Welp it has been a few years (yikes, almost EIGHT??) since I last posted anything in the Fan Fiction forum. I've taken up writing once again now that I have a couple of voices talking in my head once again. I hope y'all enjoy this one . . .
Sundas 17 Last Seed - Candlehearth Hall
“Child!” Lili turned her gaze toward the source of the voice. “Get that mangy mutt out of here! And go home to your parents!”
Here we go again. Lili lowered her hood to show her face, lean, sharp featured and highlighted by slanted eyes. She lowered her hand to touch the dog’s ears, just as pointed as her own. “Forgive me, ma’am,” she kept her voice soft, pitched to carry across the room to the Nord innkeeper behind her counter. “I’ve traveled from across the sea. This dog followed me from the docks. I seek food, a bath, and a bed for both of us. And I assure you Star has been cleansed of any fleas or lice or other vermin. But if you wish,” she half turned to the door behind her, “I’ll go seek lodging somewhere else.”
“Wait!” The woman stepped from behind the counter and approached Lili, gesturing her to step into the pool of light from a nearby sconce. “Forgive me, given your size I thought . . .”
“I take it you don’t see many Bosmer here in Windhelm,” Lili countered softly. “It’s an honest mistake, ma’am.” She looked down at Star’s bright blue eyes. “I can pay for both of us, but I also have a pair of fat salmon -” she held up two fish from beneath her cloak “- I fished up off the docks this afternoon. If you’ll let me use your kitchen for a little while, I can cook it up for us.”
“Salmon?” The woman exclaimed. “Nonsense! Nils!” She called over her shoulder down the hallway extending to the rear of the inn. “My name’s Elda Early-Dawn, I run this inn.” She glanced warily at the black and white dog. “We typically don’t serve dogs in here . . .”
“I’m Lilisfina. That’s why I offered to cook for the both of us,” Lili assured her. “I did clean him up before we came up from the docks.”
“Wait, isn’t he the stray dog the Argonians feed from time to time?” Elda put her hands on her hips. “He’s not filthy, is he?”
“Not anymore,” Lili smiled at him and ruffled his scruff. “I made sure of it.”
Elda narrowed her eyes at the slight Bosmer. “How?” She leaned down slightly and sniffed audibly. “He doesn’t smell fishy, or wet.”
Lili sent a faint wave of restoration magic down his body. Elda gasped and hastily stepped back. Her hand crept to her throat and grasped a small amulet.
“I’ve been traveling all over Tamriel as healer,” Lili explained softly. “And learning as much as I can from fellow healers and mages.”
“Magic?” Elda exclaimed. “Goodness! Not here, nothing dangerous like that! That’s all best kept up at the College of Winterhold.”
Lili pulled the coin purse from her belt. “May I pay for a room, a bath, and the use of your kitchen, ma’am?”
A scruffy man appeared at Elda’s shoulder. “You called, ma’am?”
“Give Nils the salmon,” Elda took a deep breath and met Lili’s gaze. “You can have your choice from our menu, if you want to give that dog something other than fish. We’ll put the salmon on our menu for tonight, or you can have it prepared your way for yourself.” Lili turned to the wizened older man and held the fish to him. “As for the room and the bath, it would be ten drakes for the room and three for the bath.” Her gaze flickered to the dog. “It’d be extra if you bathe the dog too.”
Nils hefted the fish thoughtfully, then grinned in satisfaction at their weight. Lili smiled back, then turned to Elda. “The dog won’t appreciate the bath, but if you have a nice mutton bone left over from that stew I smell cooking he wouldn’t mind that.”
“That’s nice salmon, mind,” Nils exclaimed softly as he met Lili’s gaze. “Salmon my way, salmon your way, or our mutton stew?”
“Let me try the stew,” Lili answered. “I’ve had nothing but smoked fish on the way here.” She counted out the drakes and handed them to Elda. “And here’s three for the bath, and twenty for two nights in the room. Would that be acceptable?”
“Of course,” Elda exclaimed, palming the coins into the purse at her waist. Here’s a woman who knows the value of a good coin. “Follow me, ma’am.” She turned and followed Nils into the back hallway. While he continued down to the rear of the structure, Elda stopped at the first door on the left. She drew a key from her pocket, unlocked it and swung it open. “Does this suit you and your dog?”
“He’s not really my dog,” Lili remarked as she stepped in. “But he decided to follow me.”
“Likely because you fed him,” Elda muttered as Star followed after Lili, his white tipped tail waving over his back as he explored the room with his nose. “Well, do you want your bath first, or eat first?”
“It’s cold outside,” Lili set her pack onto the bed, “and it will take time to get a hot bath ready. I think I’ll eat that stew first.”
“And what would you like to drink?”
“Mead?” Lili asked. “I’ve heard so much about it, and I’d like to try some.”
“Mead it is!” Elda nodded emphatically. “Mind you, be careful with it until you get used to it.”
“I’m Bosmer,” Lili smiled. “Grew up on jagga and rotmeth.” Elda pulled a face. She’s actually tasted jagga or rotmeth?
“Head upstairs, and I’ll have Susanna bring you your meal,” she nodded at Star, “and a bone for that dog. He’d better behave himself!”
“Thank you very much, ma’am,” Lili cast a lock spell on her bag, then followed the Nord innkeeper out. At the taller woman’s gesture, she headed up the wide stairs to the main hall above.
The large space, tucked beneath the high steep roof, took up the entire length of the inn. A large flagstone hearth, its chimney holding up the centerline of the roof, took up the center of the room. The part of the room adjacent to the open stairway held three tables, all three occupied. Chairs were placed along the walls and around the fireplace. On the other side, to the rear, a slender Dunmer plucked at a lute, a plaintive melody drifting from her long fingers.
“Hello!” Another Nord woman, this one a bit younger, her abundant curves highlighted by a rather lightweight outfit, approached Lili. “I’m Susanna the Wicked. Have you already ordered something to eat or drink, ma’am?”
“Elda will be sending something up shortly,” Lili replied. “I’m Lilisfina. You don’t seem very wicked to me, Susanna.”
“Are you new to Skyrim, ma’am?” Susanna tucked her tray beneath one arm. At Lili’s nod, she leaned down slightly to speak softly. “Here in Skyrim, nicknames are meant to be ironic. They call Elda Early-Dawn because, well, she sleeps late most days.” She nodded at a slouched Nord, his winter cap askew over his ears. “And Rolff Stone-Fist, because he has a glass hand. Jaw, too, to tell the truth.” She touched the side of her nose with her finger. “I didn’t tell you that.”
Lili smiled back at her and mirrored her gesture. “Tell me what?” She looked around the room again.
“You’ll have to share a table with one of those men,” Susanna straightened up. She eyed Lili thoughtfully.
“Which one do you suggest?” Lili asked. “I don’t want to inconvenience anyone.”
“Hmm, the black beard nearest us is Captain Lonely-Gale. He’s nice enough, but he’s being - aggressively - pursued by a certain spinster. That makes him cranky when she’s been on him, and she should be coming in here soon.” She shook her head warningly. “Not good company then.” Her gaze shifted to the front wall. “The older gentleman in the left corner behind the stairwell is Adonato Leotelli. He’s a writer, and when he’s writing . . .”
Lili took in the bent head, the quivering quill and the sheets of parchment scattered across the table. “Resents any distraction?”
“And did Elda say you could bring your dog here?” Susanna tipped her head at the Skyrim Husky, who regarded the room from his seated position at Lili’s side. “Because Leotelli will complain about misbehaving dogs, barking and panting and breaking up his concentration.”
“He’s not my dog,” Lili corrected. “But I understand what you mean. I definitely wouldn’t want to interrupt the creative process.”
Susanna snorted softly. “Now that big one with the shaved head and fierce face,” she indicated the man in the opposite corner, scratched iron glimmering in the candlelight with each slow breath, “Stenvar’s a sellsword. Strongest sword arm in the North, if you believe him.” She regarded him with a fond expression. “He’s rough, and looks like an absolute brute, but I assure you, he’s a good man to know. He won’t mind your - the dog, either. If he’s got a temper, I haven’t seen it yet.”
“How would he feel about sharing a table with an Elf?” Lili asked. Susanna glanced sharply at her. “Oh, I heard Rolff Stone-Fist and one other man giving a Dunmer lady a hard time before I came in. Sounded like there’s a fair bit of resentment about them here in Windhelm.”
Susanna laid a finger on her lips. “We can talk about that another time, Lilisfina.” She waved toward the mercenary’s table. “Go on, sit there. I’ll bring you your meal right away!”
Lili and Star wove their way between the chairs toward the indicated table. She noticed the round shield and war axe leaning against a chair at the side of the table, then the hilt of a zwei-hander over the sellsword’s shoulder. He raised his blue gaze from his mug as she stopped beside the chair opposite him.
“May I?” Lili rested her hand on the back of the chair in question.
“Of course,” Stenvar straightened his shoulders slightly and waved his free hand in open invitation. As she took her seat, he clenched his hand and tapped his iron cuirass in greeting. “I’m Stenvar.”
“Lilisfina,” she put her palms together in front of her own chest and nodded once. “My pleasure.”
“Are you certain?” Stenvar’s voice rumbled softly, his eyes glinting with good humor. “I’d argue the pleasure is mine. It’s not often I get a beautiful lass ask to sit at my table.”
Lili regarded him thoughtfully. “Somehow I get the feeling plenty of beautiful ladies do more than just sit with you, sir.” She kept her tone light and soft, and lifted her right brow in challenge.
Stenvar grinned, then shook his head with a chuckle. “Not as many as you’d think, ma’am.”
Full Version: A Wood Elf in Windhelm
Hot Collie is back!
Welcome to Lilisfina and Star, both of the pointed ears. Lili is certainly polite. And a practitioner of Restoration magic I see.
Susanna is still alive? Well that is good news, for now.
So Lili is new in town and getting acclimated. Hanging out with Stenvar might be a good strategic move, if she can get on his good side.
Welcome to Lilisfina and Star, both of the pointed ears. Lili is certainly polite. And a practitioner of Restoration magic I see.
Susanna is still alive? Well that is good news, for now.
So Lili is new in town and getting acclimated. Hanging out with Stenvar might be a good strategic move, if she can get on his good side.
Welcome back to Chorrol fanfic! And a lovely first episode for Lilisfina it is. 
You haven’t lost your touch, as Lili is a compelling character and your descriptions are wonderful. We learn a good deal about Lili here, yet it is presented naturally and with a gentle hand. I love this, for example:
’She lowered her hand to touch the dog’s ears, just as pointed as her own.’
I see Lili knows SubRosa’s ‘take a magical bath’ cleansing spell. Ahah, then we learn she is a healer.
I imagine traveling the rugged cold land of rough men and curvaceous women who mistrust magic and elves is a hard road. I'm glad Lili decided to try mead; probably a strategically superior choice here than milk.
You haven’t lost your touch, as Lili is a compelling character and your descriptions are wonderful. We learn a good deal about Lili here, yet it is presented naturally and with a gentle hand. I love this, for example:
’She lowered her hand to touch the dog’s ears, just as pointed as her own.’
I see Lili knows SubRosa’s ‘take a magical bath’ cleansing spell. Ahah, then we learn she is a healer.
I imagine traveling the rugged cold land of rough men and curvaceous women who mistrust magic and elves is a hard road. I'm glad Lili decided to try mead; probably a strategically superior choice here than milk.
An auspicious start to an interesting tale. (Anything with a dog in it is automatically awarded at least 3 stars...). You have not lost your touch for allowing the story to spin out at a pleasing pace; nothing feels forced and yet the action moves along.
Favorite quote:
“Are you certain?” Stenvar’s voice rumbled softly, his eyes glinting with good humor. “I’d argue the pleasure is mine. It’s not often I get a beautiful lass ask to sit at my table.”
Lili regarded him thoughtfully. “Somehow I get the feeling plenty of beautiful ladies do more than just sit with you, sir.” She kept her tone light and soft, and lifted her right brow in challenge.
Stenvar grinned, then shook his head with a chuckle. “Not as many as you’d think, ma’am.”
Favorite quote:
“Are you certain?” Stenvar’s voice rumbled softly, his eyes glinting with good humor. “I’d argue the pleasure is mine. It’s not often I get a beautiful lass ask to sit at my table.”
Lili regarded him thoughtfully. “Somehow I get the feeling plenty of beautiful ladies do more than just sit with you, sir.” She kept her tone light and soft, and lifted her right brow in challenge.
Stenvar grinned, then shook his head with a chuckle. “Not as many as you’d think, ma’am.”
Hey haute. Never got to read any of your earlier tales (nor many other stories from 8 years ago) but welcome back.
Yes that's right. Not a whole lot of Bosmer. Especially not in Windhelm. So she thinks... I see.
Ha ha, Elda's afraid of Restoration magic!
"He's not my dog," Lili keeps saying. Except the dog doesn't seem to agree.
Yes that's right. Not a whole lot of Bosmer. Especially not in Windhelm. So she thinks... I see.
Ha ha, Elda's afraid of Restoration magic!
"He's not my dog," Lili keeps saying. Except the dog doesn't seem to agree.
Skyrim and a wood elf, yay! And a dog! And Stenvar!!
That bath and de-louse spell will be popular in Skyrim. Just sayin. I love Lilisfina’s practical magic.
Treydog picked out my favorite moment. You brought Stenvar to life in those few lines.
And yeah, that’s your dog now, Lili!
That bath and de-louse spell will be popular in Skyrim. Just sayin. I love Lilisfina’s practical magic.
Treydog picked out my favorite moment. You brought Stenvar to life in those few lines.
And yeah, that’s your dog now, Lili!
QUOTE(Grits @ Jun 22 2024, 10:18 AM) 
And yeah, that’s your dog now, Lili!
And if it had been a cat, Lili would now belong to it.
Arrival in Windhelm
A little gift to all of you who enjoyed reading the first episode of my Wood Elf in Skyrim!
@Sage Rose: Thank you for the warm welcome back! I've been rather hesitant to come back because of my prolonged inactivity, but I appreciate your kind words. They mean a lot to me. And yes, Lili knows there will be times when brawn like Stenvar comes in handy!
@Acadian: Mead vs. Milk? Remember, Lili is used to much stronger (fouler) stuff, and in her travels she's learned to not drink the local water!
Your feedback is valuable, it tells me I hit the marks I wanted to hit with this episode.
@treydog: I'm so glad you found this story right away! Yes, the dog is a must - being a Bosmer, Lili has a high affinity for animals. It also lets me indulge my veterinarian side as well. And thanks for calling out what is also my favorite part of this segment - when I returned to playing Skyrim after so many years away, I fell in love with Stenvar the mercenary (no wonder - he shares the same voice files as Argis the Bulwark). And immediately I picked up the innuendo in much of his in game comments, so that has informed my version of Stenvar the Strongest Sword Arm in All of Skyrim.
@Renee: You hit the nail on the head - "Not my dog" but Star doesn't care what she thinks - he belongs with her. Or maybe it's the fish she was catching on the docks when she first arrived? And if you wanted to, my previous fiction can be found in my subforum - look for Old Habits Die Hard. It's a long one, though!
@Grits: Thanks for the welcome back! I knew you would enjoy Stenvar's introduction - I remember how much you enjoyed playing with him as a follower back in the day.
@ghastley: Yup, Lili knows dogs have masters, but cats have staff. Given the numbers of stray cats she'll encounter in upcoming chapters, we'll see how much she appreciates their cattitude.
Next episode coming up!
A little gift to all of you who enjoyed reading the first episode of my Wood Elf in Skyrim!
@Sage Rose: Thank you for the warm welcome back! I've been rather hesitant to come back because of my prolonged inactivity, but I appreciate your kind words. They mean a lot to me. And yes, Lili knows there will be times when brawn like Stenvar comes in handy!
@Acadian: Mead vs. Milk? Remember, Lili is used to much stronger (fouler) stuff, and in her travels she's learned to not drink the local water!
Your feedback is valuable, it tells me I hit the marks I wanted to hit with this episode.@treydog: I'm so glad you found this story right away! Yes, the dog is a must - being a Bosmer, Lili has a high affinity for animals. It also lets me indulge my veterinarian side as well.
And thanks for calling out what is also my favorite part of this segment - when I returned to playing Skyrim after so many years away, I fell in love with Stenvar the mercenary (no wonder - he shares the same voice files as Argis the Bulwark). And immediately I picked up the innuendo in much of his in game comments, so that has informed my version of Stenvar the Strongest Sword Arm in All of Skyrim.@Renee: You hit the nail on the head - "Not my dog" but Star doesn't care what she thinks - he belongs with her. Or maybe it's the fish she was catching on the docks when she first arrived? And if you wanted to, my previous fiction can be found in my subforum - look for Old Habits Die Hard. It's a long one, though!
@Grits: Thanks for the welcome back! I knew you would enjoy Stenvar's introduction - I remember how much you enjoyed playing with him as a follower back in the day.
@ghastley: Yup, Lili knows dogs have masters, but cats have staff. Given the numbers of stray cats she'll encounter in upcoming chapters, we'll see how much she appreciates their cattitude.
Next episode coming up!
Sundas 17 Last Seed - Stenvar
Sten watched Susanna return to their table with a plate of the interminable mutton stew and a mug of mead. Beneath one arm she held a long object wrapped in a thin hide against her side. After serving Lilisfina the food, she unwrapped the mutton leg bone from the hide and handed it to the dog. As Sten listened to the sound of teeth grinding on bone, Lilisfina leaned forward and inhaled deeply of the stew. “Smells good, Susanna. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome!” Susanna replied cheerfully. She caught Sten’s gaze. “Do you want something to eat, Stenvar? We got some salmon that Nils is cooking up.” She gestured toward the Wood Elf. “Lili traded salmon she caught this afternoon for the stew and the dog’s bone.”
“Salmon?” Stenvar glanced from the Wood Elf to Susanna. “That’s a fair trade, ma’am.” And a good change from mutton, mutton, and more mutton. “I’ll have a portion of that then, thanks. And more ale, too, please.” As Susanna moved away, Stenvar caught Lilisfina watching him with those slightly unsettling green eyes. “Mutton is all we get to eat here.”
“Doesn’t Elda buy fish on the docks?” Lilisfina asked him. “You’d think she’d want to switch up from time to time.”
“She’s too stingy with her coin for that,” Sten answered. “To be fair, they charge a lot for the fish down there - they make more drakes selling them inland.” He finished his ale. “Most folk here, if they want fish, they go fishing for themselves.”
“Hmmm,” Lilisfina worked her way through the stew with hearty gusto. “This is actually quite good,” her green gaze flashed toward him. “Of course, all I’ve had to eat is smoked salmon since leaving Blacklight!”
Sten regarded her for a few breaths. Vvardenfell, huh? It’s a week’s travel by road from Blacklight, not much faster by ship. “Just arrived in Skyrim then?” He paused when Susanna reappeared to refresh his ale. “Boat or road?”
“Boat,” Lilisfina replied. “Got delayed by a bad winter storm, but I’m finally here.”
“Storms at sea are not for the faint of heart,” Sten remarked.
Lilisfina pulled a face and reached for her mead. “You’re absolutely right,” she agreed. She regarded the liquid within her mug, sniffing in the aroma. “So this is mead.”
“Never had it before?” Sten watched her as she sipped experimentally at it. “The taste is beguiling, the kick comes later. Be careful.”
Her eyes grew distant as her mouth worked the liquid around before she swallowed. “It does pack a bit of a wallop,” she admitted.
“Enjoy it, then,” Sten lifted his own mug in a toast. “Welcome to Skyrim, ma’am.”
Lilisfina sopped up the last of the gravy with the chunk of bread. As she popped it into her mouth, her gaze slid to his. Sten noticed the curiosity in her eyes. She swallowed, then spoke, “What is it you do, Stennvar? I’m told you’re a sellsword, is that right?”
“The strongest sword arm in all of Skyrim,” Sten flexed first his right biceps, then his left. “You’ll not find a better sellsword than me.” He shrugged self-mockingly. “Not that I’m bragging.”
“He’s not!” Susanna exclaimed as she set a platter of pink fish in front of Stenvar. “Here you go, big man.”
“Thanks, Susanna,” Sten inhaled the buttery aroma of the fresh salmon. “Tell Nils this looks great.” Susanna waited while he dug into the flaky fish and took his first bite. Ahhh, this is so damned delicious! “Tastes great, too,” he said around the food. He became aware of Lilisfina’s gaze on him.
“Good, huh?” She asked him.
“Better than a sevenday of mutton stew!” Sten met Lilisfina’s gaze. “Are you going to keep trading fish for mutton stew?”
Her smile lit up the right side of her face, Sten noticed. “It might not be a bad idea,” she placed her left elbow on the table and rested her jaw in her hand. “I need to figure my next step. This might buy me the time I need to do that.”
“Buy time?” Sten repeated. Buy time for what? “Why did you come to Skyrim, may I ask?”
“You can ask,” Lilisfina responded lightly. “I traveled the long way from Valenwood, and this is the first time I’ve seen snow.” She shuddered dramatically. “I know it’s cold where there’s snow, but I never expected it to be this cold!”
Sten couldn’t stifle his laughter. “Cold?” He repeated. “This isn’t cold, it’s still summer!”
Lilisfina stared at him. “It gets colder?”
“Once we get into winter, you’ll find out what cold really means,” Sten warned her cheerfully. He watched dismay flicker over her face, then she put on a thoughtful air.
“Oh dear,” she remarked with an ironic air. “That does present a problem.” Lilisfina’s expression turned serious. “I hope to travel to Winterhold, but I’m cringing at the thought of going out of the city in this cold. The braziers around here are barely enough to keep me warm!” She rubbed her hands together. “I spent as much time at the fires as I did fishing on the docks!”
“Well,” Sten mused thoughtfully. “You can’t get there by boat - they never repaired the docks after the Great Collapse forty years ago. So that leaves walking, post carriage or horseback riding.” Why does she want to go to Winterhold anyway? Jarl up there’s even more Elf-phobic than Ulfric Stormcloak! The only Elves there are at the College of Winterhold - are there even Wood Elves there? “Why do you want to go there anyway?”
“I’m hoping to enroll in the College there,” Lilisfina responded quietly.
“You’re a mage?” Sten found it difficult to hide his surprise. “I thought Wood Elves are hunters!”
“Most of us are,” Lilisfina agreed. “But not me! I’m terrible with weapons, and I can’t aim straight.” She pointed at her eyes. “And my far vision is no good.” She shook her head. “My talents are more magical than physical.”
“Really?” Sten thoughtfully stroked his close-cropped beard. I’ve got to trim this again soon - it’s getting scruffy. “Any particular school?”
“Restoration,” Lilisfina responded. “Though I’ve had to learn a few destruction spells over the years.” She leaned back and pushed her plate away. “I’ve paid my own way by doing odd jobs, and sometimes that involves danger. Not much different from yours.” Her green eyes held his for a few moments. “I’ve actually hired sellswords, like yourself, in the past to handle the physical part of these jobs.”
Is she making me an offer? Sten regarded her. “I’m available if you need someone to bash skulls,” he remarked, making a show of flexing his biceps a second time.
Again that lopsided smile. Lilisfina leaned back and reached down to the dog at her side. Sten heard the gnawing stop momentarily. “I don’t know much about this dog, but I had the thought that he might be useful in dangerous situations.” She shrugged. “But the only things I know about Star,” again her eyes flickered down to the Husky, “is that he’ll eat anything I offer him, and that he chose to come with me when I asked him to.”
“He might not be useful in a fight, you mean?” Sten asked her. Lilisfina nodded. “Do you want to find out?”
“Maybe,” her voice trailed off, and her gaze drifted to the side of the table, where the shield and war axe leaned against the empty chair. “I see you have a zwei-hander,” Well, she knows the proper term for my blade. Most people call it a greatsword. “So why do you also have a shield and war axe?”
“That’s not mine,” Sten was impressed. Not many folk know you can’t use a shield with a zwei-hander. “Those belong to Leifgard. He left them with me three days ago to go fishing.”
Her expressive eyes sparked. “Got tired of mutton stew too?” She rested both elbows on the table. “He should be returning with a double armful of salmon and cod soon, then.”
That was the plan. But . . . “He was supposed to be back yesterday, but that storm -“ Sten paused and swallowed a gulp of ale to hide his sudden anxiety, “- likely the same one that delayed you, may have caught him too.”
Lilisfina’s face sobered. “Where would he have gone fishing? He can’t have gone far.”
“His cousin has a small fishing camp about half a day’s walk north of the city,” Sten replied. “He was going to stay there two nights and come back last night.”
Lilisfina was silent for several breaths. Sten could see thoughts moving behind her eyes. “Perhaps we can be of mutual benefit to each other,” she said finally. “I had an interesting conversation with a gentleman named Brunwulf Free-Winter earlier this afternoon. He mentioned a group of reavers on a wreck called The Winter War. Do you know where that is?”
“Aye, that I do,” Sten nodded. “It’s across the sound from that fishing camp.”
“I’m a healer,” Lilisfina laid her left palm against her chest, then pointed toward Sten, “and you’re a fighter - the strongest swordarm in all of Skyrim.” She paused thoughtfully. “What if I hire you to help me clear out The Winter War for the bounty, and I help you look for Leifgard, make certain he’s unharmed?”
How would that work? Me against a group of seasoned reavers? That’d be a challenge, if not outright insanity. She can’t fight, she said so. “They’re a nasty group, and there’s only one of me,” Sten said aloud.
“True,” Lilisfina nodded. “But I’ve been in battles with sellswords before, and I have ways to keep you alive in a fight.” She shrugged. “I’m good with tactics, and I’m used to having the odds against us.”
“How are you thinking of doing this then?”
Lilisfina regarded him. “Leave at first light tomorrow.” she responded. “Go first to the wreck and we’ll take care of the bandits. Try to take them on one by one, rather than as a group.” She rolled the pewter mug between her hands. “That will probably get us to mid-afternoon or evening. We can cross to the fishing camp and look for your comrade and his cousin. Spend the night there if we have to - I’m used to camping outdoors.” She looked up from her mead. “How does that sound, Stennvar?”
“Stenvar,” he corrected. “And yes, that sounds good. “ He nodded at her lightweight blue gown. “But you’ll need furs to stay warm. And we should hope for good weather too.”
“Let’s decide at first light in the morning then,” Lilisfina responded. “And I did pick up warmer clothing on my way up from the docks, I’ll be sure to wear them.” She drank the last of her mead and set the mug down. “I’ll head down to my bed and bath then. Make it an early night, yes?”
Ma,
Just finished another job with Ma’dran and his caravan. It was an uneventful walk from Solitude back to Windhelm. I’m sending along twenty five drakes from that job, hopefully it will help to hire extra hands for the harvest. I’ll send more as I get more work.
Right now I’m back at Candlehearth Hall in Windhelm. Susanna has been looking after my trunk of belongings - everything is still in there. I trust her with it when I’m out on a job.
In your last letter you mentioned that Temba is advertising for someone to reduce the population of bears around Ivarstead. You know I won’t take coin from family, and I don’t feel right going there and getting paid for something I would do for free anyway. Next time I’m out that way I’ll see what I can do.
My fellow sellsword Leifgard took a few days to go fishing. He was getting tired of mutton, mutton, mutton every day. That’s all Elda our innkeeper would pay coin for. Leifgard thought if he caught enough fish, we both could have something different to eat for a change. I’m keeping an eye on his gear until he returns.
I’ll write again when I have more coin to send on. Give Halla my love, and hugs to old Fang.
