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SPOILER INFO
This fanfic novel is largely based on the events that occurred in an actual game of Skyrim I played. Therefore, it's inevitably a spoiler.
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previous day
4-201-09-09 04:39
Aurora Borealis Inn, Aurora, Falkreath, Skyrim
I get dressed quietly and exit on tiptoes. My followers can sleep as long as they want to, because we're not leaving before I've visited Selyse in Little Vivec, and I'm sure she's still sleeping.
I use the cover of darkness to bathe undisturbed. Then I just watch the lake and think and make some conversation with the village guards. Among other things, I ask them about their relations with the people of Little Vivec, and they say those elves are snobbish and weird. They keep to themselves and don't even want to talk when they pass through Aurora. The guards can't imagine what their problem is. Bad as Windhelm may have been, the people of Aurora feel they at least deserve a chance.
That's yet another village further east. I'm told it's called Oakwood.
Selyse is happy with the things I brought her. She gives me an amulet that increases carryweight by 90 pounds.
For that matter, I decide that I am rich enough now to buy some permanent extra carryweight. But first I ought to explain to you how that carryweight thing works. Normally I can carry 300 pounds of weight. We call it "pound", but I have no idea whatsoever how it relates to the pound in your world, or whichever weight unit you are using. Now, carryweight can be increased by wearing certain magical items and it can be increased for a relatively short time by drinking so-called carryweight potions. I have a magic feather that gives me an extra 100 pounds of carryweight, and now with Selyse's amulet I would be able to carry 300 + 100 + 90 = 490 pounds.
It's also possible to have a magic trader increase your base carryweight permanently for the price of 200 septims per pound. That is independent of any magical items. That's what I'm going to do today. I'll go to the magic shop in Aurora and invest 10 000 septims in 50 pounds of carryweight. After that, my base carryweight will be 350 instead of 300, and with those two magical items I'll be able to carry 540 pounds instead of 490.
Oh, and one more thing. Ours being a magical world, we can have our inventories float along with us when we, like, swim across a river. Just in case you've been wondering. ;-)
Before leaving for Aurora, I want to have a little chat with Velyna Rathvasi next door. Her husband has just headed for Bal-Ran's shack, so I walk over to say hello to her.
I'm curious to know what is the reason why the people in this village shun the ones in Aurora whom they can actually see every day and often even hear just across a little water.
That's Aurora. I'm in Little Vivec.
Skarla's alchemy shop is in the first house on the left.
Skarla's alchemy shop is in the first house on the left.
Velyna informs me it's actually Selyse who hates Nords, and the rest of the villagers just don't want to hurt her feelings. As for her reason, Velyna doesn't know either. She presumes the Nords in Windhelm might have done something to her. At least Selyse was initially the most vocal supporter of Belvadyr's plan to leave Windhelm. And it is a little strange she is still unmarried – and not even looking for a partner. But Velyna doesn't know any particulars. She's only guessing.
On my way back to Aurora, I pass by Toren and Taren's house. Toren asks me to bring a letter to Riverwood. He says he's much too busy to travel and he can't trust his lazy brother. I inform him I'm going in the opposite direction and maybe won't visit Riverwood for another week. He says, no problem, if I can deliver it within a week, then he's fine witht that. I say, all right then, and take the letter.
Toren's reluctance to ask someone in Aurora is really weird, but I don't feel like discussing this with him. So I just return to Aurora across that long bridge.
My girls are already up and they accompany me to the magic shop. Then we rush off to the northwest. I'm unsure about stopping at the Half-Moon Mill. I realize I miss Hert even though I saw her only last night. The truth is, she's a lot more experienced than me and I feel complete trust in her, as well as an urge to tell her about everything that's been going on in my life. It's confusing. And I'm afraid to come across as weird – which, I know, I shouldn't, because we've already made love, and at her initiative at that. But if I hang around her too much, then maybe I won't be able to be cautious enough and her husband might notice something.
So we just wave a cheerful hello and run on, through the town of Northkeep, past Moss Mother Cavern where we helped the hunter Valdr from Falkert a few days ago, and then farther to the northwest to find that Bilegulch Mine place where Kharjo's amulet might be.
I must say the name doesn't sound inviting. Neither does the formidable wooden defense wall. We can't even see a gate in it. But there are impenetrable-looking mountains on all the other sides, so we'll just have to take our chances approaching from this direction. I'm quite frightened when a fierce Orc runs out of the gate and charges towards us. The arrows from the four of us stop him halfway, though. Now we at least know where the gate is.
With somewhat frightened fascination, we sneak in and experience a big disappointment. I mean, it's really a disappointment, not a relief. The disappointment is that there are only two bandits inside the walls and they are dead from my arrows before they know what hit them. Then there is an actual mine. In it we find the bandit chief. He at least notices us coming, but we kill him with 4 or 5 arrows before he gets a chance to hit us. And that's it. There's no one else.
