An Argonian's Account, Haa-Rei's adventures in Cyrodiil Options

[Acadian]

I love the time you lavished upon the flora and fauna during Haa-Rei’s trek west, as forest yielded to plains. Rabbits, deer, wolves, lions and the smell of. . . Daedra.

Eithne stole the show here! How clever of Haa-Rei to think of asking his own Daedra about the fiery scamp-emitting anomaly that he encountered. And the personality, presence and movement you gave to Eithne was wonderful as she gracefully answered his questions.

Onward to Oblivion indeed!

[Darkness Eternal]

The pace in this story is good. You succeed where I fail: word count. I put too much description in my chapters and in the end they go by unnoticed due to the strain it takes just to get by haha. The pacing here is great, the description good as well, balanced, and the character is going through familiar adventures that somehow feel fresh and new.

Rabbit burrows crisscross in a huge underground network, while herds of deer eat their way back and forth across the surface. Wolves stalk the fringes of the forest, while lions creep across the plains. Now, I was there too.

It was a warm day in the forest, but a refreshing breeze blew in from the west as I moved further into the reserve. I took a deep breath, tasting the scents on the air. I could smell deer and rabbit, and another scent which I couldn’t quite put my claw on despite it being quite familiar.

As I mentioned, the descriptions are great. What makes Cyrodiil such a wonderful locale aside from the obvious flora and atmosphere would be the fauna. The wildlife is just abundant, and game never scarce for foresters and hunters; for nature lovers, the butterflies are a sight to behold. You detailed this wonderfully in your last chapter.


Haa-Rei met a known figure, and receives his quest to deliver the amulet to Jaufree. Ah, and a Nord ally! They make wonderful traveling companions. The travel to Hackdirt was ominious, and what'd you expect from a cult-like community of paranoid weirdos.

I followed suit, swinging my sword in a large arc toward his chest. Our weapons met halfway, and the wooden club exploded in a shower of rotten splinters. My sword kept going, slicing the unarmoured torso from shoulder to hip. He fell to the ground like a sack of grain, and shuddered once before moving no more. I picked up my discarded bow and hurried to the ladder, the sound of bare feet shuffling toward me through the caves.

Woah! See, that's why I found those barbarians easy to dispatch in Oblivion. No armor, no training . . . they can overwhelm if in numbers but one on one they're no challenge. In the end he proved victorious.

Haa-Rei's quest takes him to an Oblivion gate and beyond. I guess the smell of Daedra might prove to be overwhelming now that he's through the infernal gate.

Oh my . . . for an Argonian he might feel just how bad the lack of sun, fresh water and life Dagon's realm is. Best to go in, clean through and get out!

[Grits]

I absolutely adored Haa-Rei’s description of the Imperial Reserve. That’s a favorite area of mine.

“Well, it’s bad manners to leave a door open.”

I just love Haa-Rei’s attitude! Eithne is delightful. I enjoyed her graceful mannerisms.

[hazmick]

ghastley- Yep, I wanted Haa-Rei to explore a gate, but I didn't want him to get too involved with main quest stuff. Kvatch soon though.

Acadian - When I think of Flame Atronachs, I picture the Skyrim variant. They way they move is just perfect for a fire elemental.

Darkness Eternal - Word count is always tricky to balance. My English language and literature teachers in school and college spent years telling me to go into more detail, but not to ramble. I'm just glad you're enjoying it!

Grits - It's a lovely area, but it's so far away from...anywhere...that it often gets overlooked. As for Eithne, being a fire elemental doesn't mean one can't also be an elegant lady.



Previously - Haa-Rei continued his journey towards Kvatch, but the appearance of an Oblivion Gate has interrupted his plans. Now he journeys to Oblivion itself, with Eithne the flame atronach as his guide...

Chapter 26

“So this is Oblivion?” I asked as I looked around, my body tingling with energy from the gate behind me.

We’d emerged on a hill overlooking a completely alien landscape. The sky was the colour of blood, with dark clouds sending forks of red lightning to and fro. The ground was dry, cracked, and scorched, with vast rivers of lava being the closest thing to liquid I could see.

Despite this though, the land was anything but dead. Strange grasses and vines clung to life wherever they could, and terrifying daedric creatures wandered around below. Several dark structures could be seen dotting the landscape, and I assumed that the more powerful Daedra and dremora lived there.

