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

[Grits]

It looks like this tournament might lead to a shopping list. Strength enhancing enchantment, new bow, strappy sandals to go with a new Dunmer-style skirt…

All of them scored less than she, Parwen, and Lum gro-Baroth had. The latter gave Teresa a curious feeling of pride.

How heartwarming to see, finally! But how true that Teresa would be the last one to feel proud of herself.

By Dibella, how could a woman be so beautiful? Teresa wondered.

Teresa, you’re supposed to thoughtfully nibble your lip when you say that.

[Lady Syl]

Chapter 5a—

First off, I am so glad you add more people and stuff to places like Weynon Priory. This is something I’ve noticed in other fan fics too, and it’s so nice to see. I was so worried when I first started writing mine and adding people and places, that some people would be like, “Well, that’s not what it was like in the game…” But the only reason there aren’t more people and buildings in the game is because it’s hard to do in a game. Just thought I would comment on that, because I am so happy to see that. It makes it more alive and real. And it makes me feel more comfortable adding buildings and people to my own story.

Teresa felt herself wilt under his harsh words and even hasher stare. She wanted to squeak like a mouse and scurry off to hide. Exactly what she had done all her life when the Imperial Legion turned their wrath upon her. But she did not do so this time, much to her own surprise. Instead she shut the door behind her with only a slight tremble in her hand. When she turned back she saw the Redguard had a hand on her sword, as if it were just casually resting there.
Excellent! I love how you worded this, and how you had the normally mouse-like little Bosmer show confidence and an air or importance. Perfect!

Also, I liked the addition of the Redguard whom Jauffre sent to Kvatch. I wonder, will this Redguard be the actual hero of Kvatch?

And good for Teresa not taking Jauffre’s gold! It’s understandable that anyone in her situation would want to—but it shows a goodness in her that she didn’t take it.

[King Coin]

14.1

How different Teresa's attitude to the crowed city is now from the beginning!
While I was reading about the granary I was thinking “Good thing those didn't get hit.”
Nice description of the city! It really makes it alive!

14.2

Again, nice description of the city.
The general seems like a very likeable person. Teresa is so nervous around him, but I can tell he didn't mind her words.

14.3

I'm sounding like a broken record, but I just love the detail in the city and buildings!

"Cilinius, say hello to Teresa," the Redguard said with a nod to the forester. 

"Sister," the Blade rumbled

Oh those Blades are much more tricky than the game let onto. I love it!

14.4

"Have you ever thought of becoming a Blade?" 

If he had not looked so serious, Teresa would have laughed in his face.

Laugh I did!

I'm kind of surprised he offered her a job. I'm glad she didn't take it, that just doesn't seem like her.
At least at this point in the story.

[RainbowVeins]

I've been following the TF and several other threads for a while now and am finally deciding to, ah, make myself known. What's not to love about Teresa? From her red-headed temper to her charming timidness and everything in between, each time I come to the end of the last post I can't help but want more. Also, your in-depth knowledge of everything non-ES that you so flawlessly incorporate into your story continues to impress me. I can't wait to tag along with Teresa and Tadrose on their shopping trip

[Thomas Kaira]

Lots of neat bow talk, and I do like me a good archery lesson!

Interesting you went to the Huns and the Mongols for inspiration (well, they're really the same people, actually, just different leaders). They are widely known as the best horseback archers the world ever saw. Keeping a steady aim while atop a galloping steed with a drawn bow is one of the most difficult feats you could hope to accomplish, and this reflects in their technology. As we saw, their bows were recurved, which makes it easier to maintain a draw, and the different grip was developed to ensure the string wouldn't slip from their fingers while the horse was jostling them around (fully enclosing the string with the two strongest fingers, as opposed to simply hooking the string).

The British style C-curve bow is excellent for range and accuracy, but if you want power and speed, the recurved bow is best. And if I may say so, that particular bow would fit Teresa like a glove.

[King Coin]

15.1

Teresa must not remember very well what it was like for her when she just left the city. Methredhel would naturally be uncomfortable in the wilderness

15.2

more wood elves being wood elves

15.3

I knew Valen Dreth sounded familiar.
Awww poor Teresa


15.4

So this is how they meet. Chased by one of the brothers. I really do not like that shop because no more than one of the brothers are ever around and he never has what I need.

15.5

Holy heck it's Pappy!

Agghh! That damned Dunmer again!

15.6

Haha! I was wondering how they were going to take care of Dreth.

15.7

Cool! Raminus Polus makes an appearance again!
A very clever way to be rid of Dreth and a neat way to have Teresa learn a bit of magic.

15.8

Methredhel meets her guide

Damn! Dreth's out? Kill him!!!!

This post has been edited by King Coin: May 8 2011, 05:00 AM

[SubRosa]

Captain Hammer: It's Captain Hammer Time! I am glad that the TF side of the TOA is coming across as engaging as the BF half of it. You hit the nail on the head (pardon the pun!) concerning Teresa and her relationships. That is one of the main things I wanted to focus on in this chapter. The others being Teresa's growing skill with a bow, and finally learning to manage her anger.

