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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
4-201-12-01 03:44
Forsworn Camp, Haafingar, Skyrim
The last time we were here, we headed northeast, past Volskygge and then proceeded northwest along a road. This time, we'll try going north-northwest straight across the mountains, passing Volskygge from the west.
It turns out perfectly makeable. We end up on top of a very high very steep slope overlooking the ocean. After a little descent, we're on the wooden bridge connecting the Solitud road to the Rimerock Burrow entrance. It's where we exited the last time.
What I described as a perfect test for Mikki a couple of days ago turns out a walk in the park. There's only one flame atronach to kill. Of course I don't mind it was so easy. Besides, Mikki has been put to most severe trials already.
I find the book Urag wanted and we leave when the sun hasn't even risen.
Because I want to go via Dragonbridge, we turn off the road near Volskygge and go through the forest and down the mountains to the southeast.
When we arrive, the shops haven't yet opened, but that doesn't really matter. We're here because I have decided to talk to that Khajiit slave trader and try to find out about that enslaved girl. I mean, it's not her fault that her father is a jerk and her fiancé is a wimp. A girl should not be kept as a slave. Who her father is has nothing to do with it. I'm not rescuing her in order to bring his father his property back, I'm rescuing her for her own sake.
After a bath at the inn with my followers, I walk up to the Khajiit alone. Unfortunately, he won't discuss that Bronwen girl. He clearly knows whom I'm talking about, but he rejects the topic in a friendly, yet adamant manner. I think maybe I could make him soft by, you know, making him hard, but I'm not in the mood for that right now. So we just leave for the Haafingar Stormcloak Camp.
It's actually not all that far from the village, but it's well hidden down the mountains:
Even from this close, you can only see the horses!
One can hardly recognize the man as a soldier, or those light beige patches as corners of tents.
One can hardly recognize the man as a soldier, or those light beige patches as corners of tents.
I do some trading there and then we proceed to Solitud. We walk around in the city and I sell a lot of stuff. It's a good thing we have at least one such big and rich city in Skyrim.
Jana, the innkeeper in the southwestern suburb says she has a problem with skeevers in her cellar and she'd be most obliged if we killed them, but I kind of dislike her personality, so we give it a miss this time.
We reenter the city proper through the main gate and I tell Lydia and Jenassa to show Mikki around. I walk to the Winking Skeever inn to find that agent of Rudelphine's, Malborn.
Rudelphine said he's a Wood Elf and hates High Elves. In fact Malborn, doesn't seem to like anybody, including me. He's itching to get back to the Embassy before somebody starts to suspect something. He informs me that when I go to the party, I'll be thoroughly searched at the entrance, so I can't be carrying any weapons or such. Therefore, I'm to give him everything I'll be needing for my mission. He'll take it into the Embassy and give it to me after I've gotten inside.
Wow. I hadn't expected that. Lucky I didn't sell all my unnecessary weapons and pieces of armor. I left some for enchanting. I also have some spare enchanted items to use according to situation. Thanks to that, I won't be left defenseless after I've given my best gear to Malborn. He tells me to meet Rudelphine near the stables at 21:00, and leaves quickly.
I walk around in the taproom talking a word or two to several people. I need a little time to decide what I want to do.
In front of the inn, I run into Viarmo, the headmaster of the Bards' College. He tells me they have a festival coming up which Jarl Elisif has prohibited.
And what makes you think it isn't?
Viarmo wants me to go and find a certain book which may help him convince Elisif that that festival has been celebrated for centuries and therefore cannot be considered offensive to her late husband.
That's blatant nonsense. Viarmo is completely missing the point. Of course it's in the worst possible taste to symbolically burn a king in a city where the High King of Skyrim was recently murdered. How old the tradition is hasn't got anything to do with it.
I don't quite understand if Elisif has prohibited the festivities in this year or banned the festival permanently, but I don't really care. I won't help some jokers hurt my good friend Elisif's feelings in such an abhorrently rude manner. We'll see about the next year.
I stroll to the fortress to clear my head. Failing to locate Hadvar, I pay brief visits to the temple, the Bards' College and the palace. After a few absent-minded conversations, I realize I'm feeling very tired. If I sleep 7 hours now, I'm going to be a little late for the meeting with Rudelphine, but I don't think it'll matter much. I've got to get proper sleep, because I'll need to be in top condition when facing an embassyful of irate High Elves all alone.
So I go to my house.
next awakening
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