Old Habits Die Hard Part Six, some old habits never die Options

[treydog]

After a moment, he lay down between me and the fire, his broken leg jutting out at an angle that made me wince,

That sense of shared pain is just one of the things that leads to Julian’s bond with “Dog-to-be-Named-Later” (not his real name).

Those eyes were bright blue, I noticed. Just like Captain Steffan’s. I blinked the thought away. No, don’t think too much on him. I’ll just drive myself crazy, as I did when I loved Jared.

The healing was quite vividly described- showing again how valuable it is to “write what you know.”

And then, the reactions afterward- Julian’s exhaustion and “Dog-to-be-Named-Later’s” joy. That brought quite a smile to me.

Well, Julian, I regarded the dog silently as I lay back on the bedroll. It seems you’ve rescued a dog instead of a cat this time.

That prompted more than a chuckle. What's next- oliphants?

I have always been fascinated by the playful bond between (some) horses and (some) dogs.

I recalled the great war dogs of my first posting.

I am pleased to say that there is a war dog monument outside Mrs. Treydog’s workplace.

And why do I think it was more than “training” that propelled Julian through that gap? She will always “march to the sound of the guns,” especially when one of her companions is involved. And I am also glad that “Dog-to-be-Named Later” is not going underground with Julian- this time.

The stale air that reached my nostrils took me back more than a few years, back before my addiction to skooma, before my heavy drinking, before the pain –

Here, you show your skill as a writer- nothing is more evocative than smell- and yet we often forget that sense when we weave our stories.

I drew Akatosh’s Touch. The hilt thrummed softly in my palm as I entered the dark.

And now- I am caught up. And I am very happy- and very sad. It works that way.

Nit:

No other pink glows other than the dog and this unknown creature appeared…

I think the first “other” can be dropped without loss of meaning.

[Glargg]

And here we see that even a great story can be made better by bringing a dog into it! Dogs make everything better...

I remember my dread the first time in Miscarcand. In the first level, you have to take a "leap of faith" without knowing if there's a way back up. I look forward with anticipation (and a bit of worry) to see how Julian handles this frightening dungeon.

[D.Foxy]

And I'm posting again...

LOVE where you're going with everything- your plotline, character development, (including horses and dogs) and settings!!!

Keep it up, as I'm keeping mine up....er...erm....keeping up my EFFORTS is what I meant to say...

[haute ecole rider]

@Olen: Actually, Julian has been using stealth throughout the MQ. Back when she was ill and weak and recovering from the world's worst hangover, it was the only way she could survive. If you recall her conversation with the mages in Bravil, she points out that sneaking around in the Deadlands was the best way to survive. It's the reason she's been able to close nineteen Gates at this point. Now that we're inside Miscarcand, I hope we don't let you down!

@Acadian: I'm glad you enjoyed Blue's courage. That (and his behavior post-combat) comes from working with police dogs at the emergency clinic. We had a drug dog spend Christmas weekend with us after he developed life-threatening complications following a major surgery. Thank God for insurance - he had exactly the same benefits as other police officers, and that meant we were able to save his life - six units of whole blood and four units of plasma later he was 'working' again, sniffing out our controlled drugs! The thing I know about Huskies, they are very very protective of their pack members, and as I see it, this dog just adopted Julian and Blanco as his pack.

@SubRosa: Yes, Julian was very glad for the dog's help with that goblin. Else she would have been a shaking mass of wet greaves and tears! Yes, she sent the dog back out of consideration for his welfare. Typical Julian, if you ask me.

@Athynae: It may surprise you that I'm more a cat person than a dog person. But since I grew up with a dachshund (hence my weakness for trey doggie's soulful pleas), and I do enjoy working with the wide spectrum of personalities dogs demonstrate, it's no surprise that you would enjoy this chapter. Actually I enjoy animal-watching, and love to bring my writing skills to other animals, not just the usual dogs, cats and horses. And yes, I agree, they listen better than the other!

@Grits: Most dogs are just pain in the butts when you're trying to kill the other guy. They just get in the way, make a lot of noise, and get themselves hurt. I think Jacki Dice's portrayal of Dolce's behavior in a fight is accurate of most spoiled pets. But trained working dogs are another matter altogether. They are so highly attuned to their environment that they can be downright dangerous. The police dogs that are "perp-chasers" have to be muzzled when they come in, and their handlers can not leave them for one second. That is the reason why we make the exception to "Employees Only Beyond This Point" whenever one of those dogs have to be hospitalized. Otherwise they will bite someone just for waving their arm around while talking. It's seen as a 'threat' by those dogs. Actually I imagine this Skyrim Husky has had some Legion training, though he was never a full Legion war dog. But dogs like him are happiest when they are working.

@Destri: Once again you demonstrate the perception I've come to expect from you. Yes, Julian's motive for sending the Husky mix back to camp was out of concern for his welfare, not because she didn't think he could hold his own in a fight. After losing half her cohort in a goblin dungeon, Julian just doesn't want to be responsible for a comrade's death anymore.

@Treydog: How can I not forgive those dachshund eyes? Don't worry about it, I forget that cardinal rule sometimes! It makes me happy to see how much you enjoyed the introduction of our Skyrim Husky mix into the story. It was one of those happy accidents, and I'm just glad I live next door to him and can watch him interact with his pack. There are more and more of those war dog memorials cropping up around the country, and it's about time! So many soldiers have survived because of these brave creatures who put their 'pack' first and their own welfare second. I wonder how many men kept their courage because of these dogs. I know that I would face dangers that would normally send me running if I had a dog at my side (or running toward the enemy). Your nit has been fixed. Oh, and Blanco's interaction with the Husky comes from my Rose's attitude toward dogs. They would try to herd her or make her run so they could chase her. She always stood her ground, faced them down, and then chased them (never running them down). The spoiled ones always ran in fear from her, but the savvy farm dogs would play with her instead. Then when she was done, she would hit them with a front foot. Game over.

@Glargg: Yes, Miscarcand is a scary place, indeed. I remember the first time I went in there. I was shaking the whole time! I think it is scarier than the Kvatch Great Gate, which is the player's first time in the Deadlands.

@Foxy: Oh, I always know what you mean! I'm happy that you are still enjoying OHDH.

