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Posted by: Acadian Jun 24 2016, 02:12 PM

Welcome to Book 2 and the continuing adventures of Buffy the Bosmeri mystic archer!

Buffy is a child of Tamriel, raised in Bravil and trained at the Arcane University. Her bigger story arc will eventually and magically cross temporal boundaries, enabling her to travel between the Third and Fourth Eras. Although Book 2 takes place in late Third Era Valenwood, Buffy's magicks and abilities reflect a blend of several games, with Skyrim being the most influential.

Near the end of Book 1, Buffy helped the man she loved, Savlian Matius, free his city of Kvatch. They were successful, but the terrible cost included Savlian's very life. It was a physically and emotionally broken bowgirl who retreated in grief and despair to her ancestral homeland. Book 2 picks up shortly thereafter and chronicles Buffy's journey of recovery and self-discovery through Valenwood.

Book 1 (in both its staggering 176 episode entirety and an executive summary conveniently distilled to 1650 words) is available in my sub forum. That said, enjoying Book 2 does not really require more information than is contained right here in these few introductory paragraphs. For those not familiar with Buffy's long history, reading the executive summary is a nice overview - but not critical for those who wish to just jump right in here. I have taken care within Book 2 to have Buffy review significant aspects of her past as they become relevant.

The Valenwood we depict will certainly be recognizable to those familiar with its lore, but I have taken some geographic and cultural liberties. While forests and jungles are plentiful, we have extended the rolling prairies of Anvil's Gold Coast across the Strid River into the northern portion of Valenwood. Among our several cultural departures from Bosmeri lore, the most significant is that there is no Green Pact in Buffy Fiction. While Bosmer certainly revere nature, they gratefully use both its flora and fauna as needed - restricted primarily by a deep revulsion to wasting nature's precious gifts. This is the same philosophy that Buffy learned as a child from her archery master, Daenlin, as described in Book 1.

Buffy's is a character-driven tale and our focus is on the journey more than the destination. I estimate that, at one episode per week, the book will take roughly six months to post. My fervent hope is that you find our humbly-offered efforts worthy of your time.

Spooked by small tremors beneath his hoofs, a young buck bolted from the moonlit meadow into the surrounding forest.

The ground’s slight quivering soon grew into a quiet rumble from deep beneath its surface. Despite the significant disturbance, it was but a tiny seedling that gently pushed aside the soil until it could unfurl into the night air. Once free, it quickly grew into a young sapling of about the same height as a person. A pair of opposing branches reached out to become arms. The trunk transformed into a feminine torso with two legs. Roots broke free from soil taking the shape of feet. Leaves grew into robes.

The resultant woman slipped her hood back upon slender shoulders, revealing olive skin and a softly featured face. Hair, the color of the loam from which she had risen, was gathered into a rather matronly low ponytail that trailed down her back. Eyes, dark as those of a doe, radiated love and compassion. She lifted her gaze and slowly rose toward the stars.

High enough in the same night sky to nearly touch Masser and Secunda there floated another robed figure. Her coloring was pale. The strong Nordic face was framed by a mane of freely flowing golden hair. Eyes the color of a bright afternoon sky carried wildness and a trace of sadness. She spread her robes into white wings and gently glided downward.

The Nirn Mother and Sky Goddess met atop a cloud and briefly embraced.

With a downward glance from Mara, a table along with three chairs grew from the cloud’s surface. “Will you do the honors, sister?”

Kynareth passed a hand over the table, causing an elegant tea service for three to appear. She looked to the east. “Do I see the slightest hint of light from the horizon?”

“I believe so,” replied Mara.

The two Divines waited quietly as they stood side-by-side, focusing their gaze eastward toward the promise of a new day.

When the grip of night could no longer restrain the sun and the earliest golden beams began to spill across the sky, a butterfly danced up over the edge of the cloud that served as tea platform. On pale green wings the tiny creature fluttered to a hover in front of the Divines.

If there was any warning or display of spellcasting, the blink of an eye would have missed it as the butterfly simply and instantly transformed into a third robed woman.

“Welcome, cousin,” said Mara.

The new arrival slipped back her hood, glanced down at the cloud vapors swirling around her feet then surveyed the scene. Unlike the white robes worn by Mara and Kynareth, the Goddess of Twilight’s robe was black, as was her severely restrained long silken hair. Emerald eyes conveyed the enigmatic blend of light and darkness that was her realm. Voluptuous ruby lips contrasted with her sharply angled cheekbones, gaunt face and creamily pale skin. Her exotic look was complemented by human-sized ears that each rose to a delicate point. “Mara, so nice to see you again. You also, Kyne. . . or is it Kynareth I understand you’re calling yourself these days?” Azura’s smile did not reach her eyes.

The two Divines, however, smiled graciously. “I am called Kynareth now. Thank you for coming. Tea?”

The three immortals sat. As Mara filled their cups, Kynareth asked, “I trust all is well in Moonshadow?”

“I believe you both know I can only leave it briefly twice a day during twilight. I presume you did not ask me here for tea and small talk?”

If the Divines took slight it did not show as Mara replied, “You are right of course, so I’ll get directly to the point. We need your help to foil Mehrunes Dagon’s pending plans of conquest.”

Azura lifted an eyebrow. “Go on.”

Mara took a deep breath. “I’m sure you realize that Dagon is only pausing after Kvatch. Now that he knows he can open portals from the Deadlands, he is doubtless engaged in the slow task of procuring and inscribing many more morpholiths into sigil stones. Meanwhile, his cultists relentlessly hunt for Martin Septim, hoping to snuff out any chance of relighting the protective Dragonfires. When Dagon has completed enough of the stones, we are sure he will unleash scores of his Daedra-spewing portals. . . no offence, mind you.”

“None taken, cousin,” Azura replied icily, “but why should I care about any of this?”

“Two reasons,” said Mara. “As Dagon opens more portals, his plague will spread across all of Tamriel, replacing your cycles of dawn and dusk with a permanent Oblivion sky.”

“Well, I concede you have a point.” Azura straightened slightly in her chair. “You mentioned a second reason that I should be concerned?”

“Yes,” stated Mara, “that brings us to an elf named Buffy who carries something we need.”

Azura’s eyes flashed concern, then anger. “What does my Slayer have to do with this?” Her tone was threateningly protective. “You Divines claim to care about mortals, yet you ignore their daily plight.” Emerald eyes glared at Kynareth with contempt. “As soon as Buffy’s mother, Marian, realized a new life grew within her, she asked you to be godmother to her child. And you ignored her.” Azura’s ire shifted to Mara as she continued. “Turning to the so called Goddess of Love, she received the same silent response. In desperation, Marian made her plea to the rising sun on the following morn. I did not ignore her.”

Azura seemed to compose herself somewhat as she lowered her cup to the table and continued, “Indeed, I was intrigued by the prospect. That I am poorly equipped for such a task did not deter me. It is my hand of faith that touched the tiny elf at the moment of her sunrise birth. I heard her first fitful, crying breaths. As I watched her grow from a distance, I confess the little urchin. . . touched something within me. I found myself often taking the innocuous form of a twilight butterfly in order to observe the mer-child more closely. The concept of love is a foreign one to my kind but, over time, I believe that is exactly what I began to feel for this young elf as I watched her stumble and scrape her knees, get teased by human children about her small size and large ears, drop her clothes at every waterhole and dance with butterflies. Sometimes she quite unknowingly even danced with me. I question whether you lofty Divines actually know what it means to love a child?”

The Goddess of Twilight clearly expected no answer as she continued, “Buffy’s bow kept her alive as she blossomed into young maturity. When she needed a means of replenishing its magic, who provided the answer in the form of an artifact that would help? I did. When love drew her toward mortal danger at Kvatch, who arranged for Lord Peryite to provide her the training needed to survive the Deadlands and fight Daedra? I did. When she prayed to each of you for comfort after her body and heart were broken mere months ago, what response did she get?” Azura’s words dripped with disdain for the pair of Divines as she answered her own question, “The same silence you gave her mother.”

“Your points are well taken, cousin,” replied Mara gently. “We Divines are skilled with creation, but our efforts to intervene directly with the affairs of mortals have led to disaster more often than not. At best, our ability to communicate directly with them is vague and tenuous. Even those who devote themselves to us in priestly service struggle to understand our intent. As a Daedra Lord, you must also realize that when you effectively claimed this child at birth, you quite fettered our already limited ability to communicate with or even influence her.”

Azura's eyes and tone softened noticeably. “I lack your skill with creation, cousins. And my passions sometimes lead to . . . regrettable results when dealing with mortals as well. But unlike you, I don’t shy from the need when it arises.”

It was Kynareth who spoke next. “It seems clear, ladies, that cooperation might be appropriate here.”

Posted by: mALX Jun 24 2016, 05:39 PM

Wow, this was a fascinating and totally unexpected beginning to Book 2; Buffy's importance in the realms is going to be made much clearer than we knew of her in Book 1! This is Awesome, the idea of Azura taking Mara (who I know Buffy "worships") to task over her!

Awesome write, this was amazing!

Posted by: SubRosa Jun 24 2016, 06:04 PM

I was uncommonly tickled to see Kynareth and Mara being described as the Nirn-Mother and Sky-Goddess. Kynareth especially made a fantastic entrance. Since they are waiting for the first glimmer of twilight, that could only mean one other is on the way.

I�m sure you realize that Dagon is only pausing after Kvatch.
And now we know exactly when this is set

Just who I expected. You gave us a wonderful description of the not only the abilities, but also inabilities of both Divine and Daedra. I did not fail to note how you framed those strengths and weaknesses in opposition to one another. Which leads to the inevitable conclusion that acting in concert is in all their best interests. I am sure we will be seeing that subject broached in our next episode.

Posted by: hazmick Jun 24 2016, 07:12 PM

Excellent start. Interesting take on the divines and daedra, and 3 very different but wonderfully described ladies.

It seems Buffy still has a part to play in Tamriel's future, and of course ol' Mehrunes is still up to no good. I'm very much looking forward to it.

Posted by: ghastley Jun 24 2016, 08:41 PM

"You worship the Nine Divines, perhaps? Have they ever helped or harmed you? Of course not. Now, worship a Daedra Lord, and you get effects... bad ones, of course, but clear and measurable effects." Ulene Hlervu.

I see much the same logic here. The Aedra have limited ability to affect the now, having used it all up at the start. The Daedra did nothing to begin with, but can at least do something in the present. Except that most of what they can do is limited to their own realms, unless invited to act elsewhere, such as at their shrines. Mara and Kynareth can invite Azura to be their operative, and do things they can't, so they do have more power together.

Hmmm....

Posted by: Andrea Jun 25 2016, 12:50 PM

Although I confess I still have yet to finish book 1, I got sucked right into this Prelude!

The Idea of Mara, Azura and Kynareth having a delightful cup of tea tickled me in a good way. Discussing the possible destruction of Nirn at Dagons hand, whilst drinking a cup of earl grey... PERFECTION!

I'm really excited to see where this story goes... seems like Buffy is worth more to these immortals than she origionally thought

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Jun 27 2016, 03:29 PM

The three godesses and Buffy! What a privilege to be among these deities! This was very interesting. The differences between Kynarath and Mara and Azura is noticeable, and it extends beyond the color of their robes.

Heh, and Azura is mighty protective of her Slayer! So, Dagon's vile deeds have been noticed by the immortals.

This is great.

Posted by: Grits Jun 29 2016, 07:00 PM

I loved the ultra-feminine sparring match over tea in the clouds! The two Divines and their Daedric cousin had me in absolute thrall throughout. Episode 1 answers the future question “But why don’t they just…” before it can become a distraction in the story, which is excellent and I’m taking notes. I felt for Buffy’s mother Marian without even needing to hear what the problem was.

I think you did beautiful justice to all three immortals, but I am in awed delight over Kynareth. Her appearance made my Nord’s heart sing.

Posted by: Acadian Jul 1 2016, 03:02 PM

During Episode 1, Mara and Kynareth invited Azura to join them for tea and a discussion about Mehrunes Dagon’s pending plans for invasion. We learned that, somehow, Buffy seems to have a role to play. We also discovered that (unknown to Buffy), Azura is her godmother.

mALX- Thank you – Book 2 has been a long time in the making, no? Perhaps that is good, for it has given Buffy and I time to blend Oblivion and Skyrim in a way that makes sense for her.

SubRosa- So glad you enjoyed our portrayal (so far) of the three disparate goddesses. Thanks for highlighting what I hoped you would – Divines are good at creation, whereas Daedra Lords are good at directly influencing the here and now.

hazmick- Thank you! Buffy’s role in Tamrielic history is as a minor facilitator - a mere footnote in history. She was essential to Kvatch regaining its freedom, for example, but history will record her simply and anonymously as ‘the elven scout’ who helped Captain Savlian Matius close the first Oblivion Gate.

ghastley- I laughed at your game quote about the Aedra and Daedra – but that is pretty close to my view. Thank you. I credit you and McB with the inspiration to actually portray the immortals as fully inflicted with the concerns, trepidations, emotions and drama associated with mortals – real personalities as it were. We all knew Azura was capable of some serious vengeance, but who knew that a tiny elfling could unknowingly teach a Daedra Lord to love?

Andrea- No worries on Book 1. The bite-sized (~1600 word) executive summary in my sub forum will bring you up to speed – as will Buffy during her in progress recollections here in Book 2. Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement!

DE- Thanks! It has occurred to me for a long time that even though Buffy - born at the exact moment of sunrise - has no idea that Azura is her godmother, the two have quite a bit in common. Both dance between darkness and light, wear their emotions on their sleeves, and are capable of strong passions that drive them to action - for better or worse.

Grits- I so appreciate your kind words. You nailed it about the gods – they have limitations and don’t even necessarily play well together. Happily, immortal limitations also affect the more evil ones – as we learned, it will take Dagon quite some time to craft enough sigil stones to kick off the Oblivion Crisis in earnest. In fact, it will take him about as long as it does for us to complete Book 2.

“Cousin Azura, you asked why the impending crisis will affect Buffy,” stated Kynareth. “You must know that once Dagon begins opening portals in large numbers that the young Septim’s Orsimer champions – what are their names again, sister?”

“Sir Mazoga and Grand Champion Agronak gro-Malak.” There was a hint of chastisement in Mara’s voice as she added, “And the young Septim, as you call him, has a name as well – it is Martin.”

“Oh yes,” continued Kynareth. “The large green pair will, of course, valiantly attempt to close all those Oblivion Gates and, ultimately, try to protect their emperor against Dagon himself. I know that your elf considers herself broken at the moment, but how do you suppose she will react as she learns that her close friend, Sir Mazoga, is up to her broad shoulders in danger?”

Azura nodded soberly. “Then you must stop Dagon, for mortals alone cannot defeat him. Nor can I. While there is neither loyalty nor trust among Daedric Princes, we are precluded from acting directly against one another without a majority concurring. To gain such agreement is akin to herding cats and has not occurred since we long ago agreed to split Sheogorath into his two disparate halves so they could annoy one another instead of the rest of us.”

“That brings us back to Buffy,” said Mara. “She holds one of the keys to defeating Dagon.”

“Are you daft or simply not listening?” growled Azura. “I’ve no doubt she will once again be a potent Slayer of vampires and daedric minions, but she has no hope against a Daedra Lord!”

“On that you are quite right,” answered Mara. “To banish Dagon will require Akatosh himself to transform into his dragon avatar.”

“The Dragon God?” mused Azura. “Yes, I suppose the might of his winged form could perhaps defeat Dagon. As it seems like you Divines have the matter well in hand, I fail to see how this involves me or my Slayer.”

“Akatosh is unable to change into his dragon form, thanks to my stupid curse,” confessed Kynareth rather sheepishly. Azura’s peevishly lifted eyebrow prompted the Divine to continue, “Do you recall the great dragon war?”

“Of course,” replied Azura.

“I was known as Kyne at the time and, in order to help the Nords battle Alduin and his ilk, we Divines allowed them to learn some of the very voice magic that dragons used against them. When that alone proved insufficient, I created the Order of the Ice Dragons - powerful and noble creatures, ridden by paladins of indomitable spirit and determination. Alas, Alduin and his corrupted dragons – many ridden by dragon priests - vastly outnumbered my valiant defenders. The last to fall was Phantom and her rider, Sir Acadian. It was brother Akatosh who, with help from the Nords, an Elder Scroll and folding time upon itself, was finally able to at least temporarily banish Alduin.”

“You mentioned a curse,” reminded Azura as her long crimson fingernails drummed silently against the tabletop of cloud. “I don’t have all day, you know.”

“Yes, as you keep reminding us,” continued Kynareth. “Without the malevolent leadership of Alduin, the remaining dragons dispersed to their more reclusive ways. Many were hunted down and killed by the Nords. Not comfortable with the temporary nature of Alduin's banishment, I eventually lent some permanence to the arrangement by cursing dragons such that they could never again appear in Tamriel. I exempted only my magnificent ice dragons, and the curse cannot be lifted unless one of them somehow takes to the sky once more. Since they all perished, I believed the curse would effectively be unbreakable. At the time, I did not realize my actions precluded even Akatosh from assuming his dragon form. A Divine curse is a double edged sword; once initiated, it cannot be changed or undone - not even by the Divine who created it. Though Phantom’s presently only a spirit, she is the only hope of breaking my curse that we have.”

“I am well-familiar with this Phantom and Acadian you speak of,” replied Azura. “Through magicks beyond my ken, they have existed within Buffy, even before she was born.”

“We know,” replied the two Divines, their voices echoing in unison.

“As I told you,” said Azura, “I was ill-equipped to assume the role of godmother that I promised Buffy’s mother. I learned, in many cases, by making mistakes. When I forced the role of Slayer onto her small shoulders for her own good, I was surprised when she did not embrace it. I realize now that by not giving her a choice, her rebellious reaction was completely predictable. Much of what else I have managed to learn has come from carefully observing the example of those who care most about her and have helped her grow. Their names include Daenlin, Kud-Ei, Boderi Farano. . . most influential of all, however, has been the paladin who travels within her. From each of them I have learned that young ones entrusted to us should be nurtured but not overly controlled. For it seems the mistakes I would want to shield her from are the very experiences from which she has learned the most. I have had to develop the counterintuitive ability of restraining my inclination to intervene.”

“It seems you have learned the love of a mother for her child,” offered the Goddess of Love.

“Perhaps I understand it better than you, cousin.” The rising sun behind Azura now framed her in a golden aura. She leaned back slightly as if basking in its glow and closed her eyes. After a few moments, she reopened them. “I must soon return to Moonshadow until dusk. If I were to help, what would you have me do?”

Kynareth replied, “We need your skill at. . . directly influencing the affairs of mortals. If Phantom could once again materialize into a dragon and fly – even briefly – that would break the curse. We believe her spirit still contains quite a bit of draconic magic. No doubt it will be complicated. Acadian is the key, for both Phantom and Buffy will readily respond to him up to the full range of their ability. The paladin, however, will be loathe to allow the unpredictable risks and consequences to both his elf and dragon that such a transformation might entail.”

“Acadian places the needs of his elf above all else,” declared Azura. “For exactly that reason it is Buffy who is the key, not her paladin.” She gazed at the Divines for a moment, her face inscrutable. “I expect I can arrange something.” As Azura rose from the chair, she bid, “Farewell, cousins.” Her words still hung in the air as the two Divines found themselves, once again, staring at a butterfly. On pale wings, the Mistress of Moonshadow fluttered east until disappearing into the morning sun.

“You know, sister,” remarked Mara soberly, “if Azura is successful in helping to break your curse, it will only be a matter of time before Alduin reappears.”

“Let us deal with one crisis at a time,” replied Kynareth.

Posted by: ghastley Jul 1 2016, 04:00 PM

And this from the only one possibly capable of it! Herding cats, I mean. She does have more influence over Tamriel's feline race than any other.

I like the implication that all this leads directly to TES V's events. That's way more story than Bethesda managed.

Posted by: SubRosa Jul 2 2016, 04:35 PM

How right that it would be Mother Mara who knows the names of every living being on Nirn. While to Kynareth they are simply "those green ones".

“I don’t have all day, you know.”
This was a nice admission to the Goddess of Twilight's very real time constraints!

Kynareth's dragon curse was a stroke of genius! Not only does it help explain away some of Bethesda's history, but it also presents us with an immediate concern to focus the story upon. The unforseen consequences of it reminds me of Maleficent, and how even she could not lift her own curse.

How delightful to see that Azura has learned the wisdom of parenthood. That one has to let ones children make mistakes, because that is the only way they can learn not to make those mistakes! I have always found her to be the most interesting of all the Deadric Princes(s), because she is the only one who wants to be loved by her followers.

And a lovely - and ominous - ending note. Only a matter of time indeed...

Posted by: Lopov Jul 2 2016, 04:52 PM

Great prelude, Acadian, I enjoyed reading about the meeting of the Divines and how they play an important role in the life of the little Wood Elf. Mara made Azura an "offer" she couldn't refuse after hearing out two main reasons why their cooperation is necessary.

I plan to read the next chapter later on.

Posted by: hazmick Jul 3 2016, 01:34 AM

Sounds like the divines have a plan. All they need now is for Buffy to swoop in and save the day so they can all be home by bedtime. Easy peasy.

Posted by: mALX Jul 3 2016, 02:46 PM

FINALLY!!!! The story of Phantom and Acadian !!!!!


KABOOOOOOOM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!


*mALX's head explodes*



I was just about to ask if this was TES Lore or Buffy Lore when you popped out with Phantom and Sir Acadian,


I have been dying to know how Buffy ended up being so important to the other realms where gods and Daedric Lords preside! How she became God-Daughter to gods; etc. This is AWESOME !!!


Oh, Holy Cow! Kyne cursed Akatosh! This is great stuff!

D'Awwwwwww!!!!!


Ooh, ominous foreshadowing in the last two paragraphs!


Awesome !!!!








Agree with everything you said here!

Posted by: Lopov Jul 3 2016, 05:16 PM

Great backstory as we learn why Buffy's role is more than important in the coming storm. The three divines in the prelude are portrayed in a more interesting way than in some official TES books. Seems that events in Oblivion and Skyrim will be inevitably intertwined.

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Jul 3 2016, 07:59 PM

I recall Buffy had some time with Mazoga didn't she? Fun moments! The green pair will be quite a formidable force. Orcs are not to be trifled with, especially if one is a knight and the other a grand champion of the arena.

Godmother Azura . . . don't know if this is a blessing for Buffy or something else.

How great to her Alduin and the dragons- Ice Dragons certainly sound awesome. Akatosh having relations to the Dragon War and Skyrim's storyline is just great . . . and Buffy will be a part of it as far as I know. This is all just connected in such a way that Buffy has a touch of destiny upon her. Azura knows Buffy is formidable against monsters and Daedric creatures, but to face a Daedric Lord is precarious indeed.

Posted by: Acadian Jul 8 2016, 01:14 PM

In Episode 2, which concluded our Prelude, we learned that the Divines’ plan for dealing with Mehrunes Dagon involves Akatosh assuming his dragon avatar. The wyvern in the ointment here is an ancient curse levied by Kyne back in the Merethic Era after the Dragon War that prevents the appearance of all dragons - save her beloved ice dragons. It seems the only way the curse can be broken is if one of these creatures somehow once again takes to the sky. Trouble is, the only known remaining ice dragon is the spirit of Phantom who travels bound to Acadian within Buffy. The Divines have asked Azura to use her considerable skill at influencing the affairs of mortals to help break the curse.

ghastley- Thank you for your insight and kind words. I confess I did wrestle long and hard trying to blend Skyrim’s ancient Dragon War, Oblivion’s pending crisis, and Skyrim’s future return of the dragons in a way that made sense for Buffy’s story. Dragons were a big challenge - since Phantom was part of Acadian and Buffy long before TES V was even announced.

SubRosa- Thanks for picking up on the personality quirks I tried to display among the three immortals. Gosh, I’m so pleased you liked the idea of Kyne’s dragon curse and how it relates to both Oblivion and Skyrim! I’ll unabashedly confess that I attribute much of how we see Azura to Angelina Jolie’s portrayal of Maleficent in the movie of the same name – so I’m tickled as can be that you mentioned her! One of the significant decisions we wrestled with during our long sabbatical was the roles of the three immortals who appeared in the prelude. As you can see, it is Azura who emerged as a mother figure and Buffy's patron - even though Buffy doesn't yet know it.

Lopov- Thank you! I’m glad we were able to give the three immortals some personality while foreshadowing some of the bigger events to follow.

hazmick- Thanks! So all Azura has to do is arrange for an ice dragon to fly. Well, if anyone can manipulate things to make that happen, I suppose it is she.

mALX- It’s been a long time since we’ve touched on the history of Acadian and Phantom. Much of that time was spent figuring how to fit them into all the new lore that came with Skyrim in a way that made some sense. And now we know that Azura has been Buffy’s secret godmother for all her life. Poor Buffy will continue through all of Books 2 and 3 before learning the secret that we now know. Thank you!

DE- Thanks! Yes, Buffy and Mazoga are Errant Knight Sisters of the White Stallion. The Gray Prince gave up his Arena gig to become a White Stallion and the mate of Mazoga. The two orcs showed up to help Buffy and Savlian free Kvatch - where it became clear they were the champions that Martin Septim had seen in his dreams. Last time Buffy saw them, they (and Baurus the Blade) were escorting Martin from Kvatch to some secret safe place. Though Buffy will never be the champion or hero of anything, there is no denying her subtle aura of destiny that you mentioned.

No sooner had I finished singing than my audience of torchbugs began to disperse.

“Buffy, that was beautiful,” remarked Acadian.

“Thank you, my paladin. For everything.”

“Your images came through perfectly, as if we were there again, astride Superian and racing alongside that herd of wild horses south of the Imperial City when you were still a student at the University." After a moment he added, "While my ability to transmit such vivid memories is only via telepathic mind link, I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me that you have developed a similar talent via your singing voice.”

"Daenlin always told me that I have my mother’s singing voice," I mused. "The ability to share what's in my heart via song seems to be a combination of Acadian telepathy and illusory magicks."

Countless stars sparkled their homage to the twin fullness of Masser and Secunda that hung above the Valenwood sky. After loosening a vine around my waist, the simple tunic fashioned from a single giant leaf I wore fell into the grass and reeds at water's edge. The leather strip restraining my ponytail followed. I then slipped into the meadow's pond. A small number of playful fish investigated while I luxuriated in a cleansing swim. It had been several months now since the terrible day that freed Kvatch but cost the life of my Savlian. The patient support of Acadian, unconditional love of Superian, and verdant greenery that teemed with life, had all helped me grow beyond self-pity.

Or so I told myself.

As I surfaced, slicked back my hair and glanced around, I smiled to see that Superian had waded out to join me. She paused where the water touched her chest for a long drink.

The mare’s head lifted sharply - water trailing from her mouth - at the sound of a wolf’s call. It was close enough that I decided to cut our bath short. I mounted Superian in the water and, as she carried me ashore, another lupine howl pierced the air. Then another. They were getting closer. While I had been distracted by the soothing waters and beautiful night, it seemed a large pack of the predators had surrounded the small meadow. Much too nervous to dismount and recover my tunic or Superian’s tack, I simply grabbed my mage satchel off the tree limb from which it hung and slipped its shoulder strap over my head and one arm. We continued cautiously closer to the middle of the meadow.

I could now hear growls and see numerous pairs of golden eyes glowing back at me from the jungle that surrounded the pond and clearing on three sides. On the fourth side, however, forest with less ground cover and greater distance between trees beckoned. I turned Superian in that direction and we were off.

My mare was fast but, given her size and the need to avoid trees, the predators were able to keep up.

Although we could not outrun the wolves in this forest, I knew Superian could maintain her speed long after our hungry pursuers became exhausted. And even better, the trees were becoming smaller and fewer.

We had just begun to slightly open the distance when we fully emerged from the forest. Superian quickly accelerated to the full glory of astonishing speed she was capable of.

My hopes for our escape were suddenly dashed as the ground ahead became a black void in the moonlight. We were racing toward the edge of a cliff!

I could now hear the sound of crashing water far below. Superian’s speed almost certainly precluded stopping in time. As the other side of the gorge came into view, I feared the distance to safety was too great, even for my speedy mare. Superian made our choice as she powerfully launched us in attempt to leap the chasm.

We were halfway across when it became sickeningly clear that the brave mare’s attempt was futile. The distance was simply beyond the ability of any horse. With my heart in my throat and Superian’s momentum slowing, I glanced down at the angry white water battling large rocks far below.

I cried out, “Acadian, help us!” but had no idea what - if anything - my paladin could do at this point.

“Vensahliz.” Acadian’s urgently spoken word was unfamiliar to my long ears.

“TIID KLO UL!” The booming response literally thundered across the night sky in a powerfully deep but undeniably female voice. A goddess?

Suddenly, everything came nearly to a standstill. Superian’s mane no longer whipped my face; each white hair moved at a barely perceptible rate. Water droplets from the wet mare hung in the air, almost motionless as they glistened in the moonlight. The raging river far below seemed frozen in time. “Buffy, we only have a few seconds. Cling tightly to your mare – no matter what.” Acadian’s next words were not addressed to me. “Thank you, Vensahliz, for pausing time. I must call upon your aerial skill once more. I know there will be consequences, but I ask, old friend, that you do what you must to help us.”

At that point, everything careened back into full speed. As our downward momentum quickly overtook any lingering forward progress, I felt intense pain - as if a powerful spirit was being ripped from within me. The mare’s white mane transformed into a pair of long spikes – or horns perhaps - and her black coat was replaced by pale gray scales. I turned my head sharply at a strange sound behind me to see giant whitish wings unfurling. It was only then I realized that instead of my arms and legs being wrapped around the neck and bare back of my mare, I was clinging to the upper neck of a massive dragon that could only be Phantom - the long-dead mount of Acadian!

The pain had stopped, but certainly not my fear as the river below raced up at us.

Phantom’s wings flapped once and our descent slowed. Her long tail swung out to one side as those mighty wings attacked the air once again. Although her wingtips now spanned nearly the entire width of the canyon, her maneuver had brought us into alignment with the river so we had air instead of cliff wall ahead of us. The hungry rocks jutting up from the river like teeth were getting much closer, however, and white water now churned with a terrifying roar.

The dragon’s wings powerfully bit into the air again and, for the first time, I felt more like we were flying than falling. Another flap. I held my breath.

The spray of deafening white water filled my face, but we were skimming above it!

Phantom lifted her horned head slightly and, as her long-unused wings settled into a steady rhythm, we finally began to climb.

“Buffy, she is weak and will need to land soon,” warned Acadian.

Sure enough, at the first open area alongside the river, Phantom flared her wings and landed rather ungracefully. She lowered her head, allowing me to slip to the ground. I marveled as I stepped back to admire the massive creature.

The dragon's coloring ranged from gray to translucent blue to white. Her horned head alone was as large as Superian; its weight, along with that of her neck and chest, was awkwardly held off the ground by clawed hinge-joints midway along the leading edge of both partially folded wings. Two powerful legs, that supported the mass of her haunches, ended in feet tipped with talons as long as my arms. Counterbalancing her long neck, Phantom's tail trailed out for several horse lengths behind her on the ground before ending in the shape of an arrowhead. Her eyes were the color of mine, but glowed as if her body could not restrain the magic within. I managed to say, “Y-you are terrifyingly beautiful. Thank you for saving my life.”

Suddenly I recovered from being awestruck and demanded, “Acadian! Where is Superian?”

Posted by: ghastley Jul 8 2016, 02:59 PM

Other people just write cliff-hangers, but Acadian leaps us off them!

I like the way the "Slow Time" shout was used here. It affects all but the shouter, and so gives Phantom time to get in position for the rescue. Consistency with the game always makes these things work better.

But now I have the same question as Buffy.

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Jul 8 2016, 09:11 PM

What I liked about this chapter is Superian. Her trusty mare has been with her as long as I remember, and was, is and will be a tremendous help to her. Namely, when taking her through the Valewood forest teeming with hungry wolves and other beasties. They make it past the forest and the company of trees to a sparser ground only to reach the edge of the cliff- and over! I won't lie. I was glued to the screen seeing what would become of Buffy and her horse, and was surprised at the use of the Voice and the beautiful dragon that came to Buffy's aid. But I find myself asking the same question as Buffy and Ghastly . . .

Where's Superian?

Posted by: mALX Jul 8 2016, 10:47 PM

OMG!!!! OMG !!!! Gobble ... Gobble ... OMG !!!!!!!!!!!!! This was the absolute best chapter of Buffy fiction EVAH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOLY COW !!!!!!!!! Gobble ... Gobble ... OMG !!!!!!!!!!!!!

This was amazing!!!!!!! I'm in awe!


WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: ghastley Jul 8 2016, 10:59 PM

"Perhaps a more... tempered reaction... might be called for?" - Falk Firebeard.

Posted by: mALX Jul 8 2016, 11:18 PM

Posted by: hazmick Jul 9 2016, 01:44 AM

Well I certainly wasn't expecting that! Absolutely marvelous, but I too am worried about Superian.

Posted by: Lopov Jul 9 2016, 04:02 PM

Awesome and very tense. The scene as she's in the air above the raging water below, suddenly on Phantom instead of on Superian, is written in a really beautiful and picturesquely way. Just like everyone else, I wonder what happened to her mare?

Posted by: SubRosa Jul 9 2016, 06:59 PM

I remember those wild horses south of the Imperial City.

Buffy wearing a leaf! What wonderfully appropriate Valen-Elf apparel.

Uh oh, wolves. It was very thoughtful of Buffy to escape and simply avoid a confrontation, rather than put herself in the position of being forced to kill the wolves.

“TIID KLO UL!”
I don't know the specific words, I can easily recognize the dragon speech here.

Phantom flies again! That was a very thrilling escapade! But where is Superian?

Posted by: Renee Jul 10 2016, 07:22 PM

Sorry I've not been keeping up, but it's good to catch up finally. I love the way the aedra & daedra are influencing things behind the scenes!

And then that poor Buffy. All she wants to do is take a bath, and look what happens! Wow, so she actually flew on a dragon, all because Kynareth allowed these sort of dragons to exist in the first place. That's so lovely.

Posted by: Acadian Jul 15 2016, 01:43 PM

In Episode 3, Buffy and Superian were startled by a large pack of wolves and fled into the night. Attempting to leap a river gorge that was far too wide, they found themselves out of airspeed and ideas. Acadian urgently asked his ancient and long dead dragon mount for help. Phantom did not disappoint as she forced her spirit from within Acadian into Superian. She then used the mare's body to transform herself into an ice dragon and flew Buffy to safety. Once on the ground and the shock began to wear off, Buffy demanded to know what happened to her precious mare.

ghastley- The last episode was a ‘jump off the cliffer’! I enjoyed introducing Phantom with a roar – er, shout. Thank you.

DE- Thank you for noting how important Superian has always been to Buffy. Their bond of mutual dependence will grow even stronger moving forward, introducing new benefits and challenges.

mALX- By Azura, thank you, my friend! Kind words indeed. I’m so glad you enjoyed it.

hazmick- Thanks! Not to worry – Superian is in there. . . somewhere.

Lopov- Aww, thank you. That scene where time stopped and horse transformed to dragon in the air was an emotionally important one for me to depict as you say, picturesquely. I so appreciate your supportive words.

SubRosa- Bark biters, tree huggers and now, leaf wearers! I’m glad you recognized the dragon speech. Though Phantom may shout again someday, it won’t be in this book. That said, I could think of no better way to introduce her physical presence.

Renee- Thanks for joining us! Aedra, Daedra, wolves, dragons – yes, all the poor little elf wanted was a bath.

“Phantom and I have sacrificed our bond,” explained Acadian soberly while I stared at the imposing ice dragon before me. “This allowed her spirit to join - rather forcefully - with Superian. Dragon and mare are now bound as one. Just as she and I once were. Just as you and I have always been.”

“I’m sorry that you and Phantom were forced to take such drastic measures. I-I wasn’t paying enough attention to our surroundings. Perhaps if I had tried to hold our ground back at that meadow with my spells instead of fleeing in panic. . . .”

“Don’t second guess yourself,” admonished Acadian gently. “You made the right choice to use Superian’s speed and escape. You were surrounded by nearly a score of wolves. What brought such an unusually large pack to our location I have no idea, but before you could have cast your fear spell in the several directions required to affect them all, I’m sure some would have been upon you.”

The paladin was right but that did little to ease my apprehension about exactly what ‘dragon and mare are now bound as one’ meant. Slowly, I approached the beautiful winged creature. “Superian?” The massive head lowered, turning sideways so I was looking directly into one of the dragon’s glowing eyes. I placed my hands on the cool scales of her muzzle and looked deeply into that eye. After a moment, I smiled. “Yes, my precious mare, you are in there with Phantom.”

“She has little time left in this form,” said Acadian.

“What do you mean?” I replied. “Will she turn back into Superian? Can Phantom do this again? Do I have a flying mare now? Are we -”

“As you know,” the paladin interrupted, “Phantom and I died long ago. Her spirit is but a shadow of her former self - and this transformation has drained her mightily. I don’t know if she will ever be able to accomplish this feat again. I do know that her ability to sustain the physical presence of a dragon will soon fade and she will doubtless try to turn back into Superian.”

“What do you mean, ‘try’?” I said with growing concern.

“Phantom did what she needed in order to save us but. . . I confess I am unsure of the consequences.”

I suddenly noticed the moons and stars had faded. A growing glow on the horizon heralded the beginning of a new day. The day after I almost died. The first day of a new life shared by Phantom and Superian.

As the sun peeked over the eastern treetops, the ancient dragon that had saved Superian and I from certain death touched me gently with her nose, then lifted her head and moved back a step or two. Her ponderous movement over the ground reinforced that the sky was her natural domain.

She opened a maw filled with imposingly dagger-like teeth and spoke. “Lokkendovsonaak?” I instantly recognized her deeply powerful and husky voice that now filled the air around us. It was the same one that had commanded time itself to nearly a standstill.

“She understands us perfectly, but speaks only in dragon tongue,” explained Acadian. “The word she spoke means sky-warrior-priest and refers to me.” Acadian raised his voice slightly to address Phantom, ”Yes, old friend?”

“Nid krosis. Dahmaan Vensahliz.”

“No sorrows,” translated my paladin. “Remember Phantom.” He then added, “Dragon names generally have three parts. Vensahliz is her name and it means wind-phantom-ice.” He then replied to her, “Agreed. We have seen each other through many battles and will share many more. Elf, paladin, horse and dragon will remain together.”

Phantom’s eyes slowly blinked and she tilted her head. A deep but gentle rumble escaped through her teeth in a small cloud of cold mist. A sigh, I decided . . . of relief? It was then I fully realized that the actions she took to save us were motivated by selfless devotion to Acadian without regard to consequences. She was likely now as concerned - even frightened - about the unknown ramifications as Acadian and I were. I was glad my paladin’s words had helped sooth her – just as he always seemed to know how to reassure me when I needed it. The ice dragon then looked down at me. “Malkroronin. Nid krosis.”

“Little-sorcerer-archer. No sorrows,” Acadian said. “That must be her name for you, followed by the same admonishment she gave me.”

I nodded, hoping she would continue.

She did. “Dovah gro key nahlaas mahfaeraak.”

“Dragon bound horse alive forever,” translated Acadian.

“Does that mean what I think it does?” I asked.

“Phantom seems to think so,” replied Acadian. “The potential lifespan of a dragon is long enough that some would indeed say it defies time.”

Phantom slowly nodded. Her whole body then began to glow until her brightness rivaled the rising sun. As the light gradually began to dissipate, I could see her shape changing, decreasing in size, wings evaporating. My relief was boundless when the indistinct shape began to resemble a horse.

When her glow had faded away, I stared in disbelief. “Superian. . . y-you’ve changed.”

The horse that stood before me now looked dramatically different than the Superian I knew and loved. From a rather tall sixteen hands at the withers and trim weight of eleven times my own, she now stood at what I estimated to be a towering eighteen hands and a heavily built twenty times my weight. Her hoofs – the size of dinner plates - were heavily feathered in white fur. The mare’s mane and tail were the color of my own ash blond hair. The upper portion of her formerly black coat was now a palomino-chestnut hue. Her face, throat, chest, underbelly and legs were cream colored.

I slowly approached. The mighty mare lowered her head. Eyes that overflowed with the blue glow of draconic magic looked into mine. She nuzzled me and I hugged her as joyful relief flowed between us. “Yes, you are Superian, and you now carry Phantom within you. Thank you, mighty dragon, for saving and returning my precious mare to me.”

“I might have anticipated her physical changes,” said Acadian somewhat sheepishly, “were they not forced upon us with such unexpected urgency.”

“I will not protest, my paladin. What you and Phantom did – what you sacrificed – you both did out of love for me. If you doubt your decision for one second, just imagine how Superian would look now had you not intervened.” I shivered slightly. “Our broken bodies would have been tossed among the river’s sharp rocks until they settled on the bank somewhere to become food for the mud crabs. Besides, how could you have forecast these changes?”

“Well,” Acadian began, “I expect her size is influenced by the fact that Phantom was created in Skyrim. Her frame of reference is from a land where horses are larger than those found in the southern provinces. Dragons are unfamiliar with hair or fur so I’m guessing she took inspiration for Superian’s coat from you – a blonde often covered in buckskins.” After a moment he added, “Overall, I’d say she did well. There are no horns, scales, wings or talons on your mare. The only visible evidence that Superian carries the spirit of Phantom is her eyes - and I’d wager we’ll not encounter anyone who has ever gazed into the glowing blue eyes of an ice dragon.”

“I’m quite sure I will grow to love her new look,” I said. “In fact it is with great relief that I realize her lifespan now is much closer to my own. The thought of losing her to age in the blink of a couple decades has always terrified me.”

I conjured the mare’s grooming equipment and heaved a sigh. “Your coat is a mess, and just look at the tangles in your mane and tail!”

To my delight, a pale green butterfly joined us – the kind I had often seen around sunrise or sunset as far back as I could remember. The small creature slowly fluttered all around Superian and I with what appeared to be great interest as I went to work on the mare. I giggled. “Are you here to help or simply supervise this morning?”

“While the care you take of our dragon-mare is admirable,” commented Acadian, “have you forgotten that your magic satchel with its shoulder strap is the only thing you are wearing?”

I frowned. “Are you afraid our butterfly friend here will fly off to tell its friends about the naked elf grooming a horse?” I did, however, pause long enough to pull out a tattered set of buckskins from my mage satchel. As I donned the tunic, I couldn’t help but notice it did indeed match Superian’s primary color. My hands then returned to the mare. “You know, Acadian, I think I may have peed myself about the time she transformed into a dragon.”

“I’m sure she didn’t mind, Buffy. Besides, I expect our skim through the rapids washed everyone quite thoroughly.”

“So,” I mused, “are you going to tell me how Phantom brought time itself almost to a standstill with her voice?”

“Perhaps. But not today.”

*

http://i.imgur.com/I9Gz4xS.jpg

Posted by: ghastley Jul 15 2016, 03:50 PM

Hmmm....

This looks like a jump out of Cyrodiil and into Skyrim. Is the "pale green butterfly" a Luna Moth?

/wonders if Superian is "the Dragonborn"?

Edit: So then I opened the screenshot and got one of the answers...

Posted by: hazmick Jul 15 2016, 08:23 PM

Ah, that's a relief. So now we have a dragon in the group. Or rather, the dragon that was in the group is still in the group, but is with the horse instead of the paladin. At any rate, it was really cool to hear some dragon speak from Dovahorse, and I hope the stain washes off

That screenie is great. I love Superian's colouring there.

Posted by: SubRosa Jul 17 2016, 01:54 AM

What brought such an unusually large pack to our location I have no idea,
I have an idea, and I suspect that twilight, moons, and stars are associated with it. Not to mention pale green butterflies...

Superian is now the Dovahmare! Her new look is fantastic, especially her glowing Draugr Dragon-blue eyes. As the picture illustrates, so much like her blond buskined little archer sorcerer.

Posted by: mALX Jul 17 2016, 04:41 AM

This story of Phantom is some of the best writing you have ever done! This explains so much that I wondered about the connections between them! And now the hint that Buffy is also immortal; I hope you will explain that too in this story! Somehow in story form it is all so much clearer!

Buffy conjuring grooming equipment had me rolling! This was an amazing, AWESOME Write !!!!

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Jul 17 2016, 04:53 PM

Woah.

Dragon and Mare bonding? So essentially Superian is now Super-Dovah? This is simply fantastic. Makes a beautiful, loyal and formidable creature into something greately beautiful, loyal and formidable. I like her eyes. So mystic.

The fact that Superian talks makes it great. Thankfully for Buffy Acadian is there to translate.

Also, Sub mentioned something. It may certain implications to a certain Daedric godmother? No? Am I on the right track here?

This is great. New paths unfold for Buffy as she learns old mysteries. I can say we are learning along with her, too.

Posted by: Lopov Jul 19 2016, 08:08 PM

Lots of things to comment on - first of all, I enjoyed a conversation between Buffy and Acadian, especially as she has lots of questions but Acadian kindly interrupts her. Written in such a way that I could not only picture them, but almost hear them.

Secondly, the transformation back to Superian is written just as well as the transformation to Phantom - I like that Superian now has some draconic effects, if that's the correct way of saying it.

Thirdly, I learned a few new English words from this episode.

And last - I have a new background picture on my laptop, straight from Buffy's scrapbook. My fiancee loves it too, especially the butterfly, she said the picture is so soothing.

Posted by: Acadian Jul 22 2016, 12:39 PM

In Episode 4, Buffy learned more about how Phantom had forcefully joined with Superian in order to save both elf and mare. As the weakened dragon’s spirit became unable to sustain her winged physical presence, the form of her new host reemerged. Though the horse was now much larger and colored differently than the Superian that Buffy was used to, the little elf was simply overjoyed to have her precious mare back. As the sun rose, the pale twilight butterfly form of Azura visited to survey the results of what she had arranged.

ghastley- Thank you! The influence of Phantom’s spirit on Superian will be subtle and we’ll gradually reveal aspects of it as we progress. Phantom’s role in the Oblivion crisis is complete. By managing to fly, she has broken Kyne’s curse, allowing Akatosh to assume his dragon form when the time comes. And, yes, in a couple centuries Alduin will figure out that he can return to the skies as well. Just as Buffy will not be the Champion of Cyrodiil, neither she nor her dragon-mare will be the Dragonborn.

hazmick- You got it! Buffy and Acadian have traveled together in various forms through many lives that span across numerous times and worlds. During the life preceding their current one, Acadian was a dragon rider in Skyrim during the Merethic Era. When they all died during the dragon war, Phantom’s spirit somehow managed to travel with them into their current life in the late Third Era. To save Buffy and her mare when they leaped over that cliff, Phantom tore her own spirit free from Acadian (inside Buffy) and bound it to Superian. One implication is that when Buffy and Acadian’s current life ends, Superian might be able to make the leap with them to the next. Maybe.

