How neat to have Bre as a PC! If I was going to play as one of the NPCs it would certainly be either Brelyna the Hair-Challenged, Mjoll the Motormouth or Jordis the Sausage Maiden.

Honestly though, simply a new doo does wonders for Bre.

You most def improved her looks in that shot! Those awful faces and hair in Skyrim is one of the reasons I couldn't bring myself to enjoy playing in Skyrim before SubRosa helped me with a mod list and order of install so I could stand looking at my character, lol.

Holy [censored] she looks great in that red outfit. That really looks good.

I just took another of her with the intermediate hair. It's a bit less formal than the one she wears in the last image, but it's still "up", and shows her ears.

I'm reluctant to do anything major to her face, as she should remain the same character everyone knows, even if she is cutting loose a bit more.

I do like this informal hair better than the updo.

Me too! Listen to the red-headed squirrel.

I love both of the updos. Bre looks commanding in the red robes with the very formal hair. Great job, ghastley!

I like the intermediate hair best as well. It has the most natural feel.

The outfit in the latest image is what she'd normally wear. The adapted Telvanni robes are for those occasions when she needs to act as Archmage of the College of Winterhold. Hence the need to show the amulet.

We're still shooting images for Clark's story on my web site, but I'm adding them there as I go along. E.g. this is where the latest fits in. The one on the following page won't be posted here!

I'm not necessarily doing them in story order, so she has to have her old hair back when I need one from earlier in the story. That will probably happen again once she gets her Frostie, and we do a shoot outside Mzulft. I have a picture there, but I want to replace it with a better one.

Diablita's been getting a revisit, too, as I find situations where she should be involved. Gilda's game has been re-opened a couple of times, as she was the main user of Clark as a follower.

Once I have enough for Clark's, I'll have to work on Kothet's story. That one's easier, as the pair are in the one profile, and I don't need to convert player to NPC and vice versa.

Brelyna's just about sick of posing, and she's reluctant to get Storn killed by Mora, so her game is on hold. I think she's spending the time at the hairdresser.

I've been playing a number of characters with quirky builds instead. There's an Orc in Vampirella's outfit, doing a combination of unarmed and drain health (from the Vampi mod) and sometimes using a bow when she needs the extra range. Unlike Munchkin, she's not using gauntlets to boost her unarmed, so she's having a tougher time of it. That may change when she can enchant better.

I also have an Imperial called Lucrezia, who's being the backstabbing poisoner you'd expect - all Alchemy and Sneak, and not much else, a bit of archery (with poison help) for ranged, but preferring to creep in and backstab for max damage. She has the Blade of Woe, taken from Astrid at the shack, and Mehrune's Razor, but poison and backstab mean any daggers should work. One-handed is low, as she doesn't strike any more times than she needs to. I'm getting tempted to create an alternative to the DB gloves/handwraps that will go with a different outfit than the shrouded gear. Maybe bracelets, so that they take the same slot.

She tried to backstab a giant, but despite getting right up to him undetected, got no bonus. Not sure if that was a glitch, or if the game intended it that way.

The last is a Redguard mage, using conjuration - mainly Bound Sword, but aiming for Bound Bow, with a side of Atronachs to tank for her. I've done a dual-wielder before, so this time she's whacking with her right hand, and summoning assistance/armour with her left.

Edit: I retried backstabbing a giant and was successful this time. Found out that it works on Dragons, too, but the game won't let her one-hit one. They always have enough health left to fly off and crash.

Silanu Hlaalu doesn't have the largest breasts in Cyrodiil any more, because I moved her to Skyrim!

I'm playing the aforementioned as a pure(?) mage, using a riding crop enchanted with shock damage in one hand, and fire spells in the other. The riding crops have a base damage of only one, and get all their effect from the (standard) enchantments. As she levels up in destruction, I give her the next in the series. She's at Destruction 54 (Adept level) now, so her riding crop has 15 points of shock damage ("of Shocks") which increases to 18 because of her perks/skill. Each new level adds 5, and the perks etc. add a percentage on top. They'll fall a bit behind normal weapons, as the one-handed skill only boosts the physical damage, which is 1.

