A Wood Elf in Windhelm, Stranger in a Strange Land? Options

[ghastley]

A nice touch with the icy, slippery stones. (That's something the game never gives you.) If it were colder, the pressure of her feet wouldn't melt the surface and make it slippery, which reinforces what Stenvar says about it not being winter yet.

[Grits]

Ha! Nice jest about mages in a burial crypt at Saarthal. Poor Lili!

Lili’s knowledge of the healing side of Alchemy shines in this episode, as does her quiet way of sharing it with Quintus. From this update alone I would think highly of her.

Slippery, icy, and snow in the air! I know to brew some tea and grab a sweater before reading!

I confess to a shiver of apprehension when Lili was willing to go out at night in Windhelm with neither Sten nor Star. Thankfully the lads would have none of it. There are too many strange smells about!

[haute ecole rider]

@SubRosa: I loved your remark about hot baths and warm soup, followed by "Hopefully no one will be murdered. . . " Like you I've been watching way too many mysteries (Monsieur Spade, Poirot, and a few take offs of Sherlock Holmes). I always thought Nurelion was too ill to really lay it on the player when he got the cracked vial, which is what I tried to convey here. But yes, Quintus is a good man, and yes, Lili has been doing alchemical healing for longer than the kid has been alive.

@Acadian: I spent quite a bit of time picturing the ground floor/cellar of Candlehearth, and thinking there's got to be more to it than just the check in counter, a couple of sleeping rooms and a kitchen. So I decided there was a cellar with space for bedrolls (including Sten's), a large boiler that provided not only heating but also hot water, and plumbing to the kitchen as well as a communal toilet at the back. I've always wondered how people moved those big copper/zinc/tin tubs in the old days, then filled them up. So a tub on rollers was my solution to this quandary. I hope you had furs and tea ready when you read this!

@ghastley: Thanks, I always thought those paving stones looked pretty damn slippery. And you're right, we're still in Last Seed (August in our RL calendar).

@Grits: I'm glad both you and SubRosa picked up on the game comment about mages in a burial crypt. I had been waiting for the perfect place to use it! And yes, Lili is very kind - as long as you treat her with respect. And of course, both Sten and Star are perfect gentlemen and would not let Lili out alone in order to seek their own comfort!

And we have returned to Windhelm with sad news for Nurelion. Now we move on to the next quest - for Oengul the blacksmith has mentioned a certain blade in a certain cave.

***************************

Turdas 21 Last Seed - A Walk South

Ma,

That trip to Forsaken Cave turned out to be a mixed bag. That relic we were supposed to get was already badly damaged when we found it, so the client didn’t pay much for our efforts. Fortunately we also found what Boss said are high value alchemical ingredients, so we collected those and sold them to the alchemist’s apprentice for a good price. Also the apprentice had more appreciation for what we went through and gave us five hundred drakes for our efforts. Altogether we got six hundred and thirty drakes, so I’ll be sending along half of my share with this letter - one hundred and sixty drakes. That should go a long way toward stocking up on supplies for the winter before the snow flies.

We have another job to do today, to recover an ancient sword for the blacksmith. He’s already done so much for us, it’s fair we help him out this way. It’s to the south, so hopefully it will be warm enough for Boss!

As they passed the stablemaster’s house at the end of the bridge from Windhelm, Lilisfina paused, her gaze on the stables below. “Stennvar, why were you looking at that horse the other day?”

“Was I?” Sten stopped beside her, his gaze moving to the dark bay mare in her stall. She raised her head from the pile of hay at her feet and pricked her ears at them. Sten smiled at the curiosity in her brown gaze. “I quite like her,” he said. “Reminds me of Da’s old gelding. Curious, and had what Da called ‘the look of eagles’.”

Lilisfina made her way into the stable area and walked fearlessly up to the mare. Despite the fact the horse towered over the Wood Elf, she did not hesitate or flinch when the mare dropped her nose to Lilisfina’s face and blew softly against her cheek, ruffling the fur trim on her cowl in the process. Lilisfina reached up and scratched the horse beneath her jaw, where a halter would lie and potentially rub. No question she knows her way around horses.

“I see you’re getting acquainted with the mare,” a voice sounded from within the stable. The Altmer stablemaster stepped out from another stall and approached them. “Ulundil at your service! She’s for sale, you know.” He looked Lilisfina up and down dubiously. “Though she’s a bit big for you, lass,”

Lilisfina chuckled. “And sturdy and surefooted, I take it?” She glanced back at Star, who remained at the top of the steps. “How is she with dogs?”

“She’s fine!” Ulundil pointed at his own canine, a scruffy wolfhound lounging on a nearby haystack. “Doesn’t mind my Aesigr at all.”

“How much do horses cost in Skyrim?” Lilisfina turned to Sten. “Any idea?”

“A lot,” Sten remarked, with a deferential nod to Ulundil. “Thought you said they are expensive to keep?”

“So they are,” Lilisfina reached up and ran her hand down the mare’s arched neck. “But as a pack horse, they can carry more gear than you and I combined.”

“It’s a thought,” Sten admitted. If we were to camp out in the wilds, having the horse carry our camping gear might be worthwhile. “But for the adventures we’ve had, where we’re not bringing back more than we can carry, she may not be worth the cost of her upkeep.”

Ulundil’s gaze moved from Lilisfina to Sten and back again as they debated the value of adding a horse to their team. Sten noted his growing interest in the potential of a sale. “If I may add something, ma’am,” Ulundil broke into their conversation. “It’s a thousand drakes to purchase this mare, good price at that too. It might be of interest to know I also provide boarding services to Windhelm residents at a discount.”

“You mean folks who own property in Windhelm?” Lilisfina countered. Ulundil nodded. “Well, I’m staying at Candlehearth, and own no property in Skyrim. So . . .” she turned back to the horse and gave her a final pat on her long nose. “No purchase. At least not today.” She smiled up at Ulundil and stepped away.

Ulundil exclaimed as the mare stepped out of her stall to follow after Lilisfina. Sten laughed as Lilisfina turned and nudged the horse back into the stall. “Stay here, horse,” she whispered. The mare tossed her head, but remained put. She did not take her eyes off Lilisfina as they walked away from the stable.

The sun stood just above the Velothi mountain range to the east as they turned onto the road that ran south along the western bank of the White River. Lilisfina lifted her face to the sunlight as they strode along. Once past the Tiber Septim shrine on its high bluff, the snow faded away to reveal plants that were new to Lilisfina.

She’s like a child with Saturalia cookies, Sten thought as she skipped from creep cluster to jazbay grapes to the brilliant showy dragon’s tongue blooms. She sampled them, slowing them down as she waited for the effects to wear off. “I’ve seen them in the shops, but the dragon’s tongue is the only one I’ve ever seen in the wild before now.” Lilisfina’s face shone with excitement as she examined her samples.

“Have you forgotten why we are out walking today?” Sten reminded her with mock sternness. She laughed and caught up to him, heading south on the road once again with Star. So childlike at times. But she is also surprisingly mature at times. “Just how old are you, boss?” he blurted, then clenched his teeth. Bite your tongue, man! Never ask a woman her age!

