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> Sleeper in the Cave, a Morrowind fanfic
ghastley
post Feb 18 2019, 08:45 PM
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They're the other side of Maar Gan, but they are by the side of the road. Since you have to go through Maar Gan to get there, it had me worried at first.

I think the ransom changed from the time I played it, too. tongue.gif


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Kazaera
post Feb 23 2019, 09:44 PM
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@Grits - as ghastley said, they're in the area but not actually on the road between Falasmaryon and Maar Gan. As for their prisoner... smile.gif

@ghastley - I can't resist shuffling NPCs around a little for things like this. And - yeah, in-game the ransom is 5000 drakes at the start. A drake is more valuable in Adrynverse than in-game, so some amounts are subject to change. (Most obvious in quest rewards, which are usually significantly reduced when they're monetary.) This was actually more of an accident than anything else when I started writing, but I've run with it because it allows me to keep financial pressure on Adryn more easily.

Last installment, Adryn's trek back to Maar Gan was interrupted when she ran into a trio of Ashlanders who'd apparently captured a Redoran noble and were holding him for ransom. They didn't want to believe she wasn't there for him, and Adryn herself couldn't resist checking out the situation. Now, let's meet the captive noble in question.

Chapter 17.7
*****


I ducked inside a yurt for the second time today. This one was larger than Akin's, containing not just the bed-rolls and spread woven rugs I'd also seen there but scattered cushions, standing screens of wood and stretched hide, even a low table. This was a more permanent structure, I judged, erected by people who expected to be staying here for a while. In contrast, Akin's had been ready to tear down at a moment's notice, proof of his precarious existence in the shadow of Falasmaryon's monsters.

Also unlike Akin's, this yurt contained a captive.

He sat on the ground, knees brought up to his chest, staring at the floor. Rope was looped around his ankles, more tied his hands behind his back. His captors, I noted with a critical eye, had not had much experience tying people up and had tried to make up for lack of skill with enthusiasm. Unsuccessfully so; I could have twisted my way out of those bonds. The man hadn't, but I supposed nobility didn't generally bother with lessons in escapology.

If he was a noble at all.

Looking at him, I found myself drawing a different conclusion. The clothes were fine, yes, but merchant-making-a-decent-living-fine, journeyman-of-a-craft-fine, not nobility-fine. Linen, not silk; embroidery done in cotton thread, not gold or silver; no rare dyes nor gemstones to be seen. It was clothing of the sort I'd owned back in Skyrim for the occasions when I needed to dress up. Varvur, I suspected, would turn his nose up at it.

I must have made a sound, because the man looked up to see me in the doorway. The expression of hope on his face tugged at my heart.

"Please! Help me! Rescue me from these savages. They've held me captive for two days." I must not have looked as enthusiastic as he'd have liked, because he added, "I'm a noble of House Redoran. I promise you'll be well-rewarded."

"Uh-huh." My voice was flat. "A noble. I'd definitely be interested to hear you explain why you're wearing merchant clothes, and why you were wandering the Ashlands alone."

There was a frantic flicker in the man's eyes, but his voice didn't even tremble as he said, "I was travelling in disguise. My house has many enemies, when venturing into dangerous lands it is best not to do so openly."

Smooth. I was reluctantly impressed.

Not that that would stop me from needling him further. "Oh? I didn't realise Redoran honour bent far enough to allow for such practicalities. I thought you lot demanded one stomp straight into the ambush, shouting for your cowardly foes to show themselves."

The corner of the "noble"'s mouth twitched before he could stop himself. Ha! He thought it was funny too.

"Ah, I realise my... fellow Redoran may not always give that impression, but there is room for subtlety in our ethos. You should look into Dravon Indarys' Tactics and Strategy at some point, it sheds a lot of light on the philosophy of the house – and it's written by a mer beyond reproach, one widely considered to be one of the greatest Redoran has ever produced."

Really.

I let my voice drop into a whisper. "Look, this is all well and good, and I have to say I admire your improvisation skills immensely. If you ever choose to follow a career in acting, please do let me know, I'd love to see the performance. However, can you drop the lies for a minute? That boy out there is demanding a ransom of twenty septims for his high-ranking captive, and I think we both know no such fee will be forthcoming. I need you to be honest with me if I'm going to get you out of here in one piece."

I spent a moment to wonder at the fact that while I was distracted by my admiration of the man's ability to spin a lie, my subconscious had evidently decided that I was, indeed, going to do my level best to rescue him, my complete unsuitability for the task, the fact that I'd never even met him before today, and the fact that I was currently in the process of fleeing a fortress full of twisted monsters notwithstanding.

Somehow, I was sure, this was Athyn Sarethi's fault.

The man pinned me with a suspicious, narrow-eyed gaze. For a moment, I thought he was going to stick with his story. Then I saw him glance out the open entrance-flap, apparently making sure none of his three captors were in earshot. Upon seeing they were occupied at the campfire, he deflated.

"You're right, of course." His voice was so soft I could barely hear him. "I'm Beden of clan Giladren. We're no nobility – I'm a glassblower journeyman from Vivec." Called it with the clothing – it was nice to know that despite the change in location, I hadn't lost my eye for value. "I was on a pilgrimage to the shrine at Maar Gan, got turned around... next thing I know, I have three Ashlanders pointing their spears at me. I panicked. I thought they'd kill me unless I gave them a reason to think I'd be worth more alive. My master's shop is in Redoran canton and he has a lot of noble patrons, I figured I could ape them well enough... worked swimmingly, as you can see, but I didn't quite think it through."

I couldn't stop the surge of empathy that swept through me. This sounded like the sort of fix I might get myself into. Matters weren't helped when he added, "For what it's worth, I did mean it about Indarys' book – it's engagingly written, and a very interesting glimpse into the different schools of thought one can find in Redoran. I'd recommend it to anyone who needs to interact with the house."

A fellow bookworm, too. I could almost find it in myself to forgive him for getting himself kidnapped and leaving me to sort the mess out.

"Tell you what, you can lend me your copy as thanks once we get out of this." I frowned. "Now, let me think..."

*****
End of chapter


Notes: Short installment this time, and it might be followed by a longer break - I'm heading off on holiday for two weeks and there's still a few sections in chapter 18 that need work. I'll do my best to resume updating when I can!


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Grits
post Feb 26 2019, 02:25 AM
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I hope you have a marvelous holiday!

I loved Beden’s little flash of humor. You’ve brought him to life in very few lines. I’m glad Adryn is going to attempt a rescue.


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haute ecole rider
post Mar 4 2019, 05:31 PM
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Finally had the time to catch up while waiting for ESO to repair following this week's update.

Yikes, that old fortress sounds horrific enough! Maybe the devs had been reading too much Lovecraft?

And I couldn't help but laugh at Peacock and Co. I am interested in seeing what happens next. Will keep an eye on this one!


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Kazaera
post Mar 15 2019, 12:18 AM
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@Grits - Thanks! It was great - Spanish course in the south of Spain, so I got to soak up some sunlight and nice weather while significantly improving my language skills. Also went to the carnival in Cadiz, which was an experience.

And I'm glad you like Beden! He grew on me very quickly while writing this.

@haute ecole rider - yeah, you really have to wonder about the game devs, don't you? I'm really only spelling out a little more explicitly what's already in the game here. wacko.gif At least Peacock and Co make for a nice diversion... and I hope you'll like Adryn's solution to the problem they present. smile.gif

Last chapter, Adryn accidentally teleported herself to Falasmaryon while playing with a propylon index. There, she almost made close acquaintances with an ash ghoul, did meet a (thankfully friendly) Ashlander who told her about the provenance of said ash ghoul, and finally - on her trek back to Maar Gan - ran into another group of Ashlanders. This group happens to be holding a Redoran noble for ransom - something that would probably work out better if the man in question were actually a noble, instead of a terrified craftsman from Vivec trying to save his hide. But fear not, Adryn is reluctantly on the case. (Don't tell Athyn Sarethi.)

Chapter 18.1
*****


"Hi. Rasamsi, wasn't it?" I gave the Velothi woman I'd managed to catch alone my best, most charming smile. Judging by her unimpressed stare back, it was unsuccessful.

"What is it, outlander? Here to negotiate?"

All right, I'd been very accommodating, but enough was enough. Beden would have to allow for a minor digression. "Just for the record, I have a name, and it's not 'outlander'. It's Adryn. Foundling, no clan," I added hastily, remembering the caravaneer two days ago. I really didn't need more misunderstandings regarding my lack of a family name.

