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

[Elisabeth Hollow]

So. . . it seems perhaps there’s a clan of vampires with a taste for the blood of coffeebean-fed Bretons.

Gives 'em energy! XD

Vampire: "You seem cranky and slow this morning, have a Breton. That should perk you up some..."


*

HAAAAAA.

[Grits]

Previously: Jerric, Lildereth, and Darnand agreed to look for the missing villagers of Hope Valley. Lildereth tracked footprints to a ruined fort. Inside she met a barefoot Khajiit who was also stalking the ruin. Aravi!! She told Lildereth that the fort was occupied by vampires. They went outside to meet the guys. Lildereth hopes that Aravi will join them in their investigation of the ruin. Aravi brought a map.

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome for Aravi! Thank you KC for your teamwork and awesome screen shots!


mALX: Yay, I knew those footwraps would give her away! Thank you so much for your kind words about Lildereth. Her emotions often look like something they’re not to other people, so in these parts from her POV it’s a relief to be able to give the whole picture. Thank you, mALX!

Elisabeth Hollow: The Azura one? Well, this one also has vampires!

King Coin: Thank you, KC! I have had the best time writing these sections with you. I’m glad you picked out Darnand’s lines. He is definitely unwilling to cross Lildereth, but he still wanted to defend Jerric! That little elf makes their heads spin, lol.

Acadian: Lildereth and Jerric are such outdoor creatures that a sunny day is always a pleasure to write with them. A trip along the Orange Road would be wasted with the Breton. “Darnand read Ayleid Inscriptions volumes one through fourteen while the others exclaimed over the scenery.” I am still chuckling over coffee-flavored Bretons. Thank you, Acadian!

SubRosa: I learned a little about frost point in that episode. Your guess is correct about the source of Lildereth’s anger. The rest of that story is coming soon. Thank you, SubRosa!

ghastley: Caffeinated Bretons, not just for breakfast!


Next: Lildereth, Darnand, Jerric, and Aravi make the plan. This is part two of five featuring King Coin’s Aravi.

[Grits]

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Chapter 16 Valley of Hopes, Part Three

Darnand seemed to leap forward within his own skin. “You have a map? When was it made? What is your source?”

“Easy there,” laughed Jerric. “Let her tell it.”

Aravi held the parchment in her hands. “The order I work with has contacts at the Arcane University. This ruin is a known vampire lair, but it’s been decades since the last raid. Whether someone has been holed up here for years or newly arrived is not known. Vampires can go underground for long periods, feeding on mortal cattle, animals, or even starving themselves into madness. It’s likely that the new activity at Hope Valley caught its attention, and it saw someone it wanted. When I looked in the main entrance I was able to confirm that we are dealing with a vampire here. Maybe several.” She glanced around at them. “What do you know about vampires?”

“Not much,” said Lildereth. She preferred to learn what Aravi knew first.

Darnand crossed his arms over his chest, probably to keep himself from grabbing at Aravi’s map. “My reading on the subject has been inconclusive.”

Aravi gave him a nod to go ahead.

“I understand that they are vulnerable to fire, enchanted weapons, and mundane weapons made with silver.”

“Yes,” said Aravi. “Frost attacks and poisons will do little damage. Many vampires are masters of illusion, so mind control spells often fail.”

Jerric patted his blades. “Enchanted, and I have a mace made of Nordic silver.” He gave Aravi an enquiring look.

She touched her own weapons. “This sword bears a fire enchantment, and this one is made of silvered steel.” Now it was Jerric who looked like he might pounce on her for a closer look at the blades.

Lildereth cleared her throat. “Is it true that wooden stakes will kill them?”

Aravi tipped her head back, indicating her quiver. “If they’re attached to silver arrowheads. A bow that enchants arrows is also effective.”

Lildereth hooked a thumb at her own back. “Silver tipped. I’m covered.”

Jerric shuffled his feet in the grass. It sounded like a stampede. “I’ve heard you can get infected from just the smallest cut. If their blood gets in.”

“This is true,” said Aravi. “Vampires carry Porphyric Hemophilia, and an untreated infection will lead to vampirism. Close combat is to be avoided if possible, and you must all take a curative potion once we leave this place. Just to be certain. Do not take one until it’s over, as you may be reinfected.” She paused. “And repeat infections are not so easy to cure.”

Jerric looked at Darnand. “If that happens to me, you have to kill me. Promise.”

