Deflorator's game, 14–18 Frostfall (Solitud – Frostmere – Nightcaller)

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SPOILER INFO
This unfinished story follows closely my actions in an actual game, so it's inevitably a spoiler.
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The author has chosen to remove the text of this unfinished game report, because he is no longer happy with it.

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Always Lost, Always Hopeful (20) Why Not So Scared?

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SPOILER INFO
This fanfic novel is largely based on the events that occurred in an actual game of Skyrim I played. Therefore, it's inevitably a spoiler.
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4-201-09-05 07:44
Windpeak Inn, Dånstar, The Pale, Skyrim


It's a charming winter morning. I still feel sleepy, but the chilly air outside makes me alert quickly.

I decide to do the nightmare quest right now. That sinister temple Erandur wants us to go to is not far from the town. If I went to Hviterun first, only the gods would know when I'd be back here again, and in the meantime all those nice people would have to suffer from infernal nightmares every night.

So I tell Erandur to go on ahead, I'll follow in a minute. My minute turns out pretty long, what with bath and breakfast and all. Running to the Nightcaller Temple, we find Erandur already there, fighting several huge bears. As soon as the girls and I are in the range, we start shooting at them. I can't believe those beasts can be so tough to kill. They look like they could swoop up ten Erandurs (or about 20–30 Lauras) and eat them for breakfast. Most incredibly, Erandur survives the long battle.

Nightcaller Temple... The name alone sounds blood-chilling. But you haven't yet heard the story that goes with it. I hope I'm not boring you. I'll try to give you the gist of it as concisely as I can. The temple is dedicated to Vaermina, that demon-deity I told you about last night. It got attacked by a large group of Orc robbers. The priests of Vaermina saw themselves overwhelmed. In order to avoid annihilation, they did something desperate – released a gas known as Miasma  into the temple. Miasma made everyone fall asleep, priest and bandit alike. That happened several decades ago. In the meantime, Vaermina has apparently gotten annoyed by not being worshipped, and her evil energy has, as it were, seeped out of the temple and into the minds of the people in the nearest settlement, Dånstar.

Erandur warns me that when we open the temple door, Miasma is likely to dissipate quickly into the atmosphere and the sleepers inside might easily wake up when they hear us approach. What's worse, there are certain complicated reasons why only the two of us can enter the temple. My followers will have to remain outside.

Do I need to tell you that the girls are extremely worried and skeptical? Especially Lydia thinks I'm crazy. But I'm the boss. We're all about the same age (with the obvious exception of Jenassa), but I'm nevertheless the one who makes the decisions. And I'm cool as a cucumber. I just know it'll all turn out well. And I know I have to do it. I can impossibly walk away now.

So in we go, just Erandur and me. There are wide stairways, spacious halls. The place could really use proper lighting, though. In that case, someone would of course have to clean up all that dust and cobwebs. To say nothing of the dead bodies, the number of which we regrettably increase.

Erandur leads me to a doorway blocked by an impenetrable barrier of glowing blue energy:

By this time I've begun to wonder how come Erandur knows his way about this place so well. So he decides to confess that he was one of the priests of Vaermina. On that fateful day when the Orcs invaded and the Miasma was released, he escaped at the last moment, leaving his "brothers and sisters here to die", as he puts it. Since then, he's been serving Mara to do penance for his sin. If he'll succeed in putting an end to those nightmares, he hopes to be able to come to terms with his conscience.

Fine. What about that barrier, then?

Erandur says we'll have to go to the temple library. The books may contain a clue as to how to bypass that thing. I follow him back up the stairs to a locked door to which he has a key. On our way to the library, we see indeed many sleeping people. Some of them wake up before I get a chance to shoot them, but fortunately for us they are so confused from oversleeping that they're incapable of putting up any resistance. Only once do I make a mistake. It's when a priest and an Orc wake up and start fighting each other. I decide to wait it out and then shoot the survivor. That's the Orc. When I go past that place a little later, it turns out the priest is not dead, he was just knocked out, and now he actually manages to hit me a couple of times with his magic. It's no big deal, though. I finish him off. Maybe it was a good thing. Not only did it teach me to be more careful, I now don't feel like a complete butcher.

