Today In Skyrim (Spoilerific), Like the other one, but with added spoilers!!! Options

[Grits]

Denelle the Deuce spent her sixteenth birthday looking for work. Brynjolf’s organization was full of hard cases, and their boss offered her a job that would get her instantly killed. Several of the merchants wanted things gathered, but the things mostly came from the bodies of deadly creatures. Some man in the Bee and Barb asked her to cross the Black-Briars. Then the Argonian proprietors threw her out. She tried to use her last coin to buy some luck, but even the beggar Edda wouldn’t take her coin. (Which was strange.)

Out of desperation she went into the Scorched Hammer.

Asbjorn had shaved his head, grown a beard, and doubled in size since he left the orphanage. His work kept him busy indoors, and in all of the times Denelle had slipped out into town she had never caught a glimpse of him. But this man had Asbjorn’s pale eyes and sweet smile.

“Have you met Balimund?” he asked her. “I'm his apprentice. He's teaching me all about being a blacksmith.”

“I’ve met him.” Denelle chewed her lip. “Do you remember me? I was only little when Balimund took you away.”

“Aye. You’re not much bigger now. But you could learn to craft with hides, I’d wager. Ask Balimund to show you. He has a kind heart.”

Balimund spent some time showing her how to work the forge despite his obvious doubt that she could manage it.

“Well, you show a little promise,” he finally told her. “I’m not gonna lie, your work isn’t worth the leather it’s made of. But keep at it and you’ll improve.”

“All right. Thank you, Balimund. And I’ll keep an eye out for those fire salts you need.”

He must have noticed her dismay. “Say, you’re a Breton. You’ll be better at alchemy than smithing, I’d wager. Speak to Hafjorg down at Elgrim’s Elixirs. I’m sure she’ll show you the basics. Maybe you’ll have a knack for it. I never could get the hang of it myself.”

Hafjorg was happy to let Denelle read their books and use the alchemy table. She even had a job for her.

“Be careful, dear,” the old woman advised. “The road to Shor’s Stone can be dangerous.”

Denelle spent the afternoon gathering alchemy ingredients outside the city walls under the watchful eyes of her wolf familiar. As the sun set she began to shiver. Everything she owned was in the rough sack at her feet, and she still had nowhere to sleep that night. She wasn’t welcome at Haelga’s Bunkhouse or the Bee and Barb. None of the merchants trusted her enough to offer shelter. Even Beggar’s Row was closed to her.

She shouldered her bag and headed back into the city. Tomorrow was another day. She would go to Shor’s Stone and prove she could be trusted. But tonight she would have to find some corner in the Ratway.

[SubRosa]

Poor Denelle, what is a Deuce to do? Given her name, I wonder if she is going to drive one of These to Shor's Stone?

[Renee Gade IV]

I'm assuming Denelle can't do business in Riften 'cause of the Thieves Guild. That's a questline I've started a couple times but never finished, but I've heard it starts getting more and more interesting (after the shopkeeper bullying part) which intrigues me.

Lord Haaf-Mersey has that minor quest from the smith Brynjolf: He's supposed to collect 10 fire salts. He's probably already done so; problem is he keeps leaving them all over Skyrim, so the quest never gets finished.



This post has been edited by Renee Gade IV: May 10 2013, 02:50 PM

[Grits]

Poor Denelle, what is a Deuce to do? Given her name, I wonder if she is going to drive one of These to Shor's Stone?

I love it! Denelle IS a little deuce coupe! She’s stripped down (carries only a hide shield and dagger) and hopped up (most points in stamina), plus she’s a redhead and we know that the red ones go faster. She made a dash for Kharjo's amulet in a mostly outdoor bandit stronghold that really surprised me. She had no intention of killing all of those people. And why bother when you can just run past them?

I'm assuming Denelle can't do business in Riften 'cause of the Thieves Guild.

That’s exactly right. The TG quest Taking Care of Business pissed some people off. It works well as mistrust of a recently released orphan who has probably been picking pockets for Brynjolf whenever she had the chance. (The orphan Samuel has dialog about slipping out while Grelod naps to “make a livin’” on the streets.) Denelle could technically still rent a room at the Bee and Barb, but since they gave her the “hit the road” and “There’s the door, why don’t you use it” dialog we’re playing that she’s not welcome. The game would also let her sleep at Haelga’s, but the NPC dialog says no. And if she took the TG bed it would mean she was accepting their insta-death quest. So it’s the Ratway for little D!

[Renee Gade IV]

That’s exactly right. The TG quest Taking Care of Business pissed some people off. It works well as mistrust of a recently released orphan who has probably been picking pockets for Brynjolf whenever she had the chance. (The orphan Samuel has dialog about slipping out while Grelod naps to “make a livin’” on the streets.) Denelle could technically still rent a room at the Bee and Barb, but since they gave her the “hit the road” and “There’s the door, why don’t you use it” dialog we’re playing that she’s not welcome. The game would also let her sleep at Haelga’s, but the NPC dialog says no. And if she took the TG bed it would mean she was accepting their insta-death quest. So it’s the Ratway for little D!