While I do not claim to be 100% real, I do strive for it. Just because the more true to life a story is, the more believable it is. Plus, I find real-world archery and melee combat to be just as exciting and enthralling as the fake stuff you see in movies, if not more so.


haute ecole rider: I think Teresa is more jealous of Parwen, because she has that bow!

That gungdo the Koreans use is really amazing to see isn't it? A great example of a massively reflexed bow. They use bamboo in them, which turns out to be excellent for bows because unlike wood, it does not have a grain.


Olen: You were on the right track about the greater strength of the composite bow. Part of it is the recurve shape which stores more energy (and thusly imparts more velocity to the arrow). The extra siha (or siyahs) do the same. The use of horn and sinew are what really give it power though. Wood has a compressibility of 1%. Horn on the other hand has a compressibility of 4%. While sinew likewise has a tensile strength 4 times that of wood. There are two basic forces at work in any bow. The inner edge - or belly - compresses, while the outer edge - or back - stretches. Horn is used on the belly because its greater ability to compress. Sinew was used on the back because of its greater tensile strength, and it's nature to spring back into place. The end result is that the composite bow can bend to lengths where a self bow of the same shape would snap, generate more energy, and do it all with less bow. It could also be left strung for much longer periods of time without danger of warping. That is not to say that you cannot make a longbow with the same draw-weight, but you will have to do it with much more bow, if you take my meaning.

Of course the composite bow has several drawbacks. The first is the amount of time it takes to make one. A master bowyer can make a self bow like the English Longbow in just a few hours (excluding chopping down a tree to get the wood). A composite bow takes a year to make. Most of that time being spent waiting for the glue to dry after putting on a piece, then adding the next and waiting more months for the glue on that to dry. The fact that glue is used to bind it all together means they are vulnerable to humidity, and especially submersion. They can literally fall apart if they get too wet. Because of that fish-glue was preferred, thanks to its resistance to moisture. The Chinese would laminate theirs to waterproof them. There is also considerably more finger pinch in a composite bow than in a self bow. That is why the Mongolian Draw using the thumb was used with it, rather than the three-finger Mediterranean Draw. Finally, a composite bow makes more noise when it is shot. Not a big deal in a pitched battle. But it could make a difference for a lone adventurer sneaking around.

All this (and more) will come out in the story in a later chapter, when Teresa has a chance to talk to someone who really knows their way around the Valenwood bow. In that last post I did not want to go into more detail than I did for fear of bogging down the story with too much technical information at once. Besides, while Tadrose understands the pros and cons of weapons like composite vs. self bows, she is not a bowyer or archer herself. So she is not a master of it, as someone like Daenlin is.

On the subject of Bosmer archers making their own bows, that was inspired by Eurasian nomads. Among them every archer made their own bow, as well as their own arrows. It is something they learned to do as children, just as they learned to ride, shoot, etc... Given that the Bosmer are supposed to be renowned archers, I think it fits well into their culture. Keep in mind of course that I said Bosmer archers, not every single Bosmer. Just like not every Altmer is a magician, not every Bosmer is an archer. They just have some natural advantages in that area.


Acadian: Teresa wants one of those bows, so she does indeed need one! I am glad someone liked the grazelands line. I worked to come up with something that would suit the setting there.


mALX: If Tadrose is smoothing the path for Teresa, does that mean she is shaving down low now? I suppose the real question is has Tadrose noticed how she herself feels about Teresa? Not to mention is she just as hesitant to make a move as Teresa is? Stay tuned, and eventually we will learn these things (I am not promising soon however!).


ghastley: Alawen insists you have an Elven bow? I never went to her for training, so I had no idea of that. I would say the iron bow is realistic though. For the most part it looks like the standard English Longbow (if you just take the metal bits out). That is why it is my second favorite bow, after the Elven one of course. The other ones do look whacked to me. That is why in the TF there are just two main bows: the Imperial self-bow (or English Longbow), and the Valenwood composite bow (or Hunnish Bow). We will see a chitin bow later in this chapter too, because I like the idea of a truly fantasy material being used. But those would be very rare outside of Morrowind.


Grits: You are right, there is so much shopping Teresa must do now! But sadly, she has to save her money for that house. Maybe some day though... Oh noes, Teresa forgot to bit her lip! I am glad that trademark of hers has become so ingrained that people look for it now.


Lady Syl: Like you said, the scale in OB works for a game. If it were a realistic size, it would make playing it boring. Who wants to walk hundreds of miles with nothing happening? But if you want to portray a realistic world, you really have to increase the scale on everything you see in the game. Just how much is a matter of personal choice however. Major cities of 10,000 people work as well as those of 100,000 do. The first was common in the Medieval Era, the second in the Classical one. But no one is going to believe a major city has only 80 people.