The library is a sorry sight. Most books are burnt. Luckily, though, we find the kind of book Erandur needed.

He learns that there's a magic drink called Vaermina's Torpor... heavens, now it get's really complicated. Bear with me, please. I'll have to drink that potion, Erandur says. It'll cause me to fall asleep. In my dream, I'll go back to that last day when Miasma was released. I will be in someone else's body and say words that are not mine. But once I have become able to move, I'll have to find the switch which turns that magic barrier off. Huh. I hope I got it right.

We move on, looking for that potion and killing some more people disturbed in their sleep. This time I have more work, as reading about that Torpor thing has made Erandur very agile. He keeps running past me and attacking the sleepers before I can shoot them. But it's not really dangerous. Nothing like those incredible bears we fought outside.

We find the potion and return to the blue barrier. Erandur tells me to drink the liquid in the bottle, promising to watch me and bring me out of my sleep, should anything go wrong. Yes, I know, it sounds more than crazy. But once again, I feel absolute trust in this man. So I drink the potion.

I find myself in a hazy yellow-greenish corridor, talking to two men in purple robes who address me as "Brother Casimir". They talk about having no choice but to release Miasma.

As soon as I can move, I start running. There are groups of priests and Orcs in fierce combat here and there. Luckily no one pays special attention to me as I rush past. I'm not at all sure I'd be able to use my weapons in this state, nor have I any interest in spending a second more than is necessary in this place, visually fascinating as it may be.

I run from one room to another, up and down stairs, looking behind every corner. Finally I see a place which looks very much like that blue barrier from the inside. There's a chain which must be the switch Erandur was talking about. I pull it and the dream disappears. I wake up in exactly the same place, except that it's in the reality – the grim castle walls, the glowing blue barrier with Erandur standing in front of it exactly where I left him. The only difference compared to our situation before is that I am inside.

There's a chain on the wall, just like in that recent dream of mine. I pull it. Nothing happens. What's wrong? I can't talk to Erandur. He just stands there beyond the barrier like he's not seeing me. What am I to do?

I look around. There's a small platform with a soul gem on it. I take the gem. I pull the chain again. Now the barrier vanishes.

Erandur rushes in, overjoyed. He has never seen anything like it, he says. How he envies me, he says. I can but shake my head in astonishment. He's very welcome to have that hallucination in my stead the next time.

Now we must go to a place called "inner sanctum". There's something evil in there with which Erandur needs to perform some ritual using the good energy of Mara and then the nightmares in Dånstar will cease. Whatever. Lead the way.

We meet two more priests. They are the ones I talked to in my dream, apparently the closest friends of Erandur. (He's also Brother Casimir as you may have guessed.) They are rather reproachful of him for having ditched them. I don't see what difference it would have made for them if Erandur-Casimir had just lied there in slumber next to them. But they want to kill him – and me while they're at it. It's two against two, but those two are very much awake, and very competent battlemages. Fortunately, Erandur who's had decades more of practice is too tough for them. I hope I was also of help.

Pay good attention – it gets really eerie now. I walk behind Erandur to a hall, in which is a staircase lined with candles. On top of the stairs is a glowing arc in front of an image that vaguely resembles a not too pretty woman. The whole setting looks quite stylish, as well as properly sinister.

When Erandur starts calling upon Lady Mara, an ethereal female voice begins to talk to me, insisting that Erandur is going to betray me, because he wants the "magic skull" (don't ask me whose) for himself. I presume the speaker is Vaermina. She urges me to kill Erandur. I don't believe her. I wait patiently until Erandur has finished his ritual. It takes considerable time.

To tell you the truth, it's a boring wait. He just stands there, and there's that glow, and that's it. No voice talking to me anymore, and generally nothing going on I could perceive. So let me pass the time by telling you about enchanting , as I promised I would.