And yes, that was pity in those eyes. I was sure the tendency of Morrowind natives to treat my existence like some horrific tragedy could be useful, but at the moment it mainly smarted.

"...fair enough. Rasamsi of clan Esurarnat, of the Urshilaku. Well met." Case in point: I doubted she'd have been as civil a minute ago.

"Isn't it nice when we're all polite and introduce ourselves like civilized people." I spotted Rasamsi's eye twitch and decided I shouldn't overdo it. "Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about your captive."

"And what do you want to say about the most illustrious son of House Redoran?"

I paused for a moment. If she hadn't already guessed...

What was I even thinking? Of course she'd already guessed. The sarcasm in that sentence had been so thick it was almost visible.

"I think," I said quietly, "we both know he's no such thing."

Rasamsi let out a groan of pure relief, as though I'd lifted a weight she'd been carrying for too long. "Ah. Thank you, outl- Adryn," she hastily corrected herself. "It is such a pleasure to deal with people who have a brain again. Sadly, neither of my cousins qualify."

A gaping hole where the creature's - the person's, once upon a time - eyes should be...

As my stomach twisted, I really hoped that one day I'd be able to take that expression as innocently as it was meant again.

"So," I prompted, "I guess you know a twenty-septim ransom won't be forthcoming, not for a glassblower from Vivec."

"Glassblower? I suppose that explains the strange powders he had with him." Rasamsi sounded happy at a mystery resolved. "And I told Manat his ransom was an idiot idea and we should just kill the man, but it's always shut up, Rasamsi, you don't know anything, Rasamsi..."

I swallowed. All of a sudden, Rasamsi no longer seemed so down-to-earth and likeable. "Kill him?"

Rasamsi threw me an exasperated look. "Well, obviously it would have been better to send him off after the storm passed, but what else are we supposed to do with him now? If we let him go, he'll run to Maar Gan Temple bleating about dangerous Ashlanders holding him captive... and we all know how they'll respond. I have no intention of dying at the hands of the zebdusinael because my cousin is an idiot."

The worst thing was, after Akin's lesson on the history between the Velothi tribes and the Tribunal temple, I couldn't even tell her such an idea was ridiculous. Even if I still strenuously objected to her proposed solution.

More to the point, I thanked the Divines and - getting in the Morrowind style of things - my anonymous ancestors for the fact that our bonding over Peacock's idiocy meant Rasamsi was thinking of me on her side... as opposed to another outsider who could run 'bleating to the Temple', as she'd put it.

"For what it's worth," I chose my words carefully, "Beden seemed reasonable, and honestly more embarrassed about how he got himself into this mess than anything else." I let the name fall deliberately - the more I could do to make his would-be murderer remember that he was a living, breathing person with dreams and hopes of his own, the better. "If he's also grateful to me for rescuing me, I'm pretty sure I can talk him into an... alternate version of events, one that leaves out certain ill-advised decisions. Perhaps," I was thinking out loud, "he was ill, or injured, after the ash storm, and a gracious - no, heroic - group of Velothi found him and nursed him back to health."

Rasamsi looked as though she wanted to be convinced but hadn't quite managed it. "I like the sounds of that. But I don't like the sounds of pretty sure. What are we supposed to do if he doesn't go along with your idea?"

"Well... you could always move? Hard for them to kill you if they can't find you." An idea shot through my head. "Maybe in the direction of Falasmaryon. I met someone there who said he was a relative of yours, and he could probably use some support. And I guarantee you that any Temple warriors at Falasmaryon will have more important things to worry about than P- your idiot cousin."

"Falas-" For the first time, I saw Rasamsi lose her air of world-weary cynicism. In its place, blank shock spread over her face. "Missun. You're talking about Missun." She moved forward like a striking snake - before I could react, my wrist was caught in a firm grasp. "You've seen him. Spoken to him. Is he all right? Is he injured?"

I stayed silent in favour of staring pointedly at the unwelcome and uninvited source of physical contact. If we were to have civil conversation and exchange of information, no manhandling had better be involved.

For a moment, Rasamsi's grip tightened. A chill raced up my spine, anxiety rising with it. Had I pushed her too far? We'd been friendly enough so far, but at the end of the day I was still an outlander, an interloper. There was nothing preventing Rasamsi from treating me the same as Beden... or, worse, the way she'd have liked to treat Beden.

Then she let go. When I looked up, I saw that a flush stained her cheeks purple. Embarrassment at her own behaviour, I hoped. I did my best not to let my own relief show.

"He seemed well enough, and uninjured," I said once it was clear that my personal space would be staying free from invasion again. "Mind you, I personally am not sure how long such a state of affairs might last, considering he's staying right next to a fortress of twisted monsters." I shuddered. I'd have liked to pretend the movement was an act, one to help sell Akin's dire situation and need for help. Alas, it was all real - I suspected it would be quite some time until I could talk about Falasmaryon and keep an even expression.

Rasamsi spat a curse. "Idiot man. He's as bad as Manat in his own way. Ancestors' gift to archery he may be, Sul-Senipul come again, but last I checked that didn't make him invincible!" Her breath hissed between her teeth. "I told Manat we should go to Falasmaryon to help. Wonder of wonders, he was actually listening to me for once! But then the so-called noble stumbled upon us, and Manat had one of his brilliant ideas, and we've been sitting here ever since."

"So..." I hazarded, "I take it you'd be willing to let said so-called noble go? Seeing as you'd be able to move on to help your cousin, and any Temple force that reaches Falasmaryon will definitely have other things to worry about than a group of Velothi who've learned their lesson and won't be kidnapping anyone again, right?"

"Me?" Rasamsi sighed. "Yes... I guess it'd be fine by me. But in case it escaped you, I'm not exactly the hunt-leader of this little party. Adairan will go along with whatever Manat says... and Azura only knows what it'll take to get my idiot cousin to let go of this nonsense about a ransom."

My stomach sank. "I... take it simply telling him Beden's not a noble won't end well."

"He won't believe you. He'll claim you're trying to trick him, or something." Rasamsi's voice was gloomy, and heavy with the weight of experience. "It wouldn't even be so bad if he simply accepted he was an idiot, you know? Adairan's no trouble if you separate them - he knows he's not the sharpest arrow in the quiver and is happy to follow the people he thinks are more intelligent. Unfortunately for me, for some reason Manat is at the top of that list. And Manat has to try to be clever."

"Hmm..." I let the sound trail off as I considered what Ingerte would do in my situation. (I steadfastly refused to think would have done).

Although Peacock did indeed sound infuriating to deal with, and I scarcely wanted to imagine what it must have been like to grow up with him, looking at the whole thing from the outside in it didn't seem nearly as hopeless as Rasamsi was making it out. The direct route was obviously out, but... he wanted to be clever, he wanted to feel as though he'd triumphed over an opponent by his wits alone. There were definitely ways to use that.

Ingerte would already have come up with half a dozen at this point, I was sure. I wasn't her, so I could only boast one.

"Can you tell me more about what you found in Beden's belongings?"

"Hmm. You have an idea, outl- Adryn. I'm curious what it is." A pause as Rasamsi's expression changed, brows drawing together. "But before I tell you, answer a question for me."

"Oh?"

"How on Nirn did you end up in Falasmaryon with no shoes?"

*****


"So, outlander! You have seen that we truly hold our captive just as we said. Now, are you ready to pay the ransom?"

I turned to face Peacock, dredging up every shred of acting skill I'd ever had as I did so. It had never been my strong point, I was forced to admit - my face was a little too expressive, never to mention that I was a little too prone to blurting out what I was thinking at inopportune moments. Back in Windhelm, Ingerte - who could have convinced a Vigilant of Stendarr to make an offering to Sheogorath - had taken point on any smooth-talking required. Still, I was hardly hopeless, as Arkngthand should have proved.

Besides, it wasn't as if I was facing fierce competition here.

"Of course, however... I'm afraid I really don't have the money on me. His family wanted confirmation of the story first, before they sent someone into the wilderness with a fortune." I noticed Peacock's brows drawing together and decided to try the magic words. "They figured it was the smart thing to do - I'm sure you understand."

Peacock's expression cleared. "Naturally, naturally! I expected as much, in fact."