The story thus far: Julian has arrived at Miscarcand, healed a bandit dog, confronted her boogeyman - a goblin - and now she has entered the dark place.

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Chapter 28.3: A War Zone

Ahead of me, a flight of steps dropped down through darkness toward a square chamber lit by a cool blue light. I recognized the light source as the same stone I had seen in Chanel’s studio, only these were crystals embedded high in the stone walls at the bottom of the stairs.

Cautiously I felt my way down the steps, Akatosh’s Touch gleaming a soft argent in the shadows overlying the narrow passage. I reached the bottom safely just as the creaking stone doors shut out the daylight behind me. I jumped as a dark blur highlighted by white streaks drifted past me on padded feet and entered the square chamber.

The dog’s sapphire blue eyes gleamed in the eerie light as he paused beside a dark stain on the floor and glanced back at me. “Damn you, s’wit,” I whispered. “You scared the crap out of me. I could have killed you, you know.”

That white tip flickered only once, then his head turned back to the opposite side of the chamber, tilted to our right. As I slowly approached him, I realized the wall beyond the archway gave way to another flight of stairs that descended into more darkness. I crept silently across the chamber past the dog, who had not moved from his listening pose. I could see the hackles again bristling his topline.

My feet faltered as my gaze fell on the dark stain near the dog’s feet. Blood. Fresh. It streaked toward the second stairway. Something was dragged down the stairs. My right shoulder against the wall, I bobbed my head around the corner for a quick glance down into darkness before ducking back.

That brief glimpse showed me enough. At the bottom of the stairs lay a crumpled form, more dark liquid pooling around it. Next to it a goblin skirmisher paced restlessly. I had seen enough of its movement to know the creature was spooked.

I found myself giving the dog the Legion stay signal, the same signal I had used with Blanco that morning. His gaze shifted from the stairs to me then back again, but he didn’t move otherwise. Crouched against the wall, I laid Touch carefully on the stone floor and unstrapped my strung bow from my pack. Like Touch, it was a new steel-eared bow that Martin had enchanted with one of the stronger Sigil Stones I had brought back from my Grand Tour. Christened Akatosh’s Glance, it caused fire damage from the arrows it loosed.

Stringing it only took a second, then I bobbed my head around the corner for another check. That skittish skirmisher still circled its dead comrade. Mindful of the glow from the stones behind me, I eased my shoulder past the side of the archway and drew aim on the goblin. Glance flickered dimly in the shadow before me as I pulled the string to half-tension. After a moment to pause my breathing and steady my bow hand, I released the steel tipped arrow.

I had another arrow nocked to the string before flames engulfed the spinning skirmisher. He staggered, his mace dropping to the stone floor, before the second one bloomed fire from his abdomen. He dropped beside the dead goblin, his body outlined by the reddish orange fury of Akatosh’s Glance.

Quickly I returned Glance to its hook on my left shoulder and snatched up Touch. The narrow blade glimmered faintly as I waited, listening for other hostiles below. Silence fell heavily on the passageway below, almost audible in its totality.

The dog eased up beside me, his ears still tipped down the stairs. His listening attitude warned me of more, but the smooth hackles told me they must be distant. For now.

Goblins. Why does it have to be goblins? I leaned back against the wall with deep breaths. The dog licked the back of my right hand, his white-tipped tail flickering in the blue light from the crystals high above us. I met his gaze and considered his recent actions. He attacked that goblin as if nothing else was worse than that unfortunate creature. And he broke its neck. It didn’t scare him. Yet he avoided me at first. Was it because he was hurt? Now that he is healed he has his courage back? Could it be he’s just prudent?

The dog returned my gaze steadily, then his blue eyes shifted down the stairs again and his demeanor tensed. There’s more hostiles. Are they coming this way? I was beginning to realize how useful he could be. After a moment’s wait, he relaxed slightly. No, not yet. Better give him a name so I can call him to me.

“Well, what’s your name, dog?” I whispered. His eyes returned to mine. “If you have Skyrim Husky in you,” I continued after a moment, “it’s only fitting I should give you a Skyrim name. But what?” He tipped his head, his ears twitching between what lay down the stairs and my voice. I smiled. “Shall I call you Sai?” The dog shifted his feet eagerly, his eyes sparkling in the shadows cast by the Welkynd stones behind him. “All right, Sai the Lucky it is,” I nodded, reaching out with my left hand and rubbing his ears. “Let’s go, then. Quietly.”

He stayed by my left side as we crept down the stairs. I knelt to examine the dead goblin. His limbs were shattered, ribcage and skull stove in. Sai the Lucky sniffed at the corpse, then growled softly, his hackles rising. He moved ahead on stiff legs, past the charred remains of the skirmisher I had dispatched. He paused in the doorway beyond and turned to stone, his ears pointed to the right and downward.

I studied the corpse a moment longer, trying to assess the cause of those horrific wounds. Some kind of blunt trauma. Powerful, judging by how those bones are shattered. Another goblin tribe? I didn’t hear anything about a goblin war while I was in Skingrad. I crept forward and crouched next to Sai. Beyond the doorway the path opened up onto a wide, well-lit ledge that overlooked an immense chamber to the right. I couldn’t see down to the lower level, but noticed that another passageway continued at the far end of the structure.

Now I could hear what Sai apparently heard - the sounds of fighting goblins and thumping of flesh. Still in a crouch, I took care to stay in the shadows at the near end of the exposed ledge and peered over the edge.

Below, three small fires flickered around the edge of a circle laid in the stone floor at one end of the rectangular chamber. Two goblins crouched near the circle, each drinking potions. Then they ran into an attack, somewhere out of sight to the left of the chamber. Again I heard the sounds of fighting, sounds of metal striking flesh, screams and groans.

Staying well back of the edge, I sidled past the smooth trunk of a broken column that marked the center point of the ledge rim. Using the structure for cover, I looked down at the battle.

Beside me, Sai growled softly in his throat as I caught my breath. Zombies! No wonder that unfortunate goblin had been so shattered. As I watched, the two surviving goblins struggled to smash their weapons into the rotting flesh of their opponents.