Enchanting means putting on a weapon or a piece of armor a magical effect that'll be a bonus to the item's usual, physical properties. For example, a body armor can be made to give you extra carryweight, or gloves can be made to increase your Lockpicking skill. While you wear those gloves, it's easier for you to pick locks. You take them off, you're back to normal.

Do you remember, I told you about the magic ring Mr. Hlaalu in Riverwood gave me? It diminishes the damage you take from fire 5-fold. That is also an enchantment. Basically, every mage who has the proper skill can put such an enchantment on any ring that is not already enchanted.

Enchanting is done with the help of a device known as Arcane Enchanter . You can pretty easily find them in places where mages work. For example, Farengar, the court wizard of Hviterun, has one that you can use unless you're someone whom he hates – and he certainly doesn't hate me.  ;-)

Oh, excuse me. Erandur seems to be approaching the end of his ritual. I'm somehow having a sensation like the air is getting fresher around here. As if something evil was disappearing.

It's done. Now... Erandur kind of changes. No, he doesn't turn into a monster. He remains what he is. But he looks at me with an expression, the meaning of which I know very well. With his voice... let's say, less confident than before, he offers to accompany me on my travels. When I don't look too enthusiastic, he quickly says he'll remain here and establish a temple of Mara, and if I ever need anything from him, he'll be here for me.

Now, Erandur is old, obviously, but he doesn't look too old. He irradiates unmistakable vitality. If I wasn't having my period right now, some things may be different. In this reality, though, I just excuse myself as neutrally and civilly as I can, and hurry to join my followers outside. They are very relieved to see me, although they kind of expected to see me alive and well when they had this vague feeling a few minutes ago as if something evil that used to be there was no longer there.

It's already dark. I'm dog-tired. Frankly, I wouldn't recommend Vaermina's Torpor.

On our way back to Dånstar, I tell the girls everything that happened. They're all oohs and ahhs, but I don't even feel horrified recalling what I just went through. This has to be Bardslayer's doing, I realize. He saw my future and knew that this endeavor seemed scary but I would end up quite safe by the end. I'd so like to ask him about it, but I don't think he'd answer.

I'm also curious about what would have happened if I had killed Erandur like Vaermina asked me to do. I'm sure it's something I don't want to know.

Um... That was illogical, right? [Chuckle.] Lucky I'm a woman. I don't have to feel guilty for being illogical.

Back at the Dånstar inn, I can barely muster enough patience to get out of my armor before throwing myself onto the bed.



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Always Lost, Always Hopeful (19) Faith and Mistrust

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SPOILER INFO
This fanfic novel is based on the events that occurred in an actual game of Skyrim I played. Therefore, it inevitably reveals a lot about the game.
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previous day






4-201-09-04 06:12
The Winking Skeever, Solitud, Haafingar, Skyrim


At the first light of the day, we're on our way. Well, maybe not quite the first. To tell you the truth, our breakfast lasts longer than usually, because I have a serious talk with the girls about combat tactics. I tell them they really should use bows or staffs instead of swords. (None of us uses war axes or maces; they require too much physical strength.) Jenassa is fine with that, but Lydia objects that she and Rayya are trained swordfighters. I try to explain that even though she would be less efficient with a ranged weapon, the enemies (most of whom use melee weapons) wouldn't be able to hit her. Lydia points out that many battles are inevitably in close range and when enemies keep turning up from unexpected places, such as the other day in Northwatch Keep, it would require too much time (as well as thinking) to switch weapons back and forth.
Surprisingly, Rayya sides with me and Lydia is a little offended. But she still insists that our group would be less efficient if they used weapons they aren't comfortable with, just so I could have a clear field for shooting.
I begin to doubt myself and decide to give this matter some more thought. Let's get going now.

We're headed for Hviterun, but rather than take the highway southwest to Dragonbridge, I want to make a slight detour – go east and find the town of Dånstar on the northern coast, maybe spend the night there and proceed southwards to Hviterun tomorrow.

This is a map of northwestern Skyrim.
Arkngthamz is right next to Dushnikh Yal, to the southeast.
Northwatch Keep is the farthest icon to the northwest from Dragonbridge.

