Nord Refugee Character Diary - Hrisskar III

[BIGwooly]

- 3rd of Sun's Height, 4E 202 -

I barely have time to pen this, as Jarl Ulfric has given me a new task already .. and it's urgent. But I must write of the battle at Whiterun. If I don't survive my next mission, who else would tell my story?

The battle was epic. The stuff of legends. I knew it would be as I crested the hill and Whiterun came into view. The sky was blotted with smoke, and it truly looked like the end of the world. It reminded me of Helgen, when I returned to find it a smoldering ruin. Whiterun wasn't a smoldering ruin yet, but the air itself carried the tone of the impending battle.



The city was already under siege. Giant trebuchets launched flaming missiles into and over the stronghold's old stone walls. Similar projectiles came flying back at Ulfric's men. From a distance it was a song come to life .. a painting animated.



Galmar was present, and was rallying the stormcloaks for a final assault on the city. I had arrived just in time. With flaming orbs crashing to the ground all around us we charged across the farms and up the road to the main gate. The walls of the city were crawling with archers, and their arrows descended upon us like the pelting hail of an angry fall storm.

As we entered the outer defense we were met by foot soldiers with swords drawn and shields ready. With great satisfaction we clashed with them, happy to make the fight more personal. One after another they succumbed to my mace. I was in a frenzy, and soon we had dispatched with the initial defense.

Arrows continued to rain down on us without mercy. The stormcloaks returned the barrage, but the men on the walls had the advantage. We needed to break their defense and reach the drawbridge controls. Without that we would have no access to the main gate.



I broke from the rest and charged up a side wall. Having spent much time in Whiterun, I knew the city's defenses as well as the defenders themselves. While my comrades fired arrows up at the city's archers, I stormed their flank.

The first bowman attempted to shoot me with an arrow at less than ten paces, but I deftly avoided the shot. He readied another arrow but I was on top of him in an instant, and slammed my shield into him. Stunned, he felt my mace against his helmet next. The soldier attempted to draw his sword but I crashed my mace into him again, and he fell to the ground, begging for mercy. But today was not a day for mercy. These men had chosen their allegiance. My father's blood was on their hands now as well. I crushed the poor soul with a mighty strike.

The three archers ahead of me now turned their attention to me. The fools should have taken my flanking move more seriously. I quickly closed to about twenty paces and then unleashed a shout of force against them. They were ripped off their feet and thrown off the wall. The stormcloaks below finished them off as I continued up the wall, eliminating the remaining resistance.

With the bridge lowered the attack pushed to the main gate, and then into the city itself. The battle was brutal and savage. I saw grown men screaming in agony .. men engulfed in flames .. men begging for mercy. The fighting was up close and personal now. Men looked right into the eyes of other men as they cut each other down. The fighting was such that I couldn't always tell who was friend and who was foe. There were weapons flying in all directions and men falling dead all around me. It was pure chaos .. and I was addicted to every second of it.



But the defenders couldn't hold us back, and eventually we overran the last of them. We headed up the steps to the jarl's palace, and to his front door.



After assembling the remainder of our force, we burst through the doors and into the hall. Immediately several guards rushed to meet us, weapons drawn. I spoke them off their feet and we took their lives readily. Now our true foes came to meet us.



The jarl and his remaining loyalists tested their skills against ours. The fighting was intense, with swords and axes and magic causing wounds of all kinds. My voice had no use now. We were all packed together in an intimate dance of death. With no regard to my own health I assaulted my foes. I've never felt so driven to overcome, to persevere ... to be victorious.

Finally, the jarl of Whiterun called a truce and surrendered the fight. We were all exhausted from a full day of fighting, but I was ordered to deliver the word back to Ulfric ... that Whiterun was ours.

And now, lest I let Ulfric down, I must discontinue my writing and make haste. Falkreath Hold is waiting on me.

 

[BIGwooly]

- 3rd of Sun's Height, 4E 202 -

What a day. After leaving Windhelm at dawn I rode into the mountains. My destination was a stormcloak camp high in the mountains above Riverwood, near my old home .. Helgen. I was looking forward to seeing it this time. It would renew my strength and determination break the imperials.

As I climbed into the forests south of Windhelm, the soft falling snow gave way to a miserable rain. I did what I could to keep it off me, but I was pushing my horse at a brisk pace and the rain was forcing itself inside my armor. Speaking of my equine friend, she needs a name. I will come up with one for her tonight as I dream .. assuming I can get any sleep. It's bitter cold in this camp and this bedroll may as well be a cobblestone path.