Lilisfina slid a sidelong glance at him. “Do you really want to know?”

“Am I in trouble?” Sten made his tone meek as a child’s.

Lilisfina laughed again, that hearty laugh that made him smile. “Of course not! But you might be surprised - I’ll be one hundred and forty eight next Morning Star.”

Sten came to an abrupt halt. One hundred forty eight! And here we are talking about the Collapse like it happened a generation ago! She was what - Sten mumbled to himself - sixty eight years old?? That’s older than Grandda! Suddenly the irony of others calling her “lass” and “child” hit him like a war hammer. He guffawed until he gasped for breath, hands on knees.

“Funny, yes?” Lilisfina was still watching him. He looked up at her.

“Just thinking of everyone treating you like a young child, when you’re older than all of us!”

Lilisfina just smiled wider, her grin higher on the right side of her face than on the left. “Many’s the time I had to refrain from laughing out loud myself. People take their seniority so seriously!” Her face sobered. “But what I’ve found is it’s not the number of years that matter, it’s the experiences you’ve had through your life that counts. So that means I have a great deal of respect for elders of all races, because they’ve lived through so much.”

“And learned along the way, I hope,” Sten remarked as they resumed their walk.

It wasn’t much longer before they reached Mixwater Mill. Sten found the ford between the mill and the far side, broken by an elongated island in mid stream. They made their way across, then Sten worked his way up the slope with Lilisfina and Star close on his heels.

Shor’s bones! His heart plummeted into his bowels at the first glimpse of huge, white orbs scattered around the hillside. Off to one side a mammoth corpse lay on one side, one of those orbs snugged against its side.

“What’s wrong, Stennvar?” Lilisfina asked as she looked around at the egg sacs, each of them taller than Sten. Her gaze moved from side to side as she searched for gigantic arachnids.

“I. Do. Not. Like. Spiders.” Sten managed to keep his voice from cracking. Even so, Star sidled beside him to lick his fingers, and Lilisfina turned around to peer at his face.

“Arachnophobia?” she asked softly. “A paralyzing fear of spiders?”

“The big ones shatter my courage,” Sten admitted. “I’m not sure if I can be of any help in there - that cave is likely full of giant spiders if these egg sacs are any indication.”

“Let me take the lead, and you can handle anything else but spiders. Leave those to me.” Lilisfina held his gaze steadily. “I’m used to them, and they are especially vulnerable to flames. As long as you and Star stay behind me, my terrible aim won’t hurt you, and will likely distract the spiders.” She bared her teeth in a feral grin. “Spiders are one thing I’m good at fighting.”

Sten hung his head. “I’m sorry, boss, I know you’ve been counting on me for muscle, but . . .”

“Arachnophobia is nothing to be ashamed of,” Lilisfina said firmly. “And you did all the work in Forsaken Cave, when I was sick more than anything else. We will be fine as long as we stay together.”

[Acadian]

Stenvaar’s letters home are a very elegant way to not only summarize recent events but to impart more of his observations.

One horse, not two? Ah, I see, the intent is a pack animal. But not today it looks like. Where to stage a horse while inside a dungeon is a concern Buffy has wrestled with. The ability to summon/unsummon the mount is optimal but before Buffy could do that, she tried several alternatives. Staging the horse in a secluded area before casting a long lasting chameleon or even invisibility spell on it Traveling with a second, protective animal such as Star or a wolf to stay with and guard the horse. Buffy even tried taking her mare into dungeons with her but many dungeons can be both tight and dangerous. In the meantime, a bag of holding is a blessing.

Again, the gulf between human and elf aging rears its head.

Uh-oh, Sten’s not happy around spiders. Fortunately, Lili seems to be comfortable fighting them. I suspect we may see some new and creative tactics ahead.

[SubRosa]

After a little horsing around, they are on their way to recover a sword.

I see the realization of Elvish age has hit Sten like a giant's hammer. It is sort of like Blood Raven, and how she refers to Cray as "young man". She is two hundred years older than him after all... Just imagine if they were in Korea, where the eldest drinks first, and enjoys other privileges in society.

I feel for Sten. I have suffered from arachnophobia for most of my life. I made a concerted effort to change that a few years ago, starting with the djieien I wrote for Book 4: Pride of the Crowverse. I had to immerse myself in a lot of research on both djieien and just spiders in general for that. So I ended up looking at a lot of pictures. Afterward I made an effort to continue doing so, in order to desensitize myself to them.

I am happy to say that a year ago I was sitting on the couch and saw a tiny jumping spider sitting on my leg. They are the colorful little ones that dance to attract a mate (I always imagine that the Bee Gees is playing in the background when they do so). At one time I would have jumped out of my skin. Instead I was careful not to move, because I was afraid it might fall off and get squished by me. I went back to watching my movie, and when I looked back later it was gone. Hopefully everything worked out for Leggy.

I like the added touch of Sten revealing his kryptonite, well, arachtonite. Lil pukes around undead. Sten freaks out over spiders. They each have their strengths and weaknesses, as all real people do. The whole reason humans have been a successful species IRL is because we form communities and act together. That takes advantages of our strengths, and neutralizes our vulnerabilities.

[ghastley]

In the context they are about to experience, a reaction of KILL IT!!! KILL IT!!! will probably be appropriate. Arachnophobia would be a problem if they were allies.

[Renee]

Yikes, I understand how that moment of sensory loss (Word Wall) could be daunting. I lost most of my hearing in my 20s, both ears, thought I was going deaf too.

Those snowstorms can be really intense. Anyway, that moment when the sun peeks under the clouds just as the day's ending, when that happens it's so magnificent.

Sten reverts from "boss" to "ma'am". Keeping up appearances, and all that. Yes, soup trumps mead in such a situation, when you're trying to warm up.

I wonder if Lili knows Winterhold could be even more harsh with the cold than Windhelm!

Wow, the phial is cracked, really? Haven't done that quest you see, although my elf just took it up last season. Well, that sucks. But I love how Stenvar & Lili are struggling to boost their economy. They're doing what they can to keep their endeavors afloat.

I like the part when Lili approaches the horse. You and mALX have much experiences with horses, which allows you to write up their behavior more accurately in stories. 🐎

Whoa, 148! ....“But what I’ve found is it’s not the number of years that matter, it’s the experiences you’ve had through your life that counts. ... so true, so true.

Mixwater Mill; Lili should be pleased. Not quite as cold as they head south. I love that abandoned cabin too. Perfect place to spend a night.


This post has been edited by Renee: Nov 6 2024, 06:19 PM

[Grits]

Ooo, a potential new team member. The mare seemed about to give Lili a 100% discount on her asking price.

I can imagine that walk to Mixwater Mill with all the flowers and grapes along the road. It was fun to see Lili’s delight through Sten’s eyes.

Uh oh, arachnophobia. Well, at least big spiders will be big targets for Lili to see. I like her calm reassurance to Stenvar. They are still a good team, just with Lili in front this time.

