[01.19: The Inter-Dimensional Peddler]
[We're on the one road, sharing the one load...]
--
[Trader's Journal: Day 91]
[Current Dimension]
Mundus, Elder Scrolls-verse
[Current Location]
Encamped West of Windhelm according to the map
[Current Cash Reserves]
1,193 Gold Coins [Sigil[High Quality]
104 Silver Coins [Sigil[High Quality]
332 Septims [Gold-mix[Low Quality]
932 United States Dollars [Buffy-verse]
1,628 Californian Dollars [Earth-04, Chain-2091, Disunited America]
2,621 Dollars [US Provisional Government, Earth-01, Chain-2091, German-ruled world]
[Diary Entry]
Setup camp after another day on the road, should be in Windhelm by tomorrow night if we're following the directions and crudely drawn map correctly. I would say places seem very close together in games and novels and such, but when you're walking through the icy landscape it is annoyingly far and hard to walk. Quiet too, watching for dangers, looking for a place to camp, and all those things consuming what little conversation we have on the road. Kara's still getting over the whole being stuck with us thing after all, and me and Quinn have minds on the task at hand; talking usual waits to the campfire cooking time basically.
I'm actually on first watch now, hence the writing, after veiling and warding our secluded little camping site and putting up the motion trackers. Quinn is a genius, once you pin him down on doing something and give him time and equipment, and therefore has rigged up a basic system from the various electronics equipment and batteries we bought. Have it all linked into the laptop beside me, which we've running off a small generator like the cooker-unit, all in glorious night-vision as I watched leaves blow on the nearby trees from the cold night breeze. We've decent fuel and long lasting future batteries to last us a decent while, and I really hope we aren't going to be spending most of it out in the wilds; but we are prepared for that eventuality, mostly anyway.
Kara is surprisingly adept at clothing alteration, really basic alterations, but she's turned two blankets into a decent looking fur-lined cloak for herself, and taken then 'strangeness' off her {my borrowed} winter hiking gear. At least by local standards, but we'll need to do some shopping in Windhelm though if want to stay in the cities and towns, especially with what the Innkeeper was saying. Civil War is on, but things have actually settled into a stalemate since rumours of dragons – he says, and I assume we'll learn more in the city. Stormcloak biased of course, but I can live with that as I don't want to spend too long there before joining a caravan north to Winterhold.
In all honesty that'll depend on what we raise in terms of coin, as you can't get far without money, and magic bags full of modern electronics, machine parts, and a chunk of Kryptonite from Metallo isn't going to go very far. I'd already sold the majority of the jewellery off in future California-world after all, so what we got over the traitorous barbarians will have to do for now. Otherwise we'll have do adventuring, and I really want to avoid that right now;- Kara is not emotionally ready, and Quinn is not naturally that way inclined, nor trained. Hence the Stormcloak patrol we met yesterday was a both a relief in bandits not being around, yet also a dangerous moment as military patrol and us being outsiders. They were disciplined at least, no attempts to rob us, or demand 'tolls' or other bribes, and actually have a log-book of sorts to record our names.
--
[Trader's Journal: Day 93]
[Current Dimension]
Mundus, Elder Scrolls-verse
[Current Location]
Candlehearth Hall, Windhelm
[Current Cash Reserves]
1,170 Gold Coins [Sigil[High Quality]
104 Silver Coins [Sigil[High Quality]
1,088 Septims [Gold-mix[Low Quality]
932 United States Dollars [Buffy-verse]
1,628 Californian Dollars [Earth-04, Chain-2091, Disunited America]
2,621 Dollars [US Provisional Government, Earth-01, Chain-2091, German-ruled world]
[Diary Entry]
Not remembering stuff is a problem when it comes to specifics. Yes, I know there's a serial killer running about Windhelm {once someone drunkenly mentioned it} and I know the Court Wizard isn't responsible, but that and it's a creepy guy wanting to do necromancy is basically all I know. A problem as Kara wants to catch them, because Kara is a superheroine, and I think the urge to patrol has come upon her in an effort to deal with the situation she's in. All I can remember is it has something to do with an abandoned mansion in town, of which there are three, though I'm reasonably sure the place called Hjerim is the one.
Great, huzzah! Now how to rein in the currently sleeping exiled vigilante tonight from playing vigilante in a place where there isn't even an organised police force? In the middle of a war, with the city seemingly divided with tensions high between Nords, Dunmer, and Argonians?
The simple solution is offering aid to the local authorities and not running that risk, or wait for the Dragonborn to turn, but that doesn't mean anything either, so not sure yet. It's going to look bloody strange random trader-adventurers turning up and deciding to, randomly, want to 'investigate' an abandoned mansion. Certainly not to rob it, oh no, of course they weren't, that'd just be suspicious. The problem is I can see Kara not wanting to leave till this is dealt with, and Quinn couldn't give a good gods-damn, so me, I get to be the arbiter on this subject. Not swing vote, oh no, just the one smoothing out the argument, or talking Kara out of just wandering around alone at night till she 'catches' the killer.
Sadly she probably thought beyond that point, or the fact she's merely really durable now rather than nearly immune to physical damage. Even in armour, though getting that will take a few days judging from the expense of it, and I'll be setting up to do some healing and alchemy tomorrow, with Quinn helping with some basic chemistry, once I've spoken to someone in the castle. Maybe we can play off Kara, Teenage Detective, with her being one of my guards, and eager to help out the cause – she certainly pulls off the young, blonde, Nord look after all. Healing, trading, adventuring;- it might be the kind of mixed back of skills that'd sound believable to them?
Well, I may make a decision on it soon, as it's morning already and after we get breakfast of some sort we'll have to get permission to do the healing thing and ask questions. Gods I hope we don't get suspected as spies or some such. No matter, I'll do what I can to earn coin and keep the other two out of trouble as, and I'll admit I'm not the best at fitting in, as we are odd I fear by local standards. Sure the rings handle the language issue, and there getting there on the written version, but society is more than just the words being correct and a misstep is so easy to make. Let's hope not, and when we do its minor ones we can pass off. Now, my roommates awaken, so time finish up I think.
--
[Trader's Journal: Day 95]
[Current Dimension]
Mundus, Elder Scrolls-verse
[Current Location]
Candlehearth Hall, Windhelm
[Current Cash Reserves]
1,150 Gold Coins [Sigil[High Quality]
104 Silver Coins [Sigil[High Quality]
1,434 Septims [Gold-mix[Low Quality]
932 United States Dollars [Buffy-verse]
1,628 Californian Dollars [Earth-04, Chain-2091, Disunited America]
2,621 Dollars [US Provisional Government, Earth-01, Chain-2091, German-ruled world]
[Diary Entry]
Detective Supergirl is on the Case!
To my misery, as she stays up all hours after busy, busy, day to wander about trying to catch the killer in the act, or tempt him to attack, while I go around all invisible on the roofs and alleys near her. Quinn thinks we're crazy, and rests in the room, or doodles with his designs, and I don't disagree entirely with him. Getting into the Hjerim is a possibility, but we're poor traders, not intending to stay and buy it, so that means down the list of being let in. I could easily break in, but that doesn't reveal anything even if we found evidence as that's breaking the law in a land where that can mean either a small fine, or death, depending on who judges your case.
That's the part I had to make clear to our superheroine, and she at least seems to grasp that. On the bright side I think I might be able to get a look at the bodies of the two {known} victims as I've been allowed set myself up as a healer up in the Temple of Talos. Under watchful eyes of course, but I've done a few hours, and sold a few potions down in the markets. Sales that let me buy ingredients from the, not happy at the sudden competition, local alchemists and less bothered farmers. Thankfully my healing potions use different recipes, and local alchemist is old and sick and not able to fully deliver on his orders anyway; the apprentice was reasonable enough I found.
Coin is not fantastic from these services, but it is steady and what would be probably considered 'middle-class' earnings by other societal standards, and really good by the standards of the poor here. Looks like we'll be here a little while yet, so I'm going try make use of that time – though between working, time to prepare my spells, patrolling with suddenly cheerful blondie, and everything else I suspect I'll need lots of coffee. Once I've some decent coin, outside a large reserve to pay for a potentially extended stay in Winterhold, I'm going to buy some books and poke around the merchants in the Grey Quarter for Dunmer based sources. Thankfully they aren't the Drow, and their culture and magic is potentially useful to me.
To tell the truth I feel like something of a snake-oil salesman, or general huckster right now as, while I'm selling actual medicines, there's no major standards here beyond not provably poisoning someone. Much of its reputational, and alchemy and other such skills are a lot less common than I'd expected them to be. Or maybe it's just the fact the majority of healers and patriotic ones have picked a side, the coin being good too of course, so less for the civilian market. I might extend my services to the Docks and Grey Quarter too if I can, and there's secondary markets out on the bridge into the city where the Khajit and other foreigners tend to sell with less scrutiny. Bribery at work I assume.
--
[01.20: The Inter-Dimensional Peddler]
[I am the Night, I am...not Batgirl gosh dangit!]
'Babs makes this look easy, and I can't even find one bad guy!' Kara Zor-El mentally complained as she moved through the cold, and by Roa did she hate the cold with all this not-being-at-full-strength business, streets of medieval magic windy town. It was cold, wind, dark, and even worse than being knocked back in time like being on Earth had been; Earth had been fun, annoying at times with lack of modern technology, but still fun and with a future ahead. Here? Here she was weak, and even with cameras setup they hadn't even been able to find this one murderer, who was definitely going to strike again...
"Nothing?" she whispered, hand coming up to her ear as if to adjust her cloak against the moonlit breeze blowing through the frigid streets of Windhelm. Quinn Mallory was back in the Inn, only helping because she'd managed to get Callum to annoy him into helping for a few hours by monitoring the small system of monitoring cameras they'd setup around the city. Callum...Callum was a little unnerving, like a creepy cheerful cross between Zatanna and Batman, but perfectly willing to kill and summon horrors to do so. It was so easy forget what she'd seen him do on Skartaris and that he'd worked for a Cadmus-knock-off...
"No..." a slightly bored voice came back over the earpiece "...just a few usual late closing shop owners going for a walk, or heading off to the taverns. Oh, and that freak screaming racist shouts at the black-grey elves"
'Ugh him, I can hear him after all' Kara thought with disgust tuning out that noise as best she could from her super-hearing. Part of her really wanted it to be that disgusting fellow, or just take him aside and give him good ass-kicking...something she might do once she'd caught the serial killer and they were leaving the city maybe. It wasn't as if so many others in this city didn't share the opinions of the man, as Kara could here two voices with him drunkenly shouting distant racial slurs at innocent people trying to get some sleep.
"Just keep watching Quinn, the three we were looking at in particular. Our little exploration of Hjerim hints at necromancy, and that means knowledge of it" Callum's soft whisper filled her ear from wherever he was hiding invisibly silent. Kara wasn't really sure how he did it, Batman could do that too, the hiding his heartbeat thing, but it was still weird...but then, Cadmus Kal Clone and working for Amanda gosh-darned Waller! What else could you expect from weird freaky magic stuff?
