Full Version: Clark in Skyrim
I am so missing being able to read Clark's adventures! I still haven't been able to finish his fun in Cyrodiil, but I hope to one day be able to finish the stories I miss so much, and Clark is most def one of my faves.
Acadian: The Champion of Cyrodiil taught Clark that brothels and "toys" would always make money when wars took people away from their homes. He's done well from remembering that.
Grits: I always thought that headscarf was too big for its purpose, and a lot of hair was the only explanation. I wonder if anyone has made a mod that puts an Ikea store in Skyrim? (Requires Hearthfires and a lack of taste).
mALX: Hope I don't get too far ahead of you!
-----------------------
Previously: Clark returned to Markarth to find out what effect the change of Jarl had brought. Gilda found a couple more Stones of Barenziah. Now he has a lot of loose ends to tie up (or tangle).
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Part 35 - Leaving Markarth
As they left Markarth, a courier came up to Clark with a letter. It was from Diablita, in Raven Rock, letting Clark know that the ebony mine was back open. The East Empire Company had closed it as too dangerous to work, rather than because it was exhausted, and she'd cleared up the draugr infestation. She found herself a nice blade in the process, too.
It went on to say that she'd done a couple of other things for the folk of Raven Rock, including foiling an attempt on the life of the First Councilor. They'd given her the house that the plotters had owned, so she was now an official resident. There wasn't a lot of bed space, though, so Clark should come alone, or with at most one companion.
She was currently going around the island, restoring the standing stones for the Skaal. This was all tied up somehow with another Dragonborn from long ago called Miraak. He was trying to get back to Mundus from Hermaeus Mora's Apocrypha, and his attempt was disrupting the lives of everyone on the island. She'd got some help from an old Dunmer wizard called Neloth, who lived in a giant mushroom that he'd grown from spores from one in Morrowind.
"Vicuña said something about her parents growing a new tower near Blacklight. That's a House Telvanni thing; none of the other Dunmer houses do that." Clark told Gilda. "Let's go back and let her know about Neloth. She might know him, and want to visit."
'You do that, I want to get back to Riften. I'm supposed to be inducted as Guildmaster, and I want to see who turns up for the ceremony."
"Maven and her brood, you mean? Does she still think she owns the Guild?"
"That's what I'd like to find out. She presumably owned Mercer Frey, but does she see his replacement as just part of business as usual, or what?"
"Be careful, then. She'll have the city guard backing her if it gets ugly."
---
"Well, of course I know of Master Neloth, but I've never met him myself. My father replaced Mistress Therana on the Council, when the Vivec Guild of Mages tried to have them all assassinated, and in a few cases, succeeded. Neloth, of course, survived, as did Master Aryon, but Mistress Dratha went missing. Master Gothren, the chairman, was at Ald'ruhn when the Daedra hordes sacked it. Nobody survived that."
"Does the Council still operate, now that Vvardenfell is uninhabitable?"
"No, which is probably why Master Neloth has moved to Solstheim. There's no need to be in any contact with the others. And there may also be something there to further his research. His special skill is enchanting, like my father's is teleportation, and my mother's is levitation. It's possible that he may have gone there for the Stalhrim, or some other material that takes enchantment well. Since Solstheim is Dunmer territory now, it would be much easier for him to set up house, even with House Redoran nominally in charge."
"So what's your field? All I know about your use of magic is that you throw a mean fireball, and you enchant amulets with a levitation effect that women love."
"I'm still dabbling in whatever I find useful at the time. It will take me years to decide. Perhaps talking to Master Neloth will give me some ideas."
"Does that mean you'd like to come to Solstheim with me?"
"If I may. I've never been there before, although I've gone to most parts of Skyrim."
"I need to do a few other things before I go there. Why don't I meet you in Windhelm, a month from now. Take a room at the Candlehearth Hall if I'm not there when you arrive."
---
Clark needed to talk to Madesi about the mechanical dildo. Full power on the prototype was probably a bit excessive, and if he was going to manufacture and sell them, it needed to be reduced. If the Argonian could manage that, he knew someone who might like the next one.
"Limiting the power range is a simple change," Madesi assured him. "In fact, I've already incorporated that feature into the latest one. Mind you, I wasn't actually thinking about the person using it, so much as not overloading the dynamo core. All I needed to do was restrict the movement of the control with a limit screw, ...."
Clark hadn't really been listening past the point where Madesi told him it was already done. He told the Argonian to start making them in quantity.
"I'll need additional workers for that. I can't produce more than one a week on my own."
"Then hire some. I suggest you have each worker produce a piece of the assembly, rather than make the whole thing. That way, they'll all end up the same quality, and you won't have to teach each person everything. And if it's fiddly work, hire women. They're better at that sort of thing, probably from sewing, and similar domestic work. Plus, they can test them for you!"
"Not if they're trying to work at the same time. You need all your concentration for that. And I don't know if Iona would let anyone else do her job."
"Oh, she's been helpful, has she? I'll talk to her about that, and make sure she's properly compensated."
---
"Madesi tells me you've been working on quality assurance for his latest product."
"Yes, well he brought it round to Honeyside to see if you were home. Of course, you weren't, but I was. So he told me what it was all about, and I'm sworn to carry your burdens, so of course I volunteered. After all, I'd imagine I'd be doing that if you were home."
Clark had to admit that it was a job only a woman could do properly.
"He left a number of them here, and asked me to let him know which one I preferred. They're all different colours, with the red one being the strongest, and the blue one the weakest. The red one's a bit too much. I like the orange one, the next one down."
Clark gathered up the others, and put them in his backpack. He'd be leaving for Solitude the next day, and he'd see if Madesi had another orange to restore the set.
---
Elisif surprised Clark by preferring the green one. "I need to be able to keep quiet," she reminded him. "The yellow makes me moan, whether I want to or not, and the red one would have me screaming!"
She was intelligent enough to know without asking that Clark wouldn't be around the court much in the next few weeks. "Where are you heading for?" she wanted to know.
Clark told her about Diablita's letter from Solstheim.
"She's the Dragonborn? I'm glad to hear she's left the mainland. The Thalmor are still stinging from the visit she paid to their Embassy a short time back. It seems that Elenwen was tricked into inviting her to one of her parties, and she slipped out through the torture chambers with some stolen dossiers. I believe a few prisoners got loose at the same time. Anyway, they're still hunting for her. That could be why you haven't been invited there yet. They're a lot more careful with their background checks these days."
Grits: I always thought that headscarf was too big for its purpose, and a lot of hair was the only explanation. I wonder if anyone has made a mod that puts an Ikea store in Skyrim? (Requires Hearthfires and a lack of taste).
mALX: Hope I don't get too far ahead of you!
-----------------------
Previously: Clark returned to Markarth to find out what effect the change of Jarl had brought. Gilda found a couple more Stones of Barenziah. Now he has a lot of loose ends to tie up (or tangle).
-----------------------
Part 35 - Leaving Markarth
As they left Markarth, a courier came up to Clark with a letter. It was from Diablita, in Raven Rock, letting Clark know that the ebony mine was back open. The East Empire Company had closed it as too dangerous to work, rather than because it was exhausted, and she'd cleared up the draugr infestation. She found herself a nice blade in the process, too.
It went on to say that she'd done a couple of other things for the folk of Raven Rock, including foiling an attempt on the life of the First Councilor. They'd given her the house that the plotters had owned, so she was now an official resident. There wasn't a lot of bed space, though, so Clark should come alone, or with at most one companion.
She was currently going around the island, restoring the standing stones for the Skaal. This was all tied up somehow with another Dragonborn from long ago called Miraak. He was trying to get back to Mundus from Hermaeus Mora's Apocrypha, and his attempt was disrupting the lives of everyone on the island. She'd got some help from an old Dunmer wizard called Neloth, who lived in a giant mushroom that he'd grown from spores from one in Morrowind.
"Vicuña said something about her parents growing a new tower near Blacklight. That's a House Telvanni thing; none of the other Dunmer houses do that." Clark told Gilda. "Let's go back and let her know about Neloth. She might know him, and want to visit."
'You do that, I want to get back to Riften. I'm supposed to be inducted as Guildmaster, and I want to see who turns up for the ceremony."
"Maven and her brood, you mean? Does she still think she owns the Guild?"
"That's what I'd like to find out. She presumably owned Mercer Frey, but does she see his replacement as just part of business as usual, or what?"
"Be careful, then. She'll have the city guard backing her if it gets ugly."
---
"Well, of course I know of Master Neloth, but I've never met him myself. My father replaced Mistress Therana on the Council, when the Vivec Guild of Mages tried to have them all assassinated, and in a few cases, succeeded. Neloth, of course, survived, as did Master Aryon, but Mistress Dratha went missing. Master Gothren, the chairman, was at Ald'ruhn when the Daedra hordes sacked it. Nobody survived that."
"Does the Council still operate, now that Vvardenfell is uninhabitable?"
"No, which is probably why Master Neloth has moved to Solstheim. There's no need to be in any contact with the others. And there may also be something there to further his research. His special skill is enchanting, like my father's is teleportation, and my mother's is levitation. It's possible that he may have gone there for the Stalhrim, or some other material that takes enchantment well. Since Solstheim is Dunmer territory now, it would be much easier for him to set up house, even with House Redoran nominally in charge."
"So what's your field? All I know about your use of magic is that you throw a mean fireball, and you enchant amulets with a levitation effect that women love."
"I'm still dabbling in whatever I find useful at the time. It will take me years to decide. Perhaps talking to Master Neloth will give me some ideas."
"Does that mean you'd like to come to Solstheim with me?"
"If I may. I've never been there before, although I've gone to most parts of Skyrim."
"I need to do a few other things before I go there. Why don't I meet you in Windhelm, a month from now. Take a room at the Candlehearth Hall if I'm not there when you arrive."
---
Clark needed to talk to Madesi about the mechanical dildo. Full power on the prototype was probably a bit excessive, and if he was going to manufacture and sell them, it needed to be reduced. If the Argonian could manage that, he knew someone who might like the next one.
"Limiting the power range is a simple change," Madesi assured him. "In fact, I've already incorporated that feature into the latest one. Mind you, I wasn't actually thinking about the person using it, so much as not overloading the dynamo core. All I needed to do was restrict the movement of the control with a limit screw, ...."
Clark hadn't really been listening past the point where Madesi told him it was already done. He told the Argonian to start making them in quantity.
"I'll need additional workers for that. I can't produce more than one a week on my own."
"Then hire some. I suggest you have each worker produce a piece of the assembly, rather than make the whole thing. That way, they'll all end up the same quality, and you won't have to teach each person everything. And if it's fiddly work, hire women. They're better at that sort of thing, probably from sewing, and similar domestic work. Plus, they can test them for you!"
"Not if they're trying to work at the same time. You need all your concentration for that. And I don't know if Iona would let anyone else do her job."
"Oh, she's been helpful, has she? I'll talk to her about that, and make sure she's properly compensated."
---
"Madesi tells me you've been working on quality assurance for his latest product."
"Yes, well he brought it round to Honeyside to see if you were home. Of course, you weren't, but I was. So he told me what it was all about, and I'm sworn to carry your burdens, so of course I volunteered. After all, I'd imagine I'd be doing that if you were home."
Clark had to admit that it was a job only a woman could do properly.
"He left a number of them here, and asked me to let him know which one I preferred. They're all different colours, with the red one being the strongest, and the blue one the weakest. The red one's a bit too much. I like the orange one, the next one down."
Clark gathered up the others, and put them in his backpack. He'd be leaving for Solitude the next day, and he'd see if Madesi had another orange to restore the set.
---
Elisif surprised Clark by preferring the green one. "I need to be able to keep quiet," she reminded him. "The yellow makes me moan, whether I want to or not, and the red one would have me screaming!"
She was intelligent enough to know without asking that Clark wouldn't be around the court much in the next few weeks. "Where are you heading for?" she wanted to know.
Clark told her about Diablita's letter from Solstheim.
"She's the Dragonborn? I'm glad to hear she's left the mainland. The Thalmor are still stinging from the visit she paid to their Embassy a short time back. It seems that Elenwen was tricked into inviting her to one of her parties, and she slipped out through the torture chambers with some stolen dossiers. I believe a few prisoners got loose at the same time. Anyway, they're still hunting for her. That could be why you haven't been invited there yet. They're a lot more careful with their background checks these days."
Nice summary of things on Solstheim, and we can see that Dragonborn Diablita’s been busy.
I like how Clark made arrangements to meet Vicuña in Windhelm. The ability to tell a follower to meet you somewhere should be a mandatory part of follower training.
I like how Clark made arrangements to meet Vicuña in Windhelm. The ability to tell a follower to meet you somewhere should be a mandatory part of follower training.
Acadian: Diablita had done just about all the Dragonborn quest-line by the time she wrote to Clark. It's one that deliberately has the player character solo in Apocrypha much of the time, so it doesn't suit having him help. He'll get to do some side-quest things while he's there, though, especially where there's a mainland connection.
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Previously: Clark received a letter from Diablita in Solstheim, and agreed to take Vicuña with him to visit her. But he has a number of tasks to accomplish first. This time he's starting to finish Lakeview.
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Part 36 - Lakeview becomes a Manor
Rayya had furnished the main hall at Lakeview by the time Clark returned. "I put in the Alchemy and Enchanting stations, like you said. And everything else, in here and the entrance hall, except for the animal trophies. I'm not a hunter, so they're not my style, and I wanted to ask you before I did that."
"Leave them out," Clark concurred. "I always find it a bit creepy to have something dead watching me, especially in the bedroom."
"That reminds me," she responded. "Did you decide on what wings to add? You were thinking of bedrooms, kitchen and a tower, if I recall."
"Yes, that's the plan, and it's why I'm back here now. I want to get the structures up, so you can furnish while I'm away in Solstheim."
"Can do. I assume the same plan applies, everything but the mounted trophies?"
"And we won't need a second alchemy lab. The storage in the tower will still be useful, though. And weapon racks and armour mannequins everywhere but the basement."
"Yes, what about the cellar?" Rayya asked. "I haven't done anything with that. I wasn't sure if you wanted a forge, or if the anvil outside was enough. And you already built the smelter, grindstone and workbench out there. All that's downstairs right now is an archery target, and I can easily move that."
"Just put the lights down there for now," Clark decided. "I'm not sure if I'll use it for storage, or as a place to throw parties. A big open space can be useful."
"Maybe the mead barrels, then. They'd be useful to have, whichever way you decide."
"Good point. The little one up here won't hold enough for a proper party."
---
Clark noticed that Rayya wasn't wearing her armour. In fact, her outfit was much the same as she'd changed into on their first night here. She'd added a couple of pieces to cover any embarrassment if she went outside and met strangers, and she was wearing her scimitars, too.
He asked her about it. She replied that she was in and out of the house all time, so this was the comfortable compromise. "I don't need the steel armour much anyway. I can fight off wolves or bandits without it, just with a fast attack. I never did decide on a light armour that I like, and I notice you don't use any either."
"That's because I can cast a spell for defense," Clark replied. "Do you think you'd want to learn one?"
"I'm still not sure," she replied. "If I did that, wouldn't I need more magicka?"
"Not if you're only using it for the one spell. You'll have it all back before you need to cast again, and it will need less as you get more experience. I've never needed more."
"You've just about convinced me. It's at least worth learning the spell, so I can try it."
"I may have a spell tome for Oakflesh on the wagon," Clark told her. "Let me check."
---
"Here you go. You'll find that after you've used this for a while, it will take less magicka to cast it. By the time you need a stronger spell, you should be able to cast that for about the same amount of magicka this one takes now. Just don't go chasing giants, until you've learned Ebonyflesh!"
"If we get any giants round here, I'll be up to the top of the tower with my bow!"
"Not until we've built it," Clark reminded her. "We'd better get to work."
"Let me use the anvil this time," Rayya asked. "I could use the experience with my smithing. I've been making all the nails, hinges, locks and fittings for the furniture, and I'm getting close to where I can improve enchanted gear!"
"Have you got anything that needs it?" Clark wanted to know.
"Not yet. I've been holding off on enchanting my Scimitars until I could do that. Otherwise, I'd have to do it the other way round, and temper them before enchanting, and then I'd have to find new ones before I could do it again. Nobody makes these in Skyrim, so that would be a real problem."
Clark had seen a few other Alik'r carrying Scimitars, but nobody else. And you certainly didn't find them in any smith's inventory.
"What did you want to enchant them with, anyway?"
"I'd hoped to persuade you to put fiery soul trap on one of them, but I'm not sure what would go with it on the other."
"I'll look out for ideas," Clark replied. "Master Neloth on Solstheim may know enchantments I've not heard of."
---
Rayya was disappointed that Clark was leaving again. They hadn't had time to try all the beds, and she had a new recipe for vegetable soup he hadn't tasted. "It's spicier than your other housecarls would make. You've been to Hammerfell, so you know how different the cuisine is there."
"If you think Hammerfell food is spicy, then you haven't tasted food from Elsweyr," he replied. "The hotter the country, the hotter the food, and the deserts there are hot even at night."
Rayya hadn't actually been to the Alik'r desert herself. Her parents had come from there before she was born and she'd been brought up in Elinhir, just over the border. But she had heard that it could be as cold at night as it was in Skyrim. Dry sand didn't hold the heat the way water did, even when it was ice. She knew that Clark had been there, as he'd told her that some of his merchandise came from the area.
"Have you been to Elsweyr, or just had food from the caravan people?" she asked. "I think they make their food extra-hot as a joke on anyone who's not a Khajiit."
"Yes, I've been there. Before the Mane was assassinated, and the tribes went back to fighting each other, you could travel freely around the whole province."
"But that was nearly two hundred years ago!" Rayya protested.
Clark hadn't told her about his immortality. He'd been too busy house-building, and it had slipped his mind that she'd need to know. It was a long story. Maybe he could stay one more night.
------------------
Previously: Clark received a letter from Diablita in Solstheim, and agreed to take Vicuña with him to visit her. But he has a number of tasks to accomplish first. This time he's starting to finish Lakeview.
-------------------
Part 36 - Lakeview becomes a Manor
Rayya had furnished the main hall at Lakeview by the time Clark returned. "I put in the Alchemy and Enchanting stations, like you said. And everything else, in here and the entrance hall, except for the animal trophies. I'm not a hunter, so they're not my style, and I wanted to ask you before I did that."
"Leave them out," Clark concurred. "I always find it a bit creepy to have something dead watching me, especially in the bedroom."
"That reminds me," she responded. "Did you decide on what wings to add? You were thinking of bedrooms, kitchen and a tower, if I recall."
"Yes, that's the plan, and it's why I'm back here now. I want to get the structures up, so you can furnish while I'm away in Solstheim."
"Can do. I assume the same plan applies, everything but the mounted trophies?"
"And we won't need a second alchemy lab. The storage in the tower will still be useful, though. And weapon racks and armour mannequins everywhere but the basement."
"Yes, what about the cellar?" Rayya asked. "I haven't done anything with that. I wasn't sure if you wanted a forge, or if the anvil outside was enough. And you already built the smelter, grindstone and workbench out there. All that's downstairs right now is an archery target, and I can easily move that."
"Just put the lights down there for now," Clark decided. "I'm not sure if I'll use it for storage, or as a place to throw parties. A big open space can be useful."
"Maybe the mead barrels, then. They'd be useful to have, whichever way you decide."
"Good point. The little one up here won't hold enough for a proper party."
---
Clark noticed that Rayya wasn't wearing her armour. In fact, her outfit was much the same as she'd changed into on their first night here. She'd added a couple of pieces to cover any embarrassment if she went outside and met strangers, and she was wearing her scimitars, too.
He asked her about it. She replied that she was in and out of the house all time, so this was the comfortable compromise. "I don't need the steel armour much anyway. I can fight off wolves or bandits without it, just with a fast attack. I never did decide on a light armour that I like, and I notice you don't use any either."
"That's because I can cast a spell for defense," Clark replied. "Do you think you'd want to learn one?"
"I'm still not sure," she replied. "If I did that, wouldn't I need more magicka?"
"Not if you're only using it for the one spell. You'll have it all back before you need to cast again, and it will need less as you get more experience. I've never needed more."
"You've just about convinced me. It's at least worth learning the spell, so I can try it."
"I may have a spell tome for Oakflesh on the wagon," Clark told her. "Let me check."
---
"Here you go. You'll find that after you've used this for a while, it will take less magicka to cast it. By the time you need a stronger spell, you should be able to cast that for about the same amount of magicka this one takes now. Just don't go chasing giants, until you've learned Ebonyflesh!"
"If we get any giants round here, I'll be up to the top of the tower with my bow!"
"Not until we've built it," Clark reminded her. "We'd better get to work."
"Let me use the anvil this time," Rayya asked. "I could use the experience with my smithing. I've been making all the nails, hinges, locks and fittings for the furniture, and I'm getting close to where I can improve enchanted gear!"
"Have you got anything that needs it?" Clark wanted to know.
"Not yet. I've been holding off on enchanting my Scimitars until I could do that. Otherwise, I'd have to do it the other way round, and temper them before enchanting, and then I'd have to find new ones before I could do it again. Nobody makes these in Skyrim, so that would be a real problem."
Clark had seen a few other Alik'r carrying Scimitars, but nobody else. And you certainly didn't find them in any smith's inventory.
"What did you want to enchant them with, anyway?"
"I'd hoped to persuade you to put fiery soul trap on one of them, but I'm not sure what would go with it on the other."
"I'll look out for ideas," Clark replied. "Master Neloth on Solstheim may know enchantments I've not heard of."
---
Rayya was disappointed that Clark was leaving again. They hadn't had time to try all the beds, and she had a new recipe for vegetable soup he hadn't tasted. "It's spicier than your other housecarls would make. You've been to Hammerfell, so you know how different the cuisine is there."
"If you think Hammerfell food is spicy, then you haven't tasted food from Elsweyr," he replied. "The hotter the country, the hotter the food, and the deserts there are hot even at night."
Rayya hadn't actually been to the Alik'r desert herself. Her parents had come from there before she was born and she'd been brought up in Elinhir, just over the border. But she had heard that it could be as cold at night as it was in Skyrim. Dry sand didn't hold the heat the way water did, even when it was ice. She knew that Clark had been there, as he'd told her that some of his merchandise came from the area.
"Have you been to Elsweyr, or just had food from the caravan people?" she asked. "I think they make their food extra-hot as a joke on anyone who's not a Khajiit."
"Yes, I've been there. Before the Mane was assassinated, and the tribes went back to fighting each other, you could travel freely around the whole province."
"But that was nearly two hundred years ago!" Rayya protested.
Clark hadn't told her about his immortality. He'd been too busy house-building, and it had slipped his mind that she'd need to know. It was a long story. Maybe he could stay one more night.
Nice banter between Rayya and Clark as we get brought up to speed on Lakeview progress and plans.
Enchanting a set of dual scimitars? Fiery soul trap is indeed a great choice for one. Absorb health comes to mind for the other?
Oops. Clark let slip his age. . . . Yeah, he’d better stay another night just to prove he still possesses his youthful vigor.
Nit: ’She'd added a couple of pieces to cover any embarassment if she went outside and met strangers,...’ – - Spelling of embarrassment. I don’t think using a single r is a British variant, but please correct me if I’m wrong.
Enchanting a set of dual scimitars? Fiery soul trap is indeed a great choice for one. Absorb health comes to mind for the other?
Oops. Clark let slip his age. . . . Yeah, he’d better stay another night just to prove he still possesses his youthful vigor.
Nit: ’She'd added a couple of pieces to cover any embarassment if she went outside and met strangers,...’ – - Spelling of embarrassment. I don’t think using a single r is a British variant, but please correct me if I’m wrong.
I applaud Rayya and Clark’s taste leaving out the animal heads. I think the horker looks particularly appalling. A cellar party room is a great idea! The entire back room is empty in most of my games until I think of a good way to use it. Besides for sparring, of course.
Hmm, I wonder what Rayya will choose for her second enchantment. I’m looking forward to Clark and Vicuña’s journey to Solstheim.
Hmm, I wonder what Rayya will choose for her second enchantment. I’m looking forward to Clark and Vicuña’s journey to Solstheim.
Even though I can't read this at this time, I want to make sure to continue supporting Clark's story for all the fun and laughter Clark has brought me over the years in his stories. This is one of my favorite stories, and I really miss it!
Acadian: The correct spelling is embare-assment, I think.
Grits: There's just a possibility that Clark will find a couple of scimitars on Solstheim that are already enchanted. Soulrender and Bloodscythe seem to be made for her.
mALX: Clark will be waiting!
--------------------
Previously: Clark finished the external construction at Lakeview and left Rayya to furnish it. He promised to look for enchantments for her scimitars while he was on Solstheim.
---------------------
Part 37 - Mzinchaleft
Before he set off for Solstheim, Clark had a few other visits to make. Gilda and Karliah were busy putting the Thieves Guild back together, so he wanted to go to Riften and see how they were getting on. He'd never got round to upgrading Iona's armour, either. It seemed to him wrong to pair Chillrend with plain steel, and she needed something better. It probably wouldn't be long before Riften saw some action, and he didn't want her at a disadvantage.
It turned out that she'd had the same idea herself. She'd been training with Balimund, and could already craft Dwarven equipment. The problem was that the smith didn't have a large supply of the metal, as most of his customers needed iron and steel.
"You get that from Dwemer ruins," Clark recalled. "But apart from Markarth, at the other end of the province, I don't know where any of them are. We should ask Mjoll, if she doesn't object to being reminded of the subject."
"Oh, I've met her," Iona replied. "She's the one who lost her sword in one of the ruins, isn't she? So she should know the way to that one, at least. Let's go over to the Bee and Barb, and see if she's there. She and Aerin go there most evenings."
Mjoll and Aerin weren't the only familiar faces. "Brelyna, what are you doing in Riften?"
"Looking for a Dwemer ruin," she replied. "I don't expect to find it here in town, but I know it's not too far from here, and someone might know exactly where it is."
"So you're looking for one in particular, not just any Dwemer ruin?"
"Yes, I need to find Mzulft. There's a party of mages from Cyrodiil that I need to talk to, and they were last known to be headed there."
"The local expert on Dwemer ruins is probably Mjoll, and Iona and I came to see her, too. Let me introduce you."
---
Mjoll didn't remember where Mzulft was. She had been there, but her mind was too full of Mzinchaleft. "I won't be able to think straight until I get Grimsever back, I'm afraid."
"You at least remember where that is, don't you?"
"Not really, but I'm sure Aerin does. That's where he found me, after all."
Aerin was able to mark Mzinchaleft on the map for them. "I do hope you can get Mjoll's sword back."
---
Brelyna didn't mind the prospect of visiting two Dwemer ruins, as long as one of them was Mzulft. She wouldn't explain why that was important, but "College business" would have to do for now.
"We'll ride in my wagon," Clark decided. "It's a bit slow, but Iona needs to collect as much Dwarven metal as she can, and that stuff is heavy. The wagon can carry all we find, as well as the three of us."
"Three?" Brelyna queried.
"You, me and Iona. Mjoll's not up to going back without Grimsever in her hands. We'll come back here if we find it, and see if that helps her remember about Mzulft."
---
It took a couple of days to get there, and the welcome they got wasn't exactly friendly. A party of bandits had occupied the buildings above ground, and didn't take kindly to visitors. Fortunately, there weren't many of them, and they had the usual lack of coordination that untrained warriors often exhibit. No more than a couple of them attacked at any time, which meant they were outnumbered in each skirmish.
They also seemed to be particularly intimidated by the Frost Atronachs that Brelyna summoned. They're large, impressive-looking brutes, even if they're slow and don't really do as much damage as you'd think.
"Their size can be a problem in caves," Brelyna admitted. "Although they'll happily fight for you, they also tend to get stuck in the narrow parts, and you can't make them understand that you want to pass. And don't even think about sneaking when one of them is with you!"
They encountered a few more bandits just inside, who weren't expecting them, and were easily picked off as the advancing party met them. They'd apparently dealt with a few of the Dwarven automata in this section of the ruins, as the remains of a couple of Dwarven spiders were lying around. Iona searched them, but found little to salvage.
The wreck of a Dwarven sphere a bit further in provided a small plate that could be melted down, and they could hear sounds of fighting from the bottom of the next ramp. Through the gate at the bottom, they could just about make out a couple more of the spheres fighting some more bandits. They let it play out before opening the gate to finish off the surviving sphere.
Only one of the spheres yielded any useful scrap, but there were a couple of pieces of plate in a corner.
---
Those appeared to be the last of the bandits, and only some more of the automata were roaming the next few corridors. They appeared one at a time, which put them at a major disadvantage against the team.
"I'm surprised we haven't come across any traps yet. The Dwemer seemed to be as fond of those as the Ayleids were in Cyrodiil," Clark remarked.
"Like that?" Iona asked.
"I don't think that's a trap," Brelyna said. "But they were just as fond of puzzles. We're going to have to figure out what order to pull those levers in order to get through."
"I'm betting that the valve in the last chamber will release all the doors, so we don't all have to go together," Clark replied. "Brelyna, follow me. Iona, stay with the first lever, in case we need it pulled again."
"Sounds like a plan," she agreed.
It didn't prove too complicated a puzzle, and Clark's assumption about the valve proved correct. All the remaining gates opened at once, and the path was clear.
In the next room was another lever, operating a lift.
Grits: There's just a possibility that Clark will find a couple of scimitars on Solstheim that are already enchanted. Soulrender and Bloodscythe seem to be made for her.
mALX: Clark will be waiting!
--------------------
Previously: Clark finished the external construction at Lakeview and left Rayya to furnish it. He promised to look for enchantments for her scimitars while he was on Solstheim.
---------------------
Part 37 - Mzinchaleft
Before he set off for Solstheim, Clark had a few other visits to make. Gilda and Karliah were busy putting the Thieves Guild back together, so he wanted to go to Riften and see how they were getting on. He'd never got round to upgrading Iona's armour, either. It seemed to him wrong to pair Chillrend with plain steel, and she needed something better. It probably wouldn't be long before Riften saw some action, and he didn't want her at a disadvantage.
It turned out that she'd had the same idea herself. She'd been training with Balimund, and could already craft Dwarven equipment. The problem was that the smith didn't have a large supply of the metal, as most of his customers needed iron and steel.
"You get that from Dwemer ruins," Clark recalled. "But apart from Markarth, at the other end of the province, I don't know where any of them are. We should ask Mjoll, if she doesn't object to being reminded of the subject."
"Oh, I've met her," Iona replied. "She's the one who lost her sword in one of the ruins, isn't she? So she should know the way to that one, at least. Let's go over to the Bee and Barb, and see if she's there. She and Aerin go there most evenings."
Mjoll and Aerin weren't the only familiar faces. "Brelyna, what are you doing in Riften?"
"Looking for a Dwemer ruin," she replied. "I don't expect to find it here in town, but I know it's not too far from here, and someone might know exactly where it is."
"So you're looking for one in particular, not just any Dwemer ruin?"
"Yes, I need to find Mzulft. There's a party of mages from Cyrodiil that I need to talk to, and they were last known to be headed there."
"The local expert on Dwemer ruins is probably Mjoll, and Iona and I came to see her, too. Let me introduce you."
---
Mjoll didn't remember where Mzulft was. She had been there, but her mind was too full of Mzinchaleft. "I won't be able to think straight until I get Grimsever back, I'm afraid."
"You at least remember where that is, don't you?"
"Not really, but I'm sure Aerin does. That's where he found me, after all."
Aerin was able to mark Mzinchaleft on the map for them. "I do hope you can get Mjoll's sword back."
---
Brelyna didn't mind the prospect of visiting two Dwemer ruins, as long as one of them was Mzulft. She wouldn't explain why that was important, but "College business" would have to do for now.
"We'll ride in my wagon," Clark decided. "It's a bit slow, but Iona needs to collect as much Dwarven metal as she can, and that stuff is heavy. The wagon can carry all we find, as well as the three of us."
"Three?" Brelyna queried.
"You, me and Iona. Mjoll's not up to going back without Grimsever in her hands. We'll come back here if we find it, and see if that helps her remember about Mzulft."
---
It took a couple of days to get there, and the welcome they got wasn't exactly friendly. A party of bandits had occupied the buildings above ground, and didn't take kindly to visitors. Fortunately, there weren't many of them, and they had the usual lack of coordination that untrained warriors often exhibit. No more than a couple of them attacked at any time, which meant they were outnumbered in each skirmish.
They also seemed to be particularly intimidated by the Frost Atronachs that Brelyna summoned. They're large, impressive-looking brutes, even if they're slow and don't really do as much damage as you'd think.
"Their size can be a problem in caves," Brelyna admitted. "Although they'll happily fight for you, they also tend to get stuck in the narrow parts, and you can't make them understand that you want to pass. And don't even think about sneaking when one of them is with you!"
They encountered a few more bandits just inside, who weren't expecting them, and were easily picked off as the advancing party met them. They'd apparently dealt with a few of the Dwarven automata in this section of the ruins, as the remains of a couple of Dwarven spiders were lying around. Iona searched them, but found little to salvage.
The wreck of a Dwarven sphere a bit further in provided a small plate that could be melted down, and they could hear sounds of fighting from the bottom of the next ramp. Through the gate at the bottom, they could just about make out a couple more of the spheres fighting some more bandits. They let it play out before opening the gate to finish off the surviving sphere.
Only one of the spheres yielded any useful scrap, but there were a couple of pieces of plate in a corner.
---
Those appeared to be the last of the bandits, and only some more of the automata were roaming the next few corridors. They appeared one at a time, which put them at a major disadvantage against the team.
"I'm surprised we haven't come across any traps yet. The Dwemer seemed to be as fond of those as the Ayleids were in Cyrodiil," Clark remarked.
"Like that?" Iona asked.
"I don't think that's a trap," Brelyna said. "But they were just as fond of puzzles. We're going to have to figure out what order to pull those levers in order to get through."
"I'm betting that the valve in the last chamber will release all the doors, so we don't all have to go together," Clark replied. "Brelyna, follow me. Iona, stay with the first lever, in case we need it pulled again."
"Sounds like a plan," she agreed.
It didn't prove too complicated a puzzle, and Clark's assumption about the valve proved correct. All the remaining gates opened at once, and the path was clear.
In the next room was another lever, operating a lift.
Nice job of tying Mjoll’s wonderful quest to Aspiring Arch Mage Brelyna’s ‘College business’.
Aerin is sweet to offer the location of Grimsever and extend his wishes for success. I’m sure he realizes that Mjoll might begin adventuring again if she regains that weapon, yet he cares about her more than himself.
I’m sure that Darnand (from Jerric’s world) would agree with Bre’s assessment of frost atronachs and their merit/utility.
Clark is handy to have along when it comes to solving puzzles it seems.
Aerin is sweet to offer the location of Grimsever and extend his wishes for success. I’m sure he realizes that Mjoll might begin adventuring again if she regains that weapon, yet he cares about her more than himself.
I’m sure that Darnand (from Jerric’s world) would agree with Bre’s assessment of frost atronachs and their merit/utility.
Clark is handy to have along when it comes to solving puzzles it seems.
Mzulft and Mzinchaleft, I can never keep those two straight. No wonder Mjoll sounds confused.
Acadian is right, I know some folks who would agree with Brelyna’s assessment of her frost atronach, especially getting stuck in the narrow parts!
Good plan to leave someone at the first lever. That puzzle causes some concern when the bars go back up behind you. How fun to have Brelyna along for this adventure.
Acadian is right, I know some folks who would agree with Brelyna’s assessment of her frost atronach, especially getting stuck in the narrow parts!
Good plan to leave someone at the first lever. That puzzle causes some concern when the bars go back up behind you. How fun to have Brelyna along for this adventure.
Acadian: Brelyna's going to need someone like Mjoll to help with the rest of the quests. The CoW quests are hardest for a pure mage, and I don't know whether that was intended as a reason for using a follower, or just bad design. Still, it suits the story, so I won;t complain.
Grits: Don't forget Mzark! It's Bthalft and Bthardamz that confuse me.
I wrote the bit about the frostie after my character found herself stuck between Brelyna blocking behind her, and the summons blocking ahead. Nobody could move until the spell expired.
------------------
Previously Clark, Iona and Brelyna have gone to Mzinchaleft to look for Mjoll's Grimsever, in the hope that she'll then remember how to find Mzulft for Brelyna.
-----------------
Part 38 - Mzinchaleft Depths
"How far down do you think we are?" Iona asked.
"As long as there's another lift to take us back up, it doesn't make a lot of difference," Clark replied. "I'm more worried about the Falmer, than the depth." He pointed forward, at a body lying on the stone floor.
They also found a broken Dwarven Spider. "No usable scrap on this one, just a soul gem."
"I'll take that, if it's filled," Brelyna told her. "I can always use those to top up my staves. Using those for destruction spells leaves my own magicka for conjurations and armour."
"And if it's not filled, give it to me, and I'll see about filling it. My sword does that," Clark reminded her.
---
When he opened the next door, Clark could see a Falmer scout on the bridge up ahead. "How well do you sneak?" he asked Iona. "Can you put couple of arrows in that one before he spots us?"
"I think he might notice the first arrow," she replied, but crept forward with her bow at the ready. The Falmer staggered, as her first arrow hit, and Brelyna added a blast of shock before he could recover.
The sound of the lightning brought a second Falmer to investigate, but again he was hit before he found them.
"Keep it quiet, and it may stay this easy," Clark reminded them. "Falmer are blind, so if they can't hear you, they won't know you're there."
"Chaurus aren't, though," Brelyna interrupted, and used her other staff to send a fireball at the advancing beast. Clark raised a ward just in time to block a spray of poison, and Iona sent an arrow in its direction. It still managed to just reach them before falling to a thrust from Chillrend.
That was the only Chaurus in the area, although they did encounter two more Falmer before entering the building at the end of the bridge. Staying as quiet as possible gave them all the advantage they needed.
---
There were a few more Falmer in the building, but no Chaurus. Stealth proved to be a winning approach, but the tunnel ahead looked ominous.
"There will be Chaurus down here," Iona said, pointing at the egg mound by the wall.
"And not enough room to summon a Frost Atronach. I hate these narrow tunnels," Brelyna agreed.
Clark said nothing. He found that the restricted space made a ward more effective, as you couldn't get around it.
---
After a number of encounters with both Falmer and Chaurus, they eventually emerged at a plaza where the Falmer had set up an encampment. A row of iron spikes barred a gateway on the other side, but there was no sign of a lever or anything that would lower them. "I bet it's up that ramp, in the tower overlooking us," Clark whispered. "We'll have to go past the huts and hope there's nobody home."
Of course there was, but only Falmer, and none of their pets. There was an archer in the tower, and he heard them open the gate to his perch. Iona was in the lead, with her shield up, so he didn't get much of a target to aim at.
Behind him was a button that lowered the barrier. It came down noisily, probably alerting any Falmer on the other side. Indeed, a shaman with a staff of frost was waiting to attack them as soon as they passed through. Clark's ward was already up, and the frost did little. Iona returned fire with her bow, but it took a few arrows to bring the shaman down.
"We either need to go up that ramp, or through the door opposite. Which should we try first?" Brelyna asked.
"The door's on our level, so we'll take a look there first," Clark decided.
It turned out to be just a storeroom, but there was a fair amount of metal scrap, and a broken Dwarven Centurion lying on a bench. That yielded a bit more metal, and a grand soul gem for Brelyna.
---
The ramp lead to a large room with a lot of hissing pipes. At the far end, a functional Centurion stood in its recharging frame, which appeared to block a doorway to something beyond. And on a table next to it, a blade gleamed.
"I wonder if that's Grimsever." Iona mused. "If it is, then that's probably the Centurion that beat up on Mjoll."
Iona moved forward to see if she could get a better look without alerting the Centurion. A port opened in the wall ahead of her, and a Dwarven Sphere emerged. She dropped back hurriedly, and they all fired at the advancing Sphere.
A rush of steam told them the Centurion was activated, too. They hurried to finish off the sphere, before its reinforcements arrived. As it fell apart, Brelyna summoned a Frost Atronach to distract the Centurion. If there was room for the metal giant, there was room for hers, too.
"Quickly, up those stairs over there," Clark called out. "We can drop behind it and grab the sword. I just hope the door isn't locked."
Brelyna continued to use her staves to send a barrage of spells at the Dwarven creature they assumed had been Mjoll's nemesis. Her Frost Atronach was shattered by a mighty blow from the colossus, but it staggered itself as it did so.
"It's weakening," shouted Iona, and she rushed in with her sword before Clark could stop her. Brelyna had to hold her fire, for fear of hitting the housecarl.
If it hadn't been Chillrend in Iona's hand, she might not have inflicted enough damage, but the added frost made all the difference. The great metal legs gave way, and Iona had to dodge quickly out of the way as it fell untidily to the ground.
It rewarded her extra effort with a good haul of scrap metal, and another grand soul gem. There were a couple of gemstones, and weapons that it must have taken from other adventurers who hadn't been so lucky.
"And we do have Grimsever," Clark affirmed. "This sword has just the enchantment Mjoll described."
"It's looking a bit the worse for wear," Brelyna observed. "We ought to clean it up a bit before we give it back."
"I can get Balimund to help me sharpen it up," Iona agreed.
"And we can do better than that," Clark announced. "I have some Malachite on the wagon, so we can improve it for her, if you or Balimund has the skill."
---
"You found it! But wait, there's something different about it. I mean, it's Grimsever all right, but something's changed." Mjoll put down the axe she was carrying and took the great sword* from Iona. "You've had it tempered up a notch, haven't you? I could never manage that myself. Never had the skill, or the material."
"Let me give it a swing," she continued.
Everyone stood back and gave her room. It was a large and heavy blade, but she whirled it around as if it were light as a feather. "It doesn't just look better, it feels better, too. I can't thank you enough!"
"Actually, perhaps you can," Clark began. "Brelyna needs a guide to take her to Mzulft, and Iona and I want to go there too, and look for Dwarven Metal. It will give you the chance to use Grimsever again, I'm sure."
"Back to a Dwarven ruin? Are you sure that's a good idea?" Aerin asked.
"I doubt there are any Centurions there," Brelyna explained. "I'm following a group of mages from Cyrodiil, and I'm sure they would not be going there if that was what they expected to find. A few lesser automata, no doubt, and maybe some Falmer, that's all."
"And I think going back to a Dwarven ruin is exactly what Mjoll needs, to put her right. Slay the ghosts, and all that," Clark added. "Remember, she's not going to be alone, this time."
------------
*Note: USKP changes Grimsever to a two-hander to match Mjoll's skills.
Grits: Don't forget Mzark! It's Bthalft and Bthardamz that confuse me.
I wrote the bit about the frostie after my character found herself stuck between Brelyna blocking behind her, and the summons blocking ahead. Nobody could move until the spell expired.
------------------
Previously Clark, Iona and Brelyna have gone to Mzinchaleft to look for Mjoll's Grimsever, in the hope that she'll then remember how to find Mzulft for Brelyna.
-----------------
Part 38 - Mzinchaleft Depths
"How far down do you think we are?" Iona asked.
"As long as there's another lift to take us back up, it doesn't make a lot of difference," Clark replied. "I'm more worried about the Falmer, than the depth." He pointed forward, at a body lying on the stone floor.
They also found a broken Dwarven Spider. "No usable scrap on this one, just a soul gem."
"I'll take that, if it's filled," Brelyna told her. "I can always use those to top up my staves. Using those for destruction spells leaves my own magicka for conjurations and armour."
"And if it's not filled, give it to me, and I'll see about filling it. My sword does that," Clark reminded her.
---
When he opened the next door, Clark could see a Falmer scout on the bridge up ahead. "How well do you sneak?" he asked Iona. "Can you put couple of arrows in that one before he spots us?"
"I think he might notice the first arrow," she replied, but crept forward with her bow at the ready. The Falmer staggered, as her first arrow hit, and Brelyna added a blast of shock before he could recover.
The sound of the lightning brought a second Falmer to investigate, but again he was hit before he found them.
"Keep it quiet, and it may stay this easy," Clark reminded them. "Falmer are blind, so if they can't hear you, they won't know you're there."
"Chaurus aren't, though," Brelyna interrupted, and used her other staff to send a fireball at the advancing beast. Clark raised a ward just in time to block a spray of poison, and Iona sent an arrow in its direction. It still managed to just reach them before falling to a thrust from Chillrend.
That was the only Chaurus in the area, although they did encounter two more Falmer before entering the building at the end of the bridge. Staying as quiet as possible gave them all the advantage they needed.
---
There were a few more Falmer in the building, but no Chaurus. Stealth proved to be a winning approach, but the tunnel ahead looked ominous.
"There will be Chaurus down here," Iona said, pointing at the egg mound by the wall.
"And not enough room to summon a Frost Atronach. I hate these narrow tunnels," Brelyna agreed.
Clark said nothing. He found that the restricted space made a ward more effective, as you couldn't get around it.
---
After a number of encounters with both Falmer and Chaurus, they eventually emerged at a plaza where the Falmer had set up an encampment. A row of iron spikes barred a gateway on the other side, but there was no sign of a lever or anything that would lower them. "I bet it's up that ramp, in the tower overlooking us," Clark whispered. "We'll have to go past the huts and hope there's nobody home."
Of course there was, but only Falmer, and none of their pets. There was an archer in the tower, and he heard them open the gate to his perch. Iona was in the lead, with her shield up, so he didn't get much of a target to aim at.
Behind him was a button that lowered the barrier. It came down noisily, probably alerting any Falmer on the other side. Indeed, a shaman with a staff of frost was waiting to attack them as soon as they passed through. Clark's ward was already up, and the frost did little. Iona returned fire with her bow, but it took a few arrows to bring the shaman down.
"We either need to go up that ramp, or through the door opposite. Which should we try first?" Brelyna asked.
"The door's on our level, so we'll take a look there first," Clark decided.
It turned out to be just a storeroom, but there was a fair amount of metal scrap, and a broken Dwarven Centurion lying on a bench. That yielded a bit more metal, and a grand soul gem for Brelyna.
---
The ramp lead to a large room with a lot of hissing pipes. At the far end, a functional Centurion stood in its recharging frame, which appeared to block a doorway to something beyond. And on a table next to it, a blade gleamed.
"I wonder if that's Grimsever." Iona mused. "If it is, then that's probably the Centurion that beat up on Mjoll."
Iona moved forward to see if she could get a better look without alerting the Centurion. A port opened in the wall ahead of her, and a Dwarven Sphere emerged. She dropped back hurriedly, and they all fired at the advancing Sphere.
A rush of steam told them the Centurion was activated, too. They hurried to finish off the sphere, before its reinforcements arrived. As it fell apart, Brelyna summoned a Frost Atronach to distract the Centurion. If there was room for the metal giant, there was room for hers, too.
"Quickly, up those stairs over there," Clark called out. "We can drop behind it and grab the sword. I just hope the door isn't locked."
Brelyna continued to use her staves to send a barrage of spells at the Dwarven creature they assumed had been Mjoll's nemesis. Her Frost Atronach was shattered by a mighty blow from the colossus, but it staggered itself as it did so.
"It's weakening," shouted Iona, and she rushed in with her sword before Clark could stop her. Brelyna had to hold her fire, for fear of hitting the housecarl.
If it hadn't been Chillrend in Iona's hand, she might not have inflicted enough damage, but the added frost made all the difference. The great metal legs gave way, and Iona had to dodge quickly out of the way as it fell untidily to the ground.
It rewarded her extra effort with a good haul of scrap metal, and another grand soul gem. There were a couple of gemstones, and weapons that it must have taken from other adventurers who hadn't been so lucky.
"And we do have Grimsever," Clark affirmed. "This sword has just the enchantment Mjoll described."
"It's looking a bit the worse for wear," Brelyna observed. "We ought to clean it up a bit before we give it back."
"I can get Balimund to help me sharpen it up," Iona agreed.
"And we can do better than that," Clark announced. "I have some Malachite on the wagon, so we can improve it for her, if you or Balimund has the skill."
---
"You found it! But wait, there's something different about it. I mean, it's Grimsever all right, but something's changed." Mjoll put down the axe she was carrying and took the great sword* from Iona. "You've had it tempered up a notch, haven't you? I could never manage that myself. Never had the skill, or the material."
"Let me give it a swing," she continued.
Everyone stood back and gave her room. It was a large and heavy blade, but she whirled it around as if it were light as a feather. "It doesn't just look better, it feels better, too. I can't thank you enough!"
"Actually, perhaps you can," Clark began. "Brelyna needs a guide to take her to Mzulft, and Iona and I want to go there too, and look for Dwarven Metal. It will give you the chance to use Grimsever again, I'm sure."
"Back to a Dwarven ruin? Are you sure that's a good idea?" Aerin asked.
"I doubt there are any Centurions there," Brelyna explained. "I'm following a group of mages from Cyrodiil, and I'm sure they would not be going there if that was what they expected to find. A few lesser automata, no doubt, and maybe some Falmer, that's all."
"And I think going back to a Dwarven ruin is exactly what Mjoll needs, to put her right. Slay the ghosts, and all that," Clark added. "Remember, she's not going to be alone, this time."
------------
*Note: USKP changes Grimsever to a two-hander to match Mjoll's skills.
Oh, Mintzelchuffsalot is a great dungeon with the wonderful bonus of helping out dear Mjoll. Buffy went through there recently and it was fun to read how Team Clark did so. And how nice to clean up and improve the blade for Mjoll. She will doubtless make a great escort for Brelyna. 
‘And I think going back to a Dwarven ruin is exactly what Mjoll needs, to put her right.’ - - Yup, I agree with Clark!
‘And I think going back to a Dwarven ruin is exactly what Mjoll needs, to put her right.’ - - Yup, I agree with Clark!
