Fire On The Mountain (A Skyrim Quest)

[The Laurent]

Name: Do'azda Khrimnin
Race: Khajiit (Suthay-Raht)
Gender: Female
Age: 22
Profession: Shaman
Appearance/Description: She stands at a normal height for a Suthay-raht, that is to say, shorter than most men or mer, but not by too much. Her fur is a warm, rich orange, paler around her muzzle and down her neck, and her eyes are startlingly yellow. Her hair is braided, with rings that jangle faintly when she turns her head too fast. Her robes are basic, and worn from age, but have been fastidiously cleaned.
Level: 7
XP: 0/120

Spoiler: Skills

Alchemy: 25
Alteration: 5
Archery: 5
Block: 6
Conjuration: 40
Destruction: 5
Enchanting: 5
Heavy Armor: 5
Illusion: 35
Light Armor: 20
Lock Picking: 1
One-Handed: 21
Pickpocket: 5
Restoration: 15
Smithing: 1
Sneak: 20
Speech: 27
Survival: 13
Two-Handed: 5

Spoiler: Traits

They say it kills cats - Do'azda has few restraints on her inquisitive nature, asking whatever questions occur to her, paying little attention to whether this may be considered rude. Whatever else, at least Do'azda never finds herself regretting her failure to ask about something.

Dancing the night away - Do'azda is a fine dancer in the Elsweyr style, where dances are not the slow, ritualised partnering of the Altmer, but instead are a whirling piece of performance art, with the dancer's emotions informing the dance more than any practiced steps. Do'azda can feel the music in her bones, and can dance to only a drumbeat.

In the shadow of the moon - Do'azda was blessed even as she began her journey to become a shaman. A priestess of Azurah, the Mistress of Dusk and Dawn, favoured daughter of Fadomai, received a vision. Azurah's light shines favourable upon her.

Tangled Tails--Do'azda has had flings before, "Tangled Tails" as the euphemism goes, and she's willing to engage in casual relationships or 'one-night marriages' if the opportunity arises.

Spoiler: Perks

Racial Perks--

Claws--She has very wicked claws indeed.
Darksight--She can see incredibly well in the dark.

Skill Perks--

Conjuring Efficiency (10): Do'zada knows how to be careful with her Magicka without losing any power when she's Conjuring, and can use such magic more freely and easier when fighting or in other circumstances. (Cojuration)

Mystic Binding (20): Do'azda gains skill at creating bound weapons of magic, so that she is never without her arms no matter what. She also becomes more skilled at creating bound objects of all types, and begins to study that which might allow one to bind a soul into a gem. (Conjuration)

Haggling 1 (0): Everything in Skyrim is far more expensive, and so Do'azda should probably try to figure out how to make do with what little gold she has. (Speech)

Insight (20): One of the key elements of persuasion is knowing what would convince someone. Do'azda now knows how to evaluate what kinds of arguments and reasoning would convince different people if she spends enough time to get a feeling for how they think. (Speech)

Agile Defender (10): Armor is often hard to get used to, so figuring out how to move with light armor so as to reduce how bad a hit is is something you can only learn by doing… and Do'azda has begun to 'do.' (Light Armour)

Rahjin Perks

Laughter-Silvered Wings (Level 5): A flying companion does not simply owe its speed to its physical form, but the strength of its spirit, and so it tends to be faster and more manuverable than its terrestrial version, harder to hit, and a greater predator of the sky.

(Next at Level 8)

Spoiler: Spells

Blur - Do'azda knows a spell to obscure her features at a distance, to render her indistinguishable from another Khajiit. Up close, it is almost pathetically ineffective, however.
Clairvoyance - Do'azda is granted flashes of insight into the path to her goal by Azurah - the Goddess of Dawn and Dusk sees much of the land.
Conjure Animal - Do'azda reaches onto Hircine's hunting ground and recalls the imprint of an animal which perished nearby to fight by her side
Conjure Axe - Do'azda can create a hatchet from pure magic. It is too cumbersome for effective use in combat, but for cutting wood, it is more than adequate
Bound Dagger--As she has learned how to better summon such things, she has figured out how to use a Bound Dagger.
Courage - Do'azda uses magic to inspire in another the will to fight, though currently only to instill confidence in victory, not to cause conflict where none exists.
Summon Familiar - Do'azda reaches into her own soul to bring forth her familiar, the falcon Rajhin. No mere shade, Rajhin remains with her until slain and can do far more than just fight, but cannot be summoned for a day and a night thereafter if killed.
Fear - This spell pulls from the mind a fear that the target has, and creates from this the feeling of fear.
Distraction - Creates sounds and sights on the edge of perception. Sights and sounds determined by the caster.
Healing Wounds - The caster uses their magicka to seal the wounds of the target. All healing occurs in a single burst.
Conjure Flame Atronach - Do'azda can call forth a spirit of Infernace, a being of fire, constrained in a form of iron.
Flames - Do'azda can release a gout of fire from her palm, directly setting alight her foe, though only for so long as she feeds magicka to the fire.
Lesser Ward - Do'azda can use her magic to create a shield of magical energy, blocking low level magical attacks, reducing high level magical attacks and mitigating the damage of physical attacks.

Spoiler: Potions

Do'azda can make...

Potion of Minor Healing - Bruises fade, cuts close, aching muscles relax, this potion provides a little relief from injuries. The first potion a young shaman will learn to brew.
Potion of Suppress Disease - A potion which will suppress the symptoms of a disease for several days; oftentimes long enough for the body to get the cold or flu from its system. More serious or outright magical diseases will return with a vengeance once the potion's effects wear out, but it is a useful potion to know how to craft.

