Part 12 Here
Chapter List Here
WARNING: ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM SPOILERS!
Enemies; Elves, Evil Spirits and an Empire
I came out of the Sightless Pit alone and upset.
It was a poor time for things to choose to attack me, but somehow I was assaulted by three frost trolls, a gang of bandits, a snow bear and an ice wraith all within two minutes.
A moment later I found – of all people – Louis Letrush in combat with another ice wraith.
Although I could not be sure if this was the real Louis or a duplicate.
I followed him a short way as he passed through Winterhold, but I was forced to abandon the chase when an ancient dragon ally of Alduin came upon me.
Onmund and the city guards helped me fight it and it was destroyed.
With one casualty on our side.
The time had come for me to return to Septimus Signus and deliver the blood samples that Ghorbash had died for. It hardly felt worth it.
It was strange to see the man thrust the apparatus into himself…
..but the door opened and allowed us to enter.
Septimus was surprised that all the box contained was a book. A moment later he burst into a pile of ash.
The wretched spirit Hermaeus Mora appeared again revealing that he had destroyed Septimus and that I should use the knowledge in the book.
I left the outpost and hoped never to encounter him again.
But while in there I discovered a book about Boethiah.
It told of how she respected a man who kille a friend in order to save his own life. I was prompted to seek out Boethiah and find out what this was all about.
I went to Riften first, though it was a further journey, as I intended to once more go through the routine of putting away unnecessary items.
On the way I made one more attempt at finding Maven Black Briars lost Quill, despite it being far too late to help that long dead thug.
I was successful.
I returned the quill, as it was of no use to me, saw to my items and mounted Snowberry III so I may set off once more.
On my way to the shrine of Boethiah I caught myself admiring a view of Solitude.
Just a few paces away from the shrine itself.
I arrived and found some cultists engaged in an arena type battle, while others looked on.
One, who I assumed was their leader told me that Boethiah might appear and speak to me if I was to lead someone who trusted me to the shrine and kill them there.
I accepted, believing I may be able to find someone I disliked and who deserved to die to bring along.
I began moving on again and at the base of the hill rescued an old woman from a Frost Troll.
She kept saying ‘Wabbajack’ over and over again. She was clearly mad, and I did not have the weapon to hand to show it to her.
So I moved on.
I strolled along the road and came to the border of Skyrim where a monument was built to honour its people.
The monument was in ruins and on top there was a large strange sheet of metal.
I went back to Whiterun, having little to do and feeling that I owed the Companions a visit, what with being their Harbinger.
On arriving in Whiterun though, I recalled having spoken to a grumpy woman who may be a candidate for Boethiahs shrine.
I spoke to Uthgerd again and found that she was not as bad as I recalled. We even had a friendly fist fight.
The innkeeper told me that the Jarl was having trouble with one of his children so I decided to see what I could do, postponing my Companion visit.
Jarl Balgruuf told me his son Nelkir had been having violent thoughts and it was upsetting him. He asked me to talk to him and find out what the trouble was.
I spoke to Nelkir who told me he had learned secrets such as that his father still worshipped Talos in secret and his mother was not the same as his siblings.
When I asked how he knew these things he told me that a woman behind a door in the basement had whispered them to him.
I investigated and learned that the whispering lady was in fact Mephala, the Daedric Lord who spreads rumours among friends in order to create amusement for herself.
She told me that I must unlock the door to reveal a great power. I was to ask the child how to do so. Nelkir informed me that only Balgruuf and his court wizard Farengar Secret-Fire had keys to the room. He also said that no one would notice if Farengar went missing. This disturbed me somewhat.
I had no intention of killing anyone over this, so I chose to steal Farengars key.
Unfortunately he was taking lunch in the great hall..
Somehow, despite the room being quite full of people, no one noticed me slip my hand into the wizards pocket and take the key.
I entered the room and the voice told me to take the weapon on the table- the Ebony Blade.
