Nord Refugee Character Diary - Hrisskar III

[BIGwooly]

NO SPOILERS PLEASE! - this character is my first playthrough .. so if you post in the diary please don't reveal any spoilers. Thanks!


SUMMARY
Play a refugee Nord that has his heart set on vengeance against the imperials. You start with nothing but rise to be a hero of Skyrim. (check back often for notes from my character's personal diary)

I BACKSTORY
II GENERAL PLAY RESTRICTIONS
III CHARACTER SPECIFIC RESTRICTIONS
IV PERK TREE



I - THE BACKSTORY
When Imperial soldiers showed up in Helgen that afternoon, Hrisskar III was not around. He was off fishing for dinner and collecting herbs to go with it. But when he heard the screams echoing off the mountains and saw thick smoke billowing up from the trees he raced back as quickly as he could.

By the time he arrived the soldiers were gone. The village was a smoldering ruin and everyone was dead. Well, not everyone. There was one man left alive, a man from Riverwood. The soldiers left him alive to spread the word that the Stormcloaks were finished.

The man told Hrisskar how his father, a shopkeeper in Helgen, had been the first to walk out and greet the soldiers as they arrived. He was also the first to die .. accused of selling goods to the Stormcloaks. The truth was he sold goods to both sides. But none of that mattered now. Within 20 minutes the entire village was dead or dying and every structure was ablaze.

Hadvar, the man from Riverwood, recounted the entire nightmare to Hrisskar III. It was nearly more than he could bear. Just 3 months earlier they had moved to Helgen from the land of Morrowind, after his mother's death at the hands of a roadside bandit near Ginsis. Now Hrisskar was alone in his own homeland, and a desire for revenge was boiling deep within.

Hadvar offered to escort Hrisskar back to the village, and Hrisskar accepted. His pride prevented him from accepting anything that Hadvar's blacksmith father had to offer. Instead, Hrisskar began hunting and gathering in the surrounding countryside. Selling what he could and using the rest to spend the night at the local inn. At night he would lay in his bed and dream of the day when he had a weapon and some armor and could head to Windhelm and join the Stormcloaks and avenge his father's death.


II - GENERAL PLAY RESTRICTIONS
- proceed through the game intro and then leave the cave with NOTHING
- difficulty set to 'master'
- HUD set to 0%
- brightness dropped down 2 notches
- only carry 30% of what game allows
- only carry 30 arrows max
- must fully sheath weapon to use a potion
- must have a hand free to pick anything up
- must not move around crouched for unreasonable amounts of time
- may not harvest unreasonable items (if a dead elk has a garnet don't take it)
- may not activate overpowered/unrealistic perks (like conditioning; heavy armor weighs nothing)
- must sleep for at least 8 hours every day (allowed to make rare exceptions)
- must eat 3 meals a day (allowed to make rare exceptions)
- must always carry clothing (worn under armor)
- may not use smithing or enchanting (must find/purchase all gear)
- may not swim while wearing armor
- may not enter freezing water unless on a horse
- may not use in-game map unless at a known location
- may not fast travel (except by cart)
- may not use exploits
- may not cut wood for money
- if you set off a trap and it injures you then you are dead
- may only use manual saves after sleeping (resting)
- when character dies must load from the most recent save
- if character dies must return to an inn and wait (recover) for 7 days
- must spend 300 gold with the innkeep to cover room and board

- a mercenary's fee is for (1) 24-hour period
- a companion may carry 10% of your carry ability
- when a companion/mercenary dies they are dead, no save loading

- a horse may carry 10% of your own carry ability
- you may not access the 10% that your horse is carrying during combat
- when carrying items back to your horse you may not use sneak or have a weapon drawn
- horse must be fed 5 points of health per day (it is assumed horse will also eat grass)
- if horse dies it is dead, no save loading


III - CHARACTER SPECIFIC RESTRICTIONS
- not allowed to use magic other than nord power and shouts
- not allowed to pick locks
- not allowed to steal from or harm friendly or neutral characters
- must apply level points to health and stamina in a 2-1 fashion
- must not assist imperials


IV - PERK TREE
By request here is a link to my character's perk tree: Skyrim Perk Calculator - Plan the perks for your Skyrim character before spending them!


