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Chapter 7:
Khepri's Dirary: Sun's Dawn
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2nd Sun's Dawn, 4E200
I was irritated.
It wasn't enough that Imp knocked me into a snowdrift the day before – I was moping over the harsh reality of the Aedra and Daedra, revealed in my books – and then engaged me in a snowball fight, before teasing me after I injured myself while training with Dawnstar's guardsmen. She had to steal.
"I am very disappointed in you, Imp," I spoke in a clipped voice, walking down the shore of Dawnstar Bay, toward the Frost-Glow clan's slice of the town; the Chaurus in question was being frog-marched at my side by Skitter, who was quite [irritated] herself. For the same reason as I was, to no surprise, "When I say 'clean up the town', that does not give you the right to snatch pies off windowsills."
[queen] [apologies] [object] [interesting] Imp replied with a buzzing of her wings, her head hanging low in shame.
I huffed and made sure the pie in the crook of my arm wasn't damaged, "Yes, the pie dish is rather well-made, but you still did wrong." Skitter chittered in agreement as we arrived at the home of Helga Frost-Glow, matriarch of the largest clan in Dawnstar; she, the guards, and more than a few of her neighbors and family gave me and the two Hunters rather alarmed looks.
Ignoring their discomfort, I smiled sheepishly, "I'm terribly sorry about Imp," sparing a brief glare to the naughty girl, I explained to the elderly woman, "She really likes shiny objects, and really can't help herself most of the time. I'll make sure she doesn't do this again…"
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Khepri's Journal
The Pie Incident (and personal thoughts)
Happily, everything went smoothly. As smoothly as things could have gone, with a clan matriarch trying to push one of her unmarried grandsons in my direction.
I was invited to dinner, as were Skitter and Imp, though Imp's dinner was rather light.
Skyrim cuisine is hearty, but doesn't have much spice. I can deal, until I acquire the connections to import spices from other provinces. A conversation with a few dockworkers indicated that this would be difficult, as political tensions are high in Skyrim: the Aldmeri Dominion is cracking down on worship of the Divine Talos, God of Courage and Heroic Deeds, and 'Heir to the Seat of Sundered Kings' (whatever that means).
So I won't be able to have pepper with my omelets.
I was asked by Sillte Frost-Glow, wife of the first man I met in this town, what I thought of the Dominion, and the Thalmor.
I asked her, in return, if Talos blesses those who pray to him. She said yes.
I then told her: that means the first Emperor of Tamriel is watching over those who are loyal. The Thalmor can bray all they want, but history will ultimately cast them as the villains. If they are fool enough to challenge the Divines, who long watched over the fortunes of Men, Mer and Beastfolk, then they will get what they deserve in due course.
I am now the proud owner of many jars, woven baskets, and several new changes of clothes. And I have been invited to clean the snowberry fields tomorrow.
My only complaint about Skyrim, so far, is that all of the men are very physically fit, and so polite. It's like being in an insect emporium and not being allowed to take or control anything. The men are, to a one, handsome, strong, and well-endowed; the women are equally beautiful, and I have found that most people in Skyrim are married by the age of twenty.
I wish I could remember how old I am.
Another complaint I have is the startling lack of marital aids for sale. Note to Self: See Frida, the apothecary, at your earliest convenience.
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3rd Sun's Dawn; the bandits
Apparently, gangs are a thing here too.
While acquiring butterflies and moth pupae – with the assistance of the children of Dawnstar – ten men and women attempted to assault both myself and the snowberry minders. They were easily dealt with, which made me wonder why they were such a bothersome issue.
It turns out that most Nords are wary of magical abilities. I'm… not sure if what I can do is magic or not. I can't remember where or how I came into my abilities. All I can remember is that I wasn't the only one.
While Jarl Skald was grateful, it seems that most of the townspeople don't like him very much, mainly due to his strong dislike of anything magical or Elven. I also realized that Judas, Twinkie and Bullet have been helping at the iron mine. Several of the bandits that attacked the town are now forced to work there.
Frida's wares are discretely hidden behind the counter of her shop. The blown-glass aid in my possession helps with falling asleep at night.