“This is the Deadlands. Realm of Mehrunes Dagon, Lord of Destruction, Change, Revolution, Energy, and Ambition.” Eithne explained in her usual songlike voice. I was glad of her company.

“How do we close the gate?” I asked, hoping that we could get back to Cyrodiil, no, Nirn, as soon as possible.

“Each gate is powered by an item called a sigil stone. If we find the stone and remove it from its bindings, the gate should close and you’ll hopefully be transported back to Nirn.”

“Wait. Should? Hopefully? You don’t sound very sure.”

“I’m not. I’ve never seen a mortal attempt it, so it’s just a theory.” Her use of the word ‘mortal’ always made me uneasy, and her blunt honesty wasn't filling me with much hope.

“I see. I assume this stone will be in a prominent, defensible position. Like that tower over there.” I pointed to the structure in question – A tall, dark tower which was decorated with dozens of large spikes. A perfect home for a daedric relic.

“That is a safe assumption.” Eithne began leading the way.

I stood for a moment longer before setting off. I’m not ashamed to admit that I was completely and utterly terrified, to the point where my legs could barely move. Having Eithne with me made me feel a lot better though, and as she twisted and danced through the air my legs began to move and we made our way slowly towards the tower.

We were making good progress, managing to avoid the various creatures which patrolled the wastes, when we came to a river of lava. The molten rock hissed and bubbled as it flowed slowly by, and gave off so much heat that I thought I’d faint at any moment. To cross this river I’d have to leap across several large rocks which spanned its width.

I was half way across when the scamp appeared on the far bank. In the haze of heat and sulphurous fumes I could barely see or think straight, and could only watch dumbly as the creature’s fireball whistled towards me.

Fortunately, I was not alone, and Eithne nonchalantly intercepted the projectile, catching it as one would a ball. Scamps can of course resist fire almost as well as a flame atronach, so even if Eithne favoured violence (which as I’ve mentioned, she does not) it would be a firefight without end. All she could do was act as a floating shield as I numbly jumped between rocks, landing on the other side with sword drawn.

Scamps may resist fire, but their bodies are fragile and a dwarven longsword will make quick work of them. Nevertheless, I was now tired, dizzy, and lightly singed in several places, and we were far from finished with our task.

We resumed our journey and once again managed to avoid the residents of Oblivion until we reached the tower. I knew there’d be no avoiding the creatures within, and readied my bow while Eithne heaved open the heavy doors with a strength that didn’t match her delicate appearance.

The inside of the tower was cooler than the wasteland outside, but only just. Despite being made from what appeared to be heavy black stone and metal, the tower seemed to have poor insulation. I took a deep breath of the hot, dense air, and crept further in. Eithne followed behind me, so as not to give away our position.

The source of heat in the tower was in the next room. The room itself was perfectly round, with what looked like the base of a fountain in the centre. Out of this base rose a pillar of white light, which gave off not only heat, but a shrill screaming sound which seemed to drown out everything else. A dremora stood before the fountain, and I wasted no time in loosing an arrow at him.

It struck him in the back, and he turned quickly with sword drawn. I fired again, hitting him square in the chest. This time he went down, or rather, backwards. He staggered back and tripped on the edge of the central structure, falling into the abyss from which the light pillar rose.

Eithne confirmed that the room was clear, and we moved on. The tower, unsurprisingly, had a great many stairs. We walked up and up and up until my muscles ached and my legs wobbled. Along the way we avoided and disarmed dozens of traps. Traps with fire, traps with spikes, traps with fiery spikes. There also seemed to be an endless number of scamps, who were easily dealt with but managed to drain my energy considerably.

Eithne, on the other hand, seemed quite at home. She danced through the hot air and fire like a fish through water, twirling and laughing as we moved further up the dark tower.

My heart sank even further once we reached the top. A large dremora waited for us. Covered in thick plate armour, leaning on an impossibly large greatsword of wicked black and red metal. A large spherical stone hovered behind him, seemingly being supported from below by the screaming pillar of light. The sigil stone.

“Mortal fool! You are in my domain, and will pay for your trespass!” The dremora roared. His voice sounded like fire and thunder and clashing steel all at once.

I readied my bow and loosed an arrow in one fluid motion, only to watch it bounce harmlessly off his cuirass. Of course it wouldn’t be that easy.

I drew my sword and moved to engage him, but he was faster than he looked. His sword carved a mighty arc through the air, and sent my blade spinning from my hand, across the room, and into the depths of the tower. A large boot kicked me in the chest, and I tumbled backwards. The dremora resumed his stance, confident in his strength.