Acadian: Brelyna takes Mjoll to Mzulft (but not Mzark) in this one, and they'll report back in a later piece.
--------------------
Previously: Clark, Iona and Brelyna had gone to Mzinchaleft to look for Mjoll's sword, Grimsever, in the hope that she'd remember more about Dwarven ruins once she had it back. They'd encountered the same Centurion that had given Mjoll so much trouble, but their greater numbers had made the difference.
--------------------
Part 39 - Mzulft
Mjoll now remembered the way to Mzulft. It was about two-thirds of the way to Windhelm, and not too far off the road. You couldn't quite see it as you passed, but there were arches marking the path, so it was hard to miss the turning.
"If I remember, there's a good quantity of metal in that storeroom over there," Mjoll told them, pointing. "I don't like the Dwemer style of armour, too clunky and heavy-looking for my tastes, so I never bothered collecting it. The usual mixture of loot in the main ruin, but there were parts where the doors were locked and I couldn't pick them, so it's worth a second visit."
"You and Iona go and load up at the storeroom, and Mjoll and I will go look for the Imperials, then," Brelyna decided. "We should be all right on our own."
Mjoll wasn't sure. Brelyna was small and unarmoured. She could look after herself, now she had Grimsever, but what about the Dunmer? Clark pointed out that Brelyna was just as resistant to fire as Mjoll was to frost. She could use spells instead of armour, and "Show her the reinforcements," he concluded.
"He's bigger than I am," Mjoll conceded, as the Frost Atronach loomed over her. "Almost as big as the Centurion I fought in Mzinchaleft."
Clark noted that Mjoll didn't have any problems talking about that incident now. It was probably a good sign.
"Whatever happened to him, anyway? Was he still there when you fetched Grimsever?"
"Oh yes," Iona told her, "but not any more."
---
Clark and Iona wished they'd taken the wagon to Mzulft. There was a lot more metal than they'd expected, and it was about as much as they could carry. On the other hand, Iona had more than enough to advance her smithing skill.
"I should be able to make my own steel plate by the time I've used all this up. Balimund tells me he can train me until I can make ebony armour, and that's what I'd really like."
"Check out Narzulbur when you're ready for that. The Orcs there mine ebony, and if you're helpful to them, they should be prepared to trade with you. Maybe they'll let you mine some for yourself."
"Where's that?"
"Up in the hills between here and Kynesgrove. I think that trail over there would lead you there if you follow it far enough."
They didn't take that turn this time. It was the opposite direction from Riften, and they didn't want to carry the metal any further than they had to.
---
Brelyna and Mjoll joined them in the Bee and Barb that evening. "How did it go? Did you find your mages?" Clark asked Brelyna.
"Yes, but most of them were dead. The Falmer got them, but we found one of them alive, locked in the Oculory."
"What's an Oculory?" Iona asked.
"A big room with a Dwemer contraption in it," Mjoll answered. "And not much in the way of treasure."
"It did provide what I was looking for, though," Brelyna cut in. "The location of the Staff of Magnus. I now know it's in Labyrinthian, so we're going there next."
"We?" asked Aerin. "Do you mean Clark and Iona, or is Mjoll going again?"
"I'm going," Mjoll told him firmly. "Brelyna and I make a better team than I imagined. She does everything I don't, and vice-versa. Together, we're more then twice what we are individually. She needs a sword-wielder, and I need a mage."
"And I'm off to Solstheim," Clark told him. "Iona's staying in Riften, if you need some company."
He turned back to Brelyna. "Mind filling in the rest of the story? What is this Staff of Magnus, and why do you need it? I assume there's some connection to that Eye of Magnus you found in Saarthal?"
"Yes. You remember I mentioned seeing a vision of a Psijic monk in Saarthal? Well he turned up in person at the College, and told me to find someone called the Augur of Dunlain. That turned out to be a wraith of some kind, down in the Midden below the College. He told me I need to find the Staff, and when I asked Mirabelle about it, she remembered the Imperials were looking for it, too. So that's why I went to Mzulft, following them. The Oculory showed us where the staff was, but not how to get it."
"I had another vision of the Psijic monk as I was coming out of Mzulft. He told me I need to go back and ask the Arch-mage about Labyrinthian, and that I was on the right path."
"Do you trust these Psijics?" Clark asked.
"I know Ancano hates them, so that makes them all right by me," she replied. "That man gives me the creeps."
Clark must have looked blank, because she explained. "He's a Thalmor, resident at the the College for some reason, probably as a spy. He's always been particularly unpleasant to me, because I'm of House Telvanni. He treats me like I'm a mere hedge wizard, but extremely dangerous at the same time. The Augur of Dunlain had told me that Ancano had visited him, too, to ask about the Eye of Magnus, and that he was about to do something potentially disastrous."
"The Psijics were warning me about catastrophic events being set in motion, too. At least they held out hope that I could do something to stop them. It didn't seem to matter to them that I wasn't an Altmer. To Ancano, that makes all the difference."
That fit Clark's impression of the typical Thalmor. He wasn't at all surprised. "If he's still alive, I assume he didn't meet Diablita, when she visited."
Brelyna chuckled. "I wish he had, but unfortunately, no.'
---
Brelyna and Mjoll accepted a ride in Clark's wagon as far as Windhelm, from where they continued on toward Winterhold, as Clark headed into the city.
--------------------
Previously: Clark, Iona and Brelyna had gone to Mzinchaleft to look for Mjoll's sword, Grimsever, in the hope that she'd remember more about Dwarven ruins once she had it back. They'd encountered the same Centurion that had given Mjoll so much trouble, but their greater numbers had made the difference.
--------------------
Part 39 - Mzulft
Mjoll now remembered the way to Mzulft. It was about two-thirds of the way to Windhelm, and not too far off the road. You couldn't quite see it as you passed, but there were arches marking the path, so it was hard to miss the turning.
"If I remember, there's a good quantity of metal in that storeroom over there," Mjoll told them, pointing. "I don't like the Dwemer style of armour, too clunky and heavy-looking for my tastes, so I never bothered collecting it. The usual mixture of loot in the main ruin, but there were parts where the doors were locked and I couldn't pick them, so it's worth a second visit."
"You and Iona go and load up at the storeroom, and Mjoll and I will go look for the Imperials, then," Brelyna decided. "We should be all right on our own."
Mjoll wasn't sure. Brelyna was small and unarmoured. She could look after herself, now she had Grimsever, but what about the Dunmer? Clark pointed out that Brelyna was just as resistant to fire as Mjoll was to frost. She could use spells instead of armour, and "Show her the reinforcements," he concluded.
"He's bigger than I am," Mjoll conceded, as the Frost Atronach loomed over her. "Almost as big as the Centurion I fought in Mzinchaleft."
Clark noted that Mjoll didn't have any problems talking about that incident now. It was probably a good sign.
"Whatever happened to him, anyway? Was he still there when you fetched Grimsever?"
"Oh yes," Iona told her, "but not any more."
---
Clark and Iona wished they'd taken the wagon to Mzulft. There was a lot more metal than they'd expected, and it was about as much as they could carry. On the other hand, Iona had more than enough to advance her smithing skill.
"I should be able to make my own steel plate by the time I've used all this up. Balimund tells me he can train me until I can make ebony armour, and that's what I'd really like."
"Check out Narzulbur when you're ready for that. The Orcs there mine ebony, and if you're helpful to them, they should be prepared to trade with you. Maybe they'll let you mine some for yourself."
"Where's that?"
"Up in the hills between here and Kynesgrove. I think that trail over there would lead you there if you follow it far enough."
They didn't take that turn this time. It was the opposite direction from Riften, and they didn't want to carry the metal any further than they had to.
---
Brelyna and Mjoll joined them in the Bee and Barb that evening. "How did it go? Did you find your mages?" Clark asked Brelyna.
"Yes, but most of them were dead. The Falmer got them, but we found one of them alive, locked in the Oculory."
"What's an Oculory?" Iona asked.
"A big room with a Dwemer contraption in it," Mjoll answered. "And not much in the way of treasure."
"It did provide what I was looking for, though," Brelyna cut in. "The location of the Staff of Magnus. I now know it's in Labyrinthian, so we're going there next."
"We?" asked Aerin. "Do you mean Clark and Iona, or is Mjoll going again?"
"I'm going," Mjoll told him firmly. "Brelyna and I make a better team than I imagined. She does everything I don't, and vice-versa. Together, we're more then twice what we are individually. She needs a sword-wielder, and I need a mage."
"And I'm off to Solstheim," Clark told him. "Iona's staying in Riften, if you need some company."
He turned back to Brelyna. "Mind filling in the rest of the story? What is this Staff of Magnus, and why do you need it? I assume there's some connection to that Eye of Magnus you found in Saarthal?"
"Yes. You remember I mentioned seeing a vision of a Psijic monk in Saarthal? Well he turned up in person at the College, and told me to find someone called the Augur of Dunlain. That turned out to be a wraith of some kind, down in the Midden below the College. He told me I need to find the Staff, and when I asked Mirabelle about it, she remembered the Imperials were looking for it, too. So that's why I went to Mzulft, following them. The Oculory showed us where the staff was, but not how to get it."
"I had another vision of the Psijic monk as I was coming out of Mzulft. He told me I need to go back and ask the Arch-mage about Labyrinthian, and that I was on the right path."
"Do you trust these Psijics?" Clark asked.
"I know Ancano hates them, so that makes them all right by me," she replied. "That man gives me the creeps."
Clark must have looked blank, because she explained. "He's a Thalmor, resident at the the College for some reason, probably as a spy. He's always been particularly unpleasant to me, because I'm of House Telvanni. He treats me like I'm a mere hedge wizard, but extremely dangerous at the same time. The Augur of Dunlain had told me that Ancano had visited him, too, to ask about the Eye of Magnus, and that he was about to do something potentially disastrous."
"The Psijics were warning me about catastrophic events being set in motion, too. At least they held out hope that I could do something to stop them. It didn't seem to matter to them that I wasn't an Altmer. To Ancano, that makes all the difference."
That fit Clark's impression of the typical Thalmor. He wasn't at all surprised. "If he's still alive, I assume he didn't meet Diablita, when she visited."
Brelyna chuckled. "I wish he had, but unfortunately, no.'
---
Brelyna and Mjoll accepted a ride in Clark's wagon as far as Windhelm, from where they continued on toward Winterhold, as Clark headed into the city.
So nice to see Mjoll the Motormouth Lioness leave Aerin the Worrywart Milkdrinker back in Riften and get out for some adventurin’! Brelyna’s quite capable, but she really shines as part of a team – and Mjoll makes the perfect escort for her! As she said, they complement each other very well.
I heartily endorse Bre’s impression of Ancano – including the concept that if Ancano hates the Psijics, then they must be okay.
Oooh! Ancano meeting Diablita!
I’d like to see that also.
I’m very much enjoying the adventures of two of my favorite Skyladies –Brelyna and Mjoll.
I heartily endorse Bre’s impression of Ancano – including the concept that if Ancano hates the Psijics, then they must be okay.
Oooh! Ancano meeting Diablita!
I’d like to see that also. I’m very much enjoying the adventures of two of my favorite Skyladies –Brelyna and Mjoll.
Acadian: Brelyna and Mjoll will be back, but other questlines have to unfold. Most of them won't be as quick as the next one!
-----------------
Previously: Brelyna and Mjoll went into Mzulft, while Clark and Iona collected Dwarven metal from the storeroom nearby. Brelyna is now about half-way through the College of Winterhold questline, and Clark has only had reports of what's going one when he meets her. In this part, the entire Dawnguard story will happen to someone else!
-----------------
Part 40 - Meeting Serana
Clark had let Gilda know by courier of his plans to visit Solstheim with Vicuña, so she knew he'd be at Candlehearth Hall. He was half-expecting her to visit them there, if only to tell him how things were with the Thieves Guild, and Maven Black-briar. He wasn't expecting the young woman who turned up in her place.
Except that she wasn't young, she just looked that way. Serana was several times older than him. "I'm not sure how long ago I was locked away in Dimhollow Crypt," she told him, "but there wasn't an Emperor in Cyrodiil back then."
She'd found out about Clark from Gilda, whom she'd met in Riften. Serana had joined the Thieves Guild as an appropriate vocation for someone of a nocturnal disposition. Clark could see from her eyes that she was a vampire, and like Sibylle Stentor in Solitude, or Hert and Hern at Half-moon Mill, she clearly had it under control. She'd lost her father recently. or rather, helped kill him, and she wanted Clark's help in getting her mother back.
"What makes you think I can help?" he asked.
"First, the fact that you just asked that question, rather than why you'd want to. There aren't that many people that would be prepared to help a vampire with anything. Second, Gilda told me you were an immortal, too, and that could be the key to reaching my mother, Valerica."
"What else did Gilda tell you?"
"She said that you'd been made immortal directly by a Daedric Prince, like I was. So I thought you'd be understanding, and willing to assist. I can see you're not a vampire, so I assume it wasn't Molag Bal in your case."
Clark suspected that Molag Bal might not have been as considerate as Nocturnal and Azura. "You'd better tell me the whole story first. Take your time."
Of course, there was a gap of centuries in the middle of her tale where she had no idea what was going on in the world. She knew that Harkon, her father, had had the same plan to acquire and corrupt Auriel's bow all that time. He wanted to turn off the sun, so that vampires could roam at all times. Clark could see a large number of problems with that idea, so he wasn't surprised it had opposition even from other vampires.
It wasn't clear to her why it had all come to a head just now. Perhaps that had been connected with Isran reforming the Dawnguard, and recruiting the young Nord who'd been the catalyst. She'd been entombed, and her mother in hiding, all that time, until he'd awakened her and set the whole thing in motion.
The Hunter, as Serana referred to him, had taken her back to Volkihar Castle, but refused Harkon's offer to make him a vampire. Her father had made it clear that he wouldn't get the same offer twice. Serana's intent was to try and stop Harkon's scheme, and she thought at first that she'd stand a better chance of doing so from within the family. It hadn't taken her long to reject that idea, and she'd gone looking for the Hunter back at Fort Dawnguard.
Together, they'd found two more Elder Scrolls to go with the one she'd had with her in Dimhollow Crypt. The lack of the scrolls had apparently been what was stopping Harkon from proceeding with his plans, and he'd let her leave the castle again, in the hope that Serana would find them for him.
One of the scrolls had been taken by the Dwemer, and was hidden in a ruin in Skyrim. The other was in the possession of her mother, Valerica, who'd taken it to the Soul Cairn and got trapped there by the Ideal Masters. Serana wasn't sure who they were, but she thought they had something to do with Molag Bal. They'd brought the scroll back, but Valerica had stayed in the Soul Cairn, refusing to leave until Harkon was dead.
Once they had the scrolls, it had been a question of staying one step ahead of the other vampires while they used them to track down Auriel's Bow, which was just as important to the Dawnguard's side as it was to Harkon's. It was the only way to put an end to Harkon and his plans. Serana and the Hunter had finally confronted Harkon in the Cathedral at his own castle, and the Hunter had used Auriel's Bow to slay the vampire lord.
"It wasn't until afterward that I discovered what the Hunter's motivations were," Serana continued. "He asked me, or rather demanded, that I get cured of my vampirism. I got the impression that he thought I was to be his reward for the whole effort, and my being a vampire didn't fit with his plans. Since I'd just eliminated my father for trying to plan my existence for his own benefit, I wasn't about to let a mortal take over. Besides, after what I went through to get my immortality, I wasn't too pleased with the idea of losing it. I sent him back to Fort Dawnguard, and I've erased his name from my memory."
"So where do I fit in?" Clark asked. "That all sounds very complete. Harkon's dead, the Hunter is out of your life, and your mother's free to return."
"Free to return, yes. But she won't believe me when I tell her that my father's been slain. She knows better than anyone how powerful a vampire he was. She thinks he's using me to trick her, and so I need someone else to confirm my story. Someone who's not a vampire, and therefore not one of Harkon's minions."
"There has to be something more than that involved. Or else anyone could help."
"Well, my mother's still in the Soul Cairn, and anyone who goes there has to be dead, or undead, or maybe immortal. I'm not quite sure any more. When I took the Hunter with me, we were able to trick the portal by partially soul-trapping him. I don't think that would work a second time. Anyone dead couldn't come back, a vampire wouldn't convince my mother, so the only option that's left is an immortal - like you."
"Are you in a hurry? I was just leaving for Solstheim, so can it wait until I get back?"
"Of course. She's been trapped there for centuries. What's a few more weeks?"
-----------------
Previously: Brelyna and Mjoll went into Mzulft, while Clark and Iona collected Dwarven metal from the storeroom nearby. Brelyna is now about half-way through the College of Winterhold questline, and Clark has only had reports of what's going one when he meets her. In this part, the entire Dawnguard story will happen to someone else!
-----------------
Part 40 - Meeting Serana
Clark had let Gilda know by courier of his plans to visit Solstheim with Vicuña, so she knew he'd be at Candlehearth Hall. He was half-expecting her to visit them there, if only to tell him how things were with the Thieves Guild, and Maven Black-briar. He wasn't expecting the young woman who turned up in her place.
Except that she wasn't young, she just looked that way. Serana was several times older than him. "I'm not sure how long ago I was locked away in Dimhollow Crypt," she told him, "but there wasn't an Emperor in Cyrodiil back then."
She'd found out about Clark from Gilda, whom she'd met in Riften. Serana had joined the Thieves Guild as an appropriate vocation for someone of a nocturnal disposition. Clark could see from her eyes that she was a vampire, and like Sibylle Stentor in Solitude, or Hert and Hern at Half-moon Mill, she clearly had it under control. She'd lost her father recently. or rather, helped kill him, and she wanted Clark's help in getting her mother back.
"What makes you think I can help?" he asked.
"First, the fact that you just asked that question, rather than why you'd want to. There aren't that many people that would be prepared to help a vampire with anything. Second, Gilda told me you were an immortal, too, and that could be the key to reaching my mother, Valerica."
"What else did Gilda tell you?"
"She said that you'd been made immortal directly by a Daedric Prince, like I was. So I thought you'd be understanding, and willing to assist. I can see you're not a vampire, so I assume it wasn't Molag Bal in your case."
Clark suspected that Molag Bal might not have been as considerate as Nocturnal and Azura. "You'd better tell me the whole story first. Take your time."
Of course, there was a gap of centuries in the middle of her tale where she had no idea what was going on in the world. She knew that Harkon, her father, had had the same plan to acquire and corrupt Auriel's bow all that time. He wanted to turn off the sun, so that vampires could roam at all times. Clark could see a large number of problems with that idea, so he wasn't surprised it had opposition even from other vampires.
It wasn't clear to her why it had all come to a head just now. Perhaps that had been connected with Isran reforming the Dawnguard, and recruiting the young Nord who'd been the catalyst. She'd been entombed, and her mother in hiding, all that time, until he'd awakened her and set the whole thing in motion.
The Hunter, as Serana referred to him, had taken her back to Volkihar Castle, but refused Harkon's offer to make him a vampire. Her father had made it clear that he wouldn't get the same offer twice. Serana's intent was to try and stop Harkon's scheme, and she thought at first that she'd stand a better chance of doing so from within the family. It hadn't taken her long to reject that idea, and she'd gone looking for the Hunter back at Fort Dawnguard.
Together, they'd found two more Elder Scrolls to go with the one she'd had with her in Dimhollow Crypt. The lack of the scrolls had apparently been what was stopping Harkon from proceeding with his plans, and he'd let her leave the castle again, in the hope that Serana would find them for him.
One of the scrolls had been taken by the Dwemer, and was hidden in a ruin in Skyrim. The other was in the possession of her mother, Valerica, who'd taken it to the Soul Cairn and got trapped there by the Ideal Masters. Serana wasn't sure who they were, but she thought they had something to do with Molag Bal. They'd brought the scroll back, but Valerica had stayed in the Soul Cairn, refusing to leave until Harkon was dead.
Once they had the scrolls, it had been a question of staying one step ahead of the other vampires while they used them to track down Auriel's Bow, which was just as important to the Dawnguard's side as it was to Harkon's. It was the only way to put an end to Harkon and his plans. Serana and the Hunter had finally confronted Harkon in the Cathedral at his own castle, and the Hunter had used Auriel's Bow to slay the vampire lord.
"It wasn't until afterward that I discovered what the Hunter's motivations were," Serana continued. "He asked me, or rather demanded, that I get cured of my vampirism. I got the impression that he thought I was to be his reward for the whole effort, and my being a vampire didn't fit with his plans. Since I'd just eliminated my father for trying to plan my existence for his own benefit, I wasn't about to let a mortal take over. Besides, after what I went through to get my immortality, I wasn't too pleased with the idea of losing it. I sent him back to Fort Dawnguard, and I've erased his name from my memory."
"So where do I fit in?" Clark asked. "That all sounds very complete. Harkon's dead, the Hunter is out of your life, and your mother's free to return."
"Free to return, yes. But she won't believe me when I tell her that my father's been slain. She knows better than anyone how powerful a vampire he was. She thinks he's using me to trick her, and so I need someone else to confirm my story. Someone who's not a vampire, and therefore not one of Harkon's minions."
"There has to be something more than that involved. Or else anyone could help."
"Well, my mother's still in the Soul Cairn, and anyone who goes there has to be dead, or undead, or maybe immortal. I'm not quite sure any more. When I took the Hunter with me, we were able to trick the portal by partially soul-trapping him. I don't think that would work a second time. Anyone dead couldn't come back, a vampire wouldn't convince my mother, so the only option that's left is an immortal - like you."
"Are you in a hurry? I was just leaving for Solstheim, so can it wait until I get back?"
"Of course. She's been trapped there for centuries. What's a few more weeks?"
Ghastley, I love your treatment of Dawnguard! What a fantastic summary, and you connect all the dots with great sense. How mysterious (and appropriate) that it was some unnamed ‘Hunter’ who helped Serana, then could not see clear to let her be. . . well, Serana. That Serana would migrate to the guild of thieves does make some sense, as well as account for her introduction to Gilda.
I see that Clark’s trip to the Soul Cairn goes straight to the back burner as he continues with his Solstheim plans for the moment.
So, can one get vampirism from sleeping with a vampire? If anyone can ferret out the answer, it’ll be Clark!
I see that Clark’s trip to the Soul Cairn goes straight to the back burner as he continues with his Solstheim plans for the moment.
So, can one get vampirism from sleeping with a vampire? If anyone can ferret out the answer, it’ll be Clark!
Acadian: The choices boiled down to Clark doing the whole Dawnguard quest-line himself, or finding out about it after it's all done. There aren't many points where someone doing the quests could meet him, except maybe when the Moth Priest Dexion is visiting. But I'd been considering how Valerica would be persuaded out of the Soul Cairn if the player didn't go back, and it just made sense that Clark was the only candidate for that.
He'll be experiencing difficulties other than contracting vampirism, but I'll save the details for later. No ferrets will be harmed in the making of this fan-fic.
Meanwhile, other quest lines are playing out, and one of them needs a push from Clark.
---------------------
Previously: Serana came to meet Clark at the Candlehearth Hall, but he had to postpone visiting her mother until he returned from Solstheim.
----------------------
Part 41 - Journey to Solstheim
As Vicuña and Clark left Candlehearth Hall to go down to the docks a couple of days later, a guard spoke to them.
"Can you believe it? The mages have blown up Winterhold again."
He didn't have a lot of detail, just that the Arch-mage had been killed, and several other mages injured. None of the townspeople had been hurt, this time, but they'd been terrorized by some kind of wisp-like creatures that seemed to have been summoned by the explosion.
Clark hoped that Brelyna hadn't been one of those injured. Mjoll was with her, and the guard had only mentioned mages being hurt, so perhaps this happened before the two of them arrived at the College. Their ship was waiting, so there wasn't anything they could do right now, but he'd want to find out as soon as they returned from Solstheim.
---
The Captain of the Northern Maiden, a Nord by the name of Gjalund Salt-sage, was pacing on the dock.
"Climb aboard. It's not a long trip, but I'd like to get there before dark. We've already got all the cargo stowed, so we can leave right away."
---
During the short voyage, Gjalund told them how he'd almost quit making this trip. There never was much traffic, with the mine in Raven Rock being closed, and then there was the incident with the masked cultists. He remembered them coming on board on Solstheim, but the next thing he knew, he was back in Windhelm and they'd disappeared. He'd been really shaken up by that, and vowed never to go back.
"But then that Dragonborn woman, the big red one with the horns and everything, came and persuaded me. The ones in the masks had attacked her, and she told me I owed her for it. I still don't know why I agreed at the time, but I'm glad I did. She's got the mine back open, and trade's picked up again."
"So you're bringing ebony back?" Clark inquired.
"Yes, and the unusual Dunmer foods that they like in the Grey Quarter. They don't grow too well around here, but the soil on Solstheim suits them. Makes sense that Ash Yams would do better in ash, doesn't it? That was about all they had to trade before the mine re-opened. A few gemstones, too, but not often."
"So what goes the other way?" Vicuña asked.
"Just about anything. Cloth, foodstuff, books, other metals, both ores and refined, and the odd passenger or two. Now there's work available, some of the Dark Elf men from Windhelm have been going over to dig the ores."
"I think the Dragonborn has a house in Raven Rock, now. I've seen her in town a few times, in the Retching Netch. That place is busier than it used to be, too, now that everyone has more to spend."
"She does have a house there," Clark confirmed. "We'll be staying with her for a few days, and then visiting a couple of other places on the island. I reckon we'll probably be ready to come back in about a week. Are you still doing this trip on the same schedule?"
"Yes, Morndas to Raven Rock, Tirdas back to Windhelm, Middas To Raven rock, Turdas return, and again on Fredas and Loredas. The only day I don't sail is Sundas. Just find me at the dock, and I'll bring you back."
"I may stay a little longer," Vicuña reminded Clark. "It all depends on Master Neloth. If I decide to study with him for a while, then I won't be in any hurry to return."
---
Diablita was waiting for them at the dock. "Shall we go for a drink first, or do you want to drop your packs at the house? We'll be going past the Retching Netch on the way."
"I'd prefer to go the house, and change first," Vicuña answered. "You're making me feel rather over-dressed."
"I'm not sure anyone else would get away with wearing that little," Clark added. "They'll expect you to act like a Dunmer, not like ... whatever Diablita is."
"But if we're going for a drink, it will be a more relaxed atmosphere. I'm sure I can find something that's comfortable, but still acceptable."
They walked through Raven Rock, and Diablita pointed out the stores. "There's the Retching Netch, then the next building is the Alor House. Fethis Alor sells general goods, and he's always looking for East Empire Company pendants, if you find one. His daughter Dreyla assists, but she'd much rather be back in Morrowind."
"At the Ilenth Farm, Garyn sells food, and his wife Milore is an alchemist, selling ingredients, and potions. Glover Mallory, on the other side, is the local smith."
"Mallory?" Clark asked. "That's not a Dunmer name. Is he any relative of Delvin Mallory, in Riften?" Gilda had mentioned him several times as one of the Thieves Guild.
"Ask him. There he is now."
It turned out that Glover was Delvin's brother. He'd learned to repair bonemold armour from a Dunmer named Vanryth, and there wasn't much call for that particular skill in Riften, so he'd come to Solstheim instead. Work was steady here, repairing the guards' equipment and miner's tools, so he'd stayed. "I'm the only member of the Guild here on Solstheim, not that it means much any more. I'm just a smith these days."
"Did you put that Ancient Nordic Pickaxe to good use, Diablita?", he asked as they left. "You haven't brought me any Stahlrim yet."
"Well, I'm not the armour-wearing type, as you've probably noticed, and the Bloodskal Blade takes Silver, not Stahlrim. If I decide to make something for my friends, I might go find some."
Diablita explained to Clark and Vicuña that Glover had given her the pickaxe after she persuaded Crescius Caerellius to return it. He'd borrowed it from Glover to use in the ebony mine, but Glover felt it was being wasted there. You could mine ebony with a regular pickaxe, but only an Ancient Nordic one could mine Stahlrim. Glover wasn't going anywhere out of Raven Rock, so he'd given it to her. "I think that it's all on the north side of the island, where it's colder. They certainly know about it at the Skaal village."
Clark knew a little about Stahlrim. He'd once seen the Chrysamere, which had been forged using Adamantium and Stahlrim, two very different materials whose properties complemented each other. He suspected that Chillrend had used it also, as it had the same distinctive blue sheen, and the frost enchantment made it even more likely. "But that tempers like glass, and it's shaped that way, too."
Vicuña suspected that Stahlrim had been used to make it hold more enchantment. "It would be Stahlrim that brought Neloth here. Enchanting is his field, and that's always been the material of choice, if you could get it."
"That and heartstones," Diablita added. "They're something new, only since the Red Mountain erupted. Neloth thinks they have some of the power of the Heart of Lorkan. He's experimenting with both, in ways that weren't possible in earlier eras."
"Did he enchant your sword?" Vicuña asked Diablita. "I've never seen that enchantment before."
"No, it already had this when I found it. Neloth told me he'd heard of the Bloodskal Blade before, but it hadn't had the same enchantment. He thinks it may have absorbed the power over time, being buried where it was."
He'll be experiencing difficulties other than contracting vampirism, but I'll save the details for later. No ferrets will be harmed in the making of this fan-fic.
Meanwhile, other quest lines are playing out, and one of them needs a push from Clark.
---------------------
Previously: Serana came to meet Clark at the Candlehearth Hall, but he had to postpone visiting her mother until he returned from Solstheim.
----------------------
Part 41 - Journey to Solstheim
As Vicuña and Clark left Candlehearth Hall to go down to the docks a couple of days later, a guard spoke to them.
"Can you believe it? The mages have blown up Winterhold again."
He didn't have a lot of detail, just that the Arch-mage had been killed, and several other mages injured. None of the townspeople had been hurt, this time, but they'd been terrorized by some kind of wisp-like creatures that seemed to have been summoned by the explosion.
Clark hoped that Brelyna hadn't been one of those injured. Mjoll was with her, and the guard had only mentioned mages being hurt, so perhaps this happened before the two of them arrived at the College. Their ship was waiting, so there wasn't anything they could do right now, but he'd want to find out as soon as they returned from Solstheim.
---
The Captain of the Northern Maiden, a Nord by the name of Gjalund Salt-sage, was pacing on the dock.
"Climb aboard. It's not a long trip, but I'd like to get there before dark. We've already got all the cargo stowed, so we can leave right away."
---
During the short voyage, Gjalund told them how he'd almost quit making this trip. There never was much traffic, with the mine in Raven Rock being closed, and then there was the incident with the masked cultists. He remembered them coming on board on Solstheim, but the next thing he knew, he was back in Windhelm and they'd disappeared. He'd been really shaken up by that, and vowed never to go back.
"But then that Dragonborn woman, the big red one with the horns and everything, came and persuaded me. The ones in the masks had attacked her, and she told me I owed her for it. I still don't know why I agreed at the time, but I'm glad I did. She's got the mine back open, and trade's picked up again."
"So you're bringing ebony back?" Clark inquired.
"Yes, and the unusual Dunmer foods that they like in the Grey Quarter. They don't grow too well around here, but the soil on Solstheim suits them. Makes sense that Ash Yams would do better in ash, doesn't it? That was about all they had to trade before the mine re-opened. A few gemstones, too, but not often."
"So what goes the other way?" Vicuña asked.
"Just about anything. Cloth, foodstuff, books, other metals, both ores and refined, and the odd passenger or two. Now there's work available, some of the Dark Elf men from Windhelm have been going over to dig the ores."
"I think the Dragonborn has a house in Raven Rock, now. I've seen her in town a few times, in the Retching Netch. That place is busier than it used to be, too, now that everyone has more to spend."
"She does have a house there," Clark confirmed. "We'll be staying with her for a few days, and then visiting a couple of other places on the island. I reckon we'll probably be ready to come back in about a week. Are you still doing this trip on the same schedule?"
"Yes, Morndas to Raven Rock, Tirdas back to Windhelm, Middas To Raven rock, Turdas return, and again on Fredas and Loredas. The only day I don't sail is Sundas. Just find me at the dock, and I'll bring you back."
"I may stay a little longer," Vicuña reminded Clark. "It all depends on Master Neloth. If I decide to study with him for a while, then I won't be in any hurry to return."
---
Diablita was waiting for them at the dock. "Shall we go for a drink first, or do you want to drop your packs at the house? We'll be going past the Retching Netch on the way."
"I'd prefer to go the house, and change first," Vicuña answered. "You're making me feel rather over-dressed."
"I'm not sure anyone else would get away with wearing that little," Clark added. "They'll expect you to act like a Dunmer, not like ... whatever Diablita is."
"But if we're going for a drink, it will be a more relaxed atmosphere. I'm sure I can find something that's comfortable, but still acceptable."
They walked through Raven Rock, and Diablita pointed out the stores. "There's the Retching Netch, then the next building is the Alor House. Fethis Alor sells general goods, and he's always looking for East Empire Company pendants, if you find one. His daughter Dreyla assists, but she'd much rather be back in Morrowind."
"At the Ilenth Farm, Garyn sells food, and his wife Milore is an alchemist, selling ingredients, and potions. Glover Mallory, on the other side, is the local smith."
"Mallory?" Clark asked. "That's not a Dunmer name. Is he any relative of Delvin Mallory, in Riften?" Gilda had mentioned him several times as one of the Thieves Guild.
"Ask him. There he is now."
It turned out that Glover was Delvin's brother. He'd learned to repair bonemold armour from a Dunmer named Vanryth, and there wasn't much call for that particular skill in Riften, so he'd come to Solstheim instead. Work was steady here, repairing the guards' equipment and miner's tools, so he'd stayed. "I'm the only member of the Guild here on Solstheim, not that it means much any more. I'm just a smith these days."
"Did you put that Ancient Nordic Pickaxe to good use, Diablita?", he asked as they left. "You haven't brought me any Stahlrim yet."
"Well, I'm not the armour-wearing type, as you've probably noticed, and the Bloodskal Blade takes Silver, not Stahlrim. If I decide to make something for my friends, I might go find some."
Diablita explained to Clark and Vicuña that Glover had given her the pickaxe after she persuaded Crescius Caerellius to return it. He'd borrowed it from Glover to use in the ebony mine, but Glover felt it was being wasted there. You could mine ebony with a regular pickaxe, but only an Ancient Nordic one could mine Stahlrim. Glover wasn't going anywhere out of Raven Rock, so he'd given it to her. "I think that it's all on the north side of the island, where it's colder. They certainly know about it at the Skaal village."
Clark knew a little about Stahlrim. He'd once seen the Chrysamere, which had been forged using Adamantium and Stahlrim, two very different materials whose properties complemented each other. He suspected that Chillrend had used it also, as it had the same distinctive blue sheen, and the frost enchantment made it even more likely. "But that tempers like glass, and it's shaped that way, too."
Vicuña suspected that Stahlrim had been used to make it hold more enchantment. "It would be Stahlrim that brought Neloth here. Enchanting is his field, and that's always been the material of choice, if you could get it."
"That and heartstones," Diablita added. "They're something new, only since the Red Mountain erupted. Neloth thinks they have some of the power of the Heart of Lorkan. He's experimenting with both, in ways that weren't possible in earlier eras."
"Did he enchant your sword?" Vicuña asked Diablita. "I've never seen that enchantment before."
"No, it already had this when I found it. Neloth told me he'd heard of the Bloodskal Blade before, but it hadn't had the same enchantment. He thinks it may have absorbed the power over time, being buried where it was."
Nice tidbit about Brelyna’s progress at the College.
And a wonderful summary of life in Raven Rock, referencing familiar events and a couple quests.
It seems to me that Diablita would fit right in there.
And a wonderful summary of life in Raven Rock, referencing familiar events and a couple quests.
It seems to me that Diablita would fit right in there.
Acadian: More summaries of quests already done coming up! Diablita is almost ready to finish the Dragonborn quests, but not quite. She will manage to get Clark involved in a side-quest or two on the way.
-------------------------------
Previously: Clark took Vicuña with him on a visit to Raven Rock, where Diablita now has a home.
-------------------------------
Part 42 - Raven Rock
While Vicuña was changing, Diablita showed Clark around Severin Manor. "I suppose I could start calling it Diablita Manor now, but everyone uses the Severin name, so I haven't. The family who owned it before weren't really called Severin either. Probably Hlaalu, or Ulen, in reality."
"It has everything I need, alchemy, enchanting, a full forge and all the crafting stations. And a spare bedroom, with its own door for privacy. It only has a single bed in it at the moment, but there's enough room to put in a larger one later."
"It's much bigger than it looked from the outside," Clark responded. "I assume that's because most of it is underground."
"Yes, pretty well all the buildings here are made that way. The ash is easy to dig, but then you reach solid rock not too far down. There's only one level below ground, but it's a big one. The part above ground is always about the same size, by tradition. I think they were actual shells back in Morrowind, but they make replicas from Bonemold here."
Vicuña was back with them, wearing essentially the same outfit she'd had on at the Markarth brothel, except that she'd added a few small pieces to cover what she had to. "This is all Telvanni style, rather than Redoran, so they'll expect it to be a bit different from what everyone else is wearing. Hopefully that will include it being a bit less. If Diablita can get away with hers, I should be all right."
---
Sadri didn't mind. He asked the two ladies if they'd mind sitting near the bar, so that all the men would come to take in the view. "They drink more than the women, so I want to give them every encouragement I can."
"And would you all like to try my Sujamma? The first one's on the house, as you won't have tasted this recipe before. I call it Sadri's Sujamma; imaginative name, isn't it?"
"Have you had Sujamma before?" Vicuña asked Clark. "It doesn't travel well, so you can only get it in Morrowind, or here on Solstheim."
"And here, only at the Retching Netch," Sadri was quick to point out. "Nobody else is making it."
Clark hadn't. He'd not been to Morrowind, although he'd hoped to go and visit Rinalla in Mournhold. The eruption of the Red Mountain, and the Argonian invasion, had conspired to prevent it. It may have been for the best, as it he might not have been welcome here if he'd been more associated with House Hlaalu.
"So what's Sujamma made from?" he asked.
Vicuña told him that nobody who made it would ever divulge their recipe, but it would be basically a grain-based fermentation, fortified with brandy, and generally flavoured with local herbs or berries. "it's all about the secret herbs and spices, isn't it, Sadri?"
"That it is. What do think of this one?"
"You won't get better anywhere. It's pity it doesn't travel, or you could make a fortune. Perhaps you need to talk to Captain Gjalund about running Sujamma-tasting trips from Windhelm? Bring the people to the drink, instead of the other way round."
Clark was already considering the compromise. You could take this for the short trip to Windhelm, and it would still be good. He didn't know if the New Gnisis Corner Club made any, but he hadn't been offered any when he went there. Perhaps there was a mainland outlet for Sadri, and it would help lure the customers across to the island. He'd have to talk to him about it another time.
---
Diablita wanted Clark's advice. She had got this far on her own, but now she needed someone else's opinion. "What do you think of Hermaeus Mora? Can I trust him?"
"If you know what he wants, you can trust him to try and get it. What does he want from you?"
"He wants the Secrets of the Skaal, whatever they are. Neloth thinks it's just another way to skin a Horker, but I can't see a Daedric Prince concerning himself with that, even if it is knowledge. And I need something from him in return. The final word of the Bend Will shout, without which I can't reach Miraak."
"I think you'd better start by explaining about this Miraak. Assume I know nothing at all, because that's about right."
"Miraak is another Dragonborn, except that he lived in Skyrim a long time ago. He sold out to Hermaeus Mora for more power, and was taken to Apocrypha. He's been trying to get back to Mundus ever since, and he's started to have some success. He managed to corrupt the All-Maker Stones, and he had the people of Solstheim rebuilding his temples around them."
"His temples? He wanted the people to worship him?"
"Yes, that's the sort of person Miraak was, or still is, I suppose. It's just that he's stuck in Apocrypha now, and isn't happy about that. Anyhow, I managed to cleanse the Stones with just the first word of the shout, but Storn tells me I've only slowed Miraak down, not stopped him."
"And Storn is...?"
"Storn Crag-Strider is the shaman of the Skaal village up in the north-east of the island. His daughter, Frea, has been trying to help me, but she can't go to Apocrypha, because she's not Dragonborn."
"But you can."
"Yes, I just have to read one of Hermaeus Mora's Black Books, and it takes me there. It's a weird place, full of old books, and patrolled by hostile creatures, lurkers and seekers mostly."
"So what keeps you going there? I assume you're looking for something, besides Miraak?"
"Knowlege, mostly. Each Black Book I've read has taught me something magical, and I keep hoping to find more words of Bend Will, but it looks like I have to get them from the Daedric Prince himself."
"And how will Bend Will help you?"
"It's the same power Miraak has been using to make the people do his bidding. I need to ride a dragon to get to the summit of Apocrypha, to confront Miraak, and that will make the dragon obey me. "
"Because you can't trap one, like you did at Dragonsreach?"
"Exactly, and I can't summon one to Apocrypha from Mundus. I'll be dealing with an unrestrained and hostile dragon, probably goaded by Miraak. I need all the same powers he has if I'm to defeat him."
"So have you dealt directly with Hermaeus Mora before?"
"A bit. I had to deal with him, through Septimus Signus, to get the Elder Scroll I needed to read at the Time-Wound on the Throat of the World. He spoke directly to me after that, but he wasn't making any bargains then. He didn't start that until I was in his own realm, and he had the upper hand."
"Where does Neloth fit in to all this?" Vicuña asked.
"He helped me find the Black Books. I'd found one myself, in the ruins of Miraak's main temple, That lead me to Miraak, but he left that area. I needed more of them if I was going to search the rest of Mora's realm, and he knew where at least one more was, at Nchardak. Storn suggested I should ask him, and he's quite happy to assist, as the books are just as useful to him."
"And what was it you wanted to ask me?" Clark resumed.
"Whether I should ask Storn to make the trade with Hermaeus Mora. He's kept the Secrets of the Skall his whole life, and if he gives them up, he'll have nothing to live for. He won't be able to pass them on to his daughter, Frea, because they won't be secrets any more."
"But the alternative is leaving Miraak unchecked, isn't it? it seems like that would be just as bad an outcome for everyone else. I think it's Storn's decision to make, not yours. Give him all the facts, and trust his wisdom." Clark felt he was avoiding the decision, too, but it really was in the hands of the Skaal.
"You, however, need to be fully prepared for whatever he decides," he continued. "When you eventually confront Miraak, you'll be up against another Dragonborn, with more experience than you. If he doesn't return, and you meet him in Apocrypha, it will be in a realm that's more familar to him. You need to be as strong as he is, and more so."
"I know. I've been combing the island, looking for any more Dragon Shouts that he might know, and I have all three words of Dragon Aspect. I found some others that would only help if we had allies, but I believe Mora is setting us up for one-on-one combat. I can't take my two-handed skill any further, and I can heal myself about as fast as is possible. I'm about as ready as I can be."
"What does this Dragon Aspect do?"
"It's a kind of mage armour power, on top of what I already have. and it increases my attack strength. From what I've been told, Miraak is more of a spell-caster, so it benefits me more than him. I hope it's the edge that I need."
"Did you ask Neloth or Frea what they thought?" Vicuña asked her.
"Neloth is only interested in Neloth. If the situation doesn't affect him, he has no opinion. Frea is overly-concerned about her father, and possibly about her own inheritance of the Skaal Secrets, so she's a bit biased, too. Neither gives me answers that help, which is why I asked Clark."
"I still think you should be asking Storn, not me. But let's all go visit Neloth, and then the Skaal, and see if they change my mind."
-------------------------------
Previously: Clark took Vicuña with him on a visit to Raven Rock, where Diablita now has a home.
-------------------------------
Part 42 - Raven Rock
While Vicuña was changing, Diablita showed Clark around Severin Manor. "I suppose I could start calling it Diablita Manor now, but everyone uses the Severin name, so I haven't. The family who owned it before weren't really called Severin either. Probably Hlaalu, or Ulen, in reality."
"It has everything I need, alchemy, enchanting, a full forge and all the crafting stations. And a spare bedroom, with its own door for privacy. It only has a single bed in it at the moment, but there's enough room to put in a larger one later."
"It's much bigger than it looked from the outside," Clark responded. "I assume that's because most of it is underground."
"Yes, pretty well all the buildings here are made that way. The ash is easy to dig, but then you reach solid rock not too far down. There's only one level below ground, but it's a big one. The part above ground is always about the same size, by tradition. I think they were actual shells back in Morrowind, but they make replicas from Bonemold here."
Vicuña was back with them, wearing essentially the same outfit she'd had on at the Markarth brothel, except that she'd added a few small pieces to cover what she had to. "This is all Telvanni style, rather than Redoran, so they'll expect it to be a bit different from what everyone else is wearing. Hopefully that will include it being a bit less. If Diablita can get away with hers, I should be all right."
---
Sadri didn't mind. He asked the two ladies if they'd mind sitting near the bar, so that all the men would come to take in the view. "They drink more than the women, so I want to give them every encouragement I can."
"And would you all like to try my Sujamma? The first one's on the house, as you won't have tasted this recipe before. I call it Sadri's Sujamma; imaginative name, isn't it?"
"Have you had Sujamma before?" Vicuña asked Clark. "It doesn't travel well, so you can only get it in Morrowind, or here on Solstheim."
"And here, only at the Retching Netch," Sadri was quick to point out. "Nobody else is making it."
Clark hadn't. He'd not been to Morrowind, although he'd hoped to go and visit Rinalla in Mournhold. The eruption of the Red Mountain, and the Argonian invasion, had conspired to prevent it. It may have been for the best, as it he might not have been welcome here if he'd been more associated with House Hlaalu.
"So what's Sujamma made from?" he asked.
Vicuña told him that nobody who made it would ever divulge their recipe, but it would be basically a grain-based fermentation, fortified with brandy, and generally flavoured with local herbs or berries. "it's all about the secret herbs and spices, isn't it, Sadri?"
"That it is. What do think of this one?"
"You won't get better anywhere. It's pity it doesn't travel, or you could make a fortune. Perhaps you need to talk to Captain Gjalund about running Sujamma-tasting trips from Windhelm? Bring the people to the drink, instead of the other way round."
Clark was already considering the compromise. You could take this for the short trip to Windhelm, and it would still be good. He didn't know if the New Gnisis Corner Club made any, but he hadn't been offered any when he went there. Perhaps there was a mainland outlet for Sadri, and it would help lure the customers across to the island. He'd have to talk to him about it another time.
---
Diablita wanted Clark's advice. She had got this far on her own, but now she needed someone else's opinion. "What do you think of Hermaeus Mora? Can I trust him?"
"If you know what he wants, you can trust him to try and get it. What does he want from you?"
"He wants the Secrets of the Skaal, whatever they are. Neloth thinks it's just another way to skin a Horker, but I can't see a Daedric Prince concerning himself with that, even if it is knowledge. And I need something from him in return. The final word of the Bend Will shout, without which I can't reach Miraak."
"I think you'd better start by explaining about this Miraak. Assume I know nothing at all, because that's about right."
"Miraak is another Dragonborn, except that he lived in Skyrim a long time ago. He sold out to Hermaeus Mora for more power, and was taken to Apocrypha. He's been trying to get back to Mundus ever since, and he's started to have some success. He managed to corrupt the All-Maker Stones, and he had the people of Solstheim rebuilding his temples around them."
"His temples? He wanted the people to worship him?"
"Yes, that's the sort of person Miraak was, or still is, I suppose. It's just that he's stuck in Apocrypha now, and isn't happy about that. Anyhow, I managed to cleanse the Stones with just the first word of the shout, but Storn tells me I've only slowed Miraak down, not stopped him."
"And Storn is...?"
"Storn Crag-Strider is the shaman of the Skaal village up in the north-east of the island. His daughter, Frea, has been trying to help me, but she can't go to Apocrypha, because she's not Dragonborn."
"But you can."
"Yes, I just have to read one of Hermaeus Mora's Black Books, and it takes me there. It's a weird place, full of old books, and patrolled by hostile creatures, lurkers and seekers mostly."
"So what keeps you going there? I assume you're looking for something, besides Miraak?"
"Knowlege, mostly. Each Black Book I've read has taught me something magical, and I keep hoping to find more words of Bend Will, but it looks like I have to get them from the Daedric Prince himself."
"And how will Bend Will help you?"
"It's the same power Miraak has been using to make the people do his bidding. I need to ride a dragon to get to the summit of Apocrypha, to confront Miraak, and that will make the dragon obey me. "
"Because you can't trap one, like you did at Dragonsreach?"
"Exactly, and I can't summon one to Apocrypha from Mundus. I'll be dealing with an unrestrained and hostile dragon, probably goaded by Miraak. I need all the same powers he has if I'm to defeat him."
"So have you dealt directly with Hermaeus Mora before?"
"A bit. I had to deal with him, through Septimus Signus, to get the Elder Scroll I needed to read at the Time-Wound on the Throat of the World. He spoke directly to me after that, but he wasn't making any bargains then. He didn't start that until I was in his own realm, and he had the upper hand."
"Where does Neloth fit in to all this?" Vicuña asked.
"He helped me find the Black Books. I'd found one myself, in the ruins of Miraak's main temple, That lead me to Miraak, but he left that area. I needed more of them if I was going to search the rest of Mora's realm, and he knew where at least one more was, at Nchardak. Storn suggested I should ask him, and he's quite happy to assist, as the books are just as useful to him."
"And what was it you wanted to ask me?" Clark resumed.
"Whether I should ask Storn to make the trade with Hermaeus Mora. He's kept the Secrets of the Skall his whole life, and if he gives them up, he'll have nothing to live for. He won't be able to pass them on to his daughter, Frea, because they won't be secrets any more."
