The next morning, Delphine and the other survivors of Riverwood set out for Riften, a city in the far South east corner of Skyrim. The road led through deep pine forests, sparesly inhabited except for bandits and wild animals.
"I've travelled through this region before , there's a small village halfway to Riften called Ivarstead, we can rest there" Faenlin explained.
"We shouldn't stay in one place too long" Delphine suggested.
"The rift is full of wild trolls, the people in Ivarstead will probably know the safest route" Faenlin countered.
"There's something up ahead" Ralof pointed out, "Looks like they were unlucky"
Up ahead, several bodies lay spread out along the road.
"They look like bandits... we should check them out" Hadvar suggested.
The corpses looked like the standard outlaws of the woods. Fur clothing and war paint. They're throats were ripped open, and many had large gashes across their bodies.
"Trolls?" Hadvar asked, examining one of the bodies.
"These gashes look like troll claws, but the bites look similar to that of wolves" Faenlin said, examining one of the dead nords more closely, "It almost looks like their tracks are together... this could have only happened a few hours ago" Faenlin examined another of the bodies.
"Could the wolves have come here afterwards?" Delphine asked.
"It's possible... but it looks like they were... working together" Faenlin stated, "Could that be possible?" He had a hint of fear to his voice.
"No way, trolls don't have the brains for that" Hadvar quickly shot it down.
"We all know that they're smarter then that. If they could organize a slaughter then its not a far stretch" Ralof countered.
"But... they're wild animals, I've seen them attack each other, theres no way they could be this organized"
"Either way, I don't want to take any chances, we should move on fast"
"Wait" interrupts Faenlin, "Theres someone here, behind that tree! Show yourself!" He notches his hunting bow out of fear, the others follows, drawing their swords.
"Woah! easy! I'm just a farmer!" Behind the tree, a lowly Nord farmer steps out.
"How long were you there? What are you doing out here?" Delphine demands.
"I hid when I heard someone talking, I didn't do any of this, I swear!" He pleads.
"We know you didn,t what are you doing out here?" Delphine demands.
"I was... I was heading to Windhelm to join the Stormcloaks and fight the empire. I think I got lost though" The farmer says, "Could I maybe travel with you for a bit?"
"Any friend of the stormcloaks is a friend of mine" Ralof states, lowering his sword.
"We already have enough, we don't need a damn stormcloak supporting farmer slowing us down!" Hadvar objects.
They both look at Delphine.
"I said no arguing about the civil war. This man won't last an hour out here on his own with the trolls out" She looks at the farmer, "You can come with us to Ivarstead, then we part ways"
"Thank you!" He exclaims happily.
"He will just slow us down" Hadvar grumbles, but the decision has been made.
Jarl Balgruff the Greater calls together the people of Whiterun in the market place.
"People of Whiterun! Trolls have entered our hold, and have destroyed Riverwood. These monsters care nothing for our homes and lives, and must be brought down! I am calling together a GREAT TROLL HUNT!"
The people of Whiterun cheer and clap.
"I need to know who among you will lead this great hunt? Who can slaughter the most of these monsters and rid them from our hold?!" He demands.
Vignar Gray-Mane, patriarch of the Gray-Mane family, steps forward, "I will lead the hunt! This is the job for the companions and the Gray-Manes! We will rid the hold of these monsters!" The companions, a powerful group of warriors, cheers, "For Glory!" "Kill the trolls!"
"Bullshit! The Battle-Born Family shall Rid Whiterun hold of these monsters! The Gray-Manes are poor , weak, Stormcloak supporters! The Battle-Borns will take on this task with great honor!" The patriarch of the battle borns, Olfrid Battle Born, calls out.
His favored son, Idolaf Battle Born shouts "For Whiterun! For the Emperor!" The men who support the Empire cheer out, creating a size able force.
"Keep the civil war out of this, there is enough glory in slaughtering trolls!" Jon Battle Born the bard calls out, but the cheers over power him.
"This is nonsense, this matter belongs to Whiterun alone, I will take a force of guards and exterminate this clan of trolls" Irileth the housecarl shouts.
"You're all weak, I will kill these trolls alone!" Hrongar, the Jarls brother, and the strongest man in Whiterun ,steps forward.
"I'm not a man, I'm a weapon in human form. Just unsheathe me, and point me at the enemy."
The crowd cheers again.
"It seems we have more than one group eligible for the hunt. I declare that whoever can bring the most troll heads be granted eternal glory!" The Jarl commands, and the people cheer.
In an hour the three groups have charged out the gate towards Riverwood, to slaughter the trolls.
It is nearing evening, Jon Battle-Born is digging a grave for the remains of the people of Riverwood, while his brother and father argue beside the ruins of The Sleeping Giant.
"I'm telling you, we couldn't find any, the men searched up and down the valley, but it is as if the trolls have disappeared!" Idolaf Battle Born explains.
"Foolish boy, no doubt the Gray-Manes have found their lair by now in the mountains by now. It was foolish to assume the trolls came from the woods." His father counters angrily.
"We should go into the mountains after them" Idolaf argues.
But his father shoots him down again, "It is getting late, and the men are tired. To send them now would be suicide."
