Author's note: Hello! I said this chapter would be "special" and, honestly, it's not really. But it is much longer, so there's that. Friendly reminder that today marks the end of any semblance of an update schedule. There should be two per month, minimum, but it won't be regular while I work on other projects. If I can finish those, then the schedule will eventually go back to normal! In the meantime, thanks for bearing with all the crazy changes.
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The Dragonborn's journal. It is bound with hardened leather, and upon closer inspection, is coated with spells. There is a will on the first two pages, and the rest are covered in a messy scrawl. Shopping lists dot the pages, and small scribbles adorn the edges.
Came across another ruin today. I wanted to stop and take a look, but Marcurio was a little antsy, since it was nearly nightfall, and so we didn't go in. Pity. I've been looking for more draugr to practice my archery on. I got this new crossbow, and enchanted it. Its name if Frostbite, which Marcurio informs me is possibly the least interesting thing I could have picked for a weapon. But it is incredibly powerful. Just yesterday I took down a dragon with it, which is an impressive feat normally.
We're on the road back to Whiterun, after a month long trip to other parts. It's actually fairly nice to be on the road again, despite anything Marcurio might say. He protests mightily, since recently we've been having good food, drink, and warm beds. But it's almost winter, and I need to head back to make sure the kids are okay. Lydia is a great Housecarl, but she isn't the best with children. Their pets are another matter…
-Káno
Buy:
Steel (x20)
Iron (As much as possible)
Pickaxe (1)
Axe (1
Misc. Please find:
Slaughterfish scales (x6)
Bear pelt (x3)
Saber cat teeth (x4)
We've been on the road for about three days now, and we seem to be making good time. Frost hasn't set in in the warmer areas, and the mountains don't count anyway, since they're always snowy. We've also had very minimal encounters with enemies/wildlife. We took care of a few bears, though, so I can cross that off the list. Must remember to do that. We did have an encounter with a troll, though. That in itself is somewhat worrying. Usually don't see them in this area, so I'm not sure if it's some sort of omen or not. Marcurio seems to think that it's got something to do with the early winter, or whatever. I do trust him in that regard, but I'm not so sure he's correct. Doesn't matter. It's getting to dark to see what I'm writing, so I'm going to cut this off for tonight.
-Káno
Took care of another bear today. They're getting to be a real pain in the neck. Something we're carrying must be attracting them to us, because I don't think I've ever been attacked as much as this in the span of a week. On the plus side, we've been traveling for around a week, and have made about half the distance. I'll be able to see Sofie and Lucia soon, which sounds good to me. Our rate of travel might get to be a little problematic, unfortunately. The horses are getting tired, and though I don't feel any fatigue, Marcurio says I look like death...
After looking over some of my previous entries, I have realized that I quote Marcurio more than I probably should be. Maybe because he's the only person I really interact with? Who knows. Might as well be married for the amount of times I include his (rather unnecessary) opinion in this journal. Oh well.
The horses are fed and Marcurio is taking first watch. I'm turning in for tonight.
-Káno
Never mind. Blasted dragon attacked right after I went to sleep. I'm taking first watch.
Marcurio has been pestering me as to why I keep this journal. I actually don't know? Maybe it's because if I die, then maybe someone will find this and know what happened. That is, if I remember to write in it. I've been keeping up on the journal entries, though! They're all up to date, except one or two. So there. It's also… kind of how I remember Him. But never mind that. I got a lead on Him just to other week. If I'm right, He might still be alive. That journal… he left clues of a sort. Clues in his personality, and where He was hoping to take the rest of His village. But I'm not sure. That will be my next quest. My first is to make it home. Which is marginally harder than it sounds.
-Káno
Halfway through that blasted mountain range! As soon as we're done there, we'll be within sight of home. Not bad. We had to stop a day to let the horses rest. Dealt with a giant. The usual. It's kind of funny. The first frost hasn't set in in other areas of the land, but up here in the mountains there is eternal winter. It gets on my nerves. I don't particularly care for the heat, but it's much nicer to know that the heat will (eventually) give way to cooler weather. Not in the mountains, though. Eternal winter. Crazy, isn't it?
-Káno
Dealt with a frost troll, a dragon, and three more bears today. In under an hour. Which is a little out of the ordinary, but… oh well. We got through the mountains after those fights, and are in sight of home! Thank god. I'm sure the kids will be glad to see me, though I'm getting the feeling that Lydia miiight not appreciate how late I am. It's probably okay, since I'm alive though. None of the horses were injured, and Marcurio only had some minor scrapes, which I took care of via healing magic.
