Skyrim Day 087 - Family Disunion

Unknown Date, 4E201

Solitude

~~~

Sleeping in the former castle of the Volkihar family was easier than I had anticipated. Once I found an actual bedroom I pushed several bookcases behind the door and fell upon the bed, falling asleep almost instantly.

No one attacked me in my sleep, though I did wake with a terrible thirst. Some minor illness, I  hope.

Finding my way back to Valerica's laboratory proved more difficult a task than I anticipated, largely due to my somehow forgetting how to get there! I am not sure how long it took me to find my way back, but it must have been at least an hour of pointless wandering among the rubble of Castle Volkihar. When I arrived the portal to the Soul Cairn was still spinning energetically, sending purple light and shadows dancing about the room.

The Cairn had not changed much in my absence. The confused souls were still lounging around and the soul fragments were still flitting about, chased by blackened skeletons inexplicably wielding swords and bows. For as much as I know about the place it is possible a thousand years passed from my last visit, or a few seconds.

Walking back to the ruined castle Valerica was using as her field camp was just as disorientating as it was originally. At times I felt I was walking without covering any discernable distance, others I was sprinting across the land making great progress. In the end I doubt I approached the place at any pace greater than a careful walk, whatever my confused senses were telling me.

Valerica was still busy at her makeshift alchemy lab and seemed irritated at having her research interrupted. If she wondered why Serana was not with me she hid it well. She took the news of her estranged husband's death with no joy, only commenting that she would move her work back to her old study. She thanked me, but I am just glad to be done with the whole mess, gratitude or not.

I wasted an more time trying to walk back to the portal than I did from it. I kept getting turned around, ending up in sharp-edged ruins and crumbling tombs, assaulted by skeletons and magicka-flinging spirits despite being very sure I was heading in straight line back to whence I came. The skeletons were not a great concern, but I could not help but feel increasingly panicked at the thought of never finding my way back to Tamriel.

This was foolishness, of course, perhaps some side-effect due to the oppressiveness of the place. I eventually found myself at the wall that divided Valerica's portion of the Cairn in two, then followed it until I was able to pass through its gatehouse to the side hosting the portal.

I had barely time enough to ascend the staircase back inside her laboratory before Valerica appeared at the portal, more proof that time and distance in the Soul Cairn is not quite as measurable as it seems.

The vampire matriarch nodded at me as she passed by me on the balcony, declaring that it was time for her to resume her work as an alchemist...an odd desire considering nearly all of her family had been slain and her only daughter, who evidently forgot to retrieve her, was joined with a band of vampire hunters. Alchemy was more important, I suppose.

I asked about the continuing existence of the Cairn portal, desiring privately that it be destroyed, but she offhandedly declared it useful for her research as if there was no reason to not want it to remain open. She must have thought I felt the same way, for she assured me I would be able to come and go through the portal as I please now that my soul has become "attuned" to the place. Great news.

I retraced my steps back out to the jetty and re-entered the castle through the bloodied entrance, where I will be spending my last night in this accursed place. I am not sure what day it actually is due to the capricious nature of the Soul Cairn, but I shall enquire to that tomorrow. 

Tonight I rest victorious, but uneasy. I cannot shake the feeling that I am forgetting something important.

Skyrim Day 086 - Bittersweet Victory

16 Sun's Dusk, 4E201

Solitude

~~~

Isran is a driven man. There was no message at Solitude for Serana and I and no one I spoke to had even seen the Dawnguard passing nearby. With no instructions we had to assume we were to meet the Dawnguard at Volkihar Keep itself...which struck me as odd. No preparation for the attack? No coordination? Their choice, I suppose.

On our way out I overheard a guard complaining to his friend that the "vampire menace" had gotten worse as of late and that they should wipe them out before it became unstoppable. I wonder who "they" was in his mind. Himself and his friend? The Solitude guard? Imagining his reaction to knowing most of the actions against the "menace" have been at the hands of a Khajiit and a vampiress is an entertaining thought...though he would probably not believe me anyway.

But I was not so eager to be rushing off without readying myself. Coincidently a Khajiit caravan was camping outside the gatehouse, allowing me to stock up on restoratives that Angeline's Aromatics had lacked and sell some gems that had been rattling around in my pack.

Of course it would not be a day in Skyrim without a lunatic or two assaulting us on the road. This one had somehow managed to find an Ebony breastplate which did all the more to make his cheap iron sword look even cheaper. I considered carrying the breastplate back to Solitude to display in my manor, but Serana reminded me I already had one there anyway. Luck to the fortunate farmer who stumbles upon that body!

