I like that last picture. To me, it looks like Abiene is asking who let that boar bleed all over her shoes, and Lil is appealing to the viewer for exoneration, despite being the only one with a bow.

Grits, what a fabulous update on the gang! I know what Jerric means about being reluctant to kill goblins. I know they smell bad and will happily filet you up to augment their rat stew but. . . just look at those big beautiful and gracefully sweeping ears. We figure they’re some kind of throwbacks to ancient cave mer.

Uh oh, Jerric doesn’t look happy at the Sleeping Mare. I’m surprised he didn’t shake Darnand until a bottle fell out of the the mage’s snazzy robes.

Woot! Boar BBQ! Good shooting Lil, and congrats on no collateral damage. I like her bow – is that one of Brash’s? Speaking of Lil, is she still using/happy with her little summoned Maigrets bat triplets?

Well at least Jerric did not get shot in the back this time! Back in my pen and paper RPG days there was one campaign where another person's character Bax was always shooting my character Ethan in the back. It was practically guaranteed that he would get me at least once every battle. Eventually we started calling him Bax-Shooter.

I miss picking flowers in Oblivion. There are so many in Cyrodiil, and they don't get cut down after you pick them. I can never pick them in Skyrim because it makes the world look ugly without any flowers in it.

I see the Vile Clavicale's shrine is the background of that one pic. Perhaps someone had an ulterior motive for stopping there...?

Jerric looks so pissed in that pic at the Pells Gate inn! How perfectly Nordic! Like Captain Jack (Sparrow - savvy?) and "Why is the rum gone?"

I love how Abiene is giving everyone else the cold shoulder after the boar died all over her shoes!

Sal the Argonian:



Seeing the Imperial City behind him, Sal hastily made his way to the bank of the lake, and swam across it, putting as much distance between him and it as he could. On the other side he saw a campfire, but as he approached he was attacked. First by a Dunmer wielding a bow, then a Redguard with a heavy axe. Both fell to Sal's arrows, and he took the Dunmer's bow, since his was old and rusty. He helped himself to their meal, since they weren't hungry anymore, and busied himself gathering anything of value or use in their camp, before going for an after dinner swim in the lake. Feeling refreshed he then made use of the nearby tent and bedroll.

He was awakened, early in the morning by his nose. A stranger now stood in the camp, an old Breton in a blue robe. Perhaps he was a friend of those who had been there, Sal thought, because as soon as he caught sight of Sal he attacked! As the Breton summoned a scamp, Sal called forth the only thing he could, a skeleton and as the two fought he tried to find an opportunity to shoot at the mage. As the Breton's scamp tore his skeleton limb from limb, aided by the somewhat berserk Breton, Sal managed to plant two arrows in the Breton's chest, though the Breton had cast a spell that shielded him from the worst of the impacts. As the scamp dissipated the Breton charged, only to receive a third arrow, this time in the face, that put him down permanently. Sal was quick to search the body, taking the man;s robes and shoes, along with a book he was carrying. Sal opened it and began to read, and felt a question forming in his mind. The book was magic, and offered him a spell, minor life detection, and Sal could feel that even a novice could cast it, so accepted. That done, Sal returned to his purloined bedroll for a few more hours of sleep.

In the morning he set out for Chorrol, having only a vague sense of where it was, and checked every roadsign he could find. It had been more than two decades since he's last been in Cyrodiil, and back then he had only been a child. It took most of the day, but he made his way to Weynon Priory, though not without incident. Twice he had been ambushed by Khajiit, demanding 100 gold to let him pass. Twice he pleaded poverty, and twice his plea was met by a cold, feral grin and the assurance that the Khajiit would kill him for free. Both times Sal had to rely on his summoned skeleton and his spells, being too close to use his bow effectively. He had cast aside his iron bow, taken from the Dunmer by the lake, in favour of a fine steel one he had found. The soundless voice, so familiar, had prompted him to leave the path for a time, and explore the above ground portion of what looked to be a ruined fort. He had found the bow there, near the skeleton of it's owner, picked clean by who knew what.

As he entered the Priory, one of the monks asked him why he was there, Sal told him he had to speak to Jauffre, and was old to head upstairs. Sal did so and was surprised. He had been expecting a warrior, not an old man. He felt compelled to make sure this was the right man.

“Jauffre?”

“I am he, what do you want?” Sal was taken aback by the fire and steel he saw in the old man's eyes. Though he was old, clearly he was still a fighter.

“I was sent by Baurus. He told me to give you this” Sal removed the amulet from the pack Baurus had given him, and Jauffre's eyes widened in shock.

“How did you get this? What happened? Why did Baurus not come himself?”

“Baurus gave it to me, he said to bring it to you, he had to stay with the body of the Emperor. Please sir, I don't know what happened. I was arrested when I came to Cyrodiil, I don't know why. They came through my cell, and I followed them. They were being attacked, robed figures with armour that appeared from nowhere. They went through a door and locked it behind them, and I found another way to go. When I met them again only Baurus still lived. He was wounded, slumped in a corner beside the body of the old man they'd been escorting, him and the other two. Then Baurus told me who it was, and to take the amulet and give it to you.”

Jauffre expression had shifted throughout the story, moving from suspicion to horror to grief, and now returned to suspicion. “I don't trust you, Argonian. But I do not believe you were involved in this. If you were you would not have come. I will send a message to the Imperial City, ensuring you are pardoned for any crimes committed before today. Now go, the Blades will deal with the situation.”

CT: A tried, true and wonderful way to unload the amulet and deal with Jauffre for characters (like Salamander) who seem not interested in Main Questing.

Great account of Sal’s return to Cyrodiil. I’m glad he can follow his own interests now that the Blades are on the job.

Grits: Great write-up! I like how one person gets hurt and another is there to heal him or her. Sounds just like a true adventuring party.

CT: Yaah! Sal the Argonian returns! Love the picure, and the tale.



:thumbsup:

Acadian, that is indeed one of Brash’s gorgeous bows. Jerric picked up a selection for Lil long before I figured out how to actually put her in his game. She’s been switching between that one and the juniper wood one (on her own), but she seems to favor the plain-looking juniper one more. Jerric just had it lightly enchanted for her at the Mystic Emporium (thanks to SubRosa’s mod), mostly so she can carry arrows other than the silver ones and still be effective against the various things that try to eat them. She dislikes the shiny look of the silver ones. Jerric bought a number of things for his friends while waiting for them to join him in his game. Part of why he is always broke.

Lil still adores her sweet summoned bats. She hasn’t used them lately because she hasn’t been underground or in trouble out alone at night due to the group’s recent shopping trip. There’s a little story simmering away about Lil and the bats. Also the orb that’s associated with them looks really neat on a shelf. I’ve snagged yet another of Maigret’s wonderful animal companions to live at Weynon Priory. She’s in at least one of today’s pictures. Bringing her home to the Priory will be another road trip later.


In the era’s longest shopping trip the friends strolled from the boar picnic to Weye under a lovely sunset, stopping in at the archer camp to stock up on fletching supplies first. Nothing exciting happened at the Wawnet Inn where they spent the night. Probably because Nerussa sounded very happy to see Jerric even though he has not gotten any of her special wine to her. Though he has found some.

They got an early start for the walk into the Imperial City. First order of business was tracking down Velwyn Benirus and setting him straight on some issues. Then the market district beckoned. Jerric left most of their money there. Surprisingly the issue was Lildereth. She only wanted one dress. But it cost as much as a house. Thankfully he still had his spell-making budget since we forgot he has no AU access in this game. They skipped the taverns and headed to the Waterfront where mead might be cheaper. Also the girls wanted to go shoe shopping and get their hair done.

On the way they stopped in at the Temple of the One. Jerric couldn’t help but think it was missing something.

At the waterfront shop (Goddess Store) Jerric got lots of ideas for Saturalia, but most of them would be considered gifts for him. Thankfully he could afford a pair of sandals for Abiene because she was not happy about wearing brown quilted shoes with her new outfit. Jerric was not happy about the doublet she made him wear, but he didn’t whine about it. Plus he likes her new shoes.

They’re presently in the Bloated Float. Jerric does not seem to like Ormil the proprietor. It’s probably mutual.

Skipping taverns? They sure must be low on Septims for that to happen!

And I see Lil is running to catch up in the first pic!

Nice to see that Jerric cleaned up for the visit to the temple.

Did the team pick up a dog along the way? That big black beast looks like he is part of the entourage. Or is that from the Float?

Grits, what great fun to see the gang together. And how cool is it to have four characters to play dress up with?!?

I can certainly see they have been visiting the Goddess Store and made some wonderful selections. I'm sure it can be a bit frustrating for Abiene and Lil having to weed out all the outfits catering to cup sizes quite far into the alphabet, stilleto-heeled adventurewear and greaves that are actually just 'butt-circlets'. Yet, there are absolutely a fair number of gems hidden there for more petite and practical adventuresses.

