.

The next thing he knew was a knock on the cabin door and Calban announcing that he'd row them ashore if they'd just come up on deck. They scrambled to collect their gear and rushed up to see the sisters' island.

The ship was anchored near the mouth of the bay, where the water was deep enough. The jetty near the beach hut was in shallower water, so they'd have to take the rowboat. Calban rowed them across, and settled into the hut to wait for them. When they were done here, he'd row them back again.

The first thing the sisters wanted to do was go up to the top of the volcano, where the house had been. There was a path up the side, leading to the lowest point of the rim, and it wasn't a difficult climb. But the inner sides of the crater certainly would have been. The lava rock was glassy-smooth, and almost vertical. They could see down to a pile of rocks and rubble at the bottom. That was where the house, and the girls' parents, were buried, but they couldn't reach it from here.

They walked back down the path, and circled the base of the cone, looking for any cave entrances that might lead in. They found nothing, except a few strawberries to cheer them up a little.

Back on the beach, they noticed a new shipwreck on the other side of the bay. That hadn't been there before they left, or their father would have taken it apart for the timber. They decided to investigate.

There was a big hole in the side of the hull, where it had been torn open by the rocks. They entered the middle deck, and found most of it flooded. The end above water had a ladder up to the top deck, so they went up.

There were two Argonians living in the captain's cabin. The female introduced herself as Kaleen, and named her mate as Sand-in-his-Ears. She was upset at him for some reason, and he explained why. They'd arrived on this ship, and survived the storm that drove it onto the rocks mainly because they didn't drown like the rest of the crew. They were able to swim away from the foundering vessel and so avoided being crushed by the impact on the rocks.

They'd found it to be a pleasant enough place to remain, as there were fish and clams in the bay, and fruits growing around the volcano. Argonians didn't need fresh water, so the lack of it was no problem to them. But Slaughterfish had moved in and eaten all the smaller fish that they depended on. It wasn't safe to gather clams either, and that was the cause of the domestic unrest. Kaleen thought he was being too cautious. Clam-gathering was his job, and she was keeping them alive picking fruit, and resented him being idle.

They didn't ask why he wasn't helping with the fruit harvest, that would just have started another argument. Sand-in-his-Ears asked them if they could help him by killing the Slaughterfish. He had no weapons or armor, and was helpless against their teeth. He did have a chest full of water-breathing potions, which he never used, of course.

They had spare weapons for him, but naturally fighting wasn't his job any more than fruit-gathering. He did offer to show them something useful beneath the bay, if they did this for him.

The reporter drank one of the potions, cast his invisibilty spell, and went down to look. Only to come back up again in a great rush as he discovered that the Slaughterfish were detecting him anyway. Presumably they didn't hunt just by sight.

Well, at least he'd brought them over to where the sisters could find them. They did have armor to protect them, although he was worried about Diablita's exposed parts. He was fond of those, and didn't want anything bad to happen to them. Angeline's armor covered her better, although it was lighter and not so durable.

In a few minutes, there were half a dozen Slaughterfish floating belly-up on the surface, and no sign of any more. Sand-in-his-Ears was delighted, and Kaleen grudgingly approved too. "Now you'd better deliver on what you promised," she told him, "and bring some clams back when you're done."

Sand-in-his-Ears had them each drink another potion, as he needed to lead them under the water. They dived in a little closer to the beach, and swam down to the bottom, where he showed them a door in the rocks. It opened into a long water-filled lava tube that lead towards the bottom of the volcano.

The reporter signed to Sand-in-his-Ears that he'd fulfilled his part, and he hurried off to look for the clams for Kaleen. The three swam into the cave, hoping they wouldn't find any more Slaughterfish hiding in here. Soon there was an airspace above their heads, and they could breath normally again. Just at the end, the floor rose out of the water too.

Around a corner, they arrived in a chamber where piles of rocks and broken furniture and pieces of house wall lay jumbled up. Two huge rocks had jammed together above their heads, leaving a space beneath them that was relatively open. They picked their way across the space and found some broken shelves that had obviously come from the house. There were a couple of torn books, and a small jewelry box that had miraculously survived the fall. In it were two necklaces, and a note.

Silencer

You have two targets this time, in the port of Senchal, in Elsweyr.

They are Angela and Diabla, foreigners from the Southern continent, and unlike anyone you've killed before. Both are witches, so be wary of the spells they can cast, and the creatures they might summon.

When you have completed this task, your next orders will be in a sack beneath the rocks near the Anvil Lighthouse.

Serve me well, Silencer, and there's no telling just how far you might advance.


The reporter had seen notes like this before. He'd reported on the death of a member of the Dark Brotherhood, who'd failed in his assignment. This was typical of them, and the title SIlencer was further proof. The victims it named were the sisters' mothers, but it wasn't apparent whether the Silencer was their father, or someone he'd killed to prevent their deaths.

He debated whether to show it to them, but Diablita had seen it before anyway. She'd recognised the box, and knew what he was reading. She had something to show him. She took his arm and led him over to a corner where three skeletons protruded from the rubble.

One of the skulls had horns just like hers.

They dug out the skeletons, and confirmed that there was another female, and a male. This had to be the parents. The only way out was back through the lava tube, so they each put one body's bones in their backpack, and swam back out.

The sisters knew just where they wanted to bury their parents. They led him up to a level area overlooking the harbor. There were several large flat stones piled up there, big enough to be used as headstones. Angeline pointed down to a corner of the beach. "There's another pile down there," she said. "That's where we buried any sailors that washed up dead from the wrecks. Usually we just found their bones on the beach. The mudcrabs don't take long to strip a corpse."

"Our parents knew they'd die eventually, too, and they'd already picked this spot for where they'd like to be buried. That's why these stones were put here, to mark the right place."

The reporter picked the best stones, and carved the names Diabla and Angela on two of them. Then he realised that they'd never told him their father's name.

"Jak'l was what our mothers called him. I don't know if that was a real name or a nickname, but it was all they ever used," said Angeline. That was what should go on the stone, then.

The ground was light and sandy here, so it wasn't hard to dig three graves. The sun was just setting behind the volcano as they finished erecting the last headstone. They planted a red flax on Diabla's grave, a yellow one on Angela's, and a blue one on the center grave for Jak'l.

They sat silently in the rowboat as Calban took them back to the ship.

A soon as they were aboard, Zishara signalled to Alois, and he began to haul up the anchor. They could catch the tide if they left right away.

The sisters were subdued that night in their cabin, and clung to him as they slept. However, in the morning they were their usual insatiable selves again, and they were all late getting up to the deck. They found the ship was just entering Anvil Harbor, and they could see Varulae waiting on the dock. Of course, she'd been in contact with Zishara through her crystal ball, so she knew just when they'd be arriving.

She had a sealed message from Taminwe for the reporter. He opened it and read it. She'd like Lathenil moved from Gweden up to the city. They'd keep him at the Red Dragon Club, and she'd be able to question him herself. She could hold out the carrot of Ocato's ear, if the Altmer had anything he'd want to know. Since the reporter had reinforcements, this would be a good time to do it.

Taminwe could certainly work on the wizard in ways he couldn't. The fact that she was an Altmer herself also opened opportunities for lines of inquiry about his attitude to the other races. It sounded like a good idea to him.

---

Tsarrina wanted to recruit the sisters for the Gweden brothel. She had every other race here, and that was a major draw for the customers. He pointed out that there weren't any male .... whatever they were, so her argument had no merit. When she accused him of wanting to keep them for himself he just agreed with her and closed the conversation. Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times, but she couldn't come up with anything else to say.

She also wasn't happy that he was taking away one of her best customers. Lathenil was just moving to the Champion's other brothel, he reminded her. She could have him back when Taminwe was done.

He went to get Lathenil. As he expected, the wizard was with Silanu, getting a mild whipping as a preamble to a more vigorous workout. "We'll let them finish what they've started," he thought. "I hope she's not planning anything too elaborate."

Freija approved of his choice of bodyguards. It was flattering to her that he'd felt it necessary to have two of them. Having one with blonde hair, and the other with Nord-sized assets just confirmed that he'd been thinking along the right lines. Horns and hooves, though? Prizna leaned in and reminded Freija firmly that horns were sexy.

He talked to Darwen, too, and told her about Uzgash taking her old "job" at the Tap and Tack. She got a real chuckle out of his description of the Orc princess negotiating with Olaf. "Now there's a woman who could really do some damage when she dances," she remarked.

He could hear Silanu from the floor below, and it sounded like she was nearly done with Lathenil. After all, it would be her decision, not his, when things were complete. When it went quiet again, he headed for the stairs.

Lathenil was helping Silanu back into her robe. Her leather gear hung over the foot rail of the bed, and her famous riding crop lay on the floor. He broke the bad news to Lathenil, but it appeared that Silanu was taking it harder than he did. Once again, he had to promise she could have him back when Taminwe was finished with her questioning.

Posted by: mALX Sep 25 2012, 01:36 AM

SPEW!!!! I'd have had to look in those crates and see what my hymen was worth, it could have been a Sheo-type thing with yarn and lettuce, ROFL !!!



Unless they were on "The Raging Queen" (SNL skit where two beautiful half-dressed women and one young male named Miles were shipwrecked and rescued by the above pirate ship - and all the men only wanted to "comfort" poor Miles in his trauma).



ROFL!!! I love the way you put that! That is usually my first quest of the game, then hurry over to the store and put some Septims in my pocket, lol.

The whipping ... SPEW !!! ROFL !!!

Great Write !!!


*

Posted by: Acadian Sep 25 2012, 01:45 AM

Nice adaptation of the Serpent’s Wake quest. It was fun to see Diablita using her staff of pitchforkery. And the Reporter got slimed! Oh well, who ya gonna call? Clever use of crystal balls.

A nice little voyage and they arrive at the island. Uh oh, looks like the DB’s been involved in some foul play.

This was quite a long story with two distinct portions. It would have lent itself very nicely to the telling over two episodes.

Posted by: ghastley Sep 25 2012, 02:09 PM

Aaaagh! It was supposed to be two, but I copied over too much. As you pointed out, the part on the island should have started a fresh episode/chapter/thing. I'd even considered putting the last little part at Gweden with the next one, and completely missed the other break.

I'm spending too much time with the invisible headless dead sheep.

Posted by: Grits Sep 26 2012, 12:24 AM

Fun strategy against the wraiths, and I love how the crystal balls work. Especially the light spell alerting someone on the other side to pay attention, that’s great!

I just love the sisters’ island with the wreck and secret cave. The chest full of water-breathing potions in the shipwreck was brilliant. If only those sailors knew!

The Gweden scene was hilarious, especially after the poignant discovery on the island.

When she accused him of wanting to keep them for himself he just agreed with her and closed the conversation.

I love it!

Posted by: ghastley Oct 2 2012, 12:17 AM

@mALX: Can you make a new (fake) hymen with yarn and a lettuce leaf (enough to fool a sailor anyway)?

@Acadian: That's one edit I'm not going back and fixing, but this time we're back to single postings.

@Grits: I'm just playing through this piece of the mod again, and I'm finding that even a chest full of water-breathing potions is no substitute for a piece of enchanted equipment (or being an Argonian).

Incidentally, my current test character is an Imperial called Clark Kent, who doesn't fight too well. His birthsign is of course the Lover. Majors are Speechcraft, Mercantile, Light Armor, Blade, Restoration, Mysticism and Sneak. I expect him to use a lot of Illusion (charm especially) but did not make that a major, or his Personality would be out of control.

Back to manageable pieces this time.

------------------

Monument - part I

They delivered Lathenil to Taminwe, and set off across town. Before they went to the shack, they had a few things to buy and sell in the Market District. They cut through Green Emperor Way, instead of going through the Elven Gardens as they usually did. The sisters looked at all the tombstones around the lower level and were just in awe at the extent of the cemetery.

But one tomb in particular got their attention. At the very North of the graveyard, just before they reached the entrance to the Market District, was a circle of columns surrounding an obelisk. They wanted to know who was buried there. So they all walked over and tried to read the inscription. It was too weathered to make out what it said, but they were still impressed, especially close up with the columns soaring above them.

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if our parents had a monument like this!" Angeline exclaimed. Diablita seconded that idea, and the reporter felt another quest coming on.

Well, the only way to talk them out of it was to do a bit of research and show them that they couldn't afford it. They were headed to the Market District, so they could ask there. Vinicia, at the Office of Imperial Commerce, was the one who should know, or at least be able to point them at the right person.

She knew several people who'd have parts of the answer. Damian Magius, at the Waterfront office of the Imperial Trading Company, would know all about pricing for the stone. They were the importers for all the raw stone used in city construction. But then they'd need a mason to cut it and she didn't know one of those. "But if anyone does, I'd bet it would be that Ida Vlinorman. She knows more about architecture than anyone else I know."

They'd start with Damian Magius when they went back to the Waterfront. Maybe he'd have a large number to quote them that would put it out of their range.

He did at first, but it turned out that most of the cost was shipping. When he heard that they wanted the monument on the Island, he cut the price in half. "That's close to the quarries in southern Valenwood. It won't be on the ship for very long, so it won't cost anything like as much to transport it."

Now he had to count on the mason. That would have to wait until the next day. It was getting late.

They unlocked the door to the shack and the sisters were surprised at the upgrades he'd made. "And where are we going to sleep now?" asked Diablita.

Just then someone knocked on the door. It was Carwen. She'd seen his door closing as she came through the arch, so she knew he was back in town. Then she noticed the two women behind him. "Oh, I didn't know you had company."

Carwen looked so disappointed that he had to do something. Maybe he could solve both problems at once. Carwen's place was much bigger than his. There would be room for them all to sleep afterwards. He just needed a bit of help to balance the numbers. Did Carwen know any sailors who could help entertain his sisters? He wasn't quite being untruthful in calling them his sisters. They were sisters, and they'd just about made themselves 'his'. They were certainly his problem tonight.

Carwen did a double-take. "Same father, different mothers" he explained, neglecting to mention that it just applied to the girls. She bought it.

Soon the sisters were happily entertaining a couple of sailors in Carwen's shack, while he took care of her in his own. And there was just enough room to get a night's sleep afterwards. He was glad she was a slender wood elf, and not a buxom Nord.

---

Ida Vlinorman lived in the Elven Gardens District, and they met her just coming out of her house. Yes, she did know a mason. Her next-door neighbor, Marinus Catiotus, was the brother of one. She suggested they go there and ask him where to find Terranis.

Marinus told them that his brother was working on some repairs for the Bruma Chapel. He'd be staying at the Jerall View Inn, because it was so close to the work. No, he didn't know when he'd be finished, and he might not be back in the city after that. His brother hadn't told him if he had another job lined up.

He knew nothing about mason's work himself, so he couldn't even hazard an estimate of what their work would cost. "You'll have to go ask Terannis," he told them "He's the only one who can give you a proper quote for the job."

---

It was getting to the point where avoiding the quest was as much effort as taking it on, so they travelled up to Bruma to see Terranis. Maybe he'd run into Uzgash, or Gudrun, or any of the Riders who were at the Lodge. It wasn't necessarily a waste of time.

They arrived on a Loredas evening, so they looked in at Olaf's Tap & Tack, expecting to watch Uzgash dance. But it wasn't her swaying in the corner. "Gudrun?" the reporter exclaimed.

"Can't stop now," she replied. "I'll explain when I'm done."

They had a job finding seats for the three of them, but eventually one of the men got up to move closer to the action, and they slipped into the bench in the corner. They couldn't see Gudrun from where they were, but they got a good idea what was happening from listening to the crowd.

After a loud cheer, everything quietened down again, and a somewhat breathless Gudrun came over to join them, wrapping a robe around herself as she sat down. "Uzgash has been teaching me to dance," she began. "And she's also been giving Timo a few advanced lessons in 'recharging'. She can only do that when he's not busy with one of the others. It just so happened that Timo's lesson was due on a Loredas this month, and she couldn't be in both places at once. So she asked me if I could fill in for her. It's good exercise, and with my office job I really need that!"

"Anyhow, I agreed before I found out that it involved taking my clothes off. Oh, well, at least Uzgash lent me some civilian clothes to use. I wouldn't have felt right using my uniform. And besides, you know how quickly that comes off! That wouldn't be any good."

The reporter asked if she was filling in for the rest of Uzgash's duties.

"Just the dancing," Gudrun said firmly. "A member of the Imperial Mountain Riders never charges for her services."

---

They'd booked rooms at the Jerall View Inn, as they knew the Tap & Tack didn't have accomodation for three. Hafid Hollow-leg may not have the drinking crowd that Olaf gets, but he does provide more spacious rooms. They needed to find Terranis, too.

Hafid asked them if they'd been to see the dancing at Olaf's. They admitted they had. "What's that Orc woman like, then?" he wanted to know. Before the reporter could stop himself, he'd told Hafid that it wasn't an Orc tonight, it was a Nord.

"Oh, there's two dancers in town, are there?" Hafid beamed. "That makes things different."

They quickly changed the subject and asked about the mason. Terranis was still working on the chapel, and he'd gone to bed early so that he could get an early start. He'd told Hafid that tomorrow was likely his last day before it was completed.

They missed him in the morning. He was up at the crack of dawn, and the threesome had put a good night's drinking in with Gudrun, so they needed extra rest. But they'd surely meet him over at the Chapel of Talos. He came down a ladder from the tower, brushing dust off of his apron. "All done," he told Cirroc. "Let me know if the frost cracks any more of those finials. I'm guaranteeing my work for the next five years, but the ones I didn't touch might not last that long."

Cirroc sighed. It was a never-ending battle against the elements here. And you couldn't work on the outside of the building at all in the middle of winter, with all the ice. Terannis was sympathetic, but he pointed out that getting the job done right made it last longer. "Whoever did the roof last was looking to come back soon to do it again."

The reporter was lapping this up. Terranis was obvious a Master Craftsman, who'd charge way more than they could afford, and it would all be put to rest. When Terannis turned away from Cirroc, he stepped up to him and asked about the sisters' proposed monument.

Terannis listened to his description of what they wanted. He knew the original on Green Emperor Way, as he'd done some repair work on that, too. "But you're telling me you want to build a completely new one, aren't you?" The way he said it made it sound even more costly.

Terranis wanted to know more about the Island. The reporter let the sisters take over, and tell him what the place was like. He listened to what they said thoughfully, and pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and made some calculations.

"I reckon it would take me about a month, assuming I had laborers to do all the moving and lifting for me. I'm a craftsman, and my job is cutting the stone and making it all fit properly together. Mostly, that's been replacing pieces that have broken or worn out, like I was doing here. And it hasn't been too comfortable working on a windy chapel roof, in cold Bruma."

"And now you're offering me a job on a warm tropical island, where I'm making it all new, and can take pride in doing the whole thing. It will be like a vacation for me. I won't charge you a Septim!"

The reporter almost went into shock.

"Mind you, I expect the laborers will want paying," Terranis continued. "And I don't have my own crew. If you can find some strong men, and a ship to get there, I'll do it for you." He smiled warmly at the girls when he said that, and they blew kisses back.

It would appear that they were headed for Anvil next. He could ask Varulae for passage again, and Newheim could always find a crew of laborers. Usually it was a ship's crew, who were waiting on a refit. There were plenty of caves and ruins on the way to check for treasure, so they'd undoubted have enough gold by the time they got there. They'd order the stone when they passed through the City, and that would arrive about the same time as the workmen. It was all coming together as if someone had planned it that way.

---

Varulae was happy to lend her ship again. All she asked in return was that they find her a copy of "Charts of the Southern Seas". Hers had been destroyed when the first crew were killed, and she hadn't been able to lay her hands on a replacement. There wasn't a bookshop in Anvil, and she couldn't leave her offices here to go look in the other towns.

Newheim knew just the crew for the stonework. They'd been on a vessel from Valenwood, and they'd handled stone cargoes before. Maybe on the same ship that was delivering theirs. As experienced sailors, they'd be able to help the Serpent's Wake's small crew on the voyage too.

So it was all happening. Terranis arrived in Anvil and the men boarded the Serpents Wake while the three set out to find Varulae's book.

Posted by: Acadian Oct 2 2012, 01:39 AM

‘Nice work, if you’ve got the stones for it.’
Sorry, couldn’t resist.

Off on another quest to avoid a quest that becomes a quest – fun and clever! Things are really coming together for the sisters.

‘He wasn't quite being untruthful in calling them his sisters. They were sisters, and they'd just about made themselves 'his'.
Love the reporter’s logic here!

Posted by: Grits Oct 2 2012, 03:24 PM

Diablita seconded that idea, and the reporter felt another quest coming on.

Perfect. I liked learning some more about Clark Kent, Young Reporter.

This sounds fun to play, following all of the leads and seeing the plan come together. Plus, tropical island! I think that Terranis has the right idea!

Also: "A member of the Imperial Mountain Riders never charges for her services."

Posted by: mALX Oct 4 2012, 01:27 AM

Answer: I sure can, I'm like MacGyver when it comes to restorative surgery on female bits anatomy, ROFL !!!

I agree with Grits, this mod sounds like a lot of fun to play! This is all new to me, erecting the monument for their parents - Love the idea! Great Write!

Posted by: ghastley Oct 8 2012, 11:47 PM

@Acadian: Reporters are always good at making up stories on the spot. Especially half-true ones.

@Grits: Tropical island maybe, but they're not without their own problems.

@mALX: Playing it is fun, but creating all the dialog is a headache. Especially getting them not to say things at the wrong time. Like saying "I'm not sure I like this place" just outside their own front door, instead of inside a dungeon.

We left them going off to look for Varulae's book.

------------

Monument - part II

Phintias' bookshop, the First Edition, was the obvious place to look. As the only book store in the Imperial City, he took pride in having a copy of just about any book you could think of. They browsed through his extensive collection, and found a few books on Alchemy and Mysticism that the sisters found useful, but no copies of the "Charts of the Southern Seas."

They paid him for the ones they wanted, and set off for Leyawiin. There was a shop in Cheydinhal that sold books, and another in Chorrol, but it made more sense to look in a port town, even if it wasn't much of one these days.

The owner of Southern Books was a grumpy Orc by the name of Bugak gro-Bol. "If I've got it, it will be on the shelves somewhere," he told them. "No I don't keep the inventory in my head, go look for it. And make sure you buy something, don't just waste my time!"

Phintias' books had been neatly arranged by subject, and author, so it was easy to find what you wanted. The books here had just been stacked randomly on the shelves with no discernable pattern. You'd find a romantic tale next to a manual of armor repair, or a catalog of alchemical ingredients.

"Are we looking for a large book, or a small one?" Angeline asked. The reporter guessed that charts would need to be fairly large to be useful, but that was no guarantee. Varulae hadn't mentioned size when she asked him.

"Found it!" exclaimed Diablita, but she hadn't. That was another volume in the same series covering the South-west. It took nearly an hour before he found it at the back of a shelf, behind a row of trashy novels. He found himself thinking that he should tell Ontus Vanin about those.

Bugak wanted an arm and a leg for it, but the reporter haggled him down to something more reasonable, and they left the shop with their precious find. They walked down the road to the Five Claws Lodge to celebrate with a cool ale.

"Is our island on those charts?" asked Diablita. He assumed it must be, as they covered the right general area. They didn't know what anybody called it, so they couldn't consult the index. They'd have to search every page, and see if anything looked right.

He opened the book up on a table in the room at the back of the bar. There were numerous small islands on every page, but none of them looked quite right. That cluster was almost the same as they remembered it, and the shape of the main island was correct, but the small islands to the west were missing.

"I remember vaguely when the furthest one came out of the sea," said Angeline. "We'd been used to seeing a column of steam rising from the western horizon. It seemed to be rising straight off the water. But then one night we could see fire, too. We all watched the glow at the 'edge of the world'. It was like a second sunset for a while."

"And in the morning we could see a little bump on the horizon where the glow had been," Diablita continued. "There was still a lot of fire and steam and smoke, so it wasn't easy to make anything out. After a few days it stopped, and we could see there was another lttle island out there, the same conical shape as our own, but smaller."

The reporter turned back to the front of the book, and looked at the date it was published. If the charts weren't all new when they were bound together, then it was likely that some, including the one they'd just been looking at, were older than the sisters. It was probable that this really was their Island, mapped before the newer volcanoes erupted.

But it didn't have a name. Just a note in the margin that there was safe anchorage there from storms. That suggested that it had been uninhabited when the chart was drawn, or they'd most likely have named it for whoever lived there. So it was reasonable to assume that the two magical mothers had only arrived shortly before they gave birth. A year or two at the most. Did they all arrive together? Did their father find them there?

They needed to go back to Anvil to deliver the book. The reporter remembered that an old Khajiit sea-captain called S'shani lived there. It was worth asking him if he knew anything about the island, or even their parents.

---

S'shani was in the Count's arms talking to Varulae about the island when they walked in. Talk about coincidence! He'd passed it many times, but never had to stop there for bad weather. He didn't recall hearing about anyone living there either, but it was twenty years ago now, and he wasn't completely certain of his recollections.

The names Diabla and Angela were familiar, though. He'd heard that they had a shop in Senchal, selling alchemical equipment and potions, and all sorts of magical stuff. He'd never met them, because that wasn't what he dealt in. It was all a bit too fragile, and he preferred cargoes of cloth or timber, and weapons and armor when it was legal to carry them.

Anyhow, there was another merchant in the city that dealt in the same goods, and the rumor was that he was determined to put them out of business, by any means fair or foul. Some had said that the Dark Brotherhood had been involved, but he didn't know any details. The next time he went back to Senchal, the two women had disappeared, and the time after that, the other merchant had gone, too.

"Did your mothers look like you?" he asked, even if it was a silly question. Girls always looked like their mothers. "I see that I missed a great opportunity back then." The way he said that, the reporter knew that their father hadn't been around in Senchal.

He saw two possible scenarios. Either Jak'l had been the Silencer himself, and he'd decided to keep the women alive, or else he'd killed the Silencer. Either way, it looked like Jak'l had killed the merchant, and probably fled from the law after doing so.

---

Now they'd delivered Varulae's book, they had nothing to do but wait for the monument to be finished. The Serpents Wake had returned to Anvil, leaving Varulae's crystal ball with Terranis. When the work was complete, he'd send her a message, and the ship could come and pick up the crew.

It was time to see if the sisters could sleep in their rooms at Arborwatch, so he sent them there while he returned to the city to check in at the Red Dragon Club. When he went back his Waterfront shack, he found Islief waiting with a note. "This came from Anvil," he told the reporter.

S'shani had remembered another detail after they left. There had been a fence he'd met in Senchal that brought stolen goods down from Leyawiin to sell in the bazaar. He'd often buy things from S'shani to take back with him. He was an Argonian named Dar-Jee, and he was only a youngster then. S'shani suspected he'd still be doing the same today. He might have known Diabla and Angela, too.

Now he wished he'd brought the sisters with him. He considered going to Leyawiin on his own, but if Dar-Jee did know anything, he'd want them to hear it first-hand. He set off for Chorrol to fetch them.

---

Dar-Jee remembered the two women in the magic shop. "Nice people to do business with, and everyone in Senchal liked them. Except for that Arvin Dereleth. He wanted them dead. In a big way. The only thing they sold in common was a few spells, but that was enough for Arvin to hate them."