As much as she wanted to, Teresa just could not take that gold from Jauffre. It would have cheapened everything she had done. Like you, I am glad she chose to reject it, and leave her actions motivated purely by her love for the man who taught her to respect herself and take responsibility for her life.


King Coin: I am glad someone saw how unsuited to being a secret agent Teresa is. While she does have some of the skills, she just lacks the emotional mindset necessary to put aside her own freedom and do what she is told by other people. I doubt she will ever be that person. The legate was fun to write. I was channeling Dale Dye/R.Lee Ermey when I wrote him. Look for more of him in the future.

That was indeed Pappy Vitellus. I could not resist having characters like him and Raminus make cameos in the Young Teresa Chronicles. I like stories where the characters are tied together that way. Keep your eyes peeled for Pappy, as we will be seeing much more of him too. More of Dreth as well, as he will get his just desserts in chapter 25.


RainbowVeins: Hi Rainbow! Welcome to the TF! Thank you for the compliments. I do study up on the things I write to try to make them feel as real as I can. Although I am still not perfect at that. Thankfully I have folks around here to lend a hand at that too, from laying eggs to cooking. Without their help, it would not feel nearly as true to life.


Thomas Kaira: Teresa does indeed want one of those bows. I have pictured her (and wood elves) using them from the start. It has just taken me forever to get there. And she still does not have one yet!


Previously on Teresa of the Faint Smile: In our last episode Teresa watched Parwen shoot. She learned that her curious bow is of composite design, and is in fact the standard bow used in Valenwood. Naturally, she wants one herself. Now we go back to the guild hall the next morning, to find our fighters doing their morning routine of workouts.


Chapter 34.13 - The Tournament Of Archers

"I still can't believe you people work out like this every day!" Lum gro-Baroth exclaimed the next morning, his voice breathless. Like the other members of the Bravil Fighters Guild, he wore loose clothing, and his bare chest was covered in sweat. They tramped their way from the practice yard behind the guild hall and back inside. "This is like a legion training camp."

"That's right," Chance said. "It is. That's what makes us the toughest chapter in the Fighters Guild. Isn't that right Teresa?"

The wood elf simply nodded. Like the others, she was short of breath. But not nearly as much as she had been when she had first joined. Rather now she felt invigorated, her limbs loose and limber and ready for a new day.

"Besides working out with us, she runs laps around the city before sunrise," the Redguard went on. "What are you up to now Teresa, three?"

"Four," the wood elf replied with a faint smile.

"Four?" the orc's eyes goggled. "Damn, for a stringy little thing, you sure are full of surprises."

"If you only knew my friend," Ancondil clapped a friendly hand on the other mer's back.

"Alright you meatheads, if you're all done gawking over the women-folk, let's get upstairs and armor up," Pappy grumbled. Teresa wondered if he was disappointed in the performance of her and the other guild archers at the qualifications the day before? Or perhaps his previous night's trolling for women had not gone as well as he expected? "We've got breakfast and then weapon practice."

The fighters shuffled through the building and up the stairs to the second floor, where all the sleeping quarters were. Teresa sidestepped them and vanished into the kitchen instead. She had her own work to do this morning, and little time to do it in.

When the other fighters returned in ones and twos- now decked out from head to toe in armor and bristling with weapons - Teresa was cleaned from her Bloom spell and wearing her own leather armor. Her arrow bag was at one hip, and her bow tucked out of the way in her Thieves Bag. She helped Tavian set out the morning's fresh bread and tea, and even took pains to serve every member a cup of the latter, still steaming from the pot. Delphine Jend had been right about one thing. One of the benefits of destruction magic was that you could use it to warm your drink!

Kurz and several of the other new arrivals were not present. Still sleeping off the last night, Teresa imagined. According to Lum, Kurz had been spending most of his time in the taverns. Teresa wondered if he had come to Bravil to drink rather than to shoot in the tournament…

After breakfast they shuffled back out into the practice yard behind the guild hall. There the Bravilians drilled in small unit tactics, forming lines, circles, and columns at Pappy's command. Most moved with near perfection, except for Storm-Tail, who was still learning. While at one time Teresa had thought it was all silly, her experience in Culotte had cured her of that. Now she fully understood just how life-saving it was to rehearse these tactics.

The other fighters gawked for a while. Some returned to the guild hall, while Lum, Sason, and Thibault went to work practicing their archery on the targets against the city wall at the far end of the field. When the chapel bell tolled the hour, Teresa walked over to join the other archers. In the meantime the rest of the guild went back inside to the dojo to practice with their melee weapons. Teresa was surprised when Pappy returned a few minutes later, a longbow in hand and bag of arrows at one hip.

"You can shoot?" the wood elf asked incredulously.

"Of course," the Colovian replied. "A good fighter can use any weapon he picks up." He nocked an arrow and sent it downrange, plunking it halfway from the target's bullseye. "Granted, I don't get the practice that I do with other weapons."

