Jerric's Story, A Nord's Adventures in Cyrodiil Options

[Renee]

Jerric has a dog? What's his or her name?

He had allowed himself to get distracted by the Oblivion Gate, and now he had been away from Martin and his friends for so long he couldn't guess how much time had passed in Tamriel.

Good thing time passes at what seems to be the same rate in both realms, eh? Oblivion gates aren't any real huge time warp, like near a black hole or something. Still, this "short cut" is really quite the long cut!

Snails, blecch! My family went to France when I was a kid, I still remember the huge snails all over the town we were in. Then I learned what could be on the menu that night.

Hope they find Drozara soon.

But to be honest, as exotic as Moonshadow appears to be, it also seems as mundane as Mundus. People still have to work the fields and tend to their livestock and eat and drink and do all the things they did in life.

Agreed with Rosa! Was surprised about the arguments over tending the moon sugar fields too. Then again, do any of us really know what happens in these afterlives? Could be just like wherever we begin.

[haute ecole rider]

Bantam guar! Love those little adorables!

There will always be class conflicts wherever people gather, alive or dead, it seems. It's that "Them vs Us" mentality that social psychologists are always fond of talking about.

And we're on our second breakfast! Or is it third lunch?

So this village wasn't as foreboding as I thought it would be. Or is it? I see we haven't left town yet.

[Grits]

Previously: Moonshadow. Jerric, Kjestrid, Shamir-do, Nereli, Freckles, and Neelo entered the village of New Ascadia. Kjestrid directed Shamir-do and Nereli to resolve a local dispute in exchange for provisions. Shamir-do and Nereli learned where they might find Dozara. It’s on the way.

ghastley: No kidding, this trip has been mostly walk, run, and eat! Jerric has been telling time by his meals, and left to his own schedule he is probably getting some extra ones in.

Acadian: You’re right, Jerric is still very much torn between what he said he would do and what he feels he should be doing. Plus he’s developed loyalty to his current group that doesn’t lessen his loyalty to his friends in Cyrodiil. Thank you for mentioning that. He prefers the kind of conflict that he can punch or stab.

SubRosa: Thank you SubRosa, you have nailed what I was hoping to show in this part of Moonshadow. People are still people despite the beautiful surroundings. Maybe in time they will learn to grow and change as Aman- and Joman-enle did, but the ones who have chosen to cling to who they were have created a same-stuff-different-sky situation. Still, if Jerric found his family here he would hand over his soul to Azura in a heartbeat. Then probably spend the rest of time wondering what they all gave up to stay together.

Renee: Jerric, Darnand, and Lildereth liberated a dog outside Fort Strand when they did the When the Vow Breaks quest. Here’s where it is in the story: link. Jerric named her Ulfe. There is some debate over whose dog it is, since all three of them found her. Jerric thinks of her as his dog. One change I made from the game is giving the Deadlands a roughly 1/3 timescale to Tamriel. So approximately 3 days pass outside for every day he’s in a Gate. He’s not sure how that works in Moonshadow, only that Akatosh’s time rules probably don’t apply. I’ve had escargot once and it was delicious, but thank goodness they were served out of their shells on a little plate. That way I didn’t have to think too much about it!

Rider: Yep, and in New Ascadia the two groups couldn’t even agree that they were both doing it. Elsweyr native Shamir-do was the right Khajiit for those Dunmer to meet, and Nereli the Ashlander was the right Dunmer to negotiate for those Khajiit. Who knows which breakfast that was? Or which lunch? The hours pass quickly when you count them by a Nord’s stomach!

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Chapter 19: Moonshadow, Part Six

"Well, that's not something you see every day. Even in Moonshadow." Jerric scratched under Neelo's jaw as the guar leaned into him.

"This one will be pleased to return here some day," said Shamir-do.

The aerie's great tower looked like a giant silver blade against the purple sky. He guessed it would take them another hour to walk to it.

"They don't use any lights," Kjestrid said. "That's why we couldn't see it."

"We couldn't see it because it's dark," Jerric pointed out.

They had walked long enough to get eat two rounds of sandwiches before Shamir-do's cat eyes pierced the pale light and spotted the winged twilights' aerie. It had taken another hour before the other mortals could see it. By then they had reached the edge of a canyon so deep Jerric could not see the bottom, and so wide the other side was barely visible to him. Whether it was the light or a mist that obscured his eyes, he couldn't tell.

"Half-blind," Jerric muttered, peering over the edge.

Vines hung from cracks between the rocks. Many of the pink and magenta trees sent their spikes up from the same. Water trickled somewhere nearby, and there was the sound of a waterfall toward the aerie. Something small and winged buzzed under the edge. When Jerric dislodged a rock, its descent provoked widespread skittering.

He held out a palm, filling it with frost. Its blue light might show him something.

"Don't," Kjestrid said at his side. "Look. They might think you're planning an attack."

Now he could see the shapes of something gliding over the gorge. Winged twilights. He watched for a moment. It looked like they were patrolling.

"Can you see the water?" Kjestrid asked.

"No," said Jerric. "Sounds like a river going over the edge. And I'll wager folk with wings don't bother building bridges."

Jerric was correct. Soon they stood at the edge of a broad, slow-moving river. There was no bridge in sight, and no obvious ford.

Shamir-do examined the ground. "The antelope must cross somewhere," he said. "This one will find it."

"Hold," Kjestrid told him. "We're going to want your Rose-Mother talk for this."

Two winged twilights approached from the rear on silent wings. They landed on the riverbank, one on each side of the group. The purple one spoke in a language they didn't understand.

"Hello," called Nereli. "Do you speak Tamrielic?"

"Yes," said the blue one.

"I'm Jerric." He made the rest of the introductions, including Freckles and Neelo by name. He still wasn't sure if guar was on the winged twilights's menu.

"I am Rosilla," the purple one said, "and this is Murrai. What is your business at the Dawning Tower?"

"We're looking for Dozara," said Nereli.

Jerric appreciated that she didn't mention getting lost and their other misadventures.

"We got lost after some cloudskimmers chased us," she finished.

"But you knew that, didn't you?" said Kjestrid. "You know who we are."

Rosilla and Murrai both laughed. "Of course," they chorused. "We have been watching you."

"Have you seen Ma'sani and Renlys?" Jerric asked.

Rosilla flew toward the other side of the river. Murrai leaped into the air and hovered, buffeting them with air from her great wings. "Meet us on the other side," she trilled. "We will take you before our Matriarch."

"Troll's blood," said Kjestrid. "Now we're playing games with bird people."

"There will be a way across," said Jerric. "We'll find it."

"Let's stay together," said Kjestrid. "If we don't find one in this direction, we'll look toward the gorge."

It was Nereli who discovered a wide place where rocks were visible at the bottom. They looked to Shamir-do for confirmation.

"This one thinks we will make it," he said.

With Shamir-do in the lead and Kjestrid at the rear, the party made its careful way across the river. This time they carried their clothes high and dry.

"Soaked again," said Kjestrid. "At least this water's clean."

