#carlotta is ready for battle
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CARLOTTA’S 1ST MANAGERS COSTUME: The epaulettes
Siani Owen, West End
Lara Martins, West End
Aya Kawamura, Nagoya
Malin Landing, Copenhagen
Laurie Ann McGowan, Stuttgart
Irina Samoylova, Moscow
Karolina Andersson, Stockholm revival (WT)
World Tour costume on display
Raquel Suarez Groen, Broadway
US costume on display
(original design by Maria Bjørnson)
#phantom of the opera#carlotta giudicelli#1st managers#maria bjørnson#carlotta is ready for battle#not tagging them all
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If You're Looking For Trouble : Part 1
Word Count: 1,406
Writers Note: This is a limited series requested by @sissylittlefeather
Warning: Language
Pairing: POC OC x Elvis
Plot: It's 1960 and the battle of the mobs is not a crossfire you want to mess with, with Elvis as the Don of the Memphis Mafia finds himself head-deep in insanity over Cecelia Shanel Valmos Don of the Valmos Cartel
Chapters: 1, 2 (coming soon)
Taglist
@darkmoviesquotespizza
@sissylittlefeather
@richardslady121
@thegettingbyp2
@presleyenterprise
@dkayfixates
@rjmartin11
@thetaoofzoe
@your-nanas-house
@zayurir
@60svintage
@sillybookmarks
@leapresley
@everythingelvispresley
@dreamondina94
@elvismylove04
@pocketfulofpresley
Memphis Tennessee 1960
"You seen the boss lately?" Judy asked as Red shrugged. They were covering for Elvis on an assignment at his Cadilac dealership, Little Tupelo. It was his pride and joy out of all of his covers, "He's still in his meeting." Sonny mentioned as they sighed. It wasn't like Elvis to be late. Besides, he promised Sam Philips he'd be here by 3:30 pm, and it was already 3:28, "Meeting with who?" Judy asked,
"He didn't say..."
Beale Street was booming with flashing lights and music, the glitz and glam of sin, a small taste of Vegas, if one could say, but it wasn't enough that Elvis was sitting across from the daughter of one of the most prestigious cartels. "Cecelia..." her entourage of women surrounded her as she glared at him, hazel eyes piercing his soul, "I'm sorry, who's Cecelia... " She turned to look at Rosa and Carlotta as they looked around,
"Ms. Valmos, you can't buy this dance hall..."
"That's better... Tell me, why can't I..." She leaned in as she laughed, "Cause it was 'sposed to be mine!" rage in his eyes as she grinned,
"What're you gonna do about it, Presley..."
"I'm gonna fix you, that's what?" He said behind gritted teeth as she laughed,
"Fix me...I should have my tailors fix that horrid suit. Who's dressin you, you're underboss Tom." She teased as he banged his fist on the table,
"Damnit Cecelia! You should know better than to compete with me..."
"You should know better than to make me a rival..." Looking at her watch as she looked back at him,
"Why, you little!" a switchblade flew past him, almost grazing his ear. Cecelia was fearless, but Elvis would seek his revenge soon enough.
"Are you done having a fit, Mr. Presley?"
"I'll show you a fit,"
"Like the one Mr. Philips will have if you don't make it to your little boy toy car lot?"
"How'd you..."
"Please, nothing goes by me except bullets, Mr. Presley..." She smirked as he walked behind her.
"Cheryl and Midge will see you out." She looked at him, her dress pressed against her body as her heels clicked on the floor. Elvis wasn't scared, though. He knew what he had to do. He had to make the first move. Elvis had to show her that the Memphis Mafia wasn't scared of a group of women parading intimidation tactics.
"So, any luck..." Jerry asked as Elvis glared, sitting in his limo as he was silent. He hadn't lost, but when it came to her, he always did. She was always ahead of him, and he needed to know how. "She bought the God damn dance hall!" He growled as Jerry shook his head,
"Me, Charlie, and Joe will pay our respects to the Paradise Lounge tonight..."
"What's the plan..."
"Watch it go up in flames, I guess." Jerry shrugged, laughing, the game was afoot, and Elvis would win.
Nashville Tennessee 1960
"Are we ready..." Cecelia asked, sitting at her desk as Midge inhaled a sharp breath. Something was usually wrong when she did that. "About tonight, boss..." Midge looked up at her as she turned the radio on,
"This just in. The beloved cabaret Dance Hall Paradise Lounge found on fire." Cecelia growled, her teeth grinding against each other in anger as she screamed, "FUCKING PRESLEY!" She slammed her hand against the wall as she looked up at Midge,
"Load my car up..."
"Cece..."
"Fucking load it!" She was in a state of rage, revenge, even. She wanted to get even. And she wanted to do it now, "Are you okay, mi vida?" Carlotta asked as Cecelia laughed, "I'm fine... It's just The Memphis Mob beat me at my own game. I won't have to lie about how the place caught fire." She shrugged as she fixed her dress and makeup,
"So what are you gonna do..."Rosa asked,
Memphis Tennessee 1960
A smokey, gas-like smell was lingering down the streets of Memphis as The Memphis Electric Company truck was a blaze along with its building. She knew Elvis loved this place, for it was his first shot. Working secretly with the mob, but he had to learn when you get too close to the sun, you get burned, "That ought to teach him..." Cecelia smirked as she left. But there was one thing that Cecelia didn't know was that news traveled fast in Memphis, and it traveled to Graceland Mansion first, from the maids to the cooks to the boys.
"E..."
"I know Jerry, I know..." Elvis didn't even look up from his book and his sandwich. He didn't seem phased about it, but he also didn't seem to be at ease either,
"So..."
"I'll send her a gift..." Jerry laughed. Elvis always had a way with gifts. Sometimes, it was rings to pretty women. and the heads of someone close to his enemies. He couldn't wait to hear about what exactly it was.
"M-Mr Officer... No, no, too cheesy..." Cecelia sighed, fixing her makeup in her compact to look distressed, "Officer!" She practiced again as she took a deep breath. She saw an officer walk towards her as she mustered fake tears, "Officer, come quick! I don't know what happened! But I do hope no one is hurt..." Cecelia said as he looked at her, "It's good people like you who keep this city safe."
"Doing my job, Ms." He nodded as she walked off,
The next day, Cecelia was at her new Dance Hall as painters and movers came in to gussy it up,
"Package, Ms. Valmos..." Cheryl said,
"Let me see it, please?" She asked as she saw the box. It was a bit long and light. It wasn't a body. She listened in, and it wasn't a bomb. Tied on top was a pink bow and a rose. As she sat down, she pulled it apart and opened it, Revealing a white Mink fur Coat and a note that read,
I know what you did
EP
"Well..."
"Mr. Mississippi thinks he so tough, huh, with his blue eyes and that smile...We'll see how big he barks." Her laugh was as sinister as her smile, but she meant every word. Elvis knew this would eat her up alive. Besides, she and Gifts didn't get along, not since she and Anthony Rodgers had a mishap rumored that he'd been dumped in the river missing his heart.
"Do you think she got the gift?" Joe asked Elvis, who had finished eating his sandwich, "We'll see..." He said, waiting for her to call. Something about her always intrigued him. Maybe it was because they were born a day apart, Or her body in her dresses and how she carried herself, being she was the only cartel that was run entirely by women, or perhaps it was how she wasn't scared of him but could make him tremble in his loafers,
"So, how's things going with that girl?"
"Which girl? You know there's several." He laughed, slicking his hair again as Jerry rolled his eyes,
"One day, you'll settle down."
"Eh, maybe..." He shrugged, "Say you guys up for a movie?" Elvis asked. When they arrived at the theater, there were bullet holes and a coat by the door,
"I see that's not her taste..."He laughed as Judy and Lamar looked at him in confusion. Jerry only sighed as he knew this would drive him mad,
"Let me guess..."
"Mhmm..."
"Got it."
Later that night, Cecelia drove to Memphis in a shiny pink Cadillac with custom seats and a note attached. She knew who sent it. Cecelia knew how to get rid of it. She didn't want his gifts. Cecelia was over those days when people bought her affection with gifts. Cecelia knew now that the world was harsh and the only way to love was to watch it burn.
When Elvis walked onto the lot, he noticed the car burnt up with "No Thanks..." Written on the hood, "Damn it, Jerry, she's driving me insane!" Elvis growled, walking into his office as Jerry followed,
"E, what's this about..."
"Jerry, I-I have to get her somehow." Elvis sighed,
"Maybe don't set her shit on fire..." Elvis glared at him,
"I'll get her a ring..." He smirked, "She can't refuse jewelry."
"Whys that." He took a deep breath as Elvis opened his mouth,
"Don't you know anything, diamonds are a girl's best friend."
#oc#fanfiction#new stuff#new#romance#elvis presley#elvis fanfiction#elvis x oc#new series#60s elvis#cecelia valmos#elvis mob au#mob au#elvis x poc oc#elvis smut#elvis presley fanfiction#elvis fanfic
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Ok, my copy of Platinum is supposed to be here today, so I will find out later if I’ve been bamboozled or not.
Despite the possibility being present of this copy being a bamboozle, I have thought extensively on what Hikari's team will be:
Kaiser - Empoleon
Alphonse - Arcanine*
Alice - Lopunny
Majora - Mismagius**
Wheatley - Rotom
Carlotta - Weavile
*I love, love, LOVE Hikari having an Arcanine (and a male one!) because Growlithe and Arcanine are one of the Pokémon that have Hisuian forms, but also the latter is Lord of the Isles (which is why Hikari’s is named Alphonse, meaning ‘noble and ready for battle), AND Volo has one (a female!!) as well.
It’s yet another thing that ties the two together~
**I’m aware that it’s not possible to capture Misdreavus in Platinum, but I also happen to have a copy of Pearl and another DS so...
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I had more thoughts last night that made me forget this thought so HERE ARE MY MARVEL/PHANTOM OF THE OPERA AU THOUGHTS
Especially after Endgame, I'm thinking about Tony as the Phantom, a genius, inventor, and there are comic arcs where he goes more villainous, so I feel like it could work. Steve, non-serum I think, is Christine, an artist, young, orphaned, looking for a way through the world. Bucky, then, is Raoul, the handsome childhood best friend, and protector. I think there's also some substantial age difference, which works with this trio as well.
I love the idea of like, the previous manager being Fury, who is willing to deal with Tony's B.S. And then Hill takes over, and she is far less willing. There's the conflict with the Phantom.
Steve's relationship with the Phantom is similar to canon, "Mr. Stark, you gave me a home." He's lost, an then the Angel of Music comes to teach him, and guide him, and he sinks into that. Until he's trapped. Bucky returns, as the opera house's patron, and Steve is relieved. Because he missed Bucky, but also, Bucky always helped pick him up after his hardest battles.
But the Angel of Music is very strict, and he doesn't appreciate the way his ingenue is looking to this past sweetheart. So Tony sweeps Steve away, to his world under the theatre. But while it's enchanting at first, Steve sees the little inventions littering the place, the mirrors, the obsession, and then the disfigured face of his Angel. He feels the walls of his cage closing in, and he longs for Bucky to carry him away.
I'm not sure who Carlotta and Piangi would be. Maybe STRIKE team members? Rumlow and Rollins, probably. And then the rest of the ensemble is SHIELD agents. Maybe Madame Giry is Pepper? I think then that an older Morgan could be Meg, but the implication there, with canon, is a little weird.
The only large differences, then, with the storyline after Steve returns from the Phantom's residence would be his involvement in catching the Phantom. I think that instead of being continually enchanted by the Phantom and then terrified by him, Steve's resolve would harden. He wouldn't be a pawn to be tossed between Tony and Bucky, but he would team up with Bucky, be involved in the plotting and play more of a character when dealing with the Phantom. The enchantment is lost, even if he does pity a man driven to such horrors.
At the end, it's not compassion that allows the Phantom to let them go. At least, not in the way it normally does. When Steve kisses Tony, it isn't gentle. It's rough and angry, but resigned. He's fully ready to sacrifice his happiness so that Bucky can live. Steve has been trapped for a long time, and there's nothing saying he can't... try to escape later. But Tony feels that. He can't believe that someone could love another person so much to suffer like this for them, as Steve clearly would. And that's never what he wanted for his Angel of Music. He's already loathed by everyone, he couldn't bear to see the evidence, every day, of his angel loathing him, too. He lets them go.
When Steve dies, Bucky is distraught. He goes to the auction, because he just wants to have things that will remind him of Steve, and something meaningful to leave at his grave. The music box is frightening, a tiny DUM-E's claw clacking cymbals rather than a monkey. No one seems to know where it came from, but Bucky knows. And he knows Steve was fascinated by it.
He brings it to the tombstone, and there's a flower. With that damn black ribbon. He leaves the box, and doesn't expect it to be there when he returns the next week. And the next. And the next. But it's always there, though sometimes... it's just finishing it's song when Bucky arrives. The Phantom will not confront him again, though it's clear he misses Steve dearly, even despite the anger of their final meeting. He won't take away the only wonder Steve enjoyed, he leaves it for them to share.
#marvel#phantom of the opera#steverogers#buckybarnes#tonystark#stevetony#stony#stevebucky#stucky#crossover#marvel/phantom of the opera crossover
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𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭
hello everyone! i am finally back with a new name list, i hope you enjoy it and find it usefull!
[ disclaimer: my sincere apologies if there are any spelling/meaning/origin mistakes in any of my name lists, i am by no means a professional in this area, i just like creating lists to help aid storytellers. i do try my best to find each name’s corresponding origin/meaning/spelling but i am a human who is prone to make the odd mistake. p.s, i take requests! ]
Female
Adalina - German derived - Noble
Adelaide - English - Noble natured
Adrianna - Latin - Person from Hadria
Aishwarya - Sanskrit - Wealth, prosperity
Alethea - Greek - Truth
Alexandria - Greek derived - Feminine form of Alexandros, defender of men
Alexandrina - Greek derived - Feminine form of Alexandros, defender of men
Alianora - Unknown - Unknown
Amaryllis - Greek - Sparkle, shine
Anastasia - Greek - Ressurection
Anastazja - Polish - Reborn
Angelina - Greek - Messenger
Angelique - Latin - Messenger of God
Annabella - Italian - Loving
Annabelle - English - Favoured grace
Annalisa - Latin - Graced with God’s bounty
Annamaria - Italian/French/German - Bitter, grace
Anneliese - Latin - Graced with God’s bounty
Antoinetta - Latin - Praiseworthy
Antoinette - French - Priceless one
Antonella - Italian - First born
Antonia - Italian - Priceless, praiseworthy, beautiful
Antonina - Spanish - Priceless, highly esteemed
Arabella - Latin - Yielding to prayer
Araceli - Latin - Altar of heaven, heavenly homemaker
Araminta - English - Prayer, protection
Arianna - Greek/Italian - Most holy
Ariella - Hebrew - Lion of God
Aubrianna - German - Elf
Augusta - Latin - Great, magnificent
Augustina - Latin - The exalted one
Avabella - Hebrew - My God is an oath
Avalina - English - Little bird
Avianna - Latin - Birdlike
Avrielle - Unknown - Unknown
Bathilda - Germanic/Norse - Battle
Benedetta - Latin/Spanish - Blessed
Benedicta - Latin - Blessed
Bernadetta - French - Brave Bear
Bernadette - French - Brave Bear
Busarakham - Thai - Yellow Sapphire
Cairistonia - Unknown - Unknown
Calliope - Greek - Beautifully voiced
Candelaria - Spanish - Candle
Carlotta - Italian - Free man
Carolina - Latin/French - Free man
Cassandra - Greek - The one who shines & excels over men
Cassiopeia - Greek - Unknown
Catalina - Spanish - Pure
Celestina - Spanish/Italian - Heavenly
Celestine - Latin - Heavenly
Charlotta - French/German - Manly
Charlotte - French - Free man
Chrysanthemum - Greek - Gold flower
Cleobella - Unknown - Unknown
Cleopatra - Greek - Glory of her father
Cordelia - Welsh - Jewel of the sea
Corinthia - Greek - Woman of Corinth
Cressida - Greek - Gold
Daniella - Latin/Hebrew - God is my judge
Dayanara - Spanish - Forceful
Debbonaire - French - Good natured
Deianira - Greek - Man destroyer
Delphina - Greek - Woman from Delphi
Demetria - Greek - Follower of Demeter
Desdemona - Greek - Misery, unlucky
Dolores - Latin - Sorrowful
Dominica - French/Latin - Lord
Dominique - French/Latin - Lord
Donatella - Italian - Gift of God
Dulcinea - Spanish - Sweetness
Ekaterina - Russian/Bulgarian - Pure
Eleanora - Greek - Sun ray
Elenora - Greek - Sun ray
Elisabet - Scandinavian - Pledged to God
Elisabetta - Italian - Pledged to God
Elizabella - Spanish - God is my oath
Elizabeth - Hebrew - My God is an oath
Elizaveta - Russian - God is my oath
Elladora - Greek - A gift sent from heaven, one who is filled with light
Emmanuella - Hebrew - God is with us
Emmeline - French/German - Work
Esmerelda - Spanish - Emerald
Esperanza - Spanish - Hope
Estefania - Spanish/Greek - Crown, garland
Eulalia - Greek - Well-spoken
Evalina - Latin - Desired
Evangelina - Latin - Gospel
Evangeline - Latin - Gospel
Evelyna - Unknown - Unknown
Fatehmeh - Arabic - Captivating, woman who abstains
Federica - Italian - Peaceful ruler
Felicity - Latin - Happiness
Fernanda - Portuguese/Spanish/Italian - Bold voyager
Fiorella - Italian - Little flower
Francesca - Italian - From France
Frederica - German/English - Peaceful ruler
Gabriella - Spanish/Italian - God is my strength
Galatea - Greek - She who is milk-white
Galilea - Italian/Hebrew - Born in Galilee
Gayatari - Sanskrit - Goddess
Geneva - French - Juniper tree
Genevieve - Celtic/French/German - White wave
Georgetta - French/Greek/Latin - Farmer
Georgianna - Catalan/English/Greek/Romanian - Farmer
Georgina - Greek - Farmer
Giovanetta - Unknown - Unknown
Giullietta - Italian/Latin - Youthful
Gwendolyn - Welsh - White ring
Helena - Greek - Shining light
Henrietta - French/English - Estate ruler
Hydrangea - Greek/Latin - Water vessel
Ingeborg - Norse - Stronghold, protection
Isabella - Italian - God is my abundance
Isabellina - Portuguese - My god is a vow
Isadora - Greek - Gift of Isis
Itzayana - Mayan - Gift of God
Jacqueline - French - Supplanter
Jaganmata - Hindu - Mother of the world
Jasmina - French/Persian - God’s gift
Jessamina - Persian - Gift of God
Jessamine - Persian - Gift of God
Josephina - Hebrew - Jehovah increases
Julianna - Latin - Youthful
Julietta - Italian/Latin - Youthful
Katerina - Greek - Pure
Katherine - Greek - Pure
Kathleen - Irish/Greek - Pure
Laurentia - Latin - From Laurentium
Leocadia - Spanish - Splendid brightness
Leonora - Greek - Compassion, light
Liliana - Spanish/Italian - Lily, flower
Liliosa - Spanish - Lily, flower
Louisiana - German - Famous warrior
Luciana - Latin - Light
Lucinda - Latin - Light
Maddelena - Italian - Woman from Magdala
Magdalena - Greek - Woman from Magdala
Magnolia - Latin - Magnol’s flower
Marcelina - Latin - Dedicated to Mars
Marceline - Latin - Dedicated to Mars
Margaery - French - Pearl
Margaretha - Greek/Latin - Pearl, margarita
Marguerita - Greek - Pearl
Marguerite - French - Pearl
Mariana - Spanish - Grace, drop of the sea
Mariella - Latin/Dutch - Star of the sea
Marielle - Latin/Dutch - Star of the sea
Melania - Greek - Black, dark
Miabella - Italian - Beauty
Millicent - German - Strong in work
Mirabella - Latin - Wondrous beauty
Momilani - Hawaiian - Pearl of heaven
Montserrat - Latin - Jagged mountain
Morganna - Welsh - Sea-born
Nicoletta - Greek - People of victory
Nicolina - Greek - People of victory
Octavia - Latin - Eighth
Olivia - Latin - Olive tree
Olympia - Greek - From Mount Olympus
Onaiwah - Native American - Awake
Ophelia - Greek - Help
Penelope - Greek - Weaver
Persephone - Greek - Bringer of destruction
Petronella - Latin/Greek - Stone, rock
Petronilla - Italian/Latin - Stone, rock
Philomena - Greek - Friend of strength
Priscilla - Latin - Ancient
Raffaella - French - God has healed
Raphaela - Hebrew - God has healed
Rosabelle - Latin - Beautiful rose
Rosalina - German - Gentle horse
Samantha - Hebrew - Told by God
Santana - Spanish - Holy
Saphhira - Greek - Sapphire
Seraphina - Hebrew - Burning ones
Serenity - Latin - Peaceful