Darnand snorted. “With my spell and your potions it would seem that your murder need not be a part of our advance plan. Besides, we would have days to cure you.”

“No, I mean the repeated thing. I don’t want to be a vampire.”

The three of them stared at Jerric.

“I’m serious, Breton. Don’t let me turn into one. Give me your word.”

Lildereth realized that he really was that worried.

Darnand sounded impatient. “I shall kill you one hundred times to death, are you satisfied? After an appropriate period of study, of course.”

Jerric still looked troubled. “You’re jesting, right?”

“You are indulging in theatrics. We shall revisit this discussion if you sprout fangs. Agreed?”

Jerric tugged on a fistful of his hair. “Agreed.”

Aravi gave Jerric another calculating look.

“He’s steady in a fight,” Lildereth offered.

Darnand spoke up. “I have read one treatise that suggests vampires may move freely in sunlight, but their skin will sparkle, betraying their condition.”

“Sparkle?” Jerric sounded as dubious as Lildereth felt.

Lildereth laughed. “Breton, what have you been reading?”

Now Darnand sounded defensive. “That is a recent theory. I cannot account for its popularity.”

“They don’t sparkle,” said Aravi, “and they can’t last long in direct sunlight. I advise that we attack in daylight. They’re less likely to attempt escape into the outdoors, and we want to kill them all.”

“Yeah,” said Jerric. “About that. We’re searching for some villagers who may have been taken. Well I guess that’s likely what happened to them. Anyway there were no bodies, so do you think they could still be alive? We need to be careful and watch out for them.”

Aravi’s soft tone made her words all the more chilling. “If they still live they will have been enthralled, made into cattle, or turned. Thralls will regain their conscious will once their master has been killed. However their purpose is to protect the master with their lives, so I doubt it will be possible to spare them. I don’t think entranced cattle can ever be awakened. Fledglings are vampires. I don’t know a cure.”

They stood in silence for a moment.

Jerric spoke. “I got you two into this. I’m going to see it through, but—”

“That’s a hell of a thing to say to us,” snapped Lildereth.

“We are with you,” said Darnand.

Aravi unrolled the map. “Let’s plan our attack.”

The ground was damp with melting frost, so they remained standing. Darnand took two corners of the map, and Lildereth held the third. Jerric turned his body to shade them from the sun’s glare.

The map depicted the fort in its current state. By the notations it seemed that it had been drawn on site rather than copied from an architectural plan.

“Here is the entrance they’ve been using,” Aravi said, pointing with a claw. “The corridor leads to a balcony around this large chamber. There are no functional stairs, and it’s a twelve foot drop. That’s where I saw the humans.”

“How many?” asked Jerric. “Were they Bretons? Thralls or were they vampires? Armed? What were they doing?”

Aravi blinked at him.

“Let her tell it,” Darnand reminded Jerric, mimicking the Nord’s earlier tone. Lildereth bit the corner of her lip. This was no time for the two of them to start bickering.

Aravi looked down at the map for a moment. “I’m not used to working with a team. Why don’t I tell you what I planned to do on my own? Then you can ask your questions. I don’t know if I’ll have the answers. I have little to go on other than my experience and what you already know.”

“Right,” said Jerric. “Uh, yeah. Sorry.”

Aravi tapped the map with her claw again. “Healthy vampires would have no problem getting in and out this way, but enthralled or imprisoned mortals would be contained. I think the vampires dwell back here.” She indicated a cluster of chambers. “This unused entrance where we met, Lildereth, is closer. An approach through the front door would alert the vampires that they were under attack. I can sneak up and shoot them one by one, but I can’t sneak past them. So I planned to use these corridors to find and fight the vampires singly without having to kill all of their thralls first. If they have any. It always comes to blades with the patriarchs, and this way I might save my strength.”

Aravi’s plan sounded like a suicide attempt to Lildereth. “What about here and here?” She pointed at the map. “You can’t be sure you cleared an area before you move to the next, and any number of foes could get behind you. What will they do when they learn they’re under attack? Use invisibility and search the corridors for you?” Lildereth broke into a sweat despite the chill. She fought the urge to shrink against Jerric. Even the sky seemed hostile.

“No, I can’t be sure,” Aravi replied. Her voice was quiet and even. “I can only do the best that I can manage.”

Lildereth composed her thoughts. They should watch the entrance for a few nights at the minimum, but she doubted anyone would agree to that.