I'll update this post periodically with notes from Hrisskar's diary. Hope you guys enjoy!

 

[BIGwooly]

- Fredas, 21st of Last Seed, 4E 201 -

It's been a rough week. Day in and day out I've walked the mountains around Riverwood, collecting all the ingredients I could ... killing all the game available. For days I've gone up and down the river, catching fish and avoiding wolf packs. All of this only to return to Riverwood each night and sell my meager collection of pelts and flowers for bits of gold ... most of which then went to the innkeep for a bed for the night.

But after days and days of hard work, I finally saved up enough gold to purchase a pair of hide boots and an old iron mace. My knuckles are sore from pounding on the ribs of elk and the skulls of wolves. The soles of my feet are raw from the wretched wraps I've had to wear. To put on a real pair of boots was divine, and holding the mace in my hand lifted my spirits like nothing else.

I spent the next two days venturing further and further in all directions from Riverwood, as the herds of game are becoming scarce in that area and I still need a lot of gold to outfit myself properly. This is a hard life, but I will not forget how my father died. I will right the wrong against my father.

Yesterday I came across and incredible valley. It was Mara-sent .. full of game, full of ingredients ... and I even found an abandoned camp I might be able to make my new home for a while. That alone would save me 10g in expenses every day.

While exploring the valley I came across a pair of unsavory individuals late in the evening. They immediately drew their weapons and charged me. I probably wouldn't have stood a chance against one of them, let alone two. Had it not been for my Nord-born power of battle-cry I would be dead right now. But I yelled it at them and they fled in one direction while I fled in the other.

As much as I wanted to sleep in the camp I had found, I couldn't help but notice it had two beds and I had just encountered two very irritable persons. I decided to find a nice vantage point and keep a watch over the camp overnight to see if the vagabonds used the camp.

At dawn this morning I still hadn't seen a single sign of them. In the middle of the night I even crept over to check the beds to make sure I hadn't missed their arrival. But the beds were as empty in the middle of the night as they were when I approached in the morning. Apparently the camp was now mine.

I began to go through the camp and see what it had to offer. It wasn't much, but there was some food and a pair of boots. Too bad I just bought mine! I even found a book about refugees. How ironic. There was also a big chest, but after an entire night without sleep the beds were looking more inviting. I decided at the last second to try the chest before hitting the bed, and it may have saved my life.

As I tried to open the chest I discovered it was indeed locked. I have no lockpicks, and for that matter I have no skill in picking locks either. The chest would remain shut. But that wasn't the pressing issue. It was a shout behind me and an arrow flying past my head that became the pressing issue. It turns out the same brutes that had attempted to attack me the previous evening had just arrived back at their camp and discovered me attempting to open their chest. Not a good situation at all, especially since I had used my battle-cry power less than a day earlier.

I immediately sprinted away without looking back, zig-zag'ing up the mountainside as arrows flew past left and right. As I ran out of breath I chanced a glance behind me, but the fiends were nowhere in sight. How lucky of me to avoid death twice in such short time at the hands of the same wretches. Perhaps this is an omen that I have a greater purpose yet to serve in this world.

 

[thecelticlatino]

Pretty good stuff you got there, lots of great ideas! Keep them coming and keep us updated!

 

[BIGwooly]

- Loredas, 22nd of Last Seed, 4E 201 -

Never a dull day it seems in Skyrim. While venturing up the road north from Riverwood I came upon a pair of imperials with a prisoner. I was sternly warned to mind my own business, and I did. But I'd be lying if I told you I didn't hesitate for a moment and consider caving their faces in with my mace and releasing their prisoner. My hatred for imperials is growing daily. But I could tell by their look that they would have the best of me in combat, especially with me outnumbered. Another day, cowards.

As I ventured on I left the road and eventually came across a shrine to Talos. Bless him. Although a massacre of sorts had taken place at the hands of a Thalmor, it was a blessing to me. The Thalmor was wearing some enchanted iron boots that protect one from frost. And there were a few other items for me to collect and sell back in Riverwood. I disrobed the foul Thalmor and tossed his body from the cliff, but I laid the fallen worshipers at Talos' feet and took nothing from their bodies. May Talos continue to bless me.

