Yeolius Coardus #4 - Running my Socks off

The Jagged Crown seems an important symbol for claiming the throne of Skyrim, and Legate Rikke asked me to join the group that will try to obtain it before the Stormcloaks do. She asked me to meet her at Korvanjund, the bural place of King Borgas, last wearer of the Crown. But surprisingly, I'm left to cross Skyrim alone. We are not traveling in formation, not even together. What kind of army is this?

...staying the nigth at the Frostfruit Inn...

So I ran almost all the way, but stopped at the Frostfruit Inn at Rorikstead for a short overnight. The next day I continued my cross country run. I was attacked by some bandits, by an assassin wearing a lettre ordering my execution (why, I do not know), and by a few packs of wolves.

At the Thirsty Mammoth I saw for the first time real Giants. They seem peacefull creatures, and walked slowly passed me, with their hurd of cows.

... the Thirsty Mammoth....

... giants with their hurd...

At Whiterun I stopped for more proviant, and continued the same day my run towards the meeting place. Although I ran all the way, Rikke and her men were already there, waiting for me. How did they arrive before me? ...hmmm...never mind. She began immediately to give instructions about the assault of the Temple of Korvanjund...

... a quick pitstop at Whiterun...

... Legate Rikke and her men waiting for me...

> to be continued

Yeolius Coardus #3 - Joining the Legion

Arrived at Solitude, I went straight to castle Dour to try and enlist into the Legion. Soldiers pointed me to General Tullius, which I found discussing Stormcloak strategies with a Legate Rikke. They saw me. Rikke began ranting about me begin different, a lot of blabla about her "guts" telling her so, and to test me by clearing a fort from bandits. It eluded me totally why I would be so "special", and why they did not sent real soldiers to get rid of those bandits. What was this all about? I didn't knew whether I should be glad or worried not being enlisted as anybody else.

...Legate Rikke gives me instructions...

I received the coordinates, and the orders to return once Fort Hraggstad had been cleared. After some hesitation decided to have at least a look. So I left the same morning, up into the hills.

An hour later I arrived at the fort. I spotted several bandits keeping watch upon the wall. I tried to get close to try and talk with them (what was I thinking?), but they attacked me the moment they spotted me. (duh)

... the walls and courtyard of Fort Hraggstad have been cleared...

I ran away, and hid behind a rock. And then, one by one I lured them, shot them or singled them out. One on one those bandits did not seem very strong and able. I managed to clear the court, the walls and finally also the inside of the fort. It took almost all night to get it done, but at the end I was victorious: Yeolius Coardus - Bandits of Hraggstad: 10 - 0. Game over.

... Fort Hraggstad is done, returning to Solitude...

I went back to Solitude, and reported back to Legate Rikke. She was not really impressed, but thanked me. General Tullius took my oath, I received Legion's armour set, and got the next instructions. Again something special concerning a Crown or something. I was too tired to pay much attention...

...I'm a Legionair!...

 >next

Yeolius Coardus #2 - Raining on the Road to Solitude

The afternoon at Riverwood I did some chores to gain some money for a bed, and food for the road ahead. I slept well although the bard kept on singing all night! The next morning it poured cats and dogs, but I was decided: the road to go was west.

...just left Riverwood during a grey, rainy morning...

Not far from Riverwood a first pack of wolves of maybe six attacked me. A ran upon a rock and swang wild my father's old sword. Finally half of them started to flee. The others I managed to kill before.

I went on, but at Half Moon Mill I was attacked by a bear. Again I ran, jumped over the river, but got attacked by a wolf. The bear jumped upon the carriage driver, while I killed the wolf. From far I arrowed the bear until it fled. The driver, wounded, thanked me for saving his life. At the small town of Northkeep I stayed the night.

...another rainy morning at Northkeep...

The next day it continued to pour.  I left early. The road until Rorikstead was quiet, very quite. It seemed the day after a big battle. Countless bodies of fallen soldiers were laying spread out over grassy plains. Many thoughts crossed my mind when passing through these killing fields. At the inn at Rorikstead I halted for a warm lunch.

...rain at Rorikstead...

The next part of the road was horrible. I was ambushed by four bandits, but managed to run away, up hill onto the rocks above, and took them off one by one. I killed a human, but I had no other choice then to defend myself.

I continued the road accompanied by three passing merchants. Half an hour further though, we were asked to pay for toll at "Robber's Gorge". I did not had the money, and they attacked us. Again I ran away, behind a rock, and started to arrow down the robbers. The merchants had also looked for cover somewhere. Surprisingly I managed to take out the robbers, and ran passed their camp. The roads of Skyrim are deadly dangerous these days.