On the matter of the Divines, I decided to pray to Zenithar – God of Work and Commerce – and Dibella – Goddess of Passion and Affection – for success with my apiaries and to find a man who is agreeable. I don't wish to go through life alone, and, as many of Skyrim's men are both fit and well-behaved, I hope that one day I will find someone who is not off-put by my abilities.
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7th Sun's Dawn; the first Hunter Fledgling, Erandur
The apiaries are nearly finished. I think another week will be enough, and then I will populate them.
The insects of the north are ridiculously robust, but that is understandable. The extreme conditions of the Pale necessitate both larger size and brutal hunting methods. Happily, the flies and mosquitoes are all rounded up and being bred in the Chaurus grotto; I use them to lure trolls and bears toward the Hunters, who divvy the food up for the younger Chaurus.
On that note, the largest common Chaurus entered its pupa stage this evening. She gorged two bears, at Skitter's insistence, then became immobile in the grotto. I will explain the details in my Opus on the Chaurus.
I've decided her name will be Sophia, as she is brash. Not arrogant, or foolhardy, but I must dissociate the memory from the name, or I will not be able to move on. I care for Sophia, as do her siblings.
Erandur is a scholarly man Elf. He introduced me to the tea of Tamriel, which is a blocky black substance that is ground and mixed into water. It is still delicious, and we've spent many a snowy evening discussing the continent's history and how magic functions on the porch of Windpeak Inn.
The only spells I have managed thus far are a minor flame spell that is commonly used to start campfires and the like, and Candlelight, a hovering ball of light. Doing either even once is exhausting, but I have been assured that it becomes easier with time.
That I am aware of Erandur's marvelous physique, due to my power's comprehensiveness, helps with my nightly ministrations. While not as endowed as the average Nord, he makes up for this with girth and a tapered head that seems designed to ensure proper seeding of a worthy female. Pity that he is a priest, and off-limits, as he is one of several men who have been admiring my legs when they believe I am not looking.
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The Chaurus Cycle
By Khepri, the Beekeeper (rough draft, copy to another journal)
Long have the Chaurus been a source of mystery and fear for the people of Skyrim. There are records from the early 2[sup]nd[/sup] Era relating their apparent symbiotic relationship with that most infamous race of lurking horrors, the Falmer. As I can communicate with the Chaurus, I will set aside the theories and suggestions of other authors; my information comes from the Chaurus themselves, and my observations of their behavior in the wild, without Falmer oversight.
Firstly, it must be noted that the Chaurus I studied were, to a one, enslaved and abused from a young age by the Falmer; several of the smallest Chaurus, the size of small dogs, were mutilated. One female, not even a month old, is missing an eye, the result of accidentally biting a Falmer's hand.
What is more, all of the Chaurus, from Skitter the old Hunter to a tiny newborn who has just taken his first breaths, are aware they were mistreated by the Falmer, and hate their oppressors with all their heart. I theorize that Chaurus were once a free race of mildly intelligent animals, like the now-extinct Skyrim Guar. The how and why of their enslavement may have been lost with the Dwemer, though I hold out hope that one of Skyrim's many ruins contains the answer.
What follows is a summary of my discoveries concerning the Chaurus:
The Hive Mind: The Chaurus do not dream like the thinking races. Rather, they enter a short hibernation, where their mind is mildly subsumed into a mental network that is formed from the thoughts and emotions of its brothers and sisters. This is the Chaurus Hive Mind, and is both how the Chaurus communicate and learn about the world, as well as how they sleep.
Their antennae are the conduit to this, apparently, latent magical ability. Though Hive Mind is a bit of a misnomer, though appropriate for what it is: common Chaurus are not very developed, mentally, while Hunters are aware of their gender, individuality, and can feel empathy.
Emotions are reflected and distributed in the Hive Mind; images, of what each Chaurus is seeing, usually provide context. It is in this way that the Chaurus learn – though the Falmer tend to mutilate the antennae of some Chaurus (see: Judas – left antennae removed, Imp – both antennae are covered in shallow scars).
Dreams in the Hive Mind are abstract. The Chaurus remain aware of their brothers and sisters while asleep. They "see" the thoughts, emotions and deeds of their siblings while there.
Additionally, it seems that a Chaurus Reaper can influence the thoughts and activities of their brethren through the Hive Mind. Until I discover how a Reaper comes into being, however, I will hold off on any definitive theories regarding the Reapers.
