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Thread: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

  1. #41
    Swaeft's Avatar Drama King
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    Default Re: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

    Character List


    Gared Macer - An Adept pledged to the Mages' Hall, currently on a quest to discover the location of the lost Wellspring. Current ranks and titles held - Adept in the Mages' Hall, former Praefect in the Imperial Legion, Rogue in the Thieves' Guild, Warrior in The Companions

    Legate Rikke - General Tullius' Chief Advisor

    Legionnaire Alwyn - Friend of Gared Macer, Praefect of the 85th Detachment

    Legionnaire Hadvar - Friend of Gared Macer, Legionnaire in the 85th Detachment




    Chapter IX: Mzulft
    Gared Macer

    Turdas | 20th of Last Seed | The Ruins of Mzulft


    As I approached the hooded figure, I had a sinking feeling that the person was deceased. To a Restoration Adept such as myself, his body emanated no detectable signs of life, and this was confirmed upon further physical examination.

    The man carried no possessions on him, save for some still fresh foodstuff which I added to my own stock. He has not been out here for long. The body of the deceased offered no further discernible clues, so I left it lying there as a warning to others hoping to venture this way, and headed deeper into the ancient ruins.

    As I descended further underground, I reflected on all the tales my father had told me about these dwarven ruins and found them to be mostly true. Mzulft was a massive network of underground caverns and tunnels. If not for the fact that there could be who-knows-what lurking around every corner or dangerous, atavistic traps lying dormant and waiting to ensnare their prey, I would have stopped every now and then to take in both the wondrous natural and man-made architectures.


    Instead, I regrettably took care to never linger in one place for too long, making quick observations and then swiftly moving on. The shadowy ruins were dark and foreboding, and despite my best efforts, elicited feelings of nervousness and fear from me. My childish fears of the dark and the unknown were preying upon my mind, haunting me with every step I took and every sound I heard. Beads of sweat constantly dripped off my brow, and more than once I considered dousing my lantern in order not to attract any unwanted attention from whatever denizens inhabited this subterranean underworld. In the end however, I decided that it would be more beneficial to see whatever was coming my way since I would be totally blind without the light of my lantern.

    Despite attempting to block out most of the surroundings, the ruins still managed to capture some of my attention, and I could not help but notice the storied remnants of an ancient and powerful civilisation. These echoes of the past were not too unfamiliar to me – primeval, shrivelled trees seeming to be almost as old as time itself, well-built, stocky walls holding up the twisting caves, and superannuated icons of Dwemer characters I knew nothing about. As my eyes flitted from side to side, watching for any suspicious movements or anything out of place, I could not help but wonder if our civilisation would one day suffer the same fate – to be eradicated and forgotten, thousands of years of life relegated to a footnote in a historical tome and whatever else was left buried underneath the ground.

    The Thalmor would certainly not be averse to such a fate befalling us. All the more reason to find this Wellspring.

    My first priority was mapping out these infernal underground passageways. I had brought a hefty amount of parchment with me, and as I ventured into the various tunnels, I scrawled rough drawings onto the pieces of parchment, which acted as a makeshift map. These would not tell me where to go – I had to discover that on my own, but it would tell me where I had already been and were crucial in preventing me from wasting precious time exploring someplace I had already been to before. I had no way to tell the time so far beneath the surface, but it must have been hours before I finally got my bearings.

    My ancestors must have been smiling down on me, for in the midst of my search I discovered a small camp with bedrolls and another dead mage. Unlike the previous corpse, this one had one thing of use – a more detailed map of the immediate area with a large circle around what appeared to be a room of some sort.


    That saved me a lot of time, and as I left the camp I muttered a small prayer of thanks. Instead of wandering around aimlessly and mapping out what could well take weeks to complete, I decided to make the trek to this ‘room’, taking the occasional break whenever necessary. Mzulft was huge, and I did not want myself to be exhausted physically or mentally in case I had to defend myself. So far, the going had been unnaturally peaceful, with no altercations or signs of life.

    As I proceeded further, I soon came across the reason why this was so. Groups of corpses were lying all around the tunnels that I was now exploring – bodies garbed in the hooded robes similar to the two corpses I had encountered before, as well as more sinister looking, slimy, pale bodies that resembled what my father had told me were ‘Falmer’ very closely. The mage bodies all had stab or cut wounds from the vicious weapons lying on the floor, and most of the Falmer corpses were charred by fire. As the body count increased the closer I got to the room circled on the map, I reflected on how lucky I was not to be here when the fighting had erupted. It certainly did seem like a monumental battle had taken place here – a battle that few would ever know about.

    As I pressed on, the natural tunnels and passageways gradually gave way to Dwemer-made structures and machinery. Monstrous circular pipes encased in what appeared to be gold or moonstone snaked around the hallways that I now stepped foot in, and gates and grates of a similar colour dotted the new landscape just as frequently. The floor was now solid metal instead of loose gravel, which was one thing I was thankful for. The chances of dying in a cave-in, although not entirely gone, were now appreciably lower. I would have hated to go out that way.

    As I rounded a corner, something that I had been preparing for this entire time finally happened. A tiny speck of black emerged from the shadows and pounced in my direction, almost catching me off guard. I sent a shower of ice its way, slowing it down, and finished the thing off with two hacks of my sword.


    It was an easier fight than I had expected, and after I calmed my frayed nerves, curiosity got the better of me and I knelt down to examine this mysterious construct. It appeared to be mechanical in nature and was functioning perfectly well – that is, until I cleaved it in two. The Dwemer built stuff that could last for thousands of years…no mean feat. If only they weren’t actively trying to kill me.

    No delays. I pressed on, albeit at a slower pace, since this appeared to be the road less travelled and more of these mechanical things could be lurking in the shadows. Sure enough, I happened across a few more and dispatched them as quickly as I could. The gloomy environment was a double edged sword – my enemies could be lying in wait in those patches of black, but I could just as easily slink into the shadows and observe the vicinity. Twice I watched a mechanical construct amble by, oblivious to my presence, its legs clacking away menacingly on the metallic slabs.

    Unfortunately, there were some enemies from which I could not simply hide from. The ‘Falmer’ seemed to have a very keen sense of smell, which they had probably honed for years after becoming blind. Retreating from such a fight was not an option, as they would eventually track me down. My heart raced whenever I stumbled across one, for it meant with certainty that a violent and terrible end was about to end one of our lives.

    The Falmer were good with their weapons, but as the inhabitants of Skyrim learned since time immemorial, magic was always going to beat weapons in a straight fight. And even in this tenebrous, murky underworld, that principle of combat held true. The Falmer came at me with bow and arrow, sword and shield, teeth and claws, and in staggering numbers.


    My father had trained me well, and I was not called an adept mage of the Mages’ Hall for nothing. I repulsed wave after wave of those creatures, using the terrain to my advantage, and always making sure to down my herbal brews and restorative potions after each fight.

    That was not to say that I came out of combat unscathed, though. It took a significant amount of time before the effects of healing potions and magical salves could be acutely felt – I could not repeatedly engage the Falmer in a long, drawn out battle. I had to pick my fights, and with so many of them crawling around, that was not an easy thing to do. The lighting was a problem as well – with the area so ill-lit, every fireball threw or healing spell I conjured would brilliantly illuminate the surroundings in a flash, and just as quickly, they would disappear, creating constant jarring images for me to look at and occasionally even disorienting me. Already the fused-in protective wards had saved my life on more than one occasion, and I took extra care to ensure that they regenerated before pushing on.