Shoshana - Hebrew - Lily, rose
Sophronia - Greek - Wise
Stellamaris - Latin - Star of the sea
Tatiana - Russian - Fairy Queen
Temperance - English - Moderation
Theodora - Greek - Gift of God
Ululani - Hawaiian - Heavenly inspiration
Valencia - Latin - Strong, healthy
Valentina - Latin - Strong, healthy
Vasilisa - Russian - Queen, Empress
Venezia - Italian - From Venice
Veronica - Latin - She who brings victory
Victoria - Latin - Victory
Violetta - Italian - Purple
Virginia - Latin - Virginal, pure
Vivienne - French - Life
Waleria - Polish - Healthy, strong
Wilhelmina - Dutch/German - Will, desire, helmet, protection
Williamina - German - Protection, resolute
Xanthippe - Greek - Yellow Horse
Yaroslava - Slavic - Fierce, glorious
Yevgeniya - Russian - Well born
Zenobia - Greek - Life of Zeus
Male
Aballach - Arthurian - Father of Modron
Abraham - Hebrew - Father of multitudes
Acacius - Greek - Thorny
Alessandro - Italian - Defender of mankind
Alexander - Latin - To ward off, defend & protect
Alexandros - Greek - Defender, protector of man
Algernon - Norman-French - Moustached man
Alistair - Scottish - Defending men
Alphonsus - Spanish/Italian - Noble & ready
Ambrose - Greek/Latin - Immortal
Ambrosius - Greek/Latin - Divine, immortal
Anderson - Greek - Son of Andrew
Antonio - Spanish/Italian - Priceless one
Archibald - Germanic - Bold, genuine
Augustus - Latin - Majestic, venerable
Aurelius - Latin - Golden
Balthasar - Greek - Bal protects the King
Barnaby - English - Young warrior
Bartholomew - Aramaic - Son of Talmai
Beauchamp - English/French - Beautiful field
Beauregard - French - Beautiful gaze
Beckett - English - Beehive
Belvidere - Italian - Beautiful to see
Benedict - Latin - Blessed
Benjamin - Hebrew - Son of the right hand
Broderick - Welsh/Irish/Norse - Son of Rhydderch, descendent of Bruadar, Ginger brother
Callahan - Irish - Descendent of Ceallachán
Caspian - Arabic - Treasure of the sea
Cassander - Spanish/Greek - Brother of heroes
Channing - English/French - Young wolf, church offical
Christian - English - Follower of Christ
Christopher - English/Greek - Bearing Christ
Cillian - Irish - War, strife, church
Cleveland - English - Cliff land
Clifford - English - Lives near the cliff
Constantine - Latin/Greek - Steadfast, constant
Constantino - Latin/Greek - Steadfast, constant
Cornelius - Latin - Horn
Dartagnan - French - From Artagnan
Dashiell - French/Scottish - Heaven, sky
Douglas - Scottish - Dark water
Elmwood - English - Forest of Elm trees
Elwood - English - Forest of Elder trees
Emerson - German - Son of Emery
Emiliano - Italian - Rival
Emmanuel - Hebrew - God is with us
Evander - Greek/Scottish - Strong man, bow warrior
Finnegan - Irish - Son of fair haired
Fiorello - Italian - Little flower
Fitzwilliam - English - Son of William
Francesco - Latin/Spanish - French man, free man
Frederick - German - Peaceful ruler
Gabriel - Hebrew - God is my strength
Grayson - English - Grey haired one
Gregory - Latin - Gregarious
Guillermo - Spanish - Resolute protector
Harrison - English - Son of Harry
Heathcliffe - English - Cliff near a heath
Henderson - Scottish - Son of Henry
Holden - English - Hollow in the valley
Humphrey - French/English - Peaceful warrior, bear cub
Hyperion - Greek - The high one
Ignatius - Latin/Etruscan - Fiery one
Jackson - English - Son of Jack
Jameson - English - Son of James
Jefferson - English - Son of Jeffrey
Jeremiah - Hebrew - Yhwh will raise
Jonathon - Hebrew - Son of Jehovah
Joshua - Hebrew - Yhwh is salvation
Kenderick - Scottish/English - Royal ruler, champion
Lancaster - English - Habitational name
Lawrence - Latin - From Laurentium
Leander - Greek - Lion man
Leonardo - Italian/Spanish/Portuguese - Strong as a Lion
Leopold - Germanic - Brave people
Lorenzo - Italian/Spanish - From Laurentium
Lysander - Greek - Liberator
Madigan - Irish - Little dog
Malachi - Hebrew - Messenger of God
Marcellus - French - Young warrior
Marmaduke - Irish/Gaelic - Follower of Maedoc, leader of the seas
Maverick - American - Independent
Maximilianus - Latin - Greatest
Maximillian - Latin - Greatest
Montgomery - French - Gomeric’s hill
Mordecai - Hebrew - Little man
Morrison - English/Scottish - Son of Morris
Muhammad - Arabic - Praised, commendable
Napoleon - Greek - Lion of the new city
Nathaniel - Greek/Hebrew - God has given
Nicholas - Greek - Victory of the people
Nicholson - English/Greek - Son of Nicholas
Octavian - Latin - Eighth
Oswald - Anglo-Saxon - Divine power, ruler
Ozymandias - Greek - Tyrant, dictator
Percival - French - Pierce the vale
Peregrine - Latin - One from abroad
Phineas - Hebrew - Oracle
Randolph - English/German - Chief-Wolf
Reginald - Latin - King
Remington - English - Place on a riverbank
Roderick - Germanic - Famous ruler
Salvatore - Italian - Savior
Santiago - Spanish/Latin - Saint James
Sebastian - Latin - Venerable
Simeon - Hebrew - To hear, to be heard
Solomon - Hebrew - Man of peace
Sullivan - Irish - Black eyed one
Sylvester - Latin - Wooded, wild
Tennyson - English - Son of Dennis
Thaddeus - Aramaic - Courageous heart
Theodore - Greek - God given
Tiberius - Latin - Of the Tiber
Tobias - Hebrew/Greek - God is good
Tristram - Welsh - Noise
Ulysses - Greek - Wrathful, hater
Valentino - Latin - Strong
Vincenzo - Italian - To conquer
Wallace - Scottish/English - Foreigner
Wellington - English - Place name
Whittaker - English - White field
William - Germanic - Strong-willed warrior
Willoughby - English - Willow farm
Xerxes - Persian - Hero among heroes
Zacchaeus - Hebrew/Greek - Pure, innocent
Zachariah - Persian/Hebrew - God remembers
#namelist#namelists#names#name list#name lists#ts4#simblr#ts4 names#ts4 name list#writeblr#writeblr names#writing#writing resources#name ideas#long names#ts4 resources#story resources#character creation#character resources#oc#oc creation#oc resources#writing resource#the sims#the sims 4#sims#sims 4#s4
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So while I really loved s4 of Carmen Sandiego, and I enjoyed the finale, it felt more like a season finale than a series one. While the last episode was great, I felt the last ten minutes felt very rushed. So here’s some things I would’ve done different if there was a season 5
Highlights include: tons more of Player interacting with everyone (more Player and Carmen friendship, Player being in danger from VILE), Gray officially joining Team Red, Zach and Ivy joining ACME having more build up, etc.
Season 4
Carmen and Player’s first in-person meeting is shown in FULL like cmon
Have Carmen’s brainwashing last much shorter, only about a month at most (you cannot expect me to believe Team Red would let it go on for seven months)
Carmen never joins VILE’s faculty, but we do see her being quite cruel on cases, and Gray’s growing concern and guilt
Team Red teams up with ACME, desperate to get Carmen back and willing to do anything
Like in the show: VILE lies to Carmen about Shadowsan and she goes after him. Gray realises how wrong all of this is and turns himself over to ACME to try and save Carmen
There’s a big Team Red/ACME vs VILE/Carmen fight. Gray tries to get the headset on (we’re keeping the “please come back” line because it broke my heart) but she realises he betrayed her and shocks him. It’s a big fight between Shadowsan and Carmen, he gets the headset on her and her memories start to come back, but she destroys it before it can work completely. Shadowsan is down, and Carmen’s about to take him out when...
Player shows up!
He’s been beside himself since she went missing. When he finds out about the plan to save her, he says he’s coming with them. The rest of the team thinks it’s a bad idea, that it’s too dangerous, but he says it’s worth any risk to save Carmen. “She’s my best friend! My first real friend! I’d do anything for her, please!’
Player’s always been Carmen’s secret weapon, even back on VILE island. He was her first real friend too. Even if they erased all those years of Carmen Sandiego, even if they took away her heart, Player’s always gonna be in there.
Player tries to talk her down, tries to remind her of their time working together, tries to get her to leave Shadowsan alone - ‘Come on, Red. You gotta remember, please! Remember me, remember who you really are!’ She’s confused, conflicting memories tearing her apart. But she still refuses to listen and maybe pushes him away (he is still a kid, even without empathy, I doubt she’d just attack him). Carmen goes to take out Shadowsan with the crackle rod and Player puts himself between her and Shadowsan.
Carmen demands that he move out of the way. She’s starting to cry, starting to break. Player refuses. ‘I told you, Red. I’m not going anywhere.’
And it all comes back to her at once. She remember everything, her life, her friends, what happened when VILE kidnapped her. She’s overwhelmed - relieved, heartbroken, confused. Player just hugs her, so happy to have his best friend back.
As they start to pick themselves up after the battle, Carmen’s heartbroken at everything she’s done. She tries to apologise, but all her friends refuse to hear it, just glad to have her back.
When Gray wakes up in the hospital, Carmen’s already there waiting for him, to make sure he’s okay and to apologise. But he just apologises for not doing something sooner. They call it even. The Chief shows up to tell Gray ACME’s not after him. Carmen offers him a spot on her team, but he says he’ll have to think about it.
Team Red officially teams up with ACME, of course partnered with Jules and Devineaux. Jules is continuing to look into the mystery of Carlotta Valdez, and everyone’s ready to work together to take down VILE.
The very end of the season is VILE faculty talking with the Troll. He’s got the security footage from when they lost brainwashed!Carmen. The know everybody in the footage except for one. The piece they were missing from the puzzle. They zoom in on Player.
Season 5
With Team Red and ACME working together, they finally start to take down VILE. They still don’t know their new Headquarters, but they start to take out VILE strongholds, like Doctor Bellum’s lab.
Zach and Ivy start working closely with ACME, realising their skills and what the might want to do in the future.
Carmen’s pretty shaken by what happened to her. She’s terrified of being captured again, haunted by what she was forced to do, but refuses to let on that anything’s wrong. Eventually it all builds up and she ruins a mission. She and Shadowsan talk things out, have a wonderful father/daughter scene and Carmen slowly starts to heal as she realises she doesn’t have to take on the world herself.
Even without the need for revenge, there’s some tension between Carmen, Shadowsan and the Chief. They slowly start to trust each other and gain more respect.
We get some great team ups: Jules and Carmen get to work together! Also the chaos that Devineaux, Zach and Ivy would wreak as a team, or Devineaux and Shadowsan trying to work together - think of the potential! Also we get a callback to the first episode - Devineaux yelling ‘where in the world is Carmen Sandiego’ during a caper, but it’s waiting for her to come and help him
Gray of course joins the team, changed by Carmen, her faith in him and the remorse after what happened with Carmen’s brainwashing. Parts of the team don’t trust him right away, but he proves himself.
We get some backstory on Player! Apparently he became a hacker to try and find his father after he left, but is now happy with his mum and stepfather (this was in a tie-in novel?). But we see this! We get to see Player’s family! How much they love him, why they’re so overprotective. He’s still happy and comfortable in his room but his experience with school and finally meeting Team Red makes him want to push outside of his comfort zone. He tries to make some real life friends (joins a pride group, or a coding club or something). And if I’m writing this, what the hell, he also gets a boyfriend.
But of course, VILE has their sights set on Player. Now that The Troll has a target he’s been trying to track the kid, and finds him through security cameras. Player’s having dinner with his family one night when a knock comes at the door. It’s Coach Brunt. She bursts in, Player recognises her and tries to go for his room to call Carmen but Tigeress cuts him off. He’s in big trouble.
They take Player and his family hostage and Player’s parents finally find out what he’s been up to.
‘Wait, you were helping take down an international crime organisation!?’ ‘Yes mom, I told you that!’ ‘I thought you were playing a video game!!!’
VILE uses Player and his family as bait to try and finally take out Team Red. Of course they fail, everyone is literally ready to Kill to save Player. Carmen is more furious than we’ve ever seen her. Player gets to do something cool like knock out Tigeress with a computer screen or something. ACME takes Coach Brunt and Tigeress into custody (continuing the fall of VILE).
Player’s parents get to see that their son is friends with bunch of secret agents and ex-criminals. They also see the big sister/little brother relationship between Carmen and Player. He talks about her all the time and they’re really happy to finally meet her, and she becomes an honorary member of the family. They’re still worried about Player’s involvement, but they see how much it means to him (and with ACME assuring their safety) agree that he can continue.
Jules finally finds Carmen’s mother. She brings her the information and Carmen admits that she’s afraid to go and find her. We find out a bit about Jules, how she’s not that close with her own biological family, and how much this new team has meant to her. How family is who you choose. Carmen is comforted by this. She decides to set aside her mother until she finishes up her business with VILE.
They’re building up to the final fight, they’ve found the location of the headquarters. Carmen recruits whoever wants to join (Team Red, ACME, different friends from their journey like Sonia). There’s a big battle, bringing back different VILE characters (Mime Bomb, Flytrap, Spinkick, etc.), gadgets and robots vs the new team.
Of course they defeat VILE, finally bringing them out of the shadows and taking them in.
The Chief officially offers everyone on Team Red places with ACME. They all talk, and Zach and Ivy decide to accept. It’s not Carmen, Gray or Shadowsan’s thing, but they agree to stay on as consultants. Shadowsan decides to retire and go home to his brother. The team “splits up” but promise to see each other again soon.
Carmen gets permission to take Player sightseeing over the summer, so he can get out and go see the world like she did.
Carmen goes to meet her mother, encouraged on the phone by Player and his family (because he’s not sitting alone in a diner, he’s hanging out with other people, showing his character growth).
There can still be a timeskip, but it’s where everyone’s still working together to take down any last traces of VILE
#so that was a lot longer than i intended#i just had a lot of thoughts about this#don't get me wrong i really loved the show and the final season#i just wanted MORE#especially more of player#and wanted some more build up for the finale because it did feel rushed#carmen sandiego#carmen sandiego spoilers#player#shadowsan#zach#ivy#julia argent#chase devineaux#graham calloway#carmen sandiego season 4#my post#rewrite
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Things That Happened in the Last Three Days at D&D, According to My Notes
Finnegan’s mage hand carried one of Victor (Trevor’s) molars down into a castle ruin because Victor can use his hexblood magic and own body parts as “bugs” to spy on others. There was minimal, “Mmm, that’s gross, babe,” from Finnegan.
Once Victor relayed all the info, Carlotta went down alone while Finnegan waited for his BF to come out of his magically induced blindness. This meant Lotta taunted the guards into fighting her and killed one almost immediately, then, looked up and said, “Next?”
Finnegan and Victor join for battle. Victor slices a guard in half. Finnegan, hanging back (because sorcerer and also asshole) is very impressed with his boyfriend’s display of swordsmanship.
For a few rounds, Finnegan fails to hit anything. This wouldn’t have sucked so much if one of the Grells didn’t get its poison tentacles in Lotta. And then Victor. Victor passes his con save, but Lotta doesn’t. Incensed, Finnegan begins to firebolt the shit out of the Grell and critical rolls. That son of a bitch is dead and not hurting his loved ones anymore.
We go back to fighting cultists but that other Grell is around and Finnegan decides it’s going to be his problem as it comes towards him, except Victor rushes it to defend him and stabs it hard. Finnegan puts the cursed thing out of its misery with a swift Chill Touch and rots it on sight with another crit.
Victor heals Lotta, who is the only one very damaged. Finnegan? Not a scratch. The perks of speciailizing in ranged fire magic.
Victor realizes the weird symbology the cultists wear match nothing recognizable.
We find a study and look for useful things. Lotta and Finnegan study a book call “Retribution of the Ancients” and Finnegan gets to tell the party religious facts that don’t have to do with the Selandrine for once. He still defers to Victor for more knowledge because of course.
Victor finds a chime of opening... and a secret passage full of a cult sweatshop. No thanks.
We go the other way and find a room with a very dodgy summoning canvas and dozens of bones upon it. While Lotta runs back upstairs to get the book, Victor and Finnegan move the bones off the canvas and discuss the horrors of the cult. They agree Finnegan should take the canvas to disrupt the ritual, since none of us can figure out how to make it summon a friendly god instead.
We go down the hall and find a prison filled with townsfolk and the knight we met at the beginning of the game. There are also students under instruction by a cultist. One of them looks familiar - the innkeeper’s son! Victor tells him his father wants him to come home and rolls a Nat 20 persuasion. The young man is ready to come with us... but his teacher refuses to let him. We fight.
It’s a short fight. Lotta kills the teacher and hits a cultist. Finnegan “holds” (re: paralyzes temporarily) the other two cult students and tries to persuade them that if they stop fighting, they will let them live. Somehow that works!
Finnegan asks the baby cultists their names. One, Tayathanu almost refuses to give her name because she sees it as a sarifice for her god. Victor tells her that any god worth serving will never ask her to give up her identity because that god will see the value of her. The other one, Steven, just came for the free spaghetti dinner and has been stuck here. He’s glad to leave. We try to reason with Teyathanu but she has gulped down some of that Kool-Aid. We also try to heal Steven, but we’re not good at it, so Victor tells the innkeeper’s son to take everyone to the healer. Lotta opens the cell with the chime of opening.
Finnegan recognizes one of the women as the mayor’s sister, Yaeda and she probably has pneumonia and is #Done with this shit. He tells her that her sister is waiting for her and she says, “No doubt with a lecture.” Lotta accuses her of being pregnant with the cult leader’s baby. She (probably?) is not but is definitely insulted.
As they go through the halls, Victor keeps finding rooms full of bones. Somewhat petulantly, Finnegan says he doesn’t want to go into another bloody room of bones - mostly because he’s carrying the summoning canvas. However, it almost sounds like he thinks Victor trying to perform funeral rites isn’t worthwhile so they squabble. Finnegan has instant regrets, but what’s he gonna do? Overexplain and apologize? Of course not. Instead, he snarks with Lotta in the hall, asking what witty one-liners she plans to use when she kills Vialis.
The go into a small room and find chests filled with weapons and personal artifacts from the prisoners. Victor takes Sir Veckan’s longsword, the money, and the fancy earrings.
In the hall, Finnegan invokes his Inspiring Leader Feat and tells the other two essentially that they are badass and there is no one he’d rather kill cultists with. (I didn’t write down what he said). This gives everyone temporary hit points.
Lotta invokes her Master of Intrigue Feat to disguise herself as a cultist.
Finnegan makes himself and Victor invisible and then sends him a quiet message: “I’m sorry.” Victor finds his hand and holds it in the quiet before battle.
Finnegan and Lotta stealthed into the "chapel”. Victor went unnoticed by the sheer distraction of the cult leader and his followers.
Victor shoves a long sword into Lord Vialis, the cult leader. Lotta shanks Vialis. Finnegan shoots scorching ray at Lord Vialis, a Grell, and Faerl, his archenemy who wanted to byuy his house. Vialis is barely standing and Faerl passes out.