Darnand spoke to Aravi before Lildereth could organize her questions. “May I ask if you plan to use magic?”

“I know a healing spell, and I cast a shield when I have the chance.”

Jerric cleared his throat. “I’ve been on some raids. Not many, but they were memorable. I think I have an idea.”

Lildereth kept the surprise off her face, which was more than Darnand could manage.

Aravi gave Jerric a small nod.

“This big chamber here. It would make a good kill box. Lildereth, you and Aravi go up on the balcony with your bows. Aravi can sort out the thralls from the vampires and call targets. Lildereth can use life detection magic to warn you when something is coming down either of these corridors. The vampires cast invisibility, right? So you’ll need that to see them. And Lildereth, once they know we’re here you can try your mind tricks on the thralls. Get them to run away or something if you can. Anything to keep them out of the fight until we kill their master.”

He paused, but no one else spoke.

“I’ll go in through here with Darnand and our summonings,” he continued. “We’ll all four split up and work through these areas at the same time. I don’t trust your fire wench, Breton, but that dremora you summon just wants to kill. If you send him in here and he comes out here we’ll know there’s nothing alive behind him. I’ll send Ishckrihk this way. You and I will both be casting fire, so it’s best that he stay far away from it. I don’t know if he gets nervous, and today is a bad time to find out.”

Aravi pointed at the map. “If you do not time your advance correctly, this chamber could become a trap. We don’t know how many vampires we’ll find. Your atronachs will prevent any kind of stealth, and the vampires will have time to react.”

“Yeah.” Jerric grinned at Darnand. The Breton gave him a smug twist of lip in return. “We can talk in each other’s thoughts,” Jerric told Aravi. His thick finger made a noise tapping against his temple.

The Khajiit seemed to believe him. At least she didn’t roll up her map and stalk away.

“I’ll wear my life detection ring,” Jerric continued. “Darnand, you wear the Ring of… Not Being Seen Very Easily.”

Lildereth stifled a laugh. She was glad he was prudent enough not to name the daedric artifact in their possession, but his dissembling could use a lot of work.

The tip of Aravi’s tail twitched as she thought. “Your fire may drive the more powerful vampires to us.” She touched the large chamber that Jerric had described as a kill zone.

“Yeah,” said Jerric. “I’m not so good with plans. You two can escape out the front door if that happens.”

Aravi gave him a small smile. “When that happens, we will kill them.”

.

This post has been edited by Grits: Mar 14 2013, 10:23 PM

[Elisabeth Hollow]

I lost it at the Twilight reference XD

[ghastley]

Add to the caffeinated Bretons a glass of sparkling Vampire! Not!! “That is a recent theory. I cannot account for its popularity.” I like you way you phrased that.

Jerric's reaction to the thought of becoming a vampire is interesting. Looks like a bit of background will be expanded soon.

And I love a good plan! They're so much fun when they fall apart on facing reality. Even more so, if someone can patch it back together.

[King Coin]

Settle down there Breton, this map isn’t as cool as yours is!

“And repeat infections are not so easy to cure.”
You included some of Aravi’s hard won wisdom.

Jerric’s panic attack along with Darnand’s reply was immensely entertaining. I don’t think Darnand’s joking though. Aravi’s reaction was perfect!

Sparkly vampires!

Those missing villagers sound like they have very bleak chances.

“Let her tell it,” Darnand reminded Jerric…


Jerric comes through with a good plan. He’s smarter than he looks!

At least she didn’t roll up her map and stalk away.


Jerric’s mention of the Ring of Khajiiti was funny, considering their company.

Aravi has no intention of running.

[Acadian]

What fun it is to normally hear the terrific trio do their ‘planning’ sessions. To introduce a feline fourth into the mix was a riot, even before adding atronachs of fire and ice! I’ll bet Aravi’s scratching her head and wondering what she’s gotten into.

I’m sure the plan will proceed with perfect smoothness.

[McBadgere]

...Another update?!!?!!?!!!????!...

*Cough*getittogetherMcB....

Um...

Yes, sorry...

Loved the tracking sesh...Lildreth is really really cool...

I loved the way that Darnand said that the fort was on the map but not labled...Pretty much as the compass does... ...

I laughed at Jerric's hiding of his armour in the packs... ...

Then Aravi!!...She's pretty epic isn't she?... ...

The planning in the next bit was excellent...I could just imagine Aravi's "What the?..." at the way the three of them work...