And what fun that you found the wig section of the store!

If you are using Brash's Ranger camp mod for leather armors and wooden bows, I found it helpful to make them all essential - otherwise, they gradually get attrited by predators.

Thanks for sharing the fun adventures of Jerric and Co!

SubRosa, I'll trust Grits to correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the black (with white chest) dog in the last screen is Rosie, one of Maigrets wonderful companion mods.

I think Jerric's new shirt might be wrecked later tonight.

Sal really doesn't like the cold.


A lone figure makes it's way south from Bruma, lit by the pale morning sunlight, each step accompanied by a pleasant crunch as his feet compress the snow beneath them. Despite the thick snow, his steps are light and swift, driven by the cold. Though swathed in a fur lined black and burgundy outfit, which keeps much of him warm, he still feels the icy talons of cold sinking into the tips of his fingers and toes, and most alarmingly for him, his exposed tail. He sighs, his breath fogging in the frigid mountain air, as he considers the events of the last couple of days.

Sal hurried through the streets of Bruma, heading for the mages guild, rubbing his hands together against the cold, his burgundy linens and shirt no defence against the chill that hangs heavily over Bruma, especially since the sun had set. He sighed with relief as he entered the guildhall, grabbing his tail and trying to rub some warmth back into it's tip as he looked around, grateful simply to be out of the infernal cold. He spoke to the other mages there, bought some ingredients from the alchemist there, and spent most of the evening brewing potions and practising spells. He focused on those schools of magic he was less proficient in; alteration, mysticism, and restoration, and explored the guildhall a little, acquiring a black and burgundy outfit lined with fur, before making his way to the Jerall View Inn for the night.

The next day he spoke to the Breton woman in charge, Jeanne Frasoric, about earning a recommendation from her. She assigned him of finding a missing guildmember, a Khajiit named J'skar, who had disappeared, allegedly from a spell that backfired. This had Sal wondering. Surely a simple detect life spell would suffice? He spoke to the guild alchemist, Selena, who said she didn't want to get involved with Volanaro and J'skar and their “fun”. So Sal went to speak to Volanaro, the only other member of the guild in Bruma to be found, only to be given the same “backfiring spell” story he had told Jeanne. “Look, friend” Sal said, placing a hand on Volanaro's arm as he turned away, the faint green glow of a charm spell virtually indetectable against Volanaro's green brocade jacket, “you and I both know that you could find J'skar in a second, unless no one here can cast detect life. What's the real reason J'skar can't be found?” Volanaro looked at him for a second, his eyes slightly unfocused as if trying to figure something out, before shrugging slightly. “Heh, I guess you're right. Tell you what, you do me a favour, and I'll help you find J'skar. But you can't tell Jeanne about it. Deal?” Sal nodded, knowing he didn't really have a choice. Even if he could find J'skar, he didn't have the skill in mysticism to dispel whatever had made J'skar disappear. “That's the spirit! You'll love this. I'll teach you a simple spell for unlocking things, then you sneak up to Jeanne's room, and take her Manual of Spellcraft from her desk and bring it to me.”

Since Jeanne's room was the only one upstairs, it was easy for Sal to sneak in unnoticed, while Jeanne was busy practising her summon scamp spell. The lock on her desk yielded to the spell Volanaro had taught him, and a few minutes later he handed the book to Volanaro, who was in his room downstairs. Volanaro told him to come back after 10pm to find J'skar, so Sal spent the day practising his magics, reluctant to leave the relative warmth of the guildhall. As the apointed hour arrived he made his way down to Volanaro's room. No sooner had he entered than Volanaro closed the door behind him, then hurled a spell at the centre of the room, which struck something invisible and revealed it to be a Khajiit, J'skar, who hurried off to present himself to Jeanne, telling her how Sal had helped him. Jeanne clearly didn't accept his explanation, but wrote Sal's recommendation anyway, if only to get him out of the guildhall and away from Volanaro and J'skar. As the hour was late, Sal returned to his room at the Jerall View and turned in for the night.


And here's a gratuitous pic: Looking good, old friend

Everybody does that quest a little differently, I have noticed.

Yep, that’s Maigrets’ sweet (and huge) Rosie. Flash (Prior Maborel’s Paint) still lives at Weynon Priory in this game. I want very much to put Kvatch Rebuilt into Jerric’s world and there’s little news to be found on its status. I don’t want to start the MQ and find out I’ve screwed something up after a new version comes out (I can hope) or even the old one made available again. In the meantime Jerric found Flash a doggie companion.

Rosie will fight to defend her friends, as Jerric discovered at the Bloated Float when he decked the orc bouncer for mouthing off to him. He was already not a fan of the Float due to his history there, and then Ormil only had one bottle of ale for sale. So they ate and drank the Float’s only provisions (one bottle of ale, one wedge of cheese, and a carrot), and prepared to leave. Abiene wanted to see the waterfront from the bow so they went out for a look around. Then on the way out the orc told Jerric, “I’ve killed far worse than you.”

Good call on the shirt, KC. It didn’t make it through the fight. Jerric punched the orc, and it was on. Rosie, Darnand, and Lil jumped Ormil. Grits panicked thinking about dead NPCs since these two are not essential. The orc disappeared and Ormil inexplicably stopped fighting. No guards came.

They took a few minutes looking for the orc’s body so Abiene could attempt a healing, but it was nowhere to be found. Jerric stepped outside to surrender to the guards that he imagined must be amassing to storm the Float and bring him to justice. However outside all was calm. A beggar came up and asked for a coin. Abiene stayed inside the tavern.

So they stood around for a few minutes waiting to see what would happen. Nothing. They went back inside.

The orc was in there acting like nothing had happened. Best I can guess is he ran away. Ormil offered his customary greeting. Abiene must have been in there talking to him while the others were cooling off outside. She also may have retreated to a lower part of the boat during the fight. Who knows, there was a lot of fist and dog flying around in there. Also Darnand and Lil were both using touch Absorb Health spells on Ormil since Jerric had Lil’s weapons, so it was pretty foggy during the brawl. I can’t believe they didn’t kill him!

They left for good this time. Jerric put on a shirt and they headed away from the city. Rather mysteriously Abiene requested they stay at Pell’s Gate for the night rather than Weye. So they slept on the floor at The Sleeping Mare and headed back toward Anvil at dawn.

The Pell’s Gate folk get up early. Here Irroke the Wide assures them that the Kvatch incident will surely not repeat itself elsewhere. Jerric did not want to talk about that subject.

I anticipate a peaceful journey home, but one never knows. Jerric is worn out from this trip. I think it’s Abiene. He knows what Darnand and Lil will do in various situations, but whenever things occur he’s looking over his shoulder to check on the healer rather than doing what comes naturally. Plus he’s worried he’ll cut her in half when she runs up to heal him. Maybe he’ll come back from his next trip with a petite set of healer plate armor.

Grits, the gang looks great! I'm so glad that Rosie is fitting in. I see what you mean in her screens that she is big! Hopefully that means she can help warm the inside of a tent and won't get squashed when Jerric rolls over at night.

Awesome, thanks for sharing, Gritsy. Love those outfits!

Sounds like great (and confusing) fun on the Bloated Float! I have to admit that whenever I see the name Rosie, I think of her

Rosie rules! I couldn't imagine growing up during those times, but on the other hand, those times also brought people together in a way, and sometimes forced them to take on roles they weren't planning on.

And so here's somebody who's had to take on many different roles.

Kahreem of Weet

Class: Thief
Rank: Bandit
Level: 5
Age: 19
Bdate: Hearthfire 3, Year 314

Bounty: 90
Gold Carried: 114
Fame: 0
Infamy: 7

Skills: Literacy, Blunt Weapons, Shield, Horsemanship, Running, Thief

Morndas 12:44 am
Sun's Dusk 12, 3E 433

The night is clear, the skies full of twinkling stars, as Kahreem of Weet walks his horse slowly (and finally) towards Bravil.

"Seventeen days!" he says, after counting backwards in his mind. "Seventeen days I was in that ... stinking town!"

He rides without incident, past a lodge (which is locked with a 4-tumbler, Kahreem discovers), and a small hamlet by the riverside. The thief ponders trying the doors in this hamlet, but then discards the idea.

"All they got in there is some corn and food and some cheap weapons. No, I'm looking to plunder the BIG score! The castle! .. Maybe when I get back to--"

Suddenly he stops. A figure is in the road. The figure is dark, but definitely man-sized. As Kahreem squints, he notices the figure's got a tail. And he (or she) is aiming a bow in his direction.

"To arms! TO ARMS!" shouts the Khajiit bandit aiming the bow. He fires an arrow, hitting Kahreem's stolen bay horse.