Teresa wondered if Kurz was the same way, and spent more time training with his battle axe than with his bow? In any case, she turned back to her own target, and spent the next half hour firing direct, then switched to zone shooting until the chapel bell tolled the hour. Then they all filed back to the guild hall for hand-to-hand practice. While Tadrose instructed the others on the finer points of Digordorn - the Breton art of wrestling trips, throws and locks - Teresa and Pappy worked out with daggers.

"Time for you to start learning to attack with the blade," the Colovian declared. "First, always keep the point of your dagger facing the enemy. Whether you are using an overhand grip, or an underhand."

"Which grip is better?" Teresa asked.

"Neither," Pappy said. "Although some people will say one of the other. Each has its uses. We'll get into those later. I want to go over something more important before that - where to hit. Because if you don't put it in the right place, no weapon is any use."

"The face is always good, especially the eyes," the Colovian began. "It is one of the most difficult areas to hit though, as you already know from archery. Then we have the neck. It has to be lightly armored so a person can move their head. A slash to the side will open the arteries, across the front will strangle them in their own blood. But a man with his throat cut can and will still fight. So best of all is a stab up into the braincase. That is instant death. But not easy to get the angle right. It's best to grab their head from behind and jerk it to one side. Then you have a clear stab all the way up."

"Next is the armpit," Pappy continued. "Again, it has to be lightly armored so the arm can move. There is a big artery there, just under the skin. One slice and it's over. Then we go down to the groin. You have a big artery on each inner thigh. Cut or pierce one and your target will bleed out in no time at all. Finally you have the back of the knees. Again it's lightly armored at best, and will immobilize your opponent."

Teresa turned from Pappy to see Vincent scuttle from the dojo, one hand clutching his navel. She smiled faintly as they went back to their work. Pappy was taking her through the steps of various stabs and slashes when the Breton reentered the room and joined the others in Digordorn practice. Yet less than half an hour later Vincent was racing from the room again.

"There goes Vincent of the Quick Step!" she loudly declared. A chorus of laughs from the other fighters answered her.

"You didn't…" Pappy was now staring in the same direction as Teresa.

"Would I do something like that?" Teresa's eyes glittered in the morning light.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: May 13 2011, 08:43 PM

[haute ecole rider]

Ah ha, a little furosemide in the tea maybe? Lovely nickname for Vincent!

It's great to see the Bravil chapter bonding together over their strict training regimen and using it as an excuse to brag about themselves (a well deserved one, I'll admit). Just like the 101st or the Rangers, they've certainly earned the right to lord it over the other FG members!

"Four?" the orc's eyes goggled. "Damn, for a stringy little thing, you sure are full of surprises."

"If you only knew my friend," Ancondil clapped a friendly hand on the other mer's back.

If only Lum knew the real truth of that statement!

[Olen]

Haha. Clever stuff and a good revenge. Was there some dandelion in Vincent's cup? Entertaining stuff, made me laugh, but it also shows how much mroe confident Teresa is now. When she joined she wouldn't have dreamt of something like that.

It's nice to get a more normal day in the life part too, it shows the interestions within the guild brilliantly. I may have to take notes on how you're dealing so well with an active cast this size...

Delphine Jend had been right about one thing. One of the benefits of destruction magic was that you could use it to warm your drink!

I loved this line, it goes to show ways magic would be used, and it develops the setting. Delphine is completely mad, and one of my favourite npcs, I do hope we run into her.

Nit:
previous night's trolling for women - EDIT - I never knew troll was a verb, having read hammer's comment below I retract the comment on it being odd. It threw me a little but that's just me not having come across the word. Having looked it up it seems odd in that context, but I assume it's an idiom.

And we didn't get any shopping.

This post has been edited by Olen: May 8 2011, 10:34 PM

[Captain Hammer]

"There goes Vincent of the Quick Step!" she loudly declared. A chorus of laughs from the other fighters answered her.

"You didn't…" Pappy was now staring in the same direction as Teresa.

"Would I do something like that?" Teresa's eyes glittered in the morning light.

Awtwyr's Note to Self: Begin testing to see if Resistance to Poison includes protection against laxative-laced tea. Test with Ring of Vitality in a controlled ... repeat, controlled ... environment, with full private facilities.

Do Not Reveal Results to Mischievous She-Bosmer with Fondness for Archery and Alchemy, BLONDE, BRUNETTE, or RED-HEAD! Preservation of High-Rock Dignity a Priority!!

Right, got that filed away, so let's get to the story.

I appreciated seeing some of the other Fighters Guild members complain about the tenacity with which Pappy runs his hall, and how the Bravil chapter is actually quietly making itself the top-notch guildhall for Cyrodiil.

Or perhaps his previous night's trolling for women had not gone as well as he expected?

HAH!! Good to see it used in the older form. I've seen too many people on the stupid inter-webs ("IT'S A SERIES OF TUBES!!") fail to recognize that Trolling doesn't mean "cultivate an angry response," but rather "cultivate an amorous response." Though given the fine line between the two, I guess it's easy to see how the meaning got changed. Still, good to see some proper reclamation of language from today's mass of Plebs.

