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

[hazmick]

Acadian - Shopping breaks are one of the most important parts of an adventurer's life, as I'm sure Buffy would agree

ghastley - I wonder what would happen if a warm Altmer and a chilly vampire Dunmer stood too close to each other. A Bosmer thunderstorm?



Previously - Haa-Rei and Cirinwe further discussed the Hist, as well as their own relationship, and spent the following morning at the market. However, a mysterious map heralds a new adventure...

Chapter 66



The last time I’d seen Trivea had been on Solstheim, after living under her protection for several weeks while she helped me control my lycanthropy. I was looking forward to seeing her again, but I was also curious to learn why she felt the need for all the secrecy.

I would soon learn why, but before we could head outside the city, Cirinwe needed to put her armour on. It was no simple task, with more straps and buckles than an entire Imperial legion. The first layer of armour was a leather bodysuit, similar to those worn by assassins, with a light feather enchantment to make the following layers of equipment a little lighter. On top of this was a shirt of chainmail, with thicker leather padding in certain areas to make it more comfortable, a pair of thigh high leather and steel boots, and a skirt of thick leather pteruges. The final layer was the various bits of steel that formed the bulk of the armour, made up of overlapping plates which glowed dimly with various enchantments. The vine-patterned donations from the Blackwood company were still unenchanted, but looked very impressive.

“That’s better.” Cirinwe smiled as she flexed her fingers experimentally in her gauntlets. She looked much more comfortable in her armour than she did out of it.

“That was exhausting.” I took a seat on the edge of the bed and wriggled into my own armour, which was a significantly easier task and required no extra pairs of hands.

“So we know who this map leads to, but do we know where exactly?” Cirinwe looked at Trivea’s vague map again, which I had already compared to my own.

“The only thing out there is a pile of stones where a house used to be.” I had explored the area many times before, and couldn’t think why Trivea had chosen such a location.

“I suppose we’ll find out soon enough.” Cirinwe handed me my bow, picked up her sword, and lead the way outside.

The earlier bustle from the market had died down now, though there were a few people still wandering around in the warm sun. Cirinwe and I crossed town quickly and headed out through the east gate. It was only a short journey to the coast and the ruined house.

“Well…she’s definitely been here,” I raised my nose to the wind, catching Trivea’s scent. “but she’s not here now.”

“Maybe she’s left a clue?” Cirinwe said hopefully.

“Let’s look around.” I nodded, and we split up to search the area.

The house had been demolished long before I came to Leyawiin, and I wasn’t sure that anyone even knew it had ever existed. Piles of stone in the water nearby suggested that before the house, a larger structure had stood watch on the coast, but the sea had claimed it long ago.

“I’ve got something!” Cirinwe called out from behind some rocks, and I hurried over.

Hidden amongst the rocks and bushes was a trapdoor, possibly the cellar of the older structures. Unfortunately it was locked from the inside, with no outer lock for me to pick. More importantly, however, were the rocks themselves – and the symbols scratched onto them.

“This looks…elven?” The letters resembled those I’d seen in Ayleid ruins, and had recently been scrawled onto the stone.

“Vea Garlas,” Cirinwe read over my shoulder, “it’s Ayleidoon for ‘sea cave’.”

“Have you tried out the ring of Rumare yet?” I asked, looking out towards the submerged ruins.

“No, but I assume that’s about to change.” Cirinwe removed a gauntlet, revealing the ring underneath.

When we arrived at the water’s edge Cirinwe dipped her hand in, causing the ring to glow brightly. With the enchantment active, she proceeded to walk carefully into the sea. Wherever the water touched her, a thin blue barrier appeared and kept her dry.

“Must be nice.” I muttered, pulling off my boots. Once I had stripped down to my greaves, I waded in to join her.

“This is amazing, though I’m not sure it’ll help me swim.”

“True. I’ll have a look around first.” I took one last look at the shore to get my bearings, then dove off the rocky outcrop and into the deep.

It was a surprisingly sudden drop, in no small part due to the amount of rubble that littered the shore. Even though she could breathe underwater, Cirinwe would have trouble moving in her armour, or seeing where she was going. I had no such problems, and quickly found a small cave entrance. After going back for Cirinwe, I lead her to the entrance, glad to learn that the ring gave her some degree of buoyancy to help her move around. After swimming through the cave, we emerged into a relatively dry cavern, and I quickly dressed myself before proceeding.

“Took you long enough.” A voice spoke from the shadows ahead.

“Lurking in a shadowy lair, Trivea? You’ve read too many bad adventure novels.” I focused my eyes on the spot where her scent was the strongest, and sure enough the Dunmer soon emerged, the shadows clinging to her like cobwebs.

For a few moments she simply stared at me, her red eyes burning like coals, but then the mask slipped and she broke into a smile.

“It’s wonderful to see you again, my dear. Oh, and you even brought lunch.” The vampire slinked forward to stand in front of Cirinwe. The pale shape of Trivea could not have been more different to the gold-skinned Cirinwe.

“Haa-Rei has told me so much about you, it’s a pleasure to finally meet.” The Altmer smiled brightly, showing no signs of being intimidated.

“I like her.” Trivea smiled as she turned to me, leading us further into the cave. The tunnel soon opened up into a large room, which featured several comfortable chairs. I didn’t ask how Trivea had got them in here.

“Well now that that’s out of the way,” I sighed as we all sat down, “perhaps you could tell us at this is all about.”

“Yes, sorry for all the cloak and dagger. I need your help with something.” Trivea lounged casually in her chair, but I could tell that whatever she needed help with was causing her some concern.

This was going to be interesting.

[ghastley]

Hasn't he learned about "interesting" yet?

Someone might get cruor on their pteruges!