[haute ecole rider]

@Acadian: Thank you for validating my decision to let Stenvar share his missives home. I really enjoy putting his pen to paper, so to speak, and letting him write parts of his own tale. I too have struggled with what to do with the horses while dungeon delving, and it adds an additional layer to my own role-playing, as you have seen with OHDH. Arachnophobia, as SubRosa will tell you, is not fun, and as we will see, it has a major impact on Stenvar's physical abilities as well as his mental state. Fortunately, in her travels Lili has seen her share of phobias (and she has her own, which we haven't seen yet), so she is more than empathetic to his travails.

@SubRosa: I'm glad you were able to manage your own arachnophobia so well. Some spiders are very scary (I'm glad I don't live in Australia), but I was taught from a very young age to treat daddy long legs with kindness and care - I still take them outside when I find these leggy spindly critters in my house. Lili is all too aware of her own frailties in the face of undead, especially draugr as she has learned, so being judgmental of Sten's own weakness does not even occur to her.

@ghastley: Alliances with spiders would be difficult . . . especially since we don't understand how they think . . .

@Renee: Keeping up appearances, indeed! In such an elf phobic place like Windhelm he is well aware of how people would react if he called his Elven employer "boss" in their presence. This is his way of keeping a sort of peace. The area along the road to Mixwater Mill is lovely, and Lili really enjoyed that walk. Of course once she gets into the Rift/Falkreath, I think she would be transported to Bosmer heaven, or at least the Skyrim version of it.

@Grits: I'm sure the mare wanted to give Lili that 100% discount, too! And yes, that little random thought of Sten's as he watched Lili pick flowers and grapes along the road was sweet. And yes, Lili is comfortable with spiders, and her advice to stay behind her effectively neutralizes the issue with her terrible aim.

After Sten admits his arachnophobia to Lili and they settle on their tactics for Cronvangr Cave, it's into the depths to find that ancient sword! Hopefully it won't be damaged after all the spiders . . .

*******************

Turdas 21 Last Seed - I. Do. Not. Like. Spiders.

Lili led the way, her flame spell ready in her left hand. Star followed behind, and Stenvar brought up the rear. Almost immediately several large spiders, pale grey in color, chittered at their entry. Lili began flinging her flames almost blindly in their general direction, using their clacking to judge their location. Egg sacs around them caught fire, and lit up the entry chamber. When she paused to let her magicka refresh, Lili used her instincts to search for any remaining live spiders. Two remained near the far wall. Lili crept nearer, using the scattered boulders as cover. Behind her Star whined, but Lili shushed him with her right hand, gesturing him to stay put.

Scorched eight legged corpses caught at her tunic as she eased past them, but she managed to slip by without noise. Lili could still hear the ticking of the two remaining spiders as they shuffled back and forth, as if in search of their comrades. Once she could see their pale forms, Lili blasted their general area with fire again. This time Star could not hold back, and charged in when Lili ran out of magicka. Snarling and barking echoed around the cavern as the last of the arachnids died from the double assault of flame and fang.

Star returned to Lili’s side, tail waving over his back. Lili checked with her instincts once more, and found no further spiders. She turned to search for Stenvar. She found him near the entrance, crouched with his zwei-hander shivering in his grasp.

“All clear here,” she whispered. “You can sheathe your weapon.” She shook away the flame spell and tossed up a mage light. The green glow spread over shattered bodies and half burned egg sacs. Lili found one that had escaped the fire, already opened to release the little ones within. She scooped out remaining spider eggs that failed to hatch and stuffed them into her backpack.

“What are you doing with those?” Stenvar’s hoarse whisper reached her. “Won’t they hatch in your bag?”

“The viable eggs hatched a long time ago,” Lili pointed out the frayed edges of the sac. “See how the edges are black? The remaining eggs are inert. And useful for certain alchemical uses.” She cast her gaze around the cave. “The sword can’t be here - there has to be more to this place than just this little area. We’ll have to go further in.”

“How? I don’t see a passage heading deeper.” Are you relieved this is all there is to this cave? Not so fast, big boy. Stenvar moved to stand beside Lili, his hands still clenching his zwei-hander.

Something small, brown, and round caught Lili’s gaze. “What is that on the wall there?” She refreshed the mage light closer to the rear of the cave and worked her way toward it.

“Looks like a button,” Stenvar followed her, while Star danced his way around the spider corpses. “Maybe that’s your passageway. Maybe there are no more spiders past this point?” Lili pressed her lips against the smile triggered by the hope in his voice.

“Want to do the honors?” Lili waved Stenvar to press the button. “Let’s find out what this does.”

In response to Stenvar’s press, a section of rock wall grated down into the floor to reveal a narrow passage beyond. Lili used her instincts to scan the corridor, which twisted to the left out of sight a short distance in. It gave her a sense of a great space to the left, but no sign of others nearby. She sent a mage light down the hallway, and it picked out the telltale spouts of a flame trap set in the floor.

“Step where I step,” she whispered to Stenvar. Briefly she glanced at Star, who met her gaze with lolling tongue and waving tail. How to tell Star the same? She slid forward, flame spell ready in her left hand again.

The corridor widened just enough to allow Lili and Stenvar to step to one side of the trap plate. Lili glanced back in time to see Star carefully step in their path. Well, that’s one thing he understands to do. They reached the bend in the corridor and Lili peered into an immense cavern.

Nearest them she could make out lit candles arranged in a circle, with something within it. Towards the rear a bluff jutted out from the back, large enough to hold a sizable wooden structure, like a rough framed house or barn. Another check of the area revealed a few bodies above, their forms shimmering red. Lili bit her lip. Damn.

“No spiders here,” she murmured to Stenvar. “But up there are vampires. Be careful not to get bit by one of them.”

“That I can handle,” Stenvar’s whisper sounded stronger. “And aren’t they susceptible to fire, too?”

“As long as you don’t get between me and them,” Lili countered. “Shall we use the same tactics we used with the draugr? These vampires seem to be resting, but it will be difficult to sneak up on them.”

“Sounds like a plan, ma’am,” Stenvar responded. “I see a ramp over there,” he pointed to the left of the bluff. “Should allow us to get on the level with them before we’re too close.”

“I’ll cast light once they’re aroused, so you can see them better,” Lili added. “Ready?”

“Of course,” Stenvar nodded emphatically. Lili moved forward toward the light of the candles. With a sinking feeling she recognized the form of a dead body within the magick circle. They passed it by and she found the foot of the ramp Stenvar had mentioned. They crept up to the top of the ramp, and again Lili paused to check the area. Three. Two close to us, the third on the opposite side of the structure. She searched for an entry into the building, but found no ingress on this side. May have to go around to find a path in.

Lili made her way along the building toward the edge of the bluff, then moved down the side of it. They passed the two vampires without disturbing them, but as they neared an open doorway facing the edge of the bluff, the third one stirred. Lili darted forward and into the building, her fire already aimed for the waking vampire. The immortal male screamed as her flames engulfed his being. Behind her she heard the others, another male and a female by their voices, call out in surprise.