    Progress was painfully slow, and I could not shake the troubling thought that perhaps the mages had already found the Wellspring ahead of me. Who were they? How did they know of the Wellspring? A myriad of questions swarmed my mind, but I paid them no heed, for I could not afford to be distracted in this hostile environment where even a single slip up could prove fatal.

    This single minded goal dominated my thinking for hours, and as the gritty conflict wore on, I became even more convinced that this was some sort of hellish purgatory meant to test my will to find the Wellspring. The maze of hallways became a brutal fighting arena, and in a heightened state of bloodlust and frenzied combat, I banished every other thought from my mind except the demise of my opponents.

    My left hand conjured up blasts of ice and fire, freezing and then melting my adversaries, whilst my right hand did a merciless dance of death with my sword, slashing enemies open and puncturing their vital organs. Falmer blood caked the unarmoured portions of my arms, and I smelled like I had been living in filth and hadn’t showered for weeks.

    Each new area I came across threw a new challenge in my face. One portion of the Dwemer chamber was completely overrun by bluish egg sacs that were guarded by these towering monstrosities words could not even begin to describe. They had gigantic pincers that could do unspeakable things to your head, and an armoured body that seemed to resist the copious amounts of spells thrown at it. Against these fiendish beasts I had to get up close and personal, and it was during these desperate times that I thanked the Companions and my father for training me up to a high standard of proficiency in swordplay. I would definitely not have survived here with magic alone, and the bodies of the fallen mages were perhaps a damning testament to that.


    After holding off one of those pincers and impaling the vulnerable underbelly of the beast with a well-placed ice spike, I staggered out of the egg-infested zone and slumped to the ground, exhausted and drenched in a combination of sweat and blood.

    How much further?

    I consulted the map, my bloodstained hands trembling and splattering mud all over the parchment. Grunting in pain, I stabbed my sword into the ground and used the pommel to prop myself up.

    One final push.




    Author's Note

    Well, it has been a while, so I'm glad to present the next chapter! In one of the photos you will see the first non-vanilla magic spell, an ice beam Took longer than I expected but combat is heating up! No Gared's travels this chapter, since he's in the (relatively) same place.

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  2. #42
    Turkafinwë's Avatar The Sick Baby Jester
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    Default Re: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

    It was worth the wait Swaeft! This is really a good chapter. The eerie and unnerving atmosphere of a Dwemer ruin is depicted perfectly here as well as the descriptions of combat are superb. So many great screenshots I can't decide which one is my favourite.

    Really well done!

  3. #43
    Alwyn's Avatar Frothy Goodness
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    Default Re: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

    An adept mage is formidable in battle, and your writing and screenshots convey the action brillantly. The speculation about his civilisation falling into ruin, like the remains of the civilisation he's walking through, adds to the impact of the chapter.

  4. #44
    Swaeft's Avatar Drama King
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    Default Re: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

    Thank you guys! Been trying to figure out how to deal with the reply with quote issue but for now I guess this will suffice.

    @Turkafinwe Glad to hear it! By the way *grows a really thick layer of skin* it's okay you can just say you love them all HAHA

    @Alwyn Also glad to hear this! Hopefully the same fate doesn't befall them...

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  5. #45
    Swaeft's Avatar Drama King
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    Default Re: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

    With the resumption of image hosting and formatting returning somewhat to normal (my windows 7 pc probably has a few more kinks to work out) I aim to get a chapter up this weekend.

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  6. #46
    Swaeft's Avatar Drama King
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    Default Re: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

    Character List


    Gared Macer - An Adept pledged to the Mages' Hall, currently on a quest to discover the location of the lost Wellspring. Current ranks and titles held - Adept in the Mages' Hall, former Praefect in the Imperial Legion, Rogue in the Thieves' Guild, Warrior in The Companions

    Legate Rikke - General Tullius' Chief Advisor

    Legionnaire Alwyn - Friend of Gared Macer, Praefect of the 85th Detachment

    Legionnaire Hadvar - Friend of Gared Macer, Legionnaire in the 85th Detachment




    Chapter X: Dwemer Made
    Gared Macer

    Turdas | 20th of Last Seed | The Ruins of Mzulft

    I limped with some difficulty towards the room marked on the map, cursing the entire way. Occasionally the thought of abandoning this fool’s errand entirely and escape with my life crossed my mind, but the allure of finishing this quest my ancestors had started hundreds of years ago and the notion that I was so close to the marked room spurred me on.

    As I made my way there, I realized that I had vastly underestimated the level of hostility inside this ancient ruin. I still had a few weeks’ worth of provisions, but my healing herbs and poultices were running out fast. I had envisioned the occasional conflict every now and then as I happened across a wandering Falmer or two, not this deadly battle for life and death every few minutes.

    I heaved a huge sigh of relief as I finally came across the door to the room marked on the map. Just to be sure, I checked the map once more before stuffing it in one of my pouches. Finally. My mind swirling with anticipation, I leaned onto the doors and pushed, sword at the ready.


    A wave of intense heat and dust immediately rushed to greet me, and I threw my arms up in surprise, trying in vain to shield myself from its effects. As my eyes stung and my nose itched, I desperately rummaged through my pouches for a remedy. Sweating profusely, I quickly grabbed a vial I could barely make out labelled as ‘Resist Fire’, a gulped down its contents. I crouched and covered my face as best I could and waited for the effects to kick in.

    It did not take long. Within seconds, the blistering heat ceased to bother me, and the irascible itch on my skin vanished. Who could have known Bone Meal would be so useful? My vision continued to be affected, but by keeping my head down and moving forwards slowly, I was able to follow the stone pathway and avoid any other unpleasant surprises.

    “Plinius?” A voice barked out from above me, and I instantly ceased all movement. “I told you not to use that entrance. This machine vents the heat there.”

    I stood stock still, frantically trying to decide what to do. “Hurry on up, the object’s moved again. This time to Falkreath. The Elder Council won’t be pleased when they hear of this.”

    Doubts started to enter my mind about this room being the location of the Wellspring, but I had no time to think my next action over, for there was a light buzzing sound and a man materialized out of thin air right in front of me, taking me completely by surprise.

    We raised both our hands at the same time, mine as a sign of surrender, and his as a defensive posture.

    “Who are you? What are you doing here?” The man spat out the questions in quick succession. “TELL ME!”

    “I mean you no harm,” I began, and I slowly sheathed my sword to prove my point. “I’m a mage, here to study magical artefacts.”

    Even as the words left my mouth I realized I had made a mistake. Lowering my weapon is pointless if I’m a mage. The man’s eyes widened and he furrowed his brows, keeping his hands pointed at me all the time.

    “You’re not an elf.” He looked me up and down. “Don't look like a Breton either. You with the College of Whispers?”

    “No.” I improvised, thinking on the spot as best as I could. “I’m a mercenary. I’ll tell you who I’m with if you do the same.”

    “This place is under the protection of The Synod, one of the only two magical bodies allowed to exist by the laws of the Elder Council.” The man slowly lowered his hands, but kept his eyes fixated on me. “So if you’re not with the College of Whispers, you’re practicing magic illegally and I should turn you in to the authorities.”

    Even as my heart sank, the man seemed to be wrestling with some sort of dilemma, and shortly after he said something that rekindled my hope of leaving this place mostly unscathed. “Unless…you mentioned that you study magical artefacts?”


    Now it was my turn to hesitate. The hunt for the Wellspring was a closely guarded secret of my order and I wasn’t going to drop any hints about its location so easily. And yet… “That’s right. I specialize in artefacts imbued with arcane powers.”

    The robed man considered this for a moment, then motioned for me to follow him. As we ascended a long curving ramp, he glanced at me again. “That armor looks sturdy. Is that your blood?”