“You can’t beat him, Haa-Rei.” Eithne’s voice cut through the hot air like a blade. I was momentarily stunned – she’d never called me by my name before. “Go for the stone. I’ll distract him.”

The usually elegant Eithne suddenly changed. Her feet firmly planted on the floor, her fiery body glowed white with heat. The dremora saw the danger and readied his sword as the flame atronach collided with him, sending a shower of sparks whizzing through the air. I took my chance and dashed across the room towards my objective.

I grabbed the stone and wrenched it from the fiery anchor which held it in place. Almost immediately the dremora let out an ear splitting howl. The air grew hotter, searing my scales and filling my vision with white light. Then, everything was gone.

This post has been edited by hazmick: Jul 9 2016, 01:16 AM

[Acadian]

A wonderfully portrayed introduction to the inside of an Oblivion gate for Haa-Rei.

Once again, Eithne steals the show here. I’m glad you are ‘modeling’ her after the SkyFlameAtronachs as Bethesda really did a superb job packing so much presence and personality into them. And, of course, she’s right at home in Dagon’s burning deadlands.

[Darkness Eternal]

So we arrive in Oblivion-specifically-the realm of Dagon: the Deadlands.

We’d emerged on a hill overlooking a completely alien landscape. The sky was the colour of blood, with dark clouds sending forks of red lightning to and fro. The ground was dry, cracked, and scorched, with vast rivers of lava being the closest thing to liquid I could see.

Well, If there's a bright center to the universe, he's on the realm that it's farthest from

Not the best place to go for sightseeing. The denizens aren't welcoming either. Scamps dot the hellish plane and resist fire but cannot endure the kiss of a dwarven blade. Sword fodder, these. Quite the daring action as he and Eithne moved through the tower. I guess flame-wars would go on endlessly with Eithne around. A clever way to make us sympathize with the demonized creatures the mortals call Daedra. I like Eithne already!

Swordless, and seemingly knocked unconscious . . . we are left with a hanger, wondering what has become of our Argonian. My bets is he is taken prisoner by the clan-like warriors. Hmm.

[ghastley]

If Haa-Rei has my kind of luck, he's just grabbed a Sigil Stone that confers Waterbreathing.

His bow being unable to affect Dremora armor is a dangerous precedent to set yourself. You'll need a good reason for his next encounter to work differently. But you've planned for that, haven't you?

[hazmick]

Acadian - I wasn't originally planning to have Eithne accompany us to Oblivion, but I quite enjoy writing about her. Glad to see she's made an impact.

Darkness Eternal- Yeah I wouldn't personally want to visit the Deadlands, but I can see why the scamps like it so much.

ghastley - Not to worry, the bow problem is all in hand. Or rather it will be soon(ish).




Previously - Haa-Rei and Eithne journeyed to the Deadlands - realm of Mehrunes Dagon. After several heated encounters our Argonian managed to get his claws on the sigil stone and was enveloped by white light...

Chapter 27


The mysteries of Oblivion have always been vast and unknowable to mortals, but the Oblivion Crisis (as this period of time would later be known) gave us an incredible amount of knowledge. We now know, for example, that a sigil stone can be used as a power focus for many different conjuration rituals. We also know that sigil stones will trigger a transplanar teleportation when they are unceremoniously yanked from their anchor points that hold open Oblivion gates. In simpler terms – when I grabbed the stone it caused the Oblivion gate to close, and I was spat back out into Nirn.

I landed with a heavy thud on the scorched ground around the gate. For a moment I simply lay there feeling rather dazed, staring up at the clear night sky. Stars twinkled overhead, and the twin moons glowed brightly as if to welcome me back. After a second or two I remembered how to breathe, and began gulping huge mouthfuls of clean air and coughing up the sulphurous fumes of Oblivion.

I was mostly uninjured, but for a few scratches and sore scales. My armour was in a sorry state, with scorch marks covering almost every part of it. My quiver had suffered a heavy singing and most of the arrows were ruined, though mercifully my bow was intact. The greatest loss however was my sword, which was nowhere to be found.

On the other hand, or rather in my sword hand, I had gained something else though. The sigil stone.

It was perfectly spherical and made of some sort of glass material. Within its depths I could see shifting and swirling patterns of red and black. The surface of the stone, which at first appeared smooth, also seemed to shift slightly to match these patterns. It was one of the most captivatingly beautiful objects I’d ever seen, and it struck me as odd that something so pretty could be found in such a harsh landscape.