Atronach fight!!...Oh yeah!!...Hopefully we'll finally get to see Ishcky in a fight... ...

Will have to keep my eyes peeled much more in future... ...

Not a great shocker my saying I loved both sections, eh?... ...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds most heartily*...

[SubRosa]

You must really be loving The Valley of Horses Hopes, from the way you are cranking out the updates!

It seems like this Aravi person knows a thing or two about vampires, and is part of an organization that hunts them. The Order of Virtuous Blood I presume.

“If they’re attached to silver arrowheads.
I loved Aravi's way of answering the age old stake question.

Sparkly vampires! Is that the Twilight reference that Elisabeth mentioned? I never read the books or saw the movies. Ok, I googled it. Oi! Someone actually wrote vampires that sparkle in the sunlight? I did not think my contempt for that series could grow any more, but it has!

Fledglings are vampires
Nice use of the Skyrim term here. Likewise with the different types of mortal servants we see in Sky as well. One of the things that game did (besides making wolves silent), was put more meat on vampire's bones.

Aravi's plan shows that she definitely has the stones for this kind of work, or for the Fighters Guild for that matter...

but that dremora you summon just wants to kill. If you send him in here and he comes out here we’ll know there’s nothing alive behind him.
I am reminded of the mohawk boss from The Road Warrior: "We go in, we kill, We Kill, WE KILL!!!"

“When that happens, we will kill them.”
Now that is the Aravi we know!

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Mar 15 2013, 06:32 PM

[Darkness Eternal]

Sparkly vampires!? No!! Aravi, help Jerric out, would ya? Enjoying the crossover here.

Vampires can go underground for long periods, feeding on mortal cattle, animals, or even starving themselves into madness.

QTF!

I loved this chapter. I see you incorportated SKyrim lore into this. Awesome! I'm a sucker for lore, and I love the fact that you stayed true to it. Makes the story trully compelling!

[mALX]

*

Holy Cow, Aravi is talking!

Lildereth broke into a sweat despite the chill. She fought the urge to shrink against Jerric.

Jerric is Lildereth's rock, that is for sure. I so love hearing her point of view, because these are feelings that never show outwardly on her in Jerric's POV chapters.

“Darnand, you wear the Ring of… Not Being Seen Very Easily.”

ROFL! Jerric's names for enchantments is hilarious! (I take it by Lildereth's thought this was the "Ring of Khajiit" and he was either not wanting to offend a Khajiit or not wanting to admit he had dabbled with Daedric Lords to a stranger, lol.

Awesome Write, as ever!


*

[Grits]

Previously: Aravi, Lildereth, Jerric, and Darnand made the plan to enter a ruined fort looking for vampires and villagers. The group will spilt up. Jerric and Darnand along with their summonings will go into the back entrance. Aravi and Lildereth will guard the chamber inside the front door, killing anything that tries to get away.

King Coin’s character Aravi and her screenshots are brought to you with the cooperation and generosity of King Coin himself. Thank you so much, KC!!


Elisabeth Hollow: He was reading it for Research!

ghastley: Jerric’s panic over becoming a vampire wasn’t from a past trauma, it’s just the ongoing concern that his skills and natural tendencies would wreak major havoc turned in the wrong direction. Like when he was hit by the Command spell in Fort Strand and nearly killed Darnand. That incident was the worry that being a good killer makes him a threat brought to life. He imagines that his healthy appetites would make him an overachieving vampire. Thanks, ghastley!

King Coin: It was fun to push Darnand’s map button. No wonder Jerric finds him irresistible to tease. Aravi was so composed with the surprise adventurers, even when the big one started acting a little shaky. It’s a good thing Jerric’s plan sounded good! Thank you so much, KC!

Acadian: Indeed, it’s a good thing Jerric didn’t suggest that Aravi follow two strange men into the depths of a vampire lair while their lady friend guarded the door. That might have produced a much shorter planning session! Thank you, Acadian!

McBadgere: Thank you, McB! You will see Ishcky in a real fight very soon, I promise. Aravi is pretty epic! Love her.

SubRosa: I’ve really enjoyed how Skyrim provides more meat for Cyrodiil’s bones. So far with Morrowind I’ve been too preoccupied with getting the game to work and then staying alive for two minutes, but I have high hopes that the northeastern province will do the same. I’m glad you highlighted Aravi’s last line. It’s my favorite Aravi moment in the update. Thank you SubRosa!

