Author's Note: So I don't have as much free time as I did before and my vacation is almost over so I won't be able to update as often so I'll try to. do it when I can. I don't own Skyrim. Enjoy!
P.S. To psalty: Exactly! That's also why it's just easier for me to go neutral throughout the whole storyline, that way I don't upset other characters who I need to help me.
The Cavern of the Supernatural
I visited the female blacksmith, Adrianne, before going to the inn. She promised to have my gear ready by morning. Thankfully, Balgruuf gave me some coin for my services so I could pay off the blacksmith and get a cheap room at the inn. You would think that for a Jarl, he would give more money, but I suppose times are tough as it is, with an impending war coming. Now he has to deal with not only Stormcloaks and Imperials knocking at his door to pledge allegiance, but a giant, fire breathing dragon roaming his lands.
When morning came, and when the hangover ceased, I was outside Adrianne's door waiting for my gear. A nearby guard gave me a sideways look before speaking. "Yeah, I used to be an adventurer like you. Then I took an arrow to the knee." I gave him a long look, with one eyebrow raised. "An arrow?" I asked. He nodded. "To the knee?" He nodded. "Just one arrow? Not a whole flurry of them? He hesitated and shook his head. "And this was a regular arrow?" He nodded. "Not enchanted or poisoned or anything like that?" He shook his head slowly, and I could tell he was getting nervous. "And there was no medical aid given to your knee in time to save it? No bandages or healers or any healing magic around? Because we have a lot of those." "Uh… well y-you see…" He stuttered. "You never were an adventurer were you? This guard duty is the closest you've ever gotten to using weapons." He nodded weakly, and a bit shamefully too. "Just don't lie about it, it's annoying."
Adrianne finally came outside with my gear freshly remade with better wood and iron. Nothing against Riverwood's blacksmith, but you can't get good materials in small villages. I immediately set out towards Bleak Falls Barrow, but since I actually knew where I was going, I got there much faster than anticipated. As I scaled the mountain it lay atop of, the air grew colder and snow was forming to mounds. By the time I saw the ruins, I was in at least three feet of snow. Of course, with my luck so far, there had to trouble.
Bandits were all over the place. Either this was their hideout, or they were looking to raid the place for some easy coin. Getting through them and inside the ruins was no challenge, as they were no fighters. I couldn't help but think back to when I touched the ancient stone with Ralof. Maybe I am destined to be some type of warrior. Here I am, a boy who grew up on a farm, never been in a fight all my life, and now I'm cutting down any bandit who dares attack me. One of the bandits was screaming "Where's Arvel with the claw?" I held my sword to his throat. "What claw?" He gulped. "T-the golden claw." It's the key to the vault down below." I removed my sword and told him to get out. He didn't take my mercy lightly, for he tried to attack me when my back was turned. I turned around and struck him down in one stroke. I wiped my blade and continued on.
Soon I was deep inside the caverns, finding a maze of twists and turns, but most of all dog sized spiders. I fought through them and continued on when I heard a voice calling for help. It may have been Arvel, the one the other bandit was talking about. I cut my way through tick webs to find a man, who I guessed was Arvel, stuck in really thick webbing and in front of him was a giant spider as big as a house. I kept quiet, creeping up behind so hopefully it wouldn't see me and I could take it by surprise. "You! Please help me!" Arvel shouted in my direction, which caused the spider to turn around. Shite! I jumped out of the way as the spider lunged, its mandibles ready to crush me for dinner. I rolled to the side and cut a few legs off with some swipes. Now that it was handicapped, killing the spider was easier. Just a stab into its head, and abdomen just to be safe. "Good, you did it, you killed it." Said the Arvel. "Now cut me down before anything else shows up." "Where's the golden claw?" I asked. "Yes, the claw." He said. "I know how it works. The claw, the markings, the Hall of Stories, I know how it all fits together! Help me down, and I'll show you! You won't believe the power the Nords have hidden there." "Fine," I said, "let me cut you down first." After a few swings, he was down on the ground.
He stood up and looked at me, then turned around around and ran through the corridor. "You fool!" He shouted as I gave chase. "Why should I share the treasure with anyone?" I cursed as he picked up speed. My sword was already in its sheath, and it was a two handed weapon. I'd have to stop to take it out to get Arvel. It turns out that I didn't have to run far because he stopped dead in his tracks. "What in the hells?!" He soured in surprise and fear. I came up behind and what I saw was indeed horrific. Skeletons, everywhere were climbing out of their coffins, weapons in hand and were making for us. Arvel tried to fight them off but the first skeleton cut him down in one stroke. As horrified as I was, I fought the undead warriors to… well the death I suppose. I grabbed the golden claw of Arvel's body and kept fighting my way through the crypt.
Eventually I got through the entire undead army, with the help of a few health potions I looted from the bandits. I came upon a circular door with a whole array of symbols on it. I took out the golden claw and looked at it. This must be the entrance to the Hall of Stories. The Dragonstone has to be in there. As I was wondering how to get in, I noticed markings on the claw that matched those on the door. I moved them in place and put the claw in a designated spot the move the door open. I came through to a room with a large pedestal on top. There were some chests, but for some reason, I was drawn to the wall.
There were dozens of rune markings in a language I didn't understand, but one set of the markings seemed to grow bright. My vision started to fade around the room as the markings grew brighter and brighter until it shone light so bright, it was like it was burning the markings into my mind. Then, in an instant, it stopped, and my vision returned to normal. I took a step back and wondered what just happened when a coffin opened behind me. I took out my sword and cut the undead in half. I looked inside the coffin and saw a stone tablet. It had to be the Dragonstone. I took the tablet, gave one last look at the strange wall, and left to escape this strange dungeon and go back to Whiterun.
Author's Note: Hope you liked the joke I put in the beginning with the guard. I'm probably not the first to come up with a joke like that but I still enjoyed it hope you all do too!