Aww, thanks, mirocu.

I hope Lady Saga doesn't slip in the ectoglop she's likely to find in that ruin.

After a hot bath and night between real sheets at the Leyawiin MG, Buffy left with nine empty grand soul gems and headed out into Blackwood on Superian to try and fill them. She knows those Ashcan trolls in Veyond all have grand souls. Typical Buffy however, she's clearing Fort Blueblood, Onyx Caverns and Fort Doublecross on the way.

She just came out of Onyx Caverns. And its raining again. That's okay though as it's a warm rain and, like her quiver, she has drain holes.

Yesterday Devan worked her way up to Bravil, went looking for Aleron Loche, and when that whole ugly business was over with swam back across the Niben to home sweet Cadlew. With a brief stop along the way to explore the Bravil Wizard's Grotto under the bay, and the strange door. She took one look at the kooks who had come out of it, and decided that whatever was on the other side was definitely not for her!

Today she has been working her way east along the Panther. She is currently in Fort Redwater.

Oh, good on Devana for killing Kurdan. It's not possible to do that too many times. That's a neat area along the Panther. Funny, Buffy just cleared that same area a few days ago before stopping at Bravil and heading to the Blackwood area.

Buffy came out of Veyond with a bag of grand soul gems, each filled by the magicka of an Ashcan troll. After delivering them to the Leyawiin MG, she and Superian set their course westerly. Time to dry out after several days of rain in the marshes. After passing through the northern edge of the Tenmar Forest (jungle, really), she emerged into the southern deserts of Anequina. As the afternoon heat was peaking, they happily sought refuge in the city of Corinthe - the biggest city in Elsweyr and an opulent center of commerce, fountains and gardens.

Up and northbound several hours before the sun, she hopes to traverse the desert and make the cooler savannahs before the afternoon, with its relentless heat. She's happy to see the clear starlit night and takes it as a hopeful omen that their journey will be spared one of the frequent desert sandstorms that can sometimes last for days.

Devan made a wise choice to stay away from that portal, assuming she wants to retain her sanity

Do'Shakir 2.0 has arrived Cyrodiil ! After much deliberation, I finally decided that Do'Shakir would be a whispering fang monk in training. He's come to Cyrodiil after completing his initial training in Elsweyr. I used the Monk pre-made class, so we'll see how that goes. I guess it's not 100% correct with the lore, but as long as he doesn't use any melee weapons or armour it's still relatively close.


From a 'walk' in the sewers, Do'Shakir crossed lake rumare and cleared out Vilverin. He's now in the market district to sell off his loot, unsure what to do with the varla and welkynd stones and the statue he retrieved.

*laughs heartily*





I did find a crossbow mod the other day. Lady Saga found an iron one, and used it to sneak-attack a bandit ringleader in Sercen. That thing definitely packs a punch, usually ringleaders will be able to survive an attack with one of Saga's bows. The crossbow took her right down, though.

That's funny, because Devana cleaned out a whole mess of those Azkaban Trolls from Veyond a few days before she headed up to Bravil. They sure move back in quick!




Welcome to Do'Shakir II! I suppose the thing you need to think about is what to do with critters like ghosts, that can only be harmed by magical weapons. A Touch magic attack might fit nicely into your Khajiit IP Man's repertoire.

Welcome (back) to Do'Shakir 2.0!

Glad Lady Saga is enjoying her new crossbows!


Buffy had a very long day. Her pre-dawn departure from Corinthe allowed she and Superian to traverse the desert and enter the golden grasses of the savannah by shortly after sunrise. By generally following the Red River, opportunities to water her mare were plentiful. Mid morning found them in the Tordor Forest and passing Riverhold before entering Cyrodiil near Fort Blackboot. Being a known conjuror lair, Buffy couldn’t resist clearing it out before continuing. Once back on the trail, she managed to harvest no less than 75 samples of nightshade (from the saddle of course). As darkness covered the forest, she finally stopped for the night and some Nirn-famous potato bread at the Faregyl Inn.

Did she happen to see John Wayne or Montgomery Clift along the way?

@Vital - I think your Monk feline can use blunt weapons, considering monks don´t like to cut through the skin but have no problem crusching what´s behind it..

So maybe a mace would fit him nicely which of course opens up for enchantments

LULZ

However, once your character becomes a journeyman in HtH, it works against anything, even ghosts or any other creatures that resist normal weapons.

If you're on PC, there's a mod that adds Unarmored as its own skill, it's called Galerion True Unarmored.

I currently play a monk in Morrowind and it's a lot of fun, I haven't had so interesting playthrough in years, so monk is a way to go!

