If guards or sentinels hadn't already seen me it would have been a stroke of incredible luck. Consequently, I didn't take any chances. I drew out my bow and advanced as fast as I could without the risk of slipping on an icy spot. I've never been a very good snap shot with my bow, but if archers were waiting in ambush it was still better than rushing in with sword in hand. Worse come to worst, I could always switch weapons on the fly if I needed to. 

 

As it happened, I was right to prepare. The tents I'd seen at the bottom of the valley were empty, but almost as soon as I started to ascend into the main village I had to leap out of the way to avoid a flash of lightning. I spun, firing my first arrow blindly. It whizzed past a Falmer, her hands crackling with magical energy, but it was close enough to make her duck. In quick succession I put two more arrows into her. The first struck her in the guts, but the second vanished in a puff of smoke as it struck a magical shield. Fortunately, that impact - and probably also the pain of her wound - caused the witch's spell to falter and I drove my last arrow through her chest.

 

 

Fortunately, only the vaporized arrow was unrecoverable, but I realized I wouldn't have the luxury of taking any shots I wasn't full sure of. Slowing my pace, I put a greater emphasis on remaining unseen. That turned out to be the right move, for as I worked my way across a natural bridge I saw a waiting archer before he saw me. It took my remaining three arrows, but I struck him down from his hiding space. Meanwhile, however, another guard armed with sword and shield was rushing towards me. I drew my sword just in time.

 

The Falmer warriors were tough, and bold, but I was starting to get a good feel for their fighting style. They covered for their lack of finesse with agression and strength, but now that I understood the strategy to beat them I was confident I could always prevail one on one. Mindful of the narrow bridge, I dodged the warrior's strikes and he never got closer than a glancing hit against my armor. I tested his guard a few times, and he blocked each blow with his shield, but at length he overextended and I opened his neck with the tip of my sword in a wide sweeping strike.

 

 

I snatched the archer's quiver and pressed on. I could hear commotion ahead and doubted trying to be stealthy would serve any purpose. Instead, I pressed on fast to try and keep the Falmer off balance. As I pressed forward, I did pause briefly to examine any chests that I found, hopeful that I could locate the artifact and escape without having to fight the whole tribe. In one chest, I found something most curious. It was an arquebus, but not one of familiar design. Forged from the brassy metal of the Dwemer, the finely made piece was sleek and well balanced. I claimed it as my own, slinging it over my back, then continued forward.

 

 

Progressing further, I struck down more Falmer guards, gradually increasing my pace as I followed the tug of the piercing. After crossing another rocky arch, I felt a sharp tug. Turning, I could see a deep furrow in the cliff face - the entrance to a cave. I slipped within and slowed my pace, carefully advancing with a wariness of the ease with which these confined walls could turn into a perfect ambush spot or murder hole. 

 

After I traversed a long, rocky passage, the cave opened up and I found myself at the top of a path that spiraled down towards a small cluster of huts maybe a hundred feet below. I saw signs of motion there, and watched carefully as I descended, looking for a clear enough shot to pick off the Falmer before they could strike back. My patience paid off, and I was able to strike down one of their witches before she could erect her magical defenses. Unfortunately, that was the only free shot I got. From there, it was a running duel with archers far below, My arrows raining down and theirs reaching back up to stab at me. 

 

My hard work did not go unrewarded. After the last guard fell, I quickly reached the bottom. There I searched the hut that the witch had emerged from and found another one of the chitinous chests. Amidst some coins and a small collection of soul gems, I found a pair of fine iron bars with dangling gold suspensions. The golden embellishments bore a strong resemblance to my own piercing, and a sudden warm throb between my legs confirmed my suspicion that I'd found another artifact.

 

 

I looked back the way I'd come, but before I could place a single step in retreat, a whisper rumbled in my ear. "Not yet, little piss pig. One more remains."

 

I let unseen Wojtek guide me then with his leash, and soon I found myself at the mouth of a passage, hidden in shadow, that spiraled deeper yet into the ground. Taking each step with the utmost caution, I slid past a group of the Falmer's giant insect pets and through a seemingly empty little hamlet. From the way it was laid out, I suspected it was a ranch or stockyard for the big bugs. 

 

 

Beyond the pens, the passage narrowed again - until I saw a sliver of sunlight far ahead. Pressing on, the cave soon opened and revealed a narrow valley and a rushing stream. I tried to get my bearings, and based on the signs of habitation on the cliffs above I concluded I was at the far end of the valley I'd entered from the frozen lake. I had a general sense that I needed to head upstream, but Wojtek's guidance seemed more distant and less insistent now. Taking care to avoid notice by the Falmer above, I followed the running water back towards its source.

 

My effort at stealth proved doomed to failure. As I squeezed past a trio of oddly colored rocks, they revealed themselves to be anything but as flying insects burst forth. I struck them down one by one, but the screeching of the monsters surely alerted anyone in earshot. From that point forward, I didn't hold back, dashing along the bank of the stream towards the tug of the final artifact.