"Normally his brother did all the dirty work for him. But he'd caught that Vampire disease, and we didn't see him any more. The word on the street was that Arvin had done the Night Mother Ritual, and called on the Dark Brotherhood to kill them." The Argonian paused and scratched his head. "I recall someone saying that they'd seen Slythe Dereleth, that's the one who became a Vampire, up by Nornalhorst. Maybe that's where he got infected, or else he went there to join them."

"I think someone killed Arvin, just after Diabla and Angela disappeared. He certainly went missing, and in Senchal, that was usually the same thing. Sometimes you'd find a body floating in the harbor, but most times, they were under a rock at the bottom." As an Argonian, he was more familiar with the bottom of the harbor than most.

That was at least a clue. Nornalhorst might provide some more answers to the mystery of Jak'l, and his two consorts.

The sisters had been in Ayleid ruins before, and found conjurers, and undead, and trolls, but they hadn't encountered Vampires. "Could we get that disease, too?" they asked. It was possible, but carrying some Mandrake root would mean that they didn't have to worry about it. They could just eat some of that after they came back out, and it would cure any infection they'd picked up. The Vampires themselves would be much more of a worry. They were unusually strong, although they were vulnerable to fire and especially sunlight.

Diablita was happy to have her pitchfork. Those fireballs would be just the thing for fighting Vampires, she hoped. Angeline dropped into the Mages Guild before she left Leyawiin, and made sure she had a fire spell, too.

Nornalhorst was quite a long way north of Leyawiin, between Bravil and Skingrad, near the Elsweyr border. They passed Fort Black Boot on the way there, and he told the sisters about Freija's performance, clearing out the conjurers. And about Aranxa, the huge Xivilai woman they'd met. She had horns, and didn't wear any clothes. He thought about that for a moment or two. Prizna had horns, and didn't wear any clothes. Did that explain anything about Diablita?

"I wear armor," she pointed out.

He took a look at the armor she was wearing now. She'd got some newer plate, and replaced the scale that she'd been using, but it still didn't cover what he thought it should. He decided not to argue the point, just appreciate the view.

They entered the Ayleid ruin through the usual double stone doors and moved cautiously along the corridors. He knew that Vampires used invisibility to surprise their enemies, and he had a detect life spell as a counter. It didn't reach far, so they were moving slowly.

The three of them working together were a formidable force, and they didn't have too much trouble with the Vampires. The traps were another matter. He almost walked into a swinging blade while he was scanning ahead with his detect life. And another room filled with gas when they entered, and they had to rush back out before they could breathe.

But the last Vampire put down his weapons when he saw the sisters. He walked over and said "It can't be them. They're too young!"

This was Slythe Dereleth, the brother of the Senchal merchant. He corrected the tale they'd been told. He hadn't disappeared here because he'd become a Vampire, that had happened long before. He was a member of the Dark Brotherhood, and the combination of the two was a great asset when his brother needed him to lean on someone. Usually they were only too happy to do what he asked.

No, he'd come here to retire from all that after Arvin had finally gone too far. He was always a little paranoid, but he'd become completely obsessed with the idea that Angela and Diabla were spying on him. That was the reason for the success of their business, at the expense of his own. The fact that they were a much friendlier pair of salespeople never factored into his reasoning, if you could call it that.

He'd asked Slythe to kill them, and he'd refused. He'd frighten people for him, but he'd only kill for Sithis. So his accursed brother had done the Night Mother Ritual, and he'd been given the contract.

"Sithis only wants someone dead. It doesn't matter who it is, and a Silencer has considerable discretion in that regard. I chose to kill Arvin, rather than let this continue any further. He'd become insane anyway. He was no longer my brother. My only worry was that Sheogorath might already have his soul."

"My contract only mentioned the two women, not the man. I had no way of knowing if there was another to kill him. It seemed likely. I took the note I was given to them and explained what had happened. My advice was to leave Senchal and disappear."

"You can imagine my surprise when I thought I saw Angela and Diabla again. I realise now that these must be their daughters. Are the mothers well?"

The reporter told him of the house in the volcano, and then the whole story of how he met the sisters.

"A sad tale, but I have something here they might like," said Slythe. "Over there in that cask are a crystal ball and an hourglass. I took them from the shop in Senchal when Arvin believed that they were being used to spy on him. When he saw that they couldn't do that, he wanted to destroy them, so he hurled them to the ground. They bounced! It was quite unreal to see glassware behave like that. Apparently they were just display items that had been enchanted so they wouldn't break. But Arvin was convinced that they must be something much more sinister, and wanted me to go find an Oblivion Gate and throw them in the lava."

"I think that's when I started to believe that he'd gone completely out of his mind."

It turned out that the crystal ball had belonged to Diabla, and the hourglass to Angela. Their names were engraved on the metal parts. That was the opposite of what the reporter had expected. Doesn't a mystic use a crystal ball, and an alchemist use an hourglass?

Well, yes, but that's why these were the ones on display in the shop. Diabla would be using her own hourglass all the time, and Angela wouldn't leave a regular crystal ball where anyone could knock it off its stand. And the ones on display got that a lot. You couldn't believe how clumsy some customers were. So that's why they were enchanted to make them unbreakable, too. It made them unusable for their regular purpose, but it was just right for a shop sample that stood on the counter all the time.

---

The two items were solemnly placed in prominent locations in their rooms at Arborwatch. They had amulets and rings that their mothers had owned, but the two women had tended to share those. These were the first items that belonged specifically to their respective mothers, so they were extra-special. It appeared that having them helped them sleep in their own beds, too. Not that he'd have minded the company.

The reporter lay in his bed alone, turning over the things that they'd found out. The investigative journalist part of him couldn't let go of the mystery that the sisters' parents represented. Now he knew that Jak'l wasn't the Silencer, and hadn't killed Arvin, who and what was he? And more important, what had he done to deserve two women, who apparently were happy enough together before he met them?

Perhaps what he'd done was what was asleep across the hall. If the women had wanted children, they'd have needed some help. But then why had he stayed with them? Was it just the timing of Arvin's attempt to have them killed?

And where had they come from? The Silencer's note said the Southern Continent, but there was no such thing. Pyandonea was just a large island, and the people there were Maormer, who looked nothing like these two. Angeline could pass for a Breton, if she died her hair, but Diablita was totally unlike any other race he'd heard of. He assumed that the origin there was just a guess on the part of the Listener, or maybe that detail had come from Arvin's deranged mind when he performed the ritual.

He made up his mind to do another search of the Island when they went back to see the new monument. That wouldn't be for a while yet, however. Didn't Terranis say it would take him a whole month?

Posted by: Acadian Oct 9 2012, 02:38 AM

A tale that spans quite a bit of Tamriel!

I quite enjoyed your depiction of Senchal. It is indeed quite a rough port, rife with pirates.

Posted by: Grits Oct 11 2012, 01:36 AM

A quest to search every bookstore in Cyrodiil really warms my heart. Oh darn, it’s not here. We’ll have to visit another bookstore! I love the detail about the new parts of the island chain.

Lots of great history filled in by Slythe. The image of Clark tossing and turning over the remaining questions made me smile. He is going to need his rest!

Posted by: mALX Oct 11 2012, 07:52 AM

I have to come back and read this after some sleep - been up two days, my husband fell through a roof on a construction site - URK! He is home and okay now. "I'll be back!" (said in Arnold voice)

Posted by: mALX Oct 11 2012, 04:45 PM

*

Loved Bugak gro-Bol's depiction here - spot on, Maxical has had the same reception there! Lol. Also loved Dar-Jee here, the story about Slythe Dereleth becoming a vampire - setting the stage for a trip to Nornalhorst!

This chapter is really a series of treks, each with its own interesting parts! I like that Slythe would "frighten people" for them but only kill for Sithis - what a touch!

Slythe's story about why he killed Arvin was hilarious! ROFL !!!! (he must have lost his mind! SPLAT! ROFL !!!)

Great chapter! What a creative mind you have!


*

Posted by: ghastley Oct 16 2012, 04:46 AM

@Acadian: I was disappointed to find that Elsweyr Anequina didn't include Senchal. I was seriously considering an addition to the Red Dragon Club arc of quests down there if it did. Riverhold already got a mention, but nothing happened there (yet?) Since Elsweyr secedes shortly after Black Marsh, it should be seeing some activity around this time (early fourth Era) and our man should be getting involved.

@Grits: The volcano stuff is mainly background for when they return there, but it adds to the timeline too. I still haven't decided the parents true story, so I think I'll probably leave a whole bunch of clues that could be true or false, and leave the reporter confused for a bit longer.

@mALX: There's a lot of "hurry up and wait" in the quests here, so it does become a bit of a question of doing multiple things on multiple questlines just to fill in the time, when you play it. Trekking across country does kill a lot of time! I'm trying to put that across in this account, without losing the thread, so it gets a bit choppy around now.

So to make it worse, I'm narrating another questline that neither the Champion, nor the reporter is much involved in. It needs to be completed for later events in the story, so I picked a character to do it, that we already met.

-----------

Monument - Interlude

The sisters may have been able to sleep alone, now, but that didn't mean they wanted to. And they still preferred to do things together. "I need to look after her, and she looks after me." Angeline told him.

Diablita put it slightly differently. "Nobody's allowed to harm my sister but me."

So that meant they either went off adventuring together, and he had nobody sharing his bed, or else they were both back, and he had as much as he could handle. And they'd got to know their way around without taking him as a guide, so he wasn't feeling very useful here in Chorrol, except in the evenings. That was nice, but he wanted to be part of the rest of their days, too. Maybe they needed some time on their own, so that they'd start to miss him.

He needed to get back to the Imperial City, or maybe Bruma. Anvil could wait until the month was up, and he really didn't have anything lined up in the other cities. He also should find himself another job as cover. "Adventurer" had appealed once, until he found out what it entailed. He'd leave that to the sisters, who seemed to be enjoying it.

Perhaps he should write a book. Casta Scribonia managed to make a living from it, as did Quill-Weave , her friend in Anvil. He'd want to write a novel, not guide books like Alessia Ottus wrote. He was sure most of the copies of those were bought by people who didn't read them, like inn-keepers who just wanted to put them on the shelves for their guests. He'd read one once, and didn't intend doing that again.

The Bear Riders would make a good basis for a story. They were glamorous, and adventurous, and dedicated. Not only that, but they wanted the publicity to help with recruiting. That was what Gudrun's job was all about, looking good and acting as a role-model.

He'd heard that the Champion of Cyrodiil had known most of them. And that he'd had a hand in getting the Lodge built. That angle was always good for an author. Famous names help sell copies, just as they did for the Black Horse Courier.

He'd need supplies, like notebooks, quills and ink. He'd be able to get those in the Market District in the Imperial City. He headed back to his shack there to make a shopping list.

---

A light knock at his door made him wonder if Carwen had come to visit again. But when he opened the door, it wasn't a Bosmer standing there, it was a Dunmer, Minx!

"Remember me?" she asked.

He remembered her, but he'd have a little fun before he'd admit it. "Perhaps. What were you wearing when we met?" he asked her.

"I'll show you," she replied, pushing him back into the shack and lifting up her skirt.

---

Minx had gone back to Leyawiin with the other gang members, Lynch and Wrath, when they got let out of jail at the end of their short sentence. Without Selene's leadership, they weren't much use as a gang, and they'd split up to make their fortunes separately. Minx had met an Altmer that liked the idea of tying her up, and she thought he'd be her meal ticket for a while. But he turned out to be a sadist that left her strapped to the bed for hours, and did nothing she considered fun. "I guess he cured me of that," she said ruefully.

She'd come back to the Waterfront to look for work, and one of the beggars had recognised her. She was directed to this shack, although they wouldn't say why. "I don't think they trust me all that much," she admitted. It turned out that she wasn't a member of the Thieves Guild. The Blackwater Gang had all been freelancers. She'd like to join the Guild, but she didn't know where to start. He didn't either, but Carwen would.

They put some clothes on, and went along the street to the "Bosmer shack", as he thought of it. Carwen remembered Minx from that night at the Bloated Float and welcomed her as an old friend. Even if they had only met once, that was an occasion to remember! Yes, it would be possible for Minx to join the Guild, but she'd have to prove herself first. "Go see Armand Cristophe in the garden at midnight," she told Minx. "He'll give you an initiation test - in thieving. He already knows what else you do!" Minx remembered Armand, and blushed.

They went together, even though the reporter had no intention of joing the Thieves Guild himself. He wanted to let them know he wasn't a informer. He may have been a spy, but he wouldn't report on his friends.

Armand knew his face, and probably remembered a lot more of Minx, judging by the big grin he gave her. He had another hopeful waiting to be tested for admission, an Argonian named Amusei. "Since I've got three candidates, I'll make it a contest," he began. The reporter pointed out that he wasn't here to join, but Armand continued anyway. "The first one to bring me the diary of Amantius Allectus will become a member of the Guild," he announced. "You may not kill anyone on this mission, we're not the Dark Brotherhood, after all. And if you don't want to join, just don't bring me the diary."

Minx and Amusei didn't know their way around the city very well, which was one of the reasons this test had been set. They'd get to learn a bit about the local geography, as well as having their burglary skills tested. The reporter had lived in the city a long time, so he knew exactly where to go.

Once Amusei had headed off towards the Elven Gardens, the reporter led Minx to the Temple District and the Allectus house. He waited outside and kept watch, while she picked the lock on the door and fetched the diary.

Then they went back to Armand and Minx handed it over. "OK, you're now officially a thief, with the rank of Pickpocket" he told her. "Amusei will have to try another task when he gets back, if he hasn't got himself completely lost."

He addressed the reporter. "And you're not a thief, but we will treat you as one of our own. I suppose that's what you wanted to hear?" Armand had the right idea. That's why he was the doyen, he was smarter than your average thief.

He turned back to Minx and gave her the induction speech, with all the rules of the Guild. He made sure the reporter overheard them, and understood them too. Minx kissed them both, and took the reporter's arm to go back to his shack.

He steered her towards the Bosmer shack instead. He wanted to ask Carwen to take Minx under her wing, and show her the ropes as a rookie thief. He didn't have that kind of training, and didn't know where to get it, but even he could see that Minx could use a bit of extra skill. Perhaps Carwen would know a Sneak or Security trainer.

Carwen insisted that Minx stay with her, and she could teach her a few things before Mandil or Othrelos took over. There was plenty of room in the shack without Adanrel and Methredhel. Minx wanted to know where they'd gone. Carwen told her about their steady boyfriends in the city. "They come back from time to time, but not together, so there's always a bed free."

When she said "bed" they both looked at the reporter. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Carwen asked Minx. Minx nodded her head, and flashed a wicked grin.

---

"Aren't you going to untie me?" he asked.

"Do you think he could manage one more time?" Minx asked Carwen.

"He might, but I don't think I could," she replied. "Let him loose if you're finished, I'm hitting my pillow anyway." Minx untied him, but went back with him to sleep in his shack.

---

He didn't see Minx for about a week after that. When she turned up again, she told him she'd been busy raising her status with the Guild by stealing things and fencing them, and then Armand had asked her to get the Waterfront's taxes back from Heironymus Lex's quarters in the South Watchtower. "I guess I was supposed to sneak in and steal them without being seen," she said, "but I got spotted going up the first ladder. Fortunately, the nice legionary who looked up and saw me noticed I wasn't wearing any panties. You can imagine how I paid the fine. I went up and stole the taxes back when he fell asleep."

"Then they wanted me to steal the bust of Lysatha Indarys from Cheydinhal. That took some real sneaking, but there was only the one guard, so it wasn't too difficult for me. It turned out that it was really all a plot to frame that Myrvyna Arano for the theft. She was spying on the Guild for Lex!"

The reporter was a bit alarmed at that. Myrvyna could have been reporting on him to the Thalmor, too. No, he was beginning to think like Lathenil. He had to stop that!

Minx couldn't stay. She had to go down to Leyawiin and see someone called Ahdarji. Another job for the Guild. He was glad to see her applying herself to something, even if it wasn't him.

He needed to apply himself to his book, soon. And the first thing was research. Bruma it was then. He could stay at Olaf's, if he was on his own. That would let him finally get to see Uzgash perform.

Posted by: mALX Oct 19 2012, 04:43 AM

ROFL! The reporter getting caught being part of the Thieves Guild, lol. Love how you slipped in the reporter being tied up there, ROFL !! Great Write!

Posted by: Acadian Oct 21 2012, 01:13 AM

I agree that Senchal would be neat to have in the Elsweyr mod, but Lliana did such a wonderful job with what she did provide, and her focus was on the Anequina portion. I found Corinthe to be a real jewel of a city that really speaks to me of the whold province.

‘And they'd got to know their way around without taking him as a guide, so he wasn't feeling very useful here in Chorrol, except in the evenings.’
Poor boy toy reporter. Lol, I think I’m going to join Grits in calling him Clark Kent.

Heh, I enjoyed Clark’s ‘endorsment’ of Cyrodiil’s city guide books and their authoress.

Minx! The name says it all. And it would appear she has quite the way with the Legion when caught with her panties down off.

Posted by: Grits Oct 21 2012, 05:24 PM

Yay, Minx! It sounds like she was the first to teach Carwen a few things.

Off to Bruma for some novel writing! I think that Clark is going to be very good at thoroughly researching his subjects.

Posted by: ghastley Oct 23 2012, 12:13 AM

@mALX: I'd already established that Minx is a bit into that when we first met her on the Bloated Float, and that she liked Clark our protagonist, so I'm making it her hallmark.

@Acadian: Corinthe was particularly well done as far as it went, but annoyingly incomplete. There are quite a few unused buildings with doors that just indicate "Corinthe House" because nobody lives/works there yet. The Rimmen area is part of the map, but there's only woodland when you go there, and Senchal's behind invisible walls, so you can't even go survey the site. Everything that's in the mod, I like, but I wish it was all there.

Still, I might think about a quest across into Riverhold, since that's quite well completed, and it's close to the border.

@Grits: He prides himself on the depth of his research. Of course he can't write about Uzgash, since they're both dead. Gudrun's becoming a better topic for his stories these days.

I may have to start calling him Clark myself, as he's not "the reporter" any more, even if I do keep using that.

----------

Monument - Interlude II

He stowed his travelling gear in the chest in his room at the Tap & Tack, and set the little crystal ball Varulae had given him on the table next to the bed. This one was cloudy, unlike the big clear one they'd rescued from the spectral sailors. So you couldn't see anything in it, but she'd told him to come back to Anvil if it glowed. He recalled Uzgash describing ones like this for calling her to Falkreath.

He changed his mind about leaving it there. He didn't really trust that Ongar didn't have access to this room. That man would steal anything that wasn't nailed down, even a low-valued item like this. He put it in his pocket instead. It may not be worth much to anyone else, but it was important to him.

He headed out of the city gate and up the road towards the Riders' Lodge. None of the Riders was in the bar when he arrived, and Timo wasn't to be seen either. That could mean he was busy with Gudrun, or else he'd gone into town for the day. Someone had told him that Lyra Rosentia had an occasional need for Timo's recharging services.

Gudrun's door was open, so he wasn't interrupting anything. But he couldn't see her for a pile of small boxes on her desk. She heard him come in, and came around the heap to greet him.

"These are all gifts from that Hafid Hollow-leg in town," she explained. "Ever since he found out that I'd danced at Olaf's, he's been trying to persuade me to do it at his place. He sends flowers, wine, sweetrolls, all sorts of stuff. All with a little note attached."

The reporter confessed that he'd probably heard it from him. "Oh, don't blame yourself for that," she said. "Everybody in town knows who I am, so it would have got around anyway."

"Has Uzgash been getting the same treatment?" he asked.

"No, I don't think Hafid is the kind who'd want an Orc in his place at all. He's always treated Bumph gra-Gash as if she didn't exist, so I reckon he'd want a dancer who wasn't an Orc."

"Plus, he has no idea where she's living. She appears out of nowhere at Olaf's every Loredas, and leaves the following morning. Everyone thinks she has a farm outside town somewhere, but she's not giving any clues. And most townsfolk don't venture outside the walls these days, not after that Draconis woman was murdered.
About the only one who goes out is Honmund, and I'd swear that man doesn't notice any woman except Alga!"

"Of course, it's my job to get noticed. That's one reason I didn't mind stepping in for Uzgash that night. I'd do it again, if she asked me to. But that's for her, not for Olaf, and certainly not for Hafid. He can promise me all the gold on Nirn, and it won't do him any good."

"But how do I get him to stop? He just won't take No for an answer!"

The reporter had an idea. She'd mentioned Bumph gra-Gash, who trained Heavy Armor over at the Fighters Guild. It made sense that Gudrun would know her, as that was an essential part of a Bear Rider's training too. It was said that she'd only train Fighters Guild members, but he wasn't sure if the Legion were an exception to that.

He'd met a couple of Orc brothers in Chorrol, who were also members of the Fighters Guild. Kurz and Lum gro-Baroth were as big as they came, and quite an intimidating pair until you got to know them. He wondered if Bumph knew them, and if they'd all like to help out a fellow Orc.

She didn't, but she'd like to. And his plan appealed to her sense of justice, too. She could send a message to Chorrol and invite them to visit, if they weren't busy on a contract. The offer of free training might help them make up their minds.

---

A couple of days later the three Orcs were enjoying an ale or two at Olaf's when the reporter came down from his room. He sat down at the table opposite them; the two brothers were either side of Bumph, and vying for her attention. He explained his idea to them.

They were going to pay a visit to Hafid and explain how his plans for a dancer of his own wouldn't be in the best interests of their Orcish cousin at Olaf's. "There's no need to mention a name. He'll know who you mean." And if it wasn't good for her, then it might not be good for Hafid, either.

"Hafid's got a big guy working as a bouncer. Logvaar's a good man, and we wouldn't him getting involved. He could get hurt if he tries to stop us leaning on Hafid." Bumph gra-Gash liked the big Nord. He didn't treat her like Hafid did.

"Don't worry about him. I'll keep him calm." The reporter demonstrated that he could cast that spell without being noticed, by using it on Alval Uvani, who everyone knew for his bad temper. "How delightful to meet you all!"

---

Hafid understood what he was being told. The stream of gifts to Gudrun dried up as swiftly as it had begun. But she was still concerned about Uzgash. "Even though he doesn't know who she is yet, Hafid's still a threat to her anonymity."

Just then, Uzgash herself came in to the office. She'd heard that the reporter was in town, and wanted to say hello. Not to mention catching up with all the intrigue she'd missed from the capital. "I could put up with being out of touch when I was on patrol on the Wrothgarians, because I knew I'd get all the news as soon as I got back to the Iron Fortress. Here in Bruma, nobody knows what's going on outside the city walls."

"I make a point of picking up the strangers in town, when they come into Olaf's, but they're not in the know either. I haven't heard a thing from Orsinium in weeks, and little of what's happening in Cyrodiil."

"I've trained Timo about as far as I can. He's enthusiastic, but not a great scholar of the art. Journeyman is about as far as he'll get."

"And the patrols I make are just enough to keep the bear exercised, not really anything useful. I thought I'd be able to settle in here for a few years, until it all blew over, but I'm restless already. I need my finger on the political pulse, and I don't have that here. I can't go back to Orsinium, not until my father calls me back. And I don't even know if he thinks I'm really dead!"

Uzgash would rather be in the Imperial City, where she could keep an eye on events. "I could take your old job," she suggested. "They need another reporter, don't they?"

Sadly, he'd already been replaced, by another Khajiit. A cousin, this time.

But the Red Dragon Club didn't have an Orc, or a dancer. He'd take her there, and introduce her to Taminwe. "And Gudrun can take over at Olaf's. She was a rousing success when she performed, and she tells me she needs the exercise." The reporter ducked as Gudrun threw one of the boxes at him.

She picked up another. But she didn't throw it. Her expression changed to a more thoughtful one. "You know, maybe it's not such a bad idea. It would serve Hafid right if Olaf still had the only dancer in town. I did enjoy doing it, even if I will have to stay in shape. I think I'll start riding the spare bear the rest of the week to exercise both of us. I assume you won't be taking him to the City, Uzgash?"

"I'd be happy to leave him with you, but you'll have to get a different outfit for riding. You know they can't stand plate, even as little as you wear." Uzgash pondered for a moment, while the reporter pleasantly imagined Gudrun riding naked. "I can leave you mine. If the stripper clothes fit you, then the uniform should too."

That accounted for all the clothes Uzgash had here in Bruma. Gudrun, on the other hand, had a full wardrobe from her shopping trips to the city office, so she let Uzgash try some on, while she checked out Uzgash's outfit.

They let him watch.

---

Of course he had to repay their kindness, and to make matters worse, Uzgash wanted to leave Bruma before daybreak, so that nobody but the guards would be about. He was still yawning as he collected his things from Olaf's and met her out on the Silver Road. "Why is your pocket glowing?" she asked him. In the half-light, he could see it too. It was Varulae's signal ball, but this was way too soon!

Well, he'd have to pass through the outskirts of the city to get to Anvil, so it didn't make much difference to the first part of his journey. It just meant he'd not be able to stay after he dropped her off at the Club. He wouldn't be able to get to Chorrol first, either, to pick up the sisters.

He explained to Uzgash what the glowing ball meant. That in turn required him to tell her all about Angeline and Diablita. By the time he'd finished the whole story, they were crossing the Talos Bridge.

Taminwe welcomed Uzgash to the club, and the two women went off planning how to add dancing to the entertainment in the bar. Enilwen was getting interested in that idea, too. Perhaps it was a Bosmer thing?

He hurried to get back on the road. Varulae wanted him down in Anvil early, and he had no idea why.

Posted by: Acadian Oct 23 2012, 01:28 AM

I quite enjoyed the references to in game events/people like the murder of Peronia Draconis and the temper of Alval Uvani.

"Why is your pocket glowing?" she asked him.’
I thought surely this was the beginning of a bawdy joke like ‘Is that a Varla stone in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?’ Then I remembered Clark's crystal ball.

‘Taminwe welcomed Uzgash to the club, and the two women went off planning how to add dancing to the entertainment in the bar. Enilwen was getting interested in that idea, too. Perhaps it was a Bosmer thing?’
Oh yes! Bosmer love to dance. Especially in moonlit meadows or under waterfalls!

Posted by: Grits Oct 25 2012, 01:46 AM

I just had to check the wiki to find out the dirt on Lyra Rosentia. Like Acadian, I really enjoyed the mentions of game events and personalities. It gave me that cozy Cyrodiil feeling.

Clark has gone from an observer to right in the middle things, I love it! He is in great demand. If he’s not careful, he’ll have his pockets full of glowing balls summoning him all over Tamriel.

Posted by: mALX Oct 28 2012, 04:24 AM

I'll third liking when you mention known game characters and their known personalities - kind of brings everything home!

If Hafid hired Orc dancers, he wouldn't need to hire bouncers too - the women that danced could do all the bouncing too!

Great Write !!

Posted by: ghastley Oct 29 2012, 08:07 PM

@Acadian: Your mention of waterfalls reminds me that I just added a feature to the companion mod that has the sisters find the waterfall near Barren Cave between Cheydinhal and the Ring Road. When you speak to either of them, they'll ask about taking a shower, and run under it if you agree. That was the only one I found in Tamriel that has path grids the NPC's can use to reach it.

