Immortal Words - Saurano Direnni

[BIGwooly]

Blankenmarch - Morning

Well ... that didn't go so well. The abandoned fort appears to be housing mages of some form or another. My efforts to use my bow and kill the one patrolling outside were in vain. Despite it being the dead of night, he kept spotting me. And if it wasn't a bolt of lightning he was sending my way it was a summoned undead monster. After suffering a few wounds and being forced to retreat several times I decided to call it a night. I'll go back during the day and scout around the place a bit more to see if there is a better option for attacking.

 

[BIGwooly]

Blankenmarch - Morning

I found a back way into the fort. There is a large stone in the back, and from that stone I was able to jump to a ledge that ran around the wall. Following that, I was able to reach a section where the wall was broken, and I climbed inside. And from there everything pretty much didn't go according to plan.

The plan had been to launch and continue my assault from the ledge, where the mages couldn't reach me. But they were smarter than that and circled around outside. In the process, I managed to fall from the ledge, and then it was chaos in the woods at night. I ran backwards through the trees and brush, loosing arrow after arrow into my pursuer. If that wasn't difficult enough, I had to routinely dodge spells of ice and fire. It was a tedious and risky affair, but eventually I prevailed.

As it turns out there was a second mage on patrol, and it also turns out these mages are necromancers. Very powerful necromancers. Soon enough I was on the run again, as the sun was rising. But this time the men from the village spotted my plight and rushed to help me out. It was much easier to kill the second necromancer with three of us involved. Still, I'm on my own as far as clearing the inside of the fort. I'm going to rest up and allow my vampiric powers to advance before I head inside.

 

[BIGwooly]

Blankenmarch - Night

I spent the past several days resting and allowing my powers to grow. I found it hard not to sneak out and feed on the nord. I'm addicted to the taste of his blood I think. But I resisted for several days, and finally headed out in the dark of night to old fort. To my dismay, there were two new necromancers on patrol, and I decided to quietly slip past them so I could scout the interior of the fort.

Once inside I realized I was not up for the task. It wasn't the necromancer I saw, it was the spirit gliding in the distance. The only way to harm such a foul thing is with an enchanted weapon, or one made of silver. I have neither. My efforts to clear the fort would most certainly be futile.

I think it's time to feed again, and then head into Leyawiin for some supplies. I don't know that the villagers will be happy that I'm giving up on the fort, but I don't much care either. I've killed one of them, and I'll kill the others if it comes to it.

 

[BIGwooly]

Tirdas in Leyawiin

Guess I should write in this like that lady has been. Not really sure what to write. I guess I could write about her .. not that I know much.

I saw her, though .. just was walking up the road she was .. minding her own business as far as I could tell. It was my first day on the city watch it was, so I was trying to be alert. Brentis wasn't so much paying attention. He daydreams a lot, or rambles about nothing. He was staring at the clouds I think .. when I saw her approaching the gate. I asked who she was .. well I asked who he was .. didn't know he was a she because of the hood. Brentis didn't even look away from the sky. He likes to just stare. I think he drinks skooma. Haven't seen it, but I think he does.

Anyways .. he didn't even look at her .. asked me who I was talking about. Before I could say anything, well, that's when I saw the mountain lion. It came right down the hillside behind the woman. She didn't hear it, just kept walking towards the city. She was a good hundred paces away but I could see the thing. It was going to make a meal out of her.

I didn't know what to do, so I just yelled. Brentis wasn't happy about that. I startled him. He doesn't like that. The woman didn't hear me I don't think, but she turned around just before the thing jumped on her. I could hear them both. Both were screaming and roaring at each other. I drew my sword and started forward, but Brentis stopped me. He said we needed more men.

I'm pretty sure she was dead before Brentis even got the gate open. It was a quick one. Those animals don't take their time. But we got some men together and chased the cat away before it could drag the body off. Turns out the woman had some nice valuables on her, and based on her look .. well, they said she was a vampire. First one I've ever seen. I couldn't even tell. I guess it was the eyes. The eyes were red when we pulled her eyelids back.

They split up her belongings. Being the new guy they gave me the book. I knew it was worthless, but nothing I could say. I'm already somewhat disliked for being from the north .. north of Cyrodiil that is .. not like Skyrim north. Too cold for me there.

Anyways .. I guess this book is mine. I was told gate duty is the worst. Nothing ever happens on gate duty. You just lose your mind with boredom. But my first day and I get to see a mountain lion kill a vampire. I don't know. I wasn't bored today. Maybe I will be tomorrow.


