An Argonian's Account, Haa-Rei's adventures in Cyrodiil Options

[mALX]

Gaaaah, there is no marking on your chapters to refer to - this is for the initial amazing post:

Chapter 1:

AWESOME !!! The tongue-in-cheek red dragon theme that ran through it kept me laughing; but for the rest you have floored me with your ability to give these short descriptions that are so perfecty visualized!

Example: There was more hair on those brows than on the rest of his head.

That is a gift, I absolutely love your easy writing style! Awesome Write!


Chapter 2:

Holy Cow, your ability to draw a picture with just a few words is spectacular! I can't get over how easy you make the read feel; while conveying so much information that it feels like watching it unfold! You have a real gift!

Also, once again I was struck by the subtle humor underlying Haa-Rei's inner dialogue; I am loving this!

Your descriptions of the mob coming up to him at the end had me in stitches, I absolutely LOVE Haa-Rei's inner dialogue; he has an Awesome dry wit!

And the dubious bonus of a free room at Luther Broad’s Boarding House for your service to the Empire had me rolling! (Uh...thanks, Uriel!)

Excellent, excellent write !!!!!!!



Chapter 3:

I like how this mob "tests his metal" and approves him without him even saying he wants a part of their expedition!

The obedient storm atronach retreiving his sword for him was inspired; and Haa-Rei probably continued sipping his tea while the atronach lumbered toward the man,

You had me in stitches with this whole scene; and Haa-Rei's savoir-faire was just Awesome!

Ooh, a mystery! I wonder what the flash of yellow in his eyes means that he thought the girl would know/understand something about him from it? (unless it refers to his attraction to Sjöfn; was that what the yellow flash indicated?) I'm slow on the uptake sometimes,


My only nit so far: Please number your chapters so a person catching up can find where they left off! Excellent story and write!!!

[mALX]

Chapter 4:


Two really great impressions right from the start were "the entire place smelled like slaughterfish" - fantastic line! I was immediatey immersed by that; and it has forever changed the thoughts I will have when walking through Weye! Of course it would; and now that you mention it = I would think the IC Waterfront would too; and intend to smell fish every time I go there as well! You have such a way with these descriptors slipped in; just a few words here or there that set a scene in a way a long detailed description never could; you have an amazing talent here!

The second is, "The one thing I’ve never missed about Cyrodiil is the rain." Perfect! Just perfect! And I agree,

Ooh, and some foreshadowing of trouble ahead!

Haa-Rei really shows his innate ability to survive here. Staying alive is a whole lot easier than keeping someone else alive!

OOh, really like the detail of the arrows on the ground; I never heard of anyone doing that before, but I've seen it done on those upper walkways of some towers in Cyrodiil!

Excellent Write and read !!!

[hazmick]

Acadian - I imagine Ciri will learn a lot while she adventures with Haa-Rei, though she probably has a thing or two to teach him too.

ghastley - Never leave home without one!

mALX! - Welcome to the story! Very very happy to see you here, and even more happy to hear that you like it! I've added chapter numbers now, so it should be easier to keep up.


Previously - Haa-Rei and Cirinwe set off from Anvil, and made camp near Kvatch. Next, their journey will take them to Skingrad...

Chapter 37



“Evenin’� The guardsman at the Skingrad gate greeted us with tired eyes and a friendly smile.

Cirinwe and I had been walking all day, and she was so tired that I thought she might fall asleep at any moment.

“Evening. Where can we find the mages guild?� I asked the guard, trying to pay attention to his sleepy but accurate directions. Cirinwe and I set off for the guild hall several minutes later.

The town of Skingrad is split into two separate parts, bisected by the main road which cuts straight through the middle. One part of town is made up of the chapel and housing districts, and the other side of town is where the guilds, traders, and other traveller-friendly spots are located.

The whole town is surrounded by tall, dark walls and the guards are well trained and well equipped. The surrounding countryside is perfect for growing grapes, and the tomatoes and cheeses of Skingrad are just as famous, and worth just as much money. Count Janus Hassildor, who rules Skingrad, is said to be a master sorcerer. He’s much loved and respected by his people, though none have ever seen him due to his reclusive nature.

The Mages’ Guild hall, like all Skingrad buildings, is a solid structure of grey stone with dark slates on the tall roof. Inside it is richly furnished with rugs, wall hangings, and display cases adorning the large rooms. Despite the building’s size, there were about half as many members here as in the Anvil guild.

The head of the guild hall, a Breton by the name of Adrienne, greeted us from behind a large stack of books as we introduced ourselves.
“An Associate?� She said, regarding my rank in the guild, “I suppose you’ll be wanting a recommendation.� She sighed heavily, clearly wishing to get back to her reading.

“Erm…yes, if it’s not too much trouble.� Truthfully I’d completely forgotten about recommendations, but since she’d brought it up…

“I'm rather busy, you understand. My research occupies nearly all of my time.� She waved her hand vaguely at her books, “Now that I think about it, I do have a small problem concerning Erthor. He's one of the guild mages here. Think you can do something about it?"

“What’s the problem with Erthor?� I asked, hoping that she could give me a little more to go on than ‘a small problem’.

“I need to consult him on some notes he borrowed, but I can’t find him. You might want to ask around, and see if anyone can be of some help. Let me know when he's back, and you'll have your recommendation.� She picked up a book and turned away from me, indicating that the conversation was over.

