RichardWhereat
Feanor did nothing wrong.
- Location
- Australia
Well, during a civil war it does make more sense that Fort Kastav is in use, rather than controlled by necromancers or bandits.
Dovah Queen, Dragonborn Rising (Game of Thrones x Skyrim)
- Thread starter Harper Potts
- Start date
- Crossover
- Location
- Leeds
And that's how Daenerys became an Azura cultist.
Deadric Princes are bullshit.
Kastav is manned... however only during the mission for the Imperials to capture it. The game throws out logic about a lot of the forts for the sake of not letting some perfectly good dungeons be un clearable because you don't want a bounty.
Last edited:
RichardWhereat
Feanor did nothing wrong.
- Location
- Australia
And that's why I've never seen it manned. I've never played Imperial.
- Location
- Leeds
I assume that its the same for imperial forts when playing as Stormcloaks.
RichardWhereat
Feanor did nothing wrong.
- Location
- Australia
Yep. Whenever I defeat the toadies of the colovian usurpers, it's like that.
- Location
- Texas
Aranea would say it is all working out as Azura foresaw.
It does. Especially as it is just outside freaking Windhelm and sits on the only land trade route to Winterhold. I walked my Daenerys character past this and had to run for it to avoid getting swarmed by necromancers.
Ah, yes, Bethesda logic. I'm trying to be a little more rational.
Sometimes. One of the Stormcloak missions is to take over Fort Sungard and it's under Forsworn control - or at least it was the last time I sided with the Stormcloaks.
Chapter 8
- Location
- Texas
Chapter 8
Loredas, the 18th of Frostfall, Year 201 of the 4th Era
Loredas, the 18th of Frostfall, Year 201 of the 4th Era
Abruptly the priestess turned and bowed to her. "Hail, Daenerys of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Dragonborn. Welcome to the Shrine of Azura."
The Dunmer priestess then smiled broadly. "Oh, I have waited for years to say that. Come, let's go inside. The nights are bitterly cold here at the north end of Skyrim. Let's get you a bath and clean clothes. Then I will answer your questions while you eat."
Daenerys was very much wrong-footed by the sudden shift of tone from solemn priestess to friendly, but she followed her anyway. While she did have questions, they could wait until she had a bath and clean clothes.
Inside the temple felt like a mausoleum. Aranea guided her down a long empty corridor that led deeper into the structure. Bas-relief carvings upon the walls depicted a story. First there was a rock, or perhaps a comet hanging over a city. The next panel showed the city destroyed. That was followed by an erupting volcano and scenes of devastation. It reminded her of the Doom of Valyria, especially as the scene changed to ships escaping following a guiding star. The star motif was repeated in the next panel showing another mountain, perhaps this one, with the goddess Azura perched on the peak. She wasn't sure if the story was mythological, historical, or both. Of course, her exposure to the history of Tamriel was limited to a few stories mostly about Nords.
The priestess opened a door to a tiled room lit by torches. This room was also decorated, but in mosaic tile rather than bas-relief. The walls seemed to reflect the view from outside to the north, south, east and west. However, the sun was shown just above the horizon on two walls: rising in the east and setting in the west. The room was rather small with a large bronze bathtub as the only fixture.
"The water has probably gone cold by now. Give me a moment to warm it up for you." She then cast Flames at the bronze tub and held it for a long count. "That should do. I believe you know fire magic if it grows cold. I've left some clothes folded for you on that bench. I'll go prepare us some food."
"Wait," commanded Daenerys." While she was grateful for the rescue, she was tired of being passively led. "Before you go, you will tell me your name."
The Dunmer smiled again and nodded approvingly. "I am High Priestess Aranea Ienith."
The bath was hot, but not as hot as she liked it. Daenerys used her own fire magic to heat the bronze tub even hotter. As appealing as a hot bath had sounded, she couldn't really enjoy it. Soap and hot water didn't wash away guilt. Most, if not all, of her fellow travelers were dead now, and she had left them to die. Small drops of blood compared to the hundreds of thousands she'd slaughtered at King's Landing, but their deaths still bothered her. She should have done something, but even now she couldn't think of anything she could have done. She hadn't even been able to fight off a few wolves. She had done the smart thing, but it didn't feel like the right thing.
Only slightly less troubling was her savior, High Priestess Aranea Ienith. She knew too much. Although that wasn't surprising given that she was a high priestess. Even on Planetos the Red Temple had ways of knowing things, as had Bran Stark. Here in Tamriel where magic was much more common, were seers still rare? Or merely uncommon? More importantly, how much did Aranea know? And what did she expect in return for saving her life?
Daenerys considered the gray woolen robe that Aranea had left for her. It was almost identical to the one the high priestess wore, but it lacked the star. Daenerys suspected that it was the robe of an initiate. She ignored it and dug into her pack. She didn't own many clothes and only the clothes she'd worn as a tavern wench were clean. While the Nords considered the cleavage daring, she thought it rather tame. She would have preferred something more impressive, but merely refusing to dress as an acolyte of this temple was making a statement.
Once dressed she wandered out into the hallways. The temple was designed to hold quite a few acolytes, but none were in evidence. She followed the lit torches down corridors and found a large dining room. Most of the room consisted of tables and benches that looked long unused. At the far end of the room was a large fireplace and kitchen area. Standing beside the fire was Aranea.
"I hope you enjoyed your bath. Please join me." Aranea gestured toward the closest table where two places had been set along with bread and wine. "It's goat stew. I eat a lot of goat. Plenty of goats up here on this mountain and not much else."
"I like goat, and I have eaten much worse." As she sat down, she remembered eating the raw heart of a stallion, the taste had been vile. Her stomach had rebelled, but she'd eaten it all. Not that it mattered in the end. She'd lost both the child and her lost love. That seemed like a lifetime ago now.