In spite of their shambling, disintegrating condition, the magic that held those undead corpses together was stronger than the goblins’ brute strength. The three zombies teamed up and battered the goblins into death. As they staggered around the lower chamber, I eased away from the edge of the ledge.

I moved as silently as I could toward the other passageway, seeking the shadows that marked its door. Here it ended in a cross hallway to the left and right. I glanced right. Likely it goes down to that lower chamber. I’m not going that way. As long as those zombies stay there, I’m not going to attract their attention.

Sai shadowed me as I turned left. An ornate lacework of bronze blocked my way. I reached for the handle, only to have the gate swing back with a screech that sounded loud in my ears. Sai spun around to face behind us, prompting me to follow suit, careful to keep him on my left side away from Touch.

A zombie ran toward us, its decomposing arms stretching ahead of it. As it emerged from the shadows between pools of blue light, Sai leaped toward it. My heart in my mouth, I followed after him. Don’t! It’ll smash you in less than a heartbeat!

But as quick as the zombie was, Sai was even quicker. He darted forward and sank his teeth into a calf, his forward momentum tearing rotting flesh off the bone. The zombie faltered as Sai leaped past it, and I lunged forward beneath those disgusting arms to thrust Touch into the hollow that remained of the zombie’s abdomen. A twist of the wrist demolished what was left of the abdominal organs and tore out the entire left side of the creature.

I stepped back as the zombie wavered. Sai circled around and dove for the other leg. This time the entire lower leg separated at the knee and Sai approached me carrying the severed limb like a stick I had thrown for him to retrieve. Behind him the zombie crashed to the ground with a low moan. I swung Touch overhand into its chest. Ribs shattered and collapsed inward beneath the blow, and the undead creature grew limp. A fresh wave of decomposing fragrance assaulted my nostrils before I could withdraw, and I gagged back the bile that burned my throat. I turned in time to see Sai drop his trophy and paw frantically at his mouth.

“Worse than the usual rotten animals you find in the woods?” I whispered to him. I knelt before him and caught his muzzle. Warily I lifted his lips to look at his teeth. To my surprise, he opened his mouth and let me look inside. “Nothing’s jammed in there, just a bad taste,” I murmured as I rubbed the top of his nose. “Now, let’s see what’s on the other side of that gate.”

This post has been edited by haute ecole rider: Aug 15 2011, 05:49 PM

[SubRosa]

Snakes Goblins. Why does it have to be snakes goblins?
I just could not stop from having an Indiana Jones movement here. I really do love that just like our beloved Indy, Julian has her own achilles heel, that makes her toes curl in terror.

Julian's new companion is certainly proving his worth. Just like IRL, his senses are as good as radar, giving Julian the edge of early detection in the dark passages beneath Nirn.

Sai the Lucky? I had to look that one up. Very appropriate, in more ways than one. Plus he plays zombie stick!

So it is zombies vs. goblins vs. Champions of Cyrodiil? I always did love those three ways you can get in the game. Thankfully that group of goblins softened up the zombies for Julian. Taking on three of them at full strength would have been tough, even with her new helper.


nits:
Two goblins crouched near the circle, each drinking at potions
I think the at is probably a leftover from a previous edit?

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Aug 15 2011, 05:31 PM

[Grits]

I had to look up Sai, too, what a great name!

A new bow, fantastic. I love fire damage.

Poor, Sai, I can just see him trying to scrape zombie from his tongue. At least the zombies might distract Julian from her goblin horror. But now she has to deal with the zombies. And she’s not even through the first gate!

[Destri Melarg]

Sai it is! Truthfully, I was holding out for Barbas, but of course Sai is far more appropriate. Does that make Julian his daughter (silver hair, cornflower blue eyes)?

Julian continues to show us what a true hero is. Not someone blessed with an absence of fear, but someone who faces their greatest fear to venture into the dark tunnel because that’s what needs to be done. I know that her protective instinct would rather see Sai safe at the camp with Blanco, but she has to be glad of the company, especially since that company can FIGHT!

[ghastley]

I'm glad Sai has chosen to join her, too. We've already seen that the dog's sense of smell, and possibly hearing too, has more range than Julian's detect life.

Of course Zombies can probably be detected by smell by Julian, too.

It just remains to be seen if the dog can learn when not to attack. The bad taste of Mort Flesh may help.

[Acadian]

'I recognized the light source as the same stone I had seen in Chanel’s studio, only these were crystals embedded high in the stone walls at the bottom of the stairs.'
I like this for several reasons. It's a nice game friendly description that makes sense. It reminds us of Julian's trip to Chorrol. It also reminds us that much of Julian's 'dungeon diving' has focused on Oblivion Gates. She is understandably not that familiar with Ayleid ruins and has been just a little too busy to study a whole lot about them - no parchment princess here!

Sai is a much better name than Blue! What a dramatic change in tactics he generates with a whole slew of considerations ranging from how to best use him to how to keep him alive. He does seem pretty clever. I chuckled as he spit out the zombie leg. Perhaps had it been a rotten bird, he would have loved it - they do have such odd palettes when it comes to that kind of thing. I will be very interested to see if Julian focuses Sai on watching Blanco in the future or takes him into dark places some more.

I both love and hate the effect produced in-game by a fire bow. On one hand, the flame is very neat looking when it erupts on strike. On the other hand it obscures the target too much for my liking. I ended up, early on, changing Slayer's elemental damage to shock. Fire's a fun choice though!

[Olen]

sank his teeth into a calf

Ewww. That can't have tasted pleasant. No wonder he spat it out, I just hope he doesn't catch anything.

I can see an extra pair of eyes (not to mention ears and nose) could be useful in that ruin. Perhaps Julian will be glad Sai didn't leave soon, I suspect he might see more of the inside of places, though perhaps not oblivion gates. Certainly it keeps it fresh with new tactics, I liked her trying to skirt round the zombies, it makes sense if she didn't know the gate was noisy. Will she give up a good firing spot again to risk a gate?

“Worse than the usual rotten animals you find in the woods?” I whispered to him.

I liked this, it made me smile.

[haute ecole rider]

@SubRosa: Thanks for catching the Indy Jones reference! The way Julian reacted to the presence of goblins in that place, I just couldn't resist! And it sounds just as real coming out of her as it did coming out of Indy's mouth. Since Sai the Lucky is still an unknown quality in combat, Julian wasn't taking any chances!