EDIT: And I see Olen's already commented on the same. Though I must disagree, I'll let you settle the matter, since I don't want to be Trolling, in the flame-baiting sense, in the pages of the TF. Though, for what it's worth, Trolling and Trawling can be, and in some senses are, the same thing. Especially when we're talking about Pappy and his usual evening activities.

This post has been edited by Captain Hammer: May 8 2011, 09:46 PM

[Acadian]

A delightful episode back at the guild! Gee, lots of little gems in here. . .

'One of the benefits of destruction magic was that you could use it to warm your drink!'
Magic! It's not just for breakfast anymore!

'Kurz had been spending most of his time in the taverns. Teresa wondered if he had come to Bravil to drink rather than to shoot in the tournament…'
Yes, I wonder what is the real reason he came to Bravil?

'There the Bravilians drilled in small unit tactics, forming lines, circles, and columns at Pappy's command.'
As you know, I simply love the term 'Bravilians'!

'So best of all is a stab up into the braincase. That is instant death. But not easy to get the angle right. It's best to grab their head from behind and jerk it to one side. Then you have a clear stab all the way up."
Something tells me that whoever taught Pappy to fight with a dagger, also taught Aradroth. I believe it was the great teacher named SubRosa.

Speaking of clever teachers, it was quite smooth of Pappy to plink an arrow into the target before introducing Teresa to the dagger. He thereby diffused any possible protests on her part about being specialized as an archer. Pappy's not only smart, but he knows his people well enough to understand which buttons to push. He also knows how to lead by example.

"There goes Vincent of the Quick Step!"
So now we see why Teresa slipped into the kitchen! Oblivion hath no fury like that of a woman publically assigned a nickname she doesn't appreciate.

Oh, 'trolling for women' works beautifully for me! I may be showing my advanced years here, but it conjures an image of fishing. Specifically, trolling is slowly motoring over the water with your line submerged and hopefully dragging it in front of interested fish. In fact there are even very low power 'trolling' motors for boats to support such activity. Pappy was fishin' for womenz!

Nit: 'When the chapel bell tolled the hour, Teresa walked over the join the other archers.'
I'm sure you wanted 'to' here of course.

This post has been edited by Acadian: May 9 2011, 01:17 AM

[D.Foxy]

Excellent and superbly researched dissertation on bows and bowmaking, and the art of the dagger - and on exploiting weaknesses in armour, Rosa.

One thing about the recurve bow: unlike the self bow, stringing up the recurve bow is an art in itself, and not easily learned at all. In fact many modern historians believe that the bow of Oddeyseuss was one of the rare recurve bows found in Classical times, and that the technical difficulty of stringing that bow, and not the physical strength required, was the reason why that bow could not be strung by any other than Oddeyseuss himself.

[haute ecole rider]

Yes, Da Fox is right. I came across a video of how to string a Korean bow (or gungdo as you called it). It is something that requires both hands, both feet and lots of time. Not something you can do in a hurry when attacked - the bow just won't be ready. And then you have to balance it, and if I recall correctly, that requires steaming the darn thing.

[mALX]

mALX: If Tadrose is smoothing the path for Teresa, does that mean she is shaving down low now?

Like that lady in Florida? ROFL !!!


Teresa slipping a little X-lax in the tea ... or was it Lasix like Haute said? ROFL !!! Wicked girl !! Awesome Write !!

This post has been edited by mALX: May 9 2011, 04:53 AM

[King Coin]

I could not resist having characters like him and Raminus make cameos in the Young Teresa Chronicles. I like stories where the characters are tied together that way.

I like stories like that too. Tom Clancy did that a lot with his books and I really enjoyed them.

16.1

Teresa has returned to the wilderness from the Imperial City. I love how she can't decide what to do now that she is near someone in the wilderness! In game I just take it for granted that I can just shoot anyone I want near a ruin without worrying that it might be a friendly. I think that the game would have been much more interesting if you had to identify friend from foe more often out in the wilderness.

16.2

Teresa meets her first conjurers. Luckily for her they don't wear armor and are highly vulnerable to arrows

Teresa made a good choice and ran for it when things got to be too much for her to handle.

16.3

this isn't the Morcant we know. At least Tsume greeted Teresa properly. The poor wolf is probably glad to be with someone... alive.

It looks like Teresa's visit was a reason for Morcant to pull herself together though.

16.4

Teresa's learning about her Astral Temple. I suspect she's been there before.

Confirmed!

16.5

I think Morcant could be back to her old self after climbing the mountain with Teresa.

16.6

I like how Teresa's pulling Morcant around from place to place. Let's go there!

16.7

But she had not come here to pet bears, she found herself thinking. There was an Ayleid ruin to explore. 

Down to business. My Khajiit would be thinking the same thing.

That's some power, being able to see what a place is just by being there. I love it!
It's good that Teresa was able to pull Morcant away from her despair long enough for her to do something about it.

[Grits]

If Pappy went trawling for women, he might have his hands full!

I love Teresa’s prank. Why get mad when you can get even!

