1st Day: Shaky Beginnings

After a rather nasty and terrifying experience in Helgen, I started heading south-west through some rocky terrain and a thicket of trees. My destination: Falkreath. I didn't know much about this place, but it was the closest "Hold" and I hoped that it would be my best place to fit in. I left some guy called himself a Stormcloak and wanted me to join him in some war that was going on, I didn't really pay attention. But I did appreciate his help in escaping that nasty business in Helgen, maybe it is better now. I decide against going back there and continue on my track toward Falkreath. It's a rather long walk and the terrain was rough, at least until I hit a road.

"Great! I know this will lead me to civilization!"

I follow the road for a few minutes, not seeing anything eventful except for a few flowers that I gather. Eventually, I see a wooden bridge stretching over the road. I stop and look at the structure. The bridge stretched across a gully that the road drops in and then continues further into a forest. I continue walking again and pass under the bridge. Before I know it I'm being shot at by a bandit on the bridge (how did I not see him?) and he wasn't alone, another bandit joined him on the bridge before making his way down from the perch they had built.

I, being the ever brave and resourceful adventurer that I am, bravely turn back around and quickly run away, further down the road trying to reach Falkreath. I glance over my shoulder time and again to make sure they are still either on top of the structure or if they are chasing me. I get hit once with an arrow in the side. Somehow I continue running as if it didn't happen. I spot a group of three people walking towards me. I panic and jump into the bushes and try to hide and avoid the incoming arrow fire.

GREAT, not even a full day in Skyrim and I'm being pinned in on two sides, this will be a really short series. I've been in situations like this before, but usually with a well-armed and armored hero. I'm stuck with just raggedy old Stigand.

I breathe a sigh of relief when I recognize that the group approaching is made up of three Thalmor. What are the odds? As I was fleeing they came walking in towards me. I ducked behind a full tree letting the Thalmor see me while I was avoiding arrow fire.

The Thalmor charge in and start fighting the bandits. Thank Talos for these Thalmor guys, they couldn't possibly be causing trouble here in Skyrim.

For those that don't already know, the Thalmor are agents of the second Almeri Dominion. This is an alliance of both the high and the wood elf regents, based on elven racial supremacy (I've heard them called Nazi Elves before, but I don't really draw the similarities). They are usually not inclined to attack you unless you attack them, OR your bandit scum!

They make short work of the bandits; I fire one arrow too, to at least make an attempt to help my new allies. I was glad to have the help. I had already had enough excitement for a lifetime and a bandit fight was something I had hoped to avoid, at least for the time being. I stripped those foolish bandits of their items armor and all. Now according to Rule 7 I cannot wear the armor that I scrounge from the bandits. I take a hat (which I find to be an exception to the rule, well because it's a hat), a circular one lined with fur. I also take some fur boots from them, these looking as if tied together by one or two strings (I make an exception to the rule here as well, mostly because there is snow on the ground here and there and because they are made of skin and look to be adjustable… Look it's a stretch I know!). The boots will do at least until I craft some new ones. At any rate the hair on my toes was not keeping the Skyrim chill away.

After finishing the trek to Falkreath I enter the quiet "town", I thought it best to reacquaint myself with the town's layout before trying anything. It's a depressing and dreary place, the fog and sprinkles not helping, so much so that the "bragging point" of this place is a large graveyard.

"It's the oldest in Skyrim!" OH BOY! Let's hope Stigand doesn't become a part of it!

I run into a service taking place in the graveyard, I wait for it to end and approach the man who had been listening to the priest. His name was Mathies. Mathies had just lost his daughter. He then tells me that she was murdered, torn apart by some stranger who is now locked up.

I'm not five minutes into the town when Skyrim starts to thrust a quest onto me. Mathies thinks I should go talk to the guy.

NO WAY! Look I don't mean to be rude here, but… If this guy tore your daughter apart and is a crazed murderer then I really don't want Stigand to wander anywhere near this luny. I quietly walk away as Mathies is talking to me; I mean I'm not a guard I can't deal with a murder or a murderer… Wait… Are the guards hiring?

I need a job.

After talking with my first citizen, I realize it is late afternoon. I stop and eat a mixture of flowers I had picked on the way here. It didn't seem to be like a good idea, but I didn't have enough money to get some decent food and I look at it as a salad. At least it is "healthy" right? I also eat some of the Rock Wabbler (some kind of bird) eggs that I had picked up, yum yum protein.

After this delicious meal I walk the perimeter of the cemetery "cleaning up" all the weeds, flowers, and mushrooms I could find. I them proceeded to shove everything I had into my pockets, of course. After this I stroll to the top of a hill overlooking Falkreath (mostly the cemetery). I was hoping to see the size and the potentiality that this place could be my new home.

I spot an iron ore vein nearby and smile. That would be useful if I had a pickaxe to chip out the iron. It's getting late, its 8:53 pm, I can't see anything except drizzle. It isn't long before the creeping darkness, the rain, and the rather loud locusts drive me back into town.

I walk along and come across a chopping block and investigate it, I completely forgot that one of the bandits had a woodcutter's axe and I am shocked when Stigand starts hacking a small log.

Thank you, Skyrim for helping avoid adventure all together! I'm not even trying and your giving me what I will need.

I gather a few pieces of firewood, enough to somehow make my longbow stronger (How am I carrying all this stuff? Seriously, my pockets must be huge). After I improve my bow, which I'm still clueless about how I did it, I head to the Inn. It's late and I'm starving. I stop by the general store, I am short on money, but with Stigand's luck it is closed for the night.

After selling some useless things the bandits had been carrying to the innkeeper, I buy some bread and mead. "I am a TRUE SON OF SKYRIM!"

And even have enough coin to pick up a room for the night. Thank Talos for those Thalmor. If it wasn't for them I wouldn't even still be writing and I wouldn't have a nice bed for the night. I enter my room (there is no door) and am shocked to see that there is a pile of gold just sitting on the end table. HAHA nice try Skyrim, you want me to steal that don't you. WELL NPC's don't steal from each other (usually) so Stigand will not be doing that. The one thing that the gold brings into question is if you have enough gold to leave lying in the rooms you are renting out why don't you, oh I don't know… BUY A DOOR!

I sit in my chair, in my room listening to the NPC's outside. There is bard singing about some guy in red and banging on a drum ever so often. Every once in a while I hear a woman speak about some drinks or something. I don't care I had a good day. I managed to make it to Falkreath, eat twice today, let a group of guys do my fighting, take a bunch of dead guys' stuff, pick some fungus and flowers, and even find the layout of my new stomping ground. It may be a dreary and boring place, but it is my temporary home.

I go to bed around 11:00 hopeful for tomorrow, when I can sell the bandit Items and have enough coin to (at the very least) make it through the next day. I sleep for eight hours and am eager for the next day.