Sten
Sten watched Susanna return to their table with a plate of the interminable mutton stew and a mug of mead. Beneath one arm she held a long object wrapped in a thin hide against her side. After serving Lilisfina the food, she unwrapped the mutton leg bone from the hide and handed it to the dog. As Sten listened to the sound of teeth grinding on bone, Lilisfina leaned forward and inhaled deeply of the stew. “Smells good, Susanna. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome!” Susanna replied cheerfully. She caught Sten’s gaze. “Do you want something to eat, Stenvar? We got some salmon that Nils is cooking up.” She gestured toward the Wood Elf. “Lili traded salmon she caught this afternoon for the stew and the dog’s bone.”
“Salmon?” Stenvar glanced from the Wood Elf to Susanna. “That’s a fair trade, ma’am.” And a good change from mutton, mutton, and more mutton. “I’ll have a portion of that then, thanks. And more ale, too, please.” As Susanna moved away, Stenvar caught Lilisfina watching him with those slightly unsettling green eyes. “Mutton is all we get to eat here.”
“Doesn’t Elda buy fish on the docks?” Lilisfina asked him. “You’d think she’d want to switch up from time to time.”
“She’s too stingy with her coin for that,” Sten answered. “To be fair, they charge a lot for the fish down there - they make more drakes selling them inland.” He finished his ale. “Most folk here, if they want fish, they go fishing for themselves.”
“Hmmm,” Lilisfina worked her way through the stew with hearty gusto. “This is actually quite good,” her green gaze flashed toward him. “Of course, all I’ve had to eat is smoked salmon since leaving Blacklight!”
Sten regarded her for a few breaths. Vvardenfell, huh? It’s a week’s travel by road from Blacklight, not much faster by ship. “Just arrived in Skyrim then?” He paused when Susanna reappeared to refresh his ale. “Boat or road?”
“Boat,” Lilisfina replied. “Got delayed by a bad winter storm, but I’m finally here.”
“Storms at sea are not for the faint of heart,” Sten remarked.
Lilisfina pulled a face and reached for her mead. “You’re absolutely right,” she agreed. She regarded the liquid within her mug, sniffing in the aroma. “So this is mead.”
“Never had it before?” Sten watched her as she sipped experimentally at it. “The taste is beguiling, the kick comes later. Be careful.”
Her eyes grew distant as her mouth worked the liquid around before she swallowed. “It does pack a bit of a wallop,” she admitted.
“Enjoy it, then,” Sten lifted his own mug in a toast. “Welcome to Skyrim, ma’am.”
Lilisfina sopped up the last of the gravy with the chunk of bread. As she popped it into her mouth, her gaze slid to his. Sten noticed the curiosity in her eyes. She swallowed, then spoke, “What is it you do, Stennvar? I’m told you’re a sellsword, is that right?”
“The strongest sword arm in all of Skyrim,” Sten flexed first his right biceps, then his left. “You’ll not find a better sellsword than me.” He shrugged self-mockingly. “Not that I’m bragging.”
“He’s not!” Susanna exclaimed as she set a platter of pink fish in front of Stenvar. “Here you go, big man.”
“Thanks, Susanna,” Sten inhaled the buttery aroma of the fresh salmon. “Tell Nils this looks great.” Susanna waited while he dug into the flaky fish and took his first bite. Ahhh, this is so damned delicious! “Tastes great, too,” he said around the food. He became aware of Lilisfina’s gaze on him.
“Good, huh?” She asked him.
“Better than a sevenday of mutton stew!” Sten met Lilisfina’s gaze. “Are you going to keep trading fish for mutton stew?”
Her smile lit up the right side of her face, Sten noticed. “It might not be a bad idea,” she placed her left elbow on the table and rested her jaw in her hand. “I need to figure my next step. This might buy me the time I need to do that.”
“Buy time?” Sten repeated. Buy time for what? “Why did you come to Skyrim, may I ask?”
“You can ask,” Lilisfina responded lightly. “I traveled the long way from Valenwood, and this is the first time I’ve seen snow.” She shuddered dramatically. “I know it’s cold where there’s snow, but I never expected it to be this cold!”
Sten couldn’t stifle his laughter. “Cold?” He repeated. “This isn’t cold, it’s still summer!”
Lilisfina stared at him. “It gets colder?”
“Once we get into winter, you’ll find out what cold really means,” Sten warned her cheerfully. He watched dismay flicker over her face, then she put on a thoughtful air.
“Oh dear,” she remarked with an ironic air. “That does present a problem.” Lilisfina’s expression turned serious. “I hope to travel to Winterhold, but I’m cringing at the thought of going out of the city in this cold. The braziers around here are barely enough to keep me warm!” She rubbed her hands together. “I spent as much time at the fires as I did fishing on the docks!”
“Well,” Sten mused thoughtfully. “You can’t get there by boat - they never repaired the docks after the Great Collapse forty years ago. So that leaves walking, post carriage or horseback riding.” Why does she want to go to Winterhold anyway? Jarl up there’s even more Elf-phobic than Ulfric Stormcloak! The only Elves there are at the College of Winterhold - are there even Wood Elves there? “Why do you want to go there anyway?”
“I’m hoping to enroll in the College there,” Lilisfina responded quietly.
“You’re a mage?” Sten found it difficult to hide his surprise. “I thought Wood Elves are hunters!”
“Most of us are,” Lilisfina agreed. “But not me! I’m terrible with weapons, and I can’t aim straight.” She pointed at her eyes. “And my far vision is no good.” She shook her head. “My talents are more magical than physical.”
“Really?” Sten thoughtfully stroked his close-cropped beard. I’ve got to trim this again soon - it’s getting scruffy. “Any particular school?”
“Restoration,” Lilisfina responded. “Though I’ve had to learn a few destruction spells over the years.” She leaned back and pushed her plate away. “I’ve paid my own way by doing odd jobs, and sometimes that involves danger. Not much different from yours.” Her green eyes held his for a few moments. “I’ve actually hired sellswords, like yourself, in the past to handle the physical part of these jobs.”
Is she making me an offer? Sten regarded her. “I’m available if you need someone to bash skulls,” he remarked, making a show of flexing his biceps a second time.
Again that lopsided smile. Lilisfina leaned back and reached down to the dog at her side. Sten heard the gnawing stop momentarily. “I don’t know much about this dog, but I had the thought that he might be useful in dangerous situations.” She shrugged. “But the only things I know about Star,” again her eyes flickered down to the Husky, “is that he’ll eat anything I offer him, and that he chose to come with me when I asked him to.”
“He might not be useful in a fight, you mean?” Sten asked her. Lilisfina nodded. “Do you want to find out?”
“Maybe,” her voice trailed off, and her gaze drifted to the side of the table, where the shield and war axe leaned against the empty chair. “I see you have a zwei-hander,” Well, she knows the proper term for my blade. Most people call it a greatsword. “So why do you also have a shield and war axe?”
“That’s not mine,” Sten was impressed. Not many folk know you can’t use a shield with a zwei-hander. “Those belong to Leifgard. He left them with me three days ago to go fishing.”
Her expressive eyes sparked. “Got tired of mutton stew too?” She rested both elbows on the table. “He should be returning with a double armful of salmon and cod soon, then.”
That was the plan. But . . . “He was supposed to be back yesterday, but that storm -“ Sten paused and swallowed a gulp of ale to hide his sudden anxiety, “- likely the same one that delayed you, may have caught him too.”
Lilisfina’s face sobered. “Where would he have gone fishing? He can’t have gone far.”
“His cousin has a small fishing camp about half a day’s walk north of the city,” Sten replied. “He was going to stay there two nights and come back last night.”
Lilisfina was silent for several breaths. Sten could see thoughts moving behind her eyes. “Perhaps we can be of mutual benefit to each other,” she said finally. “I had an interesting conversation with a gentleman named Brunwulf Free-Winter earlier this afternoon. He mentioned a group of reavers on a wreck called The Winter War. Do you know where that is?”
“Aye, that I do,” Sten nodded. “It’s across the sound from that fishing camp.”
“I’m a healer,” Lilisfina laid her left palm against her chest, then pointed toward Sten, “and you’re a fighter - the strongest swordarm in all of Skyrim.” She paused thoughtfully. “What if I hire you to help me clear out The Winter War for the bounty, and I help you look for Leifgard, make certain he’s unharmed?”
How would that work? Me against a group of seasoned reavers? That’d be a challenge, if not outright insanity. She can’t fight, she said so. “They’re a nasty group, and there’s only one of me,” Sten said aloud.
“True,” Lilisfina nodded. “But I’ve been in battles with sellswords before, and I have ways to keep you alive in a fight.” She shrugged. “I’m good with tactics, and I’m used to having the odds against us.”
“How are you thinking of doing this then?”
Lilisfina regarded him. “Leave at first light tomorrow.” she responded. “Go first to the wreck and we’ll take care of the bandits. Try to take them on one by one, rather than as a group.” She rolled the pewter mug between her hands. “That will probably get us to mid-afternoon or evening. We can cross to the fishing camp and look for your comrade and his cousin. Spend the night there if we have to - I’m used to camping outdoors.” She looked up from her mead. “How does that sound, Stennvar?”
“Stenvar,” he corrected. “And yes, that sounds good. “ He nodded at her lightweight blue gown. “But you’ll need furs to stay warm. And we should hope for good weather too.”
“Let’s decide at first light in the morning then,” Lilisfina responded. “And I did pick up warmer clothing on my way up from the docks, I’ll be sure to wear them.” She drank the last of her mead and set the mug down. “I’ll head down to my bed and bath then. Make it an early night, yes?”
Ooo, pictures!
Great to hear from Stenvar. I love how his thoughts reveal that he really is a straight shooter.
A quest! This was a fun introduction to Stenvar. Fingers crossed that Lili finds some elf-sized furs. I’m looking forward to seeing the trio in action!
Great to hear from Stenvar. I love how his thoughts reveal that he really is a straight shooter.
A quest! This was a fun introduction to Stenvar. Fingers crossed that Lili finds some elf-sized furs. I’m looking forward to seeing the trio in action!
"Stenvar, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
If for no other reason, because Lilisfina can provide him with salmon instead of mutton.
The letter home adds a wonderful personal touch, which shows the softer side of "the strongest sword arm in all of Skyrim."
Why do I have a feeling her plans for a quick bounty and finding Sten's comrade will not be as easy as Lili thinks? We shall see if my spider-sense is gummed up or not.
As ever, I love how you weave plot points into the natural flow of conversation, allowing the reader to learn more about the characters, just as they learn about one another.
If for no other reason, because Lilisfina can provide him with salmon instead of mutton.
The letter home adds a wonderful personal touch, which shows the softer side of "the strongest sword arm in all of Skyrim."
Why do I have a feeling her plans for a quick bounty and finding Sten's comrade will not be as easy as Lili thinks? We shall see if my spider-sense is gummed up or not.
As ever, I love how you weave plot points into the natural flow of conversation, allowing the reader to learn more about the characters, just as they learn about one another.
A little slice of Stenvar's life. His letter home was a nice way to provide backstory in both how he got to where he is, and fill in some deets on his family back home.
Temba, his arms wide!
“Cold?” He repeated. “This isn’t cold, it’s still summer!” This was great! Poor Lil!
So Lil is bound for magickin' school. I can relate to her poor distance vision too. I am a good shot, but only up close.
Leif has been gone for three days? That seems a bit much. I smell a rescue mission brewing.
Yep, it is off to slay bandits and find the missing fishermen.
Temba, his arms wide!
“Cold?” He repeated. “This isn’t cold, it’s still summer!”
This was great! Poor Lil!So Lil is bound for magickin' school. I can relate to her poor distance vision too. I am a good shot, but only up close.
Leif has been gone for three days? That seems a bit much. I smell a rescue mission brewing.
Yep, it is off to slay bandits and find the missing fishermen.
QUOTE(Grits @ Jun 28 2024, 08:20 AM)
Ooo, pictures!
Exactly my response. Love how Lili's 'terrible" with weapons. Indeed. Not all orcs are great warriors. Not all Altmer are excellent mages, and so on. Gotta love those unorthodox class/race combinations for variety's sake.
What's the difference between Stenvar and Stennvar? I assume those two Ns get pronounced more effectively than one N.
@Grits: When Stenvar started talking to me, he mentioned that he wrote his Ma quite often. So I thought it was a good way to introduce his segments. As as you said, he is a straight shooter. In more ways than one 
@Treydog: The quickest way to a man's (and dog's) heart is via the stomach! Or didn't you already know that? I'll let you decide how easily they work through The Winter War and the fisherman's camp in upcoming segments.
@Sage Rose: I laughed at your clip from TNG - I had binged that last year (watched an episode over each lunch period every working day) and this one was one I enjoyed a lot. Yes, and Poor Lil, indeed! Cold? It's still summer! Yup, gonna get a LOT colder sooner than Lili would like! And your guess about a rescue mission is spot on, as usual.
@Renee: As the others will probably tell you, I'm one of those writers who enjoy playing counter to the usual stereotypes where I can. So having my little Bosmer be a mage instead of a stamina based hunter just made more sense in terms of this story. It's also reflective of my current Skyrim play through, where she has no weapons and wears no armor, only clothing. Stenvar's big enough for her to hide behind in a fight! As for Stennvar, it's just the way she pronounces his name - she rolls the "n" in his name the way some folks (looking at you, Spanish and French speakers) roll their "r's".
Glad you all enjoyed my screenshots. I don't always remember to take them, so they won't be a regular thing. . .
*******************************
Morndas 18 Last Seed - First Light
Lili smiled as Star bounced around her, his white tipped tail waving in the pre-dawn light. His bright eyes glinted back at her as he lifted his head from a snow drift, white flakes glimmering on his white muzzle. She pulled her woolen cloak closer about her neck and watched their breaths drift away in the light breeze.
“Is that all you have for the weather?” Stenvar’s voice reached them as the front door of the inn snicked closed behind him. Lili caught his glance at the sky. “At least it will stay clear, but clear days can be colder.” He shook out a brown fur pelt, then held it out to her. “I’ll cut it down later, but this should help.”
Lili lifted her brows at him in surprise. Well, I didn’t hire him for fashion advice, but he’s being practical. “That’s nice of you, Stennvar,” she answered, deliberately rolling the n sound. “Let me try it on.” He dropped it over her shoulders and held it in place while she secured it with the hide lacing. “Won’t you need it, though?” She eyed the exposed iron of his battered cuirass, fur padding showing around its edges, and the bracers on his wrists.
“It’s still summer for us,” Stenvar responded. “As long as we keep moving I’ll be fine. Besides, cloaks just get in the way of fighting.”
“Hmm, never thought of that.” Lili shrugged the heavy fur into a more comfortable set over her shoulders. “And you’re not worried about my fighting?”
“My job is to make sure you don’t have to fight,” Stenvar tapped his chest. “Ready to go?”
“Yes, lead the way,” Lili whistled softly, and the gamboling Skyrim Husky sprang to her side, his eyes on her, tongue lolling out.
“You may say he’s not your dog,” Stenvar remarked as they made their way toward the city gates, “but I suspect he thinks otherwise.”
“I don’t own him,” Lili responded. “But I asked if he wanted to accompany me, and he said yes.” She shot Stenvar a quick glance. “Same as you.”
“But you’re paying me. How are you paying him?”
“How else?” Lili chuckled and slipped through the smaller postern door set within one of the large gate leaves. “Food!”
Stenvar laughed and led Lili across the long bridge over the White River. Her breath caught in her throat as the breeze turned into a colder, stronger gust. Ow! That’s cold! “Save your breath, ma’am,” Stenvar advised and turned east onto the road that ran along the southern riverbank. “I know where the Winter War is, so if it’s okay with you I’ll lead the way. We’ll have to turn north off the road, and likely will be going through deep snow then. It’s better if I break trail.”
“Sounds good, but once we get within sight, I’d like to stop and take a look myself.”
“Of course,” Stenvar watched Star weave around them, his nose to the snow. “What’s your plan for the dog?”
“I’m not sure how helpful Star would be in a fight,” Lili responded thoughtfully. “But I’ve a feeling he’ll provide warning of danger.” She took a breath from behind the fur before she spoke again. “I’ll keep an eye on him while you’re breaking trail, and let you know.”
“That would be good, ma’am,” Stenvar passed the stables with a glance at the horses within. Lili caught his lingering gaze on the sturdy dark bay in the outermost stall. She slowed slightly to regard the horse. Strong back. Sturdy bones. Plenty of feather on those pasterns. The mare picked up her head from her grain bucket to watch the two walk past, her dark eyes catching the gleam from the snow in the stable yard. Curious. Then it was time to hurry to catch up to Stenvar’s long strides on the icy cobblestones.
They passed a carriage, its shafts resting on upended logs. “That’s the post carriage, it will take you to the other cities for a price,” Stenvar pointed out. “The driver’s likely staying the night in the stable master’s house.”
“Other than on foot, what’s the best way to get around Skyrim?” Lili asked. Either way sounds cold!
“Depends on how far you want to go, and how fast you want to get there,” Stenvar responded. “Most of it is rugged country, and large parts are snow and ice covered like here. On foot is fine down south, but up here you’re better off on horseback.”
“Really?” Lili regarded a small farmstead as they walked by. The road turned north with the river, then veered east after the second farmstead. Stenvar paused at the bend in the road and turned back to regard Lili. By this point the sun began to lift above the peaks to the east, and she squinted against the growing glare from the snow.
“Horses will get you from one warm place to the next faster,” Stenvar grinned. “Can you ride?”
“Depends on the horse!” Lili exclaimed. “I prefer them smooth and gentle.” She met his gaze. “But they are expensive to buy and to keep.”
“Yes, they certainly are,” Stenvar agreed. “Which is why I like the post carriages. They’re slower, but they’ll get you there for less coin!” He turned his face north. “We leave the road here, and follow the river north to the sea. The Winter War is in the estuary on this side. Einar’s fishing camp is across the main channel.”
“Winter War first, then,” Lili pulled the woolen cloak up over her face. “I’ll save my breath now.”
With a chuckle Stenvar started into the snow, Star following after him. Lili stepped into their tracks.
They walked between the pine forest and the riverbank, followed by the distant howling of wolves. Lili kept an eye on Star, but he ignored them. He became alert as they drew near a small group of horkers resting on the ice at the edge of the river. Stenvar kept a wide berth while they lifted their forehands up on their flippers to watch the trio pass. Ugly creatures, but they’re interesting. Curious about us, or just wary?
The sun had cleared the trees when they reached a group of small standing stones. Stenvar paused there and set his pack down. Lili followed suit with her own and watched him pass beneath a squat stone arch to pause before a granite slab set on two large boulders. That looks like an altar of some kind. On either side large carved eagle heads bracketed the entrance to a small cave behind the altar.
Stenvar picked up the top of the battered lantern. He fished out a candle stub from his belt purse and set it within the lantern’s base. With a flint against the back of his dagger, he lit the candle, then replaced the lantern. Lili noted the sprigs of snowberries resting on the slab beside the lantern, and empty bowls. Her curiosity rose as Stenvar placed a piece of bread within one bowl, and a slice of mutton in the other. He stood for a few breaths with bowed head before the stone altar, then returned to Lili and picked up his pack.
“Ready, ma’am?”
Lili shrugged her smaller bag over her shoulders and nodded silently. They returned to their northward path, Stenvar in the lead again. Lili glanced back at the altar once again. That’s no god I recognize.
Their shadows were directly beneath their feet when Stenvar stopped again. He waved Lili up alongside him, and pointed ahead. Here the trees fell back from the shoreline, and Lili found the glare of the snow almost painful as she squinted in the indicated direction.
Here the shoreline broke back toward them, the snow and ice in jagged contrast to the black water. A short distance offshore, large boulders bulked up out of the gentle waves, more horkers at its base. Just past the islet, Lili could make out broken timbers and boards.
“The Winter War,” Stenvar said softly.
“Do you see anyone on the wreck?” Lili tried to make out forms within the shattered craft, but her poor distance vision failed to discern any details.
“It’s in shadow, so it’s hard to see against the glare from the snow in between,” Stenvar responded. “But I do see bear traps laid out on the big rock in front, so they’re there.”
Lili stepped a few steps forward, her gaze already scanning the ground between them and the shore. “What’s the best way to get there? How do they move on and off the wreck?”
“There’s a shallow ford from that point,” Stenvar indicated a long finger of snow and ice below them that stretched toward the islet, “to the big rock. And I see what looks like a rough path up this side of the rock - that’s where the bear traps are.”
“So they’ll have a sentry near the top of the rock,” Lili mused, “and they will listen for those traps snapping.” Stenvar nodded his agreement. “I’d like to get to the top of that rock, think we can do it undetected?”
“It’ll be difficult with those horkers there,” Stenvar responded. “They are territorial animals and will make a lot of noise if we get too close to them.” He regarded them a moment more. “And it’s not the rutting season, so any noise they make will alert anyone on the wreck.”
“Let me worry about the horkers,” Lili responded. A good calm spell will keep them relaxed. “You worry about the bandits. Just how shallow is that ford?”
“It’s low tide right now, so no more than ankle deep.”
Lili sighed. “Not looking forward to wet feet, especially with this cold.”
“We’ll take our boots off to cross, and put them back on once we’re across.”
“Don’t bother,” Lili smiled up at Stenvar. “Like the horkers, I can take care of wet boots. It’s quicker, too.” And warmer!
@Treydog: The quickest way to a man's (and dog's) heart is via the stomach! Or didn't you already know that?
I'll let you decide how easily they work through The Winter War and the fisherman's camp in upcoming segments. @Sage Rose: I laughed at your clip from TNG - I had binged that last year (watched an episode over each lunch period every working day) and this one was one I enjoyed a lot. Yes, and Poor Lil, indeed! Cold? It's still summer! Yup, gonna get a LOT colder sooner than Lili would like! And your guess about a rescue mission is spot on, as usual.
@Renee: As the others will probably tell you, I'm one of those writers who enjoy playing counter to the usual stereotypes where I can. So having my little Bosmer be a mage instead of a stamina based hunter just made more sense in terms of this story. It's also reflective of my current Skyrim play through, where she has no weapons and wears no armor, only clothing. Stenvar's big enough for her to hide behind in a fight! As for Stennvar, it's just the way she pronounces his name - she rolls the "n" in his name the way some folks (looking at you, Spanish and French speakers) roll their "r's".
Glad you all enjoyed my screenshots. I don't always remember to take them, so they won't be a regular thing. . .
*******************************
Morndas 18 Last Seed - First Light
Lili smiled as Star bounced around her, his white tipped tail waving in the pre-dawn light. His bright eyes glinted back at her as he lifted his head from a snow drift, white flakes glimmering on his white muzzle. She pulled her woolen cloak closer about her neck and watched their breaths drift away in the light breeze.
“Is that all you have for the weather?” Stenvar’s voice reached them as the front door of the inn snicked closed behind him. Lili caught his glance at the sky. “At least it will stay clear, but clear days can be colder.” He shook out a brown fur pelt, then held it out to her. “I’ll cut it down later, but this should help.”
Lili lifted her brows at him in surprise. Well, I didn’t hire him for fashion advice, but he’s being practical. “That’s nice of you, Stennvar,” she answered, deliberately rolling the n sound. “Let me try it on.” He dropped it over her shoulders and held it in place while she secured it with the hide lacing. “Won’t you need it, though?” She eyed the exposed iron of his battered cuirass, fur padding showing around its edges, and the bracers on his wrists.
“It’s still summer for us,” Stenvar responded. “As long as we keep moving I’ll be fine. Besides, cloaks just get in the way of fighting.”
“Hmm, never thought of that.” Lili shrugged the heavy fur into a more comfortable set over her shoulders. “And you’re not worried about my fighting?”
“My job is to make sure you don’t have to fight,” Stenvar tapped his chest. “Ready to go?”
“Yes, lead the way,” Lili whistled softly, and the gamboling Skyrim Husky sprang to her side, his eyes on her, tongue lolling out.
“You may say he’s not your dog,” Stenvar remarked as they made their way toward the city gates, “but I suspect he thinks otherwise.”
“I don’t own him,” Lili responded. “But I asked if he wanted to accompany me, and he said yes.” She shot Stenvar a quick glance. “Same as you.”
“But you’re paying me. How are you paying him?”
“How else?” Lili chuckled and slipped through the smaller postern door set within one of the large gate leaves. “Food!”
Stenvar laughed and led Lili across the long bridge over the White River. Her breath caught in her throat as the breeze turned into a colder, stronger gust. Ow! That’s cold! “Save your breath, ma’am,” Stenvar advised and turned east onto the road that ran along the southern riverbank. “I know where the Winter War is, so if it’s okay with you I’ll lead the way. We’ll have to turn north off the road, and likely will be going through deep snow then. It’s better if I break trail.”
“Sounds good, but once we get within sight, I’d like to stop and take a look myself.”
“Of course,” Stenvar watched Star weave around them, his nose to the snow. “What’s your plan for the dog?”
“I’m not sure how helpful Star would be in a fight,” Lili responded thoughtfully. “But I’ve a feeling he’ll provide warning of danger.” She took a breath from behind the fur before she spoke again. “I’ll keep an eye on him while you’re breaking trail, and let you know.”
“That would be good, ma’am,” Stenvar passed the stables with a glance at the horses within. Lili caught his lingering gaze on the sturdy dark bay in the outermost stall. She slowed slightly to regard the horse. Strong back. Sturdy bones. Plenty of feather on those pasterns. The mare picked up her head from her grain bucket to watch the two walk past, her dark eyes catching the gleam from the snow in the stable yard. Curious. Then it was time to hurry to catch up to Stenvar’s long strides on the icy cobblestones.
They passed a carriage, its shafts resting on upended logs. “That’s the post carriage, it will take you to the other cities for a price,” Stenvar pointed out. “The driver’s likely staying the night in the stable master’s house.”
“Other than on foot, what’s the best way to get around Skyrim?” Lili asked. Either way sounds cold!
“Depends on how far you want to go, and how fast you want to get there,” Stenvar responded. “Most of it is rugged country, and large parts are snow and ice covered like here. On foot is fine down south, but up here you’re better off on horseback.”
“Really?” Lili regarded a small farmstead as they walked by. The road turned north with the river, then veered east after the second farmstead. Stenvar paused at the bend in the road and turned back to regard Lili. By this point the sun began to lift above the peaks to the east, and she squinted against the growing glare from the snow.
“Horses will get you from one warm place to the next faster,” Stenvar grinned. “Can you ride?”
“Depends on the horse!” Lili exclaimed. “I prefer them smooth and gentle.” She met his gaze. “But they are expensive to buy and to keep.”
“Yes, they certainly are,” Stenvar agreed. “Which is why I like the post carriages. They’re slower, but they’ll get you there for less coin!” He turned his face north. “We leave the road here, and follow the river north to the sea. The Winter War is in the estuary on this side. Einar’s fishing camp is across the main channel.”
“Winter War first, then,” Lili pulled the woolen cloak up over her face. “I’ll save my breath now.”
With a chuckle Stenvar started into the snow, Star following after him. Lili stepped into their tracks.
They walked between the pine forest and the riverbank, followed by the distant howling of wolves. Lili kept an eye on Star, but he ignored them. He became alert as they drew near a small group of horkers resting on the ice at the edge of the river. Stenvar kept a wide berth while they lifted their forehands up on their flippers to watch the trio pass. Ugly creatures, but they’re interesting. Curious about us, or just wary?
The sun had cleared the trees when they reached a group of small standing stones. Stenvar paused there and set his pack down. Lili followed suit with her own and watched him pass beneath a squat stone arch to pause before a granite slab set on two large boulders. That looks like an altar of some kind. On either side large carved eagle heads bracketed the entrance to a small cave behind the altar.
