I am Lena Wolf, Lena's life as it happens Options

[Acadian]

Ooooh, Maglir! He needs a one hour paralysis spell administered at the door to the dungeon to keep him outta the way methinks! I'll admit Lena exercised a lot of patience.

[Lena Wolf]

12-14 Mid-Year, 4E202 - Mages Guild in disarray - Fighters Guild babysitting - Lindai crown

"So, it is perfectly possible to ride from Anvil to the Arcane University in one day" - Lena was patting Roach on the back. "And no, magic isn't cheating" - she grinned. "I just gave you a little boost, is all."

Arch Mage Traven looked crestfallen.

"The Council of Mages is in disarray" - he said. "We could not agree how to handle the Necromancers - and I fear that we've lost a lot of good people." He paced around the chamber. "Two of our most senior mages took important artefacts for 'further study' - whatever that might be. You need to recover University property and return it here."

"I'll see what I can do" - said Lena, turning to leave.

"We have come to really depend on you, you know" - Traven said, as if to himself.

...

"Come on, Roach - it's not that far" - Lena wanted to go to Chorrol now. It has been a day of riding. Reluctantly, Roach agreed.

They arrived rather late in the evening, Roach visibly tired, and Lena feeling a little guilty. It was too late to go to the Fighters Guild, so she left it for tomorrow.

13 Mid-Year

"I've got a mission for you" - said Modryn Oreyn. "But it's a bit hush-hush." He looked around. "I need you to take Viranus Donton out into the field and show him a good time."

"Excuse me?!" - Lena cried with indignation.

"I don't mean that!" - Modryn looked stern. "He needs some field work to boost his confidence, so I am sending the two of you on a contract to find some poor idiot in Nonwyll Cavern. Your job however" - he looked at Lena with significance - "is to protect Viranus and to make sure his mother the Guildmaster doesn't know about this until after the fact. Which is why he must stay alive! Do I make myself clear?"

He did. Modryn Oreyn had a way with people, but not a particularly nice way. Lena's new rank of Protector clearly meant "babysitter".

Viranus Donton was a nice enough young man. He was ready to leave when Lena stressed that the poor missing person might well be in mortal danger, so they had to make haste - no time to check in with Mother.

Nonwyll Cavern was empty, apart from the corpse of the unfortunate person that they were supposed to find. A broken shield lay next to him, and it looked like he'd been dead for some time.

"This is strange - what killed him?" - wondered Viranus.

"There were trolls in this cave some time ago" - Lena recalled. "My friend and I cleared them out. It must have been them. I seem to remember seeing this poor man already then."

Well, there was nothing else to do, so they returned to Chorrol.

"Hmm, suspicious" - Modryn didn't like it. "But none of our business. Well done keeping Viranus out of trouble." He handed Lena an enchanted dagger. "Here is your reward - off the books. And while you are here..." - he looked her over. "Maglir has defaulted on a contract again - now in Bravil. And it wasn't even that hard a job! Go there, fulfill the contract, find Maglir and..." - he clenched his fists - "send him to me!"

"Wow!" - Lena thought. "Those sanguine eyes can positively glow! Something tells me - Maglir won't be coming."

...

She had lunch at Oak and Crosier, considering her jobs.

"Fort Ontus for Traven, South West from here; Fort Teleman also for Traven, all the way near Leyawiin; Bravil for Modryn; Leyawiin for Ocheeva... oh - and Lindai for Umbacano, and that's nearby..." She poured over the map. "May be I should just do that first, Roach is in no shape to travel today anyhow."

Of course Lena could simply buy another horse, but she didn't want to. Lindai it was then.

14 Mid-Year

Lena returned to Chorrol at 5 a.m. Lindai wasn't a very large ruin, but it had many dread zombies that took a long time to put down. There was also no shortage of other interesting undead.

Lena found the crown - just as the collector predicted. It had a strong enchantment.

"I wonder whether Mr. Umbacano is going to know that this is the wrong crown" - Lena thought. But whether or not to steal the original for him was a decision for another day. Motierre House was quiet, and Lena could finally relax.

This post has been edited by Lena Wolf: Mar 26 2024, 06:02 PM

[Lena Wolf]

Ooooh, Maglir! He needs a one hour paralysis spell administered at the door to the dungeon to keep him outta the way methinks! I'll admit Lena exercised a lot of patience.

As it transpires, she should have frozen him solid when she had the chance - there's more Maglir trouble brewing!

[Lena Wolf]

12-14 Mid-Year, 4E202 - The Anvil lighthouse - Cheydinhal investigation

"Oh, this is interesting!" - Rayenna noticed some oddly shaped bricks in the lighthouse cellar in Anvil that she was renting. "I've never noticed them before." She never looked behind the tapestry before, either. "What's that - they come out!"

Two bricks appeared loose and could be removed, revealing a cavity behind them. It was dark inside, but Rayenna thought she saw something. She put in her hand and retrieved an old journal. There wasn't much written in it, but it contained several folded sheets of parchment. Rayenna swallowed her dislike of spider webs and thrust her hand all the way in, feeling for any other objects inside. She found more folded sheets of parchment and a scroll. She laid out her finds on the table and set down to study them.

First her attention was drawn to the old scroll with a wax seal. The seal had been broken long ago, the parchment dried out somewhat, fraying at the edges. She carefully unrolled it and read:

Last Will and Testament of Greywyn Blenwyth, Assassin

I, Greywyn Blenwyth, a servant of Sithis, hereby entrust my estate Deepscorn Hollow to Lena Wolf - the young daughter of my distant paternal Cousin Lillian 'Lily' Delafere, my only direct relative. Should Lena Wolf not survive to adulthood, I then entrust the estate to Mathieu Bellamont, a distant maternal Cousin of Lillian Delafere. My intent hereby is to pass on the Sanctuary to another Assassin, so that it may be used to its purpose. I have no doubt that little Lena will follow in her mother's footsteps.

