Dringoth in Grahtwood improves Tam’s mood

8 Heartfire 2E583

I was wandering Grahtwood aimlessly trying clear to the cold that had hit me overnight when I ran across a skull sitting amongst the towering oaks of the Valenwood.  I was so startled by the talking skull I stopped to listen to the nonstop chatter from Dringoth, the name of the owner of the skull.  Dringoth was quite adamant that I find all of his bones and reassemble his skeleton so that the “wormies” (his nickname for the cult disturbing the dead and stealing bones).  I quickly found all of his missing bones and the reassembled Dringoth quickly became friends with my dog, which I found quite endearing.

As Dringoth and I worked to restore the peaceful slumber of the dead I ran across a most interesting tome, Last of the Old Bones.  I sat down to read while Dringoth nattered on about wormies.  I will let you discover the book for yourself but somehow I knew Dringoth was connected to the events of the book.

Soon enough I was faced with appeasing the other angry spirits of the disturbed dead who blamed Dringoth for the invasion of the wormies and their current predicament.  I had to chose between appeasing the angry dead or trying to find a peaceful resolution that would make all of the dead rest in relative peace.  Deciding to help Dringoth instead of appeasing the others, together we solved the problem and allowed all of the dead to rest in peace.

My adventure with Dringoth didn’t cure my cold but it made me forgot about it for a little while and really what more could you want?  Of course that was before I ate a live frog and had a conversation with an ancient tree!  Just another exciting day serving the Eight on Nirn.

Benedicta Enters Stormhold

15 Frost Fall 2E583

Stormhold  is beautiful and mysterious.  Argonians patrolling the city which is built amongst the Ayleid ruins in the Black Marsh.  The air is heavy with humidity and rain showers are frequent.  The city is still slowly revealing herself one resident and story at a time.

This morning I stopped in at the Mage’s Guild and spoke to Valaste about the next book on our hunt.  The Mage’s and Fighter’s Guilds are sharing space in an Ayleid ruin.  There is tension between the two guilds which is obvious immediately upon entering the door for the Mage’s Guild.  Tension aside, I found Valaste frustrated by the deciphered book I last recovered from Sheogorath.  And before I knew it, I was once again involved in another Sheogorath scheme.

This time the mad god had me chasing and killing projections of  all three alliance members.  It was far from an entertaining Circus of Cheerful Slaughter.  Sheogorath of course had fun, he enjoyed watching me killing his projections. 

I successfully passed the mad god’s test and retrieved the book to return to Valaste.  I know another test from Sheogorath awaits me in the future but for today I plan to relax with a mug of ale and listen to the bards sing their tales before embarking on my next adventure on the morrow.

Benedicta Reflects on Deshaan Adventuring

7 Frost Fall 2E583

My time in Deshaan has been rewarding thus far.  I made it to Mournhold yesterday and am pleasantly surprised with the city despite its ominous name.  So far, the town is not a reflection of the strife outside the city limits but rather is beautiful and reflective in unexpected ways.  But first let me recap my misadventures in Deshaan so far.

I’ve delivered a familial letter only to learn that the residents in the area are all trying to reach the Maulborn to be saved from the Llodos Plague which is threatening the region.  I’ve saved Narsis from it’s insane leader that was willing to use the citizens as test subjects to spread the plague, I’ve helped stopped an invading Daggerfall Covenant Orc mercenary army, and rescued a monastery of healing monks.

I know I’ve barely scratched the surface of all the wonders this region contains.  Yesterday I helped a Naked Nord reunite with his beloved axe and his wife and today I have an appointment with Almalexia at the Tribunal Temple. 

Mournhold is where the Tribunal Temple is located and thus a place of great reverence and worship for the Dunmer.  For the most part, they believe in the Tribunal as a people and that Almalexia, Vivec, and Sotha Sil.  I don’t worship the Tribunal nor do I truly believe that any man or mer willing to use the Heart of Lorkhan for their own designs, however benevolent they appear to be, has the best interests of man and mer in mind.  However, I will honor the request and present myself to Almalexia today. 

Wherein Benedicta Admits She Is Tired of Gray Skies & Ash

3 Frost Fall 2E583

When I awoke in Cold Harbor and escaped with the help of The Prophet I expected I would land in my beloved homeland of Auridon.  Imagine my surprise then when I awoke in Skyrim surrounded by The Ebonheart Pact, sworn enemy to Queen Ayrenn and the Aldmeri Dominion.  I was expecting to be slaughtered on sight simply for being an Altmer in the land of the Nords.  Instead, I was greeted with warmth and acceptance by Nord, Dunmer, and Argonian alike.  I soon made friends in the cold wilds of Skyrim and decided to explore the world with my new found friends of the Pact.