Lili shot up a brilliant blue-white mage light to hover over the two as Stenvar moved past her to engage them. She turned back to the first vampire and poured more fire into him until he collapsed to the floor. Behind her Star’s snarling and growling indicated that he had joined Stenvar in the fight. Once she was certain her target had been effectively neutralized, Lili turned and moved to the vampire nearest her. Star had already begun shaking the female’s arm, ducking any effort by the enraged immortal to shake him off. Lili reached out and touched the vampire’s back, sending flames crackling through the other’s flesh. Star released his hold and leaped back as fire spread down the injured limb. The other vampire already dispatched, Stenvar leaped over to swing his blade through the dying vampire’s torso.

The immortals no longer immortal, Lili and Stenvar gazed at each other until they caught their breaths. “Are you hurt?” Both asked the same question at the same time. Lili chuckled as Stenvar laughed.

“I take it you’re feeling better about things, Stennvar,” Lili remarked.

“At the moment,” Stenvar returned. He cast his gaze around. “But you think we’ll find that sword here?”

“Let’s check,” Lili cast her instincts one more time to ensure they were alone. Stenvar moved to one side of the building to search furniture and chests, so Lili moved to the opposite end. Star nosed happily around them in the way of dogs when their jobs are done.

After a fruitless search, they gathered in the center of the ramshackle building again. “Where to next?” Stenvar asked.

“There’s got to be another passageway somewhere. Did we check the first cave thoroughly?” Lili mused aloud. She sensed Stenvar’s shudder. “Let’s try it again.”

“Very well,” Stenvar hissed through gritted teeth. “You lead.”

“Of course,” Lili smiled at him and retraced their steps back to the entry cave. This time, a more thorough exploration of the rear revealed a tunnel where the floor sloped sharply down to the back wall. Easy to miss. This time cobwebs coated the walls of the passageway, and Lili could sense Stenvar’s growing tension at her back. She made him wait in the cave while she sent a wave of fire down the tunnel to clear away the cobwebs.

Instincts showed no activity ahead of them, so Lili led Star and Stenvar into the passage. She paused at intervals to clear the cobwebs from the walls, ceiling and floor of the tunnel. Before long, they reached an open area like a well dropping down into the depths of the earth. A rough path led around the space, spiraling downward. Star growled softly, his gaze riveted on something below them. Lili sensed three more giant spiders below them, and held up three fingers to Stenvar, then motioned for him to wait at the mouth of the tunnel. She and Star eased downward, working together to clear the path of spiders and webs. They reached a pool at the bottom, and Lili sent a green mage light up to give Stenvar the all-clear.

As he reached them, she could see sweat dripping from his face, and the clenched muscles in his jaw. “Do you want to stay back for now?” she whispered, concerned about the severity of his panic. “Star and I can take care of any remaining spiders.”

Stenvar shook his head. “It’s helping that you’re clearing all the spider webs away, it helps me see them better,” he managed to grit out. “I’m sorry I can’t get a hit in, but I can stay with you and watch for things other than spiders.”

“Stop if it gets too much,” Lili whispered back. “I don’t want you hurting yourself with this.”

“As long as you tell me where they are,” Stenvar muttered. Lili nodded her understanding. She assessed him again, then touched his arm.

“You’ll be fine,” she murmured as she sent her best rally spell into him. It’s not much, but if it helps settle his nerves a bit . . .

Lili turned away and moved on down the corridor, which twisted and turned through masses of spiderwebs and small arachnids. She cleared the walls and floor of webs and the tiny spiders, then moved forward. She still paused often to cast her instincts, searching for more giant spiders.

The passageway led into another large space, filled with more egg sacs and webs. Along the floor skittered smaller spiders, each as large as Star. Is that all? But with all the egg sacs here, where’s the brood queen? Lili cast instincts one more time, and counted six of the spiders. Something made her look up at the ceiling. Her skin crawled at the size of the beast hidden within the webbing above. There she is. By Y’ffre, she’s big! She eased back to where Stenvar waited.

“There’s a big space ahead,” she whispered. “Six of the smaller spiders, not quite as big as the ones we’ve encountered, so they’re not as old. But above - “ she paused. Should I tell him? Better he knows what lies in wait for us. “The brood queen is above, and she’s fetching huge.”

Again that zwei-hander quivered, as Stenvar visibly swallowed against something in his throat. “I’ll do my best, boss.”

“Let me deal with that brood queen. Something that large, being small like me is an advantage.” She ruffled Star’s ears. “I’m confident Star can handle the youngsters.” Then she returned to the lair. Again, from the shadows, she cast as much fire as she could in the direction of the spiders on the floor, setting both webbing and sacs on fire. With a growl Star leaped down into the room as Lili turned her attention to the ceiling above. She sent a weak firebolt to entice the queen down. As the immense beast slid down on silken strands, Lili ran toward her landing point and threw herself on one hip to slide under the spider’s massive belly, casting her flame spell above. Fire laced across the beast’s abdomen as Lili avoided the stinger and scrambled to her feet behind the queen. Have to be careful and conserve my magicka. Don’t spend it faster than I can regenerate!

Star danced out of the way of the queen, still intent on attacking the smaller spiders scattered to the periphery of the space. Lili danced forward and touched each of the four legs nearest her with flame, sending the queen into a rage. As the massive spider struggled to turn toward Lili, Lili slipped under her thorax again to touch fire to the opposite legs. She trailed a short burst of shock from her other hand into the queen’s body.

The queen stabbed her legs in a vain attempt to impale Lili or Star, but both were too quick. The Skyrim Husky flowed like water between the scattered rocks on the floor to seize the smaller spiders’ bellies in his jaws. Quick snaps shattered the younglings in short order, and Star turned to join Lili in the fight with the queen. He weaved between the massive beast’s legs, and caught each with quick bites and jerks of his head.

Lili found herself facing the queen’s multiple eyes and terrifying fangs. She flung a fireball at the glowing orbs and ducked to the side. Suddenly the queen ran partway up the wall over Lili, her stinger raised to stab the Bosmer.

That stinger never came down. A roar sounded from beyond, then an abrupt shudder passed through the spider’s body, then she collapsed on top of Lili. Her still burning abdomen would have crushed Lili, if the Bosmer had not found a space between two tall boulders. She peered out to see a broad steel blade sunken nearly to the hilt in the queen’s abdomen, just below that deadly stinger. Stenvar stood just behind her, his shaking hand still on the zwei-hander, gasping for air.

Lili scrambled out and placed her hand on his sword arm. “It’s over, thank you very much Stennvar.” She helped him retrieve his blade and guided him to a nearby boulder, where he collapsed onto his rump, still shaking and breathing fast. “Let me clear this out quick, just sit quietly. We’re done.” She waited until he met her gaze, and when he nodded, the hilt of the zwei-hander clutched to his chest, she turned to look for Star. Amazingly, the Husky danced over to them, apparently unharmed by fang or stinger. He licked Stenvar’s face, then set off to one side of the cavern. Lili and Stenvar watched as he started digging at webbing piled up in one corner.

Lili shooed him off the webbing and burned it away to reveal a chest. Is this it? She glanced back to see something spark in Stenvar’s gaze. As she lifted the lid, she heard Stenvar’s blade slide home into its sheath for the first time since they entered the cave. He must feel the same way. Within, a cloth wrapped bundle lay atop a small pile of ancient silver coins and gems. Lili lifted the weapon out and handed it carefully to Stenvar. “Can you tell if that’s Queen Freydis’s sword?”

