Thank you, Caillagh and Alwyn, for your nice comments^^ We will definitely see more of the to and the trial. I've found Anja's old save files and managed to make them compatible with the new mods (though half of Skyrim runs around in nothing but underwear...) and played a little bit of the trial. This means that some screenshots might show things from newer mods and some from older ones (depends which I choose).
Jeyred's Story Three: Stories from Whiterun to Ivarstead
The Valtheim Towers
It was on their second day of travel, our heros Jeyred and his Huscarl Lydia have camped under a rock shelter near Greywinter watch, when they first saw two tall stone towers, one on each side of a river. The towers were connected by a bridge on which several people stood. The Valtheim Towers, as Lydia told her Thane. As they got closer they could see a man leaning against the wall right next to the entrance. He had only one eye and serveral scars defaced him, a heavy war axe wasn somehow, attached on his back.
"Oi! What you two doing here?"
"We", asked Jeyred.
"Of course you, do you see any other idiots around here?"
"Hey, that's no way to speak to a Thane of Whiterun and-"
"Shut up, woman. When ya want to pass pay the fee."
"Lydia, keep calm. Erm", Jeyred looked into the man's eyes, " we don't want to cross the river, we are on our way to-"
"Don't misunderstand me, this no fee for using the bridge. It's for passing here with your heads on your shoulder, doesn't matter which direction you heading." The man drew his axe, an old and rusty one but still deadly, and walked closer to the two travelers.
"Don't make a mistake, you ugly brute", Lydia unsheathed her sword and held her shield in front of herself.
"Guys, guys, we don't have to fight, neh?"
"If you pay the fee."
"You see, the thing is, we are kinda out of gold. I've spend everything in Whiterun. Maybe I can spare a few septims, if I look deeper into my pockets..."
"Spare a few septims? Do you think I am freaking beggar? Die bastard!"
The man raised his axe and charged at Jeyred but the hit was intercepted by Lydia. Jeyred drew his sword, blocked a hit from the right with his shield and split the man's head with one swing. Shouts, steps and steel being drawn insdide the tower could be heard. The arrow of an archer on the other side missed Lydia by an inch. The two travelers ran into the tower and defeated two bandits on the stairs. Lydia left the tower, ran onto the bridge and tried to fight her way to the archer. Jeyred, who still was inside the first tower, barely managed to evade the attack of a woman clad in a heavy steel armor. Her face was painted red and her sword shined in the same colour due to a fire entchantment, the woman hid behind an enormous shield. Jeyred wondered what the war paint might mean, he has read about this nord custom to paint ones face before battle. How old was ths tradition? Maybe a remnant of the Atmorans and their decendants, the nord, kept this custom? Did Ysgramor's Five Hundred Companions paint their faces when they marched through Skyrim and eradicated the elves during the Merethic Era? Jeyred shoke his head. This was no time for deep thinking!
"Just for you to know", spoke the red-painted woman, "you will be defeated by the chieftain Viguri The Candle. Die by my sword Flambearer."
Her hit forced Jeyred two steps back, fire bashed against his shield. A fierce duel inside the narrow tower flared up. Jeyred realised after a few clashes that he had no chance against the chieftain, her skills were above his. His initial plan to use his superious speed in this small area for his advantage proved to be enough, the woman was even with the heavy armour almost as fast as Jeyred. Blood trickled down from the woman's blade and through the various cuts Jeyred had received . Jeyred had an idea and smiled cunning.
"Just for you to know, you will be defeated by the Dragonborn Jeyred Strong-Vox."
He shouted 'Fus'.
The blast blew away the jars on the table which stood next to Jeyred and dust was swirled up. The Thuum threw Viguri The Candle against the wall, her blood splattered on it. Jeyred could hear her bones breaking and the neck twisting, her head was almost ripped off. Everything went calm. The Dragonborn leaned on a table, he breathed heavy, the shout clearly exhausted him. He took Flamebearer which lay next to it's dead owner. Now it was his. Jeyred remained like this for a while until Lydia returned and said, she had killed every bandit on the bridge and other tower, her blade was fully covered in blood. This was the moment when Jeyred decided that he was happy to not be her enemy.