A warning lay next to it, telling of how the blade corrupts those who wield it and make them kill their trusted friends. That was why it was locked away so that no one may use it again.
I took it, confident that I would not be corrupted. In this time of war, it may be best that it not be kept in such a prime target.
This small endeavour finished with, I made my visit to Jorrvaskr where I was surprised to see Skjor ressurected.
He didn’t seem himself however, so I wondered if he was some type of thrall.
I spoke to Vilkas, who told me that someone had been kidnapped and the Companions had been tasked with his rescue.
Vilkas and I journeyed to Ilinalta’s Deep, where Hofgrir Horse-Crusher was being held captive.
On arrival, we saw a dragon flying overhead. It did not attack, so I assumed it was one of Paarthurnax allies.
Inside, we found the ruins had been adopted by some mages and necromancers.
Some of which were using Hofgrir as target practice.
We killed the attackers and liberated the stable owner before escorting him home.
Next Vilkas informed me that Pactur from Stone Hills had also been kidnapped, so we were to go free him too.
We went together to the Lost Echo Cave where a number of Falmer were keeping the miner. I have no idea why they would want him, but that was not a question I could ask.
We found him among a number of dead bodies, no doubt other victims of the Falmer.
We escorted him home, where he was straight back to business and asked that I pass a message on to Thane Bryling in Solitude.
I took my leave of Vilkas, our work done, and went to Solitude to deliver the message.
There I found Igmund, the old Jarl of Markarth staying since being forced to leave his home.
He and his entourage were not happy to see me.
I was about to leave the city when the beggar Noster Eagle-Eye told me of his old war stories and how he had lost his prized helmet. He asked if I could retrieve it, so I agreed, once again having little else to do.
I walked towards the cave that it was supposedly lost. On the way I was attacked simultaneously by a dragon and a bear, who turned on each other making it a three way battle.
The bear was killed between the two of us and I’m not sure where from but an Imperial soldier appeared and helped me kill the dragon.
As it turned out, he had been escorting a nobleman, but seemed to have failed to protect him when the dragon appeared.
The soldier mentioned something about the Empire falling apart as I left.
Further along the road, I came across three Imperial soldiers escorting a Stormcloak prisoner.
I attempted to ask what was going on, but the lead soldier became aggressive towards me.
I was annoyed at his behaviour so decided to free the prisoner. I couldn’t bear to think of what might happen if he were handed over to the Thalmor.
The soldiers immediately turned on the prisoner and attacked him. I drew my blade in defence of the poor soul but it was too late, he was killed.
In a rage I struck down the Imperials.
It seemed as though I had finally chosen a side.
I went on to the cave, Shadowgreen Cavern. It was another of the remarkable underground woodlands.
It was teeming with wildlife, not all of it friendly and of course some amount of spriggans.
It did not take long to recover the helmet.
I felt no need to hurry back to Solitude, still thinking I had nothing to do, yet a huge civil war lay over the land.
I travelled to a nearby cave which seemed to attract a number of boats, many of which were broken on the rocks.
Inside were a band of cutthroats and pirates who spoke of some hidden loot.
I felt slightly guilty destroying them all in their home, but I reminded myself that they had likely killed many other innocents in their time.
Their Captain Hargar faced me with a band of his men trying to overwhelm me. I cut down his men swiftly, but the Captain was a stronger opponent.
He fought well, but I subdued him. He crouched at my feet and begged for mercy. I allowed it and began to approach the place I assumed he kept his treasures.
When my back was turned he rose to his feet and tried to strike me from behind, but I was quick and parried his assault. I gave no mercy the second time.
It was a shame that the best of his loot was an amulet of Kynareth…
On the road to Solitude I passed the Dainty Sload, another pirate vessel. I boarded and searched for more loot while fighting off the criminals.
I was pleased with the curved sword I took from one of them.
I came back out on deck where two more armed pirates stood their ground, not daring to come near.
Finally I returned to Solitude, where I returned to Noster and gave him his helmet.