"Fine, fine, Callum, I'll update as needed"
'Ugh, it was so much easier when I could fly around and x-ray scan where needed' she thought as the continued on patrol through the cold, smelly, city as she occasionally passed by people hurrying home or to the tavern with lanterns in hand. It wasn't like Metropolis, or...ughhh Gotham even, horrible place that it was, as people didn't seem to venture out much after dark where there wasn't electricity to light the streets. Not where there were violent racists, serial killers, and, apparently from rumour in the tavern, vampires running around in the sunless hours.
Oh, what she'd do just to get home Kara thought miserably...but that seemed to be so very far away right now, lost and stuck in the wrong dimension. Not being alone, even if it was with two strangers, was...something at least, as Quinn was smart and she could talk about some modern technologies from Krypton, to get him talking on ideas, even if he didn't care much for other people. Callum was her chance at getting back, and of the two the easiest to talk too, as well the one willing to be a hero like she was, but he still did all the dangerous evil magic as well.
'Ohh...what would Kal do?' other than want to maybe call up Batman for a solution. Sadly Barbara wasn't available like usual, and they seemed to be doing all they could right now to help, all while trying to get back home. And fix whatever was wrong with Callum, and maybe whatever Quinn seemed super depressed and guilty about when he got drunk...
"Got something..." their tech support guy muttered into the communicators "...over by the weird graveyard spot, Susanna, girl from the Inn? She's been followed by the weirdo from the museum shop on the list"
Kara perked up at that, mouthing a 'on my way' and then marching swiftly across the street towards that part of town, with invisible, silent, Callum in tow she assumed. Then started to run as the startled scream reached her ears just ahead of Quinn's warning, but she still felt so slow even as she closed the gap just in time to see the barmaid stumbling away from a man with a bloody knife while she clutched her stomach. Step, step, step, and she was there, hand gripping the man's knife holding arm and clamping down hard.
That was another odd thing, humans were much stronger here than back home, it was weird, as even weaken she shouldn't have had to 'struggle' with an old man like this. Oh she still easily held his arm, and block his kick and attempts at a punch, but it was an actual struggle to get him down to the ground and get his hands behind his back, binding them. Callum materialised from nowhere and suddenly the murderer fell asleep as he moved passed her to the bleeding and barely alive looking barmaid. Just as Kara lifted the unconscious man over her shoulders she saw him bending over and doing his healing magic-thing as she heard the girl let out a gasping breath...
--
{Quinn considers the drawbacks of success}
'Yay...we're heroes. Least we got paid I guess' Quinn Mallory thought as they exited the so-called Palace of Kings under the two shining moons after meeting with the guards under the 'High King's' Steward, a man named Jorlief, who'd been very happy that Quinn's travelling companions had caught the murderer. Happy, but a little suspicious of them as well, since traders and healers running about at night was a little strange in a city at war Quinn imagined.
'Then again...super-heroine and magic soldier-cop, what did I expect?' he mentally huffed in complaint to no-one but himself. Supergirl was hot, just like the comics, if a bit young, and blonde, for his tastes, but that'd come with the whole wanting to do the whole superhero thing, even on this primitive dump of a planet. Yes, yes, magic, but technology and science were so much more useful for benefiting the entirety of humanity than all these fancy powers and sword wielding muscles they had. If he could just figure out how to make the dimensional matrix work...he could start towards undoing his mistake...
"You know this will be everywhere tomorrow?" he muttered to the other two as they headed back towards the Candlehearth Inn to rest for the night "And then we can't lie low like you wanted Callum...assuming Susanna didn't rush back to the Inn and tell everyone between you collecting me and telling the guards"
Callum yawned as they walked, breath coming out a white mist from his hooded cloak "I know, heroes of the hour, so let's screw up by breaking cover. Be polite, take the praise, and hope we can have a few drinks before bed as its damned late already...and I don't know about you, I just want to relax a bit and then sleep. We've a shop to loot in the morning"
"Hmph!" Supergirl pouted, arms across her fur-clad chest as she huffed in complaint "Saving the day is its own reward! You shouldn't call it looting either; it makes us sound like the bad guys!"
"Eh, I agree with Callum..." Quinn told her in reply as she was being pretty naive right now "...and it isn't like we can do this for free anyway. Reward is taking what we can from the murderers shop, cheap for them, and it's not like he'll need it, and better us than some thieves, right?"
Callum snorted in amusement "Whatever the Guards don't take tonight anyway, I'm sure sticky fingers will be a thing, but I doubt they'll be too obvious about it. Anyway, Quinn's right Kara, we're not exactly able to do things unless we can afford to live here, so Justice at work. That Calixto was up to some dark stuff...for what he'd call a good reason, so he wasn't going to stop, and this is their way of encouraging our sort of behaviour amongst adventurers and citizens. So, reward for all our hard-work and soon to be annoying notoriety"
"We'll be leaving soon then?"
Callum shrugged, looking up at the surprisingly brightly lit sky as two moons shone alongside a shimmering cascade of green and reds as they walked "Think so, few days, though that depends on when the next caravan is heading to Winterhold. Oddly I'd liked to worked a bit more here, but I suspect we'll be better off making a move-on before we get involved in other quests. If we're lucky we'll be able to wrangle a letter of introduction to the College from Jarl Ulfric's Court Wizard as a secondary reward"
Quinn glanced at the magician "And the cameras?"
Callum sighed, gesturing at himself and Supergirl the Barbarian "Tomorrow night, I'm tired now and in the morning...ain't going to happen. If not tomorrow the following night when it won't alert anyone, as we've already got watchers"
Quinn blinked glancing at Supergirl who shrugged "Rooftop little back, sounds like one of the guards, another armoured one following on the street further back"
"Joys of success my friend, and being vigilantes...oh, to wave a badge around..."
"Whine, whine, whine" Quinn muttered to his travelling companion as the younger man indulged in another of his 'complaints about the unfairness of the world' he occasionally engaged in. It was funny really when you compared it to the cheerful, mildly hyperactive, salesman and stage magician act he engaged in with customers and enemies. Illusions within Illusions, that was Callum at times Quinn found as their temporary home approached in the darkness of the medieval windy city. It was a far cry from what San Francisco had been like before he...
'Not now' he told himself, shaking his head as Supergirl giggled and slapped Callum on the back "Oh, being a hero is so tiring says the healer, cheer up! We did good!"
Callum sighed, chuckling "Aye, you're right, we did, didn't we? Fine, let's savour it a bit before we get back to road then..."
--
[01.21: The Inter-Dimensional Peddler]
[Heroes of the Day...time to leave, now...]
--
[Trader's Journal: Day: 106]
[Current Dimension]
Mundus, Elder Scrolls-verse
[Current Location]
Candlehearth Hall, Windhelm
[Current Cash Reserves]
1,150 Gold Coins [Sigil[High Quality]
104 Silver Coins [Sigil[High Quality]
3,482 Septims [Gold-mix[Low Quality]
932 United States Dollars [Buffy-verse]
1,628 Californian Dollars [Earth-04, Chain-2091, Disunited America]
2,621 Dollars [US Provisional Government, Earth-01, Chain-2091, German-ruled world]
[Diary Entry]
Another day, another Septim as it would be in the local parlance. Been selling off the 'reward' of catching Calixto the Serial Killer, thanks basically looting his house and 'Curiosities' shop as said 'reward' from the Steward of Windhelm. Got a wagon and two horses as well, though that was more a negotiation and temporary exchange till we hit Winterhold as we're delivering some mail to the Jarl there – see, that's happens when you do good deeds. More 'good deeds' are asked of you, though I'll freely admit having a wagon and horses to pull, even temporarily, is a fantastic thing since we're travelling to a place that's basically winter even though it's still technically autumn by local reckoning.
We're in the locals' good graces after catching the murderer, free drinks and such, but I really don't like the attention so it's been aggressive selling these past two days with drinking at night. It's brought discounts at the markets though, so that's good, and I've managed to get some armour and 'good' local clothes for the three of us. Chainmail over my own, more modern gear, along with bracers and the like, as I can handle that, while Quinn is just light fur and leather armour as he's not used to wearing such. Only Kara gets 'heavy' armour, as, honestly, super-strength makes carrying its weight while walking merely annoying;- while also solving her 'not-completely-invincible' problem. Not entirely of course, but it lets us fit in more.
Quinn get's a crossbow, and I've started some basic sword lessons with Kara since she's our sword and shield tank now. Yes we've guns, and some laser guns, but we can't use them visibly all that easily so there's the need to fit in should bandits attack. Now, I'm not exactly the best swordsman, but I'm martially proficient in such melee weapons thanks to orc, then Other-Me's Ninja-minions, so better than nothing. Amusingly we're selling her lack of knowledge as a farmer girl turning adventurer, while nobody is surprised a scholar-trader like Quinn isn't a blade user. Me, I'm probably the odd one out, trained and all that, but healer, mage, trader – travelling the roads being dangerous and all such joys. Unspoken assumptions can work in your favour occasionally.
Oh, yeah, I bought a sword too, nothing fancy, just good quality steel in a nice steel and leather sheath, oh, and nice horker tusk hilt. Always best not to look like the time wizard, or team healer, as they're the first you try to gank in a fight. No enchantments on it sadly, but I've got my cane and my magic for that, and while wandering about all bling'd out in games is fine, when you hit cold, hard, magical, reality you don't want to be that when you're trying not to draw attention to oneself. Hence why we're travelling with a mixed caravan to Winterhold, of supplies, Khajit, and travellers like ourselves – yes we could go our own, but bandits are a problem, and now we've a wagon full of goods to slow us down.
Yes we've two specialised magic carry-bags, but it's really hard to use them when you've publically been given said goods, and them vanishing like that would cause many problems. I'm still happy, as I don't fancy walking the entire way there anyway, and it'll be minor profit for simple bringing them to Winterhold, even with the cost of feeding the horses. Going to do a quick inventory in a few hours, and see about getting on the road before more problems come calling, or we get dragged into local politics. I've done some trade with the Dunmer and Argonians, and I understand their plight, but there are many reasons behind it as well. They are refugees after all, in a city filled with plenty of local homeless and sick amongst the Nords, and their cultural pride, and unwillingness to give it up, don't help either. One of those uncomfortable societal problems require decades of work to fix that I don't want get involved in. Anywho, Slan go foil mo chara.
--
[Trader's Journal: Day: 108]
[Current Dimension]
Mundus, Elder Scrolls-verse
[Current Location]
Temporary Campsite, North of Windhelm
[Current Cash Reserves]
1,150 Gold Coins [Sigil[High Quality]
104 Silver Coins [Sigil[High Quality]
3,211 Septims [Gold-mix[Low Quality]
932 United States Dollars [Buffy-verse]
1,628 Californian Dollars [Earth-04, Chain-2091, Disunited America]
2,621 Dollars [US Provisional Government, Earth-01, Chain-2091, German-ruled world]
[Diary Entry]
No sooner than we're on the road, than we're stuck in a snowstorm after hiding from a dragon. Or at least a dragon sighting and sounds of roaring anyway;- went under some trees and hunkered down, and then bad weather rolled in a few hours later. Fecking joy, so I'm sitting here as the winds and snow batter our tent here beside the wagon as the rest of the caravan does the same. Not too large of one, four wagons, six riders, and two dozen people walking, but the three of us are still taking turns watching for dangers from our temporary travelling companions. Never put it past bandits to have infiltrators in such groups.