"If there's another flash flood, I'm just going to relax and enjoy the view," said Jerric. "I mean as we go over the falls."

"Sure," said Nereli from behind him. "And I'll drown myself in this river so I don't have to see it."

"Two moons is enough," laughed Kjestrid from behind her.

Neelo leaned down, scooped a great mouthful of water, then threw her head back, expelling it over her back like a fountain.

"Steady," Jerric said to her. "I don't want to have to dry everything out again!"

Rosilla and Murrai landed to supervise as the mortals got themselves situated. Their giggles sounded like little bells ringing.

Kjestrid produced a comb and smoothed her hair. She gave Jerric an up-and-down look.

He scratched under his beard. "What?"

"We're meeting the Twilight Matriarch."

Shamir-do said, "Khajiit only becomes more fragrant on long journeys, but the Nord should change his shirt."

Jerric pointed at the river. "I have taken two baths today." He dug through his pack for the other shirt.

As they covered the last distance to the base of the Dawning Tower, their escorts made slow circles in the sky. Jerric wondered if they were catching updrafts, like the great sea eagles when they came to the Kvatch plateau. Every bird that he had ever watched hunting looked back over its shoulder before it struck, as predation is a double-edged sword. Except the sea eagles. They never looked back.

He doubted that the winged twilights looked back, either.

The tower stood on pillars with open ground underneath. It looked as if it had been grown out of the ground rather than constructed. A road stretched away into the distance. They must get their supplies that way. Jerric couldn't imagine an aerial pack train of winged twilights.

Rosilla and Murrai landed and walked over to them, stretching their wings before folding them toward their bodies, but still held slightly out for balance.

"I don't see any stairs," said Nereli.

"When you are ready, we will fly you up," said Murrai.

Jerric looked around. "The guars--" he started.

"I'll stay down with them!" said Nereli. She raised her hand like a schoolgirl. "Me!" Her face looked a paler shade of gray than usual.

"What about the shadowcats?" asked Jerric.

Rosilla dragged a lazy furrow into the ground with one of her taloned feet. "No shadowcats will approach our aerie. Leave your bows with Nereli."

Jerric didn't have a bow. Kjestrid and Shamir-do handed theirs over without complaint. He supposed that flying creatures must hate to be shot as much as he did, but they had little to fear from swords.

Murrai had brought a sort of net with her. She laid it out on the ground with brisk efficiency.

"This one will go first," said Shamir-do. He lay down on the net, arms and legs spread. His feet went into pockets, and there were grips for his hands. It looked terrifying.

Kjestrid caught Jerric's eye. She seemed to share his opinion.

Jerric went next. He debated simply closing his eyes, but his panic at the first lurch and swing quickly abated. Both fists wrapped in the net, he looked around in wonder. The aerie must be as tall as the White-Gold Tower, the only other thing he could compare it to. He still couldn't see the bottom of the canyon. And what he had taken for abbreviated clothing on these winged twilights were just areas of darker scales.

The lowest level was an open platform big enough to hold a thousand folk with plenty of wing room. There were no furnishings, but flowering vines cascaded from planters set into the pearlescent walls. The tower was hollow as far up as Jerric could see. Winged twilights took off and landed from upper levels, and some were gliding down. Now he knew why most of the ones outside were flying up.

Kjestrid landed with a thump and clatter accompanied by giggles from her bearers. Jerric put out an arm and hauled her up. Shamir-do stood with serene dignity, but his tail was bushed out like a bottle brush.

"All right," Kjestrid said in an intense mutter, "Let's go represent the Bruma Fighters Guild!"

But there was more distance to cover. Rosilla took off from the outer ledge and flew upward, while Murrai coaxed a small scamp-like creature forward. She spoke to it in what Jerric assumed was their daedric language.

The scamp jumped up and down several times. Jerric's fingers relaxed their grip on his sword hilt.

"Follow Onka," Murrai told them. She took off without further explanation.

The scamp trotted to a wide staircase that curved up to the next level. It turned as if to see if they were following. Then without waiting, it scampered up the steps until it disappeared around the bend.

"Twenty Septims says we're going all the way up," said Kjestrid.

"At least it's not a ladder," said Jerric. "Gods help us."

At the top they paused to compose themselves. Onka waited without comment. Occasionally he executed a series of little hops, slapping his palms against the floor. As they walked into an open area that spanned the entire width of the tower, Rosilla and Murrai swooped in and landed. They took positions on either side of the group. Kjestrid nudged Jerric into the middle.

A winged twilight about the size of an Altmer perched in the center of the space. Round planters overflowing with flowers stepped up to her roosting place. Roseate light turned the shimmering walls shades of pink. If there was a way for creatures who merely walked to reach the Twilight Matriarch, Jerric couldn’t see it.

"Wait here," Murrai hissed. The two twilights took a few more steps and then bowed, spreading their wings out to the side.

"Here are Shamir-do, Kjestrid, and Jerric," said Rosilla.

With a rattle of pinions, the Matriarch both acknowledged and dismissed Murrai and Rosilla. The two moved back toward the stairs.

In addition to their escorts, five winged twilights stood or perched around the aerie’s great hall. At least a dozen scamps scurried about on unknown business. There was none of the clutter of entertaining or administration that Jerric had seen on his rare visits to Castle Kvatch’s throne room. It seemed there was nothing to do up here but look around.

"You may approach and state your business," said the Twilight Matriarch. Her voice sounded deeper than Dozara's, but just as musical.

Kjestrid spoke up. "My lady, we are traveling under the blessing of your Prince. Dozara was leading us to Valparai. We became separated and came to look for her here."

The Matriarch tilted her head sharply one way, then back in the other direction. "Dozara has returned. She is occupied with a task for me."

Jerric bit his cheek to keep from cursing out loud. "When will she be free? Uh, my lady?"

"Who could know? Shall I send someone to assist her?"

"Yeah. That would be great."

"I send the three of you," said the Matriarch. A wave of giggles flowed around the chamber. "Figments have infiltrated the tunnels nearby. Cowardly, cursed creatures! Their presence annoys me. Dozara and two of her sisters have gone to find their nest. And destroy it."

"What are figments?" asked Kjestrid.

The court echoed their Matriarch's hiss. "Vipers! Interlopers! They do not belong in our Twilight Queen's realm. I will speak no more of them." The Matriarch bobbed her head several times, rising up and back down on her perch. "Murrai and Rosilla will show you. Athnix, assist them. Mortals, you are dismissed."

.

This post has been edited by Grits: May 28 2025, 02:30 AM

[ghastley]

Jerric: "I'm sorry, but I can't take another quest. I'm only allowed to have 25 in my journal."

Twilight grabs his journal and abandons one for him.

[Acadian]

Two sandwiches worth of walking. That is of course how Jerric measures distances!

I really enjoyed your descriptions of how both the twilights and, later, the scamps act, their mannerisms and such.

’He doubted that the winged twilights looked back, either.’
- - Good point. Unless there be dragons in Moonshadow, winged twilights are probably the top aerial predator.

