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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
4-202-04-03 12:08
Proudspire Manor, Solitud, Haafingar, Skyrim
We wake up unhurriedly and after some reflection decide to stroll to the inn for breakfast.
The streets are really crowded and at the inn are many seamen whom I've never seen before. The harbor must be doing good business.
Today the girls and I are going to take a look at the Public Bathhouse. I don't care what's seemly and what's not. Being a national hero, I can afford a little frivolity.
So I tell the doorkeeper that we know brothels are out of bounds for women, but we want to see what it looks like inside. We're not going to compete with their girls, we won't be rude to anyone, we won't stay long, but we are going in there now.
He knows better than to become difficult.
Frankly, I'm not too impressed with this establishment. It's got a large pool with a couple of naked girls (the rest are busy, I suppose) and a very nice Khajiit woman tending bar, but the light is much too bright. I know I always complain about poor lighting, but this is too much. It actually hurts my eyes.
We take a quick tour and then leave. After I've sold my excess wares in the shops, we go to the harbor and take the boat to the eastern bank.
I've had second thoughts about Fortune. I don't want him to feel bad. At the same time, I can't just put up with his attitude. Why should I give him what he wants while he refuses to satisfy my curiosity?
How about this compromise: I'll give him the artifact on the condition that he tells me the real reason why many Markarth's traders (most notably the owners of the general store and the alchemy store) have quit their businesses?
I tell my girls about it during the boat ride. They agree it's a good idea.
Once on the eastern bank, we run towards Folgunthur.
It's a very large ancient Nordic ruin. Traps, metal birdhead statues, draugrs and all that. I use the Aetherial Staff quite successfully to draw the draugrs' attention to a magically conjured Dwarven Spider, so the girls and I can comfortably kill them. The automaton looks really pretty in the midst of all that greenish-brown stone, too. (See the picture after next.)
We find the dead bodies of several adventurers. One of them, an elven man Daynas Valen carries notes about an old legend that tells about the three evil sons of Gauldur and an amulet cut into three fragments – one here, one in Geirmund's Hall (that's near Ivarsted) and one in Saarthal (the one I've got).
It seems we need to cross a gap about ten meters wide. There's a drawbridge which surely has a switch somewhere which would require much time, effort and frustration to find. Maybe I can get across using the Whirlwind Sprint dragon shout?
Indeed, I can. There are a couple of cool-looking draugrs meeting me on the other side.
The way they twist and shake for a second before falling down when hit by fire arrows is a delight to watch. (Guess I have a sadistic streak.)
Then we reach a passage blocked by several (looks like four) closed grating-doors. There are four switches, each one of which can be in "up" or "down" position. So there are 16 possible combinations to try out. I get it right on the 11th attempt.
Some time later, there's another puzzle – 3 turnable pillars and each one has 3 possible positions. That means 27 combinations. In another room, there are three immovable pillars with the same symbols. I try that combination with the puzzle, but it doesn't open the door. It is very annoying, but it looks like I'll have to just try out combination after combination.
Yeah, this one turns out not all that awfully tedious either.
After that, we pass through a long passage with a little water and end up in a place that looks rather threatening:
I'm not going to shoot at my Dwarven Spider. I'm simply ready to shoot at the slumbering draugrs
in all those coffins on both sides. Unfortunately, the automaton I just conjured is not enough
to make them wake up. They will come to life only after I have run to that big door.
in all those coffins on both sides. Unfortunately, the automaton I just conjured is not enough
to make them wake up. They will come to life only after I have run to that big door.
It requires some work to kill all the draugrs, but thanks to my girls being on the other side (about where I'm standing in the above picture) and the automaton supporting us in the middle, we are not really in any danger.
Too bad that massive (and beautiful) door can't be opened without an Ivory Claw which I don't have. I utter a series of obscenities. We went through all this shit and now we just have to go back none the wiser!
It's very beautiful outside under the starlit sky, though.
Yeah, this place somewhere halfway to Morthal is a bit creepy, I admit. ;-)
There is nothing evil lurking about here, though. Just some amazing little fireflies.
Some clouds have appeared, as you can see, but the weather is still nice and warm (relatively).
There is nothing evil lurking about here, though. Just some amazing little fireflies.
Some clouds have appeared, as you can see, but the weather is still nice and warm (relatively).
Successfully evading the poison blooms growing in the marshland, we arrive in Morthal shortly before 11.
This is the northern part of Morthal that is between the outer and inner fortifications.
The bridge ahead leads to the neighborhood where the inn and the jarl's house and our house are.
The bridge ahead leads to the neighborhood where the inn and the jarl's house and our house are.
We chat a little with the people at the inn and a town guard on the street and then go to sleep.
next awakening
