Half-Blood Bosmer Character Journal

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Wickedspeed

New Member
My first attempt at writing a journal for my character :)

Backstory
Ashelin is the half-blooded Bosmer child of a Nordic father and Bosmer mother, or so the people of Helgen supposed. The wood elf never knew her parents; she had been left in the small village of Helgen as a baby, and had been raised by its inhabitants. Ashelin proved to be a natural archer, and it was often tasked to her to bring in pelts and food.

And then the soldiers came. Ashelin didn't remember much; she had just brought in the spoils of her latest hunt when she heard the sound of screaming. The ground shook with tremendous force, and the Bosmer could have sworn she caught sight of a dragon before everything went dark. Upon coming to, the wood elf found the she was the only survivor of the attack, having been thrown clear of the chaos by whatever beast she had seen. With little left to her name, Ashelin took it upon herself to figure out what had happened to her once home, regardless of where the journey would take her.

Play Restrictions
-Cannot leave Helgen with anything; game starts after exiting the cave
-Bow must be primary weapon; if a different weapon must be used, it must be as a last resort, and can only be a one-handed weapon
-No dual wielding or two-handed weapons
-If a weapon or apparel upgraded is wanted, must pay blacksmith 100 gold for each item
-Cannot loot any type of equipped apparel off of dead bodies; it is considered bloody, torn, unusable, and unsellable
-Cannot steal from friendly or neutral characters
-Carriage is only acceptable fast travel
-May not use map unless at a major city, town, village, or inn
-Manual saves only after resting
-No offensive/ combat type magic allowed (i.e. summon familiar, bound sword, wards, rune traps, etc.)
-After learning a new spell, must wait 24 hours before use
-Can use enchanted items, but cannot use an Arcane Enchanter
-If killed by another person, must discard all gold upon awakening (seeing as it has been stolen) and spend two days recovering

I'll be posting entries from Ashelin's diary soon; hope everyone enjoys it!
 
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Wickedspeed

New Member
Morndas, 18th of Last Seed

The past few days have not been kind to me. With the destruction of Helgen, I lost everything and was forced to start again from nothing. I hunt and fish when I can, picking up ingredients here and there... I miss having a bow. Taking on the wildlife with my bare hands is beginning to wear on me. However, after countless trips between the wilderness and Riverwood, I finally saved up enough coins to purchase a pair of hide boots. I was still a far cry from affording a bow of any sorts, but at least now my feet would not suffer as much as they had. The rest of my coins went to the innkeeper of the Sleeping Giant Inn, and I spent yet another night there, the sound of the bard outside my door lulling me to sleep.

I rose early the next morning and headed out once again, my new boots almost putting a spring in my step. Not having to worry about the harsh terrain tearing up my feet was one less concern on my mind. I ventured out a bit farther than I had previous days, and just as I crested a hill, my gaze fell on an elk. I quickly crouched down, finding myself wishing once again that I had a bow. Still, as always, I would have to make do, and I slowly began to creep closer to the animal. The beast suddenly stopped in its grazing, and I froze, hoping it hadn't heard me. It began to run off, and I gave chase, though it was in vain. I let out a sigh of defeat as I watched it disappear around a corner, but disappointment soon left my mind as I heard a growl from behind me. Upon turning, I found that I had unintentionally stumbled across a den of wolves. There was no way I could take them all on, not without a weapon of some kind.

The wolves suddenly advanced, and I quickly let loose a command animal shout, the kind the Bosmer are known for. This stopped the wolves in their tracks, and I considered fleeing, but there were quite a few wolves, and their pelts would mean coins for me. And so, while the animals were distracted, I used rocks and my fists to dispose of them. The last wolf broke free of my shout control before I could get to it, and it managed to get its jaws around my arm, but I quickly smashed its head in with a rock before it could break anything.

In all, I managed to collect six pelts, and as I as leaving, my gaze fell on the beasts' den. The ground was blood-stained, and judging by the fresh remains, some poor traveler had not been as lucky as I had. I also found an overturned cart with a chest that appeared to have fallen out, but when I tried to open it, I found it locked. I had no lockpicks on me, so I resigned myself to leaving the chest behind.