 

 

As I pushed south, I could feel Wojtek's pull getting stronger again. The strength of the pull rose and fell predictably, and despite the sense of danger that forced me to intense alertness, I could feel my clitoris swelling and jutting out from my body, the combination of the magical pull and the motion of my stride grinding the little spiked ball back and forth against its underside. At length, I could see the source of the stream coming into view - a gap in soaring glacier wall. Between it and me, however, was a barricade - and Falmer warriors rushing to face me. I leveled my sword and felt Wojtek materialize into the world once more. 

 

He roared a challenge to the pallid elves, and we both rushed them. Not just warriors, it turned out, but a witch and her apprentice. Ghostly blades slashed and magic frost bit at us, but they fell before our combined might. Wojtek vanished as soon as he had appeared, leaving me alone in the cold stillness. 

 

 

Sneaking, crawling, squeezing, and swimming in equal measure, I navigated the low-ceilinged passage the stream had carved until the ice wall fell away and I found myself in a vast ice cave. Indeed, the entire floor was submerged in what appeared to be deep water. Fortunately, large chunks of ice were floating on the top, giving me a way to safely reach the other side. Not so fortunately, I saw a white-haired beast that looked like some cousin of a troll. I readied my bow and tried to approach silently.

 

 

It took three arrows to fell the troll, and his death throes attracted unwanted attention - more Falmer charged my position from deep within the cave. I fought them off, not letting any time go to waste as I continued to follow the artifact. 

 

After a painstaking ascent through looping, labyrinthine tunnels, I felt a distinct tug on my piercing. Looking up, I could see some kind of ancient ruin in the distance. A castle or temple of some sort. Instantly, I was sure that the final artifact lay within. 

 

 

Before I could reach the gates of the ruin, I had to cross a suspension bridge over one last chasm. The other side was guarded by a Falmer archer, and I reached for an arrow to dispatch him with - only to find my quiver empty. With little alternative, I unslung the dwarven arquebus and loaded it. I didn't have much experience with this kind of weapon, so I took especially careful aim before pulling the firing lever.

 

With a satisfying boom, the weapon discharged and a blink of an eye later the Falmer archer's head snapped to the side as his skull disintegrated and the impact hurled his decapitated corpse to the ground. I was impressed with the arquebus - not only had it shot true over a long distance, but it had struck with devastating force. I resolved to keep it, but for the moment I took the archer's quiver and readied my bow again. Here, outnumbered so heavily, silence outweighed striking power. 

 

 

Somewhat to my surprise, the path led me not directly to the ruin's gates, but back to the surface. However, nor far beyond I could see a marble bridge, maintained in almost perfect condition, and I surmised that this would be my means of entry. Cautious for more Falmer interference, I carefully passed a large pavilion of skins and chitin. It was empty, but a fire burnt within and piles of meat waited on shelves. I realized at that moment that I was rather hungry, and I paused both to warm myself and also to cook some stolen meat. Once I was warmed up and fed, I continued on.

 

At length I was discovered, but only after felling a number of sentinels and progressing deep into the enemy camp. Switching to my sword, I cut a bloody swath through the Falmer until I found myself moving up the side of a hill past the outskirts of the village. Beyond a series of palisades and other fortifications, I could see a great creature - a frost giant I think - pacing back and forth. With the utmost care, I avoided it and kept moving upwards, looking for a switchback that would take me the rest of the way up to the bridge.

 

 

The way up was treacherous, rife with opportunities for one ill-placed step to send me sliding to my death. Moreover, as I rose out of the valley the wind started to bite at me again. I had to make a careful balance between haste and care as I traversed the mountainside. Finally, I crested a rocky ridge and found myself looking directly at the bridge. All that stood between me and my prize, it seemed, was a small Falmer hamlet and a dark, armored figure blocking the way.

 

 

If there were Falmer about, they chose the better part of valor and avoided me. That just left the armored guardian to contend with. Unlike earlier, this was exactly the kind of situation that called for power over stealth, and I prepared the dwarven arquebus. I wanted to catch him unawares if I could, inflicting as much harm as possible before he could bring his huge axe into play.

 

My first shot struck him dead center in the chest - once more the dwarven craftsmanship hadn't failed me. Unfortunately, the giant barely flinched at the hit. I wasn't sure if the bullet had deflected off his armor or if it simply wasn't enough to harm him, but he began to slowly, deliberately cross the bridge.

 

 

Again and again I shot him, but he just kept closing on my position inexorably. The only thing that saved me from a sure death was the slow progress of the giant. His armor must have been immensely heavy, and all he could manage was a lumbering march. By now his armor was glowing white hot in places for the repeated impacts, but he seemed oblivious to the damage. Just as he cleared the far side and I got ready to flee, my shot finally pierced his dense armor, leaving a glowing yellow-hot crater. The monstrous guardian staggered once, then twice, trying to continue his advance, and I took careful aim at the break in his armor. The second shot also struck true, and this time the giant could no longer ignore his injuries.