May they walk in the shadow of Sithis.

Dated: 2 Second Seed, 3E 421

Next she examined the journal - it was disappointingly empty. Just some scribbles as if someone was cleaning their quill. The folded sheets of parchment however were letters - and what letters! A correspondence between a certain Lena Wolf, Assassin, and Mathieu Bellamont, Speaker.

Allow me to welcome you to the Brotherhood, dear Cousin, and let me congratulate you on your rapid progress. Your mother's blood runs thick in your veins - aa well as your Great-Uncle Greywyn's. Please forgive my liberty - for we are quite far removed in the family tree connected through our mothers, yet our choice of occupation speaks volumes. Our Breton heritage wins over all else, and so I feel as your true Cousin. I pray you may accept me as such.

Extending my warmest regards --

Mathieu Bellamont

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

It is pure joy to hear from you, Sir, and to learn that I have a Cousin! No matter how far we are removed in the family tree, we are still family, which is all that counts. Please rest assured that should a situation arise where my loyalties come to be tested, you can count on my unreserved support in your every endeavour.

Sincerely yours --

Lena Wolf

These appeared to be the oldest of the letters and the ones that were best preserved, perhaps cherished - they were inside the journal. The other sheets of parchment seemed to have had water damage that washed away the ink in places, some were torn, some had singed edges, looking like they've been salvaged from a fire. With her best effort, the most she could decipher were just a few words: "dead drop replaced", "bonne chance", "Lachance" and "Applew..." - the last part of the word had been washed away. She wasn't even sure it was "Lachance" she was reading and not "la chance", as correspondence between two Bretons was likely to be peppered with Breton expressions anyway. But "Lachance" gave her a jolt, so she settled on that.

"Who was Mathieu Bellamont?" - Rayenna wondered. "He must be dead because I haven't met him... These letters look old - is this the same Lena Wolf as that floozy in Lachance's bed? Probably not - surely, she isn't old enough!"

Rayenna was confused. Normally quick-witted, she sensed the importance of these papers and of those scraps of words... If only she could link them together! But the Dark Brotherhood Archives were not even open to Listeners, let alone Silencers, so she had no chance of finding out anything there. But perhaps there was another way... After all, they were all citizens of the Empire. Wasn't there a friendly Captain of the City Guard in Cheydinhal? She heard rumours he was partial to ladies...

13 Mid-Year

"No, I need to speak to the Captain himself!" - Rayenna was adamant. "It is a sensitive matter!"

"Anything you can say to the Captain, you can say to me" - Regina Regis was not giving up. "I am his second in command, and it is my duty to deal with public complaints first."

"This isn't a complaint" - Rayenna grinned. Where direct assault didn't work, charm might do better. "It's a personal matter. Of a delicate kind" - she winked to Regina. "I'm sure the Captain would like to hear about it from me rather than from someone else."

"Oh, I see" - Regina smiled. "Well, he is in the habit of dining at the Newlands Lodge, you can try talking to him there. If you get a chance" - she added, grinning.

...

"Captain" - Rayenna approached Garrus Darelliun at the Lodge. "It is Captain, isn't it? I haven't mistaken you for someone else, have I?"

"I am Captain Garrus Darelliun" - Garrus rose from his seat. "How can I be of service?"

"I wonder if I could have a word..." - Rayenna put on her most charming smile - "in private. I have a... ah... delicate matter I would ask your help with. A most delicate matter" - she looked at him with significance, blushing slightly. "I took a room in this Lodge - come with me, please?" She looked at him pleadingly.

"Certainly, my lady" - Garrus smiled. "I'll do my best to assist."

Several people in the room followed them with their eyes. "Well, that's the Captain gone for the night - let's just hope he won't be late for duty tomorrow!" - they chuckled and went back to their drinking.

...

Rayenna didn't find it hard to get Garrus to relax and start helping her with her delicate matter. She massaged his ego as well as his torso, and soon he was eating out of her hand. Or so she thought.

"I was looking around Cheydinhal and discovered that one of the houses is called the Wolf Sanctuary" - she said nonchalantly, falling back on the cushions. "That's a strange name for a house!"

"Not really" - Garrus replied, turning to look at her. "It belongs to someone named Wolf. It's a Nord surname, I believe."

"Oh how exciting!" - Rayenna sat up. "A Nord! He must be tall and strong, with those blond braids - and wearing furs of course!" Her eyes glazed over with a vision, her mouth half open.

Garrus laughed. "Actually, it's a girl - and she's a Breton."

"Oh" - Rayenna tried to look disappointed, but Garrus noticed a grin of satisfaction on her lips. "A Breton with a Nord surname?"

"It happens" - Garrus became evasive. He had suspected that Rayenna's motive was exactly as she had said - she needed help with a delicate matter - getting classified Imperial information out of an unsuspecting Captain of the Guard. He wanted to know what it was she was after - yes, he too could play the game. "Forget that girl" - he whispered, nibbling on her ear - "You still have spots I haven't fully explored yet..."

Information gathering did have its pleasant aspects, and besides Rayenna still had all night to question him...

14 Mid-Year

"So, this is the house of Lena Wolf" - Rayenna picked the lock and stepped inside. All was quiet - Lena was out of town. "Let's see if I can find anything of interest."

She went through all the drawers, knocked on the walls looking for loose bricks, pulled back every rug and every tapestry - and came up with absolutely nothing of interest, except a solid door in the basement with an equally solid lock that she couldn't pick.

"That house stood abandoned for a very long time" - Garrus had told her at some point. "It had a hole in the wall in the basement leading to a cavern - rats were coming out of it by the legion. We didn't want to brick it over in case it flooded again, so we fitted a heavy door. It's as good as a wall, that." A cavern... Rayenna wondered about that. But then again, it wasn't unheard of...

She had to admit that her expedition to Cheydinhal didn't yield the results she was hoping for. Borba wasn't making a secret of supervising the works on the house.