As I made my way back to Riverwood, the sight of what appeared to be a staircase built into the hillside caught my eyes. I followed it up the hill, and came upon a scene of carnage. It was a Shrine of Talos, and four apparent worshippers lay dead at the statue's feet. There was also a dead Thalmor soldier, which i found unusual, but upon reading the note he had on his person, I realized that he had come to kill these people. His robes, gloves, and boots looked expensive, but they were blood-stained; no shopkeeper would want that. However, in his pack I found of pair of iron gauntlets that appeared to be in pristine condition, so those I took. I left the worshippers bodies alone; I don't pray to Talos, but that doesn't mean I would disrespect his followers at his own shrine.

After carting my goods back to Riverwood, I was told by the owner of the Riverwood Trader that the iron gauntlets I had taken from the Thalmor were actually enchanted to make one better at creating potions. That took me by surprise, but I was glad because it meant more coins for me. After selling everything I had, I realized with excitement that I had enough coins to purchase a bow. I quickly ran to the blacksmith and purchased a hunting bow. It wasn't fancy, but I can't deny that I felt complete as I held that bow in my hand. With my leftover coins, I was even able to afford a few arrows, and in my excitement, I ran from the town, ready to hunt.

As I was prowling the wilderness, I came upon the corpse of another traveller, and I found a note on his body telling of a treasure he had been tracking down. I kept the note for reference; I was no treasure hunter, but if it meant a few extra coins, then it was a lead worth following.

The sun was beginning to set as I killed my second elk, and I knew I would have to head back to Riverwood before it grew dark, lest I be at the mercy of whatever creatures hunt in the night. As I began my journey back, I ran into a strange woman; she warned me to get back, which I did. However, it soon became apparent that to get back to Riverwood, I would need to get past her. I found an area up on a rock where she couldn't see me, and I let an arrow loose. She didn't stand a chance, and crumpled to the ground. I approached the stone altar, and found a conjuration book there, along with a skeleton. I understood then the robes she was wearing, and why she went down so quickly; she was but a novice. She didn't have anything worthwhile on her, though I did take the book.

I made it back to Riverwood just as the sun set, and after selling my goods, I paid for a meal and another night's stay at the Sleeping Giant. Tomorrow I will have to venture even further; the game around here is becoming scarce, and I need to make a living, after all.
 

Wickedspeed

New Member
Tirdas, 19th of Last Seed

As I had planned the night before, I ventured out farther from Riverwood than I had ever before, in the hope of finding more game. I felt confident with my bow in hand, and I spent part of my morning fishing. After drying off, I continued down the road, passing the conjurer's altar from yesterday. After another hour or so, I came across a lone house, but upon trying the door, I found it locked. Figuring it was rude to intrude, I left the house be and continued on my way. Thus far, I was feeling good about my decision to expand my search area. I had already killed an elk and a few wolves, and it wasn't even noon yet!

There was the sudden sound of an arrow whistling through the air, and it soon sunk into my shoulder, forcing me to take cover behind a nearby tree. I heard a taunting call, and poked my head out from behind the tree in hopes of locating my attacker. I soon spotted him, up on a sort of scaffolding that had been built directly over the path. If I had any hopes of continuing, I would need to take him out. Taking a breath (and knowing it was better to just leave the arrow in), I stepped out from behind the tree, notching an arrow and letting it fly. Luckily his armor was thin and he tumbled off the bridge, hitting the ground below. I ran forward to see if he had any valuables, and was met with the sound of falling rocks. I whirled around, managing to avoid the boulders and catching sight of a second bandit charging me. I quickly fired two arrows, which proved enough to fell him, much to my relief. The two bodies only had a bit of gold between them, and I managed to salvage one of my arrows, but the real reward was being able to pass without the fear of being crushed by another of their traps.

After a bit more walking, I came across another town, slightly bigger than Riverwood. I found out soon enough that it was Falkreath, and it seemed to have quite the reputation for death. I was able to locate a general goods store (all the shops were aptly named in accordance with the theme of death), and I sold what goods I had. It occurred to me then that I had enough coins to finally buy a set of hide armor, and I even had enough gold left over to buy a pair of gloves! I can't describe how excited I was to finally shed that old tunic I'd been forced to wear, and slip into something that would provide at least some sort of protection. I only had 3 septims left after making my purchases, but that didn't matter to me.