CHARACTER SPECIFIC RESTRICTIONS
------------------------------------------
Helvius Goldwen
- must apply level points to strength/endurance/agility
- major skills (armorer, athletics, blade, block, blunt, hand-to-hand, heavy armor)
- may only carry 40% of carry ability
- difficulty up 20 notches from normal
- must eat 3 meals a day via ingredients (room and board provided by city watch)
- not allowed to use the in-game maps
- must start with the following:
--- shirt, pants, stitched leather shoes
--- chainmail boots, greaves, gauntlets
--- leyawiin cuirass
--- guard helmet
--- silver longsword
--- 6 silver arrows
--- 24 iron arrows
--- steel bow
--- 2 restore health potions
--- 9 torches
--- 1 repair hammer
--- 132 gold

 

[AS88]

She did so well! Just as her new story was beginning to develop, the vampiric king-slayer gets chomped by a lion.

Looking forward to this one

 

[BIGwooly]

She did so well! Just as her new story was beginning to develop, the vampiric king-slayer gets chomped by a lion.

Looking forward to this one

Agreed, lol. I was feeling so good too, because I'd had so many close calls already and managed to stay alive. I was literally in sight of the Leyawiin gate and felt like I was totally safe and then heard battle music and spun around just in time to see the mountain lion leaping at me. I pretty much was like "Oh ... #(%*!*#".

 

[BIGwooly]

Middas in Leyawiin

Started my shift before first light today. Back on the northeast gate .. outside again. Being a new conscript I get three days on the gates, ten hours each. Then two days on city patrol. Then one day on road patrol. Then a day off.

Started off with rain today, but eventually the sun came through it did. Felt good when it came out. The rain here is colder than up north. Not sure why. I'm from the mountains near Bruma .. it gets cold .. but not like here. It's a more miserable cold here.

Can't say anything happened today. Just the usual people coming and going. No vampires and no mountain lions.

Well, I'm off duty now so time to strip off the armor and head out in my regular clothes. Not allowed to wear the city armor when you're not on duty.


Think I'll look for some game to the south. No sense going east and running across that mountain lion. She never did get to eat. I'll take my bow and get some practice in maybe. I'm pretty terrible with it. Not sure why they gave me one. I'd do better in a fight by swinging the bow at someone.

 

[BIGwooly]

Turdas in Leyawiin

Why I keep writing in this thing I don't know. Nothing happens here. Leyawiin is a pretty quiet place. I may have seen all the action I'm going to see here.

Last night after duty I wandered around south of the city. Came across a mud crab and used my bow to kill it. Took around twenty arrows … not saying all of them hit. I'm still figuring this bow stuff out. Only used one of these a few times as a kid, and it wasn't as nice as this one.

Still killed the mud crab, though. Pulled a dozen arrows out of it's body so I know at least I hit it that many times. I looked through the grass but couldn't find the ones that missed. Too bad, I don't exactly have the coin to throw away on arrows.

Found a strange plant near the water. It kind of made a sound, which is strange I know. Plants don't make sounds. But this one did. I figure it must be worth something so I took it. Found another one later near the city wall and took that one too. Maybe tomorrow after duty I'll see if I can sell them to the mages at the mage's guild. Pick up a few other plants as well while I was out there.


Tonight I'm just going to relax. Did city patrol today and my feet are killing me. I'm not used to these chainmail boots yet. Not used to wearing armor at all. But I do look pretty good in it I think. My mother would be so proud.

 

[BIGwooly]

Fredas in Leyawiin

Gonna be laid up in bed for a few days. Had road patrol today and took the Green Road north. Was nice to get out of the city, even if it was raining the whole way. It's always raining here. I'm getting used to it.

Anyways .. everything was fine. Killed a mud crab with my sword and that was it. Quiet day really. Came across and imperial guard on horseback and chatted briefly. Now that's a job. Riding around enforcing the law from horseback. Why we don't have horses and have to walk the roads I'll never understand.

But all that is aside from the point .. the point being that I also came across a bandit on the road. Now it's my duty to rid the roads of such filth .. well, when I'm on road patrol that is. Just so happened I was on road patrol, and I had no choice but to face the outlaw, and her giant hammer. For such a trim lady I don't know how she handled that hammer so well. But she did.

I should probably point out that I didn't join the city guard of my own desires. I was forced into by my parents. Good people .. only trying to get me to turn my life around. But for all it's worth I just don't see the appeal of this life. I think the bandit woman has it right. Ambush and kill and steal. Seems smart to me. But not my thing anymore. Not if I ever want to see another coin from my grandfather's estate.

No. Now I have to be a good lad and take a hammer to the head for no good reason. Why aren't we at least patrolling these roads in pairs? I don't get it. But again, I leave the point.