"What a waste of a day" Idolaf states, taking a seat on a stump and burrowing his face in his hands, "Just a big waste"
Jon Battle Born approaches his father and brother, "Do you know what the problem is with Skyrim these days? Everyone is assumed with death."
His father glares at him, "I heard what you said back in the town. I would think you would show better support for the Empire in these times."
"Father, the Gray-Manes were our friends once, this damn civil war is tearing us apart."
Just then, The Gray-Manes and the companions strode into Riverside.
"I will speak to you later" His father growls.
"Wow, look at this, the mighty Battle Borns like to relax instead of getting to work, typical!" Vignar Gray-Mane shouts. The companions laugh.
"My family has respect for the dead, unlike you bloodthirsty fools. And it doesn't look like you found much either!"
He was right, the companions were dirty from travelling up the mountainside, but none of them had seen a fight.
"We searched for hours, searched every cave we could find, but found no living troll."
"Typical Gray-Manes, can't do anything right. No wonder you support the stormcloaks!" The battle Born patriarch shouted.
"You are fools if you believe the Empire is worth fighting for!" The companions stance turned aggressive. The Battle Born supporters jumped to their feet, preparing for a fight.
"You are an old fool, I spit at your feet!" Olfrid Battle born spat at Vignar Gray Manes foot. For a tense second nothing happened, but then the two patriarchs charged each other, wrestling in the dirt. The others all cheered and jeered.
"This is pathetic!" Jon Battle Born shouted, but no one heard him.
"What the hell are you doing!" Irileth shouted with clear disappointment. She ran forward with her guard patrol and pulled apart the fighting fathers.
"We go out hunting trolls, and you two start fighting over a damned civil war?! It doesn't look like you found anything!"
"Stormcloak Scum!"
"Imperial fucktard!"
"Stop this pointless fighting! Did any of you find a troll!" Irileth demanded.
They both shook their heads, "We searched all through, but found nothing" said Olfrid.
"We hunted up and down the mountains and searched through every cave, but found only wild animals" said Vignar.
"I guess that's not a surprise. We hunted up and down the river but found nothing" Irileth said, "I don't understand how this could happen. Look at this place, the survivors said they're were dozens of trolls, but how can they all disappear like this?"
Just then, Hrongar, the strongest man in Whiterun and brother to the Jarl, stepped through the crowd, covered in blood with an axe swung over his shoulder and something bloody and large in his hand.
"Hrongar? Did you find something?" Irileth asked.
He shook his head, "Ran into a Cave Bear" He said, chucking the bear's head at her feet.
Darkness was closing in fast, as Delphine, Hadvar, Ralof, Faenlin and the hunter followed a path up a steep hill.
"Ivarstead is just at the top of the hill!" Faenlin called out, leading the way, "We're almost there!"
"If I knew the journey to Windhelm would be this bad, I would have just stayed home" The farmer grumbled.
"You should have expected this, trying to join the stormcloaks" Hadvar snarled at him.
"Concentrate on getting up this hill, I don't want to be stuck in the dark in these woods" Delphine growled.
"Come on, we're almost-" Something caught Faenlin's attention. He stopped for a moment, listening hard.
"What is it?" Ralof asked. Faenlin put up his hand and looked around, "Something's coming" he whispered.
They all sat still for a moment, before they could hear the sound of several large creatures behind them, moving up the path quickly.
"TROLL!" Faenlin shouted, noticing their shape first.
They all charged into a sprint, running up the mountain as fast as they could. The farmer tripped on a root and fell to the ground.
"Help me!" He pleaded. Ralof looked back just in time to see the nearest troll pounce on the farmer and beat his face against the earth. The farmers screams became gurgles as his face shattered against the dirt.
"Come on, run!" Faenlin shouted. He was the fastest and closest to the top.
A troll caught up to Ralof and grabbed his arm, but he quickly spun around and ran his sword through it's gut, but it still held on for another second.
"Help me!" He called out to his friends, as a second troll closed in on him. It jumped him, but fell an inch away from him, it's head cleaved clean off.
"Come on!" Hadvar shouted, swinging his sword at the next nearest troll and slicing through its shoulder. It roared in pain and punched him in the chest, knocking him to the ground. It reached for his leg to pull him away, but Ralof stepped in fornt of his ally and stabbed its hand. He quickly pulled his sword back and swung a wide arc through the two trolls. They withdrew in pain and fell backwards down the steep path, rolling down the hill.
"Get up!" Ralof pulled Hadvar to his feet. They began up the mountain, but a fourth troll, much larger than the other two was too close. It lifted its strong fists above them to crush both their skulls, but a flaming arrow struck it in the chest.
It screeched in pain as the flame quickly ignited across it's upper torso, sizzling it's fat. It fell back, knocking down two other approaching trolls and dragging them down the mountain.
"Come on!" A gruff voice called form up the hill.
Not waiting another second, Ralof and Hadvar sprinted up the hill, where a handful of guards and hunters stood with bows drawn, flaming arrows at the ready.
"Out of the way!" he gruff voice ordered, and the defenders let loose a volley of flaming arrows down onto the trolls below.
"Burn their mongrel hides!" they cheered, as the trolls fled back down the mountain.
"Who are you?" Ralof asked.
"My name is Barknar. I am hunter. Welcome to Ivarstead" The man replies.
