Teresa of the Faint Smile, Adventures of a Stringy Bosmer Options

[SubRosa]

The description of his evening wear was enticing as well. I kept seeing James West getting ready for a night on the town. Hot!

Like this?

[Acadian]

'Now it seemed as if all those city dwellers had descended upon her country home.'
It is so comforting to know that Buffy is not alone in feeling this way.

"Not really," Teresa shrugged. "I didn't learn the bow to become famous. I'm happy just staying alive."
Wisely spoken, Teresa! One of those 'quoted for truth' comments.

"You are one of the best natural talents I have seen. A few more years of practice and you'll probably be as good as Daenlin. Better even.'
I know he ain't an archery master, but that Pappy has a great eye for talent!

"Tadrose is down in the forge," he said with a wink.'
Ha! Looks like one of Teresa's smiles that she directed at Tadrose was not quite faint enough to escape the notice of her guild commander.

What a fabulous intro to the Tourney, as Teresa so capably shares with us the bustle of land and sea activity that has descended upon her quiet city. And how very true to her nature that she must be coaxed - no forced - into entering the actual shooting event itself. A magnificent start!

This post has been edited by Acadian: Apr 5 2011, 01:54 AM

[Lady Syl]

Ooh, I like your prologue to Teresa's story... Gripping, and I felt like I could see through her eyes and identify with her in those moments of confusion, distress, and fear. I look forward to continuing with her story.

[Olen]

The TF gets richer. 20,000 people is a sale I wouldn't have considered, it promises to be interesting.

Like the time she had leapt from the bridge at the North Gate and into the Larsius below…

I liked this line. It makes the story deeper as a well placed throw away comment to something which occurred 'off screen'. Things like this go to show exactly how much depth and planning has gone into this and help make the setting really stand out. Also the guard must know her asthe crazy red haired bosmer by now...

"Tadrose is down in the forge," he said with a wink.

I'm going to quote this again. Good line, it seems that Pappy is one of those people who notice things and know these things before they should (or before the people involved). It makes sense a good commander would be like that. It also suggests that he suspects Tadrose is also interested. Will Teresa finally pluck up the courage to ask something more pointed. It's interesting how much longer it's taken her to say anything to Tadrose compared to Ardaline, another good bit of consequence, and subtle.

[Destri Melarg]

Chapter 34.1

It is fitting that, after the profound effect that witnessing the ceremony of the harvest had on her, Teresa would seek solitude and communion with the spirits with whom she is most comfortable. She is becoming quite the mystic (archer?), isn’t she? Her journeys into trance are becoming easier and more frequent. Morcant said way back when that Teresa would find her own way, it is nice to see that her mentor was right.

Oh, and did you mean Clingman’s Dome in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee?

Chapter 34.2

I guess someone who’s as big a rake as Pappy would have no problem recognizing the drool dropping from Teresa’s mouth every time Tadrose steps into the room!

Between Teresa and Buffy there seems to be a distinct absence of female Bosmer legitimately trying to hit the targets! Here’s hoping that Alawen can awaken the old competitive instinct. I am very interested to see how you and Acadian negotiate what promises to be a most auspicious crossover event!

I did find one word jumble in this chapter:

Not with the just the small dories of fishermen, but also with galleons like those anchored in the bay.

[mALX]

Chapter 34.1

Oh, and did you mean Clingman’s Dome in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee?

She must mean THAT particular Clingman's Dome, because here is that mother bear bringing food to her cubs !!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBnGe9HDGBI


Climbing up to Clingman's Dome:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYNAkMQiGAs


*

This post has been edited by mALX: Apr 6 2011, 09:45 PM

[King Coin]

...
Teresa was taking a shortcut through the alley between two insulas when she came upon a curious sight. A Khajiit whose lithe body was covered in snow white fur sat at the mouth of the alley. The hair on her head was red and worn in braids held back by a headband. Teresa could not help but to notice the similarity with her own pale skin and crimson hair.

...

"I did not think Khajiit came with white fur?" Teresa found herself asking as she approached. "It looks lovely."

"I did not think Bosmer did either," the Khajiit replied with a smile, then turned her head to look at Teresa. "I like it. People might think we are twins."

...

I know I am far behind in this story but I just had to say I was very pleasantly surprised to recognize that Kahjiit! I'm enjoying the story a lot and I hope to catch up... eventually.

[SubRosa]

mALX: Well, Teresa did not work up the nerve yet!

