[Story] pt.30. If you go down to the woods today.

Part one is here Part 29 is here

[...]

The next morning we head out to the local trader to sell some gear, he has a very pretty sister. On the way out we meet a Khajiit wearing a monk's outfit, who requests a private word. So we follow, he leads us to a tent set back off the road, inside the tent is a Khajiit girl, surrounded by two bandit looking gentleman, who when challenged utter fighting words. There is a brief fight, then we check the girl she runs off, the monk gives a long suffering look and bids me to take a seat.

He offers me 15k to play guardian to some girl he's hidden in the hills somewhere, which seems a little strange, but for 5k up front I'm not complaining. He even offers me a horse, of the small black variety. It'll do I guess, though I will miss Sofia's bum rubbing against me. At least on the way back.

We go back to the inn to report finding the girl, the innkeeper says she's always been skittish with her too. There is a rather large bounty on her head, but she should be OK for the time being.

We leave the inn, and I'm accosted by an elf in an evil henchman robe. Seems they are interested in the Khajiit girl too. He calls me a dog and then tells his pet soldiers to attack before blinking out. I beat the hell out one of the soldiers shield until he backs into Urmuk's axe. The one beside him gets the front of the axe, and the archer falls to a blow from Sofia. While I'm looting the archer the Khajiit girl approaches, to ask why I didn't turn her in. I tell her a good Thalmor is a dead Thalmor, this is unsatisfying to her, but that line of enquiry peters out as she has no idea who she is or what she's doing here. The only thing she knows for sure is she hates dogs and rain. She had a satchel, she has a vague idea of where she left it, and could we take her there and take care of the dogs?

A quick look at the map says that her tower is out in the wilds behind the lake. We'll probably need to be out overnight, but it may be fun. A quick consensus​ favours going, looks like she's in luck.

The Khajiit girl helpfully points out that I haven't finished looting the dead archer yet.

I pick up the body and move it back down the road back to the inn. The guard asks me what I think I'm doing? So I explain that I'm cleaning up the road, "so what are you going to do with the bodies?" " Throw them in the river" "Alright then."

I ask him why he didn't come to my aid when they set upon me, he said that he's not allowed to interfere with the Thalmor, but neither is he going to report me as they attacked​ first. Fair enough.

The gear we loot is actually really nice, the archer had a scoped bow, I'd heard of them but never seen one. They also had some nice swords and daggers with I distribute to the troops. It's when I open my backpack that the Khajiit girl sniffs the air and runs up to take a look, she pulls out the moon sugar I have stashed away and eats it. Charming.

We go back to the trader, who's happy enough to buy the armour, but the prices he's offering are lousy. So I figure one of the armours is about Sofia's size. She tries it on, it's a close fit, but Vilja is right, elvish armour does look good on a girl. I keep another set for Vilja and wear a pair of the boots. The armour and boots are dark rather than gold, but they blend in better with the rest of the outfit. We sell the rest of the junk, and by the time were through the cat girl is very happy, especially with how fluffy she is and the fact she has a tail. We have to help her out of the store as she's a little unsteady on her feet. So I tell Urmuk to carry her, so he just throws her over his shoulder, and we head back to the inn.

[...]

The inn owner remarks on the Khajiit girl as we walk in, "ah you've found her then, what's wrong with her?" "Moon sugar" I say. "Oh, well no smoking it or whatever else you do, in here, OK?"

I tell the owner that the girl will sleep it off, and we'll be gone in the morning. So we rent the rooms they have and put her to bed.

Then we get a bite to eat and a few beers, the bard here is no better than the one at home, but it's free entertainment. I figure we can get an early start tomorrow, climb up to the standing stones and go across the back of the lake, spur off when we need too.

Nerida is the first to put down a sleeping bag, and crawl in, the other girls follow soon after, so it's just me and Urmuk. I sink the last of my beer and call it a night too.

[...]

We leave early next morning, and with a day's ride ahead of us of course it's raining. Time to round up the horses and get wet.

First stop the Guardian stones, where the thief stone is the only real choice, then back on the horse and ride. At the crossing we take the Falkreath road. If anything the rain is only getting heavier. Around the bend and down to the waterline and there is a deer carcass on the road, we stop to dress and harvest it.

Further down the shoreline two wolves take their chance and fluffy, on foot, takes them out in style.

[...]

Now that is an expensive horse...

We pass a large white stallion wearing bone plate armour. Just standing by the side of the road. We're it not that I'd been given a horse I'd be well up for stealing that. Though at that point a large group of Falkreath Militia troop past, so I think better of it.

The road cuts inland then splits, but we stay close to shore, then we hit the mill bridge which means it's time to go off road. Still at least the rain has stopped. At least for now. We're in dense woodland, having to go slow and take what paths we can, we near a small pool, and think of watering the horses until we see activity on the other side of the pool.

Spriggans! Better give that place a wide birth, though with all the dead trees were in danger of being penned in here. On closer inspection it appears somebody is using the trees as a way of making a camp, there is an odd semi submerged stone head here too. No sign of the owner though.

We press on and come across a raised stone Dias but apart from that it just deep green, murk and trees as far as the eye can see. Then we break into a road clearing and utter devastation, two dead horses, and a carriage on fire. Time to give this one a wide birth too. We follow the road away from the wreckage. The outcropping of rock is vaguely where we need to be, and nestling behind some trees is a tower. Time to store the horses out of sight and approach slowly.

[...]

It will take me a while to work out how to use the new bow properly, but the basic scope is an improvement already. I drop the man waiting at the base of the tower silently. When we reach the body it's clear he was a bandit. We drag the body into the undergrowth, and edge around the wall. The ramp is as expected, the locked grill is not, I'm on my second lockpick when the gate opens, far too loudly. Still, there is a chest, a table with some good gems and a coin purse and a trap door.

[...]

Coming out of the basement, which is an empty room with upturned furniture, we hear voices raised above us, looks like we're going in the old fashioned way.

The bandit was coming out as I was going in. I shield bash the bandit, back and Urmuk runs in.

There is no subtlety to an Orc in combat, Urmuk throws himself forward, head first, in a low run. Anything in front of him is knocked down, arrows bounce of his armour, and by the time he nears the enemy the axe is already moving. You either get knocked off your feet, cut in half, or spilt like a log. Not exactly beautiful to watch, but devastatingly effective.

At the end of it, three bandits including a large Orc lie dead at our feet.

We go in and I check upstairs, the archer gets the drop on me, I get my shield up just in time. I'll say this for the Khajiit girl, she's swift, she's up the stairs and impaling the guy with the elven sword before I fully drop my guard.

As luck would have it, there is a satchel on the table on the ground floor it says the girl's name is M'rissi, according to the note. Though I still think fluffy is better. There is some coin, an odd ring and a bit of bread. Even holding it all she still has no idea who she is, though the note says not to trust other Khajiit. Odd. It's raining again, and it's beginning to get dark, and we're in the middle of nowhere. We may have to stay put, for the night, leave again in the morning.

In which case it's time to collect some firewood and make a fire, as it's likely to get cold, and then we can "cook" some of the meat we took from the deer. At least there are a few sleeping bags about.

[...]

Part 31 is here