Outlanders (Morrowind Crossover) Options

[WellTemperedClavier]

Chapter 2

Daria was not one to be captivated by nature's wonders, but even if she had been, the rocky hills around Balmora wouldn't have offered much inspiration. Probably never a verdant place, it had only grown bleaker with the city's rise. Egg mines riddled the slopes like a disfiguring pox, and kwama effluvia stained the soil around each shaft.

She scanned the boulders and stunted trees for any sign of a place that might let her practice in peace. A few scanty groves that looked like they might blow away in a strong wind offered the only real possibilities. Hiking up to one, she surveyed her surroundings. A line of guar-pulled wagons inched their way to Balmora on the road below, while small riverboats drifted down the muddy vein of the Odai to the west. She doubted anyone would be looking at her, but magic did have a way of getting attention.

Not satisfied, she spotted another copse in the shadow of a taller hill. It'd be cooler, if nothing else. As she walked, the sun beating down on her bug-shell hat (she'd bought a new one), she considered the dangers of getting too far from the road. The wilderness around Balmora was supposedly safe enough, but Morrowind was never truly safe.

The next spot was at least a bit scenic; the wiry trees close enough together to give the illusion of verdancy. Waxy-blue stoneflowers grew on the ground; their smell faint but sweet. She was out of sight of the road and far enough from the Odai that she doubted even the most eagle-eyed boat captain would see her.

"Things seem to be going well," she said. "Which means that a wild kagouti will charge out of the brush and trample me right… about… now!"

She only heard the wind rustling through the leaves.

"Don't think I don't know you're there," she said. She took her waterskin from her belt and quaffed a long and lukewarm draught. With that done, she sat down on the ground and began to practice.

Concentration was tough at first. Every time she focused on Aetherius, something pulled her attention away: the wind blowing her hair, the thump of a wild scrib searching for food among the rocks, or the subtle taste of ash in the air. The more she ignored the sensations, the more pronounced they became. But she soon realized the key was to attune herself to them. Magic was life, after all. So she let the wind and the scents and the ash become part of her arcane schema.

Daria continued her practice of alteration. This time she tried out the shield spell since it could never hurt to have another layer between her and those who wished her harm. She brought the energies around her and they fizzled out. Well, the first time was almost never the charm. Taking a deep breath, she prepared again. Once more, it died on her fingertips.

Three more tries without success left her connection to Aetherius weak. She rested a while to restore it, drinking more water and watching the descending sun, its light hammered into the burnished gold of late afternoon. Once rested, she resumed her work. Again, the first one failed. Breathing in, she pulled the energies around herself, imagining arrows breaking against her shield. A surge ran through her arms, and a sound like a whistle filled her ears.

A moment later, and a sphere of soft violet light encased her. Daria smiled. She'd done it. And, as Vandries had said, each successful casting further attuned one's connection. Of course, failing five times still meant she wasn't ready to protect herself.

"Excuse me! Are you the wise woman of Balmora?"

Daria yelped, and jumped to her feet, her glasses almost sliding off her nose in the process. She grabbed them in time to keep them from falling. A blurry figure stood across the grove to her left, and she readjusted her spectacles for a better look. What came into focus was a young red-haired Dunmer, slight of build and dressed in a patchwork of carapace fragments and netch leather. Daedric script tattoos ran along his bare arms, and vertical lines of raised flesh had been cut onto his cheeks. The chitin spear strapped to his back made him look like a bandit, and Daria was glad her shield spell had worked. But his eyes, wide and curious, didn't seem to hold any malign intent.

"Uh, how long have you been there?" she asked.

His face turned solemn. "Forgive me, wise woman. I did not mean to intrude. I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with the rituals of Balmora's peoples. It's a gap in my education."

His voice was almost squeaky, by Dunmer standards anyway.

"It's okay. I guess. While I am a woman and certainly have more wisdom than some of my peers, I'm not sure I qualify as a 'wise woman'."

He nodded and stroked his chin. "You do seem rather young. I figured you might be an apprentice, but I did not want to disrespect your magic by saying so."

"Wise woman apprentice is probably an upgrade from unremarkable middle-class daughter. What's your name?"

"Tedannupal."

Then it all came together for her: his tattoos, the 'wise woman' references… this kid was an Ashlander, one of the Dunmer who still held to the old nomadic ways and were shunned by the temple and great houses. And, if the stories were true, potential robbers and killers.

The shield suddenly vanished, leaving nothing between him and Daria but a dozen feet of air.

"I'm Daria Morgendorffer." She'd never heard of Ashlanders living around Balmora. The egg mines and hardscrabble farms didn't leave much room for pastoralism. "Are you an Ashlander?" she asked, eyeing the road in the distance. Maybe she could try that quicksilver spell for a boost if she actually managed to cast it.

"My father was! He was of the Odaishannabab, whose lands once stretched from the Odai Plateau to the western shores of Lake Masobi. He's a farmer now, and I suppose I'll be one, too."

Daria relaxed a bit. The guy wasn't exactly an Ashlander, only someone descended from those who had settled down.

"Forgive me if I'm being intrusive, but what are those strange discs over your eyes?" he asked. "I've never seen anything like them before."

"These? These are glasses. My eyesight isn't that good, but I can see okay as long as I wear them."

Tedannupal walked up to her, his head askance and eyes curious. "How curious! May I take a closer look? Are these magic?"

Daria stepped back, not quite comfortable with how close he was. "No, it's the implementation of glasswork based on our understanding of the human eye. There are spells you can use to get the same effect, but I don't like the idea of having to constantly cast them on myself. Though I guess that would make for good practice."

"May I try them on?"

Daria hesitated. "Sorry, but I'm not in the habit of lending these to people. Bifocals aren't easy to get around here, and I already lost one pair."

Tedannupal nodded. "I understand. I certainly would not lend my eyes to someone else. Though mine aren't very good either." He gave a quick, shrilly laugh, and then sighed. "My father says that someone with my eyesight could only ever be a spear hunter. Is your father a skilled hunter?"

"He's great at hunting for things to be angry about. But if you're relying on him to hunt for game, you might as well turn vegetarian."

He stared at her, uncomprehending. "He hunts for things to be angry about?"

"It's a joke," she said. And maybe, she thought, a bit harder on her dad than was warranted. "My dad's a good guy, but he gets easily irritated when he thinks he's getting a bad deal from the local shopkeepers. Which is often."

"Oh! He doesn't want bad deals… so he hunts for good deals?"

"That's actually a pretty accurate assessment," Daria said. "My mom hunts for clients, and she wants me to hunt for networking opportunities."

"Curious! So, for your people, 'hunting' can also refer to seeking things other than wild game?"

"Correct."

"I'm learning a lot today! Though since you're a wise woman apprentice, you'd be hunting wisdom?"

"Uh, just so we're clear, I'm not any kind of apprentice. Not formally, anyway," Daria said. Somehow, the idea of lying to Tedannupal bothered her. The guy seemed completely open. It wasn't as if he'd report her to the Mages Guild. "I'm practicing magic."

