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

[Olen]

Great part, you caught the tension well, though I suspect Teresa might find this one of the easier tests as she is certainly perceptive. It also gives the feeling that she is more confident and skilled than she was, as this is meant to be a test her passing it shows how far she's developed.

"Magic is all about symbols... dreams, which are of course symbols."

Good bit of worldbuilding, linking this back to a previous event is excellent and makes the whole thing hang together. Your view of magic also fits very well with this quest...

Besides, it is the only opportunity I am ever going to have to take naked pictures of Teresa!

Fair play, though I'm sure you could come up with other means for that...

[Acadian]

Very creepy and very neat! You really captured the feel of this test. I liked how you showed Teresa learning about far distraction vs near danger. It fooled the wood elf once, but not twice.

'So she let it go, and watched as it flew across the room and struck Henantier, who was now standing. He did not flinch away, or make a sound as it hit him. He just stood there with an expectant look on his face as the ebony sphere crashed into him.
Rather than knocking him over, or punching through him, the ball of energy sank into his body and disappeared. The same blue-white glow that had wreathed the ball lit around the high elf, only to likewise soak into his body. Afterward Teresa noted that his form now seemed more substantial, and when he gazed at her his eyes were no longer filled with confusion.'
This was wonderfully described! You very carefully then showed some improvement in Henantier, but also that much more was needed to make him 'whole'.

Nit:
'So this was it, she thought as crept forward around the trap.'
I suspect you wanted to say: ...as she crept forward... ? Or if you wanted to lesson the use of 'she', perhaps: ...she thought while creeping forward around the trap.

[Jacki Dice]

I love how you fleshed out this chapter. Its generally a quick run through for me, but the way you wrote it, it's like time slowed down which shows Teresa's caution. Great write ♥

This post has been edited by Jacki Dice: Jan 30 2011, 06:40 AM

[Thomas Kaira]

Now there's a gauntlet. Great bit of edge-of-your-seat reading in here!

Glad to see you keeping your head on your shoulders kept it from being removed from said shoulders, Teresa.

I feel the need to give a bit of warning to our slight-of-build Bosmer heroine: watch out for the wall-darts. They'll kill you before you can blink.

"I don't know you!" he cried, shrinking away for a moment. Then he paused, squinting at her in the red light. "Where are your clothes?"

Teresa looked down at her naked body, and suddenly felt warmth blossom in her cheeks.

Is this going to become a recurring theme? Naughty, naughty!

This post has been edited by Thomas Kaira: Jan 30 2011, 07:21 AM

[mALX]

WOO HOO! Teresa in the buff! The red lighting in that dreamworld takes away the red of her hair, though - she looks blonde! Or were the screenies taken before she dyed her hair?

I loved what you did with these chapters - well worth the re-read !! The dreamworld is one of my fave quests to play. Great Write!!



Awesome Screenshots !!! You did great to capture the mood of the challenges with your screenies, here are my fave two:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subr...ightmare08c.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subr...ightmare08k.jpg

Awesome Write, SubRosa - it always is when you hold the pen!

[SubRosa]

haute ecole rider: Is that Schrödinger's Cat?

I am afraid of heights myself, so I can relate.


Grits: I felt like I was in a Austin Powers movie, given how I had to strategically place the camera for all the pics of Teresa! Next chapter Tadrose will demonstrate indeed!


Olen: That probably will be one of the easiest for Teresa. Or the one coming next.

That little flashback with Raminus Polus was something new for the TF 2.0. In the original Teresa was just ruminating on the same basic thing. But as you said, linking it back to a concrete event does make it all work so much better.


Acadian: She did indeed mean to creep. Thank you for straightening out Teresa's creepiness!


Jacki Dice: This is a big chapter because I did as you said, slowed everything down and took it one step at a time. Hopefully it will continue to be exciting later on.


Thomas Kaira: A gauntlet was exactly what I was hoping it would feel like.

That will be a recurring theme!


mALX: You are right, she does look blond in that one pic. These were all taken when she had red hair though. It is just a trick of the lighting. That would make her a blond, bosmer, bowgirl, from Bravil...