Grits: I was looking for something similar to Loki, the Norse God of Trouble. I figured that if I could find a TES equivalent, that was going to be the Lucky's name. Sai the Lucky was just perfect! And with Julian's experiences in Skyrim, I felt it was something she was already familiar with.

@Destri: After her unpleasant experience with Sheogorath, why would Julian name the dog after a Daedric Lord's hound? Clavicus Vile's hound at that?? No, a Skyrim name for a Skyrim Husky mix. Speaking of which, Presley was out with his owner this morning when I came back from my walk. He was playful as always. They went into their house just as my mom and her friend Kathleen came walking up. Before I knew it, Presley was streaking out of the house and running up to the two ladies. He was jumping around and licking Kathleen's hand and just begging them to play! I thought to myself, that's how fast Sai the Lucky ran back into the ruin behind Julian!

@ghastley: Yes, I think Julian can smell them coming if they're slow enough. Still, Sai can sniff 'em out from a greater distance than she can. After all, he has over 220 million olfactory receptors in that pointy nose of his, while she only has 5 million in hers! The only thing she does better than him is see colors! I don't think Sai is going to stop being so quick to attack, as we'll see at the end of the chapter (in a few weeks at this rate).

@Acadian: It may actually surprise you that Julian is one of those scholar-warriors. She spent a fair bit of her down time in the Legion reading everything she could get her hands on, including a lot of materials along Sun Tzu's Art of War and Clausewitz's Vom Kriege. This is the reason for her well-developed vocabulary and sometimes unusual choice of words (I think someone once commented on her use of the term verdigris). I did want to emphasize that even though dogs love rotting corpses, zombies are too foul for even those wonderful scavengers! Pthew!

@Olen: Yes, that was an awesome sniping spot on that ledge there. Julian decided against it because she didn't want to call more attention to herself than she already had. If she could sneak past those guys, that's more than a few arrows she saved for more immediate threats. That zombie that attacked them at the gate was already in the upper passageway, it had nothing to do with the ones down in the lower room. And yes, I hope Sai doesn't catch anything!

The story so far: Julian has entered Miscarcand and learned that it is infested with goblins, her boogeymen. Just at the last minute, the bandit dog joined her, and earned the name Sai the Lucky as a result. He certainly didn't waste the opportunity to demonstrate his value in combat. Now they move deeper into what will be the first level of three.

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Chapter 28.4 Bones and Goblins

At the bottom of the narrow flight of stairs Sai and I found ourselves on a high stone ledge wending its way through a shadowed chamber. The place was so immense I couldn't see the far side, and its ceiling disappeared into darkness. To the left of the doglegging path a cool bluish green glow indicated the presence of more Welkynd stones. A faint reddish flicker gleamed past the first bend in the path ahead of us, its source invisible below the edge of the stone.

The first part of the pathway had no railing, but ahead, where the ledge bent left around a corner, I could see the low stone coping of a rough banister lining either side of the ledge. Stone structures reached down to the narrow pathway from the shadowed ceiling above, embracing the path with squared columns around the second corner, which bent back right toward the opposite wall.

Fighting the feeling of exposure, I crept across the open part of the ledge and paused beneath the edge of the overhead structure. Suspicious of traps, I scanned the ancient stone for spiked balls, stacked logs, and other booby traps common to goblin settlements. Seeing nothing but dusty cobwebs and lumpy mold, I moved to the stone rail in front of me and peered over its top. Far below, on a worn stone floor, a small fire burned weakly, sending up a thin trail of dark smoke.

There's not much fresh air here to help it burn, I thought to myself, casting my gaze into the surrounding shadows. I could see a couple of chests, and several piles of refuse. There was movement in the darkness below, away from the fire and past me along the side of the ledge. As I looked back, I realized that the open space Sai and I had just crossed was actually a bridge, giving access between the two sides of the chamber that was otherwise divided by the ledge.

My blood ran chill once again as the sound of chittering floated up to me from the darkness. More goblins? Beside me, Sai stiffened, his hackles rising beneath my left fingers. By the way his nose pointed, I knew the creatures were moving beneath the bridge behind us.

The dog's blue eyes flashed toward me in the dimness as I held my left fingers to my lips in a gesture of silence. As I started around the first corner and crept to the left, he padded silently ahead to the next corner and stopped, peering through the rail. Taking cover behind the broad column that braced the corner, I turned my gaze toward the blue-green glow beyond. Four truncated columns, each topped with a Welkynd stone, marked the four corners of a low dais. Three skeletons, two with maces and shields, one with a bow that glimmered faintly with a soft sheen that my own steel bow lacked, alerted to the charging approach of three goblins.

Great. Undead bones and goblins? I watched as the goblins ran into the eerie glow and engaged with the skeletons. One was a lightly armored skirmisher, while the other two bore the ram skull helms of the berserker class.

The skeleton archer made swift work of the lone skirmisher, bringing him down with a few well-placed arrows. The berserkers engaged with the two melee bones, the clashing of metal drifting up to us as they crossed maces and banged on shields. The goblins were as quick and agile as I remembered them, but ultimately they were no match for the skeletons.

I eyed the victors thoughtfully. As long as I stay up here, those two can't get me. But that archer might try to shoot me or Sai down. I can't risk it. My decision made, I unshouldered Glance and notched an arrow. Sai dropped behind me as I raised the bow into the firing position. The archer retreated into the shadows at the far side of the chamber, while the two melee skeletons remained beside the dead goblins. Now.

The twanging of my bowstring was deafening in the silence as I released the arrow. The projectile flew true, and the archer was engulfed in flames. The two melee fighters alerted to my presence and ran to the foot of the ledge directly below my hiding point. Silently I retreated from the edge and waited. Maces struck shields in challenges that I let go unanswered.

After a few moments, silence resumed its reign over the dark chamber, and I turned toward the far end of the path. To my dismay, I found a large bronze gate, wrought in a pattern similar to the petals of a dahlia radiating out from an open circle in the center. Sai watched as I pushed and pulled on the gate. The metal portal would not budge. I scanned the surrounding jamb and walls for a way to open the gate without success.