Spoiler: Shouts

FUS - Force
WULD - Whirlwind

FUS DAH--Force Push

Spoiler: Inventory

Gold Septim (365)
Trail Rations (x4)
Fine Rations
A very nice dress for casual-formal occasions.
A lovely dress in the gothic style, with an enchantment of illusory power woven into it.
Iron Axe--An iron axe of low quality.
Steel Axe - A steel axe of decent quality
Iron Dagger--An iron dagger of mediocre quality.
Mage Robes--Increase magical regeneration, but provides little protection, discouraging getting up close and personal.
Leather Armor--Comfortable, lightweight armor, it counteracts the discouragement from getting up close, though as an extra layer it means it can get extra hot.
Lunar Steel War Axe--An Axe which can, in the light of the moon, drink in the life-force of its victims and use it to restore that of its weilder.
Steel Dagger (x2)--A well-worn but very useful steel dagger.
Alchemical Kit--A very fine kit for the creation of potions. One careful owner.
Stormcloak Token--A token from Ulfric Stormcloak himself...
Underclothes--You know.
One Powerful Enchanted Sword (Rusted)--A sword of unknown value, it has a rather potent and interesting enchantment attached to it.

Spell Tome: Illumination--A spell tome is a sort of book that can fully teach you a new spell, but it is destroyed in the process. For such a minor spell it is probably only a few hours of reading to fully learn. This allows Do'azda to create a light in the darkness... less useful for a Khajiit, but still a spell of value.
Spell Tome: Thieves Vision--A spell tome is a sort of book that can fully teach you a new spell, but it is destroyed in the process. For such a minor spell, it is probably only a few hours of reading to fully learn. This simple spell gives one slightly better night vision… but is also notable for being able to see writing hidden by weak illusions, and thus is commonly used by thieves trying to read the secret messages of other thieves.
Spell Tome: Turn Undead--A spell tome is a sort of book that can fully teach you a new spell, but it is destroyed in the process. A spell of moderate difficulty, it will take several nights of reading to learn it. A spell technically of the "Restoration" school, which puts fear into nearby undead. When cast powerfully, burns them most terribly.
Spell Tome: Sparks--A spell tome is a sort of book that can fully teach you a new spell, but it is destroyed in the process. For such a minor spell, it is probably only a few hours of reading to fully learn. Allows a mage to fire sparks of arcane lightning, sapping the magicka reserves of the target whilst also burning through their flesh.
3 Doses of Frostbite Venom in Magicka bottles--Toxic and acidic to living flesh, it has little effect on the glass bottle.
Healing Potion

Troll Fat, other ingredients
100 Septims
3 gems of good quality.
Troll Hide
Troll Skull
Troll Eyes x3
Troll Claws

A Handy Guide to Lockpicks: A book that should teach Do'azda all she wants to know about Lockpicks, and more. Each read will give +1 to Lockpicking, and it can be read thrice to wring out all possible knowledge from it. (2/3 reads remaining)
Journal of a Potema Loyalist: A journal of some historical merit, belonging to one of Potema's most loyal supporters in her early years.

 

[The Laurent]

The Seven Thousand Steps

The fourth day of Hearthfire opens cold and clear and windy. But this far up, she's pretty sure there's no such thing as a day that is not windy by the standards of down below. She hasn't slept as well as she might, and it does truly feel as if the air is far too weak up here. She has to breathe a little faster just to keep up the same pace.

Bathes-In-Steel is in a good mood, perhaps even an excellent one if an Argonian tail could be read like a Khajiit one (but it couldn't.)

Do'azda, meanwhile, feels more than a little footsore and done. "Do'azda is ready, we'll need to make the whole journey today."

"Even seven thousand of these steps is not more than a morning's walk," Bathes-In-Steel says. Then she steps forward onto the first of the steps. "One."

"One?"

"One step. I am going to count them. It shall be soothing," Bathes-In-Steel declares.

And she does just this.

As they go up the steps, she counts them off. Not every single one of them--or rather, not every one out loud, but for the first few dozen, and then every fifth step, she says it out loud.

Already the wind is starting to whip at them, and the stairs are not entirely free of slick patches as they go up. On either side there are still a few trees to break the wind, here and there, but it is quickly turning into scrubland, and then it will be frozen, snow-capped ground.

Do'azda already sees it ahead, and wishes she had prepared better. She is still not used to how cold it can get far down below, and this is worse by far. She rubs her hands together, and knows that if they keep on going at this rate she will need to rely on magic to keep on going. She has spells that might be of use, but she wants to save the effort, and none of the spells she knew were easily used. She has the materials to start something of a short fire if she needs to quickly warm her hands, or body, but not that much more than it.

So upwards she goes, into thin air.

***​

At step five hundred, there's a shrine. Only a little thing, twice the height of a man, carved from the mountainside, a sheltering arch protecting a plaque carved with obvious care.

Bathes-In-Steel watches Do'azda climb the steps to the little shrine with ill-disguised derision. "Those steps are not part of the seven thousand. I will stay out here."

Do'azda ignores her, hurrying into the shrine. The shelter cuts away the windchill dramatically, and feels dramatically warmer as a result.

Looking around the shrine, she can see little frozen beads of blood splattered here and there on the floor and little scraps of animal fur, dusted with frost. Her hackles rise and she flexes her fingers, her claws unsheathing involuntarily. The wind howls around the entrance to the shrine, but after a moment she relaxes.

Whatever animal devoured its prey here is long gone. Do'azda squints at the plaque in the shrine. It looks to have been carved centuries ago, but the words are still clear.

Before the birth of Men, the Dragons ruled all Mundus
Their word was the Voice, and they spoke only for True Needs
For the Voice could blot out the sky and flood the land​

She reaches out a finger to trace the carving.