    I let out a soft sigh. “Some of it is. But it’s mainly Charus and Falmer blood.”

    The mage from the Synod snorted. “That explains the discoloration. You have my thanks for ridding this place of some of them. Those murderous insects have plagued my people since we got here.”

    “Your people?” I dared to ask. The robed man nodded gravely. “We have lost a few mages here in the past day or two, but many more of us remain, so like I said, don’t try anything or I guarantee you’ll lose your life, mage or no.”

    As I murmured my agreement, I whispered a few words and silently let loose two spells unnoticeable to anyone but the caster. “Did you happen to see any other people on your way in?” The robed man probed. I was careful in my reply, but also made sure it was fast enough so as to not arouse suspicion. “A few dead mages, as you have said, but no one living, unfortunately.”

    The man bristled at my reply, but otherwise said nothing and simply grimaced. As we continued up the ramp in silence, I allowed myself a small smile as the results of my ‘Detect Life’ and ‘Detect Dead’ spells came back. The man lied to me. There is no one else here. That is good. It means he is afraid of me. But it also means he is duplicitous.

    “Here we are. Ever seen one of these before?”

    Whatever reply I was about to give was sucked away from me as we reached the end of the winding ramp and I was greeted by a magnificent sight that I had never expected to see. I stopped in my tracks and took a moment to marvel at the ingenuity of the construction and the beauty of the lights.


    The robed man gestured towards the giant apparatus. “Some sort of magical energy is emanating from the inside, and from what we know, it’s meant as a waypoint, to direct whoever used it to large sources of magical energy here in Skyrim.”

    Hope surged within me. The Wellspring has to be on it! It’s the largest source of magical energy known to us.

    “Exasperatingly and much to our displeasure, it has only showed us the location of one object which is constantly on the move. Without the means of instant communication, it is exceedingly frustrating to keep dispatching men to a particular location on this map and have them return empty handed, only to redirect them to somewhere else. This is contrary to all that we know – we have no knowledge of any magical entity with that much power moving around Skyrim of its own accord. So here’s what I need you to do. Have a look at the machine and tell me if it’s malfunctioning. If it isn’t, I need you to look at the map and tell me everything you know about magical entities in Skyrim.”

    I looked at the man, who was now gazing at me expectantly with his arms folded. “That’s a big ask.” I stated. The man frowned. “I wouldn’t have shown you this otherwise. Now are you going to help me or not?”

    “Sure.” I improvised again. “But I will need to look at the map first. Where has this object been moving around?”

    The mage stared at me suspiciously, before replying slowly. “It’s been flitting between Falkreath, Riften and the very South of Whiterun Hold.”

    I stared at the shimmering map being projected onto the walls. The object was marked out in a bright light, and was currently a small dot in the middle of Falkreath.


    I made a show of examining the map carefully, all the while thinking of how I was going to extricate myself from this situation. This is bad. The Wellspring is immobile. The trip here seems to be a bust. I almost let my petulance and anger show, but caught myself just in time.

    I stalked over to the machine and started to run my hands over it, once again in a false show of examining something I had no knowledge of. But this has to be it! Why else would High King Logrolf engrave the location of this place onto the crown? Could someone be shifting the Wellspring around?

    The mage followed silently, observing every step I took and every action I did. I peered at the ceiling, where a few of the apparatus that functioned like mirrors were directing the magical energy onto the wall where the map was being projected. “This machine was definitely built by the Dwemer.” I blabbered, feeling the need to say something. “The flow of magical energy seems to be synchronized correctly, otherwise that projection on the wall wouldn’t exist.”

    I ran my hands over the other side of the machine. “As far as I can tell, this machine is working as intended, and there is nothing wrong with it. I think the best course of action now is to head to Falkreath,”

    Amidst the constant humming of the machine, I almost didn’t hear the sound of flames sizzling in the air as a bolt of fire soared towards me. I had enough time to react, but not enough time to cast a ward spell. The intense heat of the fire would have melted my skin and left nothing of me but my bones if it wasn’t for the arcane protections on my armour.

    If the mage was surprised that I survived his sneak attack, he certainly didn’t show it. “You impudent bastard,” he spat, “you know nothing about this machine. It wasn’t even built by the Dwemer. The Synod will not stand for the College of Whispers once again taking credit for our work.”

    My mind was whipped into a frenzy. I recalled with dread all of my father’s warnings about a magical duel ending in seconds. “Stop this madness!” I roared, equal amounts of trepidation and irritation in my voice. “I am not with the College of Whispers! I –”

    I shielded my eyes as a blinding flash of orange permeated the immediate vicinity. “You are either a terrible liar or a person who never should have come here,” the mage yelled, even as the menacing presence of a fire atronach made itself known to me. “If it’s any comfort, I was never going to let you leave here alive.”

    The air around us thrummed with magical energy as spirited bolts of lightning shot forth from the mage’s hands, whilst simultaneously the fire atronach did a little dance of death and sent a withering blast of pure fire my way.


    But I was ready.

    Both spells dissipated harmlessly against my ward, but I had no time to even smirk. Life and death hung in the balance, and it was within these crucial seconds that the victor would be decided. Wasting no time, I flung a fireball of my own against the mage, but it careened harmlessly off his own ward. Instantly I received a flurry of lightning bolts in response, but I ducked out of the way and peppered him back with shards of ice as cold as any winter.

    The atronach sent a couple of firebolts my way, and I was forced to retreat and throw all my energies into keeping my ward up. I need to eliminate one of them quickly. The easiest way would be to kill off the mage, then the atronach would automatically vanish into the nothingness from which it came, but that was almost impossible given that the atronach was the aggressive one here.

    I sent a hail of ice towards the atronach, but with amazing speed and agility it weaved out of the way, and almost instantaneously its own reply was forthcoming. I grunted in frustration as I felt some of my pouches being singed by the heat of the blast.

    Seeing no other alternative, I muttered a quick prayer and wrapped myself in a cloak of ice before lunging at the fire atronach. It was an old trick I’d seen Masters of the Mage’s Hall perform, but I’d never done it the middle of combat. The heat around the atronach was immense, but as it was a summoned creature and shared its energies with its creator, my ice cloak was able to overpower it and it roared in agony before disappearing in a blast of hot air.

    I stood up as fast as I could, fully expecting another bolt of lightning to head my way, but the chamber, aside from the low hum of the machine, was eerily silent.

    My adversary had vanished.




    Author's Note

    Well, it has been a while again, almost a month since the last update! Here's to hoping I can get back to uploading on a more regular basis again

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  7. #47
    Alwyn's Avatar Frothy Goodness
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    Default Re: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

    I enjoyed Gared's improvisation and the hints about the mysterious mobile source of magical energy. Gared's dilemma (about who to attack) in the fight is very relatable!

  8. #48
    Turkafinwë's Avatar The Sick Baby Jester
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    I have to agree with Alwyn, Gared's talent for improvisation was very amusing. I really like Gared's unconventional way of using magic to fight, surely a sign of a great mage. The largest barrier for a mage is the restriction laid upon them by "the way of doing things". The natural order of things and how things should be done because we've always done them that way, has always been the largest barrier to breakthroughs. It is only when we open our minds and look beyond the starring view, we can truly develop our potential.

    Great screenshots, as always, my favourites being the very first and very last. A good update all round!

