The Thief in the Snow - Entry V: Into the Deep

The Thief in the Snow
Entry V: Into the Deep
Location: Bleak Falls Barrow, Whiterun Hold
Date: Tirdas, 19th of Last Seed, 4E 201

I made no mistake this time. I followed the road from Riverwood up the mountain and made certain that I did not go back to the watchtower but forward, towards the barrow. For this journey, I had no cover for the morning sun was steadily rising higher and the clouds that floated overhead did not appear full of snow. I did have one advantage on this attempt; I was not dressed as an Imperial Soldier but looked like a common bandit. I could easily get close to any thieves that may lie in wait before they became too suspicious. On the other hand, the Whiterun guards in Riverwood had almost arrested me until they recognized who I was. Maybe I looked too much like a bandit for my own good.

I had finally arrived at my destination. I was never one for admiring the scenery but the sight of Bleak Falls Barrow before me was one to behold. The ancient ruins towered high overhead and there was an eerie aura in the air. I hesitated for only a moment, gathering myself as I gazed at my surroundings, before I entered the home of Hadvar’s childhood nightmares.

Awaiting me were three Bandits, participants in the robbery of Lucan I presumed. I snuck around the giant stone columns, keeping just out of sight until I was able to let loose a killing shot. The first Bandit fell without a sound. It took a few moments for the other Bandits to notice the death of their comrade. They split up to search for me but they had not realized they had given me the advantage. I fired an arrow at the head of a Bandit but the shot whistled wide. The Bandit whipped around, searching for where the arrow had come from but I had regained my focus and the next shot would not miss. I knew there was at least one more bandit searching for me. I climbed the ancient stone stairs silently, with every muscle in my body tense, ready to spring into action. I stopped for a moment to listen, the wind was whipping across the ruins but my Khajiit senses did not fail me. I could hear the clumsy footsteps of the Human only a few hundred feet away. I drew my bow and waited for the Bandit to appear and with one fluid motion; I planted my arrow into the Bandit’s heart.

I collected my prizes off the corpses of the three Bandits before I proceeded into the interior of the barrow. Here I was, finally inside Bleak Falls Temple. It smelled musty and damp except for the few vapors of burning wood. I was not alone in these ruins. Over on the far side of the room, I could see the dancing shadows of an open fire and the faint silhouettes of two Humans. I wasted no time and fired an arrow at one of the silhouettes, dropping its owner to the ground. I quickly hid behind a pillar as the surviving Bandit ran to the door to investigate. ‘Hah!’ I chuckled to myself as the Bandit ran right past my hiding spot. I did not even have to aim as I let loose an arrow into her back. I was quite pleased with myself until I saw the dead bodies littered about the room. There were five corpses in total but only two had been dispatched by my bow. I crouched down immediately, I must stay on guard.

I descended deeper into the temple; dislodging spider webs that must have been there for generations. I came across some ancient burial urns, they were an unnerving sight. Someone must have inhabited this ruin long ago but I also saw signs of more recent visitors. Dust had been disturbed and fresh mud lined the floors. I crept deeper into the Temple where I discovered another Bandit trying to open a door. It took two arrows to finally kill him and I looted his body like I had done to the previous Bandits I had encountered. I turned to examine the door he had been trying to unlock. It appeared to be some kind of puzzle but I had no knowledge of how to solve it. I turned back the way I came, deciding that it would be best to go back to Riverwood and inquire about the puzzle in town. Maybe Alvor or Lucan would know something about it, or someone from the Sleeping Giant Inn. I was also carrying my limit in goods from the Bandits and I wanted the opportunity to sell what I had collected.

