Part 11 Here
Chapter List Here
WARNING: ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM SPOILERS!
Adventures for an Orc
I found myself a little lost and without direction at this stage. And also somewhat disappointed at the lack of response gained from my victory.
I wandered down to High Hrothgar where Lydia met me again and I spoke to the Greybeards, who had been waiting in the meeting room.
Arngeir was not entirely convinced that Alduin had been defeated altogether and wondered if he may return again at a time in the future to try to end the world once more.
This was hardly the pat on the back I was expecting, but nonetheless, I asked him if he’d found any new words of power, and went on my way.
I decided, seeing as I had little better to do, I ought to return the Skeleton Key to its rightful place.
I sent Lydia back to Breezehome seeing as this was Thieves Guild business and should be kept private.
On arrival at the Twilight Sepulcher I found it was being watched over by a spirit.
The spirit revealed itself to be Gallus and he informed me that inside, other spirits had lost themselves and would no doubt attack me. I was to face five obstacles as I travelled the path. Gallus told me a previous adventurer had left a diary containing clues about how to safely pass through. I took it, in case it was of any use.
“Shadows of their former selves, sentinels of the dark. They wander ever more and deal swift death to defilers
“Above all they stand, vigilance everlasting. Beholden the murk yet contentious of the glow.”
“Offer what She desires most, but reject the material. For her greatest want is that which cannot be seen, felt or carried.”
“Direct and yet indirect. The path to salvation a route of cunning with fortune betraying the foolish.”
“The journey is complete, the Empress’s embrace awaits the fallen. Hesitate not if you wish to gift her your eternal devotion.”
The first area was simple. A battle through the Nightingale Spirits who had gone mad. Little brain power used to figure that out.
The second was a little more tricky and I figured it out the hard way. Bright lights glowed in a dark room. The lights had some kind of enchantment upon them that burned anyone who walked in them. After a light singe I realised that like any good thief, I should walk in the shadow.
The third room contained a statue of Nocturnal and the clue suggested I make an offering. For a while I pondered what could not be seen, felt or carried. It was obviously none of the gems or coin that other travellers had attempted to give.
I cast a light spell on the statue, before realising that Nocturnal craves the opposite: darkness.
I attempted to put out the various sconces and candles around the room, but some magic kept them alight.
But then I found pull chains which did the task for me and I was allowed through.
The next obstacle was disappointingly simple what with all the of cunning and so on. There was simply some swinging blades that could be avoided by picking a lock and going around them. Considering I had the Skeleton Key at my disposal, the lock picking was extremely easy.
Finally, I came to a large pit and no other routes. From the clue I came to the assumption that I should throw myself in. The drop was long, but not so much that it would do lasting damage.
I took the plunge…
Nothing.
I found the body of a man who had travelled with the writer of the clues. He clearly had jumped in as I had. There were no doorways in the pit, so I thought I may be doomed to the same fate as he, starving to death with no hope of escape.
I held out the Skeleton Key.
It seemed that Nocturnal had been waiting for this. The room filled with light and a place to put the key appeared. I did so and the room transformed. It became a round room with a pool in the centre, where Nocturnal appeared in physical form to me.
Karliah was there too.
For my loyalty, Nocturnal awarded me with the permission to use this temple to acquire boons to my theif skills. I was to choose between Strife, Subterfuge and Shadow, yet I may return and exchange boons once a day.
After a heart warming reunion between Gallus and Karliah, before he finally became one with the shadows, I accidentally stepped upon the subterfuge symbol thereby accepting that power.
I suppose it made that choice simple…
I wandered out into Skyrim, now very much aware that I had little else to do in this strange country.
Thoughts of returning home crossed my mind until I came across a wounded man outside a cave.
I helped Valdr by healing his wounds and he told me that his friends had been killed inside by spriggans when they ventured in hunting bear.
He asked that I destroy the spriggans so that he could retrieve their bodies for proper burial.
I agreed, respecting the honour of the dead, and having nothing better to be doing.
I summoned Hakon One-Eye to lend me assistance inside.