"I used to be one of you, you know!" Kahreem tries to reason. "Much better living in the cities!"

"ARRGH!" plunk!

"Okay, now THAT was not necessary. You are going DOWN bandit!"

As Kahreem unhoists his club and rushes forth, the bandit swaps his bow for a daggar. "HUH!" swip swip swip swip! the bandit swipes at Kahreem four times in a row, and misses all four times. In return, Kahreem gathers all his strength, and BASHES the bandit with his club.

"Much better living in the cities!" he says calmly as the fight ensues. "You should try it. Put down your weapon, and join me."



But the bandit will have none of that! He swipes and swipes at the Weet Bandit over and over, missing much more often than hitting and injuring. "A-hahaha haaaa! You moooove like a pregnant cow!" He stabs Kahreem right in his abdomen, causing him to stagger backwards. "I am a pregnant cow, huh?" the Weet Bandit smashes the bandit once again with one of his power-swings, and follows this up with three club-bashes in a quick succession. "Hmm Humm OOOF!"

... the bandit falls dead.

"I am a pregnant cow perhaps, but I am a pregnant cow who is at least still alive."

The Weet Bandit loots the fallen bandit's body, and finds a much-needed lockpick.

"You should have joined me, sire. Did I not offer this very prospect five minutes ago? Now look at ya."



4:45 am
Kahreem finds lots of things to pick (mushrooms, flowers, herbs) on his journey. Although he is not sure exactly what they are used for, he's seen these sort of items for sale in the towns often enough that he knows he can make a few extra gold selling them. Eventually the sky lightens, and another day begins.

12:28 pm
His slow-paced stroll through the forest is interrupted by a lone wolf. As Kahreem gallops his stolen, unnamed bay at full-pace, a second wolf joins the first. As he makes his way towards the bridge fording the stream on Bravil's west side, a third wolf joins the initial two!

"Lovely day, isn't it?" ...asks one of Bravil's finest, as he shifts from one foot to the next.

"If you're looking to buy a horse, go inside and --LOOK OUT!"

Antoine Branck unhooks his war axe, while the guard draws his sword of silver. As both men fight the trio of wolves, Kahreem slyly rides his stolen bay past the melee, and dismounts in an area he hopes will be safe. A wolf manages to slip by the two men, and begins to attack Kahreem's horse. By the time the guard has finished off his opponent, he is able to help the Redguard with his.

"FORRR THE EMPIRE!"

...the guard roars, making Kahreem momentarily giggle. Kahreem was hopeful that the sudden activity of predatory animals he's brought to town will have distracted this guard, and is not disappointed when the guard does not notice the man who slips by him on the bridge. It is the same man who (1) broke into the Bravil Castle, (2) broke into Leyawiin's castle, (3) has tried (and will try) to break into every castle he can find, and most of all (4) has been accused of stealing a ring belonging to Countess Alessia Caro.

Kahreem of Weet safely enters Bravil.



Morndas, 2:17 PM
Once inside The Fair Deal, Bravil's general store, Kahreem sells all the ingredients he's picked, and winds up increasing his overall gold. He then makes sure to buy all of the cheap clothing she sells, including a fishing wader's suit. With disguise now a top priority in his everyday life, it's going to be important to change his appearance often.

He also has his gear repaired at An Archer's Paradox before heading off to The Lonely Suitor Lodge, where he hopes to meet up with S'Krivva, his Khajiit contact for the Thieves Guild. But he meets somebody else entirely.

"Is this business or pleasure?" asks a fine-looking Breton female. She is standing behind the bar, so Kahreem mistakenly thinks she is a bartender.

"Got any Cheap Wine?"

"What do you want to know?"

"Uh... what do I want to know?"

"The Doyan are the hands and eyes of the guildmaster. You taker your orders from them. You get your favors from them. The current Doyen are Armand Christophe and S'krivva," she finishes.

"You ... you are Thieves Guild?"

"Armand Christophe and S'kriva have special arrangements with the guards and judges throughout Cyrodiil," the lady, Luciana Galena says with a wink. "They can make all your outstanding warrants go away, for only half the price of the fines."

After several minutes of conversation, Kahreem gets the hint. This comely lady, her skin so pure and pale, is in fact Thieves Guild. Not only this, but she's a fence! Kahreem cannot believe his luck.

"So you are ... a 'bartender', eh? Wink wink, nudge nudge?"

"We'll see", Luciana says cautiously.

"Well you'se the finest looking bartender I ever did see!"

"Sorry. I don't get it," she answers. She gives the Weet Bandit a quick glare as she does so, hoping the stupid Redguard who's just entered the Lonely Suitor won't blow her cover.

"Hair as dark as chestnut, eyes as deeply-green as emeralds, and skin which is so delicate and white, just like porcelain. How about you and me check out my new flat. It's located right here in town."

"Don't waste your flattery on me!"

"I am sorry. Perhaps I may have been too quick with the come-ons. My name is Darnand," he says with a wink of his own. "I'm new in town. As you can see, I am dressed like an adventurer. That's because I am one. So pleased to make thy acquaintance, melady."

"I won't fight you," Galena answers, glad this 'Darnand' is finally getting her need for discretion through his skull.

"Why just the other day, I was attacked by a band of wolves. Three of them, in fact," he says, showing her his bloody-crusted club. "Well I took them down, one by one, while a wimpy guard and stablehand stood nearby and watched."

"Most impressive, I salute you!"

"Well, I'll be stopping by for more .. wine, and you'll be seeing plenty of me in this establishment. Take care!"

"Ohh I get it!" she says with a careless laugh, pretending to play along with him, while sliding him an empty bottle.

And this is how Kahreem of Weet met Luciana Galena, his second Thieves Guild fence.

Heh, love the conversation between Kahreem and Luciana. "So you are ... a 'bartender', eh? Wink wink, nudge nudge"

Well, since I've written this, might as well post it. I'll probably be back later with a second update.


The Imperial City, 3E 433, The Bloated Float

The tavern was busy, it was late afternoon, so the dockrats had started turning up, drinking away the aches of the days labour. Two Altmer are sat at the bar, each on opposite sides. One of them is Ormil, the owner, and the other is a Spellsword called Telindil, who arrived be ship that same afternoon.

“So what brings you to Cyrodiil?” Ormil asked Telindil, glad of another Altmer to talk to.

“Business and bureaucracy. I'm a freelance Spellsword, a mercenary, and since Traven reorganised the guild I've been told I need to reapply to get my certification back.”

“Your certification?” Ormil was confused by this. He knew Traven had made some changes, like the ban on necromancy, but this hadn't been covered by rumour or the Black Horse Courier.

“The guild's way of keeping track of freelance magic users. You need to be able to show basic proficiency in the schools of magic you employ, prove that you can use them safely, but you're not actually part of the guild. Well Traven put a stop to all that, and revoked the certification of everyone not a member of the Mages Guild. So I've come to Cyrodiil to find out what I need to do, since my local guildhall said that's what I needed to do, only to be told that I need to sign up to the Mages Guild if I want to practise magic legally.” Telindil shook his head and drank deeply from his tankard, the cool ale doing little to quench his anger.

“That seems rather excessive. I could understand him requesting that everyone reapply for certification if he'd made some changes to what was required, but this? It makes no sense.”

“Well they say that Traven's paranoid, convinced that Necromancers are plotting to attack the guild, or so they say, and that he wants every magic user under his command or in shackles.”

“But the-” Ormil never got to finish his sentence.

“Barkeep!” a voice roared out from behind Telindil, “Your finest ale, and be quick about it.”

Telindil groaned inwardly. He knew that voice. Casamir Lanier, a Breton. The two of them were in the same profession, and were apparently now in the same boat, literally and figuratively. Ormil scurried off, tankard in hand, and Telindil braced for the inevitable. He and Casamir had crossed paths more than a few times over the years, and never without a fight. And by the sounds of things, Casamir was already deep into his cups. This would not end well.

“What's that I see over there?! Lindy? Is that you, you goblin-fondling son of a swine?”

This time Telindil didn't bother keeping his groan inside.

“I still owe you for that last run-in, back in Hammerfell. You damn near crippled me, you bastard.” This was followed by the sound of a blade being drawn, and for a moment the whole tavern was silent, the only noise the creaking of the hull. Then the tension shattered as one of the patrons, a young Imperial woman, ran for the door, screaming for the guards. No sooner had she left than the rest of the patrons, Ormil and the Orc bouncer along with them, fled. Telindil turned to face the Breton, and no sooner had he done so than Casamir threw his first spell, a fireball. Telindil caught it on a fire shield spell, and the duel began in earnest. Fireballs hurtled back and forth, lightning bolts tore through the air, and radiant orbs of frost froze everything they touched. Magic was gathered and hurled, only to splash or ricochet off armour reinforced by defensive spells, and the force of their battle wreaked havoc on the tavern. Half the tables were frozen into a semi-solid mass to one side, the walls were covered by the crazed burn marks of lightning, and the bar was blazing merrily.