This post has been edited by ghastley: Mar 31 2017, 07:06 PM

[Acadian]

In truth, the name Trivea from your last episode did not trigger recognition. When your first paragraph of this episode reminded us of her role and who she was, the Dunmeri vampire and Haa-Rei’s hunting and lycanthropy lessons all came back clearly – well done and timely review of who she is.

I enjoyed the recognition that Cirinwe’s heavy armor is complex and cumbersome enough that having help putting it all on and together would be very appropriate and welcome.

I learned only recently in ESO that ‘Ayleidoon’ is indeed what the Ayleid language is called. Neat to see you use that term.

I love your descriptions of the ring and watery transit into the cave where they found Trivea.

“It’s wonderful to see you again, my dear. Oh, and you even brought lunch.” The vampire slinked forward to stand in front of Cirinwe. The pale shape of Trivea could not have been more different to the gold-skinned Cirinwe. ‘ - -

[hazmick]

ghastley - adventurers never learn

Acadian - the amount of straps, buckles and bits of metal on Ciri's in-game gear is incredible. Definitely not something she can just slip in and out of.



Previously - Haa-Rei and Cirinwe followed the clues and eventually found Trivea's lair...

Chapter 67



“It’s a…delicate situation.” Trivea began.

“Go on…” I encouraged her, keen to hear the story.

“Well, an acquaintance of mine in Anvil needs your help. She has reason to believe that a slaver has taken control of the port authority.”

“Taken control how?” I asked.

“I don’t know all the details,” Trivea shrugged, “just that my friend wants to take this slaver out of business and make sure any slaves he owns are safe, without causing too much fuss in the town. With your prior experience, you’d be perfect for the job.”

“Wouldn’t this be better dealt with by the authorities?” Cirinwe asked, looking concerned.

“They’re too busy with oblivion gates and politics right now. Besides, the dockmaster is the authority, and he’s in the slaver’s pocket.”

“I’ll help your friend.” I decided. If Trivea thought it significant enough to ask for help, it would be worth doing. More so if this person actually was involved in slavery.

“Thank you my dear. Here are the details,” Trivea produced a scroll and handed it to me. It contained information about her friend, and where to meet. “now, what do you need help with?”

Cirinwe and I explained the situation regarding my lycanthropy, and the ever-increasing strain I was being put under. Trivea listened, and asked various questions, before vanishing into a side room and returning with several books. Her slim, grey fingers flicked through the pages with practiced ease, until she found what she was looking for. She frowned.

Cirinwe reached under the table and took one of my hands in her own. Her golden skin was warm to the touch. I wasn’t sure which one of us was more nervous.

“Something serious?” I asked anxiously.

“Yes and no. The wolf spirit is getting stronger as we approach the next Bloodmoon, and will most likely take control then. This will also be an opportunity for you to contact Hircine, though, which might be your only option.”

“How long until the Bloodmoon?”

“A few days.”

“Then I’d best not waste any time. Hircine’s shrine is to the north.”

“I’ll meet you there.” Trivea also decided.

“You will?” I asked, surprised. It was most unlike her to leave her lair for anything other than personal business.

“Of course. If you’re going to talk to Hircine, I’d like to be there. It will be very interesting to watch.” The Dunmer winked cheekily, though I was still not convinced.

“Alright then, we’ll meet you there. Thank you, Trivea.”

“Don’t thank me yet, you might still die.” The vampire smiled cheerfully, and escorted us to the exit.

The trapdoor was a much better way out than the sea cave would have been. Cirinwe and I quickly made our way back to Leyawiin, both deep in thought. No doubt the idea of a slaver running around Anvil was causing Cirinwe some concern.

When we got back to the house, we found it empty. Deeh was most likely at the tavern, so I wrote him a note to more-or-less explain the situation while Cirinwe packed some provisions for the journey.

“I’m not sure how far we’ll get today, since it’s already getting pretty late.” I peered out of the window at the sky, which was almost too cloudy to see the afternoon sun.

“The sooner we leave, the sooner we’ll get there. I don’t think this is something we want to be late for.” Cirinwe shouldered her pack and adjusted the straps on one gauntlet.

“It’s certainly going to be an experience.” I smiled, making sure my own gear was all ready.


We made camp only a few hours later, a little ways off the road between Leyawiin and Bravil. A ruined farmhouse made for a comfortable shelter, and I summoned Eithne to keep watch. The atronach was very happy to be there, and seated herself right in the campfire. The three of us chatted for a while, before Cirinwe went to sleep.

“Meeting a daedric prince, hm?” Eithne asked into the night.

“Yes. Any tips?” I was only half-joking.

“Be polite.” The flame atronach suggested, a flurry sparks floating into the air as she adjusted her seating position.

“I’d have thought that went without saying.”

“You’d be surprised. Lots of mortals have very poor manners, especially mages.” Without any facial expressions it was difficult to tell if she was joking or not.

“Hircine will want an offering too, right?”

“Of course. Perhaps an animal pelt?”

“That’s a good idea. Keep an eye on things here for a bit, Eithne. I’m going for a walk.” I glanced at Cirinwe, who was still fast asleep, and picked up my bow.

“Please be careful, master.” Eithne made a show of stretching her arms, looking very relaxed. I smiled and stepped quietly into the undergrowth.


It was a dark night, the moons obscured by thick clouds. Fortunately the ground was dry, and I could easily make out dozens of different animal tracks. Deer, boar, wolf, dreugh. What would Hircine prefer? Would wolf be alright, or would that offend him?

The decision was made for me a short while later. The wolf tracks I’d been following lead to a large clearing, and the carcass of a large elk. The wolves were long gone, but as I examined the elk, a rustling behind me heralded the arrival of my prey.

