I have to share Grits' concern over the potential choice of house. The real estate market in Anvil is rather limited.

Although, in my games, it was always the CoC who cleaned that place up. Perhaps he's been through already?

Acadian - I'm glad you like Marie. I was conscious of trying to make her seem like a child, but not in a 'childish' way...if that makes sense As for your hopeful foreshadowing, you will have to wait and see

Grits - I'm not usually a fan of children myself, but writing Marie has proven to be quite fun. Whether or not the house will be as fun remains to be seen.

Darkness Eternal - Yep, this isn't a story about champions, just a simple Argonian's Account

ghastley - Your housing concerns may prove to be true. As for the CoC, having them complete all the quests before Haa-Rei gets there would certainly make it easier to write, though slightly less interesting I'd imagine.


EVERYONE - Apologies for the lack of chapters recently. I've been away from home and haven't had much time for writing. I'll be away for several weeks after this, but I'll get to writing more as soon as I can.



Previously - Haa-Rei accompanied Marie and Lynette on the last leg of their journey to Anvil. Fortunately the road was safe, but can the same be said of the town?

Chapter 30

The mood in Anvil was, in a word, bad. I’d expected a bustling port town, but what people I saw on the street were tense and silent. News of the Emperor’s death and the attack on Kvatch had arrived almost simultaneously and had an immediate effect on the people.

We had arrived in Anvil shortly before midday. The sun was warm and bright overhead but did little to lighten the mood of the town. Fortunately it was not all doom and gloom. I was standing near the city gates, Marie still on my shoulders, watching Lynette’s reunion with her wife, Ailinwe. The Altmer woman had been waiting for us all morning from the looks of things, and Marie had instructed me to hang back a bit.

“That’s Ali.” Marie helpfully pointed out.

“I see. Don’t you want to go over there?”

“Not yet. Oh, we can go over there.” I found my head being turned slightly to the right, to another Altmer woman who was likewise watching the reunion from a respectful distance. She bore a remarkable resemblance to Ailinwe.

“Who’s this?” I whispered, already starting to walk towards her.

“This is Auntie Ciri. She’s Ali’s sister. She’s really nice.” Marie whispered back.

To describe an Altmer as ‘beautiful’ is like saying that fire is hot or water is wet, but Cirinwe (Auntie Ciri’s actual name) was truly beautiful in every sense of the word. She was a couple of inches taller than me, with golden skin which made the midday sun seem dull in comparison. Her hair was a very light blonde, almost white, and had been fashioned into a long braid which reached down to her waist.

The first thing that I noticed, however, was her injury. The ear on her right side was missing the pointed tip, and she had some light scarring on that side of her face. It looked like she had been burned quite severely, but someone had done a very good job of healing it. As we approached she turned her face slightly in an attempt to hide her injury, and I felt like a colossal fool for staring so much.

“Good afternoon, Marie, I see you’ve made a friend since we last saw each other.” Cirinwe smiled brightly as she addressed my current employer, still seated on my shoulders, and nodded a greeting to me as well.

“Hello Auntie. This is Haa-Rei, he's an adventurer.” Marie introduced me and I nodded my head, or rather Marie nodded my head for me, to return the greeting.

“A pleasure to meet you, Haa-Rei the Adventurer.” Cirinwe said, trying not to laugh too much at my situation. Her eyes were the colour of oak leaves in Hearthfire, and were full of light.

Before I had a chance to speak for myself, Lynette’s voice called us all over to her. She and Ailinwe had both been crying, and their faces were a swirl of emotions (primarily joy).

After more introductions were had I was asked to speak with Lynette and Ailinwe alone, while Cirinwe and Marie went to get some lunch. The Breton child seemed disappointed at the idea of walking anywhere, but the prospect of food was a good distraction. I stretched by back and shoulders after she'd dismounted, and wondered if I should purchase a saddle for myself.

“Lynette tells me that you’re an adventuring sellsword...” Ailinwe began.

“That’s right.” I confirmed warily. It was obvious that I was about to be offered a job.

“Well I was wondering if you have any experience with…ghosts.” The Altmer had grown quieter.

“Ghosts? What kind of ghosts?” Having travelled around Morrowind, a land where people revere their ancestors with elaborate tombs, I was more than familiar with a wide range of undead.

“We’ve purchased a house here in Anvil, you see, but we think it might be haunted. We don’t have enough money to hire the guilds to investigate, so we were hoping to find a…private contractor to look into it. I know you’ve already helped Lynette and Marie, and you need to be paid for that, but…” The Altmer trailed off, unsure of what to say next.

I paused to think for a moment. I wasn’t sure if a haunted house was the same as just killing a ghost in a tomb, but I had grown quite fond of these people even after knowing them for only a day or so, and I would like to help them if I could.

“I’ll help if I can, though I’m not an expert…and I can’t guarantee success.” It was the best I could do, but even so it was enough for them.

“Thank you! We’ll find a way to pay you back, I promise.” Ailinwe grabbed one of my hands a shook it until I thought it was about to fall off. Lynette simply smiled and thanked me in her reserved manner.

The house in question was a large manor near the town’s gates. It looked quite rundown from the outside, with missing roof slates and an large covering of ivy on the walls. Inside was much the same, with a thick layer of dust covering every surface. The spines on my head began to tingle as soon as I entered the building, but I could find nothing of note in any of the rooms.

According to Ailinwe the problems only occur at night, and consist of anything from furniture moving on its own to a full on attack from ghosts. She also said that Cirinwe would be assisting me, and although she was a mage she had few offensive capabilities so the fighting would be up to me. Regardless, I was quite relieved that I would have someone else with me, for fear of failure rather than a fear of the undead.

For the moment though I had been left alone in the house, the two women having gone to join Cirinwe and Marie for some food. I wasn’t hungry, and needed to prepare. If I was going to be fighting ghosts I would need some silver or enchanted weapons.

With that in mind I headed for the Anvil Mages Guild. I had a plan.

Wherever the next couple weeks takes you, I hope you return to us happily and safely.

*

News of the crisis spreads, I see, darkening the mood in Anvil.

Two new characters and, like Lynette and little Marie, you bring both Altmer to life quickly via their words, description and mannerisms.

Ahah! The Anvil Manor! I love how Haa-Rei’s head spikes, after being used by Marie to steer him around, now come into play helping to divine for ghosts.

I wonder what Haa-Rei’s plan is?

I’m also curious about Cirinwe – whether her scar and dearth of offensive magicks are related.

What a lovely description of Cirinwe! She sounds breathtaking. I like Haa-Rei’s opinion that Altmer = beautiful. That’s definitely the case in ESO, each high elf is more gorgeous than the last.

Haa-Rei’s interactions with people are so charming. Ooo, an Anvil ghost adventure! I’m looking forward to this.

I hope the next couple of weeks go well for you.

Acadian - Thank you It's nothing too exciting, just squaring away some stuff at uni. There's limited internet access in the house where I live down there, and the environment is not conducive to writing.

Grits - ESO's Altmer are actually the main reason for Cirinwe's existence. I love the way they and the Dunmer look.



Previously - After reuniting Lynette with her wife, Ailinwe, Haa-Rei agreed to help them with a haunting in their home. Ailinwe's sister, Cirinwe, will be lending him a hand...

Chapter 31

Do I fear ghosts? No. Was I absolutely terrified that night in the Anvil mansion? Yes.

If I was asked about my fears, ghosts would not be among them. Indeed there isn’t anything that I would say that I fear. This isn’t because I consider myself to be brave and fearless, but rather because I like to act on a case-by-case basis. If I was scared of all ghosts, or all Daedra, then I would never set foot in another ruin, crypt, or abandoned mansion ever again, and would have missed out on dozens of fascinating conversations that I’ve had over the years with friendly spirits and Daedra. Not that there isn't good reason to fear ghosts of course, but I stand by my point.

My business at the Mages Guild had gone reasonably well. After reading a book about ghosts I purchased a quiver of silver arrows from a local merchant, and spent a small fortune at the guild to have them enchanted with fire damage. Usually one would either go for silver OR enchantment, but I wasn’t taking any chances.

After that I found Cirinwe and we formulated a plan. We would wait in the mansion all night, and hope that the ghost would be so kind as to show itself and let me shoot it. It was simple, but that just meant there was less that could go wrong. Ailinwe, Lynette, and Marie would spend the night at an inn, and I hoped that I would be able to give them some good news in the morning.

“You don’t talk much, do you?” Asked Cirinwe. We had been in the house for 2 hours or so by this point, and neither of us had said a word. The spines on my head had not stopped tingling since we’d arrived.

“No…sorry.”

“No need to apologise. I like it.” She spoke without looking up from her book.

I opened my mouth to reply, but when no witticism was forthcoming I simply opted to remain silent. For the briefest of moments I thought I saw a smile appear on her face, but it was gone in an instant like the sun peeking through clouds.

We were sitting on the bed in the master bedroom, which was the only room with any intact furnishings. Even with several dozen candles dotted around the room, the darkness pressed in. Cirinwe sat to my left, her unscarred side towards me, and was reading a large tome about restoration magic. I was going back through the book about ghosts which I had…borrowed from the Mages Guild. We were sitting in complete silence, but it was a very comfortable one.

Hours passed without any incident, and I was about to suggest that Cirinwe should get some sleep when I heard a crash from downstairs.

We both shot to our feet. I had an arrow knocked and ready in one swift movement, and I could see the distinct golden glow of restoration magic from the corner of my eye. She might not be a destruction mage, but Cirinwe’s book had clearly given her some combat tips.

All was silent again, though this was anything but comfortable. One by one the candles sputtered out, and we were left with only a faint glow of moonlight through the windows. This meant that when a blue light began to approach the door, it was clearly visible.

A faint noise also approached, just at the edge of my hearing but getting louder and louder.

“Can you hear that?” I asked, but my companion shook her head. It sounded as if someone was letting out a very long breath, but turned into a moan as the volume increased.

“Wait,” Cirinwe whispered “I can hear it now.” She’d turned her head so that her left ear (presumably her better one) was facing the door. The moonlight cast deep shadows on her scarred cheek.

The door handle began to rattle, then turn, before the door swung open with a dramatic creak.

After such a terrifying entrance, the ghost itself looked positively mundane. The ash wraiths and guardian spirits of Morrowind were skeletal in appearance, dressed in rags or old armour, but this was just a vaguely person-shaped mist.

The ghost stretched out a pale hand and rushed towards us, straight into one of my arrows. It shrieked as the dual attack of silver and fire dissolved it into a puddle on the floor.

When no more ghosts were forthcoming I carefully stepped over the puddle and slowly headed downstairs, Cirinwe following closely behind. We met another ghoulish guest on the stairs, and another in the dining room, and both fell to my arrows without much fuss. I was feeling much better about the whole situation now, but my spines were still telling me to be careful. If the ghosts aren’t the danger, then what is?

“Here.” Cirinwe motioned me over to where she was crouched. An old vase lay smashed on the ground, with the skeletal remains of a hand lying amongst the pieces.

“This must have been the first noise we heard. Where’s the hand’s owner?” I peered around the room for any clues, but my companion already had the answer.

She pulled a scrap of paper from the skeleton hand, and cast a spell of illumination. A small orb of light appeared above her head, and her eyes quickly scanned the page.

“It is as the Guild thought,” The Altmer said, frowning slightly, “there’s necromancy at work here.”