That bear was hilarious! That is what they get for leaving food around in bear country.


haute ecole rider Just remember, you can't say fundamentalist without saying fun!

Pappy is one of those men whom I can see being dapper, but not too much so. I just cannot picture him wearing velvet or silk for example.


Grits Another vote for Pappy I see! I never considered the contrast between the cool shades of the forest to the fiery underworld of Tadrose. But now that you point it out, it is quite striking. And how appropriate that Teresa's passions lie within the latter?


ghastley: I have the best mod ever: fiction. I can make anything without even using the construction set!


Acadian: Our poor wood elves! Having to compete in that tournament just to make their mentors happy, and even worse, having to deal with the influx of people turning their quiet country home upside down! But I suspect that in the end both will find the experience far more positive than negative.


Lady Syl: Thank you Syl. The prologue is one of the things I created new for Teresa 2.0 here at Chorrol. One of the things that makes this version far superior to the old one over at the Beth forums. Just so you know, while the TF starts out following the main quest, it is only for a few chapters. It gets off the save the world train pretty quickly. Thankfully for Nirn, haute ecole rider's character Julian volunteered to step over to this reality to pick up the saving the world slack. Teresa will see it all happen from the sidelines as she fumbles her way toward her own destiny.


Olen: I drew the 20k figure from Pompeii, which was about that size. I figure that is a good size for the county seats to be, while the IC can be at least 100k, if not up to a million people.

Jumping off the bridge is something Teresa wanted to do since her arrival in Bravil. But there was no place to put it in a chapter, and it does not warrant a standalone chapter just for that. So I worked it into the background like that. I am glad it works!


Destri Melarg: Clingman's Dome it is! I was looking for a good RL mountain to base the one Teresa climbed on, and it was the winner. I figure the mountains along the Elsewyr/Cyrodiil border are similar to the Appalachians, so it was perfect.

You had me laughing at the remark about Teresa's drool! You cannot play a playa, and Pappy is one of the best of them.


King Coin: Hi King! Welcome to the TF! That was just the first of several cameos by other characters. The chapter I am currently posting has quite a few of them in fact.


Previously on Teresa of the Faint Smile: In our last episode, Teresa returned to Bravil to find it packed with people in town for the upcoming Tournament of Archers. Worse, she found that Pappy had signed her up to compete! Next she seeks solace in Tadrose Helas' underworld.


Chapter 34.3 - The Tournament Of Archers

"So who are those for?"

The anvil upon which Tadrose labored stood before a glowing furnace of charcoal, underneath which Teresa knew lay a bed of heatstones. To one side sat a bucket, in which Teresa could see over a dozen arrowheads. Like the one the smith as working on, they all had heads that swept back in a long, graceful arc. Rather than forming a solid triangle, the back, inside edge of each was cut out, creating a 'V', with the point at the tip of the arrow.

Screenshot

Swallowtails, Teresa thought, good for unarmored targets like animals, or goblins. They were very different from the narrow, leaf-shaped heads that she used on her own arrows. Those were better against armor, although not quite as effective as pincushion arrows, which were the most slender of all. Yet the pincushions were of less use against unarmored foes, where hers were still effective.

Screenshot

An assortment of hammers, tongs, and other tools hung from a wall nearby. Several tables were arrayed with finished weapons of human and elvish steel. Tadrose had once told her that the latter required three times as long to create as the former. That was the only reason she bothered with the inferior human metal. Even for an elven smith, there were still only so many hours in the day after all.

"These are for Daenlin, from The Archer's Paradox." Tadrose Helas looked up from the red-hot arrowhead that she was tapping upon with a hammer. "He's a bowyer and a fletcher, but not a metalworker. So I make all of his points. In return he supplies us with all of our arrows, and occasionally free archery instruction."

Screenshot

"You know, I still haven't gotten around to going to his shop," Teresa said. "Even though I pass by it every morning on my run."

"You should go in and look sometime," Tadrose said as she tapped away on her anvil. "Introduce yourself. As well as being a shopkeeper, Daenlin is the best archer in Bravil. He has won the tournament for the last seven years in a row I believe."

Sparks and tiny bits of dross flew from the glowing metal of the arrowhead with each small strike of Tadrose's hammer. Teresa used to think of blacksmiths as being big, hairy men swinging gigantic mauls around their heads. Yet upon coming to Bravil she found that reality was quite the opposite. A good smith did not have to look like a bear, nor did they bash away with every ounce of strength upon their anvils. Tadrose had laughed when she told Teresa the latter. That would numb one's hand in no time at all, the armorer had explained. Metal work was not about simple brawn, she had explained, but rather it was an art form. It required endurance to work for hours to be sure. But patience and an understanding of metal was as important as brute strength. If not more so.