The point is that I was getting my arse handed to me by this little lady. I'm pretty handy with a sword, although not all that comfortable in this chainmail getup. I'd much rather wear something heavier and just take a better beating. But this is what I've been given.

So the point is I was about half dead before I realized I was about half dead. I beat a pretty hasty retreat at that point. Ran backwards down the road, firing arrows off at the bandit. I hit her with almost every single one, but she didn't seem to care. She just wanted to split my melon open with her hammer.

Luckily I came back across the mounted imperial. He jumped down from his horse and ran to confront her. I couldn't just keep running at that point. I had to help him. Not that he needed it. By the time I got my sword out and dashed in he had already struck her once. He second slash sent her sprawling on the road. He didn't even bother to take anything off her .. just asked if I was okay and left it for me.

A bit humiliating having a grown man ask me if I was okay after he had seen me running away from a woman with a hammer. A bit humiliating indeed. Probably going to hear all about it over the next few days too. I've already heard some of the other guards snickering and joking. They better watch their mouths. Maybe I should split their heads open with a hammer and see how funny it is.

 

[BIGwooly]

Middas in Leyawiin

Up early and my shift starts soon. Fitting that I just heard the rain start up outside. It seems to wait for me to be on duty. Gate duty today, inner gate duty. Somehow more boring than outer gate duty. Except for the beggars that try to make conversation. They just want gold, though. I'm not giving them gold. I barely have any myself.

Yesterday I had gate duty also. My first day back on the job after the hammer girl incident. That's my new nickname around here .. Hammer Girl. I'm acting like it doesn't bother me, but of course it does. Maybe it will wear off after a while. All of these other guards are from Leyawiin, or at least from the surrounding area. They all know each other. I'm an easy target as the northern outsider who doesn't want to be here. I'll only be a target for so long, tho. I'm not against busting a lip if it needs busting.

After duty yesterday I sold some of the plants I collected, as well as the fur armor off the bandit. I was hoping to sell enough to replace the health potion I had to use during the fight. Barely got myself twenty coins for all of it, though. I'll head out again tonight and collect some more plants. Wanted to keep the fur armor. It was pretty nice. Would have been nice to have a bit more protection on me when I'm out. But you can't live without gold, so there it is. I'm stuck with just my clothes still I guess.

Well, my shift is on. Back to the grind.

 

[BIGwooly]

Fredas in Leyawiin

More rain. I can hear it outside already. Today I'm on road patrol, doing the Yellow Road to the east. Yesterday was city patrol. Nothing of interest really. Walked around in the rain all day. Talked to a few people to make sure things were all good. This city is pretty relaxed it seems like. I have another two months of this before I can put in a request for transfer. I'm thinking maybe Anvil on the west coast. I've heard it's pretty rough and tumble.

No matter for now. The Yellow Road is my life today. Tomorrow is my day off. Might have to go explore a bit to the west. See if I can find some deer to hunt or some better plants to collect. It turns out that special plant I found, as special as it is, won't get me any gold for the effort. Worthless endeavor.

 

[BIGwooly]

Fredas in Leyawiin

Road patrol shift over. It was nice to get out and away from the city gates. I don't know how the other guys do it for months at a time. It makes me want to strangle myself with my bowstring. Maybe that's why the new recruits get stuck with so much gate watch. It's easy work, but dull as can be.

Still, road patrol was nothing special today. I made the round up to Blankenmarch and then came back. I stopped in at the village for a bit, and spoke to the locals. I just happened to mention my story about the woman and the mountain lion, and it turns out she was in the village not too long ago. One of the villages, a hunter, went missing shortly before she showed up. Sounds suspicious to me, but she's dead so it doesn't really matter. Apparently she had agree to clear deal with a necromancer issue at a ruined fort nearby. I should probably relay that information to someone tomorrow.

Tonight I'm headed straight to bed. I had a long walk today, and I've got an extra two days of gate duty this weekend to help make up for the time I lost last weekend. I expect it will be raining in the morning.

 

[snapzit]

I'm so glad you're back, Wooly! Missed your story telling.

 

[BIGwooly]

I'm so glad you're back, Wooly! Missed your story telling.

It's good to be back. d;-) Thanks for the support!

 

[BIGwooly]

Loredas in Leyawiin

Got to the west gate this morning and it wasn't long before my day off was taken away. Some captain named Lerexus something or other tasked me with dealing with some skooma dealers. And while I welcome the idea of doing something besides standing by a gate, it doesn't much sound like a job for one guard. No matter, my Sundas is not mine anymore. I'll be headed to some stinkpit called Greyland.