SubRosa- Thank you for pointing out the influence of Azura in both the unusual wolf attack and how they ‘herded’ Buffy and Superian over that cliff. I love the ‘heavy’ look of the Skyhorses and have always wanted to transition Superian to more of an ‘Epona’ look.

mALX- Thanks! Interesting question as to whether Buffy is immortal or simply referring to her long elven lifespan. She can die, but reincarnates – she and Acadian have done so for millennia. She has no memories of past lives though - but Acadian does. Conjuring grooming equipment – Buffy loves her ‘utility’ magicks.

DE- Thank you. Yes, it was Azura who ‘engineered’ the wolf attack that herded Buffy and Superian over that cliff. Phantom’s full transformation into a dragon was an anomaly – fueled by extremis and almost certainly a bit of Azuran magic. Acadian is right that Phantom will unlikely be able to repeat that feat. Nor will she be able to give speech to Superian. We’ll gradually see the subtle but helpful abilities that Phantom’s spirit now brings to Superian but I need to shut up and not get ahead of the story. . . .

Lopov- I do like the word draconic – meaning dragon-like. Thank you for the kind words regarding our dialogue and Superian’s transformations. I’m both flattered and humbled that Buffy’s screenie graces the screen of your laptop!

There was a sudden fluttering sound above and behind me. I struggled to control Superian as she reared in surprise, grateful for the crude bridle and saddle I had managed to craft from vines and pelts respectively. As I settled her, a white dove swooped down upon us.

My alarm eased as the bird perched comfortably on my shoulder and cooed softly. “Why, hello there,” I said. “You gave my mare and I quite the start.” She calmly looked at me as I slowly lifted my hand. “You look like a courier dove from the Arcane University, but what are you doing all the way down in Valenwood?” As I touched the bird, she transformed into a scroll.

I quickly looked around the meadow, listening carefully for dangers in the surrounding forest and assessing routes of escape should Superian and I be attacked. Satisfied, I unrolled the parchment and instantly recognized the elegant quill strokes of my University Advisor, Boderi Farano.

Buffy,

I hope this messenger was able to hone in on your magical essence based upon the required sample you gave us back when you were a student here. And I hope she has found you well.

I read with great interest, pride and sadness Guildmagister Sigrid Firewalker’s after action report detailing the closure of Kvatch’s Oblivion Gate and subsequent recapture of the city. Firstly, my deepest sympathies over the death of your Captain Matius. It may be of some consolation to know that he is being hailed as the Hero of Kvatch. I understand your need to grieve privately and can think of no better place for you to do so than your ancestral homeland.

For what it’s worth, Sigrid spoke glowingly of your courage and skill under fire. I am thankful that your badly broken left arm was healing well as you left Kvatch, and that the healers expected you to fully recover soon.

I know your magicks will help protect you, but was alarmed to learn that your powerful bow was broken beyond repair during the same battle that took your mate. I shared my concern with Guildmagister Kud-Ei in Bravil who consulted your archery master there. Daenlin had apparently been working on a special bow and quiver for you since even before the Tournament of Archers. He provided the results of his craftsmanship, along with a set of notes detailing your archery talents, limitations and requirements.

The Praxographical Center, in consult with the Chironasium and guided by Master Daenlin’s notes, enchanted both bow and quiver. They further rendered the results into a conjuration spell that you will find emblazoned into the rune at the bottom of this scroll.

I know that your body and heart can be as fragile as a butterfly, but I also know that the spirit within you rivals that of a dragon. May the Nine speed your pilgrimage to find what you seek, and bring you safely back to us.

I remain your advisor, instructor, mentor and friend,

Boderi Farano

I wiped a tear from my cheek, then passed a hand over the runic symbol at the bottom of the scroll. It glowed briefly as I absorbed its arcane knowledge. The scroll was then engulfed in a swirl of magic, from which the white dove reemerged and promptly winged away. The ability that had flowed into me seemed. . . different than what I had expected. Boderi said the spell would conjure a bow, but the magic felt much more like that which summons a creature. A living bow?

Slipping to the ground, I filled my left hand with the new spell. Opening my fist to release its magic, I felt the grip of a bow materializing against my palm and instinctively closed my fingers around it. Simultaneously, the welcome familiarity of a quiver settled against my back.

The large elven weapon in my hand was fashioned from a relatively open-grained wood that was unknown to me. Its ears and the area above and below the leather-wrapped handgrip had been reinforced by beautifully molded and engraved sections of chitin. I could feel the weapon pulsing slightly as if eager for use. Subtle hints of pale bluish magic slowly traveled along its length. The staff was long, thick and gracefully recurved - features indicative of great power. While I craved the high damage and long range of such bows, I questioned my ability to manage the heavy draw likely required. Then I recalled that the specifications for the weapon had been guided by none other than Daenlin.

I smiled and slipped an arrow from the quiver. The four-bladed rather slender tip was beautifully crafted from what appeared to be no less than forge-hardened mithril steel. I assessed the arrowhead as likely a very effective compromise between penetration and stopping power. The wooden shaft was long and flawlessly straight. I noted that the three rows of exquisite feather fletching were not only perfectly uniform, but had been mounted with a slight twist – a feature that would cause the arrow to spin in flight, improving both range and accuracy.

Nocking the missile, I addressed the silk bowstring. When I began to pull, I felt the bow willingly respond. I now understood. This bow was indeed alive – and attuned to my needs. With very little effort from me, the staff relaxed its recurve, bending its limbs toward me until my hand rested against my ear and the arrow’s fletching kissed my cheek. Normally, I could hold that position but for a moment so I was astonished that, with the bow’s assistance, I was able to maintain full draw long enough to leisurely aim! Such a feat, particularly with a large bow, was normally possible for only the strongest of Orsimeri archers.

I aimed out about a dozen horse lengths to a dead branch the size of my thigh and loosed. Surprised at the bow’s quietness upon release, I realized that it had controlled its recovery to reduce characteristic ‘bow twang’ to a soft hiss. The arrow flew true to its target, shattering the section of branch that it hit.

I fired again. The resulting shot split a rock the size of my head.

“Well stuff me gently," I said quietly as I lowered the weapon and stared at it in awe. "I’d wager your magic includes the ability to pierce armor. Powerful, accurate and quiet - a true sniper weapon. Like your predecessor, I shall call you Slayer.”

Having a bow in my hand again – especially this elegantly magical one – flooded me with confidence. Deep in the dangerous forests, meadows and jungles of Valenwood, I began to feel a bit more like predator than prey. “Thank you, Master Daenlin. You know your apprentice well.”

As I shouldered the weapon, I realized one of its other features. Rather than being summoned for a fixed time, I could feel a small drain on my magicka – less than my regeneration rate - that sustained the bow as long as I allowed the arcane energy to flow. With the weapon on my back, I tried to bring a spell to one of my hands. Nothing. It seemed that sustaining the bow precluded the casting of other spells. I allowed the magicka link to fade and, after the bow and quiver dissipated, was easily able cast other spells.

“I take it you are pleased?” offered Acadian.

“You have a gift for understatement, my paladin. I’m sure there are other features of this bow and its quiver that will reveal themselves as I use them.” I then chirped, “Let’s go kill something!”

“Don’t get carried away, my bowgirl.”

*

http://i.imgur.com/NQjKOI7.jpg

Posted by: hazmick Jul 22 2016, 01:13 PM

As an archer and Conjurer, Haa-Rei finds Buffy's new bow very interesting. I'm just glad that she has something with which to defend herself. Daenlin certainly knows his stuff!

I imagine Buffy's wish for something to kill will be coming true very soon.

Posted by: ghastley Jul 22 2016, 02:00 PM

I'm always fascinated with the balance of the game. So add one powerful bow, but take away spell-casting in return.

Does " It seemed that sustaining the bow precluded the casting of other spells" include having to wait until it expires, or can Buffy choose to dispel the bow when she needs to do so?

The letter from Broderi means she's in TES IV time still, or again, or something like that, so I presume that Buffy still has things to complete, even if Superian doesn't. I'll be watching.

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Jul 22 2016, 04:10 PM

Hmm. That caught me by surprise when the dove became a scroll and back again. Purely magical. Even in that moment Buffy was ever so vigilant. After what happened, I can't blame her. How interesting that Azura put her in that position in the first place. I suspected she had a finger on it.

The mention of Captain Matius stirred the heart. May he rest in peace.


Daenlin's gift is a great one that best suits Buffy. After the misplacement of the last one, this one looks considerably superior and, well, alive. Deadly, indeed.

Posted by: Lopov Jul 23 2016, 06:48 PM

I was slightly afraid at first that the dove is gone for good once Buffy read the scroll but Boderi Farano thought of everything. I also liked that Buffy checked her surroundings before reading the message, you can never be too sure in any wilderness.

Great description of the bow and how it's attuned to Buffy's needs. Now she's no longer bowless.

Though the Slayer is a vital part of the final image, one can't miss Buffy either. Despite having just met with her bow, they already look like they've been together for years and know each other accordingly so.

Posted by: mALX Jul 24 2016, 07:00 PM

First off, the letter from Boderi was very touching! It was not only great for a reminder of so many afternoons of sitting on a bench in the gardens at the Arcane and the close relationship between Boderi and Buffy; but it also included a brief history and background from Book 1.

I love that the bow was a gift from people who cared about Buffy and made specifically for her. Putting a bow like that in her hands will go a long way toward healing the pain of her loss and bringing her back!

This screen of the bow made me want a living bow too! The wood grain is Awesome! I loved the description of how it conjured as a living being rather than a weapon or armor; very cool!

Awesome update !!!

Posted by: mirocu Jul 24 2016, 07:39 PM

I´m terribly bad at reading, I´m sorry to say, but I had to make this post.

I´m simply amazed at the level of development and progress Buffy has made over the years. I still remember her riding around in the forests of Cyrodiil, occasionally visiting Lothran in Bruma or on the shores of Anvil. I also remember her flat at the University and the version of Slayer she had back then. Even Superian has undergone drastic changes it seems, but I´m glad to know she´s still at Buffy´s side, through thick and thin.


Carry on, guys.


*sniff*

Posted by: SubRosa Jul 24 2016, 08:14 PM

The courier dove reminds me of the owls from The Harry Potter universe.

That was a lovely little interlude about a girl and her bow. I thought it was so perfect that Boderi, Kud-Ei, and Daenlin all collaborated to create the new, summonable Slayer.

Buffy has definitely gone native in her scapbook picture! The brown buckskins suit her so perfectly, as does her new wood-grained twin of Auriel's Bow.

Posted by: mALX Jul 24 2016, 08:24 PM

Oh, SubRosa reminded me that I meant to mention the Courier Dove too, that was Awesome!

Posted by: Renee Jul 26 2016, 02:30 AM

Hey, that's pretty neat, a living weapon for Buffy! How brilliant.

I love the part when the bow shatters that rock, I can just see her getting all obsessed with it. Man, I gotta make one of my t00ns go to Vallenwood one of these days.

And she looks fantastic in that pic too, my goodness.

Posted by: Grits Jul 29 2016, 04:59 AM

Catching up here, what a delight! Oh my gosh, Kynareth’s curse from her Kyne days is pure genius. I love everything about it, especially that solving this era’s crisis will lead to the next one. Beautiful! I am so tickled to learn more of Acadian and Phantom in the Dragon Wars. How perfect that Kynareth thought her paladin was the key, only to learn from Azura that she was looking at things from the wrong angle. After all, Azura is the one who pays a lot of attention to their mortals.

In Episode 3 I had to snort over “wyvern in the ointment.” Woo, getting naked is a Nord-approved way to start a story. Then oh my gosh, Phantom taking over for Superian in mid-air with a Shout was such a thrill! What an entrance! She is magnificent!!

Right away in Episode 4 I was hopeful for what Phantom’s new bond with Superian might mean for all of them. As brought out in Part 1’s title, dragons live forever. Buffy’s rapid-fire “flying mare” questions were so Buffy, that made me smile. Oh, and then Vensahliz made me cry. How lovely to see Azura checking on them at the end, even in the screenshot!

I love the practical magic that opens Episode 5. Now the dragon and butterfly symbols hold even more meaning. Wow, the new Slayer is just right! Of course it would be, having been made by people who know Buffy so well and love her so much. I loved getting all of the details as Buffy learned them. Now I won’t have a bunch of questions when Buffy gets to slaying! Wow, that screenshot is gorgeous! The bow is a beauty, and so is the elf who wields it!

I have loved dragons since Anne McCaffrey’s Ramoth and Lessa, so reading/seeing Buffy on Phantom even for the briefest time was so special to me. It’s amazing to look at Superian’s blue eyes now and know that there’s an ice dragon in there!

Posted by: Acadian Jul 29 2016, 02:34 PM

In Episode 5, a courier dove from the Arcane University brought the bowgirl a spell that conjures a powerful and magical weapon.

hazmick- I’m so pleased that Haa-Rei finds Buffy’s mystic archery interesting. I assure you that Buffy is fascinated by Haa-Rei’s own blending of bow and magic in ESO.

ghastley- Thanks! Buffy can dispel the bow at will. Our setting for Book 2 is Valenwood during the late Third Era – after the Kvatch gate is closed but before Dagon assembles enough sigil stones to open a bunch more gates.

DE- Thank you. I’ve thought for a long time that mages should have a less mundane way of sending messages than normal couriers – hence, the courier doves. The loss of Savlian Matius will have a lasting impact on Buffy.

Lopov- Thank you (and DE as well) for mentioning Buffy’s vigilance. Part of that was her natural fragile skittishness and part of it was exactly because she did not have a bow. I’m so pleased that you like her new bow!

mALX- Thank you for your kind words. I know that Buffy’s history is long and detailed so I’m hoping, when bringing up things from her past, to provide a bit of context for newer readers and even to refresh the memories of long-term readers. Yes, Daenlin and Kud-Ei from Bravil are a big part of why Buffy is an archer-illusionist and Boderi Farano of the University is the one who really taught the mystic archer how to fully blend bow and magic. As you can tell, her new bow is quite the hybrid, incorporating elements of spirit magic, bound bow and conventional bow.

mirocu- With nearly 8000 hours of TES playtime, I find Buffy’s spirit remarkably true and unchanging but, as to be expected, her trappings do evolve over time. Little did you or I expect that the magical courier dove concept pioneered by Lothran and Buffy to facilitate their exchange of letters would find a home in Buffy’s story! Thanks so much for popping by to let me know you’re reading. That means the world to Buffy and I.

SubRosa- Aww, thank you for the warm encouragement. As you know, we tried several bows before settling on this hybrid. Like you, I love that its origin is so influenced by those precious to Buffy.

Renee- Thanks! We spent lots of time with three different bows before committing to this one. Shattering that rock is Buffy’s clue that the bow probably has armor piercing among its magicks. I consider that an important RP element since arrows in game pierce steel as easily as leather. I’m glad you enjoyed her selfie with bow.

Grits- Thanks much for catching up with us! As I’ve said so often, I love the encouragement you give us and your eye for details. I think you now see some of the challenges we faced when TES V collided with Buffy’s established lore regarding Kyne’s Order of the Ice Dragons and Skyrim’s history. Not to mention the whole time change thing between Oblivion and Skyrim.

*

Today’s episode is short so let me use the opportunity to briefly review and look ahead.

The prelude established some deep background regarding the small role that Buffy’s dragon spirit plays in Tamriel’s future - and the large, but secretive, role that Azura continues to play in her goddaughter’s personal destiny. All of this remains quite unknown to Buffy.

Parts 1 and 2, while quite brief, served to equip Buffy with the trappings that a horse-crazy bowgirl needs. With a mighty mare and a powerful bow, Buffy is now ready to focus on her Valenvoyage of self-discovery.

We begin Part Three now, which takes place primarily in the Strid River Valley and adjacent rolling plains that we have incorporated into northwest Valenwood. I’m sure you will see the influence of tribes that once inhabited the great plains of North America. Those familiar with Jane Auel’s ‘Earth’s Children’ series will also recognize strong influences from her storytelling of prehistoric clans – even the title of Part Three honors the name of one of her books.

Peeking further ahead, Part Four will see Buffy travel deep into the forests and jungles of central Valenwood where it is said some of the trees grow tall enough to kiss the clouds. Part Four will also conclude this book and find Buffy drawn toward Cyrodiil.

The forest was nostalgically similar to that carpeting the Niben Valley around Bravil. Streaks of morning sunshine penetrated its foliage to dance across the right side of mare and elf as we leisurely made our way. The ground had been gradually rising for several hours now and I noticed the forest beginning to thin. Less and less often did I find myself having to lean well forward against Superian’s neck as she dipped her head to pass under low branches. By my reckoning, this day would see us traverse a high and arid area of rolling prairie before descending to the Strid River that defined Valenwood’s northern border. I had no intention of crossing into Cyrodiil but I figured the river would comfortably support a campsite long enough for me to hunt a deer, process its meat into dried strips for traveling and even tan the hide into buckskin. Birds punctuated the relaxing morning with song as my thoughts drifted to the prospect of fresh fish for dinner followed by a cleansing swim.

Superian’s sudden stop jarred me into realizing the treetops had gone silent.

Blocking the path ahead stood a minotaur. Taller than an Altmer and several times as wide, he cut an imposing figure. I knew these creatures to be both foul-tempered and territorial. As I pondered whether to retreat, the bull-man snorted and pawed the ground with one hoof in challenge.

My mare answered defiantly in kind.

“You’re right,” I whispered to her as I eased Slayer from my back and nocked an arrow. “We no longer need to run from such brutes.”

The minotaur raised a crude mace and shook it threateningly. Superian read the signals from my knees and stood motionless as I drew and aimed. While my mounted accuracy did not match what I could achieve on foot, this was a large target. I loosed.

The arrow slammed into the front of his left shoulder, staggering the beast.

By the time I drew and aimed again, the minotaur had closed nearly half the distance. My arrow flew harmlessly under his raised mace arm.

Superian turned slightly and we bolted forward, passing close by his left – unarmed - side. After a few seconds, I wheeled the mare around sharply, snatching a third arrow from my quiver.

Our foe had turned and begun his charge anew. My arrow hit high on his chest. He staggered, dropping the mace as I readied a fourth arrow. After a long moment he fell backwards, resonating against the ground with finality. Returning the unneeded missile to its quiver, I shouldered Slayer. “Thank you, Superian.” I leaned forward and patted her neck as we closed the distance to the minotaur. “You’re a brave and steady warhorse.”

I attributed Superian’s improved courage under fire more to the archer on her back than the dragon spirit within – for when I was not in her saddle, she was no braver than any prey animal. Aside from her changes in size and appearance, I had noticed few differences in the mare since Phantom had joined her. She did seem generally less skittish though. I liked to imagine that the ever-present companionship of the spirit she now carried inspired the same comfort and confidence that Acadian afforded me. Perhaps part of her calmness now was due to her larger size and what Acadian assured me was a much more robust constitution. I had, in fact, noticed that when she sustained minor cuts, scrapes or insect bites they healed completely within a matter of moments. Overall though, Superian was still very much my precious mare.

I severed my arcane link to Slayer, allowing bow and quiver to evaporate as I dismounted. It was a welcome break from the weapon’s small but constant magicka drain required to sustain its presence.

I knelt to examine the semi-bovine corpse. My spent arrows would dispel within the hour. The bow’s quiver had a capacity of twenty five and materialized with a full complement each time I summoned it. I did note a small pouch at the monster’s waist and recovered several assorted rubies, sapphires and even a small diamond.

While I could sustain and shoot Slayer from astride Superian, my positional spellcasting limitations precluded summoning it from the saddle. If I wanted the bow available while riding, I had to conjure and shoulder it on the ground before mounting. I did so and we continued on our way.

Having used Slayer for nearly a tenday now, I had learned more of its magic. The weapon’s primary attribute was the wondrous ability to help this weak elf with its powerful draw and control recovery to nearly eliminate any sound as it fired. Even though I had not yet engaged an armored foe, I was convinced that the bow infused its arrows with the ability to pierce armor. Experimenting with Azura’s Star had revealed that the weapon could channel the arcane energy of its dying victims into magicka gems. While this ability could be useful for filling such stones, Slayer did not need recharging. Its magic was, like its very presence, drawn from my own magicka reserves.

The sun had still not reached its zenith when I drew Superian to a stop, allowing our long ears to listen carefully. I smiled at the welcome sound of trickling water that indicated a spring or small stream ahead.

As we drew closer, my keen eyes detected no movement or threats. Noting Superian’s relaxed ears and breathing, I was confident that her long nose picked up no scents of concern ahead. “Let’s stop up here to get a drink and fill our waterskin.”

Posted by: Renee Jul 31 2016, 03:06 AM

Yeah, look out minotaurs, and any enemy who doth face Buffy and her new bow. I visualized that minotaur like a bad monster in a movie...you just sort of know he's not going to last too long!

Posted by: mALX Jul 31 2016, 05:31 AM

I had some trouble understanding a few parts in this story; probably because the reader kept getting "Lll'd" to death.

First off, I absolutely LOVED the first paragraph; Buffy at her Buffiest!

Not sure if I understood the next part, I think the "defiantly" threw me. Was Superian challenging a minotaur? She wasn't afraid of it? Or is it because she has the dragon inside her giving her moxie?

Oh, this fight was Awesome!!! I haven't actually seen fighting on horseback in Skyrim vids, I want to look some up after this! AWESOME !!!

The second line I had trouble with understanding was the arrows:

Okay, the spent arrows are the ones sticking out of the minotaur, right? Is that what you are talking about? And by dispel, does that mean the arrow itself will disappear and go back to the void or wherever it was conjured from? Or are you saying the magical enchantment on them will dispel within the hour?

I'm sorry, Acadian, I was just not understanding what you were conveying there. It isn't your writing at fault here at all, it is my brain not picking it up.

I think Buffy is right; if the bow split a rock in half it is probably armor piercing, lol.

LOVED how Buffy compared "our long ears," that was such a testament to how close Buffy is to her mare!

Awesome Write, and sorry about my issues - it is me, not your writing.

Posted by: Lopov Jul 31 2016, 10:30 AM

Buffy in conjunction with Slayer and Superian is a winning combination. I had a good feeling about this fight when it was about to begin. And a quiver that 'refills' on its own - Buffy couldn't ask for more.

Posted by: SubRosa Jul 31 2016, 08:36 PM

The streaks of morning sunshine dappling through the foliage paints a wonderfully bucolic setting right from the start.

If Buffy is not going to run from that brute, then that is a bad sign for that brute!

Superian regenerates? Let's hope she didn't take on any of Wolverine's less social habits! Still, Buffy is the best there is at what she does, even if what she does isn't particularly pretty...

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Aug 1 2016, 06:06 PM

The chapter title had me hooked. Indeed a native feel to it. Then again, everything Bosmer is nature-centric. Their religion, beliefs and ways are not so different.

The stroll through the forest was beautiful and captivating. The tranquility of a forest is a great thing, but as all beautiful things, there is an ugly side . . .that comes in the form of foul-tempered Bull-Men. Viciously territorial, indeed. I remember they were scattered throughout the wilds of Cyrodiil. Seems Valenwood has them, too.

The ones in ESO come http://files.elderscrollsonline.com/img/dlc/darkbrotherhood/media/conceptart/The-Minotaur-Elder-Guardian-of-Ancient-Imperial-Secrets.jpg. Yikes.

I had a feeling one arrow wouldn't be enough to deter the beast, but one in the right spot made sure to drop it a final time. Superian was quite the friend, here, as always. I think Superian's ability of self-healing will come in handy, if it hasn't already. That was pretty cool. I'm glad her trusty mount has all these powers.

Slayer is an awesome weapon; no soul gems required. Buffy's magicka reserves are enough to make the weapon come to life, and its deadly arrows into a foe. Glad her journey is coming along well. Not a day passes where its not adventure for her.

Posted by: ghastley Aug 1 2016, 06:24 PM

So now we know that without the extra advantage of stealth, Slayer and its conjured arrows can take down a Minotaur in two strikes (and one ball). That suggests it would have been only one if it hadn't detected her, but of course that would have told us nothing, as we wouldn't know just how dead it was.

I hope Superian doesn't become a suicidal attacker of predators. Especially if she's ever pulling a wagon. (Don't ask this one about those incidents. He is not fond of being reminded how he was run over by his own home.)

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Aug 1 2016, 08:02 PM

I forgot to mention that I just love seeing Buffy in Valenwood. It is her homeland, afterall. Well, she's from Bravil but you understand

Posted by: Grits Aug 5 2016, 03:14 AM

I enjoyed Buffy and Superian’s journey to the high plains very much. I’m delighted to see a variety of landscapes in Valenwood. Buffy’s focus on the tasks that will fill her time at camp on the not-Cyrodiil side of the river made me want to hug her.

Wow, Superian’s challenge right back at the minotaur was just great! I was so pleased when Buffy answered my questions with her own thoughts on Superian’s slightly changed nature. What an exciting display of mounted archery. Then Buffy’s reflection on her bow’s magic answered the rest of my questions. In particular it was interesting to note that the bow caused enough drain on Buffy for her to want even a short break from it. I love these mage moments.

Oh, and “our long ears”!

Posted by: Acadian Aug 5 2016, 02:25 PM

Episode 6 found Buffy and Superian approaching a high prairie en route to the Strid River. When the path ahead was blocked by a minotaur, elf and mare displayed their teamwork using Buffy’s new bow from the saddle.

Renee- Hee! Yes, that minotaur had a role to play. Like ‘Crewman Green’ from the old Star Trek series, you just knew he wasn’t gonna make it back from the away mission. Thanks!

mALX- While the presence of Phantom’s spirit within does give Superian a bit more confidence, most of the mare’s newfound defiant bravado is because she has learned how effective the archer on her back can be. Just as Buffy trusts in the mare’s speed/maneuverability, Superian trusts in her elf’s marksmanship. We’ll see in the next episode that the mare’s bravery evaporates without Buffy in her saddle. Hopefully the resultant impression will be their interdependence. Regarding Slayer’s arrows, they linger for a time after being shot, then evaporate on their own so Buffy doesn’ t have to worry about recovering them. And each time she conjures Slayer, its quiver is full. So arrow management for Slayer is very much like Skyrim’s bound/mystic bow. Thanks so much for asking your questions so I could address them!

Lopov- Thank you! Mounted archery is one of the bigger examples of Buffy Fiction now running on 'Skyrim’s game engine' instead of Oblvion’s. I debated using conventional arrows that Buffy had to resupply. In the end, I went with magic ones to keep her hybrid bow a bit more in line with Skyrim’s mystic bow.

SubRosa- Thanks for your kind words about our opening. I love beginning one of her episodes within the magic of a forest morning. Buffy’s paranoid about Superian’s safety and welfare. It really is necessary for the mare to have a few defensive abilities (like some regeneration and the constitution of a dragon) for Buffy to comfortably use her as a warhorse – and I love the swaying of Superian’s mane as she moves too much to cover her with armor.

DE- I take your supportive words as high praise indeed, given how your own wonderful fiction was able to bring the hauntingly primeval hunting grounds of Hircine so vividly alive. I’m also glad you’re pleased that our setting is Valenwood. Buffy will learn a great deal about the sap that runs within her as well as her tribal roots. An armored minotaur!

ghastley- Heh, I recall the challenges your horses have provided your wagon mod. As I mentioned to mALX, Superian’s bravery comes from the archer on her back. With Buffy dismounted, the mare will act very much like the nervous prey animal she is. In horse form the mare’s nature is stronger than the dragon’s.

Grits- Thank you for the encouragement. There has been much new to present in the book so far and I’ve been trying to strike a balance between ‘showing’ it, augmented by ruminations from Buffy. I hope you enjoy Buffy’s upcoming time with a tribe of the plains.

I dropped the waterskin I was filling and stood when I saw the wood elf. He must have stealthily approached from downwind, precluding my nearby mare from picking up his scent.

He nocked an arrow but did not draw his bow.

I conjured Slayer and did the same while sidestepping closer to a tree that might shield me if necessary.

Superian raised her head from the spring’s small pool, water trailing from her mouth. She backed away nervously, for much of her courage was contingent upon having her elf in the saddle.

The archer directed his weapon down and to one side, but kept the arrow fitted to his bowstring. “You don’t look like a Valley Girl.”

“I beg your pardon?” His words mystified me but, in response to his tone and actions, I pointed my arrow toward the ground as well. “What’s a Valley Girl?”

“You look like a Cloud Dancer but speak like a Cyrodiil,” he stated.

His response did nothing to enlighten me but his tone was not threatening. I allowed Slayer to dispel and lowered my hands as the subtle illusion magic of a fear spell unobtrusively filled my right fist – just in case. “I don’t understand your meaning but I intend you no harm.”

I was relieved to see him quiver his arrow and shoulder his bow. “I am Vandrelis, a huntsmer of the Strid River Valley Tribe.”

“My name’s Buffy, a traveler,” I replied as my readied spell quietly faded. “I mean no trespass. If you’d look at my map and advise me, I’ll be happy to avoid your hunting area." I produced a doeskin map of Valenwood from my mage satchel and unrolled it.

As the mer approached, I could see he was nearly as tall as an Imperial. A short elven sword rode at one hip and a waterskin on the other. Buckskins covered his lower body. From the waist up he was bare, save the leather harness that hosted his bow and quiver. The sun had bronzed the skin of his trim, muscular upper body and a mane of chestnut hair trailed well down his back. A clean-shaven face displayed finely chiseled features. He ignored the map and, after a curious glance at Superian’s azure glowing eyes, looked down at me. “I meant that your accent is clearly from Cyrodiil, but your coloring and size mark you as a Cloud Dancer. What is your tribe?”

“I-I don’t know. My mother carried me in her womb from Valenwood to Bravil where I was born. She said she would tell me of our tribe when I was older but died before she was able to do so.”

His dark eyes softened somewhat. “I’m sorry to hear that. . . Buffy.”

“What’s a Cloud Dancer?” I asked.

“Bosmer display physical traits consistent with their tribal territories. Cloud Dancer is a general description applied to several tribes that live in Valenwood’s tallest trees – found in the center of the province. Trees so tall that their upper branches kiss the clouds – hence, the elves who live there are referred to as Cloud Dancers.”

“You said they look like me?” I prompted.

He nodded. “Their physical adaptations include small size and light, fragile bones to support life in the slender upper branches of their homes. Their hair is light-colored, ranging from silver or golden to lavender or even pale green. Presumably this is a form of camouflage, for it is said they prefer to fight from the trees with the sun above them. Unlike the brown or black eyes of most Bosmer, theirs are generally green, blue or violet. Living amidst thick foliage means they hunt by sound as much as sight and their sensitive ears are larger than those of other elves.”

“You just described the appearance of my mother and I!”

“Now you see why I assumed you were from one of the Cloud Dancer tribes – until you spoke.” Finally, his attention moved to my rather poorly annotated map. “Where are you headed?”

“I’m not sure. You see, I came here from Cyrodiil about three months ago hoping the forests of my ancestral homeland could help mend my broken heart. So far, I’ve just been wandering and living off the land.”

“Who would break the heart of such a beautiful elf?” he asked.

I lowered my eyes. “N-no. He died in my arms, from wounds sustained saving my life.”

“I’m sorry. It sounds like he loved you very much.”

I nodded, and a tear slid down one cheek as I looked up at the elf and announced, “I want to find my mother’s tribe. Can you help?” I held out the map again.

“Your map will be of little help.” He pointed generally south. “When you see taller trees in front of you, go toward them. When the trees stop becoming taller, you are there.” He shrugged then added, “I’ve never ventured far enough south to encounter the Tall Trees.”

“Well, that should at least get me heading in the right direction.” I rolled up the map. “Thank you for allowing me safe passage.”

“I’m sure it is many days travel.” His look grew dubious. “Are you well-provisioned?”

“Probably not,” I admitted.

He knelt by the spring and filled his waterskin as well as the one I had dropped. As he stood and handed mine to me, his gaze traveled down my small frame, then briefly back up over Superian. “You are near my territory and I would feel responsible if you attempted such a journey with inadequate supplies and so little knowledge of your destination.”

“You are most kind, but-“

“Stay your words,” he interrupted. “You look half starved and poorly equipped. This animal you travel with looks well-cared for though. Would you expose her to such a hazardous trip unprepared?”

His protective chivalry tugged at my heart, for it reminded me of my Savlian. It was Vandrelis’ last question that made me reconsider his offer though. I looked at my precious mare, then back to the mer. “There is truth and wisdom in your words, Vandrelis. Superian and I would be grateful for any assistance you can offer.”

“Accompany me to my village, Buffy. We will speak with the tribe’s shaman. I believe he may be able to help. There is a member of our tribe who was born in the land of the Tall Trees.”

Posted by: hazmick Aug 5 2016, 03:36 PM

A real life Bosmer Bowmer, and soon a whole Valenvillage of them! I'm very much looking forward to seeing your version of Valenwood and Bosmer lore. I just hope they realise that Superian isn't lunch...or Buffy for that matter.

Posted by: mALX Aug 7 2016, 10:00 AM

WOO HOO! This is Awesome !!!! I've been to that area of huge trees, it is so cool!!! Starting to meet her kin is going to be so fun! Awesome write !!!!

Posted by: ghastley Aug 7 2016, 01:13 PM

/glances at the thread subtitle

Something tells me this meeting will prove significant.

Posted by: SubRosa Aug 7 2016, 05:50 PM

A Valley Girl? Like, gag me with a spoon! Sorry, I could not resist. I remember irl Valley Girls.

This is a tense meeting, but it looks like the better aedra of both Buffy and the buff, bronzed, hunter Vandrelis have won the day.

The revelation of tribes sharing physical characteristics is a wonderful piece of world-building. It also gives us deeper and welcome look into Buffy's own elven genealogy, which has never been explored before. Vandrelis certainly described Buffy to a tee when he recounted the appearance of the Cloud Dancers and their habitat. Again, all nicely done.

This Vandrelis seems like a good fella. It is off to his tribe we go! I am looking forward to seeing a Valley Bosmer settlement, and holy person!

Posted by: Lopov Aug 8 2016, 06:07 AM

Looks like Buffy's soon about to learn more about the tribe she comes from. I like the name - Cloud Dancers But before that, a visit to Vandrelis' village awaits her - as others, I like your description of Valenwood and its inhabitants. My favorite segment of the story is when Vandrelis tells Buffy that the map will be of little use to her, instead she should follow the trees.

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Aug 8 2016, 09:03 PM

What a start. I was wondering if the little elf was friend or foe, along with the meaning of Valley Girl. I quite like the name Vandrelis. Sad indeed that Buffy never learned from what tribe her family originated from, but there is hope. Buffy and her mother share the same traits as these Cloud Dancers. The reason our friend Vandrelis mistook her for one. I think we learn of Buffy's history here, at least perhaps her parents'.

What a brave man he was. I recall his fall. One of the tragically memorable moments in Buffy's story.

Vandrelis indeed sounds like a decent fellow. An invitation for food and a meeting with the tribe's shaman is in order, and with these the possible revelation of Buffy's mother. Buffy indeed must feel right at home, among her people. A nice way to learn of her own race's culture, too. This is simply great.

I look forward for more!

Posted by: SubRosa Aug 8 2016, 10:49 PM

That reminds me, https://youtu.be/TYJzcUvS_NU...

Posted by: mALX Aug 8 2016, 11:22 PM

That guy playing heroic music on the piano and smoking cigarettes reminds me of Lopov! (or possibly one of this characters, but not Rattler!)

Posted by: BretonBlood Aug 11 2016, 05:05 AM

Just read through the whole story so far. I'm going to go back and read the summary of book 1, but for now it is late and I am tired. But I loved the beginning meeting between Mara, Kynareth, and Azura, it was a great way to entice people into the story.

These first seven chapters have been great, the part where Superian fuses with Phantom was truly magnificent, and I loved how you did the dove and scroll, as well as her conjured bow. And finally, seeing Buffy meet a native bosmer and tell her about the different tribes was very cool, and it made me feel bad for Buffy since she never got to know about where she is from.

Can't wait for more.

Posted by: Grits Aug 12 2016, 12:33 AM

So Buffy’s not from Sunnydale? I love how the two cautiously lowered their guard as they spoke.

I was enthralled by the descriptions of the Strid River Valley and Cloud Dancer tribes, and not just because of the bronzed, shirtless, elven speaker. Vandrelis’s manner was delightful. I am super excited to meet the wood elves of Buffy’s world, and especially the one who was born among the Tall Trees! *happy dance*

Posted by: Acadian Aug 12 2016, 12:32 PM

In our last episode, Buffy and Superian were surprised by a wood elven huntsmer. After some revealing discussion about Bosmeri tribes and Buffy’s possible heritage, she agreed to accompany the mer to his tribe’s village to learn more.

hazmick- The plains tribe that Vandrelis belongs to will be quite different from the tribes of the tall trees that spawned Buffy. We’ll eventually get to see both. Thank you!

mALX- Thanks! The ground-dwelling Strid River Valley Tribe is inspired more by buffalo hunting tribes that once inhabited the American great plains than TES but I hope my world-building will feel like it belongs. Later, Buffy will meet the elusive tree-dwellers who live aloft in the deepest portion of central Valenwood. That will feel much more TES-like but their culture will still reflect heavy influences from ‘Buffy lore’.

ghastley- Yes! Thank you for catching our first real reference to the book's sub title. And you are right also at the extent of revelations she’ll learn during her time with Vandrelis’ tribe. The core of the book is indeed Buffy’s search for the Cloud Dancers.

SubRosa- Hee! Buffy is of course clueless about what a ‘Valley Girl’ is but I knew you would join me for a giggle at the reference. I appreciate the kind support for our humble efforts at world-building when it comes to Buffy’s heritage. I’ll be including more Bosmer quirks that seem very reasonable to me but not included in TES lore. Heh, as I’ve said though no Green Pact – I know that you and I are not fans of that concept.

Lopov- Thank you. I hope you enjoy the plains area Buffy is heading into next. She’ll spend some time there, but it really is primarily to prepare her for heading back south into the land of the Tall Trees. I think Vandrelis was right about the map also. Heavy canopied rain forest can certainly make navigating by sun, moons and stars challenging.

DE- Thank you! The name Vandrelis popped into my mind and seemed ‘right’. When that happens I always google the propsective name to avoid any embarrassing surprises. In my search I did rediscover the beautiful music that SubRosa linked to. Buffy’s tendency at this point of course is to compare any man who might interest her to the lofty standard set by her late Savlian Matius.

BretonBlood- Thank you so much for joining us! I’m so glad you are enjoying Buffy’s story – particularly given your own talent with telling the tale of Jak and Arissa’s roguish adventures in Skyrim. This book is indeed letting Buffy try to discover ‘where she is from’ - quite literally, her family tree.

Grits- Thanks for the Buffy Summers of Sunnydale vampire slaying reference! Oh, I hope you like the upcoming glimpse of the great plains the pair will traverse on their way to the river.

I conjured and shouldered Slayer before mounting Superian. At my urging, Vandrelis swung himself up behind me. Right away I realized the arrangement wasn’t going to work and allowed the weapon and quiver to dispel to make more room for the other mer.

As Slayer faded away, he asked, “Can you shoot that bow from the saddle?”

“Yes, but probably not very effectively with a passenger behind me – so if attacked, we’ll quickly decide whether to use my mare’s speed to flee, or dismount and draw weapons to fight from the ground.”

“My knowledge of horses wouldn’t fill the bladder of an Abecean sparrow,” he replied with a chuckle, “so I’ll defer to your judgment.”

We then set off to the north. The warmth of his chest against my back and one arm around my waist was necessary of course and, I had to admit, not unpleasant.

Before long, open forest yielded to golden grasses. Gently rolling hills hosted the occasional acacia tree and clusters of bergamot orange trees. We saw several small herds of prairie mammoth, plucking tall grass with their trunks. “These majestic animals are the lifeblood of my tribe,” Vandrelis explained. “When we take one, we honor it by fully using every part of the animal. Food, shelter, sleeping furs, clothing, cooking and eating vessels. Candles, soap, weapons, waterskins. . . the list is long.”

I nodded approvingly. “My archery master in Bravil trained me the same way – to appreciatively use the bounty of nature, but never waste it. Only when hunting to feed many mouths or preserve a good supply of meat have I taken large prey such as deer or elk. Since I travel with just my mare most of the time, it's generally rabbit, fish, crab or the occasional a game bird that roasts over my campfire.”

The prairie gradually began to host more trees and its grasses grew green as we descended. Soon enough, the Strid River came into view.

The settlement we found there featured a central cooking fire. There were numerous conical tents of varying sizes made from mammoth hide draped around supporting frames of wooden poles that were lashed together at the top. The evidence that several hosted small fires inside wafted upward through smoke flaps. Next to the largest of these tents was the massive sun-whitened skull of a mammoth.

Quite a few of the elves took note of our arrival as they looked up from activities that included cooking, curing hides and fletching arrows. I noted a small, crude smelter and roughly-hewn forge surrounded by lumps of ore, silver-gray ingots and baskets of arrowheads. Several chickens and goats roamed freely. At least two mer, armed with bow and blade, appeared to be guarding the village.

Closer to the river was a sturdy wagon, heavily stained with old blood – probably from transporting many large kills. Grazing nearby was a gelded river buffalo that looked quite capable of pulling a heavy load.

Once Vandrelis had directed us near the water’s edge, he dismounted first. The elf then reached up and, with both hands around my waist, gallantly lifted me from Superian’s back and placed me on the ground. If he noticed the warm flush that I felt rise to the tips of my long ears, he was courteous enough not to stare or mention it.

We stripped off the mare’s crude wolf pelt saddle and bridle of vines before turning her loose to graze and drink.

Vandrelis then showed me around the village, introducing me to numerous members of the Strid River Valley Tribe. Finally, he lifted the entrance flap of the largest tent and we stepped from bright sunshine into its dim interior.

Right away I smelled wood smoke, drying herbs and a hint of incense. At first, all I could really see were the embers of a low-burning central fire with a large pot suspended just above. Soon enough, five dim figures seated just beyond the fire grew into focus.

I was introduced to the elders, including the tribe’s chief, his wife, brother, medicine woman and shaman.

When invited to sit, we did so on two of numerous pelts arrayed on the dirt floor outside the fire's protective ring of stone. I explained how it came to be that I didn’t know my tribe. The elders agreed with Vandrelis that, based on my appearance, I was likely conceived in the Tall Trees and belonged to one of the Cloud Dancer tribes.

“And you would like to know your tribe.” The chief’s words were more statement than question. He was broad-shouldered, bare-chested and his hard face reflected the weathering and lines of many decades. Although perhaps past his prime, he very much cut the imposing figure of a warrior.

“Very much so,” I replied respectfully.

The tribe’s shaman was cloaked in the pelt of a bear. Even shrouded in fur, I could tell he was a mer of slight build. The vicious line of a scar traced a path from his forehead, through a gaping hole where one eye used to be and continued down into the grizzled gray beard that covered his cheeks. He nodded in response to a look of query from the chief before speaking to me. “I believe I can help divine the knowledge you seek, child.” He then set about adding what appeared to be a variety of alchemical ingredients to the simmering cauldron before him while others among the tribe’s elders continued to question me about my history and travels.

Posted by: Lopov Aug 12 2016, 01:53 PM

It's nice that Vandrelis' tribe honors their prey - instead of only eating meat, they use anything that can actually be used to help them in their everyday life.

A very vivid description of the village, I could almost smell some wood smoke, drying herbs and a hint of incense.

Maybe I've mentioned this before but for me one of the favorite things in your stories is, that you visually describe Men (or Mer in that case) that Buffy meets on her travels, like you did with Vandrelis, the tribe chieftain and the shaman. It's much easier to imagine them when we know how Buffy sees them.

Posted by: ghastley Aug 12 2016, 03:05 PM

There are suggestions in this of the Valenwood Improved and Elsweyr Anequina mods joining forces. Did you use both of those?

"Use it all" is something I noticed too. A pity the game doesn't encourage it more.

Posted by: BretonBlood Aug 12 2016, 04:45 PM

I really love the Native American influence you have chosen to take with the tribe. It's actually kind of how I imagine some wood elves live in Valenwood.

And then I enjoyed your description of whst Biffy saw once she was in the tribe, everyone has a Jon and does their part to keep the tribe going.

Let's up the shaman is able to help Buffy, I can't wait to see what he says.

Posted by: Grits Aug 12 2016, 10:03 PM

First, I forgot to say last time how much the description of the Cloud Dancers’ adaptive coloration helping them hunt from above made my biologist heart sing. I thought immediately of countershading on birds and fish (and dragons!).

Vandrelis’s anatomically specific reference to a sparrow bladder made me laugh out loud. When later he explained that they use every part of everything, I believed him!

I absolutely love the description of open woodland transitioning to grassland with the occasional tree and then to the greener riparian zone as Buffy and Vandrelis approached the river. When they reached the tribe’s settlement, Buffy’s swift impressions were so vivid that I got a complete picture at the pace of her looking around. Most of all I thought how the tribe fit there as a natural part of their environment. Lil would have felt very much at home pulling up a pelt and sitting at that fire. I am so pleased for Buffy that she is on the verge of discovering her origin and learning about her mother's roots.

And finally I was so happy to see the signs in Buffy that she was noticing Vandrelis’s very masculine presence, particularly when she noted that he was courteous and gallant. Not that I’d swipe her phone and set up a Tinder account for her yet, just glad to see signs of spring.

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Aug 12 2016, 10:34 PM

Hmm. So Mr. Vandrelis hitches a ride on Superian. I had a kick out of this:

You provided fantastic descriptions on the geographical shift as they passed from open forest to a grassy enviornment. Valenwood is mysterious as it is beautiful.

The two Wood Elves share quite a bit. I enjoyed Vandrelis' comment on the bounties of prey and nature; something Buffy has learned and mentioned numerous times before. She's among friends here.

Indeed, we have confirmation of her heritage and that she was conceived in the Tall Trees, and part of the Cloud Dancer tribes, no less. I'm curious as to which ones, and what this revelation will mean for Buffy and her future and travels in Valenwood.

Posted by: hazmick Aug 13 2016, 03:34 PM

Loved that sparrow quote, gave me a chuckle.

Loved the village too. I was reminded of a Bosmer settlement in ESO that also uses mammoths for cheese as well as for their squishy parts. They're like a walking buffet!

The description of the scarred shaman was so vivid and easy to picture. Alchemy isn't a common practice among Bosmer, but let's hope it helps.

Posted by: Renee Aug 14 2016, 06:24 AM

I've been saying this for awhile but I love hearing about Valenwood in various ways, whether it's tmar's pictures or a Buffy story. This one really takes me there too.

Like... totallaaay.

Posted by: SubRosa Aug 14 2016, 05:30 PM

That was a very direct display of trust of Buffy, to dispel her weapon when Vandy mounted up behind her. Though granted, with that right next to her, a bow would not help Buffy much anyhow. He does seem to be a trustworthy fellow though. Unless he belongs to a tribe of cannibals and is just luring Buffy back to their lair!