Diet: Chaurus do not like human flesh; it seems something forced on them by the Falmer, rather than instinct, as they don't enjoy the taste. Any Chaurus is omnivorous, and can eat a wide variety of foods. The most efficient diet seems to consist of: dense shrubs, roots, trolls, tree bark, wild animals (they are partial to bear and horker), wild berries (observed ingestion of yew flowers; no negative effect) and about two liters of water or snow a day.
Reproduction and Life Cycle: Chaurus eggs are formed naturally and unfertilized by all female Chaurus, both common and Hunter. The observed egg sacs are actually constructed by the male, traditionally out of mud and their own waste; the male then gorges themselves on up to 200 lbs (local weight) of food, and undergoes an odd biologic process that turns the matter to a form of nearly-solid, nutrient-rich seed. The male will then shift a belly-plate and insert their phallus into the sac; orgasm is instantaneous, and lasts up to 3 minutes. Multiple males may prepare the same egg sac.
The male(s) will then guard the egg sac and wait for a female to approach; some posturing and mating ritual may occur between the female and the male, but blows between Chaurus are rare, and generally frowned upon.
If a female selects an egg sac, they will mount the sac, extend and insert an ovipositor into the sac, and lay as many as 50 eggs. Feelings received were equated to a five-minute orgasm.
– notation: both ovipositor and phallus impregnation of any humanoid race of Nirn (myself included) is impossible; the ovipositor pierces the egg sac like a spear, with a point of serrated chitin, and the glans of a Chaurus male's penis is a razor-sharp hollow stinger. The coordinating muscle groups have only two speeds, not moving and piercing speed, so micromanagement is impossible.
A common Chaurus will mature in roughly 5 months, going by their growth rate. Once they have matured, the common Chaurus will undergo a change in their body: they will gorge themselves on any food they can find – including other Chaurus, if there isn't any tree bark around – and then enter a deeper hibernation, almost a trance. Other Chaurus will then guard their immobile sibling while the change occurs.
Shortly after this, the outer layers of chitin will slough off, revealing a pupa; from this pupa, a Chaurus Hunter will eventually rise. This was observed in Dawnstar; from gorging on two trolls to breaking out of its pupa, a Chaurus Hunter takes roughly two weeks to develop.
[Skitter has not changed yet, though she is constructing a shell-like pupa, which is made from a vomit-like substance that is secreted in a gland that formed in her stomach. My best guess is that Skitter is a 4-year-old Chaurus Hunter, and that most Chaurus are not allowed to grow that old. I will complete this report once Skitter has entered her next iteration and I have had a chance to study the changes to her body and mind. We both wish she didn't itch so much, however.]
I will not cover the Chaurus "Reaper". There is something unusual about that breed, though I have yet to discover exactly why they are so content to follow the Falmer's orders.
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10th Sun's Dawn; the assassin
I must ensure that no one ever discovers this journal, due to this and other entries.
Today, while teaching the children of the town about butterflies and the differences between species, an assassin attempted to shoot me from the tree-line a third of an Imperial mile (1 Imperial mile = 1.1 km) outside the fields south of the town. Were it not for Skitter's diligence in protecting me – and her restlessness as her inner body begins to become itchy as she changes – I would likely be dead.
They wore the black handprint of the Dark Brotherhood.
Luckily, none of the townsfolk were suspicious of my brief absence, and accepted my excuse on returning with the assassin's bow.
I… did not like having to be… like my former self. But it was necessary. I don't want the people of Dawnstar to suffer because of me, but neither will I let myself be intimidated by a group of hired thugs. If they return, I will hold true to my promise.
I am rather curious as to who hired them, however, or what I did to invoke someone's ire to the point of attempted murder.
The apiaries are complete. I just need somewhere out of the way – and not near the Chaurus grotto – to place them. I prayed to Zenithar once more to this effect. No luck with my prayer to Dibella, thus far, but I remain patient.
Twinkie and Bullet are well-liked by the miners, and all of my Chaurus are quickly being accepted by the people of Dawnstar; Skitter is seen as my personal guard, and Imp's antics are often related with humor and song at the Inn. Judas seems to have ingrained himself at the Barracks, and joins my spars with the Hold guards every day. If Skitter is busy with hunting or patrolling south of the town, Bentley usually chitters and buzzes at my side.
