Into Skyrim, Elder Scrolls 8 Nirn's Beta

I rode Philip without the carriage to Fallowstone cave. Viree seemed off about the whole thing. I wasn't dense and I was about 70% sure it was related to our odd relationship. I would have to create some distance or something. 

Yamarz was waiting for us at the cave. He sat over a campfire roasting what looked like a rabbit. "Look who finally showed up. I was beginning to think you were a coward." I was impressed with his pathetic attempt at an insult.

I smiled back, "I don't understand why you are self-projecting. You never set a date for arrival and you never listened when I mentioned I had to stop at Riften. Not to mention you could've tried to scout the cave or actually handle this problem yourself. You didn't do either of those though since the mud entering the cave is undisturbed."

He stared dumbly at me and Viree laughed, "Not much of a hunter either it seems."

He jumped to his feet when he finally seemed to process Viree's remark. "I've hunted plenty of things! I've slayed ma- I, you... You caused this mess! and you are going to fix it."

I laughed, "No, Yamarz you caused your tribe to be cursed and anger giants enough to want to kill you. You were just about to say you slayed mammoths. No doubt the exact reason that got you into this mess Yamarz."

I drew Sable Wave and Viree followed my actions. With both our weapons drawn Yamarz blinked in shock. It was like he hadn't expected us to betray him. Yamarz drew his own weapon, "So you think you can take me on!"

I pointed Sable Wave at him, "Do you think you can take us on?"

He hesitated and Viree slammed him into the wall. Her mace was pressed against his chest and the wind was knocked out of him. "Don't worry Yamarz, we will help you. It's just you will act as bait."

I gave Viree a look and she pushed him toward the cave. He stumbled into the mud and clicked his tongue as he moved forward. The size of the cave was large. The entrance of the cave dipped down into a large cavern. A stream flowed through it and a giant made camp just next to the stream.

Looking at all the mud this area likely flooded during a large storm. I pushed Yamarz on, "Get the giants attention."

He grunted and he made it sound hate filled. As he walked forward he shouted, the Giant turned on him and grabbed its club. I pulled out my bow and the poisoned arrows. My accuracy wasn't very great, but the giant was a large target. My arrow pierced its chest and it flinched. 

Yamarz seeing that the giant changed its attention. He ducked out of the way quickly. However the skin of the giant blackened quickly. The poison acted quickly and the giant fell to its knee. Viree followed up with her mace to its skull.

The giant went limp, but Viree slammed her mace into its head again. She turned back looking smug, "Why do we even need this guy?"

I raised an eyebrow at her confidence, "Malacath requires him."

I tossed a poisoned arrow at Yamarz and he caught it in his hand. "Why don't you actually fight the next one. It's up the stream that leads further into the mountains."

His eyes flickered with emotion, "Don't think about attacking us with it. It's a poison that only works on giants. Though you would be cut down before you had the chance." The bold face lie, was a stretch, but he frowned. His belief in my words were obvious.

He marched forward up the stream and eventually met the second giant. He actually interrupted the giant while it was skinning a deer. He managed to stab the arrow into the giants neck. He was slapped away quickly. I watched as the giant took longer to die than when I shot it.

It still died from the poison though as its eyes rolled up. Yamarz groaned and I inspected him. Sure enough his bones were broken. Under his armor I could see he had barely any muscle. He wasn't skinny though, he verged on the side of fat. I smirked, now I just needed to handle the last giant

"Viree, grab him. I'll handle the last giant alone."

She nodded, "You wanted this outcome didn't you?"

She was really starting to understand the way I think. I said nothing though and readied another arrow. Marching up the mountian I found the last giant sitting on the altar. I fired the arrow and whiffed the first shot. The arrow clattered against the altar and Viree giggled.

I rolled my eyes and studied the giant. It had already moved and became alert from my missed arrow. This time I got a better view of the giant, it had one-eye missing and was notably covered in a patch work cloak. It must be count as a named boss enemy, though I cared little. I shot another arrow into its head. I missed, but struck the giant in the neck.

The giant to my shock pulled the arrow from its neck tossed it aside and locked eyes with me. "Volsh!" I had no idea what it said, but when it charged toward me. I considered it something not good and flicked Sable Wave into my hand.

The giant swung a club toward me and I ducked under its legs. The giant tried to stomp on me, but I slashed its ankle and it knelt in pain. The giant began to turn backwards, so I rolled toward the altar. Not one to waste I grabbed the first missed arrow. With a quick motion I jabbed the arrow into the giants good eye. This time, the giant stumbled, spasmed and died.