Something to consider about fauna is that the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastodon was a forest-dweller. So while the mammoth browse the plains of Valenwood, mastodon might be living within the trees.

The Cyclopean Shaman is an interesting figure. I wonder if his injuries came from war, or if he did it himself? Shamanic initiation can be very harsh, and often involve the shaman dying in a very violent manner, only to be reborn again. Typically some physical organ or flesh is taken from the shaman's body, and replaced with something magical. An Inuit shaman described being eaten by a polar bear, only to be regurgitated out again. In Australia the old shamans pull out the prospective shaman's innards and replace them with magical crystal. In my own initiation I burned in the heart of a star, only to be reconstituted again by Hekate - with Earth, Air, Fire, and Water added in to my ashes. IRL, these experiences are usually metaphorical. But in a setting like Tamriel, it might be literal reality.

Posted by: mALX Aug 15 2016, 07:12 PM

D'awww, Buffy was adorable with Vandrelis! I doubt anything could grow out of it with Buffy's grieving for Matias, but I do think it is good that she is interacting with another male close to her age in a way that may help her heal from those emotional wounds.

I have to agree totally with what SubRosa said here - huge amount of trust for her to have him ride behind her like that; she is totally vulnerable if he had bad intentions. She must trust her instincts about people thoroughly or trusts Acadian will stop her if he senses danger. That is not a small thing; and probably could have used a small explanation of why she felt the trust; but it was still such an awesome scene that it doesn't matter (because we know nothing happened to Buffy!!!!)

But at first all my female warning buzzers were going off big time on that, because = he doesn't know Acadian and Phantom are there, all he sees is a tiny elf and a horse alone in the woods. A female reading that is going to think Buffy was just lucky his intentions were good if she doesn't clarify how she knew she could trust him to put herself in such a vulnerable position.

I'm a bit confused on the age of the elders at Vandrelis's village. Buffy thinks "decades" here; but the Mer is grizzled and with a lined face.

Since in game the Mer age much slower and don't show it till centuries; was Buffy thinking "decades" as in how a Mer would think of it?

If so = this chapter is well short enough that it might be good to add a sentence indicating that to a Mer a decade is much longer than man's years or something so the reader isn't looking at a decade as being just 10 years there.


I just didn't know if you were world building Buffy Fiction with her own age/time that works different than in game; or if Buffy was saying "decades" in Mer timing - so it kind of left me confused as to what she actually meant by "decades" there.

OMG, I Love this line!!!!


I have to agree with Lopov on your descriptions of people - very visuall!! Really Awesome!

Also agree with Ghastley on your descriptions of using all of the Mammoth and for what - very cool !!! I also liked how Buffy compared it to her own experience with deer to feed many - that was just so darn cute! It kind of makes you wonder how huge his tribe is and how they have learned to prevent the meat stored from spoililng in those hot temps !!!

You know, I wondered for a second here if it would turn out that Daenlin learned his preservation and use of everything in a kill from this tribe! WOO HOO !!!

Great description on that village, that is another great visual!!! To this day I will never forget your description of Bravil for the Tourney - OMG, I could visualize every single inch of it!!!


The water buffalo being gelded was another touch that just added to the whole here! Tribes were doing that centuries before civilization caught on, and the removed were (urgh) another part that was not wasted. (gaaaack)

Another AWESOME Write !!!!! I am loving seeing Buffy finally finding her roots (literally too!) and maybe meet some who may have known her mother!

Posted by: Acadian Aug 18 2016, 01:07 PM

I’m posting a day earlier than my preferred Friday routine since I’ll be leaving town today for a few days. I look forward to returning next week and catching up with things here.

In our last episode, Buffy and Vandrelis rode across an area of high plains then down to the Strid River where Vandrelis introduced her to the village of his tribe. Buffy met the tribe’s elders who agreed that she was likely from one of the Cloud Dancer tribes. The shaman began preparing a brew to help divine more of her origins.

Lopov- Thank you! Vandrelis will be a significant character and I tried to paint a reasonably detailed picture of him. The elders only have a small role so my goal was just enough detail so they do not seem overly generic.

ghastley- I love the Deserts of Anequina Oblivion mod and used it for a long time. I also used Valenwood Improved but only briefly as I had problems with it. Thanks!

BretonBlood- Thank you! The Strid River Valley tribe and its adjacent prairie hunting grounds was influenced by several sources, including the buffalo-hunting tribes of the American great plains.

Grits- It somehow gives Buffy comfort knowing that she is supposed to be the way she is rather than just a big-eared fragile runt of the litter. I worked hard on the transition across the prairie and into the village trying to paint a vivid picture without excessive wordiness. Thanks so much for your encouragement on that count. Vandrelis is indeed unknowingly tugging at the damaged heartstrings of the vulnerable Buffy.

DE- Coming from one with such mastery of description, your kind words humble me. Buffy is rather excited to meet a whole tribe of fellow mer whose hunting philosophy matches her own.

hazmick- Thank you. Since the elders are not big players in the story, I wanted their descriptions to be very brief, but still have a bit of interest.

Renee- Another who recalls the Valley Girl fad! So glad you’re enjoying the story and thanks much for reading!

SubRosa- Thank you. My inspiration came partly from the bison-hunting tribes of America, but since Buffy loved the mammoths so much in Skyrim I couldn’t resist using them and even keeping their perhaps too heavy fur for the more temperate clime where Buffy is. Our shaman is quite a minor character so I’ll kind of leave him shrouded in mystery – also because I don’t have the knowledge to go very deep into what makes him tick.

mALX- I suppose if Vandrelis had acted up once up in the saddle, Buffy would have had to rely on Superian rearing and dislodging him. I agree that a sentence or two displaying Superian’s intuitive comfort near Vandrelis and Buffy’s choice to trust him would have been helpful. In truth, it was a questionable decision made more with her kind heart than her analytical head. Happily it seems like the right choice. On Bosmer age, when Buffy said many decades, she meant twenty or thirty decades perhaps - not six or seven. ‘Several centuries’ would have been an okay alternate but the target I had in mind was around 300 years old. A good reminder for me to think carefully about how we relay her perceptions though. Thank you for pointing out your concerns, as well as your ever so kind words about our descriptions.

After a time, the shaman looked up from stirring his simmering concoction. “I require one final ingredient for this divination brew. Each Cloud Dancer tribe lives in their own tree. Tree and tribe are linked in a mutually dependent and intensely loyal relationship. As children come of age, they are bonded to the tree via a ceremony where a small amount of blood and sap are exchanged. Little is known outside those tribes exactly what benefits elf and tree gain from this exchange of their essences. Assuming your mother had some of her tree’s sap in her blood, a trace of it will have been conveyed to you.”

I obediently stuck out my hand.

After obtaining and swirling a bit of my blood into his brew the old mer began quietly chanting incantations.

“Do you need help healing that?” inquired the medicine woman. Her hair and eyes were the same color as the strands of raven feathers that adorned her. The mer’s ageless face was sharply featured, but her tone conveyed the caring nature of a healer.

“Thank you for the offer,” I replied, “but I can manage.” I closed both eyes briefly, feeling my paladin’s restorative magic flow into and close the small wound to my hand.

The shaman had ceased his incantations and was peering into the simmering caldron. Finally, he soberly announced, “The tree you seek was called Alderglean.”

“Was?” I repeated.

Ignoring my question, he exchanged glances with the other elders. It was the chief who finally said, “Vandrelis, go find Violet and bring her to us.”

Quite unsure of what was going on, it was with significant effort that I held my tongue as Vandrelis stood and left the tent. I looked to the shaman but he offered no words. His one eye just stared into the fire as we waited.

Within a few minutes, Vandrelis reentered the tent with another mer in tow. I was struck by her diminutive size and slight build. Her eyes and hair were pale lavender in color. Beyond appearing to be in her long elven prime, I couldn’t discern her age. She stared back, with what appeared to be equal fascination.

It was the shaman who spoke. “Buffy, this is Violet. You both carry sap from the tree of the Spirit Catcher Tribe. The tree and most of its inhabitants were destroyed just over two decades ago. Violet, sit and please tell Buffy what you remember”

“I was thirteen at the time," she began after folding herself crosslegged onto a pelt next to me. “The season had been unusually dry, so when a lightning storm struck Alderglean’s upper branches, the resulting fire quickly spread. Our entire tribe, armed with rainwater pods, battled against it but. . . it just spread too fast. After several tribesmer were burned alive, Father, Mother and I were forced to hurriedly descend.” She paused and took a slow breath, her chin quivering. “Only Mother and I ever found the ground.” Tears filled her eyes as she stared into the flickering embers under the shaman’s caldron. “Many whole families refused to leave, preferring to die in the branches of Alderglean rather than live without our precious tree. The fire raged from ground to clouds for three days.”

Her glistening eyes turned to me. “Buffy, before the fire, the Spirit Catchers numbered over a hundred. When the smoke finally cleared, not even a score of our tribe remained. Eventually, we dispersed in small groups. Some left to petition neighboring tribes to accept them; others struck out for various cities. Mother decided we would leave Valenwood altogether and the two of us headed north. Our destination was Skingrad where she had heard humans and elves lived together in towering trees of stone that were immune to fire. We never made it though. She was skilled with bow and magic, but died killing a pair of trolls that attacked us as we entered the Strid River Valley. I was badly wounded and would have died as well, if not healed and taken in here by what became my new tribe.”

Violet studied my face. “Your age appears less than mine, yet I’m sure that I was the youngest survivor. How. . . how could you carry the sap of Alderglean?”

“I-I’m not sure,” I replied. “All I know is that when my parents came from Valenwood to Bravil, I traveled in my mother’s womb. By the time I was old enough to begin asking such questions, I was an orphan.”

The shaman suggested, “Buffy, tell us what you recall of your parents. Perhaps Violet can remember them from among the survivors.”

Violet nodded encouragingly.

“My father was a dark-haired Breton called Superior. Mother’s name was Marian and she was small with golden hair and light green eyes.” I added with a bittersweet smile, “My horse is named for them both – Superian.”

“Yes!” Violet’s face lit up. “There was one round-ear in our tribe and his name was Superior! He was the mate of my mother’s sister, Aunt Marian. I recall they both survived the fire, but I had no idea she was with child. Mother and I were among the first to leave, so I never learned what happened to them or where they went.”

It was the tribe’s chief who spoke next. “It sounds like you two cousins have much to discuss. Buffy, you are welcome to remain a time and share my tribe’s hospitality. Violet, our guest is now under your charge for the duration of her stay.”

As we stood and faced each other, it was clear that we were indeed of nearly identical size. Violet took my hand. “Come with me, Buffy. We have much to catch up on.”

“I have so many questions for you!” I replied.

Posted by: hazmick Aug 18 2016, 01:33 PM

Well I certainly wasn't expecting that! So Buffy is/was bonded to a tree via sap? How very Argonian!

Looking forward to learning more about the mer.

Posted by: BretonBlood Aug 18 2016, 03:18 PM

Well that was unexpected.... I feel bad for Buffy now considering she wanted to learn about her origins, and technically she has, but it's in a bad way. At least one of the last remaining tribe members is related to her. That was a nice twist. I want to know what Violet will tell her about her tribe and family.

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Aug 18 2016, 09:03 PM

Wow I didn't expect that either. I loved this chapter. While sad and tragic that the majority of Buffy's people had perished in the fire caused by the lightning storm, and she never had been blessed enough to meet her parents . . . there was hope that came in the form of a lavender-haired wood elf. Violet is an appropiate name for her

This was just great. After so long we are given a glimpse of what remained of Buffy's family, and though she had many that perhaps could be counted as such(despite being her friends) I think, perhaps, this is first time we see someone of blood relation, yes?

Awesome!

Buffy has questions, and so do we. I'm eager on finding out more about our Mystic Archer and the revelations that will come with Violet's answer . . .

To be honest I want a hunting trip with Buffy, Violet and Vandrelis!

Posted by: Lopov Aug 19 2016, 06:08 PM

I think it's good to know one's past, even if it means to uncover some sad events.

What a great story behind Superian's name!

Nice that Buffy met one of her relatives, maybe even the last one still alive.

Posted by: SubRosa Aug 20 2016, 04:23 PM

I very much liked the exchange of sap and blood in the symbiotic bonding ritual of the tree dwelling elves. It not only gives us some wonderful cultural depth, but also provides a clear means of moving the story along. Like a clan-specific tattoo or ritual scarring would.

Sad news about Alderglean. But OTOH, at least Buffy was not the only survivor. Amidst the ashes of her past, a cousin has arisen! So there is a silver lining to that cloud. I wonder if Violet and Buffy might make a journey together to the old site of Alderglean? It has been some time now, so I would imagine a new tree or trees might already be growing in its place. Which leads to new possibilities for both.

Posted by: ghastley Aug 20 2016, 06:31 PM

I'm sure the Alderglean/Eldergleam/Gildergreen thing isn't a coincidence, and there will be some relationship with this tree. Even if it's just cousins again.

I note also the possibility of meeting more of her tribe, if a score of them escaped. Presumably less closely related than Violet.

Posted by: mALX Aug 21 2016, 10:56 AM

Oh, I realized that immediately because I know Buffy so well, lol.

D'Aww, Violet sits cross-legged like Buffy!


I am so glad she has found a cousin, and one that will be able to tell her something about her heritage!


I knew the story of Superian's name, really love how you wove that in here !!!


To me the greatest reveal here was the tribal ceremony where the Shaman mixes the blood and tree sap to determine her ancestry! Awesome bit of worldbuilding Buffy Lore there !!!!

Wonderful Write !!!!

Posted by: Grits Aug 26 2016, 05:04 AM

I loved reading about the Cloud Dancers’ blood and sap ritual. I can imagine the immense effort required for Buffy to wait quietly while Vandrelis brought Violet to the tent. Inside she must have been hopping from one foot to the other!

I am glad that you ended this episode when you did, because after I read my mother’s sister, Aunt Marian, I was too emotional to make much sense. The fate of the Spirit Catchers was terribly sad, but how wonderful for both Buffy and Violet to find each other! I’ve gotten choked up every time I’ve read this quiet scene around the fire.

I’m delighted that Violet will host Buffy while she’s staying with the Valley elves. It must be just as unusual for Violet to see someone who shares her looks after all this time. Finally Buffy and Violet both have someone whose clothes they can borrow!

Posted by: Acadian Aug 26 2016, 12:59 PM

In our last episode, Buffy learned that her tribe was called the Spirit Catchers and that their tree along with most of the tribe had been destroyed just over two decades ago. Her parents were among the few survivors and, with Buffy still in her mother’s womb, they fled to Bravil. She also learned that one of the other survivors now belonged to the Strid River Valley Tribe and was, in fact, a cousin named Violet.

hazmick-They call Bosmer the tree sap people but that is indeed something it seems they share in part with their saurian cousins. I'm sure sap from a graht oak is quite different from that of a hist though. Thank you!

BretonBlood-Thanks! Buffy will indeed need to reevaluate her course ahead now. Violet is the only blood family she has and shares sap from the same tree. Though her tribe’s tree is gone, other Cloud Dancer tribes remain – each with their own massive tree.

DE- Thank you! Yes, Violet is the first blood relative of Buffy that we have seen. Her father disappeared on a vampire hunting expedition when Buffy was a toddler. Her mother died when Buffy was twelve. Book 1 began when Buffy was nearly eighteen. There will indeed be a big hunt that includes Buffy, Violet and Vandrelis.

Lopov- The real Superian was my grandfather’s thoroughbred. She was the granddaughter of Gallant Fox (1930 Triple Crown winner). My grandfather doted on her and trained the mare as a hunter/jumper. Superian, in return, filled his basement with trophies and blue ribbons. I loved her name and when asked, my grandfather told me her sire was called Superior and her dam was named Marian. Thanks!

SubRosa- Your own talent truly sets the standard when it comes to world-building, so your kind words are encouraging indeed. Although the sap/blood exchange is unique to the Cloud Dancer tribes, we’ll see some additional physiological differences between Bosmer in general and other elves/humans. Not only is Violet the only living blood kin to Buffy, but she will prove the best fount of knowledge about the Spirit Catcher tribe.

ghastley- I always appreciate your keen insight as you note things that are important to Buffy and I. In this case, we did indeed put lots of time into naming Buffy’s ancestral tree such that it would echo of Eldergleam and Gildergreen (from Skyrim).

mALX- Aww, thank you! I love Superian’s history and could not resist a brief mention of her naming. I love the idea of the mutually symbiotic relationship between the Cloud Dancer tribes and their trees. Buffy will eventually visit another Cloud Dancer tribe and see that intimate relationship between elf and tree in action.

Grtis- That Violet’s sad history touched your heart is high praise indeed. Thank you. The two cousins will grow close as sisters. Wanderlust will eventually overtake Buffy, but not before she learns more of this tribe and her own.

After we left the elders, Violet led me first to the tent where she lived with several other women. “Those with mates live in their own family tents,” she explained. As she arranged some furs next to her spot, she added, “You’ll sleep here.” She then headed for the tent flap. “Now, let me show you the rest of the camp and introduce you to more of the tribe.”

As we walked and talked, I learned much about life in the Strid River Valley Tribe. Their four seasons were marked not by subtle changes in the valley’s pleasant climate but by important events that dictated their activities.

Autumn and springtime each heralded a mammoth hunt. Just one of the massive animals, augmented by fish from the river and smaller game, could sustain the tribe until the next hunt.

Summer was the season of gathering bergamot oranges from trees growing wild across the prairie. Bergamot oil was produced which, along with pearls from local freshwater mussels, was bartered with the occasional Anvil-based river trader for sea salt, bladed weapons and a small number of other items the tribe did not produce.

Winter was marked by a joyful celebration giving thanks to the Nirn Mother for gracing the tribe with such generous bounty and offering prayers that she might do so again for the year ahead.

“All the tallow from our last hunt has long been rendered into candles and soap,” explained Violet. “Our dwindling supply of smoked mammoth means more fish in our diet now. But this also signals the spring hunt draws near. I hope you’ll stay for it.”

“I think I’d like that, Violet. Are you one of the hunters?”

“Yes, and my familiar, Aquilla, serves as an aerial spotter.”

“Familiar?” I repeated.

“Forgive me. Although you carry the blood and sap of a Spirit Catcher, I forgot for a moment that you were not raised in their ways.” At her urging, we both sat down in some soft grass along the river’s bank.

“As you know,” she continued, “the tribe of our mothers was called the Spirit Catchers. The name comes from our mystical ability to carry spirits within. For most of us, this means we can bond with a willing animal. Once bonded, the animal can freely move between spirit and physical forms as both companion and ally, even teleporting as needed. My mother taught me how to harness this ability and find my familiar the year before Alderglean was destroyed. Some of our mystics and wise women were known to host several spirits within them.”

She sat quietly for a moment. “I’ve just asked my familiar to join us.” No sooner were the words out of her mouth when I heard the nearby rush of flapping wings. By the time my eyes could locate the noise, a large bird of prey was settling on Violet’s small shoulder. “Buffy, this is Aquilla. He’s a river eagle.”

“H-he’s beautiful,” I managed to say of the sleek brown raptor.

Violet affectionately stroked the bird’s chest as she spoke to him. “You look hungry. Would you like to hunt?”

The eagle leaped into flight, climbed and began lazily circling over the river in front of us.

Violet turned her attention back to me. “Buffy, I know you’ve discovered a great many new things today, so I’d like you to take plenty of time as you think about something.”

“Of course, cousin,” I replied, “we both-“ I was interrupted by a screech from above. My eyes located the source just in time to see a winged blur pierce the river’s surface like an arrow, only to emerge a moment later with a large fish gripped in his talons. He carried his meal to the branches of a nearby tree and began tearing pieces from it with his sharply hooked beak. “I’m sorry, Violet, I forgot what I was trying to say.”

“Buffy, I believe, with more time together, I could teach you the Find Familiar ability of the Spirit Catchers. Teaching or learning the spell is challenging and requires an intimate bond. It’s normally taught to children by one of their parents.” She shrugged. “I’m the only fellow Spirit Catcher you have though.”

“I’m interested and honored, Violet, but I have many questions.”

“Of course you do.” She paused to smile warmly and touch my hand. “It’s a big commitment and the bond between Spirit Catcher and familiar is not to be taken lightly. I bring it up now only that you may begin thinking about it, for it will take time for us to grow close enough to share the required ancient magic. You should use that time to think about it and ask any questions you have.”

“Thank you, Violet, for your profound offer and patient understanding.” I glanced up at the tree where Aquilla was perched, alertly watching us. “Does every Spirit Catcher get an eagle?”

“No,” she replied, seemingly pleased at my continued interest, “familiars reflect a combination of the recipient’s nature and needs. There was a saying among the mystics in our tribe: ‘The familiar that finds you cares little for what you want, but knows exactly what you need.' "

“Where does Aquilla go when not with you?” I asked.

“He is always with me, for we are bound to each other.” She placed a fist against the space between her small breasts. “When not in eagle form, he dwells within me as a spirit. That is a big part of why we are called Spirit Catchers.”

“The idea of a familiar sounds wonderful, Violet, but you are right. I need some time to think it over.” Before I made a decision about allowing any more spirits into my little elven self, I knew I needed to talk with Acadian.

Violet nodded. “Enough serious talk for now. I’m sure you’re tired, travel-weary and probably hungry.” She glanced at the sun, now nestling into the western treetops. Would you like me to show you my favorite bathing spot?”

“I’d love that!” I chirped.

Violet was quickly on her feet and pulling me up by both hands. “Aquilla will keep watch for curious mer and hungry slaughterfish. In fact, if we’re lucky, he’ll bring us a nice fish that you and I can share for dinner.”

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Aug 26 2016, 02:40 PM

Excellent. Looking forward to this.

Oh a mammoth hunt! Those are quite sporting, and the bounty is good. Lycus would know

How great that with each passing season comes different activities to do. From hunting to collecting herbs to celebrating. I'm liking Wood Elven culture more and more and you bring that that life continuously.

Oh wow I fell in love with Aquilla(great name). Truly, every hunter needs their companion. Whether it is a river eagle or even a pet Highland wolf

The concept and nature of the Spirit Catcher is very interesting and fits with the Bosmeri culture. When Buffy learns such ability, I know it will indeed come in handy and I wonder which ally she will have with her, as it depends on what the hunter needs.

You know I foresee a waterfall for a bathing spot. It so fits Buffy. She likes waterfalls.

And fish . . . can't go wrong with fish.

Awesome chapter, Acadian. The jungle and native feel, and Buffy's discovery of her heritage and people is both very entertaining and enlightening.

Posted by: ghastley Aug 26 2016, 05:30 PM

Superian should have an opinion by now, too.

And there will now be wild speculation on possible choices for Buffy's familiar - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle?

Posted by: BretonBlood Aug 26 2016, 08:58 PM

I really enjoyed the backstory on Buffy's tribe in this chapter and learning how they each have a familiar that they can learn to bond with. And each person's is different depending on what they need. It reminds of animal totems that some native American tribes use for people or in Harry Potter how everyone's patronus charm is different hahaha.

Posted by: Renee Aug 27 2016, 03:20 AM

Yeah, this was one of my favorite parts too. And the spirit catcher ability too. And the big bird which can follow commands.

Acadian, what town or village is Buffy's family from? I am assuming in Valenwood, right?

Posted by: SubRosa Aug 27 2016, 06:29 PM

More excellent world-building with the yearly cycle of life in the Strid River Valley.

Aquilla? An eagle perhaps?

The spirit bonding of Buffy's folk is so wonderfully perfect. Not only does it explain a great deal about Buffy's own bond with Acadian, but once more it adds so much more flesh to the world over all.

"The familiar that finds you cares little for what you want, but knows exactly what you need."
I smiled at this. As I have often said of Hecate. She is not the goddess you necessarily want, but if she is in your life, it is because she is the one you need.

Posted by: Grits Aug 27 2016, 08:20 PM

I enjoyed the details about the tribe’s gathering and bartering for what they don’t produce on their own. Very neat that their seasons are more cycles of activity than dramatic changes in the local weather.

As SubRosa said, the spirit bonding is wonderfully perfect both for the bonds Buffy already has and the richness it adds to Buffy’s world.

Wow, an eagle! What a marvelous episode!

Posted by: hazmick Aug 27 2016, 08:28 PM

A lovely little chapter indeed. The Spirit Catchers sound so cool! Is there enough room in Buffy's tiny frame for another spirit? I look forward to hearing more.

Posted by: mALX Aug 30 2016, 01:56 AM

This is a wonderful chapter, and there is so much similarity between the two cousins in action and thought/wave lengths.

Like SubRosa; I was wondering if Acadian; Phantom; Superian - if they have kind of been Buffy's familiars all along. She may not have been raised to know the custom, but still would have been born with the ability.

Anyway, regardless the answer to that; this lore you are weaving for Buffy's heritage is the most exciting thing to happen in Buffy Fiction in years!!!!! I am as excited about this as I was the Tourney; this is so Awesome !!!!!

MORE !!!!!

Posted by: Lopov Sep 1 2016, 01:37 PM

As I've said before, reading about one's past and finding more of your hometown and relatives, is one of my favorite things to read, and this chapter is a great continuation of the previous one. I like ways of how tribesmen know seasons by different activities and customs which take place.

I hope Buffy will get her own familiar in due time, unless that's already Acadian. But I'm sure there's room for another. Aquilla is a great name for an eagle.

Posted by: Acadian Sep 2 2016, 01:37 PM

In our last episode, Violet told Buffy about life in the Strid River Valley Tribe and that one of their twice yearly mammoth hunts drew near. She then showed Buffy her unique Spirit Catcher ability of sharing her spirit with a familiar – a river eagle in Violet’s case. Before the cousins headed for a bath in the river, Violet invited Buffy to think about learning the ancient Find Familiar ability of their mothers’ tribe.

DE- Thank you! I hope you will enjoy the tribe’s upcoming mammoth hunt in a few more episodes.

ghastley- Thanks for your wonderful insight as ever. The little elf has always carried spirits within and it is beginning to gradually make more sense to her now.

BretonBlood- I’m glad the blend of tribalism, nature and magic is showing through as a big part the inspiration for our approach to Valenwood. Thanks!

Renee- Thank you! Buffy was conceived high in the branches of the Tall Trees of central Valenwood. After her tribe’s tree was destroyed, Buffy was carried in her mother’s womb as her parents fled to and settled in Bravil. So this really is a wood elf’s journey to learn of her *groan* roots.

SubRosa- Thanks for seeing the connection between Spirit Catchers and Buffy’s bond with Acadian. I hope you enjoy which familiar eventually chooses Buffy and how it relates to what she needs instead of what she might want.

Grits- It was great fun to work through the details of life in the Strid River Valley Tribe since, although it is compatible with TES (I think anyway), it is heavily imagineered to suit our purposes. Valenwood allows a cleaner slate for world building than Cyrodiil since none of the main games are set there.

hazmick- Hee! Having room for another spirit is Buffy’s concern as well. Before she learns the Find Familiar ability, she and Acadian will have a chat about how many spirits can fit in a tiny elf.

mALX- Thanks for noticing some familial type similarities between Buffy and Violet. I’m glad the possibilities of ‘sprit catcher’ as it relates to Buffy is provocatively evident. And thanks also for your encouragement as we do some ‘lore-weaving’ in this book.

Lopov- Aquilla’s name just popped into place as soon as I thought of an eagle for Violet’s familiar. Thank you for enjoying our description of life in this part of Valenwood bordered by river and prairie.

The following sunrise found me grooming Superian by the river’s edge. Both our bellies were full of porridge made from wild oats and apples. I had also enjoyed a cup of hot bergamot tea. A pale green twilight butterfly fluttered nearby. I couldn’t be sure, but I was beginning to wonder if it was the same butterfly that often seemed to find me around dawn or dusk. No, I decided, that would be silly. After all, such small creatures were common sights when the sun was low.

“You’re up early, Buffy.”

I looked over my shoulder to see that Violet had quietly approached. “Good morning, cousin,” I lowered the last of Superian’s feet and dispelled her hoof pick in favor of a curry brush.

“Why are you rubbing that brush in circles?” she asked.

“To loosen any debris in her coat and stimulate her skin.”

“I-I don’t know anything about horses.” After the tentative comment she added, “Can I help?”

I paused, turned to her and smiled. Violet had only briefly met Superian the day before. “Come closer and ask her.”

She approached the imposing mare. As Superian swung her head to investigate the lavender-haired elf, Violet stiffened. “She must be ten times my size!”

“I’d say she’s closer to ten times the size of you and I combined.” Sensing that my comment only made Violet more nervous, I added encouragingly, "Relax though, I can tell already that she likes you.”

Violet cautiously reached out a hand and rubbed the mare’s long nose. “You have beautiful glowing eyes – the same color as those of your mistress. Would you like me to help fix your hair?”

I resumed circling the curry brush around Superian’s coat. “Why don’t you use your fingers to work any tangles out of her mane?”

As Violet reached up, Superian lowered her head making the task easier.

“As you can see,” I said, “she’s used to being groomed by a small elf.” I then dispelled the curry brush by summoning a medium bristled one and began flicking away anything I had loosened up from her coat. “What are we doing today?”

“The tribe’s cook has tasked you and I with collecting mussels from the river for a large batch of stew he plans to make. We’ll save any pearls they contain for when the next trading boat from Anvil makes its way this far up river. Some of the tribe will be catching fish today for the same stew. Another small group has already left camp, hunting for wild tubers and onions. Oh, I’m finished with Superian’s mane.”

“Thanks for the help,” I replied. I was now smoothing the mare’s coat with a conjured burlap rub rag. “Would you work any tangles out of her tail, please?”

“Sure,” replied Violet. She looked rather nervous as she circled around to the mare’s hindquarters.

I chuckled. “Don’t worry, she’ll neither kick nor relieve herself while you’re back there.” I noticed my little butterfly friend was gone.

Soon enough we were done. I blew Superian a kiss over one shoulder as Violet led me to our next task. “You’ll have to teach me how to collect these mussels.”

We’d not traveled far alongside the river when she stopped. “This is a good spot, Buffy. Can you hold your breath well?”

“Not exactly but, with a spell, I can stay under water for over a quarter hour.”

Violet stared at me. “I’ve heard of such spells, but the tree-dwelling Spirit Catchers had no need to breathe water and no one in the Strid Valley River Tribe knows such magic.”

I took her hands in mine. “Violet, I’ve learned so much about who I am from you. And you’ve so freely provided your tent, food and kindness. I’d be honored if you’d let me try and share my waterbreathing spell with you. I mean, if you want me to.”

Lavender eyes sparkled and hair of the same color bounced as she nodded vigorously.

I continued to hold her hands. “We’ll need to maintain a physical bond.” I moved closer until our foreheads were pressed together. “Close your eyes and open your mind to my magic.” Soon, I could feel the delicate tendrils of our spirits gently discovering each other as they intertwined enough to allow the flow of arcane knowledge. After a few moments, I allowed the bond to fade. I stepped back as we both opened our eyes.

“I think it worked,” she said. “I’m anxious to try it.”

After dropping our clothes, Violet picked up the medium sized bag that she had worn at her hip. It contained another such sack and two small flint blades, each with a thin twine lanyard. “The bags are to hold our catch and the blades are to help break free any stubborn ones.” After she tied one of the bags around my waist and a blade to my wrist, I did the same for her.

“Are we ready?” I asked.

“Almost,” replied Violet. She looked up just before I heard the wings of Aquilla. I watched the eagle settle upon a branch that stretched out over the river. “As when we were bathing last night he’ll watch out for slaughterfish and make sure no squirrels or raccoons get into our belongings. Now we’re ready.”

After casting our spells, I followed Violet to the river’s bottom and she began to show me how to find and gather our quarry. With two of us, and the ability to stay submerged for long periods, it took only a couple hours to fill both our bags.

Once done, we sat on the shore, drying ourselves in the midmorning sun.

“Do you remember much of my parents?” I asked while combing out my hair.

“I knew Aunt Marian from as far back as I can remember. She met and married Superior only a couple years before the fire so I didn’t know him as well. The cozy burrow nest that Alderglean provided for them within one of her branches was quite high. Oh, I recall that Aunt Marian maintained a small shrine to Azura in her home – it only appeared a couple months before the fire. I found that a bit odd, as most of our tribe worshipped the Sky Goddess and Nirn Mother.” Violet stiffened slightly. “Aquilla sees a hunter on the other side of the river.” She closed her eyes for a few moments, then opened them again. “No danger. It’s the chief’s son, likely hunting rabbit. “Pull your knees up to cover your bits.” We both did so as some small branches parted across the river and I recognized Vandrelis, bow in hand.

“You can see through Aquilla’s eyes?” I asked.

“Sometimes, when there is something he wishes to show me,” she replied.

“Vandrelis is watching us too,” I said. “I didn’t know he was the chief’s son.”

“Yes,” Violet replied, “and someday I expect he’ll be chief.” She frowned. “Several of the tribe’s young mermaidens fawn over him.”

“I can see why,” I remarked a bit more dreamily than I intended.

“Oh, not you too, Buffy!”

“Well, he is quite handsome,” I said, “and when I first encountered him as I approached your valley, he acted nobly and treated me with kindness.”

She looked at me. “He must have taken a fancy to you - and likely more than just your looks. I mean you and I could be twins except for our hair and eye coloring, but he has never shown much interest in me. Of course, I was a grown mer before he came of age, so perhaps that is why he has never thought of me that way.”

Even from across the river, I could see it was indeed me that Vandrelis was watching. After a short time, he faded back into the forest and I mused aloud, “Or perhaps he’s watching me simply because I’m an outsider and he doesn’t trust me.”

Finally dry, we dressed, gathered our bags of mussels from where we had tethered them in the shallows and headed back to the village.

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Sep 2 2016, 07:35 PM

A pale green twilight butterfly fluttered nearby. I couldn’t be sure, but I was beginning to wonder if it was the same butterfly that often seemed to find me around dawn or dusk. No, I decided, that would be silly. After all, such small creatures were common sights when the sun was low.

I'm beginning to wonder and suspect that this butterfly isn't any ordinary butterfly. Buffy dismissed the butterfly early, but given the abundance of life, I don't blame her.

How great that Superian allowed Violet to help out with her hair, and that the two cousins are getting along so well. How amazing would it be to have Violet's ability to see what her familiar sees? Indeed such powers can come in handy.

You know I had a feeling Buff had a crush on Vandrelis from the very start. I mean he does fit the knight in shining armor hunter in shining animal pets persona.

Something that caught my attention was Violet's mention of Marian's worship of Azura and the shrine. I think Buffy's destiny was written out for her long before she was born. Perhaps. It looks that way to me.

Great chapter, Acadian and I loved the fishing tactics.

Posted by: BretonBlood Sep 2 2016, 09:38 PM

As Darkness Eternal said, it was kind of obvious Buffy has a thing for Vandrelis. And I love the little subtle butterfly that gives the reader that sense that Azura is watching over Buffy, but it could just be a regular butterfly.

And I love how Violet can see through Aquillas eyes, such a cool feature and i can't wait to learn more.

Posted by: mALX Sep 3 2016, 09:17 AM

I also agree with DE on all he said. I am very excited to learn how the connection comes about between Azura and Buffy's Mother!

I especially liked the grooming of Superian; and it was very cool that Superian brought her head down because she was used to a smaller Elf grooming her - that is legit, I have seen horses do that before! And Buffy's instructions on grooming were dead on correct, loved that!

Why do I get the feeling that Violet is numbered amongst the girls in the village who has a crush on Vandrelis?

An Awesome chapter; but I do have one nit - a pretty huge one:

...


*mALX turns green, grows to giant proportions; rips shirt off*

Posted by: SubRosa Sep 3 2016, 07:10 PM

The same butterfly every twilight? Oh that would be crazy Buffy!

I hope no mALX'es get in their belongings while they are swimming!

Some more enticing tidbits of the history of Aunt Mar and Uncle Sup. I wonder if there were ever any butterflies around that shrine to Azura?

Vandrelis is the prince? I bet there are plenty of mermaids giving him doe eyes. But it seems he has managed to somehow find himself in Buffy's locale. I am sure completely by accident...

Posted by: Renee Sep 6 2016, 02:26 AM

Oh I see. I just learned a lot from these sentences... all this time I'd assumed she grew up in Valenwood, then moved to Cyrodiil. Because I never read the earlier stories.

I love all the magic in this one! Even little things like summoning a brush, or seeing through somebody else's eyes. Chances are when my Lady Saga returns to Valenwood, she'll already know a lot of the things that are common knowledge in Valenwood, and that's how I'm going to RP it. The tribes and animal spirits are examples here.

Posted by: Lopov Sep 6 2016, 02:04 PM

While her tribe can certainly teach Buffy many new things, she can easily return a favor by doing what she did to Violet - teach her how to breathe underwater.

That made me chuckle! I could almost hear Violet saying that.

Interesting about Marian having Azura's shrine. That immediately reminded me of the introduction to this story.

Buffy & Vandrelis!

Posted by: Grits Sep 9 2016, 03:13 AM

First, I have been biting my tongue to keep from gushing about how closely the feel of ESO’s Valenwood is to Buffy’s imagineered ancestral home until you had a chance to see some of it in the game, and now you’ve been there! Even the Valley tribe’s sparsely treed plains can be found in Greenshade. I happily embrace differences from the games and lore in stories, I’m just tickled that Buffyversewood blends so beautifully with what I see when my characters walk around in the game.

I was delighted to see so many practical tools summoned to Buffy’s hands as she needed them. Here is a University trained mage at work regardless how rustic the surroundings. And why waste bag space on things other than shoes? Ha, I’m sure Vandrelis was happy that the cook assigned a naked task to the Cloud Dancer lasses. I loved the method of sharing the waterbreathing spell, since hopefully it bodes well for Violet sharing her knowledge of finding familiars. What a warm and lovely episode. I could hug Violet just for being there with Buffy.

Posted by: ghastley Sep 9 2016, 01:41 PM

I picked up the same little detail as SubRosa, and am starting to wonder if that butterfly/moth is going to be her familiar.

Posted by: Acadian Sep 9 2016, 02:39 PM

In our last episode, Buffy and her cousin were tasked by the tribe’s cook to gather freshwater mussels from the river. Violet’s eagle familiar kept watch as the two elves used Buffy’s waterbreathing spell to help as they hunted along the river bottom. While drying themselves in the sun, they noticed Vandrelis watching from across the river. Buffy learned from Violet that he was the chief’s son.

DE- Thanks for noting the threads of Azura here. Unknown to Buffy, the little butterfly is indeed her godmother and we are reminded, with that shrine, that Buffy’s mother had turned to Azura shortly after Buffy was conceived.

BretonBlood- I hope you’ll enjoy the path that things between Buffy and Vandrelis take. I like the idea of the eagle familiar as well – helpful but not overpowered at all. Thank you!

mALX- As you recall from the prelude, when Buffy’s mother asked Mara and Kynareth to be Buffy’s godmother all she got was silence. That is why she turned to Azura who, though not really qualified for the task, accepted the role. Much of what I know about horses, I learned from you, my friend. Oh noes! I should have said otters or crows or. . . anything except squirrels!

SubRosa- Thanks! It was a big decision to briefly depart from Buffy’s strict first person perspective when we wrote the book's prelude - but now it is fun to display her clueless interactions with the little butterfly whose identity only we know.

Renee- Buffy has always loved what SubRosa and I have called ‘utility magic’, and I thank you for your encouragement. Buffy is pretty good at summoning a wide range of what other mages would consider quite mundane objects to help her with routine tasks.

Lopov- Thank you. Buffy was anxious to repay Violet for her kindnesses and the waterbreathing spell was a great opportunity. I’m so glad the mention that Buffy’s mother maintained a shrine to Azura drew you back to the prelude – that was my hope.

Grits- I too am pleasantly surprised to see how closely ESO matches our own vision of Valenwood – particularly since this book was fully drafted before I ever really knew anything about ESO. Summoning mundane tools to leave more wardrobe room is exactly right! I’m also glad you noticed that sharing the waterbreathing spell was also foreshadowing the arcane intimacy required for Violet to teach Buffy the Find Familiar ability. Thank you!

ghastley- Although the little butterfly is an unobtrusive manifestation of Azura, I wouldn’t bet on a butterfly familiar. Thanks!

The reward for our morning of hard work was several more hours spent opening, cleaning, checking for pearls and preparing mussels for the cook. Chatting with Violet made the time pass quickly though. I learned that women of the Spirit Catchers Tribe were generally skilled with bow and magic, while the men excelled with bow and blade.

During my brief time here, I had seen that mer of the Strid River Valley Tribe generally favored grazing on their own schedule in lieu of community meals. This evening was an exception, as nearly the entire tribe gathered to share flatbread, wild strawberry wine and fish stew. Once our bellies were full, the reason for the occasion became clear.

The tribe’s chief stood and announced, “The spring hunt is upon us. As you know, I have led each of our hunts for many years now and, since he came of age, my son has been at my side during each of them. He is now ready to take another significant step in his training to one day become your chief. Two days hence, it is Vandrelis who will lead our huntsmer as they quest for a mammoth to sustain our tribe."

After dinner, I joined several of the huntsmer in some good natured target practice that would also help Vandrelis select his mammoth hunters. I was easily bested by the other mer and their light elven bows during the contests that required shooting while maneuvering on foot. When it came to accuracy at range from a fixed firing perch though, I did extremely well. They were also impressed that many of Slayer’s arrows, after passing through the hide targets, continued on to split or damage the rocks beyond. At Vandrelis’ request, I saddled Superian and gave a brief demonstration of my mounted archery ability.

When Violet and I finally crawled into our furs, sleep came quickly.

Early the following morning, we found the roster Vandrelis had posted of huntsmer assigned to the band he would lead. Scanning down the list of just over a score of names, we found ‘Violet and eagle’ right above ‘Buffy and horse’. The parchment also announced a midday briefing.

Taking my cue from Violet, we focused on general preparations in order to have the afternoon and evening to make refinements after we learned our assignments. My time was spent working with the tribe’s leather artisan to replace Superian’s crude bridle of vines.

When the sun was high, we made our way to the central cookfire. If Vandrelis was nervous about leading the mammoth hunt, it didn’t show as he detailed his plans and assignments to the assembled huntsmer. Violet was assigned to one group of ten hunters. Most of the remaining hunters comprised a second group of the same size. Vandrelis explained that Superian and I would function as a separate maneuver element. Finally, two additional hunters would guide and escort the tribe’s river buffalo-drawn wagon required to help bring our anticipated bounty home. As he went into great detail, I was impressed by both his planning and the confidence he inspired.

Once he finished our briefing and the hunting party wandered off to continue their preparations, Vandrelis caught up with me. “Buffy, how fast is your horse?” In response to my tilted head and confused look he added, “I mean, can she outrun a mammoth?”

“I don’t know,” I replied. “How fast are they?”

“Much faster than any mer, but slower than an antelope.”

I smiled. “Then she can outrun them.”

“Good.” He looked relieved. “After the first arrow is fired, our target will charge and not stop until dead. Normally, we split and fan our groups into too many targets for the mammoth to focus on, hoping that the animal’s uncertainty and confusion will allow those in position to keep shooting. I’m relying on your horse’s speed and maneuverability to keep the focus of our quarry’s charge on you instead of my much slower foot archers.”

“Superian and I will do our best,” I replied soberly.

I realized he was leading me to the giant skull just outside the elders’ tent. As we stopped, he continued. “This belongs to the mammoth we took during our last hunt and serves as a reminder of the magnificent animal responsible for sustaining this tribe for half a year. Confident that his spirit will have returned to the plains, we hope to replace this with the skull of his successor.”

He tapped on the broad bone forehead with his knuckles before continuing, “This is why our hunters do not aim for the head but focus on the shoulders and hips to slow, and the side of the chest to kill. It is like armor and I’ve never seen an archer able to pierce it - until last night. I saw the damage your bow did to those rocks behind our targets.”

I tapped on the skull myself. “I believe Slayer’s power and armor-piercing magic can penetrate this.”

“I suspected as much. Remember that your first priority is to hold our quarry’s ire as a target it cannot catch, thereby protecting our hunters. That said, if you do get the opportunity to shoot, try to pierce the animal’s skull. A successful hunt means losing no tribesmer, but also honoring our prey with a quick and merciful death. That is why we coordinate our attack with so many bows.”

“Your tribe has beautiful traditions, Vandrelis. I’m proud to hopefully play a small role tomorrow in helping to continue them.”

“Thank you, Buffy. Well, I’d better check on how preparations fare with our buffalo and his wagon.”

“Of course,” I said. “I understand how busy you must be.”

He started to turn, then abruptly stepped close enough that I could feel the heat from his bare chest. He looked down into my eyes and said, “After the hunt. . . I hope you will stay with us for a time.” He then turned and headed for the river.

I followed the mer with my eyes for a time - acutely aware of how his broad shoulders and bronzed back narrowed into a shapely rump - before trying to return my flustered focus to preparations for the hunt.

The rest of the afternoon was spent helping Violet fletch arrows for her bow, filling waterskins and packing a small amount of dry food to sustain us both during the hunt. I knew there would be unlimited grazing for Superian out on the plains.

Dinner that evening was another tribal affair, but the huntsmer were more subdued than the previous night. I attributed it to the same nervous anticipation that I was feeling. Regardless, the certainty of starting out before sunrise sent all of us to our sleeping furs early.

Posted by: hazmick Sep 9 2016, 03:30 PM

Ooh mammoth hunting! The oldest of traditions. I hope Team Bosmer all make it through this one, though with "Buffy and horse" on their side they certainly stand a good chance.

Posted by: haute ecole rider Sep 9 2016, 04:55 PM

I've been reading this latest Buffy story with immense enjoyment as it has been unfolding. I apologize for not commenting sooner.

Umm, yeah. I can see it too. Hmm-mmm!

One nit:
You left out the closing quote here.

Otherwise, the story continues to unfold, and I'm more or less transported to the heyday of the Great Plains Indians as they prepared for their buffalo hunts. Having just recently read Alan Swale's first two books of his Eagle trilogy, it is not difficult to imagine. If that was you intent, you are accomplishing this very well.

And while I haven't gone to Valenwood in ESO yet, I don't need that experience to visualize what you are creating for us readers here. Lovely bits of world building - others have remarked upon the same things I've already noticed so I don't see the need to repeat everything again.

Posted by: Lopov Sep 9 2016, 05:17 PM

Awesome, Acadian, I like this episode a lot - I see it as an "announcement" for the hunt to come

Looks like this hunt will be special for Spirit Catchers too, with Buffy and her skull-piercing Slayer joining them.

Though my favorite part is where Vandrelis turns back to Buffy and talks to her. That was nicely done, and you created the fitting atmosphere in just a few words.

Oh, and one more thing, I love the expression huntsmer!

Posted by: SubRosa Sep 9 2016, 05:55 PM

The reward for a morning of hard work is more hard work! Some things never change in life.

Buffy's huntsmering abilities are as expected. You have demonstrated her strengths and weaknesses so well in the past we knew how that was going to work out before even reading the words.