I should probably buy some arrows in the morning. I don't have to be up at a specific time, so I'll stop by the Best Goods place on my way out. The crown should be paying for my arrows at this point, though.

 

[BIGwooly]

Middas in Leyawiin

Greyland wasn't much to look at. Just a run down house. I expected to find a lookout out front, but there was no one. Did a quick look around the place to make sure but it was clear. So I just knocked on the door and waited. No answer.

I proclaimed entry by the city watch and stepped inside. Some big brute of an orc was standing there waiting for me, drew his sword and I immediately back out of the house. He wasn't alone, and I wasn't looking to get killed by some dirty skooma smugglers. But the fat orc wasn't having it. City guard or not, he meant to have my head. I meant to keep it.

He barged out of the house, swinging his giant claymore like a wild thing. I've never seen anything like it. Although the woman with the hammer was pretty wild as well. I had no intension of letting him get within range, so I drew my bow and began to use the cover around me to slow him down while I looked for weakness in his iron plate armor. Wouldn't you know I went through about two dozen arrows, and the brute was still charging like I woke him up on a Sundas. Maybe I did.

I didn't want to use my silver arrows, and I only had seven anyways. I had weakened him a good bit, the sword should do. But damn his claymore was something else. It had good range on it, and I was getting knocked around before I could get close enough to even attempt a strike. Frustrating to say the least. Had to take my last health potion too. Not a good thing when you're still in a fight.

Finally decided arrows were the way to go. The first one brought him down. Who would have guessed?

Trouble is I was pretty worse for the wear. Been in bed the past ... I don't know how many days. I guess about three or so. Spoke to the captain on the way back on Sundas and he let me know this was still my task. The crown wasn't devoting more resources to it. Sounds about right. I'll spend my own money on arrows and take a beating and be happy about it.

 

[BIGwooly]

Evening

I have his stupid book now. Can't believe the fool came back. And by himself. No wonder he was city guard. Don't need brains to stand in front of a gate all day.

Sure, he managed to kill Azuk last week. But I found his body. Littered with arrows. Not much of a fighter if you have to fight from afar. I've never seen someone move so poorly in armor either. I'm surprised the city guard even took him on. He'd have made a better stable boy.

He's dead now, though. So it doesn't matter. What matters is that he managed to draw Kylius out today and give him the same fate. Well as far as I know. Kylius never returned, and the fool did. So I'm assuming he found a way to off him. The fool probably would have tried the same with me, but I noticed right away when he knocked the door open that he only had three arrows left. The fool actually tried to stand his ground with his little silver sword. Not much of a match for my claymore. Not much of a match at all. He was nearly dead before he had the sense to turn and run out the door. But that just gave me his back and I cut him in half with the final blow.

There was no question I had to leave. Pitiful city guard or not, it was obvious the guard knew about our operation and intended to do something about it. With one of the their own about to be reported missing at the end of the day, I was best to be on my way to somewhere else. So I took the skooma stash and headed off.

Now a fool like the one I killed, he would probably have headed north, along the Green Road. But that's exactly what they would expect, and no doubt the imperials would be out in force soon enough to right this wrong. No. I had a better plan for just such a situation. I knew that one could actually sneak around the backside of Leyawiin, sticking up tight to the city wall. No guards ever bothered to patrol back there. The sea comes right up to the wall in one place, but if you know what you're doing you can navigate along the wall without falling in and drowning. And I know what I'm doing.

From there it was into the mountains to the east. I'll head north and look for somewhere to hole up. I found a cave earlier but one look inside left me feeling uneasy, so I moved on. You have to listen to your gut on these things.

The rain just started, and it's getting dark. I see a ruin in the tree not too far away. Might have to do for the night. I don't intend to sit outside in the rain until the morning comes.


CHARACTER SPECIFIC RESTRICTIONS
------------------------------------------
Jonis
- must apply level points to strength/endurance/agility
- major skills (armorer, athletics, blade, block, hand-to-hand, heavy armor, alchemy)
- may only carry 50% of carry ability
- difficulty up 20 notches from normal
- must eat 3 meals a day via ingredients
- not allowed to use the in-game maps
- must not use any magic
- must start with the following:
--- shirt, pants
--- iron boots, iron cuirass, iron gauntlets
--- 2 repair hammers
--- 3 bottles of skooma
--- 75 gold

 

[BIGwooly]

Tirdas the 28th (Fort Bulwark)

It would appear this little tome has passed from one fool's hand to another for quite some time. Perhaps it's title should be changed from "Immortal Words" to "Folly of Fools". The last fool I got to see with my own eyes. A loud and swarthy redguard, with a sword as large as his ego. If only his brain had been a fraction of that size ...

