Skyrim Real Roleplay - Ralos Ravenclaw

keysmash posted...

As soon as you attack prey the blessing will go away.

Has he gone to riften yet? I forget.

Ralos is new to the area and knows not of Riften and its reputation for loose morals. Lydia thought she saw him drink skooma once but he crushed the bottle so she was not sure. He'll have to find some soon, though, and it's a long way to Riften.
---
If you have to cheat, you're admitting to yourself you're not good enough.

Lydia looks at me strangely but I sit down on the ground and tell her I've got a rock in my boot. I pretend there's a knot in the laces as I wait for the worst of the pangs to pass. After they do, I roll up unto my knees then stand up, stretching the cramps out of my abdomen. I reach into my pack and pull out a bottle of mead. I drink it all right there and it seems to help.

"Ready, Princess Thane?" she asks.

I belch loud enough to send a hawk racing from its roast. "Now I am."

"Such a pig."

The road stays level for only a short time then begins heading uphill again. Around a bend I see a tower then a minute later realize it is two towers spanning the river on high. I don't see anyone manning them until I get to the nearest tower's base. A elven woman in fur armor is stirring something in a pot. She stops as soon as she sees us coming and blocks the road.

"This is a toll road," she says, "Pay me two hundred septims and you may pass."

I was about to speak but the mead must be slowing my reflexes and Lydia spoke first.
"Step aside, Elf. Make way for the Thane of Whiterun."

"The Thane? Why didn't you say he was such an important man? In that case, give me four hundred."

"Listen, thief," I say, "the only thing you'll get from me is a swift death, unless you let us pass. Now back off."

"If that is what you wish, then you will die!"

The elf rushes at me with a steel axe. I fumble for my sword but Lydia is quicker and engages her first with her own axe. They exchange blows, each blocking the others' then Lydia counters with a back swing which catches the elf on the shoulder. I can see the chilling effects of the Axe Of Whiterun across the surface of the elf's skin. By now I've unsheathed my sword and I plunge the weapon through the bandit's chest, the point tenting the back of her armor.

The battle over, Lydia turns to me. "Are you sure you're all right? You're sweating like a pig."

I drag my sword across the bandit's fur armor to cleanse it. "Just living up to my reputation."

A voice suddenly calls down from the tower. "You'll die for that!"

I look up and see an archer aiming at us from the top of the tower. A second later an arrow hisses past my head and bounces off the rocks behind me. I pick it up for myself and switch from my sword to my bow. Lydia starts to get her bow out then yells at me. "There are more coming across the bridge. Let us take the fight to them."

The Housecarl embraces her axe again and runs into the tower. I follow her in, wiping sweat from my hands as I switch back to my sword.
---
If you have to cheat, you're admitting to yourself you're not good enough.

Inside the door of the tower I spot two red bottles of healing potion on a small bookshelf. I snatch them up and race to the stairs to catch up with Lydia. The tower opens up to a narrow walkway leading to another part of the tower and the bridge itself. I find Lydia already on the bridge and three bandits crowding near the middle trying to get at her. I unsling my bow and start driving steel arrows into their midst, not caring which one I hit. Suddenly an arrow clinks against the tower beside me. I know none of the bandits on the bridge shot it so I quickly look around. Another arrow hits me in the foot and I see a figure moving on the other side of the river. I pull out the arrow from my foot which had barely pierced my iron boot and toss the cracked shaft away. Lydia has the bandits bottled up for the moment so I focus my aim on the archer. Aiming just above his head, I test my range and hope I don't start shaking again. My first shot slips from my fingers before I wanted and plops into the river. My next three shots, however, hit home and he falls to his knee. One more arrow finishes him.

I look up for Lydia and find them still battling on the bridge, but closer now. I launch an arrow into the crowd of bandits again and this time one falls over the side. The final two manage to push Lydia back into the tower so I switch to my sword and run up the ramp to help. She's holding them off with wide sweeps of her hammer but I can tell she's tiring. One bandit is a Redguard with a sword and dirty fur armor but the other is decked out in shiny steel armor including a helmet and its not until I hear her barking orders that I realize it's a woman. They don't see me approach so I take out the Redguard with a stab through his back. He falls to his knees and I kick him off my sword, nearly stumbling as my balance fails me for a second. The brief delay, however, allows the last bandit a window of opportunity which she takes. She charges in screaming and I twist out of the way but not entirely. Her sword gashes my thigh open. I regain my balance enough to get my guard up to block her next swing which was aimed for my neck. Still guarding, I bash my iron gauntlets into the open space of her helmet. She stumbles and I return her damage to her with a powerful slash to her leg. Before she can recover, Lydia ends her life by turning the bandit's helmet from an outie to an innie with her warhammer.