It also seemed to hum with energy, and as I moved it from one hand to the other, the palm of my gauntlet disintegrated into a pile of ash. Prolonged contact with the stone had simply burned through the leather, and I was thankful that I hadn’t picked it up with bare hands. On closer inspection I realised that it was no longer giving off any heat, so I concluded that it was the initial contact that had done the damage. With that in mind I carefully wrapped up the stone in a piece of tough cloth and stowed it in my pack.

I turned to ask Eithne more about the stone when I suddenly realised that she wasn’t there. I shakily climbed to my feet and looked around, but my flame atronach companion was nowhere to be seen. I tried casting the conjuration spell, but it simply fizzled out. Daedra can’t die, they simply dematerialize back into the waters of Oblivion until you call for them again. So why can’t I call her? Where is she? Could she be trapped in there? I looked at the smouldering pile of rocks that used to be the Oblivion gate, and my heart felt heavy.

My body, however, felt tired, and the night air had grown chilly. I left the gate behind and wandered in what I hoped was a south-westerly direction. I stopped once I found a suitably large boulder, and set about gathering wood for a fire.

It took longer than expected thanks to the landscape of the Imperial Reserve, but I soon had a small campfire and enough wood to keep it going until morning. After several more minutes of rooting about in my pack, I heaved out my bedroll and lay it between the fire and the boulder. It was hardly an armchair in front of the fireplace, but it was as cosy as one could be in such a situation. I munched on some dried strips of beef and couldn’t help but smile to myself. This is the life.

I awoke the next morning feeling rather groggy, and the thick fog that had descended on the landscape did nothing to warm me up. The cool mist on my scales was rather refreshing though, so I woke up the slumbering campfire and warmed myself as best as I could before gathering my things and setting off.

If my calculations were correct then I would be arriving in Kvatch in about 2 days. Unfortunately I hadn’t foreseen my trip to Oblivion or the dense fog that had now slowed me down to a yawning crawl. For 3 days I wandered through the mist, unable to see more than 20 feet in any direction. The occasional sounds of a passing deer or snapping twig seemed to echo through the air, but just when I was getting rather fed up with it all, the fog cleared.

I was standing atop a rather large rock, catching my breath, when a strong breeze blew in from the south and pushed the fog away. Ahead of me I could see the city of Kvatch, and it was burning.

Great plumes of smoke formed puffy grey pillars reaching up into the low clouds, as if the city was holding up the sky. Even at this distance I could see that many buildings had been destroyed. The wind blew again, carrying with it the scent of burning wood, bodies…and Oblivion.

The spines on my head were tingling as I clambered down from the rock and set off at a run towards the city, almost slipping over on the damp grass.

“Here we go again.” I sighed.

This post has been edited by hazmick: Jul 9 2016, 01:17 AM

[ghastley]

It took me a while to remember that Oblivion and Skyrim are almost diametrically opposite when it comes to conjuration spells, and that the inability to cast a spell means the previous use hasn't ended yet. So that would mean that Eithne's still around, somewhere.

I'm still expecting that stone to give him Waterbreathing, but after all the references to how his equipment is scorched to the point of uselessness, it could be Frost Resistance.

[Acadian]

Aww, I hope Eithne finds Haa-Rei. . . or the other way around maybe.

Nice description of the sigil stone - they are fascinating objects for sure.

Oh noes! Not another gate! After what he's just been through, it speaks much of Haa-Rei's character that he runs toward the Kvatch gate instead of away from it.

[Darkness Eternal]

Haa-Rei's Fiery Friend is gone? Most unfortunate.

We also know that sigil stones will trigger a transplanar teleportation when they are unceremoniously yanked from their anchor points that hold open Oblivion gates. In simpler terms – when I grabbed the stone it caused the Oblivion gate to close, and I was spat back out into Nirn.

This says much about Sigil Stones. Have you read Liminal Bridges? Explains quite a bit on the nature of a Sigil Stone.

How relieved he must have been to return from Oblivion to breath the fresh, clear air of Cyrodiil. Being another dimension - another realm- I imagine even the air is different in temperature and heaviness. At least he's whole, with no arrows, no sword but a bow. I suppose he'll need to acquire some arrows.

Through a peaceful night, a cold morning and some heavy forecast of fog, our Argonian at last reaches town that is burned to the grown by Oblivion's wrathful citizens. Back to dealing with Daedra again . . .

