deann

14 Frostfall

I decided to go to Bruma to fence those gold nuggets I acquired in the
Bloodvein Mine. As long as I was out for a run, I decided to make
some more Burden potions. I hadn't made any for quite a while because
once I started finding ingredients to make Damage Health potions, I
prefered those. But now I can make pretty hefty Burden potions, and
the ingredients are still easier to find than those to Damage Health.
I must say, I was impressed with their effectiveness. I hardly had to
use my healing potions at all on the trip. A few shots of Burden and
attackers really slowed down. A little more time and their weapons
hit like pillows. Well, a pillow thrown by an Ogre or even a Brown
Bear still packs a punch. But not so big a punch as their normal
claws and meaty fists.

Once in Bruma, I ended up tangled in local quests. First there was
that childish business at the Mage's Guild. Really, they need a good
spanking, they do. Then there was Braden Lyrien killing people and
claiming they were vampires. Then there were all those bandits in
Capstone Cave. Bandits, who, I might add, are very susceptible to
Burden. I hardely used my Damage Health potions since leaving the
Imperial City. And haven't really noticed any low stock of Burden.

16 Frostfall

As long as I was near the place, I decided to work my way through the
Jerrell Mountains towards Frostfire Glade to see if I could pick up
those tears. Ogres seem to be all over the mountains. Before
entering the Glade, I decided to take that Sigil Stone of Frost
Resistance and enchant my gauntlets. Which turned out to be a very
good thing as the chill was severe. The tears were hard to find until
I cast Moonlight, which reflected off them like shiny little beacons.

As I made my way around the mountains, I came upon another daedric
shrine. This one was Azura. She gave me a quest--which was both near
by and not too difficult as I have already slain enough vampires to
have a pretty good idea how to handle them. She also gave me a nice
reward of her Star. Daedra seem mostly better with their rewards than
people do.

There were more ogres as I made my way down to Cheydenhall. In each
case I managed to sneak up high on a rock to attack from where they
could not reach. Whether the Burden kept them from climbing up to me
or just being otnay-ootay-ightbray kept them from finding a less steep
path was unclear.

17 Frostfall

As long as I was killing vampires, I decided it was time to go after
Seridure. I was ready for the vampires, with poisons combining health
damage, magic damage and fire damage. The Ancient Ghosts and Nether
Liche things were a bit of a surprise, however. Fortunately there
were mostly vampires down at Memorial Cave. Rich vampires. Ebony and
mithril encrusted vampires. Once I sell this stuff, I may be able to
buy another house. For I have discovered many houses in Cyrodiil are
linked by magic to the All in One Basement. So I can store things in
the basement of my house in the Imperial City and retrieve them in the
basement of my house in Leweliin or Bravil or Bruma. Sweet. However,
the gold required to buy those houses is cutting into my funds for
Kumiko Manor. Which, alas, does not have a magic door to the All in
One Basement.

19 Frostfall

On the way back to the Imperial City from Leyawiin, I decided to take
on another of those Oblivion Gates. I managed to pick off the
guardians one at a time, only having to melee with that rocky-shocky-
storm-atronarch thing. Right inside the gate were two towers,
flanking the inaccessable sigil tower. I climb up onto the bridge and
go in. The very nice Guantlets of the Hunter that I got taking out
Seridur allowed me to detect life much farther than I could cast the
spell. Which helped take out two dremora and another stone-sparky-
thing. Upstairs are Three stone sparky things. I sneak past them.
Up a narrow corridor is a Clanfear. Somehow, I take him out without
alerting the the three atronarchs below which was amazing as the
Clanfear darted and screamed everywhere. Ok. Through a door. A
stone sparky thing sits astride a narrow bridge I have to cross. I
take out my bow and start firing. And slowly backing up. Backing up
right off the ledge. I fall to an inbetween ledge, and somehow jump
to the bottom of the pit without falling into the pool of lava.

Oh great, now I have to sneak past the three sparky stoney things
again. Ok. But the other stone sparky thing is back sitting across
the narrow bridge. Fortunately, this time he is much the worse for
our previous encounter and I take him out. Above me I see another
stone sparky thing and some mannish form. I fire an arrow at the
stone sparky thing, hoping to take it out from a distance. It rumbles
and does its cloud of sparky rocks thing and moves away from the
railing. And vanishes from my Detect Life. I am pretty certain I did
not kill it. While I am standing around in the dark wondering if it
can find its way down to me, it roars through a doorway and unto the
narrow bridge and starts shooting lightning in my direction. I fire
my bow and back up. But I do not back up very far as I am remembering
falling almost into that pool of lava below. Eventually, Dawnfang
comes through and there is only a pile of stones at my feet. I had
stoney sparky things.