Telindil knew he was in trouble. Casamir wasn't half as drunk as he'd first appeared, and his innate Breton resistance to magic kept the worst of Telindil's spells from him. Meanwhile Telindil was being stung by every spell Casamir threw, his Altmer heritage working against him, even through his defensive spells. He knew he had to end this fight, while he still could. Batting aside an orb of frost with his blade, he charged Casamir, and the next phase of the duel began. Telindil wore only light armour of Mithril, rather than the heavy Dwemer-forged steel plates favoured by Casamir, so he was more agile than the Breton. The two danced around each other, Casamir's armour clanking with every step, their blades beating a furious tattoo as they battled. The two combatants forgot about offensive magic, instead reinforcing their shield spells whenever they could, and here Telindil had the advantage. His blade carried an enchantment of dispel, though the enchantments on Casamir's armour meant he was still the better protected. Telindil began to grow desperate. He might have been better with both blade and magic, but Casamir's defences were near impenetrable.

And in his desperation, an idea took hold. As their blades met once more, Telindil brought his free hand up before Casamir's face, and conjured the brightest light he could, shutting his eyes just before the brief flash of light. Casamir staggered backwards, blinking furiously and waving his sword blindly and his other arm waving frantically as he fought to keep his feet and clear his sight. Telindil dodged the blade and drove his sword deep into Casamir's side, piercing one of the few points he was vulnerable, under his arms. Casamir roared with pain, and swung his own sword with what remained of his fast-fading strength, burying it in Telindil's side. Both collapsed to the floor, and that was how the guards found them.

That comes from an old Monty Python skit.



Awesome. Always glad to have more words from you, CT.

Here is more from my Redguard Thief...

He just returned to Bravil, spent the night in City Swimmer's apartment, and is now going to seek S'krivva. Let's see what happens!



Days Passed: 79
Bounty: 90

The sky is so dark and rainy as Kahreem of Weet emerges from the flat recently-owned by City Swimmer, he almost thinks it's nighttime outside. But after some time, he realizes it is still day-time.



"And so begins the quest for S'krivva the fur-ball thief. May she not be so fokkinge difficult to locate."

But he does not need fret. Wearing tan clothes and stolen deer's hide shoes, he runs quickly through Bravil's muddy streets, and is greeted by the very lady he is looking to find.

"May the blessing of the Fox be upon you..." says S'krivva soon after Kahreem opens the Lonely Suitor Lodge's door.

"Blessing of the FOX? Hey, I'm just here for some Cheap Wine, and a beer to chase it down," he says, somewhat annoyed that she speaks so plainly in full view of other patrons.

"You have returned?" she asks.

"Shhh! keep your voice down. Yes I have returned furry one, and guess what? I found that stupid fokkinge ring, and returned it to its rightful owner. I think. I do not really know. Countess Caro is after me though, THAT much I am sure of," he whispers. "All thanks to some shoddy Argonian thief who can't keep a damn ring hidden away."

"Good work! You are truly an asset to the guild. I will make sure the Gray Fox himself hears about this. I am promoting yooo tooo Prowler. Congratulations."


With this, she hands him 200 gold in a small leather sack. Just like that. Kahreem is so shocked by this action, he cannot even reply. He knows who he is going to speak to next, but before he does, S'krivva the Doyen speaks first.

"I have a small problem that you may be able to help with. The guild will even pay a reward."

"The guild, you say? You speak of the Fighter's Guild, of course?" he says a little too loudly. "And certainly not the Thieves Guild, which is reputed not to exist anyways."

"That buffoon, Hieronymus Lex, has invaded the Imperial City Waterfront. Imperial Watch guards from all over the city prowl the streets," says S'krivva as she flattens her ears, her eyes glowering.

"You don't say. And how is a ... umm ... Fighter's Guild associate such as myself needed to correct the situation?"

"Hieronymus Lex has vowed not to leeave until the Gray Fox is in custody. The Fox is safe, but the Thieves Guild cannot do business like this."

"Ha ha ha, Thieves Guild? I think you mean to say Fighter's Guild!" says Kahreem. "Well what you want me to do? I've got this big, smelly club at my side."

"The poor of the Waterfront are kindred to the Gray Fox, and will not betray him," S'krivva says, ignoring the Redguard. "However, cubs soon get hungry. Soon someone will break. Many guild members could be jailed. Find Methredhel in the Imperial City. She is coordinating the guild's response."

"Ah, Methredhel, the Fighter's Guild Chapter's Guardian in the Imperial City," Kahreem says, unaware that this guild does not actually have an active house in the City itself. "I shall seeketh her out. ORC? ... A couple of drinks for fur-ball here!" he calls to the bartender. "May the Fighter's Guild rise and champion in Cyrodiil, forever!"

"Shadow hide the hunter," says S'krivva.

"'Shadow hide the hunter?' Huh, funny one that! That's exactly something a Thieves Guild member might say!" he says, inwardly cursing the stupid Khajiit for speaking so plainly. "Well, I'll be on my way, then. And Shadow hide your hunter, too. Or whatever the phrase is!"

Kahreem sits down to peel an orange, expecting at any moment the place will be invaded by a horde of guards saying "IT'S ALL OVER LAWBREAKER!".

But this does not happen.

Name: Kahreem of Weet

Days Passed: 82

Thieves Guild Rank: Prowler
Fame: 0
Imfamy: 9

Karheem the Redguard Thief makes his way back onto the Imperial City's Waterfront District. The sky is dark and rainy, and he's ready to return to his home: the Marie Elena. Before he can do so, he is suddenly chased by a single Imperial Battlemage, as he moves past the lighthouse in the middle of the Waterfront's common area. Luckily for him, he's on a bay horse at the time. Kahreem panics and does not slow for this single man, however. Instead he picks up his pace, riding his stolen bay horse to the right on the Waterfront's cobblestone causeway, and then hiding it around a corner. As he dismounts his horse, and crouches down in sneak-position, Kahreem is ready to drop some of the stolen stuff he is wearing and carrying: a set of steel gauntlets, an expensive ring*, and a cheap green shirt.

"Hmm. But wait a minute. Why didn't that other guard also come after me?"

Kahreem realizes he passed by a second guard during his panic; this one a regular Waterfront guard, and the second guard merely watched Kahreem pass, without seeming alerted by the man on the stolen horse, the same man wanted in Cheydinhal for the theft of the Bust of Llathasa, and in Leyawiin for the theft of Countess Caro's ring.

"Yeah, that's it," Kahreem says to himself. There's some sort of commotion or ruckus or something. That's what S'krivva told me down in Bravil. The guards are all over the place, looking for that fokkinge Gray fox."

Once he realizes this, the Thief walks casually back to his ship, stands in front of its door



...and makes his way inside. Where it's safe and warm, and lots of food has been recently-stocked.

"Who the fokke keeps stocking this food? ANYBODY HERE?"

...but of course, nobody answers. After a quick inspection of his ship's upper cabin area, Kahreem makes his way down below, where he sleeps on a cot in the Marie Elena's lower galley.

*



Fredas, 8:28 am, Sun's Dusk 16
The Redguard awakes early (for him), finds a sack where he stores many of his things, removes the clothes he slept in, and stores them in the sack. He then finds a middle class-styled outfit, and makes his way to the upper deck. He is hoping that (once again) his change in clothes will deter anybody who happens to be looking for him.

As he makes his way on to the Marie Elena's deck though, there's yet another Battlemage standing by! Kahreem says nothing, instead he starts to pick and eat some of the grapes he found in the Captain's Deck the previous night. "The Gray Fox is hiding nearby!" says the Battlemage imposingly, "What do YOU know about him?"

"Me? Hey, I'm just a winery bottler, come from Skingrad. I'm here to test the Imperial City's latest breed of grapes. Mmm. Tastes mighty fine! Almost as good as the Cheap W-- um... I mean to say almost as good as a bottle of Surilie's. That's what I mean to say."

After a moment had passed, the Battlemage grows disinterested of the bumbling Redguard with the grapes in his hand. "Move along citizen" he says, hoping to insert a bit of threat into his voice.



"Phew!" says the Redguard as the Battlemage rushes off the ship. "Well, off I go to see Lady Methredhel, I guess." and with this, he stalks off towards the Waterfront's poorest shacks.

9:09 AM
Hieronymus Lex, the same guard in the shiny armor Kahreem encountered some weeks before, happens to be leading the investigation into the Gray Fox's capture. "I have nothing to say to you" he says to Kahreem as he walks by, not realizing who the Redguard actually is.

