p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"It had been a month since Blackreach. Mercy had mentioned she needed to return to Solstheim, something about a venture she'd joined in on. Ralof asked to come along as soon as he heard of it, which made her smile./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Of course. This one would love your company, my friend." She purred, regarding him with some odd emotion masked in her eyes./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"So, they sailed for Solstheim. The Northern Maiden carried them from the cold reaches of Windhelm to the ash-covered island, where the smoking corpse of Red Mountain could be seen from any location. The ash-storms alone were almost enough to make him regret his decision, but Ralof told himself that it was another adventure, another chance to see this enigma that was the Khajiiti Dragonborn in a foreign environment. He felt some odd stirring of emotion, yes, but he wanted to understand her before he would let it grow./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"What he learned from the start was that she respected only those who respected her. Several guards made scathing remarks about both of them, comments of "mind yourselves, outlanders!" and distrustful scoffs. Mercy nodded to them, but nothing more./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"He didn't like Ralis from the start; the man had a crazed edge to his expression. And the tomb… well, he didn't know the name Ahzidal, but it still stirred up some primal instinct to flee from the place. Mercy admitted, once they left, that she was bothered by the name as well, but she could hear the whispers of a word-wall beneath the rubble./p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"The Skaal village astounded him, though. The ancient culture that was barely present in Skyrim still bled strong in their thickly-accented words; the armor Mercy had retailored for him matched their style, though it gleamed more brightly than that of the shaman and the others./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Ah, I wondered who she was making it for." The blacksmith, Baldor, commented. Ralof looked up from inspecting his helm, and stared at the man./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""I'm sorry?"/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""The armor. I showed her how to make it, then she made a whole set. Said she would be giving it to a close friend." Baldor grinned. "She must think very highly of you. That set's made with the finest steel and ebony I've ever seen; I think the ebony came from the Raven Rock mine."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""She said she'd found it in some bandit's nest…" Ralof trailed off, looking for the Khajiit./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Likely she thought you might read more into it than what she meant. Of course… her intent may have changed since then." Baldor shrugged, then pointed over to where Mercy spoke to the Shaman. "Ask her. She's the embodiment of honesty, which I understand is surprising for Khajiit. She's a liar about those things which she must keep secret for one reason or another, but she is honest about everything else. What was it she said… 'q'zi no vano thzina ualizz' i think it was? something about contradictions marking the truth."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""When I contradict myself, I am telling the truth. It is a quote from one of the few Khajiiti books. We are not great writers, but the written word can convey much meaning, yes? It was part of a manifesto from an organization similar to the Stormcloaks; they were called the Renrijra Krin, the Laughing Mercenaries. They fought to drive out the Count of Leyawiin, and even from Skyrim we hear their murmurs against the Thalmor and the Aldmeri Dominion." Mercy murmured, strolling over to them. "You give up my secrets, Baldor?" she laughed./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""You're the one who lied about where his armor came from." Baldor chided./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""About that… Why?" Ralof turned his gaze on the Khajiit, whose smile softened./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""I have seen how you Nords can be about gifts. I didn't have the energy to argue with you at the time, so it seemed easier to say I had found it, rather than admitting that i had made it with you in mind." She responded, chuckling at him. Ralof wasn't sure whether to be offended or amused, and gave up with a growl. Mercy laughed outright, along with Baldor./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""C'mon. We've hunting to do; there's been word that there's an affliction of ice wraiths, and they need culling before they venture too close to the village." she said, gently tugging on Ralof's arm. He stood with a grumble (he'd been settled, too!), and followed her into the frozen tundra./p
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p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"The hunting was excellent that day and the next. Ralof killed at least ten wraiths himself, and he saw Mercy kill another nine. It was getting cold at night, but they both counted on being back in the village before nightfall on the third day./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"Except for the blizzard./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"It set in on the third day, while they were routing a cave of draugr and necromancers. The snow rose quickly, and Ralof was half-tempted to insist they stay in the cave for the night. Even as a Nord, he was chilled by the winds and blinded by the snow as they pressed out into the storm./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Perhaps we should turn back, no? We can dig a way out once the storm has passed." Mercy suggested, echoing his own instincts./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""And what of those they send to look for us? What if we're trapped here and they're lost?" He retorted. "We might be able to make it. We just need to stick together and keep moving."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"Whatever her response was, it was lost to the winds. They pushed on for a long time, making slow progress, but managing to stay relatively straight (from what little he could tell)./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"He only noticed that Mercy had fallen behind because he reached over for her hand and found nothing but cold air. Shielding his eyes against the snow, He turned back and barely saw her collapsed in the field of white./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Mercy? Mercy, come on! Surely we don't have much further to go!" He yelled. The Khajiit didn't respond, so he waded back and tried to shake her./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"Ralof's heart skipped. Mercy felt frozen, like a piece of fur-covered ice. She was still breathing, but she was deathly cold. without another thought, Ralof pulled her into his arms, turned,and ran (to the best of his ability) on through the deepening drifts./p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"It took an eternity for him to get back to the village; once there, one healer whisked Mercy away from him, while another guided him to a warm hut and a roaring fire. The village shaman, Frea, ordered him to eat and sleep before he worried about the Dragonborn. Ralof grudgingly agreed, convinced by the warmth and the hunger in his belly./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""She is strong, Ralof. She will be fine." The motherly woman assured him./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""I