Homeless forever, I hope.

[marcurious]

Divines smile on you, mundane.

Perhaps now is the worst possible time to consider taking me on. After all, I do require quite a bit of research material for my studies, and let's not forget my fee. While I understand the urge to drench your enemies in a hail of arcane fire and lightning, you do have others to call upon, and the sorts of adventures you seem to enjoy aren't really...My cup of tea.

And there's the dragons. Skyrim sees enough of those these days, and while I have enjoyed the wanderings with the Dragonborn here and there, these sorts aren't anything similar to the kinds I'd wish to test myself against. I'm good, there's no denying that, but dragons pulling childish pranks are really quite ridiculous. That dragon Paarthurnax was more than enough, really, and he wasn't childish at all. Just disconcerting.

And the Bee and Barb is perfectly respectable for someone of my stature, as a wandering wizard. I see no reason to change my residence. They have excellent mead!

Comments

[tapthekeg]

Dragons are certainly not all that bad.

[marcurious]

No denying that. I've seen several that seem to wish to assist our local Dragonborn. But I don't have any inclination to become friends with them. Bad for future employment prospects.

[tapthekeg]

You should speak to the dragons from my canon sometime. They are actually quite friendly and help us more often than not.

[marcurious]

As are some of the few I've met! That didn't try to kill me by shouting fire at me, that is. Paarthurnax was very agreeable, if a bit long-winded.

[tapthekeg]

Yes, I had heard of the "shouts." Where I am from, it is simply magic. The blue dragons seem to prefer ice, the red fire, and the others... well, I am not sure, but it is quite fun being able to go to different points in time.

[marcurious]

It's fascinating from an academic standpoint, really. Riding the currents of time, using an ancient language in deadly arguments with your enemies...It's almost tempting enough to coerce me to study with the Greybeards.

But I can't imagine locking myself up in a monastery at the top of that mountain. While I certainly won't dismiss it as Nord nonsense, living a life of silence and celibacy isn't really my thing.

[tapthekeg]

Silence is not something I could live in either, myself, but I have trained and lived in a monastery for a long while. It is where I learned and honed my techniques. They are not all that bad -- at least, ours is not. Regular feasting and beer, after all.

[marcurious]

The Greybeards, from what I gathered while there, tend to not speak, as they're more likely to kill you than not with simply their voices. And while I respect them immensely, as the Way of the Voice is fascinating, they don't exactly strike me as the feasting type.

I've had more fun in temples of Dibella, to be honest.

[tapthekeg]

Yes, my culture seems to be a fairly rare one, at least among others. We would much rather spend our evenings drinking, laughing, and feasting with friends.

Dibella? [She's curious.]

[marcurious]

The goddess of love and beauty, my friend. And her devotees simply personify both words completely.

[tapthekeg]

I would assume a goddess of physical pleasure as well, then?

[marcurious]

To a degree. More to the worshipping crowd than her actual priestesses. Some of those can be more than a little off-putting.

[tapthekeg]

I see. She certainly sounds interesting.

[marcurious]

The Eight certainly have something going for them in general. I know the blessings of Kynareth have saved my hide a time or two, and of course there's the Lady Mara, who has a hand in love, herself. I...Stay far away from her temples. More often than not, those wearing her amulet are looking for something a bit more permanent than friendship.

[tapthekeg]

Ah, yes, I believe my mundane was mumbling about the "lack of Khajit to marry" or some such. I could not quite catch the race name, but I know that they are felines.

Still, so long as you do not wear the amulet, are you not showing your unavailability?

[marcurious]

The Khajiit, much like myself, are strangers to Skyrim. Good deals from their caravans, however, and oftimes they carry the strangest books. But they are rare, and I don't blame them. They're not exactly welcomed with open arms by the Nords.

Wearing the amulet does show you're looking for marriage, true. But some can be a bit over the top with their display.

[tapthekeg]

I suppose anyone can be like that. I can assure you, I am not the type, were I even looking for someone to settle down with.

[marcurious]

Life is hard here in Skyrim. Most don't live to grow old, so I suppose I can understand the rush to find that someone. However, there's still far too much to study, especially among the Dwemer ruins.

[tapthekeg]

"Dwemer?" Those are your world's dwarves, I believe?

[marcurious]

And called dwarves, as well. Though...They don't exactly exist anymore. Disappeared thousands of years ago.

[tapthekeg]

Yes, they are different from the ones of my world. My world's dwarves are much smaller and stout. Kumadin is one of them, in fact.

[marcurious]

Like miniature Nords, I'm seeing. Ha, I wonder how the other elves would like that.

Dwemer are just another race of elves. Technologically impressive, sure, but the more I learn about them, the crueler they seem.

