Malchik

Such a long time since I have been active on this forum and the same discussions as we had years ago! I am here now because I received a message from another member from years back and dropped in, as it were. Morrowind is a great game - I am replaying it now after a few years away from it - and for me it is the immersiveness that is unbeatable. The graphics are of its time but not so bad and with all the mods out there you can quickly resolve that. There is the annoying 'topic' list that grows longer and longer, which needs to be worked around. But you'll soon get the hang of it and there are mods such as Less Generic NPC's that fix it for many towns. Check out the LGNPC website. They stopped adding to their work a while back but still have several towns and villages to their credit and it helps. The main quest takes a bit of time to get going but there is so much else to do. 11 joinable factions, three joinable clans of vampires with their own quests plus 10 miscellaneous vampiric quests, lots of side quests. With the expansions there are over 550 quests compared with Oblivion's 150. And the factions have requirements. I always found it odd that I could become Archmage in Ob with no magic skills to speak of and at level 1. You certainly can't get away that easily in MW. If you want to get to grips with the game, restrict yourself initially to graphics mods. If you can't get into it at least you tried. There are some excellent quest mods out there too but adding too many mods can cause problems and there are often conflicts between them so add these others a few at a time. Ah well, nostalgia avenue.... If you persevere with the game you'll almost certainly come to understand why so many of us like it still. Bon chance. Malchik

When the MQ was designed it had two possible endings. The first time I tested it only one ending was available (this was just before the previous forum update) and even that was missing the very final reward. Now that the rest is in place I could simply test the alternative ending. However I decided to go through and check it all from start to finish. I will have done so by the end of next week. At that point the Main Quest will be 100% tested as well as 100% in game. Pov is currently working on the Temple district quest and checking out the books which needed minor punctuation changes for irritating but unimportant reasons. With these two completed and the testing I mentioned done too we hit our, in racing parlance, final furlong marker. Pov will be starting the last quest and I will be doing the 'extra' mod myself by adding the rural dialogue (a bit more 'hands-on' than everything else I've done). When we started, the whole thing seemed too huge for just two and I kept telling Pov we needed help. He persuaded me he was okay with it even though every time he said this he was to discover I'd added half a dozen more quest ideas. I must thank him for his faith and persistence, it certainly kept me up to the mark. As he says in the intro post there are many references to literature, folk lore and fairy tales but usually they are given a twist - such as Grumpy being bad tempered because Doc says skooma is bad for him etc. Somtimes many references are mixed up together. In one of the seven deadly sins quests Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, the film Raging Bull and Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake are all involved with characters from Snow White. If anyone can spot all the references they'd be very observant and learned indeed. But the fun thing is that you don't need to know any of them to enjoy the quests. Pov's exams being a major issue for him but one I know nothing about (we are not even based in the same country) I cannot say when the mod will be finished but I am crossing my fingers for June. Cheers, Malchik

emperor

OOC> Shall we end there?

Auran accepts the inevitable and tells you to leave him while he and Damiel make their goodbyes to each other and to Auriel. A little while later he summons Esha alone and sends Auriel to be with Ritz and Druce. What happens within the room is a secret that Esha will never divulge. When she reappears drawn and exhausted there is no sign of either of the mages alive or dead. It is time to leave. Auriel, silently leads you to the gate. Before you open it he says. "They smiled. I have not seen them smile in thousands of years. They are happy at last. I must be happy for them." The heavy, solid bronze doors lead to what should be freedom but you all know is a dangerous to you as anywhere you have ever been before.

Damiel, who has said nothing since she transformed back, sighs. "I fear that superstition is at the root of the villagers' fear. We have caused them no trouble for generations. But the invisibility potions might work. If you hurry to the dock and steal a vessel you can escape to Selma. No one there will bother you. Can you make these potions you talk of?" She looks to Druce and Ritz for confirmation.

Esha is convincing in her explanation. For a moment Auran closes his eyes. Then he looks at Damiel. "I would love to give peace to my wife and do not want to live without her. But the world is a dangerous place for my son. You say you will look after him but he cannot go questing with you. Is there a place where he will be welcomed, looked after, even loved?" You tell him about Ocoranda, the Child of Air, in her secret city within the City of Kolokon. He seems happier. Auriel says. "I have not seen either of my parents smile for years and years. You have made them smile. I will follow you to Kolokon." "But," Damiel intejects, "realistically, how are you going to leave the castle and get off the island unnoticed?"

OOC> Until Esha tells Auran what to do I can't really move the story on. Esha, as you have already told the team members you need only note that you DO tell Auran (no need to repeat the detail). Then I can give you his reaction. After which the story will advance.

OOC> Sorry, I was acting a piece I'd written and directing another one. Took more time than I'd thought for it was important I got it right. Still OOC Esha needs to tell Auran what must happen and ideally Auriel too. On topic After collecting the herbs, Ritz and Druce go into the laboratory to make the potions needed leaving Esha alone to tell the family what they must do. As Esha has pointed out, one way or another Damiel will be saved but Esha might die in the process. Druce and Ritz need to be sure how to deal with this should it arise. They need Auriel to go with them which may be easy if both his parents die but if Auran survives... How can they persuade a father to give up his sole remaining prop? Auran, Damiel and Auriel sit in their cold, formal living room awaiting instructions.

OOC> Is there anyone left alive here?

Auran seems concerned that Esha is unwilling to tell him all he must do but as she is stern faced he does not push the matter. He takes everyone through to the garden and identifies all the plants he had mentioned leaving each of you to pluck those needed. He then leaves you alone and takes Auriel with him.

