Old Legends - New Legends

Lidia and I left town heading west.  It was cold and snowing.  Not surprising for a northern winter.  The northern sea is cold and not inviting.  We headed down toward the docks, which are substantial here as there is a huge trading port for Skyrim.  Suddenly a large dragon descended on us.  And we did battle bringing the beast down.  And citizens from this town now know that a Dragonborn walk again.

I made to leave town quickly.  Wanted to avoid the complications of being known for who I am and did not want to get caught up in this rebellion between empire and stormcloak.

The mountains are rugged and the rivers cold, which I know for we were forced by terrain and unfamiliarity with the land to cross one.  We discovered a road but we sought cover quickly as a Thalmor patrol was out and about. That coupled with the presence of regional guards and the fact that here, the region being loyal the empire which has granted favorable status the Thalmor, a conflict them was to be avoided.  So we carefully followed them observing from a distance and they lead us down the road to a town named Dragonbridge.  We waited an hour outside town to see if they were bedding down, but they passed through.  We also did not remain, though the story of the bridge might be fascinating to learn for it is obviously ancient.

We passed through quietly and headed onward to the portal for Merida.  Yes, this was a bit of a detour in my seeking to close out the legend of ancient dead mage, but I had in my presence a portal stone that belonged to this mighty angel and decided it was time to be rid of it.  This land is in need of some benevolent guardionship.

Merida is a mighty servant of the Allfather, often misunderstood as if she were a goddess or one a good demon (if such could exist) from the demonic realm.  The portal itself was easy to find marked by a large statue.  I placed the stone and the angel spoke with me and said that the gateway was defiled by someone named Malan.  And that locked there was a mighty weapon empowered by the power of the light itself against evil beings and she asked me to free the weapon and the portal.

The ruins were surprising because once again the architecture of the dragon lords was present.  Why would the dragon lords have sought the presence of a mighty angel?  What does this say about the dragons?  About their human servants or such as legend describes the dragon lords?  One small reference in an ancient book mention the dragon as a sentient race with language and strong intelligence who once sought to enslave humanity.  Somehow I think there is more to the story than this.  The presence of Merida in a hall of the dragon lords makes me wonder.

But the hall was most certainly defiled, filled with wrights, the wrestless undead.  Merida was sending a strong ray of light into the ruins and I had to reset reflection crystals at many points, as this source of energy had been cut off by someone closing off the reflectors.

The halls themselves were amazing.  Some of the most elaborate building I have seen in the north.  Good or evil, what a mighty time it must have been when these halls were filled.

I discovered the enemy and could sense his power.  I left Lidia behind to guard the back passage, but in truth this foe was beyond her.  Malkoran was a living human male mage of great power, a summoner and binder of the dead.  So strong in his power, that even when I slew his body, his spirit attacked with even greater power.   But my gift if fully wakened and flows strongly and my sword arm is strong again.

The portal was cleared.  Merida delivered into my hands the sword of light.

And Lidia and I went home for the estate in Pale.  I sent Lidia home to Whiterun and took Gregory with me as I set out east for Dragon Falls Manor and a barrow were I hoped to find the missing piece to story of the amulet that belonged to a long dead mage.

As we crossed the mountains just above the estate, I discovered the ancient keep of Fellglow was occupied by rogue mages.  These had to be dealt with as archmage of the college (and formerly of the Citadel).

Dragon Falls Manor was a welcome resting place after a long journey.  After a nice evening there before the warm fires, we headed into Ivarstead to seek out the barrow.  Gerimund Hall the locals called it and warned us off, a place of ancient dread they said.  No one goes there.

To enter required jumping into a large pit.  Something Gregory was not keen about, so I left him to guard the edge.  There were very strong wrights there and the ghost of treacherous son, Sigdis.  He had an interesting ability - to manifest himself in three places at the same time and he had command of the voice.  But he did not have the ability to stop the power of fire.  The final piece of the amulet was with me. And I found a writing suggesting it could be reforged into one in the tomb of the father, the ancient mage, and it provided a location for that tomb.