wish I were as sure." He mumbled, allowing himself to be shuffled away to the fire with a bowl of hot food./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Of course. This one would love your company, my friend." She purred, regarding him with some odd emotion masked in her eyes./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"So, they sailed for Solstheim. The Northern Maiden carried them from the cold reaches of Windhelm to the ash-covered island, where the smoking corpse of Red Mountain could be seen from any location. The ash-storms alone were almost enough to make him regret his decision, but Ralof told himself that it was another adventure, another chance to see this enigma that was the Khajiiti Dragonborn in a foreign environment. He felt some odd stirring of emotion, yes, but he wanted to understand her before he would let it grow./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"What he learned from the start was that she respected only those who respected her. Several guards made scathing remarks about both of them, comments of "mind yourselves, outlanders!" and distrustful scoffs. Mercy nodded to them, but nothing more./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"He didn't like Ralis from the start; the man had a crazed edge to his expression. And the tomb… well, he didn't know the name Ahzidal, but it still stirred up some primal instinct to flee from the place. Mercy admitted, once they left, that she was bothered by the name as well, but she could hear the whispers of a word-wall beneath the rubble./p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"The Skaal village astounded him, though. The ancient culture that was barely present in Skyrim still bled strong in their thickly-accented words; the armor Mercy had retailored for him matched their style, though it gleamed more brightly than that of the shaman and the others./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Ah, I wondered who she was making it for." The blacksmith, Baldor, commented. Ralof looked up from inspecting his helm, and stared at the man./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""I'm sorry?"/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""The armor. I showed her how to make it, then she made a whole set. Said she would be giving it to a close friend." Baldor grinned. "She must think very highly of you. That set's made with the finest steel and ebony I've ever seen; I think the ebony came from the Raven Rock mine."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""She said she'd found it in some bandit's nest…" Ralof trailed off, looking for the Khajiit./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Likely she thought you might read more into it than what she meant. Of course… her intent may have changed since then." Baldor shrugged, then pointed over to where Mercy spoke to the Shaman. "Ask her. She's the embodiment of honesty, which I understand is surprising for Khajiit. She's a liar about those things which she must keep secret for one reason or another, but she is honest about everything else. What was it she said… 'q'zi no vano thzina ualizz' i think it was? something about contradictions marking the truth."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""When I contradict myself, I am telling the truth. It is a quote from one of the few Khajiiti books. We are not great writers, but the written word can convey much meaning, yes? It was part of a manifesto from an organization similar to the Stormcloaks; they were called the Renrijra Krin, the Laughing Mercenaries. They fought to drive out the Count of Leyawiin, and even from Skyrim we hear their murmurs against the Thalmor and the Aldmeri Dominion." Mercy murmured, strolling over to them. "You give up my secrets, Baldor?" she laughed./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""You're the one who lied about where his armor came from." Baldor chided./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""About that… Why?" Ralof turned his gaze on the Khajiit, whose smile softened./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""I have seen how you Nords can be about gifts. I didn't have the energy to argue with you at the time, so it seemed easier to say I had found it, rather than admitting that i had made it with you in mind." She responded, chuckling at him. Ralof wasn't sure whether to be offended or amused, and gave up with a growl. Mercy laughed outright, along with Baldor./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""C'mon. We've hunting to do; there's been word that there's an affliction of ice wraiths, and they need culling before they venture too close to the village." she said, gently tugging on Ralof's arm. He stood with a grumble (he'd been settled, too!), and followed her into the frozen tundra./p
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p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"The hunting was excellent that day and the next. Ralof killed at least ten wraiths himself, and he saw Mercy kill another nine. It was getting cold at night, but they both counted on being back in the village before nightfall on the third day./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"Except for the blizzard./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"It set in on the third day, while they were routing a cave of draugr and necromancers. The snow rose quickly, and Ralof was half-tempted to insist they stay in the cave for the night. Even as a Nord, he was chilled by the winds and blinded by the snow as they pressed out into the storm./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Perhaps we should turn back, no? We can dig a way out once the storm has passed." Mercy suggested, echoing his own instincts./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""And what of those they send to look for us? What if we're trapped here and they're lost?" He retorted. "We might be able to make it. We just need to stick together and keep moving."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"Whatever her response was, it was lost to the winds. They pushed on for a long time, making slow progress, but managing to stay relatively straight (from what little he could tell)./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"He only noticed that Mercy had fallen behind because he reached over for her hand and found nothing but cold air. Shielding his eyes against the snow, He turned back and barely saw her collapsed in the field of white./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Mercy? Mercy, come on! Surely we don't have much further to go!" He yelled. The Khajiit didn't respond, so he waded back and tried to shake her./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"Ralof's heart skipped. Mercy felt frozen, like a piece of fur-covered ice. She was still breathing, but she was deathly cold. without another thought, Ralof pulled her into his arms, turned,and ran (to the best of his ability) on through the deepening drifts./p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"It took an eternity for him to get back to the village; once there, one healer whisked Mercy away from him, while another guided him to a warm hut and a roaring fire. The village shaman, Frea, ordered him to eat and sleep before he worried about the Dragonborn. Ralof grudgingly agreed, convinced by the warmth and the hunger in his belly./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""She is strong, Ralof. She will be fine." The motherly woman assured him./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""I wish I were as sure." He mumbled, allowing himself to be shuffled away to the fire with a bowl of hot food./p