"But the alternative is leaving Miraak unchecked, isn't it? it seems like that would be just as bad an outcome for everyone else. I think it's Storn's decision to make, not yours. Give him all the facts, and trust his wisdom." Clark felt he was avoiding the decision, too, but it really was in the hands of the Skaal.
"You, however, need to be fully prepared for whatever he decides," he continued. "When you eventually confront Miraak, you'll be up against another Dragonborn, with more experience than you. If he doesn't return, and you meet him in Apocrypha, it will be in a realm that's more familar to him. You need to be as strong as he is, and more so."
"I know. I've been combing the island, looking for any more Dragon Shouts that he might know, and I have all three words of Dragon Aspect. I found some others that would only help if we had allies, but I believe Mora is setting us up for one-on-one combat. I can't take my two-handed skill any further, and I can heal myself about as fast as is possible. I'm about as ready as I can be."
"What does this Dragon Aspect do?"
"It's a kind of mage armour power, on top of what I already have. and it increases my attack strength. From what I've been told, Miraak is more of a spell-caster, so it benefits me more than him. I hope it's the edge that I need."
"Did you ask Neloth or Frea what they thought?" Vicuña asked her.
"Neloth is only interested in Neloth. If the situation doesn't affect him, he has no opinion. Frea is overly-concerned about her father, and possibly about her own inheritance of the Skaal Secrets, so she's a bit biased, too. Neither gives me answers that help, which is why I asked Clark."
"I still think you should be asking Storn, not me. But let's all go visit Neloth, and then the Skaal, and see if they change my mind."
Previously: Clark and Vicuña looked around Raven Rock, and Diablita told Clark about her dilemma with the Skaal and their secrets.
---------------------------
Part 43 - Tel Mithryn
"Oh, you're back! What brings you here this time? Did you find another Black Book for me?"
"No, I brought a couple of friends to meet you. They just came over from Skyrim yesterday, and we're on our way to the Skaal village. Tel Mithryn is on the way, so we dropped in."
"I really don't have time just to be social. I have important work I should be doing, and ... "
Neloth broke off in mid-sentence, staring at Vicuña's chest. She'd just taken off her travelling robe, and her breasts had floated out into full view.
"Now that's something you don't see every day," Neloth remarked, and walked over for a closer look. "I've not seen an amulet quite like that before."
"I don't think he ever noticed mine, either," Diablita remarked.
"Master Neloth studies enchanting," his apprentice, Talvas Fathyron, pointed out. "He can be very single-minded when it comes to his chosen subject."
"Clark's a bit like that, too," Diablita agreed, with a wicked grin.
"A fascinating application, but one I wouldn't have any direct use for," Neloth continued. "However, if you made that yourself, then you've obviously got potential as an Enchanter. I take it you've come here to further your studies, hmm? I tell you what, you assist me with my research, and I'll teach you more about enchanting. Agreed?"
"Don't you already have an apprentice?" Vicuña inquired. She was standing next to Talvas as she said it.
"Talvas is a conjurer, not an enchanter. He's studying the business side of things, rather than the magical. I have room for an assistant with the research, as well. I can provide you a bedroll here, and a chest to stow your things. What do you say?"
Diablita was standing behind Neloth trying to sign to Vicuña that it wasn't a good idea. She'd experienced a couple of his experiments, and they didn't always go as planned.
Vicuña pondered a moment, and then went to confer with Clark and Diablita. "I know Neloth's reputation, but it doesn't really concern me. I have enough magical ability of my own to keep me safe from his mistakes, and the man does know his enchanting. I think I'll take him up on his offer, if only until I see how it works out."
"Splendid," Neloth pronounced. "We'd celebrate with a nice cup of Canis Root tea, but my new steward, Drovas, hasn't got the hang of making it yet. You'll have to settle for some of the local brew."
"Just a small one, then we have to be off," Diablita told him. "I want to reach the Skaal village before dark."
---
As Clark and Diablita neared the village, a man dressed in thick fur came up to them. "Thank the All-maker you've returned. Baldor Iron-Shaper has gone missing, and there's no-one we can spare to go hunt for him."
"That's not good, Deor. Did anything strange happen the day he disappeared?" Diablita asked. She remembered that the majority of the villagers had been Miraak's thralls, working on building a shrine at the Wind Stone, when she arrived. Perhaps Miraak had taken control of him again?
"Hm, I do not remember Baldor acting strangely. Although, now that you ask, I did see something in the woods on the day he disappeared. I saw two elves in the far distance, dragging something behind them. Hunters often visit our lands, so I thought little of it."
Diablita asked him to be a bit precise than "in the woods", and got directions that she could use.
"I recall there being an old abandoned lodge in that direction." she said to Clark. "If Baldor was abducted, they've probably got him locked up there. Come on!"
"Just the two of us?" Clark queried.
"Well, most of the villagers are just craftsmen, and wouldn't be any help. If we took Frea with us, then the place would be totally undefended. She won't leave her father now."
"She's the only fighter they have?"
"Just about. The hunters can use their bows, of course, but she's the only one with any armour."
---
There were three men outside the lodge as they approached. The building itself was sound, but the windows were boarded up, and it looked like nobody lived there. It didn't make sense why anyone would be waiting outside, unless they were guarding something, like a prisoner.
"They haven't seen us yet. Shall I introduce us with a fireball?" Clark suggested.
"I can't tell from here if Baldor is one of them, so don't. We'll have to get closer and find out more. Besides, he may have gone with them voluntarily."
"I recall the Skaal said he was being dragged."
"The two standing are tall enough to be Altmer. That's probably why Deor called them elves. And they seem to be wearing some kind of uniform."
"Thalmor? Here on Solstheim? I didn't think they'd reached this far."
"We'll find out soon enough."
An arrow whizzed past Clark's head from an unexpected direction. "They're hostile, and there's four of them. At least four!" That made up his mind about the fireball, too.
This was the first time in nearly a couple of centuries that Clark had seen Diablita in action. Her new blade appeared to have an incredible reach, as the first man fell before she even got close to him. A flash of red light sliced across the man's body and he fell as if the blade itself had cut him.
Clark cast his ebonyflesh spell, raised a ward and followed. His shorter sword wasn't the match of hers, but it was still doing its share. Their opponents appeared to be favoring spells, to the extent of using bound swords instead of metal ones, which fit the Thalmor profile. That made using a ward a better choice than a shield, even if he'd had the option.
He ducked, as a severed head flew in his direction. Diablita was being effective, if a little untidy. A stab from his blade, and his opponent also expired.
"Where did the archer go?" he called out to Diablita.
"Already on it," she replied, running up the slope. A scream of pain from behind a rock soon told him the answer.
One of the dead soldiers had a key, that fit the lock on the lodge door. There appeared to be nobody inside, but when they went down to the basement, they found Baldor slumped in a corner. He'd obviously been beaten, but he was still alive.
"Why did the Thalmor take you?" they asked him.
"I do not know this word Thalmor, but if you mean the elves, they were trying to learn the secrets of forging Stahlrim. Their leader, an elf called Ancarion, has a map. He says that it shows the location of a hidden source of Stahlrim."
Clark healed his bruises, and helped him to his feet.
"You must get the map back," Baldor continued. "It belongs to the Skaal, and the elves should not be trusted with its secrets."
"Where do we find this Ancarion?" Diablita asked. Apparently this would would also need doing before she and Clark returned to the village. Clark suspected she was just putting off talking to Storn, but he said nothing.
"He has a ship moored at Northshore Landing in the north-west of the island. They were going to take me there next. I think the Stahlrim is somewhere in that area."
"How were they going to mine it? Isn't it too hard for normal pickaxes?"
"I wasn't going to tell them that. Let them find out for themselves. And I don't carry an Ancient Nordic pickaxe to do it for them. They didn't make many, and the majority are long lost. The few I have are safe at my forge in the village."
"So they can't mine it, don't know how to forge it, and although they have the map, haven't been there yet? Were they expecting you to do everything for them?"
"I suppose they were. Why else would they take me, and not just try to steal from me?"
---------------------------
Part 43 - Tel Mithryn
"Oh, you're back! What brings you here this time? Did you find another Black Book for me?"
"No, I brought a couple of friends to meet you. They just came over from Skyrim yesterday, and we're on our way to the Skaal village. Tel Mithryn is on the way, so we dropped in."
"I really don't have time just to be social. I have important work I should be doing, and ... "
Neloth broke off in mid-sentence, staring at Vicuña's chest. She'd just taken off her travelling robe, and her breasts had floated out into full view.
"Now that's something you don't see every day," Neloth remarked, and walked over for a closer look. "I've not seen an amulet quite like that before."
"I don't think he ever noticed mine, either," Diablita remarked.
"Master Neloth studies enchanting," his apprentice, Talvas Fathyron, pointed out. "He can be very single-minded when it comes to his chosen subject."
"Clark's a bit like that, too," Diablita agreed, with a wicked grin.
"A fascinating application, but one I wouldn't have any direct use for," Neloth continued. "However, if you made that yourself, then you've obviously got potential as an Enchanter. I take it you've come here to further your studies, hmm? I tell you what, you assist me with my research, and I'll teach you more about enchanting. Agreed?"
"Don't you already have an apprentice?" Vicuña inquired. She was standing next to Talvas as she said it.
"Talvas is a conjurer, not an enchanter. He's studying the business side of things, rather than the magical. I have room for an assistant with the research, as well. I can provide you a bedroll here, and a chest to stow your things. What do you say?"
Diablita was standing behind Neloth trying to sign to Vicuña that it wasn't a good idea. She'd experienced a couple of his experiments, and they didn't always go as planned.
Vicuña pondered a moment, and then went to confer with Clark and Diablita. "I know Neloth's reputation, but it doesn't really concern me. I have enough magical ability of my own to keep me safe from his mistakes, and the man does know his enchanting. I think I'll take him up on his offer, if only until I see how it works out."
"Splendid," Neloth pronounced. "We'd celebrate with a nice cup of Canis Root tea, but my new steward, Drovas, hasn't got the hang of making it yet. You'll have to settle for some of the local brew."
"Just a small one, then we have to be off," Diablita told him. "I want to reach the Skaal village before dark."
---
As Clark and Diablita neared the village, a man dressed in thick fur came up to them. "Thank the All-maker you've returned. Baldor Iron-Shaper has gone missing, and there's no-one we can spare to go hunt for him."
"That's not good, Deor. Did anything strange happen the day he disappeared?" Diablita asked. She remembered that the majority of the villagers had been Miraak's thralls, working on building a shrine at the Wind Stone, when she arrived. Perhaps Miraak had taken control of him again?
"Hm, I do not remember Baldor acting strangely. Although, now that you ask, I did see something in the woods on the day he disappeared. I saw two elves in the far distance, dragging something behind them. Hunters often visit our lands, so I thought little of it."
Diablita asked him to be a bit precise than "in the woods", and got directions that she could use.
"I recall there being an old abandoned lodge in that direction." she said to Clark. "If Baldor was abducted, they've probably got him locked up there. Come on!"
"Just the two of us?" Clark queried.
"Well, most of the villagers are just craftsmen, and wouldn't be any help. If we took Frea with us, then the place would be totally undefended. She won't leave her father now."
"She's the only fighter they have?"
"Just about. The hunters can use their bows, of course, but she's the only one with any armour."
---
There were three men outside the lodge as they approached. The building itself was sound, but the windows were boarded up, and it looked like nobody lived there. It didn't make sense why anyone would be waiting outside, unless they were guarding something, like a prisoner.
"They haven't seen us yet. Shall I introduce us with a fireball?" Clark suggested.
"I can't tell from here if Baldor is one of them, so don't. We'll have to get closer and find out more. Besides, he may have gone with them voluntarily."
"I recall the Skaal said he was being dragged."
"The two standing are tall enough to be Altmer. That's probably why Deor called them elves. And they seem to be wearing some kind of uniform."
"Thalmor? Here on Solstheim? I didn't think they'd reached this far."
"We'll find out soon enough."
An arrow whizzed past Clark's head from an unexpected direction. "They're hostile, and there's four of them. At least four!" That made up his mind about the fireball, too.
This was the first time in nearly a couple of centuries that Clark had seen Diablita in action. Her new blade appeared to have an incredible reach, as the first man fell before she even got close to him. A flash of red light sliced across the man's body and he fell as if the blade itself had cut him.
Clark cast his ebonyflesh spell, raised a ward and followed. His shorter sword wasn't the match of hers, but it was still doing its share. Their opponents appeared to be favoring spells, to the extent of using bound swords instead of metal ones, which fit the Thalmor profile. That made using a ward a better choice than a shield, even if he'd had the option.
He ducked, as a severed head flew in his direction. Diablita was being effective, if a little untidy. A stab from his blade, and his opponent also expired.
"Where did the archer go?" he called out to Diablita.
"Already on it," she replied, running up the slope. A scream of pain from behind a rock soon told him the answer.
One of the dead soldiers had a key, that fit the lock on the lodge door. There appeared to be nobody inside, but when they went down to the basement, they found Baldor slumped in a corner. He'd obviously been beaten, but he was still alive.
"Why did the Thalmor take you?" they asked him.
"I do not know this word Thalmor, but if you mean the elves, they were trying to learn the secrets of forging Stahlrim. Their leader, an elf called Ancarion, has a map. He says that it shows the location of a hidden source of Stahlrim."
Clark healed his bruises, and helped him to his feet.
"You must get the map back," Baldor continued. "It belongs to the Skaal, and the elves should not be trusted with its secrets."
"Where do we find this Ancarion?" Diablita asked. Apparently this would would also need doing before she and Clark returned to the village. Clark suspected she was just putting off talking to Storn, but he said nothing.
"He has a ship moored at Northshore Landing in the north-west of the island. They were going to take me there next. I think the Stahlrim is somewhere in that area."
"How were they going to mine it? Isn't it too hard for normal pickaxes?"
"I wasn't going to tell them that. Let them find out for themselves. And I don't carry an Ancient Nordic pickaxe to do it for them. They didn't make many, and the majority are long lost. The few I have are safe at my forge in the village."
"So they can't mine it, don't know how to forge it, and although they have the map, haven't been there yet? Were they expecting you to do everything for them?"
"I suppose they were. Why else would they take me, and not just try to steal from me?"
Previously: Clark visited Tel Mythrin, where Vicuña stayed to train with Neloth. Diablita and he continued to the Skaal village, but were diverted to look for Baldor Iron-Shaper. They found him in the clutches of a band of Thalmor and released him.
---------------
Part 44 - Northshore Landing
"So you know my purpose here, then? I suppose you must have found that dullard of a blacksmith. Unfortunately for you, my mission here is also a secret. To protect it, I have no choice but to silence you. Now, give me one good reason that I should not kill you where you stand."
It was clear to Clark that Ancarion was feeling a bit frustrated by the lack of success his mission was having. He suggested that if the map wasn't any use to the Thalmor at this point, perhaps he could just take it back.
Ancarion's response was a blast of lightning that sent Clark flying backwards over the side of the ship. He'd cast his mage armor spell before boarding the vessel, so he was more annoyed at being dumped in the cold water than anything else. But that kind of rudeness deserved a fitting response.
By the time he got back on board, however, Diablita had beaten him to it. "Where did Ancarion go?" he asked her.
"Most of him went over the other side of the ship," she replied. "But his head's rolling around the deck somewhere, if you want to go looking for it."
"It's the piece with the map that I need. I hope he landed on the shore, and it didn't get soaked."
Fortunately, the map was in a waterproof leather pouch in a pocket of his robe. "We should go check the location, and make sure this isn't a fake," Clark decided. "We'll take a sample back with us to Baldor, and he can tell us if it's proper Stahlrim, or not. You're carrying that pickaxe, aren't you?"
Diablita nodded. "How far is this 'secret source' from here?"
"Not far, but it's inland a bit, and we may have problems finding a way up the cliffs. The map shows a location, not a route to get there."
---
Even with the map, it wasn't easy to find the way in. Nestled in a corrie on the side of the mountain, it was hidden by the rocks from all sides but one. A circular stone wall, looking like one of the nordic ruins on the mainland, hid everything from view even from that side. They crested the wall, to find a set of stone steps spiralling down into a depression in the centre, ringed with draugr coffins. Each one had a lid of Stahlrim, instead of the usual stone. A few more like them were face-up in the middle.
Diablita took out her pickaxe and went to work on one of the middle coffin lids. It took a lot of blows with the pickaxe before anything came loose. "I can see why this needs a specially hard tool," she remarked. "I'd have broken an ordinary one by now."
While she continued hacking at the lid, Clark examined the piece she'd removed. It had the same blue sheen that he'd seen on Chillrend, and the Chrysamere. The Stahlrim didn't feel cold, even though he knew it was a magical form of ice. That presumably meant that it wouldn't melt like ice, either. He wondered just how one did forge the stuff.
"Baldor knows, or the Thalmor wouldn't have taken him," Diablita reminded him.
"Does the way back to the Skaal village take us past Castle Kaarstag? Glover Mallory mentioned that he'd lost his improved bonemold formula, and he thought the thief was heading there."
"Why would anyone go there? The place is full of Rieklings!"
"It seems this Esmond Tyne fellow, the one that stole it, thought he could fence a few things there, or at least that's what he told Glover. Maybe somebody else lived there before the Rieklings moved in."
"It wouldn't surprise me," Diablita concurred. "The Thirsk Mead Hall got taken over by a tribe of the little beggars."
---
They found Esmond's corpse just a short way into Kaarstag Caverns, the cave that formed the back entrance to the castle. Whether he was killed arriving, or leaving, wasn't clear, but it didn't really matter. The only important consideration was whether he still had Glover's formula for improved bonemold, which he did.
The Rieklings Diablita had mentioned didn't make an appearance. They must all have been further into the caverns. Clark wasn't interested in looking for them, so they left the way they'd entered.
---
Baldor confimed that it was real Stahlim. "I could make you a greatsword from it," he told Diablita, "but it would only be the equal of the one you have, and without its enchantment. Perhaps I could make you some armor, instead?"
Clark didn't expect her to want any, and he wasn't wrong. "I'm about as prepared as I can be for Miraak. I'd better talk to Storn. No more putting this off."
Diablita gave Storn all the facts she had, including how Septimus Signus had died when Hermaus Mora had decided he was no longer useful.
"But Herma-Mora was keeping him alive just to open that box, wasn't he? He'd have been dead long before without his intervention. That's why he crumbled into dust when you succeeded in retrieving the Oghma Infinium. And why you walked out with the book. The Demon of Knowlege is not preserving my life. I won't be changed." Storn dismissed her fears as groundless. "Besides, I'm an old man, with nothing to lose, and everything to gain. Give me the book, and let me do what is needed. I'll make sure he lives up to his side of the bargain."
Frea tried to persuade her father to change his mind. "Father, you must not do this. That book is... wrong. Evil. Against everything that you have taught me my whole life."
"I must, Frea. It is the only way to free Solstheim forever from Miraak's shadow. There comes a time when everything must change. Nothing that lives remains the same forever. Do not fear for me, my daughter. This is the destiny that the All-Maker has laid out for me"
"I stand beside you, father, as always."
"I am ready for whatever the foul master of this book has in store for me."
Storn opened the book. Diablita watched intently, as it had always been her reading the books before, and she had no idea what it looked like to anyone else. Frea had watched her reading one before, so she was the first to see that something was different this time. The tentacles that had pulled Diablita across into Mora's realm were acting strangely. Instead of just wrapping themselves around her father, the largest was rearing back like a snake about to strike!
And strike it did, impaling the old Skaal's head. "At last, the Skaal yield up their secrets to me." a voice spoke from nowhere.
"That's Hermaeus Mora's voice," Diablita whispered to Clark, as if he couldn't have guessed.
The voice addressed Diablita. "Dragonborn, you have delivered me the gift I requested. In return, I keep my promise, as befits a Prince of Oblivion: I give you the Word of Power that you need to challenge Miraak. You will be either a worthy opponent or his successor, as the tides of fate decree."
Frea stood frozen for a few moments as her father dropped lifeless to the ground, not believing what had just happened. Then she turned to Diablita. "Go. My father sacrificed himself so that you could destroy Miraak and lift his master's shadow from the land. Go, then. Kill Miraak. Do not fail."
Diablita looked at Clark, and pulled another book from her pack. "Wish me luck."
She opened the book, and Clark could see the tentacles emerge and wrap around her, just like they'd done with Storn. None of them threatened to impale her, though, and as he watched, she began to fade.
"Is this what happened before?" Clark asked Frea.
Frea was still staring down at her father's body. "What? Oh, yes, that's what she always looks like when she reads one of those books. And it only lasts a few minutes, even though she tells me it was hours to her."
---------------
Part 44 - Northshore Landing
"So you know my purpose here, then? I suppose you must have found that dullard of a blacksmith. Unfortunately for you, my mission here is also a secret. To protect it, I have no choice but to silence you. Now, give me one good reason that I should not kill you where you stand."
It was clear to Clark that Ancarion was feeling a bit frustrated by the lack of success his mission was having. He suggested that if the map wasn't any use to the Thalmor at this point, perhaps he could just take it back.
Ancarion's response was a blast of lightning that sent Clark flying backwards over the side of the ship. He'd cast his mage armor spell before boarding the vessel, so he was more annoyed at being dumped in the cold water than anything else. But that kind of rudeness deserved a fitting response.
By the time he got back on board, however, Diablita had beaten him to it. "Where did Ancarion go?" he asked her.
"Most of him went over the other side of the ship," she replied. "But his head's rolling around the deck somewhere, if you want to go looking for it."
"It's the piece with the map that I need. I hope he landed on the shore, and it didn't get soaked."
Fortunately, the map was in a waterproof leather pouch in a pocket of his robe. "We should go check the location, and make sure this isn't a fake," Clark decided. "We'll take a sample back with us to Baldor, and he can tell us if it's proper Stahlrim, or not. You're carrying that pickaxe, aren't you?"
Diablita nodded. "How far is this 'secret source' from here?"
"Not far, but it's inland a bit, and we may have problems finding a way up the cliffs. The map shows a location, not a route to get there."
---
Even with the map, it wasn't easy to find the way in. Nestled in a corrie on the side of the mountain, it was hidden by the rocks from all sides but one. A circular stone wall, looking like one of the nordic ruins on the mainland, hid everything from view even from that side. They crested the wall, to find a set of stone steps spiralling down into a depression in the centre, ringed with draugr coffins. Each one had a lid of Stahlrim, instead of the usual stone. A few more like them were face-up in the middle.
Diablita took out her pickaxe and went to work on one of the middle coffin lids. It took a lot of blows with the pickaxe before anything came loose. "I can see why this needs a specially hard tool," she remarked. "I'd have broken an ordinary one by now."
While she continued hacking at the lid, Clark examined the piece she'd removed. It had the same blue sheen that he'd seen on Chillrend, and the Chrysamere. The Stahlrim didn't feel cold, even though he knew it was a magical form of ice. That presumably meant that it wouldn't melt like ice, either. He wondered just how one did forge the stuff.
"Baldor knows, or the Thalmor wouldn't have taken him," Diablita reminded him.
"Does the way back to the Skaal village take us past Castle Kaarstag? Glover Mallory mentioned that he'd lost his improved bonemold formula, and he thought the thief was heading there."
"Why would anyone go there? The place is full of Rieklings!"
"It seems this Esmond Tyne fellow, the one that stole it, thought he could fence a few things there, or at least that's what he told Glover. Maybe somebody else lived there before the Rieklings moved in."
"It wouldn't surprise me," Diablita concurred. "The Thirsk Mead Hall got taken over by a tribe of the little beggars."
---
They found Esmond's corpse just a short way into Kaarstag Caverns, the cave that formed the back entrance to the castle. Whether he was killed arriving, or leaving, wasn't clear, but it didn't really matter. The only important consideration was whether he still had Glover's formula for improved bonemold, which he did.
The Rieklings Diablita had mentioned didn't make an appearance. They must all have been further into the caverns. Clark wasn't interested in looking for them, so they left the way they'd entered.
---
Baldor confimed that it was real Stahlim. "I could make you a greatsword from it," he told Diablita, "but it would only be the equal of the one you have, and without its enchantment. Perhaps I could make you some armor, instead?"
Clark didn't expect her to want any, and he wasn't wrong. "I'm about as prepared as I can be for Miraak. I'd better talk to Storn. No more putting this off."
Diablita gave Storn all the facts she had, including how Septimus Signus had died when Hermaus Mora had decided he was no longer useful.
"But Herma-Mora was keeping him alive just to open that box, wasn't he? He'd have been dead long before without his intervention. That's why he crumbled into dust when you succeeded in retrieving the Oghma Infinium. And why you walked out with the book. The Demon of Knowlege is not preserving my life. I won't be changed." Storn dismissed her fears as groundless. "Besides, I'm an old man, with nothing to lose, and everything to gain. Give me the book, and let me do what is needed. I'll make sure he lives up to his side of the bargain."
Frea tried to persuade her father to change his mind. "Father, you must not do this. That book is... wrong. Evil. Against everything that you have taught me my whole life."
"I must, Frea. It is the only way to free Solstheim forever from Miraak's shadow. There comes a time when everything must change. Nothing that lives remains the same forever. Do not fear for me, my daughter. This is the destiny that the All-Maker has laid out for me"
"I stand beside you, father, as always."
"I am ready for whatever the foul master of this book has in store for me."
Storn opened the book. Diablita watched intently, as it had always been her reading the books before, and she had no idea what it looked like to anyone else. Frea had watched her reading one before, so she was the first to see that something was different this time. The tentacles that had pulled Diablita across into Mora's realm were acting strangely. Instead of just wrapping themselves around her father, the largest was rearing back like a snake about to strike!
And strike it did, impaling the old Skaal's head. "At last, the Skaal yield up their secrets to me." a voice spoke from nowhere.
"That's Hermaeus Mora's voice," Diablita whispered to Clark, as if he couldn't have guessed.
The voice addressed Diablita. "Dragonborn, you have delivered me the gift I requested. In return, I keep my promise, as befits a Prince of Oblivion: I give you the Word of Power that you need to challenge Miraak. You will be either a worthy opponent or his successor, as the tides of fate decree."
Frea stood frozen for a few moments as her father dropped lifeless to the ground, not believing what had just happened. Then she turned to Diablita. "Go. My father sacrificed himself so that you could destroy Miraak and lift his master's shadow from the land. Go, then. Kill Miraak. Do not fail."
Diablita looked at Clark, and pulled another book from her pack. "Wish me luck."
She opened the book, and Clark could see the tentacles emerge and wrap around her, just like they'd done with Storn. None of them threatened to impale her, though, and as he watched, she began to fade.
"Is this what happened before?" Clark asked Frea.
Frea was still staring down at her father's body. "What? Oh, yes, that's what she always looks like when she reads one of those books. And it only lasts a few minutes, even though she tells me it was hours to her."
"Most of him went over the other side of the ship," she replied. "But his head's rolling around the deck somewhere, if you want to go looking for it."
An appropriate response from Diablita. I love it!
Nice to have a ‘secret source’ that is actually difficult to find. You made me look up a new word, yay! Wait, no Stalhrim rings for Diablita? Baldor needs to expand his crafting range!
Best of luck to the Dragonborn. Hermaeus Mora may get more than he bargained for with Diablita as Miraak’s successor!
An appropriate response from Diablita. I love it! Nice to have a ‘secret source’ that is actually difficult to find. You made me look up a new word, yay! Wait, no Stalhrim rings for Diablita? Baldor needs to expand his crafting range!
Best of luck to the Dragonborn. Hermaeus Mora may get more than he bargained for with Diablita as Miraak’s successor!
Grits: I knew I should have called it a cwm.
-----------------------
Previously After a side-trip to rescue Baldor Iron-Shaper, and retrieve a map to a secret source of Stahlrim, Clark and Diablita the Dragonborn arrived at the Skaal Village. Diablita then left again, for Apocrypha.
-----------------------
Part 45 - Skaal Village
When Diablita rejoined them, fading back into full solidity, a glow of magical armour, unlike anything Clark had seen before, had formed around her. It was as if she was wearing a suit of dragonplate, but made out of light.
"Did you kill him? Is Miraak dead?" Frea demanded.
"Miraak is dead," Diablita confirmed. She reached into her pack and pulled out a mask, robe and various weapons. They were of a design that neither Clark nor Frea had seen before. "These were Miraak's. I suggest we put them on display in the Greathall, as a monument to Storn, who defeated him as much as I did."
"And what's that you're wearing?" Clark wanted to know.
"This is Dragon Aspect. I was right about it working better for me than for him. And the Bloodskal blade made up for his stealing dragon souls to regenerate. But I didn't get to kill him myself. When Hermaeus Mora saw that his defeat was inevitable, he finished him off for me. Skewered him with a tentacle, absorbed his body, and dropped the skeleton. I don't like to think what that felt like!"
Frea had been concentrating on something else. "I can confirm it. The Tree Stone is free, and the Oneness of the land is restored. But that just brings us back to where we were before Miraak's intervention, and we've lost Storn and our secrets."
"You haven't lost the secrets," Clark pointed out. "They're just a little less secret, which might be a good thing anyway. Anything important shouldn't be a secret, it should be shared."
"They were shared among the Skaal, of course," Frea agreed. "And that's why they aren't lost to us, as you just reminded me. Perhaps you have a point, but did it really need my father to die, to get it across?"
"I don't believe that Hermaeus Mora really has them, even now," Diablita added. "From what Storn told me, they weren't cold facts that could be written down in a book. They were ways to do things, that you can only learn by doing them. Like you can't learn archery from a book, you have to practice, instead."
Frea nodded in agreement, but warned Diablita that her contact with Hermaeus Mora put her on the same path as Miraak before her. "Do not get tempted to follow it."
"I won't," Diablita assured her. "But I will get a second opinion from Master Neloth. We'll be going back that way, won't we, Clark?"
"It's as good a route as any," he agreed.
---
"No, you seem to be clear of any influence," Neloth assured her. "Not too surprising, as it would have shown up when you read the book at Nchardak. You were affected, but gaining knowledge always does that. The point is that it's your knowledge now, and no longer dependent on the Daedric Prince."
"Now all that's left are the remaining Black Books, waiting for another ambitious fool to be lured into Hermaeus Mora's clutches. Speaking of which... I think I've located another book, if you're interested. Here, let me show you."
"Is this the last of them, or are there more after this one?" Diablita wanted to know.
"Well, you found the ones in Raven Rock Mine, and Benkongerike, we've dealt with the one at Nchardak, and the one I already had. Those and this new one are all my research indicates exist at present. Of course, Hermaeus Mora can always create more, if he chooses."
"I'll pass for now," she decided. "I've had my fill of Apocrypha, and Mora's minions."
"Are you sure? This isn't a job I can trust to Talvas, and Velith has more sense than to do that."
"That's a point. Where is she?" Clark asked.
"Looking for my former assistant, Ildari Sarothril. She was supposed to be lying dead in a sarcophagus down by the shore, but Velith found it empty. It seems that the heartstone I placed in her kept her alive, after all. I cast a divination, and determined that she was at Highpoint Tower."
"She was, but she's dead now," a voice behind them announced. "Here's the heartstone that caused all this trouble."
Vicuña walked over to Neloth and dropped a stone into his hand. It was about the same size as a human heart, and glowed red with obvious magical power.
"So Velith is Vicuña?" Diablita whispered in Clark's ear.
"Yes, her full name is Velith Telvanni. She's a member of Neloth's house, although she's most likely not a relative, or anything that close. Vicuña's a sort of professional identity, as she's not just a wizard."
"Well, that probably puts an end to all these Ash Spawn attacks," Neloth decided. "Now we can do something about the house."
"By 'we', I assume you mean me?" Vicuña asked. "And what's wrong with the house?"
Neloth pointed at the wall, where a large blister-like growth had appeared. "Ask Elynea Mothren what to do about it. She'll know."
"It looks like I have more errands to run." Vicuña told them. "I'll see you back in Skyrim some time."
"Yes, Skyrim," Clark agreed. "I need to get back and find out what happened to Brelyna."
Diablita wanted to know how Clark knew her little friend. "I'll tell you on the way back to Raven Rock," he told her.
---
Diablita didn't appear to be too worried when he did. She had a lot of confidence in the Dunmer's magical abilities, even if she didn't herself. "And it sounds like that Nord you've sent with her is just what she needs as a companion. I'm sure she'll take care of the trouble without our help."
Clark wasn't so sure. And then there was Serana, and her request. He'd better get back to the mainland as soon as he could. Except that it would be Sundas by the time they got back to Raven Rock, and the ferry didn't run until the following day.
"I've got some time to kill, now, too," Diablita reminded him.
---
On his way to the docks to board the Northern Maiden, Clark stopped off at Glover Mallory's forge and returned his bonemold formula. Glover thanked him profusely. "If there's any of my old Thieves Guild stuff you could use, it's all down in my basement. Here's a key. Go down and help yourself."
The Blackguard's Armour was tempting, but it wouldn't fit Gilda, and Clark couldn't see himself wearing it either. The fences back in Riften would buy it, of course, but nobody else would. The only thing that had any real interest for Clark was a letter. It appeared that Glover had written it to his daughter, Sapphire, but had never sent it. "Do you mind if I deliver this for you?" he asked the smith.
"No, it would be better if it's delivered by someone who can answer her questions. So if there's anything in there you want explained, ask me now."
-----------------------
Previously After a side-trip to rescue Baldor Iron-Shaper, and retrieve a map to a secret source of Stahlrim, Clark and Diablita the Dragonborn arrived at the Skaal Village. Diablita then left again, for Apocrypha.
-----------------------
Part 45 - Skaal Village
When Diablita rejoined them, fading back into full solidity, a glow of magical armour, unlike anything Clark had seen before, had formed around her. It was as if she was wearing a suit of dragonplate, but made out of light.
"Did you kill him? Is Miraak dead?" Frea demanded.
"Miraak is dead," Diablita confirmed. She reached into her pack and pulled out a mask, robe and various weapons. They were of a design that neither Clark nor Frea had seen before. "These were Miraak's. I suggest we put them on display in the Greathall, as a monument to Storn, who defeated him as much as I did."
"And what's that you're wearing?" Clark wanted to know.
"This is Dragon Aspect. I was right about it working better for me than for him. And the Bloodskal blade made up for his stealing dragon souls to regenerate. But I didn't get to kill him myself. When Hermaeus Mora saw that his defeat was inevitable, he finished him off for me. Skewered him with a tentacle, absorbed his body, and dropped the skeleton. I don't like to think what that felt like!"
Frea had been concentrating on something else. "I can confirm it. The Tree Stone is free, and the Oneness of the land is restored. But that just brings us back to where we were before Miraak's intervention, and we've lost Storn and our secrets."
"You haven't lost the secrets," Clark pointed out. "They're just a little less secret, which might be a good thing anyway. Anything important shouldn't be a secret, it should be shared."
"They were shared among the Skaal, of course," Frea agreed. "And that's why they aren't lost to us, as you just reminded me. Perhaps you have a point, but did it really need my father to die, to get it across?"
"I don't believe that Hermaeus Mora really has them, even now," Diablita added. "From what Storn told me, they weren't cold facts that could be written down in a book. They were ways to do things, that you can only learn by doing them. Like you can't learn archery from a book, you have to practice, instead."
Frea nodded in agreement, but warned Diablita that her contact with Hermaeus Mora put her on the same path as Miraak before her. "Do not get tempted to follow it."
"I won't," Diablita assured her. "But I will get a second opinion from Master Neloth. We'll be going back that way, won't we, Clark?"
"It's as good a route as any," he agreed.
---
"No, you seem to be clear of any influence," Neloth assured her. "Not too surprising, as it would have shown up when you read the book at Nchardak. You were affected, but gaining knowledge always does that. The point is that it's your knowledge now, and no longer dependent on the Daedric Prince."
"Now all that's left are the remaining Black Books, waiting for another ambitious fool to be lured into Hermaeus Mora's clutches. Speaking of which... I think I've located another book, if you're interested. Here, let me show you."
"Is this the last of them, or are there more after this one?" Diablita wanted to know.
"Well, you found the ones in Raven Rock Mine, and Benkongerike, we've dealt with the one at Nchardak, and the one I already had. Those and this new one are all my research indicates exist at present. Of course, Hermaeus Mora can always create more, if he chooses."
"I'll pass for now," she decided. "I've had my fill of Apocrypha, and Mora's minions."
"Are you sure? This isn't a job I can trust to Talvas, and Velith has more sense than to do that."
"That's a point. Where is she?" Clark asked.
"Looking for my former assistant, Ildari Sarothril. She was supposed to be lying dead in a sarcophagus down by the shore, but Velith found it empty. It seems that the heartstone I placed in her kept her alive, after all. I cast a divination, and determined that she was at Highpoint Tower."
"She was, but she's dead now," a voice behind them announced. "Here's the heartstone that caused all this trouble."
Vicuña walked over to Neloth and dropped a stone into his hand. It was about the same size as a human heart, and glowed red with obvious magical power.
"So Velith is Vicuña?" Diablita whispered in Clark's ear.
"Yes, her full name is Velith Telvanni. She's a member of Neloth's house, although she's most likely not a relative, or anything that close. Vicuña's a sort of professional identity, as she's not just a wizard."
"Well, that probably puts an end to all these Ash Spawn attacks," Neloth decided. "Now we can do something about the house."
"By 'we', I assume you mean me?" Vicuña asked. "And what's wrong with the house?"
Neloth pointed at the wall, where a large blister-like growth had appeared. "Ask Elynea Mothren what to do about it. She'll know."
"It looks like I have more errands to run." Vicuña told them. "I'll see you back in Skyrim some time."
"Yes, Skyrim," Clark agreed. "I need to get back and find out what happened to Brelyna."
Diablita wanted to know how Clark knew her little friend. "I'll tell you on the way back to Raven Rock," he told her.
---
Diablita didn't appear to be too worried when he did. She had a lot of confidence in the Dunmer's magical abilities, even if she didn't herself. "And it sounds like that Nord you've sent with her is just what she needs as a companion. I'm sure she'll take care of the trouble without our help."
Clark wasn't so sure. And then there was Serana, and her request. He'd better get back to the mainland as soon as he could. Except that it would be Sundas by the time they got back to Raven Rock, and the ferry didn't run until the following day.
"I've got some time to kill, now, too," Diablita reminded him.
---
On his way to the docks to board the Northern Maiden, Clark stopped off at Glover Mallory's forge and returned his bonemold formula. Glover thanked him profusely. "If there's any of my old Thieves Guild stuff you could use, it's all down in my basement. Here's a key. Go down and help yourself."
The Blackguard's Armour was tempting, but it wouldn't fit Gilda, and Clark couldn't see himself wearing it either. The fences back in Riften would buy it, of course, but nobody else would. The only thing that had any real interest for Clark was a letter. It appeared that Glover had written it to his daughter, Sapphire, but had never sent it. "Do you mind if I deliver this for you?" he asked the smith.
"No, it would be better if it's delivered by someone who can answer her questions. So if there's anything in there you want explained, ask me now."
Previously: Diablita saved Solstheim while Clark stood around chatting to Frea. Clark picked up Glover's letter to Sapphire to take back to Skyrim.
-------------------
Part 46 - Back in Skyrim
By coincidence, Brelyna and Mjoll were staying the night at the Candlehearth Hall when Clark got back to Windhelm. "Show him the Staff" Mjoll urged.
"This is the Staff of Magnus," Brelyna told Clark, showing him an impressive-looking staff with a glowing orb at its tip. "We just went to Labyrinthian to get it. It turned out that Savos Aren, the late Arch-mage, had been there when he was young, and sealed the place up to trap the undead Dragon Priest Morokei, who was using it. Because it drains magicka, it's a particularly powerful one when used against mages, so Mjoll was just the right person to have with me. She's all brute strength and raw power, and the Dragon Priest didn't stand a chance!"
Mjoll was clearly proud of what she'd done at Labyrinthian. "Show him the mask, too!"
"Oh yes, this is the mask he was wearing. Ugly, isn't it? Mind you, it's probably better-looking than the undead face he was hiding behind it. If it wasn't so repulsive, the enchantment would almost make it worth wearing; I could use the magicka regeneration. Still, there are other things I could wear for that."
Clark was more interested in what had happened at the College. He'd heard that the Arch-mage had been killed in an explosion, and clearly Brelyna and Mjoll had survived. What was that all about?
"Ancano's taken control of the Eye of Magnus. Or at least he thinks he has. He's making it do all sorts of things, one of which is a shield around the Hall of the Elements, to stop us getting to him. It was the initial release of magical energy from the Eye that killed Savos Aren, and it also spawned some kind of creatures, sort of like wisps, that terrorized the town for a while. The Psijics sent me to find the Augur of Dunlain. He told me that this staff is the only thing that can control the Eye properly. It's not surprising that Ancano's getting bad results."
"So now you're headed back to Winterhold to take control yourself?" Clark asked. "If it's that dangerous, do you want to control it?"
"It's more a case of stopping Ancano before he destroys the rest of Winterhold, or the whole of Nirn. He's a Thalmor; that wouldn't be a bad outcome from his viewpoint. And I want my College back in operation. I can't learn anything with that kind of disruption going on."
"Aren't you learning just as much on these trips? Especially the combat aspects of magic, I'd have thought."
"That's not all there is to magic, and even that needs as much laboratory research as field trials. You need to develop new spells in an environment where you don't have to rely on them."
That made Clark think of Neloth's preferences in the matter. He'd prefer to keep the research to himself and let someone else do the riskier stuff. He'd left Vicuña doing that for him.
"I know that name, Neloth. My mother had a lot of tales to tell about him. Is he on Solstheim now?" Brelyna remarked. "And who's this Vicuña?"
"Her real name is Velith Telvanni. She went over with me to study enchanting with Master Neloth. I know she's already very good at it, so she's ready to take the next step of learning from the Master."
"I know her, too, from our days in Morrowind. She wasn't using that other name then. Why did she change it?"
"Probably to play down her Telvanni roots. It does make everyone expect you to be a Master Wizard before you're ready for that. She had other things she wanted to do first."
Brelyna laughed at that. She remembered what her friend Velith liked doing. Not that she was immune to those urges, either. She was a Dunmer, after all. She just had more dedication to her magical studies than Velith had. And smaller breasts, so she wasn't getting quite so many invitations to get distracted.
"If you knew her in Morrowind, does that mean you're from House Telvanni, too?" Clark asked.
"Yes, and you can't imagine the pressure you get to be an incredible mage, even before you've had the chance to learn how. That's one of the main reasons I came to the College of Winterhold. I could learn at my own pace there, and not have everyone rushing me. I prefer to do things thoroughly, rather than quickly, and make sure I have all aspects covered."
"I've been working on Conjuration and Alteration. My ambition is to merge the two, and improve the duration of my summons by reinforcing them with alteration magic. That's why I use staves for destruction, and it turned out that was the best tactic against Morokei, the Dragon priest who had the Staff of Magnus. He could drain my own magicka, but he couldn't stop me using staves against him. Or Mjoll. He had nothing to use against her."
"Do you think all that practice using staves will help you use the Staff of Magnus?" Clark inquired.
"I hope so. Although I don't really understand what it does, yet. Maybe it will become clear when we get back to Winterhold."
---
Clark's next destination was Riften. He'd left Gilda building the Thieves Guild back up, and looking into reducing Maven Black-Briar's influence on the city. Serana was most likely there, too, as she'd joined the guild as a suitable nocturnal vocation. And he had a letter to deliver to Sapphire.
At Honeyside, Clark found Gilda in residence, instead of Iona. She told him the housecarl was up north at Gloombound Mine, mining the ebony she needed for her new armour.
"I took her up there a few days ago," Gilda said. "I was already welcome in the strongholds, after the Karthwasten Mine clearance, so I thought it would be a good idea to take Iona and introduce her. They were a bit suspicious of her, and didn't react very well to her presence."
"Still, I wasn't expecting her to get into a fist-fight with the Chief! That turned out to be the best thing she could have done, although it didn't seem that way to me at the time. He likes strong women who don't get pushed around, and she certainly proved to be that. Mind you, deciding to fight him stripped to the waist probably helped a lot."
Clark smiled at that. What could Gilda have achieved?
"So that accounts for Iona. What about Karliah?"
"She's staying out of sight at the Nightingale Hall outside town. Maven Black-Briar doesn't know she's back, and we'd prefer to keep it that way. We have plans developing to deal with her, but we don't want to reveal anything until it's all in place and ready to roll."
Clark nodded. The Thieves Guild worked best in secrecy. He didn't expect her to tell him much about the plans until he needed to know, either. He asked about Serana.
"The vampire? She'll be somewhere around, but you won't see her until after dark, of course. I'd check the Bee and Barb this evening. Most people drop in to catch up on the daily gossip, at some time or other. But what do you want with her?"
Clark explained to Gilda about her wanting to get her mother back from the Soul Cairn.
"I can see why she needs you to do it, but are you sure you won't get trapped like her mother did? The Ideal Masters sound like they're not exactly trustworthy."
"I fully expect them to try something. But I'll have Serana with me going in, and both of them, hopefully, coming out. They should know the Ideal Masters by now, so there won't be too many surprises. By the way, what exactly did you tell Serana about my immortality?"
"Just the little I know, which is that you were made immortal by a Daedric Prince. And that sex was involved, naturally."
"It's just that she thinks it happened for me in sort of the same way it did for her. And although she hasn't described it in any detail, I don't think Molag Bal was as considerate as Nocturnal and Azura."
"What I don't understand is how she talked you into doing this for her. I know what usually motivates you, and that woman just doesn't. She almost seems to be afraid of it, not that anything else seems to scare her."
"Think about it, Gilda. If Molag Bal made her a vampire that way, it can't have been any fun. Wouldn't that put anyone off?"
"I just can't imagine. But then, I have no experience of Daedric Princes at all, and would prefer to leave it that way."
"You've talked to Nocturnal, haven't you?"
"Talked, yes. You know what I meant by experience. You can have too much of a good thing, and I know that from that contraption of Madesi's. I almost feel sorry for Rigel Strong-Arm."
Clark smiled at that memory. "Well, anyway, it's not so much that she persuaded me to do this, as that I'm curious about her mother. She's either the most manipulative monster imaginable, or the kind of parent that inspires complete devotion. There's no room for anything in between."
-------------------
Part 46 - Back in Skyrim
By coincidence, Brelyna and Mjoll were staying the night at the Candlehearth Hall when Clark got back to Windhelm. "Show him the Staff" Mjoll urged.
"This is the Staff of Magnus," Brelyna told Clark, showing him an impressive-looking staff with a glowing orb at its tip. "We just went to Labyrinthian to get it. It turned out that Savos Aren, the late Arch-mage, had been there when he was young, and sealed the place up to trap the undead Dragon Priest Morokei, who was using it. Because it drains magicka, it's a particularly powerful one when used against mages, so Mjoll was just the right person to have with me. She's all brute strength and raw power, and the Dragon Priest didn't stand a chance!"
Mjoll was clearly proud of what she'd done at Labyrinthian. "Show him the mask, too!"
"Oh yes, this is the mask he was wearing. Ugly, isn't it? Mind you, it's probably better-looking than the undead face he was hiding behind it. If it wasn't so repulsive, the enchantment would almost make it worth wearing; I could use the magicka regeneration. Still, there are other things I could wear for that."
Clark was more interested in what had happened at the College. He'd heard that the Arch-mage had been killed in an explosion, and clearly Brelyna and Mjoll had survived. What was that all about?
"Ancano's taken control of the Eye of Magnus. Or at least he thinks he has. He's making it do all sorts of things, one of which is a shield around the Hall of the Elements, to stop us getting to him. It was the initial release of magical energy from the Eye that killed Savos Aren, and it also spawned some kind of creatures, sort of like wisps, that terrorized the town for a while. The Psijics sent me to find the Augur of Dunlain. He told me that this staff is the only thing that can control the Eye properly. It's not surprising that Ancano's getting bad results."
"So now you're headed back to Winterhold to take control yourself?" Clark asked. "If it's that dangerous, do you want to control it?"
"It's more a case of stopping Ancano before he destroys the rest of Winterhold, or the whole of Nirn. He's a Thalmor; that wouldn't be a bad outcome from his viewpoint. And I want my College back in operation. I can't learn anything with that kind of disruption going on."
"Aren't you learning just as much on these trips? Especially the combat aspects of magic, I'd have thought."
"That's not all there is to magic, and even that needs as much laboratory research as field trials. You need to develop new spells in an environment where you don't have to rely on them."
That made Clark think of Neloth's preferences in the matter. He'd prefer to keep the research to himself and let someone else do the riskier stuff. He'd left Vicuña doing that for him.
"I know that name, Neloth. My mother had a lot of tales to tell about him. Is he on Solstheim now?" Brelyna remarked. "And who's this Vicuña?"
"Her real name is Velith Telvanni. She went over with me to study enchanting with Master Neloth. I know she's already very good at it, so she's ready to take the next step of learning from the Master."
"I know her, too, from our days in Morrowind. She wasn't using that other name then. Why did she change it?"
"Probably to play down her Telvanni roots. It does make everyone expect you to be a Master Wizard before you're ready for that. She had other things she wanted to do first."
Brelyna laughed at that. She remembered what her friend Velith liked doing. Not that she was immune to those urges, either. She was a Dunmer, after all. She just had more dedication to her magical studies than Velith had. And smaller breasts, so she wasn't getting quite so many invitations to get distracted.
"If you knew her in Morrowind, does that mean you're from House Telvanni, too?" Clark asked.