"Interesting. But isn't it dangerous to practice such things without guidance?"

"I did get some formal training years ago, so I'm not clueless. It's more that I'm not on the best terms with the official practitioners of magic down in the city, so I have to cast spells out here."

His eyes somehow got bigger. "Wow! Not only am I meeting an Imperial, but one who rebels against her own system! The Empire sounds very decadent. Millions of people yoked to a single tribe, not knowing each other's ways or customs, and all seeking to exploit one another. I'm amazed you're able to hold together at all."

"Never underestimate the power of bureaucratic inertia."

Tedannupal nodded and stroked his chin. "You know, in an Ashlander tribe, you'd have the guidance of the wise woman when it came to practicing magic."

"Sounds nice," Daria said. "But what if I don't get along with the wise woman?"

"She'd be family. Whatever the problem was, you'd work it out."

"You clearly haven't met my family."

He laughed again. "This sounds so exciting! I don't truly know how true Ashlanders handle such things, but my father tells me of the old ways. The only life I've ever known is the farm."

Daria searched the horizon for any signs of habitation. "You're pretty far from the farm."

"I'm on my way to Balmora. My uncle lives on the outskirts, so I'm going to check on him tonight. Tomorrow, I'll go to the market to buy some tools that my father needs. He is worried about me going there on my own because outsiders lie the way Ashlanders breathe."

"Balmora can be pretty treacherous."

"Perhaps, but you live there, and you've been quite friendly. I only stopped by this grove to get some comberries. I wasn't expecting to meet anyone."

"There are comberries here? I thought they only grew in the Ascadian Isles," Daria said.

"A few of them grow here as well. You just need to know where to look."

Tedannupal knelt and reached into a patch of ferns with both hands. Soon, he withdrew two fistfuls of pink comberries.

"Take some!"

"Uh, sure."

She extended her right hand, and Tedannupal poured a bunch of the berries into it. Daria popped a few into her mouth, savoring the sweet and sour flavor of the fruits.

"These are great," she said and spat out the seeds.

"It's puzzling to me that the House Dunmer let them ferment. It ruins the flavor."

"Might ruin the flavor, but it brings other benefits," Daria said. Saying that made her feel strangely corrupt.

They snacked in silence for a while as the sun continued its journey west. Daria finished her share and looked at the reddening sky.

"I should probably head back. I'm happy to guide you to the gate, though I doubt you need the help."

"Certainly! You can tell me all about the Empire."

Tedannupal raised his juice-stained fingers to his lips and whistled. Leaves stirred in the undergrowth, their rustling joined by a faint clicking sound. A beetle emerged from the foliage. It looked like one of the rubbish beetles that clustered in Labor Town's back alleys, but this one was almost the size of a wheeled cart. Unlike the bruised and mottled colors of the city beetles, its shell shone an iridescent green. A few packs had been strapped to the top of its abdomen.

"This is Zadurannabit! She's served my family for years."

Thus, with Tedannupal and Zadurannabit in tow, Daria began the hike back to Balmora.

Musical Closer - Summersong, by The Decemberists

This post has been edited by WellTemperedClavier: Dec 1 2024, 05:22 AM

[SubRosa]

You don't really need to explain the fashion emergency. As someone who has watched the show, the Fashion Club going into emergency sessions is a pretty common event. It is just fun to speculate (sarcastically of course) over the possible reasons why.

Effluvium staining the slopes around the shaft? Are we getting into pR0n now?

I do love Daria's bug shell hat.

This is bringing back that Whee-ee-oop sound of my spells failing time after time while playing Morrowind. Frustration can be very... frustrating at times.

The wise woman of Balmora? Why yes, yes Daria is indeed.

Am I guessing correctly that this new fella might be an Ashlander, with his tats and ritual scarification? That seems a little unusual even for Dunmer.

It's Ted! I remember him. I actually liked him. Unlike modern home-schooled kids, he wasn't a christo-fascist.

Daria's dad absolutely hunts for things to be angry about...

I really like how you took Ted from the show and wove the Ashlander culture around him like a cloak. It gives him a very natural sense of naiveté and wonder that stems from his being an outsider. Even more so than Daria herself.

And we have a pack beetle. Because this is Morrowind!

[Renee]

Wait, so there was no actual fashion emergency written up in your head, Clav? I was picturing something like one of those makeover shows. Somebody really doesn't know how to dress or something.

As she walked, the sun beating down on her bug-shell hat (she’d bought a new one)

Lol, that's right, because the original bug hat got ruined, right? I forget how. Think it was when the library collapsed.

I'm laughing, but I'm also a bit worried. Because it sounds like Miss Daria's all by herself out, eh?

Yaaah! +1 Alteration!

And wow. This guy thinks she's a Wise Woman. Must be nice not to be immediately branded as an Outlander. Ahhh, so he's an Ashlander. Since his voice is squeaky, I am hearing him soundling like Fargoth. "What are those strange discs over your eyes?"

Ah, so he's based on a nerdy-looking guy from the Daria series as well. ARRGH it burns me up I can't watch Daria without paying!

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

Oh yeah, so Quinn could just use the Mages Guild teleport. The club's still better with her present and available in Balmora though, I think.

Magic's not as hard as I'd heard before playing MW. As long as you're using spells which are part of Major skills, and Stamina (or is it Fatigue?) is at or near 100%, most spells won't fizzle. It can be like this even with a brand-new mage in Seyda Neen, which surprised me the first time I played a magic-user. There's an assumption that in the past, our character's already gone through all the training.

But that's why it totally makes sense that Daria's having a tougher time. Because she's not a seasoned mage. She's doing the part which our characters are assumed to have done when they were not proficient, yet.

[Acadian]

Really enjoyed your description of Daria’s still early attempts to harness her magic. And that she finally made a bit of progress.

Outlander meets Ashlander! They actually seem to have a few things in common. Like Daria points out, he seems pretty far from any farm so I wonder what brings him to the outskirts of Balmora?

[WellTemperedClavier]

Chapter 3

Tedannupal peppered Daria with questions all through the walk back, which she answered as best as she could. She told him a bit about her life: her origins in Cyrodiil, her studies at Drenlyn Academy, and her friendship with Jane. He took it all in with his wide-eyed enthusiasm.

He finally split off at one of the grimy villages south of the city, where he said his uncle lived. Saying goodbye, Daria headed into the city on her own. Her mind kept turning back to him for the rest of the night. Part of her wished she'd offered to help him navigate Balmora. The city wasn't kind to the unready, and for all his outdoorsmanship, Tedannupal wasn't close to ready. She couldn't shake the thought of some shyster tricking him into a bad deal. One that, given his family's situation, he probably couldn't afford.

Lying in bed and listening to Quinn snoozing on the other side of the room, she realized she was making too big a deal of it. All Tedannupal had done was make weird conversation and give her some snacks. That didn't make him a great guy. For all she knew, he was secretly a murderer. But somehow, she didn't think so. She just wanted him to be safe.