"House refurbishments is what we do!" - she beamed. "We offer the best quality goods and the lowest prices in all Cyrodiil!" - she added proudly.

"So what can you tell me about Lena Wolf?" - Rayenna decided to be blunt. After all, she was talking to an Orc.

"She's with the Mages Guild" - Borba bared her fangs. Was that a smile? "Quite high up, I believe - a Warlock or something!"

Rayenna knew that - that was public knowledge. It seemed that public knowledge was the only type of information that Rayenna was getting in this city. Were they hiding something or was there simply nothing to find? She couldn't read Orcs or Elves and she melted before the Imperials... she would have to think of something else.

This post has been edited by Lena Wolf: Mar 26 2024, 06:03 PM

[Lena Wolf]

14-15 Mid-Year, 4E202 - Bravil - Maglir - Mages Guild

Lena got up in mid-afternoon without any desire to chase after necromancy artefacts for Traven, even though Fort Ontus was not too far away. Instead, she decided to go to Bravil and see what Maglir's problem was now.

She rode cross-country and made it to Bravil in under four hours.

"I am Blackwood Company now!" - Maglir declared proudly. "More work, more pay and no Oreyn to breathe down my neck!"

Lena wasn't surprised. She was annoyed that Maglir wouldn't tell her what his contract was so that she could fulfil it - she had to return to Chorrol for that.

"Well, not today" - she tought. "Good riddance, anyway, one less idiot to babysit."

She went home and sat on the porch for the rest of the evening. The moons were dark and the quiet night brought peace to her thoughts.

15 Mid-Year

"Good to see you all" - Lena entered the Mages Guild in the morning.

"Come have breakfast with us" - Kud-Ei greeted her from the dining room. "Warlock! Or is it Wizard now?" - she smiled.

"I lost count" - Lena grinned, joining them. "'Traven's errand girl' is probably more to the point."

"You don't like it?" - Henantier looked at her intently.

"So far I didn't have to do anything that I disagreed with" - Lena returned his look. "But I feel that I shall have to make choices with my current assignment."

"Oh of course" - Kud-Ei nodded. "He sent you to retrieve those 'stolen' artefacts, am I right?"

"Indeed."

"Well, use your judgement and remember that the Mages Guild is not the only professional group of mages in Tamriel" - Kud-Ei considered her sweetroll for a moment. "Or even in Cyrodiil. In particular around Bruma."

"How is Volanaro?" - Jowan joined the conversation. "I hear there have been changes at their Guild Hall."

"Volanaro asked me to tell you that they are holding a place for you if you want it" - Lena answered with a smile. "They have returned to their old work - and no one had to die. So they no longer answer to Traven."

"Do they answer to Mannimarco then?" - Ardaline looked up, worried.

"If I know Volanaro" - Henantier turned to her - "they will not answer to anyone. Instead, they will form a new group with more and more mages joining in. Like the whole of Mysticism, for example, and much of Conjuration. But not before Mannimarco is either dead or gone back to the Sommerset Isle - Volanaro is careful."

Several people around the table nodded in agreement.

"I fear Traven's censorship has touched us all" - Kud-Ei added. "He has now banned half of Illusion spells as well, because commanding creatures or people is apparently 'evil'."

"So what is he left with?" - Delphine started counting on her fingers. "Restoration, Alteration and Alchemy?"

"Half of Alchemy, you mean" - Ardaline shook her head. "We are not to study or make poisons, remember? As if you can study half a science!"

"Even with Restoration - spells like Absorb Health come from Necromancy, don't they?" - Jowan looked around the table. "Anyway, that's how I was taught..."

"This is correct, of course" - Fathis Aren said slowly. "And this is how we used to teach it in Morrowind as well - in particular in House Telvanni. Much of it is a matter of perspective. The same as Damage Health which for some reason falls under Destruction, yet it isn't an elemental force."

The table went quiet for a while.

"Well, I should be getting back to the Castle" - Fathis said, getting up. A shuffle of chairs followed - breakfast was finished.

"If I may?" - Fathis touched Jowan's arm. "I have heard of the way of things in Ferelden, and I understand your reluctance to join any organisation" - he said quietly. "But you might find Bruma very welcoming in spite of the cold."

"Thank you - and I agree" - Jowan smiled. "I think I shall take Volanaro up on his offer."

"That would be a good move for you" - Kud-Ei turned to Jowan. "And I wouldn't be surprised if our paths crossed again in the future."

The people were going about their business, and the Guild Hall grew a lot quieter.

"If I can have a word?" - Kud-Ei asked Lena. "I've heard what happened in Nenyond Twyll - those battlemages going in completely unprepared. This wasn't the first time that Traven neglected to provide adequate information. You may want to look into that - from the Legion side. Perhaps some of your friends might help - or their family members." She looked at Lena with significance.

"Of course" - Lena smiled. "Say no more, I'll investigate."

One more job on Lena's list, but she would have to wait for Hauk's return first.

Lena had a lot of things to do, but she worried about Lucien - in case his fort had been compromised, and what that would mean for him and for the whole Cheydinhal group. For if a Speaker was targeted, his group usually found itself in a lot of trouble. She decided to return to Cheydinhal.

This post has been edited by Lena Wolf: Mar 26 2024, 06:04 PM

[Lena Wolf]

15 Mid-Year, 4E202 - Suspicion - Lena's choice

Come immediately. Ocheeva.

Lena found a message in the Wolf Sanctuary. She went downstairs. Lucien was staying in Ocheeva's room.

"Close the door" - Ocheeva shot a glance into the corridor. "I don't suspect anyone here, but we don't want gossip."

Lena closed the door and joined them at the table.

"We believe they are after you" - Ocheeva said, fixing Lena with her gaze. "Now, I know what you are going to say - that you've dealt with worse back then, but it is no reason to underestimate them now."

