To many, he was simply a traveler. Dependable, well-liked, and resourceful. He had helped many people in his travels, but never sought trouble, or bragged about what skill he undoubtedly possessed. He preferred it that way, as it was a much quieter life than seeking the trouble that befell so many other adventurers.
But now, he was in a bit more serious of a situation. While traveling near Karthwasten, he had been flagged down by a messenger from the small village, asking for an audience with the mayor. He agreed, and learned that people had been disappearing from the rapidly growing mining town. What investigations they could afford to conduct had turned nothing up, so they saw it as nothing short of a miracle that the Traveler had appeared around this time.
The Traveller was hesitant to take on what appeared to be a rather heavy task, but he also knew he couldn't just let it be. So, he took it, and began his own investigation.
And now, he was wandering through the foothills of the Reach, following some tracks he had picked up. For the people of Karthwasten, magic was expensive and rare, but the Traveler had enough skill that he had quickly picked up the trail of someone. 5 days later, he hoped that their camp was nearby. He did not like how far away this camp was from Karthwasten. It bespoke great strength, or cunning with magic, to make people disappear there, and bring them so far away.
Thankfully, not less than half a day later, he found it. The trail led to a mine, presumably abandoned, now assumed reinhabited. The Traveler checked his map, closely examining the area he was in. There was no sign of any mine. Another thing to be uneasy about. With no other way about it, he stepped into the darkness, lighting a lantern.
The mine descended quite far. Far enough to make the Traveler wonder if he'd end up in Blackreach again, but any further thoughts were dispelled by the sight of strange machinery.
Dwemer, but altered. Some people had enough knowledge of dwarven technology to get small trinkets working, or rewire their autonomous sentries, but these were machines, built into the wall, though the first ones he found were mostly disassembled.
The Traveler dimmed his lantern, drawing a sword. He did not like this.
He progressed through this strange mine, and began to find machines that were working. Areas that had been hollowed out, and stations and tables had been set up, as well as unknown machines. The organic material strewn across many of them gave him pause, and he investigated. He could not discern the machine's functions, and short of documentation, the origin of the material, so he reluctantly continued forward, a knot of unease growing in his stomach.
This area of machinery and stations quickly gave way to a large cavern, lined with machines, and tanks.
Large glass tanks, filled with a green solution, and each one containing a vaguely humanoid figure. Starting from the entrance to the cavern, the figures were barely recognizable as humanoid, but as they progressed, became more and more clear, until the last tank, as the opposite end of the room, had a clearly human figure, albeit distorted.
All this the Traveler saw, but didn't understand, as he was focused on the one other figure in the room.
A cloaked figure, hunched over one of many tables in the room, again similarly strewn with unknown devices and organic material. The Traveler recognized dragon bones among these samples.
The figure turned, making to move something from one table to another, and froze, seeing his unexpected visitor.
The silence reigned for a split moment.
"Ah, a visitor!" The figure crowed. "Come forward! I would love to show you my work!"
The Traveler was distinctly unnerved by this, but did as he was told, holding his sword at his side.
The figure approached him, stopping to grab something from one of the tables. He held it up, revealing a dragon tooth.
"Ah!" he began. "Behold the remains of a mighty dragon! Such wonder, such POWER these creatures hold. And, similarly, such power held by the Dragonborn!"
The Traveler felt the unease begin to mount.
"But, how is the Dragonborn chosen? A debate of the ages, but let me tell you," he began to get closer, and the Traveler thought he heard clanking as he walked., "I found some secret knowledge. AH! I explore the Dwarven ruins, searching for the secrets to their wondrous machines. But then I found something far more valuable." The figure drew far too close for the Travelers comfort. "I found how to MAKE a dragonborn!" The figure cackled, his hood falling off, as the Traveler saw a man, parts of his skull replaced with dwemer machinery. "YES! How to MAKE a Dragonborn! The Dwemer were wise, powerful, but why did they disappear? Who knows! Could a Dragonborn have prevented it? Methinks this is why the notes I found were so well hidden." The man drew away, and began to walk around the room, gesturing to the tanks as he did so. "Ah, they were difficult to decipher. Understandably so, but still! I experimented, I tinkered, I tested. I found the materials I needed, the magic I needed, the methods required. I figured out how to do what the Dwemer couldn't! I figured out how to CREATE A DRAGONBORN!" The man had traveled the room, stopping in front of the most notable tank in the room. The Traveler had followed, and now stared at the tank.
Floating in the liquid was a woman. Rather young. Likely a few years an adult. A large pair of dragon wings floated around her, distorting her shape, as the Traveler had seen. Her legs had been replaced with reptilian legs, more akin to a dragon's than an argonian. Scales adorned her body, forming symmetrical patterns. A set of horns adorned her skull, parting her hair.
"Isn't she beautiful!" The Traveler looked at the man, gazing up at his creation. "Of course, it isn't perfect yet. But look at her! She has the power of a dragon! Oh, how the sacrifices were worth it! How long have I labored here? And now it all pays off! The First of many! People will come begging for this power I have unlocked! I will finally get the recognition I-"
The man did not get to finish his sentence, stopped by the blade through his back, piercing his heart. The Traveler withdrew his sword, letting the man's body slump to the ground. He realised his hand was shaking, but couldn't stop it. He glanced around, fighting the bile rising in his throat. He was sickened, but he knew what had to be done.
Over the next few days, the Traveler's disgust did not lessen, though he could stomach it much better. The methods and experiments the man had conducted were abominations to anyone with half a conscience, but it was obvious that the man had had none. The Traveler now knew where all the people who had gone missing were, but he could do nothing besides make sure they were avenged, and set to rest. But then, there was the woman. The 'Dragonborn.' As much as he hated it, he had found enough notes of the madman to determine that she was in stable condition, but as the madman had said, her condition was not perfect. The notes did not say what effects she would suffer, but the Traveler figured it wasn't enough to justify simply ending the poor girl's life. She had suffered the least of all the subjects, at least.
A few more hours, and the Traveler was ready. He stood in front of the tank, looking up at the faux dragonborn. He prepared a spell. Casting it, he froze the glass, then shattered it. The liquid gushed out, the woman floating out and to the Traveler, his magic preventing her from simply falling to the bottom of the tank. He quickly covered her with a cloak, then turned to leave. He had the one thing worth saving. That's all he needed.