A large bear, with fur so light it was almost golden. A male, judging from the sheer muscle mass, looking to scavenge what it could.

As soon as the beast saw me it growled a throaty challenge, there would be no sneaking away.

“Well I hope Hircine likes bear.” I sighed, readying my bow.

[ghastley]

I had to go read how the standard Oblivion Daedric quest runs, in anticipation of this. My own game has had it modified for a long time, and I've almost forgotten the original.

Hope that Haa-Rei enjoys the experience.

You've got me wondering if Eithne's presence is just background colour, or if there's an upcoming role, too.

[Acadian]

Aww, Ciri and Haa-Rei nervously holding hands as they wait to hear what the vampire wants.

I know that Haa-Rei considers Trivea a friend so was not surprised that he readily accepted her request for help. Then I was pleased to learn that Trivea returned the favor with advice for the reptilian werewolf and that she would even make an appearance at Uncle Hircine’s shrine.

Golden bear it is to be then? Should make a fine offering.

[hazmick]

ghastley - I'm afraid my version of Hircine's quest won't make as much use of bedrolls and nude Bretons as yours, but it won't be base-game either.

Acadian - Yep, Haa-Rei has absolute trust in Trivea. She's several thousand years old, after all, so she knows what she's doing...probably.



Previously - Haa-Rei and Cirinwe met Trivea, who suggested that Haa-Rei's lycanthropy control problems may be caused by the approaching bloodmoon. With this information in hand, Haa-Rei and Cirinwe set out for Hircine's shrine. One night, while exploring the woods, Haa-Rei encounters a large bear, and a confrontation is inevitable...

Chapter 68



I managed to loose an arrow in the bear’s flank before I had to leap out of the way. A massive paw carved a deep gouge in the ground where I’d been standing. Using trees for cover, I fell into a steady rhythm of shooting and moving. Since Eithne was back at camp, I couldn’t summon Thiazzi for assistance and had to rely entirely on my bow.

I was surprised at the bear’s initial aggressiveness. Usually a bear at this time of year would be happy to go about its business, yet this behemoth had attacked first. It could spin around quickly, and its arms gave it an impressive reach.

Another paw crashed into a sapling several feet away, snapping the frail branches with ease. My limbs were only slightly sturdier, and would no doubt share a similar fate if I was caught.

Eventually, breathing heavily, the bear paused its assault. It was bleeding from a dozen arrow wounds, and steam rose off its body in the cool night air. I could see that its muscles were tense, ready to strike, and readied by bow for a final attack.

The creature moved faster than expected, but I was ready. My arrow lanced through the air to meet the oncoming mass of fur, and planted itself in the bear’s neck. I slumped to the ground, exhausted, as the bear toppled over. The tree behind me wept sap from a deep set of claw marks – too close for comfort.


With the hunt complete, all that was left was to take the pelt. It was a difficult task, and my arms felt like stone as I willed them to keep moving. Most of my arrows were too damaged to be of use after retrieval, but what caught my attention the most was what wasn’t mine. A crossbow bolt, lodged deep in the bear’s shoulder.

“I’m not the first hunter you encountered this evening.” I muttered, examining the bolt. It had a steel head, designed for puncturing armour and no doubt extremely painful for the bear to carry around. No wonder it had been so aggressive.


I put the bolt to one side as I finished removing the pelt. After that I started on the meat, not wanting to leave anything behind. It was a significant amount of work for one tired Argonian, but after a while I noticed that I had company.

Several pairs of eyes peered at me from the shadows, the pack of wolves I’d originally tracked here. I stood up slowly as a particularly large pair of wolves, no doubt the alphas, emerged from the gloom. There was no way I could carry all of this meat with me, and they looked like they could use it.

I quickly and carefully gathered my belongings, and the pelt, and left the clearing. The alpha wolves wasted no time in starting their meal while the rest of the pack explored the area, waiting for their turn to feed.

Back at camp, I hung the pelt on a nearby branch to dry. After chatting with Eithne for a few minutes I bid her goodnight and flopped down onto my bedroll, too tired to even take off my boots. A few moments later an arm appeared around me, and I felt Cirinwe bury her face in my feathery head spines. I fell asleep almost immediately.


The following morning, my arms still ached. Unfortunately there was still work to do, as I had to clean the bear pelt to make it easier to carry. It would also improve the smell, which was a bonus.

“Let me take over, you look as if your arms are going to fall off.” Cirinwe had been watching me intently for a while now, and gestured for me to hand over the knife.

“Do you know what you’re doing?”

“I think so.”

Just to be sure, I spent a few minutes going over everything with her. She took to it very quickly, and was soon humming happily to herself as she worked.

I had de-summoned Eithne earlier that morning, so our campsite was very peaceful with just the two of us. I had enjoyed seeing Deeh back in Leyawiin, but there was truly nothing better than being out in the forest. We spent an entire day working on bear pelt, meat, and claws, until we were both exhausted.

The next day, at Cirinwe’s insistence, we found a secluded pool of water where we could wash away some of the musky bear smell that clung to us both. I averted my eyes while Cirinwe undressed and carefully stepped into the water, my attention was instead focused on the crossbow bolt I had retrieved from the bear’s shoulder.

I felt…angry at the thought of anyone shooting an animal and then leaving it to wander off. If the bear hadn’t encountered me, who knows who might have been hurt or killed? There were hundreds of small farms and villages in Cyrodiil that weren’t equipped to handle such a beast, and with Oblivion gates popping up all over the countryside, there were less guards on the roads too.

“Are you coming in or not?” Cirinwe interrupted my thoughts with a splash of cold water.

“No thank you, I’m quite happy here where it’s warm and dry.”

“I thought Argonians liked swimming.”