Soon enough, I found myself in Morrowind and the Velothi Mountains with active volcanoes, lava flows, and the ever present ash falling from the sky.  Gone were the towering pines of Skyrim or the lovely trees of Auridon, rather the landscape is dotted with massive mushrooms.  While beautiful in their own right, giant mushrooms cannot replace the smell of pine trees or the shade of the trees in Auridon.  I am tired of smelling fire and ash, tired of cleaning it out of my armor every chance I get, and most of all, I exhausted by feeling perpetually dirty and sooty.

I’ve been wandering around the Ashlands, as this part of Morrowind is known (for obvious reasons), helping those I run across and aiding The Prophet.  I’ve been intrigued by the Dunmer people.  Town Dunmer is a rigid society divided into great Houses with complicated politics and tribal Dunmer shun their town relatives as much as they are shunned by the great Houses themselves.  Dunmer are quick to judge, slow to forgive, and extremely reluctant to let outsiders in, even when offering assistance. 

The majority of the Ashlands is similar to my sketch above.  Bleak, sooty, and muted with splashes of vibrant red and orange lava flowing.  I’ve gone into the past while helping a mage to discover how the Brothers of Strife came to be the guardians of the Chimer in the war against the Nedes.  I’ve defeated both Brothers of Strife when they were unleashed by House Dres when the Daggerfall Covenant invaded.

But now?  Now, this Altmer has had enough of ash and dust.  I need clean air and clear skies.  I need trees that have leaves or needles.  I need to feel clean when stepping outside.  I head for the Deshaan and offer prayers to Mara and Dibella that I will find what I seek and an equally friendly reception.

Crosswych and the Conundrum of an Adventuring Life

1 Frost Fall 2E583

This One paused recently to reflect on the conundrum that is the life of an adventurer in Tamriel these days.  This One is searching to recover her stolen soul but along the way I’m running into people and communities that are under constant threat from bandits, the evil intents of men and mer alike, and Deadric influences showing their tendrils everywhere. 

I’ve spent days helping every town and citizen I’ve come across along the way.  This One is exhausted and confused, has the quest to retrieve my soul from a Deadric prince turned me into the hand of violent justice of the Eight Divines?  Are my bow and staff only to be used for the eradication of evil in pursuit of justice?

This One went to Crosswych this morning only to discover the town overrun with Red Rook Bandits and the citizens cowering in fear, unable or unwilling to stand up to the bandits.  This One helped the town but grew weary with the ever increasing body count.  This One has returned to Daggerfall and has taken momentary refuge in the town chapel. 

This One has heard from the Prophet again and knows that the next step in discovering and retrieving This One’s soul is close at hand.  Tomorrow will be soon enough for that meeting, today This One shall offer prayers to S’rendarr for mercy for the dead and the living.

Leonardaa Briefly Introduces Herself

25 Hearthfire 2E583

This One has been tasked with writing a journal entry about her adventures in the area surrounding Daggerfall after saving King Casimir from an assassination plot.  This One is not comfortable talking about her exploits but the King was insistent that it would help unify the strength and solidarity of the Daggerfall Covenant if an “outsider” told of her successful adventures through the lands controlled by the Covenant.  This One agreed only reluctantly because the King made sense when he said that any alliance formed was more about the Ones of the alliance than any main races the alliance was compromised of on whole.

Yesterday, This One (named Leonardaa by my family and called Leo by this one’s family) explored Ilessan Tower.  The Tower is just on the outskirts of Daggerfall and was infested by Red Rook Bandits.  This One feared the bandits were plotting and planning terrible things and so This One determined to delve onward and dispatch the bandits before any harm could befall the valiant citizens of Daggerfall.

  This One was not deterred when discovering the remains of an unlucky former bandit or adventurer.  No, This One offered a quick prayer to Arkay for the unlucky soul and moved on, determined to find those that still breathed and end their scheming. 

This One quickly dispatched the bandits infesting the tower with a couple of spells and my trusty bow.  This One was pleased and disappointed when one of the bandits so generously donated his broadsword that seemed to hit harder than my trusty bow.  This One will make do until she discovers or crafts another bow nearly as trusty as the one she wielded since cub-hood.

This One shall continue her adventures in and around Daggerfall.  This One has run into the Wyrd Sisters and wants to learn more about these witches that commune with trees.  This One does not understand the magic these Sisters use but shall endeavor to figure it out in the coming days.

Out of Character Blog Posting

When The Elder Scrolls released in April of this year it was my “perfect” game.  It was an expansive Elder Scrolls game with plenty of crafting, exploring, and questing to old my attention.  Time and self-brought about pressure to maintain this role playing blog quickly led to disillusion and burn-out.  I freely admit, I (and my husband) canceled before the first monthly subscription payment was due.  There were too many little things bugging me, the pressure to churn out interesting role playing  blog posts, and the lure of the “new” game was all too much.