I long for a reunion with Eithne.

[hazmick]

ghastley - all will be revealed, eventually.

Acadian - You know how those gates are - close one and another seems to pop right up again.

Darkness Eternal - I have indeed, and it will serve as source material for future sigil stone shenanigans. I love the overly complex language that it uses - very 'mage-y'




Previously - Haa-Rei emerged from the gate in one, slightly charred, piece. After losing several days to bad weather he has finally arrived in Kvatch, only to see it burning...

Chapter 28


My haste to leap into action proved completely unnecessary. I scrambled up the hill to Kvatch, only to find that the city had been saved mere hours before my arrival. Of course I was glad that the city was no longer being besieged by the demonic forces of Oblivion, but I was also a little bit annoyed that I’d ran all this way for nothing. Any selfish feelings I had were soon dismissed, as I learned more of the situation.

A refugee camp had been established on a large, open space about halfway up the path to the city. Several people were busy with sewing, mixing herbs, cooking, and whatever else they could do to keep busy. Others simply stared off into the distance or wept quietly to themselves. For such a large city, there were very few people here.

I handed all of my food to a Nord woman who was busy chopping vegetables to go into a large cooking pot. After thanking me, she began to explain what had happened.

An Oblivion gate had opened in front of the city several nights previous and Daedra had swarmed through Kvatch, killing and burning everything in sight (apart from the chapel, which was seemingly impervious to direct assault). The guardsmen had the good sense to just rescue whoever they could and leave the city, where they regrouped and set up defensive lines in order to protect the civilians. A passing adventurer, who matched the description of the person I was here to find, ventured into the Oblivion gate and closed it. Once the gate was closed, the adventurer and the guardsmen charged into the city (meeting up with some civilians who had weathered the attack in the chapel) and defeated the remaining Daedra. The adventurer (already being referred to as the ‘Hero of Kvatch’) departed shortly thereafter in the company of a priest. They were last seen heading along the road to Skingrad.

I’d found a large boulder to sit on while I went over all of this information, and let out a long sigh. I hadn’t considered the effects of the Oblivion gate that I’d closed, being so far away from anywhere, but this attack on Kvatch was utterly catastrophic.

I thought of sleepy Chorrol, and of Deeh back in Leyawiin. What would happen if they were attacked? Would the guards be as heroic as those in Kvatch? Would a passing adventurer happen to be nearby to close the gate? Then there was the timing – if the Nord had been correct, the gate had opened on the night of the Emperor’s death. Finally, what was the significance of the priest? Was he the package that Jauffre had sent for? Was any of this linked, or was it all a series of terrible coincidences?

“E-excuse me sir.” A small voice pulled me away from my thoughts. It belonged to a blonde haired woman, a Breton, wearing the torn and charred remains of a green dress. A young girl, who I judged to be her daughter due to the striking resemblance, clung to her hand. They were looking up at me with wide eyes, and I clambered down from my rock before replying.

“Yes?” I asked, slightly confused that she’d called me ‘sir’.

“Would you happen to be an adventurer? I-I saw you give your food to the others so I was hoping you would help me with something too. You’d be p-paid of course…” She was clearly nervous, and spoke so fast that I could barely keep up, but trailed off at the end. She looked exhausted.
“What is it that you need help with, exactly?”

“Well I- that is, my daughter and I, were on our way to Anvil when…this happened…so I was hoping to find someone to travel the last s-stage of the journey with. Hopefully someone that would be able to keep us safe from any D-Daedra that may be roaming around…” Her eyes wandered from my armour to my bow, as if she was making sure that I was properly equipped.

My first thought was to reject the proposal. I was here on Blades business, and my target had a head start of several hours in the direction of Skingrad. On top of that, I had no sword – a sellsword with no sword is quite frankly an embarrassment to the profession. Just as I was about to decline, the child spoke.

“If you help us, I’ll share my sweets with you,” She said, and revealed a crumpled paper bag containing some slightly melted candy. “but not all of them. The rest is for Ali.” She had such a strong voice that I momentarily forgot which of us was the child and which was the brave mercenary.
“Who’s Ali?” I asked after I’d regained my composure.

“Oh, that’s Ailinwe. My wife. She’s waiting for us in Anvil.” The woman explained, patting her child on the head. The youngsters input seemed to calm the woman.