"About that tournament." Teresa bit her lower lip, and looked around the forge. "Did you know that Pappy entered me?"

"Yes, of course Gaius did." Tadrose continued to work on the arrowhead. "It will be an excellent opportunity for you."

"But I don't really want to." Teresa pouted, staring down at the arrowhead the armorer labored upon. "Besides, everyone will be watching me."

"So that is it then," Tadrose's face was split by a smile as faint as any of Teresa's. "It is no different from combat. Just focus on what you are doing, and do not let the fear and excitement get to you. That is why we train for hours a day. So our bodies can do it even when our brains are elsewhere. When the time comes, you will know what to do."

"That's easy for you to say," Teresa huffed. "You won't be standing out there in front of the entire city!"

"I have before," Tadrose replied, and Teresa wondered if she detected a trace of sharpness in the other woman's tone. "In front of far more people than in this little city."

"I'm sorry Tadrose, I didn't mean it to sound like that." Teresa stared down at her feet. By Raven, could she do nothing right?

The armorer's hammer went silent, and Teresa looked up again to see the grimy elf standing before her. Teresa could have sworn that the dark elf's crimson eyes glowed with a fire brighter than that of the forge as Tadrose reached out and took her hand.

"No apologies necessary dear," the dark elf said in her husky voice. "I can see you are nervous. Just have faith in yourself. You are a good archer, a little inexperienced, but you have real talent. You are already better than many of the other archers I have seen in my ten years in the guild, and you get better every day."

"Pappy said that too," Teresa bit her lip once more, and stared back down at her toes.

Tadrose released her hand, and a moment later Teresa felt the vice-commander's fingers touch her chin. She let the other woman lift her face to look back at her once more. It took every ounce of Teresa's willpower to keep from throwing her arms around the armorer and kissing her. As it was a long, heavy breath escaped her throat, and she rubbed her hands against her hips to keep them occupied.

"Gaius is a good judge of fighters," the dark elf said. "I think this will be good for you indeed. You always underestimate yourself Teresa. It is time you learned to appreciate your abilities. This tournament will make them very clear I should think, even to you."

Teresa wanted to say that was what she was afraid of. But as so often happened when she was near the fire-eyed elf, her voice had deserted her. Instead she nodded, and did her best to simply appreciate the feeling of the Dunmer's fingers upon her skin.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Apr 8 2011, 03:21 AM

[Olen]

I'd say Tadrose is interested. Seems to me that even if Teresa's afraid to make her own move that inviting a certain dunmer out for a drink or visit to a theatre might be a good option... though I somewhat doubt she will. After the competition when she feels bouyed up however... That's my prediction.

"I have before," Tadrose replied

Some more history. She certainly plays it close though, who is she and what's she running from? Mysteries like this drive this piece far better than a save the world plot ever could.

I also like that the FG makes Daenlin's arrowheads. It's a good observation that the heads wouldn't be made by the bower or flectcher. That they exchange services rather than money reinforces how the fighter's guild is a part of the community. Good details.

Nit: looked up from the white-hot arrowhead - strictly this would be too hot for steel and would ruin it (if not melt it!), for forging you want more red or orange at most. It is a fairly obscure one though...

[Destri Melarg]

I agree with Olen, the mystery surrounding Tadrose’s past probably makes her even more alluring to our tongue-tied Teresa (gotta love alliteration). That was a great bit of character building with Daenlin. Being a master archer and fletcher does not make one a great metal worker. It also opens the door for some natural interaction with Teresa in the future. I think that there is an important distinction that Pappy and Tadrose are trying to make with Teresa. Her time training in Bravil has given Teresa a new found pride in her own physical capabilities. Now it is time for Teresa's self consciousness to step aside and allow others to appreciate those capabilities.

I said this on Buffy’s thread, but it bears repeating here: It is a glowing testament to both writers that we as readers simply don’t care about the cavernous conflict in the time-lines of these two realities. For Teresa the Oblivion Crisis is over, but Buffy is still pondering her impending foray in to the Gate at Kvatch!

