Book Quest - Adventures of an unfortunate lizard librarian

ko-fi.com/quillfinder what started off as a writing exercise of translating my gameplay transformed into a real narrative. Join Quill-Finder, Lydia, and many more as they fight, cheat, and bumble their way into saving Skyrim. All while collecting one of every book. absolutely modded. you have been forewarned.

[skyrimbookquest]

Update

Hey y'all! I'm not dead!

I know it's been a hot minute, but Book Quest will continue. Was having a bit of a mental health crisis. And while I can hardly say this is the end of it, I can say that things are getting better.

I will be back soon. Don't worry

[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest pt 65

"Are you sure your friend's up to the task?" Illia asked J'zargo.

the two of them rode into the frigid air with Quill-Finder not far ahead. Illia was unsure of leaving Lydia behind. much less in the hands of someone she did not know.

J'zargo offered a reassuring smile. "Brelyna owes J'zargo a favor. I would not have asked her if J'zargo did not trust her."

Quill-Finder chuckled. "Least that she could do after turning you green?"

J'zargo hissed. "We will not speak of this."

Quill-Finder simply laughed in response.

"Regardless..." J'zargo continued. "She will see your friend home safely. Of this, J'zargo is certain."

As they rode, they passed Saarthal. there was a pang of guilt and frustration in Quill-Finder's chest as they rode past the ruins, the sound of pick-axes still diligently working to uncover the secrets of the past.

It was almost reassuring that there were still life in these old tombs, even after what was likely the biggest discovery was already pulled free. and yet that same discovery brought so much pain and misery. the curiosity ultimately killed the arch-mage. suddenly, there was a ping in her skull. a pull towards the west.

Quill-Finder stopped. her eyes shifted to the western horizon.

"Quill-Finder?" Illia called. "Is everything alright?"

Quill-Finder didn't respond. she simply moved towards the west.

Illia looked on, confused. she looked to J'zargo who couldn't take his sight off the horizon, his eyes wide.

She followed her companion's gaze, and her heart sank. in the distance, at rest, was a dragon perched atop a wall not too dissimilar to the structures they had found around these beasts before.

With a blinding speed, Illia lept forward, crashing into the snow and taking Quill-Finder with her. the argonian struggled, but Illia held firm. "You need to stop!"

"Get the hell off of me!" Quill-Finder hissed. she clawed at the witch, trying to pry herself away.

"Not until you calm down!"

J'zargo could only look on. his glance bouncing from Quill-Finder to the dragon, and back. "What did J'zargo get himself into..." he thought to himself. "Why must we fight the dragon?" he asked aloud.

"It's--" Quill-Finder went to respond.

"Yes, Quill..." Illia interrupted, "why must we fight every dragon we see?"

Quill-Finder was silent. she knew two things. the first was that she had to. it was not a desire, it was a need. a drive. and the second, she had no idea. she simply growled in response, finally beginning to settle. there was a moment of calm as Illia finally allowed the argonian to sit up.

Quill-Finder rubbed at her face, thinking.

"We don't have Lydia. we're three mages." Illia explained. "We don't have the numbers or the strength to take that thing on even if we wanted to."

Quill-Finder didn't respond.

"I will not allow you to just continue throwing us into danger without knowing what's going on, Quill-Finder." Illia scolded.

Quill-Finder looked to the dragon, then back to her companions. She cursed, pulling herself to her feet, and trailed away. returning to the path and making her way to their destination. Labyrinthian.

the tug at the back of her skull grew hotter, turning from an ache to a throb until the dragon was out of view. Quill-Finder gritted her teeth through the pain as she marched forward. "Not today..." she thought.

They traveled through the bitter cold, stopping only seldomly to warm up where they could. time was of the essence. Quill-Finder knew that, and trying to delay was only going to make things worse.

As Illia and J'zargo trailed behind, there was a silence between everyone. the bitter cold wind being the only sound to keep them company.

It drove J'zargo mad. He waited for someone, anyone, to say anything. And yet, both the argonian and the former witch seemed weirdly comfortable in the quiet. It was unnerving.

He hated it.

Finally, J'zargo spoke. "Illia, J'zargo was wondering... You had said that Quill-Finder gave you your life. what does that mean?"

Illia shrugged. "In the simplest terms, she saved me from a terrible foe."

J'zargo grinned. "What was it? a Vicious werewolf? a terrible dragon?"

Illia smiled weakly. "My mother."

J'zargo did not respond. he didn't know how to. He could only offer an apologetic look in response.

"We're here." Quill-Finder called. J'zargo let out a sigh of relief. the Argonian continued. "Welcome to Labyrinthian"

[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest Pt 64

Quill-Finder's room was quiet. Lydia lay on the matress, quiet. still.

Quill-Finder couldn't take her eyes off of her unconscious friend,. "Will she be alright?" she asked, her eyes not leaving Lydia.

Illia nodded. "She will be, she just needs rest."

Quill-Finder was quiet for a moment. "Do we know how long she'll be out?"

"Hard to say. More importantly..." Illia's looked between J'zargo and Quill-Finder. "You two should report to Tolfdir and let him know the state of Winterhold.

J'zargo nodded, smiling. "It shall be done." he moved to leave, stopping short as he noticed Quill-Finder stiff. "Quill-Finder?"

The Argonian was silent.

Illia approached, leaning into Quill-Finder's sight. "It'll be fine." she gave a reassuring smile. "I'll be here, alright?"

Quill-Finder slowly nodded before turning to leave.

Tolfdir was nowhere to be found when Quill-Finder and J'zargo entered the lecture hall, the Eye of Magnus still buzzed with magical energy. Pushing deeper however, they were able to find Mirabelle.

She was holding herself awkwardly, but she was at least standing. "Well? is everything out there alright?"

Quill-Finder and J'zargo nodded.

The two detailed the creatures attacking Winterhold, and while J'zargo somewhat embellished his involvement in keeping the town safe, both agreed that the town was left safe.

Mirabelle smiled, then winced as she cluched her side. she leaned against the pillar for support as she exchanged a look between the two. "I wish I could say the same for us... Tolfdir and I can try to keep this contained. You need to get your hands on the Staff of Magnus. Now."

"Do you think this staff will help?" J'zargo asked.

Quill-Finder shrugged. "Maybe. I was told to find it, so it must be important."

Mirabelle nodded in agreement. "And if the stories are true, it can absorb a tremendous amount of power."

J'zargo's eyes lit up. "So maybe it can put an end to Ancano's... experiment." he finished.

Mirabelle nodded. "Exactly."

Quill-Finder turned to J'zargo. "Up for a trip to Labyrinthian?"

J'zargo smirked. "J'zargo must see this staff with his own eyes. J'zargo will go with you."

Mirabelle blinked. "Labyrinthian? are... are you sure?"

Quill-Finder and J'zargo exchanged a look, confused, and nodded.

"It can't be a coincidence..." Mirabelle shook her head, producing a necklace from her pocket. It had a pendant attached looking like two vines framing a star. embedded in the center was a pearl. "Savos. before... before he died, he gave me something..."

Mirabelle explained that the amulet was from and that Savos told her she'd know what to do with it when the time came.

"I think... I think he meant this for you." Mirabelle continued. "I'm unsure how it will help, but I think it best you take it with you."

Lydia woke with a start. she shot up from the bed, wincing as soon as she noticed the pain.

Everything hurt. her face, her ribs, everything. quickly, she realized she was laying in Quill-Finder's chambers. with a groan, she flopped back onto the bed.

"Sound's like someone's awake." the familiar voice of Illia rang out. "You took quite the beating, out there." she smiled. "Though you seemed to shrug off the worst of it."

Lydia tried to laugh. it hurt. but she offered a smile anyways. "When you're constantly putting your life on the line, you get tough, I suppose..." Lydia looked around once more, frowning. "Where's Quill?"

Illia shrugged. "I sent her and J'zargo off to talk to Tolfdir. maybe learn what their next steps are."

"Then what are we waiting for?" she tried to stand, wincing through the pain.

Illia shot from her seat, trying to gently guide her back down. "You're not going anywhere." she interjected. you need to rest.

"I can't just leave her behind, my job is to protect her!"

"Lydia, you can barely stand. what are you going to do against a bandit? bleed on them to death?"