"Do we know who they are?" - asked Lena calmly.

"I have an idea" - said Lucien. "You need to be very careful. If my suspicion is correct, she is exceptionally skilled and determined."

"But no - wait" - Lena shook her head. "You said 'she'?" - she looked at Lucien. "So it is like we thought - another woman wanting your attention. She didn't try to kill me yet, so I don't think that's her plan. She wants you - she will first make sure you hate me, so that she could have you for herself afterwards."

"Exactly what I told you" - said Ocheeva, also looking at Lucien.

"Ok, intrigue then" - Lucien shook his head. "I found a small crack by the trapdoor in the fort, by the way" - he added, turning to Lena. "It's been closed now, but Ocheeva insisted I should stay away for a while. Then check if the crack reappears."

"Good" - Lena nodded. "I think we have to wait and see what she does next. Unless you want to search her house? I assume she has one?" - she looked at Lucien.

"I already have - there was nothing there, but I placed some bait. We'll have to wait and see. We shall know at least if we suspect the right person."

Ocheeva got up to leave. "I'll be in the training room." She closed the door behind her.

"That foolish woman stands no chance" - Lucien held Lena in an embrace. "But you must be careful, nonetheless." They kissed.

"It could still be someone else, with an entirely different motive" - Lena looked into Lucien's eyes. "Targeting you, and only using our relationship as a diversion."

"Oh, I have my share of enemies, certainly" - Lucien nodded. "Which is why I am staying here for now. If they are after me, they'll have to change tactics, and we will notice."

Lena was looking into Lucien's eyes, feeling his embrace, and she suddenly realised that her feelings for him transcended friendship. This was the time to make her choice.

"I love you" - she said. "I have no doubt."

Lucien smiled and kissed her, then just held her in a tight embrace.

They didn't know how long they stood there, when there was a light knock on the door and someone opened it slightly, then shut it again.

"Come in!" - Lucien said loudly, releasing his embrace but still holding Lena around the waist.

Vicente appeared at the door.

"I was looking for Ocheeva, I apologise" - he said. Then, looking at Lena, he added: "Remember that bottled blood. Happiness can drain you more than sorrow. I am glad you've finally found each other."

He smiled and left. Vicente was much older than all of them. Lena's eyes were red.

...

"Hello Borba, how have you been?" - Lena entered Borba's shop.

"Good to see you" - Borba beamed. "Garrus left you this message" - she handed Lena a note. Lena read:

We need to talk - it's urgent. Garrus.

"Tell him I'll be at home all evening, he can come for dinner" - Lena looked up.

"Of course" - Borba nodded. "He stops by when he's doing his rounds. Anything else I can do for you?"

"Yes" - Lena hesitated. "I need the same beverage that you supply to Vicente" - she smiled timidly. "And I need it regularly, but not in the same amounts."

"The cure didn't go far enough, did it?" - Borba said with understanding. "I've heard others say the same. But that drink doesn't keep - you'll need fresh supplies, whether you use them or not."

"Yeah" - Lena sighed. "So be it."

Lena could not risk being knocked out by wraiths and not being able to recover. She decided to carry bottled blood with her the same way as she carried healing potions. There was no getting away from it - she wasn't a regular mortal.

...

"Hello - anybody home?" - Garrus knocked, then put his head through the door.

"Up here - come in!" - Lena answered from upstairs.

They sat down for dinner.

"A very good-looking Redguard woman came asking questions about you" - said Garrus after the usual greeting. "She was very thorough - wanted to know about your past. She probably went through your things here too."

"Oh" - Lena sat up. "Tall, dark hair worn loose, unusually fair skin for a Redguard, piercing green eyes - right?"

"Yes" - Garrus nodded. "With many well-concealed scars all over her body. A Sister of yours?"

"Sounds like it - we have a suspicion."

"We?"

"She... Well, I might as well tell you, since she came fishing here already" - Lena sighed. "We believe she is jealous of Lucien and me - she saw us... umm... being intimate... and... well... we are not sure what she'll do, but it doesn't look harmless."

Garrus sat back in his chair.

"So... you made your choice."

"I have." Lena felt a weight falling off her shoulders for telling this.

Garrus smiled at her. "I thought it would be him. You were very touchy when I asked you about the flowers."

"But I wasn't sure then at all!" - Lena protested.

"No, you needed time to understand it, but... he's been a part of you for a long time - it was plain to see."

With serious matters out of the way, they spent a pleasant evening chatting about Lena's recent adventures in caves, forts and ruins of Skyrim, Cyrodiil and Shivering Isles. Garrus looked a bit wistful at times, but Lena assured him that as soon as this matter with the Redguard woman was resolved, she would make the time for more adventuring - and she would take Garrus along. Sometimes there was nothing else to do but wait.

This post has been edited by Lena Wolf: Mar 26 2024, 06:05 PM

[Lena Wolf]

17 Mid-Year, 4E202 - Adamus Phillida's retirement

"You..?" - Adamus Phillida felt a blade under his ribs but he could not move. "Assassin!" - he breathed, looking at Lena in the mirror, surprise written on his face.

"Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear" - smiled Lena. "You wanted to see one standing before you - and now you have. We were never far away."

"So I was right!" Phillida wanted to raise alarm, call the guards, but paralysis gripped his throat and all he could manage was a quiet hiss. "And now you've come for me!"

"Yes" - Lena nodded. "You will die of a heart attack."

"But why? I am retired now" - the old Commander looked at her pleadingly.

"You know how we operate. Someone did not wish to grant you retirement" - Lena shook her head. "But I can grant you a painless death and a prayer to Arkay for your soul."

"Arkay will not hear you, Assassin!" - Phillida breathed, his face contorted with disgust.

"Oh but he will - he always does, I always get a blessing." Lena put her hand on Phillida's shoulder. "The God of Death knows me well." She nicked his skin with her poisoned blade. As Phillida's heart skipped a beat, he looked at Lena's reflection in the mirror, suddenly realising that what she said was all true. Arkay was waiting for him, and she would send him off with a blessing.