 

Shuffling forward a few steps more, it appeared that he could no longer bear the weight of his armor, and after a few final paces, he collapsed face first into the snow. I didn't waste time searching him for treasure. Instead, I took my chance and dashed across the bridge and through to the looming ruin.

 

 

Just as I was about to cross into the courtyard of the marble castle, I screamed out and fell to my knees. Wojtek had jerked my leash, hard, to the left - pain shot down my legs and into my belly and it felt like the Daedra had practically ripped my sensitive clit from my body.

 

After caught my breath and made my way back to my feet, I looked in the direction the jerk had come and saw a long arch surmounting a precipice some forty yards away. Limping from the residual pain of Wojtek's course correction, I approached the arch. As I stood nearly underneath it, the ground shook and snow receded from another chest. I hoped, the final chest. Within, I found a few assorted treasures - coins, gems, other trinkets - and a single item that by now I recognized as one of the artifacts. It was a leather gag, of the sort with a ring in the mouth that slave owners could use to silence their thralls and prevent biting while leaving just enough room to accommodate the shaft of their cock for servicing.

 

 

Confident that I'd now completed the set, I added the gag to the collection of artifacts in my pack. Then I stepped back a few feet and took in my situation. 

 

Wojtek grumbled in my ear. "I didn't expect you to actually fight the Ebony Giant, piss pig. Well done... you impressed me. I was going to make you fight your way out, but I've changed my mind. Scamper back to that camp you passed through. I have a song to play for you."

 

"My name is Kirstia," I grumbled.

 

Wojtek was quick to respond. "No, your name is piss pig. You're my little piss-drinking, pink-skinned, two-legged pig. Now and for all eternity. Believe it. Accept it. Revel in it."

 

Saying nothing more, I returned the village and searched around its perimeter. Soon I came across another domed shrine and beside it, another blue ghost. I wasn't sure if it was the same one I'd seen before, but I greeted it nonetheless.

 

"So, ready to talk to me now?"

 

 

Cold eyes considered me. "No. Though brass, red, white, and snow have all met their fates and you begin to come into your own power, it is not yet time. When the wheel turns upon your full glory, you will return, and Auri-El's might will be manifest once more upon Mundus. Until then, Mathmeldi, go in peace."

 

I recognized that word, mathmeldi. The book I'd read in the cave - the book about the Ayleid's inscriptions - had a footnote about it. Mathmeldi, it had set, meant 'from-home-driven.' As fitting a name as any, I supposed.

 

The ghost said nothing more, and I accepted his silence. Turning to the shrine, I approached it, preparing myself for Wojtek's manifestation and bracing for the impact of his music. He did not disappoint, appearing with lute in hand and strumming a familiar melody. As my own passions seethed, the shrine opened and I obeyed the compulsion to step within.

 

 

The hexagonal stones, though cool, were far warmer than the snow I'd been walking through moments before, and as I walked over them to approach the font I could feel competing forces at work in my body. On one hand, the relief from the cold along with the familiarity of the shrine and the promise of a swift return home released tension in my neck and back I hadn't even realized I'd had until then. But on the other, the deep rumble of Wojtek's song triggered intense vibrations in my piercing as well as stoking a deeper, more primal power in my belly. I could feel my thighs and calves, my tummy and my buttocks, even the childbirthing muscles lining the way to my womb, all tensing, practically coiling, all winding up towards a powerful release.

 

I knew now from experience that I'd soon lose my feet, so I sat on the floor and made myself comfortable. Soon all that tension in my loins reached its tipping point, and with a cry I feel into a welter of pleasure. My juices gushed forth onto the floor of the shrine, and soon the inky black oil began to rise from my pores.

 

 

When the oily cocoon at last fell away, I discovered I was not back at the wooded valley, nor back in the cave. I was standing half a dozen paces from the entrance to Larak's stronghold. 

 

"Keep up the good work, piss pig. I see great things in your future," Wojtek rumbled in my ear.

 

And then, I felt the tension on my clitoris go slack and realized that, for the moment at least, I was free to move in accord with my own will.

 

 

Behind The Scenes

Other than dying many times and having to reload, this was a remarkably smooth session - though I think I may have subverted Dawnguard's intended game loops a bit. I'm pretty sure the route Kirsti took to get to the bridge isn't actually supposed to be player-traversable, since it took a lot of careful climbing to reach. 

 

Review of the Nexus revealed another new BHUNP preset, this one based on the venerable Sofia The Funny Follower mod. In addition to providing a preset based on Sofia's custom body mesh, it also includes BHUNP data for building her custom body files with appropriate morphs and other settings, which should help with armor fitting. In addition to increasing the diversity of my body pool, this mod will be a good future-proofing option, should I opt to install Sofia in the future.