Once I had emptied the cave of the strange wood creatures, Valdr rewarded me with his lucky dagger. I thought to question how lucky it could be after what had happened, but thought better of it.
Having yet to find the Word of Power Arngeir informed me of, I set out to recieve it.
I was to travel through the Lost Valley Redoubt, which having passed by it before I knew to be a Forsworn hideout.
I approached and summoned Wheezer to assist me. He was invaluable as it seemed these Forsworn were well trained and tactical. While several hard hitting sword and axe wielding warriors fought me face to face, a number of archers stood out of reach on walls dealing damage while my back was turned.
Nevertheless, I came out victorious and was able to make my way to the summit.
There I saw a curious ledge which seemed hazardously placed over the waterfall. It was called Bard’s Leap, and though the name tempted me to make a jump of my own, I felt it might be foolish.
However, by some misfortune, I tripped and fell from the ledge, plummeting towards the bottom and fearing for my life.
I landed safely in the pool and upon exit (and between fighting off more Forsworn bandits) a ghost appeared to me and applauded my jump. From what I could make out while defending myself in combat, he had long ago tried the leap himself and died in the attempt.
I suppose that is what the leap is named for.
I made the trek back to the top of the waterfall, a quicker journey without the numerous miscreants in the way, and at the Word Wall, I witnessed two hagravens creating a Briarheart. I had no idea that these warriors were undead.
We made short work of all three and I came away with another Word of Power.
In nearby Cradle Stone Tower I found this sword in the stone.
With forceful strength I pulled the blade from its sheath, but left it there for I had no use for it.
The Orc settlement of Dushnik Yal was nearby and I remembered speaking with an orc there who wished to adventure, though at the time he did not join me.
I returned there and offered Ghorbash the Iron Hand the opportunity to join me once more. He accepted.
I had little to offer by way of superior armour and weaponry at that moment, but gave what I could.
Inside the Longhouse I came across a book about Ulfric Stormcloak. It told of how he had defeated the Forsworn who had ruled the Reach for two years fairly. Though it admitted they had at times been cruel to their own people.
It then went on to tell how Ulfric had mercilessly tortured and killed any Forsworn and any citizen who seemed to help them in any way.
Once the Forsworn had been routed, the Empire were thankful to Ulfric and allowed him and his men to worship Talos even though it was a violation of their agreement with the Thalmor.
I also saw two potions magically floating in the air.
Ghorbash and I emerged from the Longhouse just at the moment that a fearsome dragon attacked the settlement.
This seemed odd to me at first, seeing as I had defeated Alduin and believed the dragons loyalty to be mine now. Though on a moments pondering I realised that Alduin must still have loyal subjects looking for revenge against me and the country that helped me do what I had done.
The entire orc village took up arms against the beast and we smote it…
… at the cost of one of the tribes younger members Nagrub.
Sadness in our hearts, Ghorbash and I left the settlement in search of adventure. I was certain that he was keen to battle side by side with the Dragonborn.
Our first battle, quite underwhelming was with a bear who was ferociously guarding a sword.
I know not why it was doing such, and had no means to ask, but it fought to the death.
For some way, we walked uneventfully until I saw something I had yet to see in Skyrim: a battle between Stormcloaks and Imperials.
I took it that this meant the truce was off and war had resumed. Perhaps now that the menace of Alduin was over, more resources were being put towards the war and more battles occurring.
I stopped at Markarth to go through the routine of leaving loot and improving gear. I decided to visit the new Jarl while there to see who had been appointed. As I approached the Palace, the guards outside praised me for defeating Alduin and one even yelled ‘Hail Dragonborn!’. This was much more like the appreciation I had expected.
I entered feeling a little better about myself.
Thongvor Silver-Blood, an arrogant man I had briefly spoken to before had taken the role of Jarl. This left a sour taste in my mouth, considering what I had been through with his corrupt family, though I did seem to remember him mentioning he took no interest in his brothers affairs.
He also had the cheek to reinstate me as Thane of Markarth as though I had never been such before.
I went to my home to do as I had intended and while there equipped Ghorbash with some better upgraded armour and weaponry.