He unwrapped it with hands growing steadier with each slowing breath. “It’s fine quality, and straight as can be,” he sighted along the blade. “Still very keen after all these years.” He met Lili’s gaze. “I’d say yes, you’ve found it.”

“We’ve found it,” Lili corrected him. “Let’s get out of here.”

It wasn’t long before they were out in the early afternoon sun. Stenvar made his way down hill to a fallen log near the river and slumped on it. Lili and Star followed him, and the Bosmer noted his breaths were slowing and deepening. He also seemed less shaky. She lowered her pack, full of gems and old silver, and flung her arms impulsively around his broad shoulders. “I’m glad you are here,” she whispered.

His arms came up around her as Stenvar returned the hug and buried his face in the fur trim of her cowl. “I’m glad you’re here, too.”

[Acadian]

Fang and flame! Lili’s skill with fire and Star’s tactical acumen and ability to follow the Bosmer’s lead/guidance really shine here. Different having Stenvaar behind her this time but prudent and, despite his fear, he kept going.

Lili’s ‘instinct’ ability sounds really handy for dark dungeon delving!

Vampires too but at least Sten knows how to deal with them.

And the fetching huge brood queen! Nice tactics and teamwork taking her down. Imminent danger to his boss is enough for Sten to momentarily control his fear enough to impale the queen.

With the quest sword in their possession and still pumped up on the euphoria of victory, Lili impetuously takes another step in the delicate dance between her and Sten. Happily, her hug is warmly returned.

[SubRosa]

I am actually thinking of rolling a new toon in Skyrim that will be spider-based, partly inspired by Viuda from the Stormcrow-verse. I might create a spell for her to summon frostbite spiders.

I could appreciate Stenvar's fear that the eggs might hatch in Lil's backpack. If I was writing the horror movie, that is what I would have happen!

Thankfully no more spiders in the secret room. But vampires instead! This Sten can handle. Looks like it's chopping time!

Indeed it was. Immortals were mortaled.

Wow, Lil is getting in some fancy moves as she takes on Momma Eight Legs. And Stennvar coming in out of nowhere with a steel chair! his sword, and chopping spidey down to size. It is heartening to see him facing the thing that terrifies him, and going on in spite of it.

With both victory and sword obtained, our heroes can finally relax. And use this occasion to bond a little more, as they slowly develop more trust in one another, while facing their worst fears.

[Grits]

Flame and fang! It was fun to see Lili doing the heavy lifting against the spiders. Backed by Star of course. Nice to see some alchemical ingredients in those egg sacs.

“What are you doing with those?” Stenvar’s hoarse whisper reached her. “Won’t they hatch in your bag?”

New fear unlocked. Thanks, Stenvar!

“As long as you tell me where they are,” Stenvar muttered.

Wow, did this ring true. It’s how I got my ophidiophobic roommate back to the car after we saw a sweet but admittedly large snake while hiking (in Mexico).

Ooo, Lili has moves! That was an exciting fight against the brood queen! Good job Sten, one stab preventing another.

Yay, a hug! One more step in the slow dance between these two.

[haute ecole rider]

Well, it looks like the title of the previous installment should have been Fang and Flame, or Flame and Fang!

@Acadian: I think Sten is very intelligent and smart enough to know when to keep his mouth shut and sword sheathed, and when to step into action. This chapter really shows his willingness to admit his vulnerability to Lili, and to let her take the lead. I suspect Sten was able to make that death stab because he was not the one looking into that queen's deadly gaze! Well, that and the desire to be useful . . .

@SubRosa: Horror of horrors! Baby spiders and kwama hatchings actually crawling out of the bag one put their eggs into . . . (the kwama egg incident is an actual - albeit small - event in ESO) . . . yes the very stuff of nightmares! The vampire chamber was a welcome break for Sten, and a place where he can actually be useful.

@Grits: New fear unlocked, indeed! I had a mental image of the lock pick screen from Oblivion with the last tumbler clicking out of the way . . . And yes, warning Sten of upcoming spiders and where they are located helped him deal with his panic a little bit better.

@all: there is this mod for Skyrim that I found - "I'm Glad You're Here" - it's a dialog-based prompt that lets you thank your companions for their help by hugging them - there's the neutral hug for friends and children, and a more intimate animation for lovers/spouses. I loved using it because so many times I felt like giving my folks hugs after a stressful situation, or when coming home and having my adopted kids call "Mama!" The end of this episode felt like a good place for Lili to start getting a bit more physical with her sellsword partner.

Now we start thinking about heading home. But first, the title of this next installment says it all:

****************************
Turdas 21 Last Seed - I Need a Drink

That was the worst job I had ever been on in a long time. Remember how I hate spiders, Ma? Well, this cave was full of them. FROSTBITE SPIDERS. I was no good in there, really. But Boss understood and dealt with the spiders herself. She’s handy with fire, and spiders don’t deal with fire well. And Star the Husky helped. He was awesome to watch.

We did find a nest of vampires in there, so I wasn’t completely useless. In any case, we found the sword and made it through before I fell completely to pieces. Hopefully we won’t have too many more jobs like this one. Will write more when I have time. Give my love to Halla and Old Fang.

Sten

Lilisfina held on to Sten until he finally let her go with a deep sigh of release. Her green eyes met his with deep concern. “Feel better?”

“More like myself, thanks,” he said. “And we did find the sword Oengul hired us to get, so that’s the job done.” But am I ready to head back to Windhelm, as shaken as I still feel?

Lilisfina glanced up at the sun, still hovering above the tall bluffs west of the river. “It’s still early in the day,” she said finally. “I’ve heard of Kynesgrove, is it far from here?”

“It’s about halfway between here and Windhelm,” Sten responded. “We can cut north across the countryside here until we hit the eastern springs road, then follow that to Kynesgrove.”

“I need a drink,” Lilisfina declared. “Let’s stop in Kynesgrove for a bit.”

Sten held out his hand as she rose to her feet and picked up her backpack. “Wait a moment, please,” he began. How to explain? “What happened in there . . .”

Lilisfina reached out and gripped his shoulder firmly. “Everyone has a phobia. Not everyone can face up to theirs the way you did in there. Sticking with me all the way through, and even coming in at the end and poking that queen in the arse, that took a lot of courage. I’m very grateful to you for that.”

“Th - thanks, I think,” Sten stammered. Courage? Me? In there? More like desperation to avoid being alone in that place. He rose to his feet and picked up the cloth-wrapped sword in his left hand. Another deep breath brought him more calm. “Let’s go get that drink then.”

“Lead on, then.” Lilisfina waved him ahead. They worked their way north across the rocky slope until they reached a faint path - deer trail, really - that led up a gentler slope toward a copse of stunted trees. Sten recalled stories of a witch-hag living there, and steered north again to avoid it. The road came into view shortly after, and Lilisfina skipped ahead a few strides to pause and study the land before them.