"Well that makes two of us," the Redguard mutters without making eye-contact.

First, Kahreem winds up walking into Myvryna Arano's unlocked shack, where an orc stands inside. The Redguard initially thinks the orc will shoo him away, but this does not happen. Instead, the orc says...

"The Imperial Watch has imposed a curfew. We have to remain in our homes until they catch the Gray Fox."

"The Gray Fox? I've heard the man can speak a hundred tongues, and that he walks in a thousand shadows. He will remain a mystery, 'tis of my thinking," Kahreem says, hoping to sound well-read, well-rounded, and classy. "But this is not any of my concern. Pleased to meet you. My name is Lex. I'm a wine bottler from Skingrad, come to bottle some wine."

At this, the orc continues to stare at Kahreem.

"My point, ahh, yes. Time is of the essence, as they say. Might I ask the whereabouts of Lady Methredhel? .. I have heard she's got a talent for .... uh.... growing grapes, does she not? The Surilie brothers of Skingrad would like very much to offer her a job, if she does not mind a re-locating from these very premises."

"The Imperial Watch has imposed a curfew...." repeats the orc, apparently too afraid of the guard's presence outside to relay anything else. "WE have to remain in our--"

"Yeah, I get it. I get it, you don't know where she fokkinge is," he says, dropping his 'well-rounded' accent in a flash. This orc before him is useless in his quest. "I'll be on my way, then."

Kahreem walks back outside, slamming the door. "Fokke. Perhaps I can find a beggar who will tell me where she is. But I don't want to be out here all day sussing her out; I wanna gamble! The Imperial City's gambling at the Arena awaits."

11:15 AM

"I have an arrest warrant for the Gray Fox. Do you know where he is?"

"Well, she's not in that house, sir. There's some frightened orc in there, but no Gray Fox. I'll keep looking though! Hope you catch the bastard soon, and string him up like a puppet."

The guard says nothing, not realizing who he speaks to, apparently. Again, Kahreem is flabbergasted by the way the guards are conducting their investigation. Once again, they seem to be running in circles, asking anybody who's nearby for help, seemingly helpless to further their efforts in any other way.

"No sign of the Gray Fox!" a guard reports to Hieronymus Lex.
"Carry on, soldier!" Lex answers the guard, eradicating any hope that this guard might soon get a break.

Kahreem eventually remembers that Methredhel has her own shack here on the Waterfront, finds it locked with a 2-tumbler, and makes his way inside, where he finds two ladies nervously fretting about the shack's straw-littered floor.

"I hope the Imperials are done with their investigation soon," says one lady to the other. This lady has short-cropped hair. The second lady has a fuller head of blonde hair, and it is she who walks towards Kahreem first. Kahreem assumes this is Methredhel.

"Uh.. I uh... the door was unlocked. I swear!"

"The Imperial Watch has imposed a curfew!" this lady, an elf, replies. "We have to remain indoors until they catch the Gray Fox."

After a few moments of fumbling conversation, Karheem realizes the lady whom he speaks to must not be Methredhel, and walks back outside.

"Fokke!!!" he says to the sunny day before him. "Cannot find the wench, can I?"



4:15 PM

"Ahh finally," he says later on, as he strolls through the city's Temple District. "A beggar! How fares thee beggar?"

"I'm only askin' fer enough to feed me kids," the female beggar says. After a bit of awkward conversation, Kahreem learns she's known as Ragbag Buntara.



"Ragbag, eh? Funny name, that, what were your parents thinking, anyways? My name's Lex, I'm named after Lexius Infinitus, the famous maker of upscale carts and chariots, although my profession is nothing such. I bottle grapes for the Surilie brothers, and am currently on a quest to suss out the best talent for grape-growing in all Cyrodiil."

"Say what you are going to say," threatens the beggar impatiently.

"Ah yes. I apologize; all those grapes tend to make a man a bit long-winded at times!" Kahreem boasts.

"I won't fight you."

"Good. Now that we've got that settled, have a coin Rugbug. I mean Ragbag." *clink!*

"Thank you, kind sir!"

"Yeah yeah, whate'er. It's just a damn fokkinge coin, beggar. Plenty more where that came from. "

"Haa ha, I get it!" the beggar brightens up, apparently not taking the Lex the Redguard's pettiness seriously.

"Methredhel. Where is she? The Surilie brothers, whom I am sure you know of quite fondly, being no doubt a grape-drinking beggar, are offering her a job, you see. I am to locate the woman, and bring her back to Skingrad, where she's got a prosperous and long career in grape-tending ahead of her, assuming she wants it."

"What's it worth to you?" says Miss Buntara, going from bright to serious in a flash.

"Yeah, yeah, okay, always about the fokkinge Septims, is it not? Have some coins, beggar," he says, handing 15 of them over.

"She's hiding in Dynari Amnis's house in the Talos Plaza district," the beggar says, now speaking in a more cultured tone of voice. "She's one of the few that escaped when Lex invaded the Waterfront."

"See, now was that so hard? Hey, I just want you to know that the 15 ... excuse me ... 16 Septims, the sum of which I just handed to you, is about a week's worth of pay out there in the vineyards. I'll be watching you. You'd better spend it on your so-called 'kids', ya hear?"

"Blessings of Akatosh upon ye."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say", Kahreem says, walking briskly away. "Now where are you, Miss Methredhel? Times a'wasting" he says, debating whether or not to call off his search for the Thieves Guild elf for some good old-fashioned gambling at the Arena.

Loved the Kahreem updates, Renee! His conversations are a hoot!

Also, very nice pixies

Aww. thanks man. I am still writing the one up above. It's one of my 'live' roleplays. Kahreem is trying to find Methredhel at the moment.

Fredas 5:42 pm, Sun's Dusk 16, 3rd Era 433

Days Passed: 82
Days Jailed: 17
Bounty: 90

Fame: 0
Infamy: 9

"Dynari Amnis's House", he reads as he finds the door where his sneaky contact is hidden. "Very clever, hiding out in a rich person's home", says the Kahreem of Weet. "I admire that!"

Kahreem enters the home, closing behind him a sunny, pleasant afternoon. Inside, he finds a typical Talos Plaza domicile of marbles and tiles, but is surprised to find some of the furnishings aren't quite so elegant as he expected. He spies Methredhel the wood elf Pickpocket sitting about halfway across the room, while a second Bosmer stands immediately before him.

"I have heard that two of the jobs were successful", says the standing Bosmer "The plan should work with the Shadow's blessing", she says to Methredhel.

"Ahem. Hello. My name's Kahreem, says the Redguard, using his real name for once. "I've come for the pot roast. Naw, just kidding. I'm here because the Grey Fox has sent me here."

"I'm busy now, you need to talk to Methredhel!"

"Oh. Parrrdon me, then. You're too busy to talk. Say no more."

Kahreem walks across the room, where he hopes for a more hospitable greeting from the lady of the hour.

"Welcome to my hideout."



"Methredhel," Kahreem says with a grin. "I've been looking all over for you. Smart choice hiding out in here. Everyone thinks thieves only stay on the Waterfront."

"It's good to see you!" Methredhel gushes.

"MM hmm. That's because I'm Kahreem the Weet Bandit. I'm handsome, I'm sly. Look at me, but you might not find me."

"Good one!"

"Now, about the ... grey-colored animal. What have you to say?"

"I didn't think much about him when I first joined the Thieves Guild," the elf admits. "Lately I've been hearing odd things though. The Gray Cowl he wears was stolen from Nocturnal herself! Can you imagine having the nerve to steal from a Daedric Lord?"

"Whoa. You have seen him? .. Well listen, the Waterfront's a mess, skooma sales are down, and I can't even exit my own fokkinge home without a damn Imperial guard running around on my deck!"

"These are foul times for us. Armand is under house arrest, again. Our business in the Waterfront is totally shut down."

"So you noticed. And?"

"We need to get Hieronymus Lex to lift his siege. I have put together a plan," she says, her pouty lips smiling grandly. Youuuu and four other operatives will stage high profile thefts, all at the same time. Hopefully that will force Lex to reassign the Watchman."

"Hey, that's not bad! That's actually rather smart!"

"Your target is the Arcane University. We've had our eye on Hrormir's Staff for some time, but have been waiting for the wizards to be distracted. This si the perfect time. Will you help us?"

"You're fokkinge right I will!.. Break into a wizard's school and get my hands on some magic stuff, YES for Oblivion's sake!"

"I knew the Gray Fox could count on you. The staff is in the Archmage's room. He sleeps between one and seven in the morning. Take this note. Leave it in his nightstand. Bring me the staff when you get it."

As Kahreem leaves the two Bosmer to continue their hiding, he spontaneously thinks of a bold plan.

"We need to get Lex out of the Waterfront", calls Dynari as the Redguard closes the door. "He's a stubborn fetcha!"


