Immortal Words - Saurano Direnni

[BIGwooly]

Vivec - Afternoon

I'm currently hanging out at the Lizard's Head in the Telvanni canton. It's a pretty tame establishment as these types go. I'm always looking for new information and these holes in the wall are good places for that. This one didn't disappoint in that regard.

In speaking with the barkeep I learned that my next mark, a Mavon Drenim is the ranking nobel for the Telvanni in Vivec. Eno left out that important detail. Not only does this mean my mark is likely a mage, he's likely a very powerful mage. Mages are dangerous. And a powerful mage is not a force to be considered lightly. Their magic can kill you faster than sword in many cases.

But I gathered some good information as well. Good in the sense that it doesn't speak to my impending death by scorching fireball. An old nord from Skyrim was bugging me for a drink of matze, and luckily for both of us I happened to be feeling generous. He had said he had a secret to tell me if I got him the drink, but I know old men and their secrets. They often aren't worth the first sip of the drink. But this one was.

He told me a tale of a nord who was buried with his ship in a grave on land in the southeast of Vvardenfell. This nord was the son of a king from the First Age. Son of King Harald Hand-Free. And he was buried not just with his ship, but with an enchanted axe by the name of Stormkiss. It's likely worth a good portion of drakes. Of course, it could be worth next to nothing as well, or might not even be in the tomb anymore. There's no way to know for sure aside from going and looking for it.

I'm not really the type to go search for treasures, but my heart is set on this longbow at Miu-Gei's. I'll have to think it over.

But enough thinking and drinking and writing for now. I have a Telvanni mage to deal with. I hope the new shield ring I just picked up helps me survive the day.

 

[BIGwooly]

UPDATE: the game glitched and I no longer have the shield ring (grrrrrr)

 

[BIGwooly]

Vivec - Night

It's done. I entered the Telvanni tower expecting the worst, but everyone I spoke with seemed to be happy that I was there to finally take care of Mavon. Sometimes I wonder why these writs were given and then I tell myself I'm better off not knowing.

One of the Telvanni warned me that Mavon was waiting for me upstairs, so before I went up I prepared for the fight. I cast my ancestor protection spell and use my amulet of shadows to all but disappear. I also used the magic of my enchanted belt I recently purchased to provide further protection. And when all these preparations were made I crept up the stairs quickly but quietly.

Mavon was indeed above and waiting, but with my chameleon skin he couldn't see me. I snuck carefully around behind him and struck him with a devastating blow from my sword. He still couldn't see me and I chased him around the tower striking him until he fell dead. I could hear his mage protectors upstairs looking for me and knew I only had a short amount of time before my chameleon wore off and they could spot me. My writ was for Mavon, and I had no intention of tangling with anyone else if I didn't have to.

I quickly searched him and took his staff and a nice ring. It turns out the staff had a strong enchantment, and Miun-Gei valued the staff at nearly ten thousand drakes. I was excited and prepared to strike a deal with him for the demon longbow, but he didn't have it anymore. I couldn't believe it. I'm actually feeling pretty dejected about that right now. I was so excited to have that in my possession.

Maybe I'll get lucky and find another one in my travels. Until then I don't know what to do with this staff. I'd sell it but no one has enough drakes to pay me what it's worth. But I don't want to carry it everywhere with me either. An interesting dilemma.

 

[BIGwooly]

Sea of Ghosts - Morning

Back on a boat. It seems like I just got off a boat. I'm not fond of being on the sea. I much prefer to have my feet on solid ground, especially knowing the dangers that lie under the surface in these waters.

I'm on my way to Dagon Fel, which is far to the north. Hopefully I can find my second mark without too much hassle. Not knowing the area and not having a good read on where I'm headed on my map has me feeling a bit uneasy. I should reach Dagon Fel by the end of the day. I'll see if I can find somewhere to stay the night, and replenish my food supplies as well. I had planned to do that at our stop in Sadrith Mora but I stayed on the ship and rested instead.

I'm feeling excited and nervous about what lies ahead tomorrow.

 

[BIGwooly]

Sheogorad Region - Noon

When I stepped off the boat in Dagon Fel last night the first thing I heard was the screeching of a cliff racer. Today all I've done is fight them off while getting lost. I've nearly run out of arrows killing the annoying creatures. It seems no sooner have I pulled an arrow out of a freshly killed racer than another appears above me with it's damned barbed tail sticking me in the back.