Darkness Eternal: This is the part I was asking my vampire questions about. Thank you so much for your help! Thankfully Aravi could set them straight on the sparkly question, lol.

mALX: You’re right on both counts as to why Jerric made up an awkward name for the Ring of Khajiit. He can think on his feet, just with mixed results! Thank you for your kind words about Lildereth. Her hidden inner life is exactly why I’m showing these parts from her POV. Thank you, mALX!


Next: Let’s go inside the ruin! This is part three of five featuring King Coin’s Aravi.

[Grits]

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Chapter 16 Valley of Hopes, Part Four

Lildereth followed Aravi down into the ruin’s main entrance. The passageway was wide and clear of debris, lit from behind by daylight through the open doorway. When they reached a turn Lildereth saw dim white light ahead. Perhaps for thralls, she thought with an empty kind of hope. As far as she knew vampires could see in the dark. Her life detection spell showed that the chamber ahead was occupied, but it did not differentiate between a living being or something else still animated by soul energy. Lildereth made the gestures she and Aravi had agreed upon. Two figures, prone, in the lower left part of the room. Aravi nodded her understanding.

The corridor led to a large, open, rectangular chamber with a barrel-vaulted ceiling. A terraced ledge ran around two connecting sides, ten feet deep along the chamber’s length but wider along the short ends. Lildereth suspected that the stairs and railings had fallen so long ago that no trace remained. White stones glowed in shallow metal bowls on the ground level. Aravi crouched down to avoid notice. Lildereth followed suit.

A whiff of rot was in the air, noticeable but not overpowering. Lildereth wondered at the source. Had new vampires accidentally killed their cattle in a frenzy? Were living thralls given corpses to feed upon? She had seen all types of horrors in these remote lairs, but she hadn’t managed to make sense of most of them.

Aravi moved around to the right at an angle to Lildereth. The chamber had no support posts, but there were two doorways that provided access to the rest of the ruin. One of them lay beneath Aravi’s position, the other directly across from Lildereth. It was Lildereth’s job to warn Aravi of approaching life signs.

Lildereth crept forward at Aravi’s signal until she could see down into the rest of the room. Bones had been kicked into a pile against the wall. Several looked newly stripped of flesh. Swords hung on a weapons rack, and a hide spread out on the floor held the implements of their care. The room formed a pit trap. As Aravi had told them a vampire’s preternatural strength and agility would carry them easily from the floor to the balcony, but an injured or weakened mortal would be confined.

The life signs belonged to two unarmored humans lying on pallets against the left wall. Perhaps they were Bretons from the village. Lildereth looked to Aravi.

The Khajiit made a signal indicating that she thought they might be thralls. Lildereth would attempt to frighten them away with a spell as soon as they awoke. She felt a trickle of worry. They were nearly within reach of these folk but still might not be able to help them.

Lildereth laid out her arrows and readied her bow. No life signs approached. She called Fear to her hand, strengthening the spell with additional magicka in case these were villagers who possessed natural resistance. Her spell would fail if they had been turned to undead vampires. If only she had received her master level training she might be certain of breaking a thrall spell. Damn Martina and her damnable Welkynd stones!

A distant explosion sent dust sifting down from the ceiling. The two humans lurched upright. There would not be time to cast a series of spells. Lildereth sent her Fear out in a swirling fog, hoping to catch them both.

The woman retrieved a sword and moved toward the exit under Aravi’s position. The man hesitated, head cocked as if listening. The spells hadn’t worked.

“No good!” Lildereth called, earning their attention with Aravi’s. These two could not be allowed to join the fight deeper in the ruin, whether they might have been saved or not. Aravi's shot took the woman in the shoulder as Lildereth’s pierced her throat. Blood jetted out, black from disease or maybe just blackened by the low light. The woman fell tugging on Lildereth’s arrow. She did not try to heal herself. Either way the woman was finished.

No regrets, Lildereth told herself. Cold flashed over her skin. Part of her stepped away inside until it could be over.

The man took two steps toward the weapons rack, reaching for a blade. Someone deeper in the fort started shouting.

Lildereth shot the man under his outstretched arm, sending him against the wall with a grunt. Aravi’s arrow clattered against stone. The wound should have killed a mortal, but the man pushed himself up. Aravi’s bow sang out again, putting an arrow into his abdomen and then another over his shoulder. Lildereth waited as he thrashed back upright. Then her arrow pierced his neck.