Do I fear ghosts? No. Was I absolutely terrified that night in the Anvil mansion? Yes.

Well done, Haa-Rei! Silver arrows enchanted with fire was a great choice. I liked the comfortable silence you described between lizard and scarred elf. It does seem that simply waiting without motion or sound would come very naturally to the reptilian Haa-Rei.

Methinks that both Haa-Rei’s tingling head spines and Cirinwe’s ominous words foretell that the worst of the mansion's secrets is yet ahead of them.

Presumably ghosts are a known, and it's the unknown that's to be feared. That house is definitely full of unknown.

Nit: your creek should have been a creak, unless you have a paddle available.

Acadian - Yep. As always, nothing is as simple as it first seems.

ghastley - When it comes to undead I'd say that it's both the known and unknown that should be feared, just to be safe.


Previously - Haa-Rei and Cirinwe began their vigil of the manor. After being attacked by some ghosts, the duo explored the house and found a clue which hints at a bigger danger...

Chapter 32

Benirus Manor, the true name of this house, was once owned by a gentleman named Lorgren Benirus. Around 98 years prior to my visit, Lorgren had been dabbling in necromancy, much to the distaste of the local populace. Even before the Mages Guild outlawed the practice, many people found it distasteful. All too often a Necromancer finds himself delving too deep into the darker side of the school. Such was the case here.

Lorgren had begun to use corpses to fuel his growing power, snatching them from the Anvil graveyard. This lead to a raid on the manor by the Mages Guild, who defeated Lorgren. Unfortunately his body vanished at the time, though the presence of a skeletal hand in a jar suggested to Cirinwe and I that he may still be on the premises.

Once Cirinwe had told me this story, we wasted no time in searching the house for anything suspicious. I wasn’t sure what to look for, maybe he’d just be hiding in a cupboard somewhere and this would all be finished with soon.

As it turned out, he was hiding in a secret underground room which was sealed behind a magical blood door. So just a fancy cupboard.
“What is that” I asked as Cirinwe lead me to the door.

“Well it’s a door that needs blood to open.” She replied with a slight smile, making me feel like a fool for asking such a ridiculous question.

“I assume it needs a specific person’s blood.”

“Yes, usually. Though…” She trailed off and began inspecting the door more closely, casting some spells and occasionally prodding the dusty bricks which were covered in bright red runes. I sat myself down on a nearby barrel and kept quiet while she worked.

After several minutes of casting and prodding, the Altmer stopped and turned to me.

“I’ll need a hand,” She said, only to realise the vagueness of her instruction. “The hand. From the vase.”

“Oh right…here” I handed her the skeletal appendage, which I’d wrapped in a scrap of dusty curtain for safekeeping.

I readied my bow as Cirinwe pressed the hand to the door and cast a spell. For a few moments nothing seemed to be happening, and I was about to sit back down. Suddenly the runes on the wall lit up as if they were on fire, and several bricks shuddered before swinging back, revealing a dark passageway.

Just as before, I led the way, followed by Cirinwe who was looking a little tired from the door experiments. I knew better than to ask if she was alright, so I focused my attention on the passageway. There was no light in the passage itself, but a warm glow from the far end led our way.

We emerged into a large stone chamber. It was very open, the ceiling held up by four thick stone pillars. Candles were spread all over the room, illuminating every corner and crevice. There was a desk by the entrance which was empty but for a single tome which positively oozed darkness. In the centre of the chamber was a raised altar, upon which lay a skeleton. A skeleton that was missing one hand. I think the presence of a few ghosts would have lightened the mood considerably. As we approached the altar a red circle of runes appeared on the floor.

“That’s odd. I’ve seen these before, in Dunmer tombs.” I said, thinking back to my time in Morrowind. For someone who dislikes undead I spend an awful lot of time in burial sites.

“It’s a speaking circle. It allows people to speak to the dead, or to Daedra. Basically any transplanar...” Cirinwe stopped herself after using the word ‘transplanar’ and cleared her throat before continuing. “Anyway, we can use it to talk to Lorgren.”

“It doesn’t look big enough for two people to stand in. You can talk to him.” I said, taking a couple of steps back. I wasn’t too bothered about speaking to an undead, grave-robbing necromancer, but the thought of standing so uncomfortably close to someone made my scales itch.

“Oh don’t be silly, we’re both quite skinny I’m sure we can squeeze in.” Cirinwe looked utterly serious, and grabbed my arm before I could protest.

Before I knew what was happening, I was standing in the circle. Cirinwe was correct when she said we were both skinny enough, and also about having to squeeze in. We were pressed together like fish in a barrel, and I had to hold my tail in my hands to stop it from breaking the circle. As soon as we were in position the runes lit up, forming a circular wall of light around us. A voice began to whisper, though I was hearing it in my head rather than with my ears.

“I am Lorgren Benirus, and I desire the chance to atone for my sins.” The voice rattled through my skull. “The things I've done to the people of Anvil; the horrible, unspeakable acts I've committed demand repentance. Carahil was justified in her actions. Slaying me was the only way to stop the madness. I have accepted that fate. Now, so I may make my final peace with the Nine, please rejoin my hand to my body. Only then, when I am complete, will this eternal nightmare end." As the voice faded, so too did the circle, allowing me the chance to take a couple of steps back.

“It’s quite clearly a trap.” Said Cirinwe, her face slightly flushed.

“Yes. Though I suppose a trap isn’t a trap if you know it’s a trap.”

“That’s…true.” The Altmer agreed, almost smiling. “He’ll most likely attack us as soon as we give his hand back, so be ready.”
I nodded and raised my hand, causing Thiazzi to rumble into existence.

The storm atronach turned towards Cirinwe and let out a low growl, unsure of this new presence. The Altmer glanced at him, nodded in greeting, and then returned to her spell preparation. Thiazzi stopped growling immediately, almost shrinking away from her. I couldn’t help but chuckle.

Once we were ready, Cirinwe placed the skeletal hand on the altar and quickly moved away.

A long, crackling laugh filled the room as the skeleton began to shift and change under a veil of green light.

Lorgren Benirus was here.

So they found Lorgren hiding in the cupboard indeed!

I loved how Haa-Rei had to hold his tail to keep from breaking the small circle.

Based on the laugh at the end, it seems Cirinwe was wise to suspect a trap and Haa-Rei prudent to ask Thiazzi to join them.


Oh, and I love your new screenshot of the month showing Haa-Rei’s armored guar mount. Very neat!

Acadian - If in doubt, summon an atronach



Previously - After learning more about Benirus Manor, our ghostbusters found the final resting place of Lorgren Benirus. Suspecting a trap, they prepared for a fight...

Chapter 33


The sickly green light that had enveloped the skeleton suddenly vanished, sending a foul smelling wave of energy through the air. The candles around the chamber went out, plunging it into darkness.

My night-vision, although nothing compared to that of a Khajiit, was sufficient to make out Lorgren’s new form as it slowly rose to its feet. The skeleton was now clothed, or as close to being clothed as a lich ever is. A red, moth-eaten robe hung from his bony shoulders, and the rotten remains of a doublet clung to his ribs. His hands were heavy with gold rings, and a golden crown adorned his head.

He raised a gnarled wooden staff into the air and slammed it to the ground, causing the candles to re-light with magical blue flames. His body now began to glow, so that he resembled the ghosts I’d fought earlier. His mouth worked soundlessly for a few seconds before his voice filled the chamber once more.

"It never fails to amuse me how easy mortal man is to manipulate. You've assisted me in completing the very thing Carahil and her cabal sought to prevent all those years ago...my ascension to immortality.” He slammed his staff on the ground again, and two skeletons rose in front of him. “Last time I clashed with mortals, I underestimated their power. I shall not repeat that mistake twice. I live...again!” The skeletons jumped into action, their eerie hisses being drowned out by Lorgren’s maddening laughter.

Cirinwe wasted no time in attacking, knocking one of the skeletons off its feet with a ball of silver light. The undead’s bones were aflame with a ‘destroy undead’ spell, a particularly powerful restoration skill.

The second skeleton was dispatched by me. My arrow struck its sternum with enough force to become embedded in the old, dry bone. The arrow’s fire enchantment surged into the creature, causing it to collapse in a pile of smouldering bonemeal.

Thiazzi engaged Lorgren himself, sending a huge bolt of lightning crackling across the room. The lich seemed unimpressed, and simply absorbed the elemental magic with a powerful shield spell. Another wave of his hand summoned more skeletons, as well as resurrecting the one that I had ‘killed’. Cirinwe’s stayed down, even a lich can’t beat a master of restoration.

The battle continued to rage for several minutes. No magic could harm Lorgren, and his growing army of skeletons prevented me from getting a clear shot. Thiazzi had been backed into a corner, skeletons crawling all over his massive frame. It was Cirinwe who came up with the plan.
“I need 30 seconds.” She shouted over the din, retreating to the entrance of the room.

I nodded in reply, dropping another enemy with my second-to-last arrow and shouldering my bow. The skeletons were equipped with crude, rusted iron weapons. Perfect for bashing bonewalkers. I hefted a one-handed axe into a rough fighting stance and kept Cirinwe safe while she prepared.
There was no finesse to this fight. No fancy tricks or skill, just swinging an axe around and trying my best to stay on my feet. I could feel Thiazzi weakening, and hoped that my Elven companion was almost ready.

In answer to my hopes the skeletons in front of me suddenly exploded, their bones alight with silver flames. A whistling orb of light flew over my head, towards Thiazzi. The beleaguered atronach was enveloped in a veil of silver, and when it subsided he was standing unharmed and ankle deep in bones.

“Now, Haa-Rei, shoot Lorgren!” Cirinwe’s voice sounded weak, but I didn’t dare look back.

The iron axe clattered heavily to the ground as I drew my bow. I’d avoided using my last silver arrow until it was absolutely necessary, and now that time had come.

Even as I fired, the silver arrow wreathed in flame, more skeletons began to rise. Nothing interrupts a summoning spell quite like an arrow punching you in the ribs though, and the skeletons vanished before they’d even arrived. The flame enchantment set Lorgren’s dry robes alight, and the silver arrowhead broke his protective spell. Now it was Thiazzi’s turn.

The stone giant walked up to the burning lich as one would stroll through the woods on a sunny day. His massive stony hand wrapped around Lorgren in a grip that was literally bone crushing. Lightning magic coursed through Thiazzi’s body, and the Lich could do nothing to protect himself this time.

After another second or two, the charred remains of the lich were dropped back on the altar. I nodded my thanks to Thiazzi and dispelled him while Cirinwe approached the altar. I left my curiosity unsaid and simply watched as she began casting spells. Golden light leapt from her hands and enveloped the bones, so bright that I had to look away. The sound of Lorgren’s voice filled the chamber once more, but this time it was a wail of despair instead of mocking laughter. I’d later learn that this was a spell which destroyed the essence of an undead, thus preventing them from resurrecting.

Once it was over, the room darkened briefly before the candles relit themselves with a healthy orange glow. Even the darker corners of the room seemed lighter than before, and I noticed that my spines had finally stopped tingling. It felt almost…comfortable.

My brief respite was interrupted by Cirinwe. She’d begun to walk towards me, but her steps faltered and she collapsed onto the stone floor. I dashed over and saw that she had fainted from exhaustion, but was otherwise unharmed.