Aranea filled two bowls from the cooking pot and set them on the table. She sat down and then bowed her head. "We are children of the Twilight. Beings who are to be guided from the darkness into the light. And from the light into darkness. We give thanks to you, Azura, this day for your wisdom. As has been long foretold your champion has come. I give thanks to you for letting me be an instrument of your will, and to aid her on the last leg of her journey. Your foresight protects us. Your insight sustains us."
Daenerys listened respectfully. She took particular note of being called a champion. For so long she had believed she had a great destiny: mother to the Stallion who Mounts the World, the Unburnt, Mother of Dragons, Breaker of Chains. She had followed that belief into madness. Now a new title – Champion This very day she had fled and left her companions to be slaughtered. The wolves had almost killed her. Out of respect for Aranea saving her life, she kept her silence, but she was no champion. What she wanted was answers, not more titles.
The priestess raised her head and filled two goblets with wine. "Please, eat."
Daenerys sampled the stew. The goat flavor was strong, but not overpowering. She couldn't name the spices, but it was surprisingly tasty. "It's good."
"You like it?" For the first time, the priestess showed surprise. "I toned down the spices, but even so some find traditional Dunmer cooking to be too spicy for their tastes."
"I like spicy. The hotter the better, but as they say, hunger is the best seasoning, and I am as hungry for answers as I am for food."
"Then ask, and I will endeavor to answer."
The first question was easy. It had never been far from her thoughts since she woke up naked in a bed of ashes. "Who brought me to Tamriel and why?"
Aranea sighed. "Alas, the first question you ask of me, and I cannot answer. Azura shows me the future, not the present nor the past. I have known you were coming since before you were born, but your visage was shadowed until a few weeks ago. Since then she has given me glimpses of your future, but your past is a mystery to me."
Daenerys broke off a piece of bread and dipped it in her stew. She sensed no deception in the high priestess, just the fervor of the devoutly religious. "If that is the case, why did you hail me as you did?"
"Because in the past few weeks, Azura has started showing me visions of your future. I watched and listened as you introduced yourself using exactly those words standing in the hall of a jarl. Which hall, I couldn't tell you." A brief frown crossed Aranea's face. "I have tried to find meaning in your titles. One of them, is easy to determine – the Unburnt. I had another vision of you fighting a dragon with several soldiers near a broken tower. The dragon breathed flames upon you, but you were unharmed. The title Dragonborn is more portentous. I have seen no vision concerning it, but I have made an extensive study of prophecy. I believe that the ancient prophecy of the Last Dragonborn may be finally coming to pass. If so, dark days are upon us all. The most obscure of your titles is that of House Targaryen. The library here is small and focused on the prophesies of Azura and her wisdom, but we do have a copy of Noble Houses of the Empire. It is an older copy, but I searched it, and found no mention of a House Targaryen. Nor have I ever heard the styling 'first of her name'. I thought your house was simply new, or obscure, but if you were brought to Tamriel…" Aranea paused a moment, brow furrowed. "Are you from Atmora?"
Daenerys had never heard of Atmora before. Was that another world, a nation, a continent? She shook her head in negation. "Perhaps I will tell you later, but you promised to answer my questions, not ask more."
Aranea gave a brief nod of her head. "So I did, and so I will. Please, continue with your questions."
"What other visions have you seen of me?"
"I have the sense of many enemies around you, but most are still hidden in the twilight. Azura has only shown me a few clear visions. In one you stand atop a mountain speaking with an ancient dragon. He was huge but worn with tattered wings and chipped horns. In another I saw you standing near a floating orb larger than yourself. The orb was carved in eldritch runes and symbols. It radiated magical power. I have seen you practicing magic under the tutelage of a stern Altmer mage. You said, or did, something that astounded her. And lastly, I have seen you returning here to this temple as the Champion of Azura, bringing her star as proof."
Daenerys listened attentively. She knew from her dealings with Red Priestesses that visions weren't always obvious, but these seemed straightforward. She decided to address the last one first, because it might give her leverage. "What does it mean to be the Champion of Azura?"
"It means she has already chosen you. She sent me to aid you tonight on the mountain when the wolves beset you. Heed her warnings and they will be a light to guide you through the darkness."
Daenerys shrugged. "I'm sorry. I do appreciate you saving me from the wolves, but what guidance?"
"Visions can be difficult to interpret, but Azura sometimes speaks to me as well. You must go to a fortress, endangered by water, yet untouched by it. Inside, you will find an elven mage who can turn the brightest star as black as night." She sighed. "I can tell you are skeptical. I know it is cryptic, but Azura's signs are never wrong. I believe the fortress may refer to Winterhold. Ask if they know this elven enchanter."
"Hmm, and you think this 'brightest star' is the lost Star of Azura? A holy artifact of your goddess?"
"Yes, precisely."
"So, why doesn't she just tell me where to find it? Rather than send me to College, to ask a mage, to find out?"
"Because the gods have gifted us with free will, and deeds done by our own free will are pleasing to the gods." She spoke it like it was an axiom, an elemental truth.
To Daenerys it sounded more like the gods were bored and liked to make mortals jump through hoops for their amusement. She could see why the goddess would want a relic returned to her shrine, and Daenerys did owe the goddess for the vision she'd sent Aranea. "I'm heading to Winterhold anyway to join the College. I'll ask around for this mage when I arrive."
Aranea beamed. "Very good, a wise choice, and not the only guidance that I can offer. The title, Dragonborn, is a very important clue. It ties into another prophecy:
When misrule takes its place at the eight corners of the world
When the Brass Tower walks and Time is reshaped
When the thrice-blessed fail and the Red Tower trembles
When the Dragonborn Ruler loses his throne, and the White Tower falls
When the Snow Tower lies sundered, kingless, bleeding
The World-Eater wakes, and the Wheel turns upon the Last Dragonborn."