His tail wagged as I turned back to look at Sai. "Well, any ideas, lucky boy?" I whispered. He leaped to his feet and padded back along the ledge to the first corner. I followed him, back to that shadowy area between the ledge and the end wall. The tilt of his nose pointed me toward a small archway below us. The narrow passage curved out of sight to the right beyond the entrance.

"Another way out of this room?" I looked around for a way down, but found no stairs. I'll have to jump down. Those skeletons are still looking for me, I'll wager. I glanced behind us at the other half of the chamber, the half containing the stone dais and two very angry skeletons. Once I jump down there, I can't get back up. And can Sai jump down that far?

My decision made, I moved back to the larger side of the chamber. The skeletons did not see me, but they still prowled around the dais restlessly. Again I used Glance on them. They each took two burning arrows to die. I glanced at my quiver. Not many left. I'll have to use Touch as much as I can.

After a final scan of the chamber revealed no more enemies, I moved to the edge of the ledge and peered over the side. What's the best way down? The sides of the ledge were fluted, with the wall flaring out near the bottom, about a meter off the floor. If I slide down the wall, I can land on that buttress, then hop down to the floor. I decided to jump down on the side of the ledge where the goblins had built their feeble fire.

With my weapons secured at my back, I lowered myself over the edge until I dangled from my hands. A glance between my feet showed the flared bottom of the wall still an uncomfortable distance below. If I slide down facing the wall, I'll fall backwards when I hit that buttress on the bottom. Better go down facing out. Slowly I released my right hand from the edge, hanging by my stronger hand. Careful not to swing too much or move too violently, I pivoted around my left hand until my back and left shoulder were against the wall, and my toes pointed out toward the fire.

A glance back up showed Sai standing at the edge, his ears a double-pointed silhouette against the slightly less dark shadows above. He whined softly, and I heard his lips smacking nervously. Here goes nothing. I released my grip on the ledge and slid down the wall. When my feet hit the curved slope of the buttress, I bent my knees to absorb the shock and to keep my back against the wall.

Balanced on the slope, my ankles complaining about the impact, I put my right hand on the damp stone and swung my feet to the floor. I took a couple of tentative steps. All in one piece. That's good.

A whine brought my gaze back up to the ledge. Sai fidgeted anxiously, his front feet testing the rim. How best to get him down? If I make him wait up there, will he stay? Will I regret my decision to make him stay there? Will I be able to find him on my way out? How much does he weigh? I recalled the Legion Ten soldiers catching their war dogs on long drops. He can't weigh as much as those beasts.

I whistled softly. "Come, Sai," I held my hands out. Akatosh, let him not weigh too much! The dog didn't hesitate, but leaped unerringly into my arms. His weight impacted my chest as I staggered backwards, my arms wrapping around his body. As I struggled to keep my balance, he twisted out of my grip and dropped to the floor. As soon as his feet hit the chill stone, he was off quartering the small alcove where the goblins had apparently encamped. He paused near one of the two chests and glanced back at me, the white tip of his waving tail beckoning like a beacon. I picked up a burning brand from the fire and approached the trunk. The wooden lid swung back with a loud groan. Inside, among jumbled bits and pieces of moldy fabric and rusted metal, I found a small vial, its stopper still sealed tight. Restore energy, the tiny script read. I slipped it into my belt pouch. I glanced at Sai, who had resumed his search of the alcove. The other trunk contained little of interest, but I did find some copper drakes and a couple of gold septims, which I pocketed.

Sai insisted on searching the other side of the chamber, so while he nosed among the dead, I studied the Welkynd stones. Unlike the ones I had seen before, these were mounted in metal filigree that secured them to the tops of the square plinths. I managed to reach one by standing on top of the dais and rising up on my toes. My fingers couldn't wrap around the stone, but it did knock the filigree off the column. As it hit the floor, the metal broke, but the stone did not shatter. I knelt down and picked it up. As long as my hand, and barely wider, it thrummed softly. After a moment, I slid it into my back pack. I looked at the others, but left them alone. One's enough for now. Until I find out what it's good for, other than light that is.

I looked up in time to see Sai trotting over to me, a dried out femur in his mouth. He grinned at me around his newest trophy and dropped to his belly. As he started to gnaw on it, the bone shattered into small fragments, leaving a bewildered look on his face. I chuckled. "Those bones have been down here a long time, boy," I said softly. "I doubt there's any marrow left to them." I moved back to the dead goblins. A search of them revealed slaughter fish scales. Recalling something Ardaline had said, I collected the iridescent items and placed them alongside the vial in my belt pouch.

"Let's go check out that passageway, Sai," I adjusted the pack straps over my shoulders. "Let's be very quiet now."

This post has been edited by haute ecole rider: Nov 2 2011, 07:42 PM

[SubRosa]

When I first looked at the title I thought "Dr. McCoy is joining the cast!" Sorry, I just cannot help it. I used to watch the original Star Trek all the time as a kid. Now that it is on Netflix's instant viewing, I am back at them again!

So Julian got in another three-way? and finished off the bones with one Glance .

That slide down the wall made me think of the early Julian. That would have snapped her knee for certain! How far she has come since those old days!

The image of Sai with the bone is just priceless! Dogs will be dogs!

[Kazaera]

I love how Sai goes from being almost eerily clever - sensing enemies, finding loot for Julian - to the scene with the bone. He may be smart, but he's definitely still a dog! (And poor Sai. Thought he had something nice to gnaw on and then *blecch*. Undead should take better care of their femurs!)

[Acadian]

You paint some wonderfully rich atmosphere inside this ruin. Very vivid indeed.

Julian the Dogcatcher.

Something tells me that Julian and Sai still have a ways to go down here. Gulp.

Nit? 'There were movement in the darkness below,'
This seems to be mixing plural (were) and singular (movement) to me. I would use 'was movement' or 'were movements', but movement is an odd word I suppose and you may not agree.

[Grits]

My blood ran chill once again as the sound of chittering floated up to me from the darkness. More goblins? Beside me, Sai stiffened, his hackles rising beneath my left fingers. By the way his nose pointed, I knew the creatures were moving beneath the bridge behind us.

Eep! After Julian’s careful assessment of her surrounding, I found this especially chilling!