  9. #49
    Swaeft's Avatar Drama King
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    Default Re: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

    Quote Originally Posted by Alwyn View Post
    I enjoyed Gared's improvisation and the hints about the mysterious mobile source of magical energy. Gared's dilemma (about who to attack) in the fight is very relatable!
    Thanks Alwyn! It's still relatable even now as I tackle the next part of the quest

    Quote Originally Posted by Turkafinwë View Post
    I have to agree with Alwyn, Gared's talent for improvisation was very amusing. I really like Gared's unconventional way of using magic to fight, surely a sign of a great mage. The largest barrier for a mage is the restriction laid upon them by "the way of doing things". The natural order of things and how things should be done because we've always done them that way, has always been the largest barrier to breakthroughs. It is only when we open our minds and look beyond the starring view, we can truly develop our potential.

    Great screenshots, as always, my favourites being the very first and very last. A good update all round!
    Thanks Turk! I initially wanted a standard magic duel, but I thought 'hey, there's so many out there already, might as well try something different'. Glad you liked it! I'm also excited to write about a spellsword kind of playstyle rather than just a pure mage. But I will be playing within the bounds of Skyrim magic except in very rare cases, since I want to have some realism and not have magic solve every single problem. For example, you can cast an ice cloak around yourself and move in to melee someone in Skyrim, the ice cloak will give them damage over time.

    Thanks for the compliments about the screenshots too, my personal favorite for this chapter is the last one

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  10. #50
    Swaeft's Avatar Drama King
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    Default Re: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

    Character List


    Gared Macer - An Adept pledged to the Mages' Hall, currently on a quest to discover the location of the lost Wellspring. Current ranks and titles held - Adept in the Mages' Hall, former Praefect in the Imperial Legion, Rogue in the Thieves' Guild, Warrior in The Companions

    Legate Rikke - General Tullius' Chief Advisor

    Legionnaire Alwyn - Friend of Gared Macer, Praefect of the 85th Detachment

    Legionnaire Hadvar - Friend of Gared Macer, Legionnaire in the 85th Detachment




    Chapter XI: A Glimmer of Hope
    Gared Macer

    Fredas | 21st of Last Seed | The Ruins of Mzulft

    I felt like a ghoul clawing its way back to life.

    I’d only been below the surface for two days, but I was never happier to feel the familiar blast of chilly air in Eastmarch as I exited the ruins of Mzulft. As I gulped down copious amounts of fresh air, I noticed that Aeonbarr was nowhere to be found. I had just enough energy left to whistle for him before sinking to my knees, too tired to even sit down properly.

    That cursed mage of the Synod had done something to the machinery inside Mzulft. After he had disappeared, I couldn’t get it to work anymore. All I had to go on was that tiny speck in the forests North of Falkreath, which I had crudely drawn a likeness of the area onto a piece of parchment. All that remained for me was to get there in time, before it somehow decided to move on its own again.

    Yet my gut told me this was not it. The Wellspring could not move on its own, and it had demanded the lives of many people to even shift it from the Arcane University in Cyrodiil to…wherever it was now. And yet the mage from the Synod had let slip that it had been flitting around between the Southern parts of Skyrim. I grabbed a fistful of snow and groaned. How long more will this take? How long more must I suff –

    Upon hearing the rustling of leaves and the cracking of dead wood, I rose to my feet, sword in hand, and almost immediately I sighed in relief, for it was not some random interloper wandering the area but Aeonbarr plodding slowly through the thick snow.

    “I’ve missed you, boy.” I mumbled, stroking his mane and patting him gently. As observant as ever, Aeonbarr knelt before me, perhaps knowing that I was too exhausted to properly mount him. That move elicited a grateful smile from me, and as I clambered on somewhat haphazardly, I whispered, “you’re a treasure, you know that?”

    As perceptive and intelligent as he was, I couldn’t just say the name of a location and expect Aeonbarr to get there all by himself. Long stretches of main roads were alright, but add the numerous side paths and winding, narrow roads of Skyrim to the mix and he would be just as confused as any horse without proper direction. As such, I willed myself to stay awake, occasionally tugging on the reins as necessary and sometimes even making a mistake or two, forcing Aeonbarr to double back, costing me valuable time. I don’t know why I didn’t stop to rest, instead pressing on when I was clearly very lethargic.

    I grew drowsier as the hours passed, and when we finally reached Dead Man’s Drink, the biggest inn in Falkreath, I couldn’t stop myself from chuckling, for my exertions and the long journey had turned into something of a shambling corpse. I staggered to the counter, barely managing to keep my eyes open.

    “Rhuum fer wan.” I drawled, then slapped ten Septims onto the counter, ignoring the curious look the innkeep was giving me.

    “Fer mah horsss.” I added ten more Septims, stumbled towards a room and promptly lay down onto the bed.

    “Hey, that’s not your room!” A very faint voice tried to worm its way into my mind, but I was already falling asleep…

    **

    Loredas | 22nd of Last Seed | Dead Man's Drink, Falkreath

    The snug fur coverings and the warmth of the candles almost lulled me back into a deep slumber, but remembering why I was here, I rose with some urgency. By the Eight, I slept in my armour. I must have been absolutely worn out.

    I opened the room door and walked into the main hall, where a decent sized fire was crackling. It was still early in the morning, and no one else was around but the innkeep. I stifled a yawn and stretched, then noticed the innkeep beckoning me over.

    “Hey, you speak our tongue?”

    I paused before realizing what he was asking. “Yes, I do. Why would you ask me that?”

    “I dunno, after yesterday’s display I thought you were some foreigner.”

    I paused again, this time for a while longer, before breaking out into merriment. “Apologies, sir, I was not myself. Did I sleep in someone else’s room?”

    “Clearly.” The innkeep guffawed, then extended his hand. “And you did, but that’s fine, he took the room next door with a better bed. Hah! How long will you be staying?”

    One firm handshake later, I informed the innkeep of my intention to depart as soon as possible. “Anything out of the ordinary happening around here lately?”

    The innkeep smiled and clasped his hands together, seeming pleased with himself for some reason, as if he had been rehearsing for that line of inquiry. “In a rush, eh? Well, don’t let me stop you. Just be careful of the forests North of here, ‘specially the areas ‘round Hunter’s Rest. Guardsmen and travellers have been reporting dead Thalmor lying around in those forests, and possible rogue mage sightings.”

    Rogue mage sightings? Could this be…? “I’d steer clear of them woods if I were you. Anything and everything related to the Thalmor are cursed.”

    “Thanks for the advice.” I slid him a few extra coins for some bread. “Could you mark the location of Hunter’s Rest on my map? I’m not familiar with the area.”

    “What?” A startled gasp escaped from the innkeep’s mouth.

    “It’s so I know exactly where I shouldn’t be going.”

    The innkeep didn’t notice the faint smile playing at my lips. “Ahh, yes, of course, your map, sir?”

    I wolfed down the bread, which was pretty average, then exited the inn after taking back my map. A minute later, I returned to give the friendly innkeep some more Septims when I realized that he had bathed Aeonbarr and cleaned the rust off of his horseshoes. With one hand on the reins and a map in the other, I set off to hopefully discover the whereabouts of what I assumed to be a group of loyalist mages from the Mages Guild.

    It wasn’t as cold in Falkreath as it was in The Rift or Eastmarch, due to the strong southerly winds blowing Whiterun Hold’s warm breezes down here. The roads here were flatter and more well-trodden, so travelling was a tad bit easier, and Aeonbarr covered more ground than he would have in the snowy peaks of Eastmarch. I was headed straight for Hunter’s Rest, and Aeonbarr got me there in under an hour.


    The two hunters still there spoke of bodies of slain Thalmor soldiers, but would not escort me to them no matter how much money I offered. Instead, they gave me some vague directions and sent me on my way, so it took me an additional half hour to find the location of one of those battle sites.

    I jumped off Aeonbarr as soon as I spotted the corpses gleaming in the snow. Regardless of my opinion of those Thalmor, their smiths do very good work. Their shiny elven armour, though partially covered in blood and occasionally punctured or blown apart, made them easy to locate.