[haute ecole rider]

You know, I had completely forgotten about the time conflict! Just like in treydog's Bloodmoon fiction, it's of no real consequence that the timeline in that story doesn't match up with the timeline in the ES Lore.

So Teresa still hasn't made that move with Tadrose yet? Believe me, I know the feeling! It's not just your voice that disappears, it's your breath too! Aigh!

[mALX]

I'm not able to view the first two screens, but the great Tadrose (third) is opening just fine. Teresa seems so unsure of herself in dealing with Tadrose, continues to feel as if she has said the wrong thing whenever they are together - VERY touching side of Teresa, that awkwardness, and speaks of the importance Tadrose's opinion means to her. As always, an AWESOME WRITE !!!

[Acadian]

Simply beautiful!

I love the feel you gave us for Tadrose's forge and work. I could feel the heat, hear the tap of the hammer and see the sparks flying. Wonderful, rich detail of not only her work, but how it relates to another artisan like Daenlin. And what better segue than Daenlin to lead into Teresa's concern about the tourney?

Once tourney talk started, what a great job you did of balancing 'I wanna kiss you' with 'You gonna shoot well'. Seriously, what a delight to share Teresa's nervous, uncertain and awkward feelings that are more about Tadrose than shooting arrows. You did a magnificent job of capturing those feelings.

What a brilliant contrast. Not so long ago, Teresa the competent forester was verbally outmaneuvering both Chance and Alleron. Then she was the law of the land during the harvest. Yet here she was, down in the forge, huffing and pouting and stammering. And biting her lower lip; to paraphrase Nerussa, Goddess, she's beautiful when she does that. I'll bet she doesn't even realize she's doing it.

[Thomas Kaira]

What a very tender moment between Teresa and Tadrose. I'm surprised she was able to hold her feeling sin as well as she did!

Best of luck in the archery tournament, Teresa! All of your skills will be needed here, from a steady hand to the finest selection of arrows. Good thing Daenlin knows enough about fletching to name his store after one of the most important principles of archery one can understand. If he's supplying the arrows, they are sure to fly straight and true (unless he is a devious saboteur, but that would seem woefully out of character for him).

[D.Foxy]

So I had Vincent enter you this morning

Twenty thousand people watching!

Most will defenitely need binoculars - or they'll miss all the action!

[Lady Syl]

Chapter 2a. Excellently written. I especially liked your description of the Blades' armor. Describing things like that can be rather difficult, and I struggle with describing the attire of my characters. But you did it wonderfully. I am anxious to see what happens next in Teresa's version of this well-known part of the game. The differing interpretations I have found here are so interesting to see. It just shows how very differently people can perceive the same event, which helps to make one more broad-minded and understanding about differences of perception.

And of course, I am thrilled to read the story of a sister Bosmer.

[SubRosa]

Olen: The Mysterious Tadrose Helas™ does seem interested. But does she know that she is interested? Only time will tell. White-hot be picked.


Destri Melarg: Making Teresa's self consciousness step aside is no easy task!

Acadian and I have spent an extraordinary amount of time and effort in coordinating this event, making certain that they mesh in as many places as possible, even given the obvious differences between F's. I am glad all that careful work is paying off! I have been looking forward to posting this for a very long time, over a year in fact. I have seen plenty of characters make cameos in other Fictions. But I have not seen the same event taking place in multiple Fan Fictions, shown from the different povs of the protagonists. It is sort of like the Tales Of (the Mos Eisley Cantina, the Bounty Hunters, Jabba's Palace, etc...) Star Wars anthologies, where they take a single place and time and show the stories of all the characters involved.


haute ecole rider: Not to mention her self-confidence disappears! Poor Teresa! It is so easy to proposition someone you just met, when you have nothing to lose if they reject you. But when it is someone you know, who is already a regular feature in your life, it can be a nightmare. Because if they do turn you down, or worse, are creeped out by it, you still have to deal with them every day.


mALX: IE would not open those pics because they were hosted on another site. I copied them and put them on photobucket, so they will work now. The scenes between Teresa and Tadrose are a joy to write because they allow me to show that awkward uncertainty in Teresa.


Acadian: Teresa huffing, pouting, stammering and biting her lip? That can only mean Tadrose is around! It is amazing how quickly all of your hard-earned professionalism and maturity goes right out the window when the person you are smitten with walks in the room!


Thomas Kaira: Teresa will need all the luck she can get, for Tadrose as well as the tournament!


D.Foxy: And Teresa did not even notice Vincent's entrance! That does not say much about him, especially seeing that she has only ever had sex with a man once before...