“You need some help?� Asked Cirinwe, who’d been waiting patiently behind me.

“I think I’ll manage. Why don’t you get some rest?� I actually wouldn’t have minded the company, but the Altmer looked exhausted.

She opened her mouth to reply but a yawn came out instead, causing her to blush quite dramatically. She turned and headed to the mages quarters without another word.

My attempts to gather information met with limited success. The first person I questioned about Erthor, a balding Imperial called Sulinus, suggested that the missing mage could be found in ‘Beak Fat Cave’, though he couldn’t remember where it was.

I had a marginally more successful chat with Druja, an Argonian battlemage. She told me that Erthor works in ‘Bleak Flats Cave’, and marked it on my map.

The cave lay to the northwest of Skingrad. Far enough to be considered ‘out of the way’ but close enough for someone to commute easily between the cave and the town. When I arrived I found the door standing wide open, and the scent of rotting flesh heavy in the air.

I readied my bow and proceeded inside cautiously. Edging my way deeper into the tunnels.

The cave was…less than cosy. The walls and floor were bare of furnishings, though a healthy coating of wax indicated that there had been a great many candles here before they’d burned out. I encountered my first zombie shortly after entering the cave.

It shuffled aimlessly around the large cavern, its undead eyes staring uselessly into the darkness. Every so often, a sliver of rotten flesh would slide to the ground – this indicated that the zombie was created, rather than summoned.

A single arrow was enough to put it out of its misery, the body hitting the floor with a heavy thud.

The next room contained two zombies, and the first went down with similar ease. The second zombie, alerted by its comrade’s re-death, began to shuffle towards me with surprising speed. I hastily fired an arrow, which lodged itself harmlessly in an undead shoulder, and a second arrow which missed completely.

The zombie reached me, swinging its arms lazily but with surprising force. I attempted to move backwards but found myself being directed towards the cave wall, using my bow to block the creature’s attacks. A particularly strong blow caused the zombie to lose balance for a second, and I seized the opportunity to shove it away with all my might.

The zombie staggered backwards, tripped, and fell. A moment later an arrow slammed into its head, and it shuffled no more.

I let out a shaky breath and checked my bow for damage, fortunately finding nothing more than a light scratch. Once again I thought about how useful it would be to have a sword.

The rest of the cave was cleared without major incident, four more zombies being put to rest. A light coming from a small side passage drew my attention, and I proceeded carefully.

After a few feet, the passage opened into a small room. A mages guild banner hung on the wall, and a small bed had been constructed in the centre of the room. The most significant discovery was a Bosmer, huddled in the corner.

“Erthor?� I asked, causing the elf to practically leap out of his skin.

“Y-Yes! You...how did you get in here? Are those horrible creatures gone? I’ve been trapped for days!� He peered around me, into the passageway, making sure there were no undead behind me.

“The zombies are gone.� I confirmed, in a (hopefully) reassuring tone.

"Th-they're all gone? I can…I can leave the cave? Oh, thank you! I'm ever so grateful!� He jumped up and down a few times in excitement and bowed deeply to show his gratitude.

“Let’s get you back to Skingrad.� I said with a chuckle, leading Erthor out of the cave and into the clean night air.

[Acadian]

A very accurate and concise description of Skingrad. Likewise, the guildhall and bookish guildmagister.

Beak Fat Cave!

After some tense but survivable zombie fightin’ Haa-Rei rescues the adorable little Erthor.

[ghastley]

Be careful with Erthor; if he gets too excited, he might burst!

[hazmick]

Acadian - I really like the aesthetic of Skingrad, straight out of a vampire novel.

ghastley - A common problem among Bosmer. Very messy.


Previously - Arriving in Skingrad, Haa-Rei was asked to find a missing mage as part of his guild recommendation. After battling some zombies and rescuing the mage Erthor, Haa-Rei returned to Skingrad...

Chapter 38



"A forest?" I said to myself, looking around.

I was indeed in a forest. The trees were slim and tall, a species of pine that I hadn't seen before. The ground where I stood was a soft carpet of moss, damp from rain and heavy with its scent. This scene stretched on in every direction, as far as I could see, with no visible landmarks or breaks in the terrain. I couldn't remember how I had come to be in this forest, or what I had been doing before arriving. I was simply there, accompanied by a vague sense of dread that seemed to creep around in the back of my mind.

Of course there is nothing quite like looking if you ever hope to find something, and with that in mind I set off in search of a river, or a road, or even a small hill from which I could get my bearings.

Rabbits dashed between thick ferns, while birds whistled through the branches. I paused as a small snake slithered past, and listened to a pheasant's harsh call somewhere in the distance. I was quite enjoying myself, truth be told, and decided that if I ever found out where 'here' was, I might return one day.

I resumed my walk, and soon found a rather interesting landmark. It was a stone. A very large stone, perhaps twice as tall and several times as wide as myself. It had been fashioned into a rough slab, and was standing upright in the centre of a clearing. One face had been etched with a series of runes which I couldn't read, but recognized as ancient Nordic. I'd seen similar carvings during my time on Solstheim, though I was almost certainly not on the island. The absence of any other stones nearby suggested that someone had placed the runestone here, though the moss growing on the stone suggested that they hadn't been back to maintain the site.

