During Episode 125, Buffy learned from Raminus Polus that her request for aid to Kvatch had not sat idle. Despite other challenges to the guild, Buffy learned that arcane assistance included two battlemages, a recent graduate of the weapon recharging program and reassignment of Buffy to Kvatch. She also learned that Sigrid was now in charge of the guild branch there and had been able to recruit at least one new associate. Finally, Raminus informed Buffy that she had just been promoted to Journeyman, and directed her to report to Boderi Farano for further briefing.
Rider- Yes, believe it or not, Wellspring was only a couple weeks ago in Buffy’s time. I agree that it seems forevvver ago! I’m glad you enjoyed the touch of background on Savlian. Thank you!
SubRosa- Thanks for noting that Buffy was actually clever enough to couch her desires to Raminus in ‘what is good for the guild’ terms. I’m so glad that came through. Buffy will ask Boderi which battlemages she assigned to Kvatch in this next episode, but your instincts are spot on as ever!
Grits- Thanks for noting Buffy’s wandering attention while Raminus was talking to her. I so appreciate your kind words!
Destri- Old business: I appreciate that a couple comments ago you let me know the link for Zerina’s Morrowind tribute had been removed. I inserted another one in there - just another tribute using Call to Magic and less than two minutes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1OWPLYGXvI...feature=relatedGiven the challenges to the guild, I was quite proud that Raminus came through pretty well for Buffy. Yes, Boderi is stunningly perceptive it seems. Thanks for enjoying the touch of background on Savlian. I've always felt that when it comes to a noble and selfless hero, he is the gritty real deal.
Foxy- Thank you for your well wishes as Buffy heads for kisses and kombat!
KC- Thank you! We’ll learn a little more about the other members of Sigrid’s guild. Hee! Yes, maybe Buffy will get an apartment when she next visits the University! Readers: We are so humbled that dear KC crafted a special mod called ‘Buffy’s Apartment’ that she accesses from upstairs in the Mystic Archives – it is simply beautiful.
mALX- Thank you so much for your wonderful encouragement! Yes, lots of pieces are coming together (and a few falling onto the cobblestones).
MyCat- I’ll bet they’re gonna need more tents at the encampment by the time Buffy gets there! Thanks for the nit so I could fix it.
Zalphon- Thank you. Kvatch is a significant part of Buffy’s destiny.
* * *
126 Graduate Work
As the magicka settled over me, I disappeared and took a step back. In my stead materialized the bones of a skeleton that crouched, scanning for a target.
Boderi Farano lightly but rapidly swatted the undead's steel shield with the flat of her short sword several times. In return, the skeleton raised its axe to retaliate.
I surrendered my invisibility and, with a spell, sent the summon fleeing for a corner of the practice room. As I reached to unshoulder Slayer, Boderi stopped me with a raised glowing hand. The painless dispel effect she discharged into me caused my skeleton to evaporate.
"Your spells that combine a summon and invisibility are very useful," she said. Her tone brought back memories of how hard I worked to earn her praise when I was a student. "It can allow you to escape while your foe is distracted, or give you some precious moments to poison an arrow or even determine your next move. But enough for now. I've had you casting spells for almost an hour." She smiled. "Your skill continues to grow, Journeyman."
I grinned at her use of my new rank. "I practice almost every night before bed, just like you taught me."
The Dunmer's elegant brow furrowed in concern. "After our long talk this morning to catch up on your adventures, I'm troubled that you still have no long range magical attack of any real power."
I frowned. "Despite chiding and encouragement from Delphine Jend of my chapter - I mean my
former chapter - my ability with the elements really only qualifies me to work for an innkeeper. I mean, I can warm tea and bathwater, light candles and chill bottles of beer. I can kill a mud crab at distance by magic, but that's about it. Slayer is my long range attack."
"Yes," said Boderi. "I know you rely on your bow, but I was quite concerned to hear that a wraith was able to dislodge it from your hand aboard that shipwreck. It seems your challenge with destruction magic continues to be primarily with the elements. You have truly mastered a pair of other effects from the school: drain speed and weakness to poison."
