The Tale of Sudhendra Vahl: The Hunter's Moons Options

[OverrideB1]

Weary from my vigil against the reoccurrence of the dream, I left the Valbrandr Barrow after breaking my fast and continued north through he snow-shrouded woods. The crisp morning air was just what I needed after a night like last night and I soon found myself feeling far cheerier. So it was, in this fairly good frame of mind that I came upon a most bizarre sight.

There, nestled amidst the trees, was a small cabin that was festooned with brightly coloured lanterns. As I approached, I saw a small, huddled body in the snow ~ a Suthay-Raht whose body stank with the distinctive acidic smell of Moon Sugar. Clutched in one paw was a sheet of paper; scrawled on this were the same verses I’d read in Thirsk.

He he! Ha ho!
To the workshop he will go!
My Uncle's candy is so sweet!
It's such a yummy winter's treat!
When the sugar is warmed by the pale hearth’s light
The happiness spreads throughout the night!
He he! Ha ho!
To the workshop he will go!
Uncle Sweetshare is coming near
To spread his candy and his cheer!
It's better than trinkets, games or toys
So say all the little girls and boys!
He he! Ha ho!
To the workshop he will go!
Candy, candy -- he makes so much!
Uncle Sweetshare has a magic touch!
So it's back to the workshop in the snow!
With lovely lanterns all aglow!

Inside the hut I found a grossly fat Bosmeri, a ridiculous white Colovian fur hat perched on his head. With a glower at the grinning figure, I asked, “Are you the buffoon that’s going around giving everyone Moon Sugar?”

"My candy treats are tasty, they are! And filled with special sugar and love!" he exclaimed, performing a mad shuffle. "They bring happiness! Happiness to everyone on Solstheim! That's what I do, you see! I give out my special sugary treats and spread happiness throughout the land! It's difficult work, but oh so very rewarding! M'nashi certainly thought so. Ahh, M'nashi, the dear lad...."

“M’nashi?” I asked, “You mean the dead Khajiiti outside?”

"M'nashi was my assistant! He helped me make my candy! He so loved his sugar, M'nashi did," the grotesque little Bosmer said in a singsong voice. "Loved it a little too much, I'm afraid! He died, you see. His… ah… sweet tooth got the better of him. I buried him, just outside. We had a lovely little ceremony. The Horkers came and sang for him, they did! He he he! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

“Now listen up short-stuff,” I went on, poking a finger into his ample girth, “this has just got to stop. You can’t go around poisoning people with Moon Sugar. Severia Gratius has…”

"Oh, that Severia Gratius is so grumpy!" the Bosmer said, pulling a rueful face. "Maybe I should visit her next! Because that's what I do. I visit the sad and miserable and spread all the happiness I can! It is the way of Uncle Sweetshare, you see! Now that Jeleen, there's a sad, sad boy. His true love has disappeared, don't you know. Very sad, very sad." The Bosmer smiled a sudden and utterly crazed smile, adding. “That’s why I sang to him! He needed something extra, something special! Sugar and a song! It cures all!"

“You’re completely insane, aren’t you?” I said, unable to suppress a grin at the thought of this little twerp singing to the very stern Severia Gratius.

"He he he he he!" 'Uncle Sweetshare' giggled, clutching his wobbling stomach. "Mad? Mad, you call me? Oh no, Dark Elf, it is you who are mad! For how can anyone who doesn't recognize true happiness ever be considered sane? Oh why oh why can't you people just be happy? Well, let's get to it then! He he he, ha ha!"

With that, the still giggling Bosmeri scooped up a handful of fine white powder and threw it right in my face. With a cry that was half outrage and part pain, I lashed out at the spot the rotund Bosmeri had been standing. Of course, my fist contacted with nothing but air.

With a resounding ‘CLANG’ that set my ears a-ringing, something heavy and metallic bounced off the back of my helm. Staggering forwards, I rubbed frantically at my streaming eyes, cursing and coughing as, damn’ near blinded, I lurched around the hut. It was fortunate that the burning powder had gone in my eyes ~ the agonising pain made them flow copiously with tears and this was rapidly washing my eyes clean.

Everything was still very blurred, but I could just make out the brown-robed shape lining up another blow with the heavy iron pot he was toting. With a scream that echoed around the hut, I yanked the twin blades from their scabbards and slashed out with them. My scream was echoed by another as the blurry figure in front of me was suddenly covered in red. With evil hissing sounds, the blades whipped through the air in a complex pattern, the slight tugging as their razor-sharp edges made contact all I needed to press forwards.

When there were no more sounds, I reeled to the nearest wall and trailed my bloodied hand along it until I reached the door, yanking it open; I rushed outside and scooped up a handful of snow. Ohhh sweet Azura that felt so good. When the stinging and burning sensations had gone, I wiped my face and stepped back into the hut.

Stepping around the leaking corpse, I quickly examined the contents of the hut before taking the Colovian helm and tucking it into my pack. If I was in the Moon Sugar trade, I could have made a vast fortune from the crystals that were piled everywhere. A small, portable mortar and pestle caught my eye ~ other than the helm, it was the only thing I took from the hut.

Thirsk loomed through the snow, and I trudged up the slope and through the fortifications, into the welcoming warmth of the Meadhall. I had, during my trip up the eastern side of Solstheim, seen no trace of Marisa and I began to fear the worst for the missionary. She’s either lost in some ice-cavern somewhere between here and Fort Frostmoth or she’d become lunch for some of the local fauna. Either way, finding her is going to be quite a task.