Next: Teresa has complete the first of the tests required to reassemble Henantier's mind. Next she must face a test of her reasoning skills. Note that this next test is one that I have renamed from the game.


Chapter 28.5 –Through A Nightmare Darkly

She found herself standing upon a long platform of Ayleid construction, once again suspended in a featureless void. The slightly greenish stones under her feet were cut into gigantic blocks, each one long enough to fit a wagon and its horse upon and still have room to spare at either end. Directly in front of her was a low pedestal, upon which sat a metal container. It was hexagonal in shape, like many such small chests she had seen in Ayleid ruins.

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Stepping up to it with care, her eyes darted to and fro in case of another trap. Yet nothing fell upon her, shot at her, or collapsed under her. Breathing a sigh of relief, she twisted the lid and lifted it off the body of the chest. Within she found a scroll that appeared quite new when compared to the rusted container and the worn stone beneath her feet.

Unrolling it, she furrowed her eyebrows in concentration. It contained three groups of runes. The first a small set of only four lines, and the next two groupings becoming progressively larger. She recognized the faint image that took up the background of the rolled sheet as belonging to the Mage star sign; a wizened man holding a staff, with several stars dotting his figure connected by lines.

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Wonderful, now what was she going to do with this? The only language she knew was Cyrodiilic, the common tongue of the Empire. Whatever the scroll was written in, if it was even a language at all, she had no idea what it was. Perhaps if she was a real magician it would all make sense to her. It might even be some magical code they were taught in the Arcane University for all she knew.

Rolling the scroll back up, Teresa was about to put it back in the container when she thought better of it. It must have been placed here for a reason, she thought, best to keep it.

So gripping the scroll in one hand, the forester made her way forward along the length of the un-walled corridor. She came to a place where it widened out into a large square-shaped area. A vaulted ceiling loomed in the darkness high overhead, and four gigantic blocks of stone rose one after another along each side of the square. Each was taller than she was, and bristled with nozzles that she knew would spray darts if their triggers were set off. In the open path between them Teresa could plainly see that the floor was taken up by pressure plates.

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So how was she going to get across that? she wondered. It was too far to jump, and she could not go around. The entire breadth of the floor was taken up by the pressure plates, so there was no way to squeeze through between them either. Yet there had to be some way across. This was a test she thought, so there must be a way to succeed.

That is when she remembered the scroll. Pulling it open once more, she saw that the number of pressure plates equaled the number of runes in the first set of writings. Aha! she thought, so the runes were a key to crossing the plates. She just had to figure out how to decipher them.

With that in mind, the wood elf examined them more closely, and realized that some of the characters repeated themselves. Studying the instances of that single rune, she found that they were all adjacent to one another, creating a path across the maze of pressure plates.

Taking a deep breath, Teresa prayed to the Nirn Spirits that she had guessed correctly, and that the runes did not mean something else altogether. She stepped onto the first pressure plate and braced herself for the worst. She heard the deep-throated rumble of stone grinding upon stone as the plate dropped beneath her feet. Yet there was no whooshing sound of flying darts, nor sharp biting impacts into her bare skin.

She realized that she had closed her eyes, and opening them once more, she stepped upon the next plate in the diagram. Once again it safely depressed into the floor beneath her feet. She smiled faintly, and followed the rest of the runes through the plates and to the corridor beyond.

Well, that was not too hard, she thought with some small satisfaction. Continuing along the corridor to her left, she found it turned once more in her original direction. There she found the way ahead was blocked by more of the stone sentries, except for one gap between them. Stepping into it, her heart sank as she looked out at a sea of pressure plates. It was easily double what there had been in the previous area.

Screenshot

This is not a problem, she told herself as her heart began to race. She just had to find the correct rune and follow it through. Studying the second diagram on the scroll, she was disappointed to see that the first rune she had followed was not represented within it. The key rune must change every time, she ruminated. Spending long moments searching through the pattern of characters, eventually she came upon one that seemed to create a pathway.

Stepping out onto the first plate, she again gritted her teeth as it sank into floor beneath her. Once more no darts shot forth to strike her down, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Studying the scroll again, she carefully picked her way sideways along the pressure plates, then alternated between moving forward and to one side or the other, until finally she was across.