    I knelt and examined the bodies, as I had done so many times before with the enemies my father had dispatched. No weapon wounds. Many scorch marks, perhaps from a bolt of lightning, or more likely a small fireball. Burn marks on the ground, and...dried blood of a dark red color. This couldn’t have been done more than two days ago.



    I was initially surprised that the bodies were still here, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. None of the locals have any love for the Thalmor, and probably none of the guardsmen too. Assuming no Thalmor made it out of here alive, Thalmor High Command probably don’t even know of their deaths yet. But I couldn’t count on that. Eventually someone would discovered that patrols or groups of soldiers were missing, and then a more extensive investigation would happen. The dastardly Thalmor were nothing if not meticulous.

    I saddled up and spent the next few hours scouring the area, meeting only a few travellers, and even one wandering storyteller who spoke of marvellous paintings he had crafted by hand. Most strikingly, there were no guardsmen patrolling this area. Probably instructed to steer clear of this place. I guess not even the Jarl of Falkreath wants to deal with this.

    I happened across a two more battle sites, all with slain Thalmor soldiers, until I finally chanced upon one near a place called ‘Evergreen grove’. It didn’t appear any different from the rest, but uponc loser inspection I realized there was one big difference…the blood on the corpses were of a light red colour…this is fresh blood, probably from an hour ago, or even less.

    My heart beat a little faster as I realized the mages I sought might be nearby. I scanned the immediate vicinity, even casting my Detect Life spells, but that excitement quickly wore off when those spells came back with nothing.

    I searched a radius of roughly five hundred metres from the battle, pausing every five minutes or so to cast more Detect Life spells, but the result was always the same. Frustrated, and with the Sun about to set, I took a chance and shouted into the sky.

    “I WOULD SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE WHO DID THIS!”

    A few startled birds scattered into the winds from their nests in nearby trees, but other than that nothing else could be heard.

    “PLEASE!” I tried once more. “I HAVE COME VERY FAR, AND I ONLY WISH TO TALK!”

    Yet again no reply was forthcoming. I waited for a few minutes, but there was only the sound of Aeonbarr’s soft whinnying.

    At this point my frustration boiled over into anger. My father used to say it was a cruel thing, to give a man a glimmer of hope and then take it away almost immediately, and now I knew what he was talking about.

    It was a foolish thing to do, perhaps even downright stupid, but I was so busy seeing red I didn’t much care. Desperate and feeling hope slipping away, I unleashed a torrent of flames into the sky, watching all my pent up exasperation and rage be channeled into one of the brightest fires I’d ever created.



    A few leaves that had been burnt to a crisp crumbled to the ground. Even Aeonbarr seemed a little terrified.

    But I did not care. “I WILL REMAIN HERE UNTIL YOU DECIDE TO SPEAK TO ME!” I yelled at the forest, seething in anger as my voice dissipated into the nothingness.

    I set up camp as the darkness encroached upon the last slivers of daylight. I watched and waited as the sky grew darker and darker until the moon remained the only source of light. I watched and waited as the foxes returned to their dens and the elk to their herds. I listened intently for anything out of the ordinary, casting my spells time and time again to determine if anyone was in the area, but they always came back negative.

    Grunting in disgust, I finally nodded off into a restless sleep after staying awake well past midnight.

    However, as it turns out, I was not permitted to slumber undisturbed. When I next opened my eyes, I was still half-asleep and my head was spinning, yet the image before me was unmistakably hostile.






    Author's Note

    The plot thickens! Is Gared going to throw everything away?

    Gared's travels this chapter, he made quite a lot of ground!
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Last edited by Swaeft; April 28, 2019 at 08:02 AM.

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  11. #51
    Turkafinwë's Avatar The Sick Baby Jester
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    Default Re: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

    Wow, really a great chapter! The encounter in the inn was well done from start to finish. You can really start feeling the desperation and stress rising in Gared in the way he interacts with the world.

    I particularly loved this section:
    Quote Originally Posted by Swaeft
    At this point my frustration boiled over into anger. My father used to say it was a cruel thing, to give a man a glimmer of hope and then take it away almost immediately, and now I knew what he was talking about.

    It was a foolish thing to do, perhaps even downright stupid, but I was so busy seeing red I didn’t much care. Desperate and feeling hope slipping away, I unleashed a torrent of flames into the sky, watching all my pent up exasperation and rage be channeled into one of the brightest fires I’d ever created.
    The last screenshot is really great, the blurry effect greatly adding to the immersion.

    Really well done Swaeft!

  12. #52
    Swaeft's Avatar Drama King
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    Default Re: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

    Many thanks, Turk! As always your feedback is top tier

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  13. #53
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    Character List


    Gared Macer - An Adept pledged to the Mages' Hall, currently on a quest to discover the location of the lost Wellspring. Current ranks and titles held - Adept in the Mages' Hall, former Praefect in the Imperial Legion, Rogue in the Thieves' Guild, Warrior in The Companions

    Legate Rikke - General Tullius' Chief Advisor

    Legionnaire Alwyn - Friend of Gared Macer, Praefect of the 85th Detachment

    Legionnaire Hadvar - Friend of Gared Macer, Legionnaire in the 85th Detachment




    Chapter XII: A Kindred Spirit
    Gared Macer

    Sundas | 23rd of Last Seed | Falkreath Hold


    As my eyes fluttered open, the first thing I felt was incredulity and relief that I wasn’t dead yet. The last thing I remembered was the dark figure clobbering me on the side of my head with his sword.

    Wincing in pain, I drew two sharp breaths and took stock of my surroundings. I was rather comfortably in a leather tent, lying on a rough but clean bedroll, a large lantern radiating some welcome warmth to my right. My boots and greaves were off, as well as my backpack, but to my immense relief they were all by my side.


    Everything seemed to be accounted for, but as I reached for my sword…

    “Don’t even try anything.” A female voice commanded, stopping me dead in my tracks. “Get dressed and come outside.”

    In an attempt to feign compliance, I did as I was told, whilst simultaneously drawing upon my reserves of magicka.

    To my horror, I couldn’t feel anything. The familiar well of power that resided within my mind was…gone. Dumbfounded, I tried repeatedly to draw upon that source of power, but it was all in vain.

    The tent flap whoosed as the figure I remembered seeing flicked it open. “Attempting some magic? How predictable.” The same female voice remarked. “Get out here. You’ve a lot of explaining to do.”

    Seeing no other alternative, I meekly followed her. “Please, what have you done to me? I’ve done nothing to you.”

    The surrounding was misty; a result of what I assumed was the thick morning fog rolling in from the nearby mountains, limiting visibility to a few metres. A subdued fire was crackling softly by the tent, but other than that there seemed to be nothing else of interest in the vicinity.

    Other than this mysterious individual, of course, who had a torch in her left hand, and her sword pointed at me with the other. “Your thoughtless, idiotic stunt with the flames could be seen from a great distance away. Who are you with? What do you want?”

    As dire and hostile as my current situation was, I could not help but notice how the exquisite sword managed to capture on its blade what little sunlight that managed to penetrate this layer of fog. It shimmered and gleamed beautifully, almost reminiscent of my own blade…

    The tip of the blade made the tiniest incision into my neck, and I felt the blood start to trickle out. “I…I’m with the Mage’s Hall. I am looking for the people who have been killing the Thalmor in this area…if this is still Falkreath.”

    A pause, then: “Why? Are you a Thalmor sympathizer?”

    “By the Eight, I’m not. And before you ask, I simply do not worship Talos as a God.”