Of course you did. "They would, however, obviously be willing to send me back with the ransom if I bring them proof he is here. Such as..." Now for the tricky part. "The guarhide bag he was carrying. Its contents should suffice. Not that they're valuable!"

The last sentence had been spoken with haste, my tongue stumbling over the words, my eyes wide and panicked. Anyone smarter than Varvur should become suspicious at this point, a group I fully expected to encompass the vast majority of the population of Vvardenfell - animals included. Alas for me, Peacock did not seem to be among their number, because he was nodding, mouth already opening to agree-

Thankfully for both me and Beden, Rasamsi got there first.

"The bag with the strange powders, outlander? The ones none of us could identify?"

"Strange- the powders, yes!" I forced a nervous laugh. It came very easily, given the situation. "But- but they are ordinary powders, nothing unusual or valuable about them at all, of course."

Help came from an unexpected quarter. The third Velothi, who'd been listening to this with a growing frown, interrupted.

"If they're so ordinary, 'fraid I don't see how the bag's to prove we have the man captive. Shouldn't you need something like..." his brow furrowed. "A ring, or an amulet, or a lock of hair? That's how it goes in the stories, right?"

Yes, because the stories are definitely a good guide to how things work in reality.

I didn't say it. Instead, I let a hunted expression spread on my face, my eyes dart back and forth. "Ah... well... um..." When my glance passed Peacock, I saw that he was leaning forward, his own eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Well, finally.

"I think," he purred, "that you are trying to slip something past us, outlander. Foolishly so, for - after all - I am Manat Shimmabadas, known throughout the Ashlands for my cunning mind." My eyes met Rasamsi's at that moment, and I had to bite my cheek in order not to laugh. Judging by her expression, that was not what he was known for.

Now, for the next part of the act.

I sighed, let my shoulders fall, did everything I could to project an aura of defeat. "All right, you caught me. Should have known better than to try. I'm really interested in those powders."

"Why? And what about the ransom?" Rasamsi picked up the cue.

"Oh, no one was going to be paying that. He's not a noble, you see."

Careful, now. I could see Peacock's expression begin to close off. This next part would be delicate.

"It was all a front for smuggling Alinorean glow-dust to Gnisis. Very rare." I let my nose wrinkle slightly as I looked at Peacock, allowed a sliver of contempt to seep into my voice. "I don't expect any of you to have heard of it."

Peacock, Nine bless him and his predictable nature, fell for it hook, line and sinker. "What? I- oh no! Alinorean glow-dust, of course I know of it. From... from the Summerset Isles, yes?"

Congratulations, you know basic geography. "Yes, that's exactly it," I said, making sure to widen my eyes as though in amazement. "I see I really shouldn't underestimate you. Well, I'm sure you'll know then that it's highly sought-after, goes for ten whole septims the ounce on the black market. Empire's cracked down on the trade, but we have a buyer in Gnisis, just had to get the goods through the wilderness... we figured that if anyone looked through the pilgrim disguise, they'd be fooled by the Redoran noble act. Of course, we didn't realise we'd be running into such a clever adversary as you. Why, you must have seen right through it."

In Peacock's eyes, I saw a brief battle between truth and pride. Truth lost decisively.

"I- yes, of course I did! Obviously, I knew from the start the so-called Redoran noble was no such thing." There was a choking sound from Rasamsi's direction at this blatant and shameless fabrication. I wished I was standing closer to her so I could step on her foot. "I, I simply wished to see what would turn up. No man would simply pretend to be a noble, after all! Clearly there was something bigger afoot."

Oh, of course, no man would simply pretend to be a noble. Definitely not a poor journeyman from Vivec who's run afoul of an armed group with no reason to wish him well and who's terrified they're going to murder him out of hand. Of course such a man wouldn't pretend to anything and everything that would make him worth more alive than dead. You arrogant fool.

I bit my tongue.

"So," Peacock said, triumph spreading across his features, "I will be keeping the... glowdust."

I schooled my features into an appropriately dejected expression. "Suppose I can't argue, can I. You beat us fair and square." I heaved a sigh. "Will you at least let my friend go? You already have your prize, after all."

Peacock hesitated.

Come on, come on...

"And how do I know you won't come after me for revenge, outlander?"

All right, acting was one thing, leading someone with a vastly overblown sense of his own intelligence around by the nose was one thing, but this was something entirely different. My professional pride refused to let such an outrage pass. "Revenge? Have you lost your mind? This is- it's business, it's not personal! The appropriate response to being outsmarted is not to come after the smarter person with a big stick!" I blurted out.

Thankfully, it seemed this fit into my story well enough, because Peacock didn't seem to become suspicious. I suspected the use of the word "outsmarted" meant he hadn't heard anything else over the sound of his inflating ego.

"Very well, then." Peacock waved a hand. I suspected he was trying for dismissive in a lordly way. He wasn't succeeding. "It seems you have learned your lesson. I can be generous. You may have your companion back, just as I have the prize. "

Relief suffused my body. I kept it off my face by reminding myself that matters weren't quite done yet.

After all, I'd managed to secure Beden's release, but the two of us had better be well away by the time Peacock realised 'the prize' was, in fact, particularly pure and fine-grained sand.

*****


This post has been edited by Kazaera: May 16 2020, 03:04 PM


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ghastley
post Mar 15 2019, 01:56 PM
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But, but, but, .... who's going to rescue that poor defenceless dust? biggrin.gif



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Grits
post Mar 19 2019, 09:41 PM
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Yay, Adryn! That was a fun scene to read!


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Kazaera
post Mar 23 2019, 10:52 PM
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@ghastley - in your response to your comment, Adryn's eyes light up. See! she exlaims. She is too a totally cold-hearted, selfish person, her various rescues simple flukes! Because, you see, sure she is rescuing Beden, but she does not care about the dust in the slightest! The dust, she says, can just rescue itself. So there.

@Grits - am glad you liked it! biggrin.gif Adryn's at her best at moments like these, honestly.

Last installment, Adryn managed to rescue a pilgrim being held captive by Ashlanders via some clever fast-talking: in particular, she managed to convince the Ashlander in question that they were smuggling the very rare and expensive good called Alinorean glowdust through the wilderness and talked him into letting the captive go in return for keeping the good in question. Let's see if she manages to get away before he realises that "Alinorean glowdust" also goes by the name of "sand".

Chapter 18.2
*****


To his credit, Beden caught on quickly and managed a very credible impression of a penitent criminal caught out. He also waited until we were a safe distance away before he said, "I cannot believe he fell for that. Or that you even thought of it, for that matter. Alinorean glowdust, really?"

I shrugged. "He thought of himself as a man of wit and intelligence-"

"-you were not the one who spent several days tied up forced to listen to him crow about his glorious master plan, trust me when I say you do not have to tell me that-"

"-so expecting him to admit he was wrong about something was never going to work," I continued, doggedly ignoring the interruption. "If he was wrong, he wasn't smart enough, you see? But dangle the possibility of outwitting someone in front of him and he'd go straight for it without a second glance." I hoped Rasamsi had taken note, myself. I wasn't sure she'd take to my methods - she'd struck me as quite a direct sort - but she was certainly in need of better Peacock-handling skills.

"Very clever." The tone of admiration in my rescuee's voice made me preen. It wasn't helped when he added, "Thank you, by the way."

"Oh, say nothing of it. Literally."

Beden frowned. "Oh?"

And now came the second bit of fast-talking I'd promised Rasamsi... the one where I convinced their erstwhile captive to keep his mouth shut about what exactly had happened to him.

Alas, the erstwhile captive was not as easily convinced as Peacock. "And why exactly should I not be going straight to the authorities with this?"

"Rasamsi-"

"Because I care so much about the well-being of a woman who said they should simply kill me and be done with it."

I mentally downgraded my estimate of Rasamsi's intelligence. Not only did she have murderous intentions, but she discussed them in front of her potential victim? A poor showing. Not much foresight there. And, of course, I was the one who now had to clean up her mess.

"But she didn't kill you, did she?" I argued. "In fact, she was tremendously helpful when it came to setting up my plan. If it weren't for her you'd probably still be in that yurt." I considered, then decided to stretch the truth a little. "I don't think she meant it, anyway. I think she panicked at the thought that you'd go and tell the Temple there are dangerous Ashlanders in the area that need to be 'dealt with'. In other words, exactly what you're suggesting right now."

