Ancient Ripples

In Ivarsted I heard rumours of ancient Dwarven ruins, supposedly in good shape, that resist all efforts at entry.  Reminded me of the strange tower above the estate back in the Pale so I decided to look into them.  headed down on the 13th of Second Seed, Sting drew her first blood - a forest troll that came roaring at me from its hiding place among the trees by the road.

Shortly after I was attacked by a strong dragon very powerful with cold and it almost had me.  In fact I think I should not be writing this but for its getting sidetrackedby the presence of a couple of Whispmothers.  I was able to recover from its first attacks and deal with it from a distance.  Then I had to take care of the Whispmothers as well. 

I found the entrace to the ruins, as they were not hidden.  The door opened readily enough for me and I had the wits scared out of me as one of those giant mechanical guardian metal men rose and came at me only to say "welcome, man of dragon blood, I have kept the first for you".  The it returned to its position.  It is an incredible place, but cold and old, but in phenomenal condition.  There is even a living game preserve in its bowls.  Populated it would be cozy, but empty it seemed haunted and cold.  I returned to the estate in the Pale.

I rested at home for a bit for I was still weak from the battle with the dragon near Ivarsted.  I planned to head to Dawnstar and then on to Morthal.  On the way over the pass I checked on my wards at the shrine to Dagon and found they had weakened enough to allow Dremora to be present.  These I sent back to their dark realm and I strengthened the wards once more.

In Morthal I summed Valdmir to follow with me.  On our journey out he told me of his family and descendency from a great line of noble guardians from the west, men who spent their lives in protection of a sacred white tree.  I asked if this was the same tree as was associated with Kynereth and he said no, this was a different tree, now lost to the world of men except in myth and legend.  The tree itself is embossed on his armour, the like of which I have not seen in this earth before.

We returned to the Pale and I caught up on a bit of research as I become more curious about the ancient days that came before.  In Cyrodil I had explored and researched ancient Ayleid ruins, an ancient race of elves who come according to the legends form the "Elder Folk"  I wonder who these were?  And I wonder where my blood of dragons comes from. 

On the 19th of Second Seed I took Vladmir ranging with me, curious as to his fighting abilities.  I was surprised to discover he has some ability with the gift and with sword.  We cleaned out bandits at Fort Dunstad near to the house.    On our approach in the midst of a mighty storm we caught a dragon on the ground which quickly flew away, and if I saw aright, it had been talking with a giant.

Talking.  This is curious indeed.

Vladmir did well, but I had bigger fish to fry so I left him at the estate and took Lidia with me to return to the Labryinth.  There were too many unanswered questions there and that evil power that had driven me off last time.  I am stronger now and decided it was time to tie up this loose end.  A dragon orbiting the place attacked us on approach.  It almost acted as if it were a sentinel.  

The resident evil power turned out to be a powerful Dragur Lord not a Dragon Lord and he was not alone.  There were two.  But I was able to deal with them both now with ranged attacks and through healing myself of injuries.

 

Back at the estate I took Brylna with me to look at the Dwarven ruins.  She has an interest and some knowledge in their history and I hoped to mine her for more history of the elves.  We found no entrances to the ruins but from here I learned two most curious things.  Of the Dwarves that there was rumour they had come into this region of the north and built a mighty underground fortress that stretches for miles with secret entrances.  And of the elves, that they were the first of the races to come into the world born in a time unlit by sun or moon but only blessed in starlight.  But it was an evil time and the land was under the dominion of the Great Enemy of the Allfather and that he took many of the first children and twisted them into evil beings.  The rest of the children were summoned to a safe land with the servants of the Allfather, but many did not complete the journey and some did not heed the summons but remained in the land, and so from the beginning there were many tribes of elves.  When I asked her what she knew of a great battle in the elder days between the evil lord and elves that came from that sacred land and the building of a secret elven city, she grew silent and looked at me funny and said of this she knew nothing.  But I saw her glance at my sword Glamdring.  Curious.