Chronicles of Olaf the Nord

[RoyalNobody]

CHRONICLES OF OLAF THE NORD
... a Skyrim AAR by RoyalNobody

Inspired by Chirurgeon's fantastic AAR, I've decided to give Skyrim another run-through. I never fully completed the game, as a mod ended up screwing up my save files. This AAR is going to be pretty informal as I want to spend more time playing it than writing and sorting through screenies. I won't be writing about every little thing he does, or follow the vanilla story-line religiously. Instead I'm going to write up short stories on Olaf's adventures from his perspective. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy Olaf's tales!

CHAPTERS

Chapters

Chapter I: The Huntsman Chapter II: Dragonborn

MODS

Mods used:

1. (coming soon)

UPDATE: Game is crashing frequently, going to have to clear out old mods and start things fresh. Sorry for the delay.

[Chirurgeon]

wow this sounds great! I think for my next story I am going to do your layout. The exception is going to be Book 1 and then the chapters. Do you post a reply to your mp saying you updated it? Or do you let people figure that out on your own?

[RoyalNobody]

wow this sounds great! I think for my next story I am going to do your layout. The exception is going to be Book 1 and then the chapters. Do you post a reply to your mp saying you updated it? Or do you let people figure that out on your own?

Thanks, very much looking forward to your next one! Fingers crossed I'll be able to get my first chapter up tomorrow if I can sort out these crashes. For my Of Glory Lost AAR I usually let people know if the OP has been changed in my updates. Makes things easier for the reader, so they don't have to waste time checking OP.

[Chirurgeon]

maybe you can pm me to show me how to do that and also how you got those awesome banner signatures? I dont want to monopolize your aar

[RoyalNobody]

CHAPTER I: The Huntsman


The cold air burnt the back of my throat so that every breath was a stab of pain. My legs screamed for a reprieve as I struggled on through the thick snow. I stopped, carefully slotted the iron arrow that had been gripped in my palm and pulled the bowstring to my ear. My breathing was hoarse and heavy. I risked a couple of deep breaths to steady my aim and then loosed the arrow.



It flew true and I lowered my bow to watch it pierce the startled elk, which folded and collapsed into the reddening snow beneath. Slinging the bow over my shoulder I steadied my breathing and continued on. The elk was dead as I knew it would be. The arrow had sliced through its throat and it had bled out quickly. I squatted beside the elk, and placed a hand upon its neck. Muttering a silent thanks I ran my fingers through its thick fur before grunting as I hauled the magnificent animal over my shoulder. I could feel its warm blood running down my back. I adjusted the animal, gripped my bow tight in my free hand and headed back to camp.



My name is Olaf. I am a huntsman, a thief and murderer. I am from no village. I have no home but the furs upon my back and the fire I make. My father was an outlaw and my mother a barmaid whose only kindness was to give birth to me. Ashamed, she had left me for the wolves. Only it was not wolves that found me. A passing huntsman, come to sell his wares, took pity on me and raised me as his own. He taught me to hunt, to feed and clothe myself. He taught me how to kill and thieve, and that those from towns should not be trusted. Then he died. I am not sure of what, he just went to sleep and did not wake. His name was Olaf and now I am Olaf.



I reached my camp and unceremoniously dropped the elk beside a pile of ashes that was the remnants of my fire. Gathering firewood I had set aside, I rebuilt the fire and blew softly upon the glowing embers until the smoke erupted into flame. I sat to watch the fire grow, the flames dancing and leaping up to warm the crisp air. Forcing myself back to my feet I set about skinning the elk. Its furs, and the other hides I had collected, would sell for a good price at Whiterun. I was only a days walk from the hilltop fortress, and had been avoiding having to travel into its busy streets for as long as I could. Now I could put it off no longer. The light had faded by the time I had finished and I added the furs to the pile of two more hides like it. I cut a haunch of venison, which I spitted over the fire and sat back in among the furs to watch it cook. Its juices making the fire beneath sizzle and spit. An owl called out in the darkness, and the distant howls of a pack of wolves haunted the eerily still pine forest around me. I ate well. What remained of the carcass I dragged a distance from the camp, so as to avoid attracting bears and other creatures of the night to where I would sleep. I stored as much of the spare meat as possible, it would also fetch a reasonable price. Finally I curled up beneath the furs and drifted into sleep.



Setting off before first light I made good time. Summer was early, and the winter snows were already melting to make travel easier underfoot. The steep hills and dark pine forests soon gave way to the stretching flats and damp, boggy moorland that made up the landscape surrounding Whiterun. There was good hunting to be had here, I thought. Then I heard the deep, throaty bellow. Giants.