    The pressure on my neck abated, but the tip of the sword remained pointed at my throat. “You’re not a Breton and most certainly not an Elf. You’re asking to get sent into a Thalmor dungeon casting spells around like that. Looking for trouble, then?”

    Her voice was steadier than her sword and betrayed no hint of inexperience. She must have done this many times before. “On the contrary,” I ventured, “I wish to speak to members of the Mage’s Hall. It was my hope that a splinter group of sorts resides here. Do you happen to be one, by any chance?”

    The woman’s eyebrows narrowed. A few seconds elapsed before her curt reply was forthcoming. “No. Now begone.”

    Common sense dictated that it would be unwise to antagonize someone as powerful as her, but I threw caution to the wind and pressed anyway. “But you must be. Your sword – I believe I carry its brother.”

    The woman shifted her stance and glowered at me menacingly, and although it was difficult to read her expression behind that mask and hood, her eyes clearly signalled that there was something else other than hostile intentions within her.

    “Perhaps. I noticed its make when I was going through your belongings. Where did you get it?”

    “It was passed on to me by my Master in the Mage’s Hall, as is the tradition for all our most valued members. What are you doing here? I have not been back to the Hall for almost a year, but I believe we have not dispatched anyone to this region of Skyrim.”

    The woman’s eyes widened, yet she kept her sword aimed at me and ignored my query. “And why are the more promising initiates given swords?”

    For I moment I feared I had forgotten the reason, but my father’s words echoed in my mind, clear as day. “To remind us that magic isn’t everything. The faster learners of the arcane are encouraged to take up some form of weaponry as well.”

    A slight hesitation, then: “Anyone can learn about that. You don’t have to be a member of the Hall to know that.” Her voice was laced with anger, and yet somehow I got the feeling that despite her ferocity, she seemed to want to believe me. “Who is your master?”

    A slight lump formed in my throat. “Alden Macer, head of the Restorationists. He was also…my father.”

    “So you claim you’re a Macer. They always had a talent for restoration. If I slice your leg open now, will –” then she stopped, and when she spoke again her voice had softened somewhat. “Was?”

    I nodded gravely. “He was killed weeks ago, by the Thalmor.”

    As the lump in my throat took root, the woman finally lowered her sword. “Bastards. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. I lost my Master too, and much more.” She sheathed her blade in one smooth motion, and it was only then I dared look her in the eye for more than a few seconds at a time, after mumbling my own condolences.


    A black face mask covered most of her facial features, but there was no hiding that she had lovely blue eyes, from which emanated a certain sadness, but also a hardness I could only imagine was brought about by experience. How ironic, that we seem to have more in common than I imagined. Her armor looked to be made of the rare and precious ebony, and seemed very well wrought, looking almost as sturdy as my own, which was no mean feat.

    Before she could open her mouth to admonish me for staring, I could no longer deny my own curiosity on an issue which she had forced itself to the forefront of my concerns.

    “My magicka. Did you drain it somehow?”

    “Yes, though I will not tell you how. Do not fear, you shall regain your abilities once we part ways. I am not so evil as to permanently remove the source of your power, I have only nullified it.”

    The gears in my mind turned slowly, but once they did, I exhaled sharply. Almost immediately, she looked mortified, as if she had said too much. “This…power.” I gasped, a spurt of hope threatening to overwhelm me. “Please, do you know the location of the Wellspring?”

    The woman looked as if I had just told her Talos was still alive. “What? The Wellspring is a myth. It –”

    “It is not. All of our research indicates that the power that should be radiating from the Wellspring is being nullified somehow. No one in Nirn knows how. You must have seen it!”

    “I really haven’t –”

    I went down on my knees, emotions swaying wildly. “Please. If you truly were from the Mage’s Hall, you’d know of my family’s vital role. Generations of my family have lived and died just to – DON’T WALK AWAY FROM ME!”

    The woman had simply turned away from me, but that was enough to send shockwaves of desperation running through my body. Surprised at my sudden ferocity, her hand instinctively flew to her sword’s pommel.

    The madness having come and gone, I raised my hands in a show of peace and took deep breaths, attempting to regain my composure. “Please. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

    “I’m sorry, I –”

    “Please. Anything you can tell me about the Wellspring –”

    “Will you LISTEN for a moment? I have no idea where it is.”

    The finality of her tone sent me reeling, and I slouched on my knees, my head hanging limply from my shoulders. No…not again. What cruel madness is this? The Eight are laughing at me. Unbeknownst even to myself, I starting sobbing uncontrollably before I could catch myself. I’m breaking down.

    Is this what it feels like when I visit you, mother? The hope that I would be finally done, that one day I would come and rest in your arms, only to have me rip myself away from you? Forgive me, mother…I have sinned terribly.

    I recovered shortly after, though it did take me a little longer than I thought it would. As I stole a glance at my would-be captor, I could see that she was visibly flustered, unsure as to how to handle this situation.

    “Look,” she said, “I wish I could help you, clearly this means more to you than I could ever imagine, but I really can’t. I’m only able to nullify your magic because of a necklace my Senior gave to me.”

    I removed my armored gloves and wiped away the last of the tears on my face. “Any chance I could speak to her?”

    The woman snorted. “I’m pretty sure she’d spare time for any member of the Hall if she could. She was that kind of woman. A no-nonsense, thorough instructor, but beneath that hard exterior she was a very compassionate teacher. In fact, knowing her, she’d gladly drop everything to help you out. But she can’t. Because she’s dead.”

    No…

    “I…have no words. How did she die?”

    “The same way your Master did.”

    She let that sink in for a while. “May I know her name, then? Perhaps I knew people who knew her. Anything helps.”

    The woman eyed me cautiously, then with a shrug of her shoulders, she remarked: “I guess it can’t hurt. Her name was Sonje. Ring any bells?”

    Now it was my turn to widen my eyes. “Senior Sonje…my father used to mention her in passing, when the powerful mage Gaius Van Nerol first disappeared from our Hall. She was his first apprentice, but then you probably already knew that.”

    The woman inclined her head and watched me closely. “And I was his second.”

    My jaw slackened and the breath caught in my throat. “The second apprentice of Gaius Van Nerol?” As the woman signalled her affirmation, I did a double take. The sword…her skills… I could scarcely believe it. And yet, here she was...

    “Wait…I know you.” I croaked.

    As the woman arched her eyebrows, I thought hard, recalling the moments when I still visited the Hall regularly and partook in conversation with the rest of the members. “You’re Vaela Ausra, aren’t you?” For the first time in a long while, the pressure of finding the Wellspring was lifted from my mind, replaced by the feelings of wonder and amazement evoked by this discovery. The words started to flow from my mouth faster than I could stop them – I was gushing with excitement at finding someone who had been long declared lost.

    “You were the talk of the Hall at one point in time, vanishing days after your master. We all thought something really bad happened to you.” I tried to refrain from chuckling, to no avail. “We even gave you a name – the Astray Apprentice. By the Eight, what happened to you?”

    A few moments elapsed before the woman removed her face mask, and I could finally see a small smile playing at her lips. “You really are from the Hall,” she remarked, gesturing to the campfire. “Best you sit down. This is one long tale.”






    Author's Notes
    As you may have noticed, the screenshots couldn't have been possible without the authors of mods. I'd like to thank all the modders for their hard work again, and if anyone would like to know what mods I'm using, they're in the first post! In particular, for the scenes where characters act various idles and animations, I use Puppeteer Master, and the console commands tfc 1 (free camera), tai (toggles AI on and off), tcai (toggles combat AI on and off), and tm (toggles menus and UI on and off).