...still raining at Dragon Bridge...

But the rest of the road was quite again. Night was falling slowly when I reached Dragon Bridge. I stayed the night, and the next day it was a short dry walk to Solitude. I made it! I made it alive!

...arrived at Solitude with the weather clearing up...

> next

Yeolius Coardus #1 - I'm Not a Coward!

At Cyrodiil, for all the time I can remember, they called me a coward. I call it being prudent, but they don't see it that way. All my childhood I had to face the mockery of the other children. Even my parents seemed so often ashamed of me, I could see it in their eyes. And thus I decided to show all that I'm not a coward! I want them to be proud of me. I'm going to join Skyrim's Imperial forces, the great army once created by Talos himself, to defend Tamriel from chaos and destruction. And I will return with honor and glory.

...arrived at Riften, heading for Solitude...

So, last week, in my fathers old rusty iron armour and armed with his old sword, I left home. My friend accompanied me until the Skyrim's borders at the Silgrad Pass. There he left me on my own, to find my way from Riften to Solitude. It's still a long road ahead, but I'm convinced I will make it. What danger might there be, while well staying on the road?

...traveling with my future battle brothers...

I was lucky to encounter a couple of Imperial soldiers heading the same  direction as I did. But at the mountain pass between Ivarstead and Helgen they got amushed by Stomcloak rebels. The fight was bitter. I slipped through, and rather shocked I continued my way.

... Helgen was destroyed, a strange giant bird rose up from the debris...

When I arrived at Helgen, the town was destroyed, laying in ashes, burning, and out of the debris rose a giant birdlike creature, and flew off south. The road west to Falkreath was obstructed by the burning houses, and I had to descent south to Riverwood, to regain the parallel road in westerly direction..

...detour by Riverwood, an idyllic place in a rough world...

Just before arriving at Riverwood, three wolves attacked me. Alone I did not had other choice than to fight for my life. I swang and hacked my sword. I got bitten and wounded, but one by one they fled. I survived my first fight.

> next

Yeol Clumsy #46 - Arissa (last)

Skyrim, Middas the 3th of Evening Star, 4E201

Sofia and I continued constructing our Lakeview Manor home. We needed several journeys to Riverwood, Falkreath and Helgen to get material. Wood, at the sawmills, was rather easy to come by, but it was clear that iron for hinges and nails would become very soon problematic.

Our Lakeview Manor was getting form.

We worked from early morning until late at night. Slowly the main building was getting form. To my surprise Sofia seemed very involved and worked very hard. I would even say she had talent for building. What a surprise.

Sofia work like a horse, and she seemed to enjoy it.

No matter rain, snow or mist, we kept on. Our bodies hurt in every corner: back, hands, arms... but it was all for a good cause. We would have a sea of time to rest later.

Snow inside the house, the roof has not yet been build

The main building is finished

My astonishment was big when Sofia preferred to stay at home when I had to go to Falkreath again for supplies. This was the first time ever since we travel together that she chose to not come along. The house is affecting her.

Sofia preferred to stay at home, and continue the work here.

At Falkreath's "Dead Man's Drink", I was approached by a woman who claimed to have lost an heirloom. I accepted to look for it with her, but she tricked me. I was robed from all my money (and it was a lot!). Justice was swift when she got caught by the guards a little further on the road. I preferred to talk her free, than to see her arrested with all my money in her pockets. Arissa was her name. She was surprised by my mercy, and proposed to assist me for a while in return. I accepted Arissa's offer, in the hope to see my money back soon...

Arissa and I met, in an unusual way.

Yeol the Clumsy @  day 108, level 35

 

For the moment this tale has been suspended. The game is getting very unstable, and crashes when entering larger towns. I can't seem to get the game working again, with it's 200+ mods. One day I'll try again...

Yeol Clumsy #45 - Settling down

Skyrim, Fredas the 28th of Sun's Dusk, 4E201

Exhausted of my adventures through Sovngarde and back, I took the cart from Ivarstead back home. At Whiterun all seemed as normal, as nothing had changed. Also Lydia at Breezehome was still hanging around, taking care of the house. A brief hello I got, and she went on with her daily business.

Although I adore Breezehome and Whiterun, the house is small and rather obscure. Coming home was not the same as before. Lydia had taken her space, and she could not get along with Sofia (and vice-versa). The house is too small for the both of them. That worried me.