Also, feck its cold up here, and supposed to be even colder when we move up the coastal road. Such a joy to hear that, and I am so glad of the heavy fur cloak and gloves we bought. Memories of Other-me's modern life, or maybe just being human, has apparently made me soft as this is pretty much par for the course for the Crags and Spine of the World on Faerun. Don't matter, as I'm certainly getting a crash course on dealing with all the joys of a bitter-cold, and uncaring true winter once again. Certainly explains the benefits of Nord cold resistance, even if everyone wears proper armour and clothes, none of that bare arms and mid-riff nonsense here of course. Also, thank heavens for fire magic.
Quinn doesn't mind it too much, apparently he went journeying during winter to seek out other people, and simply not being alone keeps him, not happy, but himself mostly. Not complaining like Kara whose 'Cold!' and I did we now 'It's really cold!' are constant refrains since the storm rolled in. Thankfully she's asleep right now, buried under the furs between me and Quinn, snorting away at that. Not that I don't disagree, you not believe how tiring it can be getting a wagon into a, even sparse, forest and then getting to horses secured undercover and fed. Yes I'm whining too, but I'm cold and getting time to think about my situation again, and that always leaves a depressing taste at times.
Now, I think I'm going to pull my spellbook, and the Enochian book from Buffy-land, and see about studying in peace and quiet a little while. About the only trades of note today has been buying some moon sugar, and some skooma, so I can study the alchemical situation with them at a later stage. Yes, illegal, but Khajit, and I'm not exactly going to resell and it's for scientific purpose rather than recreational ones. My research time is limited though, and currently split between dimensional mechanics, and the very important task of stabilising my current condition. Conjuration and Enchantment books here first mayhap?
--
[Trader's Journal: Day: 112]
[Current Dimension]
Mundus, Elder Scrolls-verse
[Current Location]
The Frozen Hearth, Winterhold
[Current Cash Reserves]
1,150 Gold Coins [Sigil[High Quality]
104 Silver Coins [Sigil[High Quality]
3,582 Septims [Gold-mix[Low Quality]
932 United States Dollars [Buffy-verse]
1,628 Californian Dollars [Earth-04, Chain-2091, Disunited America]
2,621 Dollars [US Provisional Government, Earth-01, Chain-2091, German-ruled world]
[Diary Entry]
Oh, thank the heavens and the hells, this place is warm and drink was good. Cold drink too, but with the icy environment that ain't a shock really. They've a bath too, and that is so, so, fantastic, even if it costs to get the snow melted into hot water. I don't care, I'm warm, I'm dry, and I'm clean for the first time in days now thank you very much. Kara's getting her bath now, while I stand guard outside, hence the writing as she's apparently deciding to enjoy her time. I can't complain, as I did too, taking my time, as did Quinn whose gone back to bed the lazy fecker.
I'm more looking forward to getting something to eat, they've started cooking here a little ago, and the city sounds alive outside. Place maybe a rundown ruin, but it's a still decent sized medieval city, with strong walls, save at the cliffs, and I've handed over the wagon and horses to the Jarl's guards along with the letter from Windhelm's Steward Jorlief. Honestly they place is much bigger than I'd thought it'd be, but that was only a quick glance when we arrived, and by the time we'd unloaded our goods, after a deal with Birna's Oddments and the Guards for storage, it was pitch black night and time get to bed. Exhaustion does that to you, and it's well past early morning by now I think.
Now, as our immediate plans?
Well, as much as I'd like to head over to the College immediately I want to get our trade goods dealt with, and deal with any local issues as we could be here weeks, or a month or two. There's a mage staying here in the Inn too, an elf, but I've haven't talked to him, and there's big tensions between the city and the college despite the college being one of the few sources of income for this wrecked city. Funnily enough I think it could be a good market for the stuff I brought from Windhelm, and I'll see what I can negotiate with the main shop-owner, Birna something-something, as I might try sell stuff through her. Cut her a share of the profits maybe?
Whatever, after that I'll try tackle the question of getting into the College and then access to the Arcane Library within. Quinn is mildly interested in that, though more for the cosmology, dimensional stuff, and maybe alchemy than anything truly magical. Kara is not, at least beyond getting home potential, but she's certainly cheerful now, as she's singing in the bath. My opinions on her not-angelic singing voice are apparently not much appreciated. Okay, she's pretty good actually, but her song choice is annoying, you hear that Kara?
Right, I'm off, food to be eaten, and drink to be had.
--
[01.22: The Inter-Dimensional Peddler]
[Paperwork is the bane of many a mage,especially those deciding to teach...]
Mirabelle Ervine rubbed at the bridge of her nose as she ascended up the gloomy, and cold, stairs to the Archmage's quarters. Today had not been a good day so far, and the next few weeks did not look to be getting any better. Accepting the position of Master Wizard had seemed such a good idea at the time, but now it just seemed to consist of stopping Faralda and Nirya whining about each other, dealing with that damned Thalmor Ancano, and now, apparently, dealing with all the newcomers. It seemed, almost overnight, they'd got invaded of people she'd either never heard off, but had power, or she had heard of, and preferred they'd gone somewhere else.
Nalashandra Nightmirror and her band of lunatics had turned up, and the Altmer had clearly gone both senile and pretentious over the last few years as she referred to herself as The Caller now. Urag was complaining about that of course, along with them, and the other trio of unknowns, touching his books and all the other usual complaints. Not only that but they, the newcomers, all hated Ancano, and Nalashandra was not one to shut her gods-be-damned mouth about it either. In a perfect world Mirabelle would get to watch them kill each other while she sat drinking some nice chilled mead...but this sadly wasn't a perfect world, and instead she had to play peacemaker for the magic empowered children.
'Aren't they all children at times though?' she grumbled silently and knocking on the Archmage's door with her hand, and her magic, before it clicked open silently before her. Savros Aren was sitting across the rather spacious room he made use of as Archmage at one of his fancier writing and study desks, putting down the book in his hands as she walked towards him. It seemed she must have an unhappy look or frown upon her brow she realised as Savros sighed, gesturing at the chair across from him as he summoned over a jug and two cups with a gesture of his hand.
"Our new guests causing you trouble Mirabelle?" he asked tiredly as he grabbed the flying pitcher as pulled out the chair and moved to sit "Ancano perhaps? Or, please don't tell me someone set themselves on fire again?"
"We lose far too many apprentices to..." she muttered, almost under her breath as she allowed him fill her pewter cup and shook her head "But no, safety has improved, though I remain wary of allowing Faralda and the young Khajit J'zargo train together for fear...well, we fixed up the last room without any serious injuries. But, no, our dear friend calling herself The Caller is being the nuisance we expected her to be..."
"Is she really calling herself that?"
Mirabelle nodded causing Savros to sigh as she continued "Delusions of grandeur perhaps? No matter, but she and her coven are either ensconced in the Arcanaeum or pressing College rule limits in the Hall of Elements...or sniffing around getting into the Midden"
Savros sipped his wine "She shouldn't know about that particular part of the College's history"
"Shouldn't but does..." Mirabelle replied with a weary sigh of her own "...and I'm consider by the other party, this Callum Outis and his bodyguards. He's a powerful mage, if he hides it well, and I've never even heard a rumour of either. Drevis is reasonably sure he's walking around illusioned, might actually be an Orismer not the Nord he pretends to be judging by a few words with Urag, or as young as he seems to get that level of Mastery in my opinon. That wouldn't be a problem, but he and his scholar friend Quinirus have already started into daedric, conjuration, and other such texts just like the others. It could cause friction...or worse, cooperation between them"
"We're already keeping an eye on them Mirabelle, and on Ancano...and investigating all we can on Dragon Lore. There are many, many, threats and the curiosity of some travellers sadly is a lesser demand I'm sad to say, not with the constant demand on us thanks our apprentices apparent urge towards self-destruction. Perhaps I'll shall talk with them later, what skills do they have?"
"Travelling merchant, mostly alchemy and healing I've been told in town, though the nord girl they have as a guard helped said mage capture a killer or some such in Windhelm"
"Alchemy isn't exactly a real discipline of the Arcane Mirabelle..." the Archmage sniffed out, as usual, and once again showed why he would not let her replace the long retired Master of Alchemical Studies "...but I suppose it is the one a coin-worrying merchant would prioritise. Though I would hesitate to allow our guests near Collette for fear it would drive them away, or have them attempt to fireball her"
Mirabelle resisted a grimace at that. Collette was an excellent Master of Restoration, though her insecurities were a problem, ones made worse by the looking down on Restoration by some in actuality "Yes, I have considered the difficulty involved with such social encounters, but it's to borne in mind they could be staying for weeks or months, and have brought coin to cover their expenses. I've alerted the College Guards to keep them out of more private areas, but..."
Savros waved it off "Yes, yes, and as much as I would like to discourage non-mage servants being allowed in, we'd never get anyone from Morrowwind, or from the more noble Nordic houses. They do so love having their Housecarls I've found over the years, even if just to stab annoying people who don't like our arts. No, all we must do is watch what they ready Mirabelle, which I sure Urag will do regardless of my wishes, and if there are any difficulties or concerns please let me know. Nelacar is seemingly down in the Frozen Hearth, badmouthing both of us I imagine, but also possibly stirring up trouble"
Mirabelle nodded "I'm already made clear to the Jarl that he and the College are no longer associated, nor do we take responsibility...if he burns the Inn down during an experiment for instance. He was not happy, but he never is with anything related to magic as you well know Archmage"
"Yes, unfortunately, the current dig at Saarthal was such a chore to negotiate you understand"
"Sadly, yes, Archmage I do" she agree taking a sip herself and shaking her head "...now, another matter, Enthir has been..."
--
{Learning a whole new language...}
"You're going to be decorating the room?" I asked curiously plopping back unto the bed in the dull, dreary, cell-like room with solid wooden door we'd been assigned in the College. It was supposed to be a four person room, supposedly, though kept empty for some time till we'd arrived and persuaded the Master of the College, a Mirabelle Ervine, about our staying a little while. It'd only been two days, and it'd considered of several hours in the library will beds were arranged, and then several hours more moving the furniture into our shared, and still disorganised, room.
Kara was pacing, before looking at me and striding over to sit at the foot of my bed while Quinn snored away despite the gloomy magical lantern light "Yes, and me, I mean us...you and me, not Quinn, because wouldn't have anything beyond a dirty, messy, workshop. If I have to live here, you with you two, then it will be nice, and pretty, and smelling. Boys may be messy slobs, but I will not allow that since I am a girl"
I yawned, looking up at the stone ceiling "Yeah, fair enough, but correction; not slobs by the way!"
"To me you are, and I might gotten over the yuckiness of a pretty young lady like myself..." I snorted at that, earning a swat at my foot in response as she continued talking "...being forced to share rooms with my two idiot boys, that does not mean I'm letting you get away with having a messy, dreary, room mister! No siree!"
I propped myself on the pillow and my elbows, sighing as I looked at the tired, and slightly stressed, looking young Kryptonian "Ai, fair enough, we could have gotten a spare room for you alone, but...its best we stick together when it's just three of us. I know it's not ideal, and making you..."