When the Brass Tower walks and Time is reshaped
When the thrice-blessed fail and the Red Tower trembles
When the Dragonborn Ruler loses his throne, and the White Tower falls
When the Snow Tower lies sundered, kingless, bleeding
The World-Eater wakes, and the Wheel turns upon the Last Dragonborn."
Daenerys frowned and sopped up the last bit of her stew with her bread. She popped it in her mouth and considered the prophecy. Then she shrugged. This was the usual fortune teller con, be so cryptic that anything could fulfill it. "That sounds important, but what does it all mean?"
.oOo.
After their discussion ended, Aranea had shown Daenerys to an initiate's chamber and bade her goodnight. The bed was tiny, but quite comfortable. She lay exhausted under a pile of blankets, yet she couldn't sleep. The revelations about the Dragonborn kept playing through her mind.
Tiber Septim, the founder of the Third Empire had been Dragonborn and built an empire through bloody conquest. The Septim dynasty that he founded all claimed the right to rule based upon being dragon blooded. The whole story felt so familiar and right. The Targaryen dynasty wasn't quite the same, but it had still been born in conquest and was tied to the blood of dragons. It all fit together somehow, but where did she fit?
She certainly wasn't going to charge off to Cyrodiil under some kind of deluded belief that she could claim the Imperial throne. If she could do it all over, she would have stayed in Mereen with people who loved and needed her. She had thrown away true loyalty to chase the Iron Throne, but it had been a mirage, leading her on, but always just out of reach. She had made it worse by slaughtering a city trying to somehow make the mirage turn real. She wasn't fit to rule Tamriel. She didn't know the land, the people, their politics, or their histories.
It had all been so clear to her once. Break the wheel. Build a better world. One that worked for all the people, not just the masters or the nobles. She could see it being born. Destroying King's Landing had just been the birthing pains – necessary, unavoidable. She had been wrong. No world born in betrayal could ever be a better place.
Rule the Empire? She couldn't even rule Skyrim if they offered to make her High Queen. At least she knew Skyrim's problems: bandits everywhere, far too much wilderness left untamed, monsters lurking everywhere unckecked, and to top it all off dragon attacks. Those could all be solved with troops and weapons. Even the dragons could probably be countered with weapons like ballistae backed up by battlemages. However, none of those solutions could happen with the Stormcloak rebellion, and the Stormcloaks weren't going away. Not until they could freely worship Talos again. That was an unsolvable problem. The Empire had been forced to ban Talos worship as part of the peace treaty – the White-Gold Concordat. The Empire didn't want to enforce the ban, but they had been given no choice.
Daenerys gasped and sat upright as she suddenly grasped why the Empire was so strangely tolerant of this rebellion. The Empire didn't want to enforce the treaty! They had been perfectly happy to ban Talos worship publicly, but let it continue in private. Even now that the Nords had forced the issue, the Empire would rather let the rebellion continue than have an open war in Skyrim, because the Nords weren't their real enemy. The Aldmeri Dominion was the true enemy. Someone, the Emperor or one his advisors, was wise to avoid this trap. The Thalmor were stirring things up, getting the Empire to weaken itself. General Tellus was probably under orders to capture and kill Ulfric Stormcloak if he could, and otherwise avoid escalating the war at all costs. Jarl Balgruuf got it too. That explained his strange policy of neutrality. Suddenly, so much that had confused her made sense!
She lay back down under the covers, her thoughts too astir now to sleep. Her flash of insight didn't answer her biggest questions. Aranea thought she wasn't just Azura's champion, but some mythical figure called the Last Dragonborn who would defeat Alduin and save the world. The idea was crazy, yet strangely alluring. Some power had clearly brought her to this world for a reason, but she knew that she would have no hope of killing even a small dragon, let alone a dragon-god like Alduin, the World-Eater. Even Aranea admitted that she was speculating wildly based on the mention of the Dragonborn. Yet, a part of her wanted it to be true, because maybe then she could find redemption.
She was being foolish. Nothing she ever did would ever make up for burning King's Landing. Redemption? When confronted by a dragon this morning, she'd ran. Most of the people in the caravan were undoubtably dead by now. Aranea was reading portents that weren't there. One of her visions had been talking to a dragon. That sounded like something she could do. Instead of fighting dragons, maybe she had been fighting with dragons. If she could talk to dragons, which seemed possible since she understood the Words they spoke, then she could… what? Convince them to follow her as her children had? More foolishness.
No, what she did know was that magic was power here. Magic could be learned, and she had a talent for it. She would hone that gift at the College of Winterhold. Even if she still didn't know who had brought her here or why, being able to defend herself and others was a good first step.
.oOo.
It was almost noon before Daenerys awoke. While she slept, Aranea had mended her damaged fur armor. The priestess hadn't been able to get the bloodstains out, but they didn't stink of blood and would keep out the cold. Aranea had also enchanted the armor for warmth and her backpack to lighten its weight. She waved off all thanks claiming them but 'simple' enchantments, and her small contribution to helping Azura's champion. All she asked in return was that Daenerys spend the rest of the day in rest, recovery, and contemplation before starting on the two plus day journey to Winterhold.
"Also, I have one more gift for you." Aranea said as she handed her a book. "The Book of the Dragonborn. It goes over many of the things we discussed last night. There are other books in the library that reference the legend, but this is the most comprehensive."
Daenerys accepted the book. She wasn't at all certain about being the Dragonborn or Azura's champion, but Aranea had done too much to deny her request. She spent the rest of the day struggling to read the Book of the Dragonborn and talking with Aranea. Unsurprisingly, given that Aranea was a priestess, the conversations were often around the wonders of Azura. According to Aranea she was the patron goddess of the Dunmer, had arranged the downfall of a trio of false gods known as the Tribunal, and had also been responsible for the creation of the Khajiit. In the midst of that discussion she revealed that Azura was a Daedra.