I decided to spend some time exploring Falkreath after that. The town was a bit gloomy, yes, but it wasn't all bad. It had a blacksmith, a supplies store, and even an apothecary. I also came across the cemetery, which seemed large for the size of the town, and I began to understand why death was such a prevalent motif here. A priest of Arkay was there, Runil, and I suppose my current attire led him to believe I was an adventurer, because he asked me to retrieve his missing journal. It had somehow ended up in Brittleshin Pass, which I had never heard of. Nonetheless, I was a bit strapped for gold, so I agreed to help him once I felt more prepared for such a task.

After familiarizing myself with Falkreath, I spent the rest of the day exploring the surrounding area. There was a bit of game to be found, and plenty of nightshade to pick. At one point, I came across a strange door that bore a large skeleton and a black handprint, but there appeared to be no way in. Judging by the outside appearance, I wasn't sure if I wanted to see what was inside anyway, so I pushed it from my mind.

As darkness settled, I had managed to collect enough septims to rent a room for the night. Tomorrow, I plan to head back to Riverwood, and then perhaps I will continue on to Brittleshin Pass.
 

Wickedspeed

New Member
Middas, 20th of Last Seed

Today has been a long, yet highly productive day. I can hear the sound of the bard's lute drifting up through the open rafters of my room at the Bannered Mane...

Our hero, our hero
Claims a warrior's heart
I tell you, I tell you
The dragonborn comes


It is threatening to lure me to sleep after such an exhausting day, but I must record the events of today.

After awakening this morning, I began to make my way back to Riverwood; however, when I was about halfway back, I ran into a pair of bandits. I could recall having seen their camp a few days prior, but today I was not so lucky in avoiding it. As the first female bandit charged me, I was able to kill her with two well placed arrows, but I could not stop the second before he bashed me with his shield, causing me to stumble back and knocking my bow out of my hand. I did my best to focus as my mind raced; this bandit would kill me unless I could find another way to defend myself. The only thing I had left were my arrows, and I quickly pulled one out, driving it into the exposed skin of the bandit's neck. Thank the divines or daedric princes or whomever was watching that this bandit was wearing thin armor and my arrow hit home. He crumpled to the ground, and once it was quiet again, I retrieved my bow and searched their bodies. They had a few gold pieces and what appeared to be a treasure map of sorts. Excited at the prospect of extra septims in my pocket, I stowed the map away for future reference.

Their camp was fairly standard: a tanning rack, a cooking pot over a fire, three tents--

Three tents. I had only killed two bandits.

There was a sudden yell, and the side of my head exploded in pain. I doubled over, trying to regain my bearings, and my gaze fell on a pair of fur shoes. The third bandit. I looked up just in time to see him raising his war hammer again, and I quickly rolled out of the way as it came down. I notched an arrow and fired into his chest, but his armor was made of iron, and much thicker than his companions'. He swung again, and I scrambled to my feet, firing another arrow, piercing his armor again. The bandit seemed unfazed and swung his warhammer again, catching me in the side. My vision was swimming, and I fired blindly, hoping it would save me.

There was a thud, and as my vision cleared, I could see the bandit lying on the ground, an arrow between his eyes. I let out a sigh of relief, dragging myself over to one of the bedrolls before focusing on tending to my wounds. After an hour or so, I felt ready to continue on, so I picked myself up and made it to Riverwood without any further incidents. Upon entering the town, I recalled the treasure map I had taken from the bandit, and after consulting it, I realized that the treasure was just across the river. I soon found the fallen tree the chest was hidden in, and took everything it had to offer.

With my newfound spoils, I returned to the Riverwood Trader and sold it all, though my encounter with the bandits from earlier came to the forefront of my mind. I was good with a bow; there was no denying that, but that would not be the last time I came into such close contact with an enemy, and I couldn't rely on arrows to always get me through. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I would need to start training with a weapon. After some debating, I decided on a simple iron war axe; hopefully it would be enough to defend myself with.