Later in the day I was on my second venture north and came across an outfit of Thalmor in a very nasty mood and dressed to the chin in fine armor and weaponry. I made a bit of conversation to try and gain their intention but it quickly became clear I should let them be. I followed them for a bit from a distance to see if they would discover the shrine and the body of the Thalmor I had disgraced, but they did not. As they disappeared down the road I felt a bit of relief that I had chosen to sell the dead Thalmor's gloves rather than wear them myself.

On my way back to Riverwood I was stopped by some imperial impostors. That's right. Although they claimed to be imperial soldiers I could see several bodies in the bushes behind them. Something wasn't right with that and they way they were acting, and when they demanded 100 gold on behalf of the emperor I knew they were just bandits. The bodies behind them were of obviously a few poor souls who chose not to pay up. I had passed on fighting 2 imperials early in the day and there was no way I was going to take on 3 impostor imperials at this point. I paid their 'fee', which left me with 1 gold piece to my name ... but left me with my life as well.

After they left I examined the bodies and discovered that they hadn't slain a trio of wayward travelers. They had slain a group of imperial soldiers and taken their armor and weapons as their own to create the ruse. It was quite clever, and if I can be honest, at that moment I felt no remorse for having paid them for their deed.

 

[BIGwooly]

Pretty good stuff you got there, lots of great ideas! Keep them coming and keep us updated!

Thanks! Just posted a new entry from today. I will probably revise the original post to make it read easier as well. Thanks again for the comment!

 

[Winkeytoofly]

Please keep writing i very much enjoy the read. I have been trying to role play a bit more but i find it hard not to just start swinging away and as the health ebbs away to start popping potions (even though taking apotion in almost mid swing would never happen in rl)
So Kudos to you for role playing so well as well as writing it down for others to enjoy.........And now when i got stoppped by those same bandits and found the bodies it makes alot more sense....i was tangled up with a dragon they had been fighting and as soon as the dragon died they asked me to pay up....So trust me brother as a fellow nord i will be finding the snowy trails soon to join the reclaiming of our home lands and to once again freely worship Talos the true god of the nords.

 

[BIGwooly]

Please keep writing i very much enjoy the read. I have been trying to role play a bit more but i find it hard not to just start swinging away and as the health ebbs away to start popping potions (even though taking apotion in almost mid swing would never happen in rl)
So Kudos to you for role playing so well as well as writing it down for others to enjoy.........And now when i got stoppped by those same bandits and found the bodies it makes alot more sense....i was tangled up with a dragon they had been fighting and as soon as the dragon died they asked me to pay up....So trust me brother as a fellow nord i will be finding the snowy trails soon to join the reclaiming of our home lands and to once again freely worship Talos the true god of the nords.

Thanks bro! I had to work today but found time to play another 2 days in the life of my Nord so I'll be posting up a journal entry shortly. See you out on the snowy trails. d;-)

 

[BIGwooly]

- Morndas, 24th of Last Seed, 4E 201 -

As I sit down at my camp tonight to write I'm exhausted. Earlier in the day I wounded a deer with and arrow and was giving it a good chase. We happened upon a wolf, who proceeded to kill the deer and then turn on me. I had to use arrows against the beast since I left my mace back at the camp. When I hunt I have to travel as light as possible in order to keep up with my prey.

I knew something was wrong when an arrow, not mine, struck the wolf in the side and killed it. I turned to see the rampart of a fort just behind my dead deer, with a bandit bowman perched at it's edge now turning the aim of his bow to me. I considered my kill momentarily, but a single arrow buzzing my ear brought me back to my senses and I made haste through the trees lest the bandit decide to make me a priority.

Having lost all my gold to a band of thieves a few days earlier, I decided I really needed to retrieve the deer. But I also knew that would have to be done under the cover of darkness. So I made my way back to a spot where I could keep watch over the area and wait for the sun to dip below Skyrim's peaks. On my way back I encountered a very frightened woman who had apparently just escaped from the bandits' lair. I pointed her in the direction of the nearest town and continued.