"What? Wait, I thought Daedra were the evil gods and aedra were the good ones."
"According to who?" scoffed Aranea. "The Altmer? They just divide the gods into the Aedra, the ancestors of the Altmer, and the Daedra, literally the not-Aedra. That division overlooks other deities like Sithis, Padomay, and Talos. To be more specific the Et'Ada are the original spirits who were tricked by Lorkhan into creating Mundus. Neither group is inherently good or evil. Many claim Mephala and Boethiah are evil, and yet they are patron gods of the Dunmer."
Daenerys nodded understanding. "And everyone believes their gods are the only true gods and all others are evil fakes."
"No, only fools believe that." Aranea corrected. She exhaled in irritation. "But there are many fools in the world."
Daenerys nodded in agreement to that truth. Although she did wonder, "So, the Empire permits the worshiping of Daedra?"
"They do in theory and under the law. In practice the worship of Daedra is frowned upon, but my people were given some dispensation. Morrowind joined the Empire by treaty, not conquest. We were specifically granted all rights of faith and self-government. Even here in Skyrim the Empire allowed the Reachmen to follow the Old Ways, which included Daedra worship. Don't get me wrong, most here in Skyrim follow the Nine Divines."
"And the Nine Divines include Talos. You acknowledge that he's a deity?"
"Of course, he is a deity. His priests have performed miracles. I'm not a Thalmor. I don't deny there are other gods out there. I have just dedicated myself to Azura, as should you. She has chosen you. Listen to her wisdom and she will guide your paths."
"So you have said," agreed Danerys without really agreeing. While Aranea was being helpful and had a completely different perspective from the Nords, her religious fixation was wearing. Daenerys was more than ready to leave for Winterhold in the morning, even if it meant risking the roads of Skyrim alone.
Last edited:
Daenerys probably should notice that Tamriel city watch (who are commoners!) in most cities are outfitted like westeros knights.
This isn't something Daenerys would know; but most front-line Tamriel professional soldiers wear full-body steel-based armor which is on-par with what Westeros nobles do.
Last edited:
- Location
- Texas
You're correct and Daenerys does note the presence of heavy armor:
At this point Daenerys has seen basically Helgen which is an Imperial outpost and Riverwood, so she's extrapolating on little data. Even the Imperials have a lot of leather armor in use in Skyrim. Partly that is Bethesda loving the esthetics of Roman leather for their Imperial troops. However, that doesn't fly for world-building. So, I take it that the Empire has always used a mix of light and heavy troops. Light troops are used for scouting, patrolling, escorting convoys, etc and are usually in leather armor. Heavy troops train to fight in heavy armor. With the Empire recently getting its ass kicked by the Aldmeri dominion it has deployed more of the light infantry to Skyrim. They have a lot of ground to cover and they're cheaper to train and maintain.
It's probably more historically accurate. While plate armor did exist and could be used by infantry, empires like Rome made a use of a lot of different kinds of troops. Not every soldier was decked out to the highest level of armor that was available.
And to some degree I'm still waving my hands, but trying to make a more consistent world.
- Location
- Leeds
Lol, I read way too much into that.
Mental note: Learn the guys name before you meet him.
- Location
- Texas
What did you read into her wondering if Daenerys was from Atmora? It's a perfectly reasonable guess. The shrine of Azura is at the north end of Skyrim and Atmora is north of Skyrim. Plus the most famous Dragonborn, Tiber Septim aka Talos, was from Atmora and Aranea thinks Daenerys could be the Last Dragonborn.
Also fixed Tullius.
- Location
- Leeds
No I meant the Aranea using the titles I just didn't have a great quote to use for that.
Chapter 9
- Location
- Texas
Chapter 9
Morndas, the 20th of Frostfall, Year 201 of the 4th Era
Morndas, the 20th of Frostfall, Year 201 of the 4th Era
Daenerys listened half-heartedly while Aranea greeted the sun by giving thanks to Azura. This ritual was supposedly for her benefit. The dominant theme was praising Azura, but Aranea was working in a lot of prayers for Azura to guide and protected her champion. Daenerys knew that should be grateful and appreciative. The gods of Nirn seemed to interfere more in the affairs of the world, and the goddess had helped her. She had even tried to offer thanks to the goddess when Aranea started praying. However, the liturgy was very repetitive and Danerys found her thoughts wandering.
Was she doing the right thing by leaving? The shrine was safe, and the roads of Skyrim were not. This was not a settled land. Predators, monsters, and bandits roamed freely. The weather itself could be deadly with winter approaching. Traveling by herself wasn't wise, yet she felt it was necessary. While she didn't believe she was this 'Last Dragonborn', Daenerys did feel like she was being pushed toward something. She didn't know who or what had brought her to Skyrim and set her on this path, or where the path led, but she knew that she didn't like being a puppet. She needed to get stronger and soon. The best way to do that would be to learn magic at the College of Winterhold. She had a feeling she that if she stayed at the Shrine of Azura for winter, she just wouldn't be ready for what was to come. That staying was actually more dangerous than the journey to Winterhold.
Was this feeling of danger Azura speaking to her? She was the Goddess of Prophecy, this was her shrine, and Aranea was leading a prayer asking the goddess to guide her. It was certainly possible, but Daenerys had felt the tugging of destiny long before coming to Skyrim or to this shrine. She'd followed her dreams and intuition, and she hatched three dragons. She had also felt those same instincts guiding her to the Iron Throne, but she'd lost her path somewhere…
She looked up at the statue of Azura, but found neither comfort nor guidance, and certainly not forgiveness. If Aranea was right, whatever Azura saw would happen one way or another. Daenerys didn't have faith in that. All she had were her wits and a premonition that told her to go to Winterhold. It wasn't safe, but at least this time she would only be risking her own life.