...

Adamus Phillida was found dead in his quarters in Leyawiin barracks seated at his dressing table, his heart ripped apart as if of electrocution. A sudden heart attack, no wounds, just a small cut in his side under the ribs. The City Guard had nothing to go on, but a certain Captain shook his head upon hearing about it. "Why am I not surprised" - he thought to himself. "Keep poking a cloaked dragon, and one day he'll poke you back."

This post has been edited by Lena Wolf: Mar 26 2024, 06:11 PM

[Acadian]

Nice job of painting Phillida's last moments.

[Lena Wolf]

Nice job of painting Phillida's last moments.

Thank you, Acadian! This is how I played it. Cloak and dagger. Illusion and Alchemy are great schools of magic.

[Lena Wolf]

17 Mid-Year, 4E202 - Leyawiin Sanctuary, a prelude

"I see you still honour Arkay" - Lucien joined Lena on a pew in the chapel in Leyawiin. "Phillida?"

Lena nodded. They sat quietly for a while.

"Any news?" - Lena asked.

"Not yet, but we need to warn Fenris."

"Let's go."

...

"Mistress! You have returned" - Fenris kneeled before Lena as she entered the Leyawiin Sanctuary. Then, remembering that she had told him not to kneel, he looked up but didn't rise. Lucien stood behind Lena.

"Hello Fenris, good to see you" - said Lena, lifting Fenris up by the shoulders. "You look well." She smiled at him.

"You will find poisons in the chest, and I have been learning making potions too" - said Fenris, glancing at Lucien sideways. "I shall prepare dinner for you."

She let him leave.

"I like what you've done with the place" - said Lucien, looking around. "Much better than the way it was on my last visit." He smiled. His last visit was over two centuries ago - when the Dark Brotherhood came for the Crimson Scars and he killed Lena's great-uncle.

...

They came into the dining hall just as Fenris was dressing the table. He kept his head low and was shooting sideways glances at Lucien.

"Fenris, this is Lucien Lachance, my Speaker and friend" - said Lena.

Fenris froze, looking into Lucien's face, now that Lucien had removed his hood.

"I believe we've met before" - said Lucien. "You were one of the young recruits that escaped right after our first visit. We never found you again."

"Until now..." - Fenris' voice sounded hoarse.

"Oh, I've known about your existence for a long time already, do not worry" - Lucien smiled. "You have been absolved."

Fenris relaxed, then dropped to his knees before Lena again.

"Thank you, Mistress - I know this is your doing."

Lena looked at Lucien in exasperation, then lifted up Fenris by the shoulders again.

"I told you not to worry" - she said. "With Rowley Eardwulf's death Purification has been completed. Please - let us have dinner. There is something we need to tell you, Fenris."

They sat down for dinner and Lena told Fenris that an assassin had been making inquiries about her - with unknown intentions. Fenris looked shocked.

"It is quite possible that they will come here looking for documents or anything else that they think they could use" - said Lucien. "How are your fighting skills, Fenris? That assassin is skilled."

"I can fight" - Fenris looked up. "Although I shall have to practice" - he looked into the distance. "It has been over a century since my last job, but I am still a vampire" - he smiled. "I shall go slightly hungry to sharpen my reflexes."

"Good" - Lucien nodded. "One of our Brothers will join you - Teinaava, and..." - he put an enchanted dagger before Fenris - "this might help, too."

"Paralysis?" - Fenris touched the dagger.

"Indeed" - Lucien smiled. "If you can capture the intruder instead of killing her, it would be ideal. Yes, we believe it is a woman, but at this point it is still just a suspicion. We could be wrong. Be careful - she is not after you, but she won't hesitate to kill."

"I shall be discrete" - Fenris smiled, clipping the dagger to his belt.

...

"The main entrance to the Sanctuary is under water" - Lena turned to Lucien after dinner. "Was it like that when you were here last?"

"No, it must have sunk later." He looked into the water, barely making out the door. "But don't you have another pool here too?"

"Indeed" - Lena smiled, leading him to the purifying pool with a salt formation next to it. "We don't need the salts but the pool itself is quite nice for regular bathing. And Fenris stays away from it like from the plague" - she winked.

"Well then" - Lucien closed the door. "We should test the waters."

This post has been edited by Lena Wolf: Mar 26 2024, 06:15 PM

[Lena Wolf]

18-21 Mid-Year, 4E202 - Phillida's message - Imp hunting - A letter from Hauk

"I shall return to Cheydinhal" - said Lucien during breakfast at the Leyawiin Sanctuary. "Teinaava should arrive here today, then all we need to do is wait. He will return to Cheydinhal once an intruder has been caught. Fenris will be able to keep her subdued after that, I trust?" - he looked at Lena with a question.

"Never fear" - Lena smiled. "Fenris will need to feed after a fight like that, especially since he'll go hungry before it. Have you not seen how much blood Vicente keeps in store?"

"Very well, then there is nothing to do here for us until then" - Lucien nodded. "What are your plans now?"

"Imperial City - Phillida job is not quite finished yet" - she winked. "Then Chorrol Fighters Guild, then wherever they send me, but I suspect it will be Bravil."

"Good, makes it easier to send word when it's time."

19 Mid-Year

"Am I supposed to be impressed?" - the new Commander of the Imperial Watch opened his desk first thing in the morning and saw a finger with Phillida's signet ring where he expected to find his inkwell. He poked the finger with his quill. "Disgusting."

He looked around, making sure no one had seen him, then, without touching the finger, he rolled it off his desk with a couple of quills, dropping everything into a basket and covering with crumpled bits of parchment.

"Yuck!" - he shivered. "But I get the message!" - he told someone unseen. "I have just as much desire to touch you people as I like to touch that finger!"