Confident that his spirit will have returned to the plains
Exactly what a RL hunter-gatherer would have said.

My Vandrelis, what a shapely rump you have...

I look forward to the big hunt next week!

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Sep 10 2016, 02:27 AM

How fitting that the men are talented in the use of the sword and bow, and the women magic and the bow. Either way, the bow and arrow are the main tools for Bosmeri weaponry. Great chapter as we learn along with Buffy about the tribe, their foods, their training and customs. The mammoth skull was a nice touch and I'm tapping my feet here impatiently awaiting the mammoth hunt. The preparations are already here.

It warms my heart to see that Buffy just may have something going on here with Vandrelis . . . it all starts with the lingering gaze. I like what's going on here. I too, hope that Buffy ends up staying with them for quite awhile.

Great chapter, Acadian!

And thanks for the information on the butterfly. I suspected as much

Nit: Well, as the Master of Nits(I have them all the time), here's one I found:

"The reward for our morning of hard work was several more hours spent opening, cleaning. checking for pearls and preparing mussels for the cook."

I believe there should be a comma there rather than a period, and if not, "checking" should begin with a capital C.

Posted by: BretonBlood Sep 10 2016, 03:41 AM

I really did enjoy this chapter, it was sort of like tryouts to make the hunting team, and naturally Buffy with her bow, Slayer, and Superian she would make the team. I am excited to see how the hunt turns out with Buffy being set up to be the killing blow.

We also see Vandrelis show some more interest in Buffy... where will that lead I am wondering.

Posted by: mALX Sep 15 2016, 08:22 PM

I had the same sensation Haute spoke of in reading this; it almost gave the vibe of the Great Plains Indians the days leading into their big buffalo hunt before winter sets in - very cool tribal feel to the customs of these Mer; enough so that it is surprising to hear their speech is far from tribal and you remember they are Mer, lol. Excellent the way you immersed the reader into their culture!

Seconding everyone else's comment here; I got a huge kick out of Vandrelis looming his sweaty chest into Buffy's face and then giving her a walking away shot to think about while she was swoony, lol. Buffy may be a grieving widow, but hey! She is still female!

But this next line was my absolute favorite, and I'm glad SubRosa noticed it too - kind of confirms in my mind that it was as awesome as I thought it was:

That sums up and brings us full circle back to that sensation of the tribal Plains Natives - Really Awesome write here!!!! Excellent l!!

Posted by: ghastley Sep 15 2016, 08:42 PM

The thing that I'm noticing is that he's essentially told her "either the whole tribe attacks the mammoth and it dies slowly, or you shoot it in the head".

No pressure!

Posted by: Grits Sep 15 2016, 11:34 PM

Woo, Vandrelis leads his first hunt! I loved the preparations, especially that "Buffy and horse" will be a separate element. With Superian's speed and Buffy's powerful bow, they can make a huge difference in the hunt.

The best part for me was after Vandrelis had finished talking privately to Buffy about hunt business, when his hotness turned back and showed his personal interest in her. I don't think he wants her to stay just to help render all that mammoth fat.

Posted by: Acadian Sep 16 2016, 01:28 PM

hazmick- Thank you! One mammoth hunt coming right up!

Rider- Delighted to have you back with us! You are spot on regarding some of our influences; they include the American Great Plains Indians, Jane Auel’s ‘Earth’s Children’ books and. . . oh yes, TES. Thanks for the nit so I could quickly fix it.

Lopov- Thanks much for sharing my like for the term huntsmer – it just seems to fit. Also glad you’re enjoying the tentative dance between Buffy and Vandrelis.

SubRosa- It is music to my ears that you could predict how Buffy would fare during various aspects of the archery competition! I also appreciate your endorsement of this tribe’s (and Buffy’s) rather reverent and spiritual approach to hunting.

DE- As I mentioned to hazmick, one mammoth hunt coming right up! As I’m sure you can see, there are several themes weaving through Buffy’s visit with the Strid River Valley tribe – learning some spirit magic from Violet, Vandrelis trying to tug at her heart and, of course, learning some about life as a plains hunter. Thanks for the nit so I could fix it.

BretonBlood- Thank you! I figure Vandrelis included Violet and Buffy among his hunting party as much for their critters as for their bows.

mALX- I’m so glad the tribal feel of plains hunters is coming through – thank you! I hope you enjoy the hunt itself in today’s episode!

ghastley- You nailed it! Buffy’s first mammoth hunt and there is quite a bit of pressure on her, Superian and Slayer. Thank you!

Grits- I’m so glad that you caught the inseparability of Violet and Buffy from their critters. This big team hunt is all new for Buffy so she’s pretty nervous – especially given the big role that Vandrelis has assigned her. Thanks!


In our last episode, Buffy learned that the chief's son, Vandrelis, would be leading the spring mammoth hunt. She and Violet were both selected to be part of his hunting party and spent their time preparing for the hunt.

By midmorning we were well out onto the prairie. Our search was guided by Violet, based on what her eagle familiar showed her from the air. From my high perch astride Superian, I was the first mer to actually see the mammoths as we crested a rolling hill. As I pointed them out, Vandrelis called a stop to our procession. The herd consisted of about a score of the giant animals, grazing and lingering near a small patch of green that probably indicated water.

Our river buffalo and his wagon, along with two hunters, remained together right where we stopped. I had learned the draft animal’s name was Tobias and that he was as steady and placid as he was strong. The remaining hunters continued over the ridgeline’s crest then split into two groups, separating themselves by enough distance to create a killing zone between them. Once Vandrelis was satisfied, he gave his signal. Both groups held their position out to my flanks, while Superian and I continued straight toward the herd.

As we drew closer, a bull mammoth moved to place himself between me and the herd. Raising his trunk, he trumpeted a loud warning. He then stood directly facing me as the rest of the herd returned to grazing. It was clear they had no intention of yielding their oasis and likely considered Superian and I simply pests to be kept away.

Our plans for cutting an individual from a moving herd and drawing it into our killing zone had just changed. Fortunately, Vandrelis had discussed this very possibility during the preceding day’s briefing - and I trusted the tribe that had been hunting these massive creatures for generations knew much more about their behavior than I. Apparently, as long as I continued to seem merely a nuisance to the herd, they would trust this big bull to deal with me. Should I attack however, the whole herd would likely charge.

Superian eased closer and maneuvered slightly to one side. The mammoth lowered his head, slowly sweeping his tusks – each longer than my mare –just above the ground in an ominous display. He then pawed up a cloud of dust with one massive foot.

Superian wisely stopped. She understood the foot pawing part of his warning perfectly. Indeed, had I not been astride her, she would have readily heeded it and retreated. But, for better or worse, as long as her elven archer was in the saddle, she had boundless courage. While I was pondering how to provoke our quarry into an aggressive display that would draw him away from the herd, Superian made our choice for us by snorting and pawing the ground with her own challenge.

Her action was enough to generate a mock charge. We bolted to the side and slightly away, stopping abruptly as he did. I was relieved to see that the rest of the herd seemed content to let him deal with the insignificant horse and elf.

I then ran Superian fairly close across the bull’s frontage inciting another charge that was more aggressive. This time we were able to tease him slightly away from the herd. When Superian and I taunted him into a third charge, he finally seemed determined to end to our annoyance once and for all. With plenty of speed, we opened some distance and turned to verify that the rest of the herd remained uncommitted. We then raced tantalizingly close and began to lead the now furious mammoth toward the awaiting huntsmer of the Strid River Valley Tribe.

As we entered the killing zone, a score of arrows flew from the tall grass on both sides of the mammoth. Severely wounded, he stopped, trumpeted his pain and fury then looked for an assailant to charge. The second volley staggered the giant animal yet he remained unsteadily on his feet. By now, I had sharply wheeled Superian around and fully drawn Slayer. My arrow pierced the mammoth’s skull just as the tribe’s third volley struck from both sides. The animal fell – dead. The time it took from first arrow to last was probably less than ten seconds.

It had been a merciful death for this mighty and noble creature, but there were neither cheers nor shouts of celebration.

I dismounted and joined my fellow huntsmer as we arrayed ourselves around the mammoth. Each of us soberly dropped to one knee.

It was Vandrelis who spoke. “Honored and majestic guardian of the prairie, your sacrifice will sustain the elves of my tribe and we revere you for it. We grieve for your herd, but know that others will rise to the tasks you leave behind. May the Nirn Mother guide your journey until, once again, the thunder of your feet across these plains announces the return of your mighty spirit.”

It was similar to the sentiment and ceremony I had performed over the carcass of every prey animal that had sustained me since my first kill. I had not even seen ten summers when my archery master, Daenlin, ensured that I knew how to perform it and understood its meaning. For such was nature’s circle of life. The round-ears viewed animal flesh as a supplement to their more agrarian diet and had digestive systems that supported such. Bosmer, however, were not humans; we were primarily carnivorous predators. While my mouth certainly enjoyed strawberries and sweet rolls, my body – like those of this tribe – required meat to survive.

Once Tobias and his escorts arrived, we unloaded the tools and equipment from his wagon to support the daunting tasks of skinning, gutting, dismembering and transporting this massive creature.

Indeed, the process required several heavily-laden trips that took us through the night and well into the next day. Superian pulled a sled that used tusks as rails, rib bones as cross supports and was lashed together with strips of hide. Her first load consisted of massive portions of meat wrapped in large sections of the animal's pelt. Ultimately, I believe Superian proved as valuable as Tobias, but those on foot also carried heavy packs filled with our treasure from the prairie.

Even as we traveled back and forth between our kill and the village, those of the tribe who were not among the hunting party were hard at work processing the arriving bounty. Numerous fires and racks were already smoking meat. An entire team of elves was necessary to handle and begin curing the large sections of pelt which would eventually be tanned and softened using oils from the animal’s own brain.

The sun was past its zenith on the second day as we finally unloaded the last of it. The entire village assembled around the animal’s skull – which now occupied its predecessor’s place of honor next to the elders’ tent. The chief spoke. “Our entire party of hunters has returned safely. The smell of freshly roasting mammoth once again fills this village.” He placed his hand reverently on the giant skull. “I am told this animal died valiantly but with merciful quickness. These things are the marks of a successful hunt and we give thanks to the Nirn Mother.” He turned to Vandrelis. “Have your hunters clean themselves, their equipment, then enjoy a well-deserved day of rest. Tomorrow night the entire tribe will feast and celebrate.”

Vandrelis then assembled his hunters to briefly add his own thanks and admonishment to clean up and rest.

I made my way to Superian and hugged the filthy mare. Both of us were exhausted, covered with blood and smelled badly. I mounted and we slowly rode into the river. I slipped into the water where it was shoulder-deep and began the process of removing, rinsing out, and tossing ashore my buckskins and Superian’s tack. I then washed my mare and, finally, myself. Most of the hunters had joined us in the river doing much the same thing. Almost half of us were women, but all were too exhausted to care about the fact that our bits were on display.

Clean, dry and covered by a short tunic, I joined Violet in hanging our wet things on branches to dry. I then managed to groom my precious mare and get us fed before my feet carried me to the women’s tent. That it was only mid afternoon was no deterrent to sleep, which came quickly and deeply.

Posted by: Grits Sep 17 2016, 03:45 AM

I love that Plan A didn't work, but Vandrelis had already put Plan B together so well that Buffy and Superian could just go ahead with it. How awesome that Superian's foot pawing that we saw in reply to the minotaur was the final straw for the mammoth and started the hunt!

I found the packing up and processing of the kill just as interesting as the hunt itself. Buffy's exhaustion was very real by the time she dragged her bits out of the river and off to sleep. Since the hunt went so well, I imagine that more huntsmer than Vandrelis will hope that Buffy stays. Also every tribesmer who had a loved one out on those plains and hoped that they wouldn't return in the wagon will be thankful once they hear the story. What a fabulous episode!

Posted by: haute ecole rider Sep 17 2016, 04:14 AM

I loved the communication between Superian and the bull mammoth. Yes, her returning his challenge would trigger a more serious charge from him.

But what caught my eye in this episode was this phrase:

Sounds like Bosmer are part feline! For cats, too, are obligate carnivores and cannot survive without meat.

Didn't see any nits this time!

Posted by: mALX Sep 17 2016, 07:25 AM

Buffy & Superian are always a great lure!

What shone above everything in this chapter for me was this passage:

What strikes me so strongly here is that she was taught from early childhood the ways of her own people by Daenlin; and that is the second time something he had taught her or raised her to believe was 100% in sync with their customs.

So now for the second time I'm wondering if Daenlin may have had a connection to this tribe! Maybe there is a reason he was Buffy's guardian all this time!

*mALX slathers at the delicious possibilities*

Spectacular write !!!!

Posted by: Renee Sep 18 2016, 11:44 AM

That poor mammoth. These tribes are like Indians though at least, they take but they also give, in a way.

Posted by: SubRosa Sep 18 2016, 07:06 PM

Violet and her eagle familiar are reminding me of The Falcon and his sidekick Redwing from the old Captain America comics.

Well, trust Buffy to get someone exasperated! I see it works on mammoths just as well as it does on everyone else! Getting the bull's dander up certainly worked to get it to cut itself from the rest of the herd. Buffy showed the power of light cavalry, with her mock charges and quick retreats. Or as Bruce Lee once said: "...water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend."

The circle of life plays itself out. I was keenly aware of how this hunt could make or break the entire tribe. A situation especially magnified by the fact it is Vandrelis' first time leading it. Its success means the tribe's future is assured for another six months. But things could have easily gone very badly the elves, and ended with many maimed or dead. While Buffy was certainly the ace in the deck here, it is Vandrelis' leadership and preparation of Buffy that really showed through here for me.




nits:
Have your hunters clean themselves, their equipment[,] then enjoy a well-deserved day of rest.
I think you were missing a comma where I inserted it above.

Posted by: Lopov Sep 18 2016, 07:14 PM

The mammoth was a necessary sacrifice but at least Elves brought it down quickly and will use the slain animal and its "contents" to ensure their own survival. So what happens with the skull of the previous slain mammoth when new one arrives?

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Sep 18 2016, 10:23 PM

Woo! And so the hunt begins!! I quote mALX in the passage: that was so great. We see the deep-rooted beliefs instilled in Buffy so long ago shine here.

The hunt with the mammoth was just intriguing and just as an animal would act when faced with such peril. In the end the majestic creature was no match for Buffy's arrow, nor the others that struck him.

This was great!! Speaks volumes about the Bosmer, and why they value meat so much. There's the Green Pact also . . . awesome.

I have to add that the manner in which they brought back the meat was very great and insightful. You excelled here as a writer, Acadian and I am thoroughly enjoying Buffy's journey here. And the end of this chapter had my mouth watering the entire time

Vandrelis has seen Buffy's abilities shine here. I long to see what the celebration and the feast will bring, besides these Bosmer together.

Posted by: BretonBlood Sep 20 2016, 03:43 AM

Very exciting hunt indeed. I really liked the part where you mention how Superian ordinarily would have fled, but with Buffy on her back she is the most courageous horse to ever live. I just found that special because it really shows their bond.

Then when they took down the mammoth, I love how you went into detail and then at the end mentioned how from the first arrows that flew to the lasto ne, only about 10 seconds had pasted. It goes to show how fast and frantic this mighty task was and how skilled the tribe, and Buffy are. I don't know I really liked that.

Posted by: Acadian Sep 23 2016, 01:04 PM

Grits- Thank you! I love how Superian’s bravado is all based on overconfidence in the elf in her saddle. I enjoyed the hunt but am glad that it all fit nicely within one episode.

Rider- Like you, I enjoyed the large role that Superian played in the hunt. Happily for Buffy, strawberries, sweet rolls and wine won’t make her sick but, in her world, Bosmer really are primarily carnivorous by necessity.

mALX- I very much appreciate your endorsement of Buffy’s approach to hunting. It was wonderful for her to discover the same view is shared by many more Bosmer than just Daenlin. I figure Daenlin is descended from one of the ground dwelling tribes similar to this one, whereas the less sturdy and smaller tree dwellers hail from deeper south in Valenwood.

Renee- I know. An odd relationship to kill such a majestic animal – even though it is required for survival. As you say, though, they try to revere and respect their prey as best they can. Thanks!

SubRosa- Heh, I confess a touch of ‘Beastmaster’ influence when it comes to familiars. I love how you pointed out that Buffy can even exasperate an animal as patient as a mammoth! With only two such hunts a year you are right to point out how critical each one is and the loss of any huntsmer damages future prospects. This was an important hunt for just the reasons you mention. Thanks for pointing out that nit so I could fix it.

Lopov- Thank you! To be honest, I didn’t really think about removal of the old skull.

DE- Gosh, given the depth of your ‘all things Hircine’ knowledge, your kind words are most rewarding. I very much hoped you would enjoy this hunt, as I know that much of Buffy’s story can be a bit. . . girly. Oh, and thank you for noting that nit.

BretonBlood- Thank you! Over the years, Buffy and Superian have grown to be almost inseparable and so much time together really does help them to communicate intuitively. The mare has speed, a sense of smell, and instincts about the nature of those around her that far exceeds Buffy’s abilities. Given how much and how fast that mammoth could inflict damage, it was essential (and merciful) for the tribe to take him down quickly.

In our last episode, Buffy and Superian helped the Strid River Valley Tribe successfully hunt a mammoth. Once the long process of getting their kill back to camp was complete, elf and mare cleaned up. Sleep then came quickly to the exhausted elf.

When Violet and I finally emerged from the tent, we were blinking into the midmorning sun. After a breakfast of roasted mammoth heart that the other hunters assured me was required by tradition, I went to the river where Superian and Tobias, the draft river buffalo, were enjoying their day of rest. Our clothing was dry, but I decided to stay in my short tunic and bare feet.

I ambled along the water’s edge until the smells of smoke and roasting meat were replaced by those of rich loam and wildflowers. A patch of soft grass by the river became my seat as I watched the butterflies. Their delicate and varied hues of blue, green, gold and black sparkled in the sunshine as they danced among equally colorful small flowers. The occasional fish would break the water’s surface to snap at iridescent-winged dragonflies. After a time I closed my eyes and just listened to the water and cheerful chorus of birds among the treetops.

“Good morning, huntsmer.”

My eyes popped open to see that Vandrelis had quietly seated himself at my side. “H-how did you. . . ?” I stammered.

“I began my search at your horse,” he replied. “From there, your small footprints were easy to track in the soft ground along the river.” He busied himself for a moment selecting a long blade of grass. I smiled as he stuck the end of it in his mouth, remembering that my archery master, Daenlin, would often do the same. “You and your horse were most worthy additions to our hunting party.”

“Thank you, Vandrelis. You did a fine job of preparing and leading us.”

“Have you thought more about your plans?” he asked.

“I’ve learned much about the Cloud Dancer tribes from Violet,” I replied. “I expect I’ll head south to see the Tall Trees for myself.”

“I could travel with you, Buffy.”

My eyes widened with surprise. “You would leave your tribe?”

“For a time. . . if it means ensuring you come back to us.”

I was suddenly quite aware of how close he was to me and began to grow concerned. Not because his nearness made me want to move away - rather, because it didn’t. I avoided his eyes, afraid of what I might see. Afraid of what he might see. What drew me to the gallant future leader of this tribe was quite similar to the things that had drawn me to my Savlian Matius. Was I truly interested in Vandrelis or desperately grasping for a memory of Savlian? “I think you just want my mare to help bring home your next large kill.” I managed to conjure a crooked grin.

To his credit, Vandrelis seemed to realize my confused hesitance in response to his flirting, for his face lightened into playfulness. “I see you have discovered my intentions. Indeed, I shall just throw you into the river so it can carry you out to the Abecean. Then I will claim your mare for my tribe.”

As he reached for me, I squealed and tried to scramble to my feet. A moment later I was completely off the ground. My arms and legs flailed helplessly as the mer carried me the few steps to water’s edge and threw me nearly two horse lengths out into the river.

I sputtered to the surface to see him standing on the shore with his arms crossed in mock gloat. Filling my mouth with water I sprayed it toward him. My range was woefully short. In a moment, his buckskin boots were off and he dove into the river.

I pointed my feet to the sky and dove for the river’s bottom but could not match the Strid River mer’s swimming ability. His arms soon encircled me, pulled me to the surface and dragged me to a depth where he could stand but I could not.

Soaking wet and pinned against his chest, I made the mistake of looking up into those dark eyes.

He kissed me.

While my mind screamed with confusion, my lips and arms fully responded, as if trying to desperately fill the pent up void left by Savlian. Guilt soon overpowered the unexpected passion and I found my hands against his chest, struggling to push him away.

Vandrelis moved his hands from my back and rump up to my shoulders, allowing a fist full of distance between us as he carried me to shallow water.

“I-I’m sorry,” I stammered. I could feel my chin quivering as tears joined the water on my face. “This is my fault. My heart is still broken and it’s unfair of me to imply more than I’m capable of right now. I don’t know what I was-“

His gentle finger on my lips stilled my voice. “No, Buffy, it is I who am sorry. When you first entered my valley you told me that your heart was broken. I should not have presumed or pushed you.” He gave me a beautifully sheepish smile. “I fear that I am more skilled at hunting than courting.”

I breathed a sigh of relief and returned his smile. “As am I. Thank you for trying to understand this very confused elf.”

After wringing the water from the hem area of my tunic, I sat and patted the ground next to me. Vandrelis made no effort to dry the buckskins that covered him below his bare chest as he joined me. Things somehow felt much more comfortable between us now and I found myself even leaning against him as we talked.

“I understand you will be chief one day?”

“As son of the current chief, that would not be unusual, although I still have much wisdom to yet learn from my father. As you have seen, he now trusts me enough to lead one of our hunts. When the time comes, however, anyone may challenge me. I do not relish the idea of having to fight and possibly kill members of my own tribe who choose to exercise that right. That is why I work hard to prove that I am worthy of serving this tribe that I love. When the time comes, I hope the entire tribe will accept me without challenge.”

My fingers pushed some of the dark wet mane from his eyes. “I think you will make a fine chief – as if you were indeed born to the role.”

“I hope you are right and that someday the Nirn Mother will favor me with a son or daughter of my own to succeed me.” After several moments spent in comfortable silence, he said, “Buffy, what’s your totem?”

I had sometimes been asked by amorous drunks in taverns what my birth sign or standing stone was, but totem? “I’m afraid I’m not familiar with that term,” I replied, furrowing my brow in confusion.

“Forgive me. I forget that you were raised by Cyrodiils. A Bosmer’s totem is the symbol of an animal. For some it is a creature that has influenced their life. For others, the totem is more a reflection –or cause – of their personality.”

“I’m afraid I am unsure what my totem might be.” I glanced up, noting the sun was now fully overhead. I was surprised how quickly the morning had passed.

Vandrelis seemed to notice as well and, after pulling on his boots, stood and helped me to my feet. “I’ve enjoyed our time together this morning, Buffy.”

“As have I, Vandrelis. I look forward to seeing you at the feast and celebration this evening.” We walked together back toward the village. When we came to Superian, we parted ways. He continued up toward the center of camp while I began to groom my precious mare. She was in perfect condition, but I needed the time and closeness with her.

Posted by: haute ecole rider Sep 23 2016, 03:53 PM

Well.

Vandrelis makes his move and now his intentions are clear.

What I find striking about this passage is not so much Buffy's realization that she is deeply attracted to this mer on so many levels in much the same way she was attracted to Savlian ( ) but rather the way Vangelis seems to be trying to find a balance between demonstrating his earnestness in courting Buffy without - well - trying too hard. He seems to be well aware of how handsome female mer find him, yet he doesn't take it for granted. He knows Buffy is intrigued by him, but he is just honorable enough to not take advantage of her vulnerable state.

It's good to see the friendship blooming between them. Speaks volumes to me of the kind of character Vandrelis is.

Oh, and am I the only one who reads Vandrelis and keeps thinking of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9KAqhbIZ7o

Posted by: hazmick Sep 23 2016, 04:36 PM

Oh my! Things are heating up, and we still haven't got to the celebratory feast!

Good to hear more about Vandrelis and his role in the tribe. The future chief thing sounds rather Orc-inspired - hopefully it won't be necessary.

Posted by: ghastley Sep 23 2016, 05:43 PM

It had me thinking Torygg/Ulfric.

Orcs seem to require that the challenger be the chief's son, whereas here When the time comes, however, anyone may challenge me., which is a lot more like the Nord tradition. I wonder if the result needs ratification by a moot of some kind?

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Sep 24 2016, 01:32 AM

Ha, not a problem! I enjoy it very much

This chapter was great, and just what we needed. You developed some possibilities in the earlier chapters and now we see it grow to such a degree here. This part here was gold:



I understand and sympathize with Buffy's apprehension. The banther between the two Mer had me smiling. I believe this is a healthy step for Buffy in light of what happened to Savlian . . . even after "Da Smooch"


Wait, what? Buffy doesn't know what totems are? Expected of a young Bosmer raised in the Imperial homeland.

I love the explanation of the totems and that's exactly what they are, even in the ES universe. Nords have totems, and obviously so do the Bosmer, and even the more primal and vicious hunting sub-cultures/cults who have the totems of Hircine. No matter which group has them, they have the universal meaning. Very interesting.

Posted by: BretonBlood Sep 24 2016, 07:17 PM

Great chapter, we find out Vandrelis's intentions, and how much of a gentlemer (lol) he is. He knew Buffy was still upset and decided to back off, but he has made his intentions clear to her so it will be interesting to see where things go from there for the two of them.

I enjoyed Vandrelis talking about the tribe and how he hopes that they will see him as a worthy ruler, but then at the same time he wants to be with Buffy and would like to travel with her and that creates an interesting situation. Maybe the tribe will look down on him being willing to leave the village, despite it being temporary, for a girl basically haha.

Can't wait to see what happens.

Posted by: Lopov Sep 25 2016, 04:49 PM

It was only a matter of time before Vandrelis would try and get closer to Buffy. You wrote the part as they're playing in water very well. I also liked the beginning, when Buffy didn't hear or see Vandrelis as he seated himself by her side. Maybe after spending some more time in the tribe Buffy will also "find" her totem.

Posted by: SubRosa Sep 25 2016, 06:00 PM

So that makes two hearts Buffy has eaten! *remembers her presenting Raminus Polus with a Daedra Heart*

Vandry's got game! It was good to see a fun moment turn romantic, at least while it could. But emotional baggage is not so easily unburdened...

You had me smiling over the drunks in the bar asking Buffy her sign standing stone / birthsign.

Totems is it? Is there a ButterflyDragon?

Posted by: mALX Sep 27 2016, 08:43 AM

The way he smoothly told her he was just interested in her for her horse and that she would end in the river - and then promptly proved it by tossing her in- this had me rolling!!!

Yeah, I knew Buffy too well to feel it would be an easy transition from grief to love again. That she even feels anything is a good sign that the healing is taking place though!

Awesome, AWESOME chapter !!!!

Posted by: Grits Sep 30 2016, 01:32 AM

It seems that the only thing more charming than a wood elf is two wood elves. Vandrelis's best move was the swift and gentle apology that dispelled whatever tension hadn't already blown up when they kissed. When Buffy later leaned against him and then pushed the wet hair out of his eyes, I thought for some reason of how she might lean against Superian as a physical expression of their friendship.

"What's your totem" out of the blue made me chuckle. I'm interested to hear if and when that comes up again after Buffy has had some time to mull it over. I suspect that Vandrelis will continue to think about Buffy, whether he travels with her or not.

There were so many delightful details to enjoy here. "Two horse lengths" might be my favorite. This episode was a joy from start to finish!

Posted by: Acadian Sep 30 2016, 01:52 PM

Rider- Thank you! Vandrelis is honorable and speaks from his heart. That is good. Whether he is ‘right’ for Buffy will become more clear over the next few episodes. Heh, when I name a significant character, I make sure to google their name to see if I can live with any references to it that I might find. No problems with this guy.

hazmick- I certainly acknowledge an affection for Orcs and appreciate you pointing out some similarity here. When Vandrelis mentioned having a son or daughter to follow as chief after him, that was intentionally to show their customs are not patriarchic like the Orcs though. I admire Vandrelis’ objective of gaining enough respect/acceptance to avoid bloodshed in his quest to become chief.

ghastley- Thanks. Not to overengineer things but I sort of envision these tribes as quite independent of outside influence in determining their leadership. I think one reason the Bosmer have never been an overly formidable political influence is because they are too independent of each other to effectively organize much beyond tribe levels.

DE- Thanks and I’m so glad you’re enjoying the flirty bits. In truth, as we’ll see in today’s episode, my concept of totems here is most strongly influenced by Jane Auel’s Earth’s Children series of books – specifically Clan of the Cave Bear. You are right though in that it seems almost universal that totems are a reflection - or perhaps cause - of one’s personality.

BretonBlood- Vandrelis claims to be more skilled at hunting than courting – and that is very true. Nevertheless, he somehow managed to keep the door open without alienating Buffy in the process. Thank you!

Lopov- Thank you for your kind words on the awkward flirting interaction between Vandrelis and the little mer that seems to have caught his eye. She will indeed discover her totem before long.

SubRosa- I love how you recall so much of Buffy’s past and your insight on how it affects her: Her strengths and weakness at the tribe’s archery games. How Buffy impressed Raminus so long ago (it seems) by her claim to have eaten the heart of a Daedra Lord that she slayed. The significance of the Savlian-baggage that Buffy carries. And. . . I would not bet against your instincts regarding Buffy’s totem. . . .

mALX- Like SubRosa, you really are an aficionado of Buffy’s personality and long history. As such you are spot on that moving beyond Savlian will not be quick or easy for her. Like you though, I am very encouraged that she is even beginning to show interest in other men. I’m glad you liked how their water play lightened some rather tense moments.

Grits- Thank you! I hoped you would get a chuckle from the out of the blue ‘Hey, baby, what’s yer totem?’ remark. Yes, we’ll continue to add context to what the term means (in Buffy’s world) and it will soon become clear why Vandrelis asked. Thanks for noting the ‘two horselengths’; when reasonable, I try to have Buffy talk distances in ways relevant to what she knows best.


Previously- Buffy was joined by Vandrelis as she enjoyed her quiet morning along the bank of the Strid River. As the two mer talked, Buffy became confused by her feelings even as she rather welcomed his flirting. She fully responded to his kiss, but almost as quickly became overwhelmed with guilt over Savlian Matius and pushed him away. At least she was open with him about her internal conflicts and he seemed to understand. With their feelings more out in the open they felt more comfortable together. Vandrelis stumped Buffy by asking what her totem is. The two then parted, leaving Buffy with much to think about.

The evening’s feast of celebration paid homage to both mammoth and hunter. There was plenty of food and camaraderie. After our bellies were full, many of the men engaged in contests of strength while several of the women displayed their ceremonial dancing skills around the fire to a rhythmic percussion provided by hollowed logs and pebble-filled dry gourds.

Not very late into the evening, Violet sought me out. “Buffy, I’m not feeling well and think I’ll head back to the tent.”

“I hope you’re not ill, cousin?”

She shook her head and sighed. “No, it’s just cramps.”

“Is it that time for you?” I asked sympathetically.

Violet nodded. “When I first came of age, it was here with the Strid River Valley tribe. The huntsmer had just returned with a mammoth. Since then, my cycle has reliably coincided with the twice yearly hunts. My cramps have gotten better over the years, but still. . . .”

I nodded knowingly. “Oh, I get them too. Superian and I both come into season right before New Life Festival and again around Midyear Celebration Day.” I slipped my arm through hers. “I’ll go with you. It’s been a long day, after all.”

The tent was dark and empty when we arrived. With a fingertip, I lit a tallow candle then asked, “Do you have a potion? I lack skill with alchemy, but I do carry the recipe for a helpful elixir that a Dunmeri apothecary in Skingrad gave me.”

Violet produced a small vial of her own and took a swig. “Thank you, Buffy, but this elixir from our medicine woman and an extra fur pressed against my lower tummy while I sleep will help.”

We quickly cleaned our teeth, brushed out each others hair and dropped our clothes. I then snuffed out the candle and we both crawled into our sleeping furs. Frankly, I was grateful to escape some of the growing noise from the celebration and my stomach was complaining from too much, albeit delicious, roasted mammoth.

Before long, I was pulled from sleep by a quiet voice. “Are you awake, Buffy?”

“Of course, Violet,” I lied, “is the potion helping?”

“Yes, I’m feeling a little better if you want to return to the festivities.”

I rose to one elbow in the dark. “No, but I’d be happy to chat if you want.”

“I’d like that,” she replied. “I helped with the tallow processing today. It’s a messy job, but we’ll have plenty of soap and candles thanks to our hunt.”

“I’m afraid I was a lazy elf today and mostly played by the river. Vandrelis joined me for part of the day.”

“See?” Violet said. “I told you that he likes you. Can you not see that?”

“He did make his interest clear enough today for even me to see.”

“Oooh, tell me more!” I could hear Violet shifting around, likely coming up on one elbow as well. “Did he kiss you?”

I nodded instinctively before realizing how silly that was in the dark. “Yes, it was nice. He was nice.”

“Hmm, your tone does not match your words. What are you not telling me, dear cousin?”

“Violet, remember when I told you about losing my mate at Kvatch?”

“Oh. Of course,” she said sympathetically. “You’re not ready yet, are you?”

“I guess not,” I replied. “I mean, my body responded when Vandrelis kissed me, then I pushed him away. I don’t know which of us was more confused.”

“Did you tell him why?”

“Oh yes. Or at least I tried to. He was wonderfully kind and understanding. And he didn’t leave me in anger; rather, we sat side-by-side and chatted for quite awhile.”

“Perhaps with time, Buffy.”

“Perhaps,” I echoed.

“G’night, Buffy.”

“G’night, Violet.” After a few minutes, I found myself hoping she was still awake and softly said, “Violet?”

“You can’t sleep either?” was the quick reply.

“Probably too much roasted mammoth.” After a moment I added, “Vandrelis asked me what my totem was today and I had to tell him I didn’t know.”

“Oh my,” said Violet. “What did he tell you about totems?”

“That they are an animal which reflects your nature or has some significance in your life.”

“That’s all he told you?”

I caught myself before I nodded my answer into the darkness. “Yes, why?”

“Buffy, he didn’t tell you the most significant aspect of a totem. When a man and woman sleep together, their totems do battle and, for a baby Bosmer to be conceived, the man’s totem must prevail. For Vandrelis to ask your totem means he is interested in you as a mate.”

“Violet. . . I had no idea.”

“Being raised in Cyrodiil, I am not surprised. As I recall, your mother died before she would have explained all this to you.”

“When I told Vandrelis I didn’t know,” I mused, “he didn’t seem overly concerned.”

“That’s because his totem is a tiger – an animal that few others can defeat. I expect his reason for asking is more to demonstrate his serious intentions to court you.”

I thought of Violet’s familiar, Aquilla. “Is your totem an eagle?”

“No, she replied. The familiars of Spirit Catchers are not the same as totems. Aquilla is what I need, and he complements my abilities. My totem is an impala antelope; like me, they are fast, quick to flee danger and equally at home in the deep forests of the Tall Trees or rolling plains of the prairie mammoth. Women generally covet less combative totems because it gives us more flexibility in choosing a mate. I count myself fortunate.” After a moment, she added, “Buffy would you like to learn your totem?”

After a few moments of pondering, I replied, “I would. Can you help?”

“Tomorrow, I’ll speak with the tribe’s medicine woman and shaman. They’ll know what to do.”

By now, some of the other women were quietly straggling into the tent and preparing to crawl into their own furs. Violet and I decided that it really was time to stop chatting and try to sleep.

*

My favorite mornings found me grooming Superian in the sun’s first light. This was such a morning. “Acadian,” I remarked as I worked on the already shining coat of my mare, “I’m convinced that this butterfly who visits us sometimes at twilight is always the same one. And somehow I believe it’s a she – a woman knows these things, you see.”

“I’ll take your word on her sex, Buffy, but she certainly does look like the same one – the pale green wings of a night butterfly and she doesn’t seem afraid of you or Superian at all.”

“What shall I call you, little one?” The tiny creature ignored my question but alighted atop Superian’s withers. “I see you much more often around sunrise than sunset. . . so I think I shall call you Dawn.”

To my surprise, she fluttered back into the air and seemed to pivot in a circle – the pirouette of a tiny dancer. “I’ll take that as your approval. Dawn it shall be.”

“Who are you talking to, Buffy?”

I nearly dropped the conjured burlap rub rag I was finishing Superian’s coat with before realizing it was Violet who had approached. “Oh, just chattering to my mare,” I lied.

“You know, cousin,” Violet began, “when something happens that you weren’t expecting or maybe weren’t prepared for. . . it can throw your heart into turmoil. Sometimes things become clearer after talking about them like we did last night, then sleeping on them. Are your confused feelings about Vandrelis any clearer to you this morning?”

“How did you know this was weighing so heavily on me?” I asked.

“Don’t be silly,” she chastised lightly. “If a man kissed me and professed his desire to court me as a mate, it would certainly linger among my thoughts!”

I nodded. “My Savlian’s last words were that he wanted me to live and enjoy my long elven life, but part of me feels guilty when I even think of another man. I don’t. . . well, I think maybe. . . oh, I don’t know.”

“How many times have you been in love, Buffy?”

“Just once,” I replied.

“Was the courtship all birds happily chirping in idyllic meadows of flowers?” she asked with a lifted eyebrow. “Or, rather, was it full of uncertainly, confusion, even fear at opening your heart?”

“The latter, of course, but I do see your point. It was just so. . . unexpected yesterday that it frightened me. I think. . . well, maybe I wouldn’t mind if Vandrelis kissed me again.” I then added, “Oh, did you speak to the elders about trying to figure out what my totem is?”

“I did,” replied Violet. “In fact that’s the reason I came looking for you. Our shaman has agreed to help. He’s already brewing another divination concoction in his cauldron. He said he’ll be ready for us by the time the sun is directly overhead.”

Posted by: Lopov Sep 30 2016, 02:06 PM

Vandrelis is a shrewd one. He talked about totems with Buffy yet didn't fully explain her the meaning behind them. One can't help but like him. But it seems now that Buffy won't "resist" if kissed again.

Butterfly = Dawn = Azura?

Posted by: hazmick Sep 30 2016, 02:50 PM

Nothing like a chat with a girl friend to set things straight. This totem thing is a really cool idea, I'm looking forward to learning more.

Posted by: Grits Sep 30 2016, 03:27 PM

Ah, totems and infrequent fertility cycles explain why Tamriel is not knee-deep in long-lived wood elves. I love it! I'm excited that the shaman got straight to brewing a divination concoction. I wonder what they will make of Buffy's complex nature and various influences.

I am not surprised that Buffy joined Violet in leaving the party early rather than carousing half the night. A child of Dawn needs her rest if she is to be up before the sun! I loved the conversations with wise Violet, and it made me smile when Buffy informed Acadian that "a woman knows these things, you see."

Oh, and to me Vandrelis's name brings this to mind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY3XiM7oGj0.

Posted by: haute ecole rider Oct 1 2016, 05:27 AM

Loved the chat between Violet and Buffy.

But I'm confused - Buffy says Superian cycles twice yearly. Unless Superian is something special (I can't remember if she was different before Phantom merged with her?), she would be cycling monthly during the warm months, then stop over the winter. Mares are seasonally cyclic - meaning they cycle/ovulate more frequently while the days are longer, then less so as the days grow shorter. My old mare didn't cycle between October and March, and her intervals were longer (about six weeks) at the first and last (March and October), gradually shortening to about every three and a half to four weeks in June and July.

Sorry, couldn't stop my vet hat from appearing out of nowhere! It certainly did not stop me from enjoying the following conversations.

Tiger, huh? Are there tigers in Valenwood? Or are we talking about one of the Khajiit forms (Pahmar/Pahmar-raht comes to mind). In any case, in Chinese mythology the tiger is quite the powerful spirit animal (and the national animal of Korea). Wonder what Buffy's totem is? Though I do have a good idea!

Posted by: SubRosa Oct 1 2016, 07:02 PM

Vandrelis' totem is the Pr0N Star?

I am thinking Buffy's totem is named Dawn...

Aha! Time to go meet the shaman and do some mojo!

Posted by: Renee Oct 1 2016, 08:23 PM

I noticed this too. And I'm betting Buffy's totem is a horse or pony or some other hooved beast. We'll soon see.

Acadian, I really like this...

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Oct 1 2016, 09:45 PM

Vandrelis and his tiger totem

So, his intentions from the start wasn't just giving Buffy a kiss. The conversation between Buffy and Violet was great and very fun to read. The two girls had a great night, and I'm sure Buffy was thrilled, perhaps, by her revelations. The shaman shall once again come to her aid in this. I'm anticipating what's to come now!!

Will Buffy ever get a chance to be with another mate, and will she be happy?

And to answer Haute, I believe there are tigers there. Senche-Tiger's, at least.

Posted by: BretonBlood Oct 2 2016, 08:26 PM

As everyone else has pointed out Vandrelis is a slick one.... he knew what he was doing when he asked Buffy about her totem... I'm glad Buffy has Violet there to give her guidance and be somewhat of a mentor in ways.

As others have said I think I have a clue as to what her totem will be, unless it's a curve ball and one of the few totems that can beat a tiger thus making things interesting between her and Vandrelis. Either way I can't wait to find out.

Posted by: mALX Oct 5 2016, 09:18 AM

BWAAHAA! Vandrelis's interest might wane like a frightened turtle if he finds out Buffy's totem is a Dragon or Paladin,

BWAAHAA! A "Very Buffy" line there !!!!


I just love the lore you are weaving around Buffy, this is just plain AWESOME !!!!

Posted by: ghastley Oct 5 2016, 03:02 PM

And mALX's reply leads me to conjecture a turtle totem - totally able to ignore the tiger until it goes away.

Posted by: Acadian Oct 14 2016, 02:10 PM

Lopov- Thank you! I’m afraid that neither Buffy nor Vandrelis are very adept at courting. Both are hunters. Yup, the little butterfly that Buffy has finally named Dawn is (unknown to her), Azura.

hazmick- Between Buffy’s ineptitude with the mysteries of men and finding herself exposed to unfamiliar cultural aspects of her Bosmerness, a wise girlfriend in Violet is exactly what she needs. Thank you!

Grits- Thanks! I’ve always tried to balance long elven life spans with a slower fertility cycle. In this book we’re continuing that concept by incorporating conception & delivery challenges as well. It was The Real Barenziah books that made me realize there are indeed elven breeding constraints to help balance their life spans. Although the totem/fertility interface is uniquely Buffy Fiction and Bosmer-specific, I imagine the other types of mer deal with their own conception limitations. The night time girl talk with Violet was great fun to write!

Rider- Heh, when I studied up on earth horse fertility, it didn’t suit our purposes. . . so I did indeed take some liberties. Superian comes into ‘heat’ twice yearly like Buffy and, over time, horse and mare have gradually synchronized their cycles – another indication of their closeness. Regarding cats in Tamriel, I don’t see the presence of moon-born Alfiq and Senche Khajiit as precluding the existence of the stable cats and tigers that they resemble. I wanted Vandrelis’ totem to be one of the more formidable ones. Thank you!

SubRosa- Yes, let’s solve the mystery of Buffy’s totem today! As well as you know her, I don’t believe you will be surprised; however, I hope you will enjoy Buffy’s reaction. It will not be tepid.

Renee- Oooh, my little pony as a totem! Not a bad consideration, given what a horse-crazy elf she is! I’m so glad you got a chuckle when Buffy instinctively and uselessly nodded her answer into the dark. I try to ‘walk through’ most scenes and doing so uncovers some fun possibilities. Thank you!

DE- Vandrelis does indeed seem earnestly interested in Buffy as a mate. Not sure (well, okay, I am) where it will lead but I am pleased to see Buffy at least beginning to take an interest in men again. Thanks!

BretonBlood- Thank you. I rather think Vandrelis’ ‘What’s yer totem?’ question was legitimate. He did not know Buffy would be clueless about the significance. I figure he may have then felt awkward at the prospect of spelling it out for her. Thankfully, Violet filled in the gaps. Let the totem games begin!

mALX- I’m so glad you’re enjoying things, my friend! As odd as it sounds and as much as Buffy can confuse me, I can’t believe how much she's taught me about the nearly unfathomable workings of a woman’s mind.

ghastley- Turtle totem! That would work sort of like a powerful ward at the cost of mobility? Hee! Thanks!


Previously- When Violet wasn’t feeling well during the hunt celebration evening feast, she and Buffy went to their tent early, crawled into their furs and talked. Buffy shared her concerns and confusion over Vandrelis. When the subject of totems came up, Violet enlightened Buffy about their fertility implications, musing that Vandrelis was interested in Buffy as a mate. Violet agreed that the following morning she would ask the tribe’s elders for help determining Buffy’s totem. A midday divination ceremony was scheduled by the tribe's shaman.

When the tent flap closed behind Violet and I, all I could see inside the elders’ tent was the small central fire’s flickering glow. As my eyes adjusted, the cauldron above it became visible. Then the lighter colored portions of the furs and hides that lined the tent’s sides and carpeted most of its dirt floor. Finally, the faces of the aged one-eyed shaman and raven-haired medicine woman gradually grew into clarity. No other elders were in the tent.

“Welcome, child,” stated the shaman to me. “Violet has explained why it is that you do not know your totem and that you desire to learn it now. Do you wish her to stay for this divination?”

“I do,” was my sober reply.

“Very well. Let us talk first. Whether you know it or not,” he began, “you have a totem. If your mate is Bosmer, he will have one as well. If he is not of our kind, the Nirn Mother will provide him a totem that matches his nature. As for this ceremony to divine yours, it is much like the one I performed with you to learn the tree of your tribe. As such, I will once again, require a small sample of your blood to help focus the brew to our purpose. Do you have any questions before we begin?”

I thought of Savlian’s brave, noble nature and commanding presence. I also recalled that the day before we first shared intimate pleasures we had encountered a lion who stared into Savlian’s eyes then yielded to our passage. I now understood. Holding out my hand I replied, “I have no questions.”

Once again, the shaman swirled a few drops of my blood into his cauldron. Once again, I felt Acadian’s magic heal the resultant small wound to my hand. And once again, the shaman began softly chanting incantations over the simmering liquid until thin vapors began lazily swirling above it.

His voice gradually subsided. Both he and the medicine woman peered intently into the gently bubbling surface. After a few moments, one corner of his mouth lifted slightly and he appeared pleased. “I see a butterfly on blue wings.”

I was not overly surprised, and felt Violet squeeze my hand in encouragement.

The medicine woman added, “This is a good totem if you wish to bear childr-“

“Wait,” interrupted the shaman, his faint smile gone as he focused intently on the cauldron’s surface. “This. . . this cannot be. There is something else.”

Both elders stared into the cauldron for several moments before gravely raising their faces. The shaman whispered something into the pointed ear of the medicine woman, who slowly nodded in somber reply. Finally they looked at me. Did I see pity in the dark eyes of the medicine woman? The shaman’s face was inscrutable as he said, “Buffy, you have two totems. We have never seen such a thing.”