“I send the three of you,” said the Matriarch.’
- - But of course you will! Jerric just signed the team up to be Figment hunters. . . whatever Figments are. And another delay I'd wager.

“Mortals, you are dismissed."
- - Talking daedra surely surpass even Altmer when it comes to being convinced of their own superiority – and wanting you to know it. Honestly, after dealing with quite a few dremora, Buffy wondered if she should change her name to ‘Little Mortal’ since that is the name they all seem to use for her.


Nit: ’It look{ed?} as if it had been grown out of the ground rather than constructed.’

[RaderOfTheLostArk]

Given my absence from the forums for some time, it'll take me quite some time to get acclimated to what is happening in these stories. My apologies, but I'll do my best.

I must say, though, that it is quite impressive how dedicated you all are to keeping up on updating your stories. Many props to all of you.

Anyway, I wish we could see Moonshadow in the games, so nice to see that it at least happens in this story.

[SubRosa]

An impossibly tall tower surrounded by a steep river ravine. The perfect roost for those with wings.

Well, at least the Twilights might know where their comrades are. Though I am sure they will want something in return for that information. That is how these things go.

The Twilight Tower does not disappoint. As one would expect, there is no stairway up. They will have to go Telvanni style. Well, I guess none of them know a levitate spell. So it is Twilight express!

So there is a staircase inside. Thank Moonshadow for small wonders. I am guessing that is because the Twilights have servants like Onka who lack wings.

Figments? But not of the Matriarch's imaginations. Though clearly they do vex her so. Well, here is the other shoe, dropped and all. One more side quest for the list.

[Renee]

Jerric nodded. “I really just got the one.” He looked down at the dog, now standing in their circle next to Lildereth. Darnand must have unchained it, he thought. “How long will your spell keep him quiet?”

“Her. I didn’t need my spell.” Lildereth reached up and ruffled the dog’s droopy ears. Her shaggy head was level with the Bosmer’s chest. The dog’s long jaw dropped open at Lildereth’s caress. Dog breath steamed into the morning. “This is no guard dog, she just barks when someone comes near. She doesn’t seem to have any love for her dead masters. I wonder where they got her.”

She cast a spell to keep the dog quiet! Hey, wish I could cast this spell on my yappy mom's dog sometimes yap yap yip yip yip!!! Anyway, a lot of dogs can be considered as guard dogs in this way, but it sounds like Lil is trying to reign Ulfe's desire to do so a bit. Dogs alerting can also cause the wrong sort of attention.

Is funny that none of the three who found Ulfe can be considered "owner".

Whoa: a day in Deadlands = 3 days in Tamriel, wow. I stand corrected.

All these winged twilights make me nervous. Part when Jerric hopes nobody will mention getting lost (and then Nereli just blurts that's exactly what happened) ha ha!

Really hope they're able to ... I mean, this Twilight Queen sounds ominous. What have they gotten themselves into?

This post has been edited by Renee: Jun 3 2025, 03:59 PM

[haute ecole rider]

Figment? Somehow that takes me back to my college days and my "first" cat - a stray black cat who would visit my dorm and go from room to room mooching food and beds. He was always welcome on my bed! We called him Figment because we all collaborated to hide him from our RAs - they would ask us if we saw a cat and we would say no, must be a figment of your imagination . . .

Ah, yes, a favor must be paid in advance with another favor in the opposite direction.

[Kane]

I didn't think I'd ever catch up, but here we are. First things first:

"They change everything. Your heart leaves your body and walks around outside for the rest of your life. You should want it more than anything, or forget about it and do something else."

Hot damn, Grits. As a father with a four year old, this is so real. Life is about him now.

Anyhoo, what a tale this has been, and the visit to Moonshadow has been especially fun. You paint a vivid picture of a realm so non-Tamrielic and everything about it feels alien. Nereli is also another fun addition and it will be interesting to see where she ends up. I also have suspicions that Kjestrid might catch some unexpected feelings the more she parses out who and what Jerric really is.

The bond that has formed Jerric, Darnand, and Lildereth has been wonderful to unravel from their somewhat frosty beginnings. Lil's warmup has been especially cathartic after her start as a reluctant tag-along whose business was strictly her own. Now I just need more Abiene!

[Grits]

Previously: Moonshadow. Jerric, Kjestrid, Shamir-do, Nereli, Freckles, and Neelo reached the Dawning Tower, the home of Dozara. She is hunting for a figment nest, whatever that is. The Twilight Matriarch sent Jerric, Kjestrid, and Shamir-do to find her. Nereli volunteered to hold the guars.

ghastley: Jerric would like to throw his quest log into the fire!

Acadian: Thank you, Acadian! The humming purple winged twilights of ESO inspired the somewhat whimsical behavior of the lower status twilights in the story. The Matriarch is of course full of her own importance. It has been fun to write daedra who aren’t immediately trying to kill them.

Rader: Hi Rader! It’s great to see you! There’s a Story So Far summary here: link. Let me know if you have any questions. I’m always happy to explain things. I have gone years without posting, so we could all probably use the refresher! Moonshadow has been fun since I can just make things up. I was worried that I wouldn’t get this section posted before one of the games put out a DLC and I had to change everything.

SubRosa: Twilight express! Yep, the stairs are for wingless servants to get around, including the occasional mortals. They need their masters’ help to get on and off the tower, of course. I can’t blame Nereli for staying on the ground!

Renee: I would love to have a Calm spell to use on my dog. Explaining that she doesn’t need to bark every time a neighbor slams their car door has not worked so far. She is excellent at keeping me informed of what’s happening outside that we can both hear, since she’s sitting right next to me. But really she is a Very Good Girl. Next up: what they have gotten themselves into!

Rider: Neat! I’m sure your Figment was far nicer than the ones Jerric will encounter. And hopefully less bitey.

Kane: You caught up, yay! Thank you, Kane! Even though this is a story about fictional characters in a video game world, as much as possible I try to make them true. Abiene has been tapping her foot waiting for her turn. She gets a chapter from her POV that we should reach by the end of this summer.


All: A quick reminder, Jerric has acquired the Atronach Stone’s Arcane Well greater power. This grants Spell Absorption 30 pts and Fortify Intelligence 10 pts for 120 seconds game time, which in vanilla timescale is an hour in real/story time. He has also acquired the Jone Stone’s greater power Jone’s Shadow, which grants Invisibility, Fortify Sneak 30 pts, Fortify Acrobatics 30 pts, and Fortify Athletics 30 pts for an hour. His Birthsign is Atronach. And since we're chatting, a Nord-sized thank you to everyone who is following this story! Your support means so much.

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Chapter 19: Moonshadow, Part Seven

Jerric watched the three winged twilights fly back toward the Dawning Tower. They had dropped the mortals in a rocky area not far from the canyon. Dozara and her team had supposedly entered tunnels near here. They were counting on Shamir-do to find where.

"This looks like old lava," said Kjestrid. She poked at the rough surface of a boulder. "I wonder if this happened when the tower went up. Like an upheaval."