The door to the Imperial Legion Offices opened and closed silently, although no one was seen to go in or out.

...

"He quit, did he?!" - Modryn Oreyn was livid as Lena brought him the news of Maglir's switch to the Blackwood Company. "We took him in when no one else would, and this is how he repays us!! Unbelievable!"

"Not so unbelievable" - Lena thought to herself, as it was out of the question to actually say anything to Oreyn right now. "Maglir had been trouble from the start - my trouble!"

"Well, you'll have to fulfil his contract" - Oreyn looked at Lena angrily. "Don't just stand there, go to Bravil Mages Guild and see what they wanted! Now!!"

Lena turned around and left without another word. It appeared that fire-breathing dragons were back in Cyrodiil too.

...

"Imp gall! I need imp gall!" - Aryarie was pacing the Guild Hall nervously. "I am stuck because of this damned Fighters Guild!"

"Ah, it must be her" - Lena thought, entering the hall. "Aryarie, I'm here on behalf of the Fighters Guild" - Lena said to her with a smile. "Was it imp gall that you wanted?"

"Yes! Finally!" - Aryarie turned around, she did think the voice was familiar. "Oh! Warlock... sorry, didn't realise you were with the Fighters Guild too..." - she blushed a bit. "But I am rather stuck, so if you don't mind..."

"Of course" - Lena beamed at her. "Imp gall it is." She turned to leave, then changed her mind. "For some reason once you pass Conjurer, the Mages Guild stops paying you for your work."

She walked off, leaving Aryarie seriously doubting her ambitions to make Magician.

20 Mid-Year

Hunting imps was a breeze, even if it did take all day. Lena took it steady and slow, taking care to extract the gall carefully, and to check for any chests along the way - caves like that were often used by smugglers. The chests didn't disappoint, and there was even a minotaur to play with.

"I'll need to remember this cave" - Lena thought to herself. "Lots of imps in here, and they will be back, no doubt."

Aryarie was delighted with the imp gall, even more so because Lena actually knew how to cut it out without destroying it and how to keep it fresh.

...

"I have a letter for you" - an out-of-breath courier stopped her as she was leaving the Mages Guild. "Something I'm supposed to deliver... Let's see now..." - he fumbled in his bag. "Oh - here, marked 'urgent'!" He handed her a sealed parchment. "Well, better be off!"

"But - who is it from?" - Lena cried after him, but he only waved and disappeared around the corner. "Hmmm..." - Lena thought, breaking the seal. Something told her, it wasn't good news.

If you are reading this, I have been taken into Boethia's Realm. It is unlikely that I will return. It has been a privilege to walk with you. Goodbye.
-Hauk

"No!" - Lena's first reaction was to panic, but she steadied herself, folded the parchment and went home. "Think it over first, something isn't right."

Lena thought the letter sounded strange, not quite how Hauk would put it. Her first instinct was that this was a trap, so the thing to do was to go to the Imperial City to look for him. Lena decided to leave right away, even though Roach disliked travelling at night. She arrived before sunrise and went straight to the Bastion, but the guards told her that she had to wait for the morning. She checked his house and most taverns to pass the time - she didn't really expect to find him, but she couldn't sleep anyway.

21 Mid-Year

In the morning, Hauk was still not around, and no one at the Legion Offices would tell her anything. "Should have expected that!" - she thought. Yes, he could simply be away on Legion business. Or he could be in Boethia's Realm. Would she take that risk? No, she wouldn't.

Cursing for the lost time, she bought a daedra heart and set off for Boethia's shrine in the Valus Mountains. She approached the statue, the heart in her hand.

"I wish to enter your Realm" - she said.

"Compete in my Tournament, win, then you can roam my Realm" - answered Boethia, opening a portal.

Lena entered without thinking.

The Realm consisted of an arena. There were no prison cells, no changing rooms, no training grounds - and Hauk wasn't there. Perhaps there were other islands in this sea of lava? If so, she could not see any.

"Boethia does not take captives" - her first opponent told her. "We are here to fight - one of each race. If your friend is not among us, he isn't here."

One of each race... She would have to wait for the Nord. And then? What if it was Hauk?

This post has been edited by Lena Wolf: Mar 26 2024, 06:16 PM

[macole]

Boethia's quest, at the time I couldn't rationalize doing the sacrifice in order to gain entrance to her realm so I never did this one. Looks like you have a very good reason to perform entrance ritual.

This should be interesting.

[Lena Wolf]

Boethia's quest, at the time I couldn't rationalize doing the sacrifice in order to gain entrance to her realm so I never did this one. Looks like you have a very good reason to perform entrance ritual.

This should be interesting.

I think you might be confusing it with Mephala's or with Skyrim. Here it just required a daedra heart to be brought to the statue - and you're in! (And you had to be at least level 20 to have at least a miniscule chance of surviving it. )

EDIT: Unless of course something else happens. I am just about to touch the statue in the actual game, and I've never done it before!

This post has been edited by Lena Wolf: Jul 23 2021, 04:25 PM

[macole]

Boethia's quest, at the time I couldn't rationalize doing the sacrifice in order to gain entrance to her realm so I never did this one. Looks like you have a very good reason to perform entrance ritual.

This should be interesting.

I think you might be confusing it with Mephala's or with Skyrim. Here it just required a daedra heart to be brought to the statue - and you're in! (And you had to be at least level 20 to have at least a miniscule chance of surviving it. )

EDIT: Unless of course something else happens. I am just about to touch the statue in the actual game, and I've never done it before!

Yes, I was thinking of the Skyrim Boethia quest.

Either way, it'll be fun to revisit this one.

[Lena Wolf]

21 Mid-Year, 4E202 - The Tournament of Ten Bloods

An arena lay before Lena. She would fight one of each race, and hope that the Nord was not Hauk. Boethia's Chosen... Hauk did not worship Boethia, but he did have the mace of Molag Bal - may be this was Boethia's revenge?