8:40 pm

"Hail" says an older lady in a soft voice as Kahreem walks towards Divine Elegance. Kahreem does not know her name, but he thinks she's the owner of this clothing store.

"Rats. Closed up for the night," the Redguard curses aloud. "Hey, where can a man get some clothes at this hour?" He looks to Palonira mockingly, but she's not giving in. Her day is over, and she is not returning to open her shop. "I forgot. It's night time."

A young man who's never held a real job in his life, Kahreem sometimes forgets that 'honest' people often keep to work schedules rather strictly. On the other hand, he gives himself a pat on the back for at least trying to do the right thing; spending actual gold in trade of goods instead of simply stealing them!

Realizing he's only got a handful of lockpicks in his man-satchel, he decides he'll pay Shady Sam a visit before breaking inside of Divine Elegance.

"My plan is gonna work, and it's gonna be GOOD!" he says aloud, again.

"This had better be good!" an Imperial guard says, expecting some sort of answer. But the Redguard keeps walking away.




Loredas, 12:45 AM
Several hours later, the Weet Bandit now crouches down before the door of Divine Elegance, a pouchfull of lockpicks now ready for action. He finds the shop's got a 4-tumbler lock, and steadies his nerves before trying the door. After just two attempts he breaks in. Unfortunttely, he does not find what he is looking for in the shop's lobby, but he does locate a pair of green sueded shoes, and ditches his tan loafers.

"If I'm going to blend in, I gotta look the part", he explains to the nearest wall.

He searches the cellar next, but the garment he seeks eludes him. Finally, he sneaks upstairs to the top floor (where Palonira sleeps). Here he trades his green shoes for some white ones! .. Although he still cannot find what he is looking for, he manages to trade his middle-class clothes for a set of black & gold matching top and bottom. With his white shoes, he thinks he looks too conspicuous, but keeps these clothes on, anyways. After changing clothes, Kahreem boldly discards his green, blue, and tan clothes, placing them carefully on Palonira's bed.

"O-ho-ho! The Weet Bandit has struck again."




4:55 AM
It is a few hours later when Kahreem finally strikes gold in Rindir's Staffs. After looking atop a few counters, he finally locates the items he desires.

"Ha! NOW I look the part! Welcome to the Arcane University indeed!" he says aloud after donning a green mage's robe and hood.



"Meet Ahrmmhayre the Great Sorcerer!" he says aloud.

At this, he cannot help but giggle, and lets his guard down a bit. After skulking upstairs and finding a surprising rack-full of Cheap Wine, 'Ahrmmhayre' is nearly caught by the shop's proprietor just after placing the last of eight bottles into his night sack.



"I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE!" says Rindir the Bosmer.

"Oh. Where am I? Damn spell must have not worked! I was supposed to summon a bealestibub from my Arcane coven. Added a couple of minotaur hairs, chanted the sacred moistuff, and BANG. I wind up here? .. Mercy me! .. Well, I'll be out of your way in no time, elf! ..

"I'm WAITING!"

"Hmm", Kahreem pretends to be lost in thought. "Perhaps the minotaur's hair needs to be doused in flaxseed oil BEFORE the moment of the Castle-hoff. I'll have to try that next."

"THIS IS YO'RE LAST WARNING. GET OUT, OR I'LL COLLLL DA GAHHDS AND HAVE YOU ARRESTED!"

"My apologies, really. It was a boffed spell, nothing more. Should have this all cleared up in a flash, now that I know the proper formula," he says with a smile. "I am Aahrmhayre the Great!" he says, throwing his arms up and casting forth the only power he happens to know: His Redguard's Adrenaline spell.

As Kahreem leaves the shop Rindir's Staffs, he smiles and grins like the City is his.

Oh, how I love the Kahreem adventures!

KAHREEM OF WEET

Days Passed: 83

The Weet Bandit giggles light-headedly as he makes his way back to the Marie Elena, his home. After attaining his goals in just a few hours, he's as happy as a thief in a goldsmith's coinpurse.


"What is it, citizen?" asks a guard, as Kahreem walks by with a slight sway.

"I am Aahrmhayre the Great! Captive Conjurer of the Mage's Guild, sir! Feel the presence of my magic!"

The guard looks dumbfounded for a moment, thinks a Redguard mage?, and then makes his way to his day's post, unknowing of the man who has just past.

Amazingly, Kahreem has pilfered SEVEN bottles of Cheap Wine, wears stolen mage's robes + hood, and the daffy-looking white shoes on his feet are also stolen. Yet this guard does not flinch. What a perfect disguise Kahreem marvels to himself. In no time, not only will I be granted access to the Arcane University itself, I will also be able to plunder its depths! ... Who knows what lies inside.

Kahreem leaves the Market District and enters the Elven Gardens as he swiftly makes his way home.

"This had better be good!" says another guard, challenging the Redguard to cast a spell, perhaps.

"And 'tis so, me-lord! I am Aahrmhayre the Great, prime sorcerer of the Arcane University! Watch me make this bottle of Cheap Wine disappear!"

As Kahreem gulps down his second bottle in as many hours, the guard feigns disgust, and moves on.


Sun's Dusk 17, 3E433 8:55 am

"I have an arrest warrant for the Gray Fox, DO YOU KNOW WHERE HE IS?" asks yet another guard (an Imperial Battlemage, actually) as Kahreem approaches his ship.

"Yes, I search for this scoundrel, too," the Redguard 'mage' agrees. "When I find him, and oh, trust me I will find him, I shall cast a Beeletta so massive, and cause ripples of sanctricity with my fingertips, even Nocturnal herself shall quake in her domain. I am AAHRMHAYRE THE GREAT!" he calls to the entire Waterfront. "Fear my powers!"

He says this, raising his arms to cast a spell, and suddenly wishes that he could just do so. But nothing happens. "Just need to work up my powers, that is all! .. But never fear! Once I spend a day or so deep in contemplation, the Gray Fox will be mine. And I will collect the bounty upon his head," he promises.

Ironically, there are several battlemages present when he calls out these statements, all who could fry him in an instant, especially if they knew of his wrongdoings. Kahreem decides it's best to sneak off while the battlemages search the Waterfront endlessly. He crouches down, and sneaks onto his own ship, lest one of the guards mistake him for a different Redguard than the one who usually squats on the Marie Elena, somehow evading justice altogether.


9:48 PM
Hours later he awakes, somewhat surprised when he looks down and sees what he's wearing. Then he remembers.

"Ahh yes. Off I go to enter the Mage's Guild! Actually, the very top of the Mage's Guild: The Arcane University! Hope I'm not too late." As he gulps down another bottle of wine to wake himself up, he starts looking forward to tonight's tasks. "She said something .. something about ... that I must be there by midnight?"

Kahreem cannot remember exactly. So before he can get too sauced with drink, he gets himself up fully, leaves the Marie Elena, and then finds the bay horse he stole months ago still waiting faithfully for him at the end of the dock. He waits until he is sure he will not be seen,



...mounts this steed, and then tries to make his way quickly to the Arcane University.

"THIEF! .. YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS!"

"Ahh fokke!" says the Redguard.

"Well now, LOOK WHAT WE HAVE HERE", the guard says smugly. "Caught in the act and no gollld to pay your fine. It's off to the lockup, then!"

"Hah! Not if the Great Aahrmhayre has anything to say on that. Watch me disappear! YAAH"

He calls out to the horse below him, and quickly vanishes from the Waterfront within seconds. Behind him, the guards (battlemages and ordinary sentries) cast fireballs and shoot silver arrows. Not once do they make their target.

"Magic. That is your name, horse. Magic!" he says to the bay who now swims the small channel between the Waterfront and the Arcane University beyond. "Carry me to my destiny, magic!"

Kahreem realizes what's just happened though. As he climbs the hill going towards the University, he realizes he's probably now got a more serious bounty upon his head, and this means he can't just walk inside and not face arrest.

"Rats!"

He also realizes he's wearing stolen clothes. Carrying stolen items, and has one stolen bottle of Cheap Wine still in his nightsack. Under these circumstance, he simply CANNOT just walk inside, not face arrest, and also not have all his stolen goods confiscated.

"FOKKE!"

He comes up with yet another spontaneous plan, disrobing before the door going into the University itself, and moving all his stolen items to a spot just beside the cobblestone causeway. Down to his loincloths, Kahreem now braves the moment which is about to come.


Sundas, 12:50 AM
...But as Kahreem passes through the door, expecting immediate questioning from at least one Imperial Battlemage, he is surprised to find that this does not happen. Matter of fact, there is nobody here to arrest, or even accost him!

"Amazing. My powers of telepathy have caused them all to vanish!"

Seeing his opportunity, but not wanting to waste time re-gathering his stolen belongings, the Weet Bandit decides he'll give it a go as-is: he will walk into the Arcane University in his loincloths and bare feet.