Daria awoke early from restless dreams the next morning and stumped down to the kitchen to get ready with a cold breakfast and a pot of strong trama root tea. She set off for Drenlyn as soon as she'd finished, feeling vaguely cheated. She'd no sooner gone through the gates when Jonus and Julien jogged up to her, their expressions hopeful. Jeval, apparently possessing a modicum of sense, no longer hung out with them.

"Hey, uh, Quinn's sister!" Jonus said.

"Hello, Quinn's suitor," she replied.

"So, uh, we were wondering something," Julien said, eyes darting from side to side.

"Yeah. Could you like, make us look better? So we can impress Quinn?"

Daria crossed her arms and glared. "Why are you coming to me for fashion advice?"

Julien shook his head. "No, not fashion advice. What we want is, well, you know…" He waggled his fingers.

"Magic," Jonus said.

"Excuse me?"

"Everyone's saying you're a mage or something! Like you were levitating over your house the other day."

This was bad.

"Let me put it to you this way, Jonus or Julien," she said. "If I could levitate and go anywhere I pleased, why the hell would I stay here?"

Daria stalked off to Benniet's class as fast as she could, ignoring their cries of protest. Somehow, she doubted that this was all some wacky rumor started by a misunderstanding. Someone had seen her float that stupid inkwell, and with Drenlyn's student body being what it was, everyone wanted a favor.

No wonder the mages had formed a guild.

She turned the corner of Benniet's classroom, only to find herself staring into Satheri's sad and winsome eyes.

"Yes?"

"Uh, hi! Do you have a moment, Sera Morgendorffer?"

"This better not be about me casting a spell on you. Because I'm not a mage."

"But I heard that you could shoot lightning out of your hands!"

This was getting to be a bit much. "Then you heard wrong. Did Quinn tell you this?"

But Daria doubted that. Quinn was many things, but stupid was not one of them.

Satheri shook her head. "No, sera. I actually haven't talked to Muthsera Morgendorffer yet. I heard this from Sera Masanri. And she heard it from Agrippina."

"Who heard it from her best friend's cousin's uncle's boss," Daria finished.

Satheri gulped. "Forgive me, Sera Morgendorffer. I wanted to know if there was a spell that could make me braver?"

"I'd tell you that bravery was inside you all along," Daria said, "but that'd be a lie."

"That's why I need the magic!" Satheri cried.

Daria jerked open the door and fled inside, slamming it behind her. Befitting her lack of bravery, Satheri didn't follow her.

"Oh, Daria!" said Sera Benniet, busy opening the shutters to let in the dusty morning sunlight. "You're here early."

"I just couldn't wait for the lecture on the importance of finding a good patron for your business and/or nonprofit. That question is the sort of thing that keeps me up at night."

Benniet giggled. "It is pretty exciting."

Then she looked around the room, her eyes suspicious, and hurried over to Daria. "I've been hearing that you were summoning daedra in your basement. Is this true?"

Daria rolled her eyes. "No! I don't have a basement, and I certainly don't know how to summon daedra."

"Conjuration is supposedly one of the most dangerous schools of magic," Benniet warned.

"Exactly. And I don't practice conjuration." Which wasn't a lie.

"Good! I disapprove of unlicensed conjuration." Then Benniet leaned in closer. "But if someone did know how to conjure things, hypothetically, would they know how to conjure gold from Oblivion? I ask because Lli isn't paying me enough."

Daria sighed. This was going to be a long day.

*********

Daria spent most of the class session dispelling rumors and was in a considerably worse mood by the time Benniet let them out for lunch. It would have been nice to vent to Jane, but she no longer had any sessions on Middas.

Jolda waited for her instead, a worried look on her face.

"Daria, these rumors about you practicing magic aren't true, are they?" she asked.

Daria couldn't remember if Jolda's internship at the Mages Guild had ended or not. "No, and I'd appreciate it if people stopped asking. How the hell did these rumors start, anyway?"

"Agrippina," Jolda said. "She said she saw you on the balcony of your house with something floating over your head."

And from there, the story had gotten wilder.

Jolda continued. "This isn't a rumor you want going around. The Mages Guild takes this kind of thing really seriously."

"Right, a fine, and some lectures," Daria said.

Jolda shook her head. "There's more. The guild in Morrowind started clamping down extra hard on unlicensed magic because they're worried about Great House Telvanni agents. Now, it's a four-thousand septim fine, six mandatory magic usage lectures, wearing a magic detection and nullification anklet for five years, and being marked for future observation."

Daria's stomach sank. "I see," she said. "When did they start doing this?"

"Since the new steward took over last month. Look, the people in the guild are reasonable. I'm sure if you pay a visit to their office and let them ask you a few questions, you can clear it all up. But you should do it now before the rumors spread any further."

"Hey, it's that chick with the glasses! Can you cast a spell to make me stronger?" a nearby student asked.

In seconds, more requests started to pour in.

"I think we're at peak rumor," Daria said, backing away from the crowd.

Then Tedannupal, of all people, strode through the gate. He stood on his own, a bewildered expression on his face.

"Daria?" he called out. "Are you here? Is this Drenlyn Academy?"

Her heart soared with relief. She didn't know why, but seeing Tedannupal—honest, strong, and so utterly himself—felt like an escape from Drenlyn's den of intrigue. She jogged over to him. The other students held back, perhaps not sure what to make of the strangely dressed Dunmer in the courtyard, the spear strapped to his back in plain view.

"Yeah, it's me," she said, grabbing him by the arm and marching to the gate. The feel of his leanly muscled limb made her feel safe. More importantly, it gave her a chance to get out of Drenlyn and figure out her next step.

"I don't know why you're at Drenlyn," she said, "but your timing was perfect."

They passed under the gate and into the street outside, the crush of shoppers and porters giving Daria some protection from her idiotic peers.

"Daria, I think there's been a terrible mistake. The guards at the city gate thought Zadurannabit was a pest!"

"Your beetle?"

He nodded. "I explained to them that we rely on Zadurannabit as a beast of burden, but they took her! My father entrusted me with Zadurannabit, Daria. We're poor farmers and own very little in the way of livestock. I have to get her back!"

"Okay," Daria said, tabulating this new information. The day kept getting weirder, but at least she could help Tedannupal. "I'll do what I can. But promise me one thing."

"Of course!"

"Don't ask me to cast any spells."

Musical Closer - Turn Back Time, by Aqua

This post has been edited by WellTemperedClavier: Dec 1 2024, 05:24 AM

[Renee]

That's really fascinating, the way Tedannupal's fascinated with Daria. It's like when we were kids, I always wanted to have a wild friend who lived in the woods. Didn't know what TV and breakfast cereal and bicycles are, and so on. And then it'd be fun educating this girl or boy.

Shoot, I'll have to finish reading later... that's what I get for reading at work! Alright I'm back. It's weird, but now that I think about it I don't entirely trust this Tedannupal guy 100%. What if he's spying on her for the Tong or something such? Ha. Looks like Daria concurs.

