Winter

Winter is deep upon us now.  Snow falls heavily.  Lidia departed for Whiterun to visit with family.  I told her I was going to putter around the Pale estate.

A few days later I set out for the Labyrinth.  The Wooden mask in my display case upstairs was acting funning.  I resolved to return to where I found it to see if I could any more information on it.  The snows were not yet too deep on horseback to make my way up into the mountains.  Upon arriving I found the great dragon attacking the trolls that make there home there.  I watched from a distance, moving from cover to cover and taking cover inside the domed building where I found the mask.  The dragon was terrifying in its rage. 

The mask hummed with strange glowing energy and so I chanced putting on and was transported, not to different place, but I think a different time, a time before.  For the room was suddenly no longer a ruin and the bench before me that had been crumbled in decay stood new, faces with masks clearly visible.  Not much else was in the room.  I sought to see if the Labryinth was here in its glory, but the door was barred.  It would not open. 

I removed the mask.  Time had passed.  So had the dragon.  I made my way safely out of the mountains back to the estate.  Had to deal with another giant there.

I made a trip the college in Winterhold to grab some soul gems and check on things.  The roads were passable in spite of heavy snow.  All was well. 

Back at the estate I settled in and worked on building an armory onto the main hall.  Gregory and I both made several trips out for supplies and my gold dwindled.  But in the end the addition stands is ready to recieve arms and armour. 

On one of the last trips into Whiterun I had Eorland of the Skyforge help me awaken further the power that is in Glamdring.  She is one mighty weapon, and the more my gift comes alive, so does she.

I spend this time pondering about the mysterious priest whom a demonic lord would fear or at least hate.  It is worth looking into and having some conversation with this priest, and I am curious who would him or her captive.  So I gathered Lidia from Whiterun toward the end of the year and set out in deepest winter.  I was hoping that whomever might be holding the fortress we were headed for might be sitting fat and warm before a fire not expecting visitors.  On my way into Whiterun I was attacked by another blood dragon at the western fort.  For some reason it got side tracked attacking a pack of wolves, which made it easier prey for lightening strikes from a distance.  But it soon figured out I was in the tower and tried to burn the thing down, but did not avail.

Also had major duel with a Vampire out and about.  Thing almost had me.

Lidia and I made Rorikstead by the 27th of Morning Star.  It had warmed and snow had turned to rain and the roads were mush.  We were riding through the night and the rain broke for a bit and I rode on the bluff to watch the last of sunset when an archer began to fire on my position.  Bandits had hidden in the rocks below, but I had surprised them.  Four of them.  Probably good they didn't get the drop on us.

But not far down the road a squad of Thalmor enforcers with a mage in attendance did get the drop on us.  But the mage had no liking for fireballs nor Glamdring.  Lidia had not liking for the others.

 We drew near the fortress early in the night.  Lidia and I were both tired, so I decided we'd hold up for a while and get a bit of rest and let the guard get good and sleepy and settled in for the night before approaching.