The fight continues until Vialis stuns the party, blinding Lotta in the process.
The effects of the stunning wear of and Finnegan casts scorch ray at the fanatics and Faerl and kills Faerl. He then turns to the cultists and grins menacingly. “That was satisfying,” he says. “Don’t try me.” He successfully intimidates them.
The battle continues for a few rounds. Lotta stabs Lord Vialis with her rapier and pins him to his own altar. “This is for Sarah,” she hisses. “Sarah?” he sputters and then dies.
The cultists and grells continue to fight the party, even without a leader and are shown no mercy.
When the enemies are nothing but blood and corpses, Finnegan takes Faerl’s hat as a spoil of war and heads north. As he leans against a wall, hoping to look cool for his boyfriend, Lotta rings the chime of opening and he falls backwards into a library. Everyone sees him look like an idiot. Then, Lotta and Victor explore another secret library that opened up. The find Vialis’ journals and his family’s ashes, which he’d been using as an arcane focus. Finnegan finds books.
Over the next few days, there are celebrations in Greenfast for those who have been freed from the cult. While the party clean out the libraries for interesting books, Finnegan asks Victor about vacationing in Greenfast one day and they joke about building a summer home. Funerals are held for those sacrificed by Vialis. Then, upon returning to Waterdeep, the party hosts a funeral for Sarah and the Yellowcrests. Their ghosts appear to say silent thank yous.
Victor says to the party, “If anyone should ask what happened, we shall tell them the greatest story of how Sir Veckan of the Broken Helm defeated the Cult of the Burnt Tongue.” and Lotta and Finnegan, who have too much vested interest in no looking like they killed a Waterdhavian noble eagerly agree.
@professor-of-predators - DM
@tinfoiltemplar - Victor Trevor
@dirusso - Carlotta Dirusso
@walkingshcdow - Finnegan Silverguard
#;;from the third richest family in england | {finnegan}#.006 | dnd#tinfoiltemplar#dirusso#professorofpredators
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Two Roses from different Vines
(A/N: As thanks to @carlottastudios for her gift to me a few days ago, this will be my gift to her. Linden, Summer, and Fawn belong to her, hope you guys enjoy. Merry Christmas, Carlotta!)
Linden: Wait, so my mom married Uncle Jaune in this universe?
Garnet: Uh-huh, so who did my dad end up with in yours?
Linden: Aunt Weiss.
Garnet, in disbelief: Shut the front door, what?!
Linden: Well don’t look at me, dude! That’s just how stuff happened in my universe.
Garnet: Dang...that’s trippy.
Linden: Not as trippy as my dad crushing Aunt Penny in this world...
Garnet: Hey, it’s working out at least. So I take it Uncle Whitley didn’t marry Auntie Yang?
Linden: Nope! Uncle Neptune!
Garnet: *leans back* Wow...
Linden: Well, enough of that, got any siblings???
Garnet: Two, only boy, sisters, Blossom and Citrus, you?
Linden: Little brother Fawn and adoptive sister Summer. Mom and dad-er, Uncle Oscar in your case, found in her in the woods being chased by Grimm, they took her in and she’s been with us ever since. I also...have a crush...on her... *the tan skinned boy blushes and looks away*
Garnet: ...huh.
Linden: It’s not incest if we’re not related!!!
Garnet: *raising arms in mock surrender* Woah, dude, chill out, I wasn’t saying that at all. Just got me by surprise.
Linden: Oh, sorry. It’s just that Fawn teases me about it a lot, gets annoying really quick. What about you guys, any crushes?
Garnet: *blushing and rubbing the back of his head* Uuuhhh wellll, that’s a long story...or two. My first crush was Olivia, daughter of Grandma Glynda and Grandpa Oz, we were pretty steady until we just...lost the spark, I guess, but we’re still close! Next was Jade, and from her name you can probably guess who he parents are.
Linden: Wait, let me think! *concentrates, then claps hands* Emerald and Mercury!
Garnet: *snaps fingers* Bingo. We were great but a little rickety, as in she was very pushy and pressured me to do a lot of stuff. We eventually did something that will go down in out universes’ history as the “Remnant Rampage,” Long story short; don’t leave a bunch of teens unattended while your parents are away from home. Then there was Gabriel, and he turned out be a piece of shit so I cut him off from my life.
Linden: You were a little “bi-curious” too?
Garnet: Heh, yeah, that was a weird point in my life, but it was fun.
Linden: Wow. Summer...doesn’t know what she is, all she knows is that she likes me, so she calls herself “Lindensexual,” genius name I know. Fawn is a bit of a ladies man, been around Qrow a whole lot so that’s a thing now.
Garnet: Pffft, ha! That’s awesome, Blossom is being super crushed on by Aunt Weiss and Uncle Neptune’s youngest son, Nikolas. She denies she has any feelings for him and shuts down any attempts at him trying to woo her over. Citrus is an odd case as she didn’t love anyone until she met Kain, oldest child of Cinder.
Linden: Saywhatnow?????
Garnet: What?
Linden: Er, nevermind, didn’t realize she’s alive in this universe.
Garnet: What went down in yours...?
Linden: Let’s put a pin in that and say it’s a long story with crazy details.
Garnet: Oooookay? Oh, are Grimm still a problem in your world?
Linden: Not really, they’re on a decline and Hunters are having no need for jobs anymore, though some of my friends still want to be ones later on in life, counter-intuitive as it sounds.
Garnet: So you don’t have a weapon?
Linden: Nuh-uh!
Garnet: Pssh, lame...
Linden, defensive: Hey!!!
Garnet: All I’m saying is you’d look cool with a scythe like mom, Silver Eyes alone ain’t going to protect you! Hell, my scythe is also an oodachi, a broadsword in base form, and a Dust powered railgun, and I have gauntlets that shoot Dust rounds, boots with hidden knives, and a glock.
Linden: Someone’s extra, and at least I wear something more practical...
Garnet: Well you gotta be prepared in my universe, Grimm are one the rise more than ever, are taking new forms or evolving, and new ones are popping up too! And what’s wrong with long coats, they’re cool! Cloaks are outdated anyways.
Linden: Lies and slander!!! Why are wearing you coat like that anyways? One sleeve on and one not doesn’t seem very battle ready...
Garnet: *he freezes and his alter-universe friend points out his strange attire. He glances to his right arm, a look of apprehension and fear, trying to piece together an answer* It’s...a really really...really long story...
“One of how you almost tossed your worthless life away, boy? Go ahead and tell him, I’m sure he’d love to hear it!”
*Garnet punched his shoulder, angered at the voice of the eldritch hydra-like beast making its home in his right limb. “Shut you damn mouth you freaking parasite!” he said firmly in his head*
Linden: What the hell was that about?!
Garnet, snapping back to reality: Nothing, nothing! Just zoned out for a bit.
Linden: Okay then......
Garnet: You come from a great universe, Linden. I wouldn’t be envious of mine is all I’m saying.
Linden: Noted, and you come from a good one too. Though you could stand to have a break.
Garnet: Tell me about it!
*The boys share a laugh between themselves, finding commonality and distinction to their respective worlds. One things for sure, they wouldn’t mind meeting each other again!*
#rwby#carlottastudios#rwby ocs#rwby lancaster#rwby rosegarden#lancaster kids#rosegarden kids#garnet rose-arc#blossom rose-arc#citrus rose-arc#linden rose-pine#fawn rose-pine#summer rose-pine#merry christmas carlotta!#hope I got linden's personality right and hope this was a good read!!!
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Hundreds of ISIS Supporters Flee Detention as U.S. Prepares to Withdraw https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/13/world/middleeast/syria-turkey-invasion-isis.html
Hundreds of ISIS Supporters Flee Detention Amid Turkish Airstrikes
The attacks caused about 700 Islamic State families to escape a Kurdish-run camp. The American defense secretary also said the U.S. would pull about 1,000 troops from the area.
By Carlotta Gall and Patrick Kingsley | Published Oct. 13, 2019 Updated 1:14 PM ET | New York Times | Posted October 13, 2019 |
AKCAKALE, Turkey — Hundreds of relatives of Islamic State fighters fled a Kurdish-run detention camp on Sunday morning after Turkish airstrikes hit the surrounding area, deepening the crisis prompted by the Turkish-led invasion of northern Syria.
The escapes came hours before the United States military said it would withdraw its remaining troops from northern Syria in the coming weeks, despite a likely resurgence of the Islamic State amid chaotic efforts by Turkish-led troops to wrest the region from Kurdish control.
A Kurdish official also said that the flag of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, had been raised in the countryside between the camp in the Kurdish-held town of Ain Issa and the Turkish border, another indication of how the Kurdish authorities were losing control of a region they had freed from the extremists only months ago.
“We are facing very fierce attacks and we’re forced to decrease numbers of guards,” said the official, Ciya Kurd, of the Kurdish-led regional authority, who confirmed the break from the displacement camp after the Turkish strikes.
Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper announced in an interview with CBS’s “Face the Nation” broadcast on Sunday that the United States would be evacuating about 1,000 American troops from northern Syria in a “deliberate withdrawal.” About 50 United States troops were previously removed from the area in anticipation of the Turkish incursion.
He said that the United States found itself “likely caught between two opposing advancing armies” in northern Syria, and called the escalation of the conflict in the region a “very terrible situation.”
The defense chief added that the United States had learned that Turkey was likely to expand its incursion “farther south than originally planned and to the west” in Syria, according to a transcript of his remarks published by CBS.
The Kurdish authorities are in negotiations with the Syrian and Russian governments to form an alliance against the Turkish force, Mr. Esper said, adding that the United States did not want to be caught in the crossfire.
The Kurdish authorities are “looking to cut a deal, if you will, with the Syrians and the Russians to counterattack against the Turks in the north,” Mr. Esper said.
President Trump took to Twitter to defend his decision last week to pull troops back from the border, where their presence had shielded Kurdish allies, effectively clearing the way for the Turkish incursion. His decision has generated intense criticism from Republicans and Democrats that he had betrayed Kurdish fighters who fought alongside American troops against the Islamic State.
“The Kurds and Turkey have been fighting for many years,” Mr. Trump wrote on Sunday. Referring to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, a faction of Kurds known as the P.K.K., he added: “Turkey considers the PKK the worst terrorists of all. Others may want to come in and fight for one side or the other. Let them! We are monitoring the situation closely. Endless Wars!”
Even as he sought to wash his hands of the region’s intractable conflicts, Mr. Trump tried to assuage his critics, including Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who has usually been one of his strongest allies but broke with the president over his Syria decision and is promising bipartisan legislation to slap economic sanctions on Turkey.
“Dealing with @LindseyGrahamSC and many members of Congress, including Democrats, about imposing powerful Sanctions on Turkey,” Mr. Trump wrote. “Treasury is ready to go, additional legislation may be sought. There is great consensus on this.”
Mr. Trump has declared ISIS defeated, but his decision to pull back American troops could result in the group’s resurgence and has raised questions about the fate of thousands of Islamic State detainees that the Syrian Kurds, had been holding in makeshift wartime prisons.
The decision has already had devastating consequences for the Kurds. They lost thousands of fighters in the battle against the extremists and are now fighting a war on two fronts. A video capturing the execution on Saturday of at least two Kurdish prisoners by Turkish-backed Syrian Arab fighters illustrated the fallout of the invasion.
On Sunday, American troops stationed in Ain Issa withdrew from the town as Turkish-led forces moved closer to its perimeter, a United States military official said, even as relatives of ISIS fighters mounted an escape from the detention facility elsewhere in the town.
The retreat came as Turkey’s airstrikes pummeled Ain Issa, about 20 miles south of the Turkish-Syrian border, causing panic and unrest in a camp that housed nearly 13,000 displaced people, fewer than 10 percent of whom were relatives of Islamic State fighters.
Scores of people, including more than 700 relatives of ISIS, fled the camp, according to the Kurdish authorities. The number could not be independently verified, but a witness confirmed by phone that he had seen crowds of people hurrying from the camp around 9:30 a.m. Sunday.
The humanitarian aid group Save the Children also confirmed that foreign nationals had left the camp. Sonia Khush, who oversees the group’s work in Syria, citing her colleagues at the camp, said that a secure facility that housed ISIS relatives was now empty.
“What was not clear to us was whether some of the women and children were taken by coalition forces or whether they all managed to escape,” Ms. Khush said. “It seems to be a mix of the two. Some women and children may be in the main camp.”
The Kurdish authorities had repeatedly warned that, while they were confronted by the Turkish invasion, they would not have the resources to secure the prisons and camps containing ISIS fighters and their relatives.
After establishing a foothold on Saturday in Ras al-Ain, a strategic town close to the Turkish border, Turkish troops and their Arab proxies made major progress on the ground on Sunday. A Syrian Arab militia under Turkish command pushed deeper into Kurdish-held territory, blocking major roads, ambushing civilians and claiming the capture of a second strategic town in northern Syria, Tel Abyad, that lies adjacent to the border.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey announced that his forces now controlled nearly 70 square miles of territory in northern Syria. They have also taken control of the most important highway that connects the two flanks of Kurdish-held territory, the Turkish defense ministry said. This allows Turkish troops and their proxies to block supply lines between Kurdish forces.
Mr. Erdogan also suggested his campaign was now expanding in scope. He announced that the Turkish force would attempt to capture Al Hasaka, a major Kurdish-run city that sits well beyond the territory that Mr. Erdogan initially said he had set out to capture.
Turkey and its Syrian Arab allies are trying to wrest control of northern Syria from a Kurdish-led militia that spearheaded American-backed operations against the Islamic State and that is the offshoot of a Kurdish guerrilla group based in Turkey.
Since the Syrian civil war began eight years ago, northern Syria has changed hands several times, as secular rebels, Islamist rebels, extremist groups and Kurdish factions have vied with government forces for control.
After partnering with American troops to drive out the Islamic State, the Kurdish-led militia emerged as the dominant force across the area, enraging and frightening the Turkish authorities, who see the group, which calls itself the Syrian Democratic Forces, as a terrorist organization.
On Sunday morning, Turkish-backed Arab militias ambushed and captured four employees of the Kurdish Red Crescent, a medical aid group, traveling north from Ain Issa toward the besieged town of Tel Abyad, a member of the aid group said by phone. The four employees were in a two-car convoy.
The Turkish-led force also took control of Suluk, an Arab town about five miles inside Kurdish-held territory, according to the Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu. A Syrian activist in touch with the combatants and civilians in the area, Mustafa Hamida, confirmed the news.
Close-fire fighting could be heard in Tel Abyad on Sunday morning from the Turkish border town of Akcakale, suggesting that Turkish forces had entered the town after a four-day siege. The two adjoining towns are separated by customs buildings and a cement border wall.
Turkish-backed Arab fighters posted photos on an online chat room of combatants standing in front of a security building in a western neighborhood of the town, and Turkish television footage showed Arab fighters within the town’s perimeter.
The invasion has caused a huge surge in displacement, with more than 130,000 people fleeing their homes since fighting began on Wednesday. Many had already been displaced during the Syrian conflict.
Carlotta Gall reported from Akcakale, Turkey, and Patrick Kingsley from Istanbul. Ben Hubbard contributed reporting from Dohuk, Iraq, Eric Schmitt from Washington, Hwaida Saad from Beirut, Lebanon, and Iliana Magra from London.
Pullback Leaves Green Berets Feeling ‘Ashamed,’ and Kurdish Allies Describing ‘Betrayal’
By Eric Schmitt, Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Ben Hubbard and Helene Cooper | Published Oct. 13, 2019 Updated 12:36 p.m. ET | New York Times | Posted October 13, 2019 |
WASHINGTON — American commandos were working alongside Kurdish forces at an outpost in eastern Syria last year when they were attacked by columns of Syrian government tanks and hundreds of troops, including Russian mercenaries. In the next hours, the Americans threw the Pentagon’s arsenal at them, including B-52 strategic bombers. The attack was stopped.
That operation, in the middle of the American-led campaign against the Islamic State in Syria, showed the extent to which the United States military was willing to protect the Syrian Kurds, its main ally on the ground.
But now, with the White House revoking protection for these Kurdish fighters, some of the Special Forces officers who battled alongside the Kurds say they feel deep remorse at orders to abandon their allies.
“They trusted us and we broke that trust,” one Army officer who has worked alongside the Kurds in northern Syria said last week in a telephone interview. “It’s a stain on the American conscience.”
“I’m ashamed,” said another officer who had also served in northern Syria. Both officers spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid reprisals from their chains of command.
And the response from the Kurds themselves was just as stark. “The worst thing in military logic and comrades in the trench is betrayal,” said Shervan Darwish, an official allied with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
The next flurry of orders from Washington, some fear, could pull American troops out of Syria altogether. Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper said on Sunday that roughly 1,000 American troops in northeastern Syria would conduct a “deliberate withdrawal,” at least farther south — and possibly out of the country entirely in the coming days and weeks.
The defense secretary’s statement came after comments on Friday pushing back on complaints that the United States was betraying allies in Syria — “We have not abandoned the Kurds” — even as he acknowledged that his Turkish counterpart had ignored his plea to stop the offensive.
Army Special Forces soldiers — mostly members of the Third Special Forces Group — moved last week to consolidate their positions in the confines of their outposts miles away from the Syrian border, a quiet withdrawal that all but confirmed the United States’ capitulation to the Turkish military’s offensive to clear Kurdish-held areas of northern Syria.
But as the Americans pulled back, the Kurds moved north to try to reinforce their comrades fighting the offensive. The American soldiers could only watch from their sandbag-lined walls. Orders from Washington were simple: Hands off. Let the Kurds fight for themselves.
The orders contradicted the American military’s strategy in Syria over the past four years, especially when it came to the Kurdish fighters, known as the Y.P.G., who were integral to routing the Islamic State from northeastern Syria. The Kurds had fought in Manbij, Raqqa and deep into the Euphrates River Valley, hunting the last Islamic State’s fighters in the group’s now defunct physical caliphate. But the Syrian Democratic Forces, or S.D.F., as the Kurdish and their allied Arab fighters on the ground are called, are being left behind.
American Special Forces and other troops had built close ties with their Kurdish allies, living on the same dusty compounds, sharing meals and common dangers. They fought side by side, and helped evacuate Kurdish dead and wounded from the battlefield.
“When they mourn, we mourn with them,” Gen. Joseph L. Votel, a former head of the military’s Central Command, said on Thursday at the Middle East Institute.
The Kurdish forces and American military have survived previous strains, including President Trump’s sudden decision in December to withdraw all American troops from northern Syria, a decision that was later walked back somewhat.
This time may be different, and irreversible. “It would seem at this particular point, we’ve made it very, very hard for them to have a partnership relationship with us because of this recent policy decision,” General Votel said.
As part of security measures the United States brokered to tamp down tensions with Turkish troops, Kurdish forces agreed to pull back from the border, destroy fortifications and return some heavy weapons — steps meant to show that they posed no threat to Turkish territory, but that later made them more vulnerable when Turkey launched its offensive.
Special Forces officers described another recent operation with Kurds that underscored the tenacity of the group. The Americans and the Kurdish troops were searching for a low-level Islamic State leader in northern Syria. It was a difficult mission and unlikely they would find the commander.
From his operations center, one American officer watched the Kurds work alongside the Americans on the ground in an almost indistinguishable symmetry. They captured the Islamic State fighter.
“The S.D.F.’s elite counterterrorism units are hardened veterans of the war against ISIS whom the U.S. has seen in action and trust completely,” said Nicholas A. Heras, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security, who visited the S.D.F. in July to advise them on the Islamic State, or ISIS.
During the battle against ISIS, coordination between the United States military and the Syrian Democratic Forces has extended from the highest levels to rank-and-file fighters, according to multiple interviews with S.D.F. fighters and commanders in Syria over the course of the campaign.
S.D.F. commanders worked side by side with American military officers in a joint command center in a defunct cement factory near the northern Syrian town of Kobani, where they discussed strategy and planned future operations.
The battle of Kobani that began in 2014 gave birth to the United States’ ties to the Kurds in northeastern Syria. ISIS fighters, armed with heavy American-made artillery captured from retreating Iraqi army units, surrounded Kobani, a Kurdish city, and entered parts of it.