Wow, these guys already think she's a mage. I'm really enjoying this aspect of the story, btw. Like I said last week, when we roll with mages (especially those who already have Major magic skills) there's the assumption that in their past, they've already done a lot of magical training. 🪄 Which means there's some sort of a story there. And what is this story? Did they study magic under the tutelage of some sort of uncle or aunt who is already fully-blossomed as a magic-user? Did they defy their family's wishes, going against them to study magic? ... and so on.

So it's neat to see a mage's early story being told, and in detail.

Four thousand drake fine for practicing magic unsanctioned? Maybe this explains why not everybody out in the world of Vvardenfell is a magician of some sort.

Well, maybe I was wrong about Ted being some sort of spy...or worse. Looks like they got his beetle. 🪲 Or is this a trap?

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

Right, Daria's got some experience with magic, so she's on the board, so to speak. I'd imagine her Speechcraft has a few points as well (mostly from Taunt and Intimidate!)

Quinn also's got some skill. Fashion is not part of the Elder Scrolls series, but if it were, it'd be a high Minor Skill for her, developing into a Major as she gains Reputation points. Maybe Quinn's got some points in Illusion and/or Sneak too, without knowing it, as she could have the ability to make up costumes and disguises.

Hm, every now and then an episode would pop up on YouTube. But I have a feeling they're watching it more closely these days since it's available on streaming.

Grr, I hate that. I wouldn't mind paying if it was like ten bucks. No way I'm paying $70 though (or whatever figure was that I found).

This post has been edited by Renee: Feb 9 2023, 04:16 PM

[Acadian]

’ “Hey, uh, Quinn’s sister!” Jonus said.
“Hello, Julien’s friend,” she replied.
“So, uh, we were wondering something,” Julien said, eyes darting from side to side.’
- - This little exchange was brilliant. It reminds us how Quinn-focused the J-boyz are and also that they are too dumb to recognize the insult in their words and certainly too clueless to appreciate Daria’s clever and quick retort.

Ahah, so someone did see Daria’s errant inkwell floating around. And the stories grow taller with each telling. By the time she gets out of the house, she’s inherited countless new 'friends' who all want a favor.

Hmm, I wonder how she’ll handle this. What occurs to me is for Daria to approach the one and only eyewitness to her recalcitrant spell, explain her situation and plead for Agrippina to ‘forget’ what she saw. Either that or cast a ‘forget’ spell on her (sorry, couldn’t resist).

Uh oh, Ted lost his bug of burden.

[SubRosa]

I always see "trama root" and read it "trauma root". Which makes it more interesting.

Whoa, Jeval actually showed some character development, and stopped mooning over Quinn? Good for him!

Oh boy, the grapevine is abuzz with Daria's supposed arcane might. She had better get on top of this quick, before Ranis Athrys sends someone to kill her.


“I’d tell you that bravery was inside you all along,” Daria said, “but that’d be a lie.”

“That’s why I need the magic!" Satheri cried.

Now that is logic I can circle around...


Time for Daria to learn to conjure up a new rumor to keep people distracted from her own (lack) of magical expertise.

Looks like Daria is out of the frying pan, and into the... giant bug fire? Hopefully she can get Ted his pack bug back, and find some way to avoid the terrible retribution that the Mages Guild is likely mete out to dangerous rogue mages like herself.

[WellTemperedClavier]

Chapter 4

Daria realized that she didn't quite know what she was doing. But that was par for the course in Morrowind.

After talking with Tedannupal a bit, she imagined the following scenario: the guards had picked Tedannupal out as an Ashlander by virtue of his tattoos, which didn't resemble the Dunmer standards. Like guards sometimes did with outsiders, they'd taken advantage of him and claimed his livestock was a pest. She'd never heard about guards prohibiting animals, though Zadurannabit being an oversized rubbish beetle probably hadn't helped matters.

They first went to the strider port gate to see if Zadurannabit was still there. But no luck.

"Zadurannabit's shell is marked with my family's symbol," Tedannupal said. "It's a Daedric monogram."

"People here don't usually brand rubbish beetles, so that should help," Daria said, going on tiptoes to peer over a line of crates by the stairways. Still no sign.

"I'm afraid Zadurannabit won't leave any prints on the stone streets. How will we track her?"

"You don't follow footprints in Balmora. Instead, you follow the business."

Tedannupal tilted his head to the side and the sun gleamed on his curled red hair, the strands fine and coppery like a Nord boy's. "How do you mean?"

Distracted by the sun's reflection on his hair, it took Daria a moment to respond. "Uh, well, you need to think like one of us corrupt and venal city dwellers. An animal requires a lot of food, so unless our guards were desperate for a pet, they'd try to sell Zadurannabit off as soon as possible."

"I'm sure the farmers on the outskirts would want such a beast."

Daria shook her head. "No. They probably wouldn't want to take her all the way to an outlying village. In Balmora, there's only two uses for a big bug like that: shells and meat."

Tedannupal gasped. "You mean they'll eat her?"

"It's a distinct possibility," Daria said.

"I'm sorry, Daria, but I cannot countenance the wastefulness of your people!"

"Hey, they aren't my people," Daria said. "I'm an Imperial."

"With respect, I'm not sure I see much of a difference between Imperials and House Dunmer."

Daria pondered that. "Fair enough."

Tedannupal wrung his hands. "Zadurannabit still has at least three more years of work in her and another egg clutch before it's time to eat her."

The pragmatic reality of farm life ended Daria's brief surge of indignation. "Right. In that case, maybe we can do something to make sure you and your family eat Zadurannabit before someone else does."

"Well, we did raise her."

"My guess would be that the guards sold her to the butchers in Shellbreakers Court, across the river."

"Is there an ashkhan or wise woman we can go to? Surely they would not tolerate this kind of behavior."

"You'd be amazed at what they tolerate. Come on, let's go. I don't know how much time Zadurannabit has left."

They hurried across the Foreigner's Span to the crowded warren of Labor Town. She'd been past Shellbreakers Court a few times and remembered it as a bloody square on raised land wedged up against the eastern wall. If the bug still lived, she was probably there.

For all the chaos, Daria had to admit she was glad to have something else occupying her mind. Finding a stolen rubbish beetle gave her a clear problem to solve. Defusing an already out-of-control rumor would be much harder. Any denial would be taken as confirmation. Sooner or later, the Mages Guild would stick their noses in to investigate. She knew they had all kinds of devices to detect magic usage.

Maybe Kavon could help. But she didn't know where to find him. Nor was there any guarantee that he'd go against the word of another guard. Better for her to focus on the problem at hand, she decided, and concentrated on finding Zadurannabit.

Soon, she and Tedannupal squeezed through the packed crowds of the Labor Town streets, the musky reek of sweat and grime like a noxious fog in the summer heat. But it didn't bother Tedannupal. His expression was awestruck. "There are so many people here! Are they all from Balmora?"

"Most of us are from somewhere else," she said.

"Wait! Is that an Altmer? From old Summerset?" he asked, pointing at a willowy high elf making his way through the throng with a look of distinct displeasure.

"He's an Altmer, alright, but he could be from anywhere. The Empire covers an entire continent, and people move around a lot."