Phew! she thought, that was more difficult. Yet she had still managed to puzzle her way through. Continuing down the corridor to the next phase of the test, she once again found a row of stone blocks cordoning off her route, except for a single open space between them.

Stepping into the gap, she found an even more complicated test before her. Not only were there more of the pressure plates than the last two tests combined, there was an extra dart-throwing column right in the center of the maze. She imagined the route would be more complicated as well, and stared down at the scroll once more to figure her way through.

Screenshot

Once more a different rune unlocked the riddle of the maze, and the wood elf stepped onto the first pressure plate with a growing sense of confidence. She chided herself to not get too bold when the traps did not go off, and forced herself to stop and study the scroll again before following the runes along the path they spelled out.

As she had first guessed, the route was more circuitous then before, leading her around one side of the central dart-shooter and another, even going forward and back again, before finally leading her out onto an open platform on the other side.

She could see another of the dark stones floating in the air down the platform ahead of her, and cautiously walked to it. Just because she had gone through all of the tests did not mean the dreamworld might not cheat and spring a final trap on her, she thought. She was relieved when she arrived at the stone without incident.

This time she saw it hovered over a ring of metal spines that rose up from what looked like a well. Just like the star wells at Vilverin and Anutwyll. The sphere itself was black and featureless as the previous one had been, but crackled with a purplish energy this time. Once more a humming filled Teresa's ears as she reached out for it and took it in her hands. She knew that it was the Element of Reason, and then she was gone.

Screenshot

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Feb 1 2011, 06:46 PM

[Olen]

Good camera positioning for that last screenie

Good write of the part, you managed to keep some tension with her asking herself if she was definatly right which was good. That one was easy once you worked out the code (saying that the scroll didn't display properly on my old PC so I had to go by trial and character death...).

The next two should be real treats...

[haute ecole rider]

And once again we are treated to wonderful, strategically angled camera views of the Test of Reasoning.

I have to admit the first time I encountered this test I was paralyzed! I didn't understand the connection between the scroll and the pressure plates. I also knew the first mistake was going to be fatal. Ugh!

I remember how excited I was to see this test so well-written in 1.0, and version 2.0 does not disappoint! Well done again!

And yes, that is Schrödinger's cat, from the lolcat image you sent me. I just cropped it down so kitty would be more visible in the icon mode. I figured it was time for a change!

[mALX]

Screenshot


I love this screenshot for the camera angling to just the right place to keep hidden certain areas and reveal others - a delicate balance, and you achieved it nicely !! I am instantly reminded of Acadian's genius a week ago that had Miss Buffy stretching at the dining room in Leyawiin Castle - you two both have a talent for setting up screenies to get the most out of them!!

Awesome Write and rendition of one of my fave quests in the game!

That would make her a blond, bosmer, bowgirl, from Bravil...

ROFL !!! Ah, I learned a long time ago to swallow and put down my drink before reading any comments you have written, my keyboard is undrenched, lol.

[Acadian]

Very well done! I was right on the edge of my seat the entire time, almost holding my breath with Teresa. Yikes!

Oh, and great screenies!

'Stepping up to it with care, her eyes darted to and fro in case of another trap. Yet nothing fell upon her, shot at her, or collapsed under her.'
Wonderful use of words here.

'She chided herself to not get too bold when the traps did not go off, and forced herself to stop and study the scroll again before following the runes along the path they spelled out. '
I was so relieved to see her cautiousness here.

'Once more a humming filled Teresa's ears as she reached out for it and took it in her hands. She knew that it was the Element of Reason, and then she was gone. '
Fabulous ending, right at the correct, magic moment for full impact! After all, even if you don't 'show' us the Element rejoining Henantier's mind, you showed us with the previous test.

[Thomas Kaira]

Wonderful, now what was she going to do with this? The only language she knew was Cyrodiilic, the common tongue of the Empire.

Been a long time since the Oblivion Crisis ended, I'd wager. Perhaps Teresa needs a refresher on Daedric? I'll give a quick hint: Spell Scrolls are scribed in Daedric characters (Morrowind reference). Speaking of that...