I remembered the spells she’d used during the fight and wondered just how much magicka she’d expended. Even a High Elf has her limits, and this one had surpassed hers.

Even though she was slightly taller than me, she was just as skinny and weighed very little. All the same, the muscles in my arms were burning by the time I carried her upstairs. She needed rest, and the only room that wasn’t full of dust and broken furniture was the bedroom in which we’d begun the evening.

I laid her on the bed and loosened her bodice slightly, relieved to see that her breathing had returned to normal. The room was pleasantly warm, no doubt thanks to Anvil’s climate, so I decided that she would be fine without any covers. I moved around the room, relighting candles with my terribly weak but incredibly handy flame spell.

With nothing left to do I simply sat on the floor and waited, book in hand.

What a night.

Dumb ol' Lorgran - underestimating those pesky mortals once again!

Nice team work of silver arrows, axe and magikelf. Oh, and Thiazzi!

Haa-Rei's spines deserve a nice rest from tingling and it looks like his job here is done.

Should be "I laid her on the bed, and ..."

Was Haa-Rei too excited to type properly?

Acadian - Indeed, some folks just don't have the good sense to stay dead. At least now someone can turn that crypt into a wine cellar or something.

ghastley - He had just assisted in the defeat of an undead abomination, so I think we can forgive a lay/lie/laid/lain mix up.




Previously - After an intense battle with Lorgren Benirus and his undead minions, Haa-Rei and Cirinwe emerged victorious but exhausted...

Chapter 34


The earthy scent of the potion filled my nostrils as I transferred the mixture from my makeshift alchemy station to the three small bottles that had been cleaned and prepared. Each bottle was made of thick, smooth glass which had been coloured black to avoid mistaking it for any other potions. A wolf’s head motif had then been engraved on the body of the bottle, and felt rough to the touch for easy identification in a hurry.

My alchemy station consisted of a pestle & mortar and an alembic, sitting atop a small oil burner. The pestle & mortar were my own, but the rest of the equipment was from a cupboard in the corner of the room. It was old, but usable.

I had also lit a small fire in the fireplace, and my iron kettle was hanging over it to keep warm. I was still in the bedroom of Benirus Manor, and had decided to restock my potions after finishing my book.

“Good morning” A quiet voice spoke up from behind me. Cirinwe was finally awake.

“Good afternoon.” I corrected her. “You’ve been asleep for thirteen hours.” I stood up slowly, my legs aching a little after kneeling down for so long, and made my way over to the fireplace.

The Altmer was quiet for a moment, then spied my alchemy set up and sniffed the air inquisitively.

“Smells like…wolfsbane and nightshade? An odd combination.” Even with my back to her I could almost see a raised eyebrow.

“Just…experimenting. It’s medicine.” I was hardly convincing, but she chose not to pursue it. “Anyway, I’ve brewed something else for you. Here.” I poured the dark red liquid into two cups, and took one over to Cirinwe.

“Thank you. What is it?” She sipped it experimentally, and winced as she scolded her tongue.

“Telvanni Tea. Made with Lotus, Acai Berry, and honey. As the name suggests, it is the favoured drink of Telvanni mages, and helps to recover magicka and stamina when they stay up all night to practice spells.” Even after drinking half a pot myself during the night, I was exhausted and thus prone to rambling. Fortunately my companion didn’t seem to mind.

“It's very nice. I wouldn’t have thought the Telvanni would be willing to share recipes like this.”

“They aren’t. I received the recipe as payment after helping a slave escape his Telvanni master.” The end of my sentence disappeared into a large yawn, which was in turn cut short as I spluttered out an apology.

“No need to apologise. When was the last time you slept? Or ate? Perhaps we should go to the inn for some breakfast…or lunch.” She’d framed it as a question, but finished her tea and made her way to the door to show that it was more of an order. I was happy to oblige. Even though Argonians don't require as much food as Elves, it had been several days since my last proper meal and I'd used a lot of energy during that time.

Cirinwe decided on lunch at The Count’s Arms, Anvil’s cleanest inn. The owner, an old Redguard by the name of Wilbur, spent several minutes talking to us about wines before he allowed us to order some food. I admired his passion, but I was also quite famished.

The meal itself was delicious. Roast chicken, seasoned liberally with a blend of herbs from the local area, a fresh loaf of bread with a crunchy black pepper crust, and a large bowl of salad drizzled with a traditional spicy Hammerfell dressing that I decided to avoid.

I was initially nervous about eating at such a high class inn, having spent most of my time either in the wilderness or the cheapest taverns I could find. As soon as I smelled the chicken, however, I decided that I was too hungry to care, and was pleased to see Cirinwe had had a similar thought.

After finishing our meal, Cirinwe asked Wilbur if he knew the whereabouts of her sister. As it turned out, Ailinwe had taken Lynette and Marie to the beach for the day. This meant that I had to wait in Anvil a little longer before I could receive my payment and be on my way.

The only issue was where I would stay. I couldn’t impose on my employers any further by sleeping in their house, The Count’s Arms was out of my price range, and the only other place with any spare beds was a dockside brothel. I was about to set off to find a good campsite outside the walls when Cirinwe interrupted my thoughts.

“If you’re looking for a place to stay, then why don’t you try the Guild?”

“The Guild?” I asked, slow to catch on. “The Mages Guild?”

She nodded. “I…might have read your file when Ailinwe hired you…” She looked embarrassed to admit it, but continued. “Even though you’re a low ranking member you can still use any spare beds at a guild hall.”

I decided to save any questions about the content of my ‘file’ for a later time, and we set off for the guild hall. Of course this was my second visit here, but I’d been so busy last time that I hadn’t really looked around.

It resembled any other mage establishment in Tamriel. Lots of blue and purple furnishings, alchemical and enchanting material, and books scattered around the large rooms. Mages were performing various activities, from reading to spell casting, and I felt quite at home but out of place all at once. I’d never really considered myself a mage, despite being a frequent user of conjuration magic, and I despised the idea of wearing a robe.

Regardless, I was a member of the guild, and I was here to rest. Cirinwe led me up stairs and along corridors until we came to one of the many bedrooms. Each room had two beds in, and enough room for two people to live there quite comfortably. This particular room was sparsely decorated, with heavy curtains keeping the room dark and cool. Several large stacks of books and scrolls were dotted around the floor.

“This is my room.” Cirinwe began. “The bed on the left is free, so you can use it whenever you please. I…apologise for the lack of furnishings. I don’t have many belongings.” She moved some books around so there was a clear path from the door to what was now my bed.

“Thank you. It’s perfect.”

Cirinwe left me to my rest, going to conduct some 'guild business'. As soon as she was gone I took off my boots, dumped my pack on the floor, and collapsed onto the bed, allowing the soft sheets to envelop me.

I fell asleep almost immediately.

Telvanni tea? Oh, made by Telvanni’s not from them. Whew.

Haa-Rei seems like quite the capable alchemist. Cirinwe’s discerning nose implies she probably is also.

What a wonderful meal the intrepid pair of ghostbusters shared.

I’m so glad Haa-Rei learned that he can stay free at the mages guildhalls.

I wanna go pick myself some wolfsbane, now. Are the foreign ingredients from Morrowind (the game and the province)?

Of course, if he's in Anvil, he doesn't need to go to the dockside brothel. The better one is outside town, at least in my games.

Acadian - I find that tea made from Telvannis is a bit too bitter.

ghastley - Yep, Wolfsbane's from Morrowind (G and P). Heh, I think one Anvil escapade is enough for now.



Previously - Haa-Rei spent a day recovering from the Benirus Manor incident, and discovered that Mages Guild members can stay in guild halls for free. That's an offer he couldn't refuse...

Chapter 35

I awoke the next morning feeling well rested and eager to get underway. Hopefully I could conclude my business in Anvil and be on my way back to Chorrol by the day’s end.

Cirinwe’s room in the guild was cool and dark thanks to the heavy curtains that shielded it from the Gold Coast sun. I sat up in bed and stretched my sore arm muscles as my eyes adjusted to the darkness.

Cirinwe had gone to bed in the early hours of the morning, though she had decided to read rather than going to sleep. Sleep, however, did come for her, and now she was snoozing gently while sitting up in bed, a book on folk medicine resting on her lap.

I gathered my belongings and crept from the room. The rest of the mages guild was similarly sleepy, with many mages still in their pyjamas and night gowns as they headed to breakfast.

I didn’t relish the idea of eating porridge with the intellectuals of Anvil, so I made my way outside and headed for the docks.

As I expected, the docks were a hub of frantic activity. Sailors, fishermen, and merchants all dashed about, eager to conduct their business and be on their way. I watched a young boy cut the purse from a slim Breton’s belt before melting into the crowd. A burly Bosmer chased a small cat away from his fish stall, only for a gull to swoop in and steal a beakfull of eels.

“I didn’t expect to see you down here in the early morning madness.” A cheery voice called out from behind me. I knew it was Ailinwe even before I turned around to greet her.

“Just stretching my legs, looking for something to eat.” I could barely hear myself over the din, but Altmer’s ears are obviously not just for show.

“I know just the place. Come on.” Ailinwe’s voice cut through the noise as she turned and marched towards a small tavern.

“The Flowing Bowl?” I read the sign hanging over the door as we approached.

“Don’t let the name put you off.” The Altmer laughed and headed inside.

As one might expect from a dockside establishment with such a name, the Flowing Bowl was rather plain and smelled like ale. A gathering spot for seamen at night, it was quite quiet during the day. It was owned by a pair of Bosmer twins, one of whom worked the day shift while the other worked the night.

Ailinwe sent me to sit down while she ordered some food. I chose a table near one of the low windows, with a view of the docks and the sea stretching out into the distance. My Altmer companion joined me several minutes later with two steaming bowls.

“Here we are. I ordered a small one for you, since I know that Argonians don’t eat much.” I nodded as I accepted the smaller bowl, grateful for her consideration.

“Thank you. It looks surprisingly good.” I admitted. It seemed to be a leek and potato soup, with some sort of spiced meat added to it. A heel of black bread had been provided on the side.

“I’m glad I caught you,” said Ailinwe, breaking up her bread and dropping it to soak in the soup. “I wanted to thank you for helping us. Ciri told Lynette and I all about what happened at the house.”

“I’m glad I could help. It was certainly an interesting night.” I was trying my hardest to avoid dribbling soup on myself, with limited success.

“What did you think of her? Ciri, I mean.” Ailinwe’s tone was almost identical to the one she used when asking for my help before.

“She’s a very knowledgeable and talented mage, and a nice person.” I replied suspiciously.

“Yes, she is…but she needs to go.” What? Go? Go where? Does she mean...

“I’m not sure I understand.”

“Wait, that sounded terrible. I mean that she can’t stay in Anvil. She needs to get out and see more of the world, rather than wasting away in the Guild Hall all day.” Ailinwe got straight to the point.

I was still confused, but now relieved that I wasn’t being asked to assassinate someone’s sister.

“I’m still not quite sure…” I said, trying to squeeze more of an explanation out of the Altmer.