"You know, if everyone did that, we wouldn't be able to read it," A man's voice makes her jump, and she spins. He's a nord, tall and barrel chested, wrapped up in a heavy parka of oil-treated horker-skin that reeks of sweat and spoiled meat, blond hair like straw poking out from under his hood, his face pink from exposure. He sounds disapproving and has some sort of dark weasel over one shoulder and a clutch of soft white stoats tied to his belt. "Just read the etchings and move on, don't get your claws all over them. I need the shelter to skin these beasties, so hurry it up."

He hefts his dead animals meaningfully.

"Will you travel higher up the mountain?" Do'azda asks, "We're headed for High Hrothgar itself, and would appreciate the company."

The man looks at her as though she's grown another head. "Higher up? Why would I want to do that? Nothing up there for me, just a bunch of recluses hiding from the war and the world."

Do'azda huffs, but leaves the man to his grisly work. Bathes-In-Steel is bouncing on the balls of her feet to continue the climb.

***​

They are attacked by a wild-eyed wolf on step eight-hundred and four. She knows, because after she ducks and dodges out of the way of its bites, and leaves it open for a stab by Bathes-in-Steel, after she has a fight that is as brutal and unexpected as it is quick and victorious, Bathes-In-Steel takes the next step up and says, "Eight-hundred and five."

Do'azda has, in the span of a fight lasting a dozen seconds, forgotten entirely what step they were on. So she looks at Bathes-In-Steel incredulously and decides to trust implicitly Bathes' ability and willingness to count the steps exactly.

They aren't troubled after that, and Do'azda wastes the better part of a cold, miserable hour trying to understand what would drive a wolf to charge so. It must be crazed and starving, for it is a suicidal act and animals want to live as much as anyone else does--which is to say, usually but not always.

There's another shrine at 1600 steps, then again at 2700, then 3800. Bathes-In-Steel follows Do'azda into each, more grateful for the shelter now.

At each Shrine, Do'azda reads aloud, grateful for something to take her mind from the climb.

Men were born and spread over the face of Mundus
The Dragons presided over the crawling masses
Men were weak then, and had no Voice​

"Men," Do'azda echoes in the second Shrine, "This was written by a nord, she would not wonder."

The fledgling spirits of Men were strong in Old Times
Unafraid to war with Dragons and their Voices
But the Dragons only shouted them down and broke their hearts​

"The Dragon War," Bathes-In-Steel says with a nod when Do'azda reads this etching in the third shrine. "It is important to the Nords, especially in Windhelm. They like to pretend the dragons ruled all the world."

Kyne called on Paarthurnax, who pitied Man
Together they taught Men to use the Voice
Then Dragon War raged, Dragon against Tongue​

"Khenarthi provides the means to learn," Do'azda says approvingly in the fourth shrine, "She does not hold your hand through the crisis, she teaches how to resolve it yourself."

"Who is Paarthunax?" Bathes-In-Steel asks, "A dragon?"

***​

By the time they get to four-thousand steps, Do'azda is very hungry, nibbling what food she has as she marches up the seemingly endless array of steps. Her legs were killing her, and their pace has begun to slow down. Every hundred steps they have to stop to rest for some time.

They stop at the fifth shrine - at forty-nine hundred steps - for twenty minutes, sucking in breaths which don't provide the relief they should.

Man prevailed, shouting Alduin out of the world
Proving for all that their Voice too was strong
Although their sacrifices were many-fold​

Do'azda scoffs when she reads this. "Alkhan has not been thrown out of the world. Companions and children of Lorkhaj slew him, then cast him into the Many Paths that he might be entangled there upon his resurrection. 'Shouted Alduin out of the world' - absurd. Such power is not in these shouts."

The rests do not provide as much relief as Do'azda and Bathes-In-Steel think they should, and by the time they reach the sixth shrine at six thousand steps, they're stopping every fifty steps.

With roaring Tongues, the Sky-Children conquer
Founding the First Empire with Sword and Voice
Whilst the Dragons withdrew from this World​

"They like to claim glory, don't they?" Bathes-In-Steel says lightly, "To take the title of 'First Empire' from the Empire's Saint Alessia in favour of what? Some warlord none remember, no doubt."

Do'azda hums. "This one believes the fable is not yet finished. They must suffer for their hubris, no?"

"We will not find out if we are stopping every fifty steps!" Bathes-In-Steel says. "We are so near the top now. The last shrine will have a lot to cover…"

And so they speed up again, trying to push through the last of the journey. The steps are half-ice by this point, though the ice doesn't cling as much as expected. It is snowing, though not much. It is a light flurry, but Do'azda is soon soaked and shivering. She redoubles her efforts, but she is aware that this is a journey enough that she actually sees a few abandoned camps on the way up. Some people actually stopped halfway to rest and presumably eat. Meanwhile she marches upwards until she feels as if she's about to topple over.

There's something else she begins to realize.

At about 6350 steps (she can be exact when Bathes-In-Steel is still counting up) she begins to suspect that it is not actually the 7000 steps. At 6600, she is sure of it. Bathes-In-Steel does not seem to notice, and it is only as she reaches into the sixty-eight hundreds that there is even a hint of dismay on her face. Yet she keeps on counting.

6900.

7000.

At exactly seven-thousand, Bathes-In-Steel stops.

Do'azda has seen her angry. She does not think she's ever seen such anger on Bathes' face. It is pure fury and dismay, naked and clumsy. "Seven thousand… steps," Bathes-In-Steel says. "They…"

"It might be poetic li--"

"Fool Nords say that Khajiit are liars and tricksters, and then call this the Seven Thousand Steps," Bathes-in-Steel says. Her voice is the rumble of threat and malice and pure violent intent. "They, they lie and dishonor language and themselves and--and all they." She hisses, turning around and around in a fury, her tail lashing hard against the ground. It has to hurt but Bathes-In-Steel does not even wince. "Surely they could not have failed to count correctly? Do'azda, is there anything you know about Nordish troubles with math?"