Despite the Obama administration’s initial reluctance to offer help, the United States carried out airstrikes against advancing ISIS militants, and its military aircraft dropped ammunition, small arms and medical supplies to replenish the Kurdish combatants.
That aid helped turn the tide, the Kurds defeated ISIS, and American commanders realized they had discovered a valuable ally in the fight against the terrorist group.
Thousands of S.D.F. fighters received training from the United States in battlefield tactics, reconnaissance and first aid. Reconnaissance teams learned to identify Islamic State locations and transmit them to the command center for the American-led military coalition to plan airstrikes.
Visitors to front-line S.D.F. positions often saw Syrian officers with iPads and laptops they used to communicate information to their American colleagues.
“For the last two years, the coordination was pretty deep,” said Mutlu Civiroglu, a Washington-based Kurdish affairs analyst who has spent time in northeastern Syria. “The mutual trust was very high, the mutual confidence, because this collaboration brought enormous results.”
“They completed each other,” he said of the S.D.F. and United States-led coalition. “The coalition didn’t have boots on the ground and fighters didn’t have air support, so they needed each other.”
That coordination was critical in many of the big battles against the Islamic State.
To open the battle in one town, S.D.F. fighters were deposited by coalition aircraft behind the Islamic State’s lines. At the start of another battle, United States Special Operations forces helped the S.D.F. plot and execute an attack across the Euphrates River.
Even after the Islamic State had lost most of its territory, the United States trained counterterrorism units to do tactical raids on ISIS hide-outs and provided them with intelligence needed to plan them.
Even in territory far from the front lines with the Islamic State, S.D.F. vehicles often drove before and after American convoys through Syrian towns and S.D.F. fighters provided perimeter security at facilities where United States personnel were based.
The torturous part of America’s on-again, off-again alliance with the Kurds — one in which the United States has routinely armed the Kurds to fight various regimes it viewed as adversaries — emerged in 1974, as the Kurds were rebelling against Iraq. Iran and the United States were allies, and the shah of Iran and Henry A. Kissinger encouraged the Kurdish rebellion against the Iraqi government. C.I.A. agents were sent to the Iraq-Iran border to help the Kurds.
The Kurdish leader Mustapha Barzani did not trust the shah of Iran but believed Kissinger when he said that the Kurds would receive help from the Americans.
But a year later, the shah of Iran made a deal with Saddam Hussein on the sidelines of an OPEC meeting: In return for some territorial adjustments along the Iran-Iraq border, the shah agreed to stop support for the Kurds.
Kissinger signed off on the plan, the Iraqi military slaughtered thousands of Kurds and the United States stood by. When questioned, Kissinger delivered his now famous explanation: “Covert action,” he said, “should not be confused with missionary work.”
In the fight against ISIS in Syria, Kurdish fighters followed their hard-fought triumph in Kobani by liberating other Kurdish towns. Then the Americans asked their newfound Kurdish allies to go into Arab areas, team up with local militias and reclaim those areas from the Islamic State.
The American military implored the S.D.F. to fight in the Arab areas, and so they advanced, seizing Raqqa and Deir Ezzour, winning but suffering large numbers of casualties.
The American-Kurdish military alliance against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq “began with us helping them,” said Peter W. Galbraith, the former American diplomat who has for years also been a senior adviser to the Kurds in both Syria and Iraq. “But by the end, it was them helping us. They are the ones who recovered the territory that ISIS had taken.”
Eric Schmitt and Helene Cooper reported from Washington, Thomas Gibbons-Neff from Kabul, and Ben Hubbard from Erbil, Iraq.
Defense Secretary Announces Withdrawal From Northern Syria
By Julian E. Barnes and Eric Schmitt | Published Oct. 13, 2019, 12:28 PM ET | New York Times | Posted October 13, 2019 2::00 PM ET |
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper said Sunday that President Trump ordered a withdrawal of American forces from northern Syria, a decision that will effectively cede control of the area to the Syrian government and Russia, and could allow a resurgence of the Islamic State.
Mr. Esper, appearing on both Fox News and CBS News, said that American troops, mostly Special Operations forces, would move south but not leave the country in the face of Turkey’s incursion into the section of Syria controlled by Kurdish forces, a group of fighters trained and backed by the United States government.
The Pentagon has slow-walked previous orders by Mr. Trump to evacuate from Syria, to protect its Kurdish partners and hold the ground it took back from the Islamic State. But Mr. Esper’s comments Sunday indicated that this time Mr. Trump’s drawdown order was being acted on with haste.
The bulk of the roughly 1,000 troops in Syria are positioned in the northeastern part of the country, and the new orders will push those troops further south. Military officials said plans remained fluid, and it was not clear how far the troops would withdraw to. But in any case, the implications were clear: American forces will not be coming to the aid of their Kurdish allies in the face of the Turkish-backed offensive.
Appearing on “Fox News Sunday,” Mr. Esper defended the planned withdrawal of what he said was “less than 1,000 troops” as prioritizing the safety of American soldiers in the crisis, and he said the United States would ultimately have been unable to deter Turkey from invading Syria.
“Fifty service members are not going to stop a Turkish advance,” Mr. Esper said, referring to the “trip wire” force along the Turkish border that Mr. Trump ordered removed last week. “The U.S. doesn’t have the forces on hand to stop an invasion of Turkey that is 15,000 strong.”
Mr. Esper said the Pentagon expected Turkish forces to annex even more territory than originally estimated. He also confirmed that the commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces was “cutting a deal” with Russian and Syrian government forces who are now heading north to fight back against the Turkish offensive.
Throughout the fight with the Islamic State that began in 2014, the Kurdish forces proved to be America’s most able partners. But Turkey has long viewed those forces as an offshoot of what it and the United States consider a terrorist group it has long battled inside its borders and throughout the region.
The Kurdish forces were key to breaking the Islamic State’s control of territory in Syria, effectively destroying its self-proclaimed caliphate. Despite Mr. Trump’s claim that the Islamic State is defeated, the fighters remain an effective insurgent force in Syria and Iraq. If the Turkish incursion into Syria breaks the power of the Kurdish force, some military officials believe the Islamic State could once again find lawless safe havens from which to rebuild.
American military forces pulled out of Ain Issa, a Syrian town north of the Islamic State’s former self-declared capital of Raqqa, on Sunday morning after an advance of the Free Syrian Army, a rebel group backed by Turkey, according to American military officials.
The remaining Special Operations forces are working out of about a dozen bases or outposts in northeastern Syria. One of the most important of those is Manbij, where nearly 200 American forces are based. That base is the most likely to be evacuated next.
Turkish officials have long objected to Kurdish control of Manbij. Ankara has repeatedly said it wants Kurdish forces to withdraw from Manbij, and give control to its Syrian Arab allies.
The United States also maintains a small contingent of troops at the Al-Tanf base in south-central Syria, as a deterrent to Iranian movements in that region. It was unclear whether the withdrawal order affects that post, which American officials have said in the past would be the last United States presence in the country to be withdrawn.
Defense officials emphasized that their plans for Syria remained fluid. During the next couple of days, American commanders in the region and at the Pentagon will assess options on which forces should withdraw, in which order and where. Some may withdraw to Iraq or Jordan, and others could go back to the United States or Europe. The Air Force will continue to provide air cover for the military troops that are withdrawing.
The withdrawal from northeastern Syria is expected to be complete perhaps as early as the end of October, a military official said. But the pace of the withdrawal will depend on how quickly Turkish-backed forces advance.
American forces will try to avoid contact with the Turkish-backed forces, but the military official warned they will defend themselves if attacked.
Chris Cameron contributed reporting.
#u.s. military#u.s. news#u.s. presidential elections#trump administration#president donald trump#trump#trump news#military intelligence#u. s. military#military#isis#isis terrorists#us politics#politics#syrian war#syrian kurds#syria#syria news#russia#turkey kurds#erdogan kurds#iraqi kurdistan#kurds#kurdsbetrayedbytrump#Trump genocide#trump crime family#trump crime syndicate#trump cult#trump corruption#turkey
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Tamitayo and a new adventure:
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(Happy Birthday!)
(It should be noted, that i don’t know EVERYTHING about your character, so i had to make some guesses along the way, also this takes place early game still, meaning that Tamitayo is still low level. (as i am/was writing this). While all the mods you have is still at play in this fic, some other mods that’s added are: ApachiiSkyHair, Better Cloth Enchanting, Apocalypse - Magic of Skyrim and a few others you might notice along the way maybe.)
(Hope you like the story! :D)
(Shuvika-Nebuki, Nakila Kaythees and Ciinia Ivywood belongs to me.)
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The giant dark elf called “Tamitayo” wandered around like usual. The large curvy lady found a bandit camp, and alongside her housecarl Lydia, she decided to go raid it. Though when they went in, they discovered there was already a battle at play. A large werewolf with tusks and grey-greenish fur was attacking the bandits alongside what appeared to be a female vampire lord. Judging by the vampires appearance, traits and abilities, she must be from the Volkihar clan, and a powerful one at that.
When the werewolf and vampire had killed all the bandits, they looked at Tamitayo and Lydia. Mistaking them for bandits trying to hide or escape, the two attacked them.
Tamitayo may have been bigger than the tusked werewolf, but regular werewolves were known the be able to knock giants around, and this one was definitely no ordinary werewolf, and Tamitayo was more of a magic user then a direct fighter anyway. The best Tamitayo could do was to keep her distance from the werewolf and fire spells at it, either until the transformation wore off, or the beast itself was slain. She seemed to have to go for the last one, as the werewolf would just hurry over to one of the corpses and consume it’s heart both to heal and contain the form for longer, and matters did not get easier when it called forth 2 ice wolf spirits to aid it. It was at this point Tamitayo knew she was dealing with an alpha. She had to admit that even a regular werewolf was she not prepared for, neither in gear, perks or skill, but against an ALPHA werewolf with so many corpses laying around? She knew she was done for, unless hit with HUGE amount of luck all of a sudden.
Lydia wasn’t doing much better, while she had her situation a bit better under control, mostly due to having a bit more experience the Tamitayo, the female vampire lord was almost as powerful as the tusked werewolf. Just like how the werewolf had summons those wolves for aid, the female vampire lord summoned a gargoyle to aid her, along with some bats just for good measure.
It was then that Hadvar came in. He had been sent out to spy on the fortress, as General Tullies had plans on recapturing the fort the bandits were in for future operations. Hadvar was quick to notice the tusked werewolf and Tamitayo and quickly ran over, telling them to stop fighting. Which was a good thing, because the werewolf has Tamitayo overpowered and beaten, but seemed to listen to what Hadvar had to say.
The tusked werewolf removed itself from the giant dark elf and waited for an explanation.
“This lady helped me escape Helgen and she helped Riverwood by warning the jarl as well as dealing with a few issues here and there. She’s no bandit, even if she dresses like one.” Told Hadvar to the tusked werewolf, who looked at Tamitayo and back to Hadvar before reverting back to its original form.
The werewolf turned out to be a strong female orc warrior. While she was no taller than the average orc, you could tell by her muscles that she was stronger than most. She was blind on one eye, while the other was the usual red color that orc eyes tend to be. The orc lady had warpaint on her face that resembled that of a dragon. A few scars ran over her face, one of them right over her blind eye, indicating she had been blinded against a beast of some sort. She had long wild black hair that went down her back and some of it was hanging down from her shoulders.
The orc warrior was quick to re-equip her armor and weapons, which was made in the wolf armor style but instead of being made of steel it was made of orichalcum, and her weapon was a giant legendary deadric/dwemer hammer. Ones the armor came on, Tamitayo could recognize who she was; She was the harbinger of the companions, Shuvika-Nebuki!
“Oh my gosh! You’re the harbinger, Shuvika-Nebuki! I’ve heard so many tales about you!” Tamitayo almost squealed, almost losing her usually flirty and dominating personality and getting it replaced by a child-like excitement.
“Yes-yes, i’ve heard that one a lot.” Replied Shuvika, as she lifted her giant hammer, Volendrung, onto her shoulder. “Sorry for almost killing you back there. Thought you were a bandit.”
“It’s no problem, really. I’m just glad we got that cleared.” she said and gave her a shaky smile.
Shuvika shaked her head a bit. “Hadvar, tell Tullies that besides a few bodies that needs cleaning up, this fort is ready for him to take over. I need to take your friend here for a moment.” She said as she grabbed Tamitayo and dragged her along.
Tamitayo was a bit confused at first and asked “What are you doing?”
“You have great potential, and a friend of Hadvar is a friend of mine. But you still have a lot of catching up to do, and i’m gonna try and help you out with that. First, we’re going to Solitude and getting you some REAL clothes to keep you warm, because i don’t want you to freeze yourself half to death! You’re a dunmer, you’re people deal better with hot weathers not cold weathers.” She said as she continued onward.
Tamitayo whined a bit, she liked showing a bit of skin, but Shuvika was dead-set on this, so she just followed along, and who knows, it might be better then she thinks.
When they arrive at Solitude began Shuvika and walk towards one of the shops. Tamitayo looked around before following. “I have a feeling something happened here…”
“There has. Just a few days ago, a man was executed for helping Ulfric Stormcloak escape.” Told Shuvika in a rather calm voice.
Tamitayo was shocked by this and decided not to ask any further questions about that.
Shuvika made her order for the clothes, though they had to be made from the bottom up, due to Tamitayo’s big size. Both in height and girth. Shuvika told her to send it to Whiterun when they were done, and soon told Tamitayo to follow along as they now were headed for Whiterun. It was a rather strange feeling for Tamitayo to take order from this smaller person and being the “rookie” of them as well.
They jumped on the back of the carriage driver and it slowly began to roll along the road. Tamitayo looked first at Shuvika, then at Lydia then over to the vampire who had transformed alongside Shuvika Nebuki. It was just now she realized she never got her name or who she was.
“I never got your name. Mind i ask what it is?”
The vampire looked up, still having her face covered by the hood, as they were in the sunlight. “My name is Serana. As you can tell already, i’m a vampire. I’m still not entirely sure how long i was locked away though.” She said in a matter-of-fact tone.
The giant dunmer wanted to continue the talk, but then notices that Serana was staring at her, hungryly and licking her lips. She felt herself blush when she saw that. She was not used to be on the prey side of things, and it was now she realized how MUCH she needs to catch up. Sure to the ordinary people and bandits she’s top pred, but for experienced and more advanced people like Serana? There’s no chance there, or at least not yet.
Tamitayo tried to act like she didn’t notice the smaller woman’s “hint” and wanted to change the subject. “So, besides being the harbinger of the companions, what else do you do?”
Shuvika looked up and replied “I’m also a thane of Whiterun. My housecarl, Nakila Kaythees, is currently with Ciinia Ivywood to help her out. Cii’ is still very new to this whole adventuring, but she has a lot of fire despite her worries and fear. I didn’t wish to see her get hurt, so i asked my housecarl to travel with her.”
“You’re a thane of Whiterun too? How did you earn it?” Tamitayo asked excited.
“I went into Bleak Falls Barrow and retrieved the Dragonstone, and later i helped killing the dragon Mirmulnir and absorbed his soul. Turns out i’m the Dragonborn. It was then i was promoted as thane of Whiterun and got Nakila as my housecarl.” She said, rather happy with Tamitayo’s attitude and completely oblivious to Serana’s “teasings” of the giant dark elf.
The big elf was in awe of this, this was the type of badass adventure she could become with the right training or knowledge. The thought made her so happy. “The way i got my title was not nearly as epic. I mostly helped out his people, you know clearing out bandits, finding lost things, stuff like that.”
“Still a good job nonetheless.” Said Shuvika and gave the curvy dunmer a friendly clap.
They arrived at Whiterun. Tamitayo knew the city pretty well, not as well as Riverwood, but still pretty well. Shuvika and Serana began to walk up to Jorrvaskr to hang out with some pals and to wait for their order. Tamitayo and Lydia followed along, and on the way they saw Ysolda, a trade merchant who she had helped out quite a bit and gotten pretty good friends with. Ysolda helped Tamitayo a bit with her speechcraft and likes to teach her a few things from time to time, and Tamitayo has sometimes helped Ysolda travel around safely inside her gut.
Tamitayo also saw Carlotta Valentia, one of the most beautiful woman in Skyrim. She herself had to admit she had a little crush on the small nordic lady, or at least small compared to her massive size at least. She helped her out by dealing with an annoying bard at one point, as well as making sure she gets some rest every now and then, even if she had to eat her in order to do it. Not that she complained, Carlotta was as tasty as she was beautiful, which is why she’s surprised why so far she’s the only pred to have eaten her when she has such a heavenly taste, and she’s not a pred despite her strong attitude. She’s almost like a sea turtle; big, strong, beautiful and can give a nasty bite, but is still a prey.
They all finally arrived at Jorrvaskr, where Shuvika told Tamitayo to sit down and relax and basically just chill. Throughout the whole time they were waiting for their shipment to arrive, did Shuvika not notice, not even once, that both Aela The Huntress, Serana and Njada Stonearm was giving Tamitayo hungry looks and licking their lips which caused the giant dunmer lady to blush. On one hand she kinda liked this feeling, on the other hand she wanna be top pred “again” so to say, so she had to get up in level fast. Or at least in her mind she needs too. Ria was one of the few people who didn’t look at Tamitayo that way. Tamitayo could tell that Ria was a pred to, but a shy one that still had much to learn. It wouldn’t be to hard for the tall dunmer to eat the small cutie, but that’ll have to wait for now.
Shuvika went up to Dragonsreach to buy some magic tomes from Farengar Secret-Fire. She bought from different schools of magic so Tamitayo could get a “taste” of what type of magic she’d use. Some of the spells that she bought included: Perilous Path, Raise Wall, Magelight and Wither from alteration. Soul Cloak, Bound Sword and Conjure Familiar from Conjuration. Ice Spike, Fireball, Lightning Bold and Rift Bolt from Destruction. Clairvoyance, Calm and Curse of the Silent from Illusion. And finally Healing Hands, Steadfast Ward, Sun Fire, Bone Spirit, Circle of Strength and Lamb of Mara from Restoration.
Shuvika was still away when the shipment arrived. The clothes that had been made for Tamitayo was a pair of Boots and gloves made in the thalmor style, which was pretty fancy despite how big jerks those guys usually are. Seriously why does the baddies always get the cool stuff? As for her actual attire, it was one of those “fine clothes” which were yellow-greenish with a fur pelt around the shoulders and other decorations. Lastly there was a gold circlet with 3 emeralds in it. Tamitayo tried it on and had to admit they were pretty nice and warm and didn’t look half-bad either. Now she didn’t need to waste magicka on keeping herself warm. Though she was quick to put two-and-two together and could guess that Shuvika would like to enchant said clothes when she get back. And she would be proven right when that happened.
Shuvike soon returned, both with the tomes and some armor she had made for Tamitayo’s follower and housecarl, Lydia. It was all nordic armor, along with a nordic shield and bow. The enchantments that had been put on said armor included Fortify Block, Health, Archery, One-Handed and various resistances to different magics. The nordic bow and sword she gave Lydia was both enchanted with Fiery Soul Trap and Chaos Damage. Basically, Lydia got one heck of an upgrade from Shuvika. She really wanted to make sure the two of them got a good start so they didn’t ended up in a bad situation, or at least not one they’d have a chance to beat.
Tamitayo gave Shuvika her new clothes so they could be enchanted as well. It was not long before she returned with them. The enchantments they got were mostly focused on health and magicka and regen, since neither of them still wasn’t to sure what type of magic she’d end up preferring. Shuvika also handed Tamitayo a shield. It was a Chitin Shield, which was an light armor shield that was better than elven shields. The shield had Fortify Block and Health on it. Shuvika also handed her the books so she could learn the spells.
Tamitayo pointed out why she gave her both a ward spell and an actual shield. The ward was most effective against magic while the shield was best against physical attacks. So this way, when fighting either mages or dragons, she’d have a ward to protect herself with, while when fighting against creatures or people who used either melee weapons or bows, she had a real shield to protect herself with.