Location: Riverwood, Whiterun Hold
Date: Tirdas, 19th of Last Seed, 4E 201

Unfortunately, no one in Riverwood had any idea what I was inquiring about. It was not a complete waste of time as I did earn quite a bit of gold by selling off the goods from the Bandits. I also created a few potions with the ingredients I had gained and had even overheard an interesting conversation at the inn. According to what I was able to catch, there was a Shrine of Azura, or Azurah as I know her, near Winterhold which was located as far north and almost as far east as you could travel in Skyrim. Supposedly, the shrine was built by refugees from Morrowind and the trek there was very dangerous. This interested me very much because Azura was said to have created the Khajiit race and I had made quite a few pilgrimages to Azura’s Shrine near Cheydinhal during my time in Cyrodiil. Well, it was not the same Azura exactly, but it would be the closest I could get outside of Elsweyr. This would have to wait of course, since I still had my mission to collect the Dragonstone for that Court Wizard, Farengar.

Location: Bleak Falls Barrow, Whiterun Hold
Date: Tirdas, 19th of Last Seed, 4E 201

Two minutes. That is all it took for me to solve the puzzle and open the door. I regretted not trying to open it the first time I stumbled upon the room but I would rather take the cautious route than end up as a rug on the wall. Beyond the door I found a chest filled with quite a bit of gold and a book entitled ‘Thief.’ ‘My kind of book.’ I grinned to myself. After thumbing through its pages, I realized it had some useful information to improve my lockpicking technique. This book turned out to be more valuable than the gold I had found. To the left of the room was a spiral staircase that led deeper into the barrow. ‘Down I go.’ I mused.

When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I was suddenly attacked by a horde of Skeever rats. The stairwell was too narrow and the Skeevers too close for my bow to be effective. I hurriedly wielded my dual daggers, one steel and the other iron, to dispatch of the vermin. Luckily, I was not bit for Skeevers carry horrid diseases that I was not equipped to treat. I reached an open room in the ruins below and I searched it but found nothing of value. As I continued further on I could hear a panicked voice calling out the names of his comrades. I wondered if he was the thief who had stolen the Golden Claw but I had more important things to worry about first, he knew I was there. I pulled out my bow and notched an arrow. I would kill him in one shot.

I approached the room where the voice had come from with stillness to my step, stalking my prey before unleashing the killing blow. I was so focused on the task at hand that I failed to notice the spider webs that were now encroaching every corner of the ruins. I could hear him crying for help, pleading with his dead comrades to save him but he did not realize that he was alone. The room where this voice was coming from had been sealed by webbing so thick that I had to cast a fire spell to breach it. I now knew this was going to be no ordinary kill.

With Steel Dagger in my right paw and Flames ready to be conjured in my left paw, I approached the owner of the voice I had been hearing with caution. It happened in an instant. I saw the Dark Elf screaming for help as he tried to break free from the webbing that confined him. A Giant Frostbite Spider fell from the ceiling and began to attack. ‘Why did it have to be a spider?’ but I had no time to complain, it attacked ferociously, poisoning me with its wicked venom. I cast a healing spell on myself with one paw and with the other, feverously attacked with my dagger. The battle waged on for what felt like hours; dodging, countering, healing, and always trying to gain the upper hand. Then I saw it, my chance to end this monster’s life. I slid under its hulking frame and thrust my dagger up into its abdomen. The giant spider squirmed for a few moments before slumping to the ground; dead. I turned my attention to the thief, a Dunmer, who was still trapped in the spider’s web.

“Get me out of here!” he pleaded. “Do not leave me, for Arkay’s sake!”

I approached him with my dagger still drawn, “Where is the Golden Claw?”

“Yes, the claw. I know how it works.” he answered as if he were pleading for his life. “The claw, the markings, the door in the Hall of Stories. I know how they all fit together! Cut me down and I will show you. You will not believe the power the Nords have hidden there.”

I did not trust this man but I had little choice, “Fine. Dar’Raza will see if Dar'Raza can cut this one down.”

“Sweet breath of Arkay, thank you!” the Dunmer exclaimed with appreciation.

I took two swings at the webbing with my dagger.

“It is coming loose. I can feel it.” he said ecstatically as I continued to cut at the web.