Lildereth glanced over at her partner. Aravi leaned forward with her hand on a sword hilt, watching as the two bled out on the floor. If they were vampires their flesh would rapidly decompose once the energy that had animated them faded. Old vampires would fall into dust, but fledglings would only wither. Lildereth looked away, watching for life signs deeper in the ruin. She could not allow distraction to creep in. And whether or not these humans had been infected no longer mattered.

A handful of robust pink glows appeared through the walls in the distance, leaping toward them in a distinctive fashion. Rats. Lildereth signaled for Aravi to save her arrows. With the magicka from Jerric’s Juice still rising within her Lildereth didn’t need to conserve her spells. As each rat entered the chamber she turned it against its mates. She didn’t want to leave any of the vampires’ pets alive as potential allies.

Four rats soon lay dead on the floor. The survivor began to drag itself toward the door under Aravi’s position. The Khajiit’s arrow stopped it before Lildereth could raise her bow.

She had no chance to offer congratulations. One life sign was approaching toward the doorway under Aravi’s position. Another farther away but blazing with strength moved toward the entrance across from Lildereth. Her hand signal died half-expressed. The bright sign moved with shocking speed, making turns without slowing. Lildereth’s breath seized in her throat. This must be a vampire of terrible power.

She signaled its approach to Aravi. The Khajiit turned away for an instant, laying down her bow. The other approaching being was sprinting down the straight section of corridor that ran beneath Aravi. Lildereth watched for the signal that would tell if it was friend or foe. Panic iced her skin. Her gut told her that this was Darnand. But he didn’t make the signal.

The brilliant glow surged into the chamber below, its author invisible. “There!” Lildereth cried out, pointing. The figure burst into sight as it cast a shock spell at her. Lildereth flattened herself to the floor on the balcony’s edge. Lightning struck the wall behind her. She saw Aravi poised to leap. Darnand appeared in the doorway below the Khajiit, his hands filled with fire.

“Darnand, no!” Lildereth shrieked. Aravi landed in a crouch on the lower floor, directly in front of him. The vampire spun to face Aravi, hands drawing back to cast.

Darnand’s fire blossomed into life around him, but he managed to contain it. He fell with a cry at the center of the blaze. Lildereth could only watch, horrified.

Aravi dove under the vampire’s shock spell, rolling to her feet as the lightning passed over her. She had a sword in each hand before Lildereth could blink. The vampire drew its blade, faltering slightly as Aravi’s swords found their marks. Then Aravi whirled out of reach.

The vampire closed with the Khajiit. Even Lildereth’s elven eyes couldn’t follow their movements. Every instinct screamed that she should flee.

Instead she ran along the balcony until she could drop down near Darnand. She had no way to heal him and little defense to offer. The Breton was on his knees in the corridor, arms tucked in and body curled over. Lildereth placed herself in the doorway, watching the fight over a nocked arrow. There was no need to ready another. If Aravi fell, Lildereth wouldn’t get a second shot.

Two more life signs approached rapidly along the path that the vampire had taken. The smaller one signaled. Jerric.

Aravi danced over the slippery floor, blades flashing in the pale light. Her enemy towered over her. He was an Altmer, garbed in some dark material. Possibly leather. His head was bare. The Khajiit’s strikes caused bursts of flame to race over the tall elf, and the blows she parried sent her staggering. The Altmer’s long blade was Aravi’s advantage. She was able to spin inside his guard to slash with her enchanted sword in the instant before he could recover his balance.

Jerric burst howling into the room, frost atronach at his back. The vampire’s head snapped around toward him. Aravi slipped behind the vampire, a slash to the backs of his knees bringing him down to her height. Her crossed blades neatly swept the head from his shoulders.

Lildereth turned to Darnand as the vampire fell into dust. A pale glow of healing surrounded the Breton, but he kept his hands tight against his chest. Jerric thundered up behind them. She felt herself lifted and placed to the side.

The Nord’s bulk filled her vision. “Everything’s dead,” he told her. Ishckrihk’s hard blue glitter caught in his eyes.

Lildereth backed into the chamber, keeping her distance from Jerric’s ice man. Darnand’s shoulders heaved as he vomited. Then all she could see was Jerric’s bent back and the shimmer of healing light.

“Be careful with that spell,” Lildereth warned him, sick with worry. “Don’t give him duck feet for hands.” She turned back toward the chamber and Aravi.

