I'm new to this website, so bear with me while I figure things out.
I do use some dialogue that is directly from the game and tether my plot to that of the Dragonborn DLC, but with substantial creative liberties (no one wants to read about a million fetch quests). I also have taken some liberties with the lore in order to better fit the kind of narrative I'm trying to tell, but I do retain the overall spirit of the game. If you're not a hardcore lore buff, you probably won't notice a difference. Thanks for reading!
Daughter of the High King of Skyrim, Fjoara Ebonhand was born into wealth and nobility, greatness having been expected of her from a young age. Little did she know, that greatness would find her not as heir to the throne, but in an extraordinary encounter with a dragon one afternoon just short of her twentieth birthday. Afraid of the new trajectory her life has taken, Fjoara fled her home and began a quiet life shrouded in anonymity.
Over the next few years, Fjoara wanders Skyrim searching for herself in solitude until she is forced to travel to the remote island of Solstheim after thwarting an assassination attempt made on her. While there, she meets a cynical, jaded Dunmer mercenary and a bright, kindhearted warrior of an ancient Nordic tribe who become her closest allies in her fight against the evil forces threatening Solstheim. Will Fjoara find the courage to step into her untapped power and claim victory, or will she meet the same untimely fate as the first of her kind?
The ashen air blows dust into my lungs as I step off the ship. Gjalund, the Nord who gave me passage to this island, speaks to me as I start to walk down the dock-something about him hoping I can find out what is going on around here-but I pay him little mind. My foreign surroundings take up far too much of my attention for conversation.
It is early morning, and the rising sun paints the sky a yellow that seems almost unnatural. To the right, I can see a large edifice built with the Imperial architecture of Cyrodiil, but in front of me further back is a tiered building constructed of sloping lines that look almost like the shell of an insect. The grounds are coated in a grey ash, with a path forged through it to the town. The few trees that stand are dead and snapped in half, or layered in so much ash that they may as well be. Beyond everything and out into the sea, I can see the Red Mountain spraying its contents into the sky, unending.
I continue to walk down the dock, but before I am able to cross the boundary into the town, I am approached by a Dunmer wearing fine clothes. His stature is small, but I can tell by the way that he carries himself that he is high-ranking.
"I don't recognize you, so I'll assume this is your first visit to Raven Rock, outlander. State your intentions," he says, placing himself in from of me to block my path.
Stopping to stand in front of him, I respond, "I'm looking for Miraak. Do you know him?"
"I... I'm unsure. I swear I know the name, but I cannot place it," he says slowly, his eyes nearly glazing over. His reaction is unnerving-trance-like.
"Can you tell me anything about him?" I ask.
"I don't think so. I'm not... The name has something to do with the Earth Stone, I think. But I'm not sure what," he says.
His facial expression remains far away, so I decide not to press any further on the subject, hoping that someone else in town will know where I can find this Earth Stone. "Why are you so suspicious of visitors?" I ask him.
"I have to be. As Second Councilor, the security of Raven Rock is my primary concern," the Dunmer says.
"I can assure you I am here with only the purest of intentions," I say. "My name is Fjoara Ebonhand."
"Adril Arano," he says, and he steps slightly aside to let me pass.
"It has been a pleasure to meet you," I tell him, smiling politely as I walk forward.
He only nods. "Just remember, Raven Rock is sovereign territory of House Redoran. This is Morrowind, not Skyrim. While you're here you will be expected to abide by our laws. We're watching you."
Arano's words are somewhat foreboding, but my sense of purpose remains unwavering. As I continue into the town, I realize how little of it there actually is. Three more of those insect-like structures form a semi-circle around a well in the center, but they are much smaller and look more like homes. A couple of these buildings have small shops set up out front, and there is a smithy in one of the low stone shacks that line the coast. The two Dunmer who tend their shops look presentable enough, but it is quite clear that this settlement lives in relative poverty. The remaining building has a guard standing at the door, and a sign that reads "The Retching Netch". I haven't the slightest idea of what a netch is, but I figure the building for a tavern and enter.