"Focus on the fight" - she told herself, brushing these thoughts aside. "The first one is an elf - definitely not Hauk. Survive!"

The elf made short work of Lena's clannfear - he was a mage... and a fighter... the worst kind. Lena went down twice...

"Focus!" - she told herself angrily. "There's nine of them still to come! You won't get far this way!"

Nine or ten - she wasn't sure whether she'd have to fight a Breton or not. It didn't matter.

Lena wasn't a warrior, she was a stealth assassin preferring ranged attacks from cover. There was no cover here - this tournament would be her death. Unless...

Coming to, she wasted no time summoning another clannfear. It wouldn't be deadly, but it was fast and charged the elf, giving Lena an opening. She poisoned her blade, cloaked and crept from behind...

"What?!" - the elf spun around in surprise, feeling the wound, sensing his life energy ebbing away, with great fatigue taking over his body. "Where..?"

"...is she?" - Lena finished his sentence in her mind while her clannfear delivered the final blow. The elf couldn't heal fast enough.

"One down..." - Lena thought going through his pockets and picking up healing potions. She would be needing those.

There was no time to rest. Lena's boots were shattered already, so she kicked them off and pulled on a pair of shoes. Her iron cuirass and grieves were weakened but still held, and of course nothing could break the shielding enchantment... she hoped.

Another elf... a mage. She poisoned her blade again and cloaked, dodging the shock spells. He was using a staff, so he wouldn't be silenced. His skeleton was engaging the clannfear. "Hero or Champion" - Lena thought, noticing that the clannfear wasn't winning.

Lena crept up behind the mage, came quite close, still cloaked and almost ready to strike, but he sensed her then. "Life detection?" - she thought, but it didn't matter, invisibility was not going to work. She lunged with her sword.

"Aauww!" - the elf spun around, a warhammer in his hands.

"How..?" - Lena caught herself - "Don't stop to wonder!" He was a battlemage. Dodge, lunge, paralyse, apply more poison...

It wasn't a fair fight, but you didn't get points for fairness.

"Eighty six healing potions!" - Lena went through his pockets once he was down. "This explains the robes - and the noise he was making. Well, they didn't help..." She didn't take the potions - she had enough of her own, and didn't want to be slowed down by all the extra weight.

An Imperial... a Khajiit... a Nord... Lena was hit, poisoned and burned, but her poisoned blade always found its mark. Her armour was all but shattered now, but the enchantment still held. There was no time for repairs.

"A Nord?" - she looked into the face of a young woman she just defeated. A wave of relief washed over her - it wasn't Hauk. So... this was a trap. She wasn't done yet, there were more opponents to come. How many? She lost count.

"I am disappointed" - she heard Boethia's voice. "She was quick and strong, I shall miss her."

"What?" - Lena turned around, but of course Boethia wasn't showing his face. "Oh" - she looked at the Nord girl again. "He must have liked her... I wonder if this means that things will get tougher from now..."

It did. The next opponent was an Orc. She dispatched Lena's clannfear in a single hit, and when Lena tried paralysis, the spell was absorbed. The Orc retaliated - and Lena went down, over and over again. What now? Vanish and Heal potion bought Lena a little time, but the Orc had fully healed herself by then. "Dessos" - Lena thought, preparing to summon her dremora. She needed cover to apply poison again - twice or three times, and of different kinds.

The fight was fierce, and Dessos was banished twice, but in the end the Orc could not heal fast enough, with three poisons ravaging her body. She died, but not before Lena was bruised and cut beyond simple healing.

"Whoever said that axes were blunt, never felt one on their own flesh" - she thought, wincing at the pain. She gulped down another potion - it took the edge off the pain and made her feel stronger, but she wasn't fooled. Lena's wounds were deep, it seemed she could not stop the bleeding, not all of it, anyway. Yet, she still had a long way to go... "Better get on with it - I won't last much longer" - she thought.

A Redguard... Lena could swear the opponents were getting tougher and tougher. His strike was so strong, he paralysed the clannfear, banishing it with the next hit of his mace. Dessos didn't fare much better, although he didn't get banished that fast. Poison seemed to glide off the Redguard's skin doing barely any damage...

"It cannot be!" - Lena thought. "There must be a way..."

No, he had no weakness for Lena to exploit and the fight was wearing her down. But the Redguard was but a man, not a god, with his only weakness being his mortality... The poisons got him in the end - his heart ripping apart as if of electrocution.

"Phew" - Lena sighed, kneeling to check his pockets. "Nothing. You ran out of potions, my friend." She would be soon running out of potions too.

But who was next? Lena didn't see anyone, but summoned a clannfear nonetheless - and saw it burn. An archer. The clannfear charged - and was banished before it could reach its target. She summoned another - the archer had moved and Lena lost him again. A Bosmer? This wasn't a forest, yet he seemed to hide in plain sight. Lena had to be quick. She poisoned her sword, cast life detection and charged.

"Huh?" - the Bosmer was still shooting arrows at the clannfear. But the poison took away his stamina first, and he couldn't lift his heavy battleaxe to get to Lena. The clannfear found him, he banished it with another fire arrow, but Lena had the time to apply more poison onto her blade...

The Bosmer went down with a sigh. She won another battle, but the tournament wasn't over.

Lena was feeling tired. She could barely walk, from pain and exhaustion. She started shivering - how could she be cold on this island surrounded by bubbling lava? Red mist wafted into her vision, black spots started replacing the fires... She would pass out soon... Surely, that would count as a failure, she would be left for dead... No, she could not allow it - there was one more thing she could do. Blood.

Borba's bottled blood cleared away the mist, but Lena was still shivering. Another bottle. She felt warmer. How many more fights were still ahead? Better not be too many, she had no blood left...

"Showing your face here was the last mistake you'll ever make!" - a hoarse voice brought Lena out of her near-stupor. Quick, another opponent!