It might even be some magical code they were taught in the Arcane University for all she knew.

You're not far off there!

It was great to see how Teresa reacted to each of the trap gauntlets, starting fearful, but naturally becoming a simple edginess with a quick flash of overconfidence quickly being snuffed. This tells us quite a lot about how conscientious of the world she's become.

[Jacki Dice]

Um...pardon me, good Well of Reason... you're in my way!

It might even be some magical code they were taught in the Arcane University for all she knew.

That's exactly what I thought too I taught myself to read and write Daedric, so I sat there for several minutes trying to figure out what it said! It was only after I wrote it all down that I noticed the letter patterns

[Linara]

Gah, the tests! I don't like this quest, personally, because it is confusing and difficult. But you have written it in an engaging manner, and although I know Teresa will survive I'm still on the edge of my seat. Now the minotaurs...

[SubRosa]

Olen: I worked hard to get that last picture!


schrödinger's ecole rider: I actually figured it out pretty quickly. When I first looked at the scroll I was like wtf? But I figured they were giving it to me for a reason, so I kept it. Then when I got to the first set of traps I decided to look back at it, and realized that there were the same number of symbols as there were pressure plates. After that it was easy.


mALX: I guess now the question is which character will be naked next? Julian? Jerric? Wrothken? Maxical? Derelas? Lattia Direnni? Maya?


Acadian: This was a difficult test to make feel tense. Because once you figure it out, it really is easy. I am glad Teresa's caution and uncertainty worked to keep up the feeling of excitement.


Thomas Kaira: Daedric writing for scrolls? It sounds like Bethesda just wanted to get the most out of the font they created. That does not make sense to me though. The whole point of a scroll is that it is a one-shot spell that anyone can use. But if they are written in Daedric, then very few people would be able to use them (which in turn means the Mages Guild is not going to make any money selling them ). I cannot imagine anyone other than Daedric cultists and a few magic geeks like Henantier who would want to learn to read, write, and speak Daedric. The same as I mentioned a while ago with summoning. Who would want to summon the creatures that continually try to destroy the Empire, and the world? So just like Aedric summoning will be a seen later in the TF, scrolls are all written in American (i.e. Cyrodillic/Imperial).


Jacki Dice: A good thing for well of reason being where it was, otherwise I'd probably be banned!


Linara: I have always liked this quest. No minotaurs this post though. I am saving the best for last.


Next: Teresa has recovered the second of the elements of Henantier's mind that she needs. Next she gets some clothes!


Chapter 28.6 –Through A Nightmare Darkly


She found herself back in Henantier's combination study and bedroom once again. This time she did not try to hold onto the sphere of energy for even a moment. She simply let go as soon as she realized where she was again. It flew directly into him once more, and again she noted that he grew more substantial after he absorbed it into his body.

"Oh my stars!" the Altmer said with his eyes wide. "What's happened? I've trapped myself in my own dreamworld! I must have made a mistake somewhere in my design."

"Glad to see you've been paying attention," Teresa said dryly as she stared at the elf. He shrinked away at the sound of her voice once more, and the wood elf shook her head.

"You, someone sent you here. It was Kud-Ei wasn't it?" the high elf started once more. "Oh no, she has trapped you here as well! We will never escape this place!"

"Just calm down Henantier," Teresa said in a soothing tone. "I already finished two of the tests, I can do the rest. Do you know how many more there are?"

"There are two," the mage stammered, holding up two fingers on one hand. "But you will never complete them, no one can!"

"Two more?" Teresa asked. The forester tried not to let his panic affect her. It was hard enough to keep from falling apart herself. His agitation only made it worse. She hoped that the test to regain his courage would be next. "Do you know what they will be like?"

"One is a test of bravery," Henantier said in a quivering voice. "The other is a test of faith. But they cannot be done, you will die if you try."

"Why?" Teresa asked. "Do you know what is in them?"

"No," the high elf responded, shying further away from the forester. "I just know they are impossible!"

One is a test of faith, Teresa thought, no wonder he had none in her abilities, just as he had no courage. Well, there was nothing to do but finish it, she thought, and turned to the stairway leading down.