I lifted my bow from my shoulder and darted swiftly off the road. Hiding in among a patch of reeds I waited, hoping to let it pass. The bellow returned, only this time it was joined by the lesser shouts of humans. Stay out of sight and stay alive, I thought to myself, and kept low as I traversed the road. Flattening myself upon the hilltop I crawled forward in time to see a man squirming in the huge palm of a towering giant. He screamed as giants grip tightened to break his ribs before choking on blood and falling limp. Three more men surrounded the giant, two swordsman and a bowman. I fitted an arrow and watched. Let them weaken the giant and then strike when he is plundering their bodies.



The giant had discarded the corpse and now surged forward, hammering a fist down near where one of swordsman had been standing. The second swordsman lunged forward, and drove his blade into the giants arm. It bellowed furiously and swept the wounded arm into the man, launching him into the air to fall a short distance down the road. The giant made to finish the job when an arrow suddenly buried itself in its shoulder, and it turned from its victim to face the bowman. In a frenzy it bounded forward towards the archer, who looked to be desperately trying to fit another arrow. Then suddenly the remaining swordsman darted in from the side, and slashed at the towering beasts thigh. It staggered, and almost fell to a knee. I realized that the giant would die. There would be no loot here. Disappointed, I rose to my feet and raised my bow. It was a long shot, but the air was still and so the arrow would fly true. I did not try to aim the bow, but looked at the giant and judged the elevation needed. The giant had received another arrow to the chest, but in its blood-crazed state, now loomed over the bowman, who seemed so small in comparison. I was half tempted to let the giant crush the archer and try to overpower the remaining swordsmen, but it was to late now. My arms tensed as I pulled the tremendous weight of the string to my ear and then released.



The giant had raised its fist, about to bludgeon the bowman to death. Now its eyes widened slightly, a seemingly surprised look spreading across its leathery face. Then it collapsed, a feathered arrow emerging from its temple. The two swordsmen had recovered and joined the bowman as they watched the ragtag pile of furs, which clutched a bow, meander down the rocky road towards them. I kept my bow held tight as I approached. "Huntsman," barked a harsh voice as I passed and made to continue down the road. I stopped and turned, managing to hide my surprise that the bowman had been a women. "Shouldn't play with giants, you'll hurt y'self," I growled. The three warriors were one man and two women, and all look formidable enough to make me uncomfortable. But I made sure to hide my fear. A pack of wolves only grew hungrier when they catch the scent of fear. A cruel smirk spread across the lips of the red-haired women, "A true warrior relishes the chance to take down a giant." Or a fool, I thought. "We're the Companions," she explained smugly. I silently groaned as I realised she intended to talk on, but decided her talking was better than them robbing me of my furs. "We're an order of warriors. Brothers and sisters sharing glory," she spoke proudly, "and we show up to solve problems if the coin is good enough." So glorified mercenaries, I thought. "You should visit us at Jorrvaskr," she offered more softly. I glanced between the warriors, who stared intently as they awaited an answer. "Be safe," I growled abruptly and turned. I shouldered my bow as I walked. Sell the furs and leave Whiterun as soon a possible, I thought.

[Chirurgeon]

great first chapter. What is going on with your screenshots? I am only getting a small slice? Or maybe that is on my end? Is it possible to keep the whole story, pics and all, in the original post? Or does that create a problem?

[RoyalNobody]

CHAPTER II: Dragonborn

I took another mouthful of mead. The Bannered Mare was crowded, more so than I would have liked. Its patrons laughed boisterously as they drained their tankards. They gossiped, shared stories of battle and discussed politics and the Stormcloak rebellion. A rumored dragon attack at Helghen seemed to be on most peoples minds. An unlikely story. The majority flocked to the warmth and light of the hearth in the middle of the room. Though some, like me, chose the shadows. I was in a foul mood, fouler than usual. That bastard Breton had ripped me off and there was nothing I could do. It seemed another huntsman had passed through not two days ago and had flooded the market with furs. Mine had sold for next to nothing. The pittance I had made had already been frittered away upon supplies, ale and a room for the night.



A crash made me turn to the tavern door, which had almost be knocked off its hinges. None other than an dark elf had entered, followed by several guardsmen who surveyed the tavern through narrowed eyes. “You!” I straightened as the dark elves unforgiving eyes closed upon me. “Your the huntsman? Handy with a bow? If you want to make some coin then follow me,”she had not waited for a response but simply exited, the guardsmen in tow. I frowned, but drained my tankard and followed. The dark elf did not bother to look to see if I had joined, but the two guardsman glanced back and one grinned his acknowledgment. We proceeded through the dark streets and right up to the gatehouse where we were joined by yet more guardsmen. They looked nervous, and some clutched torches which bathed the surroundings in a flickering light.