She also has a base version that does only one point of shock damage, and has an additional heal two points enchantment to leave it neutral. That's not used for combat.

She has Annekke as her tank, wielding Dawnbreaker. They're close to completing the College of Winterhold quest-line, as she needed to go there for spells and training anyway. Enchanting is increasing as she recharges her riding crop, and Restoration and Alteration are being used for Healing and Mage Armor. Those two get spare perks when she can't raise Destruction.

-----

That's in the original edition, and Kothet is due to be re-rolled in SE to work on the port of Dremora Hearthfires real soon now. I may also make a "Playable Dremora" mod to go with it, as you can't package optional parts for XBox1; they have to be separate mods.

Woo, Skyrim Silanu! Enchanted riding crops, that's awesome.

Sounds like a mod for Ghastley's Gweden Brothel!

Here is an update from my freelance larcenist Jacelyn Michel. She travels with Vigilance, a disobedient stray dog called Dammit, and her man Vorstag. Previously they returned to Riften with an ore sample after an adventure in Shor's Stone. It's longish and story-ish, so I'll put it in spoiler tags for easy scrolling.

Jace: page 39

Wow, Jace is really racked up in that pic! I love her red short ponytail.

Yeah, this was right after she debated asking the Face Sculptor for a boob job, so I found her a top that hiked her size 0s right up to her chin. I think that ponytail is from Azar's Ponytail Hairstyles. That's my favorite hair mod. Jace gave herself a very short haircut some time ago, and it's finally grown out a little.

Her hair is definitely from Azar's Ponytails. I recognize it. It is one that I ported over to my Deadwalker mod for Sky Persephone to have, but did not end up using.

I'm so glad you mentioned her hair. I hadn't noticed that she even had hair, much less its color or style. . . .

Grits what fun to see Jace here!

’Jace decided that made enough sense. "Tell me how you want to handle things. Whatever you say, I'll do it." - - I was struck by Jace’s trust in Vorstag here. From following their story over at Haven, I know he has earned and readily returns it.

’Makes sense. "Should we bury him?"
Vorstag's brow wrinkled as he considered. "He won't know the difference. But it will make a better tale to tell his lad." - - I love all that this says.

Renee's got a lot to answer for: I just named my Breton archer, (who's testing the Special Edition version of Dremora Hearhtfires), Beau Yeure.

He's definitely smitten with his housecarl, even if she is bigger than him, and carries a nasty mace.

Thank you, Acadian! It took us a while, but she found her way home.

ghastley, yay for Renee's influence! I can't resist a Beau.

Jace and Vorstag had some excitement at the mill. Here's Jace's version:


~Jace: Page 40~

To Jacelyn's surprise, when she woke it was still morning. In fact it was early. The Saxhleel innkeeper had not yet brewed his foul-smelling morning drink and brought it to his lady-lizard in their nearby private quarters. Even her sleeping dogs stayed sprawled over the floor as she untangled herself from Vorstag and stepped over them to use the chamber pot.

Jace slipped a tunic over her head and ghosted through the silent inn. Marcurio the Imperial wizard-for-hire sat downstairs asleep on his bench, head tipped back against the wall. Jace helped herself to a few coin pouches and a bottle of wine from the bar. She guessed that the Bee and Barb must be under Thieves Guild protection if they left valuables out in the open. Jace congratulated herself for remaining an independent operator. A kahve pot sat at the edge of the night hearth. She filled a tankard for the mage and another to share with Vorstag.

Marcurio woke while she was checking his pockets.

"Good morning," Jace murmured into his ear, lifting one of his hands to meet the kahve mug. "This is for you. I'm sorry I missed you last night." She left the thoroughly confused wizard fumbling with the hot beverage and trotted back up the stairs before he could speak. Empty purse and a mundane dagger. Dammit. I guess he's still looking for work.

Jace stepped back over the dogs, dropped her tunic next to the steaming mug, and woke Vorstag in their favorite way. "And you brought me kahve," he groaned, eyes still closed. "You're a good woman, Jace."