Beden sighed. "I do see your point. And it's not as though I want them to die." Thank you, universe! It was always so nice to meet another person who didn't think it was appropriate to get murderous about random strangers. We were far too few in number, I thought. "On the other hand, it's hardly safe to let them keep running around kidnapping travellers, is it? Sooner or later someone will get hurt, and I don't want that on my conscience."

"I happen to have it on good authority that those three are about to decamp for a more isolated region... one where any stray traveller will have much bigger problems than an overgrown adolescent with an overblown sense of his intelligence who's read far too many Isinfier Ionus novels."

Beden burst out laughing. "That would explain it, wouldn't it! A disguised Redoran noble smuggling Alinorean glowdust through the Ashlands wouldn't be out of place in one of those books."

I felt a surge of warmth for my fellow connoisseur of pulp adventure novels. It grew stronger when he continued with, "All right, then. I suppose the shrine curators don't have to know some of the details of what happened to me after the ash storm. Lots of lying down coughing, frightfully boring business all in all."

See, I told an imaginary Rasamsi, there are so many ways of resolving conflicts and misunderstandings that don't involve murdering anyone.

Out loud, I just said, "Thank you,"

"I'm not sure what I'm being thanked for." Beden was wearing an expression of complete innocence. "It's not as if anything happened to me that I'd need to lie about, is it? Only being rescued by some kind Ashlanders."

"I meant it earlier when I said that if you ever decide to switch careers and become an actor, I'd love to know," I responded. "I expect the performance to be absolutely unforgettable." He'd make for an incredible con artist, as well, but I opted not to say that part out loud.

"I'll keep it in- oh!"

The path we'd been following had wound its way through some low hills, making it hard to see much of where we were going. However, it seemed the bend we'd just rounded had been the last, because we found ourselves with a lovely view of the path running straight into the distance...

...up to the point where it met an arched gate in a high wall, two watchtowers on either side of it.

I drank in the sight of Maar Gan, a place which I decided I truly hadn't appreciated as much as it deserved on my first visit. After all, for all its odd and unfortunate problem with Daedra, it still boasted such wondrous things as armed guards, inhabitants in possession of their full cranial capacity, and - of course - my shoes. (Something I could only describe as the bodily equivalent of a whimper came from the general direction of my feet at the thought.)

"I don't know about you, but I for one would like to reach town at some point today." Beden said. "I was planning on dinner in the tavern followed by going to sleep in an actual bed. Of course, if you'd rather keep standing here staring at the place..."

"Right, sorry. Let's go then, shall we?"

*****


"Heroic Ashlanders, you say?" Scarecrow sounded deeply skeptical.

Beden must have noticed as well. Did he let it shake him? Was there a trace of nervousness on his face? No, there was not. Cool as an ice wraith in midwinter, that man - I was beginning to wonder if he had actually been a con artist before turning glassblower.

"Just as I said. I got terribly turned around, then caught out in last week's storm, and then I came down with ataxia to boot... they found me stumbling around, took me in, nursed me back to health."

"He was just well enough to travel when I happened by," I chimed in. "They were worried about him travelling on his own, didn't want to venture near Maar Gan themselves for some reason... and there I was! Serendipity at its finest."

"And that is another part of the story I admit I don't understand. How exactly did you end up in the wastes?" As I opened my mouth, Scarecrow went on, "You must understand the story of the propylon index seems a little... unlikely. No one has ever heard of one behaving in such a way."

Well, wasn't this a familiar situation. Everyone knew a 'propylon index' (and since when had my crystal had a name?) couldn't send you careening off to visit horror-ridden Dunmer fortresses, everyone knew teleportation spells couldn't misfire...

I was in the process of readying a scathing retort when a soft voice interrupted.

"Peace, Salen," Methal said. "Their story holds together. I've long theorised that propylon indices have hidden powers, ones which could be brought forth by... the right person, shall we say." There was a strange gleam in his eyes as he considered me. After a moment, he went on. "And as for the Ashlanders... in this region, those would be Urshilaku. I'd be curious to hear more about your interactions with them, Adryn. I've had dealings with them before."

Methal's voice was mild, friendly even. Unarmed, clad in plain grey robes, sitting demurely at the kitchen table, he looked absolutely harmless. As a result, I really couldn't explain why a chill went up my spine at his last statement.

Scarecrow didn't seem perturbed. Instead, he was clearly lost in thought."Urshilaku, Urshilaku... not highly aggressive, those were the Erabenimsun... were they the ones involved in that uprising twenty years ago... dash it all, I wish Sister Ervesa hadn't left already. I'm a shrine warden, I'm not trained in dealing with heretics. An Armiger would have a better idea of these things."

A horrible thought went through my head. It was one that probably should have occurred to me earlier, although in my defense I had been rather beset by distractions.

"Ervesa said she was going to scout caves and old ruins for danger, right? Do you know where she was going?" My stomach shrivelled into an icy lump. "Not... not Falasmaryon, right?"

"I believe she was planning to stop by - and no wonder, the place is so easily defensible, it's a prime lair for bandits - but if I remember correctly, she wanted to go west to begin. Look into Hairat-Vassamsi egg mine, we had an adventurer pass by headed for there who never returned. Why do you ask?"

I found myself fervently hoping that said egg mine was a labyrinth that took days upon days to scout. "Well. I happened to pass by Falasmaryon... and there are certain inhabitants that I believe anyone who approaches the place should really be aware of." I swallowed. "In related news, do you know what happens to the victims of ash statues in the end? Because I think I do, and I really wish I didn't."

"Salen, pilgrim, out. These are higher mysteries." The harmless priest was gone. In his space sat a fiery-eyed mer so used to command he didn't even bother turning to confirm the two mentioned were following his instructions. (They were, although Beden looked rather taken aback.) After the door shut, he snapped, "Explain."

Well, what could I do other than explain.

*****


This post has been edited by Kazaera: May 16 2020, 03:05 PM


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Grits
post Mar 26 2019, 06:44 PM
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One little edit hiccup: At the end of the first section you have some repetition in Beden’s desire to reach town at some point today.

It was fun to see Adryn and Beden getting along so well. I hope Ervesa takes her time at that egg mine. Yikes, Methal can be scary! ohmy.gif


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ghastley
post Mar 27 2019, 06:15 PM
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I have to admit that the whole propylon index system confuses me. They're unique, and you have to possess the whole set before you can go everywhere, so it's essentially a transportation mechanism designed for one person, but we're never given any clue who that originally was, or why it was made that way. We know it was a long time ago, as the strongholds are in such a variety of different hands at the present.

Without the Master Index, you only get to travel around the circuit, but again, there's no explanation of why that particular circuit was established. It does cover all the strongholds, and each connects to its geographical closest pair, but that's where logic ends. If the strongholds were built to be transit nodes, why are they where they are, or if the network was to link the already-built strongholds, why the strict circuit?

And did Methal have anything to do with it?



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Kazaera
post Mar 29 2019, 09:53 PM
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@Grits - thanks for pointing that out! It has been fixed.

And yeah, Methal can be terrifying when he wants to.

@ghastley - absolutely agreed on the ??? re: the propylon system. I was always oddly fascinated by it while playing, but you're right, it's hard to make sense of. I took this fic as an excuse to really think them through and like to think I've figured out a plausible way for it to work, although it did mean it doesn't function exactly the way it does in-game... at least for Adryn.

Re: Methal, it's true that you should be looking extremely carefully at basically everything he says and does regarding Adryn... but remember we've seen Nerevar working with the propylon network in flashbacks, including using an index to teleport. It sure looks as though this particularly teleportation accident Adryn came by entirely honestly.

Chapter 18.3
*****


I left Methal behind with a spring in my step. Not only was it a weight off my shoulders to have someone significantly more powerful and well-connected than myself aware of the things at Falasmaryon, Methal had said that he had ways to get a warning to Ervesa so she wouldn't wander into the place unprepared. Those things, I felt, justified an elevation of my mood in their own right... but even more, a reunion was imminent that I'd been looking forward to since this morning: that of a girl and her shoes.

Raised voices caught my attention as I passed the door to the entrance hallway. Despite my intention to give the dremora a wide, wide berth from now on, curiosity meant I couldn't resist a peek.

Beden and the dremora were face-to-face, with Scarecrow leaning against a nearby wall watching them. The dremora was doing its best to look as bored and apathetic as usual, but a tightness around its mouth made me think it was finding the expression hard to manage. In contrast, Beden's eyes were dancing, his hands sweeping in emphatic gestures, every inch of him saying he was once again giving his inner actor free reign as he...