I can't believe it. Those four men was all they had!! Logically speaking, it was to our advantage, but I can't help feeling sad. What good is such a magnificent fortification if you don't man it? There would have been plenty of space for 20 soldiers here. Maybe it's very difficult to hire men in this region because there are too few people to rob?
Maybe they have 20 men who are out on some business and about to return any moment, says Jenassa the Mature and Sensible.
Right! Sorry about chatting away again. We must find Kharjo's amulet.
That turns out not difficult at all. The bandit chief has it in his pocket. Now, thanks to the magical connection between it and its owner, I can, with the amulet in my possession, always tell where Kharjo is. Meaning, we won't have to roam all across Skyrim in search for his caravan. This is great!
However, Kharjo is currently to our north-northeast while our next stop is in the northwest, quite far from here. I intend to go looking for the next piece of that aetherium thing we got from Arkngthamz. I have the map in Katria's journal, so we'll try and find the place. The day is still young. Maybe we can get there by tonight.
We pass by an awe-inspiring castle:
I want to go there one day. I hope the people will be friendly. Although I rather fear they aren't.
Shortly before we reach the east-west highway, it begins to drizzle. We soon arrive in Granite Hall. As I've told you, there's a mountain range that separates us from Roriksted, and the only path to the other side that I know goes through this town.
Now I'm beginning to have second thoughts about today's plans. Although it's only 1 o'clock, I'm feeling tired. I didn't sleep well last night. The region northwest from Roriksted where we'll be going is completely unknown to us and it might well be that we won't find any place suitable for sleeping far and wide. Apart from which, even though we don't have all that much loot, it may still be a good idea to enhance what I can and sell all I don't need, because we may be finding a lot of loot where we're going, and our carryweight is, of course, limited.
Last but not least, I haven't had sex for ages. So maybe I ought to try and find a nice man today and give my girls an opportunity to do the same.
Among the rhythmic clanking of a hammer in the nearby smithy, I realize that my group has been living very hectically these past days. It's about time to stop to smell the roses. Or leeks that are on display on the market stall over there. I don't expect to find many roses in this place. Anyway, we're going to rest this afternoon, proceed later to Roriksted for the night and have an early start tomorrow, all right?
There isn't much for me to do in terms of crafting, and I'm glad to have an opportunity to look around in this very unusually-built city. Neither is it difficult to sell all the excess items I have. What is not so easy is finding a receptive man. Everyone is so awfully busy in this town. They don't want to stop and smell roses, or even... well, anything. I look everywhere – shops, the mine, the temple, and finally a house with many rooms which I presume to be the thane's residence (or whoever it is presiding over Granite Hall). There's a good-looking guard. He talks to me mockingly. Maybe I was showing my intentions too clearly? I don't care. I need a dick real bad. (Heavens, what did I just think? Please pretend you didn't read it.) I more drag than lure the guard into a luxurious bedroom. There's no one about. He suggests another bedroom nearby that is less fancy, but I want to do it right here. I throw my clothes onto the floor. There... Ahh... I needed that!
We go on, forgetting everything around us, until a woman opens the door, shrieks and leaves. I fear it was the lady of the house, but I don't know. The point is, that unfortunate incident causes my partner to come rather quickly. I have no one to blame but myself. I should have followed his advice. We should have taken the other bedroom. Vanity never pays.
Still, at least the guy is handsome and kind. I hope he won't get in trouble, and I'm looking forward to meeting him again. Maybe we'll take a room at the inn then. He's my legitimate boyfriend now, so I can do it with him without damaging my reputation any further.
It's at the last moment that I remember I haven't even asked what his name is. Mojarik, he says. I like it.
Me and my followers are in a very jolly mood going to Roriksted and exchanging stories. Lydia somehow got the idea to hook Rayya up with the shopkeeper Jormun, but it didn't quite work out, with customers coming and going all the time (and later Rayya confesses to me alone that she felt awkward because her period had ended only today), so they finally just went to the inn and talked with a couple of men and had a great time – as well as gave their best not to guffaw when Jenassa came out of a room together with an elven man. It was a traveler on his way to the west whom Jenassa had picked up at the temple.
Laughing into the night, we pass by that ghost castle and we don't even care if we can be heard in the thalmor fortress nearby. Let them attack if they want to. We'll kick their toffee-nosed asses anytime.
We arrive in Roriksted (see picture above) without having met anyone except a lonely fox. I realize the alchemy shop might still be open. Yes, it is, and there's an Arcane Enchanter here, that device for enhanting, remember I told you? It can also be used for destroying an enchanted item whereby you learn its enchantment ("learn" as in "gain the ability to put it on items of your own"). I have picked up a greatsword of Corruption somewhere. This enchantment simulates the effect of poison, damaging the target's health steadily during some time after a hit. As I never use greatswords (they're uncomfortably heavy for me), I now annihilate this one to learn its enchantment rather than sell it.
That's it. Finished. And now quickly to the inn and to bed!
next awakening
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