By mid-morning Jace fervently wished she had stayed in that bed. The skies had opened up as they left Riften Stables, and it poured down rain the entire way to Heartwood Mill. At least it isn't snow, she thought. Then she remembered that she had promised they would go to Winterhold, a place that boasted sixteen kinds of frozen precipitation. Maybe next summer, she decided. Or the one after that.

They found the mill still and silent. Vors indicated in his wordless way that he would settle the horses while Jace looked around for Grosta or Gralnach. She decided that their ill news would be best delivered indoors, preferably next to a roaring fire. Perhaps even seated with her bare feet wrapped in hot towels. A crack of thunder made her jump, then the whoosh of great wings drove the reverie right out of her head.

"Dragon!" Jace downed one of the potions she had brewed from canis root, Namira's rot stems, and juniper berries. She flipped her leather shoulder wrap out of the way and squinted against the rain, searching for a target. The dragon saved her further trouble by landing right behind her. Jace's involuntary shriek drowned in the war cries uttered by Vorstag, her battle dogs, and two Rift Hold guards whose patrol had brought them to the mill. The dragon's roar overwhelmed them all as its Words turned to flame in the air.

As soon as Jace realized she was not on fire, she cast her mage armor and reached for an arrow. Vorstag and the guards had the confidence or possibly blind fury to shoot at the beast while it circled, but Jace used the time to coat her arrow points in a lingering poison. It was her best, made from mora tapinella caps, imp stool mushrooms, and the lovely deathbell flowers. Jace knew that while the battle-hardened Nords might pierce the dragon's hide with their arrows, hers needed only to make contact. The poison would seep between its scales and slowly do its work, whether they survived to see the results or not.

For a time Jace's world narrowed to the mill's muddy yard. Run. Turn. Loose. Run some more. It was Vorstag who finished it by sprinting between the downed beast's flailing wing and snapping jaws to bury his blade in its neck.

They stood in silence while the magicka that had bound the dragon's soul to its ancient remains dissipated in a storm of noise and light, leaving only dusty scales and bones behind. Jace relaxed once she had accounted for all of their dogs and horses.

Vors drew Jace against his side. "This life may be short and sharp, but at least we have each other."

"Who are you calling short," she replied, wrapping an arm almost around his waist. She turned her face and drank in the scorched, sweaty, wet-leather, living stink of him.

"They're in the house, I'd wager." He kissed Jace on the forehead between her charmed circlet and rain hood. "Come on, we have some news to deliver."

Just my kind of romantic couple . . .

Jace has the ability to make petty thievery seem. . . charming.

’The dragon's roar overwhelmed them all as its Words turned to flame in the air.’ - - Beautifully worded, this is.

Jace is also getting to be quite the alchemist!

Aww, she and Vors make such a good couple.

Glad to see Jace is still running strong, Grits!

And I'm glad that Grosta and Gralnach weren't outside when the dragon turned up. Grosta's not equipped for fighting dragons, and they don't need to add an orphan to the party.

Aw, thanks folks. Jace has endeared herself to me since she's grown up and settled into herself a little. I have a soft spot for Vorstag since Rowan married him so long ago. I like that he's so aggressive but has some very soft-spoken dialog.

ghastley, I thought the same thing. Orphan Gralnach has thrown a wrench into the works in more than one of my games.

The main even of this update comes from my supplementary dice roll system. The game is far more forgiving than I am. New spells from SubRosa's awesome Nature Summoning mod.



~Jace, Page 41~

Leifnarr's family took the news better than Jace expected. She supposed that his absence had already given them time to grieve. Grosta gifted Vorstag with the Ebony Greatsword of Lightning for his trouble. Jace made their farewells and quickly dragged him back out into the storm before anyone could change their mind.

Vors stood admiring the blade, as if he could see anything through the deluge. He stashed his battleaxe and secured the new sword at his back before he mounted.

"I was afraid you were going to refuse to take that," Jace said, raising her voice over the rain. "Or give it to the lad, or something."

"Nah, that would shame them. Besides, I doubt it's an heirloom, at least of their family. More likely a trade for lumber that now they can't get the value out of."