Thormoor was standing by the fire, quaffing mead and, wiping dark beard, he came over to speak with me. “I’ll tell ye of Gyldenhul Barrow,” he said. “Its’ the location of a lost pirate treasure and I’m gifting it to you. Here is the key, let me show you where it is on your map…”

I was, let us say, a little sceptical about this treasure; after all, I’d already found the pirate treasure that Captain Carius had mentioned. The chances of a second pirate treasure on the island seemed to be fairly remote, especially given the vast riches that Thormoor had described. This scepticism continued right up to the moment I unlocked the door to Gyldenhul Barrow and stepped inside.

The treasure I took from that crypt were exceptional: in addition to the piles of glittering, scintillating precious stones I also found a Glass sword with a fire-enchantment on it; a heavily gold-inlaid Ebony sword; a Glass helm; and a mound of coin. Coinage of the realm, vast heaps of it, covering almost every surface. I have some fairly wild dreams, but the nine thousand Septims were riches that almost exceeded them. Staggering under the weight, I returned to the Skaal village.

I packed up the things I wished to take back to Vvardenfell with me, Gods above and below, I hadn’t realised I’d gathered so much whilst I was here.

After paying my final respects to Korst Wind-Eye (and paying a quick visit to Ingmar ~ who gave me a powerfully enchanted belt in return for my assistance yestere) I used my last Divine Intervention scroll to move myself down to Frostmoth. There I spoke to Severia Gratius about the late Bosmer who’d fancied himself as ‘Uncle Sweetshare’ and gave her the Colovian fur-helm. I was well rewarded for my actions ~ Severia gave me an enchanted short-sword and fifteen hundred Septims to add to my already bulging purse. She also told me that Carnius Magius, who has something to do with the East Empire Company, wanted to see me. He maintains an office above the Imperial Shrine.

Which suited me fine, I had to speak to Jeleen and tell him that I’d found no trace of Marisa since she’d left Thirsk several days ago. He was disappointed that I was unwilling to expend more time looking for her but I did tell him that I’d asked both the people at Thirsk and the Skaal to keep an eye open for her.

Which left Carnius Magius. The representative of the EEC smiled at me as I entered his office and said, “I understand you have some sort of comprehension of those savages up north. That could be quite beneficial to the EEC so I’ve decided to offer you a position with us.”

“Which is a shame,” I replied, having taken an immediate disliking to Magius. “Since I have no interest in working for the EEC. And I’d advise you to keep a civil tongue in your mouth when you speak of the Skaal ~ they’re liable to remove it if they hear you call them savages.”

“Huh,” he said with an expressive shrug. “Why should I care what some Dark Elf thinks a bunch of savages will do? After all, how would they hear what I said about them?”

“Some of us,” I commented as I swung open the office door, “have a special understanding of the Skaal and might, inadvertently, mention what you said.” Leaving him spluttering ~ I’m sure that nobody had ever dared speak to the fat, oily, Imperial slug like that in his entire life ~ I slammed the door and made my way down to the docks. I had one last task I wanted to perform and, for that, I needed to book passage back to Khuul.

As instructed, the ship’s Captain woke me when we were roughly halfway between Fort Frostmoth and Khuul. With wide, uncomprehending eyes, he watched as I tipped a tiny silver ring over the side and watched as it sank into the murky oceanic depths. Having disposed of Hircine’s Ring, I returned to my cabin and whiled away the rest of the voyage. Once back in Khuul, I wasted little time in translocating to Tel Vahl and dumping my pack ~ leaving the contents for Raissu Asserbas to sort out.

Here ends this chapter of the Tale of Sudhendra Vahl

This post has been edited by OverrideB1: Aug 9 2005, 04:47 PM

[Lucidarius]

I've finally read The Tale of Sudhendra Vahl from chapter 1 to the end of chapter 8. Thank you for an amazing story. With the story being so long, I have a hard time recalling all the good writing you did, but I will try to name those that leap to mind right now. Overall, I especially like the attention to details of fights. You do that extremely well. Both the ones you go into little details about, and also those you look at at a glance. It's good for the pace of the story that you don't describe every fight.

Also, it's fun to read about the many mods you obviously installed during the game, too. Most of them I haven't tried myself, but you've made them seem natural to the original game. Here I'm thinking particularly about the master smith Lheros, the Ioun stones, the apprentice scrolls, and the master trainer in elementals.

Your reasoning for training new skills in magic and other weapons apart from your trusty axe is good and seems like a logical step.

I've laughed out loud several times while reading your story. E.g. when Sudhendra and a vampire has the same idea to creep along the wall and peer around the corner - peering into each other's eyes, both yelling surprised.
Or recently in Solstheim when she is talking - always a step behind - with Geilir the Mumbling.

The first regular chapters were great in that you managed to convey the feeling of being in an alien place where everything is new. I really enjoy that you spell out the incantations to the reader.

I look very much forward to reading the continued Tale of Sudhendra, and I can see that chapter 9 is well under way.

PS I read your Tale from the main fan fiction and discovered at least two missing text parts. I've made a short post in the two concerning chapter threads: Chapter 1, part 1 and Chapter 1, part 2. Just wanted to let you know because it's a shame to miss out on those if people only read it on the main page.

Edit: Spelling.

This post has been edited by Lucidarius: Aug 13 2005, 12:04 PM