About halfway through the day I spotted another imperial patrol with a stormcloak prisoner. I pulled off the road and found a nice vantage point to launch an ambush from, but then realized I didn't have a bow. I had left it at Korvanjund and hadn't replaced it yet.

The soldiers were passing below me and there wasn't time to come up with a new plan. I was already risking my schedule to reach the camp by nightfall. So I simply ran down the hill and sprung my attack the old fashioned way. In a matter of minutes I had killed all three soldiers, but again failed to save the prisoner. If for no other reason, I may start carrying a dagger just for these situations. There is little point to fighting these soldiers and losing an innocent man's life in the process.

I gathered some pieces of their armor, as well as a bow for my own use, and left them naked in the road for travelers to see. It's time that the natives of Skyrim, as well as the imperials, understand the imperial reign here is coming to an end.

I continued on to Riverwood, where I had a late lunch and sold the imperial armor. I used the profit to purchase another soul gem, as I have been going through them quickly lately. Then, with my belly full and my horse's load lightened, I resumed my journey.

After reaching Helgen and having a moment of silence to remember the dead, I continued up the trail to where I thought the camp was located. The dull rain gave way to a decent snowfall, and with the fading light I began to wonder if I was going to find the camp or if I would have to head back down and spend the night in Riverwood. But another hour of careful searching revealed my companions, and after I finished speaking with Galmar I took a spot at the fire and at my dinner.

Tomorrow I'm to head to a fort to help free some of my fellow stormcloaks who are prisoners. Galmar assured me this would be no easy task, but a necessary one. I still don't think he comprehends how much I relish killing these legion soldiers. In time he will .. when I have cut down a hundred perhaps. I already have several dozen to my name now.

 

[BIGwooly]

- 4th of Sun's Height, 4E 202 -

As I suspected, I slept very little last night. My back is feeling every hole in this bedroll and my fingers and toes are tingling from the overnight chill. A larger fire would have helped immensely, but we have to be careful about things like that lest we draw the attention of a passing legion patrol.

I've warmed my hands just enough to write this little bit. In a few moments I will be off to Riverwood. There is barely any food in the camp, and these poor men need it more than I. So I will trek back down the mountain to purchase enough stores for two days, and then be off to the Fort. It is close, and should be easy enough to find. I've seen it once before many months ago.

It wasn't easy, but I've settled on a name for my worthy companion. She reminds me of the clouds and how they support the sky with but a whisper on most days. And yet, when I need her in a dire moment, she opens up like a cloud filled with thunder and lightning on the stormiest of days. So she is my cloud and I am her sky. And thus, I will call her Cloud.

 

[BIGwooly]

- 4th of Sun's Height, 4E 202 -

It's barely midday and I'm back at the stormcloak camp already. I made a mistake I will have to be careful not to repeat. Galmar didn't say anything to me, but I'm sure he must be annoyed. I've delayed the infiltration of the fort by a full day. It's unacceptable.

So now, while I sit here by a fire on a perfectly sunny day eating my lunch, my brethren sit in cells for another day. I can only hope no worse fate comes to them before I arrive.

My blunder was a simple enough one. I was headed down to Riverwood to purchase some food for the next few days. It should have been a fairly short, uneventful trip. But on the way down the mountain a crazed woman wearing leather armor and wielding an axe came out of the bushes and attacked us. She managed to hit Cloud with her axe before I could dig my heels in and sprint her to safety.

Cloud voiced her pain and I guided her fifty paces or so down the road. I paused, planning to check and see if the axe-murderer was still pursuing us, but I caught sight of two very large sabre cats ... and they caught sight of us.

So now Cloud and I are racing down the road with the woman chasing us and the sabre cats as well. I glanced over my shoulder in time to see one of the big cats take the crazy woman down and kill her. We kept riding until I was sure it was safe, but then my curiosity got the better of me. What if this crazy woman had something of great value on her? I should at least check before the animals of the wild drug her off into the woods for snack.

But partway back up the road I spotted one of the sabre cats. I had expected them to saunter off after losing my trail, but this one seemed content in his new spot, waiting for another victim to present themselves. I made sure Cloud was out of sight, and then snuck up the road towards the giant cat. I was prepared to use my shout of force, which I fully expected would kill it outright as it had done the other sabre cat I used it on near Ivarstead. This was not a snowy sabre cat after all, which I had discovered during a run-in outside Winterhold are much tougher predators.

The deadly feline spotted me as I closed in, and I awaited it's charge. It charged, and I began my shout. A mere pace or two it's teeth came to digging into my face when I finished my shout and sent it tumbling backwards. I wasted no time and ran to it, expecting it to be dead, but wanting to make sure. But I spotted it struggling and realized it was still alive. I swung with my mace two or three times, and when the cat rose to it's feet I smashed it with a shield to disrupt it's strike. The sabre cat managed to bite me once before I put it down for good.