Stenvar picked up the top of the battered lantern. He fished out a candle stub from his belt purse and set it within the lantern’s base. With a flint against the back of his dagger, he lit the candle, then replaced the lantern. Lili noted the sprigs of snowberries resting on the slab beside the lantern, and empty bowls. Her curiosity rose as Stenvar placed a piece of bread within one bowl, and a slice of mutton in the other. He stood for a few breaths with bowed head before the stone altar, then returned to Lili and picked up his pack.
“Ready, ma’am?”
Lili shrugged her smaller bag over her shoulders and nodded silently. They returned to their northward path, Stenvar in the lead again. Lili glanced back at the altar once again. That’s no god I recognize.
Their shadows were directly beneath their feet when Stenvar stopped again. He waved Lili up alongside him, and pointed ahead. Here the trees fell back from the shoreline, and Lili found the glare of the snow almost painful as she squinted in the indicated direction.
Here the shoreline broke back toward them, the snow and ice in jagged contrast to the black water. A short distance offshore, large boulders bulked up out of the gentle waves, more horkers at its base. Just past the islet, Lili could make out broken timbers and boards.
“The Winter War,” Stenvar said softly.
“Do you see anyone on the wreck?” Lili tried to make out forms within the shattered craft, but her poor distance vision failed to discern any details.
“It’s in shadow, so it’s hard to see against the glare from the snow in between,” Stenvar responded. “But I do see bear traps laid out on the big rock in front, so they’re there.”
Lili stepped a few steps forward, her gaze already scanning the ground between them and the shore. “What’s the best way to get there? How do they move on and off the wreck?”
“There’s a shallow ford from that point,” Stenvar indicated a long finger of snow and ice below them that stretched toward the islet, “to the big rock. And I see what looks like a rough path up this side of the rock - that’s where the bear traps are.”
“So they’ll have a sentry near the top of the rock,” Lili mused, “and they will listen for those traps snapping.” Stenvar nodded his agreement. “I’d like to get to the top of that rock, think we can do it undetected?”
“It’ll be difficult with those horkers there,” Stenvar responded. “They are territorial animals and will make a lot of noise if we get too close to them.” He regarded them a moment more. “And it’s not the rutting season, so any noise they make will alert anyone on the wreck.”
“Let me worry about the horkers,” Lili responded. A good calm spell will keep them relaxed. “You worry about the bandits. Just how shallow is that ford?”
“It’s low tide right now, so no more than ankle deep.”
Lili sighed. “Not looking forward to wet feet, especially with this cold.”
“We’ll take our boots off to cross, and put them back on once we’re across.”
“Don’t bother,” Lili smiled up at Stenvar. “Like the horkers, I can take care of wet boots. It’s quicker, too.” And warmer!
An engaging pair of episodes.
I enjoyed learning more about Sten and Lili both. He does seem what-you-see-is-what-you-get, straightforward and likely a fine warrior. I like how you weave some eccentricities into Lili: poor distance vision, her odd pronunciation of Stennvar that she is not interested in correcting, how she insists the dog is not hers. Or more accuarately I think is that she accepts Star as a willing partner, not an animal that she ‘owns’. You described the right side of her face lighting up with a smile – was that lopsided smile just the lighting or is it another Liliquirk?
Like Grits, I really enjoy the use of practical magic. Warming and drying wet boots is another great example.
Looks like we may soon learn how well Lili, Star and Sten function as a team when the horker pooh hits the fan. I’d expect some bumps for their first go as a team.
I enjoyed learning more about Sten and Lili both. He does seem what-you-see-is-what-you-get, straightforward and likely a fine warrior. I like how you weave some eccentricities into Lili: poor distance vision, her odd pronunciation of Stennvar that she is not interested in correcting, how she insists the dog is not hers. Or more accuarately I think is that she accepts Star as a willing partner, not an animal that she ‘owns’. You described the right side of her face lighting up with a smile – was that lopsided smile just the lighting or is it another Liliquirk?
Like Grits, I really enjoy the use of practical magic. Warming and drying wet boots is another great example.
Looks like we may soon learn how well Lili, Star and Sten function as a team when the horker pooh hits the fan. I’d expect some bumps for their first go as a team.
That is funny about TNG. Years ago they did an HD upscale of the show a while go, and I bought it on disc back then and watched it from start to back. A few months ago I decided to give it another go, and started watching it again. I am up to season two now.
That was thoughtful of Sten. Granted, he's a Nord, so he has 50% frost resistance. This is a pleasant, balmy day for him.
That was a nice journey through the icy marches of Eastmarch, and an intriguing pause at what I take to be Yngol's tomb. Now some strategizing on how to proceed. Lil will worry about the horkers, while Stenvar deals with the bandits. Reminds me of the Death Star trench run, and Luke telling his wingmates to worry about the fighters, while he concentrates on the towers.
That was thoughtful of Sten. Granted, he's a Nord, so he has 50% frost resistance. This is a pleasant, balmy day for him.
That was a nice journey through the icy marches of Eastmarch, and an intriguing pause at what I take to be Yngol's tomb. Now some strategizing on how to proceed. Lil will worry about the horkers, while Stenvar deals with the bandits. Reminds me of the Death Star trench run, and Luke telling his wingmates to worry about the fighters, while he concentrates on the towers.
As ever, the details are what make the story your own. Sten's long look at the horse, as well as his explanation of travel options in "Nordland." The gruff and yet kind way he provides Lil with the fur cloak (and the promise to tailor it to fit better.)
Another welcome change is the way you subvert expectations. Though she is a Bosmer, Lil wasn't born "with a bow in her hands." (Or if she was, her eye-sight meant using it would be a Bad Idea [TM].)
Shall be interesting to see how her experiment in Horkology works out.
And, if I haven't said before, it is a joy to see you writing (and posting) again.
Another welcome change is the way you subvert expectations. Though she is a Bosmer, Lil wasn't born "with a bow in her hands." (Or if she was, her eye-sight meant using it would be a Bad Idea [TM].)
Shall be interesting to see how her experiment in Horkology works out.
And, if I haven't said before, it is a joy to see you writing (and posting) again.
That icy cold ford sounds good about now! My summer is not like Stenvar’s summer.
I enjoyed the getting-to-know you walk and strategy session. I like that Stenvar had a fur cloak ready and Lili noticed Sten noticing the horse. I expect that each will find the other handy in the upcoming fight. And I’m curious to see what Star will do!
I enjoyed the getting-to-know you walk and strategy session. I like that Stenvar had a fur cloak ready and Lili noticed Sten noticing the horse. I expect that each will find the other handy in the upcoming fight. And I’m curious to see what Star will do!
And on the Second Day . . .
@Acadian: Liliquirks, indeed! She has more to come, especially on the fourth day! I thought their first outing went pretty smoothly, considering this is a new team. But I'll let my readers judge. Playing a practical mage healer has its interesting applications, such as using spells to dry out wet footgear. That actually comes from a mod I use, Chesko's Frostfall. It's part of my basic mod load out, along with Campfire and Last Seed, which basically replaces (and predates) the CC Camping and Survival content. I've played Skyrim with Frostfall for so long - practically the second play through on LE! I did try the CC content, but they are not as comprehensive as Chesko's mods.
@Sage Rose: You are correct in thinking Sten paused at Yngol's Tomb, as Lili will find out in a later installment. Sten is Lili's wingman, indeed! Wedge all the way!
@treydog: So glad you are continuing to read this tale of ours. We will see how effective her Horkology is! Though she has never seen them before coming to Skyrim, she has already begun the process of observing them and learning what she can about them! Typical Bosmer . . .
@Grits: That horse was a bit of foreshadowing! We'll see more of her on the fifth day! And yes, aren't we all curious about Star?
I'll let Sten bring y'all up to speed on the story thus far . . .
*******************************
Morndas 18 Last Seed - The Winter War
Ma,
This might be a long letter, because a lot has happened. I met this woman at Candlehearth last night. She is new to Skyrim, and has traveled a long way. She’s never seen snow before, and thinks our summer is cold. Her clothes are inadequate, but she will be getting warmer clothing as soon as she can. She caught fish and traded it for mutton stew - she had been eating smoked salmon for a sevenday! So I got salmon for dinner last night while she tried the mutton stew. It was a good trade.
She has a dog, too. You’d like him - a good Skyrim Husky - black and white and full of mischief. Loyal too, though she says he’s not her dog. He just chose to come with her. She got him a fresh mutton bone, too, as part of the trade for the salmon.
Anyway, I’ve got a new job. We’re going to a wreck north of the city to clear some reavers that have been harassing shipping in the estuary. Since it is just across the main channel from Einar’s fishing camp, we’ll also look for Leifgard there. She doesn’t have the fighting skills, but she says she can handle herself. I’m interested in seeing how things go.
It’s getting late, and I’ve got an early start in the morning. I’ll write more when we get back.
Lilisfina stopped halfway across the shallow ford to cast a spell in the direction of the horkers at the base of the islet. The big bull grunted softly, then relaxed into the ice. His ladies didn’t even react, already basking in the sun. Beaded jet eyes followed Sten and Lilisfina as they crossed the shallow water. Star paused on the shoreline, then raced across when the others reached the other side.
They set their packs down just above the high tide line, careful not to let the shingle shift beneath the weight. Lilisfina touched Sten’s elbow lightly, then touched her finger to her lips to indicate silence. Heat moved from her free hand to her feet, then his. Before he knew it, the wet cold had evaporated in small clouds of steam from their boots. Warm, he wriggled his toes in enjoyment.
Star seated himself at Lilisfina’s side as she and Sten turned to regard the steep path that wound up the slope. He glanced at her in time to see her eyes lose focus momentarily. Then she met his gaze, held up one finger, and pointed to the top of the rise above their heads. One reaver. Sten slid his zwei-hander from his back and nodded. Ready.
Again Lilisfina touched his elbow to catch his attention. With her other hand she tapped her chest, then gestured pulling something toward her with fingers and thumb pinched. Then she pointed at Sten’s blade.
She’s going to lure him out, away from the others, and I can pick him off. Sten nodded his comprehension. Let me get up the hill, out of their line of sight when they come over the top. He avoided the bear traps and found an outcropping big enough to shield him from view about halfway up the slope. He glanced back at Lilisfina and indicated his readiness.
She tripped the first bear trap on the trail, then the next one a couple of steps up. A shout from above preceded the twang of an arrow into the air. Sten knew the moment the archer showed above the ridge by the sudden focus in Lilisfina’s face. A small flare flew from her fingertips past Sten, then a body hurtled past to land headfirst among the horkers below. Lilisfina turned and sent another spell into the horkers, and pandemonium erupted. Sten heard the grunting roars of the bull horker mingled with the man’s screams.
Shouts of other reavers echoed down to them, followed by crackling of ice beneath their approaching footsteps. While Sten waited, Lilisfina paused beside the second trap and dropped to one knee, draping the device with her cloak. From his vantage point it seemed as if she had been caught in the trap, and her swift glance up the slope past him reinforced the illusion.
She’s smart, knows how to fake the bait. Sten barely had time to form that thought before a burly reaver, clad in iron armor just as battered as his own, ran past. Sten stepped out and laid the edge of his blade hard against the other’s neck. His neck broken, the reaver rolled down toward Lilisfina and Star, tripping the remaining traps between them.
Sten ducked back under cover just as a second reaver, a sturdy woman in leather, appeared and shouted behind her. Sten watched Lilisfina stop the dead reaver’s body with her left hand. Her free hand flung another flare past Sten, and he heard a shout of rage from the woman. Heedless footsteps charged down toward him. Her worn shield led her reckless charge, but it was on the wrong side to protect her from Sten. He stepped into her exposed right side, bringing the hilt of his blade hard on her shoulder. Her leather armor did little to cushion the blow, but still she tried to bring her shield around.
Her momentum carried her downslope and caused her to lose her footing. Sten whipped the long blade around and stabbed her in the chest. As her sword and shield clattered from her hands, Sten kicked her off his blade and glanced back up the slope. Below he heard the horkers resume their ruckus as the woman’s body joined that of the archer’s.
After a few moments, silence fell over the trio. Sten exchanged glances with Lilisfina, then watched Star as he peered over the edge of the path at the horkers. After a couple of breaths Star returned to Lilisfina’s side, tail waving high over his back. Sten watched Lilisfina brush the tips of the Husky’s ears with her fingers, then he turned and crept up to the top of the islet. Lilisfina and Star joined him, the dog creeping on his belly alongside her. So the dog knows to lay low. That’s really rather impressive. Wonder if he was taught to do that somewhere?
They peered over the boulders toward the wreck. The Winter War lay broken in two, its bow pressed up against the far side of the islet, its stern shattered against the cliff that pressed close to the water on the far side of the water. A small cabin, mostly intact, squatted on the stern deck, and battered boards linked the fore and aft sections of the wreck. Each half bore a splintered, shattered mast.
“See any more?” Lilisfina whispered. Sten shook his head and pointed out an open hatch in the bow section. He pointed downward to indicate the potential for more reavers belowdecks. “Star, stay,” she murmured to the dog and eased over the top of the islet. As Sten and the Husky watched, she sidled down to the planking bridge between the bow rail and the rocks. Once her feet were on the deck, Lilisfina crouched down and turned still. After a few breaths she turned on her toes and looked back at Sten.
One finger went up, then pointed at the deck at her feet. One reaver belowdecks in the bow. Two fingers went up next, then pointed to the stern section’s lower decks. Two more in the stern. How can she tell? Sten closed the distance to Lilisfina’s side, Star close behind him. As they moved toward the hatch, Star flashed past them and leaped through the opening. As he disappeared, they heard snarling echo around the lower deck. The reaver’s startled shouting gave away his location to Sten as he took the ladder two rungs at a time.
Star’s white markings made it easy for Sten to find the reaver in the dimness belowdecks as he ran toward the noise. He could see two weapons in the other’s hands. Great. A dual wielder. He managed to parry the reaver’s initial attack. He’s panicky. That’s good. Thanks, dog. Sten managed to put Star out of his focus as he closed with the reaver and put his weight behind his first blow.
The reaver managed to parry him by crossing his war axes in front of his chest. Almost equal in size and bulk as Sten, he struggled to push back against Sten and throw him off balance. Suddenly he faltered with an enraged scream as one leg buckled beneath him. Star’s snarling turned into a savage growling as he gripped the man’s left thigh and shook violently.
As Sten stepped back to free his blade, a slim form slipped past him and touched the reaver on his right shoulder. Lightning flickered around the bandit, and his weapons clattered away with his sudden collapse. As Lilisfina and Star drew back, Sten drove his zwei-hander through the other’s leather cuirass into his chest. The abrupt limpness of the man’s limbs revealed the swift passing of life.
Sten turned away in time to see Lilisfina already crossing the plankings to the stern section. He peered ahead of her, but couldn’t see much other than the angular lines of a cage on the starboard side. As Sten followed behind her, he could see a slumped form near a closed door toward the rear of the deck. Asleep on watch? Or drunk? Sten ran toward the prone body of the watchman and brought his blade down on the man’s head before he had a chance to reach for his own weapon.
Muttering and clattering reached Sten from beyond the closed door. “Jaiden! Didn’t I tell you to keep out of the . . .” The door swung open to reveal a large Nord, himself as big as Sten. That’s a pretty impressive beard, the random thought passed through Sten’s mind as he darted toward the other. “Who in fecking Oblivion are you?” the chief shouted as he hefted his battle axe into a combat grip and swung blindly toward Sten’s head.
Just as I expected. Sten kept his momentum and ducked beneath the axe’s swing. He drove his shoulder into the chief’s midsection just enough to stagger him. As the chief fought for his balance in the doorway, Sten brought the hilt of his zwei-hander into the other man’s jaw. Bone cracked as the chief fell backwards. Sten rocked back on his feet just enough to recover his blade for another blow, but the bandit recovered in time and brought both feet into Sten’s chest. He parried Sten’s strike with the oaken haft of his battle axe and heaved Sten backwards.
He’s getting into this now, Sten noted the chief’s quick scramble to his feet. But he’s still not as quick. Already Sten backpedaled away from the doorway. His tactic drew the chief out after him in a hurried charge, lifting his battle axe for a final blow. In the corner of his eye, Sten saw the black and white markings as the Skyrim Husky sprang for the chief’s rear. This time Star chose to bite the man’s buttocks.
Caught off guard again, the chief’s attack wavered, and Sten dropped beneath the axe’s arc and drove his blade below the edge of the reaver’s cuirass into his abdomen. As the chief collapsed, blood splattered from his shattered mouth with his dying gasps. Lilisfina knelt beside him and touched lightning into him, ending his agony. As silence fell around them, she looked up at Sten.
“That’s the last one,” she murmured. “You took no harm?”
Sten took a deep breath and straightened his spine. “Yes, ma’am,” he wiped the long blade before returning his zwei-hander to his back. “You?”
She smiled lopsidedly at him. “All I did was play decoy,” she murmured. “You did all the hard work here.” Her amused gaze shifted over to Star, who sat beside her and turned his blue gaze back and forth between them. “He helped. Of course.” She moved to the doorway. “I’m going to take a look in there, see if there’s anything of value.”
Sten nodded and knelt beside the reaver chief’s body. He noted the quality of the man’s armor. That’s steel - good Nord steel. Still in good condition. Worth a fair bit of gold to the right buyer. A glimpse of blue woad beneath the man’s thick beard caught Sten’s gaze. He drew the black pelt away from the throat. A sea monster. This is Black Cleitus! Did anyone know he was leading the reavers here?
“What is that?” Lilisfina’s voice reached him. He looked up to see her leaning over his shoulder, peering at the tattoo. “Does it mean anything to you?”
“It’s Black Cleitus,” Sten replied. “He’s well known up and down the northern coast for his ruthlessness and cruelty.”
She whistled softly. “My ship went right past here on the way in, we were lucky I guess.”
“They were probably still hunkered down after that storm,” Sten said.
“Well, I suppose that’s a good thing we got him, then,” Lilisfina remarked. “That will help when we claim the bounty on these reavers.”
Wait. We? “We?” Sten met Lilisfina’s gaze.
“Yes, we,” Lilisfina responded. She leaned over and rapped her knuckles on the carved steel armor. “This have any value?”
“It’s better quality than mine, being steel and well maintained,” Sten replied. “You could sell it for a fair amount of coin.”
“Hmm,” Lilisfina mused thoughtfully. “I saw a boat, a dinghy really, down at the waterline. Must be how they’re boarding ships in the main channel. We can use it to cross over to your friend’s fishing camp and look for him. I’d suggest we build a raft for these bodies and bring them all back to Windhelm - might be worth a bigger bounty if we do.” She turned toward the cage set against the starboard wall. “There’s someone in there, too. Maybe Leifgard?”
They moved to the cage and surveyed the emaciated body within. “He’s starved,” Lilisfina mused. “And I see sign of frostbite as well as torture.”
“It’s Einar,” Sten knew that hawklike nose anywhere.
“In that case,” Lilisfina’s tone turned somber as she looked up at Sten. “I don’t have a good feeling about your friend Leifgard, I’m afraid.”
@Acadian: Liliquirks, indeed! She has more to come, especially on the fourth day! I thought their first outing went pretty smoothly, considering this is a new team. But I'll let my readers judge. Playing a practical mage healer has its interesting applications, such as using spells to dry out wet footgear. That actually comes from a mod I use, Chesko's Frostfall. It's part of my basic mod load out, along with Campfire and Last Seed, which basically replaces (and predates) the CC Camping and Survival content. I've played Skyrim with Frostfall for so long - practically the second play through on LE! I did try the CC content, but they are not as comprehensive as Chesko's mods.
@Sage Rose: You are correct in thinking Sten paused at Yngol's Tomb, as Lili will find out in a later installment. Sten is Lili's wingman, indeed! Wedge all the way!
@treydog: So glad you are continuing to read this tale of ours. We will see how effective her Horkology is! Though she has never seen them before coming to Skyrim, she has already begun the process of observing them and learning what she can about them! Typical Bosmer . . .
@Grits: That horse was a bit of foreshadowing! We'll see more of her on the fifth day! And yes, aren't we all curious about Star?
I'll let Sten bring y'all up to speed on the story thus far . . .
*******************************
Morndas 18 Last Seed - The Winter War
Ma,
This might be a long letter, because a lot has happened. I met this woman at Candlehearth last night. She is new to Skyrim, and has traveled a long way. She’s never seen snow before, and thinks our summer is cold. Her clothes are inadequate, but she will be getting warmer clothing as soon as she can. She caught fish and traded it for mutton stew - she had been eating smoked salmon for a sevenday! So I got salmon for dinner last night while she tried the mutton stew. It was a good trade.
She has a dog, too. You’d like him - a good Skyrim Husky - black and white and full of mischief. Loyal too, though she says he’s not her dog. He just chose to come with her. She got him a fresh mutton bone, too, as part of the trade for the salmon.
Anyway, I’ve got a new job. We’re going to a wreck north of the city to clear some reavers that have been harassing shipping in the estuary. Since it is just across the main channel from Einar’s fishing camp, we’ll also look for Leifgard there. She doesn’t have the fighting skills, but she says she can handle herself. I’m interested in seeing how things go.
It’s getting late, and I’ve got an early start in the morning. I’ll write more when we get back.
Lilisfina stopped halfway across the shallow ford to cast a spell in the direction of the horkers at the base of the islet. The big bull grunted softly, then relaxed into the ice. His ladies didn’t even react, already basking in the sun. Beaded jet eyes followed Sten and Lilisfina as they crossed the shallow water. Star paused on the shoreline, then raced across when the others reached the other side.
They set their packs down just above the high tide line, careful not to let the shingle shift beneath the weight. Lilisfina touched Sten’s elbow lightly, then touched her finger to her lips to indicate silence. Heat moved from her free hand to her feet, then his. Before he knew it, the wet cold had evaporated in small clouds of steam from their boots. Warm, he wriggled his toes in enjoyment.
Star seated himself at Lilisfina’s side as she and Sten turned to regard the steep path that wound up the slope. He glanced at her in time to see her eyes lose focus momentarily. Then she met his gaze, held up one finger, and pointed to the top of the rise above their heads. One reaver. Sten slid his zwei-hander from his back and nodded. Ready.
Again Lilisfina touched his elbow to catch his attention. With her other hand she tapped her chest, then gestured pulling something toward her with fingers and thumb pinched. Then she pointed at Sten’s blade.
She’s going to lure him out, away from the others, and I can pick him off. Sten nodded his comprehension. Let me get up the hill, out of their line of sight when they come over the top. He avoided the bear traps and found an outcropping big enough to shield him from view about halfway up the slope. He glanced back at Lilisfina and indicated his readiness.
She tripped the first bear trap on the trail, then the next one a couple of steps up. A shout from above preceded the twang of an arrow into the air. Sten knew the moment the archer showed above the ridge by the sudden focus in Lilisfina’s face. A small flare flew from her fingertips past Sten, then a body hurtled past to land headfirst among the horkers below. Lilisfina turned and sent another spell into the horkers, and pandemonium erupted. Sten heard the grunting roars of the bull horker mingled with the man’s screams.
Shouts of other reavers echoed down to them, followed by crackling of ice beneath their approaching footsteps. While Sten waited, Lilisfina paused beside the second trap and dropped to one knee, draping the device with her cloak. From his vantage point it seemed as if she had been caught in the trap, and her swift glance up the slope past him reinforced the illusion.
She’s smart, knows how to fake the bait. Sten barely had time to form that thought before a burly reaver, clad in iron armor just as battered as his own, ran past. Sten stepped out and laid the edge of his blade hard against the other’s neck. His neck broken, the reaver rolled down toward Lilisfina and Star, tripping the remaining traps between them.
Sten ducked back under cover just as a second reaver, a sturdy woman in leather, appeared and shouted behind her. Sten watched Lilisfina stop the dead reaver’s body with her left hand. Her free hand flung another flare past Sten, and he heard a shout of rage from the woman. Heedless footsteps charged down toward him. Her worn shield led her reckless charge, but it was on the wrong side to protect her from Sten. He stepped into her exposed right side, bringing the hilt of his blade hard on her shoulder. Her leather armor did little to cushion the blow, but still she tried to bring her shield around.
Her momentum carried her downslope and caused her to lose her footing. Sten whipped the long blade around and stabbed her in the chest. As her sword and shield clattered from her hands, Sten kicked her off his blade and glanced back up the slope. Below he heard the horkers resume their ruckus as the woman’s body joined that of the archer’s.
After a few moments, silence fell over the trio. Sten exchanged glances with Lilisfina, then watched Star as he peered over the edge of the path at the horkers. After a couple of breaths Star returned to Lilisfina’s side, tail waving high over his back. Sten watched Lilisfina brush the tips of the Husky’s ears with her fingers, then he turned and crept up to the top of the islet. Lilisfina and Star joined him, the dog creeping on his belly alongside her. So the dog knows to lay low. That’s really rather impressive. Wonder if he was taught to do that somewhere?
They peered over the boulders toward the wreck. The Winter War lay broken in two, its bow pressed up against the far side of the islet, its stern shattered against the cliff that pressed close to the water on the far side of the water. A small cabin, mostly intact, squatted on the stern deck, and battered boards linked the fore and aft sections of the wreck. Each half bore a splintered, shattered mast.
“See any more?” Lilisfina whispered. Sten shook his head and pointed out an open hatch in the bow section. He pointed downward to indicate the potential for more reavers belowdecks. “Star, stay,” she murmured to the dog and eased over the top of the islet. As Sten and the Husky watched, she sidled down to the planking bridge between the bow rail and the rocks. Once her feet were on the deck, Lilisfina crouched down and turned still. After a few breaths she turned on her toes and looked back at Sten.
One finger went up, then pointed at the deck at her feet. One reaver belowdecks in the bow. Two fingers went up next, then pointed to the stern section’s lower decks. Two more in the stern. How can she tell? Sten closed the distance to Lilisfina’s side, Star close behind him. As they moved toward the hatch, Star flashed past them and leaped through the opening. As he disappeared, they heard snarling echo around the lower deck. The reaver’s startled shouting gave away his location to Sten as he took the ladder two rungs at a time.
Star’s white markings made it easy for Sten to find the reaver in the dimness belowdecks as he ran toward the noise. He could see two weapons in the other’s hands. Great. A dual wielder. He managed to parry the reaver’s initial attack. He’s panicky. That’s good. Thanks, dog. Sten managed to put Star out of his focus as he closed with the reaver and put his weight behind his first blow.
The reaver managed to parry him by crossing his war axes in front of his chest. Almost equal in size and bulk as Sten, he struggled to push back against Sten and throw him off balance. Suddenly he faltered with an enraged scream as one leg buckled beneath him. Star’s snarling turned into a savage growling as he gripped the man’s left thigh and shook violently.
As Sten stepped back to free his blade, a slim form slipped past him and touched the reaver on his right shoulder. Lightning flickered around the bandit, and his weapons clattered away with his sudden collapse. As Lilisfina and Star drew back, Sten drove his zwei-hander through the other’s leather cuirass into his chest. The abrupt limpness of the man’s limbs revealed the swift passing of life.
Sten turned away in time to see Lilisfina already crossing the plankings to the stern section. He peered ahead of her, but couldn’t see much other than the angular lines of a cage on the starboard side. As Sten followed behind her, he could see a slumped form near a closed door toward the rear of the deck. Asleep on watch? Or drunk? Sten ran toward the prone body of the watchman and brought his blade down on the man’s head before he had a chance to reach for his own weapon.