@Grits: I can't tie into much in this episode, as they're off to their private worldspace again.

@mALX: What do you mean, bounce? Jiggle, maybe.


All: I'm posting a little early in case I lose power. Sandy's headed straight for me!

-------------

Return to the Island

When he arrived at the Count's Arms, he found the sisters were already there. Varulae hadn't trusted the one method of summoning them, and had sent a courier to Arborwatch as well. She seemed distressed at something.

That something was Giant Mudcrabs. She'd caught a glimpse of them in the crystal ball when Terranis had sent his distress call. The laborers had taken shelter in the wreck with the Argonians, but that wasn't going to be much good if they couldn't get out to gather food. Nobody had expected problems like this, so they hadn't taken any weapons with them, and Mason's tools aren't much use for fighting.

Her crew were ready to take them to the island and rescue the laborers. They'd help fight the crabs, too, if need be, but they didn't have much skill at it.

He counted himself among the unskilled, but the sisters had been getting a lot of practice. He noted that they'd both armed themselves with heavy warhammers for this job. "But we don't intend to let them get close,"

Angeline declared. "Diablita's pitchfork is going to be backed up with a few more fireballs from me. We should cook them before they get near."

---

They arrived just around sunset, and managed to kill one of the crabs with fireballs from the deck of the Serpent's Wake even before they anchored. But the others slipped beneath the waters of the bay and avoided their barrage. It did give them a breathing space to get the laborers out of the wreck and onto the ship, where they could watch the action, and help spot where the crabs were coming ashore.

Calban rowed them to the jetty again. He had no armor, so they told him to go back to the ship and keep lookout for the crabs with the others.

They walked along the edge of the water, looking for tracks that might show them where the crabs had gone. A large shape loomed out of the bay and headed towards them. They backed inland, letting the crab follow until it was clear of the water, and they could get a good shot at it with their fireballs. The reporter looked in the direction they were going and saw a wraith drifting down the slope towards them. They were caught between the two!

But the wraith wasn't coming for them. A blast of frost flew over their heads, and froze the crab in place for a moment. That made it easier for the sisters to hit it with their fire spells. The alternation of cold and hot was clearly even more effective than either would have been alone, and the giant crab soon collapsed dead in the surf.

The wraith glided silently along the beach towards an outcrop of rock. Another crab was just coming around it, unseen by the sisters. It wasn't obvious how the wraith had known it was there either, unless it was using a life detection spell. If it was, it had a longer range than his, which hadn't shown him the crab at all.

Again the unspoken tactics went into play. Frost, then fire, then frost again until the beast's armor cracked and it went down.

Three more times they did this, and then the wraith turned inland. It stopped, seemingly waiting for them to follow. At the top of the beach, near some rocks, it stopped again and pointed.

A small barrel was wedged between the rocks. The top was still sealed, but it opened easily enough. All it contained was a book, one of the series on Sheogorath's dealings with the other Daedric Princes called "16 Accords of Madness". This one was about Azura.

Sixteen Accords of Madness Volume I

Sheogorath came to Azura with a proposition. He had just receieved a challenge from Mehrunes Dagon to pit two of his Dremora against two Golden Saints. He needed a piece of neutral ground for the contest, and perhaps a little assistance.

Sheogorath knew that Dagon's satisfaction came from the destruction of the battle, and he had little regard for its outcome. Just letting it happen would be conceding a victory to Dagon, and that wasn't in his plans. With Azura's help, there would be no battle.

Azura had no love for Dagon, so she listened attentively to his ideas. Her realm of Moonshadow, with its permanent misty twilight, was the perfect venue. And yes, she could provide the Seducers to complete the plot.

The Seducers are a wide range of related Daedra. Sheogorath's own Dark Seducers are permanently of human form, while Azura's Winged Twilights have bat-like wings at all times. The majority can shape-shift anywhere in between, by a magic that seems to combine Alteration and Illusion to transcend both. It is hard to tell which of the many forms they take is their true one, if that even exists.

A particularly skilled Seducer can tailor her appearance to the tastes of her victim, making herself totally irresistable. Azura chose two of her best for this, and helped them prepare.

On the appointed day, the Dremora arrived early, as Sheogorath had predicted. They like to scout the area, and seek out any advantage they could gain from holding higher ground, or attacking from cover. One of them was clad in heavy Daedric armor, with a shield amd longsword. The other wore a black robe, with a staff on his back.

They weren't the first arrivals, but the two women waiting for them weren't Golden Saints. They carried no weapons, and wore no armor, and not a lot of clothing, either.

Azura had chosen their aspects carefully. One was a pale-skinned blonde with huge blue eyes. She looked innocent in a way that hinted that she was anything but that. And if she personified temptation, her companion personified challenge. She had horns like a Dremora, deep red skin, hooves and a tail. Curvacious to an extreme, with an attitude that dared you to take her on. Naturally, she was the spokeswoman for the pair.

"We came to watch the fight," she said. "That's such a turn-on, especially if we get to reward the winners".

"That will be us", the armored one responded. "without a doubt."

"If you're that certain, then we could give you your reward right now." she suggested. "Your opponents aren't due to arrive for a long time yet. Assuming, of course, that you can handle the extra effort."

The plan was that the Golden Saints would arrive while the Dremora were naked, tired and helpless. The Seducers normally operated in a similar manner, except that they would transform and attack as soon as their prey disarmed. This time they were to drain their victims' fatigue in the most enjoyable way, and make their defeat even more inevitable.

The Dremora would be forced to surrender without being able to put up a fight, a particularly maddening experience for one of the Kyn. Worse, they would have accepted a reward they did not deserve, a mark against their honor.

The Seducers weren't sure when they all collapsed into sleep, but when they woke, the Dremora were gone. There was no sign of any Golden Saints, but they assumed that the plan had worked. In Moonshadow, the passage of time was hard to reckon, so they had no idea how long they'd slept. They'd find out when they flew back to Azura.

Except that they couldn't sprout their wings. They appeared to have lost their ability to transform. Azura sensed their fear and came to them instead. She quickly diagnosed their problem.

"You're both pregnant," she told them. "which means that you just slept with mortals, not Daedra. I have a suspicion that Dagon wasn't involved in this at all. It's well within Sheogorath's powers to disguise two of his mortal minions well enough to fool you."

"The spell to prevent conception is so simple, but you have to know you need it. Maddening, isn't it? You'll have months of discomfort to consider that fact. And you'll be stuck in your current form until you give birth, which will be an additional annoyance. Probably not enough to drive you into Sheogorath's clutches, but close."

"Your babies will be mortal, and grow to resemble your current selves, as a child always takes after its mother in appearance. However they won't have your ability to change."

Azura wondered if that was the additional anxiety factor that would take the mothers into insanity, or whether it was the daughters that Sheogorath had in mind. If they truly resembled their mothers, they'd be irresistable to most mortal men, and not have their mothers' defences. They'd have to learn spells to make up for that. And Azura would just have to watch this play itself out over their lifetimes.


When they looked up, the wraith had already faded from view.

Since all the giant crabs were now dead, they returned to the ship to talk with the mason and his men. They'd seen fire on the horizon the previous night, out where the latest island was. It seemed that there had been a fresh eruption, and maybe that was what drove the crabs in their direction.

But what had made them grow so large? It wasn't just illusion magic, as they'd remained large when they died. Alteration could do it, but who'd have cast such a spell? The reporter had a theory. The far island was almost in the straights between the Summerset Isle and Valenwood. Dagon's forces had caused storms and other disruption in that area during the Oblivion Crisis. Some of that magic could easily have spilled out and affected the crabs.

If he'd been as paranoid as Lathenil, he'd have blamed them on the Thalmor. He couldn't rule that idea out, however.

The rising sun was just catching a ring of columns up on the bluff where the graves were. It wasn't a complete ring yet. there was still one more to go up. And then there would be a circle of stone placed on top of them. But they could see already what a magnificent sight it would be.

Terranis took them there and showed them what had been done so far. They'd made good progress, and even with this interruption, he expected his original estimate to be accurate. He had a few ideas how he could make use of the local rock to add a few details, too. He'd keep that as a surprise for when they came back to see it complete.

In their cabin on the way back to Anvil the sisters read the book again. The resemblance betwen the Seducers described and their mothers was uncanny. The reporter was naturally comparing them to the sisters themselves. He reasoned that whoever wrote the book had seen some relatives of theirs. Maybe he'd even known their mothers, and it had inspired his writing. He was sure that it was fiction, like most books about Sheogorath, but the sisters would have none of that.

They liked the idea of having Daedra for ancestors. They'd met Prizna, and Nelrene, and Goldie at Gweden, and those were people they could identify with. But they were content with being mortal, too. They'd like to have children someday. He just wished they hadn't looked at him that way when they said it.

Posted by: Acadian Oct 30 2012, 12:36 AM

What a clever and fun story about how the sisters came to be! That Sheo is a damned stinker!

Posted by: Grits Oct 30 2012, 03:46 AM

Yikes, I hope you get through the storm OK!

Woo hoo, giant mudcrabs and warhammers!! This sounds like a beach party in the making. Crab roast!

I love the origin story for the sisters. Finding a book like that is my favorite kind of quest reward.

Posted by: mALX Nov 4 2012, 05:18 PM

LOVED the "Sixteen Accords of Madness Volume I" - the whole story of how the sisters came to be - Awesome! This is one of my favorite chapters of all !!! Awesome Write, inspired!

Posted by: ghastley Nov 6 2012, 12:59 AM

@Acadian: Sheo's always good for an explanation of things that don't make any sense. Or biscuits. No, definitely things that don't make sense. Except when they seem to.

@Grits: The Jersey Shore got a lot worse than a few giant mudcrabs, but I'm inland in Pennsylvania, and all I got was a week-long power outage.

@mALX: As the reporter reports, it's likely to be a work of fiction, but the sisters like it. It's part of the mod, but may be contradicted by another bit I'm still working on.

----

Return from the Island

When they got back to the mainland, the sisters went back to Chorrol, while he hurried off to see Taminwe and Uzgash at the Red Dragon Club. Taminwe thought she might have a job for him soon, but he should wait at his shack until the time was right. There was still a chance that people would remember the reporter he'd been before his "death". That would give him some time to get on with writing his book.

She'd sent Lathenil back to Tsarrina and Silanu. He'd turned invisible before he left the club, and she'd opened the door for him. He was still living in fear of the Thalmor. Taminwe was inclined to believe that they did pose a threat - to Lathenil. "He's clearly a target for them," she told him, "but I don't think it's any more than a local Summerset Isle dispute. They're rational people down there, and it should all sort itself out without us worrying about it."

---

He went back to the Waterfront, where all the talk was about the new captain of the watch, a man by the name of Servatius Quintilius. He didn't believe the Thieves Guild existed, and was a lot easier to deal with than his predecessor. Being new to the job, he didn't want to cause any waves that might get the attention of his superiors.

"What happened to Hieronymus Lex?" he asked.

"Re-assigned to Anvil," he was told. "He wasn't too happy about that."

"Serves him right," one of the dockworkers interjected. "I lost a whole day's pay when they threw that curfew on us last week." He remembered that happening before, but all he'd lost out on was a night with Carwen, and he'd made up for that later. This had apparently been a much bigger deal, with all the shacks searched, and watchmen drafted in from all the other Districts.

He asked around and found out that the Thieves Guild had taken advantage of the lack of security in the rest of the city to pull a few big robberies. One of the targets had been the Arcane University, where they'd stolen Hrormir's Icestaff from the Arch-mage's quarters. The Mages Guild weren't happy about that. Raminus Polus had sent a summoned Dremora to the Waterfront with a message for Lex, the first time anyone there had seen one. Lex had been ordered to call off his manhunt for the Grey Fox, and things had returned to normal.

Nobody knew if that incident had anything to do with his re-assignment, but the timing was suspicious.

---

He continued with his writing. It was a collection of short tales about the Imperial Legion Mountain Riders, each one focusing on one of the Bear Riders.

He'd started with http://chorrol.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4645&st=12, because she was the first one he'd met, and her story had been the inspiration for the book. He'd written down the one she'd told him. The one with the Champion in it, and the Watch Captains, not the one with a reporter on his way to Falkreath. That might be more memorable, but it was also more personal.

http://chorrol.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4645&st=9 of the Oblivion Gate and the death of her first bear was a sad counterpoint to it, but it all resulted in the Champion of Cyrodiil closing the Gate, and her getting a new bear, so the ending was just as happy.

Now, should he tell Pala's or http://chorrol.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4645&st=17 They'd both been involved, and had told him different parts of the narrative. He'd think about that, and work on http://chorrol.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4645&st=34 next.

That one was going to take some careful narrative. He didn't want to make the Newlands Lodge sound like a dangerous place. A young woman could get indecently propositioned, without trying too hard, if she wanted. And yes, there were fights there, but Dervera didn't allow any weapons to be used, and everyone ended up drinking together afterward. The guards weren't as bad now that Ulrich Leland wasn't running things, and they'd keep things in check without arresting everyone.

He'd interviewed the Orc she'd hit. "When I came round, I didn't know if I was in pain, or in love," he'd said. "She certainly made an impression! My fault for starting it, not that anyone listened."

---

A few days after that, Amusei knocked on his door. The Argonian was better dressed than the first time he had seen him, in a respectable, and dark, suit of leather armor. Amusei was looking for Minx. He had a message for her from the Grey Fox.

"Yes, I joined the Thieves Guild eventually," Amusei told him. "It did take me several attempts. Perhaps that's why they use me as a messenger, rather than give me actual thieving tasks."

His wry smile admitted he was grateful for any employment. Amusei told him that Minx had rescued him from a Vampire in the Cheydinhal jail, while she was looking for a book she had to recover. He was even more grateful to her, and he'd like to thank her again, now he was a Guild member, too.

He didn't know where Minx was, but he assured Amusei that he'd tell her to look out for him, if she did turn up.

---

He ran into Minx again in Bruma, of all places, when he went to get some missing details for Pala's story. He'd not been able to remember which fort the book was in, although he knew it was somewhere along her patrol route. Since the Champion had traded that book with Ocato for the Lodge, it was an important part of the story.

Minx asked him if he knew where the Temple of the Ancestor Moths was. He'd never been there himself, but he had a good idea how to get there. Svana's regular patrol ended at the foot of the path up to the Temple, and she'd described the area to him in good detail. It was easy to find if you just followed the road out of town towards Cheydinhal, but turned north and took the trail through the mountains.

She wouldn't tell him why she was going there. "Guild business" was all he got. He asked if Amusei had found her. But she was already on her way and didn't answer.

---

It was about a month since Terranis and his men had started on the construction work. He'd told them that the crab invasion didn't slow them down at all, so it should be finished by now. He wondered if he should contact Varulae to see if she'd had any news. He'd given back the little crystal ball. It hadn't been as useful as they'd expected the first time, as it couldn't convey much of a message.

First, though, he needed to check in at the Club. "This just came for you," said Brienne, handing him a note. It was from Varulae. She'd sent another to the sisters at Arborwatch, so he should come directly to Anvil, and they'd all meet at the Count's Arms.

---

Varulae had seen the completed monument already. Terranis had held up the crystal ball so she could look through. The view was obviously a bit distorted, seen that way, but ...

"No I shouldn't tell you anything now. You need to go see it for yourselves. Go see Zishara on the Serpents Wake."

---

When they stepped out of the rowboat onto the little jetty, the sisters rushed up the path towards the shrine. They'd seen it being built, of course, so they had some idea of the scale, but that was on a cluttered building site, and it had all been cleared and tidied up. It just looked bigger and more magnificent this time.

Terannis and his men were waiting to greet them. He led Angeline and Diablita to the bench seat just inside the ring of columns. That was something new. It wasn't on the rough drawings he'd shown them when he started. Nor was the big bowl-shaped planter in the middle. He'd carefully dug up the flax plants from the graves, and replanted them there, so that the ground inside the ring could be paved over. He'd used local rock for that, so it blended perfectly with the surroundings.

The three simple gravestones they'd erected when they buried the parents were gone, and in their places were three tall stone obelisks, each marked with a name. He noted that Terannis had copied his lettering style from the originals. A nice touch.

There were a lot of other thoughtful details. The paving had also been laid in a ring around the outside of the circle of columns, but then covered up again with the sand. "That will stop anything but grass from taking root there," one of the workmen told them. "That way, it won't need any maintenance to stay looking this way."

The centre paving was slightly higher then the ring of stone that surrounded it, and it was almost imperceptibly domed, so that rain would run off. The centre was open to the sky, like the original in the city, with just a ring capping the columns, so sunlight and rain could get to the planter in the middle. The gaps between the pavers had been filled with a very fine sand, too, to make it more impervious to the weather.

"Actually, that's not sand," Terranis corrected him. "We ground up the shells of those Giant Mudcrabs for that. It will harden into a mortar that will be completely rain-proof, but flexible enough not to crack in the tropical sun."

He was glad to find that the Giant Mudcrab incident hadn't been a complete waste. There wouldn't have been enough of the small ones to do this.

Terranis and the girls went back to the Serpents Wake arm in arm. He had a shrewd idea that the mason was going to be well rewarded for his extra efforts.

--------------

I was quite tempted to quote large chunks of the Bear Rider's stories in the middle of this, but didn't. I'm not sure it makes sense if you didn't read that thread, though.

Edit: Since I was adding links for the Bear Rider stories, here's one to a http://ghastley.org/Oblivion/images/DDShrine.jpg

Posted by: mALX Nov 6 2012, 07:11 PM

Loved the whole section on the Thieves Guild background, as soon as I read Lex had already been transferred I knew what stage that questline was in, so really enjoyed the reminders of the quests that led up to his transfer - made me miss doing that questline, lol.

Reading about Claudia makes me think she has a little secret, BWAAHAA!

It would be better to add links to the bear stories, that way people can click over and read the whole story if they hadn't already. (imho).

Loved this chapter, Great Write!

Posted by: ghastley Nov 6 2012, 07:57 PM

Now that's a good idea! I'll do that. I've done that.

Posted by: Acadian Nov 7 2012, 01:07 AM

I think you got the mix and amount of review just right regarding the bear riders. Enough to tweak memories but not enough to feel like rehashing. mALX’s idea of providing links was indeed an excellent one!

So Minx is working her way up to the top of her guild in a pretty recognizable way! I have always liked the idea of other characters rising to high positions while the primary character leads a less epic life in Cyrodiil and perhaps helps around the edges.


Nit: ‘Lex been ordered to call off his manhunt for the Grey Fox, and things had returned to normal.’
Seems like this is missing a word. Perhaps you want to add a ‘had’ between Lex and been?

Posted by: Grits Nov 7 2012, 04:44 PM

I got here after you added the links, very nicely done.

Minx has been busy! I love the progression of the TG quests running through this part.

The monument on the island is full of thoughtful details. I really like it.

Posted by: ghastley Nov 13 2012, 01:20 AM

@mALX: My Claudia was a little secret, until the Champion found her in the watchtower. Thanks for the link idea, it works much better that way.

@Acadian: In this story, just about everything gets done by somebody else. I even left the protagonist behind in this episode while the sisters went off to do all the hard work at Fort Grief!

@Grits: Minx has been busy, and this part is no exception. As Acadian pointed out, somebody else is doing all the quests, and in the case of the Thieves Guild, it's her. And I need them done, for parts of this story that are coming up soon.


-------------

Return to Cyrodiil

Back in Anvil, he noticed that Astia Inventius had almost finished her painting of the lighthouse. He asked her what she was going to paint next. "Another one of the same, I suppose," she replied. "I've painted the same phallic symbol about a dozen times, trying to give my stupid husband Pinarus a hint, but I'm just not getting through to him. He's lazy with all his household chores, and that includes the bedroom!"

The word around town was that he wasn't so lazy when it was someone other than Astia in the bed with him, but he said nothing on that topic. "Have a word with Varulae about a vacation trip," he suggested. "There's a nice tropical island she knows, and you might find a new subject there. Or there's always the sailors on the ship."

He left her puzzling out what he might have meant by that last part about sailors. She didn't paint portraits, only landscapes. She wondered if it rained much on the island. That was the one thing that really interrupted her painting here in Anvil.

---

The sisters wanted to take him down to Bravil. The last time they'd visited the town, they'd met Ursanne Loche, who was worried about her husband's gambling. She'd asked them to talk to an Orc called Kurdan, to whom Aleron apparently owed quite a bit of gold. They'd done so, but it was like talking to a stone wall. Perhaps he'd do better than they had?

When they arrived, Ursanne was even more concerned than before. Now Aleron had gone missing, and she was sure that Kurdan was involved. He went over to the Lonely Suitor and spoke with the Orc, and it took most of his skill to get anything from him. But eventually he'd managed to persuade Kurdan to tell him where Aleron was. There was a boat moored on the canal that would take them to Fort Grief, where he'd sent Aleron to look for the Axe of Dragol, an heirloom belonging to Kurdan's family. Returning that would pay off Aleron's debt, and he didn't care who found it, as long as he got it back.

"We'll take the boat over there and fetch it," offered Diablita. "You go comfort Ursanne, that's what you're good at. Tell her we'll be back with Aleron before you know it."

Ursanne wasn't in her house when they went to look for her, so the sisters took the rowboat while he went into the nearby Mage's Guild to ask if anyone knew where he could find Ursanne. He met Fathis Aren, the Castle mage, who seemed glad to be out of the tedium of the court for a while. They chatted for a time, and he discovered that Ursanne was probably in the Chapel. She spent a lot of time there recently, praying for Aleron's safe return.

Fathis also revealed that he'd recently met Minx. She'd obviously made a good impression on her fellow Dunmer, as he couldn't stop talking about her. He'd been particularly amazed by the way she'd just appeared from nowhere in his secret tower outside town. "I assume she used invisibility to get past all the conjurers and Daedra that guard the place for me," he said. "That, or I managed a better conjuration than ever! I can teach you a bit about that, but I'm not suggesting you'd be able to summon her. I wouldn't mind being able to do that again myself."

He'd laughed at that, but he didn't feel like laughing when the sisters returned. They'd found Aleron, all right, but it had turned out to be a trap, with him as bait. They'd been forced to run a maze full of traps, and been hunted by a number of men who'd apparently paid Kurdan for the privilege. All of whom were now dead, as were Kurdan and his Khajiit bowman accomplice. But so was Aleron. They'd seen Kurdan kill him as they emerged from the fort, before they could do anything to stop him.

Now someone had to tell Ursanne, and they were looking at him.

---

He returned to the City and paid his usual visit to the Club. Surely Taminwe would have something for him by now?

"Not yet, but did you hear about the Earl of Imbel?" she asked. "You know, the one who lives in the big manor across the street from here."

He hadn't. He'd just got back to the city from Anvil and Bravil.

"It seems he was a vampire, and someone broke into his house and killed him!" she exclaimed.

"Really a Vampire?" he wanted to know. It sounded just like the story he'd reported on in Bruma. Bradon Lirrian had been slain by a man who accused him of being one. That had turned out to be completely false. The Champion had seen through that and killed the murderer, Raynil Dralas. He'd seen enough copycat crimes as a reporter to get suspicious.

"Yes, they could clearly see fangs on the corpse." Taminwe assured him. "And he wasn't the only one. The Watch Captain said there were several other vampires in a tunnel off of his basement."

"That would explain why I'd never seen him around during the day," he reasoned. "Although I've run into his butler, manservant, or whatever he is. Gemellus Axius, his name is. I often see him in the Market District buying supplies for the manor."

"Not recently I hope," Taminwe was quick to remind him that he was supposed to have died.

"He wouldn't notice me anyway," he replied. "If you're not nobility, that one doesn't think you exist."

---

He made his way back across the city towards the Waterfront. In the Temple District he bumped into Amusei, who was apparently looking for him. Amusei handed him a card. It was finely made, with gold edges, and clear black print.

"The Thieves Guild requests your presence at a celebration of the installation of its new Guildmaster, " he read. The directions were to the Garden of Dareloth, behind the abandoned shack, which didn't make a lot of sense. That was where he'd gone with Minx to meet with Armand, and it had been anything but a garden, more like a rubbish heap. But the time indicated was only a hour from the present, so he went back and changed into his better clothes, and set off to find out.

He was astounded to find a set of steps and a door that hadn't been there before. The garden, which hadn't been anything like one previously, was now planted with primroses, and looked much more neat and tidy. He went up the steps and knocked. The door was opened by Armand, who escorted him through the basement and up into a large room, lined with bookshelves. Armand pointed to another staircase across the room. "Take those stairs. The Guildmaster is waiting"

The room at the top was as large as the one below, and furnished as a comfortable town apartment. Minx was there, in a slinky black robe that really made the most of her slender curves. She'd had her hair done, too, in a formal style that matched the sophistication of her outfit. "Were you invited to the celebration, too?" he asked.

"In a way," she replied. "Count Corvus Umbranox invited me, when he gave me all those special jobs to do." He recalled that the Count had been missing for the last ten years. Where had she found him?

She explained that it was the opposite; Corvus Umbranox had found her. He'd been the Grey Fox for those ten years, under a curse that prevented anyone from recognising him. Even his own wife, Millona, hadn't known who he was. He'd asked Minx to steal a number of special items, including an Elder Scroll from the Imperial Palace Library, and she'd done all that for him. And now he was reunited with Millona, and he could hand on the post of Guildmaster of the Thieves Guild. "To me!"

"You're the new Guildmaster?"

She nodded. "Do I look the part?"

He had no idea what a Master Thief should look like. Probably completely unremarkable, so you wouldn't give her a second glance. In that respect she was a complete failure. He couldn't help looking at her, especially as her robe was sliding to the floor.

Posted by: Acadian Nov 13 2012, 01:53 AM

A fun little opening interlude with Astia and her bedroom woes.

Then a quick rendition of ‘Caught in the Hunt’ down in Bravil!

Minx is the new Thieves Guildmistress! I’m sure she gives a whole new meaning to the term Gray FOX! When all is said and done about the Thieves Guild questline, I have always thought it to be a very nice love story.

Posted by: mALX Nov 13 2012, 02:03 AM

GAAAAH! I LOVE the Pinarus/Astia part !!! Love all these little catch-ups on quests in here - all my fave characters and their quests given attention - really nice! Especially liked how you described the steps and door just appearing at the end of the TG questline - like they stole the door and steps and broke into Dareloth's, ROFL !!! After the first time I did that quest, I tried to find that door before the end of the quest - it isn't there.

These catch-ups on all these quests makes me homesick to play again! Awesome Write!

Posted by: Grits Nov 16 2012, 10:47 PM

Oh my gosh, I was rolling over Astia’s dilemma.

The new Grey Fox! Neat to see the new guild through the reporter’s eyes. I was equally astounded the first (only) time I did that questline.

Posted by: ghastley Nov 20 2012, 12:45 AM

@Acadian: I'm sure Minx will add to the legend ... in her own way.

@mALX: I guess the bit about "rewriting history" is what allows it all to change without anyone else apparently noticing the sudden appearance of the door. But I'm not thinking about that too much, or I'd have to explain how one person has managed to notice.

@Grits: It's getting quite hard to avoid actually getting him involved in the game's quests, except as reporter of someone else doing them. I came perilously close on the Bloated Float, and had to twist the story there. So I owed it to Minx to let her do something according to the script.

