Atreyu’s Photo Diary – Skyrim Part 10 - ♠

WARNING: ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM SPOILERS!

Blades and Blackreach

I figured that the best place to begin searching for an Elder Scroll would be the College of Winterhold. Arngeir agreed.

First though I returned to Sky Haven Temple for two reasons. First to give an update on what was going on and second, to leave J’zargo with them.

J’zargo had been a great companion, a brilliant friend, and most importantly for their purposes, a formidable warrior and dragon slayer.
It was difficult to think of anyone else who deserved the honour.

He was able to prove his worth on arrival, as once more a dragon took the opportunity to strike the Blades while we were all together in the open.

Esberns reaction with his fireball spell were faster than mine with my image capture.

Kharjo and Esbern both summoned Storm Atronachs to help them fight the Blood Dragon.

The foolish creature should hopefully serve as a lesson to the rest of its kind that we should not be assaulted when all together at least.

J’zargo was accepted by Delphine, though she didn’t seem sure about him. I assured her that he would be a great addition to our team.

She told me that she could only handle training one more Blade recruit.

I would think carefully about choosing one more person to join.

I stopped at my home in Markarth and did a little decorating while I thought about it.

I had had a number of allies in my travels. I would think of each and decide who would best fit the role of an honourable Blade?

Faendal had been with me on many adventures and had taught me great skills in archery, but on the other hand had been unwilling to help when I was doing morally questionable things despite their being for the greater good. This despite once I parted with him, hearing that he had been causing trouble in Riverwood. I ruled him out.

Roggi Knot-Beard had too been a good ally and drinking buddy, but he too had questioned some of my methods. Perhaps an alcoholic would not be the best option either.

Mjoll the Lioness was a possible candidate, but she often said how she was in awe of my skills and I felt the Blades needed someone confident in themselves. As well as this, she was probably of more use in Riften, keeping the criminal element in check. Besides Aerin would miss her (or perhaps follow her and be a nuisance).

Mercer Frey was a traitor.. and a dead one at that.

Thonnir had often told me that he could not leave Morthal.

The Companions were all Companions, which may conflict with Blades duties.

The obvious choice was of course Lydia. My faithful first servant, though, despite her grumpiness, always came through for me and had scraped through countless adventures at my side.

I collected her from Breezehome and we travelled onwards to the College where I intended to learn of the Elder Scroll.

Urag in the library informed me that the person I needed to see was Septimus Signus, an old friend of his who had travelled north on a journey of discovery that had something to do with the Scroll.

I followed his advice and found the man, crazed, in a small cave with a large Dwemer artifact.

He told me that if he was to help me, I had to help him.
He gave me a Dwemer sphere and lexicon and told me to find Blackreach in Alftand where I could fill the lexicon with knowledge.

I do wonder why these people have never done anything for themselves..

So Lydia, Flamborghini and I travelled through the icy hillsides to Alftand where we hoped to find this place called Blackreach.

Someone had left a book about Dwemer out in the cold. I thought it was odd.

The ruins as usual were full of traps, Dwemer devices and treasures.
It was at this point that I learned how useful the Skeleton Key was.

No wonder Mercer wanted to keep hold of it. This must have been how he broke into Snow Veil Sanctum. Maybe I would keep hold of it a little longer before returning it to Nocturnal.

Another sight I was becoming used to finding in these places: the bodies of previous adventurers…

This poor soul had tried to hide from the Dwarven Spider Workers, but had been found apparently.

Along with the Dwarven devices, the deeper we went into the place, we found it was infested with Falmer.

I enlisted the help of a new friend to join Lydia, myself and Flamborghini while the Falmer pressed on us.

I call him Wheezer. I’m not sure why.

Among the devices were some of those giant centurions. Lydia and myself are getting used to facing them too.

Deeper still, we met a couple of adventurers who had turned on each other. There must be some curse on this place. Earlier we found a Khajit who had murdered his brother.
The adventurers turned on us and we were forced to kill them. The female carried an interesting shield, so I took it.

We opened the passage into Blackreach. I did not expect what I saw.

Enormous floating fungi, and a lost city. The place was huge. I expected a mere ruin, but this was more like an abandoned Hold, similar in size to Haafingar up above.

I soon made another discovery.

Crimson Nirnroot. According to some research made by this fellow..:

This was an extremely rare interesting form of Nirnroot with unique properties. He intended to collect 30 samples and experiment with them.
I decided to take it upon myself to collect the samples and take them to the Nirnroot expert I had met and helped earlier in my travels – Avrusa Sarethi.

Lydia and I explored the hidden province, in awe of everything we found.

Strangely, we found khajit, men and even orcs who were living and working as slaves to the native Falmer. They attempted to fight us off, but we came out victorious.