“Not this one. Besides, the water’s cold.” I dipped the tip of my tail in experimentally, and swiftly withdrew it. The rocky pool was sheltered overhead by trees, and had no sun to warm it up.

Cirinwe laughed and splashed me again before returning to her swimming. The water was almost perfectly clear, and I realised that this was the first time I had seen her in such a state of undress. I could see that as well as her face, almost half of her torso was covered in burn scars, as well as both arms from fingertip to elbow. The rest of her golden skin was completely free of blemishes, which was quite a striking contrast. I suddenly realised that I was staring, and quickly turned my attention elsewhere.

After Cirinwe was sufficiently bathed and I had reluctantly washed the smell of bear from my hands in the chilly pool, we made camp. Despite the urgency of our journey, we’d spent two days in the forest without much progress, and yet I couldn’t say that they’d been wasted. Barring any further distractions, we would make it to Hircine’s shrine in a couple of days.

I only hoped that the bear would be the toughest challenge of this journey.

[Acadian]

This was a wonderful interlude! An intense fight that included a likely reason the golden bear was so ornery. Then a nice day or two processing the animal’s bounty by the riverside camp with Cirinwe.

Haa-Rei dipping the tip of his tail in the water to see how cold it was!

[hazmick]

Acadian - Yep yep, some things can't be rushed. Especially not an elf and a body of water.



Previously - After bringing down a great bear, Haa-Rei and Cirinwe spent a couple of days resting and cleaning the spoils of the kill. After taking some time to relax at a secluded pool, they resumed their journey towards Hircine's Shrine...

Chapter 69



“Last one?” Cirinwe asked as I drank a Lycanthropy potion.

“Last one.” I confirmed, wincing at the bitterness. I had been having a werewolf dream every night for the past few nights, and had to take two potions a day to prevent unwanted transformations. With no more potions left it was more important than ever that I find Hircine’s shrine.

It had been a couple of days since our time at the pool. According to the directions provided by Trivea (who was still nowhere to be seen) the shrine of Hircine should have been very close. Eventually, after much wandering back and forth, we found it tucked away deep in the forest.

I’m not sure what I’d been expecting from a daedric shrine, but this was more like a camp in front of a statue…in fact that’s exactly what it was. Three hunters - a Bosmer, an Argonian, and a Khajiit, seemed to reside here. The statue itself was a classic depiction of Hircine – a muscular man with the head of a stag, flanked by a great wolf. The pale stone, although weathered, was in pristine condition – no doubt thanks to the efforts of the devoted who lived here. Candles adorned the base of the shrine, illuminating it in the night.

“You approach the Shrine of Hircine. Are you hunter, or are you prey?” The Khajiit turned to us and called out, her bow in hand but not drawn. Her two companions were similarly alert, but not threatening. I imagined that it wasn't easy to be a daedric worshipper at the best of times, let alone when Oblivion gates were popping up and giving Daedra a bad name.

“Hunter.” I replied, stepping forward.

“Then approach the shrine, leave our lord an offering that he may find you worthy. Or perhaps learn what it is to be prey.” The last part was a clear threat, but all three hunters visibly relaxed when I produced the golden bear pelt from my pack.

I approached the shrine carefully, aware that everyone was watching intently, and lay the pelt at Hircine’s feet. Nothing happened. I turned to glance at Cirinwe, who shrugged helplessly, but paused as a green light shone upon me. The eyes of the statue glowed with power. Hircine was here.

“Summoned by prey. The hare crouches before the fox’s muzzle.” A great voice echoed from the statue, causing the three hunters to bow simultaneously. “Ah, not a hare. Not a mortal. Why have you come, pup?” Hircine’s voice audibly warmed when he recognised me as a werewolf. It was not any more comforting, however.

“My lord Hircine, I have come to request a boon. I wish to be able to control my gift, and not be ruled by it. To choose when I transform, and remain in control when I do.” I bowed my head respectfully, unsure how one was supposed to go about asking a Daedric prince for something.

“Hmm, a simple request. I will grant you this boon, if you perform a task for my amusement.” Hircine said predictably.

“What is this task, my lord?”

“The Bloodmoon rises over Harcane Grove, and hunters prepare to hunt. First named, last tamed, the unicorn runs wild there. Join in the hunt, in your wolf form, and I will grant your boon here and now.” The statue’s eyes dimmed again, and all went quiet. I had my task.

“You have been greatly honoured, hunter.” The Khajiit approached, smiling warmly.

“So I have to hunt the last unicorn in Tamriel?” I asked, unsure about my feelings on this task.

“Did our lord say that? I heard him tell you to join the hunt, not which side to take. That is the hunter’s choice. This task is for you, and you alone. Your mate will remain here.” The Khajiit nodded towards Cirinwe, who looked equal parts embarrassed and pleased to be referred to as my ‘mate’.

“Good hunting.” Cirinwe approached, leaning down slightly to touch her forehead to mine. I knew that she would rather join me, but I was still wary of being in wolf form around her, even if Hircine said he'd help me immediately.

“I’ll be back before you know it.” I handed her my equipment and strode off into the darkness of the forest. Once I was a safe distance away, I opened my mind to the wolf spirit.

The transformation went smoothly, the wolf form appearing around me and merging with my body. I could immediately feel a difference, I was completely calm and in control. The forest was alive around me with sounds and smells in every direction. I could smell the group of hunters to the south, readying themselves to drive the unicorn to extinction, and set off quickly in that direction.

A red moon, the Bloodmoon, rose above me as I crept through the undergrowth around the hunter’s camp. There were about a dozen hunters, which I thought was a bit of overkill for a single unicorn. Half their number was already heading off, while the other half were still preparing – sharpening swords and axes, coating blades and arrows in poison.