We left our ex-reporter in the Thieves Guild headquarters where Minx has just revealed (among other things) that she's the new Guildmaster.

--------------

Minx's Tale

"You were the one who got me into the Thieves Guild in the first place," Minx reminded him. "I admit that Amusei wasn't the greatest competion I could have had, but your help gave me the confidence to win that contest."

"And then you took to me to Carwen to get me some training. You could have just taken me back to your shack for a celebration, but you didn't. You were thinking of me, not yourself, and I appreciate that."

He pointed out that he'd got twice the fun that way, and she laughed. "That wasn't your decision, if I recall."

She'd thought, at the start, that thievery would just be a job to do, but she liked the Guild. Especially that they frowned on killing people. The other thieves were nice folk to work with, helpful and cheerful. And she'd learned quickly. She seemed to have a talent for it, and she'd taken to heart what Methredhel had said at the Bloated Float, that a thief thrived on distractions.

He confessed to being completely and delectably distracted. "What were you saying?"

Minx continued telling him about her rise through the ranks of the Guild. "And all that time, I hadn't killed anyone. That ended when they sent me to Skingrad, to find a lost book. The beggars there said that Amusei knew where it was, but he was in jail. I bribed the guard, it only took money this time, and got let into the dungeons. When I went looking for Amusei, his cell was empty and there was a trail of blood leading from it, down to the cellars."

"I didn't know Amusei well, but I remembered that he was the other candidate when I joined, so I was kind of grateful to him for losing that night. And I don't like people getting hurt, so I followed the trail, hoping I could do something. I found the blood wasn't Amusei's, but it soon could have been joined by his. There was a Vampire taking prisoners from the jail and killing them, and he was her next victim."

"I suppose it made me angry, and that's why I fought her. I'll admit I didn't expect to win, either, it was just something I had to try and do for Amusei. I did remember that Vampires have a weakness to fire, and that helped. "

"Was that when Amusei joined the guild?" he asked. "He mentioned to me that you saved him in Skingrad."

She nodded. "Soon after, anyway. He came right back here with a new determination to try again. He'll never be a good thief, but he's an excellent messenger."

"The only other time I had to kill was another Vampire," she continued. "I'd learned a spell to make myself invisible, so most of the time I could just walk past people, instead of fighting them. Some of the men I didn't want to pass by, of course. There were much more pleasant ways of dealing with them. Fathis Aren, in particular, although that tower of his isn't the most comfortable of places for it."

"But Jakben Imbel was a different proposition. What he wanted, I wasn't prepared to provide. So we ended up fighting, and you probably know the rest. I let the Watch kill the other vampires, they needed the exercise!"

"And all this was because the Grey Fox was sending you on these missions?" he asked. "How did you meet him? And when did you discover that he was Count Umbranox?"

"Well, to answer the last one first, I didn't know who he was until right at the end. I couldn't have known, because if he took off that cowl, nobody knew who he was! That was the curse he was trying to lift. It stopped even his own wife from recognising him. He told me that he'd sat in her court every day, and she'd treated him like a stranger. He WAS a stranger, until the curse was removed."

"And I met him, as the Grey Fox, when Methredhel sent me to him. That day in Bruma, when you gave me directions to the Temple of the Ancestor Moths. He'd been at another Guild member's house, and given me that task."

"That reminds me, I need to thank you for that help, too."

---

He was relieved that her story-telling was giving him just enough time to recover between her showing her gratitude. She'd become really good at that part of her skill too. She took a deep breath and got back to the tale.

"The hardest quest was the last one," she told him. "The Grey Fox had determined that the only way to undo the curse was to rewrite the Elder Scroll that recorded it. You can actually change history that way, because of the magic they contain. So he needed the one that had the right events in it, and the things he had me steal were the ones we'd need to obtain the Scroll."

"The stone I took from the monks let him see into the Palace, and find the secret way in. Fathis Aren had the key I'd need, and the Earl of Imbel had boots that would provide me extra jumping ability. I couldn't have reached the goal without them."

"I had to enter the Palace through an old catacomb, and the only entrance to that was in a locked section of the sewers. The ironic thing was that the whole chain started in the Palace, only a few floors from where I needed to go. The only way to unlock the sewers was to activate an hourglass in the basement."

She described her long and dangerous journey through the dark catacombs beneath the White Gold Tower. They were filled with undead, and she'd had many close calls when she had to operate buttons, or open doors, and lost her invisibility for a few moments. She clung close to him when she recalled those scary parts, and it was his turn to interrupt the story. Minx was grateful for that.

---

She resumed by telling him the end of the story, when Corvus Umbranox was finally able to go back to Anvil and be reunited with his wife. She'd been there to see it, and it was quite the most romantic experience she'd ever witnessed.

That was the first time she was able to know who the Grey Fox really was, Count Umbranox of Anvil. The mention of Anvil tickled a thought that he'd had at the back of his mind since she started. She hadn't mentioned Heironymus Lex's re-assignment there, and he was sure now that it had been part of this.

"You know, I do vaguely recall going to Anvil for the Grey Fox," she responded. "It had something to do with a letter, but I just can't remember most of it. I had to meet somebody there, but that part's a complete blank. Sorry."

Well that at least told him he hadn't imagined it. He still had access to the Black Horse Courier's archives, so he could find out more later.

"So does this all mean that there isn't a Grey Fox any more? That he's now a respectable Count again, and the secret identity isn't needed?"

"Oh no," she explained. "Nocturnal's Cowl hasn't changed. Whoever wears it still becomes the Grey Fox, and can't be recognised as anyone else. That means that any thief can use it to become completely anonymous. I probably won't make any use of it, except to keep the legend alive. If the public starts to forget the Grey Fox, I'll pull some spectacular heist, and you'll report it."

That reminded him that he wasn't a reporter any more. He had a story that she needed to hear, too. But first....

---

Of course, when he told her that he was "dead", she had to mention Falanu. He was too tired to react. He'd have to get used to that anyway.

He told her about the two sisters he'd found in his basement here at the Waterfront. Carwen had told Minx about them, but she'd reported that they were his sisters, of course. "No wonder you could manage Carwen and me together, you'd had practice!"

He admitted that, but decided that he wouldn't mention any of the ones before his "death". The sisters were a part of his current life and she deserved to know about them. He'd told her he was writing a book about the Bear Riders, so she could assume what she wanted there. And she'd mentioned Fathis Aren, and other unnamed encounters she'd had. He wondered if any of them had been blind monks at the Temple. Minx appealed to all the senses.

---

The next morning, she woke before he did, and went downstairs to see to Thieves Guild business while he slept on. The first thing he knew was Methredhel bringing him a tray of breakfast goodies, and a note. It was from Angeline and Diablita.

They wanted to know what they were going to do with all the gold they'd accumulated.

"We could have it stolen, if you'd like," Methredhel told him helpfully. "That way it will go to people who really need it, not to the local Count in taxes."

She meant that. The Thieves Guild had always looked after the beggars, and made sure the truly needy ones got enough to live on. "Most of the ones you find sleeping in alleys aren't homeless, they're just afraid of sleeping indoors," she explained. "For example, Wretched Aia, down in Bravil, had her house burn down around her. Lost her whole family in the blaze. She hasn't entered a building ever since."

He knew most of the beggars of Tamriel, and he'd alway pass them a few coins when he could. They had been very useful sources when he'd been a reporter, and they were still useful to a spy. He hadn't done much of that recently either.

But he had a feeling the sisters were writing about more gold than Methredhel imagined. He knew how quickly they'd raised the asking price for Arborwatch. They'd already bought another place in Skingrad, and furnished it, so who knows how much they had now!

That's when he noticed the ebony diamond ring on Methredhel's finger. She didn't usually go for fancy items, being much more likely to wear a copper or brass ring. After all, they can all hold the same enchantments, which was the only reason she'd she'd wear one. But this one looked expensive, and it was on that finger. Did it mean...?

"Yes," she beamed. "And he didn't just buy it for me, he stole it!"

Posted by: Grits Nov 22 2012, 12:33 AM

Those boots are one of my very favorite items in the game. I love the reunion in Castle Anvil. It would be worth doing the whole questline just to see the count back on his throne.

It sounds as if Minx and the reporter have a nice, informal arrangement. Unless she gets ideas when she sees Methredhel’s ring!

Posted by: mALX Dec 10 2012, 06:44 PM

WOO HOO! Fathis has quite a way with the ladies! Lol. Loved this synopsis of the Thieves Guild, brief reminders of each quest so we can think back on the times we've played them! Great Write!

Posted by: Lycanthropic-Legend Dec 11 2012, 12:41 AM

I must confess, I am enjoying this. The story is good, well-written and very funny, too. The fact that it's based upon a mod is even more interesting. I'll write up the reviews of the chapters I've read so far as soon as I can

Posted by: ghastley Dec 15 2012, 06:28 PM

@All: if you were wondering why we went off into the Thieves Guild questline, this is where it's justified. I needed Imbel Manor to be available for purchase, to move the story in the right direction.

------------

A New Man

He wanted to go and talk to Taminwe about work, and he thought he might ask her opinion about the sisters' riches while he was there. She was always good at seeing the broader picture.

He took his time wandering through the docks, and the Temple District. He stopped for a while to watch the workmen relaying the paving in the street around the Temple of the One. The Elder Council had argued for months about starting that project. Some of them wanted to leave the entire area untouched, as a monument to the victory over Dagon. The more practical members had called for it all to be rebuilt. People still lived there, and needed to get their lives back to normal. The compromise had been reached to leave the Temple building itself alone, and fix up the rest. He was glad to see that work had finally begun.

He walked around the central circle until he came to the broad street leading to the Talos Plaza district. All the way round, the huge dragon statue loomed over him, and he couldn't help looking up at it. As he neared the door to the next district, he turned and looked back once more. Somehow the dragon was trying to tell him something.

One had to walk through the entire Talos Plaza district before it was possible to double back up the alleyway that lead to the Red Dragon Club. As he passed the statue in the middle, he was struck by its similarity to the great statue of Akatosh inside the Temple. And this smaller one had been put there before that entire event.

"Thinking of buying it?" asked the watchman. He'd seen him looking up, but he thought he was looking at the building behind the statue. That was Imbel Manor, where Jakben, the late Earl, had lived. It was on the market now, but nobody seemed to have the asking price. "And you can't haggle on house prices, either." the legionary reminded him.

Taminwe had been the one who'd told about the Earl's death and he'd just found out that Minx was the one who'd slain him. He was starting to feel a personal connection to the place. "I wonder just how much gold the sisters have?" he thought.

---

Taminwe thought it would be pefect for him to become a neighbor. It would justify his presence in the area at any time, and he didn't need to be seen coming in. She was sure the sewers connected all the buildings in the district. "And if they don't, we'll get a few alterations made."

She could use a "noble" on her team, too. Even if he didn't have a title, yet. Now Ocato was Potentate, he could bestow one, once they'd worked out a good cover story. She knew all about the sisters, of course. They weren't a problem. Every Manor needs staff, family, whatever they wanted to be.

"And how's your book coming along?" she asked. Uzgash had told her about his progress on that. Taminwe thought that it might be quite successful, judging by the stories Uzgash had passed on to her. As long as he wrote it as well as he had for the Courier, it was bound to be a best-seller.

He told her that it was nearly ready for publication. At least the first chapters were, he still had some work to do on the last few. He'd have time to do something else, soon. Taminwe didn't react. He'd come back tomorrow, and check again.

---

The next day, he paid a visit to Vinicia Melissaeia at the Office of Imperial Commerce to find out how much Imbel Manor was on the market for. Vinicia was suprised to find the same man that had bought the shack on the Waterfront asking her about that. She told him it was 60,000 Septims, just for the empty building, and furnishing it would cost a good bit more.

He didn't yet know how much gold the sisters had collected, so he couldn't make any deal now, but Vinicia didn't expect anyone else to be paying that kind of money. It could wait until they got here.

---

At the Red Dragon Club, Taminwe was waiting for him, and Potentate Ocato was with her. He had a proposition for him.

"The High Council has agreed to make the Champion, the Hero of Kvatch, its new Count," he announced, "and that's going to mean that he'll be really busy with the rebuilding. Tsarrina has her hands full running Gweden, although she'll be able to spare a day each month to do the accounting for this place as before. The Champion needs someone to run this Club for him. I also need someone to act as liason to the Council for the intelligence operations. Before they made me Potentate, that was part of my department, but I need another head of operations now."

"But Taminwe's the person to do that, not me!" he protested. "She has much more experience than I do."

"I expect her to be an invaluable assistant," Ocato replied "but I can't elevate someone in her profession to that station without questions being asked. I know you work well together, and we need you to act as spokesman for the agency. She'll still be doing most of the espionage work."

Taminwe pointed out she preferred to be underestimated. She didn't want a public position that would compromise her ability to do her intelligence work. He, on the other hand, was about to become a well-known author, as well as an Earl. It appeared that he'd get Jakben's status to go with his house. Ocato didn't need Council approval for that.

"Besides," Ocato reminded him "the High Council have no idea that the Red Dragon Club was in any way associated with the spies, except when they had the same master in Ormelius Goldwine. They knew that the Count ran both, but I've always encouraged them to think that they were separate. When the Champion took over the Club, I oversaw the intelligence part myself, and that helped keep them apart in the eyes of the Council. So the Champion will give you the manager's job here first, and I'll announce the other one later."

"And will we still see you visit here in the future?" He glanced sideways at Taminwe when he asked Ocato that. He knew that those regular briefings were important to her.

"Oh, yes," Ocato responded. "It would look suspicious if I changed my habits now. And there are those on the Council who prefer to see me coming here, rather than taking a wife and starting a dynasty! Plus what you tell me, and what you subsequently tell the Council, won't always be the same. I'll need an opportunity to get the facts from Taminwe."

Ocato indicated that his purchase of the Imbel Manor would be underwritten by the Office of the Potentate, if necessary. It was a good idea that had now become an imperative.

"There is one thing about all this you might not like, however," he continued. "We're going to have to change your face, if you're going to become a public figure. While you were hidden away on the waterfront, it wasn't thought necessary, but circumstances have changed."

"Change my face! How?"

"It's a straightforward alteration spell," Taminwe began to explain. "When you were growing up, did the healer straighten your teeth?" He nodded. "That was a weaker version of this spell. It will soften the bones so that they can be sculpted like clay. But we need to paralyze you, so your own muscles won't pull the bones around. That's why Ocato's here, too. He'll cast the paralysis, and then I'll use the face-sculpting spell. It will take all my magicka just for that one."

He wanted to know if Taminwe had ever had it done to her. He liked her face, and he'd have been disappointed if it wasn't real.

"Yes, but this is my original face. I was transformed into a doppleganger for a foreign countess once, but I thought she was ugly and had them put me back again when the mission was over. It's not something we do very often. Even if you look exactly like someone, the way you act will give you away immediately. But that time the only people we had to fool had never met her, they'd only seen her portrait."

If she'd been through this twice he could hardly refuse. They laid him on a bed and started the procedure. Taminwe talked to him as she worked, even though he couldn't respond.

"I can't change your race, although I could give you pointed ears like an elf, you'd still be an Imperial. And I really don't want to do anything too drastic. What I'm aiming for is to make you look like the elder brother you never had. I'll make your chin a little more square, and your whole face a little less round. Would you prefer a straight nose, or an aquiline one? Maybe something in between."

All the time she was pushing and pulling at parts of his face, adjusting it to his new look. It was a strange sensation, but not painful. Eventually she stood up and looked over at Ocato. He cast a Dispel that both let the bones harden again, and the paralysis dissipate. Taminwe handed him a mirror.

http://ghastley.org/Oblivion/images/ClarkRemade.jpg

She'd acheived what she said. He really did look like an older sibling. Only about five years older, and the family traits were all still there. Of course she was only changing the shape of his face; the color of his skin, and his eyes, remained the same. But it was a different face, and the reporter was now truly gone.

Parts of his skin felt tight, and when he touched his chin, the shape felt wrong, but he knew he'd soon get used to it. But would Angeline and Diablita, and all the others?

They called in all the Red Dragon Club staff to re-introduce him, and Miranda cut his hair to a different (and of course shorter) style. Then they sent him back to the waterfront to explain to Minx. Once she knew the story, that would take care of the Thieves Guild angle.

The beggars all thought that he was someone new, judging by the way they all tried to get a coin from him. He came up behind Carwen and spoke to her. She recognised his voice, and was surprised when she turned around and didn't see the face that went with it. But that helped him convince her that he was really the same man. "Minx needs to know about this" she told him, which matched his intentions completely. They went over to the guildhall to look for her. If he'd gone on his own, they might not have let him in.

Posted by: Grits Dec 27 2012, 02:35 PM

Somehow I completely missed this update when you posted it.

Oh my gosh, Clark is a hottie! I would have voted for him in the contest. I absolutely love your description of face-sculpting.

This was such a satisfying update. The game leaves so many things hanging, and you have tied some of them up and launched the Fourth Era. Soon we’ll be calling him the young Earl!

Taminwe was particularly interesting here. How true that rewarding her with a promotion would put an end to the kind of work that brought her success in the first place.

Posted by: Acadian Dec 29 2012, 12:35 AM

I’ve always viewed the TG questline as, above all, a touching love story. Getting to kill a damn vampire for his boots is just an added bonus.

"And you can't haggle on house prices, either."
Nice little tongue-in-cheek jab at the game!

Magic can do so much and your face sculpting combination of magicks is a great example!

Posted by: ghastley Jan 1 2013, 12:32 AM

@Grits: I'm giving in to your decision and calling him Clark, but not for a couple more episodes. He needs to get used to his face before he has to deal with a new name.

@Acadian: I always like the practical uses of magic, in the game and in others' stories. And this part adds another use of magic combined with mundane mechanics - the sort of things the Dwemer would do, I wonder if there any in Uzgash's lineage?


----------------

Morse Magicka

At the Red Dragon Club, Taminwe had something new to show him. Varulae's signal ball had given Uzgash an idea, and they'd been working on it while he was away. The espionage networks had been using them for secure communication for years, of course, but up to now thay'd only been used for simple information, like "come to Falkreath". The pair of balls would be lit steadily, and another pair had to be used for an acknowlegement signal.

Uzgash's idea was that they could send a flashing signal by covering the sending ball with an inverted tankard. "We played around with the idea for a while, and the best way to get a message across was to have a code of short and long flashes that represented a letter or number. With a few special codes, like one for the end of the message, so you'd know whose turn it was to send, we could handle quite complicated information," Taminwe told him.

"We asked Tar-Meena, at the University Archives, and it turns out that it's not entirely a new idea, and there was an existing code that was used with mirrors reflecting sunlight. We've started training some of the girls in the code, and we've made some improvements in the apparatus."

She took him into a room down the corridor, where Uzgash was working on the latest version of the signal device. There was a metal shroud around the ball, with an aperture in it that was covered by a shutter. When she pressed on a lever, the shutter was opened, and the light from a candle fell on the ball, and lit up the one on the other side of the table. When she let go, a spring closed the shutter, and the other ball darkened again. "Much faster and less effort than lifting a tankard, and you just leave the shutter closed when you're receiving a message, instead of having to leave the tankard over the candle. That usually makes the candle go out, if you're not careful."

Taminwe sat at the other end of the table from Uzgash and asked the reporter to write down a message for her to send. He did so, without showing it to Uzgash, and Taminwe began tapping on the lever on her apparatus. Uzgash watched the ball at her end, and wrote down the letters Taminwe was sending. When she'd finished, she had the same message to show him. A couple of letters were wrong, but the meaning wasn't lost. "If the spelling is important for a word, we have a code that lets us repeat it for confirmation. And really critical messages get sent back to make sure they arrived intact," Uzgash informed him.

"The only way you can intercept these messages is to steal the apparatus. The balls are enchanted together, and won't send to anywhere else. Mostly they're pairs, like these, but the mages tell me they can enchant a group so we could send out a broadcast message from one to all the others. I can't figure out how you'd have a conversation with more than two, though."

Taminwe had another detail for him. "The larger clear crystal balls can also be used to send messages, of course. You can write on a slate, and someone at the other end can read it. But it's much harder to find large pieces of clear crystal to make those, so they're expensive to produce. These can be made much more cheaply, so we can make a lot more of them."

He wondered aloud why they were telling him all this.

Taminwe informed him that he needed to learn the code. At least to be able to read a message straight from the flashing ball. Sending was not much harder to learn, but that came afterward. "And if you want to teach the code to Varulae and her sailors, that's fine. The code doesn't need to be secret. You don't need that with a secure link, and anyway it's possible to encrypt a message just like you could if it was to be carried written down. It's probably best if everyone who uses crystal balls this way uses the same code. That way we can recruit operators who are already trained in future!"

There was still something missing. Why him, and why now?

Taminwe explained. "We figure that this apparatus should be made and sold to the general public, so it's not regarded as being for spies only. We don't want our agents getting arrested just for having this stuff. So we need someone else to have a legitimate use for it. What use would whores and exotic dancers have for this?"

"What use would an author have for it?"

"I don't know about an author, but the manager of a brothel in the city, which is owned by the Count of Kvatch, might need it to communicate with the Count."

"So the Champion and I get our own link, and I have to be seen using it. And I assume the one at his end will need to be just as visible."

"We're thinking that you might even provide a public service to send messages between the Imperial City and Kvatch. If it catches on, extra apparatus takes over the public messages, and you and the Champion get your private link back."

"So you think it might develop into a messenging service that anyone could use? Just bring your message to an office in a city, and have it sent to another one. It would still need a local courier to deliver it," he mused.

"Oh, yes, and if yours is successful, a lot of others will copy it. And the existing courier services will be the first to adopt it, and cut down the horse traffic between the cities. The riders will be retrained on the apparatus, and just carry packages instead of letters. The Black Horse Courier will get all its incoming reports this way. They'll still print in the city, and deliver by horse, of course, but the reporters won't have to meet up with a rider, or come to the city themselves."

Uzgash told him that she'd be travelling down to Kvatch to operate that end to start with. She'd train a local or two to take over, and then return to her regular job. He'd do the same here in the city, operating out of Imbel Manor to start with. Taminwe would help the Black Horse Courier people set up their own network, and they'd see what grew out of those.

"Once it gets started, Ocato will provide the provincial rulers with secure channels to the Palace," Uzgash informed him. "Then my father and I can get back in regular contact. That's the real reason I want all this to work!"

"The enemies of the Imperium will find it just as useful," he reminded them. "We won't be the only ones with secure communication."

"We aren't now," Taminwe pointed out. "Varulae's already in contact with the Serpent's Wake, and I'm sure she didn't invent that method. Whoever found out how to link crystal balls that way must have seen the possibilities. You know that the Champion is also Arch-mage these days, since Traven's death. He's aware of a lot of the Mages Guild members using the larger clear crystal balls for messages. I'm sure he knows the linking spell himself. The only thing we're doing is making it easier and cheaper for everyone else to use."

"Then I'd have thought that we'd already have channels like that with the provincial capitals," he continued. "Expense wouldn't be an issue there."

"Well, the other issue is privacy," Taminwe responded. "With the clear ones, each end can see everything at the other end all the time. That's not such a popular idea, even if you can put the thing in a room that's only used for sending messages, and cover it up when it's not in use. These new ones can't receive anything that's not deliberately sent, so there's much less to object to."

Uzgash concurred with that point. Gortwog wouldn't accept the clear channel, (he'd dealt with Queen Elysana too much to be the trusting kind), but she didn't think he'd have any objections to this one.

---------------

This does not (yet?) appear in the mod, mainly because I haven't made the mechanism yet. But I'm working on it. I also have to create a quest to get Uzgash to come to the City, as the tale I told here of the collapsing bridge turned out to be a bust, when I tried to make one. But I am working on more quests that start at the club and will involve Uzgash, and her mother Marghak.

Posted by: Acadian Jan 1 2013, 08:46 PM

Isn’t it amazing what you can come up with sitting around lifting tankards? Leave it to the brilliantly studious Tar-Meena to be familiar with a suitable code to pair up with Clark's enchanted balls.

An interesting way of communicating over distance in a world with magic.

Posted by: ghastley Jan 6 2013, 07:27 PM

@Grits: Clark becomes Clark in this one, and a little bit more.

@Acadian: Of course the problem with using the tankard for signalling is that it doesn't work for its regular purpose upside-down. Uzgash was anxious to correct that problem.

--------------

Buying Imbel Manor

He'd arranged to meet the sisters at the Waterfront and then go take a look at Imbel Manor. Even though Ocato had told him the purchase was going to happen anyway, he wanted them to like the place, too. He found them outside the Bear Riders' office, talking to Gudrun. She was in town on one of her monthly visits, nominally for a meeting with Heidi, but really an excuse to go shopping in the Market District.

Of course, none of them recognised him at first, with his new face, but it didn't take long to convince them he was really who he said he was. Gudrun thought the new face was an improvement, but the sisters weren't so sure. They all agreed that Taminwe had done what she set out to do. He did look like his own older brother.

Since the Market District was their first destination, to pick up a key from Vinicia, Gudrun joined them for the walk across the city. He took the opportunity to tell her about the new invention he'd heard of, and to suggest that they use one between the Lodge and the Waterfront office.

"What, spoil my reason for a shopping trip? Are you crazy?" Gudrun did accept that it might be useful in between visits, but it was no substitute for the personal touch.

When they reached the Market District, Gudrun headed for Divine Elegance, while they went across the plaza to the Office of Imperial Commerce. Vinicia didn't know who he was. "You're the second person asking about that property. That wasn't your brother before, was it?" Since it would stop her thinking too much about it, he told her that his younger brother had indeed told him about it. That seemed to satisfy her limited curiosity, and she didn't have any identity for the shack-owning "brother" either. He'd had the sale registered as Emer Dareloth, to suit the waterfront tradition.

Vinicia went with them to the Talos Plaza district and showed them around. The building was completely empty at that time, and their footsteps echoed in the huge spaces. "The Skingrad house was a bit like this when we bought it," Angeline told him. "Just not on the same scale. And do you remember Arborwatch when we first moved in? We didn't have any furniture downstairs to start with."

Diablita concurred. "It will look very different with furniture in it. You can divide a big room up with bookcases and things, and cluster chairs around a table to make a smaller area of focus. It's easier to work with a big space than a small one."

They liked the separate rooms upstairs. Arborwatch had that, too, but the Skingrad house didn't. "There's a servant's quarters down in the basement, but that's only for one person. And we have Eyja using that. We put bunks in the main bedroom, so we'd all have somewhere to sleep."

They hadn't told him about Eyja. Apparently, she'd asked them about the house-servant job as soon as they bought the furnishings at Colovian Traders. She'd been living with Gunder, but was ready to move on. They'd hired her to look after the place when they weren't around, which was most of the time, as they really preferred to stay at Arborwatch.

"One of those communication sets would be perfect for her," was Diablita's opinion. "or maybe two, if we're going to live here as well." He made a note to ask Uzgash to stop off there on her way to Kvatch. Perhaps this Eyja could operate the Skingrad office of their messaging service?