[Thomas Kaira]

Teresa turned from Pappy to see Vincent scuttle from the dojo, one hand between his legs.

Mah plums!

"There goes Vincent of the Quick Step!" she loudly declared.

Perhaps we should now call her "Teresa of the Icy Tongue?"

Two major differences come to my mind between grip preference on your blade: overhand is better for slashing, and underhand is better for stabbing. Each way allows for you to apply more force to their respective attacks; for example, it is a lot easier to give a good, strong, two-handed swing capable of cutting through bone if you grip your blade overhand. Likewise, if the armor on your opponent is not platemail, a nice underhand-grip stab can easily penetrate it, as gripping underhand allows you to apply more leverage and weight to the stab.

However, as you say, neither is superior, so I would wager that a good swordsman would want to know when is the best time to switch grips. If you can utilize both, you will be that much more flexible in your swordsmanship, and flexibility is the currency of combat (alongside energy).

[SubRosa]

haute ecole rider: I had a natural laxative picked out that Teresa used to spike Vincent's drink. But it never made it into the final edit, and now I have forgotten what it was! But yes indeed, the Bravil FG is all bonding together thanks to Pappy's glue. Well, maybe not Teresa and Vincent!

What I have read about even the "regular" recurves like the Hunnish or Mongol bows that the the ears can easily become twisted when you string it, or the entire stave become unevenly bent. Many of the guides I have looked at to string them also have you sitting on the ground to do it. I cannot even imagine how you string something like that Korean bow!


Olen: "Trolling for women" is a common saying here in America, at least in Michigan. As Acadian mentioned, it doubtlessly comes from fishing. I think magic would be used for so many more ways that as you see in the game, most of them simple things aimed at improving people's lifestyles. Such as how Buffy uses frost magic to chill her drink, or enchants a bag with it to create a portable refrigerator. I introduced heat stones to be magic crystals that replace burning wood for fires, cold stones to replace blocks of ice in an icebox, lightstones to make torches or lamps obsolete, etc... I think the Mages Guild would make a ton of money selling consumer-oriented magic items like this.


Captain Hammer: Lum's complaint/amazement was actually born from Acadian's BF 1.0, in the scene where Buffy meets Lum he says the local FG guild commander was crazy for drilling people like it was a Legion camp. Of course Acadian got that from how I had shown Pappy doing just that. So I could not resist Lum voicing the same thing in the TF version of the TOA. Not just for consistency, but also because it is true, and it shows how different in skill the Bravil Guild is from the other chapters.


Acadian: Perhaps we will eventually see just why Kurz is in Bravil...

I read about that stab to the brain a long time ago. I think it was something by Michael Echanis? But I am not positive. Remember that Teresa has been training to use a dagger to parry with since she started in the Bravil FG. It was just not up until now that Pappy began showing her how to attack with it. After her experience in close quarter fighting in Culotte, she is more than happy to learn!

And yes, I did want "to" there, thank you for trolling that out of the word pond.


D.Foxy: Thank you D. I have also read that about Odysseos' bow. It would not surprise me, given the contact even the Bronze Age Greeks had with the east.


mALX: Well I hope Tadrose is not shaving while driving the carriage!


King Coin: Good guess on Teresa's Astral Temple! She will be going there more in the future.

Look for more of Teresa's ability to call upon the local spirits to show the past history of a place. I am mainly using it as a storytelling device to show what places were, and even just so Teresa can know the name of a place. It is not perfect however, and is useless for telling her things like who is in the place right now.


Grits: I think Pappy often does have his hands full!


Thomas Kaira: If she is called Teresa of the Icy Tongue, she is not likely to get many girlfriends! Keep in mind that Teresa is using a knife, not a sword though. To her the latter is still a club with an edge.


Previously on Teresa of the Faint Smile: Out last episode saw Teresa getting even with Vincent's imbuing her with a public nickname by spiking his tea with a laxative. Also, the last episode of the BF showed a glimpse of Teresa having lunch with Aia the Wretched. Next, we learn exactly what she and Aia were talking about.


Chapter 34.14 - The Tournament Of Archers

"Aia!" Teresa cried. "I knew that kissing the Lady would help me find you. I didn't see you at your usual place on Silver Avenue."

The old, shoeless Imperial woman looked up from the headstones which she sat in front of. Teresa knew three places where she could usually find the beggar. Just outside of Nilawen's store on Silver Avenue, her squat at the south-western corner of the city, and the graveyard of the Benevolence of Mara.

"Won't let me go there will the City Guard, nor Cosmus or any of the other street folk," the beggar said, staring down at the grass beneath her feet. "Embarrass the city, they say we do."

Teresa felt her ears burn hot at the comment, and her fingers curled into fists. "They are the ones who embarrass the city," she fumed. "What with that cursed skooma den doing business right under their noses, and a crimelord running the south island like it was his kingdom."