"Oh, I wish I could see all of it. There must be so much to learn."

"There is. But we have to focus on your beetle."

"Of course. Heh, you're certainly wise enough to be a wise woman."

Daria tried not to smile, but she couldn't help it, her lips turning up as her face got hot.

"This is called wool?" he asked, staring in rapt awe at the stand of a Breton wool dealer who loudly advertised his wares.

"Yup. It's harvested from sheep. I'm wearing wool right now."

"What's a sheep?"

"A type of four-legged mammal, common in human lands."

"The wool is their shell?"

"Kind of. It's more like dense and fluffy white hair, actually."

He laughed. "That's incredible! You turn hair into clothes! Oh, I have to tell that to my father. Even he would find that fascinating."

She grabbed his forearm. "I'm sure, but let's find Zadurannabit so you can still go back to your dad."

She had to admit: It was kind of cool to see his reaction to things. His eyes turned the goods and commodities that Daria took for granted into things of wonder, hints of a vast and mysterious world that he hungered to learn more about.

She'd always loved to learn. As a child, she read each book her family possessed at least a dozen times, her mind lighting up with new facts and ways of knowing that she wanted to share again and again, to see her awe reflected in the faces of others. Except she never saw that. Instead, she gotten the bored expressions of people who wanted nothing to do with her. So, she learned to keep her thoughts to herself.

Maybe now she wouldn't have to.

The noontime sun blazed fierce above their heads when Daria first scented the rank stink of spilled blood. A line of workmen with gore-stained aprons revealed the way to Shellbreakers Court. The massive and oblong shell of a gutted and de-limbed silt strider lay in the center of the square, streams of ichor and other fluids flowing from the alcoves where the butchers had set up shop. Most of the meat was kwama, and broken shells of the same littered the slippery flagstones.

Tedannupal studied the nearest butcher and shook his head. "This is not how you properly cut meat."

"Keep an eye out for Zadurannabit," Daria said, looking around the gory scene.

"I'll take her back once I find her."

"Wait," Daria cautioned. "Do that, and they'll mark you as a thief. We'll have to negotiate. You're too pure to be a good negotiator, so let me do the talking."

Nearby, some rubbish beetles fed on the body of one of their own. None came close to Zadurannabit's size. Finally, she decided to ask one of the butchers, a scarred Redguard resting from his labors in the shade of the shell.

"Excuse me, but did you see an exceptionally big green rubbish beetle here? It belonged to my friend, and we think someone may have mistakenly taken it to the court to be chopped up."

"I did, actually. That was a big one." Then he shook his head. "A couple of guys were trying to sell it, but we already all got our own suppliers. Seemed kind of fishy, you know?"

"Doesn't get much fishier. Was this man a guard?"

"One of them had some bonemold armor like they wear, but I don't think so. Guards always go around with the full suit; he only had a chestplate. The other guy didn't have any armor, but he did have an ax."

"Interesting," Daria said, a clearer picture forming in her mind. Maybe the guards had actually been scammers lurking beyond the gates. Tedannupal wouldn't have known the difference. "Do you know where they took it?"

The butcher pointed down a nearby alley. "Down that way."

Daria frowned. The dark, winding little street did not look promising. "Uh, thanks."

"He might've sold it to some of the bottom-feeders out there, though I don't know if they'd have the money for that."

Daria turned to Tedannupal, who was transfixed by his surroundings. "Balmora consumes all of this meat?" he asked. "Surely not even the Dwemer had this kind of luxury."

"Actually, the Dwemer probably had a lot more of it," Daria said. "I explored one of their ruins once."

Tedannupal gasped. "You're incredible! Did they truly have herds of metal beetles? Did they capture sunlight in glass?"

"Yes, and yes. But as much as I'd like to tell you about them, we have more important things to worry about. The butcher said the guys took Zadurannabit that way," she said, pointing to the alley. "They might not have been guards, either."

"But they said they were!"

"By the way, I'm a dragon," Daria said.

"Excuse me?"

"My point is, people can say anything. You have to be careful taking someone at their word, especially here."

Tedannupal blinked and re-focused. "This den of lies both fascinates and repels me, Daria. But if the robbers are there and we catch up with them, I can kill them and take her back."

Daria tried to hide her shock. "Sure, if you want to get arrested. You can't just kill people."

But Tedannupal was already running toward the alley.

"Wait, you idiot!" She cried out, running after him.

Musical Closer - It's Alright Baby, by Komeda

This post has been edited by WellTemperedClavier: Dec 1 2024, 05:25 AM

[SubRosa]

The last time I played Morroblivion I double-crossed Ranis, and framed her as a Telvanni spy. It was quite satisfying.

Daria knows where she lives. Follow the money.

And a nice, if brutal, introduction into the reality of farm life and food ways. When my grandmother was a child back in Poland, and their family wanted to have chicken for dinner, her mom would pick up a hatchet, go out back, and cut off a chicken's head. She used to talk about they would run around with no head afterward. Good times.

We all end up in something else's belly in the end, even if it is just bacteria and worms.

At least Daria can enjoy the feeling of seeing the world anew again, through the eyes of someone who has never experienced it before. Plus she can distract herself from worrying about what Ranis is likely to do to her.

I am starting to think that the guards who shook down Ted were not guards at all.

If this Ted is anything like the one in the TV show, he can kill them and take the bug back. Ted was plenty good with a sword.

[Acadian]

Distracted by the sun reflecting through Ted’s curls, Daria? And later blushing when Ted calls her a wise woman? Be thee a tad smitten perhaps?

Yikes! Daria’s logic makes sense that poor ZadBeetle could end up as her third bug shell hat or someone’s dinner. Whew, somewhat of a respite as they learn the legit butchers gave Zad a pass.

It seems perhaps that Ted was waylaid and beetle-robbed by scammers instead of guards. That sounds more consistent with the facts.

Ted needs to learn that in Balmora, he really needs to listen to and follow the lead of Daria the wise woman.

[Renee]

Daria definitely has some speechcraft. Not for popularity... but enough to get people to leave her alone when she wants them to

Mm hmm like I said she's all about some lesser version of the Taunt and Intimidate buttons, plus a few others not found in the game. Trying to think of a word or two. She's not crass; she never directly insults someone. It's like she says things which sometimes go over other peoples' heads If they haven't got the Intelligence to catch on that she's making fun of them. In fact, you said it yourself...

A big part of the show's humor is people just not getting that Daria's mocking them.

If the kid's 'rubbish beetle' is based on something from the actual show, now I gotta see the show. Maybe for the Daria show, the beetle's being based on a mongrel dog or something.

I still remember the episode of Beavis & Butthead when they got a dog, but they got it from the pound, and it was MEAN! 🐕‍🦺

Ted speaks different from the others so far in this story. It's like he's more familiar with another language or dialect, so he's partially translating in his head before he says things.

Finding a stolen rubbish beetle gave her a clear problem to solve. Defusing an already out-of-control rumor would be much harder.