But my blunder wasn't complete. As the first cat fell dead at my feet the second cat attacked me from behind. It had been hiding somewhere unseen, and now I was in real trouble!

I turned to face it but I was unable to shout. It attacked again and I blocked the attack clumsily. I was hurting badly now, and struck back at the animal with my mace. The magic in my mace pulled some of the cat's health into my own body, but not enough. It attacked again and my shield took the brunt, but now I knew another attack .. blocked or not .. was going to kill me right there on that road in the middle of nowhere.

So I did the only thing I could do. I shouted all my fear into the beast and sent it running. I didn't even bother pursuing it. I was bleeding profusely and knew I could pass out at any moment. So instead I ran to my horse and galloped away as quickly as I could.

Now, after getting my supplies in Riverwood and recovering from my encounter, I sit at the camp in the mountains ... feeling silly and useless. I nearly got myself killed and may have failed in my mission to rescue my fellow stormcloaks, all to see if some insane lady with an axe happened to have something of value on her. Idiocy .. and I won't repeat that in the future.

Tomorrow around mid-morning I will set out for the fort. By then I will have my ability to shout fear again, and this is why I'm forced to stay in the camp for another night. Galmar is convinced that the fort will be a difficult bastion to handle, so I know I will need every advantage. I hope to make up for my careless mistake by this time tomorrow.

 

[BIGwooly]

- 5th of Sun's Height, 4E 202 -

I arrived at the fort this morning ready to make up for the day I lost. The other stormcloaks seemed to share my sentiment, and we stormed the imperial stronghold with vigor. It didn't take long for us to slaughter the soldiers in the inner courtyard.

We went inside the main building next, and more of the spineless cowards fell before us. I've gotten proficient with using my shield to block incoming arrows, and that proved useful in the tight interiors of the fort. I've also learned to control my shout of force. Sometimes I need only utter the first word to have the desired effect. Other times, when I wish for a larger impact, I use the full shout. I think the greybeards will be impressed when I eventually return to them.

After clearing out the main barracks we headed to a side door out in the courtyard. This led us down underground where we killed another pair of wretched imperials, and found a prison key on them. I stripped their armor and left them naked, as I have been doing with all of the imperials we kill, and then we ventured further into the keep.

This led us to a room where the prisoners, thankfully, were all still alive and well. There was one prisoner I found out in the courtyard who had been tortured and killed recently, but I dared not ask if it had happened yesterday. We got the prisoners freed and they donned armor and weapons that were nearby. Ralof informed me that he had it under control and that I should report the victory back to Ulfric.

I returned to the camp to spend the night before I head out on the long journey back to Windhelm. I eager to hear what plans Ulfric has for me next. I'm ready to bring Solitude itself down to one knee!

 

[bulbaquil]

Ah, the revitalized Hrisskar. At this rate, the war will be over by the one-year anniversary of Helgen's destruction, or at least by Hearthfire.

 

[BIGwooly]

Ah, the revitalized Hrisskar. At this rate, the war will be over by the one-year anniversary of Helgen's destruction, or at least by Hearthfire.

Hrisskar would love that I'm sure, although I could also see him taking his fight to the imperials beyond Skyrim's borders.

 

[BIGwooly]

- 7th of Sun's Height, 4E 202 -

This morning I'm headed to a stormcloak camp in The Reach. Under Ulfric's orders I'm to meet up with Galmar and do whatever he needs me to do. That's fine with me, as long as it includes crushing legion skulls.

The trip is likely going to take me the next two days. It's a long ride. I've already spent a day in Windhelm to let Cloud rest after we rode back from mountains yesterday morning. So she should be ready to go now. I only hope the trip goes smoothly. It's a long ways to go without running into some kind of trouble.

 

[BIGwooly]

- 7th of Sun's Height, 4E 202 -

I stumbled into the Frostfruit Inn in Rorikstead this evening, weary from a full day of riding. I was looking forward to a warm meal washed down with some cool ale, as well as some good old story-swapping with the locals. The divines know I have some pretty good stories to share now.

The first fellow I noticed was Erik, the young man I had met so many months ago. He wasn't dressed as a farmer any more, however. Now he wore an assortment of light armor, and informed me he was now going by the name .. Erik the Slayer. I stifled a laugh at this, as I admired the boy's heart. Had I been so different a year ago?

We chatted for a bit, and I assured him I didn't require his services at this time. I think he was disappointed, but I wasn't looking to be responsible for his death. Better that he hang around Rorikstead and kill wolves and mudcrabs for a while. As it was, I was already responsible for a death earlier today.

