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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
4-201-10-22 08:07
Proudspire Manor, Solitud, Haafingar, Skyrim
I find myself alone in the bed. The girls are waiting downstairs with the breakfast.
I ask Jordis about her family and learn her parents still live in their farm outside Dragonbridge. Jordis's two elder brothers are twins. They weren't too fond of their little sister. In fact, at certain age, Jordis often found herself in fistfights against one or both of them – at the losing end, naturally. But then her parents succeeded in talking sense to them and the brothers got older and more reasonable, and also she learned to yield instead of provoking a conflict, and they became quite a harmonious family.
"Hasn't anyone had an elder sister?" I wonder. (Rayya, as I probably didn't tell you, had an elder brother, three younger sisters and a younger brother).
"I have," says Jenassa. "But I didn't get to see much of her."
There's an awkward silence. I sense that Lydia is struggling with exactly the same inner conflict as I am – maybe this is the moment when we could coax Jenassa into telling us more about her mysterious past; on the other hand, she looks very sad remembering her sister.
Jordis who doesn't seem to notice it, goes on about her growing up and then stops when she's about to reach the age of falling in love seriously-like. I leave it at that for the time being.
We go out and say good morning to our neighbor Vittoria Vici who is on her way to work. I'd like to ask her why she backed off in that dispute we had at the time I was a complete nobody here, but I still feel uneasy remembering it. So I just act like normal and go start working on our gear. Lydia is also getting a cool-looking Glass Helmet now.
The picture is from later today.
Jenassa and Jordis will have to do with magical hoods that don't look like much but actually give good protection as well as enhance Archery. Nevertheless, I will give them beautiful helmets as soon as we find some. The thing is, while I was working at the smithy, I chatted with the local blacksmith, Balimund. When I told him about our recent successes and mishaps, he mentioned that from certain point on, it makes little sense to make your armor stronger, because it already absorbs almost all the damage from conventional weapons and the effect of further improvements is negligible. What can really make a big difference with stronger armors are enchantments.
Reflecting on his words later, I realized the armor pieces we're using are really approaching the point where we can stop worrying about their technical characteristics and start paying more attention to looking good. When a somewhat weaker armor looks beautiful and a stronger armor looks ugly, the former can still provide adequate protection, especially when it's got good enchantments.
Speaking of looks – Jenassa has marvelous breasts. Would you like to see her naked? Here you are [grin]:
This picture has also been taken later.
Solitud is the kind of place where you won't have difficulties selling anything. Shortly before noon, we have done everything I had planned (except making love to Hadvar which I couldn't because he's on duty), and can move on. All our current important tasks are in southeastern Skyrim, but we won't be going there quite yet. That is because I want to have another hunting trip, traveling across the western part of The Reach, and make one more attempt to talk to the jarl and the steward of Morpork. This means we'll have to go to the southwest from Solitud.
We head for Bruca's Leap Redoubt first. Last time, we killed just a couple of soldiers outside. This time, we enter the actual stronghold which is in a cave. After we've slain everyone and come out again, we have a nice swim in a river and proceed to the southwest. The landscape actually has a certain savage beauty to it.
[series of 3 pictures you can click through; click on the first picture to make it big, then click again to see the next picture etc.; press Esc to return to the text]
Navigation is not too difficult. We are not attacked on the roads and even bears leave us alone when we run past. Eventually I find myself in an ideal sniping position overlooking another forn nest called Druadach Redoubt.
They have two men outside. One is caught out in the open and has nowhere to escape. The other one is very fast and manages to cover the not inconsiderable distance to a path that leads uphill to my position. He has no chance to get past my three followers, though. I'm a little worried about Jordis who ends up in a close-range fight with him. I take very careful aim and succeed in hitting the forn and not Jordis.
After looting the two dead bodies, we take a winding path uphill that leads to a cave entrance that looks properly scary, as well as cool. Inside is a large cavern with tents and such, as well as quite a few enemies.
The battle gets a bit our of hand, because we are not familiar with the terrain while they know every nook and cranny. But we are victorious by the end.
As the daylight slowly fades away, we move on southwards. We find an Abandoned Forsworn Camp where we kill only a snowtroll. The forns are already dead, so they don't count towards our goal of 100. But, of course, every dead forn means a little less danger to the travelers in the Reach.
Halfway to Morpork, we discover a most impressive ancient Nordic ruin Ragnvald.
We have to kill a skeleton and a draugr to get past, but we won't be going inside today – or ever, if I can avoid it. As you've surely realized by now, I'm not exactly a fan of ancient Nordic ruins.
An hour later, we're seeing the tower of a windmill or something east of Morpork behind some lower mountains. A few more minutes and Morpork reveals itself in all its glory – far, far below the edge of the cliff on which I'm precariously standing.
Lower right corner: road to the city gate.
Right side, across the short bridge: Left Hand Mine suburb. (Note the row of three low stone houses.)
From the center across the long bridge to the upper left corner: road to Granite Hall, Hviterun and Windhelm.
Center to left, along the nearer riverbank: road to Karthwasten.
Right side, across the short bridge: Left Hand Mine suburb. (Note the row of three low stone houses.)
From the center across the long bridge to the upper left corner: road to Granite Hall, Hviterun and Windhelm.
Center to left, along the nearer riverbank: road to Karthwasten.
After a little rest, I begin my climb down. The girls will have to wait up here to be teleported to me safely.
They even feel all right afterwards. Guess teleportation gets smoother as I gain more experience. Either that or we just got lucky this time.
It's just barely not yet completely dark when we walk in through the city gate. This was a flawlessly planned day. I'm so happy and proud of myself.
At this late hour, there's no more business that could be done in the city, so we just spend a convivial evening in the inn.
We learn a lot about the Silver-Blood family. Hard to avoid when you're in this city. Remember I mentioned them the first time when we were in Karthwasten, about a month ago? They had sent thugs to occupy Ainethach's mine, in order to force him to sell it to the Silver-Bloods. Well, in Morpork, the Silver-Bloods own not only a silver mine (it's called Cidhna) but essentially the whole city. Taking a generous cut from every business, they are really the government here. Even convicted criminals become their slaves for the duration of their sentence, digging silver ore in the Cidhna Mine. And the city guards are making sure there are always enough people to convict.
So, what about the jarl and the traders, I ask. I understand the Silver-Bloods tax all the businesses, but from what I've seen, most traders aren't currently doing any business to start with.
That question causes the people to fall strangely silent. This evening is turning out not so convivial after all. Guess we'd better go to sleep.
Yeah, apart from Jordis, evidently. She is sitting in the farthest corner with that youngster Hreinn and acts like she doesn't even know us. Lydia and I find it very amusing.
next awakening
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