The sky overhead was growing darker, and the stone was the only thing I'd seen all day that could be used as shelter. I reached for my pack, to retrieve my bedroll, and found that it wasn't there. In fact my pack and bow were both absent, though I'd fortunately been left with my armour on. With nothing else to do, I gathered several bundles of twigs and broken branches and started a small fire. I tried to summon Thiazzi, but found the spell simply fizzled into the air. I was alone.

Night fell quickly in this forest, and soon enough it was dark as pitch. A large moon rose overhead and did its best to illuminate the night, but the thick trees blocked out much of the light. The vague sense of dread that I felt earlier was growing, and my spines tingled slightly.

Every so often a shadow would pass beneath a patch of moonlight, or rustle through the undergrowth just out of sight. I slowly rose to my feet and took a few steps back, bumping into the carved stone. At first I felt quite relieved to have the solid stone at my back, but then I felt it vibrate slightly, as if something was scratching it...or climbing it.

I craned my neck to look at the top of the stone, and saw the shadow. It was just a vague shape, silhouetted against the moonlight, but I could already smell what it was. It shifted slightly then leapt into the air. It sailed over my head and landed on the other side of the campfire, illuminated fully by the orange glow.

A large, muscular body, with enormous hands and feet which were almost human. Its dark skin covered entirely by thick brown fur, decorated liberally with brutal scars. Its head, lupine in nature, issued forth a snarl as the beast took a step toward the fire. It was a werewolf.

I urged my legs to run, which I believed to be the only thing to do in such a situation, but one leg had other ideas and struck out, booting the campfire and sending sparks and ash and burning twigs in a shower over the wolf. Then I ran.

I've never been a fast runner, certainly not fast enough to outrun a werewolf, but I ran anyway. I blundered through bushes and tore through tree branches. A howl echoed through the forest behind me and everything went red. At least, everything just looked red, as if someone had stolen a piece of stained glass from a chapel window and held it in front of the moon. The Bloodmoon. That was when I realised where I was - The Hunting Grounds of Hircine, Daedric Lord of the hunt and father of werecreatures.

"Xuth" I swore.

I ran on and on, and on again. My legs and lungs burned fiercely, but whenever I slowed down I heard a low growl behind me that spurred me forward. Every so often a shadow would appear to one side, steering me this way and that. I knew full well that I was being herded somewhere but there wasn't a thing I could do about it. The only thing I could do was run, swearing often and loudly.

Finally I came to a large clearing, bursting from the treeline and tumbling tail over scales onto the mossy ground. There were more werewolves in the clearing, about a dozen all standing in a circle. I wobbled to my feet as the circle opened and the scarred werewolf that I'd showered with embers stepped forward. Without a word he grabbed me by the neck, lifting me several feet into the air. My nose stung with the scent of singed fur.

"Join...us" It growled, before sinking its teeth into my shoulder.

Pain lanced through my body and I screamed. Then I woke up.



I was back in the Mages Guild in Skingrad, lying on the floor of the room which Cirinwe and I were sharing. My Altmer companion was kneeling on the floor next to me, one hand gently stroking my head. She ran a finger under my chin, causing me to reflexively open my mouth as all Argonians will, and poured a vial of my medicine down my throat.

I coughed and spluttered for a few seconds, and felt her hand move to hold one of my own.

"You should have told me..." She began, a tear rolling down the unscarred side of her face. "You should have told me that you were a werewolf."

"I'm sorry." I wheezed, my tongue struggling to work properly. "I'm sorry."

This post has been edited by hazmick: Jul 15 2016, 04:21 PM

[ghastley]

Whoah! Curve-ball!

B.b.b.but there aren't any werewolves in TES IV. All the others, though, so you're just fixing the omission.

And it's good to see that Ciri knows what to do.

[Acadian]

By the horns of Hircine!

Nice job of storytelling. I almost suspected the Hunting Grounds about the time you revealed it. That Haa-Rei was being ‘herded’ also occurred to me only moments before it occurred to him. Waking from a dream made perfect sense, both surprising and pleasing me. As I said, nice job!

I was just getting over my relief at this being a dream when Ciri stated he really was a werewolf! Oh my!

As ever, I loved the little Argonian touches you use in Haa-Rei’s story like falling ‘tail over scales’ and autoreflexively opening his mouth when someone strokes under his chin.

[hazmick]

ghastley - I always thought it strange that Cyrodiil has no were-beasties. Maybe they're just very good at hiding.

Acadian - I was stuck trying to think of an organic way to reveal it - if in doubt, do a dream sequence. Very glad to hear that it worked That chin reflex is mentioned in the Infernal City novel, and I absolutely love it.


Previously - Haa-Rei found himself dreaming of Hircine's Hunting Grounds, being pursued by werewolves. He woke to discover that he'd unwittingly revealed to Cirinwe that he himself was a werewolf...

Chapter 39



"I should have told you."� I said, still on the floor of the Skingrad Mages Guild.

I was sitting cross-legged, a cup of tea nestled in my hands. Cirinwe was pacing back and forth in front of me. If I looked hard enough I could almost see a groove being worn into the floor.

"Yes,�" She replied bluntly, then paused, "though I can also understand why you didn't."

"I've never told anyone. Mostly because I'm...unsure how people would react"� I explained, but Cirinwe carried on pacing.

"The medicine...that's what first gave you away. Hearing you talking in your sleep just now simply confirmed my suspicion," She nodded at the empty bottle that was still on the floor, "Wolfsbane is a very rare ingredient, though I'm not sure what it does."