Solitud harbor lies on the northwestern coast of a narrow bay that turns into a river further southwest. There is no bridge, so we just swim across – with our clothes on as there are people everywhere. It's not so bad. Actually the exercise is doing us good. (The map above shows us already on the eastern bank.)

Maybe this is the right moment to tell you a word or two about maps. I have noticed in the meantime that the people of Skyrim have little experience with them. Indeed, my followers tell me they have only seen them in places like military camps. Even Jenassa who has traveled far and wide (according to Lydia; she herself is very tight-lipped about it) has no experience with using a map. So I guess I'd better describe it a little, because I don't know how common or exotic maps may be for you.
A map is a magical device that shows you your location. It looks like a large sheet of paper that can be folded together when not used. When unfolded, it depicts the features of terrain (including bodies of water and roads) in various shades of greenish-gray. When you have visited a location, it appears on the map as an icon, thanks to which you can find your way back there in the future. Note the pink circle in the image above, inside which is a narrow almost-triangle. That marker shows you where you are.
It's a very handy tool. That's why I find it very strange that I've only seen jarls and military commanders use them. To me, a map feels like something quite normal; in fact, it's a comfortingly familiar object in this foreign and frightening country.

Back to the present moment. We have crossed the bay. The weather is lovely and I'm in high spirits, even when the landscape turns wintery further east.

This is a dead chaurus. It's roughly the same size as a human being lying down.

We discover the Pale Imperial Camp. The Pale is the name of the hold, the capital of which is Dånstar. Since the imps have a secret camp in the wilderness, The Pale Hold must be stork territory. But we, adventurers with stuff to sell are welcome everywhere. That includes the bandit camp halfway to Dånstar, except that there we're appreciated only as prey. They fall upon us with jubilant (and rather lewd, if I may say so) shouts and try to overwhelm us. We have no choice but to kill them in self-defense.

It makes me think.
Are the Nord men too stupid to realize that the four of us in elven armors are something more formidable than just a group of village girls having a walk?
Or are they so stubbornly proud that they won't negotiate with women?
Or are they unable to think clearly because they're always drunk?
Or are we doing something wrong?
Now, it's not like we're dick-hungry or something. With our looks, we can have pretty much any man we want. But I'm sure bandits can be attractive too. In any case, it would make sense to stop and say hello first and see if we can work something out. Maybe we like you and maybe we happen to be in the mood. If we don't, well, then you can try and take us by force, or you can be sensible and use the opportunity to walk away on your own two feet. That's what I think.

Dånstar (sometimes spelled Dawnstar) is a medium-size walled harbor town. It has two mines and various kinds of merchants. The harbor is much smaller than the one in Solitud, but there are quite interesting men there all the same. Although I have no use for any of them today, if you get my drift. But maybe we'll find Lydia a boyfriend. You know, I keep teasing her, asking when she's going to test-drive her new gorgeous boobs. I've been seeing how even with her clothes on, men can't get their eyes off her. It's about time to let someone actually see her breasts. I know she's really keen, she just hasn't found any real hunks so far, and I keep bantering with her so she won't become discouraged or shy or something.

That man is an Argonian. I don't know if you've ever seen one.

Walking around in Dånstar, it doesn't take us long to find out one rather spooky thing. Most if not all locals are plagued by regular nightmares. People with reddened eyes keep telling us in weary voices how they haven't had much sleep and how they can't take it much longer. I feel sorry for them, but I am more interested in the mines. We've seen abandoned mines infested with bandits, but I don't think I have yet been to an actual working mine where you can, like, mine stuff. (It's a tradition of Skyrim that travelers are allowed to mine a reasonable quantity of ore for their own use.) And now I'm getting the chance to explore two such – one of quicksilver and one of iron. They're cool, although I wouldn't want to work in a mine on a regular basis. The weird thing with Dånstar's two mines is that their owners seem to hate each other, as well as... um... to be married to each other. Go figure. Maybe those nightmares have made them crazy. However, the biggest nutcase of all is the jarl. Skald is his name. He's an old bald man. His creaky voice sounds so frail I wouldn't trust him to be able to stand up until I've seen it with my own eyes. His court wizard Madena is one bitter (albeit basically good) woman. Apparently she served in the Great War and now has nightmares of her own, so to speak, remembering remorsefully all the enemy soldiers she killed with her magic.