“Right, I’ll explain. Back home in the Summerset Isles, Ciri was a student at a mage’s academy. Very prestigious, all the students were from great houses and expected to do great things. One day there was an…accident, I’m not sure of the details myself, but Ciri was kicked out of the academy. Our parents were furious, embarrassed that their firstborn child had failed, and disowned her. I went with her, going to High Rock and now to Anvil.” Ailinwe paused for a drink before continuing “She blames herself for my decision to leave home too. I’m happy here, I have a wife and a daughter, but it breaks my heart to see my sister like this. She used to be so cheerful, always making me laugh, but now she seems so…miserable. I just…I don’t know…I just think that if she had some time away, explored the world a bit, she might begin to heal a little.” She had tears in her eyes by the time she finished the story. There were a dozen questions that I wanted to ask, but I settled for asking just one.

“You want me to accompany her, yes?”

“Yes. I know it’s a lot to ask, especially after you’ve already done so much, and I understand if you say no, but please think about it.” She stared at me intently, though I’d already made my decision.

“Very well then, I’ll do it. I can take her as far as the Imperial City, but then I have business of my own to attend to.” I still had a job to do, after all.

“Oh, thank you! I’ll go and talk to her right away. Lynette should be at the house with your payment for the previous task. By the time that’s sorted, Ciri should be ready. Thank you!” Ailinwe ran around to my side of the table and embraced me in a large hug, lifting me off my feet ever so slightly.

I wasn’t sure that I should meddle in what was clearly quite a personal affair, but I wanted to help them as best as I could, and I’d be glad of the company. In any case, things were going to get more interesting from now on.

’As I expected, the docks were a hub of frantic activity. Sailors, fishermen, and merchants all dashed about, eager to conduct their business and be on their way. I watched a young boy cut the purse from a slim Breton’s belt before melting into the crowd. A burly Bosmer chased a small cat away from his fish stall, only for a gull to swoop in and steal a beakfull of eels.’
- - This is a wonderful Haa-Rie style description that, along with adding sounds in the next paragraph, gave us a wonderful feel for the busy morning dock.

I was really pleased to see that you brought Cirinwe to ESO. It matches well to what seems to be a growing role for her in this story.

Wonderful!

Acadian - The elves of ESO are the reason for Ciri's existence, they look great! Originally Haa-Rei was going to be travelling alone but...well, here we are.


Previously - Haa-Rei was invited to have breakfast with Ailinwe, who told him a little of her and Cirinwe's story. She also asked that he take Ciri with him on his adventures, and he graciously agreed to escort her as far as the Imperial City...

Chapter 36


"Thanks again," Shouted Lynette as I departed their house, reward in hand.

I'd been paid a rather small amount of gold in relation to such a large task, but it was still more than I'd asked for. I felt guilty about being paid by people who'd had such a rough time of things recently, but refusing a reward would likely offend them.

Cirinwe was nowhere to be seen, so I took my chance to resupply for my journey. I restocked my supply of dried meat at a butcher's stand near the marketplace, and bought a leather hood from a nearby tailor. I considered a visit to the smith to purchase a new sword, but decided against it. I'd be able to find better weapons for lower prices elsewhere on my journey.

After my brief shopping spree I took a seat on a bench in the marketplace to sew the hood onto my leather armour. I was wearing a shirt underneath so thankfully I didn't have to go topless while I conducted my rather messy needlework. I was just finishing up when I heard Cirinwe approach.

"You'd be a terrible surgeon." The Altmer remarked after seeing my sewing skills.

I couldn't think of a suitably witty reply, so I stowed my sewing kit in my pack and put my armour back on, testing the new hood. It sat nice and loose on my head, allowing me a good range of vision whilst keeping the sun and rain away. It would also help camouflage me and prevent my horns from getting caught in tree branches or cobwebs.

"Ready to go?" I asked, looking at my companion's equipment.

She had swapped her regular mage robes for the guild's green "travelling" variant, which featured a light armoured over-vest and leather attachments on the arms, as well as a leather hood. I also noticed for the first time that she wore bandages on her wrists and palms, as one would wear gauntlets. She carried her enchanted pack at her waist, and wielded a simple wooden staff in one hand.

"Lead the way" She said, taking one last look at her sister's house. This would be the first time she'd been away from Ailinwe for a considerable amount of time.

I headed out the main city gate, and could hear Cirinwe following behind. Even with my fast walking pace, her long Altmer strides soon caught up with me and we walked side by side. It took a further hour or so before she managed to find the right balance between walking slow enough to avoid overtaking me, and quick enough to avoid being left behind.

We walked in silence for the most part, content to simply enjoy each other's company and the Gold Coast countryside around us. It was a warm day, but not too hot. Rabbits darted through the scrub, avoiding the gaze of hawks that flew overhead. Mountain lions lazed around on a large slab of rock, content to let the world pass them by for now.

We had to stop to rest more frequently than I usually would. Every hour or so I'd hear Cirinwe's breathing getting heavier, and we'd pause long enough for her to catch her breath.

"Sorry," She sighed after we'd stopped for the third or fourth time "I'm not used to walking...anywhere."

"Don't worry about it. It gets easier." I handed her a strip of dried meat and looked around.

We were south of Kvatch, in a sheltered patch of trees just off the road. The sky was awash with pinks and oranges as the sun slowly crawled over the horizon.

"So that's Kvatch." said Cirinwe quietly.

The city could be seen quite clearly from our position. The smoke and fire had all died down, but there still seemed to be a sense of darkness coming from the grey walls. I wondered how long it would take for the people to rebuild.

"In any other circumstances," The Altmer continued, chewing slowly on a tough piece of venison, "I'd be quite excited to see an Oblivion gate." Her eyes had a very subtle glint of scholarly interest as she surveyed the city above.

Having encountered a gate of my own, I could sympathise with her mixed feelings. It was indeed a fascinating experience, but utterly terrifying if you stopped to think about it.

"I'm sure you'll get so see one on your travels." I reassured her.

"After hearing about Kvatch, I'm not sure I'd want to." We both fell silent, so I began to prepare a small fire.

"We'll camp here tonight, I think." After getting the fire going I unpacked my bedroll and teapot.

Cirinwe still hadn't moved. She was staring into the fire, one hand feeling the scarred flesh on her face. When she saw that I was watching she cleared her throat and began to unpack her own gear.

As I've mentioned before, elves need to eat quite regularly. Cirinwe prepared herself a light meal that consisted mainly of leaves and nuts, with some sort of pepper based dressing drizzled over the top. After her meal we shared some tea and spent the evening reading quietly, the silence broken only by the crackle of the campfire and the turning of pages.

I stayed awake long after Cirinwe had gone to sleep, planning our route to the Imperial City. It would be simple enough to follow the road through Skingrad and around Lake Rumare. From the Imperial City I could then travel alone to report back to the Grandmaster at Weynon Priory. I just hoped that he wouldn't mind that I was a couple of days late.

What a delightful day of travel as Haa-Rei and Cirinwe travel east, and Cirinwe figures out her walking pace and begins to develop her hiking lungs.

Kvatch affords a sobering reminder.

And what a wonderful evening, sharing tea around the campfire. I loved how the later part of the evening was marked primarily by ‘the crackle of the campfire and the turning of pages’.

And finally, a reminder of what Haa-Rei considers his bigger task and need to visit Weynon Priory.

The bedroll is optional, but the teapot is essential!

Gaaaah, there is no marking on your chapters to refer to - this is for the initial amazing post:

Chapter 1:

AWESOME !!! The tongue-in-cheek red dragon theme that ran through it kept me laughing; but for the rest you have floored me with your ability to give these short descriptions that are so perfecty visualized!

Example: There was more hair on those brows than on the rest of his head.

That is a gift, I absolutely love your easy writing style! Awesome Write!


Chapter 2:

Holy Cow, your ability to draw a picture with just a few words is spectacular! I can't get over how easy you make the read feel; while conveying so much information that it feels like watching it unfold! You have a real gift!

Also, once again I was struck by the subtle humor underlying Haa-Rei's inner dialogue; I am loving this!

Your descriptions of the mob coming up to him at the end had me in stitches, I absolutely LOVE Haa-Rei's inner dialogue; he has an Awesome dry wit!

And the dubious bonus of a free room at Luther Broad’s Boarding House for your service to the Empire had me rolling! (Uh...thanks, Uriel!)

Excellent, excellent write !!!!!!!



Chapter 3:

I like how this mob "tests his metal" and approves him without him even saying he wants a part of their expedition!

The obedient storm atronach retreiving his sword for him was inspired; and Haa-Rei probably continued sipping his tea while the atronach lumbered toward the man,

You had me in stitches with this whole scene; and Haa-Rei's savoir-faire was just Awesome!

Ooh, a mystery! I wonder what the flash of yellow in his eyes means that he thought the girl would know/understand something about him from it? (unless it refers to his attraction to Sjöfn; was that what the yellow flash indicated?) I'm slow on the uptake sometimes,


My only nit so far: Please number your chapters so a person catching up can find where they left off! Excellent story and write!!!

Chapter 4:


Two really great impressions right from the start were "the entire place smelled like slaughterfish" - fantastic line! I was immediatey immersed by that; and it has forever changed the thoughts I will have when walking through Weye! Of course it would; and now that you mention it = I would think the IC Waterfront would too; and intend to smell fish every time I go there as well! You have such a way with these descriptors slipped in; just a few words here or there that set a scene in a way a long detailed description never could; you have an amazing talent here!

The second is, "The one thing I’ve never missed about Cyrodiil is the rain." Perfect! Just perfect! And I agree,

Ooh, and some foreshadowing of trouble ahead!

Haa-Rei really shows his innate ability to survive here. Staying alive is a whole lot easier than keeping someone else alive!

OOh, really like the detail of the arrows on the ground; I never heard of anyone doing that before, but I've seen it done on those upper walkways of some towers in Cyrodiil!

Excellent Write and read !!!

Acadian - I imagine Ciri will learn a lot while she adventures with Haa-Rei, though she probably has a thing or two to teach him too.

ghastley - Never leave home without one!

mALX! - Welcome to the story! Very very happy to see you here, and even more happy to hear that you like it! I've added chapter numbers now, so it should be easier to keep up.


Previously - Haa-Rei and Cirinwe set off from Anvil, and made camp near Kvatch. Next, their journey will take them to Skingrad...

Chapter 37



“Evenin’� The guardsman at the Skingrad gate greeted us with tired eyes and a friendly smile.

Cirinwe and I had been walking all day, and she was so tired that I thought she might fall asleep at any moment.

“Evening. Where can we find the mages guild?� I asked the guard, trying to pay attention to his sleepy but accurate directions. Cirinwe and I set off for the guild hall several minutes later.

The town of Skingrad is split into two separate parts, bisected by the main road which cuts straight through the middle. One part of town is made up of the chapel and housing districts, and the other side of town is where the guilds, traders, and other traveller-friendly spots are located.

The whole town is surrounded by tall, dark walls and the guards are well trained and well equipped. The surrounding countryside is perfect for growing grapes, and the tomatoes and cheeses of Skingrad are just as famous, and worth just as much money. Count Janus Hassildor, who rules Skingrad, is said to be a master sorcerer. He’s much loved and respected by his people, though none have ever seen him due to his reclusive nature.

The Mages’ Guild hall, like all Skingrad buildings, is a solid structure of grey stone with dark slates on the tall roof. Inside it is richly furnished with rugs, wall hangings, and display cases adorning the large rooms. Despite the building’s size, there were about half as many members here as in the Anvil guild.

The head of the guild hall, a Breton by the name of Adrienne, greeted us from behind a large stack of books as we introduced ourselves.
“An Associate?� She said, regarding my rank in the guild, “I suppose you’ll be wanting a recommendation.� She sighed heavily, clearly wishing to get back to her reading.