Coming home again at midnight

I remembered an offer of Falkreath's Jarl, many seasons ago. He offered me a piece of land, in return for a service. So, the next morning Sofia and I walked to Falkreath, to visit Jarl Siddgeir. It was an easy day, with just one ambush to deal with.

It's only now I notice that Whiterun's Gildergreen is flowering again!

Jarl Siddgeir remembered his offer, and asked if I would take care of a dragon nearby, and some robbers who are terrorizing the Hold for a long time now. I agreed, and the next day I went into the mountains south of Falkreath to deal with both of them. I first went to check out the dragon. It seemed an elder dragon, still rebelling although his master, Alduin, had been defeated. I had no choice but defend myself, and to kill the rebel.

Jarl Siddgeir at Falkreath

At Knifepoint Ridge I took care of the terrorizing robbers. They were no match for Sofia and I. We went back to Falkreath with done business. The Jarl gave me in return the deed of a plot of land nearby.

All is quiet again at Knifepoint Ridge

I went to see my newly acquired property. It was perfect. Not too cold, quiet near a lake in the forest but not too far from Riverwood. I had one strange neighbour though: seemingly a necromancer or witch. I'll have to look into that problem later.

My new property.

The same day we started to build the first part of the house. Small, but big enough to have all necessities inside. Sofia and I worked for a few days, and soon we had our first home standing.

A few days later we had our home standing.

I saw Sofia very enthousiast. She was really enjoying the construction of the house, and I saw in her eyes that she was proud and pleased with the result. I think that our wild kitten has found her nest.

Sofia seemed to like our new home

Yeol the Clumsy @  day 103, level 35

Yeol Clumsy #44 - Alduin's End in Sovngarde

Skyrim, Loredas the 22th of Sun's Dusk 4E201

Odahviing flew me far away beyond the borders of Skyrim, to Skuldafn. Here Alduin hides somewhere, he said, and had some secret passway to get to Sovngarde. I felt this was a mission without possibility of turning back. It would be Alduin or me.

Odahviing flew me to the temple of Skuldafn

Skuldafn was infested by high level draugr lords of all kinds. Progress was utterly slow. These draugr lords are beatable, but one only at the time. It took me three whole days to work my way up the temple complex.

During the fight of three days, to survive, I had to find rest and sleep, time to eat and drink...

Finally, at sight of the portal, I had to fight some kind of dragon-leech and 2 elder dragons. This battle was heavy but far easier that all the draugr lords I had to fight before. At the eve of the third day I found myself before a whirling portal which I assumed was the access to Sovngarde. Tired I took a deep breath, and dove into the spiral of light.

The portal to Sovngarde has been activated

I arrived at Sovngarde, land of the death, with above me the tornado of light that brought me here, and beneath me a valley covered in a thick mist. When I entererd the mist, I encountered fallen soldiers, looking for the way to Shor's hall of Heroes. But the mist hide a menace, they said it was Alduin devouring the freshly fallen.

Arrival at Sovngarde

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me through the thick mist, with Alduin above me. After a while I arrived at a bridge. A huge warrior Tsun guarded the bridge, but after a test by duel, I seemed worthy to cross. At Shor's Hall I encountered some heroes who were willing to aid me in opposing Alduin, clearing the mist, and attacking the God of Nothingness Gone Evil.

Shor's Hall with Tsun's bridge in front.

The battle was short. Alduin was no match to us, which I thought to be strange. Alduin is as old as time itself, and gained power and strength during many ages, even now, here in Sovngarde by devouring the souls of many heroes. I feared a long and an almost impossible battle to fight, but he lost fast, and went back into nothingness after a brief bright flash. Alduin was no more. Nirn was free of the World-Eater. My destiny had been fulfilled.

The last second of Alduin, leaving with a flash of light, going into nothingness.

Tsun had the power to send me back to Nirn, which surpised me, but I accepted. Sovngarde was not yet ready to receive me. I returned high on top of the Throat of the World, near Paarturnax and dozens of other dragons. They thanked me, and flew off. With the last efforts I had left in my body, I stumbled down to High Hrothgar. The greybeards received me with a short thank-you protocol.

Back to Nirn, received by dozens of dragons

I was deeply tired, exhausted. I felt totally emptied from every strength. I longed for a bed, a home. Just a place to rest without the burdens of the world on my shoulders...

My stumbling decent to High Hrothgar

Yeol the Clumsy @  day 97, level 34