The Khajiit stood eyeing Jerric’s atronach, blades still in her hands. Her breath came in labored gasps. The vampire must have been incredibly strong, Lildereth realized.

Ishckrihk tilted his great crystalline head toward the ceiling. His arms swept out in an oddly fluid gesture, ice cracking and hissing as he moved. Blood streaked his jagged hands. The atronach’s inner light contracted, and then it exploded in a shower of shards as the Void called him home. The flying ice vanished into mist while she and Aravi flinched.

The Khajiit met her eyes in shared astonishment.

Jerric’s voice was a soothing rumble behind her, Darnand’s shaky in reply.

“What a mess,” Jerric said. “Are you poisoned? You spewed before I could catch you. You need someone to hold your hair back like a woman.”

Darnand words were unintelligible.

“Yeah. You need more protection against magicka. You should have worn my helm like I told you. Then that fire would have— wait, how did you get burned? It’s a bold vampire that attacks with fire.”

“It was his own spell,” Lildereth said.

Aravi spoke quietly at Lildereth’s side. Her ears were lowered. “I think it was my fault. I must have jumped down in front of him when he was preparing his spell. I’m sorry; I’m not used to working with others.”

Jerric hauled Darnand to his feet. The Breton’s hands were blackened but healed. His robe was a disaster.

“No,” Darnand said. “I knew you were in here, and I did not wait for your signal. I put you at risk. It is I who owes an apology.”

“Also you didn’t signal on your approach,” Lildereth told him. Sometimes a verbal slap cleared the air better than expressed regrets.

“You called your fire back to you?” Jerric sounded awed. “Damn, Breton.”

“Take a look at Aravi’s handiwork,” Lildereth suggested, nodded toward the pile of vampire clothing.

They spent a time settling their nerves and retelling events. Aravi had little to say other than confirming that the dead Bretons had indeed recently been turned. The Khajiit looked down at their shriveled corpses for a long moment, slowly shaking her head.

“We should lay them to rest,” Jerric finally said.

Aravi spoke up. “There may be danger in their blood even now,” she warned.

“I shall say the words over them, though I do not know if it will aid their passing,” said Darnand. “We must also check the work of our summonings and make a record of all who died here. The villagers may want to see what remains of their folk, but we might spare them that if we provide enough information.”

“Vampires often keep trophies,” Aravi said. “Valuables stolen from victims and from their thralls, even mementoes of their own mortals lives. Trinkets that the villagers could use to identify loved ones. We might find such things hoarded in the patriarch’s quarters.”

Jerric gave her a nod. “We’ll check on the way out, same way we got in. I’ll go with you.”

Lildereth looked up toward the galleries. She had no interest in picking her way through a vampire lair when only a short ascent lay between her and daylight. The only race that could match Bosmeri climbing was the Khajiit. She caught Aravi’s eye. “Shall we take the shortcut?”

Aravi made a regretful sigh. “I’ll help search the living spaces. It’s best if I look for myself before I make my report, and I can open any locked containers. Vampires aren’t known for trusting even each other.” She walked over and picked up the patriarch’s sword. Jerric and Darnand moved about their work with the dead.

Questions suddenly crowded Lildereth’s mind. Should they return to the village or make camp while they still had daylight? Would Aravi join them and rest for the night or take her leave? How many potions would Jerric gulp down before his mind found ease? He disliked these underground places. If she was anxious to leave then he must be burning to get outside. She must remember to fill her pockets with those glowing stones.

Soon the three headed into the corridor, leaving Lildereth in the dimly lit chamber. Jerric turned and looked back at her over Darnand’s and Aravi’s heads. “Say elf, you want a boost up that wall?” He gave her half of a grin. “All right, then. See you out under the sky.”

[mALX]

*

EDIT: Forgot to add this:

Part of her stepped away inside until it could be over.

I loved this line - very much understand that!

Lildereth used to scout ahead of Jerric and Darnand in these dungeons - all this time I thought she was really brave - it was revealing and comforting to know how scared she gets (but still acts outwardly), how much she hates every minute of it (but still does what is needed to get the job done).

This POV explains why she was always so snappy and irritable with Jerric right after a dungeon crawl, and why (since she couldn't exactly snap at Darnand in the same way, she mated with him instead).

Really tough dungeon, but with all those helping it went much more quickly than I am used to seeing in Jerric's world, lol.