Lydia was silent. she frowned. "I can't just stay here..."

"And you're in no condition to fight." Illia sighed. "Quill-Finder's a capable spellcaster in her own right, and she'll have J'zargo with her. I'm sure she'll be fine."

Lydia's brow furrowed.

Soon after, there was a knock. both Illia and Lydia turned to look. Quill-FInder stood in the doorway. as Quill-Finder looked to Lydia, awake and moving, a tightness in her chest that she didn't even realize she had melted away. "We have a direction..."

[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest Pt 63

"I haven't seen seen Savos since the explosion..." Mirabelle winced, "I need you to find him, and I need you to do it quickly."

Quill-Finder blinked. "What about you?" she asked, a tone of concern in her voice.

Mirabelle shook her head. "I'll be fine. Find Savos. now." there was a bluntness in her voice as she issued the order. a tone that said "this was serious."

Quill-Finder knew better to argue, though she looked at Mirabelle as the argonian stood before looking for her companions.

Lydia was helping Illia off the floor while J'zargo picked himself up.

Quill-Finder exchanged a look with the three before running to the foyer and through the double doors back outside.

Quill-Finder didn't have to look far. as soon as she pushed through the double doors, she nearly stopped in her tracks.

The arch-mage laid there on the stone ground. unmoving, unbreathing. Quill-Finder's jaw clenched.

"Quill!" Lydia called from behind with Illia and J'zargo in tow. "What happened? What's going on?"

Quill-Finder was silent. her body stiffened with anger as she stared at Savos's body.

"Quill?" Lydia approached, concerned, before letting her eyes follow the argonian's gaze. in but a moment, she fell silent. the two listened to the other mages circling the body. there were whispers and worry. questions if he was actually dead, but all doubt was laid to rest as soon as people looked to Tolfdir.

there was a sadness in Tolfdir's eyes matched only by a burning rage. the moment his eyes met Quill-Finder's, he rushed over. "What's happened? are you alright? who's responsible?"

there was a silence Quill-Finder tried to speak, but the words fell flat in her throat.

"Ancano." J'zargo finally stepped forward. his tail twitched in annoyancce. "He's done something with the Eye."

silence fell.

Quill-Finder wordlessly nodded, confirming J'zargo's truth.

"Is he the one responsible for this?" Tolfdir growled. he looked between his two students. "if what you say is true, then I fear whatever Ancano did may have effected Winterhold. You need to get out there and make sure it's safe."

"But what about--" Quill-Finder objected.

Tolfdir shook his head. "I'll find Mirabelle and see if we can't put a stop to this. you and your friends are need it else where. Quickly now! there's little time for chatter."

Winterhold was infested.

Whisp-like creatures terrorized the citizens of winterhold while Mages from the college tried their best to defend the people from their assailants.

Faralda, a high elf, and a student of the college flung bolts of electricity one after another, trying hard to dispell these creatures. She looked back for but a moment when she heard footsteps, her eyes meeting Quill-Finder's. "What the hell is going on?" the elf called out.

"One thing at a time!" Quill-Finder called back. her own hands lighting with fire as she focused on the realm of oblivion.

In a flash, Quill-Finder's Atronach floated in front of the Argonian. and with a single thought, was pointed towards the wisps. A firebolt raged across the broken town, striking the orb.

The wisp screeched in response as it snaked its way to the elemental, charging and striking firmly in what passed for the Atronach's abdomen.

Faralda nodded. "Fair point. But I demand an explanation after this."

Quill-Finder nodded, before targeting two more wisps and blasting them in a cone of fire. she looked to her friends, each rushing in to engage with one of the orbs however they could.

Lydia swung her axe, striking a wisp clean. and yet, it glanced off, not doing as much damage as she had hoped.

the wisp, enraged, charged at the soldier

reflexively, Lydia turned the axe head to the side and swung. batting the magical creature away. she could hear the crashing of wood as the spirit was knocked in and through a storage shed. "Quill?" she called out. "I can't do anything here!"

Quill-Finder turned to Lydia, watching the wisp emerge from the wreckage and charge at her friend. she watched as Lydia raised her weapon defensively. Quill-Finder was already engaged with her own adversary, dodging as the spirits whirled by. With a curse, she turned heel and started towards her friend.

In an instant, one of the wisps struck with unparalleled force into Quill-Finder's gut. she let out a pained wheeze before crumpling to the ground and watched as the wisp readied for another strike. this time, at her head.

the wisp rushed. Quill-Finder braced, gritting her teeth as she prepared for the blow. but it never came.

Instead, she felt the tingling of electrified air and the the defiant detonation of magic against her scales.

"Get up, Quill-Finder!" J'zargo's familiar voice cut through the silence, jolting the argonian to her senses. "This is no time to be resting!"

J'zargo hoisted the lizard to her feet. Quill-Finder wheezed heavily, trying hard to reclaim the air in her lungs as she made her way to a nearby post. Immediately, the argonian's attention turned to Lydia once more. she watched the orb harrying her friend. Lydia dodged, trying her best to get hits in where she could, but always kept off-balance.

every movement of Lydia's was responded with an equal force, and Quill-Finder could see that the soldier was beginning to wear thin.

Lydia readied her axe once more, gritting her teeth, and swung.

the blade cut through the air, and she was so sure she would hit her mark. In the last second, the wisp dodged and shot towards Lydia at a terrifying speed. there was an audible KRAK as the orb struck. Colliding hard enough to force Lydia to reel back in pain.

Quill-Finder tried to scream, throwing her hand forward, concentrating on a fireball, releasing. she wanted it to burn, she wanted it gone.

But nothing happened.

Lydia let out a sharp cry of agony, trying to steady herself.

Quill-Finder looked to J'zargo who had since rejoined the fray and was trying hard not to get struck by another wisp, and then to Illia valiantly dispatching of one only to be struck in the shoulder by another. Ice shards cut through the air as she fought off her own attackers.

Quill-Finder pushed herself to her feet, hobbling towards Lydia as she tried to regain her breath. she watched as Lydia wobbled on her feet while readying another swing. she watched as Lydia swung wildly. the soldier's axe cut through the air, missing the whisp by a full foot.

She watched as Lydia gritted her teeth, readying another swing. the axe whirled towards the wisp, missing as the spirit dodged underneath and shot towards Lydia's face once more, striking squarely in the center,

Lydia stumbled back. her feet failed to find any sort of purchase on the cold snowy ground as she fell back as she fought to keep herself upright. she could feel her strength betray her. there was a sharp pain in her fain. Lydia winced, she felt a wetness run down her lip as she plunged her axe down to find any sort of purchase. She wiped at her lip, looking down at her fingers.

Crimson. she looked at her hand, then towards Quill-Finder, offering the weakest of smiles before falling to her knees and collapsing in the snow. unmoving.

Quill-Finder screamed. Partly in fear, but mostly in anger, as she charged at the wisp. Mustering what little magic she had left, she pulled an ethereal dagger from her side and plunged it deep within the spirit.

the wisp tried to push away, only to be grabbed tightly by the claws of the Argonian. the blade plunged deeply into the wisp once more.

Over and over, Quill-Finder withdrew the blade only to push it back through before finishing by spiking the orb against the ground.

The wisp burst with one final screech, leaving nothing but silence.

as Illia cut down the final spirit, turned to look for her companions. Immediately, as soon as her eyes hit Lydia's crumpled form, she rushed over, pulling the soldier into her lap.

Illia winced as she looked over her friend. Lydia's nose was broken. the swelling had already begun.

J'zargo was the last to rush over. "Is she...?" he could feel his words trail off as he watched Illia look over their companion.

Illia simply shook her head. "She'll be okay. She looks pretty rough, however. We should get inside."

Quill-Finder stood in the cold wind, shaking. her hand gripped the spectral dagger tightly as she shook with anger. "I'll kill him." she thought to herself. her eyes were locked on what barely passed as remains for the wisp. the only thing snapping her out of her trance being the noticeably warmer atmosphere in the bitter cold.

She looked around before her eyes settled on the atronoch. it rejoined her, almost seeming to wait for the next command. Quill-Finder smiled. "good job." she had no idea if the elemental understood her. With a wave of her hand, the flame atronoch faded before finally disappearing from sight, and this plane.