Thanks, I didn't know that about h2h, it's the first time I've ever played a character that focuses on it

I agree, that the monk is great fun! Three dungeons cleared so far and it's certainly a unique playstyle. It's also not as weak as I imagined, if done right. Unfortunately I'm on xbox so I guess I'll just have to use my shield spells and keep out of the way

Did you see my post, Vital? I think your Monk kitty would look good using a silver mace or something

Oops I think I missed it

A mace would definitely fit, at least until he reaches journeyman h2h. Hopefully I won't run into too many ghosts before then anyway. Do'Shakir will also invest in a silver bow as that fits in with the class, so at least that'll keep him covered at range

The erstwhile residents of Oyster Bay had long ago learnt not to be curious about the comings and goings of those around them, such was life when you are home to a pirate fleet. Even the most jaded of those amongst them however could not fail to be a somewhat interested when the little blue-skinned elf with the bright copper hair emerged from the township's inn into the cool air of the early evening and, leading her horse gently by the reins, her ever-present Alsation following, walked out of the town and around the bay to the little sand bar with the burnt-out house and the shipwreck.

A small crowd gathered at the dockside and looked across, talking softly amongst themselves and draining their ale. The sun was westering and laying an fiery blanket across the sparkling waters of the ocean, illuminating the scene across the water with a red-golden wash. Even at this distance the keen-eyed amongst the observers could see the elf's hair sparkle and the glow of her striking green eyes.
Presently she disappeared from sight over the other side of the bar and the crowd, as crowds do everywhere, slowly drifted away.

++++

Eilidh heeded them not.
Removing the bridle from her horse she took a small wooden bowl from her pack and laid it on the shore, a little way from the gently lapping water.
Squatting down, she took also a small figurine that had come to her to represent her Goddess, and some fresh herbs.

Turning to Radala, she whispered: "chuid eile, Radala."
The Alsation grumbled softly and laid down on the sand, his head between his forepaws, his breathing slow and restful. His eyes though, ever alert to danger and the presence of his mistress, were wide and attentive.

Eilidh crushed the herbs in between her palms and sprinkled them into the bowl. Scooping up a little water from the ocean she poured it into the bowl and swirled it around.
Placing the small figurine onto the sand, she spent a little time making sure it stood properly upright, smiling to herself when it fell into the sea a couple of times.
"Ba mhaith leat dul abhaile, cosúil liomsa..." She said softly.

Finally as satisfied as she could be, she took the bowl and stood up. It wasn't quite how the naming ceremony was done, but it was more about the meaning than anything; as such it would do as well.
She turned the horse to face roughly south and a little west, towards where her homeland was, and then, dipping the fingers of one hand into the herb-infused water, she gently anointed the horse's nose, first down and then across, saying:
"
Ainm agam ort Iarann, toisc go bhfuil tú láidir; i radharc an bandia agus mo bhaile.
Is é mo bhealach do bhealach a dhéanamh,
Agus mise mianach.
"
Pouring the rest of the water over the horse's head, she stroked his flank and kissed him softly on the neck.
"Iarann." It was a good name, a strong name.
She smiled and Iarann, who had been as still as stone throughout the small ceremony, nickered softly and shook his head, turned to look at her and brushed her face with his.
"Buachaill maith." She said to him, then looking at down at Radala she said, "an' noo we're three."

++++

As the sun dipped slowly below the horizon, the three of them stayed on the bar, a silent tableau of trust and companionship.

Aww, a girl and her horse down by the beach.

Give Eilidh a Horse and a Dog and she's pretty much sorted.

I love the Gaelic. It's so interesting how it's nothing like English. Guess that tongue must be really old, then.

And We are Three, Indeed!



Sounds like Julian!

Lothran is currently back in Bruma and I don´t think he´s gonna go out on more long-range expeditions this winter. Though he won´t leave Bruma just yet, he´s got some preparations to do. Not to mention he wants to take a good last look around the place.
Until next winter, that is....

A Dunmer in a faded red robe sits in a cramped cabin, hunched over a crate serving as a makeshift table. The air is thick with a mixed stench of stale sweat and urine, the sea air fighting a losing battle below decks to make it's presence felt. The only light comes from the small candle burning on the crate, the flame flickering with the movement of the ship. Beside the candle is an open book, the pages of which are blank, and an inkwell holding a quill. The Dunmer takes up the quill and begins to write.


Here is Eldrar Andrethi

That was the best pic of him I could get, sitting in the Merchant's Inn. Dunmer aren't the best race to take a photo of on screen.

Currently in The Imperial City, having had a very reassuring, and mandatory, chat with Raminus Polus. He's promised to join the Mages Guild. It certainly beats the alternatives...

