My most recent story. Unedited, 100% in-game screenshots, no photo-shop, minimal camera control (rotate/zoom), no special "screen shot mods" like facelight or pin-up poser, simple console commands for two animations (one from Frostfall, warm hands crouch), and yes this is what my game looks like most of the time, not 1% of the time like that idiot article.
Black Wolf Company - Shadow Beneath the Leaves - A Soldiers Tale
Source: Archives of the Black Wolf Company
Author: Annalist and Archmage Brotna the Broken
Date: 4E.203.Second Seed.30
Dirty Paws by Of Monsters and Men
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It has come to my attention that the archives are sadly lacking in any details about our current Champions bond-mate, Wolfgar, he who is known among the wolves as the Shadow Beneath the Leaves. However, before I address this unfortunate oversight, it behooves me to refer to annual 1E.266.234:56.7 of the Archives, in particular the section on bonded wolves:
No archivist has yet to find any factual account on how or why a Black Wolf Company member is chosen by Fenrir to receive this most blessed of gifts. What is known is that it only happens to those wolves and people who have received Fenrir's Blessing. The wolf and mercenary may be of any age and the bond joins their souls and minds; lasting for life and possibly beyond.
When in close contact the bonded pair may communicate by thought alone; in a mix of images, scents, emotions and mental constructs similar to words. On the soul level they are always in contact, regardless of any constraints of space or time, and they can sense whether the other is alive along with their general health and emotional condition.
It is theorized that the wolf is an offspring of Fenrir, based on their extended life line, large size, enhanced physical senses and abilities, and uncanny intelligence. Based on conversations with various bonded pairs over the centuries it is also suspected that the pair is selected based on some need for it to occur, a need which may only ever be fully understood by Fenrir himself.
The most recent bonded pair is that between Champion Grimulfr Fenrirson and his assumed half-brother Wolfgar, the wolf known as Shadow Beneath the Leaves. It is now known that Grimulfr is a direct child of Fenrir and, since it is believed all bonded wolves are Fenrir's offspring, it can only be concluded that somewhere within that blood-line they are indeed half-brothers. When queried, neither Grimulfr nor Wolfgar were able to answer, indicating Fenrir has remained mute on the question.
Considering Grimulfr's natural reticence in regards to social matters it is not surprising very little is known about his bond-mate Wolfgar. However, in a very rare and uncharacteristically gregarious mood, Grimulfr not only allowed me to conduct an interview with him, on how he and Wolfgar bonded, but was also willing to translate the tale from the viewpoint of his bond-mate!
The sun had climbed to the top of the sky and a gentle wind blew the fresh scents of the trees and plants through the woods but Wolfgar paid them no heed; in fact he paid no attention to anything besides his mother who lay unmoving before him.
Only a wee little cub, Wolfgar had been raised by a small pack of wolves that normally roamed the Woods between Riverwood and Helgen. The pack had been forced out of their usual territory, by the fighting of the Imperials and Stormcloaks, and had found themselves forced into unwanted contact with the human settlement of Riverwood.
People had come after them, fearful of their livestock and eager to earn some coin from the highly sought after pelts, hunting them with steel, bow, and clever traps. Only a handful of wolves remained in the pack when they were ambushed by a group of hunters. His mother, wounded by an arrow, had grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and ran as hard and as fast as she could, doing all in her power to save her only remaining offspring.
When she could run no more she collapsed; dieing within an hour from a pierced lung and loss of blood. Before she died she licked her pups face and growled, telling him he must run and hide before the hunters tracked him down. But Wolfgar did not understand and only cried in fear and confusion.
He walked around his mother, licking her face and pushing at her body with his nose. He whined plaintively but she wouldn't move and he could not understand why. The sky slowly began to darken as the sun continued its climb through the sky. The shadows from the leaves above began to cover the little wolf and his mother in their dark embrace as the sun began to set. Ignoring his pains of hunger and thirst, the little wolf kept his vigilance over his mother, hoping she would wake up soon.