"Where are your clothes!" the high elf exclaimed behind her. Looking back, Teresa saw that he had turned his head so he could not see her.

"I don't have any, thanks to your dreamworld," Teresa said plainly. "Can you make me some?"

"Well of course, that is simple." The Altmer gestured at the dresser. Following his hand, Teresa found a small, neatly folded pile of clothing sitting atop it. Quickly she gathered up the dress and made her way into its labyrinth of folds, buttons, and loops. When she finally slipped the dark shoes upon her feet, she wished she had a mirror to see herself.

Looking down at herself, she was stunned at what she found. The elaborate black dress not only hugged her torso like a second layer of skin, it also created curves where she was certain she never had them before. While it had a high collar that nearly touched her chin, it was slit open from the top of her breastbone down to the bottom of her ribs, with only a pair of small cups that came out from either side covering the centers of her breasts. A row of spikes rose from along the back of her shoulders, curving down around the front of her body to meet below her breasts, creating a mane of giant thorns.

The dress made a wide sweep out from her hips, like a bell, and the skirt had a scale design down the front. Along either side it was comprised of large silver plates that seemed form-fitted to her, and were somehow sewn together. Silver gloves of similar construction sheathed her forearms from fingers to elbows, and were shaped like fish, even bearing spines growing from the back of her arms. The shoes on her feet were of similar black and silver design, their toes shaped like the mouths of fish.

Screenshot

Somehow, in spite of how elaborate the outfit was, Teresa found that she could move just as easily as she had when she was naked. Once more she was thankful that this was a dream, rather than reality. Looking at the outfit, she did find herself wondering what Henantier normally dreamed? Then casting her gaze at the warped version of his home, she realized it was no stranger than anything else here.

She opened her mouth to say something to the high elf, then shut it again. There would be no point until she finished the last two tests. Then hopefully she could get something out of him.

She turned and went down the stairs to the vestibule on the ground floor. She found that the front door was now at the end of a short corridor that led away from the rest of the building. The walls of the new hallway were of rough stone and dirt overlaid with wooden boards, as if she was in a mine. The door itself was a typical rickety affair that she imagined one might find in a mineshaft as well.

This was the Test of Faith, Teresa realized as she stepped up to the door and set her hand upon it. Good, she thought, at least Henantier might start believing in her once she completed it. She pushed it open and stepped through.

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* * *

The wood elf had expected to find herself floating within another void. Instead she was inside an underground cavern. Most of it was submerged in a layer of water, which was only ankle-deep where Teresa entered the chamber. She could see it deepened significantly the farther into the room she went. Across from her the wall of the cave was pierced by a tunnel, which was nearly completely underwater.

Now she wished she had the Jewel of the Rumare with her. This would be a lot easier with it, she thought as she looked down at the bare flesh of her finger where it normally resided. Well, there was nothing to do about it, she sighed. She would just have to swim the old-fashioned way for a change.

The ground rose up from the waves to her right, and upon the little island was a spoked dais of Ayleid design. Sitting atop it was one of their hexagonal chests. Teresa leaped up to the dry ground with ease, and was once more thankful for the dream-reality allowing her to move so freely in her newfound gown.

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Opening the container, she found a bottle within. As soon as she touched it she knew that it was a Potion of Water-Breathing. However, she could also sense that it would only last a few minutes, and staring at the submerged tunnel, she wondered if she would have enough time.

She would just need to have faith, she thought as she stepped down into the water and waded to the tunnel. These tests were designed to push a person, to endanger them, she knew, not kill them outright. Or at least she hoped so.

Pulling the stopper from the bottle, she upended the potion and let the blue liquid slide down her throat. Tossing the empty bottle aside, she dove beneath the waves into the tunnel. She kicked hard to propel herself down, and was pleased to find herself moving as quickly as she would if she was not wearing anything. On the other hand it was not nearly as easy as when she wore the Jewel of the Rumare either.