It seemed that the sisters had already decided to purchase Imbel Manor, so he let Vinicia know that, and they all went back to the Market District to do the paperwork. Again he had the opportunity to register the deeds anonymously, as it was being underwritten by the Office of the Potentate, and he took it. Then it was off to see Tartullian Verus about furnishing the place. He offered a choice of layouts for the central section of the basement. They could have a forge put in, if they needed a lot of armor and weapon work, or a mage's alchemical workbench and ingredient storage, or just a lot of extra shelving and chests for storage.

The sisters had reasons for wanting all three options, but they eventually decided on storage. They did their own repairs in the field, but Varel Morveyn and Rasheda and even Agneta the Pickled did a better job than they did, so their own forge wasn't a priority. Diablita did her own Alchemy, but she didn't really need a special room for it, and ingredients should be used quickly, while they were still fresh. She didn't like storing them for later.

But they were collecting stuff like crazy. It may have been because they just didn't have a lot of things while they were growing up on the Island, but they found it hard to leave anything behind when they went adventuring. They sold most of what they gathered, which is why they had so much cash on on hand that they could buy houses, but they'd still collected a lot that was too good to sell. None of the merchants could afford to buy it all from them.

"There isn't a basement at Arborwatch, and that's one reason we bought Rosethorn Hall in Skingrad. It has a lot of storage space, and display cases for the pretty things. But we've almost filled it up already." Angeline was quite proud of that.

---

Over the next couple of days, the men from the Three Brothers Trade Goods carted furniture into Imbel Manor, while the trio stayed at the Waterfront shack. Not that they spent much of their time in the cramped little place. They each had friendhips in the district that needed to be renewed, in his case with Carwen, and Minx - although not together this time around.

Once Imbel Manor was furnished, the next thing was to hold an open house party to let everyone in the neighborhood know who lived there now. Ulen Athram came over with his wife Dralora, from their house on the opposite side of the plaza. Ulen couldn't believe that he'd let so many people party in his house. "Don't you worry about having everything stolen?" he asked.

His host just smiled. The one good thing about inviting the whole of the Thieves Guild was that they wouldn't stand for freelancers stealing from one of their own. Ulen might want to check his pockets before he left, however. Carwen had her eye on Ulen, and she'd often mix business with pleasure. Dralora had just gone upstairs with the neighborhood watchman, and a bottle of wine. Carwen had noticed, and was steering Ulen in the opposite direction.

Just then, a flashing light on his desk started to attract everyone's attention, just as he'd hoped it would. Uzgash had gone to Skingrad with one of the signalling systems, and had started to teach Eyja to use it. She naturally knew of the plans for this bash.

He signalled that he was ready to receieve, and decoded the flashes for the onlooking crowd. "How's the party? {over}"

"Not too good. Some people still have their clothes on. {over}" he sent back, translating for the onlookers as he did so.

"Then open the Tamika's! {over}"

That little exchange did everything he wanted it to do. The party got a bit more spirited, and a lot of people asked him about the flashing crystal ball device. The women from the Red Dragon Club had been briefed about the importance of discussing the apparatus, even if they were busy ... doing other things.

The sisters were helping out on that, too. They'd started to learn the code, as they'd get a set to use between Arborwatch and Rosethorn Hall. And they were happy to tell anyone who was interested how easy it was.

---

Taminwe was pleased with the way thing had gone. The two of them had retired to the private bedroom up in the dome at the end of the party. He was half-expecting it to be occupied, even though he'd locked the trapdoor. That wouldn't stop any of the Thieves Guild, and the Red Dragon Club staff were just as adept at lock-picking. But they'd all taken the hint, and left it for him and Taminwe.

He hadn't had a briefing with her for quite a while, and he'd missed that.

They discussed the production of the new communicators. They'd have to come up with a price, and decide who was going to make them. There couldn't be any connection with the Red Dragon Club, and preferably none with the Palace. The shutter mechanism was something any competent smith should be able to produce, but the enchanted crystals would require a mage's involvement.

Well, there was no reason that they shouldn't be made separately, and purchased separately. He could take the plans for the shutter to Rohsann and get a quote for those, check with Calindil about unenchanted crystals, and he had contacts in the Arcane University who'd be able to price the enchantment service. It might be good that they'd all be dependent on each other for the continuation of the trade. No demand for shutters if the supply of crystals dried up, and so on. The other piece, that might be more of an issue, was training in the flash code. Right now, apart from Eyja, the sisters, and himself, all the potential teachers were Red Dragon Club staff. They didn't want the public associating the devices with them.

"Can you write it all down, so that people can learn from a book?" Taminwe asked. "We'd have something else to sell, and another set of merchants involved. You could have another best-seller on your hands."

"Well, before I can publish anything, I need to decide who I am now. I have a new face, and I need a new name to go with it."

"Your Black Horse Courier articles always were published with an anonymous byline, weren't they? Maybe you could stay anonymous."

"Yes, it was always just Junior Reporter on those. You don't get to use your own name until you're promoted. I think a lot of the folks around the Market District thought my name was Junior."

"So now you're older-looking we call you Senior? Major? Or just Reporter? Wait, that gives me an idea ... Clark!"

"Hmm, I like it! But that's just one half. We're not like elves, Imperials always use two names. So do Bretons, not that it's relevent to my situation."

"No, but it does remind me that the prior owner of this place was a Breton. He was known as Jakben, Earl of Imbel. Imbel wasn't just a name, it was a place. His relatives, whoever they are, presumably still live there. And if Ocato's going to make you an Earl, you need a notional earldom to connect to. So if we can decide where that is, we have our answer."

They considered a few of the more obvious alternatives. "Earl of Arborwatch" sounded appropriate, as did "Earl of Rosethorn", but he felt that those homes belonged to the sisters, not to him, especially the one in Skingrad.

Taminwe mischeviously suggested that he'd spent enough time just outside Anvil to be the Earl of Gweden! He had a feeling that was going to stick.

Posted by: mALX Jan 6 2013, 10:34 PM

ROFL !!! That's Eyja for you! Can't have a party without her!



BWAAAHAAA! I love this, owning Imbel Manor! I see trouble ahead, lol. Great Write!

Posted by: Acadian Jan 7 2013, 12:28 AM

"What, spoil my reason for a shopping trip? Are you crazy?"
Necessity is the mother of invention. . . and so is born the need for crystal ball on-line shopping! Who knew?

The pair of naughty and nice sisters have been busy! Wind ‘em up, let ‘em go and they come back full of septims!

Ladies and gentlemer, presenting Clark, the Earl of Gweden!

Posted by: Grits Jan 15 2013, 12:24 AM

The blinking magic balls are such a great idea! Using a mundane candle as the light source makes it even more fun. When they talked about the larger crystals showing too much of what happened around them, I thought they were about to invent online adult entertainment!

Yay for Clark, Earl of Gweden! Fun party. I love the observation that the safest items in the city belong to the friends of the Thieves Guild.

Posted by: ghastley Feb 5 2013, 03:12 AM

@Grits: The mixture of simple mechanicals and magic is the part that appealed to me too. Magic isn't anything special on Nirn, it's just part of life. So they will use regular candles along with enchanted crystal balls.

@Acadian: On-line shopping doesn't let you try thngs on first, so Gudrun wouldn't like that so much.

@mALX: Real trouble needs a Maxical, not just an Eyja. But I'll try a Marghak first, and see what happens.

----------

Marghak's coming to town

One of the first of the new communicators had gone to the Iron Fortress, in Orsinium. They'd presented it to Marghak, Uzgash's mother, in her capacity as Head of the Orsinium Guild of Prostitutes, as a gift from the Red Dragon Club. They couldn't give one directly to Gortwog, as he might have been suspicious that it was in some way a spying device. He had reason to suspect everything, as there was considerable evidence of a growing threat to Orsinium from Hammerfell and High Rock. There may not be much unity between the quarreling little kingdoms in those areas, but they did concur in their hatred for the Orcs.

Marghak was pleased to know her daughter was still alive, if not surprised. She'd raised her children to be independent and resourceful, and they'd inherited a lot from Gortwog. If Uzgash couldn't look after herself, she'd have been worried, but she knew better than that.

So when Marghak announced that she'd be coming to Cyrodiil, Uzgash couldn't believe it, especially that she'd be visiting the Red Dragon Club. She'd thought that her death in the bridge collapse was well-established as a "fact", and it appeared that her mother was blowing that wide open.

Taminwe set her straight. Marghak was the head of the Guild of Prostitutes in Orsinium, so a visit to a successful brothel like the Red Dragon Club was a perfectly normal thing for her to do. It also got her out of the way of any troubles that might erupt back at home, at least for a while. The Empire's relationship with Gortwog was much better than formal arrangements implied. The lack of full Provincial status was not a real issue, as it would not bring any benefits to Orsinium. That was more the desire of Queen Elysana, who wanted the indirect support of the Empire through her alliance with the Orcs. Since she was an inveterate trouble-maker, constantly plotting against the other local rulers, Ocato wasn't likely to help her in any way.

So for Marghak to be the guest of the Potentate for a time would give Gortwog one less worry. They had let it be known that this was a mission of apology for the incident of Ambassador Gorthag's fake wife - coveniently another excuse for Marghak to visit the Club - and to mend relations that really had never been broken. She'd be here to interview Brienne, and to see how the capital city's best brothel was run. All strictly business, and unrelated to any Orc that might be working there.

And she'd be given another communicator to take back for Gortwog. He now understood how they worked, and Marghak could oversee the enchantment of the crystals, and be sure that only two were linked. Only then would he trust that the link was secure.

Uzgash still was unhappy about the idea. Nobody likes their mother coming to check up on them, and the possibilities for embarassment didn't bear thinking about.

---

Taminwe already had a dossier on Marghak, of course, but Uzgash related her background for Clark's benefit.

Marghak was an orphan, brought up by a coven of witches somewhere in High Rock. Obviously her mother had been an Orc, but her father could have been any race. Uzgash suspected Dwemer, as all her siblings had a tendency to tinker with mechanical things. She'd left the witches' coven some time in her late teens, presumably when she got to the rebellious age, and they couldn't handle her. Orcs aren't blessed with much innate personality, which would only have made things worse.

She'd lived the adventurer's life for a while, relying on the spells she'd learned from the witches. She didn't have the Bretons' capacity for magic, and needed to supplement that with weapon skills she hadn't learned as a child. So she'd gone into town, and traded her favors for lessons with blades and blunt weapons. That brought her to the attention of the local Guild of Prostitutes, who insisted on her joining up, and paying her dues.

The Guild gave her speechcraft training, as a matter of necessity. She worked in the brothels as often as a bouncer as in any other capacity, but she was learning from everything she saw. And the Orc customers naturally preferred one of their own, so she made a reasonable income, and she settled into that trade for a while.

Later that year, 3E399, Gortwog fought his duel with Lord Bowyn and secured the land of Orsinium. He chose to celebrate his victory in the very brothel where Marghak was working, perhaps because it was one of the few that employed an Orc, and the two met for the first time. Not having been brought up in Orcish society, she had no idea who he was, and just treated him like any other customer. It appeared that they each made a good first impression.

Marghak was pleased to find an Orc who actually used his brain, and not just his muscles. Gortwog liked her because she was different, too. She knew spells, she'd had training in speechcraft. Her upbringing in the witches' coven had made her open to new ideas, as was clear from her current choice of career. Most Orcs assumed they'd become mercenaries, or something similar. And he'd never seen an Orc woman dance like she did. That was another thing she 'd learned from the witches, who spent most of their time dancing naked in worship of the gods.

He'd taken her back with him to his camp in the foothills of the Wrothgarians, where he intended to build the city of Nova Orsinium. She listened to his grand plans for a fortress with walls of iron, and other military emplacements to make it impregnable. Then she pointed out that he hadn't planned any of the infrastructure to support it. Where would everyone live? Where would the food come from? Where was the tavern, the shops, the brothel?

Gortwog believed that if he provided a safe refuge, then all that would grow up on its own. But he listened to her argument that it all required as much planning as the fortress. The people living in the city outside the fortress would need easy routes to retreat into its walls, but that could also make it accessible to enemies. The houses could be barriers to an invading army, or they could provide them cover. Too little urban planning could make the city weak, and too much could put people off from moving there. It needed balance, and Marghak seemed to be the right advisor to help him keep it.

"Uzgash is making it sound like her mother just moved in and took over," laughed Taminwe. "It wasn't that easy in reality, and she got a lot of resistance from Gortwog's existing retinue at first. But that training she got from the Prostitutes' Guild made her a much better persuader than most of them had ever met. Once she was generally accepted, it was time to seal her position with an heir."

Uzgash explained further. "My mother told me that she'd discussed that with Gortwog very early on. She saw that an heir might dash the hopes of several nobles who might otherwise inherit his position. She didn't want to make any extra enemies that way. It's probably why they didn't marry then, although they still didn't later when they could have done so. She always told me that it left Gortwog free for a strategic alliance, if he ever needed it. It could also have kept that inheritance issue open, for those who thought it important."

Marghak had been visibly pregnant when she founded the Orsinium Guild of Prostitutes. She had a number of reasons for that timing. She needed more women to handle the men of the court, especially while her own activities were limited. The "den mother" image would be particularly useful to her, and becoming a real mother made it more convincing. It was also good for her to take a position of her own, independent of Gortwog, at a time when they were obviously close. And the Breton Guildhall in Camlorn was trying to assert jurisdiction over the area, and Gortwog wanted that to stop. Orsinium needed its own guild. Now!

Gortwog made the most of the situation, and issued a proclamation setting up Orsinium's own guilds in all the trades. That conveniently gave him a number of Guildmaster positions to bestow where they would be useful, as well as establishing Marghak's parity among those so chosen.

Uzgash recalled the part the Guild had served in her upbringing. Marghak understood the value of the training it could offer, as well as making sure her daughters didn't think of themselves as princesses. Her younger sister had never really let go of that, and she'd done all her whoring around the court, instead of at the brothel. The elder sister was a tomboy, who preferred fighting, and thought that sex was just a way to celebrate after a victory.

The Prostitutes Guild had prospered under Marghak's hand. She quickly got a reputation for giving the women their fair share of the income, and protecting them from abusive clients. Soon it wasn't just Orcs that wanted to work in the Orsinium area, although they did remain a majority. That created some friction with the neighboring provinces' guilds, who were concerned that they'd lose staff, and Marghak was quick to mend those fences. Soon she was a major player in setting up an all-Tamriel council to regulate inter-provincial trade. Consistent guild rules between provinces was an early outcome, and that tended to be adoption of Marghak's Orcish ones.

She had the sense not to contest the position of chairwoman. Orsinium was a minor guild, as it didn't represent a full province. It made more sense for one of the others to take it, and she wanted to spend more time with Gortwog than that would have allowed. She accepted a lesser position that suited her better, and let her travel around the country as the Guild's representative.

"Which let her gather intelligence for Gortwog, of course." Taminwe pointed out. "Whores know as much about what's happening as the beggars do, in most places. Especially what's going on behind closed doors."

Somehow she'd found time to have six more children with Gortwog. They'd apprenticed with the guilds when they were old enough and all learned a trade or two. Uzgash's youngest brother was an accomplished smith, and had learned to enchant his own work, too. Gortwog now had them scattered across Tamrielfor their own safety, and Uzgash was officially considered dead. "If we'd thought of it at the time, my brother could have pulled the same ploy with that ship fire," thought Uzgash.

Taminwe wasn't so sure. That attack seemed designed to fail, but to throw the blame on the Bretons. She was sure that he'd have been killed in battle if the expected retaliation had ensued, probably by "friendly fire" from an infiltrator on his own side. That would ensure that the incident escalated further.

"Having Marghak visit here might prompt an attempt to do something similar, although I don't expect them to use the same play more than once," Taminwe suggested. "So I think the ship bringing her is safe. If they do try anything, it might be after she reaches the City."

"Who would be doing that?" Clark asked.

"Whoever's trying to stir up trouble in the High Rock/Hammerfell/Orsinium area," Taminwe replied. "It appears to be a more sophisticated campaign than Elysana could manage, but we're not sure who is behind it. Maybe that Lathenil character's not so wrong about the Thalmor of Summurset Isle."

Posted by: Grits Feb 6 2013, 04:37 PM

Uzgash still was unhappy about the idea. Nobody likes their mother coming to check up on them, and the possibilities for embarassment didn't bear thinking about.

So true.

I’m really looking forward to meeting Marghak in person. She sounds formidable!

Posted by: mALX Feb 8 2013, 11:35 PM

QFT

Other than the line Grits quoted, this is my favorite quote in the chapter. The background story was fascinating, the weaving together of lore and your imagination was brilliant! This chapter is up amongst my top favorite you have written, loved it!

Posted by: Acadian Feb 9 2013, 03:24 AM

‘Orcs aren't blessed with much inate personality,’
Aww, they’re wonderfully noble and loyal once ya get to know ‘em. Oh, and you probably want to slip another ‘n’ into innate.

I enjoyed the planning considerations for Nova Orsinium.

Wow, Marghak’s an interesting mer!

Seven baby orcs! I like the idea of orcs being more prolific than other elfs. I’d imagine they live hard and die young by the sword. Gotta compensate by birthing more of them.

Posted by: mirocu Feb 9 2013, 09:01 AM

This is one of the rare occasions I very much disagree with you, my friend

Posted by: ghastley Feb 11 2013, 08:57 PM

Just an odd coincidence that I thought I'd share with you:

I was looking up Marghak on the interwebs, trying to find out whether I'd published anything in the past about the Daggerfall mod I'd created her for, and discovered that "marghak" is Cornish for "rider"! I didn't find any indication of whether they rode bears or not.

Posted by: mALX Feb 11 2013, 09:25 PM

Ooh, interesting!

Posted by: Grits Feb 11 2013, 10:18 PM

How funny, ghastley. I was also looking Marghak up a few days ago because I was sure you had written something else about her but I couldn’t quite place it. I think it was the mention in Uzgash’s story parts that I was half-remembering. “Rider,” perfect! Lol.

Posted by: ghastley Feb 12 2013, 03:33 AM

@Grits: Ask, and you shall receive - one Marghak coming in!

@mALX: Marghak's not above getting behind those closed doors, especially in her official capacity as head hooker of Orsinium.

@Acadian: I'd expect the Orcs at the top of the heirarchy have even more to watch out for. Political assassinations aren't a beggar's fear, and the average footsoldier isn't the target of every enemy mage and archer.


Some general reminders: Marghak and Gortwog's children have been scattered across Tamriel, so that they won't all be in one place if the Orcs' enemies unite against them. They're generally incognito, and you'll notice that she avoids referring to them by name.

Marghak has come to the Imperial City because Gortwog is concerned about the outside influences he's noticed in the Wayrest court. Elysana's dirty tricks were never very sophisticated before, so she must be getting more competent help. He feels better if Marghak's out of Elysana's range for a while. She won't be returning on any schedule that a spy might discover either.

-----

Marghak's in town


When Marghak's ship arrived at Anvil docks, the new Count of Kvatch was there to meet it. He found her on the deck with a spyglass to her eye.

"The woman down there at the end of the dock, do you know her?" Marghak pointed to a Breton obviously flirting with a sailor outside the door of the Fo'c'sle.

"That's Mirabelle Monet," he replied. "She runs the boarding house for sailors."

"Does she have any other staff?"

"No. I can't imagine Mirabelle sharing her duties!" he laughed.

"That's all right, then," replied Marghak. "I thought there was an unregulated establishment we'd need to sort out, but if she's in business just for herself, we need not get involved. I presume she's charging the sailors for their rooms, not any other services they might get?"

He nodded.

"The Guild has to be careful," Marghak explained. "It's just too easy for young women to get involved in all sorts of sex-for-payment schemes that skirt around the regulations. We exist to make sure they get a fair deal. Our rules dictate that the provider sets the price. Although she may delegate the negotiating to a pimp, she gets final say on whether the price is acceptable. Orcs aren't always the best negotiators, so that rule is one of mine!"

"I don't expect your establishment will depart from the regulations. Gweden, isn't it? I've already heard through Guild channels that Tsarrina runs it the way I'd like it, but I hope you won't mind if we go there and check. I need the visit to add legitimacy to this trip. Just like I'll be 'inspecting' the Red Dragon Club when we get there."

---

When Clark entered the Red Dragon Club, he found Taminwe in conversation with an impressive Orc woman, opulantly dressed in fine (and rather sheer) silks which she filled rather well. A huge ruby necklace indicated that she was wealthy, and wearing it in public suggested that she could handle herself against bandits. The lines on her face told him she was old enough to be his mother, but her body looked young enough to belong to her daughter.

http://ghastley.org/Oblivion/images/ObMarghak.jpg

It turned out that he knew that daughter already. This was Marghak, Uzgash's mother. She was here to pick up a communicator for Gortwog, reunites with Uzgash, and a host of other errands. Her cover story of inspecting the Champion's brothels for the Guild of Prostitutes was genuine, and she'd do that diligently, not that they had any reason to think they'd violated any Guild rules.

She looked him over carefully. "How much for this one?" she asked Taminwe with a leering grin.

"He'll have to decide that himself," Taminwe told her. "If you hadn't guessed already, this is Clark, Earl of Gweden, the new manager of the place."

"Right answer!" Marghak firmly reminded Taminwe that Guild Rules dictated that he'd set his own terms anyway. No matter who the member was, or his or her rank. And she had known who he was, as he fit Uzgash's description of him. "Even with the new face?" he asked.

"Orcs aren't too concerned with faces," she replied. "We notice other things. Just like you apparently do." His eyes quickly came back up to meet hers.

"I wonder if my daughter would mind sharing," Marghak mused, with a wicked twinkle in her eye.

"If it were anyone else, I'd think my mother was joking," said Uzgash, over his shoulder. He hadn't noticed her joining them. "But she did get my reports on you, in particular, the one about our performance at the Falkreath Tavern. I may have exaggerated a bit."

Clark doubted it was possible. He remembered the days and nights of training he'd needed with Sugar for that. Just one Orc was more than enough for him. Especially when it was Sugar or Uzgash, who'd had equal training. But they both knew that, and didn't expect any more from him than he could deliver. It was the uncertainty of Marghak's expectations that had him concerned. She had, after all, come to inspect the brothel, and it might be part of the test to see how well a female client could be served.

But Marghak was quite aware that the Red Dragon Club was one for gentlemen only, and she was just joking with her daughter, ... maybe.

Taminwe asked Clark if he'd mind hosting dinner tonight. There would be Marghak and Uzgash, and herself. There were things they needed to discuss privately, and Imbel Manor was a good place to do so. The only soundproofed rooms at the club were the bedrooms, and they'd be a bit crowded with four.

"If you're agreeable, we'll have everything sent over from the Tiber Septim Hotel, " she continued. The sisters were back at Arborwatch, so he had no problems with that.

---

After an excellent meal, he opened a couple of bottles of his own stock of Tamika's. The Tiber Septim Hotel had sent over what he considered a lesser wine, and he felt they deserved better. Marghak seemed to agree with his choice.

"However, I'm afraid I'm going to spoil all this with business," she said. "We need to discuss the situation in the Summerset Isle."

"One of my sons was sent to the court of King Karoodil and Queen Morgiah in Firsthold, ostensibly as a weapons and armor tutor to Prince Goranthir and his sister Rinalla. The Queen and her children are Dunmer, and so a foreign tutor was nothing unusual. Since Orcs have a good reputation with heavy armor, and most weapons, it was relatively easy to arrange the placement."

"He reports unrest among the local people. Not everyone was happy with the King's marriage to a non-Altmer, especially as it meant his children would be of a different race. If you read 'The Firsthold Revolt' then you already know of the incident with Gialene a few years back. She's still alive in Skywatch, although we can't tie her to any of the current turbulence. Someone is stirring up resentment, but it may not be her this time."

"It's not just confined to that area, either. We have reports of conflict throughout the province. The wizard syndicates have always squabbled among themselves as much as the petty kings of the Illiac Bay used to. But now it seems to have moved to another level. The destruction of the Crystal Tower seems to have been the catalyst for releasing all the tensions that Alinor had kept a lid on in previous years."

"Anyhow, this time Morgiah is sufficiently worried to have started preparing her escape route in case things get ugly. She has a ship with a loyal crew, and she'll need that to reach the mainland whatever she does. We assume she'll want to reach Morrowind, where she can expect her brother Helseth to protect her. That means either sailing into the Illiac bay, and then travelling through Wayrest, Orsinium and Skyrim, or else landing at Anvil, and passing through Cyrodiil."

"What about doing the whole journey by sea?" asked Clark.

"That would only be a reasonable alternative in summer," Uzgash pointed out. "There's too much ice in any other season. Since she doesn't know when she needs to move, she needs another route."

"So Ocato, and Gortwog, need to guarantee her safe passage. It won't be anything formal, as that might be seen as taking sides in a provincial dispute. There can't be any military escort, although her party could have a few local 'guides' added to strengthen their numbers." Margak reminded them that Orc mercenaries were used as caravan guards in most provinces, so that would be easy to arrange.

Clark wasn't sure that the Anvil route would be safe. He recounted his meeting with Lathenil of Sunhold, and the subsequent attempts on his life. This wasn't news to Marghak, as she'd had a report at the time that Uzgash had been sent to Falkreath, but his first-hand perspective was useful. Marghak pointed out that Wayrest also held specific threats for Morgiah, who'd once been a potential rival to her step-sister Elysana in the court there. She felt that they balanced out, and both routes should be made available, if only to divide the forces that could be used against Morgiah.

"Why does Orsinium want to help Morgiah?" Clark asked.

"In case she might be useful later," Taminwe replied. "And the same goes for Cyrodiil. If she owes us a favor, we can call on it when we need to. We have no specific interests in Firsthold itself, but Morgiah may have influence with Helseth. She'll undoubtedly have intelligence about the situation in the Summerset Isle that we can use. You might get called on to help collect that, if she takes the Anvil route."

Clark hadn't been a Earl for long enough to start thinking of himself as a player in those circles. Uzgash reminded him that he hadn't been an Earl when they'd met. "You knew I was Gortwog's daughter, because I told you. But as far as the folk in Falkreath were concerned, I was just a bear rider, and you were just a reporter. Morgiah and Rinalla won't be travelling as a Queen and Princess either."

"Quite likely they'll not even travel as mother and daughter," Marghak suggested. "Rinalla's apparently got some of her father's height, and she's taller than her mother. Morgiah's still young by elf standards, so they could pass for sisters, or just companions."

"And if you've got any problems with sleeping with princesses, Marghak and Uzgash can help you work that out," Taminwe smiled. "I've got to get back to the club, but you three can carry on without me."

Posted by: Acadian Feb 20 2013, 02:25 AM

Marghak – Enforcer for the Guild of Prostitutes!

Great screenshot of her and it suits her perfectly!

Clark was wise to sidestep the offer to entertain two orcs. While one is, no doubt memorable, two might not be survivable.

Trouble in the Summerset Isle, it seems. . . .

Posted by: mALX Feb 20 2013, 07:46 AM

Ooh, Marghak is pretty! I love that she was worried about what Mirabelle Monet is up to! I guess with a guild in Anvil, no one else is allowed to give them competition, ROFL!

Morgiah, isn't that Barenziah's daughter? Love the way you weave lore through this! Really Awesome Write!

