Mimi the Alchemist
New Member
Journal of Oriana the Relentless
4th Heartfire - somewhere in skyrim
After saying goodbye to my mother, I got on the carriage and left my home in Chorrol for the wilds of Skyrim. Before my carriage pulled away, my mother handed me this book. She asked me to write of my experiences in Skyrim so that when we meet again, I could read it to her and fill her in on the moments she missed in my life. There are some things about me that those who read this should know. My name is Oriana. My mother is an Altmer and my father is an Orc. I grew up in the town of Chorrol in Cyradiil. My mother owns a small shop and has taken care of me since birth. She takes great pride in her Altmer heritage and has raised me in their ways. I am now on my way to the hidden orcish stronghold of Kozurig Bal which is high on a mountain between Helgen and Falkreath in Skyrim. My mother told me about strongholds and the code of Malacath. She lived in Kozurig Bal with my dad when I was born. After my birth, she was cast out by the chief Garok becausse she wasn't blood kin. She took me back to her home in Cyradiil and never returned to see my fother. Today, fifteen years later, my father sent my mother a letter that said I am to return to the place of my birth. I am curious about the stronghold and the orcs living there as I have never met an orc before. It has grown dark now. I am out of light and must sleep. Maybe when I awake I will arrive at my new home.
7th Heartfire - Kozurig Bal
I have finally arrived at my new home. My father was happy to see me. I found it amusing that he didn't know my name. When I told him that I am called Oriana, he presented me to the other orcs as Oriana gra-Daruk. I guess that is my orcish name. I got to meet everyone in the stronghold including the chief and his wives. It seems odd for one man to have so many wives and the others to have none. Life in the stronghold is so different, and I am really displeased with not being able to go outside of the stronghold. The other orcs look at me like I'm from some other planet. My skin tone and facial features are orcish like theirs, but I am much thinner and have golden hair like my mother. Tomorrow, my dad is going to show me how to mine something called malachite ore. I will think of it as an adventure because I have never mined before.
8th Heartfire - Kozurig Bal Longhouse
I hate mining. No, let me rephrase that. I despise mining with every fiber of my being. The pickaxe is very cumbersome. I had a hard time swinging it when I started out this morning. The orcish girls were laughing and calling me "puny half-breed". I'll show them. Even though I hate mining, I'll keep trying until I can dig up more ore than every one of them put together. After a long, miserable day in the mines, my father and I went back to the longhousse to eat. All of that mining made me as hungry as a giant. I sat at a table in the longhouse waiting for my father to serve the meal. What he put on my plate looked absolutely putrid. He called it Lorzung. I asked what it was since it looked like nothing I have ever eaten before. He then told me that it was marinated goat's leg with gourd sauce and a hint of garlic.. What made matters worse was the fact that it smelled worse that it looked. Since it is custom in the stronghold ot eat only what you are offered, I took a bite. To my surprise, it actually tasted delicious. I actually devoured it all til there was none left on my plate. My father smiled and said, "An appetite like an orc! I would have never guessed.". Before I went to bed, I got a chance to talk to my father a little more. He told me of how he and my mother met. One day, my father was out hunting around the mountains outside the stronghold. He came to a main road at the moment when my mom fall off her horse. He helped her to the stronghold where the chief let her stay until her wounds were healed. The two fell in love, and a year later I was born. The orcs let her continue to live in the stronghold untill I was born then proceded to cast her out. I told him it sounded more tragic than romantic, and then asked if he ever missed my mother. He said that he thought of her and I every day, but he was afraid of leaving the stronghold and angerring Malacath. He told me that my duty for tomorrow is to learn how to smith. He said it was an honor that the forge wife was going to be the one to teach me. As I lay in bed, I thought of mother and home. I really miss my old life. Everything was so much easier back home. I know I must stay here, but I wonder if I am cut out for the harsh way of life in the stronghold.