We take the next few minutes catching our breath. I hand one of the healing potions I found to Lydia. She refuses at first but I point out all the bruises on her and shove it back in her hand. I drink the other one and watch as the jagged cut on my leg starts to mend. It stops just short of sealing completely so I merely bandage it with strips of clothes I make from a cowl I find in a nearby wardrobe.

"Let's go see if these bandits had anything valuable on them," I suggest, "I think I've almost got enough to buy that house in Whiterun that the Jarl mentioned. I need someplace to store my money and weapons while I build my reputation."

What I don't tell her is that the only thing I hope to find is a bottle of skooma.
---
If you have to cheat, you're admitting to yourself you're not good enough.

Lydia agrees and we leave the tower to check the bandit I shot on the other side first and to see if they had anything in the other tower. Just as we step foot out of the tower, Lydia is struck in the back by an arrow. She grunts from force of the shot but does not fall down. Good thing she drank that potion to heal a bit. We look up quickly to see another bandit taking aim at us from on top of this tower. We head back inside and I manage to pull the arrow from her armor. It did not go far, but the point nicked the bone at the base of her neck. I give her another strip of cloth to hold against it while I take care of this last one.

I follow the stairs up through the dilapidated tower. He is waiting for me but his shot misses as I dodge to the side, anticipating his aim. He does not get another chance. From the stairs, my sword sweeps his feet out from under him and my follow up nearly cuts him in half, the blade getting caught in the bones of his spine. I wrench it loose then my head becomes light and the tower spins beneath me. I lose my grip on my sword and it clatters back down the stairs. I double over in pain as my stomach seizes into a tight, excruciating ball of fire. A moment later, Lydia yells up from below.

"Are you all right, Ralos?"

"I'm fine," I manage to call back, then fight for breath.

"You dropped your sword."

"I'll be right down...just checking his pockets...for coin."

I fight to control my breathing and allow my vision to clear. The worst of the pain subsides but I am still sore and it hurts to straighten completely. I take my time going back down.

At the bottom, Lydia hands me my sword and I sheath it to my back.

"What happened?" she asks, "You look ill. Have you been poisoned?"

"No, he got a lucky kick in. Landed right in my stomach. He died in a pool of my own vomit. Now lets clear these towers of anything worth taking and get to Whiterun. I could use a decent lunch and perhaps a nap."

It had never bothered me before, but I did not care for lying to Lydia. Perhaps because we've come to trust each other with our lives. I can not speak for her, but that is something new to me. I will admit, there is more to this Housecarl than being a mere servant and follower. I will need someone to rely on when I come to power and my back is exposed to more knives than I have eyes. I find the thought of Lydia and danger together makes my stomach hurt all over again. I need to hasten my rise to power before I lose those I can trust to aid me.
---
If you have to cheat, you're admitting to yourself you're not good enough.

The towers contain mostly foodstuffs but they also yield some coin, two unique bows, and a book titled, The Black Arrow, Part Two. Reading the book gives me an idea of how better to aim my bow, and I am eager to try it with the first bow I found on the top perch of the further tower. It is green but with a fiery glow to it. Lydia says it looks orcish in design and material. I nock an arrow to it and it seems to charge the arrow with a burning hot energy. I send the arrow into a tree and the tree catches fire, burning for quite a while. I decide to swap it for my hunting bow. Now with my sword of frost I've got a fire and ice attack to kill these bandits with. Lydia also finds an odd bow inside of a locked chest. It is a well lacquered Imperial bow that has a greenish arua to it. When she fires an arrow into the wall, nothing special happens. Perhaps if it has a special property it only works on the living. We'll have to wait and see. I doubt the way things have been going that the wait will be long.

We load up as much as we can comfortably carry, though mine is considerably less than usual. I blame the kick to my stomach and Lydia believes it. We arrive in Whiterun and I am seriously disappointed that the Khajiit caravan has not returned. That would have been perfect.