Now that I had sufficiently geared up, I figured there was nothing stopping me from heading to Brittleshin Pass. The shopkeeper was kind enough to show me where it was on my map, and I was pleased to discover that it was just down the river. After about an hour or so, I found the pass, and took a deep breath before entering.

Brittleshin Pass was dark, and I could tell that sunlight never reached it because it was rather cold inside. I made my way through carefully, picking fungi as I went. The pass was infested with walking skeletons, unlike anything I'd seen before. Thankfully, they went down easily with one arrow, and I began to think that perhaps this wouldn't be as hard as I had anticipated. I rounded the corner and found myself looking at the back of a man dressed in black robes. Figuring him to be just another novice mage, I notched an arrow and fired. It sunk into his back, and he whipped around, magic bristling at his fingertips. I was prepared to fire again when I saw him cast a spell, and a moan came from one of the cages. I turned to see that the previously dead body was back on its feet! I'd never encountered a necromancer before, and I realized that this fight would be harder than I had anticipated.

I waited until his back was turned before I fired another arrow, and this time when he turned around, he caught sight of me. I drew my axe, prepared for him to charge me, but he instead threw an ice spike at me. I couldn't move quickly enough to avoid it, and I felt it pierce my skin. I had no choice but to retreat, and hid in a small space behind a few rocks. Holding my breath, I listened for the sound of his footsteps, and after a few moments, they faded away. He obviously thought me dead, and to be honest, I was surprised I wasn't. I waited for the ice spike to melt before using the only healing potion I had; hopefully it would be enough to get me through this pass alive. Once again, I crept up on the necromancer, firing another arrow. He turned and came at me, but this time I was ready. I fired a fourth arrow and he finally fell. Though weak, I was victorious.

The chest in the room was a rather large one, and it held Runil's journal, as well as a few other sellable items. After taking everything it had to offer, it occurred to me that I had a choice: I could either turn back now, or risk my life to continue through the pass. I figured I had come this far; I might as well find out where this led.

As it turned out, I only had to take down two more skeletons before reaching the end of the pass. It was a relief to fill my lungs with fresh air again, though I had no idea where I was. I decided to start down the road and find out where it led. The sun was setting as I walked, and I began to fear that perhaps I had made a mistake in not doubling back inside Brittleshin Pass. I had just considered heading back when my gaze fell on a towering figure ahead. As I drew closer, I realized it had to be a major city, which excited me and hastened my trek. Soon enough, I had reached the gates of Whiterun, and after a few words exchanged with the guard, I was inside.

Whiterun. The major trading hub of Skyrim. It was bigger than any city I'd seen before, and I admired it as I made my way through. I managed to locate the general goods store, and I sold all the items I had collected, ending with enough septims to purchase a set of hide bracers.

It was too late to return to Falkreath, so I chose to rent a room at the Bannered Mare, which is where I am now, the candle on my end table burning down quickly. Tomorrow I will return to Falkreath, though I am eager to find out what else Whiterun holds for me. Perhaps I will have to return now that I know I can make the journey.
 
J

Jeremius

Guest
This is good, especially the restrictions. For me, my restrictions for my Nord Ranger are practical:
  1. Cannot use armor picked up from enemies or buy weapons, armor, potions or poisons. have to make my own armor, and make or find potions/poisons and weapons.
  2. Cannot buy a house in the city, but making a house in Falkreath and/or The pale is fine.
  3. Sneak must be used to start a fight by sneak shotting an enemy.
  4. If I become a werewolf, there is no transformation unless it is last resort.
  5. NO MAGIC AT ALL.
  6. Duel wield is swords, not axes or maces, and only in dungeons when needed.
I think I may make an Altmer "retribution" paladin based somewhat on the blood knights of WoW.
 

Wickedspeed

New Member
This is good, especially the restrictions. For me, my restrictions for my Nord Ranger are practical:
  1. Cannot use armor picked up from enemies or buy weapons, armor, potions or poisons. have to make my own armor, and make or find potions/poisons and weapons.
  2. Cannot buy a house in the city, but making a house in Falkreath and/or The pale is fine.
  3. Sneak must be used to start a fight by sneak shotting an enemy.
  4. If I become a werewolf, there is no transformation unless it is last resort.
  5. NO MAGIC AT ALL.
  6. Duel wield is swords, not axes or maces, and only in dungeons when needed.
I think I may make an Altmer "retribution" paladin based somewhat on the blood knights of WoW.