“Erm…yes, if it’s not too much trouble.� Truthfully I’d completely forgotten about recommendations, but since she’d brought it up…

“I'm rather busy, you understand. My research occupies nearly all of my time.� She waved her hand vaguely at her books, “Now that I think about it, I do have a small problem concerning Erthor. He's one of the guild mages here. Think you can do something about it?"

“What’s the problem with Erthor?� I asked, hoping that she could give me a little more to go on than ‘a small problem’.

“I need to consult him on some notes he borrowed, but I can’t find him. You might want to ask around, and see if anyone can be of some help. Let me know when he's back, and you'll have your recommendation.� She picked up a book and turned away from me, indicating that the conversation was over.

“You need some help?� Asked Cirinwe, who’d been waiting patiently behind me.

“I think I’ll manage. Why don’t you get some rest?� I actually wouldn’t have minded the company, but the Altmer looked exhausted.

She opened her mouth to reply but a yawn came out instead, causing her to blush quite dramatically. She turned and headed to the mages quarters without another word.

My attempts to gather information met with limited success. The first person I questioned about Erthor, a balding Imperial called Sulinus, suggested that the missing mage could be found in ‘Beak Fat Cave’, though he couldn’t remember where it was.

I had a marginally more successful chat with Druja, an Argonian battlemage. She told me that Erthor works in ‘Bleak Flats Cave’, and marked it on my map.

The cave lay to the northwest of Skingrad. Far enough to be considered ‘out of the way’ but close enough for someone to commute easily between the cave and the town. When I arrived I found the door standing wide open, and the scent of rotting flesh heavy in the air.

I readied my bow and proceeded inside cautiously. Edging my way deeper into the tunnels.

The cave was…less than cosy. The walls and floor were bare of furnishings, though a healthy coating of wax indicated that there had been a great many candles here before they’d burned out. I encountered my first zombie shortly after entering the cave.

It shuffled aimlessly around the large cavern, its undead eyes staring uselessly into the darkness. Every so often, a sliver of rotten flesh would slide to the ground – this indicated that the zombie was created, rather than summoned.

A single arrow was enough to put it out of its misery, the body hitting the floor with a heavy thud.

The next room contained two zombies, and the first went down with similar ease. The second zombie, alerted by its comrade’s re-death, began to shuffle towards me with surprising speed. I hastily fired an arrow, which lodged itself harmlessly in an undead shoulder, and a second arrow which missed completely.

The zombie reached me, swinging its arms lazily but with surprising force. I attempted to move backwards but found myself being directed towards the cave wall, using my bow to block the creature’s attacks. A particularly strong blow caused the zombie to lose balance for a second, and I seized the opportunity to shove it away with all my might.

The zombie staggered backwards, tripped, and fell. A moment later an arrow slammed into its head, and it shuffled no more.

I let out a shaky breath and checked my bow for damage, fortunately finding nothing more than a light scratch. Once again I thought about how useful it would be to have a sword.

The rest of the cave was cleared without major incident, four more zombies being put to rest. A light coming from a small side passage drew my attention, and I proceeded carefully.

After a few feet, the passage opened into a small room. A mages guild banner hung on the wall, and a small bed had been constructed in the centre of the room. The most significant discovery was a Bosmer, huddled in the corner.

“Erthor?� I asked, causing the elf to practically leap out of his skin.

“Y-Yes! You...how did you get in here? Are those horrible creatures gone? I’ve been trapped for days!� He peered around me, into the passageway, making sure there were no undead behind me.

“The zombies are gone.� I confirmed, in a (hopefully) reassuring tone.

"Th-they're all gone? I can…I can leave the cave? Oh, thank you! I'm ever so grateful!� He jumped up and down a few times in excitement and bowed deeply to show his gratitude.

“Let’s get you back to Skingrad.� I said with a chuckle, leading Erthor out of the cave and into the clean night air.

A very accurate and concise description of Skingrad. Likewise, the guildhall and bookish guildmagister.

Beak Fat Cave!

After some tense but survivable zombie fightin’ Haa-Rei rescues the adorable little Erthor.

Be careful with Erthor; if he gets too excited, he might burst!

Acadian - I really like the aesthetic of Skingrad, straight out of a vampire novel.

ghastley - A common problem among Bosmer. Very messy.


Previously - Arriving in Skingrad, Haa-Rei was asked to find a missing mage as part of his guild recommendation. After battling some zombies and rescuing the mage Erthor, Haa-Rei returned to Skingrad...

Chapter 38



"A forest?" I said to myself, looking around.

I was indeed in a forest. The trees were slim and tall, a species of pine that I hadn't seen before. The ground where I stood was a soft carpet of moss, damp from rain and heavy with its scent. This scene stretched on in every direction, as far as I could see, with no visible landmarks or breaks in the terrain. I couldn't remember how I had come to be in this forest, or what I had been doing before arriving. I was simply there, accompanied by a vague sense of dread that seemed to creep around in the back of my mind.

Of course there is nothing quite like looking if you ever hope to find something, and with that in mind I set off in search of a river, or a road, or even a small hill from which I could get my bearings.

Rabbits dashed between thick ferns, while birds whistled through the branches. I paused as a small snake slithered past, and listened to a pheasant's harsh call somewhere in the distance. I was quite enjoying myself, truth be told, and decided that if I ever found out where 'here' was, I might return one day.

I resumed my walk, and soon found a rather interesting landmark. It was a stone. A very large stone, perhaps twice as tall and several times as wide as myself. It had been fashioned into a rough slab, and was standing upright in the centre of a clearing. One face had been etched with a series of runes which I couldn't read, but recognized as ancient Nordic. I'd seen similar carvings during my time on Solstheim, though I was almost certainly not on the island. The absence of any other stones nearby suggested that someone had placed the runestone here, though the moss growing on the stone suggested that they hadn't been back to maintain the site.

The sky overhead was growing darker, and the stone was the only thing I'd seen all day that could be used as shelter. I reached for my pack, to retrieve my bedroll, and found that it wasn't there. In fact my pack and bow were both absent, though I'd fortunately been left with my armour on. With nothing else to do, I gathered several bundles of twigs and broken branches and started a small fire. I tried to summon Thiazzi, but found the spell simply fizzled into the air. I was alone.

Night fell quickly in this forest, and soon enough it was dark as pitch. A large moon rose overhead and did its best to illuminate the night, but the thick trees blocked out much of the light. The vague sense of dread that I felt earlier was growing, and my spines tingled slightly.

Every so often a shadow would pass beneath a patch of moonlight, or rustle through the undergrowth just out of sight. I slowly rose to my feet and took a few steps back, bumping into the carved stone. At first I felt quite relieved to have the solid stone at my back, but then I felt it vibrate slightly, as if something was scratching it...or climbing it.

I craned my neck to look at the top of the stone, and saw the shadow. It was just a vague shape, silhouetted against the moonlight, but I could already smell what it was. It shifted slightly then leapt into the air. It sailed over my head and landed on the other side of the campfire, illuminated fully by the orange glow.

A large, muscular body, with enormous hands and feet which were almost human. Its dark skin covered entirely by thick brown fur, decorated liberally with brutal scars. Its head, lupine in nature, issued forth a snarl as the beast took a step toward the fire. It was a werewolf.

I urged my legs to run, which I believed to be the only thing to do in such a situation, but one leg had other ideas and struck out, booting the campfire and sending sparks and ash and burning twigs in a shower over the wolf. Then I ran.

I've never been a fast runner, certainly not fast enough to outrun a werewolf, but I ran anyway. I blundered through bushes and tore through tree branches. A howl echoed through the forest behind me and everything went red. At least, everything just looked red, as if someone had stolen a piece of stained glass from a chapel window and held it in front of the moon. The Bloodmoon. That was when I realised where I was - The Hunting Grounds of Hircine, Daedric Lord of the hunt and father of werecreatures.

"Xuth" I swore.

I ran on and on, and on again. My legs and lungs burned fiercely, but whenever I slowed down I heard a low growl behind me that spurred me forward. Every so often a shadow would appear to one side, steering me this way and that. I knew full well that I was being herded somewhere but there wasn't a thing I could do about it. The only thing I could do was run, swearing often and loudly.

Finally I came to a large clearing, bursting from the treeline and tumbling tail over scales onto the mossy ground. There were more werewolves in the clearing, about a dozen all standing in a circle. I wobbled to my feet as the circle opened and the scarred werewolf that I'd showered with embers stepped forward. Without a word he grabbed me by the neck, lifting me several feet into the air. My nose stung with the scent of singed fur.

"Join...us" It growled, before sinking its teeth into my shoulder.

Pain lanced through my body and I screamed. Then I woke up.



I was back in the Mages Guild in Skingrad, lying on the floor of the room which Cirinwe and I were sharing. My Altmer companion was kneeling on the floor next to me, one hand gently stroking my head. She ran a finger under my chin, causing me to reflexively open my mouth as all Argonians will, and poured a vial of my medicine down my throat.

I coughed and spluttered for a few seconds, and felt her hand move to hold one of my own.

"You should have told me..." She began, a tear rolling down the unscarred side of her face. "You should have told me that you were a werewolf."

"I'm sorry." I wheezed, my tongue struggling to work properly. "I'm sorry."

Whoah! Curve-ball!

B.b.b.but there aren't any werewolves in TES IV. All the others, though, so you're just fixing the omission.

And it's good to see that Ciri knows what to do.

By the horns of Hircine!

Nice job of storytelling. I almost suspected the Hunting Grounds about the time you revealed it. That Haa-Rei was being ‘herded’ also occurred to me only moments before it occurred to him. Waking from a dream made perfect sense, both surprising and pleasing me. As I said, nice job!

I was just getting over my relief at this being a dream when Ciri stated he really was a werewolf! Oh my!

As ever, I loved the little Argonian touches you use in Haa-Rei’s story like falling ‘tail over scales’ and autoreflexively opening his mouth when someone strokes under his chin.

ghastley - I always thought it strange that Cyrodiil has no were-beasties. Maybe they're just very good at hiding.

Acadian - I was stuck trying to think of an organic way to reveal it - if in doubt, do a dream sequence. Very glad to hear that it worked That chin reflex is mentioned in the Infernal City novel, and I absolutely love it.


Previously - Haa-Rei found himself dreaming of Hircine's Hunting Grounds, being pursued by werewolves. He woke to discover that he'd unwittingly revealed to Cirinwe that he himself was a werewolf...

Chapter 39



"I should have told you."� I said, still on the floor of the Skingrad Mages Guild.

I was sitting cross-legged, a cup of tea nestled in my hands. Cirinwe was pacing back and forth in front of me. If I looked hard enough I could almost see a groove being worn into the floor.

"Yes,�" She replied bluntly, then paused, "though I can also understand why you didn't."

"I've never told anyone. Mostly because I'm...unsure how people would react"� I explained, but Cirinwe carried on pacing.

"The medicine...that's what first gave you away. Hearing you talking in your sleep just now simply confirmed my suspicion," She nodded at the empty bottle that was still on the floor, "Wolfsbane is a very rare ingredient, though I'm not sure what it does."

"I see. The potion suppresses my Lycanthropy and prevents me from transforming. Wolves don't like Wolfsbane."