"You know I've always had trouble with destruction," I pouted, "and have focused my efforts on those two effects - again, like you told me to. They complement Slayer beautifully. As difficult as that school of magic is for me, I fear if I focus on fire, ice and lightning, it will be at the expense of other things. Maintaining all these magical abilities takes lots of time, and Slayer is a demanding mistress as well."
"What about damage health, Buffy?" There is a relationship between restoring health and taking it away. Even though damaging health is a destruction effect, I wonder if your considerable skill in restoration can help here?"
"You forget, my mentor, that my real skill with restoration is the laying on of hands. Yes, I can restore, absorb or even destroy health with equal ability, but not without the physical connection of touch." I shook my head. "Without Slayer, I must convince distant foes to fight each other, or summon a helper who can cast more effective elemental spells than I. Although close range terrifies me, I can deal magical damage much more effectively there. If I am out of arrows, Slayer is knocked from my hand or when I am fighting under water, my touch spell that combines paralyze and absorb health is very helpful. Of course, that assumes I can stay on my feet or at least remain upright if under water."
"Have you considered the long range special healing power offered by the Ritual birthsign stone?" she asked. “Perhaps that could coax some distance out of your absorb or damage health spells?”
"I have," I replied, "but I won't give up my dancing cobra provided by the Serpent stone. It has saved my life too many times. It’s a fine ranged attack actually, but I can only use it once a day.”
"Then, you must learn to summon more powerful helpers. What about learning to call forth a clannfear? They are almost as fast as an arrow."
"No!" I shuddered. "They scare the pee out of me, Boderi. Only by fighting them in Peryite's Pits was I able to learn to control my terror of being eaten by clannfears. Even though I'm going to Kvatch to kill them, they still sometimes give me nightmares. Besides, my skill with conjuration is not enough to summon powerful helpers for very long."
Boderi looked at me pensively. "I submit that if a clannfear inspires terror in you, it can have the same effect on your foes. That particular Daedra is everything that you are not: strong, heavily armored, fearless and attacks instinctively in a flash without having to think or formulate a plan. Just keep it in mind for the future. In the meantime, I know how we can improve your skill with conjuration." She pointed to my leg. "Give me your hunting knife and sheath."
Not questioning the one who had trained me as a mystic archer, I undid my thigh straps and wrapped them around my sheathed hunting blade. I then presented the tool to Boderi, who placed it in a nearby chest.
"Summon a small blade," she ordered.
I thought about the spell for a moment, then lifted a glowing fist. I opened my hand briefly to release the magic, then closed my fingers around the delicate handle of an elven dagger that appeared.
Boderi lifted an eyebrow. "I see you did not purchase Edgar Vautrine's cheap bound dagger spell."
"Oh no," I replied. "Alberic Litte sold me this spell in Chorrol when I was there long ago for my University recommendation. He suggested that an elf should summon elven weaponry."
After a chuckle, Boderi said, "Use that when you need to cut your arrows free or other chores requiring a knife. I want you to craft a longer spell so it will last for whatever task you require. Over time, your conjuration skill will improve effortlessly." She smiled. "And unlike a permanent knife, you don't have to clean it when you're done."
My brief spell expired and the elegant dagger evaporated into a puff of yellowish vapor. "I will do as you say, Boderi. In fact I have quite a list of spells to craft before I leave for Kvatch. Some are new, but many are just more powerful versions of ones I already use."
"Good. I also want you to see Borissean today. He has been working with a whole suite of utility bound item spells. Simple things like towels, cups, torches and repair hammers. Get him to teach you some of those spells; using them will reduce what you must carry in your pack while further improving your conjuration skill." After I obediently nodded, she continued, "Now, have you made any progress at casting from other than a standing position?"
"Yes, I can now cast a spell if I am crouched, but not sitting, lying down or even kneeling."
"I know very few mages who can cast a spell from a chair or bed, but over time, you should be able to cast while kneeling," she said. "When you practice your spells, try it from one knee first and experiment with differing foot positions. If you're badly hurt it is much easier to get to your knees than your feet."
"You're right, Boderi. I almost couldn't get to my feet when that Khajiit archer's arrow knocked me down at Fort Grief."