"I see. The potion suppresses my Lycanthropy and prevents me from transforming. Wolves don't like Wolfsbane."

"So, you can't control your ability?"� She asked, ceasing her pacing long enough to raise an eyebrow at me.

"No, but I'm fine as long as I have the medicine. I'm...sorry if I scared you earlier. You're quite safe though."� I tried to reassure her, but the dream had quite frankly terrified the life out of me.

"I wasn't scared of you, I was scared for you. Thrashing around and screaming like that. It's a good thing the guild puts a muffling enchantment on their rooms, otherwise you'd have woken the whole town."� She sighed and moved over to the window, opening it to allow a strong breeze into the stuffy room.

"Oh...well...thank you...I'll be fine though."� I said again, unsure what else to say.

"Clearly you are not fine, unless that dream was something you consider normal."�

"Well no, I suppose not." I admitted.

"There we are then. We'll just have to find a solution."� She clapped her hands together, signifying that she'd made her decision. Quite what she had decided on was still unclear to me.

"I beg your pardon?"� I asked.

"Well I assume you don't wish to cure your Lycanthropy, otherwise you'd have done so already. We'll just have to find a way to allow you to control it beyond the medicine."

"You mean...you still want to travel with me?"� I couldn't hold back my surprise. I always assumed that people's reaction to my condition would involve a lot more pitchforks and flaming torches and brand new wolf-skin rugs.

"Of course. If you were going to devour me in my sleep you'd have done so already, and I want to help."�

"Thank you,"� I replied quietly. "So...do you have any ideas?"

"Not yet,"� She admitted, "but I'm sure we'll be able to think of something. First, I want to hear how you were infected. That might shed some light on your condition."�

"Right, yes, well..."� I began.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Several months earlier, somewhere in Solstheim.

"Haa-Rei, you sure you don't want any of this Flin? Nothing better to warm you up on a night like this." Asked Calgus, holding up a pale clay flask.

"No thanks, Cal. The fire is doing a fine job of keeping me warm."� I said, shivering slightly despite being right next to the campfire. Solstheim was always cold, but tonight seemed especially chilly.

"How come you never offer me any?"� Asked Azlakha, who had spent the best part of the evening sharpening and polishing her sword until the blade seemed to shimmer with energy. She often said that an Orc's weapon is their most prized possession.

"Because I know you'll say yes." Replied the Imperial, causing us all to chuckle.

We'd set up camp in a dell, sheltered on all sides by pine forest. The ground was thick with snow, which seemed to have been falling constantly over the past few days. The three of us, a team of scouts, had been assigned to the island for a little over two weeks, though we'd been together since our training in Morrowind almost three months ago.

"How can you have any left? You've been drinking out of that jar since we left the fort." I asked to take my mind off the biting cold. We'd left Fort Frostmoth 2 days ago, and Calgus had spent nearly the whole journey with the jar to his lips.

"He's right. For someone with such a big mouth you seem to take an awful long time to finish a drink."� Azlakha joined in.

"I'm savouring the flavour. I wouldn't expect you two savages to understand."� Calgus did his best to look wounded and took another sip.

"Hey,"� Said Azlakha after a long pause, "You think we'll find any?"�

"Werewolves? I don't know. That miner from Raven Rock swears that he saw one though." I replied.

Several weeks earlier, Fort Frostmoth had been attacked by werewolves. The situation had apparently been resolved, though only the highest ranking soldiers had been told what the situation actually was. All we knew was that any and all werewolf sightings had to be investigated, as per a new Legion directive.

"You scared, Az?" Asked Calgus. "I once saw you punch a Dwemer Centurion, and you're scared of some wolves?"�

"Only a half-wit like you wouldn't be a little nervous about fighting werewolves. Don't worry though, Cal, I'll still protect you if we do see any." She stretched out a foot and gave the Imperial a sharp kick on the shin to show him that his banter was approaching the line between playful and insulting.

"It might be nothing though. The miner probably had one too many pots of sujamma and started seeing things. We'll be back at the fort in no time"� I tried to reassure her, though it wasn't very convincing.

"You're always so nice, Haa-Rei. If you were at all interested in that kind of thing I'd ravage you on the spot."� The Orc joked, flashing me a toothy grin to lift the mood.

"Thanks Az. That means a lot."� I replied, only for my words to be drowned out by Calgus giggling in the background. Several seconds later he received a snowball to the face, and soon all three of us were engaged in chilly warfare. Three brave Legion soldiers laughing and playing in the snow. In the distance, a wolf howled.

This post has been edited by hazmick: Jul 22 2016, 06:07 PM

[Acadian]

’It's a good thing the guild puts a muffling enchantment on their rooms,’ - - Brilliant! Who knew the nocturnal activities of mages were so noisy!

"If you were at all interested in that kind of thing I'd ravage you on the spot." The Orc joked, flashing me a toothy grin to lift the mood. - - Now that would be noisy!


As Cirinwe reacts to Haa-Rei’s lycanthropy, her true colors show – and they are beautiful indeed. Haa-Rei is lucky to travel with her.

Oh neat! We’re going to learn how wolf and lizard became one. I look forward to reading more.



This post has been edited by Acadian: Jul 22 2016, 11:53 PM

[hazmick]

Acadian - But of course, everything in a guild hall should be enchanted. Muffled walls, self cleaning facilities, heat enchantments on the carpets. As for the proclivities of mages...no comment.