Lady Syl: I spent a great deal of time working on the Blade's armor. It is not very easy to describe. I could have said lorica segmentata, but then 99% of the readers would just be scratching their heads.

One of the things I love about reading fan fics is what you said about seeing how different authors portray the same characters and events. Often time their perception of a character completely overrides my own original thoughts, and I simply cannot imagine them any other way. Such as how mALX made Fathis Aren an irrepressible womanizer, or Acadian made Honditar a blowhard.

Us Bosmer girls have to stick together! Especially since those Imperials say they would rather sleep with a horse...


Previously on Teresa of the Faint Smile: In our last episode Teresa tried to pout on Tadrose's shoulder, but found the armorer just as adamant about her competing in the tournament as Pappy was. The next day she meets the first of the other FG archers in town for the tourney.


Chapter 34.4 - The Tournament Of Archers

After the next morning's workouts, Teresa went to work in the guild's alchemy workshop. There she spent several hours turning the lavender she had gathered into healing potions, replenishing the guild's depleted supply. When she finished and cleaned up, one of her hands fell to the coin purse that dangled from her belt. That too was now replenished, thanks to a surprise from Pappy earlier in the day.

"Everyone who works for the guild receives a monthly stipend," the guild commander said. "Whether it's giving training sessions, working in the armory, making potions, or just sweeping the floor. That's why the last fetcher lied about being an alchemist."

Now she fully understood the reason for the Colovian's brutal entrance examination, where he insisted that she demonstrate the efficacy of her healing potions. It had never occurred to her that the guild would pay people directly. But now that she knew, it did not surprise her that someone would lie. Some people would do anything for money.

With that in mind Teresa made her way down the stairs from the third floor. She passed the landing at the second floor - where all the living quarters were - and continued down toward the ground level of the guild hall. Halfway down the last flight of steps she found herself face to face with Tavian. The youthful porter was leading a wood elf up the stairs. Her red hair was so dark that it was nearly brown, and her green eyes sparkled as she looked up at Teresa. She wore mail armor that was dusty from travel, a worn pack was slung over her back, and a Fighters Guild amulet dangled from her neck.

Screenshot

"Teresa," Tavian paused on the steps to make way for the forester. "This is Parwen, from the Skingrad chapter."

"Greetings," the other wood elf smiled. If she had been a human, Teresa would have guessed her age at about thirty. So she imagined that would put her well over a hundred, perhaps even two hundred years old. Glancing down to the other woman's waist, Teresa saw the ear of a bow rising from a combined bow case and quiver that dangled from one of her hips.

Screenshot

Only a shortbow, Teresa thought to herself. A longbow would have been as tall as the elf was. Yet the shaft of the weapon looked strange to Teresa's eyes. It was not straight, as a bow ought to be when unstrung. Rather it was curved back and forth, like a serpent. It was also made of the golden wood of a sila tree, and seemed to be augmented with long strips of bone or horn on one side, and what she thought might be sinew on the other.

"Well met," Teresa said, forcing a faint smile to her lips. Aia said she never smiled, and that it made people think she was unfriendly. Parwen was the first archer she had met in the guild who was also a wood elf, and she wanted to make a good impression. "I hope you like Bravil. Did you come here on a contract, or for the tournament?"

"The tourney," the other elf replied as Tavian slipped past Teresa and made his way up the stairs. Parwen followed, and Teresa tagged along. "You have a lovely river leading into the city. I've been walking along it for the last few days."

"That's the same way I came my first time!" Teresa exclaimed. "Did you see any of the bears? Some of them like to swim in the river."

"No," Parwen replied with a smile that quickly faded. "I did run across a troll though. Nasty bugger. Nearly got to me before I put it down. That reminds me, do you have an alchemist here? I was able to save some of the blood."

"You are looking at her," Teresa smiled shyly. "I just finished making a batch of healing potions. But I can put that blood to use to make more tomorrow."

"This one's yours." Tavian stopped at the door beside Chance's room and opened it.

Parwen stepped within and took a moment to look over the plainly-furnished room. A rattan bed sat against one wall, flanked by a dresser to one side, a mirror and water basin on the other, and finally a simple writing table. A chamber pot sat in one corner, and an arming rack rose up from another. The elf walked up to the bed and set down her pack next to it, then began working loose the buckles on her bowcase.