Aranea bowed again deeply. "And while the sun chases away the twilight, still your presence guides us, for this we give thanks." She rose and turned from the shrine to face Daenerys. "And now it's time for you to depart. Azura has already revealed that you will study at the College of Winterhold, so I know you will arrive safely, but that doesn't mean there will be no danger. Be alert and trust Azura and she will guide you through."
"I will be careful. Fare you well, Aranea. Perhaps we will meet again someday."
"We will, Daenerys Targaryen, the Unburnt and Dragonborn, when you return to this shrine bearing Azura's Star. Go in peace."
.oOo.
Despite all her fears about the dangers of traveling the roads of Skyrim alone, the journey to Winterhold turned out to be uneventful. The weather was mild for late autumn. The sky was clear, the air was calm, and the sun was hot enough to melt some of the thinner patches of snow. The path down the mountain was a wide and easy trail to follow, and the Imperial road was impossible to miss. She kept scanning the land for predators and the sky for dragons, but she saw nothing more dangerous than a small herd of elk all day long. A harvest moon was rising just as the sun had set so Daenerys decided to walk through the night. She judged it safer than trying to sleep in the wilds without companions to share the watch.
She was very tired when the moons finally set. She considered camping then and waiting for sunrise, but she didn't see any good place to camp. As the sun began to peek over the horizon, she realized that what she had taken for a mountain up ahead was really a fortress – no doubt the College of Winterhold. She had apparently reached the outskirts of Winterhold without realizing it. As the sun rose, several small farms became visible from the road. Although not near as many as she would expect for a major city.
By the time the sun cleared the horizon, she was in Winterhold proper and realized that it was no city. It was barely larger than Riverwood. It lacked any kind of wall or defenses. For that matter, it didn't even have a well-defined boundary. The scattered farmhouses merely grew closer together. When shops with signs advertising their stock in trade started appearing, Daenerys decided she must be in the city proper. Exhausted she stopped at an inn called the Frozen Hearth, rented a room, and collapsed into bed.
.oOo.
After a nap, a meal, and a bath, Daenerys felt almost ready to present herself to the College of Winterhold. She took the time to braid her hair and even bought new clothes. While she had a letter of introduction from Farengar, she didn't want to show up looking like a beggar in mended and bloodstained furs.
She also learned from the innkeeper that Sagyval and a handful of others had survived the dragon attack and arrived safely in Winterhold. Apparently, she had just missed Sagyval. He had hired men and wagons to return to the site of the dragon attack and salvage what he could. The innkeeper was eager to talk her ear off about it. However, he also mentioned a 'dragon witch' with pale blond hair. When he frowned and gave her an odd look, she decided that it was time to leave.
The College of Winterhold was an intimidating fortress clearly visible from the streets of Winterhold. A vast chasm separated the city from the College. A narrow bridge spanned the gap. Daenerys made her way to a small tower that stood at the city-end of the bridge, where a tall woman stood guard.
The woman was easily a full head taller than her. Her skin was golden as were her eyes. She had stern angular features with pointed ears – an Altmer. Her robes were a dull gray but embroidered with a fancy pattern in vivid red.
"Halt!" commanded the guardian of the bridge. She had a stern voice with a dangerous edge. "What business do you have with the College of Winterhold?"
Daenerys hadn't expected such a hostile reception. "I am here to apply to the College."
"Are you indeed?" The hostility in her voice eased up a little. "I am Faralda, one of the senior wizards here. I am here to assist those seeking entry to the college. And if, in the process, my presence helps to deter those who seek to do harm, so be it."
That didn't make much sense. "Why would anyone seek to harm the College?"
"It is no great secret that we have been unjustly blamed for a great many things over the years. The good people of Skyrim on occasion would rather pass judgment than understand what we do here. Thus, we must take certain precautions in order to secure our safety. This is not new, but the people of Winterhold have recently been stirred up by rumors of a 'dragon witch' calling down dragons to attack caravans just outside the city. Frightened people do foolish things."
Daenerys frowned. Dragon Witch was not a title she wanted to claim as her own. "I am not here about dragons. I'm here to learn magic. That is why the College exists, is it not?"
Faralda nodded in agreement. "Yes, we are the only group left in Skyrim dedicated to the study of the arcane. There are others who study, to be sure, but they do so in private and often in secret. We provide a safe haven for mages in Skyrim. It would seem the College has what you seek, the question now is what can you offer the College? Not just anyone is allowed inside. Those wishing to enter must show some degree of skill with magic."
"I have brought with me a letter of introduction from Farengar, the Court Wizard of Whiterun, and a mage in good standing with the College of Winterhold."
"Have you indeed?" Her left eyebrow rose in surprise. "Interesting, quite unusual for one of your years. Let me see this letter."
Daenerys had the letter ready in her sleeve. She pulled it free and handed it over as she puzzled over the comment about her age. Was she too old or too young?
"Hmm, Farengar speaks highly of you, Daenerys. He claims you have a gift for fire magic. Let's see it then. A small test if you will."
Daenerys raised her palm and aimed to the side and called forth Flames. Fire shot from her hand and licked harmlessly at the stone walls of the tower. She let the blast continue for a little while and then cut it off. "Is that satisfactory?"
"Indeed. Well done, I'm sure you'll be an asset to the college. Please follow me, once inside you'll want to speak to Mirabelle Ervine. She is the Master Wizard here. Archmage Aren may be in charge, but Mirabelle runs this place. You'd do well to remember that."
Faralda led her across the bridge to the College. Along the way, Faralda paused to cast a spell which caused pools of water to light up like beacons sending up blue towers of light up into the sky. The bridge was wide enough for three men to stand abreast and felt sturdy under her feet. The crossing felt safe until they reached the top of the span where the walls that guarded the edges were shattered and missing. The gusts of wind felt stronger and the fall below would be deadly. Faralda didn't even break stride. Daenerys followed after, keeping her gaze fixed forward and taking one step at a time. Heights had never bothered her atop a dragon, but that bridge left her heart racing. Why didn't they repair the railings? There was still snow and ice on the bridge. She wondered how many people had slipped and fallen to their deaths.