The place on my map I expected to find my mark was not the right place, so now I have to start searching more of the island. It would be quite so bad except for the wretched cliff racers on my back constantly. I'm debating heading back to Dagon Fel for the day to recover and purchase more arrows.

 

[BIGwooly]

Dagon Fel - Afternoon

I managed to run out of arrows before making it back to Dagon Fel. Unbelievable how many cliff racers are plaguing this island. I don't understand why anyone would live up here. The damned things are everywhere.

In the morning I head back out with a fresh set of arrows. Really looking forward to getting back to Vivec.

 

[BIGwooly]

Sheogorad Region - Afternoon

I was out of arrows again by midday. I can't seem to take more than two steps without a cliff racer breathing down my neck. The island is infested with them. And rats. So many rats. This is such a horrible place for anyone to live.

I've just encountered my first daedric creature. It was a clanfear, and fighting it made me not hate the cliff racers and rats so much. I made sure to harvest it's heart since I know how valuable those are. But I still haven't found this place called Shara, where my mark is supposed to be. This island is proving to be a challenge in many ways. I'm more than ready to leave it.

 

[BIGwooly]

Sheogorad Region - Evening

The light is fading rapidly and I'm in a nasty predicament. After a full day of fighting off rats and cliff racers and not finding my location, I was headed back to Dagon Fel. I was climbing a hill to avoid yet another cliff racer when in the distance I spotted a small tower. It looked very similar to the tower I had spotted on my map earlier in the day and had spent hours trying to find. Now I could see it over this ridge and between pillars of rock, but I couldn't reach it.

So I spent the rest of the evening climbing and climbing and climbing. I searched and searched for a route over the mountains to where I knew the tower was, but they were too steep. Every time I neared the ridgeline I was forced to turn back. Finally, about an hour ago I found access to the ridge from quite a bit south and east. I spent the next hour or so navigating the tops of the mountains until I spotted the tower again. Even then it took me a good deal of time to locate a point of access via land. At first it seemed the tower was surrounded by water.

The trouble now is that I can't find a safe way down to the access point. I'm likely to kill myself if I try, and worse yet, it's getting dark. I'm afraid if I leave and try to come back in the morning I'll never find it again, but if I stay overnight the cliff racers and rats will eat me alive. And climbing down in the dark seems like an even worse idea.

I truly don't know what to do, but I need to decide very quickly.

 

[BIGwooly]

Sheogorad Region - Night

Success! I decided to use a ring in my possession to fortify my health and make the climb down. Somehow I managed to make it down without breaking my neck. But by the time I made it down it was dark and I had lost my bearings. I couldn't see the tower anymore. Curses!

I wandered around in the dark, fighting off yet another cliff racer. I stumbled across the entrance to an old tomb, but that wasn't helpful. But then, just as my frustration was peaking, I came across it. An obscured entrance to Shara. My mark awaits.

 

[BIGwooly]

Shara - Morning

It is finished. It took me a full night with no sleep to kill each and every skeleton champion .. and the daedroth .. and finally Tirer Belvayn himself. I made liberal use of my amulet of shadows to perform surgical strikes on my opposition. Without my precious amulet I would have died in that tower for certain.

As it is, I'm feeling a bit uneasy. After striking the mage from behind, he fled the room. I don't blame him as he couldn't see what had struck him. He was fast, and it was all I could do to keep up with him in my armor. I finally trapped him in a small room with no possibility of escape, and around that time my chameleon effect wore off. So I used my ancestor power to make myself hard to hit and faced the sorcerer head on.

He conjured up a beast but I ignored it and focused my blade on him. He fought back with magic, and then with a magic staff when his magicka was depleted. I struck with a fury of blows, though, and he eventually succumbed .. and his conjuration faded.

But he left me damaged. My strength and breath are gone. I feel like I can only a fraction of what I could before. In searching the room I found a number of books on vampires and vampirism, and I began to worry I had been infected with the disease. I still don't know for sure, but I drank a disease cure for good measure. If he was a vampire, the Morag Tong should be sure to include that information before I take the job.