Honestly, Tamitayo was almost close to crying. This “tiny” orc lady, again only tiny compared to her, was being so protective and friendly towards her. She had to admit, she had been kinda lonely up until she started adventuring, and feeling so loved and protected by someone was something she hadn’t felt for a long time, if ever. She hugged the orc close into her belly as she muttered out a “Thank you so much.”
“No problem you big guff.” Said Shuvika and patted the tall dunmer on the side. “Now let’s get started on a few quests to start your training and to get your new gear tested!”
They all 4 went out and walked towards the gate, when they saw one of the guards talk to some strangers.
“Look, you’ve already been told you’re not allowed here. Turn around and go back the way you came.” Said the Whiterun Guard to the strangers.
“We’re causing no trouble. All we ask is to look for her.” said one of the strangers.
“I don’t care what you’re doing, after what happened you’re lucky i don’t toss you in jail. Now get lost.”
“We will be back. This is not over.”
One of the strangers walked up to Tamitayo. “You there. We are looking for someone in Whiterun, and will pay good money for information.”
“Who are you looking for?” Asked Tamitayo, curious as to why these guys were here and what this was about.
“A woman – a foreigner in these lands. Redguard, like us. She is likely not using her true name. We will pay for any information regarding her location. We are not welcome here in Whiterun, so we will be in Rorikstead if you learn anything.”
“Why are you looking for this person?”
“It’s none of your concern. All you need to know is that we’re paying for information. If that doesn’t interest you, feel free to walk away.”
Tamitayo simply nodded and looked at Shuvika. The orc lady had a smile on her face. “Looks like you got yourself a quest Tami’. I’m not much of a detective, so i’ll find something else to do. But i feel like this is something you and Lydia can pull off on your own. So see you later.” She said, waving farewell for now and walked off with Serana behind her. Tamitayo kinda liked the new nickname “Tami”.
Tamitayo was about to turn around to look for clues as to who this redguard woman was, when she heard the gates open again and a cute and slightly chubby wood elf walked in, alongside a tall naga.
Dispite their namesake, nagas looked nothing like either the lamias of Daggerfall or the Tsaesci of Akavir. Nagas were a sub-specie of argonians, who were usually 7-8 foot tall, walked on two legs like their smaller cousins and carried many similarities with them, but had a much more aquatic appearance with fins and webbed hand and feet, as well as whiskers on their snout.
The naga himself was 8 foot tall, dorned in heavy Orichalcum, argonian style armor from head to toe. He carried a large shield, the Shield of Ysgramor, as well as a large powerful mace, the Mace of Molag Bal. He had a scar on his throat, which seemed pretty old. The chubby wood elf lady was wearing a white dress with a big red robe around it, both fitting her body shape pretty well. She also wore some thick boots and gloves, and on her head she wore a beautiful flower crown. Her hair was thick and bushy and reached her shoulders, and her eyes were a beautiful purple. She wasn’t much taller than the regular wood elf, which in Tamitayo’s opinion just made her look more hug-able.
Tamitayo took a moment and was able to put two-and-two together and figure out that these two were Nakila Kaythees, Shuvika’s housecarl, and Ciinia Ivywood, Shuvika’s friend. How jarl Balgruuf the Greater was able to get a naga to work for him was a big question, then again him and Irileth had been all over Tamriel and seen many outlandish things, so picking up a naga who had left the inner regions of Black Marsh may not be so crazy of an idea.
Tamitayo walked up to the small wood elf, which caused the naga to give the dunmer a look that clearly showed he didn’t really trust her.
“You two are Nakila Kaythees and Ciinia Ivywood right? I’m a friend of Shuvika-Nebuki.” She said while greeting them. The nagas expression changed slightly, but it was clear he didn’t really trust her yet.
“O-oh. Y-yes, t-that’s u-us.” Spoke Ciinia shyly. God could that woman be any cuter, thought Tamitayo inside her head. “W-we c-came here for a-a quick rest.” She finished off, looking down into the ground, being pretty shy around the giant curvy dunmer in front of her.
“Nice to meet you, but i have a question. Do you guys know anything about some strangers looking for a redguard woman here in Whiterun?” She asked.
“A-actually, w-we do. W-while t-travelling, we s-saw some Alik'r warriors t-talk to a-a woman, thinking it w-was h-her, u-until one of t-them pointed o-out that she d-didn’t have t-the s-scar. S-so w-whoever they’re l-looking for h-has o-one scar, n-no more, n-no less. A-a g-good place to s-start l-looking would b-be T-the B-bannered Mare.” added Ciinia. Nakila simply nodded in agreement, he didn’t seem to be the type to talk much.
Tamitayo thanked them both and headed towards The Bannered Mare. When inside she took a moment to look around, until Lydia clapped her a bit on the side and pointed at one of the workers in the in. She was a redguard woman, and she so happened to have a single scar on her face. Was Saadia the one those alik'r warriors were looking for? Only one way to find out.
The tall dunmer walked over to Saadia, remembering the description she’s gotten, there could be no better candidate for the one the alik'r warriors was looking for. Just to be sure, she wasn’t going to throw accusations right away and play it simple.
“Yes? How can i help you?” asked Saadia when Tamitayo approached her.
“Did you know some alik'r warriors are looking for a redguard woman?” She asked the smaller woman quietly.
“Are you sure?” Saadia asked, now sounding a bit scared. “Oh no! They’ve found me? I need your help! Please, come with me. I need to speak to you privately.”
Tamitayo and Lydia followed Saadia behind the kitchen and up the stairs into a bedroom, where Saadia pulled out a knife. “So, are you working with them?? You think you can take me? You so much as touch me, you’re going to lose fingers. I mean it! I’ll… I’ll cut you in half! So the alik'r know where i am? What did they offer you? Gold? How many more of them are coming? Tell me!”
“Relax, i’m not going to hurt you.” The giant dunmer who dwarfed Saadia respounded looking at the elven knife the redguard woman was holding in her hand. Lydia had not yet pulled out her sword, but was ready to do so.
“Then i need your help and there isn’t anyone i can trust here in the city.” Saadia said seemingly more calm.
“Maybe. What do you want?” Asked Tamitayo with a shrug that made her chest give a little giggle.
“I am not the person the people of Whiterun think i am. My real name is Iman. I am a noble of House Suda in Hammerfell. The men who are looking for me, the alik'r, they are assassins in employ of Aldmeri Dominion. They wish to exchange my blood for gold. I need you to root them out and drive them away before they find me and drag me back to Hammerfell for an execution.” Saadia, now revealed to be Iman, explained to the dark elf.
“How am i supposed to get rid of them?” Tamitayo asked.
“They’re mercenaries, only in it for the money. They’re led by a man named Kematu. Get rid of him, and the rest will scatter. I don’t dare show my face, lest they recognize me, so you’ll have to find out where they are.”
“Any suggestions as to how i can find them?” Tamitayo asked in.
“I heard one of them was just arrested trying to sneak into the city. If he’s locked up in the jail, perhaps you can get it out of him. Please, i know i’m asking you to do something difficult, maybe even dangerous. I just don’t know who else I can trust.” Saadia said pleading with the dark elf woman.
Tamitayo stood there for a moment, before asking “Why haven’t you gone to the guards for help?”
“You think i’d be in hiding if this was something i trusted the town guards to handle? These men are ruthless. Cunning, deceitful… they’ll pay off whoever they can. I can’t trust anyone here in Whiterun. Guards and jarls can be bought. And the Alik'r are close; I’m running out of time, si i’m choosing to trust you.”
Tamitayo ones again stood there, she felt bad for Saadia, or Imen. Though she still felt there was more to it. “Why are the Alik'r after you?” She asked.
“I don’t know for sure. I spoke out against the Aldmeri Dominion publicly; I suspect that’s why these men were hired to hunt me down.” Saadia said with a certain note in her voice.
Tamitayo decided that was as much she could get right now, and she thought it was enough too. She and Lydia left Saadia and walked out of the Bannered Mare, and went up to Dragonsreach. From there, they went into the area where the jail was located. Sure enough, they found the Alik'r who had been arrested. Tamitayo walked towards the caged door and saw the Alik'r prisoner approach. “I need to find Kematu. Where is he hiding?” She asked the prisoner.
“You have a death with, then?” The prisoner shouted out in shock and surprise. “If you know that name, you must know to meet him would be to meet your end. But it seems we both have needs, friend. Perhaps we can help each other out.” He continued in a much more calm tone.
“What is it that you need?” Asked Tamitayo curiously.
“I have dishonored my brothers by being captured, and so they have left me here. My life with the Alik'r is over now, but i have no wish to die in this gods-forsaken land. If i can be released from prison, i may start over. See to that, and i’ll tell you what you want to know.” The prisoner said with hope in his voice.
“How much to pay your fine?” Asked Tamitayo.
“100 gold will secure my release. You can afford that, can’t you? I suppose you’d better hope you can, if you want the information. Get the money into the hands of one of these guards, and i’ll tell you what you want to know.” He said.
Tamitayo was about to go to one of the guards, when a thought crossed her mind. “Why did they leave you here?” She asked.
“Because o was clumsy enough to be captured. Kematu always says we’re supposed to be the best of the best. I wasn’t.” The prisoner replied, clearly disappointed in himself.
Tamitayo approached one of the guards in the jail room, and bowed down a bit so they were at the same eye level. “I want to pay that prisoner’s fine.” She said.
“Done. Convince him to stay out of the city while you’re at it.” Said the whiterun guard annoyed.
Tamitayo went back to the Alik'r prisoner. “Let’s talk about how we can help each other.” She said to him.
“You buy my way out of here, and i’ll tell you what you want to know.” He replied, waiting for a response.
“You’re fine’s been paid. Now tell me about Kematu.” Tamitayo replied to him.
“Very well. Kematu is west of Whiterun. It’s an unassuming little cave called Swindler’s Den. You realize if you set foot there, you’re never coming back out. They’ll kill you. But that’s your problem, not mine.” The prisoner said.
Tamitayo was satisfied with this information and left. She could hear some banter between the guard, who was being pretty sassy, and the Alik'r prisoner.
Tamitayo and Lydia then left Whiterun and headed west. They travelled over some hills and rivers, and encountered also a few wolves on the way.
When they were close to Swindler’s Den, Tamitayo saw some familiar faces. Four of them. Shuvika-Nebuki, Serana, Nakila Kaythees and Ciinia Ivywood were all present. Shuvika and Serana looked ready for action, Ciinia seemed pretty nervous and Nakila seemed like he just wanted it over and done with and then go back to bed.
“Hey guys! It’s been a while, good to see you!” Tamitayo shouted, as she approached the others. Shuvika gave a quick greeting with a smile, Ciinia just waved shyly at the giant dunmer, Serana gave a quick chuckle and waved as well and Nakila just gave a handshake and a sigh.
“Good to see you too Tami’” Said Shuvika, the orc woman looking ready for battle. “So how’s it going on your quest?”
“Well, i’m looking for someone named Kematu. He’s the leader of the Alik'r warrior and is after this cute woman named Saadia, or her real name is Imen. According to Imen, is the Alik'r mercenaries, hired by the Aldmeri Dominion to hunt her down because she spoke out against them openly. Their leader is someone named Kematu and i was told he resides in Swindler’s Den.” She explained and pointed towards Swindler’s Den.
Nakila’s expression changed to confusion, and so did Ciinia’s and Lydia’s. True Lydia was there, but she didn’t really bother to put the pieces together until she heard it a second time. Neither of them said anything yet though, they wanted to go a bit further first, maybe they could get some info from Kematu.
After a bit of talking, they all decided to go there together, apparently Shuvika had two objective here; finding a mammoth tusk for Ysolda back in Whiterun again, for business, and to also find some ancient technology for Sorine Jurard of the Dawngaurds, most likely to either upgrade their crossbows or make new types of ammunition for them. Ciinia was just there, because Shuvika thought it would be a good opportunity for her to get a bit of experience.
They all went towards Swindler’s Den, and there was a few bandits outside, who they overmanned easily. Tamitayo ate one of them, since she was a bit hungry and forgot to eat anything before she left. After that, they all sneaked inside Swindler’s Den, keeping it low to see and hear anything of notice. They all heard two bandits talk.
“I’m not sure I like these Alik'r warriors hiding out here. They seem like trouble.” One of the bandits said to the other.
“Keep it to yourself. They’re not paying us to talk. They’ll be gone as soon as they’ve found whoever they’re looking for. And we’ll have all the more coin.” The bandit thug simply replied and went back to what they were doing.
This definitely confirmed that the Alik'r was here, and that they were paying the bandits apparently.
Shuvika counted down and all at ones they charged in. Shuvika and Serana remained in their normal forms this time. Swindler’s Den was quite large with a lot of rooms, and a lot of bandits. Shuvika swung around Volendrung and smashed bandits, outlaws and thugs left and right, she also used the fire breath shout at one point. Serana mostly used her powerful magics to deal with the bandits, only using her elven knife when they got a bit to close. Nakila was similar to Shuvika, smashing the bandits to bloody bits with the Mace of Molag Bal, while blocking incoming arrows with the Shield of Ysgramor. Ciinia was much more careful, keeping herself either at a distance or out of sight, as she shot one ice spike after the other at the bandits, while also summoning a flame atronach. Lydia stood close to Tamitayo to help her out, and switched between using bow and arrow and using her shield and sword. Tamitayo herself, used the chitin shield Shuvika gave her to block incoming arrows and melee, while using various of her new spells against them, such as “wither” to reduce their movements and damage, “stoneflesh” to increase her own defences, “soul cloak” so that when the bandits die, one of her soul gems gets filled up, “circle of strenth” to steal the stamina from hostiles that steps inside of it and “lamb of Mara” to steal a bit of the health that her foe is losing. When it came to Tamitayo’s offensive spells, she used both ice spikes, lightning bolt, firebolt and rift bolt, with the latter not just damaging the opponent, but also teleport them a bit backwards to give her some more space and distance.
After defeating the last of the bandits, with the last three being eaten by Serana, Tamitayo and Lydia, they began searching for where the Alik'r were. They searched for a while, but couldn’t find them. It was then Tamitayo remembered the “clairvoyance” spell she had learned. She activated it, and a blue-like mist immediately emerged and made a trail, almost looking like a giant mystical snake. It lead down to a small passage half filled with water with a waterfall at the end. There was a hidden pathway behind the waterfall.
Ones everyone had regrouped, did they all walk through the water and through the waterfall. If the Alik'r was on the other side, they would already know they were there, either by all the sound and noise from before, or by Tamitayo’s clairvoyance spell. Soon they entered the secret room. They heard Kematu yell “Alik'r, hold!” and they saw that the Alik'r had readied themselves, but did not attack.
“You’ve proven your strength, warrior. Let’s avoid any more bloodshed. I think you and i have some things to talk about.” Kematu said in calm, collective tone as Tamitayo and the others approached. “Stay your hand, warrior!” He said ones they were close enough. “It’s no secret why you’re here and you have proven your skill in combat. Let us talk a moment, and no one else needs to die. I think we can all profit from the situation in which we find ourselves. My men will not attack you, if you lower your weapons.” He said in gentle, requesting tone.
Tamitayo and the others lowered their weapons as he requested. “Why are you after Saadia?” Tamitayo asked.
“She sold the city out to the Aldmeri Dominion. Were it not for her betrayal, Taneth could have held its ground in the war. The other noble houses discovered her betrayal and she fled. They want her brought back alive. The resistance against the dominion is alive and well in Hammerfell, and they want justice.” Kematu explained to them.
Tamitayo sat there for a moment. She had known Saadia for a while now, usually she’d sit by the redguard woman and tell her about her latest quest or something she did. To think she’d done this would break her heart if it was true. “I’ve been sent here to kill you.” She simply continued on, trying to ignore the feelings.
“Of course, sent by… what is it that she’s calling herself these days? Shazra? Saadia? One of those, correct? Did she appeal to your sense of honor? Your greed? A more… base need, perhaps? It doesn’t matter. No doubt she’s convinced you that she’s the victim. But, do you know why we pursue her?” He asked them, clearly meaning besides what he’s already told them, that was pretty clear in his voice.
“Saadia told me - you’re assassins.” Tamitayo continued.
“Assassins? No, nothing so crass. "Saadia”, as you know her, is wanted by the noble houses of Taneth for treason. We were hired to see her returned to Hammerfell for her crimes. You can help us with that, and make sure no one else gets hurt.“ Kematu said with a welcoming tone.
Nakila began to talk in a way, and Tamitayo could now understand why he wasn’t much of a talker, because he CAN’T actually talk. The only sounds he was able to make was chirping sounds similar to that of birds and hissing sounds like that of a lizard, snake or crocodile. The cut on his throat had damaged his ability to speak so long ago. Ciinia and Shuvika seemed to be able to understand what he was saying though, and Ciinia began to translate what he said to Tamitayo.
"Nakila s-says that K-kematu h-has the s-stronger a-agument. There’s p-plenty of h-holes in S-saadia’s s-story. People o-often times s-speaks o-out against t-the dominion, e-especially in H-hammerfell, b-but for the m-most p-parts they just i-ignore it, o-or s-send justicars t-to make t-them m-mysteriously d-dissappear.” She translated.
“Not to mention for a supposedly "ruthless Thalmor assassin”, Kematu’s not the one who pulled a dagger on you! Just remember how she claimed to not know of the Alik'r in Whiterun and then she tells you of the one in jail all of a sudden?“ Interrupted Lydia, which made Nakila slap her on the back of the head with his tail for interrupting. He continued to speak in his damaged animalistic language, and Ciinia translated.
"T-the r-redguards had a-a war with t-the Thalmor and n-no Redguard would e-ever s-support the Thalmor l-lest work f-for t-them. T-the T-thalmor have n-no i-influence in H-hammerfell a-as the R-redguards p-pushed them out d-during the w-war. I-it w-wouldn’t m-matter i-if s-she s-spoke out a-against the Thalmor b-because l-literally e-everyone in Hammerfell h-hates t-them a-already. A-also knowing t-the Thalmor, s-she w-would have b-been d-dead already i-if s-she was r-really being h-hunted by t-them, and c-considering t-that t-the Thalmor was c-constantly h-harrashed b-by the Alik'r d-during the war, i-i h-highly d-doubt that t-they would w-want to a-ask t-them of all people f-for help. K-kematu’s story m-makes m-more s-sense as w-well if y-you think about i-it.” Ciinia continued to translate for Nakila.
Tamitayo stood there for a moment. They were right, but it still hurt having to do this against Saadia, she had considered her a friend, but crime is still a crime, especially when it’s so big that it could change a war for the worst. “So, what do you wany me to do?” She asked Kematu.
“She trusts you, at least to some extent. She sent you after us, and has no reason to think that you’d do anything other than that. Convince her that we’ll be coming for her, and she needs to leave. Lead her to the stables outside Whiterun. We’ll be waiting to take her into custody. I’ll gladly share a portion of the bounty for your efforts in seeing proper justice done.” Kematu continued to explain to them.
“All right, i’ll do it.” Said Tamitayo with a bit of pain in her voice.
“Good. We’ll be waiting for you at the stables. It will be good to finally be able to return home.” Said Kematu happily, clearly he just wanted to go home by now.
Tamitayo and the others walked back out of the waterfall entrance. Shuvika just told Tamitayo and Lydia to go on ahead, as she still needed to find those schematics for Sorine Jurard and that mammoth tusk for Ysolda.
Shuvika, Lydia, Ciinia and Nakila all went back to Whiterun after a bit of walking. Tamitayo was still bothered of having to do this.
After a bit of travelling they reached the city. Shuvika halted for a moment and looked at Ciinia and Nakila. “I think i want to do this by myself.” She said in a sad tone.
The other two nodded and walked off. Tamitayo continued towards the Bannered Mare, and as she entered she walked upstairs and found Saadia waiting. She walked up to the redguard woman.
“Any news of the Alik'r?” Saadia asked worriedly.
“I was unable to defeat them all, and they’re coming for you.” Tamitayo lied to her.
“What? How? I thought they weren’t allowed within the city!” Saadia said shocked at the news.
“They’ve found a way in. We need to get you out of here.” Tamitayo continued to lie.
“But where will i go? I can’t keep running forever!” She said to Tamitayo and Lydia.
“There’s a horse waiting at the stables. I’ll make sure you’re safe.” Tamitayo said with a lie again.