    To those who have read The Astray Apprentice, if you somehow knew it was her from the last photo in the previous chapter, you are deserving of some rep, especially since most of the photos in that AAR have been wiped by imageshack Do let me know if you figured out it was her before this chapter!

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  14. #54
    Alwyn's Avatar Frothy Goodness
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    Default Re: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

    Great chapters! I was quite surprised that Gared still had his septims after what happened at the inn, I guess the person whose room he walked into must have been honest (unless something was taken which Gared hasn't noticed yet).

    I enjoyed the dialogue in the latest chapter, with the tension over whether Gared's story of his origins will be believed and the discovery about the person who knocked him out.

  15. #55
    Swaeft's Avatar Drama King
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    Default Re: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

    My thanks! I was just trying to portray Gared as utterly exhausted, not caring about who's room he slept in. Nothing untoward has happened to him whilst at the inn

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  16. #56
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    Default Re: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

    Character List


    Main Characters
    Gared Macer – An Adept pledged to the Mages' Hall, currently on a quest to discover the location of the lost Wellspring. Current ranks and titles held - Adept in the Mages' Hall, former Praefect in the Imperial Legion, Rogue in the Thieves' Guild, Warrior in The Companions

    Vaela Ausra – The ‘Astray’ Apprentice of the Mages’ Hall, on a quest to discover the location of her Master, Gaius Van Nerol

    Supporting Characters
    Gaius Van Nerol – Formerly the most powerful mage in the Mages’ Hall, disappeared without a trace years ago. Also Vaela’s former Master.

    Legate Rikke – General Tullius' Chief Advisor

    Legionnaire Alwyn – Friend of Gared Macer, Praefect of the 85th Detachment

    Legionnaire Hadvar – Friend of Gared Macer, Legionnaire in the 85th Detachment



    Chapter XIII: A Different Path
    Gared Macer

    Morndas | 24th of Last Seed | Falkreath Hold


    The blazing Sun carved through the last of the mist and lit up the surrounding area. If I was a superstitious man, I would have said that was symbolic of unknown events of the past years coming to light.

    My whole life I was convinced I was the only one who knew true suffering and pain, but if what this woman recounts is the truth, her agony was at the very least equal to mine.


    Vaela wandering and lost in the northern reaches of Skyrim

    “I’m so sorry to hear all of that.” I offered, though I knew my words must have been very little comfort. We must have talked for hours, for even my head was swimming with the all the details. “It is a lot to take in. What happened after the battle at the shack by the river? ”

    Vaela inhaled and exhaled softly, and I wondered if perhaps it was better had I not broached the question.

    “The mage assassin was not alone. Nikolai gave his life to save mine.”

    A shroud of silence hung over us both, intermittently interrupted by a few stifled sobs. I knew not what to say – I had already offered my apologies and condolences way too many times for the subsequent one to be considered sincere. Instead, the both of us stared into the distance without speaking, mourning our own trials and tribulations in our own way.

    “He protected me to the last.” Vaela continued abruptly, startling me. “Until Erin arrived and chased off the remaining mage.”

    “Sounds like you could ask no more of him.” I whispered, and Vaela nodded morosely in affirmation. “His parents never did forgive me for his death.”

    “Parents?” I questioned.

    “Delphine and Esbern. They cut off all contact with me and I haven’t heard from them since.”

    I pursed my lips. “And Erin? Surely she wouldn’t leave –”

    “She died a year ago.” The curt reply came, though it was not wholly unexpected. “The mages never stopped hunting us. They were some hidden sect of the Thalmor that no one was supposed to know about.”

    I was stunned. This woman had lost everyone she had cared about. Her Master, her Senior, her lover, as well as her friends. The amount of grief and frustration she must have within her was not something I dared to imagine.

    “If you don’t mind me saying,” I started, mindful of the need not to further offend her by inconsiderate speech, “you could return to the Hall with me, should you require protection from the assassins.”

    Vaela spoke again, but this time with a hint of pride brushing aside the sadness. “That is not necessary. I’ve spent the past year killing every last one of them. I daresay I’ve done the whole of Skyrim the greatest favour they’ll never hear about.”

    I agreed completely. But there was one burning question. “How? All of them, by yourself?”

    It hit me before she even pointed at it. The Pendant. “They never knew what was happening. Every time I approached one of them they would insult me with a twisted leer before attempting to burn me to a crisp, as is the customary Thalmor style.” Vaela let out a scoff. “Imagine their reaction when they discovered they couldn’t cast even a modicum of magic – not even the simplest spell! It was child’s play getting rid of them all.”


    Vaela's assault on Northwatch Keep

    Once again I marvelled at the brilliancy of the pendant. “Such a simple looking artefact.” I remarked. “And yet so much power is encased within it.” I locked eyes with Vaela. “It may well be the only one of its kind in the world. Will you explain how it works to me?”

    Vaela broke eye contact. “I’m not comfortable doing so.”

    “Very well. It is your choice after all. Senior Sonje gave it to you, to pass to your Master, you said?”

    “Indeed. Should I ever have the good fortune of finding him.” She turned back to me again. “Which is what I’ve been working on.” I could almost see a little spark in those blue eyes of hers.

    “And I believe I’ve finally found him.”

    “What?” I exclaimed, scarcely believing my ears. Although not as big a find as the Wellspring, discovering the whereabouts of Master Gaius was certainly an impressive feat, even more so given that the Hall, in its current declining state, could certainly use a man like him. “How?”

    Vaela scowled. “I haven’t been killing these Thalmor purely out of revenge, you know. They’re couriers, carrying valuable information, and I finally intercepted one with a message regarding my Master. He’s being held at a secret prison near Solitude.”

    “Wow.” I exhaled. “Just like that, huh?”

    Vaela nodded gravely. “It was written in code. Impossible to have decrypted without their own book…which I have here.” She removed an ornately decorated book from one of her pouches and waved it in the air. “I retrieved this from one of the assassins. I’ll bet they still haven’t realized I have it.” Then, her tone hardened and her face darkened. “I can only imagine what sort of revolting torture my Master has been through at their hands. He must be freed as soon as possible.”

    I bowed my head humbly. “I am honoured you have taken the time to talk with me, but should you not have already left for Solitude, since time is of the essence?”

    I couldn’t have been sure, but from the way her eyes were arched, it certainly looked like Vaela was finally smiling behind that mask of hers. “Well, I did need to get this whole load off my chest. You have no idea how it feels now, having someone else share this burden.”

    Vaela laughed when I raised an eyebrow incredulously. “That, and a new batch of Imperial soldiers will replace half of the Thalmor guard at the embassy in a few days’ time, which will certainly make it easier to retrieve my Master. The Thalmor may be sanctimonious bastards, but they certainly are more skilled in combat than the Imperial Legion.”

    I bristled slightly at that, but just then another possibility wormed its way to the front of my mind. “Vaela…perhaps I could come with you. A Thalmor jail is always well guarded.”

    I watched her face carefully to judge her reaction, and this time it was her who raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “That is a…kind offer.” She managed to say. “But are you not burdened with your own quest?”

    “Indeed I am.” I replied. “But right now your pendant is my only lead, and I do hope to prove my worth to you in battle and earn your trust.”

    Vaela looked away, and my heart pounded furiously as I waited with baited breath. If she says no, it will all be for naught. The seconds ticked by painfully as she appeared deep in thought, occasionally shooting a glance my way.

    “I must mention that I consider myself very skilled with both blade and magic.” I added, hoping to impress her and win her over. “Should you remove the impediment on my powers, I would gladly demonstrate.”

    Vaela said nothing and continued to be absorbed in her own contemplations. After what seemed like an eternity but couldn’t have been more than a few minutes, she finally spoke.