Hillgrund's Tomb
Our heros discovered one day, hid behind trees and it's existence only hinted by a vegetated path, one of the many ancient nord barrows of Skyrim. Carved into a rocky hill and a weathered stone entrance but with a rather humble wooden door reinforced with iron was it almost impossible to see if one did not stand right before of it. Inside the entrace hall stood a man in front of an iron gate. The man looked frustrated, he clenched his hands which made his veins on his arms swell. His clean blonde hair were tied back but looked messy as if he had tried to tear some of them out. When the man noticed Jeyred and Lydia he said:
"Well met traveller, what brings you to this cursed place?"
"Greetings, we are on our way to Ivarstead and happened to find this place as we were searching for nuts. My name is Jeyred Strong-Vox and her name is Lydia, my huscarl.
"A huscarl? So you are a Thane? I feel honored to speak with a real Thane. Hah, where are my manners! People tend to call me Golldir."
"Golldir? A rare and old name. Anyway, you said, this place is cursed?"
"Yes, yes - well, actually no, it isn't. At least not really cursed in a sense of being under a magical curse, but the necromancer Vals Veran entered this tomb. You see, this is my family's tomb for many years and this Dunmer is desecrating my ancestors by reanimating them! I have to do something, but what can I do against this evil, against a mage."
Jeyred looked at Lydia, she nodded.
"What if we help you? The three of us could defeat this evil."
"Why would you help me? Risking your life for my family?"
"Because evil needs to be defeated. He is not only dishonoring your ancestor but also the gods. The Nine do not tolerate necromancy and I, as a pious one, will not allow this mockery of the gods! Also, I am a Thane of Whiterun, it is my duty to protect the people of Whiterun and fight for the law of the Jarl."
Golldir looked touched at Jeyred. He opened the heavy iron gate and the three entered the tomb. The first hall was only the vestibule, stone tables with broken pots stood in the middle of the room, the scent of death was in the muffy air. A deep moan could be heared, the three stormed into the next room with their weapons ready to strike. Two skinny reanimated corpses stood there. They wore rigged ancient nord clothes and armour, Jeyred could see rooten flesh and skin like old parchment through the many holes of the ancient linen. Golldir charged screaming at one of the zombies and hit the right shoulder of the creature with his short axe. Dust left the old body and the sound of breaking bones reached his ears. The zombie stumbled backwards, said something in an old language with it's disgusting voice and fell to the ground. The other undead was killed by Jeyred's Flamebearer, the blade split it's target's head and ignited the body of the undead.
The three proceded their way through the barrow, killed every undead they encountered and prayed for them. Then they reached the last room. It was an enormous hall with douzens of coffins. Stairs led to an iron door flanked by two big sarcophagi and between them stood a Dunmer. The elf wore a colorful robe. Vals Veran.
"Vals", shouted Golldir, "stop this nonsense right now! Let my ancestors free."
"Nonsense? Free? Hah, you make me laugh, Golldir. You stupid nords cage your dead in these - these reeking caves and lock them up in sarcophagi. And you want to tell me I should let them free? I am freeing them. They walk freely and once I am strong enough I will free all dead in Skyrim."
"By Arkay, you are desecrating the gods", exclaimed Jeyred.
"Hah, the holy Eight-and-the-One you humans worship. These weak, incapable Aedra, who can't even manifest themselves in Nirn. And the Eight even dared to give a human, a pathetic mortal, the status of a god. Laughable. And you nords, with your small brain good enough to do the most simple thing, worship them. Hah!"
"Enough, Elf. I will not allow you to mock the gods", Jeyred raised his sword and climbed the stairs.
"Haha, how rediculous!"