Hey!

Welcome to Eldrar, CT! Nice introduction.

Hey!

When you're taking a picture of a tv on a cameraphone, believe me, it's hard to get a decent picture. With Dunmer it's worse.



Thanks, it's the prelude to his journal, thought I'd throw it in.

Lady Saga just arrived in Cheydinhal for the first time in a long time.


Redguard too. Getting a decent shot of Kahreem sometimes can be challenging. But then you get that perfect shot. In my opinion, a really good cell camera shot has more depth and 'life' than a PC screenie.

Welcome Eldy. That certainly is a good pic from a phone!

Another clearing out of Plundered Mine occurred tonight. Some good amount of weapons and shields collected and transformed into Septims

That's very noble of Lothran, since Plundered Mine is so close to the road and threatens travelers. I'm glad he was able to then lighten his load and fill up his coin purse.

Buffy is just arriving Cheydinhal, after clearing several dungeons on her way from the IC. I'm not sure she has business there, she simply wants to be on the road with her mare I think.

He thought of his duty as protector of travellers, but now he also needs the dough for his upcoming trip to the University...


I can so relate to that. Lothran almost always go places just because he wants to be on the road But I can imagine Buffy has some Mages Guild affairs to take care of?

Julian is working her way down the Yellow Road. She has already closed her eighth Gate and is about a quarter of the way through her ninth one. And she hasn't even sighted Leyawiin yet! This one is just north of Blankenmarch, in case all of you are wondering.

Glad to see someone doing their part to close gates. Lothran never really wanted to

Julian is a gate-closing specialist. And she's very good at it!

Aaaand, she has closed the Ninth Gate! Now why am I thinking of a strange Johnny Depp movie? But wait, aren't all Johnny Depp movies strange?

Anyways, Julian has brought Paint safely to Leyawiin (her fans will recall that dear Prior Maborel's Horse had a near-death encounter with a will-o-wisp on the Yellow Road halfway between the Panther River and Blankenmarch. She spent the night at the Leyawiin Mages Guild and is now feeling more like herself. Next on her agenda: see about obtaining that recommendation.

Something funny happened in Cheydinhal yesterday - Huzzah! Though I had used the console to make the two tiros essential (just to make it easier on Julian to get them through that Gate alive), Brennan kept fainting dead away and would not get back up. I had to disable-enable him through the console to get him back. However, every time I did that, he would lose an essential piece of equipment. First it was the cuirass. Then it was his boots. Then - yikes! - it was his greaves. By the time we closed the Gate, he was down to his shield.

Being near nude (yes, I use the nude mods), he remained as quick as ever to get into battle with the big Daedra. I wonder what they thought of the nude Berserker running at them with bare fist and shield just before they got cut down. At least he distracted them enough for Julian to deliver the final blows . . . I'm not sure if they died laughing . . .

Oh, Rider, that's hilarious! Nekked Thorn Knights in the attack!

Since our last update, Buffy left Cheydinhal and cleared Fanacas, Rikety Mine and Fort Scinia - where she and Superian camped for the night. The next morning it was down to the river to water the mare and baths. Now elf and mare are headed for Doomed Mine.

Eldrar is currently in Chorrol, having just earned his first recomendation. In the morning he sets out for Bruma, or more likely, in the afternoon once he's repaired his armour and brewed some potions to sell.

He barely had the coin for a room at the Oak & Crosier

Good lord, Rider! Quite a story.

-Hey, Renee! What about Kahreem!??

Eilidh has returned to Red Rose, the sale of Benirus fell through.
Truth be told she was quite glad, she's had an increasing feeling of boredom over the last few days, partly triggered by missing the Anvil contact but more so by Cyrodiil itself.

Does she really want her life to go the way it's heading, to just spend her time building empires? Increasingly she thinks not.
There's a world out there...

So we leave her for the moment, drumming her fingers on the edge of her bath and staring up through the steam at the high ceiling, a far away look in her eyes.

(Meanwhile, several hundred miles north of her, someone else emerges blinking into a crisp cold world of opportunity. The chill glare of a Skyrim dawn greets this particular individual, but it's a stark beauty that is lost on her, for in her heart and behind her black eyes lies only one overriding thought and desire.
Revenge).

Phon, seems like Grumpy's taking a break - and it sounds like a more pleasant 'rest' than Niamh's fate. A new character brewing up north, eh?

Buffy rode a dragon last night. She only does that at night - otherwise, everyone want to hunt and kill it.

Pics or it didn't happen...

I'll have to work in a night photoshoot sometime soon! We've had the Akatosh Mount mod installed for a long time.

