Atreyu’s Photo Diary – Skyrim Part 35

WARNING: ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM SPOILERS!

Assassins, Hunters, Usurpers and Kidnappers

With the journal in hand I returned to Raven Rock to hand it to its rightful owner.
I managed to hand out a few more Sujamma samples.

to Bralsa Drel and Glover Mallory.

I noticed he had a Shadow Mark on his door frame.

As it turned out, he was the brother of Delvin Mallory. As a member of the guild he asked that I help him. A man named Esmond Tyne had stolen an advanced Bonemold formula from him and we wanted me to get it back.
He also asked that if I ran into Crescius Caerellius that I have him return the Ancient Nordic Pickaxe he had borrowed from him. Seeing as I was heading to his location anyway, this was easy enough to agree to.

Crescius was happy to have closure about his great grandfathers fate and gave me 750 gold in gratitude.
I then asked him about the axe and grudgingly he handed it over, saying that as a miner by trade he deserved it more than the blacksmith. I gave him my last Sujamma bottle hoping it would make him feel better.

I returned the axe to Glover, who told me that I could keep it. He didn’t really need it and wanted it back mainly to let people know that he wasn’t someone who could be taken advantage of.

As I turned to leave and make may way back to the Skaal village, Captain Veleth approached me and told me that Adril Arano needed to see me urgently.

It seemed important, but I thought I’d drop in on Geldis first and let him know I’d finished delivering his Sujamma.

He gave me 2,000 gold as thanks and I could already see that the inn was busier than it had been.

Having done this, I sought out the Second Councillor.

He informed me that he was suspicious that there may be a plot against Councillor Morvayn’s life. He believed that a member or members of the Ulen family were among the Raven Rock citizens secretly and planning to take revenge against the leader for his execution of one of their ancestors who betrayed him. He asked that I keep things secret, but I could speak to Geldis and see if he had any leads. He could be trusted.
I went directly to him.

He told me that someone had been leaving ash yams in the Ulen family tomb every night. If I could find out who it was, that might be a lead. Apparently Arano’s Redoran Guard had attempted this already, but when they were known to be watching, the culprits never showed up. My being a stranger might get around that.
I went to the tomb and hid to see what would turn up.

A womer entered.

I spoke to her. It was Tilisu Severin. She told me that she was leaving the offerings in respect as no one else in town would.

I did not press her, recalling how my investigation needed to be kept secret. Her appearance was not hard proof that she was the assassin anyhow.
I found Arano in the Retching Netch to report my findings.

He agreed that we needed hard evidence before accusing anyone, so he gave me a key to her house. I was to sneak in and find something, if there was anything.
He also told me that if I found evidence and they attacked me, I should defend myself.
I was not going to act with violence until I knew that they were guilty, so I geared myself up to sneak about.

My Aetherial Crown would come in handy here.

I told my tribe-kin to wait outside, but unfortunately the dead thrall would obey no instructions. So as I crept in and made myself invisible with the power of the crown, the cultist strode in nonchalantly.
The Severins attacked him and cut him down. I was not happy about this, but they could arguably be defending their home from an intruder. Especially as it was one of Miraak’s cultists, I could not blame them.

Until I had evidence of their treachery, I could not raise a hand.
As I searched, I found the house was quite splendid.

I poked around in chests and drawers until I found the family safe. If there were secrets, they would be here.

Success.

I had the proof Arano was wanting. I crept out unseen, having to leave my thrall behind. I had the authority now to carry out execution, but perhaps the people of Raven Rock would prefer a fair trial.

I found Arano in the Councillor’s home.

Now that we were both sure that the Severins were plotting against the leaders, Arano ordered that they be hunted down. The family had likely fled to Ashfallow Citadel, so two Redoran Guard had been sent after them. Arano asked me to join them and finish this.
I was not sure why I should be so involved but Arano insisted.
I agreed, but with the knowledge that the Severins were gone, I realised I could now go and rescue my thrall.

We marched towards the fort. On the way, I passed the dead miner again, this time realising that his accident may have been caused by drink.

I then passed the abandoned house I had seen earlier, though this time, it was not quite so abandoned.

They were Thalmor!

It had been some time since I had dealt any damage to these vile elves and I was happy to see an end to them.
Their leader carried a note.

It mentioned a smith. Perhaps this was the Baldor Iron-Shaper I had been asked to find.
Inside, I did indeed see him slumped in the corner.

