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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
4-201-11-25 02:33
Redwater Den, The Rift, Skyrim
We spend many hours roaming through dungeons, occasionally fighting bandits and vampires, avoiding (most of the) traps and finding hidden switches to open doors. After about 5 hours, we reach what looks like the vampires' dormitory. There are coffins instead of beds and the place is guarded by horrible black dogs with skull-like faces and glowing eyes, like the one in this picture:
We also see underground streams where the water is red.
Why do vampires sleep in coffins? The girls think it's because they can't tolerate sunlight, so they sleep at daytime. Even though there is no sun in this particular location, because it's underground, they still keep to their habit of sleeping under a closed lid, to be on the (very) safe side.
Three more hours later, we have cleared the dungeon without finding anything spectacular. But I suppose we've at least dealt a serious blow to the skooma industry in this region. As we return to the surface through the same trapdoor, the lookout woman makes no move to attack us. I know I ought to kill her, but I'm utterly unable to destroy such dazzling beauty. With the skooma factory destroyed, she'll surely get the hint and find herself a less despicable occupation.
We travel in the general direction of Sunguard City. I notice a small citadel in the horizon to the north of our path.
We go to check it out. It's called Rift Watchtower and occupied by bandits. Two of them are outside the entrance and easy to kill. The third one I sense inside on the ground floor. I approach the closed door most carefully with my bow drawn. His timing is better. He opens the door at the exact moment I'm about to do the same, and succeeds in landing a hit on me.
I kill him, of course, but then I make a mistake of completely dropping my guard. Fortunately, my followers are alert and notice the fourth man who is on the very top of the citadel.
We enjoy the magnificent view from up there for a few minutes and then continue our journey. We stop at the Sarethi Farm to say hello to the two likeable dark-skinned elf sisters and then wash ourselves in a small river nearby.
I ask the girls what they think about Avrusa and Aduri. One sister is practical and accepts her limitations, the other dreams of adventure and romance in a big city. Which one of the two they'd rather be?
I'm not surprised that Jenassa says she'd prefer the stability of a proper home to any adventure, except that she's hopeless at farming. I'm not missing the word "proper". A rather obvious implication is it doesn't apply to her life in the back room of an inn in Hviterun.
Lydia says she would also hang up her sword and settle down, but never without an absolutely reliable man. She wouldn't mind having to learn farming... or maybe she's not quite sure about that, she adds after a while.
Jordis has no doubt she'd leave and take her chances in a city.
Me, I don't think I could stand living in a secluded farm like the Sarethis'. I believe to know I have spent much of my childhood in the countryside, but I'd much prefer to live in a smalltown near a big city, such as Dragonbridge.
Now we're all clean and head northwest. Soon we reach the big river, on the western bank of which lies Sunguard City. We spend a couple of hours shopping, chatting with people and generally looking around.
Those Glass Gauntlets don't really go with this outfit, do they?
At half past three we head west to Ivarsted, preferring the southern bank of Lake Geir over the road.
In the lake, near Ivarsted, is an island. I'm curious to find out what's on it. So we swim across. Apart from an elk and a mudcrab, we see an entrance to something called Geirmund's Hall. Sounds like one of those Nord dungeons with nothing interesting or valuable. We swim across the narrow strait to Ivarsted, coming to land near the Shroud Hearth Barrow.
Everybody in the village seems to be alive and well, leading their normal lives. We only stop long enough to sell stuff and pick up a bounty letter from the innkeeper Wilhelm. Turns out another dragon has settled down at Northwind Summit. I'll have to remember to bring a male follower when I go there. I can't remember if I told you, but it's a spectacular site for lovemaking, because it's got possibly the best view in all of Skyrim – as long as the weather is good.
We are now headed for Riverwood. It's almost 6 in the evening, but we'll be traveling along main roads, so it shouldn't be too difficult to reach at least Helgen tonight. I intend to make a slight detour through The Rift Imperial Camp to sell things to the quartermaster.
Halfway there, we discover a Honeystrand Cave. I have dreamed of the place. It should be a medium-sized cave without any passages to other caves. We're giving it a miss this time.
In the imp camp, everything is well. After a brief stop, we continue our journey to the west through the mountain pass.
In the Haemar's Shame area, there are the usual skirmishes going on between the imps and the storks. About where the proper road begins, we find a cave entrance called New South Road Entrance. That's something none of us has ever heard even rumors about, so we go in.
Down below is a wide almost decently lit tunnel (see picture above) that leads to an underground city.
There are great many houses, but the doors won't open. They seem to be jammed of barricaded. In the farther end of the main street, there's even a beautiful large palace, but unfortunately it can't be entered from anywhere either.
We only succeed in going into two buildings. One is called South Road Outpost. This "outpost" looks like a normal home with a fireplace, tables and chairs, shelves and beds. There's a small dog inside who is friendly but doesn't want to come outside with us. That dog and two horses near the palace are the only living beings we see in this abandoned city. The local human inhabitants must have had very bad experiences with travelers if they ran into hiding like this forgetting even the dog.
The other building whose door can be opened is Silver Wind Tavern. It's quite large and has a storeroom with stocks of various kinds of alcoholic beverages, but not a living soul anywhere.
There are many beds and it's getting on midnight, so I decide we'll spend the night here.
next awakening