"How in sixteen hells is he going to find tracks if they flew here?" said Jerric. "Ogre-humping, imp-livered swine's sons!"

"Daughters. Swine's daughters."

Jerric kicked a rock. "We should fill our water skins at the river and walk all the way to County Cheydinhal," he said, pointing in a random direction. "We have vampires to kill and folk who are waiting for us."

"Is that what you want to do?" Kjestrid asked. She didn't look up from buckling her scabbard.

"Yeah. But I'm going into some twice-damned tunnels to get snake bit and find Dozara."

"Me too."

"This one has found tracks!" Shamir-do called.

"Twilight tracks?" asked Kjestrid.

"Serpent tracks."

Jerric and Kjestrid exchanged a look. "Let's go," said Kjestrid.

The opening in the ground was no more than a dark gap under some boulders. The dirt had been disturbed, but Jerric couldn't make sense of it.

"That's going to be tight," said Kjestrid.

Jerric crawled into the hole after Shamir-do, shoving his day pack and shield ahead. Kjestrid followed, her glowstone giving him slivers of light around his shadow. Scraping and banging his way down through the tunnel, Jerric had plenty of time to regret the supply of Prowler's Potions left back in Bruma. That gave him an idea. "When we get to Valparai, let's look for an alchemist."

"This one sees light ahead."

The three emerged into a cross-tunnel high enough for them to stand.

Kjestrid lifted her glowstone.

"Watch it," Shamir-do objected.

"Which way?" said Kjestrid. She held up a hand to shield Shamir-do's eyes from her light.

Jerric looked into darkness in both directions. The dim light came from above. He noticed a mark scratched onto the rough wall. "Up," he said.

As they climbed, rustling noises began in the tunnel they had just left. The shaft opened into another cross-tunnel. Again a scratched mark showed the way.

"This must have been awkward for Dozara," said Kjestrid. "I wonder why they didn't send their monkey creatures in here."

"Maybe they did," said Jerric.

They found another near-vertical shaft. This time they descended, still followed by unsettling noises.

"Shamir suspects we are being herded."

"Yeah," said Kjestrid. "I don't know what we should do but keep going."

Jerric said, "Let's try the next cross-shaft that's not marked and see what happens."

The unmarked tunnel had them crawling again. Kjestrid let out a yelp from behind Jerric. "Gods' blood! Something bit me!"

A shadow slithered along Jerric's leg and up the wall by his shoulder. He felt a breeze as it passed.

"Shamir-do!" he called at the same time the Khajiit cursed in Ta'agra.

"This one has been bitten!"

Something moved near Jerric's head. He got an arm up in time, but it latched onto the leather over his wrist. He felt pin pricks followed by a cooling sensation. "Dammit!" He tried to shake it off. When he scraped it against the rock wall, there was no resistance. "Rutting snakes!"

"Khajiit's tail is going numb," Shamir-do said.

"Reverse!" said Kjestrid. "We'll see where they want us to go."

Back on their feet they descended again, crossing rock falls and large gaps in the floor. The tunnel turned and twisted until they saw more dim light ahead.

The marks indicated they should climb another vertical shaft. Where they stood at the bottom lay a grayish-pink winged twilight. Many small wounds covered her scaly skin. Some dark matter oozed from them. Her open eyes stared at nothing.

The three mortals spent a moment in silence.

"I don't know how they care for their dead," said Jerric, "but this doesn't look good." Dry, slithering sounds followed his words.

"She probably fell," said Kjestrid. "No room to spread her wings in this shaft."

"Perhaps paralyzed from snake venom," Shamir-do said, rubbing his tail.

"Rutting hells," said Jerric, "I have two Cure Poison potions in my cupboard back in Bruma. If they would even work on this. I thought winged twilights were immune to poison. Maybe daedric venom is something different." He shook his shield arm experimentally. The tiny wounds burned, but he still had full range of motion.

"This one thanks you for the lesson," said Shamir-do. "If Nord is finished, let us climb."

Before they reached the top, another opening appeared in a side wall. As they heaved themselves into the rough corridor, a chittering noise joined the hisses and rustling.

"This must be the way," said Kjestrid.

Here they could stand. Jerric slid the shield onto his arm and checked Blade of the Medic.

"Good idea," said Kjestrid. "Be ready."

This passage ended in a cavernous space whose walls and ceiling were too high for Kjestrid's glowstone to illuminate.

"This one sees… movement," Shamir-do whispered.

Jerric took a swallow of Jerric's Juice, calling on his Arcane Well to make the most of it.

"I don't want to hear about your seventeen torches in the cupboard back in Bruma," murmured Kjestrid.

"I have something better." A glowing orb of arcane frost formed in the air over Jerric's palm. He tossed it up at an angle.

The cavern walls were alive with fluttering. As the frost reached the wall, Kjestrid made a disgusted noise. "Snakes with wings."

"They don't mind the frost," said Jerric.

"They are holding on by their tails," said Shamir-do. "This one cannot count how many. And there are more on the floor."

With magicka still rising from the potion, Jerric spared some for another frost light. This time he saw squirming serpent bodies between the fluttering wings.

"I think we found the nest," said Jerric. Just before his light went out, he spotted Dozara. She was on the floor, partially covered in a shifting blanket of figments. "Oh, skitt." Jerric strode into the chamber, shield up.

"Watch out," cried Dozara, her voice a thin wheeze. "There is a pit."

Kjestrid stayed at his side, glowstone held high. "What the hells are we supposed to do? Start stepping on these things?"

"They didn't mind frost. Let's see how they like fire." Jerric heaved a flare toward Dozara. The figments holding her fluttered and hissed as it passed over them, but maintained their position. When it hit the far wall, the winged snakes slithered and flew away from the impact. Rose-colored light filtered in from cracks they had been covering in the cavern walls. We've been moving toward the outside this whole time. Down and out, like the tunnels under the Imperial City.

"Hold," said Shamir-do. "Why have they not killed Dozara?" His ears were flattened back, but his tail was uncharacteristically still.

"What do you want to do, reason with them?" Jerric took a few steps forward, another flare in his hand. The walls were alive with dark wings, and hissing raced around the chamber. "Do they speak Tamrielic? Or even use words?" The pit was an uneven crevasse that split the cavern's floor. He could not see the bottom.

A deep, raspy voice filled the chamber. "Foolish mortal. We ruled the skies over Cyrodiil while you humans were still chattel for the elves."

A large rock across the crevasse began to move. It unfurled into serpent coils as thick as Jerric's waist. The head lifted and faced them. Instead of a snake's snout, it bore a woman's face and shoulders, skin shining silver in the pale light. The creature rose until she towered over Jerric, spreading large, black-feathered wings. With a lurching motion, she tilted to the side. One bare leg unfolded, the knee bent backward like a bird's. A clawed foot gripped the crevasse edge. As a second leg unfolded, Kjestrid made a gagging noise.

"You have our friend," Jerric said. "Release her and we will leave." The Twilight Matriarch could go hump herself if she didn't like it.