Well that was that then. What sort of Argonian would I be if I stood between a woman and her wife, and more importantly between myself and some sweets. Sword or no sword, I would do it.

“Ok then, I’ll get you to Anvil. We’ll set off whenever you’re ready.”

I’d assumed they would take a while to gather their things, maybe have some food and rest before leaving, but after disappearing into a tent for a few seconds they emerged with a small pack and told me they were ready to go.

And so, I set off toward Anvil while the Hero of Kvatch moved in the opposite direction. Even so, I felt as if I was doing the right thing.

This post has been edited by hazmick: Jul 9 2016, 01:17 AM

[ghastley]

Of course Haa-Rei needs to go to Anvil. He needs a new sword, and he shouldn't take one from the Kvatch Camp.

But didn't his mother tell him not to accept sweets from strangers?

[Acadian]

Aww, Haa-Rei has a good heart. Besides, sounds like Martin is in pretty capable hands.

[Grits]

I loved Haa-Rei’s vision of the Deadlands! Too bad about his sword. Uh oh, and Eithne is out of reach.

Whew, what a relief that someone took care of that Kvatch Gate. It speaks highly of Haa-Rei that he was heading in that direction, but I’m glad he didn’t get dragged straight back to Oblivion! Haa-Rei’s interaction with the Breton and her daughter was thoroughly charming. Perhaps Anvil will hold a sword for Haa-Rei. At the least there will be sweets along the way!

[hazmick]

ghastley - Anvils are often the best place to find swords, so who knows what we'll find there.

Acadian - A good heart and a sweet tooth

Grits - Yep, I think one Oblivion Gate is enough for Haa-Rei at the moment.




Previously - Haa-Rei arrived at Kvatch to learn that the city had been attacked by Daedra. Thanks to the valiant efforts of the city guard, many people were saved. Two such people have hired Haa-Rei to accompany them to Anvil...

Chapter 29


“Haa-Rei?” A small voice spoke up beside me.

“Yes, Marie?” I replied, turning to address the child.

We’d been walking for almost an hour, and aside from introducing themselves my companions had been silent. Ordinarily I would have been more than happy to walk in peace, but the young girl (who was called Marie) had been staring at me for the entire journey so far. Her mother, Lynette, was focused purely on the road ahead – keen to see Anvil, and her wife.

“Can I ride on your shoulders?” Asked Marie. Apparently she’d been deciding whether or not I would be a comfortable seat.

“Marie, you can’t jus-“ Her mother began, but stopped when I raised my hand to show I didn't mind.

“Well, I don’t suppose you can see much of anything from down here,” I said, crouching down so I was at Marie’s eye level. “climb aboard.”

“Thanks!” huffed the child as she clambered up onto my shoulders. Her mother smiled and also thanked me. I was just happy to be able to pick up the pace now that it was just us two adults on foot.

It wasn’t long before I found my head turning of its own accord, or rather of Marie’s accord. Her tiny hands were using my horns as one would use reins, steering me this way and that every time she saw something of interest. Things of interest primarily included flowers, insects, and various leaves which I was asked to identify. The child found this entire experience to be utterly hilarious, and giggled throughout my informative talk on the leaves of coastal Cyrodiil. Her mother also laughed, and for the first time she seemed to smile properly, without her usual hint of sadness.

“Have you ever been to Anvil?” Marie asked, tapping me on the head with her new favourite leaf.

“I have not. Why do you ask?”

“We’re going to be living there, so I wondered what it was like.”

“Well, I hear it’s always nice and warm. Lots of people from all over Tamriel visit the port for trade and travel.” I tried to think of things that she might find interesting about a city, but this was the first time I’d ever spent time with a human child and I was at a loss for ideas.

“Is there a beach?”

“I expect so. It’s right next to the sea, after all.”

“I don’t like the sea…but I like the beach.” Truth be told I didn’t like either, but I kept quiet as my passenger began to chatter happily about the pros and cons of the seaside.

Any initial worries I might have had about this journey were all but forgotten. The weather was warm, and there was no sign at all of any Daedra in the area. The guards of Kvatch had done a good job to keep anything from getting past their line.

The only issue arose when we arrived at an inn towards the end of the day. A large sign hung on the door which proclaimed that no more rooms were available, likely full of refugees and other travelers. If I had been alone I could have made the journey to Anvil at night, but I didn’t want to risk it with my two companions.

Marie had fallen asleep, still on my shoulders, so I asked Lynette what she wanted to do.