Muttering and clattering reached Sten from beyond the closed door. “Jaiden! Didn’t I tell you to keep out of the . . .” The door swung open to reveal a large Nord, himself as big as Sten. That’s a pretty impressive beard, the random thought passed through Sten’s mind as he darted toward the other. “Who in fecking Oblivion are you?” the chief shouted as he hefted his battle axe into a combat grip and swung blindly toward Sten’s head.
Just as I expected. Sten kept his momentum and ducked beneath the axe’s swing. He drove his shoulder into the chief’s midsection just enough to stagger him. As the chief fought for his balance in the doorway, Sten brought the hilt of his zwei-hander into the other man’s jaw. Bone cracked as the chief fell backwards. Sten rocked back on his feet just enough to recover his blade for another blow, but the bandit recovered in time and brought both feet into Sten’s chest. He parried Sten’s strike with the oaken haft of his battle axe and heaved Sten backwards.
He’s getting into this now, Sten noted the chief’s quick scramble to his feet. But he’s still not as quick. Already Sten backpedaled away from the doorway. His tactic drew the chief out after him in a hurried charge, lifting his battle axe for a final blow. In the corner of his eye, Sten saw the black and white markings as the Skyrim Husky sprang for the chief’s rear. This time Star chose to bite the man’s buttocks.
Caught off guard again, the chief’s attack wavered, and Sten dropped beneath the axe’s arc and drove his blade below the edge of the reaver’s cuirass into his abdomen. As the chief collapsed, blood splattered from his shattered mouth with his dying gasps. Lilisfina knelt beside him and touched lightning into him, ending his agony. As silence fell around them, she looked up at Sten.
“That’s the last one,” she murmured. “You took no harm?”
Sten took a deep breath and straightened his spine. “Yes, ma’am,” he wiped the long blade before returning his zwei-hander to his back. “You?”
She smiled lopsidedly at him. “All I did was play decoy,” she murmured. “You did all the hard work here.” Her amused gaze shifted over to Star, who sat beside her and turned his blue gaze back and forth between them. “He helped. Of course.” She moved to the doorway. “I’m going to take a look in there, see if there’s anything of value.”
Sten nodded and knelt beside the reaver chief’s body. He noted the quality of the man’s armor. That’s steel - good Nord steel. Still in good condition. Worth a fair bit of gold to the right buyer. A glimpse of blue woad beneath the man’s thick beard caught Sten’s gaze. He drew the black pelt away from the throat. A sea monster. This is Black Cleitus! Did anyone know he was leading the reavers here?
“What is that?” Lilisfina’s voice reached him. He looked up to see her leaning over his shoulder, peering at the tattoo. “Does it mean anything to you?”
“It’s Black Cleitus,” Sten replied. “He’s well known up and down the northern coast for his ruthlessness and cruelty.”
She whistled softly. “My ship went right past here on the way in, we were lucky I guess.”
“They were probably still hunkered down after that storm,” Sten said.
“Well, I suppose that’s a good thing we got him, then,” Lilisfina remarked. “That will help when we claim the bounty on these reavers.”
Wait. We? “We?” Sten met Lilisfina’s gaze.
“Yes, we,” Lilisfina responded. She leaned over and rapped her knuckles on the carved steel armor. “This have any value?”
“It’s better quality than mine, being steel and well maintained,” Sten replied. “You could sell it for a fair amount of coin.”
“Hmm,” Lilisfina mused thoughtfully. “I saw a boat, a dinghy really, down at the waterline. Must be how they’re boarding ships in the main channel. We can use it to cross over to your friend’s fishing camp and look for him. I’d suggest we build a raft for these bodies and bring them all back to Windhelm - might be worth a bigger bounty if we do.” She turned toward the cage set against the starboard wall. “There’s someone in there, too. Maybe Leifgard?”
They moved to the cage and surveyed the emaciated body within. “He’s starved,” Lilisfina mused. “And I see sign of frostbite as well as torture.”
“It’s Einar,” Sten knew that hawklike nose anywhere.
“In that case,” Lilisfina’s tone turned somber as she looked up at Sten. “I don’t have a good feeling about your friend Leifgard, I’m afraid.”
For a trio that has not fought together before they each did well! It seems none are strangers to this sort of thing. Clearly a good team, as this would not likely gone as well without any one of the three.
Between the bounty and loot, it looks like good potential here for Lili to fill her coinpurse.
I hope Sten’s friend is okay.
Between the bounty and loot, it looks like good potential here for Lili to fill her coinpurse.
I hope Sten’s friend is okay.
Another Sten missive. A Stenssive if you will. I like these little peeks into the fighter's thoughts, and the character-building it reveals.
Well, it seems that thanks to Lil they won't have to worry about anyImperial horker entanglements. I modded Skyrim to turn the Kyne's Peace shout into a low level Illusion spell with a five minute duration. Thanks to that I don't have to fight wild animals.
Not only a nice ambush, but a clever use of horkers to create a distraction with their horkiness.
A lot of bodies are piling up down at the bottom of that hill. I wonder if horkers scavenge dead people? If so, the dinner bell just rang.
Bit in the butt by a dog. What a way for a boss baddie to go...
They definitely made a good team with Lil as the scout and Sten as the muscle. And Star as the butt-muncher.
Black Cleitus and a bounty. That sounds like it will keep Lil and Sten and Star rolling in mutton for the time being!
As I expected, the dead prisoner in lower deck does not bode well for Sten's friend. But you never know. He may have escaped.
Well, it seems that thanks to Lil they won't have to worry about any
Not only a nice ambush, but a clever use of horkers to create a distraction with their horkiness.
A lot of bodies are piling up down at the bottom of that hill. I wonder if horkers scavenge dead people? If so, the dinner bell just rang.
Bit in the butt by a dog. What a way for a boss baddie to go...
They definitely made a good team with Lil as the scout and Sten as the muscle. And Star as the butt-muncher.
Black Cleitus and a bounty. That sounds like it will keep Lil and Sten and Star rolling in mutton for the time being!
As I expected, the dead prisoner in lower deck does not bode well for Sten's friend. But you never know. He may have escaped.
I had to check back to the earlier post to remind myself that Leifgard and Einar did not make the trip together. And reading up on the camp tells me it already has two dead occupants, and slaughterfish in the water.
If Leifgard had been there before, he would not have left his axe and shield behind, so I’m hoping he took a wrong turn on the way.
If Leifgard had been there before, he would not have left his axe and shield behind, so I’m hoping he took a wrong turn on the way.
Lili can definitely handle her side of the combat. I very much like the way she integrates her skills with Sten's. And Star IS the "star" with his timely interventions. The loss of Einar does not bode well for Leifgard, but we will see. As ever, skillful writing allows the reader to visualize the action, which moves right along. The letters home are a wonderful touch, providing insight into Sten's thoughts and character while not breaking the narrative flow.
That went well! Star is a battle dog! I liked hearing Sten’s thoughts on the situation, given his local knowledge. It was fun to see Lili’s magic in action. I thought she would notice Sten checking out that steel armor, and she did. Her past generosity makes me think there’s an upgrade in store for Stenvar.
Great first fight! I don’t have a good feeling about Leifgard, either.
Great first fight! I don’t have a good feeling about Leifgard, either.
No pictures this time, sorry!
@Acadian: I think you hit the nail on the head when you said none of them are new to adventuring. Though this trio came together from disparate locales, I wanted to show that each of them are experienced in their own ways, even if it's to provide comic relief (in Star's case). And you'll see just how profitable this venture is in the following installments.
@Sage Rose: Trust you to come up with an appropriate moniker for Sten's letters to his Ma. I did want to show him as a good son in his own way - I've always seen him as a family man trying to support others by his mercenary work. I use a mod called One With Nature (have done so for quite some time) to turn giants and mammoths into allies (love it when they come to fight the Bonestrewn Crest dragon) and to make horkers and a few other beasties friendly. I do leave the predators alone, but in this story you won't always see the pathological behavior the game gives you. While dead humans don't taste like fish . . . not sure what the horkers will make of it - Lili won't give them the chance to find out!
@ghastley: The reason for Einar's death will become clear in today's installment. I'm sure Leifgard would use the woodcutter's axe that's at the camp if he needed to.
@treydog: For a squishy mage with no weapons and no armor, Lili sure can handle herself in a fight! I'm glad you and others like the Stenssives that start his episodes. Since I'm switching POV's in this story, I find it helpful to help me get inside his mind and remind myself to see things from his viewpoint.
@Grits: Yup, Star turns out to be quite the (comic) battle dog! I enjoyed writing Sten's POV, and yup, Lili is very observant of Sten (and Star)!
In the last installment, Lili, Sten and Star had a rousing, blood-warming fight at The Winter War. Now we see the aftermath, and find out what happened to Leifgard.
*******************************
Morndas 18 Last Seed - Return to Windhelm
Stenvar placed the wrapped body next to that of the fisherman in the bottom of the dinghy. He glanced over at the raft of dead bandits tied to the small boat’s stern. “It’s still afloat.” He turned to watch Lili as she broke down the remnants of the camp and gathered stones. “What are you doing?”
“Building a cairn to keep these supplies,” Lili responded. “In case someone else comes along and needs to camp here.” Many’s the time I’ve been grateful for such cairns.
“Do you intend to do that every time, or bring home dead reaver?” Stenvar straightened his back and glanced at the sky. The sun stood over the western mountains, and clouds gathered in the east and north.
Lili stood up and brushed the sand from her hands and sniffed the wind. Storm? “Depends,” she answered. “The fact that you knew who that bandit leader was suggests that it might be worthwhile bringing the others back too, for potential identification.” She lowered the fur from her face enough to grin at Stenvar. “That might be worth extra, as long as this wind doesn’t mean another storm.”
“It might,” Stenvar moved to the dinghy and set the oars into the locks. “Let’s get going, it would be nice to get back to the docks before dark.”
“Yes,” Lili agreed and helped him push the small boat into the water. She slipped into the stern and motioned Star to lie at her feet. Stenvar took his place between the oars and maneuvered the dinghy into the main channel of the estuary. As the rope between the boat and the makeshift raft tightened, Lili twisted around and sent a spell into the raft.
“What did you do?” Stenvar exclaimed as the boat shot forward on his stroke.
“Feather spell,” Lili replied. “Makes it float better, and that in turn makes it easier for you to row.” She huddled further into the fur cloak. “You’ve been busy today, Stennvar.”
“I’ve had harder days than this,” Stenvar muttered. He took a deep breath on another stroke of the oars. “Mind you, I do appreciate that spell.” I know you do, Stennvar.
The sun slipped behind the western mountains as they drew up alongside one of the smaller docks. One of the Argonian dockworkers turned toward them and waved, then put his hands around his mouth and hailed them.
“Yes, we would like a little help,” Lili called back. “I’ll pay you for it!”
In response three of the dockworkers leaped off the parapet into the water and surfaced next to the raft. “What iss thiss?” Tongues flickered. “Dead?”
“Reavers from The Winter War,” Lili responded. “Do you know the best way to handle them?”
A fourth Argonian knelt on the dock above them. “I’m Neetrenaza. Let’ss lay them out for the guard to examine,” he gestured toward the head of the docks. “Are you claiming bounty on them?”
“I’d like to talk to Brunwulf Free-Winter,” Lili lifted the bundle containing the steel armor and personal items from the fishing camp toward the waiting hands.
“You sshould have the guard fetch him to come look.” The Argonian set the bundle to one side and gestured for Stenvar to hand Star up to him. “And the dog, too? Are you keeping him?”
“He’s welcome to stay with me as long as he wants,” Lili responded.
Stenvar chuckled. “He’ll stay with her as long as she keeps feeding him!”
“That’ss usually all it takess,” the Argonian laughed. Star barked once, and stood beside the bundled gear as Stenvar knelt beside the two bodies.
“These are not bandits,” Lili assisted Stenvar in lifting one to the dock. “One of these is Stenvar’s comrade, and the other is the old fisherman - Einar?”
“Leifgard and Einar?” The Argonian murmured something to one of his comrades, who ran toward the warehouses. “You’ll want to bring them to Arkay, then?”
“Yes,” Stenvar responded gruffly. “Want to see to them right away.”
“Shavee’ss getting the cart for them,” Neetrenaza waved toward the warehouse and the approaching vehicle. “And we’ll get the resst of thesse banditss laid out for Free-Winter.”
Stenvar pulled himself up onto the dock, and Neetrenaza reached down a helping hand for Lili. They stepped back as the other dockworkers began tossing the bandits onto the dock. Stenvar and Shavee gently loaded the two corpses onto the cart, then Stenvar placed the bundle beside them.
Lili stopped beside Neetrenaza. “That’s four of you that helped me, right?” She reached for her coin purse in her pack. At the Argonian’s nod, she counted out several coins. “Here’s four drakes for each of you,” she said. “I hope that’s enough for the work you’re doing.”
“That’ss more than the Shatter-Shieldss pay uss,” one of the other Argonians exclaimed. Lili glanced at him.
“Who?”
“Torbjorn Shatter-Shield,” the other said. “He clingss to every drake!”
“I’m Lili, I don’t think we’ve met,” she said. “You are?”
“Sscoutss Many Marshess,” the Argonian responded. “I ussed to train sscouts, before eventss brought me here.”
Lili glanced around the gathered Argonians as the last reaver came to rest with the others. “None of you make this much unloading a ship?”
“That damned Shatter-Shield ssayss an Argonian’ss labor iss only worth a tenth of a ‘proper Nord worker.’ My people are not sslavess!”
“Hmm, that’s a shame,” Lili murmured. They’re not slaves, but it looks like they are treated as such. Shameful. Stenvar caught her gaze and shook his head slightly. She passed a few more drakes to Neetrenaza. “That should bring it to five drakes for each of you,” she said. “I have no idea what a ‘proper Nord worker’ is worth, but I hope that comes close.” She smiled at the dockworkers. “Thank you again for all your help. I will likely be back here with Brunwulf Free-Winter to look at the reavers.”
She joined Stenvar at the cart and cast another feather spell on the cart itself to make it easier. They maneuvered the cart toward the steep street that led up to the large gates that separated the waterfront from the rest of the city. Like the main gates at the front of the city, these had a smaller postern door that was just wide enough for the cart. Star followed them into the city and moved to stand beside Lili.
“Would you like to take them straight to wherever the dead are honored for burial?” she turned to look up at Stenvar. “I am not familiar with funeral customs here.” Burial? Cremation? Sky?
“Every city in Skyrim has the Halls of the Dead dedicated to Arkay,” Stenvar eased the handles of the cart down and took a deep breath. “Helgird is in charge of the one here, and I believe she’ll be in the graveyard. I’ll ask her to take them in.”
“I’ll pay for their funeral,” Lili touched his hand briefly. “Let’s go.” She renewed the feather spell as Stenvar picked up the cart handles again and drew it forward. As the darkness gathered in the growing dusk, she cast a mage light that followed them and lit the path before them.
“Hello,” a gruff voice reached them out of the darkness. “I’ve been told an Elf and a sellsword brought back a winter harvest for me.” His grey beard emerged out of the darkness as the old Thane stopped beside the cart.
“Hello, Thane,” Lili nodded. “Yes, the Argonians are laying them out for the guard. You can find them on the waterfront.”
“Good, I’ll take a look,” Free-Winter nodded. “Where can I find you?”
“I’ll come back once we take care of these two,” Lili gestured toward the cart. “Say, a bell or so?”
“Sounds good,” Free-Winter gestured farewell and moved off toward the waterfront.
The sky glimmered with stars by the time they reached the graveyard in front of the Halls of the Dead. A slender form clad in a monk’s robe rose from among the stones and moved toward them, her thin face gleaming within her raised hood.
“Helgird,” Stenvar greeted her.
“Stenvar,” the woman responded, her gaze on the cart behind him. “I didn’t know you were in the habit of bringing bodies back.”
“This is Leifgard,” Stenvar touched the leftmost, bulkier bundle. “He died of exposure in that storm a few days ago, out at that fishing camp of Einar’s.”
Lili saw a slight flicker pass through Helgird’s gaze. “And Einar?”
“Here he is, as well,” Stenvar indicated the other wrapped corpse. “We think he sought shelter in the wreck near there, but the reavers there killed him.”
“Damn reavers,” Helgird’s voice slid through clenched teeth. She’s not fond of outlaws. She looked at Lili. “And what of them?”
“Dead, too,” Lili responded. “We made certain of it. They’re on the waterfront.”
“I expect I’ll be seeing them soon enough.” She moved to the door that led to the sunken Halls. “But tonight, we will take care of friends. Bring them in.”
With the aid of Lili’s feather spell, Stenvar carried each corpse inside after Helgird. Lili followed him after the second one down into a crypt. Great age seeped from the worn stones around her. Some of these carvings look like the ones near that altar we stopped at. Helgird caught her interested gaze.
“This was originally built thousands of years ago by the ancient ones for their dragon cults. The draugr have been cleared out, but these crypts are still being used for their intended purpose.”
@Acadian: I think you hit the nail on the head when you said none of them are new to adventuring. Though this trio came together from disparate locales, I wanted to show that each of them are experienced in their own ways, even if it's to provide comic relief (in Star's case). And you'll see just how profitable this venture is in the following installments.
@Sage Rose: Trust you to come up with an appropriate moniker for Sten's letters to his Ma. I did want to show him as a good son in his own way - I've always seen him as a family man trying to support others by his mercenary work. I use a mod called One With Nature (have done so for quite some time) to turn giants and mammoths into allies (love it when they come to fight the Bonestrewn Crest dragon) and to make horkers and a few other beasties friendly. I do leave the predators alone, but in this story you won't always see the pathological behavior the game gives you. While dead humans don't taste like fish . . . not sure what the horkers will make of it - Lili won't give them the chance to find out!
@ghastley: The reason for Einar's death will become clear in today's installment. I'm sure Leifgard would use the woodcutter's axe that's at the camp if he needed to.
@treydog: For a squishy mage with no weapons and no armor, Lili sure can handle herself in a fight! I'm glad you and others like the Stenssives that start his episodes. Since I'm switching POV's in this story, I find it helpful to help me get inside his mind and remind myself to see things from his viewpoint.
@Grits: Yup, Star turns out to be quite the (comic) battle dog! I enjoyed writing Sten's POV, and yup, Lili is very observant of Sten (and Star)!
In the last installment, Lili, Sten and Star had a rousing, blood-warming fight at The Winter War. Now we see the aftermath, and find out what happened to Leifgard.
*******************************
Morndas 18 Last Seed - Return to Windhelm
Stenvar placed the wrapped body next to that of the fisherman in the bottom of the dinghy. He glanced over at the raft of dead bandits tied to the small boat’s stern. “It’s still afloat.” He turned to watch Lili as she broke down the remnants of the camp and gathered stones. “What are you doing?”
“Building a cairn to keep these supplies,” Lili responded. “In case someone else comes along and needs to camp here.” Many’s the time I’ve been grateful for such cairns.
“Do you intend to do that every time, or bring home dead reaver?” Stenvar straightened his back and glanced at the sky. The sun stood over the western mountains, and clouds gathered in the east and north.
Lili stood up and brushed the sand from her hands and sniffed the wind. Storm? “Depends,” she answered. “The fact that you knew who that bandit leader was suggests that it might be worthwhile bringing the others back too, for potential identification.” She lowered the fur from her face enough to grin at Stenvar. “That might be worth extra, as long as this wind doesn’t mean another storm.”
“It might,” Stenvar moved to the dinghy and set the oars into the locks. “Let’s get going, it would be nice to get back to the docks before dark.”
“Yes,” Lili agreed and helped him push the small boat into the water. She slipped into the stern and motioned Star to lie at her feet. Stenvar took his place between the oars and maneuvered the dinghy into the main channel of the estuary. As the rope between the boat and the makeshift raft tightened, Lili twisted around and sent a spell into the raft.
“What did you do?” Stenvar exclaimed as the boat shot forward on his stroke.
“Feather spell,” Lili replied. “Makes it float better, and that in turn makes it easier for you to row.” She huddled further into the fur cloak. “You’ve been busy today, Stennvar.”
“I’ve had harder days than this,” Stenvar muttered. He took a deep breath on another stroke of the oars. “Mind you, I do appreciate that spell.” I know you do, Stennvar.
The sun slipped behind the western mountains as they drew up alongside one of the smaller docks. One of the Argonian dockworkers turned toward them and waved, then put his hands around his mouth and hailed them.
“Yes, we would like a little help,” Lili called back. “I’ll pay you for it!”
In response three of the dockworkers leaped off the parapet into the water and surfaced next to the raft. “What iss thiss?” Tongues flickered. “Dead?”
“Reavers from The Winter War,” Lili responded. “Do you know the best way to handle them?”
A fourth Argonian knelt on the dock above them. “I’m Neetrenaza. Let’ss lay them out for the guard to examine,” he gestured toward the head of the docks. “Are you claiming bounty on them?”
“I’d like to talk to Brunwulf Free-Winter,” Lili lifted the bundle containing the steel armor and personal items from the fishing camp toward the waiting hands.
“You sshould have the guard fetch him to come look.” The Argonian set the bundle to one side and gestured for Stenvar to hand Star up to him. “And the dog, too? Are you keeping him?”
“He’s welcome to stay with me as long as he wants,” Lili responded.
Stenvar chuckled. “He’ll stay with her as long as she keeps feeding him!”
“That’ss usually all it takess,” the Argonian laughed. Star barked once, and stood beside the bundled gear as Stenvar knelt beside the two bodies.
“These are not bandits,” Lili assisted Stenvar in lifting one to the dock. “One of these is Stenvar’s comrade, and the other is the old fisherman - Einar?”
“Leifgard and Einar?” The Argonian murmured something to one of his comrades, who ran toward the warehouses. “You’ll want to bring them to Arkay, then?”
“Yes,” Stenvar responded gruffly. “Want to see to them right away.”
“Shavee’ss getting the cart for them,” Neetrenaza waved toward the warehouse and the approaching vehicle. “And we’ll get the resst of thesse banditss laid out for Free-Winter.”
Stenvar pulled himself up onto the dock, and Neetrenaza reached down a helping hand for Lili. They stepped back as the other dockworkers began tossing the bandits onto the dock. Stenvar and Shavee gently loaded the two corpses onto the cart, then Stenvar placed the bundle beside them.
Lili stopped beside Neetrenaza. “That’s four of you that helped me, right?” She reached for her coin purse in her pack. At the Argonian’s nod, she counted out several coins. “Here’s four drakes for each of you,” she said. “I hope that’s enough for the work you’re doing.”
“That’ss more than the Shatter-Shieldss pay uss,” one of the other Argonians exclaimed. Lili glanced at him.
“Who?”
“Torbjorn Shatter-Shield,” the other said. “He clingss to every drake!”
“I’m Lili, I don’t think we’ve met,” she said. “You are?”
“Sscoutss Many Marshess,” the Argonian responded. “I ussed to train sscouts, before eventss brought me here.”
Lili glanced around the gathered Argonians as the last reaver came to rest with the others. “None of you make this much unloading a ship?”
“That damned Shatter-Shield ssayss an Argonian’ss labor iss only worth a tenth of a ‘proper Nord worker.’ My people are not sslavess!”
“Hmm, that’s a shame,” Lili murmured. They’re not slaves, but it looks like they are treated as such. Shameful. Stenvar caught her gaze and shook his head slightly. She passed a few more drakes to Neetrenaza. “That should bring it to five drakes for each of you,” she said. “I have no idea what a ‘proper Nord worker’ is worth, but I hope that comes close.” She smiled at the dockworkers. “Thank you again for all your help. I will likely be back here with Brunwulf Free-Winter to look at the reavers.”
She joined Stenvar at the cart and cast another feather spell on the cart itself to make it easier. They maneuvered the cart toward the steep street that led up to the large gates that separated the waterfront from the rest of the city. Like the main gates at the front of the city, these had a smaller postern door that was just wide enough for the cart. Star followed them into the city and moved to stand beside Lili.
“Would you like to take them straight to wherever the dead are honored for burial?” she turned to look up at Stenvar. “I am not familiar with funeral customs here.” Burial? Cremation? Sky?
“Every city in Skyrim has the Halls of the Dead dedicated to Arkay,” Stenvar eased the handles of the cart down and took a deep breath. “Helgird is in charge of the one here, and I believe she’ll be in the graveyard. I’ll ask her to take them in.”
“I’ll pay for their funeral,” Lili touched his hand briefly. “Let’s go.” She renewed the feather spell as Stenvar picked up the cart handles again and drew it forward. As the darkness gathered in the growing dusk, she cast a mage light that followed them and lit the path before them.
“Hello,” a gruff voice reached them out of the darkness. “I’ve been told an Elf and a sellsword brought back a winter harvest for me.” His grey beard emerged out of the darkness as the old Thane stopped beside the cart.
“Hello, Thane,” Lili nodded. “Yes, the Argonians are laying them out for the guard. You can find them on the waterfront.”
“Good, I’ll take a look,” Free-Winter nodded. “Where can I find you?”
“I’ll come back once we take care of these two,” Lili gestured toward the cart. “Say, a bell or so?”
“Sounds good,” Free-Winter gestured farewell and moved off toward the waterfront.
The sky glimmered with stars by the time they reached the graveyard in front of the Halls of the Dead. A slender form clad in a monk’s robe rose from among the stones and moved toward them, her thin face gleaming within her raised hood.
“Helgird,” Stenvar greeted her.
“Stenvar,” the woman responded, her gaze on the cart behind him. “I didn’t know you were in the habit of bringing bodies back.”
“This is Leifgard,” Stenvar touched the leftmost, bulkier bundle. “He died of exposure in that storm a few days ago, out at that fishing camp of Einar’s.”
Lili saw a slight flicker pass through Helgird’s gaze. “And Einar?”
“Here he is, as well,” Stenvar indicated the other wrapped corpse. “We think he sought shelter in the wreck near there, but the reavers there killed him.”
“Damn reavers,” Helgird’s voice slid through clenched teeth. She’s not fond of outlaws. She looked at Lili. “And what of them?”
“Dead, too,” Lili responded. “We made certain of it. They’re on the waterfront.”
“I expect I’ll be seeing them soon enough.” She moved to the door that led to the sunken Halls. “But tonight, we will take care of friends. Bring them in.”
With the aid of Lili’s feather spell, Stenvar carried each corpse inside after Helgird. Lili followed him after the second one down into a crypt. Great age seeped from the worn stones around her. Some of these carvings look like the ones near that altar we stopped at. Helgird caught her interested gaze.
“This was originally built thousands of years ago by the ancient ones for their dragon cults. The draugr have been cleared out, but these crypts are still being used for their intended purpose.”
Sure enough, Leifgard is no longer with us. 
A somber journey home, the burden eased (literally) by Lili’s feather spell. The dockworkers drive home the point that if you have pointed ears or a tail you are not so welcome in Skyrim. I liked how darkness brought out Lili’s light spell. She seems a generous soul.
Nice depiction of the local Halls of the Dead – what it means and its history.
A somber journey home, the burden eased (literally) by Lili’s feather spell. The dockworkers drive home the point that if you have pointed ears or a tail you are not so welcome in Skyrim. I liked how darkness brought out Lili’s light spell. She seems a generous soul.
Nice depiction of the local Halls of the Dead – what it means and its history.
And there is much more to the aftermath of a battle than sorting out the loot. Lili continues to make friends (and possibly enemies?) with her generosity and fairness. One of the strengths of this story (besides the characters) is how naturally you weave magic into the narrative. Our "squishy mage's" automatic use of spells to make life easier demonstrates that magic is an organic part of her world, rather than a source of awe and wonder. Lovely.