With one last swift swipe of my dagger, the Dunmer fell to the ground, free of his prison. He got up to his feet and then smirked at me.

“You fool.” he declared, “Why should I share the treasure with anyone?”

He ran. He was the fool. Did he think he could outrun me, a Khajiit? I chased after him, I could have pulled out my bow and shot him but I wanted to sink my daggers into his back. He ran down into what appeared to be a tomb and I followed in close pursuit.

He stopped momentarily, “What is that sound?”

I did not allow him the opportunity of an answer as I pounced on top of his back, plunging steel and iron into the back of his neck. I stood up feeling proud that I had caught my prey only to realize that I was not alone. I whirled around as I saw three corpses rising up from their coffins. ‘Draugr! These creatures were what had haunted Hadvar’s dream!’ I had to react quickly; I attacked the Draugr that was closest to me first. Two strong strikes and he was down. I spun around to face the other two; one had a shield and the other a greatsword. The exertion of chasing the Dunmer thief had spent most of my energy and I did not have the stamina to land another heavy attack. I used my swiftness to maneuver behind the two Draugr and attack their backs. Within moments, the ambush was over and the Draugr were corpses once more.

I collapsed to the floor, exhausted, trying to collect my breath. So those were the monsters Hadvar told me about and the ghouls Camilla warned me to be on guard for. It was bad enough I had run into a Giant Frostbite Spider but now I had corpses to fear as well. After taking a few more minutes to collect myself, I stood up and began searching the bodies. The Draugr did not have much on them, they were corpses after all, but the Dunmer thief had exactly what I was looking for; the Golden Claw! Upon further examination I could see that the claw had three symbols on it. A quizzical expression crossed my face, ‘I wonder what they mean?’ I moved on to the other items the thief was carrying. One was a book, ‘Arvel’s Journal.’ I looked down at the lifeless Dunmer, ‘Thank you very much for your cooperation, Arvel.’ I seethed. Arvel the thief did say he knew the secrets to this place, his journal might be the key. I opened the book and began to read.

‘My fingers are trembling. The Golden Claw is finally in my hands, and with it, the power of the ancient Nordic herves.’

‘Herves? What is that?’ I queried. I looked at the word closely, squinting to try and make it out. ‘Heroes!’ I exclaimed in my head. I gave Arvel’s body a kick, ‘You could have written more clearly.’ I kicked him again. ‘Fool.’

‘That fool Lucan Valerius had no idea that his favorite store decoration was actually the key to Bleak Falls Barrow.

Now I just need to get to the Hall of Stories and unlock the door. The legend says there is a test that the Nords put in place to keep the unworthy away, but that “when you have the Golden Claw, the solution is in the palm of your hands.”’

I laughed out loud. This was just too easy. The symbols were obviously a part of the key. Now all I had to do is find this ‘Hall of Stories’ and claim the treasure that awaited me for myself. This would be as simple as baking an Apple Pie. I calmly dodged the traps that lined the floor in the rooms ahead as I delved deeper into the barrow. I stopped for a moment when I approached another series of tombs. I peered into the room and examined each corpse closely. One of the corpses had a sword on its side and I placed three arrows into it before it had time to get up. I now knew how to spot a Draugr before it spotted me.

I came upon another series of tombs with two more Draugr lying in wait. I killed them with little effort and was about to continue on my way when I heard the sound of metal behind me. I spun around and held up my bow, blocking the sword that was swinging for my head. I quickly dropped my bow and grabbed my daggers, two hasty motions and the third Draugr was dead. ‘Okay, so my Draugr detection method is not completely accurate.’ I wiped the sweat from my brow. This quest was a lot more dangerous than I had anticipated.

I located a locked chest hidden in one of the tombs but it was no match for my skill. Inside I found a pair of enchanted Hide Bracers of Sure Grip. Too bad they were of no use to me but they would make me quite a bit of money when I sold them in Whiterun. I carried on, towards what I hoped would be the Hall of Stories. I passed more traps and entered another series of tombs but this time there were no Draugr lying in wait. Really.