"Quill-Finder!" Illia called, the lizard's quickly turned. there was a frustrated tone in Illia's voice. "We need to get inside!"

[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest pt 62

It was raining. the wet soaked him to his core. his clothes drenched as he ran down the road. he was late.

The Synod, for all its faults, had offered to teach him magic. and on his first day, he was late.

he kept books and scrolls under his arm, desperately trying to keep everything dry.

a shortcut. he thought, I need a shortcut.

stepping off the road, he kept to the same beakneck speed, leaping and vaulting over boulders and fallen trunks. he felt good.

One more trunk

he spotted his quarry, lined himself

and tripped.

splash!

books and papers scattered as the argonian laid face down in a puddle. he let out a long exasperated groan before sitting up in the puddle. he cursed.

"You know," a voice spoke out. soft. feminine. "When running through uneven terrain, it's best to stay light on your feet."

the argonian whirled around until his eyes landed on a Khajiit. she too was soaked from the rain, though she didn't seem to mind.

The woman continued, offering a helping hand to the downed argonian. "You stomp through the forest like an angry elephant."

the Argonian was silent. hesitantly, he accepted her help, bringing himself to his feet.

the Khajiit grinned. "My name is Pen'chii, what's yours?"

Quill-Finder sat up with a start, her eyes darting around trying to regain herself.

the gentle sound of a bard playing music echoed out while the argonian scanned the walls. she was in an inn. she sighed, laying back down as she rubbed her face.

there was a knock in the doorway. Quill-Finder sat up long enough to see Illia in the entryway before flopping back down.

"How're you doing, Quill?" Illia asked.

Quill-Finder was silent.

"You gave us quite a scare. we thought maybe the dragon did something."

Quill-Finder chuckled. "just tired." she finally sat up in the bed. she looked down at her palm, rubbing it with her thumb. her eyes never leaving the center of her hand.

Illia watched, frowning. "Is everything alright?"

"mmh?" Quill-Finder's eyes finally broke away, looking back up to Illia's concerned face. "Yeah, just thinking is all." she lifted herself out of bed and to her feet. "Where's Lydia and J'zargo?"

"Enjoying a few drinks, last I checked. we figured we wait until you recovered."

Quill-Finder nodded, finding her supplies next to the bed, and getting them ready for the rest of our journey. "Then I guess we'd better head out."

"I don't know. It's like a ward, but who's casting it? Ancano? how?" Mirabelle stood in front of a blue force blocking the main chamber. she looked to the visibly angry Savos.

"I don't care what it is," the arch-mage growled, "I want it down now! I want to know what he's doing in there!"

Mirabelle nodded in agreement, readied an ice spell and directed it towards the field. a sustained frigid blue beam hit the field with seemingly no effect, though she pushed all the same.

Quill-Finder cleared her throat, approaching the two mages. "What's going on?"

"Ancano" the Savos explained. "He's in there doing... something..." he growled. electicity sparked between the arch-mage's fingers as he looked towards the argonian and J'zargo. "You two. help me take this down."

neither Quill-Finder nor J'zargo argued. immediately, they launched their magic of choice at the barrier with Quill-Finder being extra careful not to catch any of her allies with her flames.

In but a moment, the barrier finally broke down, letting everyone inside. "I will have his head for this." Savos hissed as he stepped into the chamber.

Everyone rushed into the chamber behind the arch-mage, watching a he confronted the rogue thalmore.

"What's Ancano doing?" Mirabelle asked, concern in her voice.

Ancano stood in the center, magic emanating from his hands as arcs of electricity connected him and the Eye of Magnus.

"Stop this at once!" Savros commanded.

Ancano didn't listen. his focus entirely on the orb.

the arch-mage cursed, readying spells in both hands and approached.

Mirabelle could do nothing but watch. Great power resonated from the Eye, and here was one man trying to bend it to his will. as her eyes shifted from the orb to Anaco, and finally Savros, her concern grew to alarm "Wait, don't--!"

There was a flash. In a second everyone was pushed back, leaving the eye of magnus, and Ancano in the center of the chamber. Quill-Finder flew back, slamming into a nearby pillar before collapsing to the floor. she tried to cry out, but the blow knocked the wind out of her, while Lydia, Illia and J'zargo faring only marginally better as they tumbled back from the blast.

Lydia shouted to to Quill-Finder, but it was drowned out by the roaring of a new barrier that encompassed the center of the room, separating Ancano, and the orb, from everyone else.

Quill-Finder looked around frantically before hearing a voice. Mirabelle's "Are you alright? Can you walk? We're in trouble here..."

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest Pt 61

the journey back was a quiet one to start. taking time to descend the mountain was a task in and of itself, but as they were able to descend, they found the air growing warmer once they were back towards the base of the mountain. once more, they found themselves surrounded by the natural springs of Skyrim.

Quill-Finder smiled. she turned to her companions. "We might be able to get a good bath in before--" she stopped. she could see that her friends' eyes were locked past her.

Quill-Finder turned, and she saw it. the leathery wings of a ferocious beast descended upon them with an alarming speed. "J'zargo told you!" the khajiit shouted, "No one believes J'zargo!"

"Yeah, that's great." Lydia hissed. "Get to cover." she pushed on Illia and J'zargo towards a small outcropping of rock before pulling out a bow, nocking an arrow while she looked just over the stone.

Quill-Finder froze for but a moment until the beast nearly hovered above her.

The dragon spoke but one word. "Yol"

Quill-Finder could see the firey energy building. it terrified her. enough to shake her out of her stupor. and with that's she turned an ran.

A torrent of fire crashed into the ground behind her as the argonian was only barely able to roll away, the flames licking at her tail. she winced in pain while she got back to her feet.

In a swift movement, Quill-Finder cast a spell upon herself. her scales became a dull grey color and almost seemed to grow more stiff. It didn't impede her movement at all, but if one were to look at the argonian at that moment, they'd almost swear she was made of stone.

In the other hand crackled a small flame that she let build. Concentrating, she pointed her palm at the beast, and released. Responding with fire of her own, the dart of flame sailed through the air striking true right in the dragon's eye.

The monster roared in pain before shifting its glare on the argonian who readied two more fire spells.

"J'zargo thinks you just pissed it off!"

Illia cursed, "Yeah, no shit." she climbed out from behind the rock and began throwing ice shards one after another at the beast. she looked to Lydia and J'zargo for help. the khajiit almost seemed frozen in fear, while Lydia lifted her bow and took aim.

"We're not really fighting this thing by ourselves are we?" J'zargo asked. even as the words were leaving his mouth, arcs of electricity danced between his claws.

Lydia shrugged. "Don't have a choice." she let loose another arrow. It buried deep within the dragon's scales. she didn't let herself celebrate. In an instant, she grabbed hold of another arrow and began nocking it. "So either get out here and help, or keep your head down."

J'zargo watched as the three fought to fend off the dragon. Fire shooting forth from Quill-Finder's hands while Illia's frost almost seemed to slow the beast down. he cursed, climbing out from behind cover and letting loose a bolt of electricity. It cut through the air with a crackling boom, striking the dragon in the side. It reeled from the pain before crashing to the ground. "This is not how J'zargo dies..."

Lydia smiled. "Finally." Grabbing a hold of her greatsword, she rushed the beast, slashing at its hide.

Quill-Finder followed suit, unsheathing her own weapon as she aimed at the head. she struggled to avoid the powerful snapping of its jaws while she cut and slash at the massive lizard.

The dragon was angry. with a roar, it beat its wings to push everyone off and let out another blast of flame.

Quill-Finder wasn't quick enough. she hopelessly crossed her arms to block the flame, taking the full brunt of the blast. it burned. it was so incredibly hot, and though the heat would cook anything alive, it wasn't as hot as Quill-Finder had anticipated. the stoneskin spell held. not shielding her from all harm, but keeping her alive all the same.

she stood, doing her best to withstand the pain. though the stone protected her, it still hurt. she gritted her teeth as she fought hard not to black out from the pain.

Another boom struck out. the dragon's head was forced to one side as another bolt stuck it in the face. the beast stumbled, trying to regain its footing before setting its gaze on the khajiit.

J'zargo gave a nervous smile as he backed away.

another torrent of flame built in the dragon's throat. it reared its head back. "Yol".