Sten stopped beside her to view the rolling ground that rose toward the mountains in the east. “That’s the Velothi Mountains,” he pointed out the jagged range. “And there, between the trees you can just make out Kynesgrove. It’s just a village, really, but there’s a mine above it in the bluffs, and subsistence farmers feed the folks there. Mostly leeks, cabbage and goats.”

“Better than mutton, huh?” Lilisfina teased him. “At least goats also produce wool and cheese and milk, just like sheep, and do so on less feed, too.”

“Goats are very popular in the mountains,” Sten agreed. “We always had goats on the farm, though we didn’t always have a milk cow.”

“And leeks and cabbage?” Lilisfina asked. Sten shot her a glance and chuckled at her serious face.

“That, too,” he answered. “Though Ma was really proud of her tomatoes.”

“Tomatoes!” Lilisfina exclaimed. “So far north?”

“Ma knew how to use the sun for heat and light through the winter months to start them early, and get them growing before the frost was gone from the ground.” Sten paused for a few moments of thought. “She always made sure the soil was enriched from compost she made herself, and apparently that generates heat as well.”

“That’s really interesting,” Lilisfina mused. “I don’t know much about farming, let alone in conditions such as what we find here, but your Ma sounds like someone I could learn much from.”

Sten rubbed the back of his neck uneasily. Lilisfina’s gaze followed his gesture, and she did not say anything further. “Let’s head to that inn in Kynesgrove. They do brew a decent ale there.”

“Sounds good,” Lilisfina agreed and stepped down to the worn cobblestones of the road. Here it ran east and west before curving north downslope. At her glance back, Sten indicated her to head left and downhill to follow the road. He noticed that Star stayed back with him, and ruffled his ears. Wonder if the dog knows I’m still trying to recover from that cave.

By the time the wooden structures of Kynesgrove reappeared out of the forest, the sun was just touching the mountains that separated Eastmarch from Whiterun to the west. Sten led Lilisfina to the large structure in the center of the village, past the chicken coops and the empty goat pen. A couple of Hold guards patrolled the single road, each eyeing the trio. Star checked out the chickens, and ran around the pen, his nose to the ground. He found a particularly juicy spot and rolled blissfully in it.

“Oh Star,” Lilisfina groaned, while Sten chuckled.

“Trust a dog to find the stinkiest spot in the whole village,” a voice remarked behind them. They turned around to face one of the guards. His grey eyes regarded the two of them warily from beneath his helm. “As long as he doesn’t chase the chickens or bring that stench inside the inn, I wouldn’t worry about him.” His gaze skimmed over Lilisfina and settled on Sten, lingering a moment on the sheathed zwei-hander. “Don’t go starting any trouble, now, not in front of the child.”

Child? Sten blinked a couple times, then inhaled sharply. “She’s not a child, sir,” he kept his voice even. “She’s my boss.”

The guard frowned and peered closer at Lilisfina, seeking to see her face beneath her cowl. In turn, the Wood Elf pushed the hood back just enough to show her angular face. “Oh, I’m sorry, lass,” he stepped back. “My apologies.” He frowned again. “But my warning applies to you as well.”

“Of course,” Lilisfina’s tone was light. “I wouldn’t dream of causing any trouble here. All I want is a drink - we’ve just returned from fighting giant spiders.”

“Frostbite spiders,” Sten volunteered, blocking the vision and sound of them from his mind.

“If that’s what you call them,” Lilisfina added. “Whatever they’re named, they were bigger than me!”

“Well, don’t let me stand between you and that drink, then!” The guard stepped aside to let them pass. Lilisfina called Star to her side, and the trio moved to the porch of the inn. Once the guard returned to his patrol, Lilisfina passed her hand over Star. Blue magic flickered over his coat, and any remnants of webbing fizzled into nothing. The scent that had so drawn him to his ecstatic rolling also disappeared.

“There, now Star won’t offend anyone!” Lilisfina smiled up at Sten and winked. Imps. The both of them. He opened the door for the others and let them through first.

“Hello!” A cheerful voice greeted them upon entry. “I hope you’ll stay for a bit, we could certainly use the business!” It belonged to a careworn Nord woman who stepped out from behind the bar. “Have a seat, and tell me what you’d like to eat or drink, or both!” Her gaze settled on Sten, as if expecting him to speak for the trio. He glanced briefly at Lilisfina, who shrugged.

“I’ll have some of that ale,” he said finally. He indicated Lilisfina. “She prefers mead, if you’ve got it.”

“Let’s see if Roggi’s left some for us!” The innkeeper moved back behind the bar and filled a pewter mug from the keg. “Name’s Iddra, by the way. My husband Kjeld manages the mine up the hill, if you’re looking for work he’s the one to talk to.” She grabbed a bottle and mug and brought everything over to a table near the open hearth. “Sit down and enjoy!” Her gaze fell on the Husky. “Oh, but what will the dog have?”

“A mutton bone, if you have any,” Sten said dryly.

“Would a goat bone do?” Iddra moved to the kitchen behind the bar and rummaged in her storage. “I’ve got a nice one with fresh marrow he might like!” She returned with the bone and offered it to Star. With a sniff, he accepted it and flopped down at Lili’s feet, his teeth happily scraping the hard material.

“Thank you very much, Iddra,” Lilisfina said as she accepted the mead the innkeeper poured for her. The woman set the bottle on the table in front of her and turned to Sten.

“If you want a refill, just let me know!”

Lilisfina leaned to Sten. “Is she trying to get us drunk?”

Sten spluttered into his pewter mug. “No,” he wiped his chin, “just trying to get us to spend coin.” He heard her chuckle as he took another swig of the ale. “Ah, that hits the spot.”

“I’m glad,” she murmured. “That wasn’t an easy journey for you.”

“No it wasn’t,” Sten mumbled into his drink. “Say, I’ve got a question for you.”

“What is it?” Lilisfina took another sip of her mead and topped it off from the bottle.

“A few times now I’ve seen you stop before entering an area, then tell me how many and where the baddies are located before we even see them. How?”

“Ah,” Lilisfina leaned back in her chair and cast her green gaze ceiling-ward. “Instincts,” she said after a slow breath. “Something a few Bosmer possess. It’s been a lifesaver on more than one occasion.”

“Magick?” Sten’s curiosity got the better of his discretion.

“Maybe,” Lilisfina shrugged. “I’ve never encountered the skill in anyone other than a few other Bosmer, and it’s not something that’s taught.” She considered the fire a few breaths. “Maybe Khajiit or Argonian might have something similar, but I’ve yet to hear of it in them.”

“Maybe it’s to make up for your inability to use a bow,” Sten remarked before ducking behind his mug. After a healthy swig, he lowered it slowly to see her staring at him. Then she tossed her head back and laughed heartily.

“Perhaps, and it would explain why so few Bosmer have it,” she chuckled. “The others I’ve met are mages like myself.”

[Acadian]

Once Sten shakes most of the spider webs from his mind, the trio heads to Kynegrove for a well-earned drink!

Hmm, sounds like Sten is not overly keen on bringing his Bosmer boss home to meet the family? I wonder if we’ll hear more about that.