Vors nudged his horse toward the bridge, but Jace took another moment to re-check her gear. She checked once more, not believing her eyes. "Vorstag! Do you have the Sanguine Rose?"

He didn't have it. All of the knots and buckles were in place, seemingly untouched since Jace had secured them. The staff was simply gone.

"It couldn't have fallen off when Midnight bolted," Jace said. "I can't believe a thief stole it and then took the time to re-tie my knots without putting a branch or something in its place to taunt me." She rested her forehead against Midnight's neck for a moment while her nerves settled. "Vorstag, do you suppose Sanguine took it back?"

"Uh huh. I knew this was coming. You don't party like you used to since you quit the skooma, love. When was the last time you instigated a Dunmeri cluster hump, or even fell down drunk in public?"

Even under the circumstances, Jace couldn't resist teasing him. "Solitude. But I was thinking about you the whole time."

Vorstag's brows lifted. "That was, uh, one of those questions where you don't want the answer."

"Rhetorical," Jace giggled. "I was jesting, though. I didn't have much fun while… you know. While we were apart."

"Yeah, that was a rhetorical question. What I meant was, it's been a while. You're closer to Dibella than Sanguine these days. I'm all for it. If that old goat-Prince wants his staff back, good riddance. Besides, the next time Krethuzet showed up to take you to a pocket realm for the night, I was going to rip his horns off and shove them up his nostrils."

"But Vors, this is a disaster! Krethuzet has saved our asses so many times! What are we going to do without him?"

"By Talos, you don't leave me much pride!" Vorstag flexed in protest.

"I'm sorry." Jacelyn mounted and moved her horse closer to his. "I don't doubt you, that's not what I mean. I mean I can't help you the way that dremora does, and I'm afraid I'll get you killed without him. I can shoot better now, but I can't stand my ground like a warrior. Remember Ansilvund?"

"I remember. Jace, you're a mage, and you're a Breton. You don't need a staff to summon something."

"My little wolf can't protect me very well, much less fight whatever you take on. I'm scared again, Vorstag."

"Then get a new spell. You can do this. We'll go back through Riften instead of the other way around the lake. Let's see what that mage at the keep can teach you."

The mage at the keep had a spell to conjure a flame atronach. Jace hesitated, imagining Vorstag and the dogs on fire if she lost control of her summoning. Then she struck up a conversation with a spellsword who was using Wylandriah's alchemy bench. He turned out to be an itinerant Conjuration trainer. Jace found his Nature Summoning spells made far more sense to her than Wylandriah's Daedric ones. By the time dinner was served out at the great hall's tables, Jace could conjure a sabre cat. She purchased a second tome to study when her skill improved enough.

"Thanks," Jace called as he walked out to his meal. As soon as she was alone in Wylandriah's chambers, Jace stashed two of the court mage's spell tomes in her bag. Then she slipped into the Jarl's quarters and swiped some jewelry. Screw you Laila, and screw you Thieves Guild. Maven, you're next.

It seemed a bad idea to stick around town for the night. Jace found Vorstag repairing their gear at The Scorched Hammer. They headed for Shor's Stone.

Now Jace can conjure a Sabre Cat. But can she make love like a Sabre Cat? She better buy some genuine Falmer Blood Elixir!

Since he met Jace, Brynjolf is now selling Genuine Jace's Blood Elixir!

Jace's encounter with Cuhulain was really neat. Just as when Jensa met Starhawk, it was at the perfect time to re-focus her on the divinity that she has always carried within her. Can't thank you enough for that mod.

Yay, Jace is conjuring critters! I also love SubRosa's Nature Summoning mod. Like all her other mods, it is wonderfully crafted with lots of attention to detail and flawlesly put together.

I'm sure that summoning a ball of teeth, claws and fur will make Jace a much more potent adventuress.

Grits! Good to see you writing again. I especially like this part...



I notice you're up to Page 41 though, where are the first uh....38 pages? Yeah, that is awesome, being able to summon a giant cat, hee hee!