Vals Veran disappeared, only the flickering of magic remained where the necromancer stood a moment ago. The coffins and sorcophagi were burst open. Draugrs, zombies and skeletons awoke and left their ancient prisons. Jeyred, Lydia and Golldir stood back to back and tried to fend off the hordes of undead which surrounded them. While they were fighting appeared Veran on the stairs out of nowhere next to a coffin and threw sparks, firebolts and icespikes at the surrounded three. Jeyred realised they would eventually loose this battle, too many undead attacked them and the spells would sooner or later hit. He whipped a small scroll out of his belt and shouted:
"Every one, close your eyes and duck!"
He opened the scroll, cut into his palm with his sword and wrote a word on the paper. A blast of fire went through the room, burning the flesh and bones of the undead. Veran was hit by the force, thrown back and landed in a corner of the room. When the three opened their eyes, everything was silent. An ominous cloud of dust and smoke filled the room, together with the smell of burned flesh. Golldir slowly approched the necromancer's body on the floor and stabbed it carefully with a bone he found lying next to Veran. The Dunmer was dead, the heat has charred his lung and eyebrows.
"Well", said Lydia while wipping off smut from her armour," fire works against necromancers, I'll keep that in mind. My Thane, are you alright?"
"Yes ", Jeyred rub his eyes, "only the dust, it's irritating. That scroll was stronger, than I expected. I should have bought more of them."
"You have done me and my family a great deed,I'll never forget that. If there is anything you need..."
"No no, justice for the nine and one necromancer less is enough for me."
Jeyred and his Huscarl bid farewell to Golldir and left the nord alone tidying up the mess.
The Spriggan-Giants
It was somewhere east of the thoat of the world when our heros made a gruesome discovery. On the middle of the road, or rather mountain path, lay to people, a man in a robe, an old woman in plate armour and next to them a small pig. Their clothes around the stomachs and waists were trenches in blood, flies landed on the bodies coviring their wounds or bustled around the dead.
"Horrible, isn't it?"
The person who spoke was a young woman with a sword and shield, her face painted with nord war paintings. She leaned against a tree.
"What happened here", asked Lydia.
"The Spriggan-Giant. He controls wild bears and uses them to attack wanderers around here, just like these there."
"A spriggan giant? How is that even possible", shouted Jeyred surprised.
"Legends say a spriggan, the most beatutiful of all, fell in love with a frost giant chased away from the swamps of Eastmarch. They had a son, the Spriggan-Giant. The people of Ivarstead and Helgen began to curse this abomination and hunt it down. The spriggan and frost giant were captured and burned. Their son now seekes revenge and attacks wanderers."
"And why are you here", asked Jeyred suspiciously.
"I am one of the Companions and was sent to kill the Spriggan-Giant. The companions have some guilt in this matter, they helped hunting down the parents. And I am here to solve this problem."
"Alone?"
"Yes, alone."
"I see."
"Then why did you ask?"
"Just wondering..."
Jeyred sized the woman up. She was young, probably not older than twenty-five, but he could tell that she has seen more of life than most people in their thirties. The woman had a fierce look and her movements were smooth and indicated a lot of body control. Her iris had the same chest-nut color as her hair, but they still shined out amidst the dark war paint around the eyes. Her armour was simple scale armour, more or less the same armour Jeyred wore, but her shield was thick, probably insanely heavy, and the sword looked sharp, mabe the famour Skyforge Steel, which the companions use. Overall, Jeyred wouldn't want to get in troble with her.
"What did you say was your name", asked Lydia and walked to the woman.
"Oh, sorry I didn't introduce myself, did I? People call me Ria... because that is my name. And you are?"
"Lydia and this is Jeyred Strong-Vox, my Thane."
"A Thane? Haven't heard that someone received the title of a Thane for a long time. Then again, I have been searching for the Spriggan-Giant for some time. Anyway, I have to go. Maybe I can find some tracks."