9th Heartfire - Kozurig Bal Longhouse
I was awakened at dawn by a girl who couldn't be a year over ten. She explaned that her mother was the forge wife and that she and her mother were going to teach me how to smith. My first thought was, "How hard could smithing be if you can do it?", but I kept my thoughts to myself. She led me out to the forge where her mother was sitting at a weird contraption that made sparks come from her sword. "Borza, why don't you show Oriana around the forge?", the woman asked her little girl. Borza with a smile on her face told me about the forge, the workbench, and the grindwheel and their functions. The forge wife gloated, "Borza learned how to smith as soon as she was able to hold a hammer.". She gave me some bricks of metal she called iron ingots and told the little girl to teach me how to forge a dagger. Let's just say that it took more that a couple of tries. It was especially embarrassing that the little girl Borza had to correct all of my mistakes. The forge wife told me, "I like your spirit, Oriana. You never give up. You have the nature of a true orc, Oriana the Relentless.". I enjoyed the complement and the nickname, and was inspired to perfect the craft. After a while, I was making flawless iron daggers. It was almost dark when Romil the forge wife said, "I have to go help Ish and Komal prepare the meal. Borza, stay and help Oriana the Relentless clean up the forge. Oriana, you are doing a great job. Tomorrow, we will work on armor." After cleaning up, we went to the longhouse for the evening meal. My father searved me venison with carrots and apples. I couldn't remember the name of the dish because it was too long and hard to pronounce. It was pretty good, but I prefer the Lorzung. I passed by the chief's table to thank Romil and Borza for teaching me how to smith. They accepted my thanks and left for bed. I was about to go to bed as well, but the chief asked me to sit at his table. I took a seat at the table with the chief and his first wife. He asked me if I enjoyed living in the stronghold. I told him that I did and thanked him for giving me a chance to stay here with my father. All of a sudden, Ish abruptly left the table. I bid the chief good night and went to my bed. I really am displeased with the way the chief looks at me. I could tell that his first wife Ish was displeased too by the angry look on her face before she left. I told my father and he said it was nothing to worry about.
10th Heartfire - Kozurig Bal Longhouse
I have come to love smithing with Ramil and Borza. Everyone in the stronghold now calls me Oriana the Relentless because a group of orcs who work at the smelter heard Ramil call me by that name and told everyone else about it. Borza is really kind. She tries to help me out any way she can. When I accidentally forged an orcish sword that looked like an iron sword, she showed me what it was supposed to look like and helped me make one. After another day under Ramil and Borza's tutiledge, I can now forge flawless orcish weapons and armor. I smiled when Romil told me, "It won't be long til you are better than me at smithing.". I think I found my calling, but the chief wants me to train with the best orc warriors in the stronghold to see if I can defend the stronghold. So, that is what I'll be doing tomorrow. I'm really apprehensive about it. I hope I don't hurt anyone.
11th Heartfire - Kozurig Bal Longhouse
I awoke at first light to meet with the warriors. They were a father and son team and were considered the best in the stronghold. Anuk, the boy, is the same age as me. He demonstrated his skill by battling a mannequin with targets on its body and head. His father Zarug then said, "Enough showing off, Anuk! Let's teach this puny milk drinker how to weild a weapon.". I was then asked, "One-handed or Two-handed?". I had no idea of what he was talking about so I guessed two-handed. He then handed me an orcish warhammer that I had smithed yesterday. He ordered me to swing it at the target. It was so heavy I could barely pick it up. Anuk took the weapon out of my hands and asked his father for a dagger saying snidely, "Here, I hope this isn't too heavy for you." After giving him a contemptuous look, I set to my task. The dagger was very light, maybe too light. While I was swinging it, it flew out of my hand and hit the roof of the longhouse. The two warriors laughed while my cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. Anuk gave me a sword and demonstrated proper technique. "You're going to need practice, but not bad.", he said. His dad then handed me the last weapon, a bow and some orcish arrows. What the two warriors didn't know was that I have already trained with a bow. My mother was a superb archer and taught me how to shoot a bow when I was a girl. My aim was so good that she used to call me "eagle-eye". After being handed the bow, Anuk snickered and said, "Better get out of the way, father. There's no telling where she'll shoot that arrow.". I laughed and aimed at his chest making him think I was going to shoot him in the heart. He looked a little nervous until he saw me turn around and hit the bullseye of the target. Anuk's father laughed and said, "I think you're not cut out to be a warrior, but you'd make a great hunter." After a meal of slaughterfish and some weird looking cheese, my father told me that I will be hunting with the hunt wife tomorrow. She was impressed with what Anuk's father told her of my archery skills. I hope I can at least get hunting right. You just point at an animal and shoot it with your bow, right? It sounds easy enough.