Aia shrugged, and Teresa felt her heart break. She had seen that same motion so many times in Simplicia, and had done it countless times herself when she had been on the street - it was the resignation of defeat. The inescapable knowledge that one could do nothing to change their lot in life.

Well not today, Teresa vowed. She reached down and helped the grey-haired woman to her feet. "Come on, let's go get something to eat," she said, "then we can go to the tournament together."

"Not allowed there either am I!" the beggar exclaimed. "Throw me in the dungeon they say they will if I try."

"And I'll throw them in the Niben," Teresa grumbled. "You have just as much right to go there as anyone else, and the Fighters Guild will see to it."

"Oh Teresa, not into trouble you'll be getting yourself in over me," Aia said. "Used to it am I."

"That's the point," Teresa said. "You shouldn't be. No one should be."

The wood elf dragged the old woman down Lady Street to Silver Avenue. As they had been since the beginning of the tournament, the streets were busy with people. Now more than ever that the finals were only a day away. She saw more than one City Guardsman on the street, but Teresa's hard stare was enough to keep them at bay. Or at least she imagined that might have been it.

They stopped at the front door of A Fair Deal. When Teresa held the door open for Aia to enter, the old woman simply shook her head.

"Just wait out here I will," Aia said, looking nervously through the door at the interior of the shop.

"If you're worried about Nilawen, it will be fine," Teresa said as soothingly as she could. "She's not like those soldiers. She won't mind you being in the store."

"Not that it is," the old woman said, her eyes darting at the roof of the porch overhead. "Just don't like going inside do I. It's better outside. Much better."

As if to emphasize her words, the beggar stepped off the porch and back onto the pavestones of Silver Avenue.

"Okay, I'll be right back." Teresa could not help but to puzzle over the old woman's strange behavior. Ever since she had known Aia, she had never seen the Imperial indoors. Not even in the Benevolence of Mara, in spite of how much she loved to linger outside of the temple. What was it about buildings that the beggar feared?

Teresa returned a few minutes later with a pair of Nilawen's Redguard-style wraps. Teresa's was filled with refried beans, greens, and cheese, while Aia's packed with strips of beef and the same vegetables. The old Imperial bit into the sandwich with a look of surprise and delight.

"Beef this is!" she declared. "Are you knowing how long it's been since meat I've eaten?"

"Probably months," Teresa imagined aloud. Meat was rare enough for working class people, but even they could usually afford it once a week. Beggars were not nearly so lucky. Teresa could remember what it a treat it was, back when she had still been able to stomach meat. As it was she did her best not to think about the poor animal that died to make the wrap, and instead she simply focused on the happiness of the old woman.

"Years," Aia mumbled through a mouth full of spicy Redguard food.

"Let's go find a place to sit down," Teresa murmured. Looking around, she saw the street was packed with people going to and fro. Her eyes set upon the alley between A Fair Deal and Silverhome On The Water. Motioning for Aia to follow, she led the old woman inside and found a place to sit. She handed her own sandwich to the beggar for a moment and produced a bottle of Tamika's from the Thieves Bag at her hip. Drawing forth a pair of red-glazed pottery cups a moment later, she poured one for each of them.

Screenshot

"Teresa, too good for me this is!" Aia exclaimed as she took a sip of the fruity alcohol. "For fancy folk are drops like this."

"And there is no reason we cannot be fancy," Teresa said as they sat with the alley wall to their backs. "It isn't every day we have an archery tournament in town is it?"

"Nor every day compete in one you do," Aia smiled slyly. "Heard about you have I. A seventy six! Never told me you were such a champion did you!"

"I wasn't that good," Teresa felt her cheeks grow warm as she look down at her lap. "There were plenty who scored better."

"Pfft!" The old woman waved a hand at the Bosmer. "Not giving yourself enough credit again, are you? What would your sweet old mother think if she knew that competing you were? Imagine how proud she would be!"

That made Teresa only turn more red. It was true that she had already sent one letter to Simplicia, jotted down immediately after returning from qualifying the previous day. But the wood elf imagined that the Black Horse Courier would bring the news of the next day's finals to the Imperial City before her letter arrived at Jensine's shop. What would she be writing to Simplicia tomorrow? That she had won? Or that she had been laughed from the field?

Teresa thought she smelled bergamot, and looked up to see a Bosmer walk past the mouth of the alley. The slender woman's hair was the color of spun gold, and was tied back behind her head in a long ponytail. Her eyes were liquid blue, and while not haughty, bore an expression of quiet confidence. The other elf wore a dress of russet flax that was nearly identical to Teresa's own. She walked with her head turned, and looked Teresa in the eye before her steps took her beyond the alley.

That was the same woman she had seen in the stands with Daenlin the previous morning, Teresa realized, Dame Buffy! What a strange chance to see her on the street in a city nearly doubled in population since the tournament began?

"So do you know anything about Dame Buffy?" Teresa asked, "Or Daenlin?"