"Hi there!" says a female elf as Kahreem enters the University's lobby. The female is wearing blue robes just like the ones Kahreem stole.

"I saw a mudcrab a couple of days ago," answers an Imperial male mage awkwardly. "Ugly little creatures."

"I avoid them whenever I can," answers the female.

Kahreem sneaks right by this pair somehow, and stands upon a glowing set of lights on the floor. As he does so, he curses himself, not realizing they might be able to see him. But they do not. As he reaches down upon the floor, he feels a rush of energy zing through his body wooooonnnn, and finds himself in another room. Before him stands an elderly mage wearing white robes. The man stands still for so long, apparently deep in thought, that Kahreem begins to wonder if he is real.

After awhile, he can't help but flinch, and the mage in the white robes sees him.



"GET OUT OF HERE!" he calls out.

"'Scuse me sir, I seem to have gotten lost," says the Redguard in his loincloths. "Can ye spare a coin?"

"I'M WARNING YOU! GET OUT OR I'LL CALL THE GUARDS!"

"No worry, sir, I shall be on my way!"

Thinking that he has (somehow) become invincible in these last few hours, he feels no shame as he leaves the Arch Mage's dining room, re-enters the lobby, and manages to sneak by the female elf who still loiters this circular room. He leaves the Arch Mage's tower, makes his way back to the items he had just tossed aside, and re-dresses himself to look the part.

"Aahrmhayre the Great shall profit or perish!" he calls aloud as he re-enters the Arcane University.


Sundas 2:40 AM
The 'mage' now enters the Arch Mage's Lobby for the third time, not bothering to sneak past the female elf, who now sits upon a pew, reading at this late hour. The male who was previously present is not here. Since Kahreem now wears the robes and hood of a Mage's Guild Apprentice, he feels full confidence as he walks by the elf.

"Hello, I see you!" the elf says in greeting.

"Ah. Milady. Might I bother you to know where to find the scamp's room?" Kahreem asks. "You know, the place where they surronuate the scamps with potent Z-magic? I promise not to regurzitate the Miskell, of course."

At this, the elf hasn't a clue what to say, and the Redguard can see this. Kahreem kicks himself mentally; of course she's a magician, and has no idea what he's talking about! She might see right though his little act if he keeps this up.

"Oh, my apologies. My mind's a bit frazzled. Cast a spell and read a scroll, and look at where the fokke I wound up. Well, many pardons, elf. I'll just make my way back to my domicile."

"Hail," she says calmly.

As Bothiel the elf turns away, Kahreem slyly slips into the Arch Mage's quarters once again. Where he is greeted by..

"I'm warning you! Get out or I'll call the guards!"

"Ah, but I am an Associate, just as you once were!" Kahreem explains to the white-robed mage. "The Arch Mage himself has requested that I retrieve a special token from his very room, all to help the guards who toil upon the Waterfront in search of the Gray Fox find the menace!"

And before the white-robed mage can retort in any way, Kahreem moves quickly towards a second circular area of lighted floor. He does not know what this area is called, but he knows how to use it by now. And before Irlav Jarol can make good on his promise, the Weet Bandit finds himself in the Arch Mage's Bedroom in flash!

"Ha! I cannot believe it! It worked!" he whispers as he finds himself at the sleeping body of one of the most powerful men in Cyrodiil.

"Now, to get that staff!"

All the things he has to go through and not once does he give up!

Thanks for another update, Renee! Been waiting for this one!

Kahreem’s antics as “Aahrmhayre the Great” are my favorite so far. This guy is hilarious. And he never quits!

Just started reading Kahreem's adventures. He's hilarious! Love his dialogue

All these oblivion posts are making me want to give the game another playthrough. Maybe I will....

The dialogues are the best!

Awesome, thanks folks! Feel free to add any Oblivion stories (with spoilers) if you ever wish. Vital if you really want to get hardcore with Kahreem, unfortunately you'll have to go to Beth's forums in this thread. That's where his earliest stories started. I didn't start posting him here at Chorrol until later, and never got around to transferring all his earlier stories. I think I should probably do so eventually because Beth has a policy of 'purging' old threads, which means they get erased. There's a fellow over there named Bobg who had his entire fanfic story purged. Gone! Scary though, eh?

Yeah, Kahreem's a cracker. I gotta do his horoscope one of these days, but I've been saying that for years now.

Well then, it's off to bethsoft for me...

I've only spent a little bit of time reading threads over there, but from what I've seen and heard, it's not the friendliest place...

Soon I'll start a new character in Oblivion, just have to come up with one first...

Well, the Oblivion forums are fine (right guys & gals?) There's a bunch of us who are regulars there, and we tend to keep any riffraff from creeping in for the most part. Once you leave the OB forums though, yeah, it can get rough. Some folks are mean and/or narrow-minded. I'd stay away from the Elder Scrolls forums, especially. Lots of opinionated nonsense goes on there.

Skyrim's forums are a mixed bag. There's some kind-hearted roleplayers here and there, but there also can be some of the usual flaming and whatnot. Overall those forums have calmed down a bit, but they move way too fast for my liking (a thread you posted in an hour ago might not be on the front page in the next hour, for instance) so I only post there when I get desperate for some TES discussion.

But if you stick to the Oblivion forums, you'll be fine.

Correct!

Today I returned to Oblivion and started a new character. Yay!

He's a khajit ranger named Do'Shakir who uses absolutely no magic, including the default healing spell. (thanks to mirocu for the inspiration) Which is harder than I thought.

I'm trying a different style than my skyrim updates for this character, they're more storylike, I guess. The writing isn't that great but it's good practice and I enjoy it anyway. I'll probably just post the updates in this thread so I don't have to worry about spoilers...

So without further ado, say hello to Do'Shakir!

_____________________________________________



27th of Last Seed, 3e 433



*sorry for the big pic...

Do’Shakir’s head was still reeling from the events within the sewers when he stepped out into the warm midday sun. He had just witnessed the emperor’s death and now he was entrusted with the safe delivery of one of the most valuable artifacts on Tamriel, the Amulet of Kings.


It took Do’Shakir a few minutes to get his bearings. The vast oak and pine forests and green meadows of Cyrodil’s wilderness were still an unfamiliar sight to him. He was at the edge of a lake. Rumare, was it? He walked down to the water’s edge, where he stopped to take stock.


A pair of rough leather boots, his prison garments, a rusty bow and some arrows, an iron longsword in decent condition, a leather bound shield, the torn up map, a few potions of healing and fatigue, a mortar and pestle, some gemstones and a handful of septims. He was glad he’d picked up that satchel from the deceased adventurer, the potions may come in handy and the gemstones would make him some decent gold.


Using the map and his surroundings Do’Shakir determined his position. He needed to get to the red ring road, which would mean crossing the lake. Unfortunately, swimming was the only option. The khajiit placed his satchel and weapons within a sack he found on the ground, in an attempt to keep them dry, before heading into the lake.


The water was calm and the slaughterfish were absent. Had Do’Shakir not had to bring his belongings with him the swim would have been easy, but he knew the items he had gathered within the tunnels would be important once he was on the road. Emerging on the other side of the lake Do’Shakir was greeted by two aggressive mudcrabs. He made easy work of them and proceeded to scrape the meat from within their shells. At least now he had something to eat.


Ahead of him was a collection of crumbling white stone pillars that could only be one of the Aylied ruins he had heard so much about. He could see smoke rising from the ruins and cautiously headed towards its source. The khajiit spotted two figures sat around a campfire, from their talk and attire he labelled them as bandits. His bow held firmly in one hand, his other floating eagerly above his quiver, he snuck between the pillars of white stone, towards the camp. Bandits within range, he nocked an arrow and loosed, dispatching of the first. Two more arrows and the other bandit was dealt with as well.


He scoured the ruin for supplies, grabbed some roasted mutton to eat, saving the crab meat for alchemical purposes, and made his way back to the camp to get some well deserved rest.

On the BethSoft site, I do quite enjoy the Oblivion forums. I confess that I generally avoid posting on threads there that drift away from Oblivion. I’m not really interested when things stray too much into other TES games, lore or simply whining/arguing. And that does happen with some regularity. Most of the old timers there are quite gracious though, and argumentative posters generally fade away (only to be replaced by new ones, lol).

Vital, a warm welcome to Do’Shakir. A no-casting ranger who learns the power of alchemy should do quite well. Happy hunting!

A big welcome and a hardy handshake to Do'Shakir! I must say I´m very proud of being a direct inspiration for him! Especially so since I myself have only had one

I hope you will enjoy accompanying him, Vital. I take it he will embark upon the MQ?

Thanks, Acadian. Hopefully alchemy can keep him alive!