Gregory and I passed back west stopping in Whiterun.  I sent Gregory back to Pale estate and took Lidia with me back west.  The tomb was near the river port where we had previously ran into many Forsworn, and low and behold, it was occupied again.  And it had to be cleaned out again to pass.

Continuing onward, the great black dragon once again appeared, circling me, and this time I know it saw me.  He looked directly at me. Then flew away...east.  Could it be Martin???  Could there be a way to bring him back?  Is that what it seeks...its former life?  Why here?  Why in the north?  If Martin, why not in Cyrodil?  Am I the key?  Is it me that draws Martin here, if it is Martin, and is Martin drawing the dragons here.  Is there something I did during that final battle with the demonic Dagon that has tied us somehow?

I found the tomb and there was a campsite filled with Forsworn above.  These I eliminated.  I found the body of dead legionnaire in one of the tents.  It may have been a legion campsite before.

Inside the tomb I found evidence that I was not the only one seeking for the place.  The body of man lay near the entrance and on him was the key to the tomb.  I don't think he knew how to use it.  But I do.

I should have known it would not be easy.  The ghosts of all three treacherous sons had relocated here.  Once again I had to do battle, but this time Lidia was of great help.  She engaged at close range while I used my gift to attack from a distance. The three were vanquished and just as I thought to breath a sigh of relief, they were back.  Then suddenly a powerful presence entered the hall.  Power of magnitude that was beyond sensing.  The power just blew away the three treacherous spirits and then reforged the amulet.  I believe this to be the spirit of the ancient mage.  But he was gone as quickly as he came.

Lidia and I returned to the estate in Pale.  I am now the keeper of two ancient legendary instruments of power... a sword of light and a great amulet of the gift.

Reflecting on these ancient heirlooms, I began to wonder if perhaps I could forge something useful.  So I gathered strong metals and spent several days working the forge to craft a strong set of armor.  I used high grade steel reinforced with heavy elements and covered it in a fine black cloak.  It is magnificent.  But unenchanted.  My power to transfer the gift from myself to the object is limited.  I need to research this, for if I could somehow duplicate the power of the instruments in the Citadel for transferring the gift, this could be powerful rainment indeed. 


We weren't there long before the estate was attacked by a powerful dragon, first of its kind I've seen.  It was very strong in the power of cold.  Again, my gift with fire was indispensable. It helped also that it decided to attack a giant who lives just down from the house.  The giant and the dragon finished each other off.  But Lidia found herself in a tangle with two very angry Mammoths and I had to use fire to drive them off.



I spent quite a bit of time in Whiterun selling some things.  I was also approached about a missing man. One of the Gray Man family is missing, they claim a captive of the Battleborn.  They say he was taken because he support the rebellion, and the Battleborn are loyalists.  Whiterun is a divided city.  I decided to not involve myself in this now.  Bigger fish to fry.

But I was also approached to help recover a stolen family heirloom, an amulet. This might not ought to be floating around just anywhere, so this I decided to pursue heading east again.  On the journey another one Frost Dragon made it appearance, perhaps they come with the winter and there power is related to the strength of the season.

The 25th of Sun Dawn I was making my way through the passes above Windhelm to find my way blocked by a fortress. Legion soldier standing watch on the place and the pass above said it was named Fort Kastav and had recently been occupied by mages.  I could sense power there, and not a good kind.  There were powerful mages practicing forbidden arts here.  It was difficult dealing with these.



That night was one of the most beautiful nights I have seen in long while.  Lidia and I took some time to just enjoy.  I can't remember such a refreshment since I climbed Frostcrag tower so long ago and looked out over Cyrodil and watch the sun cast its yellow and orange rays upon my land.  Now the tower is destroyed and I am not welcome in Cyrodil.  But the stars remain the same, the moons continue to rise, and here the lights in the sky are the tapestry of the All-Father.