"Yes, and you can't imagine the pressure you get to be an incredible mage, even before you've had the chance to learn how. That's one of the main reasons I came to the College of Winterhold. I could learn at my own pace there, and not have everyone rushing me. I prefer to do things thoroughly, rather than quickly, and make sure I have all aspects covered."
"I've been working on Conjuration and Alteration. My ambition is to merge the two, and improve the duration of my summons by reinforcing them with alteration magic. That's why I use staves for destruction, and it turned out that was the best tactic against Morokei, the Dragon priest who had the Staff of Magnus. He could drain my own magicka, but he couldn't stop me using staves against him. Or Mjoll. He had nothing to use against her."
"Do you think all that practice using staves will help you use the Staff of Magnus?" Clark inquired.
"I hope so. Although I don't really understand what it does, yet. Maybe it will become clear when we get back to Winterhold."
---
Clark's next destination was Riften. He'd left Gilda building the Thieves Guild back up, and looking into reducing Maven Black-Briar's influence on the city. Serana was most likely there, too, as she'd joined the guild as a suitable nocturnal vocation. And he had a letter to deliver to Sapphire.
At Honeyside, Clark found Gilda in residence, instead of Iona. She told him the housecarl was up north at Gloombound Mine, mining the ebony she needed for her new armour.
"I took her up there a few days ago," Gilda said. "I was already welcome in the strongholds, after the Karthwasten Mine clearance, so I thought it would be a good idea to take Iona and introduce her. They were a bit suspicious of her, and didn't react very well to her presence."
"Still, I wasn't expecting her to get into a fist-fight with the Chief! That turned out to be the best thing she could have done, although it didn't seem that way to me at the time. He likes strong women who don't get pushed around, and she certainly proved to be that. Mind you, deciding to fight him stripped to the waist probably helped a lot."
Clark smiled at that. What could Gilda have achieved?
"So that accounts for Iona. What about Karliah?"
"She's staying out of sight at the Nightingale Hall outside town. Maven Black-Briar doesn't know she's back, and we'd prefer to keep it that way. We have plans developing to deal with her, but we don't want to reveal anything until it's all in place and ready to roll."
Clark nodded. The Thieves Guild worked best in secrecy. He didn't expect her to tell him much about the plans until he needed to know, either. He asked about Serana.
"The vampire? She'll be somewhere around, but you won't see her until after dark, of course. I'd check the Bee and Barb this evening. Most people drop in to catch up on the daily gossip, at some time or other. But what do you want with her?"
Clark explained to Gilda about her wanting to get her mother back from the Soul Cairn.
"I can see why she needs you to do it, but are you sure you won't get trapped like her mother did? The Ideal Masters sound like they're not exactly trustworthy."
"I fully expect them to try something. But I'll have Serana with me going in, and both of them, hopefully, coming out. They should know the Ideal Masters by now, so there won't be too many surprises. By the way, what exactly did you tell Serana about my immortality?"
"Just the little I know, which is that you were made immortal by a Daedric Prince. And that sex was involved, naturally."
"It's just that she thinks it happened for me in sort of the same way it did for her. And although she hasn't described it in any detail, I don't think Molag Bal was as considerate as Nocturnal and Azura."
"What I don't understand is how she talked you into doing this for her. I know what usually motivates you, and that woman just doesn't. She almost seems to be afraid of it, not that anything else seems to scare her."
"Think about it, Gilda. If Molag Bal made her a vampire that way, it can't have been any fun. Wouldn't that put anyone off?"
"I just can't imagine. But then, I have no experience of Daedric Princes at all, and would prefer to leave it that way."
"You've talked to Nocturnal, haven't you?"
"Talked, yes. You know what I meant by experience. You can have too much of a good thing, and I know that from that contraption of Madesi's. I almost feel sorry for Rigel Strong-Arm."
Clark smiled at that memory. "Well, anyway, it's not so much that she persuaded me to do this, as that I'm curious about her mother. She's either the most manipulative monster imaginable, or the kind of parent that inspires complete devotion. There's no room for anything in between."
Previously: Clark returned from Solstheim to get an update on Brelyna's progress, and how things were progressing in Riften.
----------------
Part 47 - Ragged Flagon
Serana wasn't in the Bee and Barb when Clark went there, but Sapphire was. Clark beckoned her over to his table, and ordered a couple of drinks from Talen-Jei.
"I've been meaning to ask you ever since I saw you in here; what's your real name?"
"Look, I don't really know you. I don't even really know anyone here. Why do you care anyway? It's not like we're family. This is a business. Look, you want to know about me? All right, I'll tell you. I'll tell you about the time I was a young girl, barely out of her teens... living on a pig farm in the middle of nowhere. Didn't have a coin to spend between our entire family. Ate the same slop we fed our livestock."
"That sounds horrible," Clark responded.
"Oh, wait... it gets much better. How about the fact that our farm was attacked by bandits, and that they killed my entire family who didn't even brandish a weapon against them. Here's the best part. They took me as a prize, and violated me for a fortnight. Tossed me from bandit to bandit like... like..."
"You don't have to go on."
"It's fine... I had to tell someone I suppose. Carrying around a weight like that... it hurts after a while. Cuts you inside like a dagger to the heart. Over time, I managed to gain their confidence. Then one night I grabbed a knife, waited until they fell asleep and cut their throats. I never returned to that pig farm you know. There's nothing for me there. So that's my sad story. What do you think?"
Clark reached into his pocket and pulled out Glover's letter, and laid it on the table in front of Sapphire.
"What's this?" she asked.
"Read it, and find out."
She did, twice. "I... I can't believe it. All those years on the farm, and my mother never told me about any of this. Words can't even begin to describe how much I appreciate you bringing this to me. Here, take this. I used to carry it for good luck, but I think you deserve it more than I do." She offered Clark her namesake gemstone.
"No you keep it," Clark told her. "Your father paid me well enough to bring the letter. But you can help me find Serana. I was expecting to see her here, too."
"She's probably still at the Ragged Flagon. Doesn't usually come here until it's a bit darker outside. Come with me, I'll take you down there."
Sapphire knew that Clark wasn't a member of the Guild, even though Karliah and Gilda were. The Ragged Flagon was open to anyone in the Ratway, if you had the coin, but if he went there alone, dressed the way he was, he'd be the target of every pickpocket, or maybe worse. She didn't doubt Clark could take care of himself, she was more worried about those who might get hurt trying to rob him.
---
Serana was sitting at one the tables, chatting to Delvin Mallory.
"Good evening, Uncle Delvin," said Sapphire.
"I ain't your uncle, so don't call me that. I may be old enough to be your father, but that's no reason to give me any lip."
Sapphire said nothing, but put Glover's letter in front of him.
"Glover's your father? I really am your uncle? Well, I'll be..."
Clark left Sapphire with Delvin, and took Serana back to the Bee and Barb. "I'm ready to help you get your mother out of the Soul Cairn, if you're ready to show me the way. What do we have to do to get there?"
"There's a portal back at Castle Volkihar. It used to be a lot harder to get to when the place was full of Harkon's vampires, but it's easier now they've been wiped out. We still have to go around the side of the castle and in the back way, as the passage through to the main entrance is blocked. It's probably a shorter route, anyway."
"And where's the castle? I've never heard of the place."
"Off the coast, west of Solitude. There's a jetty with a rowboat near the Thalmor fort. It only takes a few minutes to row out there."
"But getting to the jetty's going to take a few days travel. Do you need to travel at night?"
"No, I'll be all right if I just put my hood on. I'm weaker during the day, but my spells aren't, and I can look after myself."
"We'll take my carriage as far as Solitude, then, and I'll leave it at Katla's. Is there anything I should take to prepare me for the Soul Cairn?"
"Nothing special, but you might want a few health potions to use after we go through the portal. I suspect that it will drain you pretty drastically. The bonemen and wrathmen that prowl the place aren't any more dangerous than any of the draugr in this world, and you won't need any special equipment against them.
The only real problem will be convincing my mother to come with us."
"You said that she refused to believe that your father, Harkon, was dead. Is there anything we can take as proof?"
"Not really. When he died, he turned into a pile of ash. I have his sword, and his armour, but they aren't unique, and anyone could have stolen them without killing him. In principle, anyway. I can't really imagine anyone getting away with it, while he was alive."
"You'd better take me to where he fell, and if the ashes are still there, I can at least tell your mother I saw them. I assume they're somewhere I couldn't get to if he were alive?"
"That's true. If you can describe the Volkihar Cathedral to her, then she'll know you've been there, at least."
---
"Watch the gargoyles," Serana told Clark. "I think those are just stone, but sometimes they turn out to be alive." There were a couple of them lying dead on the ramp up to the main door, and two more sitting on pedestals.
Another was in the entrance hallway, looming over them as they walked through to the dining hall. The corpses of several vampires, and one or two in Dawnguard armour, lay around the floor.
"Through there, at the back. There's a door into the cathedral, and Father's ashes should still be by the altar, if these bodies remain."
Clark stepped over the remains of a large hound-like creature, and followed Serana to the rear corner.
Serana pointed at a passageway blocked by rubble. "That used to lead through to the courtyard where my mother tended her garden. I imagine she'll want to clear that if she moves back."
----------------
Part 47 - Ragged Flagon
Serana wasn't in the Bee and Barb when Clark went there, but Sapphire was. Clark beckoned her over to his table, and ordered a couple of drinks from Talen-Jei.
"I've been meaning to ask you ever since I saw you in here; what's your real name?"
"Look, I don't really know you. I don't even really know anyone here. Why do you care anyway? It's not like we're family. This is a business. Look, you want to know about me? All right, I'll tell you. I'll tell you about the time I was a young girl, barely out of her teens... living on a pig farm in the middle of nowhere. Didn't have a coin to spend between our entire family. Ate the same slop we fed our livestock."
"That sounds horrible," Clark responded.
"Oh, wait... it gets much better. How about the fact that our farm was attacked by bandits, and that they killed my entire family who didn't even brandish a weapon against them. Here's the best part. They took me as a prize, and violated me for a fortnight. Tossed me from bandit to bandit like... like..."
"You don't have to go on."
"It's fine... I had to tell someone I suppose. Carrying around a weight like that... it hurts after a while. Cuts you inside like a dagger to the heart. Over time, I managed to gain their confidence. Then one night I grabbed a knife, waited until they fell asleep and cut their throats. I never returned to that pig farm you know. There's nothing for me there. So that's my sad story. What do you think?"
Clark reached into his pocket and pulled out Glover's letter, and laid it on the table in front of Sapphire.
"What's this?" she asked.
"Read it, and find out."
She did, twice. "I... I can't believe it. All those years on the farm, and my mother never told me about any of this. Words can't even begin to describe how much I appreciate you bringing this to me. Here, take this. I used to carry it for good luck, but I think you deserve it more than I do." She offered Clark her namesake gemstone.
"No you keep it," Clark told her. "Your father paid me well enough to bring the letter. But you can help me find Serana. I was expecting to see her here, too."
"She's probably still at the Ragged Flagon. Doesn't usually come here until it's a bit darker outside. Come with me, I'll take you down there."
Sapphire knew that Clark wasn't a member of the Guild, even though Karliah and Gilda were. The Ragged Flagon was open to anyone in the Ratway, if you had the coin, but if he went there alone, dressed the way he was, he'd be the target of every pickpocket, or maybe worse. She didn't doubt Clark could take care of himself, she was more worried about those who might get hurt trying to rob him.
---
Serana was sitting at one the tables, chatting to Delvin Mallory.
"Good evening, Uncle Delvin," said Sapphire.
"I ain't your uncle, so don't call me that. I may be old enough to be your father, but that's no reason to give me any lip."
Sapphire said nothing, but put Glover's letter in front of him.
"Glover's your father? I really am your uncle? Well, I'll be..."
Clark left Sapphire with Delvin, and took Serana back to the Bee and Barb. "I'm ready to help you get your mother out of the Soul Cairn, if you're ready to show me the way. What do we have to do to get there?"
"There's a portal back at Castle Volkihar. It used to be a lot harder to get to when the place was full of Harkon's vampires, but it's easier now they've been wiped out. We still have to go around the side of the castle and in the back way, as the passage through to the main entrance is blocked. It's probably a shorter route, anyway."
"And where's the castle? I've never heard of the place."
"Off the coast, west of Solitude. There's a jetty with a rowboat near the Thalmor fort. It only takes a few minutes to row out there."
"But getting to the jetty's going to take a few days travel. Do you need to travel at night?"
"No, I'll be all right if I just put my hood on. I'm weaker during the day, but my spells aren't, and I can look after myself."
"We'll take my carriage as far as Solitude, then, and I'll leave it at Katla's. Is there anything I should take to prepare me for the Soul Cairn?"
"Nothing special, but you might want a few health potions to use after we go through the portal. I suspect that it will drain you pretty drastically. The bonemen and wrathmen that prowl the place aren't any more dangerous than any of the draugr in this world, and you won't need any special equipment against them.
The only real problem will be convincing my mother to come with us."
"You said that she refused to believe that your father, Harkon, was dead. Is there anything we can take as proof?"
"Not really. When he died, he turned into a pile of ash. I have his sword, and his armour, but they aren't unique, and anyone could have stolen them without killing him. In principle, anyway. I can't really imagine anyone getting away with it, while he was alive."
"You'd better take me to where he fell, and if the ashes are still there, I can at least tell your mother I saw them. I assume they're somewhere I couldn't get to if he were alive?"
"That's true. If you can describe the Volkihar Cathedral to her, then she'll know you've been there, at least."
---
"Watch the gargoyles," Serana told Clark. "I think those are just stone, but sometimes they turn out to be alive." There were a couple of them lying dead on the ramp up to the main door, and two more sitting on pedestals.
Another was in the entrance hallway, looming over them as they walked through to the dining hall. The corpses of several vampires, and one or two in Dawnguard armour, lay around the floor.
"Through there, at the back. There's a door into the cathedral, and Father's ashes should still be by the altar, if these bodies remain."
Clark stepped over the remains of a large hound-like creature, and followed Serana to the rear corner.
Serana pointed at a passageway blocked by rubble. "That used to lead through to the courtyard where my mother tended her garden. I imagine she'll want to clear that if she moves back."
Previously: Clark and Serana had arrived at Castle Volkihar, and looked around the Cathedral, so that Clark could help to convince Valerica that Harkon was really dead.
-------------------
Part 48 - Volkihar Cathedral
The Volkihar Cathedral was remarkably well-lit with natural light for a vampires' temple. Clark presumed that there was something about the stained glass that made the sunlight less oppressive. One shaft was illuminating a pile of ashes in front of an altar to Molag Bal. The altar was in the shape of a bust of the Daedric Lord, with a blood fountain issuing from its mouth. Clark took careful note of that, as he expected to describe it to Valerica to convince her he'd actually been here.
He poked through the ash pile, but there was little to confirm that it was Harkon's. It still retained an unnaturally red hue, but that meant little. His armour and sword had been taken, presumably by the Hunter when Harkon was slain. Wait, didn't Serana tell him that she had them, now?
---
Clark and Serana left the castle through the front door, and made their way around the outside to the old dock. This was currently the only way to reach Valerica's study, and the portal to the Soul Cairn. Once they'd cleared the passageway through to the courtyard, there would be another route, but now this was their only choice.
There were skeletons and gargoyle remains everywhere. Clark asked Serana if they'd had to battle their way past all of them before. "Not all of them. Most were already dead, although some were raised again as we passed. More than we wanted, I can assure you."
"Through here," she said at last, and opened a door into a large room, with a high ceiling, and a glowing pit where the floor had once been. Stairs curved down into a swirling purple mist. "The portal's down there," Serana told Clark, as if he couldn't have guessed.
"From what the Hunter told me when he first tried to go through it, I think it drains your health, if you're not undead. Lean on me, so you don't fall when that happens."
The Hunter' appraisal was accurate, and Clark had to stop and regain his composure on the other side. He cast a healing spell, which seemed to work normally for him. A couple of potions, and he was back to normal. Still, he hoped it wouldn't repeat on the way out.
"Which way is your mother? Do we follow the path ahead?"
Serana pointed at an archway ahead of them. "There's a wall dividing this place in two, and a barrier of magical force around it. That arch is the only gap in the wall, and the Boneyard, which is where I left my mother, is on the other side. We should be able to see it from there."
---
They passed several ghosts just wandering around looking lost, and half-way from the wall to the Boneyard, a couple of skeletal beings rose out of the ground and attacked them. Serana smashed them with ice spikes before they could get near. "I though we'd cleared them all the first time I was here," she told Clark. "I guess the Ideal Masters can raise more whenever they feel inclined."
They found Valerica fiddling around at an Alchemy lab near the door. Clark was initially surprised that Valerica appeared to be only a few years older than her daughter. But a moment's reflection, and he understood that they'd both stopped aging when they became vampires, so Serana had almost caught up with her mother.
"Who have you brought with you this time? That's not the man you came with before."
"No Mother, it's not. And I'd prefer you not reminding me about him. Clark is here to confirm that Harkon is dead. He's seen the ashes, which is all that's left, in the cathedral where the Hunter killed him."
Valerica asked Clark a few pertinent questions and he thought he'd convinced her he was telling the truth. "I know Serana wants me to return to Tamriel, but do you? Why would you want another vampire?"
"To start with, because it's what Serana wants. Also, she's told me what her father was like, and she doesn't seem to take after him. So she must have inherited her nature from you, and that's enough of a recommendation."
"You know the Volkihar aren't just ordinary vampires," Valerica insisted. "Behold!"
She began to transform before Clark's gaze. Her leather vampire armour melted away, leaving only a thin strip hanging down between her legs. Her face changed into a grotesque troll-like mask, with horns, and her hands and feet grew vicious-looking claws. Small vestigial wings spouted from her shoulders, and she lifted off the ground. The wings apparently gave her a form of levitation, rather than physical lift, as they hardly moved.
However, the majority of her body remained just as feminine as it started, and was now easier for Clark to see and appreciate. He told her so, and she transformed back, laughing. Her armour, however, didn't re-appear.
"You men are all the same, and that's why we love you," Valerica exclaimed. "Don't we, Serana?"
A look of disgust was on Serana's face. Clark imagined that children never consider their parents having any sexuality, but this looked like more. She appeared to be revolted by the whole idea of sex, perhaps as a result of her experience with Molag Bal. He'd need to talk privately with Valerica before bringing the subject up with Serana.
It did appear, though, that Valerica was going to return with them. She gathered the few items she'd need, and prepared to follow Clark back to the portal.
That's when the dragon appeared. He faded in from nothing on the wall opposite the steps from the Boneyard.
"Are you going to stop me leaving?" Valerica asked him. "Do you still hold to the Ideal Masters' bargain?"
"No, Qahnaarin, that was over when you two, and the other joor, defeated me. I come now because I perceive a chance of my own freedom. This new one, he was not here before, but he gives me the hope I need."
The huge beast's head turned to face Clark. "You know the Dovakhin, don't you? The one the mortals call the Dragonborn? I have seen her in your mind, and she appears to be close to you."
Clark was used to his weak telepathy bringing him the stray thoughts of others, but this was the first time it had gone the other way. Had the dragon really seen Diablita in his memories? He had no other explanation.
"Yes, I know her. How does that help you?"
"She is the only one that can use my name to summon me from this place. I cannot leave of my own accord, but if she calls my name in Tamriel then I am bound to appear there. I believe that each time that happens, the hold of this place on my soul will be weakened. You can take my name to her, and tell her of my need."
"I need to know more, before I agree," Clark responded. "Why are you here, and what was the bargain with the Ideal Masters that Valerica mentioned?"
"In my battles with the other dragons of Nirn, I sought advantage by the study of what you call necromancy. I made a deal with the Ideal Masters to guard Valerica until her death, in return for the ability to summon armies of undead."
"They neglected to tell me that she was immortal. So I have been here, bound by my agreement, all this time. I fear that I have been here so long, my body has become attuned to this place, and cannot return to Nirn without the power of the Dovahkin reinforcing me."
Clark pondered the dragon's request a moment. "I can take your name to her, but whether she chooses to call it will be her decision, not mine."
"That is a risk that matters little. If you do not, then there is no chance for me to leave."
Clark was not expecting the name to be a Thu'um. The ground shook, and the wind howled, as the dragon spoke his name, Dur-neh-viir. "Will all that happen again, when Diablita uses your name?" he asked.
"Of course. The language of the Dovah is a language of great power, which is why so few can master it. Now read it, too."
On the wall beneath the dragon, three clusters of symbols were glowing. Clark understood, without quite knowing how, that these were the three parts of Durnehviir's name, written in the dragon script. He wasn't sure how he'd convey that part to Diablita, but the dragon seemed to believe it was possible.
"I can say the name Durnehviir, of course," Valerica pointed out, "but I can't shout it the way the Dovahkin will be able to. And now, any of us could probably write it down, not that that would do anything on its own."
"Correct," the dragon agreed. "If you spent enough time practicing, you could eventually understand the meaning, and it would become a Thu'um for you, too. It would please me if you did that, but I do not expect you to devote that amount of time to my cause."
With that parting comment, he spread his immense wings and flew off.
-------------------
Part 48 - Volkihar Cathedral
The Volkihar Cathedral was remarkably well-lit with natural light for a vampires' temple. Clark presumed that there was something about the stained glass that made the sunlight less oppressive. One shaft was illuminating a pile of ashes in front of an altar to Molag Bal. The altar was in the shape of a bust of the Daedric Lord, with a blood fountain issuing from its mouth. Clark took careful note of that, as he expected to describe it to Valerica to convince her he'd actually been here.
He poked through the ash pile, but there was little to confirm that it was Harkon's. It still retained an unnaturally red hue, but that meant little. His armour and sword had been taken, presumably by the Hunter when Harkon was slain. Wait, didn't Serana tell him that she had them, now?
---
Clark and Serana left the castle through the front door, and made their way around the outside to the old dock. This was currently the only way to reach Valerica's study, and the portal to the Soul Cairn. Once they'd cleared the passageway through to the courtyard, there would be another route, but now this was their only choice.
There were skeletons and gargoyle remains everywhere. Clark asked Serana if they'd had to battle their way past all of them before. "Not all of them. Most were already dead, although some were raised again as we passed. More than we wanted, I can assure you."
"Through here," she said at last, and opened a door into a large room, with a high ceiling, and a glowing pit where the floor had once been. Stairs curved down into a swirling purple mist. "The portal's down there," Serana told Clark, as if he couldn't have guessed.
"From what the Hunter told me when he first tried to go through it, I think it drains your health, if you're not undead. Lean on me, so you don't fall when that happens."
The Hunter' appraisal was accurate, and Clark had to stop and regain his composure on the other side. He cast a healing spell, which seemed to work normally for him. A couple of potions, and he was back to normal. Still, he hoped it wouldn't repeat on the way out.
"Which way is your mother? Do we follow the path ahead?"
Serana pointed at an archway ahead of them. "There's a wall dividing this place in two, and a barrier of magical force around it. That arch is the only gap in the wall, and the Boneyard, which is where I left my mother, is on the other side. We should be able to see it from there."
---
They passed several ghosts just wandering around looking lost, and half-way from the wall to the Boneyard, a couple of skeletal beings rose out of the ground and attacked them. Serana smashed them with ice spikes before they could get near. "I though we'd cleared them all the first time I was here," she told Clark. "I guess the Ideal Masters can raise more whenever they feel inclined."
They found Valerica fiddling around at an Alchemy lab near the door. Clark was initially surprised that Valerica appeared to be only a few years older than her daughter. But a moment's reflection, and he understood that they'd both stopped aging when they became vampires, so Serana had almost caught up with her mother.
"Who have you brought with you this time? That's not the man you came with before."
"No Mother, it's not. And I'd prefer you not reminding me about him. Clark is here to confirm that Harkon is dead. He's seen the ashes, which is all that's left, in the cathedral where the Hunter killed him."
Valerica asked Clark a few pertinent questions and he thought he'd convinced her he was telling the truth. "I know Serana wants me to return to Tamriel, but do you? Why would you want another vampire?"
"To start with, because it's what Serana wants. Also, she's told me what her father was like, and she doesn't seem to take after him. So she must have inherited her nature from you, and that's enough of a recommendation."
"You know the Volkihar aren't just ordinary vampires," Valerica insisted. "Behold!"
She began to transform before Clark's gaze. Her leather vampire armour melted away, leaving only a thin strip hanging down between her legs. Her face changed into a grotesque troll-like mask, with horns, and her hands and feet grew vicious-looking claws. Small vestigial wings spouted from her shoulders, and she lifted off the ground. The wings apparently gave her a form of levitation, rather than physical lift, as they hardly moved.
However, the majority of her body remained just as feminine as it started, and was now easier for Clark to see and appreciate. He told her so, and she transformed back, laughing. Her armour, however, didn't re-appear.
"You men are all the same, and that's why we love you," Valerica exclaimed. "Don't we, Serana?"
A look of disgust was on Serana's face. Clark imagined that children never consider their parents having any sexuality, but this looked like more. She appeared to be revolted by the whole idea of sex, perhaps as a result of her experience with Molag Bal. He'd need to talk privately with Valerica before bringing the subject up with Serana.
It did appear, though, that Valerica was going to return with them. She gathered the few items she'd need, and prepared to follow Clark back to the portal.
That's when the dragon appeared. He faded in from nothing on the wall opposite the steps from the Boneyard.
"Are you going to stop me leaving?" Valerica asked him. "Do you still hold to the Ideal Masters' bargain?"
"No, Qahnaarin, that was over when you two, and the other joor, defeated me. I come now because I perceive a chance of my own freedom. This new one, he was not here before, but he gives me the hope I need."
The huge beast's head turned to face Clark. "You know the Dovakhin, don't you? The one the mortals call the Dragonborn? I have seen her in your mind, and she appears to be close to you."
Clark was used to his weak telepathy bringing him the stray thoughts of others, but this was the first time it had gone the other way. Had the dragon really seen Diablita in his memories? He had no other explanation.
"Yes, I know her. How does that help you?"
"She is the only one that can use my name to summon me from this place. I cannot leave of my own accord, but if she calls my name in Tamriel then I am bound to appear there. I believe that each time that happens, the hold of this place on my soul will be weakened. You can take my name to her, and tell her of my need."
"I need to know more, before I agree," Clark responded. "Why are you here, and what was the bargain with the Ideal Masters that Valerica mentioned?"
"In my battles with the other dragons of Nirn, I sought advantage by the study of what you call necromancy. I made a deal with the Ideal Masters to guard Valerica until her death, in return for the ability to summon armies of undead."
"They neglected to tell me that she was immortal. So I have been here, bound by my agreement, all this time. I fear that I have been here so long, my body has become attuned to this place, and cannot return to Nirn without the power of the Dovahkin reinforcing me."
Clark pondered the dragon's request a moment. "I can take your name to her, but whether she chooses to call it will be her decision, not mine."
"That is a risk that matters little. If you do not, then there is no chance for me to leave."
Clark was not expecting the name to be a Thu'um. The ground shook, and the wind howled, as the dragon spoke his name, Dur-neh-viir. "Will all that happen again, when Diablita uses your name?" he asked.
"Of course. The language of the Dovah is a language of great power, which is why so few can master it. Now read it, too."
On the wall beneath the dragon, three clusters of symbols were glowing. Clark understood, without quite knowing how, that these were the three parts of Durnehviir's name, written in the dragon script. He wasn't sure how he'd convey that part to Diablita, but the dragon seemed to believe it was possible.
"I can say the name Durnehviir, of course," Valerica pointed out, "but I can't shout it the way the Dovahkin will be able to. And now, any of us could probably write it down, not that that would do anything on its own."
"Correct," the dragon agreed. "If you spent enough time practicing, you could eventually understand the meaning, and it would become a Thu'um for you, too. It would please me if you did that, but I do not expect you to devote that amount of time to my cause."
With that parting comment, he spread his immense wings and flew off.
Previously: Clark had persuaded Valerica that Harkon really was dead, and Durnheviir had asked him to mention his name to Diablita.
----------------------
Part 49 - Return to Volkihar
Back at Volkihar Castle, Valerica took a few minutes clearing spider webs from her laboratory, and tossing the spoiled ingredients away. "I'll need to gather a lot of fresh supplies to get this place back to what it was. Let's go take a look at the rest of the castle."
It wasn't until she reached the courtyard that she made any further remarks. "It's good to be home again, but I hope the rest of the place isn't as run-down as this. I expected the parts we've just come through to have decayed, as nobody knew that part of the castle even existed. This looks like Harkon hasn't made any repairs since I went to the Soul Cairn!"
"That's probably right, mother," Serana concurred. "And I wasn't here to do anything about it. The passageway through to the main hall has collapsed, and we'll have to go around the outside."
"Really? I know Harkon never liked this part of the Castle, but just letting it fall into ruins? Oh, well, I have all the time in the world to fix it up again, and I think I'll start by replanting here."
---
"It looks like I have a good supply of thralls to help with the reconstruction." Valerica remarked when they entered the Castle Hall. "It's a pity Harkon himself didn't leave a corpse I could use."
She cast a spell over one of the vampire corpses, which raised itself up and walked over to the rubble blocking the passageway to the courtyard. It tried valiantly to lift one of the blocks, but failed. Serana raised a second one, and together they managed to move the block.
"I'd better stay here and help Mother for a while," Serana told Clark. "This appears to need two of us."
Clark pointed to a larger corpse in the corner. It appeared to be a troll, wearing armour. "Now that's different!" exclaimed Valerica.
She waited until the two thralls had put the stone block down where she wanted it, and cast her spell at the dead troll. As it floated up off the floor, one of the vampire thralls collapsed into a pile of ash. The other just stood there, moaning.
When Valerica found that the troll had the strength to move the rubble unaided, she told her daughter to release her thrall and go with Clark. "I can manage on my own, now."
Clark wasn't in any hurry to leave, however. He wanted to find out more about the whole story, from Valerica. Serana had no clue what was going on while she was in Dimhollow Crypt, so she hadn't been able to tell him everything. And there was a lot she wasn't saying about her early life, and becoming a vampire.
"Serana, while the troll's clearing the passage, why don't you get the other corpses to clear the rest of the hall? Just send each one down to the shore with some of the lighter debris, and you can leave its ash pile there when you raise the next one."
"What will you be doing?" Serana asked
"I need to talk to Clark for a while," Valerica replied, and led him back to the bedroom.
Bedroom wasn't a very accurate term in a vampire castle, of course. There wasn't a bed, just a pair of coffins. His and hers, Clark assumed.
---
Valerica began her tale with the chance meeting of one adventurer with another in a bar in some village in Tamriel. Harkon had been sitting at the bar when she walked in, and since she was confident she could persuade just about any man to buy her a drink, she 'd picked him.
He noticed the bow on her back, and asked her if she'd consider joining him in exploring a nearby cave. He wanted someone with ranged capabilities to watch his back, as he was very much a sword-and-board fighter. He'd heard from others that this particular cave was likely to be tough.
"I have a few spells I can use, too," she'd told him. "But they're mainly for when anyone gets too close. And healing, if it's really too close!"
He'd laughed at that, and admitted he carried a lot of potions, because he didn't have that skill. She agreed to trying that cave with him, to see if it worked out. They shook on the deal, and he bought her that drink.
"It was just as difficult as everyone had said, but we managed it," Valerica continued. "Our fighting styles meshed very well, and we didn't get in each other's way. Both against the bandits in the upper level, and the zombies, or draugr - I forget which it was, now - on the lower. And the loot in the chest at the end was as much as we both could carry."
"When we got back up to the first chamber, we dumped everything in a pile next to the bandits' bedrolls, ready to divide it up between us. He looked at me, and then the bedrolls, and I knew what he was thinking, because I was thinking the same thing. We just about ripped each other's armour off!"
"We were a successful team for quite some time. We didn't just work as a pair, sometimes we'd hire others for special projects. Often, we'd come back with more than we could sell, even after the others had taken a generous share."
"We found a small shack, with a bed and some chests we could lock, and made that our base. By that time we had enough self-control to go home first!"
"That's when Harkon started to notice that he had a problem. He was always looking back to see if I was all right. He asked me to marry him, so he could leave me safely behind with the family."
"I wanted a proper house before that, but we could afford it. So we found a place and moved in. As soon as I was pregnant with Serana, Harkon may me stay behind, and he hired mercenaries to take with him. I insisted they were male, of course!"
"And then one day he found himself in a nest of vampires. They were a lot stronger than he'd expected, and he was the only one of his band who got out alive. I made sure he was properly healed, as I'd heard you could get nasty diseases from vampires." Valerica smiled. "I was really ignorant about vampires back then."
"So was he, or he wouldn't have got into the position of losing his entire band of mercenaries. He told me he needed to find out more about them, so he'd be better prepared next time. I took that at face value, not realising that he was jealous of the vampires' power, and wanted it for himself."
"He went off on an expedition to the North, and I presumed that it included the College of Winterhold, and their library. Wherever he did go, it took him several weeks, and when he came back, he announced that we were moving. He'd found us a Castle to live in!"
----------------------
Part 49 - Return to Volkihar
Back at Volkihar Castle, Valerica took a few minutes clearing spider webs from her laboratory, and tossing the spoiled ingredients away. "I'll need to gather a lot of fresh supplies to get this place back to what it was. Let's go take a look at the rest of the castle."
It wasn't until she reached the courtyard that she made any further remarks. "It's good to be home again, but I hope the rest of the place isn't as run-down as this. I expected the parts we've just come through to have decayed, as nobody knew that part of the castle even existed. This looks like Harkon hasn't made any repairs since I went to the Soul Cairn!"
"That's probably right, mother," Serana concurred. "And I wasn't here to do anything about it. The passageway through to the main hall has collapsed, and we'll have to go around the outside."
"Really? I know Harkon never liked this part of the Castle, but just letting it fall into ruins? Oh, well, I have all the time in the world to fix it up again, and I think I'll start by replanting here."
---
"It looks like I have a good supply of thralls to help with the reconstruction." Valerica remarked when they entered the Castle Hall. "It's a pity Harkon himself didn't leave a corpse I could use."
She cast a spell over one of the vampire corpses, which raised itself up and walked over to the rubble blocking the passageway to the courtyard. It tried valiantly to lift one of the blocks, but failed. Serana raised a second one, and together they managed to move the block.
"I'd better stay here and help Mother for a while," Serana told Clark. "This appears to need two of us."
Clark pointed to a larger corpse in the corner. It appeared to be a troll, wearing armour. "Now that's different!" exclaimed Valerica.
She waited until the two thralls had put the stone block down where she wanted it, and cast her spell at the dead troll. As it floated up off the floor, one of the vampire thralls collapsed into a pile of ash. The other just stood there, moaning.
When Valerica found that the troll had the strength to move the rubble unaided, she told her daughter to release her thrall and go with Clark. "I can manage on my own, now."
Clark wasn't in any hurry to leave, however. He wanted to find out more about the whole story, from Valerica. Serana had no clue what was going on while she was in Dimhollow Crypt, so she hadn't been able to tell him everything. And there was a lot she wasn't saying about her early life, and becoming a vampire.
"Serana, while the troll's clearing the passage, why don't you get the other corpses to clear the rest of the hall? Just send each one down to the shore with some of the lighter debris, and you can leave its ash pile there when you raise the next one."
"What will you be doing?" Serana asked
"I need to talk to Clark for a while," Valerica replied, and led him back to the bedroom.
Bedroom wasn't a very accurate term in a vampire castle, of course. There wasn't a bed, just a pair of coffins. His and hers, Clark assumed.
---
Valerica began her tale with the chance meeting of one adventurer with another in a bar in some village in Tamriel. Harkon had been sitting at the bar when she walked in, and since she was confident she could persuade just about any man to buy her a drink, she 'd picked him.
He noticed the bow on her back, and asked her if she'd consider joining him in exploring a nearby cave. He wanted someone with ranged capabilities to watch his back, as he was very much a sword-and-board fighter. He'd heard from others that this particular cave was likely to be tough.
"I have a few spells I can use, too," she'd told him. "But they're mainly for when anyone gets too close. And healing, if it's really too close!"
He'd laughed at that, and admitted he carried a lot of potions, because he didn't have that skill. She agreed to trying that cave with him, to see if it worked out. They shook on the deal, and he bought her that drink.
"It was just as difficult as everyone had said, but we managed it," Valerica continued. "Our fighting styles meshed very well, and we didn't get in each other's way. Both against the bandits in the upper level, and the zombies, or draugr - I forget which it was, now - on the lower. And the loot in the chest at the end was as much as we both could carry."
"When we got back up to the first chamber, we dumped everything in a pile next to the bandits' bedrolls, ready to divide it up between us. He looked at me, and then the bedrolls, and I knew what he was thinking, because I was thinking the same thing. We just about ripped each other's armour off!"
"We were a successful team for quite some time. We didn't just work as a pair, sometimes we'd hire others for special projects. Often, we'd come back with more than we could sell, even after the others had taken a generous share."
"We found a small shack, with a bed and some chests we could lock, and made that our base. By that time we had enough self-control to go home first!"
"That's when Harkon started to notice that he had a problem. He was always looking back to see if I was all right. He asked me to marry him, so he could leave me safely behind with the family."
"I wanted a proper house before that, but we could afford it. So we found a place and moved in. As soon as I was pregnant with Serana, Harkon may me stay behind, and he hired mercenaries to take with him. I insisted they were male, of course!"
"And then one day he found himself in a nest of vampires. They were a lot stronger than he'd expected, and he was the only one of his band who got out alive. I made sure he was properly healed, as I'd heard you could get nasty diseases from vampires." Valerica smiled. "I was really ignorant about vampires back then."
"So was he, or he wouldn't have got into the position of losing his entire band of mercenaries. He told me he needed to find out more about them, so he'd be better prepared next time. I took that at face value, not realising that he was jealous of the vampires' power, and wanted it for himself."
"He went off on an expedition to the North, and I presumed that it included the College of Winterhold, and their library. Wherever he did go, it took him several weeks, and when he came back, he announced that we were moving. He'd found us a Castle to live in!"
Previously Clark, Serana and Valerica returned to Castle Volkihar and started to clean up. Valerica began to tell Clark the story that led up to Harkon's death.
----------------------
Part 50 - Daughters of Coldharbour
"That was Castle Volkihar, of course. It was empty when we got here, and although it was dirty and full of skeevers, it looked sound. Harkon told me that it had once been the home of a clan of vampires, and they had a shrine to Molag Bal there. But I shouldn't worry, Deadric Princes can only come to Tamriel if they're summoned, and who'd want to summon him?"
"Harkon hired some staff, to help us clean up the place, and maintain it after that. There was a delightful little courtyard where I planted flowers and medicinal herbs, and spent much of my time while I was waiting for Serana to arrive. Harkon didn't like it, it was too peaceful, and made him restless. He always seemed to want to go off and find a cave full of bandits to fight after he'd spent any time there."
"He never knew about the secret passage from there to my study. Nor did any of the staff. I didn't find it myself until Serana was already grown, and I'd been a vampire for several years."
"I should tell you about how that happened, shouldn't I?" Valerica inquired. "It will tell you a lot about Harkon."
"One of the staff came to the courtyard looking for me. I was surprised that Harkon didn't come himself, as he knew where I'd be. The servant asked if I'd come to the Cathedral, as Harkon had something he wanted to show me."
"I was curious why he'd chosen that place, as we rarely went in there. I always found the shrine, with its perpetual blood fountain, a bit too creepy. Molag Bal, to me, wasn't someone you worshipped. You'd prefer that he ignore you, or he could make a misery of your life, or even beyond. Harkon didn't seem to mind, but I'd always put that down to male bluster."
"Anyway, as soon as the door closed behind me, a huge black demon materialised next to the shrine, and Harkon was behind me, pushing towards him. And I mean him. The creature was naked; I'm not even sure he had skin. And conspicuously male."
"Molag Bal?" Clark asked.
Valerica nodded. "The King of Rape himself. I knew what was likely to happen next, and I wasn't wrong. You'll understand if I omit the nastier details. It was his intent to cause me as much pain and degradation as possible, and he knew how. I found myself thinking that I just wanted it to end, and If I had to die to make that happen, so be it."
"That's when it stopped. Clearly, that was what gave Molag Bal his satisfaction - his victim's total surrender. I collapsed on the floor and just cried. Nobody came to help me, not even Harkon."
"The pain went away faster than I expected. Especially as he'd sunk his jagged claws in my breasts, I was expecting to be healing myself for weeks. But I was whole again, and somehow felt more alive than before. Stronger, too."
"I got up and looked around. Harkon was there, watching me. And all the staff. With glowing eyes that told me they were all vampires. Every one of them."
"Harkon congratulated me on becoming a 'Daughter of Coldharbour'. He said that it was an honour not bestowed on many, as few survived the ordeal with Molag Bal. Before I could knock his teeth down his throat, he turned and walked out of the Cathedral."
"When I got back to my room, I saw in the mirror that I had become a vampire, too. And I'd started to calm down by then. There was a book I'd seen Harkon reading on the bedside table, and I picked it up and read about what I'd just become."
"It made some sense. Harkon, being Harkon, would want to become the most powerful kind of vampire possible, and he'd want that for his wife, too. Naturally Molag Bal doesn't want volunteers, so he wouldn't have been able to warn me, or it might have gone wrong."
Clark must have raised an eyebrow or something, as Valerica hastily explained. "No I don't mean I'd have been willing at all. Although Harkon might have thought that. He was 'vigorous' with me, to say the least, and he knew I like it that way. No, I meant that if I'd had any warning I might have resisted too well, and have angered Bal. Harkon did at least want me to survive."
"I still wouldn't be any hurry to forgive Harkon for this 'gift'. Yes, I was made more powerful, but it had hurt like... " She paused. "Nothing could hurt like that!"
"And then I though about Serana. Her parents had just become vampires, and she hadn't. How would she react? Of course, I hadn't figured out at that early stage that Harkon intended her to go thorugh the same ordeal that I had. Serana was still a child."
"When I did add it all up, I made sure she'd be better prepared than I was. I couldn't tell her anything, naturally, but I did everything I could to help improve her chances. I figured that I'd need to keep Serana a virgin, as losing it's painful, but survivable. Perhaps Molag Bal wouldn't need too much more pain from my daughter. And we trained her fighter-hard, so she'd be tough enough to withstand it."
"Of course, she had asked many times while she was growing when she'd become a vampire. I told her that vampires stopped aging when they were turned, so we'd want to wait until she was an adult. If we didn't, she 'd be stuck as a child for ever. That seemed to satisfy her curiosity."
"Keeping her virginity intact wasn't too hard at the isolated Castle. The vampire clan we'd gathered around us were firmly in Harkon's control, and we had mortal cattle in the basement cells for all their hungers. I tended to keep her with me, too, and not let her wander around where she might read the wrong books."
"I took her to the Cathedral on Bal's summoning day myself. I knew it was inevitable, and I couldn't stop Harkon doing it if I didn't. I don't think she had any idea what was going to happen, just that this was the day for her to become a vampire at last. She might even have been looking forward to that."
"Harkon took over once Serana was inside the Cathedral, and the door closed. He led her up to the altar and summoned Bal, telling him that he had a present for him. A virgin."
"Serana promptly screamed, and tried to run away. Which was exactly the right reaction. Molag Bal must have been able to sense her fear, as everyone else could. I turned away as he grabbed hold of her, and pulled her legs apart."
"I asked one of the others if it was over yet. She told me that it wasn't, that Molag Bal was taking much longer than he had with me. But Serana was still with us, and I shouldn't worry. When they told me it was coming to an end, I looked around to see her kneeling in front of him, and presenting her face for his 'blessing'"
Clark hadn't noticed Serana joing them. Her expression at being reminded of the events can't easily be described.
"What mother told you about total surrender, wanting to die just to end it, that happened for me, too. Right at the beginning, when I felt like I was being turned inside out the hard way. But he didn't stop, and I didn't die. The pain faded, more slowly than I'd have liked, but it did fade. I was just numb, and detached from what was going on, until he tried to drown me at the end."
"And I was a vampire, another Daughter of Coldharbour, just like my father wanted. At the time, we thought he just wanted us to be like him. That was what I wanted then, although I'd have chosen a different method. Just about any other way, really."
----------------------
Part 50 - Daughters of Coldharbour
"That was Castle Volkihar, of course. It was empty when we got here, and although it was dirty and full of skeevers, it looked sound. Harkon told me that it had once been the home of a clan of vampires, and they had a shrine to Molag Bal there. But I shouldn't worry, Deadric Princes can only come to Tamriel if they're summoned, and who'd want to summon him?"
"Harkon hired some staff, to help us clean up the place, and maintain it after that. There was a delightful little courtyard where I planted flowers and medicinal herbs, and spent much of my time while I was waiting for Serana to arrive. Harkon didn't like it, it was too peaceful, and made him restless. He always seemed to want to go off and find a cave full of bandits to fight after he'd spent any time there."
"He never knew about the secret passage from there to my study. Nor did any of the staff. I didn't find it myself until Serana was already grown, and I'd been a vampire for several years."
"I should tell you about how that happened, shouldn't I?" Valerica inquired. "It will tell you a lot about Harkon."
"One of the staff came to the courtyard looking for me. I was surprised that Harkon didn't come himself, as he knew where I'd be. The servant asked if I'd come to the Cathedral, as Harkon had something he wanted to show me."
"I was curious why he'd chosen that place, as we rarely went in there. I always found the shrine, with its perpetual blood fountain, a bit too creepy. Molag Bal, to me, wasn't someone you worshipped. You'd prefer that he ignore you, or he could make a misery of your life, or even beyond. Harkon didn't seem to mind, but I'd always put that down to male bluster."
"Anyway, as soon as the door closed behind me, a huge black demon materialised next to the shrine, and Harkon was behind me, pushing towards him. And I mean him. The creature was naked; I'm not even sure he had skin. And conspicuously male."
"Molag Bal?" Clark asked.
Valerica nodded. "The King of Rape himself. I knew what was likely to happen next, and I wasn't wrong. You'll understand if I omit the nastier details. It was his intent to cause me as much pain and degradation as possible, and he knew how. I found myself thinking that I just wanted it to end, and If I had to die to make that happen, so be it."
"That's when it stopped. Clearly, that was what gave Molag Bal his satisfaction - his victim's total surrender. I collapsed on the floor and just cried. Nobody came to help me, not even Harkon."
"The pain went away faster than I expected. Especially as he'd sunk his jagged claws in my breasts, I was expecting to be healing myself for weeks. But I was whole again, and somehow felt more alive than before. Stronger, too."
"I got up and looked around. Harkon was there, watching me. And all the staff. With glowing eyes that told me they were all vampires. Every one of them."
"Harkon congratulated me on becoming a 'Daughter of Coldharbour'. He said that it was an honour not bestowed on many, as few survived the ordeal with Molag Bal. Before I could knock his teeth down his throat, he turned and walked out of the Cathedral."
"When I got back to my room, I saw in the mirror that I had become a vampire, too. And I'd started to calm down by then. There was a book I'd seen Harkon reading on the bedside table, and I picked it up and read about what I'd just become."
"It made some sense. Harkon, being Harkon, would want to become the most powerful kind of vampire possible, and he'd want that for his wife, too. Naturally Molag Bal doesn't want volunteers, so he wouldn't have been able to warn me, or it might have gone wrong."
Clark must have raised an eyebrow or something, as Valerica hastily explained. "No I don't mean I'd have been willing at all. Although Harkon might have thought that. He was 'vigorous' with me, to say the least, and he knew I like it that way. No, I meant that if I'd had any warning I might have resisted too well, and have angered Bal. Harkon did at least want me to survive."
"I still wouldn't be any hurry to forgive Harkon for this 'gift'. Yes, I was made more powerful, but it had hurt like... " She paused. "Nothing could hurt like that!"
"And then I though about Serana. Her parents had just become vampires, and she hadn't. How would she react? Of course, I hadn't figured out at that early stage that Harkon intended her to go thorugh the same ordeal that I had. Serana was still a child."
"When I did add it all up, I made sure she'd be better prepared than I was. I couldn't tell her anything, naturally, but I did everything I could to help improve her chances. I figured that I'd need to keep Serana a virgin, as losing it's painful, but survivable. Perhaps Molag Bal wouldn't need too much more pain from my daughter. And we trained her fighter-hard, so she'd be tough enough to withstand it."
"Of course, she had asked many times while she was growing when she'd become a vampire. I told her that vampires stopped aging when they were turned, so we'd want to wait until she was an adult. If we didn't, she 'd be stuck as a child for ever. That seemed to satisfy her curiosity."
"Keeping her virginity intact wasn't too hard at the isolated Castle. The vampire clan we'd gathered around us were firmly in Harkon's control, and we had mortal cattle in the basement cells for all their hungers. I tended to keep her with me, too, and not let her wander around where she might read the wrong books."
"I took her to the Cathedral on Bal's summoning day myself. I knew it was inevitable, and I couldn't stop Harkon doing it if I didn't. I don't think she had any idea what was going to happen, just that this was the day for her to become a vampire at last. She might even have been looking forward to that."
"Harkon took over once Serana was inside the Cathedral, and the door closed. He led her up to the altar and summoned Bal, telling him that he had a present for him. A virgin."
"Serana promptly screamed, and tried to run away. Which was exactly the right reaction. Molag Bal must have been able to sense her fear, as everyone else could. I turned away as he grabbed hold of her, and pulled her legs apart."
"I asked one of the others if it was over yet. She told me that it wasn't, that Molag Bal was taking much longer than he had with me. But Serana was still with us, and I shouldn't worry. When they told me it was coming to an end, I looked around to see her kneeling in front of him, and presenting her face for his 'blessing'"
Clark hadn't noticed Serana joing them. Her expression at being reminded of the events can't easily be described.