Previously - After a surprising reaction from Cirinwe regarding his lycanthropy, Haa-Rei began to tell the story of his time in Solstheim...

Chapter 40



"I hate snow." Complained Calgus loudly. It was the fourth time he'd voiced such a complaint since we'd woken up just after dawn.

Azlakha mumbled something about Imperials under her breath but otherwise said nothing and continued to lead us through the snow, ploughing ahead with incredible strength and speed. I followed behind her like a dolphin following a ship, using the path she'd cleared rather than fighting through the elements myself. Calgus followed closely behind me.

I didn't echo the Imperial's sentiments. The snowy landscape was breathtakingly beautiful, and was constantly shifting and changing as snow drifts piled up and were blown around by the bitter wind. Only the trees seemed able to resist, towering above us and occasionally shrugging great waves of snow off their evergreen branches. Most animals seemed to be in hiding, though I spotted the vague shape of an enormous snow bear in the distance, its thick layers of fat and fur no doubt keeping it warm.

At around noon the snow began to ease up, and was soon no more than a light dusting of lazy snowflakes. The three of us took a break, and the other two had lunch while I studied the map. I knew it like the scales on my hand, but it never hurt to keep the memory fresh.

"How can you even tell where we are?" Asked Calgus with a mouthful of bread. "Everywhere looks the same." There was a reason that he wasn't the lead scout - growing up in the Imperial City had done him no favours with regards to exploration or pathfinding.

"I saw a barrow about an hour ago, which means we're roughly...here." I jabbed the map with a claw at our approximate location. We were making slow progress due to the snow, and any hopes of tracking our quarry had been dashed. We'd decided that we'd go as far north as the crashed airship, which lay at the base of the Moesring Mountains, and then head back if we didn't find anything.

"We should make better progress now that the snow's eased up." Azlakha said almost cheerfully.

We resumed our journey after the others had eaten, once again Azlakha took the lead and cleared the path. As the snows receded, animals came out of hiding. White hares darting between cover, small birds singing to each other from high in the pine trees. A sleek grey wolf loped alongside us for a while but eventually melted back into the forest, off to find easier prey no doubt.

We carried on heading north and soon found the remains of the airship. Apparently it was an old Dwemer design which a scholar of some sort had brought to life. After flying all the way from Ald'ruhn it had crashed at the base of the mountains. I found the whole thing fascinating, and was looking forward to inspecting it further once we arrived. I could see the golden gleam of Dwemer metal poking through the snow even from a distance, the light of the setting sun illuminating it before dipping below the horizon.

Azlakha stopped suddenly, almost causing me to walk right into her. I looked around for signs of anything suspicious, then received help from Calgus, who was pointing towards a cluster of trees. A large shape moved between the tree trunks, difficult to make out at first.

It was tall, taller even than Azlakha who stood about two heads higher than me. It was also quite broad at the shoulders, with long arms that almost reached the floor. It turned to one side briefly, allowing me to see the outline of its head. A wolf's.

The sound of Azlakah drawing her sword rang out through the gloom, catching the creature's attention. It let out a long, hollow howl as Calgus and I readied our weapons.

At first it seemed to hesitate, moving forward slowly, if at all. As it drew closer it began to move faster, dropping down onto all fours. As it broke into a sprint I became aware of two other shapes behind it. The howl had been a call to its pack.

Azlakah let out a roar and strode forward to meet the beast, sword arcing through the air in a flash of silver. It struck the werewolf straight on the skull with a crunch, sending it skidding to the ground. Seeing one of the beasts fall gave Calgus a huge boost to his morale, and he too moved to engage, though he had two foes rather than one.

I fumbled with my bow, fingers numb, and fired at one of the werewolves. The arrow slammed into its shoulder, staggering it slightly but not killing it. A second arrow soon followed, finding its way into the wolf's chest, bringing it down.

I turned my attention to Cal, who had just bashed a bony brown werewolf with his heavy Imperial shield. The beast recovered quickly and attacked again with its wicked claws. Cal blocked again and again, lashing out with his sword now and then. The wolf began to slow, bleeding from several deep cuts. Cal dodged a slow swing, causing the wolf to overbalance slightly. Imperial steel struck home, finishing the beast.

More werewolves began to appear, some attacking while others crept around just out of sight. Azlakah had slain another two, and my arrows had brought down one more. The werewolves began to focus their attentions on Calgus, who was tiring quickly.

Azlakah moved to help him, but two more wolves blocked her path, and yet more came for me. I'd fallen into a good rhythm with my bow, but the sheer number of wolves meant that they were getting closer and closer.

A scream from Cal drew my attention, and I looked up just in time to see an enormous white werewolf tossing the Imperial's corpse aside like a rag doll. A low growl from behind was the only warning I received before a large black paw swung towards me. I tried to duck and turn at the same time, which meant that I dodged the attack but fell flat on the floor. The werewolf attacked again and I flinched, closing my eyes, but the blow never came. I heard a yelp and opened my eyes to find Azlakah towering over me, pulling me to my feet.

"Run! I'll distract them." She shouted, shoving me away.

"You'll die if you do." I pointed out helpfully.

"We'll both die if you stay, and Orcs don't run." She smiled sadly and turned back towards the werewolves.

"Xuth!" I swore loudly and ran.