Love that part. So true. Actually there are too many quotes I'm loving in this episode. I'm trying not to pull them all, for the sake of thread space. Another one is this...

"That's incredible. You turn hair into clothes!" Right, because they haven't got many mammals in that part of Vvardenfell. Only animal I can thnk of is rats. I'd imagine they turn cliff racer feathers into clothes, though. Or at least, decorations for clothes. And the one about Dar trying to share the things she'd read in books as a kid, only to get bored expressions in response. 📕

NO Ted! Don't do that!

[WellTemperedClavier]

Chapter 5

Quinn loved the Fashion Club; she truly did. But sometimes they disappointed her. Like today, when she'd only just found out that there were these crazy rumors about her sister being a wizard. Keeping up with gossip was an essential part of being fashionable!

"We thought you like… already… knew," Tiphannia said. "She's like… your… sister…"

"I'm so sorry I didn't say anything, Muthsera Morgendorffer," Satheri stammered.

"In our defense," Treads-on-Ferns added, "you weren't on campus when Agrippina started the rumor."

Quinn raised her hands. "Okay, that's fine! But from now on, whenever a rumor starts about a family member or boyfriend of a Fashion Club member, we have to inform that member like, right away."

"Agreed," the rest of them said.

"We have to do something about this because if everyone's asking Daria for favors, that means they won't be paying attention to us," Quinn exclaimed.

"Can your sister really cast spells?" Satheri asked.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "Barely. She had this tutor in Charach, but she never got good at it."

"But if she got good, maybe she could make us prettier. I mean, not that you need to be prettier, muthsera, but you know, for me."

"Satheri, you're already gorgeous! Also, I call your attention to Fashion Club Bylaw #11: while there is nothing intrinsically wrong with the use of alteration and illusion magic for cosmetic purposes, doing so is discouraged since the use of magic surrenders fashion autonomy to the Mages Guild. And those guys are big-time geeks!"

"You are your mother's daughter," Treads-on-Ferns said.

"But way more fashionable!" Satheri added.

"So, what do we do… to like… stop these… rumors?" Tiphannia asked.

Quinin thought about it, and then smiled. "I have an idea!"

*********

The odor of rotting trash mixed with the smell of blood as Daria ran into the alley after Tedannupal. Its narrow space was drowned in the shadows cast by crumbling two-story adobe tenements on either side, and the air thrummed with the clicking and chittering of insect swarms.

Daria caught up to him. "Have you lost your mind?" she demanded. "Initiating violence is sure to get you arrested. If you seriously hurt the wrong person, which is a distinct possibility with that spear, they'll throw you in a labor camp."

Tedannupal raised a hand in a gesture to be quiet. A moment later, Daria heard voices past the bend in the alley. Together, they crept forward, bodies tensed for any sign of danger. Daria couldn't quite believe she was doing this, but she'd already gone this far. All they'd do, she reminded herself, was talk. She'd keep Tedannupal out of trouble.

She spotted Zadurannabit first, her metallic green shell a shock of color in the dusty alley. A leash had been tied around her thorax, held by a Dunmer in a grimy bonemold cuirass who talked to a trio of human beggars. Another, bigger Dunmer stood by the armored one. The second Dunmer didn't wear armor but had an ax tied to his belt.

"Look, I'm trying to get rid of this thing!" the scammer said.

"Yeah, well, if you want to get rid of it, just dump it!" one of the humans said.

"You don't give anything away for free around here, outlander. A lot of meat on this bug. Mm-mm." He rubbed his belly for emphasis.

"That beetle belongs to my family!" Tedannupal shouted, his voice squeaky but undimmed by fear.

"Huh?" The scammer turned to look at the pair.

The lead vagrant, an old Nord, gave a disgusted look to the scammer. "You stole this off some kid?"

"He's an Ashlander!" the scammer explained. "They don't have property anyway."

"Legally," Daria said, "it does belong to his family. There should be a mark on the shell."

"There sure is," one of the humans said.

"Oh, like that'll hold up," the scammer sneered.

"It will," Daria said. "Tedannupal, does your family have any other livestock with that mark?"

"Daria!" he exclaimed. "My father would never forgive me for negotiating with cattle thieves. When it comes to theft, they either give it back or they—"

Daria clamped her hand over Tedannupal's mouth and gave him a warning look. "Us city dwellers are a decadent bunch, so follow my lead."

Tedannupal narrowed his eyes and then nodded. Daria lowered her hand.

"Yes, we do brand all of our livestock," he said.

"That's some strong evidence right there," Daria said.

"Doesn't matter, outlander," the scammer said. "It's your word against ours. And we're guards."

The other Dunmer with him wasn't even armored.

She decided to make her play. "Hmm, well, if you're guards, you ought to know that I'm a good friend of Guard Captain Kavon Thanlen."

The two Dunmer looked at each other and broke into laughter. "Oh yeah? Well, we're his best buds from guard school."

"If that were true," Daria continued, "you'd know that Kavon isn't a captain and doesn't have a chance in hell of ever getting that rank."

"Dammit," the scammer cursed.

"Why don't you hand over the beetle, and we'll all move on—" Daria started.

The scammer with the ax unslung his weapon and charged. Tedannupal had darted in front of her, quick as mercury. He struck the axman's belly with the butt of his spear, and the axman fell to his knees.

"I know you said not to kill them, but I'm allowed to hurt them, right?" he asked.

"Uh, now that they started it, yeah," she said, her voice shaking.

Tether in hand, the armored scammer ran deeper into the alley. The vagrants had already disappeared into the trash and refuse.

"You will not steal my father's cattle!" Tedannupal shouted and ran after his beetle.

Daria hurried to him and jumped over the groaning axman. Tedannupal had already gotten to the armored scammer, who drew a chitin sword in a paltry last-minute defense. The young Ashlander struck the weapon out of his hands and seized Zadurannabit's tether. The scammer turned tail and ran.

"I got her!" Tedannupal said. Tying the tether around his wrist, he did something that puzzled Daria: he clambered on top of the beetle, his legs straddling the creature just behind its head.

"Uh, Tedannupal?" she asked, confused.

An enraged shout drew her attention to the axman, who'd recovered enough for a second attack.

"Here, get on!" Tedannupal shouted. "Hold on tight!"

He pulled her onto the beetle. "There's a guy attacking us!" she yelled, even as she grabbed Tedannupal's shoulders and pressed against him.

Tedannupal whispered something to Zadurannabit and pulled back on the tether.

Suddenly, the enormous shell parted and lifted from the rubbish beetle's back. Daria gasped as the two sets of membranous wings underneath revealed themselves, now free to fly. The entire beetle quivered as its loud drone filled the air and its six legs left the ground.

"This thing can fly?"

But Tedannupal said nothing, his eyes bright and his grin fierce as he gently pulled the leash to the left and the hovering beetle rotated to face the axman, who'd halted in his tracks with a dumbfounded look on his face.

"Charge, girl!" Tedannupal shouted.

The beetle shot right toward the astonished thug. He ducked, but not before Tedannupal, in a feat worthy of the most skilled Breton jouster, struck the axman square in the chest with the flat end of his spear from atop the flying insect.