I just started gaming with Bjorn Tubewyyld again. He's my tough guy doing the Thieves Guild quest, except he really stinks at thievery. He is supposed to steal a jeweled pitcher from House Gray-Mane but nobody ever seems to go to bed in this house. They just stay up, doing nothing. It almost seems like the quest was written specifically for a super-stealthy PC who can manage to sneak right by these folks.

Thankfully, TG has other types of quests, in which my tough guy actually gets to be a tough guy. Maybe I will make a more stealthy type of character in the future.

Acadian, I am relieved that she's headed down this path and getting in touch with her Breton-ness instead of going more Daedric. All around more healthy for her!

Thanks, Renee! The first 38 pages are posted throughout the old Beth Dead Is Dead threads and also together in a single thread on the Haven site, but unfortunately that part of the Haven site is now only visible to members. I thought about starting a thread for Jace here from page 1, but it's one of those things where I just don't know. You know?

I'm happy to hear that B. Wyyld is toughing his way through the Thieves Guild. I can see him strutting around with the other guys in the Ratway. In Skyrim I could never get a character to click in those quests unless they were a thug or a super-sneak before they got started. I found that questline very fun after a few attempts with just the wrong characters.

Well this gives me a reason to finally join Haven then, so no worries. I want to read about Jace.

6:45 pm, Loredas, Heartfire 13, 4th Era 201 -- Bjorn Tubewyyld has returned to Riften, and been thrown in jail. Who knows what he'd done? He stole a horse back in Whiterun, but since each hold tracks its own criminals & bounties, whatever crimes he committed happened last spring.

Anyways, before going to jail, he did the smart thing, and returned to Fort Greenwall, where he managed to store all his stolen items in his barrel, which I named "Bjorn's Barrel" (ha ha). After this, he calmly walked outside, and was arrested. But at least this way, after his arrest he'll be able to get all the things he's stolen in other holds, and make some coin down in the Ratway.

Late Afternoon. Turdas, Heartfire 18, 4th Era 201

Days Passed: 32

Bjorn Tubewyyld is staying overnight in Mixwater Mill. Since restarting his game, I've come up with one major new rule: no more healing. He's not supposed to use spells at all, but in the past I've allowed him the default healing spell. But it just doesn't feel right for his game! Potions & scrolls are okay, but he's supposed to be a big ox of a man, who just isn't interested in using spells.

He's also being much more of an a$$. He just bullied a couple Vigilant of Stendarr guys out of their potions and gold. I don't like this side of him, but this is what HE wants to do.

He is headed toward Winterhold on his stolen horse. There, he'll go to Snow Veil Sanctum to meet Mercer Frey (Thieves Guild stuff).

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

Born 2Bwild sounds a bit like that Maul thug if Riften. And I see horse thievery knows no provincial boundaries. Lousy at thievery and no healing spells - sounds like fun and challenging limitations to work with and around.

Yup, you see what I mean Acadian. it would be like if Buffy was this she-woman, full of strength and arrogance, instead of being rather fragile and sensitive. That ain't her.


===============


Mid-morning, Loredas, Heartfire 19

Days Passed: 33

Bjorn spent the previous night in Candlehearth Hall. After spending way too much gold to rent a room here, one of the inn's patrons walked in and sat down on Bjorn's bed. Bjorn got in the guy's face (Rolff Stone-Fist is his name, I think) trying to intimidate him, but Rolff wouldn't budge.

So Bjorn got in a fist-fight with him! Beat the guy until he was crawling on the floor. Because of this, Bjorn was arrested, but decided to pay a small fine of 41 gold. Anyway, some first day in Windhelm, huh? He spent the rest of the day buying & selling, and also made some hide armor to sell for extra money.

He left Windhelm at about mid-day, getting back on his stolen horse. Arrived at Fort Kastav just as dusk was setting in. The mages here weren't no sissies, their magics were better than usual. So he had to get on his horse and flee. Luckily a trio of Redguard happened to be just up the road (a woman and two men, both the men had curved swords. Curved. Swords.) and Bjorn managed to lure the two mages north, until the Redguards got interested in fighting the mages. But nobody lasted very long once Bjorn's battleaxe was out and swinging again.

Spent the night in Fort Kastav. Nice and cozy.