While traveling up the road from Whiterun I ran across some imperials with yet another stormcloak captive. I cursed under my breath that I didn't have an extra weapon on me. In retrospect I could have given the prisoner my bow and quiver, but it just never crossed my mind. Mara keep his soul.

Instead, I rode right past the legion party as if I barely noticed them, and then a bit farther up the road I set up my ambush. But they never appeared. Fearing that they had changed directions on me, I backtracked over the rocky slopes, keeping an eye on the road below.

When I found them they were gathered together, having a discussion of some sort. It's possible that my presence had spooked them. No doubt the imperial army was now hearing stories of their patrols being left dead and naked on the sides of roads in Skyrim. Good. I wish fear into each and every one of their hearts.

My first arrow found it's mark easily, which was surprising considering I haven't been using a bow much at all lately. I was hoping to draw the soldiers away so that the prisoner could flee to safety. But instead the soldiers turned on the prisoner and I watched in absolute anger as they killed him before I could do anything to save him.



Bursting with rage, I came crashing down the hillside like a mid-winter avalanche of fury. My bow was stowed and my mace was ready to introduce itself to each of their faces. They fired arrow after arrow into me as I closed the distance. I just ran right through the barrage, and at around twenty paces I blasted them senseless with a mighty shout.

I pressed my attack, killing the first soldier before he could even get back to his feet. The other two managed to get up, one choosing to draw his sword while the other stuck with his bow. I slammed into the shield-wielder with my shield, and followed the attack by slamming my mace into his ribs. His friend reconsidered his weapon choice and switched to a sword and closed.

I was now fighting the both of them at once, but yet I felt no fear .. only rage. Months and months of built up anger was free to unleash itself upon them, and I let it. I barely noticed the strikes of their swords against my shield and my armor. I could only visualize them dead on the ground at my feet, and I was impatient to make that reality.

Certainly these two soldiers realized they were outmatched, if not by strength and skill, then by pure motivation and determination. I was outnumbered two to one, but I fought as if I were six men. In a fairly short time they were both dead, and I was happy to strip all of the soldiers and line them up in the road for the world to see. Skyrim is not for the empire.

So after this brutal fight, and another half day of riding, I was glad to be off my feet at the inn in Rorikstead. I enjoyed my dinner and chatted with a few more locals before I decided it was time to call it a night. I was planning to rise early in the morning and get a good start on the next day of travel.

But as I walked up to the innkeep to rent a room for the night, a large nord woman blocked my path and insulted me for no apparent reason. Now when I'm not dealing with imperials, and especially when dealing with fellow nords, I tend to keep a fairly level head. But I also don't take kindly to being referred to as a milk-drinker by some attention-deprived nord in a small town inn in the middle of nowhere.

I curtly told her mind her own business, and she went from insulting me to threatening me. With no hesitation I promptly warned her to shut up or I would shut her up personally. I was tired, and sore from doing battle with imperials, and I was in no mood to take abuse by someone who had spent the day drinking ale and acting tough for the locals.

She then made her final mistake. She drew her weapon and struck me before I even knew what was happening. My mind spun for a moment. I couldn't believe this fool of a female nord had thought it wise to draw me into a fight. She was standing there in front of me, about to strike me again, and I still hadn't drawn my weapon yet. So I'm certain she was surprised when I uttered two simple words and knocked her backwards against one of the inn's walls.

She was lucky I hadn't used the full shout, as I was giving her one last chance to reconsider her poor decision. But this girl was either drunk or stupid, as she shook off the dizziness and charged me again. This time I was able get my shield ready and I blocked her incoming blow. I followed with two strikes of my own, one of which she managed to block.

We went back and forth, trading blows and blocks, while the local farmers watched in awe. This wasn't the usual evening entertainment they were used to seeing. Our fight continued around the firepit in the center of the inn. The woman was proving to be a tougher combatant that I expected.

When she stepped back and used magic to heal herself I decided that enough was enough. I blocked her backwards, struck her in the side of the helmet, then backed up to avoid her counter-swing. She stepped forward to pursue me and I unleashed a full shout of force against her. She shot backwards as if fired from a bow, colliding with a table and flipping over it. Plates and goblets and food went flying around the inn from the force of my shout, but I had been careful to make sure none of the townspeople were in the path.

With the brute laying on the floor trying to gather her wits, I jumped in and gave her the beating of her life. She struggled to get back up and fight, but soon enough she was begging for mercy instead. For a moment I paused, considering her request. But Erik the Slayer was in the room, and no doubt he was watching every moment of this fight with the utmost of interest. He had to know that granting quarter in a situation like this could mean your own life a moment later. So with all my strength and a bit of regret I brought my mace down on her back and crushed the life out of her.