And with that, they soared into the air.

Musical Closer - Wings of Time, from the Chrono Trigger OST

This post has been edited by WellTemperedClavier: Dec 1 2024, 05:27 AM

[Renee]

Quinn raised her hands. “Okay, that’s fine! But from now on, whenever a rumor starts about a family member or boyfriend of a Fashion Club member, we have to inform that member like, right away!

OMG!

that just killed me ! I cna't even type!!!

Wow. They think Daria can make them prettier through magic. I'd assume that'd be Alteration if it can be done (Illusion is temporary). In fact, a person's looks are one of the rare things which I'd imagine can't be changed through magic. Not without mods, anyway.

Next sentence, Quinn mentions both Alteration and Ilusion (yup yup), and even compliments Satheri.

Nice. Teddy can fight with that spear. 🤺 And even knows how to keep fatal wounds from happening. Whoa, is the beetle about to fly?? 🪲

Cool, what an ending. That put me in a really good mood, dude!

This post has been edited by Renee: Feb 17 2023, 01:45 PM

[Acadian]

Looks like some unexpected rumor control help from Quinn may be on the way. Looks like we’ll have to wait to hear more about that.

The encounter with the not-guard thugs was fabulous. No one was killed but Ted really showed his skill and the crowning glory was that his big bug of burden doubles as a flying jousting and/or getaway mount!

[SubRosa]

A rumor started without Quinn knowing? Aetherius forbid!

I love the Fashion Club's bylaws. Clearly, Quinn puts a lot of effort into looking her best.

As Acadian intimated, I suspect that Daria might be receiving some unexpected (and unintentional) assistance from her sister and the Fashionistas with putting the tales of Daria the Wizard to bed.

To be honest, I never liked the way Bethesda portrays the Mages Guild having this monopoly on the use of magic. Because they never really follow through on it. On one hand if you do the MG questlines in Morrowind and Oblivion, you are sent after "rogue" mages. To either get them to pay their dues, or force them to join the guild, or kill them. In Morrowind it felt a lot darker. In Oblivion the rogue mages were out killing people, so it did not feel like you were bullying and intimidating people who just want to be able to heal themselves after they get pinched by a mudcrab.

But on the other hand, the Mages Guild itself sells you spells and gives you training in the use of magical skills. Without you ever joining. They never hunt you down either, no matter how much magic you are doing in a very public way. Somehow you are never considered a rogue mage. So far as I know, NPCs like Edgar Vautrine and his Discount Spells or Calandil at the Mystic Emporium are not Guild Members either, and they are not being hunted down by the MG either. I am sure there are plenty of other magic users around in the games like them, who are also not guild members.

Bethesda can't seem to make up their mind on whether or not the Mages Guild really has this total monopoly on magic or not. Which makes it hard for me to take it seriously when we are in the Guild and these "rogue mage" quests come up. Oblivion I think handled it better, because there it felt more like the Guild is concerned that magic users doing outright evil makes all mages (and the Guild) look bad. So stepping in and stopping them is in their best interests. Also in a matter of pure speculation, the Guild's charter with the Empire might call on them to offer the Imperial authorities assistance in capturing or killing criminals who are magic users.

And switch to Ted on the warpath. But it looks like Daria the lawyer is stepping up to represent him in the court of public opinion (and Morrowind law). Maybe she can keep him out of prison for murder. Not that I think it won't come to Ted killing them. Just that she can get him off the hook with the real guards.

Awesome, they are riding the beetle! Yee-Haw! Hi-Yo Zadurannabit!

These bugs can fly! Next time lead with that Ted!

[WellTemperedClavier]

Chapter 6

Daria couldn't believe it.

Of all her moments in Morrowind—the good, the bad, the awkward—this one stood over all others. Her clutching Tedannupal's shoulders for dear life as Zadurannabit wheeled through the air like an emerald-green bolt, Balmora's sprawling grid spinning below and the wispy cirrus clouds turning above, the two of them, Ashlander and outlander, free of the world.

"This is amazing!" Daria shouted.

It was. For once, she had no snark or criticism, just unbridled joy.

"All beetles can fly," Tedannupal said, raising his voice to be heard over Zadurannabit's drone. "Sometimes they need a little urging first. It's something my father taught me."

Still turning his steed, Tedannupal guided Zadurannabit to the east. The last rooftops of Balmora sped by as they shot out over the wall and to the desolate countryside beyond.

Daria didn't want to stop. She wanted Tedannupal to fly on, past the Bitter Coast and over the Inner Sea, to scale the Velothi Mountains and zoom low through Skyrim's endless forests, and to keep going. There was so much he wanted to see, and she could explain it as they went. No school or networking, just them.

She wasn't sure her heart had ever beat so fast before in her life.

But Zadurannabit was already slowing down; the buzz in her wings no longer as vigorous. Slowly, they made a descent onto a hillside where a few scraggly trees clung to life in the dusty soil. An almost wrenching disappointment came over Daria when the beetle landed.

"Unfortunately, when they get to Zadurannabit's size, they can no longer fly particularly well. But as any Ashlander would know, they make an ideal vessel for quick escapes."

"Uh, right," Daria said.

"I don't mean to complain, but you are grabbing my shoulders awfully tightly," he said.

"Sorry."

She let go and slid off Zaudrannabit's side. The beetle stayed in place, her bulbous eyes unknowable.

"Is it okay if we rest for a bit? That was a lot to take in," Daria said.

"That should be fine. I actually bought the tools I needed before I found you. It was fortunate that Drenlyn was so close to the right market."

Daria nodded. She found a flat gray stone to sit on, its surface shaded by a tree. What had happened felt unreal—something from one of the cheesy storybooks that she usually mocked. But it didn't feel so ridiculous when it actually happened. Tedannupal took a seat next to her. Their position offered a good view of the city.

"So, what now?" Daria asked. They sat a mere inch apart.

Daria wanted Tedannupal to take her by the hand.

"I should probably return to my father. He won't be happy that I let those cattle thieves live. They could steal again, Daria."

"Tell him you killed them. I'll back you up."

"Daria!"

"Excuse me?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I can't lie to my father. You would never do such a thing, would you?"

"Uh…"

Oh gods, she'd screwed this one up.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I still don't understand your ways. It's one thing to lie to other tribes. But you can't lie to your own people."

"Right," she said. "Sorry, I let you down. I guess my city girl ways are too decadent."

He laughed, the sound giving her a bit of relief. "Perhaps you are, but I must admit the decadence is fascinating. Food and fabrics from all over the world in one place! And you still came out of all that."

She smiled. "Don't get too enthusiastic about a liar like me."

"I can see how in your context lying might be useful. When there are so many of your people, it might not be as important to be truthful to all of them." He laughed again. "But that's much too complicated for me."

"Me too, actually. To tell you the truth, I don't always understand my people. So I read books and try to pretend the people aren't there."

She'd never admitted it so plainly before.