“Do you think we could make it to Anvil now?” She asked, though she likely knew what my answer would be. Her thoughts had been entirely focused on being reunited with her wife, and being so close must be frustrating to say the least.

“Personally I think it would be a bad idea to continue tonight. Marie is already asleep, so we should set up camp for the night.” I tried my best to be firm but fair, and Lynette nodded in agreement.

I found a suitable spot just off the road, sheltered by a small group of trees. After Lynette removed my sleeping passenger, she fished some blankets from her pack and wrapped Marie in one, and herself in the other. By this time I’d got a modest fire going, though the evening air was warm enough without it.

I almost regretted giving my food to the Kvatch refugees, as I had nothing to give Lynette. I’d eaten only a day ago, and as such didn’t need anything myself. Humans need to eat several times a day of course.

Fortunately I still had my bow, and it wasn’t long before the Breton woman was deftly plucking a partridge. It was mesmerising to watch as she prepared and cooked the bird with the skill and speed of a professional.

“I used to work in the kitchens of a Lord’s house in High Rock.” She explained. “That’s where I met Ailinwe.”

“How come you and Marie are travelling alone?” I asked, trying to distract her from the momentary gloom that appeared on her face at the mention of her wife’s name.

“Ailinwe traveled ahead. We’ve bought a house in Anvil and she wanted to make sure it was all in order by the time we get there.”

“Well you shouldn’t be waiting much longer. If we set off at first light we should make it by noon.”

“Thank you…and thank you for being so kind to Marie. She can be very…forward.”

“No problem. She’s a fine young lady, though I’m not sure how effective my lesson on leaves was.” To illustrate my point about how interesting leaves were, I produced my tea equipment from my pack and got to work. “If you’d care for some tea, I have a delicious blend that I brought from Morrowind. It’s called ‘Ash Tea’, though it has a very minimal ash content.”

I began a thorough talk on the foods of Morrowind and their high ash content (which Dunmer seem to have a thing for) while Lynette ate and drank her fill. A sleepy Marie joined us to eat her own share, then went almost immediately back to sleep. Her mother soon followed her example, and I was left to stand guard.

I took the opportunity to read a fascinating book about Oblivion Gates, which used lots of complicated mage words. I was still unable to summon Eithne, but now I had some ideas about possible solutions to the problem.

These ideas would have to wait, as we set off for Anvil shortly after dawn. Marie sleepily resumed her position atop my shoulders, still partially wrapped in a blanket which gave the impression that she was wearing a cape.

“Are we nearly there?” Lady Marie asked.

“Almost.” I replied.

This post has been edited by hazmick: Jul 9 2016, 01:19 AM

[Acadian]

Before I forget, let me mention your screenshot for Rains Hand. Beautiful, intriguing and eerie. What are we looking at there?


‘Her tiny hands were using my horns as one would use reins, steering me this way and that every time she saw something of interest.’
Gosh there is so much goodness here! You delicately remind us of Haa-Rie’s Argonianness while Marie captures everyone’s heart! Indeed, what a fabulous job you’ve done with her.

’Humans need to eat several times a day of course.’
As ever, I love it when Haa-Rei speaks Argonian to us,

Oh, I hope I detected the foreshadowing of Eithne’s return.

Always a delight to travel along with Haa-Rei.

[hazmick]

Before I forget, let me mention your screenshot for Rains Hand. Beautiful, intriguing and eerie. What are we looking at there?

Thank you. That would be Haa-Rei (In full Tree-Minder regalia) kneeling before a Hist tree (decorated with an Argonian totem) and an Argonian nest. One of the two Argonian eggs there is empty, having hatched.

There are large communal Hatching Pools, but one can also find these smaller nests tucked away in the wilderness. The bright red Hist fruit is always a sign of nearby nests.

[Grits]

Haa-Rei’s manner with Marie was just as charming as the young human herself. As ever I love the remarks that show men and mer as different from Argonians rather than the usual Argonians are the different ones.

I’m a little nervous about Lynette and Ailinwe’s new Anvil house.

[Darkness Eternal]

I love the overly complex language that it uses - very 'mage-y'.

Very confusing, too

For such a large city, there were very few people here.

This alone tells volumes of the forces at work here.

Hmm, late behind Kvatch's salvation it seems. It is a breath of fresh air that this is not the Champion, but perhaps a champion in his own right. Someone did his work for him.

Marie and his interaction was fun.