As soon as the first group had left, I made my move. I dealt with the two sentries first, quickly and quietly dispatching them with my claws, and then emerged into the light of the campfire. I stood at least a foot taller than the tallest Nord, my white pelt gleaming in the firelight. The four hunters simply stared for a few moments, before they found their wits and their weapons. The first two died almost immediately, the largest of them tumbling onto the campfire and plunging the area into darkness. I dodged a clumsy axe swing and tore my claws through the chest of a burly Imperial, blocking his comrade’s sword stroke with my forearm before finishing them both with my teeth and claws.

It was over in a matter of seconds, and I felt a rush of adrenaline as I stood in the wreckage of their camp. I examined my forearm and was pleased to see that blocking a steel sword had no ill effects on my magical pelt – I wasn’t willing to test that hypothesis on silver weapons yet, but for now I was safe. The other hunters weren’t too far ahead, so I set off in pursuit.

I circled around them to remain downwind as they entered Harcane Grove. I could smell the unicorn, but nobody had seen it yet. What they had seen were the three minotaurs who seemed to be protecting the grove. I had no doubt that the minotaurs could hold their own even against six hunters, but I still wanted to help. Just before the two sides collided I let out a long, loud howl which pierced through the hunter’s raised voices and the thunder of hooves. The hunters paused their charge, fear flashing across their faces, but the minotaurs weren’t fazed and carried on their assault, crashing into the hunters with a roaring fury.

I burst out of the undergrowth and sprinted on all fours across the clearing. A Nord hunter wielding a crossbow spotted me and fired in panic, the bolt sailing harmlessly past my flank. I growled as I recognised the crossbow bolt, identical to the one I found in the bear. The hunter managed to reload quickly as I closed the gap, and I started moving in a zigzag pattern, weaving my way past his second bolt. He had no time for a third, as I knocked the crossbow from his grasp and sent him skidding across the ground. He swore and drew a wicked looking blade, rising to meet me, but one of the minotaurs put an end to that with a swing of its massive warhammer.

Another hunter lashed out at a minotaur, sword dripping with poison, but I managed to grab his arm before he could strike the blow. After disarming him I sank my jaws deep into his neck, killing him swiftly. I looked around for my next target, but the hunters had all been dispatched.

The three minotaurs stood proudly before me. Each carried an impossibly heavy looking hammer, and wore layered leather and iron armour, similar to arena gladiator gear, which looked as ancient as they did. Their brown pelts were flecked with grey, and each had a short beard that was braided and woven with trinkets. They saluted me in turn, and I bowed in response. As I watched them leave, a flicker of light caught my gaze. In the distance, on the far side of the clearing, stood the unicorn. It was slightly larger and more muscular than even the most well-bred warhorse, with a coat even whiter than mine, and on its head was the famous horn, shining in the moonlight. As fast as it appeared, it vanished again, back into the trees. I felt blessed to have seen it, and pleased to have helped.

“You’ve done well, hunter.” Hircine’s voice echoed through my head as a ghostly stag shimmered into existence before me. “You have pleased me, and shown honour in your hunt. Return to the shrine as you are now, and I will completely grant your boon.”

“Wait-” I made to object, but the stag had already gone. Even though I was in control, I still felt apprehensive about being near Cirinwe in this form. I suppose this is another part of the task.

I approached the shrine carefully, and could see Cirinwe pacing back and forth. It was the hunters who saw me first, though, and bowed respectfully as I entered the camp. I gestured with a paw that it wasn’t necessary, and they returned to the shrine as Cirinwe carefully approached.

“You’re…tall.” Cirinwe said, with a hint of nervousness to her voice. She was right though, in this form I was even taller than her.

“Hey Ciri. It’s fine, I’m in control.” I assured her.

She moved closer, looking a lot more relaxed, and raised a hand to my chest. She smiled as her fingers sank into my soft fur. “You know…this is going to be a nightmare to groom. You’ll have to learn to use a hairbrush.” We both laughed at that, and I felt all of my worries melting away.

“Hunter, you have proven yourself worthy. I grant you your boon.” Hircine’s voice interrupted us briefly, and I stepped away from Cirinwe as a swirl of magicka enveloped me. When it cleared, I was back in my Argonian form. I could still feel the wolf spirit, but it was calm and relaxed.

“That’s better.” I smiled.

[ghastley]

Very different from the vanilla game, and from mine, but I'm glad you decided to spare the Unicorn, too.

But did you have to leave me with a mental picture of Ciri attacking him with a hairbrush, just as I'm working on Conina the Hairdresser for Skyrim?

[Acadian]

“Did our lord say that? I heard him tell you to join the hunt, not which side to take. That is the hunter’s choice. This task is for you, and you alone. Your mate will remain here.” The Khajiit nodded towards Cirinwe, who looked equal parts embarrassed and pleased to be referred to as my ‘mate’.
- - This is brilliant! I never doubted that Haa-Rei would spare the unicorn! And an ‘awww’ moment with his ‘mate’ Ciri.

I also loved your treatment of the minotaurs as noble guardians and the mutual respect between them and the big white wolf.

During the fight, when Haa-ReiWolf noted how tall he was, I was really hoping he’d get to stand eye-to-eye with Ciri - and he got my wish!

Lovely treatment of this quest. Buffy never did nor would complete the Oblivion vanilla Hircine quest. She found the Skyrim vanilla Hircine quest right up her tree though.

[hazmick]

ghastley - Cirinwe, fully armoured, charging into battle with a large, two-handed hairbrush. Yep, I definitely need to see that.

Acadian - Glad you liked it! I wonder how tall a Cirinwolf would be.