"You have interrupted our amusements," said the Figment Queen. "What do you have to offer us?"

Shamir-do stepped forward. "You have killed one of ours. We will take one of yours in return. Then we will speak of your departure from this realm."

"You are mistaken," said the Figment Queen. "We have killed two." Her tail lashed around, pushing loose rocks into the crevasse. After a long moment, they hit the bottom with a splash. "Choose your champion, worm. If they best mine, we will release your… friend."

"What if we lose?" said Kjestrid.

"Then your champion will be ours. The other two may go in peace."

"I'll do it," Kjestrid said softly. "Their puny fangs couldn't get through my Woad."

"Don't agree to anything," said Jerric. "Otherwise we could end up losing our souls over some daedric property dispute." He turned to address the Queen. "What hell pit spawned you? You want us to fight in here knowing we can't see in the dark. Do you have any honor?"

"You will be the next to die," hissed the Figment Queen.

Jerric stepped away from the chasm, drawing his sword. "Let's see what happens."

.

This post has been edited by Grits: Jun 3 2025, 08:50 PM

[Renee]

"Dark fissure under some boulders"... yeesh, just got a bit of claustrophobia. Okay, they can stand. Probably not so bad, then.

Heh, never a Cure Poison potion when we need one, right? My crusader in Morrowind carries a litany of potions, really clogs up the inventory, because you never know when some monster or creature will drain something like Speed or Endurance, and now we literally cannot move, or HP falls to some abysmal number. Even so, it's rare to get outright poisoned in that game.

What does Arcane Well do? Ah, I see. "Gives you a 20% chance when you kill an enemy of opening an Arcane Well, which restores [x] Magicka up to three allies within 2.5 meters of the enemy," says UESP. Very useful.

Okay, sounds like they've been bitten by some form of bats. Or "figments" seems the proper term. Jeez this is creepy!

Ah, here's the queen. Creepy [censored]. How are Jerric + friends getting out of this one???

[Acadian]

I love the banter among Jerric and his fellow dungeon delvers. And what a spooky cave! So, figments are like flying snakes. No wonder the winged twilights in their tower are concerned. At least Dozara is still alive – for the moment at least.

Very creative TES-friendly swearing by Jerric!

Using frost spells to provide some lingering light on surfaces is a great idea.

Yikes, the Figment Queen announcing and showing her presence was bone-chilling!

I’m hoping Jerric’s ability to hit real hard and break stuff will serve him well. Time to make some Figgy Pudding!

[SubRosa]

This is about the time that Indy asks: "Why'd it have to be snakes?"

At least the previous delvers left marks to show their route to lead them back out, or to lead others after them.

Uh oh, the snakes found them. It looks like this might be the death of a thousand little bites. A flamethrower might be handy now...

Not just snakes, snakes with wings. That's not fair.

It looks like Jerric just volunteered to be their champion. Time to lay the smack down.

[haute ecole rider]

And did Jerric leave his Snakebite Potion back in that cupboard in Bruma too?

What else IS in that cupboard, by the way?

This is making me shiver, and yet anticipate what comes next!

PS Yes, my Figment was a lot cuddlier than these!

[Grits]

Previously: Moonshadow. Jerric, Kjestrid, and Shamir-do found Dozara and the figment nest. Jerric picked a fight with the Figment Queen.

Renee: The Arcane Well you found on the UESP is from the Champion Point system in ESO. In his story Jerric is using the Oblivion Atronach Stone’s Arcane Well greater power that he got by activating a Doomstone. This Arcane Well grants Spell Absorption 30 pts and Fortify Intelligence 10 pts for 120 seconds game time, which is an hour in real/story time. Combined with his Atronach birthsign and his enchanted ring Hump You Fetching Mages it lets him absorb most spells. Also it temporarily increases his max magicka through the Intelligence bump. I miss Attributes in the more recent games! Bat-snakes are a good way to imagine figments. Just the thing you want to crawl over you in a dark tunnel. Thank you, Renee!

Acadian: This crew has been through enough together that their dialog has become fun to write. Cool, I hoped that the Figment Queen’s entrance would make an impact. She sure creeped me out! Thank you, Acadian!

SubRosa: Yes! I was thinking of Indy and of Gollum’s “Wraiths on wings!” when I wrote that. Jerric wishes that his flamethrower named Darnand was with him. Thank you, Rosa!

Rider: Jerric left most of his things in the cupboard thinking that he was just taking a walk up the hill to Cloud Ruler temple. But right now there’s nothing in the cupboard, since Darnand and Lildereth moved his gear with his horses (and “his” dog) to Cloud Ruler Temple after their Dagon Shrine adventure. Thank you, Rider!

.

Chapter 19: Moonshadow, Part Eight

"Wait!" said Kjestrid. "He's not—"

The Figment Queen made a high-pitched warble. Magicka surged into Jerric while Kjestrid and Shamir-do cowered.

That's a Fear spell. Jerric ducked down, pretending to be affected.

The Queen pushed off with her legs and tail, swooping across the chasm at Jerric. At the last second he rolled aside, letting out a squawk that he hoped sounded frightened. As the Figment Queen angled for the turn, Jerric readied a ball of fire.

"On your belly!" howled the Figment Queen, diving at him again. His flare missed, sailing past her to the wall. She reached out with her clawed feet, catching Jerric's shield. He spun and lifted off the ground, wrenched by the shoulder. His wild swing with Blade of the Medic met air, and he hit the floor.

The Figment Queen let out a hideous cackle. Chaos had erupted on the wall at his flare's impact site. A glance showed Shamir-do and Kjestrid still on the ground. He summoned Precious and directed him toward them, hoping the scamp's fire attacks would create enough havoc to keep the figments from biting his friends while they were down.

Jerric turned back toward the Figment Queen. "Is that all you got?" He banged his sword hilt against Tower of the Nine. "You can barely fly, you big slug!"

She scrabbled up the far wall, dislodging the rest of the winged snakes that still hung there. More pink light filtered in through cracks. This time Jerric side-stepped the attack, dragging Medic down her side. After an initial jolt, his sword passed through with no resistance.

Hump a troll, she's some kind of shadow creature. Turning solid as she attacks.

Jerric tried again on the next pass, getting a cut in on her leg as she knocked him over. He felt the moment she became insubstantial through the blade. Scrambling up, he threw a ball of fire when she turned. This time it hit. So fire still works, like a ghost, but not an enchanted weapon.

Kjestrid was on her hands and knees. Shamir-do was still down. Precious danced in a circle throwing flares, figments attached to every surface of his body.

The Figment Queen landed on top of Precious, dangerously close to the mortals. As Precious let out his death gargle, the Queen's underside lit up with fire.

"You smell like a singed chicken!" Jerric yelled. "You overgrown—"

The Figment Queen coiled her tail and launched herself. Her wings providing extra lift, she bounded toward him.

Jerric dropped his shield to gain mobility. He could only hope to land a blow while she attacked. More thoughts than he was used to having flashed through his mind. "Why haven't you asked me to train you?" Abiene in Anvil, before the holidays. The spells she had taught him seemed impractical, and he hadn't been using them. How foolish he had been.