I created a mod for Skyrim that turns the Kyne's Peace shout into an illusion spell, that affects all natural animals in a wide area for about 5 minutes or so. Most of my characters use that to avoid conflict with wildlife.
The grisly raft they are dragging behind is a reminder of the grim reality of the bounty hunter's life. Good thing Skyrim does not have sharks, who might find such things a tasty treat.
Well, that answers the question about Leifgard.
And we see who the exploited underclass is here in Windhelm, at least some of them. We are all equal in Arkay's Halls however.
I liked the seamless way you interwove the world-building here as the tale progressed, vis a vis the Halls of the Dead, their construction, etc...
The grisly raft they are dragging behind is a reminder of the grim reality of the bounty hunter's life. Good thing Skyrim does not have sharks, who might find such things a tasty treat.
Well, that answers the question about Leifgard.
And we see who the exploited underclass is here in Windhelm, at least some of them. We are all equal in Arkay's Halls however.
I liked the seamless way you interwove the world-building here as the tale progressed, vis a vis the Halls of the Dead, their construction, etc...
Interesting to watch the business that follows a successful bandit clearout. Lili’s fairness to the Argonians and generosity with the funerals confirms what we’ve seen so far of her character. Nice to see Stenvar’s quiet support of fair wages on the dock.
Scouts-Many-Marshes! Love that guy. And a history lesson from Helgird comes naturally after Lili’s helpful magic brings her into the crypts. Grim work, but an enjoyable update!
Scouts-Many-Marshes! Love that guy. And a history lesson from Helgird comes naturally after Lili’s helpful magic brings her into the crypts. Grim work, but an enjoyable update!
Just so ya know, am reading Wood Elf in Windhelm, just staying quieter for once. I have a habit of cluttering when i respond sometimes. 
Being overly wordy, etc.
Anyway, love all the talk about the cold. I'm a lover of "bad" weather, so everytime Lilisfina gets uncomfortable about the cold I'm thinking Ahhh!!!! I miss actual winter in real-life! ❄ I'm the sort who'll go for a walk on a day when it's 16F outside. My daughter's screaming at me when I return home "What are you doing??? Get IN here!"
Hey, where'd you get that dog? Which mod? One of my characters will want him at her side, I think.
Wow,,, the letter to Ma.
At first I thought Lili was writing it. Always neat to get someone else's perspective in a story.
Whoa, did she just cast a Frenzy spell?? Nice. The pirate-fighting scene is really good, hon. It's tricky to write all the little details yet still manage to convey the sense of action and movement; hard to explain what I mean.
Being overly wordy, etc. Anyway, love all the talk about the cold. I'm a lover of "bad" weather, so everytime Lilisfina gets uncomfortable about the cold I'm thinking Ahhh!!!! I miss actual winter in real-life! ❄ I'm the sort who'll go for a walk on a day when it's 16F outside. My daughter's screaming at me when I return home "What are you doing??? Get IN here!"
Hey, where'd you get that dog? Which mod? One of my characters will want him at her side, I think.
Wow,,, the letter to Ma.
At first I thought Lili was writing it. Always neat to get someone else's perspective in a story. Whoa, did she just cast a Frenzy spell?? Nice. The pirate-fighting scene is really good, hon. It's tricky to write all the little details yet still manage to convey the sense of action and movement; hard to explain what I mean.
@Acadian: I'm glad you liked how Lili used her magick to help Sten with the heavy lifting, as well as calling out the situation facing those with pointed ears and/or tails in Skyrim!
@Treydog: Thank you for pointing out Lili's generosity. As we come to know her better, this characteristic of hers will become one of her defining traits. And yes, she has a very practical regard for her magick - I suspect it comes from her Bosmer heritage.
@Sage Rose: Who needs sharks when we have slaughterfish! Ha! Good point you make - in spite of class exploitation we see throughout Skyrim, we are all equal before Arkay. I'm glad you enjoyed the bit of world building here in the Halls of the Dead, I have more for you today!
@Grits: I'm glad you interpreted Sten's slight shake of the head as tacit support of Lili's view and subsequent sharing of more of her coin with the Argonians. Scouts-Many-Marshes is as cool as they come, and his gripes are valid enough! I think folks will see how much I love Helgird in this newest installment - I always liked her character in the game, and she is my main healer in town whenever I get sick!
@Renee: Don't feel obligated to chime in after every installment, likewise don't feel compelled to keep quiet either. If you've got something to say, go ahead and say it! All feedback (as Sage Rose will tell you) is welcome! Like you, I'm a winter gal - nothing like horseback riding on a cold winter's day (and the mare I owned at the time felt the same way). The dog comes from A Dog's Life, by DarkFox127. The first mod of his that I used was A Cat's Life, which I love and adore and won't play without. Then he came out with A Bunny's Life, and I just love it too. So I have all three as part of my regular mod load out, along with Chesko's mods Frostfall, Campfire and Last Seed. As for switching perspectives, Stenvar was talking just as much as Lili in my ear, so I decided to alternate between the two of them. So Stenvar's Letters to Ma will preface his sections. I enjoy doing that, and it's fun. As for the horkers, she removed the Calm spell she had placed on them earlier, and their natural territorial tendencies won out when Lili and Sten dumped the two reavers in their midst. Thanks for your kind words regarding the fight scenes, I always find them difficult to write.
Speaking of Sten, we are back with him in this next bit of world building and character building.
***************************
Morndas 18 Last Seed - The Halls of the Dead
Sten carefully laid out Leifgard€™s body next to the brazier where it would thaw enough to be wrapped for burial later. €œI see,€ Lilisfina€™s voice reached him. €œAre these crypts older than Windhelm?€
Helgird joined Sten and used a warming spell on the frozen joints. €œThey do predate Ysgramor€™s arrival,€ she responded.
Sten became aware of Lilisfina€™s gaze on him as he lifted Einar€™s body to the adjacent bier. €œWhat was that place where we stopped on the way out?€ He nodded. €You lit a lantern there?€
Aware of Helgird€™s swift glance at him, Sten took a breath. €œThat€™s Yngold€™s Tomb,€ he responded. €œHe was one of Ysgramor€™s sons, and was lost at sea when they first landed here.€
€œSo you paid respects?€ Helgird nodded approvingly. €œGood to know you remember our ancestors.€
€œDoesn€™t hurt to pause and pay homage at the tombs of our ancestors,€ Sten stepped back and brushed his palms together. He met Lilisfina€™s curious gaze. €œWe have a history going back generations here. And there are places even older, like this crypt. Who knows how many still have spirits of the Dragon cult lingering in them?€
Lilisfina€™s right eyebrow rose. Is that skepticism? Or curiosity? €œDragon cult?€ Her gaze rose to the stones above their heads. €œThere was an ancient Dragon cult in Elsweyr, I wonder if the two are related?€
€œElsweyr?€ Helgird bent over Einar€™s body, her gaze cataloging visible injuries. €œThe Khajiit homeland?€
€œYes, they have history going back to the First Era. Very fascinating.€
€œSo they€™re more than thieves and beggars?€ Helgird€™s voice held no challenge, only curiosity. Both women are curious about each other€™s knowledge.
€œOf course, just like Nords are more than just berserkers and barbarians,€ Lilisfina responded. Is she teasing Helgird? No one teases Helgird!
The glance Helgird sent Lilisfina€™s way as she moved to Leifgard€™s body held a glimmer of amusement. Then she turned back to her work as she evaluated the larger corpse. €œHmm, no injuries on this one. Frostbite, signs of cold exposure.€ She looked up at Sten. €œI suspect he froze to death in that storm.€
€œI suspect so too,€ Sten agreed. €œThere was no firewood at the camp, and I think they ran out of fuel for the fire. Lilisfina,€ he indicated the Wood Elf standing beside the fisherman, €œthinks Einar went over to The Winter War to try and get some wood, but the reavers caught him.€
€œAs a priest of Arkay, I€™m supposed to be objective and treat everyone the same in death, good or evil.€ Her lips thinned. €œBut I€™m glad to hear those reavers are now dead.€ She turned to Lilisfina. €œAnd I suppose you are from Valenwood? Your accent is different from the other Wood Elves I€™ve met.€
Lilisfina nodded. Sten caught something flicker in her eyes. Bad memories? Sad ones? €œNot much left of it, thanks to the Thalmor.€
€œSo you have no homeland now,€ Helgird€™s quiet voice turned even softer. She moved to an alcove set back from the biers and began decanting the anointing oil into a small bowl. €œYou€™ve come a long way, lass.€
€œAnd taken a long time to travel it, priestess,€ Lilisfina responded. €œPlease tell me more about Arkay. He is little known to us in Valenwood.€
€œArkay is known as the Lord of the Wheel of Life. He is associated with both life and death, and with the four seasons of the year.€ Helgird carried the bowl of oil to the biers. €œAs priests of Arkay, we bless the dead so they can not be raised by necromancers. That was the first rite performed when the first priests of Arkay converted these crypts to the Halls of the Dead.€
Never thought her the religious type, Sten watched as Lilisfina rubbed her nose. €œSo there can€™t be any undead here in the crypts?€ she asked.
€œCorrect,€ Helgird nodded. €œIf you wish, you may stay and witness the Blessing of Arkay on these two unfortunates.€
Sten caught Lilisfina€™s glance at him. €œIf I€™m not intruding, I€™d like to, yes please.€ He shrugged.
€œAs you like,€ he answered. Sten watched as Helgird stepped between the two biers and placed the bowl on a low table set between the biers. She moved her hands in ritual gestures over the bronze brazier, and the fire changed from orange to blue in response to her murmured incantations.
After she held the bowl of oil over the fire for a few moments, Helgird picked up a sprig of pine needles from the table and dipped it into the oil. She sprinkled the oil over Leifgard€™s body from head to toe, all the while chanting softly.
She repeated the same over Einar€™s emaciated form. Then she stepped back to swing the pine branch between the two bodies.
Helgird set the bowl softly on the table and laid the pine branch in the brazier. As the scent of burning balsam filled the crypt, she bowed her head in silence. As Sten did the same, he caught Lilisfina mirroring them.
After a few slow breaths, Helgird raised her head and snuffed the blue flame with one hand. She turned to Sten with a question in her eyes.
€œThank you, priest of Arkay,€ he touched his left fist to his chest. Helgird inclined her head to him and turned to Lilisfina with an expectant expression.
Lilisfina stepped forward and laid three gold coins on the low table between them. €œThank you, priest,€ she said softly.
€œWe do not charge so much for our burials,€ Helgird did not pick up the coins.
€œConsider it an offering to Arkay,€ Lilisfina insisted, her voice still soft. €œThe service you perform here is invaluable.€
Puzzled, Helgird tipped her head to one side.€What did you get out of our service? Did you sense Arkay this evening?€
Lilisfina shrugged. €œWhat I felt was a sense of peace,€ she explained. €œNo evil lingers here, no restless souls.€ Sten heard her sigh. €œI€™ve been in places where the dead is restless, unable to sleep their eternal rest.€ She shuddered and crossed her arms in front of her chest. €œI sense that won€™t happen here.€
€œDo your people worship Arkay at all?€ Helgird asked. €œYou said he is little known there.€
€œWe do invoke him when judging crimes against the Green Pact.€ Lilisfina paused. €œBut our main god is Y€™ffre, and Y€™ffre is whom I follow.€
€œY€™ffre?€ Helgird repeated. She returned the bowl to its alcove. €œTell me about them.€ That wasn€™t a request, but a demand. Knowledge for knowledge.
€œWe call him the Storyteller,€ Lilisfina did not seem offended by Helgird€™s manner. €œHe created all of Nirn as we know it through stories. He sang to Aetherius, compelling the stars to dance and sway. That is why they twinkle in our sky today.€
€œInteresting that our existence should be the result of divine Song,€ Helgird mused.
€œWe don€™t have priests,€ Lilisfina continued. €œWe have Spinners. They recite the histories and laws of our people, and tell of events that have happened, is happening, and is yet to happen. They remind us that Y€™ffre sang the Green from the Ooze, and gave us the Green Pact.€
€œThe Green Pact?€ Sten broke in cautiously. €œIsn€™t that cannibalism?€ He became aware of Helgird€™s thoughtful gaze on him, and fought the temptation to hide behind the biers.
€œIt preserves the Green,€ Lilisfina paused for a breath. €œDo not harm the forests of Valenwood. Do not eat anything made from plant life. Eat only meat. When enemies are conquered, their meat must be eaten, not left to rot. Do not kill wastefully. Do not take on the shape of beasts.€
Sten considered her words. €œEat the meat of enemies? Will you do that with the reavers we killed?€
€œI am not in Valenwood anymore,€ Lilisfina shook her head. €œThe Green Pact does not apply outside our living forests. And the custom of eating our enemies have fallen into disuse since the Second Era.€ She bared her teeth. €œSee, we no longer file our teeth into points to better eat mortal meat.€
Sten decided to match her teasing. €œNot sure if that makes me feel better.€ He was rewarded by her soft chuckle. Sten turned to Helgird in time to see the slight smile disappear from her serious face. €œThank you again, Helgird.€
€œYou€™re welcome, Stenvar,€ Helgird responded. €œLeifgard and Einar grew up here, I€™m glad you brought them home to their final rest.€
€œI€™m grateful Lilisfina insisted we bring them home in the dinghy,€ Sten made sure to include the Wood Elf. €œShe used a feather spell so we could also bring the reavers in on a raft, but not necessarily out of respect for them.€
€œBut not to eat them, I take it?€ Helgird turned to Lilisfina with a raised brow. Lilisfina grinned back and shrugged.
€œI doubt Nils at Candlehearth would want to cook something of them.€
@Treydog: Thank you for pointing out Lili's generosity. As we come to know her better, this characteristic of hers will become one of her defining traits. And yes, she has a very practical regard for her magick - I suspect it comes from her Bosmer heritage.
@Sage Rose: Who needs sharks when we have slaughterfish! Ha! Good point you make - in spite of class exploitation we see throughout Skyrim, we are all equal before Arkay. I'm glad you enjoyed the bit of world building here in the Halls of the Dead, I have more for you today!
@Grits: I'm glad you interpreted Sten's slight shake of the head as tacit support of Lili's view and subsequent sharing of more of her coin with the Argonians. Scouts-Many-Marshes is as cool as they come, and his gripes are valid enough! I think folks will see how much I love Helgird in this newest installment - I always liked her character in the game, and she is my main healer in town whenever I get sick!
@Renee: Don't feel obligated to chime in after every installment, likewise don't feel compelled to keep quiet either. If you've got something to say, go ahead and say it! All feedback (as Sage Rose will tell you) is welcome! Like you, I'm a winter gal - nothing like horseback riding on a cold winter's day (and the mare I owned at the time felt the same way). The dog comes from A Dog's Life, by DarkFox127. The first mod of his that I used was A Cat's Life, which I love and adore and won't play without. Then he came out with A Bunny's Life, and I just love it too. So I have all three as part of my regular mod load out, along with Chesko's mods Frostfall, Campfire and Last Seed. As for switching perspectives, Stenvar was talking just as much as Lili in my ear, so I decided to alternate between the two of them. So Stenvar's Letters to Ma will preface his sections. I enjoy doing that, and it's fun. As for the horkers, she removed the Calm spell she had placed on them earlier, and their natural territorial tendencies won out when Lili and Sten dumped the two reavers in their midst. Thanks for your kind words regarding the fight scenes, I always find them difficult to write.
Speaking of Sten, we are back with him in this next bit of world building and character building.
***************************
Morndas 18 Last Seed - The Halls of the Dead
I€™m back again. It has been a busy day. Lilisfina, the woman I told you about, and I went up to the wreck, only we discovered reavers led by none other than Black Cleitus! He€™s been a real pain all along the coast from Dawnstar to Windhelm, and we finished him! Lilisfina was interesting to fight with. She stayed back and used magick to support me.
We found Leifgard and his cousin Einar, both dead. Einar was captured and tortured by the reavers, while Leifgard died of exposure to that terrible storm that came off the sea a few nights ago. Lilisfina bought all the bodies back, Leifgard and Einar with us in the reavers€™ dingy, and the rest on a raft we towed behind us.
When we got back to Windhelm, I found out she had made friends among the Argonians that work the docks. They were very helpful in offloading the bodies and the loot we brought back. She paid them well, too - better than the Shatter-Shields, to hear them talk of it. She also insisted we bring Leifgard and Einar€™s bodies to the Halls of the Dead right away, and offered to pay for their burials.
Oh, I almost forgot about the dog. Star, Lilisfina calls him. He was really helpful in the fights - he bit one in the back of the thigh, and Black Cleitus in the behind - both at just the right time. Not noisy, either, just a lot of growling and snarling in the actual fight.
I€™m running out of paper. I€™ll stop by the courier€™s tomorrow and get more writing supplies. I€™ll write more later!
Sten carefully laid out Leifgard€™s body next to the brazier where it would thaw enough to be wrapped for burial later. €œI see,€ Lilisfina€™s voice reached him. €œAre these crypts older than Windhelm?€
Helgird joined Sten and used a warming spell on the frozen joints. €œThey do predate Ysgramor€™s arrival,€ she responded.
Sten became aware of Lilisfina€™s gaze on him as he lifted Einar€™s body to the adjacent bier. €œWhat was that place where we stopped on the way out?€ He nodded. €You lit a lantern there?€
Aware of Helgird€™s swift glance at him, Sten took a breath. €œThat€™s Yngold€™s Tomb,€ he responded. €œHe was one of Ysgramor€™s sons, and was lost at sea when they first landed here.€
€œSo you paid respects?€ Helgird nodded approvingly. €œGood to know you remember our ancestors.€
€œDoesn€™t hurt to pause and pay homage at the tombs of our ancestors,€ Sten stepped back and brushed his palms together. He met Lilisfina€™s curious gaze. €œWe have a history going back generations here. And there are places even older, like this crypt. Who knows how many still have spirits of the Dragon cult lingering in them?€
Lilisfina€™s right eyebrow rose. Is that skepticism? Or curiosity? €œDragon cult?€ Her gaze rose to the stones above their heads. €œThere was an ancient Dragon cult in Elsweyr, I wonder if the two are related?€
€œElsweyr?€ Helgird bent over Einar€™s body, her gaze cataloging visible injuries. €œThe Khajiit homeland?€
€œYes, they have history going back to the First Era. Very fascinating.€
€œSo they€™re more than thieves and beggars?€ Helgird€™s voice held no challenge, only curiosity. Both women are curious about each other€™s knowledge.
€œOf course, just like Nords are more than just berserkers and barbarians,€ Lilisfina responded. Is she teasing Helgird? No one teases Helgird!
The glance Helgird sent Lilisfina€™s way as she moved to Leifgard€™s body held a glimmer of amusement. Then she turned back to her work as she evaluated the larger corpse. €œHmm, no injuries on this one. Frostbite, signs of cold exposure.€ She looked up at Sten. €œI suspect he froze to death in that storm.€
€œI suspect so too,€ Sten agreed. €œThere was no firewood at the camp, and I think they ran out of fuel for the fire. Lilisfina,€ he indicated the Wood Elf standing beside the fisherman, €œthinks Einar went over to The Winter War to try and get some wood, but the reavers caught him.€
€œAs a priest of Arkay, I€™m supposed to be objective and treat everyone the same in death, good or evil.€ Her lips thinned. €œBut I€™m glad to hear those reavers are now dead.€ She turned to Lilisfina. €œAnd I suppose you are from Valenwood? Your accent is different from the other Wood Elves I€™ve met.€
Lilisfina nodded. Sten caught something flicker in her eyes. Bad memories? Sad ones? €œNot much left of it, thanks to the Thalmor.€
€œSo you have no homeland now,€ Helgird€™s quiet voice turned even softer. She moved to an alcove set back from the biers and began decanting the anointing oil into a small bowl. €œYou€™ve come a long way, lass.€
€œAnd taken a long time to travel it, priestess,€ Lilisfina responded. €œPlease tell me more about Arkay. He is little known to us in Valenwood.€
€œArkay is known as the Lord of the Wheel of Life. He is associated with both life and death, and with the four seasons of the year.€ Helgird carried the bowl of oil to the biers. €œAs priests of Arkay, we bless the dead so they can not be raised by necromancers. That was the first rite performed when the first priests of Arkay converted these crypts to the Halls of the Dead.€
Never thought her the religious type, Sten watched as Lilisfina rubbed her nose. €œSo there can€™t be any undead here in the crypts?€ she asked.
€œCorrect,€ Helgird nodded. €œIf you wish, you may stay and witness the Blessing of Arkay on these two unfortunates.€
Sten caught Lilisfina€™s glance at him. €œIf I€™m not intruding, I€™d like to, yes please.€ He shrugged.
€œAs you like,€ he answered. Sten watched as Helgird stepped between the two biers and placed the bowl on a low table set between the biers. She moved her hands in ritual gestures over the bronze brazier, and the fire changed from orange to blue in response to her murmured incantations.
After she held the bowl of oil over the fire for a few moments, Helgird picked up a sprig of pine needles from the table and dipped it into the oil. She sprinkled the oil over Leifgard€™s body from head to toe, all the while chanting softly.
Arkay, God of the Cycle of Birth and Death
He who watches over mortal Time
Take this humble Soul
And consecrate flesh and bone.
She repeated the same over Einar€™s emaciated form. Then she stepped back to swing the pine branch between the two bodies.
Arkay, Bringer of Light
Guard these bones
And take the souls to eternal rest.
Helgird set the bowl softly on the table and laid the pine branch in the brazier. As the scent of burning balsam filled the crypt, she bowed her head in silence. As Sten did the same, he caught Lilisfina mirroring them.
After a few slow breaths, Helgird raised her head and snuffed the blue flame with one hand. She turned to Sten with a question in her eyes.
€œThank you, priest of Arkay,€ he touched his left fist to his chest. Helgird inclined her head to him and turned to Lilisfina with an expectant expression.
Lilisfina stepped forward and laid three gold coins on the low table between them. €œThank you, priest,€ she said softly.
€œWe do not charge so much for our burials,€ Helgird did not pick up the coins.
€œConsider it an offering to Arkay,€ Lilisfina insisted, her voice still soft. €œThe service you perform here is invaluable.€
Puzzled, Helgird tipped her head to one side.€What did you get out of our service? Did you sense Arkay this evening?€
Lilisfina shrugged. €œWhat I felt was a sense of peace,€ she explained. €œNo evil lingers here, no restless souls.€ Sten heard her sigh. €œI€™ve been in places where the dead is restless, unable to sleep their eternal rest.€ She shuddered and crossed her arms in front of her chest. €œI sense that won€™t happen here.€
€œDo your people worship Arkay at all?€ Helgird asked. €œYou said he is little known there.€
€œWe do invoke him when judging crimes against the Green Pact.€ Lilisfina paused. €œBut our main god is Y€™ffre, and Y€™ffre is whom I follow.€
€œY€™ffre?€ Helgird repeated. She returned the bowl to its alcove. €œTell me about them.€ That wasn€™t a request, but a demand. Knowledge for knowledge.
€œWe call him the Storyteller,€ Lilisfina did not seem offended by Helgird€™s manner. €œHe created all of Nirn as we know it through stories. He sang to Aetherius, compelling the stars to dance and sway. That is why they twinkle in our sky today.€
€œInteresting that our existence should be the result of divine Song,€ Helgird mused.
€œWe don€™t have priests,€ Lilisfina continued. €œWe have Spinners. They recite the histories and laws of our people, and tell of events that have happened, is happening, and is yet to happen. They remind us that Y€™ffre sang the Green from the Ooze, and gave us the Green Pact.€
€œThe Green Pact?€ Sten broke in cautiously. €œIsn€™t that cannibalism?€ He became aware of Helgird€™s thoughtful gaze on him, and fought the temptation to hide behind the biers.
€œIt preserves the Green,€ Lilisfina paused for a breath. €œDo not harm the forests of Valenwood. Do not eat anything made from plant life. Eat only meat. When enemies are conquered, their meat must be eaten, not left to rot. Do not kill wastefully. Do not take on the shape of beasts.€
Sten considered her words. €œEat the meat of enemies? Will you do that with the reavers we killed?€
€œI am not in Valenwood anymore,€ Lilisfina shook her head. €œThe Green Pact does not apply outside our living forests. And the custom of eating our enemies have fallen into disuse since the Second Era.€ She bared her teeth. €œSee, we no longer file our teeth into points to better eat mortal meat.€
Sten decided to match her teasing. €œNot sure if that makes me feel better.€ He was rewarded by her soft chuckle. Sten turned to Helgird in time to see the slight smile disappear from her serious face. €œThank you again, Helgird.€
€œYou€™re welcome, Stenvar,€ Helgird responded. €œLeifgard and Einar grew up here, I€™m glad you brought them home to their final rest.€
€œI€™m grateful Lilisfina insisted we bring them home in the dinghy,€ Sten made sure to include the Wood Elf. €œShe used a feather spell so we could also bring the reavers in on a raft, but not necessarily out of respect for them.€
€œBut not to eat them, I take it?€ Helgird turned to Lilisfina with a raised brow. Lilisfina grinned back and shrugged.
€œI doubt Nils at Candlehearth would want to cook something of them.€
“I doubt Nils at Candlehearth would want to cook something of them.”
I enjoyed learning about Nord burial rituals and the Green Pact in Lili's world. Interesting update!
I enjoyed learning about Nord burial rituals and the Green Pact in Lili's world. Interesting update!
Interesting history about Yngol, Yassy, and the rest.
Yes, I think dragons are more than just thieves and beggars. Sometimes they burn stuff down too. I did like Lil's retort about Nords being more than just berserkers and barbarians.
Like Lil, I too was interested in witnessing the rite of Arkay, and how it protects bodies from being raised by necromancers. I remember a documentary I saw years about about cliffside tombs found in Nepal or Tibet. The bones of all the bodies within had been shattered and bound up together, to prevent them from rising from the grave and walking again. Or the vampire craze in New England in the late 1800s, when people did things like stick bricks between the teeth of the dead, or snap off their legs.
And some really cool deets on Y’ffre too. I loved how he is the singer, and his holy people are spinners.
Well, reavers are the other white meat after all...
Yes, I think dragons are more than just thieves and beggars. Sometimes they burn stuff down too.
I did like Lil's retort about Nords being more than just berserkers and barbarians.Like Lil, I too was interested in witnessing the rite of Arkay, and how it protects bodies from being raised by necromancers. I remember a documentary I saw years about about cliffside tombs found in Nepal or Tibet. The bones of all the bodies within had been shattered and bound up together, to prevent them from rising from the grave and walking again. Or the vampire craze in New England in the late 1800s, when people did things like stick bricks between the teeth of the dead, or snap off their legs.
And some really cool deets on Y’ffre too. I loved how he is the singer, and his holy people are spinners.
Well, reavers are the other white meat after all...
Nice worldbuilding indeed as you show us Arkay’s ritual and Lili tells something of Yffre and the Green Pact. I like that you linger here, detailing more of what’s involved after the fightin’s done.
Nit? - - ’I’m glad you bought {brought?} them home to their final rest.”
Nit? - - ’I’m glad you bought {brought?} them home to their final rest.”
@Grits: This conversation between the two ladies kind of ran away from me - they were determined to learn from each other and totally ignored me (and Sten)! It was fun listening in on them, though!
@Sage Rose: I did a bit of browsing in the Lore because of things presented in ESO over the years, so I found some interesting information about Arkay and Y'ffre. Lili was all too happy to share! The ritual itself is something I came up with, so I'm glad you liked it. I tried to respect the nature of rituals with this one.
@Acadian: Thank you for validating my decision to let the two ladies own this segment, even though it was Sten's POV. He enjoyed it too, I think. And thanks for catching that nit - fixed!