...insulted the Daedra?

"-look like the offspring of an Ogrim and a monkey, and I'd thank you to stay on that side of the room so I don't have to learn if you smell like one too. How on earth did you survive in Oblivion when the least churl must be able to best you with their hands tied behind their back- unless they found themselves laughing too hard at your appearance to fight-"

I decided I didn't want to know.

My cot was just as I'd so abruptly and involuntarily left it this morning. More importantly, my shoes were there as well. As I picked them up, I swore to myself that I was never going to experiment with unknown magical items while only wearing socks again.

A short while later found me in the kitchen freshly shod, revelling in the feeling of hard leather protecting my feet once more. Beden and I had missed the dinner hour, but there was leftover stew still on the stove. I hoped Scarecrow hadn't had any particular plans for it, because in a short time it was quite diminished.

"Leave some of that for me, will you?"

I looked up to see Tashpi approach, her face-mask off for once and a hungry gleam in her eye. Quite literally hungry, in this case; she fell on the stew like a ravaging horde, and soon after the pot was scoured quite clean.

"Ah, that hit the spot. I've barely had time to scarf down a scrib-roll, recently." She patted her stomach. "At least now that quarantine's been lifted, I can get some of the others to help with the nursing."

Quarantine? I would have asked, except that I do pride myself on not being stupid (actually not stupid, unlike certain Velothi of my recent acquaintance) and the two and two of Tashpi having no time for me recently and the sick ward being thoroughly off-limits had made for a very definite four. "Lifted?" I asked instead.

"Lifted," Tashpi confirmed. "Thought they had Black-Heart Blight – which did not leave me sleeping easy, that's one we still don't have any sort of treatment for – but it turned out to be swamp fever after all. A real relief, that, even if I'd still like to know how on Nirn someone manages to contract swamp fever in the Ashlands."

As Tashpi spoke, I went to the hearth and poured us each a cup of hackle-lo tea. I'd quickly learned that there was almost always a pot simmering, and Tashpi's rambles along with her trembling hands made me think she needed it.

Tashpi evidently agreed, judging by the way she drank down half a cup in a single go and the long sigh she let out afterwards. "Thanks, that hits the spot." She gave me a closer look. "So... you must have been pretty bored, huh?"

I considered the events of the past day.

...no, 'bored' was not an adjective I found I could associate with it. However, telling Tashpi this would mean needing to explain exactly why today had in fact been extremely interesting, in the curse sense of the word. This did not mesh particularly well with my plans to forget any of it had ever happened.

"Something like that," I said vaguely. "Nothing much worth talking about happened, at any rate. I spent a lot of time doing chores." I felt this was true enough from a certain perspective; after all, I had spent a lot of yesterday and the day before that way, and I certainly didn't consider today's events worth talking about.

"I figured. Well, I have a suggestion for you, for something to do that'd be more interesting than sweeping. Methal mentioned you're good at Detection magic?"

"...yes?" I answered warily. I wasn't sure I liked where this was going.

Thinking back, I also couldn't remember ever discussing my skill with detection spells with Methal. He had to know from somewhere, so it must have come up, but when? I hadn't seen the man that much in the last few days, and most of our conversations had concerned the Temple-

"Excellent!" Tashpi interrupted my musings. "You see, there's been no sign of Mathis Dalobar, our trader, and he should have been here before the ash storm hit. There's a search party heading out tomorrow morning – I'd like you to join. If you're really as good at detecting living beings as Methal said, you'd be a real asset."

Why.

I'd only just gotten back!

"...Adryn, are you all right?" Tashpi sounded rather wary. I guessed my face must have been something of a picture; I decided to fix this fact by burying it in my hands.

"What is it," I spoke to my palms, "with this island and asking me, an alchemist, to do things like searching for lost travellers in the wilderness. You know, the one with dangerous wildlife like kagouti, Blighted guar and cliff racers," to say nothing of ancient fortresses beset by horrors, Velothi turned to kidnapping, naked men of varying races, and similar horrors, "things that you need combat skills to deal with."

"Um. Do you need a potion? More tea?"

"I need to get back to a place where people are sane."

"Right." Tashpi heaved a sigh. "Look, I don't know what other people have asked you to do in the past. On my part, I am perfectly aware that you're not capable of fighting – Methal was quite clear on that point. I'm not particularly good at it either, if you must know, seeing as the Restoration spell school isn't exactly known for its offensive uses. Which is why several members of Redoran will be accompanying us. I happen to know some of them quite well – nice, big, strong mer. Perfect for hiding behind."

I peered at Tashpi through my fingers. Described that way, this plan seemed almost sensible. Needless to say, I was suspicious. "And they'll take care of any fighting? No 'oh Adryn, please handle that Daedra for me'?"

Tashpi snorted. "They're young Redoran looking for glory. They'll fall over themselves to take care of the fighting." She paused. "If you're worried, remind them beforehand that you're helpless and it would be a great stain on their honour to let you come to any harm."

"Well..." Despite myself, I was wavering. I felt I'd gotten something of a feel for House Redoran thanks to Varvur and his father, and I could imagine how Tashpi's strategy could prove highly effective.

Tashpi could apparently sense my weakness, because she decided to capitalise on it. "I should probably mention that the search route will take us past some very botanically interesting areas – there's an outcrop just southwest of town with the perfect conditions for red lichen, and a pool that's managed to survive this long supporting some quite rare water plants. I'd of course be happy to tell you all about them as we pass. Mind you, I don't know when the next time is that I'll be leaving town – I really can't leave my patients that often. Chances are you'll be back in Ald'ruhn by then."

I should probably worry about having such an obvious, easily exploitable weakness. "All right, all right. I'll come. But!" I held up a finger. "The instant those Redoran of yours wander off, or go 'oh, why don't you go first', or do anything that leads me to believe they won't jump on any threat that appears, I'm heading back to town."

"Of course," Tashpi smiled, gracious in her triumph. "We're meeting outside the town gate at dawn."

*****


Notes: For those of my readership who haven't played Morrowind before, this quest description may help you make sense of Beden's interaction with the Daedra.


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Grits
post Apr 2 2019, 08:05 PM
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A search party in the wilderness! What could go wrong?

Thank you for that quest description. I would have had no idea what Beden was up to.

Fingers crossed that Adryn gets some rare water plants or lichen out of her next adventure.


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Kazaera
post Apr 6 2019, 08:50 PM
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@Grits - yeah, there's a few things where I write assuming my readers are reasonably familiar with the game and have played some of the more well-known quests - which is a problem since I have a bunch of readers who haven't! This was just flavouring, but there's a bigger bit coming up in the future where I might have to go "psst, here's a link to this character's wiki page"- I don't want you all to miss out, after all!

Last installment, after finally making it back to Maar Gan Adryn immediately let herself get talked into another expedition to find a lost trader. Bribery via alchemy ingredients might have been involved. Now, let's see how that goes...

Chapter 18.4
*****


It rained that night. I hadn't even realised it could rain in the Ashlands – the impression I'd had so far was that the climate was limited to sun, clouds, and horrifying ash storms – but when I left the Temple that morning, the buildings looked cleaner than I'd thought they could be and the omnipresent ash was dark with moisture.

"Good omen," said the armoured guard I'd mentally dubbed Redoran One (distinguished from Redoran Two by being half a foot shorter and Redoran Three by being female). "Much easier to travel in."

This proved true. Wet, the ash packed down so that we could walk over the top of it with our feet sinking in only a little at each step – a far cry from my struggles the day before. All the same, I found myself more interested in the white blossoms that now adorned most of the trama bushes we passed, never to mention the tiny red flowers that had seemingly sprung up overnight.

"It's such a rare occasion, rain, the plants know to make the most of it," Tashpi explained from where she was walking beside me. "I wish it weren't. Volcanic ash is incredibly fertile – this land could be the bread-basket of Vvardenfell, if only the climate were different. It's true!" she exclaimed at my skeptical look. (There was a lot one might say about the Ashlands, but that they struck one as suited for agriculture was definitely not on the list.) "It's the lack of moisture and the continuing ashfall that keeps the plants from taking hold. But the Ascadian Isles looked just like this after the last major eruption, and now look at them."