Posted by: Grits Feb 22 2013, 05:12 PM

Oh my gosh, Marghak is awesome. She spotted a potential unregulated competitor while she was still on the ship!! I love it.

Thank you for Marghak’s reference to The Firsthold Revolt. It let me do some quick homework so I had the info to understand what she was talking about.

All kinds of intrigue, and Clark the new Earl is right in the middle of it! This is really interesting, ghastley!

Posted by: ghastley Feb 26 2013, 05:44 AM

@Acadian: Marghak knows that if the customer doesn't survive, you don't get the repeat business. And it won't be a problem, as it happens.

There is indeed trouble in the Summerset Isle, as Lathenil reported earlier. And the Thalmor aren't the only bad guys. The collapse of the Crystal Tower blew the lid off all the syndicate rivalries and other unrest.

@mALX: Morgiah is Barenziah's daughter by Symmachus. By my calculations, the mother was 387 years old at the time. Don't children keep you young? Orcs don't live anything like as long as Dunmer, so Marghak's had to work harder at looking young than Barenziah did.

@Grits: Marghak thinks she's awesome too. She's especially proud of how's she's kept her figure.

----------

Dancing in the Dark

As Taminwe left the room, Marghak winked at Uzgash, and the two of them stood up from table.

"On the way here from Anvil, I paid a visit to Gweden Farm," Marghak told him. "And while I was there I talked to all the women. They all remember you. In particular, the three Daedra women remember playing a game in the dark, where you had to identify which was which. That sounded like a lot of fun, and I wondered if we might try something similar."

She dropped a blindfold on the table in front of him. "Don't put it on yet," she instructed, "We have a lot to show you first."

"Uzgash or Taminwe have probably told you that I was brought up in a coven of witches. They spent a lot of their time dancing around naked, and it was clear that it kept their bodies fit and young-looking. But there was more to it than that. I learned that a Master of Restoration can fully repair the stretching of pregnancy and childbirth, if she acts promptly. And after the child is weaned, she can restore the mother's breasts. A witch didn't start to show her age until she couldn't keep up her exercises, and she'd have stopped dancing before that."

"So before I started to produce Gortwog's children, I made sure that there was a Master Restorer in the court. A good workout with a heavy warhammer tones up the muscles even better than dancing, although I still do that to maintain flexibility. I may be twice my daughter's age, but I suspect you'll have a hard time telling us apart."

Uzgash chimed in. "We've all learned to do the same dance moves, even my brothers. It's no good being strong if you're not supple as well. My mother's particularly proud of how she's kept in shape while having seven kids, and attributes it all to what she learned from the witches. I hope you can play that lute I see in the corner. Dancing goes much better with music."

Marghak explained that the dances the witches did were a little different than the ones he might have seen at Houses of Dibella. Those were intentionally erotic, as that was their purpose. The witches were oblivious to the effect their dancing had on any audience, as they were an offering to the gods, not the men watching. They took their clothes off before they started to dance, if they wore any.

"So where did you learn the other style?" he asked Uzgash. He'd seen her in the Tap and Tack - and Gudrun too, who'd learned it all from her. That was definitely the erotic way of dancing.

"Some of it in the brothel in Orsinium, but I made most of that up as I went along," she replied. "You just have to keep your eyes on the audience and repeat what they like." He could see Marghak nodding her head in agreement. That was much the same as she'd done where she worked before she met Gortwog.

She handed him the lute and told him what tune she wanted him to play first. It was the one he'd seen her strip off to at Olav's. He wan't as good a player as the minstrel there, but he made a fair effort.

Uzgash and her mother must have rehearsed this dance, because they did everything as perfect mirror images of each other. And as more and more of them was revealed, he was impressed by how remarkably similar their bodies were. He was starting to forget that Marghak was any older than she looked.

Once they were nude, Uzgash called for a different tune, and they changed their dance to the witches' style. This was a communal dance, not a solo one, and they would swing and lift each in ways that were just as arousing as the Dibella style, but in a totally different manner. He found it hard to concentrate on playing the accompaniment, and they noticed.

"I think he's ready for the next part," Marghak said, and picked up the blindfold. The two women hauled him up the steps to the bedroom in the dome, and helped him undress. While Marghak pinned up her hair, Uzgash made sure the blindfold was in place, and doing its job.

"Now the first thing you have to do is guess which one of us is on the left, and which is on the right." Marghak's voice (or was it Uzgash's?) said from the foot of the bed. He hadn't really noticed how similar they sounded until he had the blindfold on. This might be trickier than he thought without that clue.

He felt each of his hands being lifted and guided, and he tried hard to feel a distinction. He wasn't sure he wanted to find any, as they might stop this game if he did. Still, that wasn't happening anyway, and even the quiet moans of pleasure that escaped the two weren't providing any help. Everything he'd learned about Uzgash in their time at Falkreath apparently held true for Marghak, too.

He admitted that his hands couldn't tell him who was who, and they moved on to the next part. "Who's this?"

"Marghak," he stated confidently. She lifted the blindfold from his eyes and asked him how he could tell so easily. The woman astride him was indeed her.

"Just a well-informed deduction. No matter how detailed Uzgash's reports about me were, I knew you'd want to find out for yourself," he replied. "You're like her in that, too. And I know Uzgash well enough to be certain she'd insist on you going first, just in case two was too many."

"I told you he was clever," Uzgash laughed. "Now I'm going back to the club and leaving you two to play."

Marghak didn't seem too disappointed at having him all to herself.

---

Marghak might feel just like Uzgash, but something more intangible was reminding him of Taminwe. A well-conditioned response took over.

By the morning, he knew the location of each of Gortwog's children, and a lot more about the politics of the Wayrest and Orsinium courts. He had a unclear picture of the way the Altmer were interfering, but that was a reflection of Marghak's own uncertainty. And she was happy to have confided in a trustworthy friend. After all, look what he'd done for Uzgash.

Marghak may have learned a few new things, too, but she'd soon find out they were common knowledge in the Imperial City.

---

Taminwe was impressed, although she told him it was all due to her training. "That's why I'm not worried about Marghak getting together with Ocato tonight. But you did much better than I'd expected! I do hope Morgiah decides to come through Cyrodiil. She could be an ebony mine of information!"

"In that case, I'd better spend more of my time with Minx, and less at the club," he suggested.

"On the contrary, she's been living in the Summerset Isle for the last thirty years, and Rinalla hasn't known anything else. I'd think you need more Altmer."

"Who did you have in mind? Ouch! Careful with those fingernails!"

Posted by: Acadian Feb 26 2013, 06:45 PM

Marghak’s a magnificent example of Orsimeri splendor at the peak of bloom! Very fun background about the witches and their arts of cosmetic restoration and dancing under the stars - skills that have clearly served the prolific and Nirn-traveled Marghak well.

And yay for Clark, as he is treated to a woman who has amassed a lifetime of charms!

Posted by: Grits Feb 27 2013, 09:20 PM

It’s a testament to Clark’s training that the evening didn’t end right there.

I love the applications of Restoration. It’s a magical world!

Posted by: mALX Mar 3 2013, 03:19 PM

First off, I am so sorry it took so long to get here and read - very hectic week. Loved the game with the blindfold, reminds me of something I saw on the Howard Stern show once! Lol. Great Write!

Posted by: ghastley Mar 6 2013, 02:58 AM

@Acadian: I've been playing Daggerfall a bit to soak up the background, and the witches are essential for Vampirism and Lycanthropy cures. So with my usual luck, my characters have been visting them quite often. And Marghak's part of my Daggerfall. So an episode featuring both was inevitable.

@Grits: I've always liked "scientifical and practical" magic in stories. Magic needs rules, and the reader should be able to understand (sort of) how it works, and what its limitations are. It's way too easy to just use it when the author's painted the protagonist into a corner, and there's no other way out. Counter-magics, like detect life and dispel, another thing I like about the games, and other's stories.

@mALX: I'd cut the original "tell the Daedric women apart in the dark" story down from a whole over-raunchy chapter to a piece in the reporter's notes, so I needed to put some back in. Blindfolds just add a note of anticipation to the mix.

--

The next part is already made into a playable quest. I wasn't quite sure where it belonged in this sequence, but here seems as good a place as any.

-----------------

Cult of Dibella

Marghak was back at the Red Dragon Club. She had another concern that needed their help.

The Guild of Prostitutes has a close relationship with some of the cults of Dibella. While they concentrate on the erotic, not on the sex itself, there are always some who can't help themselves and get carried away. We recruit many of our best women that way.

And there's a smaller number that go in the opposite direction. Those who prefer the preliminaries to the main event, as it were. We cooperate on training, and generally sort out who belongs where early on. It's been a positive arrangement for both sides, and is likely to continue to be so.

However, they don't have the same unified structure as the Guild. The cults are independent of each other, with their own rules and regulations. We have to deal with each one as we find it. Recently, we've encountered a few that want nothing to do with the Guild, and there's something suspiciously consistent about them that makes us think they're connected in some way. Our main fear, of course, is that they're exploiting the young women who join them.

We know the cults need some form of income to survive. If a man wants to pay to watch a woman dance naked, that's not a problem for us. Or he can pay to can rub scented oils over her entire body, or anything short of actual sex. If that's where it ends up, she's a prostitute, and falls under the Guild's rules. And believe me, we've had to define what "actual sex" means to the finest degree.

These new cults don't want us to know what they're doing, and that makes us think it's just unlicensed prostitution. The women may not even be getting paid for their services, if they've got them convinced that it's an act of worship. They could be using drugs or spells to do that.

And then, too, because it's illegal that way, they may also be blackmailing the men. It's hard for us to figure out what their motives really are. They've started to pop up all over Tamriel, in farmhouses, caves, even in houses in some of the cities. It's always a small group, six at the most, and the priestesses are usually Altmer, although the acolytes could be any local race of men or mer.

We've just heard that there's one in a cave not far from Bravil that may be a good candidate for you to investigate. It's isolated enough that you can go there without being noticed, unless they have a spy detailed to watch the place. I doubt they've the manpower for that. And if there is any trouble, it won't be noticed either.

The priestess might be dangerous. They always know a good range of spells, and being Altmer, they'll have the magicka to use them. If the women are their thralls, they could fight on the priestess' side, so watch out for that. None of them will be armored, of course. Barely dressed, if they follow their usual style.

Ideally, we'd like you to seduce the priestess, and find out what she's up to that way. We're assuming the other women are innocent of anything, and any violence is likely to harm them, so we'd prefer to avoid it.

He realised that Marghak was speaking directly to him for that last part. He'd been wanting an investigative assignment, but he hadn't quite imagined this one. All the women he'd been involved with while he was a reporter had initiated things themselves, and he'd only needed to keep his head and steer activities in the right direction. But this time was going to be different. He needed to make sure that the priestess, and not one of her subordinates, was his partner.

He couldn't just use a Charm spell to get past her guard, either. She'd be ready for that. He'd have to do it the old-fashioned way.

----

Angeline and Diablita accompanied him to the cave, and went off to patrol the area for anyone who might be watching the place. He entered the cave alone.

The passage down into the cavern was long and dimly lit, but it opened up to a large open space, with a collossal statue of Dibella in the center. It was similar to the one in Anvil, but appropriately for one of her erotic cults, with much less drapery.

The priestess and her acolytes also dressed according to that theme. The acolytes wore a few wisps of thin gauze, that completely exposed one breast and barely concealed the other. Another piece of the same thin material was draped around their hips. It wasn't hard to see through it, even in the dim light in the cave.

Where the acolytes' outfits simply revealed, the priestess' displayed. Her breasts were held high by a sinuous golden band that wound around them and ended in a spiral around her nipples. An ornate belt around her waist held up a half-skirt that fell only at the back, and an elaborate collar and shoulder pieces framed, but did not conceal.

Taminwe had warned him that she might try to use illusion magic on him, to command or charm him, so he'd gone in prepared with enchantments on his clothes that would reflect or absorb spells. She didn't need those spells to have the effect she did, although he suspected Illusion was enhancing the display. But it also played in with his plans. He needed to concentrate on her, and she was making that easy.

The priestess, Alinwe, was suspicious of this stranger who'd turned up in her cave unannounced, but was also prepared to take advantage of whatever the gods delivered. She asked him who'd referred him to their remote location; surely he'd not found it by accident? If he'd been sent by her masters, that would become obvious in how he replied. If not, she might get some idea what she could gain from this encounter.

He replied that he'd heard rumors of the cult's existence in Bravil, and had just been curious. "Who could resist the idea of a cave full of near-naked women with love on their minds?"

She laughed, and called the acolytes to her. "I hope we're everything you expected," she said. The girls all looked back at him adoringly, as if he was the best thing they'd ever seen. Just a little too adoringly, or he might have believed them.

Alinwe suggested he choose one of the girls, and let her show him the joys of DIbella. They all eagerly stepped forward to be selected, but he held up a hand to stop them. "I couldn't pick any one of these over the others. And I doubt that I could please them all. No, if there's any choice to be made, I'd have to pick you, Alinwe. After all, Dibella has placed you above them; who am I to disagree with that choice?"

"Oh, I like a bold one!" Alinwe's broad smile looked amost genuine, and perhaps her words had some truth to them. "But you're going to have to deserve that. Perform a service for Dibella, and then I'll perform for you."

She wanted him to retrieve the silver phallus that they used in their initiation rites. Goblins from Fort Irony, on the other side of Bravil, had stolen it, and it was presumed to have been taken there. "Hurry back," she exhorted.

He left the cave to confer with Angeline and Diablita. They'd go check out the fort, while he went back into the cave to scout around. "Let us do what we're good at, and you go do the same." Angeline told him.

He wasn't all that good at sneaking, but he could use his invisibility spell, if he was careful, and if Alinwe wasn't using life detection. He thought that unlikely, as she was probably using all her magicka controlling the girls.

He started his search in the darker corners of the cavern, and soon found a passage that led to the sleeping quarters. Simple pallets and bedrolls for the acolytes, and a smaller room with a single bed was presumably where Alinwe slept. There was a chest by the bed, but the lock was beyond his picking abilities.

He renewed his invisibility and went back to the main cavern. Near the opposite corner he noticed a rope hanging down from the roof of the cave. He looked around, and saw that he was concealed from view here, and could safely pull the rope without giving himself away. He did so, and a large rock slid down, revealing a small side-cave. In it, another woman was chained naked to the wall.

The Breton's name was Mariette, and she told him that Alinwe's spells had failed to enthral her the way they had the others. Her natural resistance to magic was enhanced by her enchanted sandals, surprisingly the only piece of her clothing they hadn't taken away. She knew all about the setup here. Whoever was controlling Alinwe would send agents to be rewarded by the women, or else they'd be providing them to locals who could be blackmailed afterwards. "You can't use alcohol, drugs or spells to make a woman want you, or it's rape," she reminded him. She must have seen the look on his face, because she continued "Oh, we all use Charm or a few drinks to break the ice, but there's big difference between that and what I'm talking about."

"That phallus she sent you off to to find is locked up in her room. It's supposed to be available to any acolyte who wants to prove herself, but Alinwe keeps it as her personal toy."

By this time, he'd managed to unlock the shackles that held Mariette to the wall. She was weak from her ordeal, and collapsed to the floor, but not before warning him to look behind him.

At the doorway, where the rock had been, was a flame atronach! Alinwe and the acolytes had all summoned daedra, and were running angrily towards him. The priestess had noticed the rock wasn't in its place, and she'd raised the alarm.

He ducked out of the small cave into the wider spaces of the main one, to lead them away from the vulnerable Mariette. He knew enough about summoning spells to realise that it was pointless to try and take on the summoned creatures. They were all scamps and flame atronachs, anyway, and he just had to keep moving out of the way of the slow fireballs. He needed to concentrate on the casters, in particular Alinwe, who was the mastermind of all this.

She flung a shock spell at him as he approached, only to writhe in agony as it reflected from him. He'd prepared for illusion, but it worked just as well against destruction! Her own power was her undoing. Without any armor, she was particularly vulnerable, and her race and birthsign both traded extra magicka for weakness to its effects.

When Alinwe died, her spells died with her. Her own summoned atronach was dispelled, and the girls were released from her control. In moments, all the daedra were gone, and the acolytes were staring horrified at each other, and wondering what they'd been doing.

Their reactions to their lack of clothing differed considerably. The Imperial, Caudillia, was trying to cover everything with her hands, and finding she had too much to succeed. The Redguard, Tamara, glared at him with her hands on her hips, looking more angry than embarassed. Horwen, the Bosmer, was trying to sink into the shadows, and pretend she wasn't there.

Urana, the Dunmer, was completely relaxed. So she was almost naked, and had the attention of a good-looking man. What was wrong with that? She smiled at him, hopefully.

He was still staring at Alinwe. Even though she was dead, she was still magnificent. It was unfortunate that she'd had to die. Perhaps he was projecting Taminwe's skills on her, and she wasn't as good as she looked, but she definitely would have been interesting! He found himself almost sympathetic to Falanu, now.

A faltering voice at his side told him otherwise. Mariette had staggered down from her prison to join them. "There's illusion and fortify magicka enchanted on that outfit," she told him. "Help me put it on, and I'll show you what I mean."

With the priestess' garb in place, Mariette looked larger than life. Her breasts looked larger, her hips flared wider, and she looked a lot taller. "The height's mostly the high heels, but the rest is illusion magic." Mariette took the opportunity of her newly fortified magicka to cast another healing spell on herself, and her voice lost its quaver, and became more authoritative.

He looked back at the corpse on the floor. Alinwe did look a lot more ordinary without the help of her outfit. Mariette handed him a key that she'd taken from a pocket in the belt. "This will probably fit the chest in Alinwe's room. Can you go see if the phallus is in there?"

He found himself hoping that the same reward was still on offer for its return.

It was indeed in the chest, along with a number of clothing items that he assumed were what the acolytes had arrived wearing. He left those behind. He preferred their current attire.

The silver phallus was significantly larger than life-sized, and had a flat base, so it could stand on its own. Mariette took it from him, and placed it on the middle of a platform behind the statue, where a row of stone chairs faced towards it. "I think you can imagine what the initiation rite involves," she said with a wink. "Part of the test comes from having everyone else watching. She needs to concentrate on the joys of Dibella, and shut out the rest of the world, or she'll fail."

Urana was eager to try, and particularly wanted him to watch. Mariette told her to save it for when they had a paying audience. She'd taken charge now, and she had to run things properly. They'd need all the income they could get, and erotic displays were a good source of gold.

"I'll need a talk with each of you later, to make sure you really belong here. I know Alinwe was holding you against your will, but you all came here freely in the first place. Probably all for different reasons, even if they did have something in common."

They weren't really listening to her. They were all staring at the phallus. Caudillia with a mixture of fear and fascination. She couldn't get over the size of that thing. Was it really possible? Could she do it? The thought of being watched was especially scary, but exciting at the same time.

Tamara's expression was more one of defiance. Yes it looked impossible, but she'd do it.

Horwen was demurely looking down, but her eyes kept being drawn back to it. If they could do it, so could she. But she'd want to practice with something more normal first, and work up to it.

Mariette took his arm and led him towards the sleeping quarters. She needed to thank him for rescuing her, and the girls needed some time to play without her watching over them. He briefly thought of Angeline and Diablita, who were probably fighting goblins right now, but Mariette soon got his attention back.

---

Taminwe and Marghak weren't as pleased with the outcome as he'd been. Their hope was that the priestess would reveal something about those higher up the chain of command. "Are sure that Breton didn't have any clue to who was behind Alinwe?"

But Mariette had been chained up most of the time she was there. The little she knew came from Alinwe's attempts to make her do things she didn't want to. Once the Altmer realised her spells were ineffective, the Breton's chance to learn more had evaporated. "She'll send word if they try and contact Alinwe, so we still have a possibility that this will pick up where it left off."

They could only wait and hope.

Posted by: Acadian Mar 6 2013, 09:47 PM

Thank goodness for spell reflection!

‘He was still staring at Alinwe. Even though she was dead, she was still magnificent. It was unfortunate that she'd had to die. Perhaps he was projecting Taminwe's skills on her, and she wasn't as good as she looked, but she definitely would have been interesting! He found himself almost sympathetic to Falanu, now.’

I wonder what the goblins wanted with the silver phallus? Someone stole their totem and the shaman has a sense of humor?

Posted by: Grits Mar 8 2013, 12:32 PM

He wasn't all that good at sneaking, but he could use his invisibility spell, if he was careful, and if Alinwe wasn't using life detection. He thought that unlikely, as she was probably using all her magicka controlling the girls.

I particularly like this part. She can’t use all magic at all times, and Clark figures out how to use his skills to get the job done himself. His spell reflection meeting Alinwe’s natural weakness was another great touch. Darnand is hoping I will forget about that.


He briefly thought of Angeline and Diablita, who were probably fighting goblins right now, but Mariette soon got his attention back.

They will be disappointed when they don’t find what they’re looking for! I hope Clark is prepared.

Posted by: mALX Mar 9 2013, 01:34 AM

*

First off, I am so sorry it took so long to get here, I have been sick as a dog this week.

Loved the degrees and distinctions in the acts to qualify for the guild or qualify to be against the guild if practiced outside of it! Bill Clinton needed to learn these, lol.

Also, the silver Phallus, ROFL !!! Do I detect a "Naughty Little Claudia" clutter item? ROFL !!! Awesome Update!


*

Posted by: ghastley Mar 26 2013, 01:46 AM

@Acadian: of course the goblins are just ignorant victims here. Alinwe was just using them as scapegoats for her own misuse of cult equipment. She's got it locked in her chest.

@Grits: I did at least point the sisters at a ruin that contains Shadowbanish wine. It won't be a complete waste of time going there.

@mALX: Yes, there's a clutter item. But I leave it in the cave. There's no point letting Angeline and Diablita get distracted by toys.

----

I'm working simultaneously on three new quests for the mod. One covers Uzgash coming down to the City from Falkreath, and it's similar to what was described here, with the stripping in Olav's, but without the bridge collapse. Another takes Morgiah and Rinnala across Cyrodiil from Anvil to the Morrowind border, and the last one starts the split of the Mages Guild.

This episode is a part of an older quest that's needed for a bit of background for what's to come.

----------------

Randonil's tale

Whenever Tsarrina came to the Imperial City to help with the book-keeping, Clark would take her place at Gweden. He was sure that the place would run itself perfectly well without him, but it kept up the appearance of being a dutiful manager for the Count of Kvatch. Besides that, there were a few other reasons he liked to visit the place.

One of them was Virgilia, the Imperial who'd made an early impression on him when he first visited as a reporter. But this time, she was with a tall Altmer mage, and the way she was looking at him made him think it wasn't just another customer.

"This is Randonil," she told him. "Remember how I told you about sneaking an invisible fellow student into my bedroom when I was trying to lose my virginity? This is him! And I know you're not a reporter any more, but I think you'd like to hear the rest of the story."

To be honest, Clark had only given that job up reluctantly. Whenever he could, he still wrote anonymous articles for the Courier. It was good writing practice, and that helped with his books. Those too, he thought ruefully, were just a hobby now.

It was his own article about Gweden that had got their story going again. Randonil had completely lost track of Virgilia when her parents sent her away to live with her Aunt Rosentia. He'd given up all hope of seeing her again at the Arcane University, and immersed himself in his studies to try and forget. But then he'd read about Gweden in the Black Horse Courier and something seemed very familiar.

He'd graduated some time before, and was doing some research work for the senior staff, but nothing that couldn't be interrupted. He got permission to travel down to the Gold Coast to see if Virgilia really had found her way there. Somewhere between Skingrad and Kvatch, he'd been waylaid by bandits.

That hadn't been entirely unexpected, and he hadn't had too much trouble defeating them, but with his magicka reserves dangerously low, he had no defense against the necromancers who turned up next. Cursing his luck, he'd been dragged off to Fort Linchal and imprisoned there. He wasn't sure what they had in mind for him, and why they hadn't killed him immediately. The cell they put him in kept his magicka drained, and he had no option but to wait for things to develop as they might. At least he'd written ahead to the Count's Arms let them know he was coming. When he didn't turn up, someone might come looking for him.

It took rather longer than he'd expected. Wilbur had sent a message back to the University, instead of raising the guard in Anvil. Raminus Polus had alerted the Arch-mage.

"That's the boss, of course," Virgilia pointed out. "He was here at Gweden when Raminus' Dremora messenger popped out of nowhere and gave him a note. It's a good thing thing Prizna wasn't in the room, or she'd have been scared she was being called back!"

"So you were there and saw it?" Clark asked.

"Of course. That's probably the only reason I was able to persuade him to let me come along. Raminus didn't provide a lot of information, just that Randonil was coming to look for me, so naturally he quizzed me for anything I knew."

She continued explaining everything that had happened next. They'd gone up to the city to ask around at the University for any clues to the disappearance. Maybe one of Randonil's colleagues would have some ideas on his route, or something. "I took my armor with me. It wasn't much use as armor, because it doesn't cover much, but it was better than nothing."

Clark and Randonil grinned at each other when she said that. They both liked the idea of nothing, especially on Virgilia.

"Well, it's quite good at being armor now," Virgilia told them. "Raminus suggested that we ask Delmar to enchant it with Shield, so it would function properly. It's better than Ebony now, even if it does still remind me of goblins."

"We left it with him, while we went off to Cheydinhal. The Arch-mage had to install Deetsan as chapter head, and give her a promotion to Warlock. There was also a candidate for the Mages Council there to interview, an Orc battlemage by the name of Orgul gro-Kurak."

"Then we came down to Anvil, to ask Carahil to join the council, too. She wouldn't do it until the Arch-mage found someone to replace her, so we went back to the University, to see if Raminus had any news, and to collect my armor."

"That's when we got the tip-off that the necromancers had been seen taking someone towards Fort Linchal. The three of us, Orgul, the boss and I, all went off to the fort to look for Randonil. Orgul hates necromancers, something to do with a family crypt I think, so he was eager to get involved."

Randonil reminded her that Raminus had taught her a few extra spells, so she could actually help them. "She's a quick learner. I'm sure she'd have done well at the University if she'd had the chance to continue her studies. It wasn't just her other obvious talents that attracted me to her."

He hadn't seen any of the action, being stuck in a cell deep in the fort while most of it was going on. "And Virgilia's been too modest to tell me about it. Apparently she thinks I'd be upset about her putting herself in danger to rescue me."

"To be honest, I was hiding behind Orgul and the Champ most of the time," she admitted. "One of the spells Raminus taught me was healing, and it seemed to be a better use of my reserves than trying to hurl fireballs or lightning."

"Orgul didn't use that kind of spell either. He seemed to prefer summoning a war-axe and hacking with it. He said it was better in confined spaces like the corridors of the fort, and that the necromancers might absorb spells cast at them. My impression was that he just liked being hands-on when he dispatched a necromancer."

Randonil agreed with that judgement. "I'm no battlemage, and they do get more weapons training than the rest of us, but Orgul did seem to delight in splitting necromancer's skulls with his axe on the way out. And it was he who insisted that we clear the place, and not just leave once I was found."

"Did you ever find out why they kept you alive?" Clark asked Randonil.

"No, although it's possible they hoped that I'd join them. Many of the necromancers are Altmer, so perhaps they thought I'd be sympathetic. The other possibility was ransom, but I gather no notes were delivered to ask for any payment."