There wasn't much to say after that. I took the bit of gold she had on her, and left her bloody corpse lying on the floor of the inn. One of the locals could clean up the mess. I had done my part by ridding the inn of this bully. I can only hope tomorrow is a bit less exciting.

 

[BIGwooly]

FYI - apologies for any grammar/typo's in my posts lately .. I've been sick with the flu and my mind isn't as sharp right now, lol.

 

[BIGwooly]

- 8th of Sun's Height, 4E 202 -

I didn't quite expect today's journey to take from sunrise to sunset, but it did. Aside from avoiding several bands of highwaymen and more than one bear, it seemed none of the shortcuts I tried would work. I spent most of the day deftly maneuvering Cloud up and down dangerous cliffs. By mid-afternoon I was growing irritated at my lack of progress to reach the stormcloak camp.

It was about that time that I came across what I thought .. momentarily .. was the camp. It was a bit more fortified than I was used to seeing for our camps, and then I noticed the goat heads on spikes at the entrance to the minimalistic fort. That was definitely not something the stormcloaks would do.

I heard a shout and saw a man and a woman dressed in some sort of strange animal armor running towards me. They meant me harm, that much was certain. So I quickly rode away, but the woman maintained her pursuit, and I wasn't in the mood for fleeing blindly and getting completely turned around and lost in the wild. So I dismounted and turned to face her.

In addition to her strange armor she wielded a strange sort of axe. I blocked her first swing with it, and countered with my own. Cloud decided to help at this point as well. With the odds against her, I gave her a taste of my voice. She was dizzied and confused, and it only took a half-dozen additional strikes to finish her off.

I stripped the armor and her helmet to investigate later, and then we rode out again. The river was next to us and we crossed it and headed back downstream. I was pretty sure now where we were, but the light was fading quickly in the canyon and I hurried Cloud along. I'd seen enough evil men and mer in one day to know I didn't want to be caught out here in the dark by myself if I could help it.

It was late evening when I finally spotted the stormcloak camp tucked into some rocks on the opposite side of another river. The river was narrow and the water not all that cold, so I was able to ride Cloud across it. Then we headed up to the camp and I got my orders from Galmar.

It looks like I'll be heading to Markarth in the morning, which is good. After this meal tonight I'm out of food, and once again the stormcloak camp is in short supply. The camp quartermaster identified the armor and helmet as that of a forsworn. I seem to remember hearing that name before .. the last and only other time I ever visited Markarth. I'll have to keep my eye out for more of them tomorrow.

 

[BIGwooly]

- 9th of Sun's Height, 4E 202 -

I made Markarth today around noon, but not until after I was nearly spotted by a dragon and I attacked another imperial patrol on the road. Speaking of dragons, I've noticed I seem to be seeing them a lot more often over the past week or two. What previously seemed to be a lesser issue may have been a misjudgement on my part.

The imperial patrol, on the other hand, I was more successful with. I dismounted and approached them with my bow and quiver in my hands. It was an imperial bow and I gave off the impression that I had found it and was returning it to them. Before they knew what was happening I had broken their prisoner's bindings and handed him the bow and my arrows.

As swords were being drawn and shouts uttered I unleashed a shout of my own that flung two of the soldiers right off the road and over a rocky ledge. They fell a good forty paces to the swift river below as I deftly stepped in front of the third soldier's blow, which was aimed at the prisoner. After absorbing the hit, I struck back with a combination of my shield and my mace. The soldier turned his attention to me, but it was too late for him. Within a minute he was laying face down on the road.

The prisoner ran off, which surprised me somewhat. I would have expected a thank you at least, if not the return of my bow and arrows. But I wasn't too concerned with him. Rather, I wanted to eliminate the other two soldiers to make sure they couldn't get away and bring back reinforcements. I want the empire to know that someone is slaughtering their troops, but I don't necessarily want them to know it's me. Not yet.

But it was not an issue. I climbed down the rocks and reached the river in time to see one of them floating downstream. I hadn't considered that my shout would not only throw them into the river below, but would drowned them at the same time. Talos be exalted for this blessing today.

I left the first soldier naked on the road and continued to Markarth. The city was as I remembered it .. strange. It reminds me of an old dwemer ruin. And the people are mostly annoyed with an outsider such as myself. I will have to keep my temper in check while I'm here.

After stopping at the inn for a nice meal, I explored the city again. It was vaguely familiar, but not that familiar. Eventually I came across the jarl's palace and spent some time speaking to him and some others nearby. I didn't make much progress on my mission to find blackmail material against the jarl's steward, but Galmar mentioned I might have to dig further into the palace to find it. The guards, however, aren't definitely not open to outsiders wandering the halls. I will need to come up with a new plan.

