Here Be Dragons

I found myself attracted to a bandit filled fort and entered, mostly to find a nice bed to sleep in for the night and maybe some good loot. I slayed each one by one until the fort was secure and safe for me then started going through their things.

I found a strange, white ball in one of the bandit's chests and as soon as I picked it up, a daedra spoke to me.

Ah, Meridia's beacon.. I remember this. We'll do that later.

By the time I had looted everything I wanted that would have a good selling price I was massively over encumbered. It was a long time to slooowly walk out of the cave.

I decided to do the bonus contract and kill the person that resides in Windhelm. I figured I might as well since it's not too far away from me. Unfortunately that would mean a long, grueling, slow trip to the city with me unable to run or dodge any enemies that decided to come. I kept thinking to myself the whole way "I must be crazy!". I guess i'm just too unwilling to part with my loot.

I expected enemies sure.. In fact I wasn't surprised when a couple of wolves decided to provide me with a challenge. They weren't too much of a match. But bad luck struck when I heard a dragon roar over head. I was hoping to gawd that it would just fly by, or circle around some.. but when it began to swoop over me I knew I had been spotted and I was no match for it!

Desperateness I huffed and puffed and began to sweat bullets as I slowly clawed my way over the snowy land! I was a goner for sure if I didn't find some shelter, like, right now! The only thing that provided me any comfort was the idea that I might have a chance in the river! I clawed my way to the rivers edge and jumped in! The dragon was roaring, circling and firing fire at me the whole time!

I was gasping and sputtering as I let the currents wash me over the edge of a drop! I didn't know if there were any jagged rocks below that my body would smash against, but knowing staying meant certain death at the breath of a dragon I took my chances and welcomed the icy cold waters at the bottom of the watterfall! It was a hard landing indeed since the water there was only waist deep, but I survived and clawed my way to rest against the stone underneath the bridge!

 As you can see my health is very low. I just stood there gasping for breath while hearing the dragon swooping repeatedly over the bridge, looking for me. He knew I was there.. the ground shook each time he made a pass.

After a few minutes I caught up to my breath and creeped over to the edge of the opening to peer out. I saw him swooping over the bridge time and time again, trying to get at me! I stood there and watched while praying for him to get bored and fly away.

But then he descended, facing right at me! I guess I had gotten too close to the opening!

And I died.

The next time I reloaded my save game it was before the dragon appeared. I jumped into the river right away and floated away before I even had a chance to encounter him again. I consider myself lucky.

I arrived at and entered Windhelm and spent the night since by the time I arrived it was already well past dusk. The next morning I set out into a rainy world to find the woman I was supposed to kill... only to be met by a giant SWOOP above my head. I looked up and saw this:

 ANOTHER dragon! What the?! Can't I get a break!?

I ran and hid against the walls of the inn building and waited for the townspeople to kill it for me.

Then I collected it's soul. I was very lucky this dragon chose to attack where I would have lots of help and shelter.

While in Windhelm I finally caved and spent some money on a horse. It'll probably be dead soon, but it'll be handy until then.

I visited the local alchemy shop to sell some potions I had made and also my dragon bones. This guy isn't looking too well.

With everything else taken care of I followed my next victim until there was noone around, then slit her throat. She never knew I was there.

Job done.

Journey To The Next Contract

A horse I was lucky to find in the giant gorge again. Yay!

While staying at an inn for the night I was told by a patron about a bear problem the local mill is having. I'll help her with it later!

Anybody catch the easter egg? :P

On my way to my next contract I was going down hill on a windy road. I have ridden this rode many times safely, a stupid spitting spider came, though, and as I tried to ride around it, it decided to dart right in front of my horse! my horse stumbled and next thing I know instead of going down the windy road we're flying through the air.
no, no, NO, NO! NO! NO!!

 This is me getting up from the ground after the landing.

And there's my horse...

Tsk... lost another one.

I came upon an interesting giant camp. Look what I found in the middle. He was wearing a hat, I took it.