Kara waved it off, glancing at Quinn, then at me "Ehh...I'll best keep you away from Kal when we get back though if he found out. Boys so much at look at me and they get the Superman glare, and now here I am travelling the savage wilds and sharing rooms in magical college..." then stabbed a finger at me "...and no bringing home floozies now either buster! This is a shared room, and I'm not putting up with such hanky-panky behaviour"
I just gave a 'what are you on about' look at her for a moment before shaking my head "Oh, yes Mum! I'll be a good lil' boy, yessire! And ye give this talk about the birds and the bees to Quinn too? He's like ten years on both of us at least"
Kara rolled her eyes, folding arms across her chest "Oh, please, he's getting the no fire, no explosives, and no SCIENCE! In our room, not so much the ladies...unless he builds himself a robot lady, and I wouldn't put that beyond him. Or you"
"Please, I wouldn't build myself a robot-girl..." I replied seriously then snorted in amusement "...I'd summon one magically from the outer planes!"
"Boys!" she complained throwing up her arms as I chuckled, before she yawned and slumped a little where she sat "Any progress?"
"Kara, where hardly here at all...and I've a grand total of spoken to the Master Wizard, got us rooms, spoke to the very grumpy orcish librarian and then help move furniture. My grasp of the written language here is still weak, with magic support, so sadly no. You know this will take time"
"I know..." came the whispered words back "...I just miss home"
"I understand, I truly do"
She glanced at me "Don't you want to go home?"
'Moment of truth eh?' part of my wondered, and I rested my head back against the wall behind me, then sighed as I made the decision "I don't have a home to get back to Kara, not anymore. Long story made short, I'm a clone, mind and body, and I'm dying because...many reasons, but mostly accidently combat clone caused by an enemy who'd never faced a powerful magic user"
Kara stiffed, falling silent and looking away from me a moment before taking a shaky breath and looking back at me "Does Quinn know?"
"Yeah, a little after I met him...more a curiosity to him honestly than anything, and he has his own secrets, so not for us to discuss. Between me and him..." I answered rubbing the back of my neck "...but, anyway, that's what's behind my magic problems. It's literally killing me, slowly, so I left, no cure there...and truthfully? Me Original had his own life, and I have mine, and it'd hurt staying there seeing someone else living it"
"That's...not what I expected...this is a little strange..." she complained staring at the floor rather than me, shaking her head before sighing deeply "...not raised by Cadmus to kill your original were you?"
"Phhffff, no, help save my original from a giant...dunno, Mom-monster? Combat cloning a divinely empowered priest is bad idea let's say, but no, I've no hostility, I just wanted to get away...and not die of course, I'd rather fix that particular flaw"
"So after the fight..."
I shrugged "Yeah, I can handle magic usage, quite a bit actually, but once I've got to start throwing out heavy magic spontaneously...well, a while later dear old Callum gets very, very, sick and weak as you've seen. So, travelling the multiverse so the healer can fix himself! Ta-da!"
"I've...I've..." she muttered before frowning, then suddenly punching my leg gently "...huh! You and Quinn are just put here by Roa to torment me you know that right? My naughty dimensional travelling boys! Well, we'll fix that as well! Fix that, get home, and help Quinn build his super-robot whatever..."
--
[01.23: The Inter-Dimensional Peddler]
[Pleasant College Days...]
The view the battlements of the College were magnificent I found, at least on a bright, sunny, day like this as only the fog on the mountains and the distant clouds over the Sea of Storms hid them from my sight. Still bitter cold as I stood in heavy white fur robes and gloves, but it was nice to take in the fresh air;- especially after a little walk around the grounds before more library. Looking out at the city, and it was a city, was interesting to compare the tiny barebones things brought forth from ancient 'memories' to the massive, vibrant, complex built atop the massive rocky outcropping. Certainly no floating bridges here, even if the causeway had taken serious damage during the storms that wrecked the city of Winterhold.
"God, its damned cold up here you know?!" Quinn muttered beside me and I gave a snort of amusement that caused him to groan "Well, it is!!!"
"I don't disagree, but the rooms can be cold as well. This whole region is bloody freezing, nearly all the time, so I'm not surprised the College here spends so much on firewood and lantern oil as the rumours hint at" I answered with a yawn, looking out and enjoying the sun shining down on the snow and ice-topped city and mountains. It was all very beautiful and peaceful looking, but completely belying the way the lands were at the moment. Even the College here had a gods-be-damned Thalmor elf wandering around being nosy...though everyone was being nosy it felt at times.
'Dangers of coming to a mages college to research the planes of Oblivion and the Aetherius, and having companions not aware of the local customs' I reminded myself as Quinn fell to muttering softly to himself, as Kara giggled and stood at the battlements, arms on the stone, chin resting on arms, as she gazed out to sea. Not that my own knowledge of customs was great either, but I liked to think I was keeping busy and generally avoiding causing a fuss. Politely getting rid of 'The Caller' and her cabal seemed the better way than Quinn's grumbled, vague, insults that'd nearly caused a fight when Kara backed him up...and I had to do the same.
"Oh, hello!" a voice drifted over from the nearby entrance to the staircase down to the fancy named library of the college, along with multiple footsteps. I glanced around and saw three of the students emerge, vague hints in my mind pointing out things as a young Nord waved at us from the head of the, while a Khajit, and a hooded third figure came along behind him "Don't see many of my fellow Nords here in the College, so I'd thought to say hello, if that isn't any trouble?"
"Not at all!"Kara announced cheerfully, elbowing me in the side as I adopted a thoughtful pose, thinking through my reply "Nice to meet you! I'm Kara, the pretty, brave, and smart one, this is Callum, our fearless leader, and that's Quinn our silent grumpy genius!"
I groaned, rubbing my forehead as Quinn gave a bored grunt, a feminine chuckle came from the hooded student to join the Nords, while the Khajit merely studied us "Thank you Kara. Callum as she said, nice to me you?"
"You're welcome!" she grinned back and I rolled my eyes as the Nord offered a handshake and she shook it back "Greetings then, I'm Onmund, and these are my friends Breylna and J'zargo. Pleasure to meet you Kara! Nice to see a fellow Nord mage, especially one so pretty"
Kara laughed, releasing the man's hand and poking my in the side with a glove finger "Oh, trying hard aren't you mister! But no, Callum here's our magic-guy, I'm just getting shown pretty pictures!"
I gave a snort at that as Kara fell in beside me, Quinn giving a brief wave and simply looking around as the breeze blew over the battlements "Don't listen to her, I'm trying to teach her the basics because she wants to learn when she isn't pretending to be a silly farm girl"
Onmund chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck and nodding to Kara "Sorry, I wasn't...you know, but it's just...and...well, see...I know..."
"J'zargo think..." the Khajit spoke over the sudden babbling of the Nord, Onmund, with a somewhat sibilant, almost familiar, 'sales' talk tone "...is good meet new wizards yes, J'zargo hears many things about new wizards, good things, not like mad elf lady and conjurors. Ignore Onmund J'zargo says, talking of magics J'zargo can learns is much betters J'zargo says"
I blinked "Do you always refer to yourself in the third person?"
"Yes he does..." the third of their number announced a bit timidly, red eyes coming into view as a Dark Elven face came into the light as she swatted at the Khajit as if silently saying something to him "...sorry, um, I'm...Breylna Maryon...and well, Onmund heard about some fellow Nords...Hi! Nice to see new faces here in the college...and, I, uh, if you're interested I could help you with learning magic?"
Kara blinked as the Drow...no, Dunmer, girl elbowed Onmund out his babbling and took position between him and the Khajit "Oh, thank you, maybe...well, when Callum's around, studying together than stuff"
"J'zargo wonders if you have mastered expert level destruction spells, oww..." the Khajit began to ask before the Dunmer kicked him while making it look like she hadn't she smiled nervously at us...
"That would be great, we need test su...study friend, I mean study friends! Heh-heh, what we can learn together..." her voice went very low "...and not set anything on fire..."
"J'zargo was saying he give apologies for that!"
I ignored the sudden interplay between the three, bickering I was well used to, as I considered the matter at hand. We were likely going to be a while, and it was certainly better to get friendly with the more 'sane' students than the dangerously concerning band of conjurors and wannabe necromancers that were also apparently guests of the College right now. Much as it'd be best, in-theory, to avoid interactions as much as possible...the simple fact was that way madness lay from isolation, and I could with some locals, not Masters of the Art, to talk through basics with.
Kara had eased up on the whole 'get me home' situation since our little talk, though Quinn remained tight-lipped with her about his issues, and had focused on researching the Dwemer apparently. It'd taken time for the Rings to adapt to the local language, and I'd spent time trying to actually 'learn' the script as best could, as many nuances could get lost in the translation. So far...I was a bit away from avoiding a jump out that simply put us on another Plane of Oblivion, of which Mundus was simple, and somewhat unusual, variant of the various Aedric and Deadric realms. That was a real concern as they were much more active with direct interventions than most God-like entities. So I had plenty of study, and hopefully some local friends to make...
--
{Agent of the Thalmor}
Ancano frowned as he read the latest report delivered by his guard Yaster. Yet more patrols had...disappeared mysteriously...as the Jarls of Whiterun and Morthal had phrased it. He sat back in his chair with a sigh as he put the sealed letter to the flames now he had memorised it, then sighed wearily; it was becoming a very worrying trend in the last few months. Patrols being clearly ambushed, prisoners being broken out of secured outposts with all the guards executed or simply missing, and now some madman had assaulted the Embassy near Solitude and left it aflame.
'Blaming the sudden surge of vampires seems a mistake...' he mused standing up and moving over to the his personal cabinet and taking out some fine brandy from his homeland '...as while I understand the rumours of them assaulting the Vigilants of Stendarr...but the Embassy was very much a fortress, and it was daylight by all accounts'
It was very worrying, even the fact the message had to be sent secretly through a paid Khajit caravan was a sign of the developing problem despite the forces of the Empire and Stormcloaks weakening each other. Of course this was, technically, Stormcloak territory and his entering the College had been a dangerous journey all its own so he could understand the difficulty...it was just frustrating. Savros Aren was clearly interfering with his attempts to maintain communication with his superiors magically with all these constant 'experiments' and 'accidents'...and there was much to report. So many suspicious individuals had appeared within his domain, and they had simply ignored his position, or shown contempt.
One was a group led by a known renegade from the Dominion, for all her calling herself The Caller, he'd just love to deal with the witch who was a known sacrifice to Daedra. For personal gain at, not even for the benefit of her race, which made it even worse in Ancano's mind;- yet here she and her band of necromancers and cultists wandered around instead of screaming answers under a torturers tools. Savros Aren and the Breton Whore he called a Master of the College were clearly conspiring against the Aldmeri Dominion, but he had no way to prove it right now...
'Then there is our strange Nord trader and his equally odd companions' he thought adding in some snow to the brandy along with some cooled fruit juice. That trio seemed the less concerning, though the fact he could find nothing on them, no rumours, no knowledge of masters, no nothing...was quite concerning as the Mage of the group seemed to have significant knowledge of conjuration by all accounts. It would be dangerous if they fell in with Cultists and they ended up with a Daedric incursion to go along with all these monstrous Dragon attacks, and word of moving undead.