"Do all of you have your own quarters?" the archer said under raised eyebrows. "At Skingrad we have two communal rooms to sleep in. One for the men and the other for the women."

"They say this place used to be the biggest inn in Bravil, back in the silver rush days," Tavian offered from where he leaned against the door frame. "When the silver ran out - and all the money with it - the inn was too expensive to keep running. I hear the guild bought it cheap."

"Lucky," Parwen sighed as she set down her bow case and went to work on the straps and buckles of her armor. "I'd be tempted to move out here just for the room! But it's too far away from Valenwood."

"Have you been to Valenwood?" Teresa asked eagerly. She moved to help the other elf. It was never easy to get in and out of armor. Even her leather took time to put on or take off.

"That's where I'm from," Parwen replied. "I only came up to Cyrodiil for the work. But my parents and the rest of my family still live in the forest."

"So what's it like?" Teresa asked. "Valenwood I mean?"

"It's the most beautiful place on Nirn," Parwen said wistfully. "The sila are like pillars of gold rising from the ground. Ripe aloria and garlas fruit hang from their branches in bunches bigger than your head. The old cities spread out through their branches, with buildings made of emerald miran leaves. People dress in clothing of darker green talurn flax, or yellow butterweed, and blue bogleaf. Everywhere you look, you are in the heart of nature. Even in the middle of the city."

"That sounds amazing!" Teresa's eyes fairly glowed at the description. By Raven, she simply had to go there, someday.

"It is, especially after being cooped up in Skingrad for a while." Teresa helped Parwen discard her mail cuirass. She wore a simple linen tunic underneath, stained with sweat and the mineral oil used to protect the metal links of her armor from rust. "Oh, I am so glad to get out of that metal. Do you have a bath? I'd love to get cleaned up before changing."

"Sure," Teresa said. "I can take you downstairs and show you." She turned back to the door, and saw that the sandy-haired Imperial was still standing there, eyes glued to Parwen's figure. "Maybe Tavian would like to scrub your back for you?"

The teen's cheeks blossomed like rose, and he scampered down the hall when Parwen looked in his direction. "Too bad he ran off, " she chuckled, "he might have learned something!"

Teresa could not prevent an eyebrow from rising at the other woman's remark. Parwen was not shy, that was for certain. As the other woman pulled the boots from her feet and tossed them aside, Teresa wondered if she might enjoy the poetry of Sappho… Then the dark features of Tadrose Helas blossomed in her memory, and any romantic thoughts she might have had for Parwen wilted from the comparison.

"I need to get some new clothes too," the other woman smiled up from the bed. "I wasn't able to bring anything with me. Once I get cleaned up, want to go shopping with me? I saw an entire city's worth of merchants in the fairgrounds just outside the main gate."

"Oh I haven't been there yet," the younger elf said. "I would love to go with you!"

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Apr 10 2011, 09:35 PM

[haute ecole rider]

So Parwen has a recurve composite bow? I've been reading about the Scythian/Mongolian bows (which were adopted by the Chinese, Koreans, et al).

I loved the screenies, especially of the Sarmatian woman. Those steppe tribeswomen certainly didn't muck around in the bad old days! No wonder the men are so tough and fearless - they have to keep up with the women or get left behind!

Loved their teasing of Tavian! I've done that from time to time, just to make 'em blush!

[Thomas Kaira]

A newcomer! And a most intriguing one at that. Looks like Teresa has found a new friend... and a new rival.

Your description of Valenwood was excellent, it made my faithful companion a bit homesick from reading it. I do hope he'll be able to get back there someday, but we are a bit tied up at the moment.

And troll blood, too? I do believe I've run into that a few times in my game, seeing as I've changed pretty much every single part of it. Such changes include the additions of lore ingredients, and troll blood made the cut (bad pun intended). I look forward to seeing what Teresa does with it.

[Acadian]

Once again, Teresa displays her value as the guild's alchemist, and her ability segues smoothly into the introduction of Parwen via troll blood.

Great introduction of Parwen here! She provides Tavian an opening to give the history of the Bravil guild hall. Her gear gives Teresa the opportunity to describe the interesting bow and case Parwen carries. Finally, the older elf gets to display her love for her homeland with some lovely description. Nope, the Skingrad elf does not strike one as shy!

Know what's more dangerous that a wood elf lass with a full coin purse? Two of them shopping! And Teresa just got paid! It does indeed seem that, at least for the tournament, shopping in Bravil rivals that in the big city. I hope the two ladies avail themselves of it.