I guess we reached the jetty across Volkihar Keep by noon or so, the icy haze making it impossible to accurately judge.

Once again I was surprised by Isran's lack of coordination, figuring that he and his vigilantes would be waiting for me at the jetty if not before the gates of Solitude. Figuring they were either waiting for me at the actual Keep or had been successfully ambushed en route, Serana and I climbed into the old boat and rowed to her family's estate.

That's where we finally found the Dawnguard...all lined up before the gatehouse bridge.

Upon seeing us arrive Isran let out a cry and sprang forwards, the rest of the Dawnguard following as he charged up towards the Keep. As I expected, several of the gargoyle "statues" came to life, attracting the attention of armored trolls (when did the Dawnguard tame trolls?!) who tussled with the stone beasts as the Dawnguard streamed past them.

Just as they were halfway across the bridge the gates opened and vampires charged out, magicka crashing through the air as they closed to melee. The battle soon became a chaotic mess of individual combats in a very small space. How long it lasted, I cannot recall. But when it was over the vampires were vanquished along with most of the Dawnguard.

Isran and two others ran inside while Serana and I hurriedly took stock of our wounds. Neither of us were badly hurt and I had a bloodied Dawnguard axe in my hand that I did not remember picking up. We each drank a few restoratives and followed Isran.

The two Dawnguard survivors were already dead when we entered and Isran was down on one knee, heavily wounded. We arrived in time to cut down his assailants and provide much-needed healing. Without a word of thanks Isran sprang back up and charged deeper into the Keep, alone.

I was starting to have doubts regarding the leader of the Dawnguard's sanity.

A second melee erupted in the Great Hall where Isran had run into. I feared he was greatly out-numbered, but two Dawnguard members I had not previously noticed were fighting alongside him against four vampires and  two thralls or reanimated bodies, I could not really tell the difference.

We lost one of the Dawnguard, but with myself and Serana the Dawnguard prevailed, again with losses. The Great Hall was clear and Isran moved to the doors at the end of the Hall, but Serana warned him to stay where he was. Lord Harkon was for Serana and I to deal with.

No well-dressed Nordic lord was waiting for us, but the gargoyle form of what he had called a 'Vampire Lord'. Whatever it was called it certainly looked grotesque. He and Serana traded words, but it was clear each of them knew the final battle was at hand. He even asked me to return Auriel's Bow to him, promising me that everything previous would be taken as a simple misunderstanding. It was a desperate request and one I rejected, of course.

The battle that followed was rather anti-climatic. His followers slain, all Lord Harkon could manage was flinging magicka around the room and summoning weak Draugr as he glided around. When wounded he retreated to a statue at the end of the room which provided him with a red shield of magicka.

The first time he did this Serana shouted at me to fire an arrow at the shield with Auriel's Bow. I am a much better shot with a crossbow, but I was never far from Harkon anyway. The first arrow burst into flames against the shield, but it destroyed the shield as it did so. The Vampire Lord shouted something in frustration and resumed his spells and summonings.

Three times we did this, but the fourth arrow against his shield did not cause it to harmlessly explode, instead seeming to draw the energy into Harkon himself. He screamed, burst into red flames, and was utterly destroyed, his blackened skeleton lit for a moment against the fire.

Serana and I walked over to the vampire shrine and silently gazed at the smoldering pile of ash that was her father. Footsteps sounded behind us, but it was just Isran, respectfully alone. Serana sighed and, sounding relieved, told him that the job was finally done. He nodded and thanked her, then, to my surprise, invited her to join the Dawnguard, which she accepted. They left, Serana asking me to stop by and visit if I had any more adventures planned.

I felt like correcting her: none of my adventures have ever been planned! But then was not the time for japes.

In the ashes was a blade in the ancient Akaviri style, the likes of which I have not seen since the Oblivion Crisis. I am loathe to wield it and am planning on displaying it in one of my homes. Perhaps I should see what Lydia has been doing while I have been away.

I have one final task awaiting my attention in Volkihar Keep, one that I am very surprised Serana has failed to remind me of: returning her mother,  Valerica, back to Tamriel. That, however, will have to wait, for I am in need of rest, though I am greatly relieved to have this Dawnguard business finally taken care of.