I reached another room, but this one was different. A waterfall flowed down from the ceiling and coffins, standing upright, lined the walls. I was about to move further into the room when I heard a loud crash. One of the lids to the coffins flew off and a Draugr stepped out. Too slow, before it could even lift its sword, it had an arrow sticking out of its head. Nothing would surprise me now. I followed the stream that was flowing through the room to a gate. There was a chain on the wall and when I pulled it, the gate ascended enough for me to slip under.

I continued following the flowing water into a large green cave. The color came from the Glowing Mushrooms that lined the cave walls. It was surprisingly warm inside the cave and it was humid because of the stream passing through it. I saw something knocking against two rocks in the stream. Upon closer inspection, I found it was a Troll Skull. ‘Troll. That is not good.’ I inhaled deeply. ‘Oh, this is not good at all.’

I pushed forward, using the stream as my compass through the cave. Another waterfall, but this time I was standing at the top of it. I carefully peered over the edge; below me was a patrolling Draugr that I took out with ease. I found a path down to where the Draugr had been patrolling but I did not find its body. There was another path that took me to the pool that the waterfall fed and there, I found not only the Draugr I had shot but also a locked chest. I opened it with much anticipation only to find it empty. What a cruel trick to play on a person.

I moved through more glowing caves until I reached a room that looked much like the rooms at the beginning of the barrow. I was about to press onward when I spotted a Draugr’s shadow dancing on the wall. I crouched down again and readied my bow. I hit him squarely in the chest but he did not go down. He rushed at me and I fired another arrow, this time to his leg but he was still racing towards me. He lunged, his axe grazing my arm as I fired another shot into his chest. He finally fell but not before spilling some of my blood. I reached the door into the Bleak Falls Sanctum. I had to be careful, things were getting serious now.

I pushed open the door; the ruins were a bit different than the ones I had previously cleared. I had a feeling no living creature had stepped inside this place for a very long time. I reached a large open room with a second level. There was a Draugr standing guard on a walkway above me. I quietly snuck under him and was able to shoot him in the back. A coffin opened behind me, I turned and fired, knocking the Draugr back into its final resting place. Across the room, another Draugr came running down the stairs. I took out its legs first with arrows, knocking it to the ground. I then placed the final arrow into its neck. Draugr eradicated.

I was not going to make the same mistake twice. I snuck up to the second floor, my bow ready for any undetected Draugr about. Finding none I pushed forward into a strange looking room. At the end of this room was a circular door or at least I thought it was a door. There were three rings, each adorned with symbols, and at the center of the rings was a medallion. Upon closer inspection of the medallion, I could see that it had four indentations in the shape of a… claw! ‘This is it!’ I exclaimed with jubilee. I swiftly pulled out the Golden Claw and examined it. The shapes on the claw were of a bear, a butterfly, and an owl. I rotated the rings of the door to align the correct symbols and then placed the claw into the medallion. With a loud din, the door began to lower; I had reached my final destination.

Inside I found a large cavern and by large, I mean enormous. A great stone monument was positioned in the middle of the cavern and three waterfalls descended from the ceiling. In the middle of the monument seemed to lay a coffin but I could not tell from this distance; I had to get closer. I crept my way across the large expanse of the cavern; inching closer to the monument and what I hoped to be the resting place of the Dragonstone. As I approached the monument, I could see some kind of writing etched into the stone. It was a language I had never seen before. As I edged closer and closer, the stone began to glow. No, the writing began to glow. I felt an odd presence as I could not help but gaze at the single glowing word written in stone. I reached out to touch it and the light suddenly shone so bright that it temporarily blinded me. The light wrapped around my body and I could swear it seemed to enter my body. With a flash, it was gone and the writing on the stone monument returned to normal.