Previously - Haa-Rei and Cirinwe arrived at Hircine's shrine, where our Argonian had to face a hunting trial. In werewolf form, he protected the noble unicorn and its minotaur guardians from a group of hunters, much to Hircine's approval. The Daedric Prince rewarded Haa-Rei with mastery over his lycanthropy.

Chapter 70



The next afternoon, after perhaps the most restful night’s sleep of my life, I crawled out of my bedroll and shuffled over to the fire. We’d made camp near the shore of Lake Rumare, and it was a particularly misty and chilly day.

Cirinwe was nowhere to be seen, so I helped myself to some dried bear meat and berries that were sitting by the fire, as well as some tea (of course). I’d been so exhausted after the shrine visit that I hadn’t summoned Eithne to keep an eye on the camp, though we were in quite a secluded location and would only be at risk from mudcrabs trying to steal our food.

After a little more lounging and eating, I decided to try and find Cirinwe. She was more than capable of looking after herself, but her absence was curious. Before leaving I made sure to summon Eithne, who somersault-bowed and made herself comfortable in the campfire.

I brought my bow along, just in case, but it would not be needed. I found Cirinwe in a small clearing to the south, practicing spells. A large boulder nearby was looking a little worse for wear, clearly used as a target for some ranged spells. Cirinwe paused when I entered the clearing, and quickly ushered me over to stand next to her.

“Stand here.” She moved me to a specific spot, deciding to forgo traditional greetings and get right to it.

“What are you doing?” I asked, puzzled, as the Altmer moved between several points in the clearing and cast some spells. After that, she returned to stand next to me and cast a longer spell.

With a final gesture, golden runes lit up on the floor at the previous spell locations, and a large bubble of light appeared around us. After a few moments it faded again, but I could still sense the magic.

“A shield spell, to protect the camp.” Cirinwe nodded in satisfaction, rightfully pleased with her work.

“Impressive.” I stepped out of the shield, back in, and back out again. I found a palm-sized pebble and tossed it towards Cirinwe, only for it to bounce harmlessly off the shield and land next to my feet. “Very impressive.”

“Thank you. It took me a few attempts to get the runes right. I had to borrow a book from you.” Cirinwe gestured to a tome lying on a nearby rock which I recognised as an encyclopaedia of runic inscriptions and incantations.

“Well I’m glad to hav-” I paused before I could finish, hearing something nearby.

“Trouble?” Cirinwe retrieved the tome and her sword, ready for action, but relaxed when I shook my head. Cirinwe quickly dispelled her shield bubble and we headed off.

The source of the sound was back at camp. Trivea had arrived, and was standing face to face with Eithne on the border of our camp.

“Eithne, please, you know me.” Trivea sighed, crossing her arms.

“Yes, but master Haa-Rei and mistress Cirinwe aren’t here right now, and I can’t let anyone in the camp.” Eithne puffed her chest out and copied Trivea’s crossed arms stance.

“We’re here now Eithne, thank you for keeping an eye on things.” The flame atronach nodded and floated back to the fire, happy to let me take over.

“Finally! Where have you two been? Canoodling in the forest?” Trivea, at my gestured invitation, took a seat by the fire. She was rather damp from the mist, and looked a little bedraggled.

“We weren’t ‘canoodling’. Besides, we’ve been wondering where you’d got to.” I set my bow down and took a seat a little further away, more content than the other two to remain slightly damp. We had indeed been waiting on Trivea, who’d originally supposed to join us at Hircine’s shrine.

“Ah, yes. Sorry about that, my dear. It would seem that there are some vampire hunters in the area, and I had to make sure they weren’t here for me.”

“That’s not good.” Even for a vampire as old as Trivea, hunters were still a threat. Even though they likely couldn’t kill her, they could reveal her nature to the authorities and she’d be forced to move elsewhere and go into hiding.

“Indeed. Unfortunately, though not here for me, it seems that they are heading towards Skingrad.”

“So we’re likely to bump into them at some point.”

“Correct again. I’m not sure exactly what they’re after in Skingrad, but it can’t be good. Anyway, enough about that dreary subject. How did you get on at the shrine?” I’d hardly call vampire hunters ‘dreary’, but it was obviously not one of her favourite subjects.

And so I told the story of the Unicorn hunt to Trivea, who listened intently and looked every bit the proud parent by the end of it.

“Aah, to think you were just a puppy when I found you in the Solstheim snow, and now you’re a fully-fledged werewolf pack leader.” The Dunmer made a show of wiping a tear from her eye. Even if she wouldn’t say it out loud or seriously, I could tell that she was pleased for me.

Cirinwe, Trivea, Eithne and I spent the rest of the day resting and relaxing. Trivea was most impressed by Cirinwe’s shield ritual, while I spent some time with Eithne to practice my own spellcasting abilities.

The next morning, still under heavy mist, we packed up camp and set off towards Skingrad.

[ghastley]

Again, your timing is suspicious, as I'm just working on making Conina's hairbrush, comb, hand-mirror and scissors into weapons (as that's the only way to have them hand-held). They will all be one-handed, however. Please just envision Cirinwe running with scissors.

I liked that rune shield spell, a nice mix of things from several of the games. And Eithne's developing a bit of character as we get to know her.

Nice one!

[Acadian]

A delightful episode simply packed full of fun stuff! You have really brought Eithne to light as a wonderfully warm (lol) friend just full of personality and appropriate quirks.

A brilliant idea by Cirinwe to invent a runic warding spell to protect their camp. Between that and Eithne, Scales and Scars should be able to canoodle sleep in peace at night.

Great to see Trivea again and I’d like to imagine the vampire hunters she mentioned were the very ones that Count Skingrad wants some help with in the game.