"What mother told you about total surrender, wanting to die just to end it, that happened for me, too. Right at the beginning, when I felt like I was being turned inside out the hard way. But he didn't stop, and I didn't die. The pain faded, more slowly than I'd have liked, but it did fade. I was just numb, and detached from what was going on, until he tried to drown me at the end."
"And I was a vampire, another Daughter of Coldharbour, just like my father wanted. At the time, we thought he just wanted us to be like him. That was what I wanted then, although I'd have chosen a different method. Just about any other way, really."
Part 51 - Daughters 2
"It wasn't until later that we found out about the prophecy. Basically, that needed a Daughter of Coldharbour to die, so that her blood could be used in some ritual with Auriel's bow. The details of how to do that were in the Elder Scrolls, and Harkon started looking for the right ones. He found one of the three, and mother managed to steal it from him. That's when she hid me in Dimhollow Crypt, and tried to hide herself in the Soul Cairn."
"Harkon didn't know I already had one of the scrolls," Valerica added. "I took that one with me to the Soul Cairn to keep it separate from the one I hid with Serana. There would have been only one more needed, and then he could have started to look for the bow."
"But why did you think he intended to sacrifice one of you?" Clark asked. "Weren't there Daughters of
Coldharbour other than own his wife and daughter? I'd have expected him to be hunting for them, at the same time as the scrolls."
"Because there weren't any others," Valerica replied. "Harkon tried to summon Bal again the next year, but he wouldn't respond. I doubt the poor girl he'd found would have made it, but she couldn't even be offered."
"And I searched the archives that the Dawnguard kept," Serana added. "There are no reports of any since me. I don't think my father would have given up trying to create more, so I just have to assume that nobody else survived Bal."
"Or that he wouldn't answer the summon," Clark surmised. "Do you want to know what I think happened? I think you became a vampire at just the same point your mother described, when you surrendered control of your life to the Daedric Prince. But with your new vampire strength, you were able to withstand his assault, and he was having too much pleasure to stop. If you'd understood that, you'd have been able to control him, but you were a first-timer without any experience to draw on, and didn't. He dodged the arrow then, but now he's afraid of losing control again, and won't take the chance by coming here."
"Wait, you're saying Molag Bal is afraid of me?" Serana asked, incredulous.
"No he's afraid of not being able to control his own urges," Valerica responded. "But that's almost the same thing."
Clark was hearing other voices. Inside his head. Voices he recognised, because they'd been there before. "Yes, you can come and have a chat," he told them. "Just let me warn the others."
"Azura and Nocturnal would like to speak to us," Clark announced. "I think they overheard what I was thinking."
They materialised either side of Clark, and Azura gave him an affectionate squeeze. There was something different about the way she looked and he wasn't sure what it was.
"Bigger breasts," she told him. "I'd noticed you were spending time with some quite spectacular women, so I thought I'd give them a try."
Nocturnal had changed even more than her sister. She'd apparently got bored with her "black glow" and looked more like a mortal woman. Or rather, what a mortal woman would wish to look like. Hers might have been a bit larger than Clark remembered, too, but she didn't have them out on display the way Azura did.
"It appears that Clark also likes vampires," Nocturnal pointed out. "Even if Molag Bal doesn't favour these two any more."
"Yes, Molag Bal," agreed Azura. "Just the topic we came to discuss. I think Clark's hit the nail right on the head. Serana was more than he was expecting, and now he's bound to be ... embarrassed, at least."
"Especially now that we know about it," agreed Nocturnal. "He should just be glad that we haven't told Boethiah."
Azura giggled at that, a reaction the two vampire women weren't expecting from a Daedric Princess. "No, we wouldn't do that, would we? Not until it would be really useful, anyway. No point in playing your cards too soon, is there?"
"But now you know, if Molag Bal finds out that you know, aren't we in a lot of trouble?" Serana asked.
"No more than Valerica was in, in the Soul Cairn." Nocturnal replied. "I'm convinced the actions of the Ideal Masters were at Bal's bidding. That's as much as he's capable of, outside of Coldharbour. He can't take direct action in Mundus, so you'll be safe enough."
"And we're not forgetting the 'direct action' he took with both of you," Azura added. "He could only do that because he was summoned to do so. Harkon's dead, and nobody else would have the motivation to summon him against you. Besides, you control the shrine, and there aren't many others where he can appear."
"You can't destroy the shrine," Nocturnal pointed out. "Even we couldn't do that. But it's just an ugly ornament until someone uses it. And by use it, I mean more than just drinking some of the blood. It will sustain a vampire without getting Molag Bal involved at all, so I wouldn't even consider blocking the Cathedral off from the rest of the castle. The blood fountain's too useful."
"Does that work the same way as the ones in the Deadlands?" Clark asked. He'd been there way back when he rescued Cyndil the archer from the dremora.
"Yes, pretty much so," she agreed. "But those were set up to restore health. This one's a bit more vampire-specific, and wouldn't do you any good. But the magicka that powers it is all around us, and doesn't come from Bal himself. That's why the blood fountains in Mehrunes Dagon's realm would aid his allies and enemies alike"
---
After Azura and Nocturnal had gone, Serana spoke to Clark. "So they were the ones who made you immortal, weren't they? I'd assumed that if it wasn't Molag Bal, it would be Boethiah. After all, she's a woman, sometimes, and Gilda had said that sex was involved."
"And now you're curious, aren't you? Especially now you've met them, and they're not a pair of scary monsters."
"Azura's pair were monsters, but I wouldn't call them scary," Valerica agreed. She hadn't met Gilda, of course. Serana had, and she said nothing.
"Yes, well they weren't always like that," Clark replied. "And they're probably already back to normal size, since I didn't go wild about them. She's awesome anyway, and she should know that without my reminding her. But that's just one thing about her that will probably never change. She likes being admired, and wants to deserve it, too."
Clark sat the two women down, and started the lengthy tale of how he'd first encountered Nocturnal, in Minx's bedroom at the Cyrodiil Thieves Guild, and how that had led to him retrieving Azura's Crescent, when it was stolen by a Khajiit burglar.
"So you did it with both of them, but none of that made you immortal?" Serana queried. "And the way you described it, it sounded like you were having fun."
"He was," her mother answered. "Just keep listening. It will do you good."
"It was indeed very enjoyable, and after one particularly good session with Azura, she asked me if that wasn't the best I'd ever had. I told her it might have been second best, so of course she wanted to know when I'd had better."
"I told her that, no it wasn't her sister, who was as good, in her own way, but not better. She should think again. Who could be better than Azura?"
"It was herself, when I brought back the Crescent. She was so overjoyed to get it back, she just had to share that feeling with someone. That was what made it special, sharing the joy. Not trying to impress me."
"Azura was pleased with that answer, but she still wanted to know how I could even think about other times while all that was going on. So I had to tell how how I'd trained that ability as a spy for the Empire, with Taminwe in particular. And we'd learned as much from each other because we shared every new trick we discovered."
"Azura had noticed my emphasis on sharing. Was sharing the secret?"
"Not a secret, just something she might not have thought about before. She was the unequalled ruler of her own realm, so it just didn't come up, except for situations like this."
"Azura told me she'd rarely learned something new from a mortal, and she thought I should be rewarded. She asked her sister what she thought would be appropriate, and Nocturnal told her that if she kept rewarding me the way she usually did, I'd need to be immortal or I'd wear out!"
"Of course, when Nocturnal joined her to help do that, I started to wonder if they were putting my new immortality to the test. I told them that together they'd just set the new high mark, because that's what Azura liked to hear, and it was true, anyway."
"And by sharing, she'd remarked."
"Are you trying to suggest that the three of us...?" Valerica began.
"It wasn't until later that we found out about the prophecy. Basically, that needed a Daughter of Coldharbour to die, so that her blood could be used in some ritual with Auriel's bow. The details of how to do that were in the Elder Scrolls, and Harkon started looking for the right ones. He found one of the three, and mother managed to steal it from him. That's when she hid me in Dimhollow Crypt, and tried to hide herself in the Soul Cairn."
"Harkon didn't know I already had one of the scrolls," Valerica added. "I took that one with me to the Soul Cairn to keep it separate from the one I hid with Serana. There would have been only one more needed, and then he could have started to look for the bow."
"But why did you think he intended to sacrifice one of you?" Clark asked. "Weren't there Daughters of
Coldharbour other than own his wife and daughter? I'd have expected him to be hunting for them, at the same time as the scrolls."
"Because there weren't any others," Valerica replied. "Harkon tried to summon Bal again the next year, but he wouldn't respond. I doubt the poor girl he'd found would have made it, but she couldn't even be offered."
"And I searched the archives that the Dawnguard kept," Serana added. "There are no reports of any since me. I don't think my father would have given up trying to create more, so I just have to assume that nobody else survived Bal."
"Or that he wouldn't answer the summon," Clark surmised. "Do you want to know what I think happened? I think you became a vampire at just the same point your mother described, when you surrendered control of your life to the Daedric Prince. But with your new vampire strength, you were able to withstand his assault, and he was having too much pleasure to stop. If you'd understood that, you'd have been able to control him, but you were a first-timer without any experience to draw on, and didn't. He dodged the arrow then, but now he's afraid of losing control again, and won't take the chance by coming here."
"Wait, you're saying Molag Bal is afraid of me?" Serana asked, incredulous.
"No he's afraid of not being able to control his own urges," Valerica responded. "But that's almost the same thing."
Clark was hearing other voices. Inside his head. Voices he recognised, because they'd been there before. "Yes, you can come and have a chat," he told them. "Just let me warn the others."
"Azura and Nocturnal would like to speak to us," Clark announced. "I think they overheard what I was thinking."
They materialised either side of Clark, and Azura gave him an affectionate squeeze. There was something different about the way she looked and he wasn't sure what it was.
"Bigger breasts," she told him. "I'd noticed you were spending time with some quite spectacular women, so I thought I'd give them a try."
Nocturnal had changed even more than her sister. She'd apparently got bored with her "black glow" and looked more like a mortal woman. Or rather, what a mortal woman would wish to look like. Hers might have been a bit larger than Clark remembered, too, but she didn't have them out on display the way Azura did.
"It appears that Clark also likes vampires," Nocturnal pointed out. "Even if Molag Bal doesn't favour these two any more."
"Yes, Molag Bal," agreed Azura. "Just the topic we came to discuss. I think Clark's hit the nail right on the head. Serana was more than he was expecting, and now he's bound to be ... embarrassed, at least."
"Especially now that we know about it," agreed Nocturnal. "He should just be glad that we haven't told Boethiah."
Azura giggled at that, a reaction the two vampire women weren't expecting from a Daedric Princess. "No, we wouldn't do that, would we? Not until it would be really useful, anyway. No point in playing your cards too soon, is there?"
"But now you know, if Molag Bal finds out that you know, aren't we in a lot of trouble?" Serana asked.
"No more than Valerica was in, in the Soul Cairn." Nocturnal replied. "I'm convinced the actions of the Ideal Masters were at Bal's bidding. That's as much as he's capable of, outside of Coldharbour. He can't take direct action in Mundus, so you'll be safe enough."
"And we're not forgetting the 'direct action' he took with both of you," Azura added. "He could only do that because he was summoned to do so. Harkon's dead, and nobody else would have the motivation to summon him against you. Besides, you control the shrine, and there aren't many others where he can appear."
"You can't destroy the shrine," Nocturnal pointed out. "Even we couldn't do that. But it's just an ugly ornament until someone uses it. And by use it, I mean more than just drinking some of the blood. It will sustain a vampire without getting Molag Bal involved at all, so I wouldn't even consider blocking the Cathedral off from the rest of the castle. The blood fountain's too useful."
"Does that work the same way as the ones in the Deadlands?" Clark asked. He'd been there way back when he rescued Cyndil the archer from the dremora.
"Yes, pretty much so," she agreed. "But those were set up to restore health. This one's a bit more vampire-specific, and wouldn't do you any good. But the magicka that powers it is all around us, and doesn't come from Bal himself. That's why the blood fountains in Mehrunes Dagon's realm would aid his allies and enemies alike"
---
After Azura and Nocturnal had gone, Serana spoke to Clark. "So they were the ones who made you immortal, weren't they? I'd assumed that if it wasn't Molag Bal, it would be Boethiah. After all, she's a woman, sometimes, and Gilda had said that sex was involved."
"And now you're curious, aren't you? Especially now you've met them, and they're not a pair of scary monsters."
"Azura's pair were monsters, but I wouldn't call them scary," Valerica agreed. She hadn't met Gilda, of course. Serana had, and she said nothing.
"Yes, well they weren't always like that," Clark replied. "And they're probably already back to normal size, since I didn't go wild about them. She's awesome anyway, and she should know that without my reminding her. But that's just one thing about her that will probably never change. She likes being admired, and wants to deserve it, too."
Clark sat the two women down, and started the lengthy tale of how he'd first encountered Nocturnal, in Minx's bedroom at the Cyrodiil Thieves Guild, and how that had led to him retrieving Azura's Crescent, when it was stolen by a Khajiit burglar.
"So you did it with both of them, but none of that made you immortal?" Serana queried. "And the way you described it, it sounded like you were having fun."
"He was," her mother answered. "Just keep listening. It will do you good."
"It was indeed very enjoyable, and after one particularly good session with Azura, she asked me if that wasn't the best I'd ever had. I told her it might have been second best, so of course she wanted to know when I'd had better."
"I told her that, no it wasn't her sister, who was as good, in her own way, but not better. She should think again. Who could be better than Azura?"
"It was herself, when I brought back the Crescent. She was so overjoyed to get it back, she just had to share that feeling with someone. That was what made it special, sharing the joy. Not trying to impress me."
"Azura was pleased with that answer, but she still wanted to know how I could even think about other times while all that was going on. So I had to tell how how I'd trained that ability as a spy for the Empire, with Taminwe in particular. And we'd learned as much from each other because we shared every new trick we discovered."
"Azura had noticed my emphasis on sharing. Was sharing the secret?"
"Not a secret, just something she might not have thought about before. She was the unequalled ruler of her own realm, so it just didn't come up, except for situations like this."
"Azura told me she'd rarely learned something new from a mortal, and she thought I should be rewarded. She asked her sister what she thought would be appropriate, and Nocturnal told her that if she kept rewarding me the way she usually did, I'd need to be immortal or I'd wear out!"
"Of course, when Nocturnal joined her to help do that, I started to wonder if they were putting my new immortality to the test. I told them that together they'd just set the new high mark, because that's what Azura liked to hear, and it was true, anyway."
"And by sharing, she'd remarked."
"Are you trying to suggest that the three of us...?" Valerica began.
Previously: Valerica explained to Clark how she and Serana became vampires, and he told them how he became immortal, too.
-------------------
Part 52 - Azura's Shrine
It took a long time for Clark to talk his way out of that slip. Especially as he'd have liked nothing better, if only Serana had been ready for that. But he knew he still had a lot of work to do before her fear of intimacy went away.
He asked Serana if she'd made any friends at the Thieves Guild. He knew that Karliah was in hiding, and Serana and she had probably never met, but she'd told him that Gilda had sent her his way in the first place.
"Well, Vex is all business, and doesn't have time to chat; she expects me to be out doing a burglary somewhere, rather than sitting idly around the Ragged Flagon. Tonilia's much the same, and only talks to me when I have something to fence. Gilda's the Guildmaster, and I have to assume she's even busier than the others."
"But Sapphire and I have something in common, even if it's not something we like to talk about."
Clark wasn't at all happy with the idea that he might have just doubled his work, but Azura re-appeared to send things in a new direction.
"Are these better?" she asked him, with a little shake of her hips that set everything jiggling.
Clark was struggling to find a way to explain that he didn't believe in a "perfect size" - it all depended on the woman, and what she was happy with. And since no woman is ever content with the status quo, he didn't have an answer for her.
But thankfully, Azura didn't wait for an answer. "They're not the only reason I came back. I just remembered that I haven't sorted out the situation with my Star yet, and it might be just the quest for you two to get to know each other better. Go to my shrine up in the hills near Winterhold, and talk to the priestess there. She'll give you all the details."
---
"You two?" Serana asked, once Azura had disappeared again. "Which two?"
"You and Clark, of course," her mother replied. "I'm getting back to cleaning this place up, and I'm sure she knew that."
"And she definitely meant me, with that bit about getting to know each other. I'd think a mother and daughter don't need to do that." Clark understood what Azura had in mind, and it was a good approach. There would probably be some danger involved, but two immortals shouldn't need to be too concerned.
---
Aranea Ienith was glad to see someone visiting Azura's shrine. And of course, she was expecting them.
"Azura gives me visions of the future," she explained, "and so I'd already seen your arrival in my dreams. Come inside my modest abode, out of this cold wind."
The base of Azura's statue was hollow, and a small, but comfortable, dwelling for her priestess had been constructed inside it. There was a table and chair, a fireplace with a cookpot, some chests and cupboards, and a large, well upholstered, bed.
"Azura usually sends me men, who want to know their future. They need to make me tired and happy, so I'll have pleasant dreams. It's an arrangement that suits me, and presumably Azura too, as she does provide the visions. I'm sure it's not just a one-way connection, and she's sharing my dreams and recent memories, too."
"What do you already know about her Star?" Clark asked.
"Not much, so presumably there will be information about it in my next vision," Aranea replied. "Shall we begin the preparations?"
"Are we aiming for 'relaxed' or 'exhausted'? And how would you like Serana to participate?" Clark inquired.
"Relaxed, and any way she likes," the dunmer replied, taking off her hood, and shaking her hair loose. She had medium-length red hair, cut in a style that looked easy to maintain, in this remote location. She ran her hands through it a couple of times, and then stopped to rub her shoulder.
"I shouldn't stand out in the cold so much," she complained. "It leaves me feeling stiff in my back muscles,"
"I know just the answer for that," Clark announced, and dug in his backpack for a small vial. He pulled out the cork and gave it to Aranea to sniff. "This scented oil can really help, if properly applied."
Aranea smiled. "And of course you know how, don't you?" She took off her robe and lay down on the bed, so that Clark could begin.
"Gilda said you were a healer," Serana began, "but that's not how anyone's ever healed my back."
"Well that's because there's nothing that actually needs healing. Aranea's back isn't damaged, just a little tired, and I'm helping her muscles relax more than they normally would on their own. That's going to help her sleep deeply later on, too."
"And it really feels good, Serana. Did I get your name right? You should let Clark rub your back, too."
"Good idea," Clark agreed. "Serana, take your armor off, and lie down on the other side. There's plenty of oil for both of you, and I have two hands."
"Don't you need both hands for Aranea?" Serana asked. "You've been using both up to now."
"I'm happy with just one," Aranea answered for him. "Come on, join me! You'll like it."
Serana turned her back on them, and began to remove her things. First the hood and cape, then the belt that had her dagger attached. She placed them on the table, then sat in the chair next to it to pull her boots off. She turned her back again before sliding her pants down and stepping out of them. She picked them up and folded them neatly on top of the hood and cape. The leather layer of her armour had numerous hooks to undo at the back, and it took her an interminable amount of time to unfasten them all.
The bracers she wore over her shirt sleeves also took a long time to remove, especially as she had to do so with only one hand. Clark and Aranea were both watching, but not waiting. He was already massaging her legs, as the shirt slid off Serana's shoulders.
That too had to be folded before she came over to the bed. And then Serana shyly kept her back to them, and covered herself with her hands, for good measure. Aranea smiled at that, but managed not to laugh out loud.
Clark poured a little of the oil into the palm of one hand, and spread it over Serana's shoulders. "Hold your hair up out of the way a moment, so I can reach your neck," he asked her. She used one hand, leaving the other guarding her breasts.
"Your muscles feel tense," Clark dead-panned. "You'll really need my help to relax properly. I'd better use two hands to get started; Aranea won't mind."
Aranea propped herself on one elbow and watched Clark begin to massage Serana's shoulders and neck. As his hands reached her lower back, Aranea rolled over, and pulled one of them back to where she wanted it.
---
"This is going better than I expected," Clark was thinking. Serana was lying on her back now, and her hands were behind her head, not trying to cover anything.
And then suddenly he was lying on the floor, and Serana and Aranea were helping him back up. "What happened?" he asked.
"I think you must have tried to put something inside me," Serana answered. "I can't even do that myself. It's sort of like how you blink to protect your eyes. You don't think about it, it just happens."
"You can't do it?" Clark queried.
"No, it's like my hand gets paralysed and just won't move that way. And if I try to sit on something that would go in there, I levitate instead."
"So you pushed me away, somehow. The last time that happened to me, it was a Boss Draugr using the Unrelenting Force shout, but that felt different." Clark rubbed the back of his head, reflexively.
"Probably just Telekinesis, which is Alteration magic," Aranea suggested. "The closer you are, the stronger it is, and you can't can't get any closer than that."
"I'm sorry I didn't warn you, but I was really hoping that you'd be able to do what I couldn't. And everything before that had felt so good!"
"I don't have that problem," Aranea reminded them, "and we were supposed to be getting me ready to dream. Can we get back to that, please?"
The safest configuration was with Clark on his back. The worst that could happen that way is that Serana would levitate herself a little. She seemed to enjoy what he was doing, and Aranea was enthusiastically tiring herself out without needing much of Clark's concentration.
-------------------
Part 52 - Azura's Shrine
It took a long time for Clark to talk his way out of that slip. Especially as he'd have liked nothing better, if only Serana had been ready for that. But he knew he still had a lot of work to do before her fear of intimacy went away.
He asked Serana if she'd made any friends at the Thieves Guild. He knew that Karliah was in hiding, and Serana and she had probably never met, but she'd told him that Gilda had sent her his way in the first place.
"Well, Vex is all business, and doesn't have time to chat; she expects me to be out doing a burglary somewhere, rather than sitting idly around the Ragged Flagon. Tonilia's much the same, and only talks to me when I have something to fence. Gilda's the Guildmaster, and I have to assume she's even busier than the others."
"But Sapphire and I have something in common, even if it's not something we like to talk about."
Clark wasn't at all happy with the idea that he might have just doubled his work, but Azura re-appeared to send things in a new direction.
"Are these better?" she asked him, with a little shake of her hips that set everything jiggling.
Clark was struggling to find a way to explain that he didn't believe in a "perfect size" - it all depended on the woman, and what she was happy with. And since no woman is ever content with the status quo, he didn't have an answer for her.
But thankfully, Azura didn't wait for an answer. "They're not the only reason I came back. I just remembered that I haven't sorted out the situation with my Star yet, and it might be just the quest for you two to get to know each other better. Go to my shrine up in the hills near Winterhold, and talk to the priestess there. She'll give you all the details."
---
"You two?" Serana asked, once Azura had disappeared again. "Which two?"
"You and Clark, of course," her mother replied. "I'm getting back to cleaning this place up, and I'm sure she knew that."
"And she definitely meant me, with that bit about getting to know each other. I'd think a mother and daughter don't need to do that." Clark understood what Azura had in mind, and it was a good approach. There would probably be some danger involved, but two immortals shouldn't need to be too concerned.
---
Aranea Ienith was glad to see someone visiting Azura's shrine. And of course, she was expecting them.
"Azura gives me visions of the future," she explained, "and so I'd already seen your arrival in my dreams. Come inside my modest abode, out of this cold wind."
The base of Azura's statue was hollow, and a small, but comfortable, dwelling for her priestess had been constructed inside it. There was a table and chair, a fireplace with a cookpot, some chests and cupboards, and a large, well upholstered, bed.
"Azura usually sends me men, who want to know their future. They need to make me tired and happy, so I'll have pleasant dreams. It's an arrangement that suits me, and presumably Azura too, as she does provide the visions. I'm sure it's not just a one-way connection, and she's sharing my dreams and recent memories, too."
"What do you already know about her Star?" Clark asked.
"Not much, so presumably there will be information about it in my next vision," Aranea replied. "Shall we begin the preparations?"
"Are we aiming for 'relaxed' or 'exhausted'? And how would you like Serana to participate?" Clark inquired.
"Relaxed, and any way she likes," the dunmer replied, taking off her hood, and shaking her hair loose. She had medium-length red hair, cut in a style that looked easy to maintain, in this remote location. She ran her hands through it a couple of times, and then stopped to rub her shoulder.
"I shouldn't stand out in the cold so much," she complained. "It leaves me feeling stiff in my back muscles,"
"I know just the answer for that," Clark announced, and dug in his backpack for a small vial. He pulled out the cork and gave it to Aranea to sniff. "This scented oil can really help, if properly applied."
Aranea smiled. "And of course you know how, don't you?" She took off her robe and lay down on the bed, so that Clark could begin.
"Gilda said you were a healer," Serana began, "but that's not how anyone's ever healed my back."
"Well that's because there's nothing that actually needs healing. Aranea's back isn't damaged, just a little tired, and I'm helping her muscles relax more than they normally would on their own. That's going to help her sleep deeply later on, too."
"And it really feels good, Serana. Did I get your name right? You should let Clark rub your back, too."
"Good idea," Clark agreed. "Serana, take your armor off, and lie down on the other side. There's plenty of oil for both of you, and I have two hands."
"Don't you need both hands for Aranea?" Serana asked. "You've been using both up to now."
"I'm happy with just one," Aranea answered for him. "Come on, join me! You'll like it."
Serana turned her back on them, and began to remove her things. First the hood and cape, then the belt that had her dagger attached. She placed them on the table, then sat in the chair next to it to pull her boots off. She turned her back again before sliding her pants down and stepping out of them. She picked them up and folded them neatly on top of the hood and cape. The leather layer of her armour had numerous hooks to undo at the back, and it took her an interminable amount of time to unfasten them all.
The bracers she wore over her shirt sleeves also took a long time to remove, especially as she had to do so with only one hand. Clark and Aranea were both watching, but not waiting. He was already massaging her legs, as the shirt slid off Serana's shoulders.
That too had to be folded before she came over to the bed. And then Serana shyly kept her back to them, and covered herself with her hands, for good measure. Aranea smiled at that, but managed not to laugh out loud.
Clark poured a little of the oil into the palm of one hand, and spread it over Serana's shoulders. "Hold your hair up out of the way a moment, so I can reach your neck," he asked her. She used one hand, leaving the other guarding her breasts.
"Your muscles feel tense," Clark dead-panned. "You'll really need my help to relax properly. I'd better use two hands to get started; Aranea won't mind."
Aranea propped herself on one elbow and watched Clark begin to massage Serana's shoulders and neck. As his hands reached her lower back, Aranea rolled over, and pulled one of them back to where she wanted it.
---
"This is going better than I expected," Clark was thinking. Serana was lying on her back now, and her hands were behind her head, not trying to cover anything.
And then suddenly he was lying on the floor, and Serana and Aranea were helping him back up. "What happened?" he asked.
"I think you must have tried to put something inside me," Serana answered. "I can't even do that myself. It's sort of like how you blink to protect your eyes. You don't think about it, it just happens."
"You can't do it?" Clark queried.
"No, it's like my hand gets paralysed and just won't move that way. And if I try to sit on something that would go in there, I levitate instead."
"So you pushed me away, somehow. The last time that happened to me, it was a Boss Draugr using the Unrelenting Force shout, but that felt different." Clark rubbed the back of his head, reflexively.
"Probably just Telekinesis, which is Alteration magic," Aranea suggested. "The closer you are, the stronger it is, and you can't can't get any closer than that."
"I'm sorry I didn't warn you, but I was really hoping that you'd be able to do what I couldn't. And everything before that had felt so good!"
"I don't have that problem," Aranea reminded them, "and we were supposed to be getting me ready to dream. Can we get back to that, please?"
The safest configuration was with Clark on his back. The worst that could happen that way is that Serana would levitate herself a little. She seemed to enjoy what he was doing, and Aranea was enthusiastically tiring herself out without needing much of Clark's concentration.
Previously: Clark and Serana had gone to Azura's shrine and met Aranea.
-------------------
Part 53 - Nelacar
Aranea was the first to wake up. "I've had my vision," she told them. "You need to go into Winterhold, and find a mage there. He's not a member of the College, although he may have been in the past. Azura told me he knows how to find her Star."
---
They found Nelacar in the Frozen Hearth. At first he thought they were applicants for the College, or customers for his magical supplies, but Clark told him why they were really there.
"Azura's Star? Yes, Malyn Varen took it. He was incurably ill, and he saw the Star as the only hope of salvation. You know how soul gems work? Well they all break after they're used, except for one. Azura's Star is permanent, and that's why Malyn was so interested in it. He thought he could place his own soul in the Star and become immortal that way."
"However, Azura's Star won't hold a person's soul. He needed to change that before it would be of any use to him. Azura didn't like him doing that, and cursed him. He started having hallucinations, and shouting at things that weren't there."
"And in his experiments, he needed souls to trap. He actually killed one of his own students, just for his research, and that's when the College threw him out. He took his followers to Ilinalta's Deep, a fortress next to the lake, to continue his work. I stayed here in Winterhold, but I'm not exactly welcome in the College any more."
As they turned to leave, Nelacar had one further thing to say.
"You're not intending to take the Star back to Azura, are you? She was the one that drove Malyn insane. Daedra are evil, and Azura's no different than the rest."
---
They stopped briefly in Whiterun to pick up Lydia. It made sense to both of them that they'd want someone in the group with her fighting style.
"What do you believe?" Serana asked, as they travelled towards Lake Ilinalta. "Did Azura really drive Malyn insane, or was it the disease he had?"
"Probably a bit of both," Clark replied. "Her resistance to his efforts to corrupt the Star would have angered him, and helped drive his insanity, but I doubt she'd have been the initial cause. That was probably the disease."
"Could we catch it, assuming we find him?" she wondered. "If he couldn't cure it, we probably couldn't either."
"I have no idea," Clark replied, "but if none of his necromancer minions had it, it can't be easily transmitted. Just don't sleep with him, or anything like that."
"Is that likely?" Lydia wanted to know. "I've got another set of armour that almost shows my nipples for occasions like that."
"No, I'd have invited Gilda along if if was that kind of trip," Clark laughed. "Any armour almost shows hers."
---
"Let's go through there," Lydia said as they were passing the entrance to Brittleshin Pass. "I've never found much more than a few skeletons in there, and it cuts off a lot of the distance."
"Suits me," Serana agreed. "I'm not a fan of this Skyrim weather. I've spent enough time in caves, but anything's better than this sunshine."
They did encounter a necromancer half-way through, and he'd raised a few more of the skeletons, but nothing they couldn't handle.
"You'd better watch your back when we get to Ilinalta Deep," Serana told Lydia. "I nearly put an ice spike through you a couple of times."
"Then it's a good thing we came this way," Clark responded. "She'll be charging in, any time there are archers, like those two skeletons back there. Just remember that, and adjust your angle when it happens."
"And don't use the fireballs, either," Lydia added. "I sometimes have to remind Clark about those."
"The Hunter," and Serana scowled when she mentioned him, "mainly used a crossbow, so we were both starting off with a ranged attack. I'm not used to working with someone who prefers getting in close."
"If the enemy prefers ranged, that's when I prefer close-up," Lydia replied. "And I'm sure they charged at the two of you when they could, for the same reason. It makes you take the time to change weapon. Except when you've already got one out, so I like the way you're combining spells in one hand with a dagger in the other."
"Also, since we're working as a team, I can have you fire past me to bring them to us, while I'm waiting with my sword and shield ready. Clark will be up next to me blocking the spells with a ward. You've always got a bit of an advantage when they have to make the move, so Clark and I usually let them come to us. Except when they're archers, of course, because they want to stay away."
They were emerging from the other end of the cave at that point. "Ilinalta's Deep's not far from here, if I remember correctly," Lydia told them. "I haven't been in there, as it looked like it would be mostly flooded. I don't think the the foundations of the fort were much good, and it seems to have sunk half-way into the lake."
---
"How do we get in?" Serana asked. "It looks like the entrance would be well underwater."
"Top of that tower, if you can still call it that. There's a trapdoor in the roof."
The water level inside seemed to be quite a bit lower than it was in the lake outside. Clark surmised that something was draining it away elsewhere in the old fort. "There may be more to this place than it looks from the outside."
They found a skeleton shackled to a pillar in the entrance. A journal in the knapsack at his feet mentioned a story that the fort was haunted.
"That usually means necromancers," Clark suggested. "Moaning of the corpses they raise, rattling skeletons, all that kind of thing. But if this had been a Nordic ruin, then I'd expect draugr." He readied a ward spell, as well as drawing his sword.
"They don't usually go in for armour," Lydia remarked, "so I'll get better results with a bow, especially if I can sneak up on them. The two of you shouldn't be too noisy, in what you're wearing. And I need to practice my new Muffle spell."
There was nobody in the next room, and only one way out of it. Lydia took the lead up the narrow passage, creeping silently with her bow ready. She stopped, the bow twanged, and a small cry of pain indicated she'd hit someone. A thump suggested he'd not survived.
They caught up with Lydia, and saw a skeleton lurching towards them. Lydia was pulling out a second arrow, but Serana already had an ice spike ready for the possibility. The bones flew apart and its sword clattered on the floor.
Someone in the next room had heard that, and two more necromancers came rushing in. One ran into the arrow that Lydia had originally intended for the skeleton, and the other took a blow from Clark's blade. Serana's second ice attack finished the latter, and she was surprised to see a swirl of magicka flowing towards Clark.
Clark was busy fending off the first necromancer's flames with his ward, so he hadn't noticed. When Lydia drew her sword and joined in, the man soon fell.
"Did you just soul trap him?" Serana asked, pointing at the other corpse.
"Possibly," Clark responded. "I have picked up a few black soul gems recently, and one of them might have been empty. My sword will do that, as well as the fire damage."
"Nice. I haven't bothered putting any enchantment on my dagger, as I don't use it that much. But that looks useful, and it's a fitting response to necromancers."
"We need to continue," Lydia reminded them. "Or we won't find that Malyn Varen you were telling me about."
"We might not find him anyway," Clark told her. "If he did succeed with his plan, he could be inside Azura's Star by now."
-------------------
Part 53 - Nelacar
Aranea was the first to wake up. "I've had my vision," she told them. "You need to go into Winterhold, and find a mage there. He's not a member of the College, although he may have been in the past. Azura told me he knows how to find her Star."
---
They found Nelacar in the Frozen Hearth. At first he thought they were applicants for the College, or customers for his magical supplies, but Clark told him why they were really there.
"Azura's Star? Yes, Malyn Varen took it. He was incurably ill, and he saw the Star as the only hope of salvation. You know how soul gems work? Well they all break after they're used, except for one. Azura's Star is permanent, and that's why Malyn was so interested in it. He thought he could place his own soul in the Star and become immortal that way."
"However, Azura's Star won't hold a person's soul. He needed to change that before it would be of any use to him. Azura didn't like him doing that, and cursed him. He started having hallucinations, and shouting at things that weren't there."
"And in his experiments, he needed souls to trap. He actually killed one of his own students, just for his research, and that's when the College threw him out. He took his followers to Ilinalta's Deep, a fortress next to the lake, to continue his work. I stayed here in Winterhold, but I'm not exactly welcome in the College any more."
As they turned to leave, Nelacar had one further thing to say.
"You're not intending to take the Star back to Azura, are you? She was the one that drove Malyn insane. Daedra are evil, and Azura's no different than the rest."
---
They stopped briefly in Whiterun to pick up Lydia. It made sense to both of them that they'd want someone in the group with her fighting style.
"What do you believe?" Serana asked, as they travelled towards Lake Ilinalta. "Did Azura really drive Malyn insane, or was it the disease he had?"
"Probably a bit of both," Clark replied. "Her resistance to his efforts to corrupt the Star would have angered him, and helped drive his insanity, but I doubt she'd have been the initial cause. That was probably the disease."
"Could we catch it, assuming we find him?" she wondered. "If he couldn't cure it, we probably couldn't either."
"I have no idea," Clark replied, "but if none of his necromancer minions had it, it can't be easily transmitted. Just don't sleep with him, or anything like that."
"Is that likely?" Lydia wanted to know. "I've got another set of armour that almost shows my nipples for occasions like that."
"No, I'd have invited Gilda along if if was that kind of trip," Clark laughed. "Any armour almost shows hers."
---
"Let's go through there," Lydia said as they were passing the entrance to Brittleshin Pass. "I've never found much more than a few skeletons in there, and it cuts off a lot of the distance."
"Suits me," Serana agreed. "I'm not a fan of this Skyrim weather. I've spent enough time in caves, but anything's better than this sunshine."
They did encounter a necromancer half-way through, and he'd raised a few more of the skeletons, but nothing they couldn't handle.
"You'd better watch your back when we get to Ilinalta Deep," Serana told Lydia. "I nearly put an ice spike through you a couple of times."
"Then it's a good thing we came this way," Clark responded. "She'll be charging in, any time there are archers, like those two skeletons back there. Just remember that, and adjust your angle when it happens."
"And don't use the fireballs, either," Lydia added. "I sometimes have to remind Clark about those."
"The Hunter," and Serana scowled when she mentioned him, "mainly used a crossbow, so we were both starting off with a ranged attack. I'm not used to working with someone who prefers getting in close."
"If the enemy prefers ranged, that's when I prefer close-up," Lydia replied. "And I'm sure they charged at the two of you when they could, for the same reason. It makes you take the time to change weapon. Except when you've already got one out, so I like the way you're combining spells in one hand with a dagger in the other."
"Also, since we're working as a team, I can have you fire past me to bring them to us, while I'm waiting with my sword and shield ready. Clark will be up next to me blocking the spells with a ward. You've always got a bit of an advantage when they have to make the move, so Clark and I usually let them come to us. Except when they're archers, of course, because they want to stay away."
They were emerging from the other end of the cave at that point. "Ilinalta's Deep's not far from here, if I remember correctly," Lydia told them. "I haven't been in there, as it looked like it would be mostly flooded. I don't think the the foundations of the fort were much good, and it seems to have sunk half-way into the lake."
---
"How do we get in?" Serana asked. "It looks like the entrance would be well underwater."
"Top of that tower, if you can still call it that. There's a trapdoor in the roof."
The water level inside seemed to be quite a bit lower than it was in the lake outside. Clark surmised that something was draining it away elsewhere in the old fort. "There may be more to this place than it looks from the outside."
They found a skeleton shackled to a pillar in the entrance. A journal in the knapsack at his feet mentioned a story that the fort was haunted.
"That usually means necromancers," Clark suggested. "Moaning of the corpses they raise, rattling skeletons, all that kind of thing. But if this had been a Nordic ruin, then I'd expect draugr." He readied a ward spell, as well as drawing his sword.
"They don't usually go in for armour," Lydia remarked, "so I'll get better results with a bow, especially if I can sneak up on them. The two of you shouldn't be too noisy, in what you're wearing. And I need to practice my new Muffle spell."
There was nobody in the next room, and only one way out of it. Lydia took the lead up the narrow passage, creeping silently with her bow ready. She stopped, the bow twanged, and a small cry of pain indicated she'd hit someone. A thump suggested he'd not survived.
They caught up with Lydia, and saw a skeleton lurching towards them. Lydia was pulling out a second arrow, but Serana already had an ice spike ready for the possibility. The bones flew apart and its sword clattered on the floor.
Someone in the next room had heard that, and two more necromancers came rushing in. One ran into the arrow that Lydia had originally intended for the skeleton, and the other took a blow from Clark's blade. Serana's second ice attack finished the latter, and she was surprised to see a swirl of magicka flowing towards Clark.
Clark was busy fending off the first necromancer's flames with his ward, so he hadn't noticed. When Lydia drew her sword and joined in, the man soon fell.
"Did you just soul trap him?" Serana asked, pointing at the other corpse.
"Possibly," Clark responded. "I have picked up a few black soul gems recently, and one of them might have been empty. My sword will do that, as well as the fire damage."
"Nice. I haven't bothered putting any enchantment on my dagger, as I don't use it that much. But that looks useful, and it's a fitting response to necromancers."
"We need to continue," Lydia reminded them. "Or we won't find that Malyn Varen you were telling me about."
"We might not find him anyway," Clark told her. "If he did succeed with his plan, he could be inside Azura's Star by now."
Previously: Clark and Serana had picked up Lydia to help them retrieve Azura's Star from Ilinalta's Deep. They've entered the ruin, and met the first Necrodudes.
----------------------
Part 54 - Ilinalta's Deep
They followed some more winding passages, until they could hear a couple of voices in the next room. Lydia turned back to the others and whispered. "I can't see around the corner, or I'd try and sneak-shoot one of them. But I have another tactic for these situations."
She stood up just by the corner of the passage and motioned for Clark and Serana to be ready next to her.
"I can smell necromancers," she announced in a loud voice. "Of course, the way they stink, they might be half a mile away."
As expected, the two men came running up the passage right into a flurry of blades. Clark had a ward up before the first one reached them, and Lydia's shield was blocking the other half of the space. Serana added a shock spell, to help drain their magicka, and they fell easily.
"Stay here, I can hear more of them," Lydia announced, and the others could soon hear the footsteps, too.
"Let them come to us, like the last two."
The first to arrive was a bandit that had clearly been raised by the necromancer following him. He didn't make much impression on Lydia's waiting shield, and an ice spike and a couple of sword thrusts took him down. The necromancer tried a fireball, now that his minion was gone, but Clark's ward was up, in anticipation of that.
Serana went back to shock spells against casting opponents, and he was quickly unable to use his spells against them. That was what Lydia was waiting for, and her sword finished him.
"No flames left?" Clark asked.
"Out of charge," she replied, "and no gems anyway. He's still dead, so what does it matter?"
"Unlike the next one," she continued, as she heard more footsteps headed toward them.
Clark just had time to re-cast his ward before a cloud of frost came their way. Lydia slowed noticeably, having taken much of the force of the spell. Serana had managed to duck around the corner, and she returned fire with a lightning bolt.
The necromancer staggered, but recovered before the slow-moving Lydia could reach him. Clark moved out into the room, as soon as he could get past her. He wanted to get some space between them, so the mage couldn't hit them all with one spell. The necromancer decided he was more of a threat than Lydia, and hurled more ice in his direction.
Fortunately Serana had had the same idea as Clark, and gone the other way. She fired more lightning at their enemy, as she moved.
And now Lydia had shaken off the frost, and was bearing down on him. too. He wouldn't last much longer.
---
Still, he'd been a bit of a challenge, even for three of them. They stopped to repair and recover, and Clark took the time to recharge Lydia's sword, using the black soul gem he'd filled earlier.
Serana was looking around the room, and found an couple of books, some potions, and some empty soul gems. She brought them back to the group.
"If you're thinking about enchanting your dagger, you should read this one," Clark told Serana. "A Tragedy in Black will teach you a thing or two about the subject. I haven't seen this other one before, though. I wonder what The Aetherium Wars were about?"
He read a bit further. "Aetherium, apparently. Well, we don't have time now to do anything about this, so we'll stow it until later." He put that book into his pack.
They moved on, and soon found themselves back in a familar room.
"Except we're up a level," Lydia remarked, "on that balcony we couldn't reach before. I guess this door is where we want to go through next."
"Yes, if I'm not mistaken, this should lead us to the tower. The one that was still above water, with no visble entrance from outside," Clark agreed. "And that probably means more necromancers are waiting for us."
---
There were more, and once again, Lydia had them wait around a corner while she hurled insults, to bring the necromancers to them.
"Where did you pick that up?" Clark asked. "You certainly didn't learn it from me!"
"I sort of got it from Gilda," Lydia replied. "We were always taunting each other while I was training her, and I realised just how effective it could be in a real combat situation. So I tried it out in a cave full of bandits, and it worked better than I'd hoped. Of course, Nords are easy to taunt. You just remark on how ugly their mother must be, because if they'd got their looks from their father, they'd never have happened. And if that doesn't work, then you tell them it's the stupidity they inherited from their father. One of the two is usually true, and that's what makes them mad."
"So that's why you remark on necromancers' smelling bad," Serana surmised. "Because they do."
"Precisely," Lydia agreed. "Now I just need the right lines for draugr."
---
The last room at the top of the tower was empty of necromancers, but a skeleton sat in a chair on a raised dais with a battered-looking Azura's Star lying at his feet. A tome entitled "Malyn Varen's Grimoire" lay on the floor nearby.
"What happend to this?" Serana asked, picking up the Star.
"The Star won't normally hold a person's soul," Clark reminded her. "Varen must have had to do a lot of experiments to find a way to corrupt it, and I'm sure this damage came from the ones that failed."
"Well, at least it won't get any worse now he's inside," she responded. "Do we take it back to Azura's shrine right away?"
"There's not much more we can do here," Clark agreed. "Have we picked up everything the necromancers don't need any more?"
"Just about," Lydia concurred. "And that reminds me, this book looks like something Serana would want more than I would. I found it a couple of rooms back."
Clark knew that one. The Doors of Oblivion was one of the first Conjuration books he'd read way back in Cyrodiil. Lydia handed it over unopened.
"We'll go back to Breezehome for now, and Serana and I will take the Star back tomorrow."
Lydia looked pleased at the prospect of Clark staying overnight. She knew that even though he'd probably be paying more attention to Serana, he'd not neglect his housecarl.
---
"You two go up the bedroom and get started, and I'll join you as soon as I've got the stew simmering. It shouldn't take me long." Lydia had already taken off her armour, and was now wearing just an apron. She probably wouldn't have worn that, but hot fat was too unpredictable, and she could take it off as soon as the meat was seared.
Upstairs, Serana was still wearing her full outfit, and seemed reluctant to take it off. "I don't want to promise what I can't deliver," she told Clark. "And it's not that I don't want to. You know what happened last time, and I feel so guilty about Aranea having to do everything for you."
"What she told me, was that she felt guilty about getting more than her fair share," Clark replied. "I'm sure that Lydia won't feel guilty about anything. I don't believe she ever does, no matter what she's been getting up to."
Clark had unlaced most of her armour by this time. He began to help her out of it.
"This time, we know what we can do, without any accidents, so as long as we warn Lydia, it should all work out. You seemed to like it when I did this before, didn't you?"
"You didn't do it quite that way last time. I think I like it even better now."
---
When Clark heard Lydia's footsteps on the stairs, he went to intercept her, and tell her what the ground rules were.
"She can't what? But that's the best part! Wait, does that mean I get it all?"
Clark turned to Serana. "I told you she had no sense of guilt."
"What do you mean? I'm not taking anything away from her, I'm just making sure it doesn't get wasted. What's to be guilty about? Especially as I know you'll be doing everything to make sure Serana's enjoying as much as she can."
"And it's more than I ever did before. It's just that I can almost imagine what I'm missing," Serana added. "Eventually, I believe that I'll want it more than I'm afraid of it, and I'll be cured. I just don't want to hurt my friends getting there."
----------------------
Part 54 - Ilinalta's Deep
They followed some more winding passages, until they could hear a couple of voices in the next room. Lydia turned back to the others and whispered. "I can't see around the corner, or I'd try and sneak-shoot one of them. But I have another tactic for these situations."
She stood up just by the corner of the passage and motioned for Clark and Serana to be ready next to her.
"I can smell necromancers," she announced in a loud voice. "Of course, the way they stink, they might be half a mile away."
As expected, the two men came running up the passage right into a flurry of blades. Clark had a ward up before the first one reached them, and Lydia's shield was blocking the other half of the space. Serana added a shock spell, to help drain their magicka, and they fell easily.
"Stay here, I can hear more of them," Lydia announced, and the others could soon hear the footsteps, too.
"Let them come to us, like the last two."
The first to arrive was a bandit that had clearly been raised by the necromancer following him. He didn't make much impression on Lydia's waiting shield, and an ice spike and a couple of sword thrusts took him down. The necromancer tried a fireball, now that his minion was gone, but Clark's ward was up, in anticipation of that.
Serana went back to shock spells against casting opponents, and he was quickly unable to use his spells against them. That was what Lydia was waiting for, and her sword finished him.
"No flames left?" Clark asked.
"Out of charge," she replied, "and no gems anyway. He's still dead, so what does it matter?"
"Unlike the next one," she continued, as she heard more footsteps headed toward them.
Clark just had time to re-cast his ward before a cloud of frost came their way. Lydia slowed noticeably, having taken much of the force of the spell. Serana had managed to duck around the corner, and she returned fire with a lightning bolt.
The necromancer staggered, but recovered before the slow-moving Lydia could reach him. Clark moved out into the room, as soon as he could get past her. He wanted to get some space between them, so the mage couldn't hit them all with one spell. The necromancer decided he was more of a threat than Lydia, and hurled more ice in his direction.
Fortunately Serana had had the same idea as Clark, and gone the other way. She fired more lightning at their enemy, as she moved.
And now Lydia had shaken off the frost, and was bearing down on him. too. He wouldn't last much longer.
---
Still, he'd been a bit of a challenge, even for three of them. They stopped to repair and recover, and Clark took the time to recharge Lydia's sword, using the black soul gem he'd filled earlier.
Serana was looking around the room, and found an couple of books, some potions, and some empty soul gems. She brought them back to the group.
"If you're thinking about enchanting your dagger, you should read this one," Clark told Serana. "A Tragedy in Black will teach you a thing or two about the subject. I haven't seen this other one before, though. I wonder what The Aetherium Wars were about?"
He read a bit further. "Aetherium, apparently. Well, we don't have time now to do anything about this, so we'll stow it until later." He put that book into his pack.
They moved on, and soon found themselves back in a familar room.
"Except we're up a level," Lydia remarked, "on that balcony we couldn't reach before. I guess this door is where we want to go through next."
"Yes, if I'm not mistaken, this should lead us to the tower. The one that was still above water, with no visble entrance from outside," Clark agreed. "And that probably means more necromancers are waiting for us."
---
There were more, and once again, Lydia had them wait around a corner while she hurled insults, to bring the necromancers to them.
"Where did you pick that up?" Clark asked. "You certainly didn't learn it from me!"