Skyrim Day 054 - The Unhappiest Family Reunion

9 Frostfall, 4E201

Solitude

~~~

If I had to choose between Lydia and Serana as my companion, I would be hard pressed to make a decision within the week. Lydia may wear an expression that suggests mucking out stables is preferably to traveling with me, but at least she is quiet about it. Serana complains about getting up too early, starting out too late, the sun being out, the sun not being out, and also refuses to follow me inside anything resembling a cave or a tomb. In favor to Lydia she seemed to enjoy bashing Draugr into pieces.

Due to our relationship we were both eager to be on our way out of Morthal at first light. We left the inn before the sun burned away the morning's cold fog and made our way towards Dragon Bridge. A dog was waiting for us between Morthal and Dragon Bridge, immediately reminding me of Barbas. I nearly slew the dog right then and there, but it ran a ways into the trees, stopped, and looked at us, evidently waiting for us to follow. He led us to a small cabin in which his master lay dead, the man's journal revealing that he left his home to die in solitude of Rockjoint, accompanied only by his dog.

It is ceratinly the oddest suicide I have witnessed, Rockjoint is easily curable at any Temple or alchemist. The dog continued to follow Serana and I until we reached Dragon Bridge, after which it rushed off towards a farm and likely its new home.

A Khajiit caravan was leaving Solitude as we approached, irritating Serana as I stopped to chat and trade with them. After that she was free to direct our path over the hills to a small dock on the coast which faced an imposing, if somewhat foggy and blurry, island castle in the distance.

Naturally it was up to me to man the oars. but once we landed on the island she broke her normal silence to discuss what would happen inside Volkihar Keep. Serana thanked me for accompanying here thus far and announced that she would be staying at the Keep once my business inside was concluded, which was not a surprise. She suggested I say as little as possible inside and rely on her to speak instead. I was not willing to concede to this advice from someone who has barely said anything to me within the last few days, so I shrugged and walked up to the gatehouse.

I was challenged by a haggard-looking guard, but his demeanor changed once he saw who I was with. In a voice I can reasonably described as 'suffused with awe', he babbled about how great it was to have Serana back and welcomed her, and her "friend", to the Keep.

The gate opened and a blast of warm air stinking of death and blood rushed out of it to greet us, causing me to retch. Inside was worse: Bodies lay upon long tables next to blood-filled silver goblets, with the bloody remains of previous feasts scattered about the floor. I was glad to have Serana talking in place of myself for fear of being a poor guest via vomiting all over the hall.

Her father, Lord Harkon, greeted us cordially and demanded to know if Serana still carried his Elder Scroll. If I had not been so nauseous I might have been surprised to hear she had an actual Elder Scroll. The reunion was not a happy one. Serana was obviously annoyed at the Scroll being inquired after before her well-being, but Harkon brushed her concern off with a laugh, instead asking who I was.

Serana introduced me as her "savior" and Lord Harkon explained that his late wife had stolen his "greatest treasure" from him long ago. One could think the treasure was Serana, but was obvious that the treasure is the Elder Scroll, not the daughter. He offered me a reward of dubious value: vampirism, in exchange for my having returned it.

But this was not to be an ordinary exchange of blood. Lord Harkon bade me to behold his true form and with a crackling of magicka transformed himself into what could be described as an incredibly ugly half-giant, half-bat form.

I have no desire to look like I live inside of a child's nightmare so I rejected his offer as politely as I could while mumbling as few words as possible, but he did not take offense. He explained that in gratitude for my service I would be allowed to leave, but would never be welcome in his Keep again. Another crackling of magicka and I found myself back on the castle's jetty, for once glad to be breathing the freezing sea air of Skyrim. I gratefully took a deep breath...then promptly lost my breakfast on the shore. Heroic.

Isran will need to know that Serana's Elder Scroll was the true treasure of Dimhollow Crypt, though I have a feeling that the ancient vampiress still has a part to play in whatever the future brings. My more immediate future after rowing back to the mainland involved a room at Solitude's 'Winking Skeever' inn, but not before I was ambushed by three of the mask-wearing Dragon cultists I met in Whiterun.

Fortunately it was dark by then and they were foolish enough to use fire magicka, making it easy for me to circle around the group and eliminate them one-by-one. Warriors these cultists are not.

I reached Solitude, in solitude, just before midnight and handed over my ten Septims for a room. I need to speak with Isran, but he is on the opposite side of the province. I also should speak with the Greybeards, as well as investigate this Dragon cult that seems to be stalking me. Then there is also the matter of the Dark Brotherhood assassins I seem to be plagued with.

The list goes on and on.