Faralda glanced back and nodded approvingly. "I'll have to leave you with Mirabelle when we find her. We don't always guard the approach, but with the folk of Winterhold stirred up against this dragon witch, I'm keeping watch. Since you have a gift for fire, we will no doubt have lessons soon. I'm the Mistress of Destruction at the College."
"I look forward to it," replied Daenerys. Her thoughts drifted back to Aranea's visions. The priestess had foreseen her foreseen her studying magic under a 'stern Altmer mage'. Faralda certainly fit the description.
.oOo.
While the College of Winterhold looked like a fortress from the outside, it was built like a mansion on the inside. The main entrance opened onto the Hall of the Elements, a huge room three stories tall that would put most ballrooms to shame. At one end a dozen or so young mages of various races were listening to a white-haired Dunmer lecture. The hallways were large enough that someone could drive a chariot down them. There were two stories devoted to classrooms and laboratories in the main building. The entire third floor was a library. The fourth floor was mostly the personal quarters of Archmage of the College, but it also held the administration offices which was where Faralda left her with Mirabelle Ervine.
The second most important wizard of the college didn't look like a powerful wizard. She looked more like a merchant sitting behind a large desk cluttered with ledgers and papers. She was a middle-aged Breton with tanned skin and an unflattering short bob of brown hair. Her robes were of dark gray and not at all imposing. The spectacles perched on her nose as she read the letter of introduction were interesting. Daenerys had heard of the device for aiding failing sight but this was the first time she actually saw them in use.
Mirabelle set down the letter and looked Daenerys up and down. She didn't look entirely pleased. "Hmm, so you caught Farengar's eye, did you? He was always a fine scholar, but a little weak in the practical applications. Are you prepared to study hard and work hard?"
"Of course." What kind of question was that? "I have a gift. I want to hone it."
"Having a gift isn't enough. Many coming here seeking magic because they want a short cut. They want fame, or riches, or power, and they want it immediately. Magic requires more than talent. Magic is a difficult art that requires a keen mind, study, and determination." She studied Daenerys with a challenging gaze as if finding her wanting.
Daenerys met the gaze and did not back down. "I have walked through fire and blood. I can take whatever you throw at me."
"Ha!" Mirabelle smiled broadly. "We'll see about that, but at least you have passion. Now, let's get down to details. How many spells do you know and what are they?"
"I know two spells. Flames and a spell for pushing things. I don't know the proper name for it."
"Destruction, then and a variation on telekinesis. That would be Alteration. So, how much do you know about magical theory? What books have you read?"
"I don't know anything about magical theory. I'm self-taught. I haven't read any books about magic at all…" She hesitated about revealing her difficulties with the written language, but it would come out almost immediately. Better to be upfront about it. "In fact, I'm still learning Tamrielic. I can carry on a conversation with no problems, but I still struggle with reading."
"Still learning Tamrielic? What gods-forsaken backwater corner of the Empire did you come from?"
"I prefer not to talk about it," replied Daenerys.
"Fine, I won't pry, but it's a disadvantage and one you will have to work to overcome. You will be doing a lot of reading." She turned and reached to a shelf behind her and took out a piece of parchment. "Let's get the preliminaries out of the way, shall we? Full name or cognomen?"
"Daenerys Targaryen, the Unburnt." She hadn't claimed her family name before, but now that Aranea knew about it there didn't seem to be a point in hiding it any longer.
Mirabelle jotted that down swiftly. "And how old are you?"
Daenerys frowned as she realized she wasn't sure. "That depends. I've lost track of the day. What day is it?"
"Tirdas, the 21st of Frostfell."
"Then, I will be twenty-one in two days." At least that was her best guess. She wasn't sure the days and years were the same, but they both had twelve months and a year that was a bit longer than that. She'd worked out that her name day was probably the 21st of Frostfell.
"Hmm, I would have guessed older. You have a presence to you few do at your years. Now, who is your next of kin?"
She shrugged. "None that I wish to claim."
"In that case is there anyone you would like to receive your personal effects if you suffer a fatal mishap?"
"Does that happen often?" Was this woman trying to scare her off?
"Three in twenty of our students die in training. Two in twenty manage to kill themselves. One in twenty gets killed by a fellow student or in some kind of magical accident." She shrugged. "Magic is not for the timid. If the numbers scare you off, then you're better off leaving now."
"I've been called many things, but timid is not one of them. If something happens to me, send my personal effects to Gerdur in Riverwood."
"Sorry, we won't send them to her. If something happens to you, we'll put them in a box and send her a letter. If she comes to claim them within a year, she can have them." Mirabelle jotted down the information.
Daenerys was now almost certain that this woman was trying to scare her off. "Fine. Any more paperwork?"
"Almost done. You understand that you are starting as a novitiate. That you'll follow orders from any Master Wizard on our staff. You'll also obey our rules. The most important of which is that you don't practice any spell unless you're being supervised by someone higher ranked than an apprentice. That means an adept, an expert, or a master. Do you understand?"
"I understand the rules," grumbled Daenerys. Not she was at all happy to be treated like a child. The warning about three in twenty dying meant that Mirabelle had some reasons.
Mirabelle shook her head. "But you don't agree, do you? You think you know better? You were able to learn on your own? You were lucky. Half to two-thirds of all hedge mages kill themselves or innocents. We'll teach you, and this is the first lesson. Treat magic with respect, obey our rules, or I will throw you out so fast you'll leave your shadow behind."
"I understand." Daenerys sat with her back straight and met the woman's gaze. "I want to learn. I will treat magic with respect and obey the rules of the College." She even meant it, but she wasn't going to grovel, which seemed to be what the woman wanted.
