Because we were just south of the College, it made sense to continue north along the coast and check in. Ran into a bit of a skirmish between bandits and legion soldiers, with the soldiers getting the worst of it. By the time Lidia and I got there the soldiers were all down. We made sure the bandits were as well. We couldn't save them. Two were already dead, and one was so seriously wounded he didn't last long.
Right along the route I noticed a large partially buried dragon head. Signaled to me that important ruins should be about. We found a dome hut, reminiscent of the same style as in the Labryinth, but no ruins. I finally found a surface structure with marking pillars and a deep shaft with a grate going into something deep underground, but no sign of any entrance. Maybe a place for exploration later.
I also so see ruins on an island off the coast, so we detoured that way. We found an unexpected memorial to Talos and dead mage, Ilas-Tel. I knew him but not well. It appeared a wolf may have gotten to him. We discovered a shipwreck and some very unfriendly looters. The ruins turned out to be a barrow most likely. I wanted to get to the college, so we did not explore. We crossed the ice pack in the direction of Winterhold in the distance and discovered a long abandoned camp, the remains of someone, and a letter to a person named Shelly. I appeared that some star struck lover had camped here among the ice waiting for ship, who knows if it ever came, carrying his beloved that was long overdue even by the time he wrote the letter. He was faithful unto death.
We arrived in town and the guards wanted to know why I was here, was it about dragon. No, it was not about the dragons, though we were ready if they showed. We are always ready.Good thing, because upon arriving at the College were we attacked in the main courtyard by one of the beasts. No sign of the mages. This really angered me. Lidia and I took care of it. Fortunately it kept trying to get to Lidia and it was confined in the small space of the courtyard and so made an easy target for lightening.
Inside I checked on my mage troop, if such can be called. They are really more just a bunch of independent children who live together. Nothing like the discipline we had in the Citadel. Tolfdil told me the Jarl had asked for me. There was supposedly strange goings on in town and in the countryside, and Tolf's investigation has revealed that possibly the power of the orb, though no longer present, is still manifesting itself here. So I went visited the Jarl. He really hates mages. The people in town are convinced that experimentation in the college lead to a large part of Winterhold collapsing into the sea years ago causing the economic demise of the town. Who am I to deny it. I wasn't here then and I've seen the spirit of experimentation that is there among the current occupants. Who knows about the previous ones. Mages too often dauble in things human beings were not meant to mess with.
Back in the college to talk to them about these matters and the importance of keeping a low profile and friendly relations, I discovered that the Ormund and Enthir are fighting over some stupid amulet. But more seriously, Enthir is nowhere to be found. I mean no where. I had them search every square inch of the college and I searched Winterrun. Nothing. I even did a summoning and the feeling is he should be here, even localized it that he should have been in his room in the evening hours as usual. But he is not here. No one knows why. No one has an answer that I've found. He has disappeared from the world. He was always a shady character but I wonder if he got the spirit of experimentation and did something stupid.I came down a sickness while there, terrible pain and stiffness in my joints. It would last for days, until my later return to the estate in Pale.
The 3rd of 1st Seed (Spring must be coming sometime) we set out in a roaring snowstorm. Too cold to head west along the coast to Dawnstar, so we headed south via Windhelm, thinking to winter over at Dragon Falls. I noticed once again the strange statue of Azura.Azura is a much misunderstood creature. In the lore of this age she is considered a god by some, a demon by others. But in truth, she is an avenging messenger of the All-Father. She does not smile kindly on those who mess with powers that are not permitted to humans. This I suppose has given the misunderstood impressions of her demonic nature. She is a protector of the boundaries between the created realm and the mysterious powers and forces that are woven into the fabric of its rainment and foundation. I know Azura. She and I had talked at one point far in the past and she had blessed me with an instrument of light, a bit of star, to capture the power of evil creatures and to use it to transfer my gift to object. I reined up my steed as I thought of this. I wondered... my abilities to transfer the gift to objects was so much weaker yet than it ever used to be. We detoured up the mountain.