It was Violet who spoke next. “I do not wish to overstate my meager-“

“You are a Spirit Catcher, Violet,” encouraged the shaman. "You know more about Buffy’s tribe than all of us. Speak.”

“I was taught,” offered Violet, “that some of my tribe do indeed carry numerous spirits. Two totems, or even the spirit of an ancestor in the same elf was not unheard of. In fact that is the very basis for the tribe’s name.”

“What is my other totem?” I asked as insistently as I dared. “Another butterfly?” I added hopefully.

After an exchange of glances between shaman and medicine woman, it was the latter who answered. “I would not have thought this possible. Your second totem is one I have never seen before - a pale dragon. She is beautiful but . . . for a woman to have such a powerful totem does not bode well for conceiving children.”

Clinging to the only hope I could imagine, I asked, “Could it perhaps be the butterfly that determines my fertility?”

The pair of befuddled elders looked at each other, then to Violet who was sadly shaking her head. “When a Spirit Catcher has two totems, both will battle the totem of any prospective mate. Were it two butterflies, that would be fine, but a dragon. . . I’m sorry, dear cousin.”

I felt the tears well up then begin to spill. As I turned to stumble from the tent, I managed to say, “I-I’m sorry. I must be alone now.”

Superian lifted her head from grazing when she saw me approaching at a dead run. I leaped upon her bare back, wrapped my arms around her neck, buried my face into her mane and squeezed both knees against her sides.

The mighty mare’s response was instant and explosive. She flew through the camp as if shot from my bow, raced along the river, then thundered up onto the plains. Cresting one of the rolling hills, we finally slowed to a walk, and eventually stopped under the dappled shade of a large acacia tree.

I lifted my face toward the cloudless azure sky and screamed, “Acadian! I hate you!” I was then overcome by uncontrollable sobbing. When I was able to compose myself enough to continue, I promptly did so, “This is your fault! Phantom is your dragon; how could you do this to me?!? I’m confident that the power of Savlian’s totem matched his brave heart but even a lion cannot defeat a dragon. We never would have been able to have our own family.” My fury and tears spent for the moment, I hung my head.

After several moments of silence, Acadian finally replied, “I’m sorry, Buffy. I had no idea how complex Bosmeri fertility was.”

I couldn’t read the paladin’s thoughts – unless he wanted me to - but I could always feel his emotions, just as he could feel mine. His chagrin was as deep as my self-pity. “I know, my paladin. I just need someone to be angry at.”

“I feel your disappointment, my bowgirl. Vent as much anger and tears as you need; Superian and I are here for you. I do have some thoughts, but they can wait until you’re ready to hear them.”

I almost smiled. Acadian had learned – from me, I’m afraid - that when a woman is upset, we don’t need someone to try and ‘fix’ what is wrong. There is time for that later. What we need when full of anguish is a sympathetic ear and shoulder to cry on - someone to commiserate with.

I turned Superian and we slowly walked toward the village. I complained quite colorfully, and wallowed in my disappointment at length as both mare and paladin patiently listened. By the time we were halfway home, I was feeling a bit better. “Acadian, tell me your thoughts now.”

“You are wrong about the life that you and Savlian might have had in Kvatch. I can, in fact, tell you about your daughter if you wish.”

“What on Nirn do you mean, Acadian?”

“The child is an Imperial with emerald eyes and dark hair as wild as her spirit. She is apprenticed to a fine stable master and hopes to, within a few years, grow large bosoms – but not as large as Sigrid Firewalker’s.”

My heart melted. “Moria.”

“Yes,” said Acadian. “She adored you because you talked with her, not at her and treated her more like a young woman than a child. Her young age meant the two of you were of similar size; she absolutely glowed when you gifted her with one of your dresses - almost surely the first nice dress she ever had. And it was Savlian Matius who carried her, kicking and screaming with fear, to safety through the daedric fires in Kvatch that claimed her parents. Tell me again how, had Savlian lived, the two of you would not have had a family.”

“I believe you’re right, Acadian. I’m sure Savlian and I would have brought Moria from the chapel’s orphanage into our home. Thank you for reminding me that there’s more to having a family than just the womb of this selfish little wood elf.”

“That Phantom now dwells within Superian does not diminish the influence of her spirit upon you, Buffy – it simply enriches and strengthens your mare just as it has always strengthened you. Can you tell me now what life would be like without our dragon?”

His question chilled me. “Both Superian and I would have perished to the jagged river rocks at the bottom of a deep gorge. Phantom now infuses my mare with both the durability and lifespan of a dragon. I would never trade Superian - not even for the chance to give birth to my own baby elf.”

“Speaking of babies, what do you know about Bosmeri childbirth, Buffy?”

“It is much like that of other elves. We carry our young in the womb for two long years. Even when due, baby elves fight hard to stay curled up inside where it is safe and warm. Delivery can be lengthy, agonizing – even dangerous. It sounds terrifying. . . oh, you tricked me! Again.”

“I do not mean to make light of your legitimate concerns and disappointment, Buffy. . . ."

"I understand, Acadian. I know you are simply trying to help me adjust to my new. . . reality by reminding me of what I have to be thankful for. There are times when an elf might not want to conceive. Potions, spells and charms exist that can assist in that regard, but I shall never need concern myself with them.” I sighed. “Still. . . I wouldn’t have minded two butterflies.”

“I don’t believe you’d be pleased – or even survive - with that, Buffy, for it is clear to me that your totems combine to perfectly reflect the duality of your vulnerability and power. It is the butterfly who wisely whispers when it is time to disengage, flee or avoid a conflict you cannot win. But when you must fight, it is the courage of the dragon that helps you stand against and vanquish foes many times your size. Your body may be as fragile as a butterfly, but the resilient strength of your spirit matches that of our dragon.”

I rode in thoughtful silence for a few minutes before responding. “I love you, Acadian.”

“I love you more,” was the immediate reply.

My maelstrom of an afternoon that had swept me along through hope, crushing disappointment and unrestrained anger finally ended with the reminder that all I really needed was my precious dragon-mare and ancient paladin. And nothing on Nirn could ever wrest either from me.

Posted by: haute ecole rider Oct 14 2016, 02:49 PM

Not surprised. Not disappointed. Anyone paying attention to this little elf's story could see the dichotomy coming from a thousand dragon lengths away.

Two totems indeed! Wonder how Vandrelis is going to take the news?

And how convenient! I can see it now ... "What's your totem?" (looks hero up and down) "Butterfly" (if he passes) or "Dragon" (if he fails)!

Posted by: BretonBlood Oct 14 2016, 05:01 PM

I had a feeling that Buffy would have a totem that would beat out Vandrelis. And as haure ecole rider said, I wonder how he will take the news. He seems the type that he genuinely likes Buffy so he may be content with other means of having children like adoption.

I did not see it coming that Buffy would have 2 totems, let alone a Dragon and Butterfly, but both makes so much sense and you explained it very well with Acadian telling Buffy how the butterfly is like her physical body but the dragon is her spirit. Very well done.

Posted by: ghastley Oct 14 2016, 05:36 PM

What, no turtle?

I was expecting a totem that lets her move on without getting too attached, or the story would stall here. And haven't we established that Violet's is an antelope? Perhaps she'll get noticed if she hangs out with Buffy, and gets some help.

Posted by: hazmick Oct 14 2016, 07:15 PM

Ah poor Buffy, not quite what she wanted to hear. Fortunate that her paladin was, as ever, on hand to offer his wisdom. Of course there is more to a relationship than bearing children, so a relationship with Van the Merman is not out of the question. Looking forward to hearing what the elf himself has to say about it.

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Oct 14 2016, 08:02 PM

How unfortunate for Buffy. I was just as surprised as the shamans and her when I found out she had two totems. But given her dual nature, her peaceful and serene manner and when behind the aim of a bow, her ferocity, it wasn't unexpected.

Buffy was upset as any woman would upon discovering that they are not fit and able to bear children. I completely understood her anger and bitterness but was also glad when she became gradually more calm. Acadian was right; sons and daughters. There is more to having a family. Makes me wonder about those unfortunate in Tamriel with parents who don't nescessarily behave as fathers and mothers. Acadian's wisdom shines great here. Buffy is fortunate to have him at all times.

This was gold. Aww.




How awesome is this. I love it!

Posted by: SubRosa Oct 15 2016, 06:48 PM

Buffy has a twilight butterfly totem? No surprise there!

I have no doubt what the second totem will be...

Indeed. A well written segment as Buffy grapples with the truth of her body and spirituality. I am loving the focus on that Bosmer world that you are giving this tale. It does so much more than Bethesda's bland offerings.

Posted by: mALX Oct 16 2016, 11:57 AM

I have to mirror what SubRosa said above - both an expected answer to her Totem, and how amazingly well you are bringing a new Bosmer Lore to us!

A very beautiful and emotional episode as Buffy is able to realize the value of her makeup even while mourning the limitations of it. Awesome Write !!!

Posted by: Renee Oct 17 2016, 12:34 AM

My gosh what an intense story. You two really have some 2-way communication going on. I don't have that with any of mine, and I'm not sure I'd want it. Wow, TWO years of labor, yikes. Makes sense though, since elves live longer.

I got a little confused about Moria though. She's Buffy's child? Oh wait, she's her adopted child?

Posted by: Lopov Oct 18 2016, 08:02 AM

This one's touching, probably the most touching from the 2nd book so far. We have a saying that goes like "For every bad there's something good" so I guess that in a way applies to Buffy - she won't have children of her own but her paladin, her mare (and her fans) will always be there for her.

Posted by: Grits Oct 21 2016, 04:59 AM

How beautiful that Savlian's totem is a lion.

Gosh, this episode was a work of art from start to finish. Buffy's emotions and Acadian's wisdom felt so true and familiar from everything that has gone before. I love that what you've shown us about Buffy's dual nature led us to her two totems. And of course the best part for me was the very end, when Buffy realized that the family of elf, dragon-mare, and paladin will not be separated.

Posted by: Acadian Oct 21 2016, 01:12 PM

Rider- Thank you and I agree that breadcrumbs of Buffy’s butterfly/dragon dichotomy have been liberally sprinkled throughout her long fiction history.

BretonBlood- Thanks! We have always found the butterfly/dragon metaphor apropos for Buffy’s ‘glass cannon’ nature. Whereas Rider picked up on it from her years of support for Buffy’s fiction, I’m delighted that you – as a newer reader – found that our explanation during Buffy and Acadian’s discussion made it work for you and make sense.

ghastley- You are astute to suspect that tying Buffy down to a mate – as much as she might daydream about that – doesn’t really work well for an adventuring elf. I’m glad she realizes that her solace is the inseparable durability of Acadian and Superian.

hazmick- Thank you – a dragon totem is not what Buffy wanted to hear at all, despite Acadian’s logic. Today, we’ll learn Vandrelis’ reaction to the news.

DE- This was an emotional episode to write and I’m grateful that you mentioned a couple of what I consider to be significant passages.

SubRosa- As emotionally draining as the episode was to write, it was (in a way) fun both unleashing Buffy’s strong emotions and having some quite meaningful dialog between bowgirl and paladin. Thank you for your kind words on this important episode. I quite hoped long term readers would not be surprised by Buffy’s totems.

mALX- Thank you, dear friend. I know you enjoy Buffy episodes when she displays her strong emotions – and this past one certainly did that! I’m also glad that you are enjoying some of the Bosmer lore we are building.

Renee- Although many years spent with one character limits me in some ways, the up side is that Buffy truly does live in my heart – just as I live in hers, and our understanding of each other flows from that. I’m sorry that Moria’s identity was not clear. She was a young Imperial girl I created at the Kvatch encampment during Book 1. As mentioned, Savlian saved her from the daedric fires that claimed her parents and she quite stole Buffy’s heart. I’m glad you mentioned that it was not quite clear for you, as it teaches me that I should have probably expanded that section so that it not only reminded long term readers, but clarified enough for readers who joined us after Book 1. Thank you!

Lopov- This was indeed the most emotional episode of Book 2 from my perspective and I’m so grateful to hear that it touched you as well. I’d like to think that Acadian is a very comforting presence for Buffy that cannot be taken from her. I base that on the comfort that Buffy gives to me – that cannot be taken from me.

Grits- Thanks so much for recognizing so many of the key pieces of this important and emotionally draining episode. Your warm support is always so encouraging. That is especially comforting when Buffy and Acadian bare part of their soul for the reader.


Previously- Buffy discovered that she has two totems – apparently not unusual for an elf of the Spirit Catcher Tribe. She welcomed the news that one totem is a butterfly. Upon learning that her second totem is an ice dragon she did not deal well with the news. As she understands things, for a Bosmer to conceive, her totem(s) must be defeated by the totem of her prospective mate. And she can think of no totem capable of defeating hers. After a typhoon of anger, frustration and self-pity, she was willing to listen to some calm reasoning from Acadian.

When Superian and I finally returned to the Strid River Valley Tribe’s village, Violet was anxiously hopping from one foot to the other. Our hugs and tears, her chastisements and my apologies for causing her to worry about me filled several minutes before we settled down enough to actually talk.

“Who knows that I have a dragon as a totem?” I had visions of returning to whispers, pointed fingers and looks of pity. Or worse.

“I spoke with the shaman and medicine woman after you left the elders’ tent,” Violet replied. “A totem is a personal thing at best; in your case much more so. We all agreed that you would be the only one to share the nature of your totem – if, when and with whom you saw fit. You may rely on their discretion. And mine.”

I heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank you, dear cousin, for your clear thinking on my behalf while my emotions were banishing any rational thought from my head.”

“So what will you do?” she asked. “I mean about Vandrelis.”

I winced before replying. “I as much as confessed that I returned his interest yesterday, just that I wasn’t ready. He cares enough about me to ask my totem and I figure I owe him the truth.” I sighed again. “Vandrelis and I talked yesterday about him likely being the next chief and he said he looks forward to having a child that he can train to one day succeed him. I-I am sure he will no longer be interested in a. . . defective elf.”

“Buffy!” snapped Violet. “Don’t you dare berate yourself. It is a man’s responsibility to defeat your totem. If his is not up to the task, it is as much – nay, more – his problem than yours. If he considers you merely defective breeding stock, he does not deserve you. You are a beautiful elf and the forests are full of mer who would be lucky to have you whether their totem can defeat yours or not.”

She’s right, you know, silently opined Acadian.

I had to smile. “Thank you, Violet. I’m a lucky elf to have a cousin as caring as you. I know I’ll not sleep tonight if I am still fretting about this so I should tell Vandrelis now – before I lose my nerve.”

The sun was well on its westerly journey toward the Abecean Sea and my shadow was longer than my height when I found Vandrelis. He lowered the arrow he was fletching and smiled. “I haven’t seen you all day. Did you enjoy the feast last night?”

I returned his smile. “I did, even though I ate too much.” To emphasize my words, I patted my tummy – which only reminded me of my dragon-guarded womb and the reason I had sought out Vandrelis. “Will you walk with me?”

“Of course,” he replied.

Our small talk was pleasant as we headed down to the river and leisurely strolled along its bank. Vandrelis occasionally bent to grab a flat pebble and skip it across the water.

“I hope you’re not going to throw me in the river again today,” I teased.

He flashed me a beautiful grin. “I make no promises, Buffy. After all, it was just such a tactic yesterday that resulted in a kiss.”

Why did he have to be so damned handsome. . . and funny, noble, brave, comfortably fun to be with. . . . “About that kiss,” I began.

He raised both hands disarmingly. “You said yesterday you were not ready. Yet.”

“And I appreciate your patience with me, Vandrelis. I would, in fact, be untruthful if I said I do not harbor feelings for you. Remember when you asked my totem?”

“Of course,” he replied.

“I asked Violet about them last night and she told me their real significance. You know, between men and women.

“Buffy, it was not my intent to push you.”

“Violet was kind enough to consult the shaman and medicine woman on my behalf and, earlier today they conducted a ceremony in which I learned the answer.”

“Is your totem a prairie mammoth or grizzly bear?” He asked with a sparkle in his eye.

“It is neither of those,” I replied, “Why?”

“My totem is a tiger and those are the only two among the Nirn Mother’s children I know of that could likely defeat it. So, you see, should you continue to warm to my courtship the chances of us providing the tribe with a chief to follow me would be excellent.” He looked pleased.

“That’s important to you, isn’t it?” I asked, trying to hide my growing concern.

“Of course,” he replied. “An important task of being chief is training one’s successor. And the best source of a future tribal leader is from the loins of the current one.”

“And you believe that I would be a suitable breeding receptacle for the treasure of your loins?” What I had feared seemed to be playing out between us.

He stopped and faced me. “I admit it doesn’t sound very romantic when you put it that way. Is it so unusual for two mer to fall in love, become mated and hope for baby elves?”

“Of course not, if it truly happens in that order,” I said. “Otherwise, how could their love survive the possibility that baby elves might not grace their tent?”

Vandrelis scratched his head. “But you as much as admitted that my totem can defeat yours, so why is any of this a hindrance to our future?”

“I admitted no such thing.” I didn’t think Vandrelis could feel the gulf widening between us – but I could.

“I’m confused,” he said.

“My totem is not of the Nirn Mother, but a creature of the Sky Goddess.”

“What exactly is your totem? You are a formidable huntsmer. . . one of the Sky Goddess’ raptors?”

I took a deep breath. “It is a dragon. An ice dragon to be precise.”

His eyes opened wide. After many long seconds, his face then brightened and the sparkle ignited in his eyes again as he proclaimed, “Why you little vixen! You really had me beginning to worry. I suppose it serves me right after tossing you in the river yesterday.” He took my hand. “No, really, Buffy. Stop teasing. What is your totem?”

“I wasn’t teasing, Vandrelis.”

He studied my face for a time before slowly responding, “By the Mother of Nirn, there is truth in your eyes. A dragon? How is that even possible?”

“How it happened matters not.” I placed a hand on his cheek as a tear slid down mine. “Clearly, having a son or daughter to grace your tent and follow in your footsteps as likely chief is important to you. And I do not fault you for it. I have come to see how important this magnificent tribe is to you and how seriously you take the prospective mantle of its leadership. Indeed, you will make a superb chief. It is. . . j-just not I who will be at your side. Forgive me, dear Vandrelis, for not being what you need.”

We looked at each other for several seconds. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. Finally, he slowly nodded once. We walked back to the village together in silence.

*

I was unable to eat anything that evening as I told Violet all about what had happened with Vandrelis. I cried that night. Violet must have heard me, for she crawled under my furs and drew up close behind me, pressing the front of her body against the skin of my back and rump so we were like two spoons nesting together. She said it was to help her cramps, but I knew her real reason was to comfort me. I pulled her arm around me and eventually drifted off to sleep.

Posted by: hazmick Oct 21 2016, 01:50 PM

I really liked Violet in this chapter - She knows exactly what Buffy needs and when she needs it, even after knowing each other for such a short time.

Certainly a shock there for Van. He, and the tribe, have been so sure of his future position that he no doubt has everything all planned out. Would he change those plans to accommodate a dragon?

Posted by: mALX Oct 21 2016, 04:53 PM

Aw, poor Buffy!

I was once again struck by how similar Violet is to Buffy in actions and wondered again if it was something unique to their tribe/heritage:

I've known Buffy to do this many times in the past (and also Bobg's "Angel.")

Awesome chapter! Now I wonder if he will turn his attentions to Violet; whose totem is easily eaten by tigers!

Posted by: ghastley Oct 21 2016, 05:43 PM

I'm seeing a little more of his positioning himself as next chief, rather than genuine interest in Buffy as Buffy. She had demonstrated her prowess in the mammoth hunt, so he needed her to be part of his entourage, rather than a potential rival (or ally of a rival, if it's strictly patriarchal). And now that's unlikely.

I imagine he's now looking for ways to move her on in her quest, or ensure she doesn't become a distraction to his ambitions. Violet looks like a key part of either strategy, but how does she view him?

Posted by: haute ecole rider Oct 22 2016, 12:54 AM

There is a saying among Morgan Horse breeders: the stallion is only as good as his dam.

It really emphasizes the fact that it's the quality of the mare,, not the stud, that determines the quality of the offspring.

It takes an extremely prepotent, high quality stallion to improve upon a mare. That's why stud owners are so picky about the mares their boys are bred to.

Whereas a quality mare bred to an average stud is still going to reproduce herself, and that is something I've seen with my own Rosehill.

So I kind of understand where Vandrelis is coming from. He is taking the long view, and of course he wants strong sons. And it takes a strong woman to bear strong sons.

I'm somewhat disappointed that he still didn't press his suit further - just because he's a tiger doesn't mean the tiger can't thaw an ice dragon. Think of it - if he succeeded, that would be one heck of a child (likely a daughter would have a better chance to be stronger than a son - my own prejudice speaking). So if that's how he sees things, perhaps it's best that Buffy move on.

But damn, he's quite the heartbreaker, isn't he?

Posted by: SubRosa Oct 22 2016, 09:03 PM

A defective elf? Buffy, Buffy, Buffy... Don't you know it is Teresa's job to sell herself short, not yours?

Poor Vandry is in for an unpleasant surprise. There is more to Nirn and Aetherius than mammoths and bears...

Now poor Buffy. But I am not counting out Vandrelis yet. Not with https://youtu.be/CSav51fVlKU...

Besides, as Queen Gorgo of Sparta once said:
"Why are you Spartan women the only ones who can rule men?"
"Because we are also the only ones who give birth to men."

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Oct 23 2016, 03:51 PM

How great that Violet and the others left the nature of Buffy's dragon and butterfly totem at their discretion. There is no need for everyone to hear about her personal problems. Buffy really shouldn't consider this as a defect. Violet had a point indeed. The man should worry about his abilities or lack thereof. It shouldn't be Buffy's concern.

The flirting between the two was so cute! I think they make a fine couple. But its up to Buffy and Vandrelis . . . and what else comes next to decide.

Buffy still struggles with the bad news, especially following her talk with Vandrelis. I do understand where he's coming from. Especially a hunter-warrior society that expects strong chiefs and hunters. This news did not come easy for him. I do hope the two will work this out.

I really do.

Posted by: BretonBlood Oct 24 2016, 02:23 AM

Hmmm... while I think Vandrelis's intentions are good, like he does care about Buffy, his reaction here makes me think he cares more about the tribe and providing the tribe with an heir that can be his successor.

I feel bad for Buffy, but maybe Vandrelis will come around... we can hope as they would make quite the pair.

Posted by: Lopov Oct 25 2016, 04:44 PM

Vandrelis' first reaction was expected, on one hand he has feelings for Buffy, on the other hand he now can't imagine their future together, at least not as he predicted it. Despite Buffy definitely being in a difficult position, Vandrelis is also not in an easy one - as a future tribe leader, he's expected to follow the tribe rituals and as such, have successors of his own.

What I liked about this chapter the most was that Buffy immediately knew Vandrelis of her totem. She didn't think about it too long, nor she decided to keep it a secret (and possibly leave), instead she openly said it to Vandrelis. That takes some courage and wisdom.

Posted by: Renee Oct 28 2016, 01:49 AM

Aw jeez, poor Buffy! She's having such a rough time!

Posted by: Grits Oct 28 2016, 02:54 AM

Defective?! DEFECTIVE?!? A gazillion times nope!

Violet was adorable and so much like Buffy in her mannerisms, loving care, and worries for others. Their kinship would be apparent even if she was somehow tall and green. How wonderful that the two cousins have found each other.

Poor Van, he is so used to the comfortable knowledge that his totem could gobble up the guardian of any fertile ground that he wished to seed. If he's talking about loins, he's already in love. I think he showed tremendous character in his moment of shock and disappointment. In the same vein, Buffy showed her beautifully courageous inner self when she told him the difficult truth and made herself vulnerable to whatever reaction he might have. The two of them laid a solid foundation of respect and affection for whatever connection they might carry into the future, even if it doesn't include little tiger-dragons.

I imagine that Vandrelis also had a melancholy night. After all, if he wanted any of the local lasses who were interested in him, he would already have one at his side. He knows what is most important to him and did not try to hide that from Buffy, but I still think he has some thinking to do.

Posted by: Acadian Oct 28 2016, 01:00 PM

hazmick- You are very right – Violet is a gem and Buffy is fortunate she is there. Thank you!

mALX- Thank you so much for mentioning how Violet was hopping from one foot to the other – it was absolutely a tribute to bobg’s little Angel. Buffy and Violet carry sap from the same tree – and it shows in both their manner and appearance. I don’t believe Violet will be interested in the mer who rejected her dear cousin.

ghastley- A strong woman could certainly challenge Vandrelis for chief as it is not patriarchal in that regard like orc strongholds. While I think Vandrelis is foolish to pass up the possible opportunity to win Buffy’s heart, I do admire that he never misled her and was completely open and honest in what he sought. The fallout I see between Buffy and Vandrelis will be awkwardness, not competition – and I expect Buffy’s wanderlust will soon resolve that.

Rider- What neat insights into the breeding significance of mare over stallion! Vandrelis’ strength and fatal flaw is that he is ruled by reason. As I’m sure you recall, Savlian Matius’ strength and fatal flaw was that he was ruled by passion – and bore the battlescars to prove it. Yet, that is why Buffy – also ruled by passion - loved Savlian and could never love Vandrelis. That said, Vandrelis will no doubt make a fine chief, subordinating his own needs to those of his tribe.

SubRosa- Heh, your comment about Teresa did bring a faint smile. At least Buffy didn’t do Teresa’s signature chew on her bottom lip. Yes, Vandrelis’ loss, as Violet will point out today. Buffy didn’t take the totem news well of course, but she is an adaptable survivor. She’ll rapidly adjust to what we already knew was a perfect set of totems for her. Thank you!

DE- Thank you. Violet is both wise and perceptive – Buffy’s lucky to have her. Vandrelis certainly knows what he wants and I admire his directness. Unfortunately, what he wants Buffy cannot provide. Regardless, I am pleased that Buffy discovered this earlier rather than later.

BretonBlood- I think you are absolutely right. In Vandrelis’ mind, his tribe will always come first. In Buffy’s mind, one’s mate should always come first. Not gonna work I’m afraid.

Lopov- It was Buffy’s dragon totem that revealed Vandrelis’ priorities. If her totem had only been a butterfly, she never would have learned where his real priorities are. Although she doesn’t really appreciate it, her dragon totem has helped protect her once again.

Renee- Yes, Buffy is having a rough time. A dragon is a hard totem to live with. As you know, her first mate (Savlian Matius) died. And she can’t really get off the ground with Vandrelis it seems.

Grits- I’m so pleased you had the same overreaction to Buffy calling herself defective that Violet had! While the two cousins differ in some ways, I intentionally tried to have their similarities come through strongly. I think I understand Vandrelis’ decision based upon his sense of duty and belief that his tribe’s needs come first. That said, I’ve no doubt he will someday kick himself for letting Buffy get away.


Previously- Buffy and Vandrelis talked about totems. She knew how devoted he was to his role as the tribe’s future chief, and his words confirmed that he felt producing an heir to succeed him was an important part of a chief’s duties. When she finally confessed that her totem was a dragon, she spared him from making a choice she did not want to hear by making it clear that she was not what he needed in a mate.

Early the following morning, I slipped out of the women’s tent and made my way toward Superian. I saw the mare moving her head, as if tracking a target. As I got closer, I could see what she was watching. “Good morning, Dawn,” I said to the twilight butterfly as I conjured Superian’s hoof pick and went to work inspecting her massive hoofs.

“For what it’s worth,” said Acadian, “I agree with much of what your cousin told you. I’m sorry that things with Vandrelis did not work out, but you conducted yourself honorably and with kindness.”

“Thank you, Acadian. I know Savlian wanted me to move on – and I am trying. My totems are not easy to live with but I realize now it is they who showed my why Vandrelis is not right for me.”

“Buffy, I am glad that, even now, you are not afraid to open your heart to the possibility of finding love again - someday.”

“My paladin, I believe it is time to move on from this valley.” I had also moved on to the next step in Superian’s grooming regimen. “My mare and I both grow restless from being in one place too long.” As if to emphasize my words, Superian pawed the ground and snorted her approval. “Do you remember Violet’s offer to try and teach me the magic through which she gained her familiar?”

“I do,” he replied, “and I fully endorse anything that can help make our travels safer. That said, however, I feel your unease. What troubles you, my elf?”

“I already have the spirits of a paladin and butterfly within me. If I understand correctly, aspects of Phantom linger strongly as well. I mean, I’m only a small mer. . . how many spirits can I hold?”

After a moment, the paladin replied, “Spirits are like love.”

I scratched my head. “What do you mean?”

“When you fell in love with your precious mare, did you love your old archery master any less?”

“Of course not,” I said.

“And did your love for Savlian Matius diminish the love for your friend, Sir Mazoga?”

“No. . . and that I love my University mentor, Boderi Farano, does not mean I love you any less either. I think I see now. Spirits require no physical space. After all, how else could a creature like Phantom have ever dwelled inside me?”

“Exactly,” he replied, “and are you not a Spirit Catcher, after all?”

“Thank you, Acadian. It’s a decision I didn’t want to make without you and I feel better about it now.” I continued to work on Superian for several more minutes before adding, “I’ll speak with Violet this morning.”

I heard a giggle behind me. “You sure talk to your horse a lot.”

I turned. “Good morning, cousin. Are you feeling better today?”

She nodded. “My cramps are easing somewhat. Pressing my tummy against your warm rump during the night helped. Thank you.”

“I thank you as well, for your closeness helped ease my tears.” I dispelled the conjured brush in my hand and began combing my fingers through Superian’s mane in search of tangles. “I’ve come to think of you more as a sister than cousin, and I thank Azura that I found you.”

“I feel the same way, Buffy.”

I took a deep breath. “That is why it is hard for me to say the time has come for me to move on. I wish to see the Tall Trees for myself.”

Violet winced. “I was afraid of that. I can imagine it must feel somewhat awkward here after you and Vandrelis. . . well, you know. Part of me wants to go with you but, unlike you, I am a nester, not a wanderer. This river and the prairie it travels through are my home now. How can I help you prepare for the journey?”

“Do you remember what you told me about familiars?”

Her eyes lit up. “Of course! During your time here, we have indeed grown as close as sisters and I’m confident that we are able to fully share our magicks now.” She looked around. “We’re alone here. How about we try right now?”

Finished with my mare, I chirped, “That sounds great!”

With Violet’s hands on my cheeks and mine on hers, our spirits intertwined easily and the magic freely flowed between us. After a time, it was Violet who let the bond fade. She opened her eyes. “Well?”

“I do feel the presence of a new spell, but I am unsure of its school.”

“I don’t think they teach forest magic in Cyrodiil, Buffy,” she teased. “Remember, a familiar is not a summon – you cannot dispel it. Once it finds you, it will soon learn to make its home within you where it will come and go as it sees fit. Many familiars know some magic, but each is unique. They are quite independent, but uncanny in their ability to be responsive to your needs. Now are you sure about this?”

I nodded and filled my fist with this unusual forest magic. After releasing the spell, I looked around expectantly. Seeing no familiar, I asked, “Did I do it right?”

Violet nodded with a smile. “I told you that your familiar is not a summon. Even during your initial encounter, he or she will find you at a time and place of their choosing, not yours. It is not uncommon for your familiar to observe you for several days before making their presence known to you. You should just go on about your business now until your familiar finds you.”

I returned Violet’s smile. “Then I will be patient. Will you help me prepare for my journey?”

“If I say no, somehow I know you will still leave. So, of course I’ll help. When do plan to leave?”

“Sunrise the morrow,” I replied.

“Then we have much to do. Let’s get started.” With that, she grabbed my hand and led me back up toward the center of camp.

It was a busy day indeed. I notified the elders of my intentions, profoundly thanking them for the tribe’s hospitality. I was gifted with a generous supply of bergamot oil and steel arrowheads. Violet explained that both would prove more valuable than gold or gem as forms of currency within the central deep forests and jungles that hosted the Tall Trees. My provisions grew to include a pouch each of wild oats and smoked mammoth strips, along with two additional waterskins.

Perhaps most significant was a gift from the tribe’s leather artisan. He presented Superian with a custom fitted saddle crafted from the very mammoth I had helped hunt and bring home to the tribe. The main portion of it was of pelt, but its pommel and cantle were crafted of bone. It was fitted with leather saddlebags and numerous fittings for attaching plenty of cargo. I welcomed the ability to carry more. While my mage satchel was indeed enchanted to hold more than its appearance suggested, its capacity was not unlimited and the more I put into it the harder it became to readily retrieve things I needed in a hurry.

I slept rather well that night, comfortably anxious to get Superian and I traveling again.

It was too early even for Dawn, my mysterious twilight butterfly friend, when I put Superian under bridle and saddle. Violet and I kept a circle of magelight active as we loaded the mare’s saddlebags.

No sooner had we finished than Vandrelis appeared out of the predawn darkness. “I wanted to say goodbye, Buffy.”

Violet complained, “Oh, imp chips! I forgot that silver ring I wanted you to have, Buffy.” She continued over her shoulder as she trotted back toward the tent, “I’ll be back in just a few minutes.”

I smiled at Violet’s perceptive courtesy for I knew she had no rings, silver or otherwise. I then turned to Vandrelis. “Thank you for coming. I was unsure if I would see you.”

He looked awkwardly at the magically-illuminated ground. “I just wanted you to know that I’m sorry things did not work out for us. You will always be welcome in my valley.”

“Thank you, brave huntsmer.” I rose up on my toes and kissed him on the cheek. “Cool waters and golden grasses to you.”

He smiled. “No longer do you speak like a Cyrodiil, fellow huntsmer. May gentle breezes carry the scent of your prey.” He turned and disappeared into the darkness.

Violet, by contrast, advertised her approach with a candlelight spell twinkling above her head.

I answered the question in her eyes. “Vandrelis is not angry with me and said I will always be welcome here.”

“I’ve no doubt he will lead this tribe well. . . but he is a fool for letting you go, Buffy. Be that as it may, I do expect you to come back and visit me.”

I nodded. “You are the only blood family I have, cou-“ I stopped myself. “I mean, sister.”

She smiled, we hugged, and tears that carried a trace of sap from the same tree mingled.

As the eastern sky began to brighten I mounted Superian and, with a final brief clasp of our hands, I left Violet and the Strid River Valley Tribe behind.

Posted by: hazmick Oct 28 2016, 02:13 PM

A perfect time to depart. Buffy has learned a lot from her time with the tribe, and I'm excited to see where she'll go next. The open road awaits!

Posted by: ghastley Oct 28 2016, 03:21 PM

I'm surprised that Superian hasn't learned that Candlelight spell, so she can tell Buffy when it's time for her grooming.

Posted by: haute ecole rider Oct 28 2016, 10:43 PM

Ahhhh. Such a satisfying little chapter here!

I really have nothing to say, except that this left me with a faint smile on my lips (yes, I'm "borrowing" from Sage Rose!) and a warm feeling on the cockles of my heart.

Yup, time to leave, indeed . . .

Posted by: Lopov Oct 29 2016, 02:55 PM

As others have said, time to leave has come.

No big fuss about saying goodbye, that's for the best, besides Buffy will probably visit the tribe again, now that she has a sister there.

I really liked the part as Violet pretended to forget the ring.

Dawn might not be there when Buffy was departing but it will welcome her soon as skies begin to brighten.

Posted by: SubRosa Oct 29 2016, 03:33 PM

I see Superian has even noticed the regular visits by the twilight butterfly. Dawn is such a great name for it.

“Spirits are like love.”
Now that almost brought a tear to this Witch's eye.

and I thank Azura that I found you.
A very prescient choice of spiritual figures, considering who is fluttering around on twilight wings.

Don't forget the imp chips Violet!

Time to move on. That was a lovely sojurn in the Strid River Valley. But I look forward to the land of the tall trees.

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Oct 29 2016, 05:25 PM

Initially I was somehow convinced Buffy and Vandrelis where going to be together but thanks to the totems we were able to see that this is not the case. They were never meant to be. Buffy's strength not only comes from her bow . . . Acadian has been nothing but helpful and wise to her ever since the beginning. The advice he gives are great, and the support he offers cannot be measured.

We are just as prepared to join Buffy in her next adventure. Steel arrowheads and some provisions were the kind gifts from the elders and the tribe . . . and I stand in agreement with Violet regarding the worth of the arrows compared to gems or coin.

Trust me I know how that feels. Buffy's on the right path here




Heh. She must have learned this from her sister, Buffy


A great and happy farewell, and a wonderful conclusion to this story arc as we learned much from Buffy and her heritage. This was one of the best you hae written, Acadian!

Posted by: BretonBlood Oct 29 2016, 10:42 PM

It's good to see Buffy moving on after she learned so much about herself and her tribe. It's time to move on and continue. Hopefully she gets to see Violet again... although I get the feeling that Violet and Vandrelis will end up together and that could make things interesting.

Posted by: mALX Oct 30 2016, 09:14 AM

Even had it not been for their totems not matching up; Buffy has always been a roamer, she can't stay in one spot long. It took her a LONG time of fretting over Matias before deciding that (for him she could bring herself to stay in one spot, because he belonged to his town and it wouldn't be fair to expect him to leave it and travel with Buffy).

So I kind of expected this to be a passing thing, and Buffy's tears were for her future of not having a child; not for her future not having Vandrelis in it = that was very telling.

No, she was not ready yet, but it was a good sign that she was able to feel interest again. What she needs would be someone who is an Adventurer such as herself (that hasn't taken an arrow to the knee) who can travel with her or she with him; not someone who would try to tie her to a town or have to uproot to follow her.

I am anxious to see the familiar, and wonder if this is Kitsune's entrance, lol.

I am absolutely LOVING Buffy's unique lore in this story !!!!! Awesome Write !!!

Posted by: Acadian Nov 4 2016, 02:35 PM

hazmick- Thank you! It seemed like a natural time for Buffy’s wanderlust to conveniently preclude any awkwardness of staying.

ghastley- While Superian can’t cast spells, she is certainly the horse of a mage, who patiently cooperates with Buffy’s spells - even serving as guinea pic on occasion. In time, she will become more magical herself.

Rider- Aww, thanks for your kind words. Buffy’s story is and has always been primarily about feelings and how Buffy deals with them. I guess they say character-driven rather than plot-driven.

Lopov- Thank you for noting how we tried to ‘show’ how perceptively thoughtful Violet is when she ran off to fetch a nonexistent ring to provide Buffy and Vandrelis a private moment. Yes, little Dawn will show up again.

SubRosa- Thank you. I’ve long looked forward to addressing how such a tiny elf can hold so many spirits! I do think imp chips was one of your inventions but Buffy has used it for so long that part of my intent was to show how alike the two cousins are – even in their quirky cursing.

DE- Gosh, thank you so much! Even though it wasn’t all foresty, I loved developing and writing this past section of the book, so heavily influenced by prairie dwellers and ancient tribal ways.

BretonBlood- Thank you! I too am looking forward to Buffy’s travel into the dense jungles of central Valenwood.

mALX- Your assessments and comments are so very spot on. No surprise, given how well you know Buffy. Buffy can indeed love deeply enough to settle down for the right man. But. . . the right man would know that she needs to wander/adventure and not ask her to settle down. . . . We’ll introduce her familiar in this very next episode. Thanks, my friend.


Note- Now at about two thirds through the book and ready to begin its fourth (and final) part, I thought this might be a good time to review things and look ahead. Our Prelude featured a cloudtop meeting among the Nirn Mother, Sky Goddess and Mistress of Twilight. Part One saw the spirit of Phantom emerge to briefly take flight, thereby fulfilling the dragon’s small role in resolving the coming Oblivion Crisis. Part Two delivered a magnificent conjurable bow to Buffy. Part Three lingered in the Strid River valley and plains as Buffy learned much about Bosmer culture. Part Four will see Buffy travel deep into central Valenwood in search of the massive Tall Trees that spawned her.

In our previous episode- Buffy learned and cast a new ‘Find Familiar’ spell but understands that her familiar will find her at a time of its choosing – not hers. Realizing that Vandrelis was not right for her, Buffy’s wanderlust quickly resurfaced. After preparations, heartfelt thanks and some tearful goodbyes, Buffy, Superian and Acadian left the Strid River Valley Tribe.

We made good time heading south over the prairie. Despite considering myself a forest elf, I had quite grown to appreciate the rolling hills, golden grasses, wide open vistas and magnificent herds of grazing animals. The open terrain well-suited the speed, maneuverability and elevated shooting perch that Superian afforded me.

We had little trouble outrunning and exhausting a pride of hungry lions that gave us chase. The several individual grizzly bears we encountered gave plenty of noisy warning to remain clear of them – advice we readily heeded. The majestic prairie mammoths paid little heed to us as long as we navigated a respectful distance around them. A lone wolf actually skirted around us, yielding to my mighty mare. So too did numerous coyotes that seemed rather common on the plains.

One fox caught my attention, however. The animal was smaller than a coyote - with a tail that rivaled the rest of its body in size. That it had been paralleling us I took initially as coincidence or perhaps curiosity. After a time, however, I grew suspicious and turned Superian from our southerly course for a few minutes, then resumed our intended track. Sure enough the fox shadowed our movements.

I drew Superian to a stop and, after scanning for danger all the way around us, turned my attention to the fox. It stood no more than a half dozen horse lengths from us now and returned my gaze. The animal’s coat was mostly a mottled snowberry blond and buckskin in color. Its throat, chest, belly and the tip of its tail were white. “Are you my familiar?” I asked.

The animal cocked its head inconclusively.

I dismounted and slowly approached. “I’m Buffy.” Feeling a bit vulnerable more than a few steps from the speed of my mare out here in the open prairie, I backed up until my long ears could once again easily hear Superian’s breathing. I was pleased that the fox not only followed, but continued right up to me after I stopped. I took to one knee and extended a hand.

I could now tell the fox was a vixen as her nose drank the scent from my hand. “My mare’s name is Superian.” There was little doubt in my mind that this small animal was indeed my familiar and she was clearly unafraid of my mare and I. “Oh, and there’s an old paladin who travels within me that you may hear from as well.” I stood and absently twisted an errant strand of blond hair in my fingers as I pondered exactly what kind of help a small vixen could offer Superian and I. “What do you think, Acadian?”

“Firstly, greetings, fox,” he began. “Buffy, do you remember Violet’s words about what kind of familiar you might get?”

I nodded then recited, “The familiar that finds you cares little for what you want, but knows exactly what you need.”

“Perhaps she will show you when she’s ready,” he offered.

“Or maybe she’s still trying to figure out what I need,” I replied.

While Acadian and I were talking, she had moved past me and now stood directly in front of Superian. As the vixen craned her neck, Superian lowered her head until the two touched noses. The sight melted my heart and Superian’s clear endorsement of this new member to my own little tribe filled me with confidence.

“Time to get moving again,” I announced. “Hopefully we can find another water source before dark.” I mounted Superian and we continued south. I was pleased that the vixen had no trouble easily loping along at Superian’s walking pace.

The prairie gradually yielded to an increasing number of green trees. Sure enough, we soon came upon a small stream. Our progress across the plains had been superb but I noted the shadows were now long and the sun hung low above the Abecean Sea. "We'll camp here for the night."

I didn’t have to stalk on foot very far to locate a rabbit. Slayer was a magnificent bow, but ill-suited for small game – unless I wanted to spend the rest of the evening collecting rabbit parts from the prairie. Rather, emerald magic swirled from my fingertips with its characteristic lack of haste to close the dozen horse lengths between us and paralyze my small quarry. A telekinesis spell then delivered the animal to my hand. Conjuring an elven hunting knife, I used the blade’s handle to lightly thump my still immobilized prey on the back of its fragile skull to instantly kill it. I paused to thank the small creature for its bounty and wish its spirit a speedy return to the plains. My dinner-to-be was no mammoth, but it deserved my full measure of reverent gratitude.

I gathered enough readily available dead branches to last the night and, after laying a campfire, my hand flamed it to life. As the rabbit roasted, I stripped off Superian’s tack and groomed her.

Cool water and fresh rabbit under the stars made me glad to be traveling again. I offered the vixen some of my dinner. She declined. She offered me some of the snake she had caught for herself. I declined. Superian had a whole prairie to graze from, so my bigger concern for her was ensuring the mare’s significant water needs - and camping by this small stream would take care of that for the evening at least.

After dinner I cleaned my teeth using the bamboo and boar bristle toothbrush that Daenlin had fletched for me long ago. A small doeskin pouch carried my toothcleaning powder - a finely ground mixture of iris flowers, mint leaves, salt and glow dust that Ardaline of the Bravil Mages Guild had taught me to make.

I then dropped my clothes and stepped into the stream. Although not deep enough to swim in, I splashed around enough to remove the day’s worth of prairie dust. After drying off with a conjured towel, I built up my fire to help deter predators.

Finally, I curled up in a wolf pelt that Violet had given me, relying on the keen ears and noses of mare and fox to keep watch through the night.

The vixen’s spirit visited mine while I slept. I learned her name and that she was skilled with both illusion and alteration. When I opened my eyes to the dying embers of my fire and slight glow from the eastern horizon, her face was inches from mine. Dark eyes stared intently at me as soft breath tickled my nose. Ears that rivaled mine and Superian’s in size swiveled and perked in search of threatening sounds. “Good morning, Kitsune.”

My twilight butterfly guardian, Dawn, visited us for a time as I broke camp, topped up my waterskins and saddled Superian. Once astride my mare, we continued south.

Posted by: hazmick Nov 4 2016, 03:14 PM

Aaaah that's the stuff. Some good ol' wilderness wandering to make Buffy feel more...Buffy-ish. We also meet the new member of the group - Cute? check. Friendly? Check. Long ears? Check. Welcome to the gang!

Posted by: ghastley Nov 4 2016, 03:15 PM

I like the way magic is an everyday thing in Buffy's world. Not just talking to Kitsume, but Paralysis/Telekensis for rabbit-hunting, and summoned towels.

Posted by: Lopov Nov 4 2016, 04:54 PM

Summoned towel for the win! If this was ever mentioned before, I must have missed it.

Warm welcome to Kitsune! Those warm, dark eyes of her might be just what Buffy needs.

Posted by: haute ecole rider Nov 5 2016, 02:22 AM

Aaaand Here's Kitsune! How wonderful that we get to see how she and Buffy meet!

Familiar, indeed! She is perfect for our little Bravilian Blond Bosmeri Bowgirl!

Posted by: SubRosa Nov 6 2016, 09:32 PM

What the fox said! It is nice to finally learn the story of how Buffy found her fox companion.

Posted by: BretonBlood Nov 8 2016, 05:06 AM

So we have found out what Buffy's familiar is, very nice. I like how Buffy's spirit can connect with the familiar in her sleep, almost as if she is going to the spirit world to talk with her familiar. I can't wait to see how Kitsune helps out Buffy in the future.

Posted by: mALX Nov 10 2016, 02:10 AM

I had wondered if this was Kitsune's role in Buffy Lore, really glad to learn how Kitsune fits in the big picture of Buffy's life! And yeah, she feels more in her element in nature and traveling than locked down into town life.