"I'll take your word for it," I said, not wanting to get into an argument. "What do you call these flowers, then? And do they have any interesting alchemical properties?"

"They're called Nerevar's Blood."

I blinked. There was something about that name...

What name? What was it she'd said again? The memory of the words seemed to have escaped my mind like water sickering into dry gound.

"No, those are Aralor's Blood," Redoran Two interrupted Tashpi before I could apologise for my distraction and ask her to repeat herself.

"I know them as Firuth's Blood," Methal chimed in from up ahead.

Tashpi rolled her eyes. "Whose blood it is varies by region, all right? Anyway, the name isn't important. To get back to your other questions, they don't have much in the way of alchemical properties, although a colleague of mine claims the petals will intensify certain draining potions if chopped finely and added just prior to boiling. I wouldn't know, it's not the sort of potion I deal with. Not enough of an effect to be worth it for apothecaries, anyway."

"Who cares? At least they're pretty." Redoran One said. Behind her, Tashpi and I traded a look of complete bafflement.

Methal coughed. "If I may have your attention... I believe we've reached the border of the patrols. Is that correct, Llarise?"

"It is, Diviner," Redoran Two said, dipping her head.

"I'd like for us to start actively searching beyond this point. Mathis should have come from the southwest, but he might have lost his bearings in the storm."

Looking at the way Methal effortlessly took charge of the group, it was hard to believe I'd ever thought him low-ranking.

"Adryn, if you would?"

I could guess what Methal wanted. I closed my eyes and fell into my Detection spell.

Time passed as my magicka level dropped. I turned up two nix-hounds and a mouth with legs which Redoran Two called an alit. The Redorans of various numbers did their duty admirably, not letting the beasts near me or Tashpi. There was no sign of a person, though, and although Methal maintained his cheerful demeanour I could see the worry grow on Tashpi's face.

"Mathis is a friend," she murmured at one point. "A good-hearted sort, helped me out of a real bind, a few years back... I do hope he's all right."

The sun was nearing its zenith when I detected two guar over the next hill.

"Wild, most likely," was Redoran Two's comment. "Hopefully not Blighted." The plates of her armour (giant insect, heavy variant) clattered with her shudder.

"Not Blighted," I said absently, mind still on my spell. "They seem quite healthy to me." At least, the feverish-pulsating-wrong quality I still remembered from the guar I'd run into with Gelduin was definitely absent from these two, the flames of their lives a steady glow.

"If you say so." Redoran Two's voice was doubtful, and her hand went to her mace. It was clear that she wasn't willing to take my word for it.

I found myself vindicated, as the two guar were not Blighted. For that matter, they also weren't wild. This could be discerned by the way they made a beeline for Redoran Three, not a sign of fear, anger, or anything other than pure greed to be seen. ("That's what you get for stuffing your pockets with candied ash yams," Redoran One grumbled.) It could also be discerned by the fact that both were bearing leather packs. Near the bottom of each, dark thread spelled out DALOBAR in Daedric letters.

"Well," Methal said. "We appear to be on the right track."

"And something's definitely happened to him." Tashpi was worrying her bottom lip. "He'd never abandon his guar, not willingly. They must have gotten separated."

"Saryn?" Redoran One directed her question at the third of their number, still surrounded by guar.

"Think they were attacked by nix-hounds," Redoran Three, who'd hardly spoken at all so far, said from where he was scratching the bigger guar's head. "This girl was injured, see?" Now that he mentioned it, I could see what looked like a scabbed-over bite-mark on the animal's flank. "But you got away all the same, didn't you? Yes, you're a clever girl. I think you deserve another treat for it, don't you?" Two brown lumps that gleamed with the bright lacquer-like shine that could only be due to sugar glazing made a brief appearance in the man's gauntleted hand, then vanished.

"Guar-mad." Redoran Two shook her head. "He should go become a herder or something."

"If it happened near here..." Tashpi wasn't looking any less worried. "Adryn, you're not picking up on any people, are you?"

I decided she wasn't in the mood to be cheered by the technically true but utterly useless yes – us response. "No. However, if there was an ash storm, and wild beasts, he might have sought shelter. My spell doesn't do well with thick walls – are there any caves or the like near here?"

"Hmm. That's a good idea. I'm not sure, though, I don't usually come out this far."

"There's the Rothan ancestral tomb," Redoran Two interjected. "Dalobar's no relation, and he's not a blasphemer to go trespassing... but in an ash storm, I guess it could happen." The skeptical lilt to her voice made it clear that Redoran Two wasn't entirely sure life-threatening danger qualified as an acceptable reason to set foot in a barrow not belonging to your own ancestors. I found myself suddenly reminded of Skyrim.

Speaking of Skyrim, I really hoped tombs in Morrowind weren't as prone to causing life-threatening danger in and of themselves, by virtue of residents that were disturbingly lively for being dead.

Rothan Ancestral Tomb was tucked against a hillside dotted with dead blackened trees. One of them had fallen right in front of the stone door, blocking it entirely.

"Must have happened in the storm, that wasn't there when I was here last," Redoran One said. Apparently feeling our quizzical glances, she expanded. "My grandmother was of Rothan. My cousins in the clan live too far away to make the journey more than once or twice a year, so I handle a lot of the day-to-day offerings and the upkeep."

"Very dutiful of you," Methal said in an approving tone. Redoran One preened.

"Now, this tree," she continued after a moment. "It's a pity we didn't bring saws- Llarise, Saryn, if you try to help me lift-"

"Actually, if you don't mind, I'll take care of it," Methal said in his best I-am-mild-and-harmless voice. I took two large steps back.

The fire that engulfed the tree trunk burned white-hot, enough that I found myself squeezing my eyes shut against the glare. When I opened them again, the ash in front of the door was slightly deeper than before, having gained some thick dark flakes along with the odd spot of red, smoldering heat. There was no sign of the trunk.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Methal make a wrenching motion with his left hand. The embers went out.

"There! That should take care of that." He sounded satisfied.

The Redorans, Tashpi and I traded glances, united across our very disparate lives and values in the shared thought of dear gods, what is this man or possibly why bother bringing guards when he could just incinerate anything that looked at him the wrong way. Our moment of quiet, mutual understanding – or possibly the word I was looking for was 'horror' – was broken by a faint call from inside the tomb.

"Is anyone out there?"

I was suddenly reminded of Huleen's apprentice.

Unlike the unfortunate scamp summoner, our lost trader proved quite thoroughly clothed when he emerged from the tomb, with shirt, tunic, breeches, fine knee-high boots that would fetch quite a nice sum at a fence, a thick cloak that left me mourning the one I'd sacrificed in Falasmaryon, and the scarf that was so common in the Ashlands – in this case worn loose around his shoulders to display a weathered face topped by lank brown hair. Everything was covered by fine, powdery ash, showing that he hadn't managed to escape the storm entirely. He did resemble that unfortunate apprentice in his gratitude for being rescued, and I suspected Listien had worn a similarly look of indescribable relief.

"The tomb guardians weren't happy, of course," he was saying. "Especially after the storm was over and I still couldn't leave – I'm don't think they considered the door being blocked particularly acceptable as a reason for prolonging the intrusion. Still, they allowed it. I must grant them the appropriate sacrifices in thanks, although," his throat bobbed with his swallow, "perhaps a descendant should take them for me..."

"I'll calm them, and convey your thanks," Redoran One said. She descended into the tomb, past the doorway where the trader had been huddled, with no sign of hesitation; I could swear I saw a skeletal shadow reach around her before she vanished into the darkness. I suppressed a shudder.

I was apparently the only one who considered this chain of events in any way concerning. In fact, judging by the way our rescuee relaxed at the sight, relief seemed to be the dominant emotion. Even Tashpi, who'd struck me as quite sensible thus far, nodded in approval.

"It's only the proper thing to do," she said at my sideways glance. "It was gracious of the ancestors to let him live, since he isn't of their blood. He'll need to arrange for sacrifices to their spirits in thanks once he has the ability, but for now she can speak to them." Tashpi leaned against the stone arch that shielded the entrance to the tomb, as though settling in for a wait. "I do hope they don't keep her too long, mind you. I didn't bring that much in the way of rations."

Standing in the ashy wastes, waiting for a woman to finish thanking some draugr-equivalents for not gruesomely murdering a poor lost man seeking shelter from a storm, for a moment the sheer alien nature of this land pressed down on me. The giant insects, mushroom trees, and floating jellyfish should have made it clear, but I could be a bit slow about things sometimes and somehow it had required everyone's respectful but nonchalant attitude towards the undead to remind me that I was far distant from everything I'd ever known.