"She has been told that they do not know how to count non-Nords, but beyond this, no," Do'azda says. It should be absurd and amusing, and instead it is the kind of absurd that makes Do'azda afraid.

Bathes-In-Steel grits her teeth into a snarl-mouthed expression. Then she takes a step forward, then another, then another, until rapidly she is five steps ahead of Do'azda. "Seven-thousand and five," Bathes-In-Steel calls out. "I will count them and then tell them so that they can correct it. And so that you can know. You are Dragonborn, no?"

"Y-yes," Do'azda shivers, hurrying to catch up.

"It is your job to correct injustices and save the world, or some such thing, if the Nords are to be believed?" Her voice makes it clear that they are not, on this or anything else.

"Yes," Do'azda says.

"Then they must trust you."

"Maybe," Do'azda says, and means no.

"Or pretend to."

"Yes." This is more sure.

Bathes-In-Steel is speaking rapidly. "Then you can convince them of the truth, so that this lie about the steps does not remain!"

"...maybe?"

Quest Unlocked: The 7000+ Step Method ​

At 7100 steps, Bathes-In-Steel scowls at the shrine.

"This could not have been at 7000?"

The Tongues at Red Mountain went away humbled
Jurgen Windcaller began His Seven Year Meditation
To understand how Strong Voices could fail​

"Is there one missing? Between the previous and this one? When did the tongues go to Red Mountain?"

"Perhaps they went to Red Mountain at the top of the 7000 steps, and then decided to add more steps and the story was lost," Bathes-In-Steel grumbles.

Bathes-In-Steel continues to count as they climb, growing more irritable as 7000 falls further and further behind them.

***​

The next shrine comes at 8200, and Bathes-In-Steel growls a little.

"There is a pattern to the shrines," Bathes-In-Steel says as Do'azda kneels to study the etchings. "They clearly knew how many steps they had when they begun to build these shelters! Why lie like this?"

Jurgen Windcaller chose silence and returned
The 17 disputants could not shout Him down
Jurgen the Calm built His home on the Throat of the World​

"So," Do'azda says, "This Voice is not to be used? Or not to be used for misdeeds? Did they truly need such lengths to tell such a base tale?"

"Perhaps this Jurgen should have built his home lower on the Throat of the World," Bathes-In-Steel says darkly, "Where it is less cold. Perhaps where there would be seven thousand steps-"

Do'azda sets off unceremoniously, leaving Bathes-In-Steel to hurry after her. Walking and talking is scarcely possible now, and so the rest of Bathes-In-Steel's complaint is lost.

***​

The sight of a nord woman kneeling before the next shrine brings them up short. She is dressed warmly, in thick dark grey woolen robes, but in no way so warm that she ought to be out in the weather they are in. Do'azda is wrapped up in all her clothes - and her fur - and even so is not quite warm enough, and this woman should be frozen near to death, but instead she looks serene, at peace. Her face is weatherbeaten, with laugh lines around her mouth and crow's feet at her eyes. She looks in her early fifties, with piercingly blue eyes and warm brown hair in voluminous curls under her hood, speckled with slowly melting snowflakes.

"Hello?" Do'azda asks, and the woman turns, her eyes placidly unsurprised but not uncaring.

"Good day. Headed to High Hrothgar?" Something golden and emerald green glints in her hair as she moves her head, a hairnet or pin. "I am Karita - I walk the 7000 steps, meditate upon the Way of the Voice."

"We are on step nine thousand, two hundred and ninety-six," Bathes-In-Steel informs her frostily, "Of the 7000 steps. You are on nine thousand three hundred, with the shrine."

"You study the Voice? Like the Greybeards?" Do'azda asks. "Please don't mind her, she's upset."

"Not like the Greybeards," Karita says pleasantly, "I studied as an Apprentice for them, for a time, until it became clear they would not accept a female Greybeard. So I stole one of Arngeir's robes for warmth, and have learnt directly from the whispers of Kyne herself. It is a good way. It is worthy of trying."

"This one will consider it, but she was sent especially to High Hrothgar, and if she does not arrive…"

"Sent especially?" Karita asks. "It is not that I disbelieve, you understand, but it seems improbable they sent for a khajiiti woman."

"Ah," Do'azda hesitates, "This one is… dragonborn?"

"Well!" Karita blinks in earnest surprise, but collects herself with a wry grin, "This is something of an honour, then? Should I curtsey?"

"This one does not wish-" Do'azda begins, then cuts herself off. "That will not be necessary. She merely wanted to look at the shrine?"

"Of course," Karita says, rising to her feet. "And if you're headed all the way up, you may wish to be careful - I've seen signs of habitation in some of the caves below High Hrothgar."

Do'azda acknowledges her words with a nod of gratitude, though it is of little use, in truth - she must climb past whatsoever inhabits the caves, and would have to do so even knowing they are there.

This shrine has been recently swept clear of snow - most likely by Karita, now headed down the steps at a leisurely, gliding pace - and bears a carved visage of a man in a winged helm, with a runic hammer embossed below it, just above the etched tablet at the heart of the shrine.

For years all silent, the Greybeards spoke one name
Tiber Septim, stripling then, was summoned to Hrothgar
They blessed and named him Dovahkiin.​

"Would this be a decent place to stop for lunch?" Do'azda calls out, and Bathes-In-Steel stumps reluctantly up the steps to join her.