Loved 2B's first day in Windhelm!

Clever, leading one group of foes into another.

@Grits - I really liked your description of the Bee and Barb in the morning. You pictured the overall atmosphere very well. Love the dialogue between Jace and Vorstag.

@Renee - Aard got into fistfight with Rolff for exactly the same reason as Bjorn. Aard wasn't arrested, though, because you can provoke Rolff through dialogue in which case he starts the fistfight. Curved things sometimes solve all problems.

Acadian: yea, making two different types of enemies fight each other is a good thing to do especially if we've got a horse to ride around on. We can lure one group of enemies into some real messes!

Lopov: Interesting Aard did the same thing! I don't remember Rolff coming in and sitting on our bed in the vanilla game.



Sundas, Heartfire 21

Arrived to Winterhold. Not much to write about, the place is small, dreary, and has no action. Bjorn did manage to chat with the Frozen Hearth's prostitute. He hasn't got enough gold to hire her, but he'll be back.

Morndas, late afternoon, Heartfire 22

Days Passed: 36
Hours Slept: 374
Hours Waited: 60

Gold Found: 7,209



After some searching, Bjorn managed to find Mercer Frey outside of Snow Veil Sanctum. Mercer is convinced that Karliah the traitor is somewhere inside this place. Bjorn decided to walk his horse back to the village of Amol*, which is about a half-hour away. Well, it's not really "his" horse, but ... it carries a lot of his stuff.

After walking the horse back to Amol, he and Mercer returned to Snow Veil Sanctum and did some damage here! They only got so far though, before getting tired and returning to Amol.


* some mod I've got which adds a lot of the towns & villages of TES1: Arena into Skyrim

Let's break some skulls!

And have a little fire!

Bjorn Tubewyyld!!! (Mercer Frey in background)

Lady of the evening, huh? How much you charge?

Bjorn really looks wild - a true ruffian.

Do you use some mod that darkens dungeons?

Yea I do, and (again) cannot remember its name. It also darkens regular interiors (like inns) and makes nighttime darker too.

Nice shots, Renee! Tough guy in his element.

He is definitely Bjorn to be Wild!

High Ambassador Lambert De Orayana didn’t sleep well this night. Not because of his important political position in Morrowind, where he’s for years been acting as the most important representative of High Rock, but because his youngest daughter departed on another adventure.

“You know what, father? One of these days I’m going to explore Velothi Mountains,” Forrah said one morning and Lambert De Orayana knew that one of these days was going to be that very day. He didn’t even bother to try and talk Forrah out of it – he knew very well that she inherited unpredictability and single-mindedness from her late mother, Arkay bless her soul. But Lambert De Orayana not only lost his wife but his eldest son as well, and as such, he was afraid each time Forrah departed on another adventure. So far the girl’s been lucky but when she sometimes told him about events that occurred to her, Lambert De Orayana thanked the Divines for watching over his daughter.

But this night something was different. He woke up, covered in sweat, and immediately thought of Forrah. Something must have happened to her, he was sure of that…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

…and this time Lambert De Orayana had every reason to be afraid. Forrah was lying in a pool of her own blood, nothing but loincloth on her body, her breathing shallow.

“Is this…the end?” a voice in her head asked.

“No…” she uttered and spat blood out of her mouth. “It can’t…end…like…this!”

With her remaining strength she raised her left palm and concentrated…every muscle of her body hurt but most of all hurt her head. But hours of arduous restoration training paid off and yellow light appeared in Forrah’s left palm. Within minutes she could feel healing magic run through her beaten body - bleeding was stopping, wounds were closing and her eyes were slowly opening again. She took a deep breath, delighted to find out that bleeding in her mouth stopped as well. Carefully, she stood up. A wolf howled not far away.

“Wolves…then I’m still close. They tossed me out, thinking I was dead. How very wrong they were…” Forrah deviously smiled, slowly sneaking in the direction of howling. It was bloody cold but right now she didn’t mind. Her mind was set on one thing only – revenge.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You threw that bitch out?” the Butcher asked Steff, one of the bandits under his command in Cragslane Cavern.