I have always loved Buffy's use of magic for everyday things, but have to say that I didn't enjoy hearing about the killing of the bunny,

Wasn't there a children's song about picking up rabbits and bopping them on the head? Probably good Maxical was a vegitarian, lol. Urk.

Awesome Write !!!!

Posted by: Grits Nov 11 2016, 04:58 AM

Episode 18, "Spirits are like love." Like I've told my children, love multiplies. (It's time that divides! ) I thought it was great that after some thought Buffy realized that her totems protected her future even though it cost her some immediate disappointment.

Aw, Buffy's warm rump has soothing properties. Now everyone's going to want a treatment. What a very well-timed and peaceful departure. After all, a good way to move on is to move on. How lovely to know that wherever Buffy wanders, she and Violet are connected through sisterly love and that trace of tree sap.

Episode 19, Snowberry blond! I love that Slayer is not for hunting rabbits. Buffy's interaction with her familiar over dinner was sweet and also exciting, for it showed some nice non-verbal communication between elf and fox. Then when Kitsune introduced herself to Buffy as she slept, it just got better! Buffy is traveling to the Tall Trees with a small, beautifully-eared tribe of her own. Oh, and somehow it tickled me that Kitsune offered Buffy a bite of her dead snake.

Posted by: Acadian Nov 11 2016, 01:56 PM

hazmick- Hee, Buffy and the Long-Eared Gang! It did indeed feel good to be on the road again. Thank you!

ghastley- As ever, I appreciate your insight. Displaying how seamlessly magic flows through Buffy’s routine tasks was part of my intent.

Lopov- Buffy can’t conjure big storm atronachs but she’s pretty good at summoning mundane objects. Similarly, she can’t blow up buildings with fireballs or freeze enemies in their tracks, but can use destruction magic to cook, chill an ale or start a campfire.

Rider- I confess that part of our vixen selection was due to what we could cobble together as a follower in Skyrim. I’m delighted that the Fennic Fox in ESO suits Buffy just as wonderfully. Thank you!

SubRosa- Thank you. And coming up, we’ll begin to learn of what help the little fox can be to the little elf, big mare and old paladin.

BretonBlood- Thanks! Buffy’s ability to host spirits goes ever so far back – to when she first learned of the old paladin within her. That inspired us to develop the idea of her tribe being ‘Spirit Catchers’.

mALX- As ever, you know Buffy so well. She did indeed leisurely relish over every detail of her first night back on the road with her own little gang. She is most at home under the stars sleeping near her precious mare.

Grits- I figure the spooning helped Buffy's wounded heart more than Violet's semiannual cramps. I’ve been trying to figure out how to work in ‘snowberry blond’ for quite some time. Superian requires quite a bit of care and feeding; I’m glad Kitsune seems much more self-sustaining – even unobtrusive. Thank you!


Previously- Buffy, Acadian and Superian made good progress traveling south across the prairie as golden grasses and acacias finally yielded to deciduous forest. They were joined by a new member of Buffy’s small tribe – a vixen familiar named Kitsune.

By midmorning, our southerly trek had left the prairie behind. Open forest now surrounded us.

Loud grunting heralded the sudden charge of a giant boar, nearly half Superian’s size. Instinctively, we wheeled and my mare was thundering back the way we came before I remembered Kitsune. We circled just widely enough to remain clear of the slower boar and raced back in search of the vixen. Suddenly I felt her – as a spirit - within me. A moment later she materialized, curled up securely in the small space between my hips and the bone pommel of Superian’s saddle.

Relieved, I focused Superian’s speed and maneuvering on quickly exhausting the pursuing tusker. After a short time, the boar slowed to a walk and stopped, barely able to stand. I could hear its exhausted panting. “You’re lucky I’m not hunting large game today.” We resumed our southerly course as I taunted over my shoulder, “Big pig.”

Kitsune circled around my waist several times before deciding that she did indeed prefer the spot right in front of me instead of behind me in the saddle. “It’s nice to know that I can’t lose you,” I remarked. After a time, she leaped to the ground and resumed her easy lope alongside us.

By late afternoon, good luck carried the soft babble of a nearby spring to the long ears of my thirsty mare, Kitsune and I. As we slowly approached, bad luck carried the hoarse grumbling of trolls. We stopped as two of the monsters came into view next to a small spring-fed pool.

“My mare needs water,” I stated quietly. “I don’t suppose you’ll share?”

One troll thumped his chest as the other bounced aggressively up and down. Both increased the pitch of their threatening grunts.

“I didn’t think so.”

If I dismounted, I had several options involving magic and bow but surrendered speed, elevation and maneuverability. To retain the advantages of mounted archery meant foregoing my arsenal of spells. In either case I was unsure what Kitsune could bring to a fight. Choosing to remain in the saddle, I unshouldered Slayer and backed Superian up to gain the flexibility that more range provided.

My first arrow solidly staggered one of the beasts. His friend roared loudly and began the peculiar ambling charge of a troll. While Slayer helped draw my second arrow, Kitsune loudly yipped a challenge. To my surprise the troll instantly veered toward her instead of the much larger threat posed by a mounted archer! Trolls could never be accused of being the brightest arrows in the quiver, but even they weren’t that dumb. As an illusionist, I quickly recognized my own school of magic in play. Clearly, Kitsune’s yip was some form of targeted ‘taunt’ magic.

My second arrow finished the already wounded troll near the spring, allowing us to focus on just one foe. I began nocking a third arrow, with still no reason to maneuver my mare.

By now the remaining troll was upon Kitsune. His long arms swung repeatedly as the vixen nimbly danced narrowly clear. Just before my arrow slammed into him, he managed to connect, sending the small fox through the air. Simultaneously, I felt a small but sudden drop in my magicka. She landed on her feet and immediately charged right back across the troll’s frontage to retain his attention on her. Neither her appearance nor movement indicated she had taken damage from the troll’s solid hit that would have killed a normal fox. Her low stature made her easy to aim over and my next arrow killed the troll.

Slayer was still dispelling as I slipped to the ground and ran to my familiar. Bright eyes showing no signs of distress greeted me. Placing my hands upon her, Acadian provided the restoration magic for me to assess her condition and heal any injuries she might have. Her physical damage was limited to only the mildest of bruising – which Acadian and I quickly healed.

I stood, scratching my head. “So, you can taunt foes, causing them to target you instead of Superian and I. In return, it seems, a successful attack against you robs my magicka instead of your health. Our lives and spirits seem quite intertwined. Your warcries and agility allow me to safely bring my bow to bear. It’s also clear that, even as you defend me, I must kill our foes before their attacks against you overwhelm my arcane reserves and leave you vulnerable.”

I recalled that, during her dance with the troll, Kitsune had made no effort to bite – not that her small teeth could have damaged such foes. I shook my head in amazement as the full implications struck home. “You are all shield and no weapon, whereas. . . I am all weapon and no shield!”

Acadian recited Violet’s words to me again, “The familiar that finds you cares little for what you want, but knows exactly what you need.”

“So it would seem,” I replied. Kitsune tilted her head happily and waved a luxuriant tail, causing me to chuckle, then add, “And to top it off, my valiant vixen, you seem to relish your role. You are indeed what I need.”

For two more days, we traveled through the forest as the trees gradually grew denser and the underbrush thicker. As Kitsune and I grew more comfortable together, I learned that with a thought from me – or on her own whim - she would willingly retreat to within me. Similarly, she would exit the sanctuary my body provided and appear at my side whenever she chose or at my telepathic request. More and more I was beginning to understand what it meant to be a Spirit Catcher.

Another day of travel saw the forest transition to jungle. Ferns and creeping foliage covered the ground. All manner of tropical trees filled the air with vines, fronds, leaves and branches. The highest of these rose to a canopy that increasingly obscured the sky. Our progress slowed dramatically and I was grateful for three sets of perked long ears, listening for danger.

Posted by: hazmick Nov 11 2016, 03:51 PM

An intense encounter, but nothing the gang can't handle - especially now that they have Kitsune the magplar Spirit Fox shielding them!

Posted by: Grits Nov 11 2016, 08:50 PM

Beautiful description and demonstration of Kitsune's abilities and limitations. I love that Kitsune's shield-type magic draws from Buffy's magicka. Kitsune's taunts can keep a foe's aggression focused on her, but there is still a sense of urgency for Buffy to finish them off. Her familiar gives Buffy some time and space to do what she does best but doesn't do the job for her. I love the balance of power and vulnerability in Buffy's world.

Oh my gosh, I'm so excited to see Team Buffy enter the magnificent and dangerous jungle!!

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Nov 12 2016, 01:55 AM

Hey Acadian I sent you a PM. You responded but I never did. Well just got settled and now I have more time to catch up on things.


Part Four:

Oh I so wanted to read more about the exciting chase between the pride of lions and Buffy and co. Upon meeting and coming across so many animals it was expected that she would cross her familiar. I am surprised and yet no so much that it turned out to be a fox. I remember Kitsune before in her adventures in her potpourri. Great to see how they met each other! Se'll make a fine companion. We've all grown on her already hehehe.

I said it before and I'll say it again. Buffy is to be admired. There is no great measure between life where she's considered; whether it be small game or a titanic-sized one, all creatures are worthy of respect and reverence. I like that about her.


Episode 20:

That was a close one. Whether it a prairie or forest, danger and threats always lurks. Fortunate for her she was able to oust the pork. If Trolls were any smarted, they'd allow her to pass on about to get some water. The only smart troll I know was the one who wrote that letter under a bridge before he drowned . . . and the grammar was atrocious, but anyway Buffy made small work of them.

Kitsune had me amused from start to finish. She's the epitome of cute. There is a fine contrast there and ability that she has . . . quite useful for Buffy and Superian. This was a fantastic way to learn about her powers of luring and distraction as she balances Buffy. It all comes to full circle in the lessons we've learned about familiars and Acadian's words of wisdom.

Welcome to the jungle . . . Fun and games?

Great write Acadian!

Posted by: mALX Nov 12 2016, 05:47 PM

I remember (years ago now) when you were first discovering Kitsune's role in combat and her perfect size for Buffy to shoot over her and not hit her! This is such a more detailed explanation, very cool lore you are creating here!!!

My favorite line has already been brought out, but deserves a second quoting:

Awesome Write !!!

Posted by: ghastley Nov 12 2016, 06:31 PM

Everybody else has already noted the same point. Your best ally complements your abilities, rather than matching them.

And the landscape continues to change. Are we there yet?

Posted by: SubRosa Nov 12 2016, 07:46 PM

It is nice to know that Buffy cannot lose Kitsune. One of the nice things about being a spirit, is not being tied to any particular atoms.

I don't think the trolls are going to share that water either! Time for the bow I think.

being the brightest arrows in the quiver
I smiled at this wonderfully appropriate analogy.

Tying Kitsune's physical form to Buffy's magicka was a very clever turn of world-building. It also ties in so perfectly with Buffy's heritage as a Spirit Catcher

Posted by: Renee Nov 13 2016, 05:54 AM

You describe trolls so perfectly here!

This is deep too...



That was fun reading about some Buffy in action.

Posted by: BretonBlood Nov 14 2016, 05:27 AM

Nice chapter Acadian. I love the way you incorporated Kitsune in this chapter with how when she is attacked it affects Buffy's magicka, I thought that was very genius.

Kitsune is very cute, you can just picture her actions perfectly and it makes you kind of laugh at a tiny little fox taking on a troll and acting fierce. She is the perfect match for Buffy, as you said, she is all shield and no weapon, or you might say all bark and no bite... and Buffy is the opposite so they are perfect for each other.

Posted by: Lopov Nov 15 2016, 12:19 PM

Kitsune is just the cutest possible shield.

Very vivid description of trolls thumping their chests and bouncing as they spotted a possible prey.

Posted by: Acadian Nov 18 2016, 03:26 PM

hazmick- Aww, thanks! Glad you enjoyed meeting Kitsune.

Grits- Buffy is used to the interdependence of symbiant/host due to her long association with Acadian. It just seemed natural that Buffy and Kistune (just like Buffy and Superian also) must depend on each other to survive. I so hope you enjoy our foray into the jungle. Though it was written before I touched ESO, it is not as dissimilar as I feared it might be.

DE- Thanks for drawing out the importance/reverence that Buffy affords the prey that she needs to sustain herself – be it mammoth or rabbit. I’m also glad you’re enjoying Kitsune. We designed her to be low maintenance – unlike the ever-present care/feeding considerations that Superian demands.

mALX- Thank you. I’m delighted that Kitsune has become a ‘keeper’. Though her role evolves somewhat, she has a place in Skyrim, our fiction and even ESO.

ghastley- I do enjoy the similarities and contrasts between the little elf and her vixen. Are we there yet? Yup, coming right up!

SubRosa- Thank you. As I mentioned to Grits, Superian is a high-maintenance girl to the point of driving Buffy’s decisions/choices. I wanted Kitsune to be pretty care-free. I do like how elf and fox are bound together in their own way – different but similar to Buffy-Acadian and Buffy-Superian.

Renee- Gosh, I’m so glad the troll charge came across as TES-accurate. Thanks also for your kind words about how we described familiars.

BretonBlood- Thank you. I wanted Buffy and Kitsune to be interdependent. That the vixen uses Buffy’s magicka for 'reactive shielding' seemed perfect to help establish that.

Lopov- So glad you enjoyed meeting Kitsune and the troll fight! Thanks!


Previously- As Buffy continued south into woodlands, it was a battle with two trolls where Kitsune showcased her value. The vixen familar used illusion to distract foes, along with agility to avoid most hits and the ability to tap Buffy’s magicka as a damage-absorbing shield when necessary. As the group continued south, deciduous forest transitioned to increasingly dense jungle.

As the jungle continued to thicken, it eventually and completely hamstrung my large mare’s life-saving speed and maneuverability. I gave up trying to ride at all.

With Superian following closely, stealth – my normal ally on foot - was useless. The thick undergrowth reduced our visibility, stealing away the advantage of my keen vision and powerful bow’s range. Every few steps, I had to pulse my detection spell to verify the immediate area was free of predators. Even Kitsune’s ability to nimbly dance clear of foes was hampered by the dense flora. Encounters in the jungle with larger carnivores such as wolves, panthers and even durzogs, required the vixen to distract them while my magicka absorbed damage meant for her and I fired Slayer from nearly point blank range. All manner of small creeping, crawling and slithering threats concealed themselves beneath the thorny undergrowth. Sleep was out of the question, so I had to rely on my spells to stave off fatigue. The trees were getting taller though – at least I assumed so based on how expansive some of their girths had become. The canopy screened their upper branches from view.

After a day and a half of this, we paused near the base of the widest tree trunk I had yet seen. Too much time relying on spells instead of sleep was taking its toll as I leaned unsteadily against Superian. “I don’t think I can go on, Acadian.” Tears began to spill. “I-I’m even beginning to question my ability to get us back out of here.”

“Whatever choice you make is fine, Buffy,” replied the paladin, “but you’re too exhausted to either continue or retreat right now. You desperately need sleep before making such a decision.”

“Everything down here wants to eat us!” I cried in exhausted desperation.

“You must get above the dangers of the jungle floor and up into the branches of one of these big trees. There you can sleep.”

“I will not abandon my mare down here while I seek safety above. And we’ve already determined that Kitsune will not separate herself from me to guard Superian.”

“Then you will carry Superian up into the trees with you.”

“Acadian, I’m so tired. . . you don’t even want to hear what I think you just said.”

“You heard correctly, Buffy. Do not underestimate the dragon within your mare. Just as Phantom turned from spirit to join with Superian, I believe that, if I use our Call of Corsair power, she can return to spirit form, bringing the mare with her and back by my side – safely within you.”

Astonishment at the prospect pushed only some of my fatigue aside. I recalled learning the Call of Corsair ability from the ghost of King Rislav the Righteous in Skingrad and had used it many times to teleport Superian to me. “I’m so exhausted, my paladin, that I don’t trust myself to think this through. . . Superian’s tack, my supplies, how we return her to horse form and, I’m sure other questions that elude me. . . . All I know is that I trust you. Tell me what I must do to recover from the mess I’ve led us into.”

“Cast your stamina spell one more time, Buffy, then follow my instructions. By the time it wears off, I hope we will have you up where you can safely rest."

After I cast my spell, Acadian directed my actions as I moved some dried mammoth strips from Superian’s saddlebags into my mage satchel and strapped two waterskins to myself. “What about her tack and the rest of our supplies?”

“Anything cinched or strapped to her will travel with your mare. I know you are exhausted, Buffy. It will not be long now before you can sleep. Just place your hands on Superian when you are ready to receive her spirit.”

I did so. “I’m ready, my paladin.”

“Ven Sah Liz,” he said, “return to me. I need you.”

Acadian’s simple words still hung in the air as his magic traveled through my hands into the mare. Superian’s form began to fade into swirling vapors that gradually engulfed both she and I. I could feel her twin spirit joining with mine. Then the vapors, mare, tack – all of it was gone.

“She is safely with me, Buffy. Climb this tree before your stamina spell wears off.”

I scrambled aloft, so tired that it only vaguely registered when Kitsune took sanctuary within me. Continuing up a ways, I stopped when I came to a promisingly wide fork in the branches. I sat and took a long pull from a waterskin, then tried to get comfortable.

Acadian said, “Sleep here, Buffy. You were conceived in the treetops of this land. Trust to the ancient instincts within you. You will not fall.”

“Thank you, Acadian, I’ll try to get some . . . .“ exhaustion claimed me before I could even finish my sentence.

I awoke slowly with a luxuriant stretch before I remembered where I was. Sure enough, I had slept well – and not fallen. “Good morning, my paladin. How long. . . ?”

“It is midday. You went to sleep early yesterday afternoon.”

I stretched again and tested my limbs. “I guess I needed every bit of it. I’m not even as sore I would have thought.” I giggled. “I guess I really am a tree elf after all.”

“I’m glad your head is clear,” he replied. “Might I make a suggestion?”

“Please do,” I urged.

“If you climb this tree high enough to get above the canopy, you should be able to get a better perspective on things to help you decide our course.”

“Good idea,” I said, but my stomach insistently rumbled its dissent. I sat in the tree’s fork to chew down a couple smoked mammoth strips and chase them with a pull from one of my waterskins. I then quietly burped and started my climb.

My upper body strength was poor but being light of light weight meant little was required. It was also not lost on me that slender branches that would never hold a Nord or Imperial easily supported my ascent without even bending. I now fully appreciated why elves of the Cloud Dancer tribes had light, almost birdlike bones. Fragile yes, but well-suited for the trees.

The shadows of the jungle brightened as I climbed. When I finally got above the canopy and my eyes adjusted to the explosion of sunshine and clear sky, I looked to the south out over an endless sea of emerald treetops. Piercing the canopy were numerous taller trees. Of these, a handful rose impossibly high. I stared in disbelief. “Acadian, look at that! Surely an elf in their high branches could kiss Masser and Secunda as they passed by those towering giants at night!”

“Buffy, do you think some of those trees host elves?”

“I imagine they do.” I heaved a sigh. “Do you think we should try to continue or turn back?”

“Superian is safe,” he began. “I expect that food, water and places to rest are plentiful up here if you know where to look. I think that if you trust your elven ingenuity and tribal instincts, either course is well within your grasp.”

“Our grasp,” I corrected. Pointing south toward the tallest tree I could see, I declared, “We’re going that way.”

Posted by: mALX Nov 18 2016, 04:45 PM

Your description of what Buffy was feeling in the beginning of this chapter is the overwhelming feeling that hits me every single time I enter Grahtwood; where I'm sure she is at this moment in her story. And she didn't mention the jungle noises, but your description was vivid enough that I could hear them!

Awesome write, you really brought the feeling of being there out so well! And I'll bet she is headed toward Elden Root now!

What I love about this is that = all this was written before you even picked up the ESO game and played it, so your imagination was so spot on for what is actually in that region!!!!!

Totally Awesome Write !!!


Two Nits:

Missed an edit here.




should be able to get a better perspective?

Posted by: Grits Nov 18 2016, 06:02 PM

“Everything down here wants to eat us!” I cried in exhausted desperation.

Perfect. I love how the needs of surviving the jungle drove Buffy naturally up into the trees. Without Violet as a tour guide Buffy will discover the answers within herself, before she sees or hears from other tree-dwelling elves (if she eventually does) how they thrive in their environment. What a marvelous journey!

Posted by: haute ecole rider Nov 18 2016, 06:11 PM

I have yet to visit the Dominion lands in ESO. So I am relying on Buffy's story to draw a picture of the jungles of Valenwood for us.

What I noticed in this chapter are several instances where Buffy is adapting her lifestyle/daily routines to the quirks of gameplay not just in Skyrim, but also in ESO. Most notably, what happens to the mounts when you dismount them. Also I am glad to see Buffy starting to adapt her hunting style to shorter range encounters, characteristic of ESO combat. If you wrote all this before picking up the game as mALX said, I'm pretty impressed! It is impressive that every sentence in this segment foreshadows the adjustments Buffy the perennial avatar has had to make moving from Oblivion to Skyrim and on to ESO.

Wonderful!

Posted by: Lopov Nov 18 2016, 07:36 PM

I imagine it wasn't easy for Buffy as she ventured into thick jungle. Not only she couldn't ride her mare any longer but her vision was obscured by thick growth. So checking the surroundings / exploring the place from heights sounds like a good alternative. Paladin is right - sometimes a good night's sleep is all you need and problems present at night, are only a dim memory in the morning.

Posted by: hazmick Nov 19 2016, 05:03 PM

It's interesting to see a Bosmer struggling in the forest, where the natives thrive. Buffy has much to learn about being a woodsy wood elf, it seems.

Posted by: ghastley Nov 19 2016, 05:33 PM

As hazmick points out, she's having to adapt to wood elf country. Riding a horse is something they wouldn't do, it seems.

I've always pictured them travelling between the trees above ground, so I'm curious to see how she proceeds from here. Will she find an aerial roadway?

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Nov 19 2016, 06:31 PM

The jungle terrain is just as dangerous and unpredictable as the creatures that dwell there, and Buffy is through a whole different level of stress when it comes to traversing these lands. It can be unsettling for a young explorer like herself in such a giant jungle. I've never ventured in Valenwood but I have seen and heard of plenty of other adventurers in ESO that have been there. How overwhelming it must have been for her.

Her selfless spirit comes out well here. She's so thoughtful of Superian. Once again Acadian comes to the aid of our dear Mystic Archer, and gives valuable advice not only to aid Buffy but her mare.

At least she got some deserved rest here.

“Acadian, look at that! Surely an elf in their high branches could kiss Massur and Secunda as they passed by those towering giants at night!”

Nit(Or perhaps not): Massur here should be "Masser." I don't know if that was intentional, and was meant to portray the way Buffy says it.

Posted by: BretonBlood Nov 20 2016, 04:20 AM

A nifty ability being able to "absorb" Superian back inside of her body as a spirit since Buffy is a Spirit Catcher. I thought that was a very cool ability you added in since it only makes sense because Phantom is part of Superian now and Phantom is linked to Acadian who is inside of Buffy.

I too think these giant trees host elves, and I can't wait to see them, and Buffy's reaction to them.

Posted by: Kazaera Nov 20 2016, 02:24 PM

I'm really enjoying this journey of exploration and growth Buffy is on, especially since it's in lands we don't usually see. The lore surrounding Valenwood and the Bosmer is excellent, and it's great to see Buffy get in touch with her roots. Maybe she won't feel quite so self-conscious about her ears from now on.

The failed relationship with Vandrelis was excellently done, showing us Buffy beginning to move beyond her grief even though this particular elf wasn't right for her. And I cheered on Violet when she told Buffy in no uncertain terms that the strength of her totems was not Buffy's problem and not something to be ashamed of!

Kitsune is a very fitting addition to Buffy's companions, and excellently complements her strengths and weaknesses. I'm interested to see more of her!

Overall, the thing I love most about this story is the feeling of Buffy growing, moving on, and healing. New magical abilities, new relationships (both friendship and otherwise), new goals, new lands to explore - it's beautiful to see the grieving elf we left recover and become more.

Posted by: SubRosa Nov 20 2016, 08:12 PM

It is starting to get crowded inside Buffy's head! Seriously though, it is great to see her living up to her Spirit Catcher ancestry. In her first Book we saw Buffy grow into the person she could be. In this one I think we are seeing her grow into the person she was always meant to be.

Posted by: Renee Nov 22 2016, 01:27 AM

Nice to see your wood elf actually frolicking upon the trees.

Posted by: Acadian Nov 25 2016, 02:48 PM

mALX- Thank you for your kind words about the ‘feel’ of the jungle. Your comments reminded me that I overlooked the important contributions that smell and sound could have made – I’m glad you mentioned it so I can try to incorporate more of that. Thanks also for pointing out those nits so I could quickly fix ‘em!

Grits- Thanks! The early part of that episode was designed for the Cyrodiil-raised Spirit Catcher to get her little butt kicked by the jungle - forcing her to figure out how to survive. In this next episode we’ll try to continue to show how her tenacity and the instincts of her tribe help her adapt.

Rider- Thank you! While I’m trying hard to make the area Buffy is currently in feel very much like a thick jungle, I wouldn’t rely on it for a picture of ESO Grahtwood. There are many differences since this was all written before I picked up ESO and my purpose here is to focus on our fic-picture of the Cloud Dancers’ Tall Trees. In our games, we’ve always been able to summon/unsummon Superian. Necessity here in the jungle finally allowed us to begin to develop that in Buffy fic.

Lopov- You are right that the jungle was a harsh eye-opener for Buffy. It was gratifying to use the old paladin when helping to ease her path.

hazmick- Raised in Cyrodiil, Buffy starts at a disadvantage in this inhospitable land. I imagine young Spirit Catchers like Violet learned how to swing from vines at a tender age. The sap of her tree that runs in Buffy’s veins, along with the instincts of her tribe (and a bit of help from Acadian) will help her quickly adapt.

ghastley- Superian will continue to be a big challenge in these lands that are not well-suited to horses. Perhaps enough to preclude Buffy from being happy here. Very astute about traveling aloft – stay tuned!

DE- Thanks for noting the stress that Buffy found herself under – as well as her nurturing refusal to leave her mare. Superian always has and always will be a big factor in the choices Buffy makes. Thanks for pointing out that nit – fixed!

BretonBlood- Thank you! Things are beginning to tie together. Spirit Catcher, Dragon-mare, ‘summoning/unsummoning’ mares and familiars. We’ll get to meet some Cloud Dancer elves very soon!

Kazaera- So glad you’re enjoying Buffy’s journey! You nailed the purpose of the failed Vandrelis relationship – to show that Buffy is indeed trying hard to move on. And I agree that Violet was so wonderfully supportive. Glad you enjoyed meeting Kitsune as well. Thank you!

SubRosa- Hee! Getting crowded inside the little elf is exactly the inspiration behind the nature of Buffy’s tribe. Thank you as ever, my friend.

Renee- Yes! With a bit of help from Acadian, she is just beginning to realize the instincts that lie buried within. Thank you!


Previously- The jungle conspired to fight Buffy’s southerly progress - and seemed to be winning. With the exhausted elf in tears and doubting her ability to either continue or retreat, Acadian offered a startling suggestion. Using Buffy’s Call of Corsair power, Acadian caused Superian to transform into the spirit of Phantom and teleport to his side - within Buffy. The Spirit Catcher then scrambled up a tree to escape the jungle floor’s hazards. Aloft, she was able to rest before continuing her climb. Once above the canopy, she spied several of the Tall Trees rising impossibly high into the sky. Rested and inspired, she vowed to continue on to them.

Lowering myself from the tree’s loftiest branches was no easier than climbing up, but my confidence was growing. By the time I descended to where the canopy really fanned out, I headed south instead of down.

With some careful creeping and a few slightly precarious leaps, I gradually learned how to move aloft through the jungle. I began to appreciate that, with more practice, this was likely the best way for Bosmer to move through trees so thick that their branches intertwined. When I encountered gaps that I could not safely leap, sometimes I was able to navigate around them. Other times I pulled myself across along one of many vines that wove and dangled among the trees. In a couple instances, I actually swung on a vine from one tree to get to the next. While crossing such gaps, I realized that I was actually several hundred feet above the jungle’s floor. I schooled myself not to become reckless. Although there was a reasonable chance I could catch another branch during a fall, failure to do so would likely prove fatal.

Each evening I would seek a suitable place in the trees to sleep. I was particularly grateful for my lofty perch when, one night, I was awakened by the sound of a big cat making a kill far below. I began to learn which of the jungle’s myriad sounds and smells meant danger and which did not.

Each dawn I would resume my progress south, not taking the time to hunt small simians or colorful birds that shared the high branches with me. I easily augmented my diet of dried mammoth strips by robbing eggs from the nests of birds and gathering several varieties of fruits growing aloft. I even found giant cone-shaped leaves and natural depressions in some of the wider branches that hosted fresh rainwater to fill my skins. Buckskins found their way into my mage satchel, allowing the frequent rains to cleanse my skin.

Over several days, thoughts of civilization faded away in this primeval place. Even the Strid River Valley Tribe’s tent village seemed. . . urban in comparison.

One morning, a glimpse of sudden movement at eye level in the distance froze me in place. I pulsed the air briefly to divine a glow. Its blue color meant the target was likely not hostile. The elf was crouched on a branch several trees away. Silver hair and a bow on his back was about all I could make out. He cautiously faded back into the leafier branches of the tree. I released another small burst of magic, confirming his life force was now out of my range.

I recalled hearing that elves of the Cloud Dancer tribes generally had light colored hair. This sighting probably meant that I was approaching, or perhaps already within their tribal areas. I was encouraged by the fact that he had chosen not to attack me.

Resuming my southerly progress, I noted the trees gradually grew less densely intertwined. Glimpses of the ground became more frequent and revealed the flora covering it was beginning to resemble forest floor more than jungle.

As the distance between trees continued to increase, traveling their network of branches eventually became impossible. Fortunately, the ground far below was appearing more and more hospitable. Cautiously, I began the long descent.

When my bare feet finally found the ground after so many days in the trees, the feeling of loam beneath them seemed a bit foreign. I was pleased when I felt Kitsune’s long tail brush against the skin of my calf. The reminders of my nakedness prompted me back into my buckskins. The soil was not wet like the jungle floor and there were more rocks with less greenery covering the ground. Although the trees remained massive in size – many of their trunks several horse lengths across – they did not grow closely together. I concluded that I now stood on ground much higher than the jungle I had traveled in for several days.

Realizing that this place was open enough to support my mare, I announced, “Acadian, I want Superian.”

“You already know how to bring her to you - from anywhere.”

I understood. The Call of Corsair that I had learned so long ago from the ghost of King Rislav the Righteous in Skingrad would do exactly what Acadian said. I had been able to refine and streamline the procedures through use and practice. I no longer needed my map or even a lock of Superian’s hair. The ability was second nature to us now. I closed my eyes and focused on my mare. Given that her spirit was inside me, it took mine but a moment to join with hers. “Superian, I need you.”

Again, because there was no distance between us, the response was almost instant as her spirit - combined with Phantom’s - gently escaped their elven confines into a swirling cloud of white magic. Soon the light faded, leaving my precious mare standing before me, equipped with all her tack. I then frowned. “Acadian, how many days have we kept this poor mare under saddle, ungroomed and denied of food and water?”

“Be at ease, Buffy. Though Superian controls the dragon-mare in physical form, it is Phantom who dominates when they are as spirit. As such, she perceives time and the needs you mentioned as a dragon does; the difference between a year and an hour is negligible to Phantom.”

I fiercely hugged Superian’s neck as she softly nickered while nuzzling me.

“Don’t move.”

I disobediently filled both hands with magic and turned to face the ominous low voice.

“Lower your hands if you wish to live,” said the same voice.

I was staring at the business end of a drawn bow in the hands of a Bosmer with pale green hair, some ten paces or so from me.

To emphasize his words I heard a woman’s voice from above. “You are outmatched here, sister. Do as you’re told.”

I slowly looked up to see the golden mane of another Bosmer, backlit through the branches by the sun above her. She also had a nocked arrow pointed at me.

I gulped. Kitsune’s hackles were raised as the vixen held her ground, alertly ready to respond to my actions. I lowered my hands, allowing their magic to fade. “I mean no trespass, but seek permission to visit the Tall Trees.”

The she-elf hopped from her branch, some fifty or more feet above me. Instantly a white aura surrounded her as she floated to the ground, bow still drawn and pointed at me. No sooner had she lightly touched down than the magic allowing her to survive such a descent faded. She stepped to the side, ensuring her fellow elf had a clear shot at me if necessary and shouldered her bow. “Stand still,” she commanded. Producing a small candle, she lit it with a fingertip and held it up to study my face. I was mystified. While the forest was shaded, it was hardly dark enough to require a candle. After a moment she announced to her partner, “This elf is not a Bonsamu.”

My mind raced over the countless Mystic Archives volumes I had read until I found the obscure word in my memory. Bonsamu were Valenwood vampires, capable of daywalking and uniquely indistinguishable from other Bosmer unless viewed by candlelight.

The green-haired mer shouldered his bow. “Forgive our precautions. What few Bonsamu exist have been driven into these deep and isolated high forests. “I am Ghaeleg. My mate is Cirwen.”

“I am called Buffy. My mare is Superian and my familiar is Kitsune.”

Posted by: Lopov Nov 25 2016, 07:36 PM

Buffy is becoming quite a Jungle Elf!

But she's definitely not a Bonsamu! Now it pays off that she read the Immortal Blood.

...and my paladin is Acadian. Oh hey, Buffy forgot to introduce you.

Posted by: hazmick Nov 25 2016, 09:07 PM

Quite the introduction for two new characters. I'm guessing things are about to get a touch more interesting for Buffy, it's not everyone who would take such precautions as these two.

Posted by: Renee Nov 26 2016, 05:17 PM

Good, I am glad she didn't just get pwned by those two at the end. Lordy. That musta been scary for her. Then again, maybe not. Another day in the life of the Buffster.

Posted by: SubRosa Nov 26 2016, 05:53 PM

Buffy is Tarzanning her way through trees! It probably is the safer way to go, since most predators live on the forest floor.

I love that the Cloud Dancers have cloud colored hair.

Bonsamu? That sounds ominous. Why do I think Buffy is going to learn a lot more about Bonsamu than is written of in the University Archives?

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Nov 28 2016, 06:12 PM

Laptop broke. Had this piece of junk fixed. It won't be long before it falls apart again haha.


Oh my. The dangerous and scary legends of Valenwood are here. You know since you introduced Valenwood this part of always wondered if Buffy was going to come across the nosferatu native to these jungles. Since Buffy has her nice reputation of Slayer. This intrigues me

Who truly are these two? Vampire hunters? And will Buffy go on collecting some vamp dust? The candle light fact came straight from Immortal Blood! Haha, I love it!

Posted by: ghastley Nov 28 2016, 06:28 PM

Thanks, DE. I knew that piece was familiar, and I couldn't remember the source.

I liked the use of slowfall, or whatever the spell was. It adds to the "you're not in Cyrodiil any more" vibe.

Posted by: mALX Nov 28 2016, 07:34 PM

Boy do I wish Misa could swing through the trees that way and stay clear of the horrible jungle in Grahtwood! I hate going through that place, it chills my bones to hear those beast roars echoing because you can never tell how close or far away they are the way the sound comes through the trees and brush! And the dampness of the place is tangible, and not in a good way, lol.

That said, it freaked me out to hear how high up Buffy was in those trees! Holy Cow! Would not like that at all either, lol.

Absolutely LOVE how long you were able to make it feel that she was traveling; but managed to say it in such a small few sentences - that is a gift !!!!

Also loved this meeting between possible people of her own clan! I can't wait to hear what they think of this little Elf that is obviously a part of their own lineage!

Awesome Write !!!

Posted by: BretonBlood Nov 29 2016, 06:21 AM

As Darkness Eternal said, I love the Bonsamu, and the candle light trick, it is straight out of Immortal Blood, one of my favorite books in TES.

I enjoyed how Buffy's innate instincts have kicked in as she traversed the trees. And who are these two new Elves? Are they vampire hunters? Part of the tribe Buffy is seeking out? Perhaps both? I hope we learn more and Buffy can learn things from them as well.

Posted by: Grits Dec 2 2016, 01:27 PM

I love how Buffy's slim little body that has a difficult time in crowds of heavier folk lets her move so naturally through the trees. A very exciting introduction to Ghaeleg and Cirwen. Bonsamu trouble? I think they are going to be glad to meet Buffy! Outstanding, I am in absolute thrall to this story.

Posted by: Acadian Dec 2 2016, 02:28 PM

Lopov- Thanks. Buffy has always had what could be described as a photographic memory when it comes to books – very handy for a mage!

hazmick- Thank you! The Bonsamu mention was primarily a vehicle to justify why they might be suspicious of a new Bosmer in the area.

Renee- Hee! Oh, Buffy was indeed scared. Somewhere between uncontrollably spraying spells and peeing herself.

SubRosa- I couldn’t quite resist the Tarzan stuff but at least I kept it to a minimum.

DE- For some reason, it really stuck in my memory about the Bonsamu and needing candles to distinguish them. They won’t play much more of a role in our story – one encounter/fight with one later.

ghastley- Thanks for your comment on that ‘feather fall’ spell. Though I think the effect can be found in Morrowind and D&D, I did want it to provide a bit of an exotic feel here and it certainly seems like an important ability for tree elves.

mALX- You are right about the height hazards of life up in the trees. As we’re beginning to see, a feather fall ability is how the Cloud Dancers help avoid fatal accidents. Thanks so much for your kind words regarding how we tried to show the passage of some time as Buffy traveled.

BretonBlood- I loved working with Buffy’s instincts and deeply buried racial memories to help her adapt quickly to life aloft in the trees. Thank you!

Grits- Thank you so much for your warm encouragement and support. Although there will be a single Bonsamu encounter later, the mention here was mostly just a vehicle to help display quite a bit about the pair of Cloud Dancers Buffy just met.


Previously- Buffy quickly adapted to traveling through the treetops and made good progress south. As the jungle transitioned to ancient forest, she made her way to the ground, recovered Superian from spirit form within and was promptly confronted by a pair of Cloud Dancer elves. After some tense moments, they accepted that Buffy was not a threat and introduced themselves as Ghaeleg and Cirwen.

“Why do you seek the Tall Trees?” asked Cirwen. I could see now that her freely flowing golden hair framed a face just beginning to show the lines of age. Her eyes were the color of mine and she was scantily clad in hides with a pair of doeskin moccasins, laced up to her knees. Her small stature and lithe build resembled my own, and her only visible weapon was a bow.

“I am a Spirit Catcher. After Alderglean was destroyed, I was carried in my mother’s womb to Cyrodiil. I was orphaned by the age of twelve and only recently learned all this. I wish to visit the land of my tribe to better understand who I am.”

“Her words have the ring of truth,” remarked Ghaeleg. Not much taller than I, this mer was compact and sinewy - carrying notably more muscle than I or Cirwen. Pale green hair that matched his eye color spilled over both shoulders. Greaves and moccasins of buckskin covered his lower body. His bare chest - like that of most Bosmeri men – was hairless. Ghaeleg's age appeared close to that of his mate. An elven blade rode against his back, secured by the same harness that held his bow and quiver. “She speaks like a Cyrodiil, but does indeed have the look of a fellow Cloud Dancer.”

“I agree,” said Cirwen. “Buffy, you are welcome here. As you may know, all elves spawned in the massive graht oaks of central Valenwood comprise a loosely-linked clan referred to as Cloud Dancers. Each tribe within the clan lives in its own tree. This area of the forest hosts the Tall Tree Lichenostra which is home to our tribe, the Sun Chasers. Though you’re free to go as you wish, you are clearly not familiar with this part of Valenwood. Do you need help?”

I finally breathed a sigh of relief. “Very much so. I have goods to offer if you would consider guiding me.”

The two mer exchanged skeptical glances. Ghaeleg asked, “What goods do you have? We’ve no use for the gold or gems that Cyrodiils barter with.”

“I carry two score of steel arrowheads and half a dozen vials of bergamot oil.” I then added hopefully, “I humbly pledge all of it to you for your assistance.”

Cirwen replied. “Your offer is generous – and accepted. We would be honored to guide you, and you may keep your goods until we reach Lichenostra. It is less than half a day’s journey from here.”

I conjured Slayer, mounted Superian and the two elves turned to lead the way. Apparently content to let the pair of mer guard her mistress, Kitsune teleported to her spot between my lap and the pommel of Superian’s saddle.

After a short time, I asked, “Do either of you recall Aldergleam and the Spirit Catchers before the tree and tribe were destroyed?”

“That was a couple decades ago,” replied Ghaeleg. “As I recall, there were few survivors and none of your tribe sought refuge from the Sun Chasers. That does not surprise me, for there are several other tribes whose trees are closer to where Aldergleam once grew than ours. This forest is so large that it takes several days to travel between them. Since you have never seen one of the graht-oak that the various Cloud Dancer tribes call home, nothing can prepare you for the sight.” He chuckled. “I look forward to seeing your reaction when you first gaze upon Lichenostra.”

With a raised fist, Cirwen stopped us. Her bow slid into her hand as we all quietly listened. A slight rustle from the lower branches of a tree ahead preceded the descent of a spider so large as to leave no doubt that its diet included Bosmer.

I reached for Slayer and an arrow but before I could fully draw, an arrow from each of my escorts killed the creature just as it reached the ground.

“That’s quite the bow you have there,” remarked Ghaeleg.

“I’m sorry I was not faster with it,” I replied, clearly embarrassed.

He chuckled in a manner that put me at ease before adding, “Its size and design are more suggestive of damage and range than speed.”

“You know your bows,” I confirmed appreciatively with a nod.

“We’re used to these spiders,” said Cirwen. “They use the lower branches to wait in ambush for ground dwellers.”

I joined the elves on the ground as we recovered their arrows and harvested both silk and venom from the spider. Once the unpleasant task was complete, I remounted and we continued.

The trees didn’t grow densely here, but they were getting larger. Heavily leafed high branches blocked most of the sun. The ground was drier here and supported but sparse undergrowth. The haunting calls of unfamiliar creatures echoed eerily through the dim forest, interwoven with the more comforting songs and squabbles of brightly colored birds not seen in Cyrodiil. Curiosity coaxed several small tree-dwelling simians close to the ground as their huge brown eyes monitored our passing.

It was Ghaeleg’s raised hand that brought us to a stop this time. Slowly approaching was . . . well, it had the body of a horse but the torso of a man grew from its shoulders. “A centaur,” said Ghaeleg quietly. “We’re not currently at war with them. Let us see what this one wants.”

We held our position, without drawn weapons. The centaur approached to within six horse lengths and stopped. His right hand held a spear vertically that appeared to be twice my height. He presently thumped the end of it against the ground then, with his empty hand, pointed at Superian.

“He wants your mare in exchange for passage,” translated Cirwen.

“Why on Nirn would he want. . . .” It was then I noticed the centaur’s stallion bits were clearly aroused. Slayer filled my hand and I nocked – but did not yet draw – an arrow.

Ghaeleg said, “I take it your answer is no.”

“I cannot ask you to risk your lives for my horse, but he will have to kill me to take her. If you want to melt into the trees, I will not blame you. I’m not sure Superian can outrun him but between my bow and familiar, I am confident he will be challenged to defeat me.”

The two elves briefly exchanged glances and almost imperceptible nods before Cirwen said, “We will stand with you, Buffy. With a united front, this monster may back off. They fanned out on each side of me and drew their bows. Kitsune leaped to the ground as well, taking a protective position directly in front of Superian.

I locked eyes with the centaur and resolutely shook my head.

For several long moments, I held my breath as he seemed to assess the determined threats arrayed before him. Finally, he broke my gaze, turned and walked back into the forest. I slowly exhaled and shouldered Slayer. It was then that my hands started to shake.

“By the Mother of Nirn!” said Ghaeleg. “Those monsters are fast and strong. You would have taken him on by yourself?”

“I know it may seem silly to some,” I said, “but this mare has risked her life to save mine countless times. I will do no less for her.”

“Not silly,” remarked Cirwen. “Still, you acted more like a mother grizzly than a small wood elf in protecting your horse.”

I felt my face and long ears flush as I sheepishly replied, “You’re not the first to say so.”

“You made a good choice, Buffy,” said Ghaeleg. “Centaurs are quite rare. They may go many years before encountering a chance to mate. I expect he would have sated his lust with your mare before killing and eating her.”

I shuddered, then leaned forward and patted the neck of my precious mare. Although I was learning not to underestimate the role of Phantom’s spirit within Superian, I was not interested in finding out whether the centaur would have eaten her or been surprised to find himself rendered into dragon food.

Posted by: hazmick Dec 2 2016, 07:43 PM

An intense encounter. Having a horse in Valenwood almost seems more trouble than it's worth! Hopefully poor Superian can find a nice, comfy stable soon.

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Dec 3 2016, 05:40 PM

I've noticed that in Hammerfell and Elsweyr people value water, and in Valenwood tools and items are traded and worth something. For some reason it made me think of Cyrodiil and how they value trinkets, coin and material wealth . . . nice touch.


Woah! That was quite a confrontation. Nasty arachnid! The descriptions you provide here are amazing. You bring Valenwood and its denizens to life! Good work!

Woo! She'll defend Superian with her nails if she has too! And this wasn't the first time either.




Superian attracting the hunks. Haha.

Posted by: SubRosa Dec 4 2016, 08:07 PM

Valenwood has Huntsman Spiders!

Centaurs, how neat. Or is it a Satyr! Thankfully a unified front made it think twice. He will never know how lucky was to avoid becoming a dragon snack!

Posted by: Lopov Dec 5 2016, 12:15 PM

I could swear that I already wrote a reply to the latest update via my mobile phone a few days ago but now that I re-checked the thread, it's obvious it failed to "arrive".

An intense encounter with a centaur indeed! You portrayed Buffy's "ready for anything to defend her mare" stance very vividly, I can imagine her watching the centaur, the look in her eyes firm and strict. Buffy is kind but when she has to defense herself or her dearest, she shares the name with her bow.

Posted by: ghastley Dec 5 2016, 03:03 PM

So what prompted you to add centaurs? We haven't seen those since Daggerfall.

Still, liked the heavy-hitting/fast bow discussion, and the whole "defend my whole team" thing. Hopefully these two want to be on that team now, at least for a while.

Posted by: BretonBlood Dec 6 2016, 05:13 AM

I had to LOL at the centaur lusting after Superian and thinking it would be able to overpower Superian... little does it know that Superian would kick it's ass. Not to mention having Buffy and the other two elves to back her up.

Good chapter, Acadian.

Posted by: mALX Dec 9 2016, 04:13 AM

Superian had a "Hubba Hubba!" effect on the Centaur, But to eat her afterward? Grrrrrr!!!! I agree with Buffy in defending her mare!

Really loved Buffy's bartering for the guide escort here! Awesome Write !!!!