Flames fired forth towards J'zargo who barely had time to side-step it, the tails of his robe catching fire as fell to the ground. "shit, shit, shit!" the Khajiit frantically patted at the flames trying hard to put them out.

soon the flames stopped. The defiant roar that invoked fire was soon replaced with a whine and a whimper, and then silence.

everyone looked to the dragon Lydia's sword was embeded through the dragon's jaw and out the top of its head. it clumsily tried to scramble away, pulling itself off of Lydia's blade. it belched fire as it writhed in agony, all while Quill-Finder approached the beast.

Readying her own blade, Quill-Finder waited for the right moment, and plunged a sword deep in the dragon's eye. The dragon let out one last shriek of pain, and fell silent. unmoving. Quill-Finder simply stood there, her face cold, as she reached a palm out to the now dead dragon.

The winds kicked up, blowing all around the party, towards the argonian. the scales and flesh of the dragon sloughed off the body. years of decay wrought upon the corpse in a matter of seconds until there was nothing but bones.

Quill-Finder simply looked over the dragon's skeleton, looking up a nearby hill, took a step forward towards the top.

"Quill?" Lydia called after her.

Quill-Finder didn't respond.

Lydia simply cursed, running after the argonian.

As they climbed the hill, Quill-Finder could see it. another wall filled with dragon writing. One in particular called to her. and as she neared it, she could feel the pull of one in particular. "Fo". Frost.

the word flowed through her. she could feel a shiver travel up her spine as the knowledge of the word set in.

with a deep breath, she took aim at the wall, and repeated the word, shouting it with all her breath. "Fo!"

In an instant, the wall was covered in a layer of frost. Quill-Finder smiled, turning to face her companions.

J'zargo, nothing but impressed, struggled to catch his beath. still coming down from the adrenaline of fighting a dragon, he could barely muster a chuckle while Lydia and Illia simply smiled. happy to still be alive.

Quill-Finder returned their smiles, stepped forward, and passed out.

her body hit the dirt with a painful thud. she was exhausted. She hadn't realized at the time, but she had used up most of her energy, and finally the burning pain of exhaustion set in. the last thing she heard were the heavy footsteps, and Lydia shouting.

She didn't want them to worry, she was just tired. but try as she might, the words failed to come out as her vision of the world faded.

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest pt 60

the room lit up, and soon a map of Tamriel was projected on a nearby wall. Though the device seemingly worked however, Paratus was visibly upset.

"These results..." he spoke, frantically looking around the room, "They're not at all what they should be! the projection should be lit up like the night sky!"

Quill-Finder thought for a moment. as far as she knew the device worked. sure, it wasn't as spectacular or as flashy as she and her friends were led to believe, but as far as she could tell, it worked.

Quill-Finder turned to the Synod mage. "Did something go wrong?"

Paratus let out a strained chuckle. "Go wrong? Everything is wrong! this should be lit up brighter than the night sky!" he gestured to the room. "I don't understand how or why, but somehow this must be the college's doing."

everyone was silent. Quill-Finder exchanged a look with her companions.

"Do you think...?" Illia spoke up first.

"It has to be." J'zargo answered. "Something of that power would likely impact anything this sensitive."

"I knew it!" Paratus growled. "You did something, didn't you! So what is it? what have you done? Did you know what we were attempting?"

Quill-Finder was taken aback at the sudden shift in energy. Paratus was quick. in an instant, he was right in her face, pressuring the argonian.

"Explain yourself!" Paratus shouted.

Quill-Finder could feel her blood beginning to boil. her eyes narrowed. she pushed in, hissing. "I didn't do a damn thing."

Paratus laughed. "Do you think me a fool? you and your friends show up, just as we're nearing completion, and now I can't get any results because of something at your damnable college. Do you thing I'm too stupid to make the connection?"

Quill-Finder's fingers balled into a fist, gipping tight. she could feel her claws digging into her palm, but she either didn't notice, or didn't care. before she could snap back however, there was a force against her chest. Lydia, who had kept herself separate until now, wedged herself between the two mages.

"Enough!"Lydia shouted. She shot a glare at both Quill-Finder and Paratus. "I don't know anything about magic, but we're not going to figure it out by throwing accusations around!"

Lydia turned to Paratus, continuing. "So I'm only going to ask once. Can this help us?"

"Help you? I--" Paratus thought for a moment. "Yes, the Staff..." he approached the map displayed on the wall. "I can't explain the details. that would be giving away many secrets the Synod have learned over the years, not that I believe you'd be able to comprehend the details."

Quill-Finder rolled her eyes.

Paratus continued, explaining the purpose of what they were doing and how. their goal was to project all of Tamriel and reveal sources of great magical power. "Purely to help safeguard the Empire, of course." Paratus justified. "And yet, in the end, only two locations have been revealed to us. Your College, and ..."

Paratus stepped forward, looking over the map. "Well that can only Labyrinthian."

Lydia sighed finally. "Thank you. and now we can get out of your hair.

"This is not over, I assure you!" Paratus shouted. "I will be submitting my full report to the council, and they will find out what your college is up to!

Quill-Finder scoffed at the words, turning to leave.

"well..." Lydia spoke, "That was... eventful." she turned to the argonian. "I was concerned you were going to punch him in the face for a moment."

"It would have felt so good though..." Quill-Finder countered. "He was a pompous jackass."

Lydia nodded. "He was, but he also lost everyone around him. I woudn't be surprised if he snapped a little."

"Truthfully," Illia spoke, "I'd be more surprised if he didn't. from the looks of it, he had been there for a while. it's a miracle he even survived."

J'zargo cleared his throat, "should we be concerned about the Synod coming down on the college?" he turned back to the ruins. he frowned. "J'zargo recalls Paratus informing the synod of our meddling."

Quill-Finder shook her head. "For as much as they like to claim otherwise, they have no real jurisdiction outside of Cyrodiil. I wouldn't worry about it." she turned to J'zargo to offer a reassuring smile. "Most they could do is bluster about whatever they do find, assuming the archmage lets them in to begin with."

The plan was made to report their findings to the Archmage, and figuring out where to go from there.

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[skyrimbookquest]

BookQuest pt 59

The wizard, now identified as Paratus Decimius, explained that the crystal, or more accurately the Oculory Lense, was likely used as a device to collect starlight and, somehow, split it. Once placed within the larger apparatus, it would need to be focused using heat or cold magic on the crystal to adjust and fine-tune its alignment.

Quill-Finder nodded, following as Paratus led the group to a chamber futher in. they could see furs laid out into makeshift beds, books, crates of food, lining the walls of the hallway. It is unknown how long these mages had to fend for themselves against the horrors of this ruin, but it definitely seemed like they were in it for the long-haul.

they were led into a room with a large metal structure of dwarven make in the center. there was barely enough clearance on either side to navigate around it as they climbed a ramp towards the top of device. as they filled the room, Quill couldn't help but stare in awe. she was still unsure of its intent, but it was impressive all the same.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" Paratus said, smiling.

"I've never seen anything quite like it!" Illia replied.

Quill-Finder nodded in agreement with a jovial grin on her face.

Lydia looked at her two mage friends, and back at the contraption. she didn't understand a single aspect of it, and had a hard time seeing what the other two saw. she tried to look to J'zargo for some form of kinship only to catch him staring towards the arch and lenses, a smirk curling at the side of his mouth as he paced towards the center of the room. Lydia let out a sigh, smiling at Quill-Finder's excitement even if she didn't quite understand it herself.

"It took an incredible amount to get it running again" Paratus explained. "Now, I hope it'll all be worth it."

Quill-Finder nodded. "how does it work?"

"Well," Paratus smiled "The center arch is what is responsible for focusing the light. Once the device is activated, the chamber will open up just enough to let in a concentrated beam through the much larger lens in the upper ceiling of the chamber. From there," Paratus pointed to an upper platform with what looked like three control pannels. "we can adjust the positioning of the rings above. to catch the light. and when the calibrations are perfect--"

"Sorry to interrupt," J'zargo interjected, "But... where does J'zargo put this?" he asked, holding the crystal up.

Paratus pointed towards the center arch. there was a circle of lenses with an opening just towards the bottom. "Just in there." he explained. "once it's fastened, we can begin the process of focusing it."

Quill-Finder nodded, gesturing to J'zargo to place the device in position as she and Illia positioned themselves on opposite ends of the fastening point. "Ready?" she asked the witch.

