Into the Depths

Passing through Dawnstar I learned that Seren, the wife of Rustleif had been killed by a dragon along with several sellswords that had been hired to augment the local militia.  I continued through the village that was wrapped in grief, up the coast toward Winterhold.  Strange fires drew my attention and I discovered the body of a woman who had a book with the name Ysirra inside its cover.  A blood trail lead up a cravasse and I followed it into a cave.  I found another body, with a letter from Isabelle to someone saying she'd be home soon from Hob Fall and with something that would make them rich. 

The cave turned out to be full of Necromancer rogue mages, folks I need to deal with anyway.  And I found a strange flute with the name Panetta engraved in very small delicate runes.

Traveling up the coast I saw dragon ruins on an island to the north of the College.  On a map in the college the place is named "Sky Temple".  I decided a quick diversion might be worth what might be found there.

There was a wrestless Dragur deathlord there, awake and aware.  But my new mage armour is holding up well and it was not that difficult to put down.  And indeed, a small treasure was found, an ancient codex written by an elf from long ago entitled "Before the Age of Men".  More insight into the ancient days. 

I arrived at the College the afternoon of the 4th of Sun's Height.  It should be summer in south, but a blizzard was blowing in here.  The north chills one to the bone.  Too much cold and too much snow.

Tolfdir met me in my quarter having heard of my arrival and shared a missive had come from the Earl of Whiterun seeking help, that strange anomolies were active there.  Tolfdir suspects further consequences of the Orb of Magnus.  I'll look into it when I am next there. 

Phinis came to me as well.  There are students missing still.  Out on a research mission, they should have returned weeks ago.    And he shared that rumours still abound about Fallion in Morthal causing disturbances.  I may have to look in on him when I am next there, but I suspect this is still just rumour and local bias against our school.  Especially since Fallion is a practicioner of Conjuration. 

Pondering on Fallion and the rest, I decided it was indeed time for order to be instilled over the College.  I spent that evening writing the Codex for the Mages of the North.  The Mages Guild and the Arcane University have long exercised a measure of control over the practice of the gift within the empire,but in the north the distance has allowed somewhat too much autonomy. 

Codex of for the Mages of the North
As ordained by Julian of the Sky, Archmage of the College of Winterhold,
of the blood of elf and man
holder of the sacred sword Glamdring
Known by the faithful as the rightful Archmage of the Arcane University
Hero of Bruma, Rightful heir to Battlehorn Castle,
Named Dova'kim by the Monks of High Hrothgar
Dragonborn

I hereby inscribe the following code for all mages practicing in the north in the land known as Skyrim.  Let it be known to all practicioners of the gift, that all who touch the source in this land are hereby under this code. 

The use of the source must be utilized for justice and the ultimate good for all.  The use of the source to cause harm, bodily injury, or death against living sentient races is only in dire necessity to safeguard one's own life or the life of others.

Forbidden is the art of necromancy.  The penalty is death.
Forbidden is the opening of portals to demonic realm that the fallen demons might have access to work in this world.  The penalty is death.
Tolerated but strongly discouraged is the binding of demonic forces for the pursuit of justice when they are already present in this world.
Conjuration of familiars of this world is tolerated but not encouraged.
Forbidden is the art which seeks to alter a sentient living races mind and gain control and turn them into murderous individuals.  Tolerated is the touch of soothing when used to preserve life.
Healing of all kinds is encouraged.
Transmutation of ore is tolerated but not for unnecessary selfish gain.
The use of the gift for the destruction of the undead and other evil spirits is lawful.

The next morning I gathered the mages present in council and presented the codex.  It went over like a bag of iron ore, but they know I am serious.  And they see  the logic and necessity.  I tasked our librarian with making copies and sending them to all the Holds in the north and by letter to all known mages in the north.

He had a discovery for me, a book on the Dragon Wars of old.  It would appear the dragons were a strong power already tied to some of the rebellious elves (from the Isle of Bliss, though this place is not mentioned in the book) when the first men appeared.  And the first men rapidly fell under the sway of these dragons.  And the first men worshipped these fallen demonic creatures and some of the men were made lords... dragon lords.  And given some of the power of the dragon, hence their ability to use a corrupted form of the word.  These lords turned into tyrannts as their long life weighed heavy on them, and some men rebelled.  The book says that Akatosh, another name I believe though bastardized, for the All-Father, granted to some the gift of the Word.  And that some of the spirits (here named dragons I suspect they were not dragons but the unfallen guardians of the realm of bliss) aided men in their battle against the dragons and they gained the upper hand, so that the most powerful of the lords were slain, but the war raged.  And so these lords were entombed in ancient halls.  And the dragon as they fell were buried by their faithful followers in mounds.  (This explains the circle mounds allover the north.)  Eventually the remnants of the dragons fled and humanity was free.

The atmosphere of the college was bit frosty after publishing the Codex for Mages of the North.  One of the mages came to me to further make his case on a research proposal regarding ancient dwarf machines, but he needs materials.  I thought this might be an interesting diversion, so offered to retrieve these myself.  I knew of ruins not far, Alftand.  I had been into them before.  And I have been desiring of late to reexplore the known Dwarf ruins looking to see if there is a door or entrance hidden into a massive underground city as some legends suggest.

Entering Alftand I found the bodies of other researchers, don't know where from.   Several collections of notes were laying around and made mention of deep tunnels and hinted cities below the tunnels and wonderings if somehow all the passageways were somehow connected.  There were plenty of active metal machines as well and some evidence of Falmer as I proceeded inside.  Deeper there was indeed a thriving Falmer colony complete with hives, forges, and supply collections.  Then I came upon ramps, diving deep into the caverns, spiraling down and down. 

I found a dead Orc and a dead Elf and even dead Falmer, pierced with Ebony arrows.  Someone else had been this way and probably not part of the researches from above.  Deep below, coming finally to the end of the ramps was a door with runes carved above, "Alftrand Cathedral".  It was guarded by a fully functional metal man who came at me hard and furious.  Fortunately I was faster, and it succumbed to fire after a battle of some time.  

Deeper inside two people were found, arguing and coming to blows with one another.  I endeavored to watch but was seen and they both turned upon me and I had to take them down to defend myself.  From their gear I ascertained their names as Sulla Trebatius and Umana.  They were fighting over a dwarven mechanism of some kind, but what is its nature and how to activate it escaped me.  It appeared to be lacking a key or some other kind of device.    One thing in abundance though were the Dwarven cogs needed by the mage Arniel.  An elevator provided quick access to the surface.

Returning to the college, Arniel welcomed the cogs but said that Ethnir had something he needed.  Ethnir being stubborn as always would not name for me what the item was nor surrender it but offered to trade it for a staff.  We'll see.