As it is, I'm having to strip some of my armor off and leave it behind. I'm also leaving behind my bow and some other items. I simply can't bear to carry it. I'll need to get some specific restoration potions as soon as possible, but I'm sure I won't find them in Dagon Fel. That stinkhole barely has bread for sale.

I've spent the last day resting in Tirer's quarters, keeping one eye open just in case. But it's time to head back now. I can't express how much I'm not looking forward to stepping outside and being greeted by cliff racers.

 

[BIGwooly]

Vivec - Evening

It's been a few days since I completed my job and left the godsforsaken island of Dagon Fel. If I'm ever given another job there I think I might pass, or hire it out myself. I'd really like to never see a cliff racer again.

My strength hasn't returned in full yet, despite a potion I took this evening. I spent the entire day scouring the city's apothecaries trying to find a proper potion. I managed to find only one, and it didn't restore my strength completely. I may have to resort to making my own potion. The trouble is I don't really know what I'm doing yet.

No matter, I also searched long and hard for replacement armor .. I had to go with fur pieces and netch leather unfortunately. I also had to search for a replacement bow. Funny how I'm in such a large city and yet things are still so hard to come by. At least my new bow is an improvement. It's not the beautiful enchanted bow I can't afford, but it's a very nice bonemold bow that serve me well.

Considering I have two new writs to serve, I'm looking forward to putting it to the test. My first target, a dunmer hiding out in the Hlaalu ancestral tombs. I'll get some rest tonight and head there first thing in the morning.

 

[BIGwooly]

Vivec - Evening

It's been a day.

Things started out well enough in the crypt. I snuck in quietly and took care of a rat with my new bow. Afterwards I came across a man wearing all bonemold armor, and I used my amulet to hide myself. But after moving in close I discovered he wasn't my mark, so I continued into the other wing of the tomb.

Here I came across a trio of dunmer and I immediately new I had found my men. I had already used the amulet again to get in close and identify my target. So I quietly backed down some steps and drew my bow. An instant later the arrow was in flight and struck the dunmer I was trained on. His armor deflected the arrows damage, but not his alertness and anger. In an instant all three were searching the tombs for me.

I retreated back, sending arrow after arrow at my mark, infuriating him. Some landed. Some missed. And soon I was out of arrows. And my charmed amulet out of energy as well. And when that happened they found me and fell upon me as one mass of slashing blades.

Luckily I had already wounded my mark deeply with my arrows, so I focused my blade on him and took him out of the fight quickly. Next I focused on the man in the bonemold armor. The other dunmer was using a crossbow, and not in the melee. So I maneuvered my position constantly to block his sight and thus his shots. This went on for quite some time as I battled the armored brute. My sword ran out of it's enchantment as well, and I was forced to take a health potion. And then another.

Finally the warrior fell to my blade, and I made relatively short work of the crossbow-wielding dunmer. I found the remaining dunmer in the original room, and he immediately conjured some beast from beyond. I ignored it and struck at him feverishly with my sword. He fought back, but I had activated an enchantment on my belt which makes me harder to hit and protects me from injury as well. So most of his blows missed, and those that landed didn't do the damage he expected.

Within a few more minutes he was dead as well, and I was out of breath from my extended fight. It was then I realized I was severely weakened. It was as if someone had taken away nine tenths of my strength. I couldn't hold myself up any longer.

That is why I'm still here, in the room, as I write this. My strength is all but gone. If I want to be able to get up and move I'm going to have to leave everything behind but my clothes ... no armor .. no weapons .. no potions .... nothing. And the problem is, I already know there isn't a single strength restoration potion left in the city. This is a bit of a disaster.

 

[BIGwooly]

Vivec - Morning

I was forced to leave Vivec and leave all of my gear behind. I had no choice. I couldn't carry it anymore. So I set off first for Tel Branora, where I found a shoddy potion for restoring one's strength. It barely helped. So I was off to Sadrith Mora next.

In Sadrith Mora I visited every vendor that sold potions of any kind. I found a few more cheap potions, and then came across a very expensive one. But even after all of this I still wasn't at full strength. Whatever magic damaged me was very powerful.

I decided to check out the imperial fort in Sadrith Mora, and managed to locate one more very nice potion. I took it and restored myself.

During all this I was also searching for potions to help with my endurance. It was damaged as well. But it wasn't as bad and I managed to cure it a bit more easily.

