12th Morndas Morning Star
Year 4E 201
The events of the last few hours have left me in shock. Having made my way to the little town of Riverwood I feel the need to write what I have witnessed in order to make some sort of sense… What I saw… It couldn't have been real… Such things are myth… But I digress…
To begin my name is Shadow-Tail, an odd name for an Argonian hatchling and not one that I chose. I am a scholar, come to the land of Skyrim to research their fascinating Dwemer ruins. One of the world's greatest mysteries is the disappearance of the Dwemer (also known as dwarves or dwarven) races. One of the most technologically advanced races, with the legendary snow elves captured as their slaves, they one day just disappeared…
Again… this has nothing to do with the events of today… I apologize (though the fact that I am apologizing to a journal is a testament to my state of shock) … I had just made my way through Tamriel to the border of Skyrim where I crossed the border and was ambushed by a band of Imperial soldiers. They knocked me out and when I awoke I was in a wagon, tied with a bunch of other prisoners with none of my possessions in sight.
We were taken to a place called Helgen where the soldiers lined us up. It was my unfortunate luck to have been crossing the border with the rebel warlord Ulfric Stormcloak… If I had known who the man I crossed paths with was I would have turned the other way. Rebels bring nothing but trouble. I knew what was coming for all of us… the executioner's block…
They called us up one by one. One of the prisoner's from my wagon tried to run and was shot in the back as he yelled, "You aren't going to kill me!" Stupid bloke thinking that he could outrun the archers. When everyone else had been called I was the last one not lined up. The solider that had been listing names noticed that I wasn't on the list…
He told me to step forward and state my name. "My name is Shadow-Tail" He asked me if I was related to one of the Riften dockworkers… I am an argonian and so I must be related to that rift raft? I shook my head no and he promised that my remains would be sent back to the Black Marsh.
As I headed up to stand in line next to the executioners' block there was a loud noise… what I now believe to be a roar. The first man was beheaded and then it was my turn. I remember wondering… Why would they not kill Ulfric before the rest? My head was upon the block; I was staring at the black hooded face of the executioner, when I saw behind him a large black-scaled lizard with wings and red piercing eyes land upon the top of the tower. It let out this deafening roar filled with fire and I knew what it was. Dragon!
One of the other prisoners helped me up and we ran to the nearest tower. Could this really be happening? Dragons were nothing but stories told to children at their bedtime, they had long been extinct and yet this one was here? I find the idea fascinating. In stories of old, dragons could speak the human languages and if the dragons were back just imagine the ancient knowledge they could share! Of course this one was trying to kill us all…
I ran up the stairs of the keep when rocks flew out of the side and fire burst through the hole, charring the remains of a now dead soldier. I did not know where to go but was told to jump from the keep onto the floor of the inn… Afraid of heights as I am I jumped with my eyes closed and prayed for the best. Miraculously I landed safely on the other side and immediately began to make my way down.
In front of me I could see the kind imperial soldier from before and immediately stood behind him. "Still alive prisoner? Follow me if you want to stay that way!" I was glad to oblige. We made our way across the battlefield and he told me to stay close to the wall. So glad am I that I followed his advice as the creature landed on that very wall, wings nearly touching my scaled skin, and let loose a spray of its deadly fire…
When it left we continued across the battlefield. Mages were tossing fireballs, archers were shooting steel arrows, and people were dying all around. Such horror… It makes my heart break… We ran into one of the stormcloak prisoners, not wanting to become labeled a rebel I followed the imperial.
Finally we were safely inside the keep! The imperial (Hadvar is his name) untied my hands and told me to search for some armor and weapons to use in the chests. I grabbed a few gold coins that had been left behind (They had taken all the money and items I possessed when they imprisoned me) and found myself some imperial armor and an iron sword.
Hadvar led the way deeper into the keep… and then we met the stormcloaks. Hadvar wanted to reason with them… to spare their lives but they would not listen. We were forced to kill them. I searched their bodies for anything of use, as a researcher I am used to searching the remains of the dead, and found nothing I could use.
We continued on, coming to the potions storeroom. Again we met with stormcloaks and were forced to kill them. So much bloodshed… I searched the barrels until I found some potions for us to use, even found a few more gold pieces. It wasn't much but at least when we got out of this I wouldn't starve.
At the torture chambers we met with the torturer and his assistant fighting a rebelling stormcloak. Hadvar quickly jumped in to help the torturers. I stood in the back; I would not help these people. Hadvar told the two of the dragon but neither of them seemed to believe him. Fine by me, people who enjoy doing their kind of work deserve to be eaten by that creature. I found a few lock picks lying about as they were conversing and used them to open a cage. Inside was a dead mage with a magic book and a few coins and potions. I took what we needed and then headed off.
More stormcloaks… They were at this section full of running water and bridges. There was some oil on the ground so I used a basic fire spell to set it off… The smell of burning flesh was everywhere… I am not a soldier, these people are not my enemy and yet I am forced to kill…
Finally, When I thought we ad finally made it through, past all the stormcloaks we met with giant horrendous spiders. I had never seen such horrifying creatures in my life. With the use of a flame spell they were easy enough to kill but the sight of them dropping from the ceiling, scuttling towards me spitting their venom will haunt me possibly more than the ghosts of the dead… Hadvar called them Frostbite Spiders.
Done with the spiders, surely there couldn't be anything left down here to fight! Oh how wrong I was. A bear… Sleeping next to a pile of bones. Hadvar and I debated whether we could sneak around it… We could not. We would have to kill it. But how? He handed me a long bow and a few iron arrows… Sneaking into position I took aim… and fired! The bear awoke and I let off two more arrows and felled the beast. Finally, we could see the exit. After searching the bear carcass Hadvar led me out into open air.
Ah the fresh air was wondrous! Even hiding as Hadvar checked for enemies made me feel better because no longer could I smell the stench of the dead that we had left behind. Hadvar told me that we should head our separate ways towards Riverwood, as it would be harder for the dragon to get us both. His uncle is a blacksmith there and he was certain that they would spare us food and lodging. He gave me a map and marked the way there. I do believe I have just made a very good friend.
And so that is how I ended up here, lying in the blacksmiths bed resting from my travels. Still it is so hard to believe that the dragons are back… Just yesterday I was a young argonian scholar starting on my journey to unravel the baffling mysteries of this ancient country and now I am without my research materials, my money, my passport, and lying in a strange new place…
I must try and sleep now… I know I will dream of the faces of those I was forced to kill and those… those disgusting spiders. But most of all… I know that I will see those red eyes, those shimmering black scales splattered with blood, and the ferocious teeth and claws tearing through bodies in my nightmares… I shudder just remembering those eyes. Red reptilian eyes filled with hate…