25 Heartfire, 4E201
Ruined Fortress
~~~
With nothing pressing to attend to this morning I awoke much later in the morning than usual, enjoyed a full breakfast at a leisurely pace, and spent the remainder of the morning at Warmaiden's alternately buying and working pieces of leather in an effort to become more skilled at my own armor-smithing.
It would have been considerably more kind for Ulfberth or Adrianne to have prevented me from wasting my coins. My previous set of leather armor was also self-crafted and could be best described as 'servicable', with a greater concern placed upon making too much noise over providing protection for its wearer. Since I have been sneaking about far more often these days I thought I could design something more protective.
I simply wound up with a 'servicable' set of leathers not much different than the first set which was destroyed in the process of creating the second. When I had finished wasting my time it after noon and I gave up, selling my second set to Adrianne and purchasing a third set of leather armor, this one made by someone directing its creation via skill rather than hope.
My list of small tasks placed a journal of Runil from Falkrath's at a bandit encampment south of Helgen called 'Southfringe Sanctum'. According to my logbook, I had promised Runil that I would venture forth and bravely retrieve his journal for him, though I apparently made no note of the reward or he made no mention of it. Still, I had given my word, so after a good lunch at the Bannered Mare I left Whiterun and walked through Riverwood towards the ruin of Helgen.
More bandits have occupied Helgen's remains, but I was able to sneak through the ruin without any of them noticing me. The road beyond leading back towards the Pale Pass was seemingly abandoned by both men and animal alike. However, when I came to a split of the road I found myself facing a massive fortress in what appeared to be good condition.
It was starting to get dark, so I figured my choice was a night at the fortress or a night in a damp cave. Granted, the cave would likely not have as many enemies inside of it, but the fortress would certainly have a fireplace, so the choice was an easy one.
So was the combat. As I had guessed the fortress was overrun by bandits, but they had grown complacent. I found most of them sitting in separate rooms, having a meal, there were none on watch, and only one, an Orsimer, was even holding a weapon as they died and the Orsimer still died unawares, too focused on bashing a dummy to notice the Khajiit behind him.
Even the purported "leader" of this sad group went without a fight, but the journal she had on her person made me feel as though it was a fitting fate. According to her writing, the bandits had ambushed the Imperial Legion garrison soon after the destruction of Helgen. Cut off from reinforcements, they fought a fighting retreat into the keep and eventually room-by-room before they were overwhelmed. The eulogy ended with the excitement of having found a library under the fort and with it the hope for artifacts and wealth. A key on her belt was said to be for the library. The last she wrote was that she had sent her rogue mage down there to evaluate what could be found.
This was odd, as I found the door to the library to be locked. Perhaps the mage did not appreciate interruptions. He appreciated mine even less: an arrow to the chest. I found nothing in the library worth much of anything.
After dragging the former bandit leader's corpse out of the room I have barred it, lit the fireplace, and am enjoying a light dinner, courtesy of several bandits who did not finish theirs. It is a very short walk to Runil's journal, so I anticipate I shall be sleeping in Falkreath tomorrow.
It would have been considerably more kind for Ulfberth or Adrianne to have prevented me from wasting my coins. My previous set of leather armor was also self-crafted and could be best described as 'servicable', with a greater concern placed upon making too much noise over providing protection for its wearer. Since I have been sneaking about far more often these days I thought I could design something more protective.
I simply wound up with a 'servicable' set of leathers not much different than the first set which was destroyed in the process of creating the second. When I had finished wasting my time it after noon and I gave up, selling my second set to Adrianne and purchasing a third set of leather armor, this one made by someone directing its creation via skill rather than hope.
My list of small tasks placed a journal of Runil from Falkrath's at a bandit encampment south of Helgen called 'Southfringe Sanctum'. According to my logbook, I had promised Runil that I would venture forth and bravely retrieve his journal for him, though I apparently made no note of the reward or he made no mention of it. Still, I had given my word, so after a good lunch at the Bannered Mare I left Whiterun and walked through Riverwood towards the ruin of Helgen.
More bandits have occupied Helgen's remains, but I was able to sneak through the ruin without any of them noticing me. The road beyond leading back towards the Pale Pass was seemingly abandoned by both men and animal alike. However, when I came to a split of the road I found myself facing a massive fortress in what appeared to be good condition.
So was the combat. As I had guessed the fortress was overrun by bandits, but they had grown complacent. I found most of them sitting in separate rooms, having a meal, there were none on watch, and only one, an Orsimer, was even holding a weapon as they died and the Orsimer still died unawares, too focused on bashing a dummy to notice the Khajiit behind him.
Even the purported "leader" of this sad group went without a fight, but the journal she had on her person made me feel as though it was a fitting fate. According to her writing, the bandits had ambushed the Imperial Legion garrison soon after the destruction of Helgen. Cut off from reinforcements, they fought a fighting retreat into the keep and eventually room-by-room before they were overwhelmed. The eulogy ended with the excitement of having found a library under the fort and with it the hope for artifacts and wealth. A key on her belt was said to be for the library. The last she wrote was that she had sent her rogue mage down there to evaluate what could be found.
This was odd, as I found the door to the library to be locked. Perhaps the mage did not appreciate interruptions. He appreciated mine even less: an arrow to the chest. I found nothing in the library worth much of anything.
After dragging the former bandit leader's corpse out of the room I have barred it, lit the fireplace, and am enjoying a light dinner, courtesy of several bandits who did not finish theirs. It is a very short walk to Runil's journal, so I anticipate I shall be sleeping in Falkreath tomorrow.
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