Part 14 Here
Chapter List Here
WARNING: ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM SPOILERS!
Of Vampires and Werewolves
I swiftly returned to Windhelm to report to Ulfric of our victory, but not before checking in at Breezehome to ensure Lydias safety.
On my return to the snowy city I was surprised to find it was the scene of a strange battle.
Not a moment had passed before I was set upon by a marauder.
Meanwhile, a Forsworn Ravager Woman fended off two cave bears as citizens did what they could to repel all of the invaders.
Windhelm was manic but soon enough they were defeated. One casualty among the populace, Nils was killed by the Forsworn.
Ensuring that the excitement was over, I went to the palace to deliver my message.
Ulfric was thoroughly pleased to now hold the centre of Skyrim and a great tactical position. He responded by presenting me with an Imperial Officers sword. I wondered who might have carried it..
He bestowed me with the title Ice-Veins, which was meant to say that I was an honourary Nord or something and told me that I was to help lead the taking of Falkreath.
I was to meet Galmar at the Stormcloak camp in Falkreath Hold in my own time, so I first decided to scout the city.
It was the one place I had yet to spend any real time in, only ever having passed through. I had not even met the Jarl.
As usual, my quiet visit did not go to immediate plan. An ancient dragon arrived at the same time as I and I was forced to defend the city along with its full force of guards.
I chased the beast a little way from the city in order to protect its people, though many followed in awe of the sight.
Once it was slain, I was approached by Dengeir and we spoke. He told me that he used to be the Jarl until it was discovered that he was a supporter of the Stormcloaks.
Once that was found out, Imperial coin changed hands and he was encouraged to step down in favour of his nephew.
He was suspicious that his old servant Lod had some dealings with the Empire against him and wanted me to steal a letter from his house to uncover the truth.
I agreed to help my Stormcloak ally, if it would damage Imperial power here.
By this time a crowd had gathered to gaze at the dead dragon.
I went to Lod, who immediately began talking of how loyalty was important to him and that Dengeir was a friend as well as boss.
I hadn’t really asked, but I did mention the trouble with Barbas. He apologised with a small amount of coin.
When his back was turned I swiped his house key and let myself into his home to grab the letter Dengeir wanted.
As I made my way to Dengeirs home I saw a woman, Tekla, looking quite confused.
The letter seemed to absolve Lod of any treachery and Dengeir then told me about his ancestor Vighar.
Vighar was a vampire, and it had been recently discovered that he had been dug up and freed. It was imperative that he be destroyed.
I made that my priority. I didn’t think much of the idea of a vampire getting in the way of my conquest of the city.
Outside the local tavern I had a short chat with a serving girl name Narri, who was quite friendly.
She called me handsome and expressed an interest in going on an adventure with me. But unfortunately her duties prohibited her from pursuing either interest. Shame..
I mounted Snowberry III and we began to ride towards the lair of the vampire master. The road was hazardous, but to my surprise I found a small home half way up the mountain.
There I met a woman, Angi, who had made her home there after she had killed two Imperials as revenge for their murder of her parents.
We spoke a little, and bonded over our opposition to the Empire. She told me how she was a skilled archer and when I joked that I could make Hircine jealous she offered me some free training.
She had her own target practice area and allowed me use of it.
We spent quite some time together, her giving me various tips on how to improve my skills.
The day had grown dark by the time we were done and I had thoroughly enjoyed our time together.
She didn’t seem to notice when I slipped on my Amulet of Mara, but she did give me her old bow as a keepsake.
Finally, the time came to leave and I went on to find Vighar. I came to the place where he had made his home and went inside.
He had already attracted a number of blood sucking followers. I felt it ripe time to test the strength of a werewolf against that of a vampire team.
My beast blood was victorious, but wore off before I found Vighars inner sanctum.
The vampire had clearly arranged an arena either for execution or entertainment or both. I entered, with my guard lowered and the fiend released his pet wolves.
I suppose it would have been ironic if they had overpowered me after my transformation, but it was not to be.
Once his pets were slain, Vighar himself leaped into the arena to challenge me.
He was old, but he was powerful. He proved a worthy foe, but I overcame.
I took a wrong turn on my way back and found that a dragon had roosted on a Word Wall that I had previously visited. I summoned Odahviing and together we dispatched it.