 

[bulbaquil]

It's all right. The freed prisoners head to Windhelm.

Yeah. Everything in the Reach is a long way away. I know the feeling.

 

[BIGwooly]

- 10th of Sun's Height, 4E 202 -

Another day in Markarth and I've made no progress on my mission. Why couldn't Ulfric just send me to decapitate a fort full of imperials? After all, I've gained notoriety as the 'Bone Breaker'. Send me to break the bones of the empire.

No. Instead, I'm skulking around inside the palace in Markarth, trying to find some shred of proof that Raerek worships Talos. This is a task better suited to a thief, and there are plenty of those for hire in Skyrim. At the very least I should be allowed to pull Raerek aside and intimidate him into cooperation. Why spend all of this extra time and energy on blackmail when I could just threaten his neck?

Discretion I suppose. Whether I like it or not, the mission is what it is, and I need to find a way to complete it.

I shouldn't say I made no progress today. I made a little. I've discovered where Raerek's room is. The trouble is, his door is locked. I don't know the first thing about picking a lock, and I don't have any magic ability to remedy the situation either. It sure would be nice to have Kharjo around right now.

The other issue is that there is a guard that patrols the hall outside the steward's room, and he takes his job a bit more seriously than the rest of the guards. He warned me away when I first approached, so I walked away and took up an unassuming position some thirty paces from him. I pretended to read a book while I observed his patterns for a bit.

When I was satisfied with my research, I waited until the guard walked up some steps away from me, and then I slipped into the room I had seen him walk into several times. I only had a moment, as he had surely heard my heavy steel boots pound the stone behind him. There were two doors in the room, and I quickly moved to investigate the closest, even as I heard the guard on the steps drawing his axe. As luck would have it, the first door was the one to Raerek's room, but then I discovered it was locked.

With nothing else I could do, I quickly left the room, walking right past the guard who gave me an earful about trespassing. I nodded my head but continued walking. I just needed to defuse the situation and come up with a plan.

But now I've spent several hours at the inn drinking the day away and I've come up with nothing. I have no plan. The door is locked, and I can't unlock it. It is as simple as that. I really should just threaten to break the steward's neck. Ulfric would never have to know.

 

[BIGwooly]

- 11th of Sun's Height, 4E 202 -

I awoke to the most brilliant idea this morning. Well, it's either a brilliant idea or an entirely stupid one. I won't know until later tonight.

But my idea required me to do something I wouldn't normally do. I had to steal. Actually, I didn't necessarily have to steal anything, but I needed to get my hands on some regular peasant shoes and clothes. I tried to buy some first thing this morning, but the local goods merchandiser only had some various armors for sale. Her place is a mess, though, and I managed to poke through a few drawers when she wasn't looking. I found some shoes and clothes that were perfect for my plan. I suppose it's not quite stealing, as I intend to return the clothes tomorrow if all goes well.

I have quite a few hours to kill today as I wait for evening, so I've decided to sketch myself. I was walking around Markarth looking for something to interest me when I noticed my reflection in one of the pools of water down by the mine. It's not often I've seen my own face. I've seen few mirrors in my travels, and I'm generally wearing a helmet these days anyways.

But today I am not dragonborn. Today .. I'm am Hrisskar the Third .. simple citizen of the empire.

 

[bulbaquil]

Yay self-portraiture!

Also, is it bad that I completely forgot about that minor little detail of "Liberate the Reach"? It totally slipped my mind that you've got to pick a lock to get in there. I would have suggested finding a lockpicking skillbook or a trainer. The problem with a lockpicking trainer, of course, is that such a person would likely not be a particularly upstanding citizen.

I suppose now the main risk is Hrisskar finding himself in Cidhna Mine.

 

[BIGwooly]

Yay self-portraiture!

Also, is it bad that I completely forgot about that minor little detail of "Liberate the Reach"? It totally slipped my mind that you've got to pick a lock to get in there. I would have suggested finding a lockpicking skillbook or a trainer. The problem with a lockpicking trainer, of course, is that such a person would likely not be a particularly upstanding citizen.

I suppose now the main risk is Hrisskar finding himself in Cidhna Mine.

Yeah, trust me, when I came across that door and it was locked I was like "WTF Bethesda?!?". Hrisskar doesn't pick locks, so this could play out in an interesting fashion. d;-)

 

[BIGwooly]

- 12th of Sun's Height, 4E 202 -

It is two hours past midnight and my heart is pounding. I don't know that any battle has drained so much strength from me as the act I just played out.

