Skyrim Day 040 - Pleasantly Uncomplicated

24 Heartfire, 4E201

The Bannered Mare

~~~

Having been made aware of my forgetfulness surrounding the 'Bleak Falls' business I wasted no time with breakfast this morning, instead grabbing a roll on my way out of the College on yet another urgent task. The court mage of Whiterun, Farengar Secret-Fire, had been waiting for the barrow's stone tablet for well over a month now. I would not think this any more urgent than any one of the other requests I have received except for the suspicion that the tablet may shed some light on a few mysteries I have unearthed.

To my surprise I have absolutely nothing to write about my walk from the College all the way to Whiterun. No assassins, no wolves, nothing. It is a pleasant change from the usual schedule of my life and made for a quick trip, arriving at Whiterun just as the afternoon began. 

The Jarl's palace in Whiterun, the ominously named 'Dragonsreach', is situated at the very top of the hillside Whiterun is built upon, making it a very defensible stronghold. It also makes it quite an ordeal to arrive at. The town is built to the contours of the land it sits on and the path from the town's gate to Dragonsreach required far more steps than I liked.

Jarl Balgruuf was not in attendance this afternoon, but his steward, Proventus Avenicci, was busy worrying about something and distractedly pointed me to the side room that served as Farengar's workshop. The court mage was there, as well as a cloaked and hooded woman who was demanding to know of what progress he had made in deciphering the unfortunate event at Helgen.

What the woman said was interesting: that dragons have come back. Not that a dragon has come back, but dragons. Multiple dragons. I have not seen the one since the attack on the Imperials at Helgen, but perhaps each province of the (former) Empire is suffering from similar attacks. Yet after the destruction of Helgen Skyrim's dragon has not made an appearence. I have certainly witnessed what may be the after-effects of a dragon's attack, but the smoldering carts and dead travelers may just as well have been Fire Atronachs or rogue mages under the employ of bandits.

The woman's knowledge about dragons was evidently not for Khajiit wandering in, for she brought my presence to the Farengar's attention and excused herself from the room. The court mage greeted me by making the observation that I had not died in the barrow and asked after that stone tablet that was said to be there.

He appeared to disapprove of me dumping my travel pack all over his table, but that was the only was I was going to remove the tablet. Handing it to him was like handing a child the most delicious piece of candy in the city, but he quickly composed himself and directed me to the Jarl so that I might receive my reward. As the Jarl was not in attendance, neither was my reward. He asked that I not travel far in case he had additional work for me, but I suspect he will be too busy with the tablet.

With nothing pressing to do I consulted my second, smaller journal which I got in the habit of keeping when I was toying with the idea of becoming a trader...a hundred years ago or so. I wandered around aimlessly, writing down the prices for things in hope that eventually I would come across a profitable connection no one else had noticed. It was not a productive time in my life.

Now though I keep a second journal of mostly work, small tasks. It was more useful when I was a bodyguard, but even now I have been collecting a list of odd jobs to help fill in my days, as if I needed help with that.

One of the tasks was to retrieve a sword for one 'Amren - Redguard - Whiterun'. My notes stated that Amren managed to find out where his sword had been stolen to: Redoran's Retreat, a historically named bandit's hideout that likely had nothing to do with the Great House at all. The Retreat was just a former mine and located close to Whiterun to the west along the road, just north of the ruined fortress.

Amren could have probably retrieved his sword on his own, if his wife would have allowed it. Redoran's Retreat boasted a whole three bandits, plus one dog. What I assumed to be Amren's heirloom was an ordinary-looking iron blade engraved with a name, but I could not read it through the rust.

It was evening when I left the cave and Amren's family was just settling down to dinner when I knocked on their door. He was surprised to see me, having thought that I either forgot his request or simply decided it was not worth my time. Amren's exclaimed how wonderful it was to have the sword back again and his wife, whose name I do not believe I have heard, dryly replied that it could hang next to all the other weapons he never uses anymore. He pressed some coins into my hand, his daughter thanked me, and I left them to their meal.

Next on my list was 'Runil - Altmer - Falkreath' for a misplaced journal in a cave system named 'Southfringe Sanctum' almost directly south of Helgen. As it was already night I took a room at the Bannered Mare and may visit the sanctum tomorrow. 

These minor tasks are a marked contrast to the reality-warping emergency I dealt with at the College, but at least I can use this time to relax a bit, study, and work on my equipment. You never know what tomorrow may bring and it always pays to be prepared.

Oblivion Day 40 - The Reinforcement of Bruma, Part 3

7 Frost Fall, 3E433

Cheydinhal

~~~

Much was done today, much was gained, and not much was lost. My goal was to meet with the rulers of Bravil and Leyawiin to secure their support of Bruma and this was done.