I heard him come clambering into the old courtyard. Someone might as well have been dumping out a bucket of dwarven machine parts, for all the care he took in being silent. He went straight to the door, no doubt eager to get out of the rain. But the door was, and will remain, very much locked. Most certainly it wasn't going to be unlocked by a redguard with no lockpicks and skooma on his breath.

If he hadn't made enough noise already, he made some more in frustration, slamming his great sword against the door. As if that was all it would take to gain entry. Silly mortal.

I called down to him, enticing him to rush up the stairs to me. No doubt he would have come looking up the stairs anyways. I could have ambushed him properly, but like a cat toys with a mouse, I wanted to have some fun. He wasn't that much fun, though. My conjuration killed him far too quickly and easily, despite the layers of iron he had carelessly thought would protect him. Silly mortal.

If only I knew the spell already, and could raise him up and command him to follow me and do my bidding. How fitting that would have been as a fate for him. A slave to skooma in life and a slave to me in death.

I'll know the spell soon enough. The mages guild has a stranglehold on necromancy here in Cyrodiil, with the help of the imperials. But to the north, in Skyrim, there are plenty who are willing to teach the knowledge I seek. And it would seem the stars are aligning and the timing is right. I was already planning a trip north. Granted it was to be a few months from now. But just recently in another tome I learned of a 'ritual stone', that will aid me in my quest to bring the dead to my command. I don't yet know where it resides, but I know do know it's in Skyrim. And from what I've read of this strange tome, it would seem that there is another that shares my quest for power and immortality.

This ... Saurano Direnni. I should like to find him, and relieve him of the stone that begs to be united with this book.


CHARACTER SPECIFIC RESTRICTIONS
------------------------------------------
Vyctara Milvan
- must apply level points to intelligence/willpower/personality
- major skills (conjuration, illusion, mysticism, restoration, speechcraft, alchemy)
- may only carry 10% of carry ability
- difficulty up 20 notches from normal
- must only use conjuration and illusion magic
- may not use weapons of any kind
- must start with the following:
--- mages robes and blue suede shoes
--- 1 iron dagger (for ceremonial purposes only)--- 1 health potion
--- 155 gold

 

[BIGwooly]

Middas the 29th (The Drunken Dragon Inn)

With very little affair, I left Fort Bulwark around noon yesterday. The others understood me to be leaving to see my father in Skingrad. I fully intend to see my father, but I won't be returning to the fort. The others don't need to know this. Their motivations are too low for my liking. I want real power. I'm not content with conjuring up undead illusions that will eventually dissolve back into nothing. I want to breathe real life into something that endures.

It has just come to my attention that I started writing in this book with no thought of doing so. I just felt compelled. That must be the embedded magic at work. I'll have to make sure to keep an eye on that. As much as I want my own slaves, I don't want to be a slave myself.

It's probably best I stop writing now anyways. There's an imperial guard watching me as I eat and write this. I'd rather not have to entertain any questions.

 

[BIGwooly]

Middas the 29th (Cadlew Chapel)

For all the talking the imperials do, they sure can't seem to keep their main roads free of bandits and highwaymen. I ran into one such unsavory fellow around mid-morning. He was a khajiit ... filthy creatures with no honor. His demand was that I pay him a hundred coins to let me cross a bridge on the Yellow Road. If he was a smarter criminal he would have just used his axe to remove my head while he had ahold of me. Then he would have found my headless corpse carrying a bit more than a hundred coins.

As it was I promised to pay, and while I was struggling with my robes he lightened his grip on them and I broke free. Khajiit are fast, even with armor, but over time he tired and I put enough distance between us that he chose to find an easier target.

Unfortunately, just a few hours later, I came across another bridge. This one had two criminals looking for a crossing fee. I conjured up a distraction and then ran off the side of the road. They chased me through the forest for quite some time, but I lost them as well. In the process, I came across an old church. I had a wound from my first encounter with the khajiit, and thought the chapel might be a good place to find healing.

Barely had I pushed open the doors when the smell of death struck my nostrils. It was rancid and strong. Two figures in robes inside immediately began casting spells .. conjuring and fortifying and sending fire and ice in my direction. I conjured as well, and did my best to draw their attention while my pet killed them each in succession.

There were bodies and zombie parts and blood all over the chapel. The two robed figures were necromancers like myself. And like myself they were obviously still trying to unlock the key to raising the dead. With both of them now dead, I think this is an ideal place for me to spend the night. I'll take a look around and hopefully find a journal with some notes on their trials. This detour could turn out to be a blessing in disguise.