4th Heartfire - somewhere in skyrim
After saying goodbye to my mother, I got on the carriage and left my home in Chorrol for the wilds of Skyrim. Before my carriage pulled away, my mother handed me this book. She asked me to write of my experiences in Skyrim so that when we meet again, I could read it to her and fill her in on the moments she missed in my life. There are some things about me that those who read this should know. My name is Oriana. My mother is an Altmer and my father is an Orc. I grew up in the town of Chorrol in Cyradiil. My mother owns a small shop and has taken care of me since birth. She takes great pride in her Altmer heritage and has raised me in their ways. I am now on my way to the hidden orcish stronghold of Kozurig Bal which is high on a mountain between Helgen and Falkreath in Skyrim. My mother told me about strongholds and the code of Malacath. She lived in Kozurig Bal with my dad when I was born. After my birth, she was cast out by the chief Garok becausse she wasn't blood kin. She took me back to her home in Cyradiil and never returned to see my fother. Today, fifteen years later, my father sent my mother a letter that said I am to return to the place of my birth. I am curious about the stronghold and the orcs living there as I have never met an orc before. It has grown dark now. I am out of light and must sleep. Maybe when I awake I will arrive at my new home.
7th Heartfire - Kozurig Bal
I have finally arrived at my new home. My father was happy to see me. I found it amusing that he didn't know my name. When I told him that I am called Oriana, he presented me to the other orcs as Oriana gra-Daruk. I guess that is my orcish name. I got to meet everyone in the stronghold including the chief and his wives. It seems odd for one man to have so many wives and the others to have none. Life in the stronghold is so different, and I am really displeased with not being able to go outside of the stronghold. The other orcs look at me like I'm from some other planet. My skin tone and facial features are orcish like theirs, but I am much thinner and have golden hair like my mother. Tomorrow, my dad is going to show me how to mine something called malachite ore. I will think of it as an adventure because I have never mined before.
8th Heartfire - Kozurig Bal Longhouse
I hate mining. No, let me rephrase that. I despise mining with every fiber of my being. The pickaxe is very cumbersome. I had a hard time swinging it when I started out this morning. The orcish girls were laughing and calling me "puny half-breed". I'll show them. Even though I hate mining, I'll keep trying until I can dig up more ore than every one of them put together. After a long, miserable day in the mines, my father and I went back to the longhousse to eat. All of that mining made me as hungry as a giant. I sat at a table in the longhouse waiting for my father to serve the meal. What he put on my plate looked absolutely putrid. He called it Lorzung. I asked what it was since it looked like nothing I have ever eaten before. He then told me that it was marinated goat's leg with gourd sauce and a hint of garlic.. What made matters worse was the fact that it smelled worse that it looked. Since it is custom in the stronghold ot eat only what you are offered, I took a bite. To my surprise, it actually tasted delicious. I actually devoured it all til there was none left on my plate. My father smiled and said, "An appetite like an orc! I would have never guessed.". Before I went to bed, I got a chance to talk to my father a little more. He told me of how he and my mother met. One day, my father was out hunting around the mountains outside the stronghold. He came to a main road at the moment when my mom fall off her horse. He helped her to the stronghold where the chief let her stay until her wounds were healed. The two fell in love, and a year later I was born. The orcs let her continue to live in the stronghold untill I was born then proceded to cast her out. I told him it sounded more tragic than romantic, and then asked if he ever missed my mother. He said that he thought of her and I every day, but he was afraid of leaving the stronghold and angerring Malacath. He told me that my duty for tomorrow is to learn how to smith. He said it was an honor that the forge wife was going to be the one to teach me. As I lay in bed, I thought of mother and home. I really miss my old life. Everything was so much easier back home. I know I must stay here, but I wonder if I am cut out for the harsh way of life in the stronghold.