The ride from Skingrad to Bravil was quick and without incident. Fitting for Bravil, Count Regulus introduced himself by saying he was a very busy man and that he doubted I had anything of use to say to him. It seems being rude is a requirement to be a Count in Cyrodiil. His demeanor changed as soon as the guard next to him whispered something in his ear. Then he was greeting me cordially as the savior of his "fine city" for having closed Bravil's Oblivion gate.

Such was his gratitude that he promised the aid of Captain Viera Lerus, Captain of Bravil's guards.

It was still afternoon as I left Bravil and I arrived at Leyawiin as dusk approached. Count Marius was still holding court, so I spoke to him briefly as well. He was much more reasonable than Count Regulus and swore to send help to Bruma, stating that it was Leyawiin's duty to the Empire to do so.

I left Leyawiin with the intention of stopping at the Imperial Bridge Inn, but after only a few minutes of riding I was quite displeased to find a new, open Oblivion gate resting against the river. It was too late in the day to close it, so I made a note of it and moved on. Again, just past Panther River, was another opened Oblivion gate.

Everywhere else I have failed to find new Gates, but along the road between Leyawiin and Cheydinhal I found a total of three open Gates. Either I have failed to eliminate Mythic Dawn agents in the cities or there is some other force at work opening these things. 

I was "ambushed" by a trio of Spriggans in-between the second and third Gates and when I dismounted to fight them my faithful horse bolted, fleeing back down the road towards Leyawiin. I was too preoccupied with not being killed to chase after him and when my battle against the plant-people was over my horse was likely halfway back to the city. I had no choice but to continue to Cheydinhal on foot.

Being on foot made it much easier to travel off the road and my combat temporarily dispelled my fatigue, so I pressed on past the Imperial Bridge Inn and turned off the road just after the remains of some farmhouses whose construction appeared to have stopped midway. Halfway from the road to Cheydinhal I found the third open Oblivion Gate and like the others I passed it by, noting its location on my map.

I doubt I will be returning to them any time soon. The armor Martin needs in Sancre Tor may hold the key to closing the Gates forever and the land is becoming increasingly dangerous to travel. How bandits are arming themselves with Dwemer and Elvish equipment is beyond my knowledge and the roads are not being patrolled as they once were. Spending a day closing these three Gates will mean little if three more will be opened once I leave. 

It was past midnight when I finally stood before Cheydinhal's gate and I am not sorry for waking the proprietor of the Newlands Lodge Inn for a room. This is the last city I need to visit, so tomorrow morning I shall resolve my business here and then head straight for the ruin of Sancre Tor. 