Thank you! And that sounds interesting :)
 
J

Jeremius

Guest
This is good, especially the restrictions. For me, my restrictions for my Nord Ranger are practical:
  1. Cannot use armor picked up from enemies or buy weapons, armor, potions or poisons. have to make my own armor, and make or find potions/poisons and weapons.
  2. Cannot buy a house in the city, but making a house in Falkreath and/or The pale is fine.
  3. Sneak must be used to start a fight by sneak shotting an enemy.
  4. If I become a werewolf, there is no transformation unless it is last resort.
  5. NO MAGIC AT ALL.
  6. Duel wield is swords, not axes or maces, and only in dungeons when needed.
I think I may make an Altmer "retribution" paladin based somewhat on the blood knights of WoW.

Thank you! And that sounds interesting :)

I was thinking of switching dual wield/two weapon fighting for two handed (kind of a barbarian-scout hybrid/2-handed ranger) and make a "tanky" spellsword altmer that tanks using minons.

The idea is the same, have to make my gear, and sneak is mostly for bows, while dual wield/2 handed is the "OH [censored]" stuck in a corner idea.
 

Wickedspeed

New Member
Turdas, 21st of Last Seed

Tonight, I consider myself lucky to be lying here in Dead Man's Drink, able to write this journal entry. I have escaped death more than once; perhaps someone up there is watching out for me.

My journey back to Falkreath was delayed by a bounty given to me by the barkeep of the Bannered Mare. Apparently some bandits holed themselves up in an abandoned tower and were harassing travelers. I wasn't sure about taking on a whole group of bandits; after all, I had had enough trouble with three rogues. Still, I needed the money, so I agreed and headed out, stopping first to purchase a new pair of leather boots.

The tower wasn't hard to find, and luckily for me, the bandit guarding the door was wearing thin armor, making it easy for me to take her down with a single arrow. I crept inside the tower, and disposed of the others just as easily. Soon enough, all that was left was the chief, and as I crept up behind her, I assumed the reward was as good as mine.

I should have known better.

The chief suddenly whipped around, catching me by surprise. I released the arrow I had drawn, but her armor was thick, and it merely bounced off. I quickly drew my axe and swung, but she blocked my attack with her own battleaxe, forcing me back. She swung and managed to catch me, knocking me and down the wooden staircase. I staggered to my feet and swung again, but she charged me, pinning me up against the wall, the handle of her axe pressing against my throat. I could feel her pressing the life out of me, and I swung desperately, driving my axe into the side of her neck. Blood spurted across the stone wall, and she dropped me, taking a step back. I swung again, and this time, she fell. I waited for her to get back up, but after a few moments, it became clear that she wasn't going to. I let out a sigh of relief, leaning against the wall and putting a hand to my own bleeding wound. With this injury, I wouldn't be able to carry much back with me to Whiterun. I chose only the items I believed to valuable (including an enchanted bow) before heading back, hoping to avoid trouble.

Luckily, I made it back in one piece, and sold off the items, keeping the newfound bow for myself. After collecting my reward from the steward (100 septims), I decided it was time to return to Falkreath. I hired a carriage to take me there, which only took a few hours, and soon located Runil. He paid me 500 septims for returning his journal, which took me by surprise. This priest had given me five times the amount the steward had given me, and I had only had to kill one person for the journal.

I had not planned to stay much longer in Falkreath, and I would have left for Whiterun again, had I not seen the new product the blacksmith had to offer: a pair of hide bracers enchanted to enhance the strength of a bow. I knew then that I desperately needed those bracers, despite the fact that they cost more septims than I had ever had in my life. The only problem was how I was going to come up with that amount of gold; hunting and scavenging would take far longer than I wanted to wait. As I was pondering this current dilemma, I recalled the note I had found on the dead treasure hunter. Perhaps this iron warhammer of embers would be worth collecting. It took some searching on my part, but I eventually located the North Shriekwind Bastion. I did not know what awaited inside, but I knew that I wanted those bracers, so through the door I went, bow drawn.