There we found a priest of the All-Father who claimed to have communication with Azura and she told me that Azura knew of my plight and knew that I would come, here. And she told me something most startling. The star, that was taken with everything that mine, when I was arrested in the Imperial City, was stolen. By mages. Of course. Areana, the disciple, shared with me that she was a Dunmar and this a Dunmar place. Azura does not know the location of the star. It has been transformed somehow and its presence is masked. She doesn't know who stole it, only could she sense the power of mages who had been practicing in forbidden arts with the dead. I do not understand the fascination with the dead in this land. But Areana said that recently Azura had sensed the echo of the star upon a mage who was somewhere in the vicinity of Winterhold. Not in the college, but somewhere probably in town.
I know who this is. There is a mage there, an elf, a recluse with a poor attitude, who keeps to himself, who I noticed has a staff of authority from the Citadel. Now it makes sense. This is how it was stolen, an inside job. This elf, was likely part of the group that saw my downfall. Maybe part of why they acted was they wanted possession of the artifacts. And if stolen, that would also explain why a Synod of the Citadel is in the north seeking artifacts - they may be looking for the star itself. This elf, he and I have business.
We stayed over night at the statue of Azura and back to town. The 4th of 1st Seed the weather broke and we sun and sky for the first time in days. What a blessing.
I knew the mage to be camped out in the Inn. So I made my way in trying to look as though I was there just for a meal. I thought to engage in a drinking bout with a man named Sam. Bad idea! I don't know what was in that stuff, Lidia said I went nuts quickly and wouldn't listen to reason. Sam and I supposedly went off on some grand adventure. I awoke in the house of Dibella in Markarth. The priestess told me that Sam said he was going to some place named Rorikstad. I don't have no clue where that is. She asked if I was willing to help with an issue the temple, but I have no time now.
Lidia and traveled upriver to Solitude and grabbed a trading vessel heading for Winterhold. We had to fight off a blood dragon on our arrival. But I had bigger issues with a mage.
My patience had run out. I had Lidia in her imposing self take station and I entered his room. He knew me. I could see it. So all facade aside, I demanded to know of the star. He tried to deny, but he knew I knew and I could see fear because there was no way I should have known. And he could likely sense the gift was once again strong in me, and had not been stripped as intended, and that I was more than a match for him. His head bowed, he shared that he had fled from the mages that had stolen the star. He was not the mastermind, but rather a mage named Malyn. Malyn it seems had a dreadful disease unto death and sought to use the star as a home for his own soul. But I knew the star was designed such that only evil creatures could be touched with it. But he explained Malyn had engaged in dreadful dark actions killing and torturing the innocent, calling upon forbidden arts, to turn his soul black and using that to twist the star into a receptical for his residence upon death. He told me the location of their experiments, Inata's Deep. He said it was submerged keep on the north side of the lake. I know it. Indeed I had at one point entered its front door, but had not explored deep.
Lidia and I headed south, cutnorht of Windhelm into the Pale and headed via Riverwood to the lake. We found dark arts indeed. Mages gone as bad as they can. Summoners of the dead, and even turned to cannibalism. On the lower level was one mage of great power. And lower still I surprised two with fireballs. In the inner sanctum we found the body of Malyn holding the star, cracked. Darkened. I took it, which I held so many times before, expecting to feel a fragile shattered shell, but no it has a presence, darkness, evil. Twisted.Out on the lake, we had just emerged from the partially submerged tower, when the dreaded black dragon was heard and it circled and circled. I submerged myself in the lake but it kept circling me. Looking at me. Why??? I even found a shipwreck on the bottom. Finally Lid and I took shelter in the trees on the south side of the lake and it flew away. Ready for dragons? Maybe not all.
Heading east we spotted a Thalmor patrol on the road with a captive. Lid and I set up an ambush. We took down at least three, but I think one or two escaped. I only hope the captive escaped as well. These Thalmor were a handfull. The commotion drew the attention of another blasted rogue mage who tried to sneak up on me, but Lidia was there. I found an altar where she had been up to something.
We stopped in Riverwood were I disposed of the Thalmor armor and weapons. Then headed to Whiterun to sell a few other things I've come into possession of. And to rest.
I need rest.
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