I remember thinking about stories of heroes, who bravely faced down impossible odds and always triumphed, and wondered if they had ever fought a pack of werewolves in the snow. I hadn't made it very far when the sounds of battle behind me stopped abruptly. I knew that the werewolves' attack had cost them dearly, and the thought gave me a grim sense of satisfaction. I was reminded of the wolf I'd seen earlier, which had wisely decided against attacking us.

I was breathing hard, and couldn't run much further. The werewolves would catch up with me, and I'd die too. The thought was annoying more than anything. My friend had given her life to allow me to escape, and the werewolves were going to mar that sacrifice by running me down like a snow hare. No. I'm not a snow hare.

I stopped and turned abruptly. The werewolves were closer than I'd realised, and they too had stopped. There were six left, including the large white one who I took to be the pack leader. It wore a strange necklace of rope and iron around its neck. Despite the situation I found myself marvelling at the sheer power of the creature. It stood tall and proud, confident in its own strength, white pelt almost invisible against the snow. Its eyes were sharp and bright, full of intelligence and awareness. The wolves around it seemed less intelligent, or at least more bestial in nature. Perhaps stories about people turning into werewolves and being lost to blood lust was true.

At a gesture from the pack leader, two wolves sprung forward. The first fell almost immediately, my arrow in its eye. The second made it much further, falling by my feet. Too late I realised that they were a distraction as the white one appeared beside me, grabbing my neck with an impossibly large paw.

It lifted me off my feet to bring my face up to its own. Now that I was closer I could feel the heat coming from its body and see the spark of humanity in its eyes. This was no mindless beast, but a man or woman who was fully aware and in control.

I felt angry. Wolves hunt for food, even werewolves, but this was someone using their power purely for their own enjoyment. I lashed out in a futile act of defiance and kicked the beast as hard as I could. It was like kicking a particularly warm rock, and just as effective.

The beast began to splutter, then I realised that it was laughing. To my complete surprise it began to speak:

"You'll do nicely." Its voice was like a landslide, with a thick Nord accent. Then it bit me.

Pain exploded in my shoulder as the creature's jaws tore through my leather armour and fur under-clothes. The air escaped my lungs in one large gasp. The wolf withdrew from my shoulder and stared at me for a few moments with a spark od satisfaction in its eyes, its muzzle now dyed red. Suddenly its ear twitched and I was dropped onto the snow.

I could hear the werewolves growling, then I heard a horrific shriek. The last thing I saw before I blacked out was the werewolves turning tail and running.

[Acadian]

How very Haa-Rei that he sees the breathtaking beauty in the heavy snow that impedes their progress as he notes the bunnies, bears and evergreens shedding snow.

Speaking of breathtaking, that quite describes this battle with the werewolves. The orc fell bravely indeed.

For some reason, it seems the white werewolf selected Haa-Rei. What is it that could have interrupted them at the end of this episode?

What an interesting aspect of Haa-Rei this all opens up!


Nit: ’The wolf withdrew from my shoulder and stared at me for a few moments with a spark od {of?} satisfaction in its eyes,’

[Darkness Eternal]

Oh. My. I didn't see that coming. Haa-Rei is a werewolf. I must look back to see if anything hinted at this. You caught me completely by surprise. Glad Cirinwe was at least bit concerned, but nonetheless understanding in his position and condition. You left us with a nice cliffhanger in the last episode, and showed his time in Solstheim here, and possibly how he acquired the gift(or curse) of lycanthropy.

Now that I was closer I could feel the heat coming from its body and see the spark of humanity in its eyes. This was no mindless beast, but a man or woman who was fully aware and in control.

A pack leader. Many times these have greater willpower than their packmates, I think. He's in trouble.

I felt angry. Wolves hunt for food, even werewolves, but this was someone using their power purely for their own enjoyment.

Funny how Hircine's beasts not only kill to survive, but have a sense of enjoyment. Being the Sport of Daedra and all, I guess many of these lycanthropes find hunting thriling. When that thrill extends to actual people, well, that's when things get scary.

Great chapter, and what a thrill. Azlakah's sacrifice was well-noted, and she fought as any brave Orc would have, yet it did not stop the pack leader from selecting Haa-Rei . . . which has me wondering why exactly was he chosen. Hmm.

[ghastley]

And, probably as intended, I'm left wondering why Haa-Rei was selected to become a werewolf. And whose choice it was.

[Darkness Eternal]

Can't wait for the next chapter!

[hazmick]

Acadian - Solstheim is a beautiful place. When I first played the Bloodmoon expansion I spent hours just wandering around the forests.

DE - Glad you enjoyed it! All shall be revealed 'soon'.

ghastley - A good question. Who knows, maybe the werewolf simply likes the taste of lizard.



Previously - We continued with the tale of Haa-Rei in Solstheim. He and his companions were attacked by werewolves, and after the others fell in battle Haa-Rei was bitten by the werewolf leader...

Chapter 41



I'm alive. Not an unusual thought for one to think, but there it was, and considering the situation I counted myself quite fortunate. After sliding in and out of consciousness a few more times I finally woke up.

I was lying on something soft, a pelt of some sort. Above me was a ceiling of compressed snow. A snow cave?

As my senses returned to me I became aware of another person in the cave. They smelled odd, as if they were wearing layers of scent - the top layer was a strong perfume of lavender, but underneath that was a scent that I hadn't encountered before but made me uneasy.

