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

[Grits]

Previously: The innkeeper claimed he had not seen Dar-Ma. Annoyed, Abiene decided to ask at the shop. Some of these updates run a little short, but some of the upcoming ones run a little long. I think it will even out in the end.

SubRosa: I laughed out loud at the thought of Saxhleel droppings! Too true. Thank you, Rosa!

Acadian: Abiene will be wishing for a 'summon Nord' spell before long! She can't even try to call Darnand on her crystal ball, since she traveled light to get here. Thank you, Acadian!

treydog: The plot clots, indeed! My favorite surly innkeeper is Basil Fawlty. You are exactly right in why Abiene doesn't retreat and return later with help – especially now that she has the bit in her teeth. Thank you, treydog!

Everyone: Happy Thanksgiving! Jerric's Story will take a holiday pause next week for family and a hopefully obscene amount of pumpkin everything. See you in the first week of December!

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Chapter 21: Underneath, Part Twelve

Moslin's Dry Goods looked like any of the other buildings, half-timbered over a ground floor of stacked stone. Dead leaves littered the wide front porch. All but one of the shutters were closed. Around the side of the building a covered area sheltered work benches strewn with various implements. A cart of the size used with a single horse rested there with its braces up on supports.

The porch boards creaked under my boots. Though it was customary to simply enter a public building without knocking, I felt ill at ease doing so. Still, I was not going to knock.

I pushed the door open to find myself in a smaller space than I had expected. The walls were lined to the ceiling with open shelves, mostly empty. A brown-haired Imperial woman leaned against the counter. From her vantage point she could look through the open shutter right across the town center. She must have watched me examine the well, enter and exit the inn, use the privy, and then approach her shop.

The woman stared at me from wide-set, bulging eyes.

I cleared my throat. "Good day. I am looking for Dar-Ma, Seed-Neeus's daughter. She made a delivery here yesterday."

"I don't know any Dar-Ma," she said. "If you're talking about that cursed Argonian swindler from Chorrol, I'd like to know where she is, too. She never showed up. How am I supposed to run a shop without merchandise? You tell her I want half off on my next delivery."

I glanced around the shop without any purpose beyond controlling my impulse to slap her. Why had she said 'She never showed up' instead of 'She's late'? Surely Dar-Ma had been here yesterday and made her delivery. A prickle ran across my skin. If something foul had befallen my dear, sweet friend, these strange folk were covering it up. It would be at least another day before we would be missed enough for Seed-Neeus to send someone after us. I did not wish to find myself at the mercy of these odd people. I must find Dar-Ma without becoming the next victim.

"Well, while I'm here I might as well do some shopping," I said. "I'm afraid I haven't properly introduced myself. I'm Abiene Metonne. And you are..?"

"Etira Moslin. Look around and then you'd best move on, if you know what's good for you."

Moslin. Is this whole town related? I walked slowly along the shelves, trailing my fingers through the dust.

Not everything on the back wall was coated in filth. Some linen-wrapped haunches of meat shared a shelf with bolts of new cloth in patterns I had seen at Seed-Neeus's store. Tins of the brand of salt that she carried were there as well, along with some other goods that were new but did not look familiar by their labels. I could have kicked myself for not paying closer attention when I packed and unpacked Toby's loads. Then I mentally slapped my forehead.

"I have some of Seed-Neeus's goods on my horse," I said. "I'm looking for Dar-Ma so that she may fulfill your order. I don't know what else to do with the delivery. Without Dar-Ma I'll have to pack the goods back to Chorrol."

Etira's frog-looking eyes squinted when she frowned. "Bring the goods to me. I'll make the trade."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm not authorized."

"Leave the goods, and I'll have Seed-Neeus bring a bill when she comes next."

"Let me think," I said. "Maybe Dar-Ma will show up with the rest of the delivery, since she hasn't come yet."

While I continued my casual stroll pretending a nonchalance that I didn't remotely feel, I rounded the corner and could see behind the sales counter. Along with the expected ledgers and coin box was a worn axe of the type meant to be wielded in one hand. I looked at it for a moment, at first not comprehending what I saw. Realization dawned with a chill that froze my limbs while sweat broke out on my forehead.

The axe had two nicks at a particular place on the blade. The weathered grip was wrapped in a pattern that I had noticed just a few weeks before. And when I stepped closer I could see the diamond shaped finial and the runes scratched into the base of the blade.

Valdi's axe!

"Where did you get that?" I said, before I could stop myself.

Etira gave me a long stare. "Some Nord slut came through here a while ago. Traded her axe for... food. Told her she should move on if she knew what was good for her, just like you've been told. She wasn't just any dumb Nord. She listened."