"I think I can understand. My father hates most outsiders and wants me to stay on the farm forever. My mother was actually a House Dunmer. She died many years ago. But she left her books behind, and what's between those covers is my whole world. There are so many things I want to see. You wouldn't believe how hard I had to work to convince my father to let me go here."

"What did you say?" she asked.

"I told him that Balmora would test my purity and make me stronger. Much like how St. Veloth tested the Chimer when he led them away from Summerset. Little does he know that I actually like some of the decadence. And some of the people."

He looked right into her eyes, and her heart skipped a beat. Daria gulped and had no idea what to say.

"I am not accustomed to the way humans look," he said. "But I think you are very pretty."

Feeling like her cheeks were aflame she looked away, barely able to think coherently. "Uh, thanks. Even with these?" she said, pointing to her glasses.

"They make you look more distinct."

"Yeah. I guess they do."

She wanted to curl up and hide. Why was this so hard?

"But I should return to my father's home," he said. "He will be worried about me."

Daria nodded and raised her head, trying to regain her composure. "Right. I probably should, too. Uh, do you ever want to come back to the cesspool of iniquity called Balmora?"

He laughed. "Absolutely! But probably not for a while. My father will need all the help he can get. He's my kin, so I must help him." His voice grew softer. "There are so few of us Odaishannabab left. Most have forgotten the Ashlander ways. Which, I know from my mother's books, were not always as righteous as my father likes to think. But he doesn't have anything or anyone else."

"He, uh, must be a brave mer," Daria said.

"He is. I want to be as strong as him someday, though also more open-minded. Maybe I can make him more open-minded by telling him about you. You did help me, which makes you a clanfriend of the Odaishannabab. If you ever need shelter, my father's house will be open."

For a moment, Daria wished she were more like Jane: able to absolutely believe in something beautiful and commit herself to it. That, maybe, she could be happy on the slopes of a nameless West Gash hill for the rest of her life with Tedannupal.

But that wasn't how the real world worked. She didn't know the first thing about farm life, nor did she have the stamina to make herself useful in such an environment. She was a creature of books and cities. Sooner or later, the resentment would build.

It was a nice dream, though.

"Uh, thanks."

Tears filled her eyes, and she stood up. She took off her glasses and made as if she were simply massaging her eyes, wiping away the tears, though she wanted to let them flow.

"Well, Tedannupal, you're certainly one of the more interesting people I've met in Morrowind," she said, managing to keep her voice steady.

"You're the most interesting person I've ever met, Daria! And probably the most interesting I ever will meet."

She smiled. "Don't give up on the rest of the outsiders. Some of them are pretty interesting in their own right."

*********

Daria reached home wanting only to eat a quick dinner and then curl up in bed. It hurt to think of Tedannupal, but it was safer for Daria to keep her distance. Safety brought with it a certain bleak comfort. Not that she didn't have other problems. She had no idea how to solve the rumors about her being a mage. For that matter, she still didn't know magic well enough to defend herself. But she was too tired to worry much about it.

She walked up to her room to find Quinn writing something at her desk. Ignoring her sister, Daria stretched out on her bed and stared up at the ceiling, still thinking of that moment where she and Tedannupal flew over the city.

"Oh, Daria? About those rumors."

She lifted her head from the pillow. "Huh?"

"So, you know about them, right?"

Daria hesitated before answering. "The ones about me being a mage? I wish I didn't. I have no idea how they started."

Quinn gave her a suspicious look. "I wondered if maybe you started them."

"Why would I do that?"

"I don't know, to make your life less boring or something! Anyway, if you didn't start them, then I have good news: I ended them."

"You did? How?"

"Easy. Do you remember that old guy back in Charach who used to pull coins out of kids' ears and stuff?"

"Yeah."

"Exactly. As you might remember, he taught me a few sleight-of-hand tricks."

That was a surprise. "You still remember that? I thought you'd repressed all memories not directly related to fashion."

"Well, sleight-of-hand is totally for geeks. But sometimes, it's useful. Anyway, I did that trick to make it seem like parchment was floating over my hand, even though it really wasn't, and convinced everyone you were practicing that. They all think you're lame now, by the way."

"And thus, my dramatic rise and fall ends with me returning to comfortable obscurity." She fell back on her bed and exhaled. "Thanks, sis."

"Don't mention it," Quinn said.

But Daria was already dreaming of flight.

Musical Closer - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, by Neutral Milk Hotel

The End

This post has been edited by WellTemperedClavier: Dec 1 2024, 05:29 AM

[SubRosa]

The Good, the Bad, and the Awkward sounds like it would be a good Daria episode title.

One can certainly relate to Daria and her ache to fly free from the mundane realities of ordinary life and just zoom off to see the world. But Ted brings us back down to earth both literally and metaphorically by reminding us that just as beetles have their limits, so do people.

That is our Daria, and her decadent city girl ways.

Well, it was a nice dream for Daria to live out, for the time it lasted. For all that Daria is an ordinary person, she tends to get into plenty of adventures none the less. She's escaped from a Dwemer autobot in an ancient ruin, from street thugs, and street thugs again. Now she's flown off into the sunset with her Ashlander in shining Netch hide. Her life is becoming a lot more interesting than the books she is reading.

They all think you’re lame now, by the way.
So everything is back to normal! As I expected, Quinn comes to the rescue, in a completely unintentional way.

[Acadian]

What a thought-provoking episode!

So Daria IS capable of flights of fancy and falling victim to such things as romance and happy endings. But not enough to actually pursue them. In fairness, Ted&Daria do present a mixed bag. They are both open to new ideas, see through shams, and are interested in seeing and learning new things. On the other hand, Daria is likely no more cut out for life on the farm than Eva Gabor from Green Acres, and Ted is honorbound enough to not bail out on his father. Also, there is the Mer/Human lifespan discrepancy thing – she didn’t mention that but as soon as it occurs to her, it would doubtless give her major pause. Yet still. . . part of me wishes she would take that leap of faith and go for the dream.

Quinn to the rumor rescue as she capably helps return Daria to the familiar comfort of lameness obscurity.

[Renee]

That is true. Daria's finally got nothing snarky to say!

But yeah, beetle's can't fly forever, they're too heavy, that's one thing I know about insects. 🪲 But still. Sounds like they're pretty far from Balmora by now. I wonder if Ted knows how to get back! -- Oh wait. Sounds like they can still see the city.

Man, this is getting good. I hope these two hook up.

Uh, do you ever want to come back to the cesspool of iniquity called Balmora?”

Dangit. She's back home, Ted didn't make the move. MMmmm, I know the feeling! As a woman, nowadays it's okay to make the first move, this is something your generation is probably more comfortable with, Clavier. Most of us middle-aged gals are still like Daria, though. Unless we're talking Cougar-level females.

“You still remember that? I thought you’d repressed all memories not directly related to fashion.”

“Well sleight-of-hand is totally for geeks...

Oh my gosh!

That's really awesome; Quinn somehow solved the problem with Daria's magedom. I wonder how the heck she did this, though. How did she make something float in the air without magic, that is.