There are three mysterious guys at the inn who refuse to talk to me. So I go to the harbor where I address a peculiar man (I think "old sea salt" is the proper expression) named Bowen.

He's grumpy at first, but when I won't go away, he turns towards me. Having given me a good look-over, he softens up a bit (figuratively speaking). I then get to hear a story about his captain Alday's family history and how he, Bowen, came to serve on his ship. It would appear that Alday's ship was called "The Burning Queen" and it's the very same shipwreck the girls and I saw the other day on our way from Northwatch Keep to Solitud. It was visible from the shore and partially above water, although broken beyond repair. Bowen tells me that a greatsword very valuable to Alday, a family heirloom, is somewhere on or near that wreck. If I succeeded in bringing it back to Alday, he might be extremely grateful.

Even though I haven't even seen that Alday person, I feel for some reason very eager to return to that shipwreck and find that precious sword. But not immediately. My intention to travel south to Hviterun first still stands.

Feeling great after this interesting conversation, I exchange a few words with some nice miners on their way to the inn from work, and then with the bard Karita who works at the inn (left in the picture below). It's past 9 o'clock in the evening when I walk up to a man in a hooded robe. (I've been told it's the uniform of the goddess Mara's worshippers.)

His name is Erandur and he's indeed a priest of Mara. He says he knows the cause of the nightmares that are plaguing the town, and he knows how to make them stop, but unfortunately he can't do it alone and needs a helper to accompany him to a place called Nightcaller Temple which is supposed to be not far away.

He says the nightmares are caused by Vaermina who is one of the daedras. The daedras... now that's very confusing, but the way I understand it, they're a kind of devils, meaning demons as powerful as gods (or almost). Vaermina hungers for memories, Erandur informs me, and she takes people's memories and gives them nightmares in exchange.

Now, if one were to think logically, then standing up against an extremely powerful evil ethereal being is far too dangerous for a common mortal like myself to even consider. For some reason, though, I feel confident that I can totally trust this Erandur guy. I haven't felt so unworried for a long time.

But I'm not going to rush after him right away, no matter how urgent he insists this matter is. I have dinner and then a little walk around town. I can't go to sleep yet, because Lydia has struck up a friendship with one of the town guards and I want to help them find a private place. It so happens that the alchemy shop is completely empty at this late hour. I saw the proprietress at the inn. So I pick the lock to let Lydia in. The guard whose name is Bjarne arrives a few minutes later. I smile encouragingly and motion him to enter, promising to not let anyone disturb them. I remain standing on the empty quiet street. Apart from an occasional guard patrolling in the distance, there's only soft swashing of the water in the harbor. Why isn't it frozen, I wonder. Maybe because of the boats coming and going?

Sooner than I expected, the guard comes out again. Maybe he didn't have much confidence in my ability to keep the lady of the house outside, should she turn up. Whatever the reason, it's none of my business. But I'm going to find out all about it. I waste no time going inside. Bjarne remains in front of the house to keep watch. After all, that's his job.

There's a nice bedroom upstairs with a large comfortable bed. Lydia is all smiles. While I help her bring the room back in order, she tells me he wanted her on top. She didn't have an orgasm, but guess where Bjarne's hands were all the time? Even with all those hungry looks from men, Lydia was still a bit nervous tonight to show her magically increased breasts bare to a man for the first time. They just blew him away, she tells me. It was beyond her wildest dreams. That's probably the reason why he came so fast, she says. Yes, I tend to agree.

After this amazing experience, Lydia's gratitude to me knows no limits. We return to the inn where Rayya and Jenassa won't leave her in peace until she has told them everything, although not in as many details as she told me. I don't bother to hear it to the end. It's well past midnight and I go to sleep, giving the girls a stern order to do the same real bloody soon.



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