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

[Burnt Sierra]

Goody. Weekly update time!

I didn’t end up posting a reply for last weeks entry, as I wasn’t quite sure what to say. The entry stood totally alone, and I wasn’t certain how it fitted into Abiene’s journey at this point in the story, so I thought I’d wait for the next update and a little context, and post a reply at that point to both updates. Which has arrived and helps! And now you get a double length reply, you poor thing.

Now, gliding over her poor opinion of Altmers (I have an entire roster of ESO, Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim characters muttering away over here ), the diary entry tells of quite a harrowing examination and a commentary on how life, or the cheapness of life, is viewed. With the benefit of context from the next update, a couple of things then jump out at me a little more from that diary entry.

“Its life energy rushed into mine through my outstretched hands. Hot joy churned in my chest, mixed with a keening horror. I heard my victim's groan along with a shriek. The cry had come from my throat.”

Hot joy churned in my chest, mixed with a keening horror. First of all, I’ve got to say, what a sentence! And shows, so beautifully, the conflict between the wanting to heal, but savouring the power.

And now, back in Chorrol in the almost, I assume, present time, where let us not forget, an Oblivion gate is very shortly about to open outside the city when Jerric arrives:

“Though I knew a spell to clean my hands, I would save my magicka for the afternoon's treatments and utilize mundane solutions for ordinary tasks. I have a mage's pride in her spells and a healer's need to use them on everyone.”

And then jumping back to the diary entry:

“She reserved her sharpest disdain for those who dared question her. Though she far outranked me, I had done so at every opportunity. Then Curciel received her Mastery. Pride, ever my companion, was not my friend.”

Pride. A pride in her abilities, and a pride in proving them. A desire to heal, but an inner conflict to how Restoration can also be used. A discourse on how life is viewed, when it comes to Goblins and so called “lesser races,” at a time when Daedra might soon be swarming outside the city. Not to mention how Curciel and Raminus’s disagreement in the exam might suggest a link to the conflict between the Mage’s Guild and the Necromancers who left - Curciel really did scream Necromancer to me. And there was even time, even in a period of religious peace, to suggest a little conflict (which has been mentioned before too) between her devotion to Dibella and how followers of other Divines consider themselves superior. An awful lot packed in those updates.

Final note, like Acadian, I’m really enjoying your switch to first person, it’s allowing her personality to shine through so well.

Now, let’s finish with the pointing out of a beautiful imagery moment:

“But it kept the rain beading up and rolling off like water on a swan's wings.”

Oh, yes, that’s lovely. Not just the picture it creates, but the rhythm of the sentence is extremely satisfying too! An honourable mention to, "The smirk oozed through her voice", as well. Say that out loud with an elongation of the ooze and it gives such a clarity to their relationship.

All that’s left to say is S.G.M. and roll on next Tuesday!