I shook off what had just happened ‘I am fatigued. I am sure I am just hallucinating.’ I tried to convince myself. I turned back to the coffin, could the Dragonstone be inside? Before I had the time to understand what was happening, a Draugr burst out from inside the coffin. It was like no Draugr I had ever seen. It wore a horned helm and wielded an enchanted greatsword. I put two arrows into its chest but the monster acted as if I had done nothing. Then it, I do not know how to explain it, I think it shouted at me. I thought I heard the words ‘Fus! Ro!’ shouted at me and with it, a huge force that knocked me on the ground.

I clambered to my feet and let loose another arrow. My aim as off, my head was still spinning from the powerful force that the Draugr had, had shouted at me. I dove behind a boulder, trying to gain some kind of cover from this unrelenting force that kept hitting me. I notched an arrow and waited.

“Fus!” the Draugr shouted.

I waited a second for the wall of energy to pass me and then I jumped out of cover and fired an arrow into its chest. The Draugr staggered and fell to its knees. I would not miss this opportunity. I fired an arrow into its shoulder yet the Draugr still lived. I fired another, and another until with the fourth arrow protruding out of its chest; the Draugr dropped its greatsword and fell to the ground motionless.

I wanted to get out of there as rapidly as possible. I did not even care about the loot. I took everything from the Draugr and emptied the chest that was next to its coffin. I did not even look at its contents, the Dragonstone was on the Draugr’s corpse and that was all I needed to know. The battle with the Draugr had shaken me. It was a monster, more of a monster than the Draugr I had faced just hours earlier. It was like this Draugr was some kind of master, a Draugr Overlord. It did not matter; I knew I had to get out of there. I had found Lucan’s Golden Claw and Farengar’s Dragonstone, now it was time to go back to Whiterun and end this entire journey. As I made my way out of Bleak Falls Barrow, only one thought crossed my mind. ‘Hadvar was right; this place was the home of nightmares.’

The Thief in the Snow - Entry IV: There be Dragons

The Thief in the Snow
Entry IV: There be Dragons
Location: Whiterun, Whiterun Hold
Date: Morndas, 18th of Last Seed, 4E 201

It was neither white nor running. A simple stone street wound around rustic looking houses. The lower city must have been where the common folk lived. There were lots of people bustling about on the streets. I could see shops down the way, I wish I could have stopped to see what goods they had but I continued up the hill towards Dragonsreach. As I walked through the richer middle district of the city, every guard I passed would mutter something like ‘stay out of trouble Khajiit’ or ‘watch your back, cat.’ Such warm and inviting people, these Nords were.

As I walked up the steep steps to Dragonsreach, I could not help but stop and stare in awe at the impressive palace. I bumped into a woman as she was coming down the steps. I hastily apologized, afraid that she would call the guards on me but she only smiled and told me there was no harm done. As she walked away, I realized that she had not looked at me with the same sneer of disdain that everyone in Whiterun had but had actually smiled at me warmly. I watched her as she walked down to the district below, her red hair shining in the sun, and wondered who she was.

‘Foolish.’ I berated myself. I had a task at hand and I must complete it. I turned back and began the hike up the stairs to Dragonsreach. I paused at the great palace door only for a moment, hoping that I would not find my death on the other side. With one great sigh, I pushed the door open and entered the home of Jarl Balgruuf the Greater, ruler of Whiterun Hold.

The hall was grand and ornately decorated. The guards all stared at me and a servant dropped her broom as she gasped. I had arrived. I slowly approached the throne room and could overhear voices arguing. From the few words I could make out, I gathered they already knew about the Dragon at Helgen. I could see the Jarl sitting on a grand throne with a giant Dragon’s skull mounted high above him. He was arguing with a man as I drew near. A Dunmer approached me with her sword drawn before I could get too near the throne. ‘A Dark Elf serving a Nord?’ I thought. How peculiar.

“What is the meaning of this?” she asked in a cold voice.