Illia let her magic dance between her fingers, frost building and melting just as quickly wherever her spell touched. she smiled. "Ready."

J'zargo positioned himself to the control panel while Quill-Finder and Illia readied their magic. soon they began to work. J'Zargo could be heard issuing instructions while the two women finetuned the crystal to J'zargo's suggestion while he began shifting the mirrors along the upper half of the dome to properly catch the light.

meanwhile, Lydia simply watched.

"Forgive my prodding." Paratus spoke. his eyes were latched on the three working, though he spoke only to Lydia. "I can understand the mages' interest in the work here, but you..." Paratus shook his head. "You don't seem the type."

Lydia shrugged. "You're right, I'm not. several weeks ago, I might have told you that I'm just here to keep that one safe." Lydia spoke, pointing to the argonian. "that she's just my charge."

Lydia thought for a moment before continuing. "but the more we traveled, The more that changed."

Paratus nodded. "So then, what is the reason?" he asked, watching Quill-Finder intently. he caught her letting go of her magic too late, forcing Illia to compensate. "What makes this 'Quill-Finder' special?"

Lydia shook her head. "To be honest, I don't know. it's the little things. She changes people, you know? gives them hope. She will drop everything to help an entire city that despises her just because of what she is, for no better reason than it's the right thing to do."

Lydia continued, smiling, "She's a bit bull-headed sometimes, and she's terrified of letting people down. But when it matters, her heart's in the right place."

Paratus nodded at the soldier's words.

At that moment, there was a click. the room jolted before settling as J'zargo cheered, "That did it!"

Paratus's attention turned to the device in the center. he clapped, rubbing his hands together. "This is it! Years of work finally ready to pay off. "

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[skyrimbookquest]

BookQuest pt 58

the doors swung open. Quill-Finder stepped back, letting them clear, watching the inside for any movement and staring at the wizard that now stood in front of her, taken aback that she was not who the mage thought she'd be. "what the-" the hooded wizard exclaimed. "Who are you? What have you done with Gavros?" he held fire in both hands, flames crackled between his anxious fingers, the dancing light illuminating the hall. his eyes darted between the argonian, a blood soaked Lydia, a singed J'Zargo, and Illia

Quill-FInder immediately put a hand up "Nothing, nothing!" she reassured. "We only came her to find the Synod!"

The mage's eyes narrowed, "And just why would you be doing that?"

There was a pause, and finally a sigh. the wizard dropped the fire from his hands. "It doesn't matter now... Gavros was supposed to have the crsytal. And if you're here, I can only assume he's not coming back. without that crystal, we're lost."

Quill-Finder was silent.

"So congratulations. you found the Synod." he gave a strained smile. "It's just me, alone. surrounded by angry machines, and even angrier falmer..." "Excuse me," Illia spoke up. "What's this about a crystal?"

The mage shook his head. "It didn't work the first time. I tried to tell Gavros, but he wouldn't listen!" he gritted his teeth in frustration "No it won't be too cold, he said."

He continued, "Well turns out, I was right. Focus completely wrong by the time we got here! the cold had warped it! He had to cart it all the way back to Cyrodiil, left us to fend off the damnable Falmer." Illia nodded, "But what was it for?"

"It was a brilliant idea!" the mage gave the first grin that the party had seen, "Mostly mine, though Gavros took the credit. Secret, though! Official Synod business."

Lydia cursed, pushing past. "We're looking for something called the Staff of Magnus. can you help or not?" there was a frustration in her face that made even Quill take a step back.

the wizard stammered, "I need the crystal to do anything useful, I'm sorry!"

"Aha!" there was a call behind Quill as the wizard talked. she hadn't even notice that J'zargo disappeared from behind her.

J'zargo hoisted something into the air. a geode of sorts with lenses bored into the sides of the object and a fastening apparatus looping around the device. J'zargo grinned. "I found it!"

the wizard pushed past the party, looking down to the Khajiit. there was a silence before he finally turned back to Quill-Finder. "Who are you people?" Quill-Finder shrugged. "Members of the college."

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[mika-emberwood]

I'm not going to stop taking pictures just because I'm playing catch-up!

fackin' love this lizard <3

[skyrimbookquest]

Trouble in BookQuest town

Hey all, I'm coming at you with good news, and bad news. The bad news is that the book quest save may have finally buckled under the weight of everything I threw at it. and trust me, it was a lot.

I'm trying to see if I can remedy it, but failing that, this run of book quest has come to an unfortunate, abrupt, end with the very real possibility that I will have to start over from scratch. What does this mean for book quest?? Well this is where the good news comes in. In the very real possibility that I can't recover the save, I will be able to go ahead and lighten the load and get rid of a lot of bloat that has ultimately lost its appeal to me in one way or another and start a new, less hefty, save that will hopefully be able to withstand the stress a bit better. The story will continue even if I have to start from scratch and play catch-up to where I made it to previously. Will it suck? a bit. Am I dedicated enough to Quill's story to make it happen? you bet'cha.

[skyrimbookquest]

Hi all, no fancy screenshots this time

Just an update to say "no, I'm not dead"

Believe it or not, I simply fell down a few rabbitholes that demanded my full attention

(See: Hollow Knight & Silksong, and a few other games/hobbies)

I do plan on writing more with the eventual goal of re-writing Quill's tale completely decoupled from Elder Scrolls and Skyrim , so don't worry ❤️

[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest pt 57

The sphere sprung to life, extending to expose the metal warrior inside. blade attached to one arm, and a crossbow strapped tot he other. Taking aim, it let loose a bolt at Quill-Finder.

Quill-Finder, who was only just recovering from the fall, did her best to get out of the aim, scrambling to her feet. Before she could get out of the way, she felt a white-hot pain in her shoulder. she winced, grabbing at the bolt, and watching as the metal warrior's arm began to automatically load in another bolt.

Lydia, who was the first to her feet, unsheathed her blade, and readied herself against one of the dwarven spiders that taken noticed of her.

It leaped, Lydia swung, her blade barely scraped the metal of the spider's legs as its claws latched on, finding the gaps in her armor and digging in. She let out a grunt of pain as she tried hard to pry and rip the thing off.

Illia barely avoided the spider attacking her as she threw volley after volley of ice spikes it.

J'zargo, only just recovering, tried his best to regain his composure, surveying the surrounding struggle. he could see Lydia struggling with the dwarven spider clinging to her while Quill-Finder engaged the Dwarven Sphere. as he began preparing a bolt of lightning in his hands, he watched as Quill-Finder cursed, take a deep breath, and shout.

"IIZ!" A wave of cold air shot forward, striking the automaton at full force. a layer of ice formed on its chassis as its movements slowed. metal squealed and whined as it strained to shrug off the ice while Quill-Finder smiled, readying her blade and taking a swing at the machine's head.

J'Zargo watched in awe, nearly losing the spell in his hands before shaking himself out of his stupor and aiming at Lydia. He watched as Lydia finally broke free, ripping the machine off of her and tossing it to the side.

Before the dwarven spider had time to recover, J'zargo took aim and fired a bolt of electricity, watching as the machine shook violently before crumbling, lifeless.

Lydia gave a nod of approval, before giving the machine one final stab to ensure it was dead while Illia and Quill-Finder finally put down their opponents.

once there was a moment of calm, J'zargo couldn't help but stare at Quill-Finder as she tended to her wounds. "What was that earlier?" the Khajiit asked.

Quill-Finder looked to J'zargo confused.

J'zargo clarified, "The ice spell." he pointed at the disabled dwarven sphere, the ice on it only just beginning to thaw.

"Ah." Quill-Finder nodded, finally understanding the question. "Not a spell."

"Quill-Finder's a dragonborn." Lydia explained, as she drank a potion of health. she could feel the wounds beginning to close. it itched, and she hated the feeling, but it beat having holes in her flesh.

J'zargo, more confused, turned to Lydia. "J'zargo doesn't understand.... Dragonborn?"

Lydia nodded. "What you saw is called a Thu'um, or shout. Quill-Finder here can learn dragon words, and use their power.

J'zargo blinked, and finally, his face lit up. He turned to Quill-Finder. "You must teach me this power!"

Quill-finder scooched back, hands in the air. "It doesn't work that way. I don't even know how I do it..."