Posted by: Grits Dec 9 2016, 05:03 AM

I love how readily Buffy fits in with her fellow Cloud Dancers. Once they determined that she was one of them, she was one of them.

That was quite an encounter with the centaur! It makes sense that they would not often encounter horses in that forest. I'm glad he backed off so they didn't have to kill him. What a rich and wonderful world Buffy lives in!

Posted by: Acadian Dec 9 2016, 02:37 PM

hazmick- Yes, Superian is a challenge here but it would never occur to Buffy to travel without her. Necessity is the mother of invention though and this part of Valenwood will provide the catalyst to develop some solutions to the challenges Buffy and Superian face.

DE- Thank you for the kind words! Yup, little Buffy can act quite like a mama griz when she perceives a threat to her mare.

SubRosa- Thanks. More exotic critters than Buffy has seen before. She’s ever so glad she didn’t really have to fight that beast.

Lopov- Thank you. Our purpose here indeed was to reinforce what Buffy will put on the line to defend her horse – even to the point of irrational/suicidal behavior.

ghastley- Like many of our choices in Buffy fiction, the decision to use a centaur here was partly whimsy. I view her as a whimsical elf in a whimsical story. Significantly too, I really wanted a threat that went beyond death – one that included the visceral horror of being violated then eaten. Thanks for your kind words about the bow discussion and united front the three elves successfully presented.

BretonBlood- Thank you. Unfortunately, Phantom’s abilities don’t go very far at turning Superian into an offensive warhorse. The mare’s primary weapon system and source of confidence remains her elf. Phantom can be both help and hindrance as this next episode will show.

mALX- Heh, I know you remember when Buffy angrily stood eye-to-boob vs the newly-met Sir Mazoga when the orc joked about eating Superian. Thank you!

Grits- It seems sap of the Tall Trees readily bonds Cloud Dancers together – happily for Buffy! Thank you for the kind words. I hope you enjoy her introduction to an actual Tall Tree in today’s episode.


Previously- Buffy learned that the pair of Cloud Dancers she just met were from the Sun Chaser Tribe. They agreed to escort Buffy to their tribal home – a Tall Tree called Lichenostra. On the way, they managed to diffuse a tense encounter with a centaur who wanted to claim Superian.

As Ghaeleg and Cirwen led Superian and I through the deep forest, I answered questions about Cyrodiil, Slayer and Kitsune. My escorts told me more of their tree and tribe.

When Lichenostra came into view, nothing on Nirn could have prepared me what I saw. The base of the tree rivaled the entire town of Bravil in size! As I craned my neck, massive lower branches prevented me from seeing very far up. After Cirwen informed me that my mouth was open, she confirmed that her tree did indeed rise well up into the clouds.

As we drew closer, the large arch of an opening in the tree’s trunk beckoned. Elven guards, after noting my name, tribe and the fact that I was escorted, allowed Superian and I to pass into the tree itself. Ghaeleg explained that every structural feature of Lichenostra was provided by the tree changing and growing in response to the needs of its elves.

They pointed out that the large open area in which we presently stood was primarily for hosting a guard force to control entry to the tree and a variety of facilities that served best upon soil or rock. Indeed, I saw the fires of a smelter, blacksmith forge and cooking facilities.

In the middle of this area I couldn’t help but notice a network of vertical vines with basket-shaped open seed pods carrying passengers and cargo up and down. The system rose into a narrow vertical channel in the high ceiling above me and continued up as far as I could see.

Ghaeleg and Cirwen led us past a tunnel entrance in the ground among several horse-sized boulders, explaining it was a moonstone mine. The ore, once refined, was forged into arrowheads that not only tipped the arrow shafts that Lichenostra provided, but served as a preferred form of currency within the tribe.

We stopped when we came to an area where goats were kept – presumably for milk – and my escorts suggested it might be the best place to leave Superian before we went aloft. I dismounted as Kitsune sought sanctuary within me.

My hosts accepted the steel arrowheads and bergamot oil I had promised and explained they would leave me to tend my mare for a time while they conducted some business on Lichenostra’s ground level.

The goat keeper had never seen a horse and was quite enthralled by Superian. Based on clean water in the troughs and the fine condition of his animals, I was comfortable with him right away. More importantly, Superian readily accepted him - and I had come to rely on her judgment in such matters more than my own. I removed her tack and transferred some items from her saddlebags to my mage satchel.

Ghaeleg and Cirwen collected me just as I finished grooming Superian. After I blew the mare a kiss, they led me to the center of the tree.

My speculation regarding the vertical transportation system was accurate. It was all grown and powered by Lichenostra. We shared one of the open-top pods with a load of freshly roasted pheasant, quail and rabbit that smelled of exotic herbs.

After rising high enough that looking down made me queasy, we finally climbed out onto a platform. The tree branched out in many directions, forming walkways all over this city in the sky. Darkness was falling and I was delighted to see a plethora of naturally luminous lichens twinkle to life as well as countless torchbugs. The area became quite well-lit without a flame to be seen. I could see similar lights through knotholes that served as windows to the homes and shoppes that were incorporated right into Lichenostra's branches. Some of the larger natural openings were clearly doorways, curtained by a variety of pelts.

Cirwen and Ghaeleg gave me a bit of a tour, pointing out the tavern and numerous shoppes. I remained distracted though; what I thought was initial queasiness at our great height had deteriorated into a more generalized physical discomfort. I tried to ignore the feeling as my hosts then showed me their cozy one-room bungalow and told me to seek them out if I ran into any problems during my stay. The pair then gifted me with half a dozen moonstone arrowheads to use as currency during my visit until I could sort things out on my own. I thanked them very much for the help and left them to unwind from their own trip.

As I made my way to the tavern, my distress was becoming more acute. I quietly asked, “Acadian, I’m sure you can feel it – what's wrong with me? Could being up so high cause this?”

“I doubt it, Buffy, given that you are a Cloud Dancer yourself. No, I fear it is an unexpected consequence of Phantom and I separating. Though her spirit now dwells within Superian, there is – and always will be - a bond between she and I. It seems that bond comes with distance limitations. I suggest you return to her and see if it gets better.”

I climbed unsteadily into a descending pod and, by the time I was halfway down, the discomfort was gone. As the area around the lower platform came into view, Superian was right there. Several guards were trying to calm her – unsuccessfully, as the wide-eyed mare snorted, pranced and even reared.

As soon as I was able to leap from the transport pod and get my hands on the mare, she settled right away.

One of the guards sternly admonished, “Your horse has disrupted the flow of people and goods ever since you went aloft. She has not tried to bite or kick anyone, but neither have we been able to control her.” His face hardened further. “Look, I know you are a guest here but if this animal cannot be controlled without you, I will not allow you aloft again.”

“I-I’m sorry,” I stammered. “I’ll figure out something so it doesn’t happen again.”

He seemed satisfied as I led my now compliant mare back to the goat area. “I’m sorry to you also, Superian; I expect you were in as much discomfort as I.” I recalled that she and I had no problem at the Strid River Valley camp – likely because the distance between us was never far. As my eyes followed the vines and pods of the transport device upward, I mused, “I guess our separation limit is more than one long arrow shot but less than two.” Superian lowered her head and I placed my forehead against hers. “What are we going to do, girl?”

“You know the answer, Buffy,” remarked Acadian.

“Yes, like in the jungle, she will have to go up into this tree with me.” After putting her back under tack so it would travel with her, I placed my hands on her and said, “Acadian, will you call the spirit of our dragon-mare back within us?”

“Ven Sah Liz, I need you,” was his simple incantation.

The mare quickly evaporated as I felt her dual spirit rejoin mine and Acadian’s safely within me.

As I approached the ascension platform, the same guard warned, “I thought I told you -” He looked around for Superian. “What did you do with your horse?”

“I am a mage and have. . . unsummoned her. I thank you for your patience and assure you she'll cause no further disruption.”

He nodded, even assisting me into the next rising pod. Our ascent was uneventful.

After debarking, I made my way to the tavern. The innkeeper was quite talkative as he explained that visitors from beyond the nearly impenetrable jungle encircling this ancient forest were rare. I learned that while most of the heavier roasting was done on the ground level and transported aloft, warming stones and spells cooked lighter fare, kept food warm and heated the rainwater pods that provided warm baths. Indeed, after a light meal, I jumped at the opportunity for a bath.

My sleeping nook for the night was small, but clean. Even the platform under its furs was ‘grown’ by Lichenostra. I was a happy but exhausted elf and it did not take long for sleep to claim me.

Posted by: mALX Dec 9 2016, 03:15 PM

Oh, there was so much to love in this chapter! Now I know why Buffy can't get any far distance from Superian! My favorite thing was the bathing pods, that is Awesome !!!! Great Write !!!

Posted by: hazmick Dec 9 2016, 05:13 PM

Lichenostra sounds wonderful. You really brought it to life, from the Moonstone mine to the elevator pods. Looking forward to exploring more of it!

Posted by: ghastley Dec 9 2016, 05:45 PM

I always like the details about the altered reality of her world. The whole idea of the tree being symbiotic with the Bosmer, and the details of how thing like fire are handled are always fun.

Superian does seem to be causing a lot of problems for Buffy in Bosmerland.

Posted by: Lopov Dec 10 2016, 03:12 PM

Reading about Lichenostra made me think of Suldanessellar, the elven town featured in Baldur's Gate 2. They share some characteristics like being located on tall tress but Suldanessellar doesn't have as advanced transporting systems as Lichenostra, to mention just one difference. Lichenostra will undoubtedly remain one of the most memorable places that Buffy visited.

Posted by: SubRosa Dec 10 2016, 04:44 PM

I love the seed pods being used as elevator cars! Now that gives a sense of the massive scale of Lichenostra. What a fantastic tour of the tree city you gave us!

I was suspecting that Buffy might have to summon Supes within herself. Good thing there is a lot of space in there!

One thing you could consider about using fire for cooking is that the old wooden sailing ships had the same issue. http://margaretmuirauthor.blogspot.com/2012/11/cooking-on-wooden-sailing-ships-in.html. Older ships used brick fireboxes to cook with open flame, and I believe even older ones just had a set of massive square stones set out to create a hearth to burn fires upon.

Posted by: Renee Dec 11 2016, 01:28 AM

That poor centaur. He's gonna have to go find a copy of "Hung like a Horse" magazine to get over his blues. Kidding. Seriously though, what a crazy moment between those elves and the man-horse.

I love the description of the giant tree city. There was a Nintendo game long ago on the original NES called Faxanadu, which was a side-scrolling game that had the gamer climb a giant tree too.

wow, she's got a fear of heights, eh? Didn't expect that.

Posted by: BretonBlood Dec 13 2016, 08:44 PM

I loved your description of Lichenostra, and how it changes to fit the needs of the elves that live there. I could picture the place perfectly.


The bond between Acadian and Phantom is really cool, and I should have seen that coming that they cannot be far from each other. Thoroughly enjoyed that part and Buffy's solution to solving the issue.

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Dec 16 2016, 01:24 AM

I've never heard of Lichenostra. It must be so beautiful indeed! Purely exotic!


After a lengthy trek in the wilderness, we come to see that Buffy is fortunate to have come across friends. I also wondered at first if the height was the cause of her discomfort. I thought it odd if it was, since Bosmer and heights cannot go wrong . . . in terms of climbing trees I mean, not their stature.

I learn something new with each new chapter. Buffy's bond is much stronger than I imagined since it effects primarily Acadian it seems, and the distance between Phanton and him is the cause.

The innkeep was a nice touch. Looks like Buffy is quite capable of passing through an impenetrable forest. Made possible by her race and skills, of course.

Posted by: Grits Dec 16 2016, 05:31 AM

I have to admit I devoured the Lichenostra descriptions and then went back to read them again. A tree city! How magical and marvelous!

By the end of this episode I took Buffy's queasiness to be the result of her and Acadian's growing separation from Superian and Phantom as she ascended, which at the time she blamed on the heights. Love the arrow-shot distance measurement.

A warm bath, a cozy nook, and the company of her spirit tribe, what a wonderful night!

Posted by: Acadian Dec 16 2016, 03:15 PM

mALX- Thank you! Buffy being able to ‘absorb’ (unsummon) Superian has been in her game and in works for her fic for a long time. I do confess that it was ESO that caused us to edit/modify things to add the distance considerations. I’ve got some long range ideas in mind to end up reducing the distance right down to about zero (like it is in ESO) – maybe. Lol.

hazmick- This is the only Tall Tree Buffy will visit so we tried to put lots of creative ideas and goodness into it to help paint a whimsical/exotic picture. I’m so glad you’re enjoying it!

ghastley- Thank you. I very much wanted the tree to seem like a fully alive part of its tribe with, as you say, a symbiotic relationship.

Lopov- Thanks! I did play quite a bit of BG2 though I confess I don’t recall much about Suldanessellar. Most of Lichenostra’s features were spawned by simply pondering what it would take for a city of elves to fully live within it.

SubRosa- Thank you. I too am pleased that, of several vertical transportation options, we settled on Lichenostra’s ‘living elevator’. Very interesting about guarding small fires with heavy stone in risky locations (trees/ships). Happily, as is so conveniently often in ES, magic helped provide some of the answers.

Renee- Hee! So glad you enjoyed the centaur encounter as well as our introduction to a ‘Tall Tree’. No fear of heights for the tree elf – she didn’t realize it at the time, but her queasiness was not from the height but from her separation from Superian. Sorry if there was some confusion there; as you can see from the other comments, you were not alone in pondering fear of heights as a possibility.

BretonBlood- Thank you for your kind words regarding the description of Lichenostra – I very much wanted it to be memorable. Over time, Buffy, Acadian, Phantom and Superian are all evolving closer together, blurring the distinctions among them. That all four of them can, when necessary, fit into a tiny elf-size package is part of that growing closeness.

DE- Heh, first Superian causing challenges and now Acadian (even as he is part of the solution) turns out to be part of another problem. At least the little fox is low maintenance. Thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy Buffy’s visit to Lichenostra.

Grits- Thanks you for your warm encouragement regarding Lichenostra. I’ve been delighted to discover that ESO's portrayal of Elden Root holds much of the same magical charm for Buffy.


Previously- Buffy was awestruck by the sheer size and exotically innovative features of the Tall Tree, Lichenostra. She also discovered there is a proximity limitation between Phantom and Acadian which, for practical purposes, means she and Superian cannot tolerate great distance between them. She and Acadian resolved this by, once again, having the dragon-mare transform to spirit form and join Acadian within Buffy.

I was pleasantly surprised when Cirwen collected me well before sunrise and we headed out - and up - along a network of Lichenostra's branches that led inexorably higher. Stopping part of the way up, she shared her breakfast of roasted game bird while explaining that understanding the Cloud Dancer tribes was not possible without a visit to the top of one of the Tall Trees.

As we finally found ourselves among the high fragile branches, the need for Cloud Dancers to be of small size and light weight became soberingly clear. I imagined that humans or even heavier elves would be challenged to move safely up here. I couldn’t help but ponder the risks my Breton father took to live in just such a tree with my mother.

Cirwen pointed out a number of small open 'love nests'. Indeed, I heard the sounds of several couples happily mating in the pre-dawn moonlight. My golden-haired escort explained that those trying to conceive during our twice yearly fertility cycles believed the best chances were up here – caressed between the realms of Sky Goddess and Nirn Mother.

I remembered Mother’s wistful response to a normal eight-year old’s question about where I came from. ‘Your life began so high in the treetops that your father and I could touch the moons.’ I smiled as I now understood what she meant.

As the eastern horizon began to brighten, scantily-clad couples began their descent. Cirwen and I stayed to watch the sunrise.

“Who is this?” asked Cirwen as a pale green twilight butterfly fluttered nearby.

“I don’t really know,” I replied, “but she often comes to visit me around sunrise or sunset. I call her Dawn.”

“I’ve never seen one of her kind up here so high,” remarked Cirwen.

“I don’t know how she always knows exactly where I am, but somehow she does.”

As the sun rose high enough to bathe us in its brilliant glow, Cirwen happily ran, leaped and twirled as she danced among these high branches. “Join me. This is why my tribe is called Sun Chasers.” Noting my hesitation as I glanced down and gulped, she added, “Trust your ancient tribal instincts and the sap that runs in your veins, Buffy.”

And I did. Tentatively at first but eventually with the same joyful abandon that animated Cirwen. The feeling was more exhilarating than killing daedra or even vampires.

After a time, we happily began our way back down. “You know, Buffy, having seen your courage against that centaur yesterday and watching you dance among our high branches this morning, I would be proud to call you tribe-sister. I’m sure Treethane Valoreth would look favorably upon the request, and both Ghaeleg and I would be proud to petition her on your behalf. Just something to think about.”

“Thank you, Cirwen. I’m honored by your words and shall indeed think upon them.”

“Well, here you are, Buffy. Safely delivered back to the Crows Nest Tavern.”

“Cirwen. . . I can’t thank you enough for taking me to the top of your tree and showing me what it means to be a Cloud Dancer. I-I somehow feel as if a missing piece of me has been found.”

She hugged me. “Remember what I said.”

I watched the mer as she walked away, then slipped through the pelt door into the tavern.

“You’re up early this morning,” greeted the cheerful innkeeper from behind his bar. “Breakfast?”

“I’ve already eaten, Dangor,” I replied. Then I added, “Do you have an apple for my mare perhaps?”

His eyes widened. “A horse?”

“Yes, silly,” I teased. “That’s what a mare is – a horse with girl bits.”

His frown was belied by mirthfully sparkling violet eyes. “I know that, but how in the name of Azura did you get her through the jungles that surround our high forest?”

I chose my words carefully. "Though she made the journey challenging, it would have been impossible without her. More to your question, however, she and I are not unskilled with magic."

Apparently sensing my hesitation to share more detail, he deftly changed the subject. “Will you be staying another night?”

“Well,” I began, “that depends.” I closed the distance to the bar, lowered my voice and produced one of the moonstone arrowheads Cirwen and Ghaeleg had given me. “I only have six of these.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “You know, most of the Crows Nest’s business is food and bar for those who live here in Lichenostra. Few visitors means I don’t get much call for bed and bath. Tell you what, rather than letting one of my sleeping nooks go empty, I’ll let you stay for two arrowheads a night. Now that includes a hot bath each evening and all the food an elven lass can eat. Oh, and an apple a day for your horse. What do you say?” He placed an apple on the bar.

“I owe you two arrowheads already, and likely two more as I hope to stay at least one more night,” I replied, absently turning the one in my hand. “How can I earn some more of these?”

His eyes swept over me, appraisingly. “A mer as lovely as you should have no trouble. There is a small guild of ladies who offer their personal services, pleasuring those in need. I understand they earn quite a bit.”

I wrinkled my nose and shook my head. “I’m afraid I’m more skilled with my spells and bow than I am with the erotic arts.”

“Well, business is slow enough that I don’t really need any help running the tavern." His brow furrowed in thought as he studied the gnarled bark ceiling for a few moments. “You said you have a horse, right?”

“She’s not for sale, eating or servicing centaurs,” I said with a frown.

“Of course not,” he replied. “Clearly you wouldn’t go through whatever it took to get her here if she were. What I meant is can she carry things? Is she strong?”

Recalling how much of the Strid River Valley Tribe’s mammoth kill Superian had ably transported, I replied, “Properly hitched, I believe she could pull down a small building – not that I’ve seen any this far south into Valenwood.”

“From the bowstring calluses on your right fingers I assume you are skilled with a bow?”

“I am, but surely so are most of the elves in this tree. What are you getting at, Dangor?”

“Hear me out,” he replied. “The butcher down on the ground level buys plenty of small game for low prices from tribal hunters because such bounty is plentiful and easy to bring back to the tree. Boar, large antelope and other big game are valuable delicacies, however, because they are hard to muscle in from the forest. The teams of hunters who join to bring in such quarry are therefore well-compensated, but must divide their profit among themselves.” He grinned, then continued, “Such an endeavor would be lucrative indeed if only you and your horse had to share the proceeds.”

I thought for a moment, then gave Dangor two of my arrowheads. “This is for last night. I hope to be back in time for dinner, a bath and one of your beds again this evening.” I scooped the apple off the bar into my mage satchel.

“Happy hunting,” he replied as I parted the pelt door to leave.

Posted by: hazmick Dec 17 2016, 03:17 PM

Life in the Tall Trees is certainly very vibrant. Looking forward to seeing what beasties we encounter next.

Posted by: mALX Dec 17 2016, 05:13 PM

This is one of my favorite chapters so far! I absolutely Love the bartering - and I know Buffy well enough that - in hunting, she loses no arrows! (and that was even before her magic bow and quiver!)

LOVE that he offered her to work in a brothel for a way to earn her board,

AWESOME Chapter !!!!!!!!

Posted by: SubRosa Dec 18 2016, 07:43 PM

Buffy was conceived in the Mile High Club!

When you mentioned twilight, I expected an appearance by the AzuraMoth.

I am thinking that all the food an elven lass can eat is not very much!

Looks like Buffy is going back into the hunting business.

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Dec 18 2016, 11:48 PM

Hmm. Beautifully written, my friend. We learn the details in where Buffy was made.

I enjoyed the love nests you described here. More and more you continue to introduce us to new bits of information on Bosmeri culture and it is fascinating indeed.

Heh. Dangor. A name that just screams Bosmer. Much like Daenlin! I've met so many Daenlin's around that it must be as common as "John" or "Bob" for Wood Elves.

Heheh. Wouldn't this be something. I don't know if she would've been offended or flattered at such an offer.



That's right Buffy. Tell 'em!

Well, we are back in hunting. To Buffy and to her kind in such a massive jungle, this shouldn't be an issue. I'm already anticipating this next hunt!

Good work, Acadian!

Posted by: Grits Dec 23 2016, 04:35 AM

How funny that Dangor went straight to "personal services." Hunting and hauling the catch back to Lichenostra sounds much more Buffy's style, though she may be the loveliest hunter in the forest!

Love nests, how charming! It was wonderful to see that the memory of her mother made Buffy smile.

What a marvelous episode dancing in the clouds and finding that part of herself that until now was sleeping. I am so happy to get to read about this journey.

Posted by: Lopov Dec 23 2016, 09:47 AM

Buffy is following in her parents' footsteps.

I like the idea of love nests high up the trees.

Buffy's not skilled in the erotic arts. Indeed, it's not a major skill in any TES game.

Posted by: Acadian Dec 23 2016, 02:09 PM

hazmick- Thank you! One big game hunt, coming up!

mALX- Thanks! Buffy’s not judgmental about the pleasuring profession but hunting does seem to suit her talents better. Besides, I don't think she can separate her heart from her netherbits. She loves shopping of course and we have an episode devoted to the treetop shoppes coming up next week.

SubRosa- Great points! Heh, Mile High Club indeed! Yup, there is the avatar of Buffy’s godmother joining her for treetop twilight dancing. I’m glad you noted that all the food an elven lass can eat is indeed very little for Cloud Dancing mer-maids. And Dangor, the shrewd innkeeper, knows it.

DE- Thank you. The treetop scene really did help Buffy find what felt like a missing piece of herself. It was very helpful to her to know that she is supposed to be the way she is and that there are good reasons for it.

Grits- The ‘personal services’ took me all the way back to the first part of Book 1 when Buffy needed coin to get home to Bravil. Someone in the IC recommended either the Guild of Prostitutes or the Arena. Thank you!

Lopov- Heh, it does pique the imagination to ponder some of the perks of a skill line called Erotic Arts. Thanks!


Previously- Buffy and Cirwen climbed to the highest branches of Lichenostra to watch the sun rise. With Cirwen’s encouragement, Buffy learned to dance in the Cloud Dancers’ lofty magical realm between Sky Goddess and Nirn Mother. A subsequent chat with the innkeeper not only highlighted that Buffy's coinpurse was light, but provided an idea for filling it that involved hunting big game.

After a long ride down, I stepped from the pod I was sharing with several other mer and headed for the elves guarding the tree’s entrance. They agreed that even though I was not a member of Lichnostra’s Sun Chaser Tribe, I would be allowed to reenter the massive graht-oak upon my return.

Once clear of the tree, Kitsune joined me. While being on foot denied me the high perch, speed and maneuverability of my mare, it did allow me to melt into the surrounding forest and bring the full arsenal of my spellcasting to bear. As I crouched into stealth, both feet blossomed a gentle blue aura that greatly subdued any noise or magical light I emitted while sneaking from the eyes and ears of foes. I was pleased to note Kitsune silently stalking by my side as we began our hunt for big game. Every few paces I pulsed the air with divination magic.

Within an hour, I detected a promising glow in the distance. Circling to silently approach from downwind I got close enough to see the elegantly curved horns and tall body of a large antelope grazing on the lower leaves of a tree.

I summoned Slayer. The bow formed in my hand and I felt its quiver settle upon my back. Nocking an arrow, I relied on the bow’s magic to help me achieve its full draw. Comfortable with the range and slight breeze in my face, I aimed carefully for what I hoped would be a painless and deadly shot.

I loosed.

The antelope never saw the arrow that entered one side of his chest. It pierced his heart, tore through the far side of his ribs, then buried itself partially into a tree before dissipating. Thankfully, the animal was dead before he hit the ground.

Kitsune and I quickly closed the distance. I pulsed the air for threats and, divining none, knelt by my prey to thank him for his bounty and wish his spirit a swift return to the forest. My Call of Corsair incantation teleported Superian from within me to my side. Knowing the scent of a fresh kill would soon draw unwelcome predators, I worked quickly to cut then quickly loop a long sturdy vine around the antelope’s horns. With the loose end of the vine firmly between my teeth, I scrambled up a tree until I could slip it over a thick branch nearly three horse lengths above the forest floor. I then quickly descended and rendered the end of the vine into a makeshift harness around Superian’s chest, cushioned by her rolled up saddle pad.

I led the mare as she pulled until the antelope was suspended with its lower hoofs dangling approximately the height of an Altmer above the ground. We then made several passes around the tree’s trunk until the vine was wrapped enough to hold the carcass aloft. I then freed Superian of the vine and positioned her rear quarters below the hanging antelope.

Next came the tricky part. My hands would not be upon Superian to guide her, yet I would need her active assistance and maneuvering for something we had not tried before. With the envisioned sequence of events firmly in mind, I sang a brief song to the mare. Comfortable that she understood the images projected through my singing voice, I nervously began to unwind the vine just enough so it began to slowly slide over the hanging branch above. The result was a somewhat controlled lowering of the animal over Superian’s ample haunches as she maneuvered enough to help receive her intended load. I then joined the mare and, with some pushing and tugging, managed to adjust the carcass' position before lashing it down.

After gratefully hugging the mighty mare’s neck, I conjured Slayer, mounted and we began our trek back to Lichenostra.

Our travel did draw the attention of a tiger, but the animal – though much larger than I -appeared to be a youngster. I knew that these majestic predators could grow to over ten times my size – fully half as big as Superian. After shadowing us for a time, he chose not to try his luck against the unfamiliar hunters and their kill.

Without further incident, we made it back to Lichenostra by mid afternoon. Kitsune disappeared again as I dismounted to lead Superian through the tree’s arched entry.

Dangor’s advice turned out to be quite accurate. I was delighted that my kill netted a full thirty of the pale moonstone arrowheads from the tribe’s butcher.

I then groomed Superian before Acadian absorbed her within us for the trip aloft. By the time I completed the long ascent, luminous lichens and torchbugs were already glowing and twinkling among the branches of this charming arboreal city.

My first stop was the bungalow of Ghaeleg and Cirwen, where I recounted my hunting expedition and tried to repay the six arrowheads they had given me.

“No, Buffy. Those were our welcome gift to you.”

My eyes lowered to the toes of my moccasins as I felt a slight flush rise from below my neckline to the tips of my ears. “I didn’t realize the steel ones that were part of my payment to you were not worthy.”

“Nonsense,” said Ghaeleg as he gently lifted my chin. “Steel arrowheads are perfectly effective. Since they do not double as currency, they are in fact ideal for situations where recovering one’s arrows could be problematic.”

A nod from Cirwen reinforced the words of her mate.

I surrendered to their logic and simply thanked them again for their generosity.

My last destination for this long day was the Crow’s Nest tavern, where I placed two of my arrowheads on the bar. “This is for tonight.”

Dangor scooped up the tribal currency. “How did your hunt go?”

“Your advice was brilliant and I no longer need fear being unable to pay my tavern bill. Thank you, Dangor.”

“Splendid,” he replied cheerfully, “Magical warming stones are preserving both your bath water and dinner, Buffy. Which would you like first?”

After a delicious meal of roasted pheasant, goat cheese and bergamot tea, I dawdled in a luxuriously warm tub until my skin was wrinkled as a sun-dried Colovian grape. Finally, I crawled into the furs of my sleeping nook. I was delighted when Kitsune appeared and joined me. The combination of our growing familiarity and small size of her spirit had rendered her use of me as a sanctuary nearly second nature to both of us.

Posted by: Lopov Dec 23 2016, 05:10 PM

Great update! I liked all the details you put into preparing the antelope for a journey back to Lichenostra.

Posted by: hazmick Dec 23 2016, 05:14 PM

A great chapter. A quick and easy hunt, which has given Buffy enough funding to live comfortably for the time being, and a comfortable ending. Most enjoyable.

Posted by: Grits Dec 23 2016, 06:09 PM

Excellent to see Buffy and Superian working together to get the antelope on board. I love that she is able to share images with her mare through her singing.

Dangor the cheerful is taking good care of Buffy. He makes a nook in his inn seem as cozy as a home.

Posted by: mALX Dec 23 2016, 07:19 PM

The details of the mechanics involved in the hunt and getting the game onto Superian shows how much thought you put into this! At first I thought she was raising the deer up to drain the blood from it like they do in the mountains in ETN; so was genuinely surprised when instead she was loading down Superian with the whole beast! That was amazing !!!

When he offered Buffy the hot bath and meal at the same time, I was imagining how torn any woman would be with that kind of choice, lol. Wanting so badly to get the dirt of the hunt off you, but your stomach aching to be filled, lol.

And Buffy's shame that the bartering she gave of her best arrows was like nothing in this new land was a perfect Buffy touch!

Awesome Write !!!

Posted by: Renee Dec 25 2016, 01:10 AM

Good lord, they only get to mate twice a year? Talk about pressure!

I like the part when the butterfly shows up. And then they dance in the trees. Wow. And Buffy has a job too, because of her mare.

Where are you getting this from? Words turning into images. Just curious.

Posted by: SubRosa Dec 25 2016, 06:07 PM

bring the full arsenal of my spellcasting to bear
Given the forest setting, I smiled at the clever use of final word in this sentence.

I was half expecting Buffy to summon a block and tackle to hoist the antelope carcass aloft! Maybe I have just seen too many Horatio Hornblower movies... Still, I am sure Mr. Hornblower would approve of Buffy's efforts to lift a weight that would otherwise be far beyond her muscles.

Also a very clever use of Buffy's bardic/illusion magic to guide Supes into position to lower the carcass onto her back.

The comparison of the usefulness of steel vs. moonstone arrows was a great piece of Valenwood economics. Those elves are literally shooting their money away! It makes me wonder how much a single air-to-air missile costs...

Posted by: BretonBlood Dec 28 2016, 05:03 AM

Buffy is very smart when it comes to hunting. Her whole idea on how to get the carcass on Superian was pure genius.

And I don't know why, but I absolutely loved this line, " By the time I completed the long ascent, luminous lichens and torchbugs were already glowing and twinkling among the branches of this charming arboreal city."

It was just so simple yet it portrayed what you wanted so easy and perfectly, showing that the day had basically come to an end and the night critters were coming out. I don't know it I just loved that line. Great write Acadian.

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Dec 29 2016, 07:14 PM

Buffy's hunting talents shine here. That arrow she loosed upon the unsuspecting prey was a death blow the beast never saw coming. How insane that it went through it and struck a tree? Deadly indeed!

As Hircine would have said, guile is one of the major aspects of a hunter. Buffy is crafty here and intelligent in loading up the beast using the vine. Wow. She used her head when muscle might have failed her, and in the end this brought her a nice warm bath, a belly full, and debt paid.

Fantastic chapter Acadian!

I think I'd love to hunt with Buffy someday!

Posted by: Acadian Dec 30 2016, 02:20 PM

Lopov- Thank you! With Buffy’s lack of strength and Superian’s abundance of it, the mare was clearly the answer to moving such a large carcass. And we did not want to damage the pelt by simply dragging it. I debated between a travois and the ‘hoist’ arrangement she ultimately used. Obtaining a long vine for hoisting seemed simpler and faster than obtaining two long sturdy poles given that they were trying to move on before other predators approached.

hazmick- Yup, she’s got some local currency now. And she knows how to use it! Thanks!

Grits- Thank you! Dangor is an astute businessmer but he is also a very welcoming and ‘soothing’ presence for Buffy in this unfamiliar environment. Buffy’s unique singing talent seemed a perfect solution to seek help from Superian. Buffy’s challenge was to ensure the mare knew what was coming so she would not be spooked by the unfamiliar evolution.

mALX- I so enjoy how well you know Buffy. Day in the forest + warm meal + warm tub + warm bed = happy elf. Similarly, I agree that Buffy’s embarrassment about her steel arrowheads gift after learning the value of moonstone ones was totally predictable, given her nature.

Renee- I’m so glad you asked those questions! It gives me a chance to briefly review things deeply buried in Buffy’s voluminous lore.
- Bosmer can (and do) mate whenever they want; they ovulate only twice a year however. This aspect of Buffy lore helps explain why elves don’t out breed the shorter-lived races. TES lore (Barenziah books) talks without specifics about how difficult it is for elves to conceive and give birth.
- We’ve used Buffy’s unique ability to project images via her singing voice several times in her short stories. We put a finer point on it in Episode 3 of this book when she sang to Acadian and they discussed that the gift seemed to be a combination of Acadian’s telepathic ability blended with Buffy’s skill in illusion. I suppose inspiration came from Acadian’s longstanding ability to telepathically share images from Buffy’s past with her – often to remind her of important things that help her keep daily problems, self-pity and such in perspective. I wanted Buffy to have a similar ability and thought it would be neat to base it off her already established fine singing voice.

SubRosa- Heh, Buffy would have loved me for the ability to summon a block and tackle as it would have saved her a lot of head scratching and grunting. Though her ability to summon a variety of utility objects is impressive, I restrict her to rather mundane everyday type items. Thank you - I’m so glad I followed my urge to use Buffy’s voice/image projection ability to ensure Superian’s understanding before dropping an antelope onto the mare’s back! I too am enjoying the moonstone arrowhead economy of the Tall Trees – fun but we won’t be spending so much time here that it becomes distracting or tedious.

BretonBlood- I so appreciate your comments about the line you quoted to briefly remind us of the evening majesty of Lichenostra aloft as Buffy ascended. I worked hard on that line, hoping to achieve just what you noticed about it. Woot!

DE- That Buffy has learned to partially compensate for the strength she lacks really helped in this past episode. Her magic bow provided the strength for a powerful shot and, of course, Superian did the heavy lifting. Thank you so much for your kind words!


Previously- Running low on moonstone arrowheads that the Sun Chasers Tribe of Lichenostra use for currency, Buffy went out for what she hoped would be a profitable big game hunt. After taking down a large antelope, she put her ability to project images via her singing voice to practical use by communicating to Superian the help she would need to load and transport the carcass back to Lichenostra. Her bounty did indeed comfortably fill her purse.

I awoke with Kitsune curled up between my ear and shoulder, the long fur of her tail tickling my nose. Gently moving the vixen, I sat up to stretch. “Do you know what we’re going to do today, Acadian?”

The paladin chuckled. “Of course I do. You are in a tree full of merchants and artisans and your coin purse is heavily laden with the local currency.”

In as little time as it took me to dress and eat a breakfast of forest fruit, venison sausage and hot bergamot tea, I was investigating the various shoppes incorporated into the tree’s branches. I was pleased that Kitsune was my shadow as we wandered Lichenostra's bark-covered boulevards.

I followed the wonderful smells to the food vender first. Fortunately, a freshly-filled belly allowed me to keep my coin purse closed.

For but a single arrowhead to the apothecary, I purchased a vial each of shampoo and hair conditioner. Although tempted by some of the beautiful fragrances, I opted for products that would carry no scent to fellow predators.

As I perused an impressive assortment of elven short blades, the smith explained that the moonstone required for forging them came from the mine right under Lichenostra. I noticed short pegs that protruded from the shoppe's bark-covered walls to display weaponry were actually stubby branches - apparently grown by Lichenostra for that express purpose. I saw just one set of armor. It was impressively crafted from moonstone, quicksilver and adorned with scarlet silk. The smith informed me that there was so little call for metal armor in the high forest that he only crafted additional sets as customers ordered them.

It was in the clothier’s shoppe that I found soft armors and textiles. Given how unkind Valenwood was to fabric, I was reluctant to look at frocks, blouses or nice shoes. My concern about resisting the temptation to buy proved unnecessary; although the elven craftsmanship was exquisite, neither the styles nor materials could compete with the shopping paradise of the Imperial City’s Market District. Among the armors, fur and hide seemed popular. I did manage, however, to find some leggings, a tunic and pair of boots – all of buckskin – that fit me perfectly. This second purchase of the day lightened my coin purse by another eight arrowheads.

The bowyer and fletcher were a mated pair of elves and, not surprisingly, shared a shoppe. I quickly learned that it was Lichenostra that ‘grew’ the staves and arrow shafts used for their craft. Although many of the arrows did indeed boast moonstone arrowheads, as many more were tipped with steel, flint, bone or simply finished by sharpening the end of the shaft. The feathers of a variety of birds were evident in the fletching used. Some of the pricier arrows reflected a technique of fletching that Daenlin sometimes used causing the arrows to spin in flight, thereby enhancing their accuracy. The bows were equally as diverse in price, size and degree of recurve. The bowyer offered a variety of bowstrings crafted from linen, sinew, hemp and silk.

In response to their question about what type of weapon I used, I conjured Slayer. After I explained several of my bow’s features and allowing the artisans to examine it, one of them remarked, “This weapon harnesses the power of your magicka instead of your strength. In that regard, it seems as much wizard staff as bow. Why it even fires missiles of magic instead of conventional arrows."

The remark caught me off guard and I had to reflect a moment before replying, “I was trained in both bow and the arcane. Though I haven’t thought of it that way, there is much truth in your observation. I’ve learned that I can survive without my bow; I would soon perish without magic however.”

I reluctantly left the artisans with a sense of bittersweet nostalgia, for this pair of elven artisans had sharply illuminated a truth that I had not so directly admitted until now – I was more mage than archer.

Still distracted by the conversation, I wandered the arboreal walkways somewhat aimlessly for a time. The Bosmeri sap conveyed by my mother compelled me to the soothing smells and comfort of forests, even as the Bretonic heritage of my father drew me to the musty but magically charged air that permeated places of arcane study.

Yet. . . a part of me enjoyed that, along with Sir Mazoga, I was a knight of the White Stallion. Was part of the reason I so readily embraced knighthood my closeness to the paladin that traveled within me? I relied on him now more than ever, after the death of Savlian. . . but Acadian had been a robust Nord clad in steel, protected by shield and dispensing bloody justice with a mighty blade. Could a fragile Cloud Dancer ever hope to become a paladin? Weren’t Knights Arcana in the Order of the Lamp magical knights of the Mages Guild? I had never met or even seen one. I now knew where I came from, but. . . who I was meant to become and my path ahead seemed all so confusing. I blew a stray lock of blond hair from my face and concluded that shopping was much more fun than pondering such weighty matters.

I had barely slipped through the pelt-covered doorway of the shaman's emporium when an aged voice croaked, “So you’re the Cloud Dancer raised in Cyrodiil I’ve heard about.”

The Bosmer’s craggy face was markedly lined – at least the portion of it not covered by white beard that I could see. Long white hair grew well down the back of his robes. His eyes were pale blue, but the whites were yellowed and displayed networks of tiny red lines. He was quite simply the oldest-looking mer I’d ever seen.

“My name’s Buffy, but you seem to have me at a disadvantage.”

“I know your name, child. I am called Elberond. Shaman of the Sun Chasers. Is it true that you were conceived in the branches of Aldergleam before fire so tragically claimed it, along with most of your tribe?”

I nodded.

“Welcome then, Spirit Catcher, how can this old forest wizard assist you?”

“I was trained in magic at the Arcane University, but am curious about Valenwood’s forest magic.”

Elberond eyed my vixen. “It appears you already know some of it.”

“I recently met a cousin who survived the fire and was adopted by the Strid River Valley Tribe. She taught me her Find Familiar spell.”

“Ah yes,” he replied. “Almost second nature to the tribe known for carrying spirits within themselves, but less so for other Cloud Dancers.” One hand tugged on his beard for a moment. “I presume you also know the Barkskin spell?”

I scratched my head at the unfamiliar term. “Do you mean the shielding spell I’ve known how to cast since childhood?”

He smiled and nodded. “So you do indeed carry the sap of a Tall Tree within your veins – doubtless conveyed by your mother.”

I slowly nodded my growing comprehension. “That explains much. My instructors at the University could never figure out the origin of that spell or why it costs so little of my magicka to cast.”

“Yes, ‘tis a gift from your Tall Tree that every child conceived in the clouds knows. Would you like to peruse my catalogue of forest magic spells? As a Spirit Catcher and graduate of Tamriel’s premier academy of traditional magic, I expect most of them are well within your ability to learn.”

“I’d like that very much,” I gushed.

Posted by: mALX Dec 30 2016, 08:06 PM

Buffy and shopping! Why did I see this coming when she was earning those arrows?

Oh, I was kind of floored at the revelation that Buffy's bow was more magic than archer! Oh, I most def see our Bowgirl is going to be learning a whole lot about herself here, and can't wait to hear more about those spells !!!!

Awesome Write !!!!


*

BWAAHAA!!! Puts a whole lot more meaning to "Not tonight, I've got a headache..."

As Acadian explained, he was referring to their ovulation, not activity, lol.

Regarding the lore on Elves, it is important to note that it is not actually twice per year as we humans look at years because Elves live on a different time scale than humans: one year in Elf life is actually many years in human lives. So twice per year can actually span decades; plus there is a very short window of time in their existance in which this occurs (meaning most elves can only muster One pregnancy if they are lucky; it is very rare for them to concieve twice. (Barenziah was one of these rare exceptions)

Since Elves live for such extended periods, it is what keeps them from overpopulating Nirn.


*

Posted by: hazmick Dec 30 2016, 10:29 PM

A lovely shopping trip, with some very deep questions. It's not always easy to see the path ahead.

An interesting idea - the bowgirl is more mage than archer. I wonder if this realisation will change the way Buffy thinks?

Posted by: ghastley Dec 30 2016, 10:48 PM

Shopping!

Did she really need more shoes?

One technical nit: The curved nature of feathers means that it's almost impossible to produce an arrow that doesn't spin, and it wasn't until flat plastic vanes that anyone considered that. And because a non-spinning arrow would be less accurate, not for long.

Posted by: SubRosa Dec 31 2016, 08:23 PM

Time to go save some money!

The suit of metal armor was a nice nod to the classic elven armor of Skyland and the other ES games.

The way that Lichenostra grows to accommodate the needs of the elves is a fantastic touch. It is much better than the Green Pact of official ES lore, that would forbid them from having anything made of wood. It also makes me think that there must be some group of elves guiding this process of specialized growth. Something like a priesthood that can directly connect with the tree and prompt its actions. Now that I think of it, someone like Teresa.

Buffy continues to grow and learn as a person. Now she realizes that she is more the arcane portion of the arcane archer equation. How perfect that her summoned bow is her Mage's Staff.

And its Gandalf!

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Dec 31 2016, 11:47 PM

Haha. Shopping time! Acadian knows a thing or two in spending coin, it seems.

A girl's favorite hobby! And my is there an assortment of wares that would come in handy. Like those elven blades and that beautiful armor. There was just a nagging feeling that Buffy would be content with something more her speed and size, perhaps. Buckskin shoes are just the thing.

That wizard already knew of her? Guess her reputation precedes her. Aside from searching for various items at the market, maybe some spells will be of great use to her. Of interest it already is. Buffy's expanding her abilities here. A great chapter, Acadian"

Posted by: Doommeister Jan 2 2017, 12:38 AM

After 5 years of being away from Chorrol I am back and I see you have continued Buffy's story. Once again I have reread all 5 threads of book 1 to enjoy it all over again.

Onto book 2, I'm glad to see Buffy slowly healing from the grief of Savlian's loss. Your descriptions of Valenwood are spectacular and seeing Buffy learn and grow from the challenges she encounters are inspiring.

Once again I present you with a S.G.M

Posted by: Renee Jan 2 2017, 10:54 PM

Well, what a lovely day for her. A well-balanced meal for breakfast, and then shopping, and then being offered a book-full of new spells by an sagely sort of man.

Oh very good. I see now.

There is supposed to be a race of peoples here on Earth (long deceased) called the Lemurians who supposedly could communicate images through sound, and sound through images, that's why I asked. Supposedly, if you looked at a picture one of their artists drew, you would not just be looking at a picture, you'd be experiencing it.



Ah, how sensible. She does a lot of sensible things, your elf does.

Posted by: Lopov Jan 3 2017, 03:10 PM

Buffy doing what women of all races, Men and Mer alike, enjoy the most - shopping.

And she doesn't allow her fun to be spoiled by thinking of what's yet to become of her - a trait of a good shopper.

With each story we learn something new about Lichenostra. Great story!

Posted by: Grits Jan 6 2017, 12:14 PM

Shopping! "Tree full of merchants" made me grin. So did the mention of the Imperial City's Market District. That made me think of Buffy's history there, so it was already in my mind when Buffy told Elberond of her time in the Arcane University.

For me the moment that stands out is Buffy's realization that she has become more mage than archer. As SubRosa said, how perfect that her summoned bow serves as her mages staff. Buffy may not see the path before her, but knowing who she is gives her solid ground to start on. What a shining moment in Buffy's story.

Yay, forest magic!!

Posted by: Acadian Jan 6 2017, 02:47 PM

mALX- Well, you know what a shopper Buffy is! As ever, she is torn between buckskin and silk, forest and arcanery. I’m sure you see some seeds being planted for her (very) distant future. Thank you!

hazmick- Thanks! I think Buffy’s always known she’s more mage than archer but loyalty to her dear Bravilian archery master, Daenlin, has made her reluctant to admit how dependant she is on magic.

ghastley- Too many shoes? Not possible! Oh, thanks for the insight on fletching. Buffy has forced me to learn about so many foreign things – archery, horses, elven fertility.

SubRosa- I expect our views are similar when it comes to Bosmer and trees. The elves love and care for the trees; their love and care is returned as the trees do much to provide for the elves. Thank you; as long as Buffy’s been around, she never stops evolving, growing, changing – always with plans that are no more than a few centuries away.

DE- Thank you! This was a fun episode to write as we tried to combine the disparate activities of introspection and shopping.

Doommeister- Welcome back! It is wonderful to see you rejoining Buffy’s saga. I so appreciate your kind words.