"I sort of got it from Gilda," Lydia replied. "We were always taunting each other while I was training her, and I realised just how effective it could be in a real combat situation. So I tried it out in a cave full of bandits, and it worked better than I'd hoped. Of course, Nords are easy to taunt. You just remark on how ugly their mother must be, because if they'd got their looks from their father, they'd never have happened. And if that doesn't work, then you tell them it's the stupidity they inherited from their father. One of the two is usually true, and that's what makes them mad."
"So that's why you remark on necromancers' smelling bad," Serana surmised. "Because they do."
"Precisely," Lydia agreed. "Now I just need the right lines for draugr."
---
The last room at the top of the tower was empty of necromancers, but a skeleton sat in a chair on a raised dais with a battered-looking Azura's Star lying at his feet. A tome entitled "Malyn Varen's Grimoire" lay on the floor nearby.
"What happend to this?" Serana asked, picking up the Star.
"The Star won't normally hold a person's soul," Clark reminded her. "Varen must have had to do a lot of experiments to find a way to corrupt it, and I'm sure this damage came from the ones that failed."
"Well, at least it won't get any worse now he's inside," she responded. "Do we take it back to Azura's shrine right away?"
"There's not much more we can do here," Clark agreed. "Have we picked up everything the necromancers don't need any more?"
"Just about," Lydia concurred. "And that reminds me, this book looks like something Serana would want more than I would. I found it a couple of rooms back."
Clark knew that one. The Doors of Oblivion was one of the first Conjuration books he'd read way back in Cyrodiil. Lydia handed it over unopened.
"We'll go back to Breezehome for now, and Serana and I will take the Star back tomorrow."
Lydia looked pleased at the prospect of Clark staying overnight. She knew that even though he'd probably be paying more attention to Serana, he'd not neglect his housecarl.
---
"You two go up the bedroom and get started, and I'll join you as soon as I've got the stew simmering. It shouldn't take me long." Lydia had already taken off her armour, and was now wearing just an apron. She probably wouldn't have worn that, but hot fat was too unpredictable, and she could take it off as soon as the meat was seared.
Upstairs, Serana was still wearing her full outfit, and seemed reluctant to take it off. "I don't want to promise what I can't deliver," she told Clark. "And it's not that I don't want to. You know what happened last time, and I feel so guilty about Aranea having to do everything for you."
"What she told me, was that she felt guilty about getting more than her fair share," Clark replied. "I'm sure that Lydia won't feel guilty about anything. I don't believe she ever does, no matter what she's been getting up to."
Clark had unlaced most of her armour by this time. He began to help her out of it.
"This time, we know what we can do, without any accidents, so as long as we warn Lydia, it should all work out. You seemed to like it when I did this before, didn't you?"
"You didn't do it quite that way last time. I think I like it even better now."
---
When Clark heard Lydia's footsteps on the stairs, he went to intercept her, and tell her what the ground rules were.
"She can't what? But that's the best part! Wait, does that mean I get it all?"
Clark turned to Serana. "I told you she had no sense of guilt."
"What do you mean? I'm not taking anything away from her, I'm just making sure it doesn't get wasted. What's to be guilty about? Especially as I know you'll be doing everything to make sure Serana's enjoying as much as she can."
"And it's more than I ever did before. It's just that I can almost imagine what I'm missing," Serana added. "Eventually, I believe that I'll want it more than I'm afraid of it, and I'll be cured. I just don't want to hurt my friends getting there."
Previously: Clark, Serana and Lydia had retrieved Azura's Star from Ilinalta's Deep, with Malyn Varen still inside it.
------------------
Part 55 - Azura's Star
Clark awoke to the familiar feeling of the blood beginning to circulate in his left arm. Lydia had just moved her head off, and it was starting to tingle. He looked down to see where his other arm was, in case he disturbed Serana by moving it. Her fingers were entwined with his, and she was holding his hand between her thighs. The back of his hand felt moist.
Her eyes were closed, but he could see that they were moving. She was having a dream, a pleasant one, he hoped. She squeezed his hand gently and pressed it against her.
Lydia had woken up, and was looking over at the dreaming Serana. She rubbed Clark's left arm for him, knowing that she must have been sleeping on it again. "When you can feel this one again," she whispered, "give her a bit more help."
Clark brushed a curl of hair from Serana's face, and she didn't wake. Nor when his hand touched her shoulder, or her breast. Instead, her free hand joined his and guided it.
And then she woke up. "I was having such a nice dream," she complained. "Why did it have to end just then?"
"Why, what was happening?" he asked.
"It's what was about to happen," she told him. "You were going to... "
She let go of Clark's hands and sat up. "How much of that was dream, and how much was real?" she asked. Of course, Clark had no answer.
"I don't know either. When I woke up," he told her, "You'd started without me."
---
They reached Azura's shrine about dusk, which seemed appropriate. Aranea was pleased to see them, but somewhat horrified at the condition of the Star. Azura herself was more perplexed than horrified.
"I don't understand how mortals can have done that," her voice told them. "And I can't mend it while they're still in there. Someone will have to go in and do something about it."
"You mean me, don't you?" Clark guessed.
"Well, you are the best suited to this job. And I can give you some help, as I obviously understand the Star better than anyone else."
"While I don't know how Malyn Varen managed to enter the Star, I know that he can't have taken any weapons with him. As a mage, of course, he'll still have spells he can use. And the same will apply to any of his minions that he might have taken with him. I can send you in with your sword, which should give you a bit of offensive advantage."
"And even though we made you immortal, I still don't want you getting damaged. I think I know how we can improve your defence, too. Aranea, do you still have that mage's robe from the College? The Master Robe of Restoration, I mean."
"Yes, I do. I only wear this one because it's warmer."
"And don't you have some College boots with the Fortify Restoration enchantment to go with it? Fetch them both for Clark, while I do some more enchanting."
"Do you have a plain ring, Clark, and an amulet. I want to enchant them with Fortify Restoration, too."
Clark did have those items in his backpack. He placed them on the altar, and watched as they glowed with new magicka. Aranea emerged from her cell with the robe and boots.
"Together, these will make it possible for you to cast your ward continuously. It will cost you less magicka than you'll be regenerating, especially with the robe boosting that, too."
"It won't make the ward itself any stronger, but you already have the ability to block most spells, because they don't get any stronger either. The few that get past the ward won't be ones that can harm you."
Clark started to change into the ward-boosting outfit. "What's on that amulet you're wearing?" Azura interrupted. "Why would a man want that enchantment?"
"It's just a keepsake," he told her. "This is one I made for Gilda, but we replaced it with a stronger one later, and I kept the old one."
---
Aranea and Serana were pacing up and down by the altar waiting to for Clark to re-appear. The Star appeared to be gradually mending itself, and Azura had told them that it was due to Clark's progress inside.
"He's nearly done," she assured them, and as if on cue, Clark materialised next to the altar.
"I think I can explain how Malyn Varen managed to corrupt the Star," Clark announced. "He had help, and I believe it came from Mehrunes Dagon. I had to fight a number of Dremora mage guards in there, as well as Varen himself."
"With my ward stopping their fireballs and lightning, it was a bit of a stalemate. They kept retreating out of reach of my sword, and I had to chase them all around the interior. That's what took all the time."
"Look at the Star," Aranea urged. "It's back to its former glory again. All the chips and cracks are mended, and it's just beautiful."
"Yes, it is," Azura's voice agreed. "And Clark will look after it, and make sure that doesn't happen again."
"Me?" he asked. "Aren't there others who deserve it more? Or at least, will use it more? I hardly ever need to recharge my sword, and I've usually found some small gems that will do the job."
"Yes, you. I know you won't use it much for yourself, but you're always with someone else who has an enchanted weapon. All your housecarls do, except for Rayya, and I've already told Aranea what you need to do about that."
"Oh, so that's what that dream was about. I was so confused, with all the chests and ice and things. Was that Solstheim? And was that blue material Stahlrim?"
"Yes, Aranea, to all those questions. Clark, it will all make sense when you next go to Solstheim. Trust me."
Clark turned to Serana. "We should go back to Riften. Something Azura said earlier gave me an idea and I think Gilda can help."
---
"I hope you'll forgive me reminding you about the Hunter," Clark began, "but I'm curious. You implied that he wanted you, but you also told me that nobody had tried to ..."
"He wouldn't touch me, because I was a vampire. That made me unclean and unworthy, even though he was practically drooling down my cleavage most of the time. It was much the same when he met my mother. For a long time, I was convinced that was the reason she stayed in the Soul Cairn."
"I think we really started to get on each other's nerves. Especially as I preferred darkness, and he preferred bright sunshine. And he was always critical of the way I'd resurrect things, to practice my spell. He didn't complain when it was strong enough to get us some decent help, of course."
"Telling me to get myself cured was just the last straw. That was all for his benefit, and he wasn't thinking about me at all."
Clark decided to let the subject rest. He'd got the information he needed. He gave Serana a reassuring hug, which seemed to improve her mood again.
------------------
Part 55 - Azura's Star
Clark awoke to the familiar feeling of the blood beginning to circulate in his left arm. Lydia had just moved her head off, and it was starting to tingle. He looked down to see where his other arm was, in case he disturbed Serana by moving it. Her fingers were entwined with his, and she was holding his hand between her thighs. The back of his hand felt moist.
Her eyes were closed, but he could see that they were moving. She was having a dream, a pleasant one, he hoped. She squeezed his hand gently and pressed it against her.
Lydia had woken up, and was looking over at the dreaming Serana. She rubbed Clark's left arm for him, knowing that she must have been sleeping on it again. "When you can feel this one again," she whispered, "give her a bit more help."
Clark brushed a curl of hair from Serana's face, and she didn't wake. Nor when his hand touched her shoulder, or her breast. Instead, her free hand joined his and guided it.
And then she woke up. "I was having such a nice dream," she complained. "Why did it have to end just then?"
"Why, what was happening?" he asked.
"It's what was about to happen," she told him. "You were going to... "
She let go of Clark's hands and sat up. "How much of that was dream, and how much was real?" she asked. Of course, Clark had no answer.
"I don't know either. When I woke up," he told her, "You'd started without me."
---
They reached Azura's shrine about dusk, which seemed appropriate. Aranea was pleased to see them, but somewhat horrified at the condition of the Star. Azura herself was more perplexed than horrified.
"I don't understand how mortals can have done that," her voice told them. "And I can't mend it while they're still in there. Someone will have to go in and do something about it."
"You mean me, don't you?" Clark guessed.
"Well, you are the best suited to this job. And I can give you some help, as I obviously understand the Star better than anyone else."
"While I don't know how Malyn Varen managed to enter the Star, I know that he can't have taken any weapons with him. As a mage, of course, he'll still have spells he can use. And the same will apply to any of his minions that he might have taken with him. I can send you in with your sword, which should give you a bit of offensive advantage."
"And even though we made you immortal, I still don't want you getting damaged. I think I know how we can improve your defence, too. Aranea, do you still have that mage's robe from the College? The Master Robe of Restoration, I mean."
"Yes, I do. I only wear this one because it's warmer."
"And don't you have some College boots with the Fortify Restoration enchantment to go with it? Fetch them both for Clark, while I do some more enchanting."
"Do you have a plain ring, Clark, and an amulet. I want to enchant them with Fortify Restoration, too."
Clark did have those items in his backpack. He placed them on the altar, and watched as they glowed with new magicka. Aranea emerged from her cell with the robe and boots.
"Together, these will make it possible for you to cast your ward continuously. It will cost you less magicka than you'll be regenerating, especially with the robe boosting that, too."
"It won't make the ward itself any stronger, but you already have the ability to block most spells, because they don't get any stronger either. The few that get past the ward won't be ones that can harm you."
Clark started to change into the ward-boosting outfit. "What's on that amulet you're wearing?" Azura interrupted. "Why would a man want that enchantment?"
"It's just a keepsake," he told her. "This is one I made for Gilda, but we replaced it with a stronger one later, and I kept the old one."
---
Aranea and Serana were pacing up and down by the altar waiting to for Clark to re-appear. The Star appeared to be gradually mending itself, and Azura had told them that it was due to Clark's progress inside.
"He's nearly done," she assured them, and as if on cue, Clark materialised next to the altar.
"I think I can explain how Malyn Varen managed to corrupt the Star," Clark announced. "He had help, and I believe it came from Mehrunes Dagon. I had to fight a number of Dremora mage guards in there, as well as Varen himself."
"With my ward stopping their fireballs and lightning, it was a bit of a stalemate. They kept retreating out of reach of my sword, and I had to chase them all around the interior. That's what took all the time."
"Look at the Star," Aranea urged. "It's back to its former glory again. All the chips and cracks are mended, and it's just beautiful."
"Yes, it is," Azura's voice agreed. "And Clark will look after it, and make sure that doesn't happen again."
"Me?" he asked. "Aren't there others who deserve it more? Or at least, will use it more? I hardly ever need to recharge my sword, and I've usually found some small gems that will do the job."
"Yes, you. I know you won't use it much for yourself, but you're always with someone else who has an enchanted weapon. All your housecarls do, except for Rayya, and I've already told Aranea what you need to do about that."
"Oh, so that's what that dream was about. I was so confused, with all the chests and ice and things. Was that Solstheim? And was that blue material Stahlrim?"
"Yes, Aranea, to all those questions. Clark, it will all make sense when you next go to Solstheim. Trust me."
Clark turned to Serana. "We should go back to Riften. Something Azura said earlier gave me an idea and I think Gilda can help."
---
"I hope you'll forgive me reminding you about the Hunter," Clark began, "but I'm curious. You implied that he wanted you, but you also told me that nobody had tried to ..."
"He wouldn't touch me, because I was a vampire. That made me unclean and unworthy, even though he was practically drooling down my cleavage most of the time. It was much the same when he met my mother. For a long time, I was convinced that was the reason she stayed in the Soul Cairn."
"I think we really started to get on each other's nerves. Especially as I preferred darkness, and he preferred bright sunshine. And he was always critical of the way I'd resurrect things, to practice my spell. He didn't complain when it was strong enough to get us some decent help, of course."
"Telling me to get myself cured was just the last straw. That was all for his benefit, and he wasn't thinking about me at all."
Clark decided to let the subject rest. He'd got the information he needed. He gave Serana a reassuring hug, which seemed to improve her mood again.
Previously: Clark had gone into Azura's Star to evict Malyn Varen, and had been given it as a reward.
-------------
Part 56 - More Stones
Back at Honeyside, Clark was surprised to find Brelyna visiting with Gilda and Iona. She'd brought with her a pair of the Stones of Barenziah.
"When Jordis and Lydia helped me retrieve the books from Fellglow Keep, we found one of these, and I took it back to the College to try and find out more about them. The housecarls told me you'd started collecting them, but had less than half the set, so I figured you wouldn't need this one right away."
"I found another in my quarters when they made me Archmage."
Clark hadn't heard about that. The last he knew, Brelyna and Mjoll had been headed for Winterhold with the Staff of Magnus to try and stop whatever Ancano was doing there. It was time to catch up on that whole story.
"When we got back to the College, we found that there was a magical barrier around the whole place, created by Ancano, using the Eye. Tolfdir suggested trying the staff on the barrier, so I did, and it collapsed immediately. I wasn't too surprised by that, as Morokei had been using it to drain my magicka, so I knew that it somehow suppressed magical effects."
"That got us back into the building, but we still couldn't do anything to Ancano. I was reluctant to try, as that's what got Savros Aren killed, but when Ancano invoked the Eye's power to try and attack us, I had no choice but to use the staff to try and shut it down again. We were lucky that the Eye spawned a couple more of the wisp-like creatures it had the first time. They went after Ancano, and gave me time to shut the eye down."
"With the Eye no longer in his control, the others could attack him. Mjoll and Tolfdir together was more than he could handle."
"With Ancano dead, we still had the Eye itself to deal with. We had no idea what Ancano had done to it, and whether it was stable enough for us to attempt to take control of it. That's when the Psijic monks appeared and took the Eye away. Quaranir, the one who'd been contacting me at times and guiding me, suggested that that I should concentrate on getting the College back to normal. He called me Archmage, as if it was obviously my job now."
"I didn't feel much like an Archmage. I was only an Expert in a couple of the magical schools, although it wouldn't be long before I reached Master level. Still, there were Masters of each of the Schools that should be before me in line for the job."
"Tolfdir disagreed. The Archmage wasn't supposed to be a specialist like he was. That was too likely to result in one school of magic pushing the others to the side-lines. Colette Marence was already complaining that Restoration didn't get enough recognition, and that would only be worse if one of the Masters was in control of the whole College. Mirabelle would have been the obvious successor, if she had survived."
"I thought about the alternatives. Enthir wasn't right for the position, nor Nirya. I could certainly do a better job than either of them. Eventually, Tolfdir talked me into it, although I insisted that someone else fill Mirabelle's administrative position, perhaps him."
"I didn't take much persuading to take over the quarters. I like having my own alchemy and enchanting stations, rather than having to wait my turn for the ones in the halls. And as a young Dunmer, I'm sure I'll find a use for the bigger bed," she laughed.
Clark smiled at that. Trust a Dunmer to see that advantage. "Is that Amulet your badge of office?" he asked her.
"Actually, no, The robes, which I'm not wearing right now, perform that function. But they're a bit dull and unattractive. Fine for an old bureaucrat like Savos Aren, but I'd want something else. However, they do have just the enchantment I need, with extra magicka, skill fortification, and regeneration all on the same item. I can't do multiple enchantments, or I'd try and put it all on the amulet."
"So who's the Master Enchanter?" Clark asked. "Isn't there one at the College who can do it?"
"Not right now," Brelyna replied. "Sergius Turrianus is an Expert instructor, and does a lot of the College's work, but it's out of his range, too. There's a priestess of Dibella in Markarth, apparently, who can train higher, and Neloth over on Solstheim."
"And by now, I suspect your old friend Vicuña has joined them," Clark pointed out. "She was studying with Neloth, and I gather was getting close to Master level, too."
"There's another reason to go to Solstheim, too. I need some higher Conjuration training than I can get here in Skyrim, and Neloth's apprentice Talvas Fathryon can do that."
"He does Master training, but he's Neloth's apprentice?" Clark was amazed at that.
"Well, it is Neloth we're talking about. He's a level above most of us when it comes to magic."
"Is that why you're here now? You're planning a trip to Solstheim?"
"Yes, I have so many reasons to go there. Neloth, for the enchanting, Talvas, for the conjuration, and Velith and Diablita, because I haven't seen my friends for too long. And after saving the College from destruction, I need a vacation!"
"And Azura was just hinting that I need to go there to find Rayya some new weapons. That's if I understood what Aranea was telling me," Clark added.
---
Gilda added the two Stones of Barenziah to her collection. "That's exactly half the set, now," she remarked.
"Let Mjoll know about them," Brelyna told her. "She'll be out adventuring on her own again, now that she has Grimsever back, and I'll be in Solstheim for a while."
"Er, I'm not sure she'd want to help the Thieves Guild," Gilda pointed out. "She blames us for the current state of Riften."
"Oh, don't think she's just a dumb blonde," Brelyna replied. "She's quite aware that it's the Black-Briars that are the real problem. Now there's a chance you'll break away from Maven, I'm sure Mjoll will do anything she can to help that happen."
"I didn't tell Serana about them," Clark remarked. "There weren't any at Volkihar Castle, but that's not unexpected."
"Everyone in the Thieves Guild knows we're looking for them," Gilda replied. "And I'll let them all know we're half-way there. That will include Serana, of course."
---
Clark had sent a note by courier ahead of them, so Diablita was waiting on the dock in Raven Rock when the ferry pulled in.
"Greetings, Archmage Brelyna! I was half-expecting Vicuña to be with you. She went over to Skyrim looking for a staff for Neloth, and I thought she'd be back around now."
"Oh, so she doesn't know I'm visiting?"
"She'll find out from Captain Gjalund when she takes the ferry; on his next trip, I'd imagine."
"We're expecting to spend a few days here in Raven Rock before visiting Tel Mithryn, so it should all work out nicely to travel there with her," Clark pointed out.
"So what are your plans?" Diablita asked. "The letter didn't say much, other than that you were coming."
"That's because we don't have any for the first couple of days," Brelyna answered. "I just want to relax in Dunmer society and ignore the rest of the world for a while. Then I can get back to being Archmage at my own pace. We can make all the plans when Vicuña's back to add her input."
"Do you have any?" Diablita asked Clark.
"Only if you know anything about enchanted scimitars," he replied. "Azura implied that there were some on Solstheim that Rayya would like. She was rather vague about them, and I got the impression that they were part of a more complicated story. She told me I'd find out more about it when I got here."
"Well, the only unsolved mystery I have any clue about is a book about Haknir Deathbrand I found. It's at least partly based on fact, as I came across the island the book mentions. It's off the north-east coast, and the door to the tomb there is locked beyond my picking abilities. No indication of it being haunted, but maybe the ghosts are all inside."
When they got to Severin Manor, Diablita handed Clark the book. "There's a mention of twin swords near the beginning that makes me think this is what Azura meant. Where did you find this book?"
"That's not a clue," Diablita told him. "Since I found this one, I've come across more copies in various places. We could go back to the island I told you about, and look around there. It's not far from the Skaal village, so we could ask Frea if she knows anything about the legend. Skaal oral traditions have a lot of useful information you won't find in books."
"We'll go there later, when Vicuña's back," Clark decided. "Our priority is a visit to the Retching Netch for a bit of relaxation!"
-------------
Part 56 - More Stones
Back at Honeyside, Clark was surprised to find Brelyna visiting with Gilda and Iona. She'd brought with her a pair of the Stones of Barenziah.
"When Jordis and Lydia helped me retrieve the books from Fellglow Keep, we found one of these, and I took it back to the College to try and find out more about them. The housecarls told me you'd started collecting them, but had less than half the set, so I figured you wouldn't need this one right away."
"I found another in my quarters when they made me Archmage."
Clark hadn't heard about that. The last he knew, Brelyna and Mjoll had been headed for Winterhold with the Staff of Magnus to try and stop whatever Ancano was doing there. It was time to catch up on that whole story.
"When we got back to the College, we found that there was a magical barrier around the whole place, created by Ancano, using the Eye. Tolfdir suggested trying the staff on the barrier, so I did, and it collapsed immediately. I wasn't too surprised by that, as Morokei had been using it to drain my magicka, so I knew that it somehow suppressed magical effects."
"That got us back into the building, but we still couldn't do anything to Ancano. I was reluctant to try, as that's what got Savros Aren killed, but when Ancano invoked the Eye's power to try and attack us, I had no choice but to use the staff to try and shut it down again. We were lucky that the Eye spawned a couple more of the wisp-like creatures it had the first time. They went after Ancano, and gave me time to shut the eye down."
"With the Eye no longer in his control, the others could attack him. Mjoll and Tolfdir together was more than he could handle."
"With Ancano dead, we still had the Eye itself to deal with. We had no idea what Ancano had done to it, and whether it was stable enough for us to attempt to take control of it. That's when the Psijic monks appeared and took the Eye away. Quaranir, the one who'd been contacting me at times and guiding me, suggested that that I should concentrate on getting the College back to normal. He called me Archmage, as if it was obviously my job now."
"I didn't feel much like an Archmage. I was only an Expert in a couple of the magical schools, although it wouldn't be long before I reached Master level. Still, there were Masters of each of the Schools that should be before me in line for the job."
"Tolfdir disagreed. The Archmage wasn't supposed to be a specialist like he was. That was too likely to result in one school of magic pushing the others to the side-lines. Colette Marence was already complaining that Restoration didn't get enough recognition, and that would only be worse if one of the Masters was in control of the whole College. Mirabelle would have been the obvious successor, if she had survived."
"I thought about the alternatives. Enthir wasn't right for the position, nor Nirya. I could certainly do a better job than either of them. Eventually, Tolfdir talked me into it, although I insisted that someone else fill Mirabelle's administrative position, perhaps him."
"I didn't take much persuading to take over the quarters. I like having my own alchemy and enchanting stations, rather than having to wait my turn for the ones in the halls. And as a young Dunmer, I'm sure I'll find a use for the bigger bed," she laughed.
Clark smiled at that. Trust a Dunmer to see that advantage. "Is that Amulet your badge of office?" he asked her.
"Actually, no, The robes, which I'm not wearing right now, perform that function. But they're a bit dull and unattractive. Fine for an old bureaucrat like Savos Aren, but I'd want something else. However, they do have just the enchantment I need, with extra magicka, skill fortification, and regeneration all on the same item. I can't do multiple enchantments, or I'd try and put it all on the amulet."
"So who's the Master Enchanter?" Clark asked. "Isn't there one at the College who can do it?"
"Not right now," Brelyna replied. "Sergius Turrianus is an Expert instructor, and does a lot of the College's work, but it's out of his range, too. There's a priestess of Dibella in Markarth, apparently, who can train higher, and Neloth over on Solstheim."
"And by now, I suspect your old friend Vicuña has joined them," Clark pointed out. "She was studying with Neloth, and I gather was getting close to Master level, too."
"There's another reason to go to Solstheim, too. I need some higher Conjuration training than I can get here in Skyrim, and Neloth's apprentice Talvas Fathryon can do that."
"He does Master training, but he's Neloth's apprentice?" Clark was amazed at that.
"Well, it is Neloth we're talking about. He's a level above most of us when it comes to magic."
"Is that why you're here now? You're planning a trip to Solstheim?"
"Yes, I have so many reasons to go there. Neloth, for the enchanting, Talvas, for the conjuration, and Velith and Diablita, because I haven't seen my friends for too long. And after saving the College from destruction, I need a vacation!"
"And Azura was just hinting that I need to go there to find Rayya some new weapons. That's if I understood what Aranea was telling me," Clark added.
---
Gilda added the two Stones of Barenziah to her collection. "That's exactly half the set, now," she remarked.
"Let Mjoll know about them," Brelyna told her. "She'll be out adventuring on her own again, now that she has Grimsever back, and I'll be in Solstheim for a while."
"Er, I'm not sure she'd want to help the Thieves Guild," Gilda pointed out. "She blames us for the current state of Riften."
"Oh, don't think she's just a dumb blonde," Brelyna replied. "She's quite aware that it's the Black-Briars that are the real problem. Now there's a chance you'll break away from Maven, I'm sure Mjoll will do anything she can to help that happen."
"I didn't tell Serana about them," Clark remarked. "There weren't any at Volkihar Castle, but that's not unexpected."
"Everyone in the Thieves Guild knows we're looking for them," Gilda replied. "And I'll let them all know we're half-way there. That will include Serana, of course."
---
Clark had sent a note by courier ahead of them, so Diablita was waiting on the dock in Raven Rock when the ferry pulled in.
"Greetings, Archmage Brelyna! I was half-expecting Vicuña to be with you. She went over to Skyrim looking for a staff for Neloth, and I thought she'd be back around now."
"Oh, so she doesn't know I'm visiting?"
"She'll find out from Captain Gjalund when she takes the ferry; on his next trip, I'd imagine."
"We're expecting to spend a few days here in Raven Rock before visiting Tel Mithryn, so it should all work out nicely to travel there with her," Clark pointed out.
"So what are your plans?" Diablita asked. "The letter didn't say much, other than that you were coming."
"That's because we don't have any for the first couple of days," Brelyna answered. "I just want to relax in Dunmer society and ignore the rest of the world for a while. Then I can get back to being Archmage at my own pace. We can make all the plans when Vicuña's back to add her input."
"Do you have any?" Diablita asked Clark.
"Only if you know anything about enchanted scimitars," he replied. "Azura implied that there were some on Solstheim that Rayya would like. She was rather vague about them, and I got the impression that they were part of a more complicated story. She told me I'd find out more about it when I got here."
"Well, the only unsolved mystery I have any clue about is a book about Haknir Deathbrand I found. It's at least partly based on fact, as I came across the island the book mentions. It's off the north-east coast, and the door to the tomb there is locked beyond my picking abilities. No indication of it being haunted, but maybe the ghosts are all inside."
When they got to Severin Manor, Diablita handed Clark the book. "There's a mention of twin swords near the beginning that makes me think this is what Azura meant. Where did you find this book?"
"That's not a clue," Diablita told him. "Since I found this one, I've come across more copies in various places. We could go back to the island I told you about, and look around there. It's not far from the Skaal village, so we could ask Frea if she knows anything about the legend. Skaal oral traditions have a lot of useful information you won't find in books."
"We'll go there later, when Vicuña's back," Clark decided. "Our priority is a visit to the Retching Netch for a bit of relaxation!"
Previously: Clark and Brelyna arrived in Raven Rock to visit Diablita and Vicuña.
---------------
Part 57 - Raven Rock
As the new girl in town, Brelyna was quickly noticed, and she enjoyed flirting with all the men who hadn't brought their wives with them. "If I went into the Frozen Hearth in Winterhold, I don't think I'd get this much attention if I took all my clothes off," she remarked.
Clark smiled as he remembered her almost doing that the first time they'd met. And then he looked over at Diablita, who was just wearing her chains, and had to laugh.
Brelyna looked puzzled at first, and then saw where Clark was looking and laughed, too.
They talked to Sadri about the story in the Deathbrand book. "Oh yes, I've got a copy of that around here somewhere, too. I'd always assumed it was just a legend, like most of the other ghost stories you read, but you say the tomb actually exists?"
"Yes, off the coast near the Skaal village," Diablita assured him. "But of course it's locked, so nobody can find out if the legend is true. We were thinking of going back there and asking the Skaal what they know."
"Take some of my Sujamma with you. I'd like to know what they think of it. I'm always looking for new customers, and I don't have any contact with them."
"Have you tried sending a few samples over to Windhelm with Gjalund's ferry?" Clark asked him. "There's quite a community of Dunmer in the city who might like it."
"I don't know if it would still be good after a long sea journey," Sadri responded. "Sujamma needs to be fresh."
"It's less than a day's trip," Clark reassured him. "And good Sujamma doesn't sit around undrunk for long. Because the Dunmer know all about freshness, once they know where it comes from, they'll be coming here to drink it."
"Good point. Unless, of course, they won't touch it because it wasn't brewed locally."
"I'll handle the business of getting them to try it," Clark told him. "When I go back to Windhelm at the end of this trip, I'll take a few with me. Ambarys Rendar will be glad to provide his cutomers with authentic Sujamma, and I'm sure he won't mind if they think he made it himself."
"But I will!" Sadri exploded. "I'm going to label the bottles, so everyone knows it's Sadri's."
"Just leave the details to me," Clark insisted. "The first thing is to get them to taste it. Then we can tell them where it comes from. If they're surprised that it's imported, and still that good, it will make an even better impression."
Sadri looked unconvinced, but Clark knew he had some time to bring him around. He wasn't planning the trip back to the mainland for quite a while.
---
Since the next ferry from the mainland wouldn't come in for a couple of days, they all went off to the Skaal village. Frea didn't know anything more about the Deathbrand story, but Fanari Strong-Voice remembered that there was an island called Haknir's Shoal just north of there. "The only connection may be the name, of course. But since Gyldenhul Barrow is nearby, there's some chance there's more to it than that."
"Since it's close, we might as well check it out," Diablita agreed. "We'll still be back in Raven Rock in plenty of time."
Clark thanked Fanari for her help with a bottle of Sadri's Sujamma. "This is good!" she enthused. "It's not Nord Mead, by any means, but I like it."
He handed another bottle to Frea. "If Fanari likes it, maybe you will, too."
"It's different," she agreed. "I can taste a few familar herbs, but I've never had them in this combination, and certainly not in a drink. I'm not sure I'd drink this all the time, but I do like it."
"It's a bit stronger than mead," Clark agreed, "so I don't imagine anyone would change from one to the other. Sadri, in Raven Rock, makes it, and he'd be willing to trade, if you have something to offer in exchange."
"We usually have a good supply of meat and fish, and we've traded with the Dunmer for Ash Yams when we have a surplus," Fanari offered. "We should be able to work something out."
---
When they reached Haknir's Shoal, just a short walk north of the village, they found they weren't the first to the party. A small group of Reavers were there, camped on the island, and they'd been digging. A chest was visible in the hole they'd dug, and one of them was poking at the lock, trying to open it.
He stopped when the guard spotted Diablita approaching, and raised the alarm. An arrow flew towards her, even before they'd hailed them. "It's either a treasure they don't want to share," she guessed, "or they think we're the Redoran Guard come to arrest them."
Clark didn't think Diablita looked much like a Redoran Guard, but the first option was the likely one anyway. He raised his ward, and followed her. Brelyna cast Ebonyflesh, and pulled the staff from her back.
The Reavers were rather out-classed. It was quite probable that Diablita could have taken them out on her own. Brelyna incinerated the archer that had started it all with a fireball, and Diablita engaged the armoured leader. Clark waited until the mage in the party had exhausted her magicka against his ward and then moved in with his sword. He rather hoped she'd have the sense to run away, but she pulled out a dagger instead. End of mage.
The chest didn't have a very hard lock, so it was soon opened. In it, they found a helm made of Stahlrim. "Is this the cursed one the book mentions?" Clark wondered.
Since none of them ever wore a helm, they weren't inclined to try it. Not that they believed it was cursed; it just wasn't useful.
The Reaver Lord had a map that was of more interest. This island was marked on it, but so were three other locations, widely scattered around the coastline.
"One of them is near Raven Rock, and another near Tel Mithryn," Diablita noted. "We'll be going to both of those anyway."
"Hopefully, Velith will be back on the next ferry and she can join us," Brelyna added.
---
When they got back to Raven Rock, there were still a few hours before the ferry was due. They decided they had enough time to find whatever the map was directing them to.
Another small band of Reavers was there, with another chest they'd dug up. This time, though, they'd also disturbed a family of netch, and were too busy fighting them off to pay any attention to Clark and his companions. They waited until the last Reaver was dead, and the netch drifted back to where they had been grazing.
The lock on this chest was a little harder to pick, as if to compensate for the easier access to it. Eventually, though, Clark had it open, and found a suit of Stahlrim Amour inside. "It wouldn't surprise me to find the other two locations have chests with boots and gauntlets," he surmised. "But we'd better get back into town. The ferry's almost due."
---
They hung the armour and helm on a mannequin in Severin Manor on the way. Brelyna had noticed that they were enchanted, and she intended to examine them more closely after they met the ferry. "If Velith's on board, she'll make a better job of that than I can. Enchanting's her field, not mine."
---
Vicuña was indeed on the ferry, and Gjalund had told her she was expected. She showed them the ancient staff that Neloth had wanted. "Apparently this was made by someone called Azra Nightwielder, who was a pioneer of staff enchanting. Neloth's more interested in it as a historical record than anything else. The staff itself doesn't appear to be special, but he tells me that careful examination will reveal exactly how Azra went about adding the enchantment. Neloth has an enchanting station that uses Heartstones, but of course, they didn't exist back when this staff was made."
"What's a Heartstone?" Brelyna asked.
"Oh you can mine them in a lot of places on Solstheim," she replied. "I was forgetting you haven't been here before. Neloth thinks they came from the explosion of the Red Mountain, so he first found them on the Morrowind mainland. But most of the ash, and the heartstones, fell on Solstheim. Morrowind got the lava, and the floods."
She rummaged around in her pack, and found one. It glowed blood-red, and obviously was a source of magicka, much like a filled soul gem. "And like a soul gem, you can use it for enchanting, which is why Neloth is interested."
"We have something to show you, too," Clark added. "It's back at Severin Manor, so let's go there next."
---------------
Part 57 - Raven Rock
As the new girl in town, Brelyna was quickly noticed, and she enjoyed flirting with all the men who hadn't brought their wives with them. "If I went into the Frozen Hearth in Winterhold, I don't think I'd get this much attention if I took all my clothes off," she remarked.
Clark smiled as he remembered her almost doing that the first time they'd met. And then he looked over at Diablita, who was just wearing her chains, and had to laugh.
Brelyna looked puzzled at first, and then saw where Clark was looking and laughed, too.
They talked to Sadri about the story in the Deathbrand book. "Oh yes, I've got a copy of that around here somewhere, too. I'd always assumed it was just a legend, like most of the other ghost stories you read, but you say the tomb actually exists?"
"Yes, off the coast near the Skaal village," Diablita assured him. "But of course it's locked, so nobody can find out if the legend is true. We were thinking of going back there and asking the Skaal what they know."
"Take some of my Sujamma with you. I'd like to know what they think of it. I'm always looking for new customers, and I don't have any contact with them."
"Have you tried sending a few samples over to Windhelm with Gjalund's ferry?" Clark asked him. "There's quite a community of Dunmer in the city who might like it."
"I don't know if it would still be good after a long sea journey," Sadri responded. "Sujamma needs to be fresh."
"It's less than a day's trip," Clark reassured him. "And good Sujamma doesn't sit around undrunk for long. Because the Dunmer know all about freshness, once they know where it comes from, they'll be coming here to drink it."
"Good point. Unless, of course, they won't touch it because it wasn't brewed locally."
"I'll handle the business of getting them to try it," Clark told him. "When I go back to Windhelm at the end of this trip, I'll take a few with me. Ambarys Rendar will be glad to provide his cutomers with authentic Sujamma, and I'm sure he won't mind if they think he made it himself."
"But I will!" Sadri exploded. "I'm going to label the bottles, so everyone knows it's Sadri's."
"Just leave the details to me," Clark insisted. "The first thing is to get them to taste it. Then we can tell them where it comes from. If they're surprised that it's imported, and still that good, it will make an even better impression."
Sadri looked unconvinced, but Clark knew he had some time to bring him around. He wasn't planning the trip back to the mainland for quite a while.
---
Since the next ferry from the mainland wouldn't come in for a couple of days, they all went off to the Skaal village. Frea didn't know anything more about the Deathbrand story, but Fanari Strong-Voice remembered that there was an island called Haknir's Shoal just north of there. "The only connection may be the name, of course. But since Gyldenhul Barrow is nearby, there's some chance there's more to it than that."
"Since it's close, we might as well check it out," Diablita agreed. "We'll still be back in Raven Rock in plenty of time."
Clark thanked Fanari for her help with a bottle of Sadri's Sujamma. "This is good!" she enthused. "It's not Nord Mead, by any means, but I like it."
He handed another bottle to Frea. "If Fanari likes it, maybe you will, too."
"It's different," she agreed. "I can taste a few familar herbs, but I've never had them in this combination, and certainly not in a drink. I'm not sure I'd drink this all the time, but I do like it."
"It's a bit stronger than mead," Clark agreed, "so I don't imagine anyone would change from one to the other. Sadri, in Raven Rock, makes it, and he'd be willing to trade, if you have something to offer in exchange."
"We usually have a good supply of meat and fish, and we've traded with the Dunmer for Ash Yams when we have a surplus," Fanari offered. "We should be able to work something out."
---
When they reached Haknir's Shoal, just a short walk north of the village, they found they weren't the first to the party. A small group of Reavers were there, camped on the island, and they'd been digging. A chest was visible in the hole they'd dug, and one of them was poking at the lock, trying to open it.
He stopped when the guard spotted Diablita approaching, and raised the alarm. An arrow flew towards her, even before they'd hailed them. "It's either a treasure they don't want to share," she guessed, "or they think we're the Redoran Guard come to arrest them."
Clark didn't think Diablita looked much like a Redoran Guard, but the first option was the likely one anyway. He raised his ward, and followed her. Brelyna cast Ebonyflesh, and pulled the staff from her back.
The Reavers were rather out-classed. It was quite probable that Diablita could have taken them out on her own. Brelyna incinerated the archer that had started it all with a fireball, and Diablita engaged the armoured leader. Clark waited until the mage in the party had exhausted her magicka against his ward and then moved in with his sword. He rather hoped she'd have the sense to run away, but she pulled out a dagger instead. End of mage.
The chest didn't have a very hard lock, so it was soon opened. In it, they found a helm made of Stahlrim. "Is this the cursed one the book mentions?" Clark wondered.
Since none of them ever wore a helm, they weren't inclined to try it. Not that they believed it was cursed; it just wasn't useful.
The Reaver Lord had a map that was of more interest. This island was marked on it, but so were three other locations, widely scattered around the coastline.
"One of them is near Raven Rock, and another near Tel Mithryn," Diablita noted. "We'll be going to both of those anyway."
"Hopefully, Velith will be back on the next ferry and she can join us," Brelyna added.
---
When they got back to Raven Rock, there were still a few hours before the ferry was due. They decided they had enough time to find whatever the map was directing them to.
Another small band of Reavers was there, with another chest they'd dug up. This time, though, they'd also disturbed a family of netch, and were too busy fighting them off to pay any attention to Clark and his companions. They waited until the last Reaver was dead, and the netch drifted back to where they had been grazing.
The lock on this chest was a little harder to pick, as if to compensate for the easier access to it. Eventually, though, Clark had it open, and found a suit of Stahlrim Amour inside. "It wouldn't surprise me to find the other two locations have chests with boots and gauntlets," he surmised. "But we'd better get back into town. The ferry's almost due."
---
They hung the armour and helm on a mannequin in Severin Manor on the way. Brelyna had noticed that they were enchanted, and she intended to examine them more closely after they met the ferry. "If Velith's on board, she'll make a better job of that than I can. Enchanting's her field, not mine."
---
Vicuña was indeed on the ferry, and Gjalund had told her she was expected. She showed them the ancient staff that Neloth had wanted. "Apparently this was made by someone called Azra Nightwielder, who was a pioneer of staff enchanting. Neloth's more interested in it as a historical record than anything else. The staff itself doesn't appear to be special, but he tells me that careful examination will reveal exactly how Azra went about adding the enchantment. Neloth has an enchanting station that uses Heartstones, but of course, they didn't exist back when this staff was made."
"What's a Heartstone?" Brelyna asked.
"Oh you can mine them in a lot of places on Solstheim," she replied. "I was forgetting you haven't been here before. Neloth thinks they came from the explosion of the Red Mountain, so he first found them on the Morrowind mainland. But most of the ash, and the heartstones, fell on Solstheim. Morrowind got the lava, and the floods."
She rummaged around in her pack, and found one. It glowed blood-red, and obviously was a source of magicka, much like a filled soul gem. "And like a soul gem, you can use it for enchanting, which is why Neloth is interested."
"We have something to show you, too," Clark added. "It's back at Severin Manor, so let's go there next."
Previously: Brelyna, Diablita and Clark had collected a set of Stahlrim armour, reputed to be that of Haknir Deathbrand, from a series of chest buried around Solstheim.
---------------
Part 58 - DeathBrand
"There's more to the enchantments on these pieces than the immediately obvious," Vicuña told them. "Without the other parts, I can't figure it all out, but they were made to work together in some way. If you had the complete set, there's a further enchantment that would come into play. I'm sure Neloth would be fascinated, but you'd have to stop him destroying it all to find out how it works."
"Is that what he'll do with that staff you found?" Diablita asked.
"No, he reveres Azra's work too much to do that. It will take him a lot longer to examine the staff without taking it apart, but that's the way he'll do it."
"So it's possible to learn an enchantment without destroying something?" Brelyna asked, suddenly a lot more interested.
"Yes, sometimes. If it's an enchantment you know nothing about, then you have no choice. But if you take Fiery Soul Trap, for example, the one on Clark's sword, then a Master Enchanter who knows both Fire Damage and Soul Trap could duplicate it. With a bit more skill, you can combine more than just two."
"So the enchantment on my robes could be put on something else? There are a lot of enchantments on those, but they're all familiar ones."
"Let me take a look at them," Vicuña replied. "Once you're doing multiple enchantments, it's more a case of power than number. A lot of small ones isn't much harder than a couple of big ones."
Brelyna showed Vicuña the Archmage's Robes. "This may be a little more than I can manage, but well within Neloth's capabilities. Definitely something we could do working together."
"I can see why you'd want to wear something else, too. What did you want to put the enchantment on?"
"This amulet." Brelyna showed her the one she meant. "I had it made in the unique shape of the College symbol so it would make a good badge of office, and I can wear whatever I like with it."
"Or like Vicuña's own amulet, you can wear it without anything else." Clark pointed out. Diablita agreed, of course.
"Getting back to the Stahlrim pieces, we know where the others are, as we have a map. One of them is close to Tel Mithryn, so we'll take these with us when we go there. The other is up to the north-west, nearly all the way to Northshore Landing, where we got the map for Baldor."
"I'd suggest that you three go fetch that one, while I take the staff back to Neloth. I'll bring up the subject of the other enchantments while he's in a good mood, and we'll pick up the last piece when you get to Tel Mithryn."
That sounded like a good plan. They weren't expecting any greater Reaver problems at the other locations, so it wouldn't take all four of them. Neloth was a different matter, and Vicuña probably would do better on her own there.
---
There weren't any Reavers at Bristleback Mine, but there were Rieklings instead. Clark thought he preferred Reavers, as a ward is less effective against spears. Brelyna was inclined to agree. But at least the lock was cooperative, and they soon had a pair of Stahlrim gauntlets to add to the set.
At Tel Mithryn, the chest was guarded by Ash Spawn. Well, it would have been Reavers there, too, but the Ash Spawn had seen to them by the time they arrived. Clark's ward was better against firebolts than spears, and Diablita's sword cut through most things, anyway.
"Boots, do you think?" Clark asked as he started on the lock.
---
Vicuña had paved the way for them well, and Neloth was eager to take a look at the Stahlrim pieces. "Yes, there's an additional enchantment from wearing all of the set," he agreed. "Velith was right about that. But I also get the impression that this isn't all. There should be a shield to go with it, or possibly ..." He paused to think for a moment. "If there isn't a shield, it could have been constructed to use with two weapons, one in each hand. I'd be using two staves, but then I wouldn't be wearing armour. No, I'd imagine the original owner would probably have used a pair of swords."
"Don't try to kid us, We know you've read the book," Vicuña interrupted.
"Oh that book. Well, now you point it out, I see the connection. I was just drawing my conclusions from the evidence. Any correlation to others' conclusions should be made afterward, as you well know. If you don't do that, you just repeat their mistakes."
"And this key that was with the boots will probably provide the proof," Clark added. "I imagine it will open Gyldenhul Barrow, and we'll find a fifth chest there."
"Yes, well you'll have to go and find out, won't you? I have no interest in swords, so I can't help you there."
"How abount enchantments?" Vicuña resumed. "Could we duplicate this one for Brelyna?"
She showed Neloth the Archmages Robes. He raised an eyebrow when he saw them.
"These are the robes of office of the Archmage of Winterhold. How did you get them?"
"Brelyna is the new Archmage. They're her robes."
Neloth noticed Brelyna for the first time. She'd been off to one side, taking to Talvas, while the others were gathered around the Stahlrim armour.
His other eyebrow went up to join the first. He thought she was one of the two most beautiful women he'd seen, if she wasn't both of them. The resemblance was uncanny, although it couldn't be the same one. It had been so long ago. And they'd called her Brelyna. That wasn't the name he remembered.
"Brelyna ... Maryon?" he asked.
She nodded.
"Was Aryana Maryon your mother?"
She nodded again. "I presume you knew her in Morrowind. They tell me I look just like she did when she was my age."
---
They found a couple of Reavers trying to pick the lock on Gyldenhul Barrow. Naturally they were hostile on sight, but no match for Clark's team. The key Clark had found in the last chest fit the lock, as expected, but all that lay behind it was a small chamber with a pair of Stahlrim-covered coffins at either end. A dead Nord lay near one of them. Apparently he'd starved to death while trying to mine the Stahlrim with an ordinary pickaxe.
"Did you bring your Ancient Nordic pickaxe?" Clark asked Diablita.
"Of course. I expect those swords will be made of Stahlrim, too, and if I gather some extra material, we can see if Baldor Iron-Shaper can temper them."
Diablita hacked at the first coffin for some time before she chipped off all the Stahlrim. It really was a hard material, even in its raw form. The second one took just as long, but...
"There's nothing in this one, and the back's open. We can go through to another passage."
"Let's go," Clark agreed, raising his ward in case anything was waiting for them.
He soon dropped it again, as they emerged into a long room full of ... piles of gold. There were a few other items mixed in, jewels, weapons, armour, but no paired swords.
At the other end of the room was a door, locked with the same key they'd used on the outer door. It led to a tunnel, and Clark raised his ward again, and took the lead. Brelyna cast an armour spell, and followed. Diablita pulled her sword from her back and joined Clark at the front.
They emerged in a large, empty chamber, and Clark could see a skeleton lying near a single sword on an altar. It was a scimitar, and glowed with some kind of enchantment.
"I wish Vicuña had come with us," Clark said. "She'd be able to tell us more about that enchantment."
"Well she's helping Neloth enchant my amulet, so I'm happy to have her doing that. We'll find out all we need to know when we take it back to Tel Mithryn."
---------------
Part 58 - DeathBrand
"There's more to the enchantments on these pieces than the immediately obvious," Vicuña told them. "Without the other parts, I can't figure it all out, but they were made to work together in some way. If you had the complete set, there's a further enchantment that would come into play. I'm sure Neloth would be fascinated, but you'd have to stop him destroying it all to find out how it works."
"Is that what he'll do with that staff you found?" Diablita asked.
"No, he reveres Azra's work too much to do that. It will take him a lot longer to examine the staff without taking it apart, but that's the way he'll do it."
"So it's possible to learn an enchantment without destroying something?" Brelyna asked, suddenly a lot more interested.
"Yes, sometimes. If it's an enchantment you know nothing about, then you have no choice. But if you take Fiery Soul Trap, for example, the one on Clark's sword, then a Master Enchanter who knows both Fire Damage and Soul Trap could duplicate it. With a bit more skill, you can combine more than just two."
"So the enchantment on my robes could be put on something else? There are a lot of enchantments on those, but they're all familiar ones."