I told her that I had news of Helgen. She waved down the guards behind me and sheathed her sword but left her hand on the hilt. She allowed me to approach the Jarl but not too closely. I cleared my throat and began to relay the accounts of the events so far to the Jarl.

Balgruuf was younger than I had expected him to be. Alvor made him sound like a wise old man, but the man before me still had a golden color to his hair and strength in his voice. Only his demeanor showed how much he had truly witnessed. Wise yes, but no failing monarch was he. I told him how Ulfric Stormcloak was about to be executed but then a Dragon attacked Helgen and the village was decimated. He was not surprised to hear Ulfric’s name mentioned. The Jarl turned to a richly dressed man who could only be his steward, and asked him if he trusted the strength of Whiterun’s walls now.

I gathered that this steward wanted to take no action against the threat of a Dragon. The Jarl felt differently though. I could tell he genuinely cared about the fate of his people. This I found to be surprising, I had never thought highly of the rulers of Men. The Dunmer spoke next; she requested that troops be deployed to Riverwood at once since it was in the most immediate danger. The steward interrupted stating the Jarl of Falkreath would see the troop movement and think that Whiterun was siding with the Stormcloaks. Falkreath was the neighboring hold of Whiterun and actually, Helgen was under Falkreath’s dominion. The steward and the Dunmer continued to argue back and forth, trying to decide the best course of action.

“Enough!” Jarl Balgruuf’s sharp command shocked us all. “I will not stand idly by while a Dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people!” he turned to the Dunmer, “Irileth, send a detachment to Riverwood at once.”

“Yes, my Jarl.” the Dunmer answered with a bow and then turned to carry out her orders.

The steward only scoffed, dismissed himself and left, but not before shooting me a look of hate. After a few moments I glanced around the room nervously. I had been left with just the Jarl, his guards, and a few servants in the room. I cleared my throat uneasily.

The Jarl began to speak to me, thanking me for seeking him out and warning him of the impending threat. He gifted me with Studded Imperial Armor for my deeds. He then continued to ask for my help. He commanded me to follow him and speak to the Court Wizard. Farengar had been conducting research on Dragons and could use assistance in fetching a certain item. ‘Fetching?’ I echoed in my head. ‘It was bad enough these Nords called me a cat but now they thought I was a dog too?’ I continued to listen to his request. A tablet called the ‘Dragonstone’ was hidden away in Bleak Falls Barrow and it might be the key to solving the mystery of the Dragons. Seemed everyone wanted me to risk my life in this barrow. A golden claw and now a stone tablet. Bleak Falls Barrow must be the most popular place in all of Skyrim.

I agreed and began to depart but Farengar asked me to do one more thing for him. The somewhat arrogant wizard needed Frost Salts delivered to Arcadia down in the lower city. Being the good ‘dog’ that I am, I took them without a word. He thanked me for taking on such a menial task and told me to leave at once since I was boring him. I wanted to sink my claws into his neck but decided that would not be the best course of action. Wizards, I seethed, almost as bad as the blasted Thalmor. All I needed now was to run into an Argonian and it would make my day.

As I left Dragonsreach, I could hear the Jarl and his steward, Proventus Avenicci was it, arguing once again. It seems like the life of a ruler was not as easy as I thought it was. Before I left for Bleak Falls Barrow, I traveled to the lower district to find Arcadia’s Cauldron and delivered the Frost Salts for Farengar. As I walked through the door of her shop, Arcadia was actually quite pleasant and greeted me kindly. I handed over the Frost Salts and she gave me a few potions in return for my service. She asked if I was feeling alright since I looked a little pale to her. I explained my fur was always a light grayish color and I thanked her for her consideration.

Outside, near the main gate, I witnessed Irileth giving orders to the guards who had been assigned to Riverwood. They asked how they could possibly fight a Dragon but the Dunmer informed them that they were expected to do their duty. One guard gave an affirming nod and ordered two others to accompany him to Riverwood. Three soldiers were going to defend an entire village from a Dragon?