"It's sheltered and dry," Bathes-In-Steel observes. "There would be worse places. Could we start a fire, perhaps?"

"We have no firewood," Do'azda says glumly, "We have some jerky, and we can eat some snow if we're thirsty."

They set off up the steps once more, after perhaps a half hour, without commenting on the etching - for what is there to comment on? That Tiber Septim was considered an especial man by the men of Skyrim? So he is considered by all Men.

***​

They see their first corpse at step 9704. A young nord man, his face blotchy and black from the frost, half buried in the snow off to one side of the path, almost invisible until they're practically on top of him.

Do'azda cannot tear her eyes from him. What happened to him? Did he slip on the ice, fail to stand again and succumb to the weather? Was he attacked by something? Perhaps he stopped to rest?

"Come, Do'azda," Bathes-In-Steel's voice is calm, but the hand on Do'azda's arm firm and urgent. "We cannot stop. There's nothing to be done for him."

Do'azda allows herself to be dragged away, collects herself as the body falls further and further behind.

They do not stop for the next body, nor the third or fourth.

***​

The next shrine is at the 10400th step, and Bathes-In-Steel doesn't even bother to complain, shivering in her armour as she chews a fistful of snow.

This shrine appears well maintained, swept clean and even as though the tablet itself has been cleaned relatively recently, and Do'azda squints into the blizzard, thinks she can perhaps see a shadow through the snow, as though High Hrothgar is not so far now.

"This one suspects this is the last shrine before High Hrothgar itself" Do'azda says brightly.

The Voice is worship
Follow the Inner path
Speak only in True Need​

"This is their philosophy, then?" Do'azda says, "That the Voice is worship? Of who? Khenarthi? Talos? This… Jurgen?"

"Perhaps this is worship of deceit and poor counting," Bathes-In-Steel says. "It would at least make sense of the steps."

Do'azda walks with renewed purpose. The shivering cold of lower down the mountain has stopped, and she is beginning to feel pleasantly warm, buoyed by the nearness of their destination.

At step 10615 - with High Hrothgar increasingly visible even in the gloom, only a few hundred steps away, Do'azda sees the cave Karita must have meant, about ten steps further up. The top half of it is ice, smashed apart and then worn smooth to form a ceiling over a cleave in the rock, the cave then disappearing back into inky darkness.

She puts it from her mind, her tail lashing impatiently, and takes another step forwards, Bathes-In-Steel trailing in her wake.

The hand which curls around the cave entrance has three thick, scaled fingers, with long, blunt claws of a dull black. Tufts of off-white fur sprout from the knuckles, and the ice splinters beneath the fingers as they clench on it.

It is almost some grotesque facsimile of a person, the arms unnaturally long, the forearms broad and fleshy, the skin a pallid grey, bald in places but in others covered by more of the dirty white fur. Black horns erupt across its shoulders, like an outbreak of some disease, short and stumpy. Its skin is wrinkled, ill-fitting, and its face like an ape, with a protuberant jaw filled with sharp yellow teeth, saliva stretching between its jaws as it bellows a challenge. The fur retreats from its face, as though the creature is stricken with the receding hairline typical of Men and Mer alike.

Above its pair of coal black eyes sits a third, larger than the other two and glistening with unshed tears, but there is neither mercy nor intelligence in another of them. The beast's legs are surprisingly short, and end in broad, flat paws, the better to traverse the snows of the high mountain range. Taking it all in, Do'azda sees a smear of dried blood up one clawed arm, and suppresses the urge to throw up.

The Frost Troll beats its chest, a show of dominance before it attacks.

What does Do'azda do?

Should she fight at all?

[] [Battle]They can reach High Hrothgar - it isn't far. Rush past the Frost Troll and run for the home of the Greybeards.
[] [Battle] They likely cannot get past the troll, and even if they can, leading a Frost Troll to their doorstep seems an easy way to anger the Greybeards.

(If you vote not to fight, you may disregard the rest of the choices for this combat.)

Choose an overall strategy?
[] [Strategy] Drive it off - The troll is most likely only hungry and desperate. Bunch together and attack with the intent to hurt it, to make it fearful, and perhaps it will flee, perceiving Do'azda and Bathes-In-Steel as too large a threat.
[] [Strategy] Surround it - split up, for there is only one of it, and attack from multiple angles, slay it quickly.
[] [Strategy] Draw it out - retreat before it, forcing it to fight on the uneven steps, where its paws, flat and soft, will struggle more than within the snowdrifts themselves.
[] [Strategy] Rush it - force it back into the cave, where its reach and arms may be reduced, less able to strike back effectively.

Choose a melee weapon (Pick One)
[] [Weapon] Lunar Steel Axe - This is a large troll, with a thick hide. Best to use the axe, to be safe.
[] [Weapon] Nettlebane - Do'azda is growing more skilled with the dagger, and the Nettlebane is a wickedly sharp dagger.
[] [Weapon] Her claws - Do'azda is not slow, and the troll appears as though it might be. She could provide an ample distraction with her claws, at least.

Choose an overall magical strategy (Pick One)
[] [Magical] Conjure Flame Atronach - The atronach will provide another combatant and scorch the troll.
[] [Magical] Flames - The Troll is animalistic, and likely to retreat from fire. Even should it not, it is a creature of the cold, and fire is most likely distressing to it.
[] [Magical] Bound Dagger - The beast's skin is thick and gnarled. Where mortal blades may be turned, the concentrated magicka of the bound dagger may cut clean.
[] [Magical] Lesser Ward - Wrapped in magicka, the troll's claws will be turned from Do'azda's flesh, made feeble.