"Let me take a look at them," Vicuña replied. "Once you're doing multiple enchantments, it's more a case of power than number. A lot of small ones isn't much harder than a couple of big ones."
Brelyna showed Vicuña the Archmage's Robes. "This may be a little more than I can manage, but well within Neloth's capabilities. Definitely something we could do working together."
"I can see why you'd want to wear something else, too. What did you want to put the enchantment on?"
"This amulet." Brelyna showed her the one she meant. "I had it made in the unique shape of the College symbol so it would make a good badge of office, and I can wear whatever I like with it."
"Or like Vicuña's own amulet, you can wear it without anything else." Clark pointed out. Diablita agreed, of course.
"Getting back to the Stahlrim pieces, we know where the others are, as we have a map. One of them is close to Tel Mithryn, so we'll take these with us when we go there. The other is up to the north-west, nearly all the way to Northshore Landing, where we got the map for Baldor."
"I'd suggest that you three go fetch that one, while I take the staff back to Neloth. I'll bring up the subject of the other enchantments while he's in a good mood, and we'll pick up the last piece when you get to Tel Mithryn."
That sounded like a good plan. They weren't expecting any greater Reaver problems at the other locations, so it wouldn't take all four of them. Neloth was a different matter, and Vicuña probably would do better on her own there.
---
There weren't any Reavers at Bristleback Mine, but there were Rieklings instead. Clark thought he preferred Reavers, as a ward is less effective against spears. Brelyna was inclined to agree. But at least the lock was cooperative, and they soon had a pair of Stahlrim gauntlets to add to the set.
At Tel Mithryn, the chest was guarded by Ash Spawn. Well, it would have been Reavers there, too, but the Ash Spawn had seen to them by the time they arrived. Clark's ward was better against firebolts than spears, and Diablita's sword cut through most things, anyway.
"Boots, do you think?" Clark asked as he started on the lock.
---
Vicuña had paved the way for them well, and Neloth was eager to take a look at the Stahlrim pieces. "Yes, there's an additional enchantment from wearing all of the set," he agreed. "Velith was right about that. But I also get the impression that this isn't all. There should be a shield to go with it, or possibly ..." He paused to think for a moment. "If there isn't a shield, it could have been constructed to use with two weapons, one in each hand. I'd be using two staves, but then I wouldn't be wearing armour. No, I'd imagine the original owner would probably have used a pair of swords."
"Don't try to kid us, We know you've read the book," Vicuña interrupted.
"Oh that book. Well, now you point it out, I see the connection. I was just drawing my conclusions from the evidence. Any correlation to others' conclusions should be made afterward, as you well know. If you don't do that, you just repeat their mistakes."
"And this key that was with the boots will probably provide the proof," Clark added. "I imagine it will open Gyldenhul Barrow, and we'll find a fifth chest there."
"Yes, well you'll have to go and find out, won't you? I have no interest in swords, so I can't help you there."
"How abount enchantments?" Vicuña resumed. "Could we duplicate this one for Brelyna?"
She showed Neloth the Archmages Robes. He raised an eyebrow when he saw them.
"These are the robes of office of the Archmage of Winterhold. How did you get them?"
"Brelyna is the new Archmage. They're her robes."
Neloth noticed Brelyna for the first time. She'd been off to one side, taking to Talvas, while the others were gathered around the Stahlrim armour.
His other eyebrow went up to join the first. He thought she was one of the two most beautiful women he'd seen, if she wasn't both of them. The resemblance was uncanny, although it couldn't be the same one. It had been so long ago. And they'd called her Brelyna. That wasn't the name he remembered.
"Brelyna ... Maryon?" he asked.
She nodded.
"Was Aryana Maryon your mother?"
She nodded again. "I presume you knew her in Morrowind. They tell me I look just like she did when she was my age."
---
They found a couple of Reavers trying to pick the lock on Gyldenhul Barrow. Naturally they were hostile on sight, but no match for Clark's team. The key Clark had found in the last chest fit the lock, as expected, but all that lay behind it was a small chamber with a pair of Stahlrim-covered coffins at either end. A dead Nord lay near one of them. Apparently he'd starved to death while trying to mine the Stahlrim with an ordinary pickaxe.
"Did you bring your Ancient Nordic pickaxe?" Clark asked Diablita.
"Of course. I expect those swords will be made of Stahlrim, too, and if I gather some extra material, we can see if Baldor Iron-Shaper can temper them."
Diablita hacked at the first coffin for some time before she chipped off all the Stahlrim. It really was a hard material, even in its raw form. The second one took just as long, but...
"There's nothing in this one, and the back's open. We can go through to another passage."
"Let's go," Clark agreed, raising his ward in case anything was waiting for them.
He soon dropped it again, as they emerged into a long room full of ... piles of gold. There were a few other items mixed in, jewels, weapons, armour, but no paired swords.
At the other end of the room was a door, locked with the same key they'd used on the outer door. It led to a tunnel, and Clark raised his ward again, and took the lead. Brelyna cast an armour spell, and followed. Diablita pulled her sword from her back and joined Clark at the front.
They emerged in a large, empty chamber, and Clark could see a skeleton lying near a single sword on an altar. It was a scimitar, and glowed with some kind of enchantment.
"I wish Vicuña had come with us," Clark said. "She'd be able to tell us more about that enchantment."
"Well she's helping Neloth enchant my amulet, so I'm happy to have her doing that. We'll find out all we need to know when we take it back to Tel Mithryn."
Prevuiously: Clark Brelyna and Diablita entered Gyldenhul Barrow in search of swords. So far, they found one.
---------------
Part 59 - Haknir
Clark picked up the scimitar, and a noise from behind them told him they were no longer alone. He turned, and saw that a ghostly figure had appeared near the entrance, which was now closed off. The ghost was wielding twin scimitars, and charging right at them.
Diablita swung the Bloodskal Blade, and a slash of red fire crossed the ghost's chest. At the same time, Brelyna's lightning bolt hit him, and he disappeared again.
But around the room, four more ghosts had replaced him, armed with bows, axes and hammers. Diablita charged at the nearest archer, and Clark did the same on the other flank. Brelyna summoned a flame atronach to even the sides, and fired a second bolt from her staff at another ghost.
When the first wave had been put down, the twin-bladed ghost re-appeared. Again they fought him for a short time, and he winked out again, with more of his crew taking his place.
"Are these tougher than the last lot, or am I just getting tired?" Clark asked nobody in particular.
"Both," agreed Brelyna. "Keep your ward up. I need to re-cast my armour."
Diablita was running around shutting down the archers as they appeared. Clark and Brelyna stayed together, and he protected her with his ward while she poured lightning into anyone who approached. As she switched to a second staff, he took the first and re-charged it, without interrupting the ward.
"How do you manage to sustain that for so long?" Brelyna managed to ask, as the last of the current wave of crew fell, and Haknir popped back in.
"Fortify Restoration on my whole outfit," he replied. "Azura's idea, and it really works well."
Diablita's sword didn't need recharging. "But I do," she told them, chugging a stamina potion as she closed with the ghost again.
For a third time, he left them, and more of his crew took his place. Not as many in this third wave, but they looked better armoured than the ones before. "No archers this time, which is something positive."
Brelyna's fresh atronach now put the numerical advantage in their favour, and they spread out to flank the remaining ghosts. "And if Haknir appears in the same place again, we'll have him surrounded," Diablita noted.
"We have to finish these two first," Clark reminded her.
The one nearest Clark and Brelyna unexpectedly got a fireball in the back from the flame atronach, and visibly weakened. The other took advantage of the atronach's diverted attention to send it back to Oblivion. But that, in turn, gave Diablita the opening she needed. Thalin Ebonhand's ghost staggered as she struck, and he never regained his balance. Now only Garuk Windrime's ghost remained, and not for long.
Haknir was immediately back in their midst. But as Diablita had indicated, he was surrounded, and couldn't face them all. Since Clark was dealing the least damage, Haknir turned on him first, and flailed at the ward with his scimitars. Since a ward is best at deflecting spells, not blades, Clark was starting to wish he'd brought a shield.
But before Haknir could break through, he was brought to his knees by a powerful blow from Diablita, and a bolt of shock from Brelyna, arriving together. Clark quickly added a thrust from his sword, and Haknir finally fell. Among Haknir's remains they found a second scimitar to match the one Clark had taken from the altar, except that this had a different glow than the first.
"One absorbs health, and the other magicka," Brelyna noted. "but not unless you wield them together. And there's something else in the enchantments to weaken or destroy armour, physical or otherwise."
"I just hope Rayya will appreciate what we had to go through to get them," Clark remarked. "The set of armour was a breeze by comparison."
"These don't look like they're made of Stahlrim, though. Are you sure they're the right ones?" Diablita wanted to know.
"I'd imagine they used Stahlrim to help enchant them, but they actually look like they're made of steel. Still, Chrysamere was made from Adamantium, but looked like Stahlrim, and Chillrend is Glass that's blue, so I expect these will temper with something else entirely. We'll ask Baldor, when we go back through the village."
---
"Ebony," Baldor told them, "and you'll need the Daedric skill to do it. These are clearly an artifact with at least some contribution from other realms. I could never have made anything like them, and I doubt any mortal smith could."
"The armour you found is a set, but these swords aren't part of it. They all may have had the same owner, but there are two distinct styles. I would imagine the armour is local, but the swords look more like they came from Hammerfell. How Haknir got them is a tale that hasn't been written, but as a pirate, he'd have travelled widely."
"But can you help us temper them?" Clark wanted to know.
"Not I," the Skaal replied. "I do not want to work on Daedric pieces, so I never learned to do so."
Clark recalled Iona telling him that Balimund could work Ebony, and she was learning to do that for herself. That was a little short of Daedric, however. Perhaps Eorland Grey-Mane, although he had a style of his own. His pieces were the equal of Daedric, but not the same. Serana had mentioned that the smith at Fort Dawnguard could train to the highest levels, so maybe he could do it.
Whichever it was, they were all back on the mainland. And so was Rayya, which meant that it could wait until he went back.
---
Back at Tel Mithryn, Vicuña and Neloth had enchanted Brelyna's amulet to match the robes.
"There's just one small snag," Neloth told her. "The nature of the enchantment is such that you can't wear the robes and the amulet together. It just won't work a second time on the same person."
"That's all right. I wanted the amulet enchanted so I wouldn't have to wear the robes. They're practical, but they're dull, and boring. Besides, I don't want to have to wear the same outfit every day."
"And you should be wearing something with a bit more Telvanni style," Neloth told her. "You need to remind everyone where your magical prowess originates."
That gave Vicuña an idea, and she went to fetch Ildari's robes from her chest. When they got back to Severin Manor, she'd see if she could alter those for Brelyna.
---
"When I see a guard's eyes following me," Brelyna said, back at Severin Manor, "it's not the same here as it was in Skyrim. Over there, I could just feel the suspicion that I was about to blow something up. Over here, he's just being male."
"Well, if you like that feeling, we should do something about your outfit," Vicuña told her.
"And maybe her hair. That's a much better style than she used to wear as an Apprentice mage, but it's still a bit ordinary," Diablita added. "Still, that fits with the College-issue robes she's wearing. It's all a fit-in-with-the-crowd ensemble, if you ask me."
"I'm not sure I want to stand out from the crowd as much as you do," Brelyna answered. "I'm not built the same way."
"Perhaps you should," Clark responded. "As Archmage, you're supposed to be a figure of note, and draw some attention. And if the guards are noticing you, ..."
"Well, I am new here, and Velith and Diablita have been walking around half-naked long enough that they don't notice any more. Or not as much, anyway."
"So we need to stop that happening for you," Vicuña pointed out. "Prepare to strut your stuff!"
She held up Ildari's robes for Brelyna to look at. "We'll have to cut the front away; there's a huge hole where the heartstone used to be. But that's a good thing, because then your amulet will show."
"Won't I be showing a bit too much of me at the same time?" Brelyna complained. "I'll be feeling the cold if you go that far."
"We'll add an enchantment to keep you warm. Nothing says 'mage' like ignoring the elements, and dressing for pure visual effect. And yes, before you ask, I did that on mine. Being an enchantment, it doesn't wear off and give you a nasty surprise!"
Clark looked over at Diablita. Her chains couldn't offer much protection from frost, and he didn't recall her having enchanted them with anything but defense. "Same here," she admitted. "That's one reason I wanted to learn the mage armour spells instead. That, and needing a stronger enchantment than anyone could manage without a Sigil Stone. I could get enough frost protection, but not enough against physical damage."
Clark had a bit of advice to offer, from his memory of the Bear Riders. "When it's frost protection, enchant the piece of clothing you'll take off last."
"Good point," Vicuña agreed. "Even the most wispy piece of lace can hold a full enchantment. And if you need them, you won't easily forget them!"
The way Brelyna blushed made Clark think that had happened before, but he didn't ask.
---------------
Part 59 - Haknir
Clark picked up the scimitar, and a noise from behind them told him they were no longer alone. He turned, and saw that a ghostly figure had appeared near the entrance, which was now closed off. The ghost was wielding twin scimitars, and charging right at them.
Diablita swung the Bloodskal Blade, and a slash of red fire crossed the ghost's chest. At the same time, Brelyna's lightning bolt hit him, and he disappeared again.
But around the room, four more ghosts had replaced him, armed with bows, axes and hammers. Diablita charged at the nearest archer, and Clark did the same on the other flank. Brelyna summoned a flame atronach to even the sides, and fired a second bolt from her staff at another ghost.
When the first wave had been put down, the twin-bladed ghost re-appeared. Again they fought him for a short time, and he winked out again, with more of his crew taking his place.
"Are these tougher than the last lot, or am I just getting tired?" Clark asked nobody in particular.
"Both," agreed Brelyna. "Keep your ward up. I need to re-cast my armour."
Diablita was running around shutting down the archers as they appeared. Clark and Brelyna stayed together, and he protected her with his ward while she poured lightning into anyone who approached. As she switched to a second staff, he took the first and re-charged it, without interrupting the ward.
"How do you manage to sustain that for so long?" Brelyna managed to ask, as the last of the current wave of crew fell, and Haknir popped back in.
"Fortify Restoration on my whole outfit," he replied. "Azura's idea, and it really works well."
Diablita's sword didn't need recharging. "But I do," she told them, chugging a stamina potion as she closed with the ghost again.
For a third time, he left them, and more of his crew took his place. Not as many in this third wave, but they looked better armoured than the ones before. "No archers this time, which is something positive."
Brelyna's fresh atronach now put the numerical advantage in their favour, and they spread out to flank the remaining ghosts. "And if Haknir appears in the same place again, we'll have him surrounded," Diablita noted.
"We have to finish these two first," Clark reminded her.
The one nearest Clark and Brelyna unexpectedly got a fireball in the back from the flame atronach, and visibly weakened. The other took advantage of the atronach's diverted attention to send it back to Oblivion. But that, in turn, gave Diablita the opening she needed. Thalin Ebonhand's ghost staggered as she struck, and he never regained his balance. Now only Garuk Windrime's ghost remained, and not for long.
Haknir was immediately back in their midst. But as Diablita had indicated, he was surrounded, and couldn't face them all. Since Clark was dealing the least damage, Haknir turned on him first, and flailed at the ward with his scimitars. Since a ward is best at deflecting spells, not blades, Clark was starting to wish he'd brought a shield.
But before Haknir could break through, he was brought to his knees by a powerful blow from Diablita, and a bolt of shock from Brelyna, arriving together. Clark quickly added a thrust from his sword, and Haknir finally fell. Among Haknir's remains they found a second scimitar to match the one Clark had taken from the altar, except that this had a different glow than the first.
"One absorbs health, and the other magicka," Brelyna noted. "but not unless you wield them together. And there's something else in the enchantments to weaken or destroy armour, physical or otherwise."
"I just hope Rayya will appreciate what we had to go through to get them," Clark remarked. "The set of armour was a breeze by comparison."
"These don't look like they're made of Stahlrim, though. Are you sure they're the right ones?" Diablita wanted to know.
"I'd imagine they used Stahlrim to help enchant them, but they actually look like they're made of steel. Still, Chrysamere was made from Adamantium, but looked like Stahlrim, and Chillrend is Glass that's blue, so I expect these will temper with something else entirely. We'll ask Baldor, when we go back through the village."
---
"Ebony," Baldor told them, "and you'll need the Daedric skill to do it. These are clearly an artifact with at least some contribution from other realms. I could never have made anything like them, and I doubt any mortal smith could."
"The armour you found is a set, but these swords aren't part of it. They all may have had the same owner, but there are two distinct styles. I would imagine the armour is local, but the swords look more like they came from Hammerfell. How Haknir got them is a tale that hasn't been written, but as a pirate, he'd have travelled widely."
"But can you help us temper them?" Clark wanted to know.
"Not I," the Skaal replied. "I do not want to work on Daedric pieces, so I never learned to do so."
Clark recalled Iona telling him that Balimund could work Ebony, and she was learning to do that for herself. That was a little short of Daedric, however. Perhaps Eorland Grey-Mane, although he had a style of his own. His pieces were the equal of Daedric, but not the same. Serana had mentioned that the smith at Fort Dawnguard could train to the highest levels, so maybe he could do it.
Whichever it was, they were all back on the mainland. And so was Rayya, which meant that it could wait until he went back.
---
Back at Tel Mithryn, Vicuña and Neloth had enchanted Brelyna's amulet to match the robes.
"There's just one small snag," Neloth told her. "The nature of the enchantment is such that you can't wear the robes and the amulet together. It just won't work a second time on the same person."
"That's all right. I wanted the amulet enchanted so I wouldn't have to wear the robes. They're practical, but they're dull, and boring. Besides, I don't want to have to wear the same outfit every day."
"And you should be wearing something with a bit more Telvanni style," Neloth told her. "You need to remind everyone where your magical prowess originates."
That gave Vicuña an idea, and she went to fetch Ildari's robes from her chest. When they got back to Severin Manor, she'd see if she could alter those for Brelyna.
---
"When I see a guard's eyes following me," Brelyna said, back at Severin Manor, "it's not the same here as it was in Skyrim. Over there, I could just feel the suspicion that I was about to blow something up. Over here, he's just being male."
"Well, if you like that feeling, we should do something about your outfit," Vicuña told her.
"And maybe her hair. That's a much better style than she used to wear as an Apprentice mage, but it's still a bit ordinary," Diablita added. "Still, that fits with the College-issue robes she's wearing. It's all a fit-in-with-the-crowd ensemble, if you ask me."
"I'm not sure I want to stand out from the crowd as much as you do," Brelyna answered. "I'm not built the same way."
"Perhaps you should," Clark responded. "As Archmage, you're supposed to be a figure of note, and draw some attention. And if the guards are noticing you, ..."
"Well, I am new here, and Velith and Diablita have been walking around half-naked long enough that they don't notice any more. Or not as much, anyway."
"So we need to stop that happening for you," Vicuña pointed out. "Prepare to strut your stuff!"
She held up Ildari's robes for Brelyna to look at. "We'll have to cut the front away; there's a huge hole where the heartstone used to be. But that's a good thing, because then your amulet will show."
"Won't I be showing a bit too much of me at the same time?" Brelyna complained. "I'll be feeling the cold if you go that far."
"We'll add an enchantment to keep you warm. Nothing says 'mage' like ignoring the elements, and dressing for pure visual effect. And yes, before you ask, I did that on mine. Being an enchantment, it doesn't wear off and give you a nasty surprise!"
Clark looked over at Diablita. Her chains couldn't offer much protection from frost, and he didn't recall her having enchanted them with anything but defense. "Same here," she admitted. "That's one reason I wanted to learn the mage armour spells instead. That, and needing a stronger enchantment than anyone could manage without a Sigil Stone. I could get enough frost protection, but not enough against physical damage."
Clark had a bit of advice to offer, from his memory of the Bear Riders. "When it's frost protection, enchant the piece of clothing you'll take off last."
"Good point," Vicuña agreed. "Even the most wispy piece of lace can hold a full enchantment. And if you need them, you won't easily forget them!"
The way Brelyna blushed made Clark think that had happened before, but he didn't ask.
Clark’s crew on this Solstheim adventure is probably my favorite combination of characters so far. I like the way they interact with each other. Brelyna is a delight. Now I’m wondering where she left her wispy lace items and how often this happens. New Winterhold radiant quest: find Arch-Mage’s panties!
Grits: What happens in Morrowind, stays in Morrowind.
--------------
Previously: Clark, Brelyna and Diablita fought Haknir Death-Brand's ghost to retrieve his swords, and they took them to Baldor Iron-Shaper to see if they could be improved. Neloth helped enchant Brelyna's amulet, and Vicuña made her a new outfit.
----------------------
Part 60 - Return to Skyrim
He left the women discussing hairstyles. Brelyna wanted something that was easy to maintain, and Vicuña was advocating something more formal and up-swept. Brelyna was a slight figure, and needed some extra height. They both agreed that her ears shouldn't be covered, as they were so much a Dunmer hallmark, and hers were exquisite.
His feet steered him into town, to chat with Glover Mallory. Clark had delivered a letter to his daughter, Sapphire, and he wanted to know if she'd got in touch with her father.
"Yes, she did," the smith told him. "and I got another letter from my brother, Delvin, too. First time he's written in a long time. They both told me how much the Thieves Guild has changed since I've been here. I gather that apprentice of yours is the cause of that."
"Was Maven Black-Briar in the picture when you left the mainland?" Clark asked.
"She'd turned up in Riften, and bought the meadery, but wasn't involved with the Guild. I didn't like her, but that was just because she charged too much for her mead. It was good, but not that good."
"I'd suggest that Maven's had more effect than Gilda. She's just put things back the way they should have been."
"I'd disagree," Glover objected. "Mercer Frey was taking things in the wrong direction even before he had Maven's help. He's one reason I'm here, and the other is that I learned to mend Bonemold, which gave me the opportunity."
"So when's Sapphire coming to visit? Or will you be going over there?"
"Hard to say. We're both pretty busy these days. The Thieves Guild is humming again, and now the mine's re-opened, I have a lot of repair work to keep me active."
Just in case, Clark asked Glover about Daedric smithing.
"Beyond me," he answered, much as Clark had expected. "But I do know that it's not very different from smithing Ebony. There's a difference in incorporating the Deadra Hearts, when you make it in the first place, but the tempering process is almost identical."
---
Both Brelyna and Vicuña returned to Skyrim with Clark. Neloth wanted Vicuña to fetch a briar heart for him, preferably after witnessing its installation by a hagraven. He'd cast a memory spell on her that would show him everything she learned about the process, and he hoped to repeat it with heartstones.
His first attempt at that was, of course, Ildari Sarothril, and that hadn't exactly been a success. It wasn't clear if Ildari had been the cause of all the Ash Spawn, or whether the heartstone deposits did that, and she'd just harnessed them to her purposes. Vicuña was inclined to believe the latter, as Ildari hadn't been that powerful a mage.
"So you'll be heading back to the Markarth area, then. The Forsworn are all in the Reach."
"I'd certainly like to check in at the brothel there. Rhiada's been running the place in my absence, and being a mother at the same time. She probably needs a rest by now."
Brelyna had official duties as Archmage, and she needed to return to the College. She intended to go to Riften first, and pick up Mjoll to accompany her. Clark proposed that they all go there, and see if Iona would join him to help out Vicuña in her briarheart hunt. He'd also like to see how her smithing was progressing. He knew she was training it with a view to making her own ebony armour, and she might be getting close to making Daedric, too.
"If she has made a suit of ebony, she'll be a great addition to the party. That stuff almost makes you invulnerable, especially if it's fully improved." Brelyna enthused. "I wonder if she'd make some for Mjoll, too."
---
Iona had indeed made a suit of ebony, and the boots and gauntlets to go with it. "Then I ran out of ingots, and couldn't improve it. You don't have any, do you?"
Clark hadn't brought any back from Raven Rock mine. With Gloombound producing well, it wasn't the most profitable goods to carry. He'd taken a case or two of Sadri's Sujamma for the New Gnisis Corner Club, and hadn't had much capacity for more in his pack.
"We'll get some more from Gloombound later. It's a pretty decent set already, without the extra work. Did you make a helmet?"
"No, I can't see properly out of the full helm. I know I'd get a lot more defence by having a full matching set, but if it hampers my vision, I'd lose out on offense. I do have a matching shield, though."
---
Babies are cute, but a bit smelly at times, so Iona and Vicuña gave Rhiada's back and they all headed out of Markarth again. "Where's the nearest place to find a briarheart?" Clark wondered.
"The hagravens seem to prefer the higher elevations, according to Neloth. He thinks it's a bird thing, even if they can't fly. So I'm thinking that Dead Crone Rock, at the top of Hag Rock Redoubt, is our best bet. Unless those names were intended to be misleading, of course." Vicuña suggested
"Unlikely," Clark thought. "But the 'dead' part could mean the hagravens aren't there any more."
"We'll see when we get there," Iona decided for them. "It will all be a good test of my new armour anyway."
Clark was glad to note that she'd not been tempted to replace Chillrend with an ebony sword, just for looks.
---
The trail to Hag Rock seemed to be a playground for bears. There was one around each bend, and since Iona was eager to test her armour, they let her do most of the work.
"You're not finding the ebony a bit heavy?" Clark inquired. "It looks like it should be."
"I am getting a good workout, but that's no problem. Using it makes me stronger, and I'll be used to the extra weight before I know it."
Clark checked Chillrend, to make sure it was fully charged. They were almost at Hag Rock, so he used Azura's Star to be certain.
"Vicuña, if we see any archers, hit them with lightning before they can do us any damage. If we make the others come to us, my ward and Iona's armour and shield should be our advantage. Between us, we'll have most attacks countered. Your shock spells will work for mages, too, and drain their magicka."
"Iona, stay with me and keep Vicuña safe behind us. You won't want to get in her line of fire by running ahead anyway."
"We'll go up the nearest tower and across the bridge. The long way round would give us more cover, but it also lets them drop rocks on us."
---
Progress was slow, but steady. They stuck to their plan, at least until the giant frostbite spider appeared out of a hut near the top. That wasn't in the plan at all, but the general formation of Clark and Iona blocking for the spell-caster suited just as well.
There were no enemies left between them and Dead Crone itself. They'd killed one briarheart already, and taken his eponymous item for Neloth, but they were still hoping to find a hagraven making another.
"What do you expect to find in the tower?" Iona asked. "More spiders?"
"I doubt there's room for another of those, but who knows what else we'll find. Be prepared for the unexpected."
There were only Forsworn in the base of the tower, plus a few traps to avoid and neutralise. If there was a Hagraven in residence, she'd be at the top. It looked to Clark like the door ahead of them would open at the top of the tower, so he advised them all to sneak the rest of the way.
The door led to a long flight of steps, and Clark could just see another briarheart seated at a table on a landing half-way up. "If Iona can put an arrow in him, at the same time as you hit him with some lightning, we may get past without a fight," he suggested. The two prepared, and he tapped their shoulders simultaneously to signal the attack.
It worked, but of course the sound of the spell alerted the hagraven, who appeared at the top of the stairs to hurl a fireball at them. Clark raised his ward before she could do it again, and stepped forward. Iona stuck with her bow, firing over his head.
Vicuña's Dunmer resistance to fire allowed her to push past Clark and start to shut down the hagraven with more shock spells. As she abandoned the fireballs, and started to use her claws, Iona drew Chillrend and took over.
They stepped over the hagraven's corpse, pausing only to gather the feathers. On the altar beyond was a dead Forsworn, with his heart already removed. A briar heart was waiting next to him, due to be installed in the ritual they'd interrupted. And on the other side was another Stone of Barenziah.
--------------
Previously: Clark, Brelyna and Diablita fought Haknir Death-Brand's ghost to retrieve his swords, and they took them to Baldor Iron-Shaper to see if they could be improved. Neloth helped enchant Brelyna's amulet, and Vicuña made her a new outfit.
----------------------
Part 60 - Return to Skyrim
He left the women discussing hairstyles. Brelyna wanted something that was easy to maintain, and Vicuña was advocating something more formal and up-swept. Brelyna was a slight figure, and needed some extra height. They both agreed that her ears shouldn't be covered, as they were so much a Dunmer hallmark, and hers were exquisite.
His feet steered him into town, to chat with Glover Mallory. Clark had delivered a letter to his daughter, Sapphire, and he wanted to know if she'd got in touch with her father.
"Yes, she did," the smith told him. "and I got another letter from my brother, Delvin, too. First time he's written in a long time. They both told me how much the Thieves Guild has changed since I've been here. I gather that apprentice of yours is the cause of that."
"Was Maven Black-Briar in the picture when you left the mainland?" Clark asked.
"She'd turned up in Riften, and bought the meadery, but wasn't involved with the Guild. I didn't like her, but that was just because she charged too much for her mead. It was good, but not that good."
"I'd suggest that Maven's had more effect than Gilda. She's just put things back the way they should have been."
"I'd disagree," Glover objected. "Mercer Frey was taking things in the wrong direction even before he had Maven's help. He's one reason I'm here, and the other is that I learned to mend Bonemold, which gave me the opportunity."
"So when's Sapphire coming to visit? Or will you be going over there?"
"Hard to say. We're both pretty busy these days. The Thieves Guild is humming again, and now the mine's re-opened, I have a lot of repair work to keep me active."
Just in case, Clark asked Glover about Daedric smithing.
"Beyond me," he answered, much as Clark had expected. "But I do know that it's not very different from smithing Ebony. There's a difference in incorporating the Deadra Hearts, when you make it in the first place, but the tempering process is almost identical."
---
Both Brelyna and Vicuña returned to Skyrim with Clark. Neloth wanted Vicuña to fetch a briar heart for him, preferably after witnessing its installation by a hagraven. He'd cast a memory spell on her that would show him everything she learned about the process, and he hoped to repeat it with heartstones.
His first attempt at that was, of course, Ildari Sarothril, and that hadn't exactly been a success. It wasn't clear if Ildari had been the cause of all the Ash Spawn, or whether the heartstone deposits did that, and she'd just harnessed them to her purposes. Vicuña was inclined to believe the latter, as Ildari hadn't been that powerful a mage.
"So you'll be heading back to the Markarth area, then. The Forsworn are all in the Reach."
"I'd certainly like to check in at the brothel there. Rhiada's been running the place in my absence, and being a mother at the same time. She probably needs a rest by now."
Brelyna had official duties as Archmage, and she needed to return to the College. She intended to go to Riften first, and pick up Mjoll to accompany her. Clark proposed that they all go there, and see if Iona would join him to help out Vicuña in her briarheart hunt. He'd also like to see how her smithing was progressing. He knew she was training it with a view to making her own ebony armour, and she might be getting close to making Daedric, too.
"If she has made a suit of ebony, she'll be a great addition to the party. That stuff almost makes you invulnerable, especially if it's fully improved." Brelyna enthused. "I wonder if she'd make some for Mjoll, too."
---
Iona had indeed made a suit of ebony, and the boots and gauntlets to go with it. "Then I ran out of ingots, and couldn't improve it. You don't have any, do you?"
Clark hadn't brought any back from Raven Rock mine. With Gloombound producing well, it wasn't the most profitable goods to carry. He'd taken a case or two of Sadri's Sujamma for the New Gnisis Corner Club, and hadn't had much capacity for more in his pack.
"We'll get some more from Gloombound later. It's a pretty decent set already, without the extra work. Did you make a helmet?"
"No, I can't see properly out of the full helm. I know I'd get a lot more defence by having a full matching set, but if it hampers my vision, I'd lose out on offense. I do have a matching shield, though."
---
Babies are cute, but a bit smelly at times, so Iona and Vicuña gave Rhiada's back and they all headed out of Markarth again. "Where's the nearest place to find a briarheart?" Clark wondered.
"The hagravens seem to prefer the higher elevations, according to Neloth. He thinks it's a bird thing, even if they can't fly. So I'm thinking that Dead Crone Rock, at the top of Hag Rock Redoubt, is our best bet. Unless those names were intended to be misleading, of course." Vicuña suggested
"Unlikely," Clark thought. "But the 'dead' part could mean the hagravens aren't there any more."
"We'll see when we get there," Iona decided for them. "It will all be a good test of my new armour anyway."
Clark was glad to note that she'd not been tempted to replace Chillrend with an ebony sword, just for looks.
---
The trail to Hag Rock seemed to be a playground for bears. There was one around each bend, and since Iona was eager to test her armour, they let her do most of the work.
"You're not finding the ebony a bit heavy?" Clark inquired. "It looks like it should be."
"I am getting a good workout, but that's no problem. Using it makes me stronger, and I'll be used to the extra weight before I know it."
Clark checked Chillrend, to make sure it was fully charged. They were almost at Hag Rock, so he used Azura's Star to be certain.
"Vicuña, if we see any archers, hit them with lightning before they can do us any damage. If we make the others come to us, my ward and Iona's armour and shield should be our advantage. Between us, we'll have most attacks countered. Your shock spells will work for mages, too, and drain their magicka."
"Iona, stay with me and keep Vicuña safe behind us. You won't want to get in her line of fire by running ahead anyway."
"We'll go up the nearest tower and across the bridge. The long way round would give us more cover, but it also lets them drop rocks on us."
---
Progress was slow, but steady. They stuck to their plan, at least until the giant frostbite spider appeared out of a hut near the top. That wasn't in the plan at all, but the general formation of Clark and Iona blocking for the spell-caster suited just as well.
There were no enemies left between them and Dead Crone itself. They'd killed one briarheart already, and taken his eponymous item for Neloth, but they were still hoping to find a hagraven making another.
"What do you expect to find in the tower?" Iona asked. "More spiders?"
"I doubt there's room for another of those, but who knows what else we'll find. Be prepared for the unexpected."
There were only Forsworn in the base of the tower, plus a few traps to avoid and neutralise. If there was a Hagraven in residence, she'd be at the top. It looked to Clark like the door ahead of them would open at the top of the tower, so he advised them all to sneak the rest of the way.
The door led to a long flight of steps, and Clark could just see another briarheart seated at a table on a landing half-way up. "If Iona can put an arrow in him, at the same time as you hit him with some lightning, we may get past without a fight," he suggested. The two prepared, and he tapped their shoulders simultaneously to signal the attack.
It worked, but of course the sound of the spell alerted the hagraven, who appeared at the top of the stairs to hurl a fireball at them. Clark raised his ward before she could do it again, and stepped forward. Iona stuck with her bow, firing over his head.
Vicuña's Dunmer resistance to fire allowed her to push past Clark and start to shut down the hagraven with more shock spells. As she abandoned the fireballs, and started to use her claws, Iona drew Chillrend and took over.
They stepped over the hagraven's corpse, pausing only to gather the feathers. On the altar beyond was a dead Forsworn, with his heart already removed. A briar heart was waiting next to him, due to be installed in the ritual they'd interrupted. And on the other side was another Stone of Barenziah.
Previously: Clark found another Stone of Barenziah while helping Vicuña with a mission for Neloth.
-------------------
Part 61 - Dark Brotherhood, Dark Armour
"This makes thirteen, doesn't it?" Clark asked Gilda, back at Honeyside.
"Fifteen," She corrected him. "I just found another up north in a nordic ruin called Yngvild."
"Why were you up there?"
"Vekel asked me to look for a set of books that were supposed to be hidden there. I owed him a favour, so I agreed to take a look. I found a nasty old necromancer and the Stone as well as the books he wanted."
"And the other one?"
"Mjoll just brought me that. Wouldn't say where she found it, but she knew from Brelyna that I was collecting them. Perhaps you can get the story from her."
---
Clark was better suited to persuading a woman to talk than Gilda was, and Mjoll soon confessed how she came to find the Stone. The part she was most embarassed about was Grelod.
"The old woman who runs the orphanage? What about her?"
"I killed her," Mjoll replied. "I didn't mean to, but I caught her beating one of the kids, and I put her across my knee to see how she liked it. I didn't even hit her, she just clutched her chest and went limp. Of course, the kids all cheered when that happened, the disrespectful little urchins. It took all I knew to calm Constance down, but when I reminded her that she'd be responsible for the orphans now, that seemed to get her back to rights."
"And the stone? Don't tell me they had one in the orphanage."
"No, I got that later. A courier delivered me a note with a handprint on it, and the words 'we know'. Nothing else, no signature or anything. Then that night I woke up in a shack miles away with a masked woman telling me I'd stolen a victim from the Dark Brotherhood. She wanted me to repay them by killing one of the other people she'd dragged to the shack. There were three of them, tied up with sacks over their heads. I don't kill anyone who can't fight back, so I killed the woman instead."
"She was Astrid, head of the Dark Brotherhood, and one of the Solitude guards told me I should report her death to the Penitus Oculatus in Dragonbridge on my way back here. So I did, and they asked me to finish the job by killing all the others at their hideout near Falkreath. That's where I found the stone, in their Sanctuary."
"Just like that. You killed them all, and found the stone."
"Well it wasn't that easy, but now I have Grimsever back, and improved, it's easier than it used to be. I didn't even need Brelyna and her magic this time. They came at me one a time, or I might not have succeeded, but I guess assassins aren't used to teamwork."
"I picked up this book for Brelyna, too. I don't know if she's read this one, but it has the symbol for alteration on the cover. She usually likes those."
---
If Mjoll was going to do that sort of thing on her own, Clark thought that Brelyna's idea of making her a set of ebony armour was a good one. And Iona wanted to improve hers, too, so a visit to Narzulbur and Gloombound Mine seemed like a good idea. Perhaps Mjoll would want to come along and help dig the ore.
"Almost didn't recognise you with your top on," Chief Mauhulakh greeted Iona as they entered the stronghold.
"What's that about?" Mjoll wanted to know. Iona had to tell her about her bout of fisticuffs with the Orc to gain Blood-kin status.
"Great strategy," Mauhulakh added, "She had me totally distracted. Doesn't just fight well, that one. She can think, too."
"I take it she beat you?" Clark inquired.
"Let's just say I conceded. It's all about putting up a good fight, rather than the outcome."
"We've come to ask if we can mine some more ebony, so I can improve my armour," Iona told him. "Can Mjoll help?"
"Maybe I should ask her to mine topless. It should be just as good from my point of view, and it hurts a lot less!" the Orc laughed, "No, just mine a bit more than you're using, and that will pay us back. There's plenty of ore down there, and every bit of effort digging it is appreciated."
"Can we use the smelter and forge too? It will save us carting it all the way back to Riften."
"Of course, if Dushnamub isn't using them. Give him your surplus ebony when you're done."
---
With all three of them swinging pickaxes, it didn't take too long to extract the ore Iona needed. There were a few iron veins there as well, and although they didn't need any for their current project, they took some of that up to Dushnamub, too.
"No need to smelt the iron. I don't know if I'll use for steel yet," he told them. "Most of my work is repairing pickaxes, and they use a lot of it."
Iona got busy making Mjoll's equipment. "I'll do all the forge work first, and then improve it all at the workbench after, mine and hers."
Pretty soon, Iona realised she didn't have enough leather strips for everything. "I have those," Dushnamub said. "What have you got in exchange?"
"How about my banded iron armour?" asked Mjoll. "I won't needing that any more."
Clark had enough gold to pay for the leather, but Mjoll was already taking off her cuirass, and he wasn't about to stop her. Iona wasn't going to be upstaged by anyone, so of course her armour had to come off to be taken to the armourer's workbench.
"It's a Nord thing," Clark explained to the incredulous Orc smith. "Mjoll's always saying how she finds the cold exhilarating. I notice neither of them is venturing too far from the forge, though."
"I hope you're not making mine too tight in the chest," Mjoll was saying. "I need more room than you do."
"You do not," Iona argued. "Mine are just as big as yours. Clark, settle this for us!"
"You're both smaller than Gilda, so why debate who's second? If it's just an excuse to argue, I'll find you a pit of mud to wrestle in, and charge admission."
That made both of them laugh, and Dushnamub grinned at the prospect, too.
As if to settle the question, Iona found that she couldn't remember which armour was which, but it turned out that it didn't matter. They really were the same size, at least when it came to the armour fitting them.
---
Dushnamub didn't do Daedric either. "Although we mine ebony here, I don't even use that. Orcish takes Orichalcum, and tradition's more important to us. I can improve that to the point where ebony's no better, anyway."
---
Back in Riften, Clark asked Serana about the Fort Dawnguard smith.
"Gunmar? If you want a suit of armour for your dog, or a troll, he's your man. A bit weird, but a great smith. About the only one in Skyrim who knows about making crossbows, too."
"Do you think we could get him to temper Rayya's scimitars?" Clark asked. "There aren't many smiths that can work on Daedric items. I have the ebony it would take, but not the skill."
"Well the problem would be getting to him," Serana pointed out. "I could go there, but I wouldn't want to, given that you-know-who is probably there. They wouldn't let you in, because you're not a member of the Dawnguard. The same with Iona, if she wanted training, she'd have to join them first."
"I know what you mean," Clark agreed. "Eorlund Grey-Mane is the only other smith I know who can train at that level, but you have to be a Companion before he'll do that."
-------------------
Part 61 - Dark Brotherhood, Dark Armour
"This makes thirteen, doesn't it?" Clark asked Gilda, back at Honeyside.
"Fifteen," She corrected him. "I just found another up north in a nordic ruin called Yngvild."
"Why were you up there?"
"Vekel asked me to look for a set of books that were supposed to be hidden there. I owed him a favour, so I agreed to take a look. I found a nasty old necromancer and the Stone as well as the books he wanted."
"And the other one?"
"Mjoll just brought me that. Wouldn't say where she found it, but she knew from Brelyna that I was collecting them. Perhaps you can get the story from her."
---
Clark was better suited to persuading a woman to talk than Gilda was, and Mjoll soon confessed how she came to find the Stone. The part she was most embarassed about was Grelod.
"The old woman who runs the orphanage? What about her?"
"I killed her," Mjoll replied. "I didn't mean to, but I caught her beating one of the kids, and I put her across my knee to see how she liked it. I didn't even hit her, she just clutched her chest and went limp. Of course, the kids all cheered when that happened, the disrespectful little urchins. It took all I knew to calm Constance down, but when I reminded her that she'd be responsible for the orphans now, that seemed to get her back to rights."
"And the stone? Don't tell me they had one in the orphanage."
"No, I got that later. A courier delivered me a note with a handprint on it, and the words 'we know'. Nothing else, no signature or anything. Then that night I woke up in a shack miles away with a masked woman telling me I'd stolen a victim from the Dark Brotherhood. She wanted me to repay them by killing one of the other people she'd dragged to the shack. There were three of them, tied up with sacks over their heads. I don't kill anyone who can't fight back, so I killed the woman instead."
"She was Astrid, head of the Dark Brotherhood, and one of the Solitude guards told me I should report her death to the Penitus Oculatus in Dragonbridge on my way back here. So I did, and they asked me to finish the job by killing all the others at their hideout near Falkreath. That's where I found the stone, in their Sanctuary."
"Just like that. You killed them all, and found the stone."
"Well it wasn't that easy, but now I have Grimsever back, and improved, it's easier than it used to be. I didn't even need Brelyna and her magic this time. They came at me one a time, or I might not have succeeded, but I guess assassins aren't used to teamwork."
"I picked up this book for Brelyna, too. I don't know if she's read this one, but it has the symbol for alteration on the cover. She usually likes those."
---
If Mjoll was going to do that sort of thing on her own, Clark thought that Brelyna's idea of making her a set of ebony armour was a good one. And Iona wanted to improve hers, too, so a visit to Narzulbur and Gloombound Mine seemed like a good idea. Perhaps Mjoll would want to come along and help dig the ore.
"Almost didn't recognise you with your top on," Chief Mauhulakh greeted Iona as they entered the stronghold.
"What's that about?" Mjoll wanted to know. Iona had to tell her about her bout of fisticuffs with the Orc to gain Blood-kin status.
"Great strategy," Mauhulakh added, "She had me totally distracted. Doesn't just fight well, that one. She can think, too."
"I take it she beat you?" Clark inquired.
"Let's just say I conceded. It's all about putting up a good fight, rather than the outcome."
"We've come to ask if we can mine some more ebony, so I can improve my armour," Iona told him. "Can Mjoll help?"
"Maybe I should ask her to mine topless. It should be just as good from my point of view, and it hurts a lot less!" the Orc laughed, "No, just mine a bit more than you're using, and that will pay us back. There's plenty of ore down there, and every bit of effort digging it is appreciated."
"Can we use the smelter and forge too? It will save us carting it all the way back to Riften."
"Of course, if Dushnamub isn't using them. Give him your surplus ebony when you're done."
---
With all three of them swinging pickaxes, it didn't take too long to extract the ore Iona needed. There were a few iron veins there as well, and although they didn't need any for their current project, they took some of that up to Dushnamub, too.
"No need to smelt the iron. I don't know if I'll use for steel yet," he told them. "Most of my work is repairing pickaxes, and they use a lot of it."
Iona got busy making Mjoll's equipment. "I'll do all the forge work first, and then improve it all at the workbench after, mine and hers."
Pretty soon, Iona realised she didn't have enough leather strips for everything. "I have those," Dushnamub said. "What have you got in exchange?"
"How about my banded iron armour?" asked Mjoll. "I won't needing that any more."
Clark had enough gold to pay for the leather, but Mjoll was already taking off her cuirass, and he wasn't about to stop her. Iona wasn't going to be upstaged by anyone, so of course her armour had to come off to be taken to the armourer's workbench.
"It's a Nord thing," Clark explained to the incredulous Orc smith. "Mjoll's always saying how she finds the cold exhilarating. I notice neither of them is venturing too far from the forge, though."
"I hope you're not making mine too tight in the chest," Mjoll was saying. "I need more room than you do."
"You do not," Iona argued. "Mine are just as big as yours. Clark, settle this for us!"
"You're both smaller than Gilda, so why debate who's second? If it's just an excuse to argue, I'll find you a pit of mud to wrestle in, and charge admission."
That made both of them laugh, and Dushnamub grinned at the prospect, too.
As if to settle the question, Iona found that she couldn't remember which armour was which, but it turned out that it didn't matter. They really were the same size, at least when it came to the armour fitting them.
---
Dushnamub didn't do Daedric either. "Although we mine ebony here, I don't even use that. Orcish takes Orichalcum, and tradition's more important to us. I can improve that to the point where ebony's no better, anyway."
---
Back in Riften, Clark asked Serana about the Fort Dawnguard smith.
"Gunmar? If you want a suit of armour for your dog, or a troll, he's your man. A bit weird, but a great smith. About the only one in Skyrim who knows about making crossbows, too."
"Do you think we could get him to temper Rayya's scimitars?" Clark asked. "There aren't many smiths that can work on Daedric items. I have the ebony it would take, but not the skill."
"Well the problem would be getting to him," Serana pointed out. "I could go there, but I wouldn't want to, given that you-know-who is probably there. They wouldn't let you in, because you're not a member of the Dawnguard. The same with Iona, if she wanted training, she'd have to join them first."
"I know what you mean," Clark agreed. "Eorlund Grey-Mane is the only other smith I know who can train at that level, but you have to be a Companion before he'll do that."
Woo, I am on my feet for Mjoll! I love how you handled starting that quest. Mjoll is the perfect candidate to kill the Dark Brotherhood. Yay! 
Mjoll and Iona mud wrestling! Clark could sell a lot of tickets to that event. This was a fun update.
Too bad sexy-voiced Gunmar can’t work on Rayya’s scimitars. I loved it when Mikke lived at Fort Dawnguard because I got to hear him talk.
Mjoll and Iona mud wrestling!
Clark could sell a lot of tickets to that event. This was a fun update.Too bad sexy-voiced Gunmar can’t work on Rayya’s scimitars. I loved it when Mikke lived at Fort Dawnguard because I got to hear him talk.
Grits: Mjoll doesn't really want to talk about it. Grelod's the significant part, as far as she's concerned. The rest just happened.
Previously Mjoll found another Stone of Barenziah while she just happened to be destroying the Dark Brotherhood. Clark is still looking for a smith that can temper the scimitars.
--------------
Part 62 - Leet Daydrik Skillz
"Let me see those," Balimund said. "Nice pieces, but you're right about tempering them. Just a bit beyond my range. But I don't think Iona's going to need much more practice before she can do it for you. Did you notice how she's upgraded that sword of hers? She's done that every time she's been able, and Mjoll's too."
"I'd never really given that a thought," Iona replied. "I just wanted a set of ebony armour, and that's all I was aiming to achieve. But you're right, I ought to see if I can do anything more for Chillrend and Grimsever. Do you have any Malachite?"
Clark did, and Iona could, confirming that her skill was going up. Now both swords were even sharper and more durable than before. "So see if you can do anything with these," Clark asked.
"Are these ebony? They look more like steel."
"I'm not sure, but you'll need some ebony to improve them, so I kept a couple of ingots aside, just in case."
"I'll try, but no promises."
Balimund watched as Iona sat at the grindstone and started work. He'd taught her all he knew, and he hoped his star pupil could take the step beyond him. Clark had given her a potion to boost her skill, so maybe Daedric was achieveable.
"I think it's working," Iona said, as the sparks flew off the blades. "These are going to be amazing!"
"Balimund told me that when you work on a blade, you're not just adding metal to the edge, and then grinding it away again. That would just leave you back where you started. It's more like brushing your hair, or massaging a sore muscle, you're getting the metal aligned properly. If you can feel when that happens, then you'll make the blade better, and I'm starting to feel what this one needs."
"And you can feel a difference between ebony and Daedric?" Clark asked.
"Yes, it's subtle, but it's there. Even though I'm just changing the edge, the rest of the metal works through, and there is a difference."
---
Clark hadn't been back to Lakeview since he and Rayya put on the extra wings, and he'd left the furnishing to her. He was surprised to find child-sized beds in the bedroom wing, but "that was what the plans called for," as she explained.