Renee- How mystically neat that we’re not the first to consider communicating images through sound! Yup, as whimsical and scattered as Buffy can get, I think it is basic survival that keeps her on the practical side of the line. She’s fragile and I figure it comes with the territory.

Lopov- I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying Lichenostra. Buffy's time remaining there grows short.

Grits- As ever, thanks you’re your warm encouragement and kind words. In thinking about it, I do recall now that the first time her bow was referred to as her mage staff was by Raminus Polus when she was at that ‘get your staff’ quest for the MG. Given how we have fallen in love with the staves in ESO, perhaps an omen? And a bit more forest magic coming right up!


Previously- Buffy spent her day visiting the merchants of Lichenostra. Some comments by the bowyer about the magical nature of her bow caused Buffy to ponder – with some confusion – her uncertain future. As we ended the episode, Buffy was engrossed in an arcane discussion with the tribe’s ancient shaman inside his emporium.

Candles grew short in Elberond’s rustic emporium as, completely engrossed, I studied his catalog of unfamiliar forest magic spells and their descriptions. The price listed after each caused me to consider my limited choices carefully. The quantity of arrowheads in my coin purse had seemed impressive when making mundane purchases, but not so when it came to the arcane.

“Two of your spells intrigue me greatly,” I finally concluded.

“The first?” he asked.

“Contingency, I replied. “The ability to have a chosen spell automatically cast whenever certain conditions are met is quite profound. Can you tell me more about the conditions that can be selected?”

“An astute choice,” he replied. “The triggering condition you set is any relatively simple circumstance that you can clearly visualize. Many of us tree dwellers set the condition to the sensation of free falling and the spell to Featherfall. Some of the coastal Bosmer set the trigger to drowning and the spell to Waterbreathing. Low health to initiate Regeneration, combat to instigate a protective spell such as Barkskin. . . the possibilities are many, and you can change both the spell and trigger simply by recasting Contingency.”

“Brilliant,” I concluded.

“And the second spell that has caught your eye?” he asked.

“Featherfall,” I quickly replied.

Elberond’s eyes widened somewhat. “I’m surprised you’ve survived your time in this high forest without it! Yes, yes, necessary for a Cloud Dancer indeed.”

“I've limited my selection to these two spells based on the number of arrowheads in my purse. I’m afraid I still find myself somewhat challenged to afford them both. . . .”

“I see,” he said while steepling his gnarled fingers. “Perhaps some bartering may prove mutually beneficial? You see, while several centuries of study have allowed me to amass quite some mastery of forest magic, I cannot say the same of the more traditional disciplines that populate your Arcane University.”

I smiled. “I do know some useful spells that I did not see in your tome. Oh, and I also have several precious gems that I recovered from the treasure satchel of a minotaur well north of here.”

Elberond rubbed his hands together. “Then we have much to discuss. Tea?”

“Bergamot?” I quipped in reply.

Elberond and I spent several more hours and as many cups of hot tea comparing notes then teaching each other some carefully negotiated spells. Well, carefully negotiated by him, that is. While I considered myself awkward and inept with men when it came to romance, I normally did not lack for feminine skill when it came to bartering with them. I was clearly outclassed by this ancient wizard though. In a tree full of small elves, my vulnerable stature earned me no sympathy. Likewise, he seemed immune to pouting, eyelash batting or any of my other tricks that often resulted in lower prices.

It was dark by the time I stepped from the old shaman’s shoppe. He seemed pleased to have learned a pair of University spells from me - Telekinesis and Paralyze. In return for that, plus all my gems and about half my remaining arrowheads, he not only taught me Contingency and Featherfall, but had diligently coached me through their effective use.

Once back in my room at the tavern, I announced to Acadian, “Tomorrow we’ll make travel preparations and say farewell to the Sun Chasers. The dawn after, we’ll move on.”

After a moment, he replied, “It matters not where we are Buffy, as long as elf, paladin, mare and dragon are together. What prompts your somewhat sudden choice though?”

“You know that both Superian and I get anxious to travel if we stay very long in one place.”

“True enough, but your simple words do not match the turmoil I feel within you,” he pressed.

I heaved a sigh, then opened up to my paladin. “I cannot be happy under a roof for very long – even one of leaves - where I have to climb an hour to feel the sun on my skin. My mare would never again feel the sunshine if we stayed here, and this part of Valenwood is not conducive to her in other ways. Superian is a working horse and she cannot do her job very well in this high canopied forest. In the outlying dense jungles or up in the trees, she is further reduced to me carrying her instead of the other way around. While I appreciate the wonderful ability to hold her within me, I crave her physical warmth and presence, touch, sounds, even her soothing smell. Traveling so far down to the ground simply to hug her is not something we could tolerate for long.” I paused briefly to catch my breath. “For all these reasons, it is clear that a Cloud Dancer with a horse doesn’t belong here.”

“But she is safe within you, Buffy.”

Both hands found my hips and, with a terrible imitation of Acadian’s deep voice, I retorted, “A warship is safe in a harbor, but that’s not what she’s built for.”

“You would turn my own words against me?” The paladin laughed – a beautiful sound to my long ears. “Point taken, my bowgirl. Let us leave day after the morrow then.”

“Don’t get me wrong, my paladin. I never would have been able to see the Tall Trees without your help. I’ve danced in the clouds, chased the sun and caught spirits. What I’ve learned about who I am and where I come from will shape me for the rest of my days. I do believe this ancient forest was placed along my path for a purpose and I confess a strong kinship to it. I just don’t think this is our destination – at least not yet.”

*

“It is your wandering nature that brought you to us,” said Cirwen as we sat crosslegged facing each other upon the pelt-covered floor of the small bungalow shared by she and Ghaeleg, “so it does not surprise me to hear that same free spirit will soon carry you beyond this ancient forest of Tall Trees. How can we help you prepare for your journey?”

I unrolled my poorly annotated doeskin map of Valenwood. “Do I understand the dense jungle I had to cross completely encircles this high forest?”

“Aye,” replied Ghaeleg as he took a knee beside us to look over my map. “The narrowest stretch of jungle is directly east of here. Once clear, you can easily continue east to Dune in Elsweyr or north toward Arenthia near the Cyrodiil border.”

Cirwen asked, “How will you and your horse cross it? You were quite vague on that point when we asked how you got here.”

“I have the ability to. . . unsummon her, allowing me to take to the trees above.”

Ghaeleg snorted. “Ha! I knew it! Some of the guards said they saw your horse simply vanish into your hands from the goat pen area while many of the huntsmer insisted those guards must have been drinking fermented tonka bean juice!”

“Ghaeleg, stop it!” chastised Cirwen. “We’re trying to help a sister Cloud Dancer, not tease her.” She turned her attention to me as Ghaeleg stood, quietly grumbling. “Now, Buffy, I understand you navigated the treetops to get here and that the sap of this forest is strong within you, but you cannot rely completely on that. I trust you know the spells Featherfall and Contingency?”

“Yes,” I replied. “I learned them from Elberond yesterday. My Barkskin shielding spell is currently assigned to the requisite condition of combat though.”

“A fine choice when ground-bound, but you would be wise to set Featherfall as your spell with the sensation of falling as your trigger when traveling through the high branches.”

“Is that what allowed you to leap without harm to the ground when we first met?”

She nodded. “That is a helpful tactic but the primary benefit is to save your life in the event of a high fall.”

“I will take your advice.” We were all on our feet now. “I-I owe you both so much. I don’t know how to thank you.”

The three of us hugged. “Keep the sunrises in front of you until clear of the jungle,” advised Ghaeleg.

Cirwen added, “May the forest ease your path, Spirit Catcher.”

I replied, “Cool waters and green grass to you, Sun Chasers.”




Note: Part 5 consists of about three episodes that will bring Buffy back to the Cyrodiil border and our book to a conclusion.

Posted by: hazmick Jan 6 2017, 03:32 PM

Great chapter. Contingency sounds like a really handy passive to have I hope Buffy won't need to make use of it, but better to have it and not need it...

Posted by: SubRosa Jan 7 2017, 10:07 PM

Contingency is a brilliant idea, and similar to some Skyrim and Fallout perks, which kick in when your health drops to a certain amount. The Featherfall example certainly sounds handy for a tree dweller.

Way back in the old Earthdawn RPG, there was a talent that worked like your Featherfall. It was a favorite of airship sailors, and air pirates.

Immune to pouting, eyelash batting, and uncrossing her legs? I think Gandalf might be gay!

Posted by: Lopov Jan 9 2017, 11:37 AM

From time to time Buffy's charming persuasion doesn't work as supposed.

Useful spells, both of them. It'll be interesting to see them at work.

Guards of Lichenostra now finally know the mystery of vanishing Superian.

Posted by: ghastley Jan 9 2017, 03:09 PM

I dunno. Spells operate on the "do what I tell you" principle, then get superseded by ones that "do what I meant to tell you", then you find you need "do what I ought to have meant to tell you". Pretty soon you need a companion who can think independently, and she already has one.

She'll never develop the reflexes if she doesn't use them. Her greaves will be drier, but ...

I'm all in favour of Superian getting back to normal service, though.

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Jan 9 2017, 07:18 PM

Contigency is quite an ability. Adaptable. She'll most likely need the feather ability. I'm certain it'll come to aid when she needs it, especially in the great hights of Valenwood's trees. It was fun to see the conversation between Buffy and the merchant.

A pity her charms, which often had worked to her advantage, did not sway this centuries-old Wood Elf to alter the range of his price. But with trials and errors come success. If she keeps at it, her bartering skills will vastly improve.

Words of wisdom from Buffy. She's right. I can't help but agree with her and she has good intentions when it comes to Superian. Always looking out for her mare. There truly is nothing like freedom.

We end with a heartwarming farewel as we gear up toward the conclusion and a nice return to the Heartland!

Posted by: BretonBlood Jan 10 2017, 02:46 AM

I'm curious is contingency something you made up or is it in the lore? The way you wrote it, it sounds like it would be in the lore as it made perfect sense. I really enjoyed it and found that part very cool, that will most definitely be useful for Buffy.

I like forward to the next part and conclusion.

Posted by: Renee Jan 11 2017, 04:17 PM

This is awesomely delicious to read. I never read Book 1 so I was not aware that Buffy uses feminine charms, or tries to.

The part when she imitates Acadian's voice made me chuckle too. Looking forward to Book 5, sir.

Posted by: mALX Jan 12 2017, 06:20 PM

This was a very Buffy chapter - her personality that I've known and loved so long really shone through in this chapter!

BWAAHAA!!! Buffy meets her match in deal-making,


This next passage speaks so clearly of what I have always known of Buffy - her wandering spirit and need to be close to Superian comes across so well in her simple explanation here:



I was really surprised to hear she would be leaving so soon, thought she would learn more of her heritage before going! But this passage said it all, this is SO Buffy!


But this one here just had me rolling - yes, this is so VERY Buffy:




BWAAHAA !!!! The hands on the hips - oh yes, all it lacked was her saying the word, "FINE!"


Awesome chapter !!!!

Posted by: Grits Jan 13 2017, 01:46 AM

The image of Buffy engrossed in a spell catalog while the candles burn down utterly charms. Contingency sounds like a fantastic mage-reflex type of spell. How funny that fitting in so well with the Sun Chasers eliminates Buffy's tiny-lass bargaining edge!

What a marvelous chat with Acadian about the decision to move on. I thought when Buffy woke up with Kitsune on her neck, the vixen may be feeling Buffy's need to connect through touch since she has been away from the physical presence of Superian.

I noticed Buffy's description of her map as "poorly annotated." That makes me wonder if she plans to explore (though not on this trip) until she fills all the blank spaces in!

Posted by: Acadian Jan 13 2017, 03:43 PM

hazmick- Buffy has a creative idea for Contingency that we'll reveal in this next episode. Like so many of her plans, they involve the horse-crazy elf’s precious mare. Thank you!

SubRosa- Glad you're enjoying Buffy’s new ‘forest magic’ spells. Thanks!

Lopov- Thank you. I couldn’t resist making a joke about the disappearing horse.

ghastley- Heh, now Buffy’s problem will be dealing with her own surprise when Contingency triggers for her. Thank you!

DE- Thank you. Yes, Buffy is an adventuress and Superian is her magical warhorse. Neither would thrive for long if ‘protected’ from the dangers of their calling.

BretonBlood- Contingency is a spell I borrowed from Baldur’s Gate 2 (D&D). There are three (I think) ‘trigger’ type spells in that game and I have always liked them. I’m so glad that fitting Contingency into TES seemed to work for you. Thanks!

Renee- It has been a bit of a running joke throughout Buffy’s history that her ‘feminine charms’ work about as often as they don’t. Thanks so much for your kind words!

mALX- I so appreciate you picking up on several aspects of Buffy that were on display here. You know her so well!

Grits- Buffy has discovered that ‘fitting in’ among a tree full of other tiny elves is not without some practical downside. Thank you for noting the predictable build up of stress that not having the physical warmth of Superian at hand would cause Buffy. I expect that, with time, Buffy will grow more content – even appreciative – of her recent ability to ‘absorb’ Superian and carry the mare within herself. After all, she is a Spirit Catcher.


Previously- After learning some forest magic spells from the Sun Chasers’ shaman, Buffy surprised Acadian by announcing that they would be leaving the Tall Trees.

Note- Some background/review is in order preceding our next episode, as it deals with the fact that Buffy is a Vampire Slayer. This was detailed in our seven episode ‘miniseries’ called Child of Dawn within Book One (Episodes 20-26) way back in August 2010. For those who might wish to review or delve into it, here is a http://chorrol.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=4474&view=findpost&p=117651. I expect that for most readers, however, the following short review of what it means to be a Slayer will suffice just fine:

Being a Vampire Slayer in our fiction is a gift and curse bestowed by Azura upon very few women. Of Azura’s mysterious requirements, only two are known: Being born at the exact moment of sunrise or sunset, and possessing at least some Bretonic blood in their heritage. Sired by a Breton and born at sunrise, Buffy was so chosen by Azura. The Mistress of Twilight revealed this to Buffy when the elf helped Azura by giving the freedom of death to several followers who had been cursed by vampirism (Oblivion’s Azura Star quest). Though Buffy has not embraced the role, neither can she fully ignore it.

Here is a concise list of known Slayer characteristics:
- Attacks from a Slayer inflict hefty damage to vampires - even ancient 'immortal' ones.
- Slayers are alerted when a vampire is near by menstrual-like cramps. Some theorize that, in addition to its normal role of nourishing new life, the womb of a Slayer reacts negatively to the unliving presence of a vampire. It is unknown if or how a vampire can counter a Slayer's ability to detect them.
- Vampires can likewise detect the presence of a Slayer. It seems that, to a vampire, Slayers emit the scent of ‘nightshade where none grows.’ A clever Slayer can somewhat mask this vulnerability by sprinking themselves with vampire dust to disguise their scent.
- A Slayer cannot be turned. If they contract Porphyric Hemophilia, Sanguinare Vampiris or Noxiphilic Sanguivoria, the diseases are no more worrisome than any normal illness and cured just as easily.
- The blood of a Slayer is toxic to vampires. Vampires can no more drink the blood of a Slayer than they can bask in the sun.
- Killing a Slayer seems to accrue significant status among vampires.


We made good progress east from Lichenostra through the high forest. The one giant boar we encountered lifted his tusked snout from digging tubers and loudly grunted his warning to remain clear – which we heeded.

By late in the day, the ground was descending and the forest beginning to thicken.

I felt a sudden discomfort low in my abdomen. “Acadian, did you feel that cramp?”

“I did, Buffy, but it’s not been a full six months since your last fertility cycle. That can only mean one thing.”

Slayer slid into my hand as I drew Superian to a stop and listened carefully. I felt another mild pain and quietly said, “Where are you, vampire?” Kitsune moved to a protective position in front of Superian. None of us heard or saw anything. Unhappily noting a mild breeze from behind, I was not surprised that neither of the animals picked up any threatening scent. What I felt was unmistakable though.

Allowing Slayer to dispel, I slid to the ground. Lifting a fist, I spilled divination magic as I slowly scanned across our frontage. The glow of a man or mer shaped target blossomed into view behind a tree at good distance. I quickly switched from my ‘detect anything bigger than a butterfly that can move’ spell to my ‘find corpses’ spell and repeated the scan - which confirmed the target was indeed undead.

Summoning Slayer and taking again to the saddle I paused to consider my options as I watched the tree that separated prey from prey, predator from predator. I knew vampires could detect the presence of a Slayer as readily as I could detect them.

We could have backed away, then navigated well around the monster. Had I not just done exactly that to avoid the significantly lesser threat of a giant boar? With a mixture of fear and frustration, I realized I could not retreat. Creations of the Nirn Mother were far different than those of Molag Bal. The same hand of fate that enabled me to kill even ancient vampires also rendered me loathe to allow their escape. Azura herself had both gifted and cursed me with being a Slayer.

I slammed an arrow into his tree and nocked another. “Show yourself, Vampire.”

A rather ordinary-looking Bosmer stepped into view, bow in hand. “So the legends are true, Slayer. You can detect a Bonsamu vampire without use of a candle. Just as the scent of nightshade where none grows tells me who and what you are.”

“I can give you permanent release from your curse,” I offered.

“Or I can bring your head back to my clan and show them I am strong enough to kill one of Azura’s Slayers.” He followed his words with a hiss, as his face transformed into his true red-eyed, fanged form.

Several things then happened all at once as I drew Slayer. The vampire’s hand shot into his quiver for an arrow. Kitsune yipped her warcry, magically drawing the vampire's ire as she charged. My contingency activated, engulfing Superian and I in the protection of my Barkskin spell.

The vampire’s first shot missed my small vixen and struck Superian in her shoulder. The mare flinched but did not falter in maintaining the steady shooting platform I required.

He was nocking his second shot when I loosed. My arrow staggered him as I reached for another.

As he recovered, he dropped his bow in favor of a dagger, and slashed at the dancing Kitsune. She was more nimble than he and my second arrow killed him.

I leaped to the ground, dispelling Slayer. While inspecting my mare’s wound I noticed that, since the ‘combat’ condition was no longer met, my Contingency-triggered Barkskin spell had faded from both Superian and I. The vampire’s arrow had not penetrated our shielding enough to embed itself and lay on the ground nearby. By the time I could place my hands on her to heal the minor wound, Phantom’s regenerative abilities had already done the job.

A quick check of Kitsune revealed the fox was unharmed. As ever, the happy little warrior seemed pleased with her ability to help protect me.

The animals followed me to where my prey had fallen. The mortality of true death had rendered the vampire’s body into a withered husk draped in clothing. Summoning my elven hunting knife, I collected some of the creature’s dust into a small pouch. I would keep it handy, for I knew that rubbing some over my skin could significantly impede a vampire’s ability to detect my presence. I was also reminded of the need to get some potions to ease cramping – handy not only during my twice yearly periods but useful for easing the similar discomfort of being around a vampire. The cramps could be helpful to alert me but were distracting and, frankly, divination spells worked better to more precisely determine my prey’s location.

“Buffy,” asked Acadian, “how did you know your Barkskin spell’s protection would convey to Superian?”

I giggled. “Do you remember the time of my first coupling with Savlian Matius?”

“Of course, I do,” he replied, “It was a magical time.”

“Quite literally, my paladin. I remembered that when I . . . lost control of my passions with Savlian beneath me, I dug my knees into the ground and spiked a fist into the air, wildly spewing magic.”

“How could I forget?” commented Acadian with a chuckle. “Since you were. . . connected to Savlian, your invisibility spell engulfed both of you.”

“Exactly. My hope – which turned out to be correct – was that with my legs around Superian, our connection would provide similar results. Without the Contingency spell’s automatic casting, I could never test that theory astride my mare – until now.”

“I’m pleased that the memory now conjures a smile,” remarked Acadian. “Even a month ago the same recollection would have summoned tears.”

Posted by: mALX Jan 13 2017, 05:29 PM

I'm so glad you refreshed us on the Slayer! I did remember the menstrual cramp-type pain Buffy would feel when a vampire was near, and that she could also be detected by them - didn't remember the rest though, so glad you reviewed it for us!

This has always been such a fascinating part of Buffy lore for me! I loved that whole episode when she first discovered she was a Slayer! (or rather, when I "the reader" first found out about it, lol)


What a powerful chapter this is! We are starting to see Buffy coming back to herself after so many years of grieving so profoundly - these last two chapters really reflect the passing of the "Broken Bowgirl" part of her life so well, because glimpses of her personality are once again starting to show through - but especially her being able to remember her time with Matius without it bringing back the pain and grief (but remembering how wonderful it was).

Embarrassingly enough, Acadian was a "Peeping Tom" for the whole scene,

Awesome Write !!!

Posted by: hazmick Jan 14 2017, 02:50 PM

Fantastic chapter! Loved the little bits of vampire lore you wove in there, and the fight was intense and exciting. Sir Kitsune is the bravest knight in Tamriel!

Posted by: SubRosa Jan 14 2017, 04:57 PM

Uh oh, cramps. That can only mean one thing...

Buffy's decision to take on the vamp is just as certain to to us who know her as the one to avoid the boar. There is on other way she could react on either score and still be Buffy.

Buffy is prepared for every contingency now! It seems very natural for her spell to thusly extend to her precious mare. Good thing too!

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Jan 14 2017, 05:01 PM

For some time I've been anxiously waiting to see Buffy go back to hunting some vampires. When the Bonsamu were mentioned I knew we were in for a nice mention and more insight on Buffy's Slayer status. I recall her going about Azura's quest to 'free' the undead

You did well by providing some information on Buffy's history for those who may not remember. Buffy has an advantage, as one would imagine when being blessed by a Daedric Lord- One of the highest powers in Tamriel.

That Candle Vamp was no match for the Slayer's prowess with her bow. His sad and vain attempt to elevate himself among his clan, well, failed quite miserably.

Savlian

Like me, Buffy was reminded by this event of days of old. Wouldn't it be a wonder if she could go back in time?

Posted by: BretonBlood Jan 14 2017, 10:35 PM

That was a great chapter Acadian. I loved the backstory on Azura's Slayers, is that in the lore of TES or more of your genius creativity being brought into the story? Either way it was very cool.

And then seeing that in action in this chapter was really cool. The vampire didn't stand a chance.

I'll be going back to look at that previous story of Buffy.

Posted by: Lopov Jan 15 2017, 08:50 PM

A vampire and a Bonsamu at that!

I liked the dynamic description of several things that happened at once. It's not easy to write about multiple events taking place at once and keep a flow of the story, but you did it really good.

While grieving is a normal process to cope with death of our loved ones, to remain strong and move on with life, requires a lot of physical strength. To be able to remember our loved ones and good things that we experienced with them without their deaths shadowing good things, requires even more physical strength. Being a family doctor, I'm often faced with such stories and through conversations I try to help people to try and resume their normal life. With Buffy now being able to smile about sad past events, I'd say she's on a good way to resume her life, maybe even find love again. So while grieving is normal, over-grieving is dangerous and leads to all sorts of other problems.

Posted by: ghastley Jan 16 2017, 03:49 PM

Now I'm starting to wonder if Buffy was subconsciously hiding herself (and Savlian) from her audience.

It's good that the Contingency doesn't suffer from Buffy's limitation of casting only with her feet on the ground! Of course, if it did, then the featherfall part would be useless.

Posted by: Grits Jan 19 2017, 05:54 PM

The encounter with the Bonsamu vampire was vivid, exciting, and a beautiful study in pacing. Wow, Buffy's story continues to be an inspiration! This is a part to return and read over and over.

How wonderful that Buffy brought up the memory of Savlian with a smile. (And what a great memory.) The signs of healing continue. Whatever she does next, this episode gives me hopes for her rather than worries.

Posted by: Acadian Jan 20 2017, 01:41 PM

mALX- Thank you! I’m glad you found the Slayer review helpful. This episode did mark a bit of a turning point for Buffy – where pleasant memories with Savlian can invoke a smile.

hazmick- Thanks! Kitsune is a pretty good little helper. Glad you enjoyed our unique take on vampires and Slayers.

SubRosa- It is so gratifying to hear that you can predict Buffy’s reaction to many circumstances based upon some of the consistent aspects of her nature. Thank you.

DE- Thanks so much for your warm support regarding our treatment of vampires – despite the fact that ‘Buffy Lore’ strays quite a bit from TES lore.

BretonBlood- Thank you! The idea of an Azuran Slayer does not exist in TES lore. That Azura does not like vampires is clear from her quest in Oblivion however. With a character named Buffy, I naturally couldn’t resist a place in our story for ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’.

Lopov- Thanks for your kind words regarding what you called a ‘dynamic description’ during the fight. I agree that pacing is quite important during combat scenes. I think part of what is helping Buffy through her grieving is being in a different environment (Valenwood). When she returns to Cyrodiil in our next book, it may well reopen healing wounds and lead to some of the self-destructive behavior you allude to.

ghastley- What an intriguing thought as to whether Buffy’s climactic invisibility spell might have been to hide her and Savlian from view! Given how vocal she gets when excited, I’m not sure she can keep such things secret.

Grits- I think most of us find fight scenes a challenging balance between presenting clear detail during what is by nature a confusing evolution without bogging down the pace. Thank you so much for your warm and supportive encouragement. Buffy’s past is long, but I join you in foreseeing a long future for her as well.


Previously- After departing the Tall Tree, Lichenostra, Buffy encountered a Bonsamu vampire in the forest. Unable to ignore her instincts as a Slayer, a deadly confrontation was inevitable.

By sunset, we'd arrived at the edge of the nearly impenetrable jungle that both surrounded and protected the ancient forest of the Cloud Dancers. By a small stream there we made camp. Dinner was a small mudcrab that was both killed and cooked by my flame spell. As I ate, Superian and Kitsune foraged for succulent grasses and small rodents respectively. After we all had a short but cleansing play in the water, the animals watched over me as I made a bed of moss and leaves then crawled into it. “We’ll take to the trees at dawn.”

The next two days of treetop travel – with Superian safely spirited away inside me and the comfort of my Contingency spell set to Featherfall – proved both efficient and uneventful.

By the third day I was once again astride Superian. As the tan-colored rocky ridgeline bordering western Elsweyr grew close, we turned north.

The open forest of eastern Valenwood was carpeted in emerald grass and large swaths of brightly colored wildflowers. The songs of familiar birds and appearance of white-tailed deer prompted me to remark, “This reminds me of Cyrodiil.”

“Our current course will take us there,” replied Acadian. “Is that your intent?”

“Maybe it is,” I said. “We’ve seen the prairies, forests, jungles and Tall Trees of Valenwood. My broken arm from Kvatch is healed and I think my heart is mending – or at least learning to dwell on precious memories more than grief.”

“And your skills are once again formidable,” he added.

“I’ve had plenty of help there but, yes, I do feel more like predator than prey once again.”

“I’m sure your many friends north of the border would love to see you, Buffy.”

“I do find myself thinking of those I love in Cyrodiil. . . Archery Master Daenlin, my University Advisor Boderi Farano, Guildmagister Kud-Ei, Sir Mazoga. . . .” I smiled then sighed.

Before long, we found ourselves following an established dirt trail instead of forging our own. Superian was the first to lift her long nose into the slight breeze, flaring her nostrils. I glanced down to see Kitsune also tasting the air with her muzzle. Then I smelled it as well. The faint odor of wood smoke. Civilization.

As we crested the next rise, I drew Superian to a stop. Bracing my hands into the mammoth-bone pommel of her saddle, I leaned forward to survey the vista sprawled before us. This far east, the Strid River crashed and roiled its way through a narrow canyon ahead of us and I could see it gradually snaking out to the west toward the wide river valley that bore its name. Far across the river to the north and slightly west, the spires of Skingrad spiked skyward. Farther to the northwest, I believed I could make out the mountain that hosted Kvatch.

Directly ahead was a formation of stone that arched over the river canyon allowing passage across. Built around the Valenwood approach to this natural bridge was a settlement. Faint trails of smoke from several chimneys gently wafted upward until dispersed by the light breeze. I knew the village to be called Strid Crossing - a way stop serving traders and travelers who used the bridge between Valenwood and Cyrodiil. The westering sun now cast a golden glow over the Strid River and it had been a long day. Urging the mare forward, I said, “I expect they have an inn, perhaps even some news from Cyrodiil.”

After so much time in the prairies, forests and jungles of Valenwood, the sound of Superian’s hoofs clattering on the rough and narrow cobblestone main street of Strid Crossing seemed foreign. Chickens, pigs and goats wandered freely and I saw at least one cow tethered to a tree. There were a few daub and wattle houses along the street with roofs of thatch. Set further back, several trees contained small dwellings within their branches. A number of townsfolk – mostly Bosmer and Khajiit - looked up from their activities of tanning hides, smoking pipes or milking goats to eye us with mild curiosity.

The center of this modest village was marked by a cluster of several more buildings. These were constructed from river stones and timber. Several bore signs advertising the nature of their businesses. We stopped and I dismounted to draw a bucket of cool water from the town’s central well. After drinking our fill, I blew Superian a kiss and headed for the door beneath a tavern sign.

Posted by: hazmick Jan 20 2017, 02:49 PM

Loved the description of northern Valenwood. After exploring Reaper's March myself, I can picture it so clearly.

Posted by: ghastley Jan 20 2017, 05:20 PM

I assume you're having to tread between the ESO and VI versions of this area, as they differ quite a bit, but shouldn't Arenthia be in view, too?

Strid Crossing is clearly your own, and the natural bridge is a brilliant idea. It's not the sort of thing that lets a city develop, as it's as big as it is, and you can't do anything about that. So a village that's appropriate to the trade flow is what would happen. I envisage this bridge as large enough for a horse, but not a cart.

So the cliffhanger is: will she turn toward Kvatch, or away?

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Jan 20 2017, 08:29 PM

How great it is to see us move away from one territory to another. From Valenwood to western Elseweyr. The changes here were evident, and reminded me of traveling through ESO.

This is wonderful to hear because the character of Buffy, her size and her kind-hearted ways does not mean she isn't formidable in her own right. And this rings true in the Bosmer hunter-gatherer society and individual.

Oh man I know how Buffy must feel to be reminded of Cyrodiil. Personally I don't think there is any province more beautiful than the Imperial province and you captured some of the essence of Cyrodiil right here. The birdsongs, flowers and of course the deer did indeed remind us of the Heartland.

Despite her words, Buffy may face things that will bring back unfortunate memories. Seeing the ruins of Oblivion gates makes me think of this. But with Acadian ever at her side I'm not too worried of the outcome.

She's surrounded by great friends her(most of which are animals), but to a Bosmer that's all the friends one can need. They aren't fickle and truly trustworthy.

Great chapter Acadian!

Posted by: SubRosa Jan 22 2017, 07:06 PM

Ahh, nothing like some roasted Mirelurk cooked over a fusion battery to fill a Wastelander's tummy... Oh wait, this is Tamriel, not Boston!

Northern Valenwood sounds like a garden paradise, especially after the wild and deadly hinterland of the deep woods.

Posted by: Renee Jan 22 2017, 09:14 PM

Yeah, that vampire did not stand a chance, what was he thinking? Guess he didn't know who he was up against! I love all the background surrounding lore during that part, and it's a good idea you explained how it works, otherwise I'd-a been lost.

Nice to return to civilization again.

Posted by: Lopov Jan 23 2017, 01:01 PM

Killed and cooked with one spell!

A neat story as Buffy is heading back to "civilization".

Posted by: Grits Jan 26 2017, 10:09 PM

What a beautiful description of Valenwood’s Strid River and border lands. I love the way looking at the landscape so naturally led to the discussion about what’s possibly next and how far Buffy has come in her Valenwood voyage. I wonder what news there will be from Cyrodiil. Thinking of Buffy’s return gives me mixed emotions. Even though she is ready, it still won't be easy. It is a joy to follow along on this journey with her.

Posted by: mALX Jan 27 2017, 04:51 AM

This is so exciting, seeing Buffy returning to Cyrodiil! And among her friends waiting there to see her again is one lonely Khajiit - don't forget your friend Maxical, Buffy!

Your descriptions here were wonderful, like Hazmick said - very reminiscent of Reapers March; and I'm picturing Buffy around Arenthia!

Awesome Write !!!

Posted by: Acadian Jan 27 2017, 02:41 PM

hazmick- Thank you! My hope was to conjure recollections of Cyrodiil during this final leg of Buffy’s journey through Valenwood.

ghastley- You are exactly right that the episode took place pretty close to Arenthia – and I might have done well to mention that. I did choose for Buffy’s path to miss it though and opted for a tiny border village of our own creation. Turning toward or away from Kvatch? I expect the answer will be the same as ever for Buffy – like a moth toward flame. Thanks!

DE- Thank you. I believe your insight is solid in predicting that a return to more familiar surroundings will also conjure painful memories. Acadian, Superian and, now, Kitsune are likely to get leaned on heavily.

SubRosa- Hee! Get thee back to Tamriel, oh Wastelander! You’ve been. . . over there too long. Thank you; I do think the northeast corner of Valenwood is beautifully reminiscent of Cyrodiilic forests.

Renee- Thanks! I know that Buffy’s peculiar vampire lore is unique - even potentially confusing when shoehorned into TES - and felt that an explanation/review was in order for both newer and longer-term readers.

Lopov- Thank you! Killing and cooking the mud crab by fire spell was another convenient opportunity to try and show how seamlessly magic flows through Buffy’s daily life.

Grits- I was indeed trying to blend Buffy’s surroundings with her path ahead – thanks for noting that! Thinking of Buffy’s return to Cyrodiil gives me mixed emotions as well, my friend. She and I are both optimistic about her future though.

mALX- I know you and Maxical treasure some wonderful memories from Oblivion. I hope our final episode brings a nostalgic smile to you. Thank you!


Previously- Traveling via the treetops, Buffy passed over the protective jungle surrounding the ancient forest of the Cloud Dancers. When she took to the ground again, she was in eastern Valenwood. From there she proceeded north to a quaint village on the border of Cyrodiil where she decided to seek lodging for the night.

Now, on to our final episode and the conclusion of Buffy's journey of self-discovery through Valenwood.

“Welcome to Strid Crossing, traveler.” The innkeeper wore a clean but tattered apron over his tunic and trousers of sackcloth. The fur on his face, arms and tail bore the orange color with black spots of a Valenwood tree leopard. “This one is called Baedargo and is honored to serve you.”

“My name’s Buffy and I’m interested in renting a room for myself. Oh, and one of the stalls I noted on the side your tavern for my mare.”

“You both will be most welcome,” he replied with a feline smile. “Your accommodations will include dinner, an evening bath, breakfast and oats for your horse.” After showing me to my room, he announced over his shoulder, “A guest!” Two Khajiit children who each rose only to my shoulder scurried to his side. “These are my kits. They will help you and your horse to be comfortable during your stay.” He turned to the small ones. “Tsabhi, roll the tub into Miss Buffy’s room and begin heating water to fill it. Jo’Rakha, as soon as she is settled in, help our guest tend to her horse.”

“Yes, father,” they said in unison. The boy bowed and the girl curtseyed, speaking together as one, “Welcome Miss Buffy. These ones are honored to serve you.”

“I am very pleased to meet you both,” I said. “Jo’Rakha, would you help me with my mare now?”

“Yes, Miss Buffy.”

As he took my hand to lead me from the tavern, I looked at the beaming Baedargo and remarked, “Your pride is well-deserved. They’re adorable.”

My hosts spoiled both Superian and I with an attentiveness that rivaled the finest inns of the Imperial City. Both children were enthralled with Kitsune and it was the attention they lavished upon her that reminded me how much the vixen had become a natural part of me. She could appear and disappear at will, slip unobtrusively through doors at my side and normally drew little attention – from most adults anyway.

After I enjoyed a warm bath and fine meal, Baedargo approached apologetically. “The kits tell their father that you have traveled far and long without news from the other provinces.“ He presented a copy of the Black Horse Courier. “This one regrets that the latest edition to find Strid Crossing is a week old.”

“Your charming kits are correct, and I’m ever so grateful for your thoughtfulness.” Steaming bergamot tea arrived as, with Kitsune curled up on my lap, I caught up with the news from Cyrodiil.

From just the front page, it quickly became clear that the Elder Council was still running the Empire without an Emperor. I couldn’t find a word about the surviving Septim heir that we had found in the Chapel at Kvatch. Looking at the date on the Courier, I calculated it had now been nearly six months since Baurus, Mazoga and Agronak had escorted Martin to. . . I had no idea where.

I skipped over an article under the headline ‘Gray Fox eludes Hieronymus Lex’s latest sweep of the Waterfront.’

My heart swelled when I read a piece in the editorial section titled ‘The Hero of Kvatch was Right’. It chastised those who, within weeks of Savlian Matius closing the Oblivion Gate at Kvatch, had questioned his decision to ‘kick a hornet’s nest’. Some had apparently claimed his 'rash and misguided actions' would cause more gates to open, arguing that appeasing Mehrunes Dagon by sacrificing one city for the good of the Empire would have been a more prudent choice. The article ended with its author concluding, ‘What say you now, oh timid souls? It has been nearly six months. Where are the Oblivion Gates spilling hordes of Daedra that you feared? To you doubters, I say, hail the late Captain Matius - Hero of Kvatch!’

On the society page, I found an article describing the Countess of Leyawiin’s latest dinner party. The reporter’s tone mockingly congratulated her for avoiding a repeat of the ‘fashion disaster’ that marred one such event nearly a year ago, saying, ‘It took all the Count’s horses and all the Count’s men, to prevent the Dastardly Disrober from striking again.’ My smile faded as I recalled that I had still not returned to Sanguine’s shrine to reclaim the beautiful red gown stripped from me that night.

After checking on Superian, I said good night to my charming hosts and closed the door to my room behind me. Kitsune hopped up on the bed, circling several times before choosing her spot for the night. I smiled as I watched her. How long had it been since I’d slept between real sheets instead of a bedroll, furs or moss? Skingrad, I decided; before. . . Kvatch.

I sat at the small desk and unrolled a well-worn and richly annotated doeskin map – not of Valenwood, but of Cyrodiil. “Acadian, we’re going home.”

“I am proud to see that you are doing so on your own terms, Buffy. What is our plan?”

My finger followed my words on the map. “From here, we’re going to Kvatch. I know it will be hard, but I owe my dear Savlian a graveside visit.”

“I’m sure the dragontongue flowers you planted around him will have grown beautifully by now.”

My smile was a sad one, but it was a smile nonetheless. “Our next stop will be Skingrad. Those warning cramps that preceded our recent vampire encounter reminded me that it's also nearly time for my twice yearly period - and I don't want to be caught unprepared. I need elixirs for cramping and some of those little Abecean sea sponges that Nilawen in Bravil taught me to use. That Dunmeri alchemist in Skingrad – you know, the one from Morrowind who. . . dances with dead – is discrete and carries a good supply of both.”

“Residents of Skingrad’s graveyard likely consider themselves fortunate to have her attentions,” quipped Acadian.

The paladin and I shared a quiet laugh before I continued, “We’ll then head northeast to Sanguine’s shrine. I want that red dress back from the Prince of Debauchery who stripped it from me in Leyawiin nearly a year ago. It belongs to Delphine Jend.”

“Always wise to close out unfinished business.”

I nodded my agreement. “From there, we’ll continue east to the Arcane University. Stablemaster Thernd will be fascinated by the changes to Superian. I owe Boderi Farano many thanks for her part in coordinating the creation and delivery of my mystic bow. Also, if there is any news of my dear friends and fellow Knights of the White Stallion, the Imperial City will be the most likely place to hear it.”

“I agree. It has been far too long without word of Sirs Mazoga and Agronak.”

“Finally, we’ll go home – to Bravil. I miss Master Daenlin, Guildmagister Kud-Ei, and so many others there terribly.”

“I’m sure your many friends in the City of Mara will be delighted to see you.”

I rolled up the map. “We ride at dawn, my paladin.”

~ The End ~

Posted by: mALX Jan 27 2017, 03:50 PM

Below the article was an artist's rendition of that very event a year ago, where they captured the guilty party in the very act!







This is so exciting to see Buffy returning to Cyrodiil !!!!!


Here is someone who heard Buffy was coming back, and knew there was one place she would most definitely prioritize visiting - and ran to wait for her friend there:


http://i.imgur.com/XZYguQo.png?1



And staying warm in her backpack is another person who can't wait for some of Buffy's spoiling:



http://a4.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/58/658ede43327f4801bbfd05be246cc570/l.jpg



Awesome Write, really enjoying hearing about Buffy again!

Posted by: hazmick Jan 27 2017, 04:33 PM

Homeward bound. Seems like a pretty solid plan for Buffy's tour of Cyrodiil, though I imagine Kvatch will be the largest hurdle for our little Elf to climb over.

Posted by: ghastley Jan 27 2017, 09:03 PM

And their indestructible squire?

Posted by: Darkness Eternal Jan 28 2017, 06:11 PM

I'm just as excited as mALX is to see Buffy return to Cyrodiil. I don't know why but I suspect it is because Cyrodiil, for most of us, is the place where it all began. It is a place where Buffy was born and raised, too. So I am glad to see her back to a place where the height( ) of her life was. I expect new things for Buffy here.

Baedargo the innkeeper and his pride/litter tugged at the heart. They're adorable.

The Courier news was a great reminder that despite the odds, the mortals of Tamriel prevailed over the demonic hosts of Oblivion, and that Savlian— rather than incurring the complete and total wrath of Mehrunes Dagon—had not only kicked the hornet's nest but contributed valiantly in its destruction and downfall. What say you oh doubters?

That was awesome.

And how can we forget Leyawiin's little prank?

Buffy had quite a list of things to do, but it is going to be a great adventure for her. It always is. Awesome work Acadian!

Posted by: BretonBlood Jan 30 2017, 06:20 AM

Quite the way to "end" Buffy's story, well this part anyways. Very well written, I enjoyed her reading of the Black Horse Courier to catch up on what has been going on in Cyrodiil in her absence.

And maybe this is something that I may have missed from Buffy's first book, but she mentions going to Skingrad and I can't help but think of Buffy and her Slayer status when it comes to that city... for the obvious reasons. Does she know of the vampire present there?

I can't wait to continue with Buffy through the rest of her adventure back in Cyrodiil.

Posted by: SubRosa Jan 30 2017, 11:22 PM

You very cleverly introduced the innkeeper as a Khajiit, without ever having to actually say so. That was nicely done.

The Gray Fox is still as slippery as a vulpine familiar!

And so is the Dastardly Disrober!

Falanu is Buffy's herbal hookup! Good thing for Buffy that she is not as pale-skinned as others...

And a nice close on this book of Buffy's adventures in Valenwood. I agree that it is good to see her returning to Cyrodiil on her own terms.

Posted by: Renee Jan 31 2017, 07:46 PM

Add me to this list. And mirocu too, for sure.

Well, what a lovely ending to Book 2. That was fun to read. I'm glad I was around to catch it all, Acadian!

Posted by: Grits Feb 2 2017, 09:59 PM

Baedargo’s kits were adorable! I love how they attached themselves to Kitsune. What a charming image of a thoroughly refreshed Buffy reading the paper over tea with her familiar curled up on her lap.

I was as interested as Buffy to read the Courier and see what had been going on back in Cyrodiil. The highlights connected her story to background events beautifully.

The last line is perfect. Book 2 ends looking forward to Buffy’s next beginning. What a delight it has been to go along on Buffy’s Valenwood journey!

Posted by: Lopov Feb 2 2017, 10:05 PM

I could almost hear "these ones" talking.

Nice glimpse into what's been going on in Cyrodiil sine Buffy was gone, not that much changed.

That was an interesting read, yet the ending foreshadows a new beginning so we're far from end, I'd say.

Posted by: Acadian Feb 3 2017, 01:56 PM

Previously- During the book’s final episode, Buffy and her crew spent a quiet evening in the border village of Strid Crossing, catching up on the news from Cyrodiil. Later in the evening, Buffy announced that she would ride the next morning for Cyrodiil. She then discussed some of her shorter term plans with Acadian.

mALX- How thoughtful of you to remind us of that wonderful drawing that Ayumi fan did for Buffy years ago! As always, you are a boundless source of enthusiastic support and encouragement. Hi to dear Maxical and chubby Alex the Mouse!

hazmick- Buffy will probably be okay for a time, comforted somewhat by the assurance that her hero (Savlian) stopped the Oblivion Crisis at Kvatch. When those who claim that Savlian simply kicked the hornet nest are eventually proven right, it will likely prove emotionally traumatic for Buffy.

ghastley- Oh yes! Can’t forget Fanador – the adoring fan and squire to Sirs Mazoga and Agronak.

DE- Cyridiil does hold a special place in our heart as well. Though conceived in Valenwood, Buffy was born and raised in Bravil of course. That is where her story began. Thank you.

BretonBlood- Thank you – Buffy’s history is so long that I always appreciate questions which allow me to review bits of it. Way back in Book 1, Buffy stopped in Skingrad on her way to Kvatch. She did indeed experience vampire cramps as she passed the castle. She was concerned that there might be a vampire lair near or even under the castle and debated warning the count lest he be unaware of the danger. Since she did not know the count and had pressing business at Kvatch, she did not pursue the matter. So, no – she doesn’t yet know Count Skingrad’s secret.

SubRosa- Thanks much for pointing out my intent on how we introduced the innkeeper as clearly Khajiit without directly saying so. I clearly remember many years ago when you first took an interest in Buffy’s story and reached out to help me develop the skills to tell it – and I remain as grateful as ever for what you have taught me.

Renee- I’m so glad that you were able to join us for Book 2! I have appreciated your interest, questions and the resultant opportunities to elaborate on some of Buffy’s history. Thank you!

Grits- As the epitome of graciousness, you always seem to know exactly the right words to both encourage Buffy and I as well as warm our hearts. Thank you so much for your inspiring support as Buffy travels her long path.

Lopov- I very much enjoy episodes where Buffy relays her story against a slightly distracting backdrop – be it while grooming her mare or, in this case, being pampered by the engaging innkeeper and his kits. And yes, I hope the ‘end’ of Book 2 was both satisfying as well as clearly indicating there is more of her story awaiting the telling.


All- It means the world to Buffy and I to have the warm and continuing support of our friends who find our humble efforts worthy of their time. Truly, I thank each of you so much for the help and encouragement we have enjoyed.

Just as Skyrim heavily impacted our plans after Book 1, so has ESO impacted our plans after Book 2. Though we have numerous plans and as many partial drafts, we need some time to rest, play and contemplate how best to tell the next major piece of Buffy’s tale.

Finally, allow Buffy to leave you with her uniquely elven parting words, “Cool waters and green grasses to you."

Posted by: mALX Feb 3 2017, 03:38 PM

D'Aaaw! Buffy will be missed till she graces the boards again!

Posted by: hazmick Feb 3 2017, 03:50 PM

As ever, we shall wait patiently for future writing and look forward to hearing more of Buffy's adventures.

Haa-Rei wishes me to say: "May friendly branches shade your path, my small friend. No, wait, leave the 'small' bit out. Are you listening to me?"