[tapthekeg]

The night elves hardly mind -- they have been friends with the dwarves and humans for longer than the rest of us. The high elves do not seem to mind either.

The blood elves... they are on the opposite side of the war, so they hate all of us.

[marcurious]

Night elves? I suppose that would be dark elves. And trust me when I say the high elves are no one's friend. A high and mighty lot, those, and they have the Nords in quite the tizzy, banning the worship of Talos.

I'm not a Nord, so it makes no difference to me, but to them it's very, very important.

Blood elves I've never heard of. Is that another name for the Falmer?

[tapthekeg]

Ah, but that is in your world. In mine, they are quite helpful and... well, I suppose friendly is the wrong word.

They are different from the elves you know. Blood elves used to be normal, but then their "Sunwell" was destroyed and left them with a terrible magical addiction.

Sadly, there is not much more I know -- they are our enemies.

[marcurious]

I forget that not everyone here is a Skyrim native. Or at least knows of it. I have no problem with most races myself, but I take a stance against the Falmer and the Dominion. Both are only out for blood, though the Altmeri definitely want complete control more than anything.

[tapthekeg]

That is a good reason to dislike them, I suppose. Are all of their race so corrupted?

[marcurious]

Mostly it's the group known as the Thalmor. There was a war several years ago, and some claim the High King bowed to them when the White-Gold Concordant was signed. It ended the war, but outlawed the worship of Talos, who was emperor at one point. And also a Dragonborn.

The Falmer were once snow elves. The dwemer tricked them and blinded them all, and they've grown twisted in the years between. Victims, but victims with misplaced anger.

[tapthekeg]

Hm... I am afraid I only slightly understand, but I can get the gist. It is a shame that they went that way.

[marcurious]

It truly is! From what I've discovered of the snow elves, they were quite a peaceful race, and persecuted, placing their trust in the wrong people.

[tapthekeg]

...I see. That is heartbreaking.

[She does look sad.]

[marcurious]

All of Skyrim's history is like that. I came to study originally at the College of Winterhold, but since I left there it's the history and tragedy that keeps me digging.

And the septims, of course. You can't make nearly the coin in Cyrodill as here.

[tapthekeg]

Of course. I would look in the intent of learning of the races, myself, but gold in your pocket is always a useful side effect.

[marcurious]

It's quite helpful. Especially in these dark times of civil war. Food and safe passage are getting harder to come by.

[tapthekeg]

They are?! How terrible!

Any of my race would gladly give a friendly stranger both.

[damn_elves]

[Oh Gods. A mage and an Imperial puppet.]

[marcurious]

Ah, the Jarl of Windhelm! [Hardly a puppet, Ulfric. Just a sell-spell to the highest bidders. Boy gotta make them septims somehow.]

Now you are the least likely face I'd expect to see here.

[damn_elves]

Rightful King of Skyrim, don't you mean? Mage. [His eyes darkened at those words. He hated mages and elves about the same.]

What do you want?

[marcurious]

Oh, that? I haven't kept up much with the war. Between the dragons and trying to keep my pitiful take home safe from the Thieves Guild, I'm afraid things are a bit hectic on my end.

[damn_elves]

The Thieves Guild, hm? I usually get my seasoned warriors to gut any thieves on sight. Well, there is a war on and my Stormcloaks are doing a grand job.

[marcurious]

Clearly, then, you don't make it to Riften often. Nice enough, when you're not watching your back in the alleyways. Though I understand the Jarl is a supporter of yours.

[wolfenris]

You are...a Mage? *yes his lip is curling slightly and is that a growl*

[marcurious]

[Raised eyebrows and nothing more. Marcurio's used to that reaction from the Nords.]

Yes, I am. And trained by the finest mages in all of Tamriel. But now, I'm afraid, I'm more of a mercenary.

[allruin]

[And if ever a dragon were on cue, here comes one now, with all the ever prominent ground buckling force of a heavy landing.]

Zofaas se Dov? [Fearful of dragonkind?] Appropriate, but cowardly. I expected more from a companion of the dovahkiin.

[marcurious]

[This is a safe space, right? No? Because Marcurio's not getting paid for this.]

Ah.

I...

I see. Alduin himself. How...Appropriate, I suppose. Talk of dragons and one always appears.

I'm afraid of no dragon, but I certainly am not allowing myself to go to a world where they act like children in a tantrum. [Jab. Jab jab.] Not without a good fight.

[allruin]

[Just smack him on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper if he misbehaves-- oh. Well, worry not, Marcurio. Safe space, indeed, but Alduin is insistent on being as terrifying as possible anyway.]

Ah, what is the word in human tongue? Irony. That you accuse Dov of being childish, yet your own kind kill one another over petty differences.