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Grim Tales – Bon Voyage - Champion of Fenrir Book IV – Chapter 17
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40 comments
Great music selection... not just for the story but for later keeping for a nap.
and a great find on the Viking Ships... very interesting read.
Signar seemed disappointed to see his new friends go, I guess we have all felt something like that over time. But its good that Grim can make such an impact if such a short time.
Grim is so much in touch with nature that he can even use his powers to help the horse pull a heavy load... with the size of some of those guys I guess the horse is thankful.
I like some of the small details you go in to like about Eric tucking into the cheese and bread while staying out of the main conversation. Its interesting & good you can keep the other characters involved in the story when they are not the main focus at that moment in time.
I wonder what Grim thinks of the mages in the college, I know his nature is good and he has a powerful magic ability him self through nature. But some of the mages in that college are not what you could describe as the most noble. but that's sidetracking.
An interesting visit to Windhelm, not good that Grim and wolfgar could feel the aura of something not so good there and that Losti detected what it was. Such is the situation in Windhelm could very open to manipulation by higher beings. At least Losti tried to bring a change and alternative there and a feeling of hope. lets prey that the feeling of hope falls upon the right people.
Ah the boat trip, I just don't trust ship captains, not that anything seems out of place with the captain Grim hired, that's just me and my naval background. Its just wellboat trips are never so easy regardless of experience sail during the wrong storm and it makes didly squat how good you are.
Oh you left us with a cliff hanger with all that mist, I wonder what's having a influence there. hopefully it will turn out well but that will have to wait until tomorrow night to read
Wonderful work the writing and images are always top class, I have a fair bit of my own to do atm but yours is always a inspiration, nice work m8.
Had a 4day weekend hence the volume of posts by me. Also had to test binary 277 with some of my presets so that is why I ended up with Manly monday today. Decided to do it with Grim and the gang in Solstheim. No play time today or tonight though. Tomorrow is set aside for pure gaming (I hope ... need to keep a few quests ahead of the story I am writing so I have access to areas for shots without worrying about spoilers).
I think Grim and Losti combined can overcome most anyone (in general) with their charm lol. Grim has his own little aura that tends to be infectious to those around him as Erik well knows. And Losti - well he has a large aura that is very friendly on many layers.
Unlike Kavel, Grim is much more "epic" in dimensions. Son of Fenrir - who was born from Hircine, Kynareth, and Lorkhan ... right there gives him a powerful divine side. Mother is a world reknown theif and half nord/dunmer. Fenrir himself is an actual wolf albeit a divine one (or more accurately a powerful nature spirit that represents winter, wolves, hunters, and the north) which makes Grim half wolf as well. Hence he has a strong connection to Nirn and nature through his wolf side, Fenrir, Kyne and even Lorkhan. I also made Hircine more in tune with Nature as well. Kavel - other than his werebeast ability is all mortal.
Arggh I always ramble so much lol. Anyhow appreciate the summary as well as the little tidbit on your Navel experience and ships. I read up on the ships - amazing just what vikings did on those little open ships on the ocean. But the article also said many get lost at sea so also high risk. Luckily for Grim and the crew Kynerathe, Aedra of the Sky and Wind, tends to favor her grandson
Was kind of Grim to do something to thank not only the carriage driver but the horse that made the effort as well, sharing a bit of energy with it. Grim's thoughts about Lotsi abd Avrein becoming friends as they approached the college were amusing, their friendship seeming something of a miracle with their very different personalities, looks like that contrast can sometime make for a good fit. That moment were Grim saw the powers that coursed about the college wall was great, it seems most of the mages in the college are too focused on their own experiments to truly observe what is around them, I would not fit it being the observant sort. Ever one for a bit of mischief that Lotsi, giving such a scare to that assistant, I liked Avrein's dry humor in response to his mischief, I am guessing that is something that makes their friendship work.
Neloth is an odd and sometimes difficult sort to deal with, it is good that Grim knows to be careful around him with the way he loses himself in his own work to the expense of other people, will be interesting to see how they will interact with each other. The prospect of working with Neloth sure has Erik unsettled, him still being nervous around magic especially if wielded by an unfamiliar mage which is understandable with his origins.