Lena had barely any strength left, but she willed herself on her feet, summoning her dremora. While Dessos was engaging the opponent - an Argonian - Lena poisoned her blade, flanking her. She hit without conviction - that was the best she could do. She hoped the poison would work... Or would it? Weren't Argonians resistent to such things? Ouch.

The poison didn't do much, but Dessos managed to land a few strikes with his fire-enchanted claymore, and the Argonian tried to run back and put some distance between them, switching to a bow. A single arrow banished Dessos in a cloud of red mist - it was enchanted. "Damage Health and probably everything else for good measure" - Lena thought, shuddering. She summoned a clannfear again - for speed, then hesitated selecting a poison. "Let's try one with an elemental effect" - she thought - "since Influenza Subita didn't do much. Oh, here - Napalm."

She ran up to the Argonian hoping and preying that clannfear would still be holding her opponent's attention - Lena's magicka was nearly out. She hit once or twice, then cloaked with the last of her will, and waited. Would the poison suffice?

She was feeling weak, she could barely stand. She fell to her knees, her armour weighing her down. Red mist was swirling in from all sides again, and darkness closing in... She heard Boethia's voice, but could not make out what he was saying... "...Breton..." Breton? Did he say Breton? So then, she won!..

The darkness closed in and she was gone.

This post has been edited by Lena Wolf: Mar 26 2024, 06:17 PM

[Acadian]

Wow, what a nailbiting series of fights! Sounds like Lena won but barely. Whew!

[Lena Wolf]

Wow, what a nailbiting series of fights! Sounds like Lena won but barely. Whew!

She may have won... But did she survive?

[Lena Wolf]

22 Mid-Year, 4E202 - The Tournament of Ten Bloods, the aftermath

"Sanguine?" - Lena opened her eyes with difficulty and saw a dremora kneeling over her. "What... happened?" Her tongue seemed to have doubled in size.

"Bloody Boethia - whatever possessed you to enter his tournament? This isn't the Imperial City Arena!" - Sanguine was casting healing spells at Lena. "Look at you - you're a mess!"

"But... I won" - Lena tried to smile, but her mouth wouldn't stretch.

"You won..." - Sanguine shook his head. "You were the one still barely alive while the others lay dead, yes. And all of it for what? A sword! Unbelievable."

Lena raised her head and looked around. She was lying in a clearing, it was early evening. A gentle breeze moved through the light foliage around her. She smelled a campfire, heard the birds chirping. It seemed familiar.

"Where are we? This isn't near the shrine."

"No, you never made it out of Boethia's Realm" - Sanguine sat cross-legged next to her now, stroking her face. "I brought you to one of my islands."

Lena's face felt better, she could speak almost normally now.

"What do you mean - never made it out? How did you..?" No, speaking was still painfully difficult.

"Boethia does not care for his contestants. You won the fight, yes, but you still had to walk through the gate on your own, and you couldn't. As to how I knew..." - Sanguine smiled. "Dessos. He took quite a beating himself." Sanguine jerked his head towards the fire. Lena turned and saw a dremora tending to his wounds, his armour in a heap next to him.

"Oh I am so sorry!" - she cried, although it came out more like a growl. "I was mostly summoning clannfears, but sometimes I just needed help..." She tried to get up, but her legs refused to cooperate and she fell back onto the bedroll with a thud. "I am a mess, you're right" - she admitted.

"You mortals are too fragile for this" - Dessos said without turning. "Yet you are undaunted. Strange."

"Yeah..." - Lena smirked. "That's us."

She felt drowsy - Sanguine gave her a potion.

"You need to rest now" - he said, getting up. "Was anyone with you?"

"No" - Lena mumbled, falling asleep. "This was my own foolish idea..."

This wasn't entirely true - Lena had been tricked. That letter wasn't from Hauk - it was sending her to her death. Murder by Boethia's Tournament... A stroke of genius, she had to admit. It's just... she didn't like to be the target.

...

Lena woke up on a clearing, turned to her side and saw two dremoras and a Mazken sitting by the fire. She was still in Sanguine's Realm. Her body felt as if every bone was broken, but she was alive.

Sanguine heard her move and turned around.

"Ah, you are awake!" - he smiled. "Good. You need better healing than this, Dylan will take you to the Shivering Isles."

"Wait - before we go" - Lena sat up, wincing. "Here - take a look at this" - she produced a blood-stained letter from an inner pocket. "This is why I was there. This was a trap - the letter is a lie. Lucien needs to know."

Sanguine read the letter, his face turning grim. Dylan clenched his fists. Dessos put on his armour.

"Someone wants you dead" - said Sanguine.

"I know" - Lena nodded. "That's not new. Tell Lucien to speak with Ocheeva - this is an intrigue, not a plain murder, and we still have no proof. Tell him..." - she winced at the pain again. "Tell him that if I find him dead when I return, I'll go into the Void and make him come back. Sithis can't have him yet."

She tried to get up, but again her legs wouldn't cooperate. She swore.

Dylan came up to her, lifting her up and holding her around the waist, her feet barely touching the ground.

"Ready?" - he asked, preparing to cast a spell. She nodded, he opened a portal and they disappeared into it.

"She would go against Sithis?" - Dessos looked at Sanguine in surprise.

"And she would likely succeed, too" - Sanguine grinned. "A lot of passion in this one..."

This post has been edited by Lena Wolf: Mar 26 2024, 06:18 PM

[Acadian]

Ahah, nice followup. Saved (sort of) by Sanguine. Handy to know, Sanguine is. You mortals are too fragile for this!

[Lena Wolf]

Ahah, nice followup. Saved (sort of) by Sanguine. Handy to know, Sanguine is. You mortals are too fragile for this!

Sanguine is still a Prince, he's got powers, even if he's drunk most of the time. He's very fond of Lena, may be one day she'll tell the story... Or may be he will, if he stays off felldew long enough.