I stop at Adrienne's and Belathor's and manage to sell most of what we have, except one thing in particular, a silver ring that I notice Lydia's gaze lingers on. I give it to her, saying we should always have extra on us just in case. Whether she saw though my ploy or not, she smiles and puts it on. I stop in at Arcadia's and buy some healing potions. She has no skooma. In fact I try every vendor out in the market area and no one has any. I don't want to come right out and ask if they know where I can get some, since everyone seems taken aback that I even mention the stuff.

I am too restless to sleep so I talk Lydia into going to Riverwood to sell the rest of our goods. I also suspect that Lucan may have some skooma somewhere, since he was the target of thieves, or maybe he will know where I can get some if I can get him alone to ask. It turns out to be a fruitless trip except for a few more coin, though it does put me over the amount needed to buy Breezehome in Whiterun. My exhaustion gets the better of me now and I barely manage to eat some sort of meat stew before passing out at the inn.

I awake drenched in sweat. I try to get up but my abdomen protests as if I am nailed to the bed. I collapse back into the bed.

"That bandit must have kicked you in some vital place," Lydia says from a chair next to the bed. "You've been moaning in your sleep since Orgnar dragged you in here."

She gets up and I notice she carries out a bowl and rag. She returns with a tankard of cold water and makes me drink. I do and I feel better even as the liquid eases my burning throat.
"Did you stay with me all night?"

"Someone had to, and I am sworn to protect you, remember. I alternated between moping your feverish head to stuffing it in your mouth to silence your cries. You must see the healers in Whiterun. The priestess of Kynareth I hear can work wonders."

I manage to sit up with her help. "No healer can help me. I'll be fine. It's just something I need to deal with. Let's get going."
---
If you have to cheat, you're admitting to yourself you're not good enough.

We have a quick breakfast of chicken breast and green apples. I drink two meads and the pressure in my head lessens. I figure a slow walk in the fresh air back to Whiterun will be the best thing for me. The air is refreshing and we even begin joking about sending some Acolytes of Dibella to the Greybeards to see what would happen.

We come around the first bend along the river and I spy an Argonian lurking next to a boulder. He sees me as well and crouches. Despite Lydia and I both being armed, he arms himself with a steel sword and dagger and stalks towards me purposefully.
---
If you have to cheat, you're admitting to yourself you're not good enough.

The Argonian sprints the last few yards then spins lightly on his feet, his thick tail forcing me to back up, then follows through with first his dagger then his sword. His dagger glances off my greatsword, sending sparks into the air. It moves my weapon just enough, however for his follow up sword to bite deep into my leg.

Lydia, who was behind me, circles around for a clearer shot, but the thief keeps moving as well. She finally manages to land a shot and the Argonian visibly slows. I try a power swing but his quick hands lash out with the dagger and my momentum is broken, as is several straps from my armor. He must be spinning a lot because it is difficult to focus my eyes and a decent blow. He cuts me again but I also land a nice slash across his arm then press the attack, keeping my swings short and precise. Another arrow appears, this time in the Argonian's head. He attacks quicker, probably out of desperation. I block but I can't stop his smaller weapons completely and they drain my strength even more. I use my greater weight to pummel his face with the butt of my sword and he finally staggers back in the dirt. I'm nearly out of breath and energy but I muster enough of both to cut him down for good. His breath hisses from his throat then is silent.

I fall down next to him, grasping my leg. Lydia kneels beside me.

"How bad is it?" she asks.

"Should I be able to see it pumping out?"

Lydia looks around frantically, "Where's your pack?"

"It was cut loose back there." I could say no more so great was the pain. The air itself seemed to be eating away at my leg. I clamp both hands over the wound and try with my last bit of consciousness to will it closed. All of a sudden my hands begin to glow a warm orange and I could almost feel something leaving my mind and surging through my hands to my leg. I want to stop but the pain in my leg has disappeared and I can breathe again. The glow finally vanishes as the flow from my mind ceases. I move my hands to inspect the deep wound. All that is left is the blood on my hands.

"What in the Nines just happened?" I say to myself. I look to Lydia for an answer. "I am no soul-forsaken mage!"
---
If you have to cheat, you're admitting to yourself you're not good enough.

nyxavenger posted...