Now we meet again with Brunwulf Free-Winter and collect that damn bounty!
*****************************
Morndas 18 Last Seed - Bounty and Dinner
Free-Winter looked up as Lili and Stenvar, Star trailing them, returned the cart to the docks. He waved at the row of corpses laid out at his feet. “This looks like all of them,” he said gruffly. “And that’s Black Cleitus, all right.” He nudged the large body with his foot. “Looks like you took his armor, lass?”
“It’s valuable, yes,” Lili agreed. “And definitely of value to me. He no longer has need of it.”
“You’re right, lass,” Free-Winter grunted his agreement. He moved over to two bodies. “These are savaged beyond recognition - was that you?”
“Horkers,” Lili shrugged. Free-Winter shot her a sharp glance. “They fell.”
“Horrible way to die,” Free-Winter turned to look at the water past the docks, black in the night. “Still, they inflicted worse on their victims.”
“There are worse ways to die,” Lili said flatly. “You did mention a bounty, Thane?”
“Yes, the bounty offered by Jarl Stormcloak was five hundred drakes.” Free-Winter turned back to the reaver chief’s body. “But Black Cleitus has long been a thorn in Ulfric’s side, and I’m certain I can talk him into doubling the bounty for him. And you keep whatever loot you have collected.” He lifted his gaze to both Lili and Stenvar. “That’s good work. Everyone, Dunmer and Nord alike, will be a lot safer with them gone. I can teach you something about wearing heavy armor, save you some aches on a long march.”
“I’m not likely to wear armor of any kind,” Lili held up a hand. She nodded at Stenvar. “But my friend here might appreciate trading tips. I can wait for you in the inn for the bounty.”
“Yes, of course.” Free-Winter tipped his head at Stenvar. “Do you have a few moments?”
“Do it, Stennvar,” Lili encouraged him. “I want to take the gear we collected over to the marketplace and see what value they have.” She cast a feather spell on the heavy bag still in the cart and lifted it over her shoulder. She whistled at Star and left a bemused Stenvar with a grinning Free-Winter.
In the marketplace on the other side of town, Lili found the aged blacksmith sharpening a new sword. At the forge a young Nord woman, strong and muscular through the shoulders, worked the bellows. Apprentice. Competent, by the look of those muscles. Lili dropped the bag beside the blacksmith with a clatter that drew his attention.
“Got some work for us, lassie?” He rose stiffly from the bench and stretched his back with a stifled groan.
“If you’re any good a blacksmith as I hear?” Lili responded.
“Name’s Oengul War-Anvil,” he spoke gruffly. “Everyone says Eorlund Gray-Mane is the best smith in Skyrim. I intend to change a few minds about that.”
“Smith, you might set my mind on that,” Lili smiled. “I have some heavy armor here I have no use for. Mind taking a look and letting me know the value you’d put on it?”
“Hermir, girl, come here and lend me a hand.” Oengul reached down for the sack and heaved it onto the tempering bench. Together blacksmith and apprentice drew out the pieces and examined them carefully. “Where did you get these, lass?” Oengul glanced at Lili.
“That was Black Cleitus’s armor,” Lili answered. “Stennvar tells me that’s good quality - I suspect he’s a better judge of heavy armor than I am.”
Now both Nords stared at her, jaws agape. Oengul recovered first and cleared his throat. “You went to The Winter War?”
“Stennvar and I did, yes,” Lili touched Star’s ears as the Husky sat beside her. “For the bounty. We didn’t know who the reavers were until after they were all dead.”
“All of them?” Hermir gasped. “Really?”
“Stennvar’s a very good fighter, but I’m no expert.” Lili smiled at their expressions. “He does claim to be the best sword arm in all of Skyrim, and so far I’ve not seen otherwise.”
“But one man, even Stenvar, against how many reavers? Led by Black Cleitus, the scourge of the Sea of Ghosts?” Hermir shook her head. “That’s a tale I’d like to hear!”
“So, Smith, what of the armor?”
Oengul resumed his perusal of the steel. “That’s good smithing here, and very good condition, lass. I’d say for the lot - cuirass, bracers and boots - worth one hundred and fifty drakes, easy.”
“What if I wanted it adjusted to fit someone else?” Lili asked. “Say, Stennvar?”
Oengul lifted the cuirass by the shoulders and examined it again with an experienced eye. “Stenvar’s a big man,” he said. “It shouldn’t take much to make it fit.” He glanced over at Hermir, who nodded agreement.
“We can do it,” Hermir said. “Be better if we could have him here to fit it.”
But I want to surprise him! “How about looking at his current armor?” Lili asked. “I’ve heard some of the best Orsimer smiths can craft a new set of armor using an old set as a template.”
“Yes, that can be done, too, for fifty drakes.” Oengul laid the cuirass back on the table. “But how do you plan on getting Stenvar to part with his iron plate?”
A challenge. One I accept. “Leave that to me,” Lili responded with a grin. “May I leave these with you then?”
“Of course, lass,” Oengul nodded to Hermir, who began to wrap the steel plates in burlap. “We’ll keep them inside the smithy until you can get Stenvar or his irons here.”
Lili nodded, then paused. “Oh, and do you have a good steel zwei-hander I can purchase from you?”
“Of course!” Oengul nodded emphatically. “I have one I could let you have for one hundred drakes.” Hermir shot him a sharp glance.
Is that my imagination or is Hermir surprised by the value Oengul put on that blade? “One hundred drakes for the zwei-hander, and one hundred for reconditioning that armor to fit Stenvar, sound good?”
“It’s a deal, lass!”
Lili smiled up at him. “I will see you tomorrow.”
Star gamboled ahead of Lili as they walked back to the inn. Snow began falling around them, and Lili blew clouds into the air before her face. How can one’s breath be visible? How can rain be solid? How can one walk on water? This cold is incredible, if it weren’t so - cold.
Lili and Star were at table, Lili spooning up hot stew, and Star gnawing on a fresh mutton bone, when Stenvar and Free-Winter entered the common room. Susanna greeted both men fondly, and disappeared into the kitchen after the sellsword spoke briefly with her. Wonder if there’s more between those two than just the usual business interactions.
Stenvar took his customary seat, and Free-Winter brought a chair over from the adjacent table. He dropped a leather coin bag on the table, and sat down. “I spoke to Jarl Stormcloak,” he said. “He was his usual self, but his face lit up when I told him it was Black Cleitus laying dead on the docks. He didn’t flinch when I suggested doubling the bounty.” He waved at the bag between them. “That’s a thousand good drakes in there.”
A thousand drakes! That gives me an idea . . . “Thank you for speaking on our behalf,” Lili glanced at Stenvar. “We’ll divide it up later, after we’ve eaten.”
“Both of you have earned it,” Free-Winter leaned back until the chair creaked under his weight. “The gods were smiling the day I met you in the Gray Quarter, lass.”
“It was fortunate we met when we did,” Lili responded. “This will go a long way towards paying our way.”
“What will you do next?” Free-Winter asked. Lili shrugged as she swiped up some gravy with bread.
“I’m headed to Winterhold,” she remarked softly. “But I’m not quite ready for the trip, I suspect.”
“Then these drakes will go a long way toward getting you there, lass.” Free-Winter rose to his feet. “May I suggest you get to know some of the folk here in Windhelm first? Visit our alchemist - one of the best in all of Skyrim, for all that he’s a cranky old Altmer. And take the rest of that armor from the reavers to Oengul, he’ll pay for scrap.”
“Considering the condition of at least two of those reavers,” Stenvar remarked, “that’s about all the value they have. But a good smith like Oengul can turn them to good use.”
“That’s what I was thinking, too,” Lili nodded. “Thank you again, Thane, and have a good night.”
“I hope to see more of you here in the next few days,” Free-Winter tipped his head in salute before he strolled away. Susanna passed him and brought Stenvar a plate of stew and a tankard of ale.
“No more salmon?” Stenvar asked plaintively. Lili glanced at him with a chuckle.
“I suppose I should go fishing again in the morning,” she remarked. As Stenvar started working on his plate, Lili reached across with her fork and tapped the worn iron of his bracer. “Does your armor need repairing, Stennvar? It’s looking rather beat up.” Time to find out how attached he is to this old plate.
“Nothing a quick visit to Oengul can’t fix,” Stenvar shrugged. “Depends on how you plan on splitting the bounty.”
“Hmm,” Lili leaned back and laid her fork down on the now empty plate. She reached down and touched Star’s back. “You fought well today, Stennvar.”
“I told you I’m the best sword arm in all of Skyrim, ma’am,” Stenvar responded. “I wasn’t boasting, either.”
“I’m not an expert,” Lili sipped at the mead. “But one of the reavers, and Black Cleitus himself, looked like they knew how to fight. Am I right?”
“Yes,” Stenvar nodded as he cleaned the last of the gravy with his bread. “But they weren’t as good as me.” He’s not bragging, at all. He met Lili’s gaze. “But I’ll not deny that you were of some help there. Good tactics pulling them out one after the other to thin their numbers. The one that we caught sleeping outside Cleitus’s door had been drinking, and I thought I smelled skooma too.”
“Drink and skooma do not mix well,” Lili mused. “And yes, I thought he was slow to react to you and Star.”
“Star wasn’t afraid to jump in,” Stenvar grinned when the dog whined at the sound of his name. “That’s a good dog in a fight, mind you.”
“He was helpful, wasn’t he?” Lili leaned forward and rested her cheek on one upraised hand. “What’s next for you, Stennvar?”
The big Nord shrugged. “I’ll get this repaired,” he tapped his iron clad chest, “sharpen my blade, and rest up for the next job.”
“I’ll probably stay in Windhelm a bit longer, try to save up some coin before I travel again,” Lili said. “I’ll be looking for odd jobs, and if I pick up any involving fighting, would you be interested in hiring out with me?”
“Of course!” Stenvar nodded. “Mostly I escort the Khajiit traders from city to city, but such jobs are few and far between, and aren’t always consistent in their schedules.”
“There are Khajiit traders here in Skyrim?” Lili raised her brows in surprise. “I’ll have to meet them.”
“You’ll have to look outside the big cities to find them,” Stenvar responded, his tone turning sour. “Folks won’t let them inside the city walls, so they’re stuck on the roads and trading from tents.”
“That sounds cold, even for Khajiit and their fur!”
“And unfair, if you ask me,” Stenvar muttered into his ale. “Folk accuse them of thieving and killing, but they’re just like us, trying to survive in a harsh land.”
“Things have become harder everywhere, not just in Skyrim,” Lili nodded. “Famine, drought, the Thalmor.”
“Tell me, ma’am,” Stenvar shook his head when Susanna approached with an offer of refills. “Are all High Elves Thalmor?”
“No,” Lili shook her head. He’s curious. I like that. “The Thalmor are a faction that is in control of the government in the Summerset Isles now. Their worldview is based on a very archaic religion that has been out of favor for many generations.”
“Religion?” Stenvar repeated. “How do they see the world?”
“They claim that Altmeri are superior to all other races, and believe they are direct descendants of the old Aldmeri gods.” The last of the mead tasted sour as Lili pushed away bitter memories. “All other races must be subjugated to them.”
“Including other Elves?” Stenvar asked quietly, his eyes on the table.
“Including other Mer,” Lili concurred. She met Stenvar’s gaze. “Have you finished your meal?”
“Yes,” Stenvar laid his fork across the plate and set the tankard beside it.
“Let’s head down to my room,” Lili suggested. “We’ll divide the loot there.” She shook a finger at his wily glance. Ah ah! “We’ll discuss our future, nothing more!”
He laughed. “Understood, ma’am!”
@Sage Rose: I did a bit of browsing in the Lore because of things presented in ESO over the years, so I found some interesting information about Arkay and Y'ffre. Lili was all too happy to share! The ritual itself is something I came up with, so I'm glad you liked it. I tried to respect the nature of rituals with this one.
@Acadian: Thank you for validating my decision to let the two ladies own this segment, even though it was Sten's POV. He enjoyed it too, I think. And thanks for catching that nit - fixed!
Now we meet again with Brunwulf Free-Winter and collect that damn bounty!
*****************************
Morndas 18 Last Seed - Bounty and Dinner
Free-Winter looked up as Lili and Stenvar, Star trailing them, returned the cart to the docks. He waved at the row of corpses laid out at his feet. “This looks like all of them,” he said gruffly. “And that’s Black Cleitus, all right.” He nudged the large body with his foot. “Looks like you took his armor, lass?”
“It’s valuable, yes,” Lili agreed. “And definitely of value to me. He no longer has need of it.”
“You’re right, lass,” Free-Winter grunted his agreement. He moved over to two bodies. “These are savaged beyond recognition - was that you?”
“Horkers,” Lili shrugged. Free-Winter shot her a sharp glance. “They fell.”
“Horrible way to die,” Free-Winter turned to look at the water past the docks, black in the night. “Still, they inflicted worse on their victims.”
“There are worse ways to die,” Lili said flatly. “You did mention a bounty, Thane?”
“Yes, the bounty offered by Jarl Stormcloak was five hundred drakes.” Free-Winter turned back to the reaver chief’s body. “But Black Cleitus has long been a thorn in Ulfric’s side, and I’m certain I can talk him into doubling the bounty for him. And you keep whatever loot you have collected.” He lifted his gaze to both Lili and Stenvar. “That’s good work. Everyone, Dunmer and Nord alike, will be a lot safer with them gone. I can teach you something about wearing heavy armor, save you some aches on a long march.”
“I’m not likely to wear armor of any kind,” Lili held up a hand. She nodded at Stenvar. “But my friend here might appreciate trading tips. I can wait for you in the inn for the bounty.”
“Yes, of course.” Free-Winter tipped his head at Stenvar. “Do you have a few moments?”
“Do it, Stennvar,” Lili encouraged him. “I want to take the gear we collected over to the marketplace and see what value they have.” She cast a feather spell on the heavy bag still in the cart and lifted it over her shoulder. She whistled at Star and left a bemused Stenvar with a grinning Free-Winter.
In the marketplace on the other side of town, Lili found the aged blacksmith sharpening a new sword. At the forge a young Nord woman, strong and muscular through the shoulders, worked the bellows. Apprentice. Competent, by the look of those muscles. Lili dropped the bag beside the blacksmith with a clatter that drew his attention.
“Got some work for us, lassie?” He rose stiffly from the bench and stretched his back with a stifled groan.
“If you’re any good a blacksmith as I hear?” Lili responded.
“Name’s Oengul War-Anvil,” he spoke gruffly. “Everyone says Eorlund Gray-Mane is the best smith in Skyrim. I intend to change a few minds about that.”
“Smith, you might set my mind on that,” Lili smiled. “I have some heavy armor here I have no use for. Mind taking a look and letting me know the value you’d put on it?”
“Hermir, girl, come here and lend me a hand.” Oengul reached down for the sack and heaved it onto the tempering bench. Together blacksmith and apprentice drew out the pieces and examined them carefully. “Where did you get these, lass?” Oengul glanced at Lili.
“That was Black Cleitus’s armor,” Lili answered. “Stennvar tells me that’s good quality - I suspect he’s a better judge of heavy armor than I am.”
Now both Nords stared at her, jaws agape. Oengul recovered first and cleared his throat. “You went to The Winter War?”
“Stennvar and I did, yes,” Lili touched Star’s ears as the Husky sat beside her. “For the bounty. We didn’t know who the reavers were until after they were all dead.”
“All of them?” Hermir gasped. “Really?”
“Stennvar’s a very good fighter, but I’m no expert.” Lili smiled at their expressions. “He does claim to be the best sword arm in all of Skyrim, and so far I’ve not seen otherwise.”
“But one man, even Stenvar, against how many reavers? Led by Black Cleitus, the scourge of the Sea of Ghosts?” Hermir shook her head. “That’s a tale I’d like to hear!”
“So, Smith, what of the armor?”
Oengul resumed his perusal of the steel. “That’s good smithing here, and very good condition, lass. I’d say for the lot - cuirass, bracers and boots - worth one hundred and fifty drakes, easy.”
“What if I wanted it adjusted to fit someone else?” Lili asked. “Say, Stennvar?”
Oengul lifted the cuirass by the shoulders and examined it again with an experienced eye. “Stenvar’s a big man,” he said. “It shouldn’t take much to make it fit.” He glanced over at Hermir, who nodded agreement.
“We can do it,” Hermir said. “Be better if we could have him here to fit it.”
But I want to surprise him! “How about looking at his current armor?” Lili asked. “I’ve heard some of the best Orsimer smiths can craft a new set of armor using an old set as a template.”
“Yes, that can be done, too, for fifty drakes.” Oengul laid the cuirass back on the table. “But how do you plan on getting Stenvar to part with his iron plate?”
A challenge. One I accept. “Leave that to me,” Lili responded with a grin. “May I leave these with you then?”
“Of course, lass,” Oengul nodded to Hermir, who began to wrap the steel plates in burlap. “We’ll keep them inside the smithy until you can get Stenvar or his irons here.”
Lili nodded, then paused. “Oh, and do you have a good steel zwei-hander I can purchase from you?”
“Of course!” Oengul nodded emphatically. “I have one I could let you have for one hundred drakes.” Hermir shot him a sharp glance.
Is that my imagination or is Hermir surprised by the value Oengul put on that blade? “One hundred drakes for the zwei-hander, and one hundred for reconditioning that armor to fit Stenvar, sound good?”
“It’s a deal, lass!”
Lili smiled up at him. “I will see you tomorrow.”
Star gamboled ahead of Lili as they walked back to the inn. Snow began falling around them, and Lili blew clouds into the air before her face. How can one’s breath be visible? How can rain be solid? How can one walk on water? This cold is incredible, if it weren’t so - cold.
Lili and Star were at table, Lili spooning up hot stew, and Star gnawing on a fresh mutton bone, when Stenvar and Free-Winter entered the common room. Susanna greeted both men fondly, and disappeared into the kitchen after the sellsword spoke briefly with her. Wonder if there’s more between those two than just the usual business interactions.
Stenvar took his customary seat, and Free-Winter brought a chair over from the adjacent table. He dropped a leather coin bag on the table, and sat down. “I spoke to Jarl Stormcloak,” he said. “He was his usual self, but his face lit up when I told him it was Black Cleitus laying dead on the docks. He didn’t flinch when I suggested doubling the bounty.” He waved at the bag between them. “That’s a thousand good drakes in there.”
A thousand drakes! That gives me an idea . . . “Thank you for speaking on our behalf,” Lili glanced at Stenvar. “We’ll divide it up later, after we’ve eaten.”
“Both of you have earned it,” Free-Winter leaned back until the chair creaked under his weight. “The gods were smiling the day I met you in the Gray Quarter, lass.”
“It was fortunate we met when we did,” Lili responded. “This will go a long way towards paying our way.”
“What will you do next?” Free-Winter asked. Lili shrugged as she swiped up some gravy with bread.
“I’m headed to Winterhold,” she remarked softly. “But I’m not quite ready for the trip, I suspect.”
“Then these drakes will go a long way toward getting you there, lass.” Free-Winter rose to his feet. “May I suggest you get to know some of the folk here in Windhelm first? Visit our alchemist - one of the best in all of Skyrim, for all that he’s a cranky old Altmer. And take the rest of that armor from the reavers to Oengul, he’ll pay for scrap.”
“Considering the condition of at least two of those reavers,” Stenvar remarked, “that’s about all the value they have. But a good smith like Oengul can turn them to good use.”
“That’s what I was thinking, too,” Lili nodded. “Thank you again, Thane, and have a good night.”
“I hope to see more of you here in the next few days,” Free-Winter tipped his head in salute before he strolled away. Susanna passed him and brought Stenvar a plate of stew and a tankard of ale.
“No more salmon?” Stenvar asked plaintively. Lili glanced at him with a chuckle.
“I suppose I should go fishing again in the morning,” she remarked. As Stenvar started working on his plate, Lili reached across with her fork and tapped the worn iron of his bracer. “Does your armor need repairing, Stennvar? It’s looking rather beat up.” Time to find out how attached he is to this old plate.
“Nothing a quick visit to Oengul can’t fix,” Stenvar shrugged. “Depends on how you plan on splitting the bounty.”
“Hmm,” Lili leaned back and laid her fork down on the now empty plate. She reached down and touched Star’s back. “You fought well today, Stennvar.”
“I told you I’m the best sword arm in all of Skyrim, ma’am,” Stenvar responded. “I wasn’t boasting, either.”
“I’m not an expert,” Lili sipped at the mead. “But one of the reavers, and Black Cleitus himself, looked like they knew how to fight. Am I right?”
“Yes,” Stenvar nodded as he cleaned the last of the gravy with his bread. “But they weren’t as good as me.” He’s not bragging, at all. He met Lili’s gaze. “But I’ll not deny that you were of some help there. Good tactics pulling them out one after the other to thin their numbers. The one that we caught sleeping outside Cleitus’s door had been drinking, and I thought I smelled skooma too.”
“Drink and skooma do not mix well,” Lili mused. “And yes, I thought he was slow to react to you and Star.”
“Star wasn’t afraid to jump in,” Stenvar grinned when the dog whined at the sound of his name. “That’s a good dog in a fight, mind you.”
“He was helpful, wasn’t he?” Lili leaned forward and rested her cheek on one upraised hand. “What’s next for you, Stennvar?”
The big Nord shrugged. “I’ll get this repaired,” he tapped his iron clad chest, “sharpen my blade, and rest up for the next job.”
“I’ll probably stay in Windhelm a bit longer, try to save up some coin before I travel again,” Lili said. “I’ll be looking for odd jobs, and if I pick up any involving fighting, would you be interested in hiring out with me?”
“Of course!” Stenvar nodded. “Mostly I escort the Khajiit traders from city to city, but such jobs are few and far between, and aren’t always consistent in their schedules.”
“There are Khajiit traders here in Skyrim?” Lili raised her brows in surprise. “I’ll have to meet them.”
“You’ll have to look outside the big cities to find them,” Stenvar responded, his tone turning sour. “Folks won’t let them inside the city walls, so they’re stuck on the roads and trading from tents.”
“That sounds cold, even for Khajiit and their fur!”
“And unfair, if you ask me,” Stenvar muttered into his ale. “Folk accuse them of thieving and killing, but they’re just like us, trying to survive in a harsh land.”
“Things have become harder everywhere, not just in Skyrim,” Lili nodded. “Famine, drought, the Thalmor.”
“Tell me, ma’am,” Stenvar shook his head when Susanna approached with an offer of refills. “Are all High Elves Thalmor?”
“No,” Lili shook her head. He’s curious. I like that. “The Thalmor are a faction that is in control of the government in the Summerset Isles now. Their worldview is based on a very archaic religion that has been out of favor for many generations.”
“Religion?” Stenvar repeated. “How do they see the world?”
“They claim that Altmeri are superior to all other races, and believe they are direct descendants of the old Aldmeri gods.” The last of the mead tasted sour as Lili pushed away bitter memories. “All other races must be subjugated to them.”
“Including other Elves?” Stenvar asked quietly, his eyes on the table.
“Including other Mer,” Lili concurred. She met Stenvar’s gaze. “Have you finished your meal?”
“Yes,” Stenvar laid his fork across the plate and set the tankard beside it.
“Let’s head down to my room,” Lili suggested. “We’ll divide the loot there.” She shook a finger at his wily glance. Ah ah! “We’ll discuss our future, nothing more!”
He laughed. “Understood, ma’am!”
I love how neatly Lili redirected Oengul away from the Winter War line of questioning after giving Stenvar his credit for the fight.
Ah, a wily glance from Stenvar! Now, to get him out of that old armor...
Ah, a wily glance from Stenvar! Now, to get him out of that old armor...
QUOTE(Grits @ Aug 2 2024, 05:07 AM)
. . . Ah, a wily glance from Stenvar! Now, to get him out of that old armor...
- - In the words of Jerric himself, 'A Nord and a wood elf? How would that even work. . . .' Lili crafts a generous plan to upgrade Stenvar’s armor. And I believe she has just the word and persuasion skills to somehow pull it off as a surprise.
’Star gamboled ahead of Lili as they walked back to the inn. Snow began falling around them, and Lili blew clouds into the air before her face. How can one’s breath be visible? How can rain be solid? How can one walk on water? This cold is incredible, if it weren’t so - cold.’
- - This shows us another aspect of Lili’s nature emphasizing her curiosity and whimsy.
“He was helpful, wasn’t he?” Lili leaned forward and rested her cheek on one upraised hand. “What’s next for you, Stennvar?”
- - This is just one of many examples of how skillfully you break up dialogue with the natural physical gestures people make during conversation.
Nit: “If you’re any good a blacksmith as I hear?” Lili responded.’
- - I realize this is dialogue and therefore Lili’s call; however, I wonder if she may have meant,
‘If you’re as good a blacksmith as I hear?’
The whole discussion of culture and creation between Lili and Helgird is a master-class in “showing, not telling.” Besides which, it is just wonderful world-building. Ritual has always been one of my favorite parts to invent for fantasy writing, as it gives a sense of depth and history to the characters.
Aha. So Lili has a plan to get Sten out of his armor! Okay, that sounded worse than it is. But her generous spirit shines through again. Lili's reaction to the cold was another beautiful moment, showing her interest in the place in which she has found herself and her inquisitive mind.
Aha. So Lili has a plan to get Sten out of his armor! Okay, that sounded worse than it is. But her generous spirit shines through again. Lili's reaction to the cold was another beautiful moment, showing her interest in the place in which she has found herself and her inquisitive mind.
Looks like Lil is going to get up to some shenanigans, with her plan to get Stenvar into a new fit. Hijinks might even ensue, given that getting him out of his old fit is part of the plan.
Visible air, solid water, Skyrim is like the world turned upside down for a poor Wood Elf!
Wily glances? I can't wait to see how Lil is going to get Sten out of his armor!
Visible air, solid water, Skyrim is like the world turned upside down for a poor Wood Elf!
Wily glances? I can't wait to see how Lil is going to get Sten out of his armor!
Cairns are a form of communication indeed. They're saying "here is a location established/inhabited". I hadn't considered they might also be a way to indicate supplies are nearby.
YES! A couple of my characters do this too. Sniffing for enemies, sometimes food or dwellings.
Are you using a rowboat mod? - Guess I should also ask: in general do you have a lot of mods, or mostly use imagination? That's just so I don't keep asking "is that a modification?" But the rowboat mod I have allows me to navigate a small boat in real-time.
I like the way the Argonians hiss their esses! Like a Texan drawling Rs and vowels.
Lili's frequently casting spells to make life easier.
💡Wouldn't you do this here on Earth too if you could?
“Say, a bell or so?”
Nice!!! Wow I never thought of time this way, but it's true. I'm gonna start using bell-tolls to indicate how much time passes too.
Looks like I'm behind a couple chapters; I'll try to catch up this week/weekend.
-------------------
Thanks for the dog mod reference. Got a couple mods from DarkFox as well, so that's a name I trust.
Riding horses on a cold winter day does sound nice. I'm afraid of horses, maybe I'd watch from the sidelines with some hot cocoa!
QUOTE
Lili stood up and brushed the sand from her hands and sniffed the wind.
YES! A couple of my characters do this too. Sniffing for enemies, sometimes food or dwellings.
Are you using a rowboat mod? - Guess I should also ask: in general do you have a lot of mods, or mostly use imagination? That's just so I don't keep asking "is that a modification?"
But the rowboat mod I have allows me to navigate a small boat in real-time. I like the way the Argonians hiss their esses!
Like a Texan drawling Rs and vowels.Lili's frequently casting spells to make life easier.
💡Wouldn't you do this here on Earth too if you could? “Say, a bell or so?”