Then I was off again, sailing back to Vivec via Tel Branora. I'm fully recovered now, but the entire trip has cost me a lot. Around five hundred septims I believe. To say this has been frustrating would be an understatement.

 

[BIGwooly]

Vivec - Morning

I spent the past several days hauling gear out of the ancestral vaults and selling it off. That gang of outlaws was pretty well outfitted. I didn't manage to get all of it out, but I got enough to earn another eight hundred or so drakes. And now I'm at about eleven thousand drakes to my name.

If only I could find that enchanted bow again. It's haunting me that I can't find it anywhere now that I have the coin.

No matter. I'll just have to be patient and hope that a shopkeeper somewhere else will have one. Or maybe I'll never see it again. Either way, it's time to move forward.

I'm boarding a boat to Hla Oad shortly. From there I'll head north along the coast until I found a stronghold known as Hlormaren. Somewhere inside is my next mark .. a female dunmer known as Brilnosu Llarys.

I have a brand new bonemold bow and some enchanted poison arrows to put her down with. My boat and bounty await.

 

[BIGwooly]

Hlormaren - Evening

I found the stronghold easily enough. I expected more of a challenge to that end. Not that I'm complaining. I'm perfectly fine not wandering around lost in the wilderness with nix hounds stalking me.

The outer structure was clear, so I snuck inside with my sword drawn. It was dark inside, and dank. I stifled a sniffle at the odor. Hundreds and hundreds of years of wet decay is not a pleasant smell.

It was a good thing I kept quiet. The first thing I noticed was a man down the hall to my right, about forty paces from me. I glanced to my left and discovered I had snuck in right behind a large brute of an orc, barely ten paces from me.

I had no idea if these fellows would be sympathetic to my cause or not, but I wasn't about to take the risk. With my sword leading the way I crept up behind the orc and stuck him in the back before he knew what was happening.

The brute had a good fight in him though, despite his grave injury. It took me several more strikes to bring him down.

I took care of his friend and began scouting the entry level of the ancient structure. I used my bow and the poisoned arrows to take out sentry after sentry ... six in total.

The sixth turned out to be a bit of a problem. I struck her with an arrow from the shadows, from about fifteen paces. As she turned I stood and drew my sword. I had decided beforehand that I wanted to preserve my supply of arrows in case a situation presented itself where I really needed them. Apparently this was that situation.

I saw the tiny glass dagger in the woman's hand as she ran at me but I thought nothing of it. That is, until she first struck me with it and my limbs went rigid. It was enchanted .. with a paralyze spell.

She struck me over and over and I couldn't do a thing about it. My body just stood there, sword in hand and at the ready, but frozen solid. I could feel nothing ... save for the intense pain from that sharp little dagger.

I felt my life slipping away, but finally, at the last moment ... the combination of spells wore off and I had a brief moment to take action.

Now I may have been like a statue for some time, but my mind had been racing. I knew I needed to have a plan .. and fast. The plan was to quickly gulp down my best health potion, to quite literally save my life. Then I would use my enchanted belt to cast the spells of shield and sanctuary. I could have, and probably should have, used my ancestor power since it is a much more powerful sanctuary spell. But I didn't. I'm lucky it worked out.

The sanctuary spell made me just hard enough to hit that I was able to avoid further paralyzation, and while the healing potion worked it's way through my veins my sword worked it's way into the woman.

It's funny how quickly a battle can turn. I remember stories from my father on this. Stories of men who had their enemy beaten, only to have one small thing reverse the situation and leave them at the disadvantage.

And such was this. The woman had had me nearly dead, and by all rights I should have been, but I was given just the briefest of windows to unleash my own plan and it swung the entire battle in my favor in a matter of seconds. Within another minute or so she was dead.

I've taken her dagger. Certainly it must be worth a small fortune. Perhaps I'll even use it myself. I'm not much of one for small blades like this, but the ability to paralyze my enemy is a hefty advantage.

Now I have to decide where to head next. I have no idea where to find my mark in this place, and it is a large structure that appears to have floors above and below. There are doors everywhere.

It's likely going to be a very long night.

 

[HappyFaceClown]

no offense m8 but my gosh that would be a boring way of playing.. with that many restrictions how could you even have fun? why not just play something else? if you want an rpg with tons of restrictions and a rage inducing difficulty might i suggest a game called "Demon Souls" ? based on what i read in your book of playing restrictions that game would be right up your ally.