Not entirely sure where yet to take my new ally, I decided that I should stop at each of my properties and count up the number of dragon masks I had collected. I recalled that the complete collection was 8, but I was not certain how many I had now obtained.
We started north to Solitude.
Passing through the settlement of Dragon Bridge, a woman Olda asked if I could steal some rare mead from her alcoholic husbands stash to teach him a lesson.
This was hardly the adventure Ghorbash had been expecting but he did so anyhow.
Travelling on, I intended to stop by a Word Wall I had been informed of by a mysterious friend in a letter before heading on to Solitude.
It stood near a shrine to Meridia which on our approach began to speak.
She asked that we retrieve her stolen beacon and return it to her. It had been stolen by a giant and hidden in its camp.
Before leaving on this more interesting quest, we went to the Word Wall, which turned out to be the only unguarded one I have encountered.
Yet more disappointment for Ghorbash. I hoped Meridias quest would be more satisfying for him.
A slightly more eventful trip to the giants camp had us slaughter a few Thalmor and rescue a prisoner from them.
They fought well, and at least for the moment, this seemed a decent challenge for Ghorbash.
In Solitude I decorated with my captured insects and picked up the masks kept there before moving on.
A tailor asked me to model her clothing before Jarl Elisif and I kindly obliged, though again, it seemed like something Ghorbash had no time for.
Journeying south east, towards Riften, we found the giants camp and killed him before retrieving the relic.
We felt all the more satisfied when we found that the giant had been responsible for slaughtering a Khajit caravan.
In Riften I visited the Jarls court to see who the Empire had appointed Jarl.
I was shocked to find Maven Black Briar in the throne.
It was time to head back towards Meridias statue, but on the way I made a stop at Whiterun to locate more dragon masks.
I took a moment to look at the city and I felt that it stood as proud as it did mainly due to my recent influence.
The tree was a symbol of that.
Though it was somewhat out of the way, we made a call to the College of Winterhold. I sold the Elder Scroll to a very appreciative Urag…
and found that I was still missing two dragon priest masks. I stored them all but Volsung, which I had found to be invaluable on my journeys.
We returned Meridias beacon to her, and for a moment I believed that would be the end of yet another disappointing adventure.
But a moment later I found myself hurled into the air and hovering miles above the ground while Meridias spoke to me.
She requested that I enter her temple, restore the light of her beacon to it and destroy Malkoran – a defiler who planned to raise an army of the dead to conquer the world.
This seemed like just the thing I had signed Ghorbash up for. We entered the temple and our first sight was two mutilated dead bodies.
Worrying, though at least we knew we might enjoy a challenge here.
Inside we had to reconfigure several light beams so that they shone all through the temple.
We also fought through a number of shades…
…which turned out to be pitifully weak and I should hope would never have caused much trouble if they had been unleashed on the world.
The puzzles took us outside and back into the temple.
Until finally we came to the deepest chamber, where a proper battle awaited. Malkoran and a swarm of his undead followers fell upon us and surprisingly were something of a challenge.
Malkoran himself was the biggest threat. I cut through a number of shades before reaching him and struck him down. No sooner had he fallen, than he rose again as a powerful shade himself.
I had cut him down once, and was able to do so again. All that was left was for me to retrieve the sword Dawnbreaker to be returned to Meridia.
I took it in my hand and was whisked into the sky once more.
Meridia told me to keep it and use it to purge the corruption of the undead in the world. I gladly accepted.
Ghorbash and I journeyed on. Passing near an Imperial camp, another of Alduins followers attacked.
I called upon Odahviing to help fight it off.
The dragon was slain and we continued on our way.
We stopped at the inn in Dawnstar, for a short rest.
A mage and priest of Mara named Erandur asked for my help to cure the nightmares that the locals had been having. I had heard many rumours of these from many people including the Jarl, but this was the first time anyone had asked my assistance.
I agreed to help my fellow follower of Mara.
But it was to wait until I had had my fill of watching the attractive local bard play a few tunes.
Erandur and I took the short walk up the hill to the temple he knew was the source of the nightmares.