Nice!!! Wow I never thought of time this way, but it's true. I'm gonna start using bell-tolls to indicate how much time passes too.
Looks like I'm behind a couple chapters; I'll try to catch up this week/weekend.
-------------------
Thanks for the dog mod reference. Got a couple mods from DarkFox as well, so that's a name I trust.
Riding horses on a cold winter day does sound nice.
I'm afraid of horses, maybe I'd watch from the sidelines with some hot cocoa!
@Grits: Believe me, Lili has already considered aaaalllll the ways she can get Sten out of his armor! 
And yes, she knows to give credit where credit's due.
@Acadian: A Nord and a wood elf? Same way a St. Bernard and a mini poodle do it! Where there's a will (and desire) there's always a way! Thanks for calling out the little tags I use to keep the dialogue interesting. As for the nit you pointed out, I double checked with Lili and her response was "That's what I said, not what I should've said!" So I think we both can agree to leave that phrasing alone, as it is uniquely Lil's
@treydog: I had a lot of fun picturing how a wood elf from Valenwood would respond to the bitter cold and rugged environment of Skyrim. Yes, she's done a bit of traveling (Valenwood - Elsweyr - Black Marsh - Morrowind), but has never encountered anything quite like this! Brrrr! And world building is something I really enjoy doing, just not as an info dump, but more as a natural exploration/finding out about things from those who live there. Having Lili be new to Skyrim is a great way to accomplish this, as she would ask questions natives would never think to ask!
@SubRosa: Shenanigans will ensue, but just not quite in the way we are thinking at the moment! That will come later . . . And yes, everything is so different to Lili - even the trees!
@Renee: I'm glad you are enjoying things in Skyrim with Lili. I always imagined Bosmer as being less dependent on their vision and more dependent on smell and hearing in their jungle environment - the sight lines are horrible compared to say the open tundra around Whiterun or the grand vistas in Anequina. Hence her near sightedness. No rowboat mods - I use my imagination a lot here. Cairns, rowboats, raft building, etc - all those are from my imagination. When I was playing Oblivion, I hated those clock mods - they always felt so lore - UNfriendly to the medieval environment of Cyrodiil. So I got to thinking how did they tell time in those days? Then I realized in Europe at least, they used church bells to sound out the hours of prayer - matins, vespers, compline, etc. Since every town in Cyrodiil has a church/cathedral, and they sounded the bells hourly, I just felt it was natural to use that as a way to mark time. And since Skyrim follows Oblivion, I kept some of the Oblivion stuff here. As for DarkFox, I have nothing but good to say about his mods - all the ones I've used work very well.
*****************
Morndas 18 Last Seed - Terms for Future Engagement
Well, I�€™m going to try and squeeze a little bit more into this last bit of parchment. The bounty for the wreck was one thousand drakes. One thousand! Even with the usual split that�€™s going to be a nice chunk of coin to send home as soon as I visit the courier�€™s in the morning. And I can finally get this armor repaired like new. I�€™m looking forward to seeing Oengul again - he�€™s a good smith and honest.
Not only that, but I learned a few new things about wearing and taking care of heavy armor. Maybe it�€™s time to start saving for a good set of steel armor. And best of all, Lilisfina wants to hire me again for future jobs - might bring in even more coin if they�€™re anything like this bounty job. Don�€™t get your hopes up just yet - we�€™ve got to figure some things out first.
I�€™m going to sign off now so I can get these coins off to you tomorrow. Give my love to Halla and Old Fang. I�€™ll write again when I get the chance.
Sten
Star flopped down on the rug beside the bed as Lilisfina dropped the heavy bag on the square table. She pulled it closer to the bed and waved Sten to the chair. �€œLet�€™s get this counted out shall we?�€� she seated herself tailor fashion on the bed and dumped the silver coins over the surface of the table. �€œStacks of ten?�€�
Sten drew the chair up to the table and seated himself. �€œTo start,�€� he cast his gaze over the numerous coins. �€œBut it�€™s a thousand drakes. That�€™s what, one hundred stacks?�€�
�€œHmm, let�€™s count the first hundred,�€� Lilisfina matched actions to words as she started making stacks. �€œWe�€™ll divide that between us, then count out the second hundred.�€� She paused in her counting as Sten picked up a handful of coins. �€œDo you have a coin bag of your own, Stennvar?�€�
�€œYes,�€� not sure if it�€™s big enough though. �€œWonder why the Jarl paid in drakes, not septims? Would be easier to count out ten coins instead of a thousand.�€�
Lilisfina shrugged. �€œWho knows the mind of kings? Or Jarls?�€� She grinned up at him. �€œPerhaps not enough gold in his coffers.�€�
That�€™s a good point. �€œThat�€™s likely, ma�€™am,�€� Sten resumed his counting. �€œThis Stormcloak uprising of his isn�€™t easy to maintain.�€� He caught Lilisfina�€™s curious glance at him.
�€œUprising?�€� She leaned back a moment. �€œWhat�€™s that about?"
�€œYou mentioned the Thalmor earlier,�€� Sten resumed his counting. �€œThey�€™re here in Skyrim, trying to wipe out Talos worshippers.�€�
�€œThat�€™s right, the White Gold Concordat,�€� Lilisfina nodded. �€œAnd Jarl Stormcloak is resisting the Thalmor and trying to preserve Talos worship?�€�
Sten leaned back and regarded the ten tidy stacks of drakes between them. �€œYes, ever since the Markarth Incident.�€� He watched as Lilisfina pushed five stacks toward him and slid the other five into her coin bag. Wait. That�€™s not the usual split. He caught her curious glance at him. �€œHe went to Solitude last spring and killed the High King Torygg in front of his court in defiance of Thalmor rule.�€�
Lilisfina�€™s eyes widened at his words. �€œHe murdered the High King? That took some balls. Either he�€™s foolish or foolhardy.�€�
�€œRumor has it he challenged the High King to a duel, then Shouted him to death.�€�
Lilisfina�€™s gaze sharpened. �€œShouted him to death? Just what do you mean by that?�€�
Sten searched his memory for old tales told at an elder�€™s hearth years ago. �€œWith the thu�€™um, the Voice in the Dragon Tongue,�€� I hope I am making sense. �€œIt takes years of training and study to master the Shouts. Before he became Jarl, before the Markarth Incident, Ulfric Stormcloak studied with the Greybeards.�€�
Lilisfina leaned back again and watched Sten collect his five stacks of drakes into his coin bag. �€œDragons again,�€� she mused. �€œThat�€™s interesting.�€�
�€œYou did mention a Dragon cult in Elsweyr earlier,�€� Stenvar started counting again from the pile of silver coins. �€œAre you familiar with Dragons?�€�
�€œOnly from the tales the Khajiit told,�€� Lilisfina joined in the counting. �€œApparently Dragons have appeared in Elsweyr at times, though none have been seen since the Second Era.�€� In short order the two had ten more stacks counted, and again Lilisfina pushed five stacks toward Sten and kept five for herself.
That again. This isn�€™t going to be the typical split, is it? Sten met Lilisfina�€™s gaze as he slid the coins into his bag. �€œIs this how you want to do the split, ma�€™am?�€�
�€œWhat�€™s wrong? I did say we would split the bounty, didn�€™t I?�€�
�€œTypically the employer keeps sixty to seventy out of every hundred drakes,�€� Sten explained. �€œI thought that�€™s what you meant?�€�
Lilisfina straightened up. �€œI�€™ve never done it that way,�€� she set her fists on her hips in mock indignation. �€œI�€™ve always paid my hirelings fifty to fifty.�€� She smiled at Sten. �€œOh yes, I�€™ve had sellswords like you working with me on the tough jobs. How do you think I paid my way around Tamriel to get here?�€�
Sten shrugged. �€œI thought mages, alchemists and healers usually barter their services.�€�
�€œI do that too,�€� Lilisfina responded. �€œBut somehow paying my sellswords in coin feels more appropriate for the risks they take in providing their services.�€� She aimed her finger at him. �€œRisks you took.�€�
�€œNo complaints here,�€� Sten returned to counting more coins. Lilisfina joined him in making the pile of loose coins smaller.
�€œHow do you normally get paid, Stennvar? By the job, or by periods of time?�€�
�€œBy the job,�€� Sten set up another stack. �€œIt�€™s how folks want to hire sellswords these days. If one wants long term muscle, there�€™s retainers, guards and carls.�€�
�€œCarls?�€� Lilisfina repeated.
�€œYou could call them bodyguards, I suppose,�€� Sten explained. �€œThey enter service freely, and swear to protect their Jarl or Thane with their lives.�€�
�€œI see,�€� Lilisfina nodded to herself. �€œAnd they don�€™t get paid as well as a sellsword, say?�€�
�€œWell, it�€™s a steady employment, they get housing, board and gear provided by their masters,�€� Sten responded. �€œGear is usually a bit better than a guard�€™s, and they stay with their master at all times.�€�
�€œSo why are you a sellsword, instead of serving one of these Jarls or Thanes?�€�
�€œI�€™d like to have a bit more freedom in my choices of whom I hire out to,�€� Sten watched Lilisfina split the next ten stacks between them. �€œI don�€™t want to be stuck doing things that go against my grain, so to speak.�€� He shook his head. �€œCan�€™t do that once you�€™re a carl.�€�
Lilisfina fell silent as they kept counting. Sten wondered at her thoughts. She�€™s thinking over everything we talked about. Sure asked a lot of questions - she seems eager to learn as much as she can about Skyrim.
Finally they reached the last hundred drakes. Sten looked up to see Lilisfina�€™s thoughtful gaze on him. He stilled his hands and waited.
�€œHow do you feel about long term employment, Stennvar?�€� Lilisfina took a deep breath. �€œWith me?�€�
With her? Long term? �€œHow long are you thinking?�€�
�€œWell, I liked the way we worked together out there on The Winter War,�€� she mused. �€œAnd I prefer to keep busy, even if it means doing odd jobs around here for a time. I�€™d like to have a good amount of funds, and be more acclimated to this cold, before I venture north to Winterhold. How does getting paid for a month�€™s worth of work sound to you?�€�
Sten felt wariness rear its head. �€œWhat kind of work do you have in mind?�€�
�€œEvery city I�€™ve come across, every settlement, even individuals encountered on the roads,�€� Lilisfina crossed her arms, then lifted her left fingers to tap on her jawline, �€œthere�€™s always something that needs to be found, a forgotten task that needs to be completed, and a message to be delivered, all involving danger to some degree or another.�€�
�€œHmm, and you want a strong arm at your back?�€�
�€œOr in front of me, or at my side, wherever such strength is needed.�€� Lilisfina nodded. �€œBut such a strong arm needs to be someone I can trust with my life, and here in Skyrim, that�€™s a question that I have to consider very carefully.�€� Again she tapped her jaw with her fingertips. �€œEspecially in Stormcloak territory.�€�
�€œWell, you can ask my Khajiit employers if they have been happy with my services,�€� Sten mused. �€œThey seem to trust me quite a bit. And I�€™ve always done my best by them.�€� He met her gaze. �€œBut they�€™ve proven to be good employers, and have always treated me well. That kind of trust goes both ways, ma�€™am.�€�
Lilisfina nodded. �€œAgreed. I tend to be careful of who I hire, because it would be easy for someone physically stronger than me to take advantage.�€� She tilted her head at him.
Take advantage? Yes, I suppose there are those who would see this little Wood Elf as easy game. But I suspect she has claws ready to unsheathe at any time, like a cat. No, she deserves respect. �€œI doubt anyone who�€™s tried to take advantage of you ma�€™am,�€� he said quietly, �€œlived to tell the tale.�€� He shook his head. �€œBesides, I wouldn�€™t shame my Ma like that.�€�
Lilisfina�€™s eyebrows shot up. �€œYour Ma?�€� She smiled. �€œI hear love and respect in your tone just now. She must be some woman.�€�
�€œAye, that she is,�€� Sten forgot to be embarrassed.
�€œHow much do you typically make in a month, Stennvar?�€� Lilisfina turned serious again.
�€œVaries,�€� Sten replied. �€œIn the winter months there isn�€™t much travel, so I make less. Summer, like the last couple of months, tends to be very busy.�€�
�€œAs caravan escort for the Khajiit?�€� Sten nodded. �€œHow much do they typically pay you?�€�
�€œFifty drakes per trip, and each trip usually takes about two sevendays,�€� Stenvar replied. �€œSo usually fifty to one hundred per month, depending on the weather and trade.�€�
�€œAnd that�€™s good pay for you?�€� Lilisfina shrugged. �€œI don�€™t want to take you away from a good source of income without making up for it.�€�
I�€™ve never heard that from any employer. Sten took a deep breath. �€œIt�€™s one of the best jobs I like to do,�€� he said slowly. �€œBoring at times, but the people are good souls.�€�
Lilisfina�€™s smile shone again. �€œNice to hear that - I haven�€™t heard that kind of sentiment since I left Black Marsh.�€� She leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table. �€œHow does two hundred a month sound? Plus half of all fees and bounties we collect, and half the profits from any loot, above that two hundred drakes?�€�
�€œThat sounds almost like a partnership . . . �€œ Sten trailed off when he realized he was thinking aloud.
�€œWhy not?�€� Lili divided up the stacks between them. �€œAt least for a month. Or until I get to Winterhold. Whichever comes first.�€�
Should I ask her why? Sten decided to ask a question of his own. �€œWhy do you want to get to Winterhold so badly? It�€™s a lot colder than Windhelm, and not as much fun.�€�
�€œWhen I was but a wee lass,�€� Lilisfina held her hand about three feet from the floor, �€œthe Spinner in my village told me to go to the College of Winterhold to learn how to master my magic. Not the Arcane University, mind you, nor the College of Sapiarchs, nor even Shad Astula.�€� She took a breath. �€œShe was very specific - College of Winterhold. So I started apprenticing with different mages and studying as much as I could, so I qualify to enter the College once I reach it.�€�
Sten regarded the coins in front of him, then slid them into his bag. �€œBut why me?�€�
�€œWhy not?�€� Lilisfina countered. �€œWe worked together well today,�€� she slid the last of the coins into her bag. �€œIt�€™s not every day I find a sellsword who�€™s open to using different tactics, to suggestions from a Mer, and a mage to boot! I doubt I�€™ll find another like you in all of Skyrim.�€�
Well. Sounds like she knows what she�€™s looking for. �€œIn that case,�€� Sten spoke carefully, �€œI agree to a month, and possibly as far as Winterhold if it takes longer.�€� He tied his coin bag shut and hefted it thoughtfully in his hand This is almost a year�€™s worth of work! Wonder if it will indeed be worthwhile working with this Wood Elf mage.
�€œOne more thing,�€� Lilisfina�€™s eyes flashed. �€œSkyrim and its customs are new to me. May I trust you to keep my from putting my foot in my mouth with your fellow Nords? Some seem to be more easily offended than others.�€�
Smart lass. Sten let the laughter out. �€œI suspect you know that�€™s true anywhere you go. Of course, I�€™d be glad to explain our customs as we go along, but I should warn you some of them don�€™t make sense to me, either!�€�
And yes, she knows to give credit where credit's due.@Acadian: A Nord and a wood elf? Same way a St. Bernard and a mini poodle do it!
Where there's a will (and desire) there's always a way! Thanks for calling out the little tags I use to keep the dialogue interesting. As for the nit you pointed out, I double checked with Lili and her response was "That's what I said, not what I should've said!" So I think we both can agree to leave that phrasing alone, as it is uniquely Lil's@treydog: I had a lot of fun picturing how a wood elf from Valenwood would respond to the bitter cold and rugged environment of Skyrim. Yes, she's done a bit of traveling (Valenwood - Elsweyr - Black Marsh - Morrowind), but has never encountered anything quite like this! Brrrr! And world building is something I really enjoy doing, just not as an info dump, but more as a natural exploration/finding out about things from those who live there. Having Lili be new to Skyrim is a great way to accomplish this, as she would ask questions natives would never think to ask!
@SubRosa: Shenanigans will ensue, but just not quite in the way we are thinking at the moment! That will come later . . .
And yes, everything is so different to Lili - even the trees!@Renee: I'm glad you are enjoying things in Skyrim with Lili. I always imagined Bosmer as being less dependent on their vision and more dependent on smell and hearing in their jungle environment - the sight lines are horrible compared to say the open tundra around Whiterun or the grand vistas in Anequina. Hence her near sightedness. No rowboat mods - I use my imagination a lot here. Cairns, rowboats, raft building, etc - all those are from my imagination. When I was playing Oblivion, I hated those clock mods - they always felt so lore - UNfriendly to the medieval environment of Cyrodiil. So I got to thinking how did they tell time in those days? Then I realized in Europe at least, they used church bells to sound out the hours of prayer - matins, vespers, compline, etc. Since every town in Cyrodiil has a church/cathedral, and they sounded the bells hourly, I just felt it was natural to use that as a way to mark time. And since Skyrim follows Oblivion, I kept some of the Oblivion stuff here. As for DarkFox, I have nothing but good to say about his mods - all the ones I've used work very well.
*****************
Morndas 18 Last Seed - Terms for Future Engagement
Well, I�€™m going to try and squeeze a little bit more into this last bit of parchment. The bounty for the wreck was one thousand drakes. One thousand! Even with the usual split that�€™s going to be a nice chunk of coin to send home as soon as I visit the courier�€™s in the morning. And I can finally get this armor repaired like new. I�€™m looking forward to seeing Oengul again - he�€™s a good smith and honest.
Not only that, but I learned a few new things about wearing and taking care of heavy armor. Maybe it�€™s time to start saving for a good set of steel armor. And best of all, Lilisfina wants to hire me again for future jobs - might bring in even more coin if they�€™re anything like this bounty job. Don�€™t get your hopes up just yet - we�€™ve got to figure some things out first.
I�€™m going to sign off now so I can get these coins off to you tomorrow. Give my love to Halla and Old Fang. I�€™ll write again when I get the chance.
Sten
Star flopped down on the rug beside the bed as Lilisfina dropped the heavy bag on the square table. She pulled it closer to the bed and waved Sten to the chair. �€œLet�€™s get this counted out shall we?�€� she seated herself tailor fashion on the bed and dumped the silver coins over the surface of the table. �€œStacks of ten?�€�
Sten drew the chair up to the table and seated himself. �€œTo start,�€� he cast his gaze over the numerous coins. �€œBut it�€™s a thousand drakes. That�€™s what, one hundred stacks?�€�
�€œHmm, let�€™s count the first hundred,�€� Lilisfina matched actions to words as she started making stacks. �€œWe�€™ll divide that between us, then count out the second hundred.�€� She paused in her counting as Sten picked up a handful of coins. �€œDo you have a coin bag of your own, Stennvar?�€�
�€œYes,�€� not sure if it�€™s big enough though. �€œWonder why the Jarl paid in drakes, not septims? Would be easier to count out ten coins instead of a thousand.�€�
Lilisfina shrugged. �€œWho knows the mind of kings? Or Jarls?�€� She grinned up at him. �€œPerhaps not enough gold in his coffers.�€�
That�€™s a good point. �€œThat�€™s likely, ma�€™am,�€� Sten resumed his counting. �€œThis Stormcloak uprising of his isn�€™t easy to maintain.�€� He caught Lilisfina�€™s curious glance at him.
�€œUprising?�€� She leaned back a moment. �€œWhat�€™s that about?"
�€œYou mentioned the Thalmor earlier,�€� Sten resumed his counting. �€œThey�€™re here in Skyrim, trying to wipe out Talos worshippers.�€�
�€œThat�€™s right, the White Gold Concordat,�€� Lilisfina nodded. �€œAnd Jarl Stormcloak is resisting the Thalmor and trying to preserve Talos worship?�€�
Sten leaned back and regarded the ten tidy stacks of drakes between them. �€œYes, ever since the Markarth Incident.�€� He watched as Lilisfina pushed five stacks toward him and slid the other five into her coin bag. Wait. That�€™s not the usual split. He caught her curious glance at him. �€œHe went to Solitude last spring and killed the High King Torygg in front of his court in defiance of Thalmor rule.�€�
Lilisfina�€™s eyes widened at his words. �€œHe murdered the High King? That took some balls. Either he�€™s foolish or foolhardy.�€�
�€œRumor has it he challenged the High King to a duel, then Shouted him to death.�€�
Lilisfina�€™s gaze sharpened. �€œShouted him to death? Just what do you mean by that?�€�
Sten searched his memory for old tales told at an elder�€™s hearth years ago. �€œWith the thu�€™um, the Voice in the Dragon Tongue,�€� I hope I am making sense. �€œIt takes years of training and study to master the Shouts. Before he became Jarl, before the Markarth Incident, Ulfric Stormcloak studied with the Greybeards.�€�
Lilisfina leaned back again and watched Sten collect his five stacks of drakes into his coin bag. �€œDragons again,�€� she mused. �€œThat�€™s interesting.�€�
�€œYou did mention a Dragon cult in Elsweyr earlier,�€� Stenvar started counting again from the pile of silver coins. �€œAre you familiar with Dragons?�€�
�€œOnly from the tales the Khajiit told,�€� Lilisfina joined in the counting. �€œApparently Dragons have appeared in Elsweyr at times, though none have been seen since the Second Era.�€� In short order the two had ten more stacks counted, and again Lilisfina pushed five stacks toward Sten and kept five for herself.
That again. This isn�€™t going to be the typical split, is it? Sten met Lilisfina�€™s gaze as he slid the coins into his bag. �€œIs this how you want to do the split, ma�€™am?�€�
�€œWhat�€™s wrong? I did say we would split the bounty, didn�€™t I?�€�
�€œTypically the employer keeps sixty to seventy out of every hundred drakes,�€� Sten explained. �€œI thought that�€™s what you meant?�€�
Lilisfina straightened up. �€œI�€™ve never done it that way,�€� she set her fists on her hips in mock indignation. �€œI�€™ve always paid my hirelings fifty to fifty.�€� She smiled at Sten. �€œOh yes, I�€™ve had sellswords like you working with me on the tough jobs. How do you think I paid my way around Tamriel to get here?�€�
Sten shrugged. �€œI thought mages, alchemists and healers usually barter their services.�€�
�€œI do that too,�€� Lilisfina responded. �€œBut somehow paying my sellswords in coin feels more appropriate for the risks they take in providing their services.�€� She aimed her finger at him. �€œRisks you took.�€�
�€œNo complaints here,�€� Sten returned to counting more coins. Lilisfina joined him in making the pile of loose coins smaller.
�€œHow do you normally get paid, Stennvar? By the job, or by periods of time?�€�
�€œBy the job,�€� Sten set up another stack. �€œIt�€™s how folks want to hire sellswords these days. If one wants long term muscle, there�€™s retainers, guards and carls.�€�
�€œCarls?�€� Lilisfina repeated.
�€œYou could call them bodyguards, I suppose,�€� Sten explained. �€œThey enter service freely, and swear to protect their Jarl or Thane with their lives.�€�
�€œI see,�€� Lilisfina nodded to herself. �€œAnd they don�€™t get paid as well as a sellsword, say?�€�
�€œWell, it�€™s a steady employment, they get housing, board and gear provided by their masters,�€� Sten responded. �€œGear is usually a bit better than a guard�€™s, and they stay with their master at all times.�€�
�€œSo why are you a sellsword, instead of serving one of these Jarls or Thanes?�€�
�€œI�€™d like to have a bit more freedom in my choices of whom I hire out to,�€� Sten watched Lilisfina split the next ten stacks between them. �€œI don�€™t want to be stuck doing things that go against my grain, so to speak.�€� He shook his head. �€œCan�€™t do that once you�€™re a carl.�€�
Lilisfina fell silent as they kept counting. Sten wondered at her thoughts. She�€™s thinking over everything we talked about. Sure asked a lot of questions - she seems eager to learn as much as she can about Skyrim.
Finally they reached the last hundred drakes. Sten looked up to see Lilisfina�€™s thoughtful gaze on him. He stilled his hands and waited.
�€œHow do you feel about long term employment, Stennvar?�€� Lilisfina took a deep breath. �€œWith me?�€�
With her? Long term? �€œHow long are you thinking?�€�
�€œWell, I liked the way we worked together out there on The Winter War,�€� she mused. �€œAnd I prefer to keep busy, even if it means doing odd jobs around here for a time. I�€™d like to have a good amount of funds, and be more acclimated to this cold, before I venture north to Winterhold. How does getting paid for a month�€™s worth of work sound to you?�€�
Sten felt wariness rear its head. �€œWhat kind of work do you have in mind?�€�
�€œEvery city I�€™ve come across, every settlement, even individuals encountered on the roads,�€� Lilisfina crossed her arms, then lifted her left fingers to tap on her jawline, �€œthere�€™s always something that needs to be found, a forgotten task that needs to be completed, and a message to be delivered, all involving danger to some degree or another.�€�
�€œHmm, and you want a strong arm at your back?�€�
�€œOr in front of me, or at my side, wherever such strength is needed.�€� Lilisfina nodded. �€œBut such a strong arm needs to be someone I can trust with my life, and here in Skyrim, that�€™s a question that I have to consider very carefully.�€� Again she tapped her jaw with her fingertips. �€œEspecially in Stormcloak territory.�€�
�€œWell, you can ask my Khajiit employers if they have been happy with my services,�€� Sten mused. �€œThey seem to trust me quite a bit. And I�€™ve always done my best by them.�€� He met her gaze. �€œBut they�€™ve proven to be good employers, and have always treated me well. That kind of trust goes both ways, ma�€™am.�€�
Lilisfina nodded. �€œAgreed. I tend to be careful of who I hire, because it would be easy for someone physically stronger than me to take advantage.�€� She tilted her head at him.
Take advantage? Yes, I suppose there are those who would see this little Wood Elf as easy game. But I suspect she has claws ready to unsheathe at any time, like a cat. No, she deserves respect. �€œI doubt anyone who�€™s tried to take advantage of you ma�€™am,�€� he said quietly, �€œlived to tell the tale.�€� He shook his head. �€œBesides, I wouldn�€™t shame my Ma like that.�€�
Lilisfina�€™s eyebrows shot up. �€œYour Ma?�€� She smiled. �€œI hear love and respect in your tone just now. She must be some woman.�€�
�€œAye, that she is,�€� Sten forgot to be embarrassed.
�€œHow much do you typically make in a month, Stennvar?�€� Lilisfina turned serious again.
�€œVaries,�€� Sten replied. �€œIn the winter months there isn�€™t much travel, so I make less. Summer, like the last couple of months, tends to be very busy.�€�
�€œAs caravan escort for the Khajiit?�€� Sten nodded. �€œHow much do they typically pay you?�€�
�€œFifty drakes per trip, and each trip usually takes about two sevendays,�€� Stenvar replied. �€œSo usually fifty to one hundred per month, depending on the weather and trade.�€�
�€œAnd that�€™s good pay for you?�€� Lilisfina shrugged. �€œI don�€™t want to take you away from a good source of income without making up for it.�€�
I�€™ve never heard that from any employer. Sten took a deep breath. �€œIt�€™s one of the best jobs I like to do,�€� he said slowly. �€œBoring at times, but the people are good souls.�€�
Lilisfina�€™s smile shone again. �€œNice to hear that - I haven�€™t heard that kind of sentiment since I left Black Marsh.�€� She leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table. �€œHow does two hundred a month sound? Plus half of all fees and bounties we collect, and half the profits from any loot, above that two hundred drakes?�€�
�€œThat sounds almost like a partnership . . . �€œ Sten trailed off when he realized he was thinking aloud.