Choose an illusion spell (Pick One)
[] [Illusion] Courage - They have been climbing for a long time, and it is very cold. Give Bathes-In-Steel a little bolstering before fighting a troll!
[] [Illusion] Fear - This Troll - mighty though it is - is only a predator, after prey. If it knew Do'azda were a dragon, it would no doubt seek other prey elsewhere.
[] [ILlusion] Distraction - Hey! Look over there!

Shout? (Choose 1)

[] [Shout] No, you can handle this on your own, and the shrine said something about 'Only in True Need' as Worship so perhaps she should hold off for the moment and use her other skills, so close to the home of the Greybeards who she wishes to teach her.
[] [Shout] Yes, a Frost Troll absolutely counts as 'Only In True Need', and she is the Dragonborn, it is her decision how she uses it… plus, the thought of shouting this stupid troll off the mountain appeals to something vicious and exhaustedly angry in her.


TL AN: Bathes-In-Steel will die mad about this. (Also you can really feel the fact that Do'azda has a Survival of 5. No, don't be pleasantly warm, Do'azda! Don't go towards the light!)

(Also, PSA: don't eat snow. to deal with thirst. )

VM AN: Ah, the High Hrothgar Frost Troll. Where would we be without you? Anyway, we had an awful lot of fun researching step heights and steepness, mountain biomes and heights and how to intersect the two. High Hrothgar is 5600m above sea level. This could be useful information, except Do'azda does not know what a metre is, or what level the sea is.

 

[Impel]

[X] Plan- Triangle Troll Tactics
-[X] [Battle] They likely cannot get past the troll, and even if they can, leading a Frost Troll to their doorstep seems an easy way to anger the Greybeards.
-[X] [Strategy] Surround it - split up, for there is only one of it, and attack from multiple angles, slay it quickly.
-[X] [Weapon] Lunar Steel Axe - This is a large troll, with a thick hide. Best to use the axe, to be safe.
-[X] [Magical] Conjure Flame Atronach - The atronach will provide another combatant and scorch the troll.
-[X] [Illusion] Courage - They have been climbing for a long time, and it is very cold. Give Bathes-In-Steel a little bolstering before fighting a troll!
-[X] [Shout] No, you can handle this on your own, and the shrine said something about 'Only in True Need' as Worship so perhaps she should hold off for the moment and use her other skills, so close to the home of the Greybeards who she wishes to teach her.

Yeah, this feels like one of those tests where you could win the fight, but lose the war using the shout. Leading the troll to the greybeards isn't the play, and while going all snicker-snack with Nettlebane appeals, better to go with the Axe, we might be able to turn aside a blow or two if needed, even if dodging is better. I vote moving carefully to surround it over charging (and slipping on the ice), making like Errol Flynn and fighting it on some ice-covered steps (and slipping on the ice), or pushing it into the cave (and having no room to dodge). Conjuring best Atronach simply makes sense with that strategy. The way to not get hit is to let someone else tank those blows, and our fiery friend is quite good at dishing out the pain, too!

Great update!

[ILlusion] Distraction - Hey! Look over there!

Click to shrink...

Why, what's over there? Lemme see! Is it TBD? Is that new?

Bathes-In-Steel is in a good mood, perhaps even an excellent one if an Argonian tail could be read like a Khajiit one (but it couldn't.)

Click to shrink...

That you know of so far.

"Even seven thousand of these steps is not more than a morning's walk," Bathes-In-Steel says. Then she steps forward onto the first of the steps. "One."

"One?"

"One step. I am going to count them. It shall be soothing," Bathes-In-Steel declares.

And she does just this.

Click to shrink...

Yes... 'soothing...' I'm certain. But it's nice of her to keep track. She's like a murder Fit-Bit!

Do'azda already sees it ahead, and wishes she had prepared better. She is still not used to how cold it can get far down below, and this is worse by far. She rubs her hands together, and knows that if they keep on going at this rate she will need to rely on magic to keep on going. She has spells that might be of use, but she wants to save the effort, and none of the spells she knew were easily used. She has the materials to start something of a short fire if she needs to quickly warm her hands, or body, but not that much more than it.

Click to shrink...

Do'azda has Flames, right? You know what they say, start a fire, and you're warm for a day, set yourself on fire, and you're warm for the rest of your life. She could go out as a blaze of glory, like Evan! Survival skill sure would come in handy, huh? ...Perhaps it's better we didn't jump all the way to the Reach, but still, I warned yooooooouuuu...

So she looks at Bathes-In-Steel incredulously and decides to trust implicitly Bathes' ability and willingness to count the steps exactly.

Click to shrink...

FTFY. Girl is competent.

Kyne called on Paarthurnax, who pitied Man
Together they taught Men to use the Voice
Then Dragon War raged, Dragon against Tongue​

"Khenarthi provides the means to learn," Do'azda says approvingly in the fourth shrine, "She does not hold your hand through the crisis, she teaches how to resolve it yourself."

Click to shrink...

Khenarthi up in here like Lobster Jesus, "I help those who help themselves," indeed.

Do'azda scoffs when she reads this. "Alkhan has not been thrown out of the world. Companions and children of Lorkhaj slew him, then cast him into the Many Paths that he might be entangled there upon his resurrection. 'Shouted Alduin out of the world' - absurd. Such power is not in these shouts."

Click to shrink...

Nothing is impossible for the Force. I've heard of someone being shouted down, but this is ridiculous.

At exactly seven-thousand, Bathes-In-Steel stops.

Do'azda has seen her angry. She does not think she's ever seen such anger on Bathes' face. It is pure fury and dismay, naked and clumsy. "Seven thousand… steps," Bathes-In-Steel says. "They…"

"It might be poetic li--"

"Fool Nords say that Khajiit are liars and tricksters, and then call this the Seven Thousand Steps," Bathes-in-Steel says. Her voice is the rumble of threat and malice and pure violent intent. "They, they lie and dishonor language and themselves and--and all they." She hisses, turning around and around in a fury, her tail lashing hard against the ground. It has to hurt but Bathes-In-Steel does not even wince. "Surely they could not have failed to count correctly? Do'azda, is there anything you know about Nordish troubles with math?"