We set out into the darkness and followed the road closely so as not the get lost. I asked one of the guards where we were going, he said it was the western watchtower and could only shrug when I asked why. “Bandits?” he suggested. The watchtower soon came into view, and our pace quickened. It was illuminated by great fires that must have been light by its garrison, and it rose out of the darkness a towering brute that dominated the landscape. As we drew closer I realised that the fires had not be made by the towers defenders, and that in fact the tower itself was on fire. I brought an arrow to my bow, and began to regret getting involved.



"Where is it?" barked the dark elf, as a terrified guardsman emerged from the tower entrance to investigate the newcomers. "Hurry, get inside!" he urged, his eyes wide and fixed upon the moonlit skies. I followed his gaze, and could see only wisps of cloud. Then something moved. For a moment I thought my eyes were merely playing tricks upon me in the darkness, but then it emerged through the clouds. People were screaming and barking orders and running for the shelter of the tower, but the world seemed silent and still as I watched the dragon glide towards me. I was stunned, but then I saw its razor teeth and the growing flames behind them and turned and ran.



The ground seemed to shake as the ground behind me was scorched by flame. The dragon passed, its wings creating an artificial wind that made me stumble forward. An arrow whistled overhead, and I realised I still had not fired my bow. I stopped, and turned. My arrow was still gripped in my hand and I rested it against my bow as I searched the sky. I could not see it. Then a shaky voice shouted something and I spun to see a shadow pass over the tower. I raised my bow and loosed the arrow. Not bothering to see whether it did any damage I darted up some stairs and into the relative safety of the watchtower.



I had no idea how long had passed. There were only a handful of us left. Our faces were black with ash and glistening with sweat. A few had climbed to the top of the tower and fired arrows, but the dragon had shrugged off the missiles and bathed the roof with flame so that only charred, shrunken bodies remained. Since then we had sheltered in the entrance, making short forays out to fire arrows before rushing inside as the circling dragon made to attack. Now a silence had descended upon us, and the men gripped their swords tightly and muttered prayers begging for the dragon to have given up upon its prey. "Talos help us," a thick-bearded guardsmen finally groaned as he turned from the entrance, "its landed."



Two men were swallowed by flame, their screams muffled. I drew my bow back and fired again. My heart pounded in my chest, and I fought to keep my hand steady as I reached for a new arrow. We had decided to charge, better to die like true Nords than be cooked inside the confines of the tower. I was suddenly plunged into darkness, the dragon had stopped breathing fire to crush a guard in its jaws before throwing his lifeless body aside. I fired again, but could not see what effect it was having. My eyes quickly adjusted and I froze as I realised the dragon was staring right at me. I hurriedly reached for an arrow, but my hands grasped thin air. The dragon crawled towards me and I knew that I was going to die. But I would die a Nord.



I dropped my bow and searched for a weapon. A corpse of a guard lay at the foot of the stairs and a charred greatsword was still clutched in outstretched hand. I charged. The dragon was closer and lunged forward. I threw myself aside and rolled as its powerful jaws crunched air. I reached for the sword, and my hand was cut as I found the blade. Rising to my feet I turned upon the dragon, who wondered where his vanishing prey had gone. I was bellowing and cursing the dragon and my fury brought the swords huge weight down upon its neck. The blade jarred against bone and I dragged it out to drive it home again, before the writhing dragon knocked me aside.



I landed in among rocks and my world went black as I hit my head hard. I waited to die, but found myself untouched. Suddenly I felt myself being dragged to my feet, and I opened my eyes to see the blurry face of one of the guardsmen. My vision cleared and I saw the dragon now lay still. I stumbled forward and joined the few who had survived, no one said anything. We just stared at the dragon as if expecting it to rise up and drown us in flame. "You did it, you killed it!" I realised the guard was speaking to me. "I- I..." my voice croaked and my eyes were suddenly blinded with a heavenly light. I felt a surge of power and ecstasy flow through me. The aches, cuts and bruises left me and I felt as though I was made of steel, that I was immortal. Then the world returned, and I thought it must have been the blow I had taken to the head. I shook my head, and drove my palm against it as if to drive the problems out. Then I realised that the others stood wide-eyed and staring at me. "You realise what this means? Your dragonborn!"

[RoyalNobody]

great first chapter. What is going on with your screenshots? I am only getting a small slice? Or maybe that is on my end? Is it possible to keep the whole story, pics and all, in the original post? Or does that create a problem?

Don't worry, its not you. I usually keep pictures as strips to make things less cluttered. I'm unsure if you'd be able to fit it all in one post, not sure how it works tbh.

[Chirurgeon]

ahhh. nice twist to the normal plot. Now will he do anything with it or be like Aragorn and not accept his fate until something forces his hand? I am relieved that it was not me with regard to your screenshots. Great job. I hope your passion continues. I hate it when a promising AAR goes belly up