�€œWhy not?�€� Lili divided up the stacks between them. �€œAt least for a month. Or until I get to Winterhold. Whichever comes first.�€�
Should I ask her why? Sten decided to ask a question of his own. �€œWhy do you want to get to Winterhold so badly? It�€™s a lot colder than Windhelm, and not as much fun.�€�
�€œWhen I was but a wee lass,�€� Lilisfina held her hand about three feet from the floor, �€œthe Spinner in my village told me to go to the College of Winterhold to learn how to master my magic. Not the Arcane University, mind you, nor the College of Sapiarchs, nor even Shad Astula.�€� She took a breath. �€œShe was very specific - College of Winterhold. So I started apprenticing with different mages and studying as much as I could, so I qualify to enter the College once I reach it.�€�
Sten regarded the coins in front of him, then slid them into his bag. �€œBut why me?�€�
�€œWhy not?�€� Lilisfina countered. �€œWe worked together well today,�€� she slid the last of the coins into her bag. �€œIt�€™s not every day I find a sellsword who�€™s open to using different tactics, to suggestions from a Mer, and a mage to boot! I doubt I�€™ll find another like you in all of Skyrim.�€�
Well. Sounds like she knows what she�€™s looking for. �€œIn that case,�€� Sten spoke carefully, �€œI agree to a month, and possibly as far as Winterhold if it takes longer.�€� He tied his coin bag shut and hefted it thoughtfully in his hand This is almost a year�€™s worth of work! Wonder if it will indeed be worthwhile working with this Wood Elf mage.
�€œOne more thing,�€� Lilisfina�€™s eyes flashed. �€œSkyrim and its customs are new to me. May I trust you to keep my from putting my foot in my mouth with your fellow Nords? Some seem to be more easily offended than others.�€�
Smart lass. Sten let the laughter out. �€œI suspect you know that�€™s true anywhere you go. Of course, I�€™d be glad to explain our customs as we go along, but I should warn you some of them don�€™t make sense to me, either!�€�
Another delightful episode as Lili and Sten delve deeper into what makes the other tick and, ultimately, decide to embark on a longer term arrangement than ‘by the job’. Looks like there may be a few more local jobs on their dance card before they head off to Winterhold.
Nit? - -’I’m going to sign off now so I can get these coins off {to?} you tomorrow.’
Nit? - -’I’m going to sign off now so I can get these coins off {to?} you tomorrow.’
I enjoyed listening in as Lili and Sten divided up the payoff. Sounds like they will be busy as Lili prepares herself for the journey to Winterhold. Fun to hear Shad Astula and the College of the Sapiarchs mentioned!
A thousands dragon bucks! It sounds like Sten and Lil are now high rollers. At least until they blow it all on hookers and skooma...
Funny how later in the game when you fight either with or against Ulfric, he only has the Unrelenting Force shout, that pushes people back. I don't recall any shouts that just kills people straight out. Though there are ones that do fire or frost damage of course.
So Lil is a fair minded person. She seems to me that she's more interested in finding a partner than an employee.
Some nice world-building with the discussion of mercenaries, carls, guards, and the differences between them.
Funny how later in the game when you fight either with or against Ulfric, he only has the Unrelenting Force shout, that pushes people back. I don't recall any shouts that just kills people straight out. Though there are ones that do fire or frost damage of course.
So Lil is a fair minded person. She seems to me that she's more interested in finding a partner than an employee.
Some nice world-building with the discussion of mercenaries, carls, guards, and the differences between them.
I keep wondering how Lilisfina is going to get Stenvar out of his armour, because I know it is not going to be "what you've been thinking".
Oh nice. That's clever, the consideration for Lilisfina favoring certain senses over others. Again, I enjoy reading Stenvar's perspective, especially how the influx of new cash is going to upgrade his armor, and also that he hopes Lili will throw more work his way.
I'm noticing the quotation marks. You're using multiple devices to write/edit? Or multiple programs? I only notice this because my old laptop put slanted marks into the story while my new laptop (and my home computer) uses straight marks. All my stories up 'til recently have a mixture of marks.
Hmm, they're talking about Civil War/main quest stuff. See, me and a friend have been trying to predict which quests, if any, Lili's getting involved with. Perhaps this is a portent. I don't want to post my prediction(s) just yet.
Yeah, 50/50 is best. Equal split of proceeds, unless somebody in the party is slacking!
Magic, baby!
QUOTE
“What’s that about?"
I'm noticing the quotation marks. You're using multiple devices to write/edit? Or multiple programs? I only notice this because my old laptop put slanted marks into the story while my new laptop (and my home computer) uses straight marks. All my stories up 'til recently have a mixture of marks.
Hmm, they're talking about Civil War/main quest stuff. See, me and a friend have been trying to predict which quests, if any, Lili's getting involved with. Perhaps this is a portent. I don't want to post my prediction(s) just yet.
Yeah, 50/50 is best. Equal split of proceeds, unless somebody in the party is slacking!
QUOTE
“Why do you want to get to Winterhold so badly?
Magic, baby!
Another interesting and enjoyable excursion with the "Lillis-var" duo. More world-building, again written in a fashion that is natural and seamless. We begin to see the outlines of the political situation and also why our Wood Elf mage is so determined to get to Winterhold.
And Sten's character shines through, not just in his comment about his Ma, but also his interactions with and preference for working with the Khajiit.
A most satisfying conversation to overhear, with more insight into our friends.
And Sten's character shines through, not just in his comment about his Ma, but also his interactions with and preference for working with the Khajiit.
A most satisfying conversation to overhear, with more insight into our friends.
@Acadian: Thanks for catching that nit! I'll go back and fix it! I'm glad you enjoyed this "getting to know you under the cover of getting to know Skyrim" conversation between Sten and Lili. And yes, you guessed right, there will be more ticks on their dance card before they head out!
@Grits: Glad you liked the mention of two of the magic centers from ESO mentioned here! As a worldly (nirnly?) traveler, it would make sense that Lili would know of all the magic schools/colleges out there in TES lands!
@SubRosa: Yuppers! I spent quite a bit of time thinking about coinage. Since the Septims have died out, would they continue minting coins in their images? Not in Cyrodiil, by my thinking. In fact, the only place that would continue minting septims would be in Windhelm - drakes would be more common elsewhere, I'd think. And since septims are gold, and running a war is freaking expensive, I'd think the Jarl would keep his gold reserves strictly for the war effort, and everyone else has to get along with silver drakes. And yes, you're correct - Lili prefers a partnership rather than an employer/employee relationship. She has found this the best option for her, when the right option comes along. And again, mercenaries/sellswords, guards, carls, etc are another thing I spent time thinking upon!
@Lena: Yes, how is Lili going to get Sten out of his armor??
@Renee: I'm glad you are enjoying Sten's perspective as well as Lili's. And the wonky quotes are because in doing my final scan, I found a couple of places where the closing quotes were missing, and added them here in the forum editor. And it's fun to try and guess what quests Lili is going to get interested in, yeah?
@trey: I'm glad you enjoyed this conversation and world building that occurred in the last segment. And I agree, his consideration of his Ma and his sometime Khajiit employers are excellent indications of his character.
And now we finally find out how Lili is going to get Sten out of his armor!
***************************
Tirdas 19 Last Seed - Oengul’s Dilemma
Star danced through the falling snow as Lili and Stenvar trudged through the morning overcast toward the marketplace. The smell of winter produce and fresh meat mingled with the sharp odor of hot metal and the smoke from the forge. The market must be close.
As they stepped into the plaza and paused beside the blacksmith’s, Hermir straightened up from the forge bellows, her cheeks already red with heat and exertion. “Hello and good morning to you, ma’am, sir!” She glanced at the old man, fussing with a sword at the grindstone. “Oengul, that Wood Elf’s back.”
“All right, all right,” Oengul snapped back distractedly. Abruptly he stopped the grindstone and set the blade down. “Och, don’t mind me,” he continued in a softer tone. “I’ve been working the forge too hard, trying to get this sword right.”
“Sometimes it helps to take a step back and do something else for a change?” Lili suggested. “While I’m no smith, I’ve done enough crafting to know pushing myself too hard only makes things worse.” She nodded at Stenvar. “He needs to have his armor repaired and his blade sharpened.”
Stenvar shot Lili a sharp glance, then shrugged his zwei-hander from his back and handed it to the old smith. “I’d like the blade sharpened first. Don’t care to go walking around without it.” He set the pack containing his battered armor beside the tempering table. “I suspect the armor will take longer.” He eyed the weapon Oengul had set upon the grinding bench. “It looks pretty good,” he remarked. “What’s so special about it that you have to take extra care?”
“Not good enough,” frustration tinged Oengul’s grunt. “Jarl wants it to look like a particular ancient blade. High Queen Freydis ruled over Windhelm in the Second Era, and her sword was legendary.” He hefted the sword thoughtfully, then sighted along its edge and returned it to the bench. “Getting the real sword would be even better than making a copy. But no one wants to go to Cronvangr Cave and recover it from its resting place.”
Stenvar met Lili’s gaze steadily. He’s guessed this is the sort of job I was talking about last night. And the answer is yes. She smiled at him and took a deep breath. “Where is this Cronvangr Cave?”
“It’s a cave to the southwest of here, across the river from Mixwater Mill,” Oengul saw something in her expression. “If you were to go get it for me, lass, I’d be grateful.”
“Let me think about it,” Lili responded. “For now, we need to get that blade sharpened and the armor repaired.” When Stenvar’s gaze turned away, she laid a finger along her nose. Oengul grinned and nodded. Good, he remembers what we talked about last night. “Let me leave you coin for the work,” she finished. Stenvar opened his mouth to object, but she shook her head at him.
“Now, I hear there’s a good alchemist here?” Lili moved to the plaza.
“In that building on the north side,” Oengul directed her toward a tall, narrow two story stone building that stood nearest the smithy. Around the plaza, in front of other similar houses, stalls with various goods bustled with customers. Lili made out a couple of farm stalls selling winter vegetables, a meat stall, and a few general merchants. Behind them she spotted a sign in the shape of a raven, and pointed it out to Stenvar with raised eyebrows.
“Postal courier,” Stenvar responded. “You can pay to have messages hand delivered to folk across Skyrim. They often travel on the post carriages like the one you saw outside the main gates.” He reached into his coin bag. “Would you mind if I stopped in there for a bit? I’d like to pick up some writing materials.”
“Of course,” Lili responded. “Today I’d like to explore Windhelm a bit more, and get to know it better.” She indicated the alchemist. “Why don’t you meet me in there after you’ve made your purchases?”
“Will do,” Stenvar nodded and strode away across the plaza. Lili watched him go. He’s only got that woolen shirt, and those leather trous. How in Oblivion is he staying warm?
“He’s quite easy on the eyes, isn’t he?” Hermir’s voice whispered in her ear. Lili laughed and turned to meet the taller woman’s gaze.
“I agree, though that’s not why I hired him!”
“I hope not!” Oengul’s growl reached them from the other side of the tempering table. “He’s the strongest sword arm in all of Skyrim!”
“A strong man’s only as good as his heart and mind,” Lili remarked as she moved toward the alchemist’s shop. Hermir’s chuckles followed her into the building’s warm interior.
Within the confines of the alchemist’s, competing aromas assailed her nose, and Lili paused to breathe deeply. As the door swung shut behind her, she heard coughing that drew her gaze toward the Altmer behind the counter. “I’ll be fine,” he insisted in a querulous voice.
The Imperial man facing him shook his head. “Master,” his gentle voice held a healthy strength absent in the other’s, “you’re far too old for this sort of journey. We don’t know what’s inside . . . “
“I’ll - I can - just . . . “ The Altmer’s weak protest dissolved into further coughing. Now Lili recognized the odor of terminal illness and frowned at the alchemist.
“You see,” the other exclaimed softly. “You’re not well! Have a seat, and I’ll fetch you some tonic.”
“Bah! If there was a tonic that could help me I would have found it by now . . . “ Again the Altmer broke into a hacking fit that shook his thin frame. He shooed the shorter man away impatiently and turned toward Lili.
“Ah, a new customer!” He wheezed and leaned on the counter. “Nurelion at your service. Please, how may I help you?”
“Yes,” Lili took a turn around the front room, eyeing the alchemical samples on display. There’s potential for another job, but be careful. “I am a novice alchemist, and am interested in finding new flora. What’s common around here, and what’s hardest to come by?”
Nurelion’s gaze narrowed on her. “Are you looking to open a shop here?”
“Oh, not at all,” Lili answered. “I just arrived in Windhelm a few days ago, and am new to Skyrim. What I had in mind is that I would travel around the Hold, and if I find anything of interest to you, I would bring it back and sell it to you.”
“And set a high price on it, of course,” Nurelion scowled. Lili shook her head.
“Only if it proves to be very dangerous to obtain,” she remarked. “Like, say, a Daedra’s heart.”
His brows lifted as Nurelion regarded Lili for several rasping breaths.
“I’m sorry to hear you’re having difficulty with your breathing,” Lili added. “I have some healing experience myself, and have traveled around Tamriel over the years.” Now to find out what he needs.
“As have I,” Nurelion coughed again, covering his mouth with a square of fine cloth. “But there is something you could get for me.” His voice lowered to a conspiring level.
Aha. “What is it?” Lili drew nearer to the Altmer.
“Just a man’s life work,” he leaned down to Lili. “I’ve finally deduced the location of the White Phial, but that doting busybody won’t let me get it,” he waved his hand in the direction of the younger man at the alchemy table in the corner.
“The White Phial?” Lili repeated.
“Yes, yes,” Nurelion’s tone turned impatient. “It’s buried with its maker, Curalmil, in a long forsaken cave west of here. Curalmil was a crafty one, even in death. You would need the skills of a master alchemist to reach his resting place.” He turned away to the back wall, and shuffled dried plants around in search of something. Once he found it, the Altmer turned back to Lili and handed her a small vial. “Luckily for you, I’ve already made the mixture.”
Cold air and white light flushed through the shop as Stenvar entered. Just as quickly, they were gone when he closed the door behind him and joined Lili.
“Do you have a map, Bosmer?” Nurelion asked. Lili shook her head.
“I do,” Stenvar reached into the sack from the postal courier shop and pulled out a folded parchment. Stennvar didn’t waste any time there. Nurelion took it from him and spread it open on the counter.
“See, the road that leads west from Windhelm, almost all the way to Nightgate Inn,” Nurelion indicated the landmarks on the map. “About here, is Forsaken Cave.”
Stenvar produced a graphite stick and placed a small x where indicated. “What’s in Forsaken Cave?”
“The White Phial,” Lili answered. “Something Nurelion needs to get well.”
“What’s so special about the White Phial?” Stenvar asked as he tucked the graphite away. I was about to ask that question!
“A legendary bottle, forged in the days when Skyrim was just starting its turn to ice.” Nurelion’s gaze grew distant as he searched his memory for the tale. “A small container, made of the magically infused snow that first fell on the Throat of the World. It is said the Phial will replenish whatever liquid you place inside it. For an alchemist like myself, it is the most pure expression of my art. To create from nothingness is . . . poetry.”
“Why is it so important to you, Nurelion?” Lili studied the map Stenvar had purchased.
“I have spent my entire life searching for it. It brought me all the way to these frozen reaches from the warm embrace of Summerset Isle.” Nurelion coughed, then cleared his throat. “Entire years spent in libraries. Seeking out tiny villages with local legends that contain but a whisper of a hint of the Phial. I even named my shop after it, hoping that it might attract anyone who had heard of it.” He lifted one bony hand and curved his fingers toward his palm in a grasping gesture. “And now it’s within my grasp - but the Eight, it seems, have played a cruel joke on me. In my current condition, I’ll never be able to lay my hands on it.”
Lili regarded Stenvar quizzically. Well? He returned her gaze neutrally. After a few breaths, she turned back to Nurelion. “We’ll take a look,” she said.
“Thank you,” Nurelion whispered. “May the Eight guide you.”
Lili and Stenvar turned away. As Nurelion moved to the stairs leading up to the second floor, the Imperial man approached them. “I’m Quintus Navale, Nurelion’s apprentice. I couldn’t help overhearing his conversation with you. Please be careful.”
“Do you think it exists, sir?” Lili asked.
“It doesn’t matter what I believe. Nurelion does, and that might be the only thing keeping him alive right now.”
@Grits: Glad you liked the mention of two of the magic centers from ESO mentioned here! As a worldly (nirnly?) traveler, it would make sense that Lili would know of all the magic schools/colleges out there in TES lands!
@SubRosa: Yuppers! I spent quite a bit of time thinking about coinage. Since the Septims have died out, would they continue minting coins in their images? Not in Cyrodiil, by my thinking. In fact, the only place that would continue minting septims would be in Windhelm - drakes would be more common elsewhere, I'd think. And since septims are gold, and running a war is freaking expensive, I'd think the Jarl would keep his gold reserves strictly for the war effort, and everyone else has to get along with silver drakes. And yes, you're correct - Lili prefers a partnership rather than an employer/employee relationship. She has found this the best option for her, when the right option comes along. And again, mercenaries/sellswords, guards, carls, etc are another thing I spent time thinking upon!
@Lena: Yes, how is Lili going to get Sten out of his armor??
@Renee: I'm glad you are enjoying Sten's perspective as well as Lili's. And the wonky quotes are because in doing my final scan, I found a couple of places where the closing quotes were missing, and added them here in the forum editor. And it's fun to try and guess what quests Lili is going to get interested in, yeah?
@trey: I'm glad you enjoyed this conversation and world building that occurred in the last segment. And I agree, his consideration of his Ma and his sometime Khajiit employers are excellent indications of his character.
And now we finally find out how Lili is going to get Sten out of his armor!
***************************
Tirdas 19 Last Seed - Oengul’s Dilemma
Star danced through the falling snow as Lili and Stenvar trudged through the morning overcast toward the marketplace. The smell of winter produce and fresh meat mingled with the sharp odor of hot metal and the smoke from the forge. The market must be close.
As they stepped into the plaza and paused beside the blacksmith’s, Hermir straightened up from the forge bellows, her cheeks already red with heat and exertion. “Hello and good morning to you, ma’am, sir!” She glanced at the old man, fussing with a sword at the grindstone. “Oengul, that Wood Elf’s back.”
“All right, all right,” Oengul snapped back distractedly. Abruptly he stopped the grindstone and set the blade down. “Och, don’t mind me,” he continued in a softer tone. “I’ve been working the forge too hard, trying to get this sword right.”
“Sometimes it helps to take a step back and do something else for a change?” Lili suggested. “While I’m no smith, I’ve done enough crafting to know pushing myself too hard only makes things worse.” She nodded at Stenvar. “He needs to have his armor repaired and his blade sharpened.”
Stenvar shot Lili a sharp glance, then shrugged his zwei-hander from his back and handed it to the old smith. “I’d like the blade sharpened first. Don’t care to go walking around without it.” He set the pack containing his battered armor beside the tempering table. “I suspect the armor will take longer.” He eyed the weapon Oengul had set upon the grinding bench. “It looks pretty good,” he remarked. “What’s so special about it that you have to take extra care?”
“Not good enough,” frustration tinged Oengul’s grunt. “Jarl wants it to look like a particular ancient blade. High Queen Freydis ruled over Windhelm in the Second Era, and her sword was legendary.” He hefted the sword thoughtfully, then sighted along its edge and returned it to the bench. “Getting the real sword would be even better than making a copy. But no one wants to go to Cronvangr Cave and recover it from its resting place.”
Stenvar met Lili’s gaze steadily. He’s guessed this is the sort of job I was talking about last night. And the answer is yes. She smiled at him and took a deep breath. “Where is this Cronvangr Cave?”
“It’s a cave to the southwest of here, across the river from Mixwater Mill,” Oengul saw something in her expression. “If you were to go get it for me, lass, I’d be grateful.”
“Let me think about it,” Lili responded. “For now, we need to get that blade sharpened and the armor repaired.” When Stenvar’s gaze turned away, she laid a finger along her nose. Oengul grinned and nodded. Good, he remembers what we talked about last night. “Let me leave you coin for the work,” she finished. Stenvar opened his mouth to object, but she shook her head at him.
“Now, I hear there’s a good alchemist here?” Lili moved to the plaza.
“In that building on the north side,” Oengul directed her toward a tall, narrow two story stone building that stood nearest the smithy. Around the plaza, in front of other similar houses, stalls with various goods bustled with customers. Lili made out a couple of farm stalls selling winter vegetables, a meat stall, and a few general merchants. Behind them she spotted a sign in the shape of a raven, and pointed it out to Stenvar with raised eyebrows.
“Postal courier,” Stenvar responded. “You can pay to have messages hand delivered to folk across Skyrim. They often travel on the post carriages like the one you saw outside the main gates.” He reached into his coin bag. “Would you mind if I stopped in there for a bit? I’d like to pick up some writing materials.”
“Of course,” Lili responded. “Today I’d like to explore Windhelm a bit more, and get to know it better.” She indicated the alchemist. “Why don’t you meet me in there after you’ve made your purchases?”
“Will do,” Stenvar nodded and strode away across the plaza. Lili watched him go. He’s only got that woolen shirt, and those leather trous. How in Oblivion is he staying warm?
“He’s quite easy on the eyes, isn’t he?” Hermir’s voice whispered in her ear. Lili laughed and turned to meet the taller woman’s gaze.
“I agree, though that’s not why I hired him!”
“I hope not!” Oengul’s growl reached them from the other side of the tempering table. “He’s the strongest sword arm in all of Skyrim!”
“A strong man’s only as good as his heart and mind,” Lili remarked as she moved toward the alchemist’s shop. Hermir’s chuckles followed her into the building’s warm interior.
Within the confines of the alchemist’s, competing aromas assailed her nose, and Lili paused to breathe deeply. As the door swung shut behind her, she heard coughing that drew her gaze toward the Altmer behind the counter. “I’ll be fine,” he insisted in a querulous voice.
The Imperial man facing him shook his head. “Master,” his gentle voice held a healthy strength absent in the other’s, “you’re far too old for this sort of journey. We don’t know what’s inside . . . “
“I’ll - I can - just . . . “ The Altmer’s weak protest dissolved into further coughing. Now Lili recognized the odor of terminal illness and frowned at the alchemist.
“You see,” the other exclaimed softly. “You’re not well! Have a seat, and I’ll fetch you some tonic.”
“Bah! If there was a tonic that could help me I would have found it by now . . . “ Again the Altmer broke into a hacking fit that shook his thin frame. He shooed the shorter man away impatiently and turned toward Lili.
“Ah, a new customer!” He wheezed and leaned on the counter. “Nurelion at your service. Please, how may I help you?”
“Yes,” Lili took a turn around the front room, eyeing the alchemical samples on display. There’s potential for another job, but be careful. “I am a novice alchemist, and am interested in finding new flora. What’s common around here, and what’s hardest to come by?”
Nurelion’s gaze narrowed on her. “Are you looking to open a shop here?”
“Oh, not at all,” Lili answered. “I just arrived in Windhelm a few days ago, and am new to Skyrim. What I had in mind is that I would travel around the Hold, and if I find anything of interest to you, I would bring it back and sell it to you.”
“And set a high price on it, of course,” Nurelion scowled. Lili shook her head.
“Only if it proves to be very dangerous to obtain,” she remarked. “Like, say, a Daedra’s heart.”
His brows lifted as Nurelion regarded Lili for several rasping breaths.
“I’m sorry to hear you’re having difficulty with your breathing,” Lili added. “I have some healing experience myself, and have traveled around Tamriel over the years.” Now to find out what he needs.
“As have I,” Nurelion coughed again, covering his mouth with a square of fine cloth. “But there is something you could get for me.” His voice lowered to a conspiring level.
Aha. “What is it?” Lili drew nearer to the Altmer.
“Just a man’s life work,” he leaned down to Lili. “I’ve finally deduced the location of the White Phial, but that doting busybody won’t let me get it,” he waved his hand in the direction of the younger man at the alchemy table in the corner.
“The White Phial?” Lili repeated.
“Yes, yes,” Nurelion’s tone turned impatient. “It’s buried with its maker, Curalmil, in a long forsaken cave west of here. Curalmil was a crafty one, even in death. You would need the skills of a master alchemist to reach his resting place.” He turned away to the back wall, and shuffled dried plants around in search of something. Once he found it, the Altmer turned back to Lili and handed her a small vial. “Luckily for you, I’ve already made the mixture.”
Cold air and white light flushed through the shop as Stenvar entered. Just as quickly, they were gone when he closed the door behind him and joined Lili.
“Do you have a map, Bosmer?” Nurelion asked. Lili shook her head.
“I do,” Stenvar reached into the sack from the postal courier shop and pulled out a folded parchment. Stennvar didn’t waste any time there. Nurelion took it from him and spread it open on the counter.
“See, the road that leads west from Windhelm, almost all the way to Nightgate Inn,” Nurelion indicated the landmarks on the map. “About here, is Forsaken Cave.”
Stenvar produced a graphite stick and placed a small x where indicated. “What’s in Forsaken Cave?”
“The White Phial,” Lili answered. “Something Nurelion needs to get well.”
“What’s so special about the White Phial?” Stenvar asked as he tucked the graphite away. I was about to ask that question!
“A legendary bottle, forged in the days when Skyrim was just starting its turn to ice.” Nurelion’s gaze grew distant as he searched his memory for the tale. “A small container, made of the magically infused snow that first fell on the Throat of the World. It is said the Phial will replenish whatever liquid you place inside it. For an alchemist like myself, it is the most pure expression of my art. To create from nothingness is . . . poetry.”
“Why is it so important to you, Nurelion?” Lili studied the map Stenvar had purchased.
“I have spent my entire life searching for it. It brought me all the way to these frozen reaches from the warm embrace of Summerset Isle.” Nurelion coughed, then cleared his throat. “Entire years spent in libraries. Seeking out tiny villages with local legends that contain but a whisper of a hint of the Phial. I even named my shop after it, hoping that it might attract anyone who had heard of it.” He lifted one bony hand and curved his fingers toward his palm in a grasping gesture. “And now it’s within my grasp - but the Eight, it seems, have played a cruel joke on me. In my current condition, I’ll never be able to lay my hands on it.”
Lili regarded Stenvar quizzically. Well? He returned her gaze neutrally. After a few breaths, she turned back to Nurelion. “We’ll take a look,” she said.
“Thank you,” Nurelion whispered. “May the Eight guide you.”
Lili and Stenvar turned away. As Nurelion moved to the stairs leading up to the second floor, the Imperial man approached them. “I’m Quintus Navale, Nurelion’s apprentice. I couldn’t help overhearing his conversation with you. Please be careful.”
“Do you think it exists, sir?” Lili asked.
“It doesn’t matter what I believe. Nurelion does, and that might be the only thing keeping him alive right now.”
”But no one wants to go to Cronvangr Cave and recover it from its resting place.”
Do I smell a quest in the chilly air?
”I have spent my entire life searching for it. It brought me all the way to these frozen reaches from the warm embrace of Summerset Isle.”
Ooh, and there’s another one!
That dance card’s filling up.
Your evocative descriptions continue to delight!
Do I smell a quest in the chilly air?
”I have spent my entire life searching for it. It brought me all the way to these frozen reaches from the warm embrace of Summerset Isle.”
Ooh, and there’s another one!
That dance card’s filling up.
Your evocative descriptions continue to delight!
Star is quite a character! I love the way you bring him to life.
No one wants to go to Cronvangr Cave? A quest!
What’s in Forsaken Cave?! Even better! I love that Stenvar seems as eager to get into questing as Lili.
No one wants to go to Cronvangr Cave? A quest!
What’s in Forsaken Cave?! Even better! I love that Stenvar seems as eager to get into questing as Lili.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.