After sketching and journaling yesterday I made my way back to the palace. In addition to the clothes I had stolen, I had also found a broom in the palace to steal .. right under the nose of the blacksmith. Now my outfit was complete and I could implement my plan ... gods willing.

For the next several hours I wandered about the palace, sweeping the floors with one eye watching everyone as they went about their tasks. The jarl, his housecarl and the steward were all hanging out together and as the hours passed I began to think my idea was preposterous. But I had no choice now but to see it through and hope that by some miracle of the gods it would work.

I could scarcely contain my excitement when I saw the steward and the jarl and his housecarl leaving the throne area late in the evening. I watched with dwindling patience as each walked their own separate ways. The steward headed straight to his room, while the housecarl sat down at a table near me to have her dinner. I kept sweeping, careful not to make eye contact and draw attention to myself.

As difficult as it was to be patient, I managed for another three or four hours. Sometime around midnight the housecarl finally retired for the night, groggy from the wine she had been drinking. My fingers practically shaking on the broom, I surveyed the palace. It was empty, save for the regular guards. The thalmor were gone, the blacksmith and his assistant were in bed, the servants were out of sight and even the dogs had quieted down for the night. If I was going to do this, the time was now.

My plan relied on one thing above all others ... that Raerek only kept his door locked when he wasn't in his room. With any luck, when he was in it at night sleeping, he would leave the door unlocked. This would allow me to enter quietly and hopefully, by some other miracle, find something in his room worthy of blackmail. But if he slept with his door locked, I was going to fail Ulfric. He would have to find someone more suited to the mission.

The other obvious challenge was the overzealous guard, who was on constant patrol in that area of the palace. I would have to sneak past him just to get to the door. As much as my clothing was for visual concealment, I also knew that these shoes would be much quieter on the stone floor. With any luck I would be able to sneak past the guard as soon as he passed me and headed up the steps.

I waited in the shadows, broom in hand just in case the guard looked my way, but not sweeping anymore as I didn't want to draw attention to myself. A servant sweeping the palace in the middle of the night was a reasonable cause for a guard to be suspicious. But the guard didn't notice me as we walked down the steps and then, after a brief pause, went into the room with the doors.

I quickly, but quietly, made my way over to the doorway and tucked myself into the shadows just outside of it. I was crouched now, and doing everything I could to make myself unseen. My heart quickened as I heard the soldier's footsteps echoing closer and closer as he returned. The moment was almost upon me, and there was no turning back now.

He stepped from the room and headed for the stairs. With small and gentle steps I left the shadows and slipped through the archway. The guard didn't suspect a thing and kept marching up the stairs. I ducked into the room with the doors. So far so good.

Then, immediately, I noticed the most beautiful sight. There was a lush warm light spilling into the room, through the open door of Raerek's room! Not only did Raerek not lock his door at night, he didn't even shut it!

I stifled a chuckle, and quickly made my way into the room. I had no idea where to look first, but I knew I didn't have much time before the guard would be coming back down the stairs. Still, I had to take my time and be quiet as well. Waking Raerek would be just as bad as running into the guard.

I entered the room, cringing from how the light of several candles removed all doubt that I would be seen when the guard returned. But as I entered I was drawn straight to a dresser that was directly in front of me. It seemed like the best place to start looking, so I carefully cracked one of the old drawers open. By the divines if I didn't see an amulet of Talos right there before my eyes! I had found all the evidence I needed.

I slid the drawer shut and left Raerek's room. Every nerve in my body was screaming at me to bolt for the archway and flee the palace now, but I knew the guard was on his way back. He had to be. If he spotted a servant running from the room in the middle of the night, he would certainly want to know why.

So I waited, tucked as tightly into a small shadow as I could possibly be. I heard his footsteps outside the doorway, then silence. Where was he? What was he doing? Had he noticed something? Was he onto me? My heart was racing and my mind was spinning.

But then he walked into the room, and didn't seem to be any the wiser. I waited until he was on the other side of a pillar, then slipped back out of the room and left the palace. It seemed that there were guards everywhere outside and I felt like each of them could see right through me. I expected to be caught at any moment. How do thieves do this on a daily basis? My heart is not strong enough for this line of work.

Despite my wild imagination I made it back to the inn without incident, which is where I sit now, in a rented room with the door closed and my breathing just now returning to normal. I need to have a talk with Ulfric. Send me to kill, not to steal. I'm not cut out for this.

 

[BIGwooly]

- 13th of Sun's Height, 4E 202 -

Yesterday went well. After returning the stolen clothes and the stolen broom, I waited around until late evening. I knew there was no point going to talk to the steward when he was in the presence of the jarl and his redguard housecarl. That would just be disastrous. You can't blackmail someone if you make it public right from the start.