For now the trio of strangers appeared to stick to the Arcaneaum, their rooms, the main hall for food, and occasional trips to the city for trade or drinking in the Frozen Hearth. Though that could be to conspire with the other rogue there, a Nelacar he'd warned his superiors about but been told to leave him be. It seemed the time of simply being able to just arrest suspects was behind him since coming to these savage and primitive frozen lands of Men. Unfortunate, very much so, but he'd learned to adapt as he took a sip of the end of day pick-me-up and used his magic to light the fire in the hearth. These lands were dreadful, not like home, and this 'promotion' was certainly not to his taste...
'Promotion they called it. Hmph! Sleep with one Magisters sister...' he growled mentally before sighing and returning to his reports. If could just make one big catch, one big Talos worshipping mage, or find some artefact of power, then all his problems would go away and he could return home, to warm sun, nice beaches, and women who didn't look like someone shaved a bear. Or were Dunmer...ugh, he'd already had the 'joy' of meeting one or two of those, and any females coming up here to learn from a Dunmer like Aren, or from Nords, was clearly mentally unhinged, or had a bestiality fetish for Men.
'Now...our Caller friend is untouchable with my resources, but the so-called merchant might not...' he thought hammering down the glass of sweeten and cooled alcohol before refilling it '...they associate with that Nord and his filthy Dunmer friend...a failed Telvanni wizard at that. If I could prove he's up to something then I could take down a so-called Nord noble and a Dunmer witch. It'd certainly show the need to transition to a more...civilized, and racial appropriate, educational structure here...'
After a few more drinks the beginnings of a plan started to form in his brilliant Altmer mind...
--
[01.24: The Inter-Dimensional Peddler]
[Ah, the Student Life again...books, booze, and murderous elves...]
--
[Trader's Journal: Day: 129]
[Current Dimension]
Mundus, Elder Scrolls-verse
[Current Location]
Our Room, College of Winterhold
[Current Cash Reserves]
1,150 Gold Coins [Sigil[High Quality]
104 Silver Coins [Sigil[High Quality]
2,944 Septims [Gold-mix[Low-Quality]
932 United States Dollars [Buffy-verse]
1,628 Californian Dollars [Earth-04, Chain 2091, Disunited America]
2,621 Dollars [US Provisional Government, Earth-01, Chain-2091, German-ruled world]
[Recent Trades]
Sale of Goods from Windhelm Reward at Birna's Oddments - [534 Septims]
Purchase of writing materials {Paper, Ink, Inkwell} – [-427 Septims]
Purchase Dwemer Parts – [-311 Septims]
Book: - Herbane's Bestiary: Automatons – [-16 Septims]
Book: - On Oblivion – [-12 Septims]
Book: - Spirit of the Daedra – [-25 Septims]
Living Expenses – [-112 Septims]
[Diary Entry]
Finally persuaded Urag, the Librarian, to sell me some of his precious books, though I've done my best to scan a few others in the past few days when I've had some privacy. He watches people leaving like a hawk, and demands the books back before leaving, unless I give written sigh out with 'deposit fee' so it's been less easy than I'd like. Especially since we've made friends a few days ago with a few of the students, and that cuts down even more on my 'private study' time;- not that I'll complain, as its been much better learning with others. Or, even just for the pleasure of having some company really. Kara's in much better form since we started hanging around with the trio of Onmund, Breylna, and J'zargo, at least once Onmund stopped hitting on her anyway.
Onmund's quite a nice guy actually, just homesick, despite his family clearly hating his life choices, and I get on best with him and Breylna of them. Jzargo, is a wee bit overly energetic with 'learning destruction magic' for me at times, especially with the tendency towards potential sticky fingers with being a magic merchant, so I'm less fond of him. Not dislike now, that's saved for that nosy fecking Thalmar and the band of lunatics around that crazu elf calling herself The Caller. One is a Elf Nazi, and the other is going to end up summoning some abomination that will eat her and her colleagues, and require a hero and/or a small army to put down the disastrous aftermath of said 'ritual' that gets her eaten.
Now I have hit upon some useful potential business earlier today {hence the entry} while sourcing some Dwemer stuff for Quinn to play around with. Was talking to two brothers, apprentice mages here in the College, named Rundi and Borvir and they've got an idea for chilled mead using magic. Now this is an old tradition back on Faerun, and I'd played around with it back when I was Other-Me on Earth, but their method of Frost Runes seems overly complicated and dangerous considering where we are. Skyrim is already bloody cold, as is Winterhold in particular, but I can see the benefit of it when selling down to warmer climes within the Province and beyond.
So I've had a little think about it, and after speaking to Kara and Quinn to note I might put some time into this effort, I'm going to see what I can do with the two lads. Their ambitious, I'll give them that, but their a bit scatterbrained and looking to test out spells away from the College, which seems a good idea, but in the bad way of in the wild lands rather than the city. Winterhold is FULL of abandoned and ruined houses, and it'd be far better to setup shop in one of them, costs aside, than mess about in a camp on the coast. Experimentation can take place in a controlled manner within the College after all, and if that still of theirs blows up I'd rather it be here, or within easy reach of help, than in the middle of nowhere.
Now, after some time spent discussing matters, there is a supply of honey and various other ingredients from in the College's fancily named underground gardens. It somewhat surprised me, but then again the place is supposedly self-sufficient so what did I expect?
It's not much, but I think I can help supply some coin and practical help in doing some experimentation on either a magical fridge, that's not fatal with murder magic runes, or a means of making some magically chilled mead itself like the duo want. I'm personally not overly sold on their method, it's too complicated in my mind, and means each bottle needing a spell rather than a small spell on a larger storage setup. It's a distraction from the past few days focused study on oblivion, and I sort of needed it along with the few drinks and study sessions with the students here. That and it could be a source of coins down the line should I return here, or we're trapped here for an extended period of time. But, well, hopefully not.
--
[Trader's Journal: Day: 132]
[Current Dimension]
Mundus, Elder Scrolls-verse
[Current Location]
Our Room, College of Winterhold
[Current Cash Reserves]
1,150 Gold Coins [Sigil[High Quality]
104 Silver Coins [Sigil[High Quality]
2,824 Septims [Gold-mix[Low-Quality]
932 United States Dollars [Buffy-verse]
1,628 Californian Dollars [Earth-04, Chain 2091, Disunited America]
2,621 Dollars [US Provisional Government, Earth-01, Chain-2091, German-ruled world]
[Recent Trades]
Sale of Goods from Windhelm Reward at Birna's Oddments - [112 Septims]
Purchase of Quality Cut Hardwood – [-67 Septims]
Purchase of Nails and other sundry – [-71 Septims]
Living Expenses/Sundry Costs – [-94 Septims]
[Diary Entry]
Okay, I've brought in Quinn and Kara into my side business venture with the brothers, along with Brelyna, and I think the magic fridge seems the better idea than having the mead itself be magically chilled. See that's the thing;- sure Skyrim is fecking cold, but chilled mead, not frozen icy mead, is the preferred taste [though I prefer ale] so the problem comes down to maintaining that temperature at a cold, but not freezing, constant. Now I freely admit I've an unfair advantage, as I know what a technological solution is, and the fact several magical societies maintain a similar equivalent. So, I've a starting point of knowing a functional endpoint is achievable to work from.
It's going to be a side project I'll admit, two-three hours every day after classes for Rundi, Borvir, and Breylna mostly, and after my sides own study sessions. I've been allowed to sit on various lectures with Kara, though Quinn has no interest, and our Dunmer girl is helping teach Kara {and me without realising it} the basics of the local magic system. You can say many things about the College here, that it's disorganised, that it has a Thalmor, and that it's a learning free for all at times;- but it does welcome teaching anyone once they've displayed interest in the arcane. Considering the place is seemingly in decline, with Nord magic-hate cutting down on Nord recruits, Morrowind being a disaster area cutting down on the Dunmer ones, it's probably help keep the place above water as an organisation.
So, after talking to Mirabelle Ervine the grumpy Vice-Principal, we've got a small [warded] little workshop where we've started our little project. I suspect it's because it's diverted certain students [the ones I'm working with] away potentially blowing up parts of the College, or city buildings, so yah to that I guess. I feel like I'm being watched as well, but that is something I always feel I'll admit, but it's a bit stronger now despite not seeing anything directly. Nothing to do but stay on guard and continue my study in the various Planes of Oblivion as my primary goal, while disguising that goal as simply learning and making a trade good due to Merchant!
Now, as to my study and research;-
Mundus is an unusual one as it's less a 'true' planet like Earth, than a spherical realm within Oblivion itself and I'm reasonably sure we can get out, it's just ensuring we don't end up in one of the other realms. Many of which are very, very, nightmarish and actively seeking to draw in the unwary, as the various Daedra you can summon attest to. So it's less a concern of jumping out, than exactly what paths to walk down on the various planes to move safely, as the good ones would could as bad ones on many other realities.
On Oblivion indicates certain issues with the Princes that I need to cross-reference with some of the other tomes here in the library, but I worry that'll draw attention more than I'd like. Especially with the crazy cultist lady and her little summoner cabal about doing exactly that. See it's very hard not to appear like we're competing over it when we're both, indirectly, reading about similar things even if I'm framing myself as a Conjuror and trader. I really don't want to look like a wannabe necromancer [even if I'm a trained on] and daedra worshipper [which I certainly am not] and risk pissing off our hosts. So, let's try again tomorrow and see where we can go in the weeks to come.
--
[01.25: The Inter-Dimensional Peddler]
[You're not the boss of me now, no, you're not the boss of me...]
'And things were going so well' I thought wearily as things stopped going so well, and violence looked set to erupt...
It'd been a pleasant few days; study of the Planes was going well, I'd avoided that nutty cultists, the Thalmor, and I'd made progress on our magic refrigerator and this evening had been productive I'd found as I'd exited the Hall of Elements chatting away to Breylna. She was a bit introverted, but she was smart, and most importantly not the aggressive sort of 'gimme, gimme' smart that J'zago seemed to be, and she'd been a good study-buddy these past two hours. So as we moved out into the into the late evening light of the courtyard, my walking-cane moving off the ground as she held her books against her chest, continuing her excited description of what she'd just learned.
Snow, as almost always, covered the large spacious circular area between the college walls and buildings and I shivered as we exited the warm indoors out into the winter chill. You really had to feel sorry for the groundskeepers of the place, as they got rid of the snow every day, and then by the next it had fully restocked itself. I tugged my cloak around me, trying to avoid slipping on the frozen stone path, as my dark elf companion shivered and made a comment about regretting not putting on gloves. My own weren't particularly thick, but they were decently warm, and had the whole 'white mage' aesthetic I was going for...though that didn't matter as I felt and saw the dark clad figures approach...
So, when I saw Ancano, Thalmor scumbag extraordinaire, strolling towards us with a guard on either side, and two more lurking a little distance behind, I knew things had gone wrong. Still, I smiled pleasantly, taking on a cheerful tone as the High Elf neared, myself and Breylna stopping as I summoned a defensive ward on myself silently "Halt. You are to be questioned Nord, by Order of the Thalmor, on matters of daedra worship and heresies in breach of the White-Gold Concordant!"