Poor traveler.

With no horses left to ride on I was forced to make the rest of the way to my contract on foot. My contract is located in the mountains just west of Windhelm. Just my luck it decided to rain icy rain (could have been sleet) while gusting icy frigid winds right in my face! It made climbing a snowy mountain grueling and downright miserable. I found myself grumbling to myself miserably the whole way.

At the top just outside my destination I found my next contract was stationed inside of some dwarven ruins. Some bandits were protecting the entrance. I attempted a sneak surprise attack as always but my sneak skill isn't perfect yet and I was made long before I got near the entrance. I easily slashed the bandit that bum rushed me but found myself at a disadvantage to the two bandits firing arrows at me.

I winced every time an arrow struck me, stopping me in my tracks as I slowly advanced through the barrage of them. I couldn't yet reach them since they were up a flight of stairs. When I finally reached the top of the stairs and had a clear path toward my attackers I growled, wielding my double blades and rushed toward them at high speed "How DARE you fire arrows at me!"
In one swift move: Off with his head!

I can only imagine what it must have looked like to have a deadly looking khajiit donned in daedric armor rushing at you with pointy teeth bared and an angry growl.. only to have your life end when she reached you!

My contract:

He caught me off guard with this and I couldn't help but laugh. I like him better for making me laugh, too bad I have to kill him! He didn't even give me a chance to talk to him.
Yes, yes, they are annoying.

I have one more contract to kill before going back to get more, located in Windhelm itself.

More Protection

 With the priest ahead of me I too went back to the house of horrors and followed the priest into the basement where then commenced the argument between he and Malog Bal. I watched patiently until I was called forth to unleash Malog Bal's punishment upon the priest. I was given the rusty mace and told to slay the priest, which I stepped forward to do.

After the first hit landed, however, Barbas rushed forward and just butted in, killing the priest no matter how much I protested! I found it impossible to even push Barbas out of the way. He did this the second time Malog Bal ordered me to kill the priest too. Well.... I guess that's okay..

 I have an attitude.. Worry not, i'll give myself a more fitting prize.

This is the daedric armor I awarded myself. Snazzy huh? Hopefully now it's power will bestow upon me more protection from attacks and I will die less often.

And with the helmet off:

On the way toward Clavicus Vile to drop his dog and axe off I came accross an orc fort! Interesting! They said I couldn't come in because I wasn't an orc, unless I do this quest for them.. I have to retrieve something. I said OK and decided to put it off for later.

Daedric Intervention

On my way to my next contract I stopped over in the town of Falkreath. I was approached by a guard while there who asked me if I had seen a dog that the local smith, Lod, was looking for. I remembered this quest well, and love animals, so I decided to go searching for the dog just outside of town. When he found me (Here hidden behind a bush) he asked me to reunite him with his daedric owner, Clavicus Vile. Barbas himself is also a daedra, and Clavicus Vile and he make a pair; Sort of like two daedras who are best friends. They don't always get along though, and Clavicus has cast him away in a fit of anger. The two daedra draw their power from each other and so Barbas wishes to be reunited and asks for my help. I of course agree.

The good thing about Barbas is that since he's a daedra he is immortal and immune to injury or being killed. He will also follow me where ever I go until I complete his quest. After following him to his master and having a talk, a deal was made with Clavicus to retrieve an axe, only then would he consider taking Barbas back. It will not be until we retrieve this axe and bring it back to Clavicus that the quest will be finished and Barbas will stop following me. Barbas also attacks any enemies standing in my way, so that I may complete my quest. Wheat we have here, folks, is an immortal companion who will fight for me and protect me! So in the words of Bill and Ted "Excellent!" I decided to use this opportunity to my advantage and keep Barbas at my side while I traveled to Markarth where my next contract resides.

Never buy Skooma from an orc, folks.

Just a short intermission to educate those skooma addicts out there.