"You haven't told him what happened afterwards," Virgilia reminded Randonil.

"Oh, yes, the best part! We all continued to Anvil, and the Arch-mage talked to Carahil again about joining the Mages Council. When she repeated her objection, he made me her replacement! Apparently he'd had a recommendation from Raminus Polus that I was ready for a chapter position, and it all just fit so perfectly."

"So Randonil's in charge in Anvil, and we can see each other all the time!" Virgilia bubbled.

Clark wondered what the Altmer thought of Virgilia continuing her employment at Gweden. He'd known about that when he came here to look for her. "I'm the same age as she is," he pointed out. "That's a trivial part of an elf's life expectancy. I won't be looking for a wife for a century or more, and she's as much fun as I need now, the way things are. Her capacity for this greatly exceeds my meager needs. And she's learning so much, I can't complain."

"It would have been splendid to be each other's first, but it didn't happen that way. We've consoled ourselves with the fact that we actually knew what we were doing when it did happen.That first experience of each other was a lot better than it would have been."

"Talking of first times," Virgilia interrupted, "I've not had two of my favorite men together at the same time before."

"It's a good thing Tsarrina's not here to hear you say that," Clark told her sternly. "She'd be expecting double the income from you in future!"

"Three in the bathtub might be a first too," Randonil suggested. Clark doubted it, but it did sound like a good idea. They headed down the basement stairs. He had a few more ideas for "firsts", but he'd save them for later.

Posted by: Acadian Mar 26 2013, 01:18 PM

So Carahil is part of the Council of Mages! How wonderful for her and Traven. And Rattatoui Randonil is in charge of the Anvil MG branch!

I like Orgul’s direct approach to necrohunting.

So they’re headed for the tub. Bubbles!

Posted by: Grits Mar 27 2013, 02:55 PM

Oh my. That is a hilarious image!

Yay for Shield charms.

I like Orgul’s armor over robes look. (I checked out his page to make sure I wasn’t missing anything.)

And Carahil finally gets her promotion!!

Posted by: mALX Mar 28 2013, 01:12 PM

First off, I am so sorry it took so long to get here and read this. RL has been pure hell this past couple weeks.

This line made me laugh, maybe it wasn't meant to be funny but it just struck me that way. Like there needs to be a personal reason to hate a necromancer, lol. And just the hint of a story without the telling of it - loved that line!

Orgul has meager needs? Maybe the brothel will have some "Stallion Potion" to assist him in that? Lol. Great Write!

Posted by: ghastley Apr 2 2013, 03:38 AM

@Acadian and Grits: Carahil and Orgul will be relevent in a later chapter, but it was really Randonil, and his experience with the necrodudes, that I needed to introduce before I refer back to them.

@mALX: No it's Randonil with the meager needs, and that's only in comparison to Virgilia. In the mod, he visits the farm once a week, and Virgilia visits him once a week, too. I don't know if Carahil and Orgul get up anything in the Council Chamber at night, I don't often go and peek!

The next few episodes recount a new quest I'm building that has the player escort Morgiah and Rinnala across Cyrodiil. The "one camp at a time" aspect makes sure that they at least have to get past a few bandits, and not just fast travel all the way.

---------------

Black Queen's Gambit - Part 1

Clark knew the location of Atrene Camp. It wasn't too far from Gweden, and Darwen had taken him there once. She'd said they'd be hunting bears, but she didn't ask him to bring a weapon, and they didn't see any bears. He suspected she just wanted to get him away from all the other women, and have him all to herself. It was one of the few campsites that never seemed to harbor bandits, so it was a nice safe location for an afternoon of fun and games. He wondered if that was what Morgiah and Rinnala had in mind.

Clark had been asked to escort the two through Cyrodiil. They'd be arriving by ship from Firsthold, but they wouldn't anchor in Anvil harbor. Instead they'd come ashore by rowboat, and head for the campsite, bypassing the town completely. Apparently they thought it was safer for them to stay away from cities, and main roads.

They were waiting at the camp when he arrived. An Altmer sailor from the ship was on guard, but Clark gave the right password and was allowed past to meet the Dunmers. Both were dressed as commoners, but you couldn't describe either as inconspicuous. Morgiah's preference for bright red clothes had been inherited by Rinnala, and both liked to feel the sun on their breasts.

He'd been told that the taller one would be the daughter, and he was glad that he had that difference to go by. Morgiah didn't look significantly older, but whether that was just a Dunmer's natural slow aging, or if she'd enhanced that effect with alteration or illusion magic, he couldn't tell.

It was apparent, however, who was in charge. Morgiah dismissed the sailor back to his ship. "Now the Earl's here to look after us, we won't be needing your services any more. Go back to Firsthold, in case my son needs the ship."

The sailor bowed, and left. The glance back at Rinnala suggested to Clark that his duties had included a bit more than just protection. Rinnala, on the other hand, was only looking at Clark.

He asked Morgiah what she had planned, but she'd been waiting for his arrival before making up her mind. "Do you think we could pass for sisters?" she asked him. "We don't want to travel as mother and daughter, or we might leave clues for anyone following our trail."

He was reluctant to offend Rinnala by suggesting she looked as old as her mother. A young lady wants to appear mature, not old, and one's mother is always of an older generation. "Why not just use similar names, and not tell anyone what your relationship is?" he suggested. "Sisters, cousins, whatever. You have a family resemblence that anyone could spot, but there's no need to be specific. Let them guess."

They both seemed to like that idea, and set to making up names. He suggested borrowing Falanu and Miranu. They were cousins, and looked as similar as these two, although they really were about the same age. They didn't think that was a good idea. The real Falanu and Miranu might become unintended victims, if anyone followed that false trail.

"Tolisi and Tanasa, then - I know they're both dead already." Those were rejected, too. Rinnala did not want a dead woman's name. Well, not a recently dead one, anyway. It's a different matter being named after an honored ancestor.

Morgiah lit the camp fire and started assembling the ingredients for a stew from the sacks they'd brought with them. Clark had expected cooking to be one of his duties, not something a Queen and Princess would do. Morgiah reminded him that she wasn't trusting anyone on this trip. She'd prepare her own food, until she knew him better.

As they ate, the two women continued proposing and rejecting names. He learned quite a lot from their reasons for discarding some of them. They belonged to people he didn't know, but the women did. Usually friends of one, but not the other.

After their meal, Morgiah pointed at one of the small one-person tents, and told Rinnala to go and get some sleep. The look she gave her mother made it clear that wasn't what she had in mind, but she did as she was directed.

Morgiah, meanwhile, led Clark to the larger tent, pulled him inside, and closed the flap.

"You need to know something about why we left the Summerset Isle," she told him. "Have you heard of a group of thugs called 'the Beautiful'? Probably not, the news had only just reached Firsthold when we departed. They'd issued threats to most of the royal families, and illustrated what they meant by abducting the daughter of the King of Shimmerene. Not for ransom, you understand. They wanted to create fear, and what they did to her achieved just that. I don't think Rinnala knows about it, because I'm sure it would have quite put her off sex. You're not a woman, so you wouldn't be able to imagine what that poor creature went through."

"And it will be good for Rinnala to get away from the court for a while. I remember being in the same situation in Wayrest. I was the odd one out, the only Dunmer girl in a sea of Bretons. I also had Princess Elysana to contend with. Not only was she a rival for every man in Wayrest, but she wasn't above spreading lies about her half-sister and brother. I took the first chance I got to be out of there."

"I was still in the minority in Firsthold, but I was the Queen, and that makes a big difference. I was so grateful to Karoodil, I was almost faithful to him. And I probably could have been, if he didn't go off chasing pirates so much. The Altmer are a xenophobic lot, and only have eyes for their own. If we hadn't had ambassadors from all around Tamriel, I don't know what I'd have done for amusement."

"The common people are just as bad. You probably recall that I had to put down an uprising led by Lady Gialene not so long ago. If we'd stayed, I'm sure that would only have happened again. Bringing Rinnala away from Firsthold is just what she needs. It's not just for her safety, she's at the age where she needs to explore her tastes, and she needs a better selection of partners than she'd have back there."

Clark wondered whether the mother needed a wider selection, too. Morgiah had much of her legendary mother Barenziah's intelligence, and it wasn't just coincidence that Morgiah had decided to pass for Rinnala's sister. She knew that everyone would expect her to be just as promiscuous as the younger woman, and he suspected she was going to make the most of the opportunity.

"I've seen the way Rinnala was looking at you," Morgiah told him. "Of course, she looks at most men that way, at her age. She'll doubtless feel a bit constrained by her mother's presence on this trip, but if she's got any brains, she'll find a way to get you alone. Don't disappoint her."

"Do I give you any reason to suspect that I would?" he asked.

"No I'm sure that Orsinium arranged for you to escort us with that in mind," she responded. "The Orc who taught her Blade and Blunt undoubtedly taught her other things, and he'd have reported her tastes to his masters when he passed on our request. So we assume you're just what she asked for. The only question is whether she really knows what she wants. After all, that's why she's looking around, just like any woman of her age."

"I don't know anything about you, and so I can't trust you, yet. I sent one of the ship's crew into Anvil to ask around, and he came back with a bit of information about a brothel outside town called Gweden Farm. And you're the Earl of Gweden, any connection?"

"Yes, in the sense that my title does come from that place. It was a private joke of Ocato's, because my Earldom derives from running the Imperial CIty's best brothel. The Potentate is a regular customer, and we have a few mutual interests. I'm just the manager, it belongs to the Count of Kvatch, as does the local one." He could see that this wasn't all news to Morgiah, and his honest response was making her more comfortable trusting a stranger.

"I've heard of the Red Dragon Club," Morgiah continued. "It does have a good reputation among the diplomatic community as a clean establishment with a good wine cellar." She didn't seem to mind letting him know what she already knew. That was probably a good sign.

"Gweden Farm serves a good glass too," he told her. "It's not so far from Skingrad, and in my opinion at least, the best wines in Cyrodiil come from Tamika's vineyard there. We should make a point of sampling some when we pass through."

"Well, we have to give that a miss. We won't be going through any of the cities on our journey. That's exactly what anyone sent to follow us will expect, and they'll have spies looking out for us in them. Our plans are to go cross-country, and stop in campsites like this one. It will mean forgoing the protection of the Legion and city guards, but I'm not sure they're any more trustworthy than anyone else."

"A lot of these campsites are popular with bandits," he pointed out. "You just can't predict which will be safe, and which won't."

"A lesser risk than entering the cities. Bandits go around in small bands, and we're not incapable of handling that limited a threat. They probably won't be any worse than the wild animals of the forests. We just need your local knowledge to keep us away from goblins. They're tribal, and tend to congregate in large numbers. Tough fetchers, too."

"Where are we headed next, then?" he asked.

"I'll let you know when we leave here," replied Morgiah. "And that might not be for a few days. We don't want to stay here long enough for anyone to find us, but we also don't want to be predictable. Our departure will be as randomly determined as I can make it."

Morgiah pulled the flap of the tent aside just a little, so she could peek through the gap towards Rinnala's bedroll. Her daughter looked like she was sleeping, but she knew better than to rely on appearances. "Go bring the other bedroll in here," she told him. "If I leave you here alone, you might not get any sleep."

Posted by: Acadian Apr 2 2013, 04:15 PM

Camp hopping it is! And, no doubt sampling the bedrolls in each to ensure they’re fit for royalty.

At first, I thought that Morgiah doing her own cooking was going to symbolize her link with the common mer. But I see now it is just a precaution to avoid the royal danger of poisoning.

Buffy, when she sleeps at a bandit camp, hits the bedroll she uses with both a frost and dispel spell to get all the cooties out. Oh, and as you may know, tmar’s characters (Baa & Mooch) use fast travel to go bandit camp hopping. They like popping into the middle of a fight though - great fun I suppose, if you've got the stones for it.

Posted by: mALX Apr 3 2013, 12:46 PM

This was fascinating, absolutely LOVED the plans for changing Morgiah's name and the background story! She and Barenziah are two of my favorite characters in the Lore. Awesome Write!

Posted by: Grits Apr 8 2013, 11:10 AM

I like all of the security measures, especially having to stop at various camps along the way. That will allow time for Morgiah’s and Rinnala’s characters to really make an impression.

Posted by: ghastley Apr 9 2013, 02:13 AM

@Acadian: I'm sure Morgiah will learn to trust Clark soon. Like in this episode.

@mALX: Barenziah's probably a role-model for both these women. To be seen later.

@Grits: The multiple camps was a necessary part of the mod, or there'd be nothing to do, but it does help here.

-----------------

Black Queen's Gambit - Part 2

"Last night ... you didn't, did you? Not with my mother!" The look on Rinnala's face was a complex mixture of emotions. Hope that nothing had happened, mixed with all sorts of disbelief that her mother might have actually...

He assured her that Morgiah had just wanted him where she could keep an eye on him, and all that had happened was sleep. He had to stop himself showing any disappointment, as he wasn't yet sure how Rinnala would react to him finding Morgiah attractive. Or even, as he suspected, to her thinking the same of him.

For now, he just reminded her that Morgiah was only about thirty-five years older than her. Barenziah had been nearly 400 when she conceived Morgiah. She hadn't thought about it that way before.

Rinnala saw her mother walking over to them, and asked "Are we leaving today?"

Morgiah responded that with the day's fine weather, it would be just what anyone would expect them to do, so they wouldn't.

"Then could I go down to the beach for a swim? It looked deserted when we came ashore, except for a mud crab or two."

Morgiah looked questioningly at Clark, and then replied. "Why not? Let's all go."

---

As soon as they reached the edge of the sand, Rinnala was slipping out of her shoes. If Morgiah hadn't stopped her, she'd have taken everything off, and just run naked into the ocean. "Pick those up, and make a tidy pile of everything over on that rock!" she was instructed.

That didn't slow her down by much, and soon Clark and Morgiah were watching her frolic in the waves, while they took off their own clothes at a more sedate pace, and added them to the pile. Morgiah asked for a lot more assistance with the process than she needed. Clark was glad to have his attention pulled away from the display that Rinnala was putting on. He rather wanted to have a swim himself, before the ladies decided he was ready for anything else.

He could make a show of being polite, closing his eyes, when Morgiah revealed too much, and not give any offense. He declined her offer to assist him unlacing his pants, and quickly got into the water before she could make any other move.

That seemed to amuse her immensely. He felt her splash into the water behind him and she whispered in his ear. "If you'd let me, I'd have cast a spell to solve your problem. It's one I use when I want to humiliate a man, but it has its beneficial uses, too!"

"Does Rinnala know that spell?" he asked.

"Of course, but I can't imagine her wanting to use it," Morgiah responded, pulling him around so that he'd have to look at her, and not Rinnala. The younger woman was bending over in the shallow waves near the beach, pretending to look for clams. "And don't worry, the opposite spell is beyond anyone's abilities."

"Ah! You know there's a potion for that." Clark told Morgiah about Miranu's wonderful potion #9.

"Really? That could be very useful!" she exclaimed. "The most powerful men are quite often advanced in years, and not always as ... amenable to persuasion ... as the younger ones. That potion could make all the difference."

With that happy thought, she took his hand and lead him out into the deeper water to swim.

Morgiah dived down towards the bottom, and he drew a deep breath and followed. She levelled out and skimmed her hand through the top of the sea-grasses, flushing small fish out of their hiding places, and watching them dart around trying to hide again. After about a minute, she rolled over to face him, and beckoned, but he was heading back to the surface for air.

"Don't you know a water-breathing spell?" an incredulous Morgiah asked. "I'd better teach you one quickly, or you and Rinnala won't be able to hide from me."

Alteration wasn't his area of expertise, but that really was a simple spell. Still, it took a couple of tries before he got the casting motion right, possibly because what Morgiah was doing would distract anyone. Two could play at that game, he thought.

Morgiah thought that turnabout was more than just fair, but she lifted his head and pointed over his shoulder . Rinnala had spotted them on the surface and had swum out to join in the fun.

---

Morgiah had another spell to offer when the three emerged from the water to look for the rock that was keeping their clothes dry. She summoned three heated towels, handed one to Clark and asked him to dry her back. Rinnala picked hers up and got to work on Clark.

---

Back at the camp, it was clear to Clark that a lot of the earlier tension had gone. Morgiah seemed to trust him now, and she also appeared to have decided not to tease her daughter by keeping too close a rein on him. Now his worry was that they might decide to share, instead of take turns. He'd had practice with Minx and Carwen, and of course Angeline and Diablita, but that was just pleasure, and these two were business.

"We'll leave tomorrow," Morgiah announced, "so you two had better make the most of the large tent tonight. We don't know what accomodation there will be for us at Brotch Camp."

"Rinnala, he can walk on his own...."

Posted by: Grits Apr 9 2013, 02:44 PM

Clark had a good point about the very slim age difference (by Elven standards) between mother and daughter. Of course to Rinnala her mother would seem ancient, even though they might look very much the same.

The water breathing spell is one of my favorites just for sheer enjoyment. What a fun day at the beach.

"Rinnala, he can walk on his own...."

Posted by: Acadian Apr 9 2013, 07:30 PM

Seems like Clark was having a hard time getting undressed at the beach, what with Morgiah pulling on his attention. Oh noes! Morgiah’s got a spell that can soften things up!

‘She summoned three heated towels,’
Kewl! Buffy would have to summon three times for three towels and wouldn’t have a clue about magically warming them without risking a fire.

What a magically fun day at the beach!

Posted by: mALX Apr 10 2013, 07:40 AM

Poor Clark, he's got his work cut out for him escorting these two. Barenziah's blood runs strong, I see trouble ahead for Clark, lol.

Ain't it the truth, ROFL !!!

Awesome Write!

Posted by: ghastley Apr 16 2013, 12:09 AM

@Grits: Morgiah is twice Rinnala's age and more. And as her mother, she 's of another generation. This trip might change Rinnala's perspective, but it's just started.

@Acadian: Since Illusion gives you Charm, Command, Frenzy, and Fear spells, I figured there would be a few more specific ones for certain situations. But then I had to wonder why Miranu's potion was so special, before I painted myself into a corner.

I'm not sure Morgiah heated the towels magically, so much as knowing where to find hot ones. I suspect they have them at the palace in Firsthold. My take on the summon spells is that they relocate, rather than create. It makes more sense for creatures that way.

@mALX: If Clark isn't used to trouble by now, Taminwe will just have to find him some more.

-------------

Black Queen's Gambit - Part 3

The following morning, they crossed the road leading to Lord Drad's estate and headed towards Arkay's wayshrine. He and Rinnala both took advantage of the blessing of health, causing Morgiah to remark on how exhausting the previous night's activities must have been.

It was hard to miss the sight of Kvatch's ruined walls on the hill. Although the Oblivion Gates were gone, the place where the great siege engine had breached the wall was still visible, even from this distance. Clark asked them if there had been Oblivion Gates in their part of the Summerset Isle.

"There was one that opened not far outside the city of Firsthold," replied Morgiah. "But all that happened were a few Daedra wandered out and looked around for a while. I instructed the local militia to watch and wait, and not take any action until the Daedra got close enough to be a direct danger to anyone. It seemed that they were waiting for a signal from somewhere, perhaps intending to attack all the cities at once. Anyway, the Gate disappeared as mysteriously as it arrived. I later learned that all the Gates went together, just after the Crystal Tower fell."

She didn't mention those Thalmor that Lathenil had told him about. If they had indeed claimed responsibility for closing the Gates, it hadn't been reported in Firsthold.

He told her that the same had happened in Cyrodiil; all the Gates had closed at once, after Mehrunes Dagon and Akatosh fought their battle-by-avatar in the Temple of the One. And he asked her about the Mythic Dawn. Again, they appeared to be unknown in Firsthold. By then Kvatch was dwindling on the horizon.

http://ghastley.org/Oblivion/images/Following.jpg*

They carried on past Bodean Camp, which was deserted. That was a good omen, he hoped. If all the campsites were empty, they'd be in a better mood for talking, than if they had to fight for them.

He steered them clear of the Forts, and the Ayleid ruins, but those were easy to see. Both had been built where they had commanding views of the countryside, and that worked both ways. He was more careful in avoiding Shattered Mine. The last report he'd had placed bandits there, but mines were always popular with goblins, and you often didn't see the entrances until you were right on top of them.

Fort Linchal got an especially wide berth. He'd heard about that place from Virgilia. It was where the Necromancers had taken her friend, Randonil. The Champion had helped to rescue him, and he was now the chapter head for the Mages Guild in Anvil. Clark had heard a few more Necromancer stories from him, too. He didn't mention Necromancers to Morgiah yet, that was a topic that needed more time, and they needed to get to Brotch Camp first.

The shadows were getting longer as they approached Brotch Camp. Nothing significant had troubled their journey so far. A few wolves had seen them, but they were dispatched by fireballs before they even got close. A boar that they flushed from a bush around lunchtime had provided their lunch, as well as bit of shortsword practice for Rinnala.

There was a plume of smoke drifting up from a campfire, so his hope that it would be empty proved false. The question was, how many bandits were in residence, and what sort of opposition would they present?

Clark had learned the benefit of spell reflection and absorption from his run-in with the Dibella cult, so he was wearing the same outfit today. He also had a sturdy shield, in case they were using regular weapons. Morgiah was completely unarmored, but he knew she would use spells for defense. Rinnala paired her shortsword with a buckler, favoring speed over anything else. He'd seen her in action against the boar, and thought he detected a shield enchantment, so he wasn't too concerned about her. They should be good against anything but archers.

Luckily, the pair of Khajiiti were armed with blunts. The female had a heavy warhammer, and the male an axe and shield. Rinnala picked the female and pointed him to the male. Morgiah would hold off and use ranged spells. They had the advantage of numbers, which should be more than enough to balance the armor advantage of their opponents.

His own blade skill was not that great, but when he went out with the sisters he'd done well enough by blocking his opponent until one of them could assist. His blocking skill had advanced much more than any offensive one. He hoped that tactic would work with these two, as well.

He edged around the Khajiit, trying to put him between himself and Morgiah, so that she'd get a clear shot at his back. It would also put him further from Rinnala and her bandit, so the two battles would stay separate. The cat swung his axe, and Clark raised his shield at just the right time to deflect it. As the axe slid off his shield, he saw Morgiah hurl her first spell.

---

When he came to, he was aware of Morgiah's hand on his forehead. "Sorry I didn't warn you," she said contritely. "I used a spell with an area effect, and got both of you. The Khajiit got more of it, and it looked like some reflected from you onto him. Your head doesn't hurt, does it? That spell's supposed to knock you out, but I forget if it feels like it."

It didn't, although it hadn't been pleasant at the time, and she had at least dispelled it before it could have any after-effects.

The Khajjit, however, was still unconscious. He had taken most of the spell's effect. Rinnala had laid him out on a bedroll, taken off his cuirass, and was tying his wrists securely to tent-stakes.

"What about the female?" He asked.

"Dead," Morgiah responded. "Rinnala didn't want to have to kill her, but she ran onto her sword. Those warhammers have a lot of momentum, and you can't help going with them."

He helped Rinnala pull the male's boots and greaves off, and they tied his ankles to another pair of stakes.
"I'm glad we could keep the male alive," said Morgiah. "There aren't a lot a of Khajiiti in the Summerset Isle, and certainly none around the court. Rinnala probably doesn't know about their peculiarities."

Rinnala was bit annoyed about being discussed in her presence as if she wasn't there. "What peculiarities?"

"Well, why don't you wake him up and ask him?" Morgiah could barely keep a straight face.

Rinnala used the same touch spell that Morgiah had used to bring him round. It took a few moments before his eyes could focus, and when he saw the three of them standing over him, his first reaction was to flee. But he was securely tied down, and couldn't move. After a short struggle, he saw that it was futile, and subsided.

"Why'd you keep this one alive?" he asked. "Even a Necromancer prefers a dead victim."

"Education," replied Morgiah. "My ... friend ... has something to learn, and I'm sure you'll learn from your failure today, too."

"So you're going to torture this one, are you?"

"Not exactly. Rinnala, would you take your shirt off, please? Show our prisoner what you have under there."

Rinnala looked puzzled, but she did as her mother asked.

"Nice pair, but there is no understanding," he grinned. "Where's the pain in looking at those?"

Clark was feeling mild discomfort, and had to adjust his clothing. The other presumably didn't find elves quite as arousing as he did, or maybe it was just fear. Either way, Morgiah instructed her daughter to strip off completely.

A fully nude woman had the effect Morgiah was expecting. As Rinnala watched, it became apparent to her what her mother had meant.

Rinnala knelt down and took a closer look. She reached out a finger and touched the barbs. Her gentle touch almost was the torture the poor Khajiit had feared. He moaned involuntarily and she snatched her hand back.

"That looks very uncomfortable," the young woman told her mother. "How do they ever persuade the females to mate with them?"

"Mostly, they don't." Clark told her all he knew about the Khajiiti. How the females were completely under the control of the moons' cycles, and all but oblivious when they mated. "They're even more driven to it than you are."

"It's not as bad as it looks, either," Morgiah joined in. "Your grandmother did it with a Khajiit called Therris, back when she was your age. She told me it was one of the most intense experiences she'd ever had. Mind you, Barenziah was an exceptional woman."

"Anyhow, you're in the driving seat here. You can do whatever you want, because he's not going anywhere for a while. Take all the time you need, and be sure to teach him something while you're at it. Meanwhile, there's another bedroll over there, and Clark has something I need to attend to."


----------

*The screenshot has my latest test character, not Clark, in it. He's got the sisters in tow wherever he goes.

Posted by: mALX Apr 16 2013, 12:50 AM

BWAAHAA!



This fascinated me. Your transitions between Lore and your own world-building for your mods is always so smooth that unless I know the Lore I can't tell where it stops and your story starts. Here is one of those places.

Did a gate open up in Firsthold? I honestly don't know, but if it didn't and this is from your creative mind, I am totally in awe of your ability to shadow the Lore this way! AWESOME !!!

*mALX searches for bowing down emoticon*

Loved that screen shot, Love seeing your mods in action!



SPEW !!! Like barbs? ROFL !!!



OMG, I nearly choked to death on this!

Ah yes, the scene with Barenziah and Therris - who could forget that? Lol.



So I read, ROFL !!! Awesome chapter, I am loving this addition to your mod!


*

Posted by: ghastley Apr 16 2013, 01:19 AM

I don't know for sure, but we do know from Lathenil's book in Skyrim that the Daedra did invade there and take down the Crystal Tower. I'm assuming a gate per major city as in Cyrodiil. Oblivion has "news from the other provinces" that indicates gates in Morrowind, and Black Marsh, and that's enough to suggest all provinces got the same treatment.

Posted by: mALX Apr 16 2013, 01:24 AM

I haven't seen the Skyrim book, but the "news from other provinces" is very interesting - I will def peek into the dialogue boxes for that one, haven't seen it yet! (but wasn't looking, lol). Awesome Write, Ghastley!

Posted by: ghastley Apr 16 2013, 01:45 AM

Some conversation examples:

I have heard things are bad in Vvardenfell. The Telvanni do their best to close the gates, but it is to no avail.

The news has not been good. I've heard it said that the daedra have overrun the town of Ald'ruhn. The entire town has been destroyed.