One was a lightly armored skirmisher, while the other two bore the ram skull helms of the berserker class.

I know about Julian's past goblin horror, but this detail brings it very close again. It makes me remember how she has had the chance to see them while she was captive.

A whine brought my gaze back up to the ledge. Sai fidgeted at the edge, his front feet testing the edge.

This description is so vivid, I can hear the whine. I thoroughly enjoyed Sai’s behavior throughout. The trusting leap is another favorite Sai moment. I’m looking forward to more!

[Destri Melarg]

‘The dog didn’t hesitate.’ That was an elegant way to show us the trust that Sai now has for Julian. It seems that she has made a friend for life.

Like the others said, the scene with the bone is priceless. Sai definitely knows how to reward himself when he perceives that the work has been done. Too bad the stupid bone didn’t cooperate.

A small nit:

A whine brought my gaze back up to the ledge. Sai fidgeted at the edge, his front feet testing the edge.

The second sentence was a little jarring to me with the repetition of the word ‘edge’, especially coming after ending the previous sentence with ‘ledge.’

[haute ecole rider]

@SubRosa: Yes, I remember sitting in that oversized Naugahyde recliner with my two older sisters and watching the original Star Trek. We loved to clutch each other and scream every time the Enterprise zoomed across the screen during the opening credits. I'm surprised our vulpine friend didn't pick up on your three-way comment. I certainly did! And as for the scene with Sai and that old bone, it practically wrote itself. He's one of those characters, indeed.

@Kazaera: Sai certainly agrees with you! Being dead for hundreds of years is no excuse for brittle bones!

@Acadian: Yes, Julian and Sai still have a ways to go in that ruin. This Dogcatcher is the best kind indeed! Thanks for the nit!

@Grits: I really wanted to bring attention to just what those goblins mean to Julian. They are indeed her achilles' heel, the source of her addiction and her fall from grace (so to speak). Encountering them again just brings back memories and feelings she would rather not confront again. Sai is being unusually quiet for a Skyrim Husky here, but he knows the difference between camp and a goblin- and undead-infested ruin.

@Destri: Sai is smart enough to know he can trust the human who healed his leg and took his pain away. Yes, Julian definitely has a friend for life. And I'm glad that everyone has noticed the scene with Sai and the brittle bone. I've witnessed that same look all too often on dogs' faces when their 'treats' don't turn out quite the way they expected. Thanks for the nit - that sentence kept bothering me. I finally figured out how to rewrite it so it flows better.

The story so far: Julian and Sai have progressed deep into the first level of Miscarcand. It only gets better. . .

********************
Chapter 28.5 A New Kind of Stone

Sai stiffened at my side as the door, marked with a winter tree limned in meteoric iron, slid shut behind us with a soft groan. Before us, stairs dropped down to the lower level of Miscarcand. He shadowed me closely as we made our way cautiously down the damp steps.

Through the archway ahead of us, I spotted a tall plinth in the center of a large room. A dome-like structure, draped in a rotting cloth, topped the column. A faint glow seeped beneath the lower edges of the covering, casting argent light over the floor. Around it stood eight stone slabs, radiating out like the rays of a star. Shadows hid the edges of the room and obscured the arched ceiling above.

Silence greeted my ears as my eyes attempted vainly to penetrate the shadows. The room was too large for the limited range of my detect life spell. Still, I was tempted to use it, but restrained myself since my position in the archway was too exposed. Casting the spell would give away our presence to any nearby enemies.

I moved to enter the large space, but Sai blocked me with his body. I reached down to move him aside, but stopped when my fingers felt his raised hackles. His ears were tipped into the room, and his head was below the level of his shoulders. I recognized the stalking posture and looked back into the room.

A shadow flitted past the archway, so close I could smell the fishy odor and the dirty leather of another goblin. Chittering in rage, he disappeared into the darkness to my right. I bit back the involuntary scream and dropped to a crouch against the left side of the archway.

Two more lanky figures darted across the center of the room, the soft glow from the column briefly highlighting the shimmer of leather armor and the glitter of iron weapons. The twanging of a bowstring warned me of an archer somewhere off to my right. My heart began hammering in my chest when a bolt of lightning crackled out of the darkness from the opposite side.

Shaman! If she sees me - I ducked behind the archway just as my knees gave way. Huddled against the wall, I listened with growing panic to the chittering and snarling as the goblins continued fighting their as yet unseen foes. Sai stood between me and the archway, his ears tipped forward as his eyes tracked the battle.

I could still see a sliver of the right side of the chamber through the archway. Something gleamed in the shadows, then the glow from the plinth picked out the round dome of a grinning skull. The rest of the undead bones appeared, a drawn bow in its hands. The silver arrow head flashed briefly as it released the string.

A scream from the left side of the room echoed around the chamber, and the lightning bolts flickered wildly about the room before stopping altogether. The skeleton archer then turned toward the battle still ongoing behind it.

A few twangs of the bowstring later, silence returned to the cavernous chamber. The skeleton lowered its bow and relaxed its stance, gently rocking its weight from one foot to the other.

I couldn't still the shaking in my body or the hammering of my pulse. Sai turned to me and nosed my shoulder gently. When I didn't respond to him, he pawed at my knee. After a moment, he sat down before me and tipped his head to one side.

What is happening to me? That shaman who tortured me is dead - has been for years. Florian made certain of it when he rescued me. But I still couldn't shake the afterimages of the shock spell from my vision, the tingling coursing through my bones, the silver fire that traced along my nerves and weakened my muscles. Breath came short and fast through clenched teeth.

Touch clattered softly against the stone floor next to my hip as my shaking hand released the hilt. This is too much like that dungeon in Skyrim. I'm going to come face to face with a shaman, and I will lose. I can't go through another round of magical torture.

I closed my eyes and held my hands to my face. I can't go any further in this place. It's full of zombies and undead bones and goblins everywhere. I'll have to go back to Cloud Ruler Temple and tell Emperor Martin that this can only be done with a contingent of Blades or Legion soldiers.

But there are not enough Blades. The Dragonguard was decimated when the old Emperor was assassinated. Only Baurus remains of it. The garrison at Cloud Ruler can't be divided any further - every man and woman is needed there to guard the Emperor. And I can't go to the Legion - they can't spare the men for Bruma's defense, how can they spare a contingent for an Ayleid ruin?