“After all this, i have to pick up and leave again? If you really think this is the only way, i trust you. Let’s not waste any time.” Saadia said as she rose from the chair and prepared to head out for the stables. The word “trust” cut Tamitayo right in the heart, and made her feel bad for what she had to do.
Tamitayo and Lydia followed Saadia out of Whiterun and towards the stables. Here they were met face to face with Kematu and some of his Alik'r warriors.
“We meet at last, my dear lady.” Kematu said, with a voice like that of a hunter who’s happy that the hunt was FINALLY over.
“What is this? What have you done?” Saadia asked Tamitayo, who looked sad into the ground, but didn’t answer and was instead interrupted by Kematu saying “Of, come now. You didn’t really expect to manipulate people forever, did you? Your luck had to run out sometime.” before firing a paralyse spell on her, causing her to be stiff like a statue.
Tamitayo walked up to Kematu, and he looked up at the giant dunmer woman. “Now, we’ll take our friend here back to Hammerfell, where she wil pay the price of her treason.” he said.
Tamitayo looked down worried at Saadia and back at Kematu. “She won’t be harmed?” she asked.
“Not on the way back. Once she gets there, it’s not up to me to decide what’s done with her. And as for you, i owe you a portion of the reward, don’t i? Well, here you go. Spend it wisely, and if i may… Don’t allow yourself to be fooled by a pretty face. You’re better than that.” Kematu told her in a polite manner.
Tamitayo watched as the Alik'r left with Saadia. She felt bad and she was going to miss her a lot, but justice had to be done. She walked back into Whiterun and saw Ysolda. She had gotten quite a big belly, and Tamitayo walked up to the nord lady and asked “Who did you eat?”
Ysolda looked up at her giant dunmer friend. “Oh, Ciinia told Nakila to stay back in Breezehome to get the rest he deserves. Her plan was to go to the College of Winterhold so she could learn more about magic. She didn’t know the way so she asked me for help, and you know how persuasive i can be. Shuvika should be back in a bit, she’s on a little errand for me that i hope to get done before travelling to Winterhold with our friend here.” She explained to Tamitayo.
Soon enough was Shuvika and Serana back and walked up to Ysolda. “Here’s the mammoth tusk you wanted.” the orc said happily and handed it to her.
“Thank you Shuvika. Here’s a bit for your trouble.” She replied and handed Shuvika some gold.
Shuvika then looked at Tamitayo. “So what do you plan on doing now my big plump friend?” She asked.
“I’m not entirely sure which direction to go, though now that i think about it, i should maybe get better at using my magic.” The giant dunmer replied.
This gave Shuvika an idea. “Hey, why don’t you take with Ciinia to the College of Winterhold? That’s a place where you learn about different types of magic, how it works and all that” Shuvika suggested. “Just make sure you don’t make Urag gro-Shub mad. He’s the librarian of the Arcanaeum, and trust me, you will NOT win in a fight. Even the Archmage, Savos Aren is scared of making him mad, and even i could not take him on, and neither can Serana, so just for your own safety, don’t make that orc angry.” Shuvika suggested to keep her friend safe.
Tamitayo nodded, but has made up her mind. She was going. She looked at Ysolda. “Think you can take two more?” She asked the nord lady who simply nodded.
Ysolda may be tiny when compared to a giant like Tamitayo, but that didn’t stop her from swallowing both her and Lydia, ones that was all well and done, she began her travel to Winterhold with her passengers. They all said goodbye to Shuvika and Serana before they left.
Inside Ysolda’s belly had Ciinia and Tamitayo begun to talk about what they already knew about magic, and what they might want to wish to explore more of. Lydia just stood there and listened, didn’t say much. This helped taking Tamitayo’s mind off of Saadia.
After a bit of time, had Ysolda arrived at Winterhold. Here she let the three ladies out. “Thanks for travelling with the Ysolda caravan. Hope you had a good trip.” She said in a joking manner before waving goodbye and began to head home to Whiterun.
Tamitayo, Lydia and Ciinia began to walk into Winterhold, when they heard a roar in the distance, a dragon was nearby, and very close. It was actually going to attack the city.
Tamitayo, Lydia and Ciinia watched as the dragon attacked. The town guards grabbed their bows and weapons and began fighting back. Lydia found her bow as well, the one Shuvika had made for her, and began to shoot after the dragon. Ciinia summoned a flame atronach and began to fire spells after the dragon as well. Tamitayo summoned stoneflesh to increase her own endurance and began to use various of different spells, such as “wither” to lower the dragon’s movement and attack, when she was able to hit, “Raise Wall” to create a wall to help protect her allies that was to far away for her to use ward on, “Curse of the Silent” to drain the dragon’s magica when she was able to land a hit with it, “Lamb of Mara” to drain the dragon’s health, and “Circle of Strength” whenever the dragon landed to fight in melee. She switched between using her ranged magic for when the dragon was either flying or far away, to using her bound swords, where she dual-wielded them against the dragon.
The battle was fierce, and even with the guard’s help, the dragon would not go down easily. Eventually though, was the dragon so full of arrows and ice spikes, as well as overall damage by everything else, that it crash landed on the ground. It was angry, all it wanted, was to kill Tamitayo, so it charged directly towards her. She fired all the spells she could on that short while, before it fired a frost breath against her. She was able to block it with a ward in time, but it drained her a lot. Lydia and the guards arrived with bow and melee and helped out in the fight, and so did Ciinia and her flame atronach.
The dragon suddenly shouted “ZUN HAAL WIIK!”, and everyone that was hit by the dragon’s shout was ripped of their weapons, as the shout defied steel and metal. As if that wasn’t enough the dragon let out another shout, “FAAS RU MAAR!”, and everyone that was hit by it, felt terror like never before.
Tamitayo was now alone with this dragon, it was clear that it was a quite powerful one. And it wanted her dead. She tried to fight back, but it charged at her, and while she was good with her bound weapons, the dragon was to powerful for the tall dunmer to handle alone, and even with allies it was still difficult.
The dragon threw her into a building, and now he let yet out another shout. “MUL QAH DIIV!” As the dragon said this shout, it’s entire body was covered in some sort of ethereal armor, and Tamitayo could feel its power increase. The dragon had gotten a 25% increase it’s attacks, a 125% increase to it’s defence and endurance, a 25% increase for fire resistance and frost resistance, it’s shouts becoming more powerful and a 20% decrease in shout recharge time.
Tamitayo had to admit, there was no way, even in the dragon’s wounded stage, that she would win this fight, and she doubted she could even if it hadn’t used this specific shout. A howl could suddenly be heard, and Tamitayo looked out to the side, and saw a grey-greenish werewolf with tusks howling into the sky, summoning other werewolves as well as frost spirits, and besides the werewolf was a vampire lord who had summoned bats and a gargoyle. The werewolves, ice wolf spirits, the vampire lord, the gargoyle and the bats all charged the dragon with violent fury, clawing and biting at it, while the vampire lord used it’s magic against it. Meanwhile Lydia, Ciinia and the guards have managed to free themselves from the shout that filled them with terror. They all looked on as the werewolves attacked. They decided to use long range tactics while the werewolves had the dragon distracted, they could kill them afterwards.
Tamitayo got to her feet, and summoned her own familiar spirit, and began to fight against the dragon as well. The battle was fierce, bloody and intense. It lasted for a long time. Soon the dragon has had enough and ones again focuses on Tamitayo and charges towards her, but she was saved by Nakila, how looked very angry that he never can catch a break. He smacked the dragon in the face with the Mace of Molag Bal. However the dragon was able to hit him to the side and into a building hard enough to make him covered in debris. Nakila looked at the situation. He took aim, and threw his mace in Tamitayo’s direction. She was able to grab it in time, lending a powerful blow on the dragon’s lower jaw. She grabbed the side of it’s head and swung herself up on top of the dragon and first hit it in the eye with the mace. By this point, the mul qah diiv shout had run out, and with one final strike she smashed the mace down into the dragon’s skull so hard, it hit the ground and bounced up into the air again.
She jumped down and looked as the dragon’s body collapsed. However, as the dragon drew its final breath, it began to glow, and a whirlwind of colour erupted from it as it’s body began to burn, and surged towards Tamitayo. Ones it was all over, she felt new power and knowledge inside of her, and everyone around her looked at her in amazement, and she knew what it meant, just like Shuvika-Nebuki, she too was a Dragonborn.
After the amazement was over, had the werewolves and the vampire mysteriously disappeared, and everyone had helped patching and healing those who got wounded. Tamitayo was still in shock and surprise. She was really the stuff of legend, just like Shuvika! She couldn’t believe it. She was both excited and scared for what this would mean for the future. Speaking of the future, Tamitayo and Ciinia looked up at the College of Winterhold. True, she didn’t know what the future had in store, but she knew where she would start, and that would be at the college, alongside her friends Ciinia, who was going to study with her. Lydia, her housecarl who had sworn to protect her and has grown quite close to her. Shuvika, while they’ll not be at the same place, she knew their paths would cross again, and she had a feeling it would be quite often. Nakila, the naga argonian who had sworn to protect both Shuvika and Ciinia, while grumpy, was he still a good friend. And finally Serana, while she hadn’t had much interaction with her as with the others, she still felt kinda close to her.
She didn’t know what the future hold, but so far, it seemed to have gotten a good and interesting start.
#submission#fics#a very good read!#crossthicc!elder scrolls#well its in actual game continuity but#yknow tagging stuff#thank u so much for doing this!!!#tamitayo stormcrown#queued#tamitayo's more stern and Conan-ish but still#this is a great way for it to go down!
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The Society of Romulus and Remus
Ludwig is the product of a centuries old curse that transforms him into a dangerous werewolf. His only chance for a cure is with Feliciano, heir to the Society of Romulus and Remus, a group of hunters who hunt on the supernatural.
Sorry for the length it has taken me to post. I’ve been in Spain and things have been hectic.
Chapter 10
Ludwig hurried behind Feliciano the whole way to the hospital wing, trying to shout sense into him.
“Feliciano! Lovino’s wounds are too complicated for a beginner! You’ll only put him at more risk!”
“You said I could heal whatever wound!” Feliciano shouted back.
“I didn’t think you would want to heal something at your brother’s level!”
No matter, Feliciano had reached with his still strong intent. Ludwig followed him up the stairs, down the halls and before the ward. Only two nurses were there attending to his falling figure, most of his wounds now covered in healing bandages or IVs. The nurses, having heard how Feliciano reacted when he saw his brother this way, instantly covered and were soon to close.
“Wait! I can heal him!” Feliciano moved between them and took secured standing right next to the sleeping figure.
“Sir, we are doing the best we can ourselves,” one of them tried to stop him.
“Then let me!” He raised his sleeves, revealing well his wolf mark, one of the few times Ludwig had seen it.
As he analyzed how his brother's body was presented, surely mapping well how his own system must be organized in his ruined state, the nurses gazed over to Ludwig hoping he could say the words to get him to move back. He had already tried and knew that anything more will just fall uselessly.
“He learned a Venetian Mark in two days and passed Carlotta’s statue just for this,” it seemed Ludwig was starting to defend upon seeing the confidence Feliciano bore, only slightly trembling because of the haunting of how Lovino was still heavily damaged and without much promise.
The nurses widened upon hearing this, impression enough for them to hold back and watch what this could turn into. If anything, they prepared a blocking and interrupting spell under their breaths for if it failed.
Having those eyes on him made this slightly nerve wrecking, but he quickly learned to shut them off once he was sure of the mapping he had done in his mind and how the spell was going to move across his body. He could do this, he repeated to himself in his mind, enough in it to spark the needed energy. He took the position, straight, focused on his power, arms outstretched, the center well under their shadow. As he produced the magic, all in its well route, Ludwig saw him do something new and that was utter something under his breath. That wasn’t part of the spell. He was just about ready to comment, maybe even stop him, but the blue started along with a spread across the damaged parts of the body.
Ludwig and the nurses could tell it was difficult. Feliciano spent long times in many areas over the difficulty of the passing and the bruises, but more words and he continued through, all intrigued at the normal skin color that was beginning to return. Wounds closed, scars fully disappeared, bringing the body to a glow as if it had come anew to this world. Ludwig had never seen such a clean doing of the spell and surely it had to do with the whispers Feliciano was giving. Even as the body moved with breaths, Feliciano continued on his focus, fully until he had completed the entire body.
In a closing of his hands, it was done, the magic gone, a strong lingering of the energy disappearing away, leaving behind a healthy and bright Lovino, For the first time since his bloodied arrival, his eyes began to blink, adjusting to the heavy lights that glowed above him. The rest didn’t dare move, as if giving it all for Lovino to take.
Finally, hazel eyes widened completely, their usual fire and liveliness that didn’t match this ward, bandages and all the still connected IVs. He raised himself slightly, all sharing stunned expressions, either waiting for some kind of reaction.
“What?” Lovino decided to break the silence.
“You’re… okay?” Feliciano neared, still hesitant to touch him, afraid that he could disturb this and bring him back to his ruin of earlier.
“I’m…completely fine…why…” he looked around to the blankness of the ceiling, walls and floors, the machines, the bandages and the IVs. “Why…why am I in the hospital wing?” He was incredulous, slightly maddened even.
“You…you don’t remember?” One nurse questioned.
“Remember what?”
“The attack!”
“Oh that…yeah, I remember that.” And still he seemed nonchalant, well rested, like he was just lazing on a couch.
They all took a deep breath, one that seemed to push them to the floor in relief.
“So…do you feel okay?” Feliciano began to smile.
“I feel completely all right,” Lovino admitted truthfully, looking over to himself for all those bruises and scars. “How did you-”
“I’ll tell you later, but, Lovino, just let me hug you!” And he jumped on him and brought that embrace. Even with Lovino’s complaints and shouts, the nurses, even Ludwig, could only smile at the touching scene, giving them that loving exchange before they would have to start his removal. In the hardened shakes and the ramblings Feliciano went on with, Lovino tried to escape his eyes anywhere in the rush, landing them suddenly on Ludwig. Their eyes only met briefly, but in those couple of seconds, Lovino held that blue for a long while…wondering…wondering…wondering…until he recognized. Sudden raging darkness, roars, blood, a hundred piercings of what seemed a hundred sharpened teeth, a near reach of death. Lovino found himself returning the embrace of his brother, cradling into his neck and letting himself that comfort of his familiarity. Feliciano felt him trembling suddenly, so he hardened his hold, whispering words of comfort and love to try and ease him back to the calm he held when he woke up. He didn’t notice the hardened glare his brother sent his teacher. Ludwig noticed how the hold was a protective one, territorial, one that flared his inner wolf. It almost seemed like Lovino was staring right at the eyes of the beast even as it lay dormant in that body. Ludwig clenched his fists and pretended to be ignorant to these stares, willingly losing to that battle to try and avoid having Lovino recognize him.
The obvious hint were his eyes, as intense and dangerous as they had been in the attack.
Another nurse was told of the news and it was quickly brought to their leader, who arrived later to give the same embrace of welcome, as suffocating and as embarrassing.
“I was so scared, so scared. I dreaded to lose you and I’m so happy you’re well. You are safe and alive and healthy,” and Augusto had gone on with rumbles, never dispatching from the embrace, not halting the kisses he lay all over Lovino’s head. Sure, he had practically awakened by a coma, didn’t mean that he was accepting all this love feast easily, only trying to find escape even in his jailed position on the bed by the strength of his grandfather’s arms.
“Now, are you sure you’re all right? No headaches, no strains?” Augusto finally released him, his hand working as the expectations to his questions.
“Fine, completely fine. I can’t even remember how it felt like,” Lovino eased, pulling away that searching hand.
“And you’re sure you’re ready to leave the ward?” Augusto still wanted to make sure.
“I would this very instant. In fact, can I leave right now?”
“Easy there, give yourself a break to rest.”
“I rested long enough. I want to get back to work.” Lovino was determined.
“Really?...After that attack?”
“It’s the usual for someone of the society. Heir or not, it was bound to happen to me.”
“This kind of attack would have killed anyone. You’re lucky Feliciano mastered a Venetian Mark in two days just for you, or who knows how things would have ended.”
“Two days!” Lovino shouted incredulous, rising slightly from the bed in the push of surprise.
“I had the same reaction.” Augusto shushed him back to a proper sitting.
Feliciano stood in delight beside the bed, sporting a bright smile.
“I have to say I’m very impressed and of course proud. What made you so determined to learn it in two days?”
“I…really, really, really wanted to save Lovino.”
Augusto smiled, now brining him closer to the bed in his own crushing embrace.
“You are both admirable. Lovino, I see you soon reaching a golden sheep seal, and Feliciano, you have impressed me with this ability. Your dedication is true and just what this society needs.” There was faltering in Feliciano’s smile. “Perhaps you shall soon get your bronze sheep seal. I shall speak to Ludwig, you will be ready for your hunter test.”
Feliciano couldn’t hold his grin, fear carved, one Augusto didn’t notice as Lovino came out with another concern.
“Nonno, can I speak to you alone for a moment?”
Augusto raised an eyebrow, Feliciano already standing from the bed, wanting immediate leaving from his grandfather’s words.
“I’ll let you guys talk then,” Feliciano decided, rushing off to other freer things that could rise him from the new mood his grandfather brought.
They were alone in the ward now, nurses and others passing along not seeming to want to interrupt whatever it was they were to speak about.
“What is it?” Augusto neared to keep their conversation low.
“Ludwig.”
The German they spoke on about had decided on training for the day, exercises and lifts that he shared with others in a gym. He practiced on his breathing, on more of the controls that Augusto had given him, well on him even afterwards as he made his way around the base, thinking if he should have an early dinner or spend time on new readings. He passed by the hospital and suddenly found himself remembering Lovino. Curious over his wellbeing (especially after he was the one that caused it), he went over to see if he was still there. He arrived just to see his first standing since the attack, dressed well and ready to head back to his usual in the base. He seemed quite eager and strong, but then they caught their eyes, and he was soured, angry, turning away and already stomping to some other place in the hospital with no cringe or delay in his body. It was unexpected, and it left Ludwig in question. He didn’t notice Augusto was there until he began to approach him, a confident smile that didn’t show at all menace until a harsh hand had fallen well on his shoulder.
“Come with me, Ludwig,” Augusto commanded, leading Ludwig to another more secluded hall, with no array of doctors and nurses. Even when they found this place, Augusto refused to let him go.
“You were there, weren’t you?” His tone was sharp.
“Whe-where?” Ludwig feared.
“In Lithuania, more specifically, the forest where my grandson was attacked.”
Ludwig froze, silent and with not even a word on his mind to tell Augusto.
“Out with it, boy! Speak the truth!” He commanded.
How could Ludwig continue to defend himself of something that left a marking well for Augusto to know…and perhaps even Lovino.
“Sir…it was a powerful transformation I couldn’t control.”
“Didn’t I give you emergency pills?”
“I couldn’t reach them on time. Sir, I speak with the outmost truth that I was completely taken and unaware. I would never, ever, do a thing to harm you so closely. I apologize heavily, and I am willing to prove it however necessary.”
Augusto saw it well in his eyes, which controlled whatever violence the hunter and grandfather in him wanted to deal this in.
Augusto sighed, his hold now more comforting, his voice the gentile of family. “For your chances in staying in the society, not betraying my trust and your curse breaking, I hope so.”
Ludwig was released, and for a moment he thought he was free.
“I confide in you a lot, Ludwig. But I have to admit, I’m still taking a huge risk in letting you be my son’s private teacher. I trust well your control, plus the medicines and charms I have given you. This is only your first time breaking out of that line and my grandson was saved by a spell you did well to teach Feliciano quickly, so I will let it pass. But mark my words. You attack someone of my family again and I will personally be your end,” he threatened with quite a growl that reminded Ludwig, of well…a wolf.
“Understood.” Ludwig lowered his head in acceptance to such faith.
“Good, now, about Lovino…”
“Did he…?”
“Recognize you? Probably. My grandson has good instinct and can tell the signs of when a beast is among us.”
Ludwig raised his eyes, for he felt Augusto accusing him harshly with that word.