I agree with your decision to follow the NPC dialog instead of the lack of game consequences. Makes sense.

I also could not get past Taking Care of Bizness. That was with Khahkhayre, though, and he wasn't really as much of an evildoer as I had thought he might be. Mycharonna is my other character who started TG, and she botched the very first part of the quest (stealing the ring) but she might find herself interested in checking out the Ratway/TG at some point. We'll have to see. Maybe she will start TG, get asked to bully shopkeepers, and she'll be glad to do it.

Both Pseron Wyrd and Lopov have told me TG gets really good. Makes me want to check it out more definitively.

[Renee Gade IV]

I wrote this a few days ago. I was about to get sick (which I didn't know) and do not even remember writing most of this! ... It's entertaining, but you can tell towards the end I was losing focus!



Tirdas, 9:07 AM, 2nd of Mid Year

Lord Haaf-Mersey

Days Passed: 289
Level: 41


"You shoulddd have seen me at tha height of my addvenddduring career. I was feerless, and took too many reesks. But dat's whad it was all aboud."

Snow falls thick from the sky, and although it is morning, it is hard to tell if this is truely so. On days like this, there isn't much difference between morning, noon and afternoon up here in The Pale.

Lord Haaf-Mersey and his new wife Mjoll the Lioness walk single file out of Dawnstar. Occasionally the Lord raises his hand, casting a spell which is unseen to his other half. oooooooooooo... 'Clairvoyance' it is called. It's a spell which back in the 3rd Era would probably be found in Tamriel's long-lost Mysticism class. But now it's considered Illusion.

...And Haaf-Mersey is glad for this. Mjoll the Lioness hasn't got much of an aptitude for magic, so she cannot see what his spell actually does. And he does not want his new wife to know he is calling upon forces of magic to steer him towards his latest location.

The Lord is trying something new today: a new route back to Winterhold, eschewing roads he has traveled so many times in favor of a walk through packed snow. So he is especially glad when (after awhile) his spell starts to fail him. It tells him to go one way, then seems to change its mind and sends him towards the opposite.

"Blasted to Oblivion!"

He is glad Mjoll can't tell what is happening, magically-speaking. He fears embarassment at the very thought!

"Contemptuous wizardry, cannot one rely simply upon banalities of essence?!"

After awhile, the Lord gives up, and stops casting his magic. Sometimes, one must use his own wits to travel by, especially if he (and she) happen to not be travelling upon a road.

...The Lord gets frustrated, then a brainstorm occurs...

As his clairvoyance spell loses focus, the Lord realizes there are visable shadows falling on the ground, caused by Mjoll and he. Haaf-Mersey remembers his military training (from his Cyrodiilic youth) and orients himself so that their shadows fall behind them. NOW he knows he is headed east, since it is still morning. ... The shadows which fall behind happen to be a long ones, too. The longer the better. When the shadows start to fall directly under their feet, the Lord knows it is about Noon, shadows will no longer be useful, and this means all travel must stop.


"One trick, the natural lights of Kynareth, whose spritis shineth with grace upon these cast-about stones, shalt guide us towards our fate," he says to Mjoll happily, knowing she'll barely be able to understand him.

Lord Haaf-Mersey, the Crusader from Cyrodiil, has just found a very important item, one which will change the fate of Skyrim itself. He and Mjoll need to make it back to an obscure ice cave near Winterhold, where a madman named Septimus awaits.

"My maadher was a sdddrong woman. She's da one who instrudddcted me on my swordfighting techiques. Can you imageen?"

Lord Haaf-Mersey rolls his eyes. Good thing he's leading the pair, and therefore she cannot see this.

As a former adventurer, Mjoll the Lioness has plenty of stories to tell, and he's heard all of them. Many times. He's heard how her "fahhder took her into Morddowind" when she was just a child, and that "da cleef racers made for excallent sport". He has heard how she "once was nearly rubbed by a cut-puhse on da road", but when she "drew Greemsever, I think da poor man soiledd his armors!" Oh, and let us not forget how she's "Nevah been a sell-sword", and "nevah traddded her skills for pay," and "always addveddured on her own terms."

"M'lady Mara, give me strength," the Lord begs as the pair near an Imperial stronghold.

After getting married, Lord Haaf-Mersey returned home to Lakeview Manor, and was surprised when his new wife refused to accept becoming a steward for his property. Now that Mjoll has been traveling about again, she's not accepting a docile, easygoing life in Falkreath Hold, merely tending to gardens and reading books.* She is not wanting to obey him, and give up adventuring. Since Marcurio was no longer staying at Lakeview, this meant that his adopted daughter Lucia would now have to live alone, ... at least until he finds whatever solution there may be to find.