Auran considers for a moment. "If you mix smutt beans with porphry leaves and quinone root you get a potion that can render you invisible for a few minutes at a time. It is possible to make it stronger by adding ground amethyst but the stronger potions can cause weakness for some hours afterwards. The plants are in the garden and ground amethyst is available in my lab."

Auran shakes his head about the wood. "I know little of weapons, But there are plants where the leaves can be used to bring about deep sleep or even death. If I have time I will show them to you." He turns once again to Esha. "So what must we do?"

Auran nods, taking in Ritz's assertion but still waits to hear from Esha what has to be done. Again he says, "Would you ask anything about the plants in the garden before it is too late? Auriel knows little of them."

Auran stares at Esha. "If what you say is true I would have no qualm about dying with Damiel but there are issues to be considered. Firstly, you say you would cherish Auriel but does he wish to be cherished? And if you die in the 'experiment' as well as Damiel and I would these others be willing to look after him? And then how do you plan to escape from here? If you step outside the walls the villagers will kill you on sight. Auriel is not immortal." He glances back into the room where Damiel fled. "We need to think it through. I will talk to Damiel and Auriel. You should ask your companions their views. If in the end we decide to take the risk there may be additional knowledge of magic I can impart to them. But you surely do not need to make us do it all today. If you stay in your rooms at night Damiel wanders the old tunnels starving and despairing but posing no risk to anyone. Be sure you have asked everything you need to ask before we make any final moves."

Auran waits for Esha to explain what she knows. In the meantime he says to Druce, "I am sure that there may be many other uses to which the herbs in my garden may be put. The numbers of potential combination of ingredients is mind-boggling. But if there is any potential help for Damiel then it has never been discovered even in the City of El Rhun. A Lichdame can be destroyed utterly but it takes far more power than I have. But I do not want that fate to befall. I research and hope to find a way in which she can be allowed to die and join the other essences in the Realm of the Dead. All three of us accept that she should not continue as she is." When Esha remains silent Auran says to Druce. "If there is a particular potion you are thinking of making I may be able to tell you which ingredients to try. Although I specialise in Death magic I have a smattering of more general knowledge." To Ritz he adds, "they can make poisons for arrow heads too."

The boy tickles the mouse. "My mother is only my mother by day. At night she is a monster. She does not remember but she knows. She has not smiled for a long, long time. If she could be saved, she would want to be saved even if it meant dying. I would want her to be happy. I don't ever remember seeing her happy." Auran softens as he watches his lonely son playing with a living creature. "So, witch, what is this cure you think may work to save Damiel?"

Auran stares at Esha. "What do witches know of love? After your unholy matrimonial rites you decapitate your husbands and take what pleasure you can in the brothels of Selma and Memtuz. Oh yes, I know your customs. I have loved Damiel ever since I first met her thousands of years ago. We lived in El Rhun until they threw women out and we sailed away to Levdia and then on to here. Had I not loved her and realised my unlucky part in her - tragedy - I could have left her to her fate. I will never do that. But if we could release her from her torment then we would do so almost at whatever cost." Auriel looks at Esha. "My mother will die?"

Auran snaps angrily. "What nonsense do you talk, witch woman? I of all people should know that there is nothing that came be done to save Damiel!"

The Mage sighs. "I was experimenting with ways of prolonging life. I have had - varying degrees of success. One day Damiel had a heart attack and died before my eyes. Without thinking I poured my latest potion into her mouth hoping - well I am not sure what for. At first she seemed to get well. Later we learned that it is not possible to cheat death and get away with it. The villagers do not know the story but believe everything here is a vampire. No one, not even you can leave and there is nothing that anyone can do. There is no cure or treatment I have ever discovered to help a creature such as Damiel."

Druce sees in his mind's eye exactly how it will go. Unfortunately, with no experience of lichdames he does not realise how little affected it is by magic. The creature does drop the arm but has snatched it back before he can get near. The suggestion to use the boy however is a good one. As Esha pushes Auriel into Ritz, the girl's arm grows back even before the other has disappeared into the lichdame's stomach. The gasps and yells, the fizzing of magic has no effect on the lichdame but they doon Auriel who opens his eyes and stars straight at the lichdame. He puts out his hand and touches the creature. For a moment the beautiful and sad Damiel is there, then she flees into her own room. Auran appears in the doorway. He too seems careworn. "You should have stayed with Auriel. She will not attack her own or anyone with them. So now you know our terrible and tragic secret, why we remain here in this eternal pointless non-life forever. Come, it is early morning. Damiel will not transform again tonight. Since you have seen the results of my folly I will answer your questions as best I can." Auran sounds close to tears. He looks at his son with love and affection. "How we have destroyed your life. I would do anything to atone."

OOC> Waiting for gman to post. Anyone want to prod him?

The lichdame suddenly seems to gain a huge amount of power. She grabs at Ritz tearing out her right arm, which she instantly begins to devour. The scene is horrifying beyond belief. OOC> please indicate the immediate reaction at the sight (or in Ritz's case the pain) followed by your next move. And you will gain by being honest in reactions not superhuman.

Esha cannot waken Auriel but she can carry him. Just touching him revives all her flagging energy. The effect must be able to apply to the other members of the party too. The door has not in fact disintegrated although Druce's efforts did blow the lock off. Ritz is stuggling to delay the monster but is weaking fast. Druce opens the dooe to the host's room but it is pitch dark inside and other than knowing someone is in there from the shout he cannot tell who.

To go to Auran's lab or where Damiel and Auran are asleep you will need to unlock the door. It is not magically locked but it will take time to do so. At the top of the stairs the Child of Healing sleeps soundly but there is no locked door that bars the way. As he heals all damage instantly it might help to have him on your side.