In the middle of the next corridor is another stone sparky thing.
This corridor is wider, and I succeed in sneaking past. Which I am
not sure is a good idea because there is a long passage upwards and
maybe more things to fight and maybe I don't want a stone sparky
coming up behind me and joining in. I go up very carefully, seeing no
signs of life. Eventually I come to a doorway. Three Dremora dudes
are wandering around. I sneak past them without bumping into anyone.
The next path is one of those interior spiral stairways. A Dremora
Markynaz waits on the far side of the ring I am on, at the bae of the
stairs. He moves around a lot. I decide not to risk the sneak and
shoot a poisoned arrow. He roars and summons a flame atronarch and
charges me. The flame atronarch charges, but falls into the void. It
must have hit the lava pool below and died because Marky summons up
another. We fight a while. The rest of the tower went much the
same. Eventually I unlocked the bridge to the second tower.

There were spiders and dremora instead of stoney sparky things. I was
glad I'd kept that Bow of Silence. The second tower went sort of like
the first. Note, if you accidentally drink some cheap wine instead of
poisoning your bow because you are very excited about fighting a
spider that is not silence, that it will do you no good to hunt
through your spell book to see what in Tamriel the name of that
Dispell spell was. Dispell wont' work. You will just have to wait
for the wine to wear off.

The thrid tower had stoney sparky things and dremor and spiders and
lots of dremora dudes. Note that there is not a lot of point in
trying to sneak past Xiviai. Not at my skill level, anyway. In the
end I got a nice Sigil stone to enhance my Magicka. And a helm with a
a good Detect Life. Which would have seemed nicer if I weren't
wearing my Hunters Guantlets.

20 Frostfall

It was late at night when I finally got to Bravil, so I decided to see
what the Ayleid ruin of Antuwell held. I came out with a Varla stone
and an assortment of minotaur horns, ogre teeth, taproots and glow
dust. Fortunately most of the beasts could be shot from the
balconies, so I did not have to do much swordwork.

When I came out, it was mid day. So I headed to Rathmer's Books to
see if he had that transcript ready for the Archeologists Guild. He
told me to check with the scrybe who was doing the work in Leyawiin.
While I was there, a wonderous event occured. I was leafing through
some books I'd bought when I realized how to be an even better
marksman. And I got the urge to meditate and improve my skills.
While in town and near a convenient bed. Not out the the lava
encrusted wastes of some Oblivion madness. Not midfight with an
assortment of stoney sparky things. While in town near a bed in a
house I owned. Amazing.

22 Frostfall

It was late in the day by the time I finished my business in Bravil.
Everyone was talking about some watchman ghost, so I decided to go see
for myself. After leading me past a variety of wildlife, he finally
told me he needed help. But he wasn't very specific. Maybe that
clerk at Silverhome on the water could help. But he'd be asleep,
probably. So I spent the night sneaking around collecting mandrake
roots, nightshate, bergamont seeds and lavender. And a few venison
steaks. Which let me make some fine Venison-rice-and-radish stew: a
good pick-me-up for those longer fights where you'd really rather your
opponent lost track of you in the dark.

While picking flowers, I came across Bandit Lair. This seemed like a
good place to spend the remaining hours before the shops opened, and
maybe a place to pick up some arms and armor to sell. Little did I
guess. I mean, I did expect bandits. Just not so many bandits so
well armed, gathered more in clusters than an archer likes. The Lair
had a most intrigueing chest, suspended on a grill over a pit of
spikes, with spikes above, too. A telekinisis spell showed that I
needed a key. I could not find a key, not even on Dwyff--the one
bandit who seemed to have a name. I'll go back, someday. Meanwhile,
I have collected glass and ebony and even daedric arms and armor. If
I can find someone who can afford to buy them, I may be able to buy
Kumiko Manor soon.

On the way back to Bravil, I came across the body of Wumeek. I
resurrected him...again. This time I gave him one of my glass
daggers. Maybe that will keep him alive a bit longer.