No, I have only two choices. Do this alone, or go back to Martin and let him down. I forced myself to take deep breaths. If you go back without the Great Welkynd stone, are you worthy of being Casnar’s Blade Sister? Valdemar? Alain and Rielus? I rubbed the perspiration from my skin. No, it's going to get better, Julian. You know there's only one shaman in each goblin tribe. And the only one here in Miscarcand is already dead, thanks to these skeletons. And you know how to fight skeletons. Use the back of your blade to batter their bones and let Touch's magic do the rest for you.

As my heart slowed down and my shaking eased, Sai turned his head from me and gazed out through the archway. His ears pointed to the right side of the room, which suggested to me that all of the surviving foes were clustered there. How many skeletons? Are there any other fighters? Zombies? What else will I find here in this Aedra-forsaken place?

Slowly I regained my feet, silently recovering Touch from the floor. I moved to the opposite side of the archway and peered through. Movement in the shadows revealed five skeletons. Ducking back behind cover, I cast the detect life spell. Three glows shimmered into visibility, indicating their closeness to my hiding place.

This time Sai let me pass him as I glided through the archway into the deep shadows to the right. I could feel his presence at my left side as we approached the pink-limned glows. One stood off by itself, apart from its companions. I could see movement betraying the remaining two skeletons at the far side of the room.

As I crept toward the single skeleton, Sai made the first move. Without a sound, he darted toward another of the undead, swift and silent on padded feet. The spell faded in time for me to see the white of his tail and feet as he attacked. I paused, my heart in my mouth, but apparently Sai knew what he was doing. Before I could realize his actions, he seized hold of the skeleton's left shinbone and raced away with it, bringing the collection of undead bones crashing to the floor.

The skeleton in front of me spun around, as did the others. I seized the opportunity and struck, using the back of Touch's blade to smash several of the skeleton's ribs and detach its right arm from the rest of it. That silver axe flailed toward my head, but I had already ghosted back into the shadows against the wall, scanning the darkness for my next victim. The other three left their collapsed comrade and ran to join the one I had disarmed.

I spotted the archer, standing back from the others, sweeping the area for a foe it could not see. Have to take that one out first. An arrow at the wrong time can really put a damper in things. As I silently worked toward the sniper, a swift form detached itself from the shadows and leaped for the skeleton, snatching away a humerus bone, effectively disrupting any shot that creature may have had at me. As Sai faded again into the blackness, I turned toward the nearest skeleton and darted Touch at its knee. Another one bites the dust, I thought as the collection of bones dropped to the floor in a cloud of white fragments.

The remaining skeletons, two disarmed ones and two intact melee fighters, looked around in confusion. I ducked behind a nearby column and called on Old Bones to help even the odds a bit more. He materialized in a cloud of violet vapor beside me and ran flat footed toward one of the intact fighters. As they began trading blows, bone dust flying around them, I searched the shadows for Sai.

Once again the dog proved his value as a fighting companion, attacking the other skeleton. This one was more resilient to Sai's flying attacks. Though the dog snatched at the bone's shin, the joints did not disintegrate. The skeleton spun with the impact of Sai's onslaught, but kept its balance. The heavy axe rose high in the gloom.

Trusting in Old Bones's ability to keep the others at bay, I ran toward Sai and his foe. I threw myself forward, Touch reaching toward that weapon. "Sai, down!" The dog dropped to his belly as the axe struck my blade. Overextended, I couldn't stop the momentum of the bones's axe, but Touch deflected it. Sparks flew as the heavy weapon struck the floor a hair's breadth away from Sai's side. Lightning exploded between us, sending Sai rolling away with startled yips and flinging the skeleton back.

I tripped over something solid before I could regain my feet. Ignoring the object on the floor, I glanced back for the skeleton that had tried to kill Sai. Nothing remained of it but a scatter of white pieces. Old Bones tangled with one of the one-armed foes, while the other stumbled toward me, its skeletal hand clenched into a fist.

From pure reflex I ducked its killing blow and backhanded Touch into its spine. The impact and enchantment combined to scatter its bones in a broad arc among those of its fallen comrades. The whoosh of the dissipating spell warned me of Old Bones’s departure. I glanced around for his foe, but found nothing but skeletal fragments and dark forms.

At my feet the contorted grimace of a goblin berserker greeted my glance. Reflexively I jumped back, barely stifling a gasp. Easy Julian, he’s dead. They’re all dead here. Sai! I gazed into the shadows with some desperation. I couldn’t tell which of the dark forms scattered about the floor was goblin and which was dog. “Sai?” I whispered into the darkness.

One of the forms stirred, and blue eyes reflected the soft glow from the plinth in the center of the room. I made my way cautiously toward those eyes and knelt beside Sai. He whimpered and licked my fingers as I reached my left hand toward him. I could feel the muscles twitching beneath his bristling coat. “Can you stand, boy?” I murmured to him, running my hand over his body. I could only feel the remaining energy from Touch coursing through him, occasionally sparking beneath my hand. He struggled to his feet and stood wavering.

I recalled how Paint had been so shaky after the will-o-wisp attack and closed my eyes, keeping my hand over Sai’s ribs. Beneath my palm, I could sense his heartbeat, sputtering erratically. That’s what the shock enchantment does to you, boy. It prevents your magicka from flowing smoothly. Let’s see if I - my thoughts trailed off as my soul’s hand caressed that irregular pulse, soothing away the sparks and restoring a regular rhythm that soon matched mine.

Sai took a deep breath and let it out with a loud sigh that broke my concentration. I opened my eyes in time to feel his wet tongue swipe across my cheek. I chuckled in relief, let go of all the fear and panic of the last few moments and buried my face in the ruff of his neck. The dog’s muscles no longer twitched, and I could feel his strength returning by the moment.

After a few moments I sat back, breathing deeply of the clammy air. My gaze was drawn to the central plinth. What is beneath that cage-like structure? Is it a Welkynd Stone? But the light is different - whiter, not so bluish. At the far side of the room, buried deep in the shadows, I did see a bluish glimmer. Another crystal set into the wall? It’s barely visible at this distance. I rose to my feet, Sai falling in beside me. Together we crossed the room toward the bluish glimmer. Sai soon lost interest, but I regarded the small crystal. It was set into a larger stone block that jutted out from the wall.