Mirabelle sighed. "Well, you have a backbone at least, and nobly born by your airs. Which means you probably aren't going to like this next part. We don't charge you tuition, but you will have to work to earn your keep. We don't have servants here, so you may be tasked with cooking, cleaning, assisting in laboratory work, or other experiments. That applies to every one of our students. If you don't like it, go hire yourself a private tutor."
Daenerys smiled. Before she came to Westeros she might have bristled at being put to work like that, but after being a tavern wench a little bit of drudgery didn't scare her. "A little honest work never hurt anyone."
This time Mirabelle smiled. "Good. Now, since you're an adult, we consider you a senior novitiate. That means you're free to leave the College when you don't have work or studying to do. However, it also means that we expect you to help with our other novitiates, those who are still children. You won't give them lessons in magic, but guidance and supervision."
That gave her pause. "I don't have any experience in supervising children."
"Is that a problem?"
"No, I can handle children." She had raised dragons, ruled a city, and convinced bloodthirsty Dothraki khals to bend to her will. How hard could children be?
"Good. Sign here please."
.oOo.
Once the paperwork was done, Mirabelle gave her a tour of the main building. What struck Daenerys most of all was how empty the College was. It had obviously been built to house hundreds, but it was mostly empty. Entire wings were closed off and unused. The tour ended up back in the Hall of the Elements. The same group from before were still present, and they all seemed to be engaged in practicing different spells both individually and in small groups.
Mirabelle gestured to the group. "You remember my warning not to practice new spells alone? A Master Wizard is usually on duty in the afternoons so you can practice under supervision. Once you have the basics down, you can practice further on your own. That's our Master of Illusions, Drevis Neloren, keeping watch. Most of the students over there are novitiates, who you will be helping supervise, but you can meet them later. Now, demonstrate your spells."
Daenerys nodded and performed first her Flames spell and then her 'Shove' spell.
"Hmm, interesting. I haven't seen a spell like that before, but it does appear to be a specialized form of Telekinesis which would be Alteration."
"If you say so. I thought Alteration was the magic of changing things. My 'shove' spell is just raw force. No underlying…" She struggled for the word in Tamrelic. "… stuff."
Mirabelle laughed. "I think you mean substance or matter. If it is a manipulation of forces, then it also falls under Destruction. I will schedule your initial assessment with Faralda tomorrow. After I have her report, we'll work out a training schedule for you. Now, I'll show you to your quarters. You're going to be sharing space with Brelyna Maryon, who you'll meet shortly. The two of you have a lot in common. I predict you'll either be lifelong friends or bitter enemies."
Mirabelle led her back out through the courtyard and to the Hall of Attainment. She gestured to doorways they passed. "These are where our younger novitiates are quartered. Your quarters are over here." She stopped in front of a door and knocked.
Daenerys waited while Mirabelle knocked on the door. The master wizard's comments had her curious, but she preferred to form her own opinions.
Mirabelle rapped on the door again, more sharply this time.
"This had better be important!" growled an angry young woman on the other side of the door. The door flew open revealing a young Dunmer wrapped in a damp robe and wet hair. Her anger died when she saw who was at the door. "My apologies, Master Wizard. I was bathing," she concluded contritely.
"If it's too much of an inconvenience, I can introduce you to your new roommate later, Brelyna."
"Roommate?" Her eyes flicked to Daenerys and she smiled. "Another senior novitiate! And you're a Nord. Gods be praised!"
Last edited:
- Location
- Leeds
Dumb backwards ass Nords. Why the hell did they decide it was our fault.
Is that term used correctly? As I understood it novitiate was the period of your training in which you where a novice. However this happens multiple times over the update so I don't know if its a mistake or used in a sense that I'm not familiar with.
- Location
- Texas
Nords blame mages for just about everything. You don't understand something, it must be magic. Which means mages are responsible. The College of Winterhold trains mages, so they're guilty. Perfectly reasonable Nord logic, if you consider irrational distrust logic. This isn't even pick on Dany. This was probably the most likely outcome.
Novitiate means the course of study and the person. I went with it because it is the more archaic form, so I thought it sounded better for the setting. However, the game calls the spells Novice spells and robes are Novice robes, so I may go back and change that
I've wondered that myself. I know a lot of people read Spacebattles as well, so that may be part of the reason, but the reaction has been disappointing both in terms of reactions and comments. As I haven't been getting complaints about the quality of my writing, I'm guessing that it is the concept. People either aren't interested in Daenerys as a protagonist, or aren't interested in crossovers to Skyrim.
- Location
- Leeds
This ain't even magic this is just "That foreign looking woman knew a suspicious amount about Dragons so it must be her fault." Followed by "If its her fault a dragon attacked the caravan then she must have used magic to do it, so she's a witch."
Admittedly Svagvor knew she was headed to the college so it is less of a jump just attributing magic to her but still...
And reasonable logic for Novitiate, not like people have needed it in the past to justify that they thought it sounded better.
I think theres a negative feedback loop where: the userfiction category on SV is less active than SB -> People check the userfiction category less and tend to reply on SB where they'll get more response -> the userfiction category on SV is less active than SB -> ...
Pretty much the only thread that has more posts on SV than SB is With This Ring, and thats kinda cheating since it jumped forums so I'm comparing against an old locked thead (And I think SB has 11 more threads which I'm not counting the posts from)
Kaernetron
Feuergeist
- Location
- Weit, Weit dort Oben
*de-lurks*
Regarding traffic: I suspect it might be the thread title scaring away potential readers with its lack of concrete information ( not that I blame Harper, after all descriptive titles are hard).
Let me tell you my thoughts when I saw it the first time:
Dovah Queen (GoT x Skyrim) - so Dany is the main character and dragonborn. Does Alduin's brood invade Planetos? Does Dany conquer Nirn? Will whatever it is be a roflstomp?
So far, I'm happy only my first thought scored a hit and the last one missed by so much, it glanced off the moon.