J'zargo's ears flattened. "I see..." there was a pause before he finally turned to Quill-Finder, grinning. "Then J'zargo must study and observe so he can learn this skill."

Lydia scoffed, shaking her head. "You're welcome to try..."

once the party had time to rest, they pushed forward into the ruins, taking better care to avoid any more traps. as they dove deeper, they discovered something interesting. the corpse of a falmer.

Its eyes, glazed over from misuse, stared lifelessly into the abyss as its scrawny form lay in a pool of its own blood. despite its grotesque appearance, it didn't look like it had been dead for long. these dwarves dug deep, and these falmer, creatures that thrive in the darkness had apparently tried to make this place their new home.

It was unknown whether a mage that had pushed deeper into the chamber had killed this creature, or another automaton, but its presence, alive or dead, did concern Quill-Finder. where there was one, there were several more to follow. of that, she was certain.

it wasn't long until the dwarven ruins gave way to a falmer tunnel. giant bugs and ancient falmer patrolled the tunnels with an unending anger towards any intruders they found.

and though the four pushed their way through with little difficulty, there was a general unease. Two more members of the Synod found dead.

"They honestly made it further than I thought..." Lydia said. One of them might have actually made it to the chamber.

Quill-Finder nodded solemnly.

As they pushed deeper, the tunnels gradually broke back into dwarven ruins. But more than that, the group started to see more evidence of a battle. No longer was it ambiguous what killed these falmer. Magic, fresh magic, was still present in the air. bodies were pierced by icy spears and arrows.

Before long, the party found a door locked.

Quill-Finder placed an ear against the door. She could hear the shuffling pacing of feet. but not the uneven footsteps of a Falmer. these measured. hastened, but human. she gave a look at her friends before giving the door a knock.

"G-Gavros? Is that you?" there was a voice on the other side of the door. it seemed relieved. "I'd almost given up hope! let me get the door."

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest pt 56

The trek from Windhelm led Quill-Finder and her friends to a hot springs. for once these past few days, there was warmth. It also made the lack of warm clothes almost bearable.

there was a genuine temptation to take it in. feel the warmth around, and just enjoy the moment. but there was also an urge to push ahead. they had delayed themselves long enough. And whether they wanted to admit it or not, there was a very real threat.

and so they pushed, trying to reach Mzulft.

As they entered, Quill-Finder's eyes couldn't help but wander. the first chamber was flanked by two massive bronze color pipes, while the sounds of gears and whirring machinery echoed throughout the chamber.

The door in front of them was both large and incredibly ornate, while more piping hung from above, disappearing into the ceiling, traveling to unknown.

It was all quite impressive. and it almost distracted from the two bodies flanking the door. one, to the right of the door, wore a blue robe reminiscent of those worn by the members of the Synod. he was was slumped over on his side, his eyes, while open, were unmoving. his chest did not move with air, and it was easy to assume that this man was dead.

The one to the left, however, was very much alive. he cluched his side, wincing in pain, watching every single step of those that entered. Quill-Finder could briefly see him snuff out a flame that he had been holding in his hand as soon as his eyes laid upon the argonian.

"Hello, friend," he said, wincing through the pain, "It... appears you did not catch J'zargo at his best."

Quill-Finder and Illia rushed over, while Lydia hung back, keeping an eye on the chamber.

Illia immediately set to work, inspecting for deep cuts or lacerations. "What happened?"

J'zargo chuckled "That is a funny story... J'Zargo overheard Master Mirabelle's conversation with the Synod, and their interest in a powerful staff. J'zargo thought he could use the staff to greater effect than those mages from cyrodill who seek only to lock away and restrict."

Illia nodded. she poked at the Khajiit, trying to find any hidden injuries. J'zargo flinched as she poked, managing to find a tender spot.

"J'zargo... did not account for dragons... nearly killed me."

Quill-Finder blinked. she didn't see any dragons flying overhead. "Do you know if it moved on?"

"Eeeeh perhaps..." J'Zargo said hesitantly. "Once J'Zargo was here, he didn't bother checking..."

Quill-Finder nodded, satisfied with the response.

"Who's this poor bastard?" Lydia asked, she kicked the boot of the corpse as she spoke

J'zargo turned to the warrior "I assume a member of the Synod. He spoke of a crystal and finding someone named Paratus in some place called the Oculory."

his attention turned to Quill-Finder. "J'zargo knows what you seek. When you are done with it, Perhaps J'zargo could borrow it?" he smiled.

Quill-Finder chuckled. "That remains to be seen. Can you move?"

J'zargo opened his mouth to speak.

"Yeah, he's fine" Illia interrupted "Aside from a few cuts a bruises, he's safe. probably just tripped on a rock or something."

"There was a dragon" J'zargo hissed. "Let J'zargo come with you! there is bound to be knowledge here, and J'zargo is eager to learn its secrets!"

the three exchanged a look. Quill-Finder simply shrugged, while Lydia, always happy for an extra hand, helped the khajiit to his feet.

J'zargo smiled, brushing the dust off his robe. "you won't regret this, friend!"

Pushing deeper, Quill-Finder and her friends with J'zargo in tow fought to keep their wits about them. the ruins were as intriguing as they were deadly, showcasing the ancient technology the Dwemer were able to dream up. Mechanical spiders crawled throught the large metal pipes, popping out of access ports only to whir and hop into another when it seemed they were satisfied with an area.

And yet, they were far from harmless. One stood perched on its most recent kill, another Synod mage lying in his own blood. Its gears turned before turning its attention on the new arrivals.

The spider bot leaped at Quill-Finder, claws outstretched, only to be intercepted by Lydia's sword. the clang of metal rung out as the spider was catapulted across the room.

the sound of it clattering against the stonework echoed throughout the chamber as two mores dwarven spiders moved take its place.

in an instant, J'zargo stepped forward with a smile. Lightning crackled between his fingers as he leveled a finger of the machine. "Watch a master at work." he smirked, his eyes gliding between Quill-Finder and Illia as a bolt of lighting shot out, obliterating one of the mechanical spiders. Quill-Finder simply chucked while Illia rolled her eyes.

Not to be outdone, Quill-Finder launched a barrage of fireballs at the final machine. the blasts detonated one after the other, not only knocking the spider out of the air as it attempted a leaping strike of its own, but warping the metal and inner workings as well. there was a painful squeal and pop as springs and gears warped out of place, rendering the mechanical creature inoperable. it stopped moving after the second strike, but the third and fourth ensured the machine was totally obliterated.

Quill-Finder simply shrugged at J'zargo before stepping over the smouldering mess that she left behind.

"So," J'zargo piped up, they had pushed deeper into the caverns, dodging all sorts of nasty traps. and while Quill-Finder and Lydia did so with ease, with Illia not far behind, J'zargo had been struggling to keep up. "You do this often..?"

Lydia shrugged. "Almost every day, why?"

"Nothing!" J'zargo shook his head. "you just move like you know these ruins."

Illia responded, "after dodging a lot of death traps, you start to learn the setups."

J'zargo pondered the response. "It sounds as though you might have had a couple close calls..."

"A few," Quill-Finder answered. "though the traps aren't really the dangerous parts."

"True" Lydia nodded in agreement. "It's the creatures. Tigers, bandits..."

"Hag Ravens, witches..." Illia continued,

"Cult members and trolls." Quill-Finder finished.

J'Zargo stopped, staring at the party before him. there was a look of confusion on his face. "Why do you do this?"

Lydia, Quill-Finder, and Illia exchanged a look with one another before Quill-Finder shrugged. "Someone has to."

"And someone has to keep an eye on her." Lydia responded.

Illia simply smiled. "In all honesty, they gave me my life. This is how I repay that debt."

By this time, they had entered a large chamber. they could see across the way was a passage deeper in, though there was a large drop in the center. to the left-hand wall was a pathway with more golden pipes sticking out. they could see a mechanical creature patrolling the opposite side. it had the torso of a man, though where it would be was instead a large sphere. Occasionally, it would fold inside and roll to a new location before re-emerging, looking around until satisfied.