"Oh dear, that sounds very unpleasant!" I replied cheerfully, smiling a pleasant smile as I rested my hands on my 'walking stick' and Breylna stood nervously beside me "So I do believe I shall have to decline you kind invite my good fellow. Does Archmage Aren know you are perhaps overstepping your authority?"
"I carry the voice of the Aldmeri Dominion on my lips during this time of transition, and you are suspicious Nord and you will answer questions that need answering..." Ancano sneered back as I did a quick glance around seeing only three other students distant and one of the College Guards watching from the battlements as the Thalmor Inquisitor stopped a few metres from me, gesturing at Breylna "...begone Dunmer, even one such as you should know better than associate with those beneath the dignity of a Mer"
"Why you..."
I chuckled, silently casting a Haste spell, fingers moving over my sword-cane "Now, now, Breylna, it's perfectly fine, as I shan't be going anywhere with such rough looking fellows as this. I'm sure we can resolve this like civilized beings can we not Inquisitor Ancano? I've been told Altmer of the Thalmor think very highly of themselves as civilized beings after all!"
The Thalmor mage sneered as two nearby armoured minions, in the black with gold trim of the military that'd get them killed outside the College walls, glared at me, the other two holding back in case I tried to flee. I was very sure this could only lead to violence as they'd waited till I'd separated from Kara and Quinn, and gone after me, the mage, first it seemed to me. Because I'm pretty sure I'd have heard the gunshots if they'd gone after Quinn, and the punching through doors that would have resulted from Kara being attacked. So I bought myself a few seconds as I mentally laid out who needed to die first.
Ancano sneered again, gesturing with his gloved right hand to his guards "Arrest him"
I reached over and touched Breylna's arm as he did so "Shh, just wait a little while I handle this minor annoyance" before smiling at the elves...
"Last warning;- Walk Away"
There was various was to intimidate enemies, and Other-Me had usually gone for the 'hammer down' and threatening imagery variant due to having official sanction and support to back up his actions. Me though? Well, I didn't, so I went for the cheerfully colourful, or pure white garb as now, to seem 'friendly' and 'harmless' while being polite and cheerful. That way when the explosive violence came it was much more shocking to an enemy, especially if the guise had bought me some precious time like now, and I could appear a calm beacon of power during the fight...even when weaker and off balance.
Armoured hands reached towards me, foolishly having the other hands on their blades, ready to draw rather than having drawn them. Of course the two Altmer guards felt faintly magical, and likely had training in such, so I shifted a hand up into the concealed pocket into my left robe sleeve and palmed out bag of powder while humming softly to myself. Stepping to my left suddenly the guard oh my right staggered forward while the one nearest to me reached and...
"Aaaargggggggggggggghhhhh" promptly got a rather nasty burning powder to the face, the dust flashing through the eye slits and into the eyes of the blonde-haired elven face. I followed up with a solid kick to the armoured breastplate, backed up by Bulls Strength, and sent the elf flying backwards into Ancano just as his hands came up to his helmeted face...
"..." some muttered elvish curse emerged from the other elf's mouth, a girl it seemed, as her hand started to draw her curved elven blade as her collegue and boss went tumbling back into the snow. I didn't give her a chance to react though, coming out of the kick and stepping in beside her as my walking cane slammed down on her sword-hilt holding hand while I hooked my leg behind her. Training of Other-Me with the Irish Army Ranger Wing, then with Cheshire and Huntress, reasserted itself as I slammed her backwards into the frozen stone path. Her helmed head bounced along with a cut off scream as the air was driven from her lungs before I hit her with a Sleep spell.
With a glance, I saw Ancano was struggling to get up with the screaming armoured warrior lying atop of him, while the other two elves had drawn blades and were rushing towards me...
"Shield" I incanted, free hand coming up and blocking the bolt of fire flung at me with an invisible shield of arcane energy, then tapped the bottom of my walking cane off the stonework with both hands on the hilt as I summoned yet more power. It was more conjuration here, but I wasn't feeling picky and I wanted to avoid outright murder for the moment, even if this was going to cause serious problems in my spell usage. I already witnesses after all...
"Black Tentacles" and dimensions ripped asunder as unholy black horrors ripped forth into reality from the ground beneath the two armoured elves to wrap out their bodies. I kept on hand raised controlling them as the elves screamed and trashed about as they vile things slid over their armoured bodies, slithering and squeezing as armour creaked. Ancano was finally standing up now, starting to pull power to himself as I turned, raising my walking cane and pointing at him.
'Choke' was invoked as I telekinetically gripped his throat, driving the air from it as I squeezed, lifting him up till his boots just about touched the snow-covered path as his hands desperately gripped his throat. Gasping for breath and panicked eyes made spell-casting hard for him it seemed, just as the three screaming guards weren't really fit to do any more than their sleeping friend. So I continued to hum a jaunty tune as I tightened my grip on the cane while strolling a few steps towards the Thalmor as Breylna appeared to be having a panic attack beside me, books spilled in the snow.
"Now, I do believe we were discussing matters like civilized beings..." I told the choking and gasping elf in my friendly, pleasant, tone as I smiled politely at him "...till all this unpleasantness started. So I'll just have the trust in the vast intellect and cunning of the Mer mind, something I'm told you Thalmor have in great quantities, to let this humble merchant go about his business...once matters have been dealt with, such as with the honourable, and likely annoyed, Archmage"
"Yes, I fear I am" came the gruff and unhappy voice of the power coming out the doors behind me flanked by Mirabelle Ervine and the old teacher Tolfdir "Now, can someone explain what is occurring here?"
'Hmm, that was disturbingly fast response times' I mused continuing my pleasant smile as I dispelled the Black Tentacles and allowed Ancano to drop down to the ground with a gasping thud as the blinded elf continued to roar and scream in pain "Oh, apologies Archmage, but it seems there was something of a misunderstanding from your...Advisor...here in the extend of his authority within the College. I rather forceful disagreed with his opinion that he right to arrest and interrogate me. I do apologise if I caused a bit of a mess while educated these fellows"
They were battle-ready, and other were coming out now at the sudden surges of magic, The Caller lunatic and two of her minions as well along with students from the College as Breylna sat in the snow, mouth moving but nothing coming out. I maintained my pleasant smile despite the glares, hand resting on my walking sword-cane as I nodded to the calm looking Archmage and clearly fuming Master of the College. This was not good, but there had been few 'good' outcomes from an attempted arrest, so a display of power was, in my opinion, the likely best outcome...even if it meant leaving the elves alive. Savos Aren merely studied the injured and gasping elves, though apparently I'd knocked Ancano out I noted...
The Archmage sighed, rubbing at his forehead "Yes, trouble...Mirabelle, see to Ancano and his...friends and take away their weapons and armour. I do believe I need to have a conversation with our friend here and his two companions. Miss Maryon, I suspect I shall need you to accompany us as well for your side of the story..."
--
[01.26: The Inter-Dimensional Peddler]
[Get into one fight and you get called to the Principal's Office...]
"What did you do?" were Kara's suspicious words as she and Quinn were brought to join me in the Archamage's Quarters after being escorted by a College Guard and Tolfdir. I gave a defensive shrug, hands up to my sides.
"Hey! I didn't even kill anyone! This time anyway!"
"Hmmm" she replied giving me a 'stern look' I suspected and poking a finger into my chest "I just can't let you go anywhere alone can I mister?"
"Oh come'on..." I chuckled back, gesturing at the room "...I got us a meeting with the Archmage! Anyway, Ancano and his minions attack me while I was walking with Breylna, elves been racist against helpless little 'ol me!"
My blonde haired companion continued to glare at me "Hmmm"
Quinn at least took a more pragmatic view of things "And how much trouble are we in?"
"Explanations need to be given" I answered honestly sitting back down on the wooden bench as I saw the aged local mage go inside to see what Brelyna was saying I imagine "...as, well, I did have to defend myself and my magic is...well, honest answers"
"That bad, huh?" Quinn huffed sitting down beside me as Kara huffed, arms folded across her chest, foot tapped silently "Right, okay, we have fight our way out?"
I shrugged, keeping my voice as low as Quinn's was "Let's hope not, it'd sadly ruin plans"
Teleporting out was an option, but basically burned all advances to date and cut off access to my source of information on the planes of Oblivion. So now I just had to persuade Archmage Aren that dealing with me, and somehow handling the Thalmor problem, was the preferred outcome rather than 'please leave and take problems elsewhere' that I was expecting. Avoiding killing the elves had largely been due to that; killing would likely have brought even more problems upon us, though it was always hard to judge. Dead elves tell no tales and all that.
Kara sat on my right after a few moments of pacing, elbowing me gently in the side as I gave a sigh of apology at the situation. I suspected part of what was occurring was that they were securing Ancano and his guards somewhere, while interrogating Breylna and potentially discussing my magic usage. Not that it had been all that long...perhaps twenty or thirty minutes, and only a few minutes after my fellow travellers arrived we were ushered into the Archmage's 'office' where I saw Mirabelle Ervine and Tolfdir standing near a desk with the Archmage. Breylna gave a nervous little smile and wave from where she sat a little distance away from the others.
"Now, our dear guests..." the elderly Dunmer Archmage began with a weary sigh, sitting between the old teacher and the Master of the College and looking a combination of tired and irritated "...it seems my, in-theory, advisor has attempted to illegally detain young mister Outis here, and I am very confident in your innocence in the matter..."
I heard the 'But' at the end of that as the silence lingered along with the firm looks upon me in particular, so I continued to smile politely and voiced my opinion "I'm hearing a silent but at the end of that statement of my complete and utter innocence in the matter"
"Yes, yes, quite" Archmage Aren replied calmly hands together on the table "...and what are you Mr. Outis?"
"I am but a humble travelling merchant and mage, come to research various matters here in this esteemed college"
"Yes, and I believe you are truthful in that...partially at least" the Dunmer replied quietly holding up a hand to forestall whatever Mirabelle Ervine was about to say something "What is curious though my friend is you are clearly combat trained, and no-one has heard of you till now. Not only that, but have a most curious means of summoning...one that we have not seen nor heard of, beyond the realms of a certain Prince. Nor are you companions here..." he gestured at Kara and Quinn "...known in any circle either, most curious when it comes to a fellow scholar such as Quinirus here"
Kara gave me a confused look and I sighed, both hands resting on the hilt of my walking-cane "That I can assure you is not the source of that particular spell, nor would I ever put myself in service to such beings as the Daedra. Now, our original goal was to remain silent on our place of origin, but it appears that the Inquisitor has forced our hand. First, may I assume that what is discussed in this room will remain outside general knowledge...that includes you too Breylna...and that wards against outside observation are in place?"