Click to shrink...

"There is a pattern to the shrines," Bathes-In-Steel says as Do'azda kneels to study the etchings. "They clearly knew how many steps they had when they begun to build these shelters! Why lie like this?"

Click to shrink...

This is such a terrific reaction. And as to the reasoning, maybe it's to winnow out those unprepared for a struggle? Like some Nanda Parbat/Kamar-Taj business.

this woman should be frozen near to death, but instead she looks serene, at peace.

Click to shrink...

An Air Nomad!

"I studied as an Apprentice for them, for a time, until it became clear they would not accept a female Greybeard. So I stole one of Arngeir's robes for warmth, and have learnt directly from the whispers of Kyne herself. It is a good way. It is worthy of trying."

Click to shrink...

I mean, if her beard wasn't coming in... but seriously, it's a neat expansion of the world, and a disappointingly realistic look at the politics of these not-so-secret societies/orders. Also, this lady's way nicer than the hunter at the first shrine.

They do not stop for the next body, nor the third or fourth.

Click to shrink...

Made me look both ways, because this line hits like a truck.

"This is their philosophy, then?" Do'azda says, "That the Voice is worship? Of who? Khenarthi? Talos? This… Jurgen?"

"Perhaps this is worship of deceit and poor counting," Bathes-In-Steel says. "It would at least make sense of the steps."

Click to shrink...

Maybe it's a general reverence of the world Mundus? Also, Bathes continues to be best girl.

Above its pair of coal black eyes sits a third, larger than the other two and glistening with unshed tears

Click to shrink...

A third eye? Well, it's on a mountain, so it must be enlightene-

but there is neither mercy nor intelligence in another of them.

Click to shrink...

Nevermind.

TL AN: Bathes-In-Steel will die mad about this. (Also you can really feel the fact that Do'azda has a Survival of 5. No, don't be pleasantly warm, Do'azda! Don't go towards the light!)

Click to shrink...

I waaaaaaaarrrnnnneeed yooooouuuuu!

except Do'azda does not know what a metre is, or what level the sea is.

Click to shrink...

It don't matter what level the sea is, Do'azda just levelled up, she can take it!

 

[Carcer]

[X] Plan- Triangle Troll Tactics

 

[Doctor Elsewhere]

[X] Plan: Ringing the Doorbell
-[X] [Battle] They likely cannot get past the troll, and even if they can, leading a Frost Troll to their doorstep seems an easy way to anger the Greybeards.
-[X] [Strategy] Draw it out - retreat before it, forcing it to fight on the uneven steps, where its paws, flat and soft, will struggle more than within the snowdrifts themselves.
-[X] [Weapon] Lunar Steel Axe - This is a large troll, with a thick hide. Best to use the axe, to be safe.
-[X] [Magical] Conjure Flame Atronach - The atronach will provide another combatant and scorch the troll.
-[X] [Illusion] Courage - They have been climbing for a long time, and it is very cold. Give Bathes-In-Steel a little bolstering before fighting a troll!
-[X] [Shout] Yes, a Frost Troll absolutely counts as 'Only In True Need', and she is the Dragonborn, it is her decision how she uses it… plus, the thought of shouting this stupid troll off the mountain appeals to something vicious and exhaustedly angry in her.

If the fact that the Greybeards refused to train a nord woman is any indication, being a Khajiit and a woman is going to make dealing with the Greybeards like pulling teeth. But they cannot deny us as Dragonborn, so I say that limiting ourselves when we're already on the verge of exhaustion is a mistake. Shouting now may make things harder with the greybeards, but at least we'll be alive to do so. Let's launch this pest of the Throat of the Word.

 

[Half Moon]

[X] Plan- Triangle Troll Tactics

 

[Dybbukpossesed]

[X] Plan: Ringing the Doorbell

 

[Talon TigerDino]

[X] Plan- Triangle Troll Tactics

One must always light a troll on fire in some fashion, and maybe the Lunar Axe will put some pep in our step when it transfers the troll's vitality to us.

 

[Arjac]

[X] Plan: Ringing the Doorbell

 

[Parzival95]

[X] Plan- Triangle Troll Tactics

 

[FeepingCreature]

Anything below that area of the Misnumbered Steps? If we smack the troll off the mountain, could we set off an avalanche?

 

[veteranMortal]

Anything below that area of the steps? If we smack the troll off the mountain, could we set off an avalanche?

Click to shrink...

It is very unlikely that knocking the troll off the mountain would cause an avalanche. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[FeepingCreature]

It is very unlikely that knocking the troll off the mountain would cause an avalanche. I wouldn't worry about it.

Click to shrink...

I mean specifically knocking the troll off the mountain by Shouting Fus at an angle off the side.

Kinda seems like asking for it.

 

[Taijutsu_]

Poor Bathes. The frustration that Vanilla Skyrim brings to certain quests is real. My spouse and I like to joke that Norn and Skyrim (the land) was canonically created by a committee whenever our immersion gets shanked by good old fashioned Skyrim jank.
Good thing Bathes is friends with the DragonBall, no? It's a lot easier to install mods when you can open the console.

 

[Impel]

I mean specifically knocking the troll off the mountain by Shouting Fus at an angle off the side.

Kinda seems like asking for it.

Click to shrink...