As she walked up the path towards Dragonsreach, I called out to her. She turned back and told me to keep it short. I asked her what exactly her position was and what she did. Her answer did not surprise me. Irileth was the Housecarl for Jarl Balgruuf, a bodyguard of sorts, who protected the Jarl and all his property from harm. I remarked how it must have been hard for a Dark Elf to inherit the position; her kind was as conspicuous as mine. She scoffed at the word ‘inherited’; she had earned her position for she and the Jarl had a bond forged in the heat of battle. She shooed me away, grumbling about having to deal with Avenicci before he made Whiterun even weaker than it had already become. ‘A Dunmer holds such a powerful position, interesting.’ I thought to myself, Irileth was quite the intriguing character.

I had one last stop to make before I left for Bleak Falls Barrow. The armor the Jarl had gifted me was quite an improvement over my current equipment. I changed my armor and walked towards a hunting shop and tavern called the Drunken Huntsman. Because of its status as a tavern it was still open even though it was late evening and the other shops had closed for the day. When I entered the Drunken Huntsman, I was greeted by a Bosmer named Elrindir.

“Hello, my Khajiit friend.” he said in a welcoming tone, “In the market for some hunting supplies?”

“Dar’Raza needs to sell some armor and restock Dar'Raza's arrows.” I answered with a nod.

“An archer, eh?” Elrindir remarked with a smile, “I have got just what you need.”

I was able to sell my armor and buy enough arrows to use in Bleak falls Barrow or so I hoped. I also sold the Iron Sword I had been holding since Helgen. I did not have use for it now with the Iron Daggers I had found earlier and decided that the extra weapon would only weigh me down. If I needed to, I always could use my claws in a battle. We finished our transaction and Elrindir thanked me for his business. I checked my supplies once more; I would not be stopping again until I reached the barrow and wanted to make sure I was well equipped before I attempted to retrieve the Dragonstone for Farengar and the Golden Claw for Lucan. This was starting to become a habit, me being sent on errands for other people, fetching items for them. I hoped this would not become a common request of me.

By the time I left the Drunken Huntsman, it was late and the sun had already set below the mountains. It was dark outside for the sky was cloudy and the moons were hidden. A light snow began to fall across the open plains of Whiterun Hold. I could have waited until morning to travel to Bleak Falls Barrow but Khajiit have a handy ability that no Human has, Night Eye. Darkness was no hindrance to me and I confidently walked out of the city to complete the tasks that lay before me.

Location: Bleak Falls Barrow, Whiterun Hold
Date: Tirdas, 18th of Last Seed, 4E 201

It was just after midnight when I reached Bleak Falls Barrow. I had decided to climb the mountain outside of Whiterun rather than hiking up the road that led to Riverwood. Very little of note happened on my journey scaling the mountain. I came across a lone Wolf but dispatched him with ease. The shot from my bow was so clean I was able to recover the undamaged arrow from the body of the Wolf. As I climbed closer to the barrow, I could see Riverwood in the distance. I wondered if the three guards from Whiterun had already arrived and if it gave Alvor and Sigrid any comfort knowing they were there. I was sure little Dorthe would relish the excitement of the guards’ arrival.

I finally drew close enough that I could see the barrow clearly. It was snowing heavier and the moons were still hidden by the clouds which made it difficult to see the watch tower that connected to the barrow. Since my visibility was poor I decided to crouch down and sneak up to the ruins, just in case the thieves had left a sentry outside. My decision to be cautious proved to be the correct choice as I found two Bandits guarding the entrance of the watchtower. From my perch behind a few boulders, I was able to kill the first Bandit with a single arrow, all without alerting them to my presence. When the other Bandit realized his comrade was dead, he began his search for me in earnest. He spotted me on the rocks above him and came at me with a vengeance. It took three arrows to his chest before he fell to the ground, dead. I looted the corpses and collected what undamaged arrows I could find before turning to the entrance of the watchtower.