"You're awake at last." Said the stranger. It was a womer's voice, with the familiar tone of a Dunmer. If she wasn't in a cave on Solstheim I'd have assumed from her voice that she was a member of Dunmer high society, perhaps one of the great houses.

"It seems that way," I replied, sitting up slowly despite the room spinning slightly. "where am I?"

"Ah, pardon my manners. You are in the home of Trivea Hlecathe - adventuress, rogue, and lover of fine wine. That's me." The stranger turned as she introduced herself.

She was indeed a Dunmer, with skin like ash and eyes the colour of a sunset. Her snow white hair had been thrown into a messy ponytail which she wrestled with as she spoke. Her features were sharp, even for a Dunmer, like a particularly beautiful bat. An odd thought, but there it was.

"Well met. I am Ha-" I began, but was interrupted.

"Haa-Rei, Legionary of the Imperial Legion, fellow adventurer, and lover of fine tea. I read your journal while you were unconscious in my bed." She flashed me a smile and turned back to the alchemy station that she'd been working at.

"What...what happened? The others...?" I decided to ignore the Dunmer's breach of my privacy, since she'd seemingly saved my life.

"Dead, I'm afraid. You were attacked by a pack of werewolves. You did a rather impressive job of it, if I'd arrived a few minutes earlier I might have been of more help. As it stands, I could only save you...mostly." The last word was mumbled, but I could still hear even over the sounds of alchemy concoctions fizzing and bubbling. Everything was suddenly quite loud.

"Mostly?" I asked, trying to think of something other than my comrades.

"Well you're alive, which is good, but you've also been bitten, which...well it depends on your point of view." She shrugged.

"Bitten? You mean I'm going to become a werewolf?" I asked, surprised at how calm I was.

"Actually you've already turned. I could have cured you if you'd been awake, but you've been unconcious for four days."

"That's...wow...I don't feel like a werewolf." I studied my hands for signs of fur, but all scales were accounted for.

"Being a werewolf isn't all about the wolf form, which is currently being supressed by the conconction I've been feeding you. You'll notice a few subtle changes even in your Argonian form - better sense of hearing and smell, enhanced stamina and a reduced need to sleep." Trivea explained, pouring some of the mixture she'd been brewing into a potion bottle.

"I see. Well, thank you." I wasn't sure exactly what was happening. I'm a werewolf, but I'm not a werewolf. Does that mean I'm just a were?

"You're not just any old werewolf either," Trivea continued, coming to sit down in a chair next to the bed. "You were bitten by the pack master, which means you are also a pack master." There was a hint of excitement in her eyes, but I was even more confused.

"I don't know what that means."

"I'll try and explain. Like normal wolves, werewolves follow a strict hierarchy. At the bottom are the weakest wolves, I call them the omegas, who are turned after contracting Sanies Lupinus. They can't control their transformations and almost always end up being consumed by bloodlust, and are the weakest but most numerous werewolves." She paused, allowing me to take it all in, before continuing, "Above them are the beta wolves, who are either born werewolves or bitten by another beta. These wolves can learn to control their transformations which allows them to live relatively normal lives in civilised places. Then we have the alpha wolves, or pack leaders. By far the most uncommon, but potentially very powerful. Those who are given the gift of Lycanthropy directly from Hircine, or bitten by another alpha. They can control other werewolves, have mastery over their own powers, and are thought to be immortal. Werewolf social structure is remarkably similar to that of vampires, though we're both demi-Daedra so it's hardly surprising." Trivea sighed and flopped back in her chair, clearly finished with this lesson.

"You...certainly know a lot about werewolves." I said, unable to think of anything else worth saying. It was a lot to process for someone who had spent four days in a state of unconsciousness in a cave.

"Yes, well, one should know what one's enemies are before one wipes them from the face of Nirn." The Dunmer replied almost poetically.

"You don't like werewolves?"

"I have nothing against them, against you, but this particular pack has been causing trouble and needs to be dealt with before it gets out of hand." She looked suddenly serious. My 'about to get asked to do something dangerous' instincts were practically ablaze.

"You need my help?"

"I'm afraid so. I can deal with the pack leader by myself, but I can't face it and the rest of the pack. Your skill with a bow is just the edge I need." She illustrated her point by mimicking a bow firing action.

I thought about it for a few seconds. It would undoubtedly be dangerous, but it was a chance to avenge my friends and potentially save more lives. I was also a little curious about the whole situation. I nodded to Trivea to show my agreement.

"Excellent!" She clapped her slender hands and flashed me another sharp smile before beginning her preparations. Time to go hunting.

This post has been edited by hazmick: Sep 11 2016, 02:28 PM

[ghastley]

"Werewolf social structure is remarkably similar to that of vampires, though we're both demi-Daedra so it's hardly surprising." Hmm....

[Acadian]

Oh, this is really getting interesting as the mystery deepens!

’It was a womer's voice, with the familiar tone of a Dunmer.’ - - I applaud your choice of referring to her as a womer instead of woman. That is not a term that I use in my own fiction but it certainly makes perfect sense. Heh, I do occasionally use the term mermaid to similar effect.

’My 'about to get asked to do something dangerous' instincts were practically ablaze.’ - - This is not only funny and true but is also so very Haa-Rei!

What ghastley said! And to make things more interesting Trivea is a Dunmer – heck they pretty much all have red eyes sort of like vampires. A particularly beautiful bat indeed!