"So, you can't control your ability?"� She asked, ceasing her pacing long enough to raise an eyebrow at me.

"No, but I'm fine as long as I have the medicine. I'm...sorry if I scared you earlier. You're quite safe though."� I tried to reassure her, but the dream had quite frankly terrified the life out of me.

"I wasn't scared of you, I was scared for you. Thrashing around and screaming like that. It's a good thing the guild puts a muffling enchantment on their rooms, otherwise you'd have woken the whole town."� She sighed and moved over to the window, opening it to allow a strong breeze into the stuffy room.

"Oh...well...thank you...I'll be fine though."� I said again, unsure what else to say.

"Clearly you are not fine, unless that dream was something you consider normal."�

"Well no, I suppose not." I admitted.

"There we are then. We'll just have to find a solution."� She clapped her hands together, signifying that she'd made her decision. Quite what she had decided on was still unclear to me.

"I beg your pardon?"� I asked.

"Well I assume you don't wish to cure your Lycanthropy, otherwise you'd have done so already. We'll just have to find a way to allow you to control it beyond the medicine."

"You mean...you still want to travel with me?"� I couldn't hold back my surprise. I always assumed that people's reaction to my condition would involve a lot more pitchforks and flaming torches and brand new wolf-skin rugs.

"Of course. If you were going to devour me in my sleep you'd have done so already, and I want to help."�

"Thank you,"� I replied quietly. "So...do you have any ideas?"

"Not yet,"� She admitted, "but I'm sure we'll be able to think of something. First, I want to hear how you were infected. That might shed some light on your condition."�

"Right, yes, well..."� I began.

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

Several months earlier, somewhere in Solstheim.

"Haa-Rei, you sure you don't want any of this Flin? Nothing better to warm you up on a night like this." Asked Calgus, holding up a pale clay flask.

"No thanks, Cal. The fire is doing a fine job of keeping me warm."� I said, shivering slightly despite being right next to the campfire. Solstheim was always cold, but tonight seemed especially chilly.

"How come you never offer me any?"� Asked Azlakha, who had spent the best part of the evening sharpening and polishing her sword until the blade seemed to shimmer with energy. She often said that an Orc's weapon is their most prized possession.

"Because I know you'll say yes." Replied the Imperial, causing us all to chuckle.

We'd set up camp in a dell, sheltered on all sides by pine forest. The ground was thick with snow, which seemed to have been falling constantly over the past few days. The three of us, a team of scouts, had been assigned to the island for a little over two weeks, though we'd been together since our training in Morrowind almost three months ago.

"How can you have any left? You've been drinking out of that jar since we left the fort." I asked to take my mind off the biting cold. We'd left Fort Frostmoth 2 days ago, and Calgus had spent nearly the whole journey with the jar to his lips.

"He's right. For someone with such a big mouth you seem to take an awful long time to finish a drink."� Azlakha joined in.

"I'm savouring the flavour. I wouldn't expect you two savages to understand."� Calgus did his best to look wounded and took another sip.

"Hey,"� Said Azlakha after a long pause, "You think we'll find any?"�

"Werewolves? I don't know. That miner from Raven Rock swears that he saw one though." I replied.

Several weeks earlier, Fort Frostmoth had been attacked by werewolves. The situation had apparently been resolved, though only the highest ranking soldiers had been told what the situation actually was. All we knew was that any and all werewolf sightings had to be investigated, as per a new Legion directive.

"You scared, Az?" Asked Calgus. "I once saw you punch a Dwemer Centurion, and you're scared of some wolves?"�

"Only a half-wit like you wouldn't be a little nervous about fighting werewolves. Don't worry though, Cal, I'll still protect you if we do see any." She stretched out a foot and gave the Imperial a sharp kick on the shin to show him that his banter was approaching the line between playful and insulting.

"It might be nothing though. The miner probably had one too many pots of sujamma and started seeing things. We'll be back at the fort in no time"� I tried to reassure her, though it wasn't very convincing.

"You're always so nice, Haa-Rei. If you were at all interested in that kind of thing I'd ravage you on the spot."� The Orc joked, flashing me a toothy grin to lift the mood.

"Thanks Az. That means a lot."� I replied, only for my words to be drowned out by Calgus giggling in the background. Several seconds later he received a snowball to the face, and soon all three of us were engaged in chilly warfare. Three brave Legion soldiers laughing and playing in the snow. In the distance, a wolf howled.

’It's a good thing the guild puts a muffling enchantment on their rooms,’ - - Brilliant! Who knew the nocturnal activities of mages were so noisy!

"If you were at all interested in that kind of thing I'd ravage you on the spot." The Orc joked, flashing me a toothy grin to lift the mood. - - Now that would be noisy!


As Cirinwe reacts to Haa-Rei’s lycanthropy, her true colors show – and they are beautiful indeed. Haa-Rei is lucky to travel with her.

Oh neat! We’re going to learn how wolf and lizard became one. I look forward to reading more.

Acadian - But of course, everything in a guild hall should be enchanted. Muffled walls, self cleaning facilities, heat enchantments on the carpets. As for the proclivities of mages...no comment.


Previously - After a surprising reaction from Cirinwe regarding his lycanthropy, Haa-Rei began to tell the story of his time in Solstheim...

Chapter 40



"I hate snow." Complained Calgus loudly. It was the fourth time he'd voiced such a complaint since we'd woken up just after dawn.

Azlakha mumbled something about Imperials under her breath but otherwise said nothing and continued to lead us through the snow, ploughing ahead with incredible strength and speed. I followed behind her like a dolphin following a ship, using the path she'd cleared rather than fighting through the elements myself. Calgus followed closely behind me.

I didn't echo the Imperial's sentiments. The snowy landscape was breathtakingly beautiful, and was constantly shifting and changing as snow drifts piled up and were blown around by the bitter wind. Only the trees seemed able to resist, towering above us and occasionally shrugging great waves of snow off their evergreen branches. Most animals seemed to be in hiding, though I spotted the vague shape of an enormous snow bear in the distance, its thick layers of fat and fur no doubt keeping it warm.

At around noon the snow began to ease up, and was soon no more than a light dusting of lazy snowflakes. The three of us took a break, and the other two had lunch while I studied the map. I knew it like the scales on my hand, but it never hurt to keep the memory fresh.

"How can you even tell where we are?" Asked Calgus with a mouthful of bread. "Everywhere looks the same." There was a reason that he wasn't the lead scout - growing up in the Imperial City had done him no favours with regards to exploration or pathfinding.

"I saw a barrow about an hour ago, which means we're roughly...here." I jabbed the map with a claw at our approximate location. We were making slow progress due to the snow, and any hopes of tracking our quarry had been dashed. We'd decided that we'd go as far north as the crashed airship, which lay at the base of the Moesring Mountains, and then head back if we didn't find anything.

"We should make better progress now that the snow's eased up." Azlakha said almost cheerfully.

We resumed our journey after the others had eaten, once again Azlakha took the lead and cleared the path. As the snows receded, animals came out of hiding. White hares darting between cover, small birds singing to each other from high in the pine trees. A sleek grey wolf loped alongside us for a while but eventually melted back into the forest, off to find easier prey no doubt.

We carried on heading north and soon found the remains of the airship. Apparently it was an old Dwemer design which a scholar of some sort had brought to life. After flying all the way from Ald'ruhn it had crashed at the base of the mountains. I found the whole thing fascinating, and was looking forward to inspecting it further once we arrived. I could see the golden gleam of Dwemer metal poking through the snow even from a distance, the light of the setting sun illuminating it before dipping below the horizon.

Azlakha stopped suddenly, almost causing me to walk right into her. I looked around for signs of anything suspicious, then received help from Calgus, who was pointing towards a cluster of trees. A large shape moved between the tree trunks, difficult to make out at first.

It was tall, taller even than Azlakha who stood about two heads higher than me. It was also quite broad at the shoulders, with long arms that almost reached the floor. It turned to one side briefly, allowing me to see the outline of its head. A wolf's.

The sound of Azlakah drawing her sword rang out through the gloom, catching the creature's attention. It let out a long, hollow howl as Calgus and I readied our weapons.

At first it seemed to hesitate, moving forward slowly, if at all. As it drew closer it began to move faster, dropping down onto all fours. As it broke into a sprint I became aware of two other shapes behind it. The howl had been a call to its pack.

Azlakah let out a roar and strode forward to meet the beast, sword arcing through the air in a flash of silver. It struck the werewolf straight on the skull with a crunch, sending it skidding to the ground. Seeing one of the beasts fall gave Calgus a huge boost to his morale, and he too moved to engage, though he had two foes rather than one.

I fumbled with my bow, fingers numb, and fired at one of the werewolves. The arrow slammed into its shoulder, staggering it slightly but not killing it. A second arrow soon followed, finding its way into the wolf's chest, bringing it down.

I turned my attention to Cal, who had just bashed a bony brown werewolf with his heavy Imperial shield. The beast recovered quickly and attacked again with its wicked claws. Cal blocked again and again, lashing out with his sword now and then. The wolf began to slow, bleeding from several deep cuts. Cal dodged a slow swing, causing the wolf to overbalance slightly. Imperial steel struck home, finishing the beast.

More werewolves began to appear, some attacking while others crept around just out of sight. Azlakah had slain another two, and my arrows had brought down one more. The werewolves began to focus their attentions on Calgus, who was tiring quickly.

Azlakah moved to help him, but two more wolves blocked her path, and yet more came for me. I'd fallen into a good rhythm with my bow, but the sheer number of wolves meant that they were getting closer and closer.

A scream from Cal drew my attention, and I looked up just in time to see an enormous white werewolf tossing the Imperial's corpse aside like a rag doll. A low growl from behind was the only warning I received before a large black paw swung towards me. I tried to duck and turn at the same time, which meant that I dodged the attack but fell flat on the floor. The werewolf attacked again and I flinched, closing my eyes, but the blow never came. I heard a yelp and opened my eyes to find Azlakah towering over me, pulling me to my feet.

"Run! I'll distract them." She shouted, shoving me away.

"You'll die if you do." I pointed out helpfully.

"We'll both die if you stay, and Orcs don't run." She smiled sadly and turned back towards the werewolves.

"Xuth!" I swore loudly and ran.

I remember thinking about stories of heroes, who bravely faced down impossible odds and always triumphed, and wondered if they had ever fought a pack of werewolves in the snow. I hadn't made it very far when the sounds of battle behind me stopped abruptly. I knew that the werewolves' attack had cost them dearly, and the thought gave me a grim sense of satisfaction. I was reminded of the wolf I'd seen earlier, which had wisely decided against attacking us.

I was breathing hard, and couldn't run much further. The werewolves would catch up with me, and I'd die too. The thought was annoying more than anything. My friend had given her life to allow me to escape, and the werewolves were going to mar that sacrifice by running me down like a snow hare. No. I'm not a snow hare.

I stopped and turned abruptly. The werewolves were closer than I'd realised, and they too had stopped. There were six left, including the large white one who I took to be the pack leader. It wore a strange necklace of rope and iron around its neck. Despite the situation I found myself marvelling at the sheer power of the creature. It stood tall and proud, confident in its own strength, white pelt almost invisible against the snow. Its eyes were sharp and bright, full of intelligence and awareness. The wolves around it seemed less intelligent, or at least more bestial in nature. Perhaps stories about people turning into werewolves and being lost to blood lust was true.