I love that last bit. I've always wondered why a battle lovin more would know spells. But he didn't know he knew! Genius!

Yeah, I wasn't sure so I checked in my Brady guide and I guess every race starts out with healing. I'm not sure how much I'll have Ralos use it since I'm not partial to magic myself, but, we'll see as I play if there are opportunities to force him to try it. Thanks for reading.
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If you have to cheat, you're admitting to yourself you're not good enough.

Lydia kneels beside me again and looks at my leg. "You used your healing magic. Nicely done, too. Better than I usually do."

I stare at her bewildered. "Why are you so calm? I just used magic and I don't even how I did it."

Lydia sat back, her foot tucked underneath her. "Everyone can do basic healing magic. You didn't know? That explains why you never used it during or after a battle. I assumed you disliked mages so much that you refused to use magic like they do."

"My family was..simple, though prosperous. We worked, we traded, we farmed a bit. Magic was never needed and my parents did not encourage it. I believe my father feared it and as it turned out with my brother, rightly so. Wait, you mean you know magic, too?"

"I've learned to heal myself, but only after I've taken a lot of damage to myself do I use it. I just back away from the fight, do some quick healing, then stagger back for more. So how did it feel?"

"Odd, like my brain was draining into my hands, then it stopped. I'm still not sure how I did it. Or if I want to."

Lydia stood and offered me her hand to help me stand. I tested my leg once I was up. It felt fine, though the healed wound tingled a bit.

"It just takes practice. After a while you'll be able to fight and heal yourself at the same time. Look, think of it this way. You won't have to buy so many healing potions. They are pretty expensive."

"I would save a lot of septims. I could put that money towards strengthening my empire. I imagine dragon saddles would be pretty expensive."

Lydia wiggles her fingers in front of me. "And you could buy more pretty rings and such to beautify your personal Housecarl to make the other Jarls jealous."

I laugh at her. "What? You're pretty enough."

"Really? You think I'm pretty?"

Uh oh. "What? That silver ring was free, so I just let you have it. I meant I won't be giving you anything else."

"Because you think I'm already pretty?" She actually smiles and bats her eyelashes at me.

"Sure, whatever. Hey what's up with this Argonian? His tail is still moving."

I use my skillful diversion to rummage through the thief's belongings and take what I want. Besides his quality weapons, I find an amethyst, a couple hundred septims, and a note. Reading the note sends a chill down my back. This is no road robber. He is an assassin hired by the Dark Brotherhood and someone named Astrid. The note names me personally. I hand it to Lydia.

She reads it and whistles. "Seems you've succeeded in making a name for yourself. In fact, here it is, right after 'kill by any means necessary'. Congratulations. Someone sees you as a threat."

"Well, they'll need more than a single lizardman with a sword to take me out," I say as I push the assassin off the road with my foot. I feel a sharp pain in my stomach and realize I still have a craving that is growing. I had hoped the healing I did took care of it but I had only been distracted. "Let's hurry to Whiterun. I have some business to conduct with Avenicci."
---
If you have to cheat, you're admitting to yourself you're not good enough.

I find Avenicci in Dragonsreach in a large training area speaking with a huge brute by the dining table. Apparently the brute is a weapon in human form and wishes people to unsheath him. Pass.

I pull Avenicci aside and remind him the Jarl said that I was able to buy property in Whiterun. He grudgingly recalls something to that effect, asks me if I'm ill, then suggests I see the priestess of Kynareth. I say I'm fine then tell him I'm interested in the dwelling called Breezehome next to the blacksmith. I also point out that as Thane I should get the lowest price possible. Also, the price should be lowered considering it is next to a noisy blacksmith that will be banging and hissing all day and night at the forge. Through grating teeth he tells me the price is set by the Jarl at five thousand. No haggling allowed. I decide to buy it anyway and after checking out the booklet that comes with it, ask him to set it up with a living and dining room. He says the preparations will be ready later this afternoon.

Before I leave I inform him of the assassin but I make him out to be merely a thief. He thanks us for ridding Whiterun of such vermin then mentions a bounty placed on some bandits by the Jarl. Having spent most of my coin on the house, I agree to look into it. He marks on my map a place called Halted Stream Camp. Our business concluded, Lydia and I go have lunch at the Bannered Mare then head to Breezehome to see if it is ready.