He cast the spell that improved his skill in Restoration as the Figment Queen leaped. Before he could bring the next spell to bear, she knocked him onto his back, claws hooked around him.

A frightful roar came from across the cavern. Shamir-do. More light entered the cave as the lesser figments scattered in terror.

With a lurch Jerric lifted off the ground, dragged into the air by the laboring Figment Queen. They enjoy our fear. She will stay solid until she gets high enough. Then I will fall whether I am holding on or not. He gripped her scaled leg-shank and cast the second spell, absorbing her life-force into his. Red light clouded his vision. The Figment Queen's shriek sounded over his exhilarated howl. When she faltered, Jerric pulled himself up the leg and plunged Blade of the Medic into the blistered underside of her snake-body. As he twisted the blade, they fell.

Jerric hit the chasm's edge and tumbled in flailing. Something caught him hard across the back. Kjestrid's battle cry rang out over the sound of his wheezing. When his vision cleared he saw black feathers floating down through beams of rose-colored light. Somehow he had become wedged in a crack.

"Nord?" Shamir-do's furry face poked over the chasm's edge.

"Still living," said Jerric. "What about the other Nord?"

Kjestrid appeared next to Shamir-do, eyes wide. "Fikken kak!"

Jerric made a cautious wiggle. "Feels like I'm jammed in here pretty good."

"This one will climb down."

"Get the rope," said Kjestrid. "Good job, you held on to your sword this time."

"Yeah," said Jerric. "Have you seen my shield?"

By the time Jerric heaved himself onto the cavern floor, Kjestrid had Dozara on her feet. She had many wounds leaking that dark ichor.

Kjestrid held a up potion bottle, looking at Jerric.

"Don't need one," Jerric said. "Give it to Dozara." The shoulder strain was already healed. He made a mental note to spend extra time stretching it. Between his spells and Blade of the Medic's enchantment, his only injuries were from the final drop. After careful assessment, he eased the pain away with a spell.

"You didn't crack your head in that fall?" Kjestrid asked. "You've taken a hell of a chance coming all this way without a helmet."

"Must have tucked my chin. I get a lot of practice hitting the ground. Besides, I have a helm waiting for me..." He grinned.

"Back in Bruma," Kjestrid finished. "I swear by the gods I'm going to burn that cupboard."

"This one will gather the tinder," said Shamir-do.

Dozara moved gingerly to the wall, testing her wings. "There is a wide enough space for us to pass through to the outside."

"You could have saved us a lot of trouble if you brought us in that way," said Kjestrid.

Dozara turned. "If we knew this cavern was here, two of my sisters would still be with us. Instead they swim the waters of Oblivion."

"I'm sorry for your loss," said Jerric. "I guess your scamp scouting party swims there, too."

"I do not see their remains," said Dozara. "When they did not return…" She bowed her head. "In time we will see them again."

Here was information Darnand would appreciate, if Jerric could remember it. "Do you work together? I mean, you have the same scamp, uh, helpers? Over a long period of time?"

"Yes," said Dozara. "They are small and not terribly clever, and of course wingless. But they are useful and loyal companions. I will miss my little Tuul."

Jerric found his shield near the crevasse. As he checked it for damage, Kjestrid threw up.

"Ugh," she said, coughing. "The bigger ones did manage to bite me."

"This one does not feel well either," said Shamir-do.

"It's their venom," said Jerric. "Dammit! I can't cure poison."

Dozara stretched her wings. "I am well enough to fly, but I cannot carry you. Come here to the edge and watch. I will send someone to fly you out. One of us once served in your realm and thus knows how to heal your kind. I will convince her to help you purge the venom." She bowed her head slightly, wings out. "I am in your debt, mortals."

The winged twilight was true to her word. Within the hour they had joined Nereli and the guars at a camp near the river. Rosilla and Murrai brought a pile of branches for their fire, a freshly killed antelope, and enough star dew to probably kill them.

As the reunited group toasted their survival with star dew, a dark purple winged twilight coasted down and landed.

"I am Drazilda," she said, bobbing her head twice. "With your permission, I will cleanse the venom from your mortal bodies and heal the damage that it caused."

"You have our permission," said Kjestrid.

Drazilda jumped into the air and hovered, her wings pushing their campfire's smoke away from them. "Approach me in pairs."

Kjestrid and Shamir-do went first. Drazilda's spell pulsed in halos of lavender light around her body and those of her two mortal patients. After a dozen healing bursts, she dropped lightly to the ground.

"Next," she said.

"I don't need healing," said Nereli.

"My friend," said Shamir-do, "you will want to experience this."

Jerric gave Nereli's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. As matching globes of Drazilda's light pulsed from them, he had only one thought. Shamir-do was right.

"You need not thank me," said Drazilda. "It is Dozara who is in my debt."

"Say, Drazilda," said Jerric, "I hear you served a mortal once. Have you considered—"

"Absolutely not," said Drazilda. She took a few running steps and winged away.

"This one feels entirely better," said Shamir-do.

"Better enough to help me with this deer?" said Jerric.

"I'll butcher it," said Kjestrid. "You get ready to cook."

"This one will help you," Shamir-do said to Kjestrid.

"I know what to do," said Nereli. She began arranging their camp supplies.

"It's a shame we can't use most of this," Kjestrid said as they dragged the carcass toward the river.

"This one wants the backstraps and tenderloins," said Shamir-do. "Their scamps can have the rest."

"I hope we still have some salt."

Dinner was venison steaks with venison kebabs and a side of thinly shaved venison. They had cleaned up and made it halfway through the star dew when Murrai landed. She placed a filled sack on the ground.

"We will watch over you as you rest," she said. "When we see that you have awakened, Dozara will join you. She will guide you to Valparai."

"I've heard that before," said Jerric. He opened the sack. "Pears!"

"Murrai," said Shamir-do, "We have finished with the antelope. Thank you."

Murrai made the slight bow with outstretched wings that had become familiar. "I will have it removed. You have our gratitude for resolving the figment infestation."

Jerric spoke up. "Your Matriarch called them interlopers. Where are they from?"

"The cursed shadow pit you mortals call Evergloam. Is there anything else that you require?"

Kjestrid looked around at them before answering. "No."

"You sure?" Jerric asked her. "This could be our last chance. They have some very nice potted plants up in the aerie."

It wasn't dark or cold, but they kept the fire going anyway. As Shamir-do and Nereli settled in their bedrolls, Kjestrid beckoned to Jerric.

"I'm glad you didn't use your Woad today. If you can stay awake a while longer I'd like to get started on your tattoo."

"Uh, all right. What do I need to do?"

"Take your clothes off and lie down."

"I thought you'd never ask," Jerric said, grinning.

"Ha! On your stomach."

Jerric did as directed. Kjestrid rummaged in the packs, assembling her materials. Insects sang in the silver grass as they had all the hours of their journey. Twinkling pink and purple torchbugs echoed the colors of the twilight sky. Of all the wondrous sights in Moonshadow, none could compare to the warm light of their own campfire.