They get to the tavern before dark – good thing, I figure. To be called ‘child’ again in Skyrim – poor little Lili. Sten doesn’t hesitate to correct that guard though.

Buffy’s getting quite jealous of Lili’s Bosmer instincts ability. Ahah, maybe Sten’s onto something. Only Bosmer who aren’t good with a bow get it perhaps. Oh well, we all have our limitations and Buffy’s is any effective ability to use a melee weapon.

[SubRosa]

More bonding on the road to Kynesgrove as Sten continues to struggle with the stress of having so recently faced his worse fear. I am glad you spent the time to dwell on that, because it humanizes him. Big strong ox of a guy he is, he is still not invulnerable or unfeeling, and you show it.

Imp chips! That is a handy cleaning up spell that Lil has. It gets the stank out of Nords and dogs alike, a tall order!

That is an interesting observation on Lil's astral sensing/life detection/aura reading ability. I had just assumed that she had a detect life spell of sort. But it looks more like it is an inborn trait that only certain Bosmer possess. That is a neat wrinkle.

[Renee]

Going from the grim, drab town of Windhelm into the orange warmth of Candlehearth, even though it's in a game it's like we can feel that amber air welcoming us in. Whoa, whoops! Chorrol keeps landing me into back chapters! Ah, here we go. No spiders! 🕷️

The sound effects of spiders clicking along stone floors, even though spiders aren't that tough to deal with it's that sound, right? Gives me shivers even if I'm expecting some arachnids up ahead.

"double assault of flame and fang." Nice alliteration.

Oh yes, spider eggs. Any alchemist is going to grab fresh ones. Wonder what'll happen if Lili & Sten ever down a dremora though, if Lil would grab that "ingredient". | Even my top alchemists won't go there! -- Sten seems afraid of spiders.

Uh oh, vampires. I like how you're writing up the entire dungeon, it's freaking creepy, Rider!

Nice. She rallies Sten to helps his nerves!

"I'm glad you are here" sounds like it'll be a great addition to my noble/archer's game.

I like how Sten is honest as he writes his ma, about the spiders that is. He's not embellishing like some brute swordsmen might, talking like a Big Hero. Then again, he IS writing his ma. Maybe he wouldn't reveal those insecurities around the hearth with other brave warriors.

The guard thinks Lilisfina is Sten's kid!

[haute ecole rider]

@Acadian: I'm so glad you caught that brief unease when Lili mentioned meeting Sten's Ma. She did too, which is why she won't pursue that matter. She and you know there's something there! And again Sten shows us his insight when he makes the comment that Lili's instincts more than make up for her lack of ability with the bow!

@SubRosa: I'm glad you approve of my taking the time to show Sten's vulnerability on the road to Kynesgrove. I figure he would show that to his Ma, if no one else. Lili feels protective about Sten's vulnerability - she knows reputation is important to a man, especially one who makes a living by it like Sten does. The mod Frostfall/Campfire (which I never play without) adds spells that let one detect living, undead and dead, which does come in useful for my stealth characters. Since all my Skyrim characters are stealth, this means I use these spells all the time. But spending a little time thinking about how these work, I decided the best way to present them would be as Bosmer instincts - they would be just as useful in a Valenwood jungle as they would in a dark Nordic crypt.

@Renee: Cronvangr Cave is actually a pretty small cave, with a lot going on. So it made sense to give Sten a little bit of courage by letting him fight the vampires one finds in that side chamber. As for showing off his vulnerabilities with other big beefy guys, we'll see how that comes up in conversation!

Having cleared Cronvangr Cave despite Sten's arachnophobia, and having stopped off at Kynesgrove for a fortifying drink or two, our intrepid trio now returns to Windhelm to hand off the Sword of Queen Freydis. And while my little slice of the Midwest is experiencing the first snowfall of the year, I'm beginning to feel Windhelm in my writing!

**********************************

Turdas 21 Last Seed - An Unexpected End

Oengul greeted the trio as they stumbled into the smithy, out of the cold evening. “Good timing,” he exclaimed. “I was about to close up shop for the night. Will you sup with us?”

“Thank you,” Lili accepted the offer after a quick glance at Stenvar. “We do have something for you, smith.”

Hermir added two places to their evening meal as Stenvar carefully laid the cloth-wrapped bundle on the table. “I believe this might be of help to you, Oengul,” he said softly. “In return for all you’ve done for us.”

Oengul shifted his gaze from Lili to Stenvar and back again. “Really?” He reached for the laces binding the ancient cloth around the weapon. His breath caught as he unwrapped it and the light from the hearth brought out its straight blade and fine scrollwork on the hilt. “Queen Freydis’s sword!” he breathed in awe. “Look at that edge, Hermir! Still sharp after all these years.” He handed the blade reverentially to his apprentice, then met Lili’s gaze. “I’ll present it to the Jarl tomorrow. You should stop by around noon and I’ll let you know how he likes it.”

As they seated themselves around the small table, and dug into the simple meal of mutton and roasted root vegetables, Oengul regarded the trio thoughtfully. “I hope Cronvangr Cave wasn’t as difficult as your visit to Forsaken Cave yesterday?”

“Worse, in a way,” Lili responded around a mouthful of savory goodness. “Frostbite spiders, and a small enclave of vampires.”

“Vampires!” Oengul exclaimed. “Nothing but a curse upon the land, I tell you!”

Lili shook her head. “Not all of them, but yes, definitely these.” She nodded at Stenvar, who shoveled food into his mouth faster than Lili. “He was particularly useful with those.”

“And the spiders?” Oengul rose a brow craftily as his gaze drifted between the two. Lili could sense Stenvar’s unease.

“Divide and conquer,” she answered. “I took care of the arachnids whilst he gently tended to the vampires.” She felt the tension ease from Stenvar’s frame as Oengul nodded his approval. “And now we must visit Helgird to ensure neither of us have been infected with Sanguinare Vampiris.”

“Good idea!” Oengul’s nod was echoed by Hermir. “We’ll see you hale and hearty tomorrow!”

As they stepped out into the evening with full bellies, Stenvar leaned down to Lili. “Thanks for what you said in there. About my . . . “ his voice trailed off.

“Nonsense, it’s not something worth discussing with others,” Lili responded firmly. “Not anyone’s business but our own.” She turned her face north, into the cold wind from the mountains beyond the city walls. “Now to visit Hel-”

A scream cut off her words and brought both Star and Stenvar to combat readiness. The sound came from the graveyard, and Lili led the trio in that direction. A stumbling form appeared out of the darkness beyond, babbling about blood and death. Lili caught the emaciated form of Silda the Unseen, one of the beggars that loitered about the cold streets and hovered near the forge and the braziers for warmth.

“What is it, Silda?” Stenvar asked as he reached out and steadied the taller woman on her feet. The two guards in the market plaza moved closer to them, hands on hilts.

“Murder!” Silda shouted, struggling in their grips. “The Butcher! Again!”

“Where?” Stenvar demanded.

“Graveyard!” Silda shook herself loose and fled into the darkness. At her words the guards dashed past, their boots clattering on the stone stairs beyond that led down into the burial place. Stenvar followed close behind, Star on his heels. Lili took a breath and brought up the rear, moving carefully to avoid slipping on the icy steps.