Everyone looked at each other before taking careful steps to the ledge. they eased themselves across, taking one careful step at a time until they reached the middle of the stone bridge. the way was lined with pressure plates, with the only way across being through them. Quill-Finder carefully stepped around the plates wherever she could find purchase while the others followed suit. J'Zargo was hunched over, prowling on all fours, trying to keep his steps light while Illia, behind him, tried to crawl on tip of the pipes. It was going smoothly, until finding out too late that the pipes were more slippery than she thought. she slipped, falling to the floor with an audible thud. the floor depressed under her weight. She winced. not out of pain, but of annoyance.

everyone froze as they heard the whirring of metal. Suddenly, Pistons emerging from the pipes shout out, pushing the party from the ledge and onto the floor below.

In an instant, everyone hit the ground hard, and the whirring of machinery came closer. Pipes opened up from the lower floors letting two dwarven spiders and a sphere clatter to the ground. the sphere unfolded the torso and arms, its head gazing at the party a blade extended from one of its wrists.

and in that moment, all Quill-Finder could do was curse.

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest pt 55

"Ysmir's beard!" Jorleif exclaimed "The man was always a bit odd, but I would never expected--" his words trailed off. taking a moment to recompose himself, he gave the argonian a warm smile. "You've done this city a mighty service, friend. I believe you'll find the guards to be a bit more cordial with you in the future."

Quill-Finder simply nodded, before turning to the doors and walking away.

As they walked through the town, the tone was different. People looked towards the three, not as outsiders, but as heroes. Slayers of The Butcher. whispers were replaced by smiles, "thank yous" and pleasantries. it was almost... nice.

It had been decided that they would stay one more night, and head out on the road in the morning.

The Inn, more lively than usual, bustled with a joy and energy that wasn't there the last time that Quill-Finder was there. People looked to them and cheered, thanking them.

A number of people, including the woman they had saved, offered to buy the three drinks with smiles on their faces.

As Lydia and Illia celebrated their victory, Quill-Finder was quiet.

the night rolled on until Quill-Finder finally stood, saying that she was going to retire for the night.

She lay on her bed, trying her best to sleep the night away. everyone who hated her because she was an outsider suddenly loved her. she hated it. all she could do is play the events over the past few days on repeat ad nauseam. until finally, she drifted to sleep.

Departure was quick. for once, Lydia was the second person to wake. Quill-Finder was already dressed, packed, and ready to go. She couldn't wait to leave. with well wishes being handed by the innkeeper, Quill-Finder, Lydia, and Illia set off for the road once more.

Quill-Finder walked briskly down the bridge back to the stables to collect their horses.

"Slow down!" Lydia called. "What's gotten into you?"

Quill-Finder simply responded, "The sooner we're away from this town the better..."

"I don't understand..." Illia said with confusion. "you weren't comfortable here because the people hated us, and now that they adore us, you can't wait to leave?"

Quill-Finder stopped. the wind blowed, carrying the cold winter air. Quill-finder shivered. "When you walk into a town, what is the first thing they see?"

Lydia and Illia exchanged a look, unable to answer the question.

"People." Quill-Finder turned to face her two friends. "When you walk into a brand new town, people may have questions, but they don't immediately judge you, because you look like them."

She continued. "you're not elves, you're not beastfolk. you're human. and that's fine. But when I walk into a new town, they see nothing more than an argonian."

"Quill..." Lydia tried her best to console her friend only to be rebuffed as Quill-Finder pushed away.

Quill-Finder pointed towards the city. "When I walked into that town, I was judged. Not because I was new, but because I was a lizard. I was worse than an outsider, I was subhuman."

"Now, almost overnight," she continued, "They adore me. they can't get enough of me. Because I did something they never expected me to do. be useful."

Illia stood back, silent. listening. she went to say something, but no words came out.

"I did something that they couldn't ignore, and now I'm not just an argonian, I'm an argonian that slayed the butcher. I'm one of the 'good' ones."

no one said a word for more than a minute. no one moved. Quill-Finder shook with anger, frustration, sadness. a mix of emotions that not even she knew how to fully describe while Lydia and Illia stood there, stunned.

Finally, Lydia broke the silence. "You know you're worth more than what people think, Quill..."

"You don't get it!" Quill-Finder cried, "had either one of you walked into town by yourself, you wouldn't have had to worry! You wouldn't have needed someone to guard your door all because you were different. Had I walked in on my own, I very well might have walked out!"

another moment of silence.

Quill-Finder continued, "It's not just Windhelm or Skyrim. It's Cyrodiil. It's Hammerfell. it's Morrowind. It has been an uphill battle to get where I am all my life!" Quill-Finder stared down Lydia. there was a burning anger in the argonian's eyes. not directed at anyone in particular, but it was clear that Qill-Finder was upset. "They treat me with respect, not because I'm a person, but because of what I can do for them."

Eventually, Quill-Finder broke away. "We have a long ways to go. the sooner we leave, the sooner we get there..."

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest pt 54

When Jorleif was asked about the amulet, he simply shrugged. "I've never seen anything like it." he admitted as he flipped it over in his hands. "I would take this to Calixto at the House of Curiosities. he has a good eye for strange trinkets."

Quill-Finder, accepting the amulet back nodded and thanked him for his time.

Calixto was all too eager to show off his amazing collection. among the most interesting being the book of fate, said to describe its destiny to its reader, though to Quill-Finder the pages appeared blank

and a fork. said to be Ysgramor's soup spoon.

the collection, to anyone who didn't know any better, might have been impressive. but to Quill-Finder, it simply looked like trash.

Among the collection were troll skulls, fire salts, embalming tools, Dwemer plates, and other knick knacks that could have been found from anywhere.

once Calixto finished his tour, Quill-Finder presented the amulet. "What can you tell me about this?"

Calixto received the amulet, rolling it over in his hands. "Ah, yes. This is the Wheelstone." he explained. "It's an heirloom symbol of the power of Windhelm. Traditionally it's carried by the court mage. how did you come across it?"

Quill-Finder shrugged. "Found it."

Calixto smirked. "we all have our secrets. I would be interested in acquiring it. if you're willing to part with it, that is.... how does 500 gold sound?"

Quill-Finder thought for a moment. she looked to Lydia and Illia.

she could tell that Lydia was bored out of her skull as she simply shrugged in response, while Illia looked skeptical. nevertheless, Illia gave an approving nod. if nothing else, they could use the coin.

as they left the house of curiosities, with more questions than answers.

"At least we know where the amulet came from..." Lydia said

Illia frowned. "I'm not so sure."

Both Lydia and Quill-Finder exchanged a look.

"Think about it," Illia stated. "If it was of such importance to the upper echelon of Windhelm, wouldn't the steward have known about it?"

there was a silence.

"There's something else going on..." said, crossing her arms.

Lydia and Quill-Finder thought for a moment. Finally, Lydia spoke. "Well we can't confirm anything until we confront the court mage."

The Palace of Kings was like a maze. Finding Wuunferth the Unliving to even confront him was a task in and of itself.

by the time they found him, he was hard at work enchanting new equipment. presumably for the soldiers of windhelm.

"Wuunferth?" Quill-Finder announced herself "Can I have a word?"

the wizard sighed. "Yes, yes... what is it." he turned to face the argonian, but his eyes fell on both Lydia and Illia. "What is the meaning of this?"

Quill-Finder explained, "There's some rumors that you've been dabbling in Necromancy..."

Wuunferth blinked. "I beg your pardon? Necromancy?" he stood, giving his full attention now. "I'll have you know that I am a member of the College of Winterhold, in good standing!"

Lydia spoke up. "We found journals and a necklace said to be yours."

"My what, now?" his attention was on Lydia now. "Young lady, I have never kept a journal, I can assure you." he thought for a moment. "what did this amulet look like?"

Quill-Finder spoke once more. "eight sided, ringed with ebony, with a worn carving."

Wuunferth sighed. "I know it well... or at least, I've heard of it. I would wager that carving once depicted a skull. what you've described is the Necromancer's amulet."

Illia frowned. "It does sound like necromancy is involved though..."

"Indeed, child." Wuunferth confirmed. "Now, I've been noting a pattern to when the killings happen. Now that we know they're tied in some sort of necromatic ritual, I think I know when the next might occur."

Wuunferth closed is eyes, counting on his fingers as he ran through some mental math.

"It will happen soon. very soon." he stated. "Keep watch in the stone quarter tomorrow night. that's almost certainly where the killer will strike next.