[hazmick]

ghastley - Cirinwe is a good girl, and would never run with scissors! Perhaps dual wielding brushes would be more efficient than one large greatbrush.

Acadian - Now all we need is for Haa-Rei to invent a tea summoning spell (or a tea atronach) and we'll be all set!



Previously - Haa-Rei and Cirinwe took some time to relax and practice spellcraft while waiting for Trivea to meet them. When the vampiress finally arrived, the three set off for Skingrad...

Chapter 71



The trip to Skingrad was uneventful, but I was on edge almost the whole time. Signs of battle could be seen quite frequently, and twice we found piles of daedra in smouldering heaps by the roadside. Oblivion gates were popping up more frequently, and while there weren’t enough guards on the roads to close the gates, there were enough to put up a good fight.

Skingrad in particular would fare better than other towns – the guards were better equipped, better trained, and sat behind stronger walls. I briefly thought about how strong Kvatch would have been, but left that thought unfinished.

“I’ll have to leave you here.” Trivea said suddenly, nodding towards a group of people outside the town’s gates.

“Vampire hunters?” I asked, noting the group’s silver weapons and armour. They were well equipped to fight vampires, ghosts, and perhaps even werewolves.

“Looks like it. Meet me at this address.” After handing Cirinwe a piece of parchment, the vampiress stepped off the road and disappeared into the wilderness.

The hunters eyed us warily as we passed, but a bright smile from Cirinwe was enough to set them at ease and allow us to enter the town unquestioned. We had slightly more trouble finding Trivea’s address, as the winding streets of Skingrad lacked any proper signage. Eventually we arrived on the doorstep of a large manor, which had Trivea’s scent all over it, and knocked on the heavy door.

When the door opened, we were greeted by a heavy-set Nord woman, who ushered us inside and informed us that ‘Mistress Trivea’ was waiting upstairs.

“Welcome to my home.” Trivea greeted us on the second (of three) floor. Her travelling leathers had been swapped for an elegant deep purple dress, with fur trim and more jewellery than anyone had any business owning. Quite how she had managed to enter the town and get changed so quickly was beyond me, but she did like to be mysterious.

“Well it’s certainly different from the caves you usually inhabit.” I dared not touch anything in case I broke something expensive, but the large library certainly caught my attention.

“It’s a beautiful home.” Cirinwe said politely. Compared to the High Elven mansion she grew up in, an Imperial manor must be little better than a hovel. I think we were both just surprised to see Trivea living in such a place.

“Well thank you Cirinwe. Wine?” Our hostess led us over to a comfortable seating area and poured two goblets of wine, one for herself and one for Ciri. We’d only just sat down when the Nord woman reappeared with a tray of snacks and a pot of tea. “Thank you Eyja, that will be all for today.”

“Yes mistress.” The Nord curtseyed and made her way back down the stairs.

“Since when were you a noblewoman?” I asked over the rim of my tea cup.

“Oh it’s been years now. Quite a good place to hide from hunters, yes?”

“What are you going to do about them?” Cirinwe asked between sips of wine.

“For now? Nothing. I need to go and see the Count first.”

“The Count?”

“Count Skingrad and I are very old friends, and he will no doubt want this to be handled in a specific way. If you two are up for it, why not come along?”


Thus it was that Cirinwe and I found ourselves, at midnight, waiting in the castle for an audience with Count Skingrad. I didn’t ask why we had to wait so late, and I was starting to piece things together. When the Count arrived, his appearance didn’t surprise me.

Pale skin, thin features, and dark eyes with a hint of red to them. Count Skingrad was a vampire.

“Trivea, how good it is to see you. Your friends too.” The count bowed politely, though a glance he sent my way suggested that he was well aware of my lycanthropy, which was no surprise.

“You too, Janus. Now, what’s going on with those hunters?” Trivea got straight to the point, which the Count seemed to appreciate.

“A nest has sprung up in Bloodcrust Cavern. With all the daedra roaming the wilds I can’t risk sending any guards to clear the cave out.”

“I know the place. Leave it to me.” Trivea nodded firmly, and the conversation was concluded. The count returned to his chambers, followed closely by his Argonian steward.

“Well that was…brief.” Cirinwe sounded as confused as I felt.

“I thought a reunion of old friends would be a lot warmer.” I shrugged, though if Trivea and the Count had started laughing and hugging I would probably have been a lot more unnerved.

“Janus isn’t a people person. Besides, I know what we have to do now.”

“…which is?”

“It’s time to go hunting.” Trivea grinned.

[ghastley]

“I thought a reunion of old friends would be a lot warmer.” I shrugged, though if Trivea and the Count had started laughing and hugging I would probably have been a lot more unnerved.

That called for the "secret society handshake". Monty Python

[Acadian]

I very much enjoy how wonderfully you are incorporating familiar Oblivion things into what is very much your own (and Haa-Rei’s) story. Everything new we learned about Trivea and Janus here seems perfectly fitting and you keep a deliciously appropriate air of mystery around the vampiress.

I look forward to the upcoming hunt – doubtless of vampires but I am equally curious to see if the vampire hunter mercenaries end up in Trivea’s sights. . . or she in theirs.

[hazmick]

ghastley -

Acadian - Trivea is far too old experienced to let these hunters get the better of her.



Previously - Haa-Rei, Cirinwe, and Trivea arrived in Skingrad. There they learned that Trivea is actually part of the local nobility, and a close friend to the vampire Count Skingrad. The Count asked our trio to deal with some local vampires and the hunters that they have attracted to the city...

Chapter 72



“Here we are.” Trivea motioned to the cave in front of us. After returning home for a quick outfit change, the three of us had made our way straight to Bloodcrust Cavern.

The entrance to the vampire lair was hidden among a large patch of boulders, alarmingly close to Skingrad. Quite how the vampire hunters hadn’t found it yet was beyond me.

