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(((This is just a reminder that my new story starts tomorrow! Link in the sidebar! :))))

Acknowledgements

Wow.

I looked at the original document for the Out of Mournhold recently and saw that I started writing it in March of 2010, over three years ago. I do remember that I started it completely on a whim, because I’d been playing Morrowind and I was bored. I’d tried writing a story about Morrowind before, but it had never really worked out. I guess it just took the right combination of character and elements to create a story I truly enjoyed writing, and that character was Fen. But I didn’t make OoM what it is on my own.

First and foremost, I must thank those who made the all the mods I used in my game – primarily Kateri for Julan Kaushibael and Princess Stomper for Royal CharGen, the two that contributed the most to the story. I also must thank (in no particular order) the Unofficial Morrowind Patch team, Psychdog Studios, Slartibartfast, Emma, the Tamriel Rebuilt team, Voltayre, Felix, Marcel Hesselbarth, Korana, Cydine and Maboroshi Daikon, Dark Angel, CanadianIce, Vality, Westley, Qarl, and Shadre for their incredibly well-made mods that I used.

The Tamriel Rebuilt team again, for their name generator that saved the authenticity of Out of Mournhold many times.

I must also pay extreme gratitude to Zayphod, whose fantastic story The Life and Times of Eldorf the Wise first inspired me to narrate Elder Scrolls games. Continuing that same vein I would like to thank all those who read my ill-fated Oblivion story, Blood Tide, and didn’t try to hunt me down when it ended prematurely.

Gix, whose lovely Let’s Play of Morrowind made me fall in love with the game again after a long affair with Oblivion.

My dear friend Harrison, who first gave me the [much, much smarter] idea of writing the entire story before making it public to ensure that I wouldn’t lose interest and stop writing it.

The people at Bethesda for creating such a beautiful game. I know video games are rarely considered “works of art,” but Morrowind truly is in ways I simply cannot describe. Thank you so much.

Thank you to my readers! I don’t have a lot of readers, but I know that you are all so lovely, and getting your emails makes my day. And being popular doesn’t matter a whole lot to me. I’m happier that there are a small number of people reading and enjoying Fen’s story every other week. The Elder Scrolls community is easily the most intelligent and kindest group of people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting on the internet, and I am so grateful for the time I have gotten to spend with them. Thank you all.

And most importantly, my old friend Erika, who first introduced me to Morrowind so many years ago. Erika, I know you will probably never read this and we will probably never see one another again, but just know that I owe this entire portion of my life to you for showing me this incredible game. You are an amazing person.

That being said, I'm excited to finally reveal the other big project I've been working on the past few months - a Skyrim narrative that will be called Dov Ronaan. It isn't quite done yet and I need some time to finish up some things irl, so chapters will start going up on June 1st, 2013. It was a lot fun writing a character that's so vastly different from Fen, and I hope you'll read and enjoy it, even though we all know Skyrim doesn't hold a candle to Morrowind.

I first started writing Out of Mournhold on a whim one day, and I had no idea that it would transform into something like this. All of you have helped me reach the place I am today, and I am so thankful for that. I am going to miss Fen and Julan more than I can bear, but knowing all of you read and looked forward to each chapter of their adventure will help.

Thank you. You have made our journey very sweet.

Celestina

Epilogue

XIV - Aftermath

It was very cold. All she could think about was the cold and the wet. Slowly, Fen cracked her eyes open and felt herself shiver. Her vision was bleary, and she slowly sat up and realized she was covered in snow. And it was so bright…

Julan update

Hi! If you use the Julan Ashlander Companion mod, just wanted to put it out there that Kateri just released a new version of it that can be found here. The new stuff looks really awesome, I wish I had had it while playing Tribunal (especially considering how well it would have fit in with Fen...oh well).

See you guys next week :)

C

XIII - The Hunter's Skill

“I’m not here to play your game,” Fen snarled, her free hand tightening into a fist.

“That is a shame,” Hircine replied. “For you will play it anyway. You have escaped my hounds and beaten back the other challengers.” The Daedra chuckled. “I had rather expected the giant to prevail. But he was beaten by the smallest competitor. Ah, but no matter. You have proven yourself a worthy hunter, and you have earned the greatest honour that can be bestowed upon a mortal.”

XII - The Inner Maze

Fen slowly pushed herself up off the ground, grimacing at the pain. She reached for Trueflame, holding it close as she slowly surveyed her surroundings. She had hoped that the gate might end this Hunter’s Game, but it seemed she was only in a new part of the maze.

Quick update

Hi everybody! I will be out of town from Friday to Sunday this week, but I'll have my computer with me, so I should be able to post Saturday's chapter without any trouble. The connection where I'll be staying is pretty spotty, so if it isn't up until Sunday evening please don't be alarmed! I promise it will go up before Monday no matter what.

Hope you guys are enjoying Bloodmoon! It's weird to think we're almost done.
C

XI - The Hunter's Game

Fen returned, exhausted, to her cabin, closing the door firmly on the freezing wind outside. Korst had spent the last hour explaining the Hunt to her, a game that seemed different ever time it happened. Men, sometimes entire tribes, sometimes single individuals, were taken to the Hunting Ground to be hunted by the Hounds. Korst explained that if they Prey could last through the Bloodmoon, the Hunter would leave the mortal plane and wait for a new era to play his game again.

X - Castle Karstaag

I have been playing the Dragonborn DLC for Skyrim since it came out for PC this week, and if you have not played it you really should! Bethesda did a really amazing job incorporating a lot of elements from Morrowind and Bloodmoon and it makes a Morrowind player feel very nostalgic. I almost forgive them for The Elder Scrolls Online ;)

Fen was surprised to see Korst Wind-Eye standing stock-still in the centre of the village, his back to her as she approached, his neck craned upward at the sky, leaning heavily on his cane.

“I have the heart,” she said quietly, approaching him. Korst did not turn. For a moment she thought he had not heard her.

IX - The Ristaag

“Are you proud of yourself, Nerevar?” He stood before her, arms crossed over his powerful chest, his face concealed behind a mask of gold. “Do you think you’ve done well for Resadayn? Do you believe they think you a hero?”

VIII - Attack on Skaal Village

Night had fallen, thick and cold, upon Skaal village as Fen returned, tired and hoping for nothing more than a tisane and a bedroll with a heated pan beneath it. The village was quiet, no one outside save the ever-vigilant Honour Guards that greeted her with solemn nods as she passed. Candlelight leaked out from beneath the shutters of the wooden cabins, and smoke curled up serenely from their long stone chimneys. Fen stared up at the starless sky, dominated by the twin moons that threw diamonds of moonlight onto the untouched snow beyond the houses. Fen made her way past the well that marked the middle of the village toward the Great Hall, the only sound being the crunch of snow beneath her boots and the distant wind in the trees.