2nd Hearthfire
Writing in the carriage, because I need to get this down. Arissa has been learning smithing with Eldawyn up at the Sky Forge. Made a silver greatsword for Gorr, I think Eldawyn either did most of the work or knows a fortify smithing ability spell, because Gorr was impressed. Went up to Bleak Falls. Most of the draugr were easy enough to kill with flame spells and two silver swords, but in the last chamber there were easily twenty of them, and some of them were able to… I suppose it must be that Nord Shouting thing, like magic but coming from the voice? Almost like what the dragon did at Helgen. I suppose there’s no reason magic has to be focused via the hands, crudely speaking they have the advantage of finesse, but this Shouting does seem to be powerful.
We managed all right, though, although I should have thought to ask Eldawyn to fletch us some silver arrows. There was another one of those chanting walls, and while I was distracted, gazing at it like a silly child, I heard the sarcophagus behind me open and one last draugr climbed out. Thankfully Gorr and Arissa were more alert, and by the time my spells were charged they already had him on his knees. We found the Dragonstone in the sarcophagus. It’s smaller than I expected, and weighs less than I would think for a slab of stone. We were heading to Whiterun, taking turns to carry it, when a courier came with this letter.
Nerussa!
Hope you’ve dealt with that matter in Riverwood, you’re needed in Windhelm. Another murder, and people are starting to mutter about Wuunferth, saying it looks ‘ritualistic’. Know you’ve been studying with the old codger, and you’re a bit less likely to blunder around making matters worse than I am, you know how these Nords are about mages… Courier says he should be able to find you provided you’re outdoors, must use that finding stuff spell, I suppose. Sorry, rambling, point is, get here as soon as you can! (Besides, I haven’t been able to find any decent trouble to get myself into without you around…)
R
Gorr offered tolook after the stone for a couple of days, made some joke about ‘stone soup’ – must be a Hammerfell thing – so Arissa and I are on our way to Windhelm. Balgruuf and Farengar can wait a day or two longer. Can’t really see what good the stone will do, it seems to match up, more or less, with my map of Skyrim, but they’ve already got maps in the palace. There must be more to it than that, I might examine the thing more when we collect it.
2nd Hearthfire, evening
Three Nord women have been murdered, so far, and the Jarl is doing nothing. I had assumed that he just didn’t care about the Dunmer and Argonian citizens, but it looks more like he just doesn’t care about anyone in his city. Some great hope for Skyrim… The body was still in the graveyard where she was killed when we arrived. The priestess from the Hall of the Dead, Helgird, was preparing to remove the corpse (Susanna, the barmaid from Candlehearth Hall) and I spoke to her and the guard, offered to help get to the bottom of it all. I’m sure Wuunferth can handle himself, but if they do decide there’s something behind these rumours, I’m a little worried for anyone who tries to arrest him. For a human, he’s pretty bloody powerful.
Helgird said that the beggar who sleeps by the forge and that creepy old fellow from the museum, Calixto, were outside when she came to investigate the commotion, so I’ll speak to them in the morning. I have a horrible feeling Calixto may be involved, I hope I’m wrong because I’ve had a bad feeling about him since I first came to Windhelm and would hate to think I could have prevented this. Nord or not, nobody deserves to die like that. She seemed genuinely friendly, suggested Rumarin and I might be more comfortable at the New Gnisis, but not in the same tone as her employer…
Arissa seems to think Rumarin was exaggerating the urgency of this visit, I'm not quite sure what she means by that. Still, it's nice to be around another Altmer, even one as ridiculous as him. I've slept in the same room as him a few times now, and I've still never seen him take off that hood. Hmm. Maybe that second bottle of Alto Wine with dinner was a mistake.
3rd Hearthfire
Damn. It was him. I knew as soon as I asked him if he’d seen anything. “Always a shame when someone has to die…” I didn’t show it, of course, and even sold him the amulet I found in the abandoned house where he’d been… Well. Where he’d been. I didn’t exactly want to, but I also didn’t want him to realise I was suspicious of him. Viola, the Nord woman who spends her evenings drinking and throwing herself at that old sea dog in the inn, was convinced it was Wuunferth, of course, the journals were ambiguous enough that someone who didn’t know the man (and know how much he despised necromancy) might suppose he wrote them, but for a start the writing was very different to his notes in the margins of the books he showed me.
Of course, I went to Wuunferth, who asked me to describe the amulet and started scrabbling around for a calendar and the notes he’d already made on the murders – at least someone in the Palace was paying attention... I knew it looked familiar, although it doesn’t look quite the same as the illustration in the book I read about the Oblivion Crisis – the Necromancer’s Amulet! It’s in my pocket now, I’m not sure what to do with it. Wuunferth pointed out a pattern in the timing of the killings, and that it was very likely that the next would be tonight, a Middas of Hearthfire. Apparently there’s some obscure ritual which nobody’s ever actually succeeded in performing.
Calixto must have realised I wasn’t falling for his subterfuge, or perhaps he just finally snapped, but when I left the Palace and headed to the market to speak to Niranye, he was there, in broad daylight, pulling a knife on Arivanya, Rumarin’s landlady at the stables. Thankfully I managed to draw his attention before he reached her, and he ran at me instead. He fell easily enough to a few bursts of Firesparks. It was all over so quickly I don’t think Arivanya even realised he’d been about to attack her, which is probably for the best. The amulet was in his pocket, along with his key. The guard suggested I look around the museum, to see if I could find any explanation. I wish I hadn’t. Sick bastard was even worse than I’d imagined. I’m glad I’ve never dabbled with Conjuration – Rumarin’s bound weapons seem innocent enough, but even they’re Daedric in a way. But at least they’re not necromantic.
