Chapter 6: Into the crypt.
Inside the fort was massive and the architecture of the fort was designed to be beautiful and defense that was for sure. There next to some crates was a redguard man teaching the nord farmer boy how to use and shoot a crossbow properly. "Boy this is not your "pa's axe" this is a crossbow" The boy started to speak "Uh crossbow? I've never…" That was all he got out before Isran cut him off "Yes, a crossbow. The best for killing vampires. Just take a few shots at the crates over there. Watch the recoil. Takes some getting used to. That's it! Take a deep breath and let it out as you fire. You'll get the hang of it." Isran was instructing the farmer boy and when he started to get the hang of the device the lad looked at Isran and said "Thank you sir." Isran put up a hand and said "Do I look like a sir to you? You aren't joining the army, call me Isran. Tell me your name, boy." the boy looked sheepish "My name is Agmaer si… Isran." Agmaer said correcting himself and trying to get it that he didn't have to call Isran sir. "You'll get the hang of it eventually. Go to Durak outside to practice some more with the crossbow. He can help you get a better aim and give you tips on how to reload the thing faster because it may have a kick to it but also it's slow to reload the darn thing. The faster you can reload the better chance you can survive the bloodsuckers if they don't go down the first shot." Isran said as he dismissed Agmaer.
"Now you four in the shadows come out so I can see you." Isran said to Haraldor and his group which had been waiting in the shadows of the room. They stepped forward into the light of the room and stood in the center on the sun symbol on the stone floor. "Hello Isran my name is Haraldor Stormbreath and my companions with me are Vilkas and Farkas of the companions and my shield brothers, and the lovely dunmer with me is Brelyna Maryon of house Telvanni. Me and Brelyna are here from the college of winterhold to do field study on vampires and Durak came by the college and said that there was some sort of vampire menace and said to head here if you want to help against it. I was already applying for a field study on them before he came and thought that it would be a good idea to come here to start off and Brelyna decided to join me." Haraldor explained to Isran who they were and why they were here. Isran looked over each of them before he spoke "So you four came together and I wonder how two companions came in the company of two mages." Haraldor had the answer to that question "Well I was raised up in whiterun and was trained by Eorlund Gray-mane in the arts of smithing and was put into physical training with these two and they came because they thought it would be an adventure to come with us and would be a great way to reconnect with each other." Isran nodded at that explanation. "Well right now we are rebuilding this place after a long time of abandonment. For now until we can have some other jobs for you four you can help with the rebuilding of this place. I would send you out to do your field study but it is late autumn and soon the way here will be closed off by the snow." Isran gave out assignments to the group. Brelyna was put to sorting and organizing scrolls and books, Vilkas was helping out with training the recruits along with farkas and was helping out with the gathering of lumber and building defenses, Farkas was also gathering stone from the mine that was found and cleared of the animals that were inside the place along with hunting game in the valley that the fort was in, then finally Haraldor was put incharge of enchanting the armor and weapons of the dawnguard and was smithing new armor, blades, plus keeping the equipment in shape.
About ten more people came to the Dawnguard before the snow set in and they had to wait before they could move out. It was a long four months cooped up in the fort. In that time one of the people who came in before the snow told them about how they were a member of the Vigilants of Stendarr and how the vampires attacked their lodge and most of them were spread to the winds. Apparently the vampires were looking for information about some tomb of some sorts that were in the mountains which luckily at this time are not able to look for the place and they have to wait for the snow to melt like the Dawnguard. Haraldor was planning to head out on the orders of Isran to find what was so important in the tomb that the vampires were trying to get their dead hands on. Vilkas and Farkas were going to stay and continue to train the recruits and to help with the rebuilding of the fort when Haraldor would head out to the tomb. Brelyna on the other hand was not happy with the fact that she would have to stay behind while he went off to the tomb.
The snow was finally melting meaning Haraldor was setting off to the tomb that was named Dimhollow Crypt and with one last protest from Brelyna who had been formally married to Haraldor a month ago and now she had been feeling sick for the week leading up to the departure of Haraldor. It was a cool morning with the sun barely peeking above the caps of the mountains above the valley when Haraldor made his way out of the valley and headed towards windhelm first, then to dawn star, and finally to the part of the mountains where the tomb was supposed to be located. It took about a month to get to Windhelm and Haraldor didn't stay long because when he came there it was full of Nord supremacists and they didn't treat the other races that called the city home well. Haraldor was able to pass off as a nord because of his upbringing and he was able to openly worship Talos there but he was still not comfortable with the newly formed stormcloaks spewing about being the true sons and daughters of skyrim but they were just a bunch of racist and would not take kindly to elves especially the dark elves. With the fact he was a bretton by blood and was married to a dark elf the people here would not take kindly to him. So that being said he only stayed the night and made his way to Dawnstar by boat.