"Oh everyone in Bravil knows Buffy," Aia proclaimed. "Such a sweetheart she was when she was little. In the Mages Guild her mother was, an alchemist like you, so she was always over in their hall. That was before her parents… well… before died they did. Her godfather was Daenlin, so while Nilawen took her into her store to live, he's the one who taught Buffy right from wrong. Like the old saying: to ride, to shoot straight, and speak the truth. So proud of her he is now that she's a knight."

"So how did she become a knight?" Teresa asked. That had puzzled her since Tadrose had told her of the other Bosmer the previous day.

"Well, when she came back from the University did she, Buffy went down to Leyawiin for some reason or another. Don't remember exactly why. Down there she met up with this orc named Mazoga. That's it, just Mazoga her name is, no gra-something like other orc women. Tore up the local bandits for the Count down there, the two of them did, and made them both knights of Leyawiin did he. They live down there in this big fancy lodge by the river they do, and keep the countryside safe for them folk that live down there or travel through."

"Wait, you said the University?" Teresa wondered. "Do you mean the Arcane University?"

"Aye," Aia declared. "Went there she did when she was young. She's a real magician, and good friends with all them others over at the Mages Guild. Practically grew up there when she was little after all. Even friends with that Ungarion from The Warlock's Luck she is. I hear they were at the University at the same time."

A knight who was a magician, born from common stock. Teresa's mind whirled. Who would have imagined such a thing? She had thought all knights were finely bred men like Valerius Nasica, riding beautiful horses, wearing armor, and carrying lances. Not wood elves like herself, much less magicians and archers!

"So how could she have paid for the Arcane University?" Teresa asked. "With her being an orphan and all?"

"Paying for most of it was her godfather Daenlin hear I," Aia said. "But helped did Kud-Ei as well. Cold-blooded them lizard-folk may be, her heart's as warm as Mara's, that one's is."

"They aren't cold-blooded," Teresa said off-handedly. "People just think that because snakes and lizards are. But what about Daenlin? What is his tale?"

"Oh, here in Bravil for about forty years he's been now," Aia explained. "From Skingrad he came. Was in the Imperial Legion over there, or the City Guard. Which I'm not sure. I don't think he's originally from there though. I hear he was born in Valenwood. Came up to Cyrodiil for the work he probably did is my guess. Lots of Bosmer do."

Teresa nodded. Parwen had said the same thing herself.

"Real good friends with Buffy's parents Daenlin was - Superior and Terry Ann. Like brothers he and Superior were. Broke his heart it did when Superior never came back from his last vampire hunt. Ever since then Buffy's been his life. Never admit to it he will of course, being a man he is."

"I hear he's the best archer in Bravil," Teresa said.

"What they say, that is. But maybe not anymore." Aia winked at Teresa. "The best bowmaker in these parts he is, that's for sure. Makes them longbows like you got, and those funny bent bows they use in Valenwood. Arrows he makes too, and sells all sorts of things like them and quivers at his shop on the south island."

Teresa thought that over as she finished eating her wrap. Washing it down with the rest of her cup, she rose and helped Aia to her feet. Then taking the old woman in one arm, she led her north along Silver Avenue.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: May 11 2011, 04:42 PM

[haute ecole rider]

I see there seems to be some confusion about just what it was Teresa spiked Vincent's drink with. I had gathered the impression, because he was holding his crotch, that he needed to urinate badly. On the other hand, the urge to defecate is usually expressed by holding one's behind, often accompanied by the classic butt squeeze - to me, at least. Alternatively, it can also be expressed by holding one's abdomen, since most strong laxatives work by cramping. That's why I was thinking No. 1 instead of No. 2.

A laxative affects No. 2 - it stimulates the colon. Furosemide (also known as Lasix - mALX is right) is a diuretic, and stimulates the kidneys to produce more urine. It has a much more powerful effect than drinking a ton of coffee would. Putting a caffeine-laced drink (coffee, tea) together with furosemide would be a potent combination indeed! That's why I was thinking diuretic, not a laxative!

Anyway, back to Teresa's story. I loved the interaction between Aia and Teresa. Her outrage at the injustice of banning beggars from certain parts of town and the tourney in the face of blatant organized crime and corruption is completely understandable. The way she captured Aia's reluctance to enter a building is poignant. And the information about Dame Buffy and Daenlin is wonderful! And now she knows where she can get her hands on that recurved bow!

[Olen]

A break between the storms and a chance to catch up with a character from a while back, and a Bravilian (I love that term) who knows a bit more about certain people. I suspect we'll be seeing Daenlin soon... perhaps with Tadrose...

Teresa's anger at the treatment of the beggars is as I'd have suspected. I like how you've developed Aia though. Refusing to go indoors, makes me wonder why, and it also gives a reason why she's a beggar.

And you're certainly building up tension with the final. I wonder what Simplicia will be thinking, it was good opertunity to tie this piece back into the IC side of her life which seems a distant memory now - she's changed so much I wonder how well she'll fit in back there, I can hardly imagine her not in Bravil now. I look forward to the competition and the more distant events...

This post has been edited by Olen: May 11 2011, 08:44 PM