Once there he told me that the priests of Vaermina who worshipped there had been attacked by Orcs and had created a Miasma that sent everyone to sleep. Unfortunately it was likely that entering would awaken them and the effects of the miasma would have driven them all mad.
Erandur instructed Ghorbash to wait outside. I believe he wanted some privacy but it may have also been respect for the orcs we were about to slaughter.
Inside was a skull statue that was the source of the nightmares and had to be destroyed.
We fought through some awakened orcs and came to a magical barrier that Erandur could not move.
He told me that he used to be one of the priests here but fled when the attack happened. He now wished to return and set things right.
To get through the barrier I would have to use something called a Dreamstride so that I may travel on a different plane of existence.
I found a book describing the process.
And a potion that allowed me to do it.
I drank with Erandurs reassurance that he could pull me out if I was in danger.
I had a vision of the past and lived through another who had been there at the time. I saw what he saw and did what he did.
He ran through his friends as they defended the temple from the orcs and made his way to the place where he could release the miasma.
Once he had done so, I awoke in the present, on the other side of the barrier. I pulled the same chain and the barrier was removed allowing Erandur to join me.
We travelled in deeper and surprisingly were confronted by two of his old companions, who called him a traitor for leaving.
We tried to reason with them, but they attacked and we were forced to kill them.
Erandur then began the ritual to stop the nightmares, but as he did so, I heard the voice of Vaermina. She told me that Erandur would betray me too and I should kill him now while he was busy.
Her trick did not fool me though. I knew her to be a being of deceipt and treachery, who most likely simply wanted Erandur stopped for her own ends.
Erandur completed his task and our work was done. He told me that he would stay in the temple and make it his home, but if I would like him to he would join me on adventures.
With the possibility of returning later I bade him farewell and returned to Ghorbash.
We went back to Dawnstar to check on the people. The Jarl told me that the dreams had finished and assigned me the task of destroying a troublesome giant.
I obliged and he made me his Thane. Which was nice.
I decided to take Ghorbash with me to complete Septimus Signus task of collecting Mer blood. At this point I only required a Falmer sample so chose to find a cave that might have some within.
The Sightless Pit seemed a good choice, the name suggested it might be home to the blind creatures so we journeyed there.
I was a little wary on arrival that it was a pit. I had expected to simply nip into a cave, kill a Falmer or two and nip out again. That would not be an option here. We would have to journey through the entire place to find an exit.
It was an adventure though, and exploring dangerous caves was one of my specialties. We jumped in.
I had my Falmer sample moments after entering and began to regret entering the pit seeing as the rest of the journey may bear no fruit.
More Falmer soldiers attacked us with their insect allies, chaurus and spiders alike.
Ghorbash was challenged by two giant spiders simultaneously.
Had I not been dealing with a sneaky Falmer, I’d have helped sooner, but I got to him in time to finish them off.
We entered the underground Temple of Xrib hoping to find an escape route.
It was a strange yet beautiful place. Quite alien.
As expected it was home to yet more Falmer and their pets.
Ghorbash and I fought through them despite their poisoned weapons and sneaky archers.
I must admit, I admire the skill of their blind archers.
We came close to what looked like a mechanical lift that might lead us out of the caves when a master Falmer and two spider pets assaulted us.
Ghorbash and I were somehow separted. The spiders laying into me while he was cornered by the Falmer.
I dispatched the foul creatures and rushed to my friends aid. There was a sudden blast of red light, and before I knew what had happened, the dead spiders were on me again as well as the Falmer who was trying to blast me with his magic.
I cut away the spiders once more and hacked the Falmer to the ground, relieved it was over.
But horror… Ghorbash had fallen.
I do not know whether it was the red flash or some Falmer poison which had finished him, but I knew that this journey had not been what my friend had hoped.
He had died a warriors death, but I felt as though I had failed him.
His killers lay dead before me, but that was not enough.
Ghorbash deserved a respectful end and though I had not the means to bury him, I placed him on a structure central in the room that would serve as his tomb.
Part 13 ‘Enemies; Elves, Evil Spirits and an Empire’ Here
Chapter List Here