Quill-Finder nodded quietly before departing.

time ticked by. the three wandered the stone quarter, waiting for something happened. and though it grew late, they waited.

Quill-Finder was reminded by several guards to stay out of trouble as she sat on the stone edge of a small wall. they made extra sure she knew they were talking to her.

Another, who had started by bad-mouthing the dark elves of windhelm, even threatening to 'pay them a visit' tried to pick a fight when Quill-Finder spoke up.

And while Lydia considered stopping this, the first swings started before she could even get a word out.

In seconds, the drunk bastard was laid out on the floor claiming it wasn't a fair fight.

he wasn't wrong. in a single punch had knocked the man's lights out. Lydia was sure that the guards would get involved soon after, but no one came. the nord was likely too proud to admit that he was beaten by an argonian.

"I hate waiting..." Lydia finally said.

Quill-Finder, shivering, nodded. "I hope we catch the killer soon... I'm cold."

Lydia simply laughed. "It was your fault for not wearing more layers.

"Hey," Quill-Finder argued, "I look cute!"

"yeah, but is it really worth the frostbite?"

Quill-Finder was silent while Illia stifled a giggle.

there was another moment of silence.

Finally Quill-Finder spoke. "Should we check on Amelia after all this?"

Before anyone could answer there was a scream. Immediately everyone was on their feet as they rushed towards the noise. a man, clad in a hood and brandishing a knife had cornered a young woman. miraculously, she hadn't been killed yet, but she was frozen with fear.

upon hearing the footsteps, the killer whirled around staring directly at Quill-Finder "shit." he muttered. he immediately ran, swiping his blade at the argonian.

Almost on reflex, Quill-Finder barely dodged the blade, and swung with her own, cutting the killer down in an instant.

everyone froze. as everyone stood over the body, Illia was the first to approach, kicking over the body to get a good look at his face. Calixto Corrium.

She collected the key off the corpse, holding it out for Quill-Finder and Illia to see. "Shall we confirm our suspicions?"

in Calixto's home, a chest stored away up a set of stairs, they found a journal. as Quill-Finder took it in hand and read aloud, the room grew still. Calixto wasn't doing this for power, research, or anything of the sort. he was just trying to bring back someone he cherished dearly. as misguided as his attempts were, it was almost romantic. in a macabre kind of way.

Quill-Finder closed the journal, eyeing the embalming tools within the chest.

Finally, Quill-Finder looked to Lydia, and then to Illia. both had their own mixed feelings about the situation. she could tell.

The man may have killed three people, almost a fourth. his reasons may not have made that any less horrifying of a fact, but his reasons were still very human.

Quill--Finder finally spoke. "We should report this"

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest pt 53

The Hall of the Dead wasn't much better.

The walls were reminiscent of many of the tombs that Quill-Finder had explored since entering Skyrim with the scent of death and decay permeated into the stone, which lent itself to the feeling of a Draugr popping out from anywhere.

It was an uneasy feeling. it was cold and dark. with the only thing betraying the tomb's age being the furniture.

Unlike most of the ruins of Skyrim, the book cases weren't rotted out, and the chairs, though splintered in a couple areas, were made with relatively fresh wood.

The carpets, though perhaps a little moth-eaten in a couple areas were still vibrant with color, and not covered with centuries of dust.

"... Large diagonal cut from left shoulder..." Quill-Finder could hear Helgird speaking from deeper inside, likely investigating the body.

as Quill-Finder walked through, she asked "Anything unusual?"

Helgird shrugged. "Well, she's dead. though I suppose that's not unusual for someone down here." she chuckled. "sorry, only joking." she turned, continued to examine the deceased."

Quill-Finder nodded. and there was silence. "So... the body?"

"Oh! Right, of course!" Helgird "The only unusual thing is they shape of the cuts. Look right here." she rolled the body, pointing out the deep gashes in the shoulder. "They look like they were made with... well, the ancient Nords used these kind of curved blades when they embalmed their dead."

Helgird thought for a moment. "I don't know who in Windhelm wouldeven have something like that, other than me, of course."

Quill-Finder nodded. she looked back at her friends, who were listening, but also took a number of steps back at the mention of the blade used.

Quill-Finder then turned back to the priest. "Did you have anything to do with this...?"

"Ha!" Helgird laughed. "I'm much to busy tending the dead to spend my time making more of them." she smiled. "And I wouldn't very well tell you about the cuts if I had made them, now would I?"

With nothing left to discuss, the trio investigated the trail of blood.

The weather was cold, the wind began to bite through the argonian's clothes. as magely as the were, they did nothing to keep the cold out.

"Warm clothes..." Quill-Finally said.

Lydia turned to Quill-Finder confused. "What?"

"we need warm clothes.

as she was saying this, they noticed the blood stopped at the door of a building towards the end of the road. Illia tried the door, finding it locked.

"Great..." Illia sighed.

"Can we pick it?" Lydia asked.

Illia shook her head. "Not if we want to do this by the book... might be worth asking who owns this place, anyways."

Quill-Finder nodded. "Agreed. Shall we talk to some of the guards?"

With a little bit of asking around, it was discovered that the house belonged to Friga Shatter-Shield. Not only that, but the house had been largely abandoned since here death. Tova, the mother, held the key. when approached, Tova's mood dropped.

"I'm sorry," Tova said. "She was very dear to me, and it's rather painful to think about. I'd rather not talk about my daughter."

Illia stepped forward, smiling softly. "I understand. it's hard to lose someone you love. we're trying to find out who did this... and it would help if we had access to your daughter's home."

Tova thought for a moment, before reaching into a pocket. "I'm not sure what you'll find, but you're welcome to look." she handed the key to Illia, smiling. it was almost like she could see the pain in the ice witch's eyes. like she understood.

as Tova continued on her way, she stopped for a moment before facing the adventurers once more. "Find my daughter's killer. and give them hell."

the home was abandoned. It honestly looked like no one had lived there for ages.

there was a fine coat of dust over everything, and though it was empty, it could be a nice place to live.

If not for the blood on the floor.

"Well?" Quill-Finder said, "Shall we look for clues?"

Illia and Lydia nodded, splitting up while Quill-finder followed the blood.

It trailed to the left, splattering the wall next to a chest. Quill-Finder looked it over. judging from the marks, it was recently moved there. She opened the chest. A number of pamphlets, and a journal. she picked up the journal, flipping through the pages.

ramblings about time drawing near. Apparently, the killer had made an attempt on Susanna before now. it spoke of needing a good sample of sinew and marrow.

And then something else caught Quill-Finder's eyes. whoever it was, they had come from winterhold. it spoke of wasted minds in the towers, wasting time exploring magic they already know.

this was a mage. the journal spoke of discovering something new. something deeper.

The journal ended with this: "I am tugging at the corners of the fabrics of the universe, and where it bunches and folds is where I shall create my greatest triumph."

Quill-Finder cursed.

"I think I have something." Illia called further into the house.

she approached Quill-Finder with a necklace. the pendant on it had an ebony back with a jade center. it looked like it had been carved to look like something, but it was so worn it was hard to tell.

"I got something over here, too." Lydia was tracing the back edges of one of the wardrobes. it was flush against the wall. Interestingly, it was one of the few things here that wasn't covered in dust.

she threw it open. empty.

Quill-Finder simply stared blankly.

"hold on" Lydia smiled, pushing on the back of the closet. it depressed, and a latch could be heard. carefully, she slid it to the side, revealing another room.

Instantly, there was a wave of smells being released. the smell of decaying flesh and blood filled the chamber. Quill-Finder couldn't help but gag.

Illia pushed past, gazing into the room. a stone table sat towards the back of the room with a series of bones and skulls, some still wet with blood, scattered across the floor. on the table, sat another journal.

Illia flipped through, reading out loud. it was a list. "seventeen tendons and assorted ligaments, one hundred seventy three fragments of bone for assemblage, approximately four buckets-full of blood, preferably Nords..." she stopped reading, her face twisted in disgust. she flipped to the next page.

star-scrying to the edge of the ice-mind look to the lights where the souls dance revealing the time when a spark will revive when the rotted united under most skillful hands

"Wonder what it means..." Lydia thought for a moment.

"whatever it means, we need to report it..." Quill-Finder said, she kept herself far away from the room. for once, she seemed a little greener than usual.

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