Eyes narrowed at me, the aging Tolfdir rubbing his chin and looking at me speculatively while Breylna nervously approached as both myself and the Archmage waved her over, though he spoke "Miss Maryon, you are...an acquaintance of our guests here, and a member of House Telvanni, so I can consider you presence here as an...independent witness shall we call it. Unless you wish to withdraw from this discussion now of course, the door is over there"
The Dunmer girl looked from him, to me and I held up my cane, spreading my arms apart a moment "This is rather important Breylna, unbelievable too perhaps, but I do believe you've already been dragged into the situation and best to have the knowledge than not"
I remained silent after that as the red eyed girl first nodded, then stammered out a sincere oath as I sat down with Kara and Quinn on either side of me after they brought over wooden chairs. Explanations were in order as this could still easily lead to violence judging by the fact three of the more powerful wizards in the College were here right now, ready for a fight. Innocent I may be, but it was clear the whole Daedra question lay open, along with the fact the Aldmeri Dominion was a power these days, and not thread upon lightly...even when completely in the wrong.
"Now, I understand you have an explanation in order for us?"
I nodded in response to the Archmage's question with a friendly smile "Yes, though I fear it'll be somewhat unbelievable judging from what I've read so far. See, there are Planes beyond this one, beyond those of Oblivion and the Daedric Princes. So I truthfully am a merchant, and a mage, save we are travellers from one of those other planes...which you must understand is the primary reason behind our studies into the various planes as our arrival here wasn't actually intended from the start"
Eyes studied us, and I held up my hand for Kara and Quinn to relax, as both Mirabelle and Tolfdiir cast non-combat spells while doing so. The Archmage hummed in thought as Breylna simply collapsed back into her chair, staring at us in confusion before Aren spoke "You seem remarkably mortal for supposed Daedra"
"No, we're mortal, just like you and your collegues are; so you have to understand that there many dimensions beyond this one, and those of the various of the Daedric Princes..." I began resting on my walking cane and shaking my head "...which I'd rather avoid based on what I've learned of them. You see, other realms exist, and some have Men, some Mer, some both, something neither...it goes on infinitely I've been told"
Silence fell for a few seconds...then a minute or so before the Archmage frowned, finger tapping off the desk before him "And you and your companions...trade between these planes of not-Oblivion?"
I sighed "Myself and Quinn did...do?...for a living, Kara here was stuck with us due to the reason we ended up here in the first place;- a particular sorceress and her father were fighting a losing war and dragged all of us into it, then betrayed us the second their enemy was defeated and cast us adrift...to here basically. So, we are trying to get, her, home and get ourselves to the business, so I'd sought to avoid any difficulties till we could safely leave Mundus"
Tolfdir nodded after a moment "Afraid you'll end up in the realms of one of the Princes? A reasonable concern in truth"
"Yes..." I answered with a nod "...best avoided I felt, and there are other places I'd rather not blindly end up in beyond that, so considering what's just occurred I felt it was best to come clean on where we stand on matters, and also make clear that we will not peacefully submit to the Thalmor considering this knowledge"
"Afraid the Aldmeri would spread out amongst the...other planes?" Mirabelle Ervine asked after a moment, clearly starting to consider the matter. Instead I shook my head in the negative, as that wasn't really my concern from that point of view.
"No...yes, but not in the manner you think. There are multi-dimensional empires, successful ones at that that tend to stick to similar planes to their own, but there are serious risks with that strategy as there is always a bigger fish, or eldritch horrors worse than any of the Daedric Princes floating around. The Aldmeri...I hesitate to say, but foolishly aggressive would describe them, and they'd run full speed into one of those horrors and very likely provoke them. For example we trade out of Sigil, called the Cage or the City of Doors, and that pocket dimension is ruled...in the loosest sense of the word...by an entity simply called the Lady of Pain, who can kill you with a thought. And that scales up to beings on the level of the Aedra and Daedra by the way, because IT killed one that we know of"
I was vastly underselling that of course as Aoskar had essentially been the God of Planeswalkers, Capital-P Planeswalkers at that, being the God of Portals, Doorways and Opportunity and she'd killed him with but a thought by all accounts. The Multi-verse was full of horrors and terrors best left alone, and travelling between dimensions, while dangerous, wasn't likely to encounter them unless...you got aggressive outside your 'level' of existence. Capital-P Planeswalkers supposedly tended towards that according to the Guild in Sigil, along with a number of now-dead civilizations that had, suicidally, gone looking for monsters to slay or conquer. Elves like the Thalmor...
Savos Aren hummed in thought "And you can offer proof of this?"
I shrugged "I can show you some goods and weapons from other realms, though they are likely of little use to yourselves due to high magic usage in your society"
"Hmm, hmm, say that I believe you, you do understand such research would be..."
Tolfdir cut off the Archmage "...Revolutionary..."
At the same time as the Master of the College Mirabelle as they turned to glare at each other "...Dangerous..."
I sighed deeply "I'm aware, so I'm asking for help in getting my research completed...after showing you proof of course...and us gone from this realm, and not causing you problems"
Archmage Aren held up his hands to calm his subordinates, then focused attention on me "If such a claim is true it is both dangerous, and potentially a boon of course. Considering the cost of deal with the attention the Thalmor will bring upon this institution in response to your actions I do believe negotiating a trade deal with a trader such as yourself maybe in all of our interest. Why I suspect, dangerous as it is, one or two of my collegues would be very interested in travelling with you for..."
I kept smiling politely despite the fact things were starting to go down hill...
--
[1.27: The Inter-Dimensional Peddler]
[Quest Given: Read some books...]
--
[Trader's Journal: Day: 185]
[Current Dimension]
Mundus, Elder-Scroll-verse
[Current Location]
Guest Rooms, College of Winterhold
[Current Cash Reserves]
1,080 Gold Coins [Sigil[High Quality]
104 Silver Coins [Sigil[High Quality]
916 Septims [Gold-mix[Low Quality]
932 United States Dollars [Buffy-verse]
1,628 Californian Dollars [Earth-04, Chain 2091, Disunited America]
2,621 Dollars [US Provisional Government, Earth-01, Chain-2091, German-ruled world]
[Recent Trades]
Healing Services Winterhold past three days – [180 Septims]
Investment in Outis-Winterhold Trade Goods – [-1200 Septims, -50 Gold Coins Sigil]
Five Days Living Expenses – [113 Septims]
Payments 'Taxes' Jarl of Winterhold {Bribes} – [-600 Septims]
[Diary Entry]
Right;- secret's out, blame the gods-damned Thalmor for trying to arrest me yesterday. So, yeah, big, long, conversation with Archmage Aren and two of staff, then Breylna, in the aftermath meant I had limited options if I wanted to stay here. Very hard to keep your head down and pretend to be nobody when you defeat an Inquisitor and his guards in battle, and need the Archmage not to kick you out, while also keeping away said nazi-elves. All I could then was get Kara and Quinn and negotiate the best deal we could to retain access to the Arcaneum and the various educators here;- also finalising the creation of an official trading company to use as a vehicle.
Seems we've got our first long term customers, yay! All completely by accident really, and I'm still somewhat on edge in case they stab us in the back. Yes, yes, paranoia, but better safe than sorry I find. It's been two, rather long, meetings with the Archmage and his Master of the College, to confirm exactly what I meant by dimensional travellers, and secondly to establish terms of engagement and deal with our secondary business interests. Basically the magic fridges with Rundi and Borvir, and related mead thing they want to still get established. So, long, long, negotiations-slash-proof-giving sessions to get to the stage we're at where the Thalmor go bye-bye for now, and I continue to get access to the books I need.
All we have to give up is allowing some of the locals to travel with us, and to operate a trade route for [still to be specified] goods down the line – all while keeping this whole 'Magic Door to Elsewhere' secret. I am perfectly fine with that secrecy of course, even if does it does limited any theoretical profits down the line from such an agreement. Now I've very clearly warned of the near fatal mission potential here, but Aren wants his people investigating what's beyond Mundus – just not too important either. As best I can tell it's going to be students plus a teacher, or two teachers, and I suspect it's the trio of J'zargo, Onmund, and Breylna for the first lot to encourage us to keep them alive. Maybe, I could just be paranoid.
Honestly it's good and bad;- more pack-mules and guards to put it crudely, but also more mouths to feed, and more potential points to start conflict. It also severely interferes with the fact we want, need, to return to Quinn's Earth to basically loot some more. Quinn still wants to go back there first, and financially I want to as well, but it's potentially giving away a very, very, important gold-mine. I could use illusions to 'hide' how I do it, or we could go off ourselves for a few days from the Outlands or Sigil and leave the others behind. Honestly its between me and Quinn, and he does make a good point that we'll need to reveal 'basic knowledge' if we're to help him fix his mistake. Considering he's talking about telling Kara I really have to listen at least.
Mo' people, Mo' problems, basically and I have to judge how competent I am to travel with them while holding back the exact dimension location. For the moment though that's not the major concern – it's getting off this world and locking in a Dimensional Gate down in the Midden or in some other location as laid out by the Archmage. It's not a bad idea really, as I need to set hard-lock wards against Daedric influence, and a set entry-point under 'friendly' control would be beneficial for long-term trading prospects. Helps them compete against the Synod and College of Whispers, and the Thalmor, and helps me setup a long term business here that I can leave behind once I find a manager for it.
Oh, yeah, because setting up a local 'franchise' or 'subsidiary' of sorts in joint-ownership with the two brothers and the College as guarantor. We'll be rebuilding some long wrecked and abandoned buildings outside the College in Winterhold and I've gotten help, or will get help, to finish the magic fridges to make there. It won't be big business, at least for some time, but I think there is a good market for refrigerated storage and potentially tavern tap systems with a little magic. It should help with the Imperial and Stormcloak military logistics, and I really have to find a way to block out the elves, I mean Thalmor, from getting access to it. Mayhap that's impossible, but I'll delay as best as possible as in the words of my Patron 'Fuck Da Elves'.
So, it's late now, Kara's snoring, Quinn's back to trying to read a book on Dwemer Automata, and I'm going to have a glass of wine and then go to sleep. It has been a long and tiring few days, and I've just reinforced my defensive wards, so sleep is looking very appealing right now. So I think I'll do just that as soon as I give my spell-book a skim and get something cold to ease my thirst. Slan go foille a chardai.
--
{Mirabelle Ervine needs a drink...}
"Personally I'd love to send Nirya, but, well..."
"Yes, yes, I understand, all problems in one basket" Archmage Aren replied with a slow wave of his hand "...and Collette, but let us not talk of this as an amusement. It has been certainly troublesome enough without such thoughts. Ancano's departure will likely cause significant stress for us..."
'Especially since he and his guards are likely to get ambushed by...bandits...afterwards' Mirabelle didn't say but stayed politely quiet as the Archmage continued talking "...with the Dominion, and such a discovery as this..."
"The Synod or College of Whispers?" she queried and he sighed.
"Both, though I have heard rumours that the Synod is investigating...something Dwemer related within Skyrim despite the Civil War, so they remain a danger to consider with their snooping..." Aren stated, frowning and gazing at the magical lights dancing over the small garden at the heart of his quarters "...though I feel we have gained access to a great boon for a bargain price as certain members of my family would have said"
Mirabelle merely gave him a look "You would risk two of instructors, three of our students, and call their potential loss a bargain?"
"Mirabelle, Phinis told me one of his students was planning on testing an *improved* flame cloak out in the wilds till the fight yesterday. She's currently down in the healing room with Collette because she set herself on fire instead of *improving* the cloak. Attrition is merely another fact of life with the College"
'Our students are not attrition Savos' she wanted to retort, but that never worked as the Archmage as he was very much basic rules and ignoring everything beyond that as 'we are not the Mages Guild and its mistakes' was his usual refrain "Faralda?"