9th Heartfire - Kozurig Bal Longhouse
I was awakened at dawn by a girl who couldn't be a year over ten. She explaned that her mother was the forge wife and that she and her mother were going to teach me how to smith. My first thought was, "How hard could smithing be if you can do it?", but I kept my thoughts to myself. She led me out to the forge where her mother was sitting at a weird contraption that made sparks come from her sword. "Borza, why don't you show Oriana around the forge?", the woman asked her little girl. Borza with a smile on her face told me about the forge, the workbench, and the grindwheel and their functions. The forge wife gloated, "Borza learned how to smith as soon as she was able to hold a hammer.". She gave me some bricks of metal she called iron ingots and told the little girl to teach me how to forge a dagger. Let's just say that it took more that a couple of tries. It was especially embarrassing that the little girl Borza had to correct all of my mistakes. The forge wife told me, "I like your spirit, Oriana. You never give up. You have the nature of a true orc, Oriana the Relentless.". I enjoyed the complement and the nickname, and was inspired to perfect the craft. After a while, I was making flawless iron daggers. It was almost dark when Romil the forge wife said, "I have to go help Ish and Komal prepare the meal. Borza, stay and help Oriana the Relentless clean up the forge. Oriana, you are doing a great job. Tomorrow, we will work on armor." After cleaning up, we went to the longhouse for the evening meal. My father searved me venison with carrots and apples. I couldn't remember the name of the dish because it was too long and hard to pronounce. It was pretty good, but I prefer the Lorzung. I passed by the chief's table to thank Romil and Borza for teaching me how to smith. They accepted my thanks and left for bed. I was about to go to bed as well, but the chief asked me to sit at his table. I took a seat at the table with the chief and his first wife. He asked me if I enjoyed living in the stronghold. I told him that I did and thanked him for giving me a chance to stay here with my father. All of a sudden, Ish abruptly left the table. I bid the chief good night and went to my bed. I really am displeased with the way the chief looks at me. I could tell that his first wife Ish was displeased too by the angry look on her face before she left. I told my father and he said it was nothing to worry about.
10th Heartfire - Kozurig Bal Longhouse
I have come to love smithing with Ramil and Borza. Everyone in the stronghold now calls me Oriana the Relentless because a group of orcs who work at the smelter heard Ramil call me by that name and told everyone else about it. Borza is really kind. She tries to help me out any way she can. When I accidentally forged an orcish sword that looked like an iron sword, she showed me what it was supposed to look like and helped me make one. After another day under Ramil and Borza's tutiledge, I can now forge flawless orcish weapons and armor. I smiled when Romil told me, "It won't be long til you are better than me at smithing.". I think I found my calling, but the chief wants me to train with the best orc warriors in the stronghold to see if I can defend the stronghold. So, that is what I'll be doing tomorrow. I'm really apprehensive about it. I hope I don't hurt anyone.
11th Heartfire - Kozurig Bal Longhouse
I awoke at first light to meet with the warriors. They were a father and son team and were considered the best in the stronghold. Anuk, the boy, is the same age as me. He demonstrated his skill by battling a mannequin with targets on its body and head. His father Zarug then said, "Enough showing off, Anuk! Let's teach this puny milk drinker how to weild a weapon.". I was then asked, "One-handed or Two-handed?". I had no idea of what he was talking about so I guessed two-handed. He then handed me an orcish warhammer that I had smithed yesterday. He ordered me to swing it at the target. It was so heavy I could barely pick it up. Anuk took the weapon out of my hands and asked his father for a dagger saying snidely, "Here, I hope this isn't too heavy for you." After giving him a contemptuous look, I set to my task. The dagger was very light, maybe too light. While I was swinging it, it flew out of my hand and hit the roof of the longhouse. The two warriors laughed while my cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. Anuk gave me a sword and demonstrated proper technique. "You're going to need practice, but not bad.", he said. His dad then handed me the last weapon, a bow and some orcish arrows. What the two warriors didn't know was that I have already trained with a bow. My mother was a superb archer and taught me how to shoot a bow when I was a girl. My aim was so good that she used to call me "eagle-eye". After being handed the bow, Anuk snickered and said, "Better get out of the way, father. There's no telling where she'll shoot that arrow.". I laughed and aimed at his chest making him think I was going to shoot him in the heart. He looked a little nervous until he saw me turn around and hit the bullseye of the target. Anuk's father laughed and said, "I think you're not cut out to be a warrior, but you'd make a great hunter." After a meal of slaughterfish and some weird looking cheese, my father told me that I will be hunting with the hunt wife tomorrow. She was impressed with what Anuk's father told her of my archery skills. I hope I can at least get hunting right. You just point at an animal and shoot it with your bow, right? It sounds easy enough.