When I arrived in Markarth the first thing I did was get my loot sorted, selling what needed to be sold and what not, then I went and spoke with the contract. She wanted me to kill someone up in Haafingar, good. Then I recognised that Markarth is the place with the house of horrors! I took the opportunity to invite myself in and indulge myself in the Malog Bal quest in order to obtain the daedric artifact. The official daedric artifact of this quest is none other than a mace... that I have no use for. SO!.. instead I am going to award myself with daedric armor at the end of this quest. I figure it fits better because it seems to be more evil and powerful of an award than that stupid mace.. AND it makes me look evil and powerful like Malog Bal's follower should.

 I was surprised to find that Barbas even followed me inside! When the time came to defend myself from the Vigilant I didn't need to lift a finger. Barbas did everything for me. Good dog.

Though, I can't imagine what Malog Bal, a daedric god, would think about another daedric god, Barbas, interfering in his affairs.

It's just my luck that the priest Malog Bal wants me to bring back to him is located in Haafingar also. On my way there I came accross a curious sight. There is a shrine of Talos with many followers dead about it's feet.

I found this note on a dead Thalmer guard. Apparently he was correct.

To retrieve the priest took me over perilous mountains and through a huge forsworn settlement. In my attempt to find an outcropping where I would not be seen by the forsworn I accidentally rode my horse right off the edge. I watched my horse disappear over the edge when I fell off of it followed by a sickening crack/thud which obviously meant it's doom had been met. I didn't find that same horse until later though, there it is! Poor thing. I can't wait for my immortal Shadowmere.

In spite of horses weaknesses to falling, they seem to be born with very sticky hooves. Spiderman eat your heart out.

Eliminate The First Three Contacts

 The road to Ivarstead leads through a huge canyon full of anything from bandits to ice trolls with no means of escape as you can see from the picture above. There is nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide. It is not uncommon to see dead travelers along this road. An example is the situation above. Naturally, as I entered the big canyon my nerves came on edge and my fur bristled knowing there's a good chance I'm going to die before making it out the other side. I was sneaking along when to my utter relief I came upon an unmanned horse. Horses don't just appear out of nowhere like this, it's rider was killed. Seeing a good opportunity to get out of the canyon alive I hopped on and rode!

The combination of a thick snowstorm and an interesting looking fort drew my attention from the road not long after I had exited the canyon and I hopped off my horse to take a look inside. I was very pleased to find that every bad guy inside were grouped in no more than pairs, making it very easily to systematically sneak up behind each one and kill them with a single slach of the throat. Nobody knew what ever hit them. Thanks to my near constant practice of my sneak skill my killing is getting more masterful.

In the deepest bowels of the fort I found a man titled "noris the Wicked" who was a necromancer and apparently torturing victims.

 It was my pleasure to kill him after hearing what he was saying to himself. The sight inside of his torture chamber was wretched. Hey, I may be a thief and a killer, but I do have a heart. I don't like the idea of torturing anybody.

Eventually I safely made it to Ivarstead and sought out the victim of my very first official kill. I recognized him when I saw him and this time I was better equipped to kill him. I just snuck up to the abandoned shack and slit his throat from behind. He never knew I was there.


The second contract was located at Anga's mill just south west of Windhelm. He was located by the river in a little camp. I eliminated him the same as the previous.

Third contract up in dawnstar. This nice woman would not settle anyplace that didn't have eyes watching, which was very frustrating. Yet, I found some humor in the fact that I was following her all around while wearing dark brotherhood clothing and nobody seemed to be suspicious of me.

Eventually I decided to use my voice to "poison" her and watched her slowly die.

A dragon decided to attack the town of Ivarstead while I was there. I knew I would have no chance going up against it with only my two little dagger blades. Suddenly, I remembered the accident I had with my new shouting ability in Falkreath and killing the three people! I could use my voice!

Excited that I could finally join the guards in battling the dragon I ran forward and used my "leech life" shout at the dragon first chance I got! This shout slowly depletes the enemies health until it is dead. I then stood back and watched the dragons life slowly whittle away while the guards shot arrows at it.

Yay!