At a gesture from the pack leader, two wolves sprung forward. The first fell almost immediately, my arrow in its eye. The second made it much further, falling by my feet. Too late I realised that they were a distraction as the white one appeared beside me, grabbing my neck with an impossibly large paw.

It lifted me off my feet to bring my face up to its own. Now that I was closer I could feel the heat coming from its body and see the spark of humanity in its eyes. This was no mindless beast, but a man or woman who was fully aware and in control.

I felt angry. Wolves hunt for food, even werewolves, but this was someone using their power purely for their own enjoyment. I lashed out in a futile act of defiance and kicked the beast as hard as I could. It was like kicking a particularly warm rock, and just as effective.

The beast began to splutter, then I realised that it was laughing. To my complete surprise it began to speak:

"You'll do nicely." Its voice was like a landslide, with a thick Nord accent. Then it bit me.

Pain exploded in my shoulder as the creature's jaws tore through my leather armour and fur under-clothes. The air escaped my lungs in one large gasp. The wolf withdrew from my shoulder and stared at me for a few moments with a spark od satisfaction in its eyes, its muzzle now dyed red. Suddenly its ear twitched and I was dropped onto the snow.

I could hear the werewolves growling, then I heard a horrific shriek. The last thing I saw before I blacked out was the werewolves turning tail and running.

How very Haa-Rei that he sees the breathtaking beauty in the heavy snow that impedes their progress as he notes the bunnies, bears and evergreens shedding snow.

Speaking of breathtaking, that quite describes this battle with the werewolves. The orc fell bravely indeed.

For some reason, it seems the white werewolf selected Haa-Rei. What is it that could have interrupted them at the end of this episode?

What an interesting aspect of Haa-Rei this all opens up!


Nit: ’The wolf withdrew from my shoulder and stared at me for a few moments with a spark od {of?} satisfaction in its eyes,’

Oh. My. I didn't see that coming. Haa-Rei is a werewolf. I must look back to see if anything hinted at this. You caught me completely by surprise. Glad Cirinwe was at least bit concerned, but nonetheless understanding in his position and condition. You left us with a nice cliffhanger in the last episode, and showed his time in Solstheim here, and possibly how he acquired the gift(or curse) of lycanthropy.




A pack leader. Many times these have greater willpower than their packmates, I think. He's in trouble.



Funny how Hircine's beasts not only kill to survive, but have a sense of enjoyment. Being the Sport of Daedra and all, I guess many of these lycanthropes find hunting thriling. When that thrill extends to actual people, well, that's when things get scary.

Great chapter, and what a thrill. Azlakah's sacrifice was well-noted, and she fought as any brave Orc would have, yet it did not stop the pack leader from selecting Haa-Rei . . . which has me wondering why exactly was he chosen. Hmm.

And, probably as intended, I'm left wondering why Haa-Rei was selected to become a werewolf. And whose choice it was.

Can't wait for the next chapter!

Acadian - Solstheim is a beautiful place. When I first played the Bloodmoon expansion I spent hours just wandering around the forests.

DE - Glad you enjoyed it! All shall be revealed 'soon'.

ghastley - A good question. Who knows, maybe the werewolf simply likes the taste of lizard.



Previously - We continued with the tale of Haa-Rei in Solstheim. He and his companions were attacked by werewolves, and after the others fell in battle Haa-Rei was bitten by the werewolf leader...

Chapter 41



I'm alive. Not an unusual thought for one to think, but there it was, and considering the situation I counted myself quite fortunate. After sliding in and out of consciousness a few more times I finally woke up.

I was lying on something soft, a pelt of some sort. Above me was a ceiling of compressed snow. A snow cave?

As my senses returned to me I became aware of another person in the cave. They smelled odd, as if they were wearing layers of scent - the top layer was a strong perfume of lavender, but underneath that was a scent that I hadn't encountered before but made me uneasy.

"You're awake at last." Said the stranger. It was a womer's voice, with the familiar tone of a Dunmer. If she wasn't in a cave on Solstheim I'd have assumed from her voice that she was a member of Dunmer high society, perhaps one of the great houses.

"It seems that way," I replied, sitting up slowly despite the room spinning slightly. "where am I?"

"Ah, pardon my manners. You are in the home of Trivea Hlecathe - adventuress, rogue, and lover of fine wine. That's me." The stranger turned as she introduced herself.

She was indeed a Dunmer, with skin like ash and eyes the colour of a sunset. Her snow white hair had been thrown into a messy ponytail which she wrestled with as she spoke. Her features were sharp, even for a Dunmer, like a particularly beautiful bat. An odd thought, but there it was.

"Well met. I am Ha-" I began, but was interrupted.

"Haa-Rei, Legionary of the Imperial Legion, fellow adventurer, and lover of fine tea. I read your journal while you were unconscious in my bed." She flashed me a smile and turned back to the alchemy station that she'd been working at.

"What...what happened? The others...?" I decided to ignore the Dunmer's breach of my privacy, since she'd seemingly saved my life.

"Dead, I'm afraid. You were attacked by a pack of werewolves. You did a rather impressive job of it, if I'd arrived a few minutes earlier I might have been of more help. As it stands, I could only save you...mostly." The last word was mumbled, but I could still hear even over the sounds of alchemy concoctions fizzing and bubbling. Everything was suddenly quite loud.

"Mostly?" I asked, trying to think of something other than my comrades.

"Well you're alive, which is good, but you've also been bitten, which...well it depends on your point of view." She shrugged.

"Bitten? You mean I'm going to become a werewolf?" I asked, surprised at how calm I was.

"Actually you've already turned. I could have cured you if you'd been awake, but you've been unconcious for four days."

"That's...wow...I don't feel like a werewolf." I studied my hands for signs of fur, but all scales were accounted for.

"Being a werewolf isn't all about the wolf form, which is currently being supressed by the conconction I've been feeding you. You'll notice a few subtle changes even in your Argonian form - better sense of hearing and smell, enhanced stamina and a reduced need to sleep." Trivea explained, pouring some of the mixture she'd been brewing into a potion bottle.

"I see. Well, thank you." I wasn't sure exactly what was happening. I'm a werewolf, but I'm not a werewolf. Does that mean I'm just a were?

"You're not just any old werewolf either," Trivea continued, coming to sit down in a chair next to the bed. "You were bitten by the pack master, which means you are also a pack master." There was a hint of excitement in her eyes, but I was even more confused.

"I don't know what that means."

"I'll try and explain. Like normal wolves, werewolves follow a strict hierarchy. At the bottom are the weakest wolves, I call them the omegas, who are turned after contracting Sanies Lupinus. They can't control their transformations and almost always end up being consumed by bloodlust, and are the weakest but most numerous werewolves." She paused, allowing me to take it all in, before continuing, "Above them are the beta wolves, who are either born werewolves or bitten by another beta. These wolves can learn to control their transformations which allows them to live relatively normal lives in civilised places. Then we have the alpha wolves, or pack leaders. By far the most uncommon, but potentially very powerful. Those who are given the gift of Lycanthropy directly from Hircine, or bitten by another alpha. They can control other werewolves, have mastery over their own powers, and are thought to be immortal. Werewolf social structure is remarkably similar to that of vampires, though we're both demi-Daedra so it's hardly surprising." Trivea sighed and flopped back in her chair, clearly finished with this lesson.

"You...certainly know a lot about werewolves." I said, unable to think of anything else worth saying. It was a lot to process for someone who had spent four days in a state of unconsciousness in a cave.

"Yes, well, one should know what one's enemies are before one wipes them from the face of Nirn." The Dunmer replied almost poetically.

"You don't like werewolves?"

"I have nothing against them, against you, but this particular pack has been causing trouble and needs to be dealt with before it gets out of hand." She looked suddenly serious. My 'about to get asked to do something dangerous' instincts were practically ablaze.

"You need my help?"

"I'm afraid so. I can deal with the pack leader by myself, but I can't face it and the rest of the pack. Your skill with a bow is just the edge I need." She illustrated her point by mimicking a bow firing action.

I thought about it for a few seconds. It would undoubtedly be dangerous, but it was a chance to avenge my friends and potentially save more lives. I was also a little curious about the whole situation. I nodded to Trivea to show my agreement.

"Excellent!" She clapped her slender hands and flashed me another sharp smile before beginning her preparations. Time to go hunting.

"Werewolf social structure is remarkably similar to that of vampires, though we're both demi-Daedra so it's hardly surprising." Hmm....

Oh, this is really getting interesting as the mystery deepens!

’It was a womer's voice, with the familiar tone of a Dunmer.’ - - I applaud your choice of referring to her as a womer instead of woman. That is not a term that I use in my own fiction but it certainly makes perfect sense. Heh, I do occasionally use the term mermaid to similar effect.

’My 'about to get asked to do something dangerous' instincts were practically ablaze.’ - - This is not only funny and true but is also so very Haa-Rei!

What ghastley said! And to make things more interesting Trivea is a Dunmer – heck they pretty much all have red eyes sort of like vampires. A particularly beautiful bat indeed!


Couple small spelling errors:
- “I could have cured you if you'd been awake, but you've been unconcious for four days." - - unconscious
- “...which is currently being supressed by the conconction I've been feeding you.� suppressed, concoction

ghastley -

Acadian - Mer and Womer is used a lot in ESO, particularly in Elven areas like Valenwood and Morrowind. Mermaid is a great one though!



Previously - After waking up in a snow cave, Haa-Rei met the mysterious Trivea Hlecathe, who revealed that Haa-Rei was now a werewolf, and gave him a short lesson on lycanthropy before requesting his assistance...

Chapter 42



We set off two hours later. Outside the snow cave the world was pure white. A blizzard had blown over while I'd been asleep, leaving enormous snow drifts and a few toppled trees in its wake.

According to Trivea, her cave was only a mile or so west of the crashed airship, but I doubted that I'd be able to find it again. The small entrance was covered by the hide of a great white snow bear, famed for their camouflage coats.

I stretched my limbs slowly after I emerged from the cave. My body felt heavy and cold. Conversely, Trivea practically glided over the snow, her steps leaving only a faint indentation. I could feel an aura of excitement emanating from her as she took the lead and we began to head north.

The werewolves had made their lair in an old cave system near the northern coast, so we were to go there and hit them hard and fast. My companion would deal with the pack leader while I distracted its pack. I admit that Trivea's excitement was quite contagious, and I could feel the energy coursing through my body.

My newly enhanced senses were constantly alert. I could hear a mouse somewhere nearby, digging its way out of the snow that had drifted over its burrow. The occasional 'whoomph' as snow began to melt and slide off tree branches accompanied the usual chorus of bird song. I could smell half a dozen different creatures nearby, but I couldn't see any.

"You'll get used to it." Smiled Trivea, who was watching me sniff the air with a mix of enjoyment and almost understanding. "With practice, werewolves can pinpoint specific scents or sounds from quite a distance."

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked after a pause. The Dunmer nodded and continued walking. "What brought you to Solstheim? The only people you see here are soldiers, Nords, and werewolves."

"I was hunting a vampire and his trail led me here. I've stayed for too long already but someone needs to deal with these werewolves, and I doubt anyone else on the island is strong enough." Her answer left me with even more questions, but I didn't want to be rude. Now it was her turn to ask. "How do you feel about vampires, Haa-Rei?"