Once inside, I am met with a small horseshoe-shaped ground floor level with tables and benches lining the walls. Standing in front of the fireplace against the back wall is a Dunmer stirring food in a cooking pot. At my entrance, he turns around and welcomes me to the "cornerclub" before returning to his cooking. Sitting at a table in the corner nearest to him is another Dunmer who, by the looks of his armor, must be a mercenary. I opt not to speak with either of them and make my way down the wide set of stairs in the middle of the room that leads down into the rest of the interior. The room at the bottom is far more immense than what the building appears to be from the outside. The ceilings are vaulted with a network of supporting archways below and the furniture is so sparse that my footsteps echo in this cavern as I approach the bar. The Dunmer tending it looks up at me with surprise as if I am the first person he has seen all day, and it is then that I realize how empty the inn is.
"Welcome to the Retching Netch Cornerclub, home of the finest sujamma that will ever grace your lips," he says when I am near.
"Sujamma?" I ask as I take a seat at the bar.
"As if it wasn't already apparent that you're not from around here," he says, producing a tankard from underneath the bar and pouring drink into it from one of the yellow clay jugs that sit on the counter. He slides it over to me. "An authentic Dunmer recipe, but with my own personal twist."
I hold the mug up to my lips for a moment, getting a whiff of how potent the liquor is, but drink anyway. The taste is bitter in an earthy way but pleasantly warm as it slides down my throat. I set the tankard on the bar, pressing the back of my hand to my mouth so as not to shudder from the strength of the drink.
"This makes mead seem like cow's milk," I say after a moment. He laughs and moves to refill my mug, but I hold a hand out to stop him. "Unfortunately, I find myself on your island for business, not pleasure."
He looks at me curiously. "What business could you possibly have on Solstheim, outlander?"
"I'm looking for Miraak," I answer. "Can you tell me anything about him?"
The barkeep's eyes fog over in the same way Arano's did, and the similarity in their reactions to the name "Miraak" causes me to grow somewhat concerned. "The name is familiar, but I am not sure where from."
"I had a feeling you would say that," I respond. "What about the Earth Stone?"
Instantly, the life snaps back into his eyes. "Oh! The Earth Stone. It's directly west of Raven Rock, just outside of town. I'm not sure what interest it would hold to someone who isn't Skaal, though."
"That's what I'm trying to determine," I say as I rise to my feet, setting a few septims on the counter. "Thank you for the drink and the information."
"Safe travels, outlander," he says.
"It's Fjoara," I call behind me as I start up the stairs.
"Geldis," he calls back.
When I reach the top landing, I notice that the Dunmer mercenary has moved to lean against the wall by the exit as if he were waiting for someone. I pay him no mind as his services are not needed. However, when I approach the door, he pushes himself off the wall and saunters over to me. I equip myself mentally to dismiss his pitch.
"I couldn't help but overhear that you're headed to the Earth Stone," the mercenary says. "An interesting choice of tourist destination, outlander."
"Well, if you had been listening properly, you would also know that I am here purely for business," I say, looking him up and down once before lazily glancing away to emphasize my disinterest.
"I wouldn't dare think anything else," he says with the hint of a smile. "Teldryn Sero: the best swordsman in all Morrowind is at your service … for the right price."
I pause for a moment as if in consideration. "And what might that be?"
"Five thousand septims," he answers, the smile spreading to both sides of his mouth.
I let out a loud laugh, and I see the Dunmer at the fireplace startle at the sound of it. The grin on the face of this mercenary touches every feature now. He knows the game I'm playing at.
"For that price, I think I'll go it alone," I say, pointedly resting a hand on the pommel of my sword as if the beams of light radiating from its hilt didn't already catch one's eye. "That's not to say I wasn't capable of it to begin with."
Teldryn humors me and drops his gaze to where my hand lays. "Is that . . . ?"
"Dawnbreaker? Indeed it is," I respond, cutting him off before he could finish his sentence.
He appears to be genuinely taken aback at this and studies my face for a moment, a single eyebrow raised. "Who are you?"
"No one you will ever know," I answer.
He shrugs. "My loss, I'm sure."
"I might disagree," I respond. "Now, if you'll excuse me."
Teldryn opens his mouth as if he were going to speak, so I pause before walking away to let him, but he just closes it and shakes his head before returning to his seat in the back of the room. At that, I finally leave the tavern and make my way to the Earth Stone.