I’ve missed Elder Scrolls however very much lately.  Sunday, I subbed once again and I’ve been enjoying myself immensely.  I’ve been reacquainting myself with my characters and the choices I made early on for each of them.  I’ve also come to a decision about this blog.  I’m still going to write character pieces but they will be varied stories from my stable of characters and not just one character exclusively.  It takes the pressure off me to strictly play on character and gives me far more creative freedom.

I look forward to roaming Tamriel and sharing the exploits of my characters.  I hope you will join me.

Sadness in the Grove

18 Rain’s Hand 2E583

I was wondering around Auridon,  as usual the unbelievable beauty of the isle is something I enjoy experiencing when I’m exhausted or regaining my equilibrium after a lengthy fight or discussion with the Prophet.  I was wondering around yesterday afternoon when I ran across the above scene, it was out of place and incredibly eerie and lonely.  Who picks up and leaves with their wash hanging on the line.  I decided to investigate when I came across this woman, frozen in stone with a face of terror.

There were others in the village in similar positions, all frozen in stone in the middle of going about their daily activities.  I finally stumbled across a living soul in the village, a mage Merormo.  The man immediately made me uncomfortable and suspicious.  He was going on about how the Daedra had turned the local wildlife from docile creatures into horrible beasts.  He told me that he turned the villagers to stone to save them from the Daedric influenced beasts.  Something about the mage was off-putting and I’ll admit I didn’t trust the man but I went along with his plan to restore the villagers.

His plan initial plan failed but he eventually sent me to a cave where he claimed the force behind the Daedra’s plan was to be found.  What he didn’t anticipate was that there would be a living witness at the mouth of the cave.  I had a chat with the mage there, Anenwen, confirmed my initial feelings regarding Merormo, the man was shifty and mad as a mudcrab.

I charged head first into the cave, determined to eliminate the Daedra and restore the villagers to their living, breathing selves.  Fighting my way through Flame Antronachs I eventually made me way to the rear of the cave.  There was an enormous bear, clearly angry and possessed by a Daedra.  I engaged the bear in combat and sure enough the bear was a shape shifted Dremora.  The battle was fierce but faith and hard work and training are always stronger than the evils of Daedric Princes and their minions.

I returned to the village to confront Merormo and discovered a very angry Anenwen.  She was determined that Merormo restore the villagers to life and then be executed as a traitor.  Merormo explained his position to me, he was extremely contrite concerning his actions.  He admitted he unleashed the Daedra, although he did it for a noble purpose.  It is hard to condemn someone as a traitor when their actions were done out of love for family and their village, however misguided those actions were. 

Maybe I’m too soft hearted or lack the resolve to execute another without a fair trial, but despite the pleas of Anenwen to do so, I couldn’t execute Merormo.  I left him to atone for his actions with the villagers.  Having to face his victims every day was a far greater punishment than a quick and easy death at the point of my sword. 

Canonreeve Pinanande is a formidable but forgiving woman.  I spoke with the Canonreeve and while she wasn’t necessarily pleased with my decision to spare Merormo I believe that with time all the wounds in the Grove can be healed. 

My adventures are far more serious and less light hearted than I expected they would be when I left Hackdirt.  I’m not complaining but so far this journal is not filled with the light hearted conversations and experiences I initially thought it would be filled with.  Life is a growth process and I guess I’m doing a lot of growth lately.  I’m going to go find an ale and a warm bed before the next unexpected adventure befalls me.  May Juilanos and Mara protect us all.

Rescuing the Daughter of Giants

14th of Rain’s Hand 2E583

Yesterday was exhausting.  There is no other way to describe the after math of when I am contacted by The Prophet.  It is creepy enough that I can hear someone else speaking in my head but on top of that, he always seems to find me when I’m off relaxing and enjoying myself.  The Prophet calls and I answer and this time he had news, he managed to locate Lyris Titanborn within Cold Harbor. 

I was stunned with the news.  I have felt guilty for escaping while Lyris was stuck in that plane.  I listened eagerly to what the Prophet learned and his plans to rescue Lyris.  During his time in Cold Harbor somehow he and Molag Bal formed some weird mind meld, thus allowing him to distract Molag Bal while I traveled to Cold Harbor to rescue Lyris.  She was trapped in the Foundry of Woe.

  The Prophet opened a portal to the Foundry of Woe and I said a silent prayer to Julianos and Mara prior to stepping through.  I did step through the portal and the first sight I saw instantly brought me back to the horrors of Cold Harbor.

  I will admit, that standing there unable or unwilling to react or respond to the events around me is certainly one definition of Oblivion for me.  Unable to control my own thoughts or actions, uncaring and unfeeling about the suffering and despair around me is not a fate I would wish upon my worst enemy.  I crept forward, steeling my resolve and my blade to make it out alive and with Lyris this time!