"Exactly," said the Dunmer. "Now, let's go work on those new spells you were talking about."
Side by side, we left the practice rooms.
"So," I chirped as we walked toward the Praxographical Center, "is my friend Cassius Vinipter one of the battlemages you sent to Kvatch? Or maybe Fithragaer?"
"No," replied Boderi. "Cassius is needed here at the University and Fithragaer is with one of our necromancer hunting teams. I selected Arielle Jurard and Roliand Hanus for this assignment."
"I worked with Arielle and Roliand during my Anvil recommendation. It'll be nice to see them again," I said. "Do you know anything about Sigrid's new associate?"
"Not much, Buffy. Only that he is an Argonian named Dreelius and, according to Sigrid's report, has some skill with destruction magic."
After a chuckle, I said, "Given my own deficiencies in that area, perhaps he will help round out our branch."
Upon entering the Praxographical Center, we selected a spellmaking altar. "Now," said Boderi, "what's on that list of spells you wish to create?"
"My first one is a preparatory spell that I envision chasing with a broadhead arrow," I replied. "By combining drain speed and disintegrate armor, I hope it will briefly immobilize a foe, preserve my stealth and allow penetration of heavy plate if I run out of armor-piercing arrows."
With a running commentary from my mentor, I crafted several of the more complex spells on my list. As I got to the simpler ones, I was able to concentrate less on the altar and talk more to the Dunmer. "What can you tell me about this recharging graduate that Raminus assigned to Kvatch?"
"Raccan is a superb addition to Sigrid's branch," began Boderi. "He is older than most students we see, for he was trained in Hammerfell as a master of the blade before joining the guild. He carries with him the distrust of casting spells that quite a few of his race do, so the weapon recharging program was a good fit for him. As you know, the calling of recharger precludes any spellcasting. He became a skilled alchemist while here though, as many with his specialty do."
"He sounds a lot more hands on than my friend Ita Rienus who recharges weapons in Bravil," I said, pausing with my hand on the altar's controls to look at Boderi.
"Indeed," she replied. "He can fight with an enchanted sword at close quarters, a staff at range, and recharge both in combat. He is also no stranger to heavy armor. All that, combined with his ability to make combat potions and poisons, render him quite the 'fighting recharger'. Raminus chose wisely, for Raccan is no parchment prince."
"He left for Kvatch with quite a bit of enchanted weaponry," I remarked. "That's what Raminus told me anyway."
Boderi nodded. "Several powerful shock staves. One for him, another to replace Sigrid's staff which she left inside the city, and some spares. Raccan selected shock because it tends to be quite effective against Daedra. He was also loaded up with a heavily feathered bundle of numerous enchanted blades for differing purposes." After a moment, Boderi added, "I know you’ve a busy day still ahead of you, but there were some items that Delmar couldn't finish crafting for Kvatch before Raccan left. I'd like you to stop by the Chironasium and pick up a satchel of rings that have been enchanted with fire shield."
"Oh, I'll do that," I replied. "Those rings sound like a great idea."
"When are you leaving?" she asked.
"Tomorrow morning," I said, a lump beginning to form in my throat.
Boderi's smile was bittersweet. "I'm proud of you my little butterfly. You still have the spirit of a dragon. I wish I could. . . well, I'm needed here."
"I know, my friend. Raminus told me. It may be awhile before I can return and I will miss you terribly. I'm also going to miss my guild mates in Bravil. I know however, that Sigrid will be a fine guildmagister and am encouraged by what you tell me of those in my new branch." Swallowing hard, I turned my attention back to the altar and said, "Like my new night eye spell, I'll make the light effect on this one last much longer than I could ever need. The powerful dispel-on-self spell I just made should be able to plunge me right back into darkness at a moment's notice. You were right, Boderi, I can make utility spells that last much longer now. I no longer need to carry torches, a hunting knife, or even rings for illumination or working around water."
The Dunmer's hands found their way to her hips. Ruby eyes sparkled with moisture. "Delmar has told me about your pack. The elimination of those items doesn't necessarily mean you need to buy more shoes and clothes."
This post has been edited by Acadian: Aug 27 2011, 03:10 AM