This was as much a lie as anything else I had been told, and now I had a new concern. Whatever had separated Valdi from her Ma's axe had not been voluntary. I had two young friends to find.

"I suppose I'll wait around for Dar-Ma," I said. "Maybe get a meal at the inn."

"Suit yourself."

I stepped outside and walked down the porch to where steps led into the loading and work area. I didn't have time to be nervous before a sight took my breath. A hide had been stretched onto a frame to dry, which in itself was unremarkable. This one was a brown paint on a field of white. Like Dar-Ma's beloved mare Blossom. Those wrapped cuts in the shop must be horse meat.

I ran to the hide with my heart in my throat. "Oh no," I whispered, brushing the short hair with my fingertips. "Oh my dear Dar-Ma, you will be so sad."

A soft wicker spun me on my heels. Around the back of the building was a small, fenced paddock. It housed a water trough, a feed bucket, and a brown paint horse, very much alive.

"Blossom!" I hopped the fence with no regard for my dignity or clothing.

This was certainly Dar-Ma's horse. I pressed my face against hers in both sudden relief and confirmation of my fears. Here was proof. I spent a moment and some magicka checking Blossom's condition. She was in robust health.

"I'll be back for you, girl!" It wouldn't do to try to hide a horse even in this empty town, but now with the fresh hide and meat for sale I had new worries for my four-legged friends. "I have to find Dar-Ma and Valdi."

When I marched back inside I smacked the door open so hard it rebounded against the racks on the wall. "That is Dar-Ma's horse in your back yard," I said before Etira could make a sound. "These are her trade goods on the shelves. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Etira crossed her arms over her chest. "I already told you, she never showed up. That's my horse. Owned it for years. Now buy something or get out."

I managed to prevent my jaw from dropping at the bald-faced lie, but her arrogance shocked some sense into me. It was going to take more than honest indignation to get information out of this hostile woman.

"I beg your pardon," I said in a soft tone I hoped she would take for humility. "You see Dar-Ma is also my friend, and I'm worried about her. You know there's talk about this town, though it doesn't seem fair, but you can see why I would worry. They say something awful happened here, to your people. How do you cope?" As I spoke I gathered my will to overcome hers and concentrated it into my hand.

Etira's scowl didn't soften and her posture remained wary, but she let her eyes run over me again. "We get by with no help from outsiders like you. The good times are coming back, though, everyone will see. You'd best be moving on if you know what's good for you."

"I don't want to cause any trouble. You're right, if Dar-Ma doesn't arrive soon, I should deliver her goods to you. Perhaps I'll just wait at the inn." With a practiced gesture I brushed a curl from my face, sending the spell swirling in a lazy tumble toward Etira. Its pale green light should not have been noticeable to her. I had learned to conceal my Illusion spells.

Etira leaped aside as if I had flung a bucket of slops in her direction. "No spells! You try another one of your mage tricks in here, and you'll be sorry! Get out of here, witch!"

Heat flooded my cheeks. I hastily left the shop.

[Acadian]

Enjoy your pumpkin fest next week and I shall look forward to sharing our long distance traditional day after Thanksgiving pumpkin pie and coffee breakfast.

*

Well Etira was no more helpful than the dour innkeeper, but Abiene’s look around did yield clues and when she found Blossom (happily in good health), that confirmed Dar-Ma had been there, made the delivery but not departed. Worrisome indeed! And, as Abiene notes, she now also is concerned about Valdi.

Clever using an illusion spell that should have traveled unnoticed but damn – that green illusion magic just travels so darn slowly it is easily dodged if detected.

[treydog]

The horse hide caused my heart to drop... almost more than Valdi's ancestral axe. Sadly, I fear Valdi's fate is not so happy as Blossom's....

As to Hackdirt and its history (as well as its current inhabitants).... Most of the time, when a town is burned to the ground, it is a tragedy. In this case, I think Abiene is looking for a fire spell - a strong one.

Wonderfully slow build to what is going to be a frightening revelation.

[SubRosa]

Looks like the dry goods store is long on dry, short on goods... Plenty more of the Innsmouth Look represented here however...

And there are Dar-Ma's goods on the shelf. Even January - who is normally about the kindest person you can imagine, would have been hard-pressed to keep from sending Moslin through the wall.

Still, that was some quick thinking on Abiene's part, to bring up the rest of the goods for the delivery. Now she has some leverage. I wonder how much she will be able to pry with it?

Valdi's axe too, and Blossom in the back yard? Abiene is truly a very considerate soul for opting to go with the illusion spell rather than Absorb Health...