Like the night before, around eight in the evening or so, the jarl and his housecarl left the throne room. He headed to bed and she to her dinner. Tonight the steward was slow to leave, but he was alone in the throne room so I went to see him.

After showing him the amulet he suggested we talk somewhere more private, which we did. Although he is not prepared to alter his allegiance, even in the face of blackmail before the thalmor, he did agree to provide some information that could prove useful to the stormcloak cause. He knew of a certain shipment of coin and weapons that was headed to Solitude. With enough men we could perhaps take this shipment, and not only deal the empire a painful blow, but bolster our own inventories as well.

I agreed to the compromise and left the amulet with Raerek. I felt some pressure to leave last night and make the ride to Galmar's camp. The news was important and the convoy was on the move already. But I also thought it best to ride out in the morning, with the light of day on the land to guide me back. And now, as the sun crests the peaks around Markarth, I bid it farewell again.

 

[BIGwooly]

- 13th of Sun's Height, 4E 202 -

I've met up with a company of stormcloaks to lay an ambush on the imperial caravan. It turns out the soldiers were already aware of the caravan, just not the contents of its delivery. They informed me that the cart had broken down up the road a ways.

I left them to their hiding place while I set out to scout the area. Although it would have been easier to climb the mountains atop Cloud, I also knew that would make me more visible. The last thing I wanted was for the imperials to realize they were an impending target. So I found a safe and secluded place for Cloud to wait. She seemed happy enough to do nothing but stand around and munch on grasses.

I spent the next several hours carefully maneuvering all over the mountainside to get different angles on the temporary imperial camp. It was a bright and sunny day, perfect weather to lay on your back and watch butterflies against the sky, but not the best weather for scouting an enemy location. The clear skies and radiant sun made me keep my distance, and in the end I could only determine that there were at least two imperials on patrol. Now, in speaking with the stormcloaks, they had mentioned we were outnumbered. Given that there were four of us, I knew I wasn't seeing all the legion soldiers. My recon was not going so well.

I didn't dare move in any closer, lest they spot me, so I decided to return to where the stormcloaks were hiding. It was difficult work climbing up and around all of the rocks on the steep terrain. Earlier I had been much more alert, but now I fell into a sort of tunnel vision as I scaled the rocks and just focused on the ground in front of me.

The sabre cat blindsided me with such force it nearly knocked me over a cliff. I spun around, gritting my teeth from the pain, and saw one of the largest sabre cats I've ever seen ... just as it attacked me again. I stumbled backwards, struggling to keep my footing and not tumble from the top of the mountain. Internally I was angry at myself for having let my guard down. I had been so careful on the way up to keep an eye out for cats and bears.

But externally I was reacting to a fight for my life. As the giant predator poised itself for another violent pounce, I didn't even draw my mace or my shield. I simply reacted on instinct and shouted the creature across the rocks. I paused only for a moment, then turned and ran for cover. I was hurt, and needed to regain my senses before I tried to engage this beast in physical combat. I sprang over some rocks and dropped into a crouch, praying to Talos that if the sabre cat was still alive it wouldn't be able to find me.

Several minutes went by and I heard nothing. I knew this didn't necessarily mean the great cat was dead. Sabre cats are stealthy predators. It had snuck up on me once already, and could be doing the same again. Or, it could just be waiting for me ... lying in some grass so that I wouldn't see it. Either way, I wasn't prepared to find out it's fate or mine just yet.

Minutes passed upon minutes, and finally I decided the sneaky predator was either dead or it had wandered off, unable to find me. Slowly I crept around the rocks, my ears alert to every sound .. my eyes alert to every movement. I spotted the location where I had seen the sabre cat fall, but it wasn't there. I felt a pit in my stomach knowing that it was still alive. Even worse, I didn't know where it was.

With great care I slowly made my way across the mountain. The numerous jagged outcrops made for good concealment, but for both of us. As I came around one such collection of boulders I came face to face with the sabre cat. Again I prayed to Talos, but this time that my shout of force was available to me again. Praise him it was. The cat came running at me and I blasted it into the air again. This time it flew over a ledge and landed on some rocks below. With my mace and my shield at the ready I waited, but the cat lay still now. It was dead.

I returned to the stormcloak position, a bit worse for the wear, but alive. I relayed my information to them about the imperial defenses and left out the story of the sabre cat attack. We've decided to wait until dark to gain the most advantage on our ambush. So as I have a few hours of daylight left, I think I'll sketch the companions I'm about to going into battle with.