I looked for Dengeir on my return in the Jarls building. He was not there but I spoke briefly to Jarl Siddgeir. He was a smug and arrogant sort, not deserving of his position. Though I did see something in his suggestion that I should try being a Jarl.
I found a thankful Dengeir outside.
I walked on through the famed cemetary where I saw a burial taking place.
The unfortunate couple were burying their daughter, a child who had been torn apart by some monster of a man.
Something urged me to find the killer and speak to him in his cell.
The man was called Sinding. He told me that he was a werewolf and that Hircine had cursed him with uncontrollable transformations and lack of self control when he turned. He had no desire to hurt anyone, especially a child, but Hircine had driven him to madness.
He had intended to kill a great beast and in doing so summon Hircine to request the curse be lifted.
In his cell he had no hope of doing so, so I offered to help. Being of his kind, I sympathised and worried that my own beast blood may one day curse me in this way.
He gave me the ring, which was the cause of the trouble. I was to return it to Hircine and have the curse removed.
I approached the place that I had been informed I would find the ‘great beast’.
I expected to find a giant troll or some such thing, but instead there was merely a majestic white stag.
Slaying it was a simple stroke of my sword and having done so, a spirit representation of Hircine appeared to me.
He told me how he delighted in the hunt. I asked him to remove the curse from the ring and he said he would do so if I hunted and killed Sinding.
I refused to do it, having not been wronged and knowing that Sindings madness was all Hircines doing.
Hircine insisted and forced a transformation on me.
In my beast form I rushed to the place that Sinding had fled to. I had just enough beast blood to fuel a sprint to the cave when I changed back into human form.
Inside the cave, I found a number of dead hunters and one Khajit who was looking in bad shape.
He told me that the beast was too much for them and they had had no hope. I assumed he meant Sinding the werewolf. The Khajit died before I was able to help him.
I walked deeper into the cave and was spotted by Sinding.
He asked my help from the hunters who were after him. He promised me that he was sane now and could stop himself harming any more innocents. He said he would stay away from civilisation to stop any further incidents.
My sympathy led me to accept his terms and I helped him fend off the attackers all working for Hircines games.
Sinding told me he would make his home in the cave and bother no one again. I left and was met outside by Hircine again.
Hircine had enjoyed what he had seen. He liked the way I had turned the hunt inside out and fought the hunters. He gladly removed the curse from the ring and told me that he would likely see me again.
I went back to Falkreath, hoping that they had no need for me to slay any more monsters.
I stopped in the tavern and as I approached the bar, an orc woman threatened me and called me a milk drinker.
I was not happy about being threatened and intimidated her, expecting her to back down. Rather she drew her weapon and engaged me in mortal combat.
We fought, forcefully laying into one another, all the while the landlady was yelling that she thought we should leave.
I beat the orc woman to the ground and she submitted. I sheathed my blade, but she kept her eye on me while I stayed in the place.
After a short rest, I decided it was time to meet with Galmar at the Stormcloak camp.
He told me that the next move would be to take Fort Neugrad from the Imperials. I was to meet the men nearer to the place.
I made my way there and was approached by someone.
It was Ralof, who told me that he had been promoted to Captain.
The plan was that I should sneak into the fort and release some captured Stormcloaks being held in the prison. Once they were free and we broke out, he would charge in with his men and help take the fort.
I agreed to the plan, wondering why it once again fell to me to carry out the most dangerous part alone. I made my approach to the fort and began sneaking towards it remaining unseen.
I have no idea what caused the change in plan, but as I made my stealthy approach, Ralof and his men stormed the gates. The Imperials came out in arms and a battle began.
By the time I had reached the fort, the Stormcloak soldiers had wiped out the forts defence force.
Ralof and I joined forces to clear out the remaining Imperials from within the fort, while our soldiers held ground outside.
The resistance inside was heavy, but Ralof and I are both accomplished warriors. We met their forces as equals.
What was supposed to have been the first duty, ended up being the last: freeing the captured Stormcloaks.
I released them and they retrieved their confiscated armour and gear. Ralof and the survivors (we only had one casualty) stayed to hold the fort while I was instructed to deliver the good news to Ulfric.
Part 16 ‘Females and Flesh’ Here
Chapter List Here