He sighed "An unfortunate risk I'll admit, but Tolfdir would be a...poor choice for such an expedition due to his curiosity and forgetfulness. Drevis...is Drevis, so also out. No, Faralda is skilled wielder of destruction magic, and, unlike Phinis, knows how to be friendly and polite, yet firm and commanding. In all truthfulness risking Phinis is the greater concern, but he is our Master of Conjuration and he'd likely leave if we did not assign him to such a task"
Sadly Mirabelle couldn't but disagree on that. Phinis was...prickly at best, and personally he was not the sort she would assign to such an endeavour. Unfortunately they needed him for his knowledge of Conjuration, and he would find out, and that would be perceived as a personal insult for not 'giving him dues in his area of expertise' and other such nonsense. Faralda, unlike Nirya, could keep the Master of Conjuration in line, hopefully, and was also used to dealing with angry and unhappy residents of Winterhold on a regular basis as well. So she could deal with whatever lay on these other planes {if the Divines were kind} while making the three apprentices useful;- the three were friendly with the Outsiders after all, so they were most likely to try keep them alive...hopefully.
"He would Archmage, it is just his nature, and this is the threshold of great things"
He waved his hand at that again "Yes, yes, but also something we must keep silent on for years if we can till we have firmer proof than strange weapons, machine-books, and access to rare materials. I do not believe they are full of lies, they seem truthful in fact, but exaggeration is certainly possible, and the danger of losing our expedition to confirm these truths is a warned of risk. I will be most disappointed if we enrage and refuse the Thalmor and gain no advantage for it"
Mirabelle nodded at that, ignoring the headache and hoping she could just get a goblet of wine, a good book, and just relax a time as the moons rose outside in the howling snows "Of course, but I feel they are sincere considering the time put into establishing a business based on this project of theirs, one that is here, in Winterhold, which would require them return to them"
"Ah, yes, where we can trust another's greed of course. Solid reasoning my dear Mirabelle..." he replied with a chuckle "...and in part why it was tolerant of this scheme with the two apprentices they have begun. Personally I find the whole idea...somewhat absurd considering the frozen wastes we live in, but the Outsiders clearly seem interested in it, so who am I not to make use of that interest?"
--
[01.28: The Inter-Dimensional Peddler]
[College Days – Study and School Projects, sans Daedra hopefully...]
The Midden was the cold, dark, ugly underbelly of the College of Winterhold, though thankfully the part we were currently in had started to be repurposed into a laboratory before being abandoned. So when we turned up, deciding to remodel, actually making the place functional wasn't the labour of ages, or icebox of misery, that it could have been. It still had a long way to go, but it was now clean, warm enough, and divided into small workstations for the combination of laboratory and Gate area. Truth be told the flat, solid, stone of the wall where the Rune Gate was going was the primary selling point as it was durable even before magical reinforcement rather than mere reliant on it.
Floor before it too, and they were cutting out a 'Door' space into said Wall and Floor where we could install a Door of Dwemer metal once it was etched with runes and enchanted. It...felt sort of good to have some functioning support right now, even if Phinis Gestor was not a nice person personally as best I could handle, and some quasi-permanent focus on the entry-point would be a help. Well, it would since I'd be one of those having a Key to open said Door, and it would *in-theory* serve as a bulwark against Aedric and Daedric influence when we attempted to Planeswalk. A nice, simple, albeit time-coming and also somewhat complicated, means of ensuring a Path between realms.
"Inspecting the protective wards again I see, somewhat overcautious perhaps?"
I sighed, standing back from my squatting position to turn and nod politely back to Archmage Aren "Perhaps I am, but better to err on that side than the other I find, especially with a more fixed magical creation and teleportation device such as this"
"Indeed" though it sounded as much a question as any true statement of agreement with my words "Progress has been swift I see?"
"Yes Archmage, the etchings are completed and now we merely pour in the metalwork and install the door so we can begin the incantation progress" I answered politely, and it was good the progress was being made and the spell could be activated sooner rather than later. Things had...changed towards us...me...here in the College amongst all the strangers since I'd dealt with, the now departed, Ancano and his guards. Hardly ideal when I'd hoped for low-key trading and now rumours had spread to Winterhold, to haters of Thalmor, and this had made drinking in the Frozen Hearth prone to toasts and other tiresomeness since.
"Excellent, as you have been discussing the situation with Phinis..." and wasn't that misery at times "...and I would ask you to bring a greater understanding of what could await on the other side of this door once you have passed through it"
I nodded politely, seeing where the College's Master of Destruction magicka stood idling at the entrance to workshop, arms folded across her chest as she rested against the doorframe "Of course, though I plan to get something of eat now if she does not mind"
The old Dunmer Archmage waved it off, waving past me to inspect the basic lattice "There appears to be no difficulty with that, food and mead are freely available at her discretion"
'I may warn Kara and Quinn then that wining and dining is a strategy it seems' I thought showing none of them merely smiling and nodding before stroll over to where the Altmer mage awaited. It'd been something I'd be expecting, though in a more formal manner, now that we'd spent days going through establishing the room and Rune Gate. J'zargo had been the most questioning in fact, Breylna having avoided us for a few days after the events and getting all shy around me again as I was a noble or something outranking her, while Onmund had remained quiet on the subject.
'Even better I'll get them to come with' I thought noticing the fidgeting form of Breylna behind Faralda with Onmund's and J'zargo's voices drifting in behind her "Greetings Master Faralda, it seems you are to rescue me from all this work?"
The elf gave an amused snort at that straightening up and shooing away the apprentices behind "Heh, yes it would be so with our Conjuration's Master wouldn't it? I bring the offer of food and drink, on the College's coppers at that"
"Ah, well I shan't turn that down, though best I gather my friends as we've matters to discuss over that food and drink I'm told?"
"Feeling outnumbered perhaps?" the Altmer woman chuckled back shrugging "But, yes, it would be best I suppose to gather up our brave band of adventurers to know what's on the other side. You've mentioned it to Phinis, but...I would prefer my own questions in a less formal manner"
"Of course, of course..." I replied as we engaged in small talk while coming up into the College proper as J'zargo and Onmund chattered away behind us. Or more accurately J'zargo chattered away and Onmund interjected a few words as we got to my room with Kara and Quinn and managed to drag them, well Quinn, away from his books. Kara was apparently only too happy to at the thought of heading out to the tavern and 'having a girl talk' with Breylna.
She and Quinn worked well together, once you got her to drop the 'dumb farm girl' fakeness anyway, but, well, Quinn wasn't really a 'people person' outside of technical things and areas of interest. So, after throwing a heavy cloak around my shoulders, we moved out into the cold, clear, and darkening evening sky and over the walkway towards Winterhold proper. Probably for the best, even if it was cold as ever crossing that bridge and the townsfolk shuffling about weren't overly friendly, though they never really were not all that fond of the mages.
Unsurprising really, but it didn't matter overmuch to me as I moved the cloak around me as the wind snapped at us as booted feet crunch over the snow covered ground. We'd all fallen silent at that, everyone focused on making it to the tavern, and its warmth, as quickly as possible without falling on our asses due to slipping on frozen earth or stone. Thankfully we made it to our destination quickly enough, and I let out a contented sigh as the heat of the blacking hearth blasted into my face as we came in the door and headed to a quiet area of the tavern.
"Ale, gimme Ale and cooked meat of some sort" was the extent of my order as we sat, mead had never been my favourite honestly, and I sighed, taking a solid slug of the bottle once it arrived before glancing at Faralda "So, you've questions?"
"Yes, J'zargo have..."
Faralda merely gave a glare at the Khajit student, who fell silent, before nodding to me "Oh, indeed, since I've to keep you all alive on this little excursion. I want to know what we'll see on the other side, beyond the basics of it's another plane of existence, and that we have to traverse various other planes potentially to get there. It is what lives there, Mer, Men, Daedra, whatever, that I wish to know of? Will many try to kill us on sight, what magicka is required, your warnings of magic not working on some planes to point to one concern, the Prince ruling this realm of Sigil being another"
Quinn nodded "Yeah, Sigil's strange, but all this is strange, my world wasn't like here either. So, don't freak out if things are really strange!"
I nodded at Quinn as I leaned over and took some bread, cheese, and cooked boar from the platter placed on the table before us "Yeah, in basic terms what Quinn just said. See, it's gonna be really hard to predict what response we get day to day. Some folk will hate humans, some will hate elves, etc, etc. Nor is it necessarily easy to judge whose a threat and whose not, I've an idea, but that you have to watch as that barechested idiot you meet could just be an idiot, or could be magic-immune, or from a race that's impervious to various types of physical or other harm. Oh, and DO NOT try to steal, especially in Lawful areas as several areas response to crimes, all crimes, is Death because those enforcing them are physically and mentally incapable of understanding the concept of mercy, or I'm sorry"
Glancing at Kara, again, to remind her there were Kyrptonian-like species out there, and that bad things happen where we were going, then back at the rest of the table I sighed "Also, look, you are going to encounter things that offend you on a moral level. Slavery for one being legal in parts, or very, very, evil creatures wandering about trading souls, or equivalent;- especially in the worst parts of the place. Don't get involved, you don't know what might be happening, nor if it's a trap, or you risking getting arrested for causing trouble in certain areas. Basically you're going to encounter people and things you will violently want to murder because they are awful, resist that urge"
"Noted" Faralda replied drinking wine and looking thoughtful "Like Morrowind then? Sorry Breylna, now, as to Mer and Men, reasoning for hatred?"
I shrugged as the Dunmer girl looked a mix of offended and embarrassed "Depends on the crowd you encounter, suffice it to say elves, Mer, have a tendency to be...well, the Thalmor are merely a variation on what some of us see in a number of Elven civilization. Not all, not by far, as there are some who are enslaved, or downtrodden, but many take offence at them and clash because of that...and just to say, the Dunmer are a friendly, open, society by the framework of a very similar looking subrace called the Drow. Who tend to be rather treacherous and evil by the standards of most species...so don't be offended Breylna if you get unhappy looks"
"Humans..." I snorted "...can have a similar issue where they get on top, though it's more we tend to be spread out in many, many, realms. In some they are a powerful genocidal empire crushing all its percieved enemies, in others it's fighting elves or some others who are trying to kill them, and then there are similar worlds where its humans and elves being friends and warring on everyone else. Ours..."
I gestured at me, Quinn, and Kara "...were largely human only worlds, natural human ones, all pretty close in terms of technology but significant variations in the history and magic. Mine and Kara's had decently strong magic for one, while Quinn's was magically inert..."
Kara was a real danger for trying to play here, but J'zargo was a problem if got all kelpto, and it just took one 'DROW!' hatred person to rile up against Breylna to cause trouble. Right now my Kryptonian travelling companion was in good cheer though, probably as we were making efforts forward...and that she'd drank a bottle of mead already. If I could taper down on the worst problems we could travel to the Outlands, or nearby, and then on to Quinn's Earth and collect {loot} more gold and other materials to trade after we'd left behind the advanced electronics from 2091 California...
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