“Yes, boss.” Steff didn’t dare to look the Butcher in his eyes.

“How could you be so dumb, you idiot? You were supposed to guard her but she managed to untie her hands in front of your very eyes!”

“It wasn’t just me, boss! Gro-Yozha was watching over her as well!” Steff protested.

“Of course, that’s why he’s dead now!” the Butcher yelled back. “She freed herself and burned Gro-Yozha before he even grasped what’s going on! I had to act, else she’d kill both of you imbeciles! I hit her too hard but if you had actually watched over her, she couldn’t escape! The bitch was rich, so it’s a real shame she’s dead. She was a daughter of some wealthy ambassador, we could fetch a nice ransom for her. I paid one thousand septims to my friend from Morrowind to get information about her whereabouts, I spent one week stalking her, and when I finally managed to get my hands on her, you and Gro-Yozha ruined my plan!!! Better start thinking where you will get one thousand caps unless you want to be thrown to the wolves for my amusement!”

Steff said nothing and the Butcher continued to polish his battleaxe. He had a fine operation going on in Cragslane Cavern. Not only was he setting wolf fights, earning on bets, but he was the main skooma supplier in the region. Being close to Skyrim’s eastern border made it easy to get customers from Morrowind as well, though with the Civil War escalating even passing to Skyrim via Velothi Mountains wasn’t safe anymore. Occasionally the Butcher would kidnap someone rich and demand hefty ransom, just like he intended to do with the ambassador’s daughter. Too bad his stupid fellows foiled his plan. Uproar was heard from the other room where gamblers were betting on wolves. It was nothing unusual for his customers to get loud, especially if they drank lots of mead but this time it sounded like they were fighting someone.

“It’s her!” someone shouted. “The woman that’s supposed to be dead! Ahhh!”

“It can’t be!” The Butcher grabbed his battleaxe and ran to the other room. She couldn’t survive that hit, could she? He could swear he had heard her skull cracking.

But there she was. Standing in nothing but her loincloth, wielding a mace in one hand and flames in another. There was a pile of dead gamblers and bandits at her feet.

“Looks like I didn’t hit you hard enough?” yapped the Butcher. “Doesn’t matter. Maybe this time I can make you ‘mine’ again. You are worth…aargh! Bloody bitch!” Forrah’s flames burned the Butcher’s face.

“I’ll kill you for this!” He fiercely swung his battleaxe…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

…and hit Forrah hard in her left shoulder. The Butcher was a formidable opponent, she already experienced it on her own skin. But this time she wasn’t outnumbered and this time she won’t make the same mistake of not healing herself during the battle. She hit the Butcher with her mace and as he staggered, she jumped back, healing herself. He once again attacked fiercely and Forrah couldn’t avoid this blow either but she reacted quickly, burning his face yet again, causing him to wobble for a few seconds. Forrah’s head was hurting from the Butcher’s last blow and she knew that this time she might not survive another strike from his heavy battleaxe. The Butcher already raised it high, ready to strike a killing blow, but Forrah was quicker, she ran right into his chest and with remaining strength swung her mace directly to his head. The Butcher’s skull cracked, he dropped his battleaxe and in the next second the great bandit collapsed to the floor, the years-long criminal operations over for good. Forrah fell to her knees next to his corpse and just like before, she concentrated and flames in her left hand gave way to a soothing yellow light, healing magic again circling through her body.

About half an hour later Forrah, donned in heavy armor that once belonged to her captor, stepped out of the Cragslane Cavern into the cloudy sky of…

“…of where?” she asked herself. “Am I still in Morrowind? Or already in Skyrim? I don’t remember anything from the moment when I lost my consciousness. So, Forrah, time to find out where in Oblivion you are.”

What a fascinating and creative beginning to Forrah’s Skyventures!

Those bandits captured the wrong woman!

’I paid one thousand caps to my friend from Morrowind’ - - How many septims = a cap?

OMG that's what happens after playing months of Fallout only. I read the story over several times but completely missed this. I'll edit it now.

Nicely done, Forrah! That was awesome. Fun to read. And the backstory makes sense too, with her being stalked because she is rich.