“It was hard convincing him and I doubt I truly cleared his suspicions, but I did enough so he wouldn’t go out to take you down by himself, but be wary, he told me he will keep you under a heavy watch, more so when he knows you spend a lot of time alone with Feliciano.” He turned, soon to take his leave, but of course he wasn’t done yet.
“Which reminds me, Ludwig, I congratulate heavy what you did to get Feliciano to learn it. You have proven more than ever your abilities as a teacher in this base.”
Ludwig tried to hide his pride, but a small grin escaped that Augusto caught.
“How ready do you think he is for his first testing?”
And it was gone, his thoughts now lost on that probability.
“I…don’t know, sir. We haven’t really done much on hunting tactics. When’s the next test?”
Augusto looked through his mind for the exact date. “About a month from now…do you think that’s enough to prepare him?” Augusto seemed to force that determination while Ludwig only stuttered.
“To be honest, sir, I don’t know.” He let himself say and Augusto appreciated it at least.
“After this one, the next test will take place in six months. It would be best if we didn’t have to wait that long,” was the last suggestion he decided to give, turning away to give Ludwig the time to think for himself.
Three days had passed only, days that Ludwig had decided on a locking in his room, reorganizing his year plan notebook concerning his curse breaking, an organizing depending heavily on Feliciano’s progress.
With his quickness in learning the Venetian Mark, something immensely good he admitted, it still drove his planning book in a mess that had him pulling his hair for every change and effect even for months ahead. Another haunting headache was his decision if to enter Feliciano into the next group testing. Sure, it would mean a new level and his first seal, it would mean access to all new materials that had to do with the other spells, as well as just a new name to talk about for the Valenti. But this was majorly a hunting test, risky because they go out into an actual field with actual dangers. Any slip off can be very costly and he just couldn’t imagine seeing Feliciano leave any of that without the least injury of a broken bone. But waiting six months…that would be too long a wait for the rest of the spells, to watch Feliciano improve and grow.
He left his office then, late in the night, halls practically deserted when he arrived at his room. As it had been in his life before he was taken into the society, his room was surrounded by books, all having to do with his teachings, or just new things Ludwig wanted to know more about. Because of their plentitude, sometimes he would forget the books he had, covered well by all the others he would get new, in quite a mess that he wasn’t really proud of. No matter what he did, a book was always on the way, seeming to come from out of nowhere and surprise him as if ready to attack. Ludwig was a werewolf…he could feel anything’s approach and defend himself well…even against books.
He wasn’t meaning to read anything. Once he was done with his washing, he prepared the bed and pushed aside whatever books were on top of it. He hoped he would have a better decision in the morning after sleep, one the very room wanted to help with. As soon as Ludwig was well tucked in his bed, a book he had overhead on a shelf fell right beside his face. Any other and he would pushed it aside like the rest, but the form of its cover took his instant interest.
It was an old leathered book Augusto had lent him back in the year that he had started in the society. It was part of a pile that he had said would help. He hadn’t remembered looking through this one, having better interest in what was Michelangela’s compendium and practically pushing aside the others. This one had a single eye in its front, carved in darkness that was somewhat eerie to Ludwig. He reached for it, opening to find a power and spell book for the usage of eyes. There were several basic ones that he could do himself, ones that you could teach to children, ones he had taught well to other students, difficult ones, even ones he had never read before. The last chapter was on ‘The Bronze Stare’ an extremely familiar one. Usually there was barely anything about it, mostly simplistic things that always kept Ludwig wondering if there was more. But this book, for once, brought something more extensive to the spell, showing more than what Ludwig originally thought it was for.
The Bronze Stare was known as a tracking and sight spell, to see things from afar and to better find and reach them. Yet, as the book showed more that it was perhaps where the spell was originally written on, it said that there was more to its purpose. He read that it could be used to paralyze or even kill from distance. Ludwig now couldn’t find it in him to sleep, reading on in all its full potency…one the would surely help Feliciano for when he joined the test.
This new book slammed well on Ludwig’s desk, startling Feliciano suddenly, who was wide awake, unlike other times mind you.
“You’re joining the next group testing,” Ludwig declared, taking his usual seat in his chair.
“What?” Feliciano was confused.
“You know that every six months, the society creates a test where they send newcomers to the Paneveggio to hunt for creatures that are either released by the very society or happen to be there as they try to find a way to get into our base. Whoever passes it, is granted a new level, a seal and relinquish their titles as beginners. If not, you will have to wait another six months and to be honest, I would rather not wait that long.” He already took pens and empty notebooks ready for the lesson, tapping them as he leaned forward, waiting for whatever questions Feliciano might have. Since he remained silent, he continued.
“You’ll be joining the students of other teachers, will be given all the necessary equipment and will be rightfully prepared.”
“And…when is the test?”
“At the end of the month.”
“But…that only gives us a couple of weeks!” Feliciano panicked.
“I said you’ll be rightfully prepared. For the next couple of weeks, we’ll be focusing on your hunting skills, as well as,” he opened the browned leathered book, until it was back at the important chapter, “the Bronze Stare.”
Feliciano was still too preoccupied with the ticking time, knowing of the exhaustion of physical training that will come, of the soon approach of having to kill to really think about this new spell.
“What is it?” He finally managed to question.
“It’s a sight intensification spell.”
“Oh, then it has to be simple,” Feliciano excited.
“In its basic form, yes, but we’ll be doing something different with it.” And Ludwig then turned the pages until he was in the last section that talked about paralyzing and killing. As soon as Feliciano saw those words, he gulped and moved the furthest away he could in his seat.
“The best chance you have at even surviving this test is this spell.”
That didn’t make Feliciano any confident about it.
Of course, they had to practice the spell, but alongside it they had to prepare Feliciano’s body for the training and intensity the spell asked when it came to hitting its targets until destruction and just hunting in general. It was back to the excruciating exercises, to the bruises from sticks and rocks they would use to practice different weapons, to the cringes and turns that made Feliciano cry, less and less visits to the terrace of statues because of how tired he was and how he wanted to spend most of his time just crashed on his bed.
On one particular day, Ludwig had let Feliciano do his first try on the Bronze stare. After how vicious the last days had been, he thought it to be something that could be of relaxation, peace for his body and mind.
He had been absolutely wrong.
His first tries gave him headaches, bulging and attacking headaches that had him groaning on the floor, Ludwig having to give him potions of medicine and even bags of ice to place on his head. He was sent back to his room completely drained, looking like an attacked mess and wanting nothing more than to lay for weeks on.
He arrived, his shirtless body in red, sweat, pushing everything to the side, simply riding of every piece of clothing and instantly falling upon his bed. The grasp of the darkness of sleep caught him, and he smiled for once in his hardened day as he finally settled with something of peace.
He dreamed of children playing in a beautiful garden, a banquet of the most delightful sweets presented for them. Feliciano acted in this dream as their caretaker, handing them all the caramel apples, chocolates with nuts and gum they wanted. A small orchestra played, a sweetened song that was tempting Feliciano into a dance with the children instead of working on more chocolate lollipops for them.
Ah yes, peace, peace, peace, peace…thunder.
The skies darkened, with an approaching storm, all scurrying to head inside to the palace behind them. Yet Feliciano was the only one that was not permitted the escape, being forced to watch as this storm that came brought along with it a destroying black smoke, tearing apart the surrounding trees, rivers and fountains.
Come on, come on, come on, he repeated to himself as he tried to dispatch from whatever mud kept him standing there, sweating, huffing, shaking, trying every pull he could.
The smoke began to take form, large, a last intimidating wave before it decided to consume this castle of peace, of escape.
No, no, no, no, not this, not that familiarity of the monster wolf, of those eyes of red, another of blue, evil grimaces with the most intimidating teeth, already gushing blood and wanting nothing but more to add. At every shout, at every try to get himself away from that spot, the monster only turned larger, a form of menace that did well to cover his entire being under its shadow.
Beilschmidt, Beilschmidt, Beilschmidt, Beilschmidt, it repeated like always, the last warning before it reigned, dropping its violence and destroy to pain and breaking.
Ludwig Beilschmidt.
Feliciano awoke with a heavy take of breath, only to release it in a scream, a sitting, hard to let it die down, hard to see in this darkness, in this clutching space. He had to give constant taps around his sheets and blankets to realize that he was in his room, alone, no ominous eyes in the darkness ready to consume him. He quickly headed to his bedside table, taking out the matches and lighting one of the scented candles he had there. It was a dim light, but enough to see, not so shinning, a relaxing orange settling in the room that was comfort and embracing warmth.
Once the scent of sea breeze from the candle reached him, he finally breathed easily, settling well on his bed, laying upon it in great relief.
A dream, a dream, it was only a dream. For a moment there was comfort in it, until he remembered that he hadn’t had those kinds of nightmares in a while. He thought them gone, he thought he could finally have that freedom in his dreams, liberated…but it wasn’t so.
It had been a long time since he had cried about them, since he had weakened so much into his bed, dreading their return, their surely continuing to haunt.
Ludwig Beilschmidt. This time they said his full name, reminding Feliciano of the fear in that family name, of his questions pertaining it. All over again to that unsettlement of years ago, wondering and wanting…only this time it was close, it was his teacher, those scolding blue eyes seeming more fearful now than ever. He had never been so terrified of him.
“Why didn’t you stop? Why didn’t you stop?” Feliciano scolded himself, gripping his head harshly as he slammed himself against his pillow.
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Random question that popped into my head while watching a Tiktok:
What are your opinions on the 2004 movie’s performances? Not the blocking, not the costumes—just the singing and voices.
Mostly meeeeh.... Rocky Phantom and thin-voiced Christine is partly a directing choice, to make them easy-to-like for a younger audience. But I think the vocals are too weak, I cannot sit down and listen to the soundtrack without being annoyned.
Acting wise Emmy Rossum as Christine managed to convey the innocence, charm and lonelyness I see in the role, and she certainly looked the part. But she was never particularly believable as the grand star of the Parisian opera, which I think is a crucial point of the plot. I also think she didn't show the grand transformation most stage Christines do, where they in the middle of the second act finds their own voice and way and is ready to fight.
Gerard Butler as the Phantom should probably be thanked for hindering the role and hence the movie turning into a total camp feast. The director wanted topless, muscles, nipples, and Butler refused. He seemed to dig deeper into the character than Joel Schumacher did. Duly noted and appreciated. But I did think he lacked most of the finesse, power and danger seen in even an average stage Phantom - or Lon Chaney, for that matter. Add a heavily autotuned rock-voice just isn't my cup of tea. There were moments were I felt the rougher voice served its purpose, but I would have liked it as an effect rather than constant feature.
(directing wise, I also had issues with how they stripped him of all sense of magic, to make him so HUUUUMAAAAN... showing that the manipulation of Carlotta's voice was sue to a spray, for example, and not ventriloquism. And I haven't even mentioned the lack of a decent deformity, which also is crucial to the plot)
Patrick Wilson as Raoul was maybe the one I felt made most sense of the leads, in terms of him being a fairly classic Raoul. He sung well, he loved his Christine, he fought his battle. Maybe not wildly memorable, but towards two mellow co-stars it is probably limits to how sharp edges you may have.
Minnie Driver as Carlotta was colourful and delightfully over the top, but here - opposite of the Phantom - I missed the sense of the human underneath. She was merely a comic relief. And of course, she did not sing the part herself, former stage Carlotta Margaret Preece did, and very well.
Of the other leads I liked Simon Callow as André a lot, if only because he embodied the nervousness, the need of elegance and the peculiarity of the role. Ditto for Miranda Richardson as Madame Giry. Yeah, annoying French accent, and for mysterious reasons the only one with an accent. But she is a great actress and added just the right dose of quirk, mystery and femininity to the role that I felt this was a somewhat new portrayal. I liked it. Jennifer Ellison as Meg could have been so good if they actually used her classical ballet training to the full, but she hardly got to dance. Her sweet singing voice and very meg-esque look was fine, but I cannot NOT think of what she could have done with the role if they featured her more as a dancer. But I loved that she and Miranda Richardson looked a lot alike.
I have no memory of Firmin and Piangi. Sorry.
And while writing this I realized I probably haven't seen the movie in 10-12 years. So this is based on the memory of way back. Maybe I should see it anew. But last time I tried I loved the Auction and Overture and felt I had underestimated the 2004 movie. But somewhere in Hannibal and definitely in "Think of Me" it dawned on me that nope... and by the time of the title song and MOTN I just cannot watch it (or listen to it). So...
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The Last Shadow: A Divided Ender Saga Reunited
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When Orson Scott Card wrote his original trilogy following the child genius Andrew “Ender” Wiggin as he trained for interstellar war at Battle School, he hardly could have imagined how far the tale would progress. However, because Card left himself such a large time gap between Ender’s Game and the second novel, Speaker for the Dead, the millennia were ripe for further exploration, and explore them he did, both in the Shadow saga following Ender’s classmate Bean and in short stories and prequels throughout the 2000s and 2010s.
Now, however, the far-flung storylines are finally ready to be merged back together in The Last Shadow, and although the title indicates an ostensible connection to the Shadow saga, which has traditionally focused on those controlling Earth’s hegemony and humanity’s expansive colonization, the latest narrative returns to the themes of the Ender series, which was centered on the survival of non-human sentient species including the Formics (“Buggers”) and the Pequeninos (“Piggies”) in the distant future.
In fact, the Ender series was among the first space science fiction to incorporate relativistic effects into its interstellar travel. In Speaker for the Dead, Andrew Wiggin was able to remain almost anonymous due to years of lost time resulting from his constant travel between planets. The years aboard his spaceship translated to centuries for his fellow humans as they spread like wildfire to the habitable planets left vacant after the Formic Wars. It seemed the parallel story of the Shadow Saga would never catch up to Ender’s tale 3000 years hence, but as it turns out, two can play at that game.
In 2012’s Shadows in Flight, Julian “Bean” Delphiki’s family was already using relativistic space travel to buy time while scientists searched for a cure for the giantism that threatened to kill their father. While only five years passed on their ship, the Herodotus, over four centuries sped by on Earth, leading the family to eventually be forgotten by those who promised to help them. The Last Shadow takes that a step further and allows the Delphikis, complete with a third generation born on the ship, to continue the journey and catch up to the events that concluded in Children of the Mind.
The Last Shadow initially follows Bean’s grandchildren, who call each other the cousins, as they are summoned to solve a problem that never fully went away after the original Ender series ended back in 1996: what is the descolada virus that was discovered on the Portuguese colony planet of Lusitania, and does it still threaten humanity with its ability to take apart DNA base pair by base pair? Was the virus created somewhere else, and if so, by whom and for what purpose?
Two Delphiki cousins in particular tackle this genetic puzzle: Thulium, daughter of Cincinattus “Sergeant” Delphiki who named his kids after rare earth elements, and Sprout, son of Carlotta Delphiki, who named her children after Earth cities (Sprout’s real name is Brussels). The Shadow saga is rife with backstabbing manipulators, and the Delphikis are prominent among them, but this new generation of geniuses that has been cured of the ill effects of Anton’s Key are mostly ready to make their altruistic contributions to humanity.
Those who have read the entirety of Card’s Ender/Bean series may remember that Lusitania harbors another secret besides the descolada virus. It also shelters the last queen of the Formic race, long thought to be lost due to Ender Wiggin’s xenocide millennia ago. And the philotic connection the Formics use to communicate mind-to-mind across light years was the key to unlocking the realm inhabited by Ender’s personal AI, Jane, who grew to sentience in the galactic ansible network linking humanity’s colony planets.
The same ability that allowed Jane’s life-force, or aiúa, to inhabit the body of a young Valentine and Ender’s soul to enter a duplicate body of his brother Peter also allowed Jane to transport ships and people instantaneously from place to place. This powerful technology is a key part of the investigation into the source of the descolada virus in The Last Shadow. The surprising turn in store for readers in that regard is worth the wait, and the ways in which the themes of the Ender series and the Shadow saga are tied together are equally unexpected.
The merging of the stories is assisted by the relationships that form between characters from the previously divided arcs. Si Wang-Mu, for example, exhibits a charming motherly instinct, both with the Delphiki children and her husband (Ender’s aiúa in Peter’s body), who is childlike himself in many ways. Jane meanwhile is a properly strict mentor who keeps the less personable leguminids (those of Bean’s lineage) in line, removing them from the equation altogether when necessary.
What results is a new family of super-smart genetic investigators who not only vigorously pursue the origins of the virus, but who also learn much about the value of learning from other species along the way. The Hive Queen in particular takes a shine to Thulium and Sprout, and she also plays a central role in averting disaster at the climax of The Last Shadow, reminding readers of her adaptability in breeding workers to fit a specific need as seen in Shadows in Flight.
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Visiting with characters like Jane, Wang-Mu, and even Miro and his clan from Lusitania, is like reuniting with old friends. Since Card has spent the past few years diving into the past with the First Formic War and Second Formic War prequel trilogies in the days before Ender Wiggin’s xenocide, it has been awhile since even the Delphikis have been center stage. Uniting the stories in The Last Shadow brings everything full circle in a creative and fulfilling manner that will please longtime fans of both the Ender series and the Shadow saga.
The Last Shadow is out on November 16th. Find out more here.
The post The Last Shadow: A Divided Ender Saga Reunited appeared first on Den of Geek.
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Whiterun, part 1 (a long tale by Talviel)
Middas, 4th of Frostfall, 4E 205. I was saddle sore from days on the road. Since leaving Riften, I had covered the three major cities up north: Windhelm, Winterhold, and Dawnstar. In between I’d encountered bandits, fellow travellers, all manner of beasts, as well as some unsavoury folk like necromancers and vampires. Yet in the three months since I left home, I didn’t feel as homesick as I thought I would. I had already travelled from one end of Skyrim to the other during the Dragon Crisis, and once I’d learned all I needed to learn, my heart was fully invested in discovering the rest of Tamriel that I’d only ever seen in maps and books. I downed a potion of stamina and continued to trudge south towards Whiterun, where my calling as Dovahkiin all began.
I reached the city of Whiterun early in the morning. One of the guards on patrol, who recognised me from the Battle for Whiterun, saluted me heartily and we spoke at length while I unloaded my horse, who I’d named Roach, and left her in the care of the stables. Sounding almost alarmed at my change in career since the defeat of Alduin, he wished me luck and pointed me to the Bannered Mare as they were apparently short-staffed since the Redguard woman, Saadia, who worked for them disappeared without a trace. I thanked him and I shouldered my satchel and sacks, labouring up the stairs towards the Plains District. The early risers greeted me warmly for having saved their city, but I waved them off modestly as I made my way through the market square and into the Bannered Mare. Ysolda, the new proprietor, had only just woken up and was occupied with lighting the pit fire in the middle of the room.
She turned to me, yawning, when the door swung open, and her face broke out into a wide grin. “Well look who it is, Talviel of Riften, the saviour of Whiterun and all of Skyrim. Welcome back, friend.” She said warmly, helping me lay down my heavy cargo. “Oh, don’t be ridiculous, Ysolda. What was I meant to do, leave everyone to roast in the flames of the Stormcloaks and dragons? How are you? How goes business?” I asked, giving her a hug. “Business as usual, same faces and same antics. The city has been rebuilt since the battle, so well done you’d never think anything would have happened. But you’re here early, Dragonborn. Do you need a room?” “Actually, Ysolda, a guard tipped me off that you’re short of staff again. I’m now travelling as a cook, and would love to help out for a while, learn some recipes from you if I can.” She looked relieved and brushed a stray hair from her face. “I swear I’m cursed! Every person I hire either gets sacked or runs off. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, and I’m at my wit’s end trying to find someone to help me out here. How long are you planning on being in town for?” “Well, that depends really. I’ve covered Eastmarch, The Pale, and Winterhold in three months. Haven’t really learned much aside from at Candlehearth Hall and preparing a feast for Jarl Brunwulf Free-Winter in Windhelm. So depending on how much there is to learn, I’d say about a month or so.”