Morrowind Day 40 - Paranoia of the Telvanni

24 Hearthfire
~~~

The remaining accommodation available to me at the Gateway Inn when I stumbled in last night might have been someone's nap-time hideaway: just a cot, a small table, and a flimsy privacy screen, all of which set me back ten Septims. Situated right above the bar, I was guaranteed a lullaby of harsh noises and harsher voices, but I have certainly slept in worse places. Hospitality is not to be expected from the Telvanni and generally not to be found within their towns. I would have been better off spending the night at the nearby Imperial fort.

I purchased "Hospitality Papers" from a Telvanni as I was leaving the inn. While it sounded like a scam, I know that there are papers that the Telvanni require foreigners to acquire before they will do business with you, so for twenty-five Septims I took the chance that the Dunmer selling them was genuine.

There was no chance to test them out though; the dawn was just rising as I left the inn and the shops were still closed. The Imperial fort was a polite distance away from town, but I saw no one outside, not even a Telvanni guard. When I arrived at the fort, Wolverine Hall, I asked for directions to the Mages Guild and was pointed towards a tower along the curtain wall. One would assume that meant the Mages Guild is in the tower, simple enough. But no, the Imperial Chapel was in the tower and the Fighters Guild was under the tower. The Mages Guild was under a different tower only reachable by going through the first tower, then along the inside of the wall, then up the spiral stairs to the second, formerly unreachable tower.

I doubt it is to keep out Telvanni sightseers.

The enchanter there, Dabrenne Mornardl, was interested in buying a few of the more mundane pieces of equipment I had taken from the Dunmer fortress, so I exchanged a minor ring and staff for some Septims and teleported back to the friendly faces at Balmora to sell some things. I think I heard Ajira ask what I had to sell her before the teleportation spell fully popped me into existence, but that could just be my imagination. I did sell her three vials of Skooma and the rest of my enchanted finds to Galbedir, further weighing myself down with coin.

A trip to the Caldera guild was also called for to deliver the Propylon stone to Folms. As always, he paid me five hundred Septims for the stone and sent me off in search of another, this one for the haunted fort of Berandas, where I nearly died to the two feminine Daedra. The stone was held by a mage living near Gnisis, so I guessed the retrieval would be fairly easy. After all, you cannot have monsters running around your home if you are in town, right? Wrong again...

The quickest way to Gnisis is found by teleporting to Ald'Ruhn, then taking the Silt Strider to the town. I did not tarry in Ald'Ruhn or its Guild (not much there really!) and wound up in Gnisis at about one in the afternoon, according to a helpful Gnisis guard.

The "tower" shares the same squat architecture as a lot of Vvardenfell's architecture, but I know enough now to expect several of the levels to be below ground. The people of Gnisis could not give me much information on the building or the inhabitant, other than to say the mage had lost a lot of his retainers in the previous years. According to one towns-person, the apprentices and servants simply left and no one knows why. Perhaps the mage was formerly Telvanni and renounced the House? That's the only theory I have, but the Telvanni do not seem the type to let a former Telvanni live out his days peacefully.

Knocking on the door failed the attention of anyone inside, so I let myself in. The tower was very quiet and the bedrooms on the initial level, which I took for servant quarters, were deserted and had not been occupied for quite some time. There was a jail cell on a lower level, but this too was empty and unused. One of the bedrooms had a single inhabitant, but it was a large rat, which I left alone.

The tower was built along the lines of a single, large ramp that the entryway deposits you into the middle of. Following the ramp lower brings you to the jail cell and following it higher would lead me to the mage, if he was in the tower at all. The ramp ended at an ornate door very similar to the ones I saw in the burial tombs. Always one to be cautious, I removed my helmet and held my ear against the door. The thick construction served to prevent noise from coming through, but listening at the hinge probably saved my life. At the time, I could not tell what was making the noise, but there was a growl-like noise behind the door, as well as the sound of something walking about. I guessed correctly  that it was not the mage, but after using my defensive magics and opening the door, I found I was still unprepared.

The noise was a Daedroth, dutifully guarding the entrance into the mage's quarters. If the creature had been walking about, I would have had a better chance. If it had been not directly facing the door when I opened it, I would certainly have had a better chance. As it was, I opened the door to find myself about ten feet away from a very alert, and suddenly entertained, Daedroth.

Whichever of the Nine Divines was watching over me has my thanks. I cannot recollect why I thought it would be a good idea against a Daedra, but I used my Silence spell against the Daedroth, though I now realize the chance of it working was very slim. I must have been very lucky, for the spell did hold and the Daedroth was temporarily unable to shape its magicka against me. This probably saved me a fireball to the face. After realizing what happened, the Daedroth charged through the door, jaw and claws reaching for me and still a very dangerous opponent.

But the Daedroth are the thugs of the Daedra world: some brain, but mostly brawn. They are very strong physically and capable spellcasters, but they do not seem to go much for strategy. My silence spell only lasts for a few seconds, but the Daedroth never abandoned its attempt to claw my throat out, even though its spells would have been accessible early into the fight and far more effective. As it was, I certainly have experience in meele with larger, stronger opponents and I hampered its freedom of movement by keeping the creature pinned in the doorway. Constricted, the Daedroth's lack of mobility coupled with its long arms spelled out a quick end.

The room it was guarding was mostly empty with a ramp on the far side leading further upwards. I started to hear an odd clanking noise as I crept across the room and a Dwemer construct swept down the ramp, balancing its on a large sphere that served as its lower body. Turning towards me, it pointed an arm that ended in some kind of crossbow at me and started firing heavy (and valuable!) Dwemer bolts.

The construct was powerful, but slow and while I certainly could not dodge the crossbow bolts, it was easy to dodge its aiming mechanism and I used the thing for my own target practice, though the arrows seemed to bounce off of it. I finally closed the distance and disabled it with my spear. In numbers this thing must have been quite a foe, but on its own, not much.

Its defeat left the path to the Telvanni wizard bare and I was expecting quite a fight...and again was surprised. He was more annoyed that I had killed off the Daedroth he summoned and the construct he bought in an effort to keep the people of Gnisis from realizing the tower was occupied only by him. He feared that they would chase him out and reclaim the property after they discovered all his retainers had left, though he would not say why they did.

I informed him that the town was well aware he was the only occupant of the tower but feared him too much to make any move towards evicting him and hearing that his name still inspired fear in the locals cheered him greatly. A true Telvanni...I guess.

Having stabilized his view of the future, he was generous towards my request for the Propylon stone, inviting me to take it if I could find it among the shelves of his laboratory. A few minutes of searching found it wedged between bottles of imported brandy, most of them uncorked and in various levels of fill. Ever polite to powerful mages, I bade him thanks and goodbye and received a grunt and nod in response as I walked down the ramp and eventually back to the Gnisis caravaner to hire a ride back to Ald'Ruhn.

The strider lumbered into Ald'Ruhn late into the evening and I paid the guild guide for teleportation to Caldera, where Folms was, as usual, loitering about. Am I the only one in the guild that does actual work? Whatever occupies his time, he had the money and location of the next stone ready for me. He has now tasked me with locating the Andasreth Index, which he has heard is in the possession of a Dunmer bandit taking refuge at the coastal Dunmer fortress Hlormaren, west of Balmora. 

That the fortress lies close to Balmora is certainly good news and hopefully something I can take care of quickly. I do hope that Folms is running out of stones for me to fetch.