Lotsi sure is not that fond of his human form, finding some little differences from his usual form to complain about. Looks like Grim and friends could not escape feeling a touch of Despair's influence again with is remnants lingering over Windhelm, a well done reference to Lia's tale. It was funny how Lotsi chased away that ship captain's doubts about letting on a wolf as a passenger and how Wolgar played along with what he said, taking that hunting stance with a growl. It is not surprising that Grim feels better in that open air with a mission to head off on, not being one to like sitting around for too long. It is nice how Wolfgar is finding some enjoyment in new smells and experiences as the ship set out into that cold sea. I see the dangers of Solstheim did not wait for him to arrive, them drifting out to meet him in his sleep, a dream all to real that is sure to be unpleasant. An excellent chapter, Jonathan, I am intrigued to see what happens in that dream
Kyne does keep an eye on Grim - at least when he is out under the open sky and especially within Skyrim which is where her strongest connect to him is. As for the horse - I think Grim knows he is a lot of weight to pull around, let alone Losti and Erik who are both solid men. Plus he wanted to make good time without wearing the poor creature out.
I recently had some discussions over Daedra and their forms on Nirn. In general (in my world) the Daedra have a set form that they take on in Nirn - not chosen by them but just how the change in planes of reality reshape them. The more powerful Daedra get some control over while the Princes have total control. So Losti has a somewhat human appearance and the rest is done with illusion - which is what causes the itchy skin.
You also won't have to wait long to see what happens in the dream as I have a long weekend and just finished the interlude - which is a bit shorter than my norm since it is a very focused story. Thanks again for the nice comment!
Poor Signar, such a good man yet so melancholic and so much darkness around his heart. I do hope he finds someone to make him happy ! He deserves it ! Good to know that Losti managed to cheer him up a bit while he was with the group.
Oh my did I laughed at Losti's comment upon their arrival in Winterhold, Avrien missing his "special talent" that much, I somehow think a certain Incubus is taking his dreams for reality on that one ! lol. Loved how you weaved the whole thing with the Ley-lines and Sandy there, does seem Losti is a bit "bitter" (lack of better terms) as to what happened with her and her departure...not wishing to elaborate on the matter just yet. Was great to see Avrien again as well, Losti been hanging out Sandy too much..pranking that assistant and scaring her to no end lol ! Hm I'm a bit worried about the while deal with Neloth. Not that he's evil but so focused on his work that morals or ethics are often left aside. Grim should be careful around him !
Oh and weaving in what happened in the Siblings tale as well ...Despair's influence seems to linger for a long time even after she's gone from a place. Well seems like Avrien not meant for sailing lol and having Losti around to remind him that. Hm..the trip to Solstheim started off well but then...turn of event ...Mora just can't keep low for too long now can he.
Great work !
If Losti could convince Signar to spend a weekend with him at one of Sam's pocket realms he promises to make a new man out of Signar ... or at least a very tired one.
Glad you enjoyed the talent comment - was my favorite line in the story. Losti is actually pretty wise and smart but he prefers not to show it most of the time as he likes to keep things light hearted.
While residents of Skyrim are used to magic Losti can look like a fearsome demon until you get to know him. I expect a few people might faint seeing him eye to eye like that.
Sometimes Mora is subtle, very subtle. But with Grim he feels that he needs a sledehammer to get through. He is also known for misdirection and half-truths ... as are some writers :)
I personally loved the short segment on the carriage, I found it very thoughtful, with Grim lost inside his mind, thinking about his brothers! usually, when I read a book, I like to imagine the scene as much as possible (because IMO this is the main purpose of a fantasy story, that's stimulate/animate our imagination to create something that eventually doesn't really exist! ). So, as I said, I imagined that scene at first, and I found it very deep and meaningful.
It was good to see Losti as well. What a char, I really admire his toughness and inflexibility!
About the ending, I just can say "WOW!" it's absolutely a (dramatic) turn of events! I was somewhat shocked at that point, an unexpected chapter conclusion! absolutely a terrific work full of details!
little note about the captures: I like them all, especially I love the strong DoF effect and the view from the main pic...but I have to say that Grim's faces are priceless!
More about the ending of this chapter soon as the next story is an interlude that links chapter 17 to chapter 18 and covers Grim's "dream" in Apocrypha.
It's kind of difficult to RP both as a well-meaning Dragonborn and one who has respect for the dragons themselves, when you're constantly taking souls every time you defeat one.
I agree about the Dragonborn and Miraak as well. I have not gotten to meet him yet, still early in the questline, but very curious to see myself how that goes. In Grim's world/story he comes after Mirrak has already been defeated by the Dragonborn - about a year later actually. But there is a new plot by Mora and some unmentioned enemies right now and it will resolve around the heart stones and Grim and the dragon souls.
I expect the things, that will come now....
The story has its nice depth as always, and has the capacity to make traveling as typical of your style very realistic slowly unraveling the story, going to meet those who are the protagonists of your universe.