The trip by sea was quicker and took about a week which was faster than Haraldor expected to reach the hold. He was expecting to have to take two more months before he reached the town by foot because the snow was still blocking off paths leading to there. But now he was able to help around the town and he earned the title of thane and was granted some land near the border of whiterun to build himself a manner or anything he desires on that land. Haraldor sent a letter to Farkas and told him that he would like to help with building a home on the land he acquired and to build the entrance hall, the main room, basement with forges and other things, a tower library, a room with extra beds, and a training room. Hopefully it won't take long with the help of Farkas and other people who would be willing to help. Once he got his letter sent and packed his belongings he made his way to the crypt. A little passed the ruins of the Viglent's lounge that was burned. The charred ruins stood as a grim reminder of the failure of the Viglents.
He made it into the crypt and was gearing up for the possible vampire threat that might be inside the crypt already by the tracks that were not too old leading into the cave. 'Well it is certain that this place has some occupants so I must be quiet and scout out the place before I just barge in like a madman.' With that thought Haraldor quietly made his way into the cave dressed in modified dawnguard armor which protects the main areas of where the vampires can bite you, had a gap where his mouth is so he can use his stormbreath spell without causing it to backfire on him, the armor is more mobile than the basic heavy dawnguard armor set, and all over the armor are enchantments to boost vitality, stamina, magika, and protection against the elements. All in all this was a good armor set to be wearing for this adventure. 'Oh I need to remember to write about this adventure in my journal to keep track of my field study on vampires and possibly to have stories to read to my future children. Just not the tiny troll story that must be lost to time!' Haraldor thought with a shudder at the story that he hoped would fade with time. He reached an open area and heard two voices and when he looked he saw the two people talking next to a gate and two shriveled up black dogs gnawing on a vigilant's dead body.
"Still can't believe that group of Vigilant's thought that they had a chance against us. Their blood was tasty and the one who had that book was very helpful for us to continue on our way in." One of the figures said to the other. "Well I don't understand why it had to be us guarding this entrance. It's not like anyone else will come in here. The sooner Lokil finds what is hidden here the better because I am hungry!" The other vampire complained to the first one. "I agree with you. They could have just kept the death hounds here and had us go inside but we are stuck here with two hounds while the others gain glory and favor." The first said giving a name to the hound creatures that Haraldor was observing as they ate the body of the poor man and seemed to freeze the flesh of the man. Gathering enough notes on the creatures and wanting to continue into the crypt, Haraldor drew the crossbow he was given and loaded it. Taking aim at one of the vampire's head he let the bolt fly killing the bloodsucker with one shot alerting the other three enemies of his presence.
With his cover blown Haraldor his two trusty skyforge steel axes and caught one of the hounds as it lunged at him. The hound was thrown away but not dead when the second one bit down on his left leg. The bite was cold as the grave and hurt like hell but Haraldor powered through it and kicked the beast off his leg and took a swipe at the first hound implanting his axe inside the skull of the beast ending it's misery. The vampire finally made it to where Haraldor was and tried to lunge at him thinking she could pinn this person down and suck him of all his blood. Haraldor seeing the vampire he dodged the attack and sent a fireball at the creature causing the cloak it was wearing to catch fire. When all that was going on the second hound finally climbed it way back up the slope it was kicked down and tried to lunge for Haraldor again but Haraldor slammed both axes into the beast killing it before he made his way to the downed vampire. With an ease of motion he decapitated her head off her body letting it roll on the floor.
"Well this was a good way to see what I am dealing with so far. These are supposed to be the weaker vampires judging by their looks and I can deal with them with no sweat. The death hounds they have caught me off guard but they are more like dogs or wolves with some sort of frost magic imbued bites." Haraldor mused to himself as he made his way to a stone tower oddly situated in this cavern which most likely has the way to open the gate that was shut. Pulling the chain which caused the gate to rise Haraldor made his way inside. "Well all I have to say is I hope that there isn't a bloody tiny troll hidden in the crypt." Haraldor said as he made his way into the crypt.