Back to Whiterun tomorrow, we’re going to try going along the south road, rather than up through the Pale. I can stand the cold if I have to, but I’d prefer to remain in areas where I don’t have to walk around wearing half a bear just to survive, if I don’t have a good reason (like College) to go that way.
Report on the incident at the Western Watchtower
submitted by Irlieth, Housecarl to Jarl Balgruuf of Whiterun, 4th Hearthfire
At approximately 7:15 this evening, I received a report from one of the guards posted at the Watchtower of a dragon sighting. The creature had not attacked when he was sent by his superior to warn the Jarl, but was circling the tower. The High Elf known as Nerussa had just returned to Farengar with the object he had requested she retrieve. She was accompanied by another Altmer (Rumarin, a "bladebinder" - Conjuration mage, summoning speciality, seemingly only bound weaponry, no sentient daedra) and an Imperial named Arissa who has previously spent time in the Dragonsreach dungeon on multiple occasions. Jarl Balgruuf requested that Nerussa attend the debriefing. I was assigned to lead all available guards to the tower to deal with the threat. The Jarl also asked Nerussa and her associates to accompany us as he felt they may be able to assist.
We proceeded to the muster point by the city gates, and Nerussa asked me to wait a moment. She entered the Drunken Huntsman and emerged a few minutes later with the mercenary Jenassa and a young Dunmer named Llerethis who I believe has recently joined the Companions. I considered sending a man to Jorrvaskr to enlist further support, but did not for the following reasons: 1 I did not wish to involve more civilians than necessary, 2 I did not wish to cause alarm among the citizenry and 3 I was concerned that at nearing 7:30pm the majority of the Companions would be the worse for drink. In total, the group numbered eleven, including five Whiterun guards and myself.
We again proceeded to the Watchtower, advising all civilians outside to take shelter inside the city walls. Special dispensation was given to the members of the Khajiit caravan to enter, provided they remained within the Drunken Huntsman near the guards who remained in the city.
As we approached, it was clear that the beast had attacked (some damage to the building, areas of seemingly in-extinguishable fire on both grass and stone) but it was not visible. However, the only remaining guardsman warned us that the dragon had “snatched” the others who had been present.
Very soon after this, we heard the beast returning. I instructed all present to seek cover when possible, in particular the two Altmer as that race is extremely vulnerable to magic, and it was clear that the fire issued by the creature was magical in origin. Thankfully three members of the party were Dunmer, which afforded us a great advantage as we were able to attack the creature nearly constantly with minimal effect from its breath. The humans in the party were quite badly affected by the flames, however none died because of them.
The majority of our attacks were ranged, either bow and arrow/crossbow and bolt or (in the case of myself and Nerussa) Lightning Bolt spells. Nerussa seemed to have a near-inexhaustible supply of magicka, and appeared at one point to be glowing faintly - I did not feel it appropriate to discuss this with her at the time but will consult with Farengar at soonest opportunity. The Lightning Bolt spell seemed to have a strong effect on the dragon, however, I suspect a Frost spell would have worked even better (cf: tendency of creatures with innate Frost magic to be weak to Flame spells). I am uncertain whether the magicka drain effect of the spell reduced the creature’s ability to breathe fire, or whether it is magical but not magicka-based. I will discuss these additional matters with Farengar and make further recommendations after that.
Unfortunately, two guardsmen ran out of ammunition and, against my orders, but very bravely, decided to engage the beast in close combat. They did not survive. The creature has very powerful jaws, and an even more powerful tail which shook the ground when slammed against it. After approximately one hour and forty five minutes, the creature finally succumbed. It was then observed to disintegrate, with a bright light which at first appeared to be flame, however no heat was produced and Nerussa (who walked towards the beast at first, then backed away quickly) did not appear to suffer any injury or pain from it (see above re: Altmer weakness to magic). The light then proceeded to form into a swirling cloud around Nerussa, who appeared to absorb it.
The remaining guards were speculating as to the meaning of this, and I advised Nerussa to report back to Jarl Balgruuf while I continued to investigate the area. Unfortunately the bodies of the two missing guardsmen have not been found, however the beast’s stomach appeared to contain remnants of two Whiterun helmets, melted and crushed but with what seem to be pieces of bone inside. They are therefore considered missing, but presumed dead.
Preliminary recommendations:
- Any able-bodied Dunmer to be offered positions in the guard. Nords will also prove useful against frost breathing dragons if such things exist. The idea of a dragon breathing shock seems unlikely, but Irileth to liaise with Farengar on this matter. It is best not to make assumptions.
- All guards to be supplied with extra arrows/bolts. Any guards with magical abilities, however small, to be taught basic Destruction magic. All guards to be instructed in no uncertain terms NOT to engage these creatures in close combat.
- Irileth to learn Frost magic from Farengar and to obtain training in better use of her Flame spells.
- The deceased (or presumed-deceased) guards Hroki, Tor, Bjonrolf and Yngling to be given posthumous promotions and their families to receive a suitable pension. The surviving guards, Fjotried, Lydia and Birkir to be given suitable promotions for their stalwart defence of the people of Whiterun.
- All intelligence on successfully fighting dragons to be shared with the head of the guard in ALL holds.
Irileth
Undated entry in a very shaky hand, confirmed by Nerussa to have been written the night of the Dragon attack
I need some time to think.
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Uncontrollably.