As is expected Mora makes an appearance again, I was thinking about ust woke up, because even sleep because of the heat is hardly possible. Mora is for you a strong antagonist, obsessed with reaching the godhead, through pure knowledge as Knowledge = power. Knowledge a purely abstract and theoretical and violent, trying to bypass the need of the journey through life as practice, experience, joy suffering, death and rebirth. If the meaning of the story is the journey, enjoyed in every little thing and moment, Grim at the end whit his dream / cliffhanger is the manifestation of the threat of a will to know dark and sprawling, opposed to life which seeks to suspend it, to grab it and stop trying to master it completely, trying to do without the necessity need of live it.
Great and inspiring chapter Jonathan.
I like to shift my ENBs around a lot although I do use my own for my stories most often (Grim is the spokesperson for them after all). But really liked Nice ENB and Insomnia ENB/CGI so using them a bit more. The interlude, which comes next, was with Insomnia ENB.
I was also thinking why I picked Mora as a major villian for Grim, along with Molag Bal. Molag is a traditional evil type - hates mortals and wants them to suffer. But Mora is more neutral (although he seems slightly evil neutral to me), so why him/her/it?
I think it is my fascination with Hircine. The whole nature, instincts, animal, live for the now side of things versus the civilized, science/technology, mental, philosophical aspects of Mora.I think I understand what you said, if so I agree. Embrace life fully and live it versus try to be above it - distant, cut-off and remote. Using knowledge and intellectualism to get beyond the material reality.
Anyhow Grim is in conflict with him because of Hircine and as a tool that other princes see as a way to gain power in the great game. Grim, while very smart, is more animalistic. He likes simple things and harmony. He likes to live for the now and not in the past/future. He prefers to embrace his emotions versus ignore them. He wants to savor life not live above it. So some conflict here with Mora. Yet Grim is not anti-intellectual by any means. He feels knowledge needs to be tempered (balanced) with wisdom and emotions. It is part of the whole versus the whole thing.
Mora wants Grim for the power he represents, as a tool and champion. He also has gotten annoyed with him a few times for causing him problems and as a favorite of Hircine whom he does not like and feels is beastile.
Unrelated to some degree is my own issues with fantasy and reality. I have always struggled with this. My love of fantasy and a very romantic idea of some existence in another reality as some hero, adventurer, or even a simpler life in a place with magic and gods. Yet the true reality is that once you got there - say as Grim - and acclimated you would be no better off than you (I, anyone, I speak generally here) were on Earth in our own reality. Meaning there would still be questions on meaning and existence without real answers, there would still be a need for companion ship. Hardship, suffering, that would also exist. Even if you made of yourself a god you could end up ultimately alone, bored, and most likely insane.
I think of the Dreamer in TES. I can think of no one more lonely then them. All of existence is just in there head. I have that already. All my stories, characters, fantasies, day-dreams ... all in my head. I enjoy them but I am alone in them. By that I mean there is no one else inside of my head but me and my sense of self (and many theories suggest that itself is an illusion created by how the brain works). Grim, Wolfgar, Losti ... they exist in my head but are still me ... Everyone of us is ultimately completely alone because no one can ever be part of our minds (at least that I am aware of). Even with a beloved spouse, friend, etc ... you are still alone inside of your own head. The most you can do is share existence - through words, touch, music, spending time together. I think in that regard Nataly has it somewhat right in that love is about the best meaning once can get for life. Sharing it to ease that sense of separation and enjoy the company of others. Funny since I am an introvert and always have been. Yet even so I enjoy sharing and would never, ever, want to be truly alone.
So what good is being a god of everything when it is all you? Partly why I enjoy using other people's followers. I don't want more of "ME" in the game world - I want more of other people so it is a shared world versus just a stale copy of my own mind. I want a mix - an interaction of me with others. This also alleviates boredom as it means change, the unexpected, new things, different things. It also promotes growth and new ideas.
I think I lost track of where I was going with this lol. I think I am rambling because of all the things I think about when it comes to fantasy versus every day reality; existence now and the hard truths about death versus that desire of a better life somewhere else yet knowing it is but an illusion, a romantic fantasy. My own internal conflict of knowing reality is just what it is and then there is death and no more ... yet having a desire and wonder for magical, the unknown, and a hope for something more. The child in me is always at odds with the adult in me.
At the moment I am still with the child. Given a choice to live a life in some other reality (not as Grim - he is his own person at this point and his personality is now very different than mine, and different than what it was when I first made him - but perhaps someone similar to him in power, abilities, and lineage) I think I would take it ... even knowing doing so would not provide any new answers or alleviate any issues. The saying that you can't run from yourself is very apt and true.