I climbed the stairs of the tower cautiously, collecting any goods I found on my way. I knew I would not be able to carry everything that I would eventually find but I hoped that I would find a secure place to temporarily store the goods inside the barrow. As I reached the second floor of the tower, I could hear the sheathing and unsheathing of metal. I slowly peered around the stairwell and saw the faint outline of a Human standing guard high above me on the third floor. I drew my bow silently and held my breath for the right moment.

“Ugh!” the Bandit cried as the arrow pierced his gut.

He then fell onto the snow covered ground of the tower roof. I climbed the stairs with my bow still drawn, expecting another bandit to appear but none did. I took what I could from the dead Bandit and continued on my way to what I hoped would be the entrance of Bleak Falls Barrow. And then I saw it to the west, the outline of the ruins that Hadvar had shown me only days before. I had taken a wrong turn! ‘How stupid could I be?!’ I scolded myself. By climbing the mountain outside of Whiterun, I had inadvertently traveled too far east, more towards Riverwood than I had originally thought. What should have been Bleak Falls Barrow was actually an abandoned watchtower; the barrow itself was still a few miles off in the distance.

The snow, still falling down heavily from the sky, had not wielded once since I began my journey up the mountain. I sighed as I headed back towards Riverwood and began my descent down the mountain. I would cut my losses, sell what loot I had found, and start fresh again once the snow had stopped falling. There was a small camp just outside of Riverwood and I decided to sleep there since I did not want to wake up Alvor and admit to him that I had gotten lost. The camp was often used by Faendal when he was out hunting so I knew he would not mind me using it since I had helped him with his love life.

Location: Riverwood, Whiterun Hold
Date: Tirdas, 19th of Last Seed, 4E 201

I rested until the sun had risen over the horizon. It was still early and the only activity in Riverwood came from the three Whiterun guards patrolling the area. One of the guards recognized me and gave me a slight nod as I entered the village. Alvor must have been asleep still for his forge was cool and silent. I examined the loot I had acquired when I cleansed the watchtower of Bandits. I was surprised at the quality of the items I had procured. An improved Hunting Bow, a few iron weapons, and Fine Studded Armor. The bow would come in useful; the Long bow I had been using was adequate but was not truly designed for heavy use in battle. The Hunting Bow, however, had an improved design that included more drawing power. I had learned from my time in Cyrodiil that I could not hesitate to change my weapons, armor, or even my tactics if I wanted to survive. Finding improved equipment would be an integral component of my lifestyle in Skyrim if I planned to thrive in this harsh environment. I also enjoyed getting new toys.

After inspecting my goods, I decided to trade out the Imperial Armor I had been wearing since Helgen for the Studded Armor I inherited just a few hours prior. I was tired of drawing attention; it was bad enough that I was a Khajiit in a land that did not take kindly to outsiders, but dressing as an Imperial did not help to make a strong first impression on the people of Skyrim. Eventually, I would have been ousted as an imposter, better to play the part of a lone wanderer than pretend to be someone with authority. First, I needed to clean the armor of its previous owner’s blood. I also could use a bath myself so I walked down the hill to the edge of the White River. The water was like ice when I stepped in but it was also refreshing. I allowed the river to take as much of the dirt and blood as it could then dressed myself as what I have always been; a common traveler albeit a well-armed one.

As I walked back towards the forge, I could see Alvor already hard at work. He greeted me warmly and thanked me for relaying the request for aid to the Jarl. I told him it was no trouble but he offered me a Steel Dagger in gratitude. I spoke with Sigrid and Dorthe before heading over to the Riverwood Trader. Dorthe related how the Whiterun guards arrived in town and all the commotion it caused. Sigrid urged her to leave me to my tasks and the young girl complied with a disappointed sigh. I made once last stop before returning to my original mission; selling my extra goods to Lucan and reaffirming that I would bring back his Golden Claw.