Personally, I prefer the userfiction section on SV. It may be less active, but is also (according to my personal -read: unreliable - observation) way less toxic than SB's.
Regarding traffic: I suspect it might be the thread title scaring away potential readers with its lack of concrete information ( not that I blame Harper, after all descriptive titles are hard).
Let me tell you my thoughts when I saw it the first time:
Dovah Queen (GoT x Skyrim) - so Dany is the main character and dragonborn. Does Alduin's brood invade Planetos? Does Dany conquer Nirn? Will whatever it is be a roflstomp?
So far, I'm happy only my first thought scored a hit and the last one missed by so much, it glanced off the moon.
Personally, I prefer the userfiction section on SV. It may be less active, but is also (according to my personal -read: unreliable - observation) way less toxic than SB's.
Last edited:
Tranquil Zebra
Equid of Peerless Tranquility
- Location
- Norway
Well, I'm enjoying the story at least, but if I might be a little presumptuous, I would suggest using a utility like this to generate names. A breton named "Svagvor" hit me right in the hobby-linguist, as their names are almost French in the games, and Jaspik sort of made me flinch as well. I know I myself suck at making up names, so I would love to help with what I presume is pure agony for others as well.
Also, with regards to combining stamina and magicka into a single attribute, I don't really think that's a good idea. The nature of magicka is such that it flows from Aetherius through holes into Mundus. Some of those holes are stars, others might be weird and unnatural phenomena, and others fill mortal vessels with magicka. How much magicka you can hold is your magic capacity, and how fast it flows through is your recharge. This is almost wholly decided by your mind and soul (in gameplay terms, magicka capacity and regeneration are governed by willpower, intelligence and wisdom). High Elves are said to be closest kin to the Aedra themselves, and their racial blessing allows them to open their connection to Aetherius wide and pull through insane amounts of magicka for a while. This doesn't really help them catch their wind if thay run for a while.
My point is, magicka is something that flows through you, not something you generate from breaking down nutrients.
Anyway, I see now that this might come off as bitching, but that's not the case, it's just my inner TES nerd breaking out like a chatterbox chest burster. I really like your story, how it grants a good sense of scale that the games sorely lack, how Daenerys meditates upon the words, but doesn't collect them like stamps, how she identifies the most with yol, which is a nice bit of characterization, and how her magic springs from the fundemental understanding of the universe meditating deeply on the shouts give her. Also, I might suggest that shouts drain both magicka and stamina as it revolves around her expelling magicka from her body with physical effort, will and voice both shaping this fundamental force of the universe.
Also, with regards to combining stamina and magicka into a single attribute, I don't really think that's a good idea. The nature of magicka is such that it flows from Aetherius through holes into Mundus. Some of those holes are stars, others might be weird and unnatural phenomena, and others fill mortal vessels with magicka. How much magicka you can hold is your magic capacity, and how fast it flows through is your recharge. This is almost wholly decided by your mind and soul (in gameplay terms, magicka capacity and regeneration are governed by willpower, intelligence and wisdom). High Elves are said to be closest kin to the Aedra themselves, and their racial blessing allows them to open their connection to Aetherius wide and pull through insane amounts of magicka for a while. This doesn't really help them catch their wind if thay run for a while.
My point is, magicka is something that flows through you, not something you generate from breaking down nutrients.
Anyway, I see now that this might come off as bitching, but that's not the case, it's just my inner TES nerd breaking out like a chatterbox chest burster. I really like your story, how it grants a good sense of scale that the games sorely lack, how Daenerys meditates upon the words, but doesn't collect them like stamps, how she identifies the most with yol, which is a nice bit of characterization, and how her magic springs from the fundemental understanding of the universe meditating deeply on the shouts give her. Also, I might suggest that shouts drain both magicka and stamina as it revolves around her expelling magicka from her body with physical effort, will and voice both shaping this fundamental force of the universe.
Last edited:
- Location
- Leeds
Activity and Toxicity are often correlated. Easier to calm down and harder to get angry when there are long breaks between posts.
Shouts could themselves be considered a primal and instinctive form of Tonal Magic and why would we say that, that wouldn't be fueled by magika like other magics?
Tranquil Zebra
Equid of Peerless Tranquility
- Location
- Norway
I'm not saying they shouldn't be fueled by magicka, I'm observing that to reduce spammability for less divine specimens than Talos himself, there should also be some physical effort to shouts. It's not just a river flowing through you, it's you stirring the river up into a rage and unleashing it upon your enemies. The mage shouts his breath away, and the warrior shouts his magicka away, and thus a mage can't roflstomp a warrior if their Thu'um is equal in all other respects.
- Location
- Leeds
Seems strange to base this argument on what is fundamentally game balance concerns.
Tranquil Zebra
Equid of Peerless Tranquility
- Location
- Norway
It's also that since warriors with limited magical talent have been seen using the Thu'um, more than pure magical talent could play a role. I'm not instructing the author, nor am I speaking as some authority on the subject, I'm simply proposing a method to deal with the difference between magicka and fatigue, and how shouts could straddle the line a little if that made more sense from a doylist perspective. I'm not really arguing here, just having a little nerd moment speculating on stuff.
- Location
- Leeds
Why can't a nerd moment also be an argument?
Magical Talent and Magicka are not necessarily the same thing and since this isn't a game and its a story then theres no need to believe that Warriors will be dump stating Intelligence or Willpower.
- Location
- Sweden
I'm just popping in to second this. A name can make or break the character and some of these OC's plunged ice into my Scandinavian pride. In my case Hajvtar was the one I found to be the worst offender with that weird three-consonant combination that would probably never be seen in the wild.
Other than that, I'm liking the story and the fact that Daenerys isn't an immediate dragonslaying badass like some Dragonborn. I'm interested to see how she'll tackle the College quests and what changes you might make.