Hours later, under the cover of darkness, I sneaked in to the thicket where the deer had fallen. I knew I wouldn't be able to skin it there, and would instead have to drag it away as quietly as possible. But before I could even locate the deer I felt a piercing flame in my shoulder ... an arrow! The rampart bandit had managed to spot me in the dark and get a shot off from his bow without me even hearing it. I knew the game was up and turned to run, taking another arrow in the back. I ran as fast could through the trees as I heard arrow after arrow trying to chase me down. The dead deer was now a lost cause.

I mentioned I'm at 'my camp' right now and this is somewhat of a fortunate and unfortunate incident from yesterday. There is a woman who lives on an island .. well, lived ... who hunted and fished and bothered no one. We had become friends of some sort, as I was stopping by her island nearly every day. I'd say hello and then go swimming and catch a few fish. She was always accommodating and never possessive about the fish in the water around her island. "Plenty for everyone" she always would say, or something like that.

Well, yesterday on a trip out to her island I came across another hunter friend of mine on the road. He rides a horse and hunts mostly deer and foxes, although I've also seen him chase a would-be bandit on occasion too. But today as I came up the road I saw him standing next to a dead wolf, with a pair of menacing-looking mages approaching him. I started to run to his aid, but one of the mages did something I had never seen before. He cast a spell on the dead wolf and brought it back to it's mangy feet!

I stopped dead in my tracks. A pair of novice mages I could maybe help my friend take, but this was something else. I watched in horror as the undead wolf attacked my friend while the 2 mages blasted him with frost. I knew he was dead and there was nothing I could do to change that. The whole fight lasted maybe 20 seconds before he fell. But then they noticed me, and the chase was on.

Without even thinking I ran to the island where I now write these words. My only thought was to try and evade these evil necromancers, but they spotted me and ran through the water to the island. I continued running, this time to a nearby rock outcrop back at the lake's shore. I turned to see if they were still behind me and was horrified to see blasts of ice cutting through the air on the island. The poor woman! I had led them right to her! Her fight was even more brief. She was dead before I could even think to take a step to help her, not that I would have had the strength to. I was no match for these mages.

Later that night I went back out to the island and there was no sign of the mages or of the woman. No doubt they had raised her from the dead for some unspeakable evil. But in their wake they had left me a camp, which I now call home. I can say, with as much resolve as I vow to avenge my father, I will also avenge the poor woman whose island I now live on. I eagerly await the day where my strength and skill will allow me to spill imperial blood as well as necromancer blood.

I would write more, as so much more has happened. But I'm exhausted from 2 days of endless adventures and I must lay my head to this pillow. I only pray I don't have nightmares again tonight.

 

[Toshiro]

Please continue, this is so awesome.

 

[BIGwooly]

Please continue, this is so awesome.

Thanks!

 

[BIGwooly]

- Tirdas, 25th of Last Seed, 4E 201 -

Today was fairly uneventful, which was nice for a change. Early in the morning I headed up into the mountains with my bow to hunt some game. This time I took my mace with me. It slows me down a bit but I'm still working on my skill with the bow, and you never know when trouble might find you.

I got my first elk with the bow this afternoon. I carefully sneaked up close and hit it with an arrow, and then immediately shot another into it before it could run. It was badly injured but still fast on it's feet and I had to chase it for an hour or more. Every time I would stop to draw an arrow he would get out of range and I would have to sprint after him again. This went on for what seemed like forever. Just when I was about to give up I got him somewhat cornered on a mountain top. He was still running back and forth in between some rocks, and presented a very difficult target, but 2 more arrows finally brought him down. It was an immensely satisfying kill. Little did I know it wasn't going to be the only such kill this day.

A bit later I came upon a group of imperial soldiers with another prisoner. There were also some bodies on the ground nearby. I tried to get a good look but I was warned away. A few hours later I returned to the location, by chance while chasing another elk. The imperials were gone but they left the bodies behind. Wouldn't you know it was the two bandits who caught me trying to open the chest in their camp the other day! I may now have a second camp I can use. I spent the rest of the day making two trips back to Riverwood to sell what I could off of their bodies. I now have around 160 gold pieces to my name and it feels really good.