"I...have nothing against them I suppose. I'm not sure I've ever met one." Honestly it wasn't something I'd ever thought about. Vampires of course have an inherently bad reputation, but so do werewolves. Perhaps it was worth thinking about.

If Trivea had an opinion on my answer, she chose not to share it. Instead she filled the time on our journey with random chatter on subjects like wine, her favourite book, and an anecdote about a Khajiit shoe thief. I remained mostly silent, occasionally contributing a noncommittal noise or chuckle where they were required. We moved at an incredibly fast pace, and arrived at the entrance to the werewolf lair shortly before dusk.

The mouth of the cave was about twice my height, and several times my width. The ground around it showed signs of regular passage with both human and wolf tracks. Even without my enhanced senses I would have been able to smell the heavy scent that emanated from within.

"Right. You know the plan. Are you ready?" Trivea asked, drawing two wicked looking daggers from their sheaths. We'd been over the plan several times on the way here.

"Ready." I nocked an arrow to my bow and took some deep breaths.

"One last thing. Whatever you see in there, don't try and help me. Just keep the other wolves busy." The Dunmer didn't say any more, and strode into the cave with more confidence than I thought possible.

Here we go, I thought to myself and followed her in.

The inside of the cave was warm and dark, and I almost felt comfortable as I followed Trivea. Neither werewolves or Argonians are famed for their night vision, but I could follow my companion's scent easily enough. She had no problem navigating the winding caves, and I assumed she had some spells or enchanted equipment that allowed her to see clearly.

The first werewolf that we encountered went down without so much as a whimper. He was in human form, and busying himself with carving a human shin bone with ornate patterns. Even though he wasn't in wolf form I could smell that he was a werewolf. I could instinctively tell that he was a young Nord male just from his scent. I tested the air to see if I could smell any other information but there were so many different scents that I couldn't pick anything specific out at this range.

Two more werewolves fell a few minutes later. One with an arrow through her chest and another from Trivea's frightfully efficient daggers. I almost pitied whatever vampire she was hunting.

From deeper within the caves I could sense the pack leader. My instincts wanted me to challenge him, but I resisted them and continued to follow Trivea. She had become more tense, as if she could sense him too. Even from a distance I could feel his strength and power, and my shoulder throbbed slightly as if the wound was reacting to him.

Four werewolves in the next cavern. The first two died silently from our combined attacks, but not silently enough. Already in wolf form, the two survivors split up - one attacked while the other ran for it. The attacker went down quickly thanks to Trivea, but the runner managed to escape after my arrow glanced past him and ricocheted off the cave wall. A low howl echoed through the tunnels, indicating that we'd been discovered.

"Now it's getting interesting." Smiled Trivea.

I love the way you showed us Haa-Rei's improved senses as he walked through the snow.

More answers and more mysteries from Trivea! Well, a womer's entitled to her aura of mystique.

So far so good, but it looks like things are going to get crowded and dangerous very quickly now.

Haa-Rei, you need to run away now!! Especially if she Smiled with a capital S.

Acadian - You know how it is, all the best loot and toughest enemies are at the back of the dungeon

ghastley - Ah c'mon, what's the worst that could happen?



Previously - The two companions made their way toward the werewolf lair, and Haa-Rei started getting used to his enhanced senses. After finding the lair they made a good start, but more trouble lurks ahead...

Chapter 43



We moved through the tunnels faster than before, not a werewolf in sight. Usually I'd consider an absence of werewolves to be an ideal situation, but at that particular moment it was nothing but worrying. The more wolves we didn't fight out here, the more wolves we'd have to fight later. That 'later' came all too soon, as we arrived at the entrance to an enormous cave. The scent of werewolves was at its strongest here, though the row of human skulls above the door was also a good indicator that this was where we'd find the leader.

Trivea held up a hand to order a stop, and we fell back several feet. She nodded at me with a glint of excitement and silently handed me a scroll before making her way back to the cave.

The scroll was a spell that would allow me to summon a storm atronach, which would no doubt come in handy. I myself could only summon Eithne the flame atronach, who had little in the way of combat ability.

I could now hear Trivea's voice coming from the chamber, and scrambled to get there. She was speaking loudly in the local Nordic tongue, which I had no understanding of, and around her was a large group of werewolves with the huge white pack leader at its head.

More words were exchanged, and the pack leader let out a loud barking laugh. Even though Trivea was half its size, she was standing as nonchalantly as one might if they were facing down a mudcrab or a baby skeever. After another exchange, the wolf nodded and then turned to look at me.

Even from across the dark cave I could see the red swirls of rage that were its eyes. The creature's very presence was like a force of nature, suppressing my ability to do anything but stand and shiver slightly. It grinned before turning to the wolves to either side:

"Send that one to the Hunting Grounds." it commanded in growling Cyrodilic, and its comrades sprang into action. At the same moment, Trivea lashed out in a flurry of attacks, which the wolf parried with its long claws.

I turned my attention away from them, to the more pressing danger. Almost a dozen werewolves were advancing towards me, and I immediately regretted that I wasn't a swordsman.

Trivea trusted me though, so I couldn't run. Instead, I unrolled the spell scroll and tossed it on the ground. Lightning crackled in the space above the scroll and the very air itself seemed to rip and tear open as the storm atronach appeared. Without needing a command it lobbed a ball of crackling light into the mass of werewolves, killing one outright and knocking three others back. Sensing the greater threat, most of the wolves moved to attack the summoned creature and left four to attack me. I loosed an arrow and brought one down straight away, slowly walking backwards as I did so in an attempt to give myself more room.

A second werewolf fell at my feet, and I raised my bow to block the incoming swipe from a third. As I did so the cave echoed with a horrifying screech, and everyone's attention was drawn to the duel which had been going on nearby. The pack leader was covered in dozens of cuts, and one of Trivea's daggers had embedded itself in the thick white pelt. Even so, the werewolf looked plenty strong enough. Trivea was likewise covered in injuries, and had gone down on one knee. The pack leader took a step forward, no doubt to finish his opponent, but stopped in his tracks. My spines tingled as a wave of power surged through Trivea and she transformed.

She was as tall now as the pack leader, but otherwise quite his opposite. Her skin was black and leathery, her armour replaced by ancient looking robes and ornate jewelry. Her features looked similar in this form as in her Dunmer form, but the bat-like nose and teeth were much more pronounced, and her ears were almost twice as long. From her back sprouted two wings, which looked too small for flight but nevertheless seemed to give her the ability to float a foot or so from the ground. A spell glowed in each hand, swirling reds and greens around long talons. She was terrifying.

The momentary lapse of concentration was over, and the fighting resumed with the same fury as before. I was quick enough to block one, two, three blows from a werewolf to my left, but this served as a distraction which prevented me from seeing the werewolf to my right. Pain shot through my side very briefly, and then I went numb. I looked down dumbly at the werewolf's hand, which had lodged itself in my abdomen, and felt my consciousness slipping away.

No, not slipping away. Moving aside, stepping back. My body moved of its own accord, and I could do nothing but watch as I pushed the wolf away with a strength that was not quite my own. A swirl of mist enveloped by entire form, beginning at my chest and spreading outward. I could feel my limbs stretching and my face morphing. It wasn't painful, but felt very strange, like being dipped into a pool of warm mud.

The mist cleared and I held up a hand to see that it wasn't my own. Or rather it was my own, but changed, transformed. It was enormous, with long clawed fingers and covered in thick white fur. I could feel the ears on my head moving around and the nose on my lupine snout twitching.

The two werewolves renewed their attack, and were killed almost instantly by a flurry of my claws. I was still restricted to watching helplessly as my body moved by itself.

A final roar from the storm atronach announced its departure, and in its wake I could see the broken bodies of 4 werewolves, leaving two advancing for me. My arm lashed out and grabbed one by the throat, lifting it off its feet and throwing it against a nearby wall with such force that it died instantly. The last werewolf faltered slightly, but attacked nonetheless with a reckless swing that my body dodged with ease before counterattacking with another sequence of fast strikes. The cave floor was now slick with the cruor of battle, and I was victorious.

I turned toward the duel that was still ongoing, and could feel the wolf spirit in my body urging me forward to join in and kill them both, bloodlust guiding its thoughts. It took all my strength of will to slow my body down, but still I advanced. I was going to kill Trivea.

Chapter 5 Still trying to get caught up

This chapter was chock full of awesome lines to quote, so I'm going to have to limit myself to some I just couldn't stand not to mention:



What a perfect sentence that is! I can visually see it like watching a movie the way you phrase things, yet so concise! That is such a gift!!!




This is just spectacular, you have not just set the scene; you have set a mood here with this description! Awesome, Awesome!!!




You could have stopped at the "fallen comrade," but instead you added a perfect touch with her paleness - that takes it into a whole new level, amazing job you did on this!




You have set the urgency here, really making the reader feel like they are holding their breath with Haa-Rei!




This was just plain funny!!!

AWESOME WRITE !!!!!!!!

Chapter 6 - This chapter really gave the feel of a group of people on a trip that has lasted way too long already and still has a long way to go, lol. But I saw "Faregyl" and knew what they would be doing next, I love that Haa-Rei is visiting Maxical's parents in her absence!!! Awesome Write !!!

Chapter 7



What a perfect sentence !!! So visual it is like watching a play unfold, but you somehow manage to do it so concise that it seems effortless (when I know it is NOT easy at all to do!)

Love how you captured S'Jirra's overly exuberant hugging and kissing at the end!!!!

Awesome Write !!!!!

Chapter 8

Your description of the minotaur and that feeling of akinship with it was Awesome in this chapter!

This whole paragraph was perfect:



Another great one:







I LOVE this line !!!

Awesome Write !!!!

Chapter 9

Your description of Bravil here is absolutely AWESOME !!!!! You brought the whole atmosphere of it to life in this chapter!!!


Awesome, Awesome Write !!!!!




Chapter 10


This chapter was spectacular from beginning to end! I absolutely am nuts about the conversation with Daenlin; especially that bow; the whole inner dialogue Haa-Rei had about Hist trees - spectacular !!! This chapter was inspired in so many ways; from Haa-Rei's reaction to cold right down to Daenlin's final deal with him - Totally Awesome !!!!! My absolute favorite chapter so far !!!

"The cave floor was now slick with the cruor of battle, and I was victorious. " If it's become cruor, is it still slick?

Still, the Werewolf wants to kill the Vampire Lord, regardless of those nominally in control of those forms. Everything would now hinge on control of the transformation, methinks.

Ahah! A wonderful display of dual transformations during this tense fight.

Oh, and Stormie was of great help. Scrolls are a neat device to help in a pinch while preventing the character from routinely running around overpowered.

Trivea’s transformation to vampire lord form was magnificent and does much to explain her confidence. And just when we thought Haa-Rei might be a goner, he did his own transformation. It was very neat how he was almost an observer as the wolf within more or less took control of him. Uh-oh, I hope something intervenes to prevent him from trying to kill Trivea.

Chapter 11 -


Your lore on the Hist is so amazing through these last couple chapters! I feel more understanding of it after reading them than I have through numerous Histy quests in ESO! LOVE what you are doing with it!

Also = loving the intriguing feeling of unease Haa-Rei is having here! What could it be? I was wondering if it was the Leyawiin Blackwood Company's Hist; but can't be sure if you are leading us there or not!!!

It is kind of a cliffy, but a subtle one! AWESOME WRITE !!!!!!