Ysolda smiled knowingly. “There’ll be plenty to keep you occupied. I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve, as well as a big recipe book Hulda left for me. I also have contacts in old Balgruuf’s kitchen, so let’s just say you’ll be overstaying that month. Of course you get Saadia’s old room and three square meals a day, no questions asked, as well as 350 septims per month. Two days off a week, alternating with me. How does that sound?” “Sounds great, Ysolda. I’m in.” I said, and we hauled my things through the kitchen and up the stairs to a modest but clean room. Ysolda left me to unpack and freshen up, and when I was ready I came downstairs. “Right, it’s now almost nine. Markets should be busy by now. First order of every day is to make sure we get all the freshest ingredients.” She instructed me, and we made our way outside. Gawping faces and cheers surrounded me as I walked along, and I had to resist the urge to pull my hood up to hide my face. We purchased fresh fruit and vegetables from Carlotta Valentina,who was so happy to see me she insisted on gifting me with an enormous wheel of cheese. Staggering to the stall opposite, Anoriath the hunter let out a loud whoop of laughter when he saw me, partially hidden from view by the cheese. “What in Oblivion are you doing here, Dragonborn?” “Working for Ysolda here, actually.” His jaw dropped. “Doing what, shouting rude customers across the room?” Ysolda giggled. “Actually, that would keep those Battle-Borns and Gray-Manes in line. Anyway Anoriath, I’ve got a recipe for venison stew that I want to try out. Will you have venison anytime soon?” “Certainly. I’ll be sure to bring some back for you the next time I go hunting.” “Make it quick, and there might be a bowl of hot stew in it for you.” She said with a wink, as he wrapped up a few slabs of beef and pork for her, throwing in a few rabbits as a hint of his admiration.
We brought our shopping back inside and I began to shelve or set out our wares. Ysolda prepared the bar and talked happily about the events of the four years I’d been gone, as well as telling me to keep an eye out for the Khajiit caravan who would soon be bringing in some barrels of fresh seafood, milk, and butter. I tied on my apron and stoked the cooking fire, checking the day’s menu before getting to work. At noon, the lunchtime crowd rolled in, and stared at me as if I’d sprouted an extra head as I took orders and brought out plates of steaming food while Ysolda ran down to Pelagia Farm to buy some grain and flour. I spent the entire afternoon awkwardly explaining the reasons for my visit about 500 times before Amren noticed the exasperation on my face and offered to run up to the Cloud District so that the Jarl and everyone else could know of my arrival. I thanked him profusely, adding an extra dollop of mashed potatoes to his steak. Nonetheless, citizens who had heard of my arrival came in to greet me and hand me gifts of appreciation, as I was busy trying to clear up and prepare for dinner. Ysolda came back with a huge basket of eggs, with Nimriel and Gloth in tow carrying large sacks of millet and wheat flour. She paid them for the goods and their help before they scurried off, casting furtive glances at me. I was in the middle of awkwardly smiling and nodding to Olava the Feeble when Ysolda clapped her hands for attention. “Alright people, show’s over. Yes, the Dragonborn is back and yes she’s now my head chef. She’ll be here for a while so you can all stop your lollygagging and head home unless you’re here for food, drink, or a bed.” About two-thirds of the crowd shuffled out, mumbling embarrassed apologies.
Just when the parade was over, a messenger from Dragonsreach burst into the tavern, looking for me. He explained apologetically that Jarl Balgruuf the Greater had summoned me, so I sighed and tossed my apron aside. Looking sympathetic, Ysolda promised to take over for dinner. I thanked her, then climbed to the Cloud District. Jarl Balgruuf was leaning in his throne, talking to his steward Proventus Avenicci. The guards announced my arrival with great flair, and I cringed, making my way up to the Jarl. He thudded me on the back in greeting, asking me about my unexpected return. I explained to him (for hopefully the last time that week) why I was in Whiterun and his eyebrows raised in amusement when I mentioned I was working as a cook at the Bannered Mare. “A…cook? Well, I suppose you’re too young to join the Greybeards, if you could even grow a beard, that is.” He joked. “If you’re really interested in becoming a chef, come work in my kitchens for a while if you’re really ready to prove your mettle.” I thanked him, saying I would definitely take him up on the offer when I was ready, and was dismissed.
I made my way through the Wind District, passing Jorrvaskr, when I bumped into a slim auburn-haired woman with green warpaint on her face. I recognised her as Aela the Huntress, one of the most esteemed members of the Companions. I apologised, turning to go, but she gripped my arm with surprising strength. “You’re Talviel of Riften, aren’t you?” She asked in a deep, confident voice. “I am. Saviour of Skyrim, Dovahkiin, blah blah blah.” I said, sounding annoyed. She grinned and let me go. “One of those modest types, I see. Nice change after dealing with all the bravado in there.” She nodded towards Jorrvaskr. “Not going to ask you what brings you back to our humble town since you’re probably sick of it, but the Companions have been in awe of you since you trapped that dragon up in Dragonsreach and slayed Alduin. We never let strangers in, but come by sometime. I’m sure the family would love to meet you, maybe test out your battle skills in person.” “Sure, why not.” I shrugged, taken by her straightforward manner. “I’ll let you go then. Have a nice night.” She said, turning around to head inside Jorrvaskr, but not before I caught an eyeful of her toned legs and behind ascending the stairs in her very short excuse for armour. I blushed, and headed back to the Bannered Mare.
Ysolda looked frazzled as she ran between the bar pouring drinks and doling out bowls of hot cabbage soup with bread. She shoved me into the kitchen as soon as I stepped in the door, and I immediately picked up the slack, naturally working the way I did for Keerava. Soon she looked less stressed as she passed tankards of mead and bottles of wine across the counter, gratefully pocketing the coin. The night wore on, Mikael strummed his lute and sang, and I had to kick a few drunk brawlers out (something Ysolda was not good at doing due to her slight build). I threw out the leftovers and washed up, finally extinguishing the kitchen fire just after midnight. Ysolda shooed a couple of stragglers out, and we ceased trading for the night. “Are you sure you can’t stay forever? I sure could use you more often! Well done on an impressive first day’s work. We wake at 8am tomorrow and start again.” I nodded, and climbed the stairs to my room yawning. Loredas rolled around, my first day off work, and I gratefully slept in until 10. Waking up and having some bread and cheese for breakfast washed down with a potion of stamina, I stepped out into the bright Whiterun morning. I got my knives sharpened at Warmaiden’s, bought a few more stamina potions at Arcadia’s Cauldron, then looked around, at a loss for what to do with my day. I contemplated going hunting, but felt too lazy to take my bow and run around outside. Suddenly, I remembered Aela’s offer from the other night, so I ascended the steps to Jorrvaskr and opened a door hesitantly.
I was greeted by a mixture of loud cheering and heckling, and came face to face with a woman and a man throwing well-executed punches at each other while the rest of the Companions cheered. Unsure of what to do, I just stood in front of the door pretending to look indifferent until the woman landed a cracking blow under the man’s ribs and he crumpled to the ground. Coin was exchanged, glasses were raised, and the fighters wiped the blood off their faces, congratulating each other on a job well done. Aela spotted me from across the room and let out a loud whistle, bringing all activity to a standstill. All eyes turned to me and I smiled awkwardly, raising a hand in greeting. “Come here to try out?” A burly man in heavy steel armour called out. “Oh, no, um…Aela asked me to come over the other day. Practice fighting and stuff. I’m Talviel. Of Riften. The Dragonborn.” I stuttered, hating every second of public speaking. “Aah.” They all said knowingly, and dragged me down to the main room, which was dominated by a fire pit and a long table piled with food. I made a mental note to ask who their cook was.
Introductions were made, and I was greeted coolly by Vilkas, the new Harbinger since the death of Kodlak Whitemane: a Nord who was a dead ringer for the man who first spoke to me when I came in. He had dark brown hair and a greatsword strapped to his back, and wore even more kohl around his eyes than I did. “So, Dragonborn, eh?” He said, sizing me up and grunting when he saw my short, single handed Nightingale blade. “Don’t suppose you can teach us how to shout in a day?” I shook my head. “Either you train for years like Ulfric Stormcloak did, or you just happen to be the Dragonborn.” “Damn.” He sighed. “Well, either we have a nice cosy storytelling session, or we head to the practice yard and see if you’re as formidable a fighter as they say you are.” We all decided firmly on the latter and headed out the back door to their training yard.
We devised a system where lesser members would come at me in twos, while the seniors would attack me one by one with their weapons of choice. Ria and Torvar were the first to face me, and I adopted a battle stance, readying the blunt practice sword I’d been given. The two Companions were heavy handed, and I dodged them easily, taking Torvar down with a swipe behind the knee and Ria with a blow to her ribs. Njada Stonearm and Athis, the brawling pair from earlier, came at me with the same fervour, but dodged around me cautiously after seeing what I’d done with their friends. It turned out Njada was called Stonearm for a reason, and my blade was almost knocked out of my hand as hers smashed against it. Using the opportunity, Athis sprang up behind me, but my perception skills, honed by the Thieves Guild, sensed him coming. I quickly shoved Njada so she stumbled back and ran at her, planting my feet against her chest and backflipping over Athis. Shocked by what had just happened, Athis had little time to react as I threw myself at him, pinning him down, and stabbing my sword into the ground half an inch from his head. He tapped out, but not before Njada sprang towards me, blade pointed at my heart. Grunting, I leaned as far back as I could to avoid her reach, then flipped to my feet before rushing at her. As before, she tried the same tactic of disarming me, but this time I ducked before our blades could make contact, causing her to stumble. I shoved a boot into the small of her back, ramming my sword against the thick protective belt she wore. “Who’s next?” I yelled, panting.
“Come at me.” Farkas, the man in heavy armour said, drawing his greatsword. I sighed, as I hate dealing with heavy fighters. Scanning him quickly for weak spots, I noticed his upper arms were uncovered. Perfect. Lumbering towards me, he took a great swing at my head as I stepped easily out of the way. There was no sense in trying to push, kick, or knock him over- the man was like a brick. I simply hopped around him for a while as he continued to swing heavily, then made my move when his guard was down. I swiped, and the blunt sword in my hand bashed against his unprotected left arm. “Ow!” He shouted, and I hopped to the right, doing the same thing. I ran backwards and took a bow as Aela cackled. “Both your arms are off, Shield-Brother.” “That’s gonna leave a bruise.” Farkas grumbled, patting me on the shoulder as he went to the patio. “Good fight.” Just Vilkas and Aela left. Vilkas was much like his brother, only much more limber and with almost impenetrable armour. “I think by now I’ve killed one of every living thing in Skyrim. May be time for a trip to Morrowind.” He said, and charged towards me. I rolled to the side, taken aback by how he used a greatsword as if it were as light as a butter knife. Wearing him out took a lot longer than his brother, and I gave up on that tactic after a few minutes. Finally, as he made a downward swing, I skipped over his sword and caught his eye, feigning expression of combined pleading and beguiling that Sapphire made me master, which caught him off guard. I took the moment to slash forward, stopping just before his throat. “Bam, you’re dead.” I smiled, and he raised his hands in defeat, looking at me with increased respect.
Finally, Aela stepped forward, drawing her bow. “I notice you have no shield. You’re in trouble.” She winked at me as she walked to the far end of the practice yard. Without warning, she fired at me, and the arrow whizzed past my right ear. I sharpened my senses the way Niruin taught me how in the cisterns, and prepared myself. The arrows came almost unrelentingly at me, as I jumped, ducked, and weaved, making my way towards Aela. As I was almost within arm’s reach, she fired a last arrow at me and I deflected it with my blade without thinking. “How the-” She spat as she drew her knife, crouching. It turned out that she was just as nimble as I was, and a force to be reckoned with. We danced around each other, blades clashing, when she suddenly leapt up and threw me to the ground. We wrestled as her Shield-Brothers and Shield-Sister shouted words of encouragement to her. I wrapped her in a headlock and she struggled to break free. With my free hand, I jabbed her in the ribs with my sword. She rolled facedown on top of of me, groaning in defeat, then unexpectedly bit me on the lip, a knowing look in her eye. I didn’t know how to react, but felt something stir within me that I only ever felt when I touched myself in the dead of night thinking of Brynjolf. She pushed herself off, and pulled me to my feet, as if nothing had happened at all.
“Well, I don’t know how you did it, but you bested all of the Companions without a scratch on you. You sure you’re not going to join us?” Vilkas said, impressed, as we stepped onto the patio, still out of breath. “Thanks for the offer, but I’ll be leaving Whiterun soon.” I smiled, pouring myself a tankard of water from the dining table that was set out. “That’s a shame, Dragonborn. We would be formidable with you as our Shield-Sister. But enough talk. A good fight makes one hungry, and I’m sure you’ll agree. Come, Tilma is sure to have brought out the apple pie by now. Best in Skyrim.” The rest of the Companions agreed, and we trudged inside, dirty and sweaty from our scuffle. We sat at the long table, eating hungrily and passing each other dishes. Finally, an old woman ascended the steps in a corner, carrying a large, fragrant apple pie that she set down and began to cut into slices. When my slice was placed in front of me, I almost smashed my face into it. As Vilkas had said, it was probably the best in Skyrim. “Hey Tilma? Would you be willing to share this recipe with me, by any chance?” I grinned, burping. “Well, that’s a closely guarded secret, dear, but bring me some cooking of your own and we’ll see if you’re worthy.” She smiled, clearing away the used plates and tankards. “Huh? The Dragonborn cooking?” Ria chuckled. Full and happy, I leaned back in my chair and told my tale, which evoked laughter from everyone. “The best fighter in Skyrim, working at the Bannered Mare as a cook. Tilma’s right, you’ll have to bring us something to prove your worth. Just not dragon stew.” Farkas laughed, coughing into his napkin. “I get Tirdas off. I’ll take you up on that.” I was hellbent on getting that apple pie recipe.
End of part one
#fanfic#fanfiction#skyrim#tes v skyrim#the elder scrolls#tes#the bannered mare#whiterun#the companions#aela the huntress#vilkas#farkas#geek#nerd#games#gamer#gaming#Chapter 4
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Ever Oasis part 24
It may not seem like it but I haven’t played this game in a while. I was trying to catch up on all my game posts. But I finally picked up my game again.
I didn’t do much, just finished up Bloom Booth quests, and actually finished. My Oasis grew to level 17 and my population is now 35. I also grew to level 19! I also moved on in the main missions and got to the Fringetto Path after making the Veritas Sword.
part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9 | part 10 | part 11 | part 12 | part 13 | part 14 | part 15 | part 16 | part 17 | part 18 | part 19 | part 20 | part 21 | part 22 | part 23
So now after a long break, I started back up again. I was at the Oasis.
Pami’s Bloom Booth had a ( ! ) and he said that there was a master that specializes in making people laugh on Boulder Path on Bahar Hill. He wanted me to come with him to check it out. *Quest Accepted*
Pami joined my party.
I warped to the Serkah Settlement and out to Boulder Path
I was in Room 2 and I had to fight a Rhinocero. It was really hard and I died 2 times before I was able to win.
I then spoke to the Serkah, David. Pami asked for tips to make himself smile more but he was already smiling. David just told him that accomplishments make a feeling well deep inside that you can’t help but smile. So I guess whatever it was, worked.
I warped back to the Oasis and spoke to Pami. He said that Serkah was right, when you accomplish something you can’t help but smile. He thanked me and gave me Cool Clothes. *Quest Complete!*
Saeed’s Bloom Booth had a ( ! ) and he said that since defeating the Needlehog he felt like someone was watching him every time he went out to the desert. He wants to catch the creep by an ambush in Kalarari Woodsea and wants me to help. *Quest Accepted*
Saeed joined my party
I warped to the Resting Roost out to Kalarari Woodsea and out to the Kalarari Woodsea. I had to fight 2 Razortooths before the chaos barrier would go down. They were hard but I won.
I then moved on to where a seedling was. it was Saeed’s dad! He apologized to Saeed for getting angry for him becoming a ball artisan. He could see how hard he was working. So they made up. Yay!
I warped back to the Oasis and spoke to Saeed. He was surprised his dad apologized, but now the case was closed. He thanked me by giving me Assassin Gear. *Quest Complete!*
Carlotta’s Bloom Booth had a ( ! ) and he said he was curious to see how the Kalarari Woodsea was doing since the incident. He wanted me to go with him. *Quest Accepted*
Carlotta joined my party.
I warped to the Gate of Admonition and out to the Kalarari Woodsea
I made my way down the path to where I had to battle a Opiotus. It was really hard at level 24 when I was only at level 18. I was finally able to beat it and when we went forward we heard a cry.
Under some sand that I cleared with Green Gale we found a baby Flying Squirrowl. Carlotta felt bad that she had caused its parents to leave. She will get it back to its colony. I was to met her back at the oasis.
I returned to the Oasis and I grew to level 19! Whoo!
I went to speak to Carlotta and she said she was worried about the young Flying Squirowl and hopes the others will watch it. She thanked me and gave me a Striped Rove. *Quest Complete!*
I restocked my Bloom Rooths, Harvested and planted seeds in my Garden.
I then took the Pinwheel Shop, Ball Shop and Balloon Shop off the Back Road and placed the Belt Shop for Nyter. I also took out the Juice shop and Veggie Shop since they are Maxed out.
Merodac had a heart (♥) above his head and he was happy that there was a belt shop in the Oasis now. He wanted to live here.
New Resident!
Population: 35
The Oasis was ready to level up.
I went to Esna and we leveled up the Oasis.
My Oasis is now at level 17!
I can now plant a 3rd fruit tree.
I also got new recipes.
I spoke to Jamileh and had her plant a new fruit tree. It will be ready tomorrow.
I then went to sleep and started a new day. There were no new travelers and 43 Noots.
I synthesized the Veritas Sword.
Esna then popped up and said that I had to equip it and bring it to the fringe of the canyon to get to the Eye of Truth.
I also synthesized a Four-Leaf ring, Divine Tree Ring, Sun Mirror, and Full-Heal Vulnerary x4
I checked my Garden and I had a new fruit tree in the back with Cresent Bananas.
I then switched my party to Bacbouc and Jasper.
I then warped to Tempest Way and went out to Wakuto Canyon and went to the far west edge of the map across a bridge to a wide area. To the west, I found a cave called Fringetto Path.
Room 1: I had to fight an Iguanagator and a Flying Squirrowl to make a Chaos Barrier to the west disappear.
I activated a warp point for Fringetto Path
There was a door to the left and a door to the north but it was blocked.
I found a Paraflower but I didn’t have the right skill.
So I used Aqua Gate to return to the Oasis and changed out Bacbouc for Isa, then returned to Frigetto Path.
Back in Room 1, I used the Paraflower with Isa,but it was blocked by a fence, so that was a bust.
With no other way to go, I went through the door to the west.
Room 2: The room was a long cave with a dead end, but there was a chaos barrier and I had to fight a starfish monster called a Beholio.
The barrier dissappeared when I beat it and there were steps I had to pull up with a lever to the east. But again, I had to wrong skill.
So I used Aqua Gate again to go back to the Oasis and switched out Jasper for Miura. Then returned to Fringetto Path.
I was back in Room 2, I then used Miura to pull the lever to the east. I then had Isa go up the steps, but the second set went up too. So I had Miura let go of the lever, switched back to Isa, had her go up the rest of the Steps. Then had Miura pull the lever again, so Isa was at a higher point so she could hit an eye switch that made a barrier go down.
Behind the barrier was a Seedling called Gadon. He said I was intruding on his resort, but I told him about the Oasis, he said he will check it out.
Behind the Seedling was a Blue Chest under some sand with a Silver Beetle Slab.
There were also 5 mining points. Luckily, I had Miura so I mined them.
I went back to Room 1, but I still wasn’t able to get through the barrier to the door to the north.
Looking around, I found an eye switch on the side of a pillar by the north door. It took down a fence up on the cliff.
I was then able to use the paraflower with Isa to get to the other side.
There was another eye switch on the other side of the pillar. It took down the barrier to the door.
Up the steps to the left was another eye switch that pulled up a barrier in front of the flower switch. So when I used the paraflower, I wan into the barrier and dropped down to a lower portion. But there was nothing there but a plant.
All there was left to do was go through the door, but I just saved at the warp and called it a day.
Until next time. Happy Gaming!
#phoenix be gaming#Ever Oasis#Nintendo 3DS Games#gaming#gameplay#video games#gamer fun#gamer girl#games#gamer#gamer life#game#Entertainment#playthrough#Nothing is Queue Everything is Permitted
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바다와 하늘 경계 사이 어딘가