"Kjestrid," said Jerric.

"Yeah?"

"You said there is no such thing as lucky in a daedric realm."

"Yeah."

"You're right. I think we're being tested."

"Nereli and Shamir-do are being tested." Kjestrid lit a packet of herbs, then blew on it to make it smolder. "Unless you've made a deal that I don't know about."

"No," said Jerric. "Is that the stuff we smoked in Droathra?"

"Yep. Call forth your Woad and we'll get started."

[SubRosa]

Jerric is doing his Eveready battery imitation as he soaks up the power from that Fear spell. That Figment Queen is going to be really surprised where this goes!

"On your belly!"
I see she takes her speech lessons from Dremora. Emily Post might serve her better...

So the Figments are partly ghostly, even to the point of being immune to magical weapons when insubstantial. They are well named.

But mighty thews and mightier magic prevails, and the Figments are banished to status of mere figments.

"Take your clothes off and lie down."
We are all waiting for a woman to say these simple words...

[Acadian]

Jerric turned back toward the Figment Queen. "Is that all you got?" He banged his sword hilt against Tower of the Nine. "You can barely fly, you big slug!"
- - I can’t imagine a grander taunt to a Twilight than criticizing her aeronautical prowess – well done, Jerric!

The Figment Queen was a worthy opponent for sure. Happily, Jerric was immune to her fear spell. . . but still the battle got off to a rough start for our Nord. Having to learn the nature of a foe under fire is tough but Jerric eventually figured out that fire worked and his blade – if her could get his strike in while she was in solid form to attack. Whew, eventually Queen Figgy falls and Jerric doesn’t even check out the bottom of that ravine.

"You didn't crack your head in that fall?" Kjestrid asked. "You've taken a hell of a chance coming all this way without a helmet."
- - Little does she know that Jerric’s head is hard enough to put a helmet to shame!

Woot! Can’t wait to learn what tattoo Kjestrid will choose for Jerric – and where she’ll put it. With all his clothes off, he's a big blank canvas!

[Kane]

That fear spell being absorbed sure was fortunate! The battle would have gone a lot differently if it hadn't!

[Grits]

Previously: Moonshadow. Jerric, Kjestrid, and Shamir-do cleared out the figment nest by killing their queen. The three plus Nereli and the guars Freckles and Neelo camped by the river. Kjestrid started her Woad-singing project with Jerric.

SubRosa: I was giggling when Kjestrid said that line. So was Kjestrid! Thank you, SubRosa!

Acadian: With Jerric’s few moments of tanking before he had to ditch the shield, he had to get a few Mirri-like verbal taunts in! Jerric will have to wait a while before he learns what the tattoo is, but he already figured out he didn’t need to take all of his clothes off. Thank you, Acadian!

Kane: Yeah they would have ended up under a pile of bitey snake bats just like Dozara. In Jerric’s game he quickly got to 100% Spell Absorption. I had to tone down his enchantment because it was just ridiculous.

.

Chapter 19: Moonshadow, Part Nine

"That's all of it," Nereli said, stepping back.

Neelo's gaze shifted from the Dunmer to Jerric. Three flowers flopped up and down in the corner of her mouth as she chewed.

"Aren't you going to check?" asked Nereli.

"No," said Jerric. "You did it right. I watched you." He gave Neelo a firm pat on the shoulder, then slid his hand down for a stealthy tug on her harness.

"I saw that!" Nereli pointed. "You checked!"

Jerric tousled her hair, laughing. "Nereli Llandam of the Fighters Guild, late of House Redoran, you are a certified guar packer now. I declare it!"

Nereli made a courtly bow, first to Jerric and then to Neelo.

Kjestrid walked over, bouncing her pack into place. "If you two are done fooling around, we can go." She tilted her head back at their campsite, looking at Jerric. "After you help Shamir-do drown the coals."

Dozara stood a short distance away. She spoke when they reached her. "If the mortals are ready, I will lead you to Valparai. You will decide if we stop to rest or wait until we reach the city." She bowed her head to Kjestrid.

"I'm the one who fought the Figment Queen," Jerric reminded her.

"Every leader has her champion," said Dozara. "It is good to know one's place."

"Kjestrid finished her," Nereli put in.

"You weren't even there," said Jerric.

"All right," said Kjestrid. "Lead on."

Dozara remained within Shamir-do's sight when she took to the air. They walked out of the Smoketree Desert under pink skies threaded with lavender clouds. Masser loomed large at the horizon, while Secunda showed only a sliver. Their path met the road in an area of grassy hills broken by outcrops of white stone.

Dozara glided in for a landing. "We will soon reach clean water. This road will take us to Valparai." She indicated the direction.

"Seen any cloudskimmers?" Jerric asked her.

"You jest, but I do not anticipate further trouble on your journey."

The clean water was a broad stream lined with sweet-smelling shrubbery. A half-circle bridge spanned it. On the far side was a free-standing colonnade made of the same white stone. Benches were placed at inviting angles, and wide steps led down to the water.

"This one sees berry bushes," said Shamir-do.

"They are mulberries," said Dozara. "Please take as many as you wish."

Jerric addressed Freckles and Neelo. "We're going to relax a bit and get you some water. I don't care if an avatar of Peryite flies down from the sky. Don't even think about running."

His stomach was still gurgling from an excess of mulberries when they first saw the city. Silver towers rose from a pink haze. The road passed through fields of grain and orchards so fragrant the breeze smelled like perfume. Well kept farm houses lined both sides, most set back from the road. The country lanes were marked by stacked stones in shades from pink to purple. Occasionally they saw ruins on the hilltops, surrounded by cultivated fields.

It was difficult to say when they reached the city proper, as no walls protected it. The buildings just got taller and closer together until they were walking on streets with town houses and decorative gardens instead cottages and crops. The cluster of silver towers was always visible above the buildings and flowering treetops.

"What's up there?" Jerric asked, lifting his chin at the towers.

"That is our Prince Azura's Silver Palace."

"Is she there?"

"I do not know. Our Lady has a castle in each of her cities, and dwellings in other places that please her. None can know when she will grace us with her presence."

"Where are we headed now?" asked Jerric.

"I am taking you to Evenfall Priory, home of the Order of the Evening Sun. There Sister Ma'sani awaits you."

"What happened to Renlys?"

Dozara shrugged her wings. "Presumably Renlys still serves her."

Evenfall Priory was a group of buildings made from blocks of almost translucent pink stone. They entered through an arched doorway into a courtyard filled with potted trees and singing fountains. Little bugs glittered in the hanging gardens, and again they heard that sound of tiny bells ringing.

"Jerric!" The mundane shout came from a grinning Renlys. He approached at an indecorous run, bright blue robe flapping around his knees.

"Been practicing your bird-killer spell?" said Jerric. He clapped the lad on the shoulder.

"Sister Ma'sani told everyone about that," said Renlys. He leaned in. "I wasn't supposed to fight, but she was proud of me."