Avenicci's men work quick. The house is ready, even with a strong fire going in the living room. I make a quick inspection. There's definitely more room for improvement but I'll need more coin for that. Perhaps I will go after that bounty. I use the weapon rack near the door to house my Axe of Whiterun then place the couple of books I kept on smithing and archery on the bookcase next to that.

By now I'm sweating again and not from the fire. I take a seat near the fire and Lydia sits in the chair next to me. I drink half a bottle of mead and wait for the pain to ease. I had tried the healing again while I was alone upstairs but I could not get it to work again, either that or it has no effect on my intense cravings. I need to find a healer if I want to investigate this further.

"Now that I've got a house to care for," I say to Lydia, "I think you should stay here in town and look after it. Keep it clean, keep it stocked, stuff like that."

Lydia sips at her bottle of mead as if pretending not to hear me.

"So what do you think?" I ask, "Is that something you can handle?"

"What are you doing?" she asks finally.

"What do you mean? You're a housecarl. Shouldn't you take care of the house, then?"

"And what will you be doing?"

"Well, I've got this bounty for bandits to take care of."

"Bandits? Bandits that have caught the Jarl's attention and you're going to go after them alone? In your condition?" She laughs and finishes her mead.

"I'm fine, I can do it by mysel..."

My chair suddenly tips over backwards. I lay sprawled on my back and I hear a bottle smash. I feel Lydia land on top of me, knocking out my air, then I feel something sharp at my throat.

"What are you doing?" I gasp, my chest barely able to move.

"I'm about to kill you with a broken bottle. I'm a woman, half drunk on mead, and I don't want to hurt you, and look what I was able to do. Now imagine I was a gang of four or five desperate bandits, armed with swords and bows, and want nothing more than to see you dead, or worse. If I let you leave here alone, you'll be killed and I will have failed," she stood and I inhaled deeply. "And I do not intend to fail."
---
If you have to cheat, you're admitting to yourself you're not good enough.

IhateMelvin posted...

I love this. Also, could you post what you want his build to be like by the end?

Thanks for the kind words, I seriously appreciate it. I don't have an intended build for him, however. I'm just letting it play out as I go and finding the more interesting ideas for the character's story. I do prefer to play as a melee character but I'm trying to find an interesting way to work in a little bit of magic. Moments of desperation and need are always the most fun to play.
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If you have to cheat, you're admitting to yourself you're not good enough.

philcheesesteak posted...

Poor Ralos. He's all beat up with skooma. Someone get him an Argonian dealer, stat!

For real, good on you for the writing. It's pretty fantastic. I wonder if his pangs for skooma will be curved a bit by ingesting Moon Sugar instead? Maybe from a locally placed Khajiit caravan?

If you mean the one outside of Whiterun, Ralos has been looking for that one, too, but it hasn't returned.
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If you have to cheat, you're admitting to yourself you're not good enough.

Lydia sits back down and begins drinking another mead. I pick myself up, avoiding the pieces of glass on the floor. I set the chair right again and sit back down. I grip the arms of the chair to hide my shaking hands.

"You could have just said, 'No, I'm coming with you'," I tell her.

"Would you have listened?"

"I might have. Possibly. That's not the point."

"That's exactly my point. You only listen when you have to, Thane."

"All right, fine," I say. I stand up so she can see me. "Then you listen. I don't care what your job mandates as far as protecting me. I know Destiny is on my side and I will prevail over this land. But if by some divine intervention I should fall, I order you to give up your duty to me and return, alive, to Whiterun. You're too valuable to lose over a corpse."

"Fine. But I'll let you in on some information. Do you know why Jarl Balgruuf assigned me to you? He said you and I would get along because we are so much alike. I see what he means. So tell me, Thane. If I were to fall, would you leave me and return to Whiterun to continue your quest?"

I straighten up as best I can, then look at Lydia. I snort and look away. "Absolutely."

Lydia puts down her bottle and heads for the door. "Well then, let's hope we won't have to find out anytime soon. I guess we're not as alike as I thought. I'll be at the gate when you're ready to go get those bandits, Thane."
---
If you have to cheat, you're admitting to yourself you're not good enough.