I smiled to myself, and Viree dragged the broken Yamarz to the altar. When Yamarz was laid against the Altar, Viree looked at me. "Now what?"

I shrugged, "We summon another daedric prince." I turned to the Altar, "Malacath! I know you were watching this moron to see he would adhere to the Code. What are your thoughts about me Soul-Trapping him?"

The eyes on the altar glowed, "And what use do you plan for him?"

I held up the Star Prison, "Imprisonment, his crimes aren't as great as the other prisoner in this star. However his failures are bringing down his tribe. Not to mention his cowardice and rejection of the Code. I can use him as a summonable ghost presumably and work him to the bone or whatever a ghost is made of."

I almost believe the statue of Malacath had smiled at me. Malacath spoke briefly, "I will allow this, he doesn't deserve the glory of leadership. You though... When you propose your little plan to enrich the lives of the cursed tribe. I will speak on your behalf and suggest they follow your advice. Propose your plan before they speak to me."

That would put me in a tough spot, I could likely convince them of my plan without Malacath. His help though would increase the likelihood of other Orc tribes uniting in my workforce. Why would he offer to help me though? "Suggesting my idea before talking to would put me in a difficult situation and why would you help me in the first place?"

The statue glowed for one last time. "I need my worshippers more united. I plan to use your suggestion to bring them together."

Malacath spoke no more and I looked down at Yamarz who's face was pale. "P-Ple-Please don't do this?"

His tongue twisted and he stuttered out his words. My hand glowed with a purple light, I casted the spell to ensure the process. With my other hand I drew Sable Wave, "Don't worry, I'm a very good warden. After all your inmate is Potema, and she has yet to escape."

His eyes widened, it made sense. Who hadn't heard of Potema? She was a calamity of her time... I had to solve some of the ones in the current era. I suppose while in the Rift I should visit the dawnguard. I really didn't want to specially since I was sure a player had made camp there and the dawnguard disposition could be problematic. 

With a flick of the wrist Yamarz was dead and a new spell was added. The spell was called Cursed Chief Yamarz, it even came with a description. "1000 Glorious battles will free him from his curse." 

Viree shrugged, "A fair deal, the guy was a worm."

I nodded, "Well, with that done we have somewhere else to be."

Viree raised an eyebrow, "Where? and if we are fighting something I call killing them."

I smiled, "Three places, they are a little far, A place called Snapleg Cave to save a spriggan. A place called Darkwater Crossing where we are gonna recruit someone. Finally we will stop at Eldergleam Sanctuary. If everything goes well it will be smooth sailing at that last location."

Viree raised an eyebrow, "Save a spriggan? Aren't those tree spirits?"

I ignored her question and looked at the giant again, I had yet to loot it. I blinked and thought about its patchwork cloak. I moved to the giant and the first thing I noticed was its club. A trunk of wood that was fused with three troll skulls. I thought about taking it with me, but it's way to heavy. 

When I stepped over the club to inspect the giant my eyes went wide. The name was all i needed to see, it was called the patchwork clock of man and mer. Though looking at the patches of fur and even the small splotch of scales, I doubted it was only man and mer. The cloak was made from the tanned skin of humanoid races. I certainly couldn't equip something like this.

Though it was much like Valdr's lucky dagger. The item was trash the unique qualities of it however... it gave a ranging crit rate, physical damage reduction, and intimidation bonus based on the amount of creatures sewn into the cloak. The math made my head spin, the lowest increase seemed to be 1% toward argonians with the highest at 15% against orcs. Finally if the user was of the giant race the wearer would receive 50% all round damage reduction. That explained why it was able to pull the arrow out of its neck.

Thinking for a moment, I sighed. I might've just added a truly terrible hobby. If I were to sew more leather to the cloak the percentages would increase. For now though I equipped the cloak into the belt and it disappeared. Viree gave me a disgusted look, "Did you actually take that thing?"

I nodded, "You realized it was made from humanoid skin too, didn't you."

She pointed to the corpse of Yamarz, "Recognized the orc skin."

I hadn't done that, but I didn't really care what the skin was made from. Just how it made me look taking it. "Do you think it's wrong to use it if it was made?"

She stared at me for a second and shrugged, "If you are taking it I assume it has some purpose in your grand design. Who am I to judge your majesty!"

I rolled my eyes, "No need to be sarcastic."

She lowered her head, "I just don't want you to question my loyalty even if it was by accident."

We sat in silence for a second before we decided to move on. Truth be told I don't think I ever need to refresh the fake contract I made with her.