Except-

(Making my way across the grassy plain at a steady lope, spear clutched in my hands, eyes trained on the fleeing nix-hound. In the distance, where the foothills begin, a netch herd was floating-

The Dwemer light flickered, casting shadows over the large map spread across the table. My companion paid it no mind, instead turning to me with a grin so bright it could near replace the lamp. "We can do it, friend – if we can trick them to Red Mountain, we can free Resdayn-"

The doorway of the tomb creaked open, the Wise Woman's hand tight where it gripped my small shoulder. I kept a careful grip on the offerings as I took a step inside-

The dremora's voice, echoing in my ears: "Oh. It's you again.")

Somehow, strangely, despite the fact that there was no reason it should, this land felt like home all the same.

A touch on my shoulder. Tashpi, looking slightly exasperated.

"Now that I have your attention, I was asking – there should be a pool of the water plants I mentioned near here. Do you want to come with me to have a look while we wait for Falvesu to finish?"

As if she had to ask.

"Lead the way," I answered, letting the odd moment pass.

*****


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Grits
post Apr 12 2019, 09:18 PM
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You have captured rain in the desert and its aftermath beautifully.

"Very dutiful of you," Methal said in an approving tone. Redoran One preened.

I just love this line for what it says about culture.

Adryn’s sort of memory-daydream was so smoothly done, I love it!


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Kazaera
post Apr 14 2019, 09:07 PM
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@Grits - thanks! I'm chuffed that the rain in the desert bit rang true, as I'm from a rainy climate and was working more off memories of Magic School Bus episodes than personal experience /o\ And I couldn't resist the urge to sneak some worldbuilding in there! I find Dunmer ancestor worship fairly fascinating, so expect to see more done with it.

Last installment, Adryn helped find a trader who'd gotten stuck in a nearby ancestral tomb during the ash storm. Now, the troop is heading back to Maar Gan.

Chapter 18.5
*****


The trek back to town took longer than out, because the trader was still weak from his ordeal. Methal did offer to summon a clannfear to carry him, but the man very sensibly refused. Our speed was further hindered thanks to the fact that the sun was now high enough in the sky to have dried the ash underfoot again. All things told, it was mid-afternoon by the time we, dusty and footsore, made it back to Maar Gan – along the way I found myself deeply grateful for Tashpi's foresight in having brought enough lunch for all of us.

There was still no sign of a silt strider. There was, however, a person I hadn't seen around town when I'd left. Someone I knew but hadn't seen for a while, not since I was investigating Varvur's predicament in Ald'ruhn. Someone where I didn't have the slightest idea why they might be in Maar Gan.

"Jamie!" I left the rest of the group where they were fussing over the trader's guar and trotted over to the Redguard. "What are you doing here?"

My guildmate – one who, I had to note, would have been far more suited to the task I'd been set than my own poor alchemist self, thank you Edwinna – was looking well. She'd swapped out the chainmail I'd last seen her in for the same giant insect style the Redorans were wearing – bonemold, I'd heard it called. I didn't know enough about armour to tell if this was an improvement, but I did note the new suit looked better-fitted than her last.

"Adryn?" Jamie sounded at least as surprised to see me as I was to see her. "I could ask you the same! I've wanted to catch up with you, but I was off running errands and then you weren't around in either Balmora or Ald'ruhn."

"I travelled to Maar Gan Sundas for guild guide business. But I had to stay overnight, and then there was an ash storm, and there haven't been any silt striders since." I paused, struck by a thought. "Although they must be running again, since you're here." If getting dragged into finding that trader meant I'd missed the strider-

But no, we'd been near the strider route for the entire search, and the hills in that area were low. If a strider had reached Maar Gan, I'd have seen it.

And indeed, Jamie was shaking her head. "I walked," she said apologetically. "The strider routes are in complete disarray - Navam's strider fell sick after the storm, he's not sure if she'll make it, up in Gnisis one broke a leg in the fresh ash and had to be put down, and apparently something happened to a strider en route to Suran although no one quite knows what. It's a real mess, everyone in Ald'ruhn is talking about it." She paused. "And... Maar Gan's not exactly the highest priority, you know. From the sounds of it, people were more focused on making sure the route from Vivec to Gnisis through Balmora and Ald'ruhn was running again."

My stomach sank. It was true that I'd suspected something was wrong when the silt strider failed to make an appearance, but suspicion was not confirmation. "You have no idea how much I did not want to hear that." Not when I was getting thoroughly tired of Maar Gan, and when I was worried I was outstaying my welcome at the Temple.

To distract myself from my woes, I asked, "So – what are you doing in Maar Gan, that's important enough you went and walked here?"

"House duties. Ah, I joined House Redoran recently-"

Now that she'd mentioned it, I spotted the scarab of Redoran embossed into her new armour, and the cloth peeking out under her gauntlets was red – House colours. "Let me guess. Athyn Sarethi offered?"

"He said he was very impressed by my conduct through the affair with his son, even after I apologised for not being able to see it through. I've heard good things about Redoran, and I've had such trouble finding honest work for a warrior, I decided to take the opportunity."

"How's that been going?" I asked, interested. I still had no intention of taking up Athyn Sarethi's invitation myself, but there was no harm in gathering information – especially given that Ajira was still considering it.

Jamie lit up. "Adryn, it's amazing. You know what I had to do last week?"

"Oh?"

"I got sent to take care of some mudcrabs bothering a guar herd. And that was it! No blackmail, nothing dodgy involving land deeds, no protection rackets, no innocents being threatened at all! The farmer was happy to see me!" The last fact was expressed in the tone of great awe.

And I'd thought I was traumatised by my various experiences on Vvardenfell. It clearly wasn't a patch on what had happened to Jamie. "I'm... happy for you?"

"And now Neminda's asked me to find a lost trader! Actually lost, actually find, no hidden orders or dirty deals!"

"That's... nice." Then Jamie's words caught up with me. "A lost trader? Um, his name wouldn't be... what was it again... Mathis Da-something by any chance?"

"Dalobar, yes." Jamie frowned. "Why do you ask?"

That, of course, was the point where the rest of the group caught up with me.

"-trust Shilipuran with my own guar," Redoran Three was telling the trader soothingly. "He's the best handler this side of the breedery in Gnisis, I've seen him calm a herd close to stampede."

"That's excellent to hear, my poor Datha and Enys deserves the best of care after I lost all their siblings in the storm- oh, hello!"

Mathis Da-something approached Jamie with the intense good cheer of someone who has just been rescued from a life-threatening experience and is of the opinion nothing can really be so bad in comparison. Or perhaps it might have been a confident man approaching a woman he thinks is rather attractive – it's the kind of thing I have little experience with from any angle, so it was hard for me to judge. "I'm Mathis Dalobar! Isn't it a fine day today!"

Jamie looked at the trader. Looked at me.

"I'd like to point out that I had very little to do with this, all things told," I defended myself. "Only scouting, really! But... look on the bright side. He's not very hard to find right now?"

"Well! It's good to see you alive and well, ser. Alds Baro was worried, and contacted Neminda who sent me out to search for you."

If we were getting a dedicated Jamie, why the search party this morning, I wondered?

"Alive and well indeed, thanks to these fine people here." Da-something gestured expansively. I ducked. "They even rescued two of my guar! The rest, alas, were lost in the storm." His face fell. "My poor guar..."

"Come on, Mathis." Tashpi slung an arm over his shoulder. "They might still turn up. For now, let's get you somewhere you can rest."

Jamie watched them go, still looking rather nonplussed. "Well, that was certainly easier than expected."

"So what's your plan now?" I asked. "Are you heading straight back to Ald'ruhn? Seems a bit of a waste, after coming out here."

"No, Neminda had something else for me near here. Another lost traveller – you do have to wonder if they sell maps here, don't you? A pilgrim, this time. Name of Beden Giladren."

I buried my face in my hands.

*****


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ghastley
post Apr 15 2019, 02:06 PM
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And now you have to imagine how those would have gone if Jamie had arrived a few days earlier. laugh.gif

Are you sure she's still a Redguard? That bonemould is a perfect disguise. They believed she was a Dunmer


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Grits
post Apr 15 2019, 10:09 PM
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Jamie had a mudcrab job! I love it. And Adryn has already rounded up her missing persons. What a fun episode.