Awesome Write!


*

This post has been edited by mALX: Mar 19 2013, 11:28 PM

[Elisabeth Hollow]

Darnand... Really?? You pick NOW to try out that spell?!

[Acadian]

Another exciting episode from Lildereth’s perspective. She lives between lethality and terror – her blond sister of the bow understands that fully.

‘No regrets, Lildereth told herself. Cold flashed over her skin. Part of her stepped away inside until it could be over.’
I second mLAX mALX. This is beautifully put and clear as a crystal.

‘Lildereth signaled for Aravi to save her arrows. With the magicka from Jerric’s Juice still rising within her Lildereth didn’t need to conserve her spells. As each rat entered the chamber she turned it against its mates.’
A mystic archer at work! Not touching the Jerric Juice line though.

‘Aravi slipped behind the vampire, a slash to the backs of his knees bringing him down to her height. Her crossed blades neatly swept the head from his shoulders.’
The beauty, power and grace that is Aravi.

‘Jerric thundered up behind them. She felt herself lifted and placed to the side.’
What a wonderful contrast!

‘“Be careful with that spell,” Lildereth warned him, sick with worry. “Don’t give him duck feet for hands.”’
Or turn him into a chicken!


Edited to appease the redhead below. *tickles mALX under chin to make her stop pouting*

This post has been edited by Acadian: Mar 20 2013, 06:14 PM

[mALX]

I second mLAX.

"Hey, that sounds too close to XLax, does this mean I give people gas? Diarhea?"

*mALX folds arms across chest and pouts*

[SubRosa]

Lilldreth has seen all kinds of horrors in these remote lairs? Could this be a hint about the mysterious wood elf's background? Could she be a member of the Dawnguard perhaps?

Damn Martina and her damnable Welkynd stones!
A nice reference to the master level illusion trainer.

Aravi's Shot was a perfectly placed picture!

That second one who Lil shot makes it clear these are not enslaved mortals. As she mused, no one survives an arrow in the armpit. That is a relief, as it means they were not forced to kill people who could not help what they were doing.

Well things finally went pear-shaped when the vampire and Darnand came running in, and Aravi got in the way of his fireball. Or what would have been his fireball. Hopefully his Bretonic magic resistance took the edge off of it. OTOH, now Aravi has her swords out. She is the best there is at what she does. And what she does isn't very nice.

Ishycrick's disappearance was certainly dramatic!

[King Coin]

So sorry it has taken me this long to properly visit this update, especially with Aravi in it! This week has been horrible!

Finally time to enact the plan! Having Aravi working with Lil is a treat.

They were nearly within reach of these folk but still might not be able to help them.
That would be horribly frustrating. A feeling I’m sure Aravi knows as well. Her frustration with the illusion trainer is well shown. She might have saved these people if she only knew how. It is neat how Lil swirls with emotion and thoughts until the fight starts, then as you said, that part of her steps away.

Oh my gosh, the description of Aravi’s fight with the ancient was amazing! And Darnand! Lil was pretty brave to stand in front of Darnand like that. She wouldn’t have presented much of an obstacle to the vamp, should he have survived Aravi’s onslaught.

Aravi reaction to Jerric’s iceman was perfect. I know I said that before, but I must reiterate!

“Shall we take the shortcut?”
Aravi made a regretful sigh.
She would have loved to! Ha! I’m sure Jerric would have loved boosting both of them up the wall!

[McBadgere]

Ishckrihk tilted his great crystalline head toward the ceiling. His arms swept out in an oddly fluid gesture, ice cracking and hissing as he moved. Blood streaked his jagged hands. The atronach’s inner light contracted, and then it exploded in a shower of shards as the Void called him home. The flying ice vanished into mist while she and Aravi flinched.

My eyes misted over at that...So beautiful an image...*Sighs*...

Aaamywho...I absolutely loved this...

Darnand pulling the spell back into himself was stunning...I'm not sure he fully understood what would happen, but that he did it rather than harm Aravi (who's massively badass ) was excellent!...

Actually, I've loved Aravi in this...She's an excellent character *Applauds King Coin*...

I'm also loving the fact that this is still from Lildreth's point of view...And that even though the story is titled Jerric's Story, this is also about the three of them...It's good to have Jerric there, but seperate sometimes...You know what I mean?...

Aaamywho...

Loved the whole thing...Awesome writing...

I shall then be awed by it... ...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...