Soon she felt the water pressing down upon her, weighing on her limbs, where the ring had made it seem as if it was not even there at all. But Teresa followed the tunnel deeper down, until it leveled out into a small chamber. Looking to and fro, she found a shaft leading down in the floor. Wasting no time, she swam down within and continued to plummet deeper. The light became dim, and she began having trouble seeing as she followed the well ever downward.

She felt the potion begin to wear off as she came to another small chamber. Looking around, she saw another opening in one wall, that seemed to curve down into another well. Should she continue downward, and hope she found air before she drowned? Or should she turn back? If she did she just might make it to the surface while her breath lasted.

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Have faith, Teresa thought. With that in mind, she kicked furiously for the side passage, and followed it into the depths. By now the potion had completely worn off. Holding her breath, she pushed on deeper and deeper. Now the water pressed in on her like a lead cloth that dragged at her limbs. Her lungs felt as if they were about to burst, and every part of her body was screaming at her to open her mouth to take a breath.

Still, she pushed on deeper, and was rewarded with the sight of another decrepit wooden door set into the bottom of the shaft. Desperately reaching out for it with her hand, her fingers set upon it just as her breath began to finally give out.

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Then she found herself standing in a shallow pool of water and gasped. Falling to her knees as she gulped for air, she noticed the water was colored teal and red. Looking up, she saw that the sky was orange above her, and that she was within the circular stone walls of a ruined keep. Looming on a dais in front of her was another of the dark stones, this one glowing with yellow light.

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She climbed from the water and onto the grassy floor of the castle. Stepping to the dais, she wasted no time in reaching out for it. The next thing she knew she was back in Henantier's house.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Feb 5 2011, 05:19 AM

[haute ecole rider]

this is the one test that freaked me out!

But I found the second potion about halfway through. Did Teresa not see it? It's hard to see though. I missed that the first time i tried it!

Ugh!

But yeah, it's possible to make the whole thing on just one bottle of potion.

[Linara]

For some reason I forgot about the test of Faith. While it isn't the hardest, it's not the easiest either. Especially with only one water breathing potion...Also, I can say with reasonable doubt that Maya is not planning on shedding her clothing anytime soon. I hope. Is that dress from a mod or Shivering Isles? I think I remember seeing a mod with clothing like that, but maybe not.

[Acadian]

'One is a test of faith, Teresa thought, no wonder he had none in her abilities, just as he had no courage.'
The dialogue exchange that preceded Teresa's conclusion was so very supportive of this - well done!

'Looking at the outfit, she did find herself wondering what Henantier normally dreamed?'
The dress. . . Heh. It seems Henantier's taste runs toward spikes and cleavage, and I would submit he definitely likes fish.

'She opened her mouth to say something to the high elf, then shut it again.'
Oh no, Teresa! Now don't start acting like a fish, you'll only excite him!

The test itself. Well, I found myself holding my breath and beginning to panic right along with Teresa, so you obviously conveyed what she experienced masterfully (again).

My goodness. You have really built some tension up for what Henantier has said is the final test - of bravery. Gulp!

This post has been edited by Acadian: Feb 5 2011, 01:42 AM

[haute ecole rider]

'One is a test of faith, Teresa thought, no wonder he had none in her abilities, just as he had no courage.'
The dialogue exchange that preceded Teresa's conclusion was so very supportive of this - well done!

'Looking at the outfit, she did find herself wondering what Henantier normally dreamed?'
The dress. . . Heh. It seems Henantier's taste runs toward spikes and cleavage, and I would submit he definitely likes fish.

'She opened her mouth to say something to the high elf, then shut it again.'
Oh no, Teresa! Now don't start acting like a fish, you'll only excite him!

The test itself. Well, I found myself holding my breath and beginning to panic right along with Teresa, so you obviously conveyed what she experienced masterfully (again).

My goodness. You have really built some tension up for what Henantier has said is the final test - of bravery. Gulp!

I had to double check the avatar because this just sounded like Foxy!

[D.Foxy]

'Twas not Foxie, but aye sweet Dox...er...er...Ducchess???

[Jacki Dice]

Syl's dress! I've always loved it. Too bad you can't get it on the console

This test bugged me too, though it may be because I know I would never, ever get through it, even with breathing potions. Good thing Teresa can swim!