*

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

"I mees da cold air. Walking the breadddth of Skyreem has always feeled my heard with excitemend".

"We walk the breadth of Skyrim now, you twit", the Lord comments under his breath.

The pair make it to Winterhold a day later. Once inside the Frozen Hearth, room rented and bellies full, Lord Haaf-Mersey picks up the Elder Scroll he has retrieved, and tries to read it.

Once again, his efforts are in vain.

This post has been edited by Renee Gade IV: May 10 2013, 11:31 PM

[Darkness Eternal]

Today our vampire hero, Raven Meridius, saved her people by destroying the extremist Harkon. I'll write up the aftermath of the battle and her new station as leader of the clan

This post has been edited by Darkness Eternal: May 14 2013, 05:53 PM

[Renee Gade IV]

Sweet! I can't wait for LHM to take on Harkon.

[Grits]

"I mees da cold air. Walking the breadddth of Skyreem has always feeled my heard with excitemend".

"We walk the breadth of Skyrim now, you twit", the Lord comments under his breath.

That's exactly how I felt whenever one of my characters traveled with Mjoll. And good gracious, LHM married her! His marital dilemma is very entertaining.


Congrats to Raven, DE! I've never had a character survive that questline on the vamp side (yet). I'd like to get to know those NPCs better.

[Darkness Eternal]

I reloaded my last save and Rped Raven's victory. I never felt the ending of the questline was truly complete. Though the vampire character is made leader, nothing truly dramatic changes. The clan might see you as their head, but they still offer the same snide comments -_-

But the remaining side-quests are very fun indeed! Raven had a blast!

~ Raven's Promotion~

"Lord Harkon defeated. I never imagined I'd see the day. My congratulations on defeating Harkon. Clearly, you are the superior vampire. You are the new Master; we bow to your power."

Lord Harkon has been defeated, and his extreme tyrannical plot to bring eternal darkness into the world has followed him into grave. His killer(and ultimately his successor) now plans to bring a new vision into motion and she will start by tying up the loose ends. Garan Marethi confirmed her thoughts on how to begin this dark course.

“The Dawnguard will, no doubt, soon become even more of a nuisance now that Auriel's Bow has been recovered. We need to strike a crippling blow against them before they muster more men against us. They've holed up in an abandoned fort in the Rift. Killing their leaders should discourage an all out war with us."

Raven had a face of exquisite beauty. Lustrous black hair, the color of night, framed her elegant attributes. Her pale white skin was smooth and polished and flawless as alabaster. Fiery eyes burned as red as rubies and bright as liquid fire. The smooth points of her incisors peeked from her red lips. A black cloak draped her lithe body, and two deadly katanas hung from her sides as she marched to secure her final victory. The heart of her people.

She stood at the balcony of Castle Volkihar, overlooking the court with Serana at her side. A crowd of servants and clan members gathered below, murmuring amongst themselves at their new leader.

Raven spoke out loud. “This has been the most trying of times, but we have survived this far. Lord Harkon was our ultimate test—it was the last gasp of extremism and shameful ideals. Though your former lord is no longer here, this clan will survive and it will continue to do so under my hand. We are a clan that will never return to the corrupted visions that have plagues us so deeply. The direction of this course is clear; I am eternally devoted in preserving Our ideals and Our way of life.”

She paced back and forth, hands behind her back and inspired voice loud and clear so that it echoed throughout the castle in a booming voice of sheer authority. “The Dawnguard are relentless. If they are not destroyed to the last creature, there will be a war without end. To sterilize their base of operations shall be my first task as leader of this clan. There will be no living being left behind. Not a single heart left beating. I will topple the Dawnguard leadership, in their 'secret fortress” in the Rift. And I say to you that when they are all eradicated, the remaining vampire hunters will be hunted down and defeated to the last man and woman. We shall tackle the scattered murderers and bring their ridiculous crusade to its fated end!"

The clan clapped and nodded. Raven smiled and lifted her hands enthusiastically. “You must do your part. Become my eyes and ears. Travel to the corners of Skyim and bring the sword to vampire barbarians. Strike down the animals who taint the name of vampyre and bring chaos to our door. Bring order and security to our superior kind! This is my command!”

Her hand touched one of her swords, and she turned to Serana. She felt daylight coming. "Dawn is rising, but for the Dawnguard the eternal night has just begun."

This post has been edited by Darkness Eternal: May 23 2013, 06:38 PM

[Renee Gade IV]

ahh dang. I haven't got to the end of DG yet, and so I forced myself not to read this! Trying not to read spoilers. I'll remember this post, though, and come back to it later on. I'm pretty sure my crusader is nearing the end of the questline

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