"We have two double, and two single beds, for adults. And there's plenty of space in the cellar for more, if we need them. There's nothing down there but mead barrels, right now."
"I'd just imagined that the beds from the main hall would have been moved in here, but these are additional ones?"
"Yes, it's not like the one we moved from the entryway earlier. That would have been in the way after the remodelling. And we upgraded that one, as well as moving it."
She showed him around the other wings. There was an oven in the kitchen, something he didn't have in his other homes, and she'd been baking pies, to try it out. "And apple dumplings, and crostatas, and ... and if I don't stop, I'll be putting on weight."
"There's a lot of empty storage here in the tower for alchemy ingredients, but I left out the lab itself, as we already have the one in the main hall. That was what you wanted, wasn't it?"
"Yes, the main reason for building the tower was the view from the top. It's a good vantage point for an archer, too. We need at least one tower, in my opinion, just for that."
Rayya had to agree. She'd had problems with a giant that had wandered past and over-stayed his welcome. He'd been helpful at first, killing a pack of wolves for her, but then he'd threatened her, when she went out the door. Shooting him from the tower had avoided a toe-to-toe battle with someone over twice her size.
"You'd have managed it fine, if you'd had these," Clark told her, producing Soulrender and Bloodscythe from his pack.
"Wow! Where did you get these? They don't make scimitars in Skyrim, but these aren't Hammerfell ones, either."
Clark told her what he knew of the Haknir Death-Brand story. "So they're a bit of everything, then? Deadric, Stahlrim, ebony and who knows what else. Did Azura tell you anything more?"
"No, and she only gave me cryptic clues to finding them. I haven't been back to her shrine to ask why, but I suspect that the search was part of what she wanted for me."
"You don't need to visit my shrine," said a voice in Clark's head. "With your permission, I can come here."
Azura appeared as soon as she had Clark's agreeement, startling Rayya a little.
Clark was pleased at how calmly his housecarl seemed to accept a Daedric Princess appearing in his home. (Her home, too, of course.) That was partly because she didn't know it was Azura, and she'd seen mages dispel their invisibilty before. So the introductions startled her a little more.
"I don't know everything about them," Azura explained. "My sister, Nocturnal, is the one to ask about artifacts. These were most likely made specifically for Haknir, and they would come from somewhere on the High Rock coast. Haknir would have seen Hammerfell scimitars from his time raiding the Illiac bay, and he wanted some of his own. There aren't many smiths that know how to make Daedric items, so it took him some time to find someone who could do it."
"He took a pair of ordinary scimitars to the smith as a pattern, which is why they look that way. They have the same balance, even though the material is different. That's not easy to do, and may have required using Adamantium in the hilts to compensate for the heavier blades. Nocturnal believes Boethiah may have contributed the enchantment, after they were made."
"Boethiah? Why would he get involved?' Clark asked.
"I think Boethiah's 'she' at the moment," Azura replied, "But at the time Haknir petitioned his chosen Prince, you might have it right. And it was because Haknir asked, and it suited his purposes to grant it. It's a sneaky kind of enchantment, the way it weakens the opponent, and the whole idea of denying it, if you don't use both, confirms it."
"Oh, and you won't have to wait long to try them," she added. "There's a small band of bandits heading this way from the lake road. Have fun!"
And with that, she disappeared as abruptly as she'd arrived. Rayya and Clark ran out onto the balcony over the bedroom wing to see if they could spot the bandits.
"Shall I soften them up with a fireball?" Clark asked.
"No, let me see if I can persuade them to leave without a fight. Sometimes it's better if they pass on the word that this place isn't worth the risk of raiding. But if they're too stupid, I'd still like to see if I can handle them alone, with these swords."
"I've got your back if you need me," Clark replied, "but go ahead, and play it your way."
The bandit chief didn't think Rayya looked very frightening, unarmoured as she was. The two swords glowing in her hands didn't seem to register as a threat. He answered her polite request for him and his men to leave by taking a swing with his warhammer.
Rayya's first blow had him down on one knee, with his steel armour beginning to crumble away into dust. The second sent his head rolling down the hill. The other two bandits turned and fled, which was just what she wanted. Perhaps now they'd all leave this place alone.
"I like these swords!" Rayya's eyes gleamed. "They almost make up for you being away so long."
Previously Mjoll found another Stone of Barenziah while she just happened to be destroying the Dark Brotherhood. Clark is still looking for a smith that can temper the scimitars.
--------------
Part 62 - Leet Daydrik Skillz
"Let me see those," Balimund said. "Nice pieces, but you're right about tempering them. Just a bit beyond my range. But I don't think Iona's going to need much more practice before she can do it for you. Did you notice how she's upgraded that sword of hers? She's done that every time she's been able, and Mjoll's too."
"I'd never really given that a thought," Iona replied. "I just wanted a set of ebony armour, and that's all I was aiming to achieve. But you're right, I ought to see if I can do anything more for Chillrend and Grimsever. Do you have any Malachite?"
Clark did, and Iona could, confirming that her skill was going up. Now both swords were even sharper and more durable than before. "So see if you can do anything with these," Clark asked.
"Are these ebony? They look more like steel."
"I'm not sure, but you'll need some ebony to improve them, so I kept a couple of ingots aside, just in case."
"I'll try, but no promises."
Balimund watched as Iona sat at the grindstone and started work. He'd taught her all he knew, and he hoped his star pupil could take the step beyond him. Clark had given her a potion to boost her skill, so maybe Daedric was achieveable.
"I think it's working," Iona said, as the sparks flew off the blades. "These are going to be amazing!"
"Balimund told me that when you work on a blade, you're not just adding metal to the edge, and then grinding it away again. That would just leave you back where you started. It's more like brushing your hair, or massaging a sore muscle, you're getting the metal aligned properly. If you can feel when that happens, then you'll make the blade better, and I'm starting to feel what this one needs."
"And you can feel a difference between ebony and Daedric?" Clark asked.
"Yes, it's subtle, but it's there. Even though I'm just changing the edge, the rest of the metal works through, and there is a difference."
---
Clark hadn't been back to Lakeview since he and Rayya put on the extra wings, and he'd left the furnishing to her. He was surprised to find child-sized beds in the bedroom wing, but "that was what the plans called for," as she explained.
"We have two double, and two single beds, for adults. And there's plenty of space in the cellar for more, if we need them. There's nothing down there but mead barrels, right now."
"I'd just imagined that the beds from the main hall would have been moved in here, but these are additional ones?"
"Yes, it's not like the one we moved from the entryway earlier. That would have been in the way after the remodelling. And we upgraded that one, as well as moving it."
She showed him around the other wings. There was an oven in the kitchen, something he didn't have in his other homes, and she'd been baking pies, to try it out. "And apple dumplings, and crostatas, and ... and if I don't stop, I'll be putting on weight."
"There's a lot of empty storage here in the tower for alchemy ingredients, but I left out the lab itself, as we already have the one in the main hall. That was what you wanted, wasn't it?"
"Yes, the main reason for building the tower was the view from the top. It's a good vantage point for an archer, too. We need at least one tower, in my opinion, just for that."
Rayya had to agree. She'd had problems with a giant that had wandered past and over-stayed his welcome. He'd been helpful at first, killing a pack of wolves for her, but then he'd threatened her, when she went out the door. Shooting him from the tower had avoided a toe-to-toe battle with someone over twice her size.
"You'd have managed it fine, if you'd had these," Clark told her, producing Soulrender and Bloodscythe from his pack.
"Wow! Where did you get these? They don't make scimitars in Skyrim, but these aren't Hammerfell ones, either."
Clark told her what he knew of the Haknir Death-Brand story. "So they're a bit of everything, then? Deadric, Stahlrim, ebony and who knows what else. Did Azura tell you anything more?"
"No, and she only gave me cryptic clues to finding them. I haven't been back to her shrine to ask why, but I suspect that the search was part of what she wanted for me."
"You don't need to visit my shrine," said a voice in Clark's head. "With your permission, I can come here."
Azura appeared as soon as she had Clark's agreeement, startling Rayya a little.
Clark was pleased at how calmly his housecarl seemed to accept a Daedric Princess appearing in his home. (Her home, too, of course.) That was partly because she didn't know it was Azura, and she'd seen mages dispel their invisibilty before. So the introductions startled her a little more.
"I don't know everything about them," Azura explained. "My sister, Nocturnal, is the one to ask about artifacts. These were most likely made specifically for Haknir, and they would come from somewhere on the High Rock coast. Haknir would have seen Hammerfell scimitars from his time raiding the Illiac bay, and he wanted some of his own. There aren't many smiths that know how to make Daedric items, so it took him some time to find someone who could do it."
"He took a pair of ordinary scimitars to the smith as a pattern, which is why they look that way. They have the same balance, even though the material is different. That's not easy to do, and may have required using Adamantium in the hilts to compensate for the heavier blades. Nocturnal believes Boethiah may have contributed the enchantment, after they were made."
"Boethiah? Why would he get involved?' Clark asked.
"I think Boethiah's 'she' at the moment," Azura replied, "But at the time Haknir petitioned his chosen Prince, you might have it right. And it was because Haknir asked, and it suited his purposes to grant it. It's a sneaky kind of enchantment, the way it weakens the opponent, and the whole idea of denying it, if you don't use both, confirms it."
"Oh, and you won't have to wait long to try them," she added. "There's a small band of bandits heading this way from the lake road. Have fun!"
And with that, she disappeared as abruptly as she'd arrived. Rayya and Clark ran out onto the balcony over the bedroom wing to see if they could spot the bandits.
"Shall I soften them up with a fireball?" Clark asked.
"No, let me see if I can persuade them to leave without a fight. Sometimes it's better if they pass on the word that this place isn't worth the risk of raiding. But if they're too stupid, I'd still like to see if I can handle them alone, with these swords."
"I've got your back if you need me," Clark replied, "but go ahead, and play it your way."
The bandit chief didn't think Rayya looked very frightening, unarmoured as she was. The two swords glowing in her hands didn't seem to register as a threat. He answered her polite request for him and his men to leave by taking a swing with his warhammer.
Rayya's first blow had him down on one knee, with his steel armour beginning to crumble away into dust. The second sent his head rolling down the hill. The other two bandits turned and fled, which was just what she wanted. Perhaps now they'd all leave this place alone.
"I like these swords!" Rayya's eyes gleamed. "They almost make up for you being away so long."
QUOTE(ghastley @ Nov 25 2015, 03:07 PM) 
Part 62 - Leet Daydrik Skillz
Neat explanation of how an ingot can make a sword sharper. It’s fun to see a game mechanic given some life.
I had to look up Bloodscythe’s and Soulrender’s enchantments, since the only character of mine who has found them (Jensa) favors two-handed swords and so she chucked them into a drawer. No wonder Rayya is so pleased with the gift!
Grits: Those swords are only of any use to a dedicated dual-wielder. The fact that their enchantment only works when they're used together makes them very inflexible. Maybe Rayya's the only one in the game who'd appreciate them?
-------------
Previously: Clark had delivered the twin scimitars, Bloodscythe and Soulrender, to Rayya, his Lakeview housecarl. She got the chance to try them, too.
-------------
Part 63 - Remembering Pinewatch
After Clark had made up for his extended absence, Rayya had a few more questions for him.
"What's a Daedric Princess doing, getting involved with my swords? And I know that she said that Boethiah helped create them, but what's Azura's angle?"
"Azura's not a big fan of Boethiah, so she's always happy to thwart his/her plans. Giving the swords to someone who won't just go slaughtering innocents is just an opportunity to grab when it arises. And that all came up because of Serana, and Azura's Star, each of which is a complicated story. And those complications are part of why I've been away so long."
"Start at the beginning. How did you come to her attention in the first place?"
"Well, that all starts with Nocturnal."
Rayya was starting to disbelieve all this. Azura had mentioned her name, but it didn't seem to have anything to do with Clark.
"The only other Daedric Prince that's part of this story is Molag Bal," Clark told her. "And I didn't have any contact with him. That was Serana's misfortune."
"But you did have contact with Nocturnal?"
"That would be a major understatement. But let's skip the early period and start with my being one of her Nightingales. The current triad are Gilda, Brynjolf and my daughter Karliah. All members of the Riften Thieves Guild. She encourages their redistribution of wealth, as it's generally good for society to prevent anyone getting too rich at everyone else's expense. I've been helping her in various ways ever since my days in Cyrodiil at the time of the Oblivion Crisis. And no, I didn't have anything to do with that, or you could add Mehrunes Dagon to the list."
"Most of what I did for Nocturnal involved collecting Daedric artifacts for return to their creators. Then Nocturnal introduced me to her sister, and she had me do a few things for her, too. Again, that was a long time ago, and not part of the current story."
"I met Serana through the Thieves Guild, and she's one of the few Daughters of Coldharbour, vampires who were created directly by Molag Bal, the King of Rape."
"You mean, she was ..."
"Exactly. And she's not really recovered from that experience, even now. But my Daedric connections and hers were what had us teaming up to recover Azura's Star. Azura wants to help Serana heal, again because she doesn't like Molag Bal any more than she does Boethiah. She thinks I can help Serana, and having us work together was part of her plan. So once I'd got Serana's mother back from the Soul Cairn, she sent us looking for the Star."
"Serana's mother? You didn't mention her before."
"Valerica's another Daughter of Coldharbour. She's a bit better adjusted to that than Serana, and we left her rebuilding Volkihar Castle, way up off the north coast. Unlike her late husband, Harkon, she never was a worshipper of Molag Bal, and her experience with him didn't change that."
Rayya wasn't surprised at that. "But she still wants to remain a vampire?"
"Both of them do. They're just about immortal, and have adapted to being weakened by sunlight. They're a bit different from the ones who got the disease, and don't find it so hard to mingle with normal people. There's more positive than negative for them in staying as vampires. And as Serana put it, after going through that to become one, she expects something in return."
"So what else does Azura want? I assume getting me these swords was just part of a bigger plan, so how do I fit in to it?"
"I have no idea," Clark admitted. "I'm not even sure that Azura's thinking that far ahead. As I told you, putting them in your hands keeps them away from others that Boethiah might favour. I know I have still have more to do to help Serana, but that may be all."
"So what's Serana's problem?"
Clark explained. Since a lot of the explanation involved showing her what he could, or couldn't do, without triggering her reflex reactions, they both got a bit distracted.
---
The following morning, after breakfast, they took a stroll around the property,
"That farmhouse down there," Clark pointed out Pinewatch. "Did you know there's a whole complex of caves beneath it? As big as a warehouse, and bandits used to use it as one. Gilda and I cleared them out, and killed all but one of them. We had a bit of fun with Rigel Strong-Arm before we left, and I've always wondered what became of her. Have you seen any bandits going in or out of there?"
"Well those ones yesterday weren't the first to come past, but I don't believe any of them had any connection to Pinewatch. As far as I know, the place is deserted now. What did you do to Rigel anyway? I'd have expected the bandit leader to fight along with her crew, and end up as dead as they were."
"Her quarters were further into the caves, and she slept through the whole battle without even knowing we were there. Gilda was able to sneak in on her and steal her weapons and armour without even waking her. We couldn't just kill a naked woman, so we improvised a suitable punishment that left her alive. For all I know, she might even have enjoyed it."
"And that gives me an idea," he continued. "If Gilda could do that, then there's something else she might be able to do."
---
"You want me to do what?" Gilda exploded. "Of course she'd notice me doing that!"
"Not if she's asleep, and thinks she's dreaming it," Clark replied. "I've good reason to believe I can distract her enough that you could. And this isn't a very large dildo, anyway."
"Well, you're right about distraction. That's the main part of picking a pocket. You make the mark think the contact is something completely different, and get their attention elsewhere. And that is similar to what I had to do with Rigel. But she was awake when we ..."
"Because we wanted her to be aware of that," Clark interrupted. "So it's not exactly the same."
"I still don't think it's possible. if you can do all that when she's asleep, why not just ...?"
"So I can try and convince her she did it herself. If she starts to believe 'only Clark can do it', she'll take up all my time. You want me to have something left for you, don't you?"
"Well, I'll take that as a promise, and collect my payment as soon as the job's done."
Gilda felt pleased with her negotiating skills after that, until she reflected for a moment. "Well done Gilda, you just agreed to attempt the impossible, and sleep with him afterwards. You should become a merchant with skills like those."
"But again, you were going to do it all anyway. So we all win, especially Serana, if this works."
-------------
Previously: Clark had delivered the twin scimitars, Bloodscythe and Soulrender, to Rayya, his Lakeview housecarl. She got the chance to try them, too.
-------------
Part 63 - Remembering Pinewatch
After Clark had made up for his extended absence, Rayya had a few more questions for him.
"What's a Daedric Princess doing, getting involved with my swords? And I know that she said that Boethiah helped create them, but what's Azura's angle?"
"Azura's not a big fan of Boethiah, so she's always happy to thwart his/her plans. Giving the swords to someone who won't just go slaughtering innocents is just an opportunity to grab when it arises. And that all came up because of Serana, and Azura's Star, each of which is a complicated story. And those complications are part of why I've been away so long."
"Start at the beginning. How did you come to her attention in the first place?"
"Well, that all starts with Nocturnal."
Rayya was starting to disbelieve all this. Azura had mentioned her name, but it didn't seem to have anything to do with Clark.
"The only other Daedric Prince that's part of this story is Molag Bal," Clark told her. "And I didn't have any contact with him. That was Serana's misfortune."
"But you did have contact with Nocturnal?"
"That would be a major understatement. But let's skip the early period and start with my being one of her Nightingales. The current triad are Gilda, Brynjolf and my daughter Karliah. All members of the Riften Thieves Guild. She encourages their redistribution of wealth, as it's generally good for society to prevent anyone getting too rich at everyone else's expense. I've been helping her in various ways ever since my days in Cyrodiil at the time of the Oblivion Crisis. And no, I didn't have anything to do with that, or you could add Mehrunes Dagon to the list."
"Most of what I did for Nocturnal involved collecting Daedric artifacts for return to their creators. Then Nocturnal introduced me to her sister, and she had me do a few things for her, too. Again, that was a long time ago, and not part of the current story."
"I met Serana through the Thieves Guild, and she's one of the few Daughters of Coldharbour, vampires who were created directly by Molag Bal, the King of Rape."
"You mean, she was ..."
"Exactly. And she's not really recovered from that experience, even now. But my Daedric connections and hers were what had us teaming up to recover Azura's Star. Azura wants to help Serana heal, again because she doesn't like Molag Bal any more than she does Boethiah. She thinks I can help Serana, and having us work together was part of her plan. So once I'd got Serana's mother back from the Soul Cairn, she sent us looking for the Star."
"Serana's mother? You didn't mention her before."
"Valerica's another Daughter of Coldharbour. She's a bit better adjusted to that than Serana, and we left her rebuilding Volkihar Castle, way up off the north coast. Unlike her late husband, Harkon, she never was a worshipper of Molag Bal, and her experience with him didn't change that."
Rayya wasn't surprised at that. "But she still wants to remain a vampire?"
"Both of them do. They're just about immortal, and have adapted to being weakened by sunlight. They're a bit different from the ones who got the disease, and don't find it so hard to mingle with normal people. There's more positive than negative for them in staying as vampires. And as Serana put it, after going through that to become one, she expects something in return."
"So what else does Azura want? I assume getting me these swords was just part of a bigger plan, so how do I fit in to it?"
"I have no idea," Clark admitted. "I'm not even sure that Azura's thinking that far ahead. As I told you, putting them in your hands keeps them away from others that Boethiah might favour. I know I have still have more to do to help Serana, but that may be all."
"So what's Serana's problem?"
Clark explained. Since a lot of the explanation involved showing her what he could, or couldn't do, without triggering her reflex reactions, they both got a bit distracted.
---
The following morning, after breakfast, they took a stroll around the property,
"That farmhouse down there," Clark pointed out Pinewatch. "Did you know there's a whole complex of caves beneath it? As big as a warehouse, and bandits used to use it as one. Gilda and I cleared them out, and killed all but one of them. We had a bit of fun with Rigel Strong-Arm before we left, and I've always wondered what became of her. Have you seen any bandits going in or out of there?"
"Well those ones yesterday weren't the first to come past, but I don't believe any of them had any connection to Pinewatch. As far as I know, the place is deserted now. What did you do to Rigel anyway? I'd have expected the bandit leader to fight along with her crew, and end up as dead as they were."
"Her quarters were further into the caves, and she slept through the whole battle without even knowing we were there. Gilda was able to sneak in on her and steal her weapons and armour without even waking her. We couldn't just kill a naked woman, so we improvised a suitable punishment that left her alive. For all I know, she might even have enjoyed it."
"And that gives me an idea," he continued. "If Gilda could do that, then there's something else she might be able to do."
---
"You want me to do what?" Gilda exploded. "Of course she'd notice me doing that!"
"Not if she's asleep, and thinks she's dreaming it," Clark replied. "I've good reason to believe I can distract her enough that you could. And this isn't a very large dildo, anyway."
"Well, you're right about distraction. That's the main part of picking a pocket. You make the mark think the contact is something completely different, and get their attention elsewhere. And that is similar to what I had to do with Rigel. But she was awake when we ..."
"Because we wanted her to be aware of that," Clark interrupted. "So it's not exactly the same."
"I still don't think it's possible. if you can do all that when she's asleep, why not just ...?"
"So I can try and convince her she did it herself. If she starts to believe 'only Clark can do it', she'll take up all my time. You want me to have something left for you, don't you?"
"Well, I'll take that as a promise, and collect my payment as soon as the job's done."
Gilda felt pleased with her negotiating skills after that, until she reflected for a moment. "Well done Gilda, you just agreed to attempt the impossible, and sleep with him afterwards. You should become a merchant with skills like those."
"But again, you were going to do it all anyway. So we all win, especially Serana, if this works."
Clark and company have been busy indeed! Adventuring in Solstheim, helping Serana & Valerica, helping Brylyna, earning Azura’s Star, noting Mjoll vs the DB....
Nice to catch up with Clark as he recounts some of his recent adventures to Rayya.
"Her quarters were further into the caves, and she slept through the whole battle without even knowing we were there. Gilda was able to sneak in on her and steal her weapons and armour without even waking her. We couldn't just kill a naked woman, so we improvised a suitable punishment that left her alive. For all I know, she might even have enjoyed it."
Nit- ‘As I told you, putting them in you hands keeps them away from others that Boethiah might favour.' You want ‘your hands’ of course.
Nice to catch up with Clark as he recounts some of his recent adventures to Rayya.
"Her quarters were further into the caves, and she slept through the whole battle without even knowing we were there. Gilda was able to sneak in on her and steal her weapons and armour without even waking her. We couldn't just kill a naked woman, so we improvised a suitable punishment that left her alive. For all I know, she might even have enjoyed it."
Nit- ‘As I told you, putting them in you hands keeps them away from others that Boethiah might favour.' You want ‘your hands’ of course.
QUOTE(ghastley @ Dec 2 2015, 09:03 AM)
"But you did have contact with Nocturnal?"
He sure did!
Oh, what a great idea to have light-fingered Gilda take on the Serana challenge. I’m not sure which skill will help her more in this situation, pickpocket or lockpicking. Probably both!
Acadian: Clark's probably a lot busier than he'd really like. But since he's effectively telling the whole story of all the quest-lines, side-quests etc. he's got to at least talk to the ones doing them.
I was as surprised as he was that Mjoll didn't have more to say about the Dark Brotherhood. Maybe she'll have something different to talk about when she's dungeon-diving with Brelyna, and the Archmage won't get so many cut-purse anecdotes?
Grits: The "Perfect Touch" perk that she needed to remove Rigel Strong-Arm's armor was in the pickpocket tree. I'm conjecturing that it would be the relevant one here, but the UESP wiki isn't clear on the limits of that.
------------------
Previously: Gilda has agreed to help with Serana's problem.
------------------
Part 64 - Serana at Honeyside
Clark's excuse for bringing Serana to Honeyside was that he wanted to show her how to enchant a dagger. He'd had Iona make a nice ebony one that he knew would appeal to her, and he'd already planted the idea that enchanting one with Fiery Soul Trap would suit her needs well.
Since Fiery Soul Trap was a rare enchantment - it seemed that only Clark knew it - she didn't need much persuading. She'd seen what it did when Clark and Lydia had used their swords in Ilinalta's Deep. The frost on Chillrend was impressive, but vampires appreciate the fear that being set on fire brings more than most. And trapping a necromancer's soul was true justice. She wasn't sure why she hated necromancers so much. She just did.
And she liked being with Clark. All the women seemed to, even Sapphire liked him. It didn't hurt that he had excellent taste in wine, and Honeyside was always well-stocked. There was something about the Tamika's, maybe the deep blood-red colour, but more likely the incomparable flavour.
The sun was coming up already. Clark pulled the shades, and gestured towards the bed. "Sleep here," he told her. "It's getting bright out there."
And he joined her on the bed, and helped her undress, and she fell asleep in his arms.
Clark looked over to the basement stairs, where Gilda's head had appeared. He checked to see if Serana had started to dream, and gave a silent nod. A few gentle touches, not enough to awaken her, persuded Serana to turn the way he needed.
Gilda signed that she needed a bit more room to work. Serana responded the way Clark had hoped.
"Don't stand there," Clark whispered. "If she does react and it comes back out, it might be faster than an arrow. You don't want to get hit in the knee!"
Gilda almost burst out laughing, but that could have woken Serana up at the wrong time. She needed to get back downstairs before that happened.
---
"Clark, wake up!" Serana exclaimed. "There's something inside me!"
Clark wanted her to think he was still asleep. He murmered groggily "What do you mean by inside you?"
"I can feel something, down there"
"Down where?"
"Just take a look, and tell me if I'm imagining it."
"No, you do seem to have found one of my dildos," he answered. "Probably one from the side table by the bed. When did you pick that up?"
"Is it really where I think it is? How did it get there? Did you do it?"
"It's really there, and No, it wasn't me. Why would I use that when I'd prefer to use something else?"
Serana seemed to accept that, and reached one hand down to check for herself. "I'm still not sure I believe it," she told him.
"Did you dream about doing that? Sometime you do things in your dreams, and you wake up and find they really happened."
"Well yes, I dream about that all the time. But it's never happened before."
"First real opportunity?" he asked. "Or was last night's dream a bit more vivid than usual?"
Of course, he'd helped that as much as he could, and suspected that he'd had Azura's help. If she could guide Aranea's dreams, then why not Serana's too?
"But I can't do that," she protested. "I've tried before, and failed."
"Well, somebody did, and if it wasn't me, who else could it be? Besides, you wouldn't let me, remember? At least I'm not picking myself off the floor today."
"But if I did that, am I cured? Could I do it again while I 'm awake?"
"Why are you asking me?" Clark asked. "You're the only one who has the answers."
---
"I think I can pronounce you thoroughly cured." Clark finally conceded half an hour later. "There doesn't appear to be anything holding you back. Now can I get some rest, or are you determined to catch up for centuries of abstinence? You know, if we keep doing it, it might end up curing your vampirism as well."
Serana laughed. "I don't want to go quite that far. Just to the brink, maybe. I need my vampirism for the extra stamina, anyway."
---
When they woke up again, Clark had no idea what time it was. Serana was a night person, and he wasn't, but they'd both slept from exhaustion, rather than because it was the right time. He peeked out of the window, and it looked dark.
As Serana left, Gilda re-appeared. "I have another of those Stones of Barenziah," she announced. "So I'd like to celebrate, and you owe me, anyway."
"Where did you get this one?" he asked.
"Windhelm," she told him. "In the Shatter-Shield home. I came across it while retrieving the Golden Ship again. That's the same piece I was looking for when I found you and Jordis in Proudspire. Which got me thinking about you know what."
"So do we need to wait until Iona gets back? It wouldn't be the same without a housecarl, would it?"
"Exactly. I want your complete and undivided attention, for once. Or maybe twice."
---
"Where did Iona go?" Gilda asked. "I know you needed the place to yourself for Serana, but did you send her anywhere in particular?"
"I just suggested she go off with Mjoll and clean out a few local tombs and caves. They're both a bit restless, waiting for something to happen between the Guild and the Black-Briars, but not being able to do anything yet."
"Karliah still doesn't have all the pieces for that," Gilda admitted. "We can deal with her brood, but Maven's been really careful that nothing sticks to her. It all has to wait until we have something we can use against her." She mused for a moment or two. "So Iona and Mjoll could come back at any time?"
"I only told them I needed a day or so. And Serana's a night person, so they'd assume I meant at least two."
-------------------------
Note: I'm ignoring what the wiki says: "Perfect Touch does not work on NPCs who wear unobtainable clothing or who are marked as essential" because Gilda doesn't know about that.
I was as surprised as he was that Mjoll didn't have more to say about the Dark Brotherhood. Maybe she'll have something different to talk about when she's dungeon-diving with Brelyna, and the Archmage won't get so many cut-purse anecdotes?
Grits: The "Perfect Touch" perk that she needed to remove Rigel Strong-Arm's armor was in the pickpocket tree. I'm conjecturing that it would be the relevant one here, but the UESP wiki isn't clear on the limits of that.
------------------
Previously: Gilda has agreed to help with Serana's problem.
------------------
Part 64 - Serana at Honeyside
Clark's excuse for bringing Serana to Honeyside was that he wanted to show her how to enchant a dagger. He'd had Iona make a nice ebony one that he knew would appeal to her, and he'd already planted the idea that enchanting one with Fiery Soul Trap would suit her needs well.
Since Fiery Soul Trap was a rare enchantment - it seemed that only Clark knew it - she didn't need much persuading. She'd seen what it did when Clark and Lydia had used their swords in Ilinalta's Deep. The frost on Chillrend was impressive, but vampires appreciate the fear that being set on fire brings more than most. And trapping a necromancer's soul was true justice. She wasn't sure why she hated necromancers so much. She just did.
And she liked being with Clark. All the women seemed to, even Sapphire liked him. It didn't hurt that he had excellent taste in wine, and Honeyside was always well-stocked. There was something about the Tamika's, maybe the deep blood-red colour, but more likely the incomparable flavour.
The sun was coming up already. Clark pulled the shades, and gestured towards the bed. "Sleep here," he told her. "It's getting bright out there."
And he joined her on the bed, and helped her undress, and she fell asleep in his arms.
Clark looked over to the basement stairs, where Gilda's head had appeared. He checked to see if Serana had started to dream, and gave a silent nod. A few gentle touches, not enough to awaken her, persuded Serana to turn the way he needed.
Gilda signed that she needed a bit more room to work. Serana responded the way Clark had hoped.
"Don't stand there," Clark whispered. "If she does react and it comes back out, it might be faster than an arrow. You don't want to get hit in the knee!"
Gilda almost burst out laughing, but that could have woken Serana up at the wrong time. She needed to get back downstairs before that happened.
---
"Clark, wake up!" Serana exclaimed. "There's something inside me!"
Clark wanted her to think he was still asleep. He murmered groggily "What do you mean by inside you?"
"I can feel something, down there"
"Down where?"
"Just take a look, and tell me if I'm imagining it."
"No, you do seem to have found one of my dildos," he answered. "Probably one from the side table by the bed. When did you pick that up?"
"Is it really where I think it is? How did it get there? Did you do it?"
"It's really there, and No, it wasn't me. Why would I use that when I'd prefer to use something else?"
Serana seemed to accept that, and reached one hand down to check for herself. "I'm still not sure I believe it," she told him.
"Did you dream about doing that? Sometime you do things in your dreams, and you wake up and find they really happened."
"Well yes, I dream about that all the time. But it's never happened before."
"First real opportunity?" he asked. "Or was last night's dream a bit more vivid than usual?"
Of course, he'd helped that as much as he could, and suspected that he'd had Azura's help. If she could guide Aranea's dreams, then why not Serana's too?
"But I can't do that," she protested. "I've tried before, and failed."
"Well, somebody did, and if it wasn't me, who else could it be? Besides, you wouldn't let me, remember? At least I'm not picking myself off the floor today."
"But if I did that, am I cured? Could I do it again while I 'm awake?"
"Why are you asking me?" Clark asked. "You're the only one who has the answers."
---
"I think I can pronounce you thoroughly cured." Clark finally conceded half an hour later. "There doesn't appear to be anything holding you back. Now can I get some rest, or are you determined to catch up for centuries of abstinence? You know, if we keep doing it, it might end up curing your vampirism as well."
Serana laughed. "I don't want to go quite that far. Just to the brink, maybe. I need my vampirism for the extra stamina, anyway."
---
When they woke up again, Clark had no idea what time it was. Serana was a night person, and he wasn't, but they'd both slept from exhaustion, rather than because it was the right time. He peeked out of the window, and it looked dark.
As Serana left, Gilda re-appeared. "I have another of those Stones of Barenziah," she announced. "So I'd like to celebrate, and you owe me, anyway."
"Where did you get this one?" he asked.
"Windhelm," she told him. "In the Shatter-Shield home. I came across it while retrieving the Golden Ship again. That's the same piece I was looking for when I found you and Jordis in Proudspire. Which got me thinking about you know what."
"So do we need to wait until Iona gets back? It wouldn't be the same without a housecarl, would it?"
"Exactly. I want your complete and undivided attention, for once. Or maybe twice."
---
"Where did Iona go?" Gilda asked. "I know you needed the place to yourself for Serana, but did you send her anywhere in particular?"
"I just suggested she go off with Mjoll and clean out a few local tombs and caves. They're both a bit restless, waiting for something to happen between the Guild and the Black-Briars, but not being able to do anything yet."
"Karliah still doesn't have all the pieces for that," Gilda admitted. "We can deal with her brood, but Maven's been really careful that nothing sticks to her. It all has to wait until we have something we can use against her." She mused for a moment or two. "So Iona and Mjoll could come back at any time?"
"I only told them I needed a day or so. And Serana's a night person, so they'd assume I meant at least two."
-------------------------
Note: I'm ignoring what the wiki says: "Perfect Touch does not work on NPCs who wear unobtainable clothing or who are marked as essential" because Gilda doesn't know about that.
Clark is such a kind-hearted healer. In this case, helping Serana with her ‘centuries of abstinence’.
So, Mjoll and Iona of off cracking skulls, and Gilda found another of Barenzia’s stones. She should be rewarded for that. . . oh, wait. . . .
Nit: "I think I can pronounce you thoroughly cured." Clark finally conceeded half an hour later.’ - - I think you want conceded.
So, Mjoll and Iona of off cracking skulls, and Gilda found another of Barenzia’s stones. She should be rewarded for that. . . oh, wait. . . .
Nit: "I think I can pronounce you thoroughly cured." Clark finally conceeded half an hour later.’ - - I think you want conceded.
Acadian: There are still quite a few more Stones, and Clark will be busy enough without rewarding their collection.
--------------
Previously Clark (with a lot of skilled assistance from Gilda) has "cured" Serana of her Molag-Bal inspired problems.
--------------
Part 65 - Riften and Solitude
Fortunately for Clark, they didn't interrupt anything when they returned, or they'd have wanted to join in. Paticularly as they'd also found a Stone of Barenziah, in Ansilvund.
"We picked up this strange old sword there," Iona said, showing them the Ghostblade, "But it's nothing special when you compare it to the ones we already have. The Stone was much more of a reward."
"What does that make the count?" Clark asked Gilda.
"Seventeen," she replied. "Getting close, but there's still another seven to find, and they could be anywhere in Skyrim."
Mjoll and Iona had also brought back quite a haul of soul gems, books, and other treasures that needed sorting. Some of the soul gems went to recharging their swords, and they kept some more for future use.
"I'll take this spell book to Wylandriah and see what she'll give me for it," Mjoll announced. "It's one we all know, so it probably won't be worth much, but it will give me an excuse to check on how she's doing. She's so absorbed in her experiments, if I don't remind her, she'd forget to sleep for days."
Iona took the Ghostblade down to the enchanting lab in the basement, and hung it on one of the weapon racks on the wall. She noted that they had some ectoplasm, if she wanted to temper it. It might almost be worth doing that, as it did have an unusual enchantment, that made it pass through armour as if it wasn't there. "Later," she thought.
Mjoll had found a letter from Brelyna waiting for her when she got back to Aerin's house. She'd been asked by Arniel Gane to help with an experiment, and she'd already supplied him with some Dwemer cogs from her trips to Mzinchaleft and Mzulft. Now he wanted her to hunt down a staff so that he could trade it with Enthir and get his special soul gem back. And of course, it was a unique staff, not just one that could be replicated by Neloth.
"It looks like I'll be going with her," Mjoll said happily. "I like working with Brelyna."
"Does she have any clues where to find this staff?" asked Clark. "Or do you expect to search every cave and ruin in Skyrim?"
"She's narrowed it down to two," Mjoll replied. "It's either in Rannvieg's Fast, or Sunderstone Gorge. The last known owner was a necromancer, and those are the most likely of his haunts. If we're lucky, we'll get to visit both of them. I enjoy hunting necromancers!"
---
"Do you have any plans I should know about?" Iona asked Clark.
"I need to go visit Solitude again, soon. Jarl Elisif expects me to keep her informed about the rest of Skyrim, as she doesn't get out of Hjaalmarch. She'll be getting some intelligence from her other Thanes, but I think she trusts what I tell her a bit more."
"She might have other reasons for wanting to see you, you know."
"I'm sure she does. And Jordis, too. But I don't see either of them relying on me exclusively."
---
Elisif was aware that General Tullius would like nothing better than to marry her off to somebody weak and ineffective. He'd found out that she wasn't the dumb bimbo he'd been counting on, but only after she'd established her position too well for him to replace her. So there had been a steady stream of ambassadors from other provinces, come to pay respects at the court. All of them had been young men, roughly Torygg's age, and many resembled him to some extent.
"I could use some training," she told Clark. "You told me once about the Red Dragon Club, and how Taminwe operated. I need to able to do that. If I'm going to have access to representatives of the other provinces, I can find out a lot more about the wider picture."
Clark pondered that for a while. Tullius wasn't stupid, and if he found out that he was supplying Elisif with more than just entertainment, he might cut off the supply. She wouldn't want that to happen.
"That's exactly why I need to know how. I don't want them to feel they've told me anything I shouldn't know, or it will get back to the General. I'm sure I could persuade them to tell me anything already, and keep quiet about it, but I know there's more to it than that."
"It sounds to me like you're getting there without my help. Knowing the problem is half of solving it. However, I'll be happy to offer my services in refining your skill."
"I thought you might," she grinned. "And as it happens, there's someone in town that I'd like you to investigate, too."
"Female, I assume?"
"Very. They tell me she's from a ship that's anchored out beyond the ice, and she's shopping for supplies. However, that's not what she's after in the Winking Skeever in the evenings. That's all for her own benefit."
"I'll talk to Jordis first. She spends a lot of her time in the same tavern, and I suspect with the same intentions."
"Indeed. It was Jordis that told me about her. But there's more. The other business you'll need to attend to on this visit is Elenwen. She's having another of her parties at the Embassy, and I have an invitation to pass on to you. I get the impression that you're reason for the party, as she was most insistent that I get you to attend."
"I wonder what she wants from me now? She could have invited me any time since you made me a Thane, just to find out who I was. There must be something new that's tipping her hand."
---
Clark wasn't entirely surprised when he saw two of the local men leaving Proudspire just before he reached the front door. Jordis wasn't going to waste her time while he was away, and as his housecarl, she'd insist on taking them home with her. However, he wasn't expecting her to have brought a woman home, too.
The Breton with the long curly hair, and the loose, almost open, pirate blouse was Hélène, the sailor that Elisif had told him about. She was the First Mate from the Red Witch, a vessel from the port city of Farrun, in High Rock.
"First Mate means I manage the crew, while the Captain manages the ship. But I also interpret it as meaning that I get first go with any new men. Jordis has been helping me interview potential new crew while I'm here in Skyrim."
"Interview?" Clark queried.
"Well, any new sailor's got to fit in, hasn't he? I was hoping we could add a Nord to the ship's complement. Everyone's a Breton right now, except for Teraakus, the Argonian. Every ship needs an Argonian for the underwater work, like cleaning barnacles off the hull. He passed his interview, too."
"And what's your angle in this?" he asked Jordis.
"It was a case of competing, or joining forces. I'm giving Hélène a second opinion, when she's not sure. Of course, half the time, it's a first opinion, but you know what I mean."
"And if there is no second opinion, then they wouldn't last long on ship, would they?" Hélène added.
"So apart from that, what's going on with the Red Witch? The ships we see here are either transporting goods for the East Empire Company, or else they're pirates, preying on the trade. If you were doing the former, I'd know about you already."
"There is a third group, you know. The authorities in High Rock have chartered us as privateers, and we're permitted to hunt the pirates for the bounties."
"I've heard the term privateer before. Usually it means pirates that have the protection from one side in a conflict, with the understanding that they'll restrict their plundering to the other side."
"Well, there isn't any war on the northern coast right now, so bounty-hunting's a decent enough living. Eliminating a few rivals won't hurt, either. And if I'm honest, which is unusual, then I'd have to say I prefer attacking a ship that deserves it, rather than just one that has the wealth in its hold."
"But that would be the Captain's decision, not yours, wouldn't it? I'd like to know what his opinion is."
"Hers. The Captain's a woman. I could arrange for you to meet her, if I think she'd be interested. She puts a good deal of trust in my opinion, which is why I'm the First Mate."
"I have heard that the East Empire Company in Windhelm has a pirate problem, so did you come here to deal with that? They trade from there with Solstheim, whereas the branch here in Solitude trades more with High Rock."
"Not specifically, although if there's a bounty there, we might get interested. No, we've got a different job this time. I won't say what it was, without speaking to Captain Clarisse first. And if you ask me nicely, I might make the introductions, and you could find out for yourself."
Jordis was not unaware where this was leading. She decided to let Hélène find out what she was getting into for herself, and maybe she'd rescue her later. No, definitely. She wasn't going to be left out of the fun!
--------------
Previously Clark (with a lot of skilled assistance from Gilda) has "cured" Serana of her Molag-Bal inspired problems.
--------------
Part 65 - Riften and Solitude
Fortunately for Clark, they didn't interrupt anything when they returned, or they'd have wanted to join in. Paticularly as they'd also found a Stone of Barenziah, in Ansilvund.
"We picked up this strange old sword there," Iona said, showing them the Ghostblade, "But it's nothing special when you compare it to the ones we already have. The Stone was much more of a reward."
"What does that make the count?" Clark asked Gilda.
"Seventeen," she replied. "Getting close, but there's still another seven to find, and they could be anywhere in Skyrim."
Mjoll and Iona had also brought back quite a haul of soul gems, books, and other treasures that needed sorting. Some of the soul gems went to recharging their swords, and they kept some more for future use.
"I'll take this spell book to Wylandriah and see what she'll give me for it," Mjoll announced. "It's one we all know, so it probably won't be worth much, but it will give me an excuse to check on how she's doing. She's so absorbed in her experiments, if I don't remind her, she'd forget to sleep for days."
Iona took the Ghostblade down to the enchanting lab in the basement, and hung it on one of the weapon racks on the wall. She noted that they had some ectoplasm, if she wanted to temper it. It might almost be worth doing that, as it did have an unusual enchantment, that made it pass through armour as if it wasn't there. "Later," she thought.
Mjoll had found a letter from Brelyna waiting for her when she got back to Aerin's house. She'd been asked by Arniel Gane to help with an experiment, and she'd already supplied him with some Dwemer cogs from her trips to Mzinchaleft and Mzulft. Now he wanted her to hunt down a staff so that he could trade it with Enthir and get his special soul gem back. And of course, it was a unique staff, not just one that could be replicated by Neloth.
"It looks like I'll be going with her," Mjoll said happily. "I like working with Brelyna."
"Does she have any clues where to find this staff?" asked Clark. "Or do you expect to search every cave and ruin in Skyrim?"
"She's narrowed it down to two," Mjoll replied. "It's either in Rannvieg's Fast, or Sunderstone Gorge. The last known owner was a necromancer, and those are the most likely of his haunts. If we're lucky, we'll get to visit both of them. I enjoy hunting necromancers!"
---
"Do you have any plans I should know about?" Iona asked Clark.
"I need to go visit Solitude again, soon. Jarl Elisif expects me to keep her informed about the rest of Skyrim, as she doesn't get out of Hjaalmarch. She'll be getting some intelligence from her other Thanes, but I think she trusts what I tell her a bit more."
"She might have other reasons for wanting to see you, you know."
"I'm sure she does. And Jordis, too. But I don't see either of them relying on me exclusively."
---
Elisif was aware that General Tullius would like nothing better than to marry her off to somebody weak and ineffective. He'd found out that she wasn't the dumb bimbo he'd been counting on, but only after she'd established her position too well for him to replace her. So there had been a steady stream of ambassadors from other provinces, come to pay respects at the court. All of them had been young men, roughly Torygg's age, and many resembled him to some extent.
"I could use some training," she told Clark. "You told me once about the Red Dragon Club, and how Taminwe operated. I need to able to do that. If I'm going to have access to representatives of the other provinces, I can find out a lot more about the wider picture."
Clark pondered that for a while. Tullius wasn't stupid, and if he found out that he was supplying Elisif with more than just entertainment, he might cut off the supply. She wouldn't want that to happen.
"That's exactly why I need to know how. I don't want them to feel they've told me anything I shouldn't know, or it will get back to the General. I'm sure I could persuade them to tell me anything already, and keep quiet about it, but I know there's more to it than that."
"It sounds to me like you're getting there without my help. Knowing the problem is half of solving it. However, I'll be happy to offer my services in refining your skill."
"I thought you might," she grinned. "And as it happens, there's someone in town that I'd like you to investigate, too."
"Female, I assume?"
"Very. They tell me she's from a ship that's anchored out beyond the ice, and she's shopping for supplies. However, that's not what she's after in the Winking Skeever in the evenings. That's all for her own benefit."
"I'll talk to Jordis first. She spends a lot of her time in the same tavern, and I suspect with the same intentions."
"Indeed. It was Jordis that told me about her. But there's more. The other business you'll need to attend to on this visit is Elenwen. She's having another of her parties at the Embassy, and I have an invitation to pass on to you. I get the impression that you're reason for the party, as she was most insistent that I get you to attend."
"I wonder what she wants from me now? She could have invited me any time since you made me a Thane, just to find out who I was. There must be something new that's tipping her hand."
---
Clark wasn't entirely surprised when he saw two of the local men leaving Proudspire just before he reached the front door. Jordis wasn't going to waste her time while he was away, and as his housecarl, she'd insist on taking them home with her. However, he wasn't expecting her to have brought a woman home, too.
The Breton with the long curly hair, and the loose, almost open, pirate blouse was Hélène, the sailor that Elisif had told him about. She was the First Mate from the Red Witch, a vessel from the port city of Farrun, in High Rock.
"First Mate means I manage the crew, while the Captain manages the ship. But I also interpret it as meaning that I get first go with any new men. Jordis has been helping me interview potential new crew while I'm here in Skyrim."
"Interview?" Clark queried.
"Well, any new sailor's got to fit in, hasn't he? I was hoping we could add a Nord to the ship's complement. Everyone's a Breton right now, except for Teraakus, the Argonian. Every ship needs an Argonian for the underwater work, like cleaning barnacles off the hull. He passed his interview, too."
"And what's your angle in this?" he asked Jordis.
"It was a case of competing, or joining forces. I'm giving Hélène a second opinion, when she's not sure. Of course, half the time, it's a first opinion, but you know what I mean."
"And if there is no second opinion, then they wouldn't last long on ship, would they?" Hélène added.
"So apart from that, what's going on with the Red Witch? The ships we see here are either transporting goods for the East Empire Company, or else they're pirates, preying on the trade. If you were doing the former, I'd know about you already."
"There is a third group, you know. The authorities in High Rock have chartered us as privateers, and we're permitted to hunt the pirates for the bounties."
"I've heard the term privateer before. Usually it means pirates that have the protection from one side in a conflict, with the understanding that they'll restrict their plundering to the other side."
"Well, there isn't any war on the northern coast right now, so bounty-hunting's a decent enough living. Eliminating a few rivals won't hurt, either. And if I'm honest, which is unusual, then I'd have to say I prefer attacking a ship that deserves it, rather than just one that has the wealth in its hold."
"But that would be the Captain's decision, not yours, wouldn't it? I'd like to know what his opinion is."
"Hers. The Captain's a woman. I could arrange for you to meet her, if I think she'd be interested. She puts a good deal of trust in my opinion, which is why I'm the First Mate."
"I have heard that the East Empire Company in Windhelm has a pirate problem, so did you come here to deal with that? They trade from there with Solstheim, whereas the branch here in Solitude trades more with High Rock."
"Not specifically, although if there's a bounty there, we might get interested. No, we've got a different job this time. I won't say what it was, without speaking to Captain Clarisse first. And if you ask me nicely, I might make the introductions, and you could find out for yourself."
Jordis was not unaware where this was leading. She decided to let Hélène find out what she was getting into for herself, and maybe she'd rescue her later. No, definitely. She wasn't going to be left out of the fun!
Nice job capturing the nature of both the absentminded Wylandriah and the itching-for-a-fight Mjoll!
Back to Solitude for Clark then. Not surprising that the secretly clever Elisef turns Tullius’ suitors into intelligence sources.
Out to sea next? And will Clark be mating the first mate? I quite enjoy the East Empire related quests in the game, so I'm looking forward to what may be ahead.
Back to Solitude for Clark then. Not surprising that the secretly clever Elisef turns Tullius’ suitors into intelligence sources.
Out to sea next? And will Clark be mating the first mate? I quite enjoy the East Empire related quests in the game, so I'm looking forward to what may be ahead.
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