As dusk settled in I realized I didn't have enough food to eat, though. A pair of rabbit legs and some venison wouldn't hold off my appetite after the day of running I'd had. So I set off into the sun's waning haze to see what I could find.

As luck would have it I came across and elk and a moose grazing together. I was able to hit the elk with an arrow but then he took off into the lake. I tried to wait him out as it got darker and darker, but he refused to come back to shore. I'm not sure if he was just nervous of if he could still somehow see me hidden in the bushes, but either way my stomach was really growing impatient. About that time I realized that I could still see the head and antlers of the elk sticking out of the water, and maybe .. just maybe .. I could hit him with an arrow or two and fill my belly.

My very first shot struck and caused the elk to grunt with pain. It was a long shot too .. in the dark and about 120 paces away. He hadn't known I was there after all, and I was able to deal a more damaging hit against him. The poor elk still didn't know where I was as my second arrow landed and finished him off. I swam out to him, but then realized I couldn't skin him and harvest his meat while treading water. It took the better part of 2 hours to drag him across the water to a small rock outcrop, but I got him there and cut myself a big slab of venison from his side. And oh it tasted better than any before it.

 

[BIGwooly]

- Middas, 26th of Last Seed, 4E 201 -

Today has left me feeling uneasy. It started off well enough. A beautiful sunny morning and a spectacular deer kill in the mountains. In fact, it may have been my best shot yet. The deer was bounding away at an angle, around 80 paces away. I only had moment before it was going to disappear in the trees and leave me without a shot. I drew up on the bow quickly and in one fluid motion adjusted my aim ... leading the deer just enough, and let fly the killing shot. It was a beautiful shot.

I was feeling a rush after that, as if I'd downed a bottle or two of skooma. But then I came across a scene I can't wash from my mind. At first it didn't seem like much. Just an old abandoned shack. But as I got closer I realized the shack had been torched. No doubt by some filthy imperial soldiers bored and looking for some fun. Bastards.

Then I saw the bodies. Or what was left of them. They were burned severely, but something about the burns didn't look right. I'd seen burned bodies before. Just a few weeks ago in Helgen. Saw my own father's charred corpse. I'll never clear those images from my eyes ... or the smell from my nose.

And that's just it. Something smelled ... different. It was almost as if I could smell flames if that makes any sense. Like smelling actual fire, instead of something burnt. I can't really describe it beyond that.

I searched the bodies and found a bit of gold, but I didn't take it. It didn't feel right. I may be poor, but I won't defile bodies of the innocent.

Inside the shack I found a book under the bed. Upon reading it I gained some ideas on how to sneak better, and will definitely look forward to putting them to use. I also found a silver necklace on a dresser, with a note next to it. It was after reading this note that my ill feeling about this gruesome scene grew worse.

I actually had to read the note a second time because I couldn't believe it. I still don't know if I do or not. According to the couple that lived in the shack, they've seen a dragon. A dragon! They even claimed reporting it to the local officials. Now I would be the first to say that this couple must have a nice stash of skooma if they are seeing dragons. But how can I rationalize what is all around me? The burned shack. The burned bodies. The WAY they are burned and the WAY it smells. Could it be that this couple really saw a dragon? Could it be that a dragon .. not imperial bastards, was responsible for the massacre?

I still don't think so. Dragons are myths. But I can't shake the feeling that there is some truth in this couple's claim. They even claimed that the dragon's lair is south of their shack. Part of me wants to go investigate just to confirm their skooma addiction. But part of me is scared to test their claim. What IF they are right, and a dragon does indeed live there. I have no ability to deal with a dragon. It's a fool's errand, and I'm sure they are hallucinating anyways .. rest their souls

Dragons. Why am I even debating this with myself?

Oddly enough, as I left their shack and crossed over the pass the mood of Skyrim changed. It was almost as if the land itself was reflecting the ill feeling in my stomach. The sky darkened and rain began to fall. By four in the afternoon it was practically night the sky was so dark.

I'm sitting in front of my campfire now, just having returned from a sales trip to Riverwood. It's cold and damp tonight, and although I enjoy my little island I wouldn't mind some company right now. But alas, the only company I'll have this night is lightning and thunder and uneasiness.

 

[BIGwooly]

- Sundas, 30th of Last Seed, 4E 201 -

I woke up giddy today. I barely slept a wink last night. It's been a few days since I last wrote an entry, but that's because everything has been mostly routine. Get up in the morning .. swim for some fish .. hunt for some deer .. run from some bandits .. fight off some wolves .. make a run to Riverwood to sell my surplus .. head home to my island for dinner and bed.

I did venture out to see if I could find this dragon's lair. My curiosity got the better of me. I was run out of the area by a trio of bandits, though, so the mystery remains. Maybe these bandits were just playing tricks on that poor couple. Either way I'm just glad I'm still alive. Thank Talos for my natural born ability to shout a battle cry and strike temporary fear into the hearts of men and mer. It has saved me three times in the past few weeks.

But on to why I'm excited. Well, first off, I finally saved up enough gold to purchase some banded iron armor to replace my old fur armor. It was hard to part with more than 600 gold pieces, but it should be worth it. Great mammoths it is heavy!

I purchased the armor in a new town I found called Falkreath. It's an odd town and it makes me uneasy to be there, but it was my chance happening upon this town that led to my current excitement. I met a man there who tends a graveyard, and he said he would pay me in gold to locate a missing journal of his. How is that for fate? A man missing a journal asking a man writing a journal to find it.

Anyways, he pointed out on my map where I could find his journal. I'm under the impression it will not be easy to retrieve and may require a test of my combat abilities. But it's time I tested them on something other than wolves and mudcrabs anyways.

So this morning I head out to try and obtain this journal. The man in Falkreath didn't have much to tell me so I'm preparing for the worst. I'm taking my shield and my steel mace, in addition to wearing all the armor I have. I don't have gauntlets yet, but maybe I'll get lucky and find a pair while I'm gone. I'm also taking three days worth of food with me.

All of my grandfather's childhood stories of his adventures in Morrowind are flooding my imagination right now. I'm so excited and yet so nervous. If this is the last entry in my journal, you'll know I at least died on a noble adventure.

 

[Zangor]

this is epic

 

[BIGwooly]

- Tirdas, 1st of Heartfire, 4E 201 -

I'm alive! And thoroughly exhausted. Oh how I wish I could share my first amazing adventure with my beloved grandfather. I think even he would have been proud of my efforts.

A day and a night of hiking in the mountains in a blizzard to locate the tiny entrance to a cave. Another day to fight my way through spiders and spellswords inside. And then, in bowels of this cursed cave, I found the leader of this group of necromancers. He possessed powerful magic abilities and enchanted weapons and armor, and at first I was no match for him. Not even with poison from the spiders I killed glistening on my arrows and my mace could I fell this brute of a man. His skill with magic seemed to equal his skill with weapons, and both were well above my own. It seemed this might be the end of my adventure.

I regrouped one last time and put my mind to the test. I'm a simple man with basic skills, so how could I possibly out-maneuver an opponent so strong? If he wasn't engulfing me in flames or cutting me with blasts of ice, he was healing himself and shielding himself. My mace felt weak against his enchanted and ancient armor, but every blow he landed against me felt like it would be the end of me. What else could I do? If only I knew some magic I could use to even the fight even just a little ....

And then it hit me. When I first arrived at the cave entrance there was a guard posted out front. I tried to run but she was faster than me. As she closed in I could hear her casting spells to fortify her abilities and shield herself from my coming blows. I turned to face her, knowing I had no breath left in me for powerful strikes. And then, almost as if on instinct, I shouted in my native tongue and sent fear into her veins.

She fell for a moment as the spell took full effect. I could see it coursing over her body, and I charged in to introduce my mace to the fight. By sheer luck or the will of the gods I managed to trap her next to a tree, and my savage swings rained down on her one after another. Unable to move and unable to raise her weapon against me, she had no hope, and soon fell to my hand in a bloody heap.

As the vision of that encounter filtered through my mind I realized I could use the same tactic against this master of war. My nordic power of fear is only strong enough to use once a day, so I had to retreat back into the cave and hide for quite some time to let myself gain strength. I may have fallen asleep if it weren't for the thought of spiders running around in the cave.

When I returned to my foe he was busy at his enchanting table, no doubt assuming I had run from the cave with no intention of ever returning. A smart idea really, but I had one better.

I crept in as close as I dared. Wearing heavy armor boots doesn't allow one to sneak around much. My arrow was tipped with frost spider poison and ready to deliver it's gift. I aimed carefully, knowing I only had one shot to take.

At first, I only really remember hearing the soft whisper of the arrow flying toward his back. Everything went quiet as I switched to my mace and shield and charged in. The arrow struck home and I closed the distance fast with an all-out sprint. As I reached him moments later his hands were already aglow with the spells he intended to use. But he would not get to cast them this time. I shouted in my nordic tongue like I've never shouted before, and a blast of fear left my lips and crashed into him.

As powerful as he was he couldn't resist, and fell to his knees just as his guard had done the day before. I wasted no time watching the magic work, though. My mace was in constant motion and suddenly the sound rushed back into my ears and I could hear the strikes. They were brutal strikes, as he couldn't even defend himself against them. The sound was deafening, and I was in love with it. After so many failed attempts I was lusting for the violence now. I was drunk on winning the fight.

Best of all, I was using one of his own enchanted maces taken from one of his own guards. Mine was a steel mace, and actually a bit more damaging. But this guard's mace was enchanted to drain magika, and with every blow I landed I was ensuring I wouldn't see him cast a single spell.

To be entirely honest, I expected to kill him outright before my fear power wore off. But this man was tougher than I thought ... if that is even possible. I was completely out of breath from swinging my weapon when I noticed the spell wear off. He drew his weapon, which was only a good sign in the sense that I had apparently destroyed his ability to use magic against me. We traded blows back and forth like true warriors. I tried blocking when I could, but his strikes were so massive that each one knocked me off balance. Only moments before I was certain of victory and now I could feel the tide shifting. How much more damage could this man take? How many more swings could I deliver?

With barely any energy left I traded a few more blows with him and finally he dropped to a knee and yelled "I submit!". But I wasn't having any of that. I was drunk with the man's blood and would never let him rise again. With renewed strength I issued three more strikes and finished him. The battle was over.

There was a large chest in the room and thank Talos it was not locked. Inside was the journal I was sent to retrieve, along with a healthy portion of gold and jewels and a heavy shield with an enchantment to resist magic. I was ecstatic, exhausted and relieved all at once.

It took another day to journey back from the cave to Riverwood, where I sold off the jewels and a pair of enchanted boots. I wish I could have carried more as there was a fortune to be made. Perhaps I'll go back sometime and gather up the rest. Or perhaps I'll let my time in that cave be done.

Until then I'm having an extra meal as the sun sets. I think I've earned it. Food never tasted so good and a bed will never have felt so right. Tomorrow morning I head back to Falkreath and return the journal. I hope to receive something good for my troubles. After that I think I will sleep for a week.

 

[Toshiro]

Good read. You need those jewels for later.
edit: NM, just reread your restrictions.

 

[BIGwooly]

Yeah, they were jewels, not soul gems. d;-)

 

[BIGwooly]

- Fredas, 4th of Heartfire, 4E 201 -

Finding time to write isn't easy. I spend hours most days hunting and fishing and collecting ingredients. Then I have to walk to Riverwood and sell my surplus. But I've a good bit of gold to my name now. Nearly 1500 pieces. I had almost 2000 at one point. It was more gold than I'd ever seen, even at my father's shop. But I spent half of it on a special ring that improves my armor. Ring of the Minor Knight the shopkeeper called it. It seemed like a good deal considering the tiny weight of the ring and the benefit it provided.

Against my initial judgement, I went back to the cave where I located the old man's journal. I left a few things behind that I knew were worth some good gold, and it just made sense to go back for them. I had to travel light, wearing only my boots and chest armor. I took a pickaxe for a weapon, and also in case I came across any mineral deposits. I was very fortunate not to run into any bandits or thieves .. or worse. Without all my armor and my shield I felt like a newborn pup in the wild.

On the way back I happened across the body of a treasure hunter. I had seen him die several days earlier when I first ventured out to find the cave. He died at the hands of a fiery daedra, so I took an alternate route that day. But on the way back the daedra was gone, so I came across his body and decided to search it. He had a note on him regarding a magical bow and the location of it. I kept the note in the event I ever came across this location.

As the gods would will it, a few days later I was chasing a fox across a mountain face and came across the very location mentioned in the note. It was the back entrance as far as I could tell, but I figured that might actually be a good thing. I came back the next day full loaded for war. Inside I immediately dispatched a pair of undead skeletons fairly handily. It felt good to smash through their dusty bones with my mace. I have an orchish mace now, courtesy of my trip back to the other cave. It's deadly and brutal and I sleep with it at night.

A bit further into the cave I encountered an apprentice necromancer and another skeleton. The note had mentioned the necromancer, so I wasn't surprised. My first attempt to subdue them failed, however. I'm still learning how to fight without charging in like a brainless fool. After regrouping I remembered my trick from the other day of using my power of fear as an offensive weapon. All my life I had only used this power to escape from wolves, bears, cliff racers, bandits and the like. But now my eyes were opening to offensive tactics.

I went back into the room and lured the skeleton out ahead of the necromancer. I figured my first mistake of my initial encounter was putting myself at a disadvantage of 2 versus 1. I blocked the bony fiend's first sword slash, then hit him with a heavy blow. I was hoping it would stun him but it didn't. No matter, I quickly hit him again with a lighter blow and he fell to the ground with a rattling crash.

Now I teased the necromancer. Goading him into unleashing blasts of ice at me. I deduced that the more magika he expended while missing me with his spells the better. When the time felt right I charged into the room and unleashed my voice. I took a shard of ice just before, but I shouted through the pain. My power found it's mark.

What I hadn't considered was the size of the room and the speed of my target. He fled from me and I was unable to trap him against anything. For a moment I considered letting him flee while I searched for the bow. But I had no idea where it was and I knew I had less than a minute before the necromancer came to his senses and went back to work on me. So I chased him and chased him, swinging my mace every chance I got .. sometimes hitting .. sometimes not. Finally luck smiled on me and I trapped him against a wall in a short tunnel. I began dropping blows on him just as the spell of my words wore off.

You should have seen the rage in his eyes as his mind returned. He began willing spears of ice from his hands into my body. I kept him trapped the best I could and continued to hit him. It turns out my earlier plan of making him expend his magika saved my life. After just a few blasts of his spell he was spent, and had to pull out an old iron dagger to use against me. But his dagger striking my heavy armor was no match for my mace striking his thin robes. With a few more heavy swings he was on the ground .. finished.

I found the bow and it's very nice. About the same strength as my old hunting bow, but considering it's ability to damage one's health and stamina with frost magic, it's actually about twice as powerful. I can't wait to put it to the test.

Speaking of bows and arrows. I was hunting a deer today and chasing it all over Skyrim it seemed. At one point I quick-fired an arrow but my aim was off and I shot too low. But wouldn't you know it the gods blessed me again and I watched with awe and humor as a small bunny sped off in the opposite direction with my arrow sticking from his hind leg.

I chased the rabbit up a road and witnessed a second stroke of fortune. The rabbit quite suddenly flipped up in the air and fell down dead. I approached it with caution, unsure of what magical force could have caused such a thing. Only what I discovered was a pair of traps laid on the road, one of which had been tripped by my furry friend. Ahh, I had a good laugh at that.

But this is enough writing for one evening. I'm drained from a day of running across mountains and streams. And tomorrow I set off on a new and lofty journey. I have a bounty note for some bandits holed up in a fortress or cave north of Whiterun. In the morning I plan to travel to Whiterun, a town I've never seen. I will pick up some new arrows and get a good meal, then stay the night. The following morning I will head out to see if I can find these bandits and collect some more coin. I also hope to improve my skill with my mace and my shield. Soon enough I will put those skills to test against imperial flesh and steel. Soon enough.

 

[BIGwooly]

Hey everyone, hope you've been enjoying the journal. I'm leaving town for the holidays so there won't be any new entries for a week or so probably (unless I can squeeze in some time tonight). Anyways, thanks for following and I hope you all have a great Christmas!

 

[Winkeytoofly]

Have a safe Holiday!