    “You may demonstrate your prowess at the jail. Truth be told, I was planning to ask you for aid. Let us be off, then, so that we have sufficient time to scout and prepare.”

    I heaved a huge sigh of relief and assisted Vaela in tearing down the tent. She thanked me after the task was done and lit a torch, for the mist had come creeping back in unexpectedly. “Your horse is this way, Gared. Follow me.”


    **


    The path to Solitude was well trodden and made of cobblestone, so Vaela and I made good time. We were well into Whiterun Hold by the time night had fallen. We passed a few travellers on the way and said our hellos, but other than that the act of travelling itself was boring.

    Vaela had her own horse, an argent female destrier that she had named ‘Starstruck’. An odd name by all accounts, but I was not going to press the matter. She had apparently inherited it from her Master, and was looking forward to giving him back to Master Gaius when he was finally free.

    Aeonbarr, to my pleasant surprise, seemed to enjoy Starstruck’s company. On the dusk road whilst we made idle conversation and polite small talk, Aeonbarr would constantly tease Starstruck by whinnying and flicking his mane at her. It was nothing if not entertaining to watch, and provided us both some much needed merriment.


    “You know,” I began, catching Vaela’s attention. “I still can’t believe you went through all that, and here you are still fighting to find your Master. A lesser person would have abandoned his or her cause a long time ago.”

    Vaela accepted the compliment politely and returned one of her own. “And you – how difficult is it to keep searching for something everyone believes is gone forever? And for generations at that? Pretty incredible.”

    “Indeed.” I replied. Then a thought struck me. “Hey. With that kind of dedication, you should have been a Macer. That’s what we’re famous for, after all. Well, internally, that is.”

    I let out another chuckle as Vaela snorted. “That better not be the best you can do at jokes, Mister Macer. It’s a long road to Solitude, and I hope our horses aren’t the only form of entertainment.”

    “Okay, well, I’ve got a good one this time. Listen good.”

    Vaela shot me a glance that told me she wasn’t expecting much. “Okay, so once upon a time, there was this man who spent his entire life searching for something. And his son after him, and his son after that, and…”

    Aeonbarr and Starstruck gazed at us curiously as the surroundings echoed with the sounds of our joyous laughter.


    Alwyn
    Morndas | 24th of Last Seed | The City of Whiterun

    “Praefect Alwyn, sir.”

    I abandoned gazing out of the wall for the umpteenth time to see a messenger salute me.

    “Orders from Castle Dour, sir.” The messenger saluted again smartly after passing me the package. I returned the salute and began to open the package, noting that the messenger hadn’t departed.

    “You’re dismissed, soldier.” I fumbled with the annoyingly tough seal. You can always count on the Legion to be right and proper with everything, including stationery.

    “Sir, I’m to be your escort to Solitude.” The messenger replied. “Two more men are waiting outside.”

    “Escort to Solitude? But I’ve just been posted here.” I opened the package with all haste, and read the note contained within.

    Praefect Alwyn,

    Take five men with you and make for an unnamed Thalmor prison where more sensitive prisoners are being held. You are expected to obey their commands and remain until recalled to Whiterun. This duration of this posting should be for around four weeks, and is part of our effort to enhance cooperation with our Thalmor allies.

    I picked you because you have been commended for your intellect and quick thinking. I trust you will not disappoint.

    One more thing – I think you’ll be pleased to know that I have reached an agreement with Ulfric Stormcloak to exchange several prisoners, Legate Rikke being one of them. She will be replacing you as commander of the 85th detachment for now.

    Signed,
    General Tullius

    “By the Eight.” I whispered, feeling a smile growing on my face and my excitement bursting forth. “HADVAR! Come here!”






    Author's Notes

    I have to credit Merchant of Venice for the first two, smaller sized photos in this chapter. I lost all my images for The Astray Apprentice (curse you Imageshack!) and these two are the only remaining survivors, which were used in Merchant's AAR review of The Astray Apprentice. He probably resized and reuploaded them and I have him to thank for doing that!
    Last edited by Swaeft; May 12, 2019 at 08:29 AM.

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  17. #57
    Alwyn's Avatar Frothy Goodness
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    Default Re: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

    Combining the Astray Apprentice with Gared's adventures is a brilliant move! I'm excited about Vaela and Gared's shared mission. Meanwhile, that's an interesting description of the Thalmor prison, I wonder who are the "sensitive" prisoners, what the Praefect will think of the treatment of them by the Thalmor, and whether the prisoner exchange will go as planned.

  18. #58
    Turkafinwë's Avatar The Sick Baby Jester
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    Default Re: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

    Two wonderful updates! I like the character Vaela so far. So much in fact I wish I had read the Astray Apprentice (and I might still in future), to understand more. I believe we can look forward to a great dynamic between her and Gared further in the story. I'm looking forward to seeing how their joint quest plays out.

  19. #59
    Swaeft's Avatar Drama King
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    Default Re: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

    Quote Originally Posted by Alwyn View Post
    Combining the Astray Apprentice with Gared's adventures is a brilliant move! I'm excited about Vaela and Gared's shared mission. Meanwhile, that's an interesting description of the Thalmor prison, I wonder who are the "sensitive" prisoners, what the Praefect will think of the treatment of them by the Thalmor, and whether the prisoner exchange will go as planned.
    Yes, it has been my dream for a while now to finish the arcs of both characters and this is the way to do it! As always you ask pertinent questions and it will be my pleasure to reveal more in the next update!

    Quote Originally Posted by Turkafinwë View Post
    Two wonderful updates! I like the character Vaela so far. So much in fact I wish I had read the Astray Apprentice (and I might still in future), to understand more. I believe we can look forward to a great dynamic between her and Gared further in the story. I'm looking forward to seeing how their joint quest plays out.
    Thank you! About reading TAA, well, it is a long read, so I implore you to only do so if you have the time. It can also be a pain since I lost all the images and its just a wall of text now. You can read it for the lols of my younger self's writing though...and then you might realise not much has changed

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  20. #60
    Swaeft's Avatar Drama King
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    Default Re: Fractured Dragon - A Skyrim AAR

    Right, so I have a sort of announcement to make.

    Last week my PC motherboard failed on me, kept getting the blue screen of death and it wouldn't boot up. Went to get it checked, it's a goner. Ordinarily that's no problem for me because I keep backups in the cloud and in an external hard drive, so that won't impact my CS AAR (though I will have to reinstall alot of stuff). My Skyrim however, is quite heavily modded and it took me the better part of last December to finally make all my 100+ mods gel together.

    Now me being me, I kept backups of everything except the mod list, which is normally stored in Mod Organizer, which is what I use. Thankfully there are some here in the content page that I can use, but I'll have to figure out some of the rest and then play another character from scratch again, since unless by some insane chance I get all the mods right and running properly, my save game is going to be incompatible. Which really sucks because I probably spent close to two hundred hours on that character and I hate re-doing stuff just for the sake of it. That's not a problem if I decide to go text only, but after having modded it for the graphics as well, coupled with the fact that I absolutely adore Skyrim screenshots, it would be a huge missed opportunity and it just wouldn't do this AAR justice if I were to continue based on text alone.

    So I guess I'll have to apologize to you guys and put this on hold for the time being, for how long I can't say, but probably a few months - I know I'll burn out if I replay Skyrim all over again just to get where my character needs to get for the story to continue, and the writing will suffer as a result.

    One thing you can count on though is me returning to this, because I've planned the story out in full, and because I didn't continue the story of The Astray Apprentice just to end it here. Still can't believe Skyrim is the only thing affected on my pc that requires a local file for my mods.

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