-Káno
Need to buy (Farengar?):
Light spell
Familiar spell (?)
Elemental, what's it called, Flame atronahch, ateronach, atronach?
That ice thing I wanted
Oh a soul trap spell thing should be good too
Made it back home! Our trip took a much shorter time than I expected which as nice. On the downside, there was an increase in attacks. I suppose it's because of the weather changes, maybe they're growing bolder? I'll have to check with someone who understands animal behaviour. Lucia and Sofie were ecstatic to see me. Then again, I did bring presents, so they may have been happy about those. Lydia was pleased as well, partially because I was safe and sound, and partially because she doesn't have to take care of the kids anymore. Sofie tells me that she snuck the rabbit into Lydia's room a night or so ago. She was giggling too hard to tell me the rest, but I get the idea. Since I'm finally home, I guess… I guess the next option is to track down the lead I got. I'll start with analyzing the paper.
-Káno
I don't care what the stereotypes about warriors are, I was able to trace that damn paper to a city on the coast. There's a lot of lore surrounding it, especially necromancy. If what I think has happened has occurred, then I might not be in for the reunion I was anticipating. Hopefully it hasn't, but if my friend has become the victim of a dark necromancy rite… I might have no choice but to kill him. Which would be even worse than having to lose him to fire.
It's too bad that I have no idea what exactly happened. If only I had been closer to the village… Now isn't time to dwell on the past, though. I must make preparations. I leave within the week, for fear that the trail might go cold. How I wish that the note included more details.
-Káno
We set out today. Bought all my materials from the local merchants, though nobody sells steel. Thankfully I had that extra set of armour I had refined. Lucia sulked in her room when I went to say goodbye. Sofie was extremely tearful, as usual, and Lydia thinks this is a fool's errand anyway, so she wore an expression similar to Lucia's. It's bad enough having two children in the house… Had to go on the other horses, ours are still weary. I did try to convince Marcurio to stay home, but, I admit, I'm glad he's here. He told me that he'd probably get on Lydia's nerves anyway, which is fair.
Farengar sold me those spell books, and then I robbed him blind with my dragon scales and bones. He was all too happy to buy them. Sometimes I feel bad about draining all the merchants of their wares but it's their fault for buying so much.
I love Whiterun. It'd be nice if I could just spend a month at home, without having to worry about those blasted dragon attacks, or going to see the Greybeards. Or whatever. Not to say that I haven't visited the Greybeards. Agh who am I kidding this is my journal.
-Káno
Journey took about three days. Shorter than I thought. Then again, it did help that I was able to teleport us to a town close to the one we're in now. Not many attacks, which, compared to the frequency of those on the last trip was surprising. We arrived at nightfall, got a room at a local inn. Everyone here seems to be friendly at first, but whenever I try to find out more information on the supposed necromancy they turn cold. What if all of them are in on it? Or, worse, undead. I'll have to get close enough to check the pulse of someone, I guess. Marcurio got the same reactions wherever he went as well. We'll have to be careful. I was hoping we'd be able to rest here, but as the people seem… untrustworthy, we've decided to keep a watch. I'm first, si for now I'm just going to scribble in this book. Got nothing better to do.
-Káno
Still can't get any information out of those people about a possible necromancer! But, at a cave just by the seaside, I found fresh blood, and some of the elements needed for a reanimation ritual. The tide had covered the opening, and… I can't swim. Marcurio volunteered to check it out, but I didn't want him going down by himself. We'll look into it tomorrow, when the tide is out. In the meantime, we're spending some time apart, as always, trying to speak with the villagers. Wait, no, he just got back. He's taking first watch. Damn. I hope this all turns out to be okay, because at this point in time I'm getting the feeling that we might not make it out unscathed.
-Káno
Marcurio has gone missing.
I wrote that in a panic two nights ago. I haven't slept since, and still haven't been able to find him. When I got up that morning, we split up as usual to go for one more attempt to question the villagers. When the tide went out, our plan was to meet up by the cave. But when I got there, he didn't show up. He never showed up. So I dropped by our rooms, and he wasn't there. I left a note for him to stay in the room when he got back in case he got there before me, and set out to see if I could find him. I haven't stopped looking since then, and the one place I haven't gone yet is the cave. I suppose he must be in there. But, and it pains me to even write this, I- I can't go in. It terrifies me, the idea of being in that space, surrounded by water. What if the tide comes in and I'm still inside?