The crypt was nothing special about it. It had the same feel as the other crypts Haraldor ventured in. 'Creepy monsters guarding it check, traps that can kill check, old relics of the distant past check, some items I can loot also check, Oh I forgot puzzles I had to solve probability' that was the thought as Haraldor entered the hopefully last room after the huge spider and master vampire room. Haraldor found a nifty restoration spell tome that can heal undead creatures which can come in handy whenever Haraldor uses the necromantic part of conjuration magic. Though it could also be used on summoned daedra also so that was also an option. Right now Haraldor was aiming at the head of the leader of this band of vampires as he was reading a book while a female vampire was holding the vigilant that the book belonged to on his knees. 'What did that vampire call him? Loki? Locker? Lokther?' The female vampire spoke jarring Haraldor from his thoughts as she said "Lokil did you figure out the puzzle yet from this useless bloodbag's journal? We want to please lord Harkon with a swift return." The female vampires voice was cold and high as she said that and Haraldor thought 'Yes that's his name Lokil. Well doesn't matter now he is going to die and I can mark off puzzles from my list of things in this crypt.' With that he took his shot at Lokil's head and the bolt went in one side and out the other. The female vampire slit the vigilant's throat and looked for the shooter. It was too late and Haraldor shot a second bolt at the vampire in the chest stunning her before another one pierced her brain.
"Well that was easy shame, I couldn't save that man's life. Now onto the puzzle to open up the desired holding of whatever they are after." With that he made his way down to the puzzle area where there were brazzers that looked movable and in the center was a pedestal with what looked like a button on it. Haraldor with his everlasting wisdom put his hand on the button and pressed it. A metal spike popped out and stabbed his hand causing Haraldor to pull it back and use restoration magic he knew to heal the wound as the spike now covered in blood retracted and causing purple light to fill in the cracks in the ground stopping at where a circle was that could keep a brazzer in place. Haraldor put each of the brazzers in place when the line stopped at where the thing had to go until it backtracked to the center again causing the floor to sink and a purple portal opened below the pedestal and out came a stone pillar and when the portal closed the stone pillar opened up and out stumbled a woman with a elder scroll attached to her back.
When she came to, she asked Haraldor a lot of questions and he found out that she was a vampire. The only thing she asked him to do was help her get home. Haraldor agreed on that if he was able to question her about being a vampire. Although the look she had was an uncomfortable one she agreed to that and said that she wouldn't answer any questions she felt uncomfortable answering. "Well then we have a deal. You know you are the first vampire that didn't attack me on sight so I am willing to talk with you and not kill you like Isran would want me to. Oh where are my manners? My name is Haraldor Stormbreath. What's yours?" The vampire stopped for a moment then said "My name is Serana. You mentioned this Isran person a few times, who is he?" Serana asked. "Well he is the leader of a group called the Dawnguard who are people who defend the innocent from vampires. Well that's all I know about them. Isran has a hatred to your kind because apparently his family was killed by a band of them." Haraldor explained to Serana as they made their way to the opposite way Haraldor entered because that was sealed. Serana was about to say something when a gargoyle statue came to life and sidelined Haraldor. It pinned haraldor to the ground and raked it's claws against his chest cutting his armor and Haraldor felt as the armor was cut like butter and felt his flesh be cut open as well. Haraldor opened his mouth and breathed lighting at the beast causing it to shatter into stone like it once was. Haraldor got up shakely when another statue came to life and charged at him. Before it could knock him down Serana took the blow and was pinned. Haraldor pulled out his twin axes and striked at the stone creature but when the steel met the stony hide the axe heads shattered. Shocked by this and angered, Haraldor summoned a storm atronach which destroyed the Gargoyle.
After that little surprise attack and some healing magic as well they made short work of the rest of the creatures in the crypt and made it outside. They made their way down the mountain side and headed to Dawnstar to try catching a boat to where Serana's home was. On that way Haraldor would swear to have seen a familiar tiny creature waving a sword in a wooded area that they passed on their way to the hold. Haraldor asked questions to Serana about vampirism and in turn she would ask about the world's history since she was locked away with an elder scroll for some reason that Serana wasn't ready to tell him yet. When they got to the hold all questions stopped and they looked for a boat to take them to the island where she lived. They managed to get a ride close enough to the place where there was another boat they could use to get the rest of the way to the castle that Haraldor spotted. They landed and before they made their way up to the doors Serana stopped him.
"There are going to be more vampires in there so please don't try to kill any of them. Just let me do all the talking." Serana said seriously. "Ok Serana I won't attack them but if they try to attack me I will defend myself." Haraldor answered and with that confermention they made their way to the gate and went inside Castle Volkihar.
An: I am alive and well. I had fun with this chapter and I know it is a long one so I hope you like it. We see Haraldor make his way through the first quest of the Dawnguard DLC. Haraldor's axes he made and had for so long broke that is something to keep in mind now because he really took good care of those things. Also next chapter might be up soon don't want you hanging off a cliff now do I. Actually that might be a good way to keep peoples attention on my story. Well anyways hope you liked it and please folllow, favorite, and review please. Toodles!!!!