Chapter 1: The Arrival

My name, it is Aaron. I am an astro-anthropologist for the republic of Zion, a star-faring civilization under the guidance of the super AI deity known as Metatron. I was preforming orbital surveys of planet Nirn. It was a routine operation-I would take photographs of the planet's surface and then send them to an outpost close to here (by space standards, anyways). The planet's technology was primitive from what I could tell-I did not see anything resembling a power plant or so much as a railway. The area I was examining appeared to be some kind of war. I obviously could not tell over what, but I could tell that some of the images I was taking were clearly of battlefields.

I liked this job quite a bit. There was something...peaceful about sitting in space, miles above the problems of the world below you, and even further away from the problems of home. The solitude is truly divine.

What was not peaceful, however, was when one of my craft's engines exploded.

I did not like that at all. I was forced to make an emergency landing on the planet in a region known as Skyrim.

I came in for a hard landing in the southern part of Skyrim. I knew it would be a long while before anyone knew anything was wrong. My supplies would run out long before then. I grabbed my survival gear (including an armored jacket, a helmet, a taser pistol, and a carbine for hunting with), and prepared to head out.

I felt a small amount of peace and joy return to me as my boot touched the Nirnian snow. I was the first Zionite human to ever set foot on this world. Part of me wishes I could have planted a flag there. And, as odd as it is to contemplate, the snow brought me comfort. I had always loved snow and winter time-if I were to die anywhere, it may as well be here.

Nonetheless, I prayed to my god as I walked through the snowy wasteland for guidance. Some will say what happened next is coincidence but I have little faith in the existence of such things. I saw on top of a hill not too far from me a large castle.

Now, it was technically illegal to make first contact without a court order (unless they were obviously trying to contact you). However, given my predicament they'll surely understand my decision to head towards this village. Even if somehow they don't, the penalties are a relative slap on the wrist compared to dying.

I eventually found myself entering the city. Luckily, from unmanned observations were were able to figure out the language of the natives, and I had a translator device that let me read and understand their language.

The first sentient being I saw was a humanoid, feminine figure wearing a pointy metal helmet, carrying a sword and shield-a soldier or a guard, perhaps? I was wondering how they would react to seeing a person carrying technology that was visibly quite different than anything they'd ever seen. I said, nervously "H-hello? My name is Aaron, I come in peace…"

She chuckled, as if recognizing the source of my awkwardness. She said "I used to be an adventurer, like you. Until I took an arrow in the knee."

AN: I promise that's the only time I'll use that joke.