Helga Frost-Glow has promised fifty pots by the second week of First Seed, for the honey, along with twenty pots in two weeks' time for the first batch. Accompanying this are six shawls for the Hunters, with their names embroidered on; they are made to be worn about the Chaurus' necks, and hang loosely. All six Hunters delighted at these gifts from the ladies of Frost-Glow and the dockworkers' families.
I feel wanted here…
I spoke with Helga about a certain project, which will allow Dawnstar to have a steady supply of hot water. The project will begin in the morning.
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14th Sun's Dawn; I have a house!
It appears that the antique collector was actually a worshipper of the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon, Lord of Destruction and Change; I had long suspected this allegiance since reading of the Mythic Dawn and their part in the Oblivion Crisis, an event which ended nearly 200 years ago. The anniversary is on the 15[sup]th[/sup] of Evening Star, but enough about history.
I have been granted the house the treasonous swine lived in! By the Jarl, no less! Words cannot give voice to my excitement, or the outpouring of gifts that have come my way in the form of furniture and décor!
Hold Guardsman Bori, the first person I met on arriving in Dawnstar, was the one who knocked Silus out with the edge of his shield; he was assisted in restraining the asshole by Cristus, a large Nord who fought in the Legion with his husband, Wumeek. Imp supervised the takedown and assisted in keeping the crowds at bay until the Vigilants could arrive and cleanse the house.
Now it has been cleansed, and it is mine! Skitter is especially happy, as she can fit under the porch and keep watch while l sleep; this is good, as she's becoming more and more irritable as the days go by.
The house is in two levels: the upstairs is the common area, where cooking, eating, and socializing take place. I've added a bed for a young man who has placed himself in my service; Callidus is an orphan who has been helping with the books at the East Empire Company trading post.
Downstairs is my personal quarters: a curtained bed nook – cozy and warm – a full bath and toilet – I have discreetly added a hot water pipe, so I can have warm baths – two wardrobes, and a bar. There is also an alcove, where Silus had his little shrine.
I've put a statuette of Dibella, my amulet of Zenithar, and a disk of marble with nine indents in the alcove, and covered it with a Dawnstar flag.
The walls are good stone, and the wood is well insulated. I have a home…
I HAVE A HOME!
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19th Sun's Dawn; pirates, crab studies, Heart's Day
Why are bandits so moronic? A pirate gang, the infamous Ghostbeards, tried to attack the town. It didn't go well for them.
For some reason, their leader seemed to take exception to me in particular. Probably because it was due to my powers that his gang, and his ship, were captured by Dawnstar's finest.
Skitter took exception to his approaching my house, as did Bori, who seems to have appointed himself as Callidus' and my personal guard. I am touched by this, and his wife's cooking. Their son, Henrik, seems rather taken with me, likely due to my hair.
The Ghostbeards swung from the gibbets, and the Jarl seems rather happy with the contents of the ship's hold, as well as the ship itself.
My days are now spent between maintaining the newly-installed apiaries, and reading on the deck of the Dawnsprite, helping guide crab into the nets. I've also discovered mudcrab, which are really useful for my alchemy studies.
Ah, in the excitement of acquiring a house of my own, I admit that I've neglected this journal. I have been studying alchemy under Frida; it's much easier than preforming other types of magic, as I haven't managed anything more spectacular than a pitiful cluster of embers.
Though I did enjoy my Heart's Day celebrations. The good thing about having stone walls around my bedroom: I can be as loud as I wish. Erandur clearly enjoyed himself too. Hopefully, I'll find someone who can make me orgasm more than three times in six sessions keep up with my stamina. Though my partner for the evening was quite passionate and skilled in his lovemaking, I can't see myself settling down with him.
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23rd Sun's Dawn
Skitter is about to change. I can feel it. She's been vomiting some kind of material for hours now, preparing a large chrysalis to undergo her metamorphosis. To wit, I've had Callidus acquire as much paper and ink as possible, so I might record every aspect of this historic moment.
I imagine it will be tomorrow. I can hardly wait.