But then I think. What if Marcurio went inside and got trapped? Perhaps there was a cave in, or perhaps he was forced in by an enemy spellcaster. In that case, he might not be able to free himself. So I'm going tonight. I know a place to store this, which is (hopefully) waterproof. I don't want my journal pages ruined. In case this is the last of me… I have my will made out on the first two pages, as well as stored with Lydia in Whiterun. In the case that Marcurio does not survive, anything which goes to him is to go to Lydia. Did I write that? I'm too nervous to think straight. It's time to leave.
-Káno
That night, the night I wrote that. It was cool. The moon wasn't quite full. The tide had just left, and I remember standing by the seaside. I made it down here, though. I've been in this cave for… I can't even tell how long. I though it would be simple, an in and out sort of thing. It wasn't. Once the tide came in. It washed all the way up to my mouth, and I thought I was going to die, I couldn't even scream, I almost fell. That was the most terrifying moment of my life. I've got a light spell, but it only lasts a few minutes. There are no torches. I'm scribbling this by the light of that spell, and even as I write it's fading. Time to press on.
I found the necromancer. Damn him, for all that he has done. I've been observing him from the shadows for an hour or so. He's sleeping now. It's time to strike.
I was wrong. It's not just a necromancer. There's a whole vampire coven here. Is the town where the rest of them reside?
Looking back on those last journal entries, all I can recall is utter terror, anger, and grief. I feel it even now. They didn't kill Marcurio, thank the stars. They were intending to keep him as food. Even as I write this, he is resting by my side. The town is burning, which is fitting. I can almost warm my hands in its blaze. What a pity, the only thing that spoiled it for the first few minutes were the screams. I was right, though. The entire town was a vampire coven. They had found Marcurio loitering outside the entrance to their food store, and by the looks of it, knocked him out and dragged him under. Did I mention that they are remarkably good swimmers?
These were intelligent, too. They hid the entrance to their food supplies somewhere they could reach at all times, but where no ordinary human could get to if the tides weren't just right. Down there… all I could smell was the stench of rotten flesh. Inside many, nearly hundreds of small cages, there were humans. Some merely skeletons, waiting to be- disposed of. Others were still alive, though barely. It was a sight which I am sure I shall never forget. All I can smell if their rotting flesh, and all I can hear are the whimpers of pain. One thing I also hope I never forget is the screams that the vampires made as I burned them… Marcurio is waking. I shall leave off this narrative for now. There are others who need my help.
-Káno
I did get the other ones who lived. The survivors. Some had been bitten. None were full vampires, so I teleported them to the nearest altar. They will live, I saw to that. As for Marcurio, he's fine. He's sleeping soundly, and I refuse to wake him. But within his hand, I did find a scrap of paper. It matches the one I found, in both handwriting and composition.
-Káno
Marcurio informs me that the one I seek is hidden. The vampires knew exactly who we were. And they knew I'd come. They were hoping to ransom him, but their plans went awry as soon as they caught Marcurio. They knew that I can't swim. Even now my blood runs cold when I think of exactly what they could have done. I am returning to the side of the cliff, where Marcurio tells me they kept the rest of their "food." He's staying behind. I thoroughly obliterated the coven, and it's daytime, so he should be safe. There's cover nearby in case of a dragon, so that's accounted for as well. I hope- no, I pray that I find the one I seek. Hopefully, after that, this blasted search will be done.
-Káno
There is a scraping of a lockpick, and with the creak of well oiled hinges, the door disguised as rock swings open. In the entrance, silhouetted by sunlight, a young man with black hair stands. He peers in nervously, brushing hair out of his face as he steps inside. The smell of rotting flesh once more water outside. He, however, doesn't seem to react, so focused is he on searching the cavern. His eyes scan the rows of cages, some once more filled with bones, others with humans and animals in various states of decay. Finally, a cage in the far right corner catches his eye, and he steps forward. From a pocket in his tunic, he pulls out a handful of lockpicks. His hands are shaking so badly that the first and second ones break. But, of course, the third manages to unlock the door of the cage. A limp figure tumbles forward, and squatting, the young man catches it. Another young man, closer to a boy and with brown curly hair tumbles forward. And the first pulls him up to his feet, eyeing him with the air of one who is deeply concerned. The brunette manages to pull his eyes open long enough to catch a glimpse of his saviour. As they do, the first breaks into a glowing smile, and pulls the other forward into an embrace, speaking as he does.
"Khilheru."