My first encounter was again with those walking skeletons, and I dispatched them easily with my bow. The bastion was not as chilled as Brittleshin Pass had been; sunlight filtered in through a gaping hole at the top, which I was grateful for. As I made my way up through the tower-like structure, I came across a woman who still retained her flesh, unlike the skeletons I'd seen. However, her eyes had a sort of... hunger to them, her skin was pale, and her face sunken. She saw me before I could fire off an arrow, and as she came at me, my gaze fell on the fangs she possessed. I realized then what she was, and quickly fired off two arrows, causing her to collapsed. I drew a bit closer, and the dust her body was giving off after death confirmed my suspicion.

How many other vampires lurked here? Was this treasure worth the risk of contracting the foul disease? Falkreath had a shrine of Arkay I could pray to, of course, but what if i couldn't make it in time? I had no idea how long it took someone to turn once infected. I considered turning back, but the thought of those bracers hung in my mind. Knowing that alchemists use vampire dust in their creations, I collected some up before continuing on.

Only skeletons stood in my way as I continued on, climbing up level after level. Upon reaching a sort of torture room, the horror of the blood-stained scene before me caused me to lower my guard for a moment or two, and I did not see the vampire sitting across the room. However, she saw me and attacked. I had no choice but to draw my axe, disposing of her before she could infect me. I had no intention of becoming their latest addition to this room, and I quickly continued on, but not before picking up the rubies I found scattered throughout the room.

Finally, I reached the top, and upon activating the switch to unlock the doors at the end of the hall, a fiery trap set off as well. I had to move carefully to avoid being burned, and soon enough, I was through. I was so pleased with my prowess that I neglected to find a safe hiding spot to examine the situation ahead.

A pain unlike any other suddenly coursed through my body, and I could almost feel my life being sapped away. I turned to find that my attacker was a master vampire, and he meant to finish me off quickly. I swung at him with my axe weakly, trying to fight his vampiric drain. He easily avoided the attack, pushing me back and causing me to stumble. As he stood over me, I knew I would die here. In a last desperate attempt, I used what strength I had to lunge at him, grabbing him and hauling him over my shoulder, releasing him behind me. I heard a yell and turned to see that he had landed in the flame trap. Apparently that didn't agree with him, because he expired soon after. After a few moments, I dragged myself over to the lever in the corner and pulled it, turning the flames off. I used a small healing potion I had before getting to my feet, examining the burnt body for anything valuable. He had a few jewels and I collected some of the dust again, but everything else had been burned by the fire.

Once I felt as though my strength had returned, I entered the room the vampire had been lurking in, ascending the spiral staircase and locating the chest. Inside, I found the treasure mentioned on the note, as well as other sellable items. After passing into the next room, a strange sound reached my ears. It sounded like chanting, but there was no one in the room except me. As I drew closer to the somewhat rounded wall across the room, the chanting grew louder, but before I could find out what, the coffin in front of me suddenly burst open, and a creature I recognized as a draugr climbed out. I quickly drew my axe, hacking away at the creature's rotten flesh before it could attack. It had just raised its sword to attack when I struck the final blow, watching its body fall to the floor. Once I was sure it wasn't going to come back from the dead a second time, I continued towards the wall, my gaze falling on a glowing symbol. As I placed my hand over it, there was a rush of wind, and my vision swam. The voices grew louder, and I wondered what I had done. My vision soon cleared, and the room grew still and quiet once again. The symbol was no longer glowing, and while I recognized it as the language of dragons, I had no idea what it said. I took notes of the symbols before I left; perhaps I could find someone to translate for me.

The trip back to Falkreath was uneventful, and I sold off everything I had collected, finding myself looking at more septims than I had seen in my life. Excitedly, I rushed off to the blacksmith, purchasing the bracers and slipping them on. I had about 100 septims left over, enough for another night at the inn, and a hot meal. The innkeeper also handed me another bounty note, but that is a matter for tomorrow. Tonight, I shall sleep soundly.
 
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Joker

Cook, Wine Taster, Scotch Taster, Adventure Seeker
You are doing well so far. Looking forward to the next installment or two....:beermug:
 

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