There is grave news from Skyrim. From Falkreath to Windhelm, the foul daedra attack the land.

I hear all of Skyrim is under siege. The daedra lay waste to the Old Holds, and there is little to do to stop it.

Many Argonians say they have been "called back" to Black Marsh. They disappear into the swamps and are never seen again.

The last one doesn't mention Daedra or gates explicitly, but there are other lore references that indicate the "call back" was to fight the Daedra.

Posted by: mALX Apr 16 2013, 01:47 AM

Thank you so much! I def need to listen better in game, these are great!

Posted by: Acadian Apr 16 2013, 07:14 PM

What a pleasant view your screenshot provides to follow through the golden grasses of the Gold Coast! I can see why Rinalla can raise a cat’s barbs.

Neat to hear about how the Ob Crisis went in other parts of Tamriel, and a grim reminder of Kvatch.



Nit? Do you want 'camp' or 'Camp' when associated with the actual name of the place? (My recommendation would be Brotch Camp, but more important is consistency.) –
'They carried on past Bodean Camp, ...
...they needed to get to Brotch camp first.
The shadows were getting longer as they approached Brotch Camp.'

Posted by: Grits Apr 18 2013, 12:02 AM

If that was Clark in the screenshot, he wouldn’t need to adjust his trousers. I liked hearing about the Oblivion crisis in the other provinces.

I chuckled at “Nice pair.” Isn’t that what Therris says? What an educational trip!

Posted by: ghastley Apr 22 2013, 04:04 PM

@mALX: Since the mod's events are set in around 4E1 or 2, I need to make it fit what's reported in Skyrim as well as the Oblivion 'rumors' dialog, which is fun when they contradict each other. I'm also using known stuff from Daggerfall and Morrowind, although the latter is harder when I don't have a copy of the game! Apart from Helseth, who does get a fair amount of mentions in this part, as Morgiah's brother, I'm not sure who's a canonical survivor into this time. Morrowind didn't do "essential" the same way as the other games, so everyone could be dead!

@Acadian: Again your proof-reading catches the elusive ones. I'm usually using too many capitals, perhaps a hang-over from German, where all nouns are "proper'.

@Grits: I was hoping someone would pick up that quote from the book.

I have since re-run the quest with Clark in the lead, and I may post a screen-shot from that later. There are still a few loose ends in the choreography of the Rinnala/Khajiit scene (which all happens in a closed tent out of view). It took me a long time to stop the bandit getting up and going to sleep in another tent. Rinnala was quite offended! And I want to re-work the closed tent model a bit before release.

----------------

Black Queen's Gambit - Part 4

"So how do you know so much about Khajiit mating?" Morgiah asked him. "Dunmer, I can understand, although you surprised me a couple of times."

Clark told her about Shulassa and Tsarrina at Gweden. As far as he knew, they might be the only female Khajiiti who really knew what was happening when they mated. And yes, he'd asked about that. Shulassa had shrugged and told him it was just different. She liked it with or without, no preference for one over the other.

"Rinnala's apparently taken to it," Clark added. "How many times have we heard her so far?"

"More than we've managed, that's for sure. I'm starting to feel cheated." Morgiah replied, wondering if Clark was getting aroused by the sounds from across the campsite. She certainly was.

Her own experience with Khajiiti men had been under different conditions. She'd taken drugs to reduce the intensity, as she'd wanted to keep full control. That had left her with a feeling that she'd missed out on something. And Rinnala was getting it full-strength, as much as she wanted.

Clark may not been able to read Morgiah's mind but it was clear to him that he needed to distract her, or she'd be running over and taking her daughter's place. This was his best opportunity so far to really get Morgiah off-guard.

"Have you wondered why they didn't just send a hulking Orc with a battleaxe to escort you?" he asked her. He didn't dare let her think too much about that, so he answered his own question. "Because you need a guide, not a guard. Someone who knows the territory, and I don't just mean the land, I mean the people, too. You need to be kept clear of the all the threats against this journey, and the worst of those are ..." He trailed off, letting her fill in the space with her own thoughts.

"I need to know where you think the threat is coming from," he continued after a moment. "You mentioned those fear-mongers, the Beautiful, but I got the impression that they weren't the only ones. There's some other group that has you worried, isn't there?"

"If I knew who they were, I'd have dealt with them myself." Morgiah replied with a disgusted look on her face. "But all we see is the results. Someone's stirring up the common folk, but nobody ever seems to know where rumors started, or who was the first to complain. That's not easy to manage, and their competence is what has me scared. It started even before the Daedra invaded, but it got worse after. The gates used up a lot of good soldiers that would otherwise have kept a lid on things."

She clung tightly to him, as if for reassurance, and that gave her the opportunity to change the subject. Clark smiled, recognising those tactics. She was good at this, too. "Of course, Rinnala thinks you were sent to look after her needs, not because we needed any help with the journey. They all think they're immortal, and capable of anything, at her age. Travelling across Cyrodiil with just a map and a shortsword seems easy to her."

---

In the morning, Clark and Morgiah found the other pair still asleep in each other's arms. She'd obviously untied him at some point, once she trusted him not to run away. When she'd found the time to do that wasn't clear. Last night, it had sounded like non-stop action. Clark told Morgiah that another quirk of the Khajiiti men was that they had to be ready for the "feast or famine" nature of the females by being ready to mate many times in quick succession.

The other side of the coin was that they'd have to be prepared to wait a whole month for the next opportunity, so it evened out over the course of time. That was good, because they'd have to leave him behind. Morgiah was a little worried by that thought. She was sure that he'd have heard her use Rinnala's name, and didn't she mention Barenziah, too? Did he know too much for them to let him live?

"Look at them," said Clark "Don't you think he's on our side now? Have some faith in your daughter's abilities, even if they are a bit uncontrolled at this stage."

Morgiah didn't look convinced.

"And if you really need to be certain, stay here another day, and work on him yourself."

He knew before she responded what her decision would be.

---

They helped bury the dead female, and make a small pile of rocks to mark the site. She hadn't been his mate, just a fellow bandit he'd recently teamed with. It hadn't been long enough for the moons to take control of her, so he didn't know if she'd accept him, or go and hide herself when the time came. He'd not really thought about it. Khajiit don't, it just happens.

And mating didn't necessarily create any permanent attachment. A female in heat couldn't always escape her own desires, and she'd do it with someone she didn't really care for. If there were several men around, and she was unattached, they'd most likely all get a turn.

So no, he didn't feel bound to Rinnala in any way. Grateful, and happy to serve again if called upon, but that was all. She was too strange, too foreign. "But exotic, and erotic, are only one letter different. Khajiit has certainly learned from this."

---

"Do you think I'm just a slut?" Rinnala asked. Clark had to think fast. There's no right answer to that question, so he answered another one.

"If you'd asked me if your breasts are too small, or too large, I'd point out that they fit my hand perfectly. That's because you wouldn't really want an answer, you'd just want me to give them a bit more attention. You would have asked, because you'd be worried that I might be ignoring them because I don't like them. You should know I think they're just right, but you'd ask anyway, just to get me thinking about them."

"So I'm guessing that your question means that you over-did things last night, and you're feeling a little sore. You're wondering why you didn't know when enough was enough, so you ask that other question, really meaning that you want to be treated gently tonight."

The way she smiled at him told him that he was right. But then a frown crossed her face. "Why do you think I'm not happy with the size of my breasts?"

Clark was saved by a loud cry of mixed pain and ecstasy coming from the other side of the camp. Rinnala laughed. She knew just how Morgiah felt. And Clark had taken the hint and was doing exactly what she'd wanted. She didn't ask any more questions.

Posted by: Acadian Apr 23 2013, 07:13 PM

Does this dress make my butt look too big?

And in between talk of kitty licks, breast size and other prickly subjects, Clark tries to learn a bit more about the nature of the threat they face.

Loved this:
”Travelling across Cyrodiil with just a map and a shortsword seems easy to her."

Posted by: mALX Apr 23 2013, 07:26 PM

Loved your world building of Khajiit lore here, having a pride of feral cats you have nailed their biological functions down amazingly well, lol.

Clark makes a great diplomat, but he met his match in Morgiah.

I absolutely loved this chapter, you have touched on so many facets so subtly they could have been missed if anyone thought the sole focus should be on all the mating calls in the air - Loved this! Awesome write !!!

Posted by: Grits Apr 29 2013, 02:30 PM

Travelling across Cyrodiil with just a map and a shortsword seems easy to her.
I just love this line. It’s the exact attitude of many young characters who think they’re immortal in the game. (And actually are if you re-load them.)

"Do you think I'm just a slut?" Rinnala asked.
Quick thinking from Clark! Change the subject to breast size, and she’ll forget all about the slut question. Thankfully Morgiah could change the subject from all the way across camp.

I enjoyed the Khajiit discussion. I wonder if Clark will meet some Argonians? I still have some questions about them.

Posted by: ghastley Apr 29 2013, 11:36 PM

@Acadian: If you try to squeeze into Buffy's dresses, what do you expect? Not everyone can have the perfect petite posterior, and I suspect you've spent too much time sitting around on yours, (watching hers?)

@mALX: The real question is whether I've got the late-teen Dunmer's biological functions right.

@Grits: Just wait until Clark has to go on assignment with Nelrene, the Mazken, who actually is immortal. She tends to forget that Clark isn't. Clark has "interviewed" Dark-Eyes at Gweden, but that's only half the story.

------------------


Black Queen's Gambit - Part 5

Their next destination was Lakeside Camp near the road out of Chorrol, only a couple of hours away. They'd be able to bathe there, and If they got there early enough, they'd have time to try fishing for their supper, too. This was only a short journey, but there weren't any other campsites in Chorrol County, so their options were limited. Clark had already guessed where they'd head after that, as Bruma County was equally sparse.

It made sense that they'd be going north of the Imperial City. Although there were more campsites for a southern route, they'd have to cross the Niben somewhere. Morgiah would expect the bridges to be watched. That could also be an issue with the few trails through the mountains, but that was a much less hospitable area to lie in wait.

And some of that was patrolled by the Mountain Riders. He wasn't sure if their routes had changed, but Unna had been on the Lipsand Tarn to Hermaeus Mora Shrine stretch, and Claudia from there to the trail into Bruma. They'd likely see Pala between Dragon Claw Rock and the campsite, part of which was right on the trail. Then the next day's journey would probably see Svana and Ystrel, if they were headed for the Morrowind border where he expected. Most of the trip would be safe from whatever Morgiah feared.

That was assuming they didn't go through part of Skyrim. He didn't think that was probable, as Falkreath lay at the only border crossing, and they wanted to avoid towns. He didn't know much of Skyrim either, and he'd been told he'd be with them until the Morrowind border. So that meant going north-east of Cheydinhal somewhere.

But he was thinking too far ahead. It wasn't too far to Chorrol, and he needed to steer a little further North to avoid going too close to Pillaged Mine. They didn't want to get involved with any goblins.

So in avoiding the goblins, they met a troll instead. He and Rinnala readied their shields to block the beast's attack, while Morgiah began building up for a fireball. It seemed to hesitate for a moment, trying to decide which one of them it should charge first, when the fireball struck.

"Morgiah must have trained with the same teacher as Delphine Jend," Clark though to himself, as the troll's body flew through the air to land somewhere in the woods. "I'm just glad it didn't get close, or we'd have all been caught in that blast!" Rinnala must have been thinking something similar, because the look she gave her mother spoke volumes.

That was their only adversary, and the campsite was empty when they arrived. It wasn't far from Chorrol, and he doubted it got used much. Most honest people would get a room in town, and anyone who didn't dare show their face there would camp further away, or hide in a cave or mine. He asked Morgiah if she wouldn't prefer one of those options, but she didn't want to get trapped in a place with only one or two exits. Campsites out in the open were much safer, even here near the city. And he already knew there weren't any others they could reach before dark.

There was a small boat tied up at one end of the little lake. Since you could walk all round the edge in a few minutes, it obviously wasn't for getting to the other side. That meant there could well be fish to catch. They looked around the campsite for rods, or hooks, but found nothing.

"We'll have to use the Argonian method," Morgiah announced.

Clark looked puzzled until Rinnala explained. "Go down there and join them. If you don't have claws, a touch paralysis spell will catch a fish just as well as a hook. You just have to patient and let them come close to you."

"Well you can go do that, while I try to find a pan to cook it in," he replied. "I don't know that spell, and I only just learned to breathe underwater the other day."

He didn't find a pan, but there were a few plates, and one of them was metal. He hoped it would stand up to being used as a makeshift skillet. It didn't have to. Rinnala had found the cooking equipment in a chest on the bottom of the lake. Why it was there was a mystery, it didn't look worth stealing.

"My guess would be that whoever set up this camp didn't want to make it too hospitable, or he'd be run off by bandits. Probably an Argonian, if he hid the stuff under the water." Morgiah's idea seemed to make sense, except for one thing.

"But why would an Argonian need a boat?"

Rinnala's hasty retreat from the water gave them the answer. "There are Slaughterfish in there!"

"Then you won't have any problems persuading them to come to you," Morgiah gave Rinnala an evil grin and sent her back in. "Just look tasty."

---

"I wasn't scared of them, I was just startled to see any in a lake that small," she explained while they ate the creature that had tried to eat her. "I don't understand how they find enough to eat."

"Maybe the boat-owner feeds them," he suggested. "There's not many places around here you could catch one, so they'd fetch a decent price. And the scales are valuable to alchemists, so he could have been trading those too."

Morgiah wondered what they'd been fed on. "You didn't see any skeletons down there, did you?" she asked her daughter."It would be the perfect way to dispose of people who you need to disappear."

"No, and I'm not going back to look."

---

The day was only half over, but they weren't travelling any further until the next morning. That left them with nothing to do but read a book, or sunbathe on the shore of the lake. Clark tried to do the former, but with both women lying naked in the sun, he was finding it hard to concentrate on the story.

He decided to join them. Maybe if he were to lie down over there, then Morgiah would block his view of Rinnala, and he'd only have half the problem. And he wanted to talk to Morgiah about Mannimarco and the necromancers. He'd have enough time for that today.

Tomorrow they'd be passing near Echo Cave, where the Champion had fought Mannimarco. It would likely be an area where they could expect to run into necromancers, and any influence she still had with them would be worth knowing about. That gave hm the perfect excuse for bringing up the subject.

Morgiah was surprised to hear that Mannimarco had returned to Nirn. She hadn't been in Wayrest at the time of the Numidium event; she'd been on her way to Firsthold, but she had heard that Mannimarco had got his wish of becoming a god. Wasn't there something called the Necromancer's Moon to prove it?

At the time she'd dealt with him, he'd already been a Lich. He'd achieved a limited immortality, in that age and disease couldn't touch him, but he was still vulnerable to violence. Surrounding himself with trusted people helped that, but most of them were mortal, and needed replacing after a time. He'd also had to give something up to become a Lich, and putting aside the frailties of the flesh took away some of the pleasures, too.

Her problem with approaching King Karoodil was the opportunity he needed. Morgiah couldn't remember who'd contacted whom, but Mannimarco had agreed to help Karoodil speak with his dead son, if Morgiah would let him share her mind on her first night with her new husband.

Morgiah had experienced a lot of different things when it came to sex, but having someone else in her mind sounded like it might be creepy enough to spoil her fun. And, "Mine, not his?" she'd asked. She assumed that Mannimarco would be missing that side of the dance.

"Oh, I already know what it's like to sleep with you," he'd chuckled, in that disturbing way that only Liches can. "I leave it to you to guess which of your lovers had my help. ... Or how many."

She looked at Clark in a strange way. "You're experienced beyond your apparent years," she told him. "It almost makes me wonder if you haven't got an ancient Lich riding along with you."

Clark was used to Taminwe messing with his mind with off-the-wall comments like that, but that one was different. It left him more than a little uneasy.

The Mannimarco that the Champion had described didn't fit her picture either. He wasn't a Lich at all, and just appeared to be a normal Altmer, albeit one of prodigious magical ability. Apparently when the Jills of Akatosh repaired the Warp in the West and reconciled the branches of time, they chose to revert Mannimarco to his mortal form. Or maybe that was only part of him. Something kept the Necromancer's Moon functioning, and that hadn't stopped when the mortal Mannimarco died. Clark decided that he'd never understand the metaphysical.

The physical, he could handle, and that appeared to be what Morgiah felt, too. Rinnala had found the book Clark had abandoned, and was reading it as she let the warm sun work on her back. He slipped quietly into the main tent with Morgiah.

She didn't mind discussing the Necromancers, as long as it didn't distract him too much from what she wanted. And she preferred to do so where Rinnala wasn't listening. They weren't a group she had any sympathy for, and she didn't want her daughter getting curious about them. They were, at the time, a tool to be used. She wanted Karoodil, and only Mannimarco offered a means.

The information she gave him merely confirmed what he already knew about them. It appeared that any influence she might have had was lost by now. She'd had little contact with any necromancers in Firsthold, and only a few mer were likely to still be around from those she'd met in Wayrest. The chance of any of them being in Cyrodiil was minimal.

----------

Notes: The little pond with the boat at the dock is a familiar landmark north-east of Chorrol. I added a couple of tents and a campfire for the mod, plus putting a slaughterfish in the water to account for it all.

Despite the Legion Patrolmen and Imperial City guards all telling you to stay on the roads, it's a lot safer not to, so they aren't meeting much danger, except when there are bandits at the camps. And that wasn't all bad.

Posted by: Acadian Apr 30 2013, 07:51 PM

Awesomesauce in blue velvet! I see that the Diva of Destruction, Delphine, is as legendary in Clark’s world as she is in Buffy’s and Maxical’s!

’Rinnala's hasty retreat from the water gave them the answer. "There are Slaughterfish in there!"
"Then you won't have any problems persuading them to come to you," Morgiah gave Rinnala an evil grin and sent her back in. "Just look tasty."

Hiding the pots & pans at the bottom of the lake with a slaughterfish on guard duty. Yup, must be an Argonian's camp.

Posted by: mALX May 1 2013, 01:55 AM

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You absolutely have the teen female Dunmer down pat from everything I've read about them, lol.

I'm with Acadian on loving the whole fishing scene, and what a brilliant idea that Argonians would hide their valuables at the bottom so their campsites wouldn't be usurped! You never cease to surprise with your ideas !!!

Clark sending the women in to face slaughterfish while he stood around with a metal plate in his hands waiting had me rolling !!!

So did Clark thinking he'd only have "Half a problem" if Morgiah blocked his view of Rinnala. SPEW! Like it would only be half as high? Lol.

This floored me as totally awesome:

I have to agree with you on staying off road when traveling in Cyrodiil and Skyrim both - have always had much fewer problems that way. Totally Awesome chapter, I loved this one!


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Posted by: Grits May 4 2013, 07:21 PM

I knew exactly where you meant from your pond description, even though you added some parts. Xbox Jerric has spent some time in the Battlehorn Castle area recently. That pond is his bathtub. I love the cooking clutter in the secret chest. Sounds like an Argonian mystery to me! Love it.

"Oh, I already know what it's like to sleep with you," he'd chuckled, in that disturbing way that only Liches can. "I leave it to you to guess which of your lovers had my help. ... Or how many."

Yikes. Creepy. As is the thought that Clark might have an unknown passenger.

Posted by: ghastley May 6 2013, 04:38 PM

@Acadian: How could Delphine not be a legend? Her spell is in all the best catalogs.

@mALX: maybe, but it was Morgiah that sent her daughter back once it was known there were slaughterfish.

@Grits: My game doesn't have Battlehorn Castle, but that pond has always intrigued me with its pointless dock and boat. So I added the slaughterfish to make sense of it. It's a good thing Jerric didn't find it in his bathtub.

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Black Queen's Gambit - Part 6

They continued around the outskirts of Chorrol, taking care stay in the shadows of the trees. When they reached the trail leading north towards Cloud Top, they followed it for a while, before branching off east. At the first small bridge, Morgiah stopped to survey the hills above them. This was a likely spot for an ambush, as any travellers would have only one way across the small ravine. She cast a Detect Life spell, which revealed nothing, and they continued across.

Although the trail was narrow, Morgiah didn't seem so concerned about following it. They could get off the cleared path if they had to, and the higher ground was an awkward place for an attacker to reach. "Once we get up above the tree line, there won't be anywhere for them to hide," she reasoned.

With the trail itself as guide, Clark could spend some time talking to Rinnala as they walked. Taminwe had told him a lot less about her, than about her mother.

He asked about her combat teacher, the Orc that he knew was Gortwog's son, but she believed was just a hired mercenary. He'd obviously taught her short-sword, and he'd seen her in action, so he knew how skilled she was. "What about other weapons?" he asked.

Lumog (not his real name) had given her lessons in all the weapons, from Dagger to Claymore in Blades, and Maces to War-hammers, and all sizes of Axe in Blunts. She'd trained with bucklers, tower shields, and everything in between. He'd seen that her speed was more of an advantage than the reach of a longer, but slower, weapon, and had steered her to short-word, which could both cut and stab quickly. She preferred a light shield, too, for the same reasons.

"And the bow?" Clark asked. "Did you learn any archery, or do you use spells at range?"

Rinnala grinned broadly. "I didn't have the concentration to be a good archer. If there was a man anywhere near me, I'd be watching him instead of the target."

Clark hadn't seen her use any ranged spells. Morgiah had already mentioned teaching her some, so he presumed she had at least a little natural ability with magic. "Armor? I'd assume Orcish wouldn't be your style."

"No, it's as light as possible for me. And you can enchant leather to make it as impenetrable as steel or glass, so what's the point of anything heavy? Besides, tight leather can almost be a weapon for a woman."

"But I did learn to use any type of armor I might find. Lumog told me, too, that training in the armor would teach me what its limitations were. That would help me exploit them when my opponent was wearing it. So I'm proficient in Heavy Armor, even if I don't use it."

"You must have spent a lot of time with him," Clark reasoned. "That's a lot of ground to cover."

"Well, my brother and I started quite young. Kids are always getting into fights, and my mother wanted to be sure we'd win! And when I got older, she had other reasons for keeping me out of trouble. She trusted Lumog enough to let him teach me other things."

"Was he your only teacher, then?"

"Oh, no. There were other tutors for the academic subjects. Mostly boring old Altmer that spent all their time lecturing me, or making me write essays. The Alchemy tutor was a woman, and she taught me to make a few potions that a woman would find useful, and a male tutor might not have known about. And I did pay attention in philosophy classes. My mother had told me that one attribute men like in a woman is depth."

Clark managed to keep a straight face, and asked about speech-craft. That would be essential around the court. Did she have a special tutor for that?

Morgiah had taken that responsibility herself. What she taught wasn't just etiquette, but all the things a young princess would need. How to flatter an older man with her attentions, how to act naive and innocent, and the one that her mother had learned from Elysana - how to act dumb when you weren't.

She winked at him when she said that.

---

They were interrupted by the sound of a bear galloping along the trail towards them. Instead of the usual angry roar, though, they heard the delighted call of a Nord rider. Unna coaxed her bear to a halt, and leaped off to come and greet them. Rinnala was somewhat amazed at how little the Nord was wearing, and Clark had to explain about the bears' issues with armor, and frost shield, and everything.

"So Nords are resistant to Frost, like we're resistant to Fire." It made sense to her at last. "That makes them a good match to the requirements of the job. I suppose there aren't any Dunmer in the Mountain Riders."

Clark knew there was at least one, and there was a chance they'd meet Ystrel near the end of the trip. That would depend on where they intended to cross into Morrowind.

Morgiah had come over to them, and he introduced Unna. He didn't mention that his travelling companions were the Queen and Princess of Firsthold, but he did use their real names. Unna could be trusted, and besides, he'd forgotten if they'd ever decided on any false ones.

Unna told them that she'd met up with Claudia near the Hermaeus Mora Shrine, and she'd reported clearing a few bandits off her section of the trail. "Good, it usually takes a few days before any more come back.
That means we might get through the mountains without any opposition." Clark was pleased with the news, even if the timing also meant he was less likely to see Claudia.

"You'll probably meet wolves, though. And without a bear of your own, you could find a wandering brown bear crossing your path. They know when Thor's coming, and steer clear of us." Unna was proud of her mount, and grateful for his help.

Unna remounted and headed off along the trail they'd come along. They could count on the next section being clear of any threat, if she'd done her job.

---

The statue at the Hermaeus Mora shrine was visible from the trail. It was a little higher up the mountainside, and the main path curved away from it, with a side-trail winding up to the shrine. "Do we go past the shrine, or the other way?" asked Morgiah. "I'm detecting three life signs up there, and I don't know if they're hostile or not."

Three was the right number for the usual worshippers. He'd met them when he and Claudia passed them on the way to Sky's Edge Cave and Falkreath. An odd bunch, but not what you'd call dangerous. And anyway, they weren't going that way today. "We take the lower path," he replied.

Now they were a little closer to the shrine, he could just hear the drunken singing of Norasa. She'd apparently got another bottle from Unna, and he could picture her dancing in her underwear while the men watched. No, not dangerous, although the way Norasa sang might attract wolves.

---

The next part of their journey took them across several small bridges. Morgiah was extra-alert when they crossed each one, but nothing disturbed their passage. They heard wolves in the distance at one point, but didn't see any.

Before long, the trail forked again. Clark knew that to the West was Sancre Tor, not somewhere he'd want to go, especially with people he wanted to protect. They needed to go East, towards Bruma. This was the end-point of Claudia's route, and they hadn't met her. That could mean she was heading for the Lodge for a break, or that she'd been off the trail when they passed. Clark was hoping it was the first, as she'd have gone ahead of them along this next part of the trail. It was a section that didn't have a regular rider assigned. Gudrun had talked about riding the spare bear, the one that had been Uzgash's, along this way. Clark didn't know if that happened or not, and it wasn't likely to be often.

They'd soon be passing near Echo Cave. If there were any Necromancers left in the area, that was where they'd be. After that, there were Legion foresters that kept things relatively safe, although he'd had to duck an arrow or two when there were deer to hunt. At least they weren't actually aiming at him.

They left the trail when they got close to Bruma itself. It would have taken them too close to the city, and Morgiah didn't want that. It meant skirting around the Ayleid ruin at Rielle, too.

As they crossed the road that lead north to Cloud Ruler Temple, it was late afternoon. They'd need to make better progress if they were going to make it to Two-Decker Camp before nightfall. They chose to pass the battlefield where the wreck of the Great Siege Engine still lay among the rubble of the Gates. It was an area that wild animals still seemed to avoid, even this long after the battle was over. Rinnala and Morgiah gazed in awe at the size of the Daedric war machine, but nobody wanted to stop for a closer look.

They met Pala at Dragon Claw Rock. She'd just cleared a pair of bandits out of the camp they were headed for. "Yes, I know you did most of the work," she said to her bear, who seemed to understand what she was saying to them. "And you'll get your reward as soon as we get to the Lodge." Pala was clearly on her way for her break, so he didn't hold her up any longer than necessary.

"Give my regards to Timo," he called after her, as she headed down the road.

"Who's Timo?" asked Rinnala.

Clark had to explain why the Mountain Riders needed recharging services. "They go that long without?" Rinnala was incredulous. "That's definitely not a job for a Dunmer."