He was hugely relieved at my appearance, but told me that more of the Thalmor had taken a map showing the location of a source of Stalhrim. He was not strong enough to go after them and begged that I do it. The Thalmor would be too powerful if allowed to find the Stalhrim. He did not care if the elves lived or died, simply that the map was retrieved.
Their being Thalmor meant that I would see them dead, map or not.
For now though, I needed to get to the Severins.
I passed a ruined outpost where I found another Empire Pendant.

As I reached the fort, I was assaulted by some assassins. The Redoran Guard were nowhere to be seen.

After seeing to them, I searched for my companions. They had already been killed.

They must have been taken by surprise by the number of assassins, expecting to only find the family as I had.
Inside, the family had barricaded themselves behind a number of traps and barriers which I had to avoid and deactivate before I could get to them.

Mirri Severin fell in the first wave.
Among the loot in the fort was a book.

I would have to look into Kolbjorn Barrow at some point myself and learn the secrets for myself. If it involved dragon priests, perhaps I could use it against Miraak.
In the main chamber of the fort I found Vendil and Tilisu Severin with two assassin bodyguards.

My Cultist had not made it through the traps, and my riekling had fallen back too, so I had to fight alone.

Tilisu was first to fall. Vendil however was a powerful warrior, very much a worthy match for me.

My Riekling had caught up with me at this point, so at least the odds had evened.
With a forceful effort, I ended Vendil. On his person he carried a curious key.

I wondered what it was for.

On the walk back to Raven Rock, feeling as though I was putting off the important task of dealing with Miraak for too long, I discovered another East Empire Pendant in a camp, which was home to a female reaver.

Further along the way I met a hunter.

He invited me to join he and his companions as they hunted a netch. They believed defeating one would be worthy of glory and generations of songs in their name.
I declined. Somehow, I could not bring myself to harm these peaceful creatures.
I watched as the men went after a bull.

One of the men was killed quite quickly.

Working together, the remaining three fought on..

Their combined effort brought the animal down.

The men were pleased with their victory, though sad at the passing of their friend.
I helped myself to the jelly.

I continued my short walk.
Once again I came across a pyromancer and a cryomancer in combat.
Once again, they both decided that I was a greater threat despite doing nothing to provoke them.

This time however, they were both women.

I had no choice but to kill the dangerous women before moving on.

Further on my path I was pestered by an insect I had never seen before…

..as well as a group of reavers.

Their leader carried an interesting blade, which I helped myself to.

Among their booty was another Empire Pendant..

..and some Stalhrim bracers.

I found Arano in the marketplace at Raven Rock.

He was pleased to hear the news that the threat against Morvayn was over and requested that I join him to give the leader the news.

Morvayn was especially happy that I had saved his life and in return he gave me a reward of 10,000 gold.
More importantly, he allowed me to take Severin Manor as my home on Solstheim.
I was happy to agree.
I stopped by straight away to make it my own.

After a nights rest, I set out, intending to seek out the Thalmor in the north.
Not far from Raven Rock I met a group of Cultists who seemed to be relaxing on the beach. When they saw me they went for me immediately.

At this point I realised that my own cultist follower had gone missing again.

Further north I saw the people who had been working on the Water Stone before stood about doing very little.

The woman told me that she needed to get back to her ship.

A little more along the way I found a herd of netch. Again I felt I would rather not hurt the beasts and decided to look for their jelly elsewhere.

A short way more I passed through a rival tribe of Rieklings. One of them had another of the Dibella Statues.

Finally, I reached my destination. I could see the Thalmor and readied myself for combat.

I approached them yet they showed no sign of hostility. I sheathed my weapon and spoke with the guard.

He agreed to let me speak with his leader Ancarion, but warned that any sign on trouble would mean the end of my life.

As was to be expected of a Thalmor, he was quite dismissive of my presence, walking past me as though there was no stranger on his ship.

When I grabbed his attention he spoke with the usual arrogance of his groups kind.

I told him I had come about the Stalhrim map at which point his tone became threatening.
I considered taking a tactful approach towards the situation, but these were Thalmor: undeserving of such grace.
I told them to leave or forfeit their lives.

Ancarion wisely opted to organise his men and sail away from the island. The weapon was not worth their lives.
It had been a victory over their stubbornness and perhaps they would now know not to upset the Skaal people.
I disembarked the ship and stopped.

These were Thalmor. The true villains of Skyrim’s civil war. The elves that the country should have united against. The number of atrocities in their name were countless, not to mention the crimes of this very group: kidnap, theft, torture.
I would never forgive myself for letting them walk away.