To those who don't know, Lopov is using some sort of alternate start mod called "Death Alternative?" that starts our PC as nearly-dead in several scenarios.

Tirdas, Heartfire 23

This day was mostly spent getting deeper into Snow Veil Sanctum. Karliah has not been found because the place is pretty big. Again, Bjorn and Mercer had to return to Amol to rest up, after many hours of delving.

Bjorn currently uses an ordinary, unimproved iron battleaxe as his primary weapon. He managed to find a Bow of Soul Snares somewhere in the past. This traps souls, as long as he's got a gem big enough. He doesn't use most of the soul gems he creates though; instead he sells most of these. Soul gems with souls in them fetch more gold, you see.

Monetarily, Bjorn's money tends to fluctuate, but he's never really been "rich" ...yet. I suspect he will eventually get rich, but right now he only has 63 gold. I have a scarcity mod in my Skyrim games though, so for one of my Skyrim chars. on PC to get rich, requires that they actually work for it!

Bjorn leveled up to 15 during this session. He had two perks to choose, so I gave him Light Armor: Agile Defender (2/5) and Archery: Overdraw (2/5). I also use a mod called Third Era Attributes, so I dumped +2 into Strength, +3 into Agility (he really needs this to pick locks better, omg), and +3 into Endurance.

@Acadian - thanks! It was nice to start the game with a different scenario instead of the default one.

@Renee - thanks! When you say that Bjorn and Mercer retreated back to Amol, do you mean Fort Amol? I'm asking because that fort is far from the Snow Veil Sanctum. I like it, though, that exploring a ruin takes more than just one attempt.

__

Dear father,

I’m in Skyrim! How I came to be here, I shall reveal to you once I return, but for the time being you should know that I’ve been safe and sound in the province of the Nords and that I intend to stay here for a while.
I’m writing this letter in Winterhold, the only place in Skyrim from where magical letters can be sent to almost any place in Tamriel – at least that’s what the man in charge of magical letters claims. I could have sent an ordinary letter by a courier but it’d take weeks for the letter to reach you. Thanks to magic, you should get this letter in two days at most. Next to it will be a blank paper and a magical quill which you can use to write back and I shall get your answer right here, in Winterhold. I’ll wait in the town, not that there’s much left of it, for a few days and assist around the College of Winterhold. You were a student of the College, weren’t you?

I’m aware that the following news might upset you but I want to share it with you, father - I’ve seen the Snow Elves! I know you’ve seen lots of them in your adventurous days and that you asked me to avoid their underground lairs if I ever find myself in Skyrim but blood is indeed thicker than water, and the cave I ventured into, at first seemed like an ordinary one, only after I descended deeper, I met its blind denizens. At first I thought to turn around and run away, which is what you’d prefer me to do, but what kind of adventurer would that make me?

I hope you’re doing fine and that the political turmoil in Morrowind doesn’t keep you busy from dawn ‘til dusk so that you still manage to find some free time for yourself.

Forrah, 30th of Last Seed

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Forrah,

I’m delighted to “hear” from you and I thank you for letting me know about your whereabouts. I’ve spent some of the most interesting years of my life in Skyrim. I was indeed a student at the College, that’s where I trained my restoration so I could one day pass the knowledge to my children.

But as you already experienced on your own skin – the province is very dangerous, especially if one ventures in its deeper reaches. I know you’re a skilled adventurer but I’d once again ask you to be careful, especially if you’re going to explore underground lairs and forgotten ruins. Indeed, you’re following in your mother’s and my footsteps. Though in a way your letter scares me about what’s yet to happen to you in Skyrim, it makes me proud of you – not many can survive fighting Snow Elves and tell stories about that.

I’m not familiar with these magical letters but I’ll try and include a special necklace with it. It will slightly protect you from catching diseases. I wish you caution, wisdom and luck on your travels and I hope that my answer reaches you in time.

Your loving father, 1st of Hearthfire

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With the new necklace snapped around her neck Forrah left Winterhold and headed west towards Mzinchaleft to retrieve a sword for her friend from Riften.