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Kazaera
post Apr 21 2019, 05:54 PM
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@ghastley - LOL! Good point, all Jamie needs is a giant insect helm (bonemold edition) and she can try to pass as native.

And yes, Adryn wishes Jamie had turned up a few days earlier.

@Grits - I couldn't resist making poor Jamie go through the early Imperial Legion's (dodgy) and Fighter's Guild (SUPER dodgy) quests. Redoran is proving a very refreshing change of pace for her, even if Adryn seems intent on doing her quests for her.

Chapter 18.6
*****


Jamie was taken rather aback to find I'd inadvertently rescued both of her targets, in addition to a Mages' Guild apprentice. She apparently quizzed Beden on the matter in some detail, or so he told me when I ran into him later that afternoon. He'd rather insisted on pulling me into the tradehouse to buy me a drink (and had been rather confused when I ordered a wick water), which gave us ample time to catch up.

"I stuck to the story, of course, but frankly I'm not sure she bought it."

I sighed. Away from Peacock and company, in particular Rasamsi's murderous gaze, I was no longer so sure lying about that had been such a great idea. "Let me worry about that, will you? Now - you said you really want to continue with your pilgrimage? Because I must admit, in your shoes I'd be halfway back to Vivec already." Well, not actually halfway back to Vivec considering the lack of silt strider service, but it was the thought that counted.

"Saint Veloth teaches us to forge forward in adversity," Beden said primly. "Besides, I haven't even made it to Gnisis yet! I couldn't possibly call myself a pilgrim if I missed out on the Koal Cave and the Ash Mask."

I shrugged. I was slowly getting used to everyone around me being completely insane in ever new and interesting ways. "And you really want to walk it? I mean, there's not much of a choice considering the strider situation," I grimaced, "but considering what happened the last time you travelled somewhere on foot-"

"Oh, do fill me in. What did happen the last time you travelled somewhere on foot?"

I was lucky I wasn't drinking, because my sudden jerk would have spelled the end of any beverage. Beden wasn't so lucky, slopping mazte over his shirt.

"I hope you don't mind if I pull up a chair?" Jamie continued as she approached the table.

"Feel free." Beden was clearly distracted, more focused on scrubbing at the stain on his shirt. "Why do they have to add firefern to mazte up here, it's as if they think House loyalty will be achieved by dyeing your insides House colours... this is never going to come out..."

"So," Jamie said once she was seated and Beden had subsided into incoherent muttering. "I meant it. What did happen the last time you travelled somewhere on foot?"

I'd never been the best at hiding my expressions, but it wasn't as if I was totally incapable, especially given some warning. I'd never have cut it as a thief if I hadn't been capable of acting confused for the guards, and the popularity of certain card games in the undertown meant I'd have spent my entire time in Windhelm dirt poor if I'd been unable to bluff.

"I really don't know what you mean," I told Jamie now, face smooth and not giving anything away. "Beden said he told you how things went already, right? Well, I for one think catching ill in an ash storm and needing to be rescued by passing strangers is quite unfortunate. I'd hate for the same to happen to him again."

"Exactly," Beden chimed in. "Illness, helpful Ashlanders, I really don't know what's left to talk about. Now, if you'll excuse me, I should go pack - I need an early start tomorrow if I'm to make it to the waystation by nightfall. Adryn, if I don't see you around, do look me up in Vivec sometime. St Olms Canton, waistworks level, just next to the Tailors and Dyers Hall. I think I can promise a discount if you should need any glassware."

That was an offer I might capitalise on. There was no such thing as too many ingredient vials and potions bottles for an alchemist.

Also, he owed me the loan of a few books.

"I'll do that," I told him. "And you can stop by if you're ever in Ald'ruhn. I'll be in the Mages' Guild, probably in the library."

After Beden had left, Jamie gave me a critical look. I squirmed. It felt a little as if she was trying to peer under my skin.

"You have been busy," she eventually said. "I'm not actually sure Athyn will believe me when I tell him about this."

I gulped. I hadn't quite managed to make the jump from the fact that Jamie had taken up Sarethi senior's invitation to join Redoran to the idea that they were most likely still in contact. "Um. I don't suppose there's any way I could persuade you not to mention it?" Sheer horror at the idea of the man's likely reaction prompted me to add, "I'll pay you."

Jamie gave me an odd look. "And claim I did it all myself? Of course not. It would be dishonourable. You deserve the credit."

Well, I'd taken Jamie for reasonably intelligent, but it was clear she was among like-minded souls in her new House.

"By the way," she went on, dismissing my suggestion as if it deserved no further consideration, "although I do, generally, approve of rescuing people from unjust kidnapping, rogue summonings, ash storms and... perfectly hospitable Ashlanders," her voice was very dry at the last, "if you want to make a habit of it I'd suggest gaining some combat skills." A pause. "Any combat skills. The Lover's Gift doesn't count. Trust me, I'm Lover-born myself - I should know."

"You are?" I asked, startled. "I hadn't realised."

"Because I don't go around using an ability which has a better than even chance to knock me unconscious in the middle of a fight, which brings me back to my original point. Adryn, if you're going to keep getting into these situations, you need to learn to fight."

"It's not as if I do it intentionally!" I protested, stung. "These things just... happen!"

Jamie paused, reflecting for a moment. "You know, if anything that strengthens my point."

I gritted my teeth. Somehow, I couldn't argue that.

I could, however, change the subject.

"So, what are you planning to do now? Since it sounds like you're out of people to rescue. Head straight back to Ald'ruhn?"

Jamie gave me a look that indicated she knew what I was doing, but would go with it for now. "Seems so. A bit of a waste, seeing as it's two full days on foot, but there's no point in standing around and it doesn't sound like there's much to do in Maar Gan."

"Trust me," I said gloomily, "there's not."

Jamie's lips quirked in a smile. "I figured you might know. In fact... speaking of that. I did come find you again for a reason."

"Oh?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to head back to Ald'ruhn with me? There's really no saying how long the silt strider network will be down, and you don't seem particularly happy to be stuck here. I'll protect you from any danger on the way."

On the one hand, the possible danger even with a trained warrior-

-on the other, not being stuck in blasted Maar Gan anymore.

Had I been speaking of two hands? How strange, because right now I could only see one here.

"Thank you so much," I told Jamie. "When do we leave?"

To be back in Ald'ruhn again!

I knew I'd once had misgivings towards the city - thanks to details such as the ash, ash storms, illicit smuggling ring of mind-controlling statues, population mainly consisting of Redorans, and the architecture meaning it was very hard to shake the nagging feeling that the doorways might decide to eat me - but honestly, they seemed like trifles from this vantage point. Ald'ruhn was a proper city, with proper taverns, shops, libraries, guards who could go search for lost pilgrims without dragging innocent passersby into it, and - of course - a guild hall with a guild guide network point. Ald'ruhn meant civilization. I couldn't help the smile tugging at my cheeks at the thought.

Jamie smiled back at me. Unlike her usual quirk of the lips, this one spread over her face, quite transforming her usually severe features. It suited her, I thought. "I was hoping you'd say yes - it's always boring journeying on your own, and I wouldn't feel well leaving you behind. We'll need to head out in the first hour, to make sure we have enough time to reach the camp at Bal Isra by sunset. Meet outside the Temple?"

We shook on it.

*****
End of chapter


Notes: Another chapter break, I'm afraid - I'll do my best to keep it short, but I still have to clean up a few things in chapter 19 prior to starting to post and the next few weeks are looking super busy for me.

This post has been edited by Kazaera: May 16 2020, 03:06 PM


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Grits
post Apr 22 2019, 06:32 PM
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"Oh, do fill me in. What did happen the last time you travelled somewhere on foot?"

laugh.gif Ooo, it will be nice to have a discount at a glassmaker!

Oh hooray, an escort back to Ald'ruhn! I wonder if Jamie will sneak in some fighting lessons on the way. greenwizardsmile.gif viking.gif



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ghastley
post Apr 22 2019, 10:03 PM
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QUOTE(Grits @ Apr 22 2019, 01:32 PM) *

Oh hooray, an escort back to Ald'ruhn! I wonder if Jamie will sneak in some fighting lessons on the way. greenwizardsmile.gif viking.gif

No need, you can rely on cliff-racers to do that! tongue.gif


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