That’s funny, I touched the block’s rough surface, so unlike the ground smoothness of the rest of the wall. It’s not sticking out because of age or deterioration, it’s meant to stick out. I peered closer at the crystal. Not big enough to provide a light source. So what is its purpose?

My fingertips brushed the rounded surface of the crystal. I jumped back as a low grumbling emanated from the wall before me as the block sank into the wall. Behind me Sai yipped softly at the clanking sound. Carved detailing emerged from the smooth surface before me, and I realized that the ambient light level had increased. Now my own shadow became clearly visible on the wall, which turned a paler shade.

Sai returned to my side and leaned against my leg as I turned around. Argent light, brighter than any spell, gleamed freely from the top of the plinth. I raised my hand to block the glare from my eyes. Now I noticed the cage swinging gently above the plinth, its now-visible ancient bronze chain creaking softly. I inhaled sharply. Is that the Great Welkynd Stone? But where is its guardian? I searched the diminished shadows for more enemies.

Once again Sai’s actions told me we were still alone in the chamber. I could see two passageways emanating off of the chamber to each side of me where I stood next to the depressed block. One was obstructed by the same kind of wrought iron grating we had encountered before, and the other disappeared into darkness. I looked around for another floor switch much like the one we had found upstairs on the first level, but none were visible.

Slowly I walked toward the plinth. Can it really be so easy to find the Great Stone? But it doesn’t make sense. If that is the Great Welkynd Stone, it would have been looted a long time ago, like the others. And the light is different. Wouldn’t the Great Welkynd stone have the same glow that the others do?

The light coalesced into a long, narrow crystal mounted in a filigreed black metal frame that embraced its waist. The stone tapered to slender points at both ends. I stopped beside the plinth, regarding the crystal thoughtfully. It’s some kind of stone. Wonder what it is. I held up my left hand to it, but couldn’t quite reach the mounting. Even with my height, the tips of my fingers barely brushed the top edge of the plinth as I stood on tiptoe.

After a moment’s study, I sheathed Touch and extended the enchanted katana towards the stone, holding it near the tip of its scabbarded blade. The leather-wrapped hilt easily knocked the stone and its mounting off the top of the plinth toward my waiting left hand. I caught it easily, but nearly fumbled it as the cold metal slipped through my fingers. Only by cupping it against my mailed breast did I keep it from dropping to the floor.

The stone, in spite of its argent glow, was cold to my touch. The blood in my palm tingled as it came into contact with the crystal and reminded me of the trapped souls in the sigil stones. Shadows flickered around us when I closed my fingers around it. Almost as long as my forearm, it felt solid yet light, and I wondered how best to carry it. Don’t want it coming in contact with my weapons until I understand what that tingling does.

Kneeling beside the plinth, I laid Touch down and unshouldered my pack. Inside, the Welkynd stone gleamed through its wrapping - one of my shirts. Would it be safe to put these two stones together? Would they interact with each other? Would it be dangerous? I decided to treat the new crystal as another sigil stone, and found another shirt to wrap it in. I’m running out of civilian clothes. Better save one for the Great Welkynd stone. I have no idea how large that will be.

With the pack returned to its place alongside Glance, I rose to my feet and looked down at Sai. The chamber was now dark with the open passage only a slightly lighter shadow in the blackness. I waited for a few more moments to let my vision adjust to the low light level. When I could see Sai’s blue eyes gleaming softly beside me, I brushed my fingers over his prick ears. “Well, Sai, let’s see what else is in this dump.”

This post has been edited by haute ecole rider: Aug 22 2011, 03:47 PM

[SubRosa]

Yet another three-way! (I am surprised that Foxy has not mentioned them, he is slipping... ) I am starting to think that these goblins might have come in handy at Sancre Tor!

Uh oh, Julian's worst fears have just come true. A goblin shaman. I don't blame her for feeling her knees turn to water. I liked how she talked herself through her fears, and finally found her courage once more by comparing herself to Casnar. That was an excellent way of showing the effect that the four Blades in Sancre Tor had on her.

Aedra-forsaken place?
An excellent setting-friendly phrase!

Before I could realize his actions, he seized hold of the skeleton's left shinbone and raced away with it, bringing the collection of undead bones crashing to the floor.
This made me grin! Kind obvious really, with a dog against a skeleton. I hope Sai likes his new bone!

Another gripping battle, a very near thing for both Sai and Julian. Then a varla stone! Well, no one will say that Julian lacks stones now...

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Aug 23 2011, 12:27 AM

[Grits]

A shadow flitted past the archway, so close I could smell the fishy odor and the dirty leather of another goblin. Chittering in rage, he disappeared into the darkness to my right. I bit back the involuntary scream and dropped to a crouch against the left side of the archway.

Yikes, that even made me jump!


The Dragonguard was decimated when the old Emperor was assassinated. Only Baurus remains of it.

I like that the bodyguards are the Dragonguard. It’s what I’ve always called them, but if it’s in the game I missed it. I’ve also thought that Baurus should get a little more recognition, or at least a little mention of how he achieved his position in the Blades.


And you know how to fight skeletons. Use the back of your blade to batter their bones and let Touch's magic do the rest for you.

I think this is my favorite line. I couldn’t imagine Julian hacking away at a skeleton with her katana, but it makes perfect sense for her to preserve the edge and use it as a magicka delivery system.


“Well, Sai, let’s see what else is in this dump.”

Yes, let’s!

[Destri Melarg]

Chittering in rage, he disappeared into the darkness to my right.

At first I took this to mean that Sai disappeared into the darkness! But then I realized that Sai doesn’t ‘Chitter’. Whew!

This chapter really brings into focus my favorite thing about Julian. Here she is, Hero of Kvatch, someone who doesn’t hesitate in taking the fight to the daedra on their own turf. Yet the sight of a Goblin Shaman is still enough to paralyze her with fear. I echo what 'Rosa said about Julian finding strength in the memory of her brother Blades. I know that they were right there with her, willing their own strength into her sword arm . . . and into Sai’s flashing teeth.