He was startled out of his misery when he heard a noise approaching. He moved close to his mother, his paws wet with her spilt blood, as he bravely sought to protect her. His small legs began to tremble with fear as he began to realize he was all alone and that his mom was not going to wake up. He now recognized the smell of death even though his young mind had not made the full connection between that and his mother.
The he saw what was making the noise, one of the tall ones, a human, the kind his pack always avoided. The kind that had attacked and killed many of his brothers and sisters. Yet this man, this giant human, was making soft soothing noises to him and somehow he could feel that this human meant him no harm. In fact he could feel the same warmth coming from him that he felt from his mother.
The human approached him very slowly and bent down towards him, reaching out with an open hand for him to sniff. Wolfgar walked over and sniffed the mans hand before darting back to his mother.
The man was very patient with him and Wolfgar began to relax, thinking maybe he could trust this person that was cooing softly at him. Wolfgar walked around him, smelling carefully, waiting to see if the human was going to attack and ready to run at any sign of quick motion. Instead the man slowly sat down, sitting comfortably, and letting Wolfgar take his time to check him out.
The human otherwise stayed very still, only turning his head a little to watch, and keeping his hands low and in the open for Wolfgar to watch. Wolfgar swallowed, and ever so cautiously he went and licked the mans hand. The man smiled down at him and, moving slowly, scratched his chin.
At the contact both froze for a moment in shock. It was like an electrical pulse went between them freezing them in place. For a split second that lasted an eternity the two became one, sharing each others mind, thoughts, feelings, and memories. At the same time they both felt something in their minds, a powerful and animalistic presence that was giving off a strong sense of approval and satisfaction.
The man stifled a gasp, not wanting to scare the little wolf, and Wolfgar almost collapsed as the presence left and their minds separated … yet not completely for they could now sense each other, a small bit of their souls had become intertwined and inseparable, connecting them in an unbreakable bond of pure love and joy.
"Grimulfr." The mans name echoed in Wolfgars mind, which he heard in the language of wolves as "Fierce Wolf." He shared his own name, "Shadow Beneath the Leaves", and the man smiled pleased. "I shall call you Wolfgar, my little Shadow Beneath the Leaves," the man said in his own tongue.
Thus it was that Wolfgar became bonded with Grimulfr Fenrirson, the Champion of Fenrir. As is the way of animals, being eminently practical, Wolfgar recovered from the loss of his mother quickly, but he never forgot her scent or how she had saved him from the hunters.
This is Shadow Beneath the Leaves. He is a wolf. He is Wolfgar of the Black Wolf Company.
Addendum by Annalist and Archmage Brotna the Broken:
After the interview I checked all my notes and compared Wolfgar and Grimulfrs story to many others recorded in the annuals and I have seen a pattern. It would be my theory that Fenrir bonds those, under his protection, who are in great need of emotional support and companionship. Young Wolfgar had just lost his mother and his pack; in essence losing his entire world in one day. Grimulfr had left behind his adopted family, was captured and tortured by the Thalmor, and then almost executed in Helgen. Clearly Fenrir has plans for these two and knew they would find in each other the strength they would need to carry on.
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ENB: Somber Custom Mash-Up Preset by WolfGrimDark
Notes: I had a hard time writing this I admit; I am far to emotional for my own good when it comes to animals. The music I selected was mainly because I like the name of the song and the emotional feeling of it.
I know this was far shorter than my other soldier tales but there is good reason for that. Grim met Wolfgar when Wolfgar was just a puppy and hence there is not a lot of prior history to cover since he was only a few months old. He has spent his entire life with Grim at his side and hence Grims adventures are his own.
So instead I told the important story, how they met and bonded, as the rest is already known. I did not do this with a flashback as it was told from the point of view of Wolfgar, who has a poor grasp of time, and then recorded by Brotna the Broken (and Brotna's own tale is very interesting as well … a mage who holds his very body together by strength of will and magic … but that is another story to tell).
That being said I have plans to tell a special adventure told from Wolfgar's viewpoint and looking at the world from his perspective … hopefully with a special ENB preset selected to represent his way of seeing things.
Bonus Shots - Some of my personal favorites of Wolfgar from my collection:
