The following is my own little story from my character in Skyrim. Currently I’m playing with 22 separate mods, which all fortunately are fairly compatible with each other. The only problems I’ve seen is one or two people with different hair colors. I’ll be curious to see if it lasts the whole game, but I’ll play until bugs cause the world to end. 10 whatever points to whoever guesses what mods I’m using as I’m going. They can be redeemed for prizes at your local whatever shop. As should become obvious, I’m following a diary-style format, because that’s the manner in which I’m most comfortable writing about these sort of games. It should be mentioned that there’ll be plenty of spoilers as the story goes, so if you’ve somehow evaded learning how the main quest or guild quests end, you won’t be able to here, eventually.

Everything that’s written should be read by at least someone, and though I’m not sure if this is the proper forum, I’ll post here anyways. I’m not going to name my character in this story, but I will provide his description below. Similarly, I’m not going to provide his background story or any other sort of thing, which I prefer to illustrate through the writings. As this is written as a journal for the character himself, I don’t find it likely he’d write to tell himself about himself. I only hope that you enjoy the story as much as I enjoy writing it. Oh, also the story is a Dead is Dead one. If he dies, the story is over.

House Rules:

Never more than 5 named quest in the log at any given time.

Never more than 10 miscellaneous quests at any given time.

If the limit is gone over, all chain quests (i.e. guild or main quests) must be put on hold until the log is cleared of debris.

Description:

Difficulty: Expert

six: Male

Race: Breton

Place of Birth: Skingrad, Cyrodiil

Date of Birth: 16 Midyear, 4E 174

Anvil to Helgathe: 3 Days

Helgathe to Northpoint: 10 Days

Northpoint to wreck: 6 Days

Time on wreck before flip: 3 Days

Sun’s Height 27, 4E 201

The Prid of Anvil departed harbor today, and I have thankfully managed to be on board. I had booked passage when they announced the ship’s construction was nearing an end a few weeks ago, and it appears I was in the nick of time. The tavern’s rooms were getting a bit crowded for my tastes, and I’m sure I saw one of the Count’s men among them. If they realized I was in Anvil instead of the Imperial City, they would surely follow up with the Guard here. I know they are watching the road towards Kvatch, so it was either strike out overland or head out by sea.

Captain Lexius has said the winds are fair, whatever that means, and we are making good time north. There’s no other passengers on board, but we are stopping in Helgathe on our way. The crew and captain seem like honest sorts, and I spent my last septim paying for my passage to Blacklight regardless, so I doubt they’ll try to rob me. I’ve offered to pitch in to help pay my passage and supplies, but apparently the obscene amount of gold they charged me at the docks was more than enough. I asked about the name of the ship, and they said that it was originally supposed to be the “Pride” of the city, but some fool of a painter forgot the “e.” The new boat’s owner was tickled by the outcome, and it looks like the “Prid” is here to stay.

I hope I’ve made the right choice.

Sun’s Height 30, 4E 201

We’ve arrived in Helgathe today, weather stayed good the whole voyage. Not used to writing everything down, but not much else to do on board ship. Count probably saw this move coming, so I’m staying on board ship, the captain’s been very cooperative, and not acknowledging my presence to the Redguards. He says though that they will be taking on new passengers and crew, will have to keep an eye on them for the time being. Hopefully they aren’t a threat, but it’s hard to tell in this day and age who’s a spy for who. For my own record, I’ve kept track of the current crew’s officers, need to keep my thoughts straight, have to keep a level mind. None of the sailors who were with us from the maiden voyage out of Anvil have remained, replaced by a bunch of Redguards, who I know for sure would never work for the Count.

Captain Uriel Lexius: Male Imperial, drunkard. Probably used to be a pirate, but seems to know his job and not much else.

Og Urgush: Male Orc, the first mate, more clever than he looks and talks, that’s for sure. Has a suit of iron armor in his cabin, no weapons though. Apparently he grew up in one of the strongholds along Skyrim’s western border.

Last Seed 4, 4E 201

We departed Helgathe without incident, with five new crew members replacing the ones out of Anvil, and they all seem sympathetic enough. A passenger boarded the ship too, a Redguard named Baachan, a fairly shifty looking type who wears one of those odd hats they like to wear out in the desert. Unarmed though, and doesn’t seem to be bringing much luggage behind the outfits he’s wearing. That makes two of us. I wonder what he is running from, doesn’t talk a lot. Captain Lexius says we should make landfall in Northpoint in a few days, assuming the good weather continues to hold.

Last Seed 9, 4E 201

We just arrived in Northpoint, fairly chilly for a Breton town, and it seems like I see my own face everywhere. It will be nice to be able to disembark for a little while, as if the Count’s men can find me here, I may as well just slit my own wrists and be done with it anyways. Baachan has been cleared, he’s definitely not out to kill me, and I suspect he has more to hide from than I do. Claims his sister fled Taneth a few years ago, and he’s looking for her to bring her home to safety. Probably more to the story, and he won’t even use her real name, what little he told me was solely under the influence of strong drinks, and I doubt he remembers he told me anything at all. The Captain wandered off into port with some random women, and I suspect we won’t be leaving tomorrow morning. Hopefully he can shake off his urge for pleasure long enough for us to reach our destination.

Last Seed 11, 4E 201

We have left Northpoint at last, a day behind schedule. Apparently we’re not going to be stopping in Solitude as originally planned, and the Captain wants to make a straight shot for Blacklight. I suspect this has something to do with the high elf woman who we took on as passenger yesterday night, after I had already fallen asleep. When I awoke it was too late to depart, as we had already made sale and were too far out for me to attempt returning to shore. With the new passenger, two of our Redguard crewmen also went missing during their shore leave. Instead of them, we suddenly have two Khajiits, working the sails and staying very close to the high elf. I’ll be damned if they aren’t all members of the Thalmor, though it’s hard to say who they’re tracking. Baachan is equally alarmed about the presence of the Thalmor, and we’ve been cautiously talking to each other about the situation. The Count had friends among the Thalmor, and I remain highly concerned that they could be working for him. Regardless, I’ve agreed with Baachan that should we hit harsh weather north of Skyrim, there may be an “accidental” loss of the high elf over the side of the ship.

Last Seed 12, 4E 201

Someone went through my stuff. Baachan says the same. It has to be her. Or maybe one of the Khajiit, they’re all thieves anyways. Unfortunately the good weather is holding out, but one of the Redguards says we’ll soon be in Skyrim’s Sea of Ghosts, and it’s not like the damn altmer can do anything about the situation until we’re ashore. Bad dreams last night, made me live through it all over again. I thought I was done with this.

Last Seed 13, 4E 201

Caught one of the Khajiit going through my stuff. Filthy cat won’t be doing that again. The captain agreed to say that it was an accidental loss, and has sobered up for the first time I’ve met him. I think he shares my suspicions about the altmer, and is equally concerned about the hidden Talos shrine he keeps under the desk in his cabin. He says the high elf’s name is Lilina, though he was paid heavily not to ask any further questions. Baachan has suggested we invite him to the plot to provide the lady with an “accident.” I reserve judgment on the matter, we’ll have our chance soon enough, the Sea of Ghosts is not far away. Bad dreams again, worse than the night before. Could hear the screaming all over, and the blood as if it were real.

Last Seed 14, 4E 201

She’s Thalmor. I found a robe in her chest while she slept last night, an inquisitor if I don’t miss my guess. The dreams just won’t stop.

Last Seed 15, 4E 201

Disaster has befallen our ship, we’ve hit a glacier somewhere north of Skyrim’s coast. I look to the south and all I can see is unyielding mountains and constant snow. The low visibility caused by the blizzard that started last night led our current predicament. Two crew members were lost, not sure when they went overboard, but it could have been at any time. For all intents and purposes, we’re snowbound, and this vessel isn’t going anywhere. The captain has tried to dislodge the ship, and says that the best hope we have is trying to make a run for Dawnstar for help. He and one of the Khajiit have taken the ship’s boat and are currently rowing their way to shore, claiming that safety is just on the other side of the rocks. Urgush is currently in command, oddly, he seems to have decided that this is the time to start wearing his armor once more. When I asked about this, he stated that a group of pirates have recently been fairly active in these parts, preying on Dawnstar’s exports of ore and similarly stranded vessels like ours. At least my dreams have changed, instead of reliving the castle, dreaming about frozen wraiths dragging us to the depths. Not exactly pleasant.

Last Seed 16, 4E 201

The dreams continue to persist, and I think I may not be the only one. Still no word from Captain Lexius, we remain stranded. Baachan is increasingly nervous and on edge, while the elf remains hiding in her cabin. Was this her doing? Is this part of a plot with the captain to betray us to the Thalmor? Urgush says we must husband our supplies, and has had us stockpiling food and our remaining fresh water in the cabin towards the top of the ship. The blizzard still hasn’t let up, can’t even see the mountains of Skyrim anymore, everything outside of the ship is just white. I hope we

Last Seed 17, 4E 201

Well it seems I have made port early, for better or worse, and with port has come a new adventure. Perhaps I was wrong to head to Blacklight, with everything I’ve seen, I suspect that Skyrim may in fact be the perfect place to hide. Last night, the ship was capsized by a rogue wave, and completely flipped over while I was writing in this journal. I awoke this morning to find myself on the cabin’s ceiling and the bottom of the ship above me. After orienting myself, I found no trace of the remaining crew or passengers below decks, and immediately began searching out what supplies and weaponry I could. All I could find in the cabins was some loose coins, a dagger, and a hunting bow without any arrows. I was unable to find an escape out of the hull of the ship, and thus had to swim downward, hoping to find a way out deeper in the wreck. I found Baachan buried underneath a few beams and barrels, his body broken, likely long dead. A shame. For a time I thought I may be trapped, but eventually found a hole in the side of the ship, and escaped with what supplies I had found so far. Making my way out of the icy waters, I climbed onto the top of the flipped vessel to find my bearings. Apparently I had not been the only one with this idea, as I found the altmer, fully clothed in her Thalmor robes dead upon the top of the vessel. There was no sign of what killed her, but I took the robes and a staff from her body to supplement the supplies I had already found. The blizzard had at last cleared and I could see in the distance, a stone structure upon the cliffs to the south, a lighthouse of some kind, and I determined to swim for it.

I suppose by all rights I should have frozen to death on such a long swim, but in truth, I could have walked almost all the way to Dawnstar. I discovered Og Urgush, barely alive on one such glacier, having apparently had the same idea too late. He was barely conscious when I found him, I attempted to use the Thalmor’s staff to start a fire, but there was not enough to burn. I don’t know if he even knew I was there before he died. I took his iron armor and boots, as well as a sword I found upon him, a sword of the Legion. I guess that explains a lot about him, must have been a veteran of the Great War, he was the right age. I managed to make my way ashore to the lighthouse, which appeared abandoned, but from there I could see the whole of Dawnstar, and quickly moved in, looking for relief from the elements at last.

Turns out I was lucky to survive, I sold off anything I could spare that I had salvaged from the wreck before swimming away. I informed the jarl about the wreck, and asked if he could search for survivors. Unfortunately, it seems as though he has other concerns, and has refused to release any soldiers, as all were needed for either the town’s defense to join the Stormcloak army. From the harbor of Dawnstar, I went up to the inn, and paid for a room, hopefully to spend some time recovering from the ice and cold of being stranded at sea. My recovery was hastened beyond belief by a priest of Mara, a Dunmer named Erandur. Apparently the people here in Dawnstar had troubled dreams, much as our crew had on our voyage through the Sea of Ghosts. Erandur told me about an artifact of Vaermina in a nearby tower which caused the problems, and said he was here to destroy it. Despite of how tired I had been, the Dunmer’s magic did well, and I felt able to once more take on Tamriel.

It was early in the afternoon and I followed Erandur to the top of the hill over Dawnstar, as he told me about the history of the place, though I confess I was only half listening. Had my first encounter with the wildlife of this untamed province on the road up the hill, as three giant spiders attacked us. I’m sure one would have gotten me if not for the fire of Erandur. I suppose I could become used to a sword, but I truly do wish I had found some arrows for that bow before I had begun swimming. When we made it up to the tower he performed some sort of ritual to open up a concealed door in the antechamber of the tower. While he was doing this, I collected a number of books from around the room, adding them to my pack. We could see the Skull of Corruption from the halls, and apparently the old defenses of the place began to weaken and the former priests of the Nightcaller Temple and their orc attackers began to awaken. A formidable barrier had been created, barring the way between us and the Skull, and we fought our way through the halls to the library.

The library reminded me much of Skingrad, and it reminded me of our own collection, but there wasn’t much salvageable. It pained me to see so much knowledge and learning lost to flame. I picked up what I could, and thankfully Erandur found the book he required, and told me about something called the Torpor. We had to then fight our way into the old laboratory, where I found myself locked in battle with a particularly vicious orc. By locked in battle I mean that he chased me around the laboratory in circles while I occasionally turned around and hit him with my sword and screamed like a panicked wench. By the gods, I miss my bow and arrows. Eventually Erandur killed the two priests he had been fighting a magical battle with, and two firebolts brought down the orc berserker as he cornered me and was nearly about to bring his hammer down upon my head. We found the Torpor in the library, and without much more than a wary encouragement, I downed the potion in front of Erandur, hoping for the best.

Luckily, the Torpor worked perfectly, and I found myself in the mind of another, a person in the past while the Nightcaller Temple had still been under attack by the orcs. I watched as he ran through scenes of pitched battle, making his way to release the Miasma that had put them all to sleep. Soon after, I awoke, finding myself on the other side of the barrier that had thwarted our past efforts, and was able to deactivate it by removing the soul gem that had powered it. From here, our mission was much simpler, using a number of potions I had found in the laboratory to bolster my fighting skill. We made our way to the skull, fighting through the surviving priests and orcs, eventually fighting two of those who had once been Erandur’s friends when he had been a priest of Vaermina himself. He was unable to strike the last blows, and so the duty of killing them fell to me, as they were weakened by Erandur’s magical attacks. With the death of these final guardians, Erandur began working to destroy the Skull of Corruption, and I could hear the voice of Vaermina telling me to kill him and take it for my own. After what I’ve been through, it will take more than a daedric voice to make me betray a comrade in battle.

Erandur has chosen to remain in Nightcaller Temple and rededicate it to a shrine to Mara, and slowly wash away the horrors which once emanated from that place. After looking for what treasures and weapons I could take with me, I departed and walked back down the hill to Dawnstar. I have returned to my room in the inn, and despite my light injuries and the numerous events I went through today, I feel rejuvenated in a way I never thought possible. Perhaps there is room in Skyrim for me to live free, and find a new path. I am far out of the Count’s reach, and I suspect that the civil war here will keep any of his agents far at bay. Tomorrow I will travel towards Solitude, the capital of the province, and seek out work on a ship or perhaps maybe even join this Bard’s College I’ve heard a lot about. They have many books and I would like nothing better than a quiet place to enjoy music and read between travels.