Rocu, not sure about the MQ, we'll see. I just like to deliver the amulet first thing once I come out of the sewers. It's sort a challenge because my characters are only ever allowed to pick up boots and gauntlets from dead bodies. No helmets, cuirasses and greaves (with exceptions). So traveling through the countryside with no armour is quite challenging. Oh and you get free armor for it, which is always a bonus

Good luck to Do'Shakir!

He has a popular name! I have a Khajiit named Do'Sakhar in Seven, and Haute has one named Do'Saka in Cardonaccum.

Thanks Subrosa...

That's cool about the name, I'm guessing you both got it from looking at the uesp page. Warrior just seemed like the most fitting prefix, and Shakir went well with it I'll have to check out these fan fics.

YES!!! Aww that's so SWEET, Vital! I am loving the story on Do'Shakir!! It's okay that it's not 'your best writing', as you say. I mostly write stories to document my roleplays (bring them more fully to life), and if they happen to be good or funny or whatever, that's icing on the cake.

I'm not sure what program (or website) you use to take pictures, on Photobucket I often have to go into Edit mode and Resize my pics, otherwise they do wind up being gargantuan. Great pic of your new furry one, though.

Don't forget: Khajiit always refer to themselves in the third person! That's one of my favorite things about reading a story with a cat-person in it, they say "Do'Shakir thinks you are to go to Bruma" instead of .. well, ya know.

I'll probably have the next Kahreem story up tomorrow, so stay tuned.

Thanks, Renee. Glad you liked Do'Shakir

I used Imgur for this photo, but I'll try and find something that allows me to manipulate the sizes more..

I remembered about the Khajiit speech patterns halfway through writing this. I wasn't sure exactly how to implement it, so I've being loading old saves, talking to every Khajiit I find. Hopefully there'll be a bit of dialogue in the next update, so I can show his khajiit-ness

Looking forward to Kahreem's update I'll probably have another update up soon, over the weekend.

While Renee is certainly right about the normal manner of Khajiit speech, writing that manner of speech for a primary fanfic character - if the story is long - can become tedious for both writer and reader.

There are two long-running Khajiit characters around here with substantial fic writings. Both speak without the typical Khajiit third person stye. And that is not by accident or oversight. In the case of Maxical, it is because she was orphaned as a kit, rescued by an Imperial soldier and tossed into a Cyrodiilic orphanage. In the case of Aravi, her manner of speech was dictated and forced upon her by her Dunmeri slavemasters in Morrowind. So while it's great to be aware of those types of things, always feel free to adapt things to your own taste and purpose.

Thanks for the advice Acadian

As for Do'Shakir, he has just moved to Cyrodil from Elsweyr and was raised by khajiit parents. So naturally he will speak in third person. I've decided that narration will stay the same, but any dialogue will have him speaking in third-person, though possibly to a lesser extent than in-game khajiit.

Here it is, folks. The moment of Truth. Let's see if Kahreem can grab that staff...

Kahreem of Weet

Level: 5
Class: Bandit / Thief
Faction: Thieves Guild
Rank: Prowler

Days Passed: 84
Days Jailed: 17

Bounty: 340 gp

Sun's Dusk 18, 3E433 3:37 am

Location: The Arch Mage's Quarters.

As Kahreem of Weet realizes where he is, he can't help but conclude a few things, as a thousand different emotions attack his mind at once.

1). He is in the bedroom of one of Cyrodiil's most powerful men. Period.

2). If he could relay this information to his former bandit gang on the West Weald, he would be treated like a King. He would be treated with such respect! .. Oh would the ale and Cheap Wine flow.

3). The place smells of cinnamon, flowers, and aromas he cannot identify. All these smells please him, too. Make him feel giddy with confidence.

"Gotta do this," he whispers.


The staff is before him. It's angelic-white in color, and seems to glow. As the thief focuses his mind in a similar manner to the way a true wizard focuses his, Kahreem scrambles quickly (but silently) across the Arch Mage's room, places his hands upon the staff, and feels its magic!

"Wrrmsin" he mumbles. Not a true word, it's literally a mumbled sound. Kahreem places both hands upon the staff, and feels an almighty sort of rush go through his mind for just one second. Psssh! Then the moment is gone. As soon as he can focus again, he paces across the dark orange-tiled floor and slips Methredhel's note into the Arch Mage's dresser. I've done it! ... then he turns to go.



"Ahh".

But the Redguard can't help but get a little curious.

"Hmm."

He picks up an apple, and is surprised to see it's not fresh. Instead, it's slightly mooshy, slightly bronzed. So, here he is in the very quarters one of the men he and his buddies joked and wondered about while living on the West Weald, yet this man, this very powerful man, hasn't even got fresh fruit on his nightstand.

Kahreem tosses the apple, and searches some more. He spies a large chest on the other side of the room, and tries to open it.

"Fokke. A five tumbler."

This powerful man has rotten fruit in his room, but a very well-designed chest. Kahreem is tempted, but then realizes he's only got about a dozen lockpicks. Plus, the white-robed wizard Kahreem had encountered in the other room might be timing the Redguard. Kahreem had told this man he would only be going into the next room to grab something to aid the guards in the search for the Grey Fox. If he takes too long, there's the possibility the white-robed wizard might wonder what's taking so long, and come a'lookin'.

The Weet Bandit removes the lockpick from the Arch Mage's grandest chest, and makes his way back to the strange-colored lights on the floor ....


4:15 am

"Ah, what a lucky man I am. I found what I was looking for", Kahreem tells the white-robed wizard with a smile. He boasts a cheerful demeanor, but underneath his robes, he's been sweating like a pig. "I've got the magic scroll I was looking for, and so the Grey Fox will soon be history. Heh, I might even read the scroll myself! Anyways, I'll make sure to give you a mention, for your assistance in this matter."

But Irlav Jarol seems to know a rat when he smells one. Before Kahreem can turn to leave, the wizard casts a spell woooosh which tingles with greenish energy. A moment later, he is gone...

"Fokke, you're good!"

...and Kahreem finds himself standing before an invisible man.

"Ahh, a little too good. Forgive me, for I must make haste, sire!" Kahreem says as he now rushes back to the adjacent lighted floor-area, barely getting out of the place in time. "I could have been singed!" ... and as he returns to the Lobby he wonders if he's now under attack. But the mage-lady who now stands before him "Oh hu-llo!" calmly greets the Weet Bandit with a little sassiness.

"Ah milady! You have a blessed evening, and...." he nervously looks to the portal he just came from, wondering if the white-robed wizard would follow. "...I must make haste in assistance of the Imperials, to find that blasted thief!"

"Good day!"

Kahreem turns to go, knowing he's now a wanted man in the Imperial City (after a guard caught him mounting 'his' horse), and wondering how he is going to manage getting this staff back to Methredhel.


4:33 am
Outside, Kahreem finds himself back in the Arcane University's courtyard, with still no guards coming after him.

"Good."

All alone in this large courtyard, he decides to grab the staff from his back, and is surprised that it's not as heavy as he thought it was.

"Now, let's see what you can do."

He aims the staff, swinging it towards a large nearby wall, and tries to see if he can command it. He is not sure if he can do this; he's used scrolls before, but never a full magic weapon of this magnitude. Turns out, he has nothing to worry about. ...goes the magic in the staff.

"YES!"

A blazen-blue essence of icy air issues from the staff, surrounding the area before the Weet Bandit with frost magic! The rush of power Kahreem feels is much more satisfying than anything he's ever ingested in his life. With full confidence he strides off, leaves the Arcane University, and re-mounts his stolen bay horse once more, as the night sky begins to lighten. Once back outside, he realizes that there is another way into the Imperial City, one which he's only heard about from other Waterfront residents. He wonders if he'd be able to survive if he chooses this way back inside.

But then he conceives of himself in a completely different way than he usually does. Instead of the Reguard with the big, smelly club at his side, he could now take upon a much different role. With his new powerful weapon, he'll stand a good chance against any enemies he finds, since he is now practically a powerful mage. He knows his new weapon has got quite a kick to it, after all.

"Methredhel my lady, here I come".

Loved that update Renee

Kahreem is so devious He's got the staff, but he still needs to have a poke around! Maybe some of those flowers he could smell fortified luck!

That was a lucky escape with Irlav Jarol. Now that Kahreem has such a powerful staff Azura only knows what he might do!

Great update, Renee! And this one I have been waiting for in quite awhile! Finally, Hrormir´s Icestaff is in his possession!

I also loved how he couldn´t resisit to poke around a bit I would have gotten out of there asap, but not Kahreem! I just hope he can get to Methredel without being hindered...

Heh heh wait'll you see where he goes next. It'll be a surprise. Yeah, last night's session I felt very connected with my Redguard. I have sessions when the gameplay and story just seems to flow, and this was one of them.