That had honestly been a little bit of my reasoning/worry, on top of 'secret test,' too. But then again, if VM says it'll be okay, I suppose she would know. Besides, it'd just be Fus, right? We haven't even learned the shout for Ricola, yet!

Good thing Bathes is friends with the DragonBall, no? It's a lot easier to install mods when you can open the console.

Click to shrink...

DragonBall? That's hilarious! I've never gotten around to playing with mods myself, because my old, old system is already temperamental enough, but I've definitely experienced some of that jank, too. The struggle is real. And I suppose people will be happy that our sweet cinnamon roll of a protagonist isn't loafing about and has gotten us started on the main story quest. But really, the main thing I'm happy about is that it looks like we won't have to fight the troll on the steppes the Stairway to Heaven, I mean Sovngarde, I mean, High Hrothgar. Because cats mucking about on steps can lead to some worrisome situations.

 

[BeepSmile]

[X] Plan: Ringing the Doorbell

 

[mynameisyouQQQ]

[X] Plan- Triangle Troll Tactics

 

[Pillowsperky]

[X] Plan: Ringing the Doorbell

 

[Krazyfan1]

wonder if a summon can tackle the troll off the side of the mountain?

 

[Impel]

wonder if a summon can tackle the troll off the side of the mountain?

Click to shrink...

"I don't have to win, we just both have to lose." And that's the story of how Flame Atronach 2: Electric Boogaloo, became the first Avenger.

But seriously, if they go for a Disney Villain Death, we better spot a body on our way back down the mountain, or else that beastie'll be back in like three arcs when we least expect it. And you want to know why? Because it would be to troll us.

 

[Krazyfan1]

But seriously, if they go for a Disney Villain Death, we better spot a body on our way back down the mountain, or else that beastie'll be back in like three arcs when we least expect it. And you want to know why? Because it would be to troll us.

Click to shrink...

Trolls Do have their own written language...
i can see this one making plans and stuff

 

[Petrichor]

[X] Plan- Triangle Troll Tactics

 

[fanficfan]

[X] Plan: Ringing the Doorbell
[X] Plan- Triangle Troll Tactics

 

[veteranMortal]

[X[ Plan- Triangle Troll Tactics
-[X] [Battle] They likely cannot get past the troll, and even if they can, leading a Frost Troll to their doorstep seems an easy way to anger the Greybeards.
-[X] [Strategy] Surround it - split up, for there is only one of it, and attack from multiple angles, slay it quickly.
-[X] [Weapon] Lunar Steel Axe - This is a large troll, with a thick hide. Best to use the axe, to be safe.
-[X] [Magical] Conjure Flame Atronach - The atronach will provide another combatant and scorch the troll.
-[X] [Illusion] Courage - They have been climbing for a long time, and it is very cold. Give Bathes-In-Steel a little bolstering before fighting a troll!
-[X] [Shout] No, you can handle this on your own, and the shrine said something about 'Only in True Need' as Worship so perhaps she should hold off for the moment and use her other skills, so close to the home of the Greybeards who she wishes to teach her.

Yeah, this feels like one of those tests where you could win the fight, but lose the war using the shout. Leading the troll to the greybeards isn't the play, and while going all snicker-snack with Nettlebane appeals, better to go with the Axe, we might be able to turn aside a blow or two if needed, even if dodging is better. I vote moving carefully to surround it over charging (and slipping on the ice), making like Errol Flynn and fighting it on some ice-covered steps (and slipping on the ice), or pushing it into the cave (and having no room to dodge). Conjuring best Atronach simply makes sense with that strategy. The way to not get hit is to let someone else tank those blows, and our fiery friend is quite good at dishing out the pain, too!

Great update!


Why, what's over there? Lemme see! Is it TBD? Is that new?




Yes... 'soothing...' I'm certain. But it's nice of her to keep track. She's like a murder Fit-Bit!


Do'azda has Flames, right? You know what they say, start a fire, and you're warm for a day, set yourself on fire, and you're warm for the rest of your life. She could go out as a blaze of glory, like Evan! Survival skill sure would come in handy, huh? ...Perhaps it's better we didn't jump all the way to the Reach, but still, I warned yooooooouuuu...


FTFY. Girl is competent.


Khenarthi up in here like Lobster Jesus, "I help those who help themselves," indeed.


Nothing is impossible in for the Force. I've heard of someone being shouted down, but this is ridiculous.



This is such a terrific reaction. And as to the reasoning, maybe it's to winnow out those unprepared for a struggle? Like some Nanda Parbat/Kamar-Taj business.


An Air Nomad!


I mean, if her beard wasn't coming in... but seriously, it's a neat expansion of the world, and a disappointingly realistic look at the politics of these not-so-secret societies/orders. Also, this lady's way nicer than the hunter at the first shrine.


Made me look both ways, because this line hits like a truck.


Maybe it's a general reverence of the world Mundus? Also, Bathes continues to be best girl.


A third eye? Well, it's on a mountain, so it must be enlightene-

Nevermind.


I waaaaaaaarrrnnnneeed yooooouuuuu!


It don't matter what level the sea is, Do'azda just levelled up, she can take it!

Click to shrink...

Just to note - the square brackets at [X[ Plan- Triangle Troll Tactics are wrong (the second one is also an open bracket) and so its not counting it automatically.

 

[Impel]

Fixed on my post, thanks so much for pointing it out @veteranMortal ! Crappy keyboards and typing things out manually leads to silly mistakes. @mynameisyouQQQ I think you're the only other vote for that plan that needs to adjust their post, most everyone else seems to have it good on their ends already.

Also, @fanficfan I think you have to pick one or the other, right? (Or you can always take the third option and make your own plan, but... why would you, when you could just vote for mine? )

 

[CrabTravelLLC]

[X] Plan: Ringing the Doorbell