 

[BIGwooly]

No offense taken. Most people tend to look at this way of playing as 'not possibly any fun'. But for me it really is. I love immersing myself into a character and honestly the rules I have in place become second nature really quickly. For example, I don't have to remind myself all the time to just carry 30 arrows, because I just remember, and because it just makes sense.

What's interesting is how many people started following my first journal, just enjoying the read, and then gave this playstyle a chance and discovered they loved it too.

It's not for everyone. I would never tell someone they shouldn't take total advantage of the game and become an overpowered one-hit killing machine, because if that's fun for them then more power to them. But see to me, THAT would be boring. I actually played that way the first time I played Morrowind and got so bored I stopped playing the game and didn't come back to finish it for like 5 or 6 years, lol.

Anyways, thanks for the suggestion of Demon Souls. I play games on my Xbox only so it's not an option for me. But thanks!

 

[HappyFaceClown]

No offense taken. Most people tend to look at this way of playing as 'not possibly any fun'. But for me it really is. I love immersing myself into a character and honestly the rules I have in place become second nature really quickly. For example, I don't have to remind myself all the time to just carry 30 arrows, because I just remember, and because it just makes sense.

What's interesting is how many people started following my first journal, just enjoying the read, and then gave this playstyle a chance and discovered they loved it too.

It's not for everyone. I would never tell someone they shouldn't take total advantage of the game and become an overpowered one-hit killing machine, because if that's fun for them then more power to them. But see to me, THAT would be boring. I actually played that way the first time I played Morrowind and got so bored I stopped playing the game and didn't come back to finish it for like 5 or 6 years, lol.

Anyways, thanks for the suggestion of Demon Souls. I play games on my Xbox only so it's not an option for me. But thanks!

more like "depriving yourself of all the fun the game offers" but to each their own.. and what makes you think you're an "over powered killing machine" if you take full advantage of the normal means of playing? that only occurs if you use exploits "which i don't do" no offense to anyone who does, its just not my thing personally, i play on master setting, using every advantage i can to progress "so long as its legit" and i STILL get my ass handed to me on a regular basis! bethesda did a really good job of making sure the player isn't op'ed regardless of what he chooses, with the exception of the sneak skill of course "which i never invest in cause i think its a broken issue that should have been patched" the game is plenty hard without adding to it your own restrictions, but like i said to each their own..
oh and Demon Souls IS on xbox m8, its a multiplat game, in fact the xbox version is superior to the ps3 version according to most and its an old title, you can get it at gamestop for about 10$ used now.

 

[BIGwooly]

Yup, to each their own. Honestly, for me, Skyrim is way too easy without the restrictions I play with. But it's just a personal preference. That and many of my restrictions are there to get me more immersed in my character and the game.

Now Morrowind ... there's a naturally-difficult TES game. d;-)

I'll have to check out Demon Souls again. $10 is worth trying it.

 

[HappyFaceClown]

Yup, to each their own. Honestly, for me, Skyrim is way too easy without the restrictions I play with. But it's just a personal preference. That and many of my restrictions are there to get me more immersed in my character and the game.

Now Morrowind ... there's a naturally-difficult TES game. d;-)

I'll have to check out Demon Souls again. $10 is worth trying it.

lol i'd like to see you "or anybody for that matter" just tank through the game on master setting using anything other than exploits, i've been playing the game since it first released and i still can't do that, i'll agree on novice up to adept you can become so accustomed to the combat system that it starts becoming way too easy but on expert it quickly takes it up a notch and on master you'll get embarrassed regardless of how you choose to play if you don't strategize your tactics carefully, on that setting even arrows hurt.. sounds to me like you need to up your difficulty if you think its too easy without adding your own restrictions. o_0
i wasn't a big fan of Morrowwind nor did i find it difficult, i only played through it for the story, same with Oblivion..
and yes! i HIGHLY recommend Demon Souls and Dark Souls, those games are literally designed to punish your mistakes, meaning if you try one strategy and it doesn't work you'll continue to lose with that method till you develop a different, better strategy. unlike Skyrim where you can technically win by any means so long as you're skilled enough.. i must warn you, those games are brutal and require LOTS of patience.