Couple small spelling errors:
- “I could have cured you if you'd been awake, but you've been unconcious for four days." - - unconscious
- “...which is currently being supressed by the conconction I've been feeding you.� suppressed, concoction

[hazmick]

ghastley -

Acadian - Mer and Womer is used a lot in ESO, particularly in Elven areas like Valenwood and Morrowind. Mermaid is a great one though!



Previously - After waking up in a snow cave, Haa-Rei met the mysterious Trivea Hlecathe, who revealed that Haa-Rei was now a werewolf, and gave him a short lesson on lycanthropy before requesting his assistance...

Chapter 42



We set off two hours later. Outside the snow cave the world was pure white. A blizzard had blown over while I'd been asleep, leaving enormous snow drifts and a few toppled trees in its wake.

According to Trivea, her cave was only a mile or so west of the crashed airship, but I doubted that I'd be able to find it again. The small entrance was covered by the hide of a great white snow bear, famed for their camouflage coats.

I stretched my limbs slowly after I emerged from the cave. My body felt heavy and cold. Conversely, Trivea practically glided over the snow, her steps leaving only a faint indentation. I could feel an aura of excitement emanating from her as she took the lead and we began to head north.

The werewolves had made their lair in an old cave system near the northern coast, so we were to go there and hit them hard and fast. My companion would deal with the pack leader while I distracted its pack. I admit that Trivea's excitement was quite contagious, and I could feel the energy coursing through my body.

My newly enhanced senses were constantly alert. I could hear a mouse somewhere nearby, digging its way out of the snow that had drifted over its burrow. The occasional 'whoomph' as snow began to melt and slide off tree branches accompanied the usual chorus of bird song. I could smell half a dozen different creatures nearby, but I couldn't see any.

"You'll get used to it." Smiled Trivea, who was watching me sniff the air with a mix of enjoyment and almost understanding. "With practice, werewolves can pinpoint specific scents or sounds from quite a distance."

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked after a pause. The Dunmer nodded and continued walking. "What brought you to Solstheim? The only people you see here are soldiers, Nords, and werewolves."

"I was hunting a vampire and his trail led me here. I've stayed for too long already but someone needs to deal with these werewolves, and I doubt anyone else on the island is strong enough." Her answer left me with even more questions, but I didn't want to be rude. Now it was her turn to ask. "How do you feel about vampires, Haa-Rei?"

"I...have nothing against them I suppose. I'm not sure I've ever met one." Honestly it wasn't something I'd ever thought about. Vampires of course have an inherently bad reputation, but so do werewolves. Perhaps it was worth thinking about.

If Trivea had an opinion on my answer, she chose not to share it. Instead she filled the time on our journey with random chatter on subjects like wine, her favourite book, and an anecdote about a Khajiit shoe thief. I remained mostly silent, occasionally contributing a noncommittal noise or chuckle where they were required. We moved at an incredibly fast pace, and arrived at the entrance to the werewolf lair shortly before dusk.

The mouth of the cave was about twice my height, and several times my width. The ground around it showed signs of regular passage with both human and wolf tracks. Even without my enhanced senses I would have been able to smell the heavy scent that emanated from within.

"Right. You know the plan. Are you ready?" Trivea asked, drawing two wicked looking daggers from their sheaths. We'd been over the plan several times on the way here.

"Ready." I nocked an arrow to my bow and took some deep breaths.

"One last thing. Whatever you see in there, don't try and help me. Just keep the other wolves busy." The Dunmer didn't say any more, and strode into the cave with more confidence than I thought possible.

Here we go, I thought to myself and followed her in.

The inside of the cave was warm and dark, and I almost felt comfortable as I followed Trivea. Neither werewolves or Argonians are famed for their night vision, but I could follow my companion's scent easily enough. She had no problem navigating the winding caves, and I assumed she had some spells or enchanted equipment that allowed her to see clearly.

The first werewolf that we encountered went down without so much as a whimper. He was in human form, and busying himself with carving a human shin bone with ornate patterns. Even though he wasn't in wolf form I could smell that he was a werewolf. I could instinctively tell that he was a young Nord male just from his scent. I tested the air to see if I could smell any other information but there were so many different scents that I couldn't pick anything specific out at this range.

Two more werewolves fell a few minutes later. One with an arrow through her chest and another from Trivea's frightfully efficient daggers. I almost pitied whatever vampire she was hunting.

From deeper within the caves I could sense the pack leader. My instincts wanted me to challenge him, but I resisted them and continued to follow Trivea. She had become more tense, as if she could sense him too. Even from a distance I could feel his strength and power, and my shoulder throbbed slightly as if the wound was reacting to him.

Four werewolves in the next cavern. The first two died silently from our combined attacks, but not silently enough. Already in wolf form, the two survivors split up - one attacked while the other ran for it. The attacker went down quickly thanks to Trivea, but the runner managed to escape after my arrow glanced past him and ricocheted off the cave wall. A low howl echoed through the tunnels, indicating that we'd been discovered.

"Now it's getting interesting." Smiled Trivea.

[Acadian]

I love the way you showed us Haa-Rei's improved senses as he walked through the snow.

More answers and more mysteries from Trivea! Well, a womer's entitled to her aura of mystique.

So far so good, but it looks like things are going to get crowded and dangerous very quickly now.