I took my new sword to sharpen and hone it ino a much more deadly weapon, while thinking of what I would do next.
Was I really to join the Stormcloaks?
Killing those men seemed quite final, but they had in a sense forced my hand.
I weighed up the options.
It was a difficult choice. The civil war was a big matter, but that was for the people of Skyrim.
I am an outsider, a Breton from High Rock. The Empire may be in control there, but this is Skyrim and I should not force my way of life on them.
I still had little idea of how I came to be in Skyrim, I do not remember travelling here.
The earliest I remember was waking on that carriage next to Ulfric and heading for execution.
Had I joined Ulfric previously? Perhaps I had.
But I was not on the list to be killed, so perhaps I had not…
Even so, the Imperials chose that I should be beheaded even though I was not listed.
I definitely hold that against them. They chose to make me their enemy that day.
I had spoken with both Ulfric and Tullius. Ulfric seemed more reasonable when dealing with me. Tullius had been a spoilt child at the peace talks.
History may have suggested that the Empire represented unity in the world, but that history was over. The Empire was not what it once was and seemed to have grown corrupt.
Tiber Septim had formed the first Empire heroically, allowing him to earn a place among the Divines as Talos.
Talos, the man the Stormcloaks wished to honour, while the Empire had renounced him for the sake of the treacherous elves.
The Empire had betrayed their own legacy and fallen in league with the Thalmor, a group that I was certain that I was opposed to.
They had also done little against the Forsworn who I had also labelled as my enemies.
Ulfric had driven them out and though he had used terrible methods against some possibly innocent people, he had been doing what was right for Skyrim. Besides, that book was likely written by an Imperial scholar, who may have twisted it to his own ends.
On the other side of this, once again the Empire are not free of such deeds, as proved when they sentenced me, an unaffiliated traveller, to death.
I hold no love for Maven Black-Briar. A woman that the Empire deemed fit to install as Jarl of Riften.
While the Stormcloaks placed Thongvor Silver-Blood in power at Markarth, I believe that it was his brother who was the source of the cities corruption. Thongvor made his position as enemy of the Forsworn clear, while his brother allied with their leader in secret. I may not like the man, but again, he is doing right.
The corruption in both Markarth and Riften was led by those loyal to the Imperials. I should hold that against them.
When I entered Riften after the Empire moved in, the guards seemed hostile and aggressive, warning me that they had their eye on me. While in Stormcloak occupied Markarth I was greeted by ‘Hail Dragonborn’ and various praise for defeating Alduin.
Ulfric was considered by some a racist, only accepting of Nords. From what I had seen, Stormcloak settlements welcomed all races of man and argonians. Windhelm had a seperate quarter for dark elves, but Ulfrics distaste for them is understandable seeing as they come from the same place as the Thalmor.
The Khajit caravans are not allowed access to the cities, but Ulfric did allow them to trade. This seemed fair, seeing as most people knew there were a few untoward dealings where the caravans were involved.
The Companions, true, honourable and noble protectors of peace leaned towards to Stormcloak ideals. I would take their view into consideration.
The Blades, I had once thought honourable, but had asked me to kill someone who did not deserve it, were a symbol of the Empire, though they may not be an active part of it any longer.
I was aware that the Thalmor believed both sides to be their puppets, but at least the Stormcloaks were fighting against them and not at their side.
The Empire had been defeated by the Thalmor before. Even if they did wish to strike against them once Ulfric had been dealt with they would be unlikely to succeed.
Ulfric may not have a better chance, that was yet to be seen, but he would be trying to unite Skyrim as a power of its own.
It was possible that Ulfric merely wanted power for himself, but in the wake of his ambition, there would be a great many good improvements.
There were yet some good people loyal to the Empire, like Jarl Elisif, but I hoped they could be saved.
I felt my mind was made up. If I was to be a part of this war, it would be alongside the Stormcloaks.
Part 14 ‘Taking the War to Whiterun’ Here
Chapter List Here