I found her, all personality and fight drained from the once proud Nord warrior.  I told her to buck up and together we would face down her insecurities and fears and escape the Foundry.   We quickly began to cover ground together, dispatching what Daedric minions we came across. 

Lyris came across a manifestation of her parents graves in Skyrim.  She was overwhelmed with grief momentarily before she saw the apparition of her father.  The once proud warrior instantly became the little girl struggling to understand why her father didn’t look at her and his perceived lack of love and compassion.  Soon enough, father and daughter resolved old hurts and Lyris felt the flame of parental love for the first time.   It gave her strength and courage to carry on.

We recovered her armor from the chests her alleged compatriots had hidden it in so that she would fail inspections.  The change recovering her armor brought about was amazing.  Simply slipping into the armor gave her new resolve and determination to carry forward.  Her armor is truly a part of who she is, almost as much as her axe.  Her axe was clearly an integral part of who Lyris was and will continue to be.  She asked it if it was hungry for Daedric blood!  I have yet to talk to my weapons, so maybe I’m not as committed to them as Lyris is to hers.

  Lyris and I then ran into a projection of her best friend Sai Sahan.  He knows where the Amulet of Kings is kept and Molag Bal is torturing him to discover the location.  Lyris promised Sai that she would rescue him.  All I could think about was getting Lyris out of there before the link between the Prophet and Molag Bal was severed and we were discovered.   Luckily, the projection was terminated and Lyris and I continued forward until we made it out of the Foundry of Woe together and with all of our parts and pieces intact, well except my soul that is.

Lyris and I stepped through the portal back to the Prophet.  I was exhausted, emotionally and physically from the ordeal.  Yet, Lyris somehow had the strength to stand up and have a conversation with the Prophet. 

All I wanted to do was find a strong ale and then sleep for days.  I found the ale but felt compelled to write and sketch before passing out on this comfortable bed.  I know the Prophet and Lyris will call on me again but right now, all I want is a dreamless sleep and no interruptions for the next several days or weeks.  I need to repair my weapon and armor, no really I need to craft myself new armor and weapons.  I need to recharge my batteries and find a shrine or church to pray.

Gaining Strength, Finding my Way

8th of Rain’s Hand 2E 583

Since I’ve escaped from the potential eternal prison of Cold Harbor, I’ve embraced life with renewed vigor and appreciation.  I do find it odd that some people can tell that I no longer have a soul while others treat me no differently.  I wonder what makes some aware and others oblivious.  But I ramble, my time has been spent helping Queen Ayrenn indirectly first as the hands of a Khajiit named Razum-dar and then as the directly as one of the Eyes of the Queen. 

The island of Khenarthi’s Roost was most interesting.  I learned of the Maomer Elves, a highly racist and fanatical subset of Altmer Elves who favor life on the sea.  These nutty elves had some managed to gain the knowledge to perform rituals that allowed for the summoning of hurricanes.  Luckily for me, it turns out because one of the Aldmeri Dominion fleet that was caught in the hurricane that stranded the fleet upon Khenarthi’s Roost fished me out of the water after I escaped Cold Harbor.  The cost of the ability to summon a hurricane was too high however and I helped Razum-dar end their tyrannical hold over the Khajiit inhabitants of the island.  I sketched I picture of Raz while on Khenarthi’s Roost.

Raz suggested I travel back to Auridon and meet with the guard captain there who was his friend.  I did so but the woman instantly made me uncomfortable and suspicious.  Her condescension of Raz’s friendship immediately put me on edge but I decided to help her out despite my feelings.  She claimed to be investigating a possible plot against the queen and I felt something was off.  Sure enough, a little investigation and it turns out that the guard captain was a member of a xenophobic splinter group known as the Veiled Heritance.    I killed the guard captain and while I felt remorse at having to take a life, I knew that the only way to keep the alliance strong was by removing poison from it’s core.

I met the  queen!  She is nearly as lovely as the city of Auridon.

I found the mages and fighters guilds while in Auridon.  Who knew that trying to improve your skills would lead you to battle those that serve Daedric princes?  Seriously, I never expected to meet the one Daedric prince I’ve been warned about for as long as I can remember.  But sure enough, the Mages Guild inadvertently arranged for an introduction to Sheogorath himself.  They wanted me to collect some dusty old books in an old Ayleid ruin which I did without incident.  I don’t blame the Mage’s Guild for the introduction, I just hope I don’t’ regret it sometime in the future.

I am now one of the Eyes of the Queen like Raz and together we are seeking out the last remnants of the Veiled Heritance on the island.   My life is certainly much more interesting since I attended the Festival of Blades.  But will I survive long enough to recover my soul from Molag Bal?  I hope so, but just in case I don’t I often stop and enjoy the beauty of the world around me.