"Can we help you? You see, I am a man devoted to the nine, thus it saddens me to hear that people have killed two creatures of Kyne and now their son is being hunted down. Maybe we can solve this without further bloodshed."
"You can come with me for all I care, but good luck trying to talk with that beast."
Ria turned around and began to follow the mountain path further up, Jeyred and Lydia followed her. The three passed by small waterfalls, the ruins of a house and occasionaly would come across deers or rabbits, but seeing wildlife that day was rare, it was one of these cold, wet days where the birds wouldn't want to sing and even the wind couldn't motivate the leaves to rustle. Then it happened.
During one of their breaks (Jeyred wanted to ask her about the deeper meaning of the face paint but Ria looked too intimidating...) they noticed something small and black running towards them. They prepared to fight. The small black thing turned out to be a young bear and the three almost wanted to conceal their weapons as they saw the unnatural green eyes of the bear.
"He is being controlled by the spriggan-Giant", shouted Ria.
The follwing fight was over at the split of a second. Ria's sword almost cut the young bear in half and blood splattered in all directions. The following hours of wandering were as calm as before the fight until the three reached a rockshelter. A troll jumped forwards and attack Jeyred but the three could defeat the troll by surrounding him and hitting his back. Again, the beast had green eyes. Under the rock shelter lay a dead stormcloak soldier in a pool of blood, next to him a skeleton. Half an hour later, the sun was about to set, saw the three the Spriggan-Giant. He was smaller than a normal giant, but he looked like a small tree, skin like bark and branches grew out of the knobby head. The Spriggan-Giant looked at the three and roared.
"Wait", yelled Jeyred, "don't attack, we are here to help you."
The Spriggan-Giant said after a short while with a deep woody voice: "Help m'? Why would help m'? Human killed m' parents. Humans kill trees and holy animals."
"We haven't killed your parents, it a was a mistake made by stupid people and-"
"Hey, the companions aren't stupid!"
"Could you please be silent? Erm", Jeyred looked at the Spriggan-Jeyred, "holy creation of Kyne, ahem, you see, Kyne wants for the life of Nirn to prosper, right? And she wishes us good daily lifes, but you attack friendly wanderers and use animals against their will to attack humans. And these attack do not bring good daily lives, because, you know, they are, well... dead. And killing is not prosperous. Thus, you act against Kyne's will."
"You talks to much", said Ria, raised her sword and charged at the Spriggan-Giant.
"Stop, don't attack him."
Ria's sword cut into the creature's leg and resin flowed out like blood. The Companion was hit by the Sprigga-Giant's hand and flew into some bushes. The Half-Giant Half-Spriggan ran towards Jeyred, who still tried to talk insistently to his opponent. Lydia chipped in, blocked an attack to her head and made a thrust to the stomach. The blade went a few inches in. Lydia was, while trying to get her stuck sword out, lift into the air and thrown towards the Ria who finally managed to get up. The two warriors clashed and Lydia fell ontop of Ria. Jeyred knew he had to fight and drew his sword. He swiftly evaded a kick and cut open the Spriggan-Giant's belly. Resin gummed his blade up. A thrust to the chest, Jeyred had to jump to reach that high, ended the Spriggan-Giants life and he fell dead to the side.
"I can't get that stuff off my blade", complained Ria as she walked to dead monstrum, "But that was a nice thrust."
Jeyred kneeled down, took an amulet of Kyne with shaking hands out of his bag and put it on the Spriggan-Giants head. He stood up and said briefly:
"Your mission is finished, you should go back to Whiterun."
"Right... Well, then, so long. Maybe we will run into each other one day."
The Thane and his Huscarl looked after the femal warrior until she disappeared between the trees.
A few days later arrived our heros in Ivarstead, a small town at the foot of the Throat of the World - or Monahven, Mother Wind, how the ancient nords called the tallest mountain of the continent.
Re: Stories from the North
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