Edit: Okay. It was kind of an overcast evening, but we did snap a shot. I'll post it on Buffy's Potpourri thread later today.

Yes yes!
Yeah Eilidh (Cyrodiil) is having a break, and I believe she'll be off exploring the world for a bit when next I meet her. Rest assured nothing unpleasant will be happening to her, she's my light relief!

The other one, mind you...

Another character, Phon!??

Better slow down there, ol´ chum

Julian has just closed the Gate on the Imperial Isle. This is the Thirteenth Gate for her. And she hasn't made it to Skingrad yet! As I recall, there was a ton of Gates along there - at least three outside Skingrad (not counting the main Gate that has to be closed to make Hassildor happy), and two more along the Gold Road on the way to Anvil. At least she has gathered a nice collection of Sigil Stones and has a number of jewelry enchanted with Chameleon, a Nighteye ring, and a nice Bow of Voltage that she is using to charge up empty soul gems.

She has built up a nice collection of summons - scamp, skeleton, Bear, Lion and Timber Wolf. She is liking the wildlife ones but prefers to work alone when in Oblivion. She hates the idea of feeding those innocent souls into a Sigil Stone. Though from time to time she wonders what happens to the souls entrapped in the Stones and the gems when they are used up. A topic to explore in LBMQ . . .

Good that Julian is closing the gates so Lothran doesn´t have to

Slow day for the dunmer in Bruma btw with a few visits to merchants and taverns. He did manage to rally up his fellow guards a few times for touching cutlery. And here he thought they were meant to be used?

Go, Julian, Go!

Silly Lothran! Nords don't need no stinking cutlery!

He never realized they´re just for show...

It´s so nice to be in Bruma but I think he´s gonna be on the move soon. Maybe next weekend...?

That must mean the daffodils are poking up above the snow! Time for Lothie's spring pilgrimage to the University.

Speaking of the University, Buffy was just there yesterday. Then she cut across the lake to Wellspring and is dungeon crawling south on the west side of the Niben. I think she'll cross again to visit Bravil, then perhaps out to the the Isles for some more Black Tar.

Julian had a marathon session last night, and we were too tired to update here . . .

Her Gates record now stands at 17, and she is standing before #18, just outside Chorrol. Those who remember her storyline will recall that this is the final Gate she has to close before she has completed the Allies for Bruma quest and wraps up her Grand Tour of Cyrodiil.

Skingrad was fun, until she tried to find an open bed to sleep in at the Mages Guild. Fortunately she had the bedroll with her and the basement was warm and peaceful! She did have an unsettling encounter with the resident eccentric, and a warning from Dion about him, but she has not pursued that matter further. After all, she had a missing mage to locate and more Gates to close.

Returning to her hometown was bittersweet, but Julian soon made her presence felt there. Morvayn was happy to see her, as much for the good haul she sold him as for old times. Felen and Carahil were as she remembered them, only a bit older. This time around, Julian was surprised to see an Imperial Legion recruiting officer inside the Guild (so was I -- I had never seen one of those before). Speaking to him, she learned that there is a shortage of Imperial Legion battlemages because of the Oblivion Crisis and the Legion has stepped up their recruiting efforts, with Traven's cooperation. Julian is unclear at this point just how Carahil feels about this intrusion into her domain.

Naturally, while here Julian reclaimed her family homestead and purchased Blanco with her accumulated pension. She spent a day riding him along the coast and getting to know him, just as Clesa told her to do. Together they found a few more nirnroot plants, killed a boar and chased off a couple of diseased mud crabs.

I have a few screenies of this lovely day, and will post them later when I have time. They are just too beautiful to not share!

Leaving Anvil, Julian stopped off at Kvatch to speak to Savlian Matius about the progress being made there. He volunteered to send a few men to Bruma, though Julian was reluctant to ask him. It was good to see the folks slowly progressing through their mourning and trauma and beginning to think about rebuilding. Of course, gra-Sharob was more than happy to repair Julian's armor and weapons, and Sigrid was delighted by the Fire of Life potions that Felen Relas made from the daedra hearts Julian brought him.

This time around, Julian stopped at the Chapel in Skingrad and spent some time in meditation there. Whether or not Julianos or Akatosh heard her, she wasn't sure. But she felt a little more at peace with her situation and her new role as Champion Gate-Closer.

Now Julian is standing before the Chorrol Oblivion Gate. She is feeling resigned right now. When will this ever end? In a moment she will take a deep breath and dive through the portal back into the nightmare that is Mehrunes Dagon's realm.

Lothran, Julian says to not worry about the Gates around Bruma. Just keep the daedra out of the city, and she will handle the rest. Good job clearing the Goblin Mine east of Bruma!