“No!” Stenvar’s heartbroken howl lent speed to Lili’s feet. “Susanna!” She reached the circle of torches to find two of Windhelm’s burliest guards restraining the sellsword. Beyond, one of the other guards turned from the body sprawled on a stone sarcophagus.

“Damn, that’s the fourth one!” Her feminine invective caught Lili’s attention as she came to a stop beside Stenvar’s struggling form. Then all sound became muffled as Lili stared at the mutilated corpse.

Susanna lay nude beneath the cold stars, her body as white as the marble beneath her. Her eyes, no longer filled with the warm spark of life, gazed blindly at the winter sky. Blood gleamed starkly across her torso and neck from gaping wounds above the left breast, right abdomen and right thigh.

Breath left Lili’s body as she slumped to the ground, her eyes still on the barely recognizable barmaid. Susanna? No. Not Susanna. She was my first friend here! A sudden chill passed through her body as her nose picked up the faintest whiff of a recognizable scent.

“Susanna wasn’t killed here,” Lili heard her own voice speaking into the space between her and the female guard. The steel helm turned in her direction and the guard moved to stand before her.

“What did you say?”

Lili struggled back to her feet and forced her own emotions down. I need to be strong. For Susanna. For Stennvar. Time enough to grieve later. “See how little blood is there around her body?” She did not approach the bier. “Given the severity of those wounds, there should be blood all over this stone and even on the ground . . . “ She reached for a torch held by the one guard left standing near the corpse. Startled, the man did not object as she took the flame and lowered it to the ground. “No, hardly any blood here,” she stopped when she saw drops in the snow. “But there is a trail . . .”

“Let me go,” Stenvar’s voice had turned cold. Lili looked up into his eyes, and saw stone there. He no longer struggled for release, but she could see tears trickling into his close cropped beard.

“Release him,” the female guard ordered the two men. As they lowered their hands from him, Stenvar settled his armor over his shoulders and kept his gaze on Lili. “I’m Jyta Silverblade, leader of the night watch,” the woman drew Lili’s attention back to her. “What do you know of such things, Wood Elf?”

Lili gave Stenvar one last look before turning back to the watch leader. “I’ve been on the field of battle,” she struggled to keep her voice even against the onslaught of memories and emotions. “I know how bodies . . . look in death. She did not die here.” She gestured with the torch at the trail of blood drops in the snow. “But if one were to follow these, one might find the scene of the murder.”

“Look,” Silverblade spoke in the crisp diction of a militia leader, “we’re spread thin as it is, and folks don’t like to talk to us of such matters. Yet I cannot authorize you to look into this on an official basis.” She took a deep breath as the three male guards shifted their feet. “All right, Bearfist, Stormwall, back to your posts in the market.” As the two men, one of the two burly guards who had restrained Stenvar and the lean man who had inadvertently lent Lili his torch, snapped fists to chests and headed off into the night, Silverblade turned to the other bulky man. “Snowdrift, help Helgird with the body.”

Now Lili noticed the black-clad priest waiting behind her. Helgird stepped forward carefully, avoiding the blood trail Lili had pointed out, and leaned over the corpse. After a moment she nodded at the guard. “Gentle,” she warned.

“Yes, priest,” the one named Snowdrift cradled the body into his arms and followed Helgird away. Lili turned to Stenvar, who kept his gaze on the snow at his feet. Star seated himself next to the sellsword and leaned against his leg.

“The Butcher!” Another voice sailed out of the night. “I warned ye, I did! An’ now w’ve lost another young woman ‘cause of ye laysh-ziness!”

Silverblade hissed between her teeth and turned toward the aged Imperial who appeared out of the darkness. “Dame Giordano,” she addressed the other evenly. “Go home. I will visit you in the morning to speak of this. Wait for me there.”

“I tell ye, thish hash got t’ sh-top! Never mind th’ war, what’s th’ point of winnin’ th’ war if we ‘re bein’ terrorized in our own home-sh?”

Even from several steps away, Lili could smell the ale on the older woman’s breath. She’s been in the inn all evening. She moved to stand beside Silverblade. “You must tell me about the Butcher,” she kept her voice soft. “But right now we need to look at the scene and gather what clues we can.” She lives in the Stone Quarter, not far from here. “Would you like Stennvar to escort you home, ma’am?” She ignored the sharp glance he shot her, and approved of the way he quickly schooled his expression to one of neutral helpfulness.

“Him?” Giordano peered at the sellsword. “He could be th’ Butcher!” She staggered past them toward the western side of the graveyard. “I’ll sh-ee myself home, thank ye.” As she disappeared and her drunken rumblings faded away, Silverblade sighed.

“That damned Giordano woman,” she muttered, almost to herself, as Lili and Stenvar turned to her. “Roaming round Windhelm all day putting up posters about some Butcher, harassing people about their activities, and drinking all evening in Candlehearth. What a nuisance!”

“Why is she talking about a Butcher?” Lili asked. “And what did you mean this was the fourth one?”

Silverblade shook her head. “I’m not authorized to discuss guard matters with you, that has to be approved by the City Guard Captain. Come by the quarters in the morning.”

[ghastley]

If I remember correctly, they are just starting on the most bug-ridden quest in the game. I wonder if their experience will be based on the intended path, or one of the glitched ones?

[Acadian]

A good warm meal with the smiths. A shame that beautiful and capable sword will find its way as likely a decoration for the Jarl.

The death of Susanna is much more poignant for both the manner of her killing and the fact that she was a friend of both Lili and Sten.

Unlike ghastley, I don’t remember the details about this quest – so that is likely a good thing as it will be presented only through the eyes of Lili and Sten.

Lili reminds me of Jessica Fletcher as she quickly focuses on a significant clue at the scene of the crime. I’m guessing the shorthanded guard force may ask our trio to do some investigating.

I want to mention that, overall, I really like your pacing. You are not afraid to let Lili spend time when/where she wants to or treat us to rich details as the mood moves you. I tend to prefer character-driven over plot-driven stories and this one certainly hits that spot!

[SubRosa]

I think that detect creatures/astral sensing ability would be more important than ever in a dense rainforest/regular forest like Valenwood, where there is a mass of brush and trees that prevents seeing very far in any direction. So to me it seems more appropriate than ever that the Bosmer would develop such an ability to detect threats that are otherwise invisible to normal eyes due to the abundance of available camouflage.

Lil has an interesting remark about not all vampires being evil. That implies that she has known some who are not. Intriguing. Perhaps she has met Blood Raven in her travels?

And as ever she's got Sten's back when it comes to his reputation. That is doing a homie a solid.

The discovery of Susanna's murder really hits hard, with the way it just suddenly comes out of nowhere with Silda's scream in the night. Add to that Stenvar's relationship with Susanna makes this real in a way that the death of a total stranger does not. There is no question now that Lil and Sten are going to be on the case, and vengeance will follow...

Bearfist, Stormwall, Snowdrift. Good solid Nord names that evoke the icy cold of their homeland.