"As am I," said Jerric. "You showed real bravery."

Renlys stood up straight. "I'm to take the guar and show you to your rooms."

"Then let's get to it."

The Priory's visitor quarters were on the second floor overlooking the stable. Jerric breathed in the homey scents of sweetgrass and manure.

"We can still smell the flowers from the atrium," said Kjestrid. She set her packs on one of the beds.

Shamir-do appeared in their doorway. "This one's room has a view of the Silver Palace."

"I'd like to get a view of dinner," said Jerric.

Renlys poked his head around Shamir-do. "When you're ready I'll take you to Sister Ma'sani."

Kjestrid hooked a thumb at Jerric. "Is this a formal occasion?" she asked Renlys.

"No. Sister Ma'sani has a table prepared for you in the garden. Then I will show you where you can wash before you rest."

Nereli peered around the big Khajiit's other side. "Should we rest here or when we get to the shrine in County Cheydinhal?"

Jerric said, "As I understand it, the shrine is up a ways in the Jeralls. This early in spring there'll be snow on the ground."

"Rest here," Shamir-do and Nereli chorused.

"And tomorrow I want to visit an alchemist," said Jerric. "We're not going in nearly empty-handed like we did with the figments."

"Shamir would like friend Kjestrid to help mend his gear."

"And we have some more work to do," Kjestrid said to Jerric. "Tonight, before we rest."

Ma'sani's table was covered in orange silk and laid with amethyst plates and golden cutlery. She poured their star dew into silver goblets from a crystal decanter. Jerric put the napkin on his lap as he had been taught and waited for the blessing, counting backward from ten to avoid diving into the gravy bowl.

After they had emptied their first plates, Jerric spoke up. "Sister Ma'sani, what do we need to know about Gutted Mine?" He put a small mountain of mashed pink tubers on his plate, then turned it into a volcano with the gravy.

"Five of our Afflicted Brethren dwell there, sealed within by our Lady's hand. She will open the way for you. This one advises you to take these Cure Disease potions and keep them safe until after your battle, as whoever survives will surely be infected. Our Rose Mother does not wish to trade one set of vampires for another."

"If they're vampires, how will they not end up enslaved by whatever Prince made the disease that infected them?" Jerric sliced another portion from the roast antelope haunch.

"You just free them from the unlife that they suffer. Our Twilight Queen will bring them home." Ma'sani passed the rolls before he had to ask.

Jerric woke to an itchy back and an empty room. He dressed and went looking for a familiar face, trying not to scratch at the new part of his tattoo.

Dozara found him making his second sandwich at Ma'sani's table, now laid with fresh food and drink.

"You're just who I hoped to see," Jerric told her. "I need your help finding an alchemist."

She regarded him for a long moment, her red-violet eyes unreadable. "There are several here who could assist with this task," she finally said.

"I need you to pay for whatever I take from their stock for my potions."

Dozara gave a slow nod. "I will do this."

"Also I want to know some things. Are those the real moons, or are they Moonshadow moons? What about the stars? They don't look like the stars where I come from. And who are those fox people?" Jerric wrapped the sandwich and tucked it into his pocket. He brought the mug of cloudy drink with him. "I'm ready to go. What would happen if we took Freckles and Neelo back to Tamriel? Could they live there?"

"You are a curious mortal," said Dozara. They walked out through the gardens and under the archway into the street.

"Well there's a lot to wonder about. Even your folk. Some look like I'm used to seeing, but Moonshadow has a lot of funny-looking people."

"Valparai has hosted a portal site for eras by your counting, so there have always been newcomers among us. However most have lived many lives in Moonshadow, and taken forms that suit their will." She head-bobbed to another winged twilight as they passed. "Some of your 'funny-looking people' may have been Chimer or even Dwemer in their mortal lives."

"Dwemer?" Jerric stopped to look around. "Tell me if we see one. I know a mage who would give his left nut to meet a Dwemer!"

"Why the left?" Dozara stopped, too. Her gaze drifted downward.

"It's an expression."

"Are they not symmetrical?"

"If you ask nicely…" Jerric wiggled his brows.

Dozara made a musical snort. "Let us continue to the alchemist."

Between Jerric's alchemy and Kjestrid's mending, another Moonshadow awake period passed. After a second dinner at Ma'sani's table in the garden, the group made their way to the sleeping chambers.

Jerric lit the lamp in his and Kjestrid's room. With shutters blocking out the endless rose-colored twilight, he could finally see clearly. The furniture's mother-of-pearl inlays reminded him of the handle on his Ma's belt knife. A memory came of his small hand in hers as she taught him how to cut his meat. He tossed his clothes onto the shell-shaped chair.

Kjestrid came in and shut the door. "I'm ready."

"You sure you're not tired of this? You're not getting much rest." He flopped onto his bed.

Kjestrid laid out her materials. "I want to finish before we fight the vampires. We should do a fourth session if we can manage it." She lit the herb bundle and whispered the flame out before setting it on a plate to smolder. "Call forth your Woad."

Jerric did. As the shield magic settled over him like a second skin, Kjestrid began a tuneless hum. The bed dipped when she settled beside him. He felt the cool swipe of the cloth, her warm hand stretching his skin, and then the prick of the thorn.

After breakfast Freckles and Neelo carried their gear one last time. Valparai's Gate to Mundus stood in an oval field surrounded by flowering trees. A frame of silver and pearl held the swirling plane of pink and purple mist. As with the portal in Morrowind, gold energy sparkles flitted from the Gate and glittered away.

Jerric stood between the two guar, rubbing their giant foreheads. "Ladies, it has been a pleasure to travel with you. I wish you peaceful days of fresh grass, and may every work period end with a good wallow."

Neelo leaned her head into him, knocking him back two steps. Freckles sneezed something green onto his leg.

Since Moonshadow's newest guar packer Nereli was instructing Renlys in the unloading, Jerric walked over to Dozara. "You look like you're about to leave us."

"Indeed," she said, giving him a head-bob. "I will await Sister Ma'sani's return in Valparai."

"Have you considered a visit to County Cheydinhal? I've heard there's an old mine that needs clearing."

"A tempting offer, mortal, but I must remain in your debt."

"It was Kjestrid who killed the Figment Queen, like Nereli said. I was just jesting the other day."

"I know. Though I was incapacitated, I saw what you did. I have thanked the others for their efforts on my Matriarch's behalf, but thanks are inadequate in our case."

"I don't know about inadequate. I ran up a pretty big bill at the alchemist."

Dozara gave him a smile that reached her strange eyes. "Know that you have a friend in Moonshadow, Jerric of Kvatch." She bowed with one foot forward, wings slightly outstretched.

Shamir-do walked past, buckling a chest strap. "Khajiit will secure our place in line."

Jerric didn't know how to grip a forearm that was attached to a wing, and it would be foolish to imitate Dozara's graceful gesture. He simply nodded with a hand on his heart and jogged over to pick up his gear.

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This post has been edited by Grits: Jun 17 2025, 02:37 PM