“What’s the plan?” I asked, surveying the area for any signs of recent activity(of which there was no sign).

“You and I shall carefully and thoroughly clear the cavern, while Cirinwe holds the entrance. We can’t let a single vampire escape.” Trivea tightened one of the straps on her cuirass and drew her wickedly sharp daggers.

Her plan was solid – Cirinwe’s presence in the cavern, as the only mortal and edible one amongst us, may well drive the vampires into a frenzy. Trivea and I, decidedly less appetising, would be able to move faster and quieter.

The actual entrance to the vampire lair was a simple wooden door, through which only one person could fit at a time. Cirinwe was the last through the entrance, and firmly shut the door behind us. Then, after placing a restoration rune of protection on the ground, nodded to us that she was ready.

“Good luck.” She smiled, her golden skin illuminated in restorative light. Trivea and I nodded and headed deeper into the cave.

We hadn’t gone far when we found our first vampires. I readied my bow and waited a few seconds before firing. As soon as one vampire fell with my arrow in its chest, the second was silenced by Trivea’s daggers. The undead bodies began turning to dust before they’d even hit the ground, allowing me to retrieve my arrow almost immediately.

I took a deep breath through my nose, inhaling the scents of the cavern. I could smell about a dozen vampires, though that scent was mixed with the dampness that one can expect in a cave like this. Trivea motioned for us to split up, as the cave ahead branched in two directions. I would head to the right, and Trivea to the left.

The rocky corridor ahead was almost perfectly straight, but caution bade me move slowly. My night vision had improved since my visit to Hircine’s shrine, though it was still not on the same level as a vampire. As I spotted another enemy ahead, I knew that I would have to act fast. Fortunately I had the advantage of range, and managed to bring the creature down quietly.

I emerged from the corridor into a slightly larger cavern. The smell indicated that there had been some sort of meat stored here at some point, but now I could only see vampires. The first fell without any fuss, but the others were standing fairly close to one another. I could probably have killed them both in quick succession, but I decided not to risk it and waited them out. Sure enough, after a few minutes, they moved apart. The one closest to me wandered over to the side of the cavern, and bent down to open a chest on the ground. The noise of the old chest being opened was good cover for my arrow, which struck the vampire in the neck. I then turned my attention to the second creature, who fell just as quietly. After retrieving a modest sum of gold from the chest, I continued through the cavern and into another corridor.

This corridor turned at a right angle, into a small chamber. The lone vampire in the chamber was busy preparing some sort of alchemical concoction, so I once again decided to be patient. If I shot him now he’d likely drop the vials he was working with, and make some noise in the process. My vigil ended prematurely, however, when the vampire suddenly lurched forward. Glass smashed, potions popped and fizzed, and several flammable ingredients began burning quite fiercely. I tutted loudly when Trivea arrived to retrieve her dagger from the wreckage.

“What happened to ‘quietly’?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You were taking ages, so I figured you were either finished with your vampires or you were dead. Either way, this was the last one.” Trivea grinned, tossing her knife into the air and deftly catching the tip of the blade between two slender fingers.

“Let’s get back to Ciri.” I shouldered my bow and together we returned to the entrance. We arrived to find Cirinwe right where we’d left her, cleaning vampire dust from her sword and depositing it in a large pouch.

“Ah, I thought I heard one slip past me,” Trivea shrugged, “good work.”

“Are you alright?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.

“Don’t worry, it didn’t even touch me. I trust you two had fun.” Cirinwe smiled, resting her sword on one shoulder.

“All clear. Time to find the hunters and give them the news.” Trivea lead the way out of the cavern and back to Skingrad, though she disappeared shortly before we arrived, leaving Cirinwe and I to find the hunters.

Even though it was only just dawn, we found the hunters outside the chapel of Julianos. From their equipment, I guessed that they were about to head out on a hunt. When Cirinwe approached and told them we’d cleared out the vampires, we were met with some rather sceptical looks.

“The two of you cleared out a nest all by yourselves?” The one who spoke was a Bosmer, presumably the leader of the group. He wore light armour, but carried a heavy-looking battle axe over his shoulder. Clearly he deemed weapons training more important than basic manners. For a brief moment I thought Cirinwe was going to punch the man square in the face, but instead she simply handed him the pouch of vampire dust that she’d collected.

“All by ourselves” Cirinwe smiled brightly. For my part I simply crossed my arms and remained silent.

“Well...maybe you're not lying after all. If they're gone, then there's no point in hanging around here.” The Bosmer motioned to his comrades, and they slowly began to leave. “Damned amateurs. You people should leave it to the professionals."

“Well if you see any professionals, please let us know.” Cirinwe retorted quick as a flash, causing the Bosmer to glare even more fiercely. The firm hand of a fellow hunter led him away, leaving Cirinwe and I alone in the square.

Once the hunters were out of earshot, I burst into a fit of laughter. Cirinwe did her best to remain stoic, but couldn’t help but join in. As the sun rose over Skingrad, the sounds of laughter echoed through the streets.

[ghastley]

Since my characters never seem to like either side - the vampires or the hunters - I've always let them whittle each other numbers down before mopping up. It's good to see a different approach, especially when it works well.

Even if you hadn't told us the hunter was the Bosmer, I think we'd know him from the dialog alone.

[Acadian]

What a delightful episode!

Henceforth, our statuesque Almer shall be known as ‘Cirinwe the Edible’.

An elegant dungeon crawl, resulting in significantly less vampires to pester Skingrad. I loved that you brought up how much easier it is to recover an arrow from a pile of ash than a bloody corpse.

A brilliant retort to the ‘professional’ vampire hunters from Ciri.